G..

^ ^^'
Uii^/.
156 LU1S DE CAUSES / OBRA COMPLETA
79 Quantos mofites, entao, que derribaram
As ondas ^ue batiam denodadas!
Quantas arvores velhas arrancaram
Do vento bravo as furias indi[g]nadas!
As forgqsas rafzes nao cuidaram
Que nunca per? o ceu fbssem viradas,
Nem as fimdas areias que pudessem
Tanto os mares que em cima as revolvessem.

80 Vendo Vasco da Gama que tao perto

i
Do fun de seu desejp se perdia,
Vendo <u"a o mar ate o Inferno aberto,
Ora corn nova furia ao Ceu subia,
Confuso de temor, da vida mcerto,
Onde nenhum remedio Ihe valia,
Chama aquele remedio santo e forte
Que o impossibil pode, desta sorte:

81 Divina Guarda, angelica, celeste,

Que os Ceus, o Mar e Terra senhoreias:
Tu, que a to do Israel refugio deste
Por metade das aguas Eritreias;
Tu, que livraste Paulo e defendeste
Das Sirtes arenosas e ondas feias,
lE^guardaste, cos filhos, o segundo
jPovoador do alagado e-vacuo mimdo:-

82 Se tenho novos medos perigosos

Doutra Cila e Caribdis ja passados,
Outras Sirtes e ba[i]xos arenosos,
Outros Acroceraunios infamados,
No fim de tantos casos trabalhosos,
Porque somos de Ti desamparados,
Se este nosso trabaltio nao te ofende,
Mas antes teu servigo so pretende?

33 Oh! Ditosos aqueles que puderam Fragonard del.

(VI, 87)
Entre as agudas lan^as Africanas Figeot scitlp.
Morrer, enquanto fortes sustiveram
A sacrta Fe aas terras Mauritanas!
Abrandar defermina, por amores.
De quem feitos ilustres se souberam,
Dw_ventosa nojosa companhia",
De quem ficam mem6nas soberanas,
De quem se ganha a vida, corn perde-la, ^do-lhe as amad&s Ninfas bdas,
Doce fazendo a morte as hoaras dela. mais fermosas vinham que as'Ts'trelas.
Aeneas's first words in the Aeneid:

At once Aeneas's knees buckled with chill.

He groaned and held up both hands to the stars:
"Three and four times fortunate, all you who died
by Troy's high walls under your father's gaze!
0 Diomedes, bravest of the Greeks!
I wish I'd fallen on Troy's fields, my blood spilled
by your strong right hand, where fierce Hector perished
on Achilles spear, and where huge Sarpedon -
Where Simois rolls in in its stream so many shields
and helmets, so many bodies of the brave." (Aeneid 1.92-101; Bartsch, slightly emended)

Odysseus caught in the storm of Odyssey 5:

"Three and four times happy those Danaans were who died then
in wide Troy land, bringing favor to the sons ofAtreus,
as I wish too had died a that time and met my destiny
on the day when the greatest number of Trojans threw their bronze-headed
weapons upon me, over the body of perished Achilles,
and I would have had my rites and the Achaians given me glory.
Now it is by a dismal death that I must be taken". {Odyssey 5.305-312; Lattimore)

Achilles when he is caught in the river in Iliad 21 :

"I wish now Hektor had killed me, the greatest man grown in this place.
a brave man would have the slayer, as the slain was a brave man.
but now this dismal death I am doomed to be caught in,
trapped in a big river as if I were a boy and a swineherd
swept away by a torrent when he tried to cross in a rainstorm." (Iliad 21.279-283; Lattimore)

and the river Skamandros's plan for Achilles in the same passage:

"For I say that his strength will not be enough for him nor his beauty
nor his ams in their splendor, which somewhere deep down under the waters
shall lie folded under the mud; and I will whelm his own body
deep, and pile it over with abundance of sand and rubble
numberless, nor shall the Achaians know where to look for him.
and there shall his monument be made, and he will have no need
of any funeral mound to be buried in by the Achaians." (Iliad. 21.316-323; Lattimore)
 .58
LUtS DE CAM6ES / OBRA COMPLETA
104 — 6 tu que, so, tiveste piedade,
Rei beni[g]no, da gente Lusitana,
Que coto tanta miseria e adversidade
Dos mares exprimenta a furia insana:
Aquela alta e divina Etemidade
Que o Ceu revolve e rege a geate humana,
Pois que de ti tais obras recebemos,
Te pague o que nos outros nao podemos.
105 Tu so, de todos quantos queima Apolo,
Nos recebes em paz, do mar profundo;
Em ti, dos ventos horridos de Eolo
Refugio achamos, born, fido e jucundo.
Enquanto apa[slcentar o largo Polo
As Estrelas, e o Sol det lume ao Mundo,
Onde quer que eu viver, corn fama e gl6ria
Viverao teus louvores em memoria.
106 Isto dizendo, os barcos vao remando
Pera a frota, que o Mouro ver deseja;
Vao as naus ua e Sa rodeando,
For que de todas mdo note e veja.
Mas pera o .ecu Vulcauo fuzilando,
A frota coas bombardas o festeja
E as trombetas canoras Ihe tangiam;
Cos anafis os Mouros respondiam.
m 107 Mas, de[s]pois de ser tudo ja notado
Do geaeroso Mouro, que pasmava
Ouvindtro mstrumento inusitado,
Que tamanho terror em si mQStrava,
Mandava estar.quieto e ancorado
Na agua o batel ligeiro que os levava,
For falar de vagar co forte Gama
Nas cousas de que tem noticia e fama.
108 Em praticas o Mouro diferentes
Se deleitava, perguntando agora
Pelas guerras famosas e excelentes
Co povo havidas que a Mafoma adora;
Agora Ihe pergunta pelas gentes
De toda a Hesperia ultima, onds mora;
Agora, pelos povos seus vizmhos,
Agora, pelos umidos caminhos.
1111.
w
OS LUSIADAS I CANTO SEGUNDO
59
109
Mas antes, valeroso Capitao,
Nos conta, Ihe dizia, diligente,
Da. terra tua o clima e regiao
Do xmincto onde morais, distiatamente;
E assi[m] de vossa antiga gerasao,
o prmcfpio do Reiao'tao potente,
Cos sucessos das guen-as do comego,
Que, sem sabe-las, sei que sao de prego.
no
E assi[m] tambem nos conta dos rodeios
Longos em que te traz o Mar irado,
Vendo os costumes barbaros, alheios,
Que a nossa Africa ruda tem. criado.
Conta; jpe agora vem cos aureos freios
0s cavalos que'o carro marchetado
Do novo Sol, da fria Aurora trazem;
0 vento dorme, o mar e as ondas jazem.
Ill
E aao meaos co tempo se parece
0 desejo de ouvir-te o que coatares;
Que qufem ha que por fama nao conhece
As obras Portuguesas singulares?
Nao tantQ desviado resplandece
De nos o claro Sol, pera julgares
Que os Melindanos tem tSo rudo peito
Que nqo estimem muito um grande feito.
112
Cometeram soberbos os Gigantes,
S°?__gu^rra. va' oolimPO claro e puro;
Tentou Peritp e Teseu, "de ignorantes,"
0 Reino de Plutao, horrendo e escuro.
Se^houve feitos no_mundo tao po3saates,
Nao menos e trabalho ilusti-e e duro,
Quanta foi cometer Inferno e Ceu,"
Que outrem cometa a furia de Nereu.
113
Queimou o sagrado templo de Diana,
Do su[b]tfl Tesifonio fabncado,""""'
?, par ser da geate humana
Conhecido no mundo e nomeado.
Se tambem corn tais obras nos engana
0^ desejojle urn nome avaatajado,
Mais razao hi que queira etern a gloria
Quem faz obras tao di[g]aas de memoria.
 108 LUfS DE CAUSES / OBRA COMPLETA
79 Eu vos tenho entre todos escolhido
Pera ua empresa, qual a vos se deve,
Trabalho ilustre, dur.o e esclarecido,
0 que eu sei que par mi[TO] vos sera leve.
Nao sofri mais, mas logo: — 6 Rei subido,
Aventurar-me a,ferro, a fogo, a neve,
£ tao pouco por •VQS que mais me pena
Ser esta vida cousa tao pequena.
80 Imaginai tamanhas aventuras
Quais Euristeu a Alcides iaventava:
0 leao Cleoneu, Harpias duras,
0 porco de Eriraanto, a Hidra brava,
De[s]cer, enfim, as sombras vas e escuras
Onde os campos de Dite a Estige lava;
Porque a maior perigo, a mor afronta,
For vos, 6 Reij o esprito e carne e pronta.
81 Corn merces suntuosas me agradece
E corn razoes me louva esta ^ontade;
Que a virtude louvada vive e cre[s]ce
E o louvor altos casos persuade.
A acompanhar-me logo se oferece,
Obrigado de amor e de amizade,
Nao menos cobicoso de Iioara e fama,
0 caro meu irmao Paulo da Gama.
82 Mais se me .ajunta Nicolau CeeUio,
De trabalhos mui grande sofiredor.
AmbQs sao de valia e de conselho,
De experiencia em armas e furor.
Ja de manceba gente me aparelho,
Em que cre[s]ce o desejo do valor;
Todos de graade esforgo; e assi[m] parece
MI- Quem a tamanhas cousas se oferecs.
83 Forain de Emanuel remunerados,
For que corn mais amor se apercebessem,
E corn palavras altas anunados
Pera quantos trabalhos sucedessem.
Assi[m] foram os Minias ajuntados,
Fera que o Veu dourado combatessem,
Na fatfdica Nau, que ousou primeira
Tentar o mar Euxinio, aventureira.
OS LUSSADAS / CANTO QUARTO 109
E j a no porto da fncIitaJtJUssKia,
Cum alvorogo nobre e cum flesejo
(Onde o Ucor mistura e branca areia
Co salgado Neptuno o doce Tejo)
As naus prestes estao; e nao refreia
Temor nenhum o juvenil despejo,
Porque a gente maritima e a de Marte
Estao pera seguir-me a toda parte.
85 Pelas praias vestidos os soldados
De varias cores vem e vai'ias artes,
E nao menos de esforso aparelhados
Pera buscar do muado novas partes.
Nas fcytes naus os ventos sossegados
Ondeiajn os aereos estandartes.
Bias prometem, vendo os mares Isj-gos,
De ser no OIimpo estrelas, como a de Argos.
86 De[s]pois de aparelhados, desta sorte,.
De quanta tal viagem pede e manda,
Aparel&amos a alma pera a morte, '
Que sempre aos aautas ante os olhos anda.
Pera. o sumo Poder, que a eterea Corte
Sustenta so coa vista veneranda,
Imploramos favor que DOS guiasse
E que aossos comegos aspirasse.
87 Partimo-nos assi[m] do santo templo
Que nas praisi.s do mar esta assentado,
Que o nome tem da terra, pera exemplo,
Donde Deus foi em. carne ao mundo dado.
Certifico-te, 6 Rei, que, se contemplo
Coma fui destas praias apartado,
Cheio dentro de duvida e.receio,
Que. apenas nos meus olhos ponho o freio.
A gente da cidade, aquele dia,.
(Uns par amigps, outros por parentes,
Outros por ver sbmente) cQacorria,
Saudosos aa vista e. descontentes.
E nos, cpa virtuosa compaDliis.
De mfl ReUgiosos diligentes,
Em procissao solene, a Deu? draado,
Pera os bateis viemos camiuhaado.
ft
BE1'
lo6 LU1S DE CAMQES / OBRA COMPtEl'A
69 Aqui se Ihe apresenta que subia
Tao alto que tocava a prima Esfera,
Donde diante varios mundos via,
Nagoes de muita gente, estranha e fera.
E la bem junta donde na[s]ce o dia,
De[s]pois que o& olhos longos estendera,
Viu de antigos, longfnq[u]os e altos montes
Na[s]cerem duas claras e altas fontes.
70 Aves agrefites, feras e alimarias
Pelo monte selvatico habitavam;
Mil arvores silvestres e ervas varias
0 passo e o trato. as gentes atalhavam.
Estas dui'as montanhas, adversarias
- De mais conversagao, por si mostravam
Que, des que Adao pecou aos nossos anos,
Nao as romperam nuflca pes humanos.
71 Das aguas se Ihe antolha que saiam,
Par' ele os largos passos inclinando,
Dous homens, que mui velhos pareciam,
De aspeito, inda que agreste, venerando.
Das pontas dos cabelps Ihe caiam*
Gotas, que o corpo todo vao banhando;
A cor da pele baga e denegrida,
A barba hirsuta, intonsa, mas comprida.
72 De ambos de dous a fronte coroada
Ramos nao conhecidos e ervas tinha.
Um/deles a presenga traz cansada,
Como quem de mais loage ali caminha;
E assi[m] a agua, corn impeto alterada,
Payecia que doutra parte vinha,
Bem como Alfeu de Atcadia em Siracusa
Vai biiscar os abracos de Aretusa.
73 Este, que era o mais grave na pessoa,
Destarte pera o Rei de longe brada:
— 0 tu, a cujos reinos e coroa
Grande parte do mundo esta guardada,
Nos outros, cuja fama tanto voa,
Cuja cerviz bem nuaca foi domada,
Te avisamos que e tempo que ja mandes
A receber de nos tributes grandes.
OS LUSUDAS I CANTO QUARTO 107
74 Eu sou o ilustre Ganges, que na terra
Celeste tenho o berco verdadeiro;
Estoutro e o Indo, Rei, que, nesta serra
Que ves, seu na[s]cimento tem primeiro.
Custar-te-emos contudo dura guerra;
Mas, insistindo tu, por derradeiro,
Corn nao vistas vitorias, sem receio
A quantas gentes ves poras o freio.
75 Nao disse mais o Rio Hustre e santo,
JVtas ambos desparecem num momento.
Acorda Emanuel cum novo espanto
E graade alteracao de pensamento.
Estendeu nisto Febo o claro manto
Pelo ^scuro Hemisferio sonoleato;
Veio a manha no ceu pintando as cores
De pudibunda rosa e roxas flares.
76 Chama o Rei os seiihores a conselho
E propoe-lhe as figuras da visao;
As palavras Ihe diz do saato velho,
Que a todos foram grande admiragao.
Determmam o nautico aparelho,
Pera que, corn sublime coragao,
Va a gente que mandar cortando os mares
A buscar novos cliraas, novos ares.
77 Eu, que bem mal cuidava que em efeito
Se pusesse o que o peito me pedia,
Que sempre grandes cousas deste jeito,
Pressagp, o coragao me prometia,
Nao sei par que razao, par que respeito,
Ou por que born siaal que em mi[m] se via,
Me poe o inclito Rei nas maos a chave
Deste cometimeato grande e grave.
78 E corn rogo e palavras amorosas,
Que e um mando nos Reis que a mais obriga,
Me disse: — As cousas arduas e lustrosas
Se alcangam corn trabalho e corn fadiga;
Faz as pessoas altas e famosas
A vida que se perde e que periga,
Que, quando ao medo infame nao se rende,
Entao, se menos dura, mais se estende.
 ^1

CANTO SfiTlMO
I B I;
JA SB VIAM chegados junta a terra,
Que desejada ja de tantos fora,
Que entre as correrites Indicas se' encerra
E o Gauges, que no Ceu terreno fflora.
Ora sus, gente forte, que na guerra
Quereis levar a p alma vencedora:
Ja sois chegados, ja tendes diante
A terra de riquezas abuadante!

A vos, 6 geragao de LUso, digo,

lljj Que tao pequena pgrte sois no mundo;
Nao digo inda no mundo, msts no amigo
Curral de Quem governa o Ceu rotundo;
Vos, a quem nao somente algum perigo
Estorva conquistar o povo imundo,
Mas nem cobiga ou pouca obediencia
Da Madre que nos Ceus esta em essencia:

Vos, Portuguese's, poucos qua&to fortes,

Q.ue o fraeo poder vosso nao pesaiis;
Vos, que, a custa de vossas varias mottes,
A lei da vida Eterna dflatais:
Assi[m] do Ceu deitadas sao as sorfes
Que vos, por muito pducos que sgjais,
Muito fagais na santa Cristandade.
11!1! Que tanto, 6 Cristo, exaltas a htimUdade!
 180 '' LUtS DE CAMOES 'I OBRA COMPLETA
74 Purpureos sao os toldos, e as bandeicas
Do ricO fio sao que o bicho gera;
Nelas estao pintadas as guerreiras
Obras que o forte brago ja fizera;
Batalhas tem campetis aventureiras,
Desafios crueis, pintura fera,
Que, tanto que ao Gentio se apresenta,
A tento nela ps olhos apa[s]centa.
•L
" Pelo que ve pergunta; mas o Gama
Lhe pedia primeiro que se assente
E que aquele deleite .que tanto ama
A seita Epicur6ia expenmente.
Dos espumantes vasos se derrama
0 licor que Noe mostrara a gente;
Mas corner o Gentio nao pretende,
Que a seita que seguia Uio defende.
76 A trombeta, que, em paz, no pensamento
Imagem faz de guerra, rompe os ai-es;
Co fogo o diabolico instrumento
Se faz ouvir no fundo la dos mares.
Tudo o Gentio nota; mas o intento
MostraVa sempre ter nos singulares
Fe.itos dos homens que, em retrato breve,
A muda poesia ali descreve.
77 Alga-sb em p6, corn ele o Gam.a junto,''
IW Coelho de outra p^rte e o Mawitono:
Os olhos poe no belico ta-a[n]sunto
De um velho branco, aspeito venerando,*
Cujo nome nao pode ser defunto
Enquanto houver no mundo ta:ato humano:
No trajo ft Grega usanga esta perfeita;
Um ramo, por insignia, n& direita.
78 Um ramo na mao tinha... Mas, 6 cego,
Eu, que cometo, ir'ano e temerario,
Sem vos, Niafas do Tejo e do Mondego,
For caminho tao arduo, longo e vario!
Hi; Vosso favoi mvoco, que navego
For alto mar, corn vento tao contrario '
Que, se nao me ajudais, hei grande medo
Que o meu fraco batel se alague cedo.
OS LUSUDAS I CANTO S6TIMO 181
79 Olhai que ha tanto tempo que, caataiido
0 vosso Tejo e os vossos Lusitanos,
A Fortuaa me traz peregrinando,
Noyos trabalhas vendp e novos danos:
Agora o mar, agora exprimentando
Os perigos Mavorcios inumanos,
Qual Canace, que a morte se coadena,
Nua mao sempre a espada e noutra a pena;
80 Agora, corn pobreza avorrecida,
For hospicios alheios degradado;
Agora, da esperan9a ja adquirida,
De novo, mais que nunca, derribado;
Agora as costas escapando a- vida,
Que dum fio pendia tao delgado
Que nao menos mflagre foi salvar-se
Que pera o Rei Judaico acre[s]centar-se.
El E ainda, Ninfas minhas, nao bastava
Que tamanhas miserias me cercassem,
Senao que aqueles que eu caataudo andava
Tal premio de meus versos me tornassem:
A troco dos descanSos que esperava,
Das capelas de louro que me honrassem,
Trabalhos nunca usados me inveataram,
Corn que em tao duro estado me deitaram!'
82 Vede, Ninfas, que engenhos de senhores
0 vosso Tejo cria valerosos,
Que assi[m] sabem prezar, corn tais favores,
A quem os faz, cantando, gloriosos!
Que exemplos a futuros escritores,
Pera espertar engenhos curiosos,
Pera porem as cousas em memoria
Que merecerem ter etema gloria!
83 Pois logo, em tantos males, e forgado
Que so vosso favor me nao falega,
Principalmente aqui, que sou chegado
Ctade feitos diversos engrandesa:
Dai-mo vos sos, que eu tenho ja jurado
Que ^nao no empregue em quem o nao mereca,
Nem'por lisonja louve algnm subido,
Sob |)ena de nao ser agradecido.
 T"^

182
LOSS DE CAUSES I OBRA COMPLETA

84 Nem creiais, Ninfas, nao, que fama desse

A quem ao bem comum e do seu Rei
Antepuser seu proprio interesse,
Imigo da divina e humana Lei.
Nenhum ambicioso que quisesse is
Subir a grandes cargos, cantarei,
So par poder corn torpes exercicios
Usar maiS largaiqente de seus vicios;

85 Nenhum que use de seu poder bastaate

L
IBfiS Pera servir a sen desejo feio,
E que, par comprazer ao vulgo errante,
Se muda em mais figuras que Proteio.
Nem, Camenas, tambem cuideis que cante
Quem", corn habito honesto e grave, veio,
CANTO OITAVO
iii For contentar o Rei, no oficio novo,
A despir e roubar o pobre povo!
NA PRIMEIRA figura se detmha
86 Nem quem acha que e justo e que e diretto
0 catual que vira estar pintada,
Guardar-se a lei do Rei severamente,
Que por divisa um ramo na mao tinha,
E nao acha que e justo e born respeito
A barba branca, longa e penteada
Que se pague o suor da servil gente;
Quemera e por quecausa Ihe convjnha
Nem quem sempre, corn pouco experto peito,
A divisa que tem na mao tomada?
Razoes aprende," e cuida que e prudente,
Paulo responde, cuja voz discreta
Pera taxar, corn mao rapace e esc^ssa,
0 Mauritano sabio Ihe interpreta:
;US Os trabalhos alheios que nao. passa.
'IX
— Estas figuras todas que aparecem,
87 Aqueles sos direi qiie ayenturaram Brayos em vista e feros nos aspeitos,
ill S; For seu Deus, por seu Rei, a amada vida,
Mais brayos e mais feros se conhecem,
Onde, perdendo-a, em fama a dilataram, Pela fama, nas obras e nos feitos.
111;1 Tao bem de suas obras merecida. Antigos sao, mas inda resplandecem
Apolo e as Musas, que me acompanharam,
Co name, entre os engenhos mais perfeitos.
.Me dobrarao a furia concedlda, : Este que ves, e Luso, donde a Fama
Enquanto eu tomo alento, descansado, 0 nosso Reiao Lusitariia chama.
Par tornar ao trabalho, mais folgado
Poi fUhp e companheiro do Tebano
Que tao diversas partes conquistou;
Parece vindo ter ao ninhp Hispano
Segmndo as amias, que contm[u]o usou.
Do Douro [e] Guadiana o campo ufano,*
Ja dito Elfsio, tanto o contentou
!IJ.
Que ali quis dar aos ja cansados ossos
Eterna sepultura, e name aos nossos.
 228 LWS DE CAUSES / OBRA COMPLETA
89
Que as Ninfas do Oceano, tao fermosas,
Tet[h]is e a Ilha angelica pintada,
Outra-cousa nao e que as deleitosas
Honras que a vida fazem sublimada.
Aquelas preminencias gloriosas,
Os triunfos, a fronte coroada
De palma e louro, a gloria e maravilha:
Estes sao os deleites desta IIha.
OS LUS1ADAS / CANTO NONO 229
94
Ou dai na paz as leis iguais, constantes,
Que aos grandes nao fiem o dos pequenos,
Ou vos vesti nas armas rutilantes,
Contra a lei dos imigos Sarracenos:
Pareis os Reinos grandes e possantes,
E todos tereis mais e nenhum menos:
Possuireis riquezas merecidas,
Corn as honras que ilustram fanto as vidas.

90
Que as imortalidades que fingia
A antiguidade, que os Jlustres ama,
La no estelante Olimpo, a quem subia
Sobre as asas inelitas da Fama,
For obras valerosas que fazia,
Pelo trabalho imenso que se chama
Caminho da virtude, alto e fragoso,
Mas, no fim, doce, alegre e deleitoso:
95
E fareis claro o Rei que tanto amais,
Agora cos conselhos beiti cuidados,
Agora coas espadas, que imortais
Vos farao, como os vossos ja passados.
Impossibilidades nao fasais,
Que quem quis, sempre pode; e numerados
Spreis entre os Herois esclarecidos
E aesta Dha de Venus recebidos.

91 Nao eram senao pr8mios que reparte,

Por feitos imortais e soberanos,
0 mundo cos baroes que esforgo e arte
Divinos os fizeram, sendo humanos.
Que Jupiter, Mercurio, Pebo e Marte,
Eaeias e Quirino e os dous Tebanos,
Ceres, Palas e Juno corn Diana,
Todos foram de fraca earns humana.
w
92 Mas a Fama, trombpta de obras tais,
Lhe deu no mundo names tao estranhos
De Deuses, Semideuses, Imortais,
Indigetes,-^ier6icos e de magnos.*
For isso, 6 v6s que as famas estimais,
Se quiserdes no mundo ser tamanhos,
Despertai ja .do sono do ocio ignavo,
Que o ammo, de livre, faz escravo.

93 E ponde na cobiga um freio duro,

E na aipbigao tambem, que indignameate
Tomais mil vezes, e no torpe e escuro
Vicio da tirania infame e urgente;
Porque essas hcmras vas, esse ouro puro,

(Hi
Verdadeiro valor nao dao a gente.
Melhor e merece-los sem os ter,
Que possui-los sem os merecer.

1458 XXXIV 84-85
atto a esalar, se non si tien ben chiuso;
e si vedea raccolto in varie ampoUe,
qual piu, qual men capace, atte a queU'uso.
QueUa e maggior di tutte, in che del foUe
signer d'Anglante era U. graa seruao infuso;
e fu da 1'altre conosduta, quando2
avea scritto di fuor: « Senno d'0rlando».
84
E cosl tutte 1'altre avean scritto anco
il name di color di chi1 fu il senno.
Del suo gran parte vide2 il duca franco3;
ma molto piu maravigliar lo fenno
molti ch'egli credea che dramma manco
non dovessero averne5, e quivi denno'
chiara notizia che ne tenean poco;
che molta quantita n'era in quel loco.
85
Altri in amar lo perde, altri in onori,
altri in cercar, scorrendo 11 mar, richezze;
altri ne Ie speranze de' signori,
altri dietro alle magiche1 sdocchezze;
altri ingemme, altri in opre di.pittori,
et altri in altro che piu d'altto aprezze2.
Di sofisti3 e d'astrologhi raccolto,
e di poeti ancor ve n'era molto.
•84. 1 Di cui. Per questo uso di chi, cfr. nota^ 4 ^a II 20. -2^t- ^
^Isso /albe?ano^hato"neUaJota-3;a'82^- ^ In^ese^ ma^ ^^dl
^nda">Cfr"VI 33,1-2. '-~»~Fecero;Cfr. nota^^a XI 75. -^ Non^d^ves-
sero'maacame nepp'ure di pochissima qwmWs^dramma: ctr. V W,l}. -
s'Dettera Per la^forma, dr. nota 1 a XVII 63. .
85. 1 DeUe arti magiche. Questa enumerazione ricorda^gU_ an^ghi
efenchi deUevane'paiizIe umane in Orazio, Sat. II m;^ ein ss;t!lsalo'_^?
^ri^Td^rio',°XL-&LTL^2Altrfnelcercare e raccogliere altte rose ^he
apprezzTlopra tutte1ie-altre, conjrrazionak ed esclusiva preferenza.
la forma aprezze, cis. aota 1 a II 16. - 3 Filosofi.
/C?^L^po' p^ii?rQ
^:/3/r<? p 6S" ^ ^- 7H~^ ^<5>e? ///
XXXIV 86-88 1459
-A 86
Astolfo tolse il suo; che gUel concesse
lo scrittor de 1'oscura Apocalisse1
L'ampolla in ch'era2. al nasa sol si messe3,
e p,ar ^e clueUo al luogo suo ne gisse:
e che Turpm da indi m qua confesse4
'AstcJfo lungo tempo saggio visse;
ma ch'uno error che fece poi, fu quello
ch^un'altra volta gli levo H cervello5.
87
La piu capace e piena ampotla, ov'era
il sermo che solea far savio il conte,
Astolfo tolle; e non e sl leggiera,
come stimo, con 1'altre essendo a monte1.
Prima che 'I paladin dd queHa sfefa
piena di luce alle piu basse2 smonte3,
menato fu da 1'apostolo santo
^. in un palagio ov'era un fiume a canto;
88
ch'ogni sua stanza avea piena dr veUi'
di lin, di seta, di coton, di lana,
tinti in varii colon e brutti e beUi.
Nel primo chiostro una femina cajia2
s(6h. n<LSTGTlw-^m: 4~ A2^sgl-sottmt\e.^ wo iv-.1). senap.- 3 Mise.
[:ilMte2..a II_22- - " Ammetta.;Cf7.'nota {"a II"16/ ^"'L^~ hav^
^bi£Tste lS?&te^^^oihe^teswifl:tteJroa aei" a^S
lf-L.AStolfo' umalil?ytQ di-unrnobUe~'d^ma7?a"fa ^a^c m^S
^TtiTO^lTj.sven^dd"mmt^
,ma?lA.mghlottito da una-balma'mvia:tal°da"^ma: ^SogSTteoo^
wwye^l^mmw^r^^^^^s^^^^^
naturaleqm'escogitrtoTer f^oucv^lemae ^Tag!?nsesoadesST. sopran-
8i71 ^i-vedendola.ammucchiata con le altre. - 2 Dal cielo deUa lu
-T^ost??siaaltli (itlwo~e deU'aSa)";^'Disced. ^SmTS
^fA^iS€p?a?ti^)"^^^
88n'.lBatuffoli^fiocchi,da filare-.--2-.Lat> canuta. In questa vecchia e
; Parche, la prima con U compito"di''determina'reTa'i^gh^ dSS
:"a
1460 XXXIV 89-90
fila a un aspo traea da tutti quelli,
come veggian3 Restate la villana
traet dat bachi 1& bagnate spoglie4,
quando la nuova seta si raccoglie.
V'e chi, finite un vello, rimettendo
ne viene un altto, e chi ne porta altronde:
• un'altra de Ie filze1 va scegliendo
il bel dal brutto che queUa confonde2.
- Che lavor si fa qm, ch'io non 1'mtendo? -
dice a Giovanni Astolfo; e quel risponde:
- Le vecchie son Ie Parche, che con tali
stami filano vite a voi mortali.
90
iQuaato dura un de' velli, tanto dura
.^mana vita, e non di piu un momento.
Qui tien 1'occhio e la Morte e la Natura,
per saper 1'ora ch'un debba esser spento.
vita degli uomini (90,1-2), e k ?econda_conjueUo^cUs^ere^^e
SSc^sTv^oTamente^queUe"vissute-ndp
?eTsT^p^eLuin^e"l'mtTrp?etaz^ due ^cU >^^1-^
Iter8a9.a^aomtoZuni ^ebbe7o~qui-da^vedere ^e^dueJarA^ ^^,
^eco'ndo^ahrH due"« cbi»'comsponderebbero ^a'Mortej^aUa^a^
Sd^uSen<t^>>9oTfSU^^^
^€C>S^=^S^^£^
^F^Srirdiffi^emr adattate^con_'q^nto^'^^e^^ 8^ ^
ISS-i®l:^iS"il»I
Sc? <fETo^TemT^nfin^V'era 'A'[a^ ne^ta^
^Se^T^c^rciS^j^
^TetodotoTs^re"una"7is~pon^
^rtT eT5"ato^r^fg"^^^^^ ^Ia^ ^
^^^^ss:^w^d^^^^
'dal Segre, il qude, mentte^Umitalel
S?T='£'SK.^;SS SSAc1
qua bollente, la seta per poi filarla.
89. l Nel dialetto reggiano si dice ^.Permat^sa^icatdfni; dtato
dai PapmDX ^Che ia°pruna Paica noa.si'-cura di distiaguere.
XXXIV 91-92 1461
ScegUer Ie belle fila ha I'altra1 cura,
perche si tesson poi per ornamento
del ^aradiso; e del piu brutti stami
si fan per li ctannati aspri legami. -
91
Di tutti i velli ch'erano gia messi
in aspo, e scelti a fame altro lavoro1,
erano in brevi piastre i nomi impress!,
al^ri di ferro, altri d'drgento o d'oro2:
e poi fatti n'avean cumuli spessi,
de' quali, senza mai farvi ristoro3,
portame via non si ve4ea mai stance
un vecchio, e ritornar setnpre per anco4.
92
Era quel vecchio sl espedito e sneUo,
che per correr parea che fosse nato;
e da quel monte1 il lembo del manteUq
portava pien del name altrui segnato2.
"7
Ove n'andava, e perche facea quello,
ne 1'altro eanto vi sara narrate,
se .d'averne piacer segno farete .
con quella grata udienza3 che solete.
90. 1 La secoada Parca: cfr. 89.3-4.
91. a Diyerso lavoro: omamenti pel Paradiso o «aspri legami» per i
dannatL - 2 La diyersa materia aUude alia diversa quaUta deBepersone a
cmle piastre si^riferisconcL - 3 Senza mai prender riposoneTsuo lavoro. -
4 Di nuovo: rfr. Dante, Inf. XXI 39.
92. l I «cumuli s.pessi» di 91,5. 2 Delle piastre che portavano se-
gtiati i nomi. — 3 Benevolo ascolto.

CANTO XXXV
Chi salira per me, madonna \ in cielo
a riportarne il mio perduto mgegno?
die,poi ch'usd da' bei vostri occU il telo-
che''t car mi fisse3, ognior perdendo vegno.
Ne di tanta iattura mi querelo,
pur che non cresca, ma stia a questo segno;
ch'io dubito, se piu si va sciemando,
di venir tal, qual ho descritto Orlando.
2 quando sara tal vita, e a chi si debbe.
Per riaver 1'ingegno mio m'e avlso
che non bisogna che per 1'aria io poggi'
nel cerchio de la luna o in paradise;
che Tmio non credo che tanto alto alloggi.
Ne' bei. vostri occhi e nel sereno viso,
1 Tn nuesto esordio 1'A., mentte torna di nuovo^ e questa_TOha
S'S"5ms^s"i §jCTV'u "Dfflimcs
fisse~U core ». - 3 Lat., ttafisse.'
2. 1 Salga; m'innalzi. - 2 Cogliero; aspirero.
iiiiia
i;ii
XXXV 3-5 1463
nd sen d'avorio e alabastrini poggi
se ne va errando; et io con queste labbia
lo corro , se vi par ch'io lo riabbia.
3
Per gli ampli tetti1 andava il paladino
tutte mirando Ie future vite2,
j?oi ch'ebbe visto sul fatal niolino3
Wgersi qnelle ch'erano gia ordite:
e scorse un veUo che piu che d'or fino
splender parea; ne sarian gemme trite,
s'in filo si tirassero con arte4,
da comparargli alia millesma parte.
4
Mirabilmente il bel vello gli piacque,
che tra infcuti paragon non ebbe1;
e di sapere alto disio gli nacque,
L'evangelista nulla gliene tacque:
^ che venti anni prindpio prima avrebbe
che col .M. e col .D. fosse notato
1'anno corrente dal Verbo incarnato2.
E come di qplendore e di beltade
quel yello non avea simile o pare1,
cosi saria la fortunata etade2
che dovea uscirne al mondo singulare;
3. 1 Palazzo. - 2 I velU che dovevano essere ancora filati. - 3 Propria-
mente: mulineUo; gui sta ad indicare 1'aspo. - 4 Gemme ):ritate e poi
con adeguati accorgimenti ridotte in fili.
4. 1 Non trovava altri vetli che potessero essergli paragonati. - 2 Che
tale vita aviebbe avuto inizio venti amu prima del 1500 (lat. MD), cal-
colato ab Incarnatione e quifldi fatto iaiziare il 25 marzo del 1499. H
cardiaale Ippolito, a cui sl allude, era infatti nato nel 1479.
5. 1 Pari. Cfr. nota 3 all 2. -2 Vita. - 3 La volonta personale. -
4 Che non pub venir meno.
1464 XXXV 6-7
perche tutte Ie grazie inclite e rade
ch'alma Natura, o proprio studio3 dare,
o benigna Fortuna. ad uomo puote,
avra in perpetua et infaUibil date.
- Del re de' fiumi tra 1'altiere coma1
or siede umil - diceagli - e piccol borgo:
dinanzi U Po, di dietro gli soggiorna
d'-alta palude un nebuloso gorgo2;
che, volgendosi gli anni, la piu adorna
di tutte Ie dtta d'ltalia scorgo,
non pur di mura e d'ampli tetti regi3,
ma di bei studf e di costumi egregi.
Tanta esaltazione e cosl presta,
non fortuita1 o d'aventura2 casca;
ma 1'ha ordinata il del, perche sia questa
degna in che3 1'uom di ch'io ti parlo, nasca:
die, dove il frutto ha da venir, s'inesta
e con studio si fa crescer la frasca ;
e 1'artefice 1'oro a£&nar suole,
in che legar gemma ^i pregio vuole.
6. 1 Tra i rami del delta del Po. Al tempo delTA., ,infatd, scotteva
Ferrara"un ramo" del Po, chiamato appunto Po di Ferrara.^L'im-
"con'cui e raffigurato U fiume risulta daUa contanunazione^
mgUiane: Georg. I 482: «fluviorum tex Erida^us>>'lY371"^/-!;^<<Je:
nuSTauratus taurino cornua vi.iltu Eridanus» (ma andcamenfe^ tutti ^
fiuau venivano effigiad come giganti con \a. testa e^le coma^di toro^
^£. aiixche"Petrar^~Rte7CLXXX 9:_«_Re de&li altn, superbo, altero
fimn'e^Tqul^XL"3i,iriLHlJ2,2;-56^3. - 2 Un profondo^ta^o^
to'di nebbi'a.~Cfr.-anche XLIII 61,3. Gorgo, in questo senso, e
m'Carm.'L'ill 60: « piscoso... gurgite »: ma di questo carme (
Tsoi'pei Te'nozze di Alfoaso I'e Lucrezia Borgia), cfr.^tutti ^yv^ 51^65,
che-cSatengono-un ao&togo' paragone fra I'antica^, umile^e^piccola J?er-
rara e"ia~spieadida dtta dei'tempi dell'A. - 3 Case, edifici regali.
7. 1 L'accentazione parossitona e forse autorizzata^d^ Orazio, Carm.^
ii xv 17~r«nec fortmtum spernere caespitem». - 2 Per caso. -
nod il costr. latino. - 4 Pianta.
XXTV 8-10 1465
Ne sl leggiadra ne sl beUa veste'
unque2 ebbe altr'alma in quel terrestre regno;
e raro3 e sceso e scAadera da queste
sfere superne" un spirito sl degno,
come per fame Ippolito da Este
n'have 1'eterna mente alto disegno.
Ippolito da Este sara detto
1'uomo a chi5 Dio sl ricco dono ha eletto.
9
Quegli ornamenti che divisi in molti,
a molti basterian per tutti ornarli,
in guo ornamento avra tutti raccolti
costui' di c'hai voluto ch'io ti parii.
Le virtudi per lui, per lui soffolti2
saran gli studi; e s'io vorro narrar li3
alti suoi merti, al £n son si lontano,
^ ch'Orlando il senno aspetterebbe invano. -
10
Cost venia 1'imitator di Cristo1
ragionando col duca: e poi che tutte
Ie stanze del gran luogo ebbono2 visto,
,8-,, 1 corpo- cfr-. petrarca, Rime VIII 1-2: «A pie' de' colli ove la
vesta Prese de le^terrene membra ». - 2 Cfr." nota 3~a XVIli'i58"
t->. raramente-,cfr^Jtlota 1 a II 1. - 4 Dai cieU, secondo~la dot-
tmla^atomca-cfr-.XXIX 30'3'e la nota 2- - 5-AcuL~Per"questo'usoldi
chi, dr. nota 4 a II 20.
?:-_l_cfr-;claudian^ De cons- stil- I 33-35: «.CRobur, pietas, eec.]
sparguntur in onmes, Inje mbcta fluunt; et quae divisa" beatos'Efficiunt.
rouecte^enes/>;. e qui' VI..47,2-4; XLV 49,?-TsTno'ti1n"'questT"vle"?si
i anaommazione ornamenti... ^ornarli... ornamento, in cui sembra cul-
mmare 1'ostentata eloquen^a^ cbe caratterizza tutto 'questo~elogio"di "Ip-
pouto:~;LS?stenuti; ProtettL Cfr. XIVyd',3 (7suff%a"»"), TTa"n^taT
noti la rima comppsta.
lo_.-.-x.lsan GlovannL Par la perjfrasi, cfr. S. Paolo, I Car. XI, 1:
«umtatores mei estate sicut ego Christi». - 2. Per questa forma7 rfr.
1466 XXXV 11-13
onde 1'umane vite eran condutte3,
sul fiume usciro, che d'arena misto
con 1'onde discorrea4 turbide e brutte5;
e vi trovar quel vecchio " in su la riva,
che con gl'impressi nomi vi veniva. ,
11
Non so se vi sia a mente, io dico queUo
ch'al fin de 1'altro canto.vi lasciai1,
vecchio di faccia, e si di membra snello,
che d'ogni cervio e piu veloce assai.
Degli altrui nomi egli si empia il manteUo;
scemava il monte, e non finiva mai:
et in quel fiume che Lete si noma,
scarcava, anzi perdeq la ricca soma.
12
Dico che, come arriya in su la sponda
del fiume, quel prodigo vecchio scuote
il lembo pieno, e ne la turbida onda
tutte lascia cader 1'impresse note1.
Un numet senza fin se ne profonda,
ch'un minima uso aver non se ne puote";
e di cento migliaia che 1'arena
sul fondo involve, un se ne; serva a pena.
13
Lungo e d'intorno quel fiume volando
girano corvi et avidi avoltori,
nota 2 a IV 11. - sPortate aUa Parca, perch^le fi^se^Cfr.^XXXIV 88-
89. - 4 Scorreva, - 5 Bruttate; sporche. - 6 Ur. AA&1V yi-y^.
11. 1 Lasdai ?uUa rivarfld fiupie.
12. 1 Le scritte, doe i nomi impressi suUe piastte^- 2 Cosl^ che^non
sfpossono piu usare; se ne perde ogni conoscenza; 11 sigmteato^auegoj
nro'deila'scena descr'itta in queste ottave sara dichiarato da S. <jiovamu
stesso, neUe ott. 18. ss.
XXXV 14-15 1467
mulacchie1 e varii augelli, che gridando
facean discordi s^epiti e romon;
et alia preda correan tutti, quando
sparger vedean gli ampUssimi tesori:
e chi nel becco, e chi ne 1'ugna torta2
ne prende; ma lontan poco U porta.
14
Come vogliono alzar per I'aria i voli,
non han poi forza che '1 peso sostegna;
sl che carmen che Lete pur involi
de' ricchi nomi la memoria degna'.
Fra tanti augelli son duo2 cigni soH,
bianchi, Sjignor, come e la vostra insegna3,
che'vengon lieti riportando in bocca
sicuramente il nome che lor tocca.
15
Cosi contra i pensieri empi 1 e maligni
^ del vecchio che donar li vorria al fiume,
alcun' ne salvan gli augelli benigni:
tutto 1'avanzo -oblivion consume2.
Or se ne van notando i sacri3 cigni,
et or per 1'aria battendo Ie plume,
fin die presso aUa ripa del fiume empio
trovano un colle, e sopra il coUe un tempio.
13. ^ ^ Una spede & cornacchie: cfr. Puld, M.org. XIV 54,3 (e la no-
ta deU'Ageno). - 2 L'ardglio.
14. l^ Sottragga, canceUi anche (pur) la memoria msigne dei nomi piu
cospicui. - 2 Indica genericamente la rarita dei veri poeti: cfr. 23,1-2.
Per la forma, cfr. nota 1 a I 16. - 3 Bianchi come la insegna di Ippolito
a cui fe rivolto^come^al soltto, il vocativo Signor: 1'insegna estense porta-
va un aquila bianca in campo azzurro.
15- ^ ' Spietati, come al v. 7 (empio). - 2 Coflsuma; disttugge. La for-
ma 6 modellata su « assume »« presume », eec. Cfr. anche XL 6,5; XLV
37,8. - 3 « Come nunistti dell'inunortalita e simboli dei sacri (eft. 13,6)
ingegni del poeti» (Romizi).
1468 XXXV 16-18
16
AU'Immortalitade il luogo e sacro,
ove una beUa ninfa giu del coUe
viene aUa ripa del leteo lavacro2,
e di bocca dei cigni i nomi toUe; 1
e queUi affige intorno al simulacro
ch'in mezzo il tempio una colonna estoUe :
quivi li sacra4, e ne fa tal governo5,
che vi si pon6 veder tutti in eterno.
17
Chi sia quel vecchio, e perche tutti al rio
senza alcun frutto i bei nomi dispensi,
e degli augelli, e di quel luogo pio
onde la bella ninfa al fiume viensi,
aveva Astblfo di saper desio
i gran misteri e gl'mcogniti sens! ;
e domando di tutte queste cose
1'uomo di Dio, che cosl gli rispose:
18
- Tu dei saper che non si muove fronda
la giu, che segno qui non se ne faccia1.
Ogni efEetto convien che corrisponda
in terra e in del, ma con diversa faccia2.
Quel vecchio, la cut barba il petto inonda,
veloce si che mat nulla 1'impaccia,
gli effetti pari e la medesima opra
che '1 Tempo fa la giu, fa qui di sopra.
16. I La Fama. - 2 II fiume Lete. - 3 La statua deU'Immort&lita, die
una colonna collocata in mezzo al tempio innalza (estolle, lat.), sostiene.
- 4 Lat., consacra. - 5 Li res.de tali. - 6 Ponno; possono. Per la forma,
cfr. nota 5 a II 19. r-i^
17. l II significato a Idi sconosduto.
18. 1 Non accade sulla terra alcuaa cosa, che qui, sulla luna, non abbia
rispondenza. - 2 Aspetto.
XXXV 19-21 1469
^ 19
Volte che son Ie fila in su la ruota1,
H giu la vita umana arriva al fine.
La fama la, qui ne riman la nota2;
ch'immortali sariano ambe e divine,
se non che qui quel da la irsuta gota,
e la giu il Tempo ognior ne fa rapine3.
Questi Ie getta, come vedi, al rio;
e quel 1'immerge ne 1'eterno oblio.
20
E come qua su i corvi e gli avoltori
e Ie mulacchie e gli altri varii augeUi
s'affadcano tutti per trar fuori
de 1'acqua i nomi die veggion piu belli:
cost la giu rufHani, adulatori,
buffon, dnedi, accusatori, e queUi
c^e viveno aUe cortil e . che; vi ?ono
piu grati assai che '1 virtuoso e '1 buono,
21
e son chiaraati cortigian getitili,
perche sanno imitar 1'asino e '1 ciacco ;
de' lor signer, tratto che n'abbia i fili
la giusta Parca, anzi Venere e Bacco2,
quest! di ch'io ti dico, inerti e vili, -
nati solo ad empir di dbo il sacco3,
19. ' L'aspo deUe Parche (cfr. XXXIV 88,5). - 2 H nome segnato sul-
la piastra. - 3 L'immagine e forse suggerita dal Petrarca, Tr. Temp. 130-
131: «E vide il Tempo rimenar tal prede De' nostri nomi, ch'io gli
ebbi per nuUa ». •
20. } Che fanno il mesdere di cortigiani. Per la forma viveno, cfr. no-
ta2 a VIII 33?" - ~~~~~" ~ -—°—- - ~ - —-— ---"'
21. } Pored. Si notino Ie tre rime aspre. ci.acco: Bacco: sacco, di cui
Ie due ultime sono in Petrarca, Rime CXXXVII 1-4, doe in uno dei so-
netti contro la Curia Avignonese. - 2 0 piuttosto i vizi della lussuria
e della gola. - 3 Cfr. Orazio, Epist. I n 27: •« nos numerus sumus et fru-

1470 XXXV 22-24
portano in bocca qualche giorno U nome;
poi ne 1'oblio lascian cader Ie some .
22
Ma come i cigni ehe cantando Ueti
rendeno1 salve Ie medaglie2 al tempio,
cosi gli uommi degni da' poeti
son tolti da 1'oblio, piu che morte empio3.
Oh bene accorti principi e discreti4,
che seguite di Cesare5 1'esempio,. .
e gli scrittor vi fate amid, donde
non avete a temer di Lete 1'onde !
23 ' dai descendenti lor, gli ha fatto4 porre
Son, come i cigni, anco l poeti ran,
poeti che non sian del name indegni;
sl perche il del degli uomini preclari
non pate1 mai che troppa copia regm,
si t?er gran colpa. del signori avari
che lascian mendicare i sacri ingegni;
che Ie virtu prgmendo,3 et esaltando
i vizu- ca&ian Ie buone arti in bando.
24
'Credi che Die questi ignoranti ha privi
de lo 'ntelletto, e loro oflEusca i lumi1;
ges consumere nati>^ e per sacco, ventre>D^nte,J»/. XXVIII 26. -
?*H loro carico, doe 'i nomi dei loio signori. Ur. H,ii.
22. l Cfr. nota 2 a VIII 33. - 2 Le piastte che portaw imprcssi^i
n^mi. -^"Spietato" Cfr.~i5,f_e 7; - 4 F°mit^^,rett?^scel^m;ento; '
nomAugurtoTSa^4: -"<Cfr. Pet-ratc^;:^"^90=^Y|di ^
teTnd"a7sen"queta-queto Senza temer di^Tempo e di sua rabtea^
^TaveTin'guardTaistorico o poeta »; ma il concetto e, piu getieralmen-
te~. caratteristico di tutta la civflta umanistica.
23. 1 Patisce; consente. - 2 Cfr.^ Dante, W. XIX 105-. ^CalcandoJ
buoni e^nevandoTpravi»; ma si noti, la ttarf_ormaaone^ntm^^
nuta"con"ia'"sosUtuzione del chiasmo al paraUeUsmo e con 1'mttodu-
zione deO.'enjambement.
24. l La capacka di vedere, di discemere. - 2 Fatti. Per k sconcor-
XXXV 25 1471
che de la poesia gli ha fatto2 schivi,
accio che morte il tutto ne coasumi.
Oltre che del sepolcro uscirian vivi3,
ancor ch'avesser tutti i rei costumi,
pur che sapesson farsi amica Cirra,
piu grato odore avrian che nardo o mirra4.
25
Non si pietoso ^ Enea, ne forte AchUle
fu, come e fama, ne sl fiero Ettorre;
e ne son stati e miUe e mille e mille
che lor si pupn2 con verita anteporre:
ma i donati3 palazzi e Ie gran vUle
danza del part., cfr. nota 3 a V 58. - 3 Cfr., per 1'immagiae, Petrarca,
Tr. Fame I 9: « Che ttae 1'uom dal sepolcro e ul vita il serba», v. ri-
preso integralmeote in.VII 41,7. - 4 Anche se fossero stati macchiati di
tutti i peggiori vizii, avrebbero una splendida fama (odore, come in VII
4t^), purche sapessero (sapesson; per la forma cfr. nota 2 a V 27) farsi
amifci i poeti (Cirr.a era name di una vetta del Parnaso e di una dtta
presso Delfo; in ogni caso qui designa Apollo, [come in Dante, Par. I
36], e quindi i poeti, protetti da quel dio). Questa digressione (st. 23-
30) sembra apparentemente destinata soltanto ad ammonire, con tono
tra serio e scherzoso, i principi (e magari lo stesso Ippolito, del quale
si e letto un elogio nelle st. 4-9) a- non -lasdar «mendicare i sacri in-
gegni» del poeti, che con il loro canto possono dare e togliere la fa-
ma ai principi stessi. Ma non mi sembra azzardato attribuire a tale di-
gressione_ (come sembr.a accennare gia il Bacchelli, La congiura, 599-600)
un significato jpiu piofondo, che investe ed esprime, sia pure in forma
paradossale, la complessa e problemadca concezione die 1'A. ha deUa
poesia: una concezione in cui alia idea umanistica delt'arte come sttu-
mento di civilta,. e in particol^re come attivita che seleziona e ttamanda
ai posted Ie azioni e i nomi degli uomini meritevoli di essere assunti
}uali esempi, si accompagna la cosdenza spregiudicat? deUa difficolta
die essa incontta nell esplicare tale funzione, sia per la scarsita deUe
persoae veramente degne di lode e di memoria, sia perche i poeti me-
desimi sono sottoposti essi pure alle tentazioni e imperfezionl proprie
degli altri uomini, e quindi costretti a scendere spesso a compromessi
con la propria cosdenza.
25. 1- Ttaduce 1'epiteto lat. pius, tradizionale di Enea. Per U concet-
to di questa ottava si dta Orazio, Cam. IV ix 25-28: « Vixere fortes ante
Agamemnona Multi; sed omnes inlacrimabiles Urgentur ignotique loa-
ga Nocte, carent quia vate aa-o »: dove pero manca 1'esplidta insmuazio-
ne ariostesca reladva al carattere menzognero detle lodi' tributate dai
poeti a priadpi in realta immeritevoli di lode e di fama. - 2 Possono. Per
la forma cfr, nota 4 a X 61. - 3 Ai poeti. - 4 Li hanno fatti. Cfr. 24,3,
.!;!
1472 XXXV 26-28 XXXV 29-30 1473
in questi senza fin sublimi onori Elissa1, ch'ebbe ll cot tanto pudico;
da 1'onoi-ate man degli scrittori. che riputata viene una bagascia,
solo perche Maron non Ie fu amico.
26
Non d maravigliar' ch'io n'abbia ambascia,
Non fu sl santo ne benigno Augusta e se di do diffusamente io dico.
come la tuba di Virgilio suona. Gli scrittori amo, e fo il debito mio2;
L'aver avuto in poesia buon gusto ch'al vostro mondo fiu scrittore anch'io.
la proscrizidn iniqua2 gli perdona3.
29
Nessun sapria se Neron fosse ingiusto,
E sppra tutti gli altri io fed acquisto1 •
ne sua fama saria forse men bupna,
che non mi puo levar tempo ne morte;
avesse avuto e terra e del niniid,
e ben convenne al mio lodato Cristo2
se gli scrittor sapea tenersi amid.
tendermi guidardon di sl gran sorte.
27 Duolmi di quei che sono at tempo tristo3,

Omero Agamennon vittorioso,

e fe' i Troian parer vili et merti ;
e che Penelopea2 £da al suo sposo
dai Prochi3 miUe oltraggi avea sofEerti.
E se tu vuoi che '1 ver non ti sia ascoso,
tutta al contrario 1'istoria converti:
che i Greet rotti, e che Troia vittrice,
e che Penelopea fu meretrice 4.
28
Da 1'altra parte odi che fama lascia
e nota 2. Ma si osseryi qui anche la sconcordanza dell'ausiliare.
26. 1 La poesia epica. Quest! due pri'mi versi furonp ripresi letteral-
mente dall'Alfieri .per aprire un suo soaetto (Rime 153). - 2^Le inique
proscriziom ordiaate, durante .U secoado triumvirato, da lui e da Antonio
e Lepido, e per cui mori, .fra gli altti, anche Cicerone. - 3 Gli fa per-
donare.
27. l AB: «fece parere, e li Troiani inerti»: si noti in CJa intto-
duzione di una coppla di agg., sia pure a costo di rinundare^ all'esattez-
zadeUantitesi^ con vittorioso: ma lo spunto. alia'correzione e dato^ for-
se daUavolonta di eli&ioare la cacofonia « Tioiani_uierti_». - ZPeiielppe.
Forma foggiata sul gr. DPiiveXoTOia. - 3 Proci.,Cfr. X3TVII 107,2. -. 4 L'A.
tiene forse presente, a questo propositq, una ttadizione sostenuta da
alcuni tardi mitografi greci come Dione Crisostomo, Licofrone, Tzetze e
Pausania.
quando la cortesia chiuso ha Ie porte;
che con paUido visa e macro e asciutto
lajiotte e '1 di vi picchian senza frutto4.
30
Si che continuandp il primo detto1,
28- 1 Didone. Per la ttadizibnedella sua castital'A.ha certo soprat-
tutto presente U Petrarca, Tr. P»^ 1M2: «Dido, Ch'amor pio" del
suo sposo a^morte spinse^Non quel d'Enea com'e''! publico grido»;
157-159; «Taccia^a vulgo ignorante! io dico Dido, Gui studio d'onestate
a morte spinse, Non vano amor, come e 'I pubbllco grido »: tesi soste-
auta aache^ e pi^mipiamente, m Sen. IV 5. Matale'tesifigura~gia"m
3, Epit. XVIII 4-6; ed_e ripresa ancfae, dal BoccaccioT-De°dam
(citato dal Santoro, Lettwe ariostesche; 102-103). - 2 "ETmio
dovere.
29. I Ottenni uoa ricompeasa tale (cfr. v. 4, guidardon). Di quale ri-
compensa si ttatti, non e chiaro; alcuni intendoao la fama acquistata da
S. Giovanni come scrittore de] Vangelp edeIl'Apocalisse;aTtn, la gloria
s. Pensem, piuttosto, al priyilegio di godere l'« etpnM"prima^era'»
1^ Paradise Terrestre in attesa del ritorno di Cristo, come sembra sue-
gerire quanta 1'A. stesso aveva detto m XXXIV 58-59. Si no'd m" og2i
caso I'unplidta, ma,^a mio giudizioi indiscutibile ironia, con cuil'apo-
stolo lodatore di Cristo viene accostato, in questa ottava, al poeti,in-
teressati e menzogneri elogiatori di principi che non lo meritano. -'2 A
Cristo da me lodato nei miei scritti. - 3 Quegli scnttonchesltrovano
a vivere m questi teinpi tristi. - 4 AB-. « Che coa pallido viso e asdutto
e^scarno La notte e it giorno vi picchiano indarno»: I'A volle forse
eliauaare nel v. 8 sia I'assonanza « giorno indarno», sia raccentazione
T siUaba.
30. i Cfr. Dante, Inj: X 76: «E se continuando al primo detto», -
1474 XXry 31-32 XXTy 33-35 1475
sono i poeti e gli studiosi pochi; Certa che '1 suo Ruggier fosse con quello,
che dove non han pasco ne ricetto, tosto ch'apparve in del la luce nuova,
insin Ie fere abbandonano i lochi. - versa Provenza, dove ancora intese
Cost dicendo, il vecchio benedetto die Carlo, lo seguia2, la strada prese.
gli occhi tnfiammo, die parveno 3 duo4 fuochi;.
33
poi voltp al duca con un saggio risc
torno5 sereno il conturbato viso.
Versa Provenza1 per la via piu dritta
andando, s'incontro in una donzella2,
31 ancor che fosse lacrimosa e afilitta,
Rest! con lo scrittor de FevaHgelo beHa di facda e di qianiere bella.
Astolfo ormai, ch'io voglio far un salto, Questa era quella sl d'amor trafEtta
quanta sia in terra a venir fin dal cielo; per lo figliuol di Monodante3, quella
ch'io non posso pxu star su 1'ali in alto. donna gentil ch'avea lasciato al ponte
Torno alia donna2 a cui con grave telo3 * 1'amat^te suo prigion di Rodomonte.
mosso avea gelosia crudele assalto.
34
lo la lasciai ch'avea con breve guerra
EUa venia cercando un cavalliero,
tre re gittati, un dopo I'altro, in terra4;
ch'a far battaglia usato, come lontra1,
32 in acqua e in terra fosse, e cost fiero,
e che giunta la sera ad un castello che lo potesse al pagan porre incontra.
ch'alla via di Parigi si ritrova, La ,sconsolata amica di Ruggiero,
d'Agramaate, che rotto dal fratelto come quest'altra sconsolata incontj-a,

s'era ridotto in Arli, ebbe la nuova . cortesemente la saluta, e poi

<
k chiede la cagiori del dolor suoi.
2 Pascolo: nutrimento. - 3 Parvero. Cfr. nota 4 a VIII 57. L'immagine
dei vv. 5-6 puo rammentare U ttascolorare del San Piettp dantesco, m
Par. XXVII 13-15, quando pronuncia la sua invettiva contto i papi de-
^
generic- 4 Cfr. nota 1 a I 16. - 5 Fece tornare. Fiordiligi lei mira, e veder park
31. 1 Rimanere sospeso. Cfr. X 67,4. Per il significato di simili scher- un cavaUier ch'al suo bisogno fia;
zose giustificazioni de&a propria tecnica narrativaj dr. VIII 21,8 e la no-
e cominda del ponte a ricontarle,
ta 3- 2 Bradamante. - 3 Lat., dardo, colpo doloroso. - 4 AB: « lo
la lasciai da Montalbano scesa, Che di Parigi avea la strada presa». •I ove impedisce il re d'Algier la via;
vv. corrispondenti di C aBudono alt'episodio (che mancava in AB) nar-
rato -in XXXIII 65-76.
32. ' Riprende con qualche variazione XXXII 77,1-4. Questa st man^ Ove era U campo, ando versa Provenza». La causa dell'eluniaazione sara
cava in AB, dove iavece comparivano due ottave, poi diventate 47 e 48 la medesima che aveva iadotto 1'A. a correggere i w. 7-8 di XXXII 48
del XXXII di C, e una terza" ottava del tutto eliminata in C, salvo gli (cfr. la nota 3). - 2 Inseguiva Agramante.
ultimi due w., die riecheggiano negli ultimi due deUa piesente. Ecco il 33. a Si nod la ripresa. - 2 FiordUigi. II suo iflcontto con Bradamante
testo delTottava eliminata: « Fece peasiero in campo ire a trovarlo De" era stato preannundato in XXXI 78,5-8; per i fatti riassunti nd w. se-
Saradni, che anco si credea Che fusse mtorno alia citta di Carlo, E guenti, cfr. XXXI 62-78. - 3 Brandimarte.
chiamar quindi a giostra lo volea, Menar prigione, e a yiva forza trarlo
A quel che per amor non lo potea; E pol che tta camiuo ebbe sdenza 34. 1 Per il paragoae e per Ie rune, cfr. XXX 5,1.
 ^<<.A^?O ! ^-'»t^s-o Ce^df^^^^
Canto 34. 78-86
shackles. There were eagles' talons—and these were, I am told, the
authority which lords vest in their servants. The bellows littering the
hillside all around denoted the praise given by princes and the favours
conferred upon their favourites, all wafted away with the flower of their
years. /
Cities and castles and unmense treasures lay here in a confused
jumble of ruins. They were treaties, he was told, and ill-concealed
plots. He saw snakes with maiden's faces: the -works of comers and
thieves. Then he noticed an assortment of broken phials: service as
wretched courtiers. / He came upon a great mess ofpottage and asked
his mentor about it. 'That', he explained, 'is the charity left by a per-
son after his death.' Then he skirted a great mound of sundry flowers
once sweet-smelling but now reeking. This (begging your pardons) was
the Donation of Constanrine to good Sylvester. / He saw great quanti-
ties ofbird-lime for ensnaring: your charms, good ladies. It would take
an age if I were to describe in verse each thing that was pointed out to
him—after countless thousands I should still not be finished, for every
one of our needs is to be fo.und up there. Folly, however, whatever its
degree, is missing from there: it stays down here and never leaves us. /
Astolfo had some lost days and other oddments of his own to look for;
without his guide, he would never have recognized them in their dif-
ferent transformations.
Next he came upon the substance which, it seems, is so innate in us
that never were prayers oifered to God for its possession: I mean
brains. There was a mountain of them here, only a far bigger one than
li; of anything previously mentioned. / They took the form of a soft,
tenuous liquid, apt to vaporize if not kept tightly sealed. It could be
seen collected in various phials of greater or lesser size adapted for this'
•purpose. The one containing the mighty brain of mad Orlando was the
biggest of them all. It was also distinguished from the others by the
inscription upon it: 'The -wits ofOrlando'. / All the rest were similarly
inscribed with the name of the person to whom the wits belonged. The
valiant duke discovered a good portion of his own; but what surprised
hun far more was how many belonged to people he had credited with
having aU their wits about them—there was abundant evidence of how
witless they really were, to judge by the amount that -was here to hand. /
Some lose their wits in loving, some in seeking honours, somein scourmg
the seas in search of wealth, some in hopes placed in prmces, some in cul-
tivating magical baubl^s; some lose them over jewels, some over paint-
ings, and some over other objects which they value above all else. Here
the wits of sophists, asttologers, and poets abound. /
Astolfo collected his, for the author of the mysterious Apocalypse
permitted him. He held ito his nose the phial containmg his -wits and
420
Canto 34. 86-gz
they just seemed to make their way back into place. Turpin asserts, it
seems, that from there on Astqlfo lived sensibly for a long rime, until
a subsequent caprice of his lost him his -wits a second time. /Astolfp
took the fullest, most capacious phial which contamed the where-
withal to restore Orlando to his senses. It was not as light as he had ^,
imagined when it lay on the pile with the others. y
Before he returned down tq the lower spheres from this radiant one,i
he was led by the holy apostle into a palace built beside a river. / Each
room was full of lengths of spun flax, silk, cotton, and woql, dyed in
various colours, some pleasing, others hideous. In the first courtyard a
white-haired woman was winding them onto reels—the way in summer
one sees peasant women drawmg the moist cocoons off the silkworms
as they harvest the new silk. / When one skein was finished, another
was brought in its place, the first taken away; another woman would
sort out the attractive from the ugly threads which the first left all in
confusion. 'What is gomg on here ? I can't make it out,' asked Astolfo.
'The old women are the Fates,' replied John; 'with these threads they
spin lives for you mortals. /As long as one of these threads is spun
out, so long does a human life last, and not a moment longer. Here
Death an4 Nature keep watch to .know the hour when a person is to
die. The other Fate is responsible for selecting the beautiful strands to
be woven into an adornment for paradise; out of the ugliest ones tough
bonds are fashioned for the damned.' / The Skeins already wound and
requisidoned for further use were all given litde plaques stamped with
the relevant name, some in iron, others in silver or, gold. / Then they
were disposed in thick piles from which a tireless old man -was seen
takmg them away with never a moment's pause, always returning for
more. / The old man was so swift and expeditious, he seemed to have
been born to run. He kept leaving that hillside with a load of these
name-plates gathered in his lap. Where he went and why he did this
•will be explained to you in the next canto, if you signify with your usual
kind attention that this -would be agreeable to you.
421
 Canto 35. i-j
THIRTY-FIFTH CANTO
1-2 Introductory, j-9 In praise ofHipfolytus ofEste. 10-30
Poets praised as freservers from oblivion: the allegory of the
birds ofLethe. JJ-JJ Brada.ma.nt overthrows Rodomont to
rescue PiordiligPs Moved. S2-8° Sradamant overthrows
three Saracens and challenges Rnggiero.
WHO will ascend to heaven, mistress Aiine, to fetch me back my lost
wits ? They have been ebbing away ever since my heart was transfixed
by the arrows shot from your fair eyes—not that I complain of my
misfortune so long as it. grows no worse than it is now: I fear that any
further depletion of my wits shall reduce me to the very condition I,
have described in Orlando. / I do not imagme, however, that there is
any need for me to take flight through the air to the orb of the moon
or into paradise in order to recover my wits. I don't believe they in-
habit those heights. Their haunts are your beautiful eyes, your radiant
face, your ivory breasts, those alabastrine hillocks; and I shall sip them
up with my lips if that proves die way to recover them. /
Astolfo went through the spacious palace gazing at all those lives-to-
. be, after seeing those already spun reeled onto the fateful spools. And
he noticed one Ufe-thread which seemed to glitter more than fine gold.
If jewels could be skiIfuHy powdered and then spun out in a thread,such
a thread would not be remotely as splendid as this one. / The gorgeous
thread delighted him beyond measure—it was unique—and there came
to him a strong desire to hiow when this life was to be lived and Whose
it was to be. The Evangelist made no secret of it : its first year was to be
twenty years before the ciphers M and D marked the interval since the
birth of the Word Incarnate. /And as this thread was resplendent and
beautiful beyond compare, so also would be the uniquely fortunate era
which was then to begin: it would derive as a perpetual and unfailing
inheritance every one of those rare and eminent graces which man
acquires by Nature's or Fortune's kindness, or. by his own efforts. /
'Between.the mighty branches of the kmg of rivers', he continued,
'there now nesdes a humble litde village; before it flows the Po; be-
hind it spreads a misty vortex of deep marsh. I see it becoming, with
the passage of time, the fairest of all the cities of Italy, not only for its
.waUs and great regal piles, but also for the quality of its learning and
manners. / Such high and sudden eminence will not result from ran-
422
Canto 35.7- i
dom chance: Heaven has ordained it, so that the city may be a fitting
birthplace for the man bf whom I speak. A branch is grafted, ^nd its
growth carefully fostered when it is expected to fruit; and the jeweller
refines his gold if he intends it as a setting for precious gems. /No
soul in the realm of Earth was ever clothed in such beauty. Rare has
been—and shall be—the spirit descending from these higher spheres
who can match the excellence that the Eternal Mind intends to bestow
upon Hippolytus of Este. Hippolytus of Este is the name of the one
whom God has chosen to inherit so rich a gift. / Those accomplish-
ments which, shared among many, would shed sufficient lustre on them
ai
'•if!
all; will be all concentrated upon the adornmetit of the man of whom i311
you have asked me to speak. He shall foster the pursuit of every virtue.
Were I to give a full description of his eminent merits, I should be
carried so far that Orlando would wait in vain for his lost wits.' /
Thus did Christ's imitator talk to Astolfo. And when they had seen
.every room in the great building from which human lives emanated,
they emerged beside the river, -whose sand-clouded waters ran turbid
and repellent. Here they found the old man who kept coming to the
''ill
181
river-bank with the name-plates. / I don t know if you remember—the
old man we left at the end of the last canto (old in his features, that is,
but so sprighdy in his movements that he was faster than any deer).
He kept endlessly reducing the pile ofname-plates, filling his lap with
them and dropping—or rather dispersing—his precious burden into
the river, known as Lethe. / When the old prodigal came to the river-
bank, he shook out his brimming lap and tipped all his plaques mto the
turbid waters. A countless number sank to the bottom without any
use being derived from them; and of the myriad sunk in the sand of the
river-bed, scarcely one was preserved. / Crows of every species,
greedy vultures and various other birds wheeled and scudded along
a
a
&a
that river in a strident discord of cries. They all feU on this plentiful
bounty -when they saw it being scattered; some grasped the plaques in
their beaks, others in their hooked talons, but they carried them no
distance: /when they tried to take wing, they lacked the strength to
lift their burden, so that these magnificent names, too, were robbed by
Lethe of their renown. Among so many birds there -was but a pair of
swans, as white, my Lord, as your device; they, with serene assurance,
brought back in their beaks the plaques which fell to them. / In this
way those beneficent creatures recovered a few despite the evil designs
of the mischievous old man, who would have consigned them all to the
river; oblivion consumed the rest. Now swimming, now winging their
way thrbugh the air, the sacred swans reached a hill beside the cruel
river, and on the hill-top, a shrine. / The place was sacred to Immor-
tality. Here a beaudful nymph came down from the hill to the shore of
423
Canto 35.16-24
Lethe's stream and took the names from the swans' beaks. And she
affixed the names round a statue set upon a pillar in the middle of the
shrine. Here she consecrated them and took such care of them that
they remained on view for all time. /
Who was the old man, and why did he so fruitlessly impart all those
fine names to the river ? And what of the birds, and the holy shrine
from which the fair nymph came down to the rivers edge? Astolfo
wanted to know the latent meaning, to penetrate the mystery of all
these things. He asked the man of God about diem, and here was his
reply: / 'Understand that not a bough moves down on earth but its
motion is remarked up here. There must be a correspondence, albeit
under differing guise, between every effect on fearth and in heaven.
The old man, whose beard flows down his chest and who is so swift-
footed that nothing ever stops him, achieves up here the same effdcts,
the same work, that Time does on earth. / When. the threads are fully
wound upon the reel, human life comes to an end, down bplow. Down
there fame would persist, up here the echo of it—immortality and di-
vinity subsisting in both spheres—were it not for the bearded one here,
and down there for Time constantly at work, ravaging. Our old man,
as you can see, throws the names into the river; Time immerses them
in eternal oblivion. / And just as up here the crows of various sorts, the
vultures and other kinds of birds aU strive to pick out of the water the
names which catch their eye, so down on earth the same is done by
the panders, sycophants, buffoons, pretty-boys, tale-bearers, those who
infest the courts and are better welcomed there than men of integrity
and worth, /those who are reputed gendefflen at court because they
can emulate the donkey, the scavenging hog. Now when just Fate (or
rather Venus and Bacchus) have wound up their master's life-thread, all
these folk I mention, supine cravens that they are, born only to feed.
their bellies, carry his name on their lips for a day or two, only to let
the burden fall into oblivion. / But as the swans with their glad song
convey the plaques safely to the shrine, so it is that men of worth are
rescued from oblivion—crueller than death—by poets. 0 shrewd and
sagacious princes, if you follow Caesar's example and make -writers
your friends you need have no fear ofLethe's waters! /
'Poets too are rare as swans—poets -worthy of the name—partly
because God wiU not permit too many men of eminence to reign at a
time, and partly through the fault of niggardly lords who leave the
heaven-sent geniuses to beg. Suppressmg good and exalting evil, they
banish the fair arts. / Believe me, God has robbed these simpletons of
their -wits and clouded their judgement, making them shun Poetry so
that death should consume them whole and entire. They would other-
wise emerge living from the grave even if their lives had been a dis~
424
Canto 35. 24-33
.i
grace: had they only known how to cultivate her friendship, they
would give off a fragrance better than spikenard or myrrh. /Aeneas
m
•was not as devoted, nor Achilles as strong, nor Hector as ferocious as
their reputations suggest. There have existed men in their thousands
who could claim preference over them. What has brought them their
sublime renown have been the writers honoured with gifts of palaces
and great estates donated by these heroes' descendants. / Augustus was
not as august and beaeficent as Virgil makes him out in clarion tones— 'ail
but his good tastein poetry compensates for the evil of his proscriptions. :il
w
And no one would know whether Nero had been wicked—he might
even, for all his enemies on earth and in heaven, have left a better
name—had he known how to keep friendly with writers. / Homer made
Agamemnon appear the victor and the Trojans mere poltroons; he
made Penelope faithful to her husband, and victim of a thousand slights
from her suitors. But if you want to know what really happened, invert
the story: /Greece was vanquished, Troy triumphant, and Penelope
a whore, / Listen oh the other hand to what reputation Dido left be-
hind, whose heart was so chaste: she was reputed a strumpet purely
because Virgil was no friend of hers.
'Don t be surprised if this embitters me and if I talk about it at some
length—I like -writers and am doing my duty by them, for in ybur -world
I was a writer too. / And I, above all others, acquu-ed something which
neither Time nor Death can take from me: I praised Christ and merited
from Him the reward of so great a good fortune. I am sorry for those
who live in an evil day when Courtesy has shut her door: pallid, leaq,
and wizened, they beat at it day and night in vain. / So, as I was saying,
poets and scholars are few and far between. Where they are offered
neither board nor lodging even the -wild beasts desert the place.' As
the saintly old man said this .his eyes blazed like two flames. Then he
turned to Astolfo with a gentle smile and his over-wrought face be-
came once more serene. /
But let us leave Astolfo with the Gospel-maker, for I want to leap
the distance between heaven and earth—my wings can no longer sup-
port me at such heights. I am returning to Bradamaat, the damsel
who had suffered a cruel attack from Jealousy wielding a heavy spear.
When I left her, she had after a brief combat floored three Idngs in
succession. / That evening she had arrived at a casde on the road to
Paris, where She had learnt ofAgramant's retreat to Arles after his de-
feat by her brother, Rinaldo. Convinced that Ruggiero must be with
Agramant, as soon as the new light showed in the sky she took the road
to Provence, hearing that Chademagne was in pursuit thither. / On
her way towards Provence b^ the most direct road, she met a damsel,
fair of face and agreeable of manner, though tearful and distressed.
425
?%^y W^^w^ ^ €^^
Precipitb dunque gH indugi, e tolse
stuol di scelti compagni audace e fero,
e dritto inver la Tracia il cainia volse
a la citta che sede e de 1'impero.
Qui U greco Augusta in sua magioa 1'accolse,
qui poi giunse in tuo nome un messaggiero.
Questi a pien gli narrb come gia presa
fosse Antiochia, e come poi difesa;
difesa incontra al Perso, H qual con tanti
uommi armati ad. assediarvi mosse,
che sembrava che d'arme e d'abitanti
voto il gran regno suo rimaso fosse.
Di te gli disse, e poi narro d'alquanti
sin ch'a Rinaldo giunse, e gui fermosse;
conto I'ardita fuga, e cio che poi
fatto di glorioso avea tra voi.
SoggiuDse al fin come gia U popol franco
veniva a dar I'assaltd a queste porte;
e invito lui ch'egli) volesse ahnanco
de 1'ultima vittoriEb esser consorte.
Questo parlare al giovenetto fianco
del fero Sveno e stunolo si forte,
ch'ogn'ora un lustro pargli infra pagani
rotar il ferro e iasanguinar Ie mani.
Par che la sua vUta rimproverarsi
senta ne I'altrui gloria, e se ne rode;
e ch'il consiglia e ch'U prega a fermarsi,
o che non' 1'essaudisce o che non I'ode.
Rischio non teme, fuor che '1 non trovarsi
de' tuoi gran rischi a parte e di tua lode;
questo gli sembra sol perigKo grave,
de gli altri o nuUa intende o nulla pave.
8, 1. Frecipit6... gli indugi: si S(ffrett6. - 4. la cittct... impero:
Costantmopoli, capifale deU'impero romano d'oriaite. - 5. il_ greco
Augusto: Pimperatore greco. - 6. un messaggiero: Enrico; cfr. I 67-70.
9, 1. inconfra at Perso: cfr. I, 60. - 6. e gui fermosse: indugio su
questo. - 7. I'ardita. fuga: cfr. I, 60. . , _ .. _ .. '
10, 4. de t'ullima vittoria: della vittoria definitiva. - 7. ch'ogn'ora...
pargli: ogni ora gli sembra un lustro per 1'impazienza di eec.
182
Egli medesmo sua fortuna affretta, VIII, 12
VIII, 8 fortana che noi tragge e lui conduce,
pero ch'a pena al suo partire aspetta
i pritmi rai de la novella luce.
£ per miglior la via piu breve eletta;
tale ei la stima, ch'e signer e duce,
ne i passi piu difficUi o i paesi
schivar si cerca 4s' nemici offesi.
Or difetto di cibo, or camia duro 13
trovammo, or violenza ed or aguati;
ma tutti fur -vulti i disagi, e furo
or uccisi i nemici ed or fugati.
Fatto avean ne' perigli ognuom securo
Ie vittorie e insol6nti i fortunati,
quando un di ci apcampammo ove i confini
non lunge eyanb omai de' Palestmi.
Quivi da i precursori a noi vien detto 14
10 ch'alto strepito d'arme avean sentito^
e viste insegne-e indizi onde han sospetto
che sia vicino essercito mfimto.
Non pensier, non color, non cangia aspetto,
non muta voce il signer nostro ardito,
benche molti vi sian ch'al fero aviso
tingan di bianca paUi.dezza •il visa.
^
Ma dice: 'Oh quale omai viciaa abbiamo. 15
11 corona o di martirio o di vittoria!
L'una spero io ben pid, ma non men bramo
I'altra ove e maggior merto e pan gloria.
Questo campo, o frateUi, ove or noi siamo,
fia tempio sacro ad immortal memoria,
in cui I'eta futura additi e mostri
Ie nostre sepolture e i trofei nostri/
12, 5. £... eletta: e scelta. - 7. passi: passaggi.
13, 1. difetto: mancanza. - 6. insolenti: temerari.
14, 7. avuo: aanuncio.
15, 3. L'una: la coronai della vittoria. - 4. I'altra: la corona del
jnartirio.
183
 172 Jerusalem Delivered
15
"But he says—Oh what a crown we have at hand now, whether of victory
1 or of martyrdom! I hope for the one indeed, but no less desire the other,
\ where the merit is greater and the glory equal. This very field, brothers,
I where we are now, will be a holy shrine of immortal memory where future
I ages may point out and show our graves, or else our trophies—.
16
"So he speaks; and then he sets out the sentries and apportions the offices
and the work. He orders each man to sleep in his armor, and he himself
does not put ofFhis harness or cuirass. The night was yet in the stage that is
most a friend to sleep and silence, when you could hear a noise of barbaric
howling that reached to the heavens and to the abyss.
17
^-
'The shout goes up 'To arms, to arms": and Sven, clad in armor, spurs for-
ward beyond all the rest; and magnanimously he inflames and colors his
eyes and his face with the color ofhardihood. Behold, we are attacked; and
a dense ring hems us around and presses us in from all sides; and we have
about us a thicket of spears and swords, and above us a cloud of arrows
faUs.
IS
"In the-unequal struggle (for the attackers, are twenty against one) many of
them are wounded and many snuffed out by blind strokes in the darkened
air. But in the black shadows nobody can make out the number of the
wounded and fallen; night conceals our losses and at the same time con-
ceals our valorous deeds.
19
"Yet Sven amid the rest holds high his hekn so that he can easily be seen;
and in the darkness his proofs are yet made plain to any who watch, and his
incredible power. A river of blood, a mountain of slain men on every side
make him a wall and a ditch; and he seems wherever he goes to carry fear in
his eyes, and death in his hands.
CANTO EIGHT 173
20
"So was it fought until now dawn appeared, reddemng in heaven; but
when the horror of night was driven away (that concealed within herself
the horror of death) the welcome light increased in us our terror with an
evil ?nd dolorous sight: for now we saw the field filled with corpses, and al-
most all our people destroyed.
21
'Two thousand we were, and we are not a hundred. Now when he looks
upon so many dead and so much blood, I know not if his fierce courage is
disturbed and dismayed by the piteous spectacle, but he shows it not at all.
Rather, raising his voice—Let us follow (he cries to us) those brave com-
panion^ that have marked out for us with their blood the noble track to
heaven, far from the waters ofAvemus and Styx.—
22
"He spoke; and in his heart as happy, I think, for his impending death as in
his face, he bore up his constant and intrepid breast against the barbarian
ruin. No temper could sustain the savage strokes, though it were fine—and
not of steel, but adamant; so that he makes of the field a lake, and of his
body is irlade one single wound.
23
"Not its vital spirit but its courage holds up that fierce and indomitable
corpse. Stricken he strikes in return, and does not slacken, but the more he
is injured the more injury he wreaks. When lo there rushes upon him in rag-
ing fury a huge man of atrocious manner and look; and, after long and
stubborn combat, with the aid of many at last he brings him to earth.
24
'The unvanquished lad is fallen (ah bitter chance!) nor is there among us
one who has strength to avenge him. I call you to witness, 0 blood well
shed and noble bones of my beloved lord, that I was not then miserly of
my life, nor shunned I steel nor shunned I stroke: and had it but pleased
them up there above that I should die there, I eampd it by my deeds.
 Nulla mai vision, nel soano offerse XIV, 4 "Ben" replicogli Ugon "tosto raccolto XIV, 8
altrui si vaghe imagini o si belle ne la gloria sarai de' trionfanti;
come ora questa a lui, la qual gU aperse pur nulitando converra che molto
i secreti del cielo e de Ie stelle; sadgue e sudor la giu tu versi iaanti.
onde, sf come entro uno speglio, ei scerse Da te prima a i pagani esser ritolto
cio che la suso e veramente in eUe. deve I'im.perio, de' paesi santi,
Pareagli esser traslato in un sereno e stabilirsi in lor cnstiana reggia
candido e d'auree fiamrae adomo e pieno; in cui regnare U tuo fratel poi deggia.

e mentre ammira in quell'eccelso loco Ma perche piu lo tup ' desir s'awive
1'ampiezza, i moti, i lumi e 1'armonia, ne I amor di qua su, piu fiso or mira
ecco cinto di rai, cinto di foco, quesfi lucidi alberghi e quests vive
un cavaliero incontra a lui venia, fiamme che mente etema informa e gira,
e 'n angeliche tempre odi Ie dive '
e 'n suono, a lato a cui sarebbe roco
qual piu dolce e qua giu, pariar 1'udia: sirene e '1 suon di lor celeste lira.
"Goffredo, non m'accogli? e non ragione .. China" poi .disse (e gli addito la terra)
al fido amico? or non cono^ci Ugone? gli occhi a cio che quel globo ultimo serr'a.

Ed ei gli rispondea: "Quel novo aspetto Quanta e vil la cagion ch'a la virtade ? 10
umana e cola giu premio e contrasto!
che par d'mi sol mirabihnente adorno,
da 1'antica notizia il mio mtelletto in che picciolo cerchio e fra che nude
solitudini e stretto il vostro fasto!
sviat' ha si che tardi a lui ritomo."
Lei come isola il mare mtorno chiude,
Gli stendea poi cqn dolce amico affetto
e lui, ch'or ocean chiamat'e or vasto,
tre fiate Ie braccist-^al collo intorno,
e tre fiate invan cinta 1'imago nulla eguale a tai nomi ha in se di magno,
ma e bassa palude e breve stagno."
fuggia, qual leve sogno od aer vago.

Cosi 1'un disse; e I'altro ia giuso .i lumi j 11

Sorridea quegli, e: "Non gia, come credi,"
volse, quasi sdegnando, e ne sorrise,
dicea "son cinto di terrena veste:
semplice forma e nudo spirto vedi che vide un punto sol, mar, terre e fiumi,,
che qvi paion distinti in tante guise,
qui cittadin de la citta celeste;
ed ammiro che pur a 1'ombre, a i fumi,
Questo e tempio di Dio: qui son Ie sedi
la nostra foUe umanita s'affise,
de' suoi guerrien, e tu avrai loco. in queste."
"Quando -ci6 fia?'* rispose "il mortal laccio servo imperio cercando e muta fama,
ne miri U ciel ch'a se n'invita e chiaina.
sciolgasi omai, s'al restar gui m'e impaccio."

8,^1. Ben;.. tosto-^ Goffredo mori nell'agosto del 1100. - 8. il tuo

fratel: Baldovino; fu a successore di' Goffredo nel regnQ di Geru-
salemme.
?• 3~4:. 1uestl ?""&';.. e gira: questi cieli e queste splendide stelle
4, 5. spegllo: specchio. - scerse: distinse. - 6. •in elle: nelle steUe. mformati e mossi dalle aageliche intelUgenze. - 5. temprei accordi. -
5-6.Ie dive sirens: Ie Muse. - 8. globo'~'ultimo: la terra.
- 7.' traslato: trasportato. - 7-8. sereno candido: sereno e sostantivo;
. 10, 1-2. Quanta e vil... contrasto.l: quanta vfle cosa e tutto cio
si tratta della Via Lattea. . _ . . - ' ..
5~,~5^~a 'lato a~"cuf. al cui paragone. - 7. ragione: ragioni, parii. - che rappresenta tanto un premio quanto tin motivo di -contrasto per
gli uqmini. - 4. & strettp S vo^tro Jasto: la vostra gloria e-lumtata.~-
U gone: cfr. I, 37. ..... ^ ^,.
'6'."3. no'tizid: "ccmoscenza. - 4. a. lui: a Ugqne. ;_5. GIi^ stendea: si 7. nulla... nwgno: nulla ha m se di grande equivaiente a quei nomi.
ricoi-dino OMERO, Odissea. VI, VIBG., Aen., II e VI, e DANTE, Purg., 11, 5. a»imir6: si meravigKo. - pur: soltanto. - fumi: vamta.-
7. seruo... fama: cercando un potere che rende schiavi e una fama
II. - 8. vago: fuggevole. ..... „ , .. _,
'7, S.'-forma: amrna."- 7. i; mortal laccio: il corpo. - S. gui: in cielo. priva di vera gloria.

318 319
302 Jerusalem Delivered
knight ringed round with rays, ringed round with fire; and he heard him
speak in a voice, beside which would be rough whatever is gentlest here be-
low: "Godfrey, do you not welcome me? and are you not speaking to your
faithful friend? Do you not know Hugh no-^?"
And he answered him: 'That transformed countenance,' that seems made
marvellously resplendent by a sun, has led my intellect so far astray from its
former knowledge that I return to it but slowly." Then \yith gende friendly
aflfection three times he reached his arms about his neck; and three times
embraced in vain the image escaped him, like an empty dream, or shifting
air.
He smiled, and said: "I am not now clothed with earthly garb, as you be-
lieve: you are seeing here essential form and unclothed spirit, a ckizen of
the Heavenly City. This is a temple of God: here are the sees of His war-
riors; and you will have a placfc among them." "When will that be?" he re-
plied. "Let the mortal coil be loosed even now, if it is impediment to my
staying here."
"Quite soon (Hugh .answered) you will be gathered into the glory of the
victors; yet it will be necessary first that you ppur out much blood and
sweat down there below in military service. The rule of the Holy Lands
must first be retaken by you from the pagans, and a Christian court estab-
lished over them, in which thereafter your brother2 is to hold the reign.
"But (that your desire may be enkinfdled the more in its love of things here
above) now view more steadily these shining mansions and these living
flames that Eternal Intellect informs and moves; and hear in angelic strains
' At times (e.g., 11.48; 12.93) Tasso chooses to approximate the manner of Dante, as here (cf.
Piirad.iso3.50).
2 Baldwin succeeded to the kingship after. Godfrey's death in iioo.
CANTO FOURTEBN 303
the holy sirens, and the sound of their heavenly lyres. Cast down your eyes
(he said then, and pointed to the earth) to that which that farthest globe
contains.
10
"How vile is the motive that down there is contest and reward for human
valor! in what a tiny circle and atnid what desolate solitudes are your
pomps confined! Your earth, like an island, the sea encloses round; and
that—which sometimes you call Ocean, sometimes the Deep—has in it no
magnitude equal to such names, but is a Iqw swamp and a narrow pond."
II
So the one spoke; and the other cast down his eyes, as if in scorn, and
smiled at it; for he saw as a single unit oceans, lands and rivers, that here
seem differentiated in so many ways; and he marvelled that our foolish hu-
manity fbced itself only on shadows, on smoke, seeking a slavish empire
and mute fame, and does not look to heaven, that invites us and summons
us to itself.
12
So that he answered: 'Then since it does not as yet please God to release
me from my earthly prison, I pray you now instruct me of the road that is
least falladous, among the mazes of the world." 'The true road (Hugh re-
plied) is this that you are keeping; turn not your steps from it. Only that
you call back from his distant exile the son ofBertoldo, this I counsel you.
• 13
'Tor, if high Providence elected you supreme commander of the expedi-
yp,
Kfs non, it decree4 at the same time that he should be the sovereign executor3
of your plans. To you the prime functions are allotted, to him die second-
I1
' For the importance of this stanza to Tasso's concept of the meaning of his poem, see the
AUegmy, pp. 472-73, below.
 XIV, 60
II fiume gorgogliar fra tanto udio
con novo suono, -e la con gli ocdu corse,
e mover vide un'onda in mezzo al rio
che in se stessa si volse e si ntorse;
e qumci alquanto d'un crm biondo uscio,
e quiaci di'donzella un volto sorse,
e quincj if petto e Ie matomelle, e de la
sua forma infin dove vergogna cela.
Cosi dal palco di nottuma scena
61
o ninfa o dea, tarda sorgendo, appare.
Questa, benche non sia vera sirena
ma sia magica larva, una ben pare
di quelle che gia presso a la tirrena
piaggia abitar 1'msidipso mare;
ne~°men ch'in visa bella, in suono e dolce,
ecosi canta,. e '1 cielo. e 1'aure mblce:
'0 giovenetti, .mentre aprile e maggio
62
v'ammantan di fiorite e verdi spoglie,
di gloria e di vutu fallace raggio
la tenerella mente ah non v'invogliei
Solo chi segue do che piace e saggio,
e'm sua stagion de gU anni U frutto cogUe.
Questo grida natu^a.^ Or dunque voi
indurarete 1'alma 3 i detti suoi?
63 ^S,
Folli, perche gettate il caro dono,
che breve e si, di vostra eta novella?
Nome. e senza soggetto idoli sono
do che pregio e valdre il mondo appella.
La fama* che invaghisce a un dolce suono
voi superbi mortali, e par si bella, .
e'un'ecco, ua sogno, anzi del sogiio un'ombra,
ch'ad ogni vento si dUegua e sgombra. •
60. 1. udio: udi.
bk t: ^^^=T^e^6.^ .- ^on: nella sta-
gici™^.: L^See ^ri^i di consistenza. - 7. ^0:
cfr.'VII, 25, 6. - 8.. sgombra: se ne va.
332
Goda il corpo sicuro, e in lieti oggetti \ XIV, 64
I'ahna tranquiUa appaghi i sensi frail;
oblii Ie noie andate, e .non affretti
Ie. sue miserie in aspettando i mali.
Nulla curi se '1 ciel tuoni o saetti,
minacci egli a sna voglia e mfiammi strali.
Questo e saver, questa e felice vita:
si. 1'insegna natura e si 1'addita.' i'
Si canta 1'empia, e '1 giovenetto al sonno 65
con note invoglia si spavi e scorte.
Quel serpe a poco a poco, e si fa donno
sovra i sensi di lui possente e' forte;
ne i tuoni omai destar, non ch'altri, il ponno
da quella queta imagine di morte.
Esce d'aguato allor la falsa maga
e gli va sopra, di veudetta v^ga.'
Ma quando in lui fisso lo sguardo e vide 66
come placido in vista egli respira,
e ne' begH occhi un dolce atto che ride,
benche sian chiusi (or che fia s'ei U gira?),
pna s'arresta sospesa, e gli s'asside
poscia vicina, e placar sente ogn'ira
mentre il risguarda; e 'n ,su la vaga fronte
pende omai si che par Narciso al fonte. . -
E quei ch'ivi sorgedn vivi sudori 67
accoglie lievemente in un suo velo,
e con un dolce ventillar gli ardori
•ill
'3H
gli va temprando de I'estivo cielo.
Cosi (clii '1 crederia?) sopiti ardori
d'occhi nascosi distemprar quel gelo
che s'uidurava al car piu che diainante,
e di nemica ella divenne amante.
64^1. sicuro: senza darsi pensiero. - 3-4. oblli... ma.U: dimentichi
Ie Mstezre passate e non anticipi i suoi malicoi'-presentirU~~"'~
.'-v-l,emPia'- la ninfa. - 3. quel: il soimo. - serpe: serpeggia. -
Mnno^signore. - 6. da quella...'morte: da quel sonno tanto-1]uie
sembrare morte. - 7. la falsa maga: Armida~~ -
^ 66, S.Narciso: e il giovinetto chespecchiandosi in una fonte si
di se stesso.
^Sl, 1. tVt^sul viso di Rmaldo. - 3. ventillar: ventilare. - 5-7. Cosi...
Uamante: ^U occhi pur chiusi del giovane ebbero il potere'di'scio^
il gelo duro pifl del diamante che awolgeva" nj-"cuore-di~Ar-
333
 314 Jerusalem Delivered
then rose up a damseFs face, and then her bosom and her breasts, and her
whole shape, to where modesty makes concealment.
6l
"So from the flooring of a stage at night a nymph or goddess, rising
slowly, comes into view. This one, although she be not a true Siren but a
magic shade, seems truly one of those that formerly close by the Tyrrhene
shore inhabited the treacherous sea; nor is she less sweet to hear than
lovely to see, and thus she sings, and calms the wind and sky:
62
^.—0 young men, now while April and May are clothing you in green and
blossoming array, ah let not the deceitful glitter of glory and virme seduce
your tender minds! He only is wise who follows what gives him pleasure
,and plucks in its season the fruit of his years. This is what nature cries
.aloud. Now then will you harden your hearts against her words ? u~
63
—Fools, why do yoti cast away the precious gift of your fresh youth, that is
,,so short? Names and idols without substance are that which the world calls
reputation and valor. Fame, that enchants you prideful mortals with a
pleasing sound, and seems so beautiful, is an echo, a dream, the shadow of
a dream, that with every wind is scattered and vanishes away.
64
—Let your tranquil souls enjoy your bodies, free from care, and pleasure
the fragile senses with grateful objects: forget your troubles past and do
not, by anticipating evils, hasten theu- miseries. Take no care if Heaven '
lightning or thunder; let Him chreaten as He will and blaze His yrows.
This is wisdom, this is the happy life: so Nature teaches and so she demon-
strates.—
65
'Thus smgs the wicked creature; and with sounds so soft and cunning she
lulls the youth to sleep. Litde by litde it steals upon him and makes itself
the strong and powerful master of his senses; and now not even thunder-
CANTO FOURTEEN 315
bolts—not to speak of anything else—have power to wake him from that
quiet imaging of death. Then the false sorceress comes forth from her am-
bush and stands over him, eager for revenge.
66
"But when she faced her gaze upon him. and saw how calm of countenance
he breathes, and how charming a manner laughs about his lovely eyes,
though they be dosed (now what will it be if he opens them?), first she
stands still in sus^ei^se, and then sits down beside him, and feels her every
wrath becahned while she gazes upon him; and now she bends so above
his handsome face that she seems Nardssus at the spring.
67
"And those trembling drops of sweat that welled up there she softly takes
ofFinto her veil and with a gentle fanning tempers for him the heat of the
summery sky. So (who would believe it?) the slumbering warmth of his
hidden eyes dissolved that fi-ost that had hardened her heart even more
than adamant, and from his enemy she became his lover.
68
"Of lilies, ofprivet flowers and of the roses that were blooming in those
pleasant grounds, with strange art interwoven, then she constructed soft
but most binding fetters. These she placed about his neck, his arms, his
feet; so she overcame him, and so taken holds him. Then, while he sleeps,
she has him laid upon her chariot and quickly traverses the sky.
69
"Nor now returns to the princedpm of Damascus, nor where she has her
castle amid the waves; but moved by jealousy for so dear a pledge, and
ashamed about her love,10 she hides herself in boundless Ocean where
'° Both Rinaldo and Armida are portrayed as feeling shanle about violating deconun with
their hole-and-comer affair (16.54—55,73-74); and cf. 16.270.
 XV, 28
Gli soggiuase colei: "Diverse bande
diversi ban riti ed abiti e faveUei
altri. adora Ie belve, altri la grande
comune madre, il sole altri e Ie stelle;
v'e chi d'abo.minevoli vivande
Ie mense ingombra scelerate e feUe.
E 'n somma ognun che 'n qua da Calpe siede
barbaro e di costume, empio di fede.
29
"Dunque" a lei replicava U cavaJiero
"quel Dio che scese SL illummare Ie carte
vuol ogni raggio ricoprir del vero •
a questa che del mondo e sf gran_parte?"
"No," rispose ella "anzi la fe di Piero
fiavi' introdotta ed ogni civil arte;
ne gia sempre sara che la via -lunga
questi da' vostri popoli disgiunga.
30
Tempo verra che fian d'Ercole i segni
favola vile a i navigand iadustri,
e i mar riposti, or senza name, e i regni
ignoti ancor tra voi saraimo illustri.
Fia che '1 piu ardito allor di tutti i legni
quanta circonda H mar circondi e lustri,
e la terra misuri^immensa mole,
vittorioso ed emufo del sole.
Un uom. de la Liguria avra ardimento
a 1'incognito corso esporsl in pruna;
ne '1 minaccievol fremito del vento,
ne 1'inospito mar, ne '1 dubbio clima,
ne s'altro di periglio e di spavento
piu grave e formidablle or si stinia,
faran che '1 generoso entro a i divieti
d'Abila angusti 1'alta mente accheti.
28. 1. Sffitde: luoghi. - 4. madre: la terra.^- 6. U mens^felte:
liTntropofagi'. "7°~n quo. da Calpe: neU'AtIanticooItreGibUterra^
vT'i^'a'U&nlnar Ie carte: "a confennare e a syelare U senso deUe
scntture" (FEREARI). - 1.' la. via lunga: la distanza.
30, 6. lustri: perliuitri. __ . „ . ,.._..
31; 1. Vh uom: -.Jristoforo Colpmbo., ^ 2. in pnma: -pe^pnmo_. - <».
inospitoC' mos'pitale~^7-8~.-t diviett d'A&tZa: Ie~ Colonne d'ErcoIe.
344
Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo \ XV, 32
lontane si Ie fortunate antenne,
ch'a pena seguira con gli occhi 41 vplo
la fama c'ha mille occhi e mille penne.
Cariti ella AIcide e Bacco, e.di te solo
basti a i poster! taoi ch'alquanto acceime,
che quel poco dara lunga memoria
di poema dignissima e d'istoria."
Cosi disse eUa; e per I'ondose strade I 33
corre al ponente e piega al mezzogiomo
e vede come incontra il sol giH cade
e come a tergo lor rinasce a giomo.
E quaado a punto i raggi e Ie rugiade
la beUa aurora semiaava mtomo,
lor s'offri di lontano oscuro un monte
che tra Ie nubi nascondea la fronte.
E '1 vedean poscia procedendo avante, 34
quando bgni nuvol gia n'era rimosso,
a 1'acute piramidi sembiante,
sottile mver la cima e 'n mezzo grosso,
e mostrarsi talor cosf fumante
come guel che d'Encelado e su 'I dosso,
che per propria natura il giomo fuma
e poi la notte il del di fiamme aUuma.
Ecco altre isole iusieme, altre pendici 35
31
scoprian alfin, men erte.ed elevate;
ed eran queste 1'isole Felici,
cost Ie nomino la prisca etate,
a cui tarito stimava i cieli amid
che credea volontarie e non arate
quivi produr Ie terre, e 'n piu graditi
frutti non culte gprmogliar ~Ie viti.
32, 1. spiegherai: _il cpmpl. ogg. ^ ie emtenne. - polo: meta. - 3. a
p,e"a,La.stento--.~. 5- Alcide e 'B'lccq: famosi per'i;loro-viaggi ':'6"
ck'alguanto accenne: che lasci alcum'brevi'ceimi." ''" "°6SA ~ "'
.^•3:iwontra^tav^ al^~-~^:'un~mo,^: e a Picco di Tene-
riffa, la piu grande delle isole Canarie."
G-34,'^--g26!-:-__doAro_:^rEtoa-. :DOP° la battaglia di Hegra il gii
Encelado^fu condamato da Giove'a sostenere°r'Etaa.
uJ5' 3c;'"ote.,-Fe_KCI: ° Fortunate,/cioe7le"Canarie'. - 4. pruca: an-
tica. - 5. a cut: aUe quali. - 6. volontarie: spontaneamente."^"'8." no*n
culte: senza che siano" coltivate. "'--~'"
345.
326 Jerusalem Delivered
here the sea is so huge, where the land locks it in, what will it be there
where it holds the land in its bosom?
24
Now fertile Cadiz shows itself no more among the deep waves, with its
other two neighbors. All continents and shores are fled; heaven is the
boundary of the sea, the sea of heaven. Then said Ubaldo: "You, lady, who
have guided us onto this sea that has no end, tell us if any other ever came
here; or if there are dwellers further out in the world toward which we
c\\
^1
run/
25
She answers: "Hercules, after he had slain the monsters of Libya and the
Spanish countryside, and had traversed and mastered all your shores, dared
not attempt the ocean deep: he marked the boundaries, and within too nar-
row limits restrained the boldness of the human spirit; but Ulysses, eager
to see and to learn, scorned those boundaries that he prescribed.
26
"He passed the PiUars and loosed on the open sea the audacious flight of
his oars: but it availed him nothing to be experienced on the water, for
greedy Ocean swallowed him up, and along with his body his great adven-
ture lay also covered, that is unsung among you still.3 If any other has been
driven there perforce by tempests, either he did not return, or remained
there perished:
27
so that the great sea you are furrowing remains unknown; it conceals a
thousand unknown isles, and a thousand kingdoms; nor are its land? '
wholly devoid of inhabitants, but they are fertile, even as yours: apt they
are to bring forth produce, nor can that virtue be sterile that the sun in-
fuses in them." Ubaldo then resumes: "Of that hidden world, tell me, what
are the laws and what the religion."
' A kind of indirect tribute to Dante for his innovative addition to the legend of Ulysses
(Inf. 26). See also Glossary, s.v. Hercules.
CANTO FIFTEEN 327
28
She continued to him: "Divers groups have divers customs and dress and
speech: some worship beasts, some the great universal Mother; others the
sun and the stars; there is one that loads its wicked and cmel tables with
abominable repast: and in sum, every place that sits between here and
Calpe is barbarous in customs, impious in faith."
29
Is it then the will (replied the knight to her) of that God who descended
to illutninate the pages that every ray of the truth be concealed for this that
is so large a part of the world?" "No (she. answered) ; on the contrary, the
faith of Peter will be introduced there, and every civilizing art: nor will it al-
ways be that the long voyage disjoins these people from your own.
30
'The time will come that the pillars of Hercules will be a mere fable to the
busy sailors; and sheltered seas without a name and reakns as yet unknown
will be renowned among you. Then will it be that the boldest of all barks
encompasses and brings to light whatever the ocean encompasses, and
takes the measure of the earth, a mighty mass, victorious, and emulous of
the sun.
31
"A man ofLiguria will have the daring first to set himself on the unhiown
course: and not the menacing howling of the wind, nor inhospitable seas,
nor doubtful clime, nor anything else that now may be esteemed more for-
midable and filled with fear or danger will make the proud spirit content
his lofty mind within the narrow proscriptions ofAbyla.
32
"You, Columbus, will spread your fortunate sails so far toward an un-
blown pole that Fame (that has a thousand eyes and a thousand wings)
will scarcely follow with her eyes your flight. Let her sing ofAlddes and
Bacchus, and ofyou let it be enough that she only give some hmt for your
posterity: for that little will give you a lasting memorial most worthy ofPo-
etry and History."
J^/V /^f/^TDA/
EARLY POEMS
LYCIDAS
(i637)
In this monody the .uthor^aUs ale^ed fn^ Ed^?
u^o^ely'd'ro'vmed ^^SS^Nm^^
^SeuKx^s7i6^r And by'occasion ^eteU^^e
;Snu;;fTur erupted 'dergy, then in their height.
Yet once more, 0 ye laurels, and Qnc_e more, ^^
Ye myrtles brbwn;with ivy neverj3ercf_^ , '",mnp;
I wSe'to pluck your berries harsh and crude,*
And with forced fingers rude ^ ^
Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year. ^
Bitter constraint, and sad occasion dear,'
Compels me to disturb your seasondue'
ForLvcidas is dead, dead ere his prune,
s, and hath not left his peer.
Who&woulcTno't sing for Lycidas?^he knew
HunseFto'smg, and build' the lofty Ayme.
He must not float upon his w^ryj)ier^ ^^ ^
l?nwept^ and welter* to the P^mg^wmd' tossea^;
WlAout the meed* of somem_etodio^ tear. ^^^;
rin then, Sisters of the sacred welT- ^ ^
Thatcfrom beneath the seat of Jove dotti sprmg,
BegmFand somfcwhat loudly ^epjhpjtring. ^^^
H?nce with denial vain, and coy* "excuse; ov.r-muu..
So may some §endeMuse_ ^^ ^_ auspicious/zo
With lucky* words favor my destmea urn,
Arid as he passes turn,
^d bidfa^peace beto_m^s^kjhr^ ^ ^^^
For~we-were nursed upon the seU-same hill,^
Fed the same flock, by fountain, shade, and riU.
'Together both, ere the high lawns ^
Under the opening eyelids of the rnon1'
We'drove afield, and both together he^ard ^^ ^ ^^
^r^S^y-&Y~^^i s^tty h,°^, ^
Bva^mngrou7fl^cks with Ae fresh ^ws^f ^ght,^^
5TalT3ie^r;"that rose, ^ evening bright ^ .__He;peros/3°
¥o'wa^dHeawn's"descent'had sloped his westering wheel.
Meanwhile the rural dimes^ere not mute, ^^^
to* the oaten flute; ' ^
Rough"Satyrs danced, and Fauns with cloven heel j And slits the thin-spun life. "But not the praise,"
Lycidas io7
From the glad sound would not be absent long,
And old Damoetas loved to hear pur song.
But 0 the heavy change, now thou art gone,
Now thou art gone, and never must return'
Thee, Shepherd, thee the woods and desert caves,
With wild thyme and die gadding* wine straggling/
o'ergrcwn, ~ ~ 40
And aU their echoes mourn.
The wfllows and the hazel copses green
Shall now no more be seen
Fannmg their joyous leaves to thy soft lays.
As killing as the canker* to the rose, plaat disease
Or taint-worm to the weanUng* herds that graze, youne
Or frost to flowers, that their gay -wardrobeT wear,
•When first the white-tfaom* blows; hawfhom
Such, Lycidas, thy loss to shepherd's ear.
Where were ye, Nymphs, when the remorseless
deep - - ^
Closed o'er the head of your loved Lycidas?
neither were ye playing on the steep
Where your old bards, the famous Druids, lie,
Nor on the shaggy top of Mona high,
Nor yet_where Deva* spreads her wizard stream. rivar De®
Ay me, I fondly* dream, vainly
Had ye been there!—for what could that have done?
What could the Muse* herself that Orpheus bore, Cafflope
The Muse ^ herself, for her enchanting* son, able to enchant
Whom universal Nature did lament," ' 60
When by the rout that made the hideous roar
His gory visage down the stredm was sent,
Down die swift Hebrus to the Lesbian shore?
Alas! what boots* it with uncessant care avails
To tend the homely slighted shepherd's trade,* P^^2S
And strictly meditate the thanklp^ Muse? of poetry
Were it not better done as others use,
To sport with Amaryms in the shade,
pr with the tangles of Neaera's hair?
Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise' 70
(That last infirmity of noble mind)
To scorn delights, and Uve laborious days; ^^
But the fair guerdon* when we hope to find, reward
And think to burst out into sudden blaze,* of glory
Comes the blind Fury with the abhorred shears,
 EARLY POEMS
io8
Phoebns replied, and touched my trembling ears;
"Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil,
Nor in the glistering foil
Set'off to the world, nor in broad rumor* lies, (see Fama)/so
But lives and spreads aloft by those pure eyes
And perfect -witness of aU-judging Jove*; God
As he pronounces lastly qn each deed,
Of so much fame in Heaven expect thy meed."
0 fountain Arethuse, and thou honored flood,
Smooth-sliding Mlincms, crowned with vocal reeds,
That strain I heard was of a higher mood.
But now my oat* proceeds, ^ „ , I<astora^ong
AndUstens'to thex Herald of the Sea* . _ _ Triton
That'came in Neptune's plea.* _ _ defeM!{90
He asked the waves, and asked the felon* winds,
What hard mishap hath doomed this gentle swain?
And questioned every gust of rugged wings
That bWij from off each beaked proiiiontory;
They knew not of his story,
And sage Hippotades their answer brings,
That not a blast was from his dungeon strayed;
The air was cahn, and on the level brine
Sleek Panope with all her sisters played.
It was that'fatal and perfidious bark, _._._, _/^
BuUtin the edipse,* and rigged with^curses dark, a portent of evil
That sunk so low that sacred head of thine.
Next Camus, reverend sire, went footing slow,
His mantle hairy, and his bonnet sedge,
Inwrought with figures dim, and on the edge
Like to that sanguine flower mscrioed
With WOO* (seeByaclnthu.)
"Ah, who hath reft," quoth he, "my dearest pledge? "* Bon
Last came, and last did go,
The PUot'of the GalUean Lake;* st- peter
Two massy keys* he bore of metals twain (Matt'J6,:l?)
(The golden opes, the iron shuts amain).* with fore®
He shook his mitred locks, and stem bespake:
"How well could I have spared for thee, young swain,
Enow* of such as for their beUes'sake cno»gtl
Creep and intrude and climb into the fold! * (Joha 1Q:1'>
Of other care they litde reckoning make
Than how to scramble at the shearers' feast,
And shove away the worthy bidden guest.* (Matt- 22:8>
Blind mouths! that scarce themselves know how to hold
Lycidas
Asheep-hoo'k, or have learned aught else the least 120
That to the faithful herdman's art'belongs!
What reeks it them? * What need they? . does it matter
They are sped;
And when they list, their lean and flashy songs
Grate on their scrannel* pipes of wretetied straw; harsh
The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed, ^^ ^
But swoln with wind and Ae rank mist they draw, j frS f'
Rot mwardly, and foul contagion spread;
Besides what the grim Wolf* with privy* paw. Catholic Church/
secret
Daily devours apace, and nothing said;
But that two-handed engine at the door .130
Stands ready to smite once, and smite no more." ^<,v^y^
Return, AIpheus, the dread voice is past
That shrunk thy streams; return, SicUian Muse,
And call the vales, and bid them hither cast
Their bells and flowrets of a thousand hues.
Ye vaUeys low where the mild whispers use* dwell
Of shades and wanton winds and gushing brooks,
On whose fresh lap the swart star* sparely* looks, Day Star/
seldom
. Throw hither all your quaint enameled eyes,
That on the green turf suck the honied showers, 140
And purple all the ground with verml flowers
Bring the rathe* pnmrose that forsaken dies, forsaken
The tufted crow-toe, and pale jessamine,
The white pint, and the pansy freaked* with jet, spotted
The glowing violet,
The musk-rose, and the well-attired woodbine,
With cowslips wgp that hang the pensive head,
And every flower that sad embroidery wears.
Bid amaranthus all his beauty shed,
And daffadillies fill Aeir cups and tears, IJO
To strew the laureate hearse* where Lycid lies. bier
For so to interpose a Utde ease,
Let our frail dioughts daily with false surmise;
Ay me! whilst-thee the shores and sounding seas
Wash^ far away, where'er thy bones are hurled,
Whether beyond the stormy Hebrides,
Where thou perhaps under the whelnung ride
Visit'st the bottom of the monstrous* world; of sea monsters
Or whether thou, to our moist* vows denied, tearful
Sleep'st by the fable of BeUems old, i6o
Where the great Vision of the guarded mount* St. Michael's
Mount
Looks toward Namancos and Bayona's hold,
no EARLY POEMS

Look homeward, Angel, now, and melt with ruth;

And, 0 ye dolphins,* waft the hapless youth. (SeeArfon)
Weep no more, woeful shepherds, weep no more,
For Lycidas, your sorrow, is not dead,
Sunk though he be beneath the watery floor;
So sinks the day-star* in the ocean bed, 1the sua
And yet anon repairs his drooping head,
And tricks* his beams, and with arrays
n.
ne-W-Splangled* ore with renewed radiance/iyo
Flames in the- forehead of the morning sky:
So Lycidas sank low, but mounted high,
Through the dear might of him that walked
the -waves,* (Matt. 16:26)

Where, other groves and other streams along,

With nectar pure his oozy locks he laves,
And hears the unexpressive* nupdal song,* inexpressible
(Rev. 19:9)
la the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love.
There entertain him all the saints above,
In solemn troops and sweet societies
That sing, and singing in. their glory move,; i8o
And wipe the tears for ever from his eyes.* (Rev. 7:17)

Now, Lycidas, the shepherds weep no more;

Henceforth tfaou art the Genius of the shore;,,
In thy large recompense, and shalt be gopd
To all that wander in that perilous flood.
Thus sang the uncouth* swam to the-oaks and riUs, oistic

While the sriU mom went out with sandals gray,

He touched the tender stops of various quills,
pastoral song
With eager thought warbling his Done lay.*
And now the sun had stretched out all the hiUs, 190
And now was dropped into the western bay;
At last he rose, and twitched his mantle blue:
Tomorrow to fresh woods, and pastures new.
Jo^yu Hl^p^/ •
566 PARADISE REGAINED

SSK^^W
Of most errrte-^l c_: •
PARADISE REGAINED • THIRD BOOK
Large Countries, and in field great Batdes win,
Great Cities by assault: what do these Worthies,
^v °f^o^lpp^^^^^^^ 30
But rob and spoil, burn, slaughter, and enslave
Peaceable Nations, neighboring or remote,
Won A^'and"th.Ti?^ad ere_these Made Captive, yet deserving freedom more
^"h»Zpao^d ToeJ^Qf ^;^eld Than those thir Conquerors, who leave behind
^JwSS^S^t down
sssss3^
Nothing but ruin wheresoe'er they rove,
And all the flourishing works of peace destroy,

liliSsSri"
35 Then swell with pride, and must be titld Gods,
Great Benefactors of mankind, Deliverers,
Worship't with Temple, Priest and Sacrifice?
5e.morehe ^^mnnZr?.£eJvoru'a^reo, One is the Son of Jove, of Mars the other,
yl^_glory^ptw^t y£r^mwe U3s^d" Till Conqueror Death discover them scarce men,
In^;fb^^a^^^U^^J;^u-
s^BSS^.
40 Rolling in brutish vices, and deform'd,
Violent or shameful death thir due reward.

ss5ssa^'h
But if there be in glory aught of good,

§5^£Ei^
It may by means far different be attain d,
Without ambition, war, or violence;
45 By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent,
By patience, temperance; I mention still
^ni-^FAepSeIfb^pJ^
JESSsiSf!!, -
Him whom thy wrongs with Saintly patience borne,

§S£Sste^w
Made famous in a Land and times obscure;
0—
Who names not now with honor patient Job?
50 Poor Socrates (who next more memorable?)

^Stl^^p^''
By what he taught and suffer'd for so doing,
For truth's sake suffering death unjust, lives now

^S"oa bAirdS^aid}^t1^ Equal m fame to proudest Conquerors.

S£?^^p"i'c?
Yet if for fame and glory aught be done,
55 Aught sufier'd; if young African for fame

^^S?^SSiise,
This is true*ri^rLTrceoffew" rais7d.
His wasted Country freed from. Punic rage,
The deed becomes unprais'd, the man at least,
And loses, though But verbal, his reward.
^ookmguonc S^dwwl1' ^^God
ThTS ^^v^^^^arks
Shall I seek glory then, as vain men seek

^f^g^^^^^l^en
6o Oft not deserv'd? I seek not mine, but his

fc^SS^^""
Who sent me, and thereby witQ£ss_ffihence_I am.
To~whom the Tempter murmuring thus replied.
Think not .so slight of glory: therein least
Resembling thy great Father; he seeks glory,

iiiiSSsiH-
65 And for his glory all things made, all things
Orders and governs, nor content in Heaven

i-, attributed '"'

By all his Angels glorifi'd, requires
Glory from men, from all men good or bad,
Wise or unwise, no difference, no exemption;
70 Above all Sacrifice, or hallow'd gift

&£^^G^^^^-
Glory he requires, and glory he receives

S^sSa.^t^ ^SsSSSyiS
80. flourishing was pronounced "flourshing" in loi. The young African is Sciplo.
.the.Sternhold and Hopkins translation of the Psalms
bo^Ba:Ti:D^er^A°^^de tiought is above.
—as W. B. Hunter shows in PQ, XXVIII (1949), 106—107. "I seek not mine own
b.e.dtd aot 'W a^neb?l^..!flto_tears"b^us°et

^^qsa^"^ss
boast." _ ~" ±wc one glorious acbievemwsu^ I39- Christ to the Pharisees (John viii, 50).

Sl^SSSS
81-84. Roman emperors were given the title Il o-l 20. The sophistry twists the do
47-48. Mil ton tram "Divine" by the Senate. Several of Alexander's Westminster Shorter Cacechism that tt

^^^Ss^^
*L.C"', I9)":L^W^a^risul.ea's qu."don (£^..
successors took titles like "Benefactor," and Alexan- of man is "to glorify God," and exploi
?^;f^ ^t ^aD.fu"^s'lc~Ieauruuren;^'

?s^K'^^»]S der himself posed as the son of Jupiter Ammon

(c£. PL IX, 508). Romulus was called the son of
Mars.
of the elders in Rev. iv, n: "Thou ai
Lord, to receive glory and honor and
thou hast created all things, and for
96-99. On Socrates and Job see the Introduction they were created."
12 and 8.