A morte do athleta by António Duarte Gomes Leal

(17 User reviews)   4359
By John White Posted on Dec 22, 2025
In Category - Aircraft History
Leal, António Duarte Gomes, 1848-1921 Leal, António Duarte Gomes, 1848-1921
Portuguese
Ever wondered what happens to a hero when the cheering stops? 'A Morte do Atleta' (The Death of the Athlete) by António Duarte Gomes Leal is a haunting Portuguese poem that asks exactly that. Forget ancient epics about glorious victories; this is a raw, late-19th century look at the other side of fame. It follows an athlete who was once the city's darling, now old, forgotten, and dying alone in poverty. The real mystery isn't a whodunit—it's a heartbreaking 'what happened?' How does a society that once worshipped physical perfection so utterly discard its former idols? It's a short, powerful punch that will make you look at today's sports stars differently.
Share

Read "A morte do athleta by António Duarte Gomes Leal" Online

This book is available in the public domain. Start reading the digital edition below.

START READING FULL BOOK
Instant Access    Mobile Friendly

Book Preview

A short preview of the book’s content is shown below to give you an idea of its style and themes.

or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. 1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge with others. 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States. 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed: This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you...

This is a limited preview. Download the book to read the full content.

António Duarte Gomes Leal's 'A Morte do Atleta' isn't a novel; it's a narrative poem that tells a complete and devastating story in verse. Published in 1875, it comes from a Portugal wrestling with modernization, yet its core feels startlingly current.

The Story

The poem paints a stark picture. We meet an athlete at the end of his life, but there's no golden retirement. The man who once thrilled crowds with his strength and skill is now a broken figure, dying in miserable poverty. The city that once roared his name has completely forgotten him. Leal guides us through this fallen hero's final moments, contrasting the vivid memory of past triumphs with the cold, lonely reality of his present. It's a quiet, relentless march toward an inevitable and uncelebrated end.

Why You Should Read It

This book hit me in a way I didn't expect. It's less about sports and more about the human cost of a society obsessed with youth and spectacle. Leal doesn't just make you feel sorry for the athlete; he makes you angry at the fickleness of public adoration. The language is dramatic and symbolic (think crumbling statues and extinguished torches), but the emotion is direct and gut-wrenching. It’s a brilliant, condensed critique of how we use people up and throw them away.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love classic poetry with a sharp social edge, or anyone fascinated by the dark side of fame. If you've ever thought about what comes after the final whistle, this 19th-century poem has been waiting for you. It's a quick read, but its questions about value, memory, and mortality linger for a long time.



🟢 No Rights Reserved

This work has been identified as being free of known copyright restrictions. Access is open to everyone around the world.

Jessica Lopez
1 year ago

Helped me clear up some confusion on the topic.

Robert Lewis
1 year ago

Clear and concise.

Nancy Martin
4 months ago

Without a doubt, the emotional weight of the story is balanced perfectly. Truly inspiring.

Kimberly Torres
1 year ago

Having read this twice, it creates a vivid world that you simply do not want to leave. I would gladly recommend this title.

Brian Brown
1 year ago

After hearing about this author multiple times, the atmosphere created is totally immersive. Thanks for sharing this review.

5
5 out of 5 (17 User reviews )

Add a Review

Your Rating *
There are no comments for this eBook.
You must log in to post a comment.
Log in


Related eBooks