See the foul, sinful, bestial action bred
By crime begetting crime! Strange, mighty strange!
That left her husband she remains for e’er
His marriage-sister and his married fere.”
Canto IV (after Stanza 2)
Translated in the Millié-Dubeux edit. of 1862.
“The meed of valour Bastards aye have claimèd
By Arts or Arms, or haply both conjoinèd;
Such were of fabled Gods the most enfamèd
To whom rude Ancients highest rank assignèd.
Hermes, and doct Apollo still are namèd
For varied Science with long Art combinèd;
Others by Arms alone prevail; so reign
Bacchus and Hercules, that Theban Twain.
2
“Homer and Orpheus, eke, of birth were base,
The pair by Po’etry raised to such degree;
And they, the Sires of that Imperial race,
Who founded Troy and Rome for Italy.
Nay, an in written legend trust we place,
Though many Philip made the father be
Of Macedonia’s Youth, not few would prove
Great Nectanébus274filcht his mother’s love.
3
“Thus Justiciary Pedro’s bastard son,
Being exalted o’er the realm to sway,
By Gestes of arms such goods of Fortune won
That equalled ev’ery Great of bygone day.
He, when his kingdom feared to be undone
And prostrate lie, the proud Castilian’s prey,
Bateth the terror his own lieges tries;
And in all others Esp’erance falsifies.”
Canto IV (after Stanza 11)
Omitted because Catalonia and Arragon did not then belong to Castile (?).
“Remainèd none in realm of Tarragon
Who shirkt to mell in Mavors’ dour emprize:
None in the noble City, whose renown
Upon her founder Scipio’s name relies.
And last not least the far-famed Barcelon
Sent warmen tried in warlike exercise:
All these strong powers uniteth haughty Spain
Against our little Lusitanian reign.”
Canto IV (after Stanza 13)
“Oh, foes unnat’ural! Nature so misbred,
Race of thy race’s name disgrace that art!
Degenerates! caitiffs! say what feeble Dread,
Sans wisdom, reason, all Man’s better part,
Have made a gallant people, born and bred
Loyal and brave with clean and candid heart,
Offend in such base guise? But I suspect
Amid the Great this be the least defect.”
Canto IV (in lieu of Stanza 21)
“E’en as the noble Youth of Roman strain
Strengthend the Senate, fain in fear to fly
The Carthaginian who, all-sovereign,
His whetted blade to shrinking throats brought nigh;
When worth’ily winning surname ‘African,’
His furious force so did their force defy,
His doubtful country free as air he made
When jealous Fabius still his rede delay’d.”
Canto IV (after Stanza 27)
“Now Titan’s daughter fresh and rosy came
Bringing that memorable, deathless day,
When Vespers chaunted are in Mary’s name,
Hon’ouring the holy month whose name is May.
This day for battle having fittest claim
Was chosen: Now, as paled the morning Gray
Bleaching the skies, both Kings unsheathed their swords
Their hosts enheartening with hearty words.”
Canto IV (after Stanza 33)
“And, Emperors! you that held and had command
O’er so much Earth, aye ready to resist
In asp’erous conflict, and the wrong withstand
Of cruel Traitors raising Treason’s crest:
Complain ye not: Nay, well this chance attend,
One of the noblest Kings, and loved the best,
Sees ’gainst his law, his crown, his self, his all,
Vavasors rise to sue a stranger’s thrall.
Canto IV
These Homeric stanzas on the deaths of Portuguese knights took away interest from the central figure, the King.
“Piercèd275 Giraldo’s vitals through and through
And eke the huge thick targe he snatcht away
From Perez whom he killed; his own with hew
And strangest hack of cutlass useless lay.
Dies Pedro, and Duarte dies (in lieu
Of death amid the Brigians): Born were they
Both in Braganza, brave in youthful pride
Together lived they, fought they, fell they, died.
2
“Lopo and Vincent de Lisbóa bleed;
Sworn in the common cause to meet their fate;
Or both the crown to gain and Victory’s meed
To snatch from all whom most enfamed this bate.
Afonso flieth from his battle-steed;
For five Castilians (who in ambush wait
to ’venge five comrades slain in earli’er strife)
Packing around him pluck his precious life.
3
“Down falls Hilario drilled by spear-heads three;
But first he took the vengeance of his spear;
He mourneth not because his Sprite goes free,
But for-that comes in it Antonia fair:
Flitteth the fug’itive Spirit fast, and flee
With it the thoughts sustaining all to dare;
And as life fled the service of his dame,
Fell from his clay-cold lips her broken name.”
Canto IV (in lieu of Stanza 39)
“His foll’owers favour with a piercing cry
This goodly lunge of lance; nor is he slow
To snatch another (for innum’erous lie
The weapons lost by battle’s losing throw):
He runs with couchèd spear: His bravery
Urgeth his Braves who, brent with martial lowe,
Into the courser’s flanks keen rowels thrust,
And lance the foeman level with the dust.”
Canto IV (after Stanza 40)
1
The corresponding deaths of Spanish knights.
“Velasquez dies with Sanches de Toledo,
A mighty hunter this, and that a clerke:
Galbes eke perisheth surnamed ‘Sem Medo,’276
For thus his comrades called for countermark:
Montánchez, Oropésa, Mondonhedo
(Albeit skilled in arms, in sinews stark),
Fell by Antonio’s hand, stout youth and brave
Whose lance more dext’erous drave them to the grave.
2
“Braggart Guevára, who his front had dyed,
And hands and beard with blood that tinged the plain;
That he might bluster how the gory tide
Had spurted painting him with honour’d stain:
Him, bell’owing such bravados in his pride,
Pedro who heard the vauntings loud and vain,
Felled with such side stroke, that his empty head
Flew from his body and his base life fled.
3
“Flew high in airy space his feckless pate
While still a-boasting of some blatant Geste:
Pedro, besprinkled by the squirt and jet,
Feels black blood trickling down his beard and breast;
Wherewith the mal’apert pays his vengeance debt.
Carrilho’s sun eke setteth in its west,
Joam de Lorca and Robledo follow;
While th’ other braves in flight their boasts must swallow.
4
“Salazar, famous par’asite, and the head
Pander who made Sevilha town infame;
Whom his false leman had at night-tide fled
Though to the ’campment she had brought her shame;
Lief would with other friend this fair friend bed,
For-that the ducats wherewithal he came,
Were lost upon a cast; nor were they lost
Had but a hand of spades came uppermost.
5
“His she-friend’s treason gars him wits to tyne;
And threaten un’iverse, earth and vagueing skies
Blaspheming; and resolve with rage indign
All who dare cross his valour to chastise:
Encount’ering Gaspar (who his Catherine
Loves as his life) the broadsword fast he plies,
Till air fire-smitten makes him fain
