The Morgante Maggiore.'

CANTO THE FIRST.

Il Morgante Maggiore.

CANTO PRIMO.

I.

In principio era il Verbo appresso a Dio;
Ed era Iddio il Verbo, e 'l Verbo lui:
Questo era nel principio, al parer mio;
E nulla si può far sanza costui :
Però, giusto Signor benigno e pio,
Mandami solo un de gli angeli tui,

Che m'accompagni, e rechimi a memoria
Una famosa antica e degna storia.

II.

E tu Vergine, figlia, e madre, e sposa
Di quel Signor, che ti dette le chiave
Del cielo e dell' abisso, e d'ogni cosa,
Quel dì che Gabriel tuo ti disse Ave!
Perchè tu se' de' tuo' servi pietosa,
Con dolce rime, e stil grato e soave,
Ajuta i versi miei benignamente,
E'nfino al fine allumina la mente.

III.

Era nel tempo, quando Filomena
Con la sorella si lamenta e plora,
Che si ricorda di sua antica pena,
E pe' boschetti le ninfe innamora
E Febo il carro temperato mena,
Che 'l suo Fetonte l'ammaestra ancora ;
Ed appariva appunto all' orizzonte,
Tal che Titon si graffiava la fronte.
IV.

Quand' io varai la mia barchetta, prima
Per ubbidir chi sempre ubbidir debbe
La mente, e faticarsi in prosa e in rima,
E del mio Carlo Imperador m'increbbe;
Che so quanti la penna ha posto in cima,
Che tutti la sua gloria prevarrebbe :
E stata quella istoria, a quel ch' i' veggio,
Di Carlo male intesa, e scritta peggio.

V.

Diceva già Lionardo Aretino,

Che s'egli avesse avuto scrittor degno,
Com'egli ebbe un Ormanno il suo Pipino
Ch'avesse diligenzia avuto e ingegno;
Sarebbe Carlo Magno un uom divino;
Però ch'egli ebbe gran vittorie e regno,
E fece per la chiesa e per la fede

Certo assai più, che non si dice o crede.

had been subjected to private judgment, notwithstanding the popes had prohibited the reading of it. His ardour did not allow him to stop and examine whether this prohibition might not be posterior to the death of Pulci. Milton had studied Pulci to advantage. The knowledge which he ascribes to his devils, their despairing repentance, the lofty sentiments which he bestows upon some of them, and, above all, the principle that, notwithstanding their crime and its punishment, they retain the grandeur and perfection of angelic nature, are all to be found in the Morgante as well as in Paradise Lost. Ariosto and Tasso have imitated other passages. When great poets borrow from their inferiors in genius, they turn their acquisi tions to such advantage that it is difficult to detect their thefts, and still more difficult to blame them.

"The poem is filled with kings, knights, giants, and devils. There are man battles and mans duels. Wars rise out of wars, and empires are conquered in a day. Pulci treats us with plenty of magic and enchantment. His love adventures are not peculiarly interesting; and, with the excep tion of four or five leading personages, his characters are of no moment. The fab e turns wholly upon the hatred which Ganellon, the felon knight of Maganza, bears towards Orlando and the rest of the Christian Paladins. Charlemagnis easily practised upon by Ganellon, his prime confidant and man of business. So he treats Orlando and his friends in the most scurvy manner imaginable, and send them out to hard service in the wars against France. Ganel'on is despatched to Spain to treat with King Marsilius, being also instructed to obtain the cession of a kingdom for Orlando; but he concerts a treacherous device with the Spaniards, and Orlando is killed

I.

In the beginning was the Word next God;
God was the Word, the Word no less was he:
This was in the beginning, to my mode

Of thinking, and without him nought could be: Therefore, just Lord! from out thy high abode, Benign and pious, bid an angel flee,

One only, to be my companion, who
Shall help my famous, worthy, old song through.
II.

And thou, oh Virgin! daughter, mother, bride
Of the same Lord, who gave to you each key
Of heaven, and hell, and every thing beside,

The day thy Gabriel said " All hail!" to thee, Since to thy servants pity's ne'er denied, With flowing rhymes, a pleasant style and free, Be to my verses then benignly kind, And to the end illuminate my mind.

III.

'Twas in the season when sad Philomel
Weeps with her sister, who remembers and
Deplores the ancient woes which both befel,
And makes the nymphs enamour'd, to the hand
Of Phaeton by Phoebus loved so well

His car (but temper'd by his sire's command) Was given, and on the horizon's verge just now Appear'd, so that Tithonus scratch'd his brow:

IV.

When I prepared my bark first to obey,

As it should still obey, the helm, my mind, And carry prose or rhyme, and this my lay

Of Charles the Emperor, whom you will find By several pens already praised; but they Who to diffuse his glory were inclined, For all that I can see in prose or verse, Have understood Charles badly, and wrote worse.

V.

Leonardo Aretino said already,

That if, like Pepin, Charles had had a writer Of genius quick, and diligently steady,

No hero would in history look brighter; He in the cabinet being always ready,

And in the field a most victorious fighter, Who for the church and Christian faith had wrought, Certes, far more than yet is said or thought.

at the battle of Roncesvalles. The intrigues of Ganelon, Is er, `a patience, his obstinacy, his dissimulation, his affected horis, a his inexhaustible powers of intrigue, are admirably det sted character constitutes the chief and finest feature in the pomis, o ra is a worthy monarch, but easily gilled. Orlando is a real br and disinterested, and who fights in good earnest fe th ༥ ས། the faith. He baptizes the giant Morgante, who afterward some like a faithful squire. There is another giant, whose roo Morgante falls in with Margutte: and they become sworn to be y Mat gutte is a very infidel giant, ready to confess his failor gs, and full famin He sets all a-laughing, readers, giants, devils, and heroes; and be ta his career by laughing till he bursts."]

1["About the Morgante Maggiore, I won't have a fine omitted. It may circulate or it may not, but all the criticis on earth sha'n't touch a line, unless it be because it stay translated. Now you say, and I say, and others say, the the translation is a good one, and so it shall go to press as it a Pulci must answer for his own irreligion: I answer for the translation only." - Lord Byron to Mr. Murray, 18 "Why don't you publish my Pulci, the best thing leve wrote." Ib. 1821.]

VI.

Guardisi ancora a san Liberatore

Quella badía là presso a Manoppello,
Giù ne gli Abbruzzi fatta per suo onore,
Dove fu la battaglia e 'l gran flaggello
D'un re pagan, che Carlo imperadore
Uccise, e tanto del suo popol fello:
E vedesi tante ossa, e tanto il sanno,
Che tutte in Giusaffà poi si vedranno.

VII.

Ma il mondo cieco e ignorante non prezza
Le sue virtù, com'io vorrei vedere :
E tu, Fiorenza, de la sua grandezza
Possiedi, e sempre potrai possedere
Ogni costume ed ogni gentilezza
Che si potesse aquistare o avere

Col senno col tesoro o con la lancia
Dal nobil sangue e venuto di Francia.

VIII.

Dodici paladini aveva in corte

Carlo; e'l più savio a famoso era Orlando :
Gan traditor lo condusse a la morte
In Roncisvalle un trattato ordinando;
Là dove il corno sonò tanto forte
Dopo la dolorosa rotta, quando

Ne la sua commedia Dante qui dice,
E mettelo con Carlo in ciel felice.

IX.

Era per Pasqua quella di natale:
Carlo la corte avea tutta in Parigi :
Orlando, com' io dico, il principale
Evvi, il Danese, Astolfo, e Ansuigi:
Fannosi feste e cose trionfale,
E molto celebravan San Dionigi;
Angiolin di Bajona, ed Ulivieri

V'era venuto, e 'l gentil Berlinghieri.

X.

Eravi Avolio ed Avino ed Ottone,

Di Normandía, Riccardo Paladino,
E'l savio Namo, e'l vecchio Salamone,
Gualtier da Monlione, e Baldovino
Ch'era figliuol del tristo Ganellone.
Troppo lieto era il figliuol di Pipino;
Tanto che spesso d'allegrezza geme
Veggendo tutti i paladini insieme.

XI.

Ma la Fortuna attenta sta nascosa,
Per guastar sempre ciascun nostro effetto:
Mentre che Carlo così si riposa,
Orlando governava in fatto e in detto
La corte e Carlo Magno ed ogni cosa:
Gan per invidia scoppia il maladetto,
E cominciava un dì con Carlo a dire :
Abbiam noi sempre Orlando ad ubbidire ?

XII.

Io ho creduto mille volte dirti:

Orlando ha in se troppa presunzione:
Noi siam qui conti, re, duchi a servirti,
E Namo, Ottone, Uggieri e Salamone,
Per onorarti ognun, per ubbidirti :
Che costui abbi ogni reputazione
Nol sofferrem; ma siam deliberati
Da un fanciullo non esser governati.

VI.

You still may see at Saint Liberatore
The abbey, no great way from Manopell,
Erected in the Abruzzi to his glory,

Because of the great battle in which fell
A pagan king, according to the story,

And felon people whom Charles sent to hell: And there are bones so many, and so many, Near them Giusaffa's would seem few, if any.

VII.

But the world, blind and ignorant, don't prize
His virtues as I wish to see them: thou,
Florence, by his great bounty don't arise,

And hast, and may have, if thou wilt allow,
All proper customs and true courtesies:
Whate'er thou hast acquired from them till now
With knightly courage, treasure, or the lance,
Is sprung from out the noble blood of France.
VIIL

Twelve paladins had Charles in court, of whom
The wisest and most famous was Orlando ;
Him traitor Gan conducted to the tomb

In Roncesvalles, as the villain plann'd too, While the horn rang so loud, and knell'd the doom

Of their sad rout, though he did all knight can do; And Dante in his comedy has given

To him a happy seat with Charles in heaven.

IX.

'T was Christmas-day; in Paris all his court Charles held; the chief, I say, Orlando was, The Dane; Astolfo there too did resort,

Also Ansuigi, the gay time to pass

In festival and in triumphal sport,

The much-renown'd St. Dennis being the cause; Angiolin of Bayonne, and Oliver,

And gentle Belinghieri too came there:

X.

Avolio, and Arino, and Othone

Of Normandy, and Richard Paladin, Wise Hamo, and the ancient Salamone, Walter of Lion's Mount and Baldovin, Who was the son of the sad Ganellone,

Were there, exciting too much gladness in The son of Pepin : :- when his knights came hither, He groan'd with joy to see them altogether.

XI.

But watchful Fortune, lurking, takes good heed Ever some bar 'gainst our intents to bring: While Charles reposed him thus, in word and deed, Orlando ruled court, Charles, and every thing; Curst Gan, with envy bursting, had such need

To vent his spite, that thus with Charles the king One day he openly began to say,

"Orlando must we always then obey ?

XII.

"A thousand times I've been about to say,
Orlando too presumptuously goes on;
Here are we, counts, kings, dukes, to own thy sway,
Hamo, and Otho, Ogier, Solomon,

Each have to honour thee and to obey;

But he has too much credit near the throne, Which we won't suffer, but are quite decided By such a boy to be no longer guided.

XIII.

Tu cominciasti insino in Aspramonte

A dargli a intender che fusse gagliardo,
E facesse gran cose a quella fonte ;
Ma se non fusse stato il buon Gherardo,
Io so che la vittoria era d' Almonte:

Ma egli ebbe sempre l'occhio a lo stendardo :
Che si voleva quel dì coronarlo :
Questo è colui ch' ha meritato, Carlo.

XIV.

Se ti ricorda già sendo in Guascogna,
Quando e' vi venne la gente di Spagna,
Il popol de' cristiani avea vergogna,
Se non mostrava la sua forza magna.
Il ver convien pur dir, quando e' bisogna:
Sappi ch' ognuno imperador si lagna:
Quant' io per me, ripasserò que' monti
Ch' io passai 'n qua con sessantaduo conti.

XV.

La tua grandezza dispensar si vuole,

E far che ciascun abbi la sua parte :
La corte tutta quanta se ne duole :
Tu credi che costui sia forse Marte?
Orlando un giorno udì queste parole,
Che si sedeva soletto in disparte:
Dispiacquegli di Gan quel che diceva;
Ma molto più che Carlo gli credeva.

XVI.

E volle con la spada uccider Gano;
Ma Ulivieri in quel mezzo si mise,
E Durlindana gli trasse di mano,
E così il me' che seppe gli divise.
Orlando si sdegnò con Carlo Mano,
E poco men che quivi non l'uccise;
E dipartissi di Parigi solo,

E scoppia e 'mpazza di sdegno e di duolo.

XVII.

Ad Ermellina moglie del Danese

Toise Cortana, e poi tolse Rondello;

E 'n verso Brara il suo cammin poi prese.
Alda la bella, come vide quello,
Per abbracciarlo le braccia distese.
Orlando, che ismarrito avea il cervello,
Com' ella disse: ben venga il mio Orlando :
Gli volle in su la testa dar col brando,

XVIII.

Come colui che la furia consiglia,
Egli pareva a Gan dar veramente:
Alda la bella si fe' maraviglia:
Orlando si ravvide prestamente:
E la sua sposa pigliava la briglia,
E scese dal caval subitamente:
Ed ogni cosa narrava a costei,
E riposossi alcun giorno con lei.
XIX.

Poi si partì portato dal furore,

E terminò passare in Paganía;
E mentre che cavalca, il traditore
Di Gan sempre ricorda per la via:
E cavalcando d' uno in altro errore,
In un deserto truova una badía
In luoghi oscuri e paesi lontani,
Ch' era a' confin' tra cristiani e pagani.

XIII.

"And even at Aspramont thou didst begin
To let him know he was a gallant knight,
And by the fount did much the day to win;
But I know who that day had won the fight
If it had not for good Gherardo been:

The victory was Almonte's else; his sight He kept upon the standard, and the laurels In fact and fairness are his earning, Charles.

XIV.

"If thou rememberest being in Gascony,

When there advanced the nations out of Spain, The Christian cause had suffer'd shamefully,

Had not his valour driven them back again.
Best speak the truth when there's a reason why:
Know then, oh emperor! that all complain :
As for myself, I shall repass the mounts
O'er which I cross'd with two and sixty counts.
XV.

""T is fit thy grandeur should dispense relief,
So that each here may have his proper part,
For the whole court is more or less in grief:
Perhaps thou deem'st this lad a Mars in heart?"
Orlando one day heard this speech in brief,

As by himself it chanced he sate apart:
Displeased he was with Gan because he said it,
But much more still that Charles should give him credit.

XVI.

And with the sword he would have murder'd Gan,
But Oliver thrust in between the pair,
And from his hand extracted Durlindan,

And thus at length they separated were.
Orlando, angry too with Carloman,

Wanted but little to have slain him there; Then forth alone from Paris went the chief, And burst and madden'd with disdain and grief,

XVII.

From Ermellina, consort of the Dane,

He took Cortana, and then took Rondell, And on towards Brara prick'd him o'er the plain; And when she saw him coming, Aldabelle Stretch'd forth her arms to clasp her lord again: Orlando, in whose brain all was not well, As "Welcome, my Orlando, home," she said, Raised up his sword to smite her on the head,

XVIII.

Like him a fury counsels; his revenge

On Gan in that rash act he seem'd to take, Which Aldabella thought extremely strange; But soon Orlando found himself awake; And his spouse took his bridle on this change,

And he dismounted from his horse, and spake Of every thing which pass'd without demur, And then reposed himself some days with her.

XIX.

Then full of wrath departed from the place,
And far as pagan countries roam'd astray,
And while he rode, yet still at every pace

The traitor Gan remember'd by the way;
And wandering on in error a long space,

An abbey which in a lone desert lay, 'Midst glens obscure, and distant lands, he found, Which form'd the Christian's and the pagan's bound,

XXVII.

Tirati drento, cavalier, per Dio,
Disse l'abate, che la manna casca.
Risponde Orlando: caro abate mio,
Costui non vuol che 'l mio caval più pasca :
Veggo che lo guarrebbe del restìo:
Quel sasso par che di buon braccio nasca.
Rispose il santo padre: io non t'inganno,
Credo che 'l monte un giorno gitteranno.

XXVIII.

Orlando governar fece Rondello,

E ordinar per se da colazione:

Poi disse abate, io voglio andare a quello
Che dette al mio caval con quel cantone.
Disse l'abate: come car fratello
Consiglierotti sanza passione ?
Io ti sconforto, baron, di tal gita;
Ch'io so che tu vi lascerai la vita.

XXIX.

Quel Passamonte porta in man tre dardi :
Chi frombe, chi baston, chi muzzafrusti;
Sai che giganti più di noi gagliardi
Son per ragion, che son anco più giusti;
E pur se vuoi andar fa che ti guardi,
Che questi son villan molto e robusti.
Rispose Orlando: io lo vedrò per certo;
Ed avviossi a piè su pel deserto.

XXX.

Disse l'abate col segnarlo in fronte :
Va, che da Dio e me sia benedetto.
Orlando, poi che salito ebbe il monte.
Si dirizzò, come l'abate detto

Gli avea, dove sta quel Passamonte;
Il quale Orlando veggendo soletto,
Molto lo squadra di drieto e davante;
Poi domandò, se star volca per fante?

XXXI.

E' prometteva di farlo godere.

Orlando disse: pazzo Saracino,
Io vengo a te, com' è di Dio volere,
Per darti morte, e non per ragazzino;
A' monaci suoi fatto hai dispiacere ;
Non può più comportarti can mastino.
Questo gigante armar si corse a furia,
Quando sentì ch'e'gli diceva ingiuria,

XXXII.

E ritornato ove aspettava Orlando,

Il qual non s' era partito da bomba;
Subito venne la corda girando,

E lascia un sasso andar fuor de la fromba,
Che in su la testa giugnea rotolando
Al conte Orlando, e l'elmetto rimbomba;
E' cadde per la pena tramortito;
Ma più che morto par, tanto è stordito.

XXXIII.

Passamonte pensò che fusse morto,

E disse: io voglio andarmi a disarmare:
Questo poltron per chi m'aveva scorto?
Ma Cristo i suoi non suole abbandonare,
Massime Orlando, ch' egli arebbe il torto.
Mentre il gigante l' arme va a spogliare,
Orlando in questo tempo si risente,
E rivocava e la forza e la mente.

XXVII.

"For God-sake, cavalier, come in with speed; The manna's falling now," the abbot cried. "This fellow does not wish my horse should feed, Dear abbot," Roland unto him replied. "Of restiveness he 'd cure him had he need;

That stone seems with good will and aim applied." The holy father said, "I don't deceive; They'll one day fling the mountain, I believe."

XXVIII.

Orlando bade them take care of Rondello,

And also made a breakfast of his own: "Abbot," he said, "I want to find that fellow

Who flung at my good horse yon corner stone." Said the abbot, "Let not my advice seem shallow; As to a brother dear I speak alone;

I would dissuade you, baron, from this strife,
As knowing sure that you will lose your life.

XXIX.

"That Passamont has in his hand three dartsSuch slings, clubs, ballast-stones, that yield you must;

You know that giants have much stouter hearts
Than us, with reason, in proportion just :
If go you will, guard well against their arts,

For these are very barbarous and robust."
Orlando answer'd, "This I'll see, be sure,
And walk the wild on foot to be secure."

XXX.

The abbot sign'd the great cross on his front, "Then go you with God's benison and mine:" Orlando, after he had scaled the mount,

As the abbot had directed, kept the line Right to the usual haunt of Passamont; Who, seeing him alone in this design, Survey'd him fore and aft with eyes observant, Then ask'd him, "If he wish'd to stay as servant?'

XXXI.

And promised him an office of great ease.

But, said Orlando, "Saracen insane!

I come to kill you, if it shall so please

God, not to serve as footboy in your train;
You with his monks so oft have broke the peace-
Vile dog! 't is past his patience to sustain."
The giant ran to fetch his arms, quite furious,
When he received an answer so injurious,
XXXII.

And being return'd to where Orlando stood,
Who had not moved him from the spot, and swinging
The cord, he hurl'd a stone with strength so rude,
As show'd a sample of his skill in slinging;
It roll'd on Count Orlando's helmet good

And head, and set both head and helmet ringing,
So that he swoon'd with pain as if he died,
But more than dead, he seem'd so stupified.

XXXIII.

Then Passamont, who thought him slain outright,
Said, "I will go, and while he lies along,
Disarm me why such craven did I fight?"
But Christ his servants ne'er abandons long,
Especially Orlando, such a knight,

As to desert would almost be a wrong.
While the giant goes to put off his defences,
Orlando has recall'd his force and senses: