XIX.
With vans expanded, through the various parts
Of the wide world they spread themselves, and straight
Began to use their old infernal arts,
And new and diverse frauds to fabricate;
But say, O Muse! how first with loss they smote
The Christian forces, and from whence it came.
Thou know’st it; but of deeds so far remote
Has scarcely reached us the faint breath of fame.
XX.
Reggea Damasco e le città vicine
Idraote famoso e nobil mago;
Che fin da’ suoi prim’anni all’indovine
156 Arti si diede, e ne fu ognor più vago.
Ma che giovar, se non potè del fine
Di quella incerta guerra esser presago?
Ned aspetto di stelle erranti o fisse,
160 Nè risposta d’Inferno il ver predisse?
XX
The town Damascus and the lands about
Ruled Hidraort, a wizard grave and sage,
Acquainted well with all the damned rout
Of Pluto’s reign, even from his tender age;
Yet of this war he could not figure out
The wished ending, or success presage,
For neither stars above, nor powers of hell,
Nor skill, nor art, nor charm, nor devil could tell.
XX.
Prince Idraotes, a famed wizard, reigned
O’er proud Damascus and the cities near;
He from his early youth had knowledge gained
Of magic, and now prized it more than e’er.
But what availed it, could he not the end
Of the great conflict, doubtful still, foretell?
Nor from the fixed or wandering stars portend
The truth, nor yet from oracles of hell?
XXI.
Giudicò questi (ahi cieca umana mente,
Come i giudícj tuoi son vani e torti!)
Ch’all’esercito invitto d’Occidente
164 Apparecchiasse il Ciel ruine e morti:
Però credendo che l’Egizia gente
La palma dell’impresa alfin riporti,
Desia che ‘l popol suo nella vittoria
168 Sia dell’acquisto a parte, e della gloria.
XXI
And yet he thought, — Oh, vain conceit of man,
Which as thou wishest judgest things to come! —
That the French host to sure destruction ran,
Condemned quite by Heaven’s eternal doom:
He thinks no force withstand or vanquish can
The Egyptian strength, and therefore would that some
Both of the prey and glory of the fight
Upon this Syrian folk would haply light.
XXI.
He judged (ah, poor, short-sighted mind of man,
How vain, how warped the judgments of thy breast!)
That Heaven did ruin and destruction plan
Against the unconquered army of the West;
But deeming in the end the Egyptians would
The laurels of the enterprise obtain,
He wished his people in the victory should
As well the profit as the glory gain.
XXII.
Ma perchè il valor Franco ha in grande stima,
Di sanguigna vittoria i danni teme;
E va pensando con qual’arte in prima
172 Il poter de’ Cristiani in parte sceme:
Sicchè più agevolmente indi s’opprima
Dalle sue genti, e dall’Egizie insieme.
In questo suo pensier il sovraggiunge
176 L’Angelo iniquo, e più l’instiga e punge.
XXII
But for he held the Frenchmen’s worth in prize,
And feared the doubtful gain of bloody war,
He, that was closely false and slyly war,
Cast how he might annoy them most from far:
And as he gan upon this point devise, —
As counsellors in ill still nearest are, —
At hand was Satan, ready ere men need,
If once they think, to make them do, the deed.
XXII.
Still fearing that the war might bloody be,
And to himself result in certain loss,
He ‘gan to think by what contrivance he
Might shake the nascent influence of the Cross,
So that the Egyptians with his troops combined
With greater ease the Franks might triumph o’er.
His evil genius came while in this mind
He was, and spurred and egged him on still more.
XXIII.
Esso il consiglia, e gli ministra i modi
Onde l’impresa agevolar si puote.
Donna, a cui di beltà le prime lodi
180 Concedea l’Oriente, è sua nipote.
Gli accorgimenti e le più occulte frodi,
Ch’usi o femmina o maga, a lei son note.
Questa a se chiama, e seco i suoi consiglj
184 Comparte, e vuol che cura ella ne pigli.
XXIII
He counselled him how best to hunt his game,
What dart to cast, what net, what toil to pitch,
A niece he had, a nice and tender dame,
Peerless in wit, in nature’s blessings rich,
To all deceit she could her beauty frame,
False, fair and young, a virgin and a witch;
To her he told the sum of this emprise,
And praised her thus, for she was fair and wise:
XXIII.
He counselled him, and ministered the ways
That would the labour of the emprise decrease.
A maid, to whom all Asia gave the praise
Of greatest beauty, was the wizard’s niece.
The frauds most skilful and the arts most fine
Of witch and woman she completely knew:
Whence her he called, imparted his design,
Which he entreated her to carry through.
XXIV.
Dice: o diletta mia, che sotto biondi
Capelli, e fra sì tenere sembianze,
Canuto senno, e cor virile ascondi,
188 E già nell’arti mie me stesso avanze;
Gran pensier volgo; e se tu lui secondi,
Seguiteran gli effetti alle speranze:
Tessi la tela ch’io ti mostro ordita,
192 Di cauto vecchio esecutrice ardita.
XXIV
“My dear, who underneath these locks of gold,
And native brightness of thy lovely hue,
Hidest grave thoughts, ripe wit, and wisdom old,
More skill than I, in all mine arts untrue,
To thee my purpose great I must unfold,
This enterprise thy cunning must pursue,
Weave thou to end this web which I begin,
I will the distaff hold, come thou and spin.
XXIV.
‘Darling,’ he said,’who ‘neath those locks of gold,
And ‘neath an aspect of such gentleness,
Conceal’st a head so wise, a heart so bold,
And dost myself in my own art surpass,
Great schemes I meditate. Success will crown
Our warmest hopes, if in them thoult engage;
Weave then the web whose textile threads I have spun.
And dauntless execute the plans of age.
XXV.
Vanne al campo nemico: ivi s’impieghi
Ogn’arte femminil, ch’amore alletti:
Bagna di pianto, e fà melati i preghi:
196 Tronca e confondi co’ sospiri i detti:
Beltà dolente e miserabil pieghi
Al tuo volere i più ostinati petti:
Vela il soverchio ardir con la vergogna,
200 E fà manto del vero alla menzogna.
XXV
“Go to the Christians’ host, and there assay
All subtle sleights that wome
n use in love,
Shed brinish tears, sob, sigh, entreat and pray,
Wring thy fair hands, cast up thine eyes above,
For mourning beauty hath much power, men say,
The stubborn hearts with pity frail to move;
Look pale for dread, and blush sometime for shame,
In seeming truth thy lies will soonest frame.
XXV.
‘Go to the hostile camp, and there employ
Each art of woman that to love allures.
Go, bathed in tears; with sweets thy prayers alloy;
With deep-drawn sighs confound thy overtures.
Let beauty, weeping and forlorn, not fail
To bend unyielding age and wilful youth;
Excessive boldness with coy blushes veil,
And let thy falsehood wear the mask of truth.
XXVI.
Prendi, s’esser potrà, Goffredo all’esca
De’ dolci sguardi, e de’ bei detti adorni;
Sicch’all’uomo invaghito omai rincresca
204 L’incominciata guerra, e la distorni.
Se ciò non puoi, gli altri più grandi adesca:
Menagli in parte, ond’alcun mai non torni.
Poi distingue i consiglj: alfin le dice:
208 Per la fe, per la patria il tutto lice.
XXVI
“Take with the bait Lord Godfrey, if thou may’st;
Frame snares of look, strains of alluring speech;
For if he love, the conquest then thou hast,
Thus purposed war thou may’st with ease impeach,
Else lead the other Lords to deserts waste,
And hold them slaves far from their leader’s reach:”
Thus taught he her, and for conclusion, saith,
“All things are lawful for our lands and faith.”
XXVI.
‘Take, if thou canst, Prince Godfred with the bait
Of thy sweet glances and refined address;
So that, enthralled by love, he terminate
The war begun, and further strife repress.
If that can’t be, the other chieftains lure;
Coax them away, by thy soft ways trepann’d,
Ne’er to return.’ Then gave details mature;
Adding: ‘All’s lawful for our faith and land.’
XXVII.
La bella Armida di sua forma altera,
E de’ doni del sesso e dell’etate,
L’impresa prende; e in su la prima sera
212 Parte, e tiene sol vie chiuse e celate:
E ‘n treccia, e ‘n gonna femminile spera
Vincer popoli invitti, e schiere armate.
Ma son del suo partir tra ‘l volgo, ad arte,
216 Diverse voci poi diffuse e sparte.
XXVII
The sweet Armida took this charge on hand,
A tender piece, for beauty, sex and age,
The sun was sunken underneath the land,
When she began her wanton pilgrimage,
In silken weeds she trusteth to withstand,
And conquer knights in warlike equipage,
Of their night ambling dame the Syrians prated,
Some good, some bad, as they her loved or hated.
XXVII.
The fair Armida, of her beauty proud,
And of the gifts her sex and youth imparts,
Accepts the charge, and beneath twilights shroud,
By the most lone and secret paths, departs;
And, with her woman’s robe and flowing hair,
Hopes to o’ercome an armed unconquered race;
While of her flight a thousand rumours are
On purpose spread and scattered through the place.
XXVIII.
Dopo non molti dì vien la Donzella
Dove spiegate i Franchi avean le tende.
All’apparir della beltà novella
220 Nasce un bisbiglio, e ‘l guardo ognun v’intende;
Siccome là, dove cometa o stella,
Non più vista di giorno, in ciel risplende:
E traggon tutti per veder chi sia
224 Sì bella peregrina, e chi l’invia.
XXVIII
Within few days the nymph arrived there
Where puissant Godfrey had his tents ypight;
Upon her strange attire, and visage clear,
Gazed each soldier, gazed every knight:
As when a comet doth in skies appear,
The people stand amazed at the light;
So wondered they and each at other sought,
What mister wight she was, and whence ybrought.
XXVIII.
Few days elapsed ere reached the damsel where
Stood ranged in order the Crusaders’ tents.
At the appearance of such beauty rare
A buzz arose; all gazed in rapt suspense,
As if in heaven, in the broad light of day,
Resplendent shone a comet or a star;
And round her flocked the Christians to survey
And learn the errand of the pilgrim fair.
XXIX.
Argo non mai, non vide Cipro o Delo,
D’abito o di beltà forme sì care.
D’auro ha la chioma; ed or dal bianco velo
228 Traluce involta, or discoperta appare.
Così qualor si rasserena il cielo,
Or da candida nube il Sol traspare;
Or dalla nube uscendo, i raggj intorno
232 Più chiari spiega, e ne raddoppia il giorno.
XXIX
Yet never eye to Cupid’s service vowed
Beheld a face of such a lovely pride;
A tinsel veil her amber locks did shroud,
That strove to cover what it could not hide,
The golden sun behind a silver cloud,
So streameth out his beams on every side,
The marble goddess, set at Cnidos, naked
She seemed, were she unclothed, or that awaked.
XXIX.
Not Argos, Delos, nor did Cyprus e’er
Such model see of beauty or of mien;
Wimpled in snowy gauze, her golden hair
Now flashes through, now all exposed is seen:
So when the skies clear up, erst veiled in haze,
Through fleecy clouds the sun transparent shines,
Now bursting forth, still brighter beams displays,
And in redoubled light the day enshrines.
XXX.
Fa nove crespe l’aura al crin disciolto,
Che natura per se rincrespa in onde:
Stassi l’avaro sguardo in se raccolto,
236 E i tesori d’amore, e i suoi nasconde.
Dolce color di rose in quel bel volto
Fra l’avorio si sparge e si confonde:
Ma nella bocca, ond’esce aura amorosa,
240 Sola rosseggia, e semplice la rosa.
XXX
The gamesome wind among her tresses plays,
And curleth up those growing riches short;
Her spareful eye to spread his beams denays,
But keeps his shot where Cupid keeps his fort;
The rose and lily on her cheek assays
To paint true fairness out in bravest sort,
Her lips, where blooms naught but the single rose,
Still blush, for still they kiss while still they close.
XXX.
Through her loose tresses, waved by Nature, steals
(Crisping fresh curls therein) the sportive air;
Her glance, concentred in itself, conceals
Love’s treasure and its own with miser care.
In her fair cheek the damask of the rose
With ivory’s white diffuses and combines;
But her sweet lips — whence air, love-breathing, blows —
The simple rose unmixed encamadines.
XXXI.
Mostra il bel petto le sue nevi ignude,
Onde il foco d’amor si nutre e desta:
Parte appar delle mamme acerbe e crude,
244 Parte altrui ne ricopre invida vesta:
Invida, ma s’agli occhj il varco chiude,
L’amoroso pensier già non arresta;
Chè non ben pago di bellezza esterna,
248 Negli occulti secreti anco s’interna.
XXXI
Her breasts, two hills o’erspread with purest snow,
Sweet, smooth and supple, soft and gently swelling,
Between them lies a milken dale below,
Where love, youth, gladness, whiteness make their dwelling,
Her breasts half hid, and half were laid to show,
So was the wanton clad, as if this much
Should please the eye, the rest unseen, the touch.
XXXI.
Her beauteous bosom flaunts its naked snows,
Whence is awaked and fed Love’s ardent fire;
Her breasts in part their budding charms disclose,
In part are hidden by her envious tire.
Envious! But if to sight it bars approach,
It cannot check the amorous thoughts, which, not
Content with mere external form, encroach
And penetrate to the most secret spot.
XXXII.
Come per acqua, o per cristallo intero
Trapassa il raggio, e nol divide o parte;
Per entro il chiuso manto osa il pensiero
252 Sì penetrar nella vietata parte:
Ivi si spazia, ivi contempla il vero
Di tante maraviglie a parte a parte:
Poscia al desio le narra e le descrive,
256 E ne fa le sue fiamme in lui più vive.
XXXII
As when the sunbeams dive through Tagus’ wave,
To spy the store-house of his springtime gold,
Love-piercing thought so through her mantle drave,
And in her gentle bosom wandered bold;
It viewed the wondrous beauty virgins have,
And all to fond desire with vantage told,
Alas! what hope is left, to quench his fire
That kindled is by sight, blown by desire.
XXXII.
And as through water or clear glass a ray
Passes entire, nor parts it nor divides,
So through the barrier robe thought makes its way,
And to forbidden places boldly glides.
There spatiates freely, there the truth surveys
Of each rare marvel separately; and thence
The lovely picture to desire displays,
Jerusalem Delivered Page 176