[
Translation
]
From
Tasso
[
Gerusalemme
Liberata
]
Canto
14
,
Stanza
32-9
Preser
commiato
,
e
si'l
desire
gli
sprona
,
&c
:
Dismissed
at
length
,
they
break
through
all
delay
To
tempt
the
dangers
of
the
doubtful
way
;
And
first
to
Ascalon
their
steps
they
bend
,
Whose
walls
along
the
neighbouring
sea
extend
.
Nor
yet
in
prospect
rose
the
distant
shore
,
Scarce
the
hoarse
waves
from
far
were
heard
to
roar
,
When
thwart
the
road
a
river
rolled
its
flood
Tempestuous
,
and
all
further
course
withstood
:
The
torrent-stream
his
ancient
bounds
disdains
,
Swoll'n
with
new
force
and
late-descending
rains
.
Irresolute
they
stand
,
when
lo
!
appears
The
wondrous
sage
:
vigorous
he
seemed
in
years
,
Awful
his
mien
;
low
as
his
feet
there
flows
A
vestment
unadorned
,
though
white
as
new-fall'n
snows
;
Against
the
stream
the
waves
secure
he
trod
,
His
head
a
chaplet
bore
,
his
hand
a
rod
.
As
on
the
Rhine
when
Boreas'
fury
reigns
And
winter
binds
the
floods
in
icy
chains
,
Swift
shoots
the
village-maid
in
rustic
play
,
Smooth
,
without
step
,
adown
the
shining
way
,
Fearless
in
long
excursion
loves
to
glide
,
And
sports
and
wantons
o'er
the
frozen
tide
;
So
moved
the
seer
,
but
on
no
hardened
plain
:
The
river
boiled
beneath
and
rushed
towards
the
main
.
Where
fixed
in
wonder
stood
the
warlike
pair
His
course
he
turned
and
thus
relieved
their
care
:
'
Vast
,
O
my
friends
,
and
difficult
the
toil
To
seek
your
hero
in
a
distant
soil
!
No
common
helps
,
no
common
guide
,
ye
need
,
Art
it
requires
and
more
than
winged
speed
.
What
length
of
sea
remains
,
what
various
lands
,
Oceans
unknown
,
inhospitable
sands
!
For
adverse
fate
the
captive
chief
has
hurled
Beyond
the
confines
of
our
narrow
world
.
Great
things
and
full
of
wonder
in
your
ears
I
shall
unfold
;
but
first
dismiss
your
fears
,
Nor
doubt
with
me
to
tread
the
downward
road
That
to
the
grotto
leads
,
my
dark
abode
.
'
Scarce
had
he
said
,
before
the
warriors'
eyes
When
mountain-high
the
waves
disparted
rise
:
The
flood
on
either
hand
its
billows
rears
,
And
in
the
midst
a
spacious
arch
appears
.
Their
hands
he
seized
and
down
the
steep
he
led
,
Beneath
the
obedient
river's
inmost
bed
.
The
watery
glimmerings
of
a
fainter
day
Discovered
half
,
and
half
concealed
,
their
way
,
As
when
athwart
the
dusky
woods
by
night
The
uncertain
crescent
gleams
a
sickly
light
.
Through
subterraneous
passages
they
went
,
Earth's
inmost
cells
and
caves
of
deep
descent
.
Of
many
a
flood
they
viewed
the
secret
source
,
The
birth
of
rivers
,
rising
to
their
course
;
Whate'er
with
copious
train
its
channel
fills
,
Floats
into
lakes
or
bubbles
into
rills
.
The
Po
was
there
to
see
,
Danubius'
bed
,
Euphrates'
fount
and
Nile's
mysterious
head
.
Further
they
pass
,
where
ripening
minerals
flow
,
And
embryon
metals
undigested
glow
;
Sulphureous
veins
and
living
silver
shine
,
Which
soon
the
parent
sun's
warm
powers
refine
,
In
one
rich
mass
unite
the
precious
store
,
The
parts
combine
and
harden
into
ore
.
Here
gems
break
through
the
night
with
glittering
beam
,
And
paint
the
margin
of
the
costly
stream
.
All
stones
of
lustre
shoot
their
vivid
ray
,
And
mix
attempered
in
a
various
day
.
Here
the
soft
emerald
smiles
,
of
verdant
hue
,
And
rubies
flame
,
with
sapphires
heavenly
blue
;
The
diamond
there
attracts
the
wondering
sight
,
Proud
of
its
thousand
dyes
and
luxury
of
light
.