Is even tempted fouler deed to do.
Of men, of how many we hear, that sold
Their patrons and their friends for sordid gold?
“With such fierce arms thou ill didst her assail,
If to behold a brave defence thou sought.
Knowst thou not, against gold of no avail
Is stone, or steel to hardest temper wrought?
Meseems that thou in tempting her didst fail
More than herself, that was so quickly caught.
I know not, had she tempted thee as much,
If thou, thyself, hadst better stood the touch.”
Here ends Rinaldo, and—the parley done—
Rises and to his rest desires to go:
“Awhile will he repose; and then be gone,
An hour or two before the daylight show.”
But little time has Aymon’s warlike son;
Nor idly will that little time bestow.
To him the mansion’s master made reply,
He in his house might at his pleasure lie.
“For bed and bower, within, were ready dight;
But—would he take his counsel for his guide—
In comfort might he sleep throughout the night.
And yet advance some miles; ‘For thou,’ he cried,
‘Shalt have a pinnace, that with rapid flight
And without risk shall with the current glide.
Therein shalt thou all night pursue thy way,
And on thy journey gain withal a day.’ ”
Good seemed that proffer in Rinaldo’s eyes,
And to the courteous host large thanks he paid;
Then for the pinnace which that lord supplies,
That waits him with her crew, the warrior made.
Here, at full ease reclined, Rinaldo lies,
While with the stream his frigate is conveyed;
Which, by six oars impelled, flies fast and fair,
And cleaves the water, as a bird the air.
As soon as he reclines his weary head,
Asleep is Mount Albano’s cavalier;
Having erewhile “that they shall wake him,” said,
“As soon as they Ferrara’s city near.”
Melara lies left of that river’s bed,
Sermide to the right; they in their rear
Next leave Stellata and Figarolo,
Where his two horns are lowered by angry Po.
Of those two horns that which t’ward Venice goes
Rinaldo’s pilot left, and took the right;
Then the Bodeno past. Already shows
Faintly the eastern blue, and fades from sight;
For now Aurora from her basket throws
All her rich flowers, and paints it red and white;
When viewing the two castles of Tealdo,
Again his head uplifts the good Rinaldo.
“O happy town! whereof” (the warrior cried)
“Spake Malagigi, having, far and near,
The fixt and wandering fires of heaven espied,
And forced some subject spirit to appear,
To me foretelling that in future tide,
—What time with him I took his way whilere—
Even to such pitch thy glorious fame should rise,
Thou from all Italy wouldst bear the prize.”
So saying, in his barge he all this while
Hurries, as if the bark with pinions flew,
Scouring the king of rivers, to that isle
Nearest the town;527 and, though it not to view
(Deserted and neglected then) doth smile,
This yet rejoices to behold anew;
Nor makes small mirth thereat; because aware
Hereafter how adorned ’twill be and fair.
Before when he with him that way had gone,
From Malagigi, his cousin, did he hear
That when seven hundred times his course had run,
Circling the heaven in Aries, the fourth sphere,528
Of islands this should be the fairest one
In sea, or pool, or river, far and near,
So that who this beheld, would brook no more
To hear that praised which fair Nausicäa bore.529
He heard, “it in fair mansions would outdo
That island which Tiberius held so dear;
And trees that in Hesperian gardens grew
Would yield to what this beauteous place should bear;
—So rare its race of beasts—no fairer shew
Herded or housed erewhile by Circe were;
Venus with Loves and Graces there should sport,
Nor more in Gnide and Cyprus keep her court;
“And so would flourish through his study and care,
Who will with knowledge and with power should blend;
And who so safely should that bright repair
With circling wall and sheltering dyke defend,
The united world’s assault it well might dare,
Nor call on foreign power its aid to lend;
And that Duke Hercules’ sire and Hercules’ son530
Was he by whom this marvel should be done.”
So wends the warrior summing in his mind
What erst to him had told his cousin wise;
What time the sage of future things divined,
Whereof with him he often wont devise;
And aye contemplating that city blind,
“How can it ever be,” Rinaldo cries,
“That in all liberal and all worthy arts
Shall flourish so these waste and watery parts?
“And that to city of such amplitude
And beauty such a petty burgh should grow,
And where but marsh and miry pool is viewed,
Henceforth should full and fruitful harvests glow?
Even now I rise, to hail the gentle blood,
The love, the courtesy thy lords shall show,
O thou fair city, in succeeding years;
Thy burghers’ honours and thy cavaliers’.
“The grace ineffable of powers above,
Thy princes’ wisdom and their love of right,
Shall with perpetual peace, perpetual love
Preserve thee in abundance and delight;
And a defence from all the fury prove
Of such as hate thee; and unmask their spite.
Be thy content thy neighbours’ wide annoy,
Rather than thou shouldst envy other’s joy!”
While thus Rinaldo speaks, so swiftly borne
By the quick current flies that nimble yawl;
Not to the lure more swiftly makes return
The falcon, hurrying at his lord’s recall.
Thenceforth the right-hand branch of the right horn
Rinaldo takes; and hid are roof and wall:
St. George recedes; recede from that swift boat
The turrets of Gaibana and of the Moat.
Montalban’s martial lord (as it befell,
That thought moved thought, which others moved again)
In memory chances on the knight to dwell,
That him at supper late did entertain;
That, through this city’s cause, the truth to tell,
Hath reason evermore to
