the brave Rinaldo,
who, instead of accompanying them back to camp, rode off toward
Antioch.

The Christians now prepare for their final assault, and, advised by
Peter the Hermit, walk in solemn procession to the Mount of Olives,
where, after singing hymns, all devoutly receive Communion. Thus
prepared for anything that may betide, they set out on the morrow to
scale the city walls, rolling ahead of them their mighty engines of
war, by means of which they hope to seize the city.

Most of the Crusaders have laid aside their heavy armor and assumed
the light gear of foot-soldiers the better to scale the walls, upon
which Clorinda is posted, and whence she shoots arrow after arrow at
the assailants. Wounded by one of the missiles flung from the wall,
Godfrey seeks his tent, where, the physician failing to extract the
barb, an angel brings a remedy from heaven which instantly cures the
wound.

Canto XII. After awhile, seeing she does not do as much execution as
she would like, Clorinda proposes to Argantes that they steal out of
the city by night, and by chemical means set fire to the engines with
which the Christians are threatening to capture the city. Willingly
Argantes promises to accompany her in this perilous venture, but her
slave, hoping to dissuade her, now reveals to her for the first time,
the story of her birth, and informs her she is the daughter of a
Christian. He adds her dying mother besought him to have her child
baptized, a duty he had failed to perform, although repeatedly warned
by visions to repair his neglect. But, although similar visions have
frequently haunted the dreams of Clorinda herself, she persists in her
undertaking to set fire to the war machines.

She has no sooner done so, however, than the Christians, aroused, set
out in pursuit of her and of her companions. Bravely covering their
retreat so they can re-enter the city safely, Clorinda delays her own
until the gates closed. But with great presence of mind, the
warrior-maid, who is wearing black armor, mingles in the darkness with
the Crusaders. None of these suspects she does not belong to their
ranks, save Tancred, who follows her to a remote place beneath the
walls, where he challenges her to a deadly fight, little divining who
she is. The battle proves fierce, and both combatants strike until
Tancred runs his sword through his opponent. Dying, Clorinda reveals
her name and faintly begs Tancred to baptize her before life leaves
her