XXIV.
Athwart the current swam, with arms and all,
As if by corks upborn, the cavalier.
Though thou Antæus bred’st, and Hannibal,
O Africa! thou never bred’st his peer!—
When now across the stream, without the wall,
He turned, and saw the royal town appear,
—To have traversed all the city moved his ire,
Leaving it undestroyed by sword or fire;
XXV.
And him so sorely anger stung and pride,
Thither he thought a second time to go;
And from his inmost bosom groaned and sighed,
Nor would depart until he laid it low.
But he saw one along the river-side
Approach, who made him rage and hate forego;
Strait shall you hear who ’twas, approached the king,
But first I have to say of other thing.
XXVI.
I have of haughty Discord now to say,
To whom the archangel Michael gave command,
To heat to enmity and fierce affray
The best of Agramant’s besieging band.
She went that evening from the abbey gray,
Her task committing to another’s hand;
—Left it to Fraud to feed, till her return,
The war, and make the fire she kindled burn;
