LVIII “And where you wish he should himself submit To hear the censure of your upright laws; Alas, that cannot be, for he is flit Out if this camp, withouten stay or pause, There take my gage, behold I offer it To him that first accused him in this cause, Or any else that dare, and will maintain That for his pride the prince was justly slain.
LIX “I say with reason Lord Gernando’s pride He hath abated, if he have offended Gainst your commands, who are his lord and guide, Oh pardon him, that fault shall be amended.” “If he be gone,” quoth Godfrey, “let him ride And brawl elsewhere, here let all strife be ended: And you, Lord Guelpho, for your nephew’s sake, Breed us no new, nor quarrels old awake.”
LX This while, the fair and false Armida strived To get her promised aid in sure possession, The day to end, with endless plaint she derived; Wit, beauty, craft for her made intercession: But when the earth was once of light deprived, And western seas felt Titan’s hot impression, ’Twixt two old knights, and matrons twain she went, Where pitched was her fair and curious tent.
LXI But this false queen of craft and sly invention,— Whose looks, love’s arrows were; whose eyes his quivers; Whose beauty matchless, free from reprehension, A wonder left by Heaven to after-livers,— Among the Christian lord had bred contention Who first should quench his flames in Cupid’s rivers, While all her weapons and her darts rehearsed, Had not Godfredo’s constant bosom pierced.
LXII To change his modest thought the dame procureth, And proffereth heaps of love’s enticing treasure: But as the falcon newly gorged endureth Her keeper lure her oft, but comes at leisure; So he, whom fulness of delight assureth What long repentance comes of love’s short pleasure, Her crafts, her arts, herself and all despiseth, So base affections fall, when virtue riseth.
LXIII And not one foot his steadfast foot was moved Out of that heavenly path, wherein he paced, Yet thousand wiles and thousand ways she proved, To have that castle fair of goodness raised: She used those looks and smiles that most behoved To melt the frost which his hard heart embraced, And gainst his breast a thousand shot she ventured, Yet was the fort so strong it was not entered.