Frasi di Luís de Camões

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Luís de Camões

Data di nascita: 1524
Data di morte: 10. Giugno 1580

Luís Vaz de Camões è considerato il principale poeta portoghese. Per la sua padronanza della poesia, è stato paragonato ad Omero, Virgilio, Dante e Shakespeare. Il suo lavoro più noto è il poema epico Os Lusíadas.

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Frasi Luís de Camões

„È un foco Amor, che ascoso tien l'ardore; | è ferita, che punge, e non si sente; | è un piacer, che tien l'alme discontente; | è acerbo duol, di cui non si ha dolore: || è un non voler, chè cio che vuole Amore; | è un andar solitario tra la gente; | è un godere con voglie non mai spente; | è un credersi felice ove si more: || è un suggettarsi i vincitori a i vinti; | è uno stare in prigion, perchè si vuole; | è un esser fidi a chi ci brama estinti. || Come mai de l'Amor si grande amico | è il core uman, chè senza lui si duole, | se Amore de gli amanti è si nemico?“

— Luís de Camões
da Descrizion dell'Amore

Sull'amore, sul dolore, sul piacere

„I spoke, when rising through the darkened air,
Appalled, we saw a hideous phantom glare“

— Luís de Camões
Context: I spoke, when rising through the darkened air, Appalled, we saw a hideous phantom glare; High and enormous over the flood he towered, And thwart our way with sullen aspect lowered. An earthy paleness over his cheeks was spread, Erect uprose his hairs of withered red; Writhing to speak, his sable lips disclose, Sharp and disjoined, his gnashing teeth's blue rows; His haggard beard flowed quivering on the wind, Revenge and horror in his mien combined; His clouded front, by withering lightnings scared, The inward anguish of his soul declared. His red eyes, glowing from their dusky caves, Shot livid fires: far echoing over the waves His voice resounded, as the caverned shore With hollow groan repeats the tempest's roar. Cold gliding horrors thrilled each hero's breast, Our bristling hair and tottering knees confessed Wild dread, the while with visage ghastly wan, His black lips trembling, thus the fiend began... Stanzas 39–40 (tr. William Julius Mickle); description of Adamastor, the "Spirit of the Cape".

„O glory of commanding! O vain thirst
Of that same empty nothing we call fame!“

— Luís de Camões
Context: But an old man of venerable look (Standing upon the shore amongst the crowds) His eyes fixed upon us (on ship-board), shook His head three times, overcast with sorrow's clouds: And (straining his voice more, than well could brook His aged lungs: it rattled in our shrouds) Out of a science, practice did attest, Let fly these words from an oraculous breast:O glory of commanding! O vain thirst Of that same empty nothing we call fame! Stanzas 94–95 (tr. Richard Fanshawe); the Old Man of Restelo.

„The more I pay you, the more I owe.“

— Luís de Camões
Context: Since it gives me so much bliss to give you everything I can The more I pay you, the more I owe. Quoted by Elizabeth Bishop in the dedication of Questions of Travel (1965) to Lota de Macedo Soares, her Brazilian lover.

„Go, gentle spirit! now supremely blest“

— Luís de Camões
Context: Go, gentle spirit! now supremely blest, From scenes of pain and struggling virtue go: From thy immortal seat of heavenly rest Behold us lingering in a world of woe! (anonymous translation) Meek spirit, who so early didst depart, Thou art at rest in Heaven! I linger here, And feed the lonely anguish of my heart; Thinking of all that made existence dear. (tr. Robert Southey) My gentle spirit! thou who hast departed So early, of this life in discontent, Rest thou there ever, in Heaven's firmament, While I live here on earth all broken-hearted. tr. John James Aubertin, in Seventy Sonnets of Camoens (1881), p. 17 Dear gentle soul, you that departed this life so soon and reluctantly, rest in heaven eternally while I remain here, broken-hearted. tr. Langed White, in The Collected Lyric Poems of Luis de Camoes (2016), p. 357

„Love is a fire that burns unseen“

— Luís de Camões
Context: Love is a fire that burns unseen, A wound that aches yet isn't felt, An always discontent contentment, A pain that rages without hurting,A longing for nothing but to long, A loneliness in the midst of people, A never feeling pleased when pleased, A passion that gains when lost in thought.It's being enslaved of your own free will; It's counting your defeat a victory; It's staying loyal to your killer.But if it's so self-contradictory, How can Love, when Love chooses, Bring human hearts into sympathy? Rimas, Sonnet 81 (as translated by Richard Zenith)

„Time changes, and our desires change.“

— Luís de Camões
Context: Time changes, and our desires change. What we believe—even what we are—is ever- changing. The world is change, which forever takes on new qualities. Selected Sonnets: A Bilingual Edition (2008), ed. William Baer, p. 70

„Better deserve them, and to go without;
Than have them undeserved“

— Luís de Camões
Context: For these vain honours, this false gold, give price (Unless he have it in himself) to none, Better deserve them, and to go without; Than have them undeserved, without doubt. Stanza 93, lines 5–8 (tr. Richard Fanshawe)

„For, though in science much contained be,
In special cases practice more doth see.“

— Luís de Camões
Context: Great Sir, let never the astonished Gall The English, German, and Italian, Have cause to say, the fainting Portugal Could not advance the great work he began. Let your advisers be experienced all, Such as have seen the world, and studied man. For, though in science much contained be, In special cases practice more doth see. Stanza 152 (tr. Richard Fanshawe); the poet advising King Sebastian of Portugal, then eighteen years of age.

„The lover becomes the thing he loves“

— Luís de Camões
Context: The lover becomes the thing he loves By virtue of much imagining; Since what I long for is already in me, The act of longing should be enough.

„Ah! where shall weary man take sanctuary,
where live his little span of life secure?
and 'scape of Heaven serene th' indignant storms
that launch their thunders at us earthen worms?“

— Luís de Camões
Stanza 106, lines 5–8 (tr. Richard Francis Burton)

„Right honest studies my career can show
with long experience blent as best beseems,
and genius here presented for thy view;—
gifts, that conjoined appertain to few.“

— Luís de Camões
Stanza 154, lines 5–8 (tr. Richard Francis Burton)

„Enough, my muse, thy wearied wing no more
Must to the seat of Jove triumphant soar.
Chilled by my nation's cold neglect, thy fires
Glow bold no more, and all thy rage expires.“

— Luís de Camões
Stanza 145 (tr. William Julius Mickle)

„That more would he serve, if life
Were not so short for love so long.“

— Luís de Camões
(tr. Norwood Andrews)

„I speak it to our shame; the cause no grand
Poets adorn our country, is the small
Encouragement to such: for how can he
esteem, that understands not poetry?“

— Luís de Camões
Stanza 97, lines 5–8 (tr. Richard Fanshawe)

„The moon, full orbed, forsakes her watery cave,
And lifts her lovely head above the wave...“

— Luís de Camões
Stanza 58 line 1 (as translated by William Julius Mickle). Compare: As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night, Over heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light... Homer, The Iliad, VIII. 551–555 (tr. Alexander Pope)