Page:A History of Italian Literature - Garnett (1898).djvu/149

Rh To tend his grievous wounds she comes one day, And towards him with greeting mute she turns; For on her lips her voiceless words are stayed, And her bright eyes are fain to lend their aid.

When Oliver perceived that Forisene Accosted him with shrinkingy timid grace, The pains which insupportable had been, Vanished, and to far other ills gave place: His soul is tost sweet hopes and doubts between, And you might almost 'mid these flutterings trace A dear assurance to be loved by her; For silence is Lovers best interpreter."

Not much is known of Pulci's life except that he was the intimate friend, correspondent, and confidential agent of Lorenzo de' Medici, and is said to have composed his poem at the request of Lorenzo's mother, whom he celebrated after her death. The disposition of his contemporaries to attribute the finest portions of his poem to Ficino and Politian may indicate some failure on his part to sustain the poetical character in his daily walk and conversation; while the more serious passages of his poetry, especially the noble pathos of the death of Orlando, disclose an elevated soul. Orlando, standing alone among his slaughtered friends on the battlefield of Roncesvalles, is visited by the angel Gabriel, who offers him a new army, and promises that earth and sea shall tremble at his name. But Orlando prefers to follow those who are gone. The Morgante was not printed till the year after Pulci's death. His minor works include a poem of humble life, in imitation of Lorenzo's Nencia, and a series of polemical sonnets against Matteo Franco, who was equally dyslogistic on his own part. Neither poet need be taken very seriously.