228
LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN.
felt liis honour as safe as his life, in riding on withoutoffering" molestation where he experienced none. Butthe captain of the band, being struck with his superiorpresence, demanded of the hindmost of his attendantswhat was his master’s name. “ Ludovico Ariosto, ”replied the other : whereupon, galloping up to him, thefreebooter hailed the poet (who expected a very differentsalutation) with the most profound respect and courtesy,introducing himself as Philippo Pachione, and regrettingthat, from not having previously known his person, heand his troop had not done due honour to him in pass-ing. He then launched out into vehement praises ofthe “ Orlando Furioso” (a poem likely enough to be thedelight of such adventurers), and with all humility andfrankness offered his most devoted services to its author.Baretti’s version of the anecdote is to the followingeffect: — Ariosto one morning happened to take a walkin his night-gown and slippers beyond the castle wherehe resided, fell into a fit of thought, and forgot himselfso much, that step after step he found himself, when herecovered, already far from home, and surrounded on asudden by a troop of desperadoes ; who certainly wouldhave ill used, and perhaps murdered him, had not hisface been known by one of the gang, who, informinghis comrades that it was signor Ariosto, the chief ofthe banditti addressed him with intrepid gallantry, andtold him, that since his excellency was the author of“ Orlando Furioso, ” he might be sure that none of hiscompany would injure him, but would see him, on thecontrary, safe to the castle. This they did, entertaininghim all the way with the passages which they mostadmired in his poem.” Ariosto himself seems to alludeto some such circumstance in the Epistle to S. Male-guccio (Satire V.), written during his residence in Graf-fagnana.
‘ f Saggio chi dal castel poco si scosta.”
“ He *s wise who strays but little from the castle.”