Jerusalem Delivered - Book 03 - Part 04 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDBDEE AFGFGFGHH AIJIJIJKK IAIAIAIHH HLHLHLHH IHMHNHMII IIHIHIHHH IOHOHOHII AIIIIIIHH AIHIHIHHH AHIHIHI P AHHHHHHII AHHHHHHHH IHHHHHHHH IQIMIQIAAXLVI | A |
Three times he strove to view Heaven's golden ray | B |
And raised him on his feeble elbow thrice | C |
And thrice he tumbled on the lowly lay | B |
And three times closed again his dying eyes | D |
He speaks no word yet makes his signs to pray | B |
He sighs he faints he groans and then he dies | D |
Argantes proud to spoil the corpse disdained | E |
But shook his sword with blood of Dudon stained | E |
- | |
XLVII | A |
And turning to the Christian knights he cried | F |
Lordlings behold this bloody reeking blade | G |
Last night was given me by your noble guide | F |
Tell him what proof thereof this day is made | G |
Needs must this please him well that is betide | F |
That I so well can use this martial trade | G |
To whom so rare a gift he did present | H |
Tell him the workman fits the instrument | H |
- | |
XLVIII | A |
If further proof thereof he long to see | I |
Say it still thirsts and would his heart blood drink | J |
And if he haste not to encounter me | I |
Say I will find him when he least doth think | J |
The Christians at his words enraged be | I |
But he to shun their ire doth safely shrink | J |
Under the shelter of the neighbor wall | K |
Well guarded with his troops and soldiers all | K |
- | |
XLIX | I |
Like storms of hail the stones fell down from high | A |
Cast from their bulwarks flankers ports and towers | I |
The shafts and quarries from their engines fly | A |
As thick as falling drops in April showers | I |
The French withdrew they list not press too nigh | A |
The Saracens escaped all the powers | I |
But now Rinaldo from the earth upleapt | H |
Where by the leg his steed had long him kept | H |
L | - |
He came and breathed vengeance from his breast | H |
'Gainst him that noble Dudon late had slain | L |
And being come thus spoke he to the rest | H |
Warriors why stand you gazing here in vain | L |
Pale death our valiant leader had opprest | H |
Come wreak his loss whom bootless you complain | L |
Those walls are weak they keep but cowards out | H |
No rampier can withstand a courage stout | H |
- | |
LI | I |
Of double iron brass or adamant | H |
Or if this wall were built of flaming fire | M |
Yet should the Pagan vile a fortress want | H |
To shroud his coward head safe from mine ire | N |
Come follow then and bid base fear avaunt | H |
The harder work deserves the greater hire | M |
And with that word close to the walls he starts | I |
Nor fears he arrows quarries stones or darts | I |
- | |
LII | I |
Above the waves as Neptune lift his eyes | I |
To chide the winds that Trojan ships opprest | H |
And with his countenance calmed seas winds and skies | I |
So looked Rinaldo when he shook his crest | H |
Before those walls each Pagan fears and flies | I |
His dreadful sight or trembling stayed at least | H |
Such dread his awful visage on them cast | H |
So seem poor doves at goshawks' sight aghast | H |
- | |
LIII | I |
The herald Ligiere now from Godfrey came | O |
To will them stay and calm their courage hot | H |
Retire quoth he Godfrey commands the same | O |
To wreak your ire this season fitteth not | H |
Though loth Rinaldo stayed and stopped the flame | O |
That boiled in his hardy stomach hot | H |
His bridled fury grew thereby more fell | I |
So rivers stopped above their banks do swell | I |
- | |
LIV | A |
The hands retire not dangered by their foes | I |
In their retreat so wise were they and wary | I |
To murdered Dudon each lamenting goes | I |
From wonted use of ruth they list not vary | I |
Upon their friendly arms they soft impose | I |
The noble burden of his corpse to carry | I |
Meanwhile Godfredo from a mountain great | H |
Beheld the sacred city and her seat | H |
- | |
LV | A |
Hierusalem is seated on two hills | I |
Of height unlike and turned side to side | H |
The space between a gentle valley fills | I |
From mount to mount expansed fair and wide | H |
Three sides are sure imbarred with crags and hills | I |
The rest is easy scant to rise espied | H |
But mighty bulwarks fence that plainer part | H |
So art helps nature nature strengtheneth art | H |
- | |
LVI | A |
The town is stored of troughs and cisterns made | H |
To keep fresh water but the country seems | I |
Devoid of grass unfit for ploughmen's trade | H |
Not fertile moist with rivers wells and streams | I |
There grow few trees to make the summer's shade | H |
To shield the parched land from scorching beams | I |
Save that a wood stands six miles from the town ' | - |
With aged cedars dark and shadows brown | P |
- | |
LVII | A |
By east among the dusty valleys glide | H |
The silver streams of Jordan's crystal flood | H |
By west the Midland Sea with bounders tied | H |
Of sandy shores where Joppa whilom stood | H |
By north Samaria stands and on that side | H |
The golden calf was reared in Bethel wood | H |
Bethlem by south where Christ incarnate was | I |
A pearl in steel a diamond set in brass | I |
- | |
LVIII | A |
While thus the Duke on every side descried | H |
The city's strength the walls and gates about | H |
And saw where least the same was fortified | H |
Where weakest seemed the walls to keep him out | H |
Ermina as he armed rode him spied | H |
And thus bespake the heathen tyrant stout | H |
See Godfrey there in purple clad and gold | H |
His stately port and princely look behold | H |
- | |
LIX | I |
Well seems he born to be with honor crowned | H |
So well the lore he knows of regiment | H |
Peerless in fight in counsel grave and sound | H |
The double gift of glory excellent | H |
Among these armies is no warrior found | H |
Graver in speech bolder in tournament | H |
Raymond pardie in counsel match him might | H |
Tancred and young Rinaldo like in fight | H |
- | |
LX | I |
To whom the king He likes me well therefore | Q |
I knew him whilom in the court of France | I |
When I from Egypt went ambassador | M |
I saw him there break many a sturdy lance | I |
And yet his chin no sign of manhood bore | Q |
His youth was forward but with governance | I |
His words his actions and his portance brave | A |
Of future virtue timely tokens gave | A |
Torquato Tasso
(1)
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