THE ARGUMENT.

ORLANDO arrives at the Chriftian camp with Angelica, where to put an end to the diffention that had arisen between him and Rinaldo, she is taken from him by Charlemain, and given to the care of Namus. The Chriftian army is defeated, in a general battle, by the forces of Agramant and Marfilius. Angelica flies from the camp, and is met by Rinaldo, who fights for her with Ferrau, till the combat being broke off by the departure of the lady, they both go in fearch of her. Ferrau, endeavouring to recover his helmet from the river, fees the ghoft of Argalia, who reproaches him with perjury. Angelica, having taken shelter in a bower, fees unexpectedly one of her former lovers, to whom she discovers herself: their con.verfation is interrupted by the arrival of a strange knight: a battle enfues: the ftranger departing, they find Bayardo, Rinaldo's horse, and soon after meet Rinaldo himself.

THE

FIRST BOOK

O F

ORLANDO FURIOSO.

DA

AMES, knights, and arms, and love! the deeds that spring

From courteous minds, and venturous feats, I fing! What time the Moors from Afric's hoftile strand

Had croft the feas to ravage Gallia's land,

By

Ver. 1. Dames, knights, and arms,] It is faid Cardinal Hippolito had been heard to declare that Ariosto was particularly difficult in compofing the two first lines of his poem, and that he wrote them many times before he could fatisfy himself. Marc Antonio Mureto, a moft refpectable writer of the xvith century, delivers himself thus on the fubject: "Audivi a maximis viris qui facillime id noffe poterant, Ludovicum Areoftum nobiliffimum nobiliffimæ

By Agramant, their youthful monarch, led,
In deep refentment for Troyano dead,
With threats on Charlemain t' avenge his fate,
Th' imperial guardian of the Roman state.

Nor will I lefs Orlando's acts rehearse,

A tale nor told in profe, nor fung in verfe;

5

10

Who once the flower of arms, and wisdom's boast,

By fatal love his manly fenfes loft.

If fhe, for whom like anguish wounds my heart,

To my weak skill her gracious aid impart,
The timorous bard fhall needful fuccour find, 15
To end the task long ponder'd in his mind.
Vouchsafe, great offspring of th' Herculean line,
In whom our age's grace and glory shine,
Hippolito, these humble lines to take,
The fole return your poet e'er can make ;
Who boldly now his gratitude conveys
In fheets like these, and verfe for duty pays :
Nor deem the labour poor, or tribute small;
'Tis all he has, and thus he offers all!

20

domus præconem in duobus primis grandiofis illius poematis fui verfibus, plufquam credi potest, laboraffe, neque fibi prius animum explere potuiffe, quam quum illos in omnem partem diu multumque verfaffet."

Ver. 6.

Do's Story.

Troyano dead,] See General View of BOYAR

Here

Here 'midst the braveft chiefs prepare to view, 25
(Those honour'd chiefs to whom the lays are due)
Renown'd Rogero, from whose loins I trace
The ancient fountain of your glorious race:
My mufe the hero's actions fhall proclaim,

His dauntless courage, and his deathlefs fame; 30
So you awhile each weightier care fufpend,
And to my tale a pleas'd attention lend.

Orlando, long with amorous paffion fir'd, The love of fair Angelica defir'd:

For her his arms immortal trophies won,

In Media, Tartary, and India known,

35

Now with her to the weft he held his course,
Where Charlemain encamp'd his martial force,
And near Pyrene's hills his standard rear'd,
Where France and Germany combin'd appear'd, 40
That Spain and Afric's monarchs, to their coft,
Might rue their vain defigns and

empty boast:

This, fummon'd all his fubjects to the field,

Whofe hand could lift the fpear, or falchion wield;

Ver. 33. Orlands, long-] See General View of BOYARDo's Story.