XX At one cross-blow fifteen or twenty foes He hews, as many leaves without a bead, At cross or downright-stroke; as if he rows Trashes in vineyard or in willow-bed, At last all smeared with blood the paynim goes, Safe from the place, which he has heaped with dead; And wheresoe'er he turns his steps, are left Heads, arms, and other members, maimed and cleft. XXI He from the square retires in such a mode, None can perceive that danger him appals; But, during this, what were the safest road, By which to sally, he to thought recals. He comes at last to where the river flowed Below the isle, and past without the walls. In daring men at arms and mob increase, Who press him sore, nor let him part in peace. XXII As the high-couraged beast, whom hunters start In the wild Nomade or Massilian chace, Who, even in flying, shows his noble heart, And threatening seeks his lair with sluggish pace; From that strange wood of sword, and spear, and dart, Turns Rodomont, with action nothing base; And still impeded by the galling foe, Makes for the river with long steps and slow. XXIII He turned upon the rabble-rout who bayed Behind him, thrice or more, by anger driven, And stained anew his falchion, by whose blade More than a hundred deadly wounds were given. But reason, finally, his fury stayed Before the bloody carnage stank to heaven; And he, with better counsel, from the side Cast himself down into Seine's foaming tide. XXIV Athwart the current swam, with arms and all, As if by corks upborn, the cavalier. Though thou Antaeus bred'st, and Hannibal, O Africa! thou never bred'st his peer! -- When now across the stream, without the wall, He turned, and saw the royal town appear, -- To have traversed all the city moved his ire, Leaving it undestroyed by sword or fire; XXV And him so sorely anger stung and pride, Thither he thought a second time to go; And from his inmost bosom groaned and sighed, Nor would depart until he laid it low. But he saw one along the river-side Approach, who made him rage and hate forego; Strait shall you hear who 'twas, approached the king, But first I have to say of other thing. XXVI I have of haughty Discord now to say, To whom the archangel Michael gave command, To heat to enmity and fierce affray The best of Agramant's besieging band. She went that evening from the abbey gray, Her task committing to another's hand; -- Left it to Fraud to feed, till her return, The war, and make the fires she kindled burn; XXVII And she believed, that she with greater power Should go, did Pride with her as well repair; And she (for all were guested in one bower) In search of her had little way to fare. Pride went with her; but, that in hall or tower, A vicar too her charge might duly bear, She for those days she absent thought to be, For her lieutenant left Hypocrisy.