"And of Orlando I will also tell / Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme"

[larryhammer]

It's instructive to compare the opening stanza of various versions of Orlando Furioso ("Roland Enraged").

Ariosto text (1532 revision):

Le donne, i cavallier, l'arme, gli amori,
le cortesie, l'audaci imprese io canto,
che furo al tempo che passaro i Mori
d'Africa il mare, e in Francia nocquer tanto,
seguendo l'ire e i giovenil furori
d'Agramante lor re, che si diè vanto
di vendicar la morte di Troiano
sopra re Carlo imperator romano.

Harington translation (1591):

Of Dames, of Knights, of armes, of loves delight,
Of courtesies, of high attempts I speake,
Then when the Moores transported all their might
On Africke seas, the force of France to breake:
Incited by the youthfull heate and spight
Of Agramant their King, that vow'd to wreake
The death of King Trayano (lately slaine)
Upon the Romane Emperour Charlemaine.

Rose translation (1823):

OF LOVES and LADIES, KNIGHTS and ARMS, I sing,
Of COURTESIES, and many a DARING FEAT;
And from those ancient days my story bring,
When Moors from Afric passed in hostile fleet,
And ravaged France, with Agramant their king,
Flushed with his youthful rage and furious heat,
Who on king Charles', the Roman emperor's head
Had vowed due vengeance for Troyano dead.

Reynolds translation (1975):

Of ladies, cavaliers, of love and war,
Of courtesies and of brave deeds I sing,
In times of high endevour when the Moor
Had crossed the sea from Africa to bring
Great harm to France, when Agramante swore
In wrath, being now the youthful Moorish king,
To avenge Troiano, who was lately slain,
Upon the Roman Emperor Charlemagne.

I, of course, already have my biases here, but clearly this is the sort of thing online polls were invented for. Well, that and the dinner menu -- but since it's Janni's turn to cook tonight that would be beside the point.

[Poll #1745137]