<poem> Withheld their hands, nor gave the seeds of fire To rouse the thunders of the dreadful tire. For GAMA's soul disdain'd the pride of show Which acts the lion o'er the trembling roe.
- His joy and wonder oft the Moor exprest,
But rankling hate lay brooding in his breast; With smiles obedient to his will's control, He veils the purpose of his treacherous soul: For pilots, conscious of the Indian strand, Brave VASCO sues, and bids the Moor command What bounteous gifts shall recompense their toils;— The Moor prevents him with assenting smiles, Resolved that deeds of death, not words of air, Shall first the hatred of his soul declare: Such sudden rage his rankling mind possest,
When[1] GAMA's lips Messiah's name confest.
- ↑ When Gama's lips Messiah's name confest.—This, and of consequence, the reason of the Moor's hate, together with the fine description of the armoury, is entirely omitted by Castera. The original is, the Moor conceived hatred, "knowing they were followers of the truth which the son of David taught." Thus rendered by Fanshaw,
Knowing they follow that unerring light,
The son of David holds out in his book.By this Solomon must be understood, not the Messiah, as meant by Camoëns.
"Zacocia (governor of Mozambic) made no doubt but our people were of some Mohammedan country.—The mutual exchange of good offices between our people and these islanders promised a long continuance of friendship, but it proved otherwise. No sooner did Zacocia understand the strangers were Christians, than all his kindness was turned into the most bitter hatred; he began to meditate their ruin, and sought by every means to destroy the fleet." Osorius Silvensis Episc. de Rebus Eman. Regis Lusit. gestis.
