- Rodomonte
Rodomonte (or Rodamonte) is a major character in the Italian romantic epics "
Orlando innamorato " byMatteo Maria Boiardo and "Orlando furioso " byLudovico Ariosto . He is the King of Sarza andAlgiers and the leader of theSaracen army which besiegesCharlemagne in Paris. He is in love withDoralice , Princess ofGranada , but she elopes with his rival Mandricardo. He tries to seduce Isabella but she tricks him into killing her by mistake. In remorse, Rodomonte builds a bridge in her memory and forces all who cross it to pay tribute. When the maddened Orlando arrives at the bridge he throws Rodomonte into the river below. Finally, Rodomonte appears at the wedding ofBradamante andRuggiero and accuses Ruggiero of treason for converting to Christianity and abandoning the Saracen cause. The two fight a duel and Rodomonte is killed.Rodomonte's prowess is matched only by his arrogance and boasting. His name is the source of the expression
rodomontade , meaning "boastful, bragging talk". [Concise Oxford English Dictionary]Rodomonte first appears in Book 2, Canto 1 of "Orlando innamorato". Boiardo was said to be so pleased at the invention of his name that he had the church bells rung in celebration. [Waley p.23]
References
ources
*Boiardo: "Orlando innamorato" ed. Giuseppe Anceschi (Garzanti,1978)
*Ariosto:"Orlando Furioso", verse translation byBarbara Reynolds in two volumes (Penguin Classics, 1975). Part one (cantos 1-23) ISBN 0-14-044311-8; part two (cantos 24-46) ISBN 0-14-044310-X
*Ariosto: "Orlando Furioso" ed. Marcello Turchi (Garzanti, 1974)
*Ariosto: "Orlando Furioso: A Selection" ed. Pamela Waley (Manchester University Press, 1975)
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