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.

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

„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.

„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.

„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.

„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".

„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)

„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

„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

„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.

„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)