Orlando Furioso Part 45

LII " 'A hope conducts me here,' the monarch said, 'To save thee and thy followers every one; And, if I cannot, I were better dead, Than living without light of thee, my sun!

I trust to scape, as. .h.i.ther I have spied; As ye shall all, if, as ourselves have done, To compa.s.s our design, you do not shrink To imbue your bodies with the loathsome stink.'

LIII "The trick he told, wherewith the monster's smell To cheat, as first to him the wife had told: In any case to cloathe us in the fell, That he may feel is issueing from the fold.

As many men as women in the cell, We slay (persuaded by the monarch bold) As many goats as with our number square, Of those which stink the most and oldest are.

LIV "We smeared our bodies with the fruitful grease Which round about the fat intestines lay, And cloathed our bodies with the s.h.a.ggy fleece: This while from golden dwelling broke the day.

And now, his flock returning to release, We viewed the shepherd, with the dawning ray; Who, giving breath to the sonorous reeds, Piped forth his prisoned flock to hill and meads.

LV "He held his hand before the opened lair, Lest with the herd we issued from the den, And stopt us short; but feeling wool or hair Upon our bodies, let us go again.

By such a strange device we rescued were, Cloathed in our s.h.a.ggy fleeces, dames and men: Nor any issuing thence the monster kept, Till thither, sore alarmed, Lucina crept.

LVI "Lucina -- whether she abhorred the scent, And, like us others, loathed herself to smear, -- Or whether with a slower gait she went Than might like the pretended beast's appear, -- Or whether, when the orc her body hent, Her dread so mastered her, she screamed for fear, -- Or that her hair escaped from neck or brow, Was known; nor can I well inform you how.

LVII "So were we all intent on our own case, We for another's danger had no eyes: Him, turning at the scream. I saw uncase Already her whom he had made his prize, And force her to the cavern to retrace Her steps: we, couching in our quaint disguise, Wend with the flock, where us the shepherd leads, Through verdant mountains, into pleasant meads.

LVIII "There we awaited, till beneath the shade Secure, we saw the beaked orc asleep; When one along the sh.o.r.e of ocean made, And one betook him to the mountain steep.

King Norandine his love alone delayed; Who would return disguised among the sheep, Nor from the place depart, while life remained, Unless his faithful consort he regained.

LIX "For when before, on the flock issuing out, He saw her prisoned in the cave alone, Into the orc's wide throat he was about To spring; so grief had reason overthrown, And he advanced even to the monster's snout, And, but by little, scaped the grinding stone: Yet him the hope detained amid the flock, Trusting to bear Lucina from the rock.

LX "The orc, at eve, when to the cave again He brings the herd, nor finds us in the stall, And knows that he must supperless remain, Lucina guilty of the whole does call, Condemned to stand, fast girded with a chain, In open air, upon the summit tall.

The king who caused her woes, with pitying eye Looks on, and pines, -- and only cannot die.

LXI "Morning and evening, her, lamenting sore, Ever the unhappy lover might survey; What time he grieving went afield before The issuing flock, or homeward took his way.

She, with sad face, and suppliant evermore, Signed that for love of Heaven he would not stay; Since there he tarried at great risk of life.

Nor could in any thing a.s.sist his wife.

LXII "So the orc's wife, as well upon her side, Implored him to depart, but moved him nought; To go without Lucina he denied, And but remained more constant in his thought.

In this sad servitude he long was tried, By Love and Pity bound: till Fortune brought A pair of warriors to the rocky won, Grada.s.so, and Agrican's redoubted son:

LXIII "Where, with their arms so wrought the champions brave, They freed Lucina from the chains she wore, (Though he Wit less than Fortune served in save) And running to the sea their burden bore: Her to her father, who was there, they gave.

This was at morn, when in the cavern h.o.a.r, Mixt with the goats, king Norandino stood, Which ruminating, chewed their gra.s.sy food:

LXIV "But when, at day-light, 'twas unbarred, and now He was instructed that his wife was gone; For the orc's consort told the tale, and how, In every point, the thing rehea.r.s.ed was done; He thanked his G.o.d, and begged, with promised vow, That, since 'twas granted her such ill to shun, He would direct his wife to some repair, Whence he might free her, by arms, gold, or prayer.

LXV "Together with the flat-nosed herd his way He took, and for green meads rejoicing made.

He here expected, till the monster lay Extended, underneath the gloomy shade: Then journeyed all the night and all the day; Till, of the cruel orc no more afraid, He climbed a bark on Satalia's strand, And, three days past, arrived on Syrian land.

LXVI "In Cyprus, and in Rhodes, by tower and town, Which in near Egypt, Turkey, or Afric lay, The king bade seek Lucina up and down, Nor could hear news of her till the other day.

The other day, his father-in-law made known He had her safe with him. What caused her stay In Nicosia was a cruel gale Which had long time been adverse to her sail.

LXVII "The king, for pleasure of the tidings true, Prepares the costly feast in solemn state; And will on each fourth moon that shall ensue Make one, resembling this we celebrate.

Pleased of that time the memory to renew, That he, in the orc's cavern, had to wait, -- For four months and a day -- which is to-morrow; When he was rescued from such cruel sorrow.

LXVIII "The things related I in part descried, And from him, present at the whole, heard more; From Norandine, through calend and through ide, Pent, till he changed to smiles his anguish sore: And if from other you hear aught beside, Say, he is ill instructed in his lore."

The Syrian gentleman did thus display The occasion of that feast and fair array.

LXIX Large portion of the night, in like discourse, Was by those cavaliers together spent, Who deemed that Love and Pity's mickle force Was proved in that so dread experiment; Then rising, when the supper's sumptuous course Was cleared, to good and pleasant lodgings went; And, as the ensuing morning fairly broke, To sounds of triumph and rejoicing woke.

LXX The circling drums' and trumpets' echoing strain a.s.semble all the town within the square; And now, when mixt with sound of horse and wain, Loud outcries through the streets repeated are, Sir Gryphon dons his glittering arms again, A panoply of those esteemed most rare; Whose mail, impa.s.sable by spear or brand, She, the white fay, had tempered with her hand.

LXXI The man of Antioch in his company, Armed him (a recreant worse than he was none), Provided by their landlord's courtesy With st.u.r.dy spears and good, the course to run; Who with his kindred, a fair chivalry, To bring the warriors to the square is gone; With squires afoot and mounted upon steeds, Whom he bestowed, as aptest for their needs.

LXXII They in the square arrived and stood aside, Nor of themselves awhile would make display; Better to see the martial gallants ride By twos and threes, or singly, to the fray.

One told, by colours cunningly allied, His joy or sorrow to his lady gay; One, with a painted Love on crest or s.h.i.+eld, If she were cruel or were kind, revealed.

LXXIII It was the Syrians' practise in that age To arm them in this fas.h.i.+on of the west.

Haply this sprung out of their vicinage And constant commerce with the Franks, possest In those days of the sacred heritage, That G.o.d incarnate with his presence blest; Which now, to them abandoned by the train Of wretched Christians, heathen hounds profane.

LXXIV G.o.d's wors.h.i.+ppers, where they should couch the lance, For furtherance of his holy faith and true, Against each other's breast the spear advance, To the destruction of the faithful few.

You men of Spain, and you, ye men of France, And Switzers, turn your steps elsewhere , and you, Ye Germans, worthier empire to acquire; For that is won for Christ, which you desire.

LXXV If verily most Christian you would be, -- I speak to you, that catholic are hight -- Why slain by you Christ's people do I see?

Wherefore are they despoiled of their right?

Why seek you not Jerusalem to free From renegades? By Turkish Moslemite Impure, why is Byzantium, with the best And fairest portion of the world, possest?

LXXVI Thou Spain, hast thou not fruitful Afric nigh?

And has she not in sooth offended more Than Italy? yet her to scathe, that high, And n.o.ble, enterprize wilt thou give o'er.

Alas! thou sleepest, drunken Italy, Of every vice and crime the fetid sewer!

Nor grievest, as a hand-maid, to obey, In turn, the nations that have owned thy sway.

LXXVII If fear of famis.h.i.+ng within thy cave, Switzer, does thee to Lombardy convey, And thou, among our people, dost but crave A hand to give thee daily bread, or slay, -- The Turk has ready wealth; across the wave, Drive him from Europe or from Greece away: So shalt thou in those parts have wherewithal To feed thy hunger, or more n.o.bly fall.

LXXVIII I to the German neighbour of thy lair Say what I say to thee; the wealth o' the west, Which Constantine brought off from Rome, is there -- Brought off the choicest, gave away the rest -- There golden Hermus and Pactolus are, Mygdonia and Lydia: nor that country blest, Which many tales for many praises note, If thou wouldst thither wend, is too remote.

LXXIX Thou mighty Lion, that art charged to keep The keys of Paradise, a weighty care, Oh! let not Italy lie plunged in sleep, If thy strong hand is planted in her hair.

To thee, his shepherd, G.o.d, to guide his sheep, Has given that wand and furious name to bear; That thou may'st roar, and wide thine arms extend, And so from greedy wolves thy flock defend.

Lx.x.x But whither have I roved! who evermore So from one topic to the other stray?

Yet think not I the road I kept before To have missed so far, but I can find my way.

I said, the Syrians then observed the lore Or arming like the Christians of that day.

So that Damascus' crowded square was bright With corslet, plate, and helm of belted knight.

Lx.x.xI The lovely ladies from their scaffolds throw Upon the jousters yellow flowers and red; While these, as loud the brazen trumpets blow, Make their steeds leap and wheel and proudly tread.

Each, rode he well or ill, his art would show, And with the goring spur his courser bled.

Hence this good cavalier earns fame and praise, While others scornful hoots and laughter raise.

Lx.x.xII A suit of arms was prize of the a.s.say, Presented to the king some days before; Which late a merchant found upon the way Returning from Armenia; this the more To grace, a vest, with n.o.blest tissue gay, The Syrian king subjoined, so powdered o'er With jewels, gold, and pearls in rich device, They made the meed a thing of pa.s.sing price.

Lx.x.xIII If the good king had known the panoply, This he had held above all others dear; Nor this had given, as full of courtesy, To be contented for with sword and spear.

'Twere long to tell who so unworthily Had erst mistreated thus the goodly gear, That lay the way the harness had been strowed, A prey to whosoever past the road.

Lx.x.xIV Of this you more in other place shall hear.

Of Gryphon now I tell, who at the just Arrived, saw broken many a knightly spear, And more than one good stroke and one good thrust.

Eight were there who made league together, dear To Norandine, and held in sovereign trust; Youths quick in arms and practised in the shock: All lords, or scions of ill.u.s.trious stock.

Lx.x.xV At open barriers, one by one, the place They kept against all comers for a day; At first with lance, and next with sword or mace, While them the king delighted to survey.

Ofttimes they pierce the corslet's iron case, And every thing in fine perform in play, Which foemen do that deadly weapons measure, Save that the king may part them at his pleasure.