Lx.x.xVI That witless Antiochite, who, worthily, By name was cowardly Martano hight, Thinking, because his comrade, he must be Partaker of the n.o.ble Gryphon's might, Into the martial press rides valiantly, Then stops; and the issue of a furious fight, Which had begun between two cavaliers, To wait, retiring from the strife, appears.

Lx.x.xVII Seleucia's lord, of those companions one, Combined in that emprize to keep the place, Who then a course with bold Ombruno run, Wounded the unhappy warrior in mid-face, So that he slew him; mourned by every one, Who as a worthy knight the warrior grace, And over and above his worth, before All others, hold him for his courteous lore.

Lx.x.xVIII When vile Martano from his place discerned The fate which might be his with fearful eye, Into his craven nature be returned, And straight began to think how he might fly: But him from flight the watchful Gryphon turned, And, after much ado, with act and cry, Urged him against a knight upon the ground, As at the ravening wolf men slip the hound.

Lx.x.xIX Who will pursue the brindled beast for ten, Or twenty yards, and, after, stop to bay; When he beholds his flashing eyes, and when He sees the griesly beast his teeth display.

'Twas thus, before those valiant gentlemen And princes, present there in fair array, Fearful Martano, seized with panic dread, Turned to the right his courser's rein and head.

XC Yet he who would excuse the sudden wheel, Upon his courser might the blame bestow: But, after, he so ill his strokes did deal, Demosthenes his cause might well forego.

With paper armed he seems, and not with steel, So shrinks he at the wind of every blow: At length he breaks the ordered champions through, Amid loud laughter from the circling crew.

XCI Clapping of hands, and cries, at every turn, Were heard from all that rubble widely spread.

As a wolf sorely hunted makes return To earth, to his retreat Martano fled.

Gryphon remained, and sullied with the scorn Esteemed himself, which on his mate was shed; And rather than be there, he, in his ire, Would gladly find himself i' the midst of fire.

XCII With burning heart, and visage red with shame, He thinks the knight's disgrace is all his own, Because by deeds like his with whom he came, He weens the mob expects to see him known.

So that it now behoves his valour flame More clear than light, or they, to censure p.r.o.ne, -- Errs he a finger's breadth -- an inch -- will swell His fault, and of that inch will make an ell.

XCIII Already he the lance upon his thigh Has rested, little used to miss the foe: Then makes with flowing rein his courser fly, And next, somedeal advanced, directs the blow; And, smiting, puts to the last agony Sidonia's youthful lord, by him laid low.

O'ercome with wonder each a.s.sistant rises, Whom sore the unexpected deed surprises.

XCIV Gryphon returned, and did the weapon wield.

Whole and recovered, which he couched before, And in three pieces broke it on the shield Which bold Laodicea's baron bore.

Thrice of four times about to press the field He seemed, and lay along the crupper, sore Astound; yet rose at length, unsheathed his blade, Wheeled his good courser, and at Gryphon made.

XCV Gryphon, who in his saddle sees the peer Advancing towards him, nor unseated by The encounter, says: "The failure of the spear In a few strokes the sabre shall supply;"

And on his temples smote a stroke so shear, It seemed that it descended from the sky; And matched it with another, and again Another, till he stretched him on the plain.

XCVI Here two good brothers of Apamia were, In tourney wont to have the upper hand: Corimbo named and Thyrsis was the pair; Both overturned by Gryphon on the land.

One at the encounter left his saddle bare, On the other Gryphon used his trenchant brand: This valiant knight, was, in the common trust, Sure to obtain the honours of the just.

XCVII Bold Salinterno, mid the warlike train, Was in the lists, vizier and marshal hight, Who had the government of all that reign, And was, withal, a puissant man of might: The tourney's prize he sees, with much disdain, About to be borne off by foreign knight.

A lance he s.n.a.t.c.hes, and to Gryphon cries, And him with many menaces defies.

XCVIII But he makes answer with a ma.s.sy spear, Out of ten others chosen as the best; And levelling at the buckler of the peer, For greater surety, pierces plate and breast.

'Twixt rib and rib, it bored the cavalier, Issuing a palm behind. To all the rest, The king excepted, welcome was the blow: For each was greedy Salinterno's foe.

XCIX Two of Damascus next Sir Gryphon sped, Hermophilo and Carmondo. This, arraid Under his flag, the king's militia led; That was as lord high admiral obeyed.

This lightly at the shock on earth was shed, And that, reversed, upon the ground o'erlaid By his weak horse, too feeble to withstand Sir Gryphon's mighty push and puissant hand.

C Yet in the field remained Seleucia's knight, The best of all the other seven at need; And one who well accompanied his might With perfect armour and a gallant steed.

Both at the helmet, where it locks, take sight, And with their spears to the encounter speed: But Gryphon hardest smote, whose paynim foe Lost his left stirrup, staggered by the blow.

CI They cast the truncheons down, their coursers wheel, And, full of daring, with drawn falchions close.

Sir Gryphon was the first a stroke to deal, Which might have split an anvil; at the blow's Descent, the shield is splintered -- bone and steel -- This had its lord mid thousand others chose; And, but 'twas double, and the coat as well, The sword had cleft the thigh on which it fell.

CII He of Seleucia at Sir Gryphon's casque, At the same time, so fell a blow addrest, It would have rent and torn the iron mask, Had it not been enchanted like the rest.

The paynim's labour is a fruitless task, Of arms so hard Sir Gryphon is possest; Who has the foe's already cleft and broke In many parts, nor thrown away a stroke.

CIII Each one might see how much Seleucia's lord Was overmatched by Gryphon, and that day, The worsted men had perished by the sword, Had not the monarch quickly stopt the fray.

To his guard king Norandino spake the word, And bade them enter, and the duel stay: They part the knight, whom they asunder bear, And much the king is lauded for his care.

CIV The eight, who had to keep the field pretended From all the world, nor yet their part had done On a sole knight, -- their quarrel ill defended, -- Had vanished from the tilt-yard one by one.

The others, who with them should have contended, Stood idle; for to answer them was none.

Since Gryphon had forestalled, in the debate, What they should all have done against those eight;

CV And, for such little time endured the play, Less than an hour sufficed to finish all.

But Norandine, the pastime to delay, And to continue it till even-fall, Descending from his place, bade clear the way; And the huge squad divided, at his call, Into two troops, whom, ranked by blood and might, The monarch formed, and marched for other fight.

CVI Sir Gryphon, during this, had made return Homeward, with anger and with fury stung; Less thinking of his honours that the scorn Which on the vile Martano had been flung.

Hence, from himself the opprobrious shame to turn, Martano now employs his lying tongue; And she, the false and cunning courtezan, a.s.sists him in his scheme as best she can.

CVII Whether the youth believed the tale or no, He the excuse received, like one discreet; And deemed it best for them at once to go, And secretly and silently retreat, For fear, that if the populace should know Martano base, they him might ill entreat.

So, by short ways and close, they quit the abode, And issue from the gates upon their road.

CVIII Sir Gryphon, was he or his horse foredone With toil, or was it sleep his eyes down weighed, Ere yet the troop beyond two miles had gone, At the first inn upon the highway stayed.

He doffed his armour all, and morion, And had the steeds of trappings disarrayed; And next alone he to a chamber sped, Locked himself in, undrest, and went to bed.

CIX No sooner he his head had rested there, Than, with deep sleep opprest, he closed his eye: So heavily, no badgers in their lair, Or dormice, overcome with slumber, lie.

Martano and Origille, to take the air, Entered this while a garden which was nigh; And there the strangest fraud together bred, Which ever entered into mortal head.

CX Martano schemed to take away the steed And gear, in which Sir Gryphon had been dight, And stand before the monarch, in the weed Of him who had in joust so proved his might.

As he had shaped in thought, he did the deed: He took away the warrior's horse, more white Than milk, his buckler, surcoat, arms, and crest; In all Sir Gryphon's knightly ensigns drest.

CXI He, who was clad in trappings not his own, Like the a.s.s mantled in the lion's hide, As he expected, to the king, unknown, Was called in place of Gryphon: when descried Or Norandine, he rising from his throne, Embraced and kissed, and placed him by his side: Nor deems enough to praise and hold him dear, But wills that all around his praise should hear:

CXII And bids them the sonorous metal blow, Proclaiming him the conqueror of that day: And round about loud voices, high and low, The unworthy name throughout the lists convey.

He wills that, side by side, with him shall go The knight, when homeward he shall take his way; And him such favour shows, intent to please, As might have honoured Mars or Hercules.

CXIII Him lodgings fair he gave, wherein to dwell At court; and she who with the peer did ride Was honoured by the courteous king as well, -- False Origille, -- with knight and page supplied.

But it is time that I of Gryphon tell; Who unsuspecting, she, or wight beside, Him would with treacherous stratagem deceive, Had fallen asleep, nor ever waked till eve.

CXIV When he how late it was, awaking, knew, With speed he from the chamber did withdraw; And hastened where he, with the other crew, Left Origille and her false brother-in-law: And when, nor these, nor, upon better view, His armour nor his wonted clothes he saw, Suspicious waxed; and more suspicion bred The ensigns of his comrade left instead.

CXV The host, arriving, him at full possest Of every thing, -- and how, in white array, That warrior, with the lady and the rest, Had to the city measured back their way.

By little and by little, Gryphon guessed What love from him had hidden till that day; And knew, to his great sorrow, in the other Origille's paramour, and not her brother.

CXVI Now he lamenting for his folly stood, That having heard the truths the pilgrim said, He should have let her story change his mood, Who him before so often had betrayed.

He might have venged himself, nor did: -- now wou'd, Too late, inflict the punishment delaid; Constrained (a crying error!) in his need To take that wily treachour's arms and steed.

CXVII He better would have gone like naked man, Than braced the unworthy cuira.s.s on his breast; Or hastened the detested shield to span, Or place upon his helm the scorned crest.

But of the lover, and that courtezan, He, pa.s.sion mastering reason, took the quest: And bending to Damascus' gate his way, Arrived an hour before the close of day.

CXVIII On the left hand a castle richly dight Stood nigh the gate, to which Sir Gryphon rode.

Besides, that it was strong and armed for fight, Filled with rare chambers was the rich abode.

The first of Syria, king, and lord, and knight, And lady, in a gentle group bestowed, There in an open gallery fairly met, Were at their glad and costly supper set.

CXIX With the high tower the beauteous gallery, clear Beyond the city-wall, projected out, From whence might be discovered, far and near, The s.p.a.cious fields and different roads about.

When Gryphon now, in his opprobrious gear, And arms, dishonoured by the rabble's flout, Makes, by ill fortune, to the gate resort, He by the king is seen, and all his court;