Both peace and his dominions to retain,
While dead the stubborn soldan is, or lies
Bound by the foot in slavery’s galling chain,
Or for still greater miseries reserved,
An exiled, timid runaway, doth smart;
Yet had he yielded part, he had preserved,
By gifts and tribute, the remaining part.’
XLVIII.
Così diceva; e s’avvolgea costui
Con giro di parole obliquo e incerto;
Ch’a chieder pace, a farsi uom ligio altrui
380 Già non ardia di consigliarlo aperto.
Ma sdegnoso il Soldano i detti sui
Non potea omai più sostener coperto;
Quando il Mago gli disse: or vuoi tu darli
384 Agio, Signor, che in tal materia parli?
XLVIII
Thus spake Orcanes, and some inkling gave
In doubtful words of that he would have said;
To sue for peace or yield himself a slave
He durst not openly his king persuade:
But at those words the Soldan gan to rave,
And gainst his will wrapt in the cloud he stayed,
Whom Ismen thus bespake, “How can you bear
These words, my lord? or these reproaches hear?”
XLVIII
In such a roundabout and tortuous cloak
Orcano did his covert sense disguise;
To sue for peace and bend to others’ yoke,
He dared not openly the king advise.
But the indignant soldan could no more
Endure his language, or concealed remain,
When the magician whispered him: ‘Signor,
Canst tamely hear him speak in such a strain?’
XLIX.
Io per me, gli risponde, or quì mi celo
Contra mio grado, e d’ira ardo e di scorno.
Ciò disse appena, e immantinente il velo
388 Della nube, che stesa è lor d’intorno,
Si fende, e purga nell’aperto Cielo,
Ed ei riman nel luminoso giorno:
E magnanimamente in fiero viso
392 Rifulge in mezzo, e lor parla improvviso:
XLIX
“Oh, let me speak,” quoth he, “with ire and scorn
I burn, and gains, my will thus hid I stay!”
This said, the smoky cloud was cleft and torn,
Which like a veil upon them stretched lay,
And up to open heaven forthwith was borne,
And left the prince in view of lightsome day,
With princely look amid the press he shined,
And on a sudden, thus declared his mind.
XLIX
‘I, for my part, against my will crouch here,
And burn with rage and shame,’ the soldan said.
The angry accents scarcely uttered were
When the cloud’s veil that was around them spread,
Dissolving, vanished in the void of space,
And in the light of day he stood confessed;
With noble spirit shone his haughty face,
As thus the startled council he addressed:
L.
Io, di cui si ragiona, or son presente,
Non fugace e non timido Soldano:
Ed a costui, ch’egli è codardo e mente
396 M’offero di provar con questa mano.
Io, che sparsi di sangue ampio torrente,
Che montagne di strage alzai sul piano,
Chiuso nel vallo de’ nemici, e privo
400 Alfin d’ogni compagno; io fuggitivo?
L
“Of whom you speak behold the Soldan here,
Neither afraid nor run away for dread,
And that these slanders, lies and fables were,
This hand shall prove upon that coward’s head,
I, who have shed a sea of blood well near,
And heaped up mountains high of Christians dead,
I in their camp who still maintained the fray,
My men all murdered, I that run away.
L
‘I, whom ye prate of, in your presence stand —
No runaway, no timid soldan I —
And offer now to prove, with this right hand,
That you vile coward in his throat doth lie;
I, who of blood such ample torrents poured,
And piled up hills of carnage in the fight,
Hemmed in by foes, without one friend to afford
The least assistance — I accused of flight!
LI.
Ma se più questi, o s’altri a lui simíle,
Alla sua patria, alla sua fede infido,
Motto osa far d’accordo infame e vile,
404 Buon Re, sia con tua pace, io quì l’uccido.
Gli agni e i lupi fian giunti in un ovile,
E le colombe e i serpi in un sol nido,
Prima che mai, di non discorde voglia,
408 Noi co’ Francesi alcuna terra accoglia.
LI
“If this, or any coward vile beside,
False to his faith and country, dares reply;
And speak of concord with yon men of pride,
By your good leave, Sir King, here shall he die,
The lambs and wolves shall in one fold abide,
The doves and serpents in one nest shall lie,
Before one town us and these Christians shall
In peace and love unite within one wall.”
LI
‘But should you wretch, or any such as he,
False to his creed and country, venture but
To hint at league of such indignity —
Thy pardon, sire — I slay him on the spot;
First lambs and wolves shall mingle in one fold,
And doves and serpents in one nest agree,
Ere the same country Turks and Christians hold,
Without incarnate animosity.’
LII.
Tien sulla spada, mentre ei sì favella,
La fera destra in minaccevol’atto.
Riman ciascuno, a quel parlare a quella
412 Orribil faccia, muto e stupefatto.
Poscia, con vista men turbata e fella,
Cortesemente inverso il Re s’è tratto.
Spera, gli dice, alto Signor; ch’io reco
416 Non poco ajuto: or Solimano è teco.
LII
While thus he spoke, his broad and trenchant sword
His hand held high aloft in threatening guise;
Dumb stood the knights, so dreadful was his word;
A storm was in his front, fire in his eyes,
He turned at last to Sion’s aged lord,
And calmed his visage stern in humbler wise:
“Behold,” quoth he, “good prince, what aid I bring,
Since Solyman is joined with Juda’s king.”
LII
While speaking thus, in threatening attitude,
On his sword’s hilt he kept his fierce right hand;
Dumb with astonishment, the others viewed
His furious look and savage reprimand.
At length he made obeisance to the king,
With a less wicked and enfeloned brow; ‘
Hope!’ he exclaimed; ‘no trifling aid I bring:
Prince Solyman, my liege, is with thee now.’
LIII.
Aladin, ch’a lui contra era già sorto,
Risponde: o come lieto or quì ti veggio,
Diletto amico! or del mio stuol ch’è morto
420 Non sento il danno; e ben temea di peggio.
Tu lo mio stabilire, e in tempo corto
Puoi ridrizzare il tuo caduto seggio,
Se ‘l Ciel nol vieta. Indi le braccia al collo,
424 Così detto, gli stese e circondollo.
LIII
King Aladine from his rich throne upstart
And said, “Oh how I joy thy face to view,
My noble friend! it lessene
th in some part
My grief, for slaughter of my subjects true;
My weak estate to stablish come thou art,
And mayest thine own again in time renew,
If Heavens consent:” with that the Soldan bold
In dear embracements did he long enfold.
LIII
King Aladine, who had to greet him sped,
Answered: ‘How welcome is thy presence here;
I feel not now the loss of thousands dead,
Dear friend, and I began the worst to fear.
Thou canst my throne secure, and in brief space
The fallen condition of thine own renew,
If Heaven forbid not’ Then in close embrace
Around his neck his circling arms he threw.
LIV.
Finita l’accoglienza, il Re concede
Il suo medesmo soglio al gran Niceno.
Egli poscia a sinistra in nobil sede
428 Si pone, ed al suo fianco alluoga Ismeno.
E mentre seco parla ed a lui chiede
Di lor venuta, ed ei risponde appieno,
L’alta Donzella ad onorar in pria
432 Vien Solimano: ogni altro indi seguia.
LIV
Their greetings done, the king resigned his throne
To Solyman, and set himself beside,
In a rich seat adorned with gold and stone,
And Ismen sage did at his elbow bide,
Of whom he asked what way they two had gone,
And he declared all what had them betide:
Clorinda bright to Solyman addressed
Her salutations first, then all the rest.
LIV
Their greeting over, his own chair of state
The king conceded to the great Nicene,
Then placed himself upon the left, while sate
Close at his side the sapient seer, Ismene;
But while the monarch asked him to disclose
The news, and he complied with his request,
To honour Solyman Clorinda rose
First of the court, then followed all the rest;
LV.
Seguì fra gli altri Ormusse, il qual la schiera
Di quegli Arabi suoi a guidar tolse:
E mentre la battaglia ardea più fera,
436 Per disusate vie così s’avvolse,
Ch’ajutando il silenzio, e l’aria nera,
Lei salva alfin nella Città raccolse:
E con le biade, e co’ rapiti armenti
440 Aita porse alle affamate genti.
LV
Among them rose Ormusses’ valiant knight,
Whom late the Soldan with a convoy sent,
And when most hot and bloody was the fight,
By secret paths and blind byways he went,
Till aided by the silence and the night
Safe in the city’s walls himself he pent,
And there refreshed with corn and cattle store
The pined soldiers famished nigh before.
LV
‘Mong them Ormusses, he who undertook
To guide his Arab troop, and while the blaze
Of war burned fiercest, the high road forsook,
And wound about so amid blind by-ways,
That, favoured by the silence and the shade,
At length he brought them safe into the town,
And, with the forage Captured in the raid,
Afforded succour to the garrison.
LVI.
Sol con la faccia torva e disdegnosa
Tacito si rimase il fer Circasso:
A guisa di leon, quando si posa,
444 Girando gli occhj, e non movendo il passo:
Ma nel Soldan feroce alzar non osa
Orcano il volto, e ‘l tien pensoso e basso.
Così a consiglio il Palestin tiranno
448 E ‘l Re de’ Turchi, e i cavalier quì stanno.
LVI
With surly countenance and disdainful grace,
Sullen and sad, sat the Circassian stout,
Like a fierce lion grumbling in his place,
His fiery eyes that turns and rolls about;
Nor durst Orcanes view the Soldan’s face,
But still upon the floor did pore and tout:
Thus with his lords and peers in counselling,
The Turkish monarch sat with Juda’s king.
LVI
With scowl that his disdainful dudgeon shows,
Sole stayed Arganté, motionless and mute,
Like a majestic lion in repose,
That rolls his eyes, but stirreth not a foot;
Orcano hung his crest-fallen head, nor could
The withering glance of Solyman withstand.
In council thus the Syrian tyrant stood,
The Turkish king, and magnates of the land.
LVII.
Ma il pio Goffredo la vittoria e i vinti
Avea seguiti, e libere le vie:
E fatto intanto ai suoi guerrieri estinti
452 L’ultimo onor di sacre esequie e píe.
Ed ora agli altri impon che siano accinti
A dar l’assalto nel secondo díe:
E, con maggiore e più terribil faccia,
456 Di guerra i chiusi barbari minaccia.
LVII
Godfrey this while gave victory the rein,
And following her the straits he opened all;
Then for his soldiers and his captains slain,
He celebrates a stately funeral,
And told his camp within a day or twain
He would assault the city’s mighty wall,
And all the heathen there enclosed doth threat,
With fire and sword, with death and danger great.
LVII
But Godfred, following up his victory,
Had cleared the passes as the vanquished fled,
And had ordained that the last honours be
Rendered meanwhile to the illustrious dead;
And now commands that on the second day
The troops be ready to assault the walls,
And with war’s fiercest, deadliest display
The close-invested Saracen appals.
LVIII.
E perchè conosciuto avea il drappello,
Ch’ajutò lui contra la gente infida,
Esser de’ suoi più cari, ed esser quello
460 Che già seguì l’insidiosa guida:
E Tancredi con lor, che nel castello
Prigion restò della fallace Armida;
Nella presenza sol dell’Eremita
464 E d’alcuni più saggj a se gl’invita.
LVIII
And for he had that noble squadron known,
In the last fight which brought him so great aid,
To be the lords and princes of his own
Who followed late the sly enticing maid,
And with them Tancred, who had late been thrown
In prison deep, by that false witch betrayed,
Before the hermit and some private friends,
For all those worthies, lords and knights, he sends;
LVIII
And since he recognised the troop that came
To his assistance, ‘gainst the infidel,
Consisted of his dearest friends, the same
That followed the insidious syren’s spell;
And with them Prince Tancredi, who was thrown
Into vile bondage by Armida’s hand;
Before the hermit and some friends alone
He straightway summoned that adventurous band,
LIX.
E dice lor: prego ch’alcun racconti
De’ vostri brevi errori il dubbio corso:
E come poscia vi trovaste pronti
468 In sì grand’uopo a dar sì gran soccorso.
Vergognando tenean basse le fronti:
Ch’era al cor picciol fallo amaro morso.
Alfin del Re Britanno il chiaro figlio
472 Ruppe i
l silenzio, e disse, alzando il ciglio:
LIX
And thus he said, “Some one of you declare
Your fortunes, whether good or to be blamed,
And to assist us with your valors rare
In so great need, how was your coming framed?”
They blush, and on the ground amazed stare,
For virtue is of little guilt ashamed,
At last the English prince with countenance bold,
The silence broke, and thus their errors told:
LIX
Arrived, ‘Pray one of you,’ he said, ‘declare
The uncertain course of your brief wandering,
And by what fortune ye enabled were
In such great need such great relief to bring.’
Ashamed, they hung their heads, for all begun
To feel what bitter thoughts slight error woke;
At length the British king’s illustrious son,
Raising his brow, the painful silence broke.
LX.
Partimmo noi, che fuor dell’urna a sorte
Tratti non fummo, ognun per se nascoso,
D’Amor (nol nego) le fallaci scorte
476 Seguendo; e un bel volto insidioso
Per vie ne trasse disusate e torte:
Fra noi discordi, e in se ciascun geloso,
Nutrian gli amori, e i nostri sdegni (ahi tardi
480 Troppo il conosco!) or parolette, or guardi.
LX
“We, not elect to that exploit by lot,
With secret flight from hence ourselves withdrew,
Following false Cupid, I deny it not,
Enticed forth by love and beauty’s hue;
A jealous fire burnt in our stomachs hot,
And by close ways we passed least in view,
Her words, her looks, alas I know too late,
Nursed our love, our jealousy, our hate.
LX
‘Departed we, who were not drawn by lot,
Each following furtively, alone, the trace —
The trace fallacious, I deny it not —
Of loadstone Love, of fair insidious face;
But as we went thro’ many a tortuous pass,
Among us discords sprang and jealousies,
Our love fomented and our hate (alas!
Too late, I knew it) by her words and eyes.
LXI.
Alfin giungemmo al loco, ove già scese
Fiamma dal Cielo in dilatate falde:
E di natura vendicò le offese
Jerusalem Delivered Page 224
