On thrones red-hot, ybuilt of burning brass,
Pluto in middest heaved his trident great,
Of rusty iron huge that forged was,
The rocks on which the salt sea billows beat,
And Atlas’ tops, the clouds in height that pass,
Compared to his huge person mole-hills be,
So his rough front, his horns so lifted he.
VI.
Some on the left side; others of the band
Stood on the right, hell’s ruthless king before;
I’ the centre sat grim Pluto, his right hand
A ponderous mace, the sovran emblem, bore.
No sea-girt rock, no cliff with head so reared,
Not Calpé, no, nor Atlas, but had now,
Compared with him, a little mound appeared,
So towered aloft his mighty horns and brow.
VII.
Orrida maestà nel fero aspetto
Terrore accresce, e più superbo il rende:
Rosseggian gli occhj, e di veneno infetto,
52 Come infausta cometa, il guardo splende:
Gl’involve il mento, e su l’irsuto petto
Ispida e folta la gran barba scende:
E in guisa di voragine profonda,
56 S’apre la bocca d’atro sangue immonda.
VII
The tyrant proud frowned from his lofty cell,
And with his looks made all his monsters tremble,
His eyes, that full of rage and venom swell,
Two beacons seem, that men to arms assemble,
His feltered locks, that on his bosom fell,
On rugged mountains briars and thorns resemble,
His yawning mouth, that foamed clotted blood,
Gaped like a whirlpool wide in Stygian flood.
VII.
Horrific majesty increased the dread
Of his fierce look, and did its pride enhance;
His eyes, infect with poison, were blood-red;
Like baleful comet shone his murderous glance;
Matted and thick fell down his grisly beard,
And o’er his breast in tangled masses flowed;
Like a deep gulf his cavern-jaws appeared,
Beslubbered over with black, clotted blood.
VIII.
Qual’i fumi sulfurei, ed infiammati
Escon di Mongibello, e ‘l puzzo e ‘l tuono;
Tal della fera bocca i negri fiati,
60 Tale il fetore e le faville sono.
Mentre ei parlava, Cerbero i latrati
Ripresse, e l’Idra si fè muta al suono:
Restò Cocíto, e ne tremar gli abissi;
64 E in questi detti il gran rimbombo udissi:
VIII
And as Mount Etna vomits sulphur out,
With cliffs of burning crags, and fire and smoke,
So from his mouth flew kindled coals about,
Hot sparks and smells that man and beast would choke,
The gnarring porter durst not whine for doubt;
Still were the Furies, while their sovereign spoke,
And swift Cocytus stayed his murmur shrill,
While thus the murderer thundered out his will:
VIII.
Like Mongibello’s suffocating smoke,
Like to its stench and thunder you’d compare;
The fetid blasts, that in dense volumes broke
From his foul throat; alike the sparkles were.
While speaking, Cerberus his bark allayed;
Mute was the Hydra at its lord’s harangue;
The abysses shook — his course Cocytus stayed,
As through all hell his thundering accents rang.
IX.
Tartarei Numi, di seder più degni
Là sovra il Sole, ond’è l’origin vostra,
Che meco già dai più felici regni
68 Spinse il gran caso in questa orribil chiostra;
Gli antichi altrui sospetti, e i fieri sdegni
Noti son troppo, e l’alta impresa nostra.
Or colui regge a suo voler le stelle,
72 E noi siam giudicate alme rubelle.
IX
“Ye powers infernal, worthier far to sit
About the sun, whence you your offspring take,
With me that whilom, through the welkin flit,
Down tumbled headlong to this empty lake;
Our former glory still remember it,
Our bold attempts and war we once did make
Gainst him, that rules above the starry sphere,
For which like traitors we lie damned here.
IX.
‘Tartarean gods! more worthy far are ye
Above the sun, where ye were born, to sit,
Whom the great Fall hurled headlong down with me
From happier regions to this gloomy pit
Other’s old passions and suspicions are
But too well known, not less our great emprise.
Alas! how changed. His will now rules each star,
And we are deemed but rebels in His eyes.
X.
Ed in vece del dì sereno e puro,
Dell’aureo Sol, degli stellati giri,
N’ha quì rinchiusi in questo abisso oscuro,
76 Nè vuol ch’al primo onor per noi s’aspiri.
E poscia (ahi quanto a ricordarlo è duro!
Quest’è quel che più inaspra i miei martíri)
Ne’ bei seggj celesti ha l’uom chiamato;
80 L’uom vile, e di vil fango in terra nato.
X
“And now instead of clear and gladsome sky,
Of Titan’s brightness, that so glorious is,
In this deep darkness lo we helpless lie,
Hopeless again to joy our former bliss,
And more, which makes my griefs to multiply,
That sinful creature man, elected is;
And in our place the heavens possess he must,
Vile man, begot of clay, and born of dust.
X.
‘And in the place of day’s unclouded bliss,
Of circling stars, and the sun’s golden fire,
Here He has mewed us, in this dark abyss,
Nor wills that we to our first rank aspire.
Then (ah, how hard its memory is to bear!
This is what doth the sharpest sting convey)
He summoned man His blest abode to share,
Man! abject man! vile earth-born child of clay!
XI.
Nè ciò gli parve assai; ma in preda a morte,
Sol per farne più danno, il Figlio diede.
Ei venne, e ruppe le tartaree porte,
84 E porre osò ne’ regni nostri il piede,
E trarne l’alme a noi dovute in sorte,
E riportarne al Ciel sì ricche prede;
Vincitor trionfando; e in nostro scherno
88 Le insegne ivi spiegar del vinto Inferno.
XI
“Nor this sufficed, but that he also gave
His only Son, his darling to be slain,
To conquer so, hell, death, sin and the grave,
And man condemned to restore again,
He brake our prisons and would algates save
The souls there here should dwell in woe and pain,
And now in heaven with him they live always
With endless glory crowned, and lasting praise.
XI.
‘Nor did that seem enough. His Son accurst
He made Death’s prey, to aggravate our loss,
Who came, and through hell’s fiery portals burst,
And with bold foot our threshold dared to cross;
And thence dragged souls that were by right our share,
And our rich prey replaced in heaven’s retreat;
And in despite of us, in triumph there
Displayed the flags that told of hell’s defeat.
XII.
Ma chè rinnovo i miei dolor parlando?
C
hi non ha già l’ingiurie nostre intese?
Ed in qual parte si trovò, nè quando
92 Ch’egli cessasse dalle usate imprese?
Non più dèssi alle antiche andar pensando,
Pensar dobbiamo alle presenti offese.
Deh non vedete omai come egli tenti
96 Tutte al suo culto richiamar le genti?
XII
“But why recount I thus our passed harms?
Remembrance fresh makes weakened sorrows strong,
Expulsed were we with injurious arms
From those due honors, us of right belong.
But let us leave to speak of these alarms,
And bend our forces gainst our present wrong:
Ah! see you not, how he attempted hath
To bring all lands, all nations to his faith?
XII.
‘But why my grief by idle words renew?
Who of our wrongs is ignorant, and where
Or when did He desist to injure you,
Or from His wonted stratagems forbear?
Remembrance of the past we should not wake,
When every thought our present sufferings claim;
For see ye not how He attempts to make
All lands bow down in homage to His name?
XIII.
Noi trarrem neghittosi i giorni, e l’ore,
Nè degna cura fia che ‘l cor n’accenda?
E soffrirem che forza ognor maggiore
100 Il suo popol fedele in Asia prenda?
E che Giudea soggioghi, e che ‘l suo onore,
Che ‘l nome suo più si dilati e stenda?
Che suoni in altre lingue, e in altri carmi
104 Si scriva, e incida in nuovi bronzi, e marmi?
XIII
“Then, let us careless spend the day and night,
Without regard what haps, what comes or goes,
Let Asia subject be to Christians’ might,
A prey he Sion to her conquering foes,
Let her adore again her Christ aright,
Who her before all nations whilom chose;
In brazen tables he his lore ywrit,
And let all tongues and lands acknowledge it.
XIII.
‘Shall we then waste in sloth the days and hours,
And in cold-blooded apathy remain?
What! let in Asia these accursed Giaours,
His faithful flock, still further laurels gain,
Extend His honour, and exalt His praise?
Subject Judea, and His name make known?
Sound it in other tongues, in other lays,
On bronzes write it, and incise in stone?
XIV.
Che sian gl’Idoli nostri a terra sparsi?
Che i nostri altari il mondo a lui converta?
Ch’a lui sospesi i voti, a lui sol’arsi
108 Siano gl’incensi, ed auro e mirra offerta?
Ch’ove a noi tempio non solea serrarsi,
Or via non resti all’arti nostre aperta?
Che di tant’alme il solito tributo
112 Ne manchi, e in voto regno alberghi Pluto?
XIV
“So shall our sacred altars all be his,
Our holy idols tumbled in the mould,
To him the wretched man that sinful is
Shall pray, and offer incense, myrrh and gold;
Our temples shall their costly deckings miss,
With naked walls and pillars freezing cold,
Tribute of souls shall end, and our estate,
Or Pluto reign in kingdoms desolate.
XIV.
‘What! see our cherished idols overthrown,
And to His service our loved altars turned?
To Him suspended vows — to Him alone
Offered up gold, and myrrh, and incense burned?
And where ‘gainst us no temple closed its door,
Shall none now open to our arts remain?
Shall souls, once ours, rich tribute pay no more,
And in a desert kingdom Pluto reign?
XV.
Ah non fia ver, chè non sono anco estinti
Gli spirti in noi di quel valor primiero,
Quando di ferro e d’alte fiamme cinti
116 Pugnammo già contra il celeste impero.
Fummo, io nol nego, in quel conflitto vinti;
Pur non mancò virtute al gran pensiero:
Ebbero i più felici allor vittoria;
120 Rimase a noi d’invitto ardir la gloria.
XV
“Oh, he not then the courage perished clean,
That whilom dwelt within your haughty thought,
When, armed with shining fire and weapons keen,
Against the angels of proud Heaven we fought,
I grant we fell on the Phlegrean green,
Yet good our cause was, though our fortune naught;
For chance assisteth oft the ignobler part,
We lost the field, yet lost we not our heart.
XV.
‘No, no, it shall not be, since that fierce zeal
That fired of yore our spirits is not lost,
With which, when girt with lambent flame and steel,
We boldly fought against the heavenly host.
Worsted by them we were, I can’t deny;
Still valour nobly our great scheme sustained,
And though they then obtained the victory,
With us the glory of the attempt remained.
XVI.
Ma perchè più v’indugio? Itene, o miei
Fidi consorti, o mia potenza e forze:
Ite veloci, ed opprimete i rei,
124 Prima che ‘l lor poter più si rinforze;
Pria che tutt’arda il regno degli Ebrei,
Questa fiamma crescente omai s’ammorze:
Fra loro entrate, e in ultimo lor danno
128 Or la forza s’adopri, ed or l’inganno.
XVI
“Go then, my strength, my hope, my Spirits go,
These western rebels with your power withstand,
Pluck up these weeds, before they overgrow
The gentle garden of the Hebrews’ land,
Quench out this spark, before it kindles so
That Asia burn, consumed with the brand.
Use open force, or secret guile unspied;
For craft is virtue gainst a foe defied.
XVI.
‘But why detain you, faithful comrades, more?
Away, my strength; my peerless force, away!
Go, crush these wicked fanatics, before
Still further stablished is their crescent sway.
And ere the kingdom of Judea burn,
Quench the fierce flames it threatening to consume;
Among them enter, and adopt in turn
Now force, now fraud, to speed their final doom.
XVII.
Sia destin ciò ch’io voglio; altri disperso
Sen vada errando: altri rimanga ucciso:
Altri in cure d’amor lascive immerso,
132 Idol si faccia un dolce sguardo e un riso:
Sia ‘l ferro incontro al suo rettor converso
Dallo stuol ribellante e in se diviso:
Pera il campo e ruini, e resti in tutto
136 Ogni vestigio suo con lui distrutto.
XVII
“Among the knights and worthies of their train,
Let some like outlaws wander uncouth ways,
Let some be slain in field, let some again
Make oracles of women’s yeas and nays,
And pine in foolish love, let some complain
On Godfrey’s rule, and mutinies gainst him raise,
Turn each one’s sword against his fellow’s heart,
Thus kill them all or spoil the greatest part.”
XVII.
‘Let what I will be Fate. Let some remove
Far from the camp; let some be slain, the while
That others, sunk in wanton cares of lov
e,
Their idols make of a sweet glance and smile.
Against their rulers turn the traitorous steel
Of a divided and rebellious race;
Let the camp perish, nor one stone reveal
Of its once whereabouts the slightest trace.
XVIII.
Non aspettar già l’alme a Dio rubelle
Che fosser queste voci al fin condotte;
Ma fuor volando, a riveder le stelle
140 Già se n’uscian dalla profonda notte;
Come sonanti e torbide procelle,
Che vengan fuor delle natíe lor grotte
Ad oscurar il cielo, a portar guerra
144 Ai gran regni del mare e della terra.
XVIII
Before his words the tyrant ended had,
The lesser devils arose with ghastly roar,
And thronged forth about the world to gad,
Each land they filled, river, stream and shore,
The goblins, fairies, fiends and furies mad,
Ranged in flowery dales, and mountains hoar,
And under every trembling leaf they sit,
Between the solid earth and welkin flit.
XVIII.
To wait, those rebel spirits did not deign
Till brought were his instructions to an end;
But flying forth to see the stars again,
From the dark realms of endless night ascend,
Like raging storms resounding from afar,
When bursting from the caverns of their birth,
To cloud heaven’s azure face, and carry war
O’er the vast regions of the sea and earth.
XIX.
Tosto spiegando in varj lati i vanni,
Si furon questi per lo mondo sparti;
E incominciaro a fabbricar inganni
148 Diversi e nuovi, e ad usar lor arti.
Ma di’ tu, Musa, come i primi danni
Mandassero ai Cristiani, e di quai parti:
Tu ‘l sai; ma di tant’opra a noi sì lunge
152 Debil aura di fama appena giunge.
XIX
About the world they spread forth far and wide,
Filling the thoughts of each ungodly heart
With secret mischief, anger, hate and pride,
Wounding lost souls with sin’s empoisoned dart.
But say, my Muse, recount whence first they tried
To hurt the Christian lords, and from what part,
Thou knowest of things performed so long agone,
This latter age hears little truth or none.
Jerusalem Delivered Page 175