Icarus or Icarius (by some represented as a son of Bacchus) gave his labourers wine to drink, who, being new to its effects, were intoxicated, and believing themselves poisoned, assassinated him. The story is told with some variations by different authors. ↩
The Boi were themselves a Celtic people of Gaul, according to Caesar.
The considering wine’s keeping good for a single year as a test of its perfection gives us a very sorry idea of Italian wines in the time of Ariosto, and affords a singular contrast to the accounts of the period during which some such wines were formerly preserved, if we can give credit to Pliny. It is true that the greater part of the modern Italian wines will not long retain their flavour; but some (such as the Picolit, made in the province of Friuli, and the vino di Breganza, made in that of Vicenza) will keep for half a century. ↩
The first thing that probably will occur to the reader is that Orlando might have seen from the shore whether or no the vessel was alone; but there are parts of Africa (as off the Syrtes, as I am informed) where a person standing on the dry and solid land could not have a distinct view of the extremity of the shallows which border the coast. ↩
Brandimart. ↩
Astolpho and Sansonetto. ↩
That they might not have the rising sun in their faces, a matter of much importance in close combat. Ariosto, like Homer, wisely represents the party to whom he wishes well, as more superior to their enemies in arms and discipline than in courage. ↩
The volcanic district of Abano, famous for its mineral waters and muds, lying at the foot of the Euganean Hills, and everywhere intersected by hot streams. ↩
Oliviero. ↩
Orlando. ↩
He is termed a martyr, as dying in a war with the infidels. ↩
He commemorates the victory of Alphonso d’Este over the Spaniards, at the taking of Bastìa, a strong fortress on the Po. Alphonso in the attack was wounded by a stone from an engine. ↩
Vestidello, the governor of the fort, when taken by the Spaniards, had been slain by them in cold blood.
He calls them mostly an unchristened train, I suppose, as drawn principally from the Moorish provinces. ↩
It would appear from this passage as if the large falcon sometimes struck the smaller one, his companion in the chase, instead of the quarry; which Ariosto attributes to stupidity or jalousie de métier. ↩
Ariosto here follows Homer and Virgil, who attribute the same presentiment to Hector and Turnus on the eve of the combat in which they perished. ↩
I have taken my reading from the edition printed under Ariosto’s own inspection (which has been carefully followed by Panizzi); viz.
“Gli vede intorno il campo sanguinoso,”
which, independently of its authority, I think greatly preferable to that which is the reading of the other editions that have fallen under my observation. These have;
“Gli vede intorno il capo sanguinoso.”
In the Italian,
“Nè men ti raccomando la mia Fiordi—”
Ma dir nonpuote ligi; e qui finiò.
I have, though at a miserable distance, followed my author as nearly as the nature of our language will permit,
“Non ita certandi cupidus quam propter amorem:”
but feeling how ill I have been able to imitate him, I feel it the more a duty to direct the reader’s attention to the original, begging him to consider the licence with respect to its exquisite effect in this place, not suffering himself to be reasoned out of his feelings, and still less to be laughed out of them by a piece of successful buffoonery. ↩
Frederick Fregoso, apparently termed Fulgoso for the introduction of a poor play upon words in the succeeding stanza; as
“Sì che, o chiaro fulgor de la fulgosa luce.”
Octavian Fregoso, doge of Genoa, and brother of Frederick. ↩
When Angelica loved and Rinaldo hated, Malagigi, then Angelica’s prisoner, was released conditionally, that he might negotiate with his cousin, she promising him final liberty if he brought him to her feet. ↩
The principal characteristics of this palace, though the magnificence is exaggerated, may be found in parts, if not in a whole, in some of the old fabrics of Italy, and a stair, or rather inclined plane. The luxury of easy stairs, a most desirable one in a hot country, is more studied by southern than by northern architects. The lofty steeple of St. Mark’s at Venice is ascended with little inconvenience by a series of traverses slightly indented, and the staircase of the Grand Master’s palace at Malta is practicable on ass-back. ↩
Daughter of Pope Alexander Borgia, and wife to duke Alphonso. This lady, thus famed for her chastity, was (it will be remembered) taxed with double incest previous to her marriage. A distinguished modern historian (Roscoe) thinks this stanza a refutation of the charge; inasmuch as he argues from it that, if the accusation had been credited in that age, Ariosto would not have dared, in despite of public opinion, to have celebrated her for a virtue so very much out of her way; and to have exalted her
