Daphne,
daughter
of the river Peneus, flying from Apollo, was turned
into the laurel.
into the laurel.
Camoes - Lusiades
[168] Rockets.
[169] The Tyrian purple, obtained from the _murex_, a species of
shell-fish, was very famous among the ancients. --_Ed. _
[170] A girdle, or ornamented belt, worn over one shoulder and across
the breast. --_Ed. _
[171] Camoens seems to have his eye on the picture of Gama, which is
thus described by _Faria y Sousa_: "He is painted with a black cap,
cloak, and breeches edged with velvet, all slashed, through which
appears the crimson lining, the doublet of crimson satin, and over it
his armour inlaid with gold. "
[172] The admiration and friendship of the King of Melinda, so much
insisted on by Camoens, is a judicious imitation of Virgil's Dido. In
both cases such preparation was necessary to introduce the long episodes
which follow.
[173] The Moors, who are Mohammedans, disciples of the Arabian prophet,
who was descended from Abraham through the line of Hagar. --_Ed. _
[174] The famous temple of the goddess Diana at Ephesus. --_Ed. _
[175] Apollo.
[176] _Calliope. _--The Muse of epic poesy, and mother of Orpheus.
Daphne, daughter of the river Peneus, flying from Apollo, was turned
into the laurel. Clytia was metamorphosed into the sun-flower, and
Leucothoe, who was buried alive by her father for yielding to the
solicitations of Apollo, was by her lover changed into an incense tree.
[177] A fountain of Boeotia sacred to the Muses. --_Ed. _
[178] The preface to the speech of Gama, and the description of Europe
which follows, are happy imitations of the manner of Homer. When Camoens
describes countries, or musters an army, it is after the example of the
great models of antiquity: by adding some characteristical feature of
the climate or people, he renders his narrative pleasing, picturesque,
and poetical.
[179] The Mediterranean.
[180] The Don. --_Ed. _
[181] The Sea of Azof. --_Ed. _
[182] Italy. In the year 409 the city of Rome was sacked, and Italy laid
desolate by Alaric, king of the Gothic tribes. In mentioning this
circumstance Camoens has not fallen into the common error of little
poets, who on every occasion bewail the outrage which the Goths and
Vandals did to the arts and sciences. A complaint founded on ignorance.
The Southern nations of Europe were sunk into the most contemptible
degeneracy.
