And for his elders lands and crowns had won.
His heart was puffed up with endless pride:
The other boasts more what himself had done
Than all his ancestors’ great acts beside;
Yet his forefathers old before him were
Famous in war and peace five hundred years.
XVI.
From Norway’s monarchs, who o’er many lands
Dominion held, Gemando traced descent,
And all the princely titles and commands
Of his proud ancestry his pride augment.
Rinaldo vaunts his own deserts before
All his departed forefathers had done,
Though they for full five hundred years and more.
In peace and war had equal glory won.
XVII.
Ma il barbaro Signor, che sol misura
Quanto l’oro, e ‘l dominio oltre si stenda,
E per se stima ogni virtute oscura,
132 Cui titolo regal chiara non renda;
Non può soffrir, che in ciò ch’egli procura,
Seco di merto il cavalier contenda:
E se ne cruccia sì, ch’oltra ogni segno
136 Di ragione il trasporta ira e disdegno.
XVII
This barbarous prince, who only vainly thought
That bliss in wealth and kingly power doth lie,
And in respect esteemed all virtue naught
Unless it were adorned with titles high,
Could not endure, that to the place he sought
A simple knight should dare to press so nigh;
And in his breast so boiled fell despite,
That ire and wrath exiled reason quite.
XVII.
But this barbarian potentate, who weighed
By power and gold his estimate of things,
And deemed all excellence obscured by shade,
Unless ennobled by the blood of kings,
Could not endure that for the post he sought,
Rinaldo strove in merit with him; nay,
Became so frantic that beyond all thought,
Despite and anger carried him away.
XVIII.
Talchè ‘l maligno spirito d’Averno,
Ch’in lui strada sì larga aprir si vede,
Tacito in sen gli serpe, ed al governo
140 De’ suoi pensieri lusingando siede:
E quì più sempre l’ira, e l’odio interno
Inacerbisce, e ‘l cor stimola e fiede:
E fa che ‘n mezzo all’alma ognor risuoni
144 Una voce ch’a lui così ragioni:
XVIII
The hidden devil, that lies in close await
To win the fort of unbelieving man,
Found entry there, where ire undid the gate,
And in his bosom unperceived ran;
It filled his heart with malice, strife and hate,
It made him rage, blaspheme, swear, curse and ban,
Invisible it still attends him near,
And thus each minute whispereth in his ear.
XVIII.
So that Avemus’ evil spirit, who
The opening saw with such advantage fraught,
In silence to his fevered bosom flew,
And deftly seized the rudder of his thought,
And evermore inflamed his rage and hate,
Goading to madness his excited breast,
And caused a voice his soul to penetrate,
Which in these terms the haughty prince addressed:
XIX.
Teco giostra Rinaldo; or tanto vale
Quel suo numero van d’antichi eroi?
Narri costui, ch’a te vuol farsi eguale,
148 Le genti serve, e i tributarj suoi:
Mostri gli scettri, e in dignità regale
Paragoni i suoi morti ai vivi tuoi.
Ah quanto osa un signor d’indegno stato,
152 Signor, che nella serva Italia è nato!
XIX
What, shall Rinaldo match thee? dares he tell
Those idle names of his vain pedigree?
Then let him say, if thee he would excel,
What lands, what realms his tributaries be:
If his forefathers in the graves that dwell,
Were honored like thine that live, let see:
Oh how dares one so mean aspire so high,
Born in that servile country Italy?
XIX.
‘Rinaldo vies with thee: thus much avail
The idle numbers of his ancestry?
Let him his vassals and allies detail,
Who on a par would place himself with thee;
His sceptre show, and his dead sires compare
With thy live kings in regal dignity.
Ah! what a prince of poor estate may dare,
A prince, too, born in servile Italy!
XX.
Vinca egli, o perda omai; fu vincitore
Sin da quel dì ch’emulo tuo divenne.
Che dirà il mondo? (e ciò fia sommo onore)
156 Questi già con Gernando in gara venne.
Poteva a te recar gloria e splendore
Il nobil grado, che Dudon pria tenne:
Ma già non meno esso da te n’attese;
160 Costui scemò suo pregio allor che ‘l chiese.
XX
Now, if he win, or if he lose the day,
Yet is his praise and glory hence derived,
For that the world will, to his credit, say,
Lo, this is he that with Gernando strived.
The charge some deal thee haply honor may,
That noble Dudon had while here he lived;
But laid on him he would the office shame,
Let it suffice, he durst desire the same.
XX.
‘Henceforth, or vanquished or victorious, he
Was victor when thy rival he became,
Since men (and ‘twill his proudest honour be)
Will say, to blows he with Gemando came;
The post held by Dudoné formerly
Thee with fresh splendour and renown had lit,
And still not less would have received from thee;
He dimmed its brilliancy in seeking it.
XXI.
E se, poich’altri più non parla o spira,
De’ nostri affari alcuna cosa sente;
Come credi che in Ciel, di nobil’ira,
164 Il buon vecchio Dudon si mostri ardente?
Mentre in questo superbo i lumi gira,
Ed al suo temerario ardir pon mente;
Che seco ancor, l’età sprezzando e ‘l merto,
168 Fanciullo osa agguagliarsi ed inesperto.
XXI
If when this breath from man’s frail body flies
The soul take keep, or know the things done here,
Oh, how looks Dudon from the glorious skies?
What wrath, what anger in his face appear,
On this proud youngling while he bends his eyes,
Marking how high he doth his feathers rear?
Seeing his rash attempt, how soon he dare,
Though but a boy, with his great worth compare.
XXI.
‘And if the voiceless, breathless soul bestow
A passing thought upon the affairs of men,
What just resentment thinkest thou wilt show
Thy former captain, old Dudoné, when
From his bright home amid the starry spheres,
Upon you haughty boy he turns his eye;
Who, making light of his desert and years,
Audacious stripling, dares with him to vie? —
XXII.
E l’osa pure, e ‘l tenta, e ne riporta
In vece di castigo onor e laude:
E v’è chi ne ‘l consiglia, e ne l’esorta,
172 (O vergogna comune!) e chi gli applaude.
Ma se Goffredo il vede, e gli comporta
Che di ciò ch’a te dessi, egli
ti fraude;
No ‘l soffrir tu; nè già soffrir lo dei,
176 Ma ciò che puoi dimostra, e ciò che sei.
XXII
He dares not only, but he strives and proves,
Where chastisement were fit there wins he praise:
One counsels him, his speech him forward moves;
Another fool approveth all he says:
If Godfrey favor him more than behoves,
Why then he wrongeth thee an hundred ways;
Nor let thy state so far disgraced be,
Now what thou art and canst, let Godfrey see.
XXII.
‘Ay, dares and strives forsooth, and carries back
Applause and honour, not reproach and blame;
Nor do advisers and abettors lack
Encouragement and praise — O common shame! —
But should Prince Godfred see it, and permit
Him to defraud thee of thy rightful due,
Suffer it not: thou must not suffer it,
But show him who thou art, and what canst do.’
XXIII.
Al suon di queste voci arde lo sdegno,
E cresce in lui quasi commossa face:
Nè capendo nel cor gonfiato e pregno,
180 Per gli occhj n’esce, e per la lingua audace.
Ciò che di riprensibile e d’indegno
Crede in Rinaldo, a suo disnor, non tace:
Superbo e vano il finge, e ‘l suo valore
184 Chiama temerità pazza e furore.
XXIII
With such false words the kindled fire began
To every vein his poisoned heart to reach,
It swelled his scornful heart, and forth it ran
At his proud looks, and too audacious speech;
All that he thought blameworthy in the man,
To his disgrace that would be each where preach;
He termed him proud and vain, his worth in fight
He called fool-hardise, rashness, madness right.
XXIII.
These words fresh fuel to his ire impart;
Like shaken torch, his passions fiercer rise,
Nor keep within his swoln and pregnant heart,
But from his bold tongue burst, and flashing eyes.
All that he thinks Rinaldo can defame,
He publishes to his disparagement;
He paints him proud, and dares his courage blame
As rash, foolhardy, and improvident.
XXIV.
E quanto di magnanimo, e d’altero,
E d’eccelso, e d’illustre in lui risplende,
Tutto (adombrando con mal’arti il vero)
188 Pur, come vizio sia, biasma e riprende:
E ne ragiona sì, che ‘l cavaliero
Emulo suo, pubblico il suon n’intende.
Non però sfoga l’ira, o si raffrena
192 Quel cieco impeto in lui, ch’a morte il mena.
XXIV
All that in him was rare or excellent,
All that was good, all that was princely found,
With such sharp words as malice could invent,
He blamed, such power has wicked tongue to wound.
The youth, for everywhere those rumors went,
Of these reproaches heard sometimes the sound;
Nor did for that his tongue the fault amend,
Until it brought him to his woful end.
XXIV.
And all that is magnanimous and fair,
Generous and high-souled in the illustrious youth,
He censures, as though blemishes they were,
And into shade malignly casts the truth;
And stormed so, that at length his rival heard
The wide-spread blasts of his malignant breath;
Yet would not hold his tongue, nor, undeterred,
That frenzy curb, which led him to his death.
XXV.
Chè ‘l reo demon, che la sua lingua move
Di spirto in vece, e forma ogni suo detto,
Fa che gl’ingiusti oltraggj ognor rinnove,
196 Esca aggiungendo all’infiammato petto.
Loco è nel campo assai capace, dove
S’aduna sempre un bel drappello eletto;
E quivi insieme, in torneamenti e in lotte,
200 Rendon le membra vigorose e dotte.
XXV
The cursed fiend that set his tongue at large,
Still bred more fancies in his idle brain,
His heart with slanders new did overcharge,
And soothed him still in his angry vein;
Amid the camp a place was broad and large,
Where one fair regiment might easily train;
And there in tilt and harmless tournament
Their days of rest the youths and gallants spent.
XXV.
Since the foul fiend that moved his tongue in lieu
Of exiled reason and his thoughts expressed,
Caused him his unjust insults to renew,
And added fuel to his burning breast
Within the camp was place of great extent,
Where a choice band oft met for martial games,
And there, in wrestling and the tournament,
Increased the skill and vigour of their frames.
XXVI.
Or quivi, allor che v’è turba più folta,
Pur, com’è suo destin, Rinaldo accusa:
E quasi acuto strale in lui rivolta
204 La lingua del venen d’Averno infusa:
E vicino è Rinaldo, e i detti ascolta;
Nè puote l’ira omai tener più chiusa:
Ma grida: menti; e addosso a lui si spinge,
208 E nudo nella destra il ferro stringe.
XXVI
There, as his fortune would it should betide,
Amid the press Gernando gan retire,
To vomit out his venom unespied,
Wherewith foul envy did his heart inspire.
Rinaldo heard him as he stood beside,
And as he could not bridle wrath and ire,
“Thou liest,” cried he loud, and with that word
About his head he tossed his flaming sword.
XXVI.
Now here, what time the crowd was thickest, he
Accused Rinaldo, and upon him flung,
Prompted by hell — as was his destiny —
The envenomed arrows of his spiteful tongue.
Rinaldo near, as thus his slanders rung,
No longer could contain himself, but roared,
‘You lie! ‘at once on his traducer sprung,
And quick as thought unsheathed his vengeful sword.
XXVII.
Parve un tuono la voce, e ‘l ferro un lampo
Che di folgor cadente annunzio apporte.
Tremò colui, nè vide fuga, o scampo
212 Dalla presente irreparabil morte:
Pur, tutto essendo testimonio il campo,
Fa sembiante d’intrepido e di forte;
E ‘l gran nemico attende, e ‘l ferro tratto,
216 Fermo si reca di difesa in atto.
XXVII
Thunder his voice, and lightning seemed his brand,
So fell his look, and furious was his cheer,
Gernando trembled, for he saw at hand
Pale death, and neither help nor comfort near,
Yet for the soldiers all to witness stand
He made proud sign, as though he naught did fear,
But bravely drew his little-helping blade,
And valiant show of strong resistance made.
XXVII.
Thunder his voice, his steel the flash appeared
Heralding fall of thunderbolt His fate
Gemando seeing, shook, and from it feared
No means there were himself to extricate.
But all the camp being witness, he put on
An air of bravery and confidence;
His foe awaiting, and with sabre drawn,
&
nbsp; Stood firmly in a posture of defence.
XXVIII.
Quasi in quel punto mille spade ardenti
Furon vedute fiammeggiar insieme;
Chè varia turba di mal caute genti
220 D’ogn’intorno v’accorre, e s’urta e preme.
D’incerte voci, e di confusi accenti
Un suon per l’aria si raggira e freme,
Qual s’ode in riva al mare, ove confonda
224 Il vento i suoi co’ mormorii dell’onda.
XXVIII
With that a thousand blades of burnished steel
Glistered on heaps like flames of fire in sight,
Hundreds, that knew not yet the quarrel weel,
Ran thither, some to gaze and some to fight:
The empty air a sound confused did feel
Of murmurs low, and outcries loud on height,
Like rolling waves and Boreas’ angry blasts
When roaring seas against the rocks he casts.
XXVIII.
At this burst forth a simultaneous flash,
As from their scabbards myriad falchions flew;
Since thither numbers of the young and rash,
Hustling and jostling from all quarters drew.
The cries confused of that tumultuous host,
Resounding through the air, resemblance bore
To what is heard upon the wild sea-coast,
When the wind mingles with the billows’ roar.
XXIX.
Ma per le voci altrui già non s’allenta
Nell’offeso guerrier l’impeto e l’ira.
Sprezza i gridi, e i ripari, e ciò che tenta
228 Chiudergli il varco, ed a vendetta aspira;
E fra gli uomini, e l’arme oltre s’avventa,
E la fulminea spada in cerchio gira,
Sì, che le vie si sgombra; e solo, ad onta
232 Di mille difensor, Gernando affronta.
XXIX
But not for this the wronged warrior stayed
His just displeasure and incensed ire,
He cared not what the vulgar did or said,
To vengeance did his courage fierce aspire:
Among the thickest weapons way he made,
His thundering sword made all on heaps retire,
So that of near a thousand stayed not one,
But Prince Gernando bore the brunt alone.
XXIX.
But not for menace or entreaty would
The insulted knight repress his fury’s fires;
Heedless of cries and obstacles that could
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