Orlando Furioso | Page 3

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Orlando Furioso
("Orlando Enraged")
By
Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533)
Translated by William Stewart Rose
This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by Douglas B.
Killings ([email protected]
), July, 1995. Additional corrections
made September, 1995.
NOTE: Please let the preparer know of any textual errors that you find;
this edition has been proofed once, but I am finding
additional errors
all the time.
INTRODUCTION:
This work is a continuation of the "Orlando Innamorato" of Matteo
Maria Boiardo, which was left unfinished upon the author's death in
1494. It begins more or less at the point where Boiardo left it.
This is a brief synopsis of Boiardo's work, omitting most of the
numerous digressions and incidental episodes associated with these
events:
To the court of King Charlemagne comes Angelica (daughter to the
king of Cathay, or India) and her brother Argalia. Angelica is the most
beautiful woman any of the Peers have ever seen, and all want her.
However, in order to take her as wife they must first defeat Argalia in
combat. The two most stricken by her are Orlando and Ranaldo
("Rinaldo" in Rose).
When Argalia falls to the heathen knight Ferrau, Angelica flees -- with
Orlando and Ranaldo in hot pursuit. Along the way, both Angelica and
Ranaldo drink magic waters -- Angelica is filled with a burning love for
Ranaldo, but Ranaldo is now indifferent.

Eventually, Orlando and Ranaldo arrive at Angelica's castle. Others
also gather at Angelica's castle, including Agricane, King of Tartary;
Sacripant, King of Circassia; Agramante, King of Africa and Marfisa
("Marphisa" in Rose), an Asian warrior-Queen. Except for Orlando and
Ranaldo, all are heathen.
Meanwhile, France is threatened by heathen invaders. Led by King
Gradasso of Sericana (whose principal reason for going to war is to
obtain Orlando's sword, Durindana) and King Rodomonte of Sarzia, a
Holy War between Pagans and Christians ensues.
Ranaldo leaves Angelica's castle, and Angelica and a very
love-sick
(but very chaste and proper) Orlando, set out for France in search of
him. Again the same waters as before are drunk from, but this time in
reverse -- Ranaldo now burns for Angelica, but Angelica is now
indifferent. Ranaldo and Orlando now begin to fight over her, but King
Charlemagne (fearing the consequences if his two best knights kill each
other in combat) intervenes and promises Angelica to whichever of the
two fights the best against the heathen; he leaves her in the care of
Duke Namus. Orlando and Ranaldo arrive in Paris just in time to
repulse an attack by Agramante.
Namus' camp is overrun by the heathen. Angelica escapes, with
Ranaldo in pursuit. Also in pursuit is Ferrau, who (because he had
defeated Argalia) considers Angelica his. It is at this point that the
poem breaks off.
While the Orlando-Ranaldo-Angelica triangle is going on, the stories of
other knights and their loves are mixed in. Most important of these is
that of the female knight Bradamante
(sister of Ranaldo), who falls in
love with a very noble heathen knight named Ruggiero ("Rogero" in
Rose). Ruggiero, who is said to be a descendent of Alexander the Great
and Hector, also falls in love with Bradamante, but because they are
fighting on
opposite sides it is felt that their love is hopeless.

Nevertheless, it is prophecised that they shall wed and found the
famous Este line, who shall rise to become one of the major families of
Medieval and Renaissance Italy (it is worth noting that the Estes where

the patrons of both Boiardo and Ariosto). Opposed to this prophecy is
Atlantes, an African wizard who seeks to derail fate and keep Ruggiero
from becoming a Christian. By the end of the poem, Ruggiero is
imprisoned in Atlantes' castle. However, Bradamante (who has decided
to follow her heart) is in pursuit of her love, and is not too far away. It
is the
Bradamante-Ruggiero story that eventually takes center stage in
Ariosto's work.
Other characters of importance: Astolfo, a Peer and friend of Orlando,
who is kidnaped by the evil witch Morgana and her sister Alcina;
Mandricardo, a fierce but hot-headed heathen; and a young knight
named Brandimarte, who falls in love with (and wins the heart of) the
beautiful Fiordelisa ("Flordelice" in Rose). All play major or
semi-major roles in the events of Ariosto's poem.
---DBK

CANTO 1
ARGUMENT
Angelica, whom pressing danger frights,
Flies in
disorder through the greenwood shade.
Rinaldo's horse escapes: he,
following, fights
Ferrau, the Spaniard, in a forest glade.
A second
oath the haughty paynim plights,
And keeps it better than the first he
made.
King Sacripant regains his long-lost treasure;
But good
Rinaldo mars