by Lope de Vega
To tell the truth, while I was so
Preoccupied with lance and sword,
It gladdened me to know my son was here
Instead of me, a prudent overlord. 290
I offer thanks to God that when
The Church's enemies* observed
Our might, it was not long before
They sought escape in cowardly flight.
The Holy Father greeted me 295
Triumphantly in Rome, and then
The city joyously, as if
I were some conquering Spanish Trajan.*
On that account I am resolved
To be a better man than I 300
Have been and let my virtue, not
My vices, now be seen by everyone.
For when a man wins such applause,
And all in virtue's name, he would
Be foolish if his vices then 305
Acquired even greater fame.
RICARDO. Aurora and the Marquis wait
On you, my lord.
Enter AURORAand the MARQUIS.
AURORA. I welcome you,
My lord, as someone truly glad
To see you home.
MARQUIS. And I as someone whose 310
Affection is already known.
DUKE. I thank you and embrace you both.
-244-
The consolation for the tedious months
Away is to anticipate
The joy of such a day as this. 315
But now, my dear friends, I need
To rest. I guarantee that when
Day comes, we'll spend the rest
Of it in joyous celebration.
FEDERICO. God bless the Duke and for eternity 320
His glorious life prolong.
[Exit all, except RICARDOand BATÍN
BATÍN. Ricardo, good to see you!
RICARDO. Good
To see you too, Batín.
BATÍN. How was
It then? You know . . . I mean the fighting.
RICARDO. A case of heaven protecting us, 325
So in the end we simply had to be
Victorious. You should see Lombardy.
No, not a pretty sight, and all
The enemy retreating fast
To save their skins in shameful flight. 330
The mighty lion* of the Church
Roared loud -- and all of them at once
Just disappeared in a cloud
Of dust. The Duke's a famous man
The length and breadth of Italy. 335
They celebrate his victories
As once upon a time they praised
King Saul and David* for the way
They routed all their enemies.
Not only that; because of what he's done, 340
The Duke's become a different man.
He doesn't chase the women any more;
He doesn't spend his time, as he
Was wont to do, in idle pleasure.
I swear that his entire thoughts 345
-245-
Are dedicated to Casandra; and,
Of course, Federico. In short, the Duke's
Become a real saint, I promise you.
BATÍN. A likely story! Do you expect
Me to believe the Duke's so heavenly? 350
RICARDO. There are some men, Batín, who, when
They see that fortune smiles on them,
Grow proud and arrogant, and force
The rest of us to do the things they want.
The Duke, surprisingly, has turned 355
Out different. The thing that marks him out's
Humility, and how he now
Despises all the praise that has
Been lavished on him on account
Of all his famous victories. 360
BATÍN. Let's hope, then, that he'll always stay
Like that, and not be like the cat
They speak of in the well-known story.*
It tells of how a certain Greek
Desired that his cat -- I think 365
It was a tabby -- be transformed
Into a rather dishy lady.
And so this lady, now arrayed
With hairdo and expensive finery,
Did see one day a tiny creature pass, 370
I mean that paper-eating poet of
The animals -- the friendly mouse --
And straight away she jumped on him,
So proving that we cannot change
A thing as far as our natures are 375
Concerned, and pussy will be always pussy,
Doggie, doggie, for eternity, amen.
RICARDO. I don't believe the Duke will be
Again the profligate he was.
Besides, when he has children he 380
Will be transformed. You'll see them run
Their fingers through the lion's mane,
-246-
And him lie at their feet, completely tame.
BATíN. I hope that what you say is true.
RICARDO. I'll say goodbye. I have to go. 385
BATíN. Where are you going?
RICARDO. To see a girl.
I can't afford to keep her waiting.
Exit RICARDO. Enter the DUKE with letters.
DUKE. Is there no servant here?
BATíN. There's me,
My lord, a true example of
Servility.
DUKE. My good Batín. 390
BATíN. May God protect you, sir. It's good
To have you home with us again.
DUKE. What are you doing here?
BATíN. I was,
Until you came, most entertained
By young Ricardo, sir. He told 395
Me of your recent history,
Of how you are regarded as
The Hector* of all Italy.
DUKE. And would you say, Batín, that while
I've been away, the Count has handled my 400
Affairs as properly as I would like?
BATíN. You could say, sir, his triumphs here
Have been in every way as great
As yours in war.
DUKE. And what about
Casandra? Did he treat her kindly? 405
BATíN. I'd put it much more strongly, sir.
I'd say there's never been a stepmother
-247-
That favoured any stepson more
Than she has done. It must have been
Her saintliness and virtue, sir, 410
That won him over.
DUKE. Then I am glad If, as you say, they get on well
Together. I love the Count above
All else. I know how sad he was
When I was forced to go away 415
To war, and so on that account
Am glad to hear that both of them
Have learned at last to love each other.
How good it is to know that in
This house we celebrate today 420
Two famous victories: my own
In Italy, Casandra's triumph here.
I am indebted to her for
Such warm consideration of
My son, and promise that in future I 425
Shall spurn all other women. What's past
Is past; the life that I propose
To lead now matters most.
BATíN. It seems
To me a miracle, my lord, that one
Who couldn't get enough of it 430
Should now come back to us and plan To live more like a hermit. You ought
To found, if you are really good,
Some new religious brotherhood.*
DUKE. I promise you, Batín, that all 435
Of you shall see how I've reformed.
BATíN. Of course we shall, my lord. But I
Don't understand why you aren't yet
In bed when half an hour ago
You said you felt half-dead.
DUKE. And so 440
-248-
I do, Batín.
But on my way
Upstairs they gave me documents
And letters which reminded me
That I should deal with cares of state
As soon as possible. I plan 445
To solve them first and then sleep easily.
Why let them cause me pointless worry?
Go now. I must attend to them.
The man who rules should feel that everything
Is worthy of his full attention. 450
BATíN. No doubt heaven will reward you for
The care with which you deal with your
Affairs. You shall enjoy eternal fame,
And centuries to come shall celebrate
Your name.
[Exit BATíN
DUKE [reads]. What have we here? 'My lord, 455
I am your palace gardener.
I've cultivated seeds, together with
Six sons, and for the eldest of them now
Request . . .' I know the cheeky fellow.
We'll let his soil lie fallow for a while. 460
What's this? A begging-letter from
A widow called Lucinda. May
The Devil take her! Another from
A fellow called Albano, not
To mention Julio Camilo. To hell 465
With all of them! This from a woman calls
Herself Paula de San Germán.
Describes herself as chaste young maid.
Why write to me unless she thinks
That I can satisfy her need? 470
What's this that comes so tightly sealed?
The fellow gave it to me seemed
So scared, I swear he thought he'd seen
A ghost. So what's it say? [Reads] 'My lord,
While you have been away, the Count 475
-249-
And Duchess have . . .' I might have known;
I half suspected this, that they
Did not do things as properly
As I would like! [Reads] '. . . offended both
Your honour and your bed by means 480
Of their infamy.' How can
I bear such news as this! [Reads] 'You shall
Have certain proof of it if you
Observe them carefully.' What can
This letter be that so offends 485
My eyes and asks them to believe
That this is true? I am convinced
That lies like these do not consider how
A father feels when he is told
His wife and son deprive him of 490
His honour! Am I to think Casandra could
Offend me so? Must I believe
Such shameful things of Federico?
And yet, the fact that they are man
And woman leads me to suspect 495
It might be true! There is no sin
Of which man is not capable,
And I am tempted to believe
That heaven, to punish me for all
My sins, has made this possible. 500
It was the punishment inflicted on
King David* by the prophet Nathan,
Which means that Federico has
Become another Absalom.
But this is punishment far worse, 505
For David's women were but concubines,
While here Casandra is my wife.
It is as if the wickedness
Of my own irresponsible
And sinful life has now been sent 510
To punish me, though I have not,
As David did, obtained a wife
By murder and by treachery.
It is my son who is now guilty of
-250-
Such treachery! Must I believe 515
That any son is capable
Of infamy as terrible
As this against the very man
Responsible for his own birth?
If this is true, I pray that heaven, 520
When I have killed him once, will grant
Him life again, so I may have
The chance to kill him one time more.
Oh, this is true disloyalty!
Oh, this the very worst offence! 525
A man cannot leave home without
His son abusing what he thought
Was safe, entrusted to his care.
How can I, then, be sure that
I learn the truth and not expect 530
The witnesses I call to draw
Attention* to the full extent
Of my ignoble fall? And yet
It is quite possible that not
A soul will be prepared to speak 535
Of something quite so horrible.
But if they do, it follows that
The revelation of the crime
Is only possible because 540
It's true, and as its consequence
My own disgrace is unavoidable.
To punish him is not to take
Revenge, nor can the man who punishes
Be properly avenged. To force
The truth from him could also be 545
The source of my undoing. Honour lies
Far less in what is done than in
The dreadful things that may be spoken.
Enter FEDERICO.
FEDERICO. My lord, I knew you were not yet
Asleep. I wish to speak with you. 550
-251-
DUKE. May God protect you, Federico.
FEDERICO. I come because there is a favour I
Would ask of you.
DUKE. There is no need.
You know my love is such, it favours you
Before you ask.
FEDERICO. It was your wish 555
Not long ago, that I should ask
Aurora for her hand in marriage.
Although I shared that wish, I was
On that occasion most discouraged by
The Marquis's love of her, and so 560
Did not pursue my own. But when
You'd gone to Italy, it was as if
Aurora, seeing how I really loved
Her, changed; began to favour me
Again, and I to hope our marriage could, 565
Once you came back, soon be arranged.
I come to ask that you agree
To our wedding and, of course,
Confer upon us both your blessing.
DUKE.My son, there's nothing else would give 570
Me greater pleasure. Even so,
You must discuss the matter with
Your mother too, as you have done
With me. What matters most is that
We are a happy, caring family. 575
FEDERICO. But she does not have our blood.
Why should I therefore ask advice
Of her, my lord?
DUKE. I would have thought,
Because the lady is your mother.
FEDERICO. My mother was Laurencia. 580
DUKE. So does that mean you are ashamed
To call Casandra mother? They tell
-252-
Me, while I was away, the two
Of you got on extremely well
Together.
FEDERICO. My lord, I do not wish 585
To contradict the story others tell.
I know you love her dearly.
But if she was for them the angel they
Describe, she was not so with me.
DUKE. Then I am sorry if what I 590
Have heard is so untrue. They said
That nothing ever pleased her more
Than seeing you.
FEDERICO. She favoured me
At times, but also made me feel
As if to be another woman's son 595
Was something of a feckless crime.
DUKE. I do admit I am inclined
To think there is some truth in it.
I would have been more pleased if she
Had shown you even greater love 600
Than me, for that would surely
Consolid
ate this kingdom's harmony.
May God go with you.
FEDERICO. And with you, my lord.
[Exit FEDERICO
DUKE. How could I bear to listen to
Such hideous lies, and see how he 605
Prepares a marriage to Aurora to
Disguise the truth! How eagerly
He blames Casandra, thinking I
Will therefore think the worse of her!
How foolishly are criminals 610
Convinced that they conceal their crimes,
When everything they say and do
Is of their guilt the clearest sign!
-253-
He cannot bring himself to call
Her mother -- how could he when his father's wife 615
Is now his own devoted lover?
But why am I so easily
Convinced* that such a foul offence
Is true? Is it not possible
Some enemy of mine now plots 620
His own revenge on me by making me
Believe my son's committed such
An act of treachery? That I
Should even think he is to blame
Is both a source of punishment and shame. 625
Enter CASANDRA and AURORA.
AURORA. To grant me this, my lady, is
To grant me life itself.
CASANDRA. To choose
So wisely is to guarantee
Yourself both wealth and happiness.
AURORA. The Duke comes here.
CASANDRA. My lord, I had 630
Not thought to find you wide-awake.
DUKE. Because I've been away so long,
I feel I have to give attention to
Affairs of state. And yet this letter here
Makes mention of the way you and 635
The Count both make most excellent
Administrators. Your deeds, it seems,
Have made their mark, and won unstinted praise
From others.
CASANDRA. It is the Count, not me,
To whom you owe most gratitude. 640
