Britomart, all in her snow-white smocke, with locks vnbownd,
Threatning the point of her auenging blade, 1997,
Ink and phototransfer on paper, 50x65 cm,
Reference: 975016

Del otro lado vieron a la guerrera doncella,
con su túnica blanca como la nieve y los mechones sueltos,
amenazando con la punta de su espada vengadora,
que con tan terrible terror todos se sintieron consternados.

Pero uno de aquellos seis caballeros, alto como un guardia,
sacó un arco mortal y una flecha afilada,
que lanzó con desprecio felonioso,
y cayó de lleno contra la virgen resplandeciente.
El acero mortal no se detuvo hasta que se vio
que le desgarraba el costado, pero la herida no era profunda,
sino que rasgó ligeramente su suave piel sedosa,
de la que brotaron gotas de sangre purpúrea,
que cubrieron su túnica de lirios con manchas de bermellón.
 

Con lo cual ella, enfurecida, voló ferozmente hacia ellos,
y con su espada llameante a su alrededor los atacó,
de modo que ninguno de ellos pudo evitar el vil daño,
sino que con sus terribles golpes todos fueron consternados.
Aquí, allí y por todas partes a su alrededor se balanceaba
su acero iracundo, de modo que nadie más lo pudo soportar.

Britomart Excerpts from The Faerie Queene, book III, cant. I

For she was full of amiable grace,
And manly terrour mixed therewithall,
...

Now whenas all the world in silence deepe
Yshrowded was, and euery mortall wight
Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleepe,
Faire Malecasta, whose engrieued spright
Could find no rest in such perplexed plight,
Lightly arose out of her wearie bed,
And vnder the blacke vele of guilty Night,
Her with a scarlot mantle couered,
That was with gold and Ermines faire enueloped.

Where feeling one close couched by her side,
She lightly lept out of her filed bed,
And to her weapon ran, in minde to gride
The loathed leachour. But the Dame halfe ded
Through suddein feare and ghastly drerihed,
Did shrieke alowd, that through the house it rong,
And the whole family therewith adred,
Rashly out of their rouzed couches sprong,
And to the troubled chamber all in armes did throng.

And those six Knights that Ladies Champions,
And eke the Redcrosse knight ran to the stownd,
Halfe armd and halfe vnarmd, with them attons:
Where when confusedly they came, they fownd
Their Lady lying on the sencelesse grownd;
On th'other side, they saw the warlike Mayd
All in her snow-white smocke, with locks vnbownd,
Threatning the point of her auenging blade,
That with so troublous terrour they were all dismayde.

But one of those sixe knights, Gardante hight,
Drew out a deadly bow and arrow keene,
Which forth he sent with felonous despight,
And fell intent against the virgin sheene:
The mortall steele stayd not, till it was seene
To gore her side, yet was the wound not deepe,
But lightly rased her soft silken skin,
That drops of purple bloud thereout did weepe,
Which did her lilly smock with staines of vermeil steepe.

Wherewith enrag'd she fiercely at them flew,
And with her flaming sword about her layd,
That none of them foule mischiefe could eschew,
But with her dreadfull strokes were all dismayd:
Here, there, and euery where about her swayd
Her wrathfull steele, that none mote it abide;
And eke the Redcrosse knight gaue her good aid,
Ay ioyning foot to foot, and side to side,
That in short space their foes they haue quite terrifide.

Tho whenas all were put to shamefull flight,
The noble Britomartis her arayd,
And her bright armes about her body dight:
For nothing would she lenger there be stayd,
Where so loose life, and so vngentle trade
Was vsd of Knights and Ladies seeming gent:
So earely ere the grosse Earthes gryesy shade
Was all disperst out of the firmament,
They tooke their steeds, & forth vpõ their iourney went.

Belphoebe

exposicion sala Norte