Astolfo

Astolfo (also Astolpho) is a fictional character of the Matter of France where he is one of Charlemagne's paladins. He is the son of Otto, the King of England (possibly referring to Charles' contemporary Offa of Mercia), and is a cousin to Orlando and Rinaldo. While Asolfo's name appeared in Old French "chansons de geste", his first major appearance was in the anonymous early fourteenth-century Franco-Venetian epic poem "La Prise de Pampelune" [Peter Brand and Lino Pertile. "The Cambridge History of Italian Literature." Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996, p.168.] He was subsequently a major character (typically humorous) in Italian Renaissance romance epics, such as "Morgante" by Luigi Pulci, "Orlando Innamorato" by Matteo Maria Boiardo and "Orlando Furioso" by Ludovico Ariosto.

Astolfo in Orlando Furioso

He has a magic lance which can knock his opponents from their horses with the slightest touch. He also has a magic book that contains spells capable of breaking any enchantment and a magic horn whose blast is so loud that it causes all enemies to flee in terror. His horse is named Rabicano. This magical horse is made of hurricane and flame, it feeds on air and it treads so lightly that it doesn't leave footprints in the sand, but when it runs at full speed it can run faster than an arrow. [ "Orlando Furioso" XV: 40-41 ]

Astolfo uses his magic horn to capture the giant Caligorante, and then parades the giant from town to town, forcing him to act as his beast of burden. He also defeats Orillo, a robber who could not be killed because he was enchanted to regenerate from any wounds he received. Even severed limbs would reattach themselves. [ "Orlando Furioso" XV: 81-87 ] Astolfo loans his golden lance and Rabicano to Bradamante for a short time while he rides the Hippogriff in search of Orlando's lost wits. [ "Orlando Furioso" XXIII: 14-16 ]

Astolfo travels to Ethiopia where he met Senapo (Prester John), the emperor of that land. In a situation obviously inspired by the story of Phineas from Greek mythology, Senapo is blind and plagued by harpies who attack him whenever he tries to eat a meal, spilling the glasses and befouling the food. Astolfo blows his horn and chases the harpies through the entrance to Hell, and seals them inside. He flies the hippogriff to the summit the mountain of Terrestrial Paradise, where he meets Saint John the Apostle, who explains how he could return Orlando to his senses. He flies in Elijah's flaming chariot to the moon, where all things lost upon the earth end up, and locates Orlando's wits in a bottle. [ "Orlando Furioso" XXXIV: 87 ] He returns to earth and gains Senapo's aid in the defense of Paris from the Saracen invaders.

Notes

References

*Ariosto, Ludovico; and Waldman, Guido (translator) (January 28, 1999). "Orlando Furioso". Oxford. ISBN 0-19-283677-3.