Jersusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  For such assistance shall you find in us

  As with your need, or will, may best agree:"

  With that she cheered her forehead dolorous,

  And smiled for joy, that Phœbus blushed to see,

  And had she deigned her veil for to remove,

  The God himself once more had fallen in love.

  With that she broke the silence once again,

  And gave the knight great thanks in little speech,

  She said she would his handmaid poor remain,

  So far as honor's laws received no breach.

  Her humble gestures made the residue plain,

  Dumb eloquence, persuading more than speech:

  Thus women know, and thus they use the guise,

  To enchant the valiant, and beguile the wise.

  And when she saw her enterprise had got

  Some wishéd mean of quick and good proceeding,

  She thought to strike the iron that was hot,

  For every action hath his hour of speeding:

  Medea or false Circe changéd not

  So far the shapes of men, as her eyes spreading

  Altered their hearts, and with her syren's sound

  In lust, their minds, their hearts, in love she drowned.

  All wily sleights that subtle women know,

  Hourly she used, to catch some lover new.

  None kenned the bent of her unsteadfast bow,

  For with the time her thoughts her looks renew,

  From some she cast her modest eyes below,

  At some her gazing glances roving flew,

  And while she thus pursued her wanton sport,

  She spurred the slow, and reined the forward short.

  If some, as hopeless that she would be won,

  Forbore to love, because they durst not move her,

  On them her gentle looks to smile begun,

  As who say she is kind if you dare prove her

  On every heart thus shone this lustful sun,

  All strove to serve, to please, to woo, to love her,

  And in their hearts that chaste and bashful were,

  Her eye's hot glance dissolved the frost of fear.

  On them who durst with fingering bold assay

  To touch the softness of her tender skin,

  She looked as coy, as if she list not play,

  And made as things of worth were hard to win;

  Yet tempered so her deignful looks always,

  That outward scorn showed store of grace within:

  Thus with false hope their longing hearts she fired,

  For hardest gotten things are most desired.

  Alone sometimes she walked in secret where,

  To ruminate upon her discontent,

  Within her eyelids sate the swelling tear,

  Not pouréd forth, though sprung from sad lament,

  And with this craft a thousand souls well near

  In snares of foolish ruth and love she hent,

  And kept as slaves, by which we fitly prove

  That witless pity breedeth fruitless love.

  Sometimes, as if her hope unlooséd had

  The chains of grief, wherein her thoughts lay fettered,

  Upon her minions looked she blithe and glad,

  In that deceitful lore so was she lettered;

  Not glorious Titan, in his brightness clad,

  The sunshine of her face in lustre bettered:

  For when she list to cheer her beauties so,

  She smiled away the clouds of grief and woe.

  Her double charm of smiles and sugared words,

  Lulléd on sleep the virtue of their senses,

  Reason small aid against those assaults affords,

  Wisdom no warrant from those sweet offences;

  Cupid's deep rivers have their shallow fords,

  His griefs, bring joys; his losses, recompenses;

  He breeds the sore, and cures us of the pain:

  Achilles' lance that wounds and heals again.

  While thus she them torments twixt frost and fire,

  Twixt joy and grief, twixt hope and restless fear,

  The sly enchantress felt her gain the nigher,

  These were her flocks that golden fleeces bear:

  But if someone durst utter his desire,

  And by complaining make his griefs appear,

  He laboréd hard rocks with plaints to move,

  She had not learned the gamut then of love.

  For down she bent her bashful eyes to ground,

  And donned the weed of women's modest grace,

  Down from her eyes welléd the pearls round,

  Upon the bright enamel of her face;

  Such honey drops on springing flowers are found

  When Phœbus holds the crimson morn in chase;

  Full seemed her looks of anger, and of shame;

  Yet pity shone transparent through the same.

  If she perceivéd by his outward cheer,

  That any would his love by talk bewray,

  Sometimes she heard him, sometimes stopped her ear,

  And playéd fast and loose the livelong day:

  Thus all her lovers kind deluded were,

  Their earnest suit got neither yea nor nay;

  But like the sort of weary huntsmen fare,

  That hunt all day, and lose at night the hare.

  These were the arts by which she captivéd

  A thousand souls of young and lusty knights;

  These were the arms wherewith love conqueréd

  Their feeble hearts subdued in wanton fights:

  What wonder if Achilles were misled,

  Of great Alcides at their ladies' sights,

  Since these true champions of the Lord above

  Were thralls to beauty, yielden slaves to love.

  | Go to Contents |

  Fifth Book

  THE ARGUMENT

  Gernando scorns Rinaldo should aspire

  To rule that charge for which he seeks and strives,

  And slanders him so far, that in his ire

  The wrongéd knight his foe of life deprives:

  Far from the camp the slayer doth retire,

  Nor lets himself be bound in chains or gyves:

  Armide departs content, and from the seas

  Godfrey hears news which him and his displease.

  WHILE thus Armida false the knights misled

  In wandering errors of deceitful love,

  And thought, besides the champions promiséd,

  The other lordings in her aid to move,

  In Godfrey's thought a strong contention bred

  Who fittest were this hazard great to prove;

  For all the worthies of the adventurers' band

  Were like in birth, in power, in strength of hand.

  But first the prince, by grave advice, decreed

  They should some knight choose at their own election,

  That in his charge Lord Dudon might succeed,

  And of that glorious troop should take protection;

  So none should grieve, displeaséd with the deed,

  Nor blame the causer of their new subjection:

  Besides, Godfredo showed by this device,

  How much he held that regiment in price.

  He called the worthies then, and spake them so:

  "Lordings, you know I yielded to your will,

  And gave you license with this dame to go,

  To win her kingdom and that tyrant kill:

  But now again I let you further know,

  In following her it may betide you ill;

  Refrain therefore, and change this forward thought

  For death unsent for, danger comes unsought.

  "But if to shun these perils, sought so far,

  May seem disgraceful to the place you hold;

  If grave advice and prudent counsel are

  Esteemed detractors from your courage bold;

  Then know, I none against his will debar,
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  Nor what I granted erst I now withhold;

  But be mine empire, as it ought of right,

  Sweet, easy, pleasant, gentle, meek and light.

  "Go then or tarry, each as likes him best,

  Free power I grant you on this enterprise;

  But first in Dudon's place, now laid in chest,

  Choose you some other captain stout and wise;

  Then ten appoint among the worthiest,

  But let no more attempt this hard emprise,

  In this my will content you that I have,

  For power constrained is but a glorious slave."

  Thus Godfrey said, and thus his brother spake,

  And answered for himself and all his peers:

  "My lord, as well it fitteth thee to make

  These wise delays and cast these doubts and fears,

  So 'tis our part at first to undertake;

  Courage and haste beseems our might and years;

  And this proceeding with so grave advice,

  Wisdom, in you, in us were cowardice.

  "Since then the feat is easy, danger none,

  All set in battle and in hardy fight,

  Do thou permit the chosen ten to gone

  And aid the damsel: "thus devised the knight,

  To make men think the sun of honor shone

  There where the lamp of Cupid gave the light:

  The rest perceive his guile, and it approve,

  And call that knighthood which was childish love.

  But loving Eustace, that with jealous eye

  Beheld the worth of Sophia's noble child,

  And his fair shape did secretly envý,

  Besides the virtues in his breast compiled,

  And, for in love he would no company,

  He stored his mouth with speeches smoothly filed,

  Drawing his rival to attend his word;

  Thus with fair sleight he laid the knight abord:

  "Of great Bertoldo thou far greater heir,

  Thou star of knighthood, flower of chivalry,

  Tell me, who now shall lead this squadron fair,

  Since our late guide in marble cold doth lie?

  I, that with famous Dudon might compare

  In all, but years, hoar locks, and gravity,

  To whom should I, Duke Godfrey's brother, yield,

  Unless to thee, the Christian army's shield?

  "Thee whom high birth makes equal with the best

  Thine acts prefer both me and all beforn;

  Nor that in fight thou both surpass the rest,

  And Godfrey's worthy self, I hold in scorn;

  Thee to obey then am I only pressed;

  Before these worthies be thine eagle borne;

  This honor haply thou esteemest light,

  Whose day of glory never yet found night.

  "Yet mayest thou further by this means display

  The spreading wings of thy immortal fame;

  I will procure it, if thou sayest not nay,

  And all their wills to thine election frame:

  But for I scantly am resolved which way

  To bend my force, or where employ the same,

  Leave me, I pray, at my discretion free

  To help Armida, or serve here with thee."

  This last request, for love is evil to hide,

  Empurpled both his cheeks with scarlet red;

  Rinaldo soon his passions had descried,

  And gently smiling turned aside his head,

  And, for weak Cupid was too feeble eyed

  To strike him sure, the fire in him was dead;

  So that of rivals was he naught afraid,

  Nor cared he for the journey or the maid.

  But in his noble thought revolved he oft

  Dudon's high prowess, death and burial,

  And how Argantes bore his plumes aloft,

  Praising his fortunes for that worthy's fall;

  Besides, the knight's sweet words and praises soft

  To his due honor did him fitly call,

  And made his heart rejoice, for well he knew,

  Though much he praised him, all his words were true.

  "Degrees," quoth he, "of honors high to hold,

  I would them first deserve, and then desire;

  And were my valor such as you have told,

  Would I for that to higher place aspire:

  But if to honors due raise me you would,

  I will not of my works refuse the hire;

  And much it glads me, that my power and might

  Ypraiséd is by such a valiant knight.

  "I neither seek it nor refuse the place,

  Which if I get, the praise and thanks be thine."

  Eustace, this spoken, hiéd thence apace

  To know which way his fellows' hearts incline:

  But Prince Gernando coveted the place,

  Whom though Armida sought to undermine,

  Gainst him yet vain did all her engines prove,

  His pride was such, there was no place for love.

  Gernando was the King of Norway's son,

  That many a realm and region had to guide,

  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 year.

  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 boiléd fell despite,

  That ire and wrath exiléd reason quite.

  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 unperceivéd 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.

  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 honoréd like thine that live, let see:

  Oh how dares one so mean aspire so high,

  Born in that servile country Italy?

  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.

  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.

  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,

&nbs
p; Why then he wrongeth thee an hundred ways;

  Nor let thy state so far disgracéd be,

  Now what thou art and canst, let Godfrey see.

  With such false words the kindled fire began

  To every vein his poisoned heat 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 he each where preach;

  He termed him proud and vain, his worth in fight

  He called fool-hardise, rashness, madness right.

  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.

  The curséd fiend that set his tongue at large,

  Still bred more fancies in his idle brain,

  His heart with slanders new did overcharge,

  And soothéd 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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  But not for this the wrongéd warrior stayed