Os Lusíadas

By Souza Botelho, Luís de Camões

Subjects: Portuguese Epic poetry, Colonies, Classical period, Translations into English, English, Portuguese language reference, Camoens, Poetry (poetic works by one author), Explorers, Gama, vasco da, 1469-1524, Portuguese language, study and teaching, English poetry, Concordances, Spanish literature, Criticism and interpretation, Manuscripts, Portuguese, Portuguese Explorers, Discovery and exploration, Lusiads, Continental european fiction (fictional works by one author), Epic poetry, Poetry, history and criticism, Romances, Early works to 1800, Portuguese language, Asia, Description and travel, Facsimiles, Textbooks for foreign speakers, Portuguese poetry, Poetry, Language arts, Voyages and travels, poetry, Translations from Portugese, History, Portuguese fiction, Portuguese literature, Travel, Spanish poetry

Description: *Os Lusíadas*, usually translated as *The Lusiads*, is a Portuguese epic poem written by Luís de Camões and first published in 1572. It is widely regarded as the most important work of Portuguese-language literature and is frequently compared to Virgil's *Aeneid*. The work celebrates the discovery of a sea route to India by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (1469–1524). The ten cantos of the poem are in ottava rima and total 1,102 stanzas. ---------- Os Lusíadas é uma obra poética do escritor Luís Vaz de Camões, considerada a epopeia portuguesa por excelência. Provavelmente concluída em 1556, foi publicada pela primeira vez em 1572 no período literário do classicismo, três anos após o regresso do autor do Oriente. A obra é composta de dez cantos, 1102 estrofes que são oitavas decassílabas, sujeitas ao esquema rímico fixo AB AB AB CC – oitava rima camoniana. A acção central é a descoberta do caminho marítimo para a Índia por Vasco da Gama, à volta da qual se vão descrevendo outros episódios da história de Portugal, glorificando o povo português.