The First Circumnavigation Of The World
“... em que há de acabar a dita raia, que se há de traçar de pólo a pólo, como ficou dito, em qualquer parte das ditas cento e vinte léguas para os ditos pólos, que sejam achadas até o dito dia, sejam e fiquem para os ditos senhores rei e rainha de Castela, de Leão, de Aragão, e para os seus sucessores e seus reinos para todo sempre.” “... yendo por la dicha parte del Levante dentro de la dicha raya á la parte del Levante, ó del Norte, ó del Sul della, tanto que no sea atravesando la dicha raya, que esto sea, é finque, é pertenezca al dicho señor rey de Portugal é á sus subcesores, para siempre jamas.”
Submitted by Cyberwaste — Jun 22, 2026
About the earth rich trade awaits The passage there seals fates Papal bulls state in this world Whose sails, whose flags unfurl Portugal and Spain, the brave Iberia rules the waves To east and west these ravens fly As Huginn and Muninn split the sky Half the earth becomes our berth In Tordesillas, Alexander raised his voice and quill like thunder As a powerful commander like Moses once, cleft waves asunder Cut Castile from eastern vendors loosened Lusitania’s rein Halved the world and halved its splendour divide and conquer in God’s name Divide and conquer in God’s name A furrow, no more, this meridian line No more does it define? Hemispheres? – No pope had said it Circulum non dedit In Tordesillas, Alexander raised his voice and quill like thunder As a powerful commander like Moses once, cleft waves asunder Cut Castile from eastern vendors loosened Lusitania’s rein Halved the world and halved its splendour divide and conquer in God’s name The Papal Line of Demarcation floats unsteadily in the ocean Challenged by the neighbouring nations it oscillates in a fluttering motion Claim, reclaim and then surrender islands, coast-lines, heathen thrones Bloodlines and claims of contenders are hewn in water, not in stone Hewn in water, not in stone
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
Nailed, for days, upon the main For weeks, I trow, stood still the vane The searing heat left our crew frail As puppets sagged under futile sails God, why hast thou forsaken us? Have our prayers not reached thy skies? Oh, wilt thou not awaken us from this nightmare of arid cries? Weathered, parched by the sulf’rous sun To breathe is pain when hope is gone My thoughts crawl as slowly as the slime I last had supped from the fetid brine God, why hast thou forsaken us? Have our prayers not reached thy skies? Oh, wilt thou not awaken us from this nightmare of arid cries? A man must eat, a man must drink a man will act, pushed to the brink Despair dictates to dodge decay thus the weaker beast be the stronger’s prey All thoughts of God and justice shrink as souls dissolve and bodies sink In terror may pure angels gaze as frenzied man doth man erase Let your hails come down! – We’ve shed all fear and spit right back Let your tempests rage! – A gentle breeze to a listless man Let your thunders crack! – Faint birdsong all that will die off Let your maelstrom pull us towards our doom! – Those set to perish laugh with spite The dead are dancing on the deck Their worn joints creak, their skulls nigh crack The ghastly rhythms they perform Assail my heart yet wake the storm God, why hast thou forsaken us? Have our prayers not reached thy skies? Oh, wilt thou not awaken us from this nightmare of arid cries? God, we had strayed though calm would bind us We have sinned in thought, word, deed In your mercy kneeling find us saddened, wizened, a contrite breed
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
So young and naïve a hero’s life in mind No reason to grieve leaving my old life behind – don’t shed no tear The wind and the stars will guide me on this quest I fear no scars nor hunger, pain nor death – I don’t lose faith They said: “You won’t make it!” They said: “You will die!” No one thought I’d come back yet here I am I survived I returned now I yearn to leave again and set the sail blaze a trail make my way to sweet and foreign lands You wouldn’t believe the things that I have seen You couldn’t conceive the places I have been – beyond the sea They said: “You won’t make it!” They said: “You will die!” No one thought I’d come back yet I’m alive I survived I returned now I yearn to leave again and set the sail blaze a trail make my way to sweet and foreign lands
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
Quiet! Quiet! Quiet my love! Though the storm clouds gather above Let me lash your helm to my glove – The tempest is waking Flames are dancing in the far distance Wanton sprites in electric resistance I fear I’ll wear out these frayed wristbands – I feel you shaking Heightening, frightening, thunder and lightning Thriving, striving, the waves send us diving Grinding, winding, the freezing sleet blinding – Each sinew quaking Mighty, mighty heaven is louring Rising, rising, wave on wave towering Crippling, crippling fear all-devouring – The gale, it enfolds us Quiet! Do I hear the boards splinter? Is this foul sound the cracking of timber? The rigging’s ripped from the mast's burst cylinder – May God hold us! Hang on! Hell, it holds us Pulls us down All will die The end is nigh Turned and tossed All is lost! Tempest, tempest! Hell, it holds us Tempest, tempest! Pulls us down Tempest, tempest! Hell enfolds us Tempest, tempest! Drink or drown Respite, my love: you withstood the storm! Though your hull is shattered, each canvas torn We may make it until the morn – What greater curse takes form? Hell from above Hell waits below Torrents tear us Limb from limb Heaven spare us Drink or drown Sink or swim All goes down! Tempest, tempest! Hell, it holds us Tempest, tempest! Pulls us down Tempest, tempest! Hell enfolds us Tempest, tempest! Drink or drown
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
South of all known latitudes we find ourselves here bold explorers Caught up in solitude on shores of unknown evil horrors Sent here by king and crown as sure as hell we all shall drown Pride came before the fall our recklessness will kill us all Tierra del fuego, me recibes aquí - Misty creatures mis ojos están fijados en ti - hiding by day ‘Fuego’ tu nombre, ya no llevas calor - You can hear them y así me falla el valor - scream at night Welcome to the land of fire Losing our stout attitude while fear grows stronger by the hour Soon, we’ll run out of food our thirst and hunger getting stronger Lost on the edge of darkness wild and cold and close to madness May God have mercy on us send us back to friendly waters Tierra del fuego, me recibes aquí - Misty creatures mis ojos están fijados en ti - hiding by day ‘Fuego’ tu nombre, ya no llevas calor - You can see them y así me falla el valor - dance at night Dancing ‘round and ‘round the fire Now let’s dance Skies full of dazzling lights so hypnotizing, mesmerizing Shadows and eerie calls echo from a thousand souls Marooned and left behind forsaken here and left to die Uncharted territory final gate to purgatory Tierra del fuego, me recibes aquí - Misty creatures mis ojos están fijados en ti - hiding by day ‘Fuego’ tu nombre, ya no llevas calor - They come out and y así me falla el valor - kill you tonight Welcome to the land of – Leave behind the land of – Can’t escape the land of fire
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
Night, so dark, endless is the sea The wind, so cold, hunger all around I am a man, so alone on the sea there’s a sound - like a siren’s song Glitter, on the waves I can hear a voice A shiver, down my spine start to lose my mind I am a man, so alone on the sea there’s a sound - like a siren’s song You heard my lay, you feel my charm You quake from heel to crown You vainly pray, but fear no harm Look into my eyes … and drown Come into my arms, I am here for you, I will sing for you Come into my arms, I am here for you, I will cling to you
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
In dreams I have seen the approach of this skein These birds who sail on even keels The falcons have woken, they’re squawking their token The hillside resounds from their peals Down anchor, down anchor, hearts here know no rancour As our deeds shall reveal We meet in peace and greet the trustees Of the glorious Crown of Castile Come ashore, dear sons of Don Carlos My brother, my father, my son Too seldom we welcome such guests in our realm, come! Your every will shall be done Though sultan his servant, I’ll strive for my kinship I swear on my book and my crown Your freight may be late, your fate may be to wait Grant me and mine a little while May this delay cause no fray nor dismay Pray, tarry as kings on mine isle First tend to repairs, then share your rare wares As I shall go harvest the clouds Blessed be our union of crowns in communion Which the falcons promulgate aloud Chorus Chorus Push off shore, dear sons of Don Carlos Ye travellers who dauntlessly roam Under the moon’s crescent, winds wond’rous, incessant May steady your wings, bear you home Carry this message of love and of friendship I swear on my book and my crown
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
On and on and on we glide on an ocean without coasts nor bounds No man has ever crossed these seas nor revelled in their peaceful, silent sounds It has been weeks, it has been months since we had last seen land or isle Had Columbus justly judged, we should not have met Ganges but the Nile The stars who see all from their thrones within the vast expanse of blue With a knowing glimpse confirm – confirm our course is true Westward, following parading stars overhead Oriental gleams the silver moon On and on man’s journey goes through storm and calm, o’er depths and shoals Driven by hunger, faith or fear, wide-eyed or blind to his ever-distant goals Shall his vessel proudly charge and safely circumscribe yon crag? Will he withstand the sideways pull or succumb to fate’s adverse magnetic drag? Never slacken must his sails, for strive man shall and toil and ache So on and on he ploughs yet leaves – leaves but an evening wake Westward, following parading stars overhead Oriental gleams the silver moon A continent gives birth to three, South Sea, patient cemetery We lose each race to Helios to the four eyes of the Southern Cross North-by-west, four thousand leagues, on a course no sane man seeks Brave new world of great misfortunes, plagues of sharks and thieving war tunes Westward, following parading stars overhead Oriental gleams the silver moon Westward, following parading stars overhead Oriental gleams the silver moon Westward, following parading stars overhead Oriental aspect of the familiar moon
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
Gather round this flask of rum draw close, mates, there are more to come Let’s fill our cups with some good cheer to our friends of yesteryear Five, four, three, two, one – like this Let the devil take what’s his From the shore we see it well: The Santiago’s gone to hell This enterprise is just insane – Antonio out and back to Spain No one here loves Concepción So burn that witch and let’s move on Frail Trinidad had the weakest heart She drank, she strayed and was torn apart That leaves just you, Victoria, Who pressed on like a warrior A bellyful of exotica To fill up our emporia Six captains and a lucky star – You made it ‘round, Victoria Here today and gone tomorrow This sip’s to life and not to sorrow Life aboard is life in hell Now hear the tales these devils tell One and one and one are three: Mutiny loves company Drawn and quartered and impaled: This Easter insurrection failed Fifteen hundred darts and spears Whisper: “You’re not welcome here!” His bleeding face in the shallow brine Accents a captain’s steep decline Here today and gone tomorrow This sip’s to life and not to sorrow Life aboard is life in hell Now hear the tales these devils tell Some rum, some grog, some beer, some wine The tallest tales are spiced with brine A sober head’s a virtuous thing But to-night our spirits sing Rum und Schnaps und Bier und Wein – so komm, Herr Bruder, schenk uns ein Wein und Rum und Schnaps und Bier – wir leben jetzt und leben hier Bier und Wein und Rum und Schnaps – so fern der Stürme um die Kaps Schnaps und Bier und Wein und Rum – heut dreht die Welt sich andersrum One, two, three, four, bottoms up! A dozen stories fill each cup Five, six, seven, down the hatch! Hear my accounts, will your tales match? A driven man opts for the crown That sends him out, not: ties him down Wrap your present, bow and string Hand a planet to your king Tweak the numbers and profess Your calculations show success Are you early? Are you late? Lose a day and miss your date Here today and gone tomorrow This sip’s to life and not to sorrow The worlds we’ve seen spawn dream and song So heed these tales and reyse along More rum, more grog, more beer, more wine None yields stories like the brine The waxing tales of a waning crew Of what is or what could be true
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026
Endless sun on the endless sea, no shade nor land nor rain We must reach the shores we seek to stave of certain death Would the winds found our souls idling on the main And waft us to new life and wealth with firm and steady breath We hope for land, a world without a name Where our dreams come true, we lay our claim After 78 days at sea hunger is our hell We are losing teeth and limbs whilst thirst has left some blind We toil to urge this vessel on and see its canvas swell May God have mercy on the souls we have left far behind We hope for land, a world without a name Where our dreams come true, we lay our claim We hope for land, a world without a name Where our dreams come true, we lay our claim
Submitted by Iron_Wraith — Jun 06, 2026