The dragon's lair

✦

A personal collection of verse

Dom Fernando de Meneses

Luís de Camões

Illustrious and worthy scion, flower
of the Meneses line, the generous heavens ordain
you special gifts and talents for your campaign
to crush the Islamic mass and Muslim power.
Go forth wherever Fate might lead, and seize
the day, sco≈ng at Fortune’s foolish games,
then light up the Eritrean Sea in flames,
and become a brilliant light to the Portuguese.
With fearlessness and courage, follow the Fates,
smash the pirates, frighten Ceylon, bring dread
to awed Gedrosia, and as you work
your destiny, recolor the Arabian Straits:
make the so-called Red Sea truly red,
brightly dyed with the blood of the hated Turk.

translated by: William Baer

Dom Fernando de Meneses

Luís de Camões

Illustrious and worthy scion, flower
of the Meneses line, the generous heavens ordain
you special gifts and talents for your campaign
to crush the Islamic mass and Muslim power.
Go forth wherever Fate might lead, and seize
the day, sco≈ng at Fortune’s foolish games,
then light up the Eritrean Sea in flames,
and become a brilliant light to the Portuguese.
With fearlessness and courage, follow the Fates,
smash the pirates, frighten Ceylon, bring dread
to awed Gedrosia, and as you work
your destiny, recolor the Arabian Straits:
make the so-called Red Sea truly red,
brightly dyed with the blood of the hated Turk.

translated by: William Baer