The work narrates the final part of the First Crusade starting from Goffredo’s election – inspired by God – as leader of the Christian army. After many victories, the Crusaders arrive at Jerusalem and lay it to siege, meeting with opposition not only from the Pagan army but also from diabolical forces. Following the council of demons (canto IV), a series of difficulties weakens their attack on the Holy City: the beautiful Armida, deceitfully claiming to need help in order to regain her throne, convinces some of the most valiant warriors to stray from the fight; in a fit of rage Rinaldo kills his fellow warrior Gernando and deserts the camp so as to avoid Goffredo’s punishment; Tancredi, led astray by his love for Clorinda, a woman warrior of the enemy side, does not attend to his duty to fight Argante, and is taken captive in the castle where Armida has used her magic powers to capture the other soldiers. Soon, they are all set free by Rinaldo, but the army of the Crusaders experiences many difficulties, with the valour of Argante and Clorinda put to the test, and the arrival of Solimano, a noble but defeated hero. Goffredo succeeds in quelling the rebellion among his soldiers (started by the Fury Aletto) but sees the attack equipment destroyed in the battle. In a night battle, Tancredi unwittingly kills his beloved Clorinda, who converts to Christianity and is baptized just before she dies. The construction of new “machines” needed for the attack means chopping trees from a wood, but the pagan magician Ismeno casts an evil spell on it. The soldiers’ efforts are useless, Tancredi’s included, then Goffredo has a divinely-inspired dream in which he is ordered to call Rinaldo back. Cantos XIV-XVI narrate how Rinaldo is rescued from Armida’s love by two messengers, Carlo and Ubaldo, while the final section of the epic narrates how the hero breaks the evil spell on the woods and how the Crusaders succeed in a dual battle, simultaneously conquering Jerusalem and defeating the Egyptian army. With the holy places now liberated, Goffredo bows in prayer upon the Holy Sepulchre.
Gerusalemme liberata (plot)
