Too dark the place and too inscrutable where mortal men their deepest thoughts control. - Torquato Tasso

O che gentile
Scongiuro hà ritrovato questo sciocco
Di rammentarmi la mia giovanezza,
Il ben passato, e la presente noia.

Armida smiles to hear, but keeps her gaze
fixed on herself, love's labours to behold.
Her locks she braided and their wanton ways
in lovely order marshalled and controlled.
She wound the curls of her fine strands with sprays
of flowers, like enamel worked on gold,
and made the stranger rose join with her pale
breast's native lily, and composed her veil.

Giace l'alta Cartago; appena i segni
Dell'alte sue ruine il lido serba.
Muojono le città, muojono i regni; Copre i fasti e le pompe arena ed erba; E l'uomo d'esser mortal par che si sdegni:
O nostra mente cupida e superba!