THIE THIRTY-SECOND BOOK OF ORLANDO FURIOSO. REMEMBRANCE, what I late prepar❜d to tell, A fair-one wretched for Rogero's sake; Then Guido drew no less my Muse astray To her again I turn, before I tell What 'twixt Rinaldo and Gradasso fell: Of him to speak, who drew to Arli's walls 10. 15 Ver. 14. --Rinaldo and Gradasso-] He returns to these, Book xxxiii. ver. 561. Ver. 15. -king Agramant--] See Book xxxi. ver. 605, where Agramant, totally defeated, was obliged to retreat to Arli. The relics of his host that 'scap'd by flight 20 Could yield them succour and supply with stores, Through all the kingdom to recruit his force Marsilius wrote to muster foot and horse Whate'er their kind: at Barcelona arm'd 25 For zeal or hire, full many vessels swarm'd Well mann'd for fight: meantime in deep deoate To Rodomont he sent, but sent in vain, With proffers, would the warrior rise again The haughty chief refus'd the bridge to leave, 35 To deck the tomb that held the murder'd maid*. 40 But not like Rodomont Marphisa left Her king at need, of every aid bereft: Soon as she heard that all the martial train Of Agramant were captives, fled, or slain; * Isabella. Ver. 37. The haughty chief--] See Book xxxv. ver. 296. where Rodomont appears again. That Charles had won, and with the remnant force 45 Her king at Arli lay, she bent her course To Arli strait, with proffers large to spend Her wealth and life his honour to defend. With her Brunello (late her fetter'd slave) She brought, and to the king uninjur❜d gave. 50 Ten days and nights she kept him fill'd with dread, The fatal noose impending o'er his head. But when she thither found no friend repair In such base blood she scorn'd to soil her hands, 55 He meant her wretched prisoner's fate should show: 60 His corps a prey to crows and vultures left. From deadly cords his caitiff neck had freed, In his sick tent now pale and wounded laid, (So will'd high Heaven) no more could yield him aid'; And when the tidings came, they came too late; Thus, without friend, Brunello met his fate. Meanwhile impatient of the long delay, Had Bradamant accus'd each tardy day, That twice ten times must dawn, ere face to face 65 70 Ver. 71. Meanwhile impatient-] He returns to Agramant and Marphisa, Book xxxv. ver. 486. Less slow each lagging hour to him returns 75 Sick with suspense she chides each heavenly steed, 80 Now thinks some chance the rolling wheels have stay'd To her more lengthen'd seem'd each day and night, How oft with envy in their secret place She view'd the dormouse, bear, and badger race * Joshua. 85 Ver. 80. Now Ethon, now Pyrois' lingering speed;] Names of two of the four horses that are feigned to draw the chariot of the sun : Thus Ovid, Interea volucres Pyrois, Eous et Ethon, Met. B. ii. Ver. 88. She view'd the dormouse, bear, and badger race Doze out the months:] The common opinion is, that these animals sleep a great part of the year without taking suste nance. "Towards the approach of the cold season, the dormice form. little magazines of nuts and acorns, and having laid in their hoard, shut themselves up for the winter. As soon as they feel the first advances of the cold, they prepare to lessen its effect, by rolling: themselves up in cl ball in this manner they continue, usually asleep, but oftentimes waking, for above five months in the year; their nests are lined with moss, grass, and dead leaves. The bear retires to some cavern or hollow of some enormous old tree, where it passes some months of the winter without provisions, or without ever stirring abroad, but is not entirely deprived of sensation like the bat or dormouse. The badger is a solitary animal, and digs itself a deep hole with great assiduity, where it sleeps the greater part of its time, particularly in winter." Goldsmith's History of the Earth and animated Nature, Vol. iv. Doze out the months: with these she fain would take A long unbroken sleep, nor ever wake To light or sense, till her returning knight 90 Now here, now there, she shifts her restless head 95 100 Now, fill'd with hope, she waits each hour to hear Oft to a tower she climbs, that prospect yields Of tufted forests and extended fields. If from afar she marks the gleaming light 105 Of arms, or aught that speaks a coming knight, She thinks her plighted spouse Rogero nigh, 110 To meet her knight her armour now she takes, Ver. 97. When Tithon's spouse, ---] Aurora, who falling in love with Tithonus, son of Laomedon, brother to Iriam king of Troy, carried him off and took him for her husband: of this marriage was born Memnon, who coming to the aid of Priam, was slain by Achilles. |