Three Major Plays by Lope de Vega, Gwynne Edwards Page A
Authors: Lope de Vega, Gwynne Edwards
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do?
ALDERMAN. The town should die,
-54-
Or kill these tyrants. We are many, they
50
Are few.
BARRILDO. Take arms against our overlord? *
ESTEBAN. In the eyes of God the King alone
Is our lord, not men like these,
No better than wild animals.
If God is on our side, why should we be
55
Afraid?
MENGO. Listen to me, my friends.
I beg of you, take care. I speak
For all the common peasants. They
Are the ones who suffer most, and so,
Although I know how fearful
60
They are, I also know that they
Are sensible.
JUAN ROJO. If all of us
Are made to suffer equally,
What are we waiting for? They burn
Our houses and our vineyards. I say
65
We take revenge!
Enter LAURENCIA, dishevelled.
LAURENCIA. Let me in! This meeting is for men,
I know, but if a woman has no vote,
She has a voice! Don't you know me?
ESTEBAN. Are you my daughter?
JUAN ROJO. Who else is it
But your Laurencia?
LAURENCIA. You see? I am
70
So changed, you even wonder who I am.
ESTEBAN. My dear daughter!
LAURENCIA. No, not your daughter!
ESTEBAN. Why not, why not, Laurencia?
-55-
LAURENCIA. For many reasons.
The first is that you let them take
Me off and did not seek revenge
75
For it, did not attempt to make
Those traitors pay. I'm not Frondoso's wife
As yet, which means I have no husband to
Avenge my name. You are responsible *
For that. Until the marriage-night,
80
That obligation is a father's, not
A husband's; it's like a precious stone: *
I'm not responsible for seeing that
It's safe from thieves until it's in
My hands. When Fernán Gómez took
85
Me off, you let him do it, just
As shepherds stand and watch the wolf
Which steals their sheep! They threatened me
With knives, abused me with their words,
Did everything they could to force
90
My chastity to their foul desires!
You see my hair? You see these marks,
These cuts and bruises? These stains of blood?
Do you believe that you are men
Of honour? Do you believe you are
95
True fathers? How can you see me here
And not feel all the pain I feel pierce
Your very souls? You are like sheep,
The name of our town * well chosen.
I'll take up arms, pursue my cause
100
Myself. You are like stones, unfeeling bronze
Or jasper . . . tigresses . . . But no,
Not tigresses! * For when the hunters steal
Their cubs, they chase and kill them in
Their rage, then plunge into the sea
105
Until they drown. But you are more
Like timid hares. True Spaniards, no!
Barbarians, yes! Or clucking hens!
You allow others to carry off
Your wives! You should bear distaffs! * 110
Your swords are ornaments that serve
-56-
No purpose! I swear to God above
That women alone shall be responsible
For their honour, for their blood,
And make these traitors, these tyrants pay. 115
As for yourselves, you should be stoned
For what you are: housewives, men who are
Not men, effeminate cowards who would
Look better dressed in our skirts
And bonnets, rouge upon your cheeks
120
And lipstick on your lips! No doubt
You know our great Commander plans
To have Frondoso hanged upon
The battlements, without a charge
Or trial. He'll do the same to all
125
Of you. And I'll rejoice in that,
You men who are not men, for then
This town will have more dignity,
And once again we'll see that age
Return when there were women who
130
Were strong, true Amazons, * whose deeds
Amazed the world.
ESTEBAN. Listen, daughter. I will
Not take these insults lying down!
I'll go alone, no matter who
The enemy.
JUAN ROJO. Me too, no matter what
135
His strength and number.
ALDERMAN. All of us
Shall die together.
BARRILDO. A pole shall bear
Our banner on the wind. We'll put
An end to all these monsters!
JUAN ROJO. What order shall
We march in?
MENGO. We'll keep no order. We are
140
As one, a single voice. We're all
-57-
Agreed. The tyrants have to die!
ESTEBAN. Take bows, lances, staves, sticks!
MENGO. Long live
The King and Queen!
ALL. Long may they live!
MENGO. And all the traitors die!
Exit the men
LAURENCIA. Go now,
145
And may God guide you! Women of
This
ALDERMAN. The town should die,
-54-
Or kill these tyrants. We are many, they
50
Are few.
BARRILDO. Take arms against our overlord? *
ESTEBAN. In the eyes of God the King alone
Is our lord, not men like these,
No better than wild animals.
If God is on our side, why should we be
55
Afraid?
MENGO. Listen to me, my friends.
I beg of you, take care. I speak
For all the common peasants. They
Are the ones who suffer most, and so,
Although I know how fearful
60
They are, I also know that they
Are sensible.
JUAN ROJO. If all of us
Are made to suffer equally,
What are we waiting for? They burn
Our houses and our vineyards. I say
65
We take revenge!
Enter LAURENCIA, dishevelled.
LAURENCIA. Let me in! This meeting is for men,
I know, but if a woman has no vote,
She has a voice! Don't you know me?
ESTEBAN. Are you my daughter?
JUAN ROJO. Who else is it
But your Laurencia?
LAURENCIA. You see? I am
70
So changed, you even wonder who I am.
ESTEBAN. My dear daughter!
LAURENCIA. No, not your daughter!
ESTEBAN. Why not, why not, Laurencia?
-55-
LAURENCIA. For many reasons.
The first is that you let them take
Me off and did not seek revenge
75
For it, did not attempt to make
Those traitors pay. I'm not Frondoso's wife
As yet, which means I have no husband to
Avenge my name. You are responsible *
For that. Until the marriage-night,
80
That obligation is a father's, not
A husband's; it's like a precious stone: *
I'm not responsible for seeing that
It's safe from thieves until it's in
My hands. When Fernán Gómez took
85
Me off, you let him do it, just
As shepherds stand and watch the wolf
Which steals their sheep! They threatened me
With knives, abused me with their words,
Did everything they could to force
90
My chastity to their foul desires!
You see my hair? You see these marks,
These cuts and bruises? These stains of blood?
Do you believe that you are men
Of honour? Do you believe you are
95
True fathers? How can you see me here
And not feel all the pain I feel pierce
Your very souls? You are like sheep,
The name of our town * well chosen.
I'll take up arms, pursue my cause
100
Myself. You are like stones, unfeeling bronze
Or jasper . . . tigresses . . . But no,
Not tigresses! * For when the hunters steal
Their cubs, they chase and kill them in
Their rage, then plunge into the sea
105
Until they drown. But you are more
Like timid hares. True Spaniards, no!
Barbarians, yes! Or clucking hens!
You allow others to carry off
Your wives! You should bear distaffs! * 110
Your swords are ornaments that serve
-56-
No purpose! I swear to God above
That women alone shall be responsible
For their honour, for their blood,
And make these traitors, these tyrants pay. 115
As for yourselves, you should be stoned
For what you are: housewives, men who are
Not men, effeminate cowards who would
Look better dressed in our skirts
And bonnets, rouge upon your cheeks
120
And lipstick on your lips! No doubt
You know our great Commander plans
To have Frondoso hanged upon
The battlements, without a charge
Or trial. He'll do the same to all
125
Of you. And I'll rejoice in that,
You men who are not men, for then
This town will have more dignity,
And once again we'll see that age
Return when there were women who
130
Were strong, true Amazons, * whose deeds
Amazed the world.
ESTEBAN. Listen, daughter. I will
Not take these insults lying down!
I'll go alone, no matter who
The enemy.
JUAN ROJO. Me too, no matter what
135
His strength and number.
ALDERMAN. All of us
Shall die together.
BARRILDO. A pole shall bear
Our banner on the wind. We'll put
An end to all these monsters!
JUAN ROJO. What order shall
We march in?
MENGO. We'll keep no order. We are
140
As one, a single voice. We're all
-57-
Agreed. The tyrants have to die!
ESTEBAN. Take bows, lances, staves, sticks!
MENGO. Long live
The King and Queen!
ALL. Long may they live!
MENGO. And all the traitors die!
Exit the men
LAURENCIA. Go now,
145
And may God guide you! Women of
This
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