Orlando Furioso Part 57

XII "Some are exposed, and others underhand Their kindly mothers shelter and maintain: While the adults, in many a various band, Some here, some there dispersed, their living gain.

Arms are the trade of some, by some are scanned Letters and arts; another tills the plain: One serves in court, by other guided go The herd as pleases her who rules below.

XIII "A boy departed with they youthful peers, Who was of cruel Clytemnestra born; Like lily fresh (he numbered eighteen years) Or blooming rose, new-gathered from the thorn.

He having armed a bark, his pinnace steers In search of plunder, o'er the billows borne.

With him a hundred other youths engage, Picked from all Greece, and of their leader's age.

XIV "The Cretans, who had banished in that day Idomeneus the tyrant of their land, And their new state to strengthen and upstay, Were gathering arms and levying martial band, Phalantus' service by their goodly pay Purchased (so hight the youth who sought that strand), And all those others that his fortune run, Who the Dictaean city garrison.

XV "Amid the hundred cities of old Crete, Was the Dictaean the most rich and bright; Of fair and amorous dames the joyous seat, Joyous with festive sports from morn to night: And (as her townsmen aye were wont to greet The stranger) with such hospitable rite They welcomed these, it little lacked but they Granted them o'er their households sovereign sway.

XVI "Youthful and pa.s.sing fair were all the crew, The flower of Greece, who bold Phalantus led; So that with those fair ladies at first view, Stealing their hearts, full well the striplings sped.

Since, fair in deed as show, they good and true Lovers evinced themselves and bold in bed.

And in few days to them so grateful proved, Above all dearest things they were beloved.

XVII "After the war was ended on accord, For which were hired Phalantus and his train, And pay withdrawn, nor longer by the sword Was aught which the adventurous youth can gain, And they, for this, anew would go aboard, The unhappy Cretan women more complain, And fuller tears on this occasion shed, That if their fathers lay before them dead.

XVIII "Long time and sorely all the striplings bold Were, each apart, by them implored to stay: Who since the fleeting youths they cannot hold, Leave brother, sire, and son, with these to stray, Of jewels and of weighty sums of gold Spoiling their households ere they wend their way, For so well was the plot concealed, no wight Throughout all Crete was privy to their flight.

XIX "So happy was the hour, so fair the wind, When young Phalantus chose his time to flee, They many miles had left the isle behind, Ere Crete lamented her calamity.

Next, uninhabited by human kind, This sh.o.r.e received them wandering o'er the sea.

'Twas here they settled, with the plunder reft, And better weighed the issue of their theft.

XX "With amorous pleasures teemed this place of rest, For ten days, to that roving company: But, as oft happens that in youthful breast Abundance brings with it satiety, To quit their women, with one wish possest, The band resolved to win their liberty; For never burden does so sore oppress As woman, when her love breeds weariness.

XXI "They, who are covetous of spoil and gain, And ill-bested withal in stipend, know That better means are wanted to maintain So many paramours, than shaft and bow; And leaving thus alone the wretched train, Thence, with their riches charged the adventurers go For Puglia's pleasant land: there founded near The sea, Tarentum's city, as I hear.

XXII "The women when they find themselves betrayed Of lovers by whose faith they set most store, For many days remain so sore dismayed, That they seem lifeless statues on the sh.o.r.e.

But seeing lamentations nothing aid, And fruitless are the many tears they pour, Begin to meditate, amid their pains, What remedy for such an ill remains.

XXIII "Some laying their opinions now before The others, deem that to return to Crete Is in their sad estate the wiser lore, Throwing themselves at sire and husband's feet, Than in those wilds, and on that desert sh.o.r.e, To pine of want. Another troop repeat, They should esteem it were a worthier notion To cast themselves into the neighbouring ocean;

XXIV "And lighter ill, if they as harlots went About the world, -- beggars or slaves to be, Than offer up themselves for punishment, Well merited by their iniquity.

Such and like schemes the unhappy dames present, Each harder than the other. Finally, One Orontea amid these upstood, Who drew her origin from Minos' blood.

XXV "Youngest and fairest of the crew betrayed She was, and wariest, and who least had erred, Who to Phalantus' arms had come a maid, And left for him her father: she in word, As well as in a kindling face, displayed How much with generous wrath her heart was stirred; Then, reprobating all advised before, Spake; and adopted saw her better lore.

XXVI "She would not leave the land they were upon, Whose soil was fruitful, and whose air was sane, Throughout which many limpid rivers ran, Shaded with woods, and for the most part plain; With creek and port, where stranger bark could shun Foul wind or storm, which vexed the neighbouring main, That might from Afric or from Egypt bring Victual or other necessary thing.

XXVII "For vengeance (she opined) they there should stay Upon man's s.e.x, which had so sore offended.

She willed each bark and crew which to that bay For shelter from the angry tempest wended, They should, without remorse, burn, sack, and slay, Nor mercy be to any one extended.

Such was the lady's motion, such the course Adopted; and the statute put in force.

XXVIII "The women, when they see the changing heaven Turbid with tempest, hurry to the strand, With savage Orontea, by whom given Was the fell law, the ruler of the land; And of all barks into their haven driven Make havoc dread with fire and murderous brand, Leaving no man alive, who may diffuse Upon this side or that the dismal news.

XXIX " 'Twas thus with the male s.e.x at enmity, Some years the lonely women lived forlorn: Then found that hurtful to themselves would be The scheme, save changed; for if from them were born None to perpetuate their empery, The idle law would soon be held in scorn, And fail together with the fruitful reign, Which they had hoped eternal should remain.

x.x.x "So that some deal its rigour they allay, And in four years, of all who made repair Thither, by chance conducted to this bay, Chose out ten vigorous cavaliers and fair; That for endurance in the amorous play Against those hundred dames good champions were: A hundred they; and, of the chosen men, A husband was a.s.signed to every ten.

x.x.xI "Ere this, too feeble to abide the test, Many a one on scaffold lost his head.

Now these ten warriors so approved the best, Were made partakers of their rule and bed; First swearing at the sovereign ladies' hest, That they, if others to that port are led, No mercy shall to any one afford, But one and all will put them to the sword.

x.x.xII "To swell, and next to child, and thence to fear The women turned to teeming wives began Lest they in time so many males should bear As might invade the sovereignty they plan, And that the government they hold so dear Might finally from them revert to man.

And so, while these are children yet, take measure, They never shall rebel against their pleasure.

x.x.xIII "That the male s.e.x may not usurp the sway, It is enacted by the statute fell, Each mother should one boy preserve, and slay The others, or abroad exchange or sell.

For this, they these to various parts convey, And to the bearers of the children tell, To truck the girls for boys in foreign lands, Or not, at least, return with empty hands.

x.x.xIV "Nor by the women one preserved would be, If they without them could the race maintain.

Such all their mercy, all the clemency The law accords for theirs, not others' gain.

The dames all others sentence equally; And temper but in this their statute's pain, That, not as was their former practice, they All in their rage promiscuously slay.

x.x.xV "Did ten or twenty persons, or yet more, Arrive, they were imprisoned and put by; And every day one only from the store Of victims was brought out by lot to die, In fane by Orontea built, before An altar raised to Vengeance; and to ply As headsman, and dispatched the unhappy men, One was by lot selected from the ten.

x.x.xVI "To that foul murderous sh.o.r.e by chance did fare, After long years elapsed, a youthful wight, Whose fathers sprung from good Alcides were, And he, of proof in arms, Elbanio hight; There was he seized, of peril scarce aware, As unsuspecting such a foul despite: And, closely guarded, into prison flung, Kept for like cruel use the rest among.

x.x.xVII "Adorned with every fair accomplishment, Of pleasing face and manners was the peer, And of a speech so sweet and eloquent, Him the deaf adder might have stopt to hear; So that of him to Alexandria went Tidings as of a precious thing and rare.

She was the daughter of that matron bold, Queen Orontea, that yet lived, though old.

x.x.xVIII "Yet Orontea lived, while of that sh.o.r.e The other settlers all were dead and gone; And now ten times as many such or more Had into strength and greater credit grown.

Nor for ten forges, often closed, in store Have the ill-furnished band more files than one; And the ten champions have as well the care To welcome shrewdly all who thither fare.

x.x.xIX "Young Alexandria, who the blooming peer Burned to behold so praised on every part, The special pleasure him to see and hear, Won from her mother; and, about to part From him, discovers that the cavalier Remains the master of her tortured heart; Finds herself bound, and that 'tis vain to stir, -- A captive made by her own prisoner.

XL " 'I pity,' (said Elbanio) 'lady fair, Was in this cruel region known, as through All other countries near or distant, where The wandering sun sheds light and colouring hue, I by your beauty's kindly charms should dare (Which make each gentle spirit bound to you) To beg my life; which always, at your will, Should I be ready for your love to spill.

XLI " 'But since deprived of all humanity Are human bosoms in this cruel land, I shall not now request my life of thee, (For fruitless would, I know, be the demand) But, whether a good knight or bad I be, Ask but like such to die with arms in hand, And not as one condemned to penal pain; Or like brute beast in sacrifice be slain.'

XLII "The gentle maid, her eye bedimmed with tear, In pity for the hapless youth, replied: 'Though this land be more cruel and severe Than any other country, far and wide, Each woman is not a Medaea here As thou wouldst make her; and, if all beside Were of such evil kind, in me alone Should an exception to the rest be known.

XLIII " 'And though I, like so many here, of yore Was full of evil deeds and cruelty, I can well say, I never had before A fitting subject for my clemency.

But fiercer were I than a tiger, more Hard were my heart than diamonds, if in me All hardness did not vanish and give place Before your courage, gentleness, and grace.

XLIV " 'Ah! were the cruel statute less severe Against the stranger to these sh.o.r.es conveyed!

So should I not esteem my death too dear A ransom for thy worthier life were paid.

But none is here so great, sir cavalier, Nor of such puissance as to lend thee aid; And what thou askest, though a scanty grace, Were difficult to compa.s.s in this place.

XLV " 'And yet will I endeavour to obtain For thee, before thou perish, this content; Though much, I fear, 'twill but augment thy pain.

And thee protracted death but more torment.'

'So I the ten encounter,' (said again Elbanio), 'I at heart, am confident Myself to save, and enemies to slay; Though made of iron were the whole array.'

XLVI "To this the youthful Alexandria nought Made answer, saving with a piteous sigh; And from the conference a bosom brought, Gored with deep wounds, beyond all remedy.

To Orontea she repaired, and wrought On her to will the stripling should not die, Should he display such courage and such skill As with his single hand the ten to kill.

XLVII "Queen Orontea straightway bade unite Her council, and bespoke the a.s.sembled band: 'It still behoves us place the prowest wight Whom we can find, to guard our ports and strand.

And, to discover whom to take or slight, 'Tis fitting that we prove the warrior's hand; Lest, to our loss, the election made be wrong, And we enthrone the weak and slay the strong.

XLVIII " 'I deem it fit, if you the counsel shown Deem fit as well, in future to ordain, That each upon our coast by Fortune thrown, Before he in the temple shall be slain, Shall have the choice, instead of this, alone Battle against ten others to maintain; And if he conquer, shall the port defend With other comrades, pardoned to that end.