Orlando Furioso Part 48

Where Fury calls him, lo! the felon hies, And brandishes on high his trenchant blade, To a.s.sail the newly entered British band, Which Edward and Sir Ariman command.

XIX He who has seen the fence, in well-thonged square, (Against whose stakes the eddying crowd is born) By wild bull broken, that has had to bear, Through the long day, dogs, blows, and ceaseless scorn; Who hunts the scattered people here and there, And this, or that, now hoists upon his horn; Let him as such, or fiercer yet, account, When he breaks forth, the cruel Rodomont.

XX At one cross-blow fifteen or twenty foes He hews, as many leaves without a bead, At cross or downright-stroke; as if he rows Trashes in vineyard or in willow-bed, At last all smeared with blood the paynim goes, Safe from the place, which he has heaped with dead; And wheresoe'er he turns his steps, are left Heads, arms, and other members, maimed and cleft.

XXI He from the square retires in such a mode, None can perceive that danger him appals; But, during this, what were the safest road, By which to sally, he to thought recals.

He comes at last to where the river flowed Below the isle, and past without the walls.

In daring men at arms and mob increase, Who press him sore, nor let him part in peace.

XXII As the high-couraged beast, whom hunters start In the wild Nomade or Ma.s.silian chace, Who, even in flying, shows his n.o.ble heart, And threatening seeks his lair with sluggish pace; From that strange wood of sword, and spear, and dart, Turns Rodomont, with action nothing base; And still impeded by the galling foe, Makes for the river with long steps and slow.

XXIII He turned upon the rabble-rout who bayed Behind him, thrice or more, by anger driven, And stained anew his falchion, by whose blade More than a hundred deadly wounds were given.

But reason, finally, his fury stayed Before the b.l.o.o.d.y carnage stank to heaven; And he, with better counsel, from the side Cast himself down into Seine's foaming tide.

XXIV Athwart the current swam, with arms and all, As if by corks upborn, the cavalier.

Though thou Antaeus bred'st, and Hannibal, O Africa! thou never bred'st his peer! -- When now across the stream, without the wall, He turned, and saw the royal town appear, -- To have traversed all the city moved his ire, Leaving it undestroyed by sword or fire;

XXV And him so sorely anger stung and pride, Thither he thought a second time to go; And from his inmost bosom groaned and sighed, Nor would depart until he laid it low.

But he saw one along the river-side Approach, who made him rage and hate forego; Strait shall you hear who 'twas, approached the king, But first I have to say of other thing.

XXVI I have of haughty Discord now to say, To whom the archangel Michael gave command, To heat to enmity and fierce affray The best of Agramant's besieging band.

She went that evening from the abbey gray, Her task committing to another's hand; -- Left it to Fraud to feed, till her return, The war, and make the fires she kindled burn;

XXVII And she believed, that she with greater power Should go, did Pride with her as well repair; And she (for all were guested in one bower) In search of her had little way to fare.

Pride went with her; but, that in hall or tower, A vicar too her charge might duly bear, She for those days she absent thought to be, For her lieutenant left Hypocrisy.

XXVIII The implacable Discord went, and with the dame, (Companion of the enterprise, was Pride) Upon her road; and found that, by the same, Was journeying to the paynim camp, beside, Comfortless Jealousy, with whom there came A little dwarf, attending as a guide; Who erst had been sent forward with advice To Sarza's king, by beauteous Doralice.

XXIX When she fell into Mandricardo's hand, (I have before recounted when and where) She had in secret given the dwarf command, He to the king should with the tidings fare; By whom she hoped not vainly would be scanned The tale her messenger was charged to bear, But wonderous deeds be done for her relief, With sad and signal vengeance on the thief.

x.x.x Jealousy had that little dwarf espied, And kenned the reason of his mission too, And joined him, journeying with him side by side, Deeming that she therein a part might do.

Discord, with pleasure, Jealousy decried, But with more joy, when she the occasion knew Which thither brought the dame, who much (she wist) Might in the task she had in hand a.s.sist.

x.x.xI Of means to embroil the Sarzan and the son Of Agrican, she deems herself possest.

A certain mode to enrage these two is won; And other means may work upon the rest.

She thither with the dwarfish page is gone, Where the fierce Pagan in his clutch had prest Proud Paris, and they reached the river strand, Exactly as the felon swam to land.

x.x.xII As soon as the redoubted Rodomont Knew in the dwarf the courier of his dame, He all his rage extinguished, cleared his front, And felt his courage brighten into flame.

All else he deems the courier may recount, Save that a wight had wrought him scaith and shame, And cries (encountering him with chearful brow) "How fares our lady? wither sent art thou?"

x.x.xIII "Nor mine nor thine that lady will I say, Who is another's thrall," the dwarf replied.

"We, on our road, encountered yesterday A knight, who seized and bore away the bride."

Jealousy, upon this, took up the play, And, cold as asp, embraced the king: her guide Pursued his tale, relating how the train, Their mistress taken, by one man were slain.

x.x.xIV Her flint and steel, fell Discord, as he said, Took forth, and somewhile hammered on the stone.

Pride, underneath, the ready tinder spread, And the quick fire was in a moment blown: This on the paynim's soul so fiercely fed, He could not find a resting place: 'mid groan And sob he storms, with horrid face and eye, Which threat the elements and ample sky.

x.x.xV As tiger rages, who in vain descends Into her den, and finds herself alone, And, circling all the cavern, comprehends, At last, that her beloved young are gone; To ire, to rage like hers his wrath extends: Nor night the king regards, nor rock, nor stone, Nor stream: -- Nor length of way nor storm arrest The speed with which he on the plunderer prest.

x.x.xVI So raging, to the pigmy dwarf who bore The news, exclaimed the king, "Now hence away!"

Nor horse he waits, nor carriage, nor, before Departing, deigns to his a word to say.

He hurries with such speed, that not with more The lizard darts at noon across the way.

Horse had he none, but be he whose he might, Would make his own the first which came in sight.

x.x.xVII Discord at this, who read his secret thought, Exclaimed, as she looked smilingly on Pride, Through her he to a courser should be brought, By which new cause of strife should be supplied; And, that by him no other might be caught, She from his path would keep all steeds beside; And knew already where the prize to seek.

-- But her I leave, again of Charles to speak.

x.x.xVIII When, on the Saracen's departure, spent, About King Charles, was the consuming flame, He ranged his troops anew: some warriors went To strengthen feeble posts which succours claim; The rest against the Saracens are sent, To give the foe checkmate and end the game; And from St. German's to Saint Victor's gates, He pours the host, which on his signal waits.

x.x.xIX He these at Saint Marcellus' gate, where lay, Outstretched a large circ.u.mference of plain, Bade one another wait, in one array, To reunite against the paynim train.

Inflaming every one to smite and slay, In guise, that for a record should remain, He made the various troops fall in below Their banners, and the battle-signal blow.

XL Agramant has remounted in his sell, While this is doing in his foe's despite, And with the stripling who loved Isabel, Is waging perilous and fearful fight.

Lurcanio with Sobrino strives as well; Rinaldo a troop encounters, whom the knight, With Valour and with Fortune for his guide, Charges, and breaks, and routs on every side.

XLI While so the battle stands, king Charlemagne Falls on the rear guard of the paynim foe, Where bold Marsilius halts the flower of Spain, And forms the host, his royal flag below.

On these king Charlemagne impels his train, Who, foot with horse to flank, against them go.

While so the deafening drum and trumpet sounds, 'Twould seem the s.p.a.cious world the din rebounds.

XLII The Saracenic squadrons had begun To bend, and all the army of the Moor Had turned, disordered, broken, and undone, Never to be arrayed or rallied more, But that Grandonio stood, and Falsiron, Tried oftentimes in greater ill before, With Serpentine and Balugantes proud, And the renowned Ferrau, who cried aloud:

XLIII "O valiant men," he -- "O companions," cries, "O brethren, stand, and yet your place maintain; Like cobweb-threads our cruel enemies Will find their works, if we our part sustain.

What this day Fortune offers to our eyes, If now we conquer, see the praise, the gain! -- If conquered, see the utter loss and shame Which will for ever wait upon your name!"

XLIV He in this time a mighty lance had spanned, And spurred at once against Sir Berlinghier, Who Argaliffa guided with his hand, And broke his helmet's frontal with the spear, Cast him on earth, and with the cruel brand Unhorsed perhaps eight other warriors near.

His mighty strokes discharging, at each blow, He ever laid at least one horseman low.

XLV In other part, Rinaldo, in his mood, Has slain more enemies than I can say, Before the warlike knight no order stood; You might have seen the ample camp give way.

No less Zerbino and Lurcanio good Do deeds, which will be told in every day; This, with a thrust, has bold Balastro slain, That Finaduro's helm has cleft in twain.

XLVI The first was of the Alzerban army head, Ruled by Tardocco some short time before; The other one the valiant squadrons led Of Saphi, and Morocco, and Zamor.

"Where, 'mid the paynims," might to me be said, "Is knight whose sword can cleave or lance can gore?"

But step by step I go, and as I wind My way, leave none who merits praise behind.

XLVII Zumara's king is not forgotten here, Dardinel, who Sir Dulphin of the mount, Claude of the wood, and Hubert, with the spear, (Of Mirford he) and Elio did dismount, And, with the faulchion, Stamford's cavalier, Sir Anselm, Raymond and Sir Pinnamont From London-town; though valiant were the twain; Two stunned, one wounded, the four others slain.

XLVIII Yet will his squadron not so firmly stand, Maugre the valour which his deeds display, So firmly, as to wait the Christian band, In number less, but steadier in array, More used to joust and manage of the brand, And all things appertaining to the gray.

Setta and Morocco turned, and, seized with dread, Zumara and Canaries' islesmen fled.

XLIX But faster than the rest Alzerba flies, Whom Dardinel opposed, and now with sore Reproach, and now with prayer he moves, and tries What best he deems their courage may restore.

"If good Almontes has deserved," he cries, "That you should by his memory set such store, Now shall be seen -- be seen, if you will me, His son, abandon in such jeopardy.

L "For sake of my green youth, I pray you stand, That youth whereon your hopes were wont to feed, And suffer not that, scattered by the brand, To Africa be lost our n.o.ble seed.

Save you united go, be sure the land Is shut against you, wheresoe'er you speed.

Too high a wall to climb is mountain-steep, The yawning sea a ditch too wide to leap.

LI "Far better 'tis to perish than to be Torn by these dogs, or lie at their control.

Since vain is every other remedy, Wait, friends, for love of Heaven, the advancing shoal: They are not gifted with more lives than we; Have but one pair of hands, have but one soul."

So saying, the bold youth, amid the crew Of enemies, the Earl of Huntley slew.