Jersusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  "For if her happy soul her eye doth bend

  On that sweet body which it lately dressed,

  My love, thy pity cannot her offend,

  Anger and wrath is not in angels blessed,

  She pardon will the trespass of her friend,

  That hope relieves me with these griefs oppressed,

  This hand she knows hath only sinned, not I,

  Who living loved her, and for love now die:

  "And loving will I die, oh happy day

  Whene'er it chanceth! but oh far more blessed

  If as about thy polished sides I stray,

  My bones within thy hollow grave might rest,

  Together should in heaven our spirits stay,

  Together should our bodies lie in chest;

  So happy death should join what life doth sever,

  O Death, O Life! sweet both, both blesséd ever."

  Meanwhile the news in that besiegéd town

  Of this mishap was whispered here and there,

  Forthwith it spread, and for too true was known,

  Her woful loss was talkéd everywhere,

  Mingled with cries and plaints to heaven upthrown,

  As if the city's self new taken were

  With conquering foes, or as if flame and fire,

  Nor house, nor church, nor street had left entire.

  But all men's eyes were on Arsetes bent,

  His sighs were deep, his looks full of despair,

  Out of his woful eyes no tear there went,

  His heart was hardened with his too much care,

  His silver locks with dust he foul besprent,

  He knocked his breast, his face he rent and tare,

  And while the press flocked to the eunuch old,

  Thus to the people spake Argantes bold:

  "I would, when first I knew the hardy maid

  Excluded was among her Christian foes,

  Have followed her to give her timely aid,

  Or by her side this breath and life to lose,

  What did I not, or what left I unsaid

  To make the king the gates again unclose?

  But he denied, his power did aye restrain

  My will, my suit was waste, my speech was vain:

  "Ah, had I gone, I would from danger free

  Have brought to Sion that sweet nymph again,

  Or in the bloody fight, where killed was she,

  In her defence there nobly have been slain:

  But what could I do more? the counsels be

  Of God and man gainst my designments plain,

  Dead is Clorinda fair, laid in cold grave,

  Let me revenge her whom I could not save.

  "Jerusalem, hear what Argantes saith,

  Hear Heaven, and if he break his oath and word,

  Upon this head cast thunder in thy wrath:

  I will destroy and kill that Christian lord

  Who this fair dame by night thus murdered hath,

  Nor from my side I will ungird this sword

  Till Tancred's heart it cleave, and shed his blood,

  And leave his corpse to wolves and crows for food."

  This said, the people with a joyful shout

  Applaud his speeches and his words approve,

  And calmed their grief in hope the boaster stout

  Would kill the prince, who late had slain his love.

  O promise vain! it otherwise fell out:

  Men purpose, but high gods dispose above,

  For underneath his sword this boaster died

  Whom thus he scorned and threatened in his pride.

  | Go to Contents |

  Thirteenth Book

  THE ARGUMENT

  Ismeno sets to guard the forest old

  The wicked sprites, whose ugly shapes affray

  And put to flight the men, whose labor would

  To their dark shades let in heaven's golden ray:

  Thither goes Tancred hardy, faithful, bold,

  But foolish pity lets him not assay

  His strength and courage: heat the Christian power

  Annoys, whom to refresh God sends a shower.

  BUT scant, dissolvéd into ashes cold,

  The smoking tower fell on the scorchéd grass,

  When new device found out the enchanter old

  By which the town besieged securéd was,

  Of timber fit his foes deprive he would,

  Such terror bred that late consuméd mass:

  So that the strength of Sion's walls to shake,

  They should no turrets, rams, nor engines make.

  From Godfrey's camp a grove a little way

  Amid the valleys deep grows out of sight,

  Thick with old trees whose horrid arms display

  An ugly shade, like everlasting night;

  There when the sun spreads forth his clearest ray,

  Dim, thick, uncertain, gloomy seems the light;

  As when in evening, day and darkness strive

  Which should his foe from our horizon drive.

  But when the sun his chair in seas doth steep,

  Night, horror, darkness thick the place invade,

  Which veil the mortal eyes with blindness deep

  And with sad terror make weak hearts afraid,

  Thither no groom drives forth his tender sheep

  To browse, or ease their faint in cooling shade,

  Nor traveller nor pilgrim there to enter,

  So awful seems that forest old, dare venture.

  United there the ghosts and goblins meet

  To frolic with their mates in silent night,

  With dragons' wings some cleave the welkin fleet,

  Some nimbly run o'er hills and valleys light,

  A wicked troop, that with allurements sweet

  Draws sinful man from that is good and right,

  And there with hellish pomp their banquets brought

  They solemnize, thus the vain Pagans thought.

  No twist, no twig, no bough nor branch, therefore,

  The Saracens cut from that sacred spring;

  But yet the Christians sparéd ne'er the more

  The trees to earth with cutting steel to bring:

  Thither went Ismen old with tresses hoar,

  When night on all this earth spread forth her wing,

  And there in silence deaf and mirksome shade

  His characters and circles vain he made:

  He in the circle set one foot unshod,

  And whispered dreadful charms in ghastly wise,

  Three times, for witchcraft loveth numbers odd,

  Toward the east he gapéd, westward thrice,

  He struck the earth thrice with his charméd rod

  Wherewith dead bones he makes from grave to rise,

  And thrice the ground with naked foot he smote,

  And thus he criéd loud, with thundering note:

  "Hear, hear, you spirits all that whilom fell,

  Cast down from heaven with dint of roaring thunder;

  Hear, you amid the empty air that dwell

  And storms and showers pour on these kingdoms under;

  Hear, all you devils that lie in deepest hell

  And rend with torments damnéd ghosts asunder,

  And of those lands of death, of pain and fear,

  Thou monarch great, great Dis, great Pluto, hear!

  "Keep you this forest well, keep every tree,

  Numbered I give you them and truly told;

  As souls of men in bodies clothéd be

  So every plant a sprite shall hide and hold,

  With trembling fear make all the Christians flee,

  When they presume to cut these cedars old:"

  This said, his charms he gan again repeat,

  Which none can say but they that use like feat.

  At those strange speeches, still night's splendent fires

  Quenchéd their lights, and shrunk away for doubt,

  The feeble moon her silver beams retires,


  And wrapt her horns with folding clouds about,

  Ismen his sprites to come with speed requires,

  "Why come you not, you ever damnéd rout?

  Why tarry you so long? pardie you stay

  Till stronger charms and greater words I say.

  "I have not yet forgot for want of use,

  What dreadful terms belong this sacred feat,

  My tongue, if still your stubborn hearts refuse,

  That so much dreaded name can well repeat,

  Which heard, great Dis cannot himself excuse,

  But hither run from his eternal seat,

  O great and fearful!"—More he would have said,

  But that he saw the sturdy sprites obeyed.

  Legions of devils by thousands thither come,

  Such as in sparséd air their biding make,

  And thousands also which by Heavenly doom

  Condemned lie in deep Avernus lake,

  But slow they came, displeaséd all and some

  Because those woods they should in keeping take,

  Yet they obeyed and took the charge in hand,

  And under every branch and leaf they stand.

  When thus his curséd work performéd was,

  The wizard to his king declared the feat,

  "My lord, let fear, let doubt and sorrow pass,

  Henceforth in safety stands your regal seat,

  Your foe, as he supposed, no mean now has

  To build again his rams and engines great:"

  And then he told at large from part to part,

  All what he late performed by wondrous art.

  "Besides this help, another hap," quoth he,

  "Will shortly chance that brings not profit small.

  Within few days Mars and the Sun I see

  Their fiery beams unite in Leo shall;

  And then extreme the scorching heat will be,

  Which neither rain can quench nor dews that fall,

  So placéd are the planets high and low,

  That heat, fire, burning all the heavens foreshow:

  "So great with us will be the warmth therefore,

  As with the Garamants or those of Inde;

  Yet nill it grieve us in this town so sore,

  We have sweet shade and waters cold by kind:

  Our foes abroad will be tormented more,

  What shield can they or what refreshing find?

  Heaven will them vanquish first, then Egypt's crew

  Destroy them quite, weak, weary, faint and few:

  "Thou shalt sit still and conquer; prove no more

  The doubtful hazard of uncertain fight.

  But if Argantes bold, that hates so sore

  All cause of quiet peace, though just and right,

  Provoke thee forth to battle, as before,

  Find means to calm the rage of that fierce knight,

  For shortly Heaven will send thee ease and peace,

  And war and trouble mongst thy foes increase."

  The king assuréd by these speeches fair,

  Held Godfrey's power, his might and strength in scorn,

  And now the walls he gan in part repair,

  Which late the ram had bruised with iron horn,

  With wise foresight and well adviséd care

  He fortified each breach and bulwark torn,

  And all his folk, men, women, children small,

  With endless toil again repaired the wall.

  But Godfrey nould this while bring forth his power

  To give assault against that fort in vain,

  Till he had builded new his dreadful tower,

  And rearéd high his down-fallen rams again:

  His workmen therefore he despatched that hour

  To hew the trees out of the forest main,

  They went, and scant the wood appeared in sight

  When wonders new their fearful hearts affright:

  As silly children dare not bend their eye

  Where they are told strange bugbears haunt the place,

  Or as new monsters, while in bed they lie,

  Their fearful thoughts present before their face;

  So fearéd they, and fled, yet wist not why,

  Nor what pursued them in that fearful chase,

  Except their fear perchance while thus they fled,

  New chimeras, sphinxes, or like monsters bred:

  Swift to the camp they turnéd back dismayed,

  With words confused uncertain tales they told,

  That all which heard them scornéd what they said

  And those reports for lies and fables hold.

  A chosen crew in shining arms arrayed

  Duke Godfrey thither sent of soldiers bold,

  To guard the men and their faint arms provoke

  To cut the dreadful trees with hardy stroke:

  These drawing near the wood where close ypent

  The wicked sprites in sylvan pinfolds were,

  Their eyes upon those shades no sooner bent

  But frozen dread pierced through their entrails dear;

  Yet on they stalkéd still, and on they went,

  Under bold semblance hiding coward fear,

  And so far wandered forth with trembling pace,

  Till they approached nigh that enchanted place:

  When from the grove a fearful sound outbreaks,

  As if some earthquake hill and mountain tore,

  Wherein the southern wind a rumbling makes,

  Or like sea waves against the scraggy shore;

  There lions grumble, there hiss scaly snakes,

  There howl the wolves, the rugged bears there roar,

  There trumpets shrill are heard and thunders fell,

  And all these sounds one sound expresséd well.

  Upon their faces pale well might you note

  A thousand signs of heart-amating fear,

  Their reason gone, by no device they wot

  How to press nigh, or stay still where they were,

  Against that sudden dread their breasts which smote,

  Their courage weak no shield of proof could bear,

  At last they fled, and one than all more bold,

  Excused their flight, and thus the wonders told:

  "My lord, not one of us there is, I grant,

  That dares cut down one branch in yonder spring,

  I think there dwells a sprite in every plant,

  There keeps his court great Dis infernal king,

  He hath a heart of hardened adamant

  That without trembling dares attempt the thing,

  And sense he wanteth who so hardy is

  To hear the forest thunder, roar and hiss."

  This said, Alcasto to his words gave heed,

  Alcasto leader of the Switzers grim,

  A man both void of wit and void of dreed,

  Who feared not loss of life nor loss of limb.

  No savage beasts in deserts wild that feed

  Nor ugly monster could dishearten him,

  Nor whirlwind, thunder, earthquake, storm, or aught

  That in this world is strange or fearful thought.

  He shook his head, and smiling thus gan say,

  "The hardiness have I that wood to fell,

  And those proud trees low in the dust to lay

  Wherein such grisly fiends and monsters dwell;

  No roaring ghost my courage can dismay,

  No shriek of birds, beast's roar, or dragon's yell;

  But through and through that forest will I wend,

  Although to deepest hell the paths descend."

  Thus boasted he, and leave to go desired,

  And forward went with joyful cheer and will,

  He viewed the wood and those thick shades admired,

  He heard the wondrous noise and rumbling shrill;

  Yet not one foot the audacious man retired,

  He scorned the peril, pressing forward still,

  Till on the forest's outmost marge he stepped, />
  A flaming fire from entrance there him kept.

  The fire increased, and built a stately wall

  Of burning coals, quick sparks, and embers hot,

  And with bright flames the wood environed all,

  That there no tree nor twist Alcasto got;

  The higher stretched the flames seemed bulwarks tall,

  Castles and turrets full of fiery shot,

  With slings and engines strong of every sort;—

  What mortal wight durst scale so strange a fort?

  Oh what strange monsters on the battlement

  In loathsome forms stood to defend the place?

  Their frowning looks upon the knight they bent,

  And threatened death with shot, with sword and mace:

  At last he fled, and though but slow he went,

  As lions do whom jolly hunters chase;

  Yet fled the man and with sad fear withdrew,

  Though fear till then he never felt nor knew.

  That he had fled long time he never wist,

  But when far run he had discovered it,

  Himself for wonder with his hand he blist,

  A bitter sorrow by the heart him bit,

  Amazed, ashamed, disgraced, sad, silent, trist,

  Alone he would all day in darkness sit,

  Nor durst he look on man of worth or fame,

  His pride late great, now greater made his shame.

  Godfredo called him, but he found delays

  And causes why he should his cabin keep,

  At length perforce he comes, but naught he says,

  Or talks like those that babble in their sleep.

  His shamefacedness to Godfrey plain bewrays

  His flight, so does his sighs and sadness deep:

  Whereat amazed, "What chance is this?" quoth he.

  "These witchcrafts strange or nature's wonders be.

  "But if his courage any champion move

  To try the hazard of this dreadful spring,

  I give him leave the adventure great to prove,

  Some news he may report us of the thing: "

  This said, his lords attempt the charméd grove,

  Yet nothing back but fear and flight they bring,

  For them inforced with trembling to retire,

  The sight, the sound, the monsters and the fire.

  This happed when woful Tancred left his bed

  To lay in marble cold his mistress dear,

  The lively color from his cheek was fled,

  His limbs were weak his helm or targe to bear;

  Nathless when need to high attempts him led,

  No labor would he shun, no danger fear,

  His valor, boldness, heart and courage brave,

  To his faint body strength and vigor gave.

  To this exploit forth went the venturous knight,

  Fearless, yet heedful; silent, well advised,