Orlando Furioso Part 113

V His duty good Rogero satisfied, Following the royal lord with whom he came; For having no fair cause to quit his side, He could not leave the Paynim without shame; And, if his sire had by Almontes died, In this, King Agramant was not to blame; Who for his parents' every past offence Had made Rogero mighty recompense.

VI He will perform his duty to repair To his liege-lord; so did that martial maid; Who had not with reiterated prayer (As so she might have done) Rogero stayed.

The stripling may appay the warlike fair In other season, if not now appaid; But twice two hundred years will not atone The crying sin of honour once foregone.

VII To Arles-town whither had his king conveyed His remnant of a host, he p.r.i.c.ked anew; While they that, since their kindred was displayed, Had a close friends.h.i.+p formed -- the damsels two -- Thither together go where Charles had made His mightiest effort, with the Christian crew; Hoping by siege or fight to break the foe, And free his kingdom form so long a woe.

VIII Bradamant, when she in the camp appeared, Was greeted with a welcome warm and kind.

On all sides was she hailed, by all was cheered; And she in this or that her head inclined.

Rinaldo, when he of her coming heard, Met her; nor young Richardo stayed behind; Nor Richardet; nor others of her race; And all received the maid with joyful face.

IX When next 'tis known, the second of the twain Is that Marphisa, so in arms renowned, Who from Catay unto the bounds of Spain Had journeyed, with a thousand laurels crowned, Nor rich nor poor within their tents remain: The curious crowd, encompa.s.sing them round, Press, harm, and heave each other here and there, In the sole wish to see so bright a pair.

X By them was Charles saluted reverently, And the first day was this (has Turpin shown) Marphisa had been seen to bend her knee: For Pepin's royal son to her, alone, Deserving of such duty seemed to be, Mid emperors or kings that filled a throne, Baptized or infidel, of all those named For mighty riches, or for valour famed.

XI Her kindly Charlemagne received, and wide Of the pavilions met, in open view; And, above king, and prince, and peer, beside Himself the monarch placed that damsel true.

Who go not, are dismist; so none abide In little time, except the good and few.

The Paladins and lords remain; without, Is left the unrespected rabble-rout.

XII Marphisa first began in grateful strain: "Unconquered Caesar, glorious and august, Who, to Alcides' strait from Indian main, Mak'st Scythian's pale and Aethiop's race adust Revere thy Christian cross of snowy grain, -- Of earthly monarchs thou most sage and just -- Hither thy glory, which no limits bound, Has brought me from the world's extremest ground;

XIII "And (to avow the truth) in jealous mood Alone I came, alone with thee to fight; Because I grudged that king so puissant shou'd Exist on earth, save he observed my rite.

Hence reek they ravaged fields with Christian blood; And yet with greater rancour and despite, Like cruel foe, I purposed to offend, But that it chanced, one changed me to a friend.

XIV "When to worst harm and scaith thy bands I doom, I find (as at my leisure I will show) Rogero of Risa was my father, whom An evil brother traitorously laid low.

Me my sad mother carried in her womb Beyond the sea, and bore in want and woe.

Till my seventh year by wizard nourished, I Was stolen from him by thieves of Araby.

XV "They to a king in Persia vended me, That after died beneath my faulchion, who Would fain have taken my virginity.

When grown, that king and all his court I slew; Chased his ill race, and seized his royalty; And -- such my fortune -- by a month or two, I eithteen years had not o'erpast, before I added to my realm six kingdoms more;

XVI "And, moved by envy of thy glorious fame I in my heart resolved (as thou hast heard) To abate the grandeur of they mighty name: I haply so had done; I haply erred.

But now a chance has served that will to tame, And clip my fury's wings; the having heard Since I arrived in Christendom, how we Are bound by ties of consanguinity;

XVII "And, for my father thee, as kinsman, served, So thou a kin and servant hast in me; And I that envy, that fierce hate, which nerved Mine arm whilere, now blot from memory.

Nay, these for evil Agramant reserved, And for his sire's and uncle's kin shall be; They who were whilom guilty of the death Of that unhappy pair, who gave me breath."

XVIII She adds, the Christian faith she will receive, And, after having spent king Agramant, Will home return, with royal Charles's leave, Her kingdom to baptize in the Levant, And war upon whatever nation cleave To cheating Mahound or to Termagant; Promising that whate'er her arms obtain Shall be the Christian faith's and empire's gain.

XIX Charles, no less eloquent upon his side, Than bold in deed and prudent in design, Much that ill.u.s.trious lady magnified, And much her father, much her n.o.ble line: He courteously to every point replied; And of his heart his open front was sign.

As his last words, that he received the maid As kinswoman and child, the monarch said.

XX Then rose and locked her in a new embrace, And kissed her, like a daughter, on the brow.

Morgana and Clermont's kin, with joyful face, All thither troop; 'twere tedious to tell how Rinaldo did the gentle damsel grace; For he had oftentimes espied ere now Her martial prowess, tried by goodly test, When they with girding siege Albracca pressed.

XXI 'Twere long to tell how, with those worthies met, Guido rejoiced to see Marphisa there; Gryphon and Aquilant, and Sansonet, That with her in the cruel city were; Vivian, and Malagigi, and Richardet; Who, when Maganza's traitors made repair, With those ill purchasers of Spain to trade, Found such a faithful comrade in the maid.

XXII They deck the ground for the ensuing day; And Charlemagne takes care himself to see That they the place shall sumptuously array, Wherein Marphisa's baptism is to be.

Bishops are gathered, learned clerks, and they Who ken the laws of Christianity; That taught in all its doctrine by their care And holy skill may be that martial fair.

XXIII In sacred stole, pontifical, arraid, Her the archbishop Turpin did baptize; Charlemagne from the healthful font the maid Uplifted with befitting ceremonies.

But it is time the witless head to aid With that, which treasured in the phial lies, Wherewith Astolpho, from the lowest star, Descended in Elias' fiery car.

XXIV The duke descended from the lucid round, On this our earthly planet's loftiest height.

Wither he with that blessed vase was bound, Which was the mighty champion's brain to right.

A herb of sovereign virtue on that ground The apostle shows, and with it bids the knight The Nubian's eyeb.a.l.l.s touch, when him anew He visits, and restore that sovereign's view.

XXV That he, for this and for his first desert, May give him bands, Biserta to a.s.sail; And shows him how that people inexpert He may to battle train, in plate and mail; And how to pa.s.s the deserts, without hurt, Where men are dazzled by the sandy gale.

The order that throughout should be maintained From point to point, the sainted sire explained;

XXVI Then made him that plumed beast again bestride, Rogero's and Atlantes' steed whilere.

By sainted John dismist, his reverend guide, Those holy regions left the cavalier; And coasting Nile, on one or the other side, Saw Nubia's realm before him soon appear; And there, in its chief city, to the ground Descended, and anew Senapus found.

XXVII Great was the joy, and great was the delight, Wherewith that king received the English lord; Who well remembered how the gentle knight Had from the loathsome harpies freed his board.

But when the humour, that obscured his sight, Valiant Astolpho scaled, and now restored Was the blind sovereign's eyesight as before, He would that warrior as a G.o.d adore.

XXVIII So that not only those whom he demands For the Bisertine war, he gives in aid; But adds a hundred thousand from his bands, And offer of his royal person made.

Scarce on the open plain embattled stands, -- All foot -- the Nubian host, for war arraid.

For few the horses which that region bore; Of elephants and camels a large store.

XXIX The night before the day, when on its road The Nubian force should march, Astolpho rose, And his winged hippogryph again bestrode: Then, hurrying ever south, in fury goes To a high hill, the southern wind's abode; Whence he towards the Bears in fury blows: There finds a cave, through whose strait entrance breaks The fell and furious Auster, when he wakes.

x.x.x He, as his master erst instruction gave, With him an empty bladder had conveyed; Which, at the vent of that dim Alpine cave, Wherein reposed the wearied wind, was laid Quaintly and softly by the baron brave; And so unlooked for was the ambuscade, That, issuing forth at morn, to sweep the plains, Auster imprisoned in the skin remains.

x.x.xI To Nubia he, rejoicing in his prey, Returns; and with that very light the peer, With the black host, sets out upon his way, And lets the victual follow in his rear.

Towards Mount Atlas with his whole array In safety goes the glorious cavalier.

Through s.h.i.+fting plains of powdery sand he past, Nor dreaded danger from the sultry blast;

x.x.xII And having gained the mountain's. .h.i.ther side, Whence are discerned the plain, and distant brine, He chooses from the swarm he has to guide The n.o.blest and most fit for discipline; And makes them, here and there, in troops divide, At a hill's foot, wherewith the plains confine; Then leaves his host and climbs the hill's ascent, Like one that is on lofty thoughts intent.

x.x.xIII After he, lowly kneeling in the dust, His holy master had implored, in true a.s.surance he was heard, he downward thrust A heap of stones. O what things may he do That in the Saviour wholly puts his trust!

The stones beyond the use of nature grew; Which rolling to the sandy plain below, Next, neck and muzzle, legs and belly show.

x.x.xIV They, neighing shrill, down narrow paths repair, With l.u.s.ty leaps; and lighting on the plain, Uplift the croup, like coursers as they are, Some bay, some roan, and some of dapple stain.

The crowds that waiting in the valleys were, Layed hands on them, and seized them by the rein.

Thus in a thought each soldier had his horse, Born ready reined and saddled for the course.

x.x.xV He fourscore thousand of his Nubian power, One hundred and two footmen, in a day To hors.e.m.e.n changes, who wide Afric scour, And, upon every side, sack, burn, and slay.

Agramant had intrusted town and tower, Till his return, to king Branzardo's sway, To Fersa's king, and him of the Algaziers; And these against Astolpho lead their spears.

x.x.xVI Erewhile a nimble bark, with sail and oar, They had dispatched, which, stirring feet and wings, News of the Nubian monarch's outrage bore To Agramant from his vicegerent kings, That rests not, night nor day, till to the sh.o.r.e Of Provence she her doleful tiding brings; And finds her monarch half subdued in Arles, For camped within a mile was conquering Charles.

x.x.xVII Agramant, hearing in what peril lies His realm, through his attack on Pepin's reign, Him in this pressing peril to advise, Calls kings and princes of the paynim train; And when he once or twice has turned his eyes On sage Sobrino and the king of Spain, -- Eldest and wisest they those lords among -- The monarch so bespeaks the a.s.sembled throng:

x.x.xVIII "Albeit if fits not captain, as I know, To say, 'on this I thought not,' this I say; Because when from a quarter comes the blow, From every human forethought far away, 'Tis for such fault a fair excuse, I trow; And here all hinges; I did ill to lay Unfurnished Africk open to attack, If there was ground to fear the Nubian sack.

x.x.xIX "But who could think, save only G.o.d on high Prescient of all which is to be below, That, from land, beneath such distant sky, Such mighty host would come, to work us woe?

'Twixt s.h.i.+fting sands, which restless whirlwinds blow: Yet they their camp have round Biserta placed, And laid the better part of Africk waste.