UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 IN MEMORIAM 
 S. L. MILLARD ROSENBERG 
 
farenfcott 
 
 TASSO 
 
 H. B. COTTER ILL 
 
HENRY FROWDE, M.A. 
 
 PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD 
 
 LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK 
 
Clarenboit Boss 
 
 V 
 
 TASSO 
 
 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA 
 
 CANTOS I, II 
 
 WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
 
 BY 
 
 H. B. COTTERILL, B.A., F.R.G.S. 
 
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 REMARKS 
 
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PREFACE. 
 
 IT was thought advisable to publish an Italian reading- 
 book of a more elementary nature than the ' Selections from 
 Dante.' I have for this purpose chosen a poet rather than 
 a prose writer, because I am persuaded that poetry, in 
 addition to other advantages, teaches, as no prose can, the 
 real character of a language. Further, I have chosen Tasso 
 not only for the historical interest of his poem, but on 
 account of the simplicity and transparency of his style. I 
 hope that the ignorant and foolish remark of Boileau about 
 the 'tinsel' of Tasso a remark that was caught up by 
 Addison and has been the source of much self-satisfaction to 
 those who have never read the Jerusalem is now generally 
 estimated at its true value, and will not afford an excuse to 
 those who have an opportunity of forming their own 
 opinion by the study of the original poem. 
 
 The Notes are at first very full, and adapted to the use of 
 beginners, but become more scanty in elementary informa- 
 tion as the poem proceeds. The Remarks should be care- 
 fully studied, and used for reference. 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 The text is that given by Carbone, with a few slight 
 alterations. For much of the collateral matter I am in- 
 debted to Serassi, Carbone, Ugo Foscolo, and Deagostini, 
 besides various English writers. For historical facts I have 
 also drawn largely from Gibbon. 
 
 H. B. C. 
 
 i Athol Place, Edinburgh. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE episode of the First Crusade is so well known, and 
 has been so often and fully related 1 , that I do not purpose 
 to do more than give a very brief outline of the events. All 
 necessary details, especially those in which Tasso has diverged 
 from historical truth, will be found in the Notes, under the 
 names of the more celebrated leaders and places. 
 
 At the end of the tenth century, and during the first half of 
 the eleventh, Palestine was under the rule of the Fatimite 
 Caliphs of Egypt. About the beginning of the eleventh century 
 Persia and Asia Minor were overrun by the Turks, under 
 leaders of the Seljukian dynasty, who conquered the Holy 
 Land and advanced as far as Cairo. The Seljuks held sway 
 about twenty years over Jerusalem (1076-1096), and the here- 
 ditary command of the Holy City was entrusted to an Emir 
 Ortok. The barbarities that were committed by these new 
 converts to Islam on the Christian pilgrims excited the in- 
 dignation of Peter the Hermit, whose preaching aroused the 
 whole of Europe, and brought about the First Crusade. 
 
 In 1095 Urban II assembled a council at Placentia, con- 
 sisting of four thousand clergy and thirty thousand of the 
 laity. At this council ambassadors from the Greek emperor, 
 Alexius Commenus, were present to beg assistance against 
 the Turks, who had advanced their conquests up to the 
 shores of the Bosporus. A second council was held in the 
 same year at Clermont in Auvergne, and there it was deter- 
 mined to undertake the war, and the red 2 cross was accepted 
 
 1 See especially Gibbon, chap. Iviii. 
 
 3 Red was the universal colour of the cross in the first Crusade. 
 In the third the English adopted white, and the Flemings green. 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 by the Crusaders as the ' pledge of their sacred and irrevocable 
 engagement.' The departure for the Holy Land was fixed 
 to take place on the isth August, 1096. But so great was 
 the impatience of the zealots that early in the spring of that 
 year a vast multitude followed the hermit from France and 
 Germany. Of this host the greater part was destroyed by 
 the Hungarians, in retaliation for the devastation of their 
 land. About a third escaped, Only to fall by the arrows of 
 the Turks in Asia Minor. A great heap of bones was after- 
 wards found near Nice by the main body of the Crusaders 
 the sole memorial of their unfortunate brethren in arms. 
 Thus three hundred thousand had perished before the real 
 Crusaders can be said to have left Europe. 
 
 It is said that six millions had taken the red cross. Of 
 these we are told that six hundred thousand infantry, and one 
 hundred thousand mailed horsemen, crossed over to Asia, 
 besides a great multitude of followers. In 1097 they laid 
 siege to Nice (Nicaea) capital of Soliman, Turkish king of 
 Roum ; and the city was surrendered to Alexius, who 
 jealously guarded all conquests made by the Crusaders within 
 what he claimed as his empire. The army then directed 
 their march towards Phrygia, and in the hard-fought battle of 
 Dorylaeum defeated Soliman, who retreated eastward (1097). 
 After crossing the range of Mount Taurus, they entered 
 Syria. The next year was occupied by the siege and capture 
 of Antioch (concerning which see on i. 6. 4). In May 1099 
 an advance was made on Jerusalem, which was taken after 
 a siege of forty days. A terrible massacre of the inhabitants 
 then took place, and the Crusaders elected Godfrey of Bouillon 
 as the first Christian king of Jerusalem. 
 
 The Holy City was before this siege under the dominion of 
 the Fatimites of Egypt, who had reconquered it from the 
 Turks while the Crusaders were yet leaving Europe (1096). 
 After an attempt to stay the progress of the invading army by 
 means of an embassy sent to the Christians at Antioch, the 
 vizier or sultan of Egypt had collected a vast army, in which 
 were companies of Aethiopians and other African tribes, and 
 now approached Jerusalem. But he was utterly overthrown 
 
INTRODUCTION. xi 
 
 in the battle of Ascalon, which firmly established the Latin 
 kingdom in Syria. Thus ends the period of history that 
 Tasso has treated in his poem. On the whole he is wonder- 
 fully exact, not only in the relation of facts, but even in the 
 description of individual characters. The sources from which 
 he drew his information were mostly old monastic chronicles, 
 especially one named ' Gesta Dei per Francos ' (What God 
 accomplished by the Franks). Besides the historical, there is 
 also an allegorical meaning in the poem, which has been fully 
 explained by Tasso himself. It would be impossible here to 
 enter fully into the meaning of the various characters : and it 
 will be sufficient to state that the siege and capture of the 
 Holy City represents the attainment of 'la felicita civile, la 
 quale e un bene molto difficile da conseguire, e posto in cima 
 all' alpestre e faticoso giogo della virtu.' 
 
 In order to give sufficient action to the poem, and also for 
 the sake of contrast, there are introduced several fictitious 
 characters, such as Aladin, Argantes, and others ; and a super- 
 natural 'machinery' is contrived by means of mages, sor- 
 cerers, demons, and angels. 
 
 The Gerusalemme has always been a favourite with the 
 people of Italy, and even foreigners may to some extent 
 admire the beautiful language of Tasso, which for elegance 
 and a lucid transparency yields to that of no poet, and is 
 rivalled by Homer and Virgil alone. For centuries his poem 
 has been known and loved by the common people in Italy, 
 and it was once no rare thing to hear his verses sung by the 
 peasants, or by the Venetian gondoliers. 
 
 But even in the city of the sea, 
 
 Venice, the fairy-land of Italy, 
 
 Whose streets are laid with waves of sapphire clear, 
 
 The stdli of the steering gondolier 
 
 Repeats its dreary note where Tasso's lays 
 
 The marble echoes woke to great Goffredo's praise. 
 
REMARKS. 
 
 THE following remarks and examples should be carefully 
 studied before attempting to translate ; and they should be 
 constantly referred to. By this means many of the difficulties 
 that beset the beginner will be soon explained away especi- 
 ally those connected with what may seem arbitrary changes 
 in spelling, with certain troublesome little enclitics, pronouns, 
 and the like, and also with constructions. It will be well to 
 pay particular attention to the changes both in form, and in 
 meaning, that occur in words derived from Latin, by which 
 alone a careless and superficial knowledge will be avoided. 
 
 Unaccented vowel terminations may be elided even before 
 
 a consonant : as 
 ... in or(a). Not common. 
 f...in verbs and nouns: riman(e), ii. 22. 5, ii. 62. 5; 
 
 licor(e), i. 3.6, especially in infinitives ; scriver(e), 
 
 i. 4. 8 (and in syncope: lettere a lettre, i. 19. 3). 
 /'...especially in plur. of nouns: guerrier(i), i. 21. i; 
 
 favor(i), i. 25. 6. 
 o ... invan(o), i. i. 5 ; popol(o), i. 1.6: and often in plur. 
 
 of verbs: abbiam(o), i. 27. 6, venian(o), i. 50. i. 
 In the third person plural of the perfect one or two syl- 
 lables may suffer elision : as 
 -o..seguiro(no), i. 20. i; furo(no). 
 -oo..arrivar(ono), i. 48. 2; fersi ( = si fecero), ii. 55. 6; 
 
 unirsi, ii. 55. 7 ; fur(ono). 
 
 In infinitives in -rre the last r is dropped together with 
 the final e : 
 trar(re), ii. i. 3; introdur(re), i. 9, 7; and compounded 
 
 with a pronoun, torgli (gli torre). 
 
REMARKS. xiil 
 
 In the imperfects the <v is often dropped: as attende(v)a, 
 i. 6. 8 ; porge(v)a, i. 15. 5. L is dropped in tai (ii. 35. 8), 
 quai (i. 19. i), quei, etc. 
 
 II. Ft, ci, ne. 
 
 Vi either stands for voi (ace.), or a voi (dat.). 
 
 Or else it is a short form of ivi (Lat. ibi) ' there ' : used 
 especially in such expressions as 'v'e,' 'there is.' Refer- 
 ences: i. 28. i, ii. 90. 6, ii. 27. 2, ii. 12. 5. 
 
 Ci . . . for not (ace.), or a not (dat.). 
 
 Or else it means ' here ' (Lat. hic-ce) : especially in c'e, 
 ci sono, etc. ii. 87. 4 and 7, ii. 15. 6. 
 
 Ne . . . for not or a not. Examples: ii. 36. 8, ii. 83. 2, and 
 often. 
 
 Or else a partitive pronoun or adverb, like French ' en,' 
 meaning (i) 'of it,' 'of them,' etc., as 'ne ho . . .' (j'en 
 ai) : (2) ' away ' or ' along,' expressing motion, as ' andar- 
 sene ' (s'en aller). 
 
 The partitive ne is very often joined as an enclitic to 
 verbs and pronouns ; and it will be noticed that in such 
 cases ' si,' and ' ci,' etc. change into ' se,' ' ce.' Examples : 
 (i) faronne acerbi esempi, i. 87. 3 ; ne fa ricercar, 
 ii. 10. i ; se n' intese la fama, ii. 13. i : (2) ne vola, i. 
 33. 7 ; ne vengo, ii. 4. i ; cen andremo, ii. 94. 2. 
 
 III. N, t, s and other consonants are often doubled in com- 
 position, especially after an accented termination (such 
 as the 3rd pers. sing, perf.) : as gravonne (ne gravo), i. 
 84. 8; pregollo, ii. 44. r; curvollo e fenne, ii. 89. 2; 
 coprissi (si copri), i. 48. I ; indirizzossi, i. 14. 5 ; dimmi, 
 ii. 71. i; narrerotti (fut.), ii. 4. 8; sebbene (se-bene), 
 ii. 66. 7. 
 
 IV. In the formation of Italian from Latin, 
 
 (i) The accusative singular was adopted as the normal 
 case of substantives : the final m was dropped, and u 
 changed into o. Thus, cicerone(m), sermone(m), par- 
 te(m), favore(m), terra(m), popolo (populum) : this rule 
 holds in neuters, as lato (latus) ; and is well illustrated 
 by such forms as Ta'ida (Lat. Thais ; ace. Tha'ida). 
 
REMARKS. 
 
 (n) L following a consonant is softened into / : as, chia- 
 mare (clamare), fiore (florem), enfiata (inflata), ii. 
 88. 3. 
 
 (in) The initial j in many words stands for Lat. ' ex,' or 
 ' dis,' with the sense of ' out,' ' apart,' or as a negative. 
 Thus, spuntare (ii. 97. 8), scacciare (ii. 54. i), scar- 
 care (i. 50. 2), spiacente (i. 23. 4), spetrare (ii. 83. 8), 
 sfidare (i. 63. 8). In certain words, however, as storia 
 (Lat. historiam), some other syllable has been dropped. 
 Cf. resia (Lat. heresiam), reda (haeredem), retaggio, i. 
 42. i. 
 
 (iv) Double / often stands for the ct of the Latin : as, in- 
 vitto (invictum), allettando, i. 3. 4. 
 
 (v) Notice the interchange of such vowels as u and o, i and 
 e, etc., as in popolo, selva (Lat. silva). There are also 
 many points of similarity, such as the terminations of im- 
 perfect and other tenses, the plurals of nouns, &c., which 
 will be easily recognised. 
 
 V. Reflective verbs are either passive or middle, (i) As pas- 
 
 sives they are used impersonally ; as, si cessa (i. 12. 2), si 
 speri (ii. 51.8), si va, etc. ; or with a subject, as, la guerra 
 si rinnova (i. 12. 3). (2) As middles the reflective pro- 
 noun may be either the direct object, as ' ristorarse,' to 
 refresh oneself (i. 42. 4), or the indirect, as 'fansi,' 
 make for themselves (i. 43. 5). 
 
 N.B. The compound tenses of reflective verbs take 
 ' essere,' and not ' avere.' After fare, lasciare, and a few 
 other such verbs, the active infinitive is used in French 
 and Italian where we should use the passive. Thus we 
 translate si puo vedere, 'it can be seen'; si possa pro- 
 porre a te, ' may be preferred by you.' See ' Selections 
 from Dante,' notes to v. 26, viii. 58 ; and, for the use of 
 reflectives, on i. 62. 
 
 VI. Pronouns are often compounded, especially with infini- 
 tives and participles. Thus, dirsi, dirgli, dirglielo (to 
 
REMARKS. XV 
 
 tell it to him), vattene (go away : see Rem. II. and III), 
 nol (non lo), sel, sen, cen, etc. The suffix is generally 
 placed after the first infinitive or participle in the sen- 
 tence. Cp. ii. 87. 4, ii. 19. 7, and passim. Notice that 
 le as a suffix is often for ' lei,' or ' a lei ' : also that when 
 gli and lo, la, Ii, etc., are compounded, they are written 
 glielo, gliela, etc. 
 
 VII. As in most languages, the infinitive is used, with or 
 without the article, as a substantive. As ' parlar facondo,' 
 ii. 58. 4; 'il creder mio,' i. 22. 2; 'senza parlar,' ii. 3. 
 i ; '1'aver . . . accolto,' i. 24. 5 ; 'in un vestire schietto,' 
 ii. 60. 3 ; 'i nostri pareri,' i. 30. 3. 
 
 VIII. A general rule about the agreement of the passive par- 
 ticiple in the compound past tenses of an active verb is 
 very difficult to give. Generally, if the object of the verb 
 precedes, the participle agrees with it, but if it follows the 
 agreement may be with either the object or the subject. 
 Much however is decided by euphony, and by the promi- 
 nence of the active or passive idea ; i. e. whether the 
 participle is to be looked upon as merely an adjective, or 
 a part of the verb. 
 
 IX. Non is often repeated, where in English we should not 
 use it. See on i. 82. 2 ; ii. 68. 8. Thus, ' II dolce non far 
 niente ' is the right form of this well-known expres- 
 sion, which in its usual form means, if anything, just 
 the reverse of what is intended. Non with the infinitive 
 is used for the imperative. Probably some verb of com- 
 mand is to be understood. See ii. 87. i. 
 
 X. The subjunctive may be used 
 
 (i) As optative 'segua che puote,' ii. ii. 6, etc. (these 
 
 may be considered as imperatives). 
 
 (ii) In dependent sentences, after ' che,' ' onde,' etc., when- 
 ever there is any futurity, opinion, doubt, or the like in- 
 volved. Thus, 
 
 ' Ove un sol non impera, onde i guidici 
 Pendano . . .' (i. 31. i). 
 
XVI REMARKS. 
 
 Also where the relative has the sense of 'such a one to . .' 
 (Lat. ' qui ' with subjunctive). As, 
 
 'Ah, non sia alcun, per Dio, che si graditi 
 Doni in uso si reo per da e dijfonda' (i. 27. i). 
 
 '. . . che non ascolte' (ii. 63. i). 
 
 But when in the dependent sentence there is no futurity 
 or doubt, but a certain fact, the indicative follows: as 
 
 ' Vede Goffredo, che scacciar desia . . .' (i. 8. 5). 
 Benche, and other such conjunctions, may be followed (as 
 in Latin) by either mood, according to the positive or 
 doubtful assertion made : thus, Sophronia asserts that she is 
 not guilty of theft in 'Benche non furto e il mio' (ii. 25. i). 
 
 Much delicacy of expression is dependent on the 
 use of the moods. The following example is given by 
 Robello. ' Nous verrons que lorsque 1'esprit doit mani- 
 fester sa pensee sur un principe d'un verite e"ternelle, 
 comme je crois que 1'ame est immortelle 1'Italien em- 
 ploiera, comme le Franais, 1'indicatif, et dira : io credo 
 che Fanima e immortale, parce que credo che sia, au sub- 
 jonctif, serait une heresie pour un chretien.' 
 
 XI. There are certain nouns which make irregular plurals, 
 as arme (i. i. i), ala (i. 14. i). The most noticeable 
 are those in -o, which take both a regular masculine 
 plural in -/, and also a feminine plural in -a. Such are 
 il membro, le membra (i. 13. 5), il muro, le mura (i. 
 22. 2), il ciglio, le ciglia (i. 49. 4). A list of others 
 will be found in any grammar. 
 
 XI I. Tasso uses sometimes a poet's license in varying the 
 vowels: as 'fusse' for 'fosse' (i. 59. 3), 'nui' for 'noi' 
 (ii. 50. 7), ' Goffrido ' for ' Goffredo ' (ii. 90. 4), ' ditto ' 
 for 'detto' (ii. 94. i). A common poetical termina- 
 tion is that of -e instead of -/' in the 2nd and 3rd persons 
 sing, of the subjunctive of verbs in -are a form nearer 
 the Latin in -es and -et. See i. 31. 6, i. 71. 4, ii. 6. 2, 
 ii. 31. 2, ii. 63. i, ii. 71. 3. Also notice such forms as 
 'rapio,' for 'rapi' (ii. 7. 4 ) and <fue' for 'fu' (ii. 44. 2). 
 
LIFE OF TASSO. 
 
 About 1 200 A.D. the powerful family of Tassi relinquished 
 the feuds of the lowlands, and settled at Almenno, near 
 Bergamo. Later they removed (as most of the Italian 
 nobles were compelled to do) within the walls of their city. 
 Scions of this family spread all over Europe. Some dis- 
 tinguished themselves in foreign service, and held high and 
 hereditary office under various Emperors. From them was 
 descended the princely German house of Tassi. 
 
 The eldest branch remained at Bergamo. Not a few of 
 the Tassi were illustrious as bishops and pontifical officers, 
 especially under the three popes Alexander VI, Julius II, 
 and the famous Leo X. Pietro de' Tassi was the head of 
 this eldest branch. From him was descended Gabriele, 
 father of Bernardo Tasso. 
 
 Bernardo, father of Torquato, was celebrated for his writ- 
 ings in verse and prose. He was patronised by Cardinal 
 Bembo, and became secretary to Ferrante Sanseverino, 
 Prince of Salerno. This post he filled for twenty-three 
 years; and on one occasion accompanied the prince to 
 Africa, and was present at the capture of Tunis. In 1537 
 he was sent on an important mission to Spain. On his 
 return (1539) he married Porzia, daughter of Giacomo de' 
 Rossi, of Pistoia a marriage that connected him with 
 several noble families. 
 
 Through some misunderstanding Sanseverino became 
 alienated from Bernardo, and he retired, with his wife and 
 his little daughter Cornelia, to Sorrento. Here he resided in 
 
 b 
 
XVlll LIFE OF TASSO. 
 
 a palace l on the verge of the lovely olive-crested cliffs that 
 overhang the southern bay of Naples. 
 
 It was here, on the nth March, 1544, that Torquato was 
 born 2 . His father was absent at the time in Piedmont, 
 being engaged in the wars of Charles V.' Among the facts 
 related of Torquato's infancy we hear of his wonderful 
 precocity in speaking fluently and sagely when ten months 
 old. What is more worthy of belief and attention is that, 
 as his biographer tells^ us, ' nella sua infanzia non fu mai 
 veduto ridere per nonnulla.' 
 
 When Tasso was about three years old a rebellion broke 
 out at Naples. Don Pietro Toledo, viceroy of Charles V, 
 endeavoured to introduce the Spanish inquisition into the 
 city. Sanseverino was accordingly chosen as ambassador to 
 represent the grievances of the people to the Emperor. 
 Toledo forthwith declared him a rebel and confiscated his 
 property; Bernardo Tasso was involved in the same fate, 
 and took refuge in Rome. 
 
 Porzia was thus left behind with her son and daughter, 
 in great destitution. In 1554 the father sent for Torquato 
 to join him in Rome, where he was placed under the best 
 instructors. His mother however could not sustain her loss, 
 and in 1556 died, it is said of a broken heart. Cornelia was 
 left in charge of her connections and friends, and eventually 
 married into a noble Sorrentine family. 
 
 In 1560, after wandering to Pesaro, Urbino, Venice, and 
 other places, Bernardo and Torquato settled for a time in 
 Padua, where the young poet, in the midst of legal studies, 
 
 1 Manso, the first biographer of Tasso, says it was a palace of the 
 ' Mastrogiudici." Anastasio also says ' in aedibus olim Magistrijudi- 
 cum ad litorales rapes amoenissime prominentes domicilium habuit.' 
 This no longer exists. ' Fluctum concussione subsedit.' 
 
 8 It seems certain that another son, also called Torquato, had 
 been born and had died before this. Although Tasso's birthplace 
 has occasioned as much dispute as Homer's, it is evident that he 
 was born at Salerno, although he often speaks of Bergamo and 
 Naples as his ' patria,' using that word in a loose sense. Thus : 
 ' sono in guisa beigamasco, che non ricuso d'esser napolitano o 
 sorrentino.' 
 
LIFE OF TASSO. xix 
 
 wrote his Rinaldo, a romance poem in twelve cantos; and 
 soon afterwards began the Gerusalemme. 
 
 The Rinaldo was dedicated to Cardinal Luigi of Este, 
 brother to Alfonso II, who held his court at Ferrara ; and 
 to this court Tasso was brought by his patron in 1565. A 
 strong attachment soon sprang up between him and the two 
 sisters of the Duke, Lucrezia and Eleonora ; and it was 
 doubtless this passion, combined with the glitter and bustle 
 of a court so unsympathetic with all the higher instincts 
 of the poet that finally developed his natural melancholy 
 into genuine madness. Soon after this Bernardo died at 
 Mantua. In 1570 Tasso accompanied the Cardinal to 
 France ; but after an absence of about a year he returned 
 to Italy, and, having been appointed to some office in the 
 court of Alfonso, settled again at Ferrara. It was then that 
 he wrote his Aminta, a pastoral comedy, in which we see 
 evidence of the passionate feelings that were overmastering 
 him. 
 
 Meantime his great poem was being gradually finished. 
 Several cantos had already seen the light by means of 
 manuscript copies ; and before he had revised and corrected 
 it to his satisfaction, it was reported that a mutilated edition 
 was to appear in print * . This and other annoyances, such 
 as a quarrel with a courtier, seem to have brought his 
 morbid state to a crisis. Before this time several adverse 
 criticisms had been passed on his poem ; and those especially 
 of Cardinal Antoniano, who had insinuated charges of heresy 
 against him, preyed upon his sensitive mind. Day by day 
 he became more melancholy, and suspicious of his friends 
 (a point in which he and poor Keats were alike), until at 
 last he demanded an examination before the Inquisitor in 
 order to ' clear up a doubt.' This doubt was whether, as 
 had been alleged by Antoniano, the episode of Sophronia 
 (canto ii.) was an offence against religion and morality ! His 
 state of mind was such that on one occasion he drew a 
 
 1 The edition of Cavalcalupa (or Malaspina). See Serassi, vol. ii. 
 377. 378. 
 
 b 2 
 
XX LIFE OF TASSO. 
 
 dagger in the presence of the Duchess, and Alfonso probably 
 was perfectly justified in placing him in confinement. From 
 this he was, however, soon liberated, and allowed to take 
 up his abode at the Franciscan convent in Ferrara, where 
 he resolved to take the cowl. But his resolve was short- 
 lived, and, having fled from Ferrara, he wandered on foot 
 through all Italy until he reached Sorrento. The story of 
 his meeting with his sister is very touching reminding one 
 of Orestes and Electra. So many years had passed that 
 Cornelia did not recognise him, and to prove her affection 
 he told her that Torquato was seriously ill. At the news 
 she fainted ; and was inconsolable until she learnt that her 
 brother stood before her. Tasso stayed a short time at 
 Sorrento, and then resumed his wanderings. From Rome he 
 made his way to Mantua, Padua, Venice, Pesaro, Urbino, and 
 at length rested for a short time at Turin, where he was 
 hospitably received by the Archbishop and the Duke Carlo 
 Emmanuele. Then a longing seized him to see Ferrara once 
 more. His return was ill-timed, for the marriage of the 
 Duke was occupying the attention of the court, and the 
 poor wanderer received a cold welcome. The violent abuse 
 which he poured on all around him was intolerable on such 
 an auspicious occasion, and we need not be surprised to hear 
 that he was confined in the lunatic asylum of Sant' Anna. 
 For the next seven years he was a prisoner in the most 
 deplorable state of mind and body. In his more lucid mo- 
 ments he would compose both verse and prose ; and at times 
 he was allowed to visit the churches, or public spectacles. 
 But he was often unfit for this, being tormented by the morbid 
 creations of his own mind spectres and apparitions and, 
 either by the indifference of the Duke or his own obstinacy, 
 living in a state of starvation and nakedness. It is difficult 
 to say how far we are justified in our indignation against 
 Alfonso : but doubtless the dark and dripping cell which is 
 pointed out to the tourist as Tasso's prison has excited a 
 good deal of unnecessary feeling against the ' tyrant,' and 
 probably inspired the vituperative language of Byron in his 
 Childe Harold. On the other hand there is no doubt that 
 
LIFE OF TASSO. 
 
 Tasso's malady required a kinder treatment than it re- 
 ceived. 
 
 Meanwhile his poem had become famous, and had aroused 
 a fierce controversy. By some it was considered superior to 
 the Orlando Furioso of Ariosto ; while others, especially the 
 Accademia della Crusca in Florence *, exerted all their powers 
 in denouncing its faults of both language and epic compo- 
 sition. Among the adverse critics we may be surprised to 
 find the celebrated Galileo. 
 
 In 1586 Prince Vincenzio Gonzaga came to Ferrara and 
 obtained the release of Tasso, who immediately removed to 
 Mantua. Here he published his Torismondo, and soon after- 
 wards set off on foot, and passing through Bologna, after 
 many hardships arrived at Rome, and thence continued his 
 journey to Naples. After staying for a short time in the 
 convent of Monteoliveto, he was persuaded to accept the 
 hospitality of a young Neapolitan, Giambattista Manso (after- 
 wards his biographer), who received him at his villa on Po- 
 silipo, the range that separates Naples from the Bay of Baiae. 
 
 In 1589 he went once more to Rome. The next year he 
 paid a short visit to Ferdinand de' Medici at Florence. Once 
 more, in 1598, he left Rome for Mantua; but soon after we 
 find him again at Naples, and then once more at Rome, 
 whither he was invited by the Aldobrandini, and where he 
 received a pension from Pope Clement VIII, and rooms in 
 the Vatican. 
 
 It was during this stay in Rome (1593) that he printed his 
 Gerusalemme Conquistata, in which he endeavoured to carry 
 out the suggestions of his critics, but which has always been 
 regarded as inferior to the original poem. In the following 
 year he visited Naples for the last time, but did not stay 
 there long, for he was recalled to Rome in order that he 
 might at length receive, what had been his due so long, the 
 laurel crown. But it was too late. Tasso himself declared 
 his presentiment that all preparations for the ceremony were 
 
 1 For a long time this ' Cruscan quire' would not admit quotations 
 from Tasso's works in their standard dictionary ; but finally they 
 were forced to give way to public opinion. 
 
xxii LIFE OF TASSO. 
 
 in vain, for it would never take place. And he was not 
 deceived ; for soon after his arrival in Rome he was seized 
 by a serious illness, and died in the monastery of Sant' 
 Onofrio, on the asth April, 1595, at the age of 51. He 
 was buried, according to his express desire, in the church 
 of the same saint; and his tomb was marked by a plain 
 stone, on which the brethren of the monastery, at the appeal 
 of Manso, inscribed the simple but appropriate epitaph 
 
 D. o. M. 
 
 TORQVATI TASSI 
 
 OSS A 
 
 HIC JACENT 
 
 HOC NE NESCIV S 
 
 ESSES HOSPES 
 
 FRES HVIVS ECCL. 
 
 PP. 
 
 MDCI. 
 
 OBIIT ANNO M.D.XC.V. 
 
 Afterwards a magnificent sepulchre was erected by Cardinal 
 Bevilacqua, of an illustrious Ferrarese family. A still more 
 splendid erection was begun in 1827, and in 1857 the remains 
 of the poet were deposited in it with great ceremony. 
 
 The following description of Tasso is by Manso (as given 
 by Carbone) : 
 
 ' Era di alta statura e di membra ben proporzionate : aveva 
 ie cami bianchissime : il colore della folta barba e dei capelli 
 tra mezzo il bruno e il biondo: il capo grande, la fronte ampia, 
 e quadrata, le ciglia nere, gli occhi grandi vivaci e di color 
 cilestro, il naso grande ed inchinato verso la bocca, le labbra 
 sottili e pallide ; le membra tutte cosi agili da non cedere ad 
 alcuno nell' armeggiare, nel cavalcare, e nel giostrare : aveva 
 la voce chiara e sonora ; ma leggeva male le sue composizioni, 
 per difetto della lingua balba, e della debole e corta vista.' 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA 
 
METRE. 
 
 The Gerusalemme is written in ottava rima, the invention of which 
 is attributed to Boccaccio. It consists of stanzas containing eight 
 hendecasyllabic lines, i. e. of eleven syllables, or five feet and an 
 open vowel. The feet are, in the typical line, all iambic ( -), but 
 variation is allowed by the use of trochees (- o) or spondees ( ), as 
 well as by slur, crasis, etc. But in all cases the tenth syllable is 
 strongly accented, and, when followed by a final vowel, forms the 
 weak rhyme, which is used by Tasso. Such a line is called verso 
 piano. When curtailed of the final vowel it is a verso tronco. 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 CANTO PRIMO. 
 
 1 Canto 1' armi pietose e '1 Capitano 
 Che '1 gran sepolcro libero di Cristo : 
 Molto egli opro col senno e con la mano; 
 Molto soffri nel glorioso acquisto : 
 
 E invah 1' Inferno a lui s' oppose, e invano 
 S' armo d' Asia e di Libia il popol misto ; 
 Che il Cfel gli die favore, e sotto ai santi 
 Segni ridusse i suoi compagni erranti. 
 
 2 O Musa, tu, che di caduchi allori 
 Non circondi la fronte in Elicona, 4 
 Ma su nel cielo infra i beati cori 
 Hai di stelle immortali aurea corona, 
 Tu spira al petto mio celesti ardori, 
 Tu rischiara il mio canto, e tu perdona 
 S' intesso fregi al ver, s' adorno in parte 
 D* altri diletti, che de' tuoi, le carte. 
 
 3 Sai che la corre il mondo ove piu versi 
 Di sue dolcezze il lusinghier Parnaso ; 
 
 E che '1 vero condito in molli versi 
 I piu schivi allettando ha persiiaso : 
 Cosi all' egro fanciul porgiamo aspersi 
 Di soave licor gli orli del vaso ; 
 Succhi amari ingannato intanto ei beve, 
 E dall' inganno suo vita riceve. 
 B 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 4 Tu, magnanimo Alfonso, il qual ritogli 
 Al furor di fortuna, e guidi in porto 
 Me peregrine errante, e fra gli scogli 
 
 E fra 1' onde agitato e quasi absorto, 
 Queste mie carte in lieta fronte accogli, 
 Che quasi in voto a te sacrate i' porto. 
 Forse un di fia che la presaga penna 
 Osi scriver di te quel ch' or n' accenna. 
 
 5 E ben ragion, s' egli awerra che in pace 
 II buon popol di Cristo unqua si veda, 
 
 E con navi e cavalli al fero Trace 
 Cerchi ritor le grande ingiusta preda, 
 Ch' a te lo scettro in terra, o, se ti piace, 
 L' alto imperio de' mari a te conceda. 
 Emulo di Goffredo, i nostri carmi 
 Intanto ascolta, e t' apparecchia all' armi. 
 
 6 Gia '1 sesto anno volgea, che 'n Oriente 
 Passo il campo cristiano all' alta impresa; 
 E Nicea per assalto, e la potente 
 Ant'iochia con arte avea gia presa; 
 
 L' avea poscia in battaglia, incontro a gente 
 Di Persia innumerabile, difesa ; 
 E Tortosa espugnata : indi alia rea 
 Stagion die loco, e '1 novo anno attendea. 
 
 7 E '1 fine omai di quel piovoso inverno, 
 Che fea 1' armi cessar, lunge non era ; 
 Quando dall' alto soglio il Padre eterno, 
 Ch' e nella parte piu del ciel sincera, 
 
 E quanto e dalle stelle al basso inferno, 
 
 Tanto e piu in su della stellata spera, 
 
 Gli occhi in giu volse, e in un sol punto e in una 
 
 Vista miro cio ch' in se il mondo aduna. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 
 
 8 Miro tutte le cose, ed in Soria 
 S' affiso poi ne' principi cristiani; 
 
 E con quel guardo suo, ch' addentro spia 
 Nel piu secreto lor gli affetti umani, 
 Vede Goffredo che scacciar desia 
 Dalla santa citta gli empi Pagani, 
 E pien di fe, di zelo, ogni mortale 
 Gloria, impero, tesor mette in non cale. 
 
 9 Ma vede in Baldovin cupido ingegno, 
 Ch' all' umane grandezze intento aspira : 
 Vede Tancredi aver la vita a sdegno; 
 Tanto un suo vano amor 1' ange e martira: 
 E fondar Boemondo al novo regno 
 
 Suo d' Antiochia alti principii mira, 
 E leggi imporre, ed introdur costume 
 Ed arti e culto di verace nume ; 
 
 10 E cotanto internarsi in tal pensiero, 
 
 Ch' altra impresa non par che piu rammenti : 
 
 Scorge in Rinaldo ed animo guerriero 
 
 E spirti di riposi impaz'ienti ; 
 
 Non cupidigia in lui d'oro o d' impero, 
 
 Ma d' onor brame immoderate, ardenti: 
 
 Scorge che dalla bocca intento pende 
 
 Di Guelfo, e i chiari antichi esempj apprende. 
 
 11 Ma, poi ch' ebbe di 'questi e d' altri cori 
 Scorti gF intimi sensi il Re del mondo, 
 Chiama a se dagli angelici splendori 
 Gabriel, che ne' primi era il secondo: 
 
 li tra Dio questi e Panime migliori 
 Interprete fedel, nunzio giocondo ; 
 Giu i decreti del Ciel porta, ed al Cielo 
 Riporta de' mortali i preghi e ? 1 zelo. 
 B 2 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 12 Disse al suo nunzio Dio: Goffredo trova, 
 E in mio nome di' lui: Perche si cessa? 
 Perche la guerra omai non si rinnova 
 
 A liberar Gerusalemme oppressa? 
 
 Chiami i duci a consiglio; e i tardi mova 
 
 All' alta impresa: ei capitan fia d' essa. 
 
 lo qui P eleggo; e '1 faran gli altri in terra 
 
 Gia suoi compagni, or suoi ministri in guerra. 
 
 13 Cosi parlogli; e Gabriel s' accinse 
 Veloce ad eseguir P imposte cose : 
 La sua forma invisibil d' aria cinse, 
 Ed al senso mortal la sottopose : 
 Umane membra, aspetto uman si finse; 
 Ma di celeste maesta il compose: 
 
 Tra giovane e fanciullo eta confine 
 Prese, ed orno di raggi il biondo crine. 
 
 14 Ali bianche vesti, c' ban d' or le cime, 
 Infaticabilmente agili e preste: 
 
 Fende i venti e le nubi, e va sublime 
 Sovra la terra e sovra il mar con queste. 
 Cosl vestito indirizzossi all' ime 
 Parti del mondo il messaggier celeste: 
 Pria sul Libano monte ei si ritenne, 
 Ei si libro su P adeguate penne; 
 
 15 E ver le piagge di Tortosa poi 
 Drizzo precipitando il volo in giuso. 
 Sorgeva il novo Sol dai lidi eoi, 
 
 Parte gia fuor, ma '1 piu nelP onde chiuso, 
 E porgea mattutini i preghi suoi 
 Goffredo a Dio, com' egli avea per uso; 
 Quando a paro col Sol, ma piu lucente, 
 L' angelo gli appari dall' oriente ; 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 
 
 1 6 E gli disse : Goffredo, ecco opportuna 
 Gia la stagion ch' al guerreggiar s' aspetta; 
 Perche dunque trappor dimora alctma 
 
 A liberar Gerusalem soggetta? 
 Tu i principi a consiglio omai raguna; 
 Tu al fin dell' opra i neghittosi affretta. 
 Dio per lor duce gia t' elegge ; ed essi 
 Sopporran volontari a te se stessi. 
 
 1 7 Dio messaggier mi manda : io ti rivelo 
 
 La sua mente in suo nome. Oh quanta spene 
 
 Aver d'alta vittoria, oh quanto zelo 
 
 Dell' oste a te commessa or ti conviene ! 
 
 Tacque; e, sparito, rivolo del cielo 
 
 Alle parti piii eccelse e piii serene. 
 
 Resta Goffredo ai detti, allo splendore, 
 
 D' occhi abbagliato, attonito di core. 
 
 1 8 Ma poi che si riscote, e che discorre 
 Chi venne, chi mando, che gli fu detto, 
 Se gia bramava, or tutto arde d' imporre 
 Fine alia guerra ond' egli e duce eletto : 
 Non che '1 vedersi agli altri in ciel preporre 
 D' aura d' ambiz'ion gli gonfi il petto; 
 
 Ma il suo voler piu nel voler s' infiamma 
 Del suo Signor, come favilla in fiamma. 
 
 19 Dunque gli eroi compagni, i quai non lunge 
 Erano sparsi, a ragunarsi invita: 
 
 Lettere a lettre, e messi a messi aggiunge ; 
 Sempre al consiglio e la preghiera unita: 
 Cio ch' alma generosa alletta e punge, 
 Cio che puo risvegliar virtu sopita, 
 Tutto par che ritrovi, e in efficace 
 Modo 1'adorna si, che sforza piace. 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 20 Vennero i duci, e gli altri anco seguiro ; 
 E Boemondo sol qui non convenne. 
 Parte fuor s' attendo, parte nel giro 
 
 E tra gli alberghi suoi Tortosa tenne. 
 I Grandi dell' esercito s'uniro 
 (Glorioso senate) in di solenne. 
 Qui il pio Goffredo incomincio tra loro, 
 Angusto in volto, ed in sermon sonoro : 
 
 21 Guerrier di Dio, ch' a ristorare i danni 
 Delia sua fede il Re del cielo elesse, 
 
 E securi fra 1' arme e fra gl' inganni 
 
 Delia terra e del mar vi scorse e resse; 
 
 Si ch' abbiam tante e tante in si poch' anni 
 
 Ribellanti provincie a lui sommesse, 
 
 E fra le genti debellate e dome 
 
 Stese 1' insegne sue vittrici e '1 nome: 
 
 22 Gia non lasciammo i dolci pegni e '1 nido 
 Nativo noi, se '1 creder mio non erra, 
 
 Ne la vita esponemmo al mare infido, 
 
 Ed ai perigli di lontana guerra, 
 
 Per acquistar di breve suono un grido 
 
 Vulgare, e posseder barbara terra; 
 
 Che proposto ci avremmo angusto e scarso 
 
 Premio, e in danno dell' alme il sangue sparse: 
 
 23 Ma fu de* pensier nostri ultimo segno 
 Espugnar di S'ion le nobil mura, 
 
 E sottrarre i Cristiani al giogo indegno 
 Di servitu cosi spiacente e dura, 
 Fondando in Palestina un novo regno, 
 Ov' abbia la pieta sede secura; 
 Ne sia chi neghi al peregrin devoto 
 D'adorar la gran tomba, e sciorre il voto. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 
 
 24 Dunque il fatto sinora al rischio e molto, 
 Piu che molto al travaglio, all' onor poco, 
 Nulla al disegno, ove o si fermi, o volto 
 Sia 1'impeto dell' armi in altro loco. 
 
 Che giovera 1' aver d' Europa accolto 
 Si grande sforzo, e posto in Asia il foco, 
 Quando sian poi di tanti moti il fine 
 Non fabbriche di regni, ma mine ? 
 
 25 Non edifica quei che vuol gl' imperi 
 Su fondamenti fabbricar mondani, 
 
 Ov' ha pochi di patria e fe stranieri 
 
 Fra gl' infiniti popoli pagani; 
 
 Ove ne' Greci non convien che speri, 
 
 E i favor d'Occidente ha si lontani : 
 
 Ma ben move riiine, ond' egli oppresso 
 
 Sol construtto un sepolcro abbia a se stesso. 
 
 26 Turchi, Persi, Antiochia (illustre suono, 
 E di nome magnifico e di cose) 
 
 Opre nostre non gia, ma del Ciel dono 
 Furo, e vittorie fur maravigliose. 
 Or, se da noi rivolte e torte sono 
 Contra quel fin che '1 donator dispose, 
 Temo cen privi, e favola alle genti 
 Quel si chiaro rimbombo alfin diventi. 
 
 27 Ah non sia alcun, per Dio, che si graditi 
 Doni in uso si reo perda e diffonda ! 
 
 A quei che sono alti principii orditi 
 Di tutta P opra il filo e '1 fin risponda. 
 Ora che i passi liberi e spediti, 
 Ora che la stagione abbiam seconda, 
 Che non corriamo alia citta ch' e meta 
 D' ogni nostra vittoria? e che piu '1 vieta? 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 28 Principi, io vi protesto (i miei protest! 
 Udra il mondo presente, udra il futuro, 
 Gli odono or su nel cielo anco i Celesti), 
 II tempo dell' impresa e gia maturo : 
 Men diviene opportun, piu che si resti ; 
 Incerti-simo fia quel ch' e securo. 
 Presago son : s' e lento il nostro corso, 
 Avra d' Egitto il Palestin soccorso. 
 
 29 Disse; e ai detti segui breve bisbiglio: 
 Ma sorse poscia il solitario Piero, 
 
 Che private fra' principi a consiglio 
 Sedea, del gran passaggio autor primiero. 
 Cio ch' esorta Goffredo ed io consiglio; 
 Ne loco a dubbio v' ha ; si certo e il vero, 
 E per se noto: ei dimostrollo a lungo: 
 Voi 1' approvate ; io questo sol v' aggiungo : 
 
 30 Se ben raccolgo le discordie e 1' onte 
 Quasi a prova da voi fatte e patite, 
 
 I ritrosi pareri, e le non pronte 
 
 E in mezzo all' eseguire opre impedite, 
 
 Reco ad un' alta originaria fonte 
 
 La cagion d' ogni indugio e d' ogni lite : 
 
 A quella autorita che, in molti e vari 
 
 D' opinion quasi librata, e pan. 
 
 31 Ove un sol non impera, onde i giudici 
 Pendano poi de' premii e delle pene, 
 Onde sian compartite opre ed uffici, 
 
 Ivi errante il governo esser conviene. 
 Deh ! fate un corpo sol di membri amici ; 
 Fate un capo che gli altri indrizzi e frene ; 
 Date ad un sol Io scettro e la possanza ; 
 E sostenga di re vece e sembianza. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 5 
 
 32 Qui tacque 51 veglio. Or quai pensier, quai petti 
 Son chiusi a te, sant' aura, e divo ardore? 
 Inspiri tu dell' eremita i detti, 
 
 E tu gl' imprimi ai cavalier nel core; 
 Sgombri gl' inserti, anzi gl' innati affetti 
 Di sovrastar, di liberta, d' onore; 
 Si che Guglielmo e Guelfo, i piu sublimi, 
 Chiamar Goffredo per lor duce i primi. 
 
 33 L' approvar gli altri : esser sue parti denno 
 Deliberare e commandar altrui. 
 
 Imponga ai vinti legge egli a suo senno; 
 Porti la guerra e quando vuole, e a cui ; 
 Gli altri, gia pari, ubbid'ienti al cenno 
 Sian or ministri degF imperi sui. 
 Concluso cio, fama ne vola, e grande 
 Per le lingue degli uomini si spande. 
 
 34 Ei si mostra ai soldati; e ben lor pare 
 Degno dell' alto grado ove 1' ban posto ; 
 E riceve i saluti e '1 militare 
 Applause in volto placido e composto. 
 Poi ch' alle rimostranze umili e care 
 
 D' amor, d' ubbid'ienza ebbe risposto, 
 Impon che '1 di seguente in un gran campo 
 Tutto si mostri a lui schierato il campo. 
 
 35 Facea nell' oriente il Sol ritorno, 
 Sereno e luminoso oltre 1' usato, 
 Quando co' raggi usci del nuovo giorno 
 Sotto P insegne ogni guerriero armato ; 
 E si mostro quanto pote piu adorno 
 
 Al pio Buglion, girando il largo prato. 
 S' era egli fermo, e si vedea davanti 
 Passar distinti i cavalieri e i fanti. 
 
JO LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 36 Mente, degli anni e dell' obblio nemica, 
 Delle cose custode e dispensiera, 
 Vagliami tua ragion, si ch' io ridica 
 
 Di quel campo ogni duce ed ogni schiera: 
 Suoni e risplenda la lor fama antica, 
 Fatta dagli anni omai tacita e nera; 
 Tolto da' tuoi tesori, orni mia lingua 
 Cid ch' ascolti ogni eta, nulla 1' estingua. 
 
 37 Prima i Franchi mostrarsi: il duce loro 
 Ugone esser solea, del re fratello : 
 
 Nell' isola di Francia eletti foro, 
 
 Fra quattro fiumi ampio paese e bello. 
 
 Poscia che Ugon mori, de' gigli d' oro 
 
 Segui 1' usata insegna il fier drappello 
 
 Sotto Clotareo, capitano egregio, 
 
 A cui se nulla manca, e il sangue regio. 
 
 38 Mille son di gravissima armatura; 
 Sono altrettanti i cavalier seguenti, 
 Di disciplina ai prirni e di natura 
 
 E d' arme e di sembianza indifferenti, 
 
 Normandi tutti: e gli ha Roberto in cura, 
 
 Che principe nativo e delle genti. 
 
 Poi duo pastor de' popoli spiegaro 
 
 Le squadre lor, Guglielmo ed Ademaro. 
 
 39 L' uno e 1* altro di lor, che ne' divini 
 Uffici gia tratto pio ministero, 
 
 Sotto 1' elmo premendo i lunghi crini 
 Esercita dell' arme or 1' uso fero. 
 Dalla citti d' Orange e dai confini 
 Quattrocento guerrier scelse il primiero ; 
 Ma guida quei di Poggio in guerra 1'altro, 
 Numero egual, ne men nell' armi scaltro. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. II 
 
 40 Baldovin poscia in mostra addur si vede 
 Co' Bolognesi suoi quei del germane, 
 Che le sue genti il pio fratel gli cede 
 
 Or ch' ei de' capitani e capitano. 
 II conte de' Carnuti indi succede, 
 Potente di consiglio, e pro' di mano : 
 Van con lui quattrocento; e triplicati 
 Conduce Baldovino in sella armati. 
 
 41 Occupa Guelfo il campo a lor vicino, 
 Uom ch' all' alta fortuna agguaglia il merto : 
 Conta costui per genitor latino 
 
 Degli avi Estensi un lungo ordine e certo ; 
 Ma german di cognome e di domino, 
 Nella gran casa de' Guelfoni e inserto : 
 Regge Carintia, e presso 1' Istro e '1 Reno 
 Cio che i prischi Suevi e i Reti avieno. 
 
 / 42 A questo, che retaggio era materno, 
 Acquisti ei giunse gloriosi e grandi. 
 Quindi gente traea che prende a scherno 
 D' andar contra la morte, ov' ei comandi; 
 Usa a temprar ne' caldi alberghi il verno, 
 E celebrar con lieti inviti i prandi. 
 Fur cinquemila alia partenza; a pena 
 (De' Persi avanzo) il terzo or qui ne mena. 
 
 43 Seguia la gente poi Candida e bionda 
 
 Che tra' Franchi e i Germani e '1 mar si giace 
 
 Ove la Mosa ed ove il Reno inonda, 
 
 Terra di biade e d' animai ferace : 
 
 E gP isolani lor, che d' alta sponda 
 
 Riparo fansi all' ocean vorace; 
 
 L' ocean che non pur le merci e i legni, 
 
 Ma intere inghiotte le cittadi e i regni. 
 
12 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 44 Gli uni e gli altri son mille, e tutti vanno 
 Sotto un altro Roberto insieme a stuolo. 
 Maggior alquanto e lo squadron britanno : 
 Guglielmo il regge, al re minor figliuolo. 
 Sono gl' Inglesi sagittari, ed hanno 
 
 Gente con lor ch' e piu vicina al polo : 
 Questi dall' alte selve irsuti manda 
 La divisa dal mondo ultima Irlanda. 
 
 45 Vien poi Tancredi ; e non e alcun fra tanti 
 (Tranne Rinaldo) o feritor maggiore, 
 
 O piu bel di maniere e di sembianti, 
 
 piu eccelso ed intrepido di core. 
 
 S' alcun' ombra di colpa i suoi gran vanti 
 Rende men chiari, e sol follia d' amore 
 Nato fra 1'arme, amor di breve vista, 
 Che si nutre d'affanni e forza acquista. 
 
 46 E fama che quel di che gloribso 
 Fe la rotta de' Persi il popol Franco, 
 Poi che Tancredi alfin vittorioso 
 
 1 fuggitivi di seguir fu stanco, 
 Cerco di refrigerio e di riposo 
 
 All' arse labbra, al travagliato fianco, 
 E trasse ove invitollo al rezzo estivo 
 Cinto di verdi seggi un fonte vivo. 
 
 47 Quivi a lui d' improwiso una donzella, 
 Tutta, fuor che la fronte, armata apparse: 
 Era pagana, e la venuta anch' ella 
 
 Per 1' istessa cagion di ristorarse. 
 Egli mirolla, ed ammiro la bella 
 Sembianza, e d'essa si compiacque, e n' arse. 
 Oh maraviglia ! Amor ch' appena e nato, 
 Gia grande vola, e gia trionfa armato. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 13 
 
 48 Ella d' elmo coprissi; e, se non era 
 Ch' altri quivi arrivar, ben 1' assaliva. 
 Parti dal vinto suo la donna altera, 
 Ch' e per necessita sol fuggitiva : 
 
 Ma 1' immagine sua bella e guerriera 
 Tal ei serbo nel cor, qual essa e viva; 
 E sempre ha nel pensiero e 1' atto e '1 loco 
 In che la vide, esca continua al foco. 
 
 49 E ben nel volto suo la gente accorta 
 Legger potria : Questi arde, e fuor di spene : 
 Cosi vien sospiroso, e cosi porta 
 
 Basse le ciglia e di mestizia piene. 
 Gli ottocento a cavallo, a cui fa scorta, 
 Lasciar le piagge di Campagna amene, 
 Pompa maggior della natura, e i colli 
 Che vagheggia il Tirren fertili e molli. 
 
 50 Venian dietro dugento in Grecia nati, 
 Che son quasi di ferro in tutto scarchi: 
 Pendon spade ritorte all' un de' lati ; 
 Suonano al tergo lor faretre ed archi : 
 Asciutti hanno i cavalli, al corso usati, 
 Alia fatica invitti, al cibo parchi: 
 
 NelP assalir son pronti e nel ritrarsi, 
 E combatton fuggendo erranti e sparsi. 
 
 51 Tatin regge la schiera, e sol fu questi 
 Che, greco, accompagno 1' armi latine. 
 Oh vergogna! oh misfatto! or non avesti 
 Tu, Grecia, quelle guerre a te vicine ? 
 
 E pur quasi a spettacolo sedesti, 
 Lenta aspettando de' grandi atti il fine. 
 Or se tu se' vil serva, e il tuo servaggio 
 (Non ti lagnar) giustizia, e non oltraggio. 
 
14 LA GERUSALEMME LI8ERATA. 
 
 52 Squadra d'ordine estrema ecco vien poi, 
 Ma d' onor prima e di valor e d' arte. 
 Son qui gli avventurieri invitti eroi, 
 Terror dell' Asia, e folgori di Marte. 
 Taccia Argo i Mini, e taccia Artu que' suoi 
 Errantij che di sogni empion le carte ; 
 
 Ch' ogni antica memoria appo costoro 
 Perde : or qual duce fia degno di loro ? 
 
 53 Dudon di Consa e il duce; e, perche duro 
 Fu il giudicar di sangue e di virtute, 
 
 Gli altri sopporsi a lui concordi furo, 
 Ch' avea piu cose fatte e piu vedute. 
 Ei di virilita grave e maturo 
 Mostra in fresco vigor chiome Canute; 
 Mostra, quasi d'onor vestigi degni, 
 Di non brutte ferite impressi segni. 
 
 54 Eustazio e poi fra' primi ; e i propri pregi 
 Illustre il fanno, e piu il fratel Buglione. 
 Gernando v' e, nato di re norvegi, 
 
 Che scettri vanta e titoli e corone. 
 
 Ruggier di Balnavilla infra gli egregi 
 
 La vecchia fama, ed Engerlan ripone; 
 
 E celebrati son fra i piu gagliardi 
 
 Un Gentonio, un Rambaldo, e duo Gherardi. 
 
 55 Son fra' lodati Ubaldo anco, e Rosmondo 
 Del gran ducato di Lincastro erede: 
 
 Non fia ch' Obizo il Tosco aggravi al fondo 
 
 Chi fa delle memorie avare prede ; 
 
 Ne i tre frati lombardi al chiaro mondo 
 
 Involi, Achilla, Sforza e Palamede: 
 
 O '1 forte Otton, che conquisto lo scudo 
 
 In cui dall' angue esce il fanciullo ignudo. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 15 
 
 56 Ne Guasco, ne Ridolfo addietro lasso, 
 Ne 1' un, ne 1' altro Guido, ambo famosi; 
 Non Eberardo, e non Gernier trapasso 
 Sotto silenzio ingratamente ascosi. 
 Ove voi me, di numerar gia lasso, 
 Gildippe ed Odoardo amanti e sposi, 
 Rapite ? o nella guerra anco consorti, 
 Non sarete disgiunti ancor die morti. 
 
 7~ iu^u. -^ft l*^Xy^.^i*. tv *e.., ,,;U~~ HJV. 
 
 .,_ , . . 
 57 Nelle scuole d' Amor che non s' apprende ? 
 
 I vl si fe costei guerriera ardita;- 
 
 Va sempre affissa al caro fianco ; e pende 
 
 DA un feto solo e 1' una e 1' altra vita: 
 
 Colpo ch' ad un sol noccia, unqua non scende, 
 
 Ma indiviso e il dolor d'ogni ferita; 
 
 E spesso e 1'un ferito, e 1'altro langue ; 
 
 E versa 1' alma quel, se questa il sangue. 
 
 ' - 
 
 58 Ma il fanciullo Rinaldo e sovra questi, 
 E sovra quanti in mostra eran condutti, 
 Dolcemente feroce alzar vedresti 
 
 La regal fronte, e 'in lui mirar sol tutti. 
 L' eta precorse e la speranza; e presti 
 Pareano i fior, quando n^ usciro i frutti : 
 Se '1 miri fultninar nell' arme avvolto, 
 Marte lo stimi ; Amor, se scopre il volto. 
 
 59 Lui nella riva d' Adige produsse 
 A Bertoldo Sofia, Sofia la bella 
 
 A Bertoldo il possente ; e, pria che fusse 
 Tolto quasi il bambin dalla mammella, 
 Matilda il volse, e nutricollo, e instrusse 
 Nell' arti regie ; e sempre ei fu con ella, 
 Finche invaghi la giovenetta mente 
 La tromba che s' udia dalF Oriente. 
 
1 6 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 60 Allor (ne pur tre lustri avea forniti) 
 Fuggi soletto, e corse strade ignote : 
 Varco 1'Egeo, passo di Grecia i liti, 
 Giunse nel campo in region remote. 
 Nobilissima fuga, e che 1' imiti 
 
 Ben degna alcun magnanimo nipote. 
 
 Tre anni son ch'e in guerra; e intempestiva 
 
 Molle piuma del mento appena usciva. 
 
 6 1 Passati i cavalieri, in mostra viene 
 
 La gente a piedi, ed e Raimondo innanti : 
 Reggea Tolosa, e scelse infra Pirene 
 E fra Garonna e 1'ocean suoi fanti. 
 Son quattromila, e ben armati e bene 
 Instrutti, usi al disagio e tolleranti : 
 Buona e la gente, e non puo da piu dotta 
 O da piu. forte guida esser condotta. 
 
 62 Ma cinquemila Stefano d'Ambuosa 
 
 E di Blesse e di Torsi in guerra adduce : 
 
 Non e gente robusta o faticosa, 
 
 Sebben tutta di ferro ella riluce. 
 
 La terra molle e lieta e dilettosa 
 
 Simili a se gli abitator produce. 
 
 Impeto fan nelle battaglie prime; 
 
 Ma di leggier poi langue, e si reprime. 
 
 63 Alcasto il terzo vien, qual presso a Tebe 
 Gia Capaneo, con minaccioso volto: 
 Seimila Elvezi, audace e fera plebe, 
 
 Dagli alpini castelli avea raccolto, 
 Che '1 ferro uso a far solchi, a franger glebe, 
 In nove forme e in piil degne opre ha volto ; 
 E con la man, che guardo rozzi armenti, 
 Par ch' i regi sfidar nulla paventi. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 17 
 
 ^' ~^ ^L^- A, fi ;U~t^ 
 
 64 Vedi appresso spiegar 1' alto vessillo 
 
 Col diadema di Piero e con le chiavi. 
 Qui settemila aduna il buon Camillo 
 
 ^frfJTV * -*--~ "*" ^^ a "^> 
 
 Pedoni, d' arme rilucenti e gravi: 
 Lieto ch' a tanta impresa il Ciel sortillo, 
 Ove rinnovi il prisco onor degli avi, 
 O mostri almen ch' alia virtu latina 
 O nulla manca, o sol la disciplina. 
 
 65 Ma gia tutte le squadre eran con bella 
 Mostra passate, e 1' ultima fu questa ; 
 Quando GofFredo i maggior duci appella, 
 E la sua mente lor fa manifesta: 
 
 Gome appaia diman 1' alba novella, 
 Vo' che 1' oste s' invii leggiera e presta, 
 Si ch' ella giunga alia citta sacrata, 
 Quant' e possibil piii meno aspettata. 
 
 66 Preparatevi dunque ed al viaggio 
 Ed alia pugna, e alia vittoria ancora. 
 Questo ardito parlar d' uom cosi saggio 
 Sollecita ciascuno, e 1' avvalora. 
 
 Tutti d' andar son pronti al novo raggio, 
 E impaz'ienti in aspettar 1' aurora. 
 Ma '1 provido Buglion senza ogni tema 
 Non e pero, benche nel cor la prema : 
 
 67 Perch' egli avea certe novelle intese, 
 Che s' e d'Egitto il re gia posto in via 
 Inverse Gaza, bello e forte arnese 
 Da fronteggiare i regni di Soria : 
 Ne creder puo che 1' uomo, a fere imprese 
 Avvezzo sempre, or lento in ozio stia ; 
 Ma d' averlo aspettando aspro nemico, 
 Parla al fedel suo messaggiero Enrico : 
 C 
 
18 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 68 Sovra una lieve saettia tragitto 
 Vo' che tu faccia nella greca terra. 
 Ivi giunger dovea (cosi m' ha scritto 
 Chi mai per uso in avvisar non erra) 
 Un giovane regal, d'animo invitto, 
 
 Ch' a farsi vien nostro compagno in guerra: 
 Prence e de' Dani, e mena un grande stuolo 
 Sin dai paesi sottoposti al polo. 
 
 69 Ma perche '1 greco imperator fallace 
 Seco forse usera le solite arti, 
 
 Per far ch'o torni Indietro, o '1 corso audace 
 Torca in altre da noi lontane parti ; 
 Tu, nunzio mio, tu, consiglier verace, 
 In mio nome il disponi a cio che parti 
 Nostro e suo bene ; e di' che tosto vegna, 
 Che di lui fora ogni tardanza indegna. 
 
 70 . Non venir seco tu, ma resta appresso 
 Al re de' Greci a procurar 1' aiuto, 
 
 Che, gia piu d' una volta a noi promesso, 
 E per ragion di patto anco dovuto./, 
 
 r r *W rv^0*uw* 
 
 Cosi parla, e 1* informa ; e poi che '1 messo 
 
 Le lettre ha di credenza e di saluto, 
 
 -^ . j 
 
 Toglie, affrettando il suo partir, congedo; 
 E tregua fa co' suoi pensier Goffredo. 
 
 71 II di seguente, allor ch' aperte sono 
 Del lucido oriente al Sol le porte, 
 
 Di trombe udissi e di tamburi un suono, 
 Ond' al cammino ogni guerrier s'esorte. 
 Non e si grato ai caldi giorni il tuono 
 Che speranza di pioggia al mondo apporte, 
 Come fu caro alle feroci genti 
 L' altero suon de' bellici istrumenti. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 19 
 
 72 Tosto ciascun da gran desio compunto 
 Veste le membra dell' usate spoglie, 
 E tosto appar di tutte 1' arme in punto; 
 Tosto sotto i suoi duci ogn' uom s' accoglie, 
 E 1' ordinato esercito congiunto 
 Tutte le sue bandiere al vento scioglie; 
 E nel vessillo imper'iale e grande 
 La trionfante Croce al ciel si spande. 
 
 73 Intanto il Sol, che de' celesti campi 
 
 Va piu sempre avanzando e in alto ascende, 
 
 L' armi percote, e ne trae fiamme e lampi 
 
 Tremuli e chiari, onde le viste offende. 
 
 L' aria par di faville intorno avvampi, 
 
 E quasi d' alto incendio in forma splende ; 
 
 E co' feri nitriti il suono accorda 
 
 Del ferro scosso, e le campagne assorda. 
 
 74 Il^Capitan, che da' nemici aguati 
 Le schierc sue d' assecurar desk, 
 Molti a cavallo leggiermente armati 
 A scoprire il paese intorno invia ; 
 
 E innanzi i guastatori avea mandati, 
 Da cui si debba 'agevolar la via, ^ jti**^ 
 E i voti luoghi empire, e spianar gli erti, 
 E da cui siano i chiusi passi aperti. 
 
 75 Non e gente pagana insieme accolta, 
 Non muro cinto di profonda fossa, 
 
 Non gran torrente, o monte alpestre, o folta 
 Selva, che '1 lor viaggio arrestar possa. 
 Gosi degli altri fiumi il re talvolta, 
 Quando superbo oltra inisura ingrossa, 
 Sovra le sponde riiinoso scorro, 
 N cosa e mai che gli s' ardisca opporre. 
 c 2 
 
20 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 76 Sol di Tripoli il re, che 'n ben guardate 
 Mura genti, tesori ed armi serra, 
 
 /^-"-*, iw ^v'tflxZ^-J- 
 
 Forse le schiere Tranche avria tardate; 
 Ma non oso di provocarle in guerra. . 
 tor con messf e con doni anco placate 
 Ricetto volontario entro la terra ; 
 E riceve -condizion di pace, 
 Siccome imporle al pio Goffredo piace. 
 
 77 /Qui d^ljnonte Seir, ch' alto e sovrano 
 Dall' oriente alia cittade e presso, 
 
 Gran turba scese di Fedeli al piano, 
 D' ogni eta mescolata e d' ogni sesso: 
 Porto suoi doni al vincitor cristiano; 
 Godea in mirarlo, e in ragionar con esso ; 
 Stupk dell' armi peregrine; e guida 
 Ebbe (fa lor Goffredo arnica e fida. 
 
 78 Conduce ei sempre alle marittime onde 
 Vicino il campo per diritte strade, 
 Sapendo ben che le propinque sponde 
 
 L' arnica armata costeggiando rade ; 
 
 La qual puo far che tutto il campo abbonde 
 
 De' necessari arnesi, e che le biade 
 
 Ogn' isola de' Greci a lui sol mieta, 
 
 E Scio petrosa gli vendemmi, e Greta. 
 
 ,', j-,,^^-- 
 
 79 Geme il vicino mar sotto 1' incarco 
 
 Dell' alte navi e de' piu lievi pini; 
 
 Si che non s' apre omai securo varco 
 
 Nel mar Mediterraneo ai Saracini : 
 
 Ch' oltra quei c' ha Georgio armati e Marco 
 
 Ne' Veneziani e liguri confini, 
 
 Altri Inghilterra e Francia, ed altri Olanda, 
 
 E la fertil Sicilia altri ne manda. 
 
CANTO PRIMO. 21 
 
 80 E questi, che son tutti insieme uniti 
 
 - ,-T-^ X^->~i. 
 
 on saldissimi lacci in un volere, M 
 
 S' eran carchi e provvisti in varii liti 
 
 Di cio ch" e d' uopo alle terrestri schiere: 
 
 /'< 
 Le quai, trovando liberi e sforniti 
 
 I passi de' nemici alle frontiere, 
 
 In corso velocissimo sen vanno 
 
 La 've Cristo soffri mortale affanno. 
 
 8 1 Ma precorsa e la fama, apportatrice 
 De' yeraci romori e de' bugiardi, 
 
 Ch' unito e il campo vincitor felice, 
 
 Che gia s* e mosso, e che non e chi '1 tardi: 
 
 Quante e quai sian le squadre ella ridice ; 
 
 Narra il nome e '1 valor de' piu gagliardi ; 
 
 Narra i lor vanti, e con terribil faccia 
 
 Gli usurpatori di S'ion minaccia. 
 
 82 El' aspettar del male e mal peggiore 
 
 Forse che non parrebbe il mal presente : 
 
 1 r 
 
 Pende ad ogn' aura incerta di romore 
 Ogni orecchia sospesa ed ogni mente; 
 E un confuso bisbiglio entro e di fuore 
 Trascorre i campi e la citta dolente. 
 Ma il vecchio re ne' gia vicin perigli 
 Volge nel dubbio cor feri consigli. 
 
 83 Aladin detto e il re, che di quel regno 
 Novo signer vive in continua cura; 
 
 Uom gia crudel, ma '1 suo feroce ingegno 
 Pur mitigate avea 1' eta matura : 
 Egli, che de' Latini udi il disegno 
 C' han d' assalir di sua citta le mura, 
 Giunge al vecchio timor novi sospetti, 
 E de' nemici pave e de' soggetti. 
 
22 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 i 
 
 84 Perocche dentro a una citta commisto 
 Popolo alberga di contraria fede : 
 
 La debii parte e la minore in Cristo, 
 La grande e forte in Macometto crede. 
 Ma quando il re fe di S'ion 1' acquisto. 
 E vi cerco di stabilir la sede. 
 
 <4- U'f /,. 1 ' 
 
 'Scemo i pubblici pesi a' suoi Pagani, 
 Ma piu gravbnne i miseri Cristiani. 
 
 *w ' r ,. . . 
 
 85 ^ Questo pensier la ferita nativa, 
 
 Che dagli anni^opita e fredda larigue, 
 
 Irritando inasprisce e la rawiva 
 
 ' fa 1 
 
 Si, ch' assetata e piu che mai di sangue. 
 
 Tal fero torna alia stagione estiva 
 Quel che parve nelgel piacevol angue: 
 Cosi leon domestico riprende 
 L' innato suo furor, s' altri 1' offende. 
 
 xC r 
 
 86 Veggio, dicea, della letizia nova 
 Veraci segni in questa turba infida : 
 II danno universal solo a lei' giova, , 
 Sol nel pianto comun par ch' ella rida; 
 E forse insidie e tradimenti or cova, 
 Rivolgendo fra se come m' uccida, 
 
 O come al mio nemico e suo consofte 
 Popolo occultamente apra le porte. 
 
 87 Ma nol fara :. preveniro questi empi 
 Disegni loro, .e sfogherommi appieno \ 
 
 r -OK uccidero, faronne acerbi scempi ; 
 
 > Xf-u . , ^ lj^- ? ^- S.~, t. - ^ ' 
 
 Svenero i figli alle lor madri in seno j 
 Ardero loro alberghi e insieme i tempi : 
 ; Questi i debiti roghi ai morti fieno; 
 E su quel lor sepolcro in mezzo ai voti 
 Vittime pria faro de' sacerdoti. 
 
CANTO PR I MO. 23 
 
 88 Cos! 1' iniquo fra suo cor ragiona ; 
 Pur non segue pensier si mal concetto: 
 Ma s' a quegli innocenti egli perdona, 
 E di villa, non di pietate effetto : 
 
 Che s' un timor a incrudelir lo sprona, 
 II ritien piu potente altro sospettoj 
 Troncar le vie d' accordo, e de' nemici 
 Troppo teme irritar 1' arme vittrici. 
 
 89 Tempra dunque il fellon la rabbia insana, 
 Anzi altrove pur cerca ove la sfoghi; 
 
 I rustic! edifizi abbatte e spiana, 
 E da in preda alle fiamme i culti luoghi ; 
 Parte alcuna non lascia integra o sana, 
 Ove il Franco si pasca, ove s'alloghi; 
 Turba le fonti e i rivi, e le pure onde 
 Di veneni mortiferi confonde. 
 
 90 Spietatamente e cauto ; e non obblia 
 Di rinforzar Gerusalem frattanto. 
 
 Da tre lati fortissima era pria, 
 Sol verso bo'rea e men secura alquanto; 
 Ma da' primi sospetti ei le munia 
 D' alti ripari il suo men forte canto ; 
 E v' accogliea gran quantitade in fretta 
 Di gente mercenaria e di soggetta. 
 
24 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 CANTO SECONDO. 
 
 i Mentre il tiranno s'app.arecchia all' armi, 
 Soletto Ismeno un digli s' appresenta; 
 Ismen, che trar ui sotto ai chiusi marmi 
 Puo corpo estinto, e far che spiri e senta; 
 Ismen, ch' al suon de' mormorati carmi 
 
 "*~Sin'nella reggia sua Pluto spaventa, 
 E i'suoi demon negli empi uffici impiega 
 Pur come servi, e li discibglie e 
 
 , 
 
 2 Quest! or Macone adora, e fu cristiano, 
 Ma i primi riti anco lasciar non puote ; 
 Anzi sovente in uso empio e profano 
 
 .; * <-<. ^_^^_ 
 
 Confonde le due leggi a se mal note : 
 Ed or dalle spelonche. ove lontano 
 
 ' -tL. 4~>*<t>-. -vCj- 
 
 Dal vulgo esercitar suol 1' arti ignote, 
 Vien nel pubblico rischio al suo signore, 
 A re malvagio consiglier peggiore. 
 
 L. - w ~~s 
 
 3 Signor, dicea, senza tardar sen viene 
 
 II vincitor esercito temuto : 
 
 Ma facciam noi cio che a noi far conviene ; 
 
 * . 
 Dara il Ciel, dara il mondo ai forti aiuto. 
 
 tT f /eC2, ^ i. . 
 
 Ben tu di re, di duce hai tutte piene 
 
 .. ttvmtm A^ f f4 **- /tji 
 
 Le parti, e lunge hai visto e provveduto. 
 
 6 ffi/^J-f *"" ' ' ' ' 
 
 S'^mpie^j^n tal guisa ogn' altro i propri uffici, 
 Tomba fia questa terra a' tuoi nemici. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 
 
 ~* <v - 
 
 4 Io, quanto a me, ne vengo, e del periglio 
 E deW opre compagno, ad aitarte. , 
 
 Gio che puo dar di vecchia'eta consiglio, 
 Tutto prometto, e cid che magic' arte. 
 Gli angeli che dal cielo ebbero esiglio 
 Costringero clelle fatiche a parte ; 
 Ma aoticP io vbglia incominciar gl' incanti, 
 E con quai modi, or narrerotti avanti. 
 
 5 Nel tempio de' Cristiani occulto giace 
 Un sotterraneo altare, e quivi e il volto 
 
 I Dr colei che sua diva e madre face 
 Otiel vulgo del no Dio nato e sepolto. 
 
 ^- ;. 
 
 Dinanzi al simulacro aecesa face 
 
 *v- *** 
 
 Continua splende : egli e in un velo avvolto ; 
 Pendono intorno in lungo ordine i vdti 
 Che vi portaro i creduli devoti. 
 
 , eu.-*-*^"*^ 
 &^ 
 
 6 Or questa effigie lor, di la rapita, 
 
 Voglio che tu di propria man trasporte, 
 
 E la ripong'a entro la tua meschita: -.w- 
 
 10 poscia incahto adoprero si forte, 
 
 ^ 
 Ch' ognor, mentre ella qui fia ctistodita, 
 
 Sara fatal custodia a queste porte : 
 Tra mura inespugnabili il tuo impero 
 Sicuro fia per novo alto mistero. 
 
 7 Si disse, e '1 persiiase : e impaziente 
 
 11 r^ sen corse alia magion di Dio ; 
 E sforzo i sacerdoti, e irriverente 
 
 II casto simulacro indi rapio, 
 E portojlo a quel tempio, oye sovente 
 S' irrita il Giel col iblle culto e rio: 
 Nel profan loco e su la sacra immago 
 Susurro poi le sue bestemmie il mago. 
 
26 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 ~w 
 
 8 Ma, come^apparse in ciel 1' alba novella, 
 Quel, cui 'Ijmmondo tempio in guardia e dato, 
 Non'rivide 1' immagine dov' ella 
 
 Fu posta, e invan cerconne in altro lato. 
 Tosto n' awisa il re, ch' alia novella 
 1^ hu i mostra fieramente irato; 
 Ed immagina ben ch' alcun Fedele 
 Abbia fatto quel furto, e che sel'cele. 
 
 t. U^; . 
 
 9 f O fu di man fedele opra furtiva, 
 
 O pur il Ciel qui sua potenza adopra, 
 Che di colei, ch' e sua regina e diva, 
 Sdegna che loco vil 1' immagin copra: 
 Ch' incerta fama e ancor, se cio s' ascriva 
 Ad arte umana, od a mirabil opra. 
 Ben e pieta, che, la pietade e '1 zelo 
 Uman cedendo, 'autor sen creda il Cielo. 
 
 10 II re ne fa ,con importuna inchiesta 
 Ricercar ogni chiesa, ogni magione; 
 Ed a chi gli nasconde o maniifesta 
 
 II furto o il 'reo, gran pene e premi impone : 
 E '1 mago di spiarne anco non resta 
 
 Con tutte P arti il ver ; ma non s' appone : 
 //-*' , 
 
 Che 1 Cielo, opra sua fosse, o fosse altrui, 
 
 Celolla, ad ohta degP incanti/a lui. 
 
 11 Ma, poi che '1 re crudel vide occultarse 
 Quel che peccato de' Fedeli ei pensa, 
 Tutto in lor d' odio infellonissi, ed arse 
 D' ira e di rabbia immoderata, immensa : 
 Ogni rispetto obblia; vuol vendicarse, 
 Segua che puote, e sfogar P alma accensa. 
 Morra, dicea, non andra P ira a v6to, 
 Nella strage comune il ladro ignoto. 
 
 \ 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 2J 
 
 v^ .<V / ' >**-* 
 
 12 Purche '1 reo non si salvi, il giusto pera 
 E 1' innocente. Ma qual giusto io dico ? 
 E colpevol ciascun ; ne in loro schiera 
 Uom fu giammai del nostro nome amico. 
 
 S' anima v' e nel novo error sincera. 
 
 /, - 
 
 Basti a novella pena un fallo antico. 
 
 Su su, fedeli miei, su via prendete 
 
 Le fiamme e '1 ferro, ardete ed uccidete. 
 
 13 Cosi parla alle turbe; e se n' intese 
 La fama tra' Fedeli immantinente, 
 
 Ch' attoniti restar: si li sorprese 
 
 1 , .*j^* 
 
 II timor della morte omai presente: 
 E non e chi la fuga o le difese, 
 Lo scusar o '1 pregar ardisca o tente. 
 Ma le timide genti e irresolute, .y 
 Donde nieno speraro, ebber salute. 
 
 . . 
 14 Vergin era x fra lor di gia matura 
 
 Verginita, a' alti pensieri e regf 
 D' alta belta ; ma sua belta non cura, 
 6 tanto sol, quant' onesta sen fregi : 
 E il siio pregio maggior, che tra le mura 
 D' angusta casa asconde i suoi gran pregi ; 
 E de' vagheggiatori elfa s' invola 
 ' Alle loili, agli sguardi, inculta e sola. 
 
 -t. ^~ v . 
 
 15 Pur guardia esser non puo, che 'n tutto celi 
 Belta degna ch' appaia e che s' ammiri ; 
 Nc tu il consenti, Amor ; ma la riveli 
 D' un giovenetto ai cupidi desiri. 
 
 ~*1 4 
 
 , Amor, ch' or cieco, or Argo,' ora ne veli 
 Di benda gli occhi, ora 'be gli apri e giri, 
 Tu per mille custodie entro ai piu cast! 
 Verginei alberghi il guardo altrui portasti. 
 
28 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERAfA. 
 
 1 6 Colei Sofronia, Olindo egli s' appella; 
 ^D* una cittade entrambi e d' una fede. 
 
 Ei che modesto e si, com' essa e bella, 
 Brama assai, poco spera, e nulla chiede, 
 Ne sa scoprirsi, o non ardisce; ed ella 
 O lo sprezza, o nol vede, o non s' avvede. 
 Gosi finora il misero ha servito 
 O non visto, o mal noto, o mal gradito. 
 
 u~~*^ *^M L 
 
 17 S' ode 1'annunzio intanto, e che s' appresta 
 Miserabile strage al popol loro. 
 
 A lei, che generosa e quanto onesta, 
 Viene in pensier come salvar costoro. 
 Move fortezza il gran pensier; 1' arresta 
 t PoiUa vergogna e '1 verginal decoro: 
 .Vince fortezza, anzi s' accorda, e face 
 Se vergognosa, e la vergogna audace. 
 
 1 8 La vergine tra '1 vulgo usci soletta ; 
 Non copri sue bellezze, e non 1' espose ; 
 Raccolse gli occhi, ando nel vel ristretta, 
 Con ischive maniere e generose : 
 
 Non sai ben dir s' adorna, o se negletta, 
 Se caso od arte il bel volto compose ; 
 Di natura, d' amor, de' cieli amici 
 Le negligenze sue sono artifici. 
 
 *-<" -<Uv- f^. fU j*^ *. * trr*- v,-/ *^r-.* 
 
 19 Mirata da ciascun, passa e non mira 
 L' altera donna, e innanzi al re sen viene; 
 Ne, perche irato il veggia, il pie ritira, 
 Ma il fero aspetto intrepida sostiene. 
 pVengo, signer, gli disse, e 'ntanto 1' ira 
 Prego sospenda, e '1 tuo popolo affrene; 
 Vengo a scoprirti, e vengo a darti preso 
 Quel reo che cerchi, onde sei tanto offeso. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 29 
 
 20 All' onesta baldanza, all' improwiso 
 Folgorar di bellezze altere e sante, 
 Quasi confuso il re, quasi conquiso, 
 Freno lo sdegno, e placo il fier sembiante. 
 S' egli era d' alma, o se costei di viso 
 Severa manco, ei diveniane amante; 
 I\Ia ritrosa belta ritroso core 
 Non prende, e sono i vezzi esca d' amore. 
 
 2i., Fu stupor, fu vaghezza, e fu diletto, 
 S' amor non fu, che mosse il cor villano. 
 Narra, ei le dice, il tutto: ecco io commetto 
 Che non s' offenda il popol tuo cristiano. 
 Ed ella: II reo si trova al tuo cospetto; 
 Opra e '1 furto, signor, di questo mano; 
 Io F immagine tolsi; io son colei 
 Che tu ricerchi, e me punir tu dei. 
 
 22 Cosi al pubblico fato il capo altero 
 Offerse, e '1 vplse in se sola raccorre. 
 Magnanima menzogna! or quando e il vero 
 Si bello, che si possa a te preporre ? 
 Riman sospeso, e non si tosto il fero 
 Tiranno all' ira, come suol, trascorre : 
 
 Poi la richiede: Io vo' che tu mi scopra 
 Chi di consiglio, e chi fu insieme all' opra. 
 
 li >-* fc,*. (~f-( 
 
 23 Non volsi far della mia gloria altrui 
 Ne pur minima parte, ella gli dice; 
 Sol di me stessa io corisapevol fui, 
 Sol consigliera, e sola esecutrice. 
 Dunquc in te sola, ripiglio colui, 
 Cadera F ira mia vendicatrice. 
 
 Disse ella : & giusto ; esser a me conviene, 
 Se fui sola all' onor, sola alle pene. 
 
30 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 . . 
 
 24 Qui comincia il tiranno a risdegnarsi; 
 
 Poi le dimanda: Ov' hai 1' immago ascosa? 
 Non la nascosi, a lui risponde; io 1' arsi: 
 E P arderla stimai laudabil cosa. 
 Cosi almen non potra piu violarsi 
 Per man di miscredenti ingiuriosa. 
 Signore, o chiedi il furto, o il ladro chiedi: 
 Quel non vedrai in eterno, e questo il vedi. 
 
 > J ^.3tuU- *~* r- 
 
 25 Benche ne furto e il mio, ne ladra io sono: 
 Giusto e ritor cio ch' a gran torto e tolto. 
 Or, questo udendo, in minaccevol suono 
 Freme il tiranno, e '1 fren dell' ira e sciolto. 
 Non speri piu di ritrovar perdono 
 
 Cor pudico, alta mente, e nobil volto; 
 E 'ndarno Amor contra Io sdegno crudo 
 Di sua vaga bellezza a lei fa scudo. 
 
 26 Presa e la bella donna; e incrudelito 
 
 II re la danna entro un incendio a morte. 
 Gia '1 velo e '1 casto manto e a lei rapito ; 
 
 ^py frl. l 
 
 Stringon le molli braccia aspre ritorte. 
 Ella si tace ; e in lei non sbigottito, 
 Ma pur commosso alquanto e '1 petto forte; 
 E smarrisce il bel volto in un colore 
 
 A--~~" ' 
 
 Che non A pallidezza, ma candore. 
 
 27 Divulgossi il gran caso ; e quivi tratto 
 Gia 'Ijpppol s' era: Olindo anco v' accorse; 
 Che, dubbia la persona, e certo il fatto, 
 Venia che fosse la sua donna in forse. 
 Come la bella prigioniera in atto 
 
 Non pur di rea, ma di dannata ei scorse; ^- 
 Come i ministri al duro ufficio intenti 
 
 i* i : 
 
 Vide, precipitoso urto le genti. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 31 
 
 28 Al re grido: Non e, non e gia rea 
 Costei del furto, e per follia sen vanta. 
 Non penso, non ardi, ne far potea 
 Donna sola e inesperta opra cotanta. 
 Come inganno i custodi, e della Dea 
 Con qual arti involo 1' immagin santa? 
 
 Se '1 fece, il narri. lo 1' ho, signer, furata. 
 (Ahi tanto amo la non amante amata !) 
 
 >, *~ 
 
 29 Soggiunse poscia: lo la, donde riceve 
 L' alta vostra meschita e 1' aura e '1 die, 
 Di notte ascesi, e trapassai per breve 
 Foro, tentando inaccessibil vie. 
 
 A me 1' onor, la morte a me si deve ; 
 
 Non usurpi costei le pene mie : 
 
 Mie son quelle catene, e per me questa 
 
 Fiamma s' accende, e '1 rogo a me s' appresta. 
 
 30 Alza Sofronia il viso, e umanamente 
 Con occhi di pietade in lui rimira. 
 
 A che ne vieni, o misero innocente? 
 
 )*?*+ Jr~ *~ 
 
 Qual consiglio o furor ti guida o tira? 
 NOn son io dunque senza te possente 
 A sostener cio che a un uom ptio 1' ira ? 
 Ho petto anch' io, ch' ad una morte crede 
 Di bastar solo, e compagnia non chiede. 
 
 et>**~ ** ~ 
 
 31 Cosi parla all' amante; e nol dispone 
 Si ch' egli si disdica, e pensier mute. 
 Oh spettacolo grande, ove a tenzone 
 
 Sono amore e magnanima virtute ; ^^ ju~**r " 
 
 Ove la morte al vincitor si pone 
 
 In premio, e '1 mal del vinto c la salute J 
 
 Ma piu s' irrita il re, quant' ella ed esso 
 
 E piu constante in incolpar se stesso. 
 
32 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 ,^/n- i 4 <C~-^ 4G* X*TV>~"~ <* w ^ <& 
 
 32 Pargli che vilipeso egli ne resti, 
 
 E che 'n disprezzo suo sprezzin le pene. 
 
 ^c e^*-V-^-- R *-- * ^, * <j. 
 
 Credasi, dice, ad ambo ; e quella e questi 
 Vinca, e la palma sia qual si conviene. 
 Indi accenna ai sergenti, i quai son presti 
 
 A le'gar il garzon di lor catene. 
 
 Sono ambo stretti al palo stesso, e volto 
 
 E il tergo al tergo, e '1 volto ascoso al v< 
 
 volto. 
 
 f*yr~ 
 
 3 3 Composto e lor d' intorno il rogo omai, 
 E gia le fiamme il mantice v' incita; 
 Quando il fanciullo in dolorosi lai 
 Proruppe, e disse a lei ch' e seco unita : 
 Questo dunque e quel laccio ond' io sperai 
 Teco accoppiarmi in compagnia di vita? 
 Questo e quel foco ch' io credea che i cori 
 Ne dovesse infiammar d' eguali ardori? 
 
 c; r *^ 
 
 34 Altre fiamme, altri nodi amor promise; 
 Altri ce n' apparecchia iniqua sorte. 
 Troppo, ahi ! ben troppo ella gia noi divise ; 
 Ma duramente or ne congiunge in morte. 
 Piacemi almen, poiche in si strane guise 
 Morir pur dei, del rogo esser consorte 
 
 Se del letto non fui : duolmi il tuo fato ; 
 II mio non gia, pioch' io ti moro a lato. 
 
 ^ I- 1 ' ' 
 
 35 Ed oh mia sorte awenturosa appieno! 
 
 Oh fortunati miei dolci martiri ! 
 
 / jk~ 
 
 S' impetrero che, giunto seno a seno, 
 L' anima mia nella tua bocca io spiri ; 
 
 _ {-*. -c .^ ^ ' 
 
 E, venendo tu meco a un tempo meno, 
 In me fuor mandi gli ultimi spspiri. 
 Cosi dice piangendo: ella il ripiglia 
 Soavemente, e in tai detti il consiglia : 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 33 
 
 36 Amico, altri pensieri, altri lament! 
 Per piii alta cagione il tempo chiede. 
 
 Che non pensi a tue colpe, e non rammenti 
 Qual Dio promette ai buoni ampia mercede? 
 Soffri in suo nome, e fian dolci i tormenti; 
 E lieto aspira alia superna sede. 
 Mira il ciel com' e bello; e mira il Sole, 
 Ch' a se par che n' inviti e ne console. 
 
 37 Qui il vulgo de' Pagani il pianto estolle; ' 
 Piange il Fedel, ma in voci assai piu basse. 
 Un non so che d' inusitato e molle 
 
 Par che nel duro petto al re trapasse : 
 Ei presentillo, e si sdegno ; ne voile 
 Piegarsi, e gli occhi torse, e si ritrasse. 
 Tu sola il duol comun non accompagni, 
 Sofronia; e, pianta da ciascun, non piagni. 
 
 38 Mentre sono in tal rischio ecco un guerriero 
 (Che tal parea) d' alta sembianza e degna; 
 
 E mostra, d' arme e d' abito straniero, 
 Che di lontan peregrinando vegna. 
 La tigre, che sull' elmo ha per cimiero, 
 Tutti gli occhi a se trae : famosa insegna ; 
 Insegna usata da Clorinda in guerra: 
 
 Onde la credon lei; ne il creder erra. 
 x-*. **-* -~ 
 
 / 
 
 39 Costei gl' ingegni femminili e gli usi 
 
 Tutti sprezzd sin dalP etate accrba ; 
 Ai lavori d' Aracne, all' ago, ai fusi 
 Inchinar non degno la man superba; 
 Fuggi gli abiti molli e i lochi chiusi, 
 Che ne' campi onestate anco si serba : 
 Armo d' orgoglio il volto, c si compiacque 
 Rigido farlo; e piir rigido piacquc. 
 D 
 
LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 40 Tenera^ancpr, con pargoletta destra 
 Strinse e lento d' un corridore il mbrsb ; 
 
 ><* -" <W I* f*-rr*~ i-j^...-*'* -*l* 
 
 ' Tratto 1' asta e la spada, ed in palestra 
 
 <U<vXu i- v t: -- ~f 
 
 Induro i membri, ed allenogli al corso : 
 Poscia o per via montana o per silvestra 
 L orme segui di fier leone e d' orso ; 
 Segui le guerre ; e in 'esse, e fra le selve, 
 Fera agli uomini parve, ubmo alle belve. 
 
 41 Viene or costei dalle contrade Perse, 
 
 _JC <^- >W-* f: 
 
 Perche ai Cristiani a suo poter resista ; 
 r ' 
 
 Bench' altre volte ha di lor membra asperse 
 Le piagge, e 1' onda di lor sangue ha mista. 
 Or quirici in arrivando a lei s' offerse 
 L^ apparato di morte a prima vista. 
 Di mirar vagaj e di saper qual fallo 
 Gondanni i rei, sospinge oltre il cavallo. 
 
 42 Cedon le turbe ; e i duo legati insieme 
 Ella si ferma a riguardar da presso : 
 Mira che F uria tace, e 1' altro geme, 
 Epiu vigor mostra il men forte sesso ; 
 Pianger lui vede in guisa d' uom cui preme 
 Pieta, non doglia, o duol non di se stesso; 
 E tacer lei con gli occhi al ciel si fisa, 
 
 Ch' anzi '1 morir'par di qua giu divisa. 
 
 43 Clorinda intenenssi, e si condolse 
 
 D' ambeduo lofo. e lacrimonne alquanto. 
 
 -7(A 
 
 Pur maggior sente il duol per chi non duolse, 
 Piu la' move il silenzio, e meno il pianto. 
 Senza troppo indugiare ella si volse 
 Ad un uom che canuto avea da canto : 
 Deh ! dimmi : chi son questi ? ed al martoro 
 Qual li conduce o sorte o colpa loro? 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 35 
 
 /t > . "* 
 
 44 Cosi pregollo : e da colui risposto 
 
 Breve, ma pieno, alle dimande fue. 
 Stupissi udendo, e immagino ben tosto 
 Ch' egualmente innocent! eran ( que' due. 
 Gi;i di vietar lor morte ha in se proposto, 
 Quanto potranno i pregW o 1' armi sue. 
 Pronta accorre alia fiamma, e fa ritrarla, 
 Che gia s' appressa, ed a' ministri parla: 
 
 45 Alcun non sia di voi, che 'n questo duro 
 Ufficio oltra seguire abbia baldanza, 
 Sinch' io non parli al re : ben v' assicuro 
 Ch' ei non v' accusera di tal tardanza. 
 Ubbidiro i sergenti. e mossi furo 
 
 Da quella grande sua regal sembianza. 
 Poi verso il re si mosse ; e lui tra via 
 Ella trovd, che incontro a lei venia. 
 
 46 Io son Clorinda, disse ; hai forse intesa 
 
 ^ i ' * ' 
 
 Talor nomarmi ; e qui, signer, ne vegno 
 
 Per ritrovarmi teco alia difesa 
 
 Delia fede comune e del tuo regno. 
 
 Son pronta, imponi pure, ad ogni impresa; 
 
 L' alte non temo, e 1' umili non sdegno : 
 
 Vogfimi in campo aperto,"o pur tra '1 chiuso 
 
 Delle mura impicgar, nulla ricuso. 
 
 47 Tacque ; e rispose il re : Qual si disgiunta 
 Terra c dall' Asia o dal cammin del Sole, 
 Vergine gloriosa, ove non giunta u r ..~ 
 
 Sia la tua fama, e 1' onor tuo non vole ? */ r 
 
 Or che s' e la tua spada a me <56ngiunta, 
 
 D' ogni timor m' afndi e mi console; 
 
 N'on, V esercito grande unito insieme ^ ^^ t^, 
 
 F'bsse in mio scampo, a'vrei piu ccrta speme. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 48 Gia gia mi par ch' a giunger qui Goffredo 
 Oltra il dover indugi : or tu dimandi 
 
 Ch' impieghi io te : sol di te degne credo 
 L' imprese malagevoli e le grandi. 
 Sovra i nostri guerrieri a te concede 
 Lo scettro, e legge sia quel che comandi. 
 Cosi parlava. Ella rendea cortese 
 Grazie per lodi ; indi a parlar riprese : 
 
 49 Nova cosa parer devra per certo 
 Che preceda a' servigi il guiderdone; 
 
 Ma tua bonta m' affida: io vo' che 'n merto 
 
 Del future servir que' rei mi done : 
 
 In don li chieggo; e pur, se '1 fallo e incerto, 
 
 Li danna inclementissima ragione : 
 
 Ma taccio questo, e taccio i segni espressi, 
 
 Ond' argomento 1' innocenza in essi. 
 
 J f**. <.<-' U -. ,vt . ,.>.. .~ 1- *~ 
 
 50 E diro sol, ch' e qui comun sentenza 
 Che i Cristiani togliessero 1' immago : 
 Ma discord' io da voi: ne pero senza 
 
 tnM. .. ~ _ ^r-'f r 
 
 Alta ra'gion del mio parer m' appago. 
 Fu delle nostre leggi irriverenza 
 Quell' opra far, che persiiase il mago ; 
 Che non convien ne' nostri tempii a nui 
 Gl' idoli avere, e men gP idoli altrui. 
 
 , 
 
 51 Dunque suso a Macon recar mi giova 
 
 II miracol dell' opra; ed ei la fece 
 
 Per dimostrar che i tempii suoi con nova 
 
 Religion contaminar non lece. 
 **~j ^ 
 
 Faccia Ismeno^incantando ogni sua prova, 
 Egli a cui le malie son d' arme in vece: 
 Trattiamo il ferro pur noi cavalieri ; 
 Quest' arte e nostra, e 'n questa sol si speri. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 3/ 
 
 52 Tacque, cio detto: e '1 re bench' a pietade 
 L' irato cor difficilmente pieghi, 
 
 Pur cbmpiacer la voile, e '1 persuade 
 Ragione, e '1 move autorita di preghi. 
 Ahbian vita, rispose, e libertade; 
 E nulla a tanto intercessor si neghi. 
 Siasi questa o giustizia, ovver perdono, 
 
 Innocenti gli assolvo, e rei li dono. 
 
 ,.,VK. i , * 
 
 53 Cosi furon disciolti. Awenturoso 
 Ben veramente fu d' Olindo il fato, 
 Ch' atto pote mostrar che 'n generoso 
 Petto alfine ha d' amore amor destato. 
 Va dal rogo alle nozze, ed e gia sposo 
 Fatto di reo, non pur d' amante amato: 
 Volse con lei morire; ella non schiva, 
 Poiche seco non muor, che seco viva. 
 
 54 Ma il sospettoso re stimo periglio 
 Tanta virtu cfongiunta aver vicina: 
 Onde, com' egli volse, ambo in esiglio 
 ( )ltre ai termini andar di Palestina. 
 
 Ei, pur seguendo il suo crudel consiglio, 
 Bandisce altri Fedeli, altri confina. 
 Oh come lascian mesti i pargoletti 
 Figli, e gli antichi padri, e i dolci letti ! 
 
 55 Dura division! scaccia sol quelli 
 Di forte corpo e di feroce ingegno ; 
 Ma '1 mansiieto sesso, e gli anni imbclli 
 Seco ritien, siccome ostaggi in pegno. 
 Molti n' andaro errando, altri rubelli 
 Fersi, e piu che '1 timor potc lo sdcgno. 
 Questi unirsi co' Franchi, e gl' incontraro 
 Ajipunto il di che in Emaus ehtraro. 
 
38 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 *^Ux ^ j ' r'- 
 
 56 Emaus e citta, cui breve strada 
 Dalla regal Gerusalem disgiunge; 
 
 Ed uom, che lento a suo diporto vada, 
 
 Se parte mattutino, a nona giunge. 
 
 Oh quanto intender questo ai Franchi aggrada ! 
 
 Oh quanto piu '1 desio gli affretta e punge! 
 
 Ma, perch' oltre il meriggio il Sol gia sceride, 
 
 Qui fa spiegare il Capitan le tende. 
 
 /V. '&W ft-L~ - M^~- t \ 
 
 57 L'avean gia tese, e poco era remota 
 L' alma luce del Sol dall' oceano, 
 Quando duo gran baroni in veste ignota 
 Venir son visti, e 'n portamento estrano. 
 Ogni atto lor pacifico dinota 
 
 Che vengon come amici al Capitano. 
 Del gran re dell' Egitto eran messaggi, 
 E molti intorno hanno scudieri e paggi. 
 
 58 , Alete e 1' un, che da principle indegno 
 Tra le brutture della plebe e sorto; 
 
 <- '.tr,C, *^- A . l ^- 
 
 Ma '1 innalzaro ai primi onor del regno 
 Parlar facondo e lusinghiero e scorto, 
 Pieghevoli costumi, e vario ingegno ; 
 Al finger pronto, all' ingannare accorto ; 
 Gran fabro di calunnie, adorne in modi 
 Novi, che sono accuse, e paion lodi. 
 
 & .-c C^,^ t ^-. * 
 
 59 L' altro e il circasso Argante, uom che straniero 
 Sen venne alia regal corte d' Egitto, 
 
 Ma de' satrapi fatto e dell' impero, 
 E in sommi gradi alia milizia ascritto : 
 Impaziente, inesorabil, fero, 
 Nell' arme infaticabile ed invitto, 
 D' ogni Dio sprezzator, e che ripone 
 NeUa ^pada sua legge e sua ragione. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 39 
 
 60 Chieser questi udienza, ed al cospetto 
 Del famoso Goffredo ammessi entraro ; 
 
 , ',- ,U- r 
 
 E in umil seggio e in un vestire scnietto 
 
 Fra' suoi duci sedendo il ritrovaro : 
 
 Ma verace valor, benche negletto, 
 
 K di se stesso a se fregio assai chiaro. 
 
 Piccol segno d' onor gli fece Argante, 
 
 In guisa pur d' uom grande e non curante : 
 
 6r Ma la destra si pose Alete al seno, 
 E chino il capo, e piego a terra i lumi ; 
 E 1' onoro con ogni modo appieno, 
 Che di sua gente portino i costumi. 
 Comincio pbscia ; e di sua bocca uscicno 
 Piu che mel dolci d' eloquenza i fiumi : 
 E perche i Franchi ban gia il sermone appreso 
 Delia Soria, fu cio ch' ei disse, inteso. 
 
 & fa>~-J ~r\ --' 
 
 62 O degno sol, cui d' ubbidire or degni 
 Questa adunanza di famosi eroi, 
 
 Che per 1' addietro ancor le palme e i regni 
 
 Da te conobbe e dai consigli tuoi ; 
 
 II nome tuo, che non riman tra i segni 
 
 D' Alcide, omai risuona anco fra noi ; 
 
 E la fama, d' Egitto in ogni parte, 
 
 Del tuo valor chiare novelle ha sparte. 
 
 63 Ne v' e fra tanti alcun che non 1' ascolte, 
 Com' egli suol le meraviglie estreme : 
 
 Ma dal mio re con istupore accolte 
 Sono non sol, ma con diletto insieme; 
 E s' appaga in narrarle anco piii volte, 
 Amando in te cio ch' altri invidia e teme: 
 Ama il valore, e volontario elegge 
 Teco unirsi d' amor, se non di legge. 
 
40 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 V^ A~/<, 
 
 64 Da si bella cagion dunque sospinto, 
 L' amicizia e la pace a te richiede ; 
 E '1 mezzo, onde 1' un resti all' altro avvinto, 
 
 Sia la virtu, s' esser non puo la fede. 
 Ma, perche inteso avea che t' eri accinto 
 
 ft- C^AX 7 < ^-~~/v.- v ^ /rr. <U-> ^.' 
 
 Per iscacciar 1' amico suo di sede, 
 Volse, pria ch' altro male indi seguisse, 
 Ch' a te la mente sua per noi s' aprisse. 
 
 65 E la sua mente e tal : che s' appagarti 
 Vorrai di quanto hai fatto in guerra tuo, 
 Ne Giudea molestar, ne 1' altre parti 
 Cfie ricopre il favor del regno suo, 
 Ei promette all' incontro assecurarti 
 II non ben fermo stato : e se voi duo 
 Sarete uniti, or quando i Turchi e i Persi 
 Potranno unqua sperar di riaversi ? / 
 
 (Lau 
 
 66 Signer, gran cose in picciol tempo hai fatte, 
 
 Che lunga eta porre in obblio non puote : 
 ^ Eserciti e citta vinti e disfatte, 
 Superati disagi e strade ignote; 
 Si ch' al grido o smarrite o stupefatte 
 Son le provincie intorno e le remote: 
 E, se bene acquistar puoi novi imperi, 
 Acquistar nova gloria indarno speri. 
 
 .dW 
 
 67 Giunta e tua gloria al sommo : e per 1' innanzi 
 Fuggir le dubbie guerre a te conviene : 
 
 Ch' ove tu vinca, sol di stato avanzi, 
 Ne tua gloria maggior quinci diviene ; 
 Ma 1' imperio acquistato e preso dianzi, 
 ~ JE 1' onor perdi, se '1 contrario avviene. 
 Ben gioco e di fortuna audace e stolto 
 Por contra '1 poco e 'ncerto il certo e : 1 molto. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 4! 
 
 . 
 68 Ma il consiglio di tal, cui forse pesa 
 
 Ch' altri gli acquisti a lungo andur conserve; 
 
 E 1' aver sempre vinto in ogni impresa ; 
 
 E quella voglia natural che ferve, 
 
 E sempre e piu ne' cor piu grand! accesa, 
 
 D' aver le genti tributarie e serve; 
 
 Faran per avventura a te la pace 
 
 Fuggir piti che la guerra altri non face. 
 
 fit*? ^^ ** ,... *^~v- . . t 
 
 '9 T' esorteranno a seguitar la strada 
 Che t' c dal fato largamente aperta, 
 A non depor questa famosa spada, 
 Al cui valore ogni vittoria e certa, 
 Finche la legge di Macon non cada, 
 Finche 1' Asia per te non sia deserta: 
 Dolci cose ad udire, e dolci inganni, 
 Ond' escon poi sovente estremi danni. 
 
 ^. 
 
 70 Ma, s' animosita gli occhi non benda 
 Ne il lume oscura in te della ragione, 
 Scorgerai ch' ove tu la guerra prenda, 
 Hai di temer, non di sperar cagione : 
 Che fortuna qua giu varia a vicenda, 
 Mandandoci venture or triste or buone; 
 Ed a' voli troppo alti e repentini 
 Sogliono i precipizi esscr vicini. 
 
 ,,/./ 
 
 71 Dimmi ; s' a' danni tuoi 1' Egitto move, 
 D' oro e d' armi potente e di consiglio; 
 E s' avvien che la guerra anco rinnove 
 
 II Perso e '1 Turco e di Cassano il figlio; 
 Quai forze opporre a si gran furia, o dove 
 Ritrovar potrai scampo al tuo periglio? 
 T' affida forse il re malvagio greco, 
 II qual dai sacri patti unito e teco? 
 
42 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 
 L" 
 
 72 /La Fede greca a chi non e 
 
 Tu da un sol tradimento ogn' altro impara ; 
 Anzi da mille, perche mille ha tese 
 / lnsidie a voi la gente infida, avara. 
 Dunque chi dianzi il passo a voi contese, 
 Per voi la vita esporre or si prepara ? 
 Chi le vie, che comuni a tutti soho, 
 
 X-*-*-. ^ ."' *- ' a ^">-i r>-^w 
 
 Negd, del proprio sangue or rara dono ? 
 
 73 Ma forse hai tu riposta ogni tua speme 
 In queste squadre, ond' ora cinto siedi. 
 Quei che sparsi vincesti, uniti insieme 
 
 Di vincer anco agevolmente credi ; 
 
 {- . - \.. f . r s 
 
 Sebben son le tue schiere or molto sceme 
 Tra le guerre e i disagi, e tu tel vedi ; 
 Sebben novo nemico a te s' accresce, 
 E co' Persi e co' Turchi Egizi mesce. 
 
 74 Or, quando pur estimi esser fatale 
 Che non ti possa il ferro vincer mai, 
 Siati concesso ; e siati appunto tale 
 
 II decreto del Ciel, qual (u tel fai. 
 
 ' * 
 
 Vinceratti la fame: a questo male 
 Che rifugio, per dio, che schermo avrai? 
 Vibra contra costei la lancia, e stringi 
 La spada, e la vittoria anco ti fingi. 
 
 75 Ogni campo d' intorno arso e distrutto 
 Ha la provida man degli abitanti ; 
 E in chiuse mura e in alte torri il frutto 
 
 Riposto, al tuo venir piu giorni avanti. 
 
 r -, ' i- >- /. ,. .4^. 
 
 Tu, ch' ardito sin qui ti sei condutto, 
 
 Onde speri nutrir cavalli e fanti ? 
 
 , - **- M 
 
 Dirai: L' armata in mar cura ne prende. 
 
 Dai venti adunque il viver tuo dipende ? 
 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 43 
 
 76 Comanda forse tua fortuna ai venti, 
 E gli avvince a sua voglia, e li dislega? 
 
 11 mar, ch' ai preghi e sordo ed ai lament!, 
 Te solo udendo, al tuo voler si piega? 
 O non potranno pur le nostre genti,, 
 E le Perse e le Turche, unite in lega, 
 Cosi potente armata in un raccorre, 
 
 Che a questi legni tuoi si possa opporre ? 
 
 77 Doppia vittoria a te, signor, bisogna, 
 S' hai dell' impresa a riportar 1' onore. 
 Una perdita sola alta vergogna 
 
 Puo cagionarti, e danno anco maggiore: 
 Ch' ove la nostra armata in rbtta pogna 
 La tua, qui poi di fame il campo more ; 
 E se tu sei perdente, indarno poi 
 Saran vittoriosi i legni tuoi. 
 
 . 
 
 78 Ora se in tale stato anco rifiuti 
 
 Col gran re dell' Egitto e pace e tregua, 
 (Diasi licenza al ver) 1' altre virtuti 
 Questo consiglio tuo nbn bene adegua. 
 Ma voglia il Ciel che '1 tuo pensier si muti, 
 S* a guerra e volto, che '1 contrario segua, 
 Si che 1' Asia respiri omai dai lutti, '""V 
 E goda tu della vittoria i frutti. 
 
 '*"*' A^-v^*. i^ 
 
 79 N voi, che del periglio e degli affanni 
 E della gloria a lui sete consorti, 
 
 11 favor di fortuna or tanto inganni, 
 Che nove guerre a provocar v* esorti ; 
 Ma, qual nocchier che dai marini inganni 
 Ridutti ha i legni ai des'iati porti, 
 Raccor dovreste omai le sparse vele, 
 Ne fidarvi di novo al mar crudele. 
 
44 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 80 Qui tacque Alete : e '1 suo parlar seguiro 
 Con basso mormorar que' forti eroi; 
 E ben negli atti disdegnosi apriro 
 Quanto ciascun quella proposta annoi. 
 II Capitan nvolse gli occhi in giro 
 Tfe volte e quattro, e miro in fronte i suoi ; 
 E poi nel volto di colui gli amsse, &**&** * " 
 Ch' attendea la risposta, e cosi disse: 
 
 81^ Messaggier, dolcemente a noi sponesti 
 Ora cortese or minaccioso invito. 
 Se 'I tuo re m'ama, e loda i nostri gesti, 
 E sua mercede, e m' e 1' amor gradito. 
 A quella parte poi, dove protesti 
 La guerra a noi del Paganesmo unito, 
 Rispondero, come da me si suole, 
 Liberi sensr in semplici parole. 
 
 82 Sappi che tanto abbiam finor sofferto 
 In mare, in terra, all' aria chiara e scura, 
 Solo acciocche ne fosse il calle aperto 
 
 A quelle sacre e venerabil mura^ 
 Per acquistar appo Dio grazia e merto, 
 Togliendo lor di servitu si dura; 
 Ne mafgrave ne fia per fin si degno 
 Esporre onor mondano e vita e regno: 
 
 83 , Che non ambiziosi avari affetti 
 
 a *r~ ' 
 
 Ne spronaro all' impresa, e ne fur guida. 
 Sgqmbri il Padre del ciel dai nostri petti 
 Peste si rea, s' in alcun pur s' annida ; 
 Ne soffra che 1' asperga o che 1' infetti 
 Di venen dplce che piacendo ancida. 
 Ma la sua man, che i duri cor penetra 
 Soavemente, e gli ammollisce e spetra, 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 45 
 
 84 Questa ha noi mossi, e questa ha noi condutti, 
 Tratti d' ogni periglio e d' ogni impaccio; 
 Questa fa piani i monti, e i fiumi asciutti, 
 
 L' ardor toglie alia state, al vcrno il ghiaccio ; 
 Placa del mare i tempestosi flutti, 
 Stringe e rallenta questa a' venti il laccio : 
 Quindi son 1' alte mura aperte ed arse, 
 Quindi 1' armate schiere uccise e sparse ; 
 
 trr~ 
 
 85 Quindi 1' ardir, quindi la speme nasce, 
 Non dalle frali nostre forze e stanche, 
 Non dall' armata, e non da quante pasce 
 Genti la Grecia, e non dall' armi Franche. 
 Purch' ella mai non ci abbandoni e lascc, 
 Poco debbiam curar ch' altri ci manche. 
 Chi sa come difende e come fere. 
 
 . /. f* ' *JL*~i 
 
 Soccqrso a' suoi perigli altro non chere. o*^-*---* 
 
 L-t .. *. ../> -,- - *" -, '- ~^f 
 
 86 Ma quando di sua aita ella 'ne privi 
 
 Per gli error nostri, o per giudizi occulti, 
 Chi fia di noi ch' esser sepulto schivi 
 
 < )ve i membri di Dio fur gia sepulti ? 
 ... . , . ... -.'!. 
 
 Isoi monrem, ne mvidia avremo ai vivi ; _ 
 
 t~*4 f^i tf^ " * r 1 fUi 
 
 Noi morirem, ma non morremo inulti : 
 Ne 1' Asia rider a di nostra sorte, 
 Ne pianta iia da noi la nostra morte. 
 
 ^ < >w* <^i**+*4, 
 
 87 Non creder gia che noi fuggiam la pace, 
 Come guerra mortal si fugge e pave ; 
 
 Che P amicizia del tuo re ne piace, 
 
 No d' unirci con lui ne sara grave: 
 
 Ma s' al suo imperio la Giudea so^iace, 
 
 Tu '1 sai : perche tal cura'ei dun<jue n' ;n 
 
 De' regni altrui P acquisto ei non ci vieti, 
 
 E regga in pace i suoi tranquilli e lieti. 
 
46 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 /.^/w*/- /^v 
 
 88 Cosi rispose ; e di pungente rabbia 
 
 La^risposta ad Argante il cor trafisse : 
 Ne '1 celo gia, ma con enfiata labbia 
 Si^ trasse avanti al Capitano, e disse : 
 Chi la pace non vuol, la guerra s'abbia; 
 Che penuria giammai non fu di fisse : 
 E ben la pace ritusar tu mostri, 
 Se non t' acqueti ai primi detti nostri. 
 
 89 Indi il suo manto per lo lembo prese, 
 
 4sfU^*-r*-<~ ** * ~ t *~J J ' * J^-*+ f f ^ <a~ f^-~ ****+ 
 
 Curvollo, e fenne un seno ; e, 1 seno sporto, 
 Cosi pur anco a ragionar riprese, 
 '' Via^piu che prima dispettoso e fofto :- 
 O sprezzator delle piu dubbie imprese, 
 E guerra e pace in questo sen t' apporto: 
 Tua sia 1' elezione; or ti consiglia 
 Senz' altro indugio, e, qual piu vuoi, ti piglia. 
 
 90 L^attb fero e '1 parlar tutti commosse 
 A chiamar guerra in un Concorde grido, 
 Non attendendo che risposto fosse 
 
 Dal magnanimo lor duce Goffrido. 
 ^piego quel crudo il seno, e '1 manto scosse 
 Ed, A guerra mortal, disse, vi sifido. 
 E '1 disse in atto sLferoce ed empio, 
 Che parve aprir di Giano il chiuso tempio. 
 
 ^/ j ^_-^- x ^ / ^ " *~*~~y /r*-~ *~i *, a^^ 
 
 91 Parve ch' aprendo il seno indi traesse 
 
 II furor pazzo e la discordia fera, 
 E che negli occhi orribili gli ardesse 
 La gran face d' Aletto e di Megera. 
 
 ft-** ?*~*V* <rvv *' I** (t **V i . i SjLt^^ 4 
 
 Quel grande gia, che ncontra il cielo eresse 
 
 L' alta rriole d' error, forse tal era; 
 
 \ i^^*^ 
 E in cotal atto il nmiro Babelle 
 
 Alzar la fronte, e minacciar le stelle. 
 
CANTO SECONDO. 47 
 
 92 Soggiunse allor GofFredo: Or riportate 
 Al vostro re, che venga e che s' affrctti ; 
 Che la guerra acccttiam che minacciate : 
 
 */ {* *}f ^~* Jh^ ~*^ *~ '* *i t t**' l 1 t** 3 
 
 E s' ei non vien, fra '1 Nilo suo n' aspetti. 
 Accomiato lor poscia in dolci e grate 
 Maniere, e gli onoro di doni cletti : 
 Ricchissimo ad Alete un elmo diede, 
 Ch' a Nicea conquisto fra 1' altre prede : 
 
 .<) *~, 
 
 93 Ebbe Argante una spada; e '1 fabro egregio 
 
 L' else e '1 p\>mo le fe gemmato e d' oro 
 
 Con magistero tal, che perde il pregio 
 
 Delia ricca materia appo il lavoro. 
 
 Poi che la tempra e la ricchezza e '1 fregio 
 
 Sottilmente da lui mirati foro, f~* 
 
 Disse Argante al Buglion : Vedrai ben tosto 
 
 Come da me il tuo dono in uso e posto. 
 
 94 Indi, tolto congedo, e da lui ditto < J -' 
 Al suo compagno : Or ce n' andremo omai, 
 lo ver Gerusalem, tu verso Egitto ; 
 
 'J'u col Sol novo, io co' notturni rai ; 
 
 Ch' uopo o di mia presenza o di mio scritto 
 
 Esser non puo cola dove tu vai : 
 
 Reca tu la risposta j io dilunganni 
 
 Quinci non vo', dove si trattan 1' anni. 
 
 (*- - i >~~t~. , 
 
 95 ("osi di messaggier fatto e nimico, 
 
 Sia fretta intempestiva, o sia matura: 
 
 ne '1 cura. 
 
 La ragion delle genti e 1' uso antic 
 S' offenda, o no, in: '1 pensa egli, r 
 Scn/.a risposta aver, va per F aniico 
 ^ilenzio delle stelle all altc- niura. 
 1)' indugio impax'iente ; ed a chi resta 
 Gia non men la dimora anco e molesta. 
 
 t*C^ J<-t*~. f*l*9 *^~. 
 
48 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 96 Era la notte allor ch' alto riposo 
 
 Han 1' onde e i venti, e parea muto il mondo ; 
 Gli animai lassi, e quei che '1 mare ondoso, 
 O de' liquid! laghi alberga il fondo, 
 E chi si giace in tana, o in mandra ascoso, 
 E i pinti augelli, nelP obblio giocondo, 
 Sotto il silenzio de' secreti orrori, 
 
 if .<**K, 
 
 Sopian gli affanni, e raddolciano i cori. 
 
 >. *~,<.- 
 
 97 Ma ne '1 campo Fedel, ne '1 Franco duca 
 
 * * iv *^-- ( ^t . . "" fc-v-fc, ^**^_ -v..-*- t.tr^ __ *lixvv 
 
 Si discioglie nel sonno, o pur s' accheta ; 
 Tanta in lor cupidigia e che riluca 
 Omai nel ciel 1' alba aspettata e lie'ta,'' 
 Perche il cammin lor mostri, e li condlica 
 
 A" & 
 
 Alia citta ch' al gran passaggio e meta: 
 Mirano ad or ad or se raggio alcuno 
 
 rt~r*st cL~~~*H* 
 
 Spunti, o rischiari della notte il bruno. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Proem : Invocation of the Muse : Address to Alfonso (1-5). The 
 scene opens on the plains of Tortosa, where, after the capture of 
 Antioch, the Crusaders lie encamped. Gabriel is sent from Heaven 
 to bid Godfrey summon a council for the election of a commander- 
 in-chief, and arouse the flagging zeal of the army, so that the great 
 object of the war, the capture of Jerusalem, may be no longer 
 neglected (5-20). Godfrey's speech to the Council (21-28). Peter 
 the Hermit advises the election of a chief (30-31). Godfrey is chosen 
 by the Council, and hailed by the soldiery. At daybreak on the 
 morrow the host passes in review before its new leader (32-35). 
 The catalogue of the various nations and their chief captains. The 
 French, whose leader, Ugo, has already perished, under Clotharius 
 (37). Robert and his Normans. William, Archbishop of Orange, 
 and Ademar, Archbishop of Puy (39). Baldwin with his Boulognese, 
 and his brother's troops. Stephen of Blois. Guelfo of Este. The 
 fair-haired Flemings, led by a second Robert, a thousand strong. 
 The ' British squadron,' not much more numerous, commanded by 
 William, the youngest son of Rufus (44). Tancred the Norman, 
 whose love for a fair Paynim adversary forms a romantic digression 
 (46-49). One small band of Greeks under Tatinus. The last 
 squadron of the cavalry, commanded by Dudon, is accompanied by 
 Eustace, brother to Godfrey, Otto de' Visconti, Edward, an English 
 baron, and his wife Gildippe, and Rinaldo (60). The foot soldiers 
 next march past with Raymond of Toulouse at their head. Stephen 
 of Amboise with five thousand. Alcastus with six thousand Swiss. 
 Lastly, Camillo and his Romans bear the Papal standard in the 
 rear (64). 
 
 Godfrey assembles the captains, and discloses his intention of 
 marching forthwith on Jerusalem. His speech is received with en- 
 thusiasm. Having learnt that the King of Egypt is approaching 
 towards Gaza, Godfrey sends his messenger Henry to Greece to 
 
 E 
 
50 LA GERVSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 hasten the arrival of auxiliaries under Sweyn of Norway (7)- O n 
 the morrow the Christian host begins its southward march. The 
 King of Tripoli sends gifts, and Godfrey, leaving that city unmolested, 
 leads his army by the sea coast, so that the fleets may supply pro- 
 visions on the way. Aladin, King of Jerusalem, hearing of the 
 approach of the Crusaders, is filled with terror and impotent rage, 
 which he would fain vent on the Christians in the sacred city; but 
 fear restrains his intended slaughter, and he contents himself with 
 devastating the fields, and poisoning the springs, of the surrounding 
 country. Then, having hastily repaired the ramparts of the city, and 
 collected a mercenary force, he awaits the assault. 
 
 Stanza 1, line I. This first stanza bears considerable resemblance to 
 the opening of Virgil's Aeneid ; ' Arma virumque cano. . . . multum 
 ille et terris jactatus et alto. . . . Multa quoque et bello passus. . . .' 
 ' Arms and the man I sing. . . . much was he storm-tossed on land 
 and sea. . . . much too in war he suffered.' 
 
 Armi : the plural from the form ' arme'; as 5. 8, and ii. I. i. 
 But see 21. 3. ' II y a des noms fe"minins terminus en a qui peuvent 
 ^galement se terminer en e sans changer de genre, tels que I'arma ou 
 I'arme.' Robello, vi. Nouns that end in e in the singular may be either 
 masculine or feminine. Cp. xiv. i. Pietose refers to the sacred 
 object of the war. ' Pio,' ' pietd,' have the double meaning of ' pious ' 
 and 'pitiful.' 
 
 Capitano, i.e. Godfrey ; concerning whom see on stanza 8. 
 i. gran. The words ' bello,' ' santo,' ' quello,' often lose their last 
 syllable before a masculine noun which begins with a consonant : and 
 ' grande ' may be written ' gran ' before masculines or feminines, whether 
 singular or plural. 
 
 libero. It will be of advantage to notice that the terminal 
 accent in verbs is confined to the ist and 3rd persons of the future, 
 and to the 3rd of the perfect, which last 'if not accented might be 
 misunderstood for the present indicative.' Thus ' compro,' ' vende,' 
 'send' are distinguished from 'compro' (ist pers.), 'vende' (3rd), 
 ' servi ' (2nd). The accent is in some cases probably due to the contrac- 
 tion from the Latin. Thus ' servi ' = servit ; ' servl ' = serviit. 
 
 3. senno, wisdom. ' Who much in council much in field sustained.' 
 (Hoole.) Similarly Dante says, ' Fece con senno assai e con la spada.' 
 (Inf. xvi. 39.) 
 
 mano is feminine by exception, keeping the gender of the Latin 
 ' manus,' as is also the case with ' eco,' and the poetical forms 'imago,' 
 ' Carthago ' ' Dido,' etc. 
 
CANTO I. 51 
 
 5. invan. . . . invano : see Remarks i. Inferno. This refers 
 especially to the enchantments of Armida, and the mage Ismeno. See 
 on ii. i. i. 
 
 6. Libia. The name Libya was often applied by the Greeks and 
 Romans to the whole of Africa. Here it means more particularly 
 Egypt ; but in the Egyptian army that was defeated at Ascalon there 
 were troops which had been drawn from the nations of the interior. 
 See p. x. 
 
 7. did is a short form of ' diede,' 3rd sing, perfect of ' dare.' Irregular 
 perfects, which suffer a radical change of stem, do not generally (unless 
 contracted) take the terminal accent. Thus ' disse,' ' vide,' and, in 
 the next line, ' ridusse." Sotto a. Such combinations of prepositions 
 are not uncommon in Italian. Thus ' incontro a,' 6. 8, ' in su.' 
 ' sovra a,' ' sotto da ' (both of which latter are used by Dante). Perhaps 
 in such cases one is rather an adverb than a preposition. 
 
 2. Although this is a reminiscence of Virgil's ' Musa mihi causas 
 refera. . . .' yet it is none of the Pierian Nine that Tasso invokes for 
 his sacred poem. He is said by some to address the Virgin Mary. 
 Caduchi. For the formation of the plural of such words there is no 
 invariable rule. Perhaps one of the best is that given by Robello (v) : 
 ' Les noms qui ont leur terminaison co ou go, pre'cede'e d'une voyelle, 
 forment leur pluriel en ci et gi.' To this rule, however, there are about 
 fifty exceptions, amongst which is ' caduco.' 
 
 2. Helicon, a mountain range in Boeotia, from which rose the 
 streams Aganippe and Hippocrene, was sacred to Apollo and the Muses. 
 
 3-4. I cannot doubt that this description was inspired by some 
 picture. It reminds one forcibly of the Venetian masters, especially of 
 Tintoretto. When we consider that the stanza was composed soon 
 after a visit to Venice, and at no great distance from Venice, and at the 
 very period when that ' fulmine della pintura' (as he is called on his 
 monument in the Doge's Palace) was at the zenith of his glory, the idea 
 seems far from fanciful. 
 
 6. Rischiara, 'illumine,' or 'unfold.' From Lat. ' re-ex-clarus.' 
 See Rem. iv. 
 
 7. 'If I entwine fancies with truth.' Fregio, ornament, is our word 
 'frieze.' Cp. French ' frise,' ' fraise.' In Low Latin we find 'frisii 
 panni,' 'vestimenta de Fresarum provincia' (cloths from Friesland), 
 from which use of the word came the more general meaning of ' curled,' 
 and ' well got up ' ; hence it was applied to ornament of all kinds. 
 Tasso here uses it in keeping with its original sense. A rule applicable 
 to such plurals as ' fregi ' may be stated thus If the 10 is preceded by c, 
 ch, g, gl (in which case the i is merely a connecting vowel) the plural 
 may end in i instead oij (now generally written ii, or even simple '). 
 
 2 
 
52 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 3. i. Sai ch.e la corre. Notice the indicative used in a dependent 
 sentence; Rem. x. Versi : subj. from ' versare,' to overturn or pour forth. 
 
 2. Lusinghier : connected with Latin ' laus,' ' laudare ' (praise), 
 whence also O. Fr. ' losenge,' and modern Fr. ' louange.' Parnassus, a 
 mountain range near Delphi and a haunt of the Muses here represents 
 Poetry. 
 
 3. The Italians, as other nations, allow such rhymes as ' versi . . 
 versi,' provided that the meanings of the two words are different. See 
 on Dante, Inf. iii. 91 ; Clar. Press. 
 
 4. schivo or schifo is perhaps connected with Germ. ' scheu," and 
 our ' shy.' Schifo is used as a noun by Dante (Inf. xxxi. 122), meaning 
 ' disdain.' Allettando : see Rem. iv. Persuaso : see Rem. viii. 
 
 5. This idea is from the Latin poet Lucretius (i. 935, iv. 11). 
 
 ' Sed veluti pueris absinthia tetra medentes 
 Cum dare conantur, prius oras pocula circum 
 Contingunt mellis dulci flavoque liquore, 
 Ut puerorum aetas improvida ludificetur 
 Labrorum tenus, interea perpotet amarum 
 Absinthi laticem, deceptaque non capiatur, 
 Sed potius tali pacto recreata valescat.' 
 
 ' But as when physicians attempt to give fetid wormwood to children, 
 they first smear the edges round the cups with sweet and golden 
 syrup of honey, so that unsuspicious childhood may be beguiled as 
 far as the lips; meanwhile it drains the bitter fluid of wormwood, and 
 though deceived is not betrayed, but rather revives and grows strong by 
 such means.' 
 
 5. fanciul. Such words, when they drop the final o, lose with 
 item /. Thus ' quel,' ' bel,' etc. 
 
 6. orlo, an edge, is from the Latin word (which Lucretius uses 
 in the above passage) ' ora,' through the usual diminutive form ' orula.' 
 
 4. i. It was in 1565 that the Cardinal Luigi of Este introduced 
 Tasso to the court of his brother Alfonso II, at Ferrara. The poem 
 was probably begun before this date, and this and the following stanza 
 may have been inserted afterwards. Ritogli, from ' ritogliere,' or 
 ' ritorre ' irregular verb. ' Thou who recoverest me from . . .' In 1. 5, 
 aecogli is the imperative. 
 
 3. gli scogli : see on i. 7. 
 
 4. absorto. Compare Ariosto, c. iv. ' Questo so ben ch'io fui dal 
 mare absorto.' From ' absorbere ' or ' assorbere,' to suck up, engulph : 
 hence ' assorto ' also means ' preoccupied,' and ' dreamy." 
 
 7. fia che, it shall be that. Fia (Lat. net) is used for ' sark.' 
 
 8. Osi : subj., Rem. x. ' Dare to write of thee that which now 
 (thereof) it signifies.' For ne see Rem. ii. Accennare means 'to 
 
CANTO I. 53 
 
 make a. sign ' (' cenno '), ' to beckon,' and also ' to hint at.' Thus 
 ' m' e stato accennato,' I had a hint of it. 
 
 5. 1-2. ben or bene is often used for emphasis, and may be trans- 
 lated by ' indeed,' or ' quite.' From s' egli to preda the sentence is 
 hypothetical, the main construction being ' E ben ragione . . . Ch' a te 
 . . . conceda.' Egli awerra, ' it shall come to pass.' Tasso's words 
 have a ring of despair. Many Italian poets, Petrarch among the 
 number, had with more or less earnestness raised their voices to incite 
 i.ew Crusades; but few except Dante saw and lamented the ruin that 
 was overwhelming their Church and Nation by means of internal 
 divisions. TJnqua, 'ever'; Lat. ' unquam.' Si veda: Rem. v. 
 
 4. ' Strive to regain from savage Thrace. . . .' Ritor for ' ritorre.' 
 Rem. i. This is no mere poetical exaggeration, for, in the times of 
 Tasso, there existed great suspicion and alarm occasioned by the 
 < Htoman kingdom that had established itself by force in Europe. In the 
 preceding century (1453) the Turks had captured Jerusalem, and during 
 Tasso's life they had appeared more than once before the walls of Vienna. 
 
 6. a te conceda. The subject to ' conceda ' is ' il popol di Cristo.' 
 Another reading is 'altri conceda,' which would mean 'one should 
 grant.' Altri is used like ' on ' in French ; and very often stands for 
 ' God ' a sense that it may have here. 
 
 6. i. Gia '1 sesto anno . . . This is not historically true. The 
 various streams of Crusaders crossed over in 1096 and 1097. Nicaca 
 was taken on June 20, 1097. Between that date therefore and the 
 capture of Jerusalem on July 15, 1099, only a little more than two 
 years elapsed. The action of the poem begins about May 1099, when 
 the Crusaders are on their way from Antioch to Jerusalem. 
 
 3. The following graphic description of the taking of Nicaea, the 
 capital of Soliman, the Turkish Sultan, near the Propontis, is given by 
 (iibbon. 'The lofty and solid walls of Nice were covered by a deep 
 ditch, and flanked by 370 towers ; and on the verge of Christendom the 
 Moslems were trained in arms, and inflamed by religion. Before this 
 city the French princes occupied their stations, and prosecuted their 
 
 attacks without correspondence or subordination In the siege of 
 
 Nice the arts and engines of antiquity were employed by the Latins : the 
 mine and the battering-ram, the toitoise, and the belfrey or movable 
 turret, artificial fire, and the catapult and balist, the sling, and the cross- 
 bow for the casting of stones and darts. In the space of seven weeks 
 much labour and blood were expended, and some progress, especially by 
 Count Raymond, was made on the side of the besiegers. But the Turks 
 could protract their resistance, and secure their escape, as long as they 
 were masters of the lake Ascanius, which stretches several miles to 
 the westward of the city, The means of conquest were supplied by 
 
54 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 the prudence and industry of Alexius ; a great number of boats was 
 transported on sledges from the sea to the lake ; they were filled with 
 the most dexterous of his archers : the flight of the Sultana was inter- 
 cepted ; Nice was invested by land and water ; and a Greek emissary 
 persuaded the inhabitants to accept his master's protection, and to save 
 themselves by a timely surrender from the rage of the savages of Europe. 
 In the moment of victory, or at least of hope, the crusaders, thirsting for 
 blood and plunder, were awed by the imperial banner that streamed 
 from the citadel ; and Alexius guarded with special vigilance this im- 
 portant conquest. The murmurs of the chiefs were stifled by honour or 
 interest ; and after a halt of nine days they directed their march to%vards 
 Phrygia.' (Chap. Iviii.) Tasso's expression, ' per assalto," is therefore not 
 strictly correct. 
 
 4-6. The 'art' with which Antioch was taken may be gathered 
 from the following facts. After an investment of seven months, during 
 which the besiegers no less than the besieged suffered severely from 
 famine., the capture of Antioch seemed as remote as ever. But, during 
 a short truce, the crafty and ambitious Bohemond, whom Gibbon well 
 terms the Latin Ulysses, succeeded in gaining the traitorous confidence 
 of a certain Armenian by name Phirouz (' Pirro,' canto vii. 67), a per- 
 vert from Christianity, who held the command of three important towers. 
 When all had been arranged between the two, Bohemond brought the 
 proposal before the council of Christian chiefs, claiming the sovereignty 
 of Antioch as his reward. But the honour, or the envy, of these knights 
 rejected the treachery with scorn, until, alarmed by the rumoured ap- 
 proach of a vast Turkish army under Kerboga, they yielded to Bohe- 
 mond's arguments. Phirouz, though suspected and narrowly eyed by 
 the emir, concerted his plans with secrecy and despatch. His brother, 
 who opposed his intentions, he stabbed and threw from a tower into the 
 city moat. At a fixed hour the Christian army broke up their camp, 
 and began, as it appeared, their southward march. But during the night 
 they retraced their steps in haste, and, after some hesitation, Bohemond 
 and some of the boldest, scaled the city wall by means of a rope ladder, 
 and were received by the renegade. In the rush that was then made the 
 battlement, to which the ladder was fastened, gave way, and many fell 
 from the lofty wall into the moat. But, in spite of the confusion and 
 dismay occasioned by this, several of the towers were seized by those 
 who had already gained the summit, and a gate was at length burst 
 open to admit the mass of the troops. In a short time the whole of 
 Antioch was in the hands of the Christians, except the citadel. The emir 
 Cassano (ii. 70), or Akhy-Syan (Baghasian), while endeavouring to 
 escape from the city, was slain. But in a short time arrived the in- 
 numerable host of Kerboga, prince of Mosul, by whom the Christians 
 
CANTO I. 55 
 
 were in their turn besieged in Antioch. In the elation of victory, as on 
 former occasions, the licence of the Crusading army had known no 
 bounds. With ungovernable riot they had soon consumed or de- 
 stroyed all the provisions in the city, and began to suffer from a 
 second famine more terrible than the first. Many, both before 
 and after the capture of Antioch, deserted the Christian camp, among 
 whom were Hugh of Vermandois, Stephen of Chartres, and William 
 Viscount of Melun, the ponderous strokes of whose axe had gained him 
 the name of the Carpenter. Even Peter the Hermit was discovered by 
 Tancred in the act of stealing away, and was brought back again to 
 the tent of Bohemond. In the extremity of their despair, with starva- 
 tion within the city and a hostile force of 600,000 Turks surrounding 
 their walls, the minds of the soldiery turned with wild fanaticism to 
 the guidance of visionaries and impostors. One such. Peter Bartholemy, 
 a priest of Marseilles, had been informed in a vision by St. Andrew 
 that the lance-head which had pierced the side of the Redeemer lay 
 buried beneath the altar of St. Peter's Church in Antioch. With a 
 jugglery, which at other times would have been too transparent, the 
 priest himself drew forth from a pit that had been prepared the head 
 of a Saracen lance wrapped in silk and gold. It was no time now 
 for either leaders or people to question the grounds of their belief. In- 
 flamed with the madness of religious enthusiasm, and goaded onward 
 by despair, they burst forth from the gates, and while .their excited 
 feelings were still further aroused by the apparition of St. George, St. 
 Theodore, and St. Maurice, who were seen issuing forth from the hills 
 clad in white garments and resplendent arms, they fell upon the innu- 
 merable hosts of their enemies and routed them with immense slaughter 
 (June 28, 1098). The seasonable fraud of the 'holy lance,' however 
 useful it had proved, was made the subject of much ridicule and scep- 
 ticism after danger had passed away. Peter Bartholemy was subjected 
 to the painful ordeal of fire, through which he passed to all appearance 
 unscathed. But he had received fatal injuries, and the next day he expired. 
 
 7. Tortosa was a city (it is now almost a mere ruin) anciently 
 called Antharadus, and Orthosia, lying nine miles or so to the north of 
 Tripoli. Tasso is not historically correct when he makes the Crusaders 
 spend the winter at Tortosa, for they spent it at Antioch, from which 
 they did not move till May 13, 1099. Moreover, Tortosa was not 
 stormed ('espugnata'), for it was abandoned by the inhabitants on the 
 approach of the invading army. In his Gerusalemme Conquistata 
 Tasso moves the scene of this first canto from Tortosa to Caesarea, a 
 much more important city. 
 
 8. ' Then to the bad season it (the army) gave way, and awaited 
 the new year.' Beo or rio (Lat. ' reus') has originally the moral sense 
 
56 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 of ' guilty ,' but is used also with a more general meaning. Die: see 
 on i. 7. 
 
 7. i. This passage is evidently inspired by Virgil (Aen. i. 223): 
 
 ' Et jam finis erat quum Juppiter aethere summo 
 Despiciens,' etc. 
 
 2. fea: a poetical form of 'faceva.' Notice the force of the im- 
 perfect. Lunge, far off: also a poetical word. 
 
 4. sincera, in the true Latin sense of ' pure,' ' untainted." 
 
 5-6. From Virgil (Aen. vi. 577), who has himself translated Homer 
 (II. viii. 1 6). 
 
 ' Turn Tartarus ipse 
 
 Bis patet in praeceps tantum, tenditque sub umbras, 
 Quantus ad aethereum coeli suspectus Olympum.' 
 ' Then Hell itself yawns into an abyss twice as deep, stretching down 
 below the darkness, as the vault of the sky, reaching up to the heavenly 
 pole.' The stellata spera is the sphere of the fixed stars, the eighth, 
 according to the Ptolemaic system, and next below the Crystalline 
 heaven or Primum Mobile. But Tasso probably uses the word in a less 
 definite way for the ' starry vault of heaven.' Piu in su della, still 
 higher than. The following stanza, describing the throne of God, was 
 added by Tasso in the Gerusalemme Conquistata, and is well worth 
 quotation. 
 
 ' Stanno a quell' alta sede intorno intorno 
 Spirit! divini al suo splendor accensi, 
 E ciascun d'essi b di sei ale adorno: 
 E si come i vapori umidi o densi, 
 O le nubi dipinte il sole e'l giorno 
 Copron soavemente a' nostri sensi, 
 Velano due la faccia a quel Vetusto; 
 Due i pie, due van girando il seggio augusto.' 
 
 7. Volse from ' volgere.' This must not be mistaken for ' volse,' 
 which is sometimes used by the poets for ' voile,' from ' volere.' 
 
 8. mird: see on I. 2. 'That which the world gathers within itself,' 
 i e. contains. 
 
 8. 1-2. Soria, a form ' Siria.' S' affiso, gazed at. See Rem. v. 
 3-4. Spiare. This word is from the Old High German ' speha ' 
 
 ( = exploratio), and is found in Germ, 'spahen,' Fr. 'epier,' Eng. 'spy.' 
 Lor or loro is the Lat. 'illorum' (of them), and is used for the oblique 
 cases of 'eglino.' Translate 'human passions in their most secret 
 depths.' 
 
 5. Godfrey of Bouillon, the blameless knight ' cavaliere senza taccia 
 e senza paura ' in whom Tasso found all the qualities that might con- 
 stitute his ideal Christian hero, was born about the middle of the 
 
CANTO I. 57 
 
 eleventh century, at Baysy, a small village in Brabant. His father, 
 Eustace, was of the noble race of the Counts of Boulogne ; his mother, 
 a descendant of Charles the Great, inherited Brabant. In the service of 
 the Emperor Henry IV, Godfrey slew Rudolph, the claimant of the 
 imperial crown : and received the title of Duke of Bouillon in the 
 Ardennes. In the war against the pope, Godfrey had been the first to 
 scale the walls of Rome, and it was perhaps remorse for this act that 
 drew him to join in the great Crusade. It was by his prudence no less 
 than by his courage that the Christian army was saved more than once 
 from the dangers into which their follies and excesses had brought them. 
 To relate all the facts connected with him would be merely to reca- 
 pitulate the principal events of the Crusade, which have been already 
 sketched out, and will be described more fully as occasion offers. It is 
 enough to say here that, accompanied by his brothers Baldwin and Eustace, 
 he commanded about 80,000 foot and 10,000 horse, and, uniting as he 
 did all the eminent qualities of a commander knowledge of men, of 
 arms, and of language, together with impartiality and a natural dignity 
 he was elected chief before the siege, and was offered the crown after 
 the capture of Jerusalem a dignity which he refused to accept in the 
 city where the King of kings had worn a crown of thorns, contenting 
 himself with the modest title of Baron and Defender of the Holy 
 Sepulchre. A fortnight after this he sallied forth from Jerusalem and 
 secured his government by the total overthrow of the forces of Egypt at 
 the battle of Ascalon. The reign, for such it must nevertheless be called, 
 of Godfrey fell short of a year by five days. During this short period, 
 among other praiseworthy actions, he composed a code of laws called 
 the 'Assise of Jerusalem,' one of the most valuable treasures of feudal 
 jurisprudence. After his death his younger brother Baldwin was chosen 
 king, and reigned for eighteen years. 
 
 che scacciar desia, See Rem. x. for the mood. Desiare, and 
 desirare are contracted for the Lat. and Ital. ' desiderare.' For scacciar 
 see Rem. iv. 
 
 8. mette in non cale, lit. places in ' it matters not,' i.e. treats 
 with unconcern. Porre ' and ' avere in non cale ' are used similarly. 
 ' Calere ' in Latin means 'to be warm,' and thus to be excited by desire 
 for.' Cp. ' Se di saper ch' io sia ti cal cotanto,' ' if to know who I be 
 concerns thee so much ' (Dante, Inf. xix. 67). 
 
 9. i. Baldwin was by no means an equal of his brother Godfrey in 
 great qualities. His ambition impelled him fraudulently to sieze upon 
 Tarsus, which had already yielded to Tancred, whom he ejected 
 by force. After this he deserted the Crusaders' camp for a wild ex- 
 cursion into the heart of Persia, and there founded a kingdom in 
 Mesopotamia, with Edessa as his capital. This act, though prompted 
 
5 8 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 by a selfish greed, proves him to have possessed no small daring ; and 
 the Latin principality of Edessa, which lasted for about fifty years, did 
 good service in attracting the attention of the Persians from the conquest 
 of Jerusalem. As has been already stated, Baldwin succeeded Godfrey 
 as king of Jerusalem. 
 
 3. 'In the accomplished character of Tancred,' says Gibbon, 'we 
 discover all the virtues of a perfect knight.' He was the son of the 
 Marquis Odo (some call him William), probably one of those Norman 
 adventurers who overran Italy in the eleventh century, or perhaps an 
 Italian who by his marriage with a sister of Robert Guiscard was received 
 among the Norman chiefs. Tancred accompanied his cousin Bohemond 
 to the Holy Land, where many heroic feats are accredited to him, such 
 as having slain or dispersed five Moslems by whom he had been sur- 
 prised alone on Mount Olivet. The romantic episode that we shall 
 find in st. 46-49 concerning his love for a Pagan damsel, daughter of 
 the emir of Antioch, has no historical foundation. In the siege of 
 the Holy City he distinguished himself by his courage and by the dis- 
 covery of the grove from which wood was procured for the machines. 
 \\ hen the mass of the Crusaders had returned home, Godfrey retained 
 for the defence of the city only 2000 foot, and 300 knights under 
 Tancred. He was soon afterwards given the principality of Galilee; 
 and, when Bohemond was taken prisoner, he succeeded to the 
 government of Antioch. In 1112 he perished in an expedition against 
 the Infidels, and was buried at Antioch in the porch of the church of 
 St. Peter. 
 
 4. 'Such a hopeless love grieves and torments him.' Notice the 
 use of suo, which it is impossible to translate except by expanding it 
 into ' Such a hopeless love was his which . . . .' Martirare is used also 
 by Dante. The longer form ' martirizzare ' is commoner. 
 
 5-6. Bohemond, son of Robert Guiscard, was endowed with an 
 attractive person, a persuasive eloquence, and a courageous disposition, 
 not however free from pride, vindictiveness, and cunning. With Robert 
 Guiscard he had at Durazzo and Larissa assisted in the discomfiture of 
 the Greek Emperor, Alexius ; but he was disinherited by his father, 
 and had barely kept the small princedom of Taranto. He joined the 
 Crusade from motives of ambition, or a love of adventure, rather than 
 those of religious zeal. His successful intrigues at Antioch have been 
 already related (vi. 4). After holding that city in his power for some 
 years he was captured by the Turks, and kept a prisoner four years. 
 He is said to have escaped by the help of a Moslem princess, Melial by 
 name, and to have returned to Italy where Pope Pascal II received him, 
 and gave him the means to raise another army for the recovery of 
 Antioch. But, impelled by his inextinguishable hatred of the Greek 
 
CANTO I. 59 
 
 emperor, he attacked and captured Durazzo. Here he was besieged, 
 and, having been abandoned by his troops, was forced to sign an 
 ignominious peace with Alexius, and retired to Taranto, where he 
 died. 
 
 6. principii or principj. See the rule given on 2. 7. 
 
 7. introdur : Rem. i. Costume, pi. from ' costuma,' not the 
 masc. form ' costume.' 
 
 10. i. internarsi, to penetrate into, to be buried in, a thought. 
 Dante uses the word in a somewhat similar sense, ' Come occhio per lo 
 mare, entro s' interna ' (Par. xix. 60), it penetrates within, as the eye 
 penetrates through the sea. 
 
 3. Rinaldo (i. 58) is the only one among the Christian chiefs that 
 is not a historical character. ' To gratify,' says Gibbon, ' the childish 
 vanity of the house of Este, Tasso has inserted in his poem, and in the 
 first Crusade, a fabulous hero, the brave and amorous Rinaldo. He 
 might borrow his name from a Rinaldo, with the Aquila bianca Estense, 
 who vanquished, as standard-bearer of the Roman Church, the Emperor 
 Frederick I. ... But this Rinaldo, and his exploits, are not less 
 chimerical than the hero of Tasso.' Rinaldo, son of Bertoldo of Este, 
 is said to have died in 1175 (Serassi, i. p. 184); see 59. 2. There was 
 also a Rinaldo who took part in the first Crusade, and who, routed by 
 the Turks near Nicaea, saved his life by adopting the faith of Islam. 
 Tasso's Rinaldo is a mistake, for, although his is a very noble character 
 corresponding somewhat to that of Achilles in the Iliad it is over- 
 drawn, and the feelings that dictated the glowing descriptions given by 
 the poet are too evident, and too personal, if not too servile, to enlist 
 our sympathies. In the Gerusalemme Conquistata Tasso has substituted 
 Richard, son of the Norman Guiscard. 
 
 6. brame, desires. Erama is said to be connected with Greek 
 Pptfttiv, to roar. Cp. Fr. ' bramer,' to scream. The two meanings are 
 interchanged in Latin ; for instance Ennius the poet uses ' latrare ' (to 
 bark) in the sense of ' poscere ' (to beg for). 
 
 7. dalla bocca . . . pende, as in Latin 'pendet ab ore,' hangs on 
 the words of. 
 
 8. Guelfo IV (i. 41, iii. 63, etc.), of the Suabian house, was the 
 son of Alberto d'Azzo, marquis of Este. He did not actually go to 
 the Holy Land until four years after this. In v. 36 he is called the uncle 
 of Rinaldo. He too is introduced to glorify the house of Este; and acts 
 as a father towards his youthful nephew, inciting him by ' illustrious feats 
 of ancient days.' For esempj see on 2. 7. 
 
 11. i. poi che, or poichd, lit. 'then that,' i.e. 'when.' The meaning 
 of all such compounds is found at once by resolving them into their 
 parts and translating literally. This ' acciocchc ' = ' to this that.. 
 
60 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 i.e. 'in order to.' Similarly 'perocche,' 'posciache,' etc. For con- 
 struction of scorti see Rem. viii. 
 
 3-4. chiama ; Lat. ' clamare.' Rem. iv. The seven spirits that 
 stand round the throne are Michael, Gabriel, Lamael, Raphael, Zachariel, 
 Anael, and Oriphiel. Gabriel plays the part that Mercury held under 
 the Olympian dynasty. 
 
 5. quest! for ' questo.' Similarly ' quegli,' ' quei,' ' cotesti,' are 
 used in the singular, with reference not only to persons but things 
 Compare the Greek forms TOVTI, TOVTOVI, etc., for TOVTO, TOVTOV, which 
 are used for emphasis, as 'hicce ' in Lat. and ' celui-ci' in French. 
 
 8. '1 zelo. Before z the article is often 'lo,' as 'lo zio,' 'gli zii.' 
 But the rule does not apply strictly. 
 
 12. 2. di': imperative. The dative case of ' egli ' is generally ' a lui ' 
 or ' gli ' ; but we often find ' lui ' standing for ' gli,' especially in old writers, 
 Thus Dante uses ' risposi lui,' ' dissi lui,' etc., and Fraticelli remarks in 
 his note, ' Gli antichi tacevano spesso la preposizione a avanti i pronomi 
 di persona.' Si cessa: the impersonal reflective, 'Why this delay?' 
 Si rinnova, on the contrary, is not impersonal, ' Why is the war not 
 renewed ? ' Rem. v. 
 
 5-6. chlami .... mova : the 3rd person imperative, ' Let him 
 call . . . .' Fia : see on iv. 7. 
 
 7. '1 faran, ' shall do it,' i.e. elect him chief. The next line may 
 allude to the period of luxury and idleness that had converted fellow- 
 soldiers into mere boon-companions : but the contrast lies also between 
 who were equals (compagni) and now are to be subjects (ministri), 
 as xxxiii. 5. 
 
 13. I. parlogli : see on xii. 2. and Rem. vi. S' accinse, from 'ac- 
 cingersi ' or ' accignersi.' Cp. ' fingere ' and ' fignere,' ' pungere ' and 
 ' pugnere,' ' pingere ' and ' pignere,' etc. For the rhyme see on 3. 3. 
 
 3. ' He clothes his heavenly form with ether light. 
 
 And makes it visible to human sight.' (Hoole.) 
 
 5. membra, an irregular feminine plural from ' membro.' See 
 Rem. xi. ' Membro ' takes either plural in the sense of ' limbs ' ; but ' i 
 membri ' alone is used for members of a society, Parliament, etc. Si finse : 
 a middle use of the reflective, ' fashioned for himself.' Rem. v. 
 
 14. i. Ali is really the plural of a sing, form ' ale,' which Dante uses, 
 ' su 1'una e 1'altr' ale' (Puig. xxix. 109). The common form in the sing, 
 is 'ala,' and in plural 'ali' and 'ale.' Cp. on i. i. Vesti: see on i. 2. 
 C' han = che hanno. 
 
 3. This is like Virgil's description of Mercury (Aen. iv. 239). 
 ' First he binds on his feet the golden sandals, which bear him, uplifted 
 on their wings, with swift whirlwind, alike over the seas or over land.' 
 
 5. indirizzossi = si indirizzb. Rem. iii. and on ii. 2. 
 
CANTO I. 6 1 
 
 7. Pria, first : a poetical word. Mount Lebanon is to the south of 
 Tortosa, running parallel to the coast. Tasso, in his Conquistata, intro- 
 duces a beautiful description of the mountain : 
 
 ' che sorge altero e grande, 
 E corona ha di cedri alta e superba.' 
 
 8. 'And balanced himself on poised wings,' as Virgil 'panbus 
 nitens . . . alis' (Aen. iv. 252). 
 
 15. 1-2. Tortosa, see on vi. 7. ' Giuso e suso invece di giu e su, voci 
 tronche, fu detto dagli Antichi in prosa e in verso.' 
 
 3. lido, from Lat. ' litus.' The well-known island by Venice is so 
 called because it faces the open sea. Eoo is the Lat. ' eous," from Grk. 
 T/as, dawn. 
 
 5. porgea. Notice that the v of the imperfect is often dropped, 
 as in the next line, ' avea.' 
 
 7. a paro col, ' equal to,' ' rivalling.' 
 
 16. 1-2. gli disse : see on xii. 2. Al guerreggiar : see Rem. vii. 
 
 3. trappor for ' trappore,' infinitive used in a question. ' Where- 
 fore then interpose any delay in liberating . . .' 
 
 7-8. lor: see on 8. 4. 'And they shall submit themselves 
 voluntarily to thee.' 
 
 17. 2. sua. The reflective pronoun se is used in Italian almost as 
 stiictly as in Latin with reference to the principal subject of the 
 sentence (as in 16. 8); but 'suo' does not, as the Latin 'suus,' 
 always relate to the subject which, in this sentence for instance, is ' io.' 
 Yet, where there might be ambiguity, ' suo ' is always used in the stricter 
 manner. Thus ' il re fe andato con suo figlio a vedere il suo ritratto,' 
 must mean ' the king has come with his son to see his own portrait.' 
 If the son's portrait were intended, it would be ' il ritratto di lui.' 
 Spene and speme are poetical forms. 
 
 4. conviene, ' beseems ' : an impersonal use of ' convenire.' 
 
 5. Tacque: irregular perfect from 'tacere.' Sparito, Rem. iv. 
 
 8. abbagliato, from ' bagliore,' a flash, or dazzling splendour, the 
 derivation of which is not known. All this passage about Gabriel is 
 closely imitated from Virgil : thus, ' At vero Aeneas adspectu obmutuit 
 amens'(Aen. iv. 279). 
 
 18. I. 'But when he recovers himself.' Hiscotersi, or riscuo- 
 tersi, from Lat. ' re-ex-cutio,' means 'to shake oneself,' or, 'be 
 startled.' Dante uses it twice of being startled from sleep, or from a 
 trance, as (Inf. iv. i) 
 
 'Ruppemi 1'alto sonno nella testa 
 
 Un greve tuono, si ch' io mi riscossi, 
 
 Come persona che per forza e desta." 
 
 3. ' If before this he was desirous, now he is all aflame to . . .' 
 
6z LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 4. onde. Robello says, ' Le mot onde est souvent employe" dans 'a 
 poesie italienne, et quelquefois aussi dans la prose relevee, k la place de 
 di cut, ou del quale, dal quale, pel quale, col quale, nel quale, au singulier 
 ou au pluriel, au masculin ou au feminin. Ex. 
 
 Di quei sospiri ond' io nudriva il core. (Petr.)' 
 The Latin 'unde' is used similarly; as 'Unde nil majus generatur ipso,' 
 
 1. e. ' a quo,' Hor. Carm. i. 12. 17. 
 
 5-7. Non che . . . Ma. Just as we say ' Not that . . . but . . . ' 
 Notice the mood of ' gonfi.' The orthography of verbs in -tare is 
 subject to as much variation as that of the plurals of nouns in -io (see on 
 
 2, 7), but the best rule is the following. When the stem of the verb 
 ends in gi, ci, or gli (as ' pigiiare '), the double i is not kept. Thus 
 the 2nd pers. pres. will be ' pigli,' and not ' piglii.' Other verbs in 
 -tare generally keep the double i when that is the actual termination 
 (thus, in the subj. ' odii,' but 'odino'). This rule however, which is 
 given by the grammars, is liable to be broken on account of the accent, 
 as here. II vedersi is the verbal noun, used here as the nominative. 
 Rem. v. 
 
 19. i. lunge : see 7. 2. 
 
 5. alletta, 3. 4. For punge see on 13. i. 
 
 6. risvegliar : ' re-ex-vigilare,' to awaken. 
 
 7-8. Notice the change of mood, and the reason. 
 
 20. i. vennero . . . seguiro. See Rem. i. 
 
 2. Boemondo : 9. 5. Convenne, ' came with them,' or ' as- 
 sembled.' Used in the same way by Dante (Inf. iii. 123), 'Tutti 
 convengon qui d'ogni paese.' Bohemond was at Antioch, and therefore 
 did not come to the assembly. 
 
 3-4. nel giro, within the circle of her walls. S' uniro, as 
 ' seguiro ' above. 
 
 7. pio: see on i. I. 
 
 21. i . Guerrier, i. e. guerrieri. See Rem. i. 
 
 3. arme is here plural from ' arma." See on 1. 1. 
 
 4. vi = voi. Rem. ii. 'Guided and conducted you.' From this 
 sense of ' scorgere ' comes our ' escort.' Hesse from ' reggere.' 
 
 6. a lui, i. e. Dio. 
 
 7. dome. In poetry many such shortened forms of the passive 
 participles of the first conjugation are in use : as ' adorno ' for ' aclornato,' 
 'compro' for ' comprato,' 'desto,' 'guasto,' 'privo,' 'scemo,' etc. 
 35- 5 and 7. 
 
 22. i. pegni (Lat. 'pignus') pledges, i. e. wives and children. 
 
 3. esponemmo. Notice that in such perfects as ' posi ' the stem 
 varies in some of the persons. 
 
 4. perigli: 2. 7; 4. 3. 
 
CANTO I. 63 
 
 p. grido. a cry, is often used for ' fame,' as by Dante, speaking of 
 the two great fathers of Italian art (Purg. xi. 94), 
 ' Credette Cimabue nella-pintura 
 
 Tener lo campo, ed ora ha Giotto il grido.' 
 7. ' Since we should have (thus) proposed to ourselves a prize 
 mean and poor, and spilt our blood in ruin of our souls." 
 23. i. segno, mark, or goal. 
 
 2. mura, plural from ' muro.' See Rem. xi. 
 
 3. The Christians of Jerusalem were treated much in the same 
 way as the Jews have been treated in Christian cities. They were subject 
 to severe tributes, were obliged to inhabit a certain quarter of the city, 
 and to wear a leathern girdle as the sign of their servitude. The pilgrims 
 also were treated with great cruelty and oppression. 
 
 4. Notice that such words as ' virtu,' ' pieta," ' viltk,' ' servitu,' etc., 
 though they seem to be formed from the Latin nominative ('virtus.' 
 ' pietas,' etc.), have the corresponding long forms ' virtute,' ' pietate,' 
 ' viltate, 1 etc. (all used by Dante), which uphold the important canon 
 that in the formation of the Romance languages the accusative of the 
 Latin was accepted as the new substantive. 
 
 7. 'And that there shall be none to refuse . . . ' Chi, 'he who': 
 as 'wer' in German. In Latin the expression would be the same: 
 ' neque sit qui neget.' Notice that in all parts of speech an h is some- 
 times introduced so as to retain the hard pronunciation. Thus 
 'alberghi,' 20. 4, 'ricchi,' etc.: but 'medici/ ' Greci' (25. 5), etc. 
 
 24. 3. Notice the gradations : ' Much in danger, more in toil, little 
 in honour, nought in design.' 
 
 ' Our purpose lost, while indolent we stay, 
 Or turn the force of arms another way.' (Hoole.) 
 The ' disegno ' was of course the capture of Jerusalem. Si fermi : 
 Rem. v. and x. 
 
 5. ' What shall it profit to have ..." L'aver . . . accolto : 
 Rem. vii. 
 
 6. il foco (or 'fuoco,' as 'loco' and 'luogo') means the 'flame 
 of war.' 
 
 25. i. The argument is, ' if we wished to found an earthly empire, we 
 should not have come to Palestine.' 
 
 3-4. The meaning of these verses was said by Galileo to be 'strop- 
 piata ' (lame) ; and certainly they are rather awkwardly expressed. 
 Translate ' Where he has but few, and these strangers in race and faith, 
 amid the innumerable paynim host.' 
 
 5. The Greeks were opposed to the Crusade, and the Greek em- 
 peror Alexius was very jealous of the invasion of a country that once 
 was a portion of his empire. How he treated the Crusaders at the 
 
64 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 capture of Nice, and on other occasions, has been already related. See 
 Tasso's indignant address to Greece in stanza 51. Convien: 17. 4. 
 Greci: 23. 7. 
 
 7. ben: 5. i. Ond', ' by which' : 18.4. 
 
 26. i. Antioehia: see on 6.4. 
 
 4. Furo . . . fur. Rem. i. Another reading gives ' e vittorie inver 
 maravigliose.' 
 
 5. ri volte : sc. vittorie. 
 
 7. Temo cen privi. A word of fearing or doubt, as ' temere,' 
 is generally followed by 'che' and the subjunctive. The 'che' is how- 
 ever often dropped. When followed by ' che non,' or ' non ' alone, it 
 sometimes (as Lat. ' vereor ne ') expresses the fear of the positive, as 
 Dante, Inf. ii. 64, ' E temo che non sia gik si smarrito ' ' And I fear 
 that he is already so far astray.' But sometimes it expresses the reverse, 
 as in Inf. xxi. 93, 
 
 'E i diavoli si fecer tutti avanti: 
 SI ch' io temetti non tenesser patto ' 
 
 ' And the demons all advanced, so that I was afraid that they would not 
 keep the compact.' For cen, see Rem. ii. Favola, a tale. Cp. Hor. 
 Epp. i. 13. 9, 'fabula fias'; and Horn. II. vi. 'so that we shall become 
 a subject of song for men unborn.' He fears that all the noise and fame 
 of the Crusade may merely serve to 'point a moral or adorn a tale.' 
 Kimbombo, from Latin 'bombus,' a deep hollow sound: cp. our 
 ' boom ' and ' bomb.' 
 
 27. 1-2. sia: the optative, expressing a wish. Reo : see on 6. 7. 
 Che . . . perda, ' such as to (or would) waste.' In Latin it would be 
 similarly ' qui . . . perdat.' 
 
 3. priucipii : 9. 6. Distinguish the form ' principi,' chiefs. Orditi 
 is used in the sense of ' woven,' and the metaphor is kept up by ' filo." 
 
 5. ' Now that we have our steps free ..." Passi may however 
 be ' passes ' or ' passages,' as Hoole, 
 
 ' The country open, and the passes freed.' 
 
 7. meta, a goal, is a Latin word. The ' meta ' in the Roman 
 racecourse was a conical stone that served as a turning post for the 
 chariots. This word must not be confounded with ' meta,' which is con- 
 nected with ' mezzo ' (medius). 
 
 8. piu, any longer. 
 
 28. 3. Gli, them : i. e. ' i miei protesti.' 
 
 5. piu che si resti, ' the longer we delay.' Rem. v. and x. 
 
 8. Some read ' ch' avra . . ,' in which case only a comma must 
 stand after ' son ' in the last line. The succour from Egypt came after 
 the capture of Jerusalem. See the description of the battle of Ascalon. 
 
 29. 2. Piero. Peter the Hermit was, according to some, a native of 
 
CANTO I. 65 
 
 Amiens; or, according to others, of Huy, the lovely little town on the 
 Mouse, a few miles above Liege. Others again think he came from 
 Acherstadt in the neighbourhood of Liege, because in some chronicles 
 he is called ' Petrus de Aehcris.' He studied at Paris, and became so 
 distinguished for his learning that he was chosen as tutor to Godfrey. 
 In 1093 he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and was then inspired with 
 the desire of liberating the Holy City from the power of he infidels. 
 On his return he was favoured by Pope Urban II, and succeeded in 
 arousing that extraordinary excitement through the greater portion of 
 Europe, which resulted in the first Crusade. His ill-fated invasion of 
 Asia Minor, and his attempted desertion at Antioch, have already been 
 related. He is introduced several times in the poem (x. 73 ; xi. i ; xii. 
 85 ; xiii. 50 ; xiv. 29 ; xviii. 6 and 39), and is said to have received the 
 adoring homage of the Crusading host after the capture of Jerusalem. 
 His task was done,' says Mr. Cox, ' and in the annals of the time Peter is 
 heard of no more.' Another authority (Ugo Foscolo) however informs 
 us that on his return to Europe he confined himself closely in a 
 monastery at Huy, where he lived for sixteen years in humility and 
 penitence. It seems a little strange that Peter should be described 
 by Tasso as speaking with so much authority in the council so soon 
 after the public disgrace that he had brought upon himself. See on 6. 4. 
 
 5. consiglio : see on 3. 3. 
 
 6. v' ha : ' Le gallicisme il y a a et<S aussi transporte dans la 
 langue italiennc, depuis les temps les plus recules, et Ton a dit egli 
 vi ha, ou hdwi, pour le singulier comme pour le pluriel, ct ainsi de 
 suite dans les autres temps de ce verbe.' (Robello.) The Gallic origin 
 of the expression may be doubted. Cp. Greek Ka\us txei, and Latin 
 ' bene habet.' Dante uses ' avere ' without the ' vi ' in the same sense : 
 as 'ha gente che sospira' (Inf. vii. 118), and ' non avea pianto ' 
 (Inf. iv. 26). 
 
 29. 7. Dimostrollo : Rem. ii. 
 
 30. i. onta, is connected with Germ. ' hohnen,' to scoff. ' If rightly 
 I note the discords and despite . . . .' 
 
 2. a prova, 'in rivalry.' Cp. Dante, Inf. viii. 114, 'a pruova si 
 ricorse,' rushed back eagerly ^certatim). 
 
 3-4. pareri : Rem. vii. ' And many plans obstructed in their 
 course.' (Hoole.) This line is altered in the Conquistata to ' E 1' opere 
 si tarde e si impedite.' 
 
 7. ' Quell' autorita che e pari (uguale), essendo quasi equilibrata 
 in molti capitani, e questi varj di opinione.' (Deagostini.) 
 
 31. i. This seems to be imitated from Homer, Iliad ii. 203, where 
 Odysseus says, ' Surely all of us Achaeans shall not be kings here. An 
 evil thing is it when many bear rule. Let there be one commander, one 
 
 F 
 
66 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 king.* G-iudici, from ' giudicio,' not from 'guidice.' See on 2. 7. 
 Onde, 1 8. 4. 
 
 2. Pendano : the subjunctive, as in 27. 2. 'On whom may rest 
 the judgments of rewards and of punishments." 
 
 3 -4. Onde must here be translated ' by whom.' Conviene, ' must 
 needs be.' 
 
 6. Frene, for ' freni.' Rem. xii. 
 
 8. Sostenga : 3rd pers. imperative, ' Let him sustain.' Vece, 
 as Lat. ' vicem,' means the ' part ' or ' office.' 
 
 32. i. veglio and vecchio are from the Lat. diminutive form 
 'vetulus' or 'veclus' (found, says Donkin, in an ancient grammarian). 
 Thus we find ' speglio ' a poetical form of ' specchio.' 
 
 2. aura, inspiration. Cp. 18. 6. 
 
 5. sgombri gl' insert! . . . . ' Thou dispellest the implanted, nay 
 the inborn, desires . . . .' Sgombrare : from ' ex ' (or ' dis ') and ' cumu- 
 lus," a heap : whence Fr. ' comble,' It. ' ingombro," Eng. ' cumber," etc. 
 
 7- Guglielmo: see on 44. 4. Guelpho : 10. 8. This is a 
 palpable stroke of flattery for the house of Este ' i piu sublimi." 
 
 33. 1-2. denno for ' debbono ' a form used also by Dante. ' Denno ' 
 may also be the perfect from 'dare' instead of 'diedero' or ' dierono." 
 Translate ' his duties are to be to deliberate and command others.' 
 Altrui stands for all the oblique cases of ' altri ' and ' altro," and, as is 
 usual with words whose terminations indicate the case, is not often used 
 with a preposition. 
 
 3. Imponga : as in Latin, the subjunctive is used in an indirect 
 construction, when a command is implied. ' Let him impose . . .' i. e. 
 they decide that he shall impose ... A suo senno, ' at his discretion." 
 
 5. gia pari : see on 12. 7. 
 
 7. Concluso cio, an absolute construction : ' when this was 
 finished." Notice the two forms ' coacluso ' and ' conchiuso.' Rem. iv. 
 
 34. 7. impone . . . , ' he orders that . . .' 
 
 8. schierato, ' arrayed.' Schiera, a band or company, is con- 
 nected with Germ. ' schaar ' (a troop), and our ' share," ' ploughshare," 
 ' shear," etc., all of which words contain the notion of division. 
 
 35. 3. co' raggi . . . i. e. at daybreak. 
 
 5. adorno : see on 21. 7. 
 
 6. Buglion, i.e. Godfrey of Bouillon : 8. 5. For pio, see on i. I. 
 It is the epithet that Virgil constantly gives to his hero Aeneas. 
 
 7. fermo = fermato ; 21. 7. Notice that, as in French, reflective 
 verbs form their passives with 'essere.' 
 
 8. fante, from Lat. 'infantem,' means originally a child before it 
 can speak (in . . . fari) ; hence a servant, ' boy," retainer, or infantry. In 
 two passages Dante uses the word in the sense of a rational creature, 
 
CANTO I. 67 
 
 as opposed to a. speechless animal, in which cases it seems to be the 
 Latin ' fantem 1 (speaking), rather than the shortened form of' infantem.' 
 36. i. Mente means 'memory,' as in Dante (Inf. ii. 8), 'O mente, 
 che scrivesti cio ch' io vidi." 
 
 3-4. vagliami, from ' vale-re,' imperative. ' Let thy (reasoning) 
 power aid me.' Some read ' vagliami tua virtu.' Schiera : 34. 8. 
 
 36. 8. eta, from Lat. 'aetatem'; and, as we might expect (see on 23. 
 4), there is a longer form 'etade,' used by Dante. Nulla 1* estingua: 
 notice the redundance of the pronoun in such expressions. Thus ' Ch' 
 Amor di nostra dipartille,' ' which Love cut off (them : sc. ' ombre ') 
 from our life.' Dante, Inf. v. 69 ; cp. ii. 95. 4. 
 
 37. i. mostrarsi = si mostrarono. Rem. i. 
 
 2. Ugone. Hugh, Count of Vermandois, was brother of Philip I 
 of France, and one of the most conspicuous of the Crusading princes ; 
 but, as Gibbon says, his appellation of 'the Great' was due not so much 
 to his merit or possessions (.though neither were contemptible) as 
 to his royal birth. After the capture of Antioch he was sent back as 
 envoy to Constantinople, to remind Alexius of his promises, and seized 
 the opportunity to retire to his native land. Tasso, perhaps to draw a 
 veil over the cowardice of the prince, states that he had already died ; 
 Lut this is not true, for, after Jerusalem had fallen, he returned to the 
 Holy Land on a new Crusade, and died of a wound at Tarsus. 
 
 3. Foro is another form of ' furo,' ' furono,' used chiefly in rhyme. 
 The isle of France (from which came the ' Franchi '), between the Seine, 
 the Oise, the Aisne, and the Mame, was the original domain of the 
 Capetian sovereigns, and the home of that dialect of the ' langue d'Oil,' 
 which supplanted the dialects of Normandy, Picardy, and Burgundy, 
 and became the French language. 
 
 5. gigli, i.e. the 'fleurs-de-lis.' 
 
 6. drappello, a flag ; hence, a company. With ' drappo ' are con- 
 nected our ' drape,' ' draper,' ' trappings,' etc. 
 
 7. Clotareo, or Clotaire, was afterwards killed by the Amazonian 
 Clorinda (xi. 43). 
 
 8. nulla, and niente are often thus used after a verb in the sense 
 of ' something,' or ' anything.' Thus ' se io posso far nulla ' means, ' if 
 I can do anything.' Therefore the common expression, ' il dolce far 
 r.ie-nte,' first vulgai ise-d (says Robello) by the newspapers, means exactly 
 the opposite of what it is generally intended to mean. The right phrase 
 would be, ' il dolce non far niente.' Translate ' To whom if aught is 
 wanting, 'tis royal blood." 
 
 38. 2. altrettaiiti : see on Rem. iii. 
 
 4. indifferent! = non differenti.' 
 
 5. Robert, eldest son of William the Conqueror, a prince of 
 
 F 2 
 
68 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 magnanimous but indolent and unpractical nature, was deprived of 
 the English Crown, his birthright, by the craft and activity of his 
 younger brother, William Rufus, and was obliged to content himself 
 with the duchy of Normandy and Maine. His wayward and careless 
 misrule ruined his people, and roused them to rebellion ; and when 
 a sudden impulse led him to join the Crusaders, he pawned Nor- 
 mandy to William for ten thousand marks, with which he might 
 collect a body of followers. In the Holy Land he distinguished 
 himself, and it is related by some chroniclers that he refused the 
 offered crown of Jerusalem. After the fall of the City of David, 
 while on his journey home, he fell in love with an Italian lady, 
 Sibyl, daughter of Count Conversano. While he loitered in Italy, 
 Rufus died, and the English Crown was seized by Henry I. Robert, 
 when he heard of this, hastened to England and landed with an 
 army at Portsmouth. War was averted for a time ; but sooa after- 
 wards Henry invaded Normandy. Robert was taken prisoner at 
 Tenchebray, and was confined by his unnatural brother for twenty- 
 eight years in Cardiff castle, where he died. 
 
 7. pastor de popoli : ' shepherds of the peoples,' an expression 
 taken from Homer. Spiegare is the Lat. ' explicare,' used in the same 
 sense. Rem. iv. 
 
 8. Two prelates named William, one Bishop of Orange, the 
 other of Metz, were among the Crusaders. It is probable that 
 Tasso's Guglielmo is the former, both for other reasons and because 
 the city of Orange is mentioned in the next stanza. He is again 
 coupled with Adhemar in canto xi. 5, and celebrates mass (xi. 14). 
 Adhemar, Bishop of Puy, and pope's legate, ' a respectable 
 prelate ' (according to Gibbon) ' alike qualified for this world, and 
 the next,' was associated with Raymond in the command of those 
 who came from the south of France. He was the first who at the 
 Council of Clermont took the badge of the Cross. After his fervent 
 exhortations as spiritual adviser, and no less vigorous example in the 
 field of battle, had long encouraged the Christian army; he. was, 
 according to the legend of Tasso, slam before Jerusalem by arrows 
 from the bow of Clorinda. The historical fact, however, seems to 
 be that he fell a victim to the epidemic that raged among the Cru- 
 saders after the capture of Antioch. He was buried in the church 
 of St. Peter, the same in which afterwards Tancred's remains were 
 kid. 
 
 39. 3. lunghi crini. ' Costumanza die anche oggidi si mantiene ne' 
 preti rrancesi.' (Carbone.) 
 
 5. Orange (anciently Arausio) lies not far to the north of 
 Avignon, in the department of Vaucluse. 
 
CANTO I. 69 
 
 7. Poggio is Le Puy, in the province of Vellai, called Podium in 
 the middle ages. 
 
 8. Scaltro : according to the Crusca, 'scaltrire' means to 
 'sharpen,' or 'shape from the rough.' It may be connected with Latin 
 ' scalpere,' ' scalptura ' (forms of ' sculptura,' etc.). The s was thought 
 to be ex (Rem. iv.\ and a verb ' calterire' was also formed. Translate 
 ' Xor less skilled in arms.' 
 
 40.1-2. Baldovin: see on 9. I. These 'Bolognesi' are from 
 Boulogne-sur-mer. Godfrey, as commander-in-chief, has entrusted his 
 company to his brother. Addur si vede, ' Is seen bringing up.' 
 3. pio : as 35. 6. 
 
 5. This Count of the Carnutes (an ancient people in Gallia 
 Lugdunensis) is Stephen of Chartres, concerning whom see on 62. i. 
 
 6. pro" is the Latin preposition ' pro,' used in Italian as a sub- 
 stantive, e.g. 'in pro o in contro." From Lat. 'prodest' (it profits) we 
 get ' prod" e.' Then ' prode ' was used as an adjective ; as ' egli e prode ' 
 (i. e. prodest), he is useful or brave. (Diez.) 
 
 7. triplicati. i. e. thrice as many. 
 
 41. i. Guelpho : 10. 8. 
 
 2. This may, or may not, be imitated from Cicero (pro Archia), 
 ' Qui cum virtute fortunam adaeqtiavit.' 
 
 3. ' Through his Italian father': see on 10. 8. Latino is used by 
 Dante and Petrarch in this sense. See Selections from the Inferno, 
 Clar. Press, p. 148. 
 
 . germane, as Germ. ' Germane,' is not commonly used except 
 to distinguish the ancient inhabitants of Germany. It is probably used 
 here purposely, to imply the ancient origin of the Suabian line, from 
 which he was transplanted into that of-Este ; but cp. 43. 2. 
 
 7. Istro, the Lat. ' Ister,' is the Danube. 
 
 8. The Suevi occupied in ancient times the greater part of 
 Germany, and comprised numerous tribes. Tacitus gives the name of 
 Suevia to all the country between the Danube and the Baltic. In the 
 third century we find the name applied to a people living between the 
 mouth of the river Maine and the Black Forest, and from them is derived 
 the modern ' Suabia.' The Rhaeti are supposed by some to have come 
 originally from Ktruria. They lived in what is now the Tyrol and 
 the Swis-; Grisons. Avieno : a form of the imperfect 'avevano,' used 
 also by Dante (Inf. xxii. 144, etc.). 
 
 42. i. retaggio, from Lat. ' haereditatcm ' : as 'redita,' 'reda' ( = 
 erede, Dante), 'resia' (haeresis), 'storia' (historia\ and other words, 
 from which the first syllable has dropped out. See Rem. iv. 
 
 3-4 Horace speaks of the Rhaeti in like terms of praise. ' Hearts 
 devoted to the death of the free ' (Carm. iv. 14. 18). Che prende a 
 
70 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 scherno d' andar . . . , ' who deem lightly of . . .' Cp. such expres- 
 sions as ' godo di,' ' I am rejoiced in ..." Scherno is probably from 
 the same root as our ' scorn.' 
 
 5. TJsa agrees with ' gente.' Temprar, i. e. ' temperare.' The 
 idea is probably from Virgil, who, in describing the dreaded winter of the 
 North, cheers the scene by a similar description. ' They themselves in 
 deep-dug caverns lead a merry time of ease far beneath the ground, and 
 roll on to the hearths stacked oak logs and whole elms, and give them 
 to the flame. Here they spend the night in sport, and with malt and 
 sour sorb-apples imitate draughts of wine.' (Georg. iii. 376.) 
 
 8. or qui ne mena, ' here he now leads scarce a third of them.' 
 Rem. ii. 
 
 43. 3. Mosa, i. e. the Meuse or Maas. These are the Flemish and 
 Dutch. 
 
 4. Sponda in Latin means the frame of a bedstead or couch : 
 hence an ' edge' or ' bank.' 
 
 5. fansi : Rem. v. Compare Goldsmith (Traveller, 282) : 
 
 ' Embosomed in the deep where Holland lies, 
 Methinks her patient sons before me stand, 
 Where the broad ocean leans against the land, 
 And, sedulous to stop the coming tide, 
 Lift the tall rampire's artificial pride. 
 
 While the pent ocean, rising o'er the pile, 
 Sees an amphibious world beneath him smile.' 
 8. cittadi : see on 23. 4. Pliny states that the ocean had 
 swallowed up certain islands in these parts. 
 
 44. 2. This 'other Robert' (see on 38. 5) was Count of Flanders. 
 His father Robert I had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to expiate 
 the crime of having usurped the title that he bore. His son pur- 
 chased absolution for an offence against the Church by assuming the 
 Red Cross. By his courage he earned the title of the ' Lance and 
 sword of the Crusaders' from his comrades, and that of 'St. George' 
 from his enemies. He remained in Palestine until the kingdom of 
 Jerusalem was established, and then returned to his native land, 
 where he was killed by a fall from his horse. A stuolo, ' in one 
 band.' Stuolo is from the Greek crrSXps. 
 
 4. The King of England at this time was William Rufus. He 
 had no legitimate children ; and it is not known for certain whether 
 among the Crusaders there was any son of his named William. 
 Cp- 32. 7, where he is mentioned as one of the principal leaders. 
 
 6. ' From the distant bogs,' says Gibbon, ' and mountains of 
 
CANTO I. 71 
 
 Ireland and Scotland issued some naked and savage fanatics, ferocious 
 at home, but umvarlike abroad.' The chronicler Guibert says, ' I 
 call heaven to witness that I know not the name of these peoples 
 (English and Irish) : their language was to us unknown ; and to 
 shew that they were even Christians they used to place one finger 
 over another in the form of a cross.' 
 
 8. This is imitated from Virgil's ' Et penitus toto divisos orbe 
 Britannos,' 'And the Britons, utterly cut off from the whole world.' 
 (Eel. i. 67.) 
 
 45. i. Tancredi : see on 9. 3. 
 
 2. Trarme, i. e. 'ne trai ' (from ' trarre'), 'except.' Thus Dante 
 (Inf. xxix. 125), ' Tranne lo Stricca.' Rem. ii. For Rinaldo, see 10. 3. 
 
 3. bel: see on 3. 5. 
 
 7-8. The sense is well given by Hoole 
 
 'A sudden love, that, born amidst alarms, 
 Was nursed with anguish in the din of arms.' 
 
 The words ' afan ' and ' ahan,' meaning pain, are found in early 
 romance poems. Thence come O. Fr. 'ahan,' toil, and 'ahaner,' to 
 toil, or to be out of breath. 
 
 46. i. la rotta. i.e. the defeat of Kerboga before Antioch : see on 
 6. 4. The ' donzella ' of the next stanza is the daughter of the emir 
 of Antioch ; but this romantic story is a pure invention of Tasso's. 
 
 4. stance is said to be from Lat. ' stagnare,' to make stagnant, 
 or to stop : with which are also connected our ' staunch,' and ' tank.' It 
 means ' wearied.' 
 
 5. labbra : see Rem. xi. 
 
 7. invitollo : Rem. iii. Hezzo, orezza, and rezza (a veil) 
 seem all to be derived from Lat. ' auretium ' (a breezy spot). But cp. 
 ' brezza,' Fr. 'brise,' etc., and ' ribrezzo,' which means ' shivering.' 
 
 8. seggi : see on 2. 7. Fonte vivo : cp. Lat. ' vivum flumen,' 
 etc. 'A fresh (or natural) spring circled with verdant seats." This 
 is perhaps from Virgil's ' Intus aquae clulces, vivoque sedilia saxo.' 
 ' within are sweet waters, and seats cut in the natural rock ' (Aen. i. 
 i67\ 
 
 47. 4. istessa, as 'ispecchio,' ' isperare,' etc. Such words are still 
 more softened in French, as ' etat,' ' c-toile.' Eistorarse for ' ristorarsi ': 
 Rem. vi. ; cp. ii. n. i. 
 
 6. e n' arse : ' and was inflamed with love for her.' 
 
 8. This of course alludes to the wings and bow of Cupid. 
 
 48. 1-2. coprissi : Rem. iii. Arrivar : Rem. i. Ben, ' certainly': 
 ;-. i. Assaliva, 'would have attacked him' (avrebbe assalito lui). The 
 indicative pluperfect is used similarly in Latin and English. 
 
 5. The idea in these lines may be taken from Ovid, who makes 
 
72 LA GERUSALEMME LIEERATA. 
 
 use of it more than once, as in the beautiful passage about Lucretia 
 
 (.Fasti, ii. 769 sq.), and in Metam. vi. : 
 
 ' At rex Odrysius, quamvis secessit ab ilia, 
 Aestuat, et repetens faciem, motusque, manusque, 
 Qualia vult fingit, quae nondum vidit ; et ignes 
 Ipse suos nutrit, cura removente dolorem.' 
 
 49. i. Cp. Petrarch, Canz. xiii. : 
 
 ' Onde alia vista nom di tal vita esperto 
 Diria : questi arde e di suo stato e incerto.' 
 2. spene : 17. 2. 
 
 5. le ciglia: Rem. xi. 
 
 6. pompa . . . This expression seem to be copied from Claudian, 
 the last Roman poet, who speaks of 
 
 ' Luxuriantis arenae 
 Delicias, pompam nemorum." 
 
 8. ' Which the Tyrrhene deep woos.' Vago, meaning originally 
 ' wandering,' has also the sense of ' desirous,' ' amorous,' from the notion 
 of eager quest. 
 
 50. 2. scarce or scarico, ' unladen.' Rem. iv. 
 
 5. asciugare and asciutto, from Lat. 'exsugere' (sucus) and 
 ' exsuctus,' literally ' sucked out,' and therefore ' dry,' ' lean.' 
 
 7-8. This is like the description given of Hannibal's Numidian 
 cavalry, or still more of the Parthian : 
 
 ' Fidentemque fuga Parthum, versisque sagittis.' 
 
 (Virg. Georg. iii. 31.) 
 
 51. i. The leader of the Greeks, sent by Alexius, was Taticius (or 
 Tanino), whom Tasso calls Tatino (or, according to some editions 
 Latino, or Tazio). In canto xiii. 68 he is said to have deserted the 
 Christian camp before Jerusalem on account of the famine : but this 
 took place really at the siege of Antioch. See on 6. 4. 
 
 2. armi latine : see on i. i. 
 
 3. See on 25. 5. 
 
 5. pur quasi, ' only as if,' or 'just as if.' For the uses of ' pure, 
 see Selections from the Inferno, note on v. 21. (Clar. Press). 
 8. non ti lagnar, ' complain not.' Rem. ix. 
 
 52. 3. invitto is the Latin ' invicrus.' Rem. iv. 
 
 4. This is imitated from Lucretius, who calls the two Scipios 
 
 ' Scipiades, belli fulmen, Carthaginis horror.' 
 Tasso applies the same expression to Tissaphemes (xvii. 31). 
 
 5. ' Let Argo cease to boast her Minyae.' Most of the Argonauts 
 were Minyae, who came originally from Thessaly, under their leader 
 Minyas, and founded a kingdom in Boeotia, with Orchomenos as their 
 
CANTO I. 73 
 
 capital. King- Arthur and his knights are too well known to 
 description. 
 
 6. Cp. Petrarch, Trionfo d'Amor, cap. iii. : 
 
 ' Ecco quei che le carte empion di sogni, 
 Lancillotto, Tristano, e gli altri erranti." 
 
 7. 'Tacciano perchc ogni antica mcmoria percle, e vinta, appo, 
 cio& appresso, questi eroi avventurieri.' (Deagostini.) Appo, Lat. 
 ' apud,' means near.' It is used by Dante (Inf. xviii. 1 35) in the Latin 
 sense, i. e. ' appo te,' with thee. 
 
 53. i. Dudon, a friend of Godfrey, came from Contz, not far from 
 the confluence of the Saar and the Moselle, (Ugo Foscolo); or, as 
 others say, from Conza in southern Italy. Nothing further is known of 
 him. Tasso seems almost to apologise for Dudon's obscurity in the 
 following lines. 
 
 8. non brutte, that is, 'honourable.' This is an example of 
 what grammarians call ' meiosis' (a lessening). 
 
 54. i. Eustace (8. 5), younger brother of Godfrey and Baldwin. 
 After the former was established at Jerusalem, and the latter at Edessa, 
 Eustace returned to the West. Pregi : see on 2. 7. 
 
 3. ' Gernando is there.' Rem. ii. Nothing is told in the history 
 of the Crusades concerning this leader: nor is the royal house of 
 Norway mentioned. 
 
 5. Roger of Barneville is a historical character. He is afterwards 
 kilk-d by Tisaphernes (canto xx. 112), a heroic Indian in the mercenary 
 force of the Egyptian caliph. 
 
 6-8. There are four chiefs mentioned in the chronicles, with the 
 name Engerlan or Engerrand ; one a German prince, another of 
 Lilliers, etc. It is impossible to say which Tasso means. The Gherards. 
 or Gerards, also who took part in this Crusade number at least six. of 
 which Tasso mentions two. Rambaldo was Duke of Orange. Later in 
 the poem (v. 75) he is seduced from his allegiance and faith by the enchan- 
 tress Armida. Gentonio is probably a Gentone of Beam in France. 
 
 55. 2. Of the names in this stanza none are sufficiently reccg:.ised as 
 historical to demand notice. 
 
 3-4. Non fla ch' . . , ' it shall not be that . . .' Chi f a . . . , 
 i. e. time, or oblivion. 
 
 6. involi . . . al chiaro mondo, lit. ' rob from the illustrious 
 world,' i. e. celebrity. These three Lombard brothers are of the 
 Parian family Bfccaria. 
 
 8. ' In which from the (mouth of the) snake issues the naked 
 child': the arms of the Visconti of Milan. Ignudo , a long form of 
 4 nudo.' Cp. Lat. ' gnavus.' and ' navus ' : and see on 47. 4. Angue is 
 a poetical word for a snake. Lat. ' anguis.' 
 
74 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 56. 1-3. Of these chiefs Eberardo (Everard) of Puysage alone is 
 mentioned by the commentators. There were five Guidi, and it is 
 impossible to say which two are here meant. 
 
 5. lasso : for the rhyme see on 3. 3. Ove . . . rapite, from 
 Virg. Aen. vi. 846, 'Quo fessum rapitis Fabii?' Translate 'Whither 
 do ye ... hurry me, already weary of recounting ? ' 
 
 6. This Edward was an English baron, who was accompanied by 
 his heroic wife Gildippe. She is represented as the Christian Amazon. 
 a character that Clorinda acts on the side of the Pagans. Both she and 
 her husband are (xx. 94. sq.) killed by Soliman. Hence 'ye shall not 
 be separated even when dead.' 
 
 57. 1-2. 'In the schools of Love what is not learnt ?' Cp. Petrarch's 
 ' Per quel ch' egli imparo nella mia scola.' Ivi si fe, ' there was she 
 made,' or ' made herself.' Rem. v. 
 
 3. noccia: subjunctive, present, from 'nuocere,' or 'nocere,' 
 which is declined like ' piacere,' ' giacere,' etc. The construction ' ad 
 un . . . noccia' resembles the Latin construction of the dative after 
 'nocere.' Unqua and unquanco (Lat. 'unquam') are archaic and 
 poetical forms. Dante also uses ' unque.' 
 
 8. versa, 'sheds,' 'pours forth.' Cp. 3. i. Qussta, i.e. Gildippe 
 
 58. i. Einaldo : see on 10. 3. 
 
 2. sovra quanti .... Notice the omission of the antecedent. 
 
 4. The order of the words is ' vedresti tutti mirar in lui solo.' 
 6. n' usciro, ' issued forth.' Hoole translates, 
 
 ' Mature beyond his years his virtues shoot, 
 As, mixed with blossoms, grows the budding fruit.' 
 7-8. fulminar, ' flash.' Rinaldo is the Achilles of the Crusade 
 uniting the attributes of Mars and Amor, as did the son of Peleus, who, 
 unrivalled by all but Nireus, was the most handsome of the Greeks 
 who came beneath the walls of Troy. 
 
 59. 2. See on 10. 3. Bertoldo was son of Azzo V of Este, the ge- 
 nealogy of which house is given in Canto xvii. 
 
 3. fusse : see Rem. xii. 
 
 5. This Matilda, whom Tasso here feigns to have been the in- 
 structress of Rinaldo, is the celebrated Countess Matilda, daughter of 
 the Margrave Boniface of Tuscany. She defeated Robert Guiscard, and 
 was the valiant ally of Gregory VII (Hildebrand) against Henry IV. 
 By her assistance the emperor was overpowered and forced to submit to 
 a humiliating penance at Canossa, where, ' for three days and nights in 
 January. 1077, he waited bareheaded in the courtyard of the castle 
 before the haughty prelate would grant him an audience ' (Select. Inferno, 
 Clar. Press, p. xvii). Matilda left to the papal see the greater portion 
 of her vast possessions, thus to a great extent securing the temporal 
 
CANTO I. 75 
 
 power of the Popes. Dante introduces her into Purgatory as a symbol 
 of active life, in contrast to Beatrice, or contemplative life. Her deeds are 
 recounted by Tasso in Canto xvii. 77 sq. 
 
 6. con ella, 'per grazia di rima, sull' esempio di molti eccellenti 
 poeti, invece di dire con lei secondo i grammatici.' (Deagostini.) 
 
 60. i. lustro (Lat. 'lustrum') is a space of five years, so 'called from 
 the expiatory sacrifice or purification (the original meaning of 'lustrum') 
 performed by the Roman censors after the census, which was taken every 
 five years. Forniti : completed. 
 
 2. G-iunse, 'arrived.' The Latin 'jungere' means to 'join'; but 
 in medieval Latin we find such expressions as ' conjungere ad . . . ,' to 
 arrive at. 
 
 5. 1'imiti : see on 36. 8. 
 
 6. This is evidently ' magnanimo Alfonso.' Cp. 5. I sq. Nipote 
 is used loosely for ' descendant,' as Virgil uses ' magna de stirpe ne- 
 potum.' These two lines are entirely omitted by Hoole, perhaps as too 
 obscure. 
 
 61. i . Passati i cavlieri, ' when the mounted troops had passed,' 
 an absolute construction common in Italian. 
 
 2. innanti (and innanto) for ' innanzi.' Raymond of Toulouse 
 (see on 38. 8) was united with Adhemar in the command of more 
 than 100,000 men from the south of France. He was marquis of 
 Provence, duke of Narbonne, and count of Toulouse and of St. Giles. 
 The last title he took from the town of his birth (or perhaps his first 
 appanage), which was consecrated to St Aegidius, a name corrupted by 
 the French into St. Gilles, or St. Giles. It is situated in Lower Languedoc, 
 between Nismes and the Rhone, and still boasts a collegiate church of the 
 foundation of Raymond (Gibbon, chap. Iviii). He had earlier in life 
 fought in Spain, as comrade of the Cid, against the Moors. After the 
 conquest of Jerusalem he returned to Constantinople, and received as a 
 reward for his services from the Greek Emperor the city of Laodicea. 
 Soon afterwards he took part in the siege of Tripoli, and died before the 
 walk of that city in 1 1 10. Pirene, i. e. the Pyrenees. 
 
 8. Notice that most nouns in -a that signify a male, as ' papa,' 
 ' poeta,' etc., are masculine. Quids is an exception. 
 
 62. r. ' Stephen, count of Chartres, of Blois, and of Troyes, was one 
 of the richest princes of the age ; and the number of his castles has been 
 compared to the three hundred and sixty five days of the year. His 
 mind was improved by literature; and in ihe council of the chiefs the 
 eloquent Stephen was chosen to discharge the office of their president.' 
 (Gibbon.) He was married to Adela, or Alice, fourth daughter of 
 William the Conqueror, and was the father by her of Stephen, King of 
 Kngland. During the siege of Antioch he deserted and returned home 
 
76 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER ATA. 
 
 (see on 6. 4), but, unable to bear the reproaches of his high-minded 
 wife and his subjects, he again collected a large force of about 250,000 
 men, and made his way to Palestine. But great calamities overtook 
 this army, and after great losses only a few, together with their leader, 
 reached Antioch. Here he distinguished himself by saving the life of 
 Bohemond on one occasion ; but he was himself killed in a fight near 
 Jerusalem in 1103. 
 
 5-8. Of this stanza Cesarotti (the notorious disparager of Homer) 
 remarks that it contains a precious philosophical maxim on the influence 
 of climate. In like manner many critics have praised Dante as a meta- 
 physician, a natural philosopher, a theologian, and what not, while they 
 have utterly ignored him as a poet. The ' furia francese ' described in 
 the last two lines is also noticed by Cesarotti. It shews that the 
 character of French troops in their furious and brief elan has suffered 
 little change. Di leggier, lightly, easily. 
 
 63. i. This Alcasto is mentioned later in the poem (Canto xi) as one 
 of the foremost in the assault on Jerusalem, when he was driven back 
 by Argante. He also endeavoured in vain to cut down the enchanted 
 grove (Canto xiii). 
 
 2. After the tragic fate of Oedipus, his sons Eteocles and Poly- 
 nices dfvided the government of Thebes ; but quarrels arose, and 
 Polynices was driven out. He fled to Argos, where Adrastus organised 
 for his restoration the famous expedition of the ' Seven against Thebes.' 
 Capaneus was one of these seven heroes. While he was scaling the 
 walls he was struck down by the thunderbolt of Zeus, whom he had 
 defied. 
 
 ' With launched lightning hurls him down, 
 E'en at the goal and summit, 
 Striving to shout, triumphant, 'Victory'; 
 And dashed upon th' unyielding ground he fell.' 
 
 (Sophocles, Antig. 131.) 
 
 In a most magnificent passage Capaneus is represented by Dante as 
 still indomitably defiant even in hell, caring nought for the flakes of 
 burning snow that are showered upon him, so that he forces from Virgil 
 the exclamation, ' O Capaneus, in that thy pride is not quenched thou 
 art the more punished. No torment, save thy rage, would be pain pro- 
 portioned to thy fury' (xiv. 46). Again (xxv. 14) he says: 
 ' Spirto non vidi in Dio tanto superbo, 
 
 Non quel che cadde a Tebe giu de' muri.' 
 
 Tasso here of course means a nobler pride and the defiant look of 
 courage : but probably not unmingled in Acasto with a savage fierceness. 
 
 3. Elvezi, the ' Helvetii ' or Swiss. Plebe implies that they had 
 been mere uneducated cowherds and low-born rustics. 
 
CANTO I. 77 
 
 5-6. Solchi, furrows : from Lat. ' sulcus.' Cp. Virgil (Georg. i. 
 508) : 
 
 'Bent sickles forged into the rigid sword.' 
 
 Contrast Isaiah ii. 4 ; ' And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, 
 and their spears into pruninghooks.' 
 
 8. sfidar, to challenge, or defy. See Rem. iv. 
 
 64. I. vessillo, a standard: from Lat. 'vexillum,' which is the 
 diminutive of ' velum,' a sail, or curtain. This is the Papal standard 
 of Urban II. 
 
 4. rilucnti, as in 62. 4. 
 
 5. 'Glad that for so great an emprise Heaven had chosen him.' 
 Thus Dante (Par. xi. 109) : 
 
 ' Colui, ch' a tanto ben sortillo.' 
 
 Camillas rejoices that he is allowed to imitate the great deeds of his 
 great namesakes, especially M. Furius Camillus, who in 396 took Veii, 
 and drove Brennus and his Gauls from Rome, after the city had been 
 captured and sacked by the barbarian in 390. 
 
 7. latina, here probably in the more limited sense of ' Roman ' 
 or ' Latian.' See on 41. 3. He wishes to prove that courage at least is 
 not deficient in the Roman troops, however much their military training 
 may be inferior to that of their ancestors. 
 
 65. i. 'L'esercito consisteva in circa diecimila cavalli senza gli Av- 
 venturieri, e ventidue mila pedoni.' (Deagostini.) 
 
 5. appaia: pres. subj. of 'apparire,' or ' apparere.' Alba, the 
 dawn, from ' albus ' (white) : whence also French ' aube.' Thus Dante, 
 speaking of the newly risen sun, says, ' II sol imjaianca i fioretti.' 
 
 6. Vo' = ' voglio,' from ' volere.' 
 
 7. giunga : see on 60. 4. Citta sacrata, i. e. Jerusalem. 
 
 8. aspettata agrees with ' oste.' The more quickly the army 
 advances the less will it be expected, and opposed. 
 
 66. 3. parlar: see Rem. vii. 
 
 5. novo raggio, the morrow's dawn. 
 
 8. nel cor la prema, an imitation of Virgil's (Aen. i. 209) 'Spem 
 vultu simulat, premit altum corde dolorem.' 
 
 67. 3. Ga/a. 'The last city on the S. W. frontier of Palestine, and 
 the key of the country on the side of Egypt, stood on an eminence about 
 two miles from the sea, and was, from the very earliest times of which 
 we have any record, very strongly fortified ' (Smith's Class. Diet.). It 
 was a stronghold of the Philistines against the Jews, of the Jews against 
 the Persians, of the Persians against Alexander, and in the wars of 
 subsequent ages was often destroyed and rebuilt. It fell into the hands 
 of the Arabs in 634, and at the time of the first Crusade was probably 
 under the dominion of Egypt, though Tasso has represented Palestine as 
 
78 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 still in the hands of the Turks. Bello e forte arnese . . , copied 
 from Dante, wl.o (Inf. xx. 70) speaks of 
 
 ' Peschiera, bello e forte arnese 
 Da fronteggiar Bresciani e Bergamaschi.' 
 
 6. stia : pres. subj. from 'stare.' 
 
 7. ' Nor doubts in him a cruel foe to find.' (Hoole.) 
 
 68. i. saettia, a brigantine, or some such fast-sailing vessel. 
 
 5. un giovane regal : Sweyn, son of the Danish king. While 
 he attempted to lead his army from Constantinople to join the Crusaders, 
 he and his followers were destroyed by Soliman and his Turks. 
 ' Insidiis Turcorum,' says the chronicler Paolo Emilio, ' ad unum 
 omnes cum regio juvene caesi.' 
 
 7. Prence, a short form of ' principe.' Dante (Purg. x. 74) uses 
 ' prince.' 
 
 8. Sin, a form of 'fino' (from Lat. 'finis,' an end): used much 
 in such expressions as ' fin a . . . ,' etc. like the Lat. ' usque ad,' French 
 ' jusqu'a,' Germ. ' bis. . .' Sottoposte al polo, perhaps from Virgil's 
 'medium Rhodope porrecta sub axem.' (Georg. iii. 351.) 
 
 69. i. See on 25. 5. 
 
 6. parti, ' seems to thee.' For the rhyme, see on 2. 3. 
 8. fora = sarebbe (Lat. ' foret ' = ' esset '). 
 
 70. i. non venir; in a negative command the infinitive is used. 
 Rem. ix. Seco, as well as suo ' are not used (as in Latin ' secum ' and 
 ' suus ') as strictly reflective. Cp. 69, 2. 
 
 3. piu d' una volta. For the rules applying to the distinction 
 of ' di ' and ' che ' after comparisons, see Vergani viii, and Robello x. 
 Such expressions as the present are ' piu di tre anni,' ' piu di venti 
 uomini," etc. 
 
 7. Toglie . . congedo, 'takes leave': from Lat. 'commeatus' 
 (Diez ?) ; whence also O. Fr. ' conjet,' and modern Fr. ' conge.' 
 
 8. tregua, a truce ; Fr. ' trfeve,' Low Lat. ' treuga ' : probably 
 connected with Germ. ' treu ' and Eng. ' true.' 
 
 71. 4. s' esorte s' esorti (Rem. i.) : from Lat. 'exhortare.' 
 
 72. 3. appar ... in punto, 'appears in readiness': thus ' essere 
 punto ' is often used. 
 
 6-7. scioglie, ' unfurls.' Vessillo : 64. i . 
 
 73. i. de' celesti campi . . . , 'ever winning further through (lit. 
 of) the ethereal plains.' 
 
 3 - 4. ne trae . . . , ' draws from them flashes and gleams.' Onde, 
 ' by which.' This is imitated from Virgil's description (Aen. vii. 526). 
 ' The bronzen arms gleam, struck by the sun, and cast up a light against 
 the clouds.' 
 
 5. awampare, from ' vampa'; Lat. ' vapor,' heat. 
 
CANTO I. 79 
 
 6. in forma di . . . , ' in the likeness of . . . ,' 
 
 7. nitrito, a neighing, comes from Lat. ' hinnitus' (or 'hinnitrus '). 
 
 74. 6. cui is used in all cases of the relative, both singular and plu:al. 
 7. erto, steep ; from Lat. ' erectus,' as ' clritto ' from ' directus.' 
 
 75. 3. folta, dense. Dante also uses it of a wood (xiii. 7). Diez 
 thinks that it is from Lat. ' infultus,' Sicilian ' 'nfultu,' which would 
 mean ' stuffed or packed in.' 
 
 5. This is copied from Virgil (Georg. i. 481), who speaks of the 
 Po as the ' king of rivers ' : 
 
 ' Proluit insano contorquens vortice silvas 
 Fluviorum rex Eridanus, camposque per omnes 
 Cum stabulis armenta tulit.' 
 7. scorre : Rem. iv. 
 
 76. i. By the king of Tripoli is meant the Emir. Gibbon says, 
 ' Their easy march i that is, from Antioch, and not, as Tasso says, from 
 Tortosa) was continued between mount Libanus and the sea-shore ; 
 their wants were liberally supplied by the coasting traders of Genoa 
 and Pisa ; and they drew large contributions from the emirs of Tripoli, 
 Tyre, Sidon, Acre, and Cscsarea, who granted a free passage.' From 
 the emir of Tripoli they are said to have obtained fifteen thousand 
 ' scudi," and the restoration of all the Christian prisoners. 
 
 2. Mura, a heterogeneous noun : cp. 22. i. Rem. xi. 
 
 77. i. This mount Seir must not be confounded with the great range 
 to the south of the Dead Sea. 
 
 3. Fedeli, i.e. Christians. The word is used similaily in ii. viii. 
 
 7 sq. 
 
 7. guida: 61. 8. 
 
 78. i. See above on 76. i. 
 
 4. armata, used only of a naval armament : an ' armada.' Hade, 
 lit. to scrape, or giaze, thence to ' hug,' the shore. 
 
 6. arnesi, i.e. supplies. Biada, corn, is the same word as 
 Germ. ' blatt' (a leaf), and our ' blade.' 
 
 8. petrosa is probably from the epithet applied to Scio (Chios) 
 in the well known line in the Greek hymn to Apollo, which describes 
 Homer as ' the blind old man of Scio's rocky isle.' Vindemrni, the 
 orthography of such words is very variable. The best grammars give 
 the rule t'lat an ' i' is dropped in all cases when the termination does 
 not consist wholly of an ' i.' The Greek army before Troy was siip- 
 plied in like manner from the vineyards of Lemnos. (II. vii. 467.) 
 
 79. 5. The Genoese and Venetians are meant, St. George being the 
 patron saint of Genoa and St. Mark of Venice. 
 
 6. The ancient ' Ligures ' inhabited the country about what is 
 BOW the G ulf of Genoa. 
 
80 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 80. 2. laccio, a noose, here means a bond. The expression ' saldissimi 
 lacci ' is hardly satisfactory : and Tasso has improved the line in the 
 Ger. Conquist : ' Con legami di fede in un volere.' Translate ' United 
 with the firmest bonds in one desire ' 
 
 3. s'eran carchi : the reflective is used with ' essere ' especially 
 when, as here, the expression may be looked upon as the compound 
 tense of a reflective verb. Thus this may be translated, ' had loaded 
 themselves' (carco = carcato : see 21. 7.) 
 
 5. sforniti, lit. unfurnished, i.e. unoccupied. 
 
 81. i. This resembles several passages in ancient writers; especially 
 Virgil, Aen. iv. 173: 'Fame speeds through cities, no less faithful to 
 falsehood and misrepresentation than she is a messenger of truth.' 
 
 4. a' e mosso : Rem. v. 
 
 5. ella, i.e. la fama. 
 
 8. gli usurpatori, i. e. the Turks. 
 
 82. 2. forse clie non parrebbe .... In French also the negative 
 is used in these cases, where we omit it. Rem. ix. Translate : ' And 
 the expectation of ill is a worse ill perhaps than would seem the present 
 ill (or, the ill, if present).' Cp. Cicero Epp. ad Att. lib. x: ' Majus 
 malum est tamdiu timere, quam est illud ipsum quod timetur.' 
 
 83. i. Aladin (according to Foscolo) is not a historical character. 
 Jerusalem had been subdued by the Fatimite Caliph of Egypt a year 
 before the arrival of the Christians before the city. There was not, as 
 Tasso feigns, a Saracen king in alliance with Egypt, but an Egyptian 
 governor named Ducat ; whom Tasso substitutes for Aladin in the 
 Ger. Conquist. under the name of ' Ducalto.' According to Gibbon it 
 was a sultan or emir Aphdal who recovered Jerusalem and also Tyre 
 for the Fatimites. But he calls the ' caliph's lieutenant, who was en- 
 trusted with the defence,' Aladin or Iftikhar. 
 
 83. i . Tasso considered it necessary for the sake of contrast to paint 
 the arch-enemy of the Christians in the darkest colours. The explana- 
 tions that he gives of the allegory of the poem account for this, from 
 the fact that the Christian army and its chiefs represent virtue, while their 
 enemies are the ministers of Satan. 
 
 84. 4. Macometto, i. e. Mahomet. 
 
 7. Scemo ... a' suoi Pagani, ' he lightened . . . for his 
 own Paynims.' Tasso often uses the word ' pagans ' for Mahometans, 
 though they hardly merit the name in its present meaning. Originally it 
 meant merely a villager,' as opposed to the townspeople, who were 
 naturally the first to embrace Christianity as the national religion. 
 
 85. 5. This is probably a recollection of Virgil's well-known descrip- 
 tion of the snake, which, in winter, gorged with noxious herbs, coils its 
 swollen body beneath the cold earth, but in spring casts its slough and 
 
CANTO I. Si 
 
 comes forth, raising its head aloft and darting out its flickering tongue. 
 Angue, Lat. ' anguis," is a poetical word for ' serpe ' or ' serpente.' 
 
 7-8. Aeschylus (Agamemnon 716 sq.) gives a fine description of 
 a young lion, which had been reared in a house, ' at the outset of life, 
 gentle, loving towards the children, a joy to the elders : and oft was he 
 in the arms like a fresh-weaned babe, with bright joyous looks as he is 
 patted, and fawning through stress of hunger. But when he is full 
 grown he shows the former nature of his parents . . . and the house is 
 besmeared with gore.' It is possible that Tasso knew this passage. 
 Altri is often used to mean ' any one.' 
 
 86. 5. cova, lit. 'hatches,' ' broods over': from Lat. 'cubare,' to lie. 
 
 87. i. nol: Rem. vi. 
 
 2. sfogherommi, ' I will put myself at ease.' Sfogare or dis- 
 fogare is to ' exhale ' or ' evaporate.' Foga, impetuosity, is perhaps 
 from Lat. ' focus ' (a hearth, or fire) and not from ' fuga ' (flight). 
 
 3. faronne, ' I will make of them . . .' Rem. ii. 
 
 4. svenare is literally to ' open the veins ' (Lat. ' ex ' and 
 vena'). 
 
 6. ' These (i. e. the temples and houses) shall be their due 
 funeral pyres.' Fieno : i. e. saranno (Lat. ' fient '). It may be noticed 
 that the Christians, when Jerusalem was taken, almost exceeded by their 
 acts the hideous barbarities that Aladin here designs. They drove the 
 Jews into their synagogue and burnt it to the ground, while of the 
 Mahometans they slaughtered about seventy thousand. 
 
 88. 2. pur, ' only." 
 
 4. vilta . . . pietate : see on 23. 4. 
 
 7. le vie d'accordo, i. e. the harmony existing between his 
 Christian and Mahometan subjects in the city. 
 
 8. 1' arme vittrici : as in Latin ' anna victricia ' (Virgil), where 
 the phrase is less correct, for ' victrix ' is strictly a feminine, and ' anna ' 
 is neuter. 
 
 89. 2. sfoghi: 87. 2. 
 
 3. rustic!, i.e. in the surrounding country. 
 
 5. alcuno is used, like French 'aucun,' where usually the nega- 
 tive is repeated. 
 
 6. Franco. The French composed the greater part of the 
 army, and thence their name was used to denote the whole. It is said 
 that ever since the Crusades Europeans have been called ' Franks ' by 
 the inhabitants of these parts. Hence also comes the ' lingua franca,' a 
 jargon of French, Spanish, and Italian, that is spoken by the sailors and 
 people of the seaports in the Levant. 
 
 90. 4. The fortifications built by the Jews (says Gibbon) had been 
 completely destroyed and imperfectly restored. The natural bulwarks 
 
 G 
 
82 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 of crags and precipices secured the city on the south and east, and it 
 was on the northern and western sides that the Christians directed their 
 chief assaults. 
 
 5. da' . . ., 'ever since.' 
 
 7. quantitade, as ' cittade,' ' pietade,' etc., 23. 4. 
 
 CANTO II. 
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Ismeno, the wizard, proposes to Aladin that, in order to render 
 Jerusalem secure, an image of the Virgin should be removed from a 
 Christian church and placed in the mosque. This is done ; but soon 
 the image disappears from the temple of the infidels. Aladin, enraged, 
 orders a general massacre of the Christians, by one of whom he believes 
 the robbery to have been committed. A young Christian maiden 
 Sophronia publicly denounces herself (14) in order to save the others. 
 She is condemned to be burnt to death. Her lover (28) Olindo, a 
 young Syrian, endeavours to avert her fate by claiming the deed as his 
 own. They are both led to the stake ; but, when fire is about to be 
 applied, Clorinda, the woman-warrior, arrives at the scene (38) and 
 by her entreaty Aladin is persuaded to spare their lives ; but he banishes 
 them, and many others. The Crusaders had meantime reached Emmaus 
 (55), where two ambassadors from Egypt meet them. The crafty 
 speech of Alethes (62-79), proposing a compact between Egypt and 
 the Christians. Godfrey's answer. Argantes. the other envoy, offers 
 war, which is accepted (92), and the ambassadors are dismissed with 
 gifts. Argantes enters Jerusalem, but Alethes returns to Egypt. The 
 Christians await with impatience the dawn of the morrow, on which 
 they will reach the Holy City and begin the siege. 
 
 1. 3. di sotto ai chiusi marmi, ' from below closed marbles/ 
 i. e. tombs. Thus Virgil, ' saepe animas imis excire sepulcris ' (Eel. viii. 
 98). 
 
 6. sin nella . . . ; i. e. ' even as far as in . . .' Pluto was the 
 god of the infernal regions. 
 
 7. suoi ; i. e. Pluto's. 
 
 2. i. Macone ; i.e. Mahomet. 
 
 3. i. senza tardar; Rem. vii. 
 
 3. A maxim common to most languages* The commentator? 
 
CANTO II. 83 
 
 quote Cicero ' fortes fortuna adjuvat ' ; and Ovid, ' audaces forsque 
 Deusque juvat.' 
 
 5-6. hai tutte piene . . . le parti, ' thou hast fulfilled the duties 
 of king and leader . . .' Thus in Lat. ' explere partes.' 
 
 4. i. quanto a me, 'as for me.' 
 
 4. ebbero esiglio ; i. e. were exiled : the fallen angels. 
 
 6. ' I will compel to a share in the toils.' 
 
 7. donde, whence, or with what. See on i. 1 8. 4. Voglia : 
 subjunctive. Kem. ix. 
 
 5. i . The episode of Sophronia and Olindo was probably suggested by 
 a historical fact, which is stated by William of Tyre in his ' Gesta Dei per 
 Francos. 1 A Mahometan, who wished to inflame the public feeling against 
 the Christians, one night threw the carcase of a clog intooneof the principal 
 mosques of the city. The consequence was that a general massacre of 
 the Christians was decreed. At this crisis a young man (whose name 
 history has not preserved) offered to sacrifice himself for his fellows. 
 His offer was accepted; and, having accused himself of the deed, he 
 was given over to the rage of the populace. 
 
 3. face for 'fa' (Lat. 'facit'). Translate 'of her whom that 
 crowd (the Christians) make their goddess and the mother of their born 
 and buried God.' Galileo, with some reason, complained that these 
 lines were involved and obscure. 
 
 5. face, a torch ; i. e. the lighted candles that are kept continually 
 burning before such images. See on i. 3. 3. 
 
 7. i voti . . . ' the votive tablets which the ... bear thither.' 
 These tablets are hung up as thankofferings for recovery from sickness, 
 and other dangers. The custom is one of many which have been 
 adopted from the old religion by the Romish Church. 
 
 6. i. lor ; i. e. de' Cristiani. 
 
 2. trasporte for ' trasporti.' Rem. xii. 
 
 3. riponga : subj. from ' riporre.' Meschita (more usually 
 ' moschea '), a mosque, is a Turkish word. Dante uses it when speaking 
 of the flaming towers of the City of Dis (Inf. viii. 70). 
 
 6. fatale is taken from Virgil's ' fatale . . . Palladium' (Aen. ii. 
 165). The Palladium was an image of Minerva which by its presence 
 secured the safety of Troy. Fatale therefore means ' on which the fate 
 of the city depended.' 
 
 7. 2. niagione ; Fr. ' maison," Eng. ' mansion,' ' manse,' etc., are from 
 Lat. ' mansio,' an abode. From ' manere' (to abide) we also have prob- 
 ably, Eng. ' messuage ' and ' mastiff ' ( = house-dog: cf. olieovp6s in Greek). 
 4. rapio for ' rapi.' Rem. xii. 
 
 7. immago is the Latin form 'imago,' not formed, as 'imagine, 1 
 from the accusative. See on i. 23. 4. 
 
 G 2 
 
84 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 8. 4. cerconne = ' ne cerco,' sought for it. 
 
 6. Di lui ; i.e. of the man in charge of the mosque, who had brought 
 the news. 
 
 7. Fedele ; i.e. Christian : as in following stanzas, and i. 77. 3, 
 etc. 
 
 8. sel cele, ' is concealing it.' Rem. viii. Cele for ' celi.' 
 
 9. 4. Sdegna, disdains, or 'sdains (a word formed on the Italian by 
 Milton). 
 
 5. Che, 'for.' 
 
 7. Ben e pieta . . . pietade : cf. i. 5. I and i. 23. 4. 
 
 8. autor sen creda, ' be believed the author thereof." 
 
 10. 4. il reo, ' the culprit.' 
 
 6. apporsi means ' to be imputed.' The crime is not discovered, 
 or brought home to any one. 
 
 7. fosse : ' were it the work of heaven, or of some other.' The 
 subjunctive is used to express the doubt or hypothesis, ' whether it 
 were . . .' Rem. x. 
 
 8. a lui after ' celolla.' ' Hid it from him.' 
 
 11. i. occultarse: cf. i. 47. 4. Rem. vi. 
 
 6. segua che puote : Rem. x. Sfogar : i. 87. 2. 
 
 7. non andra 1' ira a voto, ' my anger shall not come to nought,' 
 i.e. be aroused in vain. Voto, ' empty,' connected with our ' vault,' 
 and 'void,' from Lat. 'volvere,' 'volutus,' rounded or hollowed out. 
 The Venetian form is 'vodo,' as in the expression 'luna voda,' the 
 waning moon. (Diez.) 
 
 12. 5-6. ' If there is a soul guiltless in the late crime (i.e. of stealing 
 the image) let an old fault (i.e. some former deed) suffice for a new 
 punishment.' This is merely a repetition' of what has already been said, 
 viz. that all deserve death, if not for this, at least for some former 
 deed. 
 
 7. su . . . via, 'up ... away ! ' 
 
 13. 4. presente, 'imminent.' Cp. Virg. Aen. i. 91 : ' Praesentemque 
 viris intentant omnia mortem,' and all things threaten the heroes with 
 immediate death. 
 
 8. ' Whence they least hoped, had salvation.' 
 
 14. i. For the origin of this story see on ii. 5. I. The critics have 
 discovered that this episode spoils the unity of the poem, and is too 
 lyrical for the strict laws of epic poetry. Even Tasso himself (as is 
 proved by one of his letters) had his doubts on this point. 
 
 4. ' Or only so far as thereby virtue is adorned.' Fregiare : see 
 on i. 2. 7. As the stem of the verb ends in ' -gi ' the final ' i ' in ' fregi ' 
 is dropped. 
 
 5. mura : Rem. xi. 
 
CANTO II. 85 
 
 7. ella s' invola alle . . , 'she hides herself from the praises . . . 
 of flatterers." The passage seems to be a reminiscence of Petrarch 
 (Son. ccv) : 
 
 ' L' alta belth, ch' al mondo non a pare, 
 Noia t' e, se non quanto il bel tesoro 
 Di castita par ch' ella adorni e fregi.' 
 
 15. 2. appaia: from ' apparere.' 
 
 5. Argo. Argus, surnamed Panoptes (the all-seeing), was sent by 
 Hera (Juno) to keep guard over lo, who had been beloved by Zeus 
 (Jupiter) and had been transformed into a cow. He is said to have had 
 a hundred eyes, which, when he had been killed by Hermes the messen- 
 ger of Zeus, were placed by Hera in the tail of her favourite bird, the 
 peacock. 
 
 6. benda, a band, or veil : connected with Eng. ' bind,' ' bundle,' 
 Fr. ' bande,' Germ. ' Band,' ' Bund,' etc. 
 
 Ce, for us. Rem. ii. 
 
 16. 5. Nd sa scoprirsi . . . , ' He knew not how, or feared to tell his 
 pain.' (Hoole.) 
 
 6-8. non s' awede, ' does not understand.' Carbone says, ' Mai 
 gradito risponde a lo sprezza ; non visito a nol vede ; mal noto a non 
 s' awede. 1 
 
 17. 7. anzi s' accorda. The notion is that courage conquers modesty, 
 and then allies with it, so that each quality is tempered with the 
 other. 
 
 18. 3. ' Withdrew her glances, went enwrapped in her veil.' 
 
 4. ischivi, ' bashful' : see on i. 3. 4; and for the form ' ischivo ' 
 cp. i. 47. 4. 
 
 10. 3. ' Nor because she saw him angry does she withdraw.' 
 
 8. quel reo, 'that culprit': as 10.4. Onde, ' by whom.' See 
 on i. 18. 4. 
 
 20. 3. quasi . . . quasi, ' almost . . . almost.' 
 
 6. manco, ' less ' : as ' meno.' Translate ' if he had been less 
 haughty of soul, she of look, he had become her lover.' 
 
 7. ritroso, stubborn, or proud : from Lat. ' retrorsus ' (or ' retro- 
 versus') which means 'turned back,' 'reversed.' 
 
 21. 3. le = 'a lei,' to her. See on i. 12. 2. 
 
 8. ddi : 2nd pers. sing, pres., from ' dovere.' 
 
 22. 2. '1 volse raccorre ; i.e. ' il fato.' 
 
 3. Magnanima menzogna. This may be from Horace's ' splen- 
 dide mendax ' (nobly false), which he applies to the Danaid who alone 
 spared her husband (Carm. iii. 35). Sophocles also has a like expression 
 concerning Antigone, oeria iravovpyrjaaaa (having committed a holy 
 crime). Robello says, speaking of the difference of words that are often 
 
86 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 thought synonymous, ' Ces differences remarquables existent meme dans 
 les mots synonymes de la meme langue. Ainsi les deux mots italiens 
 bugia et menzogna signifient "mensonge" ; mais le premiernous represente 
 1'idee sous un aspect naturellement hideux ; le sens du second est au 
 contraire adouci par 1' elegance du mot. Cette difference n'a point 
 echappe au jugement exquis du Tasse. . . .' He then quotes the present 
 passage. 
 
 4. preporre. Notice that in these cases, as also after 'fare,' 
 ' lasciare,' etc., the infinitive active is used. Cp. the construction of 
 ' faire' in French and ' lassen ' in German. 
 
 8. die = ' diede ' : perf. from ' dare.' 
 
 24. 4. 1' arderla, ' to burn it.' Rem. vii. 
 
 5. potra piu violarsi: see on 22. 4, and Rem. vi. 
 
 25. i. Quantunque and benche are not always followed by the 
 subjunctive, which shows, says Robello, that one can consider them as 
 expressing a positive as well as a dubitative idea. ' En effet, le Tasse fait 
 dire a Sophronia, benche non furto e il mio bien que ce ne soit pas un 
 larcin celui que j'ai commis.' 
 
 8. scudo ; i.e. defence ; from. Lat. ' scutum,' an oblong shield. 
 
 26. 4. ritorte, ' cords ' ; from Lat. ' retortus,' twisted back. 
 
 7. smarrire is used of any bewilderment, as of losing a way, or 
 being disheartened. ' Che la diritta via era smarrita.' (Dante, Inf. i. 3.) 
 The next line contains one of those exquisite, but slightly artificial, con- 
 trasts in which Tasso is unsurpassed. 
 
 27. 1-2. tratto . . . s' era. See on i. 80. 3. 
 
 3-4. ' For, since the person was doubtful, and the deed certain, 
 he came in doubt whether it were his lady.' Forse is thus used, as a 
 substantive, by Dante : as ' io rimango in forse ' (Inf. viii. no), where it 
 means 'doubt'; and 'milizia, che era in forse' (Par. xii. 41) where it 
 means ' danger.' 
 
 28. 2. sen vanta, she boasts of it; i.e. of the deed. 
 7. il narri, let her relate it. 
 
 29. 2. die ( = dl) from Lat. 'dies,' only used in poetical language. 
 For meschita see on 6. 3. This stanza reminds one of the speech of 
 Nisus in Virgil (Aen. ix. 425). 
 
 3. breve foro, a narrow hole, or passage : as ' breve pertugio ' 
 (Inf. xxxiii. 22). This is a common meaning of Lat. 'brevis.' The 
 Crusca, oblivious of Dante, condemned Tasso's use of the word in this 
 sense. Foro, connected with ' forare,' to bore. 
 
 30. 3. A che ne vieni . . , ' wherefore dost thou come ? ' Rem. ii. 
 
 6. ' To endure that which the anger of one man can (inflict).' 
 
 31. i. nol dispone si ch" . . , ' does not induce him to . . .' 
 2. mute : Rem. xii. 
 
CANTO II. 8; 
 
 32. i-2. ' It seemed to him that he is (lit. remains) despised by them, 
 and that in contempt of him they scorn the torments.' 
 
 3. Credasi ... ad ambo. This is the same impersonal con- 
 struction as would be used in Latin, ' credatur ambobus,' let credence be 
 given to both. 
 
 5. Sergente, from Lat. ' servire,' ' servientem,' in the same way 
 as ' pioggia' from ' pluvia.' Hence Fr. ' sergent,' Eng. ' sergeant.' (Diez.) 
 
 7. volto from 'volgere.' 
 
 33. 3. Lai is only used in the plural: from A. S. 'lag,' Eng. 'lay,' 
 O. Fr. ' lai ' (lais). Dante uses it twice, once of the note of cranes and 
 once of the swallow. 
 
 5. ond': i. 18. 4. 
 
 8. Ne, 'for us.' 
 
 34. 7. duolmi il tuo fato, ' thy fate grieves me.' In this sense 
 ' dolere ' (duole) is generally used impersonally, as Lat. dolet." Some- 
 times however it has an expressed subject, as ' il capo che ti duole ' 
 (Inf. xxx. 127). 
 
 35. 5. venendo tu . . . meno, 'as thou expired': an absolute con- 
 struction. ' Venire meno,' or ' svenire ' is to faint away. ' lo venni men, 
 cosi com" io morisse.' (Inf. v. 141.) 
 
 8. tai: Rem. i. 
 
 36. 5. 'Suffer in His name, and thy tortures shall become (Lat. 
 fient) sweet.' 
 
 7-8. Mira il ciel com' e bello. None but a poet could have 
 conceived that the mere beauty of the sky would attract and console one 
 at the point of death. It is the function of a poet to interpret the 
 Creator by his works, not to deal in metaphysics and dogmas. The 
 mysterious depths of the sky, 
 
 ' Wherein the secrets of eternity 
 
 Are writ with golden stars," 
 
 have ever been a source of consolation and meditation to such men. 
 Thus Dante : 
 
 ' Chiamavi il cielo e intorno vi si gira, 
 Mostrandovi le sue belleze eterne, 
 E '1 occhio vostro pure a terra mira.' 
 
 (Purg. xiv. 148.) 
 And Petrarch : 
 
 ' Or ti solleva a piu beata spene 
 Mirando il ciel che ti si volvc intorno 
 Immortale ed adorno.' (Canz. xvii.) 
 
 And Victor Hugo : 
 
 ' O, contemplez le ciel ! et dcs qu'a fui le jour, 
 En tout temps, en tout lieu, d'un ineffable amour, 
 
88 LA GERUSALEMME LIBER AT A. 
 
 Regardez & travers ses voiles : 
 Un mystere est au fond de leur grave beaut^ : 
 I.'hiver, quand ils sont noirs comme un linceul ; 1" et6, 
 
 Quand la nuit les brode d'etoiles.' 
 
 (Feuilles d'Automne.) 
 
 37. 3. Un non so che : cp. ' nescio quod . .' in Latin, and ' un je 
 ne sais quoi ' in French. ' I know not what unusual and tender feeling 
 appeared to pass through . . .' 
 
 5. presentillo, ' foreknew it,' i.e. felt pity gradually rising in his 
 breast. 
 
 7. Carbone compares what Ovid says about Polyxena, 
 
 ' At populus lacrymas, quas ilia tenebat, 
 Non tenet : ipse etiam flens invitusque sacerdos.' 
 
 38. 3. And, a stranger in arms and dress, shews that . . . ' i. e. 
 shews by the strangeness of arms and dress. 
 
 5. Cimiero (cima), crest. 
 
 6. Clorinda. Ugo Foscolo reminds us that, besides the fact 
 that the character of Clorinda is purely imaginary, the conception is 
 entirely at variance with all the manners and customs of the East. In 
 the Christian army there were women, as Gildippe, who bore arms, but 
 the thing was unknown among Mahometans. Nevertheless the cha- 
 racter is introduced with great skill and judgment. Probably the idea 
 was taken from the Camilla of Virgil, an Amazonian princess, daughter 
 of the Volscian King Metabus. See Virg. Aen. vii. 803, xi. 432, 648, 
 etc. After performing many acts of valour during the siege Clorinda is 
 at last slain by Tancred. 
 
 8. ' Wherefore they believe that it is she.' 
 
 39. 2. etate acerba. In Latin also this sense of ' acerba ' exists in 
 such expressions as ' mors acerba ' (It. ' morte acerba ') an untimely 
 death. The notion is of an unripe fruit : hence also ' sour.' 
 
 3. Arachne was a Lydian maiden who challenged Athena to a 
 contest in the art of weaving. She was vanquished and changed by the 
 goddess into a spider. See Ovid Metam. vi. Thus also Dante (Inf. 
 xvii. 18.) 
 
 'Ne fur tal tele per Aracne imposte.' 
 
 This passage is a reminiscence of Virgil's (Aen. vii. 805) description of 
 Camilla : 
 
 ' Bellatrix : non ilia colo calathisve Minervae 
 Foemineas assueta manus, sed praelia virgo 
 Dura pati.' 
 
 40. i. pargoletta, childish: 'pargolo' for 'parvolo.' Cp. Virg. 
 Aen. xi. 578 (of Camilla) : 
 
 'Tela manu jam turn tenera puerilia torsit.' 
 
CANTO II. 89 
 
 3. palestra, wrestling ; Grk. naKaiffrpa, Lat. ' palaestra,' a 
 wrestling-school. 
 
 4. alleno, from ' allenare,' to temper or strengthen. 
 
 6. orma, track, or spoor : said to be from Greek fatf, scent. 
 
 41. 3. membra. Rem. xi. 
 
 7. vago, Lat. ' vagus,' means originally ' wandering ' : hence, 
 from the notion of unsettled search, ' desirous.' 
 
 42. 8. anzi '1 morir, before dying. Di qua giu, ' from the earth.' 
 
 43. 3. per chi non duolse, ' for the one who does not.' Duolse 
 = ' si duole,' and thus the rhyme is legitimate. See on i. 3. 3. 
 
 44. 2. fue. Rem. xii. 
 
 7. fa ritrarla. Notice the active infinitive after ' fare ' ' lasciare,' 
 where we use the passive. 
 
 45. I. Alcun; see on i. 89. 5. 
 
 3. non parli : the negative is here repeated, as in French. 
 
 7. tra via, ' on the way." 
 
 46. i. hai ... ' Clorinda's name perchance has reached your ear." 
 (Hoole.) 
 
 5. imponi pure, 'only (or 'just') impose it.' The force of 
 ' pure ' after an imperative is easier to appreciate, than to express in 
 English. Robello says ' Parlate signifie parlez ; mais si Ton dit parlate 
 pure, on ajoute h 1'expression une idee de consentement plus prononcee : 
 cela veut dire parlez, n'ayez pas peur.' 
 
 8. impiegar, to employ ; as 48. 3. 
 
 47. i. This is imitated from Virgil (Aen. i. 565) : 
 
 ' Quis genus Aeneadum, quis Trojae nesciat urbem ? 
 
 Non obtusa adeo gestamus pectora Poeni; 
 Nee tarn aversus equos Tyria sol jungit ab urbe.' 
 The idea is that a nation ' remote from the path of the sun ' would be 
 far from the known world in the darkness of barbarism. 
 
 4. vole for ' voli,' subj. from ' volare.' See Rem. xii. 
 7. ' Not, if a great army had been collected together for my 
 deliverance, should I have more certain hope.' 
 
 48. i. Now that Clorinda has joined him, Aladin thinks the approach 
 of his enemy too slow. Notice the form ' indugi." 
 
 49. 2. ' That the reward should precede the services.' 
 
 3. in merto : by syncope for 'merito,' i.e. 'mercede,' reward. 
 
 4. quei rei : i. e. Olindo and Sophronia. Done for ' doni." 
 
 50. 4. ' I am satisfied with my opinion.' 
 
 7. tempii : i. 2. 7, 10. 8. Nui for ' noi.' Rem. xii. 
 
 51. 4. lece is used impersonally, as Lat. ' licet,' it is lawful. 
 
 52. 5. libertade : see on i. 23. 4. 
 
90 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 8. e rei li dono : ' as (or, if) guilty, I give them to you.' 
 53. 3. atto ; i. e. the act of Olindo. 
 
 7. volse. ' Au passe defini les poetes disent souvent volsi pour 
 volli, et volse pour voile, ce qui est une faute, parce que volsi et volse 
 appartiennent au verbe volgere, tourner.' (Robello.) 
 
 8. This may be from Ovid (Met. x.), ' Occidet hie igitur, voluit 
 quia vivere mecum?' 
 
 55. i. scaccia : Rem. iv. 
 
 3. il mansiieto sesso, the gentle sex. Mansueto, from ' manus' 
 and ' suescere,' literally means ' accustomed to the hand,' and therefore 
 tame and gentle. 
 
 6. Fersi ; see Rem. i. ; and cp. ' unirsi ' in the next line. 
 
 56. i. cui ; the accusative. 
 
 3. a suo diporto : i. e. leisurely. 
 
 57. 2. oceano: generally ' oceano.' 
 
 4. estrano ; see on i. 47. 4. 
 
 58. As has been already remarked, the Fatimite Caliph of Egypt 
 had before this, by means of his Emir Aphdal, recovered Jerusalem from 
 the Turks. Tasso is therefore inaccurate in most of the particulars 
 connected with these ambassadors. The names of Alethes and Argantes 
 are not found in any records of history. Ambassadors were sent by the 
 Caliph to the Christian army when it was besieging Antioch. He pro- 
 mised to consider the Turks as the common enemy, and to protect the 
 Christians, and rebuild their churches, in Jerusalem. The Crusaders 
 were at that time in great straits, and in order to gain time delegates 
 were sent back to Cairo with the Egyptian ambassadors to consider the 
 proposals. But when the Christian cause was again in the ascendant 
 they repudiated with scorn the advances that were made by a second 
 embassy, which arrived as they were besieging Archas : and war was 
 declared. See Gibbon, chap. Iviii. (p. 268). 
 
 8. paion : from ' parere.' 
 
 59. i. circasso, a Circassian. 
 
 3. satrapi. The ' satraps ' were originally the governors of pro- 
 vinces under the kings of Persia. 
 
 60. 3. schietto: probably the Germ. ' schlicht,' from Goth. ' slaihts.' 
 It is used by Dante of smooth boughs (' rami schietti,' Inf. xiii. 5). Here 
 it means ' plain.' 
 
 6. fregio : see on i. 2. 7. 
 
 8. pur gives a peculiar emphasis which is difficult to express in 
 English. ' Just like ' does not quite give it.' 
 
 61. 4. portino : Rem. x. 
 
 5. uscieno, a poetical form for ' uscivano ' : cp. ' facifcno,' 
 ' movieno,' for ' facevano,' ' moveano,' etc. The idea is taken from 
 
CANTO II. 91 
 
 Homer, who says of Nestor that 'from his tongue flowed a voice 
 sweeter than honey ' (II. i. 249). 
 
 6. il sermone, the language. 
 
 62. 4. conobbe (conoscere), ' recognised from thee ' : i. e. owed to 
 thee. 
 
 5. 'Which remains not within the bounds of Alcides.' Hercules 
 (whose original name Alcides was probably derived from a grandfather 
 Alceus, or Alcaeus) performed some of his ' labours ' in Greece, but his 
 name, and his travels, were by no means bounded by such narrow limits 
 as Alethes (or Tasso) thought. Of all mythological legends those 
 about Hercules are perhaps the widest spread. 
 
 53. i. che non 1' ascolte : notice the mood, and cp. ii. 6. 2. 
 Rein. xii. 
 
 3. istupore : see on i. 47. 4. 
 
 4. sono . . . accolte, sc. ' le novelle.' The news is heard not 
 only with astonishment, but with pleasure at the same time. 
 
 5. s'appaga : cp. 50. 4. 
 
 64. 3. il mezzo, the means. Onde : i. 18. 4. See also on 
 Rem. x. 
 
 5. t' eri accinto. Notice that (as in French) reflective verbs, 
 such as ' accingersi,' in their compound tenses use ' essere ' and not 
 ' avere.' ' Accingersi,' to gird oneself, to make ready. 
 
 6. iscacciar : as ' istupore ' in last stanza. L'amico suo is 
 Aladin, who, according to Tasso, was the Turkish governor of Jeru- 
 salem, and was in alliance with the Caliph of Egypt. This is, as has 
 been already explained, a fiction. See on i. 83 and 2. 58. 
 
 7. Volse : see on 53. 7. 
 
 66. i. 'If thou wilt be content with what thou hast in war made 
 thine own.' 
 
 67. 2. dubbie, of doubtful issue, dangerous. Cp. 89. 5. 
 
 3. ' For wheresoever thou conquerest, thou gainest but dominion.' 
 
 8. For, to stake. 
 
 68. i. il consiglio ... 1' aver . . . voglia, are all nominatives to 
 ' faran ' (1. 7). Cui forse pesa . . , ' whom perchance it grieves that 
 a man (altri) should hold for a long time . . . .' Conserve for ' con- 
 servi.' 
 
 7. ' Will make peace avoided by you . . .' This is a case where 
 the active infinitive is used in French and Italian (' faire voir a . . .'). 
 
 8. non face: see on 45. 3, and 5. 3. 
 
 69. 5. Finche . . . non cada, as in 5. 3. 
 
 8. escon, from ' uscire ' or ' escire,' ' whence come . . .' 
 
 70. voli, flights. The metaphor here is not well sustained, for a 
 ' precipice ' is of no danger to anything that can fly. Precipizio may 
 
92 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 perhaps merely mean ' downfall.' Tasso has altered the couplet for the 
 better in the Gerusalemme Conquistata. 
 
 ' E per troppo salir si smonta : e spesso 
 All' erta cima il precipizio e presso.' 
 
 71. 3. rinnove for ' rinnovi.' Rem. xii. 
 
 4. Cassano was the king or emir of Antioch before its capture 
 (see on i. 6. 4). Erminia was his daughter (see iii. 12. 5). His son 
 was taken prisoner by the Christians, and sent to Constantinople, but 
 had been set at liberty, and would be ready to join the Egyptian army. 
 
 7- See on i. 25. 5. ' Malvagio e meno di no, e dicevasi a tutti gli 
 oggetticorporei, come il francese mauvais.' (Fraticelli on Dante, Inf. 1.97.) 
 
 72. i. palese, apparent: from Lat. adv. 'palam,' openly. 
 
 2. This is perhaps from Virgil's 'Crimine ab uno Disce omnes' 
 (Aen. ii. 65). 
 
 5. Chi: he who. II passo means the passage through Greece. 
 7. ' The paths that are common to all ' are the paths of the sea. 
 
 Compare Virgil's 
 
 '. . . cunctis undamque auramque patentem.' 
 
 73. 5. Sceme, or scemate (see on i. 21. 7), 'diminished.' 
 
 6. tel, i. e. te il. The reflective form seems to emphasise the 
 person : ' you see it for yourself.' 
 
 74. The argument is : Granted that you are invincible in the field, yet 
 famine shall conquer you. 
 
 4. tel: as in the last stanza. 
 
 7. 'Then draw the falchion, and the javelin wield; 
 
 Then dream of conquest in the boasted field.' (Hoole.) 
 
 75. 3. chiuse mura: Rem. xi. 
 
 5. ' Who as far as here have boldly led yourself.' See on 65. 5- 
 7. cura ne prende, will take care of that. 
 
 76. 7. raccorre, a short form of ' raccogliere,' Lat. ' re-colligere.' 
 
 77. 4. Cagionarti : exactly our expression ' cause you.' 
 
 5. ove . . . pogna, ' wherever, or whenever, . . . may put . . .' 
 As in 70. 3, ' ove . . . prenda,' and 67. 3, ' ove tu vinca.' Rem. x. 
 Pogna, subj. from 'porre.' Notice the metathesis in 'pogna,' 'pongo.' 
 
 78. 3. Diasi, subj. from ' darsi.' 
 
 5. voglia is the optative. ' May heaven be willing.' 
 
 79. 2. sete for 'siete.' 
 
 4. che . . . v'esorti, ' that it may incite you . . .' 
 
 5. nocchier: probably from Greek va\>K\rjpos, and not through 
 the Latin form, which is rare ; though it is used by Plautus. This is 
 one of tfye many sea-terms which come direct from the Greek : as 
 ' ciurma ' (>ct\evffiM) ; ' falo,' ' fanale,' and Venetian ' farale ' (<papos) ; 
 'poggia' (iroSuw), 'artimone' (dpTe/w), etc. See 'Selections from 
 
CANTO II. 93 
 
 Dante,' p. 1. Inganni. This being a noun, while in 1. 3 it is a verb, 
 the rule given for similar rhymes holds good. See i. 3. 3. 
 
 80. 3. annoi. This follows the rules already given for the termi- 
 nations of verbs in -tare. See Robello, p. 374. 
 
 7. gli; i.e. 'gli occhi.' Colui is Alethes. 
 
 81. 4. ' E sua mercede, cortesia, grazia.' (Deagostini.) 
 
 82. 3. ne, to us ; as also in 1. 7. 
 
 6. lor; i.e. le mura. 
 
 83. i . See Rem. ii. 
 
 4. s' annida, it nestles ; from Lat. ' nidus,' a nest. 
 
 7. penetra. The accent is changed; as in ' oceano,' 57. i. 
 
 8. spetra, softens. Rem. iv. 
 
 84. i. questa, sc. ' mano.' 
 
 6. laccio, the bonds, or perhaps the rein. 
 
 7. Quindi, i.e. 'by this'; as 'onde.' It will be noticed that 
 Godfrey's speech, in contrast to that of Alethes, is very simple and 
 plainly worded ; liberi sensi in semplici parole.' 
 
 85. 4. armi: see on i. i. i. 
 
 5. lasce for 'lasci': see on 71. 3 and 80. 3, and 'Blanche' in 
 1.6. 
 
 8. chere, from ' cherere,' a form nearer the Lat. ' quaerere ' than 
 the commoner ' chiedere.' 
 
 86. 3. ' Who will there be of us to dread . . .' See on i. 3. 4. 
 
 6. As Virgil (Aen. ii. 670) ' Nunquam omnes hodie moriemur inulti.' 
 
 87. i. non creder. In negative imperatives (2nd person) the in- 
 finitive is used. Rem ix. ' Avec la negation non on peut le (i.e. gia) 
 traduire par pas ou point.' (Robelli.) 
 
 2. This is a repetition of Alethe's expression, 68. 7, 8. 
 
 5. The argument here is founded on Tasso's figment that Judaea 
 was not at this time under the supremacy of Egypt. See on 58. Tu '1 
 sai: see on 95. 4. 
 
 6. ' Wherefore then has he such care for it ? ' Ave is an antique 
 and poetical form for ' a' (Lat. ' habet'). 
 
 7. non ce vieti, ' let him not forbid us.' In the third person the 
 infinitive is not used. See on 1. I. 
 
 88. 3. N6 . . . gia. See on last stanza, 1. i. Enfiata labbia may be 
 from Dante's ' Poi si rivolse a quell' enfiata labbia ' (Inf. vii. 7). 
 
 89. i. This scene is taken from one that took place at the beginning 
 of the second Punic war between Fabius Maximus, the Roman am- 
 bassador, and the Carthaginian senate. He folded his toga and said, 
 ' In this fold I bring war and peace. Which do ye choose ? Take 
 which ye please.' They told him to give whichever he liked, and he 
 ' shook war out of the fold of his toga in the midst of the senate.' 
 
94 LA GERUSALEMME LIBERATA. 
 
 2. Fenne: Rem. ii. n seno sporto, an absolute construction. 
 
 4. Via piu : far more. 
 
 5. dubbie : cp. 67. 2. 
 
 00. 4. Goffrido, a poetical license for ' Goffredo.' Rem. xii. 
 
 8. The temple of Janus (the god of 'opening': cp. 'janua,' a 
 door) in ancient Rome was kept open in time of war, and its gates were 
 closed with great ceremony on the rare event of universal peace. The 
 temple consisted of a covered passage, or arch, with gates at both ends. 
 The god was similarly represented with a double face, looking behind 
 and before. Some of his arches had four gates, and in these cases he 
 was called ' Janus quadrifrons.' 
 
 91. 4. Megaera, Alecto, and Tisiphone were (in the later Greek 
 writers) the names given to the three Furies or Erinyes. Dante intro- 
 duces them into his Inferno (ix. 46). 'Aeschylus describes them as 
 divinities more ancient than the Olympian gods, dwelling in the deep 
 darkness of Tartarus, dreaded by gods and men ; with bodies all black, 
 serpents twined in their hair, and blood dripping from their eyes.' (Class. 
 Diet.) 
 
 92. 3. Che, since. 
 
 8. Nicea : i. 6. 3. 
 
 93. 2. le or a lei : dative of ' ella,' here referring to ' spada.' 
 
 4. Probably from Ovid's 'materiam superabat opus,' the work 
 surpassed the material. 
 
 6. foro ; i.e. ' furono.' 
 
 94. i. tolto congedo: i. 70. 7. Ditto for 'detto.' Deagostini re- 
 marks, ' licenza poet, da evitarsi.' 
 
 95. i. nimieo, a form of ' nemico,' nearer the Lat. ' inimicus.' 
 
 4. ne '1 pensa . . Notice that the pronominal article is used in 
 such cases where we should omit it. Cp. 87. 6: and see on i. 36. 8. 
 
 5. per 1' amico . . . Evidently from Virgil (Aen. ii. 255), ' Taci- 
 tae per arnica silentia lunae." 
 
 96. This beautiful descriptive passage is taken, with very little 
 alteration, from Virgil (Aen. iv. 522-8) : 
 
 'Nox erat, et placidum carpebant fessa soporem 
 Corpora per terras, silvaeque et saeva quierant 
 Aequora : quum medio volvuntur sidera lapsu ; 
 Quum tacet omnis ager, pecudes, pictaeque volucres, 
 Quaeque lacus late liquidos, quaeque aspera dumis, 
 Rura tenent, somno positae sub nocte silenti, 
 Lenibant curas, et corda oblita laborum.' 
 
 ' It was night, and weary living things through the earth were culling 
 calm slumber, and the woods and raging seas were hushed ; when the 
 stars revolve in their midmost course ; when every field is still, when 
 
CANTO II. 95 
 
 tiocks and painted birds those that far and wide haunt liquid pools, 
 and those that live in woodlands bristling with copse laid asleep 
 beneath the silent night soothe their cares and their hearts forgetful of 
 toils." The last expression explains Tasso's ' Sotto il silenzio de' secreti 
 orrori.' 
 
 97. 3. che riluca . . . ' that the long expected and joyful dawn may 
 break.' 
 
 7. ad or ad. or, again and again. 
 
 8. Spunti: see Rem. iv. 
 
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