Nature's pomp and pride, the Tirrhene main
  There woos the hills, hills woo the valleys plain.

  L
  Two hundred Greeks came next, in fight well tried,
  Not surely armed in steel or iron strong,
  But each a glaive had pendant by his side,
  Their bows and quivers at their shoulders hung,
  Their horses well inured to chase and ride,
  In diet spare, untired with labor long;
  Ready to charge, and to retire at will,
  Though broken, scattered, fled, they skirmish still;

  LI
  Tatine their guide, and except Tatine, none
  Of all the Greeks went with the Christian host;
  O sin, O shame, O Greece accurst alone!
  Did not this fatal war affront thy coast?
  Yet safest thou an idle looker-on,
  And glad attendest which side won or lost:
  Now if thou be a bondslave vile become,
  No wrong is that, but God's most righteous doom.

  LII
  In order last, but first in worth and fame,
  Unfeared in fight, untired with hurt or wound,
  The noble squadron of adventurers came,
  Terrors to all that tread on Asian ground:
  Cease Orpheus of thy Minois, Arthur shame
  To boast of Lancelot, or thy table round:
  For these whom antique times with laurel drest,
  These far exceed them, thee, and all the rest.

  LIII
  Dudon of Consa was their guide and lord,
  And for of worth and birth alike they been,
  They chose him captain, by their free accord,
  For he most acts had done, most battles seen;
  Grave was the man in years, in looks, in word,
  His locks were gray, yet was his courage green,
  Of worth and might the noble badge he bore,
  Old scars of grievous wounds received of yore.
  LIV
  After came Eustace, well esteemed man
  For Godfrey's sake his brother, and his own;
  The King of Norway's heir Gernando than,
  Proud of his father's title, sceptre, crown;
  Roger of Balnavill, and Engerlan,
  For hardy knights approved were and known;
  Besides were numbered in that warlike train
  Rambald, Gentonio, and the Gerrards twain.

  LV
  Ubaldo then, and puissant Rosimond,
  Of Lancaster the heir, in rank succeed;
  Let none forget Obizo of Tuscain land,
  Well worthy praise for many a worthy deed;
  Nor those three brethren, Lombards fierce and yond,
  Achilles, Sforza, and stern Palamede;
  Nor Otton's shield he conquered in those stowres,
  In which a snake a naked child devours.

  LVI
  Guascher and Raiphe in valor like there was.
  The one and other Guido, famous both,
  Germer and Eberard to overpass,
  In foul oblivion would my Muse be loth,
  With his Gildippes dear, Edward alas,
  A loving pair, to war among them go'th
  In bond of virtuous love together tied,
  Together served they, and together died.

  LVII
  In school of love are all things taught we see,
  There learned this maid of arms the ireful guise,
  Still by his side a faithful guard went she,
  One true-love knot their lives together ties,
  No would to one alone could dangerous be,
  But each the smart of other's anguish tries,
  If one were hurt, the other felt the sore,
  She lost her blood, he spent his life therefore.

  LVIII
  But these and all, Rinaldo far exceeds,
  Star of his sphere, the diamond of this ring,
  The nest where courage with sweet mercy breeds:
  A comet worthy each eye's wondering,
  His years are fewer than his noble deeds,
  His fruit is ripe soon as his blossoms spring,
  Armed, a Mars, might coyest Venus move,
  And if disarmed, then God himself of Love.

  LIX
  Sophia by Adige's flowery bank him bore,
  Sophia the fair, spouse to Bertoldo great,
  Fit mother for that pearl, and before
  The tender imp was weaned from the teat,
  The Princess Maud him took, in Virtue's lore
  She brought him up fit for each worthy feat,
  Till of these wares the golden trump he hears,
  That soundeth glory, fame, praise in his ears.

  LX
  And then, though scantly three times five years old,
  He fled alone, by many an unknown coast,
  O'er Aegean Seas by many a Greekish hold,
  Till he arrived at the Christian host;
  A noble flight, adventurous, brave, and bold,
  Whereon a valiant prince might justly boast,
  Three years he served in field, when scant begin
  Few golden hairs to deck his ivory chin.

  LXI
  The horsemen past, their void-left stations fill
  The bands on foot, and Reymond them beforn,
  Of Tholouse lord, from lands near Piraene Hill
  By Garound streams and salt sea billows worn,
  Four thousand foot he brought, well armed, and skill
  Had they all pains and travels to have borne,
  Stout men of arms and with their guide of power
  Like Troy's old town defenced with Ilion's tower.

  LXII
  Next Stephen of Amboise did five thousand lead,
  The men he prest from Tours and Blois but late,
  To hard assays unfit, unsure at need,
  Yet armed to point in well-attempted plate,
  The land did like itself the people breed,
  The soil is gentle, smooth, soft, delicate;
  Boldly they charge, but soon retire for doubt,
  Like fire of straw, soon kindled, soon burnt out.

  LXIII
  The third Alcasto marched, and with him
  The boaster brought six thousand Switzers bold,
  Audacious were their looks, their faces grim,
  Strong castles on the Alpine clifts they hold,
  Their shares and coulters broke, to armors trim
  They change that metal, cast in warlike mould,
  And with this band late herds and flocks that guide,
  Now kings and realms he threatened and defied.

  LXIV
  The glorious standard last to Heaven they sprad,
  With Peter's keys ennobled and his crown,
  With it seven thousand stout Camillo had,
  Embattailed in walls of iron brown:
  In this adventure and occasion, glad
  So to revive the Romans' old renown,
  Or prove at least to all of wiser thought,
  Their hearts were fertile land although unwrought.

  LXV
  But now was passed every regiment,
  Each band, each troop, each person worth regard
  When Godfrey with his lords to counsel went,
  And thus the Duke his princely will declared:
  "I will when day next clears the firmament,
  Our ready host in haste be all prepared,
  Closely to march to Sion's noble wall,
  Unseen, unheard, or undescried at all.

  LXVI
  "Prepare you then for travel strong and light,
  Fierce to the combat, glad to victory."
  And with that word and warning soon was dight,
  Each soldier, longing for near coming glory,
  Impatient be they of the morning bright,
  Of honor so them pricked the memory:
  But yet their chieftain had conceived a fear
  Within his heart, but kept it secret there.

  LXVII
  For he by faithful spial was assured,
  That Egypt's King was forward on his way,
  And to arrive at Gaza old procured,