LXXII Upon the sill and through the columns there, Ran young and wanton girls, in frolic sport; Who haply yet would have appeared more fair, Had they observed a woman's fitting port.

All are arrayed in green, and garlands wear Of the fresh leaf. Him these in courteous sort, With many proffers and fair mien entice, And welcome to this opening Paradise:

LXXIII For so with reason I this place may call, Where, it is my belief, that Love had birth; Where life is spent in festive game and ball, And still the pa.s.sing moments fleet in mirth.

Here h.o.a.ry-headed Thought ne'er comes at all, Nor finds a place in any bosom. Dearth, Nor yet Discomfort, never enter here, Where Plenty fills her horn throughout the year.

LXXIV Here, where with jovial and unclouded brow, Glad April seems to wear a constant smile, Troop boys and damsels: One, whose fountains flow, On the green margin sings in dulcet style; Others, the hill or tufted tree below, In dance, or no mean sport the hours beguile.

While this, who shuns the revellers' noisy cheer, Tells his love sorrows in his comrade's ear.

LXXV Above the laurel and pine-tree's height, Through the tall beech and s.h.a.ggy fir-tree's spray, Sport little loves, with desultory flight: These, at their conquests made, rejoiced and gay: These, with the well-directed shaft, take sight At hearts, and those spread nets to catch their prey; One wets his arrows in the brook which winds, And one on whirling stone the weapon grinds.

LXXVI To good Rogero here was brought a steed, Puissant and nimble, all of sorel hue; Who was caparisoned with costly weed, Broidered with gold, and jewels bright to view.

That other winged horse, which, at his need, Obedient to the Moorish wizard flew, The friendly damsels to a youth consigned, Who led him at a slower pace behind.

LXXVII That kindly pair who, by the wicked band Offended fate, had saved the youthful knight; The wicked crew, that did the Child withstand, When he the road had taken on his right, Exclaimed, "Fair sir, your works already scanned By us, who are instructed of your might, Embolden us, in our behalf, to pray You will the prowess of your arm a.s.say.

LXXVIII "We soon shall reach a bottom which divides The plain into two parts: A cruel dame A bridge maintains, which there a stream bestrides, Eriphila the savage beldam's name; Who cheats, and robs, and scathes, whoever rides To the other sh.o.r.e, a giantess in frame; Who has long poisonous teeth her prey to tear, And scratches with her talons like a bear.

LXXIX "Besides that she infests the public way, Which else were free; she often ranging through All this fair garden, puts in disarray This thing or that. Of the a.s.sa.s.sin crew, That people who without the portal gay, Lately with brutal rage a.s.saulted you, Many her sons, the whole her followers call, As greedy and inhospitable all."

Lx.x.x "For you not only her I would a.s.sail, But do a hundred battles, well content: Then of my person, where it may avail, Dispose (Rogero said) to you intent.

Silver and land to conquer, plate or mail I swear not, I, in warlike cuira.s.s pent; But to afford my aid to others due; And, most of all, to beauteous dames like you."

Lx.x.xI Their grateful thanks the ladies, worthily Bestowed on such a valiant champion, paid: They talking thus the bridge and river see, And at her post the haughty dame arraid (Sapphire and emerald decked the panoply) In arms of gold: but I awhile delay Till other strain the issue of the fray.

CANTO 7

ARGUMENT Rogero, as directed by the pair, The giantess Eriphila o'erthrows.

That done, he to Alcina's labyrinth, where More than one knight is tied and prisoned, goes.

To him Melissa sage the secret snare, And remedy for that grave evil shows.

Whence he, by her advised, with downcast eye, And full of shame forthwith resolves to fly.

I The traveller, he, whom sea or mountain sunder From his own country, sees things strange and new; That the misjudging vulgar, which lies under The mist of ignorance, esteems untrue: Rejecting whatsoever is a wonder, Unless 'tis palpable and plain to view: Hence inexperience, as I know full well, Will yield small credence to the tale I tell.

II But this be great or small, I know not why The rabble's silly judgement I should fear, Convinced you will not think the tale a lie, In whom the light of reason shines so clear.

And hence to you it is I only try The fruit of my fatigues to render dear.

I ended where Eriphila in guard Of bridge and stream was seen, the pa.s.sage barred.

III Of finest metal was her armour bright, With gems of many colours overspread, The tawny jacinth, yellow chyrsolite, The emerald green of hue, and ruby red.

Mounted, but not on palfrey, for the fight: In place of that, she on a wolf had sped, Sped on a wolf towards the pa.s.s; and rode On sell, that rich beyond all custom showed.

IV No larger wolf, I ween, Apulia roams; More huge than bull, unguided by her hand; Although upon no bit the monster foams, Docile, I know not why, to her command.

The accursed Plague, arrayed in surcoat, comes Above her arms, in colour like the sand; That, saving in its dye, was of the sort Which bishops and which prelates wear at court.

V The giantess's crest and shield appear, For ensign, decked with swoln and poisonous toad.

Her the two damsels to the cavalier Before the bridge, prepared for battle, showed, Threatening, as wont to some, with levelled spear, To do the warrior scorn and bar the road.

Bidding him turn, she to Rogero cries; A lance he takes, and threats her and defies.

VI As quick and daring, the gigantic Pest Spurred her wolf, seated well for that dread game: In mid career she laid her lance in rest, And made earth quake beneath her as she came; Yet at the encounter fierce the champaign pressed; For underneath the casque, with stedfast aim, So hard Rogero smote her, that he bore The beldam backward six good yards and more:

VII And came already with his lifted blade, Drawn for that end, to take her haughty head; To him an easy task; for she was laid Among the gra.s.s and flowers, like one that's dead.

But, " 'Tis enough that she is vanquished," said The pair, "No further press thy vengeance dread.

Sheathe, courteous cavalier, thy sword anew: Pa.s.s we the river, and our way pursue."

VIII Along the path, which through a forest lay, Roughish and somedeal ill to beat, they went.

Besides that strait and stony was the way, This, nigh directly, scaled a hill's ascent.

But, when arrived upon the summit, they Issued upon a mead of vast extent; And a more pleasant palace on that green Beheld, and brighter than was ever seen.

IX To meet the Child, Alcina, fair of hue, Advanced some way beyond the outer gate; And, girded by a gay and courtly crew, Rogero there received in lordly state: While all the rest to him such honour do, And on the knight with such deep reverence wait, They could not have displayed more zeal and love, Had Jove descended from the choirs above.

X Not so much does the palace, fair to see, In riches other princely domes excel, As that the gentlest, fairest, company Which the whole world contains, within it dwell: Of either s.e.x, with small variety Between, in youth and beauty matched as well: The fay alone exceeds the rest as far As the bright sun outshines each lesser star.

XI Her shape is of such perfect symmetry, As best to feign the industrious painter knows, With long and knotted tresses; to the eye Not yellow gold with brighter l.u.s.tre glows.

Upon her tender cheek the mingled dye Is scattered, of the lily and the rose.

Like ivory smooth, the forehead gay and round Fills up the s.p.a.ce, and forms a fitting bound.

XII Two black and slender arches rise above Two clear black eyes, say suns of radiant light, Which ever softly beam and slowly move; Round these appears to sport in frolic flight, Hence scattering all his shafts, the little Love, And seems to plunder hearts in open sight.

Thence, through mid visage, does the nose descend, Where Envy finds not blemish to amend.

XIII As if between two vales, which softly curl, The mouth with vermeil tint is seen to glow: Within are strung two rows of orient pearl, Which her delicious lips shut up or show.

Of force to melt the heart of any churl, However rude, hence courteous accents flow: And here that gentle smile receives its birth, Which opes at will a paradise on earth.

XIV Like milk the bosom, and the neck of snow; Round is the neck, and full and large the breast; Where, fresh and firm, two ivory apples grow, Which rise and fall, as, to the margin pressed By pleasant breeze, the billows come and go.

Not prying Argus could discern the rest.

Yet might the observing eye of things concealed Conjecture safely, from the charms revealed.

XV To all her arms a just proportion bear, And a white hand is oftentimes descried, Which narrow is, and somedeal long; and where No knot appears, nor vein is signified.

For finish of that stately shape and rare, A foot, neat, short, and round, beneath is spied.

Angelic visions, creatures of the sky, Concealed beneath no covering veil can lie.

XVI A springe is planted in Rogero's way, On all sides did she speak, smile, sing, or move; No wonder then the stripling was her prey, Who in the fairy saw such show of love.

With him the guilt and falsehood little weigh, Of which the offended myrtle told above.

Nor will he think that perfidy and guile Can be united with so sweet a smile.

XVII No! he could now believe, by magic art, Astolpho well transformed upon the plain, For punishment of foul ungrateful heart, And haply meriting severer pain.

And, as for all he heard him late impart, 'Twas prompted by revenge, 'twas false and vain.

By hate and malice was the sufferer stung, To blame and wound the fay with slanderous tongue.

XVIII The beauteous lady whom he loved so well Is newly banished from his altered breast; For (such the magic of Alcina's spell) She every ancient pa.s.sion dispossessed; And in his bosom, there alone to dwell, The image of her love, and self impressed.

So witched, Rogero sure some grace deserves, If from his faith his frail affection swerves.

XIX At board lyre, lute and harp of tuneful string, And other sounds, in mixed diversity, Made, round about, the joyous palace ring, With glorious concert and sweet harmony.

Nor lacked there well-accorded voice to sing Of love, its pa.s.sion and its ecstasy; Nor who, with rare inventions, choicely versed, Delightful fiction to the guests rehea.r.s.ed.

XX What table, spread by whatsoever heir Of Ninus, though triumphant were the board, Or what more famous and more costly, where Cleopatra feasted with the Latian lord, Could with this banquet's matchless joys compare, By the fond fairy for Rogero stored?

I think not such a feast is spread above, Where Ganymede presents the cup to Jove.