Orlando Furioso

One of the most influential works in the whole of European literature, Orlando Furioso ("Orlando Enraged" or "Mad Orlando") is an Italian romantic epic by Ludovico Ariosto. The action takes place against the background of the war between Charlemagne and his Christian paladins, and the Saracen army that is attempting to invade Europe. However, the poem has little concern for historical or geographical accuracy, and it includes many magical elements such as a trip to the moon.