It is at this moment that Orlando, who had lately slain Agrican, comes to his succour. His assistance renders the combat more equal: but Brandimart, though he has killed one of the giants, is beaten down by another. Orlando, however, avenges him on his enemy, and clears the field. He has now leisure to look to his bleeding friend, and finding there is yet life in him, consigns him to the care of the rescued damsel, who applies the proper medicaments to his wounds.
Marphisa and Rinaldo were this while still in full pursuit of their enemies, who found refuge within the citadel of Albracca. Marphisa having chased them up to the gates, menaced Galaphron with vengeance; and, indeed, she and Rinaldo had now a common cause. Marphisa on account of her recent quarrel with her former leader; and Rinaldo since the fountain of hate had disposed him to enmity with Angelica, and the oath, he had sworn on winning Rabican, bound him to take vengeance on Truffaldino, one of her defenders. They accordingly sit down before the place, and, on the second day, Rinaldo appears beneath the walls, sounds his horn and defies Truffaldino, king of Baldacca by the titles of traitor, renegade and tyrant.
There were at this time, within the fortress, many warriors who had sworn to defend him against Sacripant and Torindo, whom he had imprisoned, and against all others whatsoever. Truffaldino calls on these to fulfil their engagement, and several knights, with the traitor king in the midst of them, descend from the citadel to do battle with Rinaldo, on his behalf.
These were the brothers Gryphon and Aquilant, who had enchanted horse and armour; Uberto, Adrian, and Clarion. They attack Rinaldo singly and successively. He soon defeats the two first comers, but he finds himself better matched with Gryphon of the enchanted arms; with whom he engages in a long and doubtful battle, after a fruitless expostulation and attempt to negotiate on the part of Gryphon.
Leaving these, the author returns to Brandimart; who, restored to life by the skill of the damsel, whom he and Orlando rescued from the giants, is rendered desperate by the discovery, that she is not Flordelis. He curses the hour in which he was rescued from death, as well as that in which he was born, and recapitulates all the circumstances of his life in the following apostrophe:
"Thou took'st me, Fortune, from a royal dome,
"(Such early blow thy deadly malice gave;)
"And I, thus ravished from my noble home,
"In other lands was sold to be a slave;
"And now, long doomed in foreign climes to roam,
"But her remember to whose breasts I clave;
"(My father's and my country's name effaced,)
"My mother's in my mind is only traced.
"Never did evil destiny so lour,
"As upon me; to early bondage sold,
"With one, entitled Lord of the Sylvan Tower:
"When, but to make me suffer sevenfold,
"Softened awhile appear'd the faithless Power;
"And the good Master of the Sylvan hold
"Freed me; and having none his name to bear,
"Of his broad lands and living made me heir.
"But Fortune had so marked me for her prey,
"That to fill up the bitter cup of woe,
"Fairest among the fair, a damsel gay
"She chose in her displeasure to bestow;
"Simply to take the precious prize away.
"Then can I choose but sink beneath the blow?
"O thou, that hast renewed my fleeting breath,
"Undo thy work, and give me back to death."
Orlando, and the charitable damsel sympathise deeply in his grief; and the lady, to prove, at least, that he was not single in his sorrows, begins the narration of her own adventures.
She informs him, that she was daughter and heir of the king of the Distant Isles, where all the treasure of the earth is accumulated. Gifted with beauty and destined to inherit such riches, two lovers came to demand her in marriage on the same day, Ordauro and Folderico; the one handsome and the other more than seventy years old. The first distinguished by his prowess, the second by his wisdom and riches. The damsel's father inclined in favour of Folderico; but the damsel hoped by a sleight to transfer herself to Ordauro.