Orlando Furioso Part 50

Here, great and little -- every one, could tell 'Twas he that in the tourney won such fame, And had, by one that ill deserved his trust, Been cheated of the honours of the just.

Lx.x.xVIII Pointing him out to one another's sight, The hostile people all Martano bayed; "And is not this (they cried) that ribald wight Who in another's spoils himself arrayed, And who the valour of a sleeping knight, With his own shame and infamy o'erlaid?

And this the woman of ungrateful mood, Who aids the wicked and betrays the good?"

Lx.x.xIX Others exclaimed, "How fittingly combined, Marked with one stamp, and of one race are they!"

Some loudly cursed them, and some raved behind, While others shouted, "Hang, burn, quarter, slay!"

The throng to view them prest, with fury blind, And to the square before them made its way.

The monarch of the tidings was advised, And these above another kingdom prized.

XC Attended with few squires the Syrian king, As then he chanced to be, came forth with speed, And with Sir Aquilant encountering, Who Gryphon had avenged with worthy deed, Him honoured with fair cheer, and home would bring, And in his palace lodged, as fitting meed; Having the prisoned pair, with his consent, First in the bottom of a turret pent.

XCI Thither they go, where Gryphon from his bed Has not as yet, since he was wounded, stirred; Who at his brother's coming waxes red, Surmising well he of his case has heard: And after Aquilant his say had said, And him somedeal reproached, the three conferred As to what penance to the wicked two, So fallen into their hands, was justly due.

XCII 'Tis Aquilant's, 'tis Norandino's will A thousand tortures shall their guerdon be: But Gryphon, who the dame alone can ill Excuse, entreats for both impunity; And many matters urges with much skill.

But well is answered: and 'tis ruled, to flea Martano's body with the hangman's scourge, And only short of death his penance urge.

XCIII Bound is the wretch, but not 'mid gra.s.s and flower, Whose limbs beneath the hangman's lashes burn All the next morn: they prison in the tower Origille, till Lucina shall return; To whom the counselling lords reserve the power To speak the woman's sentence, mild or stern.

Harboured, till Gryphon can bear arms, at court, Aquilant fleets the time in fair disport.

XCIV The valiant Norandino could not choose (Made by such error temperate and wise), But full of penitence and sorrow, muse, With downcast spirit, and in mournful guise, On having bid his men a knight misuse, Whom all should worthily reward and prize; So that he, night and morning, in his thought, How to content the injured warrior sought.

XCV And he determined, in the public sight O' the city, guilty of that injury, With all such honour as to perfect knight Could by a puissant monarch rendered be, Him with the glorious guerdon to requite, Which had been ravished by such treachery: And hence, within a month, proclaimed the intent To hold another solemn tournament.

XCVI For which he made what stately preparation Was possible to make by sceptered king.

Hence Fame divulged the royal proclamation Throughout all Syria's land, with nimble wing, Phoenicia and Palestine; till the relation Of this in good Astolpho's ears did ring; Who, with the lord who ruled that land in trust, Resolved he would be present at the just.

XCVII For a renowned and valiant cavalier Has the true history vaunted, Sansonnet, By Roland christened, Charles (I said), the peer Over the Holy Land as ruler set: He with the duke takes up his load, to steer Thither, where Rumour speaks the champions met.

So that his ears, on all sides in the journey, Are filled with tidings of Damascus' tourney.

XCVIII Thither the twain their way those countries through, By easy stages and by slow, addrest, That fresh upon the day of joust the two Might in Damascus-town set up their rest.

When at the meeting of cross-ways they view A person, who, in movement and in vest, Appears to be a man, but is a maid; And marvellously fierce, in martial raid.

XCIX Marphisa was the warlike virgin's name, And such her worth, she oft with naked brand Had pressed Orlando sore in martial game, And him who had Mount Alban in command; And ever, night and day, the armed dame Scowered, here and there, by hill and plain, the land; Hoping with errant cavalier to meet, And win immortal fame by glorious feat.

C When Sansonnetto and the English knight She sees approaching her, in warlike weed, Who seem two valiant warriors in her sight, As of large bone, and nerved for doughty deed, On them she fain would prove her martial might, And to defy the pair has moved her steed.

When, eyeing the two warriors, now more near, Marphisa recognized the duke and peer.

CI His pleasing ways she did in mind retrace, When arms in far Catay with her he bore Called him by name, nor would in iron case; Retain her hand, upraised the casque she wore, And him, advanced, to meet with glad embrace, Though, of all living dames and those of yore, The proudest, she; nor with less courteous mien The paladin salutes the martial queen.

CII They questioned one another of their way; And when the duke has said (who first replied) That he Damascus seeks, where to a.s.say Their virtuous deeds, all knights of valour tried The Syrian king invites, in martial play, -- The bold Marphisa, at his hearing cried, (Ever to prove her warlike prowess bent) "I will be with you at this tournament."

CIII To have such a comrade either cavalier Is much rejoiced. They to Damascus go, And in a suburb, of the city clear, Are lodged, upon the day before the show; And, till her aged lover, once so dear, Aurora roused, their humble roof below, In greater ease the weary warriors rested Than had they been in costly palace guested.

CIV And when the clear and lucid sun again Its s.h.i.+ning glories all abroad had spread, The beauteous lady armed, and warriors twain, Having first couriers to the city sped, Who, when 'twas time, reported to the train, That, to see truncheons split in contest dread, King Norandine had come into the square In which the cruel games appointed were.

CV Straight to the city ride the martial band, And, through the high-street, to the crowded place; Where, waiting for the royal signal, stand, Ranged here and there, the knights of gentle race.

The guerdons destined to the conqueror's hand, In that day's tourney, were a tuck and mace Richly adorned, and, with them, such a steed As to the winning lord were fitting meed.

CVI Norandine, sure that, in the martial game, Both prizes destined for the conquering knight, As well as one and the other tourney's fame, Must be obtained by Gryphon, named the white, To give him all that valiant man could claim, Nor could he give the warrior less, with right, The armour, guerdon of this final course Placed with the tuck and mace and n.o.ble horse.

CVII The arms which in the former joust the due Of valiant Gryphon were, who all had gained, (With evil profit, by the wretch untrue, Martan' usurped, who Gryphon's bearing feigned) To be hung up on high in public view With the rich-flourished tuck, the king ordained, And fastened at the saddle of the steed The mace, that Gryphon might win either meed.

CVIII But from effecting what he had intended He was prevented by the warlike maid; Who late into the crowded square had wended, With Sansonnet and England's duke arrayed, Seeing the arms of which I spoke suspended, She straight agnized the harness she surveyed, Once hers, and dear to her; as matters are Esteemed by us as excellent and rare;

CIX Though, as a hindrance, she upon the road Had left the arms, when, to retrieve her sword, She from her shoulders slipt the ponderous load, And chased Brunello, worthy of the cord.

More to relate were labour ill bestowed, I deem, nor further of the tale record.

Enough for me, by you 'tis understood, How here she found anew her armour good.

CX You shall take with you, when by manifest And certain tokens they by her were known, She, for no earthly thing, the iron vest And weapons for a day would have foregone.

She thinks not if this mode or that be best To have them, anxious to regain her own; But t'wards the arms with hand extended hies, And without more regard takes down the prize.

CXI And throwing some on earth, it chanced that more Than was her own she in her hurry took.

The Syrian king, who was offended sore, Raised war against her with a single look.

For ill the wrong his angered people bore, And, to avenge him, lance and falchion shook; Remembering not, on other day, how dear They paid for scathing errant cavalier.

CXII No wishful child more joyfully, 'mid all The flowers of spring-tide, yellow, blue, and red, Finds itself, nor at concert or at ball Dame beauteous and adorned, than 'mid the tread Of warlike steeds, and din of arms, and fall Of darts, and push of spears. -- where blood is shed, And death is dealt, in the tumultuous throng, -- SHE finds herself beyond all credence strong.

CXIII She spurred her courser, and with lance in rest, Imperious at the foolish rabble made, And -- through the neck impaled or through the breast, -- Some pierced, some prostrate at the encounter layed.

Next this or that she with the falchion prest; The head from one she severed with the blade, And from that other cleft: another sank, Short of right arm or left, or pierced in flank.

CXIV Bold Sansonnetto and Astolpho near, Who had, with her, their limbs in harness dight, Though they for other end in arms appear, Seeing the maid and crowd engaged in fight, First lower the helmet's vizor, next the spear, And with their lances charge the mob outright: Then bare their falchions, and, amid the crew, A pa.s.sage with the trenchant weapons hew.

CXV The errant cavaliers who to that stage, To joust, from different lands had made resort, Seeing them warfare with such fury wage, And into mourning changed the expected sport, Because all knew not what had moved the rage Of the infuriate people in that sort, Nor what the insult offered to the king, Suspended stood in doubt and wondering.

CXVI Of these, some will the crowded rabble's band (Too late repentant of the feat) befriend: Those, favouring not the natives of the land More than the foreigners, to part them wend.

Others more wary, with their reins in hand, Sit watching how the mischief is to end.

Gryphon and Aquilant are of the throng Which hurry forward to avenge the wrong.

CXVII The pair of warlike brethren witnessing The monarch's drunken eyes with venom fraught, And having heard from many in the ring The occasion which the furious strife had wrought, Himself no whit less injured than the king Of Syria's land, offended Gryphon thought.

Each knight, in haste, supplied himself with spear, And thundering vengeance drove in full career.

CXVIII On Rabican, p.r.i.c.ked forth before his hand, Valiant Astolpho, from the other bound, With the enchanted lance of gold in hand, Which at the first encounter bore to ground What knights he smote with it; and on the sand Laid Gryphon first; next Aquilant he found, And scarcely touched the border of his s.h.i.+eld, Ere he reversed the warrior on the field.

CXIX From lofty saddle Sansonnet o'erthrew, Famous for price and prowess, many a knight.

To the outlet of the square the mob withdrew; The monarch raged with anger and despite.

Meanwhile, of the first cuira.s.s and the new Possest, as well as either helmet bright, Marphisa, when she all in flight discerned, Conqueror towards her suburb-inn returned.

CXX Sansonnet and Astolpho are not slow In following t'wards the gate the martial maid, (The mob dividing all to let them go) And halt when they have reached the barricade.

Gryphon and Aquilant, who saw with woe Themselves on earth at one encounter laid, Their drooping heads, opprest with shame, decline, Nor dare appear before King Norandine.

CXXI Seizing their steeds and mounting, either son Of Oliver to seek their foemen went: With many of his va.s.sals too is gone The king; on death or vengeance all intent.

The foolish rabble cry, "Lay on, lay on."

And stand at distance and await the event.

Gryphon arrived where the three friends had gained A bridge, and facing round the post maintained.

CXXII He, at the first approach, Astolpho knew, For still the same device had been his wear, Even from the day he charmed Orrilo slew, His horse, his arms the same: him not with care Sir Gryphon had remarked, nor stedfast view, When late he jousted with him in the square: He knows him here and greets; next prays him show Who the companions are that with him go;

CXXIII And why they had those arms, without the fear Of Syria's king, pulled down, and to his slight.

Of his champions England's cavalier, Sir Gryphon courteously informed aright.