António Gallo - De navigatione Columbi per inacessum antea Oceanum Commentariolus

Thacher, John Boyd
Christopher Columbus, His Life, His Works, His Remains, as revealed by original printed and manuscript records, together with an Essay on Peter Martyr of Anghera and Bartolomé de las Casas, the first Historians of America, Volume I, Parte I, 1903, pp. 189 a 195.

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189

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE FIRST GENOESE BIOGRAPHERS

The historian can perform no better service than to present

the sources of his information.

(...) Antonio Gallo, the first of

these, was one of the most eminent citizens of Genoa. He was //

190

// Chancellor of the Bank of St. George, (1) as his father, Ambrosio,

had been before him, and as his own son, Bernardo, was after

him. From June 14, 1477, until he died he was the official

chronicler of the Republic. The following is his record concern-

ing Christopher Columbus:

"Muratori, Rerum Italicarum, vol. xxiii., p. 301. Antonii Galli.

"De navigatione Columbi per inaccessum antea Occeanum Commentariolus

"Christophorus & Bartholomaeus Columbi, fratres, natione Ligures, ac

Genuae plebejis orti parentibus, & qui ex lanificii (nam textor pater, car-

minatores filii aliquando fuerunt) mercedibus victitarent, hoc tempore per

totem Europam, audacissimo ausu, & in rebus humanis memorabili novitate,

in magnam claritudinem evasere. Hi siquidem intra pueriles annos parvis

literulis imbuti, & puberes deinde facti, de more gentis in navigationes ex-

iverant. Sed Bartholomaeus, minor, natu in Lusitania demum Ulissipone

constiterat, ubi intentus quaestui tabellis pingendis operam dedit, queis ad

usum nauticum justis illineationibus, & proportionibus servatis, maria, por-

tus, littora, sinus, Insulae effigiantur. Proficiscebantur ab Ulissipone quo-

tannis, ac redibant emissa navigia, quae coeptam ante hos annos quadraginta

navigationem per Oceanum ad Occidentales AEthiopes continuatas terras,

gentesque omnibus retro seculis incognitas, aperuere. Bartholomaeus autem

sermonibus eorum assuetus, qui ab alio quodammodo terrarum orbe redibant,

studio pingendi ductus, argumenta, & animi cogitatum cum fratre rerum

nauticarum peritiore communicat, ostendens omnino necessarium. si quis

AEthiopum Meridionalibus littoribus relictis in pelagus ad manum dexteram

Occidentem versus cursum derigeret, ut is procul dubio continentem terram

aliquando obviam esset habiturus. Qua persuasione Christophorus in-

ductus, in aulam Regum Castellae se se insinuans, viros doctos alloquitur, ac

docet, in animo sibi esse, nisi adjumenta defecerint, multo praeclarius, quam

Lusitani fecissent, novas terras, populosque novos, unde minime putetur,

invenire. Haec autem ad aures Regias per hos viros, quibus ea vana non

viderentur, delata, studio glorise, atque cum Lusitanis aemulationis incensos,

Reges perpulere, ut Columbo bina navigia exornari ad eam navigationem,

quam meditatus erat, jusserint. Quibus ille navigiis postquam ab Insulis

Fortunatis Meridiem versus navigaverat, ac jam proximus ei Paralello vi-

deretur, qui sub Cancro est, declinans ad manum dexteram, atque altum,

inaccessum, vastumque petens, omnium navigantium audacissimus com-

plures dies ad Occidentem tenuit. Neec tamen usquam aut Insulae, aut

aliae terrae apparebant, quamvis quadragies centena millia passuum a Gadi-

bus Occidentem versus remotum se se jam esse arbitraretur. Jamque in

desperationem verti audacia coeperat; nam etiam ex comitibus plerique

retro cursuum, ne, si perseverarent, alimenta deficerent, suadebant. Sed

________

(1) It was in his hand as an official of the bank that one finds recorded in the books of

that institution the reception of the two famous holograph letters written by Chris-

topher Columbus.//

191

// ipse animi constans, & vultu intrepidus, turn demum dixit, certum sibi esse,

quod cognitis ac perspectis signis animadverteret, in posterum diem terras

apparituras; dictoque mox fides non deficit: quae illi maximam auctori-

tatem, ac dictorum factorumque omnium posthac fiduciam apud suos

addidit. Insulae erant, ut postmodum ipse per epistolas scripsit, ad septin-

gentas a continenti (quam tamen Insulam nondum circumactis navigiis

arbitraretur) non multum diremtae. Ex his feri quidam homines aliquot

inculunt, quos Canibales appellant, humana carne vescentes, ac Insularum

aliarum Populos latrociniis infestantes. Nam cavatis magnarum arborum

truncis navigantes ad proximos trajiciunt, atque homines quasi feras incibos

venantur. Ex his cavatis arboribus unum in mari nactus Columbus plenum

hujusmodi feris hominibus, non sine proelio, ac magna vi, cum se se accer-

rime defenderent, cepit, captivosque ex his nonnullos in Hispaniam usque

postea pervexit.

"Primam, ad quam appulit, Insulam, Hispaniolam nuncupavit, in qua

multi mortales paupertate ac nuditate conspicui cernebantur. Hos primo

nutibus ad securitatem congressus evocatos, postque donis & omni genere

humanitatis alliciebat. Facile apparebant stupentes novi coloris, novique

habitus alienigenas homines, non tamquam terrigenas, sed tamquam e

coelo demissos admirati. Nulla ibi animalia quadrupedia, praeter canes

quosdam pusillos haberi cognitum est. Alimenta hominum sunt radices

quaedam, & glandes longe alia figura quam nostrae, pares tamen sapore, nisi

essent etiam jucundiores. Aurum modicum collo pendente lamina an-

nexum, & pectori haerente; ac ad usque pudenda quasi velamen paucis

deductum, virorum mulierumque commune. Sed Christophorus quad

maxime quassiverat, consequutum se existimans, retro ad Hispaniam re-

meare quamprimum constituit, ut instructior deinde ad has easdem Insulas

terrasque rediret. Relictis igitur quadraginta ex suis in locum, quem

ceperat, & communiverat, quasi possessionem pro Regibus Castellae adeptus,

& se se mox rediturum pollicitus, linquens littora illa cursum retro ad Ori-

entem, unde venerat, direxit, in Hispaniamque revertitur; nuntiosque

praemisit, quibus omnia a se gesta Reges pernoscerent: quibus ea plusquam

dici posset gratissime fuere. Nam Christophorum delatis honoribus extollen-

tes, & Praefectum Regium totius rei maritimae declarantes, obviam illi miser-

unt clarissimos ex omni Regno proceres, a quibus ad se honorificentissime

deduceretur. Adduxerat ipse ex Barbaris secum aliquot, per quos gestae rei

fides magis confirmaretur. Ceterum ut Reges volebant, fama per omnes

terras interea diflunditur, auro plurimo inventum orbem (quem Indiam

vocitabant) & aromatibus, & plerisque rebus pretiosissimis ad usum vitae

mortalium abundare. Alia igitur navigia pluscula, & minora parantur, &

rebus his instructiora, quibus Barbarorum animi allici magis posse puta-

bantur. In primis autem homines ex omni artificio, & animalia complura

ex omni genere, etiam sues, quorum incrementum mirabile postea fuit. Sed

triticum a semente prima statim ad altitudinem grandiusculam enatum,

antequam spicesseret, evanescens, deperierat. At Regum jussu arma

virique navibus numero duodecim imponuntur, ut vel etiam renitentes//

192

// Barbari ad quodlibet officium cogerentur. Bartholomaeum, ac tertium fra-

trem jacobum in ea expeditione Christophorus secum duxit, classemque

hujusmodi ad Hispaniolam per navigationem dierum non amplius viginti

salvam perduxit; suosque quos reliquerat, ad unum omnes a Barbaris

reperit strangulatos, quod in eorum mulieres injurii fuisse dicerentur.

"Sed Christophorus accepta quidem Barbarorum ingratitudine atque

saevitia, cum his tamen per nova beneficia reconciliatus, dolorem dissimu-

lans, quo ad reliqua destinata animo expeditior progrederetur, de auro

primo inquirit, & de speciebus in nostro orbe pretiosioribus. Aurum modi-

cum, & semen quoddam Piperi persimile & figura & sapore, non multum

colligit. Oppidum adductis materiis aedificat, eique Elisabat nomen in-

didit. Ipse duabus ex omni numero navium assumtis Insulam ipsam cir-

cuit; utque ulteriora pernosceret, litus Johannae, quam Insulam quoque

penetraverat, ita primo adventu nuncupatem, dies unum & septuaginta

pernavigat, Occidentum versus perpetuo cursum tenens. Nullam umquem

navigationem, neque longiorem, neque diuturniorem continuatione fuisse

constat; quippe circiter sexagies centena millia passuum vir nauticus, &

cursus navigiorum aestimator peritissimus confecisse se ex dierum noctium-

que cursu computato, ipsemet in epistolis, quas vidimus manu propria

ipsius subscriptas, prodidit. Ultimum locum Evangelistam nuncupavit.

Remeansque, quantum licuit, sinus, promontoria, portus, atque omne litus

decursum signavit in Tabula. Referebat autem hoc litus elevationem

Aretici Poli decem & octo graduum habere, cum quatuor & viginti.

Septentrionale littus Hispaniolae Insulae Poli ipsius altitudinem ostendat.

Dicebat quando etiani ex observatione suorum, Anno Domini Quarto, &

Nonagesimo & Quadringentesimo supra Millesimum Eclipsim apparuisse

mense Septembris quatuor horis naturalibus ante in Hispaniola quam Hispali

visam fuisse: ex qua computatione colligi licet, cam Insulam horis quatuor,

& Evangelistam, si modo vera referuntur, decem a Gadibus & Hispania

distare; quo modo non amplius duabus horis, hoc est duodecima parte

totius circuli terrarum ab eo loco, quem Bartholomaeus Catigara vocat, &

ultimum habitabilem in Oriente constituit, abesse. Per quas duas horas

si dabitur, non obviantibus terris, posse navigare, ultimus Oriens, omni de-

curso inferiori nostro Emispherio, cursu contrario conjunctus fuerit a ten-

dentibus in Occidentem. Finis.

"Brief Relation of Antonio Gallo Concerning the Voyage of Columbus by Way
of an Ocean Hitherto Unknown

"Christopher and Bartholomew Columbus, brothers, of the Ligurian

nation, sprung from plebeian parentage and who supported themselves

from the wages of wool-working (for the father was a weaver and the sons

were at times carders), at this time acquired great fame throughout the

whole of Europe by a deed of the greatest daring and of remarkable novelty

in human affairs. Even if these had small learning in their youth, when//

193

// they were come of age, they gave themselves to navigation after the manner

of their race. But at length Bartholomew, the younger by birth, estab-

lished himself at Lisbon in Portugal, where for his livelihood he undertook

the production of painted maps adapted to the use of mariners, on which in

correct drawings and their true proportions are represented seas, harbours,

coasts, bays, and islands. Every year there went forth from Lisbon and

returned expeditions by the sea to the Western coasts of Africa, which had

their beginning forty years before, and which revealed continental lands

and peoples unknown in all ages. But Bartholomew, influenced by his

study of maps and familiar with the tales of those who in some manner re-

turned from distant parts of the world, communicated their arguments and

thoughts to his brother, more skilled in maritime matters, disclosing how, as

a matter of necessity, if any one leaving behind him the southern shores of

Africa should direct his course in the open sea to his right hand, toward the

west, he would surely come somewhere on his way upon continental lands.

Christopher, influenced by this reasoning, obtaining admission to the Court

of the Sovereigns of Castile, discussed the matter with learned men and

declared his purpose, unless he failed to secure assistance, to discover much

more easily than the Portuguese had done, new lands and new peoples in

places little thought to hold them. But these things being reported by

these men to the ears of the Sovereigns, to whom they did not seem chimer-

ical, the Sovereigns urged on by a desire for glory and roused to action by a

spirit of rivalry toward the Portuguese, commanded that Columbus should

be supplied with a couple of ships from the expedition which he had planned.

With which ships, after that he had sailed toward the south of the Fortu-

nate Islands and when it seemed that he was on the same parallel, turning

to the right hand and thus directing his course out on the deep, unknown,

and vast ocean, most daring of all navigators, he held on his way toward the

West for many days. Notwithstanding, neither islands nor other lands ap-

peared, although he estimated that he had sailed in the distant sea 4000

miles from the straits of Cadiz. And now courage altered and despair be-

gan, for many of his crew pleaded with him to turn back on his course, lest

if they persevered their supplies should fail. But he himself, constant of

purpose and serene of countenance, declared that he was himself certain,

judging by signs which he knew and recognised, that lands would appear

the following day: and thereupon confidence in him was not wanting: and

this increased his great authority and the faith in his words and deeds

which ever afterward prevailed among his followers. The islands were

seven hundred, as he afterwards wrote in his letters, not very far from the

continent (which he considered the island to be as it had not yet been cir-

cumnavigated by ships). Of these islands some are inhabited by wild men

whom they call cannibals, feeding on human flesh, disturbing the people of

the other islands with their robberies. For they cross over to the neigh-

bouring islands, navigating in the hollowed trunks of trees, and the men are

hunted for food as if they were wild beasts. Columbus, meeting on the sea

with one of these hollowed trees filled with the wild men, captured it, not//

194

// without a struggle and great force, for they defended themselves valiantly,

and when he returned he brought back to Spain with him as captives some

of these. He named the first island on which he landed, Española, in which

were seen many people conspicuous for their poverty and nakedness. He

enticed to him these people, who were crowded together for safety, first by

signs and afterwards by gifts and all kinds of gentleness. They easily ap-

peared affected by their new colour and by men dressed in strange and new

ways, admiring them as not natural to their world but as if sent from heaven.

No quadrupeds are known to be there except certain very small dogs. The

foods of these people are certain roots and acorns longer in shape than ours,

but equal in flavour, unless they might be a little more pleasant. From

their neck and breasts and fastened by a hanging plate they have a little

gold: and some of them have a sort of garment covering their natural parts,

a custom common to both men and women. But Christopher, thinking

that he had found that for which he so eagerly sought, determined to sail

back to Spain in order that with better equipment he might return to these

same islands and lands. Therefore forty of his people being left behind in

the places which he had taken and fortified, taking possession as if for the

Sovereigns of Castile, and promising his people quickly to return, leaving

those shores, he directed his course toward the East, whence he had come,

and returned into Spain: and he sent messengers, from whom the Sovereigns

learned of all that had been accomplished, by which they were pleased more

than it is possible to relate. Extolling Christopher with honours and nam-

ing him Royal Admiral for all maritime affairs, they sent to meet him the

most illustrious men in their whole kingdom, by whom he was most honour-

ably conducted into their presence. He himself had brought with him

some of the savages, by whom he was able to confirm the magnitude of the

thing accomplished. And so the Sovereigns wished that the fame of this

might be disseminated throughout all lands and that the world discovered

(which they called India) abounded in much gold and spices and many

things most precious for the use of mortals. Other ships were prepared,

some larger and some smaller, but better adapted for these things, with

which the minds of the savages might be more easily won. But first of all

they sent men representing every trade and many animals of every kind as

well as sows, whose fertility afterward was marvellous. But wheat from its

first sowing sprang up to a most inordinate height, and then, before it had

blossomed, it withered away. And at the order of the Sovereigns twelve

of the ships in number were loaded with men and arms so that if the savages

resisted they might be brought to whatever employment was best. Chris-

topher took with him on this expedition Bartholomew and a third brother

Jacobus and he conducted his fleet safely to Española by a navigation

lasting not more than twenty days; he found his people whom he had left

behind him strangled to the very last man by the savages because they said

their women had suffered injury.

"But Christopher, enduring the ingratitude and treachery of the savages,

reconciled himself to them with renewed benefits, dissimulating his grief in//

195

//order that he might proceed more expeditiously to the things remaining to

be done: he inquired first for gold and for the things most precious in our

world. He gathered a little gold and a seed like to that of pepper in shape

and flavour. He built a town of materials brought with him, and to it he

gave the name of Elizabeth. He himself, with two vessels selected from all

the fleet, sailed around the island: and as he thoroughly examined the

country farther along, he navigated to the coast of Joanna, which island he

had found, so naming it on his first voyage, sailing along it for one and

seventy days, continually holding a course toward the west. Never has

there been such a navigation nor one of such length, nor one of such dura-

tion, as this sailor man declares that it was of 6000 miles, and he is most

skilled in estimating the courses of navigations, computing the course by

days and nights, as he himself described in his letters which we have seen

written by his very own hand. He named the region farthest distant,

Evangelista. And returning, as he chose, he described on a map the bays,

promontories, harbours, and the entire coast. He reported that on this

coast the Arctic Pole was elevated 18 degrees and on the north side of the

island of Española the elevation was 24 degrees. He declared also from

the observation of his people that when in the year of our Lord 1494 there

appeared an eclipse in the month of September, it was seen in Española four

hours before that it was visible in Spain: from which calculation it may be

deduced that this island is distant four hours and that Evangelista, if they

are correctly reported, ten hours from the straits of Cadiz and Spain: by

which it is estimated that it is not more than two hours, that is the twelfth

part of the whole circumference of the earth, from that place which Bar-

tholomew calls Catigara and the last habitable place to the East. So if it

be possible to sail on these two other hours, no intervening lands occurring,

the farthest East lying directly under our hemisphere will be united in a

contrary course by those going to the westward." »

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Ver também:

L.A.MURATORI

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Imagens:

Christophorus Columbus, apud, Giovio, Paolo (1483-1552): Elogia virorum bellica virtute illustrium: Septem libris iam olim ab Authore comprehensa, Et nunc ex eiusdem Musaeo ad vivum expressis Imaginibus exornata. - Basil.: Petrus Perna, 1596.

Incalvere Animi em, Antiquitates Italicae, Medii Aevi, sive Dissertationes (...) Ludovico Antonio Muratorio (...)Mediolani, MDCCXLI

La fiaccola della Verità, dall'opera Antiquitates Italicae Medii Aev

Ludovico Antonio Muratori

L.A.MURATORI

Eduardo Albuquerque