The Works of Lord Byron Volume IV Part 50

The Abbot said, "The steeple may do well, But for the bells, you've broken them, I wot."

Morgante answered, "Let them pay in h.e.l.l The penalty who lie dead in yon grot;"

And hoisting up the horse from where he fell, He said, "Now look if I the gout have got, Orlando, in the legs,--or if I have force;"-- And then he made two gambols with the horse.

LXXIV.

Morgante was like any mountain framed; So if he did this 'tis no prodigy; But secretly himself Orlando blamed, Because he was one of his family; And fearing that he might be hurt or maimed, Once more he bade him lay his burden by: "Put down, nor bear him further the desert in."

Morgante said, "I'll carry him for certain."

LXXV.

He did; and stowed him in some nook away, And to the abbey then returned with speed.

Orlando said, "Why longer do we stay?

Morgante, here is nought to do indeed."

The Abbot by the hand he took one day, And said, with great respect, he had agreed To leave his reverence; but for this decision He wished to have his pardon and permission.

LXXVI.

The honours they continued to receive Perhaps exceeded what his merits claimed: He said, "I mean, and quickly, to retrieve The lost days of time past, which may be blamed; Some days ago I should have asked your leave, Kind father, but I really was ashamed, And know not how to show my sentiment, So much I see you with our stay content.

LXXVII.

"But in my heart I bear through every clime The Abbot, abbey, and this solitude-- So much I love you in so short a time; For me, from Heaven reward you with all good The G.o.d so true, the eternal Lord sublime!

Whose kingdom at the last hath open stood.

Meantime we stand expectant of your blessing.

And recommend us to your prayers with pressing."

LXXVIII.

Now when the Abbot Count Orlando heard, His heart grew soft with inner tenderness, Such fervour in his bosom bred each word; And, "Cavalier," he said, "if I have less Courteous and kind to your great worth appeared, Than fits me for such gentle blood to express, I know I have done too little in this case; But blame our ignorance, and this poor place.

LXXIX.

"We can indeed but honour you with ma.s.ses, And sermons, thanksgivings, and pater-nosters, Hot suppers, dinners (fitting other places In verity much rather than the cloisters); But such a love for you my heart embraces, For thousand virtues which your bosom fosters, That wheresoe'er you go I too shall be, And, on the other part, you rest with me.

Lx.x.x.

"This may involve a seeming contradiction; But you I know are sage, and feel, and taste, And understand my speech with full conviction.

For your just pious deeds may you be graced With the Lord's great reward and benediction, By whom you were directed to this waste: To His high mercy is our freedom due, For which we render thanks to Him and you.

Lx.x.xI.

"You saved at once our life and soul: such fear The Giants caused us, that the way was lost By which we could pursue a fit career In search of Jesus and the saintly Host; And your departure breeds such sorrow here, That comfortless we all are to our cost; But months and years you would not stay in sloth, Nor are you formed to wear our sober cloth,

Lx.x.xII.

"But to bear arms, and wield the lance; indeed, With these as much is done as with this cowl; In proof of which the Scripture you may read, This Giant up to Heaven may bear his soul By your compa.s.sion: now in peace proceed.

Your state and name I seek not to unroll; But, if I'm asked, this answer shall be given, That here an angel was sent down from Heaven.

Lx.x.xIII.

"If you want armour or aught else, go in, Look o'er the wardrobe, and take what you choose, And cover with it o'er this Giant's skin."

Orlando answered, "If there should lie loose Some armour, ere our journey we begin, Which might be turned to my companion's use, The gift would be acceptable to me."

The Abbot said to him, "Come in and see."

Lx.x.xIV.

And in a certain closet, where the wall Was covered with old armour like a crust, The Abbot said to them, "I give you all."

Morgante rummaged piecemeal from the dust The whole, which, save one cuira.s.s[347], was too small, And that too had the mail inlaid with rust.

They wondered how it fitted him exactly, Which ne'er had suited others so compactly.

Lx.x.xV.

'Twas an immeasurable Giant's, who By the great Milo of Agrante fell Before the abbey many years ago.

The story on the wall was figured well; In the last moment of the abbey's foe, Who long had waged a war implacable: Precisely as the war occurred they drew him, And there was Milo as he overthrew him.

Lx.x.xVI.

Seeing this history, Count Orlando said In his own heart, "O G.o.d who in the sky Know'st all things! how was Milo hither led?

Who caused the Giant in this place to die?"

And certain letters, weeping, then he read, So that he could not keep his visage dry,-- As I will tell in the ensuing story: From evil keep you the high King of Glory!

[Note to Stanza v. Lines 1, 2.--In an Edition of the _Morgante Maggiore_ issued at Florence by G. Pulci, in 1900, line 2 of stanza v. runs thus--

"Com' egli ebbe un Ormanno e 'l suo Turpino."

The allusion to "Ormanno," who has been identified with a mythical chronicler, "Urmano from Paris" (see Rajna's _Ricerche sui Reali di Francia_, 1872, p. 51), and the appeal to the authority of Leonardo Aretino, must not be taken _au pied de la lettre_. At the same time, the opinion attributed to Leonardo is in accordance with contemporary sentiment and phraseology. Compare "Horum res gestas si qui auctores digni celebra.s.sent, quam magnae, quam admirabiles, quam veteribus illis similes viderentur."--B. Accolti Aretini (_ob._ 1466) _Dialogus de Praestantia Virorum sui aevi_. P. Villani, _Liber de Florentiae Famosis Civibus_, 1847, p. 112. From information kindly supplied by Professor V.

Rossi, of the University of Pavia.]

FOOTNOTES:

[332] {283}[Matteo Maria Bojardo (1434-1494) published his _Orlando Innamorato_ in 1486; Lodovico Ariosto (1474-1533) published the _Orlando Furioso_ in 1516. A first edition of Cantos I.-XXV. of Luigi Pulci's (1431-1487) _Il Morgante Maggiore_ was printed surrept.i.tiously by Luca Veneziano in 1481. Frances...o...b..rni, who recast the _Orlando Innamorato_, was born circ. 1490, and died in 1536.]

[333] [John Hermann Merivale (1779-1844), the father of Charles Merivale, the historian (Dean of Ely, 1869), and of Herman, Under-Secretary for India, published his _Orlando in Roncesvalles_ in 1814.]

[334] {284}[Parson Adams and Barnabas are characters in _Joseph Andrews_; Thwack.u.m and Supple, in _The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling_.]

[335] {285}[Byron insisted, in the first place with Murray (February 7, 1820, _Letters_, 1900, iv. 402), and afterwards, no doubt, with the Hunts, that his translation of the _Morgante Maggiore_ should be "put by the original, stanza for stanza, and verse for verse." In the present issue a few stanzas are inserted for purposes of comparison, but it has not been thought necessary to reprint the whole of the Canto.

"IL MORGANTE MAGGIORE.

ARGOMENTO.

"Vivendo Carlo Magno Imperadore Co' Paladini in festa e in allegria, Orlando contra Gano traditore S'adira, e parte verso Pagania: Giunge a un deserto, e del b.e.s.t.i.a.l furore Di tre giganti salva una badia, Che due n'uccide, e con Morgante elegge, Di buon sozio e d'amico usar la legge."

CANTO PRIMO.

I.