Jerusalem Delivered: An English Prose Version

Canto Nine

C A N T O N I N E i But the great infernal monster (who sees those hearts once so turbulent now stilled and angers quenched, and has not power to struggle against fate and to counter the great decrees of the immutable Mind) takes her departure —and where she passes shewithers the smiling meadows, and the sun grows suddenly pale; and, still the minister of other furies and other evils, she hastilyturns her wings to a newenterprise. 2 She (who knew that through her companions' industry far distant from the Christian armywere the son of Bertoldo, Tancred, and the rest of the strongest and most feared) said: "What more are we waitingfor? Now let Solyman come unlocked for, bringing war. Surely (or so I hope) weshall have anoble victory over an army ill accorded and in part diminished." 3 That said, she flies where Solyman is tarrying among the wandering bands, having become their leader: that Solyman than whom, among asmanyrebels as God has, there was no man fiercer at that time. Nor would be evenif for new offenses Earth's giants were born again.This man was king of the Turks and in Nicaeawas wont to havehis seatof government: 4 and extended his borders, opposite the Grecianshores, from Sangar to Maeander, where formerly Mysians and Phrygians and Lydians dwelt, and the peoples of Pontus and Bithynia: but when the foreign armiespassed into Asia against the Turks and the other infidels, his lands had been conquered in war and he discomfited twice in general combat. ipo Jerusalem Delivered 5 But when he had tried his fortune again in vain, and been driven by force from his native land, he took refuge in the court of Egypt's king, who became his courteous and magnanimous host, and was pleasedthat so mighty awarrior should offer himself as a fellow in his lofty enterprises, he having proposed alreadyto deny to the soldiers of Christ the conquest of Palestine. 6 But, before he declared on them openly the war that he proposed, he wanted Solyman (to whom he gave much money for the purpose) to take in his hire the Arabs. Now, while he was collecting his armyfrom Asia and the Moorish regions, Solyman came ahead and easilygathered about him the greedy Arabs—thieves or mercenaries in every age. 7 Being thus made their leader, now he isscouring Judaea on everyside, and sacking and pillaging, so that he has closed the approach and return from the Prankish armies to the shores of the sea; and everyminute conscious of his abiding disgrace, and the deep ruin of his kingdom, he isrevolving weightier matters in his burning breast: but he isnot wholly determined or resolved upon them. 8 To this man comes Alecto, and takes the semblance of aman advanced in age: she drains his face of blood,fillsit with wrinkles, leaves hairythe upper lip and shaves the chin. His head she offers to viewwrapped in long swaths, his cloak falls over his knees down to his feet; he has at his sidea scimitar and his backburdened with a quiver, and in his hands a bow. 9 "We scour the empty plains (shesays to him) and the sterile and desert sands, where neither can any plunder longer be had nor victoryachieved that merits praise. Meanwhile Godfrey is battering the city and alreadyhas breached its walls with his towers; and we shall surelysee, ifwe delayyet a little, even to here itsfieryruin. C A N T O N I N E 191 IO "Shall cottages burned andflocksand herds be then the mightytriumphs of Solyman? Do you regain your kingdom thus? And thus do you think to avenge your insults and losses?Be bold, be bold: within his defenses by night assault the barbariantyrant. Trust in your old Araspes, whose counsels you havetested both in your rule and in your exile. ii "He isnot expecting us, and has no fear of us, and in truth he despises the naked and fearful Arabs; nor will he ever be ableto believe that a peopleaccustomed to raids and escapes now should dare so much. But your ferocity will makethem fierce against a campthat is lying unarmed and sleeping." So she spoke to him, and breathed her burning furies into his breast and blended herself with the winds. 12 The warrior gives a shout, raising hishand to heaven: "O thou that arouseth my heart with so much fury (nor...