Loud laughed that G.o.dless paynim at the thought, Who every faith and worship held at nought;

C And said that she from reason wandered wide, And termed her project sudden and unsound; Nor deemed her less to blame than those who hide, Through greediness, their treasure under ground, And keep it from the use of all beside, Though hence no profit to themselves redound.

Rightly were prisoned lion, snake, and bear, But ill whate'er is innocent and fair.

CI The monk, that to this talk has lent an ear, Prompt with advice that mournful dame to stay, And lest she quit her course, prepared to steer His bark, like practised pilot, on her way, A sumptuous table, rich in spiritual cheer, Had speedily bestirred him to array; But, born with evil taste, that paynim rude No sooner tasted, than he loathed, the food.

CII And having interrupted him in vain, Nor having power to make him stint his lore, That paynim, stirred to fury, broke the rein Of patience, and a.s.sailed the preacher h.o.a.r.

But haply wearisome might seem the strain, If I upon this theme dilated more: So here I close, nor words will idly spend, Admonished by that ancient's evil end.

CANTO 29

ARGUMENT Isabel makes the paynim take her head, Rather than he his wicked will should gain; Who, having his unhappy error read, Seeks to appease his wounded spirit in vain.

He builds a bridge, and strips those thither led; But falls from it with Roland the insane; Who thence, of him regardless, endlong speeds, And by the road achieves prodigious deeds.

I O feeble and unstable minds of men!

How quickly our intentions fluctuate!

All thoughts we lightly change, but mostly when These from some lover's quarrel take their date.

But now, so wroth I saw that Saracen With woman, so outrageous in his hate, I weened not only he would ill a.s.suage, But never more would calm, his amorous rage.

II That which he rashly uttered to your blame, Ye gentle dames, does so my spirit grieve, Till I his error teach him, to his shame, He shall no quarter at my hands receive; So him with pen and page will I proclaim, That, whosoever reads me, shall believe He had better held -- aye, better bit, his tongue, Than ever have your s.e.x with slander stung.

III But that in this the witless infidel Spake as a fool, the event demonstrates clear: Even now, with dagger drawn, that paynim fell In fury on all women whomsoe'er.

Next him so touched one look of Isabel, She quickly made his fickle purpose veer; For her, scarce seen, and to that warrior strange, He would his Doralice already change;

IV And, as new love the king did heat and goad, He moved some arguments of small avail, To shake her stedfast spirit, which abode Wholly with G.o.d; but he, her shield and mail, That hermit, lest she from the better road Should wander, and her chaste intention fail, With stronger arguments with him contended, And still, as best he could, the dame defended.

V The king, who long had taxed himself to bear The monk's bold sermon to his sore displeasure, And vainly bade him to his cell repair Anew, without that damsel, at his leisure, Yet seeing he would still his patience dare, Nor peace with him would keep, nor any measure, Upon that preacher's chin his right-hand laid, And whatsoe'er he grasped, as rudely flayed.

VI And (so his fury waxed) that, as it were With tongs, he griped his neck, and after he Had whirled him once or twice about in air, Dismist him form his hand towards the sea.

I say not -- know not, what befel him there: Many the rumours are, and disagree.

One says he burst upon a rock's rude bed, And lay one shapeless jelly, heels and head.

VII He fell into the sea, by one is said, Distant three miles and more; and, in that sound, He having prayer, and Ave vainly made, Because he knew not how to swim, was drowned.

Others report a Saint bestowed his aid, And dragged him with a visible hand aground.

Whichever be the reading of this mystery, Of him I speak no further in mine history.

VIII Cruel King Rodomont, when from his side He had removed the prating eremite, With visage less disturbed, again applied To that sad lady, heartless with affright; And, in the language used by lovers, cried, She was his very heart, his life, his light, She was his comfort, and his dearest hope; With all such words as have that common scope.

IX And now, so temperate showed that infidel, 'Twould seem that he no violence designed, The gentle semblance of fair Isabel, Enamoured him, so tamed his haughty mind; And, though he might that goodly kernel sh.e.l.l, The paynim would not pa.s.s beyond the rhind, Who that its favour would be lost, believed, Unless 'twere as a gift from her received;

X And by degrees so thought to mould the dame To his desires. She in that lone retreat And savage, open to his evil aim, And like a mouse, beneath Grimalkin's feet, Had liefer found herself i' the midst of flame; And ever on one thought her fancy beat: If any mode, if any way, remained To scape that wilful man, untouched, unstained.

XI Sad Isabella in her mind is bent To slay herself with her own hand, before That fell barbarian compa.s.s his intent; And be the means to make her wrong so sore That cavalier, by cruel Fortune spent, Within her loving arms, to whom she swore With mind to him devoted, his to be, Vowing to Heaven perpetual chast.i.ty.

XII She sees that paynim monarch's pa.s.sion blind Increasing still, nor what to do she knows; Well knows what foul intention is behind, Which she is all too feeble to oppose: Yet moving many matters in her mind, Finds out at last a refuge for her woes, And means to save her chast.i.ty from shame, (How I shall say) with clear and lasting fame.

XIII She cried unto that paynim, foul to see, Already threatening her with word and act, And now devoid of all that courtesy, Which he in the beginning did enact, "If thou mine honour wilt ensure to me, Beyond suspicion, I, upon this pact, Will upon thee bestow what shall o'erpay, By much, that honour thou wouldst take away.

XIV "For pleasure, which endures so brief a s.p.a.ce, Wherewith this ample world does so o'errun, Reject not lightly a perpetual grace, A real joy, to be postponed to none.

Of women everywhere of pleasing face A hundred and a thousand may be won; But none beside me, or few others, live Who can bestow the boon which I can give.

XV "I know, and on my way a herb did view, And nearly know where I on this could light, Which, being boiled with ivy and with rue, Over a fire with wood of cypress dight, And squeezed, when taken from the caldron, through Innocent hands, affords a juice of might, Wherewith whoever thrice his body laves, Destructive steel or fire securely braves.

XVI "If thrice therewith he bathe himself, I say, His flesh no weapon for a month shall score: He once a month must to his body lay Mine unction, for its virtue lasts not more: This liquor can I make, and will to-day, And thou to-day shalt also prove my lore: And well, I trust, thou shalt more grateful be, Than were all Europe won to-day by thee.

XVII "In guerdon for this present, I request That thou to me upon thy faith wilt swear, Thou never wilt my chast.i.ty molest In word or deed." So spake that damsel fair; And Rodomont who heard, again represt His evil will: for so he longed to bear A charmed life, that readily he more Than Isabel of him demanded swore;

XVIII And will maintain his promise, till the fact Vouched of that wondrous water shall appear; And force himself, meanwhile, to do no act, To show no sign of violence; but the peer Resolves he will not after keep the pact, As one who holds not G.o.d or saint in fear; And to that king, regardless of his oath, All lying Afric yields in breach of troth.

XIX Argier's perfidious king to Isabel More than a thousand times a.s.surance swore, In case that water rendered him what fell Achilles and what Cygnus were of yore.

She, aye by beetling cliff and darksome dell, Away from city and from farm, a store Of herbs collected, nor this while e'er Abandoned by the paynim cavalier.

XX When herbs enow by them in many a beat, With or without their roots, collected were, At a late hour, the twain to their retreat Betook them; and, throughout night's remnant, there, That paragon of continence did heat What simples she had culled, with mickle care, While to those mysteries and her every deed The pagan, present still, gave curious heed;

XXI Who, wearing out the weary night in sport, -- He and those followers that with him remained -- Had suffered thirst in such a grievous sort, From the fierce fire in that small cave contained, That drinking round, in measure full or short, Of Graecian wine two barrels had they drained; A booty which those squires who served the Moor, From travellers seized a day or two before.

XXII To Argier's warlike king, unused to wine, (Cursed, and forbidden by his law, esteemed) The liquor, tasted once, appeared divine, Sweeter than nectar or than manna seemed: He, quaffing largely, now of Ishmael's line The sober use deserving censure deemed.

So fast their cups with that good wine they fill, Each reveller's head is whirling like a mill.

XXIII Meanwhile that lady from the fire does lift The pot, wherein she cooked those herbs, and cries To Rodomont: "In proof I not adrift Have launched the words I spake, in random guise, -- By that, which can the truth form falsehood sift, Experience, which can make the foolish wise, Even now the thing shall to thyself be shown, Not on another's body, but my own.

XXIV "I first will trial make" (that lady said) "Of this choice liquor with rare virtue blest; Lest haply thou shouldst harbour any dread That mortal poison form these herbs be prest.

With this will I anoint myself, from head Downwards below the naked neck and breast.

Then prove on me thy faulchion and thine arm, And prove if one can smite, the other harm."

XXV She washed, as said, and gladly did decline Her neck to that unthinking pagan's brand; Unthinking, and perhaps o'ercome by wine, Which neither helm, nor mail, nor shield withstand, That brutish man believed her, and, in sign Of faith, so struck with cruel steel and hand, That her fair head, erewhile Love's place of rest, He severed from the snowy neck and breast.

XXVI This made three bounds, and thence in accents clear Was heard a voice which spake Zerbino's name, To follow whom, escaping Sarza's peer, So rare a way was taken by the dame.

Spirit! which n.o.bly didst esteem more dear Thy plighted faith, and chaste and holy name, (Things hardly known, and foreign to our time) Than thine own life and thine own blooming prime!

XXVII Depart in peace, O spirit blest and fair!

-- So had my verses power! as evermore I would a.s.say, with all that happy care, Which so adorns and points poetic lore!

And, as renowned should be thy story rare, Thousands and thousands of long years and more!

-- Depart in peace to radiant realms above, And leave to earth the example of thy love!

XXVIII His eyes from heaven did the Creator bend, At the stupendous and unequalled feat, And said: "I thee above that dame commend.

Whose death drove Tarquin from his royal seat; And I to register a law intend, 'Mid those which ages change not as they fleet, Which -- I attest the inviolable river -- Unchanged through future times, shall last for ever.

XXIX "I will that all, in every future age, Who bear thy name, be blest with genius high; Be courteous, gentle, beautiful, and sage, And to the real pitch of honour fly.

That to their glory the historic page They may with worthy argument supply; So that for aye Parna.s.sus' hill and well Shall ring with Isabel and Isabel."

x.x.x So spake the Sire; and cleared the ambient air, And hushed beyond its wont the heaving main.

To the third heaven her chaste soul made repair, And in Zerbino's arms was locked again.

On earth, with shame and sorrow for his share, That second Breuse sans pity did remain; Who, when digested was the maddening bowl, Lamented sore his error, sad at soul.

x.x.xI That placated, or in some content, The sainted soul of Isabel might be; That, if to death that damsel he had shent, He might at least revive her memory, He, as a means to compa.s.s his intent, Would turn into a tomb that church, where he Inhabited, and where she buried lies; To you shall be related in what wise.