Poem
Antero de Quental
DIVINE COMEDY
Lifting their arms to the heavens on highAnd addressing the invisible gods,
The men cry out, “Immovable gods,
Who gains from invincible fate? Why
Did you create us?! Time unfurls
Relentlessly, and all it breeds
Is pain, illusion, strife, foul deeds,
In a cruel and delirious whirl. . .
Wouldn’t it have been better for us
To remain in the peace of pre-matter,
In the eternal sleep of nothingness?
Why were we made, if pain is our greatest
End?” But the gods, with a voice yet sadder,
Say, “Why, O men, did you create us?”
© Translation: 1998, Richard Zenith
Divina Comédia
Divina Comédia
Erguendo os braços para o céu distanteE apostrofando os deuses invisíveis,
Os homens clamam: – “Deuses impassíveis,
A quem serve o destino triunfante,
Por que é que nos criastes?! Incessante
Corre o tempo e só gera, inextinguíveis,
Dor, pecado, ilusão, lutas horríveis,
Num turbilhão cruel e delirante. . .
Pois não era melhor na paz clemente
Do nada e do que ainda não existe,
Ter ficado a dormir eternamente?
Por que é que para a dor nos evocastes?”
Mas os deuses, com voz inda mais triste,
Dizem: – “Homens! por que é que nos criastes?”
© 1886, Antero de Quental
From: Sonetos
Publisher: IN-CM, Lisbon
From: Sonetos
Publisher: IN-CM, Lisbon
Poems
Poems of Antero de Quental
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DIVINE COMEDY
Lifting their arms to the heavens on highAnd addressing the invisible gods,
The men cry out, “Immovable gods,
Who gains from invincible fate? Why
Did you create us?! Time unfurls
Relentlessly, and all it breeds
Is pain, illusion, strife, foul deeds,
In a cruel and delirious whirl. . .
Wouldn’t it have been better for us
To remain in the peace of pre-matter,
In the eternal sleep of nothingness?
Why were we made, if pain is our greatest
End?” But the gods, with a voice yet sadder,
Say, “Why, O men, did you create us?”
© 1998, Richard Zenith
From: Sonetos
From: Sonetos
DIVINE COMEDY
Lifting their arms to the heavens on highAnd addressing the invisible gods,
The men cry out, “Immovable gods,
Who gains from invincible fate? Why
Did you create us?! Time unfurls
Relentlessly, and all it breeds
Is pain, illusion, strife, foul deeds,
In a cruel and delirious whirl. . .
Wouldn’t it have been better for us
To remain in the peace of pre-matter,
In the eternal sleep of nothingness?
Why were we made, if pain is our greatest
End?” But the gods, with a voice yet sadder,
Say, “Why, O men, did you create us?”
© 1998, Richard Zenith
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