Orlando. ↩
The Roman eagles were black, those borne by Mandricardo and Rogero white. ↩
A sphere of fire was supposed in the Ptolemaic system. Hence to reconcile Don Quixote (who is blindfolded) to the probability of his having arrived at a certain height in his imaginary ascent upon the wooden horse Clavileno, a handful of flax is burned under his nose. ↩
Hector’s arms were impenetrable, but nothing was impenetrable by Balisarda. Such are the contradictions incidental to the employment of such machinery as that of magic. ↩
Vivian and Malagigi. ↩
The knight turns out to be Guido the savage, and the lady is apparently his favourite wife Aleria, with whom he escaped from the city of Amazons. We do not learn how he had separated from his companions. ↩
During the siege of Albracea, where the Christian knights were engaged on different sides principally through Brunello; who having surprised several of them, compelled his prisoners to take an oath, to defend him against his enemies whomsoever, all of whom he had provoked by his manifold treasons. The occurrences during this famous siege are the most striking passage in the Orlando Innamorata, and present the most singular pictures of passion, picturesque description, and wild buffoonery, which are to be found in Italian romance. ↩
Galesus a river of Puglia not far from Tarentum, and Cinyphus a river of Africa. ↩
Brandimart. ↩
Phaethon. ↩
The Innamorata opens with the invasion of France by Gradasso, at the head of a hundred thousand men, for the purpose of obtaining Bayardo and Durindana. In a duel which is to decide his or Rinaldo’s right to the horse, Boyardo, in imitation of Virgil, makes Malagigi decoy his cousin aboard a boat by the appearance of a figure like Gradasso; when the boat leaves the land, of itself, and conveys away Rinaldo. ↩
His charger, so called. ↩
These were lordships possessed by the House of Maganza, inimical to that of Clermont, as has been seen throughout this poem. ↩
The Cadurci, in ancient geography, were a people of Aquitania, situated between the rivers Oldus, running from the north, and the Tarnis from the south. Cahors is the modern name of their capital. ↩
Marphisa. ↩
I have looked in vain for Bocchus’s city in dictionaries and in Sallust’s history of the Jugurthine war. I must, therefore, be contented with stating from Lempriere that he was “a king of Gaetulia who perfidiously delivered Jugurtha to Sylla, the lieutenant of Marius.” ↩
Sir Tristram and Yseult became passionately and exclusively enamoured of each other from having drunk a philtre. ↩
In the wish to abridge, as much as possible, what is already too voluminous, I must refer such readers as are uninformed respecting the Greek and Italian masters mentioned in these stanzas, to the Classical Dictionary, or Lives of the Painters by Lanzi or Vassari. ↩
In a mountain in Norsia is the Sibyl’s grot or cavern. ↩
Maurice, emperor of Constantinople, who by large offers incited Sigisbert to this expedition. ↩
One of the passes of the Alps, says an Italian commentator, but says not which. ↩
Eutar, king of the Lombards, cut off Sigisbert’s retreat. ↩
Clovis, king of France, marched with a great army into Italy against the Lombards, and thought, by taking advantage of the civil discords that sprung up amongst them, to obtain an easy conquest. The duke of Benevento, having few forces to oppose him, feigned at first an intention of attacking him, and then retreating, left his camp full of provisions and wine. The Franks entered the camp, the soldiers gave themselves up to excess till they were intoxicated, and the duke coming upon them in the night, when they were asleep, killed every man. ↩
Childibert, uncle of Clovis, desirous of revenging the death of his nephew, sent three generals, with three great armies, into Lombardy, against the duke of Benevento. One general dying, his army joined the other two; but a dreadful distemper breaking out amongst them, and they being disappointed of the succours which they expected from the emperor, the remainder returned home. ↩
Stefano the second, being raised to the papal chair, Astolpho, king of Lombardy, disturbed the tranquillity of the church: the pope, endeavouring to conciliate him with gifts, had recourse to Pepin, king of France, for assistance, who passed into Italy, and compelled Alphonso to sue for peace. Pepin having left Italy, Alphonso recommenced hostilities against the pope, and was once more compelled by Pepin
