THE MAYOR OF ZALAMEA
A monologue from the
play by Pedro
Calderón de la Barca
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NOTE: This monologue is reprinted
from Eight Dramas of Calderon. Trans. Edward Fitzgerald.
London: Macmillan & Co., 1906. |
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- PEDRO CRESPO: And now, Juan, before going, let me
give thee a word of advice in presence of thy sister and cousin;
thou and thy horse will easily overtake Don Lope, advice and
all. By God's grace, boy, thou comes of honourable if of humble
stock; bear both in mind, so as neither to be daunted from trying
to rise, nor puffed up so as to be sure to fall. How many have
done away the memory of a defect by carrying themselves modestly;
while others again have gotten a blemish only by being proud
of being born without one. There is a just humility that will
maintain thine own dignity, and yet make thee insensible to many
a rub that galls the proud spirit. Be courteous in thy manner,
and liberal of thy purse; for 'tis the hand to the bonnet and
in the pocket that makes friends in this world; of which to gain
one good, all the gold the sun breeds in India, or the universal
sea sucks down, were a cheap purchase. Speak no evil of women;
I tell thee the meanest of them deserves our respect; for of
women do we not all come? Quarrel with no one but with good cause;
by the Lord, over and over again, when I see masters and schools
of arms among us, I say to myself, 'This is not the thing we
want at all, How to fight, but Why to fight? that
is the lesson we want to learn.' And I verily believe if but
one master of the Why to fight advertised among us he
would carry off all the scholars. Well--enough--You have not
(as you once said to me) my advice this time on an empty stomach--a
fair outfit of clothes and money--a good horse--and a good sword--these,
together with Don Lope's countenance, and my blessing--I trust
in God to live to see thee home again with honour and advancement
on thy back. My son, God bless thee! There--And now go--for I
am beginning to play the woman.
MORE MONOLOGUES BY CALDERÓN |
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