Orlando Furioso Part 41

VI He nigh Damascus met the lover, who Perfidious Origilla's heart possest, And matched in evil customs were the two, Like stalk and flower: for that in either's breast Was lodged a fickle heart; the dame untrue, And he a traitor whom she loved the best.

While both the lovers hid their nature base, To others' cost, beneath a courteous face.

VII As I relate to you, the cavalier Came on huge courser, trapped with mickle pride; With faithless Origille, in gorgeous gear, With gold embroidered, and with azure dyed.

Two ready knaves, who serve the warrior, rear The knightly helm and buckler at his side; As one who with fair pomp and semblance went Towards Damascus, to a tournament.

VIII Damascus' king a splendid festival Had in these days bid solemnly proclaim; And with what pomp they could, upon his call, Thither, in s.h.i.+ning arms, the champions came.

At Gryphon's sight the harlot's spirits fall, Who fears that he will work her scathe and shame; And knows her lover has not force and breath To save her from Sir Gryphon, threatening death;

IX But like most cunning and audacious quean, Although she quakes from head to foot with fear, Her voice so strengthens, and so shapes her mien, That in her face no signs of dread appear, Having already made her leman ween The trick devised, she feigns a joyous cheer, Towards Sir Gryphon goes, and for long s.p.a.ce Hangs on his neck, fast-locked in her embrace.

X She, after suiting with much suavity The action to the word, sore weeping, cried: "Dear lord, is this the guerdon due to me, For love and wors.h.i.+p? that I should abide Alone one live long year, deprived of thee, -- A second near -- and, yet upon thy side No grief? -- and had I borne for thee to stay, I know not if I should have seen that day.

XI "When I from Nicosia thee expected (When thou wast journeying to the plenar court) To cheer me, -- left with fever sore infected, And in the dread of death, -- I heard report That thou wast gone to Syria; and dejected By that ill tiding, suffered in such sort, I, all unable to pursue thy quest, Had nigh with this right hand transfixt my breast.

XII "But fortune, by her double bounty, shows She guards me more than thou: me to convey She sent my brother here, who with me goes, My honour safe in his protecting stay; And this encounter with thee now bestows, Which I above all other blessings weigh, And in good time; for hadst thou longer stayed, My lord, I should have died of hope delayed."

XIII The wicked woman, full of subtlety (Worse than a fox in crafty hardihood) Pursues, and so well shapes her history, She wholly throws the blame on Gryphon good; Makes him believe that other not to be Her kin alone, but of her flesh and blood, Got by one father; -- and so puts upon The knight, that he less credits Luke and John.

XIV Nor he the fraud of her, more false than fair, Only forbore with just reproach to pay; Nor only did the threatened stranger spare, Who was the lover of that lady gay; But deemed to excuse himself sufficient were, Turning some portion of the blame away; And as the real brother she profest, Unceasingly the lady's knight carest;

XV And to Damascus, with the cavalier Returned, who to Sir Gryphon made report, That Syria's wealthy king, with sumptuous cheer, Within that place would hold a splendid court; And who, baptized or infidel, appear There at his tourney (of whatever sort), Within the city and without, a.s.sures From wrong, for all the time the feast endures.

XVI Yet I of Origilla's treachery Shall not so steadfastly pursue the lore, Who, famed not for one single perfidy, Thousands and thousands had betrayed before, But that I will return again to see Two hundred thousand wretched men or more Burnt by the raging wild-fire, where they spread, About the walls of Paris, scathe and dread.

XVII I left you where king Agramant prepared To storm a gate, and to the a.s.sault was gone: This he had hoped to find without a guard; And work elsewhere to bar the way was none.

For there, in person, Charles kept watch and ward With many, practised warriors every one; Two Angelines, two Guidos, Angelier, Avino, Avolio, Otho, and Berlinghier.

XVIII One and the other host its worth, before Charles and king Agramant, desire to show, Where praise, where riches are, they think, in store For those that do their duty on the foe.

But such were not the atchievements of the Moor As to repair the loss; for, to his woe, Full many a Saracen the champaign prest; Whose folly was a beacon to the rest.

XIX The frequent darts a storm of hail appear, Which from the city-wall the Christians fling; The deafening clamours put the heavens in fear, Which, from our part, and from that other, ring.

But Charles and Agramant must wait; for here I of the Mars of Africa will sing, King Rodomont, that fierce and fearful man, That through the middle of the city ran.

XX I know not, sir, if you the adventure dread Of that so daring Moor to mind recall, The leader, who had left his people dead, Between the second work and outer wall; Upon those limbs the ravening fire so fed, Was never sight more sad! -- I told withal, How vaulting o'er that hindrance at a bound, He cleared the moat which girt the city round.

XXI When he was known the thickening crowd among, By the strange arms he wore and scaly hide, There, where the aged sires and feebler throng.

Listened to each new tale on every side; Heaven-high groan, moan, and lamentation rung, And loud they beat their lifted palms and cried: While those who had the strength to fly aloof, Sought safety not from house or temple's roof.

XXII But this the cruel sword concedes to few, So brandished by that Saracen robust; And here, with half a leg dissevered, flew A foot, there head divided from the bust: This cleft across, and that behold him hew, From head to hips, so strong the blow and just.

While, of the thousands wounded by the Moor, Is none that shows an honest scar before.

XXIII What by weak herd, in fields of Hircany, The tiger does, or Indian Ganges near, Or wolf, by lamb or kid, on heights which lie On Typheus' back, the cruel cavalier Now executes on those, I will not, I Call phalanxes or squadrons, but a mere Rabble, that I should term a race forlorn, Who but deserved to die ere they were born.

XXIV Of all he cuts, and thrusts, and maims, and bleeds, There is not one who looks him in the face.

Throughout that street, which in a straight line leads Up to St. Michael's bridge, so thronged a s.p.a.ce, Rodomont, terrible and fearful, speeds, Whirling his b.l.o.o.d.y brand, nor grants he grace, In his career, to servant or to lord; And saint and sinner feel alike the sword.

XXV Religion cannot for the priest bespeak Mercy, nor innocence avail the child: Nor gently beaming eyes, nor vermeil cheek, Protect the blooming dame or damsel mild.

Age smites its breast and flies: while bent to wreak Vengeance, the Saracen, with gore defiled, Shows not his valour more than cruel rage, Heedless alike of order, s.e.x, and age.

XXVI Nor the impious king alone with human blood, -- Lord of the impious he -- his hand distains, But even on walls so sorely vents his mood, He fires fair houses, and polluted fanes.

The houses almost all were made of wood, Then (as 'tis told) and this, by what remains, May be believed; for yet in Paris we Six out of ten no better builded see.

XXVII Though flames demolish all things far and wide, This ill appears his furious hate to slake: Where'er the paynim has his hands applied, He tumbles down a roof at every shake.

My lord, believe, you never yet espied Bombard in Padua, of so large a make, That it could rend from wall of battered town What, at a single pull, the king plucked down.

XXVIII While the accursed man, amid the rout, So warred with fire and sword, if at his post, King Agramant had prest it from without, The ample city had that day been lost.

But he was hindered by the warrior stout, Who came from England with the advancing host, Composed of English and of Scotch allied, With Silence and the Angel for their guide.

XXIX It was G.o.d's will, that while through town and tower The furious Rodomont such ruin spread, Thither arrived Rinaldo, Clermont's flower.

Three leagues above, he o'er the river's bed Had cast a bridge; from whence his English power To the left-hand by crooked ways he led; That, meaning to a.s.sail the barbarous foes, The stream no obstacle might interpose.

x.x.x Rinaldo had, with Edward, sent a force, Six thousand strong, of archer infantry, And sped, with Ariman, two thousand horse Of lightest sort; and foot and cavalry Sought Paris by those roads, which have their course Directly to, and from, the Picard sea; That by St. Martin's and St. Denys' gate, They might convey the aid the burghers wait.

x.x.xI Rinaldo sent with these the baggage train And carriages, with which his troops were stored; And fetching, with the forces that remain, A compa.s.s, he the upper way explored.

He bridge, and boat, and means to pa.s.s the Seine, Had with him; for it here was ill to ford.

He past his army, broke the bridges down, And rank'd in line the bands of either crown.

x.x.xII But having first the peers and captains wheeled About him in a ring, the cavalier Mounted the bank which overtopt the field, So much, that all might plainly see and hear; And cried, "My lords, you should thanksgiving yield, With lifted hands, to G.o.d, who brought you here; Through whom, o'er every nation, you may gain Eternal glory, bought with little pain.

x.x.xIII "Two princes, by your means, will rescued be, If you relieve those city gates from siege; Him, your own king, whom you from slavery And death to save, a subject's vows oblige; And a famed emperor, of more majesty Than ever yet in court was served by liege, And with them other kings, and dukes, and peers, And lords of other lands, and cavaliers.

x.x.xIV "So that one city saving, not alone Will the Parisians bless your helping hand, Who, sadder than for sorrows of their own, Timid, afflicted, and disheartened stand; And their unhappy wives and children moan, Which share in the same peril, and the band Or virgins, dedicate to heavenly spouse, Lest this day frustrate see their holy vows;

x.x.xV -- "I say, this city saved from deadly wound, Not only will Parisians hold you dear; But habitants of all the countries round: Nor speak I only of the nations near; For city there is none on Christian ground.

But what has citizens beleaguered here; So that to you, for vanquis.h.i.+ng the foe, More lands than France will obligation owe.

x.x.xVI "If him the ancients with a crown endued, Who saved one citizen by worthy deed, For rescuing such a countless mult.i.tude, What recompense shall be your worthy meed?

But if, from jealousy or sloth, so good And holy, enterprise should ill succeed, Believe me, only while these walls endure, Is Italy or Almayn's realm secure;

x.x.xVII "Or any other part, where men adore Him, who for us upon the cross was hung; Nor think that distance saves you from the Moor, Nor deem your island strong, the waves among.

For if, from far Gibraltar's straits of yore, And old Alcides' pillars, sailed the throng, To bear off plunder from your sea-girt strands, What will they do when they possess our lands?

x.x.xVIII "And, if in this fair enterprise arrayed, No gain, no glory served you as a guide, A common debt enjoins you mutual aid, Militant here upon one Church's side.

Moreover, let not any be afraid, Our broken foemen will the a.s.sault abide; Who seem to me ill-taught in warlike art, A feeble rabble without arms or heart."

x.x.xIX Such reasons, and yet better for, that need Might good Rinaldo in his speech infer; And with quick phrase and voice, to valiant deed The high-minded barons and bold army stir; And this was but to goad a willing steed (As the old proverb says) who lacks no spur.

He moved the squadrons, having closed his speech, Softly, beneath their separate banners, each.

XL He, without clamour, without any noise.

So moves his triple host, their flags below.

Zerbino, marching by the stream, enjoys The honour first to a.s.sail the barbarous foe; The paladin the Irishmen employs More inland, with a wider wheel to go.

Thus England's horse and foot, the two between, Led by the Duke of Lancaster, are seen.

XLI The paladin rode on, along the sh.o.r.e, When he had put the warriors in their way, And, pa.s.sing by their squadrons, p.r.i.c.ked before Valiant Zerbino and his whole array, Until he reached the quarters of the Moor, Where Oran's king, and king Sobrino lay; Who, half-a-mile removed from those of Spain, Posted upon that side, observed the plain.

XLII With such a faithful escort fortified And sure, the Christians who had thither wound, With Silence and the Angel for their guide, No longer could stand mute or keep their ground: But hearing now the foe, with shouts defied Their host, and made the shrilling trumpets sound; And with loud clamours, which Heaven's concave fill, Sent through the paynim's bones a deadly chill.

XLIII Rinaldo spurs before the troops combined His foaming courser, and his weapon rests; And a full bow-shot leaves the Scots behind: So all delay the impatient peer molests.

As oftentimes an eddying gust of winds Issues, ere yet the horrid storm infests, So sallying swiftly from the following herd, Rinaldo forth upon Baiardo spurred.