THE

EXPEDITION OF GRADASSo.

CANTO VII.

a

THE ARGUMENT.

PROGRESS and perils of Orlando.-His engagement with a giant, placed by the King of Circassia to guard a pass.-Overcomes the sphinx--Defeats a cyclop.-Hears tidings of Angelica.—Arrives in the domain of Dragontine. -Tastes of her enchanted cup, and is disabled from pursuing his intended route. Remains a prisoner in her castle.

CANTO VII.

ÆONIAN maids, your flight celestial bend,

To where Orlando's weary efforts tend,

Far, far from duty's path, and honor's way,
Led, spite of reason and remorse, to stray;

By pow'rs more strong than those of magic art-
The ungovern'd passions of the human heart-

A progress unremitting he pursued,

To reach where Tanias pours a plenteous flood,

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And many a level tract irriguous laves,

Before it mingles with the Euxine waves.

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No sweet diversity the landscape cheers,

No pleasing trace of social life appears.
Amid the fir-crown'd forests lynxes stray,

And Calmuck hunters chase their nimble prey;

Or the Kirguisian shepherds wander wide,

Their flocks with needful pasture to provide;
Yet still the wond'rous pow'r of mighty love
Impell'd the Paladin new toils to prove.
The gales of morn-the mid-day sun-the dew
Of fading eve, by turns he bore-nor knew
Or rest or respite, e'en from Cynthia's rise,
Till when she left the empire of the skies.—
But all this long research was made in vain—
Of the fair nymph no vestige could he gain;
None could the wish'd intelligence impart,
Or guide him to the mistress of his heart.

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Far in a lonely wild, at early day,

As museful he pursued his pensive way,

An aged man he suddenly beheld,

With feeble step advancing o'er the field;

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Low bends the sire beneath the weight of years,

But more with sorrow laden he appears;
His overflowing heart, by grief constrain'd,
Rose to his lips, and loudly he complain❜d.

Orlando, who ne'er caught a sight of woe,
Without a wish kind solace to bestow,
Check'd Brigliadoro's rein, with ready hand,
The cause of this affliction to demand.
The mourner slowly rais'd his languid eyes,
And thus replied, with interrupting sighs-
What can a parent's heartfelt grief assuage,
Who sees the prop of his declining age,

His all of hope-the son he'd die to save,
Cut off from life, to moulder in the grave ?—
This fatal morn-Oh! would to ruling Heav'n,
It never to my wretched view was giv'n!

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