Jersusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  His just displeasure and incenséd ire,

  He cared not what the vulgar did or said,

  To vengeance did his courage fierce aspire:

  Among the thickest weapons way he made,

  His thundering sword made all on heaps retire,

  So that of near a thousand stayed not one,

  But Prince Gernando bore the brunt alone.

  His hand, too quick to execute his wrath,

  Performéd all, as pleased his eye and heart,

  At head and breast oft times he strucken hath,

  Now at the right, now at the other part:

  On every side thus did he harm and scath,

  And oft beguiled his sight with nimble art,

  That no defence the prince of wounds acquits,

  Where least he thinks, or fears, there most he hits.

  Nor ceaséd he, till in Gernando's breast

  He sheathéd once or twice his furious blade;

  Down fell the hapless prince with death oppressed,

  A double way to his weak soul was made;

  His bloody sword the victor wiped and dressed,

  Nor longer by the slaughtered body stayed,

  But sped him thence, and soon appeaséd hath

  His hate, his ire, his rancor and his wrath.

  Called by the tumult, Godfrey drew him near,

  And there beheld a sad and rueful sight,

  The signs of death upon his face appear,

  With dust and blood his locks were loathly dight,

  Sighs and complaints on each side might he hear,

  Made for the sudden death of that great knight:

  Amazed, he asked who durst and did so much;

  For yet he knew not whom the fault would touch.

  Arnoldo, minion of the Prince thus slain,

  Augments the fault in telling it, and saith,

  This Prince is murdered, for a quarrel vain,

  By young Rinaldo in his desperate wrath,

  And with that sword that should Christ's law maintain

  One of Christ's champions bold he killéd hath,

  And this he did in such a place and hour,

  As if he scorned your rule, despised your power.

  And further adds, that he deservéd death

  By law, and law should be inviolate,

  That none offence could greater be uneath,

  And yet the place the fault did aggravate:

  If he escape, that mischief would take breath,

  And flourish bold in spite of rule and state;

  And that Gernando's friends would venge the wrong,

  Although to justice that did first belong,

  And by that means, should discord, hate and strife

  Raise mutinies, and what therefore ensueth:

  Lastly he praised the dead, and still had rife

  All words he thought could vengeance move or ruth.

  Against him Tancred arguéd for life,

  With honest reasons to excuse the youth:

  The Duke heard all, but with such sober cheer,

  As banished hope, and still increaséd fear.

  "Great Prince," quoth Tancred, "set before thine eyes

  Rinaldo's worth and courage what it is,

  How much our hope of conquest in him lies;

  Regard that princely house and race of his;

  He that correcteth every fault he spies,

  And judgeth all alike, doth all amiss;

  For faults, you know, are greater thought or less,

  As is the person's self that doth transgress."

  Godfredo answered him, "If high and low

  Of sovereign power alike should feel the stroke,

  Then, Tancred, ill you counsel us, I trow;

  If lords should know no law, as erst you spoke,

  How vile and base our empire were you know,

  If none but slaves and peasants bear the yoke;

  Weak is the sceptre and the power is small

  That such provisos bring annexed withal.

  "But mine was freely given ere 'twas sought,

  Nor that it lessened be I now consent;

  Right well know I both when and where I ought

  To give condign reward and punishment,

  Since you are all in like subjection brought,

  Both high and low obey, and be content."

  This heard, Tancredi wisely stayed his words,

  Such weight the sayings have of kings and lords.

  Old Raymond praised his speech, for old men think

  They ever wisest seem when most severe,

  "'Tis best," quoth he, "to make these great ones shrink,

  The people love him whom the nobles fear:

  There must the rule to all disorders sink,

  Where pardons more than punishments appear;

  For feeble is each kingdom, frail and weak,

  Unless his basis be this fear I speak."

  These words Tancredi heard and pondered well,

  And by them wist how Godfrey's thoughts were bent,

  Nor list he longer with these old men dwell,

  But turned his horse and to Rinaldo went,

  Who, when his noble foe death-wounded fell,

  Withdrew him softly to his gorgeous tent;

  There Tancred found him, and at large declared

  The words and speeches sharp which late you heard.

  And said, "Although I wot the outward show

  Is not true witness of the secret thought,

  For that some men so subtle are, I trow,

  That what they purpose most appeareth naught;

  Yet dare I say Godfredo means, I know,

  Such knowledge hath his looks and speeches wrought,

  You shall first prisoner be, and then be tried

  As he shall deem it good and law provide."

  With that a bitter smile well might you see

  Rinaldo cast, with scorn and high disdain,

  "Let them in fetters plead their cause," quoth he,

  "That are base peasants, born of servile stain,

  I was free born, I live and will die free

  Before these feet be fettered in a chain:

  These hands were made to shake sharp spears and swords,

  Not to be tied in gyves and twisted cords.

  "If my good service reap this recompense,

  To be clapt up in close and secret mew,

  And as a thief be after dragged from thence,

  To suffer punishment as law finds due;

  Let Godfrey come or send, I will not hence

  Until we know who shall this bargain rue,

  That of our tragedy the late done fact

  May be the first, and this the second, act.

  "Give me mine arms," he cried; his squire them brings,

  And clad his head, and dressed in iron strong,

  About his neck his silver shield he flings,

  Down by his side a cutting sword there hung;

  Among this earth's brave lords and mighty kings,

  Was none so stout, so fierce, so fair, so young,

  God Mars he seemed descending from his sphere,

  Or one whose looks could make great Mars to fear.

  Tancredi labored with some pleasing speech

  His spirits fierce and courage to appease;

  "Young Prince, thy valor," thus he gan to preach,

  "Can chastise all that do thee wrong, at ease,

  I know your virtue can your enemies teach,

  That you can venge you when and where you please:

  But God forbid this day you lift your arm

  To do this camp and us your friends such harm.

  "Tell me what will you do? why would you stain

  Your noble hands in our unguilty blood?

  By wounding Christians, will you again

  Pierce Christ, whose parts they are and members good?

  Will you destroy us for your glory vain,

  Unstayed as rolling waves in oce
an flood?

  Far be it from you so to prove your strength,

  And let your zeal appease your rage at length.

  "For God's love stay your heat, and just displeasure,

  Appease your wrath, your courage fierce assuage,

  Patience, a praise; forbearance, is a treasure;

  Suffrance, an angel's is; a monster, rage;

  At least your actions by example measure,

  And think how I in mine unbridled age

  Was wronged, yet I would not revengement take

  On all this camp, for one offender's sake.

  "Cilicia conquered I, as all men wot,

  And there the glorious cross on high I reared,

  But Baldwin came, and what I nobly got

  Bereft me falsely when I least him feared;

  He seemed my friend, and I discovered not

  His secret covetise which since appeared;

  Yet strive I not to get mine own by fight,

  Or civil war, although perchance I might.

  "If then you scorn to be in prison pent,

  If bonds, as high disgrace, your hands refuse;

  Or if your thoughts still to maintain are bent

  Your liberty, as men of honor use:

  To Antioch what if forthwith you went?

  And leave me here your absence to excuse,

  There with Prince Boemond live in ease and peace,

  Until this storm of Godfrey's anger cease.

  "For soon, if forces come from Egypt land,

  Or other nations that us here confine,

  Godfrey will beaten be with his own wand,

  And feel he wants that valor great of thine,

  Our camp may seem an arm without a hand,

  Amid our troops unless thy eagle shine:"

  With that came Guelpho and those words approved,

  And prayed him go, if him he feared or loved.

  Their speeches soften much the warrior's heart,

  And make his wilful thoughts at last relent,

  So that he yields, and saith he will depart,

  And leave the Christian camp incontinent.

  His friends, whose love did never shrink or start,

  Preferred their aid, what way soe'er he went:

  He thanked them all, but left them all, besides

  Two bold and trusty squires, and so he rides.

  He rides, revolving in his noble spright

  Such haughty thoughts as fill the glorious mind;

  On hard adventures was his whole delight,

  And now to wondrous acts his will inclined;

  Alone against the Pagans would he fight,

  And kill their kings from Egypt unto Inde,

  From Cynthia's hills and Nilus' unknown spring

  He would fetch praise and glorious conquest bring.

  But Guelpho, when the prince his leave had take

  And now had spurred his courser on his way,

  No longer tarriance with the rest would make

  But hastes to find Godfredo, if he may:

  Who seeing him approaching, forthwith spake

  "Guelpho," quoth he, "for thee I only stay,

  For thee I sent my heralds all about,

  In every tent to seek and find thee out."

  This said, he softly drew the knight aside

  Where none might hear, and then bespake him thus:

  "How chanceth it thy nephew's rage and pride,

  Makes him so far forget himself and us?

  Hardly could I believe what is betide,

  A murder done for cause so frivolous,

  How I have loved him, thou and all can tell;

  But Godfrey loved him but whilst he did well.

  "I must provide that every one have right,

  That all be heard, each cause be well discussed,

  As far from partial love as free from spite,

  I hear complaints, yet naught but proves I trust:

  Now if Rinaldo weigh our rule too light,

  And have the sacred lore of war so brust,

  Take you the charge that he before us come

  To clear himself and hear our upright dome.

  "But let him come withouten bond or chain,

  For still my thoughts to do him grace are framed;

  But if our power he haply shall disdain,

  As well I know his courage yet untamed,

  To bring him by persuasion take some pain:

  Else, if I prove severe, both you be blamed,

  That forced my gentle nature against my thought

  To rigor, lest our laws return to naught.

  Lord Guelpho answered thus: "What heart can bear

  Such slanders false, devised by hate and spite?

  Or with stayed patience, reproaches hear,

  And not revenge by battle or by fight?

  The Norway Prince hath bought his folly dear,

  But who with words could stay the angry knight?

  A fool is he that comes to preach or prate

  When men with swords their right and wrong debate.

  "And where you wish he should himself submit

  To hear the censure of your upright laws;

  Alas, that cannot be, for he is flit

  Out if this camp, withouten stay or pause,

  There take my gage, behold I offer it

  To him that first accused him in this cause,

  Or any else that dare, and will maintain

  That for his pride the prince was justly slain.

  "I say with reason Lord Gernando's pride

  He hath abated, if he have offended

  Gainst your commands, who are his lord and guide,

  Oh pardon him, that fault shall be amended."

  "If he be gone," quoth Godfrey, "let him ride

  And brawl elsewhere, here let all strife be ended:

  And you, Lord Guelpho, for your nephew's sake,

  Breed us no new, nor quarrels old awake."

  This while, the fair and false Armida strived

  To get her promised aid in sure possession,

  The day to end, with endless plaint she drived;

  Wit, beauty, craft for her made intercession:

  But when the earth was once of light deprived,

  And western seas felt Titan's hot impression,

  'Twixt two old knights, and matrons twain she went,

  Where pitchéd was her fair and curious tent.

  But this false queen of craft and sly invention,—

  Whose looks, love's arrows were; whose eyes his quivers;

  Whose beauty matchless, free from reprehension,

  A wonder left by Heaven to after-livers,—

  Among the Christian lords had bred contention

  Who first should quench his flames in Cupid's rivers,

  While all her weapons and her darts rehearsed,

  Had not Godfredo's constant bosom pierced.

  To change his modest thought the dame procureth,

  And proffereth heaps of love's enticing treasure:

  But as the falcon newly gorged endureth

  Her keeper lure her oft, but comes at leisure;

  So he, whom fulness of delight assureth

  What long repentance comes of love's short pleasure,

  Her crafts, her arts, herself and all despiseth,

  So base affections fall, when virtue riseth.

  And not one foot his steadfast foot was moved

  Out of that heavenly path, wherein he paced,

  Yet thousand wiles and thousand ways she proved,

  To have that castle fair of goodness rased:

  She used those looks and smiles that most behoved

  To melt the frost which his hard heart embraced,

  And against his breast a thousand shot she ventured,

  Yet was the fort so strong it was not entered.

  The dame who thought that one blink of her eye

  Could make the chastest heart feel love's sweet pain,

  Oh, how her p
ride abated was hereby!

  When all her sleights were void, her crafts were vain,

  Some other where she would her forces try,

  Where at more ease she might more vantage gain,

  As tiréd soldiers whom some fort keeps out,

  Thence raise their siege, and spoil the towns about.

  But yet all ways the wily witch could find

  Could not Tancredi's heart to loveward move,

  His sails were filléd with another wind,

  He list no blast of new affection prove;

  For, as one poison doth exclude by kind

  Another's force, so love excludeth love:

  These two alone nor more nor less the dame

  Could win, the rest all burnt in her sweet flame.

  The princess, though her purpose would not frame,

  As late she hopéd, and as still she would,

  Yet, for the lords and knights of greatest name

  Became her prey, as erst you heard it told,

  She thought, ere truth-revealing time or fame

  Bewrayed her act, to lead them to some hold,

  Where chains and bands she meant to make them prove,

  Composed by Vulcan not by gentle love.

  The time prefixed at length was come and past,

  Which Godfrey had set down to lend her aid,

  When at his feet herself to earth she cast,

  "The hour is come, my Lord," she humbly said,

  "And if the tyrant haply hear at last,

  His banished niece hath your assistance prayed,

  He will in arms to save his kingdom rise,

  So shall we harder make this enterprise.

  "Before report can bring the tyrant news,

  Or his espials certify their king,

  Oh let thy goodness these few champions choose,

  That to her kingdom should thy handmaid bring;

  Who, except Heaven to aid the right refuse,

  Recover shall her crown, from whence shall spring

  Thy profit; for betide thee peace or war,

  Thine all her cities, all her subjects are."

  The captain sage the damsel fair assured,

  His word was passed and should not be recanted,

  And she with sweet and humble grace endured

  To let him point those ten, which late he granted:

  But to be one, each one fought and procured,

  No suit, no entreaty, intercession wanted;

  There envy each at others' love exceeded,

  And all importunate made, more than needed.

  She that well saw the secret of their hearts,

  And knew how best to warm them in their blood,

  Against them threw the curséd poisoned darts

  Of jealousy, and grief at others' good,

  For love she wist was weak without those arts,

  And slow; for jealousy is Cupid's food;

  For the swift steed runs not so fast alone,