C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

Description of the Sorceress Armida

By Torquato Tasso (1544–1595)

From ‘Jerusalem Delivered’: Translation of Jeremiah Holmes Wiffen

[Idriot, a magician, at the instigation of the powers of Hell sends his niece Armida, who is an enchantress, to the camp of the Crusaders to seduce the chiefs.]

ARMIDA, in her youth and beauty’s pride,

Assumed th’ adventure; and at close of day,

Eve’s vesper star her solitary guide,

Alone, untended, took her secret way.

In clustering locks and feminine array,

Armed with but loveliness and frolic youth,

She trusts to conquer mighty kings, and slay

Embattled hosts; meanwhile false rumors soothe

The light censorious crowd, sagacious of the truth.

Few days elapsed, ere to her wishful view

The white pavilions of the Latins rise;

The camp she reached: her wondrous beauty drew

The gaze and admiration of all eyes;

Not less than if some strange star in the skies,

Or blazing comet’s more resplendent tire

Appeared: a murmur far below her flies,

And crowds press round, to listen or inquire

Who the fair pilgrim is, and soothe their eyes’ desire.

Never did Greece or Italy behold

A form to fancy and to taste so dear!

At times the white veil dims her locks of gold,

At times in bright relief they reappear:

So when the stormy skies begin to clear,

Now through transparent clouds the sunshine gleams;

Now issuing from its shrine, the gorgeous sphere

Lights up the leaves, flowers, mountains, vales, and streams

With a diviner day—the spirit of bright beams.

New ringlets form the flowing winds amid

The native curls of her resplendent hair;

Her eye is fixed in self-reserve, and hid

Are all love’s treasures with a miser’s care;

The rival roses, upon cheeks more fair

Than morning light, their mingling tints dispose;

But on her lips, from which the amorous air

Of Paradise exhales, the crimson rose

Its sole and simple bloom in modest beauty throws.

Crude as the grape unmellowed yet to wine,

Her bosom swells to sight: its virgin breasts,

Smooth, soft, and sweet, like alabaster shine,

Part bare, part hid, by her invidious vests;

Their jealous fringe the greedy eye arrests,

But leaves its fond imagination free

To sport, like doves, in those delicious nests,

And their most shadowed secrecies to see,

Peopling with blissful dreams the lively phantasy.

As through pure water or translucent glass

The sunbeam darts, yet leaves the crystal sound,

So through her folded robes unruffling pass

The thoughts, to wander on forbidden ground:

There daring Fancy takes her fairy round.

Such wondrous beauties singly to admire;

Which, in a pleasing fit of transport bound,

She after paints and whispers to desire,

And with her charming tale foments th’ excited fire.

Praised and admired, Armida passed amid

The wishful multitude, nor seemed to spy,

Though well she saw the interest raised, but hid

In her deep heart the smile that to her eye

Darted in prescience of the conquests nigh.

Whilst in the mute suspense of troubled pride

She sought, with look solicitous yet shy,

For her uncertain feet an ushering guide

To the famed captain’s tent, young Eustace pressed her side.

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