XVIII Mid victories born, Victoria is her name, Well named; and whom (does she advance or stay) Triumphs and trophies evermore proclaim, While Victory heads or follows her array.

Another Artemisia is the dame, Renowned for love of her Mausolus, yea By so much greater, as it is more brave To raise the dead, than lay them in the grave.

XIX If chaste Laodamia, Portia true, Evadne, Argia, Arria, and many more Merited praise, because that glorious crew Coveted burial with their lords of yore, How much more fame is to Victoria due?

That from dull Lethe, and the river's sh.o.r.e, Which nine times hems the ghosts, to upper light Has dragged her lord, in death and fate's despite.

XX If that loud-voiced Maeonian trump whilere The Macedonian grudged Achilles, how, Francis Pescara, O unconquered peer, Would he begrudge thee, were he living now, That wife, so virtuous and to thee so dear, Thy well-earned glory through the world should blow; And that thy name through her should so rebound, Thou needst not crave a clearer trumpet's sound!

XXI If all that is to tell, and all I fain Would of that lady tell, I wished to unfold, Though long, yet not so long, would be the stain, But that large portion would be left untold, While at a stand the story would remain Of fierce Marphisa and her comrades bold; To follow whom I promised erst, if you Would but return to hear my song anew.

XXII Now, being here to listen to my say, Because I would not break my promise, I Until my better leisure, will delay Her every praise at length to certify.

Not that I think she needs my humble lay, Who with such treasure can herself supply: But simply to appay my single end, That gentle dame to honour and commend.

XXIII Ladies, in fine I say, that every age Worthy of story, many a dame supplies; But that, through jealous authors' envious rage, Unchronicled by fame, each matron dies; But will no more; since in the historic page Your virtues ye, yourselves, immortalize.

Had those two damsels in this art been read, Their every warlike deed had wider spread.

XXIV Bradamant and Marphisa would I say, Whose bold, victorious deeds, in battle done, I strive to bring into the light of day; But nine in ten remain to me unknown.

I what I know right willingly display; As well, that all fair actions should be shown, As well that, gentle ladies, I am bent Ye whom I love and honour, to content.

XXV As said, in act to go Rogero stood; And, having taken leave, the cavalier Withdraws his trenchant faulchion from the wood, Which holds no more the weapon, as whilere.

When, sounding loud amid that solitude, A cry, not distant far, arrests the peer.

Then thitherward he with those damsels made, Prompt, if 'twere needed, to bestow his aid.

XXVI They rode an-end; and louder waxed the sound, And plainer were the plaintive words they heard: When in a valley they three women found Making that plaint, who in strange garb appeared: For to the navel were those three ungowned, -- Their coats by some uncourteous varlet sheared -- And knowing not how better to disguise Their shame, they sate on earth, and dared not rise.

XXVII As Vulcan's son, that sprang (as it is versed) Out of the dust, without a mother made, Whom -- so Minerva bade -- Aglauros nursed With sovereign care, too bold and curious maid, Seated in car, by him constructed first To hide his hideous feet, was erst conveyed; So that which never is to sight revealed, Sitting, those mournful damsels kept concealed.

XXVIII At that dishonest sight and shameful, glows Each martial damsel's visage, overspread With the rich dyes of Paestum's crimson rose, When vernal airs their gentle influence shed.

Bradamant marked them; and that one of those Was Ulany, the damsel quickly read; Ulany, that was sent with solemn train From the LOST ISLE to royal Charlemagne;

XXIX And recognised the other two no less; From them she saw, when she saw Ulany; But now to her directed her address.

As the most honoured of those ladies three, Demanding, who so full of wickedness, So lawless was and so unmannerly, That he those secrets to the sight revealed, Which Nature, as she could, 'twould seem, concealed.

x.x.x Ulany, that in Bradamant descried, -- Known both by voice and ensignry -- the maid, Who some few days before those knights of pride With her victorious lance on earth had laid, How, in a town not far remote -- replied -- An evil race, by pity never swayed, Besides that they their raiment thus had shorn, Had beat them, and had done them other scorn.

x.x.xI What of the shield became, she cannot say, Nor knows she those three monarchs' destiny, Who guided her so long upon her way; If killed, or led into captivity; And says that she herself has ta'en her way, Albeit to fare a-foot sore irksome be, To appeal to royal Charlemagne, a.s.sured By him such outrage will not be endured.

x.x.xII To hear, yet more to see, so foul a wrong, Disturbed the Child and damsels' placid air And beauteous visage, whose bold hearts and strong No less compa.s.sionate than valiant were.

They now, all else forgetting, ere the tongue Of Ulany prefers demand, or prayer, That they would venge them on their cruel foe, In haste towards the felon's castle go.

x.x.xIII With one constant, the maids and cavalier, By their great goodness moved, from plate and mail Had stript their upper vests, well fitting gear Those miserable ladies' shame to veil.

Bradamant suffers not, that, as whilere, Sad Ulany shall tramp by hill and dale; But seats her on her horse's croup; so do Her comrades by those other damsels two.

x.x.xIV To gentle Bradamant Ulania showed The nearest way to reach the castle height; While comfort Bradamant on her bestowed, Promising vengeance for that foul despite.

They leave the vale, and by a crooked road And long ascend, now wheeling left, now right: Nor till the sun is hidden in the sea, Upon their weary way repose the three.

x.x.xV They to a hamlet on the summit wound, Scaling the mountain's steep and rugged side; And such good shelter and good supper found, As could by such rude quarters be supplied.

Arriving there, they turned their eyes around, And full of women every place espied, Some old, some young; nor, mid so large a clan, Appeared the visage of a single man.

x.x.xVI Not more bold Jason wondered, and the train Which sailed with him, that Argonautic crew, Seeing those dames that had their husbands slain, Fathers and sons and brethren, -- so that through All Lemnos' pleasant isle, by hill or plain, Of manly visage they beheld not two -- Than here Rogero, and the rest who go With good Rogero, wonder at this show.

x.x.xVII The martial damsels bid for Ulany, And those who came with her, provide attire; And gowns that eve are furnished for the three, If meaner than their own, at least entire.

To him a woman of that villagery Valiant Rogero summons, to inquire Where are the men; in that he none descries; And thus to him that village wife replies:

x.x.xVIII "What haply is to you a wonderment, This crowd of womankind, where man is none, To us is grave and grievous punishment, Who, banished here, live wofully alone; And, that such exile us may more torment, From those so loved, as brother, father, son, A long divorce and cruel we sustain, As our fell tyrant pleases to ordain.

x.x.xIX "Sent to these confines from his land, which lies But two leagues distant thence, where we were born, Us in this place the fell barbarian sties, Having first done us many a brutal scorn; And has with death and all extremities Threatened our kinsmen and ourselves forlorn, If they come hither, or he hears report We harbour them, when hither they resort.

XL "He to our name is such a deadly foe, He will not have us nearer than I shewed, Now have us of our kin approached, as though Infection from the female s.e.x ensued.

Already have the greenwood trees laid low Their leafy honours twice, and twice renewed, Since our lord's fury to such pitch arose, Now is there one his phrensy to oppose.

XLI "For he has spread such pa.s.sing fear among The people, death can cause no worse affright; In that, beside his natural love of wrong, He is endowed with more than human might.

He than a hundred other men more strong, In body is of a gigantic height: Nor us his va.s.sals he molests alone; But worse by him to stranger dame is done.

XLII "If your own honour, sir, and of those three, Beneath your charge, to you in aught is dear, 'Twill safer, usefuller, and better be To leave this road, and by another steer.

This leads you to his tower, described by me, To prove the savage use that cruel peer Has there established, to the shame and woe Of dame or cavalier, who thither go.

XLIII "This castellain or tyrant, Marganor (So name the felon knight) than whom more fell Nero was not, nor other heretofore, If other be, whose actions Fame doth swell, Thirsts for man's blood, but thirsts for woman's more Than wolf for blood of lambs; and bids expel With shame all females, that, in evil hour, Their fortune has conducted to his tower."

XLIV How in that impious man such fury grew, Asked young Rogero and those damsels twain, And prayed she would in courtesy pursue, Yea, rather from the first her tale explain.

"That castle's lord, fierce, and inhumane, Yet for a while his wicked heart concealed, Nor what he was so suddenly revealed.

XLV "For in the lifetime of his sons, a pair That differed much from the paternal style, (Since they the stranger loved; and loathers were Of cruelty and other actions vile) Flourished the courtesies and good customs there, And there were gentle deeds performed this while: For. albeit avaricious was the sire, He never crossed the youths in their desire.

XLVI "The cavaliers and dames who journeyed by That castle, there so well were entertained, That they departed, by the courtesy Of those two kindly brothers wholly gained.

In the holy orders of fair chivalry Alike the youthful pair had been ordained.

Cylander one, Tanacro hight the other; Bold, and of royal mien each martial brother;

XLVII "And truly were, and would have been alway Worthy of every praise and fame, withal Had they not yielded up themselves a prey To that uncurbed desire, which Love we call; By which they were seduced from the right way Into foul Error's crooked maze; and all The good that by those brethren had been wrought, Waxed, in a moment, rank, corrupt and naught.

XLVIII "It chanced, that in their father's fortilage, A knight of the Greek emperor's court did lie; With him his lady was; of manners sage; Nor fairer could be craved by wishful eye: For her Cylander felt such amorous rage, He deemed, save he enjoyed her, he should die; He deemed that, when the lady should depart, His soul as well would from his body part:

XLIX "And, for he knew 'twas useless to entreat, Devised to make her his by force of hand; Armed, and in silence, near his father's seat, Where must pa.s.s knight and lady, took his stand.

Through natural daring and through amorous heat, He with too little thought the matter planned; So that, when he beheld the knight advance, He issued, to a.s.sail him, lance to lance.

L "To overthrow him, at first shock he thought, And to win dame and palm in the career; But that Greek knight, in warlike strife well-taught, Shivered, like gla.s.s, his breastplate with the spear.

The bitter tidings to the sire were brought, Who bade bear home the stripling on a bier: He, finding he was dead, loud mourning made, And him in earth, beside his fathers, layed.

LI "Yet harbourage and welcome as before Had he who sought it; neither more nor less: Because Tanacro in his courteous lore Equalled his brother as in gentleness.

Thither that very year, from foreign sh.o.r.e, A baron and his wife their steps address: A marvel he of valour, and as fair As could be said, is she, and debonnair.

LII "No fairer was the dame than chaste and right, And well deserving every praise; the peer Derived of generous stock, and bold in fight, As ever champion, of whose fame we hear; And 'tis well fitting, that such valiant wight Should joy a thing so excellent and dear, Olindro he, the lord of Lungavilla, And she, his lady wife, yclept Drusilla.

LIII "No less for her the young Tanacro glows, Than for that other burned Cylander sore; Who brought erewhile to sad and bitter close The wicked love he to that lady bore.

The holy, hospitable laws he chose To violate no less than he, before He would endure, that him, with venomed sting, His new desire to cruel death should bring.

LIV "But he, because he has before his eyes The example of his elder brother slain, Thinks to bear off the lady in such wise, That bold Olindro cannot venge the stain.

Straight spent in him, not simply weakened, lies The virtue, wont Tancaro to sustain Above that flood of vice, in whose profound And miry waters Marganor lay drowned.

LV "That night, he in deep silence bade array A score of armed men; and next conveyed Into some caverns, bordering on the way, And distant from the tower, his ambuscade.