During its "golden age" Portugal amazed the world with its great voyages of discovery. It was therefore appropriate that an epic poet of the time should record the achievements of his contemporaries for posterity. That poet was Luís Vaz de Camões (c. 1524-1580), the creator of the timeless epic Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads). In this heroic poem Camões, through his brilliant depiction of Adamastor, created an enduring myth.
There are different theories about Camões's motivation in creating the Adamastor myth. Vasco da Gama's battle against the howling south-easter off the Cape in November 1497 undoubtedly inspired the poet more than half a century later. The similarity between Camões's fatal love for a lady-in-waiting at the royal court in Lisbon and his consequent exile to the East and that of Adamastor's love for Thetis and his exile to the southern tip of Africa seems to be more than mere coincidence. When the Sao Bento, in which Camões sailed to the East in 1553, rounded the Cape, the sea was particularly stormy and the south-easter caused heavy clouds to hang over Table Mountain. This frightening personal experience had a profound effect on Camões, and thus the giant Adamastor probably took shape in his agitated mind. Camões was eminently suited to being the writer of the epic of Portugal because he not only knew the history of his country but was also well versed in Greek and Roman mythology, which must have inspired the creation of Adamastor.
In Os Lusíadas Camões depicts both the glory and the decline of the Portuguese empire. The essence of the narrative is Vasco da Gama's voyage to India, but the poet has ingeniously woven the earlier history of Portugal into the course of the narrative by making Da Gama relate the history of his people to the friendly king of Malindi on the eastern coast of Africa.
In sy epiese gedig Os Lusíadas het Camões (ca. 1524-1580) tegelykertyd die glorie en ondergang van die Portugese ryk verwoord. Hy was 'n nasionale digter en sy meesterwerk is van die begin tot die einde aan die verhaal van sy heroïese volk gewy. Die kern van die verhaal is Vasco da Gama se reis na Indië (1497-1498) en is gegrond op die skeepsjoernaal wat Álvaro Velho aan boord van die São Rafael in Da Gama se vloot gehou het. Maar die digter het die voorafgaande geskiedenis van Portugal in sy epos ingewerk deur Da Gama die geskiedenis aan die heerser van Malindi te laat vertel. Die gebeure ná sy reis word gedeeltelik deur Da Gama self verwoord, maar ook deur die sinistere voorspellings van Adamastor, die gees van die Stormkaap. Camões vertel in sy Os Lusíadas die verhaal van Adamastor in kanto V, stansas 37 tot 61. Adamastor verskyn aan die Portugese in 'n vreesaanjaende vorm, vervloek hulle omdat hulle sy oseaan bevaar en voorspel dood en noodlot vir toekomstige togte. Hy vertel ook aan hulle sy verhaal en hoekom hy deur die gode na die suidpunt van Afrika verban is. Os Lusíadas is in vele tale vertaal. Slegs kort gedeeltes is in Afrikaans oorgesit en 'n poging is nog nie aangewend om die Adamastor-gedeelte in versvorm te vertolk nie. Dié gedeelte word in hierdie artikel in verband geplaas en in vertaalde vorm aangebied.
