Atlantes was a powerful sorcerer featured in ''

chansons de geste The ''chanson de geste'' (, from Latin 'deeds, actions accomplished') is a medieval narrative, a type of epic poem that appears at the dawn of French literature. The earliest known poems of this genre date from the late 11th and early 12th cen ...

''. In Boiardo's ''Orlando Innamorato'' (1482), where he is known as Atalante, the magician fears that Rugiero (Boiardo's spelling) will convert to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

and aid

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

against the

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century Germany in the Middle Ages, German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings, to refer ...

. To prevent this and forestall Rugiero's death, he constructs a magic garden ringed by glass on Mt. Carena in the

Atlas Mountains The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. It separates the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range. It stretches around through Moroc ...

, after which he is named.Boiardo, ''Orlando Innamorato'', 2.3.27. In ''

Orlando Furioso ''Orlando furioso'' (; ''The Frenzy of Orlando'', more loosely ''Raging Roland'') is an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was no ...

'', Atlantes' magical castle is filled with illusions, in order to divert Ruggiero (Ariosto's spelling) from what he has foretold as certain doom. Ruggiero is later set free by

Bradamante Bradamante (occasionally spelled Bradamant) is a fictional knight heroine in two epic poems of the Renaissance: ''Orlando Innamorato'' by Matteo Maria Boiardo and ''Orlando Furioso'' by Ludovico Ariosto. Since the poems exerted a wide influence o ...

and after numerous trials and quests sires a great line of heroes. He later dies betrayed fulfilling the destiny foretold by Atlantes.

References

Sources

*Boiardo: ''Orlando innamorato'' ed. Giuseppe Anceschi (Garzanti,1978) *Boiardo: ''Orlando innamorato'' translated by Charles Stanley Ross, (Parlor Press, 2004). *Ariosto:''Orlando Furioso'', verse translation by

Barbara Reynolds Eva Mary Barbara Reynolds (13 June 1914 – 29 April 2015) was an English scholar of Italian Studies, lexicographer and translator. She wrote and edited several books concerning Dorothy Sayers and was president of the Dorothy L. Sayers Soci ...

in two volumes (Penguin Classics, 1975). Part one (cantos 1–23) ; part two (cantos 24–46) *Ariosto: ''Orlando Furioso'' ed. Marcello Turchi (Garzanti, 1974) *Ariosto: ''Orlando Furioso: A Selection'' ed. Pamela Waley (Manchester University Press, 1975) Fictional characters introduced in the 15th century Matter of France Characters in Orlando Innamorato and Orlando Furioso Fictional characters who use magic French folklore {{Europe-myth-stub

See also

References

Sources