Égloga I

by Garcilaso de la Vega

El dulce lamentar de dos pastores, Salicio juntamente y Nemoroso, he de contar, sus quejas imitando; cuyas ovejas al cantar sabroso estaban muy atentas, los amores, (de pacer olvidadas) escuchando.

Genres: Poetry

10 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1543

About the author

Garcilaso de la Vega (Toledo, c. 1501– Le Muy, Nice, France, October 14, 1536), was a Spanish soldier and poet. The prototypical "Renaissance man," he was the most influential (though not the first or the only) poet to introduce Italian Renaissance verse forms, poetic techniques and themes to Spain. His exact birth date is unknown, but estimations by scholars put his year of birth between 1498 and 1503.

Garcilaso was born in the Spanish city of Toledo. His father, Pedro Suárez de Figueroa, was a noble in the royal court of the Catholic Kings. His mother's name was Sancha de Guzmán. He had six brothers and sisters: Leanor, Pedro, Fernando, Francisco, Gonzalo, and Juana. Garcilaso was the second-oldest son which meant he did not receive the mayorazgo (entitlement) to his father's estate. However, he spent his younger years receiving an extensive education, mastered five languages (Spanish, Greek, Latin, Italian and French), and learned how to play the zither, lute and the harp. After his schooling, he joined the military in hopes of joining the royal guard. He was named "contino" (imperial guard) of King Carlos I (also Carlos V of the Holy Roman Empire) in 1520, and he was made a member of the Order of Santiago in 1523.

There were a few women in the life of this poet. His first lover was Guiomar Carrillo with whom he had an illegitimate child. He had another suspected lover named Isabel Freire, who was a lady-in-waiting of Isabel of Portugal. In 1525, Garcilaso married Elena de Zúñiga who served as a lady-in-waiting for the King's favorite sister, Leonor. Their marriage took place in Garcilaso's hometown of Toledo in one of the family's estates. He had six children: Lorenzo, an illegitimate child with Guiomar Carrillo, Garcilaso, Íñigo de Zúñiga, Pedro de Guzmán, Sancha, and Francisco.

Garcilaso's military career meant that he took part in the numerous battles and campaigns conducted by Carlos V across Europe. His duties took him to Italy, Germany, Tunisia and France. In 1532 for a short period he was exiled to a Danube island where he was the guest of the Baron György Cseszneky, royal court judge of Győr. Later in France, he would fight his last battle. The King desired to take control of Marseille and eventually control of the Mediterranean Sea, but this goal was never realized. Garcilaso de la Vega died on October 14, 1536 in Nice, France after suffering 25 days from an injury sustained in a battle at Le Muy. His body was first buried in the Church of Santo Domingo in Nice, but two years later his wife had his body moved to the Church of San Pedro Martir in Toledo.

Reviews

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Oh tela delicada,
antes de tiempo dada
a los agudos filos de la muerte!
Más convenible fuera aquesta suerte
a los cansados años de mi vida,
que's más que'l hierro fuerte,
pues no la ha quebrantado tu partida.

(yo también casi lloro)

[Lucía Rojas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barras

[Les.mixchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo leí por un examen y salí llorando a mares por un hombre migajero y un viudo que amaba demasiado a su esposa

[ConyPaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó. Es un relato corto y ligero que me pidieron como lectura obligatoria para la clase de literatura española, por lo cual no le tenía mucha fe, pero me sorprendí.
Yo no soy fanática del verso ni del español antiguo, pero está vez me ha gustado la lectura.

[Martina Hernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

ME ENCANTÓOOOO 😭❤️‍🩹… nada que decir

[loslibrosdeluli]

──★ nota 14/06/2026: "El lector cierra el libro conmovido, preso en la suave dulzura" (Arce Margot [1953], La Égloga Primera de Garcilaso, p. 67), no. No sé si es porque yo soy muy cabeza de termo para la poesía, pero los lamentos de Nemoroso y Salicio se me hicieron eternos y aburridos.
──★ nota 2, 14/06/2026: Se juntaron el hambre y las ganas de comer. Uno migajero que quiere morir para curar sus dolores, el otro viudo que quiere morir para reencontrarse con su amada. Me quedo con el viudo. Otra lectura de literatura española que no me fascina, pero que el análisis ayuda a tenerle respeto.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poesía en que narra las quejas de dos pastores: Salicio y Nemoroso.
El primero habla de su amada Galatea quien lo rechaza, y el último de Elisa a quién tanto quería y que ya no la tiene viva.
En ambas se presentan la tristeza, el amor y la muerte.
A su vez posee versos rimados y metáforas que están en juego del poema.

[alin ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

casi lloro haciendo un tp

[María Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Los análisis que hicieron son excelentes. La concepción del tiempo como idílica y eterna por el pasado para escapar del presente o, en contraposición, la idea de fugacidad por la pérdida del amada.

[alba.skk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5⭐️ Y AHORA NOS CONFORMAMOS CON QUE EL QUE NOS GUSTA NOS DE LIKE A LA HISTORIA, OSEA ESTO ES PRECIOSO

[Mateo R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Lugares: Toledo, Castilla y León, España.