Jerusalem Delivered. Torquato Tasso

Death hath exchanged again his shafts with love,

       And Cupid thus lets borrowed arrows fly.

       O Hymen, say, what fury doth thee move

       To lend thy lamps to light a tragedy?

       Yet this contents me that I die for thee,

       Thy flames, not mine, my death and torment be.

      XXXV

       "Yet happy were my death, mine ending blest,

       My torments easy, full of sweet delight,

       It this I could obtain, that breast to breast

       Thy bosom might receive my yielded sprite;

       And thine with it in heaven's pure clothing drest,

       Through clearest skies might take united flight."

       Thus he complained, whom gently she reproved,

       And sweetly spake him thus, that so her loved:

      XXXVI

       "Far other plaints, dear friend, tears and laments

       The time, the place, and our estates require;

       Think on thy sins, which man's old foe presents

       Before that judge that quits each soul his hire,

       For his name suffer, for no pain torments

       Him whose just prayers to his throne aspire:

       Behold the heavens, thither thine eyesight bend,

       Thy looks, sighs, tears, for intercessors send."

      XXXVII

       The Pagans loud cried out to God and man,

       The Christians mourned in silent lamentation,

       The tyrant's self, a thing unused, began

       To feel his heart relent, with mere compassion,

       But not disposed to ruth or mercy than

       He sped him thence home to his habitation:

       Sophronia stood not grieved nor discontented,

       By all that saw her, but herself, lamented.

      XXXVIII

       The lovers standing in this doleful wise,

       A warrior bold unwares approached near,

       In uncouth arms yclad and strange disguise,

       From countries far, but new arrived there,

       A savage tigress on her helmet lies,

       The famous badge Clorinda used to bear;

       That wonts in every warlike stowre to win,

       By which bright sign well known was that fair inn.

      XXXIX

       She scorned the arts these silly women use,

       Another thought her nobler humor fed,

       Her lofty hand would of itself refuse

       To touch the dainty needle or nice thread,

       She hated chambers, closets, secret news,

       And in broad fields preserved her maidenhead:

       Proud were her looks, yet sweet, though stern and stout,

       Her dam a dove, thus brought an eagle out.

      XL

       While she was young, she used with tender hand

       The foaming steed with froary bit to steer,

       To tilt and tourney, wrestle in the sand,

       To leave with speed Atlanta swift arear,

       Through forests wild, and unfrequented land

       To chase the lion, boar, or rugged bear,

       The satyrs rough, the fauns and fairies wild,

       She chased oft, oft took, and oft beguiled.

      XLI

       This lusty lady came from Persia late,

       She with the Christians had encountered eft,

       And in their flesh had opened many a gate,

       By which their faithful souls their bodies left,

       Her eye at first presented her the state

       Of these poor souls, of hope and help bereft,

       Greedy to know, as is the mind of man,

       Their cause of death, swift to the fire she ran.

      XLII

       The people made her room, and on them twain

       Her piercing eyes their fiery weapons dart,

       Silent she saw the one, the other 'plain,

       The weaker body lodged the nobler heart:

       Yet him she saw lament, as if his pain

       Were grief and sorrow for another's smart,

       And her keep silence so, as if her eyes

       Dumb orators were to entreat the skies.

      XLIII

       Clorinda changed to ruth her warlike mood,

       Few silver drops her vermeil cheeks depaint;

       Her sorrow was for her that speechless stood,

       Her silence more prevailed than his complaint.

       She asked an aged man, seemed grave and good,

       "Come say me, sir," quoth she, "what hard constraint

       Would murder here love's queen and beauty's king?

       What fault or fare doth to this death them bring?"

      XLIV

       Thus she inquired, and answer short he gave,

       But such as all the chance at large disclosed,

       She wondered at the case, the virgin brave,

       That both were guiltless of the fault supposed,

       Her noble thought cast how she might them save,

       The means on suit or battle she reposed.

       Quick to the fire she ran, and quenched it out,

       And thus bespake the sergeants and the rout:

      XLV

       "Be there not one among you all that dare

       In this your hateful office aught proceed,

       Till I return from court, nor take you care

       To reap displeasure for not making speed."

       To do her will the men themselves prepare,

       In their faint hearts her looks such terror breed;

       To court she went, their pardon would she get,

       But on the way the courteous king she met.

      XLVI

       "Sir King," quoth she, "my name Clorinda hight,

       My fame perchance has pierced your ears ere now,

       I come to try my wonted power and might,

       And will defend this land, this town, and you,

       All hard assays esteem I eath and light,

       Great acts I reach to, to small things I bow,

       To fight in field, or to defend this wall,

       Point what you list, I naught refuse at all."

      XLVII

       To whom the king, "What land so far remote

       From Asia's coasts, or Phoebus' glistering rays,

       O glorious virgin, that recordeth not

       Thy fame, thine honor, worth, renown, and praise?