Sonnets and Other Poems

"Camões's strength as a sonneteer lies not only in his limpid vocabulary and exquisite sense of cadence, but also in his exploration of the most obscure reaches of human consciousness, especially in the delineation of states of bafflement and anxiety. His technical command is supreme, and his range of stylistic experimentation–whether allegorical, pastoral, or erotic–continually exciting."—Helen Vendler

"The great Portuguese poet and nomadic adventurer, Luís de Camões, is best known in the English-speaking world for The Lusiads, his epic tale of empire-building. Yet his body of lyric poetry is no less skilled and astonishing. Richard Zenith, the brilliantly accomplished translator and scholar, now offers us an utterly vivid and immediate rendering of these lyrics, revealing anew their sustained vitality, psychological and emotional depth, and sheer inventiveness. For all who value the eternal lyric tradition, this collection should prove essential reading."—Michael Palmer