Luis de Camoes Collected Poetical Works

by Luis de Camoes

  toll, tythe, and tribute, knowing vain it were

  to beard the Lusian Lyon in his lair.

  “Shalt see King Erythras’ far-famed Main 49

  permute his nat’ural red to Fear’s pale dye:

  eke shalt thou see the haughty Hormuz-reign

  twice taken, prostrate in their presence lie:

  There shalt thou see the furious Moorman slain

  pierced by his own deflected archery;

  till all ken clearly who thy Sons oppose

  by their own deed become their deadliest foes.

  “Shalt see of Diu th’ inexpugnable wall, 50

  two sieges braving, while thy sons defend;

  there shall their val’orous worth be shown to all

  with feats of arms that every feat transcend:

  Envy shalt see in Mars majestical

  of Lusian fierceness none shall dare offend:

  There shall they sight the Moor with voice supreme

  before high Heaven false Mahound blaspheme.

  “Thou shalt see Goa from the Moslem tane, 51

  and in near future raised to queenly place,

  Ladye of Orient land sublimely vain

  of triumphs wrested by thy conqu’ering Race.

  There, with superb, high, haughtiest disdain

  the Gentoo louting low to idols base,

  they bit and bridle, mastering every land

  that ‘gainst thy Lusians raiseth head or hand.

  “Thou shalt behold the Fortalice hold out 52

  of Cananor with scanty garnison:

  Calecut thou shalt see endure sad rout,

  that erst so populous and puissant town;

  shalt in Cochin see one approv’d so stout,

  who such an arr’ogance of the sword hath shown,

  no harp of mortal sang a similar story,

  digne of e’erlasting name, eternal glory.

  “Ne’er with such Mars-taught art and furious flame, 53

  was Leucas seen in civil wars to glow,

  when to his Actium-fight Augustus came

  and laid th’ injurious Roman captain low;

  whom, deft Aurora’s reign and race to tame,

  far-famed Nyle and Bactrus’ Scythic foe,

  despoiled, ‘spite victorious spoils and rare,

  that fair Egyptian not so chaste as fair;

  “As thou shalt see when Ocean boileth o’er 54

  with fires enkindled by thy Lusians’ hate,

  who captive make the Idol-man and Moor,

  and triumph high o’er many a subject state:

  Till, won rich Aurea-Chersonésus’-shore

  far as far China they shall navigate,

  and each remotest isle of Orient tide

  and every Ocean in their rule shall bide.

  “’Tis thus, O Daughter mine! thy children’s lot 55

  higher than human vigour to display,

  nowhere shall Brav’ery burn and blaze so hot

  from Ganges’ bank to Gaditanian bay;

  nor from the Boreal billows to the gut

  where first an injured Lusian brake the way;

  e’en though their progress o’er the world t’ oppose

  the Dead of Ages from their tombs arose.”

  This said, he sendeth Maia’s son divine 56

  to visit lowly earth, and there to seek

  some harbour’s peaceful shelter, with design

  that all the Fleet shall ride sans risk of wreck:

  And, lest in false Mombasah-land indign

  more of delay the valiant Captain make,

  ’tis Jove’s command that be in vision shone

  a restful region free from restless fone.

  Now th’ airy space the Cyllenean span’d, 57

  descending earth with feath’ery feet to tread;

  his hand was armed with the fatal Wand,

  which sheds on weary eyne sweet drowsihed;

  wherewith he called the sad-eyed shadowy band

  from Hades, and obedient breezes sped:

  The winged basnet on his head he bore;

  and thus he sought the Melisodanian shore.

  Fame is his mate who mote aloud proclaim 58

  the Lusitanian’s weight and rarest worth;

  for mortal breast is won by noble name,

  that makes the bearer loved of all on earth.

  Thus winning stranger-hearts the Herald came,

  and to the mighty bruit gave timely birth:

  Anon Desire Melinde burns to see

  what mode of men the val’orous People be.

  Thence to Mombasah takes the God his course, 59

  where the strange vessels rode in fear afar,

  to bid the seamen leave, while none the worse,

  those lands suspected and that treacherous bar:

  For scant availeth human fraud or force

  against Infernals waging treach’erous war:

  Scant ‘vaileth heart and art and judgment staid

  when human wisdom lacketh heavenly aid.

  Already Night had past her middle way, 60

  and all the starry host with th’ alien light

  rained on the breadth of Earth their radiance gay;

  and now was Sleep tired man’s supreme delight.

  Th’ illustrious Captain weary, wayworn, lay,

  with careful watching through the cares of night,

  a short repose for anxious eyne he snatched:

  The men on duty at their quarters watched.

  When in a vision Maia’s son was seen 61

  and heard to say: “Fly, Lusitanian! fly

  that wicked Monarch’s snares, that only mean

  to draw you forwards where ye surely die:

  Fly, for breathes fair the breeze and smiles serene

  AEther, while stormless sleep the seas and sky;

  in other part another King more benign

  sure shelter offereth unto thee and thine!

  “Here nought thou findest but the barb’rous rite 62

  the guest-rite dear to cruel Diomed,

  ill-host that made each miserable wight

  the wonted forage of his stabled steed:

  Those altars which Busiris, infame sprite,

  taught with the stranger’s wailing life to bleed,

  here certés wait thee an thou longer dwell:

  Fly, then, this folk perfidious, fierce, and fell!

  “Steer straight, along this outstretch’d sea-board run, 63

  another land more leal shalt thou find;

  there near the Belt where th’ ever-blazing sun

  to Day and Night hath equal space assign’d:l

  There to thy Squadron honour gladly done,

  a King, with many a friendly service kind,

  the surest shelter shall for thee provide,

  and for your India skilful trusty guide.”

  Mercury thus; and roused from his dreams 64

  the Captain rising in a stark dismay,

  while pierced the palpable Obscure bright streams

  of sudden light and splendid holy ray:

  Then, seen forthwith that him it best beseems

  in land so vile to make the shortest stay,

  he bade his Master, urged by spirit new,

  to spread the canvas in what breeze there blew.

  “Hoist sail!” he said, “hoist high in lib’ral air, 65

  for God commands, and Heav’n affects its friends;

  from you clear seats was sent a messenger

  only to speed our steps and shape our ends.”

  Meanwhile the sailors to set sail prepare;

  all work and either watch its anchor tends;

  the weighty irons with willing shouts are weighed,

  and sin’ewy strength, the seaman’s pride, displayed.

  Now at what time their anchors high uprose, 66

  lurking in Night’s murk shadow rose the Moor,

  stealthy to cut the cables of his foes,

/>   that all might perish on the rocky shore:

  But watched with lynx-like glances, clear and close,

  the Portingalls prepared for ev’ry stowre:

  Finding his victims wakeful th’ enemy fled

  by wings of terror, not by paddle, sped.

  But now the narrow sharp-cut Prores renew, 67

  cleaving the humid argent plain, their road;

  blandly the north and eastern Trade-wind blew

  with gentle movement, as in joyous mood:

  Past perils in their talk review’d the Crew,

  for with a fond delay Thought loves to brood

  on dang’rous chances, when to death-in-life

  Life comes so near she scarcely ‘scapes the strife.

  One circle ended Phoebus all aglow, 68

  and on a second entered, when appeared

  in the far offing, sailing sure and slow,

  two hulls by gently-breathing Zephyrs steered:

  And, as they must be manned by Moorish foe

  our Squadron veering soon her prizes neared:

  This one that feared fearful ills to brave

  ran straight ashore her crew thereon to save.

  No sim’lar cunning from such chances led 69

  her consort, captive of the Lusian hand,

  which, ne by rig’rous Mayors’ rage had bled,

  nor felt what furies Vulcan doth command.

  But weakly, master’d by a craven dread,

  the feeble forces which the barquelet man’d

  resistance offer’d none; which haply shown,

  from such resisting greater ills had known.

  And as the Gama felt him much incline’d 70

  to seek a Guide for India-land long sought,

  he thought a Helmsman ‘mid the Mcors to find,

  yet naught to him succeeded as he thought;

  none mote give tidings of the lay of Inde,

  under what tract of heav’n it might be brought:

  But all declare a harbour lies hard by

  Melinde, ready Pilots to supply.

  Her King’s benevolence the Moormen praise, 71

  conditions lib’ral, breast no guile that knew;

  magnificent, grandiose and gentle ways

  with parts that won respect and honour true.

  All this to heart for fact our Captain lays,

  since to his vision came such view to shew

  the dream-sent Cyllenean; thus he sped

  whither the vision and the Moorman led.

  ’Twas the glad season when the God of Day 72

  into Europa’s rav’isher ‘gan return;

  when warmed either point his genial ray

  and Flora scatter’d Amalthea’s horn:

  The hasty Sun, that girds the heavenly way,

  brought round the mem’ry of that blessed morn,

  when He, who ruleth all by Will Divine,

  upon Creation stampt His seal and sign

  At such a time the Squadron neared the part, 73

  where first Melinde’s goodly shore was seen,

  in awnings drest and prankt with gallant art,

  to show that none the Holy Day misween:

  Flutter the flags, the streaming Estandart

  gleams from afar with gorgeous purple sheen;

  tom-toms and timbrels mingle martial jar:

  Thus past they forwards with the pomp of war.

  Men crowd and jostle on Melinde’s strand 74

  hasting to sight the stranger’s glad Armade;

  a folk more truthful far, humane, and bland

  than any met on shores their course had made.

  Now rides the Lusian Fleet anent the land:

  Her pond’rous anchors now the depths invade:

  Forthwith a captured Moor they send to greet

  the King and mani’fest whence had come the Fleet.

  The King who well that noble lineage knew, 75

  which to the Portingalls such worth imparts,

  prizeth their harb’ring at his Hythe, as due

  the praise to Braves so prompt in martial arts:

  And, with the spirit ever pure and true

  that ‘nobleth gen’rous souls and gallant hearts,

  he prays by proxy all forthwith may deign

  to land and use, as best they choose, his reign.

  Frank offers these, and made in Honour bright, 76

  simple the words, undoubted, unprepar’d,

  wherewith the Monarch greets each noble Knight,

  who o’er such seas and lands so far hath fared.

  And eke he sendeth muttons fleecy white

  with many a cramm’d domesticate poulard,

  and tropick fruitage which the markets fill:

  Yet his good gifts are giv’n with better will.

  A glad and eager ear our Captain lent 77

  to him who spake his Sovran’s speech benign;

  straightway of royal gifts return he sent

  stow’d in his Squadron for such fair design:

  Purple Escarlat, cloth of crimson tint,

  the branchy Coral, highly prized and fine,

  which in deep Water soft and tender grown,

  in Air doth harden to a precious stone.

  Eke sends he one well known for courtly wit, 78

  who with the King may pact of peace conclude;

  and prayeth pardon that he could not quit

  his ships at once, and leave the Fleet aflood.

  His trusty Truchman on the land alit,

  and, as before the Monarch’s face he stood,

  spake thus in style which only Pallas taught

  when praise and prayer firm persuasion wrought: —

  “O King sublime! to whom the Olympus pure 79

  of His high justice gave the gift and boon

  to curb and conquer peoples dour and dure,

  to win their love, nor less their fear to own;

  as safe asylum, haven most secure,

  to ev’ry Oriental nation known,

  thee have we come to seek, in thee to find

  the surest med’icine of she Wanderer’s mind.

  “No Pyrates we, who fare on ports to prey, 80

  and purse-proud cities that in war be weak;

  thieves, who with fire and steel the peoples slay,

  their robber-greed on neighbour-goods to wreak:

  From haughty Europe to the realms of Day

  we sail, and Earth’s remotest verge we seek

  of Inde, the great, the rich, for thus ordaineth

  the mighty Monarch who our country reigneth.

  “What brood so harsh as this was ever bred? 81

  what barb’arous custom and what usage ban’d

  that can not only men from ports forbid

  but grudge the shelter of their desert sand?

  What of ill Will hold they our hearts have hid,

  that of a folk so few in fear they stand?

  That traps for us they spread and ready snares

  and work their worst whereby we die unwares?

  “But Thou, wherein full surely we confide 82

  to find, O King benign! an honest man,

  and hope such certain aid to see supplied,

  as gave Alcino’us the lost Ithacan,

  to this thy Haven sure we stem the tide

  with the Divine Interpreter in van:

  For as He sendeth us to thee ’tis clear

  thy heart must e’en be rare, humane, sincere.

  “And deem not thou, O King! that dreads to land 83

  our famous Captain thee to serve and see,

  for aught he sees of base or underhand,

  or aught suspects of false and feign’ed in thee:

  But know he acteth by the high command, —

  a law of all obeyed implicitly, —

  his King’s own hest, forbidding him t’explore,

  and from his Squadron land at port or shore.

  “And, since of subjects King may
thus require, 84

  for of the Head should members heed the sway,

  thou, kingly officed, never shalt desire

  the liege his lord’s command to disobey;

  but the high benefits, and those gifts still higher

  by thee bestow’d, he prom’iseth to repay

  with all that done by him or his can be

  long as the rolling rivers seek the Sea.”

  Thus he; when all conjoint their voices raised 85

  while each to each his separate thoughts convey’d,

  by the high stomach of the Race amazed,

  who through such seas and skies their way had made.

  Th’ illustrious King for loyalty bepraised

  the Portingalls, the while his spirit weigh’d

  how high his value, strong his orders are,

  whose Royal word is heard in land so far.

  And, with a smiling mien and pleased face, 86

  he hailed the Herald, proffering high esteem: —

  “All black suspicions from your bosoms chase,

  nor let your souls with frigid terror teem;

  such be your gallant worth, your works of grace,

  the World your deeds shall aye most glorious deem;

  and whoso holdeth right to do you wrong

  ne truth ne noble thoughts to him belong.

  “That all you warmen may not instant land 87

  observing ‘customed pre-eminence,

  though sorely grieved by your King’s command,

  yet much we prize so much obedience:

  Yet, as your orders our desire withstand;

  nor we consent to see such excellence

  of heart, such loyalty of soul, belied,

  that our good wishes sole be gratified.

  “But, as to-morrow’s Sun on earth shall shine, 88

  all our Flotilla shall make holiday;

  to seek your sturdy Fleet is our design

  we have so longed to see full many a day:

  And if your sea-tost vessels bear the sign

  of angry tempests, and their tedious way,

  here they shall find in friendly form and guise

  pilots, munitions, vittaile and supplies.”

  He spake; and ‘neath the sea-rim sank to rest 89

  Latona’s son, when home the Herald hied,

  with the fair message to the Fleet addrest,

  in a light canoe that fast outran the tide.

  Now joy and gladness filled ev’ery breast,

  all had the perfect cure at length descried, —

  Discov’ery of the Land, long wisht-for sight;

  and thus they festival’d with glee the night.

  Aboard is foyson of those artful rays, 90

  whose splendours mock the trem’ulous hairy star:

  Now every bombardier his boast displays,

  till Ocean’s thunder answers earth and air.

  The Cyclops’ art is shown in various ways,