首页 >出版文学> Jerusalem Delivered>第35章
  Forontheirpartthegreatestslaughterlight,Theyhadnosheltergainstsosharpashower,Someleftonlivebetookthemselvestoflight,Sofearedtheythisdeadlythunderingtower:
  ButSolymanstayedlikeavaliantknight,Andsomewithhim,thattrustedinhispower,Arganteswithalongbeechtreeinhand,Ranthither,thishugeenginetowithstand:
  L
  Withthishepushedthetower,andbackitdrivesThelengthofallhistree,awondrousway,Thehardyvirginbyhissidearrives,TohelpArgantesinthishardassay:
  Thebandthatusedtheram,thisseasonstrivesTocutthecords,whereinthewoolpackslay,Whichdone,thesacksdowninthetrenchesfall,Andtothebatterynakedleftthewall。
  LI
  Thetowerabove,therambeneathdoththunder,Whatlimeandstonesuchpuissancecouldabide?
  Thewallbegan,newbruisedandcrushedasunder,Herwoundedlaptoopenbroadandwide,GodfreyhimselfandhisbroughtsafelyunderTheshatteredwall,wheregreatestbreachhespied,Himselfhesavesbehindhismightytarge,Ashieldnotusedbutinsomedesperatecharge。
  LII
  FromhenceheseeswhereSolymandescends,Downtothethresholdofthegapingbreach,AndthereitseemsthemightyprinceintendsGodfredo’shopedentrancetoimpeach:
  Argantes,andwithhimthemaid,defendsThewallsabove,towhichthetowerdothreach,Hisnobleheart,whenGodfreythisbeheld,Withcouragenewwithwrathandvalorswelled。
  LIII
  HeturnedaboutandtogoodSigierespake,Whobarehisgreatestshieldandmightybow,“Thatsureandtrustytargetletmetake,ImpenetrableisthatshieldIknow,OvertheseruinswillIpassagemake,Andenterfirst,thewayiseathandlow,AndtimerequiresthatbysomenoblefeatIshouldmakeknownmystrengthandpuissancegreat。“
  LIV
  Hescanthadspoken,scantreceivedthecharge,Whenonhislegasuddenshafthimhit,Andthroughthatpartaholemadewideandlarge,Wherehisstrongsinewsfastenedwereandknit。
  Clorinda,thouthisarrowdidstdischarge,AndletthePagansblessthyhandforit,ForbythatshotthousavedstthemthatdayFrombondagevile,fromdeathandsuredecay。
  LV
  Thewoundedduke,asthoughhefeltnopain,Stillforwardwent,andmountedupthebreachHishighattemptatfirsthenouldrefrain,Andaftercalledhislordswithcheerfulspeech;
  Butwhenhislegcouldnothisweightsustain,Hesawhiswilldidfarhispoweroutreach,Andmorehestrovehisgriefincreasedthemore,Theboldassaultheleftatlengththerefore:
  LVI
  AndwithhishandhebeckonedGuelphonear,Andsaid,“Imustwithdrawmetomytent,Myplaceandpersoninmineabsencebear,Supplymywant,letnotthefightrelent,Igo,andwillerelongagainbehere;
  Igoandstraightreturn:“thissaid,hewent,Onalightsteedheleaped,ando’erthegreenHerode,butrodenot,ashethought,unseen。
  LVII
  WhenGodfreyparted,partedeketheheart,。
  ThestrengthandfortuneoftheChristianbands,。
  Courageincreasedintheiradversepart,Wrathintheirhearts,andvigorintheirhands:
  Valor,success,strength,hardinessandart,Failedintheprincesofthewesternlands,Theirswordswereblunt,faintwastheirtrumpet’sblast,Theirsunwasset,orelsewithcloudso’ercast。
  LVIII
  UponthebulwarksnowappearedboldThatfearfulbandthatlatefordreadwasfled!
  ThewomenthatClorinda’sstrengthbehold,Theircountry’slovetowarencouraged,Theyweaponsgot,andfightlikementheywould,Theirgownstuckedup,theirlockswerelooseandspread,Sharpdartstheycast,andwithoutdreadorfear,Exposedtheirbreaststosavetheirfortressdear。
  LIX
  ButthatwhichmostdismayedtheChristianknights,AndaddedcouragetothePagansmost,WasGuelpho’ssuddenfallinallmen’ssights,Whotumbledheadlongdown,hisfootinglost,Amightystoneupontheworthylights,Butwhenceitcamenonewist,norfromwhatcoast;
  Andwithlikeblow,whichmoretheirheartsdismayed,BesidehimlowindustoldRaymondlaid:
  LX
  AndEustaceekewithintheditcheslarge,Tonarrowshiftsandlastextremestheydrive,UpontheirfoessofiercethePaganscharge,Andwithgood-fortunesotheirblowstheygive,Thatwhomtheyhit,inspiteofhelmortarge,Theydeeplywound,orelseoflifedeprive。
  AtthistheirgoodsuccessArgantesproud,Waxingmorefell,thusroaredandcriedaloud:
  LXI
  “ThisisnotAntioch,northeeveningdarkCanhelpyourprivysleightswithfriendlyshade,Thesunyetshines,yourfalsehoodcanwemark,Inotherwisethisboldassaultismade;
  OfpraiseandgloryquenchedisthesparkThatmadeyoufirsttheseeasternlandsinvade,Whyceaseyounow?whytakeyounotthisfort?
  What!areyouwearyforachargesoshort?“
  LXII
  Thusragedhe,andinsuchhellishsortIncreasedthefuryinthebrain-sickknight,ThatheesteemedthatlargeandamplefortToostraitafield,whereintoprovehismight,Therewherethebreachhadframedanew-madeport,Himselfheplaced,withnimbleskipsandlight,Heclearedthepassageout,andthushecriedToSolyman,thatfoughtclosebyhisside:
  LXIII
  “Come,Solyman,thetimeandplacebehold,Thatofourvalorswellmayjudgethedoubt,Whatsayestthou?amongsttheseChristiansbold,Firstleapheforththatholdshimselfmoststout:“
  Whilethushiswillthemightychampiontold,BothSolymanandheatonceleapedout,Furythefirstprovoked,disdainthelast,Whoscornedthechallengeerehislipsitpassed。
  LXIV
  Upontheirfoesunlooked-fortheyflew,Eachspitedotherforhisvirtue’ssake,Somanysoldiersthisfiercecoupleslew,Somanyshieldstheycleftandhelmstheybreak,Somanyladderstotheearththeythrew,Thatwelltheyseemedamountthereoftomake,Orelsesomevamurefittosavethetown,InsteadofthattheChristianslatebeatdown。
  LXV
  ThefolkthatstrovewithrageandhastebeforeWhofirstthewallandrampireshouldascend,Retire,andforthathonorstrivenomore,Scantlytheycouldtheirlimbsandlivesdefend,Theyfled,theirengineslostthePaganstoreInpiecessmall,theirramstonaughttheyrend,AndallunfitforfurtherservicemakeWithsogreatforceandragetheirbeamstheybrake。
  LXVI
  ThePagansrantransportedwiththeirire,Nowhere,nowthere,andwofulslaughterswrought,Atlasttheycalledfordevouringfire,Twoburningpinesagainstthetowertheybrought,Sofromthepalaceoftheirhellishsire,Whenallthisworldtheywouldconsumetonaught,Thefurysisterscomewithfireinhands,Shakingtheirsnakylocksandsparklingbrands:
  LXVII
  ButnobleTancred,whothiswhileappliedGraveexhortationstohisboldLatines,Whenoftheseknightsthewondrousactshespied,Andsawthechampionswiththeirburningpines,Helefthistalk,andthitherforthwithhied,TostoptherageofthosefellSaracines。
  Andwithsuchforcethefighthethererenewed,Thatnowtheyfledandlostwholatepursued。
  LXVIII
  Thuschangedthestateandfortuneofthefray,Meanwhilethewoundedduke,ingriefandteen,Withinhisgreatpavilionrichandgay,GoodSigiereandBaldwinstoodbetween;
  Hisotherfriendswhomhismishapdismay,Withgriefandtearsaboutassembledbeen:
  Hestroveinhastetheweaponouttowind,Andbrokethereed,butlefttheheadbehind。
  LXIX
  Hebadethemtakethespeediestwaytheymight,Ofthatunluckyhurttomakehimsound,Andtolayopethedepththereoftosight,Hewilledthemopen,searchandlancethewound,“Sendmeagain,“quothhe,“toendthisfight,Beforethesunbesunkenunderground;“
  Andleaningonabrokenspear,hethrustHislegstraightout,tohimthatcureitmust。
  LXX
  Erotimus,bornonthebanksofPo,Washethatundertooktocuretheknight,Allwhatgreenherbsorwaterspurecoulddo,Heknewtheirpower,theirvirtue,andtheirmight,Anoblepoetwasthemanalso,Butinthissciencehadamoredelight,Hecouldrestoretohealthdeath-woundedmen,Andmaketheirnamesimmortalwithhispen。
  LXXI
  Themightydukeyetneverchangedcheer,Butgrievedtoseehisfriendslamentingstand;
  Theleechpreparedhisclothsandcleansinggear,Andwithabelthisgownabouthimband,NowwithhisherbsthesteelyheadtotearOutofthefleshheproved,nowwithhishand,Nowwithhishand,nowwithhisinstrumentHeshakedandpluckedit,yetnotforthitwent。
  LXXII
  Hislaborvain,hisartprevailednaught,Hisluckwasill,althoughhisskillweregood,Tosuchextremesthewoundedprincehebrought,Thatwithfellpainheswoonedashestood:
  Buttheangelpure,thatkepthim,wentandsoughtDivinedictamnum,outofIdawood,Thisherbisrough,andbearsapurpleflower,Andinhisbuddingleavesliesallhispower。
  LXXIII
  KindnaturefirstuponthecraggycliftBewrayedthisherbuntothemountaingoat,Thatwhenhersidesacruelshafthathrift,Withitsheshakesthereedoutofhercoat;
  Thisinamomentfetchedtheangelswift,AndbroughtfromIdahill,thoughfarremote,ThejuicewhereofinapreparedbathUnseentheblessedspiritpouredhath。
  LXXIV
  PurenectarfromthatspringofLydiathan,Andpanacesdivinethereinhethrew,Thecunningleechtobathethewoundbegan,Andofitselfthesteelyheadoutflew;
  Thebleedingstanched,novermiledropoutran,Thelegagainwaxedstrongwithvigornew:
  Erotimuscriedout,“ThishurtandwoundNohumanartorhandsosoonmakessound:
  LXXV
  “SomeangelgoodIthinkcomedownfromskiesThysurgeonis,forhereplaintokensareOfgracedivinewhichtothyhelpapplies,Thyweapontakeandhasteagaintowar。“
  Inpreciousclothshislegthechieftainties,Naughtcouldthemanfrombloodandfightdebar;
  Asturdylanceinhisrighthandhebraced,Hisshieldhetook,andonhishelmetlaced:
  LXXVI
  Andwithathousandknightsandbaronsbold,Towardthetownhehastedfromhiscamp,IncloudsofdustwasTitan’sfaceenrolled,Trembledtheearthwhereontheworthiesstamp,Hisfoesfaroffhisdreadfullooksbehold,Whichintheirheartsofcouragequenchedthelamp,Achillingfearrancoldthrougheveryvein,LordGodfreyshoutedthriceandallhistrain: