Orlando Furioso Canto 5 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCBCDD EFEFEFGG HCHCHCII FJFJFJKK LMLMLMFF GNODGLL P Q Q KK RSRSRSKK C C CTT FFJFJFJUU FCVCVCVKK FWXWXWXYY FFFFFFF FYYYYYYZZ FTFJFJYY YA2YA2YA2B2B2 YFYFYFC2C2 YA2A2A2YA2YY A2YA2YA2YYY A2YYYYYYC2C2 A2YYYYYYYY A2YXYXYXYY A2YYYYYY A2Y D2

ARGUMENTA
Lurcanio by a false report abusedB
Deemed by Geneura's fault his brother deadC
Weening the faithless duke whom she refusedB
Was taken by the damsel to her bedC
And her before the king and peers accusedB
But to the session Ariodantes ledC
Strives with his brother in disguise In seasonD
Rinaldo comes to venge the secret treasonD
-
I-
Among all other animals who preyE
On earth or who unite in friendly wiseF
Whether they mix in peace or moody frayE
No male offends his mate In safety hiesF
The she bear matched with hers through forest grayE
The lioness beside the lion liesF
Wolves male and female live in loving cheerG
Nor gentle heifer dreads the wilful steerG
-
II-
What Fury what abominable PestH
Such poison in the human heart has shedC
That still 'twixt man and wife with rage possessedH
Injurious words and foul reproach are saidC
And blows and outrage hase their peace molestH
And bitter tears still wash the genial bedC
Not only watered by the tearful floodI
But often bathed by senseless ire with bloodI
-
III-
Not simply a rank sinner he appearsF
To outrage nature and his God to dareJ
Who his foul hand against a woman rearsF
Or of her head would harm a single hairJ
But who what drug the burning entrail searsF
Or who for her would knife or noose prepareJ
No man appears to me though such to sightK
He seem but rather some infernal spriteK
-
IV-
Such and no other were those ruffians twoL
Whom good Rinaldo from the damsel scaredM
Conducted to these valleys out of viewL
That none might wot of her so foully snaredM
I ended where the damsel fair of hueL
To tell the occasion of her scathe preparedM
To the good Paladin who brought releaseF
And in conclusion thus my story pieceF
-
V-
'Of direr deed than ever yet was done '-
The gentle dame began 'Sir cavalierG
In Thebes Mycene Argos or uponN
Other more savage soil prepare to hearO
And I believe that if the circling sunD
To these our Scottish shores approach less nearG
Than other land 'tis that he would eschewL
A foul ferocious race that shocks his viewL
-
VI-
'All times have shown that man has still pursuedP
With hair in every clime his natural foe-
But to deal death to those who seek our goodQ
Does from too ill and foul a nature flow-
Now that the truth be better understoodQ
I shall from first to last the occasion show-
Why in my tender years against all rightK
Those caitiffs would have dome me foul despiteK
-
VII-
' 'Tis fitting you should know that in the springR
Of life I to the palace made resortS
There served long time the daughter of the kingR
And grew with her in growth well placed in courtS
When cruel love my fortune envyingR
Willed I should be his follower and his sportS
And made beyond each Scottish lord and knightK
Albany's duke find favour in my sightK
-
VIII-
'And for he seemed to cherish me above-
All mean his love a love as ardent bredC
We hear indeed and see but do not prove-
Man's faith nor is his bosom's purpose readC
Believing still and yielding to my love-
I ceased not till I took him to my bedC
Nor of all chambers in that evil hourT
Marked I was in Geneura's priviest bowerT
-
IXF
'Where hoarded she with careful privacyF
Preserved whatever she esteemed most rareJ
There many times she slept A galleryF
From thence projected into the open airJ
Here oft I made my lover climb to meF
And what he was to mount a hempen stairJ
When him I to my longing arms would callU
From the projecting balcony let fallU
-
XF
'For here my passion I as often fedC
As good Geneura's absence made me boldV
Who with the varying season changed her bedC
To shun the burning heat or pinching coldV
And Albany unseen and safely spedC
For fronting a dismantled street and oldV
Was built that portion of the palace brightK
Nor any went that way by day or nightK
-
XIF
'So was for many days and months maintainedW
By us in secrecy the amorous gameX
Still grew by love and such new vigour gainedW
I in my inmost bosom felt the flameX
And that he little loved and deeply feignedW
Weened not so was I blinded to my shameX
Though in a thousand certain signs betrayedY
The faithless knight his base deceit bewrayedY
-
XIIF
'After some days of fair Geneura heF
A suitor showed himself I cannot sayF
If this began before he sighed for meF
Or after of this love he made assayF
But judge alas with what supremacyF
He ruled my heart how absolute his swayF
Since this he owned and thought no shame to move-
Me to assist him in his second love-
-
XIIIF
'Unlike what he bore me he said indeedY
That was not true which he for her displayedY
But so pretending love he hoped to speedY
And celebrate due spousals with the maidY
He with her royal sire might well succeedY
Were she consenting to the boon he prayedY
For after our good king for wealth and birthZ
In all the realm was none of equal worthZ
-
XIV-
'Me he persuades if through my ministryF
He the king's son in law elected wereT
For I must know he next the king would beF
Advanced as high as subject could repairJ
The merit should be mine and ever heF
So great a benefit in mind would bearJ
And he would cherish me above his brideY
And more than every other dame besideY
-
XV-
'I who to please him was entirely bentY
Who never could or would gainsay his willA2
Upon those days alone enjoy contentY
When I find means his wishes to fulfilA2
And snatch at all occasions which presentY
A mode his praise and merits to instilA2
And for my lover with all labour strainB2
And industry Geneura's love to gainB2
-
XVI-
'With all my heart in furtherance of his suitY
I wrought what could be done God truly knowsF
But with Geneura this produced no friutY
Nor her to grace my duke could I disposeF
For that another love had taken rootY
In her whose every fond affection flowsF
Towards a gentle knight of courteous loreC2
Who sought our Scotland from a distant shoreC2
-
XVII-
'And with a brother then right young to stayY
In our king's court came out of ItalyA2
And there of knightly arms made such assayA2
Was none in Britain more approved than heA2
Prized by the king who no ignoble payY
Rewarding him like his nobilityA2
Bestowed upon the youth with liberal handY
Burghs baronies and castles woods and landY
-
XVIII-
'Dear to the monarch to the daughter stillA2
This lord was dearer Ariodantes hightY
Her with affection might his valour fillA2
But knowledge of his love brought more delightY
Nor old Vesuvius nor Sicilia's hillA2
Nor Troy town ever with a blaze so brightY
Flamed as with all his heart the damsel learnedY
For love of her young Ariodantes burnedY
-
XIXA2
'The passion which she bore the lord preferredY
And loved with perfect truth and all her heartY
Was the occassion I was still unheardY
Nor hopeful answer would she e'er impartY
And still the more my lover's suit I stirredY
And to obtain his guerdon strove with artY
Him she would censure still and ever moreC2
Was strengthened in the hate she nursed beforeC2
-
XXA2
'My wayward lover often I exciteY
So vain and bootless an emprize to quitY
Nor idly hope to turn her stedfast spriteY
Too deeply with another passion smitY
And make apparent to the Scottish knightY
Ariodantes such a flame had litY
In the young damsel's breast that seas in floodY
Would not have cooled one whit her boiling bloodY
-
XXIA2
'This Polinesso many times had heardY
From me for such the Scottish baron's nameX
Well warranted by sight as well as wordY
How ill his love was cherished by the dameX
To see another to himself preferredY
Not only quenched the haughty warrior's flameX
But the fond love which in his bosom burnedY
Into despiteful rage and hatred turnedY
-
XXIIA2
'Between Geneura and her faithful knightY
Such discord and ill will he schemed to shedY
And put betwixt the pair such foul despiteY
No time should heal the quarrel he had bredY
Bringing such scandal on that damsel brightY
The stain should cleave to her alive or deadY
Nor bent to wreck her on this fatal shelf-
Counselled with me or other but himself-
-
XXIIIA2
' Dalinda mine ' he said his project brewedY
Dalinda is my name you needs must know-
That fromD2

Ludovico Ariosto



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