Part 18 (1/2)
_Pol._ Who brought me to this destiny?
295 _D._ That excommunicated fool, Thou camest here at his suggestion.
Ask him what he wants of thee, Just to see.
_Pol._ Why then have you brought me here?
300 _P._ What, no sooner you appear Than you would begin to question!
Tell these lordlings instantly, Since you suffered from love's wound, What in this life here you found 305 The greatest of all woes to be, Tell them if the pains of h.e.l.l Be as deep as those of love, Or if torments there excel Those that here from love's thoughts well, 310 Griefs that every lover prove.
_Pol._ Awful in intensity Are h.e.l.l's tortures unto me, Grievously I suffer, yet Ne'er could I love's wound forget.
315 _P._ What the arts and qualities That should a true lover grace?
_Pol._ Constancy has the first place And resolution; and, with these, n.o.ble must he be, discreet, 320 Silent, patient of disdain With heart e'er open to love's strain In pa.s.sion's service to compete, But not to change and change again.
And he must be liberal, 325 Generous exceedingly, Since there is no quality That for lovers is so meet.
For to a lover avarice Is as uncongenial 330 As would be a fire in ice Or if a picture were to be Itself and its original For his food he must but take A mouthful barely, and with sighs, 335 And when he asleeping lies He must still be half awake.
Very gentle-mannered he, Humane and courteous, must be And serve his lady without hope, 340 For he who loveth grudgingly Proves himself of little scope.
_P._ What his qualities among Should most bring him love for love?
_Pol._ That he should be brave and strong, 345 That will his best vantage prove.
For a man advanced in years, Ill-favoured though be and weak, If name famed in war he bears Even in the fairest lady's ears 350 Should for him his actions speak.
On, on ye lords, to war, to war!
And ladies not as heretofore Embroider wimples for your wear But banners for the knights to bear.
355 For thus amid the wars of Troy I and my sisters did employ Our time and all our artifice: Standards, with many a fair device Embroidered, did we weave for them; 360 And on them lavished many a gem And gaily with glad songs of joy Our necklaces we freely gave, Tiara and diadem.
Then leave your points and hem-st.i.tch leave, 365 Your millinery and your lace, And utterly from off earth's face These renegade dogs destroy.
O to see Penthesilea again With forty thousand warriors, 370 Armed maidens gleaming like the stars On the Palomean plain.
_P._ Come bring her here this very hour.
_Z._ Cannot you leave us one instant alone?
_P._ What are you doing? Come on, come on.
375 _D._ To the devil would I see you gone And whoso gives you this power.
_Penthesilea enters and says:_
_Pen._ What would you of this hapless queen Penthesilea woe-begone, Who in tears and sorrow thus appear 380 Ill-favoured in this court's fair sheen?
Why should you wish to see me here Before your high imperial throne, Great king of marvels, who alone With your small armies scatter still 385 Your victories abroad at will?
Were I now, Sir, at liberty, From h.e.l.l's grim dominion free And mistress of my destiny I would serve you willingly.
390 All my days would I spend then With your armies to my gain, My golden arrow then with zest Would serve you in a service blest And not in useless wars and vain.
395 O renowned Portugal, Learn to know thy n.o.ble worth Since thy power imperial Reaches to the ends of Earth.
Forward, forward, lord and knight 400 Since Heaven's favours on you crowd, Forward, forward in your might That doth the King of Fez affright, And Morocco cries aloud.
O cease ye eagerly to build 405 So many a richly furnished chamber, And to paint them and to gild.
Money so spent will nothing yield.
With halberds only now remember And with rifles to excel.
410 Not for Genoese fas.h.i.+ons strive But as Portuguese to live And in houses plain to dwell.
As fierce warriors win renown, Not for wealth most perilous, 415 Give your country a golden crown Of deeds, not words that mock at us.