Azarco's Farewell

"Now saddle me the silver gray,
The steed of noble race,
And give to me the shield of Fez,
And my strong corslet lace;
Give me a double-headed lance,
With points of temper fine;
And, with the casque of stubborn steel,
That purple cap of mine.
Its plumes unite the saffron's tint
With heron's crest of snow,
And one long spray of fluttering gray.
Then give it e'er I go,
And I'll put on the hood of blue
That Celin's daughter fair,
My Adelifa, best-beloved,
Once gave to me to wear.
And the square boss of metal bring,
That circling boughs entwine
With laurels, in whose leaves of gold
The clustered emeralds shine.
Adonis, hastening to the hunt,
His heavenly mistress shuns,
The mountain boars before him flee,
And, 'Die,' the motto runs."
'Twas thus the Moor Azarco spoke,
Just as the war begun,
To stout Almoralife
Of Baza, Zelma's son.
Almoralife, brave and wise,
Full many a minstrel sings,
A knight who in Granada
Was counted with its kings.
And when they bring the boss of gold
He heaves a thousand sighs
O'er brave Adonis and his doom,
Who by the wild boar dies.
"O Adelifa, soul of mine,
Rejoice, and murmur not,
Up to the end be merry,
When worms shall be thy lot.
My day of life must needs be short,
Thy firmness must be long;
Although thou art a woman,
Unlike thy sex, be strong.
Be not like Venus, tho' in form
Thou art indeed her peer,
For she forgot in absence,
And did to death her dear.
And when alone, upon my face
And likeness fix thine eyes,
And none admit to do me wrong,
And thy soft heart surprise.
'Twixt sadness and repining
Love runs his changing way,
The gay he oft makes sorrowful,
The sorrowful makes gay.
Then, mark, love, in my portrait mark,
The wide eyes' mute appeal,
For this enchanted painting
Can speak and breathe and feel.
Think how those eyes shed many a tear,
When for thy face they yearn;
And let those tears thy patience win
To tarry my return."
At this Galvano came to say
That ship and favoring gale
Awaited him, and all his host
Were eager to set sail.
The Moor went forth to victory,
He was not pleasure's slave;
His gallant heart was ever prompt
To keep the pledge he gave.