Astolpho, on arriving in the dominions of this monarch, hastened to pay him his respects.  King Senapus received him graciously, and ordered a splendid repast to be prepared in honor of his arrival.  While the guests were seated at table, Astolpho filling the place of dignity at the king’s right hand, the horrid scream of the Harpies was heard in the air, and soon they approached, hovering over the tables, seizing the food from the dishes, and overturning everything with the flapping of their broad wings.  In vain the guests struck at them with knives and any weapons which they had, and Astolpho drew his sword and gave them repeated blows, which seemed to have no more effect upon them than if their bodies had been made of tow.

At last Astolpho thought of his horn.  He first gave warning to the king and his guests to stop their ears; then blew a blast.  The Harpies, terrified at the sound, flew away as fast as their wings could carry them.  The paladin mounted his Hippogriff, and pursued them, blowing his horn as often as he came near them.  They stretched their flight towards the great mountain, at the foot of which there is a cavern, which is thought to be the mouth of the infernal abodes.  Hither those horrid birds flew, as if to their home.  Having seen them all disappear in the recess, Astolpho cared not to pursue them farther, but alighting, rolled huge stones into the mouth of the cave, and piled branches of trees therein, so that he effectually barred their passage out, and we have no evidence of their ever having been seen since in the outer air.

After this labor Astolpho refreshed himself by bathing in a fountain whose pure waters bubbled from a cleft of the rock.  Having rested awhile, an earnest desire seized him of ascending the mountain which towered above him.  The Hippogriff bore him swiftly upwards, and landed him on the top of the mountain, which he found to be an extensive plain.

A splendid palace rose in the middle of this plain, whose walls shone with such brilliancy that mortal eyes could hardly bear the sight.  Astolpho guided the winged horse towards this edifice, and made him poise himself in the air while he took a leisurely survey of this favored spot and its environs.  It seemed as if nature and art had striven with one another to see which could do the most for its embellishment.

Astolpho, on approaching the edifice, saw a venerable man advance to meet him.  This personage was clothed in a long vesture as white as snow, while a mantle of purple covered his shoulders, and hung down to the ground.  A white beard descended to his middle, and his hair, of the same color, overshadowed his shoulders.  His eyes were so brilliant that Astolpho felt persuaded that he was a blessed inhabitant of the heavenly mansions.