Orlando Furioso Canto 2 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCBCDD EFEFEFGH IJIJIJEE KLLLLLMM MNJNJNJOO ONPNQNPLL MRNRNRNQQ MLNLNLNLL MSLSLSLNN NOCOCOCLL NTLTLTLUU OMCMCMCOO OOMOOOOLL ORVRVRVOO MOWOXOWYY MLRLRLRLL MUZUZUZCC MWLWLWLOO MOJOJOJLL OLLLLLLA2A2 OXOWOWOJJ OB2| ARGUMENT | A |
| A hermit parts by means of hollow sprite | B |
| The two redoubted rivals' dangerous play | C |
| Rinaldo goes where Love and Hope invite | B |
| But is dispatched by Charles another way | C |
| Bradamont seeking her devoted knight | B |
| The good Rogero nigh becomes the prey | C |
| Of Pinabel who drops the damsel brave | D |
| Into the dungeon of a living grave | D |
| - | |
| - | |
| I | - |
| Injurious love why still to mar accord | E |
| Between desires has been thy favourite feat | F |
| Why does it please thee so perfidious lord | E |
| Two hearts should with a different measure beat | F |
| Thou wilt not let me take the certain ford | E |
| Dragging me where the stream is deep and fleet | F |
| Her I abandon who my love desires | G |
| While she who hates respect and love inspires | H |
| - | |
| II | - |
| Thou to Rinaldo show'st the damsel fair | I |
| While he seems hideous to that gentle dame | J |
| And he who when the lady's pride and care | I |
| Paid back with deepest hate her amorous flame | J |
| Now pines himself the victim of despair | I |
| Scorned in his turn and his reward the same | J |
| By the changed damsel in such sort abhorred | E |
| She would choose death before that hated lord | E |
| - | |
| III | - |
| He to the Pagan cries Forego thy theft | K |
| And down false felon from that pilfer'd steed | L |
| I am not wont to let my own be reft | L |
| And he who seeks it dearly pays the deed | L |
| More I shall take from thee yon lovely weft | L |
| To leave thee such a prize were foul misdeed | L |
| And horse and maid whose worth outstrips belief | M |
| Were ill methinks relinquished to a thief | M |
| - | |
| IV | M |
| Thou liest the haughty Saracen retorts | N |
| As proud and burning with as fierce a flame | J |
| A thief thyself if Fame the truth reports | N |
| But let good deeds decide our dubious claim | J |
| With whom the steed or damsel fair assorts | N |
| Best proved by valiant deeds though for the dame | J |
| That nothing is so precious I with thee | O |
| Search the wide world throughout may well agree | O |
| - | |
| V | O |
| As two fierce dogs will somtimes stand at gaze | N |
| Whom hate or other springs of strife inspire | P |
| And grind their teeth while each his foe surveys | N |
| With sidelong glance and eyes more red than fire | Q |
| Then either falls to bites and hoarsely bays | N |
| While their stiff bristles stand on end with ire | P |
| So from reproach and menace to the sword | L |
| Pass Sacripant and Clermont's angry lord | L |
| - | |
| VI | M |
| Thus kindling into wrath the knights engage | R |
| One is on foot the other on his horse | N |
| Small gain to this for inexperienced page | R |
| Would better rein his charger in the course | N |
| For such Baiardo's sense he will not wage | R |
| War with his master or put out his force | N |
| For voice nor hand nor manage will he stir | Q |
| Rebellious to the rein or goading spur | Q |
| - | |
| VII | M |
| He when the king would urge him takes the rest | L |
| Or when he curbs him runs in giddy rings | N |
| And drops his head beneath his spreading chest | L |
| And plays his spine and runs an end and flings | N |
| And now the furious Saracen distressed | L |
| Sees 'tis no time to tame the beast and springs | N |
| With one hand on the pummel to the ground | L |
| Clear of the restless courser at a bound | L |
| - | |
| VIII | M |
| As soon as Sacripant with well timed leap | S |
| Is from the fury of Bayardo freed | L |
| You may believe the battle does not sleep | S |
| Between those champions matched in heart and deed | L |
| Their sounding blades such changeful measure keep | S |
| The hammer strokes of Vulcan with less speed | L |
| Descend in that dim cavern where he heats | N |
| And Jove's red thunders on his anvil beats | N |
| - | |
| IX | N |
| Sometimes they lunge then feign the thrust and parry | O |
| Deep masters of the desperate game they play | C |
| Or rise upon the furious stroke and carry | O |
| Their swords aloft or stoop and stand at bay | C |
| Again they close again exhausted tarry | O |
| Now hide now show themselves and now give way | C |
| And where one knight an inch of ground has granted | L |
| His foeman's foot upon that inch is planted | L |
| - | |
| X | N |
| When lo Rinaldo now impatient grown | T |
| Strikes full at Sacripant with lifted blade | L |
| And he puts forth his buckler made of bone | T |
| And well with strong and stubborn steel inlaid | L |
| Though passing thick Fusberta cleaves it groan | T |
| Greenwood and covert close and sunny glade | L |
| The paynim's arm rings senseless with the blow | U |
| And steel and bone like ice in shivers go | U |
| - | |
| XI | O |
| When the fair damsel saw with timid eye | M |
| Such ruin follow from the faulchion's sway | C |
| She like the criminal whose doom is nigh | M |
| Changed her fair countenance through sore dismay | C |
| And deemed that little time was left to fly | M |
| If she would not be that Rinaldo's prey | C |
| Rinaldo loathed by her as much as he | O |
| Doats on the scornful damsel miserably | O |
| - | |
| XII | O |
| So turned her horse into the gloomy chase | O |
| And drove him through rough path and tangled ally | M |
| And oftentimes bent back her bloodless face | O |
| And saw Rinaldo from each thicket sally | O |
| Nor flying long had urged the frantic race | O |
| Before she met a hermit in a valley | O |
| Devotion in his aspect was expressed | L |
| And his long beard descended on his breast | L |
| - | |
| XIII | O |
| Wasted he was as much by fasts as age | R |
| And on an ass was mounted slow and sure | V |
| His visage warranted that never sage | R |
| Had conscience more precise or passing pure | V |
| Though in his arteries time had stilled the rage | R |
| Of blood and spake him feeble and demure | V |
| At sight of the delighted damsel he | O |
| Was inly stirred for very charity | O |
| - | |
| XIV | M |
| The lady prayed that kindly friar that he | O |
| Would straight conduct her to some haven near | W |
| For that she from the land of France might flee | O |
| And never more of loathed Rinaldo hear | X |
| The hermit who was skilled in sorcery | O |
| Ceased not to soothe the gentle damsel's fear | W |
| And with the promise of deliverance shook | Y |
| His pocket and drew forth a secret book | Y |
| - | |
| XV | M |
| This opened quick and mighty marvel wrought | L |
| For not a leaf is finished by the sage | R |
| Before a spirit by his bidding brought | L |
| Waits his command in likeness of a page | R |
| He by the magic writ constrained and taught | L |
| Hastes where the warriors face to face engage | R |
| In the cool shade but not in cool disport | L |
| And steps between and stops their battle short | L |
| - | |
| XVI | M |
| In courtesy he cried let either show | U |
| What his foe's death to either can avail | Z |
| And what the guerdon conquest will bestow | U |
| On him who in the battle shall prevail | Z |
| If Roland though he has not struck a blow | U |
| Or snapt in fight a single link of mail | Z |
| To Paris town conveys the damsel gay | C |
| Who has engaged you in this bitter fray | C |
| - | |
| XVII | M |
| Within an easy mile I saw the peer | W |
| Pricking to Paris with that lady bright | L |
| Riding in merry mood with laugh and jeer | W |
| And mocking at your fierce and fruitless fight | L |
| Sure it were better while they yet are near | W |
| To follow peer and damsel in their flight | L |
| For should he once in Paris place his prize | O |
| The lady never more shall meet your eyes | O |
| - | |
| XVIII | M |
| You might have seen those angry cavaliers | O |
| Change at the demon's tale for rage and shame | J |
| And curse themselves as wanting eyes and ears | O |
| To let their rival cheat them of the dame | J |
| Towards his horse the good Rinaldo steers | O |
| Breathing forth piteous sighs which seem of flame | J |
| And if he joins Orlando ere they part | L |
| Swears in his fury he will have his heart | L |
| - | |
| XIX | O |
| So passing where the prompt Bayardo stood | L |
| Leaps on his back and leaves as swift as wind | L |
| Without farewell his rival in the wood | L |
| Much less invites him to a seat behind | L |
| The goaded charger in his heat of blood | L |
| Forces whate'er his eager course confined | L |
| Ditch river tangled thorn or marble block | A2 |
| He swims the river and he clears the rock | A2 |
| - | |
| XX | O |
| Let it not sir sound strangely in your ear | X |
| Rinaldo took the steed thus readily | O |
| So long and vainly followed far and near | W |
| For he endued with reasoning faculty | O |
| Had not in vice lured on the following peer | W |
| But fled before his cherished lord that he | O |
| Might guide him whither went the gentle dame | J |
| For whom as he had heard he nursed a flame | J |
| - | |
| XXI | O |
| For when An | B2 |
Ludovico Ariosto
(1)
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About Orlando Furioso Canto 2
Orlando Furioso Canto 2 is a poem by Ludovico Ariosto. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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