Jerusalem Delivered
Page 190
Chiese: o Signore, ai messaggier licenza
132 Dassi tra voi di liberi sermoni?
Dassi, rispose il Capitano, e senza
Alcun timor la tua proposta esponi.
Riprese quegli: or si parrà, se grata
136 O formidabil fia l’alta ambasciata.
XVII
And when the man before the presence came
Of princely Godfrey, and his captains bold:
“My Lord,” quoth he, “may I withouten blame
Before your Grace, my message brave unfold?”
“Thou mayest,” he answered, “we approve the same;
Withouten fear, be thine ambassage told.”
“Then,” quoth the herald, “shall your highness see,
If this ambassage sharp or pleasing be.”
XVII.
Soon as he did the royal presence reach
Of pious Godfred and his barons bold,
He asked: ‘Do ye grant liberty of speech
To me, a herald?’ ‘Ay, at once unfold,’
Replied the chief, ‘without the slightest fear
Thy proposition, whatsoe’er it be.’
Rejoined the herald, ‘It will then appear
If sweet or bitter prove my embassy.’
XVIII.
E seguì poscia, e la disfida espose
Con parole magnifiche, ed altere.
Fremer s’udiro, e si mostrar sdegnose
140 Al suo parlar quelle feroci schiere:
E senza indugio il pio Buglion rispose:
Dura impresa intraprende il cavaliere:
E tosto io creder vuò, che gliene incresca
144 Sì, che d’uopo non fia che ‘l quinto n’esca.
XVIII
The challenge gan he then at large expose,
With mighty threats, high terms and glorious words;
On every side an angry murmur rose,
To wrath so moved were the knights and lords.
Then Godfrey spake, and said, “The man hath chose
An hard exploit, but when he feels our swords,
I trust we shall so far entreat the knight,
As to excuse the fourth or fifth of fight.
XVIII.
He gave them then the challenge, and assumed
A tone so haught, and used such lofty words,
That at his language the fierce barons fumed,
And clapped their angry hands upon their swords.
The pious Godfred, without waiting, said,
‘Your champion undertakes a hard emprise:
‘I fain would think he may repent, nor need
A fifth his bold presumption to chastise;
XIX.
Ma venga in prova pur, che d’ogn’oltraggio
Gli offero campo libero e sicuro;
E seco pugnerà senza vantaggio
148 Alcun de’ miei campioni: e così giuro.
Tacque; e tornò il Re d’arme al suo viaggio
Per l’orme, ch’al venir calcate furo:
E non ritenne il frettoloso passo,
152 Finchè non diè risposta al fier Circasso.
XIX
“But let him come and prove, the field I grant,
Nor wrong nor treason let him doubt or fear,
Some here shall pay him for his glorious vaunt,
Without or guile, or vantage, that I swear.
The herald turned when he had ended scant,
And hasted back the way he came whileare,
Nor stayed he aught, nor once forslowed his pace,
Till he bespake Argantes face to face.
XIX.
‘But let him bide the proof; I grant your knight
Safe conduct here — an open field and fair;
With him shall one of our Crusaders fight,
Nor vantage take — this solemnly I swear.’
He ceased. The king at arms returned again
By the same pathway he had trod before;
Nor did the swiftness of his steps restrain
Till he the answer to Arganté bore.
XX.
Armati, dice, alto Signor, chè tardi?
La disfida accettata hanno i Cristiani:
E d’affrontarsi teco i men gagliardi
156 Mostran desio, non che i guerrier soprani.
E mille i’ vidi minacciosi sguardi,
E mille al ferro apparecchiate mani:
Loco sicuro il Duce a te concede.
160 Così gli dice; e l’arme esso richiede.
XX
“Arm you, my lord,” he said, “your bold defies
By your brave foes accepted boldly been,
This combat neither high nor low denies,
Ten thousand wish to meet you on the green;
A thousand frowned with angry flaming eyes,
And shaked for rage their swords and weapons keen;
The field is safely granted by their guide,”
This said, the champion for his armor cried.
XX.
‘Arm, arm, my lord,’ he cried, ‘nor use delay,
Thy challenge is accepted; not alone
The sovran knights are burning for the fray,
But even those less noble and less known.
I saw, while there, a thousand lowering brows;
Grasping the sword I saw a thousand hands;
A field secure the Christian chief allows.’
This said, his arms the fiery Turk demands.
XXI.
E se ne cinge intorno, e impaziente
Di scenderne s’affretta alla campagna.
Disse a Clorinda il Re, ch’era presente:
164 Giusto non è ch’ei vada, e tu rimagna.
Mille dunque con te di nostra gente
Prendi in sua sicurezza, e l’accompagna;
Ma vada innanzi a giusta pugna ei solo:
168 Tu lunge alquanto a lui ritien lo stuolo.
XXI
While he was armed, his heart for ire nigh brake,
So yearned his courage hot his foes to find:
The King to fair Clorinda present spake;
“If he go forth, remain not you behind,
But of our soldiers best a thousand take,
To guard his person and your own assigned;
Yet let him meet alone the Christian knight,
And stand yourself aloof, while they two fight.”
XXI.
And girt them round him, in his haste to tread
(Intolerant of sloth) the listed plain.
To bold Clorinda then the monarch said,
‘Unjust it were he go while you remain,
Take then a thousand spears to escort the knight,
And guard his safety ‘gainst unfair assault,
But let him go alone, in equal fight;
You at some distance off your party halt.’
XXII.
Tacque ciò detto: e poi che furo armati,
Quei del chiuso n’uscivano all’aperto:
E giva innanzi Argante, e dagli usati
172 Arnesi in sul cavallo era coperto.
Loco fu tra le mura e gli steccati
Che nulla avea di diseguale, o d’erto,
Ampio e capace: e parea fatto ad arte,
176 Perch’egli fosse altrui campo di Marte.
XXII
Thus spake the King, and soon without abode
The troop went forth in shining armor clad,
Before the rest the Pagan champion rode,
His wonted arms and ensigns all he had:
A goodly plain displayed wide and broad,
Between the city and the camp was spread,
A place like that wherein proud Rome beheld
The forward young men manage spear and shield.
XXII.
This said, he ceased; and they, when armed, bore
Down from the rampired city to the plain,
And fierce Arganté galloped on before,
Sheathed in his wonted panoply of cha
in.
‘Twixt Pagan wall and Christian palisade,
A level spot there was of ample size;
Ample and smooth, it seemed on purpose made
As tilting ground for knights to exercise.
XXIII.
Ivi solo discese, ivi fermosse
In vista de’ nemici il fero Argante:
Per gran cor, per gran corpo, e per gran posse
180 Superbo, e minaccevole in sembiante:
Qual Encelado in Flegra, o qual mostrosse
Nell’ima valle il Filisteo gigante.
Ma pur molti di lui tema non hanno,
184 Ch’anco quanto sia forte appien non sanno.
XXIII
There all alone Argantes took his stand,
Defying Christ and all his servants true,
In stature, stomach, and in strength of hand,
In pride, presumption, and in dreadful show,
Encelade like, on the Phlegrean strand,
Or that huge giant Jesse’s infant slew;
But his fierce semblant they esteemed light,
For most not knew, or else not feared his might.
XXIII.
There singly he descended; there, in sight
Of the assembled Franks, his station took,
Proud of his frame, his courage, and his might,
With threatening, insolent, imperious look.
In Phlegra thus Enceladus appeared;
Thus in the vale the giant Philistine:
‘But still not many thee, Arganté, feared,
As yet they had not felt that arm of thine.
XXIV.
Alcun però dal pio Goffredo eletto
Come il migliore, ancor non è fra molti.
Ben si vedean con desioso affetto
188 Tutti gli occhj in Tancredi esser rivolti:
E dichiarato infra i miglior perfetto
Dal favor manifesto era de’ volti:
E s’udia non oscuro anco il bisbiglio:
192 E l’approvava il Capitan col ciglio.
XXIV
As yet not one had Godfrey singled out
To undertake this hardy enterprise,
But on Prince Tancred saw he all the rout
Had fixed their wishes, and had cast their eyes,
On him he spied them gazing round about,
As though their honor on his prowess lies,
And now they whispered louder what they meant,
Which Godfrey heard and saw, and was content.
XXIV.
Though pious Godfred had not yet selected
The one he deemed among so many best;
All eyes towards Prince Tancredi were directed,
And upon him with deep affection rest.
All in esteeming him the best concurred,
Their every look a common choice implied.
Approval then in words more plain was heard,
Which with a nod the captain ratified.
XXV.
Già cedea ciascun altro, e non secreto
Era il volere omai del pio Buglione:
Vanne, a lui disse, a te l’uscir non vieto,
196 E reprimi il furor di quel fellone.
Ei tutto in volto baldanzoso e lieto,
Poichè d’impresa tal fatto è campione,
Allo scudier chiedea l’elmo e ‘l cavallo:
200 Poi seguíto da molti uscia del vallo.
XXV
The rest gave place; for every one descried
To whom their chieftain’s will did most incline,
“Tancred,” quoth he, “I pray thee calm the pride,
Abate the rage of yonder Saracine:”
No longer would the chosen champion bide,
His face with joy, his eyes with gladness shine,
His helm he took, and ready steed bestrode,
And guarded with his trusty friends forth rode.
XXV.
To him already had the rest given way,
Nor longer did the pious chief defer;
But said, ‘Tancredi, thou hast my leave: away,
And curb the fury of you blusterer.’
Appointed champion for the encounter, pride
Upon his flushed exultant features glowed.
‘Bring me my helm and destrier,’ he cried,
And flanked by thousands from the entrenchments rode.
XXVI.
Ed a quel largo pian fatto vicino,
Ove Argante l’attende, anco non era;
Quando in leggiadro aspetto e pellegrino
204 S’offerse agli occhj suoi l’alta guerriera.
Bianche, via più che neve in giogo alpino,
Avea le sopravveste, e la visiera
Alta tenea dal volto, e sovra un’erta,
208 Tutta, quanto ella è grande, era scoperta.
XXVI
But scantly had he spurred his courser swift
Near to the plain, where proud Argantes stayed,
When unawares his eyes he chanced to lift,
And on the hill beheld the warlike maid,
As white as snow upon the Alpine clift
The virgin shone in silver arms arrayed,
Her vental up so high, that he descried
Her goodly visage, and her beauty’s pride.
XXVI.
He had not reached the broad arena where
Arganté waited, when in warlike guise,
And in appearance no less strange than fair,
Clorinda loomed before his startled eyes.
Her surcoat looked a thousand times more white
Than sparkling snowdrift in some alpine glade;
She wore her vizor up, and from the height
The full proportion of her form displayed.
XXVII.
Già non mira Tancredi ove il Circasso
La spaventosa fronte al cielo estolle;
Ma move il suo destrier con lento passo,
212 Volgendo gli occhj ov’è colei sul colle.
Poscia immobil si ferma, e pare un sasso;
Gelido tutto fuor, ma dentro bolle:
Sol di mirar s’appaga, e di battaglia
216 Sembiante fa che poco or più gli caglia.
XXVII
He saw not where the Pagan stood, and stared,
As if with looks he would his foeman kill,
But full of other thoughts he forward fared,
And sent his looks before him up the hill,
His gesture such his troubled soul declared,
At last as marble rock he standeth still,
Stone cold without; within, burnt with love’s flame,
And quite forgot himself, and why he came.
XXVII.
Nor saw Tancredi where Arganté still
Raised his portentous forehead to the skies,
But moved his destrier slowly towards the hill,
Fixing on her his rapt enamoured eyes,
Then rooted stood, as if transformed to stone.
Outside, all ice, but lava at the core,
Sight he possessed not, save for her alone,
Nor seemed to think of the encounter more.
XXVIII.
Argante, che non vede alcun che in atto
Dia segno ancor d’apparecchiarsi in giostra,
Da desir di contesa io quì fui tratto,
220 Grida; or chi viene innanzi, e meco giostra?
L’altro attonito quasi e stupefatto
Pur là s’affissa, e nulla udir ben mostra.
Ottone innanzi allor spinse il destriero,
224 E nell’arringo voto entrò primiero.
XXVIII
The challenger, that yet saw none appear
That made or sign or show he came to just,
“How long,” cried he, “shall I attend you here?
Dares none come forth? dares none his fortune trust?”
The other stood amazed, love stopped his ear,
He thinks on Cupid, think of Mars who lust;
B
ut forth stert Otho bold, and took the field,
A gentle knight whom God from danger shield.
XXVIII.
Arganté, who beheld no cavalier
Give sign of preparation for the fight,
Shouted: ‘Desire of conflict led me here:
Who jousts with me or dares contend in might?
Tancredi still was gazing on the maid
Like one entranced, nor seemed his words to hear,
When forward Otho spurred his fiery steed,
And was the first the vacant lists to clear.
XXIX.
Questi un fu di color, cui dianzi accese
Di gir contra il Pagano alto desio:
Pur cedette a Tancredi, e ‘n sella ascese
228 Fra gli altri, che ‘l seguiro, e seco uscío.
Or veggendo sue voglie altrove intese,
E starne lui quasi al pugnar restío;
Prende, giovine audace e impaziente,
232 L’occasione offerta avidamente.
XXIX
This youth was one of those, who late desired
With that vain-glorious boaster to have fought,
But Tancred chosen, he and all retired;
Now when his slackness he awhile admired,
And saw elsewhere employed was his thought,
Nor that to just, though chosen, once he proffered,
He boldly took that fit occasion offered.
XXIX.
One of those Franks he was whose proudest aim
Was to do battle with the Pagan knight;
But to Tancredi had resigned his claim,
And followed him on horseback to the fight.
Now, seeing his feelings all absorbed elsewhere,
And that the combat he appeared to shun,
The impetuous stripling could no more forbear,
But seized the occasion, and dashed boldly on.
XXX.
E veloce così, che tigre, o pardo
Va men ratto talor per la foresta,
Corre a ferir il Saracin gagliardo,
236 Che d’altra parte la gran lancia arresta.
Si scuote allor Tancredi, e dal suo tardo
Pensier, quasi da un sonno, alfin si desta:
E grida ei ben: la pugna è mia; rimanti.
240 Ma troppo Ottone è già trascorso innanti.
XXX
No tiger, panther, spotted leopard,
Runs half so swift, the forests wild among,
As this young champion hasted thitherward,
Where he attending saw the Pagan strong:
Tancredi started with the noise he heard,