Jerusalem Delivered Part 15

The champion list not more with words contend, But in his heart kept close his griefs and fears, He blamed love, chance gan he reprehend, And gainst enchantment huge complaints he rears.

"It were small loss," softly he thus begun, "To lose the brightness of the s.h.i.+ning sun;

XLIX "But I, alas, the golden beam forego Of my far brighter sun; nor can I say If these poor eyes shall e'er be blessed so, As once again to view that s.h.i.+ning ray:"

Then thought he on his proud Circa.s.sian foe, And said, "Ah! how shall I perform that fray?

He, and the world with him, will Tancred blame, This is my grief, my fault, mine endless shame."

L While those high spirits of this champion good, With love and honor's care are thus oppressed, While he torments himself, Argantes wood, Waxed weary of his bed and of his rest, Such hate of peace, and such desire of blood, Such thirst of glory, boiled in his breast; That though he scant could stir or stand upright, Yet longed he for the appointed day to fight.

LI The night which that expected day forewent, Scantly the Pagan closed his eyes to sleep, He told how night her sliding hours spent, And rose ere springing day began to peep; He called for armor, which incontinent Was brought by him that used the same to keep, That harness rich old Aladine him gave, A worthy present for a champion brave.

LII He donned them on, not long their riches eyed, Nor did he aught with so great weight incline, His wonted sword upon his thigh he tied, The blade was old and tough, of temper fine.

As when a comet far and wide descried, In scorn of Phoebus midst bright heaven doth s.h.i.+ne, And tidings sad of death and mischief brings To mighty lords, to monarchs, and to kings:

LIII So shone the Pagan in bright armor clad, And rolled his eyes great swollen with ire and blood, His dreadful gestures threatened horror sad, And ugly death upon his forehead stood; Not one of all his squires the courage had To approach their master in his angry mood, Above his head he shook his naked blade, And gainst the subtle air vain battle made.

LIV "The Christian thief," quoth he, "that was so bold To combat me in hard and single fight, Shall wounded fall inglorious on the mould, His locks with clods of blood and dust bedight, And living shall with watery eyes behold How from his back I tear his harness bright, Nor shall his dying words me so entreat, But that I'll give his flesh to dogs for meat."

LV Like as a bull when, p.r.i.c.ked with jealousy, He spies the rival of his hot desire, Through all the fields doth bellow, roar and cry, And with his thundering voice augments his ire, And threatening battle to the empty sky, Tears with his horn each tree, plant, bush and brier, And with his foot casts up the sand on height, Defying his strong foe to deadly fight:

LVI Such was the Pagan's fury, such his cry.

A herald called he then, and thus he spake; "Go to the camp, and in my name, defy The man that combats for his Jesus' sake;"

This said, upon his steed he mounted high, And with him did his n.o.ble prisoner take, The town he thus forsook, and on the green He ran, as mad or frantic he had been.

LVII A bugle small he winded loud and shrill, That made resound the fields and valleys near, Louder than thunder from Olympus hill Seemed that dreadful blast to all that hear; The Christian lords of prowess, strength and skill, Within the imperial tent a.s.sembled were, The herald there in boasting terms defied Tancredi first, and all that durst beside.

LVIII With sober chear G.o.dfredo look'd about, And viewed at leisure every lord and knight; But yet for all his looks not one stepped out, With courage bold, to undertake the fight: Absent were all the Christian champions stout, No news of Tancred since his secret flight; Boemond far off, and banished from the crew Was that strong prince who proud Gernando slew:

LIX And eke those ten which chosen were by lot, And all the worthies of the camp beside, After Armida false were followed hot, When night were come their secret flight to hide; The rest their hands and hearts that trusted not, Blushed for shame, yet silent still abide; For none there was that sought to purchase fame In so great peril, fear exiled shame.

LX The angry duke their fear discovered plain, By their pale looks and silence from each part, And as he moved was with just disdain, These words he said, and from his seat upstart: "Unworthy life I judge that coward swain To hazard it even now that wants the heart, When this vile Pagan with his glorious boast Dishonors and defies Christ's sacred host.

LXI "But let my camp sit still in peace and rest, And my life's hazard at their ease behold.

Come bring me here my fairest arms and best;"

And they were brought sooner than could be told.

But gentle Raymond in his aged breast, Who had mature advice, and counsel old, Than whom in all the camp were none or few Of greater might, before G.o.dfredo drew,

LXII And gravely said, "Ah, let it not betide, On one man's hand to venture all this host!

No private soldier thou, thou art our guide, If thou miscarry, all our hope were lost, By thee must Babel fall, and all her pride; Of our true faith thou art the prop and post, Rule with thy sceptre, conquer with thy word, Let others combat make with spear and sword.

LXIII "Let me this Pagan's glorious pride a.s.suage, These aged arms can yet their weapons use, Let others shun Bellona's dreadful rage, These silver locks shall not Raymondo scuse: Oh that I were in prime of l.u.s.ty age, Like you that this adventure brave refuse, And dare not once lift up your coward eyes, Gainst him that you and Christ himself defies!

LXIV "Or as I was when all the lords of fame And Germain princes great stood by to view, In Conrad's court, the second of that name, When Leopold in single fight I slew; A greater praise I reaped by the same, So strong a foe in combat to subdue, Than he should do who all alone should chase Or kill a thousand of these Pagans base.

LXV "Within these arms, had I that strength again, This boasting Paynim had not lived till now, Yet in this breast doth courage still remain; For age or years these members shall not bow; And if I be in this encounter slain, Scotfree Argantes shall not scape, I vow; Give me mine arms, this battle shall with praise Augment mine honor, got in younger days."

LXVI The jolly baron old thus bravely spake, His words are spurs to virtue; every knight That seemed before to tremble and to quake, Now talked bold, example hath such might; Each one the battle fierce would undertake, Now strove they all who should begin the fight; Baldwin and Roger both, would combat fain, Stephen, Guelpho, Gernier and the Gerrards twain;

LXVII And Pyrrhus, who with help of Boemond's sword Proud Antioch by cunning sleight opprest; The battle eke with many a lowly word, Ralph, Rosimond, and Eberard request, A Scotch, an Irish, and an English lord, Whose lands the sea divides far from the rest, And for the fight did likewise humbly sue, Edward and his Gildippes, lovers true.

LXVIII But Raymond more than all the rest doth sue Upon that Pagan fierce to wreak his ire, Now wants he naught of all his armors due Except his helm that shone like flaming fire.

To whom G.o.dfredo thus; "O mirror true Of antique worth! thy courage doth inspire New strength in us, of Mars in thee doth s.h.i.+ne The art, the honor and the discipline.

LXIX "If ten like thee of valor and of age, Among these legions I could haply find, I should the best of Babel's pride a.s.suage, And spread our faith from Thule to furthest Inde; But now I pray thee calm thy valiant rage, Reserve thyself till greater need us bind, And let the rest each one write down his name, And see whom Fortune chooseth to this game,--

LXX "Or rather see whom G.o.d's high judgement taketh, To whom is chance, and fate, and fortune slave."

Raymond his earnest suit not yet forsaketh, His name writ with the residue would he have, G.o.dfrey himself in his bright helmet shaketh The scrolls, with names of all the champions brave: They drew, and read the first whereon they hit, Wherein was "Raymond, Earl of Tholouse," writ.

LXXI His name with joy and mighty shouts they bless; The rest allow his choice, and fortune praise, New vigor blushed through those looks of his; It seemed he now resumed his youthful days, Like to a snake whose slough new changed is, That s.h.i.+nes like gold against the sunny rays: But G.o.dfrey most approved his fortune high, And wished him honor, conquest, victory.

LXXII Then from his side he took his n.o.ble brand, And giving it to Raymond, thus he spake: "This is the sword wherewith in Saxon land, The great Rubello battle used to make, From him I took it, fighting hand to hand, And took his life with it, and many a lake Of blood with it I have shed since that day, With thee G.o.d grant it proves as happy may."

LXXIII Of these delays meanwhile impatient, Argantes threateneth loud and sternly cries, "O glorious people of the Occident!

Behold him here that all your host defies: Why comes not Tancred, whose great hardiment, With you is prized so dear? Pardie he lies Still on his pillow, and presumes the night Again may s.h.i.+eld him from my power and might.

LXXIV "Why then some other come, by band and band, Come all, come forth on horseback, come on foot, If not one man dares combat hand to hand, In all the thousands of so great a rout: See where the tomb of Mary's Son doth stand, March thither, warriors hold, what makes you doubt?

Why run you not, there for your sins to weep Or to what greater need these forces keep?"

LXXV Thus scorned by that heathen Saracine Were all the soldiers of Christ's sacred name: Raymond, while others at his words repine, Burst forth in rage, he could not bear this shame: For fire of courage brighter far doth s.h.i.+ne If challenges and threats augment the same; So that, upon his steed he mounted light, Which Aquilino for his swiftness hight.

LXXVI This jennet was by Tagus bred; for oft The breeder of these beasts to war a.s.signed, When first on trees burgeon the blossoms soft p.r.i.c.ked forward with the sting of fertile kind, Against the air casts up her head aloft And gathereth seed so from the fruitful wind And thus conceiving of the gentle blast, A wonder strange and rare, she foals at last.

LXXVII And had you seen the beast, you would have said The light and subtile wind his father was; For if his course upon the sands he made No sign was left what way the beast did pa.s.s; Or if he menaged were, or if he played, He scantly bended down the tender gra.s.s: Thus mounted rode the Earl, and as he went, Thus prayed, to Heaven his zealous looks upbent.

LXXVIII "O Lord, that diddest save, keep and defend Thy servant David from Goliath's rage, And broughtest that huge giant to his end, Slain by a faithful child of tender age; Like grace, O Lord, like mercy now extend!

Let me this vile blasphemous pride a.s.suage, That all the world may to thy glory know, Old men and babes thy foes can overthrow!"

LXXIX Thus prayed the County, and his prayers dear Strengthened with zeal, with G.o.dliness and faith, Before the throne of that great Lord appear, In whose sweet grace is life, death in his wrath, Among his armies bright and legions clear, The Lord an angel good selected hath, To whom the charge was given to guard the knight, And keep him safe from that fierce Pagan's might.

Lx.x.x The angel good, appointed for the guard Of n.o.ble Raymond from his tender eild, That kept him then, and kept him afterward, When spear and sword he able was to wield, Now when his great Creator's will he heard, That in this fight he should him chiefly s.h.i.+eld, Up to a tower set on a rock he flies, Where all the heavenly arms and weapons lies:

Lx.x.xI There stands the lance wherewith great Michael slew The aged dragon in a b.l.o.o.d.y fight, There are the dreadful thunders forged new, With storms and plagues that on poor sinners light; The ma.s.sy trident mayest thou pendant view There on a golden pin hung up on height, Wherewith sometimes he smites this solid land, And throws down towns and towers thereon which stand.

Lx.x.xII Among the blessed weapons there which stands Upon a diamond s.h.i.+eld his looks he bended, So great that it might cover all the lands, Twixt Caucasus and Atlas hills extended; With it the lord's dear flocks and faithful bands, The holy kings and cities are defended, The sacred angel took this target sheen, And by the Christian champion stood unseen.

Lx.x.xIII But now the walls and turrets round about, Both young and old with many thousands fill; The king Clorinda sent and her brave rout, To keep the field, she stayed upon the hill: G.o.dfrey likewise some Christian bands sent out Which armed, and ranked in good array stood still, And to their champions empty let remain Twixt either troop a large and s.p.a.cious plain.

Lx.x.xIV Argantes looked for Tancredi bold, But saw an uncouth foe at last appear, Raymond rode on, and what he asked him, told, Better by chance, "Tancred is now elsewhere, Yet glory not of that, myself behold Am come prepared, and bid thee battle here, And in his place, or for myself to fight, Lo, here I am, who scorn thy heathenish might."

Lx.x.xV The Pagan cast a scornful smile and said, "But where is Tancred, is he still in bed?

His looks late seemed to make high heaven afraid; But now for dread he is or dead or fled; But whe'er earth's centre or the deep sea made His lurking hole, it should not save his head."

"Thou liest," he says, "to say so brave a knight Is fled from thee, who thee exceeds in might."

Lx.x.xVI The angry Pagan said, "I have not spilt My labor then, if thou his place supply, Go take the field, and let's see how thou wilt Maintain thy foolish words and that brave lie;"

Thus parleyed they to meet in equal tilt, Each took his aim at other's helm on high, Even in the fight his foe good Raymond hit, But shaked him not, he did so firmly sit.

Lx.x.xVII The fierce Circa.s.sian missed of his blow, A thing which seld befell the man before, The angel, by unseen, his force did know, And far awry the poignant weapon bore, He burst his lance against the sand below, And bit his lips for rage, and cursed and swore, Against his foe returned he swift as wind, Half mad in arms a second match to find.

Lx.x.xVIII Like to a ram that b.u.t.ts with horned head, So spurred he forth his horse with desperate race: Raymond at his right hand let slide his steed, And as he pa.s.sed struck at the Pagan's face; He turned again, the earl was nothing dread, Yet stept aside, and to his rage gave place, And on his helm with all his strength gan smite, Which was so hard his courtlax could not bite.