Luis de Camoes Collected Poetical Works
Page 9
five times her lovely face in full had shown,
when oped her gate the City, which availed
no Force ‘gainst ‘sieging forces round her thrown.
Right bloody was th’ assault and fierce th’ assailed,
e’en as their stubborn purpose bound them down;
asp’erous the Victor, ready all to dare,
the Vanquisht, victims of a dire despair.
“Thus won she yielded and, in fine, she lay 60
prostrate that City which, in days of old,
the mighty meiny never would obey
of frigid Scythia’s hordes immanely bold:
Who could so far extend their savage sway,
till Ebro saw’t, and Tagus trembling roll’d;
and some o’er Baetis-land, in short, so swept
that was the region Vandalia ‘clept.
“What might of city could perchance endure 61
prowess which proud Lisboa might not bear?
Who mote resist the powers dure and dour
of men, whose Fame from earth invadeth air?
Now yield obedience all Estremadure,
Obidos, Torres Vedras, Alemquer,
where softly plash the musick-murmuring waves,
‘mid rocks and reefs whose feet the torrent laves.
“Eke ye, Transtagan lands! ye justly vain 62
of flavous Ceres’ bien and bonny boon,
yielded to might above the might of men
the walls and castles by his valour won:
Thou, too, Moor-yeoman! hopest hope insane,
those riant regions long as lord to own;
for Elvas, Moura, Serpa, well-known sites,
with Alcacer-do-Sal must yield their rights.
“The noble City and sure seat behold, 63
held by Sertorius, rebel famed whilome;
where now the nitid silv’ery waters cold,
brought from afar to bless the land and home,
o’erflow the royal arches hundredfold,
whose noble sequence streaks the dark-blue dome;
not less succumb’d she to her bold pursuer,
to Giraldo, entitled ‘Knight Sans Peur.’
“Fast towards Beja city, vengeful prest, 64
to slake his wrath for spoilt Trancoso’s wrong,
Afonso, who despiseth gentle rest
and would brief human life by Fame prolong.
Feebly resisteth him and his behest
the City, falling to his arms ere long,
and nought of life within her walls but feel
the raging victor’s edge of merciless steel.
“With these Palmella yielded to the war, 65
piscous Cezimbra, eke, her finny spoils;
then, aided onwards by his fortunate star,
the King a pow’erful force of foemen foils:
Felt it the City, saw’t her Lord afar,
who to support and aid her spares no toils,
along the hill-skirt marching all unware
of rash encounter lackt he heed and care.
“The King of Bad’ajoz was a Moslem bold, 66
with horse four thousand, fierce and furious Knights,
and countless Peons, armed and dight with gold,
whose polisht surface glanceth lustrous light.
But as a savage Bull on lonely wold,
whom jealous rage in hot May-month incites,
sighting a stranger, mad with love and wrath
the brute blind lover chargeth down the path:
“So doth Afonso, sudden seen the foes 67
that urge their forward march securely brave,
strike, slay, and scatter, raining doughty blows;
flies the Moor King, who recks but self to save:
Naught save a panick fear his spirit knows;
his followers eke to follow only crave;
while ours, who struck a stroke so sore, so fell,
were sixty horsemen told in fullest tale.
“Victory swift pursuing, rest disdaineth 68
the great untiring King; he must’ereth all
the lieges of his land, whom nought restraineth
from ever seeking stranger realms to ‘thrall.
He wends to ‘leaguer Bad’ajoz, where he gaineth
his soul’s desire, and battleth at her fall
with force so fierce, and art and heart so true
his deeds made others fain to dare and do.
“But the high Godhead, who when man offends, 69
so long deserved penalties delays,
waiting at times to see him make amends,
or for deep myst’ery hid from man’s dull gaze;
if He our valiant King till now defends
from dangers, faced fast as foes can raise;
lends aid no longer, when for vengeance cries
the Mother’s curses who in prison lies;
“For in the City which he compast round, 70
encompast by the Leoneze was he,
because his conquests trespasst on their ground,
which of Leon and not of Port’ugale be.
Here was his stubborn will right costly found,
as happeth oft in human history,
an iron maims his legs, as rage-inflamed
to fight he flies and falls a captive maimed.
“O famous Pompey! feel thy Wraith no pain 71
to see the fate of noble feats like thine;
nor mourn if all-just Nemesis ordain
thy bays be torn by sire-in-law indign;
though Phasis frore and parcht Syene-plain
whose perpendicular shadows ne’er decline,
Bootes’ ice-bergs, and Equator-fires,
confess the terrors which thy name inspires;
“Tho’ rich Arabia, and the brood ferocious 72
Heniochs, with Colchis-region known of yore
for Golden Fleece; and though the Cappadoces
and Judeans who One only God adore;
tho’ soft Sophenes, and the race atrocious,
Cilician, with Armenia whence outpour
the twain of mighty streams, whose farthest fount
hides in a higher and a holier Mount;
“And though, in fine, from far Atlantic tide 73
E’en to the Taurus, Scythia’s tow’ering wall,
all saw thee conquer; fearless still abide
if none save Emath-field beheld thee fall:
Thou shalt behold Afonso’s ovant pride,
lie subjugate, that subjugated all.
Such fate Celestial Counsel long foresaw
thine from a sire, his from a son-in-law.
“Returned the King sublime, in fine, with sprite 74
by the just doom of Judge divine chastised,
and when of Santarem in pride of might
the Saracen a bootless siege devised;
and when of Vincent, martyr benedight,
the precious Corse by Christian people prized,
from Sacrum Promontorium was conveyed
and reverent-wise in Ulyssea laid:
“Faster to push the projects still in hand, 75
the toil-spent Father sent his stout young son,
bidding him pass to Alemtejo’s land,
with warlike gear and soldiers many a one.
Sancho, a sovereign wielder of the brand,
straight forward passing, gore-red gars to run
the stream whose waters feed Seville and flood,
dyed by the brutish Moormen’s barb’rous blood.
“With hunger whetted by this new success, 76
now resteth not the Youth till sight his eyes
another slaughter, sore as this, oppress
the barb’rous host that circling Beja lies:
Not long the Prince whom fortune loves to bless,
waits the fair end where leads his dear emprize.
But now the routed Moors to vengeance cleave,
their only h
ope such losses to retrieve.
“They crowd the mighty Mount whereof Meduse 77
robbed his body who the skies upbore:
They flock in thousands from Cape Ampeluse
and from Tangier, Antaeus’ seat of yore.
Abyla’s dweller offereth scant excuse;
who with his weapon hasteth him the more,
when heard the Moorish clarions shrilly-toned,
and all the reign high Juba whilom owned.
“The Mir-almuminin, who led the throng, 78
from the Dark Cont’inent past to Portugal:
Thirteen Moor kings he led, high, haught, and strong,
to his Imperial sceptre subject all:
Thus wreaking forceful every tyrant Wrong,
wherever easy Wrong mote sate his gall,
Sancho in Santarem he flies t’ invest,
yet his was hardly of success the best.
“Gives asp’erous battle, fighting fury-fraught 79
the hateful Moor a thousand feints designing;
ne horrid catapult avails him aught,
ne forceful battering-ram, ne hidden mining:
Afonso’s son, conserving force and thought,
and firm resolve with warlike skill combining,
foreseeth all with prudent heart and art,
and stem resistance brings to every part.
“But now the Vet’ran, — doomed by years to ease 80
and gentle rest, from life of toil and teen,
be’ing in the city, down whose pastured leas
Mondego’s wavelets kiss the hem of green; —
when learnt how fast his son beleaguer’d is
in Santarem by Moormen blind with spleen,
fast from the City flies the fone to meet,
age-idlesse spurning with fast eager feet.
“He heads his army, tried in war and known, 81
his son to succour; and his well-led host
shows wonted Port’ingall-fury all their own,
till in brief time the Moor is broke and lost.
The Battle-plain, — whose blood-stained front is strown
with steely coats, and caps of varied cost,
horse, charger, harness, rich and worthy prize, —
heaped with their owners’ mangled corpses lies.
“Forth fares the remnant of the Paynimry 82
from Lusitania, hurled in headlong flight:
But Mir-almuminin may never flee,
for ere he flee his life hath fled the light.
To Him whose arm vouchsafed such Victory
in praise and stintless prayer our hosts unite:
Chances so passing strange make clear to ken
God’s arm smites sorer than all arms of men.
“Such crown of conquest still bedeckt the brow 83
of old Afonso, Lord of lofty fame;
when he, in fine, who ever foiled his foe,
was foiled by antient Time’s unyielding claim:
Past the death-sickness o’er his pallid brow
its frigid hand, and wrung his feeble frame;
and thus the debt on mortal shoulders laid
his years to gloomy Libitma paid.
“His loss the lofty Promontories mourn, 84
and from the wavy rivers floods of grief
with lakelets overspread the fielded corn,
and trickling tears are sorrow’s sole relief:
But ring so loud o’er Earth’s extremest bourne
the fame and exploits of our great lost chief,
that evermore shall Echo for his reign
‘Afonso!’Afonso!’ cry, and cry in vain.
“Sancho, his lusty son, the worthy heir 85
of his great Father’s valour, force and might,
as did his early doings clear declare,
when Baetis fled ensanguin’d from the fight,
and from Andalusia forced to fare
the barb’arous King and peoples Ishmaelite;
and more, when they who vainly Beja girt
of his shrewd blows themselves had borne the hurt:
“After he had been raised to Royal hest, 86
and held for years a few his father’s land,
he wends the city Sylves to invest,
plowed whose plain the barb’arous peasant’s hand:
With allies val’orous was his daring blest
the sturdy Germans, whose Armada man’d
by furnisht host was flying o’er the wave,
the lost Judaea to regain and save.
“To join in holy enterprize they went 87
Red Frederick, who did first to move begin
his mighty armament and succour sent
to ward the town where CHRIST had died for men;
When Guy, whose Croisers were by thirst bespent,
yielded his sword to gallant Saladin
there, where the Moslem host was well supplied
with wat’ery store to those of Guy denied.
“But that majestical Armade that came 88
by dint of storm-wind o’er the Lisbon bar,
would aid our Sancho the foul foe to tame,
all being bounden for the Holy War:
As to his Father, happed to him the same;
and Lisbon fell to fortunes similar;
aided by Germans, Sylves town he takes
and the fierce dweller slays or subject makes.
“And if so many trophies from Mahound 89
his valour snatched, eke denies his pride
the Leoneze in peace to till their ground,
whom Mart with martial usage loved to guide:
Till on the bended neck his yoke he bound
of haughty Tui and all its country-side;
where many a city felt the dreaded blow
which with thine arms thou, Sancho! broughtest low.
“But ‘mid his many palms this Prince waylaid 90
the stroke of tem’erous Death; his heir prefer’d
was that esteemed son whom all obey’d,
second Afonso, of our Kings the third.
He reigning, Alcacer-do-Sal was made
ours, snatcht for ever from the Moorish herd;
that erst was taken by the Moor beset,
and now parforce he pays of Death the Debt.
“Afonso dying, straight to him succeedeth 91
a second Sancho, easy-going soul,
who in his weakling idlesse so exceedeth,
the ruled rule their ruler and their tool:
He lost the Reign, for which another pleadeth,
by private preference deprived of rule;
since, govern’d only by his minions’ will
he made him partner in their works of ill.
“Yet ne’er was Sancho, no, such profligate pest 92
as was that Nero wedded with a boy,
who in foul incest showing horrid zest
his mother Agrippina dared enjoy;
Ne’er with strange cruel arts did he molest
the liege, nor gar’d the torch his town destroy;
he was no waster, no Heliogabalus,
no woman-king like soft Sardanapalus.
“Ne’er was his tyrannised people so chastised 93
as wretched Sicill by her tyrant bane;
ne like the despot Phalaris, he devised
novel inventions for inhuman pain:
But his high-hearted realm, which ever prized
lords of the highest hopes and sovran strain,
would ne’er whole-souled such a King obey,
who showed not fittest for the kingly sway.
“Hence came the gov’ernance of the reign to right 94
the County Bolognese; and he arose
at length to kingship, when from life took flight
his brother Sancho sunk in soft repose.
This, whom the ‘ Brave Afonso’ subjects hight,
when fenced his kingdom from internal foes,
striv
es to dilate it; what his Sire possest
is worlds too narrow for so big a breast.
“Of both Algarves, given to his hand 95
in gift of bridal dowry, greater part
his arm recovers, and outdrives the band
of Moors ill-treated now by hostile Mart.
He freed and made the Mistress of her Land
our Lusitania, such his bellic art;
till final ruin whelmed the mighty hordes
where’er Earth owned Lusus’ subjects lords.
“See, next that Diniz comes in whom is seen 96
the ‘brave Afonso’s’ offspring true and digne;
whereby the mighty boast obscured been,
the vaunt of lib’eral Alexander’s line:
Beneath his sceptre blooms the land serene
(already c ompast golden Peace divine)
with constitution, customs, laws and rights,
a tranquil country’s best and brightest lights.
“The first was he who made Coimbra own 97
Pallas-Minerva’s gen’erous exercise;
he called the Muses’ choir from Helicon
to tread the lea that by Mondego lies:
Whate’er of good whilere hath Athens done,
here proud Apollo keepeth ev’ery prize:
Here gives he garlands wove with golden ray,
with perfumed Nard and ever-verdant Bay.
“Brave towns and cities reared his hand anew, 98
stout fortalice, and strongly-castled mure,
while his well-nigh reformed kingdom grew
with stalwart towers and lofty walls secure:
But when dure Atropos cut short the clew,
and shore the thin-spun thread of life mature,
arose, to filial duty nidering
the fourth Afonso, yet a brave good King.
“This proud Castile’s bravades with equal pride 99
despised, of soul and breast serenely grand;
for aye the Lusitanian’s sprite defied
fear of the strongest, though the smaller band:
But when the Mauritanian races hied
to win and wear Hesperia’s winsome land,
and marched boldly to debel Castile
superb Afonso went to work her weal.
“Ne’er did Semiramis such myriads see 100
who o’er the wide Hydaspick prairie trod;
nor Attila, — who daunteth Italy
with dreadful boast, self-titled ‘Scourge of God,’ —
hurried such Gothick hosts to victory,
as the wild Saracens’ stupendous crowd,
with all th’ excessive might Granada yields
that flockt to battle on Tartessus’ fields.
“When saw Castilia’s monarch, high and haught, 101
such force inexpugnable fain of strife,
dreading lest all Hispania come to naught,
once lost ere this, far more than loss of life;