Jerusalem Delivered. Torquato Tasso

Make oracles of women's yeas and nays,

       And pine in foolish love, let some complain

       On Godfrey's rule, and mutinies gainst him raise,

       Turn each one's sword against his fellow's heart,

       Thus kill them all or spoil the greatest part."

      XVIII

       Before his words the tyrant ended had,

       The lesser devils arose with ghastly roar,

       And thronged forth about the world to gad,

       Each land they filled, river, stream and shore,

       The goblins, fairies, fiends and furies mad,

       Ranged in flowery dales, and mountains hoar,

       And under every trembling leaf they sit,

       Between the solid earth and welkin flit.

      XIX

       About the world they spread forth far and wide,

       Filling the thoughts of each ungodly heart

       With secret mischief, anger, hate and pride,

       Wounding lost souls with sin's empoisoned dart.

       But say, my Muse, recount whence first they tried

       To hurt the Christian lords, and from what part,

       Thou knowest of things performed so long agone,

       This latter age hears little truth or none.

      XX

       The town Damascus and the lands about

       Ruled Hidraort, a wizard grave and sage,

       Acquainted well with all the damned rout

       Of Pluto's reign, even from his tender age;

       Yet of this war he could not figure out

       The wished ending, or success presage,

       For neither stars above, nor powers of hell,

       Nor skill, nor art, nor charm, nor devil could tell.

      XXI

       And yet he thought—Oh, vain conceit of man,

       Which as thou wishest judgest things to come!—

       That the French host to sure destruction ran,

       Condemned quite by Heaven's eternal doom:

       He thinks no force withstand or vanquish can

       The Egyptian strength, and therefore would that some

       Both of the prey and glory of the fight

       Upon this Syrian folk would haply light.

      XXII

       But for he held the Frenchmen's worth in prize,

       And feared the doubtful gain of bloody war,

       He, that was closely false and slyly war,

       Cast how he might annoy them most from far:

       And as he gan upon this point devise—

       As counsellors in ill still nearest are—

       At hand was Satan, ready ere men need,

       If once they think, to make them do, the deed.

      XXIII

       He counselled him how best to hunt his game,

       What dart to cast, what net, what toil to pitch,

       A niece he had, a nice and tender dame,

       Peerless in wit, in nature's blessings rich,

       To all deceit she could her beauty frame,

       False, fair and young, a virgin and a witch;

       To her he told the sum of this emprise,

       And praised her thus, for she was fair and wise:

      XXIV

       "My dear, who underneath these locks of gold,

       And native brightness of thy lovely hue,

       Hidest grave thoughts, ripe wit, and wisdom old,

       More skill than I, in all mine arts untrue,

       To thee my purpose great I must unfold,

       This enterprise thy cunning must pursue,

       Weave thou to end this web which I begin,

       I will the distaff hold, come thou and spin.

      XXV

       "Go to the Christians' host, and there assay

       All subtle sleights that women use in love,

       Shed brinish tears, sob, sigh, entreat and pray,

       Wring thy fair hands, cast up thine eyes above,

       For mourning beauty hath much power, men say,

       The stubborn hearts with pity frail to move;

       Look pale for dread, and blush sometime for shame,

       In seeming truth thy lies will soonest frame.

      XXVI

       "Take with the bait Lord Godfrey, if thou may'st;

       Frame snares of look, strains of alluring speech;

       For if he love, the conquest then thou hast,

       Thus purposed war thou may'st with ease impeach,

       Else lead the other Lords to deserts waste,

       And hold them slaves far from their leader's reach:"

       Thus taught he her, and for conclusion, saith,

       "All things are lawful for our lands and faith."

      XXVII

       The sweet Armida took this charge on hand,

       A tender piece, for beauty, sex and age,

       The sun was sunken underneath the land,

       When she began her wanton pilgrimage,

       In silken weeds she trusteth to withstand,

       And conquer knights in warlike equipage,

       Of their night ambling dame the Syrians prated,

       Some good, some bad, as they her loved or hated.

      XXVIII

       Within few days the nymph arrived there

       Where puissant Godfrey had his tents ypight;

       Upon her strange attire, and visage clear,

       Gazed each soldier, gazed every knight:

       As when a comet doth in skies appear,

       The people stand amazed at the light;

       So wondered they and each at other sought,

       What mister wight she was, and whence ybrought.

      XXIX

       Yet never eye to Cupid's service vowed

       Beheld a face of such a lovely pride;

       A tinsel veil her amber locks did shroud,

       That strove to cover what it could not hide,

       The golden sun behind a silver cloud,

       So streameth out his beams on every side,

       The marble goddess, set at Cnidos, naked

       She seemed, were she unclothed, or that awaked.

      XXX

       The gamesome wind among her tresses plays,

       And curleth up those growing riches short;

       Her spareful eye to spread his beams denays,

       But keeps his shot where Cupid keeps his fort;

       The rose and lily on her cheek assays

       To paint true fairness