Fierce and enraged, replied Circassia’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.”
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.
No greater were the daring and the might
(Though infinite) which Rodomont displayed
Than the precaution and the nimble sleight
Which the Circassian 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 shifts now here, now there his restless stand.
But Serpentine and Ferraù 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.
This while some voice to Agramant the news
Reports aright, that Ulien’s might seed,333
With Sacripant, Circassia’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.”
Rodomont reined his anger, and retired
Some deal, at his approaching sovereign’s view;
Nor less respect in Sacripant inspired
The Moorish monarch; of the furious two,
He with grave voice and royal mien inquired
What cause of strife such deadly discord blew:
And having searched their quarrel to the root,
Would fain accord them; but with little fruit.
Circassia’s monarch would not, on his side,
Longer his horse to Argier’s lord allow,
Save humbly Rodomont to him applied,
That steed for this occasion to bestow.
To him Sir Rodomont, with wonted pride,
Returned for answer: “Neither Heaven nor thou
Shall make me recognize as gift or loan
What I with this good hand can make mine own.”
The king bade Sacripant explain his right,
And how that horse was taken from him sought;
And this from first to last Circassia’s knight
Rehearsed, and reddened as the tale he taught,
Relating to the king the robber’s sleight;
“Who had surprised him overwhelmed with thought,
Upon four spears his courser’s saddle stayed,
And from beneath the naked horse conveyed.”
Marphisa, whom these cries, mid others, bring,
When of the robbery of the horse advised,
In visage is disturbed, remembering
How on that day her faulchion was surprised;
And when that courser (which equipt with wing
Appeared when flying her) she recognized;
And recognized as well—at first unknown—
The valiant king who filled Circassia’s throne.
The others who stood round her, wont to hear
Brunello often boast of the deceit,
’Gan turn towards that wretch, and made appear
By open signs they knew him for the Cheat.
Marphisa who the subtle knave whilere
Suspected as the author of that feat,
Now questions this, now that, who all accord
In saying “ ’twas Brunello stole her sword;
“Who, well deserving as a fitting pain
To dangle from the gallows-tree in air,
By Agramant the crown of Tingitane
(An ill example) was preferred to wear.”
This fires anew Marphisa’s old disdain,
Nor she from instant vengeance will forbear,
For this, as well as other shame and scorn
She on her road had from that caitiff born.
A squire laced on her helmet, at her hest;
She wore the remnant of her armour sheen;
Nor without martial cuirass on her breast,
Find I, that she ten times was ever seen,
Even from the day when first that iron vest
Braced on her limbs the passing-valiant queen;
With helm on head, where, mid the highest rows,
Brunello sits among the first, she goes.
Him by mid breast Marphisa griped amain,
And lifted up the losel from the ground;
As is rapacious eagle wont to strain
The pullet, in her talons circled round;
And bore him where the sons of King Troyane
Heard the two knights their jarring claims propound.
He who perceives himself in evil hands,
Aye weeps, and mercy of that maid demands.
Above the universal noise and shout,
Which rose nigh equally on either side,
Brunello, who from all the crowd about
For pity now, and now for succour, cried,
So loud was heard, that of that ample rout
He gathered round himself the pressing tide.
Arrived before the Moorish army’s head,
To him with haughty mien Marphisa said:
“This thief, (said she) thy vassal, will I slay,
And with this hand of mine will knot the cord
About his neck; because the very day
He stole his courser, he purloined my sword.
But is there any one who deems I say
Amiss, let him stand forth and speak the word;
For I on him will prove, before thine eyes,
I have done right, and who gainsays me, lies.
“But because haply some one may pretend
I have till such a time of strife delayed
My vengeance, when such famous knights contend,
For three days shall the wretch’s doom be stayed;
In the mean time let him who would defend
That caitiff, come himself, or send him aid.
For afterwards, if none the deed prevent,
His carcass shall a thousand birds content.
“I hence to yonder tower, which distant nigh
Three leagues, o’erlooks a little copse, repair,
But with one varlet in my company,
And with one waiting-maid; if any dare
Rescue the thief, let him come thither; I
Wait the approach of his defenders there.”
Thus she; and thither quickly wends her ways
Whither was said, nor
