Jerusalem Delivered
Page 187
Thus argued she. Unable to recede,
The captain gave assent to her request,
Although, she being impatient to proceed,
He saw the election with himself must rest
Each with unwonted instance urged his claim
To be admitted of the chosen band,
Whence the emulation that this roused in them
Made all importunate in their demand.
LXX.
Ella, che in essi mira aperto il core,
Prende, vedendo ciò, novo argomento:
E sul lor fianco adopra il rio timore
556 Di gelosia per sferza e per tormento;
Sapendo ben, ch’alfin s’invecchia amore
Senza quest’arti, e divien pigro e lento;
Quasi destrier che men veloce corra,
560 Se non ha chi lui segua, o chi ‘l precorra.
LXX
She that well saw the secret of their hearts,
And knew how best to warm them in their blood,
Against them threw the cursed poisoned darts
Of jealousy, and grief at others’ good,
For love she wist was weak without those arts,
And slow; for jealousy is Cupid’s food;
For the swift steed runs not so fast alone,
As when some strain, some strive him to outgone.
LXX.
She, who thus saw their inmost hearts exposed,
With them adopts another instrument,
And artfully the wretched sting imposed
Of jealousy, to scourge them and torment,
Knowing full well without such spur that love
Grows old and sluggish. So the crafty steed
With easy paces only deigns to move
If there be none that follow or precede.
LXXI.
E in tal modo comparte i detti sui,
E ‘l guardo lusinghiero, e ‘l dolce riso,
Ch’alcun non è che non invídi altrui:
564 Nè il timor dalla speme è in lor diviso.
La folle turba de gli amanti, a cui
Stimolo è l’arte d’un fallace viso,
Senza fren corre, e non gli tien vergogna,
568 E loro indarno il Capitan rampogna.
LXXI
Her words in such alluring sort she framed,
Her looks enticing, and her wooing smiles,
That every one his fellows’ favors blamed,
That of their mistress he received erewhiles:
This foolish crew of lovers unashamed,
Mad with the poison of her secret wiles,
Ran forward still, in this disordered sort,
Nor could Godfredo’s bridle rein them short.
LXXI.
Her subtle words she apportions in such guise,
To this a smile, to that a flattering leer,
That each the other views with envious eyes,
And hope ne’er dawns but chilled by jealous fear.
The frantic crowds of her admirers, who
By tricks of her deceitful face are ta’en,
O’erleap all bounds, all sense of shame eschew,
And even Godfred reprimands in vain.
LXXII.
Ei ch’egualmente satisfar desira
Ciascuna delle parti, e in nulla pende;
Sebben alquanto or di vergogna, or d’ira
572 Al vaneggiar de’ cavalier s’accende;
Poich’ostinati in quel desio li mira,
Novo consiglio in accordarli prende.
Scrivansi i vostri nomi, ed in un vaso
576 Pongansi, disse, e sia giudice il caso.
LXXII
He that would satisfy each good desire,
Withouten partial love, of every knight,
Although he swelled with shame, with grief and ire
To see these fellows and these fashions light;
Yet since by no advice they would retire,
Another way he sought to set them right:
“Write all your names,” quoth he, “and see whom chance
Of lot, to this exploit will first advance.”
LXXII.
He, who to satisfy them all desired,
Nor leaned to one more than another, though
Somewhat by shame and indignation fired,
To see his dukes such doting folly show;
Still, as they would not from their loadstar turn,
He to accord them fresh advice supplied:
‘Write down your names and place them in an urn,
And let Chance judge, and this your case decide.’
LXXIII.
Subito il nome di ciascun si scrisse,
E in picciol’urna posti e scossi foro,
E tratti a sorte: e ‘l primo che n’uscisse
580 Fu il Conte di Pembrozia Artemidoro.
Legger poi di Gherardo il nome udisse:
Ed uscì Vincilao dopo costoro:
Vincilao, che sì grave e saggio innante,
584 Canuto or pargoleggia e vecchio amante.
LXXIII
Their names were writ, and in an helmet shaken,
While each did fortune’s grace and aid implore;
At last they drew them, and the foremost taken
The Earl of Pembroke was, Artemidore,
Doubtless the county thought his bread well baken;
Next Gerrard followed, then with tresses hoar
Old Wenceslaus, that felt Cupid’s rage
Now in his doating and his dying age.
LXXIII.
At once each cavalier inscribed his name,
Which in the urn was placed and shaken o’er,
Then drawn by lot: when lo! the first that came
Was Pembroke’s noble earl, Artemidore.
Succeeding his, Gherardo’s name was read;
Then Vincilao’s came to his great joy,
He, who was erst so prudent and so staid,
Now, hoary lover, plays the love-sick boy.
LXXIV.
Oh come il volto han lieto, e gli occhj pregni
Di quel piacer che dal cor pieno inonda,
Questi tre primi eletti, i cui disegni
588 La fortuna in amor destra seconda.
D’incerto cor, di gelosia dan segni
Gli altri, il cui nome avvien che l’urna asconda:
E dalla bocca pendon di colui
592 Che spiega i brevi, e legge i nomi altrui.
LXXIV
Oh how contentment in their foreheads shined!
Their looks with joy; thoughts swelled with secret pleasure,
These three it seemed good success designed
To make the lords of love and beauty’s treasure:
Their doubtful fellows at their hap repined,
And with small patience wait Fortune’s leisure,
Upon his lips that read the scrolls attending,
As if their lives were on his words depending.
LXXIV.
Oh! what delight these three first chosen show,
Their eyes how teeming with that ecstasy
Which from the full full heart doth overflow,
To find love favoured thus by Destiny.
The rest feel jealousy’s heart-scalding pang,
Whose names the tantalising urn conceals,
And on his lips in mute attention hang,
Who the scroll opens and the name reveals.
LXXV.
Guasco quarto fuor venne, a cui successe
Ridolfo, ed a Ridolfo indi Olderico;
Quinci Guglielmo Ronciglion si lesse,
596 E ‘l Bavaro Eberardo, e ‘l Franco Enrico:
Rambaldo ultimo fu, che farsi elesse
Poi, fe cangiando, di Gesù nemico;
Tanto puote Amor dunque? e questi chiuse
600 Il numero de’ dieci, e gli altri escluse.
LXXV
Guasco the fourth, Ridolpho him succeeds,
Then Ulderick whom love list so adva
nce,
Lord William of Ronciglion next he reads,
Then Eberard, and Henry born in France,
Rambaldo last, whom wicked lust so leads
That he forsook his Saviour with mischance;
This wretch the tenth was who was thus deluded,
The rest to their huge grief were all excluded.
LXXV.
Guasco was fourth; Rodolpho him succeeds;
The next the Fates to Olderic award;
William Ronciglion after that he reads,
Then Henry, and Bavarian Everard;
Last was Rambaldo, he who later chose
That faith to change he now to Christ professed
Has love such influence then? ) — This brings to a close
The ten agreed on, and excludes the rest.
LXXVI.
D’ira, di gelosia, d’invidia ardenti
Chiaman gli altri Fortuna ingiusta e ria:
A te accusano, Amor, che le consenti
604 Che nell’imperio tuo giudice sia.
Ma perchè instinto è dell’umane menti,
Che ciò che più si vieta, uom più desia,
Dispongon molti, ad onta di Fortuna,
608 Seguir la donna, come il ciel s’imbruna.
LXXVI
O’ercome with envy, wrath and jealousy,
The rest blind Fortune curse, and all her laws,
And mad with love, yet out on love they cry,
That in his kingdom let her judge their cause:
And for man’s mind is such, that oft we try
Things most forbidden, without stay or pause,
In spite of fortune purposed many a knight
To follow fair Armida when ’twas night.
LXXVI.
Burning with envy, rage, and jealousy,
The rest call Fortune unjust, and complain,
Hard-hearted Love, most bitterly of thee,
To let her arbitrate in thy domain.
But, as instinctively the human mind
That which is most forbidden most desires,
Many in spite of Fortune have designed
The maid to follow when heaven pales its fires
LXXVII.
Voglion sempre seguirla all’ombra, al Sole,
E per lei, combattendo, espor la vita.
Ella fanne alcun motto, e con parole
612 Tronche, e dolci sospiri a ciò gl’invita:
Ed or con questo, ed or con quel si duole,
Che far convienle senza lui partita.
S’erano armati intanto, e da Goffredo
616 Toglieano i dieci cavalier congedo.
LXXVII
To follow her, by night or else by day,
And in her quarrel venture life and limb.
With sighs and tears she gan them softly pray
To keep that promise, when the skies were dim,
To this and that knight did she plain and say,
What grief she felt to part withouten him:
Meanwhile the ten had donned their armor best,
And taken leave of Godfrey and the rest.
LXXVII.
Follow they will in sunshine and in shade,
And hazard life in battling for her rights;
The occasion seizing, unto this the maid
Them with sweet sighs and broken words invites,
And now with this and now with that doth grieve
That without him she must depart. Meanwhile,
Armed, the ten champions of the chief take leave,
Lured by the spell of her bewitching smile.
LXXVIII.
Gli ammonisce quel saggio a parte a parte,
Come la fe Pagana è incerta e leve,
E mal sicuro pegno: e con qual’arte
620 L’insidie, e i casi avversi uom fuggir deve.
Ma son le sue parole al vento sparte:
Nè consiglio d’uom saggio Amor riceve.
Lor dà commiato alfine, e la Donzella
624 Non aspetta al partir l’alba novella.
LXXVIII
The duke advised them every one apart,
How light, how trustless was the Pagan’s faith,
And told what policy, what wit, what art,
Avoids deceit, which heedless men betray’th;
His speeches pierce their ear, but not their heart,
Love calls it folly, whatso wisdom saith:
Thus warned he leaves them to their wanton guide,
Who parts that night; such haste had she to ride.
LXXVIII.
The sage minutely warns them ere they part
How false is Pagan honour and how light,
Their word how insecure, and with what art
Man should their snares and hostile purpose slight.
But scattered to the wind his precepts were,
For when did Love learn wisdom from the wise?
Them he dismissed at length, nor would the fair
Postpone her going even till sunrise.
LXXIX.
Parte la vincitrice, e quei rivali,
Quasi prigioni, al suo trionfo innanti
Seco n’adduce, e tra infiniti mali
628 Lascia la turba poi degli altri amanti.
Ma come uscì la notte, e sotto l’ali
Menò il silenzio, e i lievi sogni erranti;
Secretamente, com’Amor gl’informa,
632 Molti d’Armida seguitaron l’orma.
LXXIX
The conqueress departs, and with her led
These prisoners, whom love would captive keep,
The hearts of those she left behind her bled,
With point of sorrow’s arrow pierced deep.
But when the night her drowsy mantle spread,
And filled the earth with silence, shade and sleep,
In secret sort then each forsook his tent,
And as blind Cupid led them blind they went.
LXXIX.
The conqueror goes, and with her leads along
The rival knights in her triumphant train,
And of her other lovers leaves the throng
To evils infinite. But when again
Dark night came forth and ‘neath her wings brought back
Silence profound and errant dreams renewed,
Many, as Love disposes them, the track
Of fair Armida furtively pursued.
LXXX.
Segue Eustazio il primiero, e puote appena
Aspettar l’ombre che la notte adduce.
Vassene frettoloso, ove nel mena
636 Per le tenebre cieche un cieco duce.
Errò la notte tepida e serena;
Ma poi, nell’apparir dell’alma luce,
Gli apparse insieme Armida e ‘l suo drappello,
640 Dove un borgo lor fu notturno ostello.
LXXX
Eustatio first, who scantly could forbear,
Till friendly night might hide his haste and shame,
He rode in post, and let his breast him bear
As his blind fancy would his journey frame,
All night he wandered and he wist not where;
But with the morning he espied the dame,
That with her guard up from a village rode
Where she and they that night had made abode.
LXXX.
First Eustace followed her; he scarcely stayed
E’en for the shroud of shadow-bearing night.
Through the thick gloom his way he quickly made,
A blind guide leading him in his blind flight;
All night he wandered in the genial air,
But when the sun’s life-giving radiance rose,
He spied Armida and her escort where
A burgh last night afforded them repose.
LXXXI.
Ratto ei ver lei si muove, ed all’insegna
Tosto Rambaldo il riconosce, e grida
Chè ricerchi fra loro, e perchè vegna.
644 Vengo, risponde,
a seguitarne Armida,
Ned ella avrà da me, se non la sdegna,
Men pronta aita, o servitù men fida.
Replica l’altro: Ed a cotanto onore,
648 Dì, chi t’elesse? egli soggiunge: Amore.
LXXXI
Thither he galloped fast, and drawing near
Rambaldo knew the knight, and loudly cried,
“Whence comes young Eustace, and what seeks he here?”
“I come,” quoth he, “to serve the Queen Armide,
If she accept me, would we all were there
Where my good-will and faith might best be tried.”
“Who,” quoth the other, “choseth thee to prove
This high exploit of hers?” He answered, “Love.”
LXXXI.
Swiftly he flew to her: him by his crest
At once Rambaldo recognised, and cried:
‘Why comest here? of what art thou in quest?’
‘I come to join Armida,’ he replied,
‘Nor is there who will trustier service pay,
If she disdain me not nor disapprove.’
Rambaldo then: ‘And to such honour, say,
Who has elected you?’ He answered: ‘Love!
LXXXII.
Me scelse Amor, te la Fortuna: or quale
Da più giusto elettore eletto parti?
Dice Rambaldo allor: nulla ti vale
652 Titolo falso, ed usi inutil’arti:
Nè potrai della vergine regale
Fra i campioni legitimi mischiarti,
Illegittimo servo: e chi, riprende
656 Cruccioso il giovinetto, a me il contende?
LXXXII
“Love hath Eustatio chosen, Fortune thee,
In thy conceit which is the best election?”
“Nay, then, these shifts are vain,” replied he,
“These titles false serve thee for no protection,
Thou canst not here for this admitted be
Our fellow-servant, in this sweet subjection.”
“And who,” quoth Eustace, angry, “dares deny
My fellowship?” Rambaldo answered, “I.”
LXXXII.
‘Me Love elected, random Fortune thee:
Which is more fitting arbiter to choose?’
Rambaldo said: ‘Thou dost but prove to me
Thy title false, and useless tactics use;
Nor with the lawful champions of the maid
Canst thou presume to mix, unlawful knight.’
Provoked at this, the impetuous stripling said:
‘And who’ll prevent me or deny my right?’