1

SECT. VI.

Of Spenser's Imitations of Ariosto.

THE circumstance of the Red-crosse knight and Una meeting with Archimago disguised like a hermit, who entertains them with a fictitious tale, and afterwards raises two spirits' with intent to deceive the Red-crosse knight, seems to be copied from Ariosto. Angelica meets an hypocritical hermit, who raises a false spirit with a design to deceive Sacrapant and Renaldo, and to exasperate them against Orlando, &c.

Che scontro un' eremita, &c*.

* C. ii. s. 12.

But Spenser has greatly improved the hint. Archimago is again introduced after the same manner, B. 1. c. 6. s. 34. and B. 2. c. 1. s. 8.

B. i. c. ii.

This illusion effected by Archimago, who discovers a fictitious Una to the Red-crosse knight, engaged in the embraces of a young squire, seems to be imitated from the deceptions carried on in the enchanted castle of Atlanta, where many of the guests are imposed upon by false representations of the persons of their friends or mistresses ;[ and more particularly from that passage where Orlando, after having been deluded with the appearance of a counterfeit Angelica, is made to hear her cry out for his assistance as if some ruffian was insulting and ravishing her, &c.

.

Dunque in presenzia del mio caro Orlando
Da questo ladro mi sarà rapita ?

Piu, &c. &c*.

Helpe now or never helpe; alas! shall I,
In mine Orlando's sight loose my virginitie?

Harrington.

B. i. c. vii. s. xxxiii.

His warlike shield all closely covered was
Ne might of mortal eye be ever seene.

* *

* * *

*

xxxiv.

The same to wight he never would disclose,
But when as monsters huge he would dismay,
Or daunt unequall armies, &c.

* *

* * *

xli.

And when he list the prouder lookes subdew
He would them gazing blind, &c.

This is the shield of Atlanta.

* C. xii. s. 15.

D' un bello drappo di seta havea coperto
Lo Scudo in braccio il cavalier celeste,
Come avesse, non so, tanto sofferto
Di tenerlo nascosto in quella veste;
Ch' immantinente, che lo mostra aperto,
Forza e chi'l mira abbarbagliato reste,
E cada, come corpo morto cade *.

This heavenly hellish warrior bare a shield
On his left arme, that had a silken case,
I cannot any cause or reason yeeld,
Why he should keep it coverd so long space :
It had such force that whoso it beheld,

Such shining light it striketh in their face,
That down they fell, &c.

Was never wight that heard that shrilling sound
But trembling feare did feele in every vaine.

This horn, with its miraculous effects, is borrowed from that which Logestylla presents to Astolfo.

Dico; che 'l corno è di si orribil suono,
Ch' ovunque s'ode, fa fuggir la gente.
Non puo, &c *.

An horne in which if he do once but blow
The noise thereof shall trouble men so sore,
That all both stout and faint shall flie therefro.
Harrington.

I wonder Spenser should have made so little use of this horn. He has not scrupled to introduce the shield above-mentioned, though as manifestly borrowed from Ariosto, upon various occasions.

Turpin mentions a wonderful horn which belonged to Roland. Olaus Magnus relates, that this horn, which was called Olivant, was won, together with the sword Durenda,

*C. 15. s. 15.

Hist. Car. Mag. cap. 23.