Adam McPhee’s Reviews > Floridoro: A Chivalric Romance > Status Update

Canto XI and XII. Floridoro sneaks in and out of Celisdea’s bedroom on the night of the banquet, foiling a would-be rapist. Acreonte's brother swears revenge against Cleardo when the body turns up the next morning. Then the history of Venice as told by Circetta.

Canto X. The Delphic oracle says Odoria and Risardo will marry, much to the chagrin of her companions. They leave for Armenia. Floridoro singlehandedly wins the tournament but refuses to take his helmet off when receiving the prize, because he wasn’t allowed to fight. They claim it's for religious reasons but the King is clearly on to them. Celisdea’s mom catches her sighing over the knight.

Canto IX: Filandro cheers up Floridoro and they take their place in the lists, ready to fight. Risardo & Odoria continue their journey to the oracle at Delphi, her retinue jealous of him. The come across a woman tied to a pine tree, Grascia. They rescue her from an evil knight, learn that she was sent from Biondaura to raise allies against Risamante. They agree to help her, but first: the temple. It's beautiful, etc.

Canto VIII. Circetta tells the knights how her mother, Circe, sought vengeance on her deadbeat dad, Ulysses, and invaded Ithaka and gave it to Circetta. She's here until a knight frees her. Silano prepares for the challenge by flirting with Circetta, figuring he needs her help to win. Meanwhile Floridoro is being a weepy loser at the tournament because he fell in love.

Canto VII: Floridoro’s pal contrives a way for him to fight incognito in the tournament. Upon entering the arena Floridoro falls in love with Celisdea, loses control of his horse, it wanders away with him on it, dumbstruck. Meanwhile the two Italian knights are brought into a marvellous cave to feast with their host, Circetta. She falls in love with one of them when he removes his helmet and begs to hear her story.

Canto V. The knights arrive for the tournament in Greece, except for the two Italians who end up on Ithaka (though they don't know it yet) and watch a sorceress play at being Alcina, turning a man into a tree. She sees them and wants to show them something, promises them safety and says she needs knights. Risamante tells her host how she acquired her ring of courage and he recruits her for a perilous mission.

Canto IV. On the way to Egypt to rescue Raggidora, Risardo hears of the tournament in Athens and heads there instead. This angers the dwarf, who leaves. Risardo meets Odoria, a woman dressed as a knight headed to the Oracle at Delphi. He falls in love and goes with her. In Egypt, Lideo is crowned king. It's revealed he assassinated his predecessor and framed Raggidora because she spurned his love. He calls for backup

Canto III. Risamante finds one of those beautiful enclosed gardens from Boiardo. She fights a serpent into a hole, but loses her lance and destrier. A voice tells her to follow it. She finds a woman and her bastard child, protected by a Fay. The Fay gives R a magic ring, shows her her progeny, like in the Furioso with the d'Estes, but Fonte is hoping the Medicis will be her patron, so it's they mythological origins.

Canto II. Risamante arrives and defeats the giant. She looks just like the giant's portrait of Biondaura, bc they're sisters. She's questing bc she's been cheated out of her half of the inheritance. Athenians thank her. Two Italian knights shipwrecked on journey to new Athens tournament. The Dwarf King of the Pygmies travels to Thrace to ask for help freeing a wrongly accused Egyptian princess he's in love with.