XLIX " 'I say this, since to strive against our ten, It seems, that one imprisoned here will dare: Who, if he stands against so many men, By Heaven, deserves that we should hear his prayer; But if he rashly boasts himself, again As worthily due the punishment should bear.'

Here Orontea ceased; on the other side, To her the oldest of the dames replied.

L " 'The leading cause, for which to entertain This intercourse with men we first agreed, Was not because we, to defend this reign, Of their a.s.sistance stood in any need; For we have skill and courage to maintain This of ourselves, and force, withal, to speed.

Would that we could in all as well avail Without their succour, nor succession fail!

LI " 'But since this may not be, we some have made (These few) partakers of our company; That, ten to one, we be not overlaid; Nor they possess them of the sovereignty.

Not that we for protection need their aid, But simply to increase and multiply.

Than be their powers to this sole fear addressed, And be they sluggards, idle for the rest.

LII " 'To keep among us such a puissant wight Our first design would render wholly vain.

If one can singly slay ten men in fight, How many women can he not restrain?

If our ten champions had possessed such might, They the first day would have usurped the reign.

To arm a hand more powerful than your own Is an ill method to maintain the throne.

LIII " 'Reflect withal, that if your prisoner speed So that he kill ten champions in the fray, A hundred women's cry, whose lords will bleed Beneath his falchion, shall your ears dismay.

Let him not 'scape by such a murderous deed; But, if he would, propound some other way.

-- Yet if he of those ten supply the place, And please a hundred women, grant him grace.'

LIV "This was severe Artemia's sentiment, (So was she named) and had her counsel weighed, Elbanio to the temple had been sent, To perish by the sacrificial blade.

But Orontea, willing to content Her daughter, to the matron answer made; And urged so many reasons, and so wrought, The yielding senate granted what she ought.

LV "Elbanio's beauty (for so fair to view Never was any cavalier beside) So strongly works upon the youthful crew, Which in that council sit the state to guide, That the opinion of the older few That like Artemia think, is set aside; And little lacks but that the a.s.sembled race Absolve Elbanio by especial grace.

LVI "To pardon him in fine the dames agreed: But, after slaying his half-score, and when He in the next a.s.sault as well should speech, Not with a hundred women, but with ten; And, furnished to his wish with arms and steed, Next day he was released from dungeon-den, And singly with ten warriors matched in plain, Who by his arm successively were slain.

LVII "He to new proof was put the following night, Against ten damsels naked and alone; When so successful was the stripling's might, He took the 'say of all the troop, and won Such grace with Orontea, that the knight Was by the dame adopted for her son; And from her Alexandria had to wife, With those whom he had proved in amorous strife.

LVIII "And him she left with Alexandria, heir To this famed city, which from her was hight, So he and all who his successors were, Should guard the law which willed, whatever wight, Conducted hither by his cruel star, Upon this miserable land did light, Should have his choice to perish by the knife, Or singly with ten foes contend to strife.

LIX "And if he should dispatch the men by day, At night should prove him with the female crew; And if so fortunate that in this play He proved again the conqueror, he, as due, The female band, as prince and guide, should sway, And his ten consorts at his choice renew: And reign with them, till other should arrive Of stouter hand, and him of life deprive.

LX "They for two thousand years nigh past away This usage have maintained, and yet maintain The impious rite; and rarely pa.s.ses day But stranger wight is slaughtered in the fane.

If he, Elbanio-like, ten foes a.s.say, (And such sometimes is found) he oft is slain In the first charge: nor, in a thousand, one The other feat, of which I spake, has done,

LXI "Yet some there are have done it, though so few, They may be numbered on the fingers; one Of the victorious cavaliers, but who Reigned with his ten short time, was Argilon: For, smote by me, whom ill wind hither blew, The knight to his eternal rest is gone.

Would I with him that day had filled a grave, Rather than in such scorn survive a slave!

LXII "For amorous pleasures, laughter, game, and play, Which evermore delight the youthful breast; The gem, the purple garment, rich array, And in his city place before the rest.

Little, by Heaven, the wretched man appay Who of his liberty is dispossest: And not to have the power to leave this sh.o.r.e To me seems shameful servitude and sore.

LXIII "To know I wear away life's glorious spring In such effeminate and slothful leisure Is to my troubled heart a constant sting, And takes away the taste of every pleasure.

Fame bears my kindred's praise on outstretched wing, Even to the skies; and haply equal measure I of the glories of my blood might share If I united with my brethren were.

LXIV "Methinks my fate does such injurious deed By me, condemned to servitude so base, As he who turns to gra.s.s the generous steed To run amid the herd of meaner race, Because unfit for war or worthier meed, Through blemish, or disease of sight or pace.

Nor hoping but by death, alas! to fly So vile a service, I desire to die."

LXV Here Guido ceased to address the martial peers, And cursed withal the day, in high disdain, That he achieved o'er dames and cavaliers The double victory which bestowed that reign.

Astolpho hides his name, and silent hears, Until to him by many a sign is plain That this Sir Guido is, as he had said, The issue of his kinsman Aymon's bed.

LXVI Then cried: "The English duke, Astolpho, I Thy cousin am," and clipt him round the waist, And in a kindly act of courtesy, Not without weeping, kist him and embraced.

Then, "Kinsman dear, thy birth to certify No better sign thy mother could have placed About thy neck. Enough! that sword of thine, And courage, vouch thee of our valiant line."

LXVII Guido, who gladly would in other place So near a kin have welcomed, in dismay Beholds him here and with a mournful face; Knowing, if he himself survives the fray, Astolpho will be doomed to slavery base, His fate deferred but till the following day; And he shall perish, if the duke is free: So that one's good the other's ill shall be.

LXVIII He grieves, as well, the other cavaliers Should through his means for ever captive be; Nor, that he should, if slain, those martial peers Deliver by his death from slavery.

Since if Marphisa from one quicksand clears The troop, yet these from other fails to free, She will have won the victory in vain; For they will be enslaved, and she be slain.

LXIX On the other hand, the stripling's age, in May Of youth, with courtesy and valour fraught, Upon the maid and comrades with such sway, Touching their b.r.e.a.s.t.s with love and pity, wrought That they of freedom, for which he must pay The forfeit of his life, nigh loathed the thought; And if Marphisa him perforce must kill, She is resolved as well herself to spill.

LXX "Join thou with us," she to Sir Guido cried, "And we from hence will sally." -- "From within These walls to sally" -- Guido on his side Answered, "Ne'er hope: With me you lose or win."

"-- I fear not, I," the martial maid replied, "To execute whatever I begin; Nor know what can securer path afford Than that which I shall open with my sword.

LXXI "Such proof of thy fair prowess have I made, With thee I every enterprise would dare.

To-morrow when about the palisade The crowds a.s.sembled in the circus are, Let us on every side the mob invade, Whether they fly or for defence prepare; Then give the town to fire, and on their bed Of earth to wolf and vulture leave the dead."

LXXII He: "Ready shalt thou find me in the strife To follow thee or perish at thy side: But let us hope not to escape with life.

Enough, is vengeance somedeal satisfied Ere death; for oft ten thousand, maid and wife, I in the place have witnessed; and, outside, As many castle, wall and port, defend.

Nor know I certain way from hence to wend."

LXXIII "And were there more (Marphisa made reply) Than Xerxes led, our squadrons to oppose, More than those rebel spirits from the sky Cast out to dwell amid perpetual woes, All in one day should by this weapon die, Wert thou with me, at least, not with my foes."

To her again, "No project but must fail, (Sir Guido said) I know, save this avail."

LXXIV "This only us can save, should it succeed; This, which but now remembered I shall teach.

To dames alone our laws the right concede To sally, or set foot upon the beach, And hence to one of mine in this our need Must I commit myself, and aid beseech; Whose love for me, by perfect friendship tied, Has oft by better proof than this been tried.

LXXV "No less than me would she desire that I Should 'scape from slavery, so she went with me; And that, without her rival's company, She of my lot should sole partaker be.

She bark or pinnace, in the harbour nigh, Shall bid, while yet 'tis dark, prepare for sea; Which shall await your sailors, rigged and yare For sailing, when they thither shall repair.

LXXVI "Behind me, in a solid band comprest, Ye merchants, mariners and warriors, who, Driven to this city, have set up your rest Beneath this roof (for which my thanks are due) -- You have to force your way with stedfast breast, If adversaries interrupt our crew.

'Tis thus I hope, by succour of the sword, To clear a pa.s.sage through the cruel horde."

LXXVII "Do as thou wilt," Marphisa made reply, "I of escape am confident withal: And likelier 'twere that by my hand should die The martial race, encompa.s.sed by this wall, Than any one should ever see me fly, Or guess by other sign that fears appall.

I would my pa.s.sage force in open day, And shameful in my sight were other way.

LXXVIII "I wot if I were for a woman known, Honour and place from women I might claim, Here gladly entertained, and cla.s.sed as one Haply among their chiefs of highest fame: But privilege or favour will I none Unshared by those with whom I hither came.

Too base it were, did I depart or free Remain, to leave the rest in slavery."

LXXIX These speeches by Marphisa made, and more, Showed that what only had restrained her arm Was the respect she to the safety bore Of the companions whom her wrath might harm; By this alone withheld form taking sore And signal vengeance on the female swarm.

And hence she left in Guido's care to shape What seemed the fittest means for their escape.

Lx.x.x Sir Guido speaks that night with Alery (So the most faithful of his wives was hight) Nor needs long prayer to make the dame agree, Disposed already to obey the knight.

She takes a ship and arms the bark for sea, Stowed with her richest chattels for their flight; Feigning design, as soon as dawn ensues, To sail with her companions on a cruise.

Lx.x.xI She into Guido's palace had before Bid sword and spear and shield and cuira.s.s bear; With the intent to furnish from this store, Merchants and sailors that half naked were.

Some watch, and some repose upon the floor, And rest and guard among each other share; Oft marking, still with harness on their backs, If ruddy yet with light the orient wax.

Lx.x.xII Not yet from earth's hard visage has the sun Lifted her veil of dim and dingy dye; Scarcely Lycaon's child, her furrow done, Has turned about her ploughshare in the sky; When to the theatre the women run Who would the fearful battle's end espy, As swarming bees upon their threshold cl.u.s.ter, Who bent on change of realm in springtide muster.

Lx.x.xIII With warlike trumpet, drum, and sound of horn, The people make the land and welkin roar; Summoning thus their chieftain to return, And end of unfinished warfare. Covered o'er With arms stand Aquilant and Gryphon stern, And the redoubted duke from England's sh.o.r.e.