"The Raising of the Cross"

By Francisco López de Zárate (1580-1658)

Introduction

Francisco López de Zárate was born in Logroño, in northern Spain, the son of a postman. He first began studying Law at Salamanca, in 1598, but abandoned his studies to join the army, fighting in Flanders, Italy, and Germany. After his military service, he served as secretary of state for the Duke of Lerma, though his austere moral character did not fit in well with political intrigue. While based in Madrid, he often retired to Logroño for a calm spot to write. He wrote both poems and dramas, and was praised by great writers of his day like Lope de Vega (1562-1635) and Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616). Not long after writing his Poema heróico de la invención de la Cruz, in 1648, he suffered a stroke and remained paralyzed on his right side for the rest of his life. He died on Madrid, on March 5, 1658.

Though praised by writers of his day, known as "the Cavalier of the Rose," after one of his sonnets, he is little-known now. He wrote many shorter poems, an epic, and two plays. The first play was the tragedy Hércules furens y otea (Hercules Furious and at Otea), combining two tragedies of Seneca. The second was a comedy, La galeota reforzada (The Reinforced Galley). The epic is his most famous poem: Poema heróico de la invención de la Cruz (Heroic Poem on the Finding of the Cross). It recounts how Sts. Constantine and Helen went to Jerusalem and discovered the True Cross; it also mixes in giant battles, with the devil riling up all the enemies of Christendom to stop Constantine, and a long praise of the Spanish monarchy, said to be descended from Constantine (especially Isabel and Fernando, "two men (varones), / Bedight and dressed in transparent splendor, / Who lighted up Antarctic, Southern Regions, / By means of Cross, which was Word's Occident" (XXI.15)). The poem is long, consisting of 22 books and a total of 2,058 eight-line stanzas, for 16,464 lines in all. The excerpt below is the closing section of the poem, describing how Christ's Cross was distinguished from the thieves' crosses (a dead body revived when placed upon it), the elevation of the Cross, and Constantine's praise of it. The original stanzas, in Spanish, are in ottava rima, eight, eleven-syllable lines (endecasílabos) rhyming ABABABCC. I have translated the lines into a loose blank verse, though I kept the rhyming couplet at the end of each stanza.

Heroic Poem on the Finding of the Cross by Constantine the Great

Book XXII

107. A lifeless body, then, was set, applied Unto the Crosses, which had ages been, With that which gave salvation, being man-killing;^[1] But of a vital power they were stuffed: Not yet, for a third time, had been repeated, With arms which once had been Sunset of God, That diligence, when those reduced, supine Senses had been found returned to life.
108. Such miracles were later much increased, So common good could witness to the Faith;^[2] With sight made well, the blind could look upon it, And the mute confess it, with high voice. The gravest ill could find appeasement there, Calming even the bitter, sharp misfortune, From the Tree of life, death flew, turned face. Who did not recognize his happy fate!
109. Among the clouds of scents, and the firstfruits Of music, within which heaven took part, (Divinity displaying in its splendors), The Catholic Banner came into the light. The sky increased its lights, and May its flowers, The Temple firm in matter and in art, Venerates with doubled adoration By tremor, giving its first confirmation.
110. The earth, the sea, the wind, and skies accorded, Revealed their gratitude in competence; Grateful, recognized, and elevated, Conformed in awe amazed and reverence. Those mountains, now well-crowned with double Suns, Humbly bowed, abated eminence, Like weak and pliant cypress, quivering, Like branches weak, and cornfields wavering.
111. Fixed upon the altar was the Sacred Stone, on which God was the clement victim, With nine prostrations now adores and chants Their solemn Hymns the people fierce devoted. With humility August he lifts his voice, Constantine, fixed gaze upon the Cross: The common murmuring remained suspensed, Just as the sense of smell upon the incense.
112. “Holy Cross, the substitute of Mary (said he) as if in time He would prefer you; You are the mother in the night; she in the day, He’s born within her arms, in yours He dies; Yea, since, through you, the shadow’s turned away; There is no dark which would disturb your light: He ceases, ceases sin, Who buries you, And being God, as He is, it He obstrues.
113. Permit me to adore you with affection, That it oblige or move you to the blessing Of loving you, of holding you as object, Assisting at your worship, as my office; Make me to be your victim, yes, one perfect; And since for sacrifice nothing is lacked; Yea, my sword I dedicate, my person, Do you admit oblation, or it pardon.”
114. This he said unto his victories’ laurel, Soulless body, which had to honor heaven: All the memories remained suspended, With exterior, with interior counsel, To take delight in the triumphant glories, Which gave it peace, the ground revolved and shook; With which the world lost being: then the tyrants Saw their temples by the winds made vacant.
115. Muse, since you gave end, seal up your lips With veneration which you owe the Cross: Worship will have grievances the less, When you dare to offend it through your praise: But serve with that impulse, by which the Sages With their firstfruits so grave, which you do raise, Build up their Pyramids, so meetly owing, My praise will be that which of it they sing.

Footnotes: [1]Siendo homicida.

[2]More literally, “give faith for the Faith” (dar fè de la Fè).

Source: Francisco López de Zárate, Poema Heróico de la Invención de la Cruz por el Emperador Constantino Magno (Madrid: Francisco Garcia, 1648), 266v-267v.

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