XLII.

Morgante said, «O gentle cavalier!

Now by thy God say me no villany;
The favour of your name I fain would hear,
And if a Christian, speak for courtesy.»>
Replied Orlando, «So much to your ear
I by my faith disclose contentedly;
Christ I adore, who is the genuine Lord,
And, if you please, by you may be adored.>>

XLIII.

The Saracen rejoin'd in humble tone,
<< I have had an extraordinary vision;
A savage serpent fell on me alone,

And Macon would not pity my condition;
Hence to thy God, who for ye did atone

Upon the cross, preferr'd I my petition; His timely succour set me safe and free, And I a Christian am disposed to be.>>

XLIV.

Orlando answer'd, « Baron just and pious,

If this good wish your heart can really move To the true God, who will not then deny us Eternal honour, you will go above,

And, if you please, as friends we will ally us,
And I will love you with a perfect love.
Your idols are vain liars full of fraud,
The only true God is the Christian's God.

XLV.

<< The Lord descended to the virgin breast
Of Mary Mother, sinless and divine;
If you acknowledge the Redeemer blest,
Without whom neither sun or star can shine,
Abjure bad Macon's false and felon test,

Your renegado God, and worship mine,-
Baptise yourself with zeal, since you repent.»>
To which Morgante answer'd, «<I'm content.>>

XLVI.

And then Orlando to embrace him flew,

And made much of his convert, as he cried,

<< To the abbey I will gladly marshal

you :>>> To whom Morgante, «Let us go,» replied;

<<I to the friars have for peace to sue.»

Which thing Orlando heard with inward pride,
Saying, «My brother, so devout and good,
Ask the abbot pardon, as I wish you would:

XLVII.

<< Since God has granted your illumination, Accepting you in mercy for his own, Humility should be your first oblation.>>

Morgante said, « For goodness' sake make known—
Since that your God is to be mine-your station,
And let your name in verity be shown,

Then will I every thing at your command do.>>
On which the other said, he was Orlando.

XLVIII.

<«< Then,»> quoth the giant, «blessed be Jesu, A thousand times with gratitude and praise! Oft, perfect baron! have I heard of you

Through all the different period of my days: And, as I said, to be your vassal too

I wish, for your great gallantry always.>> Thus reasoning, they continued much to say, And onwards to the abbey went their way.

XLIX.

And by the way, about the giants dead
Orlando with Morgante reason'd: «< Be,
For their decease, I pray you, comforted,
And, since

is God's pleasure, pardon me;
A thousand wrongs unto the monks they bred,
And our true scripture soundeth openly-
Good is rewarded, and chastised the ill,
Which the Lord never faileth to fulfil:

L.

Because his love of justice unto all

Is such, he wills his judgment should devour. All who have sin, however great or small; But good he well remembers to restore: Nor without justice holy could we call Him, whom I now require you to adore: All men must make his will their wishes sway, And quickly and spontaneously obey.

LI.

«< And here our doctors are of one accord,

Coming on this point to the same conclusionThat in their thoughts who praise in heaven the Lord, If pity e'er was guilty of intrusion

For their unfortunate relations stored

In hell below, and damn'd in great confusion,Their happiness would be reduced to nought, And thus unjust the Almighty's self be thought.

LII.

<< But they in Christ have firmest hope, and all Which seems to him, to them too must appear Well done; nor could it otherwise befal;

He never can in any purpose err:

If sire or mother suffer endless thrall,

They don't disturb themselves for him or her; What pleases God to them must joy inspire;— Such is the observance of the eternal choir.>>

LIII.

<< A word unto the wise,» Morgante said,
<«<< Is wont to be enough, and you shall see
How much I grieve about my brethren dead;
And if the will of God seem good to me,
Just, as you tell me, 't is in heaven obey'd—
Ashes to ashes, merry let us be!

I will cut off the hands from both their trunks,
And carry them unto the holy monks.

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 fear'd, 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 God adored, Saying, <<Thou hast contented me, oh Lord!»>