THE

THIRTIETH BOOK

OF

ORLANDO FURIOSO.

WHEN Reason, that should still in bounds restrain
Each sudden warmth, to Passion gives the rein;
And blindfold Rage our hand or lips can move
To injure those who merit most our love;
Though we with tears our errors past bemoan,
Such tears can never for th' offence atone.
In vain, alas! I sorely now repent
Those words in which I gave my anger vent;
Since like a wretch I fare, who while distrest
With slow disease, has long his plaints supprest,
Till hopeless grown, to wild impatience driven,
He arms his tongue against dispensing Heaven :
His health restor'd, he owns his crime with grief,
But words once spoke admit of no relief.
Yet, ever-courteous dames! I hope from you
To meet that grace for which I lowly sue.
Forgive, what from a lover's frenzy came,
And to my beauteous foe transfer the blame;

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She plunges me in ills, she bids me burn
With fierce resentment, that indulg'd must turn
On my own head-Heaven only knows if love
So true as mine, deserves such fate to prove.
Not less my madness than Orlando's rage,
And such as well may pity's ear engage;
Like his, who wandering now from hill to plain,
Had travers'd o'er Marsilius' wide domain.

Day following day from place to place he flew,
While at his back the lifeless beast he drew.
At length he reach'd a stream whose ample tide
Pour'd to the sea; there on the turfy side
The carcase left, and swiftly plunging o'er,
He gain'd by stress of arms the further shore.
When near the banks a village-swain he view'd,
Who brought his horse to water at the flood,
And onward held his way, nor thought of fear
To see one naked like Orlando near.

Let me (the madman cry'd) thy courser take,
With my good mare I mean th' exchange to make :
Look if thou wilt-behold she lies at haud,
For dead I left her there on yonder strand.
I left her dead-but well I know thy care
Will bind her wounds and every hurt repair.
Give me thy steed-and with him further pay
For such a fair exchange--dismount I pray

In courtesy to speed me on my way.

Loud laugh'd the swain, but answering not a word
The madman left, and turn'd him to the ford.
Thou hear'st me not-(enrag'd Orlando cry'd)
Give me thy horse-and with a lengthen'd stride
Advancing swift, a staff the herdsman shook
Of knotty oak, with which the earl he struck :
At this the Paladin was rous'd to ire,

He gnash'd his teeth, his eye-balls flash'd with fire.

With hand unarm'd he dealt a crashing wound,
And stretch'd the peasant lifeless on the ground.
He mounts his steed, he scours the public ways,
And towns and villages in ruin lays :
No rest, no provender the beast he gives,
But in a few short days disabled leaves.
Nor will Orlando long on foot remain,
But soon by force another steed obtain:
Whate'er he meets his lawless prize he makes;
He kills the rider, and the courser takes.
Arriv'd at Malaga, the frantic knight

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Fill'd every part with tumult and affright :

65

Such was the ravage of his fearful hand,

Two years suffic'd not to recruit the land.

Such numbers slain he left where'er he pass'd,
Such buildings burnt, to earth so many cast,
That half the country look'd a dreary waste.
To Zizera he thence pursu'd his way,

That near the straits of Zibelterra lay.

There loosen'd from the strand a bark he view'd,

In vain he call'd, when none to hear inclin'd;

A guest like him could little welcome find.

80

Ver. 54. With hand unarm'd-] The Italian is,

He struck the shepherd a blow on the head with his fist, and split

his skull.

Swift o'er the level tide the vessel flies,
As sails the swallow through the liquid skies.

At this, with blows on blows Orlando drives
His steed though loth, and at the sea arrives.
The steed reluctant enters in the waves,
Long vainly struggling: now the water laves
His knees and breast; now swells on either side,
Till scarce his head appears above the tide.
No more returning shall he quit the surge,

85

While o'er his ears the madman waves the scourge.
Ah! wretched steed! whose life must soon be lost,
Unless thou swimm'st to Afric's distant coast.
Now more and more, withdrawing from the land,
Orlando loses sight of hills and strand.

90

Far in the sea he wades; between his eyes

95

And objects lost the billows fall and rise :

Till now unequal to the watery strife,

The beast concludes his swimming and his life :
He sunk, and with the steed had sunk his load,
But self-supported on the heaving flood,
His nervous arms and legs Orlando ply'd,
And from his mouth expell'd the briny tide;
While Fortune, that o'er madmen still presides,
From death preserves him, and to Setta guides;
Then lands him safe, where near arose in sight
The walls in distance twice an arrow's flight:
At length he found along the tented coast
Encamp'd in swarthy bands a countless host.
But let us leave the earl, till better time
To him again recall the wandering rhyme.

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Ver. 109. But let us leave the earl,—] He returns to Orlando, Book

xxxix. ver. 277.

What next to fair Angelica befel,

Who late escap'd the madman's hand so well,
And how she found a ship in happy hour
To bear her safe for India's spicy shore;
There gave Medoro o'er her realms to reign,
Others may sing in more exalted strain :_
I hasten to the Tartar knight, who gain'd
Such conquest o'er his rival, as obtain❜d
The fairest dame to fill a lover's arms

That Europe boasts in all her bloom of charms,
Since from our clime Angelica retir'd,

120

And Isabella chaste to Heaven aspir'd.

Though Mandricardo heard with conscious pride
The dame in his behalf the cause decide,
Yet short enjoyment could that chance afford,

125

When quarrels still on foot requir'd his sword.
There young Rogero call'd him to the field,
And claim'd the argent eagle on his shield:
Gradasso, king of Sericana's lands,
For Durindana here the fight demands.
King Agramant, and king Marsilius try'd
To make each warrior's angry strife subside:
But nor Rogero will the Tartar knight
Permit to bear great Hector's shield in fight;
Nor stern Gradasso let the Tartar wield
'The sword Orlando brandish'd in the field.

Then Agramant-No more at variance fall,

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135

Let chance of lots each knight to battle call:

And let us prove, whom Fortune first may name ;

Of him she favours, I confirm the claim:

140

If yet you hold your sovereign's love so dear,

To what he offers lend a willing ear:

Ver. 116. Others may sing-] Angelica and Medoro appear no more in the course of this work.