The Lusiads

1

The feats of Arms, and famed heroick Host, from occidental Lusitanian strand, who o’er the waters ne’er by seaman crost, farèd beyond the Taprobáne-land, forceful in perils and in battle-post, with more than promised force of mortal hand; and in the regions of a distant race rear’d a new throne so haught in Pride of Place:

2

And, eke, the Kings of mem’ory grand and glorious, who hied them Holy Faith and Reign to spread, converting, conquering, and in lands notorious, Africk and Asia, devastation made; nor less the Lieges who by deeds memorious brake from the doom that binds the vulgar dead; my song would sound o’er Earth’s extremest part were mine the genius, mine the Poet’s art.

3

Cease the sage Grecian, and the Man of Troy to vaunt long Voyage made in bygone day: Cease Alexander, Trajan cease to ’joy the fame of vict’ories that have pass’d away: The noble Lusian’s stouter breast sing I, whom Mars and Neptune dared not disobey: Cease all that antique Muse hath sung, for now a better Brav’ry rears its bolder brow.

hindrance showèd, ne the might of tides that onwards bore, or winds that blew, yet that his Flagship forged ahead no more, the Marvel hailing thus he ’gan implore:⁠—

30

“Oh Chance, strange, passing strange, that gave no sign! Oh wondrous Godsend shown so clear, so plain! Oh fellest treason baffled inopine! Oh hostile Paynims, false, perfidious strain! Who of such desp’erate devilish design by mortal wisdom could escape the bane, unless there throned in Heav’en the Sovran Guard to weak humanity strong aid award?

31

“Right well hath provèd Providence on high, the scanty safety by these Ports purvey’d: Right well appearance showeth every eye, how all our confidence hath been betray’d: But since Man’s wit and wisdom vainly try to sound these feints and foils so deeply laid, O Thou, Almighty Guard! to guard him deign who sans Thine aid himself would guard in vain!

32

“And if Thy holy ruth so condescend to save this People peregrine and poor, who on Thy grace and goodness sole depend, to force salvation from the false fell Moor; vouchsafe, O Lord, our weary course shall end at some fair Harbour, shelter’d and secure; or show the distant shores we pine to see, since all this sailing is for serving Thee.”

“These words I ended not, when saw we rise a Shape in air, enormous, sore the view o’it; a Form disformèd of a giant size; frownèd its face; the long beard squalid grew o’it; its mien dire menacing; its cavern’d eyes glared ghastly ’mid the mouldy muddy hue o’it; stainèd a clayey load its crispy hair and coal-black lips its yellow tusks lay bare.

40

“So vast its eerie members, well I can assure thee, all the double deemed to sight of Rhodes’ Colossus, whose inord’inate span one of the world’s Seven Wonders once was hight. But when its gross and horrent tones began to sound as surged from Ocean’s deepest night: ah! crept the flesh, and stood the hair of me and all, that gruesome Thing to hear and see.

41

“ ‘O rasher, bolder Race:’⁠—’twas thus it spoke⁠— ‘than all whose daring deeds have tempted Fate; thou, whom no labours tame nor war’s fell stroke, nor rest wilt grant on human toils to ’wait: Since these forbidden bounds by thee are broke who durst my Virgin Seas to violate, which long I guardèd, where I ne’er allow plowing to foreign or to native prow:

42

“ ‘Since the dark secrets com’st thou here to ’spy of Nature and her humid element, which from Man’s highest lore deep hidden lie, on noble or immortal mission sent; from me the Terrors which ye dare defy hear now, the sequence of thy rash intent, o’er ev’ery largest Sea, o’er ev’ery Land which still thy cruel conquest shall command.

“ ‘For Peleus’ high-born spouse my burning love lurèd me rashly to such rude emprize; the belles of heaven ne’er my breast could move mine Ocean-Empress filled my yearning eyes: One day I saw her with the Nereids rove, all bare and beauteous, ’neath the summer skies: and in such manner she bewitcht my will no other feeling can my bosom fill.

53

“ ‘But as my Ladye’s grace I could not gain for being homely, huge of form and face, I sware by forceful rape my want t’ obtain and so to Doris I disclosed my case: In dread she told her child my loving pain when modest Thetis, with her merry grace, replied:⁠—‘What Nymph can boast, whate’er her charms, the strength to wrestle in a Giant’s arms?

54

“ ‘Algates, that Ocean may once more be free from this sad Warfare, I some mode will find, to gar mine honour with his suit agree;’ thus was the message to mine ear consign’d. I, who no treach’erous snare in aught could see (for lovers’ blindness is exceeding blind) felt with a buoyant hope my bosom bound, and hopes of passion by possession crown’d.

55

“ ‘Love madden’d, moonstruck, now I fled the war, and kindly Doris named the trysting-night; at length my lovely love I saw appear, my winsome Thetis, in her robeless white: Like one possest I hurried from afar opeing mine arms to clasp the life and sprite of this my body, and hot kisses rain upon her cheeks, her locks, her glorious eyne.

But at this passage when each prickt his ear, behold! the Master conning sky and cloud, pipeth his whistle; waken as they hear starboard and larboard all the startled crowd: And, as the breeze blew fresh’ening shrill and sheer, he bade them take in topsails shouting loud “Yarely, my lads! look out, the wind increases from yon black thunder-cloud before our faces.”

71

Scarce were the foresails hurr’iedly taken in, when sharp and sudden bursts the roaring gale: “Furl!” cried the Master with as loud a din, “Furl!” cried he, “Furl for life the mainmast-sail!” The furious gusts wait not till they begin furling the canvas; but conjoint assail and tear it with such crash to shreds and tatters as though a ruined world the Storm-wind shatters.

72

Meanwhile the Crew with cries the welkin tore, in panick fear and gen’eral disaccord; for as the canvas split, the hull heel’d o’er, broad sheets of water shipping by the board. “Heave!” roared the Master with a mighty roar, “Heave overboard your all, tog’ether’s the word! Others go work the pumps, and with a will: The pumps! and sharp, look sharp, before she fill!”