The Works of Lord Byron Volume IV Part 49

LIV.

"So that all persons may be sure and certain That they are dead, and have no further fear To wander solitary this desert in, And that they may perceive my spirit clear By the Lord's grace, who hath withdrawn the curtain Of darkness, making His bright realm appear."

He cut his brethren's hands off at these words, And left them to the savage beasts and birds.

LV.

Then to the abbey they went on together, Where waited them the Abbot in great doubt.

The monks, who knew not yet the fact, ran thither To their superior, all in breathless rout, Saying with tremor, "Please to tell us whether You wish to have this person in or out?"

The Abbot, looking through upon the Giant, Too greatly feared, at first, to be compliant.

LVI.

Orlando seeing him thus agitated, Said quickly, "Abbot, be thou of good cheer; He Christ believes, as Christian must be rated, And hath renounced his Macon false;" which here Morgante with the hands corroborated, A proof of both the giants' fate quite clear: Thence, with due thanks, the Abbot G.o.d adored, Saying, "Thou hast contented me, O Lord!"

LVII.

He gazed; Morgante's height he calculated, And more than once contemplated his size; And then he said, "O Giant celebrated!

Know, that no more my wonder will arise, How you could tear and fling the trees you late did, When I behold your form with my own eyes.

You now a true and perfect friend will show Yourself to Christ, as once you were a foe.

LVIII.

"And one of our apostles, Saul once named, Long persecuted sore the faith of Christ, Till, one day, by the Spirit being inflamed, 'Why dost thou persecute me thus?' said Christ; And then from his offence he was reclaimed, And went for ever after preaching Christ, And of the faith became a trump, whose sounding O'er the whole earth is echoing and rebounding.

LIX.

"So, my Morgante, you may do likewise: He who repents--thus writes the Evangelist-- Occasions more rejoicing in the skies Than ninety-nine of the celestial list.

You may be sure, should each desire arise With just zeal for the Lord, that you'll exist Among the happy saints for evermore; But you were lost and d.a.m.ned to h.e.l.l before!"

LX.

And thus great honour to Morgante paid The Abbot: many days they did repose.

One day, as with Orlando they both strayed, And sauntered here and there, where'er they chose, The Abbot showed a chamber, where arrayed Much armour was, and hung up certain bows; And one of these Morgante for a whim Girt on, though useless, he believed, to him.

LXI.

There being a want of water in the place, Orlando, like a worthy brother, said, "Morgante, I could wish you in this case To go for water." "You shall be obeyed In all commands," was the reply, "straight ways."

Upon his shoulder a great tub he laid, And went out on his way unto a fountain, Where he was wont to drink, below the mountain.

LXII.

Arrived there, a prodigious noise he hears, Which suddenly along the forest spread; Whereat from out his quiver he prepares An arrow for his bow, and lifts his head; And lo! a monstrous herd of swine appears, And onward rushes with tempestuous tread, And to the fountain's brink precisely pours; So that the Giant's joined by all the boars.

LXIII.

Morgante at a venture shot an arrow, Which pierced a pig precisely in the ear, And pa.s.sed unto the other side quite through; So that the boar, defunct, lay tripped up near.

Another, to revenge his fellow farrow, Against the Giant rushed in fierce career, And reached the pa.s.sage with so swift a foot, Morgante was not now in time to shoot.

LXIV.

Perceiving that the pig was on him close, He gave him such a punch upon the head[345], As floored him so that he no more arose, Smashing the very bone; and he fell dead Next to the other. Having seen such blows, The other pigs along the valley fled; Morgante on his neck the bucket took, Full from the spring, which neither swerved nor shook.

LXV.

The tub was on one shoulder, and there were The hogs on t'other, and he brushed apace On to the abbey, though by no means near, Nor spilt one drop of water in his race.

Orlando, seeing him so soon appear With the dead boars, and with that brimful vase, Marvelled to see his strength so very great; So did the Abbot, and set wide the gate.

LXVI.

The monks, who saw the water fresh and good[346], Rejoiced, but much more to perceive the pork; All animals are glad at sight of food: They lay their breviaries to sleep, and work With greedy pleasure, and in such a mood, That the flesh needs no salt beneath their fork.

Of rankness and of rot there is no fear, For all the fasts are now left in arrear.

LXVII.

As though they wished to burst at once, they ate; And gorged so that, as if the bones had been In water, sorely grieved the dog and cat, Perceiving that they all were picked too clean.

The Abbot, who to all did honour great, A few days after this convivial scene, Gave to Morgante a fine horse, well trained, Which he long time had for himself maintained.

LXVIII.

The horse Morgante to a meadow led, To gallop, and to put him to the proof, Thinking that he a back of iron had, Or to skim eggs unbroke was light enough; But the horse, sinking with the pain, fell dead, And burst, while cold on earth lay head and hoof.

Morgante said, "Get up, thou sulky cur!"

And still continued p.r.i.c.king with the spur.

LXIX.

But finally he thought fit to dismount, And said, "I am as light as any feather, And he has burst;--to this what say you, Count?"

Orlando answered, "Like a ship's mast rather You seem to me, and with the truck for front: Let him go! Fortune wills that we together Should march, but you on foot Morgante still."

To which the Giant answered," So I will.

LXX.

"When there shall be occasion, you will see How I approve my courage in the fight."

Orlando said, "I really think you'll be, If it should prove G.o.d's will, a goodly knight; Nor will you napping there discover me.

But never mind your horse, though out of sight 'Twere best to carry him into some wood, If but the means or way I understood."

LXXI.

The Giant said, "Then carry him I will, Since that to carry me he was so slack-- To render, as the G.o.ds do, good for ill; But lend a hand to place him on my back."

Orlando answered, "If my counsel still May weigh, Morgante, do not undertake To lift or carry this dead courser, who, As you have done to him, will do to you.

LXXII.

"Take care he don't revenge himself, though dead, As Nessus did of old beyond all cure.

I don't know if the fact you've heard or read; But he will make you burst, you may be sure."

"But help him on my back," Morgante said, "And you shall see what weight I can endure.

In place, my gentle Roland, of this palfrey, With all the bells, I'd carry yonder belfry."

LXXIII.