Orlando in Love, Episode 46: The Joust at Biserta Ladies and lords, good day! May God~preserve your joy and happiness! Just as I promised, I've returned to take my story up again. I will resume where I left off, with.the.baron Brandymart and his love, the damsel Fiordiligi. They traveled through the eastern lands, seeking their friend Orlando, who had taught them both the Christian faith. They think perhaps Orlando has~gone back to France (he has, in truth), and they set sail to travel there. But human life and trips at sea are not assured stability. One cannot trust in worldly things, and no good wind endures for long. The north wind rose and blew that ship~off-course; They could not head for France, but buffeted by those brash winds, sought port at Africa's north coast. -- Close to Biserta, on a cape,~they landed. There, once, Carthage stood, a city very much like Rome, nearly a match for it in power, but only ruins now remain of that society's high state. I said Bold Brandymart was driven~by storm and fortune to this port, but a decree declared all Christians~who landed in that realm be slain! A book of prophecies proclaimed~that -- soon, or later -- Africa~would fall before a Christian king, who'd set the countryside aflame. King Agramant prepares his troops; he plans to conquer Europe first. Another prophecy tells him there _is_ a way he /may/ prevail. The fates say Agramant will win while, by his side, Ruggiero stays. Ruggiero is an orphaned knight, who Agramant treats as his son. -- Now Brandymart knew some of this, so he did not reveal his faith. He was not worried for himself, but fearful for his wife and men. Quickly he gave his men some orders, and then he left the ship for shore; There, he informed the commandant he'd come from the Islands Far Away to see King Agramant's great court and prove himself with those bold men so strongly praised throughout the world. He asked him if, in the next day, he'd furnish him with escorts, who~could lead him to Biserta's gates: he would be grateful for their aid. The commandant, a courteous man accompanied him willingly. Fiordiligi left the ship, and many joined the merry trip. They traveled the Biserta road,~and, unmolested, they arrived~next morning by the city's wall. Brandymart paid out silver to~the men who had escorted them,~and, proud and happy, camped his men~along the green, wide countryside. -- Brandymart quickly leaves the field once he sees that his tent's been raised, and on his fine horse that bold baron~rides to Biserta. He is armed; Bravely he plays upon his horn,~sounding this challenge, "Sovereign king, attend my proclamation! Hear! "If the report of your great force~is not false -- it's heard through the world and says you are another Hector, valorous, and the crown of prowess, then answer! "_Equal_ this report,~O valorous and famous lord, that tells the stature of your court, the flower of every martial sport. My heart's prepared to meet your men one at a time along that slope; But I may be deceived, since they~may lack the strength for such a fray!" -- King Agramant was dancing with~fair ladies on a balcony~that looked directly toward the sea, near where the cavalier's tent stood. Hearing a war-horn played so well, he left the dance, and, at the railing, leaning on fair Ruggiero's neck, he saw, down in the field, the knight. Attentively, he listened to him and to the others said, "I think~he speaks to us with courtesy. He surely fills me with desire~to be the first to understand~just what his strength and valor are: Bring my good charger and my arms!" -- Some men declare this plan a bad one -- the nobles disapprove of his~pitting the _royal personage_ against a name of no renown -- but Agramant's the kind who does -~ at once -- whatever he desires. Ignoring what the others say, he has himself armed right away. His suit is quartered gold and blue, as are his charger's draperies; with young Ruggiero as his squire, he faces Brandymart afield. After exchanging courtesies, each turns and trots off on his steed. They rode back with their spears at rest, those barons, who had so much strength, and aimed their horses head to head. -- Each lance was thick beyond belief, but both were splintered in a flash; Each hit the other man so hard their horse's haunches touched the ground. Their chargers instantly rebounded and bolted, thunderstruck, away, galloping for a mile at least, and I'm sure those steeds would have traveled~further, but they were reined in hard. The knights had been extremely jarred, and bright red blood was pouring from~their mouths, their noses, and their ears, so fierce had their encounter been. Now rapidly they both returned, each ready to exact revenge, spurring their horses furiously as they strove to achieve some speed. Neither sought his opponent's shield but the bright front of his foe's helm with lances even heavier~than the first; these, too, broke on impact, and neither champion could claim greater advantage than before, Now both of them were bathed in blood. -- Agramant ordered spears -- the pair~that AhmonIa's Temple held: One had belonged to Hercules, one to Antaeus, old men said, and each spear's size surpassed belief -- six porters were required for each. Nature, all there could clearly see, had over time diminished men. One ancient man had so much force six modern men had not his strength! (But I don't don't know how accurate old authors were when they wrote books.) These two great trunks were brought afield. Look all you want, you won't discover~which one is stronger: they don't differ~in thickness or in manufacture. Brandymart had first choice (thus did~King Agramant honor the cavalier), and all the men can't wait to see who has more strength and greater speed; -- *But* as they settled on their steeds, a /cry/ rose from the riverside: People were in distress and fleeing, shouting for help, and terrified. King Agramant, armed as he was, left his great lance and sought the source, and Brandymart rode next to him to help him settle any fray. A mob of people blocked their way and Agramant then grabbed a knave who galloped bareback on a horse, riding as fast as possible. "Where do you think you're going," cried~King Agramant, "you wretched knave!" "We took our horses for a drink over there at the riverside, and then we were attacked by /lions,/ you're crazy if you're not afraid. "It seems to me there must be _thirty,_ and they attacked us with such speed~that though I saw them leave the woods I /barely/ managed to escape. "As for the rest, and what became~of them, I truly cannot say -- I didn't turn around to see! Take my advice and stay away!" -- Agramant smiled at Brandymart~and said, "It is unfortunate~we've lost the pleasure of our joust, but I think we'll enjoy a hunt." And Brandymart, no fool, replied, "I am prepared to joust _or_ hunt. I'll join in anything you want." And then the king sent word to town, sent for his hunters and his hounds. He kept a large pack of the fastest~bloodhounds and greyhounds and fierce mastiffs. Away those three bold barons speed -- Brandymart, Agramant, Ruggiero -- to give help where there was a need. All stopped their dancing at the court when they received the king's commands and brought out nets and spikes and spears. Some of them put on their armor: a hunt like this was not a joke. That country had no hares or goats; Instead, its mountainsides were filled with panthers, lions, elephants. Numerous ladies mounted horses, holding their bows and dressed so finely that every man was glad he came. All of the knights and mighty lords, blasting their hunting horns, set forth, and it seemed heaven fell, the world~stopped -- hounds bayed, horses.neighed so loud. -- King Agramant and young Ruggiero and their companion, Brandymart, spur their steeds on with all their strength to reach the fracas by the stream. Bravery's needed there, for each~lion is pinning someone down: Some are alive and call for help. Some give themselves to God and die. The barons, full of pity for them, already have drawn out their blades: No one wants to have come in vain. The biggest lion in that pride has killed a horse beside the river, but now it growls and shakes its mane, leaves its prey, at Ruggiero leaps! -- Ruggiero waits for it, then swings~backhand and gives the beast a wallop, @ cleaving between its eyes and ears, then across, taking its head off. @ Here is another one that's /worse,/ much fiercer than the one before, charging at Agramant's left side, raking the king's helm and his shield. @ It would have dragged him off his steed if stout Ruggiero had not seen it. He rode there and he sliced its haunch, @ leaving it shorter in the shank. Brandymart also fought a lion and he had almost killed it, when~those cavaliers perceived the sounds~of hunters riding -- men, horns, hounds. -- I hardly can reveal in song the loud yells, the enormous throng. The lions looked up, shook their manes, and all those wild beasts left their prey, some of them dead and others maimed. They turned towards the forest, skulking, and as they did they growled with rage, but each one slowly backed away. So many hunters follow them, their shouting shakes the hills and plains. A mass of darts and bolts descends, though most of them are shot in vain. This lion turns, and now that one, but all keep stalking toward the wood, where Agramant and all his men~surround them. Then the hunt begins. The forest was surrounded, so~even a field mouse could not leave. Damsels joined cavaliers in groups, and with much pomp and circumstance, the king arranged them on each path -- no one's allowed to break the ranks. Mastiffs and greyhounds stand in pairs; nobody speaks, and no horn blares. Nets were positioned for the drive that neither teeth nor claws could tear. Now bloodhounds rooted through the woods -- nothing was heard but sniffs and snuffs. -- Then -- suddenly -- the branches crashed, and a giraffe appeared: Old Turpin~claims (though few believe it) that it was eleven yards from nose to hoof. That monstrous beast -- so tall in front, low in the haunches -- galloped out, and traveled with such strength and speed, it trampled underbrush and trees. Once in the field it was attacked by Agramant and many knights~and ladies in his band, until~that great beast, finally, was killed. Lions and leopards reached the plain, tigers and panthers -- I can't say~how many. Some the nets stayed, some~passed through, but they were quickly slain. -- Now all the ladies were afraid: an _elephant_ charged from the wood, which my source says (I can't believe it!) was thirty palms high, twenty wide. (If what he writes is imprecise, please pardon him, it's secondhand.) With.its curving trunk the elephant,~as it emerged, unhorsed and tossed~a brawny knight some twenty yards He landed crushed, and shortly died. The others wavered -- /that's/ no lie! Off ran the beast, huge past belief, which nobody knew how to halt, leaving a wake of broken ranks. Though it was struck by many bolts,~it wasn't wounded, for its skin~was by its nature hard and thick~and sinewy and strong, so it~withstood, like armor, every hit. It had not yet met young Ruggiero; he chased that towering beast on foot because his horse was terrified. That elephant _was_ fierce to see -- its ears were huge, its trunk immense, and its tusks long past measuring -- enough to frighten any steed. -- When the beast spied Ruggiero, who's~on foot -- alone -- along the plain, it rushed him, aiming for his chest. But its mad charge was useless, for~Ruggiero jumped aside and edged~his sword, @ held low, across its legs. Turpin says each leg was as thick~as a man's body at the waist. I haven't measured one myself, but I'll say this: Ruggiero fanned~his sword once, and that beast was down. His swing succeeded as he'd planned: One stroke had severed two thick limbs. After the elephant falls down, all of the people gather round, rushing to take a stab at it. -- But Agramant now sounds his horn because, already, night was coming, and when they hear the king's horn blow, they understand the hunt is over. All of the people turned around and gathered where the king was found, and each one had a bloody spear, the proof that he had done some deeds. The slain beasts were not left behind, though difficult to move, but were~by ingenuity and force carried before the hunting party. Now, as I said, the day grew dim, and for that everyone rejoiced, and they all did what they desired: rode with the lady of their choice. Some brag of marvels in the hunt to certify what they had done; Some whisper words of love, and they~are sure to keep their discourse soft. The six miles to Biserta they~traveled contentedly, and there~it seemed that heaven blazed, so many~torches and beacons lit the city. They rode in a magnificent~procession, as if on parade, and maids and men on balconies throughout the town watched their display. -- Once at the castle, Brandymart~asked leave to go out to his tent, and though the king wished he would stay, he courteously let him part. He had his nephew and five others~escort the knight, and that same evening~the king sent, with great ceremony, a feast; each dish a delicacy; And he arranged a suit of clothes, studded with precious pearls and gems,~but unembroidered robes of gold~and azure, quartered like his own. The next day, as was customary. he had a giant feast prepared, and Fiordiligi came and danced, for she and Brandymart were asked. Three men there dressed identically -- Agramant, Brandymart, Ruggiero -- and no one else there wore such clothes: their robes were quartered blue and gold. -- During the feast, a /drummer/ leapt~down from the players' balcony: That bumbler tripped with every step, stumbling on every stick of wood, either because he'd drunk too much or else he was a lunatic. Nevertheless, he made his way To Agramant's tribunal seat. The king, who thought he'd be amused, received the drummer with a smile, But when that man was in his presence, he beat his head, he showed great grief,~and cried, @ "May God Macon be damned! May Fortune be cursed and distrusted because she gave us /such/ a lord! "This man, king of all Africa, who owns a third part of the world, has gathered here so many men, he frightens earth _and_ heaven! or~so it's thought -- while in musk- and attar~scented air, amidst fair maids he _sits._ This /feeble/ king avoids war's hardships, though he keeps ready troops in tents. "An expedition's not a /game/ one can begin and then abandon. You _back_ it with your purse and lance -- but measure both before you start. Macon will make the king of France come find /you/ from across the sea, and then you'll learn if war is better~fought at home or in foreign lands." -- The drummer spoke and soon was seized~by guards who stood around the king, but Agramant had heard his words and lowered his sad eyes to earth. He shook his head and mumbled softly and left the revels, melancholy. This episode disturbed the court: the limbs hurt when the head is sore. The royal chamber emptied out, and no one danced -- unlike before. The king had locked his chamber door and did not want to see a soul. He weighed the insult he'd received, consumed by anger and contempt. And when the dawn came, Agramant~called for his councilors of state to tell them firmly he'd resolved~to _finish_ what he had begun. -- Hearing the embarkation called -- some men were frightened, some were pleased -- his armies gathered by the sea, boarded, and waited for a breeze. Under no king or emperor was any army ever massed in ancient or in modern times to match the one I now describe. The shadows of his many sails are dark enough to hide the main, and his armada is so clogged his ships are forced to steer apart after the wind comes up astern. That great armada sails to Spain commanded by King Agramant, just as I have described it, and~the world had never known such turmoil. It was as if someone had raised~Hell's hatch, and its inhabitants~flew out, their faces pale or dark, to levy war on Paradise. From Malagon to Tarragona so many ships and nations pour~their people on the Spanish shore -- a _hundred_thousand_men_ /or more./ -- Beneath Tortosa, Agramant's~ships landed, where the Ebro flows. His swarms of men united there, and he began his march to France (a day away) without a rest. As they came through the Pyrenees, they saw, beneath them, Gascony. They reached the plain of Montalban. Below the castle on the plain, the cruelest battle ever raged~between the kings of France and Spain. As I related earlier, those kings, their noble courts, and large~contingents from their separate realms~were at war. All along the ridge~the blood was flowing one foot deep. If, my good lords, you would hear more, then come again to drink your fill. I have told great events before, the ones to come are greater still.