Angelica and the Hermit

One episode in Ariosto’s epic poem “Orlando furioso” (1516) describes how the heroine Angelica is pursued by a hermit who has fallen in love with her. Using his knowledge of magic, he casts a spell on her horse and takes her over the ocean to a remote island. Because she still rejects him, he makes her drink a sleeping potion so that he can kneel before her and admire her beauty.