childless. His pedigree is given more at large in the Innamorato. (See the Innamorato, book ii.) The supposed descent of the family of Este from Rizieri, and their pretensions to be of the blood of Charlemagne, for Bradamant was the niece of that emperor, made Ariosto adopt Rogero as the real hero of his poem.
Roland, who long the lady of Catay.
Stanza v. line 1.
Angelica, daughter of Galaphron, king of Cathay, the capital of which was Albracca.
For bold Orlando and hit cousin free,
Rinaldo.
Stanza viii. line 1.
Rinaldo, cousin to Orlando, is known by different names, as Renaud and Arnaud. He was eldest son of Amone, in Italian, Aymon, in French, of Monte Albano, or Mont Auban.
Than half-clothed churl to win the cloth of red.
Stanza xi. line 4.
In the foot-race. Dante uses the same comparison hi his Inferno, canto xv.
Poi si rivolse e parve di coloro
Che corrono à Verona ’l drappo verde
Per la campagna; e parve di costoro
Quegli che vince e non colui che perde.
With that he turned, and seemed as one of those
Who race upon Verona’s spacious plain
For the green cloth; nor seemed of them who lose,
But he who the disputed prize will gain.