The miscellaneous works (1739)

The vast machine was scarce in ashes sunk,
Which from their walls the fearful Pagans drove,
When new designs the curst magician forms:
How to prevent the Gauls from fresh supplies
Of useful timber from the neighb'ring wood,
That might more formidable engines raise,
And Sion's trembling walls again alarm.

At distance from the Christian camp there rose,
Amidst a silent, solitary vale,
A lofty forest thick with ancient trees,
Whose folding branches all beneath diffuse
A dusky horror, and malignant shade.
Nor here the radiant sun at brightest noon
E'er smiles with chearful rays, but feebly casts
A dim, discolour'd, and uncertain light;
Uncertain as the cloudy skies display,
While rising night, and parting day contend.

148

But when the sun the gay horizon leaves,
Blackness and terror all the place possess,
Blackness and terror, imitating hell;
Which mortal eyes with fearful darkness veils,
And fills with deep anxiety the soul.
Nor here for shade the shepherd leads his flock,
Nor here the herdsman drives his grazing charge:
No pilgrim enters here, unless misled;
But hastens far with cautious steps away,
And beckons trav'llers from the dang'rous road.

The goblins here nocturnal revels keep,
A monstrous congress, in the gloom they meet;
With dragons wings some break the tortur'd air,
Others, with cloven hoofs, skip o'er the hills:
A lewd assembly, who with tempting wiles,
And soft, fallacious images, entice
The minds of men from virtue's sacred ways.
With hellish rites, and execrable pomp,
Their impious banquets here they nightly keep.

The Pagans this assert, nor lift an axe
Within the confines of the haunted grove;
Which yet the Christians boldly violate,
And carry thence materials for the war.

Amidst the deepest silence of the night,
Ismenes hither comes to prove his arts;
And uncouth figures on the ground inscribes,
Thrice shakes his wand, and murmurs potent words,
And invocation sinful to recite.

149

The twinkling glories that adorn the sky
Look pale, and sicken at the dreadful sound:
The troubled moon withdraws her feeble beam,
And wraps her silver horn in folding clouds.

Millions of spirits by his charms compell'd,
Astonish'd from their sev'ral quarters come;
By thousands some the realms of air forsake;
While others thro' the cleaving earth ascend,
All black and sullen from the gloomy deep.

Take you, the wizard cries, these trees in charge,
As souls their bodies, animate each trunk,
Secure them from the bold encroaching Gauls,
And force them, terrify'd, from hence to fly.

Displeas'd, the tardy spirits undertake
A task that kept them from the war; and lodge
In ev'ry sprig, and ev'ry leaf possess.

ISMENES joyful to the king returns,
And boasting, all his curst success relates.
He adds, your regal seat is now secure,
Nor can your foes their proud machine repair.
But still their worst misfortunes are behind.
Within the course of some revolving days,
Hot Mars and Phoebus in the Lion meet,
With angry aspects, and malignant rays;
Whence heat so strong and violent ensues,
That nothing shall its fierce extremes allay;
Nor winds, nor clouds, nor dews, nor cooling show'rs:
Not more intemp'rate flames the Indian burns.

150

This all the stars and face of heav'n predict.
To us the disadvantage will be less,
With swelling springs, and grateful shade supply'd,
By heav'n abandon'd, first their camp shall fall
An easy conquest to th' Egyptian troops.
Thus sitting you the victory may gain,
And try no more the doubtful chance of war.
But if the proud Argantes this withstands,
Your conduct must his headlong rage restrain.
Leave all beyond to heav'n, which soon will bring
Triumph to you, confusion to your foes.

These speeches sooth the king, who now commands
The breaches of the wall to be repair'd:
The chearful citizens and slaves assist
To mend the wall, and fortify the town.

University of Virginia Library

Part of the thirteenth book of Tasso's Jerusalem translated.