POETRY. 
With neighings shrill:his foe to fight defies, 
While to his hodfithe sounding earth:replies. 
His-colour bay, and:thence his name he ‘drew, 
Bayardo-call'd. A star of silver hue © yeont Ded 
Emblaz’d his front, and:small his well-tara’d head, © 
Thick onthe tight ‘his roffi’d manewas spread; 
White were his hinder'legs; ‘bisamplechest 
With brawny muscles strength of lungs exprest; 
His shoulders large and firm ; his sinewy feet 
As thunder pow’rful,and as lightning fleet. 
Such once was Cyillarus,'ere Pollux’ force, 
Conjoin’d: with:art, ssubdu'd him to ‘the course ; 
And such, ere Mars had»rein’d theironecks tovwar 
The steeds that proudly drew his'sanguine car. 
Dire though he seem’d, as sent to upper light, — 
A hellish fiend from ‘realms of central night, sel 
He swell’d with ardour bold Rinaldo’s'breast, th 
While Isolero transient fear cofest. Bu 
On Isolero first Bayardo: bends ;. 
The knight.with;rested spear the shock attends: 
The furious beast breaks short the crashing spear, 
No strepgth,or weapon stops’ his»mad: career!) 
Back shrinks th’ Iberian knight with wary speed, 
And yields a passage for the rushing steed, ‘ 
That harmless pass'd, ‘but with asudden-wheel 
Turns-as the'knight upsheaths his gleamy \steel ; 
His sword be drew—for Isolero, came 
With other purpose-than the steed:to tame : i 
This task, feom those that, well instructed, knew,’ 
He held: beyond what human force ‘couldydp: 
_. dHe,eame (since ev'ry other hope was vain) 
“To leave the coarser by bis weapon slain. 
Far different thought Rinaldo’s mind: revolw’d, 
Far mightier, deed with peril strange resolv'd. 
Against th’ Iberian-knight Bayardo turns, 
Now here, now there, with feet alternate spurns. 
The baron aims the weapon where from far 
Amidst-his. forehead shines the silver star: 
In vain he strikes what ne’er was doom’d to feel 
A wound impress’d with edge of sharpest steel, = 
Again, with strength renew’d, the sword he heav’d ; 
Again Bayardo’s front the stroke receiv’d: 
The pow'rful beast the mighty stroke confest, 
That bow’d his head beneath his brawny chest; 
Dreadful he foam’d, against the knight he flew, 
, And with asudden shock to earth o’erthrew. 
The, Pagan falls, and with him falling lie 
His empty hopes of glorious victory ! 
477 
Rivaldo 
