Orlando in Love, Episode 39: The Lure of Glory King Agrramant of Africa has mustered a vast army force. To avenge his father's death, he wants~to conquer France and Charlemagne. A prophecy was made to him that he could never conquer France, unless he had along with him the greatest warrior of all; Ruggiero is this bold lad's name. That knight was guarded by a wizard, his foster-father, who kept him~within an unseen fortress, made~invisble by magic spells. -- The prophet told King Agrramant, there was no way within those walls, without a certain magic ring, that's owned now by /Angelica,/ a fair princess of India. This ring was made in such a way, it banished every spell away. While wearing it, a man could see~things hidden and invisible. -- King Agrramant pronounced he'd give~a kingdom filled with riches to~whoever fetched that ring for him. The greatest thief in Africa, the sly Brunello, gladly said~he'd undertake to steal that ring. Such was his speed, and his sly skill, that he extracted it with ease, and more loot too, as you will hear. -- Riding his good steed decked in mail he reached the sea eventually and boarded ship for Africa. The thief arrives and, celebrating, he gaily goes before the king. Now all the noble lords and princes gather around to hear him tell~how he -- he's laughing as he speaks -- stole from Angelica her ring; how, unobserved, he snatched a steed from under the Circassian king; how Queen Marfisa was so bold (after he'd snatched away her sword) she often chased him from the road. -- Now everyone was quite amazed, and talked of it among themselves. Brunello does not wait for them, but in the monarch's hand he placed~the little ring formed with the power~of nullifying magic spells. King Agrramante then stood tall, and in the presence of them all he had the thief Brunello crowned. He gave him Tingitana's realm, its goods, inhabitants, and towns. (That land was on the western coast and peopled by a dark-skinned race.) -- The court let nothing cause delay. King Agrramant, and all his men, and /King/ Brunello, everyone. set out for Carena's heights at once, the mountain where Ruggiero lived. They traveled through the desert sand till one day they reached Mount Carena. That mountain's huge beyond belief. Its summit soars almost to heaven, and its peak has a fine plateau, stretching a hundred miles or so, with lovely shrubs and shady trees. On the plateau that I've described, there, by a river, was a rock~almost a mile high, top to bottom, circumscribed by a crystal wall, and no way up was visible -- it was surrounded by sheer cliffs, but if one looked beyond the glass, one spied a park most splendorous. In the fine garden on the summit green cedars grew and branching palms. Those who had sought this place before knew instantly why they had failed. This was the work of wizardry; The necromancer, Atalant, had hidden it before their eyes. But now, the ring uncovered it -- that ring whose presence vanquished spells -- and everybody there was sure Ruggiero could be found up there. -- The wizard Atalant was cunning, but when he saw them staring up, he was past measure sad to think~he'd lose his foster-son, Ruggiero. He paces, not sure what to do~to harbor that transcendant youth. He weeps, he begs him constantly~not to descend -- there's no excuse! -- King Agrramant and his large crew~stare at that rock. What can they do? There's no ascent except with wings. There's nothing they can say or do. Brunello, Tingitana's king, when his attempts to climb had failed (that magic crystal was so slick that he tried his lithe strength in vain) sat for a while upon the plain~ and, having meditated long, stood up and said, "Macon be praised! Ruggiero's ours! I've found a way! Everyone has to give me help, and my commands must be obeyed. "A hundred of you armored men gather and start a tournament. With all your power, prove yourselves -- show great audacity, show heart! Charge at each other, battle hard, sound horns and trumpets as in war!" -- They all said, "That's an easy thing!" though no one understood the scheme, and they spread out along the stream, each underneath his flag and standard. Fifty men form up on each side, all mighty barons, dukes, and kings. The two ranks smashed together, with so much noise, such horns, such cries, it seemed that heaven crashed to earth. -- On one side fights King Agrramant: That side does not do best at first, since twenty of his cavaliers~fell in.the.first clash, and but.seven~on the opposing side went down. Now this brawl was so dense, so fierce, it did not seem the game it was. King Agrramant, in that fierce fight, does wonderful, amazing deeds, and though he rides with many men, no one resembles him in strength~or in display of chivalry. He wheels round to the left, the right, beats this man, and knocks that one down; [L/R] He spurs his horse to clear the crowd, hits one man's wrist, another's helmet. @ His company reorganized -- that is, his teammates drew aside while he /alone/ engaged in battle, to show his prowess and his skill. He could find neither king nor knight who could provide an equal fight. -- From high above, Ruggiero watched, with his foster-father Atalant. He is amazed at this strange sight. But from their far-off mount, the plain~seemed small where those armed barons fight. Beside himself, in great distress, Ruggiero wrung his hands, he paced, and his face turned as red as flame. He asked the wizard to let him down so he could see that fight up close. He asked him twice and yet again, but all his begging was in vain. "Please, my son!" answered Atalant, "That is a wicked thing you see! Calm yourself! And give up this wish~to go among those armored men. You have a bleak ascendant, and~if there's truth in astrology, the heavens warn -- and I concur -- that you will die, betrayed, in war!" -- The young knight answered, "I /believe/~heaven has power over us, but.if what has to be _must_ be, I don't see any remedy, and if you hold me here by force, another time, another way, I'll still fulfill my destiny. "Therefore, I beg you: let me go so I can see the joust up close. If not, I'll hurl myself from here, I'll tumble down this rocky cliff, because the more I see of those~foreigners fighting on the plain, the more it's my good hope that I~might spend /an hour/ with them, _then die!_" -- When the old man saw that Ruggiero~wanted to go, no matter what, he crossed the garden to its corner, where he unlocked a little door. He led that fair lad by the hand down through a tunnel to the plain. The king of Tingitana's waiting. Brunello was alone beside~the stream when Atalant appeared, and when he saw the /youngster's/ face, he knew at once _this_ was Ruggiero. It was his manner, his fine looks, his strong build and his courtly air that made Brunello positive Ruggiero was the young man there. -- He mounts his courser now at once, coordinating reins and spurs so that the fast and agile horse leaps in astounding, fine, high arcs. The young Ruggiero witnesses~that pleasing show, and he is seized~by such lust for that well-dressed steed, he is prepared to trade his blood. He begged his mentor Atalant~to let him have that gallant horse. Now Atalant was hard of heart, and he foretold for that young man~a wretched fate. (He hoped Ruggiero'd~come to hate both horse and arms.) Ruggiero heard him not, no more~than did the ground beneath his feet, but he grew faint in his distress, and his face took the tinge of death. Old Atalant gave in, and when~Brunello rode in front of them, they asked him for the horse and trappings for any sum that he could mention. -- Brunello, cunning past belief, saw how things followed his design. He said, "For all the gold on earth I wouldn't let you buy my horse,~because a great invasion's planned where every knight of noble spirit who wants to win renown and honor may openly display his valor. "Indeed, the time has now arrived that every valiant man desires, when men can properly be _judged_. "Some long for praise; some want to hide: every man's heart will be revealed. Some will be cowardly, some brave. Those who stay home will be disgraced and pointed at by little boys. "The sea's already filled with sails, all Africa unleashes men, because King Agrramant now wants to battle King Charles for his crown! "That time has come when soldiers show~their brav'ry and ability. Every good cavalier will make~himself renowned throughout the world!" -- While King Brunello says these things, Ruggiero, keenly listening, is scintillating like a flame and his heart's pounding like a hammer. "On land and sea, more men are gathered than any war has seen before! _Thirty-two_ kings now meet and each~one leads an army from his realm. Even old men and boys have armed -- the /women/ almost feel ashamed! "Therefore, my lords, don't be amazed~if I don't want to trade my steed~for treasure, for it has such speed, I wouldn't take its weight in gold. "But if I thought that /you/, young man, because you don't possess a horse,~must stay _behind_, I swear right now, I'd furnish you with all this gear; I'd _give_ you this exquisite steed, and I can tell you this for sure: neither Rinaldo nor Orlando has got a better horse or sword." -- Ruggiero did not stand and wait till Atalant gave his response. To him it seemed a thousand years till he would be allowed to mount. Ruggiero said, "Give me that charger, and I will walk through _flames_ for you! "Above all else, I ask _this_ favor, do *soon* what you decide to do. I watch the armed men on the plain~below us as they prove themselves, and every moment seems a *day* until I _meet_ them, sword in hand! "I *beg* you, if you _care_ about~my life, give me the arms and horse: They'll give me, if I get them now, courage to _die_, /or/ gain *renown!*" -- Brunello, grinning, answered him, "No lives are being lost below, because the people whom you see~are Africans. They love Macon. "That tournament is just a game! Harsh penalties forbid the use of a sword's sharp edge, its point as well, with the blade's flat side you must hit." "_Give_ me the armor and the horse," Ruggiero said, "Don't be concerned because I _swear_ -- I'm *positive* -- I'll /learn/ to play this game with them. "You will detain me here till *dark*, and I will _never_ reach that field. To hold back is malevolent. A gift received _late_ is /half lost/." -- Old Atalant is present as~they're speaking, and when he hears this, he curses every single star. He says, "The heavens, Fortune wish Macon's true faith and Agrramant to lose the best of barons. He~will be betrayed and die in grief. Well... let it happen. It _must_ be." The wizard, weeping as he spoke, said, "Ruggiero, be with God, my son!" and disappeared among the thorns. -- Ruggiero belted on his sword and donned the fine-linked mail and plates then seized the mane of that fit steed: with one leap he was in the seat. The world possessed no horse so fine, and with Ruggiero now astride, there never was a nobler sight. That good horse had no hidden defects; nothing detracted from perfection. It was a bay, with chestnut coat, but had a white blaze on its brow Ruggiero called the horse /Frontino/ (/Frontino/ means "forehead of milk"). till he and that fine charger died. Ruggiero rides down towards the plain, most eager to join that fierce game, wearing the arms and armor that the thief Brunello'd given him. But what occurred _within_ that fight's~a tale... for /another/ night. I thank you, gentle ladies, lords, for listening, here, to my words. I wish you long life, health, and ease, but _I_ have said enough, and cease.