Jerusalem Delivered. Torquato Tasso

Since on my side I have thy succors got,

       I need not fear in these my aged days,

       For in thine aid more hope, more trust I have,

       Than in whole armies of these soldiers brave.

      XLVIII

       "Now, Godfrey stays too long; he fears, I ween;

       Thy courage great keeps all our foes in awe;

       For thee all actions far unworthy been,

       But such as greatest danger with them draw:

       Be you commandress therefore, Princess, Queen

       Of all our forces: be thy word a law."

       This said, the virgin gan her beaver vail,

       And thanked him first, and thus began her tale.

      XLIX

       "A thing unused, great monarch, may it seem,

       To ask reward for service yet to come;

       But so your virtuous bounty I esteem,

       That I presume for to intreat this groom

       And silly maid from danger to redeem,

       Condemned to burn by your unpartial doom,

       I not excuse, but pity much their youth,

       And come to you for mercy and for ruth.

      L

       "Yet give me leave to tell your Highness this,

       You blame the Christians, them my thoughts acquite,

       Nor be displeased, I say you judge amiss,

       At every shot look not to hit the white,

       All what the enchanter did persuade you, is

       Against the lore of Macon's sacred rite,

       For us commandeth mighty Mahomet

       No idols in his temple pure to set.

      LI

       "To him therefore this wonder done refar,

       Give him the praise and honor of the thing,

       Of us the gods benign so careful are

       Lest customs strange into their church we bring:

       Let Ismen with his squares and trigons war,

       His weapons be the staff, the glass, the ring;

       But let us manage war with blows like knights,

       Our praise in arms, our honor lies in fights."

      LII

       The virgin held her peace when this was said;

       And though to pity he never framed his thought,

       Yet, for the king admired the noble maid,

       His purpose was not to deny her aught:

       "I grant them life," quoth he, "your promised aid

       Against these Frenchmen hath their pardon bought:

       Nor further seek what their offences be,

       Guiltless, I quit; guilty, I set them free."

      LIII

       Thus were they loosed, happiest of humankind,

       Olindo, blessed be this act of thine,

       True witness of thy great and heavenly mind,

       Where sun, moon, stars, of love, faith, virtue, shine.

       So forth they went and left pale death behind,

       To joy the bliss of marriage rites divine,

       With her he would have died, with him content

       Was she to live that would with her have brent.

      LIV

       The king, as wicked thoughts are most suspicious,

       Supposed too fast this tree of virtue grew,

       O blessed Lord! why should this Pharaoh vicious,

       Thus tyrannize upon thy Hebrews true?

       Who to perform his will, vile and malicious,

       Exiled these, and all the faithful crew,

       All that were strong of body, stout of mind,

       But kept their wives and children pledge behind.

      LV

       A hard division, when the harmless sheep

       Must leave their lambs to hungry wolves in charge,

       But labor's virtues watching, ease her sleep,

       Trouble best wind that drives salvation's barge,

       The Christians fled, whither they took no keep,

       Some strayed wild among the forests large,

       Some to Emmaus to the Christian host,

       And conquer would again their houses lost.

      LVI

       Emmaus is a city small, that lies

       From Sion's walls distant a little way,

       A man that early on the morn doth rise,

       May thither walk ere third hour of the day.

       Oh, when the Christian lord this town espies

       How merry were their hearts? How fresh? How gay?

       But for the sun inclined fast to west,

       That night there would their chieftain take his rest.

      LVII

       Their canvas castles up they quickly rear,

       And build a city in an hour's space.

       When lo, disguised in unusual gear,

       Two barons bold approachen gan the place;

       Their semblance kind, and mild their gestures were,

       Peace in their hands, and friendship in their face,

       From Egypt's king ambassadors they come,

       Them many a squire attends, and many a groom.

      LVIII

       The first Aletes, born in lowly shed,

       Of parents base, a rose sprung from a brier,

       That now his branches over Egypt spread,

       No plant in Pharaoh's garden prospered higher;

       With pleasing tales his lord's vain ears he fed,

       A flatterer, a pick-thank, and a liar:

       Cursed be estate got with so many a crime,

       Yet this is oft the stair by which men climb.

      LIX

       Argantes called is that other knight,

       A stranger came he late to Egypt land,

       And there advanced was to honor's height,

       For he was stout of courage, strong of hand,

       Bold was his heart, and restless was his sprite,

       Fierce, stern, outrageous, keen as sharpened brand,

       Scorner of God, scant to himself a friend,

       And pricked his reason on his weapon's end.

      LX

       These two entreatance made they might be heard,

       Nor was their just petition long denied;

       The gallants quickly made their court of guard,

       And brought them in where sate their famous guide,

       Whose kingly look his princely mind declared,

       Where noblesse, virtue, troth, and valor bide.

       A slender courtesy made Argantes bold,