Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616). Don Quixote, Part 1.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

Epitaphs and Eulogies

The Academics of Argamasilla, a Town of the Mancha, on the Life and Death of the Valorous Don Quixote of the Mancha: Hoc Scripserunt

THE CLATT’RING thunderbolt that did adorn

The Mancha, with more spoils than Jason Crete;

The wit, whose weathercock was sharp as thorn,

When somewhat flatter it to be was meet;

The arm which did his power so much dilate,

As it Gaeta and Cathay did retch;

The dreadfull’st muse, and eke discreetest, that

In brazen sheets did praises ever stretch;

He that the Amadises left behind,

And held the Galaors but in small esteem,

Both for his bravery and his loving mind;

He dumb that made Don Belianis to seem;

And he that far on Rozinante err’d,

Under this frozen stone doth lie interr’d.

She which you view, with triple face and sheen

High-breasted and courageous, like a man,

Is tall Dulcinea, of Toboso queen;

Of great Quixote well-beloved than.

He, for her sake, treads the one and the other side

Of the brown mountain, and the famous fields

Of Montiel and Aranjuez so wide,

On foot, all tired, loaden with spear and shield

(The fault was Rozinante’s). O hard star!

That this Manchegan dame and worthy knight,

In tender years, when people strongest are.

She lost by death the glimpse of beauty bright;

And he, although in marble richly done,

Yet love’s wrath and deceits she could not shun.

Into the proud erected diamond stock,

Which Mars with bloody plants so often bored,

Half wood with valour, the Manchegan stuck

His wav’ring standard; and his arms restored:

For them thereon he hung, and his bright sword,

Wherewith he hacks, rents, parts, and overthrows

(New prowesses), to which art must afford

New styles on this new Palatine to gloze.

And if Gaul much her Amadis doth prize,

Whose brave descendants have illustred Greece,

And filled it full of trophies and of fame;

Much more Bellona’s court doth solemnise

Quixote, whose like in Gaul or Grecia is;

So honoured none as in Mancha his name.

Let no oblivion his glory stain,

Seeing in swiftness Rozinante his steed

Even Bayard doth, and Briliador exceed.

This Sancho Panza is of body little;

But yet, O miracle! in valour great;

The simplest squire, and, sooth to say, least subtle

That in this world, I swear, lived ever yet.

From being an earl, he scarce was a thread’s breadth,

Had not at once conspired to cross his guerdon

The malice of the times, and men misled,

Which scarce, an ass encount’ring, would him pardon.

Upon the like he rode: Oh, give me leave

To tell how this meek squire after the horse

Mild Rozinante, and his lord, did drive!

Oh, then, vain hopes of men! what thing is worse?

Which proves us, desired ease to lend,

Yet do at last in smokes our glories end.

The worthy knight lies there,

Well bruised, but evil-andant,

Who, borne on Rozinante,

Rode ways both far and near.

Sancho, his faithful squire,

Panza yclept also,

Lieth beside him too;

In his trade without peer.

Dulcinea here beneath

Lies, though of flesh so round,

To dust and ashes ground

By foul and ugly death.

She was of gentle breath,

And somewhat like a dame,

Being great Quixote’s flame,

And her town’s glory, eath.

These were the verses that could be read. As for the rest, in respect that they were half consumed and eaten away by time, they were delivered to a scholar, that he might by conjectures declare their meaning; and we have had intelligence that he hath done it, with the cost of many nights’ watching and other great pains, and that he means to publish them, and also gives hope of a third sally made by Don Quixote.