Jerusalem Delivered - Book 01 - Part 02 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCDCEE AFCFFFFGG AFFFFFFFF HIFIFIFFF HFFFFFFJJ HFKFKFKAA HHLHLHLMM HNFNFNFOO AFAFAFAFF AOFOFOFAA APNPNPNOO AQRQNQRSS AFTFTFUJS HJTJTJTJJ HJFJFJFAA

XIA
Thus when the Lord discovered had and seenB
The hidden secrets of each worthy's breastC
Out of the hierarchies of angels sheenB
The gentle Gabriel called he from the restC
'Twixt God and souls of men that righteous beenD
Ambassador is he forever blestC
The just commands of Heaven's Eternal KingE
'Twixt skies and earth he up and down doth bringE
-
XIIA
To whom the Lord thus spake Godfredo findF
And in my name ask him why doth he restC
Why be his arms to ease and peace resignedF
Why frees he not Jerusalem distrestF
His peers to counsel call each baser mindF
Let him stir up for chieftain of the restF
I choose him here the earth shall him allowG
His fellows late shall be his subjects nowG
-
XIIIA
This said the angel swift himself preparedF
To execute the charge imposed arightF
In form of airy members fair imbaredF
His spirits pure were subject to our sightF
Like to a man in show and shape he faredF
But full of heavenly majesty and mightF
A stripling seemed he thrive five winters oldF
And radiant beams adorned his locks of goldF
-
XIVH
Of silver wings he took a shining pairI
Fringed with gold unwearied nimble swiftF
With these he parts the winds the clouds the airI
And over seas and earth himself doth liftF
Thus clad he cut the spheres and circles fairI
And the pure skies with sacred feathers cliftF
On Libanon at first his foot he setF
And shook his wings with rory May dews wetF
-
XVH
Then to Tortosa's confines swiftly spedF
The sacred messenger with headlong flightF
Above the eastern wave appeared redF
The rising sun yet scantly half in sightF
Godfrey e'en then his morn devotions saidF
As was his custom when with Titan brightF
Appeared the angel in his shape divineJ
Whose glory far obscured Phoebus' shineJ
-
XVIH
Godfrey quoth he behold the season fitF
To war for which thou waited hast so longK
Now serves the time if thou o'erslip not itF
To free Jerusalem from thrall and wrongK
Thou with thy Lords in council quickly sitF
Comfort the feeble and confirm the strongK
The Lord of Hosts their general doth make theeA
And for their chieftain they shall gladly take theeA
-
XVIIH
I messenger from everlasting JoveH
In his great name thus his behests do tellL
Oh what sure hope of conquest ought thee moveH
What zeal what love should in thy bosom dwellL
This said he vanished to those seats aboveH
In height and clearness which the rest excelL
Down fell the Duke his joints dissolved asunderM
Blind with the light and strucken dead with wonderM
-
XVIIIH
But when recovered he considered moreN
The man his manner and his message saidF
If erst he wished now he longed soreN
To end that war whereof he Lord was madeF
Nor swelled his breast with uncouth pride thereforeN
That Heaven on him above this charge had laidF
But for his great Creator would the sameO
His will increased so fire augmenteth flameO
-
XIXA
The captains called forthwith from every tentF
Unto the rendezvous he them invitesA
Letter on letter post on post he sentF
Entreatance fair with counsel he unitesA
All what a noble courage could augmentF
The sleeping spark of valor what incitesA
He used that all their thoughts to honor raisedF
Some praised some paid some counselled all pleasedF
-
XXA
The captains soldiers all save Boemond cameO
And pitched their tents some in the fields withoutF
Some of green boughs their slender cabins frameO
Some lodged were Tortosa's streets aboutF
Of all the host the chief of worth and nameO
Assembled been a senate grave and stoutF
Then Godfrey after silence kept a spaceA
Lift up his voice and spake with princely graceA
-
XXIA
Warriors whom God himself elected hathP
His worship true in Sion to restoreN
And still preserved from danger harm and scathP
By many a sea and many an unknown shoreN
You have subjected lately to his faithP
Some provinces rebellious long beforeN
And after conquests great have in the sameO
Erected trophies to his cross and nameO
-
XXIIA
But not for this our homes we first forsookQ
And from our native soil have marched so farR
Nor us to dangerous seas have we betookQ
Exposed to hazard of so far sought warN
Of glory vain to gain an idle smookQ
And lands possess that wild and barbarous areR
That for our conquests were too mean a preyS
To shed our bloods to work our souls' decayS
-
XXIIIA
But this the scope was of our former thoughtF
Of Sion's fort to scale the noble wallT
The Christian folk from bondage to have broughtF
Wherein alas they long have lived thrallT
In Palestine an empire to have wroughtF
Where godliness might reign perpetualU
And none be left that pilgrims might denayJ
To see Christ's tomb and promised vows to payS
-
XXIVH
What to this hour successively is doneJ
Was full of peril to our honor smallT
Naught to our first designment if we shunJ
The purposed end or here lie fixed allT
What boots it us there wares to have begunJ
Or Europe raised to make proud Asia thrallT
If our beginnings have this ending knownJ
Not kingdoms raised but armies overthrownJ
-
XXVH
Not as we list erect we empires newJ
On frail foundations laid in earthly mouldF
Where of our faith and country be but fewJ
Among the thousands stout of Pagans boldF
Where naught behoves us trust to Greece untrueJ
And Western aid we far removed beholdF
Who buildeth thus methinks so buildeth heA
As if his work should his sepulchre beA

Torquato Tasso



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