See Nicholas! whom yet in early years,
To honours of command the land prefers.
He shall the vain designs of Tydeus quell,
Who rashly dares against his power rebel.
In rising dawn of youth, his sole delight
In rugged arms, and labours of the fight;
By which he soon obtains a mighty name,
Amid the greatest chiefs the first in fame.

He makes his foes their vain endeavours mourn,
And on themselves their cruel arts shall turn.
Otho the third in vain his power withstands,
(Tyrant of Rheggio and of Parma's lands)
At once resigning, in the fatal strife,
To him his kingdom and his wicked life.
He shall the limits of his sway extend,
But ne'er, unjust, another's rights offend.
For this th' Eternal Ruler of the heaven
No stated bound has to his empire given:
All his designs shall ever prosperous prove,

Till snatch'd from earth to grace the skies above.

See Lionel; and next (a mighty name!)

Borso behold, his happy age's fame!

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to the country: these people, who were most of them fishermen, are said to be desirous of storms, because at that time great quantities of fish are thrown up in the fens.

Ver. 298. Sce Nicholas! whom yet---] Azo of Este, who had been driven from his country, seeing Alberto dead, who left only an infant son, named Nicholas, thought of returning, with the assistance of Tydeus, count of Conio; but the child's guardians opposed him, and made Nicholas lord of Ferrara, who, being grown to man's estate, slew Otho III, who had usurped Rheggio and Parma, and obtained the government of these cities by the voluntary consent of their inhabitants.

Ver. 313. See Lionel;

Borso behold,---] Lionel and Borso were natural sons of Nicholas; Hercules and Sigismund, legitimate:

B. III.

ORLANDO FURIOSO.

He shall in calm repose preserve with care
Those realms his ancestors had gain'd in war.
He cruel Mars in gloomy caves restrains,
And binds the hands of Rage in iron chains.
The great designs that fill his generous breast,
Shall all be turn'd to make his people blest.
Lo! Hercules! of whom 'twere hard to tell
If he in arts of peace or war excel.

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He, by his virtues, shall at length obtain
The lordship, thirty years his right in vain!

Pulians, Calabrians, and Lucanians find

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His glorious deeds, and bear them still in mind:
Conquest for him her brightest wreath prepares,
When, for the king of Catalan he dares

Nicholas, dying, left his legitimate children his heirs, and recommended them to the protection of Lionel, who, seizing the govern ment, confined the two brothers at Naples, and reigned nine years. At his death, he left behind him a young son, named Nicholas, to the care of his brother Borso, who generously recalled the two brothers, and educated them as his own children. This prince was universally beloved for his many virtues; and having magnificently entertained the emperor Frederic, was by him honoured with the title of duke of Ferrara, which title was confirmed by pope Paul II. since which time his successors retained the names of dukes of Ferrara.

Ver. 326. Lo! Hercules !---] Hercules I. the second duke of Ferrara, after the death of Borso, succeeded to the dukedom which had been his right for thirty years, and beheaded Nicholas, the son of Lionel, who came with the aid of the marquis of Mantua, to get possession of the government. Being afterwards embroiled with the Venetians, he was despoiled of many lands, and besieged in Ferrara. A peace being made, Hercules fought in the service of Alphonso, king of the Catalans, and gained many victories for him by his prudence and good conduct, he escaped the oppression of Charles VIII. king of France, who had subdued great part of Italy, and driven the before. mentioned Alphonso from his kingdom.

Th' embattled field; nor shall one deed alone
Exalt him midst the princes of renown:
For ne'er before shall ruler of the land
Deserve such honour at his country's hand :
Not that their city (with industrious toil)
He moves from fens, and builds in fertile soil;
And for his citizens extends the bound,
And sinks a fosse, and raises walls around;
Adorns with porticos the spacious streets,
With temples, theatres, and princely seats.
Not that, unweary'd in his country's cause,
He frees her from the winged lion's paws:
Or when proud Gallia rouses all to arms,
And Italy is kindled with alarms,
His state alone enjoys a peace sincere,
From abject tribute free and servile fear :
Not even for these, and many blessings more,

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His native soil shall Hercules adore,

So much, as that he leaves, to bless mankind,
Alphonso and Hippolito behind :

Whose friendship may be match'd with that of old
By story'd page of Leda's offspring told;

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Ver. 345.--the wing'd lion's paws:] The arms of the country put, by a figure, for the country itself.

Ver. 353. Alphonso and Hippolito---] Alphonso I. the third duke of Ferrara, and cardinal Hippolito, his brother, both patrons of Ariosto.

Ver. 355.--of Leda's offspring told;] Castor and Pollux: Castor was the son of Tyndarus and Leda, and Pollux the son of Jupiter, begot by him, under the form of a swan, of Leda: these brothers were celebrated for their friendship; and Pollux, who inherited immortality from Jupiter, desired that he might share it with his brother, which being granted, they are feigned to live and die by

turns.

Who each, by turns, could seek the nether reign
To give his brother to the world again.

So shall these two for ever stand prepar'd,
Each with his own the other's life to guard;

And more defend their land in raging war,

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Than steely bulwarks rais'd by Vulcan's care.
Alphonso see! the prince, whose soul shall shine
With wisdom and with piety divine;

That men shall deem Astrea left the earth

To visit after ages at his birth!

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Nor shall he less in adverse times require
The prudence and the valour of his sire;
For with a scanty force, he sees at hand
On one side Venice with a numerous band;
She, on the other, who may better claim
A fury's title, than a mother's name;
Against her offspring cruel wars to wage
With more than Progne's or Medea's rage!

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Ver. 362. Alphonso see! the prince,-] Alphonso being at variance with the pope and the Venetians, the former made a league with Ferrando, king of Naples, who sent him Fabritius Colonna, with four hundred men at arms, and Pietro Navarro, with two legions of old Spanish soldiers: he likewise took the Switzers into his pay, and equipped a fleet in the Tyrrhene seas. Navarro entering, by Ro, mania, into the Ferrarese, took Bastia by storm, a fortress belonging to the duke, cutting all to pieces. Alphonso, taking the field, routed the enemy, and recovered Bastia: being wounded with a stone, in the head, his men, who believed him slain, to revenge his death, put all the pope's people to the sword. He afterwards signalized himself at Ravenna, in defence of the king of France, where he gained that memorable victory over the forces of Spain and pope Julius II.

Ver 371,-than a mother's name.] The poet here seems to mean the pope, or mother church, that, till then, had always cherished the race of Esté as her sons.

Oft as he issues forth by day or night,

He puts his foes by land and sea to flight.
His forces shall Romania's power o'erthrow,

And stain with blushing streams the banks of Po.
The hireling Spaniard shall his anger feel,
Who for the pontiff draws th' avenging steel.
The foe at first shall Bastia's castle gain,
The captain, in the sudden onset, slain.
But soon the victor must his conquest mourn:
See! great Alphonso swift to vengeance turn;
When not a wretch escapes the general doom
To bear the fatal tidings back to Rome.
His counsel, with his lance united, gains
The laurell'd glories of Romania's plains,
Against stern Julius, and the Spanish bands;
He gives the conquest into Gallia's hands.

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The country round shall pour a crimson flood,

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Where floundering steeds shall swim in seas of blood; The dead unbury'd lie: such heaps shall fall;

The Spaniard, Greek, Italian, Dutch, and Gaul!
He, whom his vest pontifical reveals,

Whose honour'd brows the sacred hat conceals,
Is he---the cardinal in future time,

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The church's great support! in prose and rhyme,
The theme of every tongue; whose boundless praise,
Like Cæsar's, shall demand a Virgil's lays.

Tis his with noblest deeds t' adorn his race:
So Phoebus' beams the frame of nature grace,
Put Luna, and the fainting stars to flight,
And shining conquer every other light.

Ver. 596.--the cardinal,--] Hippolito.

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