Quì con lo scettro, e col diadema in testa
272 Mesto sedeasi il Re fra gente mesta.
XXXIV
A privy door Ismen unlocked at last,
And up they clomb a little-used stair,
Thereat the day a feeble beam in cast,
Dim was the light, and nothing clear the air;
Out of the hollow cave at length they passed
Into a goodly hall, high, broad and fair,
Where crowned with gold, and all in purple clad
Sate the sad king, among his nobles sad.
XXXIV
Ismeno straightway opened a small gate,
And they climbed up a rarely trodden stair,
Whose only light proceeded from a grate
Thro’ which stole glimmerings of lack-lustre air;
At length they reached a cloister underground;
Thence onward passed into a hall of state,
Where, with his sceptre and with diadem crowned,
‘Mid his sad council the sad monarch sat.
XXXV.
Dalla concava nube il Turco fero,
Non veduto, rimira e spia d’intorno;
E ode il Re frattanto, il qual primiero
276 Incomincia così dal seggio adorno:
Veramente, o miei fidi, al nostro impero
Fu il trapassato assai dannoso giorno:
E caduti d’altissima speranza,
280 Sol l’ajuto d’Egitto omai n’avanza.
XXXV
The Turk, close in his hollow cloud imbarred,
Unseen, at will did all the prease behold,
These heavy speeches of the king he heard,
Who thus from lofty siege his pleasure told;
“My lords, last day our state was much impaired,
Our friends were slain, killed were our soldiers bold,
Great helps and greater hopes are us bereft,
Nor aught but aid from Egypt land is left:
XXXV
Hid in the cloud, the Turk, himself unseen,
With eager eyes o’er all the assembly ran,
And heard meanwhile the monarch, Aladine,
Who, from his splendid throne, the first began:
‘Truly, my faithful counsellors, the last
Was for our realm a most disastrous day;
The lofty hopes we formed are well-nigh past;
Alone from Egypt’s aid there gleams one ray.
XXXVI.
Ma ben vedete voi quanto la speme
Lontana sia da sì vicin periglio.
Dunque voi tutti ho quì raccolti insieme,
284 Perchè ognun porti in mezzo il suo consiglio.
Quì tace; e quasi in bosco aura che freme,
Suona d’intorno un picciolo bisbiglio.
Ma con la faccia baldanzosa e lieta
288 Sorgendo Argante il mormorare accheta.
XXXVI
“And well you see far distant is that aid,
Upon our heels our danger treadeth still,
For your advice was this assembly made,
Each what he thinketh speak, and what he will.”
A whisper soft arose when this was said,
As gentle winds the groves with murmur fill,
But with bold face, high looks and merry cheer,
Argantes rose, the rest their talk forbear.
XXXVI
‘But well ye see how that, from peril near,
The hope is distant, for which reason I
Have you assembled, that each worthy peer
May counsel us in this emergency.’
He ceased, and straight an ominous buzz was heard,
Like breezes whispering through umbrageous glade,
When rising up, serene and undeterred,
Arganté thus the murmuring sounds allayed:
XXXVII.
O magnanimo Re (fu la risposta
Del cavaliero indomito, e feroce)
Perchè ci tenti? e cosa a nullo ascosta
292 Chiedi, ch’uopo non ha di nostra voce?
Pur dirò; sia la speme in noi sol posta:
E s’egli è ver che nulla a virtù nuoce,
Di questa armiamci: a lei chiediamo aita:
296 Nè più, ch’ella si voglia, amiam la vita.
XXXVII
“O worthy sovereign,” thus began to say
The hardy young man to the tyrant wise,
“What words be these? what fears do you dismay?
Who knows not this, you need not our advice!
But on your hand your hope of conquest lay,
And, for no loss true virtue damnifies,
Make her our shield, pray her us succors give,
And without her let us not wish to live.
XXXVII
‘Magnanimous monarch,’ was the proud reply
Of that undaunted, fiery cavalier,
‘Why seek to prove us? why to us apply?
No need there is for our opinion here;
In our own selves let us alone confide;
And if it’s true that nothing Virtue harms,
From her assistance ask, make her our guide;
Life let us love not, when she calls to arms.
XXXVIII.
Nè parlo io già così, perch’io dispere
Dell’ajuto certissimo d’Egitto:
Chè dubitar, se le promesse vere
300 Sian del mio Re, non lece, e non è dritto;
Ma il dico sol, perchè desio vedere
In alcuni di noi spirto più invitto;
Ch’egualmente apprestato ad ogni sorte
304 Si prometta vittoria, e sprezzi morte.
XXXVIII
“Nor say I this for that I aught misdeem
That Egypt’s promised succors fail us might,
Doubtful of my great master’s words to seem
To me were neither lawful, just, nor right!
I speak these words, for spurs I them esteem
To waken up each dull and fearful sprite,
And make our hearts resolved to all assays,
To win with honor, or to die with praise.”
XXXVIII
‘Nor speak I thus that I at all despair
Of Egypt’s speedy and most certain aid;
Nor is it right in you, nor is it fair,
To doubt the promises my liege has made:
I only speak because I wish to see
In some of us more dauntless spirits rise,
Which, prompt alike for every destiny,
Were pledge of victory and would death despise.’
XXXIX.
Tanto sol disse il generoso Argante,
Quasi uom che parli di non dubbia cosa.
Poi sorse in autorevole sembiante
308 Orcano, uom d’alta nobiltà famosa,
E già nell’arme d’alcun pregio avante;
Ma or congiunto a giovinetta sposa,
E lieto omai de’ figlj, era invilito
312 Negli affetti di padre e di marito.
XXXIX
Thus much Argantes said, and said no more,
As if the case were clear of which he spoke.
Orcano rose, of princely stem ybore,
Whose presence ‘mongst them bore a mighty stroke,
A man esteemed well in arms of yore,
But now was coupled new in marriage yoke;
Young babes he had, to fight which made him loth,
He was a husband and a father both.
XXXIX
Those words Arganté spoke, and only those,
Like one who spoke of no uncertain things;
When with commanding air Orcano rose,
One who, descended from a race of kings,
In warlike deeds approved himself of yore;
But now united to a youthful bride,
As sire and spouse the battle-field forbore;
In home affections all his manhood died.
XL.
Disse questi: o Signor, già non
accuso
Il fervor di magnifiche parole,
Quando nasce d’ardir che star rinchiuso
316 Tra i confini del cor non può, nè vuole.
Però se ‘l buon Circasso a te, per uso,
Troppo in vero parlar fervido suole,
Ciò si conceda a lui, chè poi nell’opre
320 Il medesmo fervor non meno scopre.
XL
“My lord,” quoth he, “I will not reprehend
The earnest zeal of this audacious speech,
From courage sprung, which seld is close ypend
In swelling stomach without violent breach:
And though to you our good Circassian friend
In terms too bold and fervent oft doth preach,
Yet hold I that for good, in warlike feat
For his great deeds respond his speeches great.
XL
‘Sire,’ he exclaimed, ‘far be it from me to accuse
The fervour of high-minded words that start
From warm magnanimous impulse, and refuse
To be confined within the swelling heart;
Whence if his nature too much warmth betrays
When before thee the brave Circassian pleads,
We well his fire may pardon, who displays
An equal fervour in heroic deeds,
XLI.
Ma si conviene a te, cui fatto il corso
Delle cose e de’ tempi han sì prudente,
Impor colà de’ tuoi consiglj il morso,
324 Dove costui se ne trascorre ardente:
Librar la speme del lontan soccorso
Col periglio vicino, anzi presente:
E con l’arme, e con l’impeto nemico
328 I tuoi novi ripari, e ‘l muro antico.
XLI
“But if it you beseem, whom graver age
And long experience hath made wise and sly,
To rule the heat of youth and hardy rage,
Which somewhat have misled this knight awry,
In equal balance ponder then and gauge
Your hopes far distant, with your perils nigh;
This town’s old walls and rampires new compare
With Godfrey’s forces and his engines rare.
XLI
‘But ’tis thy duty, whom each added year
And long experience have so prudent made,
To place the curb of thy advice whene’er
He into too great transports is betrayed;
The hopes to balance of prospective aid
With danger near — nay, present to our view,
And with the arms and charge of Frank brigade,
Thy time-worn rampart and defences new.
XLII.
Noi (se lece a me dir quel ch’io ne sento)
Siamo in forte città di sito, e d’arte;
Ma di machine grande e violento
332 Apparato si fa dall’altra parte.
Quel che sarà, non sò: spero, e pavento
I giudizj incertissimi di Marte:
E temo che s’a noi più fia ristretto
336 L’assedio, alfin di cibo avrem difetto.
XLII
“But, if I may say what I think unblamed,
This town is strong, by nature, site and art,
But engines huge and instruments are framed
Gainst these defences by our adverse part,
Who thinks him most secure is eathest shamed;
I hope the best, yet fear unconstant mart,
And with this siege if we be long up pent,
Famine I doubt, our store will all be spent.
XLII
‘We have, if freely I may speak my thought,
A city strong by nature and by art,
But against it what huge machines are brought,
What dreadful engines on the adverse part!
The end is doubtful, still I hope, my liege,
Yet dread the war’s uncertainty, and fear
If on us pressed a closer state of siege,
That ‘mong us famine will at length appear.
XLIII.
Perocchè quegli armenti, e quelle biade
Ch’jeri tu ricettasti entro le mura,
Mentre nel campo a insanguinar le spade
340 S’attendea solo (e fu somma ventura)
Picciol’ esca a gran fame, ampia cittade
Nutrir mal ponno, se l’assedio dura:
E forza è pur che duri, ancorchè vegna
344 L’oste d’Egitto il dì ch’ella disegna.
XLIII
“For all that store of cattle and of grain
Which yesterday within these walls you brought,
While your proud foes triumphant through the plain
On naught but shedding blood, and conquest thought,
Too little is this city to sustain,
To raise the siege unless some means be sought;
And it must last till the prefixed hour
That it be raised by Egypt’s aid and power.
XLIII
‘For all the stores of cattle and of grain,
That yesterday within the walls were brought,
Was great good fortune, while on yonder plain
The Franks alone of crimson battle thought;
Yet that were poor provision to supply
So large a city, should the siege endure;
And last it will, tho’ Egypt, our ally,
Came on the very day he named as sure.
XLIV.
Ma che fia se più tarda? orsù concedo
Che tua speme prevenga, e sue promesse;
La vittoria però, però non vedo
348 Liberate, o Signor, le mura oppresse.
Combatteremo, o Re, con quel Goffredo,
E con que’ Duci, e con le genti istesse
Che tante volte han già rotti e dispersi
352 Gli Arabi, i Turchi, i Soriani, e i Persi.
XLIV
“But what if that appointed day they miss?
Or else, ere we expect, what if they came?
The victory yet is not ours for this,
Oh save this town from ruin, us from shame!
With that same Godfrey still our warfare is,
These armies, soldiers, captains are the same
Who have so oft amid the dusty plain
Turks, Persians, Syrians and Arabians slain.
XLIV
‘ — But what if he delay? Well, well, I grant
That he his promise and thy hope forestalls;
But not for that do I behold him plant
His conquering flag on these beleaguered walls:
We must, O king, with that same Godfred fight,
With those same chiefs, and those same legions, who
So often have dispersed and put to flight
Turks, Arabs, Persians, and us Syrians, too.
XLV.
E quali sian tu ‘l sai, chè lor cedesti
Sì spesso il campo, o valoroso Argante:
E sì spesso le spalle anco volgesti,
356 Fidando assai nelle veloci piante:
E ‘l sa Clorinda teco, ed io con questi:
Ch’un più dell’altro non convien si vante.
Nè incolpo alcuno io già, chè vi fu mostro
360 Quanto potea maggiore il valor nostro.
XLV
“And thou Argantes wotest what they be;
Oft hast thou fled from that victorious host,
Thy shoulders often hast thou let them see,
And in thy feet hath been thy safeguard most;
Clorinda bright and I fled eke with thee,
None than his fellows had more cause to boast,
Nor blame I any; for in every fight
We showed courage, valor, strength and might.
XLV
‘And what they are, Arganté, thou shouldst know,
Who didst so often before them retreat,
Who didst so often thy broad shoulders show,
/> For safety trusting to thy nimble feet;
I also know it, and the warrior maid,
Nor is there one can taunt the other; I
Would none reproach or blame; we all displayed,
As much as mortals could, our bravery.
XLVI.
E dirò pur, benchè costui di morte
Bieco minacci, e ‘l vero udir si sdegni;
Veggio portar da inevitabil sorte
364 Il nemico fatale a certi segni:
Nè gente potrà mai nè muro forte
Impedirlo così, ch’alfin non regni.
Ciò mi fa dir (sia testimonio il Cielo)
368 Del Signor, della patria, amore e zelo.
XLVI
“And though this hardy knight the certain threat
Of near-approaching death to hear disdain;
Yet to this state of loss and danger great,
From this strong foe I see the tokens plain;
No fort how strong soe’er by art or seat,
Can hinder Godfrey why he should not reign:
This makes me say, — to witness heaven I bring,
Zeal to this state, love to my lord and king —
XLVI
‘Aye, tho’ Arganté scowls with deadly hate,
Enraged, unwilling the sad truth to hear,
I see, by fixed, inevitable Fate,
The foe conducted to sure goal, and fear
Not hosts unnumbered, not the strongest wall
Will e’er prevent their reign and their command;
And this I say — to witness Heaven I call —
From love of thee and of my native land.
XLVII.
O saggio il Re di Tripoli che pace
Seppe impetrar dai Franchi e regno insieme!
Ma il Soldano ostinato, o morto or giace
372 O pur servil catena il piè gli preme:
O nell’esiglio, timido e fugace,
Si va serbando alle miserie estreme:
E pur, cedendo parte, avria potuto
376 Parte salvar co’ doni e col tributo.
XLVII
“The king of Tripoli was well advised
To purchase peace, and so preserve his crown:
But Solyman, who Godfrey’s love despised,
Is either dead or deep in prison thrown;
Else fearful is he run away disguised,
And scant his life is left him for his own,
And yet with gifts, with tribute, and with gold,
He might in peace his empire still have hold.”
XLVII
‘Ah, prudent king of Tripoli! how wise
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