Jerusalem Delivered - Book 03 - Part 02 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCBDEE AFGFGFGHH AIJKJKJDD KHHHHHHJJ KLALAMAKKKNHNHNHKK KKOKOKOPP KHFHFHFKK AHKHKHKHH AKHKHKHHH AFHQHFHHH FHFHFHFKK FRKRKRKEE KKSKTKTHH KFHFHFHHH

XVIA
Soon was the prey out of their hands recoveredB
By step and step the Frenchmen gan retireC
Till on a little hill at last they hoveredB
Whose strength preserved them from Clorinda's ireC
When as a tempest that hath long been coveredB
In watery clouds breaks out with sparkling fireD
With his strong squadron Lord Tancredi cameE
His heart with rage his eyes with courage flameE
-
XVIIA
Mast great the spear was which the gallant boreF
That in his warlike pride he made to shakeG
As winds tall cedars toss on mountains hoarF
The king that wondered at his bravery spakeG
To her that near him seated was beforeF
Who felt her heart with love's hot fever quakeG
Well shouldst thou know quoth he each Christian knightH
By long acquaintance though in armor dightH
-
XVIIIA
Say who is he shows so great worthinessI
That rides so rank and bends his lance so fellJ
To this the princess said nor more nor lessK
Her heart with sighs her eyes with tears did swellJ
But sighs and tears she wisely could suppressK
Her love and passion she dissembled wellJ
And strove her love and hot desire to coverD
Till heart with sighs and eyes with tears ran overD
-
XIXK
At last she spoke and with a crafty sleightH
Her secret love disguised in clothes of hateH
Alas too well she says I know that knightH
I saw his force and courage proved lateH
Too late I viewed him when his power and mightH
Shook down the pillar of Cassanoe's stateH
Alas what wounds he gives how fierce how fellJ
No physic helps them cure nor magic's spellJ
-
XXK
Tancred he hight O Macon would he wearL
My thrall ere fates him of this life depriveA
For to his hateful head such spite I bearL
I would him reave his cruel heart on liveA
Thus said she they that her complainings hearM
In other sense her wishes credit giveA
She sighed withal they construed all amissK
And thought she wished to kill who longed to kissK
XXIK
This while forth pricked Clorinda from the throngN
And 'gainst Tancredi set her spear in restH
Upon their helms they cracked their lances longN
And from her head her gilden casque he kestH
For every lace he broke and every thongN
And in the dust threw down her plumed crestH
About her shoulders shone her golden locksK
Like sunny beams on alabaster rocksK
-
XXIIK
Her looks with fire her eyes with lightning blazeK
Sweet was her wrath what then would be her smileO
Tancred whereon think'st thou what dost thou gazeK
Hast thou forgot her in so short a whileO
The same is she the shape of whose sweet faceK
The God of Love did in thy heart compileO
The same that left thee by the cooling streamP
Safe from sun's heat but scorched with beauty's beamP
-
XXIIIK
The prince well knew her though her painted shieldH
And golden helm he had not marked beforeF
She saved her head and with her axe well steeledH
Assailed the knight but her the knight forboreF
'Gainst other foes he proved him through the fieldH
Yet she for that refrained ne'er the moreF
But following Turn thee cried in ireful wiseK
And so at once she threats to kill him twiceK
-
XXIVA
Not once the baron lifts his armed handH
To strike the maid but gazing on her eyesK
Where lordly Cupid seemed in arms to standH
No way to ward or shun her blows he triesK
But softly says No stroke of thy strong handH
Can vanquish Tancred but thy conquest liesK
In those fair eyes which fiery weapons dartH
That find no lighting place except this heartH
-
XXVA
At last resolved although he hoped small graceK
Yet ere he did to tell how much he lovedH
For pleasing words in women's ears find placeK
And gentle hearts with humble suits are movedH
O thou quoth he withhold thy wrath a spaceK
For if thou long to see my valor provedH
Were it not better from this warlike routH
Withdrawn somewhere alone to fight it outH
-
XXVIA
So singled may we both our courage tryF
Clorinda to that motion yielded gladH
And helmless to the forestward gan hieQ
Whither the prince right pensive wend and sadH
And there the virgin gan him soon defyF
One blow she strucken and he warded hadH
When he cried Hold and ere we prove our mightH
First hear thou some conditions of the fightH
-
XXVIIF
She stayed and desperate love had made him boldH
Since from the fight thou wilt no respite giveF
The covenants be he said that thou unfoldH
This wretched bosom and my heart out riveF
Given thee long since and if thou cruel wouldH
I should be dead let me no longer liveF
But pierce this breast that all the world may sayK
The eagle made the turtle dove her preyK
-
XXVIIIF
Save with thy grace or let thine anger killR
Love hath disarmed my life of all defenceK
An easy labor harmless blood to spillR
Strike then and punish where is none offenceK
This said the prince and more perchance had willR
To have declared to move her cruel senseK
But in ill time of Pagans thither cameE
A troop and Christians that pursued the sameE
-
XXIXK
The Pagans fled before their valiant foesK
For dread or craft it skills not that we knowS
A soldier wild careless to win or loseK
Saw where her locks about the damsel flewT
And at her back he proffereth as he goesK
To strike where her he did disarmed viewT
But Tancred cried Oh stay thy cursed handH
And for to ward the blow lift up his brandH
-
XXXK
But yet the cutting steel arrived thereF
Where her fair neck adjoined her noble headH
Light was the wound but through her amber hairF
The purple drops down railed bloody redH
So rubies set in flaming gold appearF
But Lord Tancredi pale with rage as leadH
Flew on the villain who to flight him boundH
The smart was his though she received the woundH

Torquato Tasso



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