Note 184 — II 1325-1521

Zurara, on the other hand, with feigned diffidence represents himself as ‘a poor scholar’, ‘a man almost entirely ignorant and without any knowledge’, and if he has any learning it is but the crumbs from King Afonso’s table (Cr. D. Pedro, cap. 2). He can rise to real eloquence, as in the beginning of cap. 25 of the Cr. da Guiné: Oo tu cellestrial padre, que com tua poderosa maão, sem movimento de tu devynal essencia, governas toda a infiinda companhya da tua sancta cidade, &c., or sober down into a Tacitean phrase such as that of cap. 26, describing the fate of natives of Africa brought to Portugal: morriam, empero xraãos (they died, but Christians). He has a misleading trick of saying ‘The author says—diz o autor’, meaning himself.