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Home  »  The Sonnets of Europe  »  Luís de Camões (c. 1524–1580)

Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888.

On the Death of King Sebastian

Luís de Camões (c. 1524–1580)

Translated by J. J. Aubertin

HIS generous visage gashed with heathen blade,

His Royal brow with dust and blood all wan,

Came to the mournful boat of Acheron

The great Sebastian, past into a shade.

The cruel boatman, seeing that undismayed

The King perforce would cross, pronounced his ban,

Vowing that never o’er that stream was man

Ferried, whose funeral rites were still unpaid.

The valorous King, whose anger knew no bounds,

Replied, Oh! false old man, and dost not know

Others by force of gold have passed before?

What! of a king all bathed in blood of Moor

Darest thou to claim that he a tomb shall show?

Claim it of him who comes with fewer wounds.