Orlando Furioso Part 81

XLV Four lots the monarch bade prepare, which done, This "Rodomont and Mandricardo" said; "Rogero and Mandricardo" were in one; In one, "Rogero and Rodomont" were read; That "Mandricardo and Marphisa" run: Next, as the fickle G.o.ddess, Fortune, led, The lots are drawn, and in the first appear The Tartar king and sovereign of Argier.

XLVI Rogero and Mandricardo for that play Were next; Rogero and Rodomont were third; Marphisa's lot and Mardricardo's lay At bottom; whence the dame was deeply stirred; Nor young Rogero seems a whit more gay: Who knows the prowess of those two preferred Will nothing in the listed combat leave For him or for Marphisa to achieve.

XLVII There lies a place, of Paris little wide, Covering a mile or somewhat less, and round; Like ancient theatre, on every side, Encompast by a tall and solid mound; With castle whilom was it fortified, Which sword and fire had levelled with the ground.

The Parmesan like circle does survey, Whenever he to Borgo wends his way.

XLVIII In this place is prepared the listed mead, Which palisades of little height inclose; A square, of just proportions for that need, With two capacious gates, as usage goes.

The day on which to combat have agreed Those valiant knights, who will not balk their foes, Beside the palisades, to left and right, Facing each entrance, are pavilions pight.

XLIX In that, which looks towards the western sun, Is lodged the giant monarch of Argier; And him a.s.sist his serpent-hide to don Bold Ferrau and Circa.s.sia's cavalier.

Grada.s.so and the puissant Falsiron, In that which fronts the morning hemisphere, Clothe with their hands, in Trojan plate and chain, The good successor of King Agricane.

L High on a throne of ample state appeared Agramant and Marsilius; next in place Were Stordilane and all the chiefs, revered Throughout the squadrons of the paynim race.

Happy was he who found himself upreared On mound or tree, above that level s.p.a.ce.

Great was the throng, and round the palisade On every side the eddying people swayed.

LI Were seated with the Queen of fair Castille Queens, princesses, and dames of n.o.ble strain, From Arragon, Granada, and Seville, And Atlas' columns; and amid the train a.s.sembled to behold that fierce appeal, Was placed the daughter of King Stordilane: Two costly vests -- one red, one green -- she wore; But ill the first was dyed, and faded sore.

LII In dress succinct Marphisa sate; in plight Such as beseemed a warrior and a maid: Thermodoon haply witnessed Hippolyte And her fair squadron in like garb arrayed.

Afield already, in his livery dight, Agramant's herald made proclaim, and said It was forbid to all men, far and wide, In act or word, with either part to side.

LIII The frequent crowd expects the double foe; And often, in impatience, they complain, And call those famous cavaliers too slow: When from the Tartar's tent an angry strain Is heard, and cries which multiply; sir, know It was the martial king of Sericane, And puissant Tartar, who that question stirred, And made the mighty tumult which has heard.

LIV Sericane's monarch, having with his hand Equipt the king of Tartary all o'er, Approached to gird him with that sovereign brand, With which Orlando went adorned of yore.

When Durindana on the hilt he scanned, Graved with the quartering that Almontes wore; Which from that wretched man, beside a font, Youthful Orlando reft in Aspramont.

LV He, seeing this, agnised it for the blade So famous, which Anglantes' warrior bore, For which he had the fairest fleet arrayed Which ever put to sea from eastern sh.o.r.e; And had Castille's rich kingdom overlaid, And conquered fruitful France some years before; But cannot now imagine how that sword Is in possession of the Tartar lord;

LVI And asks had he by force or treaty won, And when and where and how, that faulchion bright; And Mandricardo said that he had done Fierce battle for that sword with Brava's knight; Who feigned himself of sober sense foregone, Hoping that so he should conceal his fright: -- "For I on him would ceaseless war have made,"

(He added) "while he kept the goodly blade."

LVII Saying the Count, in yielding to his foe That sword, the Beavers' known device had tried; Who. followed closely by the hunter, know Their fell pursuer covers nought beside.

Ere he had heard him out, -- "Nor I forego That sword to thee nor any one," (replied Grada.s.so, fierce,) "well earned by me, at cost Of treasure, and of pain, and people lost.

LVIII "Some other faulchion for thyself purvey; This will I have; nor deem my reasons new; Whether Orlando wise or foolish stray, I make it mine where'er it meets my view.

With none to witness, thou, beside the way Usurped that sword; I claim it as my due: For this my scimeter shall reasons yield, And we will try the cause in listed field.

LIX "Prepare to win the sword before thou rear That goodly blade against King Rodomont.

To win his arms is use of cavalier, Before his foe in duel he affront."

-- "No sweeter music ever soothes my ear"

(Replied the Tartar, as he raised his front) "Than voice which champions me to martial field; But see that his consent the Sarzan yield.

LX "Be thou the first; and, next on listed ground Let Sarza's valiant lord the question try; Nor doubt but I in readiness be found To thee and every other to reply."

" -- Thou shalt not so the ordered lots confound, Or break our compact (was Rogero's cry): Either, first Rodomont shall take the field, Or shall to me his right of battle yield.

LXI "It that be true Grada.s.so has averred, That knight should win the arms he would a.s.say, Thou hast no t.i.tle to my white-winged bird, Save this from me thou first shalt bear away.

But since, forsooth, whilere I said the word, I will not what I once p.r.o.nounced unsay, That mine shall be the second battle, so That Argier's monarch first affront his foe.

LXII "I will confuse the order of the field, Throughout, if partially confused by thee; Abandon will I not my blazoned s.h.i.+eld, Unless thou combat for it now with me."

-- "Were one and the other Mars, for battle steeled, (Replies enraged, the king of Tartary) "Nor one nor the other's might should make me waive My t.i.tle to that s.h.i.+eld and goodly glaive";

LXIII And over mastered by his choler, flies With a clenched fist at him of Sericane, And smites him with his right-hand in such wise, As makes him quit his hold of Durindane.

Grada.s.so bold was taken by surprise, Not deeming him so furious and insane; And, while he looked not to the Tartar lord, Found himself robbed of good Orlando's sword.

LXIV Fury and scorn Grada.s.so's visage heats, Which seems to flash with fire, at that disgrace; And with more rage and pain his bosom beats, In that 'twas offered in such public place.

To draw his scimeter, the king retreats, Intent upon revenge, some little s.p.a.ce.

So Mandricardo on himself relies Rogero he to fight, as well defies.

LXV "Come on in arms against me, both combined, And be King Rodomont the third!" (he said) "Come Spain and Afric and all human kind; Ne'er will I turn." And he, at nought dismaid, So saying, in his fury, sawed the wind About him, with Almontes' n.o.ble blade, Embraced his s.h.i.+eld, and, full of choler, stood Against Grada.s.so and Rogero good.

LXVI "Leave me the care," the fierce Grada.s.so cried, "The phrensy of this madman to subdue."

-- "Not so, by Heaven!" Rogero wroth replied, "For I this field claim justly as my due."

-- "Stand back!" and "stand thou back!" on either side They shout; yet neither of the twain withdrew.

And thus among those three began a feud; And thence some strange result would have ensued,

LXVII If many had not interposed, and sought With little wit their fury to restrain; Who had well-nigh too dear the experience bought Of saving others at their proper pain; Nor to accord the world had ever brought Those knights, but that the worthy king of Spain Came thither with renowned Troyano's heir; Awed by whose sovereign presence all forbear.

LXVIII Agramant those contending warriors made The cause of their so burning strife display; Next earnestly bestirred himself, and prayed Grada.s.so that he would, in courteous way, Concede the Trojan Hector's goodly blade To Mandricardo, solely for that day, Until the cruel fight was at an end, Wherein he should with Rodomont contend.

LXIX While royal Agramant would peace restore, And now with this and now with that conferred, From the other tent, between the Sarzan Moor And Sacripant, another strife was heard.

Valiant King Sacripant (as said before) To equip Sir Rodomont himself bestirred, And he and Ferrau had that champion drest In his forefather Nimrod's iron vest;

LXX And there had they arrived, where with his spume The horse was making his rich bridle white: I of the good Frontino speak, for whom Rogero urged with yet unfelt despite.

King Sacripant, who plays the part of groom, And has to bring afield the Sarzan knight, Marks narrowly the courser's gear and shoes, And sell and furniture throughout reviews;

LXXI And as his points and nimble parts, more near, He, in this view, observes with better heed, The youthful king, beyond all doubt, is clear He sees his Frontilatte in that steed, Him he of old had held so pa.s.sing dear, Whilom of such debates the fruitful seed; And for whose loss, whilere he was so woe, He evermore on foot resolved to go.

LXXII This from beneath him had Brunello borne Before Albracca, on the very day Angelica's rare ring, and Roland's horn, And Balisarda he conveyed away, With fierce Marphisa's blade, -- and on return To Afric -- to Rogero, from his prey, Gave Balisarda and the courser, who Was by the Child Frontino named anew.

LXXIII a.s.sured 'twas no mistake, Circa.s.sia's chief Turned him about to Rodomont, and cried: "Reft from me in Albracca, by a thief, This horse is mine; which might be certified By them whose words would warrant well belief: But as my witnesses are distant wide, If it be questioned, I will make it plain, And will, with sword in hand, the truth maintain.

LXXIV "Yet am I well contented, for that we Have for these some few days together gone, To lend him for to-day; since well I see, That not without him could the fight be done; But on condition, that the courser be Acknowledged mine, and furnished as a loan: Otherwise hope not for that horse, save first Me, on this quarrel, thou in combat worst."

LXXV The furious king of Argier, that in pride Surpa.s.sed all knights that ever girt the sword, Whose paragon, for heart and prowess tried, Meseems no ancient histories record, Cried: "Sacripant, if any one beside Thyself, to me should utter such a word, He should deem quickly, from its bitter fruit, He from his birth would better have been mute.

LXXVI "But, for that fellows.h.i.+p in which we went, (As thou hast said) together, I to show Such patience and forbearance am content, As warning thee, thy purpose to forego, Until thou shalt have witnessed the event Of strife between me and my Tartar foe: When him I such example hope to make, That thou shalt humbly say, 'The courser take.' "

LXXVII Fierce and enraged, replied Circa.s.sia's peer, "To play the churl with thee is courteous deed, But I to thee repeat more plain and clear, Thou ill wouldst aught design against that steed, For, while I an avenging sabre rear, This I prohibit thee, and, should it need, And every better means of battle fail, With thee for this would battle, tooth and nail."

LXXVIII They from dispute proceed to ribaldry, From words to blows; and through their mickle ire, Fierce battle was inflamed, and blazed more high Than ever lightly-kindled straw took fire.

King Rodomont is steeled in panoply; Sacripant neither plate nor mail attire: Yet so in fence is skilled that nimble lord, He seems all over sheltered by his sword.

LXXIX No greater were the daring and the might (Though infinite) which Rodomont displaid Than the precaution and the nimble sleight Which the Circa.s.sian summoned to his aid: No mill-wheel ever turns with swifter flight The circling stone by which the grain is brayed, Than Sacripant at need moves foot or hand, And s.h.i.+fts now here, now there his restless stand.

Lx.x.x But Serpentine and Ferrau interfere: They with drawn swords the twain asunder bore; With them Grandonio was and Isolier, And many other leaders of the Moor, This was the tumult which was heard whilere In the other tent, what time they laboured sore, Rogero vainly to a peace to bring With Tartary's and Sericana's king.

Lx.x.xI This while some voice to Agramant the news Reports aright, that Ulien's might seed, With Sacripant, Circa.s.sia's king, pursues A fierce and furious quarrel for the steed.

Agramant, whom so many jars confuse, Exclaims to King Marsilius: "Take thou heed That no worse evil mid these knights betide, While for this new disorder I provide."