[427]
_In that proud port half circled by the wave,
Which Portugallia to the nation gave,
A deathless name.
_In that proud port half circled by the wave,
Which Portugallia to the nation gave,
A deathless name.
Camoes - Lusiades
The episode of the
Italian poet is totally exuberant, whereas that of the Portuguese has a
direct relation to his proposed subject: the wars of his country, a vast
field, in which he has admirably succeeded, without prejudice to the
first rule of the epopea, the unity of the action. " The severest critic
must allow that the episode related by Veloso, is happily introduced. To
one who has ever been at sea, the scene must be particularly pleasing.
The fleet is under sail, they plough the smooth deep--
"And o'er the decks cold breath'd the midnight wind. "
All but the second watch are asleep in their warm pavilions; the second
watch sit by the mast, sheltered from the chilly gale by a broad
sail-cloth; sleep begins to overpower them, and they tell stories to
entertain one another. For beautiful, picturesque simplicity there is no
sea-scene equal to this in the Odyssey, or AEneid.
[425] _What time he claim'd the proud Castilian throne. _--John of Gaunt,
duke of Lancaster, claimed the crown of Castile in the right of his
wife, Donna Constantia, daughter of Don Pedro, the late king. Assisted
by his son-in-law, John I. of Portugal, he entered Galicia, and was
proclaimed king of Castile at the city of St. Jago de Compostella. He
afterwards relinquished his pretensions, on the marriage of his
daughter, Catalina, with the infant, Don Henry of Castile.
[426] _The dames by lot their gallant champions choose. _--The ten
champions, who in the fifth book of Tasso's Jerusalem are sent by
Godfrey for the assistance of Armida, are chosen by lot. Tasso, who had
read the Lusiad, and admired its author, undoubtedly had the Portuguese
poet in his eye.
[427]
_In that proud port half circled by the wave,
Which Portugallia to the nation gave,
A deathless name. --_
Oporto, called by the Romans _Calle_. Hence Portugal.
[428]
_Yet something more than human warms my breast,
And sudden whispers--_
In the Portuguese--
_Mas, se a verdade o espirito me adevinha. _
Literally, "But, if my spirit truly divine. " Thus rendered by Fanshaw--
_But, in my aug'ring ear a bird doth sing. _
[429] _As Rome's Corvinus. _--Valerius Maximus, a Roman tribune, who
fought and slew a Gaul of enormous stature, in single combat. During the
duel a raven perched on the helmet of his antagonist, sometimes pecked
his face and hand, and sometimes blinded him with the flapping of his
wings. The victor was thence named Corvinus, from Corvus. Vid. Livy, l.
7, c. 26.
[430] _The Flandrian countess on her hero smil'd. _--The princess, for
whom Magricio signalized his valour, was Isabella of Portugal, and
spouse to Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, and earl of Flanders.
Italian poet is totally exuberant, whereas that of the Portuguese has a
direct relation to his proposed subject: the wars of his country, a vast
field, in which he has admirably succeeded, without prejudice to the
first rule of the epopea, the unity of the action. " The severest critic
must allow that the episode related by Veloso, is happily introduced. To
one who has ever been at sea, the scene must be particularly pleasing.
The fleet is under sail, they plough the smooth deep--
"And o'er the decks cold breath'd the midnight wind. "
All but the second watch are asleep in their warm pavilions; the second
watch sit by the mast, sheltered from the chilly gale by a broad
sail-cloth; sleep begins to overpower them, and they tell stories to
entertain one another. For beautiful, picturesque simplicity there is no
sea-scene equal to this in the Odyssey, or AEneid.
[425] _What time he claim'd the proud Castilian throne. _--John of Gaunt,
duke of Lancaster, claimed the crown of Castile in the right of his
wife, Donna Constantia, daughter of Don Pedro, the late king. Assisted
by his son-in-law, John I. of Portugal, he entered Galicia, and was
proclaimed king of Castile at the city of St. Jago de Compostella. He
afterwards relinquished his pretensions, on the marriage of his
daughter, Catalina, with the infant, Don Henry of Castile.
[426] _The dames by lot their gallant champions choose. _--The ten
champions, who in the fifth book of Tasso's Jerusalem are sent by
Godfrey for the assistance of Armida, are chosen by lot. Tasso, who had
read the Lusiad, and admired its author, undoubtedly had the Portuguese
poet in his eye.
[427]
_In that proud port half circled by the wave,
Which Portugallia to the nation gave,
A deathless name. --_
Oporto, called by the Romans _Calle_. Hence Portugal.
[428]
_Yet something more than human warms my breast,
And sudden whispers--_
In the Portuguese--
_Mas, se a verdade o espirito me adevinha. _
Literally, "But, if my spirit truly divine. " Thus rendered by Fanshaw--
_But, in my aug'ring ear a bird doth sing. _
[429] _As Rome's Corvinus. _--Valerius Maximus, a Roman tribune, who
fought and slew a Gaul of enormous stature, in single combat. During the
duel a raven perched on the helmet of his antagonist, sometimes pecked
his face and hand, and sometimes blinded him with the flapping of his
wings. The victor was thence named Corvinus, from Corvus. Vid. Livy, l.
7, c. 26.
[430] _The Flandrian countess on her hero smil'd. _--The princess, for
whom Magricio signalized his valour, was Isabella of Portugal, and
spouse to Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, and earl of Flanders.
