XCII As the flood, swoln with Vesulo's thick snows, The farther that it foams upon its way, And, with Ticino and Lambra, seaward goes, Ada, and other streams that tribute pay, So much more haughty and impetuous flows; Rogero so, the more he hears display Marganor's guilt, and so that gentle pair Of damsels filled with fiercer choler are.

XCIII Them with such hatred, them with such disdain Against the wretch so many crimes incense, That they will punish him, despite the train Or armed men arraid in his defence: But speedy death appears too kind a pain, And insufficient for such foul offence.

Better they deem, mid pangs prolonged and slow, He all the bitterness of death should know.

XCIV But first 'tis right that woman to unchain, She whom the hangman-crew to death escort; And the quick rowel and the loosened rein Made the quick coursers make that labour short.

Never had those a.s.saulted to sustain Encounter of so fell and fierce a sort; Who held it for a grace, with loss of shield, Harness and captive dame, to quit the field;

XCV Even as the wolf, who, laden with his prey, Is homeward to his secret cavern bound, And, when he deems that safest is the way, Beholds it crost by hunter and by hound, Flings down his load, and swiftly darts away, Where most o'ergrown with brushwood is the ground.

Nor quicker are that band to void the vale, Than those bold three are quicker to a.s.sail.

XCVI Not only they the dame and martial gear, But many horses they as well forsook; And, as the surest refuge in their fear, Cast themselves down from bank and caverned nook: Which pleased the damsels and the youthful peer; Who three of those forsaken horses took, To mount those three, whom, through the day before, Upon their croups the three good coursers bore.

XCVII Thence, lightened thus, their way they thither bend, Where that despiteous, shameful, lordship lies; Resolved the beldam in their band shall wend, To see Drusilla venged; in vain denies That woman, who mis...o...b..s the adventure's end, And grieves, and shrieks, and weeps in piteous wise: For flinging her upon Frontino's croup, Rogero bears her off amid the troop.

XCVIII They reached a summit, and from thence espied A town with many houses, large and rich; With nought to stop the way on any side, As neither compa.s.sed round by wall or ditch.

A rock was in the middle, fortified With a tall tower, upon its topmost pitch.

Fearlessly thither p.r.i.c.ked the warriors, who Marganor's mansion in that fortress knew.

XCIX As soon as in the town that cavalcade Arrived, some footmen, who kept watch and ward, Behind those warriors closed a barricade; While that, before, they found already barred.

And lo! Sir Marganor, with men arraid, Some foot, some hors.e.m.e.n! armed was all the guard; Who to the strangers, in few words, but bold, The wicked custom of his lordship told.

C Marphisa, who had planned the thing whilere With Aymon's daughter and the youthful knight, For answer, spurred against the cavalier; And, valiant as she was and full of might, Not putting in the rest her puissant spear, Or baring that good sword, so famed in fight, So smote him with her fist upon the head, That on his horse's neck he fell half dead.

CI The maid of France is with Marphisa gone, Nor in the rear it seen Rogero's crest; Who with those two his course so bravely run, That, though his lance he raised not from the rest, Six men he slew; transfixed the paunch of one, Another's head, of four the neck or breast; I' the sixth he broke it, whom in flight he speared: It pierced his spine and at his paps appeared.

CII As many as are touched, so many lie On earth, by Bradamant's gold lance o'erthrown; She seems a bolt, dismist form burning sky, Which, in its fury, shivers and beats down Whatever it encounters, far and nigh.

Some fly to plain, or castle from the town, Others to sheltering church and house repair; And none, save dead, are seen in street or square.

CIII Meanwhile the hands of Marganor, behind His back, the fierce Marphisa had made fast, And to Drusilla's maid the wretch consigned, Well pleased that such a care on her was cast.

To burn the town 'twas afterwards designed, Save it repented of its errors past, Repealed the statute Marganor had made, And a new law, imposed by her, obeyed.

CIV Such end to compa.s.s is no hard a.s.say; For, besides fearing lest Marphisa yearn To execute more vengeance, -- lest she say, -- She one and all will slaughter and will burn, -- The townsmen all were advised to the sway And cruel statute of that tyrant stern; But did, as others mostly do, that best Obey the master whom they most detest.

CV Since none dares trust another, nor his will, -- Out of suspicion -- to his comrades break, They let him banish one, another kill, From this his substance, that his honour take.

But the heart cries to Heaven, that here is still, Till G.o.d and saints at length to vengeance wake: Who, albeit they due punishment suspend, By mighty pain the long delay amend.

CVI The rabble, full of rage and enmity, Now seeks the wretch with word and deed to grieve; As, it is said, all strip the fallen tree, Which from its roots and wintry winds upheave: Let rulers in his sad example see, Ill doers in the end shall ill receive.

To view fell Marganor's disastrous fall, Fit penance for his sins, pleased great and small.

CVII Many, of whom the sister had been slain, The mother, or the daughter, or the wife, Seeking no more their rebel wrath to rein, Hurry, with their own hands to take his life; And young Rogero and the damsels twain Can scarce defend the felon in that strife; Whom those ill.u.s.trious three had doomed to die, Mid trouble, fear, and lengthened agony.

CVIII To the hag, who bore such hatred to that wight, As woman to an enemy can bear, They give their prisoner naked, bound so tight, He will not at one shake the cordage tear; And she, her pains and sorrow to requite, Crimsons the wretch's body, here and there, With a sharp goad, which, mid that village band, A peasant churl had put into her hand.

CIX Nor she the courier maid, nor they that ride With her, aye mindful how they had been shent, Now let their hands hang idle by their side; No less than that old crone on vengeance bent: Such was their fierce desire, it nullified The power to harm; but rage must have its vent., Him one with stones, another with her nails, This with her teeth, with needles that, a.s.sails.

CX As torrent one while foams in haughty tide, When fed with mighty rain or melted snow; And, rending form the mountain's rugged side Tree, rock, and crop and field, the waters go: Then comes a season when its crested pride Is vanished, and its vigour wasted so, A child, a woman, everywhere may tread, And often dry-shod cross, its rugged bed.

CXI So Marganor whilere each bound and bourn Made tremble, whereso'er his name was heard: Now one is come to bruise the tyrant's horn; And now his prowess is so little feared, That even the little children work him scorn: Some pluck his hair and others pluck his beard.

Thence young Rogero and the damsels twain Towards his rock-built castle turn the rein.

CXII This without contest its possessors yield, And the rich goods preserved in that repair.

These the friends partly spoiled, and partly dealed To Ulany and that attendant pair.

With them, recovered was the golden shield, And those three monarchs that were prisoned there; Who, without arms, afoot, towards that hold Had wended, as meseems whilere was told.

CXIII For from the day that they were overthrown By Bradamant, afoot, they evermore, Unarmed, in company with her had gone, That hither came from her so distant sh.o.r.e.

I know not, I, if it was better done Or worse, by her, that they their arms forbore; Worse, touching her defence; but better far, If they were losers in the doubtful war.

CXIV For she would have been dragged, -- like others, whom Armed men had thither brought beneath their guide, (Unhappy women) to the brothers' tomb, -- And by the sacrifice knife have died.

Death, sure, is worse, and more disastrous doom Than showing that which modesty would hide; And they who can to force ascribe the blame, Extinguish this and every other shame.

CXV Before they hence depart, the martial twain a.s.semble the inhabitants, to swear, They to their wives the rule of that domain Will leave, as well as every other care; And that they will chastise, with heavy pain, Whoever to oppose this law shall dare.

-- In fine, man's privileges, whatsoe'er, They swear, shall be conferred on woman here:

CXVI Then make them promise never to bestow Harbourage on whosoever thither sped, Footman or cavalier, nor even allow Any beneath a roof to hide his head, Unless he swore by G.o.d and saints, or vow Yet stronger made -- if stronger could be said -- That he the s.e.x's cause would aye defend, Foe to their foes, and woman's faithful friend;

CXVII And, if he then were wived, or ever were -- Sooner or later -- linked in nuptial noose, Still to his wife he would allegiance bear, Nor e'er compliance with her will refuse.

Marphisa says, within the year, she there Will be, and ere the trees their foliage lose; And, save she find her statute in effect, That borough fire and ruin may expect.

CXVIII Nor hence they part ill from the filthy place, Wherein it lay, Drusilla's corse is borne; Her with her lord they in a tomb encase, And, with what means the town supplies, adorn.

Drusilla's ancient woman, in this s.p.a.ce, Marganor's body with her goad has torn.

Who only grieves she has not wind enow, No respite to his torture to allow.

CXIX Beside a church, the martial damsels twain Behold a pillar, standing in the square; Whereon the wicked lord of the domain Had graved that mad and cruel law; the pair, In imitation, his helm, plate, and chain, And shield, in guise of trophy fasten there; And afterwards upon the pillar trace That law they had enacted for the place.

CXX Within the town the troop set up their rest, Until the law is graved, of different frame From that before upon the stone imprest, Which every woman doom'd to death and shame.

With the intention to replace her vest, Here from that band divides the Island.i.c.k dame; Who deems, at court 'twere shameful to appear, Unless adorned and mantled as whilere.

CXXI Here Ulany remained, and in her power Remained the wicked tyrant Marganor: She, lest he any how, in evil hour, Should break his bonds and injure damsel more, Made him, one day, leap headlong from a tower, Who never took so still a leap before.

No more of her and hers! I of the crew That journey toward Arles, the tale pursue.

CXXII Throughout all that and the succeeding day, Till the forenoon, proceed those banded friends; And, where the main-road branches, and one way Towards the camp, to Arles the other tends, Again embrace the lovers, and oft say A last farewell, which evermore offends.

The damsels seek the camp; to Arles is gone Rogero; and my canto I have done.

CANTO 38

ARGUMENT To Arles the Child, to Charles Marphisa wends, To be baptized, with Bradamant for guide.

Astolpho from the holy realm descends; Through whom with sight the Nubian is supplied: Agramant's land he with his troop offends; But he is of his Africk realm so wide, With Charles he bargains, that, on either side, Two knights by strife their quarrel should decide.

I Ye courteous ladies, who unto my strain Kind audience lend -- I read it in your cheer -- That good Rogero should depart again So suddenly, from her that held him dear, Displeases ye, and scarce inflicts less pain Than that which Bradamant endured whilere: I read you also argue, to his shame, That feebly burned in him the amorous flame.

II If from her side for other cause had gone, Against that lady's will, the youthful lord; Though in the hope more treasure to have won Than swelled rich Croesus' or rich Cra.s.sus' h.o.a.rd, I too should deem the dart, by Cupid thrown, Had not the heart-core of Rogero gored.

For such a sovereign joy, a prize so high No silver and no gold could ever buy.

III Yet to preserve our honour not alone Deserves excuse, it also merits praise: This to preserve, I say, when to have done In other wise, might shame and scandal raise; And had fair Bradamant reluctance shown, And obstinately interposed delays, This, as a certain sign, had served to prove That lady's little wit or little love.

IV For if his life, whom gentle woman loves, As her own life she values, or before; (I speak of one at whom young Cupid roves With arrows which beneath the mantle gore) His honour to his pleasure it behoves That woman to prefer, by so much more, As man beyond his life his honour treasures, Esteemed by him above all other pleasures.