{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_57869/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_57869","id":"gutenberg_57869","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/57869","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Historical Novels","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Poetry","Epic poetry, Italian -- Adaptations","Epic poetry, Italian -- Translations into English","Roland (Legendary character) -- Romances"],"text":"Produced by Kathleen Ethington\n\n\n\n\nTHE ORLANDO INNAMORATO\n\n\n\nTRANSLATED INTO PROSE\nFROM THE ITALIAN OF\nFRANCESCO BERNI\nAND\nINTERSPERSED WITH EXTRACTS\nIN THE SAME STANZA AS THE ORIGINAL\nBY\nWILLIAM STEWART ROSE\n\n\n\nTO\n\nHENRY RICHARD, LORD HOLLAND,\n&c. &c. &c.\n\nWho, at a late period of my labours upon the \"Furioso\", suggested\nthe present work as its necessary prologue.\n\nKind peer, who, mid the tempest of debate,\n  Hast gladly wooed and won the Southern muse.\nWhere, crowned with fruit and flower of mingling hues,\n  She in a grove of myrtle keeps her state.\n\nThis I had entered by a postern gate,\n  Like stranger, who no certain path pursues.\nOr garden's lord, that hath his own to choose,\n  Hadst thou not shewn a better entrance late:\n\nThat portal led me to Morgana's* towers,\n  Where fierce Orlando found the dame at play;\nAnd though, too fast for me, from fields of flowers,\n  She flies to savage waste, and will not stay.\nIt will content me but to paint her bowers,\nIf this be granted by the scornful fay.\n\n                        William Stewart Rose.\n\n* See the adventure of Morgana, the type of Fortune, who, flying\nfrom her garden into a wilderness, is taken by Orlando, Book II.\n\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\n\nIt is many years since I first entertained a vague idea of\ntranslating the _Orlando Furioso_, and circumstances of little\nimportance to the reader, led me more recently to undertake it in\nearnest. This work was again laid down; and afterwards resumed at\nthe instance of a distinguished friend; and by an odd coincidence,\nI am indebted also to the suggestion of another eminent person for\nthe idea of the present translation of the _Orlando Innamorato_,\nwhich, I should observe, is intended to be auxiliary to that, my\nfirst and greater undertaking, though I need scarcely say, that\nthe story of Boiardo is a necessary prologue to the poem of\nAriosto.\n\nIt was my intention to have translated the first mentioned work,\nexactly upon the model adopted by Tressan in his version of the\nFrench romances, a scheme afterwards executed with so much better\nsuccess, by my late excellent friend, Mr. George Ellis, in his\nEnglish work of the same description. A further consideration of\nthe subject, however, induced me to imitate them only in their\ngeneral plan of illustrating a compendious prose translation by\nextracts, without seeking to add poignancy to this, by what might\ngive a false idea of the tone of my original. I recollected that I\nstood in a very different predicament from that of either of these\nauthors; that, to compare my work with the one, which is most\nlikely to be familiar to my readers, the 'Specimens of early\nEnglish Romances,' the originals are composed in a spirit of\ngravity which can hardly be confused with the gay style of the\ntranslator, and therefore nobody can be misled by the vein of\npleasantry which runs through Mr. Ellis's work, and which is sure\nto be exclusively ascribed to the author of the _Rifacimento_.\nThis, however, would possibly not be the case with me, as the\n_Innamorato_ is in a great measure a humourous work, of which I\nmight give a false impression, by infusing into it a different\nspecies of wit, from that which distinguishes it;\u2014a\nconsideration which induced me to adopt the scheme I have pursued\nin the following sheets.\n\nThis project is to give a mere ground-plan of the Gothic edifice\nof Boiardo, upon a small scale, accompanied with some elevations\nand sections of the chambers; which I have sought to colour after\nmy original: or, (to speak more plainly,) the reader is to look\nfor the mere story in my prose abridgement, while he may form some\nnotion of its tone and style, from the stanzas with which it is\ninterspersed.\n\nThe _story_ indeed, which seems most likely to interest the\nEnglish reader, is that which took a strong possession of the\nimagination of Milton, who refers with more apparent enthusiasm to\nthe _Innamorato_, than to the _Furioso_, and whose apparent\npreference is justifiable, if a richer stream of invention, and\nmore consummate art in its distribution, are legitimate titles to\nadmiration.\n\nIn this latter qualification more especially, Boiardo, however\ninferior as a poet, must be considered as a superior artist to\nAriosto; and weaving as complicated a web as his successor, it is\ncurious to observe how much he excels him as a story-teller. The\ntales, indeed, of Ariosto, (and the want of connexion among these\nis, in my eyes, his most essential defect) are so many loose\nepisodes, which may be compared to parallel streams, flowing\ntowards one reservoir, but through separate and independent\nchannels. Those of Boiardo, on the contrary, are like waters,\nthat, however they may diverge, preserve their relation to the\nparent river, to which their accession always seems necessary, and\nwith which they reunite, previous to its discharging its contents\ninto their common resting-place. A short example may serve to\nillustrate what I have laid down. A damsel in the _Innamorato_\nrelates to Rinaldo the adventures of two worthies named Iroldo and\nPrasildo, a narration which is interrupted, and which, though good\nin itself, at first appears to be an insulated episode. Rinaldo,\nhowever, afterwards falls in with Iroldo and his friend; and this\nhistory, thus resumed, unites itself naturally with that of the\npaladin. It is thus that all the stories are dove-tailed one into\nthe other, and form a mosaic, as striking from the nice union of\nits parts, as from the brilliancy of its colours.\n\nBoiardo's art, though here indeed he cannot be said to excel\nAriosto, is as conspicuous also in the direction of the strange\nunder-current of allegory which pervades his poem, as it is in the\ndistribution of his stream of story; while the sort of esoteric\ndoctrines conveyed by it, gives a mysterious interest even to what\nwe imperfectly comprehend.\n\nSuch indeed is the case with many of the fables of the Odyssey,\nand even of the Iliad; where the allegory, moreover, is always\nsubservient to poetry, and poetry is never made subservient to\nallegory. This remarkable piece of judgment in the Greek poet has,\nI think, been well imitated both by Boiardo and Ariosto, and it is\nthe neglect of this principle which has made allegory so often\noffensive in the _Faery Queene_ of Spenser. The obtrusive nature\nof this has been well compared by Mr. George Ellis, in his\nSpecimens of the early English poets, to a ghost in day-light. It\nis, moreover, destructive to all character; for Spenser's heroes\nbeing mere abstract personifications of some virtue or vice, we\nalmost always know what they are to do, though their actions are\noften unnatural, if considered as the actions of human beings.\nHence it is that we are never entertained with pictures of manners\nin the _Faery Queen_, while these form one of the great charms of\nthe poems with which I am contrasting it.\n\nIt may however be said with justice, that we are to ascribe this\nmore picturesque effect of allegory, rather to the spirit of the\nage than to that of the fabulist. For it is perhaps true that all\nearly fable is purely allegorical; that this is by degrees mixed\nup with other circumstances, and it is in this mixed character\nthat it is most conducive to poetical effect. But in a later age\nand later process of refinement, when there is a greater tendency\nto abstract, allegory is stript of her adventitious ornaments, and\nis at last forced upon us in poetry, painting, and sculpture,\nunveiled, or unencompassed by that sort of pleasing halo which is\nnecessary to give her effect.\n\nBut whether we are to ascribe Boiardo's success in this particular\nto the character of his age, or to his own superior judgment,\nthere is, I think, no doubt about the fact, and there is, I think,\nas little difficulty in conceding to my author, upon other\ngrounds, the praise of skill in executing the singular work of\nwhich he was the architect.\n\nThis extraordinary man was Matteo Maria Boiardo, count of\nScandiano, and a native of Reggio in the Modenese, who flourished\nin the beginning of the sixteenth century. These are circumstances\nthe more worthy of mention, as some of them tend to explain what\nmay seem most strange in the composition of the _Innamorato_; such\nas the provincial character of the diction, and more especially\nthat careless and almost contemptuous tone between jest and\nearnest, which distinguishes his poem. It is doubtless on this\naccount that Ugo Foscolo observes, in an ingenious critique on the\nItalian romantic poets, in the _Quarterly Review_*, that he tells\nhis story in the tone of a feudal baron; thus applying to him more\njustly what M. de Balzac has objected to another; of whom he says,\n\"qu'il s'est comport\u00e9 dans son po\u00ebme comme un prince dans ses\n\u00e9tats. C'est en vertu de cette souveraint\u00e9 qu'il ne reconnoit\npoint les lois, et qu'il se met au dessus du droit commun.\"\n\n* In an article purporting to be a review of _Whistlecraft's\npoem_, (now entitled _The Monks and Giants_,) and _The Court and\nParliament of Beasts_.\n\nAfter speaking of the mode in which he arranged his work, it is a\nnatural transition to the substance with which Boiardo built. This\nshews strong internal evidence* of having been taken, in the main,\nfrom the old French romances of Charlemagne, or rather from\nItalian works, raised upon their foundation. Hoole mentions one of\nthese, called _Aspramonte_, &c., of uncertain date, and we have\nthe titles of two others, which were anterior to the _Innamorato_,\none called _Li fatti di Carlo Magno e dei Paladini di Francia_,\nprinted in 1481; the other printed in 1491, and entitled _La\nHistoria real di Francia, che tratta dei fatti dei Paladini e di\nCarlo Magno in set libri_. Some indeed would seem to deny that\nBoiardo had dug in these mines, and would wish us to believe, that\nhe not only compounded but manufactured the materials with which\nhe wrought. Such at least would appear to have been the drift of\none, who observes that Agramant, Sacripant and Gradassso were\nnames of certain of the vassals of Scandiano. But if he means to\ninsinuate by this, that Boiardo was not also indebted to the other\nsource for his fictions and characters, as well might a critic of\nto-day, contend that the author of the _Monks and Giants_, who\nwrites under the name of _Whistlecraft_, had not borrowed the idea\nof their cause of quarrel from Pulci, because he has given\nridiculous modern names to some of his giants; or that he had not\ntaken the leaders amongst his _dramatis person\u00e6_ from the romances\nof the _Round Table_, because he has conferred \"two leopards'\nfaces,\" that is, his own arms, on the single knight, who perishes\nin Sir Tristram's successful expedition.\n\n* A single circumstance, which I cite, because it can be\nappreciated by every body, would convince me that such stories as\nare to be found in the _Innamorato_, were not the growth of\nBoiardo's century. No author of that age could have imagined the\nfriendly ties of alliance and consanguinity between Christians and\npaynims, though such fictions are justified by facts: thus we\nlearn from Gibbon that like relations existed between Greeks and\nTurks, and (as we are informed by Mr. Lockhart, in the preface to\nhis _Spanish Ballads_, a work which presents a striking pictures\nof manners as of passion) between Spaniards and Moors. Nor need\nsuch things surprise us, though the barriers which now separate\nChristian and Mahomedan, render them impossible. Nations are like\nindividuals, and when they are brought into close and constant\nintercourse, of whatever kind, their passions, good or bad, must\nbe kindled by the contact.\n\nBut if Boiardo has apparently taken his principal fictions from\nthe romances of Charlemagne, he has also resorted to other known\nquarries, and ransacked classical as well as romantic fable for\nmaterials.\n\nThis edifice, so constructed, which Boiardo did not live to\nfinish, soon underwent alteration and repairs. The first were made\nby Niccolo degli Agostini, and later in the same century a second\nand more celebrated _rifacimento_ of it, from which this\ntranslation is composed, was produced by Francesco Berni; whose\nname has given a distinctive epithet to the style of poetry, in\nwhich he excelled, and of which he is vulgarly supposed to have\nbeen the inventor.\n\nThis man was born of poor but noble parents, in a small town of\nTuscany. He entered the church, to which he had evidently no\ndisposition, as a means of livelihood, and, though as unqualified\nfor servitude as for the discharge of his clerical duties, spent\nthe better part of his life in dependence. He appears, however, to\nhave been blessed with a vein of cheerfulness, which, seconded by\na lively imagination, enabled him to beguile the wearisome nature\nof occupations, which were uncongenial to him; and of this he has\nleft many monuments in sonnets and pieces in _terza rima_, (styled\nin Italian _capitoli_,) consisting of satires and various species\nof ludicrous composition. The titles of many of these sufficiently\nattest their whimsicality, such as his _Capitoli sugli Orinali,\nsulle Anguille_, his _Eulogy of the Plague_, &c. &c. But the mode\nin which he has handled this last subject, will give the best\ninsight into the character of his humour. Having premised that\ndifferent persons gave a preference to different seasons\u2014as the\npoet to the spring, and the reveller to the autumn,\u2014he observes,\nthat one may well like the season of flowers, or the other that of\nfruits; but that, for his part, he preferred the time of plague.\nHe then backs his predilection by a rehearsal of the advantages\nattending this visitation; observing that a man is in such times\nfree from solicitations of borrowers or creditors, and safe from\ndisagreeable companions; that he has elbow-room at church and\nmarket, and can then only be said to be in the full possession of\nhis natural liberty. He has rung all sorts of changes on this\ntheme, and nothing can be more humorous than his details.\n\nThese are worked up with singular powers of diction, set off by\ngreat apparent facility of style, and are no less remarkable for\nmusic of rythm, richness of rhyme, and a happy boldness of\nexpression. In this respect there is some analogy, though no\nlikeness, between Berni and Dryden; and the real merits of both\nare therefore imperfectly estimated by foreigners, and even by the\ngenerality of their own countrymen. Many Italians, indeed,\nconsider Berni as a mere buffoon, which the English reader will\nthink less extraordinary, when he hears (as Lord Glenbervie*\nobserves, I think, in his notes to Ricciardetto,) that such an\nopinion has been entertained in Italy, even with regard to\nAriosto.\n\n* I state this on Lord Glenbervie's sole authority, which is,\nhowever, a weighty one. Such an opinion was probably current when\nhe first knew Italy; but I should imagine it could hardly be\nentertained at present.\n\nBetter reasons may seem to palliate such a mistake of the real\npoetical character of Berni, than of that of Ariosto. Some of\nthese are of a general description, and others of a nature more\npeculiarly applicable to his case. We may observe, as to the\nfirst, that whoever indulges his wit, in whatever species of\ncomposition, is usually misjudged; for wit, in the sight of the\nworld, overlays all the other qualities of an author, in whatever\nact or pursuit he may be engaged. Thus a great English painter,\nsingle in his walk, and distinguished by his various powers, is\nlooked upon by the multitude as a mere caricaturist, even where\ncaricature is intended by him only as a foil to beauty; and\norators have for the same reason sunk into jesters in the opinion\nof the mob, though they may have been equally distinguished for\nargumentative discussion or pathetic effect.\n\nBut other and more particular circumstances have tended to fix\nthis character upon Berni. Few men have a delicate perception of\nfamiliar expression, and still fewer yet have a nice feeling of\nthe delicacies of prosody,\n\n        Untwisting all the links that tie\n        The secret chain of harmony.\n\nNow it is for the bold, however dexterous, use of language, and\nrythm, that Berni is principally distinguished; and hence, as the\nmeans through which he works are imperfectly understood by the\nmajority of his readers, his object has been frequently mistaken.\nI should cite, in illustration of this, his description of a storm\nat sea, which has been often deemed burlesque, but in which the\npoet would be more justly considered as working a fine effect by\nunwonted means.\n\nLet us try this question by the rules of analogy. Men in all\ncountries resemble one another in the main, and where they are not\nguided by a natural taste and judgment, lean upon some rule, which\nis to direct them as an infallible guide. Depending upon this,\nthey seldom consider that it may be narrow, or of insufficient\nsupport. Thus an Englishman who has learned to think about verse,\nby the help of a few simple precepts*, which he believes to be\nabsolute, is taught to look upon the double rhyme as suited only\nto burlesque poetry. Yet Drummond's\n\n        \"Methought desponding nightingales did borrow,\n         Plaint of my plaint, and sorrow of my sorrow;\"\n\nand the description of him, who\n\n                        \"Saw with wonder,\nVast magazines of ice and piles of thunder,\"**\n\nmight be cited to prove what widely different effects are produced\nby the same weapon, as it is differently wielded. But, impressed\nwith the notions of the laws of verse which I have specified, that\nis, not knowing that almost all such metrical rules as have been\nalluded to, are merely conditional, some Italians***, and\ncertainly, almost all English readers of Italian poetry, suppose\nthe triple rhyme, (_la rima sdrucciola_) or dactyl, as it is\ncalled by us, to be as exclusively applied to ludicrous\ncomposition in Italian, as the double rhyme is imagined to be in\nEnglish; and this is perhaps one cause why some of Berni's\nstanzas, which abound in triple rhymes, have been so utterly\nmisconceived in England. Yet Berni and Ariosto have frequently\nemployed the _versi sdruccioli_ where they have aimed at a bold or\npathetic effect, though they have also undoubtedly been used by\nthem to heighten that of comic or satirical composition. Caro the\ncotemporary of Berni is even profuse of triple rhymes in his\ntranslation of the \u00c6neid; lyric poets, after the example of\nChiabrera, often insert them in the sublimest of their odes; and\none, who lately died full of years, managed the _rime sdrucciole_\nso easily, as to compose whole poems with them, and with such\ndignity, both of versification and expression, as (in the opinion\nof a distinguished Italian friend already cited) to vie with Tasso\nand Petrarch.\n\n* For example, there is no rule deemed more absolute, and yet\nthere is none which admits more exceptions than the maxim\nforbidding a line of ten monosyllables. For monosyllables, in\nFrench and English, are often such only to the eye, such words\nbeing frequently, in both languages, melted into each other. Hence\nmany good English verses consist of ten words, as that of Dryden,\nwhich will be in the recollection of every body,\n\n        \"Arms and the man I sing, &c.\"\n\nand the French cite as beautiful a line of Racine, which is\ncomposed of twelve,\n\n        \"Lej ur n'est pas plus pur que le fond de mon c\u0153ur.\"\n\n** I quote from memory.\n\n*** Thus Goldoni in one of his comedies introduces a man\nimprovising in triple rhymes for the sake of producing a ludicrous\neffect. Goldoni, however, (it must be confessed,) is no authority\nin questions of language or of versification.\n\nNow let a man keep such doctrines in mind; let him come to the\nconsideration of Berni's storm with a memory imbued with the\nsights and sounds seen and heard in one; let him consider all\ncircumstances of metre, not absolutely, but conditionally; that\nis, in their relation to each other and the thing described, and\nhe will then, I believe, enter into the real spirit in which the\npoet executed this description, and contemplate him with very\ndifferent eyes from those with which he viewed him before.\n\nAnother cause of misconception, to which I have already alluded,\nhas probably more misled the mob of readers of Italian poetry,\nnatives as well as foreigners. I mean the language of Berni; and\nas to this, certainly few very few, are capable of appreciating\nhis skill, or even of making out his track. There is indeed, I\nbelieve, no poet of any country, who has attempted so difficult a\nflight; a flight of unwearied wing, struck out with courage, and\nmaintained only by the most incessant exertion and care.\n\nTraces of these are seen in what may be called the charts on which\nhe has pricked out his course, and which, I understand, witness as\nmuch to his diligence, as Ariosto's attest the care with which he\naccomplished his most extraordinary voyage. The documents to which\nI allude, are the original MSS. of the _Innamorato_, preserved at\nBrescia. As I was ignorant of the existence of these, during two\nresidences which I made in Italy, I can only speak of them on the\ntestimony of others; but an Italian critic, whom I have often\nquoted, and from whose authority upon such points I would almost\nsay there was no appeal, once assured me these are as much blotted\nas those of Ariosto at Ferrara; and that Berni seems to have\nusually clothed his thoughts in ornate language at first, which he\nrejected on after-consideration, simplifying, but at the same time\nimproving, his diction, as he proceeded, till he arrived at that\nexquisite happiness of expression, that _curiosa felicitas_, which\nmakes his principal charm. It is hence that he is the most\nuntranslatable of authors; since in copying him, it is not only a\nquestion of imitating colours, but the fine and more elaborate\ntouches of a peculiar pencil.\n\nWhile, however, it is clear that the versification and diction\nmake the great charms of the _Innamorato_, these beauties should\nnot throw his other excellencies into shade; and the openings of\nthe different cantos, which he has engrafted on the original work\nof Boiardo, sometimes original, and sometimes imitated from the\nolder poets, are not greatly inferior to those which Ariosto has\nprefixed to the several cantos of the Furioso, in imitation of\nhim; no, not even in the higher claims of poetical merit.\n\nThese sometimes consist of moral reflections, arising out of the\nnarrative; and the following may remind the reader of one of those\nlittle gems scattered through the plays of Shakspeare:\u2014\n\n        Who steals a bugle-horn, a ring, a steed,\n        Or such like worthless thing, has some discretion.\n        'Tis petty larceny.\u2014Not such his deed\n        Who robs us of our fame, our best possession;\n        And he who takes our labour's worthiest meed,\n        May well be deemed a felon by profession;\n        Who so much more our hate and scourge deserves.\n        As from the rule of right he wider swerves.\n\nSometimes indulging in a declamation against vices or follies, he\nmakes his satire more poignant by allusions to some prevalent\npractice of the day: thus, in a sally against avarice, he attacks\nthose who masqued it under the disguise of hypocrisy in the\nfollowing stanza:\n\n        This other, under show of an adviser\n        And practiser of what is strict and right;\n        But being in effect a rogue and miser,\n        Cloisters a dozen daughters out of sight:\n        And fain would have the pretty creatures wiser\n        Than their frail sisters; but mistakes them quite;\n        For they are like the rest, and set the group\n        Of monks, and priests, and abbots, cock-a-hoop.\n\nThe following extract, illustrating a philosophical dogma of his\nage, taken from the opening of the forty-sixth canto, is of\nanother description, and may serve as a specimen of the variety of\nhis vein, and the odd ingenuity with which he winds in and out of\nhis argument; sometimes bearing up for his harbour when in the\nmiddle of a digression; and then, when he seems to feel himself\nsure of a retreat, indulging in a new sally, in which he however\nnever entirely loses sight of his port.\n\n                1.\n        He who the name of little world applied\n        To man, in this approved his subtle wit:\n        Since, save it is not round, all things beside\n        Exactly with this happy symbol fit;\n        And I may say that long and deep, and wide\n        And middling, good and bad, are found in it.\n        Here too, the various elements combined\n        Are dominant; snow, rain, and mist and wind.\n\n                2.\n        Now clear, now overcast. 'Tis there its land\n        Will yield no fruit; here bears a rich supply:\n        As the mixt soil is marle, or barren sand;\n        And haply here too moist, or there too dry.\n        Here foaming hoarse, and there with murmur bland,\n        Streams glide, or torrents tumble from on high.\n        Such of man's appetites convey the notion:\n        Since these are infinite, and still in motion.\n\n                3.\n        Two solid dikes the invading streams repel,\n        The one is Reason, arid the other Shame.\n        The torrents, if above their banks they swell,\n        Wit and discretion are too weak to tame.\n        The crystal waters, which so smoothly well.\n        Are appetites of things, devoid of blame.\n        Those winds, and rains, and snows, and night, and day.\n        Ye learned clerks, divine them as ye may.\n\n\n                4.\n        Among these elements, misfortune wills\n        Our nature should have most of earth: for she.\n        Moved by what influence heaven or sun instils.\n        Is subject to their power; nor less are we.\n        In her, this star or that, in barren hills\n        Produces mines in rich variety:\n        And those who human nature wisely scan\n        May this discern peculiarly in man.\n\n                5.\n        Who would believe that various minerals grew,\n        And many metals, in our rugged mind;\n        From gold to nitre? Yet the thing is true;\n        But, out, alas! the rub is how to find\n        This ore. Some letters and some wealth pursue,\n        Some fancy steeds, some dream, at ease reclined;\n        These song delights, and those the cittern's sound,\n        Such are the mines which in our world abound.\n\n                6.\n        As these are worthier, more or less, so they\n        Abound with lead or gold; and practised wight,\n        The various soil accustomed to survey,\n        Is fitted best to find the substance bright.\n        And such in our Apulia is the way\n        They heal those suffering from the spider's bite;\n        Who strange vagaries play, like men possessed;\n        _Tarantulated_*, as 'tis there express'd.\n\n* The Tarantula is now known to be harmless. The cause of its\nsupposed mischievous effects, and the efficacy of the mode of\ncuring them are perhaps easily explained. People are in all\ncountries (though they are imagined to be peculiarly so in\nEngland) exposed to attacks of melancholy, which arise out of some\nphysical cause, whether indigestion, or other bodily complaint.\nThe doctors of Calabria attributed this to the sting of the\ntarantula, which is assuredly not more extravagant than a popular\nEnglish medical author's ascribing jaundice to the bite of a mad\ndog. The patient, delighted to find a cause for his complaint, was\neasily, by leading questions, brought to recollect that he had, at\nsome time or other, felt a prick, which probably proceeded from\nthe sting of a tarantula. Dancing was the remedy prescribed; and\nthis, as exciting the animal spirits, &c. may very well have\noperated a cure of the real disease. The patients were to be\nplayed to, as Berni states, till a tune was struck which pleased\ntheir fancy, and animated them to exertion. The Tarantella, an air\nsupposed to be particularly stimulating in such a case, is still a\npopular dance in the south of Italy. Modern philosophers have\nfound out that the tarantula has no venom.\n\n                7.\n        For this, 'tis needful, touching sharp or flat.\n        To seek a sound which may the patients please;\n        Who, when they find the merry music pat.\n        Dance till they sweat away the foul disease.\n        And thus who should allure _this_ man or _that_,\n        And still with various offer tempt and tease,\n        I wot, in little time, would ascertain\n        And sound each different mortal's mine and vein.\n\n                8.\n        'Twas so Brunello with Rogero wrought,\n        Who offered him the armour and the steed.\n        Thus by the cunning Greek _his_ aid was bought,\n        Who laid fair Ilion smoking on the mead.\n        Which was of yore in clearer numbers taught;\n        Nor shall I now repeat upon my reed,\n        Who from the furrow let my plough-share stray,\n        Unheeding how the moments glide away.\n\n                9.\n        As the first pilot by the shore did creep,\n        Who launched his boat upon the billows dark,\n        And where the liquid ocean was least deep,\n        And without sails impelled his humble barque;\n        But seaward next, where foaming waters leap.\n        By little and by little steered his ark,\n        With nothing but the wind and stars to guide,\n        And round about him glorious wonders spied.\n\n                10.\n        Thus I, who still have sung a humble strain,\n        And kept my little barque within its bounds,\n        Now find it fit to launch into the main,\n        And sing the fearful warfare, which resounds\n        Where Africa pours out her swarthy train,\n        And the wide world with mustered troops abounds;\n        And, fanning fire and forge, each land and nation\n        Sends forth the dreadful note of preparation.\n\nThe next extract I shall give, though it commences with his\nfavourite figure of the barque, will serve as a specimen of a\ndifferent style. It forms the opening of the second book. The two\nfirst lines the reader will trace to Dante, and will find in the\nremainder a translation of the \u00c6neadum Genetrix of Lucretius.\n\n                1.\n        Launched on a deeper sea, my pinnace, rear\n        Thy sail, prepared to plough the billows dark:\n        And you, ye lucid stars, by whom I steer\n        My feeble vessel to its destined mark,\n        Shine forth upon her course benign and clear.\n        And beam propitious on the daring barque\n        About to stem an ocean so profound:\n        While I your praises and your works resound.\n\n                2.\n        O, holy mother of \u00c6neas! O,\n        Daughter of Jove! thou bliss of gods above\n        And men beneath; VENUS, who makest grow\n        Green herb and plant, and fillest all with love;\n        Thou creatures that would else be cold and slow.\n        Dost with thy sovereign instinct warm and move,\n        Thou dost all jarring things in peace unite\u2014\n        The world's eternal spirit, life and light,\n\n                3.\n        At thine appearance storm and rain have ceased,\n        And zephyr has unlocked the genial ground;\n        Leap the wild herds;\u2014'tis wanton nature's feast,\u2014\n        And the green woods with singing birds resound;\n        While by strange pleasure stung, the savage beast\n        Lives but for love; what time their greenwood round\n        All creatures rove, or couch upon the sward.\n        Discord and hate forgot, in sweet accord.\n\n                4.\n        Thee, kind and gentle star! thy suppliant prays;\n        To thee I sue by every bolt which flies\n        Thro' the fifth planet*, melting with thy rays.\n        When panting on thy lap the godhead lies.\n        And lock'd within thine arms, with upward gaze.\n        Feeds on thy visage his desiring eyes:\n        That thou wilt gain for me his grace, and grown\n        Propitious, with _his_ grace accord thine own.\n\n* Mars.\n\n                5.\n        Since 'tis of thee I sing, as I have said,\n        And only of thy praise and pleasures dream;\n        Well pleased I to this fruitful field was led,\n        And sure I could not choose a sweeter theme.\n        Thou too, that down thy clear and ample bed\n        Dost run with grateful murmur, RAPID STREAM.\n        Awhile from thine impetuous course refrain,\n        While on thy banks I tune my mingled strain.\n\nIn the concluding address to the river, he apostrophizes the\nAdige, on whose banks he might be said to be writing, as he was\nthen living in the town of Verona, which is watered by it, in the\nservice of the Cardinal di Bibbiena.\n\nOne more specimen of his poetical prefaces, and I have done. It is\nthe introduction to his third book; and in this too the reader,\nwho will recognize a passage of the _ars poetica_ of Horace, may\nobserve how well Berni translates and applies his classical\nrecollections.\n\n                1.\n        As they, who their unhappy task fulfil\n        In mines of England, Hungary, and Spain,\n        The deeper that they dig the mountain, still\n        Find richer treasure and securer gain;\n        And as wayfaring man who climbs a hill.\n        Surveys, as he ascends, a wider plain,\n        And shores and oceans open on his eye,\n        Exalted nearer to the starry sky:\n\n                2.\n        So in this book, indited for your pleasure,\n        If you believe and listen to my lore.\n        You, in advancing, shall discern new treasure,\n        And catch new lights and landscapes evermore.\n        Then by no former scale my promise measure,\n        Nor judge this strain by that which went before:\n        Since still my caves and rugged rocks unfold\n        A richer vein of jewels, pearls, and gold.\n\n                3.\n        And he who winds about my mountain's side,\n        Still spies new lands and seas, a glorious sight.\n        If patient industry and courage guide\n        Him from the valley to the frowning height.\n        Like prospect was the poet's who supplied\n        Flame out of smoke, instead of smoke from light;\n        With wise Ulysses' acts to fill our ears.\n        To the more wonderment of him who hears.\n\nSo much for the poetry of Berni. His life was not such as\nreflected any lustre on his works. This, if we reject some foul\nimputations cast upon him, was, to say the least of it,\ndisreputable. It is, however, certain, that being at last\nestablished in a canonry at Florence, he lived there in high and\naccomplished society. This fact, however, in a profligate age,\nlike that in which he flourished, proves nothing in his favour;\nand, if we listened to the stories of his biographers, we might\nsuppose him even to have been courted for some of his vicious\npropensities: for one of these writers tells us he was excited by\nthe cardinal Ippolito de' Medici to poison the duke Alexander,\nagainst whom he had a private pique; another, would have us\nbelieve that he was tempted by the duke to poison the cardinal;\nand (to complicate the matter yet more) that the cardinal or the\nduke, or both, had poison administered to Berni himself, upon his\nrefusal. The dates, however, of their respective deaths, are at\nvariance with these strange assertions; and if such certain means\nof contradiction were wanting, the internal evidence of Berni's\ncharacter, however vicious, might be almost sufficient to refute\nsuch improbable calumnies. It may be said, indeed, that perhaps no\none was ever selected as a probable agent of guilt, who seems to\nhave been so little capable of engaging in the sort of crimes\nwhich were expected of him.\n\nAs a proof of this we might almost refer to the picture which he\nhas given of himself, and which carries with it every warrant of\nresemblance. In one of the cantos of the last book of the\n_Innamorato_, he describes a number of persons as having become\nthe victims of a fairy, of whom they afterwards remain the\nvoluntary prisoners. Among these he has, in imitation of certain\npainters, introduced himself with another known character of the\nday: a circumstance which, together with the nature of the\nepisode, might lead one to suspect that Thomson was indebted to\nthis fiction for his _Castle of Indolence_. He has, however, given\nthe tenants of his \"bowers of ease,\" a character so much more\nintellectual than that of Berni's actors, that he may very fairly\npretend to the praise of original composition, even if his work be\nan imitation instead of a mere accidental coincidence; which I am\nmore tempted to believe.* But I draw the curtain of Berni's\npicture.\n\n* I do not recollect any authority for Thomson's having been\nconversant with Italian poetry; and I think that a view of his\nworks would lead to a contrary supposition. Thus I should say that\nthough no man could copy what he actually saw with a nicer hand or\neye, no man had more need of study in the Italian school of ideal\npicture than this English poet. In his drawings from nature his\ncolouring is as inimitable as his design; and his bird, who\n\n        \"Shivers every feather with desire,\"\n\nis painted with the precision as well as the force of the Flemish\npencil. Yet he has personified Autumn as\n\n        \"_Crowned with the sickle_ and the wheaten sheaf,\"\n\nthus putting on his head what should have been in his hand, and\npresenting us a ludicrous figure surmounted by a \"crumpled horn.\"\nNo Italian poet would have painted from nature with Thomson's\nmarvellous precision; and no Italian poet would have committed\nsuch gross offences against propriety as he has, in his imaginary\npictures.\n\nBOOK III. CANTO VII.\n\n                36.\n        A boon companion to increase this crew\n        By chance, a gentle Florentine, was led;\n        A Florentine, altho' the father who\n        Begot him, in the Casentine was bred;\n        Who nigh become a burgher of his new\n        Domicile, there was well content to wed;\n        And so in Bibbiena wived, which ranks\n        Among the pleasant towns on Arno's banks.\n\n                37.\n        At Lamporecchio, he of whom I write\n        Was born, for dumb Masetto* fam'd of yore,\n        Thence roam'd to Florence; and in piteous plight\n        There sojourned till nineteen, like pilgrim poor;\n        And shifted thence to Rome, with second flight\n        Hoping some succour from a kinsman's store;\n        A cardinal allied to him by blood.\n        And one that neither did him harm nor good.\n\n* See Boccaccio.\n\n                38.\n        He to the nephew passed, this patron dead,\n        Who the same measure as his uncle meted;\n        And then again in search of better bread,\n        With empty bowels from his house retreated;\n        And hearing, for his name and fame were spread,\n        The praise of one who serv'd the pope repeated,\n        And in the Roman court Datario hight,\n        He hired himself to him to read and write.\n\n                39.\n        This trade the unhappy man believed he knew;\n        But this belief was, like the rest, a bubble,\n        Since he could never please the patron, who\n        Fed him, nor ever once was out of trouble.\n        The worse he did, the more he had to do,\n        And only made his pain and penance double:\n        And thus, with sleeves and bosom stuffed with papers,\n        Wasted his wits, and lived oppressed with vapours.\n\n                40.\n        Add for his mischief (whether 'twas his little\n        Merit, misfortune, or his want of skill)\n        Some cures he farmed produced him not a tittle,\n        And only were a source of plague and ill.\n        Fire, water, storm, or devil, sacked vines and victual,\n        Whether the luckless wretch would tythe or till.\n        Some pensions too, which he possessed, were nought,\n        And, like the rest, produced him not a groat.\n\n                41.\n        This notwithstanding, he his miseries slighted,\n        Like happy man, who not too deeply feels;\n        And all, but most the Roman lords, delighted,\n        Content in spite of tempests, writs, or seals.\n        And oftentimes, to make them mirth, recited\n        Strange chapters upon urinals and eels;*\n        And other mad vagaries would rehearse.\n        That he had hitched. Heaven help him! into verse.\n\n* See his _Capitoli sugli Orinali, Sulle Anquille, etc._\n\n                42.\n        His mood was choleric, and his tongue was vicious,\n        But he was praised for singleness of heart;\n        Not taxed as avaricious or ambitious,\n        Affectionate, and frank, and void of art;\n        A lover of his friends, and unsuspicious;\n        But where he hated, knew no middle part;\n        And men his malice by his love might rate:\n        But then he was more prone to love than hate.\n\n                43.\n        To paint his person, this was thin and dry;\n        Well sorting it, his legs were spare and lean;\n        Broad was his visage, and his nose was high,\n        While narrow was the space that was between\n        His eye-brows sharp; and blue his hollow eye.\n        Which for his bushy beard had not been seen,\n        But that the master kept this thicket clear'd,\n        At mortal war with moustache and with beard.\n\n                44.\n        No one did ever servitude detest\n        Like him; though servitude was still his dole:\n        Since fortune or the devil did their best\n        To keep him evermore beneath controul.\n        While, whatsoever was his patron's hest,\n        To execute it went against his soul;\n        His service would he freely yield, unasked,\n        But lost all heart and hope, if he were tasked.\n\n                45.\n        Nor musick, hunting-match, nor mirthful measure,\n        Nor play, nor other pastime moved him aught;\n        And if 'twas true that horses gave him pleasure,\n        The simple sight of them was all he sought,\n        Too poor to purchase; and his only treasure\n        His naked bed: his pastime to do nought\n        But tumble there, and stretch his weary length,\n        And so recruit his spirits and his strength,\n\n                46.\n        Worn with the trade he long was used to slave in,\n        So heartless and so broken down was he;\n        He deemed he could not find a readier haven,\n        Or safer port from that tempestuous sea;\n        Nor better cordial to recruit his craven\n        And jaded spirit, when he once was free,\n        Than to betake himself to bed, and do\n        Nothing, and mind and matter so renew.\n\n                47.\n        On this as on an art, he would dilate.\n        In good set terms, and styled his bed a vest.\n        Which, as the wearer pleased, was small or great.\n        And of whatever fashion liked him best;\n        A simple mantle, or a robe of state;\n        With that a gown of comfort and of rest:\n        Since whosoever slipt his daily clothes\n        For this, put off with these all worldly woes.\n\n                48.\n        He by the noise and lights and music jaded\n        Of that long revel, and the tramp and tread,\n        (Since every guest in his desires was aided,\n        And knaves performed their will as soon as said,)\n        Found out a chamber which was uninvaded.\n        And bade those varlets there prepare a bed.\n        Garnished with bolsters and with pillows fair,\n        At its four borders, and exactly square.\n\n                49.\n        This was six yards across by mensuration,\n        With sheets and curtains bleached by wave and breeze,\n        With a silk quilt for farther consolation.\n        And all things fitting else: tho' hard to please,\n        Six souls therein had found accommodation\n        But this man sighed for elbow-room and ease.\n        And here as in a sea was fain to swim.\n        Extending at his pleasure length and limb,\n\n                50.\n        By chance with him, to join the fairy's train,\n        A Frenchman and a cook was thither brought;\n        One that had served in court with little gain,\n        Though he with sovereign care and cunning wrought.\n        For him, prepared with sheet and counterpane.\n        Another bed was, like his fellow's, sought:\n        And 'twixt the two, sufficient space was seen\n        For a fair table to be placed between.\n\n                51.\n        Upon this table, for the pair to dine.\n        Were savoury viands piled, prepared with art;\n        All ordered by this master-cook divine;\n        Boiled, roast, ragouts and jellies, paste and tart:\n        But soups and syrups pleased the Florentine,\n        Who loathed fatigue like death, and for his part.\n        Brought neither teeth nor fingers into play;\n        But made two varlets feed him as he lay\n\n                52.\n        Here couchant, nothing but his head was spied,\n        Sheeted and quilted to the very chin;\n        And needful food a serving man supplied\n        Thro' pipe of silver, placed the mouth within.\n        Meantime the sluggard moved no part beside.\n        Holding all motion else were shame and sin;\n        And (so his spirits and his health were broke)\n        Not to fatigue this organ, seldom spoke.\n\n                53.\n        The cook was master Peter hight, and he\n        Had tales at will to while away the day;\n        To him the Florentine: \"Those fools, pardie,\n        \"Have little wit, who dance that endless Hay;\"\n        And Peter in return, \"I think with thee.\"\n        Then with some merry story backed the say;\n        Swallowed a mouthful and turned round in bed;\n        And so, by starts, talked, turned, and slept, and fed.\n\n                54.\n        And so the time these careless comrades cheated,\n        And still, without a change, ate, drank, and slept\n        Nor by the calendar their seasons meeted,\n        Nor register of days or sennights kept:\n        No dial told the passing hours, which fleeted,\n        Nor bell was heard; nor servant overstept\n        The threshold (so the pair proclaimed their will)\n        To bring them tale or tidings, good or ill.\n\n                55.\n        Above all other curses, pen and ink\n        Were by the Tuscan held in hate and scorn;\n        Who, worse than any loathsome sight or stink.\n        Detested pen and paper, ink and horn:\n        So deeply did a deadly venom sink.\n        So festered in his flesh a rankling thorn;\n        While, night and day, with heart and garments rent.\n        Seven weary years the wretch in writing spent.\n\n                56.\n        Of all their ways to baffle time and tide,\n        This seems the strangest of their waking dreams:\n        Couched on their back, the two the rafters eyed,\n        And taxed their drowsy wits to count the beams;\n        'Tis thus they mark at leisure, which is wide.\n        Which short, or which of due proportion seems;\n        And which worm-eaten are, and which are sound,\n        And if the total sum is odd or round.*\n\n* I have already given a loose translation of this part of Berni's\naccount of himself in the _Court of Beasts_.\n\nHaving in the preceding part of this introduction, given some\naccount of the mode in which I have executed my task as a\ntranslator, it may be expected that I should give some information\nrespecting my labours as an editor. To speak frankly, I have none\nto give: having annexed no commentary, or, at least, nothing\nworthy of being called a commentary, to this work. Some readers\nmay, perhaps, think I have in this neglected my duty, and reproach\nme with not having pointed out the sources from which many of the\nfictions in the _Innamorato_ are borrowed, or at least the points\nof resemblance which may be found between many of these and other\nancient stories. It appeared, however, to me, that my readers were\nas likely as myself to be conversant with incidents to be found in\nthe _Spectator_, _Persian Tales_, _Arabian Nights_, and\n_Biblioth\u00e8que Orientale_. Others who will, perhaps, thank me for\nsparing them such a display of common-place knowledge may,\nhowever, think I have erred in having done nothing to illustrate\nthe allegory of the _Innamorato_. If I have not, the omission has\narisen from a conviction of the inutility of such an attempt. I\nhave read much that has been written upon the allegory of the\n_Furioso_, yet never met with any explanation of it, which I\nconsidered as satisfactory to myself, though I was persuaded that\nthe commentators were right. Holding obscurity to be one source of\nthe sublime in this branch of imagination, though I will not\nventure to extend the position further, it appears to me that the\nreader always best fills up an indistinct outline, according to\nhis own fancy, and is more likely to derive pleasure from doing\nso, than from a solution which usually presents him with something\nvery different from what he had preconceived. It is this\nconsideration which has restrained me from doing more than\nthrowing out a few ideas which suggested themselves on some parts\nof Boiardo's allegory, and no wish to avoid any trouble which I\nmight have thought satisfactorily bestowed on it. Still less have\nI been influenced by any fear of that ridicule which is so readily\ndischarged upon Italian commentators, or those who report their\nlucubrations; for I can safely say, that I should have pursued the\nresearch to which I have alluded, if I had thought I could have\ndone so with any satisfaction to myself, though I had met with no\nbetter recompence than that of being compared to the ass who\ncarried off the dead body of the sphynx, after her enigma had been\nunriddled, and she herself slain by \u0152dipus.\n\n\nTHE ORLANDO INNAMORATO.\nBOOK I.\nARGUMENT.\n\nGradasso, king of Sericane, meditates the invasion of France, in\norder to obtain Bayardo and Durindana. In the mean time\nCharlemagne is holding a court plenar at Paris; where the\nappearance of Angelica excites much confusion amid the assembled\nknights. She returns towards her own kingdom, pursued by Orlando\nand Rinaldo. Rinaldo having, however, drunk of the waters of\nDisdain, while she has unfortunately tasted those of Love, is\nseized with loathing for the damsel, and is, in his turn, followed\nin vain by her, whom he before pursued. He is now sent by\nCharlemagne in defence of Marsilius, king of Spain, whose\nterritories were invaded by Gradasso, in his progress towards\nFrance. He is here separated from his army by a device of\nMalagigi, his own brother, who is become the tool of Angelica, and\nhis troops, left without their leader, return home. Marsilius, in\nconsequence of this desertion, buys peace of Gradasso, by\nassisting him in his invasion of France. Here Charlemagne and his\npaladins are made prisoners in a thorough rout of the Christian\narmy. Gradasso, however, offers him peace and liberty for himself\nand followers, on the delivery of Bayardo, who had been brought\nback from Spain by the French troops, and on his promise to send\nhim Durindana as soon as it is in his power. Charlemagne of course\nconsents, and sends to Paris for the horse. This is, however,\nrefused by Astolpho, who had taken upon himself the government of\nthe city, and who sends a defiance to Gradasso. They meet, and the\nIndian king is unhorsed, who, in compliance with the conditions of\na previous agreement, frees his prisoners and returns to Sericana.\nAstolpho, too, dissatisfied with the conduct of Charlemagne,\ndeparts from France. He now enrolls himself amongst the defenders\nof Angelica, besieged by Agrican in Albracca, in which warfare he\nis made prisoner; Orlando, with other puissant knights, takes the\nsame side, and slays Agrican in single combat. On the other part,\nRinaldo (whose hatred to Angelica equals his former love) joins\nthe camp of the besiegers, and a desperate battle is fought\nbetween him and Orlando. Angelica, however, still enamoured of\nRinaldo, separates them and dispatches Orlando upon a perilous\nquest. Many other adventures are achieved by these and other\nknights, and many episodes are connected with the two principal\nactions of the book, viz. the invasion of France, and the war\nbefore Albracca.\n\n\nBOOK I.\n\nThe story says that there reigned formerly in parts beyond India,\na mighty monarch, who was moreover so valiant and powerful in war\nthat no one could stand against him; he was named Gradasso; he had\nthe face and heart of a dragon, and was in stature a giant. But,\nas it often happens to the greatest and to the richest, to long\nfor what they cannot have, and thus to lose what they already\npossess, this king could not rest content without Durindana the\nsword of Orlando, and Bayardo the horse of Rinaldo. To obtain\nwhich, he determined to war upon France, and for this expedition\nchose one hundred and fifty thousand horsemen.\n\nBut the author suspends the further mention of this monarch, of\nwhom we shall soon again hear, to speak of Charlemagne, who had\nordered magnificent jousts, and summoned thither all and singular\nhis barons. And to this court plenar, besides his paladins, and\ngreater and lesser vassals of the crown, were bid all strangers,\nbaptized or infidel, then sojourning at Paris. Amongst the guests\nwere the giant Grandonio, Ferrau, the king Balugantes, a relation\nof Charlemagne, Isolier and Serpentin, who were companions, and\nmany others.\n\nAnd now was the day when the great festival was to begin with a\nsumptuous banquet, made by Charlemagne, who assisted at it in his\nroyal robes, and entertained, between Christians and Pagans,\ntwenty-two thousand and thirty guests.\n\nThe tables, spread right and left, were ordered with due\ndiscrimination. At the first were seated the kings of Christendom,\nan English, a Lombard, and a Breton to wit, Otho, Desiderius, and\nSalamon: and next these all others, according to their dignity and\nthe esteem in which they were held. At the second table were\nplaced the dukes and marquisses; and at the third, the counts and\nsimple knights. Those of the house of Maganza were especially\nhonoured, and above all the others, Gano of Poictiers. Rinaldo saw\nthis with eyes of fire; the more so that these traitors, laughing\namongst themselves, were mocking him as not equally\ndistinguished by the king. Accordingly we are told:\n\n        Yet while his heart with smothered fury beats,\n        He feigns to trifle with the cups and glasses:\n        But, inly murmuring, to himself repeats\n        \"False, ribald crew! before to-morrow passes,\n        \"This arm shall prove if you can keep your seats;\n        \"Spawn of a nest of vipers, idiots, asses!\n        \"And well I wot to have you on the hip,\n        \"Unless my weapon swerve, or courser slip.\"\n\n        King Balugantes marked his discontent,\n        And reading, as he weened, his secret thought,\n        To him his trucheman with a message sent.\n        To wot if it was true, as he was taught.\n        That honour, not by worth and wisdom went,\n        But in this Christian court was sold and bought:\n        That he a stranger and a Turk, if true,\n        Might render each and all the honour due.\n\n        The good Rinaldo smiled, and to the sable\n        Reporter of the royal message said,\u2014\n        \"To solve the question, as I best am able,\n        \"(If I in rules of court am rightly read,)\n        \"Honour and place to glutton at the table\n        \"Are duly yielded, as to dame in bed;\n        \"But in the field, where warriors spur their steeds,\n        \"The worth of man is measured by his deeds.\"\n\nWhile this conversation is passing, music sounds; the meats are\nserved up, and the feast is commenced with all the pomp and\ncircumstance of chivalric magnificence.\n\nIn the middle of this their merriment, four giants enter the\nfurther end of the hall, having between them a damsel of\nincomparable beauty, attended by a single knight. Many ladies\n(some of whose names are specified) were seated at the different\ntables: but all were outshone by the beautiful stranger. The\nChristians, lords or simple knights, swarm about the damsel, and\nevery Pagan is in an instant on his feet. She smiles upon all; but\nforthwith addresses herself to Charlemagne. After a complimentary\npreface,\n\n\"Sir King,\" said the damsel, \"before I show the motive which has\nbrought us hither, learn that this knight is my brother Uberto,\nand that I am his sister, Angelica; both of us banished without\nreason from the paternal mansion. Upon the Tanais, where we dwelt,\ntwo hundred days' journey from hence, news were brought us of\nthis feast; and we have traversed so many provinces to see your\nmagnificence, and, if possible, to gain the wreath of roses, which\nis said to be the guerdon of the jousts.\n\n\"For this purpose, my brother awaits all comers, Christian or\nSaracen, at the stair of Merlin*; it being premised that the war\nis to be conducted on the following conditions: Whoever is\nunseated in the tilt, shall be allowed no further course or trial,\nbut remain the prisoner of him by whom he was unhorsed: while\nwhoever flings my brother shall have me for his reward; and Uberto\nshall depart with his giants.\"\n\n* It may be observed, that the abode of Merlin and the tomb of\nMerlin are always placed by the first romancers, to wit, those of\nthe Round Table, in Britain; and their constantly laying their\nscene in our island, and choosing their actors from thence, has\nled M. de la Rue, and after him, Mr. George Ellis, to suppose that\nthese earliest romancers were subjects of English kings, who wrote\nfor the amusement of their court, the language of which was\nNorman. The romancers, however, who celebrated Charlemagne, and\nwho were doubtless French, very naturally chose their heroes from\nFrance, and transferred the scene to that country. To these, I\nhave already said, that Boiardo and Ariosto arc mainly indebted\nfor their fictions.\n\nShe remains kneeling awhile before Charles, as waiting his answer.\nAll behold the damsel in mute admiration; but, above all, Orlando,\napproaching her with downcast eyes, gives the first signs of the\npassion which was destined to be his ruin. While Orlando is thus\nlove-stricken, he is not single in his folly; and even the grey-haired\nNamus, and Charles himself, participate in it. But, while\nthese and all the rest gaze upon her in silence, Ferrau is so\ntransported with passion as to be about to snatch her up in his\narms, and transport her away from the presence. Respect for\nCharlemagne, however, restrains him. While this is passing,\nMalagigi, brother to Rinaldo, a puissant magician, closely\nobserves the strangers, and reads in them some mysterious purpose,\ndifferent from what they pretended to be the object of their\nexpedition. Charlemagne had now recovered from his embarrassment\nsufficiently to speak, and plied Angelica with different subjects\nof discourse, for the purpose of detaining her; but at length, not\nbeing able to prolong the interview with decency, gave her a\ndismissal by according the request.\n\nThe damsel has scarce left the city, when Malagigi\n\n        Still fearing for the king, and full of care.\n        Flies to his book, retiring from the revel,\n        To know the secret purpose of the pair,\n        And at what aim the knight and damsel level.\n        He reads; and, as he reads, in upper air\n        Is heard a voice, and next appears a devil,\n        Who bids, in haughty tone, the wise magician\n        Proclaim his will, and give him his dismission.\n\nMalagigi having proposed his questions, the fiend informs him that\nAngelica is an enemy come to put a notable scorn upon Charlemagne,\nand that her father, who is an ancient Indian king, called\nGalaphron, of Catay, has dispatched her for this object,\naccompanied by her brother, Argalia, and not Uberto, as she\nfalsely designated him: that she is full of malice, and read in\nevery sort of magic, whilst her brother is as valiant in arms,\ngifted with a courser of marvellous swiftness, and armed with an\nenchanted lance: the virtue of this is such, that no knight (no,\nnot even Orlando or Rinaldo) could resist its push; nor are his\nother arms inferior to his spear. To this; he has received from\nhis father a ring, which, when on the finger, makes enchantment of\nno effect, and when placed between the lips renders the wearer\ninvisible. Galaphron, it is added, reckons much upon these gifts,\nbut yet more upon the beauty of his daughter. Hence he has\ndispatched Argalia with the damsel, in trust, that she shall\nentice the Paladins into duel with her brother, who, unhorsing\nthem, will send them prisoners to Catay. Malagigi is much\ndisturbed at the devil's news, and determines to seek the damsel\nin person, and frustrate her design. Argalia was already reposing\nhimself under a fair pavilion, pitched near the stair of Merlin,\nwhile\n\n        Angelica beneath a pine was sleeping,\n        Her long light tresses scattered on the grass,\n        Beside a limpid font, whose waters, leaping,\n        Fell back into a pool as clear as glass.\n        A giant had the damsel in his keeping.\n        Who might for a reposing angel pass.\n        Her brother's ring the sleeping lady wore.\n        Whose hidden virtues were described before.\n\n        False Malagigi, borne on fiendish steed,\n        Meantime through fields of air in silence swept\n        And now, dismounting on the flow'ry mead,\n        Approached the weary damsel where she slept.\n        By that grim giant watched, who, for her need.\n        Good guard upon the sleeping lady kept,\n        While others of her following paced the sward.\n        And (such their charge) kept wider watch and ward.\n\nThe necromancer smiles at seeing the whole party, as it were,\ndelivered over into his hands, and opens his books for the purpose\nof beginning his operations. Whilst he reads, a heavy slumber\nfalls upon the watchers; and, having drawn his sword, (for he was\na belted knight,) he approaches the princess with the intention of\nputting her to death. He yields, however, to the enchantment of\nbeauty, and determines to make a different use of the opportunity.\nNot aware that the enchanted ring was on her finger, which she had\naccidentally received from Argalia, he conceives he has rendered\nher sleep as fast as that of her followers, and clasps her in his\narms; but the ring, which is proof against all spells, does its\nduty. Angelica wakes with a shriek, and Argalia rushes to her\nassistance. Being unprovided with other weapon, he avenges the\ninsult offered to his sister with a cudgel; but as he is bruising\nthe unfortunate Malagigi, Angelica cries to him to bind the\nravisher fast, while she holds him; as he is a potent necromancer,\nwho, but for the assistance of the ring, would laugh at chains.\nArgalia runs immediately to wake the giant, but finding, after\nsome time, that this was a fruitless attempt, he himself binds\nMalagigi, hands and feet. The damsel this while possesses herself\nof the magician's book, and having evoked his fiends, bids them\nconvey her prisoner instantly to King Galaphron, and inform him\nthat her project goes well, since she has mastered the only enemy\nwhom she had reason to fear. Malagigi is confined by Galaphron, in\na dungeon under the sea. In the mean time, Angelica dissolves the\nenchanted sleep of her followers.\n\nWhile these things are going on, all is uproar at Paris, since\nOrlando insists upon being the first to try the adventure at the\nstair of Merlin. This is resented by the other pretenders to\nAngelica, and all contest his right to the precedency. The tumult\nis stilled by the usual expedient of casting lots, and the first\nprize is drawn by Astolpho. Ferrau has the second, and the giant\nGrandonio the third. Next to these came Berlinghier and Otho, then\nCharles himself, and (as his ill fortune would have it), after\nthirty more, the indignant Orlando.\n\nThe character of the holder of the first lot is now developed, who\nis to play a considerable part in the romance.\n\n        Astolpho, who the winning ticket bore,\n        Was nimble, and with youthful beauty blest;\n        And, for these gentle gifts, was prized before\n        Christian or Pagan princes, east or west;\n        With that, was rich, and full of courteous lore.\n        And always loved to go in gilded vest!\n        One only fault the prince's pride might humble;\n        Sir Turpin tells us he was given to tumble.\n\nAstolpho goes forth upon his adventure with great gaiety of dress\nand manner, and Argalia and he encounter, after having with much\ncourtesy renewed the engagements, which were before specified as\nregulating the duel. They engage; when Astolpho is immediately\ntilted out of his saddle. His rage and surprise are excessive; but\nhis painful feelings receive some relief from the kindness of\nAngelica, who, moved to compassion for his misfortune, and\nsomewhat touched by his gallantry and grace, grants him the\nliberty of the pavilion; where he is treated with every sort of\nkindness and respect. Here he is assigned a magnificent bed; the\nothers retreat to _their_ couches, and thus passes the night.\n\nThe sleepers are awakened at dawn by Ferrau's bugle, who, as next\nupon the list, claims the second course. Argalia goes forth to\nmeet him, clad in his enchanted arms, and mounted on his horse\nRabican, who is described as blacker than a crow, save that three\nof his legs were pie-balled, and that his forehead was marked with\na star.\n\nFerrau undergoes the fate of Astolpho; but when unhorsed, refuses\nto abide, like him, the established conditions, and springing upon\nhis feet, in despite of the protest of Argalia, renews the battle\nwith his sword. Argalia's giants now rush between the combatants,\nand attack him; their master, however, in courtesy, retires from\nsuch unequal fray, and stands apart till his giants are\noverthrown. He then renews the contest, and Astolpho, who had been\nwaked by the disturbance, in vain seeks to allay it. Ferrau says\nthat he is no vassal of Charles's, and therefore is not bound by\nany pact respecting the duel, which he may have made with\nAngelica: and that he is resolved to win her and wear her. In\nanswer to the observation of Argalia, that he is without a helmet,\nwhich had been beat off and broken by the golden lance, he\nobserves, that without one, he is a fair match for his opposite.\n\nThis dispute had been carried on by the combatants on foot, but\nthey now remount in order to decide it on horseback, when Argalia\nin his fury forgets his lance, which he has left leaning against a\npine. Many blows had been given and taken without effect, when the\ntwo knights paused in mutual astonishment, and Argalia informed\nFerrau that his efforts were fruitless, as his armour was\nenchanted; a communication which Ferrau repaid by observing that\nhis skin was invulnerable with the exception of one side. The\nrecital of these gifts, which produces a sort of reciprocal\nrespect, leads them to a further parley; in which Argalia agrees\nto give Ferrau Angelica to wife, provided she consents to the\narrangement. But Angelica, who is startled by Ferrau's ugliness\nand fierceness, and more especially by his ill-shaped head and\nblack hair, her favour being especially set upon a light-haired\nlover, entreats her brother, rather than sacrifice her to such a\nman, to renew his battle which had been suspended, while she\ntransports herself by magic to Catay; she then observes he may\nwatch his opportunity, to escape and follow her to the wood of\nArden, where she will wait his arrival.\n\nHe, in consequence, communicates to Ferrau the refusal of his\nsister. The battle is renewed; and upon its renewal, Angelica\ndisappears. She is soon followed by Argalia, who turns his back\nupon his adversary. Ferrau pursues, but sees no traces either of\nthe damsel or the knight. In the meantime Astolpho, who finds\nhimself at liberty, puts on his armour, and his own lance having\nbeen splintered in the joust, takes, unconscious of its virtues,\nthat of Argalia, which was left leaning against the pine.\nReturning home, he meets Rinaldo, who had wandered out to the\nwood, to learn the fortune of Ferrau. He, too, hearing of the\ndisappearance of Angelica, gallops away in pursuit, while Astolpho\ncontinues his road to Paris.\n\nHere Orlando seeks him, and learns all that has passed. Distracted\nwith the news, and, above all, jealous of Rinaldo, he too, waits,\nonly till evening to join in the pursuit; when he makes his secret\nsally, and rides towards the wood of Arden. Thus, three champions,\nto wit, Ferrau, Rinaldo, and Orlando are entered in the chase.\n\nThis, while Charlemagne is proceeding in his preparations for the\ntournament, the prize of which was to be the _Crown of Roses_.\nMany fair feats had already been wrought, and the knights are in\nthe heat of the jousts, when Astolpho pricks forth into the\nmedley*; but his courser falls with him and dislocates his foot.\nAll regret this accident of the English prince, who is carried to\nhis palace where his foot is set. The jousts are continued by the\nothers, from whom Grandonio the giant bears away the honours of\nthe field, wounding and unhorsing knights on all sides. In the\nmeantime,\n\n* Mischia, mel\u00e9e.\n\n        Astolpho was return'd into the square,\n        His single faulchion to his girdle tied,\n        And rode in gallant guise an ambling mare,\n        Unarm'd and weaponless in all beside:\n        And laugh'd and loiter'd with the ladies there,\n        And jested with the circle far and wide:\n        While he thus idly chatted, Gryphon fell,\n        Thrust by Grandonio from his lofty sell.\n\nAll who contend with Grandonio suffer the same destiny; while the\noutrageous Pagan overwhelms Charles and his paladins with\ninvective. On the other hand, Charles vents threats and\nimprecations upon the absent Orlando, Rinaldo, and Gano,\nexpressing at the same time his earnest desire to be revenged upon\nthe Saracens.\n\nAstolpho, hearing this, retreats, unobserved, to his palace, arms\nhimself at all points and reappears amongst the combatants; not,\nas the author observes, that he expects to do himself much honour;\nin which opinion he seems to have agreed with the multitude who\nhailed his entrance with smiles and whispers, but with the\nintention of doing his duty to his lord, and leaving the event to\nHeaven. Accordingly\n\n        Firm on his prancing steed, he louted low\n        In graceful act, and \"Know, Sir King,\" he cried,\n        \"I come to venge thee of thy Pagan foe,\n        \"Knowing that thou such wish hast signified.\"\n        As one whose mood was still fastidious; \"Go,\n        \"Go in the name of God;\" King Charles replied:\n        Then, turning to the lords that hemm'd his seat;\n        \"There lack'd but this to make our shame complete.\"\n\nAstolpho, thus dismissed, pours a volley of abuse upon Grandonio,\nand tilts at him in fury. The golden lance works an unexpected\nmiracle, and the giant tumbles like a tower that is undermined.\nKing Charlemagne and all are in amazement, while Astolpho, though\nno less surprized at his own prowess, pursues his fortune, and\nclears the field. These events were immediately recounted to Gan,\nwho was in his own house, and who, having armed a party of his\nkinsmen and retainers, comes before the king, and alleges some\nfrivolous pretext for his tardy appearance; which, whether\nbelieved or not, is accepted by the sovereign. He now sends a\nmessage to Astolpho, proposing to close the tournament, as the\npaynims are defeated. To which the English prince replies, 'that\nhe considers him every whit as false a Pagan as the others,' and\nimmediately attacks him with his lance. Gan, Pinabello and all\ntheir household are unhorsed; but while Astolpho is in full\ncareer, a traitor assails him from behind, and bears him to the\nground. He rises in fury, tilts at friends and foes, and outrages\nall, king Charlemagne among the rest; by whose order he is at last\nsurrounded, mastered, and carried off to prison.\n\nHe was here ill bested, yet not so ill, says the author, as the\nother three, who suffered the pains of love for Angelica. These\nall arrived by different roads, and at different times in the wood\nof Arden. The first comer was Rinaldo; who, penetrating into the\nforest, beheld a beautiful fountain in the shade.\n\n        The alabaster vase was wrought with gold,\n        And the white ground o'erlaid with curious care;\n        While he who look'd within it, might behold\n        Green grove, and flowers, and meadow, pictur'd there.\n        Wise Merlin made it, it is said, of old.\n        For Tristan when he sigh'd for Yseult fair:\n        That drinking of its wave, he might forego\n        The peerless damsel, and forget his woe.\n\n        But he to his misfortune never found\n        That fountain, built beneath the green-wood tree;\n        Altho' the warrior pac'd a weary round,\n        Encompassing the world by land and sea.\n        The waves which in the magic bason bound.\n        Make _him_ unlove who loves. Nor only he\n        Foregoes his former love; but that, which late\n        Was his chief pride and pleasure, has in hate.\n\n        Mount Alban's lord, whose strength and spirits sink,\n        For yet the sun was high and passing hot,\n        Stood gazing on the pearly fountain's brink,\n        Rapt with the sight of that delicious spot.\n        At length he can no more; but stoops to drink,\n        And thirst and love are in the draught forgot:\n        For such the virtue those cold streams impart.\n        Changed in an instant is the warrior's heart.\n\n        Him, with that forest's wonders unacquainted,\n        Some paces to a second water bring,\n        Of chrystal wave with rain or soil untainted.\n        With all the flowers that wreathe the brows of spring\n        Kind nature had the verdant margin painted:\n        And there a pine and beech and olive fling\n        Their boughs above the stream, and form a bower,\n        A grateful shelter from the noontide hour.\n\n        This was the stream of love, upon whose shore\n        He chanced, where Merlin no enchantments shed;\n        But nature here, unchanged by magic lore,\n        The fountain with such sovereign virtue fed,\n        That all who tasted loved: whence many, sore\n        Lamenting their mistake, were ill-bested.\n        Rinaldo wandered to this water's brink,\n        But, sated, had no further wish to drink.\n\n        Yet the delicious trees and banks produce\n        Desire to try the grateful shade; and needing\n        Repose, he 'lights, and turns his courser loose,\n        Who roam'd the forest, at his pleasure feeding;\n        And there Rinaldo cast him down, at truce\n        With care; and slumber to repose succeeding,\n        Thus slept supine: when spiteful fortune brought\n        Her* to the spot whom least the warrior sought.\n\n* Angelica.\n\n        She thirsts, and lightly leaping from her steed,\n        Ties the gay palfrey to the lofty pine;\n        Then plucking from the stream a little reed.\n        Sips, as a man might savour muscat wine;\n        And feels while yet she drinks (such marvel breed\n        The waters fraught with properties divine)\n        She is no longer what she was before;\n        And next beholds the sleeper on the shore.\n\nEnamoured of the slumbering knight, she hesitates long between\nlove and shame, but, at length, no longer mistress of herself,\npulls a handful of flowers, and flings them in his face. The\ngallantry is lost upon Rinaldo; who wakes, and flies from her with\nloathing. She pursues, and entreats his compassion in vain; and,\nat length, wearied with the chace, sinks down upon the turf, and\nweeps herself asleep. Ferrau now arrives in the forest, in the\nhope of finding Angelica, or wreaking his vengeance upon her\nbrother. Occupied with these thoughts he lights upon Argalia; who,\nhaving followed his sister, had dismounted, and was also sleeping\nunder a tree. Ferrau unties the sleeper's horse, and drives him\ninto the thicket. His adversary's means of escape thus\nintercepted, he watches till the sleeping man should wake; nor is\nhis patience put to a long trial. Argalia soon opens his eyes, and\nis in great distress at finding his horse gone; but Ferrau, who is\nas quickly on his feet, tells him not to think of his loss; as one\nof them must not quit the place alive, and his own horse will\nremain the prize of the survivor.\n\nThe two warriors now again engage in battle, and closing, Ferrau,\nthrough a chink in his armour, strikes Argalia to the heart.\nArgalia sinks beneath the blow, and dying entreats his adversary\nto have regard to his honor, and cast him and his armour into the\nriver; that his memory may not be disgraced by the knowledge of\nhis having been vanquished in enchanted arms. Ferrau, who\ncompassionates his fate, promises compliance, with the reservation\nof wearing his helmet till he can provide himself with another.\nArgalia consents by a sign, and soon after expires.\n\nFerrau, who had waited by him till he drew his last sigh, now puts\non the helmet, which he had previously taken from his wounded\nadversary's head in order to give him air; and having razed off\nthe crest, places it upon his own. He then, with the dead body\nunder his arm, having remounted his horse, proceeds sadly towards\nthe neighbouring river, into which he casts Argalia, all armed as\nhe was, conformably to his dying request. He then pursues his\nmelancholy way through the wood.\n\nThis while Orlando had arrived on this theatre of adventures, and\ncomes suddenly upon Angelica, who is described as sleeping in act\nso exquisitely graceful, that he gazes on the vision in stupid\nwonderment, and, at last, to contemplate her more closely, throws\nhimself down by her side.\n\nFerrau arrives at this juncture, and supposing Orlando, whom he\nhad not recognized, to be Angelica's guard, insults and defies\nhim. The paladin starts up and declares himself; when Ferrau,\nthough somewhat surprized, making a virtue of necessity, stands to\nhis arms. A desperate duel follows: during this Angelica wakes and\nflies: Orlando proposes a truce to his adversary, that he may\nfollow her; but Ferrau, whose courage was now up, tells him she\nshall be the prize of the conqueror, and refuses. The battle is\ntherefore renewed with more fury than before. The author here\nexclaims:\u2014\n\n        Gifted with odd half lights, I often wonder\n        How I should think of love; if well or ill.\n        For whether 'tis a thing above, or under\n        The rule of reason, foils my little skill;\n        If we go guided by some god, or blunder\n        Into the snare, which warps our better will;\n        If we by line and rule our actions measure.\n        And 'tis a thing we take or leave at pleasure.\n\n        When we behold two bulls each other tear,\n        A cow the cause of strife, with mutual wound,\n        It looks as if such foolish fury were\n        In nature and controlling instinct found:\n        But when we see that absence, prudence, care\n        And occupation, can preserve us sound\n        From such a charm, or, if you will, infection;\n        Love seems to be the fruit of pure election.\n\n        Of this so many men have sung and told,\n        In Hebrew, Latin, and in heathen Greek,\n        In Egypt, Athens, and in Rome, of old,\n        Who govern'd by such different judgments speak,\n        That I can ill decide with whom to hold.\n        And cannot waste my time the truth to seek.\n        Let it suffice, that Love's a wayward god:\n        And so heav'n keep us from the tyrant's rod!\n\nThe truth of these reflections the author considers as strikingly\nexemplified by the combat between the champions, which is\ninterrupted by the appearance of a strange damsel upon a panting\npalfrey, who clamours eagerly for Ferrau. She, perceiving him,\nentreats Orlando to forbear his blows; which he immediately does\nupon the damsel's request. Addressing herself to the paynim, she\ninforms him that she is his relation Flordespina, and dispatched\nin search of him, to say that Gradasso king of Sericane, a fiend\nincarnate, has invaded the Spanish dominions; that king Falsiron\nis taken, Valencia ravaged, Arragon destroyed, and Barcelona\nbesieged; that poor Marsilius is broken down by so many\ncalamities, and that his last, hopes rest on him, in pursuit of\nwhom she was wandering. Ferrau balances for a moment between love\nand duty, but at length determines to suspend his combat, with the\npermission of Orlando, who agrees to the proposal, and who himself\nfollows Angelica. Ferrau, on the other hand, departs with\nFlordespina for Spain. The author here leaves each to pursue his\nseparate quest, and returns to Charles. This monarch calls a\ncouncil in consequence of intelligence received, which was similar\nto that brought by Flordespina to Ferrau. He observes in this\ncouncil, that Marsilius is his neighbour and relation, and is yet\nmore entitled to succour from a consideration of common danger;\nand in consequence, with the consent of his peers, dispatches\nRinaldo with a great charge of men at arms against Gradasso, who\nhad crossed the streights of Gibraltar into Spain. He at the same\ntime constitutes Rinaldo lieutenant of his southern provinces, who\ndeparts for the seat of war; and all the knights present at the\ntournament assemble under his banner. His coming, as well as that\nof Ferrau, (now arrived) is highly gratifying to Marsilius, who\nhad sheltered himself in Gerona. The greatest part of Spain (as\nstated) had been already sacked, and all the Spanish warriors\n(with the exception of Ferrau) who had returned to the defence of\ntheir country, were killed, or prisoners. Even the giant-king,\nGrandonio, who we lately saw braving Charlemagne and all his\npeerage, had sought refuge in Barcelona. Marsilius, on the arrival\nof the French succours, now marches to his relief. The banners of\nthe allied army are no sooner distinguished by Gradasso, where he\nlay camped, and served by giant-kings, than he issues extravagant\norders to his various vassals. Four of these he dispatches with\ntheir followers against Barcelona, with orders not leave a soul\nalive in that city, with the exception of Grandonio, whom he\nwishes (as he says) to take alive, that he may bait him with his\ndogs. Others are sent forth, with orders to take or destroy the\nmost distinguished amongst the captains of the confederates. This\nlast command is given to Faraldo, king of Arabia, who is enjoined\nto bring him Rinaldo and the banner of Charlemagne, which, it\nseems, was also one of the principal objects of his expedition.\n\nThe battle now rages in the field, and within the city of\nBarcelona, in which the army of Gradasso had previously made\nlodgements. While the warfare within the town is still doubtful,\nthe bands dispatched against the confederates under Rinaldo, are,\nafter a long contest, defeated; and one of the surviving giant-kings\nreports their discomfiture to Gradasso, who immediately arms\nand goes forth against the conquerors. His first object of attack\nis Rinaldo; but Bayardo, startled by the appearance of the Alfana,\na monstrous mare, on which Gradasso rode, made a leap of twenty\nfeet into the air, and thus evaded the charge. Gradasso, though\nsomewhat surprized, gallops on, and unhorses many of the best\namongst the confederates, who are immediately taken and bound by\nAlfrera, one of his giant-kings, who serves him as a lacquey.\n\nRinaldo now wheels Bayardo round, and spurs him at Gradasso; and\nboth charge with such fury, that the Alfana and Bayardo crumble\nunder their riders, who, however, preserve their seats. Gradasso,\nwho first recollects himself, gives immediate orders to Alfrera,\nwho was following him upon a camelopard, to secure Rinaldo and his\nhorse; and according to his practice, himself follows up the\npursuit of the confederates.\n\nAlfrera has, however, a more difficult task assigned him than\nGradasso had imagined; for Bayardo, having regained his feet,\nbears away his rider, who was not yet himself. The paladin,\nhowever, waking from his short stupor, rides again in chase of\nGradasso, himself pursued in vain by the giant Alfrera.\n\nRinaldo charges Gradasso just as he has unhorsed his brother\nAlardo, and discharges a furious stroke upon his head. Gradasso\nrepays the greeting in a way that would have ended the strife, but\nfor Mambrino's helmet, which saved the knight from any worse evil\nthan a concussion of the brain; while Bayardo again galloped away\nwith him in a state of half stupefaction. Recovering himself a\nsecond time, and full of shame and fury, he returns to seek\nGradasso, and the combat is renewed with more equality than was\npromised by its commencement; Rinaldo, counterbalancing the\nstrength of his opposite, by his own superior dexterity, and the\nquickness and docility of Bayardo. The combatants are, however,\nseparated, and borne asunder by the tide of battle. After\ndifferent adventures, they yet again meet, when Gradasso observing\nthat Rinaldo is surrounded by the troops of Sericane, courteously\nproposes that their duel should be deferred till the succeeding\nday, to be fought under the following conditions, by both\ncombatants on foot: \"If Rinaldo conquers, he is to have back all\nthe prisoners made by Gradasso; and if Gradasso wins the day, he\nis to have Bayardo for his prize; but is in either case to return\nhome, and never more set foot in Europe.\" Rinaldo willingly\naccedes to this, and a place is fixed on, near the sea, for the\ncombat, to which both are to come, with no other than defensive\narmour and their swords. But the author, while the barriers are\npreparing, returns to Angelica, who, being returned to India,\ndetermines on setting Malagigi at liberty, and making him her\nmediator with the disdainful knight. She accordingly frees him\nfrom his dungeon, unlocks his fetters with her own hand, and bids\nhim in return to unloosen her own. She then returns him his book,\nexplains herself more precisely, and promises him final liberty,\non condition of his bringing back Rinaldo.\n\nMalagigi calls up a demon with the aid of his book, mounts him and\ndeparts. He is entertained, during his journey, with a relation of\nGradasso's enterprise, by the devil; who told him, as the author\nobserves, \"all that had chanced, and indeed more, which was so\nmuch the easier, in that he lied.\" Malagigi arrived at his\ndestination, finds Rinaldo rejoiced to see him, but immoveable on\nthe subject of Angelica; and hence, after many fruitless\nendeavours, vanishes with a threat. Having reached a spot\nconvenient for his incantations, he opens his book, calls up a\nlegion of demons, and from these, selects Draghinazzo and\nFalsetta. The latter is bid to take the appearance of one of king\nMarsilius's heralds, the coat of arms and battoon; and thus\nequipped, to inform Gradasso that Rinaldo expects to meet him at\nmid-day. Gradasso accepts the invitation, and gifts the false\nherald with a cup.\n\nThe same devil, again transformed, comes now to Rinaldo, as if\nfrom Gradasso, but with a very different appearance. He has a\nturban on his head, wears a flowing robe, and has rings in his\nears, instead of on his fingers. His object is to remind Rinaldo,\non the part of Gradasso, to meet him in the morning, which had\nbeen the time previously stipulated. Thus each, on the supposed\ninvitation of the other, prepares for a different appointment.\u2014\nRinaldo necessarily is first at the place, but sees nothing but a\n\n        Small pinnace anchor'd by the shore.\n\nHe, however, immediately after, descries a figure on the beach, in\nthe garb and guise of Gradasso, but which was, in reality, no\nother than one of the fiends, Draghinazzo, evoked by Malagigi, and\nthus transmogrified. The combat immediately begins; and Rinaldo,\nafter some blows given and taken, making a desperate two-handed\nstroke at the supposed Gradasso, buries his sword Fusberta in the\nsand. The devil avails himself of the opportunity to escape, flies\nto the boat, and is putting off. Rinaldo, however, follows him\ninto his barque, and deals a blow at him, but the demon leaps from\nprow to poop:\n\n        Rinaldo chas'd him back from poop to prow,\n        The sword Fusberta flaming in his hand;\n        But he from side to side, from stern to bow,\n        Flits, while the barque is drifting from the land.\n        Rinaldo marks it not; who thought but how\n        To reach the foe with his avenging brand;\n        Nor from his long day-dream of vengeance woke.\n        Till the false fiend was melted into smoke.\n\nYet the paladin will not give over his hopes of finding him, and\nrenews a fruitless search above and below. In the meantime, the\nbarque is seven miles from shore, and Rinaldo observes, too late,\nthat she is scudding, self-steered, before the wind.\n\nThe vessel at length takes the ground near a beautiful garden, and\nRinaldo lands in front of a palace, worthy of its grounds.\u2014Here,\nsays the author, I leave him, with less compunction, as he is in\ngood quarters, and proceed in pursuit of Orlando, who, having\nwandered as far as the Tanais, in search of Angelica, meets an old\nman weeping the loss of his son, who had been taken prisoner by a\ngiant. The paladin delivers the youth, and the old man, in\ngratitude, presents him with a book, which is capable (he says) of\nresolving the questions of any one who consults it. Instructed by\nthis book, he seeks a sphynx, who appears to have been a yet\nbetter resolver of doubts, in order to obtain information of the\ndwelling-place of Angelica. The monster tells him, that this is in\nAlbracca of Catay. In the meantime the sphinx has her question for\nthe interrogator, which it is death not to interpret; and plies\nOrlando with the riddle, solved by \u0152dipus. Orlando, with intent to\ncut the knot which he cannot untie, draws Durindana, attacks the\nmonster sword in hand, and at length slays and tumbles her from\nthe rock on which she made her abode. He has now leisure to look\nin his book for the solution of the sphynx's enigma; and finds\nthat her question of \"What animal begins his career upon four\nlegs, after a time continues it on two, and ends it upon three?\"\nmeans Man; designating thus the child who crawls, the man who\nwalks, and the old man who supports himself with a stick. Having\ncleared up this point, he pursues his way still poring upon the\nbook, and soon arrives at a river dark, deep, and dangerous, whose\nprecipitous banks afford no means of passage. Orlando rides along\nthe shore till he comes to a bridge, where he dismounts. This is\nkept by a giant, who tells him that _he_ who arrives at that\nbridge, which is justly named the Bridge of Death, has little\nwhile to live; for that all the roads which lead from it wind back\nto that fatal water, into which either he or Orlando must soon be\nplunged never to rise again. Orlando, however, who seems little\nimpressed by this warning, springs upon the bridge, and attacks\nhim. A desperate combat now ensues, but with the usual issue. The\ngiant is slain. He, however, in falling, springs a clap-net of\niron, which closing on the paladin, beats his sword out of his\nhand, and envelopes him in its folds.\n\nAs he lies helpless in this trap, a friar arrives, who, after vain\nattempts to release him, offers him spiritual consolation, which\nis ill received: but the friar, having the sinner at his mercy,\ncontinues to inculcate it; and in illustration of the powers of a\nprotecting Providence informs him of a late miraculous escape of\nhis own. He was travelling with certain of his brothers, when they\nwere surprised by a horrible Cyclops, who made a feast on one of\nhis companions, but cast him from a rock, as worthless carrion;\nwhen he luckily lighted amongst the branches of a tree, where he\nlay concealed till evening, and then effected his escape. He is\nyet engaged in his narration, when he breaks off with a scream and\nflies.\n\nHis sudden terror was produced by the sight of the very Cyclops of\nwhom he spoke, who came armed with a club and three darts. He,\nhowever, instead of pursuing the friar, stops to consider Orlando.\nHe then takes up Durindana, which lies near, and hews the chain-net\nin pieces, without injury to the count, whose skin was\nenchanted. Orlando instantly starts up, his bones aching with the\nblows, which had not been able to penetrate his flesh; and seizing\nthe giant's club, they, having thus exchanged weapons, engage in a\ndesperate and equal combat. For if Orlando's skin was\ninvulnerable, the giant's armour, which was made of griffins'\nclaws, was equally impenetrable. At length Orlando bethinks him of\nthe three shafts, which the giant had laid down, as well as his\nclub, when he possessed himself of Durindana.\n\nSeizing these, and launching one of them at his single eye, it\npenetrates his brain and stretches him dead. At this juncture the\nfriar, who yet trembles with fear as well as joy, reappears, and\nentreats Orlando to accompany him towards the dead cyclops' den,\nfor the purpose of liberating his companions.\n\nThis done, Orlando rides on; when, arriving at a place where many\nroads cross, he meets a courier, and asking him news, learns that\nhe is dispatched by Angelica, to solicit the aid of Sacripant,\nking of Circassia, in favour of her father, Galaphron, besieged by\nAgrican, emperor of Tartary, in Albracca. This Agrican had been an\nunsuccessful suitor to the damsel, whom he now pursues with arms.\nOrlando, who learns that he is within a day's journey of Albracca,\nnow thinks that he is secure of Angelica, and proceeds with\nrapture towards her seat.\n\nThus journeying, he arrives at a bridge which united two\nmountains, and under which ran a foaming river. Here a damsel\nmeets him with a goblet, and informs him, with much grace of\ndemeanor, that it is the usage of the bridge to present the\ntraveller with a cup, which she offers to Orlando, and which the\npaladin, in courtesy, drains. He has, however, no sooner swallowed\nthe julep which sparkles in it, than his brain dances, and he is\nno longer conscious of the object of his journey, or even of his\nown existence. Under the influence of this fascination, he follows\nthe damsel into a magnificent and marvellous palace.\n\nHere the author leaves the count to return to Gradasso, who,\ndeceived by the false herald that appointed him to meet Rinaldo\nupon the sea-shore at noon, in vain expects his arrival. He waits\nthere till night, when he retires full of indignation at the\nsupposed cowardice of his opponent. In the meantime, Ricciardetto\n(who had been left by his brother, Rinaldo, in charge of\nCharlemagne's army), on the paladin's departure for the false\nappointment according to the instructions he had received, in case\nof his not returning in a given time, withdraws Charles's forces\nfrom Marsilius's camp, and returns to France.\n\nGano immediately cries out upon Rinaldo's treason, and all is\ndismay. On the other part, Marsilius, thus deserted, has no means\nof safety, but in making peace with Gradasso, and consenting to\nhold Spain as his liegeman. In consequence of his so doing,\nGradasso, strengthened by the accession of Marsilius, with\nGrandonio and his other vassal kings, marches upon Paris.\nCharlemagne, with all his peerage, sallies to encounter him; but\nhis army experiences a disastrous rout, and he, with almost all\nhis paladins, is captured; while Paris is immediately invested by\nthe invaders.\n\nGradasso, however, does not abuse his victory: he takes Charles by\nthe hand, seats him by his side, and tells him he wars only for\nhonour. Hence he renounces all conquests, but insists on the\nmonarch promising him Bayardo and Durindana, both the property of\nhis vassals, the first of which, as he maintained, was already\nforfeited by the treason of Rinaldo. To this; Charlemagne and his\npeers in acknowledgment of their defeat, were to remain his\nprisoners for a day: Bayardo, who had been brought back by\nRicciardetto, was to be forthwith delivered up, and Durindana\nconsigned to Gradasso in Sericana, upon the return of Orlando to\nFrance. To these terms Charlemagne readily accedes, and sends for\nthe horse to Paris.\n\nHere, Astolpho had assumed the command, having obtained his\nfreedom during the confusion, which followed upon the rout of\nCharlemagne's army, and asserted an authority which, in the\nabsence of the other peers, there was no one to dispute.\n\nHe receives with great indignation the messenger dispatched for\nBayardo, and throws him into prison; answering the embassy by a\nherald, who says, on the part of Astolpho, \"that Charles has no\nright in the steed; but that Gradasso may come and fight for him;\nin which case he will meet him in the field.\"\n\nThe next day the two knights encounter, having previously\nestablished the conditions of their combat. The enchanted lance\nperforms a new wonder; and Gradasso, the terrible Gradasso, is\nunhorsed.\n\nAccording to their previous agreement, Gradasso is to give up his\nprisoners, and return to his kingdom of Sericana. Astolpho,\nhowever, begs him not to spoil a jest which he wishes to put upon\nCharlemagne and his paladins, by making them believe that the\nissue of the duel had been different from what it was, and that\nthey, therefore, (in consequence of the first proffer of Gradasso\nnot having been acceded to,) were still the prisoners of that\nsovereign. When Astolpho has sufficiently bantered both king,\ncount, and bishop (for Turpin was amongst the captives, and one of\nthe objects of his raillery), he falls upon his knees, begs pardon\nof Charles for his irreverence, and observes, that as he is ill\nlooked upon in his court, he will leave the field to Gano, and set\nout on the morrow in search of his cousins Orlando and Rinaldo.\nHaving said this, Charles and his peers are freed, and Gano is\ngetting into his saddle; when he is brought back by Astolpho, who\nobserves, that he only gives him his liberty, (since the disposal\nof all is at his option,) on condition of his swearing before\nCharles, to constitute himself his prisoner for four days,\nwhenever he should enjoin it. Charles undertakes for his\ncompliance with such a requisition, and seeks to detain Astolpho\nwith the bribe of Ireland; but the duke is inflexible, and\ndeparts. Gradasso also returns into Sericana.\n\nThe author now returns to Rinaldo, who was landed by the self-piloted\nboat in what was, it seems, denominated _The Joyous\nGarden_. He is scarcely disembarked, before a lady appears, who\ntakes him by the hand, and conducts him into a palace, where he is\nserved by attendant damsels, with every sort of luxury and\nmagnificence. At last, the chief of the servants tells him, that\nall this is his which he surveys, being the present of a lady,\nwho, to have his love, has brought him out of Spain. While Rinaldo\nstands lost in astonishment, the name of Angelica, who is\nproclaimed by this man to be the mistress of the palace, breaks\nthe charm, and he flies in fury through the garden, till, arriving\nat the landing-place, he leaps again into his pinnace. The bark,\nhowever, remains immoveable, and he is about to cast himself into\nthe sea in despair, when it darts from the shore and traverses the\nwaves.\n\nArrived on the banks of a well-wooded country, it again takes the\nland; and Rinaldo disembarking, encounters a hoary and aged man\nupon the beach, who has a melancholy story for the paladin, of a\nravisher who had that moment carried away his daughter. Pursuing\nthe thief, Rinaldo falls into a pit-fall, and is carried away\nprisoner by a giant; who bears him to a castle, situated upon a\npromontory, the walls of which were covered with maimed bodies and\nheads, some of which yet quivered with the remains of life.\n\nThe giant, entering the building, casts Rinaldo down before an old\nwoman of stern and forbidding appearance; who thus addresses him:\n\u2014\n\n        \"Haply, Sir Knight, thou hast not heard display\n        \"Our castle's use,\" exclaims the beldame old;\n        \"In the short time thou hast to live,\u2014a day\n        \"Is yet thine own,\u2014the story shall be told:\n        \"Then listen to the legend, whilst thou may,\n        \"And I the melancholy tale unfold.\n        \"Thou in that space may'st hear the tale of sorrow,\n        \"And witness to its truth in blood to-morrow.\"\n\nShe pursues her story* thus: \"Know, Sir Stranger, that this castle\nwas formerly held by a rich lord, famous for his magnificence and\nhospitality, and yet more so, for the incomparable beauty of the\nlady whom he had to wife. This castellan was hight Gryphon, his\ncastle Altaripa, and Stella was the name of his wife. It was his\nfavourite pleasure to disport himself in the green-wood near the\nshore, where thou arrived'st this morning, and roving one day\nthrough this, he heard the hunting-horn of a stranger, whom he\ninvited to his castle. The guest was Marchino, lord of Aronda, and\nmy husband; who was so smitten by the beauty of Stella, that he\ncould not rest till he had made her his own. He, however,\ndissembled his evil intentions, and took a friendly leave of his\nentertainer. This was only to return, as a treacherous enemy. He,\naccordingly, bearing some resemblance to Gryphon, counterfeited\nhis ensigns, and came back with a party of his retainers, whom he\nconcealed, as well as those, in the neighbouring wood. He, in the\nmean time, pursued the chace unarmed. Gryphon again sought him\nout, and finding him apparently distressed by the loss of a hound,\njoined him in his search. He was thus decoyed into the ambuscade,\nand assassinated. Marchino, having disposed of his rival, entered\nAltaripa under the disguise of Gryphon's ensigns, where he did not\nleave a soul alive, with the exception of Stella. She, while\npreserved by the conqueror, brooded in secret over schemes of\nvengeance, and after pondering some time, determined to have\nrecourse to that animal whose wrath is the most intolerable,\nnamely, the wife who has been once loved, and after slighted for\nanother. This was no other than myself, and the cruelties which I\nperpetrated, well justified her expectation. Two children, whom I\nhad by Marchino, I killed and quartered.\u2014Think upon this: yet\nknow that I still triumph in the recollection of my vengeance.\nTheir heads only, I preserved: the remainder I cooked, and served\nup to the wretched father for his supper. This done, I departed\nsecretly for the court of the king of Orgagna, who had long been a\nwooer to me, without success. Him I stirred up to vengeance\nagainst Marchino, and brought in arms against his newly-acquired\ncastle of Altaripa.\n\n* I have thought it the duty of a translator, to preserve this\nstory; but I would say to my readers, in the words of Ariosto,\u2014\n\n        Lasciate questo canto, che senz' esso\n        Pu\u00f2 star l'istoria, e non sar\u00e0 men' chiara.\n        Mettendolo Turpino, anch' io l'ho messo.\n\n        Leave out this canto; since the tale will tell\n        Without it, and the story is as clear:\n        Which, told by Turpin, I relate as well.\n\nWhile I was gone on this errand, Stella, with dishevelled hair, a\nsmile upon her lips, but bitterness in her heart, presented\nherself before the murderer of her husband, with the heads of his\ntwo children in a charger, and disclosed to him the horrid\ntragedy, at which he had been an unwitting assistant. The traitor\nhesitated for a moment, as if suspended between the desire of lust\nand vengeance, and then slew the lady, and satiated both; nay, as\nif in outrage of God and man, pursued his impious loves with the\nbody, till I returned with the king of Orgagna.\n\nAfter a desperate resistance, we possessed ourselves of Altaripa,\nand Marchino, having been made prisoner, perished in such tortures\nas he had deserved.\n\nThe king of Orgagna now departed, leaving me mistress of the\nconquered castle, with three giants for my defence, having first\nburied the unfortunate Stella, together with the body of Gryphon,\nwhich had been left exposed and subjected to outrage by the\nbarbarous Marchino.\n\nMore than eight months had now passed when a horrid cry was heard\nfrom the marble sepulchre, in which Gryphon and Stella were laid,\nand we fled in dismay from the sound. Only one of my giants, more\ndaring than his fellows, approached the tomb, and lifted the lid;\nwhen a monster thrust forth its claw, and having dragged him into\nthe grave, devoured him alive. We immediately walled up the space\nabout the monument, as a protection against its attacks, and the\nmonster, having made its way out of the sepulchre, remains thus\nenclosed between the defences which we have constructed. But such\nis his rage and craving for human flesh, that we supply him with\nthis, lest he should tear down the wall in his fury. Hence the\nusage of this castle; which is to seize on all strangers, in order\nto provide him with food. The quarters which you see exposed on\nthe walls, are the leavings of the beast: for though the custom\nsprung out of necessity, my heart is become hardened with cruelty,\nand I now live for no other pleasure.\"\n\nRinaldo hears the hag with stern composure, and desires no other\nfavour than that of being exposed to the monster, clad in armour,\nas he is, and with Fusberta in his hand. This the beldam grants,\nwith a bitter smile of mockery, and the night closes upon him in\nhis dungeon.\n\nThe succeeding morning, he is lowered down from the wall into the\nspace tenanted by the beast, the horrible fruit of Marchino's\nintercourse with the body of Stella. A desperate combat now\nensues, Rinaldo being unable to make any impression on the scales\nof the monster: while he, on the contrary, shears away plate and\nmail from the paladin. While he is engaged in this hopeless\nstruggle, the beast seizes Fusberta with his teeth, and disarms\nRinaldo, who is left without defence.\n\nThe author here leaves him, as he says, to speak of a spirit\nhardly less afflicted, though in another manner: he means\nAngelica; who expects in trembling, the effect of Malagigi's\nattempt. He arrives, and states his failure, but would comfort the\ndamsel with the thoughts of vengeance; relating to what a perilous\npass he had brought the miserable Rinaldo; for it was by his\nstratagem that he was conveyed to Altaripa. She, however, is in\ndespair at his danger, and overwhelms Malagigi with repoaches. He\ntells her, it is not yet too late to save him, and furnishes her\nwith the means. These are a rope, with a noose at the distance of\nevery palm, a cake of wax, and a file. Furnished with these\nimplements, and instructed by Malagigi in the use of them,\nAngelica flies through the air to the succour of Rinaldo.\n\nThe miserable paladin had, in the mean time, sprang upon a beam,\nwhich projected from the wall, and thus remained hanging between\nheaven and earth, with little hope even of present safety; since\nthe monster continually leapt at him, and, often, all but reached\nhim with his claws. It was now evening, when Rinaldo was surprised\nby the shadow of a woman, and soon after by the sight of Angelica,\nkneeling before him, self-suspended in air. She reproaches herself\nfor having brought him into this peril, and opening her arms,\nentreats him to take refuge in them, and escape. Such, however,\nare the effects of the fountain of hate, that Rinaldo spurns at\nthe proposal, and vows if she does not immediately depart, he will\ncast himself down from the beam. After long and fruitless efforts\nto move him, she at length descends, throws her cake of wax to the\nmonster, and immediately flings her rope, knotted with nooses,\nbefore him. The beast, who takes the bait, finding his teeth glued\ntogether by the wax, vents his fury in bounds, and leaping into\none of the snares is noosed by Angelica, who leaves him thus\nentangled, and departs.\n\nThough the monster is delivered over to him gagged and bound, so\ninvulnerable is his hide, that Rinaldo makes long and fruitless\nefforts to destroy him; till, at length, leaping upon his neck, he\nsqueezes his eyes out of their sockets; and the beast expires\nunder the gripe.\n\nAnother difficulty yet remained to be overcome. The walls were of\nimmense height, and the only opening in them was a grated window,\nof such strength that Fusberta was unable to separate the bars. In\nhis distress, however, Rinaldo perceived the file which had been\nleft by Angelica on the ground, and, with the help of this,\neffected his deliverance.\n\nHe is immediately discovered and surrounded, but he charges and\nslays his pursuers; and the beldam, having witnessed the\ndestruction of her followers, throws herself headlong from a\nbalcony of three hundred feet in height.\n\nDeparting hence, Rinaldo returns to the seaside; but, unwilling to\ntrust himself again to the bark, pursues his way along the shore.\n\nThe author now returns to Astolpho, who had set out in search of\nhis cousins, Orlando and Rinaldo, splendidly dressed and equipt,\nas was his use, and mounted on Bayardo; in the intention of\nreturning him to his lord. Having arrived in Circassia, he finds\nthere a great army, encamped under the command of Sacripant, the\nking of that country; who was leading it to the defence of\nGalaphron, the father of Angelica. Astolpho visits the camp of\nthis faithful, but ill-requited lover of the princess; and not\nhaving the leopard on his buckler, which was of gold, is known\nthrough the Circassian army as the knight of the golden shield.\nSacripant, much struck by the appearance of Astolpho and his\nhorse, accosts him affably, and\n\n        Demands how his assistance may be bought,\n        And bids him make his price of service known,\n        \"\u2014With gift of this fair host, whom thou hast brought\n        \"To war in Indian fields from tower and town;\"\n        The British duke replies, \"With this, or nought.\u2014\n        \"Leave me, or make me at this price thine own.\n        \"Nor will I serve, sir king, for other pay,\n        \"Born to command, unweeting to obey.\"\n\nThis, with other more extravagant speeches, leads the Circassian\ncaptains to consider him as a madman, and Astolpho is left to\npursue his journey. King Sacripant, however, has been too much\nstruck with the appearance of his horse and armour, to part with\nhim so easily, and having divested himself of his kingly\nornaments, he determines to pursue him.\n\nAstolpho was in the meantime advanced a day's journey upon his\nroad, when he was overtaken by a strange warrior:\n\n        The stranger knight was named sir Brandimart,\n        Lord of the Sylvan Tower and its domain:\n        Through paynim countries, and in every part\n        Bruited for glorious feats, by hill and plain.\n        Well versed in tilt and tourney's valiant art;\n        In his appearance graceful and humane:\n        Courteous, with that: and over and above\n        His other virtues, famed for constant love.\n\n        A gentle damsel had the knight for guide,\n        Who with Astolpho bold encountered there;\n        Blooming in early youth and beauty's pride;\n        And in his faithful eyes as dear as fair.\n        Him from afar the British duke* defied.\n        And proudly bade him for the joust prepare\n        And wheel and take his ground, and guard his right,\n        \"Or leave his lady love, a prize to better knight.\"\n\n* Astolpho.\n\nBrandimart is as ready for battle as Astolpho; but observes, as\nthe latter has no lady, he may wager his horse; as it was but fair\nthat each should deposit his stake. The proposal is acceded to,\nand the knights encounter. Brandimart is unhorsed, and his steed\nfalls dead, while Bayardo remains uninjured by the shock.\n\nThe paynim knight observing the disconsolate looks of the damsel,\nis so overwhelmed with despair, that he draws his sword and is\nabout to plunge it into his own bosom. Astolpho, however, holds\nhis hand, and exclaims that he contended but for glory, and having\nwon the honours of the fight, was contented to leave him the lady.\n\nWhile Brandimart is vowing eternal service and gratitude, king\nSacripant arrives, and now longing for the damsel of the one as\nwell as the steed and arms of the other, defies them to the joust.\nAstolpho, as mounted, meets the challenger, whom he instantly\noverthrows, and presents Brandimart with his courser; leaving the\nking to return to his army on foot. This disposition is scarcely\nmade, when Brandimart's damsel changes colour, and tells them they\nare approaching the waters of Oblivion, and advises them either to\nturn back, or to change their direction. Both refuse; and pursuing\ntheir path, arrive at the bridge where Orlando was left.\n\nThe damsel, as before, appears with the enchanted chalice, which\nis rejected by Astolpho with contumely. She immediately dashes it\nto the ground, and a fire blazes up, which renders the bridge\nimpassable. Upon this the damsel, who accompanied them, seizes\neach by the hand, runs with them along the river, and brings them\nto another secret and narrow bridge, which they cross in safety,\nand find themselves beside the enchanted garden.\n\nBrandimart instantly batters down the gate, and the two warriors\nentering, are attacked by sundry knights known and unknown, who,\nhaving, no recollection of any thing, join blindly in the defence\nof their prison-house. While these are engaged by Brandimart,\nAstolpho entering the garden and pursuing his career, meets with\nOrlando, who being, like the rest, mindless of kindred or of\ncountry, makes at the English duke, who only escapes by the\nactivity of Bayardo. He clears the wall, and bears off his rider.\n\nThe author pauses to tell us that the enchanted water signifies\nthe affection, impression, or opinion which man takes from others,\neither at sight, or upon trust; and the cup, which the damsel lets\nfall, is that which gives its colouring to the thing seen.\n\nBayardo, this time, continues to gain upon Orlando's horse; and\nwhile Astolpho is thus born out of danger, Brandimart is overlaid\nwith fearful odds in the enchanted garden; and his lady, trembling\nfor the issue of the battle, entreats him to yield to necessity,\nand comply with the usage of the fairy. So saying, she flies; and\nBrandimart, obeying her commands, yields, and drinking of the cup,\nbecomes as intoxicated as the rest.\n\nOrlando returns from the fruitless pursuit of Astolpho, and\nexcuses himself to the fairy, who was named Dragontina, for not\nhaving been able to overtake her enemy; who pursues his way to\nAlbracca, which Agrican is about to besiege. Here he is welcomed\nkindly by Angelica, though she is somewhat outraged by his\nrhodomontades. He is not long before he attempts to put them in\npractice. For having one night ordered the drawbridge to be\nlowered, he sallies out alone, arrives in Agrican's camp, and\nunhorses his warriors, right and left, by means of the enchanted\nlance. Being, however, surrounded and taken, his capture spreads\nconsternation among the besieged, and the author says that no one\ndared sally from the city.\n\nRelief, was, however at hand; for, as the burghers and soldiers,\nare one day, leaning over their walls, they descry a cloud of\ndust, from which horsemen are seen to prick forth, as it rolls on\ntowards the camp of the besiegers, which lay between the town and\nthe new army that was approaching.\n\nThis turns out to be the army of Sacripant, which, arriving the\nmorning after the capture of Astolpho, attacks that of Agrican,\nwith the view of cutting a passage through his camp into the\nbesieged city. Agrican, however, mounted on Bayardo, taken from\nAstolpho, but not armed with the lance of gold, with the virtues\nof which he appears to have been unacquainted, performs prodigies,\nand rallies his scattered troops, which had given way to the\nsudden and unexpected assault. Sacripant, on the other hand,\nencourages his own by the most desperate acts of valour, and, as\nan additional incentive to his courage, sends a messenger to\nAngelica, entreating that she will appear upon the walls. She not\nonly complies with this invitation, but sends him a sword as an\nearnest of her favour.\n\nShe arrives in time to see a single combat between the two\nleaders, Agrican and Sacripant: in this, however, her defender\nappears to be rather overmatched, when the Circassians break the\nring, and separate the two combatants, who are borne asunder by\nthe crowd. Sacripant, who was severely wounded, profits by the\noccasion, and escapes into Albracca, where he is put to bed and\ncarefully attended.\n\nThe duel is an omen of the event of the battle, and the\nCircassians, who had at first penetrated within their enemies'\nlines, are now routed and fly in confusion towards the town.\nAngelica orders the drawbridge to be lowered, and the gates to be\nthrown open to the fugitives. With these Agrican, who was not\ndistinguished in the hurly-burly, enters the place pell mell,\ndriving both Circassians and Catayans before him, and the\nportcullis is instantly dropt.\n\nThus shut into the besieged city, the Tartar king continues the\nchase, regardless of his retreat being intercepted, and deluges\nthe streets with blood. Sacripant, hearing the tumult, and\nlearning the cause, leaps from bed, naked and wounded as he was,\nand armed only with his sword and shield, opposes himself to his\nfury. His example and his reproaches take effect. Her allies the\nflyers, and, fresh forces coming to his assistance, and pouring in\nupon Agrican from all sides, the Tartar king slowly and\nreluctantly retreats.\n\nThe author here suspends this story, to speak of Rinaldo; whom we\nleft issuing from the castle of Altaripa, and pursuing his way\nalong the beach. Here he meets with a weeping damsel, who, being\nquestioned as to the cause of her sorrow, tells him she wanders\nupon a hopeless quest, and is in search of one who will do battle\nwith nine knights, amongst whom is Orlando. This is the lady loved\nof Brandimart; to whom Rinaldo promises his assistance, trusting\nto accomplish the adventure either by valour or by skill. The\nauthor here pauses from his narrative, and exclaims,\n\n        To the grim winter and the dismal night\n        Succeed the balmy spring and cheerful day.\n        That battle had so fill'd me with affright,\n        That I was all confusion and dismay:\n        But now the strife is over, and 'tis light,\n        Of ladies and of love shall be my lay;\n        And I will piece my broken tale and tell\n        What good Rinaldo and the maid befell.\n\nThe damsel, on their setting out together on the adventure,\ninsists upon Rinaldo's taking her horse. This he refuses, and a\ncontest of courtesy follows, which is ended by Rinaldo's accepting\nthe palfrey, on condition of her mounting upon the croup. This she\ndoes, in some fear for her honour; but finding the cavalier cold\nand silent, at last proposes to beguile the way with a story. To\nthis he consents, and she begins her narration as follows:\n\n\"There lived of late, in Babylon, a cavalier, called Iroldo, who\nhad for his wife a lady named Tisbina, to whom he was passionately\nattached. Near them dwelt a Babylonian gentleman, named Prasildo,\nrich, gay, courteous and valiant; who, making one of a party of\nboth sexes, in a garden, where a game was played which admitted\nfamiliarities between them, fell desperately in love with Tisbina,\nwhom he vainly solicited, by every kind of gallantry and\nmagnificence.\n\n\"All his efforts were however unavailing; and, disappointed in his\nhope, he fell into a state of melancholy which rendered life\nintolerable. One only occupation seemed to afford him some little\nrelief. This was to brood over his sorrows in a wood, situated at\na small distance from Babylon.\n\n\"As he here one day indulged his grief (and it grew by\nindulgence,) he fell into such a fit of passion, that he\ndetermined, after a broken soliloquy, to slay himself and die with\nthe name of Tisbina on his lips. By a strange accident, his\nintention was overheard by Iroldo and Tisbina herself, who were\nwalking together in the wood. They were both moved to compassion;\nand Iroldo insisted upon Tisbina's offering some consolation to\nthe despairing lover.\n\n\"Her husband leaving her, that she may execute this purpose, she\ncomes upon him as if by accident; pretends that, though modesty\nhas hitherto restrained her, she has not been insensible to his\ntenderness; and assures him, that, if he will give her an\nindubitable proof of his devotion, in undertaking an adventure\nwhich she has at heart, she will reward him with the possession of\nher person.\n\n\"She then tells him that beyond the woods of Barbary, there is a\ngarden, which is surrounded by an iron wall, to be entered through\nfour gates. These are respectively called the gate of Life, of\nDeath, of Riches, and of Poverty.\n\n\"In the centre (she said) was a tree, whose top was an arrow's\nflight from the ground, with leaves of emerald, and golden fruit.\nOf this tree she required a branch, and again renewed her\nassurance of the price which she would pay for the acquisition.\nPrasildo joyfully promised it, and would have promised sun, moon,\nand stars, as easily as the achievement of the adventure; upon\nwhich he immediately departs.\n\n\"The lady, it appears, dispatched him to the garden of Medusa*,\nfor so it was called, that he might find a cure for his love in\nabsence and in travel: or, if he reached the spot, might find\nthere a yet surer remedy for his distemper. For the sight of\nMedusa, who was to be found standing under the wonderful tree,\noccasioned every one to forget the errand he came on, and, if he\nhad any speech with the dame, his very name and self.\n\n* Designed, I suppose, as the type of conscience; as one \"whose\nsight would make him forget the errand on which he came,\" &c.\n\n\"Prasildo, departing on this forlorn enterprise, traversed Egypt,\nand arriving near the mountains of Barca, encounters an old man,\nto whom he relates the object of his expedition.\n\n\"The old man assures him that fortune could not have directed him\nto a better counsellor, and immediately furnishes him with his\ninstructions.\n\n\"He begins by telling him that the gates of Life and of Death are\nnever used as entrances to the enchanted enclosure; and that it is\nonly through the gate of Poverty that man can penetrate into the\ngarden of Medusa. He next informs him that Medusa herself guards\nthe marvellous tree; whose appearance deprives whoever sets eyes\non her of his memory; but that she is to be terrified into flight\nby the reflection of her own face.\n\n\"He therefore counsels Prasildo to provide himself with a shield\nof looking-glass, being in other respects naked; for such\nappearance is a fitting guise for entering the gate of Poverty.\nThis (he observes) is the most terrible and the most severely\nguarded of all, being watched by Misery and Shame, Cold, Hunger,\nMelancholy, and Scorn. \"There,\" said he, \"is to be seen Roguery\nstretched upon the ground, and covered with itch, and (in strange\nunion,) Industry and Laziness, Compassion and Desperation.\n\n\"Having succeeded in the enterprise, and torn off a branch of the\ntree, you will seek the opposite gate,\" he pursues, \"by which you\nare to retreat; and will there find Wealth seated, and on the\nwatch. Here you are to make an offering of a portion of the\nbranch, that Avarice, who plays the porter, may open to you\nquickly; a wretch who asks the more, the more you give. Here, too,\nyou will see Pomp and Honour, Flattery and Hospitality, Ambition,\nGrandeur, and Favour: then Inquietude and Torment, Jealousy,\nSuspicion, Fear, Solicitude, and Terror. Behind the door stand\nHate, and Envy with a bow for ever bent.\"\n\n\"Prasildo having received his full instructions, now crosses the\ndesert, and, after thirty days' journey, arrives at the garden.\nHere he easily passes the gate of Poverty, the entry of which no\none defends. On the contrary, there ever stands some one near it,\nto encourage and invite.\n\n\"Having entered the inclosure, he advances, holding his shield of\nglass before his eyes; and reaching the tree, against which Medusa\nwas leaning, the Fairy, who raises her head at his approach, and\nbeholds herself in the mirror, takes to flight; scared, it seems,\nby seeing reflected in it the head of a serpent; though in other\neyes her beauty is divine.* Prasildo, hearing the Fairy fly,\nuncovers his eyes, which were before protected by his shield, and\nleaving her to escape, goes directly to the tree, from which he\nsevers a branch. Then, pursuing the directions received, makes for\nthe opposite gate, where he sees Wealth, surrounded by her\nfollowers. This gate, which is of load-stone, never opens without\nnoise, and is for the most part shut: Fatigue and Fraud are the\nguides who conduct to it. It is, however, sometimes open; but\nrequires both luck and courage to enable any one to profit by the\nchance. It was open the day Prasildo came, and he made the\noffering of half the bough, as he was instructed, and escaped with\nthe remainder of his prize.\n\n* The circumstance of Medusa not being able to contemplate the\nreflection of her own hideous appearance, though beautiful in the\nsight of others; the fact of no one being able to win the golden\nbough which she kept, but by refraining from looking her in the\nface; and other circumstances, confirm the conjecture which I have\nhazarded in a preceding note.\n\n\"Transported with pleasure, he issues from the garden, passes\nthrough Nubia, crosses the Arabian Gulf with a fair wind, and\njourneys day and night till he arrives in Babylon.\n\n\"Arrived there, he sends immediate news of his success to Tisbina,\nwho is in an agony at learning the unexpected result of her\ndevice. Iroldo is rendered equally miserable, but insists upon the\nnecessity of her redeeming her promise, though he knows he cannot\nsurvive its execution. She feels that she can as ill survive\nIroldo; and they at last resolve, that faith must be kept with\nPrasildo, and that they will both die. They accordingly send to an\naged apothecary for a deadly draught, which they divide between\nthem; and each having swallowed a due portion, Iroldo covers his\nface and throws himself on his bed, while the yet more miserable\nTisbina proceeds to the residence of Prasildo. Here she attempts\nto dissemble her sorrow and to feign a cheerfulness, foreign to\nher heart. But Prasildo detects the imposture, and at last extorts\na full confession of the truth. This declared, he reproaches her,\nas having little faith in his generosity, with a bursting heart\nrenounces the proffered happiness, and dismisses her with an\naffectionate kiss.\n\n\"Tisbina, who had assured him that if she had known him first, she\nshould have loved him as devotedly as she did her husband, now\ndeparts, overflowing with gratitude, and returns to Iroldo who was\nstill unaffected by the draught, but prostrate on the bed. She\nrelates to him the sacrifice of her lover. The husband springs\nfrom his couch, thanks God for this last mercy, and invokes every\nblessing upon the head of Prasildo. While he is yet praying, he\nsees the countenance of Tisbina change, who sinks, as if overcome\nby sleep. The husband sees the operation of the drink with horror,\nand is transported from his short fit of pleasure to a state of\nthe most agonizing despair.\n\n\"The situation of Prasildo is scarcely less intolerable; who\nlocked himself up in his chamber, in order to indulge his grief in\nsolitude, upon the departure of Tisbina. While he is shut up in\ndarkness, the ancient apothecary calls, and tells his valet that\nPrasildo's life depends upon his immediate admission to him. The\nvalet was a native of Casazzo, of a merry humour and full of faith\nand attachment, diligent, active, and experienced in all his\nduties; but of a frankness which sometimes gave his master\noffence. This man, having a master-key, admits the apothecary; who\nexcusing the intrusion by his zeal for Prasildo's repose, informs\nhim that he had that morning furnished the chambermaid of Tisbina\nwith a potion, by her mistress's order, which he believed was\ndestined for his destruction, as Tisbina had been shortly\nafterwards traced to his house; but adds, that he need be under no\napprehension, even if he has swallowed the draught: since, in the\napprehension of mischief, he had substituted a mere sleeping-potion,\nthe effects of which were only calculated to last for a\nfew hours.\n\n\"Prasildo, transported with joy, immediately flies in search of\nIroldo, whose stronger constitution had as yet resisted the\nsoporific, and informs him of the joyful tidings of the\napothecary. Iroldo receives the news in such a manner as might\nhave been expected, and concludes with making Prasildo a return\nsuch as he had never looked for. In a transport of gratitude, he\ninsists on his receiving Tisbina, and accordingly departs from\nBabylon, leaving her yet asleep. On waking, she is combated by\nopposing feelings; but at length, as the generosity of Prasildo\nhad made more impression on her heart, than she was willing to\nconfess, even to herself, yields to Iroldo's will, and takes\nPrasildo for her husband.\"\n\nThe damsel was yet speaking, when a loud cry was heard, which\nfilled her with consternation. Rinaldo however, re-assuring her as\nhe best could, pressed forward through the wood (for they were\nthen in the centre of one) towards the quarter from which it\nproceeded.\n\nHe soon perceived a giant standing under a vaulted cavern, with a\nlarge club in his hand, and of an appearance to have struck the\nboldest spirit with dread. On each side of the cavern was chained\na griffin, who, together with the giant, were stationed there for\nthe protection of the horse which was once Argalia's.\n\n        This monster of enchantment was the creature.\n        For of a mare, composed of spark and flame,\n        (Strange wonder, and beyond the laws of nature)\n        Made pregnant by the wind, the courser came;\n        Matchless in vigour, speed, and form and feature.\n        Such was his birth, and Rabican his name:\n        Who, with his fellow-steeds, disdain'd to share\n        The proffer'd corn or grass, and fed on air.\n\nThis marvellous horse being driven away by Ferrau, in the wood of\nArden, previous to his fatal encounter with Argalia, who had\npossessed himself of him by enchantment, on finding himself at\nliberty, returned to his native cavern, and was here stabled under\nthe protection of the giant and the griffins. Towards these\nRinaldo advances with deliberate valour, over ground whitened with\nthe bones of their victims. He is the first to smite at the giant,\nbut his stroke is rendered of no effect by the enchanted helmet of\nhis adversary. In a second blow he is more fortunate; but his\nadversary, though wounded near the heart, escapes, and looses his\ngriffins. One of these immediately seizes the giant by a foot:\nrises with him into the sky, hovers over Rinaldo's head, and at\nlength drops his burden, with intent to crush the intruder.\nRinaldo, however, who was as remarkable for his activity, as for\nhis strength and courage, shuns the descending mischief, and the\ngiant falls to the ground crushed, without harm to the paladin. In\nthe meantime, the other griffin, having towered in air, pounces\nupon Rinaldo, who, watching his opportunity, wounds her\ndesperately in her descent. She has, however, strength enough to\nsoar a second flight, and swooping upon Rinaldo's helmet, loosens\nits circle with her claws; tear it she could not, since this was\nthe enchanted helmet, which was once the head-piece of Mambrino.\n\nIn this manner the griffin repeats her attacks, and Rinaldo fends\nand parries as he can; while the damsel stands trembling near, and\nwitnesses the contest.\n\nThe battle still continued, rendered more terrible by the approach\nof night; when Rinaldo, fearing he should not be able to\ndistinguish his enemy, determined upon a desperate expedient, in\norder to bring it to a conclusion. He fell, as if fainting from\nhis wounds, and on the close approach of the griffin, dealt her a\nblow, which sheared away one of her wings. The beast, though\nsinking, griped him fast with her talons, digging through plate\nand mail: but Rinaldo plied his sword in utter desperation, and at\nlast accomplished her destruction.\n\nThe damsel now entreats Rinaldo to mount and proceed; but he\nthinks the adventure ill accomplished, and proceeds towards the\nentrance of the cavern. This was secured by a door,\n\n        Whose marble pannel a mosaic fill'd\n        Of pearl and emerald, sown with care so nice;\n        That he who saw the piece, if little skill'd,\n        Might deem it was a treasure passing price.\n        In the mid-picture lay a damsel kill'd;\n        And, writ in golden letters, the device\n        This legend bore: \"Let whoso passes, plight\n        \"His word to 'venge my death, and do me right;\n\n        \"Or he shall die the death; but if he swear\n        \"To slay the traitor who my death design'd;\n        \"The enchanted courser shall the warrior bear,\n        \"A courser that is swifter than the wind.\"\n        The prince stopt not to think; but plighted there\n        In solemn form, his promise, as enjoin'd;\n        His promise to avenge, alive or dead.\n        The slaughter'd damsel's blood, unjustly shed.\n\n        Then enters, and beholds the courser tied\n        With chains of gold, so famous for his speed.\n        With foot-cloth of white silk he was supplied.\n        And all things else convenient for his need.\n        Tho' coal-black all the rest, the tail was pied.\n        And starred with white the forehead of the steed;\n        And white one foot behind. Bayardo's might\n        Was more: but this had pass'd a dart in flight.\n\nRinaldo is delighted with his adventure, and, while surveying the\nsteed, beholds a book, secured by a chain, in which was written in\nblood the history of the damsel's death.\n\nThe book related that Truffaldino, king of Baldacca, had a count\nfor his neighbour, distinguished for his virtues and\naccomplishments, whom that evil-minded prince misliked on that\nvery account. His name was Orisello, and Montefalcon was that of\nthe castle where he resided. This lord had a sister as\ndistinguished for her merit, called Albarosa, who loved Polindo, a\nnoble knight of equal virtue and daring. The castle was built upon\na rock, and so well fortified, that Truffaldino, who had warred\nupon the count, though he had made several assaults upon it, had\nalways been defeated in his attempts.\n\nThings being in this state, Polindo, who had a great love for\ntravel, and often wandered from court to court, arrived at that of\nTruffaldino; who, for his own evil views, shewed him great favour,\nand having acquired his confidence, promised him assistance in his\ndesigns upon Albarosa. As a means of forwarding these, he presents\nhim with a castle of pleasure, situated a day's journey from\nMontefalcon; and Polindo having persuaded Albarosa to elope with\nhim, carries her thither; but while they are supping together,\nwith infinite delight, Truffaldino, who had entered the castle by\na subterraneous passage, unknown to its new possessor, breaks in\nupon them with a party of his retainers, and binds them both. He\nthen dictates a letter to the lady, which he orders her to send to\nher brother Orisello, in order to decoy him into his hands. She\nrefuses; when the tyrant puts her to the torture, in the presence\nof Polindo, before whose eyes she expires, refusing compliance\nwith her latest breath.\n\nRinaldo, having read this dreadful history, swears anew to avenge\nthe treason, and, mounted upon Rabican, issues forth from the\ncavern. He and the damsel, however, have not ridden far, when the\nlight fails them in a forest, where they dismount, secure their\nhorses, and compose themselves to rest.\n\n        Beside the maid with zest Rinaldo sleeps;\n        For him, nor time, nor place, nor beauty move.\n        From whence we learn the antidote, which keeps\n        The heart and mind from that which is above\n        All other cure; that he, who sows and reaps,\n        Or tilts and tourneys, never dies of love:\n        But in this book I am ill read, nor can\n        Bolt, as I would, such matters to the bran.\n\n        And now the air on every side grew light,\n        Though the sun shew'd not yet his golden ray;\n        With few and fading stars the sky was dight,\n        And the glad birds rang out their matin lay.\n        Such was the season, neither day nor night;\n        When the maid view'd Rinaldo where he lay;\n        Who from her grassy couch before had crept,\n        And watch'd the weary warrior as he slept.\n\n        Of lively visage, though composed to rest,\n        The lusty knight in early youth appear'd.\n        Light in the flanks, and large across the chest;\n        And on his lip scarce bloom'd the manly beard.\n        On him the damsel gazed with alter'd breast,\n        To her by new-discovered gifts endear'd:\n        For slumber ever gives the sleeper's face\n        I know not what of loveliness and grace.\n\nWhile the damsel is engaged in contemplating the knight, she is\nstartled by a loud roar, and turning, sees a centaur with a live\nlion, which he had just taken, in one hand, and a club and three\ndarts in the other. Rinaldo is at the same time awakened by the\nsound, and grasping his shield, or rather the remnant of it, which\nhad been left by the griffin, advances to her assistance.\n\nThe centaur now leaves his prey, and flying to a little distance,\nlaunches his darts at the paladin. These he avoids by his agility,\nwhen the monster returns and charges him with his club. Rinaldo,\nthus pressed, shelters himself, by placing his back against a\npine, and maintains the combat with Fusberta. The centaur, who had\nat first seemed to have the advantage, in being able to curvet\nabout the knight, and threaten him behind and before, finding\nhimself deprived of this double means of annoyance, leaves him,\nand gallops after the damsel, who had in the meantime seated\nherself upon her palfrey. From this he snatches her in fury,\nthrows her on his own croup, and flies with her through the\nforest.\n\nRinaldo, who is this while engaged in mounting Rabican, follows;\nand, such is the swiftness of his horse, is almost immediately up\nwith the beast; who, being overtaken on the brink of a rapid\nriver, casts his burden into the stream, which carries it away.\nRinaldo and the centaur again join in battle; at first on the\nshore, and afterwards in the water. The paladin at length slays\nhis savage opponent: but having slain the monster, is in doubt\nwhat course to pursue.\n\nHe at last determines to proceed in the adventure in which he had\nembarked, being especially moved thereto, by the hope of\ndelivering Orlando. Deprived then of the guidance of the poor\ndamsel, he resolves to steer the same northern course in which she\nhad before directed him.\n\nHere, however, according to the author, Turpin leaves the story to\nreturn to Albracca. Agrican was left there, surrounded and alone,\nin the midst of his enemies. Whilst he is thus reduced to the last\nextremities, he is saved by the very circumstance which threatened\nhim with destruction. The soldiers of Angelica, closing upon him\nfrom all parts, had deserted their defences, and his own besieging\narmy enter these pell mell, in a part where the wall is\naccessible.\n\nIn this way was Agrican rescued, the city taken by storm, and the\nmiserable inhabitants put to the sword. Angelica, however, with\nsome of the kings who were her defenders, and amongst whom was\nTruffaldino, saved herself in the citadel, which was planted upon\na rock. Hither also came Sacripant when all beside was lost.\n\nBut though the situation of the fortress rendered it impregnable,\nit was scantily victualled and ill provided with other necessaries\nbesides food. Under these circumstances, Angelica announced to\nthose blockaded with her in the citadel, her intention to go in\nquest of assistance; and, having plighted her promise to come back\nwithin a certain period, set out, with the enchanted ring upon her\nfinger.\n\nMounted on her palfrey, the damsel passed through the enemies'\ncamp at night, without having occasion to avail herself of the\ntalisman, and by sun-rise was many miles clear of their\nencampment.\n\nShe at length arrives near Orgagna in Circassia, and here\nencounters an old man weeping bitterly, who entreats her\nassistance on behalf of his only son, who is dying of a fever. The\ndamsel, who was well skilled in medicine, promises succour, turns\nher palfrey, and accompanies the elder.\n\nThis old man was a traitor, and his story a fiction, formed for\nthe purpose of getting her into his hands. He was, it seems,\nemployed to inveigle and capture damsels for the king of Orgagna,\nand for this purpose brought those who followed him to a tower,\nbuilt over a river, which served him as a dungeon for his\nprisoners. Angelica following him thither, the door closed upon\nher, and she found herself a captive with many other dames and\ndamsels. Amongst these was Flordelis, the lady of Brandimart, who,\nwhen cast into the river by the centaur, had drifted with the\ncurrent, and was taken up more dead than alive, by the wicked\nelder. She now relates her adventures to Angelica, and tells her\nhow she was going, accompanied by Rinaldo, to the garden of\nDragontina, where Orlando, Brandimart, and many other valiant\nknights were enchanted by that fairy.\n\nAngelica treasures up their history in her mind, as useful to the\npurpose which she had in hand, and on the door of the tower\nopening, to admit a new victim, slips the ring into her mouth and\nescapes.\n\nBeing again at liberty, she sets out for the garden of Dragontina,\nand, entering it unseen, disenchants Orlando, Brandimart, and the\nrest, by a touch of her talisman. These she conjures to assist her\nin the recovery of her kingdom, and all depart together for\nAlbracca.\n\nIn the meantime a revolution had taken place in the citadel of\nthat metropolis. Truffaldino, always false, had surprised\nSacripant, and the other wounded princes in their beds, and cast\nthem into prison. This done, he sent a messenger to Agrican, with\nan offer to deliver the fortress into his hands. Agrican, however,\nreceived the proposal in a manner little expected by Truffaldino,\nwhom he reviled as a traitor and a coward; declared that he would\nnever be indebted to fraud, for that which he could have by force;\nsaid he knew the extremities of the garrison, which must soon be\nhis, and declared, that as soon as the place was in his\npossession, he would hang up Truffaldino by the heels.\n\nSoon after this, Orlando, with his friendly squadron of knights\n(nine in number), with Angelica in the midst of them, arrives\nbefore Albracca; and charging through the camp of Agrican, arrives\nat the foot of the citadel: this is, however, kept against them by\nTruffaldino, who appears upon the walls, and declares that he will\nonly admit Orlando and his followers, on their swearing to protect\nhim for ever from the vengeance of Sacripant and the others; whom,\nfor his own safety, he has been under the necessity of casting\ninto prison. Orlando indignantly refuses; but, conjured by\nAngelica, consents; as do the others who accompany him; and after\nthe oath has been taken as enjoined, the squadron enters the\nfortress.\n\nThis, however, is found so destitute of food, that a sally is\nresolved upon for the purpose of provisioning it: it is to be made\nby Orlando, Brandimart, Adrian, Clarion, and Uberto of the Lion;\nwhile Gryphon and Aquilant remain at home for the protection of\nAngelica and the citadel.\n\nOrlando and his friends having made the warder lower his\ndrawbridge, ride boldly towards the enemy's camp; and Agrican,\nmarking their scanty number, bids his squadrons stand apart, and\nleave a fair field for himself and Orlando, who engage in a\ndesperate duel. While they are employed in this, with little\nvantage on either side, and to their mutual astonishment at\nfinding themselves so equally matched, a loud larum is heard from\nthe citadel, which announces the arrival of succours.\n\nThis was an army, raised by Galaphron, for the relief of Albracca;\nthe vanguard commanded by a vassal giant; the second body by\nMarphisa, a young Indian queen, who had made a vow in her infancy,\nnever to lay aside her armour, till she had taken three kings\nprisoners, to wit, Charlemagne, Gradasso, and Agrican; while the\nrear-guard was conducted by Galaphron himself. The van-guard, led\nby the giant, is immediately engaged with the besiegers; and its\nleader, armed with an immense hammer, deals such destruction\namongst their ranks, that all is speedily in confusion and\ndisarray.\n\nAgrican, witnessing the rout of his followers, now entreats\nOrlando, for his lady's love, that their combat may be suspended\ntill the morrow, in order to give him an opportunity of rallying\nthe fugitives. This Orlando not only grants, but offers to assist\nhim in his design. The offer is, however, courteously declined by\nAgrican, who, flying in pursuit of the giant, unhorses him, and\nleaves him desperately wounded to the daggers of his followers. He\nhimself charges the troops who come under the giant's conduct; and\nthe tide of battle is turned.\n\nNo attempt to stop the confusion of the vanguard is made by\nMarphisa, who this time was retired from the field, and sleeping\nunder a tree.\n\n        But first the queen her chamber-wench bespoke.\n        \"Attend to my command,\" Marphisa said,\n        \"And when thou seest our Indian army broke,\n        \"And Galaphron, its royal leader, dead,\n        \"When all these things shall be, 'twere time I woke,\n        \"_Then_, bring my steed and rouse me from my bed.\n        \"But till these things shall be, such care delay,\n        \"'Tis then this single arm shall change the day.\"\n\nGalaphron now observing the rout of his vanguard, determines to\nretrieve things, or perish in the attempt. With this resolution he\nspurs towards the enemy; when Angelica, beholding his danger from\nthe walls, sends a messenger to Orlando, to entreat his assistance\nfor her father; reminding him that he fought beneath her eyes.\n\nThe author here leaves the story suspended, and returns to\nRinaldo; who journeying northward, in the direction which\nFlordelis, the damsel of Brandimart, had first given him, arrives\nat a fountain; where he finds a cavalier weeping upon the ground.\nHaving long observed his grief in silence, he at length dismounts\nfrom his horse, and entreats the sorrowing knight to inform him of\nits cause.\n\nThe stranger tells him that his misery is such as can find no\nremedy but in death: nor does the fear of that oppress him; but\nthe knowledge that his death must be followed by that of another.\nRinaldo entreats him to explain how this can be, and prevails on\nhim to relate his history at length.\n\nThis the stranger began in the following manner: \"About twenty\ndays' journey from hence is situated the famous city of Babylon,\nof which Tisbina was the wonder; a lady alike renowned for her\ncharms and virtues. Of this treasure I became the possessor; yet,\nhaving possessed her, found it my cruel duty to yield her to\nanother. For two years afterwards I wandered, almost deprived of\nmy reason; but time at last brought with it some alleviation of my\nsorrow. To this common remedy of grief was united the reflection\nthat I had resigned her to the most virtuous and most courteous of\nmen; and that, however dear it might cost me, it was impossible to\nrepent my sacrifice.\n\n\"While I was thus wandering, my evil fortune led me into Orgagna,\nwhose rightful king, Poliphernus, was absent with the army of\nAgrican; his kingdom having, during his absence, fallen into the\npossession of an evil woman, who makes all strangers her prey.\nThis enchantress (for such she is), whose name is Falerina, has a\nbeautiful garden, which is only open towards the east; where a\nserpent keeps the gate, to whom Falerina gives her unfortunate\nprisoners to be devoured. The names of these are paired, a\ncavalier and a lady, according to the order of their arrival; and\na couple is thus every day offered to the monster.\n\n\"I was amongst the prisoners of Falerina; when tidings of my\nimprisonment, for my greater misfortune, reached the ears of\nPrasildo, the noble gentleman to whom I had relinquished Tisbina.\nUnknown to me, he immediately set out for the enchanted garden,\nloaded with treasure, with which he attempted to accomplish my\nrelease. All his endeavours, however, were vain; and desperate of\naccomplishing it in any other way, he offered himself as a victim\nin my place. This offer was accepted: I was thrust out of the\ndungeon, and he remains a prisoner in my stead. This day is that\nappointed for his sacrifice, which shall not be consummated,\nwhilst I am alive: for it is my resolution, when he is led out of\nprison to be conducted to the place of punishment, to attack his\nguards and perish in his defence. My single source of grief is,\nthat I shall not be able to purchase his deliverance with my\nlife.\"\n\nRinaldo bids the stranger be of better cheer, and offers to join\nhim in the attack of Prasildo's guards, to which Iroldo, who\nconceives this will be a useless sacrifice of life, very\nunwillingly accedes.\n\nThe issue of the attempt is, however, very different from what\nIroldo had anticipated. The rabble, who were conducting two\nprisoners to the place of execution, are set upon by the knights,\nand scattered on all sides; principally by the valour of Rinaldo.\n\nIn the male prisoner Iroldo recognizes Prasildo, as he had\nexpected; and the damsel turns out to be Flordelis. Rinaldo is now\nimpatient to crown his victory with the destruction of the\nenchanted garden; but the damsel, his former guide, after vainly\nseeking to terrify him by a description of the various monsters\nand enchantments by which it was guarded, reminds him of the\nimprisonment of Orlando, and his unaccomplished promise to achieve\nthe destruction of the garden of Dragontina. This consideration\nprevails over his anxiety to demolish that of Falerina; and in\ncompany with his two friends and the damsel, who all become\nChristians in admiration of his prowess and in gratitude for their\ndeliverance, proceeds on his journey towards the garden of\nDragontina.\n\nThis however had been previously destroyed and effaced, even to\nthe last vestige, by the talisman of Angelica.\n\nThe knights, pursuing their journey towards its former situation,\nmeet on their way a fugitive from Agrican's army; who gives such\nan account of the prowess of a champion who fought upon the part\nof Angelica, that Rinaldo is persuaded this must have been\nOrlando; though all are at a loss to imagine how he could have\nbeen freed. They had not proceeded much farther, when they saw a\nwarrior under some trees, to whom a damsel was presenting a horse.\nThis warrior Flordelis recognized by her bearings for Marphisa,\nand whom she especially counselled her companions to avoid. They,\nhowever, and more especially Rinaldo, treated the caution with\ncontempt, and made boldly towards the virago.\n\nAs she is just mounting, to defy them to the joust, she is\napproached by an elderly man, all in tears, who relates the\noverthrow of Galaphron's vanguard, and entreats her assistance;\nwhich she promises to bestow, as soon as she shall have unhorsed\nand taken the approaching strangers.\n\nAdvancing against them, she first encounters and overthrows Iroldo\nand Prasildo in succession, who are made prisoners by some of\nMarphisa's followers, that were in waiting, together with the\nattendant damsel. She next meets Rinaldo, and breaks upon him an\nenormous lance, which had never yet failed her. Rinaldo too breaks\nhis upon the damsel, and both, casting away their broken spears,\nencounter with their swords. Here Rinaldo's dextrous skill in\ndefence, and the superior temper of Fusberta, give him a temporary\nadvantage; and in parrying a blow of his opponent, he beats the\nfaulchion out of her hand. Full of fury, the virago deals him a\ndeadly blow on the face with her gauntletted hand in return, and\nmakes him reel in his saddle; while Rabican wheels round and\ncarries off his half-stupefied rider. Marphisa instantly springs\nto ground and regains her sword, and Rinaldo recovering himself,\nagain spurs his courser to the encounter.\n\nIn the mean time, Orlando, at the command of Angelica, had\ngalloped to the assistance of Galaphron, at the head of his brave\ncompanions, and had again changed the fortune of the day. He and\nAgrican now meet a second time in the medley, and renew the\ncontest with more fury than before; and Agrican, being at last\nconvinced that it will be impossible for him to effect any thing\nagainst Albracca but by the destruction of Orlando, determines to\nbring the battle to a desperate issue, and in order to get his\nadversary into a place where they shall be secure from\ninterruption, feigns to fly; and is followed by Orlando to an open\nspace in a wood, in the middle of which is a fountain. Here, after\nmutual reproaches, they again charge each other with their swords,\nand still with doubtful success. Night closes upon the combatants,\nwho have passed the greater part of the day in the interchange of\nblows.\n\nThe two champions again suspend their combat almost of necessity,\nand agree upon a truce till day-light. They accordingly lie down\ntogether and engage in a friendly conversation. During this\nAgrican makes out his antagonist to be Orlando; and Orlando seizes\nthe opportunity to attempt his conversion. Agrican, however,\nreceives the proposal with utter contempt, and observes that love\nand arms are the only subjects of conversation becoming a knight.\n\nThis change of theme almost necessarily leads to the mention of\nAngelica, and the rivals, being kindled by the discourse which\nensues between them, into new animosity, remount their horses and\nattack each other in the dark.\n\nThe contest is thus continued with various success, and day breaks\nupon this desperate and unheard-of duel. At length, however, the\nfortune of Orlando prevails, and he after receiving many desperate\ncontusions (for wounded he could not be), inflicts a deadly gash\nin his adversary's side.\n\nAgrican is now deserted by his lofty spirit, and demands baptism\nfrom the hands of Orlando:\n\n        While tears descending bathed his manly face,\n        The gentle count dismounted to his aid,\n        Then locked the wounded knight in his embrace,\n        Upon the fountain's grassy border laid:\n        And kiss'd his fading lips, and sought his grace,\n        And of the mischief done forgiveness prayed.\n        The speechless Tartar king his head inclin'd,\n        And with the cross his brows Orlando sign'd.\n\n        When having to his sorrow found that he\n        Was breathless, and all vital warmth was fled;\n        He weened his gallant spirit was set free,\n        And by the crystal fountain left him dead;\n        Clad as he was in armour cap-a-pe,\n        With sword in hand, and crown upon his head:\n        Then first towards his courser turn'd his view,\n        And in that steed the good Bayardo knew.\n\nHe is assured of this by a closer examination of the gentle horse,\nwho comes neighing to greet the kinsman and comrade of his master.\n\nMounted upon him, and leading his own Brigliadoro, the count\nleaves the place, but has not rode far, before he hears the clash\nof weapons; when, having first secured Brigliadoro, he rides in\nthe direction of the sound; and, guided by it, discovers a damsel,\nwhom three giants were conducting, with a camel and much treasure,\nwhich they had carried away by force. One of the giants had charge\nof the lady; while the other two maintained a combat with a\ncavalier: but this story is broken off, by the author, who hastens\nto tell the effects, produced by the death of Agrican.\n\nAll was rout and dismay in the Tartarian army; and Galaphron\nentering the enemy's camp, set free Astolpho and the other\nprisoners, who were detained there. Astolpho is scarcely presented\nto Angelica, before he demands the means of avenging himself on\nthe enemy, and being furnished with a horse and arms, immediately\nreturns into the field. Here he is fortunate enough to meet one\nclad in his own armour, and armed with the enchanted lance.\n\nOf these he immediately repossesses himself, and joins Galaphron\nand his troops, who had pursued the flying enemy to the banks of a\nriver, fast by where Rinaldo and Marphisa were still engaged.\nMarphisa was protected by enchanted harness, yet was armed with\nbut half a sword; which, as related, was severed by Fusberta. On\nthe other hand, the greater part of Rinaldo's defensive armour had\nbeen hewed away.\n\nGalaphron instantly knows Marphisa by her cognizance, but is at a\nloss to distinguish Rinaldo; till, observing Rabican, who had\nbelonged to Argalia, he conceived that he saw in him the murderer\nof his son. Under this persuasion he rode at Rinaldo, and smote\nhim with all his force, when Marphisa, enraged at this\ninterference, immediately turned her arms against her aged\ncommander. Brandimart and others coming up, rescue him from the\nhands of the virago, whom they take for some warrior of the Tartar\ntroops; when Rinaldo, as generous as Marphisa, not enduring to see\nhis former enemy overlaid with odds, joins her against those with\nwhom she is now engaged. The main body of Galaphron's army coming\nup, reinforces the enemies of Marphisa; who is on her part\nsupported by the arrival of her own division, by whose succour,\njoined to that of Rinaldo, she is enabled to repel the assailants.\n\nAll this time, Iroldo, Prasildo, and Flordelis, were standing at\nsome distance, and the damsel of Marphisa, was entertaining them\nwith a history of the feats and prowess of her mistress. Flordelis\nis by this alarmed for the safety of Brandimart, one of the first\nwho had assailed Marphisa, and goes in search of him amongst the\nwarriors, whom the virago and Rinaldo had scattered, and who were\nmaking, in utter rout and confusion, for Albracca. She, however,\nto her infinite content, finds him safe and standing apart from\nthe fray, he having separated from the enemies of Marphisa, after\nshe was oppressed by numbers. The happy lovers, thus re-united,\nretire into a neighbouring wood, and after giving a loose to their\nmutual tenderness fall asleep upon the grass.\n\nHere, however, a new and unexpected peril was impending. Their\ncaresses were unfortunately overseen by a hermit, who dabbled in\nnecromancy, and who, excited by the beauties of Flordelis,\ndetermined on making her his prize. Among other secrets, he was\npossessed of a root, which had the faculty of throwing the person\nto whom it was applied, provided it touched any part of the naked\nbody, into a profound and indissoluble sleep. Armed with this, he\napproaches Flordelis, lifts her coats, and applies it to her\nthigh. Having thus so riveted her natural slumber, that he was\nsure she could not wake for an hour to come, the hermit snatches\nher up, and bears her off; being afraid to try the virtues of his\nroot upon Brandimart, lest he should awake before the charm was\nconsummated.\n\nBrandimart slept soundly till he was awakened by a loud noise. At\nthe same moment he missed Flordelis: yet, notwithstanding his\nunutterable grief, approached the quarter, from whence the sound\nproceeded, in which he distinguished the cries of a woman in\ndistress.\n\nOn his arrival he found three giants, who were conducting a file\nof camels. Two of them followed, and another preceded the string,\nleading one, on which was seated a damsel, with dishevelled hair\nand weeping bitterly. In her Brandimart believed that he\nrecognised Flordelis, and galloped in fury against the ravishers.\n\nThe giants instantly prepare to resist him, and in the combat\nwhich follows, he is put to great peril, and loses his horse.\n\nIt is at this moment that Orlando, who had lately slain Agrican,\ncomes to his succour. His assistance renders the combat more\nequal: but Brandimart, though he has killed one of the giants, is\nbeaten down by another. Orlando, however, avenges him on his\nenemy, and clears the field. He has now leisure to look to his\nbleeding friend, and finding there is yet life in him, consigns\nhim to the care of the rescued damsel, who applies the proper\nmedicaments to his wounds.\n\nMarphisa and Rinaldo were this while still in full pursuit of\ntheir enemies, who found refuge within the citadel of Albracca.\nMarphisa having chased them up to the gates, menaced Galaphron\nwith vengeance; and, indeed, she and Rinaldo had now a common\ncause. Marphisa on account of her recent quarrel with her former\nleader; and Rinaldo since the fountain of hate had disposed him to\nenmity with Angelica, and the oath, he had sworn on winning\nRabican, bound him to take vengeance on Truffaldino, one of her\ndefenders. They accordingly sit down before the place, and, on the\nsecond day, Rinaldo appears beneath the walls, sounds his horn and\ndefies Truffaldino, king of Baldacca by the titles of traitor,\nrenegade and tyrant.\n\nThere were at this time, within the fortress, many warriors who\nhad sworn to defend him against Sacripant and Torindo, whom he had\nimprisoned, and against all others whatsoever. Truffaldino calls\non these to fulfil their engagement, and several knights, with the\ntraitor king in the midst of them, descend from the citadel to do\nbattle with Rinaldo, on his behalf.\n\nThese were the brothers Gryphon and Aquilant, who had enchanted\nhorse and armour; Uberto, Adrian, and Clarion. They attack Rinaldo\nsingly and successively. He soon defeats the two first comers, but\nhe finds himself better matched with Gryphon of the enchanted\narms; with whom he engages in a long and doubtful battle, after a\nfruitless expostulation and attempt to negotiate on the part of\nGryphon.\n\nLeaving these, the author returns to Brandimart; who, restored to\nlife by the skill of the damsel, whom he and Orlando rescued from\nthe giants, is rendered desperate by the discovery, that she is\nnot Flordelis. He curses the hour in which he was rescued from\ndeath, as well as that in which he was born, and recapitulates all\nthe circumstances of his life in the following apostrophe:\n\n        \"Thou took'st me, Fortune, from a royal dome,\n        \"(Such early blow thy deadly malice gave;)\n        \"And I, thus ravished from my noble home,\n        \"In other lands was sold to be a slave;\n        \"And now, long doomed in foreign climes to roam,\n        \"But her remember to whose breasts I clave;\n        \"(My father's and my country's name effaced,)\n        \"My mother's in my mind is only traced.\n\n        \"Never did evil destiny so lour,\n        \"As upon me; to early bondage sold,\n        \"With one, entitled Lord of the Sylvan Tower:\n        \"When, but to make me suffer sevenfold,\n        \"Softened awhile appear'd the faithless Power;\n        \"And the good Master of the Sylvan hold\n        \"Freed me; and having none his name to bear,\n        \"Of his broad lands and living made me heir.\n\n        \"But Fortune had so marked me for her prey,\n        \"That to fill up the bitter cup of woe,\n        \"Fairest among the fair, a damsel gay\n        \"She chose in her displeasure to bestow;\n        \"Simply to take the precious prize away.\n        \"Then can I choose but sink beneath the blow?\n        \"O thou, that hast renewed my fleeting breath,\n        \"Undo thy work, and give me back to death.\"\n\nOrlando, and the charitable damsel sympathise deeply in his grief;\nand the lady, to prove, at least, that he was not single in his\nsorrows, begins the narration of her own adventures.\n\nShe informs him, that she was daughter and heir of the king of\n_the Distant Isles_, where all the treasure of the earth is\naccumulated. Gifted with beauty and destined to inherit such\nriches, two lovers came to demand her in marriage on the same day,\nOrdauro and Folderico; the one handsome and the other more than\nseventy years old. The first distinguished by his prowess, the\nsecond by his wisdom and riches. The damsel's father inclined in\nfavour of Folderico; but the damsel hoped by a sleight to transfer\nherself to Ordauro.\n\nShe had accordingly obtained a boon from the monarch; and this\nwas, that no one should have her to wife, who had not previously\nvanquished her in the foot-race. By this, she considered herself\nas secure of success; but Folderico countermined her stratagem.\nBeing paired with her in the course, he had recourse to the\nexpedient of dropping three golden apples, and the damsel was\ndistanced by the same means as Atalanta. Thus the old man won his\nwife; who, however, determined on taking such vengeance as was in\nher power.\n\nHere the lady, who was her own historian, observed Brandimart's\ndistraction; who being charged with it, confessed that he had\nneither eyes nor ears but for Flordelis, and that he should never\nregain possession of himself, till she was found. On this the\ndamsel and Orlando, who was mounted on Bayardo, and had resigned\nhis Brigliadoro to Brandimart, as before related, offer to\naccompany him in an attempt to recover her, and they immediately\nproceed upon their search.\n\nFlordelis, in the interval, had been carried off by the hermit to\na cave; where she woke at the moment that a lion, who harboured\nthere, sprang forth to punish the intrusion of the ravisher: who\ninstantly dropt his plunder and fled. The beast, however, passing-by\nthe proffered prey, follows and tears in pieces the hermit who\nhad cast it down. Flordelis, while he is thus employed, escapes.\n\nShe, however, only gains a present respite from misfortune; for,\nflying at random, she falls into the hands of a hairy savage in\nthe forest, who binds her to a tree with twigs; and then, gazing\nstupidly upon her, casts himself down at a little distance.\n\nBrandimart was this while in pursuit of her, in the same wood,\naccompanied by Orlando and the damsel of the golden apples, who\nwas seated upon his courser's croup. Orlando now entreats that she\nwill finish her story, which she continues.\n\nFolderico who had won the damsel, carried her to a tower, which he\npossessed upon the sea-shore, called Altamura, where he kept her,\ntogether with his treasure, under lock and key, and utterly\nsecluded from the sight of man.*\n\n* As the author is indebted to Greek fable for the beginning, so\nhe is to Norman story for this subsequent adventure, which is\ntaken, with some variation, from an old _fabliau_. See Barbasan's\nor Le Grand's _fabliaux_. The story would seem to be of Eastern\norigin.\n\nBut what will not love? Ordauro who was also rich, though not so\nwealthy as Folderico, purchased a sumptuous palace in the\nimmediate neighbourhood of Altamura, and at an immense cost made a\nsubterraneous passage from his palace to the damsel's prison; by\nwhich he visited and enjoyed her without danger. At last, however,\nthe lovers, tired of the restraint under which they carried on\ntheir intercourse, and emboldened by success, determined to make a\ndesperate effort to escape.\n\nWith this view Ordauro communicates to Folderico news of his\napproaching nuptials with another daughter of Monodontes; for so\nwas called the king of the Distant Isles; and invites him, as his\nbrother-in-law, to the marriage feast. Folderico having carefully\nsecured the gates of his tower, goes thither, and finding his wife\ninstalled as bride, becomes ferocious at the sight. Ordauro,\nhowever, with great difficulty, succeeds in appeasing him, by the\nassurance that she was a twin-sister of his own wife, to whom she\nbore a perfect resemblance; and, by bidding him return to his\ntower and satisfy himself of the fact. The means of proof appeared\ndecisive, and accordingly Folderico accepts them. He finds his\nlocks as they were left, and his wife, (who had returned by the\nsubterraneous passage and changed her dress,) alone and overcome\nwith melancholy. He again takes the way, which was somewhat\ncircuitous, to the palace of Ordauro, and again finds her there,\nshining in all the festivity of a bride. He can no longer resist\nthe conviction that the two persons, whom he had seen, were\ndifferent women; lays aside his distrust, and even offers to\nconvoy the bridegroom and his bride on a part of their journey\ntowards Ordauro's natural home, to which he was returning.\n\nA certain advantage was thus gained; since Folderico never left\nhis tower, though locked, for above an hour, and consequently\nwould have soon discovered his loss, if the lovers had eloped in\nsecret.\n\nThe party set out together; and at the end of the first day's\njourney, Folderico turns back and gallops to his tower. He is now\nfirst assured of his disgrace. Full of rage, he pursues his rival;\nbut does not dare make any attempt to recover his wife, till he\nhas separated Ordauro from his adherents. Having effected this by\na stratagem, he attacks his retainers, and repossesses himself of\nthe lady. He is destined to a short possession of the prize; for\nhe is, on his return, beset by giants, who seize her, and all his\ntreasure; which the wife was carrying off as a dowry to her new\nlord. He himself escapes.\n\nOrlando listened with curiosity to this relation: but Brandimart,\nwho only thought upon Flordelis, separated from his companions in\norder to pursue a separate search. Whilst he is engaged in this,\nhe hears her cries, and, directed by them, finds her bound to the\ntree. He dismounts from his horse to assist her, and is about to\nloosen her bonds, when he is attacked by the savage, armed with a\nrustic club and shield. This strange woodman is described as\ngifted with extraordinary strength of body, and distinguished by\nsome strange propensities:\n\n        He dwelt in woods, and on their produce fed,\n        And drank the limpid brook which bubbled by:\n        And (such his nature) ever, it is said,\n        Wept, when he saw a clear and cloudless sky:\n        Since, fearful of the sign, he lived in dread,\n        That tempest, clouds, and cold, and rain were nigh,\n        But joy'd in thunder and in hail; since he\n        Hoped warmer suns and happier days to see.\n\nThis savage, but for the exclamation of Flordelis, would have\nsurprised Brandimart in the act of untying her. Being warned by\nher of his danger, he guarded himself against his attacks, which\nrequired all his skill and courage to repel. He indeed hewed in\npieces the rustic weapon with which he was armed; but the monster,\nclosing with him, grasped him in his arms, and attempted to cast\nhim down a precipice, when he fortunately escaped from his\nembrace.\n\nThe savage finding himself foiled in this hope, and weaponless,\nnow flew to a sapling, which he was trying to pluck up by its\nroots, when the knight killed him while engaged in the attempt.\nBrandimart now releases Flordelis, seats her on his horse's croup,\nand goes in pursuit of Orlando, from whom he had separated.\n\nWhilst he is thus engaged, the author resumes the story of\nAlbracca. Rinaldo was left in close combat with Gryphon, whom he\nat last stunned with a desperate blow. When Aquilant, believing\nhis brother killed, took up the conqueror. Gryphon, however,\nreviving from the effects of the stroke, returned to the charge.\nMarphisa seeing Rinaldo thus oppressed with odds, came to his\nassistance; and others again of those sworn to defend Truffaldino,\nwho was an unwilling spectator of the fray, took part against her\nand Rinaldo. Orlando was, this while, pursuing his way in search\nof Brandimart, while Brandimart as vainly sought him through the\nforest.\n\nWhilst Orlando is thus engaged, he sees a damsel issue from a wood\nupon a palfrey, who bears a book and horn. Addressing herself to\nthe count, she tells him, that, if he is what his countenance\nbespeaks him, the fairest adventure awaits him, which ever was\nachieved by knight; and which, indeed, had hitherto foiled the\nprowess of all who had attempted it, who remained prisoners in the\nenchanted garden, which she invites him (if he has the courage\nsufficient for such an adventure) to attack. Orlando accepts the\nproposal with rapture; the damsel presents him with the book and\nhorn; both necessary for the achievement of the enterprize; and,\nhaving instructed him in the use of them, retires to a distance.\n\nOrlando accordingly, having first disposed of the other damsel\nwhom he carried behind him, sounds the bugle, and a rock opens,\nfrom which issue two ferocious bulls, with horns of iron, and\nstrangely coloured hair turned contrary to the natural grain:\n\n        And sometimes green; now black, now white it seemed,\n        Now yellow, and now red; and ever gleamed.\n\nOrlando learned from the book, by whose rules he was to proceed,\nthat he was to bind these beasts; and this done, was to enter the\nopening, from which they sallied, and plow with them the space\nwithin. Such was to be his first labour.\n\nThe bulls long maintained a severe fight with the champion, and\noften tossed, though they could not gore him: at length he so\nfatigued them by repeated blows from Durindana, (for their skin\nwas as impenetrable as his own,) that he was enabled to master\nthem, seized them by their horns, and bound them separately, with\nBayardo's bridle, to an adjoining column, which was the monument\nof the king Bavardo. He then made a plow of Durindana, the point\nof which served as a share and the hilt as a handle, yoked the\nbulls to the instrument, and having torn off the limb of a tree\nfor a whip, ploughed, the field as he was directed. The work\naccomplished, he loosed his beasts, who ran roaring through the\nwood, and disappeared behind a mountain.\n\nOrlando now devoutly thanks God for his first success, and the\ndamsel of the book and horn, having dismounted from the palfrey in\nthe meadow, wreaths her brows with the flowers which it produced.\nOrlando, however, does not allow himself a longer truce, but\nsounds a second challenge on his enchanted bugle.\n\nUpon the second sound, the earth trembles, and a neighbouring hill\nvomits forth flame; which is followed by the appearance of a fiery\ndragon. The damsel of the golden apples is now about to fly; but\nshe of the book and horn bids her\n\n\u2014\u2014\"in faith and hope, stand near,\n\"For only he who proves the quest need fear.\"\n\nThe damsel of the golden apples, who resented Orlando's coldness\nduring their journey through the forest, observes she is glad that\nhe only is in danger, and that she cannot regret what may happen\nto him;\n\n\"In that there lives not a more worthless wight.\"\n\nThis reproach reaches Orlando's ears, as he consults his book.\nThis guide taught him that his only means of safety consisted in\ncutting off the dragon's head, before he was consumed by the flame\nand venom, which issued from her mouth. The head cut off, he was\nto perform the labour of Jason, and sow the field in which he had\nlaboured with the serpent's teeth. From these was to spring a crop\nof armed men; and, if he saved himself from their swords, he might\nesteem himself the flower of chivalry.\n\nHe has scarce learned his lesson, when the serpent is upon him.\nOrlando protected himself from her assault with his shield; but\nthis and all his armour was consumed by the flame which she\nvomited forth. He contends long with the monster, enveloped in\nfire and smoke, but at last separates her head at a blow. He\nimmediately draws the teeth, puts them into his helmet, and sows\nthem as the book had enjoined. The effect followed which had been\nforetold.\n\n        First, feathers sprouting from the ground appear,\n        By little and by little; then a crest;\n        And next is seen the bust of cavalier,\n        Furnish'd with manly limbs, and spreading chest.\n        Foot in the front, and horsemen in the rear;\n        They rise and shout, and lay the lance in rest;\n        And, drums and trumpets sounding to the charge,\n        Level the spear, and lift the covering targe.\n\nOrlando, however, though he had neither lance nor shield left him,\nsoon reaps this harvest with Durindana; and the seed of the\nserpent thus springs and perishes in a day.\n\nThe victory achieved, he blows the third and last blast upon his\nhorn, which the author thus prefaces:\n\n        These dragons and these gardens, made by spell,\n        And dog, and book by witch or wizard writ,\n        And savage hairy man, and giant fell,\n        And human face, to monstrous form ill fit,\n        Are food for ignorance, which you may well\n        Decypher, that are blest with shrewder wit:\n        Then muse upon the doctrine sage and sound,\n        Which lies conceal'd beneath this rugged ground.*\n\n* The Italian reader will here again trace some lines of Dante.\n\n        Such matter as is excellent and rare,\n        And things of scent or savour, rich or fine,\n        In open hand we do not loosely bear;\n        Nor cast such pearls to be defiled of swine.\n        Nature, great mistress, teaches better care.\n        Who loves the flower with fencing thorns to twine;\n        And covers well her fruits, and things of mark;\n        The kernel with its stone, the tree with bark;\n\n        A safe defence from bird, and beast, and storm;\n        And has conceal'd the yellow gold i' the ground,\n        Jewels, and what is rare for tint or form;\n        That these may be with cost and labour found.\n        And vain and witless is th' unwary swarm\n        Who show their wealth, if they with wealth abound.\n        The mark, at which knave, thief, and cheater level;\n        And so by matchless folly tempt the devil.\n\n        As duly would it seem to square with reason.\n        That good should be with toil and trouble bought.\n        And to obtain it otherwise were treason,\n        Than by activity of deed and thought.\n        'Tis thus we see, that art and labour season\n        The victual, which without their aid is nought;\n        And simple viands, in their nature good,\n        Convert to sweeter, and more savoury food.\n\n        If Homer's Odyssey appear compounded\n        Of lying legends, deem not these unfit;\n        Nor, reading of some god or goddess wounded,\n        Let this aught scandalize your weaker wit:\n        For who the secrets of the sage has sounded,\n        Well knows, that for the sage, the poet writ;\n        And veils a different thing, from that which lies\n        Open to them, who see but with their eyes.\n\n        But stop not ye, content, at the outer rind;\n        Be not as these, but seek what is within;\n        For if no better nourishment you find,\n        You will have made small progress for your sin,\n        And see in these strange emblems ill-divined,\n        But sick men's dreams, and fables. Then begin\n        A better task, their secret meaning measure,\n        And turn the stubborn soil for hidden treasure.\n\nReturning to the story, Orlando sounded his horn a third time;\nand, on the echo dying away, was disappointed by the appearance of\na little white bitch-hound.\n\nThis, the damsel of the book, in hopes to stay the count, who was\nnow disposed to depart, assured him was that which was to crown\nhis toils.\n\nShe explains herself, by informing him, that in a neighbouring\nlake is an island, the residence of the Fata, Morgana, whom God\nhas set over riches; which she\n\n        \"Distributes in the bowels of the mount,\n        \"Whence they are dug with long fatigue and pain;\n        \"And hides them in the river and the fount,\n        \"In India; where ants work the golden vein.\n        \"Nor let the tale seem strange, which I recount,\n        \"Since two fair fishes feed upon the grain.\n        \"Now good Morgana the bitch-hound has sent\n        \"To guerdon thee with treasure and content:\n\n        \"The wondrous Fay, for various riches vaunted,\n        \"Mistress of all that seas or earth enfold,\n        \"Is owner of a hind, in this enchanted;\n        \"That she is white, and armed with horns of gold;\n        \"And that by her no forest long is haunted,\n        \"Still restless and impatient of a hold.\n        \"Her many hunters vainly seek to catch;\n        \"But you may take her with this little brach.\n\n        \"Who soon shall rouse her from her secret lair,\n        \"Yelping upon the trail with questing cry:\n        \"Thou shalt pursue, thro' holt or desert bare,\n        \"Though hound and hart more swift than arrow fly:\n        \"Six days shalt thou pursue the flying pair;\n        \"But on the seventh cease the chase to ply.\n        \"Since in a fount the milk-white hind shall soil,*\n        \"And thou be guerdon'd for thy tedious toil.\n\n* The technical phrase for a stag taking the water: as he usually\ndoes when distressed. Hence our view-hollo of \"Tayo!\" for the\nstag, is taken from the old French cry of \"_Taihors_,\" or \"out of\nthe swamp!\" as our \"Tally ho!\" for the fox, is derived from\n\"_Taillis hors!_\" or \"out of cover!\" which last etymology we learn\nfrom Lady Juliana Berners. All our hunting phraseology indeed is\nNorman; even where we should be least inclined to trace it to such\na source. Thus the cry of \"Hiloicks! Hiloicks!\" used by us in\ntrying a cover, we find in her precepts to be \"Illocques,\nIllocques!\" or \"There! There!\" The Normans indeed formed both our\nhunting code and hunting vocabulary. See many well founded\nallusions to this in Ivanhoe.\n\n        \"Six times a-day (such riches shalt thou measure)\n        \"She sheds her horns; which yield an hundred weight.\n        \"And thus shalt thou collect such mighty treasure\n        \"As may defy the wit of man to rate;\n        \"Thrice blest, if countless wealth can purchase pleasure;\n        \"To this perchance deserve a happier fate;\n        \"And with the hind obtain what is above\n        \"That precious prize, the beauteous fairy's love.\"\n\nOrlando however treats the temptation with contempt, and\nunwillingly seating the damsel of the golden apples behind him,\ncasts down the book and horn, and departs.\n\nProceeding with her, he arrives at a bridge, where he meets with\nan armed cavalier, who claims the damsel as his own. This turns\nout to be Ordauro, to whom Orlando resigns her with great\nsatisfaction, and pursues his journey to Albracca.\n\nHere the strife was still continued between Rinaldo and Marphisa,\nunited on the one part; and Gryphon and Aquilant, and all those\nconfederated to defend Truffaldino on the other. Rinaldo having in\nthis gained some advantage over his immediate opponents,\nTruffaldino, who was present, fled into the citadel. This put a\nshort stop to hostilities, and the combat was suspended till the\nensuing day; when Truffaldino was to be again produced, and to\nabide its issue.\n\nIn this interval two important circumstances occur. Astolpho (who\nwas Agrican's prisoner, when those, who entered Albracca with\nAngelica, took the engagement to defend Truffaldino) learning from\nGryphon, that Rinaldo had been his antagonist, changes sides, and\ngoes over to his cousin.\n\nTo counterbalance this loss to the besieged, Orlando arrives in\nAlbracca, and is received with open arms by Angelica.\n\nOn the ensuing day the combat is renewed between the former\nparties with the addition of Astolpho on one side, and of Orlando\non the other. In this Orlando and Rinaldo single each other out,\nand after bitter reproaches, Rinaldo reproving Orlando for his\ndefence of a traitour, and Orlando twitting Rinaldo for his\nrobberies and evil life, engage in a furious combat; but here\nOrlando is ill seconded by Bayardo, who will not advance against\nhis own master.\n\nAt this moment Rinaldo sees Truffaldino treacherously unhorse\nAstolpho, and pursuing him, (for the traitour flies upon his\napproach,) comes up with him before he is overtaken by his\ndefenders, makes him prisoner, and ties him by the feet to\nRabican's tail. With the wretch thus suspended, he gallops off at\nfull speed; the superior swiftness of Rabican rendering all\ninterference on the behalf of Truffaldino impossible; and drags\nhim at his horse's heels till he is dashed in pieces.\n\nWhilst he is running this cruel course, Rinaldo thunders out\nreproaches and threats against the abettors of the tyrant; and\nOrlando, who had now obtained his own horse, Brigliadoro, through\nthe arrival of Brandimart, who joins him, renews his battle with\nRinaldo on personal grounds, the others considering themselves\nreleased from the necessity of fighting him by the death of\nTruffaldino.\n\nNight however separates the two combatants, Rinaldo returning to\nMarphisa's camp, and Orlando to the citadel of Albracca.\n\nHere Orlando is received with all love and honour by Angelica; who\nis, however, sighing in her heart for Rinaldo, and, with this\nview, declares she will attend the duel which was to be renewed on\nthe morrow, and sends Sacripant, delighted with the task, to\ndemand a safe-conduct for her from Marphisa. Previously however to\nOrlando's taking the field, she demands of him a boon; swearing\nshe will make him lord of her person, if he will promise to\nundertake an adventure upon her bidding; and avails herself of\nthis promise, the next day, when the strife is at its hottest;\ntelling Orlando that enough has been done for honour, and\nentreating him now to depart upon the promised quest; which was no\nother than the destruction of Falerina's garden in the kingdom of\nOrgagna.\n\nThe combatants being separated, and Orlando departed, Angelica\nseeks to communicate with Rinaldo, but in vain; and returns\ndisconsolate to Albracca, from whence she sends a damsel to\nRinaldo with Bayardo, whom Orlando had dispatched to that fortress\non receiving Brigliadoro from Brandimart; but Rinaldo remains\nunmoved by these various acts of kindness.\n\nThe scene is now again changed, and Orlando, whom Angelica had\ndispatched upon what she conceived a fatal enterprise, pursues his\nway towards Orgagna.\n\nHe arrives at a bridge, on which is seen a cavalier, armed at all\npoints, and mounted, as if for its defence. Near this was seen a\nbeautiful damsel, suspended by her hair to a pine, and weeping\nbitterly. Orlando immediately moves to her relief; but is exhorted\nby the armed cavalier to leave her to a fate, which she had well\ndeserved by her wickedness. In proof of which he proceeds to\nrelate her adventures.\n\n\"My name,\" pursued the knight, \"is Uldano, and hers Origilla. We\nwere both born in the city of Bactria, and I, from earliest\ninfancy, conceived a passion for her, which grew with my growth,\nand derived strength even from her fickleness. Another youth, of\nthe name of Lucrino, loved her equally with myself; and both were\nso well kept in play by her artifices, that each believed himself\nto be favoured.\n\n\"Being at length impatient of longer delay, I threw myself at her\nfeet, and entreated her to take compassion on my torments. She\nappeared to meet my passion half-way; but told me, there was but\none mode in which I could gratify my desires without the sacrifice\nof her honour, and suggested the following stratagem as the means.\n\n\"'You know,' said the damsel, 'that my brother, Corbino, though\nscarcely arrived at manhood, was slain by Oringo in combat, a man\ngrown, and trained to arms. To avenge this treason, my father has\noffered a large reward to him who shall take the murderer, and\nwould soon find one who would undertake to execute his revenge.\nYou shall bear the cognizance of Oringo, shall suffer yourself to\nbe taken, and thus procure admission into my father's house. Here\nyou shall receive the reward of your constancy, and I will\nafterwards effect your deliverance.'\n\n\"I, senseless as I was, gave into the snare, and had scarce\ndeparted, in order to assume the device and arms she suggested,\nwhen the traitress called to her my rival, Lucrino, and told him,\nthat now was the time to win her by the death or capture of the\nmurderer of her brother; for she knew his motions, and where he\nwas to be found, indicating to him the place whither she had sent\nme with his borrowed ensigns.\n\n\"To complete her purpose more effectually, she furnished him also\nwith the ensigns of a third lover, named Ariantes, to whom her\nfather had promised her in marriage, on condition of his avenging\nhim on Oringo.\n\n\"In the mean time, this Ariantes met and attacked me, taking me by\nmy cognizance for Oringo, and I yielded myself a prisoner, after\nlittle resistance, in the hope of the reward promised by Origilla.\n\n\"Lucrino, who was, this while, dispatched by her in pursuit of me,\nfell in with the real Oringo, and both were desperately wounded in\nthe combat which ensued. Lucrino had, however, strength enough\nleft to master his opposite, and was bringing him away prisoner,\nwhen he was met by the father of Origilla, who at first judged him\nto be Ariantes; but when undeceived on a nearer approach, offered\nhim his daughter in marriage, whom he had previously promised to\nAriantes on the same conditions, provided he would deliver up his\nprisoner.\n\n\"The offer was scarcely accepted, when Ariantes arrived, bringing\nin me, disguised in the arms of Oringo; and the whole stratagem\nwas now apparent.\n\n\"The clearing up this led to new contests: for Ariantes complained\nof Lucrino's having taken his bearings; and Oringo thought himself\nwronged in that his had been usurped by me.\n\n\"Now, to wear the ensigns of another is death by our law, unless\nthe penalty be remitted by him who has been offended; and the\ncause being brought before the king, we were all condemned;\nOringo, for having slain (as before told) Corbino, who was a youth\nscarcely capable of defending himself; Ariantes, for having\nbargained away the life of another; and Lucrino and myself, for\nhaving usurped arms and ensigns, which we were not entitled to\nwear.\n\n\"Origilla was condemned to a yet heavier punishment; to wit, to be\nhanged up by the hair till she was dead; while we, in the\nexpectation of our sentence, were to assist in the execution of\nhers; and to keep watch and ward over her, as she wavered in the\nwind. My lot (for we drew lots to determine the order of our\nguard) happened to be the first, and I have already slain seven\nknights, that would have relieved her; whose arms and bearings may\nbe seen fastened to the tree.\"\n\nThe knight had scarcely ended, when the wretched woman gave the\nlie to his assertions, and denounced him as having slain those he\nmentioned by treachery, hoping by the show of these trophies to\nterrify others from attempting to defend her.\n\nOrlando believes the lady, and defies and unhorses Uldano. He is\nno sooner conquered, than a horn sounds, which a dwarf winds from\na tower's top; when another knight takes up the conqueror; and the\nfour concerned are all successively encountered, and dismounted,\nby Orlando, who now cuts down the damsel, and departs with her\nseated on his horse's croup.\n\nThus riding together, and beguiling the way with talk, they\ndescried, in the middle of a meadow, a huge rock of marble cut\ninto steps, and bearing an inscription in letters of gold; when\nthe damsel informs him they are near a notable wonder, which well\ndeserves his examination; since, if he will take the pains of\nclimbing this pile, which is hollow within, he may from the top\ndescry Hell and Paradise, opened to the sight below. Orlando\nbelieves the tale, and ascends the steps, when Origilla having\npossessed herself of Brigliadoro, laughs at him for his folly and\ndeparts.\n\nOrlando, now examining the inscription, finds it imports nothing\nmore than that this was the tomb of Ninus, the founder of Nineveh.\nLittle satisfied with the discovery, and cursing the damsel from\nthe bottom of his soul, he departs on foot, in order to prosecute\nhis adventure.\n\nBut here the author closes his first book, with the promise of\ntreating of higher and worthier matters in his second.\n\n\nTHE ORLANDO INNAMORATO.\nBOOK II.\nARGUMENT.\n\nAgramant, king of Africa, assembles his council for advice\nrespecting an intended invasion of France, and is exhorted to seek\nout Rogero, as necessary to the success of his enterprise.\nRinaldo, with Astolpho, Iroldo and Prasildo, leaves the camp\nbefore Albracca, in search of Orlando, with whom he is impatient\nto terminate his quarrel. On his way, he falls in with a damsel,\nin whose behalf he combats with an enchanted man, who plunges with\nhim into a lake, in which they both disappear. Agramant, in the\nmeantime, is unable to find Rogero, and Rodomont of Sarza, one of\nhis vassal kings, determines to undertake the expedition alone.\nOrlando, who had been dispatched by Angelica on a perilous quest,\nachieves this and other adventures. She is in the meantime robbed\nof her magic ring by Brunello, who steals his horse from\nSacripant, and her sword from Marphisa. Rodomont, who threatened\nto invade France alone, embarks for that country in a storm, and\nmakes good his descent. Orlando now falls in with the enchanted\nman, who had regained the shore after leaving Rinaldo below the\nwaves, and a long combat ensues between them on land and under\nwater. Orlando at length vanquishes him, and makes the conquest of\nMorgana's garden, of which he was the champion. From this Orlando\ndelivers all her prisoners, except Ziliantes, son of Monodontes,\nher minion; and more especially Rinaldo, to whom he is reconciled.\nThe Christian knights delivered, excepting Orlando, depart to the\nsuccour of Charlemagne; but Rinaldo, with his friends, soon falls\ninto a new snare. Orlando, accompanied by Brandimart, returns\ntowards Angelica, in Albracca; but, by the way, encounters\nBrunello, pursued by Marphisa, and is himself plundered by the\nfugitive of his sabre and his horn. He is afterwards entrapped by\nthe same spell as the others, and carried prisoner to Damogir, in\nthe empire of Monodontes. This adventure leads to the discovery,\nthat Brandimart is the eldest son of Monodontes; for whom his\nyounger son, Ziliantes, is also recovered by Orlando, who a second\ntime makes himself master of Morgana. Rinaldo, Astolpho, and the\nrest, again delivered from prison by him, pursue their way to\nFrance; but Astolpho is seduced from his companions by the devices\nof Alcina. Rinaldo and Rodomont meet in battle in France; but are\nseparated. The invasion of this country is to be attempted by a\nyet more formidable force than that of Rodomont; for Agramant,\nhaving received from Brunello the booty he had made, discovers, by\nhelp of the magic ring, the abode of Rogero, and allures him into\nhis service. Orlando, with Angelica, whose covert object is the\npursuit of Rinaldo, takes his way to France: she, drinking,\nhowever, of the fountain of Disdain, while Rinaldo now drinks of\nthe fountain of Love in the forest of Arden, the two exchange\npassions; he becomes her lover, and she now mortally detests\n_him_, who is involved by his present pursuit of her in a\ndesperate duel with Orlando. Charlemagne, to end the strife, gives\nAngelica in charge to Namus, duke of Bavaria. Agramant having this\nwhile landed in France, pursues the war with various success. The\nmain actions are, as in the first book, diversified with a great\nvariety of episodes.\n\n\nBOOK II.\n\nThe theme, announced as I before stated, begins with the\nthreatened invasion of France; to consult on which, Agramant calls\na council of his tributary kings. Here Sobrino strongly opposes\nthe measure; but finding his opposition useless, observes that the\nonly thing which can render it effectual, will be to get\npossession of Rogero, a youth who is the cousin of Agramant by the\nmother's side, and now detained a prisoner by the African,\nAtlantes, on the mountain of Carena. This advice is better\nlistened to than the former, and the council breaks up after it\nhas been adopted, and the king has commanded a search to be\nprosecuted for him, on whose presence so much appears to depend.\n\nThe scene now again shifts to Albracca, from before the walls of\nwhich, still besieged by Marphisa, Rinaldo departs in pursuit of\nhis new enemy, Orlando, accompanied by Astolpho, Iroldo, and\nPrasildo.\n\nAstolpho was at the head of this party when they fell in with a\nweeping damsel, who, being questioned as to her cause of sorrow,\nrelated that, on lately crossing a neighbouring bridge, a wretch\nhad issued from a tower which commanded it, and seized upon her\nsister that accompanied her, whom he made prisoner, and whipt\nbitterly; having first stript her, and tied her naked to a\ncypress. Astolpho immediately places the weeping sister behind him\non his horse, and all proceed together to effect the deliverance\nof the damsel.\n\nThe damsel, bridge, tower, and scourging warder are soon descried.\nIroldo and Prasildo first encounter the oppressor, but are\nsuccessively defeated; and the ruffian casts their bodies into a\nlake, into which the river, bestrid by the bridge, disembogues\nitself. Rinaldo now attacks him with as little success, and is\nbeat down with an iron mace; but when the conqueror attempts to\ndispose of him like the others, he makes such violent efforts to\nfree himself, that the savage, being unable to throw him, springs\nwith him into the lake; where they both disappear.\n\nAstolpho remains a long time in affliction upon the banks, but is\nat last persuaded by the two damsels (for one sister had in the\nmeantime freed the other) to depart.\n\nHe accordingly mounts Bayardo, gives Rabican to one of the\ndamsels, and one of the Babylonian knights' horses to the other;\nand they both, thus mounted, go forth under his guidance.\n\nAt this time, Brandimart (who, it may be remembered, was in\nAlbracca) hearing of Orlando's departure, determines to pursue\nhim.\n\nThe same resolution is taken by Gryphon and Aquilant; and these,\narriving at the shore, find a castle situated upon the beach, with\nan open gallery towards the sea. In this, damsels are dancing; and\nthe brothers are informed by two maids, who are passing with hawks\nupon their fists, that it is their usage to detain every\npassenger; who is obliged to join in their dance, and to pass a\nnight under their roof.\n\nThe brothers consent to submit to this joyous usage, but have soon\nreason to repent their complaisance. They soon see a damsel\napproaching upon Brigliadoro, which she had stolen from Orlando,\nas was told in the former book, and who, being interrogated as to\nthe manner in which she had become mistress of him, said that he\nwas the horse of a knight (describing his ensigns as those of\nOrlando) whom she had found dead upon a plain, with the body of a\ngiant by his side.\n\nThe two brothers are much distressed by this falsehood, which\nleaves them little inclination to enjoy the festivities of the\ncastle, in which they had been compelled to join.\n\nTo add to their misfortune, they are surprised the ensuing night\nin their beds; and, having been detained for some days in chains,\nare, together with the damsel, who had also arrived mounted on\nBrigliadoro, led forth for execution. As they are however\nconducting to the place of punishment, a stranger knight is seen\napproaching; but here the author breaks off, and carries his\nreaders back to the war before Albracca.\n\nMarphisa had now encountered and worsted every one of the\ndefenders of Angelica, in an attack which they made upon her camp,\nwhen she was assailed by Sacripant, who had hitherto been confined\nto the fortress from the effects of a former wound.\n\nA desperate combat ensues, in which the Circassian is much\nassisted by the speed and docility of his horse Frontilatte. In\nthe heat of this a courier brings him news of the invasion of his\nkingdom by Mandricardo, the son of Agrican. As he and Marphisa,\nhowever, cannot agree upon the conditions of a truce, this\noccasions but a short interruption of the duel; which is at last\nonly broken off by the author, that he may give some account of\nthe search made for Rogero, in consequence of what was determined\nat the council of Agramant.\n\nThe emissary of the king returns, reporting the inutility of his\njourney, made through the mountain of Carena, and Rodomont,\nenraged at the delay, sets out with his own forces for the\ninvasion of France. In the mean time Agramant is assured that\nRogero is upon Mount Carena; though the garden, where he is\nconfined, is invisible; and that the possession of Angelica's ring\nwould enable him to succeed in his enterprise.\n\nAgramant now promises a kingdom to whoever shall obtain for him\nthis prize, and the theft is confidently promised by a dwarf, who\nis entitled Brunello.\n\nThis while, Orlando, robbed by the damsel of Brigliadoro, was\nplodding upon his way a-foot: when he one day fell in with an\nescort of armed men, leading two knights as prisoners, whom he\nimmediately recognized for Gryphon and Aquilant, and the damsel\nwho had carried off his courser.\n\nThe escort was, it seems, carrying off these to be devoured by the\nserpent of the garden of Orgagna; but Orlando immediately routs\nthe guard, and sets the prisoners at liberty.\n\nHe has scarcely looked the damsel in the face, when he forgets the\nwrongs he has received; and Gryphon, who had exchanged hearts with\nher, almost at sight, is yet more fascinated by her graces.\nOrlando observing this, under some pretence sends the two brothers\naway, that he may keep her to himself; and sitting down by her on\nthe grass, begins to woo her with such courtesy as he can.\n\nWhile he is thus engaged, another damsel approaches on a white\npalfrey, who warns Orlando of impending danger, and informs him he\nis close to the garden of Orgagna. Orlando is delighted at the\nintelligence, and entreats her to inform him how he is to procure\nadmittance.\n\nShe promises him full instructions; and, as the first of these,\ntells him he must keep himself chaste for three days, previous to\nattempting the adventure, if he would preserve himself from being\ndevoured by the dragon, who guards the gate. She then says she\nwill give him a book, in which he will find painted the garden and\nall it contains, together with the palace of the false\nenchantress, which she had only entered the day before, for the\npurpose of executing a magic work in which she was engaged.\n\nThis, which was the manufacture of a sword, capable of cutting\nthrough even enchanted substances, she only pursued on moonless\nnights. The object of this labour was the destruction of a knight\nof the west, hight Orlando; who, she had read in the book of Fate,\nwas destined to demolish her garden. To this, the damsel adds,\nthat the garden can only be entered at sunrise; and, having\npresented him with a book of instructions, departs.\n\nOrlando, who finds he must delay his enterprize till the next\nmorning, now lies down, and is soon asleep. In the mean time,\nOrigilla, who was still with him, meditated her escape, in order\nto rejoin Gryphon; and yielding to the impulse of her evil nature,\nwas about to slay Orlando with his own sword, which she had drawn\nfor the purpose. Afraid, however, to execute her design, she\nmounts Brigliadoro, and gallops off, carrying away Durindana.\n\nOrlando wakes, in such indignation as may be supposed, on the\ndiscovery of the theft; but, like a good knight and true, is not\nto be diverted from his enterprise. He tears off a huge branch of\nelm to supply the place of his sword, and, the sun rising, takes\nhis way towards the eastern gate, where the dragon was on his\nwatch.\n\nThis he slays by repeated blows upon the spine; but finds that the\nwall of the enchanted garden, which he had entered, was closed\nupon him. Looking round him, he saw a fair fountain of water,\nwhich overflowed into a river, and in the centre of the fountain\nwas a figure, on whose forehead was written,\n\n        \"The stream which waters violet and rose,\n        \"From hence to the enchanted palace flows.\"\n\nFollowing the banks of this flowery stream, and rapt in the\ndelights of the delicious garden, Orlando arrives at the palace,\nand entering it, finds the mistress, clad in white, and with a\ncrown of gold upon her head, in the act of viewing herself in the\nsurface of the fatal sword. He surprises her before she can\nescape, deprives her of the weapon, and holding her fast by her\nlong hair, which floated behind, threatens her with immediate\ndeath if she does not instruct him in the means of retreat.\n\nFalerina, however, was firm of purpose, and refused. Hence\nOrlando, being unable to move her either by threats or kindness,\nwas under the necessity of binding her to a beech. Having thus\nsecured his prisoner, he renewed his questions, but she still\nrefused to point out the gate of the garden.\n\nHe now bethinks him of his book, and consulting it, finds there is\nan entrance to the south but that it is watched by a bull, with\none horn of iron, and another of flame.\n\nMoreover, before arriving at this, there is another impediment: a\nlake is to be passed, pregnant with new danger; but to provide\nagainst this, he is instructed by his book. According to its\ndirections,\n\n        *        *        *        *\n        *        *        *        *\n        He, still his path pursuing, gathers posies\n        Of flowers, which every where about him spring.\n        And filling well his casque and ears with roses,\n        Lists if he hears the birds in green-wood sing:\n        He sees the gaping beak, the swelling throat,\n        And ruffled plumes, but cannot catch a note.\n\nHaving thus proved the force of his defence, he proceeds towards\nthe lake, which was small but deep; and so clear and tranquil,\nthat the eye could penetrate to the bottom.\n\nHe is no sooner arrived upon the banks, than the waters are seen\nto gurgle; and a syren, rising midway out of the pool, sings so\nsweetly, that birds and beasts troop to the water-side, attracted\nby her song. Of this the count hears nothing; but feigning to\nyield to the charm, sinks down beside the water; from which the\nsyren issues with the intent to accomplish his destruction.\nOrlando, however, seizes her by the hair, and, while singing yet\nlouder (song being her only defence), cuts off her head, and (so\ninstructed by the book) stains himself all over with her blood.\n\nHaving done this as a protection against the horns of the bull,\nand taken the roses from his helmet and ears, he proceeds towards\nthe southern gate.\n\nHere he is encountered by the bull, whose horn of iron he severs\nat a stroke. His horn of flame was however yet left, and by this\nOrlando, but for the virtue of the syren's blood, would have been\nconsumed. Guarded by this, he pursues his advantage, and at last\nslaughters his enemy. The bull is, however, no sooner slain, than\nthe gate, of which he is the guardian, disappears, the wall\ncloses, and Orlando again finds himself a prisoner, without the\nmeans of escape.\n\nAgain resorting to his book, he finds that another river, running\nwestward, leads to a gate formed of jewels, which is kept by an\nenchanted ass.\n\nTaking his course towards this, he arrives at a tree of surprising\nheight, and again consulting his book, razes off his crest, and\nmakes a penthouse of his shield for the protection of his sight.\nCovering himself with it, he advances with his eyes fixed upon the\nground, towards the miraculous tree.\n\nOn approaching it, a harpy with a beautiful female head, and\ncrowned with strangely coloured plumes, flutters out from the\nbranches, and hovering above the count, squirts her ordure at his\nhead. This is fortunately protected by his shield, on which it\nhisses like boiling oil. Orlando, distracted by the yells of the\nharpy, is often tempted to raise his eyes: he however perseveres\nin keeping them fixed to the ground till he is near the tree, when\nhe falls, as if blinded by the burning liquor. The bird now swoops\nto the ground, and having darted her talons into his breast-plate,\nattempts to drag him towards the trunk. The count sees his time is\ncome, and dispatches her with a back-handed stroke of his sword.\n\nThe harpy demolished, he re-adjusted his crest, the gift of\nAngelica, braced his shield anew, and took his way towards the\nwestern gate. Nothing was ever seen more beautiful than this, with\nrespect to the materials, or the workmanship. Nor was the animal\nwho kept it less extraordinary; being an ass, armed with scales of\ngold, and ears of such length and strength, as to be able to\nseize, and drag to himself by the aid of them, whatever was within\nhis reach; his tail cut like a trenchant sword, and his bray made\nthe forest tremble.\n\nThough his golden scales had resisted all other weapons, they were\nnot impenetrable by Orlando's steel, and he smote off his head at\na blow.\n\nA strange wonder followed; the earth swallowed the carcase of the\nass, this gate too disappeared, and the walls again closed upon\nOrlando.\n\nHe is now directed by his instructions to a a northern entrance,\nand, strong in patience, proceeds in this direction. On his way\nthither he sees a table spread in the wilderness. He is tempted by\nthe viands; but recurring to the book, is informed of his danger,\nand refrains.\n\nFrom this he learns that a faun lay conceale amongst the\nneighbouring thorns and roses, provided with a chain, with which\nshe snared whoever tasted of the banquet. She fled from Orlando on\nhis approaching her haunt, dragging after her a serpent's tail,\ntill then concealed, which was as loathsome as her face was\nlovely. Being overtaken, she made no defence and was slaughtered\nat a blow.\n\nThe count now arrives at the northern gate, which he finds guarded\nby a giant. Orlando had so often been engaged with enemies of this\ndescription, that he thought little of the combat in which he was\ngoing to engage. In effect, his expectations were in part\njustified, as he slew his adversary. This was, however, but the\nbeginning of his labour; for, from the blood of the slaughtered\nenemy sprang a fire, and from this issued two other giants yet\nfiercer than the first. Orlando sees that to spill the blood of\nthese, would be but to multiply his foes, and accordingly,\nchanging his mode of proceeding, grapples with one of the two in\nthe hopes of squeezing him to death. He is, however, still\ninterrupted by the other, before he can accomplish his purpose;\nand at last sees the necessity of separating them.\n\nTo effect this, he feigns to fly, but the giants, instead of\npursuing, return to keep guard over the enchanted gate. If,\nhowever, Orlando was disappointed in his hope of dividing them,\nhis stratagem was productive of another advantage. He saw the\nchain lying on the ground, which was spread for his destruction by\nthe faun. Returning with this, he nooses the giants and then again\nrecurs to the book for his future proceedings.\n\nThis informs him, that the total destruction of the garden (the\ntask imposed by Angelica) can only be accomplished by tearing off\na certain branch of a lofty tree, in which was involved the\ndestiny of this fairy creation.\n\nAccording to the rules which he received, he returned through a\nspacious valley towards the palace, passing Falerina, whom he had\nleft fastened to the beech. He soon descries the fatal tree, which\nis of an immeasurable height: while the stem, even at the bottom,\nis no more than a palm in girt.\n\n        No thicker; but from this close branch and spray\n        Bristled, whence foliage green and narrow grew.\n        The leaves which died and sprouted every day,\n        Conceal'd within sharp pointed thorns from view:\n        Apples of gold the loaded twigs display;\n        Apples in form, but burnish'd gold in hue.\n        Suspended from small stalks, so slight in show.\n        The man had periled life who walked below.\n\nTo obviate this danger (and we are afterwards told that the fruit\nwas as large as the human head), Orlando forms a sort of grating\nof boughs of trees, and, under cover of this, proceeds towards the\ntree, amidst a shower of the golden apples, which fall, loosened\nby the vibration of the soil beneath his feet. Having reached it,\nhe severs the trunk close to the root, and every thing is\ninstantly involved in darkness.\n\nThe cloud at length clears away, and the sun shines forth upon a\nwild landscape; where no vestige is to be seen of the garden, or\ntrace of the adventure, except in the appearance of the fairy\nFalerina, who remains in the middle of the wilderness, fastened to\nthe beech.\n\nHer tone is now changed, and she entreats Orlando's mercy,\nassuring him that many lives depend upon the preservation of hers.\nShe explains herself by saying, that she had constructed the\ngarden and a neighbouring snare in a bridge over a torrent, in\norder to be revenged on a knight called Ariantes, and an infamous\nwoman of the name of Origilla, who, though many had fallen into\nher toils, had both hitherto escaped.\n\n\"Many,\" pursues the fairy, \"were entrapped in my garden, and yet\nmore at the bridge; and here it was that I took a certain\nenchantress, daughter of king Galaphron, who by some secret means\nescaped, and effected the deliverance of her fellow prisoners.\nMany more, however, have been taken since, and all these will\nperish, if you are resolved on my destruction.\" Orlando\nimmediately promised her life, upon her pledging herself for the\ndeliverance of the captives.\n\nWith this view they proceed together, towards the bridge; but the\nauthor snaps this thread, to take up that of the story of\nAlbracca.\n\nHere Sacripant and Marphisa were left engaged in a single combat,\nwhich was still continued with mutual animosity; while Angelica,\nsurrounded by a group of warriors, sate contemplating the fight\nfrom the ramparts of the citadel. While the attention of all was\nthus engaged, Brunello, who (it will be remembered) had undertaken\nto steal Angelica's ring, arrived beneath the walls of Albracca,\nscaled the rock and walls of the fortress, while the crowd was\nwatching the duel, and disputing on its probable result,\napproached the princess unobserved, and, slipping the ring from\nher finger, escaped amid the confusion which followed.\n\nHaving descended safely to the ground, and swam a water by which\nthe citadel was surrounded, the dwarf perceived that the two\ncombatants had separated for an interval of repose, and\nimmediately meditated a new exercise of his art. With this view,\nhe approached Sacripant, who, absorbed in an amorous reverie, sate\napart, upon his courser, and having first loosened the girths, and\nsupported the saddle by a piece of wood, withdrew the horse from\nunder him.*\n\n* The reader will recollect the imitation of this absurd incident\nin \"Don Quixote,\" whose squire's ass, Dapple, is stolen in a\nsimilar manner.\n\nMarphisa, who was at a little distance, witnessed this with\nwonder, and, before she recovered from her astonishment, was\nherself plundered of her sword. Marphisa is no sooner aware of the\ntheft, than she pursues the robber; but he, mounted upon\nFrontilatte, his new acquisition, soon distances the pursuer.\n\nWhile Angelica, who felt her misfortune yet more than the others,\nis in despair at the loss of her treasure, an alarm is given by\nthe warder, who reports the arrival of a new army before Albracca.\nThis was a Turkish force, led by Caramano, brother of Torindo, one\nof the princes who had been seized and imprisoned by Truffaldino,\nand who, having refused to enter into the engagement to which the\nothers agreed, on his delivering them from durance, now brought\nthis brother against Albracca.\n\nAngelica's last hopes of deliverance rest upon Gradasso; who, it\nseems, was her relation, and who was meditating anew the invasion\nof France. Hence Sacripant undertakes a secret embassy to this\nprince, with the view of soliciting his succour.\n\nRodomont, this while, who was too impatient to wait for\n_Agramant's_ attack upon Charlemagne, had already sailed for\nFrance. A tremendous storm wrecked his fleet upon the coast of\nthat kingdom; but he, landing with such force as the tempest had\nleft him, made good his footing, and routed the Christians in more\nengagements than one: though the balance at last turned in their\nfavour.\n\nPrevious, however, to this, Gano, or Ganelon, (as he is sometimes\ncalled) enters into a traitorous correspondence with Marsilius,\nwhom he invites into France.\n\nWhile great events are preparing in this quarter, the author\nresumes the story of Orlando, who was journeying with Falerina\ntowards the bridge, where so many prisoners were entrapped. On\ntheir way thither, however, they arrived at a yet more perilous\npass: this was the bridge, and lake into which the felon warrior\nleaped with Rinaldo in his arms. Falerina, enchantress as she was,\nturned pale at the sight of this place, and cursed the hour in\nwhich they had taken the road which conducted them thither;\ninforming Orlando that they were approaching a snare, laid by\nMorgana; who plotted revenge against a knight who had destroyed\nmany of her spells, and set at nought her riches and her power.\n\nFor this purpose she had formed the lake; and selected, as a\ndefender of the pass, a man named Arridano, a churl of the most\nferocious and pitiless character she could find. Him she had\nclothed in invulnerable arms, and charmed in such a manner, that\nhis strength always increased in a six-fold proportion to that of\nthe adversary with whom he was matched. Hence, no one had hitherto\nescaped from the contest; since, such was his strength and power\nof endurance, that he could breathe freely under water. Hence,\nhaving grappled with a knight, and sunk with him to the bottom of\nthe lake, he returned, bearing his arms in triumph to the top.\n\nWhile Falerina is explaining the danger of the enterprise, Orlando\nsees Rinaldo's arms, erected in form of a trophy, amongst other\nspoils made by the villain; and forgetting their late quarrel,\ndetermines upon revenging his friend. A desperate contest ensues\nbetween the churl and the knight, during which Falerina flies. The\ncombatants (as in the case of Rinaldo) both grapple, and sink\ntogether in the water. Arrived at the bottom, Orlando finds\nhimself in another world, upon a dry meadow, with the lake\noverhead, through which shone the beams of our sun; the meadow\nbeing on all sides surrounded by a crystal wall. Here the battle\nwas renewed, and in this Orlando had an advantage, which none had\nhitherto possessed. Besides that he was himself invulnerable, he\nwas now in possession of the sword, tempered by Falerina, against\nwhich no spells could avail. Thus armed, and countervailing the\nstrength of his adversary by his superior skill and activity, he\nhad the good fortune to lay him dead upon the field.\n\nOrlando having slain his foe, discovers a gate in the crystal\nwall; and having passed through a dark labyrinth, comes at last\nwhere it is lighted by a carbuncle, whose lustre was equal to that\nof day. This discovered to his view a river little less than\ntwenty-yards over, and beyond this was seen a field as thickly\ncovered with precious stones as the sky is full of stars.\n\nOver this was thrown a bridge, only half a palm wide, and at each\nend was stationed an iron figure with a mace. Orlando no sooner\nattempted to pass this, than the figures smote upon it, and it was\ninstantly engulphed in the stream. Orlando however, being resolved\nto accomplish the adventure or perish in the attempt, leapt the\nriver and arrived in the field, which contained the treasures of\nthe fairy.\n\nWhen he had arrived at the other extremity of this, he entered a\nbuilding, where he beheld the likeness of a king, surrounded by\nhis peers, and encompassed by all the pomp and magnificence of\nroyalty. The monarch appeared to be seated at a banquet, with a\nnaked sword suspended over his head, and on the table before him\nwas a live coal, supported on a golden lily, which gave light to\nthe apartment. On his left stood a figure with a bended bow in\nguise of one who waits the crossing of the stag; and on the right,\nthe form of one, who, from his likeness to the king, appeared to\nbe his brother, and who bore in one hand a writing illustrative of\nthe vanity of his worldly pursuits.\n\nThe troubled countenance of the king seemed to bear witness to the\ntruth of the inscription; and Orlando, having satisfied his\ncuriosity, departed through the door opposite to that by which he\nhad entered. He was however no sooner out of the apartment, than\nall was darkness.\n\nAfter wandering for some time at random, he bethought himself of\nthe coal, which was burning before the king, and returned in order\nto take it. He had however no sooner laid his hand upon this, than\nthe archer let fly his arrow, which extinguished it, and night\nfollowed. This was rendered terrible by an earthquake, which shook\nthe world to its centre. The earthquake at last ceased, the light\nrekindled of itself, and all was as before. Again Orlando issued\nthrough the dark passage, again was compelled to return in search\nof the coal, and again witnessed the same effect.\n\nA third attempt was more successful: he intercepted the arrow with\nhis shield, and carried off the light in safety. Using this as a\nlamp, Orlando arrived where the way divided; and turning to the\nleft, instead of the right (which would have conducted him out of\nthe building) took the road which led to the dungeons of Morgana.\nHere were imprisoned Rinaldo, Dudon, Brandimart, and others who\nhad fallen into the power of Morgana; but the count did not\nimmediately arrive at their place of confinement. Still guiding\nhimself by his light, he came to a cleft in the rock, through\nwhich he passed into a flowery meadow, planted with trees covered\nwith fruit and flowers, and full of all imaginable delights.\n\nIn the middle of this was a fountain, and fast by it lay Morgana\nasleep; a lady of a lovely aspect, dressed in white and vermilion\ngarments; her forehead well furnished with hair, but with scarcely\nany behind.\n\nWhile Orlando stood in silence, contemplating her beauty, he heard\na voice exclaim, \"Seize the fairy by the forelock if thou hopest\nfair success;\" Orlando turning, and advancing in the direction\nfrom which the voice came, discovered a prison of crystal in which\nhe beheld the captives of Morgana.\n\nAt the sight of these, he raised his sabre to smite the wall; but\nwas advertised by a female prisoner that all attempts to release\nthem would only be productive of new misery to those he sought to\nbenefit, unless he could take Morgana herself, and force from her\nthe keys of their prison-house.\n\nThus admonished, he returned towards the fountain. But the fairy,\nwho was awake and risen, was now dancing round its border with the\nlightness of a leaf, and timing her steps to the following song:\n\n        \"Who in this world would wealth and treasure share,\n        \"Honour, delight, and state, and what is best,\n        \"Quick let him catch me by the lock of hair\n        \"Which flutters from my forehead, and be blest;\n        \"But let him not the proffered good forbear,\n        \"Nor, till he seize the fleeting blessing, rest.\n        \"For present loss is sought in vain to-morrow,\n        \"And the deluded wretch is left in sorrow.\"\n\nThe fairy, however, no sooner set eyes on the count, than she\nbounded off, and fled from the flowery meadow over a high and\ninhospitable mountain. Orlando pursued her through thorns and\nrocks, though the sky, on her gaining this dreary scene, became\novercast, and he was assailed by tempest, lightning and hail.\n\nWhile Orlando thus pursues, enveloped in storm, a pale and meagre\nwoman issues from a cave, armed with a whip, and treading close\nupon the pursuer, scourges him, till his skin is raised in\nfurrows. She informs him, while she inflicts this discipline, that\nshe is Penitence, and sent to punish him for having neglected to\nseize Morgana, when he found her sleeping by the fountain.\nOrlando, determined to resist this chastisement, turns upon his\ntormentor; but might as well seek to wound the wind. Convinced at\nlast of the shadowy nature of his persecutor, and observing that\nMorgana gained upon him, while he was thus hopelessly engaged, he\ndetermines to pursue the fairy without being diverted by the\nmolestation of Penitence.\n\nChasing Morgana, then, over rock and hill, he made sundry snatches\nat her white and vermilion garments, which still eluded his grasp.\nOn the fairy, however, turning her head for an instant, he\nprofited by the chance, and seized her by the forelock. In an\ninstant the tempest ceased, the sky became serene, and Penitence\nretreated into her cave.\n\nOrlando now demanded of Morgana the keys of her dungeon; and the\nfairy, feigning a complacent aspect, told him that these were at\nhis disposal; entreating him, though he should free all her other\nprisoners, to leave her a youthful son of Monodontes, who was her\ndarling. Orlando consented to this, and the fairy delivered up a\nkey of silver, bidding him be cautious in the use of it; since, to\nbreak the lock, would be to involve himself and all, in inevitable\ndestruction; a caution which gave the count room for long\nmeditation, and led him to consider\n\n        How few amid the suitors, who importune\n        The dame, know how to guide the keys of Fortune.\n\nKeeping the fairy still fast by the forelock, Orlando proceeded\ntowards the prison, turned the key without occasioning the\nmischief apprehended, and delivered the prisoners.\n\nAmongst these were Brandimart, Rinaldo, and all the knights,\nbaptized or infidel, who had been taken at the bridge. The only\nunhappy person amid this joyous band was Ziliantes, the minion of\nMorgana. This youth remained behind weeping; and time will come,\nsays the author, when Orlando will repent of having yielded to the\nentreaties of the fairy.\n\nThe others, now delivered from their captivity, together with\nOrlando, ascending a lofty stair issued into the field of\ntreasure, where was to be seen the king and his court, all\ncomposed of the richest materials in the world. Rinaldo, on\nfinding himself amid this mass of wealth, could not resist the\ntemptation of seizing a gold seat that stood in his way, which, he\nobserved, would feed his hungry garrison of Mont Albano. This he\nwas bearing off, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Orlando,\nwhen a violent wind blew him back as often as he approached the\ngate, by which they were retiring. Rinaldo at length yielded to\nnecessity, rather than to the entreaties of his comrades, and cast\naway his prize. All now climbing another immeasurable stair,\nascended into the upper world, and found themselves in the field\ndecorated with their arms.\n\nHere each knight resumed his own; and all except the paladins and\ntheir friends, separated, as their inclinations or duty prompted.\nIt was now that Dudon informed the cousins that he had been made\nprisoner by Morgana, when in the discharge of an embassy to them\nfrom Charlemagne, who called upon them to return to the defence of\nChristendom. Orlando is too much fascinated by Angelica, to obey\nthis summons; and, followed by the faithful Brandimart, returns\ntowards Albracca. Rinaldo, accompanied by Dudon, Iroldo and\nPrasildo, takes his way towards the west.\n\nThese, though unprovided with horses, (for their coursers were\nlost at the bridge,) went laughing and talking on their way. Their\njourney was without adventures till the sixth day, when they heard\na horn sound from a neighbouring castle. From this they were\ndivided by a river, and near the opposite bank was a small bark,\nwith a damsel in the stern, who proffered them a passage.\n\nArrived on the other shore, she tells them they must account for\nthis with the warder, who was then approaching. This was an old\nman mounted on a heavy steed, and surrounded by a numerous escort.\nHe informs the knights, that they are upon the territory of the\nking Monodontes, from which they will not be suffered to depart,\nbefore they have rendered him a day's service. This was to avenge\nhim of a certain enemy named Balisardo, at once a giant and\nenchanter, who kept a bridge, flanked with towers, near the mouth\nof the river which they had crossed, and who had put many scorns\nupon that monarch and those who travelled to his realm.\n\nNothing more agreeable could have been proposed to the warriors,\nand they reimbark in the damsel's skiff for the purpose of seeking\nthe necromancer.\n\nThe event of the combat was, however, very different from what\nthey had anticipated. Encountering the giant singly, they all\nbecame the victims of his enchantments, and were cast into his\ndungeons, already peopled with illustrious knights, amongst whom\nwas Astolpho of England.\n\nThis prince, in company with the two damsels before mentioned, had\ngone about the world, with Bayardo and Rabican, weeping the loss\nof Rinaldo, whom he saw go to the bottom of the enchanted lake\nwith Arridano. Wandering thence, he had arrived on the same spot\nwhere Rinaldo and his comrades afterwards found themselves; like\nthem he had ferried the river in the damsel's boat, like them, had\nbeen dispatched against Balisardo; and, like them, had been made\nprisoner by the wizard, who ensnared him, under the form of a\ndamsel.\n\nIn the mean time, Orlando, who had parted company with Rinaldo,\nand the rest, was returning, with Brandimart, towards Albracca On\nhis way thither he, to his surprise, saw Marphisa in chase of\nBrunello, and contemplating the two, was himself robbed of his\nhorn, and Balisarda.\n\nAs both he and Brandimart were on foot, to chase the robber was\nuseless; leaving, therefore, Marphisa still in pursuit, the two\nwarriors proceeded on their way. Pursuing this, they too arrived\nat the same ferry as Rinaldo had, and there found two damsels\nassailing each other with reproaches, the one in a boat, and the\nother on horseback. Orlando immediately recognized the latter for\nOrigilla, who had stolen Brigliadoro and Durindana, previous to\nhis entering the garden of Orgagna. His resentment, however, was\nforgotten on seeing her; and he received her again into his\ncompany, embarking, as the others had done, for the adventure of\nBalisardo.\n\nIn this his usual fortune deserted him, and having been vanquished\nby the enchantments of the giant, he was cast on board a miserable\nprison-ship, in order to be transported to some distant dungeons.\n\nFrom this he is, however, delivered by the valour of Brandimart*,\nwho slays the giant, and rescues Orlando from captivity. The two\nchampions now interrogate the master of the prison-ship; who tells\nthem that the wizard-giant was the instrument of a certain king,\ncalled Monodontes, who dwelt in Damogir, an island situated in the\nocean; where he had amassed riches, which surpassed the\nimagination to conceive. As, something is always wanting to the\ncompletion of human happiness, this prince was miserable in the\nloss of his two only sons, the first of whom was carried off, in\nhis childhood, by a slave of the name of Bardino, and the second\ntaken and imprisoned by a fairy named Morgana, who was said to be\nenamoured of the youth.\n\n* The reader will have remarked that a vein of allegory, more or\nless apparent, runs through the whole of the romance. This\nobservation will, perhaps, serve to explain the defeat of Orlando,\nand the subsequent triumph of Brandimart. Orlando, by his love of\nvice, as figured in Origilla, has derogated from his natural self,\nand forfeited the protection of Providence, while Brandimart, the\nmodel of purity and constancy, is proof against all the powers of\nhell.\n\nThe ship-master, pursuing his story, stated that the fairy had\noffered to surrender the stripling to his father, upon his putting\nher in possession of a certain knight, entitled Orlando, with whom\nshe was at enmity, on account of his having destroyed her\nenchantments. This the necromancer, overcome by Brandimart, had\noffered to effect for Monodontes, but had never succeeded, though\nhe had crowded his dungeons with champions; amongst whom were\nRinaldo, Astolpho, Dudon, Gryphon and Aquilant, and others, too\nmany to mention.\n\nOrlando listened to the narration in silence: then, after some\nsecret conference with the ship-master, bade him make sail for\nDamogir, as he and Brandimart were now masters of the vessel, for\nhe was minded to put this Orlando into the hands of Monodontes. He\nobeys his command, and the ship, after traversing the ocean,\narrives with them at the island.\n\nHere the proposal was renewed by the knights, and accepted by\nMonodontes; who, waiting the accomplishment of their promise,\nlodged them in a magnificent palace near his own. Here too was\nguested the infamous Origilla, who was privy to Orlando's design.\nShe having her mind entirely set upon Gryphon, who (it will be\nremembered) was amongst the prisoners of Monodontes, and thinking\nshe was possessed of sure means of delivering him, secretly\npresented herself before the king, and informed him that Orlando\nwas in his power.\n\nAs the covenanted reward of her service, Monodontes ordered\nGryphon to be delivered up to her; and he refusing freedom, unless\nAquilant was at the same time freed, both were set at liberty, and\ndeparted with Origilla.\n\nTo take Orlando was a more difficult enterprise; but this was\naccomplished through the means of a potion, by which both he and\nBrandimart were put to sleep, and, while stupefied by the liquor,\nlodged in the dungeons of Monodontes. In the solitude of their\nprison Orlando converts Brandimart to the Christian faith; and\nthis knight, who appears to be the type of friendship and virtuous\nlove, upon the guards of the monarch coming in search of Orlando,\nannounces himself as the person sought for, and as such presents\nhimself to Monodontes.\n\nThis monarch tells Brandimart, whom he imagines to be Orlando,\nthat he seeks the liberation of his son Ziliantes; and as he knows\nno method of obtaining him from the fairy, but by such a\nsacrifice, is reluctantly compelled to offer him in exchange for\nthe royal captive. To which Brandimart replies, that if he only\nseeks this, he may obtain his end without such a breach of\nhospitality, as his comrade is ready to descend to the dungeons of\nMorgana, where he has already been, and rescue him by force. That\nin the meantime he will remain as his hostage, and if he whom he\nis to free does not, within a month, return with Ziliantes, the\nking can, at the worst, accomplish the deliverance of his son, by\ngiving him up (the king believing him to be Orlando) to the\nvengeance of Morgana.\n\nMonodontes accedes to this proposal, and the real Orlando is\nsuffered to depart.\n\nIn the meantime Brandimart, always under the name of Orlando,\nremains for some time a prisoner at large; when the secret is\ndiscovered, through the indiscretion of Astolpho, and Monodontes\nin fury orders Brandimart to be cast into a dungeon, preparatory\nto his expiating his imposture by death. Orlando this while is\nbound upon his adventure, and arriving at the lake formerly kept\nby Arridano, finds upon its banks a beautiful lady weeping over a\ndead dragon.\n\nWhile Orlando contemplates this spectacle with surprise, the lady\nsnatches up the dragon in her arms, and embarks with it in a\nlittle pinnace, which was moored hard by. She now loosens from the\nshore, sets her sail, and having reached the middle of the lake,\nsinks to the bottom with her enchanted barque.\n\nOrlando was yet absorbed in wonder at what he had witnessed, when\nanother damsel arrived upon the bank, mounted on a palfrey, and\naccompanied by a single sergeant, who called upon the count by\nname, and expressed the greatest pleasure at his sight.\n\nThis damsel was no other than Flordelis, the lady-love of\nBrandimart; the damsel of the barque, it will be easily divined,\nwas Morgana.\n\nThis fairy, upon the departure of Orlando from her enchanted\ngarden, transformed Ziliantes, by the aid of certain witcheries,\ninto a dragon, meaning that he should supply the place of Arridano\nand keep the avenues of her territory. Whether, however, from some\nerror in her enchantments or other cause, the transformation was\nno sooner completed than the youth uttered a shriek and expired.\nHence the fairy, distracted with her loss, had embarked with him\nin the pinnace, and descended to the bottom of the lake, in the\nhope of re-animating him in her world below.\n\nAs soon as Flordelis, who was immediately recognised by the count,\nhad set eyes upon him, she conjured him to lend her his\nassistance; and, that he might understand for what purpose,\nentreated him to listen to her story, which she began in the\nfollowing words.\n\n\"I was wandering in search of Brandimart, when I fell in with the\nsergeant, whom you see with me; and who, by a strange fortune,\nturned out to be one who was also in search of him. His story was\nyet more extraordinary than the accident which brought us\ntogether, and is the cause of my present distress. He informed me\nthat he was formerly a slave of the king Monodontes, and named\nBardino; who, to avenge himself upon the monarch for some wrong,\nconveyed away from him his eldest son, and sold him to the lord of\nthe Sylvan Tower; who conceived such fondness for him, that he\nbrought him up as his son, and dying, left him his possessions.\n\n\"His love of arms, however, carried him away from the Tower, of\nwhich he had made Bardino castellan; and this was attacked by a\nneighbour named Rupardo, in his absence, with such forces as\nrendered a defence hopeless. Under these circumstances Bardino,\nhad cast lots to learn the fate of Brandimart, and found that he\nwas prisoner to Morgana. Hence it is,\" pursued the damsel, \"that I\nentreat you to lend your assistance to recover him from her\npower.\"\n\nOrlando related in return what had since happened to Brandimart,\nand, lastly, how he had left him in the power of Monodontes,\nmeaning to redeem him, by the recovery of Ziliantes, from the\nprisons of Morgana.\n\nThe damsel heard Orlando's recital with gratitude, and, throwing\nherself on her knees, prayed devoutly for the success of his\nundertaking.\n\nHe immediately entered upon his adventure. Descending by the\nentrance, through which he had formerly ascended into the upper\nair, and which he remembered, though concealed by briars and\nthorns, he again traversed the field of treasure, and saw the\ngolden seat, lying in the very place where Rinaldo had been\nobliged to abandon it.\n\nThus pursuing his old path, he came upon Morgana near the\nfountain, where he had formerly found her disporting herself.\n\nShe was this time engaged in a very different occupation, and was\ncaressing Ziliantes, who had now resumed the human form, but\nremained yet pale, and terrified by the effects of the\nmetamorphose. The count does not again neglect his opportunity,\nbut, seizing the fairy by the forelock, compels her to abandon her\nprisoner. Orlando returning into light with Ziliantes by the\nancient staircase, finds Flordelis yet engaged in prayer, and now\nall journeying to the coast, which was near, and embarking upon\nthe ocean, arrive safely at Damogir.\n\nThe delight of Monodontes at the recovery of his two sons, when he\nhad despaired of even retrieving Ziliantes, may be easily\nimagined: king and people become Christians; Rinaldo, Astolpho,\nDudon, and the other prisoners are set at liberty; all is\nfestivity, and the offence of Bardino is forgiven, in consequence\nof his subsequent attachment to Brandimart. To complete the\ngeneral joy, a lady arrives at this period, who is recognized as\nthe daughter of Monodontes and the damsel of the golden apples.\n\nBut human life is chequered by light and shade. The long continued\nfestivities of Damogir are broken in upon by Dudon the Dane, who\nreminds the princes of their obligation to hurry to the defence of\nChristendom.\n\nRinaldo and all the Franks obey the summons, with the exception of\nOrlando; who, accompanied by Brandimart, his inseparable\ncompanion, returns towards Albracca. In the meantime Rinaldo,\nIroldo, Prasildo, and the others, with Astolpho in the midst,\narmed with his lance of gold, set forward on their return to\nFrance.\n\nTravelling thus, north about, into Europe, the knights found\nthemselves one morning in front of a beautiful castle and garden\non the sea-shore. This was the domain of Alcina, sister of\nMorgana, and queen of the Atarberi. The fay herself was standing\non the beach, and amusing herself with taking fish, which she\ninveigled by her enchantments.\n\nShe herself was ensnared by the beauties of Astolpho, whom she\ninvited to pass into a neighbouring island, in order to hear the\nmusic of a syren who frequented it.\n\nAstolpho crosses on horseback into the island, which lay close to\nthe shore; but this is in motion as soon as he reaches it, and\nproves to be a large whale, which was a minister of the fairy.\nRinaldo and Dudon instantly swim off to his assistance, but the\nhorse of Dudon sinking with his rider, Rinaldo is compelled to\nswim Bayardo to the relief of the Dane, whom he succeeds in\nbringing to shore. Meantime the whale floats out of sight, and a\nterrible tempest obscures both sky and ocean\n\nTo succour Astolpho was now impossible, and the confederated\nchampions continued their journey to the westward.\n\nPursuing this, they at last arrived at Buda in Hungary, whence the\nking of that country was dispatching his son Ottachiero with a\nlarge army to the succour of Charlemagne. Delighted with the\narrival of Rinaldo, he placed his son and troops under this\nconduct, and these having, after long and distant marches, united\nthemselves with the troops of Desiderius king of Lombardy, passed\nthe Genovese Alps, and poured down into Provence.\n\nThe confederate armies had not marched many days through this gay\ntract, before they heard a crash of drums and trumpets behind the\nhills, which spoke the conflict between the paynims, led by\nRodomont, and the Christian forces.\n\nRinaldo, witnessing from a mountain the prowess of Rodomont,\nleaves his troops in charge of his friends, and gallops towards\nhim with his lance in the rest. The impulse is irresistible, and\nRodomont is unhorsed. Rinaldo, however, in a high spirit of\nchivalry, gallops back to the hill from which he had descended,\nsecures Bayardo amongst the baggage, and returns to pursue the\ncombat with his former antagonist on foot.\n\nDuring this interval the battle had become general, the Hungarians\nwere routed by Rodomont, and Rinaldo, on his return, had the\nmortification to find that Ottachiero was wounded, and Dudon a\nprisoner.\n\nHe now again engages Rodomont; when in the midst of their strife,\na new sound of drums and trumpets was heard, and the army of\nCharlemagne was descried advancing in battalia.\n\nRodomont, who had in the meantime mounted the horse of Dudon,\nleaves Rinaldo, who was on foot, and gallops to the attack of the\nenemy. A desperate battle ensues, but night separates the\ncombatants.\n\nRodomont now thinks only of Rinaldo, and deceived by a false\nreport, sets off in pursuit of him towards the forest of Arden.\n\nRinaldo, however, having this time gone in search of Bayardo, was\nreturning towards the field upon that courser, when he fell in\nwith the Saracens, engaged in carrying aboard their ships the\nplunder, and the prisoners made in battle. Some of these had\nalready sailed for Africa with Dudon, while Rinaldo, still seeking\nRodomont, makes a tremendous carnage among the rest.\n\nHe at last learns that his adversary, following a false scent, is\ngone towards Merlin's fountain, in the forest of Arden, when he\nquits the pursuit of the Saracens, in order to follow him.\n\nRodomont was in the meantime far advanced upon his way, when he\nfell in with a strange cavalier, that proved to be Ferrau, who\nhad, it seems, returned to France, in search of Angelica. The two\nknights mixing in conversation, their talk, according to the\npractice of chivalry, turned upon love, when Ferrau spoke of\nDoralice, daughter of Stordilano, king of Granada, as a lady to\nwhom he had been a suitor. Rodomont, kindling at this, avowed his\npassion for her, declared he would bear with no rival in his love,\nand bade him resign all pretensions to her, or take his ground and\ndefend himself. Ferrau replied, that he had loved her and left\nher; but that he would now love her in his despite.\n\nA duel ensues, but the author leaves the knights engaged, in order\nto pursue the story of Rinaldo. He, still seeking his pursuer,\nRodomont, misses him, whilst he is engaged in combat with Ferrau;\nand wandering into a sylvan lawn, in the middle of the forest of\nArden, is surprised by the vision of a beautiful child, dancing\nnaked, with three damsels, as naked and as beautiful as himself.\nWhile he is lost in admiration at the sight, the child approaches\nhim, and smiting on his helmet with a bunch of roses and lilies,\nstrikes him from his horse. He is no sooner down than he is seized\nby the dancers, by whom he is dragged about and scourged with\nflowers till he falls into a swoon. While he is yet absorbed in\nthis, one of the group approaches him, who says her name is\nPasiphae; that his punishment is the consequence of his rebellion\nagainst that power, before whom every thing bends; and that there\nis but one remedy that can heal the wounds which have been\ninflicted; and this is, to drink of the waters of Love.\n\nRinaldo, sore and faint, drags himself into the neighbouring wood,\nand being parched with thirst, drinks greedily, and almost\nunconsciously, of a spring which he finds there. After repeated\ndraughts of the water, which is sweet to the taste, but bitter at\nthe heart, he recovers his strength and recollection, and finds\nhimself in the same place where Angelica had formerly awakened him\nwith a rain of flowers, and whence he had fled in contempt of her\ncourtesy.\n\nHis remembrance of the scene is followed by the recognition of his\ncrime; and, repenting bitterly of his ingratitude, he leaps upon\nBayardo with the intention of following Angelica to India, and\nsoliciting his pardon at her feet. He has not ridden far with this\nintention, when he beholds, at a distance, a damsel mounted upon a\npalfrey, attended by a cavalier who bore a burning mountain for\nhis device: but, before explaining who were the damsel and knight,\nthe author returns to Marphisa, lately left in pursuit of\nBrunello.\n\nShe had now hunted him for fifteen days. Her horse had sunk under\nher during the chase; and she had cast away her arms, to be the\nbetter able to pursue him.\n\nHer pains were thrown away. Brunello arrived before her at the\nsea-side, and finding a vessel ready to sail, embarked, and\narrived at Biserta, in Africa. Here he found Agramant, who was\nimpatient for the ring, which was to foil the enchantments of\nAtlantes and to put Rogero into his hands. The dwarf, now kneeling\nbefore the king, related his story, and presented him with the\nring of Angelica, and the horn stolen from Orlando; when Agramant,\ndelighted at the success of his mission, crowned him, in\nrecompense, king of Tingitana.\n\nAll are now anxious to go in quest of Rogero, nor will Brunello be\nleft behind. The cavalcade accordingly departs, and having\ntraversed the Great Desert, arrives at the mountain of Carena.\n\nAt the bottom of this was a fruitful and well-wooded plain,\nwatered by a large river, which traversed it in its way to the\nsea; and from this plain was descried a beautiful garden on the\nmountain-top, which contained the mansion of Atlantes: but the\nring, which discovered what was before invisible, could not,\nthough it revealed this paradise, enable Agramant or his followers\nto enter it. So steep and smooth was the rock by nature, that none\ncould scale it; and even Brunello was obliged to renounce the\nattempt. He did not, however, for this, despair of accomplishing\nthe object of the enterprise; and, having obtained Agramant's\napprobation, caused the assembled courtiers and knights to\ncelebrate a tournament upon the plain below. This was done with\nthe view of seducing Rogero from his fastness, and the stratagem\nwas attended with success.\n\nRogero joins the tourney, presented by Brunello with Sacripant's\nhorse, Frontilatte, (whose name is afterwards changed into\nFrontino,) and with Balisarda, the sword of Orlando. In the medley\nhe is treacherously wounded, but avenges himself of the traitor;\nand, returning to the summit of the mountain, is healed by the\nskill and attention of Atlantes, having previously learned from\nBrunello the preparations which were making for the invasion of\nFrance, and having indeed received his horse and arms, as an\nearnest for his service in the expedition.\n\nThe author now leaves him again on the mountain of Carena, to\naccompany Orlando and Brandimart.\n\nThese two, having separated from Rinaldo, Astolpho, and the rest,\nwere pursuing their journey through India, when they found\nthemselves near a stone, situated by a fountain, where sate a\nlady, having her eyes fixed upon the ground, while a bridge, which\ndivided two roads hard by, was kept by an armed knight.\n\nWhile Orlando and Brandimart were engaged in a friendly contest,\nwho should first encounter him, a pilgrim advanced towards the\nbridge, notwithstanding the prohibition of him who kept it; and\nfinding that the knight approached in order to enforce his threat,\ncast off his pilgrim's slough, and showed that he was armed cap-\u00e0-pe.\nA fierce combat now ensued, between him and the warder of the\nbridge, whom both Brandimart and Orlando thought they had seen\nbefore, but could not recognise, through the strangeness of his\ndisguise. In this strife the pilgrim at last succeeded in making\nthe warder give ground, and retire slowly from his post.\n\nOn the other side of the bridge, and near the fountain which\nformed the stream, was a monument, which an inscription proclaimed\nto be the sepulchre of Narcissus.\n\nContemplating himself in the neighbouring fountain, he had pined\naway; and his death was productive of new calamities. The fairy\nSilvanella, as her evil destiny would have it, passing near the\nbody, fell in love with the dead youth, whom she entombed in this\nmausoleum of alabaster. Here, too, consumed by hopeless passion,\n_she_ perished, and left this dying curse upon the waters; that\nwho contemplated them should see pourtrayed there such a vision of\nbeauty, that they should become incapable of departing from the\nplace.\n\nMany, who had arrived upon the banks of the river, in consequence\nof her malediction, remained gazing upon the stream, till they\nexpired. Among these was the gentle king Larbino, who came there\nwith his leman Calidora, who remained inconsolable for his loss,\nand took up her dwelling in the meadow, where he died. This is\nshe, who sits weeping by the water-side, and whose champion\nmaintains the bridge against all comers.\n\nAnd such was the tale she told Orlando, whom she conjured, in\nfavour of her pious intentions, to aid her cavalier, hard pressed\nby the pilgrim.\n\nOrlando, moved by her prayer, thrust himself between the\ncombatants, whom he separated, and recognized one for Sacripant,\nand the other for Isoliero. Isoliero had accompanied the lady from\nSpain to India, for the purpose of rendering her this service; and\nSacripant had been dispatched (as was said) by Angelica, to king\nGradasso, for assistance, towards whose kingdom he was now upon\nhis way.\n\nWhen the count had learned from this monarch the object of his\njourney, and the peril of Angelica, he fled with Brandimart, from\nthe dangerous water, mindful of the fate of those that had\nperished there; leaving Isoliero, who had been severely wounded by\nSacripant, in the company of Calidora.\n\nWhile Orlando took his way to Albracca, Sacripant took up the\npilgrim's garb and staff, and pursued his towards the kingdom of\nGradasso.\n\nOrlando, arriving before Albracca, finds it closely beleaguered.\nHe, however, makes his way into the citadel, and relates his\nadventures to Angelica, from the time of his departure, up to his\nseparation from Rinaldo and the rest, when they departed to the\nassistance of Charlemagne. Angelica, in return, described the\ndistresses of the garrison, and the force of the besiegers; and in\nconclusion, prayed Orlando to favour her escape from the pressing\ndanger, and escort her into France. Orlando, who did not suspect\nthat love for Rinaldo, who had returned thither, was her secret\nmotive, joyfully agreed to the proposal, and the sally was\nresolved.\n\nLeaving lights burning in the fortress, they departed at night-fall,\nand passed in safety through the enemy's camp. On the\nensuing day, however, the besiegers discovered the deceit, stormed\nand sacked the citadel, and then pursued the deserters.\n\nOf these, Orlando went first, escorting Angelica and Flordelis,\nwhile Brandimart covered their retreat. In consequence of this\narrangement, Brandimart was separated one night from his\ncompanions, while Orlando and the two damsels were advancing on\ntheir way.\n\nAs these last, sorely tormented by hunger, were entering a valley\nat sunset, they saw, at the other extremity, a party of\nLestrigonians, seated at their supper, and immediately galloped\ntowards them; Orlando first, but followed by the damsels. Arriving\namongst these cannibals, he prayed them, either for courtesy or\nhire, to give them food; and, being received with a feigned\nhospitality, had already dismounted from his horse, in order to\ntake some refreshment, when the leader of the party, coming behind\nhim, dealt a blow with his club, that laid him senseless on the\nground. The damsels, who had just come up, terrified at this\ncatastrophe, fled different ways, pursued by a party of the\nLestrigonians.\n\nDuring this time, the others had stript Orlando of his arms; and\nwere handling him, to see if he was fat, when he was awakened by\nthe operation. Possessing himself of Durindana, he soon cleared\nthe field of the cannibals, and was seeking an outlet from the\nvalley, when he recognized Angelica, hunted by those who had\npursued her and Flordelis. To save her, and avenge her of the\nmiscreants, was the work of a moment.\n\nIt was said that the two damsels separated in their flight; in\ndirecting which, chance conducted each towards her natural\nprotector; for Flordelis, flying east, whilst Angelica fled west,\ngalloped towards a wood, where Brandimart was sleeping, after\nhaving long sought his companions in vain. Brandimart was as\nprompt in rescuing her, as Orlando was in saving Angelica. It is\nneedless to describe his transports on this occasion: these were,\nhowever, of short duration; and he heard, with the bitterest\nregret, the narrative of Flordelis, who, relating what she\nbelieved she had witnessed, informed him she had left Orlando dead\nupon the field.\n\nReturning with Brandimart towards the spot where she had left the\ncount, a strange adventure for a long time delayed their search;\nfor they had not ridden far, before they fell in with a cavalier\non foot, unarmed, except as to his sword, who defied Brandimart to\nbattle; and while he, in a spirit of generosity, refused the\nchallenge, snatched Flordelis from her palfrey, and running up a\nsteep rock with his burden, threatened to throw her down a\nprecipice, unless Brandimart ransomed her with his armour and his\nsteed.\n\nAs Brandimart's armour rendered it impossible for him to pursue,\nhe consented to the sacrifice; and the stranger appropriated the\nspoils. This was Marphisa, who had thrown-by her arms, in order to\npursue Brunello, and who, finding the chace hopeless, took this\nmethod to equip herself anew.\n\nBrandimart, now reduced to his tunick, and deprived of his\ncourser, mounted the damsel's palfrey, seated her on the croup,\nand proceeded on his way.\n\nThey were doomed to experience new dangers and interruptions. For\njourneying thus, they fell in with a band of robbers, from whom\nBrandimart fled, in the hope of finding some means of defence. His\nhope was realized; for, penetrating a wood, he arrived at a\nfountain, near which a king lay dead, who was armed cap-a-pe.\nProviding himself with his sword, Brandimart turned to bay, and\nsoon made his pursuers repent of their temerity. These slain or\nput to flight, he clothed himself reluctantly in the other arms of\nthe monarch, leaving him his crown and regal ornaments. This king\nwas no other than Agrican, so preserved by a visible miracle.\n\nAn after-combat with the captain of these corsairs put the knight\nin possession of a steed, and thus re-equipt, he accompanied\nFlordelis in search of Orlando.\n\nThis paladin, having recovered Angelica (as has been related) had\njourneyed as far homeward as the sea-coast of Syria without\nimpediment. Here he found a vessel ready to carry the king of\nDamascus, Norandino, to the island of Cyprus, where he was to make\nhis first essay of arms.\n\nThis was to be made for love of a lady whose name was Lucina, and\nwhose father, Tibiano was king of Cyprus. This sovereign had\nproclaimed a tournament, of which the princess was to be the\nprize, and thither went Norandino, who invited Orlando to\naccompany him. The count, disguising his name and country, and\nfeigning himself a Circassian, called Rotolante, accepted the\noffer, and, together with Angelica, joined Norandino, who was\naccompanied by a brilliant train of adventurers. He was scarcely\non ship-board before a breeze sprang up from the land, and the\ngalley was under sail.\n\nFor the tournament which was preparing, many Greeks and many\nPagans had assembled, among whom were Basaldo and Morbeco, Turks,\nand Gostanzo a Greek. This Gostanzo was the son of Vataron,\nemperor of Constantinople, and had brought Gryphon and Aquilant in\nhis company, who, together with Origilla had sought the\nhospitality of the Grecian court.\n\nIn the tourney the combatants are ranged under the banner of this\nGostanzo on the one side, and that of Norandino on the other.\nGryphon and Aquilant serve under the first, and Orlando under the\nsecond. They are, however, disguised from each other by borrowed\ndevices, and Gryphon only suspects a knight who bore away the\nhonors of the first day, to be Orlando, from his superior prowess,\nand from the presence of Angelica, whom he had observed seated\namongst the ladies that honoured the spectacle with their\npresence.\n\nImparting his suspicions to Gostanzo after the trumpets had blown\nto lodging, the wily Greek determined to rid himself of so\nformidable an adversary. He accordingly introduced himself\nsecretly to Orlando, and informed him of a treason which (as he\nsaid) the king of Cyprus meditated against him, at the instigation\nof Ganelon, offering him at the same time the means of escape.\nThis was a pinnace moored in a creek, in which Orlando, breathing\nvengeance against the Maganzese, embarked with Angelica, for\nFrance.\n\nDisembarking in Provence, they pursued their way by land, and\narriving hot, and weary, in the forest of Arden, where Rinaldo had\nlately drunk of the fountain of Love, chance directed Angelica to\nthe waters of Disdain, of which she drank.\n\nIssuing thence, the count and damsel encountered a stranger\nknight. This was no other than Rinaldo, who had missed Rodomont,\nthen engaged in combat with Ferrau; and who, on a nearer approach,\nrecognised Angelica with joy, though his new arms and ensigns\ndisguised Orlando, who accompanied her. The consequences of such a\nmeeting are easily foreseen. Angelica views Rinaldo with disgust,\nand a new cause of strife is kindled between the kinsmen.\n\nTerrified at the combat which ensued, Angelica fled amain, through\nthe forest, and came out upon a plain, covered with tents. This\nwas the camp of Charlemagne, who led the army of reserve, destined\nto support the troops which had advanced to oppose the descent of\nRodomont. Charles, having heard the damsel's tale, with difficulty\nseparates the two cousins, and then consigns Angelica, as the\ncause of quarrel, to the care of Namus duke of Bavaria, promising\nshe shall be _his_ who best deserves her, in the first battle with\nthe Saracens.\n\nThe author here returns to Agramant, who was left holding a\ntournament at the foot of Mount Carena in Africa. He having heard\nof the knight who was slain, and _that_, contrary to his orders,\n(which were only to employ courteous weapons,) determined to take\nvengeance upon his murderer, and supposing Brunello to be the\ncriminal, (since Rogero had appeared with his arms and steed,)\nordered him to be hanged upon the spot.\n\nThe danger of him who was about to suffer for his sake, now again\nbrought Rogero from his retreat. He routed the troops appointed to\nwatch over the execution, rescued Brunello, and then, presenting\nhimself to Agramant, related every thing as it had passed.\n\nAgramant, too happy to find the object of his search in the youth\nwho had performed such wonders, forgave the death of the\nslaughtered cavalier, knighted Rogero, and carried him off to\nBiserta, where his vassal kings and barons assembled for the\ninvasion of Christendom.\n\nWhile they are in the midst of their revelry, a messenger reports\nthe return of Rodomont's fleet, whose followers brought with them,\nas a prisoner, Dudon the Dane; but could give no account of\nRodomont their leader.\n\nHe was this while engaged in battle with Ferrau, with whom we left\nhim quarrelling about Doralice; but their strife was soon\ninterrupted by the arrival of a messenger, who brought news that\nMarsilius was, at the instigation of Ganelon, besieging Mount\nAlbano. On hearing this, the duellists make peace, and ride\ntogether to join the besiegers.\n\nOn their way they fall in with Vivian and Malagigi, sons of duke\nAymon, of Mount Albano, who are proceeding towards Paris, to\ndemand succour of Charlemagne; and Malagigi, retiring with Vivian\ninto a wood, performs a magic rite, by which he ascertains the\ndesign of the approaching warriors Rodomont and Ferrau. To\nfrustrate this, he conjures up a bevy of fiends, armed and mounted\nas knights, divides them into two squadrons, takes the command of\none himself, and gives that of the other to Vivian. Thus\naccompanied, the Christian knights charge their adversaries. But\nthe Pagans are too strong for them, take Malagigi and Vivian\nprisoners, and send their demons howling back to hell.\n\nHere the author exclaims,\n\n        But that I would not seem with folly tainted,\n        I own I would have fain beheld the attack;\n        So great is my desire to be acquainted\n        With those the wizard brought his cause to back:\n        And prove with my own eyes, if truly painted,\n        The devil be so very foul and black;\n        More; that his pictures differ as to nail,\n        And horn, and hoof, and length and breadth of tail.\n\nTo return to the story, Rodomont and Ferrau arrive in the Spanish\ncamp before Mount Albano, which is shortly afterwards attacked by\nthe army of Charlemagne. Divers feats of prowess are achieved on\nboth sides; but the most interesting circumstance is a single\ncombat between Rodomont and Bradamant; which the author breaks off\nin order to resume the story of Brandimart.\n\nThis knight, having obtained a steed and armour, as has been\nbefore related, proceeds with Flordelis towards Europe.\n\nThus journeying, the pair arrived in front of a magnificent\npalace. Here a damsel, standing in a balcony, motioned to them to\ntake another way; but in vain; for Brandimart, feigning not to\nunderstand the purport of her signs, rode boldly up to the gate.\nHe is now opposed by a giant, armed with a serpent, which he uses\nas a sword. Him the knight vanquishes after a long battle, in\nwhich he is opposed by a variety of enchantments; the giant and\nserpent exchanging forms, as one or the other is slain He next\nkills a knight who kept a sepulchre in the inner court, and\nopposed his further progress.\n\nHe and Flordelis, who had followed her lover, now seek the gate by\nwhich they had entered, but all appearance of it was lost.\n\nWhile they are vainly seeking the means of escape, they are\naddressed by the damsel who had at first waved them from the\npalace; and who informed Brandimart, he must open the sepulchre,\nand kiss whatever issued from it, if he expected deliverance from\nhis prison. Brandimart, little terrified by the injunction,\npromised compliance; but started back, and put his hand to his\nsword, on the appearance of a dragon. Reproached by the damsel of\nthe castle for his breach of promise, he manned his spirits for\nthe encounter, and kissed the monster in the mouth. A sudden cold\nran through his bones at coming in contact with her: but what was\nhis surprise, on seeing the dragon transformed into a beautiful\ndamsel!\n\nThis was a fay so transmuted, who, grateful for her deliverance,\noffered to enchant the horse and arms of Brandimart, at the same\ntime entreating him to conduct the lady of the castle, who was\nnamed Doristella, into Syria.\n\nThis promised, the gate re-appeared, the fay enchanted the steed\nand arms of Brandimart, and he, accompanied by the two ladies,\ndeparted upon the quest enjoined.\n\nThey had ridden some time in silence, when Doristella, rallying\nthe knight for his taciturnity, proposed to beguile the way with\nthe relation of her adventures. The offer was gratefully received,\nand the damsel began her story as follows:\u2014\n\n\"My father, king Doliston,\" said she, \"had two daughters, the\neldest of whom, while yet a child, was carried off by a thief from\nthe shore of Lissa. Of this daughter, who was the promised spouse\nof Theodore the son of a neighbouring king, nothing was ever\nafterwards heard.\"\n\n\"And what was the name of the mother?\" exclaimed Flordelis; but\nBrandimart having checked her for her interruption, Doristella\ncontinued her narrative in her own way. \"My intended brother-in-law,\"\nsaid the damsel, \"still kept up his connection with my\nfamily, and he and I soon became mutually enamoured of one\nanother. The young man at length unbosomed himself to my father,\nand demanded me in marriage; but my father, to his mortification,\ntold him, that he had that very day promised me to the wretch,\nwhom you slew in the palace.\n\n\"To this wretch, named Usbeck of Bursa, a Turcoman by nation, was\nI wedded; a man valiant in the field, but, as to the rest, little\ncapable of winning a lady's love. This man, who was jealous in\nproportion to the grounds he gave me for disgust, was compelled to\njoin an expedition against Vatarone the emperor of Greece.\nDeparting, he left me in care of a slave called Gambone, a monster\nof deformity, whom he commanded never to stir from my side. He had\nnot been long absent, when Theodore arrived at Bursa, and having\ncorrupted Gambone, obtained access to my bed.\n\n\"Our intercourse was long continued, to our mutual satisfaction,\nwhen Usbeck arrived suddenly one night at Bursa, and demanded\ninstant entrance into his house. Our courage did not desert us\nunder these circumstances, and Theodore, slipping down stairs in\nthe dark, escaped at the same time that Usbeck was admitted. Our\ndanger, however, did not end here; for my husband's suspicions had\nbeen awakened by his detention at the door, and searching every\npart of my chamber, he found a mantle which my lover had left\nbehind him in his retreat.\n\n\"His suspicions being now confirmed, he burst into a transport of\njealous fury, and ordered the slave Gambone for instant execution.\nAccording to the custom of the country, his other slaves were\nconducting him for that purpose, through the city with a horn\nsounding before him, when Theodore met the procession, and falling\nupon the criminal, reproached him, amid a shower of blows, with\nhaving robbed him of his mantle. This trick of Theodore's, who was\nunknown to Usbeck, saved the slave, and effaced the suspicions\nwhich he entertained of my fidelity. New offences, however, on my\npart, for I still continued my intercourse with Theodore, renewed\nhis jealousy, and he at last shut me up in the enchanted palace\nwhence you delivered me; though it was not then kept by the giant\nand serpent, which were the afterwork of a necromancer who wrought\nfor him.\"\n\nThe damsel was here interrupted by an outcry, and the party was\ninstantly set upon by thieves. These were, however, beaten off,\nand their leader taken prisoner by Brandimart. He, throwing\nhimself at the feet of the cavalier, entreated him not to carry\nhim to Lissa, as he dreaded the vengeance of Doliston, the prince\nof that country, for having formerly carried off his eldest\ndaughter, whom he had sold to the lord of the Sylvan Tower.\n\nBrandimart, however, who has secret reasons (as will be shortly\nseen) for being pleased at this account, insists upon carrying him\nto Lissa; and arriving before Doliston's capital, finds it\nbesieged by Theodore, in revenge for the monarch's having refused\nhim Doristella. All now is cleared up. Flordelis turns out to be\nthe missing daughter of Doliston, who had been wooed by Brandimart\nin the Sylvan Tower; and no further obstacle existing to the union\nof Theodore and Doristella, these two, as well as Brandimart and\nFlordelis, are united in marriage; Doliston and Theodora having\npreviously made peace.\n\nAfter long festivities in honour of these double espousals,\nBrandimart and Flordelis, still anxious to pursue Orlando, embark\nfor France with a prosperous wind. This, however, changes;\nincreases to a tempest; and finally drives them on the shores of\nCarthage. Here Brandimart, less anxious for his own safety than\nfor that of Flordelis and his companions, conceals his being a\nChristian, and announcing himself only as son of Monodontes, king\nof the Distant Isles, declares that it was his purpose to visit\nAgramant in Biserta.\n\nHe accordingly sets off, always attended by Flordelis, for that\ncapital; where he is magnificently received, and is afterwards\ncarried off by Agramant, together with Rogero, on his expedition\nagainst France.\n\nAgramant, leaving Dudon a prisoner at large in Biserta, which was\nto be governed in his absence by a vice-roy, embarks upon his long\nmeditated enterprise, disembarks in Spain, and arrives, by forced\nmarches, near Mount Albano, in the neighbourhood of which the\narmies of Charlemagne and Marsilius were left engaged.\n\nThe strife was still continued with unabated fury; and in this\nRinaldo was matched with Ferrau, king Grandonio with the marquis\nOliviero, Serpentine with Ogier the Dane, and Marsilius himself\nagainst Charlemagne.\n\nThese duels were, however, of little account, compared with that\nwhich raged between Rodomont and Bradamant. Of this desperate\ncontest Orlando was a witness; who would not turn his arms against\nRodomont while he was engaged with so formidable an adversary.\n\nWhile Orlando thus played the part of a looker-on, he was\nsurprised by the sound of an approaching enemy, and casting his\neyes in that direction, saw a plump of spears, with banners and\npennons, descending the sides of a mountain. He immediately\nstooped from his saddle to pick up a weighty lance which was lying\non the ground, and thus prepared himself for the encounter of what\nproved to be the army of Agramant.\n\nThis sovereign had in the meantime dispatched one of his vassal\nkings, named Pinadoro, towards the field of battle, with orders to\nbring him one or more prisoners, who might inform him of the state\nof the Christian army. Pinadoro and Orlando meet and tilt\ntogether; but the feudatory king, instead of accomplishing the\norders of his sovereign, remains the prisoner of the count. He is,\nhowever, no sooner taken than liberated by his conqueror, who bids\nhim return to his army in peace. The report of his ill success\ndoes not frighten Agramant from his purpose; and the Moorish army\ndescends like a torrent into the plain.\n\nAt the sight of these new enemies, Charles left Marsilius, who was\nclosely pressed by him, and ordered Rinaldo also to give a respite\nto Ferrau, and lead a squadron against the approaching troops,\nwhom he divined to be what they really were. Other divisions of\nthe army followed in support of one another, and a bloody battle\nensued, with various and very doubtful success.\n\nMeantime Orlando, who wished such measure of misfortune to\nCharlemagne as should make his assistance necessary, and ensure\nhim the possession of Angelica as his reward, had retired from the\nmedley into a neighbouring wood, and was praying devoutly for the\ndiscomfiture of the Christians. By accident, Ferrau, fatigued by\nhis long contest with Rinaldo, and lately as hard pressed by him\nas Marsilius was by Charlemagne, had sought shelter in the same\nretreat. Here, stooping to drink from the banks of a river, he\ndropt his helmet in the water, and was engaged in a vain attempt\nto recover it, when he was discovered by Orlando. The count,\nhowever, was too generous to attack an enemy under such\ndisadvantages, and weakened as Ferrau evidently was by the combat\nhe had previously waged against Rinaldo. He accordingly, after a\nshort conference with him, in which he learned the state of\nthings, spurred his courser, in order to join the army of\nCharlemagne.\n\nHere he performs high feats of valour, and, after the slaughter of\nmany adversaries, is advancing against Rogero, when Atlantes, who\nhad accompanied the youth, (since he could not restrain him from\nfollowing his destiny,) diverts Orlando from his object by the\nvision of a triumphant Pagan squadron, and of the personal danger\nof Charlemagne. Fascinated by this illusion, he follows the\nsupposed Saracens into the forest of Arden. Here the vision\ndisappears; and the count, wearied with the fruitless chace,\nlights from Brigliadoro near a fountain. Stooping to drink, he\nsees a crystal palace at the bottom, through the walls of which he\nbeholds a dance of ladies, and, unable to resist the temptation of\nan adventure, plunges, armed as he is, into the fountain.\n\n\nTHE ORLANDO INNAMORATO.\nBOOK III.\nARGUMENT.\n\nThe third book opens with the introduction of a new character,\nMandricardo, son of Agrican, the Tartar king, who, pursuing his\nway to France in order to avenge his father's death, is made the\nprisoner of a fairy. He frees himself, acquires the arms of\nHector, and is, as well as other knights, involved in various\nadventures, till the story returns to the invasion of France,\nwhich is suddenly interrupted in the middle.\n\n\nBOOK III.\n\nThe author opens this book by stating, that he is called away to\nthe north. Here a mighty storm was gathering; and France, already\nsore-bested, was suddenly threatened by a new storm from the\nremote quarter of Tartary.\n\nThe emperor of this region, named Mandricardo, having wasted it by\nhis violences, was proceeding in a course of imperious tyranny,\nwhen an old man threw himself in his way, and, reproaching him\nwith his outrages, bade him desist from warring upon the innocent\nand defenceless, and seek to revenge the death of his father upon\none who was worthy of his wrath; to wit, upon Orlando, the\nmurderer of king Agrican.\n\nStung to the heart by the old man's reproaches, Mandricardo,\ndetermining to owe his success in the enterprise on which he\nresolved to his own individual valour, leaves his kingdom\nincognito, and departs, without horse or arms, towards the west.\nTravelling thus alone and a-foot, he had passed the confines of\nArmenia, when he spied upon a day a pavilion, pitched near a\nfountain; and imagining that he might there find what he was\ndetermined to win by force, entered it, with the view of searching\nfor the horse and arms of which he stood in need. There was none\nto defend the entrance, and he was already within the pavilion,\nwhen a voice was heard to murmur from the waters, that he was a\nprisoner to the power, whose possession he had violated.\n\nMandricardo, however, heard not, or else disregarded the voice;\nand pursuing his search, found a suit of armour, disposed upon a\ncarpet, and a courser fastened to a neighbouring pine.\n\nHe immediately clothed himself in the arms, and seized upon the\nsteed, with which he was departing, when a fire suddenly sprang up\nbefore him, that, spreading itself, destroyed the pine, and left\nthe fountain and pavilion alone untouched. Mandricardo is himself\nembraced by the flames, which destroy his armour and clothing even\nto his shirt. To escape the torture, he leaps from his horse,\nevery thing which he had on him being consumed, and casts himself\ninto the water. Here, he is received into the arms of a naked\ndamsel of incomparable beauty, who kisses him, and bids him be of\ngood cheer, informing him that he is taken in the snare of a\nfairy, but that if he has heart and discretion, he may rescue not\nonly himself, but so many damsels and cavaliers, that he shall\nreap immortal glory from the achievement.\n\nShe pursued her story, informing him, that the fountain was the\nwork of a fairy, who had imprisoned there king Gradasso of\nSericane, Gryphon and Aquilant, and many other knights and ladies.\n\"Beyond the hill,\" said she, \"which you see before you, is\nsituated a castle, where this fairy has laid up the arms of\nHector, with the exception of his sword. On his being slain\ntreacherously by Achilles, a queen, named Penthesilea, possessed\nherself of this. At her death it passed to Almontes, and from him\nwas taken by Orlando. This weapon was called Durindana. The\nremainder of his arms was saved and carried off by \u00c6neas, from\nwhom they were received by her, in recompence of a marvellous\nservice which she had bestowed upon him. If you have the courage\nto attempt the acquisition of these arms, secured in yonder castle\nby enchantment, I will be your guide.\"\n\nMandricardo was enraptured at the proposal, and only hesitated at\nthe idea of exposing himself naked. This difficulty was, however,\ngot over by the lady, who, letting down her hair, which was bound\nabout her head in braids, furnished a complete covering for\nherself and the cavalier. Being sheltered from sight by this, they\nissued, linked arm in arm, from the water, and took their way\ntogether to the pavilion.\n\nEntering this, which, as was said, remained untouched by the fire,\nthey reposed for some time upon flowers. At length the damsel gave\nthe signal for departure, and having clothed Mandricardo in\narmour, conducted him where a courser was in waiting. Upon this he\nleapt, all armed as he was; and the lady having mounted on a\npalfrey, both set forward on their enterprise.\n\nThey had ridden about a mile, when the damsel, explaining the\ndangers of the quest, informed Mandricardo that he would have to\ncombat with Gradasso, the conqueror of Gryphon, who had at first\nmaintained the field against all comers.\n\nThus speaking, they arrived at the castle, which was of alabaster,\noverlaid with gold. Before this, on a lawn, enclosed with a\nbarrier of live myrtles, sat an armed knight on horseback, and who\nwas no other than Gradasso. Mandricardo, upon seeing him, dropt\nhis vizor, and laid his lance in the rest. The champion of the\ncastle was as ready, and each spurred towards his opponent. They\nsplintered their spears with equal force, and again returning to\nthe charge, encountered with their swords. This contest was long\nand doubtful, when Mandricardo, determining to bring it to an\nissue, threw his arms about Gradasso, and the two horsemen,\ngrappling together, tumbled to the ground. In the struggle,\nhowever, Mandricardo fell uppermost, and preserving his advantage,\nmade Gradasso prisoner. The damsel now interfered, proclaiming the\nvictory of the new comer, and consoling the vanquished as she\ncould, for his discomfiture.\n\nIn the meantime, the sun had set upon the strife, and it was too\nlate for Mandricardo to enter the enchanted castle, which the\ndamsel informed him would be only accessible after sunrise. She\ninvites him, therefore, to lie down amongst the flowers with which\nthe meadow is enamelled, proffering to be his guard; but informs\nhim, that there is harbourage to be obtained at a neighbouring\ncastle, though it can only be purchased by exposure to notable\nperil. This, she says, is kept by a kind and courteous lady, who\nis often disturbed, in the exercise of her hospitality, by a giant\nnamed Malapresa, whom he would do well to avoid, as he has already\nsufficient toil and danger on his hands.\n\nMandricardo rejects this kind intimation, and insists upon being\nguided to the lady's lodging.\n\nHe and the damsel accordingly set off in that direction, and soon\narrive at the palace, which is illuminated with a thousand lights.\nIt appeared as if a watch was kept for friends or foes; and a\ndwarf was posted in a gallery over the entrance, whose duty it was\nto give notice of all comers. On the winding of his horn, if there\nwere cause for suspicion, the household, armed with missile\nweapons, assembled in the balconies: but if it were an errant\nknight, in search of hospitality, damsels came forth to salute\nhim, and conduct him into the castle.\n\nIn this manner was Mandricardo received, who was afterwards\nmagnificently entertained by the lady of the mansion. Their\nfestivity is, however, interrupted by the dwarf's horn, which\nsounds an alarum. The signal is hardly given, before Malapresa has\nforced the gate, and appears in the middle of the guests, armed\nwith an enormous mace. A furious combat now ensues between him and\nthe Tartar king, in which the giant is slain, and cast into the\ncastle ditch. This event occasions only a short interruption of\nthe festivity, which is prolonged late into the night. The\nrevellers at length retire; and Mandricardo amongst the rest, who\nis as magnificently lodged, as he had been feasted, by the lady of\nthe castle.\n\nAt sun-rise he starts from his couch, descends into the castle-garden,\nwashes himself at a fountain; then puts on his armour,\nand, guided by his former conductress, proceeds upon his\nenterprise.\n\nOn arriving at the eastern entrance of the outer wall of the\nenchanted castle, which was not more magnificent than extensive,\nand which entrance Mandricardo found undefended, he was informed,\nthat he must plight an oath upon the threshold, to touch a shield\nwhich was suspended there from a pilaster of gold. The bearing of\nthis was a white eagle on an azure field, in memory of the bird of\nJove, who bore away Ganymede, the flower of the Phrygian race.\nBeneath was engraved the following legend:\n\n        Let none, with hand profane, my buckler wrong,\n        Unless he be himself as Hector strong.\n\nThe damsel immediately, alighting from her palfrey, inclined\nherself to the ground; the Tartar king bent himself with equal\nreverence, and afterwards passed the threshold without an\nobstacle.\n\nAdvancing through the eastern entrance of the enclosure towards\nthe shield, Mandricardo touched it with his sword. An earthquake\nimmediately shook the place, and the way by which he had entered\nclosed. Another, and an opposite gate, however, opened, and\ndisplayed a field, bristling with stalks and grain of gold. The\ndamsel upon this told him, that he who had entered had no means of\ndeparture but by cutting down the harvest which was before him,\nand in uprooting a tree which grew in the middle of the field. The\nchampion, without answering, prepared himself for his work, and\nimmediately began to mow the harvest with his sword. A strange\neffect followed; and every grain was instantly transformed into\nsome ravenous animal,\u2014lion, panther, or unicorn, who all flew in\nfury at the reaper.\n\nMandricardo, thus assailed, snatched up a stone, without knowing\nwhat virtue resided in it, and cast it amongst the herd. This\nstone was party-coloured, green, vermilion, white, azure and gold.\nA strange wonder followed: for it no sooner lighted amongst the\nbeasts, than they turned their rage one against the other, and\nperished by mutual wounds. Mandricardo did not stop to marvel at\nthe miracle, but proceeded to fulfil his task, and uproot the\ntree. This, which was lofty and full of leaves, he embraced by the\ntrunk, making vigorous efforts to tear it up by the roots. At each\nof these fell a shower of leaves, which were instantly changed\ninto birds of prey, who attacked the knight, as the beasts had\ndone before. Undismayed, however, by this new annoyance, he\ncontinued to tug at the trunk till it yielded to his efforts. A\nburst of wind and thunder followed, and the hawks and vultures\nwere dispersed.\n\nThese, however, only gave place to a new foe; for from the hole\nmade by tearing up the tree, issued a furious serpent with many\ntails, who darted at Mandricardo, wound herself about his limbs,\nand was about to devour him. Fortune, however, again stood his\nfriend; for, writhing under the folds of the monster, and\nstruggling to free himself, he fell backwards into the hole, and\nhis enemy was crushed beneath his weight.\n\nMandricardo, when he had somewhat recovered from the shock, and\nassured himself of the destruction of the dragon, began to\ncontemplate the place into which he had fallen, and saw that he\nwas in a vault, encrusted with costly metals, and illuminated by a\nlive coal. In the middle was a sort of ivory bier, and upon this\nwas extended, what appeared to be a knight in armour, but what was\nin truth, an empty trophy, composed of the rich and precious arms,\nonce Hector's, and to which nothing was wanting but the sword.\nWhile Mandricardo stood contemplating the prize, a door opened\nbehind him, and a bevy of fair damsels entered dancing, who bore\nhim away to the place where the shield was suspended, and where he\nfound the fairy of the castle seated in state. By her he was\ninvested with the arms which he had won, he first swearing, at her\ninjunction, to wear no other blade but the sword Durindana, which\nhe was to ravish from Orlando, and thus complete the conquest of\nHector's arms.\n\nThe adventure was now accomplished, and the champion departed in\norder to achieve the great purpose, for which he left his realm of\nTartary. Many illustrious knights issued at the same time from the\ndungeons of the fairy, who had remained prisoners on a failure of\ntheir enterprise, and who had been now liberated by his success.\nAmongst these were Gradasso, Isolier, Sacripant, Gryphon, and\nAquilant, with many others.\n\nMandricardo himself pursued his journey, in company with Gradasso.\nOf the others, Gryphon and Aquilant, who knew the language of the\nSaracens, travelled through strange countries; and thus journeying\nalong the sea-shore, fell in with two damsels, the one clothed in\nwhite, and the other in black, and attended by two dwarfs. As the\ncolour of their respective ladies, such was that of their dwarfs,\nand of the palfreys which they rode: saving in this, they were so\nalike, as to be undistinguishable one from the other; and were\nequals in beauty and grace.\n\n\"Sister,\" said one of these, addressing herself to her companion,\n\"there is no defence against destiny; yet wisdom may in some sort,\ncontroul fortune: then let us detain these, at least awhile, from\nthe fate which is reserved for them in France.\"\u2014Thus spoke the\nsable to the white damsel, unheard of the two knights who were\napproaching, and who saluted them with all the courtesy due to\ntheir bearing and appearance.\n\nOne of the ladies demanded a boon of the two cavaliers; who both\nas instantly vowed to perform whatever was enjoined them. This was\nto take the field against a miscreant, named Orrilo, engendered of\na goblin and fairy, who inhabited a tower upon the Nile, where he\nkept (says the story) a kind of dragon, termed a crocodile, and\nfed it with human flesh. The damsels go on to state, that hitherto\nno one has been able to prevail against the wretch, who, in dying,\nrenews himself like the ph\u0153nix. This account does not discourage\nthe brothers, who again proffer their assistance.\n\nAquilant accordingly encounters Orrilo, where he keeps the way\nagainst travellers; and he being sore pressed, flies to the tower,\nand turns out his crocodile.\n\nGryphon now deems himself justified in assisting his brother; and\nthe crocodile is at length slain. Orrilo, however, though often\nworsted, appears to be irresistible: for though he is frequently\nunhorsed, and is actually severed into two parts by one of the\nbrothers, he constantly re-unites himself, and renews the contest\nThe day is now closing, and the two brothers are in despair.\n\nWhile things are in this state, a new performer appears upon the\ntheatre. This is a knight, who dragged a giant captive: but here\nthe author leaves Gryphon and Aquilant, as well as the knight and\nhis prisoner, and resumes the story of Mandricardo and Gradasso,\nwho were left journeying together towards France.\n\nThis pair, after traversing various regions, arrive upon the sea-coast,\nwhere they find a lady chained and exposed upon the beach.\nOn their interrogating her, she tells them, that she awaits the\napproach of a furious Ork, who will devour her alive; and entreats\nthem, as an act of compassion, rather to put her to an immediate\ndeath, than to leave her exposed to so horrible a fate. The only\nfavour that she requests of them, besides this dreadful grace, is,\n(should they fall in with him,) to inform Norandino, king of\nDamascus, of her death, and dying sentiments of affection to him.\n\nThe knights, however, insist on defending her, and a dreadful\nconflict ensues between them and the Ork, who is represented as\nsomething indistinct, monstrous and gigantic. Gradasso is soon\noverpowered, and Mandricardo, who, in conformity to his vow, was\nunprovided with a sword, is obliged to fly before the pest.\n\nHe, however, finds his deliverance in flight; for, speeding his\nsteps along the cliffs, he arrives at a frightful chasm, at which\nhe springs in utter desperation. The Ork following him, is unable\nto clear it, and tumbles down the abyss.\n\nMandricardo quit of his foe, descends to the shore, in search of\nGradasso and Lucina, (for so was named the lady chained to the\nrock,) and proceeds in company with them along the beach. From\nthis they behold a ship in the distance, which bears the flag of\nTibiano, king of Cyprus and Rhodes, the father of Lucina, and who\nwas then seeking his daughter. Lucina, overjoyed at the sight,\nmakes a signal of her vest, and waves the galley to the land. On\nboard this she embarks, together with her defenders; but the\nvessel has scarcely shown her stern to the shore, when the Ork re-appears,\nwith a monstrous fragment of a mountain on his shoulders:\nThis he heaves into the sea, which flashes above her topmast head,\nand all cower at the bottom of the vessel for refuge; but the mass\nmisses the mark at which it was hurled, and a loud land-wind\nrising at the moment, the vessel is blown off to sea.\n\nOne danger is only substituted for another; the storm increases,\nand all is darkness and dismay. In this situation, the night\ncloses in, during which they drift at the mercy of the winds. The\nsucceeding day dawns upon them under better auspices; and they\nfind themselves, in the morning, upon the shore of Acquamorta,\nwhere a mountain separates France and Spain.\n\nHere they land in the neighbourhood of a cave, called Runa,\nwithout having any knowledge of the coast upon which they are\ncast. Leaving there Tibiano and Lucina, Gradasso and Mandricardo\nproceed, armed and mounted, in search of intelligence.\n\nThey have not proceeded far, before they hear the noise of battle,\nand pushing their horses towards the sound, find Agramant engaged\nwith Charlemagne.\n\nThe main story is thus brought back to the point where the\nchristian and paynim armies were left, and where the tide of\nconquest was fluctuating between the hostile forces. Retiring from\nthe medley, Ferrau had withdrawn into a neighbouring wood, and was\nfishing for his helmet, in a stream in which he had lost it as he\nstooped to drink. At this period fortune declares decisively in\nfavour of the infidels; and, while Rogero and Rinaldo are engaged\nin a single combat on foot, Charlemagne's forces give way at all\npoints, in irreparable confusion.\n\nThe duel of the two champions is interrupted by the crowd of\nfugitives and pursuers; and Rinaldo, now seeing Bayardo loose in\nthe field, attempts to get possession of him. The horse, however,\nwill not be taken; and Rinaldo, following him into a thick wood,\nis left there by the author, who returns to Rogero.\n\nRogero was also a-foot, and grieving for the loss of his own\nhorse, Frontino, whom he however recovered in the rout. He now\nfinds Bradamant and Rodomont engaged in combat. Though he knew not\nwho they were, he could distinguish that one was a paynim, and the\nother a Christian; and, moved by the spirit of courtesy,\napproached them, and exclaimed, \"Let him of the two, who worships\nChrist, pause, and hear what I have to say. The army of Charles is\nrouted, and in flight; so that if he wishes to follow his leader,\nhe has no time for delay.\" Bradamant, who is thunderstruck with\nthe tidings, desires immediately to leave the field; but this is\nrefused by her antagonist: and Rogero, indignant at his\ndiscourtesy, insists upon her departure, while he takes up the\nquarrel with Rodomont.\n\nThis, long and obstinately maintained on both sides, is\ninterrupted by the return of Bradamant, who, not being able to\novertake the fugitives, and being divided in her feelings, as to\nwhat she owed on the one side to her emperor, and on the other to\nthe stranger who had so generously taken her part, yields at last\nto what was the stronger impulse, and comes back to his\nassistance.\n\nShe arrives, however, when he was least in need of it; and when he\nhad smote his enemy such a blow, as obliged him to drop both his\nsword and bridle. Rogero, however, disdaining to profit by his\ndefenceless situation, sate apart upon his horse, whilst that of\nRodomont bore his rider, stunned and stupefied, about the field.\n\nRogero was at this juncture approached by Bradamant; who conceived\na yet higher notion of his valour, on beholding such an instance\nof forbearance. She addressed him, by excusing herself for leaving\nhim exposed to an enemy from his interference in her cause,\npleading her attachment to her sovereign as the motive; and was\nengaged in conference with him, when Rodomont recovered from his\nconfusion. His bearing was however changed, and he disclaimed all\nthoughts of further contest with one \"who he said, had already\nvanquished him by his courtesy.\" So saying, he quitted his\nantagonist, picked up his sword, and spurred out of sight.\n\nBradamant was now again desirous of retiring from the field, and\nRogero insisted on accompanying her, though yet unconscious of her\nsex.\n\nAs they pursued their way, she enquired the name and quality of\nher new associate; and Rogero informed her of his nation and\nfamily. Beginning from the destruction of Troy, he told her that\nAstyanax, who was preserved by a stratagem of the Greeks, having\nestablished the kingdom of Messina, in Sicily, perished by the\ntreachery of a priest, named \u0152gystus. The widow of this prince,\nbeing then big with child, flying from her enemies, escaped to\nRheggio. Here she brought forth a son, who was christened\nPolydore. From this Polydore descended Polydantes, and from him\ntwin branches, who gave origin to two other families of renown.\nFrom one of these sprang the royal race of Pepin and Charlemagne;\nand from the other, two illustrious houses, one of which took root\nat Rheggio, ('once called Risa') and the other at Ancona. \"From\nthat of Rheggio am I derived,\" continued he; \"and am son of\nRogero, the son of Agolant and Gallicella. She flying when big\nwith me, from a horrible persecution which she endured during the\nabsence of her husband, then engaged in war, brought me forth in a\nforeign land, and died in giving me life. It was here that a\nmagician took charge of me, who trained me to feats of arms amidst\nthe dangers of the desert and of the chace.\"\n\nHaving thus ended his tale, Rogero entreated a similar return of\ncourtesy from his companion; who replied, without disguise, that\nshe was of the race of Clermont, and sister to Rinaldo, the fame\nof whom was perhaps known to him. Rogero, much moved by this\nintelligence, entreats her to take off her helmet; and, at the\ndiscovery of her face, remains transported with pleasure.\n\nWhilst he is contemplating this with rapture, an unexpected danger\nhangs over the future lovers. A party which was placed in a wood,\nin order to intercept the retreating Christians, breaks from its\nambush upon the pair; and Bradamant, who was uncasqued, is wounded\nin the head. Rogero is in fury at this attack; and Bradamant,\nreplacing her helmet, joins him in taking speedy vengeance on\ntheir enemies. Of these they clear the field, but separate in the\npursuit; and the author first resumes the story of Rogero.\n\nQuitting the chace, and wandering by hill and vale, in search of\nher whom he had no sooner found than lost, Rogero now falls in\nwith two knights, whom he joins, and who promise to assist him in\nthe search of his companion, whose arms he describes, concealing,\nfrom a vague feeling of jealousy, her quality and sex.\n\nIt was evening when they joined company, and having journeyed\ntogether through the night, the morning was beginning to break,\nwhen one of the strangers, fixing his eyes upon Rogero's shield,\ndemanded of him by what right he bore the device pourtrayed upon\nit. Rogero, in return interrogated the enquirer as to his\npretensions to the bearing of Hector, who proclaimed himself to be\nMandricardo, declared how he had won it, and proposed that arms\nshould decide which of the two was most worthy to bear the symbol\nof the Trojan knight.\n\nRogero felt no other objection to this proposal, than the scruple\nwhich rose out of the observation, that his antagonist was without\na sword. Mandricardo, however, insisted that this need be no\nimpediment; and then informed him of the vow which he had taken,\nnever to wear a sword till he had completed the acquisition of\nHector's arms by the conquest of Durindana.\n\nThis was no sooner said, than a new antagonist started up in\nGradasso, in whom the reader will have recognised the companion of\nMandricardo. Gradasso now vindicates his prior right to the quest\nof Durindana, to obtain which he had embarked (as was related in\nthe beginning) in that fearful war upon France. A quarrel is thus\nkindled between the kings of Tartary and Sericane. Mandricardo\nuproots a young elm-tree, to supply the place of a sword; and\nGradasso, disdaining to combat with unequal weapons, arms himself\nwith a pine. Being thus furnished for offence, they encounter one\nanother with fury, while Rogero laughs and looks upon the strife.\n\nHe, nevertheless, several times attempts to separate the\ncombatants, but always without success. While the conflict is thus\nraging, a knight arrives upon the ground, accompanied by a damsel,\nto whom Rogero relates the cause and progress of the strife. This\nturns out to be Brandimart, accompanied by Flordelis. He also\ninterposes his mediation, and succeeds better in bringing the two\nchampions to accord. This he affects, by informing them that he\ncan conduct them to the presence of Orlando, the master of\nDurindana.\n\n\"If,\" said he, \"you can heal him of a strange enchantment, it is\nfrom him that you may claim the sword; nor is he one who will\nrefuse you a fair field for obtaining it. Two leagues from hence,\"\ncontinued Brandimart, \"is a water, called the _River of Laughter_,\nbut which would be better entitled _the Stream of Tears_. Here\nOrlando is enchanted. An African magician made this known to me,\nand I had already disposed myself to free him, or perish by his\nside, but being insufficient by myself for such an enterprise,\nHeaven has willed that I should light upon you to assist me in the\nattempt.\"\n\nGradasso and Mandricardo instantly make truce, in order to\naccompany Brandimart in his quest, nor will Rogero be left behind.\n\nThis resolution, however, gave rise to a serious difficulty; for\nthe number to be employed in the adventure was to be unequal, as\nBrandimart was instructed; and one must therefore necessarily be\nrejected. Who should be rejected, it was now determined to decide\nby lot; and chance pronounced against Mandricardo, who departed\nwith reluctance from the field, and wandering long, arrived at\nlast in Agramant's camp, who had sate down before Paris.\n\nThe story of Orlando is now resumed, where it was left by the\nauthor at the conclusion of the second book. The count having\nplunged into the fountain, termed the River of Laughter, is so\ndelighted with the company of Naiads, and with the pleasures which\nhe finds beneath the waters, that he remains there a willing\nprisoner.\n\nAbout this water extended an enchanted wood, thick with evergreen\ntrees; and here arrived Rogero, Gradasso, Brandimart, and\nFlordelis, determined to attempt the deliverance of Orlando.\n\nThis forest seemed impenetrable; but by the advice of Flordelis,\nthe knights descended from their horses, and determined to cut\nthemselves a passage. Rogero, in pursuance of this resolution,\nhews down a laurel with his sword. The tree is no sooner\noverthrown, than a beautiful damsel starts from its trunk, and\nclaims the compassion of the knight. She informs him, that the\ntrees which he beholds, as well as that which he has felled,\ncontain sister nymphs, the victims of enchantment; the nature of\nwhich is such that they remain transformed till liberated, as she\nhad been, by the destruction of the plant in which they are\nimprisoned. \"This deliverance is, however, as yet incomplete,\"\npursued the damsel; \"and, to perfect it, you must accompany me to\nthe water, if you would not see me again rooted in the forest.\"\nRogero yields to her prayer, accompanies her to the water, and,\nseduced by the enchantment, leaps hand in hand with her into the\nfountain.\n\nIn the meantime, Gradasso, attempting to clear his way, cuts down\nan ash, which is converted into a courser. He immediately mounts\nit; when the horse transports him through the air, and plunges\nwith him into the enchanted stream, where he remains a prisoner\nwith the rest.*\n\n* The reader will see in this adventure, more especially in the\nauthor's fitting the temptations to the character of the knights,\nthe hint which Tasso turned to so much better account in his\ncreation of the forest of Armida.\n\nBrandimart, counselled by Flordelis, pursues the adventure with\nbetter success; and resisting every species of temptation which is\npresented to him, at length arrives at the banks of the fountain.\nHere, however, he would have yielded to the same fascination as\nthe others, but for the wise precautions of Flordelis,\u2014\n\n        Who, for a safeguard, round his brow disposes\n        A mystic garland of enchanted roses.*\n\n* The idea of roses being a solvent of enchantments, is as old as\nApuleius and Lucian; and, like most of the mysticisms to be found\nin those authors, is probably to be traced to a much more ancient\nsource.\n\nShe had also furnished him with the same ornaments for the others\nwhom he was to deliver from the pool. Armed with these wreaths, he\napproaches the knights, whom he finds in the bowers of crystal,\ninto which he plunged, and crowns them with the garlands. The\ncharm forthwith operates; their perverse inclination ceases, and\nthey gladly return with their deliverer to the surface.\n\nThey are scarcely safe from the spell, when Gradasso bethinks him\nof his long quest, and a fierce battle ensues between him and\nOrlando, for the possession of Durindana. They are, however,\ninduced to suspend this by the instances of their companions, and\nthe entreaties of a stranger dwarf, who appears, mounted on a\npalfrey, and entreats the assistance of some of the knights.\n\nThese accordingly divide; Orlando, attended by Brandimart and\nFlordelis, taking his way towards Paris, and Rogero and Gradasso\naccompanying the dwarf.\n\nThe author accompanies Orlando and his friends, who arrive before\nParis, besieged by the forces of Agramant, amid whose ranks were\nto be found assembled, Rodomont, Mandricardo, Ferrau, the newly\narrived Gradasso, and all the worthies of the paynim army.\nFlordelis now retires into a wood for safety, while the two\nchampions approach the camp of the besiegers. At this crisis\nCharlemagne makes a desperate sally, which is seconded by Orlando\nand Brandimart, and the fortune of the day seems balanced between\nthe contending troops.\n\nThe author here leaves things thus suspended, and takes up the\nstory of Bradamant, who lately separated form Rogero, in repulsing\nthe ambuscade of the paynims. She journeying alone, and still\nsuffering from her wound, at length reaches a hermitage, the\ntenant of which examines her head, cuts off her hair and with this\nbandages, and finally heals the gash which she had received.\n\nDeparting from his hermitage, and still pursuing her way alone,\nshe alights from her horse, and reposes herself in a wood, where\nshe is surprised sleeping by Flordespina, who, deceived by the\nappearance of her hair, takes her for a man. This princess, who\nwas engaged with her damsels in the chase, by a stratagem detains\nBradamant in the forest, where they pursue their sports in\ncompany.\n\nBut, exclaims the poet, while I sing these lays of ladies and of\nloves, I see France arming against Italy, and the horizon bright\nwith flames. Hereafter, if it shall be permitted me I will piece\nthe tale which I leave unfinished.\n\n* * * * *\n\nSo ends the story of the Orlando Innamorato,\n\n\"To-morrow to fresh woods and pastures new.\"","title":"The Orlando Innamorato","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":51051}