Jerusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  Sparse quel seme in lor, ch’indi nutrito

  Fruttò risse e discordie, e quasi alfine

  440 Sediziose guerre e cittadine.

  LV

  “And near the corpse a varlet false and sly

  She left, attired in shepherd’s homely weed,

  And taught him how to counterfeit and lie

  As time required, and he performed the deed;

  With him your soldiers spoke, of jealousy

  And false suspect mongst them he strewed the seed,

  That since brought forth the fruit of strife and jar,

  Of civil brawls, contention, discord, war.

  LV

  ‘And a smart varlet in the adjoining wood

  Stationed to watch, in shepherd’s garb arrayed,

  And drilled him both what say and do he should

  In that feigned guise; and was in all obeyed.

  He spoke with yours, and in them sowed that seed

  Of dark unjust suspicion, which, thence fed,

  Bore broils and civil discords, and indeed

  Had almost to intestine warfare led.

  LVI.

  Che fu, com’ella disegnò, creduto

  Per opra del Buglion Rinaldo ucciso:

  Benchè alfine il sospetto, a torto avuto,

  444 Del ver si dileguasse al primo avviso.

  Cotal d’Armida l’artificio astuto

  Primieramente fu qual io diviso.

  Or udirete ancor come seguisse

  448 Poscia Rinaldo, e quel ch’indi avvenisse.

  LVI

  “And as she wished so the soldiers thought

  By Godfrey’s practice that the prince was slain,

  Yet vanished that suspicion false to naught

  When truth spread forth her silver wings again

  Her false devices thus Armida wrought,

  This was her first deceit, her foremost train;

  What next she practised, shall you hear me tell,

  Against our knight, and what thereof befell.

  LVI

  ‘Since all believed, as she, designing, feigned,

  That Godfred ’twas who killed the gallant youth,

  Albeit suspicion, wrongly entertained,

  Fled when confronted with the light of truth.

  This was the first, most cunning stratagem

  Framed by Armida, which ye now have heard;

  How then the fair enchantress followed him,

  I’ll tell you, with what afterwards occurred.

  LVII.

  Qual cauta cacciatrice Armida aspetta

  Rinaldo al varco: ei sull’Oronte giunge,

  Ove un rio si dirama, e, un’isoletta

  452 Formando, tosto a lui si ricongiunge:

  E in su la riva una colonna eretta

  Vede, e un picciol battello indi non lunge.

  Fissa egli tosto gli occhj al bel lavoro

  456 Del bianco marmo, e legge in lettre d’oro:

  LVII

  “Armida hunted him through wood and plain,

  Till on Orontes’ flowery banks he stayed,

  There, where the stream did part and meet again

  And in the midst a gentle island made,

  A pillar fair was pight beside the main,

  Near which a little frigate floating laid,

  The marble white the prince did long behold,

  And this inscription read, there writ in gold:

  LVII

  ‘She for Rinaldo at the passage waits

  Like cautious huntress. He at the Orontes lights,

  Where in two parts the river separates,

  And, having formed an isle, again unites:

  A marble column on the bank he spies,

  Near which lay moored a shallop; he proceeds,

  And, fixing on its workmanship his eyes,

  In golden characters engraven reads:

  LVIII.

  O chiunque tu sia, che voglia o caso

  Peregrinando adduce a queste sponde;

  Maraviglia maggior l’orto o l’occaso

  460 Non ha di ciò che l’isoletta asconde.

  Passa, se vuoi vederla: è persuaso

  Tosto l’incauto a girne oltra quell’onde.

  E perchè mal capace era la barca,

  464 Gli scudieri abbandona, ed ei sol varca.

  LVIII

  “‘Whoso thou art whom will or chance doth bring

  With happy steps to flood Orontes’ sides,

  Know that the world hath not so strange a thing,

  Twixt east and west, as this small island hides,

  Then pass and see, without more tarrying.’

  The hasty youth to pass the stream provides,

  And for the cogs was narrow, small and strait,

  Alone he rowed, and bade his squires there wait;

  LVIII

  ‘“Whoe’er thou art whom choice or fortune guides

  In pilgrimage to this enchanting coast,

  No greater marvel than this islet hides

  Can the east or west throughout its confines boast;

  Cross, if thou wilt its paradise behold.”

  He on the impulse yields, now curious grown;

  But since the boat could not his esquires hold,

  He leaves them there, and passes o’er alone.

  LIX.

  Come è là giunto, cupido e vagante

  Volge intorno lo sguardo, e nulla vede,

  Fuorch’antri, ed acque, e fiori, ed erbe, e piante;

  468 Onde quasi schernito esser si crede.

  Ma pur quel loco è così lieto, e in tante

  Guise l’alletta, ch’ei si ferma e siede

  E disarma la fronte, e la ristaura

  472 Al soave spirar di placid’aura.

  LIX

  “Landed he stalks about, yet naught he sees

  But verdant groves, sweet shades, and mossy rocks

  With caves and fountains, flowers, herbs and trees,

  So that the words he read he takes for mocks:

  But that green isle was sweet at all degrees,

  Wherewith enticed down sits he and unlocks

  His closed helm, and bares his visage fair,

  To take sweet breath from cool and gentle air.

  LIX

  ‘Arrived, with eager and enquiring glance

  He gazed around, yet nothing there perceived

  But grottoes, fountains, herbage, flowers, and plants,

  From which he fancied he had been deceived.

  But still the spot so lured him and so charmed,

  That he seemed spell-bound by the attractions there;

  And, sitting down, his glowing brow disarmed,

  To bathe it in the soft refreshing air.

  LX.

  Il fiume gorgogliar frattanto udío

  Con nuovo suono, e là con gli occhj corse;

  E muover vide un’onda in mezzo al rio

  476 Che in se stessa si volse, e si ritorse:

  E quinci alquanto d’un crin biondo uscío,

  E quinci di donzella un volto sorse,

  E quinci il petto, e le mammelle, e de la

  480 Sua forma infin dove vergogna cela.

  LX

  “A rumbling sound amid the waters deep

  Meanwhile he heard, and thither turned his sight,

  And tumbling in the troubled stream took keep

  How the strong waves together rush and fight,

  Whence first he saw, with golden tresses, peep

  The rising visage of a virgin bright,

  And then her neck, her breasts, and all, as low

  As he for shame could see, or she could show.

  LX

  ‘Meanwhile he heard, and thither bent his eyes,

  The river gurgle in unusual strain,

  And saw a wave in the stream’s centre rise,

  Which, in itself, whirled round and round again;

  Whence just peeped forth a lock of golden hair,

  Then lovely
face of youthful damsel rose,

  Then neck and breasts, and of her form to where

  Shame round the rest her decent mantle throws.

  LXI.

  Così dal palco di notturna scena

  O Ninfa o Dea tarda sorgendo appare.

  Questa, benchè non sia vera Sirena

  484 Ma sia magica larva, una ben pare

  Di quelle che già presso alla Tirrena

  Piaggia abitar l’insidioso mare:

  Nè men ch’in viso bella, in suono è dolce:

  488 E così canta, e ‘l Cielo e l’aure molce.

  LXI

  “So in the twilight does sometimes appear

  A nymph, a goddess, or a fairy queen,

  And though no siren but a sprite this were

  Yet by her beauty seemed it she had been

  One of those sisters false which haunted near

  The Tyrrhene shores and kept those waters sheen,

  Like theirs her face, her voice was, and her sound,

  And thus she sung, and pleased both skies and ground:

  LXI

  ‘Thus, slowly rising from the stage at night,

  A goddess, or some fairy nymph appears.

  This, tho’ no siren, but a magic sprite,

  Might pass for one of those, in bygone years,

  That dwelt within the smooth, insidious sea,

  Near the Etrurian shore: her face as fair,

  Nor less enchanting the sweet melody

  She sang, and charmed the listening skies and air

  LXII.

  O giovinetti, mentre Aprile e Maggio

  V’ammantan di fiorite e verdi spoglie;

  Di gloria e di virtù fallace raggio

  492 La tenerella mente ah non v’invoglie.

  Solo chi segue ciò che piace è saggio,

  E in sua stagion degli anni il frutto coglie;

  Questo grida natura: or dunque voi

  496 Indurerete l’alma ai detti suoi?

  LXII

  “‘Ye happy youths, who April fresh and May

  Attire in flowering green of lusty age,

  For glory vain, or virtue’s idle ray,

  Do not your tender limbs to toil engage;

  In calm streams, fishes; birds, in sunshine play,

  Who followeth pleasure he is only sage,

  So nature saith, yet gainst her sacred will

  Why still rebel you, and why strive you still?

  LXII

  ‘“Thrice happy youth! while April and sweet May

  Your glowing brow with flowery garlands bind,

  Ah! let not tinsel Fame’s fallacious ray,

  Or specious Virtue, lure your tender mind;

  Who plucks the fruit each season’s change supplies,

  And follows pleasure, as the good most choice,

  Heeds Nature’s dictates, and alone is wise;

  And will you steel yourself ‘gainst Nature’s voice?

  LXIII.

  Folli, perchè gettate il caro dono,

  Che breve è sì, di vostra età novella?

  Nomi senza soggetto, idoli sono

  500 Ciò che pregio e valore il mondo appella.

  La fama che invaghisce a un dolce suono

  Voi superbi mortali, e par sì bella,

  È un Eco, un sogno, anzi del sogno un’ombra

  504 Ch’ad ogni vento si dilegua e sgombra.

  LXIII

  “‘O fools who youth possess, yet scorn the same,

  A precious, but a short-abiding treasure,

  Virtue itself is but an idle name,

  Prized by the world ‘bove reason all and measure,

  And honor, glory, praise, renown and fame,

  That men’s proud harts bewitch with tickling pleasure,

  An echo is, a shade, a dream, a flower,

  With each wind blasted, spoiled with every shower.

  LXIII

  Why cast, insensate, the dear boon away,

  Of life’s gold prime, that is so brief on earth?

  Mere names, and empty idols of a day,

  Are what the world calls fortitude and worth.

  Fame, which you haughty mortals would persuade

  With witching voice, and which appears so fair,

  An echo is — a dream — nay, a dream’s shade,

  Dispersed, like smoke, by the first breath of air.

  LXIV.

  Goda il corpo sicuro, e in lieti oggetti

  L’alma tranquilla appaghi i sensi frali:

  Oblii le noje andate, e non affretti

  508 Le sue miserie in aspettando i mali.

  Nulla curi, se ‘l Ciel tuoni o saetti:

  Minacci egli a sua voglia, e infiammi strali.

  Questo è saper, questa è felice vita:

  512 Sì l’insegna natura, e sì l’addita.

  LXIV

  “‘But let your happy souls in joy possess

  The ivory castles of your bodies fair,

  Your passed harms salve with forgetfulness,

  Haste not your coming evils with thought and care,

  Regard no blazing star with burning tress,

  Nor storm, nor threatening sky, nor thundering air,

  This wisdom is, good life, and worldly bliss,

  Kind teacheth us, nature commands us this.’

  LXIV

  “‘Enjoy your lives; with pleasing objects let

  Your tranquil spirits the frail senses fill;

  Bygone annoyance in new joys forget;

  Nor hasten woes, anticipating ill;

  Heedless of lightning’s flash or thunder’s strife,

  Let at its will Heaven all its wrath display:

  This wisdom is, this is a happy life;

  Thus Nature teaches, thus points out the way.”

  LXV.

  Sì canta l’empia; e ‘l giovinetto al sonno

  Con note invoglia sì soavi e scorte.

  Quel serpe a poco a poco, e si fa donno

  516 Sovra i sensi di lui possente e forte.

  Nè i tuoni omai destar, non ch’altri, il ponno

  Da quella queta immagine di morte.

  Esce d’aguato allor la falsa maga,

  520 E gli va sopra, di vendetta vaga.

  LXV

  “Thus sung the spirit false, and stealing sleep,

  To which her tunes enticed his heavy eyes,

  By step and step did on his senses creep,

  Still every limb therein unmoved lies,

  Not thunders loud could from this slumber deep,

  Of quiet death true image, make him rise:

  Then from her ambush forth Armida start,

  Swearing revenge, and threatening torments smart.

  LXV

  ‘Thus sang that traitress; lulling into sleep

  The youth, by spell of her voluptuous strain.

  Little by little gentle slumbers creep,

  And o’er his senses such strong mastery gain,

  That thunder now had not the sleeper woke

  From that calm image of Sleep’s sister — Death.

  Forth from her ambush, then, the false witch broke,

  And o’er him stood, with vengeance-quickened breath.

  LXVI.

  Ma quando in lui fissò lo sguardo, e vide

  Come placido in vista egli respira:

  E ne’ begli occhj un dolce atto che ride,

  524 Benchè sian chiusi, (or che fia s’ei gli gira?)

  Pria s’arresta sospesa: e gli s’asside

  Poscia vicina, e placar sente ogn’ira

  Mentre il risguarda: e in su la vaga fronte

  528 Pende omai sì, che par Narciso al fonte.

  LXVI

  “But when she looked on his face awhile,

  And saw how sweet he breathed, how still he lay,

  How his fair eyes though closed seemed to smile,

  At first she stayed, astound with great dismay,

  Then sat her down, so love can art beguile,

  And a
s she sat and looked, fled fast away

  Her wrath, that on his forehead gazed the maid,

  As in his spring Narcissus tooting laid;

  LXVI

  “But when she had fixed her gaze on him awhile,

  And saw how placidly the youth reposed,

  And in his eyes such sweet expression smile,

  Tho’ sealed by sleep, (what were they if unclosed?)

  Perplexed at first, she paused, then sat down near,

  And felt — beholding one so fair, so young —

  All trace of her resentment disappear,

  As o’er his brow Narcissus-like she hung.

  LXVII.

  E quei ch’ivi sorgean vivi sudori

  Accoglie lievemente in un suo velo:

  E, con un dolce ventilar, gli ardori

  532 Gli va temprando dell’estivo Cielo.

  Così (chi ‘l crederia?) sopíti ardori

  D’occhj nascosi distemprar quel gelo

  Che s’indurava al cor più che diamante,

  536 E di nemica ella divenne amante.

  LXVII

  “And with a veil she wiped now and then

  From his fair cheeks the globes of silver sweat,

  And cool air gathered with a trembling fan,

  To mitigate the rage of melting heat,

  Thus, who would think it, his hot eye-glance can

  Of that cold frost dissolve the hardness great

  Which late congealed the heart of that fair dame,

  Who late a foe, a lover now became.

  LXVII

  ‘And, gathering in her veil the delicate

  And living pearls that on his forehead rise,

  Essayed, by fanning him, to mitigate

  The glowing fervour of midsummer skies.

  Thus (who would credit it?) the heat suppressed

  In his closed eyes dissolved the mass of snow

  That, hard as adamant, congealed her breast,

  And lover she became, in place of foe.

  LXVIII.

  Di ligustri, di giglj, e delle rose

  Le quai fiorian per quelle piaggie amene,

  Con nov’arte congiunte, indi compose

  540 Lente ma tenacissime catene.

  Queste al collo, alle braccia, ai piè gli pose:

  Così l’avvinse, e così preso il tiene:

  Quinci, mentre egli dorme, il fa riporre

  544 Sovra un suo carro, e ratta il Ciel trascorre.

  LXVIII

  “Of woodbines, lilies, and of roses sweet,

  Which proudly flowered through that wanton plain,