During the high Middle Ages, poems written on the “Matter of France”—that is, tales of the paladins of Charlemagne and of Count Roland (or Orlando) in particular—were among Europe’s most beloved literary entertainments; only stories of the Arthurian court (the “Matter of Britain”) rivaled them in popularity, variety, or extravagance of invention. One would scarcel (...)
July 16, 2010
Books
Taking Liberties
Orlando FuriosoA New Verse TranslationLudovico Ariosto, translated by David R. SlavinBelknap Harvard, $39.95, 672 pp.
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