Jerusalem Delivered
Page 281
Who can? or tell the city’s great distress?
XXIX
While here the lonely fight was taking place,
That private cause so sanguinary made,
Throughout the city ‘gainst the impious race
The victors’ ire its virulence displayed.
But who could scene so harrowing portray
As what the storm and sack brought forth to light?
What tongue in language adequate convey
The awful horrors of that piteous sight?
XXX.
Ogni cosa di strage era già pieno:
Vedeansi in mucchj e in monti i corpi avvolti.
Là i feriti su i morti, e quì giacieno
236 Sotto morti insepolti egri sepolti.
Fuggian, premendo i pargoletti al seno,
Le meste madri co’ capelli sciolti;
E ‘l predator, di spoglie e di rapine
240 Carco, stringea le vergini nel crine.
XXX
Blood, murder, death, each street, house, church defiled,
There heaps of slain appear, there mountains high;
There underneath the unburied hills up-piled
Of bodies dead, the living buried lie;
There the sad mother with her tender child
Doth tear her tresses loose, complain and fly,
And there the spoiler by her amber hair
Draws to his lust the virgin chaste and fair.
XXX
Carnage had choked the town, no spot was leer,
Corpses were piled in mounds, in masses spread;
There lay the wounded on the slain, and here
The wounded buried ‘neath the unburied dead.
Their babes more closely trembling mothers squeezed,
As with loose locks they fled in wild despair.
The spoilers, gorged with spoil and rapine, seized
The shrinking maidens by their flowing hair.
XXXI.
Ma per le vie che al più sublime colle
Saglion verso Occidente, ov’è il gran Tempio,
Tutto del sangue ostíle orrido e molle
244 Rinaldo corre, e caccia il popolo empio.
La fera spada il generoso estolle
Sovra gli armati capi, e ne fa scempio.
È schermo frale ogni elmo ed ogni scudo:
248 Difesa è quì l’esser dell’arme ignudo.
XXXI
But through the way that to the west-hill yood
Whereon the old and stately temple stands,
All soiled with gore and wet with lukewarm blood
Rinaldo ran, and chased the Pagan bands;
Above their heads he heaved his curtlax good,
Life in his grace, and death lay in his hands,
Nor helm nor target strong his blows off bears,
Best armed there seemed he no arms that wears;
XXXI
But thro’ the streets that toward the highest hill
Westward ascend, where the great temple stands,
Horrid and wet with blood, unsated still,
Rinaldo drove the flying Pagan bands.
O’er their armed heads that hero whirled his sword,
And ‘mong their ranks caused massacre immense;
But poor protection helm and shield afford,
Nay, want of arms is now the best defence.
XXXII.
Sol contra il ferro il nobil ferro adopra,
E sdegna negl’inermi esser feroce:
E quei ch’ardir non armi, arme non copra,
252 Caccia col guardo, e con l’orribil voce.
Vedresti, di valor mirabil opra,
Come or disprezza, ora minaccia, or nuoce;
Come con rischio disegual fugati
256 Sono egualmente pur nudi ed armati.
XXXII
For gainst his armed foes he only bends
His force, and scorns the naked folk to wound;
Them whom no courage arms, no arms defends,
He chased with his looks and dreadful sound:
Oh, who can tell how far his force extends?
How these he scorns, threats those, lays them on ground?
How with unequal harm, with equal fear
Fled all, all that well armed or naked were:
XXXII
Alone on steel his noble steel descended,
He scorned the unarmed rabble to chastise;
Whom courage armèd not nor arms defended,
By dreadful voice he chased, and flashing eyes.
There wondrous deeds of valour you might see,
How menaced, spurned, and slew the youthful knight,
And with unequal risk how equally
Armed and unarmed alike he put to flight.
XXXIII.
Già col più imbelle volgo anco ritratto
S’è non picciolo stuol del più guerriero
Nel Tempio che, più volte arso e rifatto,
260 Si noma ancor, dal fondator primiero,
Di Salomone; e fu per lui già fatto
Di cedri, e d’oro, e di bei marmi altero.
Or non sì ricco già; pur saldo e forte
264 È d’alte torri, e di ferrate porte.
XXXIII
Fast fled the people weak, and with the same
A squadron strong is to the temple gone
Which, burned and builded oft, still keeps the name
Of the first founder, wise King Solomon;
That prince this stately house did whilom frame
Of cedar trees, of gold and marble stone;
Now not so rich, yet strong and sure it was,
With turrets high, thick walls, and doors of brass.
XXXIII
Already a strong troop, the army’s flower,
Had with the rabble to that temple gone,
Which, oft burnt down and oft rebuilt, still bore
The name of its first founder, Solomon.
On it of yore were lavished cost and skill,
Most precious marbles, cedam wood, and gold;
Now not so rich as formerly, but still,
From towers and iron gates, a stout stronghold.
XXXIV.
Giunto il gran Cavaliero ove raccolte
S’eran le turbe in loco ampio e sublime;
Trovò chiuse le porte, e trovò molte
268 Difese apparecchiate in su le cime.
Alzò lo sguardo orribile, e due volte
Tutto il mirò dall’alte parti all’ime,
Varco angusto cercando; ed altrettante
272 Il circondò con le veloci piante.
XXXIV
The knight arrived where in warklike sort
The men that ample church had fortified.
And closed found each wicket, gate and port,
And on the top defences ready spied,
He left his frowning looks, and twice that fort
From his high top down to the groundwork eyed,
And entrance sought, and twice with his swift foot
The mighty place he measured about.
XXXIV
Reaching this keep, to which from all around
The crowds had fled for refuge, the great knight
Found all its portals closely barred, and found
Defences bristling on its lofty height.
Casting his eyes upon the edifice,
He twice the whole from top to bottom scanned,
To find some narrow entrance there, and twice
With rapid feet the pile’s vast circuit spanned.
XXXV.
Qual lupo predatore all’aer bruno
Le chiuse mandre insidiando aggira,
Secco l’avide fauci, e nel digiuno
276 Da nativo odio stimolato e d’ira;
Tale egli intorno spia s’adito alcuno
(Piano od erto che siasi) aprirsi mira.
Si ferma alfin nella gran piazza: e d’alto
280 Stanno aspettando i miseri l’
assalto.
XXXV
Like as a wolf about the closed fold
Rangeth by night his hoped prey to get,
Enraged with hunger and with malice old
Which kind ‘twixt him and harmless sheep hath set:
So searched he high and low about that hold,
Where he might enter without stop or let,
In the great court he stayed, his foes above
Attend the assault, and would their fortune prove.
XXXV
As plundering wolf, the honest daylight past,
Prowls round the fold with stealthy step at night,
Parched are whose greedy jaws, whose lengthened fast
His innate rage and cruelty incite;
So looked he round some secret pass to spy
(No matter rough or smooth), then made a halt
In the great square; the trembling crowds on high
Expecting every moment the assault
XXXVI.
In disparte giacea (qual che si fosse
L’uso a cui si serbava) eccelsa trave:
Nè così alte mai, nè così grosse
284 Spiega l’antenne sue Ligura nave.
Ver la gran porta il Cavalier la mosse
Con quella man, cui nessun pondo è grave:
E recandosi lei di lancia in modo,
288 Urtò d’incontro impetuoso e sodo.
XXXVI
There lay by chance a posted tree thereby,
Kept for some needful use, whate’er it were,
The armed galleys not so thick nor high
Their tall and lofty masts at Genes uprear;
This beam the knight against the gates made fly
From his strong hands all weights which lift and bear,
Like a light lance that tree he shook and tossed,
And bruised the gate, the threshold and the post.
XXXVI
(For whatsoever use or purpose kept)
Upon one side a beam colossal lay,
Nor did the largest vessel that e’er swept
Liguria’s coast such lofty mast display.
This towards the massive gate the cavalier
Moved with that arm to which all weights are light,
And, poising it as ‘twere a simple spear,
It forward drove with all his main and might.
XXXVII.
Restar non può marmo o metallo innanti
Al duro urtare, al riurtar più forte.
Svelse dal sasso i cardini sonanti:
292 Ruppe i serraglj, ed abbattè le porte.
Non l’ariete di far più si vanti;
Non la bombarda fulmine di morte.
Per la dischiusa via la gente inonda,
296 Quasi un diluvio, e ‘l vincitor seconda.
XXXVII
No marble stone, no metal strong outbore
The wondrous might of that redoubled blow,
The brazen hinges from the wall it tore,
It broke the locks, and laid the doors down low,
No iron ram, no engine could do more,
Nor cannons great that thunderbolts forth throw,
His people like a flowing stream inthrong,
And after them entered the victor strong;
XXXVII
Marble could not, nor metal, stand before
The thundering blows, that ever grew more great;
The sounding hinges from the rock they tore,
Burst the lock open, and banged down the gate.
No battering-ram had vaunted to do more,
No bomb, Death’s bolt, had more destruction spread;
Thro’ the opened way, like a great torrent, pour
His troops, and follow where the victor led.
XXXVIII.
Rende misera strage atra e funesta
L’alta magion, che fu magion di Dio.
O giustizia del Ciel, quanto men presta
300 Tanto più grave sovra il popol rio!
Dal tuo secreto provveder fu desta
L’ira ne’ cor pietosi, e incrudelío.
Lavò col sangue suo l’empio Pagano
304 Quel tempio che già fatto avea profano.
XXXVIII
The woful slaughter black and loathsome made
That house, sometime the sacred house of God,
O heavenly justice, if thou be delayed,
On wretched sinners sharper falls thy rod!
In them this place profaned which invade
Thou kindled ire, and mercy all forbode,
Until with their hearts’ blood the Pagans vile
This temple washed which they did late defile.
XXXVIII
Then frightful carnage black and mournful made
That lofty fane, which was Jehovah’s erst.
O Heaven! how much more heavy, when delayed,
Upon the impious do thy judgments burst
Thy providence aroused their wrathful mood,
And pious hearts to cruelty constrained;
The impious Pagans washed now with their blood
That temple their idolatry profaned.
XXXIX.
Ma intanto Soliman ver la gran torre
Ito se n’è, che di David s’appella:
E quì fa de’ guerrier l’avanzo accorre,
308 E sbarra intorno e questa strada e quella:
E ‘l Tiranno Aladino anco vi corre.
Come il Soldan lui vede, a lui favella:
Vieni, o famoso Re, vieni, e là sovra
312 Alla rocca fortissima ricovra.
XXXIX
But Solyman this while himself fast sped
Up to the fort which David’s tower is named,
And with him all the soldiers left he led,
And gainst each entrance new defences framed:
The tyrant Aladine eke thither fled,
To whom the Soldan thus, far off, exclaimed,
Thyself, within this fortress safe uplock:
XXXIX
Meanwhile to that huge pile called David’s Tower
Prince Solyman had gone, and there essayed.
Assembling the last remnant of his power,
The neighbouring streets to block and barricade.
There, too the tyrant Aladine had gone,
Whom, when he saw him. Solyman addressed:
‘Come, famous king, come hither, and upon
This keep impregnable in safety rest.
XL.
Chè dal furor delle nemiche spade
Guardar vi puoi la tua salute, e ‘l regno.
Oimè, risponde, oimè, che la Cittade
316 Strugge dal fondo suo barbaro sdegno:
E la mia vita, e ‘l nostro imperio cade.
Vissi, e regnai: non vivo or più, nè regno.
Ben si può dir: noi fummo; a tutti è giunto
320 L’ultimo dì, l’inevitabil punto.
XL
“For well this fortress shall thee and thy crown
Defend, awhile here may we safe remain.”
“Alas!” quoth he, “alas, for this fair town,
Which cruel war beats down even with the plain,
My life is done, mine empire trodden down,
I reigned, I lived, but now nor live nor reign;
For now, alas! behold the fatal hour
That ends our life, and ends our kingly power.”
XL
‘Here from the violence of hostile swords
Thou mayst assure thy safety and thy crown.’
‘Alas, alas, ‘ he said. ‘barbaric hordes
Have shaken to its base our regal town.
My life, and with it my dominions fall;
I have lived and reigned — I live and reign no more:
Too truly we can say. We were — to all
Has come the destined day, the fatal hour.’
XLI.
Ov’è, Signor, la tua virtute antica?
(Disse il Soldan tutto cruccioso allora)
&nb
sp; Tolgaci i regni pur sorte nemica;
324 Chè ‘l regal pregio è nostro, e in noi dimora.
Ma colà dentro omai dalla fatica
Le stanche e gravi tue membra ristora.
Così gli parla; e fa che si raccoglia
328 Il vecchio Re nella guardata soglia.
XLI
“Where is your virtue, where your wisdom grave,
And courage stout?” the angry Soldan said,
“Let chance our kingdoms take which erst she gave,
Yet in our hearts our kingly worth is laid;
But come, and in this fort your person save,
Refresh your weary limbs and strength decayed:”
Thus counselled he, and did to safety bring
Within that fort the weak and aged king.
XLI
Angered at that, the soldan thundered: ‘Say
Whither. O king, is thy old valour down;
Let hostile Fate our kingdoms take away:
Is not still innate royalty our own?
But here within from further toil repose
Thy wearied limbs. Thus spoke, and bade them bring
Dreading his capture by the advancing foes’
Within the guarded sill the aged king.
XLII.
Egli ferrata mazza a due man prende,
E si ripon la fida spada al fianco.
E stassi al varco intrepido, e difende
332 Il chiuso delle strade al popol Franco.
Eran mortali le percosse orrende:
Quella che non uccide, atterra almanco.
Già fugge ogn’un dalla sbarrata piazza,
336 Dove appressar vede l’orribil mazza.
XLII
His iron mace in both his hands he hent,
And on his thigh his trusty sword he tied,
And to the entrance fierce and fearless went,
And kept the strait, and all the French defied:
The blows were mortal which he gave or lent,
For whom he hit he slew, else by his side
Laid low on earth, that all fled from the place
Where they beheld that great and dreadful mace.
XLII
His iron mace then grasping with both hands,
His trusty sword replacing on his flank,
At the dread pass the intrepid soldan stands,
The blocked-up streets to hold against the Frank.
Mortal were all the dreadful strokes it sped;
If it slew not, it levelled to the ground;
From the barred precincts all, despairing, fled,