LVIII And if he brings to end the former feat, But afterwards the next unfinished leaves, They kill him, and as slaves his following treat, Condemned to delve their land or keep their beeves.

-- If for the first and second labour meet -- He liberty for all his band achieves, Not for himself; who there must stay and wed Ten wives by him selected for his bed.

LIX So strange a custom of the neighbouring strand Without a laugh Astolpho cannot hear; Sansonet and Marphisa, near at hand, Next Aquilant, and he, his brother dear, Arrive: to them the patron who from land Aye keeps aloof, explains the cause of fear, And cries: "I liefer in the sea would choke, Than here of servitude endure the yoke."

LX The sailors by the patron's rede abide, And all the pa.s.sengers affrighted sore; Save that Marphisa took the other side With hers, who deemed that safer was the sh.o.r.e Than sea, which raging round them, far and wide, Than a hundred thousand swords dismayed them more.

Them little this, or other place alarms, So that they have but power to wield their arms.

LXI The warriors are impatient all to land: But boldest is of these the English peer; Knowing how soon his horn will clear the strand, When the scared foe its pealing sound shall hear.

To put into the neighbouring port this band Desires, and are at strife with those who fear.

And they who are the strongest, in such sort Compel the patron, that he makes the port.

LXII Already when their bark was first espied At sea, within the cruel city's view, They had observed a galley, well supplied With practised mariners and numerous crew (While them uncertain counsels did divide) Make for their wretched ship, the billows through: Her lofty prow to their short stern and low These lash, and into port the vessel tow.

LXIII They thitherward were worked with warp and oar, Rather than with a.s.sistance of the sail; Since to lay starboard course or larboard more, No means were left them by the cruel gale.

Again their rugged rhind the champions wore, Girding the faithful falchion with the mail, And with unceasing hope of comfort fed Master and mariners opprest with dread.

LXIV Like a half-moon, projected from the beach, More than four miles about, the city's port; Six hundred paces deep; and crowning each Horn of the circling haven, was a fort; On every side, secure from storm or breach, (Save only from the south, a safe resort) In guise of theatre the town extended About it, and a hill behind ascended.

LXV No sooner there the harboured ship was seen (The news had spread already through the land) Than thitherward, with martial garb and mien, Six thousand women trooped, with bow in hand; And, to remove all hope of flight, between One castle and the other, drew a band; And with strong chains and barks the port enclosed; Which ever, for that use, they kept disposed.

LXVI A dame, as the c.u.mean sybil gray, Or Hector's ancient mother of renown, Made call the patron out, and bade him say, If they their lives were willing to lay down; Or were content beneath the yoke to stay, According to the custom of the town, -- One of two evils they must choose, -- be slain, Or captives, one and all, must there remain.

LXVII " 'Tis true, if one so bold and of such might Be found amid your crew," (the matron said), "That he ten men of ours engage in fight, And can in cruel battle lay them dead, And, after, with ten women, in one night, Suffice to play the husband's part in bed, He shall remain our sovereign, and shall sway The land, and you may homeward wend your way.

LXVIII "And at your choice to stay shall also be, Whether a part or all, but with this pact, That he who here would stay and would be free, Can with ten dames the husband's part enact.

But if your chosen warrior fall or flee, By his ten enemies at once attacked, Or for the second function have not breath, To slavery you we doom, and him to death."

LXIX At what she deemed the cavaliers would start, The beldam found them bold; for to compete With those they should engage, and play their part The champions hoped alike in either feat.

Nor failed renowned Marphisa's valiant heart, Albeit for the second dance unmeet; Secure, where nature had her aid denied, The want should with the falchion be supplied.

LXX The patron is commanded their reply Resolved in common council to unfold; The dames at pleasure may their prowess try, And shall in lists and bed allow them bold.

The lashings from the vessels they untie, The skipper heaves the warp, and bids lay hold, And lowers the bridge; o'er which, in warlike weed, The expectant cavaliers their coursers lead.

LXXI These through the middle of the city go, And see the damsels, as they forward fare, Ride through the streets, succinct, in haughty show, And arm, in guise of warriors, in the square.

Nor to gird sword, nor fasten spur below, Is man allowed, nor any arm to wear; Excepting, as I said, the ten; to follow The ancient usage which those women hallow.

LXXII All others of the manly s.e.x they seat, To ply the distaff, broider, card and sow, In female gown descending to the feet, Which renders them effeminate and slow; Some chained, another labour to complete, Are tasked, to keep their cattle, or to plough.

Few are the males; and scarce the warriors ken, Amid a thousand dames, a hundred men.

LXXIII The knights determining by lot to try Who in their common cause on listed ground, Should slay the ten, with whom they were to vie, And in the other field ten others wound, Designed to pa.s.s the bold Marphisa by, Believing she unfitting would be found; And would be, in the second joust at eve, Ill-qualified the victory to achieve.

LXXIV But with the others she, the martial maid, Will run her risque; and 'tis her destiny.

"I will lay down this life," the damsel said, "Rather than you lay down your liberty.

But this" -- with that she pointed to the blade Which she had girt -- "is your security, I will all tangles in such manner loose, As Alexander did the Gordian noose.

LXXV "I will not henceforth stranger shall complain, So long as the world lasts, of this repair."

So said the maid, nor could the friendly train Take from her what had fallen to her share.

Then, -- either every thing to lose, or gain Their liberty, -- to her they leave the care.

With stubborn plate and mail all over steeled, Ready for cruel fight, she takes the field.

LXXVI High up the s.p.a.cious city is place, With steps, which serve as seats in rising rows; Which for nought else is used, except the chase, Tourney, or wrestling match, or such-like shows.

Four gates of solid bronze the rabble flows In troubled tide; and to Marphisa bold, That she may enter, afterwards is told.

LXXVII On pieballed horse Marphisa entered, -- spread Were circles dappling all about his hair, -- Of a bold countenance and little head, And beauteous points, and haughty gait and air.

Out of a thousand coursers which he fed, Him, as the best, and biggest, and most rare, King Norandino chose, and, decked with brave And costly trappings, to Marphisa gave.

LXXVIII Through the south gate, from the mid-day, the plain Marphisa entered, nor expected long, Before she heard approaching trumpet-strain Peal through the lists in shrilling notes and strong; And, looking next towards the northern wain, Saw her ten opposites appear: among These, as their leader, p.r.i.c.ked a cavalier, Excelling all the rest in goodly cheer.

LXXIX On a large courser came the leading foe, Which was, excepting the near foot behind And forehead, darker than was ever crow: His foot and forehead with some white were signed.

The horseman did his horse's colours show In his own dress; and hence might be divined, He, as the mournful hue o'erpowered the clear, Was less inclined to smile, than mournful tear.

Lx.x.x At once their spears in rest nine warriors laid, When the trump sounded, in the hostile train, But he in black no sign of jousting made, As if he held such vantage in disdain: Better he deemed the law were disobeyed, Than that his courtesy should suffer stain.

The knight retires apart, and sits to view What against nine one single lance can do.

Lx.x.xI Of smooth and balanced pace, the damsel's horse To the encounter her with swiftness bore; Who poised a lance so ma.s.sive in the course, It would have been an overweight for four.

She, disembarking, as of greatest force, The boom had chosen out of many more.

At her fierce semblance when in motion, quail A thousand hearts, a thousand looks grow pale.

Lx.x.xII The bosom of the first she opens so, As might surprise, if naked were the breast: She pierced the cuira.s.s and the mail below; But first a buckler, solid and well prest, A yard behind the shoulders of the foe Was seen the steel, so well was it addrest.

Speared on her lance she left him on the plain, And at the others drove with flowing rein;

Lx.x.xIII And so she shocked the second of the crew, And dealt the third so terrible a blow, From sell and life, with broken spine, the two She drove at once. So fell the overthrow, And with such weight she charged the warriors through!

So serried was the battle of the foe! -- I have seen bombard open in such mode The squadrons, as that band Marphisa strowed.

Lx.x.xIV Many good spears were broken on the dame, Who was as little moved as solid wall, When revellers play the chace's merry game, Is ever moved by stroke of heavy ball.

So hard the temper of her corslet's mail, The strokes aye harmless on the breast-plate fall, Whose steel was heated in the fires of h.e.l.l, And in Avernus' water slaked by spell.

Lx.x.xV At the end of the career, she checked her steed, Wheeled him about, and for a little stayed; And then against the others drove at speed, Broke them, and to the handle dyed her blade.

Here shorn of arms, and there of head, they bleed; And other in such manner cleft the maid, That breast, and head, and arms together fell, Belly and legs remaining in the sell.

Lx.x.xVI With such just measure him she cleaves, I say, Where the two haunches and the ribs confine: And leaves him a half figure, in such way As what we before images divine, Of silver, oftener made of wax, survey; Which supplicants from far and near enshrine, In thanks for mercy shown, and to bestow A pious quittance for accepted vow.

Lx.x.xVII Marphisa next made after one that flew, And overtook the wretch, and cleft (before He the mid square had won) his collar through, So clean, no surgeon ever pieced it more.

One after other, all in fine she slew, Or wounded every one she smote so sore, She was secure, that never more would foe Arise anew from earth, to work her woe.

Lx.x.xVIII The cavalier this while had stood aside, Who had the ten conducted to the place, Since, with so many against one to ride, Had seemed to him advantage four and base; Who, now he by a single hand espied So speedily his whole array displaced, p.r.i.c.ked forth against the martial maid, to show 'Twas courtesy, not fear, had made him slow.

Lx.x.xIX He, signing with his right hand, made appear That he would speak ere their career was run, Nor thinking that beneath such manly cheer A gentle virgin was concealed, begun: "I wot thou needs must be, sir cavalier, Sore wearied with such mighty slaughter done; And if I were disposed to weary thee More than thou art, it were discourtesy.

XC "To thee, to rest until to-morrow's light, Then to renew the battle, I concede.

No honour 'twere to-day to prove my might On thee, whom weak and overwrought I read."

-- "Arms are not new to me, nor listed fight; Nor does fatigue so short a toil succeed,"

Answered Marphisa, "and I, at my post, Hope to prove this upon thee, to thy cost.

XCI "I thank thee for thy offer of delay, But need not what thy courtesy agrees; And yet remains so large a s.p.a.ce of day 'Twere very shame to spend it all in ease."

-- "Oh! were I (he replied) so sure to appay My heart with everything which best would please, As thine I shall appay in this! -- but see, That ere thou thinkest, daylight fail not thee."

XCII So said he, and obedient to his hest Two spears, say rather heavy booms, they bear.