Read Online Three Major Plays by Lope de Vega, Gwynne Edwards - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lope de Vega, Gwynne Edwards
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for
Itself?
-13-
LAURENCIA . Well, yes.
MENGO . In other words, because
It loves itself, it seeks enjoyment for
Itself?
LAURENCIA . I suppose so.
MENGO . Well, there you have it.
Self-love's the only kind of love.
315
I seek it just for my own pleasure.
I'm the object of the whole endeavour.
BARRILDO . But I remember the village priest
Once talked in his sermon about
A certain Plato* and what he said
320
On love, which was that we should love
Only the soul and virtue of
The one we love.
PASCUALA . Such topics frazzle
The brains of wise professors in
Our colleges and great academies.
325
LAURENCIA . She's right. So don't get tangled up
Yourself, supporting their idiocies.
Be thankful, MENGO , you weren't made
To love.
MENGO . So who do you love?
LAURENCIA . Only
My honour.
FRONDOSO . Then may God punish you
330
And make you jealous!
BARRILDO . So who's the winner?
PASCUALA . You'd best go to the sacristan.
He or the priest are bound to have
An answer. As for the two of us,
LAURENCIA 's not in love and I've
335
Got no experience. We can't judge.
-14-
FRONDOSO . Her coldness is my answer!
Enter FLORES .
FLORES . May God be with you, good people!
PASCUALA . It's the COMMANDER 's lackey.
LAURENCIA . Such a fine falcon!* So where have you come
340
From, friend?
FLORES . Can't you tell by my uniform?
LAURENCIA . Is Don Fernando here as well?
FLORES . The battle's finished. It's cost us friends
And no little blood.
FRONDOSO . So give us an account
Of it.
FLORES . Who better if my eyes
345
Were witness to it all? In order to
Prepare for that campaign against the town,
Ciudad Real, the gallant MASTER chose
From all his valiant followers
Two thousand infantry, supported by
350
Three hundred men on horseback, secular
And clerical -- for if they wear
The Cross upon their breast, they are
Obliged, though they be friars,* to take
Up arms against the Moorish infidel.
355
The young man was a splendid sight,
His doublet green with gold embroidery,
Revealing at the sleeves armlets held
In place by six bright fastenings.
He sat astride a mighty stallion,
360
In colour dapple-grey, which drank
From the Guadalquivir* and grazed
Upon the fertile pasture of its banks.
Its tail was bound by strips of leather,
Its mane adorned by bows that in
365
Their whiteness matched the dappled pattern of
-15-
Its skin. And at the MASTER 's side
Fernán Gómez, your overlord, upon
A strong and honey-coloured steed,
Its hooves black, its mouth white. Over
370
A coat of mail in Turkish style,
Brightest armour front and back,
And an orange doublet, and set atop
All this a helmet whose white plumes
Seemed, against that orange, more
375
Like blossoms. About his arm a band
Of red and white, couching a lance
Which seemed a mighty oak before
Which all Granada* trembles. Ciudad Real
Then took to arms, its people claiming they
380
Were loyal to the Crown and would
Defend their rights to so remain.
Despite all this, the MASTER seized
The town, and those who had offended his
Good name soon had their heads cut off,
385
While those of lesser worth were gagged
And flogged in public view. He is
So feared there and yet so loved,
They all believe that one who, though
So young, can fight and overwhelm
390
His enemies, will one day be
The scourge of Moorish Africa, forcing
Those blue and crescent moons to yield
To his red Cross. He has displayed
Such generosity to all --
395
To our COMMANDER too -- the sacking of
The town seems more the plunder of
His own estate. But now the music sounds.
Receive him joyfully! Goodwill
Is easily the best reward
400
For such a triumph.
Enter the COMMANDER and ORTUñO; MUSICIANS;
JUAN ROJO; and ESTEBAN and ALONSO,
magistrates .
-16-
MUSICIANS [sing]. All hail our great Commander,
We welcome him most warmly;
He conquers foreign lands for us,
And overcomes our enemy.
405
Long live all the Guzmanes!
Long live all the Girones!
In peace he is so gentle,
He speaks his words so sweetly;
But when it comes to killing
Itself?
-13-
LAURENCIA . Well, yes.
MENGO . In other words, because
It loves itself, it seeks enjoyment for
Itself?
LAURENCIA . I suppose so.
MENGO . Well, there you have it.
Self-love's the only kind of love.
315
I seek it just for my own pleasure.
I'm the object of the whole endeavour.
BARRILDO . But I remember the village priest
Once talked in his sermon about
A certain Plato* and what he said
320
On love, which was that we should love
Only the soul and virtue of
The one we love.
PASCUALA . Such topics frazzle
The brains of wise professors in
Our colleges and great academies.
325
LAURENCIA . She's right. So don't get tangled up
Yourself, supporting their idiocies.
Be thankful, MENGO , you weren't made
To love.
MENGO . So who do you love?
LAURENCIA . Only
My honour.
FRONDOSO . Then may God punish you
330
And make you jealous!
BARRILDO . So who's the winner?
PASCUALA . You'd best go to the sacristan.
He or the priest are bound to have
An answer. As for the two of us,
LAURENCIA 's not in love and I've
335
Got no experience. We can't judge.
-14-
FRONDOSO . Her coldness is my answer!
Enter FLORES .
FLORES . May God be with you, good people!
PASCUALA . It's the COMMANDER 's lackey.
LAURENCIA . Such a fine falcon!* So where have you come
340
From, friend?
FLORES . Can't you tell by my uniform?
LAURENCIA . Is Don Fernando here as well?
FLORES . The battle's finished. It's cost us friends
And no little blood.
FRONDOSO . So give us an account
Of it.
FLORES . Who better if my eyes
345
Were witness to it all? In order to
Prepare for that campaign against the town,
Ciudad Real, the gallant MASTER chose
From all his valiant followers
Two thousand infantry, supported by
350
Three hundred men on horseback, secular
And clerical -- for if they wear
The Cross upon their breast, they are
Obliged, though they be friars,* to take
Up arms against the Moorish infidel.
355
The young man was a splendid sight,
His doublet green with gold embroidery,
Revealing at the sleeves armlets held
In place by six bright fastenings.
He sat astride a mighty stallion,
360
In colour dapple-grey, which drank
From the Guadalquivir* and grazed
Upon the fertile pasture of its banks.
Its tail was bound by strips of leather,
Its mane adorned by bows that in
365
Their whiteness matched the dappled pattern of
-15-
Its skin. And at the MASTER 's side
Fernán Gómez, your overlord, upon
A strong and honey-coloured steed,
Its hooves black, its mouth white. Over
370
A coat of mail in Turkish style,
Brightest armour front and back,
And an orange doublet, and set atop
All this a helmet whose white plumes
Seemed, against that orange, more
375
Like blossoms. About his arm a band
Of red and white, couching a lance
Which seemed a mighty oak before
Which all Granada* trembles. Ciudad Real
Then took to arms, its people claiming they
380
Were loyal to the Crown and would
Defend their rights to so remain.
Despite all this, the MASTER seized
The town, and those who had offended his
Good name soon had their heads cut off,
385
While those of lesser worth were gagged
And flogged in public view. He is
So feared there and yet so loved,
They all believe that one who, though
So young, can fight and overwhelm
390
His enemies, will one day be
The scourge of Moorish Africa, forcing
Those blue and crescent moons to yield
To his red Cross. He has displayed
Such generosity to all --
395
To our COMMANDER too -- the sacking of
The town seems more the plunder of
His own estate. But now the music sounds.
Receive him joyfully! Goodwill
Is easily the best reward
400
For such a triumph.
Enter the COMMANDER and ORTUñO; MUSICIANS;
JUAN ROJO; and ESTEBAN and ALONSO,
magistrates .
-16-
MUSICIANS [sing]. All hail our great Commander,
We welcome him most warmly;
He conquers foreign lands for us,
And overcomes our enemy.
405
Long live all the Guzmanes!
Long live all the Girones!
In peace he is so gentle,
He speaks his words so sweetly;
But when it comes to killing
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