Four Plays of Gil Vicente Part 18

_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.

Forward, Lisbon! All descry Thy good fortune far and nigh, And the fame thou dost inherit, 420 Since fortune raises thee on high, Win it st.u.r.dily by merit.

Achilles when he went away From near this city went, Call him: you'll hear truth evident 425 If you doubt what I have said.

_P._ Let him come up, come up, I say.

_Z._ This priest has gone quite off his head.

I don't know what I am about That I don't give the Jew a clout: 430 Would you empty h.e.l.l of its dead?

_Achilles comes and says:_

_A._ When Jupiter in all his might Was seated on his throne And in his strength ordered aright By his right hand alone 435 The courses of the day and night; And warrior Mars to Earth had lent His bolts of victory And parted with his armament; When Saturn still slept peacefully 440 With all his firmament; When the Sun shone with clearer light And an intenser ray And the Moon's beams illumed the night, More brightly than noonday, 445 And Venus sang her loveliest lay; When wisdom, that he now doth keep, Was given by Mercury, And mirth flashed o'er the heaven's steep And the winds were gently hushed asleep 450 And a calm lay on the sea; When joy and fame together checked The hands of destiny And glory's flags the poles bedecked And the heavens, by no clouds beflecked, 455 Gleamed in their radiancy; When every heart with unfeigned cheer Was merry upon Earth, In that day and month and year, When all these portents did appear, 460 Your Highnesses had birth.

Now I, Achilles, in my youth Lived here for many days And happy am I in good sooth To see the kingdom's splendid growth 465 Honoured in countless ways.

Its n.o.ble sons these honours reap, But let no careless strain Prevent you what you win to keep; Ye prelates, 'tis no time for sleep!

470 Ye priests, do not complain!

When mighty Rome was in full sail Conquering all the Earth The girls and matrons without fail, That so the soldiers should prevail, 475 Gave all their jewels' worth.

Then O ye shepherds of the Church Down, down with Mahomet's creed!

Leave not the fighters in the lurch!

For if to scourge yourselves you speed 480 Then Rome may spare the birch.

You should sell your chalices, Yes and p.a.w.n your breviaries, Turn your gourds into flasks, and e'er Of bread and parsnips make your fare, 485 To vanquish thus your enemies.

_Z._ Aha, aha. A splendid rule!

What do you think of that, Sir Fool?

_P._ What is't to me? what should I care?

For he who has no revenues 490 Can by the t.i.thes but little lose.

_A._ If hither came but Hannibal, Hector and Scipio You shall see what they will show Of the things of Portugal, 495 What reason and truth would have you know.

_P._ Come Danor, and Zebron, hither Bring all three of them together.

_D._ Rascal cleric, villain, cur, Thief, dog, that I for you should stir!

500 _Z._ May a curse your power wither!

_Hannibal, Hector and Scipio come, and Hannibal says:_

_Han._ Easily you might forego Poor Hannibal's presence here, For your Court's fame far and near The furthest of Earth's regions know.

505 _Hect._ Nor need Hector here appear.

_S._ Nor is there room for Scipio.

_Han._ Sirs, you should trust in G.o.d, that he All Africa presently Will reduce beneath your sway.

510 Africa was Christian land, Moors have ta'en your own away.

To the work, Captains, set your hand, For so with clearer ray shall burn Your renown when you return.

515 And, O ladies of Portugal, Spend, spend jewel and precious stone, d.u.c.h.esses, ladies, maidens, all Since such enterprises shall Properly be yours alone.

520 A religious war it is For the honour of your land, Against those vile enemies, Undertaken reasonably And with good discretion planned.

525 Of beads be every rosary, Each pearl replaced by bilberry, Brooches of the heads of leek; Such ornaments, my ladies, seek And those you have give every one.

530 For little honour now is there In dresses and adornments fair, Honour give n.o.ble deeds alone, Not costly robes inwrought with gold And pranked with tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs manifold: 535 Give these now to help helmets make.