LXII "By these thy glorious feet, that tread secure On necks of tyrants, by thy conquests brave, By that right hand, and by those temples pure Thou seek"st to free from Macon"s lore, I crave Help for this sickness none but thou canst cure, My life and kingdom let thy mercy save From death and ruin: but in vain I prove thee, If right, if truth, if justice cannot move thee.
LXIII "Thou who dost all thou wishest, at thy will, And never willest aught but what is right, Preserve this guiltless blood they seek to spill; Thine be my kingdom, save it with thy might: Among these captains, lords, and knights of skill, Appoint me ten, approved most in fight, Who with a.s.sistance of my friends and kin, May serve my kingdom lost again to win.
LXIV "For lo a knight, that had a gate to ward, A man of chiefest trust about his king, Hath promised so to beguile the guard That me and mine he undertakes to bring Safe, where the tyrant haply sleepeth hard He counselled me to undertake this thing, Of these some little succor to intreat, Whose name alone accomplish can the feat."
LXV This said, his answer did the nymph attend, Her looks, her sighs, her gestures all did pray him: But G.o.dfrey wisely did his grant suspend, He doubts the worst, and that awhile did stay him, He knows, who fears no G.o.d, he loves no friend, He fears the heathen false would thus betray him: But yet such ruth dwelt in his princely mind, That gainst his wisdom, pity made him kind.
LXVI Besides the kindness of his gentle thought, Ready to comfort each distressed wight, The maiden"s offer profit with it brought; For if the Syrian kingdom were her right, That won, the way were easy, which he sought, To bring all Asia subject to his might: There might he raise munition, arms and treasure To work the Egyptian king and his displeasure.
LXVII Thus was his n.o.ble heart long time betwixt Fear and remorse, not granting nor denying, Upon his eyes the dame her lookings fixed, As if her life and death lay on his saying, Some tears she shed, with sighs and sobbings mixed, As if her hopes were dead through his delaying; At last her earnest suit the duke denayed, But with sweet words thus would content the maid:
LXVIII "If not in service of our G.o.d we fought, In meaner quarrel if this sword were shaken, Well might thou gather in thy gentle thought, So fair a princess should not be forsaken; But since these armies, from the world"s end brought, To free this sacred town have undertaken, It were unfit we turned our strength away, And victory, even in her coming, stay.
LXIX "I promise thee, and on my princely word The burden of thy wish and hope repose, That when this chosen temple of the Lord, Her holy doors shall to his saints unclose In rest and peace; then this victorious sword Shall execute due vengeance on thy foes; But if for pity of a worldly dame I left this work, such pity were my shame."
LXX At this the princess bent her eyes to ground, And stood unmoved, though not unmarked, a s.p.a.ce, The secret bleeding of her inward wound Shed heavenly dew upon her angel"s face, "Poor wretch," quoth she, "in tears and sorrows drowned, Death be thy peace, the grave thy resting-place, Since such thy hap, that lest thou mercy find The gentlest heart on earth is proved unkind.
LXXI "Where none attends, what boots it to complain?
Men"s froward hearts are moved with women"s tears As marble stones are pierced with drops of rain, No plaints find pa.s.sage through unwilling ears: The tyrant, haply, would his wraith restrain Heard he these prayers ruthless G.o.dfrey hears, Yet not thy fault is this, my chance, I see, Hath made even pity, pitiless in thee.
LXXII "So both thy goodness, and good hap, denayed me, Grief, sorrow, mischief, care, hath overthrown me, The star that ruled my birthday hath betrayed me, My genius sees his charge, but dares not own me, Of queen-like state, my flight hath disarrayed me, My father died, ere he five years had known me, My kingdom lost, and lastly resteth now, Down with the tree sith broke is every bough.
LXXIII "And for the modest lore of maidenhood, Bids me not sojourn with these armed men, O whither shall I fly, what secret wood Shall hide me from the tyrant? or what den, What rock, what vault, what cave can do me good?
No, no, where death is sure, it resteth then To scorn his power and be it therefore seen, Armida lived, and died, both like a queen."
LXXIV With that she looked as if a proud disdain Kindled displeasure in her n.o.ble mind, The way she came she turned her steps again, With gesture sad but in disdainful kind, A tempest railed down her cheeks amain, With tears of woe, and sighs of anger"s wind; The drops her footsteps wash, whereon she treads, And seems to step on pearls, or crystal beads.
LXXV Her cheeks on which this streaming nectar fell, Stilled through the limbeck of her diamond eyes, The roses white and red resembled well, Whereon the rory May-dew sprinkled lies When the fair morn first blusheth from her cell, And breatheth balm from opened paradise; Thus sighed, thus mourned, thus wept this lovely queen, And in each drop bathed a grace unseen.
LXXVI Thrice twenty Cupids unperceived flew To gather up this liquor, ere it fall, And of each drop an arrow forged new, Else, as it came, s.n.a.t.c.hed up the crystal ball, And at rebellious hearts for wildfire threw.
O wondrous love! thou makest gain of all; For if she weeping sit, or smiling stand, She bends thy bow, or kindleth else thy brand.
LXXVII This forged plaint drew forth unfeigned tears From many eyes, and pierced each worthy"s heart; Each one condoleth with her that her hears, And of her grief would help her bear the smart: If G.o.dfrey aid her not, not one but swears Some tigress gave him suck on roughest part Midst the rude crags, on Alpine cliffs aloft: Hard is that heart which beauty makes not soft.
LXXVIII But jolly Eustace, in whose breast the brand Of love and pity kindled had the flame, While others softly whispered underhand, Before the duke with comely boldness came: "Brother and lord," quoth he, "too long you stand In your first purpose, yet vouchsafe to frame Your thoughts to ours, and lend this virgin aid: Thanks are half lost when good turns are delayed.
LXXIX "And think not that Eustace"s talk a.s.says To turn these forces from this present war, Or that I wish you should your armies raise From Sion"s walls, my speech tends not so far: But we that venture all for fame and praise, That to no charge nor service bounden are, Forth of our troop may ten well spared be To succor her, which naught can weaken thee.
Lx.x.x "And know, they shall in G.o.d"s high service fight, That virgins innocent save and defend: Dear will the spoils be in the Heaven"s sight, That from a tyrant"s hateful head we rend: Nor seemed I forward in this lady"s right, With hope of gain or profit in the end; But for I know he arms unworthy bears, To help a maiden"s cause that shuns or fears.
Lx.x.xI "Ah! be it not pardie declared in France, Or elsewhere told where courtesy is in prize, That we forsook so fair a chevisance, For doubt or fear that might from fight arise; Else, here surrender I both sword and lance, And swear no more to use this martial guise; For ill deserves he to be termed a knight, That bears a blunt sword in a lady"s right."
Lx.x.xII Thus parleyed he, and with confused sound, The rest approved what the gallant said, Their general their knights encompa.s.sed round, With humble grace, and earnest suit they prayed: "I yield," quoth he, "and it be happy found, What I have granted, let her have your aid: Yours be the thanks, for yours the danger is, If aught succeed, as much I fear, amiss.
Lx.x.xIII "But if with you my words may credit find, Oh temper then this heat misguides you so!"
Thus much he said, but they with fancy blind, Accept his grant, and let his counsel go.
What works not beauty, man"s relenting mind Is eath to move with plaints and shows of woe: Her lips cast forth a chain of sugared words, That captive led most of the Christian lords.
Lx.x.xIV Eustace recalled her, and bespake her thus: "Beauty"s chief darling, let those sorrows be, For such a.s.sistance shall you find in us As with your need, or will, may best agree:"
With that she cheered her forehead dolorous, And smiled for joy, that Phoebus blushed to see, And had she deigned her veil for to remove, The G.o.d himself once more had fallen in love.
Lx.x.xV With that she broke the silence once again, And gave the knight great thanks in little speech, She said she would his handmaid poor remain, So far as honor"s laws received no breach.
Her humble gestures made the residue plain, Dumb eloquence, persuading more than speech: Thus women know, and thus they use the guise, To enchant the valiant, and beguile the wise.
Lx.x.xVI And when she saw her enterprise had got Some wished mean of quick and good proceeding, She thought to strike the iron that was hot, For every action hath his hour of speeding: Medea or false Circe changed not So far the shapes of men, as her eyes spreading Altered their hearts, and with her syren"s sound In l.u.s.t, their minds, their hearts, in love she drowned.
Lx.x.xVII All wily sleights that subtle women know, Hourly she used, to catch some lover new.
None kenned the bent of her unsteadfast bow, For with the time her thoughts her looks renew, From some she cast her modest eyes below, At some her gazing glances roving flew, And while she thus pursued her wanton sport, She spurred the slow, and reined the forward short.
Lx.x.xVIII If some, as hopeless that she would be won, Forebore to love, because they durst not move her, On them her gentle looks to smile begun, As who say she is kind if you dare prove her On every heart thus shone this l.u.s.tful sun, All strove to serve, to please, to woo, to love her, And in their hearts that chaste and bashful were, Her eye"s hot glance dissolved the frost of fear.
Lx.x.xIX On them who durst with fingering bold a.s.say To touch the softness of her tender skin, She looked as coy, as if she list not play, And made as things of worth were hard to win; Yet tempered so her deignful looks alway, That outward scorn showed store of grace within: Thus with false hope their longing hearts she fired, For hardest gotten things are most desired.
XC Alone sometimes she walked in secret where, To ruminate upon her discontent, Within her eyelids sate the swelling tear, Not poured forth, though sprung from sad lament, And with this craft a thousand souls well near In snares of foolish ruth and love she hent, And kept as slaves, by which we fitly prove That witless pity breedeth fruitless love.
XCI Sometimes, as if her hope unloosed had The chains of grief, wherein her thoughts lay fettered, Upon her minions looked she blithe and glad, In that deceitful lore so was she lettered; Not glorious t.i.tan, in his brightness clad, The sunshine of her face in l.u.s.tre bettered: For when she list to cheer her beauties so, She smiled away the clouds of grief and woe.
XCII Her double charm of smiles and sugared words, Lulled on sleep the virtue of their senses, Reason shall aid gainst those a.s.saults affords, Wisdom no warrant from those sweet offences; Cupid"s deep rivers have their shallow fords, His griefs, bring joys; his losses, recompenses; He breeds the sore, and cures us of the pain: Achilles" lance that wounds and heals again.
XCIII While thus she them torments twixt frost and fire, Twixt joy and grief, twixt hope and restless fear, The sly enchantress felt her gain the nigher, These were her flocks that golden fleeces bear: But if someone durst utter his desire, And by complaining make his griefs appear, He labored hard rocks with plaints to move, She had not learned the gamut then of love.
XCIV For down she bet her bashful eyes to ground, And donned the weed of women"s modest grace, Down from her eyes welled the pearls round, Upon the bright enamel of her face; Such honey drops on springing flowers are found When Phoebus holds the crimson morn in chase; Full seemed her looks of anger, and of shame; Yet pity shone transparent through the same.
XCV If she perceived by his outward cheer, That any would his love by talk bewray, Sometimes she heard him, sometimes stopped her ear, And played fast and loose the livelong day: Thus all her lovers kind deluded were, Their earnest suit got neither yea nor nay; But like the sort of weary huntsmen fare, That hunt all day, and lose at night the hare.
XCVI These were the arts by which she captived A thousand souls of young and l.u.s.ty knights; These were the arms wherewith love conquered Their feeble hearts subdued in wanton fights: What wonder if Achilles were misled, Of great Alcides at their ladies" sights, Since these true champions of the Lord above Were thralls to beauty, yielden slaves to lore.
FIFTH BOOK
THE ARGUMENT.
Gernando scorns Rinaldo should aspire To rule that charge for which he seeks and strives, And slanders him so far, that in his ire The wronged knight his foe of life deprives: Far from the camp the slayer doth retire, Nor lets himself be bound in chains or gyves: Armide departs content, and from the seas G.o.dfrey hears news which him and his displease.
I While thus Armida false the knights misled In wandering errors of deceitful love, And thought, besides the champions promised, The other lordlings in her aid to move, In G.o.dfrey"s thought a strong contention bred Who fittest were this hazard great to prove; For all the worthies of the adventures" band Were like in birth, in power, in strength of hand.
II But first the prince, by grave advice, decreed They should some knight choose at their own election, That in his charge Lord Dudon might succeed, And of that glorious troop should take protection; So none should grieve, displeased with the deed, Nor blame the causer of their new subjection: Besides, G.o.dfredo showed by this device, How much he held that regiment in price.
III He called the worthies then, and spake them so: "Lordlings, you know I yielded to your will, And gave you license with this dame to go, To win her kingdom and that tyrant kill: But now again I let you further know, In following her it may betide yon ill; Refrain therefore, and change this forward thought For death unsent for, danger comes unsought.
IV "But if to shun these perils, sought so far, May seem disgraceful to the place yon hold; If grave advice and prudent counsel are Esteemed detractors from your courage bold; Then know, I none against his will debar, Nor what I granted erst I now withhold; But he mine empire, as it ought of right, Sweet, easy, pleasant, gentle, meek and light.
V "Go then or tarry, each as likes him best, Free power I grant you on this enterprise; But first in Dudon"s place, now laid in chest, Choose you some other captain stout and wise; Then ten appoint among the worthiest, But let no more attempt this hard emprise, In this my will content you that I have, For power constrained is but a glorious slave."
VI Thus G.o.dfrey said, and thus his brother spake, And answered for himself and all his peers: "My lord, as well it fitteth thee to make These wise delays and cast these doubts and fears, So "tis our part at first to undertake; Courage and haste beseems our might and years; And this proceeding with so grave advice, Wisdom, in you, in us were cowardice.
VII "Since then the feat is easy, danger none, All set in battle and in hardy fight, Do thou permit the chosen ten to gone And aid the damsel:" thus devised the knight, To make men think the sun of honor shone There where the lamp of Cupid gave the light: The rest perceive his guile, and it approve, And call that knighthood which was childish love.