Angry at the success of the Franks, Satan stirred up the
infernal regions, and set loose his friends to work destruction
to the Christians. One he despatched to the wizard Idra-
otes, at Damascus, who conceived the scheme of sending
his beautiful niece Arniida to ensnare the Christians. In a
few days Armida appeared among the white pavilions of
the Franks, attracting the attention and winning the love of
all who saw her. Her golden locks appeared through her
veil as the sunshine gleams through the stormy skies ; her
charms were sufficiently hidden to make them the more
alluring. So attired, modestly seeking the camp of Godfrey,
she was met by Eustace, his young brother, and taken to the
prince.
348 liATIONAL EPICS.
With many tears and sighs, she told her pitiful story.
She had been driven from her kingdom, an orphan, by the
envy and wickedness of her uncle, and had come to ask the
Christians to aid her in regaining her rights. Unfortunately
for her success, she and her uncle had not calculated on
Godfrey's absorption in his divine undertaking. He was
proof against her charms, and was determined not to be
delayed longer in laying siege to the city. It required the
utmost persuasion of Eustace to induce him to permit ten of
the Adventurers to accompany her. Armida, though disap-
pointed in Godfrey's lack of susceptibility, employed her
time so well while in camp that when she departed with the
ten Adventurers chosen by lot, she was followed secretly by
Eustace and many others who had not been chosen, but
who were madly in love with her.
