Though Rodomont excell'd in nerve of fight,
No less in skill excell'd Circassia's knight.

Not with more swiftness turns the kindling wheel, 580 When from the stone is ground the whitening meal,

Than Sacripant, with hand and foot untir'd,

Turn'd, chang'd, and parry'd still as need requir'd.

Their swords Ferrau and Serpentino drew,

And midst the chiefs themselves undaunted threw: 585

Then Isolero, king Grandonio came,

And many nobles of the Moorish name.

Such was the tumult, such the noise combin'd,

That reach'd the tent where both the princes join'd,
Essay'd to calm Rogero's wrath in vain,

The Tartar lord and king of Sericane.

Now to king Agramant, perplex'd in thought,

A messenger unwelcome tidings brought,
That Sacripant, with Rodomont engag'd,
A cruel battle for his courser wag'd.

590

595

Then thus the king bespoke the lord of Spain:
Amidst these new alarms, thou here remain,

Lest aught should worse among these chiefs befall,
While I attend where yonder tumults call.

When Rodomont his royal lord beheld,

He stay'd his weapon, and his fury quell'd:
Not with less awe Circassia's princé retir'd,
When Agramant appear'd; who, now inquir'd,
With kingly looks, and with majestic tone,

600

From what new cause this sudden strife was grown. 605 The whole declar'd, he sought with fruitless care T'appease each warrior, and the breach repair. Unmov'd, Circassia's monarch still deny'd

The king of Algiers longer should bestride

The generous steed, unless by fair request,
For that day's use he first his lord address'd.
But Rodomont, as wont, with fell disdain
Reply'd---Nor thou, nor Heaven, so far shall gain,
That, what this arm can on myself bestow,

I ever to another's gift will owe.

The king inquir'd of Sacripant his right

To urge such claim, and if by force or slight
He lost the steed: the prince the truth display'd,
And, as he spoke, a blush his shame betray'd.
He own'd how well the subtle thief had wrought,
Who marking, while he sate entranc'd in thought,
Four stakes beneath his saddle plac'd, and drew
The courser thence, ere aught his rider knew.

Amidst the train appear'd Marphisa bold,
Who, while his courser's loss the warrior told,
In colour chang'd, for on the self-same day,
A robber's hand* had borne her sword away.
Advancing near, her eyes confess'd the steed,
On which Brunello once with light-foot speed,
Escap'd pursuit: brave Sacripant she knew,
Till then unfound; she mark'd the mingled crew
That crowded near, when numbers there appear'd,
That oft these thefts from base Brunello heard.
All turn'd to him, by whom they knew abus'd
The knight and dame, and by their looks accus'd.

* Brunello.

610

615

620

625

680

635

Ver. 620. He own'd how well the subtle thief, &c.] This ludicrous and extravagent incident is taken from Boyardo. The passage is wittily ridiculed by Cervantes, where Sancho, while asleep, loses his ass, which is stolen from him by Gines de Passamonte in the

same manner.

Of each Marphisa ask'd, nor fail'd to find
That this was he whose hand her sword purloin'd.
She learnt, for this and many an impious cheat,
For which he well deserv'd a noose to meet,
By Agramant the shameless wretch was prais'd,
And (strange to tell) to regal honours rais'd.
Marphisa felt her former wrath to wake,
Determin'd, for her injur❜d honour's sake,
On the foul thief a just revenge to take.

640

Now by her squire she bade her helm be lac'd,

645

Her other shining arms already brac'd

Her martial limbs, for never yet the maid

Ten days was seen, but bright in mail array'd,
Since her fair person, brave beyond compare,
She first inur'd the weight of steel to bear.

650

Then, with her helmet clos'd, she went and found

Brunello seated midst the peers around.

Him, when she saw, the dame with furious heat

Seiz'd by the throat, and dragg'd him from his seat;

Easy, as grip'd within his hooky claws,

655

The ravenous eagle some weak chicken draws,

And bore him thus before Troyano's heir,

Then deep engag'd to heal intestine war.
Brunello, fearing worse might yet befall,
Ceas'd not to weep, and loud for pity call.
His cries were heard amidst the mix'd alarms
Of shouts and tumults from the camp in arms.
For mercy now he sues, now aid demands:
Near as he drew, thick crowd, the gazing bands:
To Afric's king the dame her prisoner took,
And thus address'd him with an haughty looks

660

665

This wretch, thy vassal, by my hand ere long
Aloft suspended, shall atone the wrong
My honour felt---for know his shameful theft,
Him of his horse, me of my sword bereft.

Should there be one who dares my purpose blame,
Forth let him stand, and what he thinks proclaim:
To prove my justice, I his might defy,

And in thy prescence give his tongue the lye.
Since some may urge, ill-chosen time I take,
When civil broils so many murmurs make;
When discord kindles now, with dire alarms,
The bravest warriors of the camp to arms;
Three days I respite his determin'd fate,
Meanwhile would any friend prolong his date,
Let such appear---if not ere then releas'd,

670

675

680

I give him to the birds a welcome feast.

But three miles distant by the wood's lone side,
To yonder tower behold my course I guide:
Without companion shall I there retire,
Save two, a damsel and a faithful squire,
If any dare this wretch's cause befriend,

There let him come, I there his arms attend.
She said; and waiting no reply, pursu'd

685

Her destin'd way to reach the neighbouring wood; 690 Brunello on her courser's neck she cast,

And in his locks the martial virgin fast

Her hand secur'd, while loud he shriek'd and pray'd,
Invoking every friend by name for aid.

·me of my sword ---] This is told in Boyardo. See

Ver. 670.

Book xviii. note to ver. 732.

King Agramant, amid these tumults tost,
Where thought itself to find a clue was lost,
Above the rest more sorely now displeas'd,
Beheld Brunello by Marphisa seiz'd:
Not that he still the treacherous caitiff lov'd;
Who (some few days elaps'd) his anger mov'd.
Ere since the ring's late loss, the king revolv'd
Brunello's fault, and oft his death resolv'd.
But now he deem'd a monarch's sacred name

695

700

Too boldly scorn'd, and red with conscious shame,
He stood prepar'd to follow, with his hand

705

T' avenge th' affront that regal power sustain'd:

But grave Sobrino, present, soon inclin'd,

To better thoughts the prince's wrathful mind.

Ver. 695. King Agramant, amid these tumults---] Nothing can be better worked up than the confusion in the camp of the Pagans, from these dissentions among their leaders. Cervantes humourously makes Don Quixote, in the midst of the quarrels at the Inn, thus allude to the above passage of Ariosto: "Did I not tell you, Sirs, that this castle was enchanted, and that some legion of devils must certainly inhabit it? In confirmation whereof, I would have you see, with your own eyes, how the discord of Agramant's camp is passed over, and transferred hither among us. Behold how there

they fight for the sword, here for the horse, yonder for the eagle-here again for the helmet; and we all fight, and no one understands another. Come, therefore, my lord judge, and you, master priest, and let one of you stand for king Agramant, the other for king Sobrino, and make peace among us, &c.".

See Jarvis's Don Quixote, Vol. I. B. iv. C. xviii.

Ver. 707. But grave Sobrino, &c.] This is the first appearance of Sobrino in Ariosto. His character is continued from Boyardo, where he makes a figure in the council held by Agramant, to debate on the intended invasion of France, and endeavours to dissuade the king from that expedition. Sobrino appears to be the Nestor of the poem.