XLVIII.
Già già mi par ch’a giunger quì Goffredo
Oltra il dover indugi. Or tu dimandi
Ch’impieghi io te: sol di te degne credo
380 L’imprese malagevoli, e le grandi.
Sovra i nostri guerrieri a te concedo
Lo scettro, e legge sia quel che comandi.
Così parlava: ella rendea cortese
384 Grazie per lodi: indi il parlar riprese.
XLVIII
“Now, Godfrey stays too long; he fears, I ween;
Thy courage great keeps all our foes in awe;
For thee all actions far unworthy been,
But such as greatest danger with them draw:
Be you commandress therefore, Princess, Queen
Of all our forces: be thy word a law.”
This said, the virgin gan her beaver vail,
And thanked him first, and thus began her tale.
XLVIII
‘Now, then, Prince Godfrey, it appears to me,
Delays his march too long; and dost thou ask
Employment for thy arm? None’s worthy thee
But the most difficult and daring task.
I give thee rule over all grades, all ranks;
And that shall be the law thou dost ordain.’
Thus spake, and she returned him courteous thanks
For his eulogium, and resumed again:
XLIX.
Nova cosa parer dovrà per certo
Che preceda ai servigj il guiderdone;
Ma tua bontà m’affida: io vuo’ che’n merto
388 Del futuro servir que’ rei mi done.
In don gli chieggio, e pur se ‘l fallo è incerto,
Gli danna inclementissima ragione.
Ma taccio questo, e taccio i segni espressi,
392 Ond’argomento l’innocenza in essi.
XLIX
“A thing unused, great monarch, may it seem,
To ask reward for service yet to come;
But so your virtuous bounty I esteem,
That I presume for to intreat this groom
And silly maid from danger to redeem,
Condemned to burn by your unpartial doom,
I not excuse, but pity much their youth,
And come to you for mercy and for ruth.
XLIX
‘Tho’ it for certain were great novelty
That recompense should services precede,
Still I feel sure thou’lt grant this pair to me,
For future services as present meed.
Nay, if there’s any doubt of their offence,
Most harsh the law to inflict such punishment;
This I pass over, and the evidence
From which I judge they both are innocent;
L.
E dirò sol, ch’è quì comun sentenza
Che i Cristiani togliessero l’imago;
Ma discord’io da voi; nè però senza
396 Alta ragion del mio parer m’appago.
Fu delle nostre leggi irriverenza
Quell’opra far che persuase il Mago;
Chè non convien ne’ nostri tempj a nui
400 Gl’idoli avere, e men gl’idoli altrui.
L
“Yet give me leave to tell your Highness this,
You blame the Christians, them my thoughts acquite,
Nor be displeased, I say you judge amiss,
At every shot look not to hit the white,
All what the enchanter did persuade you, is
Against the lore of Macon’s sacred rite,
For us commandeth mighty Mahomet
No idols in his temple pure to set.
L
‘And will but add that the opinion here
Is that the Christians did the image take,
In this from you I differ, nor appear
Without good cause this utterance to make;
That was irreverence of our laws which ye,
Urged by Ismeno, deemed had power to save:
Since in our temples ’twas not fitting we
Should idols, least of all another’s, have.
LI.
Dunque suso a Macon recar mi giova
Il miracol dell’opra, ed ei lo fece
Per dimostrar che i tempj suoi con nova
404 Religion contaminar non lece.
Faccia Ismeno, incantando, ogni sua prova,
Egli, a cui le malíe son d’arme in vece:
Trattiamo il ferro pur noi cavalieri;
408 Quest’arte è nostra, e ‘n questa sol si speri.
LI
“To him therefore this wonder done refar,
Give him the praise and honor of the thing,
Of us the gods benign so careful are
Lest customs strange into their church we bring:
Let Ismen with his squares and trigons war,
His weapons be the staff, the glass, the ring;
But let us manage war with blows like knights,
Our praise in arms, our honor lies in fights.”
LI
‘Wherefore I rather think the Prophet might
Have wrought this miracle to demonstrate
That his immaculate temples ’twas not right
With new religion to contaminate.
Let then Ismeno weave his mystic rites,
He to whom witchcraft stands in place of arms:
But let us draw the sword like gallant knights,
These be our hopes, our arts, our magic charms.’
LII.
Tacque, ciò detto: e ‘l Re, bench’a pietade
L’irato cor difficilmente pieghi,
Pur compiacer la volle: e ‘l persuade
412 Ragione, e ‘l move autorità di preghi.
Abbian vita, rispose, e libertade,
E nulla a tanto intercessor si neghi.
Siasi questa o giustizia, ovver perdono,
416 Innocenti gli assolvo, e rei gli dono.
LII
The virgin held her peace when this was said;
And though to pity he never framed his thought,
Yet, for the king admired the noble maid,
His purpose was not to deny her aught:
“I grant them life,” quoth he, “your promised aid
Against these Frenchmen hath their pardon bought:
Nor further seek what their offences be,
Guiltless, I quit; guilty, I set them free.”
LII
She ceased. The king, although his iron breast
But seldom bent or was by pity swayed,
Yet fain would yield assent to her request
Her reasons move him, and her prayers persuade:
‘Let this be grace or justice which I give,
To such a pleader I can nought deny;
Guiltless I free them, guilty I forgive.
Let them have life,’ he said, ‘and liberty.’
LIII.
Così furon disciolti. Avventuroso
Ben veramente fu d’Olindo il fato;
Ch’atto potè mostrar, che ‘n generoso
420 Petto alfine ha d’amore amor destato.
Va dal rogo alle nozze, ed è già sposo
Fatto di reo, non pur d’amante amato.
Volle con lei morire: ella non schiva,
424 Poichè seco non muor, che seco viva.
LIII
Thus were they loosed, happiest of humankind,
Olindo, blessed be this act of thine,
True witness of thy great and heavenly mind,
Where sun, moon, stars, of love, faith, virtue, shine.
So forth they went and left pale death behind,
To joy the bliss of marriage rites divine,
With her he would have died, with him content
Was she to live that would with her have brent.
LIII
Thus were they loosed. Olindo’s fate how blest
By such an act his earnestness to prove!
Since
in her generous sympathetic breast
Love had at length awakened mutual love.
Erst lover, now beloved, the criminal goes
From pyre to marriage, while the blushing bride
Won by his sacrifice no shyness shows
To live with him who for her sake had died.
LIV.
Ma il sospettoso Re stimò periglio
Tanta virtù congiunta aver vicina;
Onde, com’egli volle, ambo in esiglio
428 Oltra i termini andar di Palestina.
Ei pur seguendo il suo crudel consiglio,
Bandisce altri fedeli, altri confina.
Oh come lascian mesti i pargoletti
432 Figlj, e gli antichi padri, e i dolci letti!
LIV
The king, as wicked thoughts are most suspicious,
Supposed too fast this tree of virtue grew,
O blessed Lord! why should this Pharaoh vicious,
Thus tyrannize upon thy Hebrews true?
Who to perform his will, vile and malicious,
Exiled these, and all the faithful crew,
All that were strong of body, stout of mind,
But kept their wives and children pledge behind.
LIV
But the suspicious king would not consent
To have them near, in whom such virtues shine;
Whence, as he willed, both into exile went,
Beyond the boundaries of Palestine;
And following up his most inhuman plan,
Some of the Faithful banished, some confined.
Ah, with what heavy hearts they heard his ban,
And left their sons, their sires, their wives behind!
LV.
Dura division! scaccia sol quelli
Di forte corpo, e di svegliato ingegno;
Ma il mansueto sesso, e gli anni imbelli
436 Seco ritien, siccome ostaggj, in pegno.
Molti n’andaro errando; altri rubelli
Fersi, e più che ‘l timor, potè lo sdegno.
Questi unirsi co’ Franchi, e gl’incontraro
440 Appunto il dì che in Emaus entraro.
LV
A hard division, when the harmless sheep
Must leave their lambs to hungry wolves in charge,
But labor’s virtues watching, ease her sleep,
Trouble best wind that drives salvation’s barge,
The Christians fled, whither they took no keep,
Some strayed wild among the forests large,
Some to Emmaus to the Christian host,
And conquer would again their houses lost.
LV
Cruel division! He drove out alone
Those of strong minds, and those robust in limb;
But the soft sex, and those not fully grown,
In pledge retained as hostages with him.
Many turned rovers, rebels some; his threat
Made anger triumph o’er their terror. Thus
They joined the Christian army, which they met
The day on which it entered Emmaus.
LVI.
Emaus è Città, cui breve strada
Dalla regal Gerusalem disgiunge:
Ed uom che lento a suo diporto vada,
444 Se parte matutino, a nona giunge.
O quanto intender questo ai Franchi aggrada:
Oh quanto più ‘l desio gli affretta e punge!
Ma perch’oltre il meriggio il sol già scende,
448 Quì fa spiegare il Capitan le tende.
LVI
Emmaus is a city small, that lies
From Sion’s walls distant a little way,
A man that early on the morn doth rise,
May thither walk ere third hour of the day.
Oh, when the Christian lord this town espies
How merry were their hearts? How fresh? How gay?
But for the sun inclined fast to west,
That night there would their chieftain take his rest.
LVI
A city Emmaus is, that a short way
From royal Salem separates, and one
Who journeys slowly for his pleasure may,
By starting early, Salem reach at noon.
Oh, how this hearing doth the Christians cheer!
Oh, how their zeal it quickens and foments!
But since the sun was fast declining, here
The captain orders them to pitch their tents.
LVII.
L’avean già tese: e poco era remota
L’alma luce del Sol dall’Oceano;
Quando due gran Baroni in veste ignota
452 Venir son visti, e ‘n portamento estrano.
Ogni atto lor pacifico dinota
Che vengon come amici al Capitano.
Del gran Re dell’Egitto eran messaggj,
456 E molti intorno avean scudieri e paggj.
LVII
Their canvas castles up they quickly rear,
And build a city in an hour’s space.
When lo, disguised in unusual gear,
Two barons bold approachen gan the place;
Their semblance kind, and mild their gestures were,
Peace in their hands, and friendship in their face,
From Egypt’s king ambassadors they come,
Them many a squire attends, and many a groom.
LVII
They were already pitched, and the sun’s light
Was not far distant from the ocean’s breast,
When, lo! two mighty barons loomed in sight,
Of foreign port, and in strange costume dressed;
Their every act and peaceful bearing showed,
They came as friends, perhaps some news to bring;
Escorted by a numerous train they rode,
And were the envoys of the Egyptian king.
LVIII.
Alete è l’un, che da principio indegno
Tra le brutture della plebe è sorto;
Ma l’innalzaro ai primi onor del regno
460 Parlar facondo e lusinghiero e scorto,
Pieghevoli costumi, e vario ingegno,
Al finger pronto, all’ingannare accorto:
Gran fabbro di calunnie, adorne in modi
464 Novi, che son accuse, e pajon lodi.
LVIII
The first Aletes, born in lowly shed,
Of parents base, a rose sprung from a brier,
That now his branches over Egypt spread,
No plant in Pharaoh’s garden prospered higher;
With pleasing tales his lord’s vain ears he fed,
A flatterer, a pick-thank, and a liar:
Cursed be estate got with so many a crime,
Yet this is oft the stair by which men climb.
LVIII
Alethes one, who from most low estate,
Ev’n from the refuse of the people sprung,
Had reached the highest honours of the state,
By subtle, eloquent, obsequious tongue.
In manner pliant, versatile in wit,
Prompt to dissemble, to deception used;
Slanders he forged, but still so apposite,
That when they seemed to praise, they most accused.
LIX.
L’altro è il Circasso Argante, uom che straniero
Sen venne alla regal corte d’Egitto;
Ma de’ satrapi fatto è dell’impero,
468 E in sommi gradi alla milizia ascritto:
Impaziente, inesorabil, fero,
Nell’arme infaticabile ed invitto;
D’ogni Dio sprezzator, e che ripone
472 Nella spada sua legge, e sua ragione.
LIX
Argantes called is that other knight,
A stranger came he late to Egypt land,
And there advanced was to honor’s height,
For he was stout of courage, strong of hand,
Bold was his heart, and restless was his sprite,
Fierce, stern, outrageous, keen as sharpe
ned brand,
Scorner of God, scant to himself a friend,
And pricked his reason on his weapon’s end.
LIX
Arganté, from Circassia, the other. He
To Egypt came a stranger, and was made
One of the satraps of the monarchy,
And in the army reached the highest grade.
Intolerant, inexorable, fierce,
In arms unmatched, unwearied; he adored
No god, but scorned, and was to all averse,
Owning no law, no reason, but his sword.
LX.
Chieser questi udienza, ed al cospetto
Del famoso Goffredo ammessi entraro:
E in umil seggio, e in un vestire schietto
476 Fra’ suoi Duci sedendo il ritrovaro;
Ma verace valor, benchè negletto,
È di se stesso a se fregio assai chiaro.
Picciol segno d’onor gli fece Argante,
480 In guisa pur d’uom grande, e non curante.
LX
These two entreatance made they might be heard,
Nor was their just petition long denied;
The gallants quickly made their court of guard,
And brought them in where sate their famous guide,
Whose kingly look his princely mind declared,
Where noblesse, virtue, troth, and valor bide.
A slender courtesy made Argantes bold,
So as one prince salute another wold;
LX
They craved an audience, and admitted were
To Godfrey’s presence. That illustrious knight
They found reposing on a lowly chair
Among his dukes, in simple garb bedight
But real worth, though carelessly arrayed,
Is to itself its own bright ornament
Small sign of honour him Arganté paid,
Like one too grand and too indifferent.
LXI.
Ma la destra si pose Alete al seno,
E chinò il capo, e piegò a terra i lumi;
E l’onorò con ogni modo appieno,
484 Che di sua gente portino i costumi.
Cominciò poscia; e di sua bocca uscieno
Più che mel dolci d’eloquenza i fiumi;
E perchè i Franchi han già il sermone appreso
488 Della Soria, fu ciò ch’ei disse inteso.
LXI
Aletes laid his right hand on his heart,
Bent down his head, and cast his eyes full low,
And reverence made with courtly grace and art,
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