Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79. | | | | Spain: Toro | | To Luis de Ulloa | | Luis de Góngora (1561–1627) |
| | Translated by Edward Churton
HIGH on the front of Spain’s embattled brow, | |
| With generous splendor, not vain glory, crowned, | |
| Fairest of seats which Douro’s waters bound, | |
| Stands Toro; and fair Toro’s boast art thou: | |
| Why roam thy steps in other regions now, | 5 |
| Love’s pilgrim? Vain is flight from arrow’s wound, | |
| Barbed with hard steel from mountain caves profound, | |
| And tempered in the fountain’s icy flow. | |
| As vainly stricken deer his hurt might hide, | |
| Pierced by the envenomed shaft. A braver part | 10 |
| Be thine: at Beauty’s feet lay down thy pride. | |
| Flight from fair nymph may suit the fearful hart: | |
| The gentle spirit hastes, where Love will guide, | |
| To kiss the hand that points the unerring dart. | | | | |
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