Jerusalem Delivered
Page 297
CX.
Rimedon, questa insegna a te non diedi
Acciò che indietro tu la riportassi.
Dunque, codardo, il capitan tuo vedi
876 In zuffa co’ nemici, e solo il lassi?
Che brami? di salvarti? or meco riedi;
Chè per la strada presa a morte vassi.
Combatta quì chi di campar desia:
880 La via d’onor della salute è via.
CX
“This ensign, Rimedon, I gave not thee
To be the witness of thy fear and flight,
Coward, dost thou thy lord and captain see
In battle strong, and runn’st thyself from fight?
What seek’st thou? safety? come, return with me,
The way to death is path to virtue right,
Here let him fight that would escape; for this
The way to honor, way to safety is.”
CX
‘That proud device I trusted not to thee
To bear it backward, recreant Rimedon!
What! would’st thou, coward, thy commander see
Beset by foes, and leave him all alone;
What wouldèst? Safety? Then return with me,
Since where thou goest leads to certain death:
Let those here combat who preserved would be;
The path of honour is the safest path.’
CXI.
Riede in guerra colui ch’arde di scorno.
Usa ei con gli altri poi sermon più grave:
Talor minaccia e fere, onde ritorno
884 Fa contra il ferro chi del ferro pave.
Così rintegra del fiaccato corno
La miglior parte, e speme anco pur have.
E Tisaferno più ch’altri il rincora,
888 Ch’orma non torse per ritrarsi ancora.
CXI
The man returned and swelled with scorn and shame,
The duke with speeches grave exhorts the rest;
He threats, he strikes sometime, till back they came,
And rage gainst force, despair gainst death addressed.
Thus of his broken armies gan he frame
A battle now, some hope dwelt in his breast,
But Tisiphernes bold revived him most,
Who fought and seemed to win, when all was lost;
CXI
Back he returned with burning shame suffused.
Then the chief menaced, struck, and even more
Harsh reprimand against the others used,
Nay, made them face the steel they shunned before;
Thus of his broken wing, the better part
Once more he rallied, and some hope still found;
But Tisaphernes gave him greatest heart,
Who yet had ceded not one inch of ground.
CXII.
Maraviglie quel dì fè Tisaferno.
I Normandi per lui furon disfatti:
Fè de’ Fiamminghi strano empio governo:
892 Gernier, Ruggier, Gherardo a morte ha tratti.
Poi ch’alle mete dell’onor eterno
La vita breve prolungò co’ fatti;
Quasi di viver più poco gli caglia,
896 Cerca il rischio maggior della battaglia.
CXII
Wonders that day wrought noble Tisipherne,
The hardy Normans all he overthrew;
The Flemings fled before the champion stern,
Gernier, Rogero, Gerard bold he slew;
His glorious deeds to praise and fame etern
His life’s short date prolonged, enlarged and drew,
And then, as he that set sweet life at nought,
The greatest peril, danger, most he sought.
CXII
Marvels wrought Tisaphernes on that day;
There, were the Normans routed by him — here,
Thrown the bold Flemings into disarray,
And slain Ruggiero, Gerard, and Garnier;
But when he had towards deathless honour’s goal
Lengthened by glorious deeds his short-spanned life,
Careless to live, he, with undaunted soul,
Sought the most deadly peril of the strife.
CXIII.
Vide ei Rinaldo; e benchè omai vermiglj
Gli azzurri suoi color sian divenuti:
E insanguinati l’Aquila gli artiglj
900 E ‘l rostro s’abbia; i segni ha conosciuti.
Ecco, disse, i grandissimi periglj.
Quì prego il Ciel che ‘l mio ardimento ajuti:
E veggia Armida il desiato scempio.
904 Macon, s’io vinco, i’ voto l’arme al tempio.
CXIII
He spied Rinaldo, and although his field
Of azure purple now and sanguine shows,
And though the silver bird amid his shield
Were armed gules; yet he the champion knows.
And says, “Here greatest peril is, heavens yield
Strength to my courage, fortune to my blows,
That fair Armida her revenge may see,
Help, Macon, for his arms I vow to thee.”
CXIII
He saw Rinaldo, and tho’ crimson red
Had grown his colours of cerulean blue,
And tho’ his silver eagles’ claws and head
Ensanguined were, the cognisance he knew.
‘Behold the greatest, deadliest risk,’ cried he;
‘Ah, Heaven, I pray thee, aid my valour now,
So that Armida his destruction see;
Victor, his arms to Mahomet I vow.’
CXIV.
Così pregava; e le preghiere ir vote;
Chè ‘l sordo suo Macon nulla n’udiva.
Come il leon si sferza e si percuote,
908 Per isvegliar la ferità nativa;
Tale ei suoi sdegni desta, ed alla cote
D’Amor gli aguzza, ed alle fiamme avviva.
Tutte sue forze aduna, e si ristringe
912 Sotto l’arme all’assalto, e ‘l destrier spinge.
CXIV
Thus prayed he, but all his vows were vain,
Mahound was deaf, or slept in heavens above,
And as a lion strikes him with his train,
His native wrath to quicken and to move,
So he awaked his fury and disdain,
And sharped his courage on the whetstone love;
Himself he saved behind his mighty targe,
And forward spurred his steed and gave the charge.
CXIV
Thus prayed, but were his prayers of no avail,
Unheard by his deaf idol, Mahomet.
Then, as a lion lashes with his tail
His sides, his innate savageness to whet,
So he his anger roused, which, sharpened then
Upon love’s whetstone, into fury flashed.
He gathered all his vigour, and amain,
Crouched ‘neath his shield, against Rinaldo dashed.
CXV.
Spinse il suo contra lui, che in atto scerse
D’assalitore, il cavalier Latino.
Fè lor gran piazza in mezzo, e si converse
916 Allo spettacol fero ogni vicino.
Tante fur le percosse, e sì diverse
Dell’Italico eroe, del Saracino,
Ch’altri per maraviglia obliò quasi
920 L’ire e gli affetti proprj e i proprj casi.
CXV
The Christian saw the hardy warrior come,
And leaped forth to undertake the fight,
The people round about gave place and room,
And wondered on that fierce and cruel sight,
Some praised their strength, their skill and courage some,
Such and so desperate blows struck either knight,
That all that saw forgot both ire and strife,
Their wounds, their hurts, forgot both death and life.
CXV
When, seeing assailant with uplifted blade,
Against him galloped the Italian knight
At once a space was in the middle made,
And there all rushed to view the appalling sight.
Such and so different were the Italian’s blows
And those the Saracenic hero smote,
That, lost in wonder, all, both friends and foes,
Their own resentments and mishaps forgot.
CXVI.
Ma l’un percuote sol, percuote e impiaga
L’altro che ha maggior forza, armi più ferme.
Tisaferno di sangue il campo allaga
924 Con l’elmo aperto, e dello scudo inerme.
Mira del suo campion la bella Maga
Rotti gli arnesi, e più le membra inferme:
E gli altri tutti impauriti in modo,
928 Che frale omai gli stringe e debil nodo.
CXVI
One struck, the other did both strike and wound,
His arms were surer, and his strength was more;
From Tisipheme the blood streamed down around;
His shield was deft, his helm was rent and tore.
The dame, that saw his blood besmear the ground,
His armor broke, limbs weak, wounds deep and sore,
And all her guard dead, fled, and overthrown,
Thought, now her field lay waste, her hedge lay down:
CXVI
One only struck, one struck and wounded, who
More solid arms and greater strength possessed.
With blood the Persian did the field imbrue;
Gone was his shield, and rent in twain his crest.
The increasing weakness of her champion knight,
His riven mail, the lovely witch beheld,
And saw the others stricken with such fright,
That knot but feeble them together held.
CXVII.
Già di tanti guerrier cinta e munita,
Or rimasa nel carro era soletta.
Teme di servitute, odia la vita,
932 Dispera la vittoria, e la vendetta.
Mezza tra furiosa e sbigottita
Scende, ed ascende un suo destriero in fretta.
Vassene, e fugge; e van seco pur anco
936 Sdegno, ed Amor, quasi due veltri al fianco.
CXVII
Environed with so brave a troop but late,
Now stood she in her chariot all alone,
She feared bondage, and her life did hate,
All hope of conquest and revenge was gone,
Half mad and half amazed from where she sate,
She leaped down, and fled from friends’ and fone,
On a swift horse she mounts, and forth she rides
Alone, save for disdain and love, her guides.
CXVII
Erst guarded by so many cavaliers,
Now on her car forlorn, deserted, she
Existence hates, the yoke of bondage fears,
Despairs of vengeance and of victory,
And springing down, ‘twixt frenzy and affright,
Vaults on her palfrey, and with rapid stride
Gallops away; while hang upon her flight
Anger and love, two sleuth-hounds, at her side.
CXVIII.
Tal Cleopatra al secolo vetusto
Sola fuggia dalla tenzon crudele,
Lasciando incontra al fortunato Augusto,
940 Ne’ maritimi rischj, il suo fedele,
Che per amor fatto a se stesso ingiusto
Tosto seguì le solitarie vele.
E ben la fuga di costei secreta
944 Tisaferno seguia; ma l’altro il vieta.
CXVIII
In days of old, Queen Cleopatra so
Alone fled from the fight and cruel fray,
Against Augustus great his happy foe,
Leaving her lord to loss and sure decay.
And as that lord for love let honor go,
Followed her flying sails and lost the day:
So Tisipherne the fair and fearful dame
Would follow, but his foe forbids the same.
CXVIII
Thus Cleopatra, in the days of yore,
Fled all alone from the ensanguined fight
Leaving to face the fortunate emperor,
Imperilled by the sea, her faithful knight,
Who, rendered faithless to himself by love,
After the solitary sails soon sped.
To follow her thus, Tisaphernes strove,
But this the Italian paladin forbade.
CXIX.
Al Pagan, poi che sparve il suo conforto,
Sembra che insieme il giorno e ‘l Sol tramonte:
Ed a lui che ‘l ritiene a sì gran torto,
948 Disperato si volge, e ‘l fiede in fronte.
A fabbricare il fulmine ritorto
Via più leggier cade il martel di Bronte.
E col grave fendente in modo il carca,
952 Che ‘l percosso la testa al petto inarca.
CXIX
But when the Pagan’s joy and comfort fled,
It seemed the sun was set, the day was night,
Gainst the brave prince with whom he combated
He turned, and on the forehead struck the knight:
When thunders forged are in Typhoius’ bed,
Not Brontes’ hammer falls so swift, so right;
The furious stroke fell on Rinaldo’s crest,
And made him bend his head down to his breast.
CXIX
Soon as the Pagan’s idol disappeared,
It seemed the sun had set and daylight fled:
And ‘gainst him who so unjustly interfered,
He desperate turned and struck upon the head.
To forge Jove’s writhen thunderbolts, less light
Bronte’s huge hammer falls, than on his crest
Down fell the falchion of the Persian knight,
Whose stroke his forehead doubled to his breast.
CXX.
Tosto Rinaldo si dirizza ed erge,
E vibra il ferro, e, rotto il grosso usbergo,
Gli apre le coste, e l’aspra punta immerge
956 In mezzo ‘l cor, dove ha la vita albergo.
Tanto oltre va, che piaga doppia asperge
Quinci al Pagano il petto, e quindi il tergo:
E largamente all’anima fugace
960 Più d’una via nel suo partir si face.
CXX
The champion in his stirrups high upstart,
And cleft his hauberk hard and tender side,
And sheathed his weapon in the Pagan’s heart,
The castle where man’s life and soul do bide;
The cruel sword his breast and hinder part
With double wound unclosed, and opened wide;
And two large doors made for his life and breath,
Which passed, and cured hot love with frozen death.
CXX
But soon erect, and upright as before,
Rinaldo whirled his sword, and with it clave
His solid hauberk; right to the heart’s core,
Where life resides, the vengeful point he drave,
And so far past it, that a double wound
From breast to back the Saracen displayed,
Whose flying soul for its departure found
More than one broad and ample passage made.
CXXI.
Allor si ferma a rimirar Rinaldo
Ove drizzi gli assalti, ove gli ajuti;
E de’ Pagan non vede ordine saldo;
964 Ma gli stendardi lor tutti caduti.
Quì pon fine alle morti, e in lui quel caldo
Disdegno marzial par che s’attuti.
Placido è fatto; e gli si reca a mente
968 La Donna che fuggia sola e dolente.
CXXI
This done, Rinaldo stayed and looked around,
Where he should harm his foes, or help his friends;
Nor of the Pagans saw he squadron sound:
Each standard falls, ensign to earth descends;
His fury quiet then and calm he found,
There all his wrath, his rage, and rancor ends,
He called to mind how, far from help or aid,
Armida fled, alone, amazed, afraid:
CXXI
Then paused Rinaldo to examine where
He could assault or succour give, but found
The Pagans broke and flying in despair,
And all their standards prostrate on the ground;
Whence chilled his heat of martial fury grew,
And he desisted further blood to shed;
And calm becoming, her remembered, who
Had from the field forlorn, forsaken fled.
CXXII.
Ben rimirò la fuga: or da lui chiede
Pietà, che n’abbia cura e cortesia.
E gli sovvien, che si promise in fede
972 Suo cavalier, quando da lei partia.
Si drizza ov’ella fugge, ov’egli vede
Il piè del palafren segnar la via.
Giunge ella intanto in chiusa opaca chiostra,
976 Che a solitaria morte atta si mostra.
CXXII
Well saw he when she fled, and with that sight
The prince had pity, courtesy and care;
He promised her to be her friend and knight
When erst he left her in the island bare:
The way she fled he ran and rode aright,
Her palfrey’s feet signs in the grass outware:
But she this while found out an ugly shade,
Fit place for death, where naught could life persuade.
CXXII
Compassion urged him (for he saw her flight)
To show her every courtesy and care,
Remembering he had sworn to be her knight
At his departure; whence he galloped where
Upon the grass her palfrey’s hoofs betrayed
The course she had taken in her lonely ride.
Meanwhile she reached a spot whose gloomy shade
Bespoke its aptitude for suicide.
CXXIII.
Piacquele assai che in quelle valli ombrose
L’orme sue erranti il caso abbia condutte.
Quì scese dal destriero, e quì depose
980 E l’arco, e la faretra, e l’armi tutte:
Armi infelici, disse, e vergognose
Ch’usciste fuor della battaglia asciutte,
Quì vi depongo: e quì sepolte state,
984 Poichè l’ingiurie mie mal vendicate.
CXXIII
Well pleased was she with those shadows brown,