THE beasts, that haunt the wood or graze the plain,
Or tame or savage, mutual peace maintain;
But if sometimes they chance to mix in war,
The generous males with females never jar:
The she-bear from the other never flies,
The lioness beside the lion lies:
The she-wolf with her mate securely lives,
Nor the bull terror to the heifer gives.
What strife, or what Megæra has possest
The deep recesses of the human breast,
That oft the husband and the wife engage
In worldly conflict; oft with impious rage,
Against each other aim the vengeful blow,
While gushing tears the genial bed o'erflow;
Nor tears alone, but some, by fury led,
In crimson streams the vital current shed?
Accurst is he, and born in evil hour,
Who dares rebel against the sovereign power
Of nature's laws, to strike the weeping fair,
Or from her tresses rend a single hair:
But he, whose breast such small remorse can feel,
T' attempt her life with poison, or with steel,
I ne'er can deem a man; but, 'scap'd from woe,
Some fiend infernal from the realms below.
The two assassins, such we justly name,
Driv'n by the brave Rinaldo from the dame;
Whom to that lonely vale their guile betray'd
To hide their dreadful crime in dreary shade:
I left the dame preparing to relate,
The secret cause of her unhappy state,
To good Rinaldo, her preserver-knight;
And thus, pursuing, I the tale recite..
The damsel now began: Prepare to hear
Such deeds as never yet have reach'd the ear,
As never stain'd the most inhuman crew:
Not such Mycenæ, Thebes, or Argos knew!
If yonder sun that darts his beams around,
Shines more remotely on our native ground,
"Tis doubtless that he shuns this hated place,.
With horror viewing such an impious race.
That men on foes exert their dreadful rage,
Examples have been seen in every age;
But that dire mind what savage fury sways,
Who friendship's warmth with fiend-like ill repays!
That, undisguis'd, you all the truth may know,
I will from first the cause impartial show.
Ver. 33. The damsel now began:] There is scarcely any part of the poem more simple and unadorned than this tale, and which. admits of so little elevation in an English version.
Why these assassins did with barbarous ire
Against my blooming tender youth conspire.
Know then, my lord, I yet a girl, was sent
To court, and to Gencura's service went;
By her receiv'd, I flourish'd in her grace,
And in the palace held an honour'd place.
But cruel love my state with envy saw,
And soon, alas! subdu'd me to his law:
He made, of every youth and comely knight,
The duke of Albany my sole delight..
We hear the speech, we see the looks exprest,
But who can view the secrets of the breast?
His love, avow'd, my bosom first inspir'd
With tender thoughts, with gentle wishes fir'd:
So far at length my fond belief was led,
That I receiv'd him to my virgin bed..
Nor that alone; but that recess I chose
In which sometimes the princess would repose;
In which conceal'd her choicest treasure lies,
A close retreat, remote from vulgar eyes!
There by a gall'ry to the window join'd,
A favour'd friend might easy entrance find..
By this I often introduc'd my love,.
A silken ladder throwing from above.
'Twas thus I did the enamour'd duke receive,
Whene'er Geneura's absence gave me leave;
Who us'd to change her bed, sometimes to fly.
The burning heat, sometimes the freezing sky..
Securely oft we met, and void of fear
Indulg'd our flame, for 'gainst the palace here
Some lonely ruins stood, where night or day
None ever pass'd his visits to survey.
For many a month to all the court unknown,
In frequent joys our secret hours had flown:
So blind was I, I ne'er discover'd yet
That little truth was his, but much deceit;
Though the base treasons of his faithless breast
Were plainly by a thousand signs exprest.
At length, without disguise, he durst confess
His close design Geneura to possess:
Nor know I, if his love was then begun,
Judge, in my bosom if he bore a part,
Or ere he yet my giddy thoughts had won.
Or rather, if he rul❜d not all my heart;
He own'd his purpos'd suit, nor blush'd with shame
To ask my friendly aid to win the dame;
But vow'd his ardor feign'd, in hopes alone
To form a near alliance to the throne;
As none, among the nobles of the blood,
Except the king, in rank before him stood.
And promis'd, should my counsel e'er ensure
His sovereign's favour, and the bride secure;
The service, ever present to his mind,
In ties of gratitude his soul should bind :
That I alone, his wife, his friends above,
Should reign the unrivall'd partner of his love.
I (that his happiness endeavour'd still,
Nor e'er in thought or deed control'd his will)
Took all occasions that I saw to raise
In fair Geneura's ear my lover's praise.
Heaven knows how truly I employ'd my art
To serve him with a just and faithful heart!
But vain th' attempt my much-lov'd duke to place
With many a trial in the fair one's grace.
Another lover all her soul possess'd:
Another love was kindled in her breast,
A comely courteous knight had rais'd a flame,
A knight, who from a foreign region came:
He, with his youthful brother, left the port
Of distant Italy, for Scotland's court;
Where soon in arms such vast renown he gain'd,
No son of Britain greater praise obtain'd:
The king esteem'd him, and his favour show'd,
By gifts of honour and of wealth bestow'd:
Castles and towns he gave to his command,
And rank'd him midst the barons of the land.
This knight the name of Ariodantes bore,
The monarch lov'd him much, his daughter more:
The warrior's valiant deeds with warmth inspir'd
Her gentle soul, but more the lover fir'd:
Since well she knew, for her what flame possess'd
The gentle Ariodantes' constant breast.
Her growing passion made the virgin hear
My lover's praises with averted ear
The more, to gain his suit, with prayers I strove,
The more her hatred rose, and spurn'd his love.
I sooth'd his grief, and oft essay'd to make
Th' ambitious duke his vain design forsake.
I show'd him how the damsel's soul possest
With Ariodant, for him alone confess'd
The darts of love: when Polinesso heard
(Such was his name) what little hopes appear'd
T'obtain his wish, each thought of tender kind
Driv'n from his soul, his fierce revengeful mind,
Enrag'd to see another favour'd more,
To hate converted what was love before;
|