Don Quixote. Cervantes

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СКАЧАТЬ silver, copper, tin, in lowly state

      Off the bare earth and on earth's fruits didst dine;

      Live thou, of thine eternal glory sure.

      So long as on the round of the fourth sphere

      The bright Apollo shall his coursers steer,

      In thy renown thou shalt remain secure,

      Thy country's name in story shall endure,

      And thy sage author stand without a peer.

      DON BELIANIS OF GREECE

       To Don Quixote of la Mancha

       SONNET

      In slashing, hewing, cleaving, word and deed,

      I was the foremost knight of chivalry,

      Stout, bold, expert, as e'er the world did see;

      Thousands from the oppressor's wrong I freed;

      Great were my feats, eternal fame their meed;

      In love I proved my truth and loyalty;

      The hugest giant was a dwarf for me;

      Ever to knighthood's laws gave I good heed.

      My mastery the Fickle Goddess owned,

      And even Chance, submitting to control,

      Grasped by the forelock, yielded to my will.

      Yet—though above yon horned moon enthroned

      My fortune seems to sit—great Quixote, still

      Envy of thy achievements fills my soul.

      THE LADY OF ORIANA

       To Dulcinea del Toboso

       SONNET

      Oh, fairest Dulcinea, could it be!

      It were a pleasant fancy to suppose so—

      Could Miraflores change to El Toboso,

      And London's town to that which shelters thee!

      Oh, could mine but acquire that livery

      Of countless charms thy mind and body show so!

      Or him, now famous grown—thou mad'st him grow so—

      Thy knight, in some dread combat could I see!

      Oh, could I be released from Amadis

      By exercise of such coy chastity

      As led thee gentle Quixote to dismiss!

       Then would my heavy sorrow turn to joy;

       None would I envy, all would envy me,

       And happiness be mine without alloy.

      GANDALIN, SQUIRE OF AMADIS OF GAUL,

       To Sancho Panza, squire of Don Quixote

       SONNET

      All hail, illustrious man! Fortune, when she

       Bound thee apprentice to the esquire trade,

      Her care and tenderness of thee displayed,

      Shaping thy course from misadventure free.

      No longer now doth proud knight-errantry

      Regard with scorn the sickle and the spade;

      Of towering arrogance less count is made

      Than of plain esquire-like simplicity.

      I envy thee thy Dapple, and thy name,

      And those alforjas thou wast wont to stuff

      With comforts that thy providence proclaim.

       Excellent Sancho! hail to thee again!

       To thee alone the Ovid of our Spain

       Does homage with the rustic kiss and cuff.

      FROM EL DONOSO, THE MOTLEY POET,

      On Sancho Panza and Rocinante

       ON SANCHO

      I am the esquire Sancho Pan—

       Who served Don Quixote of La Man—;

       But from his service I retreat-,

       Resolved to pass my life discreet-;

       For Villadiego, called the Si—,

       Maintained that only in reti—

       Was found the secret of well-be—,

       According to the "Celesti—:"

       A book divine, except for sin—

       By speech too plain, in my opin—

       ON ROCINANTE

      I am that Rocinante fa—,

       Great-grandson of great Babie—,

       Who, all for being lean and bon—,

       Had one Don Quixote for an own—;

       But if I matched him well in weak—,

       I never took short commons meek—,

       But kept myself in corn by steal—,

       A trick I learned from Lazaril—,

       When with a piece of straw so neat—

       The blind man of his wine he cheat—.

      ORLANDO FURIOSO

       To Don Quixote of La Mancha

       SONNET

      If thou art not a Peer, peer thou hast none;

       Among a thousand Peers thou art a peer;

       Nor is there room for one when thou art near,

       Unvanquished victor, great unconquered one!

       Orlando, by Angelica undone,

       Am I; o'er distant seas condemned to steer,

       And to Fame's altars as an offering bear

       Valour respected by Oblivion.

       СКАЧАТЬ