35. Christopher Columbus 35. Christophe Colomb 35. Cristoforo Colombo 35.クリストファー・コロンブス 35. Христофор Колумб 35. Kristof Kolomb 35. Христофор Колумб 35.克里斯托弗·哥伦布

"Eighteen long years of waste, seven in your Spain Lost. "Diciotto lunghi anni di sprechi, sette nella vostra Spagna perduta. "Восемнадцать долгих лет впустую, семь - в вашей Испании. . " —TENNYSON (Columbus).

One day, in the year 1484, a tall, strongly built man of commanding presence stood before the King of Portugal at the Court of Lisbon. Un giorno, nell'anno 1484, un uomo alto e robusto, dalla presenza imponente, si presentò al re del Portogallo alla corte di Lisbona. All men of adventurous spirit were drawn to Portugal in these days, for though Prince Henry was long since dead, the enthusiasm he had aroused lived on in his heirs. Tutti gli uomini di spirito avventuroso erano attratti dal Portogallo in quei giorni, perché anche se il principe Enrico era morto da tempo, l'entusiasmo che aveva suscitato viveva nei suoi eredi.

Portuguese sailors had already passed the equator,—had even reached the Congo, on the west coast of Africa; but the Cape was yet shrouded in mystery when Christopher Columbus stood before the king. |||||||||||||||||||||||hidden in mystery||||||||| Little did that king realise the strength of the man who now stood before him. Il re non si rendeva conto della forza dell'uomo che ora gli stava davanti. He could not read those keen blue-grey eyes, kindling with eager interest, as the Italian unfolded his great, his wonderful plan. |||||||||sparking with excitement|||||||||||| Non riuscì a leggere quegli acuti occhi grigio-azzurri, che si accendevano di un interesse impaziente, mentre l'italiano dispiegava il suo grande, il suo meraviglioso piano.

"Sail to the West and the East will be found. " Such words seemed at first the words of a madman. Columbus explained his idea to the king. He told him of the long years he had worked at his scheme, how sure he felt that there was a shorter way to the East—to the land of the Great Khan of Marco Polo fame—than by Africa. Gli raccontò dei lunghi anni in cui aveva lavorato al suo progetto, di quanto si sentisse sicuro che ci fosse una via più breve per raggiungere l'Oriente - la terra del Gran Khan di Marco Polo - che non l'Africa. The world was surely round. If Asia could be reached by sailing east, surely it could be reached by going west. If the king would grant him ships and money, he was ready to go and see.

The king listened with interest, and referred the plan to some of his learned men. They called Columbus a dreamer, and scoffed at his dreams. ||||||mocked his ideas||| Hanno definito Colombo un sognatore e hanno deriso i suoi sogni. Finally they persuaded the king to an ungenerous act. |||||||selfish| They got from Columbus the plans of his proposed voyage, and while they kept him in suspense awaiting the king's decision, they despatched some ships off privately to investigate the matter. Away sailed the ships to the Cape Verde Islands. But the weather grew stormy, the pilots trembled at the sight of an unlimited waste of wild tumbling waves, and, losing heart, they returned to tell the king of their failure. Ma il tempo si fece burrascoso, i piloti tremarono alla vista di un'illimitata distesa di onde selvagge e tumultuose e, perdendosi d'animo, tornarono a raccontare al re il loro fallimento.

When Columbus heard of this injustice he straightway left Portugal. He would have nothing more to do with a country which could serve him thus. Non avrebbe più avuto nulla a che fare con un Paese che poteva servirlo in questo modo. He took his little son, Diego, by the hand, and went to Spain.

One day, says an old story, a stranger walked up to the gate of an ancient monastery, which stood on a solitary height overlooking the southern sea-coast of Spain. The stranger, who was leading a small child, stopped to ask for bread and water, for the boy was hungry. Lo straniero, che conduceva un bambino piccolo, si fermò per chiedere pane e acqua, perché il ragazzo aveva fame.

It was Christopher Columbus and little Diego. They were taken in and fed, and the friar of the monastery was much struck with the grand ideas put forth by this stranger within his gates. Furono accolti e nutriti, e il frate del monastero rimase molto colpito dalle grandi idee proposte da questo straniero all'interno delle sue porte. He strongly advised him to go to the Spanish Court, where he would find a king and queen—Ferdinand and Isabella—who would certainly listen to his plans. So leaving little Diego behind, he set forth to try and get an audience with the King and Queen of Spain. Così, lasciato il piccolo Diego, si mise in viaggio per cercare di ottenere un'udienza dal re e dalla regina di Spagna.

Now the Moors, against whom the Cid had fought four centuries before, were still reigning in the southern part of Spain called Granada. All the country was taken up with a great war that was going on between the Christian monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, and the Moorish king of Granada, and Columbus could get no one to listen to his great scheme.

Weeks and months, even years, went by, and the Spanish monarchs could spare no time to give audience to the future discoverer of America. Passarono settimane e mesi, persino anni, e i monarchi spagnoli non potevano perdere tempo per dare udienza al futuro scopritore dell'America. It was not till the end of the year 1491 that he was summoned to the king and queen at their camp outside the town of Granada, which they were besieging. So poor was he by this time that the queen sent him money to get clothes suitable to appear at Court.

Here was the great chance for which he had so longed. But though poor, Columbus was proud. He believed in his plan, and he demanded great things. He must be made admiral and viceroy of all the new seas and countries that he should discover, and have one-tenth part of all the gains. His demands were laughed at, and he was dismissed by the Spanish Court.

Mounting his mule, Columbus rode sadly away. Once more he had failed.

But his friends could not bear to see him treated thus. Ma i suoi amici non potevano sopportare di vederlo trattato così. They approached Queen Isabella. Si avvicinarono alla regina Isabella. In glowing colours they put before her the great possibilities of the scheme, until she exclaimed with fervour: "I will undertake the enterprise for my own crown of Castile, and will pledge my jewels to raise the necessary funds. " Le esposero a tinte fosche le grandi possibilità del progetto, finché lei esclamò con fervore: "Mi impegnerò nell'impresa per la mia corona di Castiglia e darò in pegno i miei gioielli per raccogliere i fondi necessari". " A messenger rode hard after Columbus, brought him back to the queen, and all was settled for the great voyage.

Spain, after all, was to have the glory and honour of sending Columbus to discover the New World.