O’erthrownlikewiseawaytherightwingran,Norwasthereoneagainthatturnedhisface,SaveboldArgantes,elsefledeveryman,Feardrovethemthenceonheaps,withheadlongchase:
Hestayedalone,andbattlenewbegan,Fivehundredmen,weaponedwithswordandmace,Sogreatresistancenevercouldhavemade,AsdidArganteswithhissingleblade:
CXII
Thestrokesofswordsandthrustsofmanyaspear,Theshockofmanyajousthelongsustained,Heseemedofstrengthenoughthischargetobear,Andtimetostrike,nowhere,nowthere,hegainedHisarmorsbroke,hismembersbruisedwere,Hesweatandbled,yetcouragestillhefeigned;
Butnowhisfoesuponhimpressedsofast,Thatwiththeirweighttheyborehimbackatlast。
CXIII
Hisbackagainstthisstormatlengthheturned,Whoseheadlongfuryborehimbackwardstill,Notliketoonethatfled,butonethatmournedBecausehedidhisfoesnogreaterill,Histhreateningeyeslikeflamingtorchesburned,Hiscouragethirstedyetmorebloodtospill,Andeverywayandeverymeanhesought,Tostayhisflyingmates,butallfornaught。
CXIV
Thisgoodhedid,whilethusheplayedhispart,Hisbandsandtroopsatease,andsafe,retired;
Yetcowarddreadlacksorder,fearwantsart,Deaftoattend,commandedordesired。
ButGodfreythatperceivedinhiswiseheart,Howhisboldknightstovictoryaspired,Freshsoldierssent,tomakemorequickpursuit,Andhelptogatherconquest’spreciousfruit。
CXV
Butthis,alas,wasnottheappointedday,SetdownbyHeaventoendthismortalwar:
ThewesternlordsthistimehadborneawayTheprize,forwhichtheytravelledhadsofar,Hadnotthedevils,thatsawthesuredecayOftheirfalsekingdombythisbloodywar,Atoncemadeheavenandearthwithdarknessblind,Andstirreduptempests,storms,andblusteringwind。
CXVI
Heaven’sgloriouslamp,wrappedinanuglyveilOfshadowsdark,washidfrommortaleye,Andhell’sgrimblacknessdidbrightskiesassail;
Oneverysidethefierylightningsfly,Thethundersroar,thestreamingrainandhailPourdownandmakethatseawhicherstwasdry。
Thetempestsrendtheoaksandcedarsbrake,Andmakenottreesbutrocksandmountainsshake。
CXVII
Therain,thelightning,andtheragingwind,BeatintheFrenchmen’seyeswithhideousforce,Thesoldiersstayedamazedinheartandmind,Theterrorsuchthatstoppedbothmanandhorse。
Surprisedwiththisevilnowaytheyfind,Whitherforsuccortodirecttheircourse,ButwiseClorindasoontheadvantagespied,Andspurringforththustohersoldierscried:
CXVIII
“Youhardymenatarmsbehold,“quothshe,“HowHeaven,howJusticeinouraiddothfight,Ourvisagesarefromthistempestfree,Ourhandsatwillmaywieldourweaponsbright,ThefuryofthisfriendlystormyouseeUpontheforeheadsofourfoesdothlight,Andblindstheireyes,thenletustakethetide,Come,followme,goodfortunebeourguide。“
CXIX
Thissaid,againstherfoesonrodethedame,Andturnedtheirbacksagainstthewindandrain;
UpontheFrenchwithfuriousrageshecame,Andscornedthoseidleblowstheystruckinvain;
Argantesattheinstantdidthesame,Andthemwhochasedhimnowchasedagain,NaughtbuthisfearfulbackeachChristianshowsAgainstthetempest,andagainsttheirblows。
CXX
Thecruelhail,anddeadlywoundingblade,Upontheirshoulderssmotethemastheyfled,Thebloodnewspiltwhilethustheyslaughtermade,Thewaterfallenfromskieshaddyedred,AmongthemurderedbodiesPyrrhuslaid,AndvaliantRaiphehisheartbloodthereoutbled,ThefirstsubduedbystrongArgantes’might,Thesecondconqueredbythatvirginknight。
CXXI
ThusfledtheFrench,andthenpursuedinchaseThewickedspritesandalltheSyriantrain:
ButgainsttheirforceandgainsttheirfellmenaceOfhailandwind,oftempestandofrain,Godfreyaloneturnedhisaudaciousface,Blaminghisbaronsfortheirfearsovain,Himselfthecampgateboldlystoodtokeep,Andsavedhismenwithinhistrenchesdeep。
CXXII
AndtwiceuponArgantesproudheflew,Andbeathimbackward,maugreallhismight,Andtwicehisthirstyswordhedidimbrue,InPagan’sbloodwherethickestwasthefight;
Atlasthimselfwithallhisfolkwithdrew,Andthatday’sconquestgavethevirginbright,Whichgot,shehomeretiredandallhermen,Andthusshechasedthisliontohisden。
CXXIII
YetceasednotthefuryandtheireOfthesehugestorms,ofwind,ofrainandhail,Nowwasitdark,nowshonethelightningfire,Thewindandwatereveryplaceassail,Nobankwassafe,norampireleftentire,Notentcouldstand,whenbeamandcordagefail,Wind,thunder,rain,allgaveadreadfulsound,Andwiththatmusicdeafedthetremblingground。
EIGHTHBOOK
THEARGUMENT。
AmessengertoGodfreysagedothtellThePrinceofDenmark’svalour,deathandend:
TheItalians,trustingsignsuntruetoowell,ThinktheirRinaldoslain:thewickedfiendBreedsfuryintheirbreasts,theirbosomsswellWithireandhate,andwarandstrifeforthsend:
TheythreatenGodfrey;hepraystotheLord,Andcalmstheirfurywithhislookandword。
I
Nowweretheskiesofstormsandtempestscleared,LordAeolusshutuphiswindsinhold,Thesilver-mantledmorningfreshappeared,Withrosescrowned,andbuskinedhighwithgold;
Thespiritsyetwhichhadthesetempestsreared,Theirmalicewouldstillmoreandmoreunfold;
AndoneofthemthatAstragorwasnamed,HisspeechesthustofoulAlectoframed。
II
“Alecto,see,wecouldnotstopnorstayTheknightthattoourfoesnewtidingsbrings,Whofromthehandsescaped,withlifeaway,Ofthatgreatprince,chiefofallPagankings:
Hecomes,thefallofhisslainlordtosay,Ofdeathandlosshetells,andsuchsadthings,Greatnewshebrings,andgreatestdangersis,Bertoldo’ssonshallbecalledhomeforthis。
III
“Thouknowestwhatwouldbefall,bestirtheethan;
Preventwithcraft,whatforcecouldnotwithstand,Turntotheirevilthespeechesoftheman,WithhisownweaponwoundGodfredo’shand;
Kindledebate,infectwithpoisonwanTheEnglish,Switzer,andItalianband,Greattumultmove,makebrawlsandquarrelsrife,Setallthecamponuproarandatstrife。
IV
“Thisactbeseemstheewell,andofthedeedMuchmay’stthouboastbeforeourlordandking。“
Thussaidthesprite。Persuasionsmalldidneed,Themonstergrantstoundertakethething。
Meanwhiletheknight,whosecomingthustheydread,Beforethecamphiswearylimbsdothbring,Andwell-nighbreathless,“Warriorsbold,“hecried,“Whoshallconductmetoyourfamousguide?“
V
Anhundredstrovethestranger’sguidetobe,Tohearkennewstheknightsbyheapsassemble,Themanfelllowlydownuponhisknee,AndkissedthehandthatmadeproudBabeltremble;
“Rightpuissantlord,whosevaliantacts,“quothhe,“Thesandsandstarsinnumberbestresemble,WouldGodsomegladdernewsImightunfold,“
Andtherehepaused,andsighed;thenthushetold:
VI
“Sweno,theKingofDenmark’sonlyheir,Thestayandstaffofhisdecliningeild,LongedtobeamongthesesquadronsfairWhoforChrist’sfaithhereservewithspearandshield;
Noweariness,nostormsofseaorair,Nosuchcontentsascrownsandsceptresyield,Nodearentreatiesofsokindasire,Couldinhisbosomquenchthatgloriousfire。
VII
“HethirstedsoretolearnthiswarlikeartOfthee,greatlordandmasterofthesame;
Andwasashamedinhisnobleheart,Thatneveracthediddeservedfame;
Besides,thenewsandtidingsfromeachpartOfyoungRinaldo’sworthandpraisescame:
Butthatwhichmosthiscouragestirredhath,Iszeal,religion,godliness,andfaith。
VIII
“Hehastedforward,thenwithoutdelay,Andwithhimtookofknightsachosenband,DirectlytowardThracewetooktheway,ToByzanceold,chieffortressofthatland,TheretheGreekmonarchgentlyprayedhimstay,Andthereanheraldsentfromyouwefand,HowAntiochwaswon,whofirstdeclared,Andhowdefendednoblyafterward。
IX
“DefendedgainstCorbana,valiantknight,ThatallthePersianarmieshadtoguide,Andbroughtsomanysoldiersboldtofight,Thatvoidofmenheleftthatkingdomwide;
Hetoldthineacts,thywisdomandthymight,Andtoldthedeedsofmanyalordbeside,HisspeechatlengthtoyoungRinaldopassed,Andtoldhisgreatachievements,firstandlast:
X
“Andhowthisnoblecampofyours,oflateBesiegedhadthistown,andinwhatsort,AndhowyouprayedhimtoparticipateOfthelastconquestofthisnoblefort。
InhardySwenoopenedwasthegateOfworthyangerbythisbravereport,Sothateachhourseemedfiveyearslong,TillhewerefightingwiththesePagansstrong。
XI
“Andwhiletheheraldtoldyourfightsandfrays,Himselfofcowardicereprovedhethought,Andhimtostaythatcounselshim,orprays,Hehearsnot,or,elseheard,regardethnaught,Hefearsnoperilsbutwhilsthedelays,Lestthislastworkwithouthishelpbewrought:
Inthishisdoubt,inthishisdangerlies,Nohazardelsehefears,noperilspies。
XII
“Thushastingon,hehastedonhisdeath,Deaththattohimanduswasfatalguide。
Therisingmornappearedyetaneath,Whenheandwewerearmed,andfittoride,Thenearestwayseemedbest,o’erholdandheathWewent,throughdesertswaste,andforestswide,Thestreetsandwaysheopenethashegoes,Andsetseachlandfreefromintrudingfoes。
XIII
“Nowwantoffood,nowdangerouswayswefind,Nowopenwar,nowambushcloselylaid;
Yetpassedweforth,allperilsleftbehind,Ourfoesordeadorrunawayafraid,Ofvictorysohappyblewthewind,Thatcarelessalltheheedlesstoitmade:
Untilonedayhistentshehappedtorear,ToPalestinewhenweapproachednear。