Os Lusíadas

By Souza Botelho, Luís de Camões

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

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.