“For shield and mail are less secure defence
To the bare breast than holy innocence.”

— Torquato Tasso

Difesa miglior, ch'usbergo e scudo,
È la santa innocenza al petto ignudo.
Canto VIII, stanza 41 (tr. Alex. Cuningham Robertson)
Variant translation: Better defence than shield or breastplate, is holy innocence to the naked breast!
Gerusalemme Liberata (1581)

Original

Difesa miglior, ch'usbergo e scudo, | È la santa innocenza al petto ignudo.

VIII, 41
Gerusalemme liberata
Variant: Difesa miglior, ch'usbergo e scudo,
È la santa innocenza al petto ignudo.

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Torquato Tasso 94

Italian poet 1544–1595

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