Jerusalem Delivered
Page 216
On blood the soldan sated his long fast;
The Arabs, as their chief exasperate,
Into sad plight the Christian warriors cast;
Henry, the English knight, and Olopherne,
Fell ‘neath thy hand, Dragutes; Ariadine
Did Gilbert and bold Philip overturn
And put to death, both born upon the Rhine.
XLI.
Albazar con la mazza abbatte Ernesto:
Sotto Algazel cade Engerlan di spada.
Ma chi narrar potria quel modo o questo
324 Di morte, e quanta plebe ignobil cada?
Sin da que’ primi gridi erasi desto
Goffredo, e non istava intanto a bada.
Già tutto è armato, e già raccolto un grosso
328 Drappello ha seco, e già con lor s’è mosso.
XLI
Albazar with his mace Ernesto slew,
Under Algazel Engerlan down fell,
But the huge murder of the meaner crew,
Or manner of their deaths, what tongue can tell?
Godfrey, when first the heathen trumpets blew,
Awaked, which heard, no fear could make him dwell,
But he and his were up and armed ere long,
And marched forward with a squadron strong.
XLI.
Ernesto fell beneath Albazar’s mace,
Engerlan ‘neath the sword of Algazel;
But who could note each death’s peculiar case,
Or count the ignoble multitudes that fell?
At the first barbarous yells Prince Godfred woke,
Nor from that moment had remained supine;
Already armed, a powerful force he took,
And at their head led on the impatient line.
XLII.
Egli, che dopo il grido udì il tumulto
Che par che sempre più terribil suoni,
Avvisò ben che repentino insulto
332 Esser dovea degli Arabi ladroni:
Chè già non era al Capitano occulto
Ch’essi intorno scorrean le regioni;
Benchè non istimò che sì fugace
336 Vulgo, mai fosse d’assalirlo audace.
XLII
He that well heard the rumor and the cry,
And marked the tumult still grow more and more,
The Arabian thieves he judged by and by
Against his soldiers made this battle sore;
For that they forayed all the countries nigh,
And spoiled the fields, the duke knew well before,
Yet thought he not they had the hardiment
So to assail him in his armed tent.
XLII.
When to their yells he heard the din, that grew
Each moment louder, he at once surmised
That, to their black perfidious nature true,
The Arab robbers had the camp surprised;
For, well-informed, the cautious captain knew
They were marauding round the neighbouring lands,
Still scarcely deemed that such a rabble crew
Would venture to attack his regular bands.
XLIII.
Or mentre egli ne viene, ode repente
Arme arme replicar dall’altro lato:
Ed in un tempo il Cielo orribilmente
340 Intonar di barbarico ululato.
Questa è Clorinda che del Re la gente
Guida all’assalto, ed have Argante a lato.
Al nobil Guelfo, che sostien sua vice,
344 Allor si volge il Capitano, e dice:
XLIII
All suddenly he heard, while on he went,
How to the city-ward, “Arm, arm!” they cried,
The noise upreared to the firmament,
With dreadful howling filled the valleys wlde:
This was Clorinda, whom the king forth sent
To battle, and Argantes by her side.
The duke, this heard, to Guelpho turned, and prayed
Him his lieutenant be, and to him said:
XLIII.
Meanwhile he hears, as further on he goes,
‘To arms! ‘from the other side— ‘To arms! ‘reply,
At the same time that barbarous howls arose
In most unearthly discord to the sky.
This was Clorinda, who the king’s own guard
Led to the assault, Arganté at her side;
Whence, turning round to noble Guelph, who warred
As his lieutenant, the commander cried:
XLIV.
Odi qual novo strepito di Marte
Di verso il colle e la Città ne viene?
D’uopo là fia che ‘l tuo valore e l’arte
348 I primi assalti de’ nemici affrene.
Vanne tu dunque, e là provvedi, e parte
Vuò che di questi miei teco ne mene:
Con gli altri io me n’andrò dall’altro canto
352 A sostener l’impeto ostíle intanto.
XLIV
“You hear this new alarm from yonder part,
That from the town breaks out with so much rage,
Us needeth much your valor and your art
To calm their fury, and their heat to ‘suage;
Go thither then, and with you take some part
Of these brave soldiers of mine equipage,
While with the residue of my champions bold
I drive these wolves again out of our fold.”
XLIV.
‘Hark! hark! how from the city and the hill
Swell the fresh blasts of clanging battle; there
Is need of all thy valour and thy skill
The first fierce onset of the foe to bear.
Fly, then, at once, and for all risks provide,
Part of my force can follow in thy train;
Meanwhile I will, upon the other side,
With the other part the hostile shock sustain.’
XLV.
Così fra lor concluso, ambo gli move
Per diverso sentiero egual fortuna.
Al colle Guelfo, e ‘l Capitan va dove
356 Gli Arabi omai non han contesa alcuna.
Ma questi, andando, acquista forze, e nove
Genti di passo in passo ognor raguna:
Talchè, già fatto poderoso e grande,
360 Giunge ove il fero Turco il sangue spande.
XLV
They parted, this agreed on them between,
By divers paths, Lord Guelpho to the hill,
And Godfrey hasted where the Arabians keen
His men like silly sheep destroy and kill;
But as he went his troops increased been,
From every part the people flocked still,
That now grown strong enough, he ‘proached nigh
Where the fierce Turk caused many a Christian die.
XLV.
This settled, equal Fortune led the pair
Of noble warriors by a diverse path;
Guelph to the hill advanced, the captain where
The Arab now no opposition hath;
But he, acquiring, as he goes, fresh strength,
At every step increasing numbers gained,
Till, grown a powerful host, he reached at length
The spot where Solyman destruction rained.
XLVI.
Così scendendo dal natío suo monte
Non empie umile il Po l’angusta sponda;
Ma sempre più, quanto è più lunge al fonte,
364 Di nuove forze insuperbito abbonda.
Sovra i rotti confini alza la fronte
Di tauro, e vincitor d’intorno inonda:
E con più corna Adria respinge; e pare
368 Che guerra porti, e non tributo al mare.
XLVI
So from the top of Vesulus the cold,
Down to the sandy valleys, tumbleth Po,
Whose streams the further from the fountain rolled
Still stronger wax, and with more puissance go;
And horned like
a bull his forehead bold
He lifts, and o’er his broken banks doth flow,
And with his horns to pierce the sea assays,
To which he proffereth war, not tribute pays.
XLVI.
Thus from his native hills, in gentle course,
The Po descends, nor fills his narrow bed,
But greater grows the farther from his source,
Till, proudly teeming, by fresh torrents fed,
O’er the burst banks his bull-like brow he rears,
O’ercoming all resistance in his sweep;
And Adria’s billows butting back, appears
To carry war, not tribute to the deep.
XLVII.
Goffredo, ove fuggir l’impaurite
Sue genti vede, accorre, e le minaccia.
Qual timor, grida, è questo? ove fuggite?
372 Guardate almen chi sia quel che vi caccia.
Vi caccia un vile stuol, che le ferite
Nè ricever nè dar sa nella faccia:
E se ‘l vedranno incontra a se rivolto,
376 Temeran l’arme sol del vostro volto.
XLVII
The duke his men fast flying did espy,
And thither ran, and thus, displeased, spake,
“What fear is this? Oh, whither do you fly?
See who they be that this pursuit do make,
A heartless band, that dare no battle try,
Who wounds before dare neither give nor take,
Against them turn your stern eye’s threatening sight,
An angry look will put them all to flight.”
XLVII.
Where’er his flying troops caught Godfred’s eye,
Thither to rally them, he rode apace,
Shouting:’What fear is this? ah, whither fly?
At least see who it is that gives you chase;
A rabble herd pursues, that knows not how
To give or take a blow upon the face;
Alone the lightning of your looks would cow
(If but against them turned) that craven race.’
XLVIII.
Punge il destrier, ciò detto, e là si volve
Ove di Soliman gl’incendj ha scorti.
Va per mezzo del sangue, e della polve,
380 E de’ ferri, e de’ rischj, e delle morti.
Con la spada e con gli urti apre e dissolve
Le vie più chiuse, e gli ordini più forti:
E sossopra cader fa d’ambo i lati
384 Cavalieri e cavalli, arme ed armati.
XLVIII
This said, he spurred forth where Solyman
Destroyed Christ’s vineyard like a savage boar,
Through streams of blood, through dust and dirt he ran,
O’er heaps of bodies wallowing in their gore,
The squadrons close his sword to ope began,
He broke their ranks, behind, beside, before,
And, where he goes, under his feet he treads
The armed Saracens, and barbed steeds.
XLVIII.
This said, he pricked his steed, and galloped where
Round him the soldan fiery ruin spread,
Cutting his way through many a bristling square,
Thro’ carnage, dust, and mountains of the dead;
Nor failed his sword and steed which he bestrode
A passage through their closest ranks to force;
Down, down to earth on either side he mowed
Armed men and arms, the horseman and the horse!
XLIX.
Sovra i confusi monti, a salto a salto,
Della profonda strage oltre cammina.
L’intrepido Soldan, che ‘l fero assalto
388 Sente venir, nol fugge e nol declina;
Ma se gli spinge incontra, e ‘l ferro in alto
Levando, per ferir, gli s’avvicina.
O quai duo’ cavalier or la Fortuna
392 Dagli estremi del mondo in prova aduna!
XLIX
This slaughter-house of angry Mars he passed,
Where thousands dead, half-dead, and dying were.
The hardy Soldan saw him come in haste,
Yet neither stepped aside nor shrunk for fear,
But busked him bold to fight, aloft he cast
His blade, prepared to strike, and stepped near,
These noble princes twain, so Fortune wrought
From the world’s end here met, and here they fought:
XLIX.
On, on his destrier bounded, vault on vault,
O’er piled up mounds of slaughtered Saracens;
The intrepid soldan, who the fierce assault
Perceived approaching, flies not nor declines,
But gallops forward, and prepared to smite
Draws near, uplifting his red sword on high;
O what two cavaliers the fates unite,
From earth’s antipodes their strength to try!
L.
Furor contra virtute or quì combatte
D’Asia, in un picciol cerchio, il grande impero.
Chi può dir come gravi e come ratte
396 Le spade son? quanto il duello e fero?
Passo quì cose orribili che fatte
Furon, ma le coprì quell’aer nero:
D’un chiarissimo Sol degne, e che tutti
400 Siano i mortali a riguardar ridutti.
L
With virtue, fury; strength with courage strove,
For Asia’s mighty empire, who can tell
With how strange force their cruel blows they drove?
How sore their combat was? how fierce, how fell?
Great deeds they wrought, each other’s harness clove;
Yet still in darkness, more the ruth, they dwell.
The night their acts her black veil covered under,
Their acts whereat the sun, the world might wonder.
L.
In narrow lists ‘gainst Valour Fury fights
For Asia’s empire; but what tongue can tell
How desperate was the encounter of those knights,
Or say how swift and strong their falchions fell?
I pass untold the horrors that were done,
Screened as they were by dark invidious night,
Tho’ worthy they of noontide’s brightest sun,
And that a world were witness of the sight.
LI.
Il popol di Gesù dietro a tal guida,
Audace or divenuto, oltre si spinge:
E de’ suoi meglio armati all’omicida
404 Soldano intorno un denso stuol si stringe.
Nè la gente fedel più che l’infida,
Nè più questa che quella il campo tinge;
Ma gli uni e gli altri, e vincitori e vinti,
408 Egualmente dan morte, e sono estinti.
LI
The Christians by their guide’s ensample hearted,
Of their best armed made a squadron strong,
And to defend their chieftain forth they started:
The Pagans also saved their knight from wrong,
Fortune her favors twixt them evenly parted,
Fierce was the encounter, bloody, doubtful, long;
These won, those lost; these lost, those won again;
The loss was equal, even the numbers slain.
LI.
The Christians following their intrepid guide,
Imbibe his spirit and dash boldly on,
And a dense squadron of his best armed ride
Around the homicidal Solyman.
Nor more the Faithful than the Infidel,
Nor more of those than these bedewed the plain;
Alike the victors and the vanquished fell,
They slew in equal numbers and were slain.
LII.
Come pari d’ardir, con forza pare
Quinci Austro in guerra vien, quindi Aquilone:
Non ei fra lor, non cede il Cielo, o ‘l mare;
412 Ma nube a
nube, e flutto a flutto oppone.
Così nè ceder qua, nè là piegare
Si vede l’ostinata aspra tenzone.
S’affronta insieme orribilmente, urtando
416 Scudo a scudo, elmo ad elmo, e brando a brando.
LII
With equal rage, as when the southern wind,
Meeteth in battle strong the northern blast,
The sea and air to neither is resigned,
But cloud gainst cloud, and wave gainst wave they cast:
So from this skirmish neither part declined,
But fought it out, and kept their footings fast,
And oft with furious shock together rush,
And shield gainst shield, and helm gainst helm they crush.
LII.
As with like strength and rage, in stubborn fray,
The south wind here, there blustering Boreas blows.
Nor will they give unto each other way,
But cloud to cloud and wave to wave oppose.
So was beheld that fierce and obstinate fight,
Where neither side would bend, and neither yield;
They clash in rancorous hatred and despite,
‘Gainst helmet, shield and sword — sword, helm and shield.
LIII.
Non meno intanto son feri i litigj
Dall’altra parte, e i guerrier folti e densi.
Mille nuvole e più d’Angioli stigj
420 Tutti han pieni dell’aria i campi immensi,
E dan forza ai Pagani; onde i vestigj
Non è chi indietro di rivolger pensi.
E la face d’inferno Argante infiamma,
424 Acceso ancor della sua propria fiamma.
LIII
The battle eke to Sionward grew hot,
The soldiers slain, the hardy knights were killed,
Legions of sprites from Limbo’s prisons got,
The empty air, the hills and valleys filled,
Hearting the Pagans that they shrinked not,
Till where they stood their dearest blood they spilled;
And with new rage Argantes they inspire,
Whose heat no flames, whose burning need no fire.
LIII.
Nor less upon the other side was dense
The array of troops, or fierce the combat; there
A thousand clouds of hell’s belligerents
Entirely filled the spacious fields of air,
And gave such courage to the Infidel,
That there were none who meditate retreat;
Arganté burned beneath the torch of hell,