LXXII Vivian and Malagigi (who were dight In arms, as guard and surety for the rest,) One and the other champion -- prompt for fight, Rose lightly from the herbage which they prest, Deeming they had to joust with either knight; But Rodomont, who came not on this quest, No motion made as he a course would run; So that they had to tourney but with one.

LXXIII Sir Vivian is the first who moves his horse, With mighty heart, and lays his weapon low; And he, that Tartar king, renowned for force, With greater puissance meets the coming foe.

His lance each warrior levels in the course Where he bests trusts to plant the furious blow.

Vainly Sir Vivian's spear the casque offends; Nor throws that paynim knight, nor even bends.

LXXIV That Tartar's harder weapon makes the shield Of Vivian, at their onset, fly like gra.s.s; And, tumbling from his saddle on the field, Extends the champion amid flowers and gra.s.s.

To run his chance Sir Malagigi, steeled, Did to his brother's succour quickly pa.s.s; But (such that warrior's hurry to be near) Rather accompanied, than venged the peer.

LXXV The other of those brethren armed before His cousin, and had backed his courser wight; And, having first defied, encountered sore, Spurring with flowing rein, the stranger knight.

Against the tempered helm that pagan wore Sounded the blow, an inch below the sight: Heaven-high the truncheon flew, in fragments broke, But the stout pagan winced not for the stroke.

LXXVI Him on the left side smote that paynim peer, And (for the blow was with huge force designed) Little his shield, and less his iron gear, Availed, which opened like the yielding rhind: The weapon pierced his shoulder; Aldigier Now right now left upon his horse inclined; Then him, 'mid gra.s.s and flowers, his comrades view, With arms of crimson, face of pallid, hue.

LXXVII Next Richardetto comes, and for the blow Intended, levels such a mighty lance, He showed himself, as he was wont to show, Worthy to be a paladin of France; And has stamped signs of this upon the foe.

If he had warred on him with equal chance; But prostrate rolled, enc.u.mbered by his steed; Nor fell the courser through his lord's misdeed.

LXXVIII When knight appeared not on the other side, Who should in joust the paynim king affront, He thought the damsel was his prize, and hied Thither, where she was seated by the fount.

And -- "Lady, you are mine," the Tartar cried, "Save other champion in your succour mount; Nor can you make denial or excuse, Since such the right of war and common use."

LXXIX Marphisa raised her face with haughty cheer, And answered him: "Thy judgment wanders far; I will concede thy sentence would be clear, Concluding I am thine by right of war, If either were my lord or cavalier Of those, by thee unhorsed in b.l.o.o.d.y jar: Nor theirs am I, nor other's, but my own, Who wins me, wins me from myself alone.

Lx.x.x "I too with lance and sword do doughty deed, And more than one good knight on earth have laid.

-- Give me," she cried, "my armour and my steed."

And readily her squires that hest obeyed: Then in her waistcoat stood, of flowing weed Despoiled, with well-knit from and charms displayed; And in all points (such strength she shewed and grace) Resembled heavenly Mars, except her face.

Lx.x.xI The damsel donned her sword, when armed all o'er, And on her courser leapt with nimble spring; And, right and left, she made him, thrice or more Poised on his haunches, turn in narrow ring.

And, levelling the st.u.r.dy lance she bore, Defied, and next a.s.sailed, the Tartar king.

So combating with Peleus' son, of yore, Penthesilaea warred on Trojan sh.o.r.e.

Lx.x.xII Like brittle crystal, in that proud career, The weapons at the rest to pieces went; Yet neither of those warriors, 'twould appear, Backwards one inch at their encounter bent.

Marphisa, who would willingly be clear What of a closer fight would be the event, For a new combat with the paynim lord, Wheeled, to attack that warrior with the sword.

Lx.x.xIII That Tartar cursed the elements and sky, When her he saw remaining in her sell; And she, who thought to make his buckler fly, Cursed heaven as loudly as that infidel.

Already were their faulchions raised on high, Which on the enchanted arms like hammers fell: Enchanted arms both combatants enclose, Never more needed by those deadly foes.

Lx.x.xIV So perfect are the champions' plate and chain, They thrust or cut of spear or faulchion stay; So that the two the battle might maintain, Throughout this and throughout another day: But Rodomont leaps in between the twain, And taxes Mandricardo with delay; Crying, "If battle here is to be done, Finish we that which we to-day begun.

Lx.x.xV "We made a truce, thou knowest, upon pact Of furnishing our baffled forces aid; Nor foe in joust or fight can be attacked By us with justice till this debt be paid."

Then to Marphisa he in reverent act Addressed himself, and of that courier said; And next recounted to the martial dame, How seeking aid for Agramant he came.

Lx.x.xVI Next prays not only with that Tartar knight She will abandon or defer the fray; But that, Troyano's valiant son to right, She will, together with them, wend her way; By which her warlike fame a higher flight, More easily may, even to heaven, a.s.say, Than in a quarrel of such paltry guise, Which offers hindrance to such fair emprize.

Lx.x.xVII Marphisa, who had evermore in thought To prove the paladins of Charles, and who To France was over land and ocean brought, From clime so distant, with no other view, Than by her own experience to be taught If their far-spread renown were false or true, Resolved together with the troop to speed, As soon as she had heard their monarch's need.

Lx.x.xVIII Meanwhile Rogero, with that guiding may, Had vainly by the rugged pathway sped; Who that king Rodomont another way Had taken, when he reached the mountain, read; And thinking, that he was not far away, And the road straight towards that fountain led, Trotting in haste behind the Sarzan hied, Where he new prints upon the path espied.

Lx.x.xIX Hippalca he to Mont Albano prayed, To wend, which distant one day's journey lies; Because to seek anew that fountain-glade, Would be to wander in too wide a guise.

And that she need not doubt withal, he said, But that he would retrieve the ravished prize.

And, were she in Mount Alban -- or where'er -- Vowed she the tidings speedily should hear,

XC And gave the letter to that maid to bear, Which, writ by him, he in his bosom wore, And added many matters, with the prayer, She would excuse him by her friendly lore.

Hippalca in her memory fixt, with care, The whole; took leave, and turned her horse once more: Nor ceased that faithful messenger to ride Till she Mount Alban reached at evening-tide.

XCI Rogero followed fast the paynim knight, Tracked o'er the level by those footsteps new, But overtook him not, till he got sight, Beside the fount, of Mandricardo too.

Already either had his promise plight, He nought unknown to his compeer would do, Till they had succour to that host conveyed, On which King Charles his yoke had nearly laid.

XCII Arrived, Rogero knew Frontino gay, And, through that courser, knew the knight astride; And on his lance with bending shoulder lay, And in fierce tone the African defied.

Job was outdone by Rodomont that day, In that the king subdued his haughty pride, And the fell fight which he had ever used To seek with every instance, he refused.

XCII The first day this and last, that e'er in fight King Rodomont refused his part to bear!

But his desire appeared to him so right, In succour of his sovereign to repair; That if he had believed he clutched the knight Faster than nimble leopard gripes the hare, He not so far his purpose would forego, As on his prey to waste a pa.s.sing blow.

XCIV Add, that he knows Rogero is the peer Who him for good Frontino now a.s.sails; -- So famous, that no other cavalier Like him such eminence of glory scales; -- The man, of whom he gladly would be clear, By proof, how much in battle he avails: Yet shuns the combat, proffered on his part; So much his monarch's siege has he at heart.

XCV Three hundred miles, a thousand, would he ride, -- Were it not so -- to purchase such affray; But he, if him Achilles had defied, Had done no otherwise than as I say; So deeply did the covering ashes hide That fire beneath, whose fury stifled lay: He told why he refused the strife; and prayed, As well Rogero the design to aid.

XCVI Adding that he, in doing so, would do What to his lord a faithful va.s.sal owes; Still, when the siege was raised, might they renew And terminate their deadly strife by blows.

To him Rogero cried, "The fight with you I freely will defer, till from his foes King Agramant be rescued by the sword; Provided first Frontino be restored.

XCVII "Would you that I delay to prove by deed, That you have acted in unworthy sort, -- Nor did, like valiant man, to take my steed Thus from a woman -- till we meet at court, Render me my Frontino back, or read, Upon no other ground, will I support That battle shall not be between us two; Nor will accord an hour of truce to you."

XCVIII While of that African he so demands Frontino, or him threats with instant fray; And either still the other's claim withstands, Nor this the steed will grant, nor that delay; King Mandricardo stirs, on the other hand, Another strife; who sees that ensign gay Rogero on his shield was wont to wear, The bird which reigns o'er other fowls of air.

XCIX He bore on azure field that eagle white, The beauteous ensign of the Trojan throng: Such glorious bearing showed that youthful knight, Because he drew his line from Hector strong.

But Mandricardo knew not of this right, Nor would endure -- and deemed a crying wrong, That any other but himself should wield Famed Hector's argent eagle on his shield.

C King Mandricardo is like blazon wore The bird of Ide, which bore off Ganymede: How in the castle perilous of yore, He gained that n.o.ble ensign for his meed, -- That enterprize I ween, with matter more, You bear in mind, and how, for his good deed, The fairy gave it him with all the gear, Erst given by Vulcan to the Trojan peer.

CI The Tartar and Rogero had before Engaged in battle, only on this quest, Divided by what accident, my lore Recites not, as already manifest: Nor had till now those knights encountered more: When Mandricardo sees that bird imprest On the Child's shield, he shouts with threatening cry To young Rogero: "Take my proud defy!"

CII "Audacious man, mine ensign do'st thou wear, Nor this to-day for the first time, is said; And think'st thou, madman, I will thee forbear, Because for once to spare thee I was led?

But since nor menace nor yet counsel are Of force to drive this folly from thy head, It shall appear how much it had been best For thee forthwith to have obeyed my hest."

CIII "As fire, whereon dry, heated wood is strown, Roused by a little puff, at once ascends, So burns Rogero's wrath, to fury blown, By the first word with which that king offends.

"Thou thinkest," he exclaims, "to bear me down, Because his knight as well with me contends: But learn that I can win in fighting field From him the horse, from thee good Hector's shield.

CIV "Yet once before -- nor is it long ago -- Twixt us in battle was this question tried: But I that day restrained the murderous blow, Because thou hadst no faulchion at thy side.

These shall be deeds, that strife was but a show; And ill this argent bird shall thee betide; This is the ancient bearing of my line; Tis thou usurpest what by right is mine."

CV -- "Say rather, thou usurpest mine from me"; Cried Mandricardo; and that faulchion drew, Which lately, underneath the greenwood tree, Orlando from his hand in fury threw.

The Child, who could not aught but courteous be, (Such was his gentle nature) at the view Of Mandricardo, with his faulchion drawn, Let fall his ready lance upon the lawn;

CVI And at the same time, strained his goodly sword; And better braced the covering shield he wore: But 'twixt those combatants leapt Argier's lord, And quick Marphisa spurred the pair before; And one this foe, the other that implored, And both besought, that they would strive no more.

King Rodomont complains the Tartar knight Has violated twice the compact plight.

CVII First, in belief he should Marphisa gain, He more than once had jousted for that fair; Now to bear off Rogero's ensign fain, He for king Agramant shows little care.

-- "If thus" (said Rodomont) "you faith maintain, To finish our own combat better were, A cause of strife more fitting and more due Than either of the pleas maintained by you.

CVIII "On this condition was the treaty plight, And the accord between us now in force; When I with thee shall have performed the fight, I next shall answer him about the horse: You then with him, if you survive, your right Shall to the shield maintain in warlike course.