This while Oberto comes; who, if his lore, Who told the tale, were true, desires to note; While his invading army, far and wide, Ebuda burn and waste on every side.

LXI Oberto, though the Paladin to sight Was dripping, and with water foul and gore; With gore, that from the orc, emerged to light, Whom he had entered bodily, he bore, He for the country knew the stranger knight As he perused his face; so much the more, That he had thought when told the tidings, none Save Roland could such mighty fear have done;

LXII Knew him, because a page of honour he Had been in France, and for the crown, his right Upon his father's death, had crossed the sea The year before. So often he the knight Had seen, and had with him held colloquy, Their times of meeting had been infinite.

He doffed his casque, with festive welcome pressed Towards the count, and clasped him to the breast.

LXIII Orlando is no less rejoined to see The king, than is the king that champion true.

After with friendly cheer and equal glee Had once or twice embraced the n.o.ble two, To Oberto Roland told the treachery Which had been done the youthful dame, and who Had done it, -- false Bireno -- that among All men should least have sought to do her wrong.

LXIV To him he told the many proofs and clear By which the dame's affection had been tried; And how she for Bireno kin and geer Had lost, and would in fine for him have died.

And how he this could warrant, and appear To vouch for much, as witness on her side.

While thus to him her griefs Orlando showed, The lady's shining eyes with tears o'erflowed.

LXV Her face was such as sometimes in the spring We see a doubtful sky, when on the plain A shower descends, and the sun, opening His cloudy veil, looks out amid the rain.

And as the nightingale then loves to sing From branch of verdant stem her dulcet strain, So in her beauteous tears his pinions bright Love bathes, rejoicing in the chrystal light.

LXVI The stripling heats his golden arrow's head At her bright eyes, then slacks the weapon's glow In streams, which falls between white flowers and red; And, the shaft tempered, strongly draws his bow, And roves at him, o'er whom no shield is spread, Nor iron rind, nor double mail below; Who, gazing on her tresses, eyes, and brow, Feels that his heart is pierced, he knows not how.

LXVII Olympia's beauties are of those most rare, Nor is the forehead's beauteous curve alone Excellent, and her eyes and cheeks and hair, Mouth, nose, and throat, and shoulders; but, so down Descending from the lady's bosom fair, Parts which are wont to be concealed by gown, Are such, as haply should be placed before Whate'er this ample world contains in store.

LXVIII In whiteness they surpa.s.sed unsullied snow, Smooth ivory to the touch: above were seen Two rounding paps, like new-pressed milk in show, Fresh-taken from its crate of rushes green; The s.p.a.ce betwixt was like the valley low, Which oftentimes we see small hills between, Sweet in its season, and now such as when Winter with snows has newly filled the glen.

LXIX The swelling hips and haunches' symmetry, The waist more clear than mirror's polished grain, And members seem of Phidias' turnery, Or work of better hand and nicer pain.

As well to you of other parts should I Relate, which she to hide desired in vain.

To sum the beauteous whole, from head to feet, In her all loveliness is found complete.

LXX And had she in the Idaean glen unveiled In ancient days before the Phrygian swain, By how much heavenly Venus had prevailed I know not, though her rivals strove in vain.

Nor haply had the youth for Sparta sailed, To violate the hospitable reign; But said: "With Menelaus let Helen rest!

No other prize I seek, of this possest";

LXXI Or in Crotona dwelt, where the divine Zeuxis in days of old his work projected, To be the ornament of Juno's shrine, And hence so many naked dames collected; And in one form perfection to combine, Some separate charm from this or that selected, He from no other model need have wrought.

Since joined in her were all the charms he sought.

LXXII I do not think Bireno ever viewed Naked that beauteous form; for sure it were He never could have been so stern of mood, As to have left her on that desert lair.

That Ireland's king was fired I well conclude, Nor hid the flame that he within him bare.

He strives to comfort her, and hope instill, That future good shall end her present ill.

LXXIII And her to Holland promises to bear, And vows till she is to her state restored, And just and memorable vengeance there Achieved upon her perjured, traitor lord, He never will unceasing war forbear, Waged with all means that Ireland can afford; And this with all his speed. He, up and down, Meantime bids seek for female vest and gown.

LXXIV Now will it need to send in search of vest Beyond the savage island's narrow bound, Since thither every day in such came dressed, Some dame, to feed the beast, from countries round.

Nor long his followers there pursued the quest, Ere many they of various fashions found.

So was Olympia clothed; while sad of mood Was he, not so to clothe her as he wou'd.

LXXV But never silk so choice or gold so fine Did the industrious Florentine prepare, Nor whosoever broiders gay design, Though on his task be spent time, toil, and care, Nor Lemnos' G.o.d, nor Pallas' art divine, Form raiment worthy of those limbs so fair, That King Oberto cannot choose but he Recalls them at each turn to memory.

LXXVI To see that love so kindled by the dame, On many grounds Orlando was content; Who not alone rejoiced that such a shame Put upon her, Bireno should repent; But, that in the design on which he came, He should be freed from grave impediment.

Not for Olympia thither had he made, But, were his lady there, to lend her aid.

LXXVII To him, that there she was not, soon was clear, But clear it was not if she had been there, Or no; since of those islesmen, far and near, One was not left the tidings to declare.

The following day they from the haven steer, And all united in one squadron fare.

The Paladin with them to Ireland hies, From whence to France the warrior's pa.s.sage lies.

LXXVIII Scarcely a day in Ireland's realm he spends: And for no prayers his purposed end forbore: Love, that in quest of his liege-lady sends The knight upon this track, permits no more.

Departing, he Olympia recommends To the Irish monarch, who to serve her swore: Although this needed not; since he was bent More than behoved, her wishes to content:

LXXIX So levied in few days his warlike band, And (league with England's kind and Scotland's made) In Holland and in Friesland left no land To the false duke, so rapid was the raid.

And to rebel against that lord's command His Zealand stirred; nor he the war delayed, Until by him Bireno's blood was spilt: A punishment that ill atoned his guilt.

Lx.x.x Oberto takes to wife Olympia fair, And her of countess makes a puissant queen.

But be the Paladin again our care, Who furrows , night and day, the billows green, And strikes his sails in the same harbour, where They to the wind erewhile unfurled had been All armed, he on his Brigliadoro leaps, And leaves behind him winds and briny deeps.

Lx.x.xI The remnant of the winter, he with shield And spear achieved things worthy to be shown, I ween; but these were then so well concealed, It is no fault of mine they are not blown; For good Orlando was in fighting field, Prompter to do, than make his prowess known.

Nor e'er was bruited action of the knight, Save when some faithful witness was in sight.

Lx.x.xII That winter's remnant he so pa.s.sed that feat Of his was known not to the public ear; But when within that animal discreet Which Phryxus bore, the sun illumed the sphere, And Zephyrus returning glad and sweet, Brought back with him again the blooming year, The wondrous deeds Orlando did in stower, Appeared with the new gra.s.s and dainty flower.

Lx.x.xIII From plain to hill, from champaign flat to sh.o.r.e, Oppressed with grief and pain the County fares, When a long cry, entering a forest h.o.a.r, -- A load lamenting smites upon his ears.

He grasps his brand and spurs his courser sore, And swiftly p.r.i.c.ks toward the sound he hears.

But I shall at another season say What chanced, and may be heard in future lay.

CANTO 12

ARGUMENT Orlando, full of rage, pursues a knight Who bears by force his lady-love away, And comes where old Atlantes, by his sleight Had raised a dome, Rogero there to stay.

Here too Rogero comes; where getting sight Of his lost love, the County strives in fray With fierce Ferrau, and, after slaughter fell Amid the paynim host, finds Isabel.

I Ceres, when from the Idaean dame in haste Returning to the lonely valley, where Enceladus the Aetnaean mountain placed On his bolt-smitten flanks, is doomed to bear, Her girl she found not, on that pathless waste, By her late quitted, having rent her hair, And marked cheeks, eyes, and breast, with livid signs, At the end of her lament tore up two pines,

II And lit at Vulcan's fire the double brand, And gave them virtue never to be spent; And, afterwards, with one in either hand, Drawn by two dragons, in her chariot went, Searching the forest, hill, and level land, Field, valley, running stream, or water pent, The land and sea; and having searched the sh.e.l.l Of earth above, descended into h.e.l.l.

III Had Roland of Eleusis' deity The sovereign power possessed no less than will, He for Angelica had land and sea Ransacked, and wood and field, and pool and rill, Heaven, and Oblivion's bottom: but since he Had not, his pressing purpose to fulfil, Her dragon and her car, the unwearied knight Pursued the missing maid as best he might.

IV Through France he sought her, and will seek her through The realms of Italy and of Almayn, And thence through the Castiles, both old and new, So pa.s.sing into Libya out of Spain.

While bold Orlando has this plan in view, He hears, or thinks he hears, a voice complain: He forward spurs, and sees on mighty steed A warrior trot before him on the mead;

V Who in his arms a captive damsel bears, Sore grieving, and across the pommel laid; She weeps and struggles, and the semblance wears Of cruel woe, and ever calls for aid Upon Anglantes' prince; and now appears To him, as he surveys the youthful maid, She, for whom, night and day, with ceaseless pain, Inside and out, he France had searched in vain.

VI I say not is, but that she to the sight Seems the Angelica he loves so dear.

He who is lady-love and G.o.ddess' flight Beholds, borne off in such afflicted cheer, Impelled by fury foul, and angry spite, Calls back with horrid voice the cavalier; Calls back the cavalier, and threats in vain, And Brigliadoro drives with flowing rein.

VII That felon stops not, nor to him replies, On his great gain intent, his glorious prey; And with such swiftness through the greenwood hies, Wind would not overtake him on his way.

The one pursues while him the other flies, And with lament resounds the thicket gray.

They issue in a s.p.a.cious mead, on which Appears a lofty mansion, rare and rich.

VIII Of various marbles, wrought with subtle care, Is the proud palace. He who fast in hold Bears off upon his arm the damsel fair, Sore p.r.i.c.king, enters at a gate of gold.

Nor Brigliador is far behind the pair, Backed by Orlando, angry knight and bold.

Entering, around Orlando turns his eyes, Yet neither cavalier nor damsel spies.