And that, from earth transplanted, he should join
In realms above the sweet celestial choir.
Still in defence of Lusitania,
Destin'd to rise in splendor, and extend
Her boundaries, there yet remain'd a race
Illustrious, descended from himself.
"While Edward fill'd the Lusitanian Throne,
Short and less prosp'rous was his reign. Thus good And evil, universal joy or grief,
Alternate vary the capricious course
Of time. Who e'er has seen a nation bless'd
With uncheck'd happiness, or witnessed
Fortune without inconstancy? Yet still,
Nor from the King, nor from the State, were all
Her smiles withdrawn. His brother he beheld 19
Enslav'd, the pious, gen'rous Ferdinand,-
Who, to secure his gallant comrades' lives,
Himself surrender'd to the Saracen,
And, influenc'd by zeal and patriot-love,
Wore ignominious chains, a woman's slave,—
Rather than Ceuta's Fort for him should yield;
Thus offering himself a sacrifice
To public weal. Codrus, to rob the foe
Of victory, courted a glorious death;
And Regulus, to save the Roman state,
Nobly surrender'd liberty and life.
But Ferdinand his country to protect
From fear alone, to endless slavery
Himself consign'd,-a deed surpassing all
That Codrus, Curtius, or the Decii,
Achiev'd.-The Kingdom's sole remaining heir,
Alphonso,* fam'd in our Hesperia
For feats of arms, humbled beneath the dust
The scornful pride of bord'ring Saracens ;
And, had he not against Iberia warr'd,
Had, as a mighty conqueror, been hail'd
Invincible.
Still Africa confess'd
That nought this Monarch's prowess could withstand. This Hero e'en the golden fruit had pluck'd,
Which erst alone the brave Tirynthian† dar'd.
On the gall'd neck of the ferocious Moor,
Immoveable, the yoke he fix'd, remain'd.
Crown'd with bright laurels and victorious palms,
Fresh triumphs o'er the foe in Alcacer,
And populous Tangier, he obtain'd,
And at Arzilla's arduous emprize. 20
Ent'ring this city with resistless force,
Her adamantine walls the Lusians raz'd;
For they with pow'r invincible are wont
Each warlike obstacle to overcome.
Here wondrous and heroic feats of arms,
Worthy of all the Muse's eloquence,
By chevaliers were achiev'd, who rais'd,
Still more, by these exploits, their country's fame.
"Fir'd by ambition's soul-enkindling flame,
And by the glorious pre-eminence,
Splendid, yet painful, of command, the Throne
Of Aragon and powerful Castile
The King invades. A hostile multitude
Iberia's proud and various states collect
From Cadiz to the lofty Pyrenees :
For all to Ferdinand obedience ow'd.
John, the young Lusian Prince, inglorious ease
Disdains, and promptly preparations makes
His Royal Father's bold ambitious schemes
To aid. Nor were these efforts made in vain.
From danger imminent the King escap'd; 21
And with an aspect calm and undisturb'd
The warlike Monarch yielded to his fate,
But undecided left the envied palm
Of victory; for his heroic Son,—
A gallant, bold, and noble Chevalier,-
Destruction spread among the hostile ranks,
And through the dreadful day victorious kept
Possession of the field. Augustus thus
Had fail'd, had not his comrade, Antony,
Prevail'd, what time at Philippi they join'd
On Cæsar's murd'rers to avenge his death.
"But when Alphonso's eyes were clos'd in night, And death remov'd him to the realms of bliss,
His Son, the second John, mounted the Throne,—
The thirteenth in the line of Lusian Kings.
To gain an everlasting name, he aim'd
At more than human power had e'er before
Essay'd: To seek the blushing boundaries
Of fair Aurora,-which is now my task!
Exploring Messengers the King despatch'd 22
Through Spain, and France, and Italy renown'd.
The famous Port they reach, and there embark,
Where lie entomb'd Parthenope's remains: 23
Naples, to various destiny by fate
Expos'd, and oft successively subdued
By diff'rent states, and yet reserv'd at last 24
From Spanish rule a lustre to receive.
"O'er the Sicilian sea the vessel glides,
And to the sandy shores of classic Rhodes
Proceeds; thence to the Alexandrine coast
Where Pompey fell, to treach'ry sacrific'd.
To Memphis they advance, and to the lands.
Enrich'd by copious Nile's prolific floods.
Then Ethiopian regions they explore 25
Where Christian rites are piously observ'd.
Over the Erythræan waves they pass,
Where cross'd on land the Israelites of old,
Leaving behind the Nabathæan hills,
Thus nam'd from Ishmael's primo-genial heir.
The odoriferous Sabean coast,—
Adorn'd by Her* from whom Adonis sprung,-
They sail around, with all Arabia
Surnam❜d the blest;-the desert they avoid.
The Persian Gulf they pass, where still is shown The ancient site of Babel's impious Tow'r.
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