Torquato Tasso
(1544-1595)
Contents
The Epic Poem
JERUSALEM DELIVERED
SIR RICHARD CAREW 1595 TRANSLATION
EDWARD FAIRFAX 1600 TRANSLATION
JOHN KINGSTON JAMES 1865 TRANSLATION
The Italian Text
CONTENTS OF THE ITALIAN TEXT
The Dual Text
THE DUAL ITALIAN AND ENGLISH TEXTS
The Biography
TASSO’S LIFE AND GENIUS by Leigh Hunt
The Delphi Classics Catalogue
© Delphi Classics 2016
Version 1
Torquato Tasso
By Delphi Classics, 2016
COPYRIGHT
Torquato Tasso - Delphi Poets Series
First published in the United Kingdom in 2016 by Delphi Classics.
© Delphi Classics, 2016.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.
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NOTE
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The Epic Poem
Sorrento, a town overlooking the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy — Tasso’s birthplace
The father of Torquato Tasso, Bernardo Tasso (1493-1569) was an Italian courtier and also a poet.
The Torquato Tasso monument in Sorrento
JERUSALEM DELIVERED
The epic poem La Gerusalemme liberata was first published in 1581 and concerns a largely mythical interpretation of the First Crusade in which Christian knights, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, battle Muslims in order to take Jerusalem. The poem is composed of eight line stanzas grouped into 20 cantos of varying length. It belongs to the Italian Renaissance tradition of the romantic epic poem, as Tasso frequently borrows plot elements and character types from Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, as well as elements inspired by the classical epics of Homer and Virgil. One of the most characteristic literary devices in Jerusalem Delivered is the emotional conundrum endured by characters torn between their heart and their duty. Another central theme is the depiction of love at odds with martial valour, as honour serves as a central source of lyrical passion in the poem.
Tasso began work on the epic in the mid-1560’s, when it had the working title Il Goffredo. Jerusalem Delivered was completed in April, 1575 and that summer Tasso read his poem to Duke Alfonso of Ferrara and Lucrezia, Duchess of Urbino. A pirate edition of fourteen cantos from the poem appeared in Venice in 1580. The first complete editions were published in Parma and Ferrara in 1581.
A largely fictional account of the Crusades, the epic tells of the initial disunity and setbacks of the Christians and their ultimate success in taking Jerusalem in 1099. Though the principal historical leaders of the First Crusade feature in the work, much of the poem is concerned with romantic sub-plots involving entirely fictional characters, except for Tancredi, who is identified with the historical Tancred, Prince of Galilee. The three main female characters are Muslims, until they have romantic entanglements with Christian knights and are subsequently converted to Christianity. The female characters are presented by the poet as women of action, as two of them fight in battles and the third is a skilled sorceress. There are many magical elements in the poem and the Saracen side often act as though they were classical pagans. The most famous episodes and those most often dramatised and painted by artists include the following:
Canto 2: Sophronia, a Christian maiden of Jerusalem, accuses herself of a crime in order to avert a general massacre of the Christians by the Muslim king. In an attempt to save her, her lover Olindo accuses himself in turn, and each lover pleads with the authorities in order to save the other. However, the arrival and intervention of the warrior-maiden Clorinda saves them.
Canto 5: The witch Armida (modelled on Circe in Homer and the witch Alcina in Ariosto) enters the Christian camp asking for their aid; her seductions divide the knights against each other and a group leaves with her, only to be transformed into animals by her magic.
Canto 12: Clorinda joins the Muslims, but the Christian knight Tancred falls in love with her. During a night battle in which she sets the Christian siege tower on fire, she is mistakenly killed by Tancred, but she converts to Christianity before dying.
Canto 13: To prevent the crusaders from cutting timber for siege engines, the Muslim sorcerer Ismen protects the forest with enchantments, which defeat the Christian knights, even Tancred.
Canto 20: When Crusaders arrive at Jerusalem, there is a great battle outside the walls, which the Christians win, completing their quest.
Jerusalem Delivered was incredibly successful throughout Europe and over the next two centuries various sections were frequently adapted as individual storylines for madrigals, operas, plays, ballets and masquerades. Certain critics of the period, however, were less enthusiastic and Tasso came under much criticism for the magical extravagance and narrative entanglements in the narrative. Before his death, he rewrote the poem with significant changes, under a new title Jerusalem Conquered. Yet, this revised version has found little favour with either audiences or critics.
The fame of Jerusalem Delivered quickly spread throughout the European continent. In England, Sidney, Daniel and Drayton admired the epic and, most importantly, Edmund Spenser described Tasso as an “excellente poete”. Spenser went on to employ key elements of Tasso’s epic in the extraordinarily influential English work The Faerie Queene. The description of Redcrosse’s vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem in the First Book of Spenser’s epic poem owes a great debt to Rinaldo’s morning vision in Canto 18 of Jerusalem Delivered.
The first attempt to translate Tasso’s epic into English was made by Richard Carew, who published his interpretation of the first five cantos as Godfrey of Bulloigne or the recoverie of Hierusalem in 1594. A much more significant translation, featuring the complete rendering of the Italian text by Edward Fairfax, appeared in 1600 and has been acclaimed as one of the finest English verse translations. Tasso’s poem remained popular among educated English readers and was, at least until the end of the nineteenth century, considered one of the supreme achievements of Western literature.
‘Tancred and Erminia’ by Nicolas Poussin, Hermitage Museum — Tancred (1075-1112) was a Norman leader of the First Crusade, who later became Prince of Galilee and regent of the Principality of Antioch.
The hero of the epic: Godfrey of Bouillon, from a fresco painted by Giacomo Jaquerio in Saluzzo, northern Italy, in c. 1420
The title page of Fairfax’s translation, the first full rendering in English
An eighteenth century edition of the original text
‘Clorinda Rescues Olindo and Sophronia’ by Eugène Delacroix
‘Clorinda attacks Tancredi’ by Paolo Domenico Finoglia
‘Erminia discovers the wounded Tancred’ by Guercino, 1619
‘Rinaldo and Armida in her Garden’ by François Boucher
‘Rinaldo and the Wizard of Ascalon’ by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
SIR RICHARD CAREW 1595 TRANSLATION
CONTENTS
TO THE READER
THE FIRST SONG
THE SECOND SONG
THE THIRD SONG
THE FOURTH SONG
THE FIFTH
SONG
SCIPIO GENTILI TO THE DIVINE ELIZABETH, QUEEN OF ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, PIOUS, BLESSED, RENOWNED, EVER AUGUST
If we believe that shepherds’ small gifts, golden berries and clusters of ivy please a heavenly queen as much as do myrrh, gold, and gifts perfumed with incenses of Sheba bestowed by the hands of Ethiopian kings, then the sweet sound of gods cheering in the welkin has smiled on this lad. You also, o greatest image on earth of our celestial King, sacred brilliance, amidst the choice gifts of your peers, and the music of this festal day, do not despise this song, decked out by me in Latin dress, a song which a prince of those bards who have ever sung though the cities of Italy with the help of their ancestral Muses, divine Tasso, has poured forth from his breast. This is a gift which has not been lacking in any time or prince, oh Elisa, unique splendor of pristine virtue, whether you, protected by your faith, oh virgin rival of Godfrey, should be commanding churches be purged of their profaned altars and Thames to ignore mad Tiber’s threats, or whether you are governing teeming peoples with the reins of justice and tranquil peace, and, grave of countenance, are presiding over great Parliament, seated on your mighty throne, or whether it should please you to visit the Muses’ Boeotian fountains and imbibe their sacred waters, or whether you should be Diana’s sole companion, and, a golden quiver hung on your shoulder, harry the greenwoods and your father’s realms at the hunt. Whither, whither are you carrying me, Muses. Hail, renowned offspring of kings, hail, great glory bestowed upon the earth, and may you read my paltry trifles with a happy face!
ON TASSO
Hidden by silent, dark shadows, in which a blind man’s Lydian child and a goddess of Antium plunged him, Tasso nevertheless stirs the remote Britons and the Indies with his Jerusalemite Muses, and freely flies throughout the world, borne on the pinion of his golden glory. He has bested all the poets of Etruria, Rome, and Greece who have lived until now, and he bests the shadows themselves, and the gods.
SCIPIO GENTILI, AN ITALIAN, TO THE POETS OF ITALY
I have introduced these cantos, just lately made known by the Muses of Tuscany, to a city of Roman citizens, although I am dwelling in a northern city as a guest from central Italy, far from your fields. Here, where under an azure sky the Thames produces snow-white swans, and feeds on the grassy beds of its banks, and with its ocean current laves a new Troy, flowing backward towards its source. And though my age of twenty quickly-passing years may daunt me, and although Caesar’s laws might divert my attention in another direction, nevertheless, having begun this task at my friends’ urgings and my fathers behest, I produce a thing that is indeed small, yet glories hatched in a few years of my life. But you, who breathe Italian air sacred to poets under a blessed sky, I pray you extol this bard throughout foreign climes, a bard to be spoken of to the hoary centuries whom Vergil, were he to arise from Elysium’s vale, would gladly bestow upon Latin ears.
TO THE READER
GENTLEMEN, let it be lawfull for me with your leaves to trouble you a little. It was my good hap of late to get into my hands an English translated copie of Seig. Tasso’s Hierusalem, done (as I was informed) by a gentleman of good sort and qualitie, and many waies commended unto me for a worke of singular worth, and excellencie: whereupon, by the advise, or rather at the instance of some of my best friends, I determined to send it to the presse. Wherin if my forwardnes have fore-ranne the gentlemans good liking, yet let mee winne you to make me happie with the sweete possession of your favours, for whose sakes I have done whatsoever herein is done. When first I sent it to the printer, I did not certainely know whose worke it was, and so rested deprived of al meanes to gaine his assent and good liking thereunto, and yet notwithstanding the perswasions of some that would faine have prevailed with me, I resolved (at the motion, no doubt, of some rare excellent spirit, that knew and foresaw this to be the readiest meanes to draw him to publishe some of his many most excellent labours) to goe on with what I had begunne, ever assuring my selfe, and never doubting, but that you would like of it your selves, and intertaine it with such deere affection as it doth worthily merit. Now if it shall not in each part lively resemble the absolute perfection of the doer thereof, yet is hee blamelesse, and the fault as it is mine, so I wil acknowledge it for mine. For by my haste it proves his untimely birth, and doubtlesse miserably wanteth of that glorious beautie wherewith it otherwise would, and hereafter happily may be richly honoured withal. Now whereas I thought you should have had all together, I must pray you to accept of the five first Songs. For it hath pleased the excellent doer of them (for certain causes to him selfe best knowne) to command a staie of the rest till the sommer. In that which is done, I have caused the Italian to be printed together with the English, for the delight and benefit of those gentlemen that love that most lively language. And thereby the learned reader shall see to how strict a course the translator hath tyed himselfe in the whole work, usurping as little liberty as any whatsoever that every wrote with any commendations. Thus (as in duetie I ought) I have presented unto your views the course of my whole proceedings herein, humbly praying you to censure of the work with such respectfull consideration as shalbe meete, and to amend with patience such faults as are unwillingly escaped in the printing. And so you shall doe what shall well beseeme you, and give him his right that will never wrong you.
From Exceter the last of Februarie, 1594.
Yours,
C. H.
THE FIRST SONG
1. I sing the godly armes, and that chieftaine,
Who great sepulchre of our Lord did free,
Much with his hande, much wrought he with his braine,
Much in his glorious conquest suffred hee,
And hell in vaine hit selfe opposde, in vaine
The mixed troopes Asian and Libick flee
To armes, for heaven him favour’d, and he drew
To sacred ensignes his straid mates anew.
2. O Muse, thou that they head not compassest
With fading bayes, which Helicon doth beare,
But bove in skyes, amids the quyers blest,
Dost golden crowne of starres immortall weare,
Celestiall flames breath thou into my brest,
Enlighten thou my song, and pardon where
I fainings weave with truth, and verse with art,
Of pleasings deckt, wherin thou hast no part.
3. Thou knowst, where luring Parnase most poures out
His sweetnesse, all the world doth after runne,
And that truth season’d with smoth verse, from doubt
The waywardst (flocking) to beleeve hath wonne,
So cup, his brimmes earst liquoarisht about
With sweete, we give to our diseased sonne.
Beguilde he drinkes some bitter juyce the while,
And doth his life receive from such a guile.
4. Thou noble minded Alfonse, who doest save
From Fortunes furie, and to port dost steare
Me wandring pilgrime, midst of many a wave,
And many a rocke betost, and drencht welneare,
My verse with friendly grace t’ accept vouchsave,
Which as in vow, sacred to thee I beare.
One day perhaps, my pen forhastening
Will dare what now of thee tis purposing.
5. If ever Christians to agreement growe,
And with their navy and their force by land,
A pray so great and wrong from Turkish foe
Seeke to regaine, dew reason doth command
That of that soyle the scepter they bestowe,
Or of those seas, if so thy pleasure stand,
On thee, thou Godfreys countermate, my rime
Attend, and armes provide in this meane time.
6. Since Christian campe for high exploit to th’ East
Had past, the last of sixe yeares on now ranne,
And Nice by force, and Antioch not least
Of power, by warlike policie they wanne.
Wheregainst when Pers
ians passing number preast,
In battaile bold they hit defended thanne.
And Tortose gat, which done, to winters raigne
They yeelde, and stay the comming yeere againe.
7. The season, by his kind enclinde to weat,
Which layes up armes, wearie his course now ends,
When Sire eternall from his loftie seat,
Which in the purest part of heaven extends,
And from the lowest hell, what space is great
To starres, so farre above the starres ascends,
Lookes downe, and in one blinck, and in one vew,
Comprizeth all what so the world can shew.
8. Ech thing he viewes, and then he sett his eye
On Syria, where Christian princes stay,
And with that sight, which percingly can spy
What closet up humaine affections lay,
He Godfrey sees, who Panims lewd to fly
From sacred citie would enforce away.
And full of faith, and full of zeale in heart,
All worldy wealthy, rule, glory, layes apart.
9. But he in Baldwyn sees a greedie vaine,
Which bent to humaine greatnesse high aspires,
He Tancred sees, his life hold in disdaine,
So much a fond love him afflicting fires,
And Boemund he sees, for his new raigne
Of Antioch foundations deep desires
To ground, and lawes enacts, and orders layth
And arts brings in, and plants the Christen faith.
10. And in this course he entred is so farre,
Jerusalem Delivered Page 1