When it is time, their prowess to recite.
When so had filed the warlike host of Spain
In fair review before King Agramant,
Appeared King Oran with his martial train,
Who might almost a giant’s stature vaunt;
Next they who weep their Martasino, slain
By the avenging sword of Bradamant,
King of the Garamantes, and lament
That woman triumphs in their monarch spent.
Marmonda’s men next past the royal Moor,
Who left Argosto dead on Gascon meads;
And this unguided band, like that before,
As well as the fourth troop, a captain needs.
Although King Agramant has little store
Of chiefs, he feigns a choice, and thinks; next speeds
Buraldo, Ormida, and Arganio tried,
Where needing, the unordered troops to guide.
He gives Arganio charge of Libicane,
Who wept the sable Dudrinasso dead.
Brunello guides the men of Tingitane,
With cloudy countenance and drooping head;
Who since he in the wooded mountain-chain
(Nigh where Atlantes dwelt), to her he led,
Fair Bradamant, had lost the virtuous ring,
Had lived in the displeasure of his king;
And but that Ferraù’s brother Isolier,
Who fastened to a stem had found him there,
Made to King Agramant the truth appear,
He from the gallows-tree had swung in air:
Already fastened was the noose, and near
The caitiff’s fate, when at the many’s prayer
The king bade loose him; but reprieving, swore,
For his first fault to hang, offending more.
Thus, not without a cause, Brunello pined,
And showed a mournful face, and hung his head.
Next Farurantes: to whose care consigned,
Maurina’s valiant horse and footmen tread.
The new-made king Libanio comes behind,
By whom are Constatina’s people led:
Since Agramant the crown and staff of gold,
Once Pinador’s, had given to him to hold.
Hesperia’s people come with Soridan,
With Dorilon the men of Setta ride;
The Nasamonians troop with Pulian,
And Agricaltes is Ammonia’s guide.
Malabupherso rules o’er Fezzan’s clan,
And Finaduro leads the band supplied
By the Canary Islands and Morocco:
Balastro fills the place of king Tardocco.
Next Mulga and Arzilla’s legions two.
The first beneath their ancient captains wend;
The second troop without a leader, who
Are given to Corineus, the sovereign’s friend.
So (late Tanphirion’s) Almonsilla’s crew,
To a new monarch in Caïchus bend.
Goetulia is bestowed on Rhimedont,
And Cosca comes in charge of Balinfront.
Ruled by Clarindo, Bolga’s people go,
Who fills the valiant Mirabaldo’s post:
Him Baliverso, whom I’d have you know
For the worst ribald in that ample host,
Succeeded next. I think not, ’mid that show,
The bannered camp a firmer troop could boast
Than that which followed in Sobrino’s care;
Nor Saracen than him more wise and ware.
Gualciotto dead, Bellamarina’s crew,
(His vassals) serve, the sovereign of Algiers,
King Rodomont, of Sarza; that anew
Brought up a band of foot and cavaliers:
Whom, when the cloudy sun his rays withdrew
Beneath the Centaur and the Goat,186 his spears
There to recruit, was sent to the Afric shore
By Agramant, returned three days before.
There was no Saracen of bolder strain,
Of all the chiefs who Moorish squadrons led;
And Paris-town (nor is the terror vain)
More of the puissant warrior stands in dread
Than of King Agramant and all the train,
Which he, or the renowned Marsilius head;
And amid all that mighty muster, more
Than others, hatred to our faith he bore.
Prusion is the Alvaracchia’s king: below
King Dardinello’s flag Zumara’s power
Is ranged. I wot not, I, if owl or crow,
Or other bird ill-omened, which from tower
Or tree croaks future evil, did foreshow
To one or to the other, that the hour
Was fixed in heaven, when on the following day
Either should perish in this deadly fray.
Noritia’s men and Tremisene’s alone
Were wanting to complete the paynim host;
But in the martial muster sign was none,
Nor tale, nor tiding of the squadrons lost;
To wondering Agramant alike unknown,
What kept the slothful warriors from their post,
When of King Tremisene’s a squire was brought
Before him, who at large the mischief taught;
—Who taught how Manilardo was laid low,
Alzirdo, and many others, on the plain.
—“Sir,” said the bearer of the news, “the foe
Who slew our troop, would all thy camp have slain,
If thine assembled host had been more slow
Than me, who, as it was, escaped with pain.
This man slays horse and foot, as in the cote,
The wolf makes easy waste of sheep and goat.”
Where the bold Africans their standards plant,
A warrior had arrived some days before;
Nor was there in the west, or whole Levant,
A knight, with heart or prowess gifted more.
To him much grace was done by Agramant,
As successor of Agrican, who wore
The crown of Tartary, a warrior wight;
The son the famous Mandricardo hight.
Renowned he was for many a glorious quest
Achieved, and through the world his fame was blown.
But him had glorified above the rest
Worth in the Syrian fairy’s castle shown:187
Where mail, which cased the Trojan Hector’s breast
A thousand years before, he made his own.
And finished that adventure, strange and fell;
A story which breeds terror but to tell.
When the squire told his news amid that show
Of troops, was present Agrican’s bold son,
Who raised his daring face, resolved to go
And find the warrior who the deed had done;
But the design he hatched, forebore to show;
As making small account of any one,
Or fearing lest, should he reveal his thought,
The quest by other champion might be sought.
He of the squire demanded what the vest
And bearings, which the valiant stranger wore;
Who answered, “that he went without a crest,
And sable shield and sable surcoat bore.”
—And, sir, ’twas true; for so was Roland drest;
The old device renounced he had before:
For as he mourned within, so he without,
The symbols of his grief would bear about.
Marsilius had to Mandricardo sped,
As gift, a courser of a chestnut stain,
Whose legs and
