Jerusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  Ma poi che scosso fu il notturno orrore

  156 Che l’orror delle morti in se copria,

  La desiata luce a noi terrore

  Con vista accrebbe dolorosa e ria;

  Chè pien d’estinti il campo, e quasi tutta

  160 Nostra gente vedemmo omai distrutta.

  XX

  “Thus fought we till the morning bright appeared,

  And strewed roses on the azure sky,

  But when her lamp had night’s thick darkness cleared,

  Wherein the bodies dead did buried lie,

  Then our sad cries to heaven for grief we reared,

  Our loss apparent was, for we descry

  How all our camp destroyed was almost,

  And all our people well-nigh slain and lost;

  XX.

  ‘Thus battled we until the morrow’s dawn

  Had o’er the heavens her roseate mantle spread;

  But when the nightly horrors were withdrawn,

  That had concealed the horrors of the dead,

  The wished-for light our hearts with terror thrilled

  When was revealed that most appalling sight

  With corpses was the entire encampment filled,

  And scarcely any had survived the night

  XXI.

  Duomila fummo, e non siam cento; or quando

  Tanto sangue egli mira e tante morti,

  Non so se ‘l cor feroce al miserando

  164 Spettacolo si turbi, e si sconforti;

  Ma già no ‘l mostra; anzi la voce alzando,

  Seguiam, ne grida, que’ compagni forti

  Ch’al Ciel, lunge dai laghi Averni e Stigj,

  168 N’han segnati col sangue alti vestigj.

  XXI

  “Of thousands twain an hundred scant survived.

  When Sweno murdered saw each valiant knight,

  I know not if his heart in sunder rived

  For dear compassion of that woful sight;

  He showed no change, but said: ‘Since so deprived

  We are of all our friends by chance of fight,

  Come follow them, the path to heaven their blood

  Marks out, now angels made, of martyrs good.’

  XXI.

  ‘Two thousand once, and not a hundred now!

  When Sweno had that frightful carnage seen,

  ‘Twere hard to say, by his unruffled brow,

  If his heart felt the horror of the scene.

  He showed it not — nay, loudly shouting, said:

  “With those our gallant comrades let us vie,

  Who, spuming the dark regions of the dead,

  Have traced in blood a pathway to the sky.”

  XXII.

  Disse; e lieto, cred′io, della vicina

  Morte, così nel cor come al sembiante,

  Incontro alla barbarica ruina

  172 Portonne il petto intrepido e costante.

  Tempra non sosterrebbe, ancor che fina

  Fosse, e d’acciajo nò, ma di diamante,

  I feri colpi ond′egli il campo allaga:176E fatto è il corpo suo solo una piaga.

  XXII

  “This said, and glad I think of death at hand,

  The signs of heavenly joy shone through his eyes,

  Of Saracens against a mighty band,

  With fearless heart and constant breast he flies;

  No steel could shield them from his cutting brand

  But whom he hits without recure he dies,

  He never struck but felled or killed his foe

  And wounded was himself from top to toe.

  XXII.

  ‘His looks the impress of his spirit wore,

  Happy, I ween, at his approaching death;

  Against the barbarous ruin he still bore

  A heart intrepid, filled with firmest faith;

  No temper had been able to sustain,

  Tho’ of the finest steel or diamond,

  The blows with which he deluges the plain:

  His body now became one single wound.

  XXIII.

  La vita nò, ma la virtù sostenta

  Quel cadavero indomito e feroce.

  Ripercuote percosso, e non s’allenta;180Ma quanto offeso è più, tanto più noce:

  Quando ecco, furiando, a lui s’avventa

  Uom grande c’ha sembiante e guardo atroce,

  E dopo lunga ed ostinata guerra,

  184 Con l’aita di molti, alfin l’atterra.

  XXIII

  “Not strength, but courage now, preserved on live

  This hardy champion, fortress of our faith,

  Strucken he strikes, still stronger more they strive,

  The more they hurt him, more he doth them scathe,

  When toward him a furious knight gan drive,

  Of members huge, fierce looks, and full of wrath,

  That with the aid of many a Pagan crew,

  After long fight, at last Prince Sweno slew.

  XXIII.

  ‘Undying valour, not poor life, sustained

  That fierce unyielding corpse; still blow for blow

  He gave, nor yet his deathless arm refrained;

  The more they strike, the more he struck — when, lo!

  ‘Gainst him advanced a most infuriate knight,

  That all in size and savage look surpassed,

  Who, after obstinate and lengthened fight,

  Aided by hosts, prostrated him at last.

  XXIV.

  Cade il Garzone invitto (ahi caso amaro!)

  Nè v’è fra noi chi vendicare il possa.

  Voi chiamo in testimonio, o del mio caro

  188 Signor sangue ben sparso e nobil’ossa,

  Ch’allor non fui della mia vita avaro,

  Nè schivai ferro, nè schivai percossa;

  E se piaciuto pur fosse là sopra

  192 Ch’io vi morissi, il meritai con l’opra.

  XXIV

  “Ah, heavy chance! Down fell the valiant youth,

  Nor mongst us all did one so strong appear

  As to revenge his death: that this is truth,

  By his dear blood and noble bones I swear,

  That of my life I had not care nor ruth,

  No wounds I shunned, no blows I would off bear,

  And had not Heaven my wished end denied,

  Even there I should, and willing should, have died.

  XXIV.

  ‘The youth unconquered fell — ah, bitter fate!

  Nor was there one that could avenge his fall;

  Ah, my lord’s relics — ah, inanimate

  Blood shed so nobly, upon you I call,

  That I was not then covetous of life,

  Or shunned the brunt of battle, and had I

  Fallen by God’s will in that disastrous strife,

  I had not ill deserved with him to die.

  XXV.

  Fra gli estinti compagni io sol cadei

  Vivo: nè vivo forse è chi mi pensi.

  Nè de’ nemici più cosa saprei

  196 Ridir, sì tutti avea sopiti i sensi.

  Ma poichè tornò il lume agli occhj miei,

  Ch’eran d’atra caligine condensi,

  Notte mi parve; ed allo sguardo fioco

  200 S’offerse il vacillar d’un picciol foco.

  XXV

  “Alive I fell among my fellows slain,

  Yet wounded so that each one thought me dead,

  Nor what our foes did since can I explain,

  So sore amazed was my heart and head;

  But when I opened first mine eyes again,

  Night’s curtain black upon the earth was spread,

  And through the darkness to my feeble sight,

  Appeared the twinkling of a slender light.

  XXV.

  ‘Among the dead alone I fell alive;

  Nor did they deem me such that left me: so

  Benumbed was every sense, in vain I strive

  To recollect what then befell the foe;

  But
when recovered from that death-like trance,

  Mine eyes, erst sealed in gloom, regained their sight,

  Midnight it seemed, and my enfeebled glance

  Descried the flicker of a little light.

  XXVI.

  Non rimaneva in me tanta virtude

  Ch’a discerner le cose io fossi presto;

  Ma vedea come quei ch’or apre, or chiude

  204 Gli occhj, mezzo tra ‘l sonno e l’esser desto:

  E ‘l duolo omai delle ferite crude

  Più cominciava a farmisi molesto:

  Chè l’inaspria l’aura notturna e ‘l gelo,

  208 In terra nuda e sotto aperto Cielo.

  XXVI

  “Not so much force or judgement in me lies

  As to discern things seen and not mistake,

  I saw like them who ope and shut their eyes

  By turns, now half asleep, now half awake;

  My body eke another torment tries,

  My wounds began to smart, my hurts to ache;

  For every sore each member pinched was

  With night’s sharp air, heaven’s frost and earth’s cold grass.

  XXVI.

  ‘Still not sufficient virtue I possessed

  Things clearly to discern, but saw as those

  Half sleeping, half awake, in fitful rest,

  Who now their eyelids open and now close;

  And now my cruel wounds began to tease,

  And with still greater anguish torture me;

  Racked by the nipping frost and midnight breeze,

  The earth my couch, the stars my canopy.

  XXVII.

  Più e più ognor s’avvicinava intanto

  Quel lume, e insieme un tacito bisbiglio:

  Sicch’a me giunse, e mi si pose accanto.

  212 Alzo allor, bench’appena, il debil ciglio,

  E veggio due vestiti in lungo manto

  Tener due faci, e dirmi sento: o figlio,

  Confida in quel Signor ch’a’ pii sovviene,

  216 E con la grazia i preghi altrui previene.

  XXVII

  “But still the light approached near and near,

  And with the same a whispering murmur run,

  Till at my side arrived both they were,

  When I to spread my feeble eyes begun:

  Two men behold in vestures long appear,

  With each a lamp in hand, who said, ‘O son

  In that dear Lord who helps his servants, trust,

  Who ere they ask, grants all things to the just.’

  XXVII.

  ‘Meanwhile that light drew nearer and more near,

  Until it came and rested at my side,

  And silent whisperings murmured in my ear.

  Though able scarce to raise my head, I spied

  Two figures clothed in flowing robes; they stood

  With torches in their hands, and whispered: “Place

  Thy trust in Him who ne’er forgets the good,

  But ever prayer anticipates by grace.”

  XXVIII.

  In tal guisa parlommi; indi la mano,

  Benedicendo, sovra me distese:

  E susurrò con suon devoto e piano

  220 Voci allor poco udite, e meno intese.

  Sorgi, poi disse, ed io leggiero e sano

  Sorgo, e non sento le nemiche offese:

  (Oh miracol gentile!) anzi mi sembra

  224 Piene di vigor novo aver le membra.

  XXVIII

  “This said, each one his sacred blessings flings

  Upon my corse, with broad our-stretched hand,

  And mumbled hymns and psalms and holy things,

  Which I could neither hear nor understand;

  ‘Arise,’ quoth they, with that as I had wings,

  All whole and sound I leaped up from the land.

  Oh miracle, sweet, gentle, strange and true!

  My limbs new strength received, and vigor new.

  XXVIII.

  ‘Thus having spoke the reverend strangers, one

  His hand stretched over me, as if to bless,

  And breathed in low and reverential tone

  Words little heard, and comprehended less.

  “Rise,” he then added. I, alert and sound,

  Rose, nor the anguish of my wounds perceived;

  Nay — gracious miracle — my limbs I found

  New strength and new-born virtue had received.

  XXIX.

  Stupido li riguardo, e non ben crede

  L’anima sbigottita il certo e il vero:

  Onde l’un d’essi a me: di poca fede,

  228 Che dubbi? o che vaneggia il tuo pensiero?

  Verace corpo è quel che in noi si vede:

  Servi siam di Gesù, che ‘l lusinghiero

  Mondo, e ‘l suo falso dolce abbiam fuggito,

  232 E quì viviamo in loco aspro e romito.

  XXIX

  “I gazed on them like one whose heart denieth

  To think that done, he sees so strangely wrought;

  Till one said thus, ‘O thou of little faith,

  What doubts perplex thy unbelieving thought?

  Each one of us a living body hath,

  We are Christ’s chosen servants, fear us naught,

  Who to avoid the world’s allurements vain,

  In wilful penance, hermits poor remain.

  XXIX.

  ‘Stupid, I stared; nor could my soul receive

  As truth the miracle it felt was true;

  Whence one— “What, faithless mortal, not believe!

  What doubts distract, what thoughts unsettle you?

  This is substantial flesh you see in us;

  Servants we are of Jesus, who have fled

  The world, so sweet-tongued, yet so treacherous,

  And hermit lives in this lone desert led.

  XXX.

  Me per ministro a tua salute eletto

  Ha quel Signor che in ogni parte regna:

  Chè per ignobil mezzo oprar effetto

  236 Maraviglioso ed alto ei non isdegna.

  Nè men vorrà che sì resti negletto

  Quel corpo in cui già visse alma sì degna:

  Lo qual con essa ancor, lucido e leve

  240 E immortal fatto, riunir si deve.

  XXX

  “‘Us messengers to comfort thee elect

  That Lord hath sent that rules both heaven and hell;

  Who often doth his blessed will effect,

  By such weak means, as wonder is to tell;

  He will not that this body lie neglect,

  Wherein so noble soul did lately dwell

  To which again when it uprisen is

  It shall united be in lasting bliss.

  XXX.

  ‘“The Almighty Lord, who everywhere doth reign,

  For thy salvation did myself elect;

  He by ignoble means does not disdain

  Ends both sublime and wondrous to effect;

  Nor wills that body should neglected be,

  In which once dwelt a soul so worthy — even

  That form which, clothed in immortality,

  Must with the soul again unite in heaven.

  XXXI.

  Dico il corpo di Sveno, a cui fia data

  Tomba a tanto valor conveniente,

  La quale a dito mostra ed onorata

  244 Ancor sarà dalla futura gente.

  Ma leva omai gli occhj alle stelle, e guata

  Là splender quella come un Sol lucente:

  Questa co’ vivi raggj or ti conduce

  248 Là dove è il corpo del tuo nobil Duce.

  XXXI

  “‘I say Lord Sweno’s corpse, for which prepared

  A tomb there is according to his worth,

  By which his honor shall be far declared,

  And his just praises spread from south to north:”

  But lift thine eyes up to the heavens ward,

  Mark yonder light that like the sun shines forth


  That shall direct thee with those beams so clear,

  To find the body of thy master dear.’

  XXXI.

  ‘“I mean Prince Sweno’s corpse; for which shall be

  A tomb erected worthy his high fame,

  Where aye the finger of posterity

  With pride will point to his undying name.

  But to the stars lift up your sight; behold

  That sun like one which sparkles in the skies;

  It will conduct you, with its rays of gold,

  To where the corpse of your brave leader lies.”

  XXXII.

  Allor vegg’io che dalla bella face,

  Anzi dal Sol notturno un raggio scende

  Che dritto là dove il gran corpo giace,

  252 Quasi aureo tratto di pennel, si stende:

  E sovra lui tal lume e tanto face,

  Ch’ogni sua piaga ne sfavilla e splende:

  E subito da me si raffigura

  256 Nella sanguigna orribile mistura.

  XXXII

  “With that I saw from Cynthia’s silver face,

  Like to a falling star a beam down slide,

  That bright as golden line marked out the place,

  And lightened with clear streams the forest wide;

  So Latmos shone when Phoebe left the chase,

  And laid her down by her Endymion’s side,

  Such was the light that well discern I could,

  His shape, his wounds, his face, though dead, yet bold.

  XXXII.

  ‘From that sublime irradiation — nay,

  From that nocturnal sun a beam descended,

  And straight to where his glorious body lay,

  It like a pencil’s golden line extended,

  And o’er it shed such floods of dazzling light,

  That brightly shone and sparkled every wound.

  At once I recognised the lifeless knight,

  Amid the frightful carnage spread around.

  XXXIII.

  Giacea prono non già, ma come volto

  Ebbe sempre alle stelle il suo desire,

  Dritto ei teneva inverso il Cielo il volto,

  260 In guisa d’uom che pur là suso aspire.

  Chiusa la destra, e ‘l pugno avea raccolto,

  E stretto il ferro, e in atto è di ferire:

  L’altra sul petto in modo umile e pio

  264 Si posa, e par che perdon chieggia a Dio.

  XXXIII

  “He lay not grovelling now, but as a knight

  That ever had to heavenly things desire,