Orlando Furioso

While Charlemagne's Christian knights defend Paris against the Saracen armies of Agramante, king of Africa, the beautiful princess Angelica of Cathay is pursued by half the knights of Europe. When she marries a humble Saracen soldier, Medoro, the great paladin Orlando goes mad with jealousy and runs naked across Europe and Africa, until his friend Astolfo travels to the Moon to bring back his lost wits in a flask. Around them weave dozens of tales of love, magic and war, above all the love of the Christian warrior maiden Bradamante for the Saracen knight Ruggiero.

Ludovico Ariosto (1474–1533) published the poem, a continuation of Boiardo's unfinished Orlando Innamorato, in its final form of 46 cantos in 1532. Ironic, inventive and endlessly entertaining, it was the bestseller of the Italian Renaissance and inspired Spenser, Cervantes and countless painters and composers. This is the complete verse translation by William Stewart Rose. Compare The Song of Roland.