Alonso Gregorio de Escobedo, O.F.M. La Florida [ca. 1590-1610].

Please do not reproduce without permission. The following is a draft translation, prepared by Thomas Hallock, in support of The Epic of Florida: Selected Poems by Juan de Castellanos, Bartolomé de Flores, and Alonso Gregorio de Escobedo (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2026).

Canto 34. This canto continues the song of how our Lord Jesus Christ came to Christians and infidels from the virgin womb of Saint Mary.

If I admired Daniel in the lion’s den,

how he could give his body to God’s sustenance,

much more would be be admired him if he ate

the  body of the Lord of the heavens. [??]

Give to the wayfarer in this way

which is very much to be welcomed

if he eat with gratitude, give him grace,

and if in sin, so he shall dies in disgrace.

 

O most holy sovereign table!

Oh, such bread of the heavenly courtier!

Oh, such bread from mass, bringing

eternal life or death to Christians!

If the Indian enters our Roman faith,

forgetting the rites of pagans,

he will have chosen to joyfully eat

that of God, truth, path, light and guide.

 

If that man is righteous, God gives back

to him, as compensation,

all that is asked of our Lord,

coming back to us from his enormous open hand.

The wicked man who wants to know him

is never received by God. The offense would be great.

He would never have the pleasure of being received,

nor would he receive any benefits.

 

“Who is,” says the Lord, “the vile worm,

eternal God you have of the memory?”[1]

Like a bird fro your hand, Ephraim flew away

from the human scum I have for this world.

from that treacherous and cruel tyrant,[2]

but now Ephraim is content, he has honor and glory,

no longer stealing from someone else

as Eve stole — a subject worthy of our pity.

 

She spoke with Lucifer, and had she not chattered

everything else in the world would be irrelevant–

although our own colloquium now makes clear,

that we have been allowed to redeem our allowance,

by knowing how God protects the soul,

of those who put an end to arrogance,

while those who did not obey our God

earlier, in the same way, will be lost.

 

I admit the one who, out of love,

committed for another, who was the first

Adam who publishes his pains

who in his life suffered what I’m talking about here. [??]

To the brave, the oldest of the elders,

Samson, the ferocious, I require

confess here who caused your death,

he will answer that it was the strong Delilah.

 

Dalila came from the Soretano [?] valley,

which indicates that she was a poor lady,

not only in wealth but in human culture,

but in what is virtue, it was all copper.

As a courtier, Samson had little,

and so he made the fresh water brackish,

he made the faithful contrary, and the lady

a slave, being an unfaithful traitor without law.

 

Love made him love, giving him bad payment,

and so that his own life was put on the table,

and to Christ, my Lord, another drink was given to him,

one greater than what was given to the warrior Samson;

for it was occasion, this dangerous love

guides my pen so that I now want to move

to Nazareth, hearing the serious child

of an angel who spoke to Mary, “Hail.”

 

The best means to greet the present,

was never before seen in scripture,

nor can the wisest, dressed in reason

and good sense, provide any reason

for the occasion, because the regent

who created all human beings

was waiting until the signaled point,

for Gabriel to deliver the message to the Virgin.

 

For the time of her salutation, an event

as much rare as was new, was set aside;

Mary was chosen, but like Eve,

if she failed, she would be called Eve’s name instead[3]

(Eve, to whom the curse of God has been given),

but Mary carries God’s blessing in her womb,

it is by faith the blessing of the Father,

that she shall be the mother of His child.

 

They great King Artajerjes[4] (who was

referred to in other was) was greeted

by certain servants who respected him

saying, “Long live the enlightened King!”

Others, who were with Absalom, pointed to him,

saying, “Hail to you, anointed King

whose arm and strength, bravery and

generosity we now know.

 

They greeted Ruth in the appropriate way:

“Blessings from the Lord God, my daughter,

from he who made the sky, the sea, the entire globe,

and the righteous soul, enshrouded in joy.”

And an angel one day said to the patient

old blind man  who blinded himself with mud,

“Make the proper choice, brother,

that you will soon be of sound mind.”

 

As an angel greeted the gentleman Tobias,

neither on his knees nor saying, “Ave”–

as to you, most Holy Mary,

you are like a gentle bird (Ave) from heaven;

you are the star of the sea that guides the soul,

there is no space in human knowledge to sing

your praises — let only God sing it,

for all human beings are ignorant.

 

Gabriel, how you lose your decorum

kneeling in front of the girl —

you wearing gold and she in human clothes,

there to procreate and create God’s children.

It is true. But in it is the treasure

(said Gabriel) from which I am sent,

to conceive in her virgin womb

for he has him in his soul by living faith.

 

And in that the reliquary where God is met,

where a heroic angel was given to me,

vernation proved to be the opposite

of reason for those who would wait.

I am on my knees because the angel

dresses in the virgin’s clothes, and I wait

for this angel, and if given the holy message,

I will become pregnant with the eternal God.

 

With this reverence, our Lord and God

teaches us that, in our worshiping,

we give ourselves to the virginal state.

Her faith and word will not fail us,

there is no rock like her, in all hardships

we will respect her — the chaste, pure,

spotless virgin without sin,

and for this reason, I am on my knees.

 

Neither me, nor many in my camp

ever tend — in this case — to hold out

for those of the Old Testament, when

God was sending us to the purposes

that Tobias was reasoning towards.[5]

And on his knees in hallowed ground

and Samson’s father very much aware,

like Abraham, also was kneeling.

 

Jacob, was given a virgin [?],

with angels to accompany him,

each attending him on both sides,

in the depths of dreams while sleeping.[6]

But after he was married,

a squadron of warriors came

in case a larger band did not come

to defend the fortunate young man.

 

Although the angel has a squadron on its side

and the begotten angel clings to Isaac

their fight was carefully and artfully planned,

being how father of Joseph lay lame on the ground.

The quarrel between the two was ended,

on the condition that whoever won the war

would give his blessing to the defeated

that the angel of Jacob had enlightened.

 

Whose beloved son, by his own brothers,

had been accused of a crime that I believe

(in that epoch of clumsy sin) caused humans

to lose the true trophy from heaven.

I think it was because he left his coat

in the hands of a lady with the intention

of keeping the precious pearl of his chastity,

which is more beautiful than the heavens.

 

He was honest and chaste, clean and pure,

he who was beloved by the sun, moon and stars,

because he had been given the note of assurance

that if he did not err, there will be no fault in them.

The young man who is chaste has a strong wall,

so too do noble ladies and living maidens–

this is the state of being plated in gold,

the royal treasure that is heaven’s patrimony.

 

“Hail,” said Gabriel, “you who are sovereign,

for if you are in heaven as you are on earth,

and if from the earth as manna from heaven,

our wars have been brought to a finish and close.

If the infernal squadron remains robust,

because a woman was vanquished, in you

he the word of God has been locked away and secured,

you being the faithful testifier who will slay the Devil.”[7]

 

Eve shut us out from the gates of heaven

because she was disobedient to the Lord,

but you will give it freely and openly

being a faithful and obedient daughter.

Eve was left in deathly guilt, without grace,

and as it follows, as were her people,

but, Virgin, you hold the key to heaven

and for that, Gabriel said us, “Ave.”

 

The angel does not know her by the name

that was given to her by her parents,

she merits more for than what man can give,

but will instead by given her name by the Lord .

As a mother, she is without peer

and worthy of renown as the lead of all,

so she should not be known by what they call

her in the village, but what she is as courtesan of the skies.[8]

 

This greeting, “God is with you,”

was made to you before Gideon,

who defeated the cruel enemy Midian,[9]

who was struck by the right hand

of your Virgin Mary. I say

that Eve was so satisfied to be charged

for the rewards she had lost, due to what

she and her husband Adam had done.[10]

 

This was a memorable feat of God,

in which Gideon won the struggle

in that celebrated victory

against such grave and gross power;

to believe that story and to give God the glory

begged him to dampen with dew

a certain fleece, parched on the ground,

without the water to pay any tribute.[11] [??]

 

It is the lot of the disobedient man,

for being disobedient to the creator,

the man who thinks God deceives, that God lies,

having not heard God’s promises correctly.

King Ahaz did not want to be disheartened[12]

to ask for a sign, asking for an oracle

It was spoken, to his full satisfaction,

and so Midian paid in death from chest.

 

Here God’s the great firmness and most holy enlightenment of his word is discovered,

for he struck Midian down dead

with such great ferocity that his vile people

lost all the promise of future greatness in heaven,

and the land where all his people dwelled,

because, before God’s word was not present,

one still lack’s God’s high and divine pledge.

 

Oh, blessed lady in whom God placed

so many singular virtues without measure![13]

Already your virginal womb has been set

so that you give him life, in the form of man,

to the songs of love composed for you,

as one writes to flatter his beloved,

compared in your being to the man

of singular height, fame and renown.

 

In virtues honored as any saint

but yours, Virgin, being without measure,

for God in giving you beyond any counting,

we cannot count because there is no end.

Even this desire to quantify makes me tremble,

from God who gives life exponentially,

so that if the world were split in half

to make remedy for the living soul.

 

The suspicious miser must be careful

that the thief does not steal what he has,

but the fearful sadly righteous one

who is full of praise, human when it comes. [??]

He is a cautious thief, so it is

with only prudence that we overcome it.

O village of the living God, you who praise

also deceive, bringing the end to the living soul.[14]

 

Our Blessed Virgin was disturbed

when she was chosen by our great Lord,

who made her out of nothing, to be the mother

who would carry a man in her belly.

The crowned virgin was humble

merited in her renown,

and so we say here on earth,

Mother of God, who made war on Satan.

 

Herod, the proud King, tried

bringing the human praises for his friend,[15]

someone for whom our Lord in heaven

sent down punishment from above.

His body was eaten by worms, because

he was the cruel enemy of God,

humiliated him for being insolent

by the humble and forgettable worm.

 

It didn’t deprive him of life when he died,

for taking her from Peter and James,

but when ‘King Herod likes and wants,

in the superb being of Simon the Magician,

whoever takes away his honor will pretend

will make my God in him so great havoc

as the present that will give without life,

giving the Devil the feminine soul. [???]

 

That is, he who accepts Eve,

emissary of the jealous Demon,

who attempts to kill our mother with her sword,

will thus offend his eternal God

For it also will be as God burns

and with more rapidly determination,

the woman who took the opportunity

to go against his wishes.

 

But that which came from the serpent,

not only was disturbing very promptly,

but by by those who were wise and prudent,

the case was examined with the utmost alacrity.

David, standing before his people one day,

showed great fortitude in his silence,

for although Shimei[16] had treated him badly,

the King spoke not a word, nor did he take revenge.

 

And you, imprudent one, you who choose

to he who hears you from all sides —

You are poisoned by the choices you make,

openly casting out what is right and true;

model yourself instead after David, a strong man,

and in the mother of Christ, my teacher,

and if you are asked twice, respond

yes or no, as have been advised.

 

Gabriel, seeing her disturbed, went

and said, “Be at holy peace, Mary,

fear not, for my message comes from the skies.

The God who is yours and mine sent me to you;

you cannot understand of this grace

that you carry, and I come to you as a double spy;

those who fear have committed a sin,

but you, no, for God loves you with infinite goodness.”

 

Being obvious and clear to every human being,

of the begetting, the womb is the dwelling;

because Gabriel, a discrete courier,

when he gave the virgin the message

said to her, “God, immense and sovereign,

wants your womb for his dwelling place.”[17]

Why? Because he knew, having made her womb,

that by grace it was the the place of creation.

 

“Because,” he said to the virgin, “give only

the name of Jesus.” And to her her husband[18]

she said the same, adding that this man

will save even the sinful.

Because to the holy Virgin, renowned for her sanctity

and clearer than the shining clear sun,

the angel does not treat you of sin

to Joseph who had the message. [??]

 

He said: great was the message[19]

that was given to Zachariah the son [?],

then equaled with John to Jesus,

which was like a star shining in the light of day.

The name has been given only to Saint John,

how the the son is of Mary and of God

the great King, the King of Kings,

Emperor who makes laws for all.

 

You will easily see by his deeds that

to be a natural and not an adopted child

of God the Father, omnipotent Lord,

who gave up his only for captive,

undoing with his refulgent sunbeam

the fog of living death,

so that the dead and indignant soul finds health,

being made worthy through the blood of God.

 

Coming before God, from God sent out

and being as God, which is God the almighty

in whom God is alive, Peter awaits

and confesses as a man with full confidence.

Martha confessed in the same way way,

and the centurion begged God for mercy,

as St. John the chronicler[20] and the divine

Matthew the Evangelist[21] both write.

 

Through Jesus, my God, put an end

to the seat of anguish felt by the father of David,

a bitterness that was repugnant to the core,

brimming with pain, being cast outside,

for as Absalom auctioned off David

and wanted to throw the father in chains,

so too was Christ, my master, brought to death

wrongly by Judas, who was evil in deed.

 

Christ, our Lord, from his place in Heaven,

shall continue the reign of Jacob,[22] meaning

the immaculate militant church,

he whose high holy blood is applied

to the wounds of faithful souls —

if you are washed in this blood, you find wealth;

here on earth, you enjoy the grace of God,

or He who reign forever in Heaven.

 

His rein is endless and everlasting, without division,[23]

just as Luke clearly explained to us;

in all parts, and at all times, the captive is free

to leave vice behind, because of the beloved son,

meaning that He is very much alive,

and the careful among us will seek him out,

being the sole remedy for all people,

and the one who will convert in the West.

 

The untouched one is she who has promised

to remain a virgin, in a singular and extraordinary

way becoming a mother — I only ask that

you declare to me Gabriel’s high deed.

Our God, who is by faith united with you all,

as Gabriel said, the plan and the deed.

On your part, there is no inconvenience,

for you are an older age to bear children.

 

The only thing missing is a gentleman, and while

it seems impossible to have one without a man,

for those who obey the Lord,

nothing before him is impossible:

my God has offered his beloved son to you all,

to bring order through his invisible spirit

that will make my lady, the true mother, who was bereft,

complete through the one missing piece that was Christ.

 

Our prophet Zachariah says,

“your Savior, your crowned King, will come,”[24]

adding further to this prophecy

that he will bring an end to your sin.

“He will come like a ray of lightning, into Mary’s womb;

in his gift, our Lord has assimilated,

to heal the wounds in the hearts of those

upstanding gentlemen who have been chosen.”

 

And just as the lightning with its ease,

is pulled in one motion like a sword from its sheet,

through the abilities of God almighty,

you, the virgin are to be made pregnant,

before and during the birth, unspoiled,

and afterwards, as well, not ruined —

and you will not be harmed as a virgin and mother,

by this living Word and Son of God, who is your father.

 

The Trinity, one God, one being and one essence,[25]

will work such grandiose deeds

that always assist with their presence,

and His miraculous shadow will shade you,

and you will agree vehemently,

like a fortunate mother, conceiving

from God the Son of God, who will be your

teacher and the healer of men.

 

This work will happen in a moment,

you will first be a natural mother and also

the supernatural mother of the infant God,

which you will be given being without a man,

remaining entirely natural, dressed in the flowing

gown of the natural mother

but remaining also a pure virgin–

that is the garment you will be given.

 

Blessed shall they called the source

of sanctity, ours which proceeds from

that which is so different from yours;

When the light enters the darkness,

it is God’s shining ray,

and without it, humans cannot do anything,

for that which here on our earth

is not yours, but God’s, the Lord of heaven.

 

Ask yourself if it was Christ, both God and man,

God’s child, but natural or adopted?

I said that it was natural in deed and name,

tested with arguments very much alive;

his birthright is of the highest renown,

in his position and person the most solid foundation

and not in nature though actually two,

being both one person is man and God.

 

That is why we know with certainty

that as an adopted child he has nothing.

It is natural for one of such greatness

to retain, in himself, the same lofty bearing,

and though he has the grace of beauty,

that we who are adopted all have, it’s not appropriate

to believe that the reason Christ, would be sovereign Lord

is that he was made by a human man.

 

The laurel of glory is given only

to the one who is in need of it,

but to Christ they do not give the crowning

prize of his victory; it is God, in whom

his celebrated memory, gives the prize,

the prize that he never needed, nor shall he;

you are my God, Lord, for you have no

need for me, nor of my offerings.[26]

 

Prudent was David, for being reasonable,

he considered the all-powerful God,

who rules and governs the high sphere,

and so no one remains in need;

everything that he has created waits on him —

it being only the treacherous man

who does not obey his commandments,

and follow God’s wishes to find contentment.

 

When the poor Indian worships the horrible and formidable  hellish demon, what does he find,

except the eternal sorrow, where is stored

no life but only eternal death;

and the sinful one among Christians who

offends God — it is only right that he wakes up

from the miserable sick bed of his sin

and — as is just — do penance.

 

There was no precedent or example

delivered with message to the most serene Mary,

for her to believe she would get pregnant.

But because she clothed herself in joy,

even though she barren, tired in her old age,

she became six months pregnant on that day,

and thus, two miracles occurred at once,

doubly magnifying the glory of God.

 

And if God created two by only one saint,

how with more reason would it be for me to be born

the man and God who was terror and dread

of the hellishly cunning and fierce nation?

To whom the holy spirit sovereign

a sky adorned him leaving him whole

who was given a virgin and a mother

and given away by her father’s daughter. [???]

 

And I have said again and again, proclaiming

two miracles were clearly performed,

in the mother of John by our beloved God,

both of them clear and very powerful.

A miracle that is famous, that

it alone should be sufficient

to have provided Juan with clear insight

about the sun of true justice.

 

Even if it were Isabel were still young enough to give birth,

for being sterile it would be impossible for her to do so,

if her lack of fecundity made it impossible,

because she was now at an old age.

In the virgin and true mother,

it was a miracle that could be performed only by God

that it was of greater value than this one only

than how many she made from one pole to the other.

 

The angel St. Gabriel clearly explains

that God, being omnipotent, makes all things

willing into being all things on earth and in heaven,

ruling and governing in his wisdom.

The soul that intends to enjoy His blessings

should consider what Ezekiel distinctly said,

that the sinner should say, “come with contriteness

and you shall receive pardon for your sins.”[27]

 

“When you arrive, you will find pleasure

in the open chest, and in his pierced royal head,

and here you will find a safe harbor,

if you were ever a sheep in their herd;

but if how you lived was not in a good way,

you will not receive the desired glory,

which is given to the humble and just man

and not to the clumsy man who rejected God.”

 

It is not only what God has created or made,

but also what he constructs in his memory

and what remains inside his chest

that is brimming with riches and eternal glory.

Great advantages come to those who love him,

and in this way we advance to victory

over our own natural passions that

otherwise lead us to hellish sorrows.

 

Do not leave behind by your guiding destiny:

Open yourself, sinner, to God who calls you,

to the love that burns in benign Jesus

that sleeps — as if in bed — inside your soul.

Being the light and the true path in life,

his divine love should set you aflame,

loving him as the the true gentleman

pays tribute to his true love alone.

 

Show love to the invisible King of Kings

and heed his consoling words of comfort,

which are: “Without God, there is nothing possible

in the sea, the air, on land, nor in the sky.”

And so it is good and fitting that after you have seen

Jesus, dressed in the veil of his own flesh,

that your grieving soul breaths once again

with with this high and solid foundation.

 

Always love the Lord, who is powerful,

love him who calls you to penance.

If you, thus, are able to mend your own sedition,

the glory will be yours, by God’s mercy.

Don’t lack confidence, show your courage,

and constantly show how you can resist

being bogged down in the mud of your own vices,

show that you can heal yourself of sin.

 

If God shows himself so willing, say what you lack.

More of what you will say will be needed,

for virtue follows when someone adorns

the banner of the holy gospel.

Carry the cross, God’s flag, high;

conquer with it like a brave Mars,

and in this way I affirm and swear

that you will break down Satan’s walls.

 

Whoever intends to follow me choose to take up

the cross as a brave and be a faithful soldier,

I don’t want to, God says, no one understands

what has been given to me in carrying it.

If the wicked man gives up his sins,

he will enjoy seeing Jesus, the crowned King

to whom I beg for the still one more song,

to bless me and bring his high holy assistance.

***

[1] In the margin: Psalms 8.

[2] In the margin, Hosea 9.

[3] In the margin, Genesis 3.

[4] In the margin, Nehamiah 2.

[5] For Tobias’ history, see Nehemiah, 11, 19, 4:1, 1:17-19, 7 62, 13:4-9 (Sununu).

[6] Genesis 28:10-22.

[7] In margin: Genesis 3.

[8] Written in margins, “Ave Gratia Plena.”

[9] Judges 6: 12; for the story of Gideon, see folio 18 verso (Sununu)..

[10] Written in margin: Genesis 3.

[11] In the margins, Judges 6 (see verse 39).

[12] See Isiaih 7:11-12.

[13] In the margins: “Benedita (sic) tu in mulieribus,” or blessed be among all women”[??]

[14] In the margins, Isiaih 9.

[15] Acts of Apostles, 22:21-22.

[16] 1 Kings 2:8-9.

[17] In margin: “Ecce concipies in vita.”

[18] In margin: “et vocabis nomen eig. Jesum.”

[19] In margin: “Hic erit magno”.

[20] In the margin, “San Juan XI.”

[21] There is no reference in the Gospel of St. Matthew to these words by Martha (Sununu).

[22] In margin: “Et regnavit in domo Jacob.”

[23] In margin: “Et regno eis non erit finis”.

[24] See Zackariah 9.

[25] In the margin: “Virtutum altissimi obum bravit tibi”.

[26] In the margin, Salomon 15.

[27] Ezekiel 11.