History of Spanish and Portuguese Literature (Vol 2 of 2)

Note 318 — CHAP. III. HISTORY OF PORTUGUESE POETRY AND ELOQUENCE, FROM THE LATTER YEARS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE SEVENTEENTH.

Thomasina Ross translation

In the following the idea, though false in itself, is interestingly expressed. The poet asserts, that he who tells his pain, suffers more than he who conceals it.

Na queixa o sentimento se engrãdece, No silencio se afrouxa o sentimento, Que se o lembrar da dor dobra o tormento, Quem suffoca o pezar, menos padece. No silencio talvez a dor se esquece; Na voz naõ póde ter esquecimento, Com que a dor no silencio perde o alento, Quando a magoa na queixa reverdece. Se a memoria do mal dobra o penoso, E quem o diz desperta essa memoria, Mais sente, que quem dentro a pena feixa; Porque este no silencio tem repouso, E aquelle augmenta a dor, se a faz notoria, Pois renova o pezar, quando se queixa.

Return to CHAP. III. HISTORY OF PORTUGUESE POETRY AND ELOQUENCE, FROM THE LATTER YEARS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE SEVENTEENTH.