Jerusalem Delivered
Page 232
LXXVI.
Uscì dal chiuso vallo e si converse,
Con mille dietro, alla Città percossa.
Sopra di polve il Ciel gli si coperse:
604 Tremò sotto la terra al moto scossa:
E lontano appressar le genti avverse
D’alto il miraro, e corse lor per l’ossa
Un tremor freddo, e strinse il sangue in gelo.
608 Ed egli alzò tre fiate il grido al Cielo.
LXXVI
And with a thousand knights and barons bold,
Toward the town he hasted from his camp,
In clouds of dust was Titan’s face enrolled,
Trembled the earth whereon the worthies stamp,
His foes far off his dreadful looks behold,
Which in their hearts of courage quenched the lamp,
A chilling fear ran cold through every vein,
Lord Godfrey shouted thrice and all his train:
LXXVI
And from the entrenchments, flanked by thousands, rode,
Whom towards the battered town once more he led;
The heavens above became a dusty cloud,
The earth beneath all trembled from their tread.
But when afar the adverse forces viewed
His near approach, a shudder cold as ice —
Ran thro’ their bones, and froze their very blood;
Then Godfred raised his voice, and shouted thrice.
LXXVII.
Conosce il popol suo l’altera voce,
E ‘l grido eccitator della battaglia:
E riprendendo l’impeto veloce
612 Di novo ancora alla tenzon si scaglia.
Ma già la coppia dei Pagan feroce
Nel rotto accolta s’è della muraglia,
Difendendo ostinata il varco fesso
616 Dal buon Tancredi e da chi vien con esso.
LXXVII
Their sovereign’s voice his hardy people knew,
And his loud cries that cheered each fearful heart;
Thereat new strength they took and courage new,
And to the fierce assault again they start.
The Pagans twain this while themselves withdrew
Within the breach to save that battered part,
And with great loss a skirmish hot they hold
Against Tancredi and his squadron bold.
LXXVII
Those haughty tones his loyal people knew,
And, roused by his exciting battle-cry,
Resume their forward movement, and anew
To dash aloft and scale the ramparts try.
But the fierce couple had not failed to reach
The rifted ruins; there had made a stand,
Defending, stubbornly, the open breach
‘Gainst bold Tancredi and his gallant band.
LXXVIII.
Quì disdegnoso giunge e minacciante,
Chiuso nell’arme, il Capitan di Francia:
E in su la prima giunta al fero Argante
620 L’asta ferrata fulminando lancia.
Nessuna mural machina si vante
D’avventar con più forza alcuna lancia.
Tuona per l’aria la nodosa trave:
624 V’oppon lo scudo Argante, e nulla pave.
LXXVIII
Thither came Godfrey armed round about
In trusty plate, with fierce and dreadful look;
At first approach against Argantes stout
Headed with poignant steel a lance he shook,
No casting engine with such force throws out
A knotty spear, and as the way it took,
It whistled in the air, the fearless knight
Opposed his shield against that weapon’s might.
LXXVIII
Here, scorning danger, and with lowering front,
Came sheathed in steel the Paladin of France,”
And, seeing Arganté in the battle’s brunt,
Against him hurled his iron-headed lance.
With him no mural engine could compare,
To launch the spear, or massy stone propel;
The knotty timber thundered thro’ the air,
And on Arganté’s upraised buckler fell
LXXIX.
S’apre lo scudo al frassino pungente:
Nè la dura corazza anco il sostiene;
Chè rompe tutte l’arme, e finalmente
628 Il sangue Saracino a sugger viene.
Ma si svelle il Circasso, e ‘l duol non sente,
Dall’arme il ferro affisso e dalle vene,
E in Goffredo il ritorse: a te, dicendo,
632 Rimando il tronco, e l’armi tue ti rendo.
LXXIX
The dreadful blow quite through his target drove,
And bored through his breastplate strong and thick,
The tender skin it in his bosom rove,
The purple-blood out-streamed from the quick;
To wrest it out the wounded Pagan strove
And little leisure gave it there to stick;
At Godfrey’s head the lance again he cast,
And said, “Lo, there again thy dart thou hast.”
LXXIX
The buckler opened to the piercing ash,
Not ev’n his coat of mail resist it could;
It tore thro’ all his armour with a crash,
Nor paused till dyed in Saracenic blood.
But the Circassian from his flesh plucked out
The steel-bound lance, regardless of the pain,
And hurled it back to Godfred, with a shout,
‘Take back your arms; I give them you again.’
LXXX.
L’asta ch’offesa or porta, ed or vendetta,
Per lo noto sentier vola e rivola.
Ma già colui non fere ove è diretta;
636 Ch’egli si piega, e ‘l capo al colpo invola.
Coglie il fedel Sigiero, il qual ricetta
Profondamente il ferro entro la gola:
Nè gli rincresce, del suo caro Duce
640 Morendo in vece, abbandonar la luce.
LXXX
The spear flew back the way it lately came,
And would revenge the harm itself had done,
But missed the mark whereat the man did aim,
He stepped aside the furious blow to shun:
But Sigiere in his throat received the same,
The murdering weapon at his neck out-run,
Nor aught it grieved the man to lose his breath,
Since in his prince’s stead he suffered death.
LXXX
By the known path flew and flew back the spear,
Bearer of mischief first, of vengeance now;
But haply missed the Christian cavalier,
Who, stooping down, escaped the intended blow,
Which pierced Sigiero, his devoted squire,
Deep in the throat; he deeming it no grief
To leave Heaven’s light, and the Sun’s golden fire,
And die in place of his belovèd chief.
LXXXI.
Quasi in quel punto Soliman percuote
Con una selce il cavalier Normando:
E questi al colpo si contorce e scuote,
644 E cade in giù, come paléo, rotando.
Or più Goffredo sostener non puote
L’ira di tante offese, e impugna il brando:
E sovra la confusa alta ruina
648 Ascende, e move omai guerra vicina.
LXXXI
Even then the Soldan struck with monstrous main
The noble leader of the Norman band,
He reeled awhile and staggered with the pain,
And wheeling round fell grovelling on the sand:
Godfrey no longer could the grief sustain
Of these displeasures, but with flaming brand,
Up to the breach in heat and haste he goes,
And hand to hand there combats with his foes;
LXXXI
At the same moment mighty Solyman
<
br /> With a huge stone struck down the Norman knight,
Who, writhing from intolerable pain,
Spun like a top while falling: the sad sight
Magnanimous Godfred could no longer bear
Unmoved, unruffled, but, with sword in hand,
Rushed to close quarters, and with dauntless air
High o’er the smoking ruins took his stand.
LXXXII.
E ben ei vi facea mirabil cose,
E contrasti seguiano aspri e mortali;
Ma fuori uscì la notte, e ‘l mondo ascose
652 Sotto il caliginoso orror dell’ali:
E l’ombre sue pacifiche interpose
Fra tante ire de’ miseri mortali:
Sicchè cessò Goffredo, e fè ritorno.
656 Cotal fin ebbe il sanguinoso giorno.
LXXXII
And there great wonders surely wrought he had,
Mortal the fight, and fierce had been the fray,
But that dark night, from her pavilion sad,
Her cloudy wings did on the earth display,
Her quiet shades she interposed glad
To cause the knights their arms aside to lay;
Godfrey withdrew, and to their tents they wend,
And thus this bloody day was brought to end.
LXXXII
Then dire had been the strife where none would yield,
And he had surely done most wondrous things,
Had not advancing night the world concealed
Beneath the gloomy horror of her wings,
And her pacific shadows interposed
‘Mid wretched mortals’ rage. Thus from the fray
Prince Godfred ceased, and then retired; thus closed
The deadly struggles of that bloody day.
LXXXIII.
Ma pria che ‘l pio Buglione il campo ceda,
Fa indietro riportar gli egri e i languenti:
E già non lascia a’ suoi nemici in preda
660 L’avanzo de’ suoi bellici tormenti.
Pur salva la gran torre avvien che rieda,
Primo terror delle nemiche genti:
Comechè sia dall’orrida tempesta
664 Sdrucita anch’essa in alcun loco, e pesta.
LXXXIII
The weak and wounded ere he left the field,
The godly duke to safety thence conveyed,
Nor to his foes his engines would he yield,
In them his hope to win the fortress laid;
Then to the tower he went, and it beheeld,
The tower that late the Pagan lords dismayed
But now stood bruised, broken, cracked and shivered,
From some sharp storm as it were late delivered.
LXXXIII
But ere the pious Bouillon left the field,
He made them bring the sick and wounded back,
Nor to the enemy would his engines yield,
But safe preserved them from a fresh attack;
Safe, too, returned with them the monster tower,
Especial terror of the Pagan foes,
Tho’ it was likewise damaged by the shower
Of arrowy sleet and rock’s repeated blows.
LXXXIV.
Da’ gran periglj uscita ella sen viene
Giungendo a loco omai di sicurezza.
Ma qual nave talor ch’a vele piene
668 Corre il mar procelloso, e l’onde sprezza;
Poscia in vista del porto, o su le arene,
O su i fallaci scoglj un fianco spezza:
O qual destrier passa le dubbie strade,
672 E presso al dolce albergo incespa e cade:
LXXXIV
From dangers great escaped, but late it was,
And now to safety brought well-nigh it seems,
But as a ship that under sail doth pass
The roaring billows and the raging streams,
And drawing nigh the wished port, alas,
Breaks on some hidden rocks her ribs and beams;
Or as a steed rough ways that well hath passed,
Before his inn stumbleth and falls at last:
LXXXIV
‘Scaped from the many perils that prevail,
A place of safety it now sought to gain;
But, as a gallant ship, which in full sail
The billows scorns, and sweeps the boisterous main,
Staves in her side when near the wished-for shore,
On hidden rocks or treacherous quicksands cast;
Or as a steed, all dangerous passes o’er,
Stumbles when near sweet home, and falls at last;
LXXXV.
Tale inciampa la torre; e tal da quella
Parte che volse all’impeto de’ sassi,
Frange due rote debili, sicch’ella
676 Ruinosa pendendo arresta i passi.
Ma le soppone appoggj, e la puntella
Lo stuol che la conduce, e seco stassi,
Insin che i pronti fabbri intorno vanno,
680 Saldando in lei d’ogni sua piaga il danno.
LXXXV
Such hap befell that tower, for on that side
Gainst which the Pagans’ force and battery bend,
Two wheels were broke whereon the piece should ride,
The maimed engine could no further wend,
The troop that guarded it that part provide
To underprop with posts, and it defend
Till carpenters and cunning workmen came
Whose skill should help and rear again the same.
LXXXV
So tripped the tower; for on that side which lay
Exposed the most to the rock’s dire assault,
Two wheels so injured were, that, giving way,
The nodding ruin was obliged to halt:
But the attendant escort, with all those
That rolled it thither, propped it up until
The smiths, who hastened to assist them, close
Its wounds with practised and ingenious skill.
LXXXVI.
Così Goffredo impone, il qual desia
Che si racconci innanzi al nuovo Sole.
Ed occupando questa e quella via,
684 Dispon le guardie intorno all’alta mole;
Ma il suon dalla Città chiaro s’udia
Di fabbrili instrumenti e di parole,
E mille si vedean fiaccole accese,
688 Onde seppesi il tutto, e si comprese.
LXXXVI
Thus Godfrey bids, and that ere springing-day,
The cracks and bruises all amend they should,
Each open passage, and each privy way
About the piece, he kept with soldiers bold:
But the loud rumor, both of that they say,
And that they do, is heard within the hold,
A thousand lights about the tower they view,
And what they wrought all night both saw and knew.
LXXXVI
Thus Godfred ordered, who desired to see
The work completed ere a day should pass,
And all the approaches occupying, he
The guards disposed around the lofty mass.
But in the city they could plainly hear
The hum of voices and the hammers fall,
Could see the lights of thousand torches there;
From which they knew — at least suspected all.
Canto dodicesimo
TWELFTH BOOK
ARGOMENTO.
Prima, da un suo fedel, Clorinda ascolta
Del suo natal l’istoria, e poi sen viene
Ignota al campo, a grand’impresa volta.
Questa tragge ella a fine; indi s’avviene
In Tancredi, da cui l’alma l’è tolta;
Ma ben, anzi ‘l morir, battesmo ottiene.
Piange l’estinta il Prence. Argante giura
Di dar a chi l’uccise aspra ventura.
THE ARGUMENT.
Her birth, her offspring, and her native land
;
Disguised she fireth Godfrey’s rolling fort.
The burned piece falls smoking on the sand:
With Tancred long unknown in desperate sort
She fights, and falls through pierced with his brand:
Christened she dies; with sighs, with plaints and tears.
He wails her death; Argant revengement swears.
I.
Era la notte, e non prendean ristoro
Col sonno ancor le faticose genti:
Ma quì, vegghiando, nel fabbril lavoro
4 Stavano i Franchi alla custodia intenti:
E là i Pagani le difese loro
Gían rinforzando tremule e cadenti,
E reintegrando le già rotte mura:
8 E de’ feriti era comun la cura.
I
Now in dark night was all the world embarred;
But yet the tired armies took no rest,
The careful French kept heedful watch and ward,
While their high tower the workmen newly dressed,
The Pagan crew to reinforce prepared
The weakened bulwarks, late to earth down kest,
Their rampiers broke and bruised walls to mend,
Lastly their hurts the wounded knights attend.
I
TWAS night; nor yet had the exhausted hosts
Refreshment taken in the arms of sleep;
But here the Franks, alert upon their posts,
A sharp look-out around the workmen keep;
There, the defences nodding to their fall,
The busy Pagans hasten to repair,
And to make good the breaches in the wall:
The sick and maimed employ their common care.
II.
Curate alfin le piaghe, e già finita
Dell’opere notturne era qualch’una:
E rallentando l’altre, al sonno invita
12 L’ombra omai fatta più tacita e bruna.
Pur non accheta la Guerriera ardita
L’alma d’onor famelica e digiuna,
E sollecita l’opre, ove altri cessa.
16 Va seco Argante; e dice ella a se stessa:
II
Their wounds were dressed, part of the work was brought
To wished end, part left to other days,
A dull desire to rest deep midnight wrought,
His heavy rod sleep on their eyelids lays:
Yet rested not Clorinda’s working thought,
Which thirsted still for fame and warlike praise,
Argantes eke accompanied the maid