Part 12 (2/2)
LX The silly maid in secret longing pined, Her hope a mote drawn up by Phoebus' rays, Her love a mountain seemed, whereon bright s.h.i.+ned Fresh memory of Tancred's worth and praise, Within her closet if her self she shrined, A hotter fire her tender heart a.s.says: Tancred at last, to raise her hope nigh dead, Before those walls did his broad ensign spread.
LXI The rest to view the Christian army feared, Such seemed their number, such their power and might, But she alone her troubled forehead cleared, And on them spread her beauty s.h.i.+ning bright; In every squadron when it first appeared, Her curious eye sought out her chosen knight; And every gallant that the rest excels, The same seems him, so love and fancy tells.
LXII Within the kingly palace builded high, A turret standeth near the city's wall, From which Erminia might at ease descry The western host, the plains and mountains all, And there she stood all the long day to spy, From Phoebus' rising to his evening fall, And with her thoughts disputed of his praise, And every thought a scalding sigh did raise.
LXIII From hence the furious combat she surveyed, And felt her heart tremble with fear and pain, Her secret thoughts thus to her fancy said, Behold thy dear in danger to be slain; So with suspect, with fear and grief dismayed, Attended she her darling's loss or gain, And ever when the Pagan lift his blade, The stroke a wound in her weak bosom made.
LXIV But when she saw the end, and wist withal Their strong contention should eftsoons begin, Amazement strange her courage did appal, Her vital blood was icy cold within; Sometimes she sighed, sometimes tears let fall, To witness what distress her heart was in; Hopeless, dismayed, pale, sad, astonished, Her love, her fear; her fear, her torment bred.
LXV Her idle brain unto her soul presented Death in an hundred ugly fas.h.i.+ons painted, And if she slept, then was her grief augmented, With such sad visions were her thoughts acquainted; She saw her lord with wounds and hurts tormented, How he complained, called for her help, and fainted, And found, awaked from that unquiet sleeping, Her heart with panting sore; eyes, red with weeping.
LXVI Yet these presages of his coming ill, Not greatest cause of her discomfort were, She saw his blood from his deep wounds distil, Nor what he suffered could she bide or bear: Besides, report her longing ear did fill, Doubling his danger, doubling so her fear, That she concludes, so was her courage lost, Her wounded lord was weak, faint, dead almost.
LXVII And for her mother had her taught before The secret virtue of each herb that springs, Besides fit charms for every wound or sore Corruption breedeth or misfortune brings,-- An art esteemed in those times of yore, Beseeming daughters of great lords and kings-- She would herself be surgeon to her knight, And heal him with her skill, or with her sight.
LXVIII Thus would she cure her love, and cure her foe She must, that had her friends and kinsfolk slain: Some cursed weeds her cunning hand did know, That could augment his harm, increase his pain; But she abhorred to be revenged so, No treason should her spotless person stain, And virtueless she wished all herbs and charms Wherewith false men increase their patients' harms.
LXIX Nor feared she among the bands to stray Of armed men, for often had she seen The tragic end of many a b.l.o.o.d.y fray; Her life had full of haps and hazards been, This made her bold in every hard a.s.say, More than her feeble s.e.x became, I ween; She feared not the shake of every reed, So cowards are courageous made through need.
LXX Love, fearless, hardy, and audacious love, Emboldened had this tender damsel so, That where wild beasts and serpents glide and move Through Afric's deserts durst she ride or go, Save that her honor, she esteemed above Her life and body's safety, told her no; For in the secret of her troubled thought, A doubtful combat, love and honor fought.
LXXI ”O spotless virgin,” Honor thus begun, ”That my true lore observed firmly hast, When with thy foes thou didst in bondage won, Remember then I kept thee pure and chaste, At liberty now, where wouldest thou run, To lay that field of princely virtue waste, Or lose that jewel ladies hold so dear?
Is maidenhood so great a load to bear?
LXXII ”Or deem'st thou it a praise of little prize, The glorious t.i.tle of a virgin's name?
That thou will gad by night in giglot wise, Amid thine armed foes, to seek thy shame.
O fool, a woman conquers when she flies, Refusal kindleth, proffers quench the flame.
Thy lord will judge thou sinnest beyond measure, If vainly thus thou waste so rich a treasure.”
LXXIII The sly deceiver Cupid thus beguiled The simple damsel, with his filed tongue: ”Thou wert not born,” quoth he, ”in desert wild The cruel bears and savage beasts among, That you shouldest scorn fair Citherea's child, Or hate those pleasures that to youth belong, Nor did the G.o.ds thy heart of iron frame; To be in love is neither sin nor shame.
LXXIV ”Go then, go, whither sweet desire inviteth, How can thy gentle knight so cruel be?
Love in his heart thy grief and sorrows writeth, For thy laments how he complaineth, see.
Oh cruel woman, whom no care exciteth To save his life, that saved and honored thee!
He languished, one foot thou wilt not move To succor him, yet say'st thou art in love.
LXXV ”No, no, stay here Argantes' wounds to cure, And make him strong to shed thy darling's blood, Of such reward he may himself a.s.sure, That doth a thankless woman so much good: Ah, may it be thy patience can endure To see the strength of this Circa.s.sian wood, And not with horror and amazement shrink, When on their future fight thou hap'st to think?
LXXVI ”Besides the thanks and praises for the deed, Suppose what joy, what comfort shalt thou win, When thy soft hand doth wholesome plaisters speed, Upon the breaches in his ivory skin, Thence to thy dearest lord may health succeed, Strength to his limbs, blood to his cheeks so thin, And his rare beauties, now half dead and more, Thou may'st to him, him to thyself restore.
LXXVII ”So shall some part of his adventures bold And valiant acts henceforth be held as thine; His dear embracements shall thee straight enfold, Together joined in marriage rites divine: Lastly high place of honor shalt thou hold Among the matrons sage and dames Latine, In Italy, a land, as each one tells, Where valor true, and true religion dwells.”
LXXVIII With such vain hopes the silly maid abused, Promised herself mountains and hills of gold; Yet were her thoughts with doubts and fears confused How to escape unseen out of that hold, Because the watchman every minute used To guard the walls against the Christians bold, And in such fury and such heat of war, The gates or seld or never opened are.
LXXIX With strong Clorinda was Erminia sweet In surest links of dearest friends.h.i.+p bound, With her she used the rising sun to greet, And her, when Phoebus glided under ground, She made the lovely partner of her sheet; In both their hearts one will, one thought was found; Nor aught she hid from that virago bold, Except her love, that tale to none she told.
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