Note 534 — BOOK VIII.
William Julius Mickle translation
But ah, forlorn, what shame to barb'rous pride.—In the original.—
Mas faltamlhes pincel, faltamlhes cores, Honra, premio, favor, que as artes criáo.
"But the pencil was wanting, colors were wanting, honour, reward, favour, the nourishers of the arts." This seemed to the translator as in impropriety, and contrary to the purpose of the whole speech of Paulus, which was to give the catual a high idea of Portugal. In the fate of the imaginary painter, the Lusian poet gives us the picture of his own, resentment wrung this impropriety from him. The spirit of the complaint, however, is preserved in the translation. The couplet—
"Immortal fame his deathless labours gave; Poor man, he sunk neglected to the grave!"
is not in the original. It is the sigh of indignation over the unworthy fate of the unhappy Camoëns.