Jersusalem Delivered

by Torquato Tasso

  Against the port, and on the wicket stroke

  His matchless might, his great desire to win,

  His oath and promise, doth his wrath provoke,

  For he had sworn, nor should his word be vain,

  To kill the man that had Prince Sweno slain.

  And now his arméd hand that castle great

  Would have assaulted, and had shortly won,

  Nor safe pardie the Soldan there a seat

  Had found his fatal foes' sharp wrath to shun,

  Had not Godfredo sounded the retreat;

  For now dark shades to shroud the earth begun,

  Within the town the duke would lodge that night,

  And with the morn renew the assault and fight.

  With cheerful look thus to his folk he said,

  "High God hath holpen well his children dear,

  This work is done, the rest this night delayed

  Doth little labor bring, less doubt, no fear,

  This tower, our foe's weak hope and latest aid,

  We conquer will, when sun shall next appear:

  Meanwhile with love and tender ruth go see

  And comfort those which hurt and wounded be;

  "Go cure their wounds which boldly venturéd

  Their lives, and spilt their bloods to get this hold,

  That fitteth more this host for Christ forth led,

  Than thirst of vengeance, or desire of gold;

  Too much, ah, too much blood this day is shed!

  In some we too much haste to spoil behold,

  But I command no more you spoil and kill,

  And let a trumpet publish forth my will."

  This said, he went where Raymond panting lay,

  Waked from the swoon wherein he late had been.

  Nor Solyman with countenance less gay

  Bespake his troops, and kept his grief unseen;

  "My friends, you are unconqueréd this day,

  In spite of fortune still our hope is green,

  For underneath great shows of harm and fear,

  Our dangers small, our losses little were:

  "Burnt are your houses, and your people slain,

  Yet safe your town is, though your walls be gone,

  For in yourselves and in your sovereign

  Consists your city, not in lime and stone;

  Your king is safe, and safe is all his train

  In this strong fort defended from their fone,

  And on this empty conquest let them boast,

  Till with this town again, their lives be lost;

  "And on their heads the loss at last will light,

  For with good fortune proud and insolent,

  In spoil and murder spend they day and night,

  In riot, drinking, lust and ravishment,

  And may amid their preys with little fight

  At ease be overthrown, killed, slain and spent,

  If in this carelessness the Egyptian host

  Upon them fall, which now draws near this coast.

  "Meanwhile the highest buildings of this town

  We may shake down with stones about their ears,

  And with our darts and spears from engines thrown,

  Command that hill Christ's sepulchre that bears:"

  Thus comforts he their hopes and hearts cast down,

  Awakes their valors, and exiles their fears.

  But while the things hapt thus, Vafrino goes

  Unknown, amid ten thousand arméd foes.

  The sun nigh set had brought to end the day,

  When Vafrine went the Pagan host to spy,

  He passed unknown a close and secret way;

  A traveller, false, cunning, crafty, sly,

  Past Ascalon he saw the morning gray

  Step o'er the threshold of the eastern sky,

  And ere bright Titan half his course had run,

  That camp, that mighty host to show begun.

  Tents infinite, and standards broad he spies,

  This red, that white, that blue, this purple was,

  And hears strange tongues, and stranger harmonies

  Of trumpets, clarions, and well-sounding brass:

  The elephant there brays, the camel cries,

  The horses neigh as to and fro they pass:

  Which seen and heard, he said within his thought,

  Hither all Asia is, all Afric, brought.

  He viewed the camp awhile, her site and seat,

  What ditch, what trench it had, what rampire strong,

  Nor close, nor secret ways to work his feat

  He longer sought, nor hid him from the throng;

  But entered through the gates, broad, royal, great,

  And oft he asked, and answered oft among,

  In questions wise, in answers short and sly;

  Bold was his look, eyes quick, front lifted high:

  On every side he priéd here and there,

  And marked each way, each passage and each tent:

  The knights he notes, their steeds, and arms they bear,

  Their names, their armor, and their government;

  And greater secrets hopes to learn, and hear,

  Their hidden purpose, and their close intent:

  So long he walked and wandered, till he spied

  The way to approach the great pavilions' side:

  There as he looked he saw the canvas rent,

  Through which the voice found eath and open way

  From the close lodgings of the regal tent

  And inmost closet where the captain lay;

  So that if Emireno spake, forth went

  The sound to them that listen what they say,

  There Vafrine watched, and those that saw him thought

  To mend the breach that there he stood and wrought.

  The captain great within bare-headed stood,

  His body armed and clad in purple weed,

  Two pages bore his shield and helmet good,

  He leaning on a bending lance gave heed

  To a big man whose looks were fierce and proud,

  With whom he parleyed of some haughty deed,

  Godfredo's name as Vafrine watched he heard,

  Which made him give more heed, take more regard:

  Thus spake the chieftain to that surly sir,

  "Art thou so sure that Godfrey shall be slain?"

  "I am," quoth he, "and swear ne'er to retire,

  Except he first be killed, to court again.

  I will prevent those that with me conspire:

  Nor other guerdon ask I for my pain

  But that I may hang up his harness brave

  At Gair, and under them these words engrave:

  "'These arms Ormondo took in noble fight

  From Godfrey proud, that spoiled all Asia's lands,

  And with them took his life, and here on high,

  In memory thereof, this trophy stands.'"

  The duke replied, "Ne'er shall that deed, bold knight,

  Pass unrewarded at our sovereign's hands,

  What thou demandest shall he gladly grant,

  Nor gold nor guerdon shalt thou wish or want.

  "Those counterfeited armors then prepare,

  Because the day of fight approacheth fast."

  "They ready are," quoth he; then both forbare

  From further talk, these speeches were the last.

  Vafrine, these great things heard, with grief and care

  Remained astound, and in his thoughts oft cast

  What treason false this was, how feignéd were

  Those arms, but yet that doubt he could not clear.

  From thence he parted, and broad waking lay

  All that long night, nor slumbered once nor slept:

  But when the camp by peep of springing day

  Their banner spread, and knights on horseback leapt,

  With them he marchéd forth in meet array,

  And where they pitchéd lodged, and with them kept,

  And then from
tent to tent he stalked about,

  To hear and see, and learn this secret out;

  Searching about, on a rich throne he fand

  Armida set with dames and knights around,

  Sullen she sat, and sighed, it seemed she scanned

  Some weighty matters in her thoughts profound,

  Her rosy cheek leaned on her lily hand,

  Her eyes, love's twinkling stars, she bent to ground,

  Weep she, or no, he knows not, yet appears

  Her humid eyes even great with child with tears.

  He saw before her set Adrastus grim,

  That seeméd scant to live, move, or respire,

  So was he fixéd on his mistress trim,

  So gazéd he, and fed his fond desire;

  But Tisiphern beheld now her now him,

  And quaked sometime for love, sometime for ire,

  And in his cheeks the color went and came,

  For there wrath's fire now burnt, now shone love's flame.

  Then from the garland fair of virgins bright,

  Mongst whom he lay enclosed, rose Altamore,

  His hot desire he hid and kept from sight,

  His looks were ruled by Cupid's crafty lore,

  His left eye viewed her hand, her face, his right

  Both watched her beauties hid and secret store,

  And entrance found where her thin veil bewrayed

  The milken-way between her breasts that laid.

  Her eyes Armida lift from earth at last,

  And cleared again her front and visage sad,

  Midst clouds of woe her looks which overcast

  She lightened forth a smile, sweet, pleasant, glad;

  "My lord," quoth she, "your oath and promise passed,

  Hath freed my heart of all the griefs it had,

  That now in hope of sweet revenge it lives,

  Such joy, such ease, desiréd vengeance gives."

  "Cheer up thy looks," answered the Indian king,

  "And for sweet beauty's sake, appease thy woe,

  Cast at your feet ere you expect the thing,

  I will present the head of thy strong foe;

  Else shall this hand his person captive bring

  And cast in prison deep;" he boasted so.

  His rival heard him well, yet answered naught,

  But bit his lips, and grieved in secret thought.

  To Tisipherne the damsel turning right,

  "And what say you, my noble lord?" quoth she.

  He taunting said, "I that am slow to fight

  Will follow far behind, the worth to see

  Of this your terrible and puissant knight,"

  In scornful words this bitter scoff gave he.

  "Good reason," quoth the king, "thou come behind,

  Nor e'er compare thee with the Prince of Ind."

  Lord Tisiphernes shook his head, and said,

  "Oh, had my power free like my courage been,

  Or had I liberty to use this blade,

  Who slow, who weakest is, soon should be seen,

  Nor thou, nor thy great vaunts make me afraid,

  But cruel love I fear, and this fair queen."

  This said, to challenge him the king forth leapt,

  But up their mistress start, and twixt them stepped:

  "Will you thus rob me of that gift," quoth she,

  "Which each hath vowed to give by word and oath?

  You are my champions, let that title be

  The bond of love and peace between you both;

  He that displeased is, is displeased with me,

  For which of you is grieved, and I not wroth?"

  Thus warned she them, their hearts, for ire nigh broke,

  In forcéd peace and rest thus bore love's yoke."

  All this heard Vafrine as he stood beside,

  And having learned the truth, he left the tent,

  That treason was against the Christian's guide

  Contrived, he wist, yet wist not how it went,

  By words and questions far off, he tried

  To find the truth; more difficult, more bent

  Was he to know it, and resolved to die,

  Or of that secret close the intent to spy.

  Of sly intelligence he proved all ways,

  All crafts, all wiles, that in his thoughts abide,

  Yet all in vain the man by wit assays,

  To know that false compact and practice hid:

  But chance, what wisdom could not tell, bewrays,

  Fortune of all his doubt the knots undid,

  So that prepared for Godfrey's last mishap

  At ease he found the net, and spied the trap.

  Thither he turned again where seated was,

  The angry lover, 'twixt her friends and lords,

  For in that troop much talk he thought would pass,

  Each great assembly store of news affords,

  He sided there a lusty lovely lass,

  And with some courtly terms the wench he boards,

  He feigns acquaintance, and as bold appears

  As he had known that virgin twenty years.

  He said, "Would some sweet lady grace me so,

  To chose me for her champion, friend and knight,

  Proud Godfrey's or Rinaldo's head, I trow,

  Should feel the sharpness of my curtlax bright;

  Ask me the head, fair mistress, of some foe,

  For to your beauty wooéd is my might;"

  So he began, and meant in speeches wise

  Further to wade, but thus he broke the ice.

  Therewith he smiled, and smiling gan to frame

  His looks so to their old and native grace,

  That towards him another virgin came,

  Heard him, beheld him, and with bashful face

  Said, "For thy mistress choose no other dame

  But me, on me thy love and service place,

  I take thee for my champion, and apart

  Would reason with thee, if my knight thou art."

  Withdrawn, she thus began, "Vafrine, pardie,

  I know thee well, and me thou knowest of old,"

  To his last trump this drove the subtle spy,

  But smiling towards her he turned him bold,

  "Ne'er that I wot I saw thee erst with eye,

  Yet for thy worth all eyes should thee behold,

  Thus much I know right well, for from the same

  Which erst you gave me different is my name.

  "My mother bore me near Bisertus wall,

  Her name was Lesbine, mine is Almansore!"

  "I knew long since," quoth she, "what men thee call,

  And thine estate, dissemble it no more,

  From me thy friend hide not thyself at all,

  If I betray thee let me die therefore,

  I am Erminia, daughter to a prince,

  But Tancred's slave, thy fellow-servant since;

  "Two happy months within that prison kind,

  Under thy guard rejoicéd I to dwell,

  And thee a keeper meek and good did find,

  The same, the same I am; behold me well."

  The squire her lovely beauty called to mind,

  And marked her visage fair: "From thee expel

  All fear," she says, "for me live safe and sure,

  I will thy safety, not thy harm procure.

  "But yet I pray thee, when thou dost return,

  To my dear prison lead me home again;

  For in this hateful freedom even and morn

  I sigh for sorrow, mourn and weep for pain:

  But if to spy perchance thou here sojourn,

  Great hap thou hast to know these secrets plain,

  For I their reasons false, false trains can say,

  Which few beside can tell, none will betray."

  On her he gazed, and silent stood this while,

  Armida's sleights he knew, and trains unjust,

  Women have tongues of craft, and hearts of guile,

  They will
, they will not, fools that on them trust,

  For in their speech is death, hell in their smile;

  At last he said, "If hence depart you lust,

  I will you guide; on this conclude we here,

  And further speech till fitter time forbear."

  Forthwith, ere thence the camp remove, to ride

  They were resolved, their flight that season fits,

  Vafrine departs, she to the dames beside

  Returns, and there on thorns awhile she sits,

  Of her new knight she talks, till time and tide

  To scape unmarked she find, then forth she gets,

  Thither where Vafrine her unseen abode,

  There took she horse, and from the camp they rode.

  And now in deserts waste and wild arrived,

  Far from the camp, far from resort and sight,

  Vafrine began, "Gainst Godfrey's life contrived

  The false compacts and trains unfold aright: "

  Then she those reasons, from their spring derived,

  Repeats, and brings their hid deceits to light,

  "Eight knights," she says," all courtiers brave, there are,

  But Ormond strong the rest surpasseth far:

  "These, whether hate or hope of gain them move,

  Conspiréd have, and framed their treason so,

  That day when Emiren by fight shall prove

  To win lost Asia from his Christian foe,

  These, with the cross scored on their arms above,

  And armed like Frenchmen will disguiséd go,

  Like Godfrey's guard that gold and white do wear,

  Such shall their habit be, and such their gear:

  "Yet each will bear a token in his crest,

  That so their friends for Pagans may them know:

  But in close fight when all the soldiers best

  Shall mingled be, to give the fatal blow

  They will keep near, and pierce Godfredo's breast,

  While of his faithful guard they bear false show,

  And all their swords are dipped in poison strong,

  Because each wound shall bring sad death ere long.

  "And for their chieftain wist I knew your guise,

  What garments, ensigns, and what arms you carry,

  Those feignéd arms he forced me to devise,

  So that from yours but small or naught they vary;

  But these unjust commands my thoughts despise,

  Within their camp therefore I list not tarry,

  My heart abhors I should this hand defile

  With spot of treason, or with act of guile.

  "This is the cause, but not the cause alone:"

  And there she ceased, and blushed, and on the main

  Cast down her eyes, these last words scant outgone,

  She would have stopped, nor durst pronounce them plain.

  The squire what she concealed would know, as one

  That from her breast her secret thoughts could strain,