These Homeric stanzas on the deaths of Portuguese knights took away
interest from the central figure, the King.
“Piercèd[129] Giraldo’s vitals through and through 1
And eke the huge thick targe he snatcht away
From Perez whom he killed; his own with hew
And strangest hack of cutlass useless lay.
Dies Pedro, and Duarte dies (in lieu
Of death amid the Brigians): Born were they
Both in Braganza, brave in youthful pride
Together lived they, fought they, fell they, died.
2
“Morrem Lopo e Vicente de Lisboa,
Que estavam conjurados a acabarem,
Ou a ganharem ambos a coroa
De quantos n’esta guerra se afamarem
Por cima do cavallo Afonso voa;
Que cinco Castelhanos (por vingarem
A morte de outros cinco, que matára)
O vão privar assi da vida cara.
“Lopo and Vincent de Lisbóa bleed; 2
Sworn in the common cause to meet their fate;
Or both the crown to gain and Victory’s meed
To snatch from all whom most enfamed this bate.
Afonso flieth from his battle-steed;
For five Castilians (who in ambush wait
to ’venge five comrades slain in earli’er strife)
Packing around him pluck his precious life.
3
“De tres lanças passado Hilario cai;
Mas primeiro vingado a sua tinha;
Não lhe peza porque a alma assi lhe sai,
Mas porque a linda Antonia n’elle vinha:
O fugitivo esp’rito se lhe vai,
E n’elle o pensamento que o sostinha;
E saíndo da dama, a quem servia,
O nome lhe cortou na bocca fria.”
“Down falls Hilario drilled by spear-heads three; 3
But first he took the vengeance of his spear;
He mourneth not because his Sprite goes free,
But for-that comes in it Antonia fair:
Flitteth the fug’itive Spirit fast, and flee
With it the thoughts sustaining all to dare;
And as life fled the service of his dame,
Fell from his clay-cold lips her broken name.”