Orlando Furioso Part 40

LXXIX Astolpho in his book had found exprest (That which prescribed a remedy for spell) How he who of one hair deprived the pest Only could him in battle hope to quell: But this plucked out or sheared, he from his breast Parforce the felon's spirit would expell.

So says the volume; but instructs not where, 'Mid locks so thickly set, to find the hair.

Lx.x.x The duke no less with hope of conquest glows Than if the palm he has already won; As he that hopes with small expense of blows To pluck the hair, the wizard-wight undone.

Hence does he to the youthful pair propose The burden of that enterprize upon Himself to take: Orrilo will he slay, If the two brethren nought the intent gainsay,

Lx.x.xI But willingly to him these yield the emprize, a.s.sured his toil will be bestowed in vain; And now a new Aurora climbs the skies, And from his walls Orrilo on the plain Drops, -- and the strife begins -- Orrilo plies The mace, the duke the sword; he 'mid a rain Of strokes would from the body at one blow Divorce the spirit of the enchanted foe:

Lx.x.xII Together with the mace he lops the fist; And now this arm, now the other falls to ground; Sometimes he cleaves the corslet's iron twist, And piecemeal shares and maims the felon round.

Orrilo re-unites the portions missed, Found on the champagne, and again is sound: And, though into a hundred fragments hewed, Astolpho sees him, in a thought, renewed.

Lx.x.xIII After a thousand blows, Astolpho sped One stroke, above the shoulders and below The chin, which lopt away both helm and head: Nor lights the duke less swiftly than his foe.

Then grasps the hair defiled with gore and red, Springs in a moment on his horse, and lo!

Up-stream with it along Nile's margin hies, So that the thief cannot retake the prize.

Lx.x.xIV That fool, who had not marked the warrior's feat, Was searching in the dust to find his head; But when he heard the charger in retreat, Who through the forest with the plunder fled, Leapt quickly into his own courser's seat, And in pursuit of bold Astolpho sped.

Fain had Orrilo shouted "Hola! stay!"

But that the duke had borne his mouth away:

Lx.x.xV Yet pleased Astolpho had not in like guise Borne off his heels, pursues with flowing rein.

Him Rabican, who marvellously flies, Distances by a mighty length of plain.

This while the wizard's head Astolpho eyes From poll to front, above the eyebrows twain, Searching, in haste, if he the hair can see Which makes Orrilo's immortality.

Lx.x.xVI Amid innumerable locks, no hair Straiter or crisper than the rest was seen.

How then should good Astolpho, in his care To slay the thief, so many choose between?

"To cut them all (he said) it better were."

And since he scissors lacked and razor keen, He wanting these, resorted to his glaive, Which cut so well, it might be said to shave.

Lx.x.xVII And, holding, by the nose, the severed head, Close-sheared it all, behind and eke before.

He found, among the rest, the fatal thread.

Then pale became the visage, changing sore, Turned up its eyes, and signals sore and dread Of the last agony of nature wore; And the headless body seated in the sell, Shuddered its last, and from the courser fell.

Lx.x.xVIII The duke returns where he the champions two And dames had left, the trophy in his hand, Which manifests of death the tokens true; And shows the distant body on the sand.

I know not if they this with pleasure view, Though him they welcome with demeanour bland: For the intercepted victory might pain Perchance inflict upon the envying twain.

Lx.x.xIX Nor do I think that either gentle fay With pleasure could that battle's issue see: Since those kind dames, because they would delay The doleful fate which shortly was to be In France the brethren's lot, had in that fray With fierce Orrilo matched the warriors free; And so to occupy the pair had cast, Till the sad influence of the skies were past.

XC When to the castellan was certified In Damietta, that the thief was dead, He loosed a carrier pigeon, having tied Beneath her wing a letter by a thread.

She went to Cairo; and, to scatter wide The news, another from that town was sped (Such is the usage there); so, Egypt through, In a few hours the joyful tidings flew.

XCI As he had brought the adventure to an end, The duke now sought the n.o.ble youths to stir, (Though of themselves that way their wishes tend, Nor they to whet that purpose need the spur) That they the Church from outrage to defend, And rights of Charles, the Roman Emperor, Would cease to war upon that Eastern strand, And would seek honour in their native land.

XCII Gryphon and Aquilant thus bid adieu, One and the other, to his lady fair; Who, though it sorely troubled them, ill knew How to resist the wishes of the pair.

The duke, together with the warlike two, Turns to the right, resolved to wors.h.i.+p, where G.o.d erst incarnate dwelt, the holy places, Ere he to cherished France his way retraces.

XCIII The warriors to the left-hand might incline, As plainer and more full of pleasant cheer, Where still along the sea extends their line; But take the right-hand path, abrupt and drear; Since the chief city of all Palestine, By six days' journey, is, through this, more near.

Water there is along this rugged track, And gra.s.s; all other needful matters lack.

XCIV So that, before they enter on their road, All that is needful they collect, and lay Upon the giant's back the bulky load, Who could a tower upon his neck convey.

The Holy Land a mountain-summit showed, At finis.h.i.+ng their rough and salvage way; Where HEAVENLY LOVE a willing offering stood, And washed away our errors with his blood.

XCV They, at the entrance of the city, view A gentle stripling; and in him the three Agnize Sir Sansonet of Mecca, who Was, in youth's flower, for sovereign chivalry, For sovereign goodness, famed the country through, And wise beyond his years: from paganry Converted by Orlando to the truth, Who had, with his own hands, baptized the youth.

XCVI Designing there a fortilage, in front Of Egypt's caliph they the warrior found; And with a wall two miles in length, the mount Of Calvary intending to surround.

Received with such a countenance, as is wont To be of inward love the surest ground, Them he conducted to his royal home, And, with all comfort, harboured in the dome.

XCVII As deputy, the sainted land he swayed, Conferred on him by Charlemagne, in trust, To him the English duke a present made Of that so st.u.r.dy and unmeasured beast, That it ten draught horse burdens had conveyed; So monstrous was the giant, and next gave The net, in which he took the unwieldy slave.

XCVIII In quittance, Sansonet, his sword to bear, Gave a rich girdle to Astolpho bold, And spurs for either heel, a costly pair, With bucklers and with rowels made of gold; Which ('twas believed) the warrior's relicts were, Who freed the damsel from that dragon old; Spoils, which Sir Sansonet, with many more, From Joppa, when he took the city, bore

XCIX Cleansed of their errors in a monastery, From whence the odour of good works upwent, They of Christ's pa.s.sion every mystery Contemplating, through all the churches went; Which now, to our eternal infamy, Foul Moor usurp; what time on strife intent, All Europe rings with arms and martial deeds, And war is everywhere but where it needs.

C While grace the warlike three devoutly sought, Intent on pardon and on pious lore, A Grecian pilgrim, known to Gryphon, brought Tidings, which ill the afflicted champion bore, From his long-cherished vow and former thought, Too foreign, too remote; and these so sore Inflamed his troubled breast, and bred such care, They wholly turned aside his mind from prayer.

CI For his misfortune, one of lovely feature Sir Gryphon wors.h.i.+pped, Origilla hight.

Of fairer visage and of better stature, Not one among a thousand meets the sight: But faithless, and of such an evil nature, That thou mightst town and city search outright, And continent and island, far and near, Yet, never, as I think, wouldst find her peer.

CII In Constantine's imperial city, burned With a fierce fever, he had left the fair; And hoped to find her, to that place returned, Lovelier than ever; and enjoy her there.

But she to Antioch (as the warrior learned) Had with another leman made repair; Thinking, while such fresh youth was yet her own, 'Twere not a thing to brook -- to sleep alone.

CIII Sir Gryphon, from the time he heard the news Had evermore bemoaned him, day or night: Whatever pleasure other wight pursues Seems but the more to vex his troubled sprite.

Let each reflect, who to his mischief woos, How keenly tempered are Love's darts of might, And, heavier than all ills, the torment fell, In that he was ashamed his grief to tell.

CIV This: for that Aquilant had oft before Reproved him for the pa.s.sion which he nursed, And sought to banish her from his heart's core; -- Her, who of all bad women is the worst, He still had censured, in his wiser lore, If by his brother Aquilant accurst, Her Gryphon, in his partial love, excuses, For mostly self-conceit our sense abuses.

CV It therefore is his purpose, without say To Aquilant, alone to take the quest As far as Antioch, and bear her away, Who had borne off his heart-core from his breast: To find him, who had made the dame his prey, And take such vengeance of him, ere he rest, As shall for aye be told. My next will tell How he effected this, and what befell.

CANTO 16

ARGUMENT Gryphon finds traitorous Origilla nigh Damascus city, with Martano vile.

Slaughtered the Saracens and Christians lie By thousands and by thousands heaped this while; And if the Moor outside of Paris die, Within the Sarzan so destroys each pile, Such slaughter deals, that greater ill than this Never before has been exprest, I wiss.

I Love's penalties are manifold and dread: Of which I have endured the greater part, And, to my cost, in these so well am read, That I can speak of them as 'twere my art.

Hence if I say, or if I ever said, (Did speech or living page my thoughts impart) "One ill is grievous and another light."

Yield me belief, and deem my judgment right.

II I say, I said, and, while I live, will say, "He, who is fettered by a worthy chain, Though his desire his lady should gainsay, And, every way averse, his suit disdain; Though Love deprive him of all praised pay, After long time and trouble spent in vain, He, if his heart be placed well worthily, Needs not lament though he should waste and die."

III Let him lament, who plays a slavish part, Whom two bright eyes and lovely tresses please: Beneath which beauties lurks a wanton heart With little that is pure, and much of lees.

The wretch would fly; but bears in him a dart, Like wounded stag, whichever way he flees; Dares not confess, yet cannot quench, his flame, And of himself and worthless love has shame.

IV The youthful Gryphon finds him in this case, Who sees the error which he cannot right; He sees how vilely he his heart does place On faithless Origille, his vain delight: Yet evil use doth sovereign reason chase, And free will is subdued by appet.i.te.

Though a foul mind the lady's actions speak, Her, wheresoe'er she is, must Gryphon seek.

V Resuming the fair history, I say, Out of the city he in secret rode; Nor to his brother would his plan bewray, Who oft on him had vain reproof bestowed: But to the left t'wards Ramah shaped his way, By the most level and most easy road.

Him six days' journey to Damascus brought, Whence, setting out anew, he Antioch sought.