Boldly, and in his heart secure to win
That battle’s honour, wends the paladin.
When now from either side those warriors meet,
Nigh at the same time at the fountain-side,
So in all points the pair each other greet,
With countenance, so kind, so satisfied,
’Twould seem by kindred and by friendship sweet
Rinaldo and Gradasso were allied.
But how they after closed in fierce affray,
I till another season shall delay.
Canto XXXII
To her that does for her Rogero stay,
Tidings are brought which irk the damsel sore,
That fair Marphisa caused the youth’s delay;
She bent to slay her, grieving evermore,
Departs, and overtakes, upon the way,
Ullania with the three kings who rode before.
These she o’ercomes, and had o’ercome that maid,
But that an evil law she disobeyed.
I recollect that I was bound to sing
(I promised so, but it escaped my mind)
Of a suspicion, fraught with suffering
To Bradamant of more displeasing kind,
And made by keener and more venomed sting
Than caused that other wound, wherewith she pined,
Which, hearing Richardet his news impart,
Had pierced her breast, and preyed upon her heart.
So was I bound to sing, but I begun
Another song, Rinaldo crossed my way,
And then those deeds by savage Guido done,
Kept me employed and caused no small delay;
And so from subject I to subject run,
That I forgot of Bradamant to say.
I now remember, and will tell you, ere
You of Rinaldo or Gradasso hear.
But it behoves, ere more of these be said,
I should awhile of Agramant discourse,
Who had from that night’s raging fire conveyed
To Arles, the remnant of his scattered force:
Since to unite his troops, and furnish aid
And victual, ’twas a place of much resource,
Seated upon a river, nigh the shore,
With Spain in front and Africa before.
With horse and foot, of good or evil sort,
Marsilius throughout Spain their loss repairs;
And each armed back in Barcellona’s port,
Furnished through love or fear, for sea prepares.
The Moor to council daily calls his court;
Nor care nor cost the watchful monarch spares:
Meanwhile sore taxes and repeated cess,
All Africa’s o’erburdened towns oppress.
He offers Rodomont, if to his side
He will return, but offers him in vain,
Renowned Almontes’ daughter, as a bride;
His cousin she, her portion Oran’s reign.
He lures not from his bridge that knight of pride,
Who has so many sells, such plate and chain
Collected there, from cavaliers o’erthrown,
As serve to hide the monumental stone,
Marphisa would not such a course pursue:
Nay, the redoubted damsel hearing said,
“That Agramant, subdued by Charles’s crew,
—His choicest warriors taken, chased, or dead—
In Arles was sheltered with his broken few,”
Thither, unbidden by the monarch, sped,
Prompt to assist him with her friendly blade;
And proffered purse and person in his aid.
As a free gift to him the martial fair
Brunello bore, nor had she done him wrong.
He, for ten days and nights, to swing in air,
Had sorely feared, from lofty gallows hung:
But seeing him unhelped by force or prayer
Of any one amid the paynim throng,
She thought foul scorn to stain her generous hands
With such base blood, and loosed the losel’s bands.
She pardoned every ancient injury,
And him to Agramant in Arles conveyed.
Well may you fancy with what joy and glee
The monarch greeted her who brought him aid;
He in Brunello’s fate wills all shall see
In what esteem he holds that warlike maid;
For he in earnest does upon her foe
What fierce Marphisa menaced but in show.
The hangman hung his corpse in desert field,
The craving vulture and the crow to feed.
Rogero, that erewhile had been his shield,
And from the noose that caitiff would have freed,
Heaven’s justice willed, now lay with wound unhealed,
Nor could assist the craven in his need;
And when the news were known, the knot was tied;
So that Brunello, unassisted, died.
This while does good duke Aymon’s daughter mourn,
Because those twenty days so slowly trail:
—Which term elapsed—Rogero should return,
And be received into her church’s pale.
Time halts not more with him to foreign bourne
Exiled, with prisoner pent in noisome jail;
Pines the poor wretch for liberty and light,
Or his loved land, desired and gladsome sight!
Aye sick with hope deferred, the expecting maid,
That Phoebus’ steeds were foundered one while deemed;
Then that his wheels were out of frame, so stayed,
Beyond the wonted term, his chariot seemed.
Yet longer than that day when Faith delayed
The sun, which on the righteous Hebrew beamed,
Or than that night Alcides was conceived,
She every day and every night believed.
How oft of dormouse, badger, or of bear,
The heavy slumber would she fain partake!
For she that time in sleep would waste and wear;
Nor such prolonged repose desired to break;
Nor wished the damsel any sound to hear,
Until Rogero’s voice should her awake:
But not alone is this beyond her power;
She cannot close her eyes one single hour.
She here and there, throughout the livelong night,
Tosses and turns, nor ever finds repose;
And still, impatient for the dawn of light,
From time to time she to her window goes,
To see if Tithon’s spouse the lily white
Yet scatters mingled with the crimson rose.
Nor less desires the damsel, when ’tis morn,
To see the golden stars the heaven adorn.
When, saving some four days, the term was ended,
Appointed for the youthful warrior’s stay,
She, full of hope, the messenger attended
From hour to hour, that should arrive, and say,
“Behold Rogero comes;” and oft ascended
A turret, from whose top she might survey
Gay champaign, wood, and, mid the wide expanse,
A portion of the road, that led to France.
When shining arms at distance she perceives,
Or any thing that speaks a cavalier,
’Tis her desired Rogero,
