“Frantic Roland” by L. Ariosto in brief summary

This unusual poem is a continuation poem. It begins almost with a half-word, picking up someone else’s plot. The beginning of it was written by the poet Matteo Boyardo – no fewer than sixty-nine songs under the title “Roland in Love”. Ariosto added to them another forty-seven of his own, and at the end he thought about continuing. Heroes can not be counted in it, everyone has his own adventures, the plot threads are weaved into a real web, and Ariosto with particular pleasure cuts off each narration at the most intense moment to say: and now we’ll see what does such and such…

The protagonist of the poem, Roland, is familiar to the European reader for four hundred or five hundred years. During this time the legends about him have changed greatly.

First, the background was different. In the “Song of Roland” the event was a small war in the Pyrenees between Charles the Great and his Spanish neighbor – in Boyardo and Ariosto

this is the all-world war between the Christian and Muslim world, where the Emperor of Africa Agramant is on Charlemagne, and with him the kings and Spanish, and Tatar, and Circassian, and uncountable others, and in the millionth of their army there are two heroes that no light has ever seen: the huge and wild Rodomont and the noble knightly Ruggier, about which there will be another speech. By the time the Ariosto poem begins, the basurmans are defeated, and their hordes are already under the very Paris.

Secondly, the hero became another. In “The Song of Roland” he is a knight as a knight, only the strongest, honest and valiant. Boyardo and Ariosto, in addition to this, on the one hand, a giant of unheard-of force, capable of breaking the bull’s bare hands, and on the other hand, a passionate lover, capable of losing his mind literally from love, – that’s why the poem is called “Furious Roland “The object of his love is Angelica, a princess from Kataya, beautiful and frivolous, turning her head to all the knighthood in the white world; Boyardo had a war all over Asia

because of her, Ariosto had just escaped from the captivity of Charlemagne, and Roland was so desperate that he threw the emperor and friends in besieged Paris and went around the world to seek Angelica.

Thirdly, satellites of the hero became different. The main among them are his two cousins: astolphus, a kind and frivolous adventurer, and the noble Rinald, the faithful paladin of Charles, the embodiment of all the chivalrous prowess. Rinald also in love and also in Angelica, but his love – an ill-fated. There are two magical sources in the Ardennes forest in the north of France – the key of Love and the key

Lovelessness; who will drink from the first, will feel love, who from the second – disgust. And Rinald and Angelica drank from that and from the other, only out of harmony: first Angelika pursued with her love Rinald, and he ran away from her, then Rinald began to chase Angelica, and she escaped from him. But Charles the Great serves correctly, and Charles from Paris sends him for help to neighboring England.

This Rinald has Sister Bradamante – also a beauty, also a warrior, and such that when she is in lats, no one will think that this is a woman, not a man. She is in love, of course, and she, and this love in the poem is the main thing. She is in love with a foe, in the same Ruggier, who is the best of the Saracen knights. Their marriage is predetermined by fate, because the descendants of Ruggier and Bradamante will go to the noble family of princes Este, who will rule in Ferrara, in the native land of Ariosto, and to whom he will devote his poem. Ruggier and Bradamante met once in the battle, long chopped, marveling at the strength and courage of each other, and when tired, stopped and removed their helmets, they fell in love at first sight. But there are many obstacles to their connection.

Rujier is the son of a secret marriage of a Christian knight with a Saracen princess. He is brought up in Africa by a magician and warlock Atlant. Atlant knows that his pet will be baptized, will give birth to glorious descendants, but then perish, and therefore tries not to let his pet go to Christians. He has a castle in the mountains, full of ghosts: when a knight drives up to the castle, Atlant shows him the ghost of his lover, he rushes into the gate to meet her and remains in captivity for a long time, searching in vain for her lady in the empty rooms and passages. But Bradamante has a magic ring, and this spell does not work for her. Then Atlant puts Rougier on his winged horse – the hippogryph, and he carries it to the other end of the world, to another fairy sorceress – Alzine. She meets him in the guise of a young beauty, and Ruggier falls into temptation: For months he has lived on her miraculous island in luxury and bliss, enjoying her love, and only the intervention of a wise fairy who cares about Este’s future family returns him to the path of virtue. Enchantments disintegrate, the beautiful Altsina appears in a genuine image of vice, vile and ugly, and the repentant Ruggier on the same hippogriff flies back to the west. In vain, here again lies in wait for a loving Atlant and invites into his ghostly castle. And the captive Rudzhier rushes through his halls in search of Bradamanta, and next to him the captive Bradamante rushes through the same halls in search of Ruggier, but they do not see each other. and the repentant Ruggier on the same hippogriff flies back to the west. In vain, here again lies in wait for a loving Atlant and invites into his ghostly castle. And the captive Rudzhier rushes through his halls in search of Bradamanta, and next to him the captive Bradamante rushes through the same halls in search of Ruggier, but they do not see each other. and the repentant Ruggier on the same hippogriff flies back to the west. In vain, here again lies in wait for a loving Atlant and invites into his ghostly castle. And the captive Rudzhier rushes through his halls in search of Bradamanta, and next to him the captive Bradamante rushes through the same halls in search of Ruggier, but they do not see each other.

While Bradamante and Atlanta are fighting for the fate of Ruggier; while Rinald sails for help to England and from England, and on the way rescues the lady Guineverra, who was falsely accused of dishonor; While Roland is scouring for Angelica, and on the way, Isabella, rescued by robbers, and Lady Olympia, abandoned by a perfidious lover on an uninhabited island, and then crucified on a rock to the death of a sea monster, – meanwhile, King Agramant with his hordes surrounds Paris and is preparing to the attack, and the pious emperor Charles calls for help to the Lord. And the Lord commands the archangel Michael: “Fly down, find Silence and find Rasprel: let Silence give Rinald with the English suddenly burst from the rear into the Saracens and let Raspry attack the Saracen camp and sow discord and confusion there, and the enemies of the right faith will be powerless!” The archistratist is flying, looking for, but they do not find them there, where they were looking for: I will crucify with Laziness, Greed and Envy – among monks in monasteries, and Silence – between bandits, traitors and secret assassins. And there was an attack, it screamed around all the walls, the flame blazed, it broke into the city of Rodomont and one crushed everyone, cutting through the gate to the gate, blood was pouring, arms, shoulders, and heads flew into the air. But Silence leads to Paris Rinald with the help – and the attack is repulsed, and only the night rescues the Saracens from defeat. And Rasprya, Rodomont from the city made his way to his own, whispers to him that his kind lady Doralis has betrayed him with the second most powerful Saracen hero Mandricard – and Rodomont immediately throws his own and rushes to look for the offender, cursing the female race, vile, treacherous and treacherous. traitors and secret assassins. And there was an attack, it screamed around all the walls, the flame blazed, it broke into the city of Rodomont and one crushed everyone, cutting through the gate to the gate, blood was pouring, arms, shoulders, and heads flew into the air. But Silence leads to Paris Rinald with the help – and the attack is repulsed, and only the night rescues the Saracens from defeat. And Rasprya, Rodomont from the city made his way to his own, whispers to him that his kind lady Doralis has betrayed him with the second most powerful Saracen hero Mandricard – and Rodomont immediately throws his own and rushes to look for the offender, cursing the female race, vile, treacherous and treacherous. traitors and secret assassins. And there was an attack, it screamed around all the walls, the flame blazed, it broke into the city of Rodomont and one crushed everyone, cutting through the gate to the gate, blood was pouring, arms, shoulders, and heads flew into the air. But Silence leads to Paris Rinald with the help – and the attack is repulsed, and only the night rescues the Saracens from defeat. And Rasprya, Rodomont from the city made his way to his own, whispers to him that his kind lady Doralis has betrayed him with the second most powerful Saracen hero Mandricard – and Rodomont immediately throws his own and rushes to look for the offender, cursing the female race, vile, treacherous and treacherous. But Silence leads to Paris Rinald with the help – and the attack is repulsed, and only the night rescues the Saracens from defeat. And Rasprya, Rodomont from the city made his way to his own, whispers to him that his kind lady Doralis has betrayed him with the second most powerful Saracen hero Mandricard – and Rodomont immediately throws his own and rushes to look for the offender, cursing the female race, vile, treacherous and treacherous. But Silence leads to Paris Rinald with the help – and the attack is repulsed, and only the night rescues the Saracens from defeat. And Rasprya, Rodomont from the city made his way to his own, whispers to him that his kind lady Doralis has betrayed him with the second most powerful Saracen hero Mandricard – and Rodomont immediately throws his own and rushes to look for the offender, cursing the female race, vile, treacherous and treacherous.

There was a young warrior in the Saracen camp named Medor. His king fell in battle; and when the night fell on the battlefield, Medor went out with a friend to find his body in the moonlight among the corpses and buried with honor. They were noticed, rushed to chase, Medor was wounded, his comrade was killed, and Medor would bleed to the forest more often, the unexpected savior did not appear. This is the one with which the war began – Angelica, secretly making her way to her distant Katai. There was a miracle: vain, frivolous, abhorrent kings and best knights, she pitied Medora, fell in love with him, took him to a rural hut, and until his wound was healed, they lived there, loving each other like a shepherd with a shepherdess. And Medor, not believing his own happiness, cut out their names and words of gratitude to the sky for their love with a knife on the bark of the trees. When Medor became stronger, they continue their journey to Katay, disappearing beyond the horizon of the poem, and the inscriptions carved in the trees remain. They also became fatal: we are in the middle of the poem – the fury of Roland begins.

Roland, in search of Angelica, having traveled half-Europe, falls into this same grove, reads these letters on the trees and sees that Angelica fell in love with another. At first he does not believe his eyes, then his thoughts, then grows numb, then he sobs, then he grabs the sword, cuts down the trees with letters, cuts the rocks on either side, “and the fury that has not been seen is greater than the worst.” He tosses his weapon, tears off his shell, tears his dress; naked, shaggy, he runs through the woods, pulling out the oaks with his bare hands, satisfying his hunger with a raw bear cub, tearing his feet by the legs, breaking the whole shelves alone. So – for France, so – for Spain, so – across the strait, so – across Africa; and a terrible rumor about his fate already reaches the Charles Court. And Karl is not easy, although Razrya sowed discord in the Saracen camp, though Rhodomont and quarreled with Mandricard, and with another, and with the third hero, but the Basurman’s army is still near Paris, and the non-Christians have new invincible warriors. First of all, it is Rujier, who came to know us from somewhere – although he loves Bradamante, but his lord is the African Agramant, and he must serve his vassal service. Secondly, this is the hero of the war, Marfisa, the storm of the whole East, never removing the shell and giving the oath to beat the three strongest kings in the world. Without Roland, Christians can not cope with them; how to find him, how to restore his sanity to him? this is the great man Marfiza, the storm of the whole East, never removing the shell and giving an oath to beat the three strongest kings in the world. Without Roland, Christians can not cope with them; how to find him, how to restore his sanity to him? this is the great man Marfiza, the storm of the whole East, never removing the shell and giving an oath to beat the three strongest kings in the world. Without Roland, Christians can not cope with them; how to find him, how to restore his sanity to him?

Here and there is the cheerful adventurer Astolph, who does not care. He is lucky: he has a magic spear, the very one knocking himself off the saddle, he has a magic horn that turns everyone in a panic flight; He even has a thick book with an alphabetical index, how to deal with what forces and charms. Once he was brought to the end of the world to the seductress Alzine, and then Rujier rescued him. From there he rode back to his homeland across the whole of Asia. On the way, he defeated the miracle giant who, however cut, he would once again be united: Astolph cut off his head and galloped off, plucking a hair by its hair, and the headless body fled, waving its fists, followed; when he pulled out the hair in which the giant life was, the body collapsed and the villain was killed. On the way he made friends with the dashing Marfizoi; visited the shore of the Amazons, where every stranger must beat ten in one day and one night in a tournament, and make ten happy in bed; rescued from their captivity the glorious Christian knights. On the way, he even got into the Atlanta castle, but he also did not stand against his wonderful horn: the walls were scattered, Atlant was dead, the captives were saved, and Ruggier and Bradamante finally saw each other, rushed into arms, swore allegiance and parted: she – in the castle to his brother Rinaldo, and he to the Saracen camp, to finish his service to Agramant, and then to receive baptism and marry a sweet one. Hippogriff, the winged Atlanta horse, Astolph took himself and flew over the world, looking down. But he could not withstand his marvelous horn: the walls were scattered, Atlant was dead, the captives were saved, and Ruggier and Bradamante finally saw each other, rushed into the arms, swore allegiance and parted: she – in the castle to her brother Rinaldo, and he – in the Saracen camp, to serve Agramanta, and then to receive baptism and marry a sweet one. Hippogriff, the winged Atlanta horse, Astolph took himself and flew over the world, looking down. But he could not withstand his marvelous horn: the walls were scattered, Atlant was dead, the captives were saved, and Ruggier and Bradamante finally saw each other, rushed into the arms, swore allegiance and parted: she – in the castle to her brother Rinaldo, and he – in the Saracen camp, to serve Agramanta, and then to receive baptism and marry a sweet one. Hippogriff, the winged Atlanta horse, Astolph took himself and flew over the world, looking down.

This carefree eccentric and happened to save Roland, and for this, first get to hell and to paradise. From under the clouds, he sees the Ethiopian kingdom, and in it the king, who is starved, snatching food, predatory harpies – just like in the ancient myth of the Argonauts. With his magic horn, he drives the harpies away, drives them into the dark hell, and on the occasion he listens to the story of one beauty who was unmerciful to her fans and now is suffering in hell. The grateful Ethiopian king shows Astolph a high mountain over his kingdom: there is an earthly paradise, and in it sits the apostle John and, at the word of God, awaits the second coming. Astolph takes off there, the apostle joyfully welcomes him, tells him about future fates, princes Este, poets who will glorify them, and about how others offend poets with their stinginess – “but I do not care, I myself am a writer, wrote the Gospel and Revelation. “As for the reason of Roland, he is on the Moon: there are mountains and dales on the Earth, and in one of the dens – everything that is lost in the world by people” from If there are futility, whether from old age or from stupidity. “There the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of the flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the mind of the prisoners. The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in vials, and on them it is written, in which they are, where they find a vessel with the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “Astolph’s mind”, ud Astolph appeared, breathed in his mind and felt that he was clever, and was not very, and, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth. wrote the Gospel and Revelation. “As for Roland’s reason, he is on the Moon: there are mountains and dales on the Earth, and in one of the dens – everything that is lost in the world by people,” from misfortune, from old times whether there is foolishness. “Therein is the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of the flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the minds of the prisoners.– The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in vials, where they find a vessel bearing the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “Astolph’s mind,” Astolph was surprised, inhaled he wiped his mind and felt that he was clever, and was not very. And, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth. wrote the Gospel and Revelation. “As for Roland’s reason, he is on the Moon: there are mountains and dales on the Earth, and in one of the dens – everything that is lost in the world by people,” from misfortune, from old times whether there is foolishness. “Therein is the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of the flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the minds of the prisoners.– The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in vials, where they find a vessel bearing the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “Astolph’s mind,” Astolph was surprised, inhaled he wiped his mind and felt that he was clever, and was not very. And, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth. as on the Earth, there are mountains and dales, and in one of the dens – everything that is lost in the world by people, “from disaster, from prescription, from foolishness.” There the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the minds of the prisoners. The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in the sugars, and on them it is written, in which whose. There they find a vessel bearing the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “the mind of Astolph”; Astolph was surprised, breathed in his mind and felt that he was clever, but was not very. And, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth. as on the Earth, there are mountains and dales, and in one of the dens – everything that is lost in the world by people, “from disaster, from prescription, from foolishness.” There the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the minds of the prisoners. The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in the sugars, and on them it is written, in which whose. There they find a vessel bearing the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “the mind of Astolph”; Astolph was surprised, breathed in his mind and felt that he was clever, but was not very. And, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth. There the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the minds of the prisoners. The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in the sugars, and on them it is written, in which whose. There they find a vessel bearing the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “the mind of Astolph”; Astolph was surprised, breathed in his mind and felt that he was clever, but was not very. And, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth. There the vain glory of the monarchs, there the fruitless prayers of the lovers, the flattery of flatterers, the short grace of the princes, the beauty of the beauties and the minds of the prisoners. The mind is a light thing, like steam, and therefore it is closed in the sugars, and on them it is written, in which whose. There they find a vessel bearing the inscription “Roland’s mind”, and another smaller one, “the mind of Astolph”; Astolph was surprised, breathed in his mind and felt that he was clever, but was not very. And, glorifying the beneficent apostle, not forgetting to take with him the mind of Roland, the knight rides on the hippogriffe back to Earth.

And on Earth, much has changed.

Firstly, the knights liberated by Astolph on his eastern routes had already boarded to Paris, joined Rinald, he with their help struck the Saracens, repulsed them from Paris, and the victory began to fall again on the Christian side. True, Rinald beats half-heartedly, because his soul owns the former unrequited passion for Angelica. He is already starting to look for her – but here begins the allegory. In the Ardennes forest, a monster is thrown at him Jealousy: a thousand eyes, a thousand ears, a snake’s mouth, a body with rings. And to help him rises the knight Contempt: a light helmet, a fiery mace, and behind his back is the key of Lovelessness, which heals from unreasonable passions. Rinald drinks, forgets love madness and is again ready for a righteous fight.

Secondly, Bradamante, hearing that her Ruggier beats among the Saracens alongside a certain warrior named Marfisa, flashes with jealousy and gallops to battle both with him and with her. In the dark forest, Bradamante and Marfiz begin to cut off at an unknown grave, one more courageous, and Ruggier, in vain, separates them. And then suddenly a voice rang out from the grave – the voice of the dead magician Atlanta: “Away from jealousy, Rujier and Marfisa, you are brother and sister, your father is a Christian knight, while I was alive, I kept you from the Christian faith, but now, truly, the end my work. ” Everything clears up, Rudjer’s sister and Rudjer’s friend enclose each other in embraces, Marfiza accepts holy baptism and calls for Ruggier too, but he hesitates – he is still in debt to King Argamant. He, desperate to win the battle, wants to decide the outcome of the war duel: The strongest against the strongest, Rujier v. Rinald. The place is cleared, oaths are brought, the battle begins, the heart of Bradamanta is torn between brother and lover, but then, as in the “Iliad” and “Aeneid”, someone’s blow is broken by a truce, a common battle begins, Christians overcome, and Agramant with a few of their minions flees to the ships to sail to their overseas capital – Bizerte, which is near Tunisia. He does not know that under Bizertoy his most terrible enemy is waiting. to sail to his overseas capital – Bizerte, which is near Tunisia. He does not know that under Bizertoy his most terrible enemy is waiting. to sail to his overseas capital – Bizerte, which is near Tunisia. He does not know that under Bizertoy his most terrible enemy is waiting.

Astolph, having fled from the paradise mountain, gathers an army and rushes over land and sea to strike from the rear to Agramantov Bizertu; with him were the other paladins who had escaped from the captivity of Agramant, and towards them the mad Roland, wild and naked, would not approach, you would not seize. They threw themselves into a five, threw a lasso, stretched it, tied it, tore it to the sea, washed it, and Astolph brought a vessel with Roland’s mind to his nose. Only he breathed in, his eyes and speeches cleared, and he was already Roland, and was already free from malicious love. Karlovy Voyages are sailing, Christians are marching on Bizerte, the city is taken – mountains of corpses and flames to the skies. Agramant with two friends are rescued by sea, Roland and two friends pursue them; on the small Mediterranean island there is the last triple duel, Agramant dies, Roland is the winner, the war is over.

But the poem is not the end. Rujier took holy baptism, he comes to the court of Charles, he asks the hands of Bradamante. But the old father of Bradamante is against: Ruggier has a glorious name, but neither a stake nor a court, and he would better give Bradamante for Prince Leon, heir to the Greek Empire. In mortal mount, Ruggier is going away-to compete with his rival. On the Danube Prince Leon is at war with the Bulgars; Rujier comes to the aid of the Bulgars, performs miracles of military feats, Leon himself admires an unknown hero on the battlefield. Greeks stealth Rudjier captive, give the emperor, throw in the underground dungeon – noble Leon rescues him from certain death, honors him and secretly keeps to himself. “I owe you my life,” says the shocked Ruggier, “and I’ll give it up for you at any moment.”

These are not empty words. Bradamante declares that she will come out only for the one who will master her in a duel. Leon is sad: he will not stand against Bradamante. And then he turns to Ruggier: “Come with me, go out into the field in my armor, win for me Bradamante.” And Rujier does not betray himself, he says: “Yes.” In a large field, in front of Karl and all the paladins, a long battle lasts: Bradamante tries to hit the hated bridegroom, showering him with a thousand blows. Ruggier accurately discourages everyone, but not one of them does it himself, so as not to accidentally hurt his beloved. Spectators marvel, Karl announces guest a winner, Leon in a secret tent embraces Ruggier. “I owe you happiness,” he says, “and I’ll give you everything you want at any time.”

And Ruggier life is not sweet: he gives both the horse and armor, and he himself goes into the bowl of the forest to die of grief. He would have died, do not intervene a fairy fairy, baking about the future house of Este. Leon finds Ruggier, Ruggier opens to Leon, nobility rivals nobility, Leon renounces Bradamante, truth and love triumph, Charles and his knights applaud. Ambassadors come from Bulgars: they ask their savior for their kingdom; Now even Bradamanta’s father will not say that Ruggier has neither a stake nor a court. Wedding, holiday, feasts, tournaments, wedding tent is embroidered with pictures for the glory of future Este, but this is not a denouement.

The last day is the one we almost forgot about: Rodomont. On a vow he year and day did not take weapons in his hands, and now he rushed to challenge his former colleague Ruggier: “You are a traitor to your king, you are a Christian, you are unworthy to be called a knight.” The last duel begins. Equestrian battle – wood in chips, chips to the clouds. Foot battle – blood through armor, swords smashed, the soldiers clenched their iron hands, both froze, and now Rodomont falls to the ground, and Ruggier’s dagger – in his visor. And, as in the “Aeneid”, to the infernal shores “his soul flies away with blasphemy, so once proud and arrogant.”