To strike in that defenceless part the maid:
But Tancred, who observed it, gave the alarm,
And the great blow received upon his blade.
XXX.
Pur non gì tutto invano, e ne’ confini
Del bianco collo il bel capo ferille.
Fu levissima piaga, e i biondi crini
236 Rosseggiaron così d’alquante stille,
Come rosseggia l’or che di rubini
Per man d’illustre artefice sfaville.
Ma il Prence infuriato, allor si spinse
240 Addosso a quel villano, e ‘l ferro strinse.
XXX
But yet the cutting steel arrived there,
Where her fair neck adjoined her noble head,
Light was the wound, but through her amber hair
The purple drops down railed bloody red,
So rubies set in flaming gold appear:
But Lord Tancredi, pale with rage as lead,
Flew on the villain, who to flight him bound;
The smart was his, though she received the wound.
XXX.
Yet went it not in vain, but struck her where
The lovely head springs from the snowy neck;
Slight was the wound, still her gold-coloured hair
Some drops of blood with crimson patches fleck.
So flashes gold when with carbuncles set,
It sparkles from some skilful artist’s hand.
The infuriate prince, with many a muttered threat,
Dashed at the wretch, and tighter grasped his brand.
XXXI.
Quel si dilegua, e questi acceso d’ira
Il segue; e van come per l’aria strale.
Ella riman sospesa, ed ambo mira
244 Lontani molto, nè seguir le cale:
Ma co’ suoi fuggitivi si ritira;
Talor mostra la fronte, e i Franchi assale:
Or si volge, or rivolge, or fugge, or fuga;
248 Nè si può dir la sua caccia, nè fuga.
XXXI
The villain flies, he, full of rage and ire,
Pursues, she stood and wondered on them both,
But yet to follow them showed no desire,
To stray so far she would perchance be loth,
But quickly turned her, fierce as flaming fire,
And on her foes wreaked her anger wroth,
On every side she kills them down amain,
And now she flies, and now she turns again.
XXXI.
Away he fled; burning with rage, the knight
Pursued. They flew like arrows through the air:
Perplexed she stands, and keeps both long in sight,
Yet deigns not follow the retreating pair,
But doth the fugitives accompany, —
And now shows front and seeks the Franks in fight, —
Now turns, returns, flies, makes the Christians fly,
Nor could one say if hers were chase or flight.
XXXII.
Tal gran tauro talor nell’ampio agone,
Se volge il corno ai cani, onde è seguito,
S’arretran essi; e s’a fuggir si pone,
252 Ciascun ritorna a seguitarlo ardito.
Clorinda, nel fuggir, da tergo oppone
Alto lo scudo, e ‘l capo è custodito.
Così coperti van ne’ giuochi Mori
256 Dalle palle lanciate i fuggitori.
XXXII
As the swift ure by Volga’s rolling flood
Chased through the plains the mastiff curs toforn,
Flies to the succor of some neighbor wood,
And often turns again his dreadful horn
Against the dogs imbrued in sweat and blood,
That bite not, till the beast to flight return;
Or as the Moors at their strange tennice run,
Defenced, the flying balls unhurt to shun:
XXXII.
Thus if the bull in spacious circus turn —
His threatening horns against pursuing hounds,
They quick retreat, but should he fly, return,
And each to follow with fresh ardour bounds. —
To guard her head, her shield Clorinda kept
Over her shoulders, as she sought the walls:
In Moorish games the players thus intercept,
Thus balk the fury of the flying balls. —
XXXIII.
Già questi seguitando, e quei fuggendo
S’erano all’alte mura avvicinati;
Quando alzaro i Pagani un grido orrendo,
260 E indietro si fur subito voltati:
E fecero un gran giro, e poi volgendo
Ritornaro a ferir le spalle e i lati:
E intanto Argante giù movea dal monte
264 La schiera sua, per assalirgli a fronte.
XXXIII
So ran Clorinda, so her foes pursued,
Until they both approached the city’s wall,
When lo! the Pagans their fierce wrath renewed,
Cast in a ring about they wheeled all,
And ‘gainst the Christians’ backs and sides they showed
Their courage fierce, and to new combat fall,
When down the hill Argantes came to fight,
Like angry Mars to aid the Trojan knight.
XXXIII.
Pursuing Frank and flying Infidel
Had nearly reached the lofty ramparts, when
The wily Pagans raised a horrid yell,
And of a sudden drove them back again.
A circuit wide they made, nor turned, until
They in reverse could strike their rear and flanks;
Meantime, Arganté moved down from the hill,
To charge in front their now surrounded ranks.
XXXIV.
Il feroce Circasso uscì di stuolo;
Ch’esser voll’egli il feritor primiero:
E quegli, in cui ferì, fu steso al suolo,
268 E sossopra in un fascio il suo destriero:
E pria che l’asta in tronchi andasse a volo,
Molti, cadendo, compagnia gli fero;
Poi stringe il ferro, e quando giunge appieno,
272 Sempre uccide, od abbatte, o piaga almeno.
XXXIV
Furious, tofore the foremost of his rank,
In sturdy steel forth stept the warrior bold,
The first he smote down from his saddle sank,
The next under his steel lay on the mould,
Under the Saracen’s spear the worthies shrank,
No breastplate could that cursed tree outhold,
When that was broke his precious sword he drew,
And whom he hit, he felled, hurt, or slew.
XXXIV.
The fierce Circassian dashed forth with a bound;
Eager to give first blow he led the van,
And him he struck he stretched upon the ground,
And in one heap rolled over horse and man;
And ere his lance in shivers flew, had sent
Many to bear him company; nor ceased,
But drew his sabre, which, when home it went,
Aye slew, struck down, or caused some wound at least.
XXXV.
Clorinda emula sua tolse di vita
Il forte Ardelio, uom già d’età matura;
Ma di vecchiezza indomita, e munita
276 Di due gran figlj, e pur non fu sicura;
Ch’Alcandro il maggior figlio aspra ferita
Rimosso avea dalla paterna cura:
E Poliferno, che restogli appresso,
280 A gran pena salvar potè se stesso.
XXXV
Clorinda slew Ardelio; aged knight,
Whose graver years would for no labor yield,
His age was full of puissance and might
Two sons he had to guard his noble eild,
The first, far from his father’s care and sight,
Called Alicandro wounded lay in field,
/> And Poliphern the younger, by his side,
Had he not nobly fought had surely died.
XXXV.
Clorinda, jealous of his glory, slew
The strong Ardelio, who of years mature
Was still untamed by age. With him were two
Great sons: yet even he was not secure,
Since a bad wound had from his fathers care
Removed Alcander; and ’twas all that brave
Young Polypherne could do, who still stood near
(So closely pressed he was), himself to save.
XXXVI.
Ma Tancredi, dappoi ch’egli non giunge
Quel villan, che destriero ha più corrente,
Si mira addietro, e vede ben che lunge
284 Troppo è trascorsa la sua audace gente:
Vedela intorniata, e ‘l corsier punge,
Volgendo il freno, e là s’invia repente:
Ned egli solo i suoi guerrier soccorre;
288 Ma quello stuol ch’a tutti i rischj accorre.
XXXVI
Tancred by this, that strove to overtake
The villain that had hurt his only dear,
From vain pursuit at last returned back,
And his brave troop discomfit saw well near,
Thither he spurred, and gan huge slaughter make,
His shock no steed, his blow no knight could bear,
For dead he strikes him whom he lights upon,
So thunders break high trees on Lebanon.
XXXVI.
But Tancred, finding that he could not gain
That villain mounted on a fleeter horse,
Looked back, and saw too far upon the plain
His gallant troop had urged their daring course:
Saw them surrounded. Quickly turning rein,
He pricked his steed, and galloped straightway there,
Nor did his arm alone his friends sustain:
Down came those ready for all risks: they were
XXXVII.
Quel di Dudon avventurier drappello,
Fior degli eroi, nerbo e vigor del campo.
Rinaldo il più magnanimo e ‘l più bello,
292 Tutti precorre; ed è men ratto il lampo.
Ben tosto il portamento e ‘l bianco augello
Conosce Erminia nel celeste campo;
E dice al Re che ‘n lui fissa lo sguardo:
296 Eccoti il domator d’ogni gagliardo.
XXXVII
Dudon his squadron of adventurers brings,
To aid the worthy and his tired crew,
Before the residue young Rinaldo flings
As swift as fiery lightning kindled new,
His argent eagle with her silver wings
In field of azure, fair Erminia knew,
“See there, sir King,” she says, “a knight as bold
And brave, as was the son of Peleus old.
XXXVII.
Dudoné’s squadron of Adventurers,
Flower of the camp, its sinew, and its force;
Noblest and fairest, young Rinaldo spurs
Before them all, like lightning on his course.
Erminia quickly knew his cognisance,
The eagle argent on the azure field,
And to the king, who marked his bold advance:
‘Behold the brave, to whom the bravest yield.
XXXVIII.
Questi ha nel pregio della spada eguali
Pochi, o nessuno, ed è fanciullo ancora.
Se fosser tra’ nemici altri sei tali,
300 Già Soria tutta vinta e serva fora:
E già domi sarebbono i più australi
Regni, e i regni più prossimi all’aurora:
E forse il Nilo occulterebbe invano,
304 Dal giogo, il capo incognito e lontano.
XXXVIII
“He wins the prize in joust and tournament,
His acts are numberless, though few his years,
If Europe six likes him to war had sent
Among these thousand strong of Christian peers,
Syria were lost, lost were the Orient,
And all the lands the Southern Ocean wears,
Conquered were all hot Afric’s tawny kings,
And all that dwells by Nilus’ unknown springs.
XXXVIII.
‘As cavalier, he but few equals knows,
Or none at all, and though a stripling still,
Were there six other such amid thy foes,
All Syria now were subject to their will:
The realms most southward had already been
Subdued, aye, all the orient by their force;
And perhaps the Nile had from their power in vain
Concealed his distant and mysterious source.
XXXIX.
Rinaldo ha nome; e la sua destra irata
Teman più d’ogni machina le mura.
Or volgi gli occhj ov’io ti mostro, e guata
308 Colui che d’oro e verde ha l’armatura:
Quegli è Dudone, ed è da lui guidata
Questa schiera, che schiera è di ventura:
È guerrier d’alto sangue, e molto esperto,
312 Che d’età vince, e non cede di merto.
XXXIX
“Rinaldo is his name, his armed fist
Breaks down stone walls, when rams and engines fail,
But turn your eyes because I would you wist
What lord that is in green and golden mail,
Dudon he hight who guideth as him list
The adventurers’ troop whose prowess seld doth fail,
High birth, grave years, and practise long in war,
And fearless heart, make him renowned far.
XXXIX.
‘His name’s Rinaldo; the strong ramparts fear
His angered arm more than a huge machine.
Now turn thine eyes: behold you cavalier,
Emblazed whose armour is with gold and green;
That is Dudoné, by whose arm is led
This very squadron of Adventurers;
Of lofty lineage and experienced head,
He most in worth transcends, and all in years.
XL.
Mira quel grande ch’è coperto a bruno,
È Gernando il fratel del Re Norvegio:
Non ha la terra uom più superbo alcuno;
316 Questo sol de’ suoi fatti oscura il pregio.
E son que’ due che van sì giunti in uno,
Ed han bianco il vestir, bianco ogni fregio,
Gildippe ed Odoardo, amanti e sposi,
320 In valor d’arme, e in lealtà famosi.
XL
“See that big man that all in brown is bound,
Gernando called, the King of Norway’s son,
A prouder knight treads not on grass or ground,
His pride hath lost the praise his prowess won;
And that kind pair in white all armed round,
Is Edward and Gildippes, who begun
Through love the hazard of fierce war to prove,
Famous for arms, but famous more for love.”
XL.
‘Seest thou that giant cased in brown? he is
Gemando, brother of great Norway’s king;
The world hath not a prouder soul, and this
Alone a shade o’er his deserts doth fling.
There are the two for ever joined in one,
Whose arms and every ornament are white:
Gildippé, Edward, who renown have won
As no less leal in love than staunch in fight.’
XLI.
Così parlava; e già vedean là sotto
Come la strage più e più s’ingrosse,
Chè Tancredi e Rinaldo il cerchio han rotto,
324 Benchè d’uomini denso e d’armi fosse.
E poi lo stuol ch’è da Dudon condotto
Vi giunse, ed aspramente anco il percosse.
Argante, Argante stesso, ad un grand’urto
328 Di
Rinaldo, abbattuto, appena è surto.
XLI
While thus they tell their foemen’s worthiness,
The slaughter rageth in the plain at large.
Tancred and young Rinaldo break the press,
They bruise the helm, and press the sevenfold targe;
The troop by Dudon led performed no less,
But in they come and give a furious charge:
Argantes’ self fell at one single blow,
Inglorious, bleeding lay, on earth full low:
XLI.
Meanwhile they saw beneath, as thus she spoke,
How more and more the combat thickened; when
Through the ring Tancred and Rinaldo broke,
Though bristling it with flashing arms and men.
Dudoné’s squadron then came thundering on,
Cutting and thrusting, when before their eyes
Arganté’s self, Arganté is struck down
By young Rinaldo, and can scarcely rise.
XLII.
Nè sorgea forse; ma in quel punto stesso
Al figliuol di Bertoldo il destrier cade:
E restandogli sotto il piede oppresso,
332 Convien ch’indi a ritrarlo alquanto bade.
Lo stuol Pagan frattanto in rotta messo,
Si ripara fuggendo alla Cittade.
Soli Argante e Clorinda, argine e sponda
336 Sono al furor che lor da tergo inonda.
XLII
Nor had the boaster ever risen more,
But that Rinaldo’s horse e’en then down fell,
And with the fall his leg opprest so sore,
That for a space there must be algates dwell.
Meanwhile the Pagan troops were nigh forlore,
Swiftly they fled, glad they escaped so well,
Argantes and with him Clorinda stout,
For bank and bulwark served to save the rout.
XLII.
Nor had he risen, but at that moment sank
Rinaldo’s gallant charger in the fray,
His foot remaining ‘neath the horse’s flank,
And struggling he to drag it thence away.
Meanwhile, the routed Saracens repair
To the town’s shelter, flying like the wind;
Alone, Arganté and Clorinda were
A mound and trench against the storm behind.
XLIII.
Ultimi vanno, e l’impeto seguente
In lor s’arresta alquanto, e si reprime;
Sicchè potean men perigliosamente
Jerusalem Delivered Page 171
