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.
“It that be true Gradasso has averred,
That knight should win the arms he would assay,
Thou hast no title 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 pronounced unsay,
That mine shall be the second battle, so
That Argier’s monarch first affront his foe.
“I will confuse the order of the field,
Throughout, if partially confused by thee;
Abandon will I not my blazoned shield,
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 title to that shield and goodly glaive;”
And overmastered 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.
Gradasso 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.
Fury and scorn Gradasso’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 space.
So Mandricardo on himself relies
Rogero he to fight, as well defies.
“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 dismayed,
So saying, in his fury, sawed the wind
About him, with Almontes’ noble blade,
Embraced his shield, and, full of choler, stood
Against Gradasso and Rogero good.
“Leave me the care,” the fierce Gradasso cried,
“The frenzy 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,
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 Spain330
Came thither with renowned Troyano’s heir;331
Awed by whose sovereign presence all forbear.
Agramant those contending warriors made
The cause of their so burning strife display;
Next earnestly bestirred himself, and prayed
Gradasso 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.
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 Ferraù had that champion drest
In his forefather Nimrod’s iron vest;
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;
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 passing dear,
Whilom of such debates the fruitful seed;
And for whose loss, whilere he was so woe,
He evermore on foot resolved to go.
This from beneath him had Brunello332 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.
Assured ’twas no mistake, Circassia’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.
“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.”
The furious king of Argier, that in pride
Surpassed 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.
“But, for that fellowship 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
