Jerusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  LXXIV

  ‘ — Still granting that it be thy destiny

  Ne’er to be conquered by the hostile sword;

  And granting too that such is Heaven’s decree

  As thou presumest it, — still, mighty lord,

  Famine will conquer thee: against that ill

  What refuge, what protection wilt thou find?

  ‘Gainst her gaunt form thy broad sword wave, and still

  Thy eager hopes with fancied victory blind.

  LXXV.

  Ogni campo d’intorno arso e distrutto

  Ha la provida man degli abitanti;

  E in chiuse mura, e in alte torri il frutto

  596 Riposto, al tuo venir più giorni avanti.

  Tu ch’ardito sin quì ti sei condutto,

  Onde speri nutrir cavalli e fanti?

  Dirai: l’armata in mar cura ne prende.

  600 Da’ venti dunque il viver tuo dipende?

  LXXV

  “The inhabitants each pasture and each plain

  Destroyed have, each field to waste is laid,

  In fenced towers bestowed is their grain

  Before thou cam’st this kingdom to invade,

  These horse and foot, how canst them sustain?

  Whence comes thy store? whence thy provision made?

  Thy ships to bring it are, perchance, assigned,

  Oh, that you live so long as please the wind!

  LXXV

  ‘But know, the provident inhabitants

  With sword and fire have laid the country waste,

  And many days before thy host’s advance

  In walls impregnable the harvest placed.

  Whence, then, dost hope thy horse and foot to feed,

  Thou who hast never to this hour repined?

  Thou’lt say, our ships will give us help in need;

  Depends then thy subsistence on the wind?

  LXXVI.

  Comanda forse tua fortuna ai venti,

  E gli avvince a sua voglia, e gli dislega?

  Il mar ch’ai preghi è sordo, ed ai lamenti,

  604 Te sol udendo, al tuo voler si piega?

  O non potranno pur le nostre genti,

  E le Perse e le Turche, unite in lega,

  Così potente armata in un raccorre,

  608 Ch’a questi legni tuoi si possa opporre?

  LXXVI

  “Perhaps thy fortune doth control the wind,

  Doth loose or bind their blasts in secret cave,

  The sea, pardie, cruel and deaf by kind,

  Will hear thy call, and still her raging wave:

  But if our armed galleys be assigned

  To aid those ships which Turks and Persians have,

  Say then, what hope is left thy slender fleet?

  Dare flocks of crows, a flight of eagles meet?

  LXXVI

  ‘Perhaps thy fortune may the winds command,

  And at thy pleasure rouse or keep them still?

  The sea, though deaf to others’ prayers, trapanned

  By Godfrey’s voice, may bow to Godfrey’s will?

  Cannot our ships, then, on the ocean meet,

  And with the Persians and the Turks combine,

  And form in one so powerful a fleet

  As well may match that armament of thine?

  LXXVII.

  Doppia vittoria a te, Signor, bisogna,

  S’hai dell’impresa a riportar l’onore.

  Una perdita sola, alta vergogna

  612 Può cagionarti, e danno anco maggiore;

  Ch’ove la nostra armata in rotta pogna

  La tua; quì poi di fame il campo more:

  E se tu sei perdente, indarno poi

  616 Saran vittoriosi i legni tuoi.

  LXXVII

  “My lord, a double conquest must you make,

  If you achieve renown by this emprize:

  For if our fleet your navy chase or take,

  For want of victuals all your camp then dies;

  Of if by land the field you once forsake,

  Then vain by sea were hope of victories.

  Nor could your ships restore your lost estate:

  For steed once stolen, we shut the door too late.

  LXXVII

  ‘Thoult need, O prince! a double victory,

  Success in this emprise to consummate;

  One sole disaster would occasion thee

  Disgrace profound, and losses still more great:

  Since, should our fleet a signal victory gain,

  And rout thine own, thy camp would famished be;

  And should’st thou lose on land, thy ships in vain, —

  In vain would ride triumphant o’er the sea’

  LXXVIII.

  Ora se in tale stato anco rifiuti

  Col gran Re dell’Egitto e pace e tregua

  (Diasi licenza al ver) l’altre virtuti,

  620 Questo consiglio tuo non bene adegua.

  Ma voglia il Ciel che ‘l tuo pensier si muti,

  S’a guerra è volto, e che ‘l contrario segua;

  Sicchè l’Asia respiri omai dai lutti,

  624 E goda tu della vittoria i frutti.

  LXXVIII

  “In this estate, if thou esteemest light

  The proffered kindness of the Egyptian king,

  Then give me leave to say, this oversight

  Beseems thee not, in whom such virtues spring:

  But heavens vouchsafe to guide my mind aright,

  To gentle thoughts, that peace and quiet bring,

  So that poor Asia her complaints may cease,

  And you enjoy your conquests got, in peace.

  LXXVIII

  ‘Now if in such condition you refuse

  Peace and alliance with our sovran lord

  (Pardon the truth), but thy mistaken views

  Ill with thy other excellence accord.

  But would to Heaven thou would’st thy sabre sheathe,

  And change thy mind, that all may changèd be;

  That Asia may, her troubles over, breathe,

  And thou enjoy the fruits of victory.

  LXXIX.

  Nè voi, che del periglio e degli affanni,

  E della gloria a lui sete consorti,

  Il favor di fortuna or tanto inganni,

  628 Che nove guerre a provocar v’esorti.

  Ma, qual nocchier che dai marini inganni

  Ridutti ha i legni ai desiati porti,

  Raccor dovreste omai le sparse vele,

  632 Nè fidarvi di nuovo al mar crudele.

  LXXIX

  “Nor ye that part in these adventures have,

  Part in his glory, partners in his harms,

  Let not blind Fortune so your minds deceive,

  To stir him more to try these fierce alarms,

  But like the sailor ‘scaped from the wave

  From further peril that his person arms

  By staying safe at home, so stay you all,

  Better sit still, men say, than rise to fall.”

  LXXIX

  ‘And ye, who in each strange vicissitude

  Of fame and peril his companions are, —

  Let not the smiles of Fortune so delude

  As to induce you to provoke fresh war;

  But like the sailors, who from treacherous gales

  Bring back their vessels to the welcome shore,

  Ye should collect your widely scattered sails,

  Nor tempt the dangers of the ocean more.’

  LXXX.

  Quì tacque Alete; e ‘l suo parlar seguiro

  Con basso mormorar que’ forti eroi:

  E ben, negli atti disdegnosi, apriro

  636 Quanto ciascun quella proposta annoi.

  Il capitan rivolse gli occhj in giro

  Tre volte e quattro, e mirò in fronte i suoi;

  E poi nel volto di colui gli affisse

  640 Ch’attendea la risposta, e così disse:

  LXXX

  This said Aletes: and a murmur r
ose

  That showed dislike among the Christian peers,

  Their angry gestures with mislike disclose

  How much his speech offends their noble ears.

  Lord Godfrey’s eye three times environ goes,

  To view what countenance every warrior bears,

  And lastly on the Egyptian baron stayed,

  To whom the duke thus for his answer said:

  LXXX

  Here ceased Alethes, and those valiant knights

  Followed with muttered murmuring his speech,

  And by their scornful attitudes and slights

  Showed how his overtures offended each.

  Thrice — aye, four times — the captain turned his eye,

  To see how his bold dukes the message took;

  Then upon him who waited his reply

  Fixed his full glance, and thus unruffled spoke:

  LXXXI.

  Messaggier, dolcemente a noi sponesti

  Ora cortese, or minaccioso invito.

  Se ‘l tuo Re m’ama, e loda i nostri gesti,

  644 È sua mercede, e m’è l’amor gradito.

  A quella parte poi, dove protesti

  La guerra a noi del Paganesmo unito;

  Risponderò, come da me si suole,

  648 Liberi sensi in semplici parole.

  LXXXI

  “Ambassador, full both of threats and praise,

  Thy doubtful message hast thou wisely told,

  And if thy sovereign love us as he says,

  Tell him he sows to reap an hundred fold,

  But where thy talk the coming storm displays

  Of threatened warfare from the Pagans bold:

  To that I answer, as my cousin is,

  In plainest phrase, lest my intent thou miss.

  LXXXI

  ‘Thou hast delivered in most sweet-toned phrase

  A message — friendly now, now menacing:

  If thy liege love me, and my actions praise,

  Pleased I accept the approval of the king;

  But to that part where thou denouncest war

  To us from Pagandom’s united swords,

  I will reply as wont, ambassador,

  Clothing frank sentiments in simple words.

  LXXXII.

  Sappi che tanto abbiam sin or sofferto

  In mare, in terra, all’aria chiara e scura,

  Solo acciocchè ne fosse il calle aperto

  652 A quelle sacre e venerabil mura;

  Per acquistar appo Dio grazia e merto,

  Togliendo lor di servitù sì dura:

  Nè mai grave ne fia, per fin sì degno,

  656 Esporre onor mondano, e vita e regno.

  LXXXII

  “Know, that till now we suffered have much pain,

  By lands and seas, where storms and tempests fall,

  To make the passage easy, safe, and plain

  That leads us to this venerable wall,

  That so we might reward from Heaven obtain,

  And free this town from being longer thrall;

  Nor is it grievous to so good an end

  Our honors, kingdoms, lives and goods to spend.

  LXXXII

  ‘Know that so much we have till now endured

  By land and sea, in light and darkness all —

  But that we might have our great end assured,

  And win our way to Salem’s sacred wall,

  And thus in God’s rewards participate,

  His flock releasing from the oppressor’s hand;

  Nor do we deem it hard, for end so great

  To risk our worldly honour, life, and land.

  LXXXIII.

  Chè non ambiziosi avari affetti

  Ne spronaro all’impresa, e ne fur guida:

  Sgombri il Padre del Ciel dai nostri petti

  660 Peste sì rea, s’in alcun pur s’annida;

  Nè soffra che l’asperga, o che l’infetti

  Di venen dolce, che piacendo ancida;

  Ma la sua man, che i duri cor penétra

  664 Soavemente, e gli ammolisce e spetra;

  LXXXIII

  “Nor hope of praise, nor thirst of worldly good,

  Enticed us to follow this emprise,

  The Heavenly Father keep his sacred brood

  From foul infection of so great a vice:

  But by our zeal aye be that plague withstood,

  Let not those pleasures us to sin entice.

  His grace, his mercy, and his powerful hand

  Will keep us safe from hurt by sea and land.

  LXXXIII

  ‘Since no ambitious or unworthy love

  Did us to this great enterprise impel;

  May from our breasts the God of heaven remove

  A plague so foul, if such in any dwell,

  Nor suffer that it moisten or infect

  Us with its poison, which, in pleasing, kills;

  But ’tis His hand which gently doth correct

  Hard hearts, and in them tenderness instills.

  LXXXIV.

  Questa ha noi mossi, e questa ha noi condutti,

  Tratti d’ogni periglio e d’ogni impaccio:

  Questa fa piani i monti, e i fiumi asciutti,

  668 L’ardor toglie alla state, al verno il ghiaccio:

  Placa del mare i tempestosi flutti:

  Stringe e rallenta questa a’ venti il laccio:

  Quindi son l’alte mura aperte ed arse,

  672 Quindi l’armate schiere uccise e sparse.

  LXXXIV

  “This is the spur that makes our coursers run;

  This is our harbor, safe from danger’s floods;

  This is our bield, the blustering winds to shun:

  This is our guide, through forests, deserts, woods;

  This is our summer’s shade, our winter’s sun:

  This is our wealth, our treasure, and our goods:

  This is our engine, towers that overthrows,

  Our spear that hurts, our sword that wounds our foes.

  LXXXIV

  ‘This has impelled us, this has led us here;

  Relieved us from all danger and delay;

  This makes floods dry, this mountains disappear;

  Takes summer’s heat and winter’s frost away;

  Holds fast or loosens this the blustering squads;

  Appeases this the billows of the main;

  Hence burned and breached are the most lofty walls,

  Hence armèd legions scattered are and slain.

  LXXXV.

  Quindi l’ardir, quindi la speme nasce,

  Non dalle frali nostre forze, e stanche,

  Non dall’armata, e non da quante pasce

  676 Genti la Grecia, e non dall’armi Franche.

  Pur ch’ella mai non ci abbandoni e lasce,

  Poco dobbiam curar ch’altri ci manche.

  Chi sa come difende, e come fere,

  680 Soccorso ai suoi periglj altro non chere.

  LXXXV

  “Our courage hence, our hope, our valor springs,

  Not from the trust we have in shield or spear,

  Not from the succors France or Grecia brings,

  On such weak posts we list no buildings rear:

  He can defend us from the power of kings,

  From chance of war, that makes weak hearts to fear;

  He can these hungry troops with manna feed,

  And make the seas land, if we passage need.

  LXXXV

  ‘Hence courage takes its birth, and hope we greet,

  Not from our forces, fragile and fatigued;

  Not from Frank arms, not from the friendly fleet,

  Not from the Greeks, if altogether leagued.

  So long as God his ægis arm extends,

  Though all else fail us, we are not dismayed;

  Who knows both how it strikes and how defends,

  In danger’s hour requires no other aid.

  LXXXVI.

  Ma quando di sua aita ella ne privi


  Per gli error nostri, o per giudícj occulti;

  Chi fia di noi ch’esser sepolto schivi

  684 Ove i membri di Dio fur già sepulti?

  Noi morirem, nè invidia avremo ai vivi:

  Noi morirem, ma non morremo inulti;

  Nè l’Asia riderà di nostra sorte:

  688 Nè pianta fia da noi la nostra morte.

  LXXXVI

  “But if our sins us of his help deprive,

  Of his high justice let no mercy fall;

  Yet should our deaths us some contentment give,

  To die, where Christ received his burial,

  So might we die, not envying them that live;

  So would we die, not unrevenged all:

  Nor Turks, nor Christians, if we perish such,

  Have cause to joy, or to complain too much.

  LXXXVI

  ‘But should our sins or secret judgment doom

  Us to the want of His almighty aid,

  Which of us would not die to have his tomb

  Where his Redeemer’s hallowed limbs were laid?

  Then die we will, nor envy those that live;

  Then die we will, nor unrevengèd die;

  Nor at our fate her smiles will Asia give,

  Nor will our death extract from us one sigh.

  LXXXVII.

  Non creder già che noi fuggiam la pace,

  Come guerra mortal si fugge e pave;

  Chè l’amicizia del tuo Re ne piace,

  692 Nè l’unirci con lui ne sarà grave.

  Ma s’al suo impero la Giudea soggiace,

  Tu ‘l sai, perchè tal cura ei dunque n’ave?

  De’ regni altrui l’acquisto ei non ci vieti,

  696 E regga in pace i suoi tranquilli e lieti.

  LXXXVII

  “Think not that wars we love, and strife affect,

  Or that we hate sweet peace, or rest denay,

  Think not your sovereign’s friendship we reject,

  Because we list not in our conquests stay:

  But for it seems he would the Jews protect,

  Pray him from us that thought aside to lay,

  Nor us forbid this town and realm to gain,

  And he in peace, rest, joy, long more may reign.”

  LXXXVII

  ‘Yet think not we a state of peace refuse,

  As one avoids or fears a mortal fight,

  Or that we wish thy liege’s love to lose,

  Or that alliance with his arms we slight

  But about Judah why so careful? lies

  It subject to his rule? Let him then cease