Jerusalem Delivered
Page 299
So melts her wrath; but love remains entire.
“Behold,” she says, “your handmaid and your thrall:
My life, my crown, my wealth use at your pleasure;”
Thus death her life became, loss proved her tensure.
CXXXVI
Thus speaks, and prays, and bathes, and heats his prayers,
Now with rare tears, and now with melting sighs;
Whence as a snow-drift before tepid airs,
Or from the fervour of midsummer skies,
Her wrath which seemed so fast, dissolved away,
And other passions in its place arose.
‘Behold thy slave, thy fiat I obey:
Ev’n as thou wilt,’ she said, ‘of me dispose.’
CXXXVII.
In questo mezzo il Capitan d’Egitto
A terra vede il suo regal stendardo:
E vede a un colpo di Goffredo invitto
1092 Cadere insieme Rimedon gagliardo:
E l’altro popol suo morto e sconfitto;
Nè vuol nel duro fin parer codardo.
Ma va cercando (e non la cerca invano)
1096 Illustre morte da famosa mano.
CXXXVII
This while the captain of the Egyptian host, —
That saw his royal standard laid on ground,
Saw Rimedon, that ensign’s prop and post,
By Godfrey’s noble hand killed with one wound,
And all his folk discomfit, slain and lost,
No coward was in this last battle found,
But rode about and sought, nor sought in vain,
Some famous hand of which he might be slain;
CXXXVII
Meanwhile the Egyptian captain, who beheld
His sovereign’s standard prostrate on the ground,
At the same time that Rimedon was felled
By peerless Godfred’s arm, and saw around
All his vast host discomfited or slain,
Craven would not in the last act appear;
And went in search of (nor sought long in vain),
Illustrious death from famous cavalier.
CXXXVIII.
Contra il maggior Buglione il destrier punge:
Chè nemico veder non sa più degno.
E mostra, ov’egli passa ov’egli giunge,
1100 Di valor disperato ultimo segno.
Ma pria ch’arrivi a lui, grida da lunge;
Ecco per le tue mani a morir vegno;
Ma tenterò, nella caduta estrema,
1104 Che la ruina mia ti colga e prema.
CXXXVIII
Against Lord Godfrey boldly out he flew,
For nobler foe he wished not, could not spy,
Of desperate courage showed he tokens true,
Where’er he joined, or stayed, or passed by,
And cried to the Duke as near he drew,
“Behold of thy strong hand I come to die,
Yet trust to overthrow thee with my fall,
My castle’s ruins shall break down thy wall.”
CXXXVIII
Forward he ‘gainst the elder Bouillon rode,
For he was worthiest foe beyond compare,
And, both in passing and arriving, showed
Such reckless courage, that it seemed despair;
And at some distance shouted out: ‘To die
I come, and seek it at thy hands; alone
In my last desperate efforts I will try
That my destruction shall involve thine own.’
CXXXIX.
Così gli disse; e in un medesmo punto
L’un verso l’altro per ferir si lancia.
Rotto lo scudo, e disarmato, e punto
1108 È il manco braccio al Capitan di Francia.
L’altro da lui con sì gran colpo è giunto
Sovra i confin della sinistra guancia,
Che ne stordisce in sulla sella: e mentre
1112 Risorger vuol, cade trafitto il ventre.
CXXXIX
This said, forth spurred they both, both high advance
Their swords aloft, both struck at once, both hit,
His left arm wounded had the knight of France,
His shield was pierced, his vantbrace cleft and split,
The Pagan backward fell, half in a trance,
On his left ear his foe so hugely smit,
And as he sought to rise, Godfredo’s sword
Pierced him through, so died that army’s lord.
CXXXIX
This said, they each against the other dashed
At the same moment with uplifted lance;
Cleft was the solid shield, disarmed and gashed
The left arm of the paladin of France;
Who, in return, the venturous Infidel
On his left cheek by such a blow reversed,
That he fell backwards, stunned upon his selle,
And, trying to rise, was through the belly pierced.
CXL.
Morto il duce Emireno, omai sol resta
Picciol avanzo di gran campo estinto.
Segue i vinti Goffredo, e poi s’arresta;
1116 Ch’Altamor vede a piè di sangue tinto,
Con mezza spada e con mezzo elmo in testa,
Da cento lance ripercosso e cinto.
Grida egli a’ suoi: cessate; e tu barone,
1120 Renditi (io son Goffredo) a me prigione.
CXL
Of his great host, when Emiren was dead,
Fled the small remnant that alive remained;
Godfrey espied as he turned his steed,
Great Altamore on foot, with blood all stained,
With half a sword, half helm upon his head,
Gainst whom a hundred fought, yet not one gained.
“Cease, cease this strife,” he cried: “and thou, brave knight,
Yield, I am Godfrey, yield thee to my might!”
CXL
Prince Emireno dead, there now remained,
But few survivors of the bloody fray;
Godfred pursued the vanquished, but refrained,
Seeing at his feet Prince Altamoro lay,
With broken helm and sword, while round him were
Masses of fierce vindictive soldiery.
Loudly he shouted to his troops: ‘Forbear!’
And, ‘Baron, yield thee; I am Godfred.’ He
CXLI.
Colui, che sino allor l’animo grande
Ad alcun atto d’umiltà non torse,
Ora ch’ode quel nome, onde si spande
1124 Sì chiaro suon dagli Etiópi all’Orse;
Gli risponde: farò quanto dimande,
Chè ne sei degno (e l’arme in man gli porse)
Ma la vittoria tua sovra Altamoro
1128 Nè di gloria fia povera, nè d’oro.
CXLI
He that till then his proud and haughty heart
To act of humbleness did never bend,
When that great name he heard, from the north part
Of our wide world renowned to Aethiop’s end,
Answered, “I yield to thee, thou worthy art,
I am thy prisoner, fortune is thy friend:
On Altamoro great thy conquest bold
Of glory shall be rich, and rich of gold:
CXLI
Who to no act of degradation e’er
Had bowed his lofty and magnanimous soul,
Hearing that name, which rang with sound so clear
Throughout the world, from Libya to the pole,
Replied: ‘Sir knight, I yield to thy demand,
For thou art worthy, but thy victory ‘
(Here placed his sword in gallant Godfred’s hand)
‘Not poor in glory or in gold shall be.
CXLII.
Me l’oro del mio regno, e me le gemme
Ricompreran della pietosa moglie.
Replica a lui Goffredo: il Ciel non diemme
1132 Animo tal che di tesor s’invoglie.
Ciò che
ti vien dall’Indiche maremme,
Abbiti pure, e ciò che Persia accoglie:
Chè della vita altrui prezzo non cerco;
1136 Guerreggio in Asia, e non vi cambio o merco.
CXLII
“My loving queen, my wife and lady kind
Shall ransom me with jewels, gold and treasure.”
“God shield,” quoth Godfrey, “that my noble mind
Should praise and virtue so by profit measure,
All that thou hast from Persia and from Inde
Enjoy it still, therein I take no pleasure;
I set no rent on life, no price on blood,
I fight, and sell not war for gold or good.”
CXLII
For me the riches of my realm, for me
My consort’s gems a ransom shall provide.’
‘Heaven gave me not such nature as to be
Greedy of gold,’ the Christian prince replied;
‘Keep, keep whate’er thy Persian lands contain,
And India’s teeming coasts; I seek not for
The lives of others ransom to obtain;
I traffic not in Asia — I make war.’
CXLIII.
Tace; ed a’ suoi custodi in cura dallo,
E segue il corso poi de’ fuggitivi.
Fuggon quegli ai ripari, ed intervallo
1140 Dalla morte trovar non ponno quivi.
Preso è repente, e pien di strage il vallo:
Corre di tenda in tenda il sangue in rivi,
E vi macchia le prede, e vi corrompe
1144 Gli ornamenti barbarici e le pompe.
CXLIII
This said, he gave him to his knights to keep
And after those that fled his course he bent;
They to their rampiers fled and trenches deep,
Yet could not so death’s cruel stroke prevent:
The camp was won, and all in blood doth steep
The blood in rivers streamed from tent to tent,
It soiled, defiled, defaced all the prey,
Shields, helmets, armors, plumes and feathers gay.
CXLIII
He ceased, the Pagan to his guards consigned,
And the course followed of the fugitives,
Who to the ramparts fled, nor there could find
The least protection for their fated lives;
The intrenchments taken were soon filled with gore
Which in red rivers ran from tent to tent,
Staining their trophies, and bespattering o’er
Each barbarous trapping and rich ornament.
CXLIV.
Così vince Goffredo; ed a lui tanto
Avanza ancor della diurna luce,
Ch’alla Città già liberata, al santo
1148 Ostel di Cristo i vincitor conduce.
Nè pur deposto il sanguinoso manto,
Viene al tempio con gli altri il sommo Duce:
E quì l’arme sospende: e quì devoto
1152 Il gran sepolcro adora, e scioglie il voto.
FINE.
CXLIV
Thus conquered Godfrey, and as yet the sun
Dived not in silver waves his golden wain,
But daylight served him to the fortress won
With his victorious host to turn again,
His bloody coat he put not off, but run
To the high temple with his noble train,
And there hung up his arms, and there he bows
His knees, there prayed, and there performed his vows.
CXLIV
Thus Godfred triumphed, and as still for him
The setting sun sufficient daylight shed,
Without a pause, to freed Jerusalem,
Christ’s blest abode, the conquerors he led;
Nor yet laid down his blood-stained mantle, he
Sped to the Temple, where, with beaming brow,
He hung his arms up, and on bended knee
The great tomb worshipped, and performed his vow.
DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS
Canto primo
ARGOMENTO.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.
XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.
XLII.
XLIII.
XLIV.
XLV.
XLVI.
XLVII.
XLVIII.
XLIX.
L.
LI.
LII.
LIII.
LIV.
LV.
LVI.
LVII.
LVIII.
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
LXII.
LXIII.
LXIV.
LXV.
LXVI.
LXVII.
LXVIII.
LXIX.
LXX.
LXXI.
LXXII.
LXXIII.
LXXIV.
LXXV.
LXXVI.
LXXVII.
LXXVIII.
LXXIX.
LXXX.
LXXXI.
LXXXII.
LXXXIII.
LXXXIV.
LXXXV.
LXXXVI.
LXXXVII.
LXXXVIII.
LXXXIX.
XC.
Canto secondo
ARGOMENTO.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.
XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.
XLII.
XLIII.
XLIV.
XLV.
XLVI.
XLVII.
XLVIII.
XLIX.
L.
LI.
LII.
LIII.
LIV.
LV.
LVI.
LVII.
LVIII.
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
LXII.
LXIII.
LXIV.
LXV.
LXVI.
LXVII.
LXVIII.
LXIX.
LXX.
LXXI.
LXXII.
LXXIII.
LXXIV.
LXXV.
LXXVI.
LXXVII.
LXXVIII.
LXXIX.
LXXX.
LXXXI.
LXXXII.
LXXXIII.
LXXXIV
.
LXXXV.
LXXXVI.
LXXXVII.
LXXXVIII.
LXXXIX.
XC.
XCI.
XCII.
XCIII.
XCIV.
XCV.
XCVI.
XCVII.
Canto terzo
ARGOMENTO.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.
XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.
XLII.
XLIII.
XLIV.
XLV.
XLVI.
XLVII.
XLVIII.
XLIX.
L.
LI.
LII.
LIII.
LIV.
LV.
LVI.
LVII.
LVIII.
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
LXII.
LXIII.
LXIV.
LXV.
LXVI.
LXVII.
LXVIII.
LXIX.
LXX.
LXXI.
LXXII.
LXXIII.
LXXIV.
LXXV.
LXXVI.
Canto quarto
ARGOMENTO.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.
XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.
XLII.
XLIII.
XLIV.
XLV.
XLVI.
XLVII.
XLVIII.
XLIX.
L.
LI.
LII.
LIII.
LIV.
LV.
LVI.
LVII.
LVIII.
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
LXII.
LXIII.
LXIV.