Jersusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  Two captains next brought forth their bands to show

  Whom Stony sent and Happy Araby,

  Which never felt the cold of frost and snow,

  Or force of burning heat, unless fame lie,

  Where incense pure and all sweet odors grow,

  Where the sole phœnix doth revive, not die,

  And midst the perfumes rich and flowerets brave

  Both birth and burial, cradle hath and grave.

  Their clothes not rich, their garments were not gay,

  But weapons like the Egyptian troops they had,

  The Arabians next that have no certain stay,

  No house, no home, no mansion good or bad,

  But ever, as the Scythian hordés stray,

  From place to place their wandering cities gad:

  These have both voice and stature feminine,

  Hair long and black, black face, and fiery eyne.

  Long Indian canes, with iron armed, they bear,

  And as upon their nimble steeds they ride,

  Like a swift storm their speedy troops appear,

  If winds so fast bring storms from heavens wide:

  By Syphax led the first Arabians were;

  Aldine the second squadron had no guide,

  And Abiazar proud, brought to the fight

  The third, a thief, a murderer, not a knight.

  The islanders came then their prince before

  Whose lands Arabia's gulf enclosed about,

  Wherein they fish and gather oysters store,

  Whose shells great pearls rich and round pour out;

  The Red Sea sent with them from his left shore,

  Of negroes grim a black and ugly rout;

  These Agricalt and those Osmida brought,

  A man that set law, faith and truth at naught.

  The Ethiops next which Meroë doth breed,

  That sweet and gentle isle of Meroë,

  'Twixt Nile and Astrabore that far doth spread,

  Where two religions are, and kingdoms three,

  These Assimiro and Canario led,

  Both kings, both Pagans, and both subjects be

  To the great Caliph, but the third king kept

  Christ's sacred faith, nor to these wars outstepped.

  After two kings, both subjects also, ride,

  And of two bands of archers had the charge,

  The first Soldan of Ormus placed in the wide

  Huge Persian Bay, a town rich, fair, and large:

  The last of Bœcan, which at every tide

  The sea cuts off from Persia's southern marge,

  And makes an isle; but when it ebbs again,

  The passage there is sandy, dry and plain.

  Nor thee, great Altamore, in her chaste bed

  Thy loving queen kept with her dear embrace,

  She tore her locks, she smote her breast, and shed

  Salt tears to make thee stay in that sweet place,

  "Seem the rough seas more calm, cruel," she said,

  "Than the mild looks of thy kind spouse's face?

  Or is thy shield, with blood and dust defiled,

  A dearer armful than thy tender child?"

  This was the mighty king of Samarcand,

  A captain wise, well skilled in feats of war,

  In courage fierce, matchless for strength of hand,

  Great was his praise, his force was noiséd far;

  His worth right well the Frenchmen understand,

  By whom his virtues feared and lovéd are:

  His men were armed with helms and hauberks strong,

  And by their sides broad swords and maces hong.

  Then from the mansions bright of fresh Aurore

  Adrastus came, the glorious king of Ind,

  A snake's green skin spotted with black he wore,

  That was made rich by art and hard by kind,

  An elephant this furious giant bore,

  He fierce as fire, his mounture swift as wind;

  Much people brought he from his kingdoms wide,

  'Twixt Indus, Ganges, and the salt seaside.

  The king's own troop come next, a chosen crew,

  Of all the camp the strength, the crown, the flower,

  Wherein each soldier had with honors due

  Rewarded been, for service ere that hour;

  Their arms were strong for need, and fair for show,

  Upon fierce steeds well mounted rode this power,

  And heaven itself with the clear splendor shone

  Of their bright armor, purple, gold and stone.

  Mongst these Alarco fierce, and Odemare

  The muster master was, and Hidraort,

  And Rimedon, whose rashness took no care

  To shun death's bitter stroke, in field or fort,

  Tigranes, Rapold stern, the men that fare

  By sea, that robbéd in each creek and port,

  Ormond, and Marlabust the Arabian named,

  Because that land rebellious he reclaimed.

  There Pirga, Arimon, Orindo are,

  Brimarte the scaler, and with him Suifant

  The breaker of wild horses brought from far;

  Then the great wrestler strong Aridamant,

  And Tisapherne, the thunderbolt of war,

  Whom none surpassed, whom none to match durst vaunt

  At tilt, at tourney, or in combat brave,

  With spear or lance, with sword, with mace or glaive,

  A false Armenian did this squadron guide,

  That in his youth from Christ's true faith and light

  To the blind lore of Paganism did slide,

  That Clement late, now Emireno, hight;

  Yet to his king he faithful was, and tried

  True in all causes, his in wrong and right:

  A cunning leader and a soldier bold,

  For strength and courage, young; for wisdom, old.

  When all these regiments were passed and gone,

  Appeared Armide, and came her troop to show;

  Set in a chariot bright with precious stone,

  Her gown tucked up, and in her hand a bow;

  In her sweet face her new displeasures shone,

  Mixed with the native beauties there which grow,

  And quickened so her looks that in sharp wise

  It seems she threats and yet her threats entice.

  Her chariot like Aurora's glorious wain,

  With carbuncles and jacinths glistered round:

  Her coachman guided with the golden rein

  Four unicorns, by couples yoked and bound;

  Of squires and lovely ladies hundreds twain,

  Whose rattling quivers at their backs resound,

  On milk-white steeds, wait on the chariot bright,

  Their steeds to manage, ready; swift, to flight.

  Followed her troop led forth by Aradin,

  Which Hidraort from Syria's kingdom sent,

  As when the new-born phœnix doth begin

  To fly to Ethiop-ward, at the fair bent

  Of her rich wings strange plumes and feathers thin

  Her crowns and chains with native gold besprent,

  The world amazéd stands; and with her fly

  An host of wondering birds, that sing and cry:

  So passed Armida, looked on, gazed on, so,

  A wondrous dame in habit, gesture, face;

  There lived no wight to love so great a foe

  But wished and longed those beauties to embrace,

  Scant seen, with anger sullen, sad for woe,

  She conquered all the lords and knights in place,

  What would she do, her sorrows passed, think you,

  When her fair eyes, her looks and smiles shall woo?

  She passed, the king commanded Emiren

  Of his rich throne to mount the lofty stage,

  To whom his host, his army, and his men,

  He would commit, now in his graver age.

  With stately grace the man approachéd then
;

  His looks his coming honor did presage:

  The guard asunder cleft and passage made,

  He to the throne up went, and there he stayed.

  To earth he cast his eyes, and bent his knee:

  To whom the king thus gan his will explain,

  "To thee this sceptre, Emiren, to thee

  These armies I commit, my place sustain

  'Mongst them, go set the king of Judah free,

  And let the Frenchmen feel my just disdain,

  Go meet them, conquer them, leave none alive,

  Or those that scape from battle, bring captive."

  Thus spake the tyrant, and the sceptre laid

  With all his sovereign power upon the knight:

  "I take this sceptre at your hand," he said,

  "And with your happy fortune go to fight,

  And trust, my lord, in your great virtue's aid

  To venge all Asia's harms, her wrongs to right,

  Nor e'er but victor will I see your face;

  Our overthrow shall bring death, not disgrace.

  "Heavens grant if evil, yet no mishap I dread,

  Or harm they threaten against this camp of thine,

  That all that mischief fall upon my head,

  Theirs be the conquest, and the danger mine;

  And let them safe bring home their captain dead,

  Buried in pomp of triumph's glorious shine."

  He ceased, and then a murmur loud up went,

  With noise of joy and sound of instrument.

  Amid the noise and shout uprose the king,

  Environéd with many a noble peer

  That to his royal tent the monarch bring,

  And there he feasted them and made them cheer,

  To him and him he talked, and carved each thing,

  The greatest honored, meanest gracéd were;

  And while this mirth, this joy and feast doth last,

  Armida found fit time her nets to cast:

  But when the feast was done, she, that espied

  All eyes on her fair visage fixed and bent,

  And by new notes and certain signs described,

  How love's empoisoned fire their entrails brent,

  Arose, and where the king sate in his pride,

  With stately pace and humble gestures, went;

  And as she could in looks in voice she strove

  Fierce, stern, bold, angry, and severe to prove.

  "Great Emperor, behold me here," she said,

  "For thee, my country, and my faith to fight,

  A dame, a virgin, but a royal maid;

  And worthy seems this war a princess hight,

  For by the sword the sceptre is upstayed,

  This hand can use them both with skill and might,

  This hand of mine can strike, and at each blow

  Thy foes and ours kill, wound, and overthrow.

  "Nor yet suppose this is the foremost day

  Wherein to war I bent my noble thought,

  But for the surety of thy realms, and stay

  Of our religion true, ere this I wrought:

  Yourself best know if this be true I say,

  Or if my former deeds rejoiced you aught,

  When Godfrey's hardy knights and princes strong

  I captive took, and held in bondage long.

  "I took them, bound them, and so sent them bound

  To thee, a noble gift, with whom they had

  Condemnéd low in dungeon under ground

  Forever dwelt, in woe and torment sad:

  So might thine host an easy way have found

  To end this doubtful war, with conquest glad,

  Had not Rinaldo fierce my knights all slain,

  And set those lords, his friends, at large again.

  "Rinaldo is well known," and there a long

  And true rehearsal made she of his deeds,

  "This is the knight that since hath done me wrong,

  Wrong yet untold, that sharp revengement needs:

  Displeasure therefore, mixed with reason strong,

  This thirst of war in me, this courage breeds;

  Nor how he injured me time serves to tell,

  Let this suffice, I seek revengement fell,

  "And will procure it, for all shafts that fly

  Light not in vain; some work the shooter's will,

  And Jove's right hand with thunders cast from sky

  Takes open vengeance oft for secret ill:

  But if some champion dare this knight defy

  To mortal battle, and by fight him kill,

  And with his hateful head will me present,

  That gift my soul shall please, my heart content:

  "So please, that for reward enjoy he shall,

  The greatest gift I can or may afford,

  Myself, my beauty, wealth, and kingdoms all,

  To marry him, and take him for my lord,

  This promise will I keep whate'er befall,

  And thereto bind myself by oath and word:

  Now he that deems this purchase worth his pain,

  Let him step forth and speak, I none disdain."

  While thus the princess said, his hungry eyne

  Adrastus fed on her sweet beauty's light,

  "The gods forbid," quoth he, "one shaft of thine

  Should be discharged against that discourteous knight,

  His heart unworthy is, shootress divine,

  Of thine artillery to feel the might;

  To wreak thine ire behold me prest and fit,

  I will his head cut off, and bring thee it.

  "I will his heart with this sharp sword divide,

  And to the vultures cast his carcass out."

  Thus threatened he, but Tisapherne envíed

  To hear his glorious vaunt and boasting stout,

  And said, "But who art thou, that so great pride

  Thou showest before the king, me, and this rout?

  Pardie here are some such, whose worth exceeds

  Thy vaunting much yet boast not of their deeds."

  The Indian fierce replied, "I am the man

  Whose acts his words and boasts have aye surpassed;

  But if elsewhere the words thou now began

  Had uttered been, that speech had been thy last."

  Thus quarrelled they; the monarch stayed them than,

  And 'twixt the angry knights his sceptre cast:

  Then to Armida said, "Fair Queen, I see

  Thy heart is stout, thy thoughts courageous be;

  "Thou worthy art that their disdain and ire

  At thy commands these knights should both appease,

  That gainst thy foe their courage hot as fire

  Thou may'st employ, both when and where you please,

  There all their power and force, and what desire

  They have to serve thee, may they show at ease."

  The monarch held his peace when this was said,

  And they new proffer of their service made.

  Nor they alone, but all that famous were

  In feats of arms boast that he shall be dead,

  All offer her their aid, all say and swear,

  To take revenge on his condemnéd head:

  So many arms moved she against her dear,

  And swore her darling under foot to tread,

  But he, since first the enchanted isle he left,

  Safe in his barge the roaring waves still cleft.

  By the same way returned the well-taught boat

  By which it came, and made like haste, like speed;

  The friendly wind, upon her sail that smote,

  So turned as to return her ship had need:

  The youth sometimes the Pole or Bear did note,

  Or wandering stars which clearest nights forthspread:

  Sometimes the floods, the hills, or mountains steep,

  Whose woody fronts o'ershade the silent deep.

  Now of the camp the man the state inquires,

  N
ow asks the customs strange of sundry lands;

  And sailed, till clad in beams and bright attires

  The fourth day's sun on the eastern threshold stands:

  But when the western seas had quenched those fires,

  Their frigate struck against the shore and sands;

  Then spoke their guide, "The land of Palestine

  This is, here must your journey end and mine."

  The knights she set upon the shore all three,

  And vanished thence in twinkling of an eye,

  Uprose the night in whose deep blackness be

  All colors hid of things in earth or sky,

  Nor could they house, or hold, or harbor see,

  Or in that desert sign of dwelling spy,

  Nor track of man or horse, or aught that might

  Inform them of some path or passage right.

  When they had mused what way they travel should,

  From the west shore their steps at last they twined,

  And lo, far off at last their eyes behold

  Something, they wist not what, that clearly shined

  With rays of silver and with beams of gold

  Which the dark folds of night's black mantle lined.

  Forward they went and marched against the light,

  To see and find the thing that shone so bright.

  High on a tree they saw an armor new,

  That glistered bright against Cynthia's silver ray,

  Therein, like stars in skies, the diamonds show

  Fret in the gilden helm and hauberk gay,

  The mighty shield all scoréd full they view

  Of pictures fair, rangéd in meet array;

  To keep them sate an agéd man beside,

  Who to salute them rose, when them he spied.

  The twain who first were sent in this pursuit

  Of their wise friend well knew the agéd face:

  But when the wizard sage their first salute

  Received and quitted had with kind embrace,

  To the young prince, that silent stood and mute,

  He turned his speech, "In this unuséd place

  For you alone I wait, my lord," quoth he,

  "My chiefest care your state and welfare be.

  "For, though you wot it not, I am your friend,

  And for your profit work, as these can tell,

  I taught them how Armida's charms to end,

  And bring you thither from love's hateful cell,

  Now to my words, though sharp perchance, attend,

  Nor be aggrieved although they seem too fell,

  But keep them well in mind, till in the truth

  A wise and holier man instruct thy youth.

  "Not underneath sweet shades and fountains shrill,

  Among the nymphs, the fairies, leaves and flowers;

  But on the steep, the rough and craggy hill

  Of virtue stands this bliss, this good of ours: