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

Note 319 — 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

The following sonnet, which is poetically conceived and executed shall serve as an example. It is addressed to a laurel tree against which a sun-flower reclines:—

Aqui tens a fineza bem nascida, Se aqui tens Febo a queixa bem fundada, Pois te segue huma flor enamorada, Se te foge huma planta endurecida. Nasce huma Clicie de attençaõ vestida, Junto a huma Dafne de aspereza armada, Que onde a belleza blasonou de amada, Naõ se queixe a belleza de offendida. Eu amo, e meu amor nada consegue, E porque de esperanças me despoje, O que me desagrada me persegue: Oh como estamos differentes hoje, Que a ti te foge o tronco, a flor te segue, A mim me segue o tronco, a flor me foge.

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.