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Los locos de Valencia (1589-1590), Lope de Vega Carpio
Madness in Valencia (1998), translated by David Johnston
ACT ONE, Scene Eleven, David Johnston's Madness in Valencia
- Edition
-
Vega, Lope de. 1998. Madness in Valencia, trans. David Johnston. Bath, Absolute Classics
pp. 50-4 - Context:
- Both held captive in the mental asylum though perfectly sane, Erífila and Floriano play mad but sense each other’s true sanity.
- Sample text
-
- ERIFILA:
What do you think you’re looking at?
- FLORIANO:
Even the moon and stars stare at you,
such is your beauty. Forgive me.
(Aside.) If I do not speak to her, I’ll die,
but how can I make her understand.
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
He has a fierce look in his eye;
I think he might be dangerous,
but I can’t move. Not a muscle.
My fear won’t let me speak to him,
and my will won’t let me run away.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
I look into her eyes and drown.
What words can there be between us?
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
What sort of creature then is he?
A blank mind in a perfect form.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
To see such beauty brought so low.
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
A cathedral without its roof.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
A delightful chamber empty.
A marble statue with no life
of the spirit or of the mind.
Never was it truer that beauty
is judged by the eye, not the brain.
A blank mind in a perfect form.
Such beauty wasted by unreason.
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
I don’t think he can be violent;
but what a waste of human form;
a golden chalice full of air
when it could hold the finest wine.
God, I would lose my wits for him.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
The madhouse is a paradise,
and if this angel has fallen
then I’ll fall to earth with her too.
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
If only I dared speak to him
but the last vestige of reason
has bound my tongue with iron bands.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
How can the sane worship the mad?
And yet it is love and not death
which is the great leveller.
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
I’ve just awoken from a dream
and I fell asleep arising again.
I’ve lived my whole life sunk in sleep,
everything has been done in dream.
Did I leave my father’s house
without even a backward glance?
Who was it Leonato robbed?
Was it me that cried for vengeance
when a servant proved insulting?
My mind’s on fire, my thoughts aflame,
and I no longer know myself.
I’m standing looking at a madman
knowing full well I’d follow him
to the ends of the earth if need be.
They’ll have brought me to the madhouse
for some similar foolishness.
There can be no doubt about it:
it’s as clear as day: I am insane.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
Her eyes are clouding with new rage,
two bright stars eclipsed by the moon.
- ERIFILA:
That’s it! I’m mad, insane, possessed!
- FLORIANO:
Calm down, my love, control your thoughts.
- ERIFILA:
Those aren’t the words of a madman.
- FLORIANO:
Mad only with love for you,
and I swear that I’ll go madder.
- ERIFILA:
No, you must not say such things.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
Why hang on to my common sense,
like a drunkard to his last glass,
when the woman I love has none?
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
If madness must be our common ground …
(Aloud.) A horse! A horse! Bring me a horse!
My kingdom and my eyes for a horse.
My lover Galahad awaits.
- FLORIANO:
Yes … a horse! I’ll have a horse too!
And a sword and an axe and a …
and all the other bits and pieces.
(Aside.) Alea iacta est. I’ve crossed
the Rubicon of sanity,
swam through the cold waters of reason
drawn to the warmth of this new love.
- ERIFILA:
You there, come and hold my stirrup.
- FLORIANO:
Your wish is my command, my love.
Where is it?
- ERIFILA:
You’re fondling my foot,
miserable squire. How dare you!
- FLORIANO:
A squire? I am a captive, like you.
- ERIFILA:
A captive? I am Guinevere.
- FLORIANO:
Shall I be your Lancelot?
- ERIFILA:
Lancelot is a shining bright,
the most handsome man I have known.
He looks at women and they melt,
but none tempts his vow of chastity.
- FLORIANO:
No, not Lancelot … I’m Sir … Sir
Orlando.
- ERIFILA:
Sir Orlando? You’re black Mordred!
- FLORIANO:
I’m not black anyone, I swear.
I’ll be any knight that you want,
the whole round table if need be.
- ERIFILA:
Galahad!
- FLORIANO:
My lovely Queen!
- ERIFILA:
And Gawain?
- FLORIANO:
He’s green with envy.
Sorry, my learned little joke.
Once a scholar … of my love for you,
and dare I hope, of yours for me?
- ERIFILA:
You know Tristan?
- FLORIANO:
And Merlin too.
- ERIFILA:
They were good people and good times.
- FLORIANO:
Camelot was the place to be,
my Queen.
- ERIFILA: (Aside.)
He has a ready wit.
Either he’s as sane as any man
or I’ve lost my senses utterly.
- FLORIANO: (Aside.)
I’ve been too clever for my own good.
I think she’s seen right through me.
I’ll have a frenzy of my own.
(Aloud.) For Spain and for Santiago,
into the valley of death I ride,
cannon to the right, guns on the left.
- ERIFILA:
It’s a far far better thing you do.
- FLORIANO:
Dulce et decorum est.
- ERIFILA:
Atque en perpetuo frater.
- FLORIANO:
Pro patria mori.
- ERIFILA:
Hic, haec, hoc.
- FLORIANO:
Morituri te salutant.
- Copyright
-
The above sample taken from the translation Madness in Valencia (1998) by David Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Entry written by Kathleen Jeffs. Last updated on 16 May 2012.
