Die Lusiaden

More than a century ago, the last complete translation of "The Lusiads," the most famous and significant work of Portuguese literature, was published in German. Since the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India, which is celebrated by Luís de Camões, a modern complete translation of this great epic is now available to German-speaking audiences. Camões, who wrote "The Lusiads" in the mid-16th century, not only recounts Gama's voyages of discovery and conquest but also tells the entire history of Portugal as the story of a heroic people: moving scenes such as the brutal murder of Inês de Castro, the secret lover of Infante Peter, are juxtaposed with amusing depictions like the landing of sailors on a paradise love island in the midst of the Indian Ocean. The artful intertwining of historical truth, mythology, and poetry elevates "The Lusiads" to the rank of the great epics of world literature—such as the "Iliad," the "Odyssey," and the "Aeneid," which served as models for Camões. By praising the actions of an entire people, it is hardly surprising that those celebrated in this epic regard it as the foundation of their national identity: To this day, "The Lusiads" remains a fundamental educational experience that has also engaged contemporary Portuguese authors like José Saramago and António Lobo Antunes.