Stories from the Italian Poets: with Lives of the Writers, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 394 pages of information about Stories from the Italian Poets.

Stories from the Italian Poets: with Lives of the Writers, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 394 pages of information about Stories from the Italian Poets.

  In doors and out of doors, by night, by day,
    She had the charmer by her side for ever;
  Morning and evening they would stroll away,
    Now by some field or little tufted river;
  They chose a cave in middle of the day,
    Perhaps not less agreeable or clever
  Than Dido and AEneas found to screen them,
  When they had secrets to discuss between them.

  And all this while there was not a smooth tree,
    That stood by stream or fountain with glad breath,
  Nor stone less hard than stones are apt to be,
    But they would find a knife to carve it with;
  And in a thousand places you might see,
    And on the walls about you and beneath,
  ANGELICA AND MEDORO, tied in one,
  As many ways as lovers’ knots can run.

  And when they thought they had outspent their time,
    Angelica the royal took her way,
  She and Medoro, to the Indian clime,
    To crown him king of her great realm, Cathay.[1]

[Footnote 1:  This version of the present episode has appeared in print before.  So has a portion of the Monks and the Giants, in the first volume.]

* * * * *

No.  III.

THE JEALOUSY OF ORLANDO.

THE SAME.

  Feron camin diverso i cavallieri,
    Di qua Zerbino, e di la il Conte Orlando. 
  Prima che pigli il Conte altri sentieri,
    All’arbor tolse, e a se ripose il brando;
  E, dove meglio col Pagan pensosse
    Di potersi incontrare, il destrier mosse.

  Lo strano corso the tenne il cavallo
    Del Saracin pel bosco senza via,
  Fece ch’Orlando ando duo giorni in fallo,
    Ne lo trovo, ne pote averne spia. 
  Giunse ad un rivo, che parea cristallo,
    Ne le cui sponde un bel pratel fioria,
  Di nativo color vago e dipinto,
  E di molti e belli arbori distinto.

  Il merigge facea grato l’orezo
    Al duro armento et al pastore ignudo;
  Si che ne Orlando sentia alcun ribrezo,
    Che la corazza avea, l’elmo e lo scudo. 
  Quivi egli entro, per riposarsi, in mezo;
    E v’ebbe travaglioso albergo e crudo,
  E, piu che dir si possa, empio soggiorno,
  Quell’infelice e sfortunato giorno.

  Volgendosi ivi intorno, vidi scritti
    Molti arbuscelli in su l’ombrosa riva. 
  Tosto the fermi v’ebbe gli occhi e fitti,
    Fu certo esser di man de la sua Diva. 
  Questo era un di quei lochi gia descritti,
    Ove sovente con Medor veniva
  Da casa del pastore indi vicina
  La bella donna del Catai Regina.

  Angelica e Medor con cento nodi
    Legati insieme, e in cento lochi vede. 
  Quante lettere son, tanti son chiodi
    Co i quali Amore il cor gli punge e fiede. 
  Va col pensier cercando in mille modi
    Non creder quel ch’al suo dispetto crede: 
  Ch’altra Angelica sia, creder si sforza,
  Ch’abbia scritto il suo nome in quella scorza.

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Stories from the Italian Poets: with Lives of the Writers, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.