Orlando Furioso Canto 3 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABABABCC ADADADAA EFEFEFGG HIHJHJKK LMLMLMHH ANANANAA ADADAD AOAOAOAA AHAHAHHH HAAAAAA H C C CAA PHPHPHAA HAQAQARSS HA A A AA HDHDHDDD MTMTMTSS U U U SS VHVHVHKK N N NWW HAAAAAAXX HAUAUNARGUMENT | A |
Restored to sense the beauteous Bradamant | A |
Finds sage Melissa in the vaulted tomb | B |
And hears from her of many a famous plant | A |
And warrior who shall issue from her womb | B |
Next to release Rogero from the haunt | A |
Of old Atlantes learns how from the groom | B |
Brunello hight his virtuous ring to take | C |
And thus the knight's and others' fetters break | C |
- | |
- | |
I | - |
Who will vouchsafe me voice that shall ascend | A |
As high as I would raise my noble theme | D |
Who will afford befitting words and lend | A |
Wings to my verse to soar the pitch I scheme | D |
Since fiercer fire for such illustrious end | A |
Than what was wont may well my song beseem | D |
For this fair portion to my lord is due | A |
Which sings the sires from whom his lineage grew | A |
- | |
II | - |
Than whose fair line 'mid those by heavenly grace | E |
Chosen to minister this earth below | F |
You see not Phoebus in your daily race | E |
One that in peace or war doth fairer show | F |
Nor lineage that hath longer kept its place | E |
And still shall keep it if the lights which glow | F |
Within me but aright inspire my soul | G |
While the blue heaven shall turn about the pole | G |
- | |
III | - |
But should I seek at full its worth to blaze | H |
Not mine were needful but that noble lyre | I |
Which sounded at your touch the thunderer's praise | H |
What time the giants sank in penal fire | J |
Yet should you instruments more fit to raise | H |
The votive work bestow as I desire | J |
All labour and all thought will I combine | K |
To shape and shadow forth the great design | K |
- | |
IV | - |
Till when this chisel may suffice to scale | L |
The stone and give my lines a right direction | M |
And haply future study may avail | L |
To bring the stubborn labour to perfection | M |
Return we now to him to whom the mail | L |
Of hawberk shield and helm were small protection | M |
I speak of Pinabel the Maganzeze | H |
Who hopes the damsel's death whose fall he sees | H |
- | |
V | - |
The wily traitor thought that damsel sweet | A |
Had perished on the darksome cavern's floor | N |
And with pale visages hurried his retreat | A |
From that through him contaminated door | N |
And thence returning clomb into his seat | A |
Then like one who a wicked spirit bore | N |
To add another sin to evil deed | A |
Bore off with him the warlike virgin's steed | A |
- | |
VI | - |
Leave we sometime the wretch who while he layed | A |
Snares for another wrought his proper doom | D |
And turn we to the damsel he betrayed | A |
Who had nigh found at once her death and tomb | D |
She after rising from the rock dismayed | A |
At her shrewd fall and gazing through the gloom | D |
Beheld and passed that inner door which gave | - |
Entrance to other and more spacious cave | - |
- | |
VII | - |
For the first cavern in a second ended | A |
Fashioned in form of church and large and square | O |
With roof by cunning architect extended | A |
On shafts of alabaster rich and rare | O |
The flame of a clear burning lamp ascended | A |
Before the central altar and the glare | O |
Illuminating all the space about | A |
Shone through the gate and lit the cave without | A |
- | |
VIII | - |
Touched with the sanctifying thoughts which wait | A |
On worthy spirit in a holy place | H |
She prays with eager lips and heart elate | A |
To the Disposer of all earthly grace | H |
And kneeling hears a secret wicket grate | A |
In the opposing wall whence face to face | H |
A woman issuing forth the maid addresses | H |
Barefoot ungirt and with dishevelled tresses | H |
- | |
IX | H |
O generous Bradamant the matron cried | A |
Know thine arrival in this hallowed hold | A |
Was not unauthorized of heavenly guide | A |
And the prophetic ghost of Merlin told | A |
Thou to this cave shouldst come by path untried | A |
Which covers the renowned magician's mould | A |
And here have I long time awaited thee | - |
To tell what is the heavens' pronounced decree | - |
- | |
X | H |
This is the ancient memorable cave | - |
Which Merlin that enchanter sage did make | C |
Thou may'st have heard how that magician brave | - |
Was cheated by the Lady of the Lake | C |
Below beneath the cavern is the grave | - |
Which holds his bones where for that lady's sake | C |
His limbs for such her will the wizard spread | A |
Living he laid him there and lies there dead | A |
- | |
XI | - |
Yet lives the spirit of immortal strain | P |
Lodged in the enchanter's corpse till to the skies | H |
The trumpet call it or to endless pain | P |
As it with dove or raven's wing shall rise | H |
Yet lives the voice and thou shalt hear how plain | P |
From its sepulchral case of marble cries | H |
Since this has still the past and future taught | A |
To every wight that has its counsel sought | A |
- | |
XII | H |
Long days have passed since I from distant land | A |
My course did to this cemetery steer | Q |
That in the solemn mysteries I scanned | A |
Merlin to me the truth should better clear | Q |
And having compassed the design I planned | A |
A month beyond for thee have tarried here | R |
Since Merlin still with certain knowledge summing | S |
Events prefixed this moment for thy coming | S |
- | |
XIII | H |
The daughter of Duke Aymon stood aghast | A |
And silent listened to the speech while she | - |
Knew not sore marvelling at all that passed | A |
If 'twere a dream or a reality | - |
At length with modest brow and eyes down cast | A |
Replied like one that was all modesty | - |
And is this wrought for me and have I merit | A |
Worthy the workings of prophetic spirit | A |
- | |
XIV | - |
And full of joy the adventure strange pursues | H |
Moving with ready haste behind the dame | D |
Who brings her to the sepulchre which mews | H |
The bones and spirit erst of Merlin's name | D |
The tomb of hardest stone which masons use | H |
Shone smooth and lucid and as red as flame | D |
So that although no sun beam pierced the gloom | D |
Its splendour lit the subterraneous room | D |
- | |
XV | - |
Whether it be the native operation | M |
O certain stones to shine like torch i' the dark | T |
Or whether force of spell or fumigation | M |
A guess that seems to come more near the mark | T |
Or sign made under mystic constellation | M |
The blaze that came from the sepulchral ark | T |
Discovered sculpture colour gems and gilding | S |
And whatsoever else adorned the building | S |
- | |
XVI | - |
Scarcely had Bradamant above the sill | U |
Lifter her foot and trod the secret cave | - |
When the live spirit in clear tones that thrill | U |
Addressed the martial virgin from the grave | - |
May Fortune chaste and noble maid fulfil | U |
Thine every wish exclaimed the wizard brave | - |
Since from thy womb a princely race shall spring | S |
Whose name through Italy and earth shall ring | S |
- | |
XVII | - |
The noble blood derived from ancient Troy | V |
Mingling in thee its two most glorious streams | H |
Shall be the ornament and flower and joy | V |
Of every lineage on which Phoebus beams | H |
Where genial stars lend warmth or cold annoy | V |
Where Indus Tagus Nile or Danube gleams | H |
And in thy progeny and long drawn line | K |
Shall marquises counts dukes and Caesers shine | K |
- | |
XVIII | - |
Captains and cavaliers shall spring from thee | - |
Who both by knightly lance and prudent lore | N |
Shall once again to widowed Italy | - |
Her ancient praise and fame in arms restore | N |
And in her realms just lords shall seated be | - |
Such Numa and Augustus were of yore | N |
Who with their government benign and sage | W |
Shall re create on earth the golden age | W |
- | |
XIX | H |
Then that the will of Heaven be duly brought | A |
To a fair end through thee in fitting date | A |
Which from the first to bless thy love has wrought | A |
And destined young Rogero for thy mate | A |
Let nothing interpose to break that thought | A |
But boldly tread the path perscribed by fate | A |
Nor let aught stay thee till the thief be thrown | X |
By thy good lance who keeps thee from thine own | X |
- | |
XX | H |
Here Merlin ceased that for the solemn feat | A |
Melissa might prepare with fitting spell | U |
To show bold Bradamant in aspect meet | A |
The heirs who her illustrious race should swell | U |
Hence many spri | N |
Ludovico Ariosto
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
<< Orlando Furioso Canto 12 Poem
Next Poem
Write your comment about Orlando Furioso Canto 3 poem by Ludovico Ariosto
Best Poems of Ludovico Ariosto