by Lope de Vega
His men abused and would have raped.
For that this wicked Nero * had
My backside beaten, red as salmon steaks. 640
I have the marks still plain to see,
So savagely did three of them
Complete the task. To tell the truth,
I've spent more money than my farm
Would cost on every ointment you 645
Can think of.
ESTEBAN. Your Majesty, we wish
To be your loyal vassals. You are
Our rightful King, and so we have displayed
Your coat of arms in our town.
We pray you will be merciful, 650
Accepting our innocence as our defence.
KING. There is no written evidence
As proof of your guilt, and so,
Although this was a serious crime, *
You must be pardoned. Since you have sworn 655
Your loyalty, I shall assume
Responsibility for your town,
Until a new Commander can
Be found.
FRONDOSO. Your Majesty has shown
Himself to be in this the wisest ruler. 660
And so, my friends, * we end Fuente Ovejuna.
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-80-
THE KNIGHT FROM OLMEDO (El caballero de Olmedo)
A Tragicomedy *
-81-
THE CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
Don Alonso
Don Rodrigo
Don Fernando
Don Pedro
The King Don Juan II
The Constable
Doña Inés
Doña Leonor
Ana
Fabia
Tello
Mendo
Laín
Peasant
Shadow
Servants,
Attendants to the King, etc.
-82-
ACT ONE
Enter DON ALONSO.
ALONSO. Let no one speak the name of Love
Who does not eagerly respond to it;
And yet, who is there on this earth
Of ours whom it has left untouched?
Why, Nature itself ensures that 5
The human race throughout the centuries
Survives through love, and every animal
We see owes its existence to
The joining of two wills, the force
Of mutual attraction. The brightness of 10
Those eyes that gazed on me has set
My soul on fire, ablaze with love.
I saw in them not harsh disdain
But more a certain tenderness
Which made me think that, if there is 15
A correspondence * which is mutual,
Then there is hope of love. Perhaps
My eyes have had the same effect
On her, in which event love will
Grow strong, shared by the two of us. 20
If, on the other hand, blind Cupid * aimed
His darts quite indiscriminately,
He cannot claim that victory is his.
When love is only felt by one,
It falls far short of true perfection. 25
Enter TELLO, a servant, and FABIA.
FABIA. This stranger wants to talk to me?
TELLO. He does.
FABIA. He must think I'm a dog,
Obedient to his every call.
-83-
TELLO. Of course he doesn't.
FABIA. So is he sick?
TELLO. He is.
FABIA. What kind of sickness?
TELLO. Love. 30
FABIA. Of who?
TELLO. He's there, Fabia. He'll tell
You himself, much better than me.
FABIA. God bless you, kind sir.
ALONSO. Tello, is this
The woman?
TELLO. The very same, master.
ALONSO. Oh, Fabia, portrait of the wit 35
And ingenuity with which
Mankind has been endowed by Nature!
Oh, distinguished physician! For those
Who are sick with love, a second Hippocrates! *
Oh, let me kiss this hand that so 40
Becomes this veil, these widow's weeds!
FABIA. I'd best not hear the details of
Your love. They might embarrass me.
I see exactly what your sickness is
From these caresses. *
ALONSO. Desire is 45
The master of my will.
FABIA. A lover's face
Is but the pulse of passion. Who has
Bewitched * you?
ALONSO. An angel!
FABIA. And so?
ALONSO. Two solutions, both impossible,
-84-
Sufficient to deprive me of 50
My senses: the one that I should cease
To love her; the other that she fall
In love with me.
FABIA. I saw you yesterday.
You were at the feria* and only had eyes
For a young lady whose peasant dress 55
Concealed her noble origin,
But not her perfect beauty. I think
It was Doña Inés, the loveliest flower
In all Medina. *
ALONSO. I shan't deny it.
The peasant girl is the flame which burns 60
And consumes me.
FABIA. You aim very high.
ALONSO. My concern is for her honour.
FABIA. Of course,
Of course!
ALONSO. Listen: it was afternoon *
When Inés appeared, but such
Was her dazzling beauty, it seemed 65
The dawn had come once more. Her hair
Arranged in curls was but a trap
For unsuspecting lovers. The brightness of
Her eyes spared many lives, yet they
Complained that those whose lives she claimed 70
Were much more fortunate. Her hands
In all their movements had such grace
That, like an expert with the sword,
She seemed to pick the spot where she'd
Inflict the mortal wound. The ruffles * at 75
Her neck, extending to her breast,
Covered at times those hands that were
Much whiter than the whitest snow.
The sound of her voice commanded all
The soldiers more effectively 80
-85-
Than any captain of the regiment.
Coral and pearl * she could ignore, for they
Could never match the perfect beauty of
Her teeth and cheeks. Her petticoats
Were French, her overskirt sea-green, 85
As if she felt some foreign tongue
Would keep her secrets better. The slippers *
She wore imprisoned in their ribbons * the eyes
Of all who gazed at her, their laces
The souls. No almond tree in blossom seemed 90
So beautiful, no fragrance sweeter.
Love was her unseen friend, laughing at
The spectacle of all the foolish fish
Which took the bait so willingly.
Some gave her strings of pearls, some earrings 95
Of finest gold, though to a girl as deaf *
As any asp, such gifts are meaningless.
Why decorate her lovely throat
With necklaces of pearl, when she
Is lovelier than any pearl 100
And so despises them? As for
Myself, my eyes became the instrument
Of speech. Her lovely hair enslaved
My soul, her every step my being.
Although she did not look at me, 105
It seemed to me that she was saying:
' Don Alonso, do not leave for Olmedo. *
I want you to stay in Medina.'
And so I had reason to hope, Fabia .<
br />
This morning she attended Mass, 110
No longer wearing peasant clothes
But dressed in all her finery.
And as the unicorn, * so it
Is said, makes water holy, so she,
Her finger in the font, transformed it with 115
Her beauty. I looked at her, my love
A basilisk, * and, as I did, her eyes,
Which previously had given out
Such deadly poison, seemed much softer,
-86-
As if made gentle by the water. 120
She and her sister both began
To laugh, her beauty such sweet music to
My love and my resolve. And when
They entered a small chapel, I
Went too, my mind obsessed with thoughts 125
Of weddings, such are lovers' fanciful
Imaginings! I saw myself
Condemned to death, my love for her
Informing me: 'Worship* today
And die tomorrow.' My thoughts were so 130
Confused I dropped my glove and then
My rosary. My eyes were only for
Inés, and, truth to tell, I was
Quite soon rewarded. I think she must
Have known of both my love and my 135
Nobility, for only one
Who thinks dares look; and one who looks
And does not think is, Fabia, but
A fool. What's more, no angel like
Inés could ever lack divine intelligence. 140
Believing this, I've written her
This letter. If you would have me favour you,
Then be so bold as to deliver it
And place it in her hands, thereby
Improving all my hopes of marriage, 145
The object of my honest love.
Not only will I be your slave;
A golden chain shall be your prize.
It shall ennoble* these widow's weeds,
And be the envy of unhappy wives! 150
FABIA. An interesting story!
ALONSO. So what's
Your opinion?
FABIA. It's very risky!
TELLO. Oh, come
On, Fabia! You won't convince him.
-87-
You'll do what expert doctors do,
And end up killing him.*
FABIA. Tello, 155
I'll use my skill to place this paper in
Her hands, no matter what the risk,
And free of charge. As you well know,
Where such great virtue is concerned,
Who else would be so bold? Show me 160
The note. I need to tart it up
A bit.
ALONSO. Oh, how can I repay you?
You hold my life, my soul in these
Two saintly hands!
TELLO. Did he say 'saintly'?
ALONSO. So capable of miracles! 165
TELLO. The Devil's own!
FABIA. For you, kind sir,
I shall employ whatever means
I can. I shan't pretend the chain
Displeases me. I'm a trusting soul,
You see.
TELLO. You should see her references! 170
ALONSO. Come with me, Fabia. Virtuous,
Respected mother,* I'll show you where
I'm staying.
FABIA. Tello.
TELLO. Fabia?
FABIA. Learn
To hold your tongue! I know a girl,*
Dark hair, nice face, outstanding figure . . . 175
TELLO. Just split the chain with me, I'll hold
My tongue forever and ever!
-88-
Exit all, enter DOÑA INÉSand DOÑA LEONOR.
INÉS. But everyone says, Leonor, that it's
Determined by the stars.*
LEONOR. That means
That love would not exist if there 180
Weren't stars.
INÉS. Explain this, then. For two
Years now Rodrigo's been my suitor.
His looks and flattering words turn me
To ice. And yet, no sooner do I see
This handsome stranger than my soul 185
Informs me that I love him, and I
Reply that, yes, I must agree.
Who decides that we should love
One person, not another?
LEONOR. You know
That love's completely blind. It shoots 190
Its darts, some hit the mark, others do not.
Because Fernando is a friend
Of your despised Rodrigo, I feel
I have to plead his cause, and yet
I must admit the stranger is 195
Quite handsome.
INÉS. His eyes met mine and made
Me look on him with favour. I saw
In them the passion which I felt
Within myself and which then drew
My eyes to his. But now he will 200
Have left Medina.
LEONOR. I know from what
I saw, his life depends on seeing you.
Enter ANA, a servant.
ANA. A certain Fabia, or Fabiana,* to see
You, my lady.
-89-
INÉS. Who is this woman?
ANA. She trades in rouge and face-creams, madam. 205
INÉS. So should we see her, Leonor?
LEONOR. This is a respectable house.
How dare she call! A woman of
Her reputation! But still, I am
Quite curious.
INÉS. Ana, call her.
ANA. Fabia, 210
My mistress wishes to see you.
Enter FABIAwith a basket.
FABIA. It never crossed my mind you'd ask
Me in! Oh, may God spare for years
To come such grace and charm as yours,
Such beauty and perfection! Why, every day 215
I see you dressed so handsomely,
Such pride in every step you take,
I bless the two of you. I am
Reminded, when I look at you,
Of your mother, in every way 220
So perfect, the Phoenix of Medina.*
She was such a loyal person,
So generous and pious too,
Never to be forgotten. Oh, how
We grieve her loss, and all of us 225
The poorer! I doubt there's anyone
She did not try to help and succour.
INÉS. What is it you want, woman?
FABIA. Oh,
Her death at such an early age
Has left us all abandoned! She was 230
As pure as Saint Catalina,*
And all my neighbours mourn her still.
Such memories! As for myself,
-90-
I can't describe the things she did
For me! Oh, cruel death has taken her 235
Before her time, when she was in
The prime of life and scarcely fifty!
INÉS. Good mother, please, come dry your tears.
FABIA. I can't, I can't! I can't console
Myself when death deprives us of 240
Such good and virtuous souls, and I
Am spared! Your father, bless him, is
He at home?
LEONOR. He went to the country
This afternoon.
FABIA. Then he'll be late
Returning, I suppose. To tell 245
The truth -- you are young and I'm
Experienced in these things -- Don Pedro, more
Than once, entrusted me with secrets of
His youth. I never breathed a word,
Respecting her who now lies in 250
Her grave, and knowing where my duty lay.
But out of every ten young women, five
Were never enough for him!
INÉS. Virtuous father!
FABIA. To be quite frank, he was insatiable.
He longed for every girl he set 255
His eyes on. So if, in that respect,
You, as his daughters, share his disposition,
I'd be surprised if both of you
Are not in love. My dears, don't
You pray for marriage?
INÉS. No, Fabia, not 260
At our age. That will come soon
Enough.
FABIA. A father who delays
In this does no one any favours.
-91-
Ripe fruit, my dears, tastes so good;
The thing is not to wait too long 265
Until its skin becomes too wrinkled.
Of all the things we know, just two
Are any use when they are old.
LEONOR. So what are they?
FABIA. A friend, my dear,
And well-matured wine. Just take 270
A look at me. I promise you
There was a time when I was young
And beautiful, the object of
Young men's desires. Who didn't praise
My youthful spirits, who didn't think 275
Himself most fortunate to catch
My eye? You should have seen the silks
I wore, the pots of money I
Went through, the carriages I rode in,
The compliments I revelled in. 280
And as for well-off students, most
Of them would shower me with presents by
The dozen! But now the springtime of
My youth has gone, time marches on.
It puts an end to female beauty; 285
There's no man now will look at me.
INÉS. So what are you selling?
FABIA. Oh, odds
And ends to make a living. It keeps
Me on the straight and narrow.
LEONOR. God
Will guide you, mother.
FABIA. Child, my rosary 290
And missal. Which reminds me, I
Must go.
INÉS. No, wait! What's that?
FABIA. Oh, just
-92-
Concoctions of camphor and mercury.*
