“The sacred armies, and the godly knight,
That the great sepulchre of Christ did free,
I sing”

—  Torquato Tasso

Canto I, stanza 1 (tr. Edward Fairfax)
Gerusalemme Liberata (1581)
Context: The sacred armies, and the godly knight,
That the great sepulchre of Christ did free,
I sing; much wrought his valor and foresight,
And in that glorious war much suffered he;
In vain 'gainst him did Hell oppose her might,
In vain the Turks and Morians armed be:
His soldiers wild, to brawls and mutinies prest,
Reduced he to peace, so Heaven him blest.

Original

Canto l'arme pietose e 'l capitano che 'l gran sepolcro liberò di Cristo. Molto egli oprò col senno, e con la mano; Molto soffrì nel glorioso acquisto: E invan l'Inferno a lui s'oppose; e invano s'armò d'Asia e di Libia il popol misto: Chè 'l Ciel gli diè favore, e sotto ai santi Segni ridusse i suoi compagni erranti.

Gerusalemme Liberata (1581)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Torquato Tasso photo
Torquato Tasso 94
Italian poet 1544–1595

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