IV Who, as if having more than served to fill Their hungry maw, invite from foreign wood Beyond the mountain, wolves of greedier will, With them to be partakers of their food. The bones which Thrasymene and Trebbia fill, And Cannae, seem but few to what are strewed On fattened field and bank, where on their way Adda and Mella, Ronco and Tarro stray. V Now God permits that we should feel the spite Of people, who are haply worse than we, For errors multiplied and infinite, And foul and pestilent iniquity. The time will come we may such ill requite Upon their shores, if we shall better be, And their transgressions ever prove above The long endurance of AETERNAL LOVE. VI The Christian people then God's placid front Must have disturbed with their excesses sore; Since them with slaughter, rape, and rapine hunt, Through all their quarters, plundering Turk and Moor: But the unsparing rage of Rodomont Proves worse than all the ills endured before. I said that Charlemagne had made repair In search of him towards the city square. VII Charles, by the way, his people's butchery Beholds -- burnt palaces and ruined fanes -- And sees large portion of the city lie In unexampled wreck. -- "Ye coward trains, Whither in heartless panic would ye fly? Will none his loss contemplate? what remains To you, -- what place of refuge, say, is left, If this from you so shamefully be reft? VIII "Then shall one man alone, a prisoned foe, Who cannot scale the walls which round him spread, Unscathed, unquestioned, from your city go, When all are by his vengeful arm laid dead?" Thus Charlemagne, whose veins with anger glow, And shame, too strong to brook, in fury said; And to the spacious square made good his way, Where he beheld the foe his people slay. IX Thither large portion of the populace, Climbing the palace roof, had made resort; For strongly walled, and furnished was the place With ammunition, for their long support. Rodomont, mad with pride, had, in his chace Of the scared burghers, singly cleared the court, He with one daring hand, which scorned the world, Brandished the sword; -- his other wildfire hurled; X And smote and thundered, 'mid a fearful shower, At the sublime and royal house's gate. To their life's peril, crumbling roof and tower Is tost by them that on the summit wait: Nor any fears to ruin hall or bower; But wood and stone endure one common fate, And marbled column, slab, and gilded beam, By sire and grandsire held in high esteem. XI Rodomont stands before the portal, bright With steel, his head and bust secured in mail, Like to a serpent, issued into light, Having cast off his slough, diseased and stale: Who more than ever joying in his might, Renewed in youth, and proud of polished scale, Darts his three tongues, fire flashing from his eyes; While every frighted beast before him flies.