Hi Helga,
Your mom was right. But it is not only 'large'. It also means ugly, bad and horrible,
with a vengeance, a monster...
Adamastor was described in "Os Lusiadas" (Camoes, 1512) as a giant monster who was
himself transformed in the cape of Good Hope, previously also known as Cabo das
Tormentas (in English: Cape of Storms) (South Africa). He was determined not to let
anyone round it.
The legend says the monster (Adamastor) would fight vigorously against anyone who
would dare to round the cape. The fights would be in form of storms. Bartolomeu Dias
was the first European (Portuguese) who successfully managed to do it in 1488.
In his famous epic, Camoes includes a dialog between Vasco da Gama and the giant
monster where Adamastor reveals himself as one of the giants of mount Olympus (from
the ancient Greek Mythology) who was a captain of the sea in the fight against the
great Jupiter.
49 - Adamastor tells Vasco da Gama about his life
"Mais ia por diante o monstro horrendo
Dizendo nossos fados, quando al�ado
Lhe disse eu: - Quem �s tu? que esse estupendo
Corpo certo me tem maravilhado.-
A boca e os olhos negros retorcendo,
E dando um espantoso e grande brado,
Me respondeu, com voz pesada e amara,
Como quem da pergunta lhe pesara:
50
- "Eu sou aquele oculto e grande Cabo,
A quem chamais v�s outros Torment�rio,
Que nunca a Ptolomeu, Pomp�nio, Estrabo,
Pl�nio, e quantos passaram, fui not�rio.
Aqui toda a Africana costa acabo
Neste meu nunca visto Promont�rio,
Que para o P�lo Antarctico se estende,
A quem vossa ousadia tanto ofende.
51 -
- "Fui dos filhos asp�rrimos da Terra,
Qual Enc�lado, Egeu e o Centimano;
Chamei-me Adamastor, e fui na guerra
Contra o que vibra os raios de Vulcano;
N�o que pusesse serra sobre serra,
Mas conquistando as ondas do Oceano,
Fui capit�o do mar, por onde andava
A armada de Netuno, que eu buscava.
Source: Os Lusiadas (Camoes, 1512, Canto V).
In general terms, Adamastor refers today to the difficulty in sailing through serious
storms.
Best wishes,
Paulo Colaco Dias.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Helga do Rosario Gomes
Sent: 04 May 2004 01:02
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Goanet]Portugal ruled Indian state for 4-1/2 centuries (Washington Times)
What exactly is an Adamastor? A meteorological feature? My mom always used
it to refer to 'large' people so I use it too although I never gave it a
thought until now!
--Helga
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