Out of the Wings

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Numancia (c.1585), Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

The Siege of Numancia, translated by Kathleen Jeffs (née Mountjoy)

from ACT ONE

Context:
A series of extracts from the first act.
Sample text

Jugurtha is a dramatic representation of the historical King of Numidia (118-106 BC), who lived c. 155-104 BC, who at this stage of his career is under The Roman General Scipio’s command. In the first act he warns his superior, Scipio, to proceed with caution and act justly (I. 57-64):

JUGURTHA:

I do not doubt, Sir, but that it is of great importance
to command the army with strict restraints
and to keep a soldier on a short rein
when he acts hastily and with injustice.
The strength of the army is diminished
when it acts without the support of justice
no matter how many thousands
of painted banners and legions accompany it.

The Roman General, Scipio (who defeated Carthage 13 years previously), is both harsh and encouraging to his troops as he rallies them to give up their lazy and decadent ways and focus on the task of defeating Numancia (I. 73-6, 85-8, 159-64):

SCIPIO:

Your general negligence, friends,
your failure to look after yourselves,
raises your fallen enemies
and diminishes their regard for your strength.
[...]
What strange weakness is this?
What weakness? If I am not mistaken,
it is weakness born of laziness,
the mortal enemy of fortitude.
[...]
Laziness breeds low fortune;
diligence forges empire and monarchy.
And yet I am convinced
you will ultimately prove to be Romans,
and you will destroy the defences
of these rebellious, barbarous Spaniards.

A representative Numantian citizen approaches Scipio to ask for peace (I. 233-40, 261-64):

NUMANTIAN:

Numancia, of which I am a citizen,
sends me to you, famed General,
the most powerful Roman captain
whom night has covered and day revealed,
to ask you, Sir, for your hand in friendship
as a sign this fighting which has engaged us cruelly
for so many long years,
afflicting us both, now comes to an end.
[...]
Your virtue and valour have lured us to you,
and they declare to us that the
greatest victory we could desire
is to have you as lord and ally.

But Scipio is not interested in peace, and he demands Numancia’s absolute surrender (I. 267-76):

SCIPIO:

It is too late to beg for forgiveness!
Your friendship satisfies me little;
rally your troops once more,
so I may see what mine can do;
now that fortune has granted us
glory and you the tomb.
After so many years of humiliation
it is of little recompense to sue for peace.
Continue the war and reopen the wounds,
release the valiant host once more.

The next extract is from the end of the first act of Numancia, when Spain laments its suffering under the Romans, who are increasingly oppressive (I. 352-59, 369-76):

SPAIN:

High, serene and expansive Heaven,
whose influence enriches
the best of my land,
and makes it greater than many others,
let my bitter struggle move you to compassion,
and as you favour the afflicted,
favour me in my anxiety,
for I am Spain, abandoned and unfortunate!
[...]
Can it be possible that I am to continue to be
the slave of foreign nations,
and that I will not see my banner
flown in freedom even for a moment?
Though we all endure suffering, of all others
I am punished most severely,
for my famed and valiant sons
are divided among themselves.

Despite the fact that Numancia will be destroyed through mass suicide, the River Duero predicts that Spain will eventually attain future glory (I. 457-76):

RIVER DUERO:

But now that the wheel of fortune
has ordained the ultimate end
of your beloved Numantian people,
and they have come to such an end,
one consolation remains to them now:
that the shadows of oblivion
will never obscure their enlightened deeds
and every age to come will find them extraordinary;

and given that the fierce Roman now extends
his heavy step over your fertile soil,
oppressing you here, offending you there,
with arrogant and ambitious zeal,
the time will come, just as Proteus
came to understand the knowledge
Heaven has given him, so will these Romans learn
they will be subjected by those they now beat down.

I foresee that people from faraway nations
will come and live upon your sweet bosom
after, as is your desire,
they place the yoke on Rome.