Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/222

196 196 ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ISABELLA. II. PART shown remarkably in the stormy season which ush- ered in her accession, as well as through the whole of the Moorish war. It was her voice that decided never to abandon Alhama. " Her remonstrances compelled the king and nobles to return to the field, when they had quitted it, after an ineifectual campaign. As dangers and difficulties multiplied, she multiplied resources to meet them ; and, when her soldiers lay drooping under the evils of some protracted siege, she appeared in the midst, mount- ed on her war-horse, with her delicate limbs cased in knightly mail ; ^^ and, riding through their ranks, breathed new courage into their hearts by her own intrepid bearing. To her personal efforts, indeed, as well as counsels, the success of this glorious war may be mainly imputed ; and the unsuspicious tes- timony of the Venetian minister, Navagiero, a few years later, shows that the nation so considered it. " Queen Isabel," says he, " by her singular genius, masculine strength of mind, and other virtues most unusual in our own sex, as well as hers, was not merely of great assistance in, but the chief cause of the conquest of Granada. She was, indeed, a most rare and virtuous lady, one, of whom the Spaniards talk far more than of the king, sagacious as he was, and uncommon for his time."^^ 57 " Era firme en SUS propositos, " Col dnrissimo acciar preme cd oflende Up Io<5 nnalpq «sp rptni/ fnn ornn 11 delicalo collo e 1' luirea chioma ; ae los quaies se retraia con gran j. ,^ ,g,,g^^ ^,^^ ,j, 3^,,,,^, p,.g,^j^ dlficultad. rulgar, Reyes CatO- Pur troppo grave e insopponnljil soma. licos part. 1 cap. 4. C"^' •""» <" ferro intomo spleiide, iQ 'rpi „ _„Ij„_ ' ' r 1. 1,- E in alio niilitar se slessa donia." 58 The reader may refresh his Gerusalemme Liberata, recollection of Tasso's graceful camo r, stanza 92. sketch of Erminia in similar war- 59 Viaggio, fol. 27. like panoply.