Sonnets - Bilingue

by Luís de Camões

Luís de Camões, célèbre pour l’épopée la plus accomplie de la Renaissance, Les Lusiades, est aussi l’auteur d’une œuvre lyrique exceptionnelle. Ses sonnets – dont le thème essentiel est l’amour, tantôt léger et conventionnel, tantôt douloureux et nostalgique, tantôt blessé, source d’amertume et de révolte – comptent parmi les plus beaux de la langue portugaise. 40 sonnets, édition bilingue, 3ème édition révisée et argumentée.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Portuguese Literature, Literature

112 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 1, 2011

About the author

Luís Vaz de Camões (Portuguese pronunciation: [luˈiʃ vaʃ dɨ kaˈmõȷ̃ʃ]; sometimes rendered in English as Camoens; c. 1524 – June 10, 1580) is considered Portugal's, and the Portuguese language's, greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare, Vondel, Homer, Virgil, and Dante. He wrote a considerable amount of lyrical poetry (in Portuguese and in Spanish) and drama but is best remembered for his epic work Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads). His recollection of poetry The Parnasum of Luís de Camões was lost in his lifetime.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu%C3%AD...

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luís de Camões is to the Portuguese what Shakespeare is to the English. In fact the two were 16th century contemporaries, although they probably didn’t know about one another. Both deeply shaped the respective languages that they used. Camões was a particular master of the sonnet and this book contains those that can definitely be attributed to him. It is amazing how vivid these superb compositions remain, and how their author is almost tangibly present in them, considering they were written ca. 500 years ago! Since poetry can be especially difficult to comprehend in a foreign language, even one that is otherwise familiar, this bilingual edition is especially useful: one gets the beautiful feel and sound of the original, without having to compromise one’s understanding.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first foray into reading Portuguese was “Os Lusíadas” by Luis de Camões. I remember the look on the clerk who sold me the book. It was something of a mix of “do you know what you are getting into?” or perhaps, “Why this book? there are so many others?” Well despite her look, I thoroughly enjoyed that book. Sadly, it took me many years to follow up and read his Sonnets.

Sonnets? Perhaps you are agreeing with that clerk. When learning a new language, why not take a look into its history. The English have Shakespeare, the Spaniards have Cervantes and the Portuguese have Camões. All three lived around the same time and they wrote with beautiful words, told amazing tales and their works transcend time.

Sadly, Camões is not as well known in the English world. Well I hope that changes. The man wrote so elegantly that he deserves a wider audience. His words still resonate to this day:

005

Amor é um fogo que arde sem se ver
é ferida que dói, e não sente;
é um contentamento descontente,
é dor que desatina sem doer.

Love is a fire that burns unseen
It is a wound that aches but not felt
It is contently discontent
It is grief that defuses without pain.

(my apologies for my loose translation)

Just a snippet but the rest of the sonnet is worthy of Will Shakespeare.

The sonnets cover love, in praise of famous people, nature, and mythical tales. All of these themes are found in Os Lusíadas but in short verse, they are simple and profound. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as the snow fell on my city. I am not sure Camões would have liked the snow but he could have written a verse or two even on the white matter. Or not.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quando da bela vista e doce risto romando estao mesu olhos mantimento, tao enlevado sinto o pensamento que me faz ver na terra o Paraiso. <3

Que de tanta estanhezza sois ao munbdo, que nao e de estranhar, Dama exelente, que quem vos frez fizesse ceu e estrelas.

[Aurélie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trop bien
Poemes sur une vie malheureuse en amour, sur le mal etre
Fais penser a Lamartine

[Patrice-loup Rifaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Édition bilingue portugais-français. Ces sonnets sur la souffrance amoureuse ne manquent pas d'élégance . La Renaissance conjugue ainsi la violence de la conquête des Amériques, des guerres de religions, de l'Inquisition et la subtilité des émotions, des sentiments. Camoes, Ronsard, même langage ?

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as Landeg White's translations, but a worthy effort nevertheless.