Orlando Furioso Part 32

XIV "To the pitched bark with me his party sped, Before the city knew what was at hand; Some of the house, disarmed and naked, fled, And some were slain; while of the helpless band, With me, another part was captive led.

So was I severed from my native land, Hoping in brief Zerbino to possess, I cannot tell thee with what happiness.

XV "Scarcely was Mongia by our galley doubled, Ere a squall took us on the larboard side, Which round about the clear horizon troubled, And stirred and tost heaven-high the foaming tide.

Smote with a north-west wind, next, ocean bubbled, Which on her other beam the vessel plied: This evermore increases, with such force, Starboard or larboard, boots not which our course.

XVI "It steads not to strike sail, nor lash the mast, Lowered on the gang-board, nor our castles fell; The bark, in our despite, is hurried fast Towards the pointed rocks about Roch.e.l.le: Save He, above, a.s.sist us at the last, The cruel storm will us ash.o.r.e impel; Driven thither by ill wind with mightier speed Than ever bow-string gave to whistling reed.

XVII "Our peril well does the Biscayan note, And tries what often has an evil end; Lowers down the galley's skiff, and, when afloat, Descends into it, and makes me descend: Two follow, and a troop would throng the boat, Did not the first prevent them, and defend The entrance with their naked faulchions; we Sever the rope forthwith, and put to sea.

XVIII "Driven landward, on the sh.o.r.e we safely light Who in the skiff embarked; while of our band The rest in the split vessel sink outright; Our goods sea-swallowed all. Upon the strand To Eternal Love, To Goodness Infinite, I offer up my thanks, with outstretched hand, That I was doomed not 'mid the watery roar To perish, nor behold Zerbino more.

XIX "Though I had left on s.h.i.+pboard matters rare, And precious in their nature, gem and vest, So I might hope Zerbino's lot to share, I was content the sea should have the rest.

No dwelling on the beach appears, nor there Is any pathway seen, by footsteps pressed; Only a hill, whose woody top is beat By ceaseless winds, the waters bathe its feet.

XX "Here the fell tyrant Love, aye prompt to range, And faithless to his every promise still, Who watches ever how he may derange And mar our every reasonable will, Converts, with woeful and disastrous change, My comfort to despair, my good to ill: For he, in whom Zerbino put his trust, Cooled in his loyal faith, and burned with l.u.s.t.

XXI "Whether he his desire had nursed at sea, And had not dared exhibit it before; Or that it sprung from opportunity, Suggested by that solitary sh.o.r.e; Without more pause, in that lone desert, he Would sate his greedy pa.s.sion; but forbore Till he of one could rid him, of the twain, Who in the boat with us had scaped the main.

XXII "A man of Scotland he, Almonio hight, Who to Zerbino seemed great faith to bear; And as a perfect warrior by the knight, Praised, when to Odoric given, his trust to share: To him (the Spaniard said) it were a slight If I unto Roch.e.l.le afoot should fare; And prayed, that he before would thither speed, And forward thence some hackney, for my need.

XXIII "Almonio, who in this suspects no ill, Forthwith, before our party, wends his way To the town, hidden by the wooded hill, And which not more than six miles distant lay.

To the other finally his wicked will Sir Odoric took courage to display; As well because he could not rid him thence, As that in him he had great confidence.

XXIV "He that remained with us, of whom I said Before, Corebo was of Bilbao hight, Who with him under the same roof was bred From infancy, and the ungrateful wight Deemed that the thought he harboured in his head, He could impart in safety to the knight, Who would prefer, neglected of his trust, The pleasure of his friend to what was just.

XXV "Not without high disdain Corebo heard (Who kind and courteous was) the Biscayneer, And termed him traitor; and by deed and word Withstood the purpose of his foul compeer.

This mighty wrath in either warrior stirred; In sign whereof their naked brands they rear.

At sight of their drawn swords, in panic, I Turn shortly through the gloomy wood to fly.

XXVI "Sir Odoric in war well taught and bred, Gained in few blows such vantage in the fray, He left Corebo on the field for dead, And, following in my steps, pursued my way.

Love lent to him (unless I am misled) Pinions, that he might overtake his prey; And many a prayer and glozing flattery taught, Wherewith I to compliance might be wrought.

XXVII "But all in vain, for I was fixed and bent, Rather than sate his ill desire, to die.

When menace had by him been vainly spent, And every prayer and every flattery, He would by open force his will content; Nor boots it aught that I entreaties try; -- Of his lord's faith in him the wretch remind, And how myself I to his hands resigned.

XXVIII "When I perceived that fruitless was my prayer, And that I could not hope for other aid; For he a.s.sailed me like a famished bear, With hands and feet I fierce resistance made, As he more brutal waxed, and plucked his hair, And with my teeth and nails his visage flayed: This while I vent such lamentable cries, The clamour echoes to the starry skies.

XXIX "Were they by chance conducted, or my shriek, Which might have well been heard a league around, (Or, was it they were wont the sh.o.r.e to seek, When any vessel split or ran aground) I saw a crowd appear upon the peak, Which, to the sea descending, towards us wound.

Them the Biscayan say, and at the sight Abandoned his design, and turned to flight.

x.x.x "This rabble, sir, against that treacherous man Comes to my aid; but in such guise, that I The homely saw, of falling from the pan Into the fire beneath, but verify.

'Tis true so lost I was not, nor that clan Accursed with minds of such iniquity, That they to violate my person sought; Though nothing good or virtuous on them wrought:

x.x.xI "But that they knew, for me preserved a maid, As yet I am, they higher price might crave.

Eight months are past, the ninth arrived, since, stayed By them, alive I languish in this grave.

All hope is lost of my Zerbino's aid: For from their speech I gather, as a slave, I am bartered to a merchant for his gold; By whom I to the sultan shall be sold."

x.x.xII The gentle damsel so her tale pursues, While sobs and sighs oft interposing break Her soft angelic voice, which might infuse Compa.s.sion into asp, or venomed snake.

What time she so her piteous grief renews, Or haply does her bitter anguish slake, Some twenty men the gloomy cavern fill; This armed with hunting-spear, and that with bill.

x.x.xIII With squinting look and dark, and but one eye, The leader of the troop, of brutish cheer Was he, the foremost of the company; By a blow blinded, which from nose to ear Had cleft his jaw: when he did so descry Seated beside the maid, that cavalier, He turned about and said: "Lo! in the net Another bird for whom it was not set!"

x.x.xIV Then to the County cried: "I never knew A man more opportune my wants to stead; I know not whether any one to you Perchance may have announced my pressing need Of such fair arms, -- or you conjectured true, -- As well as of that goodly sable weed.

You verily arrived in season are My needs (pursued the losel) to repair."

x.x.xV With bitter smile, upstarting on his feet, Orlando to the ruffian made reply: "Thou at a price at which no chapman treat, Unmarked in merchant's books, these arms shalt buy."

With that he s.n.a.t.c.hed a brand, which, full of heat And smoke, was smouldering in the chimney nigh, Threw it, and smote by chance the knave half blind, Where with the nose the meeting brows confined.

x.x.xVI The brand discharged by him, hit either brow, But most severely on the left did smite; For that ill feature perished by the blow, Which was the thief's sole minister of light.

Nor is the stroke content to blind the foe; Unsated, save it register his sprite Among those d.a.m.ned souls, whom Charon keeps, With their companions, plunged in boiling deeps.

x.x.xVII A s.p.a.cious table in mid cavern stood, Two palms in thickness, in its figure square; Propt on one huge, ill fas.h.i.+oned food and rude, Which held the thief and all who harboured there.

Even with such freedom as his dart of wood We mark the nimble Spaniard launch through air, The heavy table Roland seized and threw, Where, crowded close together, stood the crew.

x.x.xVIII One had his belly crushed, and one his breast; Another head or arm, or leg and thigh.

Whence some were slain outright, and maimed the rest, While he who was least injured sought to fly.

'Tis so sometimes, with heavy stone oppressed, A knot of slimy snakes is seen to lie, With battered heads and loins where, winter done, They lick their scales, rejoicing in the sun.

x.x.xIX I could not say what mischiefs these offend; One dies, and one departs without its tail; Another crippled cannot move an-end, And wriggling wreathes its length without avail: While this, whom more propitious saints befriend, Safe through the gra.s.s drags off its slimy trail.

Dire was the stroke; yet should no wonder breed, Since good Orlando's arm achieved the deed.

XL Those whom the board had little maimed or nought, (Turpin says there were seven) in craven wise, Their safety in their feet, yet vainly, sought; For to the cavern's door Orlando hies.

And having them without resistance caught, Fast with a rope their hands behind them ties; A rope, which in the cavern on the ground, Convenient for his purpose he had found.

XLI He after drags them bound without the cave, Where an old service-tree its shadow throws.

Orlando lops the branches with his glaive, And hangs the thieves, a banquet for the crows: Nor chain and crook for such a deed did crave: For ready hooks the tree itself bestows, To purge the world; where by the chin up-hung, These, on the branches, bold Orlando strung.

XLII The ancient woman, the a.s.sa.s.sin's friend, Escapes when she perceives that all are dead, And, threading that green labyrinth without end, Laments, and plucks the hair from off her head, By fear impelled, through paths which sore offend Her feet, till she, beside a river's bed, Encounters with a warrior: but to say Who was the stranger champion I delay;

XLIII And turn to her, who to the count applied, Praying he would not leave her there alone, And vowed to follow whither he would guide.

Orlando her consoles in courteous tone: And thence, when, with a wreath of roses tied About her brows, and robed in purple gown, On wonted journey white Aurora starts, The paladin with Isabel departs.

XLIV Without encountering aught that might appear Worthy of note, they wended many a day; And finally the twain a cavalier, As prisoner led, encountered by the way.

Who shall be told; but, tale to you as dear Now calls me from the beaten path away; -- Of Aymon's daughter, -- whom I left above, Languid and lost in all the pains of love.

XLV The beauteous lady who desires in vain, Rogero should not his return delay, Lies in Ma.r.s.eilles, from whence the paynim train She hara.s.ses, nigh each returning day; (What time they robbing aye, by hill and plain, Scower fruitful Languedoc and Provence gay) And the true duty executes aright Of a sage leader and a valiant knight.

XLVI The time long past, she, lying in that place, Had hoped that her Rogero would appear, She, not beholding him in all that s.p.a.ce, Of many evil chances lived in fear.

One day, mid others that her woeful case The lady wept alone, to her drew near The dame, who with that healing ring made sound The bosom rankling with Alcina's wound.

XLVII When her she saw, without her love returned, (Such time elapsed, her mission incomplete), Sore trembling, faint, and pale, her heart so yearned, She scarce had strength to stand upon her feet.

But the enchantress kind, when she discerned Her fear, advanced with smiles the maid to meet; And to console her such glad visage wore As messenger who joyful tidings bore.

XLVIII "Fear not for thy Rogero: he is well And safe (she cried), and ever wors.h.i.+ps thee, As wonted; but thy foe, that wizard fell, Him yet again deprives of liberty.

And it behoves thee now to climb the sell, Would'st thou posses him, and to follow me; For if thou wendest with me, I will lead Whither, by thee Rogero shall be freed."

XLIX And next pursued, relating to her all The frauds and magic of Atlantes h.o.a.r, That wearing her fair face, who seemed the thrall Of an ill giant, him had through the door Of gold, enticed into the enchanted hall, And after disappeared, the youth before; And told how dames and cavaliers he cheats Who thither make resort, with like deceits.

L Seeing the sage, all think they see a squire, Companion, lady-love, or absent friend; Whatever is each several wight's desire: Since to our scope our wishes never tend.