Modern Spanish Lyrics
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Title: Modern Spanish Lyrics
Editor: E. C. Hills
S. Griswold Morley
Release date: June 14, 2005 [eBook #16059]
Most recently updated: December 11, 2020
Language: English, Spanish
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16059
Credits: Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Miranda van de Heijning,
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Team.
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MODERN SPANISH LYRICS ***
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Miranda van de Heijning,
Renald Levesque and the Online Distributed Proofreading
Team.
MODERN SPANISH
LYRICS
_EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES AND
VOCABULARY_
BY
ELIJAH CLARENCE HILLS, PH. D., LITT.D.
_Professor of Romance Languages in Colorado College_
AND
S. GRISWOLD MORLEY, PH. D.
_University of Colorado_
NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
1913
Page iii
PREFACE
The present volume aims to furnish American students of
Spanish with a convenient selection of the Castilian
lyrics best adapted to class reading. It was the intention
of the editors to include no poem which did not possess
distinct literary value. On the other hand, some of the
most famous Spanish lyrics do not seem apt to awaken the
interest of the average student: it is for this reason
that scholars will miss the names of certain eminent poets
of the _siglo de oro_. The nineteenth century, hardly
inferior in merit and nearer to present-day readers in
thought and language, is much more fully represented.
No apology is needed for the inclusion of poems by
Spanish-American writers, for they will bear comparison
both in style and thought with the best work from the
mother Peninsula.
The Spanish poems are presented chronologically, according
to the dates of their authors. The Spanish-American poems
are arranged according to countries and chronologically
within those divisions. Omissions are indicated by rows of
dots and are due in all cases to the necessity of bringing
the material within the limits of a small volume. Three
poems (the _Fiesta de toros_ of Moratín, the _Castellano
leal_ of Rivas and the _Leyenda_ of Zorrilla) are more
narrative than lyric. The _romances_ selected are Page iv
the most lyrical of their kind. A few songs have been
added to illustrate the relation of poetry to music.
The editors have been constantly in consultation in all
parts of the work, but the preparation of the _Prosody_,
the _Notes_ (including articles on Spanish-American
literature) and the part of the _Introduction_ dealing
with the nineteenth century, was undertaken by Mr. Hills,
while Mr. Morley had in charge the _Introduction_ prior
to 1800, and the _Vocabulary_. Aid has been received from
many sources. Special thanks are due to Professor J.D.M.
Ford and Dr. A.F. Whittem of Harvard University, Don
Ricardo Palma of Peru, Don Rubén Darío of Nicaragua, Don
Rufino Blanco-Fombona of Venezuela, Professor Carlos
Bransby of the University of California, and Dr. Alfred
Coester of Brooklyn, N.Y.
E.C.H.
S.G.M.
Page v
CONTENTS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION:
I. Spanish Lyric Poetry to 1800
II. Spanish Lyric Poetry of the Nineteenth Century
III. Spanish Versification
ESPAÑA
ROMANCES:
Abenámar
Fonte-frida
El conde Arnaldos
La constancia
El amante desdichado
El prisionero
VINCENTE (GIL) (1470-1540?)
Canción
TERESA DE JESÚS (SANTA) (1515-1582)
Letrilla (que llevaba por registro en su breviario)
LEÓN (FRAY LUIS DE) (1527-1591)
Vida retirada
ANÓNIMO
Á Cristo crucificado
VEGA (LOPE DE) (1562-1635)
Canción de la Virgen
Mañana
QUEVEDO (FRANCISCO DE) (1580-1645)
Epístola satírica al conde de Olivares
Letrilla satírica
VILLEGAS (ESTEBAN MANUEL DE) (1589-1669)
Cantilena: De un pajarillo
CALDERÓN DE LA BARCA (PEDRO) (1600-1681)
"Estas que fueron pompa y alegría,"
Consejo de Crespo á su hijo
GONZÁLEZ (FRAY DIEGO) (1733-1794)
El murciélago alevoso page vi
MORATÍN (NICOLÁS F. DE) (1737-1780)
Fiesta de toros en Madrid
JOVELLANOS (GASPAR M. DE) (1744-1811)
Á Arnesto
MELÉNDEZ VALDÉS (JUAN) (1754-1817)
Rosana en los fuegos
QUINTANA (MANUEL JOSÉ) (1772-1857)
Oda á España, después de la revolución de marzo
SOLÍS (DIONISIO) (1774-1834)
La pregunta de la niña
GALLEGO (JUAN NICASIO) (1777-1853)
El Dos de Mayo
MARTÍNEZ DE LA ROSA (FRANCISCO) (1787-1862)
El nido
RIVAS (DUQUE DE) (1791-1865)
Un castellano leal
AROLAS (PADRE JUAN) (1805-1849)
"Sé más feliz que yo"
ESPRONCEDA (JOSÉ DE) (1808-1842)
Canción del pirata
Á la patria
ZORRILLA (JOSÉ) (1817-1893)
Oriental
Indecisión
La fuente
Á buen juez, mejor testigo
TRUEBA (ANTONIO DE) (1821-1889)
Cantos de pájaro
La perejilera
SELGAS (JOSÉ) (1821-1882)
La modestia
ALARCÓN (PEDRO ANTONIO DE) (1833-1891)
El Mont-Blanc
El secreto
BÉCQUER (GUSTAVO A.) (1836-1870)
Rimas: II
VII
LIII
LXXIII page vii
QUEROL (VINCENTE WENCESLAO) (1836-1889)
En Noche-Buena
CAMPOAMOR (RAMÓN DE) (1817-1901)
Proximidad del bien
¡Quién supiera escribir!
El mayor castigo
NÚÑEZ DE ARCE (GASPAR) (1834-1903)
¡Excelsior!
Tristezas
¡Sursum Corda!
PALACIO (MANUEL DEL) (1832-1895)
Amor oculto
BARTRINA (JOAQUÍN MARÍA) (1850-1880)
Arabescos
REINA (MANUEL) (1860-)
La poesía
ARGENTINA
ECHEVERRÍA (O. ESTEBAN) (1805-1851)
Canción de Elvira
ANDRADE (OLEGARIO VICTOR) (1838-1882)
Atlántida
Prometeo
OBLIGADO (RAFAEL) (1852-)
En la ribera
COLOMBIA
ORTIZ (JOSÉ JOAQUÍN) (1814-1892)
Colombia y España
CARO (JOSÉ EUSEBIO) (1817-1853)
El ciprés
MARROQUÍN (JOSÉ MANUEL) (1827-)
Los cazadores y la perrilla
CARO (MIGUEL ANTONIO) (1843-1909)
Vuelta á la patria page viii
ARRIETA (DIÓGENES A.) (1848-)
En la tumba de mi hijo
GUTIÉRREZ PONCE (IGNACIO) (1850-)
Dolora
GARAVITO A. (JOSÉ MARÍA) (1860-)
Volveré mañana
CUBA
HEREDIA (JOSÉ MARÍA) (1803-1839)
En el teocalli de Cholula
El Niágara
"PLÁCIDO" (GABRIEL DE LA CONCEPCIÓN VALDÉS) (1809-1844)
Plegaria á Dios
AVELLANEDA (GERTRUDIS GÓMEZ DE) (1814-1873)
Á Wáshington
Al partir
ECUADOR
OLMEDO (JOSÉ JOAQUÍN) (1780-1847)
La victoria de Junín
MÉXICO
PESADO (JOSÉ JOAQUÍN DE) (1801-1861)
Serenata
CALDERÓN (FERNANDO) (1809-1845)
La rosa marchita
ACUÑA (MANUEL) (1849-1873)
Nocturno: Á Rosario
PEZA (JUAN DE DIOS) (1852-1910)
Reír llorando
Fusiles y muñecas
NICARAGUA
DARÍO (RUBÉN) (1864-)
Á Roosevelt
page ix
VENEZUELA
BELLO (ANDRÉS) (1781-1865)
Á la victoria de Bailén
La agricultura de la zona tórrida
PÉREZ BONALDE (JUAN ANTONIO) (1846-1892)
Vuelta á la patria
MARTÍN DE LA GUARDIA (HERACLIO) (1830-)
Ultima ilusión
CANCIONES
La carcelera
Riverana
La cachucha
La valenciana
Canción devota
La jota gallega
El trágala
Himno de Riego
Himno nacional de México
Himno nacional de Cuba
NOTES
VOCABULARY[a]
[Transcriber's note a: The vocabulary section has
not been submitted for transcription.}
INTRODUCTION page xi
I
SPANISH LYRIC POETRY TO 1800
It has been observed that epic poetry, which is collective
and objective in its nature, always reaches its full
development in a nation sooner than lyric poetry, which is
individual and subjective. Such is certainly the case in
Spain. Numerous popular epics of much merit existed there
in the Middle Ages.[1] Of a popular lyric there are few
traces in the same period; and the Castilian lyric as an
art-form reached its height in the sixteenth, and again in
the nineteenth, centuries. It is necessary always to bear
in mind the distinction between the mysterious product
called popular poetry, which is continually being created
but seldom finds its way into the annals of literature,
and artistic poetry. The chronicler of the Spanish lyric
is concerned with the latter almost exclusively, though he
will have occasion to mention the former not infrequently
as the basis of some of the best artificial creations.
[Footnote 1: The popular epics were written in assonating
lines of variable length. There were also numerous monkish
narrative poems _(mester de clereçia)_ in stanzas of four
Alexandrine lines each, all riming _(cuaderna vía)_.]
If one were to enumerate _ab origine_ the lyric
productions of the Iberian Peninsula he might begin
with the vague references of Strabo to the songs of its
primitive inhabitants, and then pass on to Latin page xii
poets of Spanish birth, such as Seneca, Lucan and Martial.
The later Spaniards who wrote Christian poetry in Latin,
as Juvencus and Prudentius, might then be considered. But
in order not to embrace many diverse subjects foreign
to the contents of this collection, we must confine our
inquiry to lyric production in the language of Castile,
which became the dominating tongue of the Kingdom of
Spain.
Such a restriction excludes, of course, the Arabic lyric,
a highly artificial poetry produced abundantly by the
Moors during their occupation of the south of Spain; it
excludes also the philosophical and religious poetry of
the Spanish Jews, by no means despicable in thought or
form. Catalan poetry, once written in the Provençal manner
and of late happily revived, also lies outside our field.
Even the Galician poetry, which flourished so freely under
the external stimulus of the Provençal troubadours, can be
included only with regard to its influence upon Castilian.
The Galician dialect, spoken in the northwest corner of
the Peninsula, developed earlier than the Castilian of the
central region, and it was adopted by poets in other parts
for lyric verse. Alfonso X of Castile (reigned 1252-1284)
could write prose in Castilian, but he must needs employ
Galician for his _Cantigas de Santa María_. The Portuguese
nobles, with King Diniz (reigned 1279-1325) at their head,
filled the idle hours of their bloody and passionate lives
by composing strangely abstract, conventional poems of
love and religion in the manner of the Provençal _canso,
dansa, balada_ and _pastorela_, which had had such a
luxuriant growth in Southern France in the eleventh and
twelfth centuries. A highly elaborated metrical system
mainly distinguishes these writers, but some of page xiii
their work catches a pleasing lilt which is supposed
to represent the imitation of songs of the people. The
popular element in the Galician productions is slight, but
it was to bear important fruit later, for its spirit is
that of the _serranas_ of Ruiz and Santillana, and of
_villancicos_ and eclogues in the sixteenth century.
It was probably in the neighborhood of 1350 that lyrics
began to be written in Castilian by the cultured classes
of Leon and Castile, who had previously thought Galician
the only proper tongue for that use, but the influence of
the Galician school persisted long after. The first real
lyric in Castilian is its offspring. This is the anonymous
_Razón feyta d'amor_ or _Aventura amorosa_ (probably
thirteenth century), a dainty story of the meeting of two
lovers. It is apparently an isolated example, ahead of its
time, unless, as is the case with the Castilian epic, more
poems are lost than extant. The often quoted _Cántica de
la Virgen_ of Gonzalo de Berceo (first half of thirteenth
century), with its popular refrain _Eya velar_, is an
oasis in the long religious epics of the amiable monk of
S. Millán de la Cogolla. One must pass into the succeeding
century to find the next examples of the true lyric. Juan
RUIZ, the mischievous Archpriest of Hita (flourished _ca_.
1350), possessed a genius sufficiently keen and human to
infuse a personal vigor into stale forms. In his _Libro de
buen amor_ he incorporated lyrics both sacred and profane,
_Loores de Santa María_ and _Cánticas de serrana_, plainly
in the Galician manner and of complex metrical structure.
The _serranas_ are particularly free and unconventional.
The Chancellor Pero LÓPEZ DE AYALA (1332-1407), wise
statesman, brilliant historian and trenchant page xiv
satirist, wrote religious songs in the same style and
still more intricate in versification. They are included
in the didactic poem usually called _El rimado de
palacio_.
Poetry flourished in and about the courts of the monarchs
of the Trastamara family; and what may be supposed a
representative collection of the work done in the reigns
of Henry II (1369-1379), John I (1379-1388), Henry III
(1388-1406) and the minority of John II (1406-1454), is
preserved for us in the _Cancionero_ which Juan Alfonso de
Baena compiled and presented to the last-named king. Two
schools of versifiers are to be distinguished in it. The
older men, such as Villasandino, Sánchez de Talavera,
Macías, Jerena, Juan Rodríguez del Padrón and Baena
himself, continued the artificial Galician tradition, now
run to seed. In others appears the imitation of Italian
models which was to supplant the ancient fashion.
Francisco Imperial, a worshiper of Dante, and other
Andalusians such as Ruy Páez de Ribera, Pero González de
Uceda and Ferrán Manuel de Lando, strove to introduce
Italian meters and ideas. They first employed the Italian
hendecasyllable, although it did not become acclimated
till the days of Boscán. They likewise cultivated the
_metro de arte mayor_, which later became so prominent
(see below, p. lxxv ff.). But the interest of the poets of
the _Cancionero de Baena_ is mainly historical. In
spite of many an illuminating side-light on manners,
of political invective and an occasional glint of
imagination, the amorous platitudes and wire-drawn
love-contests of the Galician school, the stiff allegories
of the Italianates leave us cold. It was a transition
period and the most talented were unable to master the
undeveloped poetic language. page xv
The same may be said, in general, of the whole fifteenth
century. Although the language became greatly clarified
toward 1500 it was not yet ready for masterly original
work in verse. Invaded by a flood of Latinisms, springing
from a novel and undigested humanism, encumbered still
with archaic words and set phrases left over from the
Galicians, it required purification at the hands of the
real poets and scholars of the sixteenth century. The
poetry of the fifteenth is inferior to the best prose of
the same epoch; it is not old enough to be quaint and not
modern enough to meet a present-day reader upon equal
terms.
These remarks apply only to artistic poetry. Popular
poetry,--that which was exemplified in the Middle Ages by
the great epics of the Cid, the Infantes de Lara and
other heroes, and in songs whose existence can rather be
inferred than proved,--was never better. It produced the
lyrico-epic _romances_ (see _Notes_, p. 253), which,
as far as one may judge from their diction and from
contemporary testimony, received their final form at
about this time, though in many cases of older origin. It
produced charming little songs which some of the later
court poets admired sufficiently to gloss. But the
cultured writers, just admitted to the splendid cultivated
garden of Latin literature, despised these simple wayside
flowers and did not care to preserve them for posterity.
The artistic poetry of the fifteenth century falls
naturally into three classes, corresponding to three
currents of influence; and all three frequently appear in
the work of one man, not blended, but distinct. One is
the conventional love-poem of the Galician school, seldom
containing a fresh or personal note. Another is the
stilted allegory with erotic or historical page xvi
content, for whose many sins Dante was chiefly
responsible, though Petrarch, he of the _Triunfi_, and
Boccaccio cannot escape some blame. Third is a vein of
highly moral reflections upon the vanity of life and
certainty of death, sometimes running to political satire.
Its roots may be found in the Book of Job, in Seneca and,
nearer at hand, in the _Proverbios morales_ of the Jew Sem
Tob (_ca_. 1350), in the _Rimado de Palacio_ of Ayala, and
in a few poets of the _Cancionero de Baena_.
John II was a dilettante who left the government of the
kingdom to his favorite, Álvaro de Luna. He gained more
fame in the world of letters than many better kings by
fostering the study of literature and gathering about him
a circle of "court poets" nearly all of noble birth. Only
two names among them all imperatively require mention.
Iñigo LÓPEZ DE MENDOZA, MARQUIS OF SANTILLANA (1398-1458)
was the finest type of _grand seigneur_, protector of
letters, student, warrior, poet and politician. He wrote
verse in all three of the manners just named, but he will
certainly be longest remembered for his _serranillas_, the
fine flower of the Provençal-Galician tradition, in which
the poet describes his meeting with a country lass.
Santillana combined the freshest local setting with
perfection of form and left nothing more to be desired in
that genre. He also wrote the first sonnets in Castilian,
but they are interesting only as an experiment, and had no
followers. Juan de MENA (1411-1456) was purely a literary
man, without other distinction of birth or accomplishment.
His work is mainly after the Italian model. The _Laberinto
de fortuna_, by which he is best known, is a dull allegory
with much of Dante's apparatus. There are historical
passages where the poet's patriotism leads him page xvii
to a certain rhetorical height, but his good intentions
are weighed down by three millstones: slavish imitation,
the monotonous _arte mayor_ stanza and the deadly
earnestness of his temperament. He enjoyed great renown
and authority for many decades.
Two anonymous poems of about the same time deserve
mention. The _Danza de la muerte_, the Castilian
representative of a type which appeared all over Europe,
shows death summoning mortals from all stations of
life with ghastly glee. The _Coplas de Mingo Revulgo_,
promulgated during the reign of Henry IV (1454-1474), are
a political satire in dialogue form, and exhibit for the
first time the peculiar peasant dialect that later became
a convention of the pastoral eclogues and also of the
country scenes in the great drama.
The second half of the century continues the same
tendencies with a notable development in the fluidity of
the language and an increasing interest in popular poetry.
Gómez Manrique (d. 1491?) was another warrior of a
literary turn whose best verses are of a severely moral
nature. His nephew JORGE MANRIQUE (1440-1478) wrote a
single poem of the highest merit; his scanty other works
are forgotten. The _Coplas por la muerte de su padre_,
beautifully translated by Longfellow, contain some
laments for the writer's personal loss, but more general
reflections upon the instability of worldly glory. It is
not to be thought that this famous poem is in any way
original in idea; the theme had already been exploited to
satiety, but Manrique gave it a superlative perfection of
form and a contemporary application which left no room for
improvement.
There were numerous more or less successful love-poets
of the conventional type writing in page xviii
octosyllabics and the inevitable imitators of Dante
with their unreadable allegories in _arte mayor_. The
repository for the short poems of these writers is the
_Cancionero general_ of Hernando de Castillo (1511). It
was reprinted many times throughout the sixteenth
century. Among the writers represented in it one should
distinguish, however, Rodrigo de Cota. His dramatic
_Diálogo entre el amor y un viejo_ has real charm, and
has saved his name from the oblivion to which most of his
fellows have justly been consigned. The bishop Ambrosio
Montesino (_Cancionero_, 1508) was a fervent religious
poet and the precursor of the mystics of fifty years
later.
The political condition of Spain improved immensely in
the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella (1479-1516) and the
country entered upon a period of internal homogeneity and
tranquility which might be expected to foster artistic
production. Such was the case; but literature was not the
first of the arts to reach a highly refined state. The
first half of the sixteenth century is a period of
humanistic study, and the poetical works coming from it
were still tentative. JUAN DEL ENCINA (1469-1533?) is
important in the history of the drama, for his _églogas,
representaciones_ and _autos_ are practically the first
Spanish dramas not anonymous. As a lyric poet Encina
excels in the light pastoral; he was a musician as well
as a poet, and his bucolic _villancicos_ and _glosas_
in stanzas of six-and eight-syllable lines are daintily
written and express genuine love of nature. The Portuguese
GIL VICENTE (1470-1540?) was a follower of Encina at
first, but a much bigger man. Like most of his compatriots
of the sixteenth century he wrote in both Portuguese and
Castilian, though better in the former tongue. He was
close to the people in his thinking and writing page xix
and some of the songs contained in his plays reproduce the
truest popular savor.
The intimate connection between Spain and Italy during the
period when the armies of the Emperor Charles V (Charles I
of Spain: reigned 1516-1555) were overrunning the latter
country gave a new stimulus to the imitation of Italian
meters and poets which we have seen existed in a premature
state since the reign of John II. The man who first
achieved real success in the hendecasyllable, combined in
sonnets, octaves, _terza rima_ and blank verse, was Juan
BOSCÁN ALMOGAVER (1490?-1542), a Catalan of wealth and
culture. Boscán was handicapped by writing in a tongue
not native to him and by the constant holding of foreign
models before his eyes, and he was not a man of genius;
yet his verse kept to a loftier ideal than had appeared
for a long time and his effort to lift Castilian poetry
from the slough of convention into which it had fallen was
successful. During the rest of the century the impulse
given by Boscán divided Spanish lyrists into two opposing
hosts, the Italianates and those who clung to the native
meters (stanzas of short, chiefly octosyllabic, lines, for
the _arte mayor_ had sunk by its own weight).
The first and greatest of Boscán's disciples was his close
friend GARCILASO DE LA VEGA (1503-1536) who far surpassed
his master. He was a scion of a most noble family, a
favorite of the emperor, and his adventurous career,
passed mostly in Italy, ended in a soldier's death. His
poems, however (_églogas, canciones_, sonnets, etc.),
take us from real life into the sentimental world of the
Arcadian pastoral. Shepherds discourse of their unrequited
loves and mourn amid surroundings of an idealized Nature.
page xx
The pure diction, the Vergilian flavor, the classic finish
of these poems made them favorites in Spain from the
first, and their author has always been regarded as a
master.
With Garcilaso begins the golden age of Spanish poetry and
of Spanish literature in general, which may be said to
close in 1681 with the death of Calderón. It was a period
of external greatness, of conquest both in Europe and
beyond the Atlantic, but it contained the germs of future
decay. The strength of the nation was exhausted in
futile warfare, and virile thought was stifled by the
Inquisition, supported by the monarchs. Hence the
luxuriant literature of the time runs in the channels
farthest from underlying social problems; philosophy and
political satire are absent, and the romantic drama, novel
and lyric flourish. But in all external qualities the
poetry written during this period has never been equaled
in Spain. Its polish, color and choiceness of language
have been the admiration and model of later Castilian
poets.
The superficial nature of this literature is exhibited
in the controversy excited by the efforts of Boscán and
Garcilaso to substitute Italian forms for the older
Spanish ones. The discussion dealt with externals; with
meters, not ideas. Both schools delighted in the airy
nothings of the conventional love lyric, and it matters
little at this distance whether they were cast in lines of
eleven or eight syllables.
The contest was warm at the time, however. Sá de Miranda
(1495-1558), the chief exponent of the Italian school in
Portugal, wrote effectively also in Castilian. Gutierre de
Cetina (1518?-1572?) and Fernando de Acuña (1500?-1580?)
are two others who supported the new measures. One whose
example had more influence is Diego Hurtado de page xxi
Mendoza (1503-1575), a famous diplomat, humanist and
historian. He entertained his idle moments with verse,
writing cleverly in the old style but turning also toward
the new. His sanction for the latter seems to have proved
decisive.
Cristóbal de CASTILLEJO (1490-1556) was the chief defender
of the native Spanish forms. He employed them himself in
light verse with cleverness, clearness and finish, and
also attacked the innovators with all the resources of
a caustic wit. In this patriotic task he was for a time
aided by an organist of the cathedral at Granada, Gregorio
Silvestre (1520-1569), of Portuguese birth. Silvestre,
however, who is noted for the delicacy of his poems in
whatever style, was later attracted by the popularity of
the Italian meters and adopted them.
This literary squabble ended in the most natural way,
namely, in the co-existence of both manners in peace and
harmony. Italian forms were definitively naturalized in
Spain, where they have maintained their place ever since.
Subsequent poets wrote in either style or both as they
felt moved, and no one reproached them. Such was the habit
of Lope de Vega, Góngora, Quevedo and the other great
writers of the seventeenth century.
A Sevillan Italianate was Fernando de HERRERA
(1534?-1597), admirer and annotator of Garcilaso. Although
an ecclesiastic, his poetic genius was more virile than
that of his soldier master. He wrote Petrarchian sonnets
to his platonic lady; but his martial, patriotic spirit
appears in his _canciones_, especially in those on the
battle of Lepanto and on the expedition of D. Sebastian of
Portugal in Africa. In these stirring odes Herrera touches
a sonorous, grandiloquent chord which rouses the page xxii
reader's enthusiasm and places the writer in the first
rank of Spanish lyrists. He is noteworthy also in that
he made an attempt to create a poetic language by the
rejection of vulgar words and the coinage of new ones.
Others, notably Juan de Mena, had attempted it before, and
Góngora afterward carried it to much greater lengths; but
the idea never succeeded in Castilian to an extent nearly
so great as it did in France, for example; and to-day the
best poetical diction does not differ greatly from good
conversational language.
Beside Herrera stands a totally different spirit, the
Salamancan monk Luis DE LEÓN (1527-1591). The deep
religious feeling which is one strong trait of Spanish
character has its representatives in Castilian literature
from Berceo down, but León was the first to give it fine
artistic expression. The mystic sensation of oneness with
the divine, of aspiration to heavenly joys, breathes in
all his writings. He was also a devoted student of the
classics, and his poems (for which he cared nothing and
which were not published till 1631) show Latin rather than
Italian influence. There is nothing in literature more
pure, more serene, more direct or more polished than
_La vida del campo, Noche serena_ and others of his
compositions.
The other great mystics cared less for literature, either
as a study or an accomplishment. The poems of Saint
Theresa (1515-1582) are few and mostly mediocre. San Juan
de la Cruz, the Ecstatic Doctor (1542-1591), wrote the
most exalted spiritual poems in the language; like all the
mystics, he was strongly attracted by the Song of
Songs which was paraphrased by Pedro Malón de Chaide
(1530-1596?). It is curious to note that the stanza
adopted in the great mystical lyrics is one page xxiii
invented by Garcilaso and used in his amatory fifth
_Canción_. It has the rime-scheme of the Spanish
_quintilla_, but the lines are the Italian eleven-and
seven-syllable (cf. pp. 9-12). Religious poems in more
popular forms are found in the _Romancero espiritual_
(1612) of José de Valdivielso, and in Lope de Vega's
_Rimas sacras_ (1614) and _Romancero espiritual_ (1622).
There were numerous secular disciples of Garcilaso at
about the same period. The names most deserving mention
are those of Francisco de la Torre (d. 1594?), Luis
Barahona de Soto (1535?-1595) and Francisco de Figueroa
(1536?-1620), all of whom wrote creditably and sometimes
with distinction in the Italian forms. Luis de Camoens
(1524?-1580), author of the great Portuguese epic _Os
Lusiadas_, employed Castilian in many verses with happy
result.
These figures lead to the threshold of the seventeenth
century which opened with a tremendous literary output in
many lines. Cervantes was writing his various novels;
the romance of roguery took on new life with _Guzmán de
Alfarache_ (1599); the drama, which had been developing
rather slowly and spasmodically, burst suddenly into full
flower with Lope de Vega and his innumerable followers.
The old meter of the _romance_ was adopted as a favorite
form by all sorts and conditions of poets and was turned
from its primitive epic simplicity to the utmost variety
of subjects, descriptive, lyric and satiric.
From out this flood of production--for every dramatist was
in a measure a lyric poet, and dramatists were legion--we
can select for consideration only the men most prominent
as lyrists. First in the impulse which he gave to
literature for more than a century following stands Luis
de ARGOTE Y GÓNGORA (1561-1627), a Cordovan page xxiv
who chose to be known by his mother's name. His life was
mainly that of a disappointed place-hunter. His abrupt
change of literary manner has made some say that there
were in him two poets, Góngora the Good and Góngora the
Bad. He began by writing odes in the manner of Herrera and
_romances_ and _villancicos_ which are among the clearest
and best. They did not bring their author fame, however,
and he seems deliberately to have adopted the involved
metaphoric style to which Marini gave his name in Italy.
Góngora is merely the Spanish representative of the
movement, which also produced Euphuism in England and
_préciosité_ in France. But he surpassed all previous
writers in the extreme to which he carried the method, and
his _Soledades_ and _Polifemo_ are simply unintelligible
for the inversions and strained metaphors with which they
are overloaded.
His influence was enormous. Gongorism, or _culteranismo_,
as it was called at the time, swept the minor poets
with it, and even those who fought the movement most
vigorously, like Lope and Quevedo, were not wholly free
from the contagion. The second generation of dramatists
was strongly affected. Yet there are few lyric poets worth
mentioning among Góngora's disciples for the reason that
such a pernicious system meant certain ruin to those who
lacked the master's talent. The most important names are
the Count of Villamediana (1580-1622), a satirist whose
sharp tongue caused his assassination, and Paravicino y
Arteaga (1580-1633), a court preacher.
Obviously, such an innovation could not pass without
opposition from clear-sighted men. LOPE DE VEGA
(1562-1635) attacked it whenever opportunity offered, and
his verse seldom shows signs of corruption. It page xxv
is impossible to consider the master-dramatist at length
here. He wrote over 300 sonnets, many excellent eclogues,
epistles, and, in more popular styles, glosses,
_letrillas, villancicos, romances_, etc. Lope more than
any other poet of his time kept his ear close to the
people, and his light poems are full of the delicious
breath of the country.
The other principal opponent of Gongorism was Francisco
GÓMEZ DE QUEVEDO Y VILLEGAS (1580-1645), whose wit and
independence made him formidable. In 1631 he published
the poems of Luis de León and Francisco de la Torre as a
protest against the baleful mannerism in vogue. But he
himself adopted a hardly less disagreeable style, called
conceptism, which is supposed to have been invented by
Alonso de Ledesma (1552-1623). It consists in a strained
search for unusual thoughts which entails forced
paradoxes, antitheses and epigrams. This system, combined
with local allusions, double meanings and current slang,
in which Quevedo delighted, makes his poems often
extremely difficult of comprehension. His _romances de
jaques_, written in thieves' jargon, are famous in Spain.
Quevedo wrote too much and carelessly and tried to cover
too many fields, but at his best his caustic wit and
fearless vigor place him high.
There were not lacking poets who kept themselves free from
taint of _culteranismo_, though they did not join in
the fight against it. The brothers Argensola (LUPERCIO
LEONARDO DE ARGENSOLA, 1559-1613, BARTOLOMÉ LEONARDO DE
ARGENSOLA, 1562-1631), of Aragonese birth, turned to
Horace and other classics as well as to Italy for their
inspiration. Their pure and dignified sonnets, odes and
translations rank high. Juan MARTÍNEZ DE JÁUREGUI page xxvi
(1583-1641) wrote a few original poems, but is known
mainly for his excellent translation of Tasso's _Aminta_.
He too succumbed to Gongorism at times. The few poems of
Francisco de RIOJA (1586?-1659) are famous for the purity
of their style and their tender melancholy tone. A little
apart is Esteban Manuel de VILLEGAS (1589-1669), an
admirer of the Argensolas, "en versos cortos divino,
insufrible en los mayores," who is known for his attempts
in Latin meters and his successful imitations of Anacreon
and Catullus.
The lyrics of CALDERÓN (1600-1681) are to be found mostly
in his _comedias_ and _autos_. There are passages which
display great gifts in the realm of pure poetry, but
too often they are marred by the impertinent metaphors
characteristic of _culteranismo_.
His name closes the most brilliant era of Spanish letters.
The decline of literature followed close upon that of the
political power of Spain. The splendid empire of Charles
V had sunk, from causes inherent in the policies of that
over-ambitious monarch, through the somber bigotry of
Philip II, the ineptitude of Philip III, the frivolity of
Philip IV, to the imbecility of Charles II; and the death
of the last of the Hapsburg rulers in 1700 left Spain in
a deplorably enfeebled condition physically and
intellectually. The War of the Succession (1701-1714)
exhausted her internal strength still more, and the final
acknowledgment of Philip V (reigned 1701-1746) brought
hardly any blessing but that of peace. Under these
circumstances poetry could not thrive; and in truth the
eighteenth century in Spain is an age devoted more to the
discussion of the principles of literature than to the
production of it. At first the decadent remnants of page xxvii
the _siglo de oro_ still survived, but later the
French taste, following the principles formulated by
Boileau, prevailed almost entirely. The history of Spanish
poetry in the eighteenth century is a history of the
struggle between these two forces and ends in the triumph
of the latter.
The effects of Gongorism lasted long in Spain, which, with
its innate propensity to bombast, was more fertile soil
for it than other nations. Innumerable poetasters of the
early eighteenth century enjoyed fame in their day and
some possessed talent; but the obscure and trivial style
of the age from which they could not free themselves
deprived them of any chance of enduring fame. One may
mention, as the least unworthy, Gabriel Álvarez de Toledo
(1662-1714) and Eugenio Gerardo Lobo (1679-1750).
Some one has said that the poetry of Spain, with the
exception of the _romances_ and the drama of the _siglo
de oro_, has always drawn its inspiration from some other
country. Add to the exceptions the medieval epic and the
statement would be close to the truth. First Provence
through the medium of Galicia; then Italy and with it
ancient Rome; and lastly France and England, on more than
one occasion, have molded Spanish poetry. The power of
the French classical literature, soon dominant in Europe,
could not long be stayed by the Pyrenees; and Pope,
Thomson and Young were also much admired. Philip V, a
Frenchman, did not endeavor to crush the native spirit in
his new home, but his influence could not but be felt. He
established a Spanish Academy on the model of the French
in 1714.
It was some time before the reaction, based on common
sense and confined to the intellectuals, could take deep
root, and, as was natural, it went too far and condemned
much of the _siglo de oro_ entire. The _Diario page xxviii
de los literatos_, a journal of criticism founded in 1737,
and the _Poética_ of Ignacio de Luzán, published in
the same year, struck the first powerful blows. Luzán
(1702-1754) followed in general the precepts of Boileau,
though he was able to praise some of the good points in
the Spanish tradition. His own poems are frigid. The
_Sátira contra los malos escritores de su tiempo_ (1742)
of Jorge Pitillas (pseudonym of José Gerardo de Hervás, d.
1742) was an imitation of Boileau which had great effect.
Blas Antonio Nasarre (1689-1751), Agustín Montiano
(1697-1765) and Luis José Velázquez (1722-1772) were
critics who, unable to compose meritorious plays or
verse themselves, cut to pieces the great figures of the
preceding age.
Needless to say, the Gallicizers were vigorously opposed,
but so poor were the original productions of the defenders
of the national manner that their side was necessarily the
losing one. Vicente García de la Huerta (1734-1787) was
its most vehement partisan, but he is remembered only for
a tragedy, _Raquel_.
Thus it is seen that during a century of social and
industrial depression Spain did not produce a poet worthy
of the name. The condition of the nation was sensibly
bettered under Charles III (reigned 1759-1788) who did
what was possible to reorganize the state and curb the
stifling domination of the Roman Church and its agents
the Jesuits and the Inquisition. The Benedictine Feijóo
(1675-1764) labored faithfully to inoculate Spain, far
behind the rest of Europe, with an inkling of recent
scientific discoveries. And the budding prosperity,
however deceitful it proved, was reflected in a more
promising literary generation. page xxix
Nicolás FERNÁNDEZ DE MORATÍN (1737-1780) followed the
French rules in theory and wrote a few mediocre plays in
accordance with them; but he showed that at heart he was a
good poet and a good Spaniard by his ode _Á Pedro
Romero, torero insigne_, some _romances_ and his famous
_quintillas_, the _Fiesta de toros en Madrid_. Other
followers of the French, in a genre not, strictly
speaking, lyric at all, were the two fabulists, Samaniego
and Iriarte. F. María de SAMANIEGO (1745-1801) gave to the
traditional stock of apologues, as developed by Phaedrus,
Lokmân and La Fontaine, a permanent and popular Castilian
form. Tomás de IRIARTE (1750-1791), a more irritable
personage who spent much time in literary polemics, wrote
original fables (_Fábulas literarias_, 1781) directed not
against the foibles of mankind in general, but against the
world of writers and scholars.
The best work which was done under the classical French
influence, however, is to be found in the writers of the
so-called Salamancan school, which was properly not a
school at all. The poets who are thus classed together,
Cadalso, Diego González, Jovellanos, Forner, Meléndez
Valdés, Cienfuegos, Iglesias, were personal friends thrown
together in the university or town of Salamanca, but they
were not subjected to a uniform literary training and
possessed no similarity of style or aim as did the men of
the later Sevillan school.
José de CADALSO (1741-1782), a dashing soldier of great
personal charm killed at the siege of Gibraltar, is
sometimes credited with founding the school of Salamanca.
He was a friend of most of the important writers of his
time and composed interesting prose satires; his verse
(_Noches lúgubres_, etc.) is not remarkable. FRAY DIEGO
GONZÁLEZ (1733-1794) is one of the masters of page xxx
idiomatic Castilian in the century. He admired Luis de
León and imitated him in paraphrases of the Psalms. The
volume of his verse is small but unsurpassed in surety of
taste and evenness of finish. The _Murciélago alevoso_ has
passed into many editions and become a favorite in Spain.
The pure and commanding figure of JOVELLANOS (1744-1811)
dominated the whole group which listened to his advice
with respect. It was not always sure, for he led Diego
González and Meléndez Valdés astray by persuading them to
attempt philosophical poetry instead of the lighter sort
for which they were fitted. He was in fact a greater man
than poet, but his satires and _Epístola al duque de
Veragua_ are strong and dignified.
Juan MELÉNDEZ VALDÉS (1754-1817) was on the contrary a
greater poet than man. Brilliant from the first, he was
petted by Cadalso and Jovellanos who strove to develop his
talent. In 1780 he won a prize offered by the Academy for
an eclogue. In 1784 his comedy _Las bodas de Camacho_, on
a subject suggested by Jovellanos (from an episode in _Don
Quijote_, II, 19-21), won a prize offered by the city of
Madrid, but failed on the stage. His first volume of poems
was published in 1785; later editions appeared in 1797 and
1820. He attached himself to the French party at the time
of the invasion in 1808, incurred great popular odium and
died in France. He is the most fluent, imaginative poet of
the eighteenth century and is especially successful in the
pastoral and anacreontic styles. Fresh descriptions of
nature, enchanting pictures of love, form an oasis in
an age of studied reasonableness. His language has been
criticized for its Gallicisms. José IGLESIAS DE LA CASA
(1748-1791), a native of Salamanca and a priest, wrote
much light satirical verse, epigrams, parodies page xxxi
and _letrillas_ in racy Castilian; he was less successful
in the graver forms. Nicasio ÁLVAREZ DE CIENFUEGOS
(1764-1809) passes as a disciple of Meléndez; he was a
passionate, uneven writer whose undisciplined thought and
habit of coining words lead to obscurity. Politically he
opposed the French with unyielding vigor, barely escaped
execution at their hands and died in exile. The verse of
Cienfuegos prepared the way for Quintana. Differing
from him in clarity and polish are Fr. Sánchez Barbero
(1764-1819) and Leandro F. de Moratín, the dramatist
(1760-1828).
One curious result of rationalistic doctrines was the
"prosaism" into which it led many minor versifiers. These
poetasters, afraid of overstepping the limits of
good sense, tabooed all imagination and described in
deliberately prosy lines the most commonplace events. The
movement reached its height at the beginning of the reign
of Charles IV (1788-1808) and produced such efforts as
a poem to the gout, a nature-poem depicting barn-yard
sounds, and even Iriarte's _La música_ (1780), in which
one may read in carefully constructed _silvas_ the
definition of diatonic and chromatic scales.
II
SPANISH LYRIC POETRY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Early in the nineteenth century the armies of Napoleon
invaded Spain. There ensued a fierce struggle for the
mastery of the Peninsula, in which the latent strength and
energy of the Spaniards became once more evident. The page xxxii
French devastated parts of the country, but they
brought with them many new ideas which, together with the
sharpness of the conflict, served to awaken the Spanish
people from their torpor and to give them a new
realization of national consciousness. During this period
of stress and strife two poets, Quintana and Gallego,
urged on and encouraged their fellow countrymen with
patriotic songs.
Manuel José QUINTANA (1772-1857) had preëminently the
"gift of martial music," and great was the influence
of his odes _Al armamento de las provincias contra los
franceses_ and _Á España después de la revolución de
marzo_. He also strengthened the patriotism of his people
by his prose _Vidas de españoles célebres_ (begun in
1806): the Cid, the Great Captain (Gonzalo de Córdoba),
Pizarro and others of their kind. In part a follower
of the French philosophers of the eighteenth century,
Quintana sang also of humanity and progress, as in his ode
on the invention of printing. In politics Quintana was a
liberal; in religious beliefs, a materialist. Campoamor
has said of Quintana that he sang not of faith or
pleasures, but of duties. His enemies have accused him
of stirring the colonies to revolt by his bitter sarcasm
directed at past and contemporaneous Spanish rulers, but
this is doubtless an exaggeration. It may be said that
except in his best patriotic poems his verses lack lyric
merit and his ideas are wanting in insight and depth; but
his sincerity of purpose was in the main beyond question
and he occasionally gave expression to striking boldness
of thought and exaltation of feeling. In technique
Quintana was a follower of the Salamancan school.
The cleric Juan Nicasio GALLEGO (1777-1853) rivaled
Quintana as a writer of patriotic verses. A liberal in
politics like Quintana, Gallego also took the page xxxiii
side of his people against the French invaders and against
the servile Spanish rulers. He is best known by the ode
_El dos de mayo_, in which he exults over the rising of
the Spanish against the French on the second of May,
1808; the ode _Á la defensa de Buenos Aires_ against the
English; and the elegy _Á la muerte de la duquesa de
Frías_ in which he shows that he is capable of deep
feeling. Gallego was a close friend of Quintana, whose
salon in Madrid he frequented. Gallego wrote little, but
his works are more correct in language and style than
those of Quintana. It is interesting that although the
writings of these two poets evince a profound dislike and
distrust of the French, yet both were in their art largely
dominated by the influence of French neo-classicism. This
is but another illustration of the relative conservatism
of belles-lettres.
In the year 1793 there had been formed in Seville by a
group of young writers an Academia de Letras Humanas to
foster the cultivation of letters. The members of this
academy were admirers of Herrera, the Spanish Petrarchist
and patriotic poet of the sixteenth century, and they
strove for a continuation of the tradition of the earlier
Sevillan group. The more important writers of the later
Sevillan school were Arjona, Blanco, Lista and Reinoso.
Manuel María de ARJONA (1771-1820), a priest well read in
the Greek and Latin classics, was an imitator of Horace.
José María BLANCO (1775-1841), known in the history of
English literature as Blanco White, spent much time in
England and wrote in English as well as in Castilian.
Ordained a Catholic priest he later became an Unitarian.
The best-known and most influential writer of the group
was Alberto LISTA (1775-1848), an educator and page xxxiv
later canon of Seville. Lista was a skilful artist and
like Arjona an admirer and imitator of Horace; but his
ideas lacked depth. His best-known poem is probably a
religious one, _Á la muerte de Jesús,_ which abounds in
true poetic feeling. Lista exerted great influence as a
teacher and his _Lecciones de literatura española_ did
much to stimulate the study of Spanish letters. Félix José
REINOSO (1772-1814), also a priest, imitated Milton in
_octava rima_. As a whole the influence of the Sevillan
school was healthful. By insisting upon purity of diction
and regularity in versification, the members of the school
helped somewhat to restrain the license and improve the
bad taste prevailing in the Spanish literature of the
time. The Catalonian Manuel de CABANYES (1808-1833)
remained unaffected by the warring literary schools and
followed with passionate enthusiasm the precepts of the
ancients and particularly of Horace.
In the third decade of the nineteenth century romanticism,
with its revolt against the restrictions of classicism,
with its free play of imagination and emotion, and with
lyricism as its predominant note, flowed freely into Spain
from England and France. Spain had remained preëminently
the home of romanticism when France and England had
turned to classicism, and only in the second half of the
eighteenth century had Spanish writers given to classicism
a reception that was at the best lukewarm. Now romanticism
was welcomed back with open arms, and Spanish writers
turned eagerly for inspiration not only to Chateaubriand,
Victor Hugo and Byron, but also to Lope de Vega and
Calderón. Spain has always worshiped the past, for Spain
was once great, and the appeal of romanticism was page xxxv
therefore the greater as it drew its material largely
from national sources.
In 1830 a club known as the Parnasillo was formed in
Madrid to spread the new literary theories, much as the
Cénacle had done in Paris. The members of the Parnasillo
met in a wretched little café to avoid public attention.
Here were to be found Bretón de los Herreros, Estébanez
Calderón, Mesonero Romanos, Gil y Zárate, Ventura de la
Vega, Espronceda and Larra. The influence of Spanish epic
and dramatic poetry had been important in stimulating the
growth of romanticism in England, Germany and France. In
England, Robert Southey translated into English the
poem and the chronicle of the Cid and Sir Walter Scott
published his Vision of Don Roderick; in Germany, Herder's
translation of some of the Cid _romances_ and the Schlegel
brothers' metrical version of Calderón's dramas had called
attention to the merit of the earlier Spanish literature;
and in France, Abel Hugo translated into French the
_Romancero_ and his brother Victor made Spanish subjects
popular with _Hernani_ and _Ruy Blas_ and the _Légendes
des siècles_. But Spain, under the despotism of Ferdinand
VII, the "Tyrant of Literature," remained apparently
indifferent or even hostile to its own wonderful
creations, and clung outwardly to French
neo-classicism.[2] Böhl von Faber,[3] the German consul at
Cadiz, who was influenced by the Schlegel brothers,
had early called attention to the merit of the Spanish
literature of the Golden Age and had even had some of
Calderón's plays performed at Cadiz. And in page xxxvi
1832 Durán published his epoch-making _Romancero_. In 1833
Ferdinand VII died and the romantic movement was hastened
by the home-coming of a number of men who had fled the
despotism of the monarch and had spent some time in
England and France, where they had come into contact with
the romanticists of those countries. Prominent amongst
these were Martínez de la Rosa, Antonio Alcalá Galiano,
the Duke of Rivas and Espronceda.
[Footnote 2: Cf. _l'Épopée castillane_, Ramón Menéndez
Pidal, Paris, 1910, pp. 249-252.]
[Footnote 3: The father of Fernán Caballero.]
In this period of transition one of the first prominent
men of letters to show the effects of romanticism was
Francisco MARTÍNEZ DE LA ROSA (1787-1862). Among his
earlier writings are a _Poética_ and several odes in honor
of the heroes of the War of Independence against the
French. After his exile in Paris he returned home imbued
with romanticism, and his two plays, _Conjuración de
Venecia_ (1834) and _Abén Humeya_ (1836: it had already
been given in French at Paris in 1830), mark the first
public triumph of romanticism in Spain. But Martínez de
la Rosa lacked force and originality and his works merely
paved the way for the greater triumph of the Duke of
Rivas. Ángel de Saavedra, DUQUE DE RIVAS (1791-1865), a
liberal noble, insured the definite triumph of romanticism
in Spain by the successful performance of his drama
_Don Álvaro_ (1835). At first a follower of Moratín and
Quintana, he turned, after several years of exile in
England, the Isle of Malta and France, to the new romantic
school, and casting off all classical restraints
soon became the acknowledged leader of the Spanish
romanticists. Among his better works are the lyric _Al
faro de Malta_, the legendary narrative poem _El moro
expósito_ and his _Romances históricos_. The _Romances_
are more sober in tone and less fantastic,--and it should
be added, less popular to-day,--than the legends of page xxxvii
Zorrilla. After a tempestuous life the Duke of
Rivas settled quietly into the place of director of the
Spanish Academy, which post he held till his death.
José de ESPRONCEDA (1808-1842) was preëminently a
disciple of Byron, with Byron's mingling of pessimism and
aspiration, and like him in revolt against the established
order of things in politics and social organization. His
passionate outpourings, his brilliant imagery and the
music of his verse give to Espronceda a first place
amongst the Spanish lyrical poets of the nineteenth
century. Some of his shorter lyrics (e.g. _Canto á
Teresa_) are inspired by his one-time passion for Teresa
with whom after her marriage to another he eloped from
London to Paris. The poet's best known longer works are
the _Diablo mundo_ and the _Estudiante de Salamanca_,
which are largely made up of detached lyrics in which the
subjective note is strikingly prominent. Espronceda was
one of those fortunate few who shine in the world of
letters although they work little. Both in lyric mastery
and in his spirit of revolt, Espronceda holds the place in
Spanish literature that is held in English by Byron. He
is the chief Spanish exponent of a great revolutionary
movement that swept over the world of letters in the first
half of the nineteenth century.
José ZORRILLA (1817-1893) first won fame by the reading
of an elegy at the burial of Larra. Zorrilla was a most
prolific and spontaneous writer of verses, much of which
is unfinished in form and deficient in philosophical
insight. But in spite of his carelessness and shallowness
he rivaled Espronceda in popularity. His verses are not
seldom melodramatic or childish, but they are rich in
coloring and poetic fancy and they form a page xxxviii
vast enchanted world in which the Spaniards still delight
to wander. His versions of old Spanish legends are
doubtless his most enduring work and their appeal to
Spanish patriotism is not less potent to-day than when
they were written. Zorrilla's dramatic works were
successful on the stage by reason of their primitive
vigor, especially _Don Juan Tenorio_, _El Zapatero y el
rey_ and _Traidor, inconfeso y mártir_. This "fantastic
and legendary poet" went to Mexico in 1854 and he remained
there several years. After that date he wrote little and
the little lacked merit.
Gertrudis Gómez de AVELLANEDA (1814-1873) was born in Cuba
but spent most of her life in Spain. Avellaneda was a
graceful writer of lyrics in which there was feeling and
melody but little depth of thought. With her the moving
impulse was love, both human and divine. Her first volume
of poems (1841) probably contains her best work. Her
novels _Sab_ and _Espatolino_ were popular in their day
but are now fallen into oblivion. Some of her plays,
especially _Baltasar_ and _Munio_, do not lack merit.
Avellaneda is recognized as the foremost poet amongst the
women of nineteenth-century Spain.
Two of the most successful dramatists of this period,
García Gutiérrez and Hartzenbusch, were also lyric poets.
Antonio GARCÍA GUTIÉRREZ (1813-1884), the author of _El
trovador_, published two volumes of mediocre verses.
Juan Eugenio HARTZENBUSCH (1806-1880) was, like Fernán
Caballero, the child of a German father and a Spanish
mother. Though an eminent scholar and critic, he did not
hesitate in his _Amantes de Teruel_ to play to the popular
passion for sentimentality. He produced some lyric verse
of worth. Manuel BRETÓN DE LOS HERREROS (1796-1873) was
primarily a humorist and satirist, who turned from page xxxix
lyric verse to drama as his best medium of
expression. He delighted in holding up to ridicule the
excesses of romanticism. Mention should be made here of
two poets who had been, like Espronceda, pupils of Alberto
Lista. The eclectic poet MARQUÉS DE MOLINS (Mariano Roca
de Togores: 1812-1889) wrote passively in all the literary
genres of his time. VENTURA DE LA VEGA (1807-1865) was
born in Argentina, but came to Spain at an early age. He
was a well-balanced, cautious writer of mediocre verses
that are rather neo-classic than romantic.
A marked reaction against the grandiose exaggerations of
later romanticism appears in the works of José SELGAS
y Carrasco (1824-1882), a clever writer of simple,
sentimental verses. At one time his poetry was highly
praised and widely read, but for the most part it is
to-day censured as severely as it was once praised. Among
the contemporaries of Selgas were the writer of simple
verses and one-time popular tales, Antonio de TRUEBA
(1821-1889) and Eduardo BUSTILLO, the author of _Las
cuatro estaciones_ and _El ciego de Buenavista_. Somewhat
of the tradition of the Sevillan school persisted in the
verses of Manuel CAÑETE and Narciso CAMPILLO (1838-1900)
and in those of the poet and literary critic José AMADOR
DE LOS RÍOS.
The Sevillan Gustavo Adolfo BÉCQUER (1836-1870) wrote
perhaps the most highly polished Spanish verse of the
nineteenth century. His _Rimas_ are charged with true
poetic fancy and the sweetest melody, but the many
inversions of word-order that were used to attain to
perfection of metrical form detract not a little from
their charm. His writings are contained in three small
volumes in which are found, together with the _Rimas_, a
collection of prose legends. His prose work is page xl
filled with morbid mysticism or fairy-like mystery. His
dreamy prose is often compared to that of Hoffmann and his
verses to those of Heine, although it is doubtful if he
was largely influenced by either of these German writers.
Bécquer sings primarily of idealized human love. His
material life was wretched and it would seem that his
spirit took flight into an enchanted land of its own
creation. Most human beings love to forget at times their
sordid surroundings and wander in dreamland; hence the
enduring popularity of Bécquer's works and especially of
the _Rimas_. Bécquer has been widely imitated throughout
the Spanish-speaking world, but with little success. In
this connection it should be noted that the Spanish poets
who have most influenced the Spanish literature of the
nineteenth century, both in the Peninsula and in
America, are the Tyrtaean poet Quintana, the two leading
romanticists Espronceda and Zorrilla and the mystic
Bécquer.
Like most writers in Latin lands, Juan VALERA y Alcalá
Galiano (1824-1905) and Marcelino MENÉNDEZ Y PELAYO
(1856-1912) began their literary career with a volume or
two of lyric verses. Valera's verses have perfect metrical
form and evince high scholarship, but they are too learned
to be popular. The lyrics of Menéndez y Pelayo have also
more merit in form than in inspiration and are lacking in
human interest. Both authors turned soon to more congenial
work: Valera became the most versatile and polished of all
nineteenth century Spanish writers of essays and novels;
and Menéndez y Pelayo became Spain's greatest scholar in
literary history. The popular novelist, Pedro Antonio de
ALARCÓN (1833-1891), wrote lyrics in which there is a
curious blending of humor and skepticism. page xli
The foremost Spanish poet of the closing years of the
nineteenth century was Ramón de CAMPOAMOR y Campoosorio
(1817-1901) who is recognized as the initiator in Spain
of a new type of verse in his _Doloras_ and _Pequeños
poemas_. The _doloras_ are, for the most part, metrical
fables or epigrams, dramatic or anecdotal in form, in
which the author unites lightness of touch with depth
of feeling. The _pequeño poema_ is merely an enlarged
_dolora_. Campoamor disliked Byron and he disliked still
more the sonorous emptiness that is characteristic of too
much Spanish poetry.[4] In philosophy he revered Thomas
à Kempis; in form he aimed at conciseness and directness
rather than at artistic perfection. His poetry lacks
enthusiasm and coloring, but it has dramatic interest.
[Footnote 4: Menéndez y Pelayo (_Ant. Poetas Hisp.-Am._,
I, p. lv) says: "Al fin españoles somos, y á tal profusión
de luz y á tal estrépito de palabras sonoras no hay entre
nosotros quien resista."]
The poets Manuel del PALACIO (1832-1895) and Federico
BALART (1831-1905), though quite unlike in genius, won the
esteem of their contemporaries. Palacio wrote excellent
sonnets and epigrams. In his _Leyendas y poemas_ he proved
his mastery of Spanish diction; he had, moreover, the
saving grace of humor which was so noticeably lacking in
Zorrilla's legends. The poet and literary critic, Balart,
achieved fame with his _Dolores_, in which he mourns with
sincere grief the death of his beloved wife. Mention
should also be made of the following poets who deserve
recognition in this brief review of the history of Spanish
lyric poetry: Vicente Wenceslao QUEROL (1836-1889), a
Valencian, whose _El eclipse, Cartas á María_, and _La
fiesta de Venus_, evince a remarkable technical skill
and an unusual correctness of diction; Teodoro page xlii
LLORENTE (cf. p. 279); José GALIANO ALCALÁ whose verses
have delicate feeling and lively imagination; Emilio
FERRARI (b. 1853), the author of _Abelardo é Hipatia_
and _Aspiración_; the pessimistic poets, Joaquín María de
BARTRINA (1850-1880) and Gabino TEJADO; Salvador RUEDA (b.
1857), author of _El bloque_, _En tropel_ and _Cantos
de la vendimia_; and the poet and dramatist, Eduardo
MARQUINA.
After the death of Campoamor in the first year of the
twentieth century, the title of _doyen_ of Spanish
letters fell by universal acclaim to Gaspar NÚÑEZ DE ARCE
(1834-1903). Núñez de Arce was a lyric poet, a dramatist
and a writer of polemics, but first of all a man
of action. With him the solution of political and
sociological problems was all-important, and his literary
writings were mostly the expression of his sociological
and political views. Núñez de Arce is best known for his
_Gritos del combate_ (1875), in which he sings of liberty
but opposes anarchy with energy and courage. As a satirist
he attacks the excesses of radicalism as well as the vices
and foibles common to mankind.[5] As a poet he is neither
original nor imaginative, and often his ideas are unduly
limited; but he writes with a manly vigor that is rare
amongst Spanish lyric poets, most of whom have given first
place to the splendors of rhetoric.
[Footnote 5: Speaking of Núñez de Arce's satire, Juan
Valera says humorously, in _Florilegio de poesías
castellanas del siglo XIX_, Madrid, 1902, Vol. I, p. 247:
«Está el poeta tan enojado contra la sociedad, contra
nuestra descarriada civilización y contra los crímenes y
maldades de ahora, y nos pinta tan perverso, tan vicioso
y tan infeliz al hombre de nuestros días, atormentado por
dudas, remordimientos, codicias y otras viles pasiones,
que, á mi ver, lejos de avergonzarse este hombre de
descender del mono, debiera ser el mono quien se
avergonzara de haberse humanado.»]
Most writers on the history of European literatures have page xliii called attention to the fact that at the
beginning of the nineteenth century there was a great
outpouring of lyricism, which infused itself into prose
as well as verse. When this movement had exhausted itself
there came by inevitable reaction a period of materialism,
when realism succeeded romanticism and prose fiction
largely replaced verse. And now sociological and
pseudo-scientific writings threaten the very existence of
idealistic literature. And yet through it all there has
been no dearth of poets. Browning in England and Campoamor
in Spain, like many before them, have given metrical form
to the expression of their philosophical views. And other
poets, who had an intuitive aversion to science, have
taken refuge in pure idealism and have created worlds
after their own liking. To-day prose is recognized as
the best medium for the promulgation of scientific or
political teachings, and those who are by nature poets are
turning to art for art's sake. Poetry is less didactic
than formerly, and it is none the less beautiful and
inspiring.
The _Notes_ to this volume contain historical sketches of
the literatures of Argentina (p. 279), Colombia (p. 285),
Cuba (p. 291), Ecuador and Peru (p. 296), Mexico (p. 307),
and Venezuela (p. 315). It is to be regretted that lack of
space has excluded an account of the literatures of other
Spanish-American countries, and especially of Chile and
Uruguay.
III
SPANISH VERSIFICATION
Spanish versification is subject to the following general
laws:
(1) There must be a harmonious flow of syllables, in which
harsh combinations of sounds are avoided. This page xliv
usually requires that stressed syllables be separated by
one or more unstressed syllables.[6]
[Footnote 6: By stress is meant secondary as well as
primary syllabic stress. Thus, _en nuestra vida_ has
primary stress on _vi-_, and secondary stress on _nues-_.]
(2) Verse must be divided into phrases, each of which can
be uttered easily as one breath-group. The phrases are
normally of not less than four nor more than eight
syllables, with a rhythmic accent on the next to the last
syllable of each phrase.[7] Phrases of a fixed number of
syllables must recur at regular intervals. There may or
may not be a pause at the end of the phrase.
[Footnote 7: The unstressed syllable may be lacking, or
there may be two unstressed syllables, after the rhythmic
accent. See under _Syllabication_.]
(_a_) In the n-syllable binary line the phrases may recur
at irregular intervals. In lines with regular ternary
movement phrasing is largely replaced by rhythmic
pulsation (cf. p. lxx).
(3) There must be rime of final syllables, or final
vowels, recurring at regular intervals.
(_a_) In some metrical arrangements of foreign origin the
rimes recur at irregular intervals, or there is no rime
at all. See the _silva_ and _versos sueltos_ under
_Strophes_.
Whether normal Spanish verse has, or ever had, binary
movement, with the occasional substitution of a "troche"
for an "iambic," or vice-versa, is in dispute.[8] That is,
whether in Spanish verse, with the usual movement, (1)
the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables is
essential, or whether (2) the mere balancing of page xlv
certain larger blocks of syllables is sufficient. For
instance, in this line of Luis de León:
ya muestra en esperanza el fruto cierto,
is there regular rhythmic pulsation, much less marked
than in English verse, doubtless,--but still an easily
discernible alternation of stressed and unstressed
syllables? If so, there must be secondary stress on _es-_.
Or is _ya muestra en esperanza_ one block, and _el fruto
cierto_ another, with no rhythmic stresses except those on
_-anza_ and _cierto_?
[Footnote 8: There are in Spanish certain types of verses
in which there is regular ternary movement throughout.
These are treated separately. Cf. p. lxx.]
The truth seems to be that symmetry of phrases (the
balancing of large blocks of syllables) is an essential
and important part of modern Spanish versification; but
that, in musical verse of the ordinary type, there is
also a subtle and varied binary movement, while in some
recitative verse (notably the dramatic _romance_ verse)
the binary movement is almost or quite negligible.[9]
[Footnote 9: A count of Spanish verses (none from drama),
by arbitrarily assuming three contiguous atonic syllables
to be equal to-[/-]-(with secondary stress on the middle
syllable), gave the following results (cf. _Romanic
Review, Vol. III_, pp. 301-308):
Common syllabic arrangements of 8-syllable lines:
(1) / _ / _ / _ / (_): Esta triste voz oí.
(2) _ / _ / _ _ / (_): Llorando dicen así.
(3) _ / _ _ / _ / (_): Mi cama las duras peñas.
Of 933 lines, 446 (nearly one-half) were in class (1); 257
in class (2); and 191 in class (3). The remaining lines
did not belong to any one of these three classes.
Common syllabic arrangements of 11-syllable lines:
(1) _ / _ / _ / _ / _ / (_): Verás con cuánto amor llamar
porfía.
(2) / _ / _ _ / _ / _ / (_): Cuántas veces el ángel me
decía.
(3) / _ _ / _ / _ / _ / (_): Este matiz que al cielo
desafía.
Of 402 lines, 216 (slightly more than one-half) were in
class (1); 94 were in class (2); and 75 in class (3). The
remaining lines did not belong to any one of these
three classes. Note that, in these arrangements of the
11-syllable lines, the irregularities in rhythm are found
only in the first four syllables.]
page xlvi
Some poets have used at times a quite regular binary
movement in Spanish verse; but they have had few or no
followers, as the effect was too monotonous to please the
Spanish ear. Thus, Solís:
Siempre orillas de la fuente
Busco rosas á mi frente,
Pienso en él y me sonrío,
Y entre mí le llamo mío,
Me entristezco de su ausencia,
Y deseo en su presencia
La más bella parecer.
(p. 53, ll. 6-12)
The Colombian poet, José Eusebio Caro, wrote much verse
thus, under the influence of the English poets.
On the other hand, some recent "decadent" poets have
written verses in which the principle of symmetry of
phrases, or of a fixed number of syllables, is abandoned,
and rhythm and rime are considered sufficient to make the
lines musical. Thus, Leopoldo Lugones (born 1875?), of
Argentina, in verses which he calls «_libres_» (cf.
_Lunario sentimental_, Buenos Aires, 1909):
Luna, quiero cantarte
¡Oh ilustre anciana de las mitologías!
Con todas las fuerzas de mi arte.
Deidad que en los antiguos días
Imprimiste en nuestro polvo tu sandalia,
No alabaré el litúrgico furor de tus orgías
Ni su erótica didascalia,
Para que alumbres sin mayores ironías,
Al polígloto elogio de las Guías,
Noches sentimentales de _mises_ en Italia.
(_Himno á la luna_)
This is largely a harking back to primitive conditions,
for in the oldest Castilian narrative verse the rule of
"counted syllables" apparently did not prevail. Cf. the
_Cantar de mío Cid_, where there is great irregularity in
the number of syllables. And, although in the page xlvii
old _romances_ the half-lines of eight syllables largely
predominate, many are found with seven or nine syllables,
and some with even fewer or more. The adoption of the rule
of "counted syllables" in Spanish may have been due to one
or more of several causes: to the influence of medieval
Latin rhythmic songs;[10] to French influence; or merely
to the development in the Spanish people of a feeling for
artistic symmetry.
[Footnote 10: Such as:
Stabat Mater dolorosa
Juxta crucem lachrymosa
Dum pendebat filius.]
Other poets of to-day write verses in which the line
contains a fixed number of syllables or any multiple of
that number. Thus, Julio Sesto (_Blanco y Negro_, Nov. 5,
1911):
¡Cómo desembarcan..., cómo desembarcan
esas pobres gentes...!
Desde la escalera de la nave todo Nueva York abarcan
de un vistazo: muelles, río, casas, puentes...
Y después que todos sus cinco sentidos
ponen asombrados en ver la ciudad,
como agradecidos,
miran á la estatua de la Libertad.
¡Ella es la Madona, ella es la Madona,
que de la Siberia saca á los esclavos,
que á los regicidas la vida perdona,
y que salva á muchos de contribuyentes, pobres, perseguidos,
subditos y esclavos!...
(_La tierra prometida_)
Spanish poets have often tried to write verses in
classical meters with the substitution of stress for
quantity. Thus, Villegas in the following hexameters:
Seis veces el verde soto coronó su cabeza
de nardo, de amarillo trebol, de morada viöla,
en tanto que el pecho frío de mi casta Licoris
al rayo del ruëgo mío deshizo su hielo.[11]
[Footnote 11: Apparently _trebol_ instead of _trébol_.
These lines are quoted by Eugenio Mele, in _La poesia
barbara in Ispagna_, Bari, 1910.]
page xlviii
José Eusebio Caro wrote similar hexameters, and, strange
to say, made alternate lines assonate:
¡Céfiro rápido lánzate! ¡rápido empújame y vivo!
¡Más redondas mis velas pon: del proscrito á los lados,
haz que tus silbos susurren dulces y dulces suspiren!
¡Haz que pronto del patrio suelo se aleje mi barco!
(_En alta mar_)
The number of these direct imitations is large; but few
succeeded. They are, at best, foreign to the spirit of
Castilian poetry.
In singing Spanish verses two facts are of especial
interest: that, where the rules of prosody require
synalepha, hiatus sometimes occurs (especially in opera),
thus:
Recógete--ese pañuelo.
(Olmedo, _Folk-lore de Castilla_, p. 133)
Y el pájaro--era verde.
(Ledesma, _Cancionero salmantino_, p. 53)
And that musical accents do not necessarily coincide with
syllabic stresses, even at the end of a phrase. Thus,
¡Cuántas vèces, vida mìa,
Te asomàrás al balcòn![12]
¡Cuerpo buèno, alma divìna,
Qué de fàtigas me cuèstas!
¡Bendiga Dios ese cuerpò,
Tan llenísimo de gracià!
(Hernández, _Flores de España_)
[Footnote 12: The grave accent mark (`) indicates a strong
musical accent.]
page xlix
SYLLABICATION
In most modern Spanish verse there is a fixed number of
syllables in a line up to and including the last stressed
syllable.[13] In counting these syllables consideration
must be given to the following facts:
[Footnote 13: The number of unstressed syllables at the end
of a line is not fixed. See p. lvi.
In order to have the correct number of syllables, poets
sometimes (1) shorten a word or (2) shift the accent:
(1) ¿Ya qué mi puro _espirtu_ sucias carnes...
(Cabanyes, _Á Cintio_)
(2) Puede querer...? _Abralé_...
(Zorrilla, _Don Juan Tenorio_, primeraa parte, III, 6)
Deben de ser _angeles_.
(Lope de Vega, _El mejor alcalde el rey_, II)
Note the artificial separation of lines in some dramatic
_romance_-verse:
... Soy un cate-
Cúmeno muy diligente.
(Calderón, _El José de las mujeres_, II)
De una vil hermana, de un
Falso amigo, de un infame
Criado...
(Calderón, _No hay burlas con el amor_, III)]
(1) SYNERESIS
Within a word two or three contiguous vowels usually
combine to form a diphthong or a triphthong respectively
(this is called "syneresis"): _bai|le, rey, oi|go,
ciu|dad, cui|da|do, es|tu|diar, es|tu|diáis, dien|te,
lim|pio, gra|cio|so, muy, bien, pue|de, buey_, etc.
Exceptions:
(_a_) A stressed "weak" vowel (_i, u_) may not combine
with a "strong" vowel (_a, e, o_) to form a diphthong:
_dí|a_,_rí|e, frí|o, ra|íz, le|í|do, o|í|do, page l
con|ti|nú|a, con|ti|nú|e, con|ti|nú|o, ba|úl, sa|bí|a,
sa|brí|ais, ca|í|ais,_ etc.[14]
[Footnote 14: Note that in these combinations the weak
vowel receives the accent mark. Some Spanish-American
poets have sinned grievously, by reason of their local
pronunciation, in diphthongizing a strong vowel with a
following stressed weak vowel, as _maiz, a|taud, oi|do_,
for _ma|íz, a|ta|úd, o|í|do_, respectively, etc.]
Exceptions are rare:
Su|pe | que | se|ría | di|cho|so |
(Calderón, _No hay burlas con el amor_, III)
Cf. also _rendíos_, etc., where the _o_ of _os_ combines
with the _í_ by synalepha.
(_b_) _uá, uó_, are usually disyllabic, except after _c,
g_, and _j: a|dü|a|na, sü|a|ve;_ but _cua|tro, san|ti|guó,
Juan_, etc. Syneresis may occur: _sua|ve_.
(_c_) _úi_ is usually disyllabic, except in _muy:
flú|i|do_.
(_d_) Two unstressed strong vowels, if they follow the
stress, regularly form a diphthong; but if they precede
they may form a diphthong or they may be dissyllabic,
usually at the option of the poet.
Que | del | em|pí|r=eo e=n | el | ce|nit | fi|na|ba.[15]
(p. 180, l. 11)
Las | mar|mó|r=ea=s|, y aus|te|ras | es|cul|tu|ras.
(p. 138, l. 22)
La | ne|gra ad|ver|si|dad|, con | fé|rr=ea= | ma|no.
(p. 144, l. 20)
El | tiem|po en|tre | sus | plie|gues | r=o|e=|do|res.
(p. 85, l. 24) page li
Te | van | á ar|mar | do | c=a|e=|rás | in|cau|ta.
(p. 40, l. 24)
La | f=e|a=l|dad | del vi|cio|; pe|ro hu|yó|se...[16]
(p. 39, l. 14)
En | tan | frá|gil | r=ea=|li|dad.
(p. 97, l. 18)
La | sub|li|me | p=oe=|sí|a | re|ver|be|ra.
(p. 149,1. 19)
[Footnote 15: Note that here poetic usage differs from the
rules for syllabication that obtain in prose. Thus, in
_empíreo_ the _í_ receives the accent mark, since it is
held to be in the antepenultimate syllable, but in verse
_empíreo_ is regularly trisyllabic.]
[Footnote 16: The _ea_ of _fealdad_ is normally disyllabic
by analogy with _feo_. Cf. (_f_) below.]
(_e_) Two strong vowels, if one is stressed, are usually
disyllabic:
_pa|se|a, re|cre|o, ca|no|a,_ etc.
A|rran|ca a|rran|ca|, Dios | mí|o,
De | la | men|te | del | p=o|e=|ta
Es|te | pen|sa|mien|to im|pí|o
Que en | un | de|li|rio | cr=e|ó=.
(p. 83, ll. 7-10)
¿Qué | se hi|cie|ron | tus | mu|ros | to|rr=e|a=|dos,
Oh | mi | pa|tria | que|ri|da?
¿Dón|de | fue|ron | tus | hé|roes | es|for|za|dos,
Tu es|pa|da | no | ven|ci|da?
(p. 78, ll. 1-4)
A|na|cr=e|o=n|te, el | vi|no y | la a|le|grí|a.
(p. 150, l. 4)
S=a|e=|ta | que | vo|la|do|ra...
(p. 121, l. 15)
De o|ro | la | n=a|o= | ga|di|ta|na a|por|ta.
(p. 39, l. 24)
Y | no | se es|me|re en | l=o|a=r|la.
(p. 43, l. 18)
Don|de á | c=a|e=r | vol|ve|rá.
(p. 121, l. 22)
page lii
Syneresis is rare, but may occur,--except in _éa_, _éo_
and _óa_,--provided the second vowel does not receive a
rhythmic accent:
Es|cri|ba|no al | c=ae=r | el | sol.
(p. 109, l. 3)
C=ae=n | es|ta|llan|do | de | los | fuer|tes | gon|ces.
(p. 57, l. 19)
Cual | na|ve | r=ea=l | en | triun|fo em|pa|ve|sa|da.
(p. 40, l. 15)
(_f_) In some words vowels that would normally form a
diphthong are usually disyllabic by analogy with other
forms derived from the same stem: _fi|é_, _fi|ó_ (cf.
_fí|o_), _ri|ó_, _ri|e|ron_ (cf. _rí|o_), _con|ti|nu|é_
(cf. _con|ti|nú|o_), _di|a|rio_ (cf. _dí|a_), _bri|o|so_
(cf. _brí|o_), _hu|í_, _hu|i|mos_ (cf. _hu|yo_), etc.
Syneresis is rare, but possible, as in _brio|so_ for
_bri|o|so_.
(_g_) Prefixes, except _a_-, usually form separate
syllables: _pre|in|ser|to_, _re|im|pri|mir_, _re|hu|sar_;
but _aho|gar_. If the syllable after _a_-is stressed,
dieresis usually occurs:
Á | los | que a|ho|ra a|cla|ma.
(p. 220, l. 3)
En | la | sub|li|me | so|le|dad | a|ho|ra...
(p. 188, l. 3)
(2) DIERESIS
By poetic license vowels that normally form one syllable
may often be dissolved into separate syllables (this is
called "dieresis") at the will of the poet: _glo|rio|so_
or _glo|rï|o|so_, _rui|do_ or _rü|i|do_, etc.[17] See also
(1), _d_, above.
[Footnote 17: Note that the dieresis mark is generally used
in dieresis of two weak vowels, or of strong and weak
vowels where the strong vowel is stressed.]
page liii
But dieresis is impossible if the diphthong is _ie_ or
_ue_ from Latin _[e]_ and _[o]_ respectively, as in
_bien_, _siente_, _huevo_, _puedo_.
(3) SYNALEPHA
The final vowel or diphthong of one word and the initial
vowel or diphthong of an immediately following word in the
same line usually combine to form one syllable (this is
called "synalepha")[18] as in:
Cuan|do | re|cuer|do | la | pie|dad | sin|ce|ra
Con | qu=e e=n | m=i e=|dad | pri|me|ra
En|tra|b=a e=n | nues|tras | vie|jas | ca|te|dra|les.
(p. 137, ll. 19-21)
La | cien|c=ia au=|daz|, cuan|do | de | ti | s=e a=|le|ja.
(p. 143, l. 16)
¡És|t=a e=s | Es|pa|ñ=a! A=|tó|ni|t=a y= | mal|tre|cha...
(p. 147, l. 3)
Que | mi | can|tar | so|no|ro
A|com|pa|ñ=ó ha=s|t=a a=|quí|; n=o a=|pri|sio|na|do...
(p. 49, ll. 6-7)
[Footnote 18: Note that the union of vowels in separate
words is called synalepha, while the union of vowels
within a word is called syneresis. But synalepha may occur
in combinations of vowels in which syneresis would be
impossible. Compare _te|ní|a_ and _ca|no|a_ with:
A|sí al | man|ce|bo in|te|rrum|pe (p. 94, l. 13).
Ni | la | mi|ra|da | que | lan|zó al | sos|la|yo (p. 219, l. 8).]
The vowels of three words may thus combine if the middle
word is _a_ (or _ha_) (see also (4), _a_):
Le | di|j=o é=s|t=e á u=|na | mu|jer.
(p. 79, l. 15)
Sal|v=a á e=s|ta | so|cie|dad | des|ven|tu|ra|da.
(p. 143, l. 12)
page liv
(4) HIATUS
(_a_) Hiatus (i.e. the final vowel of one word and the
initial vowel of the immediately following word form
separate syllables)[19] is caused by the interposition of a
weak unstressed vowel, as in:
En | sus | re|cuer|dos | de | hiel.
(p. 84, l. 3)
De | sus | á|la|mos | y | huer|tos.
(p. 91, l. 8)
Y hoy | en | sus | can|ta|res | llo|ra.
(p. 84, l. 18)
[Footnote 19: Note that hiatus between words is equivalent
to dieresis within a word.]
Note that, similarly, the vowels of three words may not
combine, if the middle word is _y, é_ (or _he_), _ó_ (or
_oh_), _ú_:
O|las| de | pla|ta y | a|zul.
(p. 73, l. 12)
Que | la al|ma | no|che | ó el | bri|llan|te | di|a.
(p. 180, l. 20)
¿Quién | cal|ma|rá, | ¡Oh Es|pa|ña! | tus | pe|sa|res?
(p. 79, l. 7)
And in all such expressions as: _o|cio|so é |
i|rri|ta|do_, _Se|vi|lla | ú O|vie|do_, etc.
Except when a vowel is repeated:
Si he es|cu|cha|do | cuan|do ha|bla|bas.
(Calderón, _No hay burlas con el amor_, III)
In modern Spanish, _h_, being silent, has no effect,
but in older Spanish, _h_ for Latin _f_, being then
pronounced, prevented synalepha, as in:
Por | el | mes | e|ra | de | ma|yo
cuan|do | ha|ce | la | ca|lor.
(p. 7, l. 1-2)
page lv
Hiatus was common in Old Spanish, except when the first
of two words was the definite article, a personal
pronoun-object or the preposition _de_; or when the vowels
were the same.
(_b_) Hiatus is usual when the initial vowel of the second
word has a strong accent (usually the rhythmic accent at
the end of a line or phrase):
Pues | en | fin | me | de|jó | una (Calderón).
Ta|les | fue|ron | ya | és|tos | cual | her|mo|so (Herrera).
Tal | de | lo | al|to | tem|pes|tad | des|he|cha (Maury).
No hay | pla|ce|res | en | su | al | ma.
(p. 85, l. 4)
Cuan|do | po|bre | de | a|ños | y | pe|sa|res
(p. 221, l. 9)
Con|ti|go | se | fué | mi | hon|ra.
(p. 103, l. 19)
De | gra|na|das | es|pi|gas|; tú | la | u|va...
(p. 215, l. 5)
Por|que es | pa|ra el | ser | que | a|ma.
(p. 84, l. 9)
Muy | más | her|mo|sa | la | ha|llan
(p. 44, l. 5)
El | ne|va|do | cue|llo | al|za
(p. 43, l. 4)
Por|que | tam|bién | e|ra| u|so.
(p. 115, l. 9)
Que en | la | bo|ca, y | só|lo | u|no.
(p. 52, l. 26)
Gen|te en | es|te | mon|te | an|da...
Ya | que | de | tu | vis|ta | hu|ye.
(Calderón)
Gi|gan|te | o|la | que el | vien|to...[20]
(p. 121, l. 23)
[Footnote 20: Synalepha is usually to be avoided when it
would bring together two stressed syllables as in _gigante
ola, querido hijo_, etc.]
page lvi
But synalepha is possible (especially of _de o-_):
To|do e|le|va|ba | mi á|ni|mo in|tran|qui|lo.
(p. 139, l. 22)
Yo | le | da|ré|; mas | no en | el | ar|pa | de o|ro...
(p. 49, l. 5)
And synalepha is the rule, if stress on the initial
syllable is weak:
Á o|tra per|so|na en | Ma|drid.
(p. 36, l. 19)
To|da, to|da e|res | per|fec|ta.
(p. 44, l. 22)
If the vowels are the same, they usually combine into one:
Del | sol | en | la al|ta | cum|bre
(p. 49, l. 13)
Tem|blar | en | tor|no | de él|: un | ar|co in|men|so...
(p. 180, l. 10)
(5) FINAL SYLLABLES
In estimating the number of syllables in a Spanish
verse-line one final unstressed syllable after the last
stressed syllable is counted whether it be present or not;
or, if there be two unstressed syllables at the end of
the line, only one is counted.[21] Thus the following are
considered 8-syllable lines although, in fact, one line
has nine syllables and another has only seven:
La | sal|pi|ca | con | es|com|bros
De | cas|ti|llos | y | de al|cá|za|res...
Pa|ra | vol|ver | á | bro|tar...
[Footnote 21: In Spanish, a word stressed on the final
syllable is called _agudo_; a word with one syllable after
the stress is called _grave_ or _llano_; one with two
syllables after the stress, _esdrújulo: farol, pluma,
pájaro_.]
page lvii
This system of counting syllables obtains in Spanish
because there is one and only one unstressed syllable at
the end of most verse-lines. It would, perhaps, be more
logical to stop the count with the last stressed syllable,
as the French do. For instance, a Spanish 11-syllable
line would be called a "feminine" 10-syllable line by the
French; but the French language has only one vowel (_e_)
that may occur in a final unstressed syllable, while in
Spanish there are several (_a, e, o,_ rarely _i, u_).
RIME
Spanish poetry may be in rimed verse or in blank verse.
(1) Rimed verse may have "consonance," in which there is
rime of the last stressed vowel and of any consonants and
vowels that may follow in the line, as in:
En las presas
Yo divido
Lo cogido
Por igual:
Sólo quiero
Por riqueza
La belleza
Sin rival.
(p. 75, ll. 5-12)
Madre mía, yo soy niña;
No se enfade, no me riña,
Si fiada en su prudencia
Desahogo mi conciencia,
(p. 51, ll. 10-13)
¡Cuán solitaria la nación que un día
Poblara inmensa gente!
¡La nación cuyo imperio se extendía
Del ocaso al oriente!
(p. 76, ll. 19-22)
page lviii
¡Oh tú, que duermes en casto l=echo=,
De sinsabores ajeno el p=echo=,
Y á los encantos de la hermos=ura=
Unes las gracias del coraz=ón=,
Deja el descanso, doncella p=ura=,
Y oye los ecos de mi canc=ión=!
(p. 199, ll. 1-6)
In a diphthong consisting of a strong and a weak vowel
the weak vowel may be disregarded in rime. Cf. above:
_prudencia, conciencia; corazón, canción; igual, rival_.
(2) Or rimed verse may have "assonance," in which there
is rime of the last accented vowel and of any final vowel
that may follow in the line, but not of consonants.[22]
[Footnote 22: Assonance is rare in popular English verse,
but it occurs in some household rimes; e. g.:
Little Tommy Tucker,
He cried for his supper.
What shall little Tommy Tucker have for his supper?
Black-eyed beans and bread and butter.
Here the assonance is _ú-er_ (final unstressed _-er_ in
standard present-day English represents vocalic _r_).]
Assonance of alternate lines is the usual rime of the
_romances_, as in:
Cabellos de mi cabeza
lléganme al corvej=ó=n;
los cabellos de mi barba
por manteles tengo y=o=:
las uñas de las mis manos
por cuchillo tajad=o=r.
(P. 7, ll. 15-20)
Here the assonance is _o_.
page lix
¡Abenámar, Abenámar,
moro de la morer=ía=,
el día que tú naciste
grandes señales hab=ía=!
Estaba la mar en calma,
la luna estaba crec=i=d=a=:
moro que en tal signo nace,
no debe decir ment=i=r=a=.
(P. 1, 11. 1-8)
Here the assonance is _í-a_.[23]
[Footnote 23: The _romances viejos_ were originally in
lines of approximately sixteen syllables, and every line
then had assonance.]
Del salón en el ángulo obscuro,
De su dueño tal vez olvid=a=d=a=,
Silenciosa y cubierta de polvo
Veíase el =a=rp=a=.
¡Cuánta nota dormía en sus cuerdas,
Como el pájaro duerme en las r=a=m=a=s,
Esperando la mano de nieve
Qué sabe arranc=a=rl=a=s!
(P. 122, ll. 12-19)
Here the assonance is _á-a_.
The following rules for assonance should be noted:
_(a)_ In modern Spanish a word stressed on the final
syllable may not assonate with one stressed on a syllable
preceding the final.[24]
[Footnote 24: In the old _romances_ and in the medieval
epic, _á_ could assonate with _á-a._ In singing these
old verses every line was probably made to end in an
unstressed vowel by adding paragogic _e_ to a final
stressed syllable. Thus, _son_ was sung as _sone, dar_ as
_dare, temí_ as _temíe_, etc. Cf. Men. Pel., _Ant._ V, 65;
XI, 86, 92; and Men. Pid., _Cantar de mío Cid_, I, 65 f.]
_(b)_ A word stressed on the penult may assonate with one page lx stressed on the antepenult. Vowels between the
stressed syllable and the final syllable are disregarded,
as in _cruza, cúpula (ú-a), bañe, márgenes, árabes (á-e)._
_(c)_ In stressed diphthongs and triphthongs only the
vowels receiving the stress assonate, as in _vale, aire
(á-e), cabellos, suelo (é-o), envolviendo, aposento (é-o),
guardias, alta (á-a), pleito, siento (é-o), mucho, triunfo
(ú-o)._
_(d)_ In unstressed diphthongs and triphthongs only the
strong vowels assonate, as in _turba, lluvia (ú-a),
licencia, quisierais (é-a), pido, continuo (í-o)_.
Similarly, _e_ or _o_, before another strong vowel, is
disregarded in an unstressed diphthong, as in _modo,
erróneo (ó-o), crece, héroe (é-e)_.
_(e)_ In final unstressed syllables, _i_ and _u_ (not in
diphthongs) assonate with _e_ and _o_, respectively, as
in _verde, débil (é-e), amante, fácil (á-e), líquido,
espíritu (í-o)_.
(3) In Spanish blank verse (_versos sueltos, libres,
blancos_) there is usually no rime; or if there be rime
it is merely incidental. Blank verse usually consists of
11-syllable lines.
¡Oh! ¡cuánto rostro veo, á mi censura,
De palidez y de rubor cubierto!
Ánimo, amigos, nadie tema, nadie,
Su punzante aguijón; que yo persigo
En mi sátira el vicio, no al vicioso.
(P. 39, ll. 3-7)
Blank verse is little used in Spanish. It occurs chiefly
in serious satirical or philosophical poems. But separate
_versos sueltos_ are introduced into some varieties of
compositions, such as the _romance, seguidilla, silva_,
etc.[25]
[Footnote 25: The _versos sueltos_ are, with regard to the
absence of rime, in imitation of classic Greek and Latin
verse. They came into Spain by way of Italy during the
Renaissance movement. Abjured by the romanticists, they
were restored to favor by Núñez de Arce.]
page lxi
VERSE-MEASURES
A. VERSE WITH BINARY MOVEMENT[26]
[Footnote 26: The term "binary" is used here to distinguish
ordinary Spanish verse from that with regular ternary
movement. Cf. p. lxx.]
In modern Spanish this verse is commonly found in lines of
seven, eight or eleven syllables. It may occur in lines
of any length; but in lines of five or six syllables the
binary and ternary movements are generally mingled. In
Old Spanish binary lines of approximately 8+8 and 7+7
syllables were common, and lines of 6+6, or of nine,
syllables were then, as now, also occasionally used.[27]
[Footnote 27: Verses of three or four syllables are
best treated as half-lines, with inner rime (_versos
leonínos_).]
The most popular measure, and the one of most importance
in the history of Spanish verse, is the 8+8-syllable line
of the old _romances_, which was later divided into two
8-syllable lines, and became the most common measure in
the drama and in popular songs. This line usually has
only one rhythmic accent, which falls on the seventh
syllable.[28]
[Footnote 28: By "rhythmic accent" is meant the musical
accent on the last stressed syllable of a phrase and not
syllabic stresses that may occur within a phrase.]
Mis arreos son las armas,
mi descanso el pelear,
mi cama las duras peñas,
mi dormir siempre velar
(p. 5, ll. 1-4)
page lxii
Rarely 8-syllable lines are written with a fixed accent on
the third syllable (cf. p. 51, l. 10 f.).[29] There is then
sometimes _pie quebrado_ in alternate lines, as in:
Hijo mío mucho amado,
Para mientes;
No contrastes á las gentes
Mal su grado.
Ama: é serás amado;
Y podrás
Hazer lo que no harás
Desamado.[30]
[Footnote 29: They are less common in Spanish than in
Italian:
Sai tu dirme, o fanciullino,
In qual pasco gita sia
La vezzosa Egeria mia
Ch'io pur cerco dal mattino?
(Paolo A. Rolli)]
[Footnote 30: Note the example of hiatus in this older
Spanish.]
Next to the popular 8-syllable line the most important
measure in modern Spanish verse is that of eleven
syllables, with binary movement, which came to Spain from
Italy in the fifteenth century, and was generally accepted
by the writers of the Siglo de Oro. This 11-syllable line,
though of foreign origin, has held the boards as the chief
erudite measure in Spanish verse for four centuries, and
taken all in all it is the noblest metrical form for
serious poems in modern Spanish. A striking peculiarity
of the line is its flexibility. It is not divided into
hemistichs as were its predecessors, the 14-syllable
Alexandrine and the 12-syllable _arte mayor_ verse; but
it consists of two phrases and the position of the inner
rhythmic accent is usually variable.
page lxiii
A well constructed line of this type has a rhythmic accent
on the sixth syllable, or a rhythmic accent on the fourth
syllable (usually with syllabic stress on the eighth),
beside the necessary accent in the tenth position.
Generally the inner accent falls on the sixth syllable
approximately twice as often as on the fourth.
Y con diversas flòres va esparcièndo... (León)
Y para envejecèrse florecièron... (Calderón)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cuna y sepùlcro en un botón hallàron... (Calderón)
Se mira al mùndo á nuestros pies tendìdo... (Zorrilla)
Logically, the close of the first phrase should coincide
with the end of the word that receives the inner rhythmic
accent, and this is usually so, as in:
¿Qué tengo yò, | que mi amistad procùras?... (Lope)
Son la verdad y Diòs, | Dios verdadèro... (Quevedo)
But in some lines the rhetorical and the rhythmic accents
do not coincide, as in:
... pero huyóse
El pudor á vivìr en las cabànas... (Jovellanos)
Del plectro sabiamènte meneàdo... (León)
Que á mi puerta, cubièrto de rocìo... (Lope)
The 11-syllable line may be used alone. Cf. the sonnets of
Lope de Vega (p. 14) and Calderón (p. 18), the _Epístola
satírica_ of Quevedo (p. 15), the blank verse of
Jovellanos (p. 38) and Núñez de Arce (p. 144), _et al._
The neo-classic poets of the eighteenth century and some
of the earlier romanticists even used it in _redondillas_
or assonated: page lxiv
En pago de este amor que, mal mi gr=ado=,
Hasta el crimen me lleva en su del=irio=,
Y á no verse por ti menospreci=ado=
Mi virtud elevara hasta el mart=irio=...
¿Por qué de nuevo pálida tristeza
Tus rosadas mejillas descol=o=r=a=?
¿Por qué tu rostro en lágrimas se inunda?
¿Por qué suspiras, niña, y te acong=o=j=a=s?
(Bretón de los Herreros, _¿Quién es ella?_)
But the poets of the Siglo de Oro and the neo-classic
poets generally used it in combination with 7-syllable
lines, as in Leon's verses:
¡Qué descansada vida
la del que huye el mundanal rüido,
y sigue la escondida
senda por donde han ido
los pocos sabios que en el mundo han sido!
Strophes of three 11-syllable lines and one 5-syllable
line (_versos sáficos_) are not uncommon in highly lyric
poems. Usually, in the long lines, the inner accent falls
on the fourth syllable, with syllabic stress on the
eighth, and with cesura after the fifth syllable. Thus:[31]
Dulce vecino de la verde selva,
Huésped eterno del Abril florido,
Vital aliento de la madre Venus,
Céfiro blando.
(Villegas, _Al céfiro_)
[Footnote 31: Mele (_op. cit_) states that the Sapphic ode
was introduced into Spain from Italy by Antonio Agustín,
bishop of Tarragona, in the first half of the sixteenth
century, and quotes these lines by Agustín:
Júpiter torna, como suele, rico:
Cuerno derrama Jove copiöso,
Ya que bien puede el pegaseo monte
Verse y la cumbre.
page lxv
The romanticists used the _versos sáficos_ with rime.
Thus, Zorrilla:
Huye la fuente al manantial ingrata,
El verde musgo en derredor lamiendo,
Y el agua limpia en su cristal retrata
Cuanto va viendo.
(p. 86, ll. 3-6)
In the Sapphic strophe of Francisco de la Torre (d. 1594),
the short line has seven syllables, and the long line may
have inner rhythmic accent on the sixth, or on the fourth
syllable. Thus:
El frío Bóreas y el helado Noto
Apoderados de la mar insana
Anegaron agora en este puerto
Una dichosa nave.
(_¡Tirsi, Tirsi! vuelve y endereza_)
The Sapphic strophe of Francisco de la Torre has been not
infrequently imitated. Thus, Bécquer:
Volverán las obscuras golondrinas
En tu balcón sus nidos á colgar,
Y, otra vez, con el ala á sus cristales
Jugando llamarán.
(p. 122, l. 24-p. 123, l. 2)[32]
[Footnote 32: These long lines are especially cantabile, as
most are accented on the third and sixth syllables. Only
one is accented on the fourth and eighth.]
The 7-syllable line is commonly used in combination with
those of eleven syllables (see above). In the seventeenth
century, particularly, the 7-syllable line was used in
anacreontics, artistic _romances, quintillas,_ page lxvi
etc., in imitation of the Italian _settenario_, as in
Villegas' _Cantilena_ beginning:
Yo vi sobre un tomillo
Quejarse un pajarillo,
Viendo su nido amado,
De quien era caudillo,
De un labrador robado.
In present-day songs the 7-syllable line is rather rare,
except in combination with lines of five syllables, as in:
Camino de Valencia,
Camino largo...
And:
Á la puerta del cielo
Venden zapatos...
In these lines there is no fixed inner rhythmic accent.
The Old Spanish Alexandrine verse-line was composed of two
7-syllable half-lines. In the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries numerous monkish narrative poems (_mester de
clereçía_) were written in this measure:
En el nonbre del Padre,--que fizo toda cosa,
E de don Jhesu Christo,--Fijo dela Gloriosa,
Et del Spiritu Sancto,--que egual dellos posa,
De un confessor sancto--quiero fer vna prosa...
(Gonzalo de Berceo)
The old Alexandrine fell before the rising popularity of
the _arte mayor_ verse early in the fifteenth century. In
the eighteenth century a 13-syllable Alexandrine appears
in Spanish in imitation of the classic French line. This
later Spanish Alexandrine is not composed of two distinct
half-lines. It also has, like its French page lxvii
prototype, alternate couplets of masculine and feminine
lines (_versos agudos_ and _versos llanos_ or _graves_).
Thus, Iriarte:
En cierta catedral una campana había
Que sólo se tocaba algún solemne día
Con el más recio son, con pausado compás,
Cuatro golpes ó tres solía dar, no más.
There is an inner rhythmic accent on the sixth syllable.
Iriarte also revived the older Alexandrine, but without
hiatus:
Cuando veo yo algunos,--que de otros escritores
Á la sombra se arriman,--y piensan ser autores...
Recent poets have revived the old Alexandrine.[33] Thus,
Rubén Darío uses it, even retaining the hiatus between the
half-lines; but instead of grouping the lines in quatrains
with monorime, as the old monks did, he uses assonance
in alternate lines, which is, so far as I know, without
precedent:
Es con voz de la Biblia--ó verso de Withman
Que habría que llegar--hasta ti, ¡cazador!
Primitivo y moderno,--sencillo y complicado,
Con un algo de Wáshington--y mucho de Nemrod...
(p. 211, ll. 1-4)
[Footnote 33: For their use of this line with ternary
movement, see p. lxxix.]
Lines of five or six syllables usually have a mingled
binary and ternary movement:
Una barquera
Hallé bizarra,
De pocos años
Y muchas gracias.
(N. Moratín)
page lxviii
Salí á las diez
Á ver á Clori
(No lo acerté):
Horas menguadas
Debe de haber...
(L. Moratín)
Lines of 5+5 syllables (_versos asclepiadeos_) are
occasionally written:
Id en las alas--del raudo céfiro,
Humildes versos,--de las floridas
Vegas que diáfano--fecunda el Arlas,
Adonde lento--mi patrio río
Ve los alcázares--de Mantua excelsa.
(L. Moratín)
The Mexican poet Pesado used the same line in his
_Serenata_:
¡Oh tú que duermes--en casto lecho,
De sinsabores--ajeno el pecho,
Y á los encantos--de la hermosura
Unes las gracias--del corazón,
Deja el descanso,--doncella pura,
Y oye los ecos--de mi canción!
(P. 199, ll. 1-6)
The same measure appears in a patriotic song, _Himno de
Riego_:
En las cabezas--él proclamó
La suspirada--constitución,
Y enarbolando--marcial pendón,
Á los leales--acaudilló...[34]
[Footnote 34: It should be noted that these latter verses,
like most Spanish patriotic songs, are sung with ternary
movement, thus:
Èn las cabèzas--èl proclamò...]
page lxix
This 10-syllable measure is cantabile, and its phrases are
too short and too regular to make good recitative verse.
_Versos alcaicos_ differ from the _asclepiadeos_ in that
the former have, in a strophe, two lines of 5 + 5, one of
nine, and one of ten syllables. Thus, in these lines of
Victorio Giner (who probably introduced this strophe into
Spain in the second half of the nineteenth century):
Y si los nautas, cantando el piélago,
Con remos hieren y espumas alzan,
Se aduerme á los ecos sus penas
Y á los ecos su batel avanza.
Juan Luis Estelrich (_Poesías_, 1900) uses _versos
alcaicos_ with the first two lines of each strophe
_esdrújulo_, in imitation of Carducci:
Carmen, tu nombre trae al espíritu
Vuelo de aromas, susurro de árboles,
Los píos consorcios del cielo,
Y el cantar melodioso del Lacio.
(_Á Carmen Valera._)[35]
[Footnote 35: Cf. Mele, _op. cit._]
_Romances_ in lines of 6 + 6 (or 6 + 5) syllables occur
in popular Spanish verse, as in the Asturian _romance_ of
_Don Bueso_, beginning:
Camina don Bueso--mañanita fría
á tierra de moros--á buscar amiga...
(Men. Pel., _Ant._ X, 56: cf. also _Ant._ XI, 102)
This measure was also used in _endechas_, as in _Los
comendadores de Córdoba_ (fifteenth century), beginning:
¡Los comendadores,--por mi mal os vi!
Yo vi á vosotros,--vosotros á mí...
page lxx
The 9-syllable line was not well received in Spain, and it
has been little used. Iriarte, in his desire to vary the
metrical constructions of his fables, used it at least
once:
Sobre una mesa, cierto día,
Dando estaba conversación
Á un Abanico y á un Manguito
Un Paraguas ó Quitasol...
There is certainly no fixed inner rhythmic accent in these
lines. The fact seems to be that the 9-syllable line is
too long to be uttered comfortably in one phrase, or
breath-group, and it is too short to be regularly divided
into parts by cesura.
B. VERSE WITH TERNARY MOVEMENT
Verse with regular ternary movement may occur in lines of
any length, but it is commonly found only in lines of ten,
eleven or twelve syllables. Many ternary lines of five and
six syllables are found, but they are almost invariably
mingled with binary lines. This _rondel antiguo_ (Nebrija,
quoted by Men. Pel., _Ant._ V. 66) is ternary throughout,
it would seem:
Despide plazer
y pone tristura;
crece en querer
vuestra hermosura.
For mixed movements, see the _serranilla_ on p. 45, l. 9
f.
In lines with _regular_ ternary movement, properly
speaking, every primary stress receives a rhythmic accent,
and these accents are always separated by two page lxxi
atonic syllables, as in:
Yo no sè como bàilan aquì,
Que en mi tièrra no bàilan ansì...
Rarely one finds 6-syllable and 9-syllable lines with
regular ternary movement, and these are probably never of
popular origin. Thus:
Serèna la lùna
Alùmbra en el cièlo,
Domìna en el suèlo
Profùnda quietùd...
(Espronceda, _El reo de muerte_, II)
Y luègo el estrèpito crèce
Confùso y mezclàdo en un sòn,
Que rònco en las bòvedas hòndas
Tronàndo furiòso zumbò...
(Espronceda, _Estudiante de Salamanca_)
Formerly the Spanish 10-syllable line occurred usually in
combination with other lines, as in:
En la calle de Atòcha, ¡litòn!
Que vìve mi dàma;
Yo me llàmo Bartòlo, ¡litòn!
Litòque, vitòque, y[36] èlla Catànla.
--En la càlle del Sòrdo, ¡litòn!
Que vìve mi mòzo,
Pues á cuànto le pìdo, ¡litòn!
Litòque, vitòque, que sièmpre está sòrdo.
[Footnote 36: There is hiatus here.]
(Quiñones de Benavente, _Entremeses, bailes, loas y
sainetes_, quoted by Milá y Fontanals, _Obras completas_,
Vol. V, p. 324 f.)
page lxxii
Calderón used it in the _Viña del Señor_:
Á la vìña, á la vìña, zagàles;
Zagàles, venìd, venìd á la vìña.
Á la vìña, á la vìña, zagàles,
Y vàya de jìra, de bùlla y de bàile.
Zagàles, venìd, venìd á la vìña,
Y vàya de bàile, de bùlla y de jìra.
A recent number of the _Ilustración Española y Americana _
(15 Enero, 1911) contains lines of similar construction by
Don Rafael Torromé:
Al miràr su carìta sonriènte,
Tan dùlce y tan buèna,
Siempre obsèrvo que mi àlma presiènte,
Con duèlo y con pèna,
Que más tàrde este mùndo inclemènte
Trocarà en sentimièntos de hièna
Los pùros afèctos de su àlma inocènte.
Iriarte did not hesitate to write fables in these
10-syllable lines alone:
De sus hìjos la tòrpe Avetùrda
El pesàdo volàr conocìa...
And the romanticists of the nineteenth century used it not
infrequently:
Con inmòvil, irònica muèca
Inclinàron formàndo en redòr...
(Espronceda, _Est. de Sal._)
Del salòn en el àngulo obscùro,
De su duèño tal vèz olvidàda,
Silenciòsa y cubièrta de pòlvo,
Veìase el àrpa.
(Bécquer, _Rima_ VII)
page lxiii
In the nineteenth century this line came to be popular in
patriotic songs which are sung by the multitude, while the
crash of the drum marks the rhythmic accents:
Entonèmos festìvos cantàres,
Pues el dìa felìz ha llegàdo,
Que del yùgo servìl aliviàdo
Goza yà el Españòl libertàd.
(_La Constitución_)
Al combàte corrèd, Bayamèses,
Que la pàtria os contèmpla orgullòsa;
No temàis una muèrte gloriòsa,
Que morìr por la pàtria es vivìr.
(Cuban national hymn, cf. p. 251)
The commoner form of verse with 11-syllable ternary lines
is that popularly called "_de gaita gallega_" (Men. Pel.,
_Ant._, V, p. cxcv; X, 141. Cf. also Milá, _op. cit._),
the assumption being that this verse is intimately related
to that type of popular Galician poetry known as the
_muiñeira_, which was sung to the music of the bagpipe.
These lines are typical of the "_endecasílabos de gaita
gallega_":
Tànto bailè á la puèrta del cùra,
Tànto bailè que me diò calentùra;
Tànto bailè á la puèrta del hòrno,
Tànto bailè que me dièron un bòllo.[37]
[Footnote 34: Many Galician _muiñeiras_ have been
collected: cf. Milá, _op. cit._; Carolina Michaëlis de
Vasconcellos, _Cancioneiro de Ajuda_, Vol. II, Halle,
1904; José Pérez Ballesteros, _Cancionero popular
gallego_, Madrid, 1885.]
page lxxiv
Menéndez y Pelayo (_Ant._ X, 141) gives, in his collection
of _Romances tradicionales de Asturias_, the following one
in ternary 11-syllable lines:
=La tentación=
--¡Ày, probe Xuàna de cuèrpo garrido!
¡Ày, probe Xuàna de cuèrpo galàno!
¿Dònde le dèxas al tù buen amigo?
¿Dònde le dèxas al tù buen amàdo?
--¡Muèrto le dèxo á la orìlla del rìo,
muèrto le dèxo á la orìlla del vàdo!
--¿Cuànto me dàs, volverètelo vìvo?
¿Cuànto me dàs, volverètelo sàno?
--Dòyte las àrmas y dòyte el rocìno,
dòyte las àrmas y dòyte el cabàllo.
--No hè menestèr ni armàs ni rocìno,
no hè menestèr ni armàs ni cabàllo...
It should be noted that this poem has assonance of the
odd and of the even lines. Men. Pel. says of this popular
11-syllable _romance_ that «su aparición en la poesía
popular castellana es un fenómeno singular, aun en
Asturias misma, y hasta ahora no se ha presentado más
ejemplo que éste.» Note the apparent shifting of stress in
_armas_. Iriarte and L. Moratin did not scorn to use this
line.
Iriarte:
Cièrta criàda la càsa barrìa
Còn una escòba muy sùcia y muy vièja...
Moratin (in the chorus of _Padres del Limbo_):
Hùyan los àños con ràpido vuèlo;
Gòce la tièrra duràble consuèlo;
Mìre á los hòmbres piadòso el Señòr...
page lxxv
The 11-syllable line of ternary movement has had less
vogue in artistic verse than those of ten and twelve
syllables.[38]
[Footnote 38: In _Las hijas del Cid_ E. Marquina has used a
flexible 11-syllable ternary line beginning with either
[\-] - - [\-] or - [\-] - [\-]:
Sus nòmbres jùntos los llèvo en el alma,
Jùntos los guàrda tambièn mi memòria.
These are blank verses with occasional assonance.]
The Spanish ternary 12-syllable line was formerly used
chiefly in combination with lines of ten or eleven
syllables. Some examples of mingled 10-and 12-syllable
lines have already been given above. Another is:
Mancebìto, perdòne las hèmbras,
Que còmen y bèben y no tienen rèntas.
--Pues, mocìtas, maldìtas sean èllas,
Ó còsan ó làbren ó càiganse muèrtas.
A song of mingled 11-and 12-syllable lines begins thus:
Al pàsar la bàrca, me dìjo el barquèro:
Mòza bonìta no pàga dinero.[39]
[Footnote 39: Cf. Milá, _op. cit._ In singing _pasar_,
there is apparently a shifting of stress which is not
uncommon in songs.]
Efforts have been made from time to time to use the
ternary movements in erudite verse, but these, for the
most part, have proven futile. The most serious and the
most successful attempt appears in the use of the _copla
de arte mayor_ in the fifteenth century. The _copla
(metro, versos) de arte mayor_ consists of mingled 12-and
11-syllable lines arranged in strophes of eight lines,
each with consonantal rime according to some definite
scheme. The _arte mayor_ verse attained to its most
perfect form and its greatest popularity in page lxxvi
_El laberinto de la fortuna_ (1444?), by Juan de Mena, of
which the following is a strophe:
Amores me dieron corona de amores
porque mi nombre por más bocas ande;
entonçes no era mi mal menos grande,
quando me dauan plazer sus dolores;
vençen el seso sus dulçes errores,
mas non duran sienpre, segund luego plazen;
pues me fizieron del mal que vos fazen,
sabed al amor desamar, amadores.
(Strophe 106)
The old _arte mayor_ verse has these distinguishing
characteristics:
The line is divided into hemistichs, each of which may
have four, five or six syllables, thus:
(1) (-) - - - [/-] (-) | (-) - - - [/-] (-),
except that the final syllable of the first hemistich
and the initial syllable of the second may not both be
lacking. These arrangements may also occur (the third is
rare):
(2) (-) - - - [/-] - - | - - - [/-] (-)
(3) (-) - - - [/-] | - - - - - [/-] (-).
Examples of types:
(1) Las grandes fazañas | de nuestros mayores... (Str. 4)
Vayan de gente | sabidos en gente... (Str. 3)
Reconocerán | maguer que feroce... (Str. 274)
Assí que qualquiera | cuerpo ya muerto... (Str. 244)
Cuya virtud | maguer que reclama...
Sufren que passen | males e viçios... (Str. 232)
(2) E ví á Pitágoras | que defendía... (Str. 118)
Bien como médico | mucho famoso... (Str. 178)
(3) Quando el señor | es en neçessidad... (Str. 258)
page lxxvii
The initial unstressed syllable of the first hemistich is
lacking in approximately one-third of the lines of the
_Laberinto_. These lines resemble the 11-syllable _gaita
gallega_ verse, and the others resemble the popular
Galician 12-syllable ternary line, for in both the final
unstressed syllable of the first hemistich may fall,[40]
which seems to indicate that the appearance of the _arte
mayor_ verse in Castilian was due to Galician influence.
[Footnote 40: Cf. these Galician _muiñeiras_, cited by Milá
y Fontanals (_Romanía_, VI, p. 47 f.):
Càndo te vèxo | na bèira do rìo,
Quèda o meu còrpo | tembràndo de frìo;
Càndo te vèxo | d'o mònte n'altùra,
A tòdo o mon córpo | lle dà calentùra.
Ìsca d'ahì | galìña maldìta,
Ìsca d'ahì | non me màte la pìta;
Ìsca d'ahì | galìña ladròna,
Ìsca d'ahì | pra càs de tua dòna.]
Again, as in many Galician songs of this type, the ternary
movement of the old _arte mayor_ verse is not strictly
regular. Approximately nine-tenths of the lines in the
_Laberinto_ may be read with regular ternary movement:
(-) [/-] - - [/-] (-) | (-) [/-] - - [/-] (-),
by giving a rhythmic accent to a syllable with secondary
stress or to a middle syllable in a group of atonics, in a
not inconsiderable number of lines, as in:
Pòr las altùras, | collàdos y cèrros...
Assì que tu ères | la gòvernadòra...
In the remaining lines the commonest movement is:
(-) - [/-] - [/-] (-) | (-) - [/-] - [/-] (-),
as in:
Aquel claro padre, aquel dulce fuente... page lxxviii
In the second half of the sixteenth century and in the
seventeenth century, the _arte mayor_ verse was out of
fashion, although it appeared occasionally, as in these
lines of Lope de Vega (a variety of the Sapphic strophe),
with inner rime:
Amor poderoso en cielo y en tierra,
dulcísima guerra de nuestros sentidos,
¡oh, cuántos perdidos con vida inquiëta
tu imperio sujeta!
(From first act of _Dorotea_)
In the nineteenth century it was restored to favor by
the romanticists.[41] Good examples are: Espronceda,
_El templario_; Avellaneda, _Las siete palabras_; and
Zorrilla, _Á un torreón_ (part). Some writers used it even
in the drama (cf. Gil y Zárate, _Guzmán el bueno_). The
modern _arte mayor_ verse is written in 12-syllable lines,
usually with regular ternary movement. Thus:
¡Oh Antìlla dichòsa! | ¿qué màgicos sònes,
Qué lùz inefàble, | qué extràña alegrìa,
Del cièlo destièrran los nègros crespònes,
Prestàndo á esta nòche | la pòmpa del dìa?
¿Por qué tan ufàna, | tan bèlla la lùna
Con fàz refulgènte | comiènza su gìro,
Y no hày leve sòmbra | que crùce importùna
Su tròno esmaltàdo | de plàta y zafìro?
(Avellaneda, _Serenata de Cuba_)
[Footnote 41: Iriarte, of course, had written a fable or
two in _arte mayor_ verse. Cf. _Fábula_ XXXIX.]
page lxxix
Soldàdos, la Pàtria | nos llàma á la lìd;
Jurèmos por èlla | vencèr ó morìr;
Serènos, alègres, | valièntes, osàdos,
Cantèmos, soldàdos, | el hìmno á la lìd:
Ya nuèstros acèntos | el òrbe se admìre,
Y en nòsotros[42] mìre | los hìjos del Cìd;
Ya nuèstros acèntos | el òrbe se admìre,
Y en nòsotros mìre | los hìjos del Cìd.
(_Himno de Riego_: cf. p. 242)
[Footnote 42: Note in _nosotros_ the shifting of stress,
which the musical notation indicates clearly.]
Lines of fourteen and fifteen syllables with ternary
movement are never popular, and in artistic verse they
are exceedingly rare. Avellaneda used these measures in
_Soledad del alma_:
Sàle la auròra risuèña, de flòres vestìda,
Dàndole al cièlo y al càmpo variàdo colòr;
Tòdo se anìma sintièndo brotàr nueva vìda,
Càntan las àves, y el àura suspìra de amòr.
Huyèron velòces--cual nùbes que el viènto arrebàta--
Los brèves momèntos de dìcha que el cièlo me diò...
¿Por què mi existència, ya inùtil, su cùrso dilàta,
Si el tèrmino ansiàdo á su espàlda perdìdo dejò?
Some recent poets have attempted to write ternary
Alexandrine verse. Thus, the Peruvian poet, José S.
Chocano (1867-):
Los Estados Unidos, como argolla de bronce,
contra un clavo sujetan de la América un pie;
y la América debe, si pretende ser libre,
imitarles primero, é igualarles después.
page lxxx
Imitemos ¡oh Musa! las crujientes estrofas
que en el Norte se arrastran con la gracia de un tren,
y que giren las rimas como ruedas veloces
y que caigan los versos como varas de riel.
(_La epopeya del Pacífico_)
STROPHES
There are certain conventional combinations of line and
rime known by special names. Those used in modern Spanish
may best be considered under the heads (I) Assonance, (II)
Consonantal Rime, and (III) No Rime.
I. (1) The _romance_ is the most characteristic and
national of all Spanish meters. The proper _romance_
consists of 8-syllable lines with assonance in alternate
lines[43] (cf. pp. 1-8, 42, etc.). The structure of the
_romance_ line has already been treated (p. lxi). In the
old _romances_ there was no division into stanzas, but
poets from the end of the sixteenth century on regularly
employ a pause after every fourth line, thereby creating
a series of quatrains (pp. 42, 60, etc.), except in the
drama (p. 19).
[Footnote 43: Historically, of i6-syllable lines, all
assonating.]
(2) Alternate assonance may be employed with lines of
any length. With 11-syllable lines the verse is called
_romance heroico_ or _real_. Lines of seven syllables make
_versos anacreónticos_. The name _endecha_ is given to
some assonated verse of either six (p. 124) or seven
syllables. When the first three lines of a stanza are
of seven syllables and the last of eleven, the verse is
called _endecha real_. For examples of alternate assonance
in lines of various lengths, see pp. 122 (2 examples),
123, 137, 160, 177.
An _estribillo_, or refrain, may be used in any assonating
verse (p. 45).
page lxxxi
(3) The use of alternate assonance in lines of fourteen
syllables (pp. 211, 212) is a none too happy device of the
author.
(4) The _seguidilla_ is usually a stanza of seven lines of
seven and five syllables in length, in this order: 7, 5,
7, 5; 5, 7, 5. There is usually a pause after the fourth
line; lines 2 and 4 have one assonance and lines 5 and 7
another. The assonances change from one stanza to another.
See pp. 112 and 120. In some _seguidillas_ the stanzas
consist only of the first four lines described.
II. The native Spanish strophes are usually combinations
of 8-syllable or shorter lines. The 11-syllable line,
itself an importation from Italy, brought with it many
well-known Italian strophes. In none of the pure Italian
forms are lines ending in _agudos_ or _esdrújulos_
permissible.
(1) The _redondilla mayor_ consists of four 8-syllable
lines with the rime-scheme _abba_ (pp. 149, 167), or,
less commonly, _abab_ (p. 136). It is a common and
characteristic Spanish meter. The _redondilla menor_
has the same form expressed in lines of less than eight
syllables. The same rime-schemes are found with lines of
seven or of eleven (pp. 117, 207) syllables, and with
combinations of eleven and seven (p. 134), or eleven and
five (p. 86) syllables; but they are not properly called
_redondillas_.
(2) The _quintilla_ is a 5-line strophe, usually of
8-syllable lines. Only two rimes are used in one stanza,
and not more than two lines having the same rime should
stand together (pp. 26, 114). _Quintillas_ are sometimes
written with lines of other lengths. Examples with eleven
and seven syllables are found on pp. 128, 133 and 148. The
stanza used in _Vida retirada_ (p. 9) is termed _lira_:
cf. _Introduction_, p. xxiii.
page lxxxii
(3) The _décima_ (or _espinela_) is a 10-line strophe
of 8-syllable lines which may be considered as two
_quintillas_; but there should be a pause after the
fourth line, and the rime-scheme is usually as follows:
_abbaaccddc_.
(4) The _arte mayor_ line has already been described (p.
lxxv). The _copla de arte mayor_ is a stanza of eight such
lines, usually having the rime-scheme _abbaacca_.
(5) The _octava rima_ (Ital. _ottava rima_) is an Italian
form. Each stanza has eight 11-syllable lines with the
rime-scheme _abababcc_. Examples are found of octaves
employing short lines. A variety of the _octava rima_ is
the _octava bermudina_ with the rime-scheme _abbcdeec_,
the lines in _c_ ending in _agudos_.
(6) The _soneto_ (sonnet) is formed of fourteen
11-syllable lines. In the Siglo de Oro it appears as
a much stricter form than the English sonnet of the
corresponding period. The quatrains have the regular
construction _abba_, and the tiercets almost always follow
one of two types: either _cde, cde,_ or _cdcdcd_. See pp.
14, 18, 148, etc.
(7) _Tercetos_ (Italian _terza rima_), the verse used by
Dante in the _Divina Commedia_, are formed of 11-syllable
lines in groups of three, with the rime-scheme _aba, bcb,
cdc_, etc., ending _yzyz_. See p. 15.
(8) The term _canción_, which means any lyrical
composition, is also applied specifically to a verse
form in which the poet invents a typical strophe, with a
certain length of line and order of rimes, and adheres to
this type of stanza throughout the whole poem. The lines
are of eleven and seven syllables,--the Italian structure.
Of such nature are the poems on pp. 8, 20, 71, 137
(bottom), 174, 190.
The same procedure is employed with lines of any length, page lxxxiii
but the poem is not then called _canción_.
For strophes in 10-syllable lines, see p. 199; in
8-syllable lines, pp. 16, 51, 83, 151; in 7-syllables, p.
202.
(9) The _silva_ is a free composition of 11-and 7-syllable
lines. Most of the lines rime, but without any fixed
order, and lines are often left unrimed. See pp. 46, 54,
152, 214 (bottom), etc. A similar freely riming poem in
lines of seven syllables is Villegas' _Cantilena_ (p. 17).
(10) The Asclepiadean verse (p. lxviii) and the Sapphic
(p. lxiv) and Alcaic (p. lxix) strophes have already been
described. These may be rimed, or in blank verse.
(11) Numerous conventional names are given to poems for
some other characteristic than their metrical structure.
Thus a _glosa_ (gloss) is a poem "beginning with a text, a
line of which enters into each of the stanzas expounding
it." A _letra_ may be a short gloss. The name _letrilla_
is applied sometimes to a little poem in short lines which
may be set to music (p. 9), and sometimes to a strophic
poem with a refrain (p. 16). A _madrigal_ is a short
_silva_ upon a light topic, an expanded conceit. The term
_cantilena_ is given to any short piece of verse intended
to be set to music (p. 17). _Serranillas_, in which is
described the meeting of a gentleman with a rustic maiden,
are famous for the examples written by Juan Ruiz and the
Marquis of Santillana. A _villancico_ is a popular poem
with a refrain, usually dealing with an episode celebrated
in a church festival (p. 13).
III. _Versos sueltos, libres_ or _blancos_ (blank verse)
are formed, as in English, of 11-syllable lines, with
occasionally a shorter line thrown in. There is no rime,
but sometimes a couplet may mark the close of an idea. See
pp. 38 and 144, and cf. also p. lx.
Page 1
ESPAÑA
ROMANCES
ABENÁMAR
¡Abenámar, Abenámar,
moro de la morería,
el día que tú naciste
grandes señales había!
5 Estaba la mar en calma,
la luna estaba crecida:
moro que en tal signo nace,
no debe decir mentira.--
Allí respondiera el moro,
10 bien oiréis lo que decía:
--Yo te la diré, señor,
aunque me cueste la vida,
porque soy hijo de un moro
y una cristiana cautiva;
15 siendo yo niño y muchacho
mi madre me lo decía:
que mentira no dijese,
que era grande villanía:
por tanto pregunta, rey, page 2
que la verdad te diría.
--Yo te agradezco, Abenámar
aquesa tu cortesía.
¿Qué castillos son aquéllos?
5 ¡Altos son y relucían!
--El Alhambra era, señor,
y la otra la mezquita;
los otros los Alixares,
labrados á maravilla.
10 El moro que los labraba
cien doblas ganaba al día,
y el día que no los labra
otras tantas se perdía.
El otro es Generalife,
15 huerta que par no tenía;
el otro Torres Bermejas,
castillo de gran valía.--
Allí habló el rey don Juan,
bien oiréis lo que decía:
20 --Si tú quisieses, Granada,
contigo me casaría;
daréte en arras y dote
á Córdoba y á Sevilla.
--Casada soy, rey don Juan,
25 casada soy, que no viuda;
el moro que á mí me tiene
muy grande bien me quería. page 3
Fonte-frida, fonte-frida,
fonte-frida y con amor,
do todas las avecicas
van tomar consolación,
5 sino es la tortolica
que está viuda y con dolor.
Por allí fuera á pasar
el traidor de ruiseñor:
las palabras que le dice
10 llenas son de traición:
--Si tú quisieses, señora,
yo sería tu servidor.
--Vete de ahí, enemigo,
malo, falso, engañador,
15 que ni poso en ramo verde,
ni en prado que tenga flor;
que si el agua hallo clara,
turbia la bebía yo;
que no quiero haber marido,
20 porque hijos no haya, no:
no quiero placer con ellos,
ni menos consolación.
¡Déjame, triste enemigo,
malo, falso, mal traidor,
que no quiero ser tu amiga,
25 ni casar contigo, no.
page 4
EL CONDE ARNALDOS
¡Quién hubiese tal ventura
sobre las aguas del mar,
como hubo el conde Arnaldos
la mañana de San Juan!
5 Con un falcón en la mano
la caza iba á cazar,
vió venir una galera
que á tierra quiere llegar.
Las velas traía de seda,
10 la jarcia de un cendal,
marinero que la manda
diciendo viene un cantar
que la mar facía en calma,
los vientos hace amainar,
15 los peces que andan nel hondo
arriba los hace andar,
las aves que andan volando
nel mástel las faz posar.
Allí fabló el conde Arnaldos,
20 bien oiréis lo que dirá:
--Por Dios te ruego, marinero,
dígasme ora ese cantar.--
Respondióle el marinero,
tal respuesta le fué á dar:
25 --Yo no digo esta canción
sino á quien conmigo va.
page 5
LA CONSTANCIA
Mis arreos son las armas,
mi descanso el pelear,
mi cama las duras peñas,
mi dormir siempre velar.
5 Las manidas son escuras,
los caminos por usar,
el cielo con sus mudanzas
ha por bien de me dañar,
10 andando de sierra en sierra
por orillas de la mar,
por probar si en mi ventura
hay lugar donde avadar.
Pero por vos, mi señora,
todo se ha de comportar.
EL AMANTE DESDICHADO
15 En los tiempos que me vi
más alegre y placentero,
yo me partiera de Burgos
para ir á Valladolid:
encontré con un Palmero,
20 quien me habló, y dijo así:
--¿Dónde vas tú, el desdichado?
¿Dónde vas? ¡triste de ti!
¡Oh persona desgraciada,
en mal punto te conocí!
25 Muerta es tu enamorada, page 6
muerta es, que yo la vi;
las andas en que la llevan
de negro las vi cubrir,
los responsos que le dicen
5 yo los ayudé á decir:
siete condes la lloraban,
caballeros más de mil,
llorábanla sus doncellas,
llorando dicen así:
10 --¡Triste de aquel caballero
que tal pérdida pierde aquí!--
Desque aquesto oí, mezquino,
en tierra muerto caí,
y por más de doce horas
15 no tornara, triste, en mí.
Desque hube retornado,
á la sepultura fuí,
con lágrimas de mis ojos
llorando decía así:
20 --Acógeme, mi señora,
acógeme á par de ti.--
Al cabo de la sepultura
esta triste voz oí:
--Vive, vive, enamorado,
25 vive, pues que yo morí:
Dios te dé ventura en armas,
y en amor otro que sí,
que el cuerpo come la tierra,
y el alma pena por ti.--
page 7
EL PRISIONERO
Por el mes era de mayo
cuando hace la calor,
cuando canta la calandria,
y responde el ruiseñor,
5 cuando los enamorados
van á servir al amor,
sino yo, triste, cuitado,
que vivo en esta prisión,
que ni sé cuándo es de día
10 ni cuándo las noches son,
sino por un avecilla
que me cantaba al albor.
Matómela un ballestero,
¡déle Dios mal galardón!
15 Cabellos de mi cabeza
lléganme al corvejón;
los cabellos de mi barba
por manteles tengo yo:
las uñas de las mis manos
20 por cuchillo tajador.
Si lo hacía el buen rey,
hácelo como señor:
si lo hace el carcelero,
hácelo como traidor.
25 Mas ¡quién ahora me diese
un pájaro hablador,
siquiera fuese calandria, page 8
ó tordico ó ruiseñor:
criado fuese entre damas
y avezado á la razón,
que me lleve una embajada
5 á mi esposa Leonor,
que me envíe una empanada,
no de truchas ni salmón,
sino de una lima sorda
y de un pico tajador:
la lima para los hierros,
10 y el pico para el torreón!--
Oídolo había el rey,
mandóle quitar la prisión.
DON GIL VICENTE
CANCIÓN
Muy graciosa es la doncella:
15 ¡cómo es bella y hermosa!
Digas tú, el marinero
que en las naves vivías,
si la nave ó la vela ó la estrella
es tan bella.
20 Digas tú, el caballero
que las armas vestías,
si el caballo ó las armas ó la guerra
es tan bella.
Digas tú, el pastorcico page 9
que el ganadico guardas,
si el ganado ó los valles, ó la sierra
es tan bella.
SANTA TERESA DE JESÚS
LETRILLA QUE LLEVABA POR
REGISTRO EN SU BREVIARIO
Nada te turbe;
5 nada te espante;
todo se pasa;
Dios no se muda,
la paciencia todo lo alcanza.
Quien á Dios tiene,
10 nada le falta.
Solo Dios basta.
FRAY LUIS DE LEÓN
VIDA RETIRADA
¡Qué descansada vida
la del que huye el mundanal rüido,
y sigue la escondida
15 senda por donde han ido
los pocos sabios que en el mundo han sido!
Que no le enturbia el pecho
de los soberbios grandes el estado, page 10
ni del dorado techo
se admira, fabricado
del sabio moro, en jaspes sustentado.
No cura si la fama
5 canta con voz su nombre pregonera,
ni cura si encarama
la lengua lisonjera
lo que condena la verdad sincera.
¿Qué presta á mi contento
10 si soy del vano dedo señalado?
si en busca de este viento
ando desalentado
con ansias vivas, y mortal cuidado?
¡Oh campo, oh monte, oh río!
15 ¡oh secreto seguro deleitoso!
roto casi el navío,
á vuestro almo reposo
huyo de aqueste mar tempestüoso.
Un no rompido sueño,
20 un día puro, alegre, libre quiero;
no quiero ver el ceño
vanamente severo
de quien la sangre ensalza ó el dinero.
Despiértenme las aves
25 con su cantar süave no aprendido,
no los cuidados graves
de que es siempre seguido
quien al ajeno arbitrio está atenido.
Vivir quiero conmigo, page 11
gozar quiero del bien que debo al cielo,
á solas sin testigo,
libre de amor, de celo,
de odio, de esperanzas, de recelo.
5 Del monte en la ladera
por mi mano plantado tengo un huerto
que con la primavera
de bella flor cubierto
ya muestra en esperanza el fruto cierto.
10 Y como codiciosa
de ver y acrecentar su hermosura,
desde la cumbre airosa
una fontana pura
hasta llegar corriendo se apresura.
15 Y luego sosegada
el paso entre los árboles torciendo,
el suelo de pasada
de verdura vistiendo,
y con diversas flores va esparciendo.
20 El aire el huerto orea,
y ofrece mil olores al sentido,
los árboles menea
con un manso rüido
que del oro y del cetro pone olvido.
25 Ténganse su tesoro
los que de un flaco leño se confían:
no es mío ver el lloro
de los que desconfían
cuando el cierzo y el ábrego porfían. page 12
La combatida antena
cruje, y en ciega noche el claro día
se torna, al cielo suena
5 confusa vocería,
y la mar enriquecen á porfía.
Á mí una pobrecilla
mesa de amable paz bien abastada
me baste, y la vajilla
de fino oro labrada
10 sea de quien la mar no teme airada.
Y mientras miserable-
mente se están los otros abrasando
en sed insaciable
del no durable mando,
15 tendido yo á la sombra esté cantando;
Á la sombra tendido
de yedra y lauro eterno coronado,
puesto el atento oído
al son dulce acordado
20 del plectro sabiamente meneado.
ANÓNIMO
Á CRISTO CRUCIFICADO
No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte
El cielo que me tienes prometido,
Ni me mueve el infierno tan temido
Para dejar por eso de ofenderte. page 13
Tú me mueves, Señor; muéveme el verte
Clavado en una cruz y escarnecido;
Muéveme ver tu cuerpo tan herido;
Muévenme tus afrentas y tu muerte.
5 Muéveme, al fin, tu amor, y en tal manera,
Que aunque no hubiera cielo, yo te amara.
Y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera.
No me tienes que dar porque te quiera;
Pues aunque lo que espero no esperara.
10 Lo mismo que te quiero te quisiera.
DON LOPE FÉLIX DE VEGA CARPIO
CANCIÓN DE LA VIRGEN
Pues andáis en las palmas,
Ángeles santos,
Que se duerme mi niño,
Tened los ramos.
15 Palmas de Belén
Que mueven airados
Los furiosos vientos,
Que suenan tanto,
No le hagáis ruido,
20 Corred más paso;
Que se duerme mi niño,
Tened los ramos.
El niño divino,
Que está cansado page 14
De llorar en la tierra,
Por su descanso
Sosegar quiere un poco
Del tierno llanto;
5 Que se duerme mi niño,
Tened los ramos.
Rigurosos hielos
Le están cercando,
Ya veis que no tengo
10 Con que guardarlo:
Ángeles divinos,
Que vais volando,
Que se duerme mi niño,
Tened los ramos.
MAÑANA
15 ¿Qué tengo yo, que mi amistad procuras?
¿Qué interés se te sigue, Jesús mío,
Que á mi puerta, cubierto de rocío,
Pasas las noches del invierno escuras?
¡Oh cuánto fueron mis entrañas duras,
20 Pues no te abrí! ¡Qué extraño desvarío,
Si de mi ingratitud el hielo frío
Secó las llagas de tus plantas puras!
¡Cuántas veces el ángel me decía:
«Alma, asómate agora á la ventana;
25 Verás con cuánto amor llamar porfía!»
Y ¡cuántas, hermosura soberana, page 15
«Mañana le abriremos,» respondía!
Para lo mismo responder mañana.
DON FRANCISCO DE QUEVEDO
EPÍSTOLA SATÍRICA Y CENSORIA
Contra las costumbres presentes de los castellanos, escrita al
Conde-Duque de Olivares.
No he de callar, por más que con el dedo,
Ya tocando la boca, ó ya la frente,
5 Silencio avises ó amenaces miedo.
¿No ha de haber un espíritu valiente?
¿Siempre se ha de sentir lo que se dice?
¿Nunca se ha de decir lo que se siente?
Hoy sin miedo que libre escandalice
10 Puede hablar el ingenio, asegurado
De que mayor poder le atemorice.
En otros siglos pudo ser pecado
Severo estudio y la verdad desnuda,
Y romper el silencio el bien hablado.
15 Pues sepa quien lo niega y quien lo duda
Que es lengua la verdad de Dios severo
Y la lengua de Dios nunca fué muda.
Son la verdad y Dios, Dios verdadero:
Ni eternidad divina los separa,
20 Ni de los dos alguno fué primero.
page 16
LETRILLA SATÍRICA
Poderoso caballero
Es don Dinero.
Madre, yo al oro me humillo:
Él es mi amante y mi amado,
5 Pues de puro enamorado,
De contino anda amarillo;
Que pues, doblón ó sencillo,
Hace todo cuanto quiero,
Poderoso caballero
10 Es don Dinero.
Nace en las Indias honrado,
Donde el mundo le acompaña;
Viene á morir en España
Y es en Génova enterrado.
15 Y pues quien le trae al lado
Es hermoso, aunque sea fiero,
Poderoso caballero
Es don Dinero.
Es galán y es como un oro,
20 Tiene quebrado el color,
Persona de gran valor,
Tan cristiano como moro;
Pues que da y quita el decoro
Y quebranta cualquier fuero,
25 Poderoso caballero
Es don Dinero.
Son sus padres principales page 17
Y es de nobles descendiente,
Porque en las venas de Oriente
Todas las sangres son reales:
Y pues es quien hace iguales
5 Al duque y al ganadero,
Poderoso caballero
Es don Dinero.
DON ESTEBAN MANUEL DE VILLEGAS
CANTILENA: DE UN PAJARILLO
Yo vi sobre un tomillo
Quejarse un pajarillo,
10 Viendo su nido amado,
De quien era caudillo,
De un labrador robado.
Vile tan congojado
Por tal atrevimiento
15 Dar mil quejas al viento,
Para que al cielo santo
Lleve su tierno llanto,
Lleve su triste acento.
Ya con triste armonía,
20 Esforzando el intento,
Mil quejas repetía;
Ya cansado callaba,
Y al nuevo sentimiento page 18
Ya sonoro volvía.
Ya circular volaba,
Ya rastrero corría,
Ya pues de rama en rama
5 Al rústico seguía;
Y saltando en la grama,
Parece que decía:
«Dame, rústico fiero,
Mi dulce compañía»;
10 Y que le respondía
El rústico: «No quiero.»
DON PEDRO CALDERÓN DE LA BARCA
SONETO
Estas que fueron pompa y alegría
Despertando al albor de la mañana,
Á la tarde serán lástima vana
15 Durmiendo en brazos de la noche fría.
Este matiz que al cielo desafía,
Iris listado de oro, nieve y grana,
Será escarmiento de la vida humana:
¡Tanto se emprende en término de un día!
20 Á florecer las rosas madrugaron,
Y para envejecerse florecieron:
Cuna y sepulcro en un botón hallaron.
Tales los hombres sus fortunas vieron:
En un día nacieron y expiraron;
25 Que pasados los siglos, horas fueron.
page 19
CONSEJO DE CRESPO A SU HIJO
EL ALCALDE DE ZALAMEA (11, 21)
Por la gracia de Dios, Juan,
Eres de linaje limpio
Más que el sol, pero villano:
Lo uno y lo otro te digo,
5 Aquello, porque no humilles
Tanto tu orgullo y tu brío,
Que dejes, desconfiado,
De aspirar con cuerdo arbitrio
Á ser más; lo otro, porque
10 No vengas, desvanecido,
Á ser menos: igualmente
Usa de entrambos designios
Con humildad; porque siendo
Humilde, con recto juicio
15 Acordarás lo mejor;
Y como tal, en olvido
Pondrás cosas que suceden
Al revés en los altivos.
¡Cuántos, teniendo en el mundo
20 Algún defecto consigo,
Le han borrado por humildes!
Y ¡a cuántos, que no han tenido
Defecto, se le han hallado,
Por estar ellos mal vistos!
25 Sé cortés sobremanera,
Sé liberal y esparcido; page 20
Que el sombrero y el dinero
Son los que hacen los amigos;
Y no vale tanto el oro
Que el sol engendra en el indio
5 Suelo que conduce el mar,
Como ser uno bienquisto.
No hables mal de las mujeres:
La más humilde, te digo
Que es digna de estimación,
10 Porque, al fin, dellas nacimos.
FRAY DIEGO GONZÁLEZ
EL MURCIÉLAGO ALEVOSO
INVECTIVA
Estaba Mirta bella
Cierta noche formando en su aposento,
Con gracioso talento,
Una tierna canción, y porque en ella
15 Satisfacer á Delio meditaba,
Que de su fe dudaba,
Con vehemente expresión le encarecía
El fuego que en su casto pecho ardía.
Y estando divertida,
20 Un murciélago fiero, ¡suerte insana!
Entró por la ventana;
Mirta dejó la pluma, sorprendida, page 21
Temió, gimió, dio voces, vino gente;
Y al querer diligente
Ocultar la canción, los versos bellos
De borrones llenó, por recogellos.
5 Y Delio, noticioso
Del caso que en su daño había pasado,
Justamente enojado
Con el fiero murciélago alevoso,
Que había la canción interrumpido,
10 Y á su Mirta afligido,
En cólera y furor se consumía,
Y así á la ave funesta maldecía:
«Oh monstruo de ave y bruto,
Que cifras lo peor de bruto y ave,
15 Visión nocturna grave,
Nuevo horror de las sombras, nuevo luto,
De la luz enemigo declarado,
Nuncio desventurado
De la tiniebla y de la noche fría,
20 ¿Qué tienes tú que hacer donde está el día?
«Tus obras y figura
Maldigan de común las otras aves,
Que cánticos süaves
Tributan cada día á la alba pura;
25 Y porque mi ventura interrumpiste,
Y á su autor afligiste,
Todo el mal y desastre te suceda
Que á un murciélago vil suceder pueda.
«La lluvia repetida, page 22
Que viene de lo alto arrebatada,
Tan sólo reservada
Á las noches, se oponga á tu salida;
Ó el relámpago pronto reluciente
5 Te ciegue y amedrente;
Ó soplando del Norte recio el viento,
No permita un mosquito á tu alimento.
«La dueña melindrosa,
Tras el tapiz do tienes tu manida,
10 Te juzgue, inadvertida,
Por telaraña sucia y asquerosa,
Y con la escoba al suelo te derribe;
Y al ver que bulle y vive,
Tan fiera y tan ridícula figura,
15 Suelte la escoba y huya con presura.
«Y luego sobrevenga
El juguetón gatillo bullicioso,
Y primero medroso
Al verte, se retire y se contenga,
20 Y bufe y se espeluce horrorizado,
Y alce el rabo esponjado,
Y el espinazo en arco suba al cielo,
Y con los pies apenas toque el suelo.
«Mas luego recobrado,
25 Y del primer horror convalecido,
El pecho al suelo unido,
Traiga el rabo del uno al otro lado,
Y cosido en la tierra, observe atento;
Y cada movimiento page 23
Que en ti llegue á notar su perspicacia,
Le provoque al asalto y le dé audacia.
«En fin sobre ti venga,
Te acometa y ultraje sin recelo,
5 Te arrastre por el suelo,
Y á costa de tu daño se entretenga;
Y por caso las uñas afiladas
En tus alas clavadas,
Por echarte de sí con sobresalto,
10 Te arroje muchas veces á lo alto
«Y acuda á tus chillidos
El muchacho, y convoque á sus iguales,
Que con los animales
Suelen ser comúnmente desabridos;
15 Que á todos nos dotó naturaleza
De entrañas de fiereza,
Hasta que ya la edad ó la cultura
Nos dan humanidad y más cordura.
«Entre con algazara
20 La pueril tropa, al daño prevenida,
Y lazada oprimida
Te echen al cuello con fiereza rara;
Y al oirte chillar alcen el grito
Y te llamen maldito;
25 Y creyéndote al fin del diablo imagen,
Te abominen, te escupan y te ultrajen.
«Luego por las telillas
De tus alas te claven al postigo,
Y se burlen contigo, page 24
Y al hocico te apliquen candelillas,
Y se rían con duros corazones
De tus gestos y acciones,
Y á tus tristes querellas ponderadas
5 Correspondan con fiesta y carcajadas.
«Y todos bien armados
De piedras, de navajas, de aguijones,
De clavos, de punzones,
De palos por los cabos afilados
10 (De diversión y fiesta ya rendidos),
Te embistan atrevidos,
Y te quiten la vida con presteza,
Consumando en el modo su fiereza.
«Te puncen y te sajen,
15 Te tundan, te golpeen, te martillen,
Te piquen, te acribillen,
Te dividan, te corten y te rajen,
Te desmiembren, te partan, te degüellen,
Te hiendan, te desuellen,
20 Te estrujen, te aporreen, te magullen,
Te deshagan, confundan y aturrullen.
«Y las supersticiones
De las viejas creyendo realidades,
Por ver curiosidades,
25 En tu sangre humedezcan algodones,
Para encenderlos en la noche obscura,
Creyendo sin cordura
Que verán en el aire culebrinas
Y otras tristes visiones peregrinas. page 25
«Muerto ya, te dispongan
El entierro, te lleven arrastrando,
Gori, gori, cantando,
Y en dos filas delante se compongan,
5 Y otros, fingiendo voces lastimeras,
Sigan de plañideras,
Y dirijan entierro tan gracioso
Al muladar más sucio y asqueroso;
«Y en aquella basura
10 Un hoyo hondo y capaz te faciliten,
Y en él te depositen,
Y allí te den debida sepultura;
Y para hacer eterna tu memoria,
Compendiada tu historia
15 Pongan en una losa duradera,
Cuya letra dirá de esta manera:
_Epitafio_
«Aquí yace el murciélago alevoso,
Que al sol horrorizó y ahuyentó el día,
De pueril saña triunfo lastimoso,
20 Con cruel muerte pagó su alevosía:
No sigas, caminante, presuroso,
Hasta decir sobre esta losa fría:
Acontezca tal fin y tal estrella
Á aquel que mal hiciere á Mirta bella.»
page 26
DON NICOLÁS F. DE MORATÍN
FIESTA DE TOROS EN MADRID
Madrid, castillo famoso
Que al rey moro alivia el miedo,
Arde en fiestas en su coso
Por ser el natal dichoso
5 De Alimenón de Toledo.
Su bravo alcaide Aliatar,
De la hermosa Zaida amante,
Las ordena celebrar
Por si la puede ablandar
10 El corazón de diamante.
Pasó, vencida á sus ruegos,
Desde Aravaca á Madrid;
Hubo pandorgas y fuegos,
Con otros nocturnos juegos
15 Que dispuso el adalid.
Y en adargas y colores,
En las cifras y libreas,
Mostraron los amadores,
Y en pendones y preseas,
20 La dicha de sus amores.
Vinieron las moras bellas
De toda la cercanía,
Y de lejos muchas de ellas:
Las más apuestas doncellas
25 Que España entonces tenía. page 27
Aja de Jetafe vino,
Y Zahara la de Alcorcón,
En cuyo obsequio muy fino
Corrió de un vuelo el camino
5 El moraicel de Alcabón;
Jarifa de Almonacid,
Que de la Alcarria en que habita
Llevó á asombrar á Madrid
Su amante Audalla, adalid
10 Del castillo de Zorita.
De Adamuz y la famosa
Meco llegaron allí
Dos, cada cual más hermosa,
Y Fátima la preciosa,
15 Hija de Alí el alcadí.
El ancho circo se llena
De multitud clamorosa,
Que atiende á ver en la arena
La sangrienta lid dudosa,
20 Y todo en torno resuena.
La bella Zaida ocupó
Sus dorados miradores
Que el arte afiligranó,
Y con espejos y flores
25 Y damascos adornó.
Añafiles y atabales,
Con militar armonía,
Hicieron salva, y señales
De mostrar su valentía page 28
Los moros más principales.
No en las vegas de Jarama
Pacieron la verde grama
Nunca animales tan fieros,
5 Junto al puente que se llama,
Por sus peces, de Viveros,
Como los que el vulgo vió
Ser lidiados aquel día;
Y en la fiesta que gozó,
10 la popular alegría
Muchas heridas costó.
Salió un toro del toril
Y á Tarfe tiró por tierra,
Y luego á Benalguacil;
15 Después con Hamete cierra
El temerón de Conil.
Traía un ancho listón
Con uno y otro matiz
Hecho un lazo por airón,
20 Sobre la inhiesta cerviz
Clavado con un arpón.
Todo galán pretendía
Ofrecerle vencedor
Á la dama que servía:
25 Por eso perdió Almanzor
El potro que más quería.
El alcaide muy zambrero
De Guadalajara, huyó
Mal herido al golpe fiero, page 29
Y desde un caballo overo
El moro de Horche cayó.
Todos miran á Aliatar,
Que, aunque tres toros ha muerto,
5 No se quiere aventurar,
Porque en lance tan incierto
El caudillo no ha de entrar.
Mas viendo se culparía,
Va á ponérsele delante:
10 La fiera le acometía,
Y sin que el rejón la plante
Le mató una yegua pía.
Otra monta acelerado:
Le embiste el toro de un vuelo,
15 Cogiéndole entablerado;
Rodó el bonete encarnado
Con las plumas por el suelo.
Dió vuelta hiriendo y matando
Á los de á pie que encontrara,
20 El circo desocupando,
Y emplazándose, se para,
Con la vista amenazando.
Nadie se atreve á salir:
La plebe grita indignada,
25 Las damas se quieren ir,
Porque la fiesta empezada
No puede ya proseguir.
Ninguno al riesgo se entrega
Y está en medio el toro fijo, page 30
Cuando un portero que llega
De la puerta de la Vega,
Hincó la rodilla, y dijo:
Sobre un caballo alazano,
5 Cubierto de galas y oro,
Demanda licencia urbano
Para alancear á un toro
Un caballero cristiano.
Mucho le pesa á Aliatar;
10 Pero Zaida dió respuesta
Diciendo que puede entrar,
Porque en tan solemne fiesta
Nada se debe negar.
Suspenso el concurso entero
15 Entre dudas se embaraza,
Cuando en un potro ligero
Vieron entrar en la plaza
Un bizarro caballero,
Sonrosado, albo color,
20 Belfo labio, juveniles
Alientos, inquieto ardor,
En el florido verdor
De sus lozanos abriles.
Cuelga la rubia guedeja
25 Por donde el almete sube,
Cual mirarse tal vez deja
Del sol la ardiente madeja
Entre cenicienta nube;
Gorguera de anchos follajes, page 31
De una cristiana primores;
En el yelmo los plumajes
Por los visos y celajes
Vergel de diversas flores;
5 En la cuja gruesa lanza,
Con recamado pendón,
Y una cifra á ver se alcanza,
Que es de desesperación,
Ó á lo menos de venganza.
10 En el arzón de la silla
Ancho escudo reverbera
Con blasones de Castilla,
Y el mote dice á la orilla:
_Nunca mi espada venciera_.
15 Era el caballo galán,
El bruto más generoso,
De más gallardo ademán:
Cabos negros, y brioso,
Muy tostado, y alazán,
20 Larga cola recogida
En las piernas descarnadas,
Cabeza pequeña, erguida,
Las narices dilatadas,
Vista feroz y encendida.
25 Nunca en el ancho rodeo
Que da Betis con tal fruto
Pudo fingir el deseo
Más bella estampa de bruto,
Ni más hermoso paseo. page 32
Dió la vuelta al rededor;
Los ojos que le veían
Lleva prendados de amor:
¡Alá te salve! decían,
5 ¡Déte el Profeta favor!
Causaba lástima y grima
Su tierna edad floreciente:
Todos quieren que se exima
Del riesgo, y él solamente
10 Ni recela ni se estima.
Las doncellas, al pasar,
Hacen de ámbar y alcanfor
Pebeteros exhalar,
Vertiendo pomos de olor,
15 De jazmines y azahar.
Mas cuando en medio se para,
Y de más cerca le mira
La cristiana esclava Aldara,
Con su señora se encara,
20 Y así la dice, y suspira:
--Señora, sueños no son;
Así los cielos, vencidos
De mi ruego y aflicción,
Acerquen á mis oídos
25 Las campanas de León,
Como ese doncel, que ufano
Tanto asombro viene á dar
Á todo el pueblo africano,
Es Rodrigo de Bivar, page 33
El soberbio castellano.--
Sin descubrirle quién es,
La Zaida desde una almena
Le habló una noche cortés,
5 Por donde se abrió después
El cubo de la Almudena;
Y supo que, fugitivo
De la corte de Fernando,
El cristiano, apenas vivo,
10 Está á Jimena adorando
Y en su memoria cautivo.
Tal vez á Madrid se acerca
Con frecuentes correrías
Y todo en torno la cerca;
15 Observa sus saetías,
Arroyadas y ancha alberca.
Por eso le ha conocido:
Que en medio de aclamaciones,
El caballo ha detenido
20 Delante de sus balcones,
Y la saluda rendido.
La mora se puso en pie
Y sus doncellas detrás:
El alcaide que lo ve,
25 Enfurecido además,
Muestra cuán celoso esté.
Suena un rumor placentero
Entre el vulgo de Madrid:
No habrá mejor caballero, page 34
Dicen, en el mundo entero,
Y algunos le llaman Cid.
Crece la algazara, y él,
Torciendo las riendas de oro,
5 Marcha al combate crüel:
Alza el galope, y al toro
Busca en sonoro tropel.
El bruto se le ha encarado
Desde que le vió llegar,
10 De tanta gala asombrado,
Y al rededor le ha observado
Sin moverse de un lugar.
Cual flecha se disparó
Despedida de la cuerda,
15 De tal suerte le embistió;
Detrás de la oreja izquierda
La aguda lanza le hirió.
Brama la fiera burlada;
Segunda vez acomete,
20 De espuma y sudor bañada,
Y segunda vez la mete
Sutil la punta acerada.
Pero ya Rodrigo espera
Con heroico atrevimiento,
25 El pueblo mudo y atento:
Se engalla el toro y altera,
Y finje acometimiento.
La arena escarba ofendido,
Sobre la espalda la arroja page 35
Con el hueso retorcido;
El suelo huele y le moja
En ardiente resoplido.
La cola inquieto menea,
5 La diestra oreja mosquea,
Vase retirando atrás,
Para que la fuerza sea
Mayor, y el ímpetu más.
El que en esta ocasión viera
10 De Zaida el rostro alterado,
Claramente conociera
Cuanto le cuesta cuidado
El que tanto riesgo espera.
Mas ¡ay, que le embiste horrendo
15 El animal espantoso!
Jamás peñasco tremendo
Del Cáucaso cavernoso
Se desgaja, estrago haciendo,
Ni llama así fulminante
20 Cruza en negra obscuridad
Con relámpagos delante,
Al estrépito tronante
De sonora tempestad,
Como el bruto se abalanza
25 Con terrible ligereza;
Mas rota con gran pujanza
La alta nuca, la fiereza
Y el último aliento lanza.
La confusa vocería page 36
Que en tal instante se oyó
Fué tanta, que parecía
Que honda mina reventó,
Ó el monte y valle se hundía.
5 Á caballo como estaba
Rodrigo, el lazo alcanzó
Con que el toro se adornaba:
En su lanza le clavó
Y á los balcones llegaba.
10 Y alzándose en los estribos,
Le alarga á Zaida, diciendo:
--Sultana, aunque bien entiendo
Ser favores excesivos,
Mi corto don admitiendo;
15 Si no os dignáredes ser
Con él benigna, advertid
Que á mí me basta saber
Que no le debo ofrecer
Á otra persona en Madrid.--
20 Ella, el rostro placentero,
Dijo, y turbada:--Señor,
Yo le admito y le venero,
Por conservar el favor
De tan gentil caballero.--
25 Y besando el rico don,
Para agradar al doncel,
Le prende con afición
Al lado del corazón
Por brinquiño y por joyel. page 37
Pero Aliatar el caudillo
De envidia ardiendo se ve,
Y, trémulo y amarillo,
Sobre un tremecén rosillo
5 Lozaneándose fué.
Y en ronca voz:--Castellano,
Le dice, con más decoros
Suelo yo dar de mi mano,
Si no penachos de toros,
10 Las cabezas del cristiano.
Y si vinieras de guerra
Cual vienes de fiesta y gala,
Vieras que en toda la tierra,
Al valor que dentro encierra
15 Madrid, ninguno se iguala.--
--Así, dijo el de Bivar,
Respondo--; y la lanza al ristre
Pone, y espera á Aliatar;
Mas sin que nadie administre
20 Orden, tocaron á armar.
Ya fiero bando con gritos
Su muerte ó prisión pedía,
Cuando se oyó en los distritos
Del monte de Leganitos
25 Del Cid la trompetería.
Entre la Monclova y Soto
Tercio escogido emboscó,
Que, viendo como tardó,
Se acerca, oyó el alboroto, page 38
Y al muro se abalanzó.
Y si no vieran salir
Por la puerta á su señor,
Y Zaida á le despedir,
5 Iban la fuerza á embestir:
Tal era ya su furor.
El alcaide, recelando
Que en Madrid tenga partido,
Se templó disimulando,
10 Y por el parque florido
Salió con él razonando.
Y es fama que, á la bajada,
Juró por la cruz el Cid
De su vencedora espada
15 De no quitar la celada
Hasta que gane á Madrid.
DON GASPAR MELCHOR DE JOVELLANOS
Á ARNESTO
¿Quis tam patiens ut teneat se?
JUVENAL
Déjame, Arnesto, déjame que llore
Los fieros males de mi patria, deja
Que su rüina y perdición lamente;
20 Y si no quieres que en el centro obscuro
De esta prisión la pena me consuma,
Déjame al menos que levante el grito
Contra el desorden: deja que á la tinta page 39
Mezclando miel y acíbar, siga indócil
Mi pluma el vuelo del bufón de Aquino.
¡Oh! ¡cuánto rostro veo, á mi censura,
De palidez y de rubor cubierto!
5 Ánimo, amigos, nadie tema, nadie,
Su punzante aguijón; que yo persigo
En mi sátira el vicio, no al vicioso.
Ya la notoriedad es el más noble
Atributo del vicio, y nuestras Julias,
10 Más que ser malas quieren parecerlo.
Hubo un tiempo en que andaba la modestia
Dorando los delitos; hubo un tiempo
En que el recato tímido cubría
La fealdad del vicio; pero huyóse
15 El pudor á vivir en las cabañas.
¡Oh infamia! ¡oh siglo! ¡oh corrupción! Matronas
Castellanas, ¿quién pudo vuestro claro
Pundonor eclipsar? ¿Quién de Lucrecias
En Laís os volvió? ¿Ni el proceloso
20 Océano, ni, lleno de peligros,
El Lilibeo, ni las arduas cumbres
De Pirene pudieron guareceros
Del contagio fatal? Zarpa preñada
De oro la nao gaditana, aporta
25 Á las orillas gálicas, y vuelve
Llena de objetos fútiles y vanos; page 40
Y entre los signos de extranjera pompa
Ponzoña esconde y corrupción, compradas
Con el sudor de las iberas frentes;
Y tú, mísera España, tú la esperas
5 Sobre la playa, y con afán recoges
La pestilente carga, y la repartes
Alegre entre tus hijos. Viles plumas,
Gasas y cintas, flores y penachos
10 Te trae en cambio de la sangre tuya;
De tu sangre ¡oh baldón! y acaso, acaso
De tu virtud y honestidad. Repara
Cual la liviana juventud los busca.
Mira cual va con ellos engreída
La impudente doncella; su cabeza,
15 Cual nave real en triunfo empavesada,
Vana presenta del favonio al soplo
La mies de plumas y de airones, y anda
Loca, buscando en la lisonja el premio
De su indiscreto afán. ¡Ay triste! guarte,
20 Guarte, que está cercano el precipicio.
El astuto amador ya en asechanza
Te atisba y sigue con lascivos ojos;
La adulación y la caricia el lazo
Te van á armar, do caerás incauta,
25 En él tu oprobio y perdición hallando.
¡Ay cuánto, cuánto de amargura y lloro
Te costarán tus galas! ¡Cuán tardío
Será y estéril tu arrepentimiento!
Ya ni el rico Brasil, ni las cavernas page 41
Del nunca exhausto Potosí no bastan
Á saciar el hidrópico deseo,
La ansiosa sed de vanidad y pompa.
Todo lo agotan: cuesta un sombrerillo
5 Lo que antes un Estado, y se consume5
En un festín la dote de una infanta;
Todo lo tragan; la riqueza unida
Va á la indigencia; pide y pordiosea
El noble, engaña, empeña, malbarata,
10 Quiebra y perece, y el logrero goza
Los pingües patrimonios, premio un día
Del generoso afán de altos abuelos.
¡Oh ultraje! ¡oh mengua! todo se trafica:
Parentesco, amistad, favor, influjo,
15 Y hasta el honor, depósito sagrado,
Ó se vende ó se compra. Y tú, belleza,
Don el más grato que dió al hombre el cielo,
No eres ya premio del valor, ni paga
Del peregrino ingenio; la florida
20 Juventud, la ternura, el rendimiento
Del constante amador ya no te alcanzan.
Ya ni te das al corazón, ni sabes
De él recibir adoración y ofrendas.
Ríndeste al oro. La vejez hedionda,
25 La sucia palidez, la faz adusta,
Fiera y terrible, con igual derecho
Vienen sin susto á negociar contigo.
Daste al barato, y tu rosada frente,
Tus suaves besos y tus dulces brazos, page 42
Corona un tiempo del amor más puro,
Son ya una vil y torpe mercancía.
DON JUAN MELÉNDEZ VALDÉS
ROSANA EN LOS FUEGOS
Del sol llevaba la lumbre,
Y la alegría del alba,
5 En sus celestiales ojos
La hermosísima Rosana,
Una noche que á los fuegos
Salió la fiesta de Pascua
Para abrasar todo el valle
10 En mil amorosas ansias.
Por do quiera que camina
Lleva tras sí la mañana,
Y donde se vuelve rinde
La libertad de mil almas.
15 El céfiro la acaricia
Y mansamente la halaga,
Los Amores la rodean
Y las Gracias la acompañan.
Y ella, así como en el valle
20 Descuella la altiva palma
Cuando sus verdes pimpollos
Hasta las nubes levanta;
Ó cual vid de fruto llena
Que con el olmo se abraza, page 43
Y sus vástagos extiende
Al arbitrio de las ramas;
Así entre sus compañeras
El nevado cuello alza,
5 Sobresaliendo entre todas
Cual fresca rosa entre zarzas.
Todos los ojos se lleva
Tras sí, todo lo avasalla;
De amor mata á los pastores
10 Y de envidia á las zagalas.
Ni las músicas se atienden,
Ni se gozan las lumbradas;
Que todos corren por verla
Y al verla todos se abrasan.
15 ¡Qué de suspiros se escuchan!
¡Qué de vivas y de salvas!
No hay zagal que no la admire
Y no se esmere en loarla.
Cual absorto la contempla
20 Y á la aurora la compara
Cuando más alegre sale
Y el cielo en albores baña;
Cual al fresco y verde aliso
Que crece al margen del agua,
25 Cuando más pomposo en hojas
En su cristal se retrata;
Cual á la luna, si muestra
Llena su esfera de plata,
Y asoma por los collados page 44
De luceros coronada.
Otros pasmados la miran
Y mudamente la alaban,
Y cuanto más la contemplan
5 Muy más hermosa la hallan.
Que es como el cielo su rostro
Cuando en la noche callada
Brilla con todas sus luces
Y los ojos embaraza.
10 ¡Ay, qué de envidias se encienden!
¡Ay, qué de celos que causa
En las serranas del Tormes
Su perfección sobrehumana!
Las más hermosas la temen,
15 Mas sin osar murmurarla;
Que como el oro más puro
No sufre una leve mancha.
Bien haya tu gentileza,
Una y mil veces bien haya,
20 Y abrase la envidia al pueblo,
Hermosísima aldeana.
Toda, toda eres perfecta,
Toda eres donaire y gracia,
El amor vive en tus ojos
25 Y la gloria está en tu cara.
La libertad me has robado,
Yo la doy por bien robada,
Mas recibe el don benigna
Que mi humildad te consagra. page 45
Esto un zagal la decía
Con razones mal formadas,
Que salió libre á los fuegos
Y volvió cautivo á casa.
5 Y desde entonces perdido
El día á sus puertas le halla;
Ayer le cantó esta letra
Echándole la alborada:
Linda zagaleja
10 De cuerpo gentil,
_Muérome de amores
Desde que te vi_.
Tu talle, tu aseo,
Tu gala y donaire,
15 No tienen, serrana,
Igual en el valle.
Del cielo son ellos
Y tú un serafín:
_Muérome de amores
20 Desde que te vi_.
De amores me muero,
Sin que nada baste
Á darme la vida
Que allá te llevaste,
25 Si ya no te dueles,
Benigna, de mí;
_Que muero de amores
Desde que te vi_.
page 46
DON MANUEL JOSÉ QUINTANA
ODA Á ESPAÑA, DESPUÉS DE
LA REVOLUCIÓN DE MARZO
¿Qué era, decidme, la nación que un día
Reina del mundo proclamó el destino,
La que á todas las zonas extendía
Su cetro de oro y su blasón divino?
5 Volábase á occidente,
Y el vasto mar Atlántico sembrado
Se hallaba de su gloria y su fortuna.
Do quiera España: en el preciado seno
10 De América, en el Asia, en los confines
Del África, allí España. El soberano
Vuelo de la atrevida fantasía
Para abarcarla se cansaba en vano;
La tierra sus mineros le rendía,
Sus perlas y coral el Oceano,
15 Y donde quier que revolver sus olas
Él intentase, á quebrantar su furia
Siempre encontraba costas españolas.
Ora en el cieno del oprobio hundida,
Abandonada á la insolencia ajena,
20 Como esclava en mercado, ya aguardaba
La ruda argolla y la servil cadena.
¡Qué de plagas! ¡oh Dios! Su aliento impuro,
La pestilente fiebre respirando,
Infestó el aire, emponzoñó la vida; page 47
La hambre enflaquecida
Tendió sus brazos lívidos, ahogando
Cuanto el contagio perdonó; tres veces
De Jano el templo abrimos,
5 Y á la trompa de Marte aliento dimos;
Tres veces ¡ay! Los dioses tutelares
Su escudo nos negaron, y nos vimos
Rotos en tierra y rotos en los mares.
¿Qué en tanto tiempo viste
10 Por tus inmensos términos, oh Iberia?
¿Qué viste ya sino funesto luto,
Honda tristeza, sin igual miseria,
De tu vil servidumbre acerbo fruto?
Así rota la vela, abierto el lado,
15 Pobre bajel á naufragar camina,
De tormenta en tormenta despeñado,
Por los yermos del mar; ya ni en su popa
Las guirnaldas se ven que antes le ornaban,
Ni en señal de esperanza y de contento
20 La flámula rïendo al aire ondea.
Cesó en su dulce canto el pasajero,
Ahogó su vocería
El ronco marinero,
Terror de muerte en torno le rodea,
25 Terror de muerte silencioso y frío;
Y él va á estrellarse al áspero bajío.
Llega el momento, en fin; tiende su mano
El tirano del mundo al occidente,
Y fiero exclama: «El occidente es mío.» page 48
Bárbaro gozo en su ceñuda frente
Resplandeció, como en el seno obscuro
De nube tormentosa en el estío
Relámpago fugaz brilla un momento
5 Que añade horror con su fulgor sombrío.
Sus guerreros feroces
Con gritos de soberbia el viento llenan;
Gimen los yunques, los martillos suenan,
Arden las forjas. ¡Oh vergüenza! ¿Acaso
10 Pensáis que espadas son para el combate
Las que mueven sus manos codiciosas?
No en tanto os estiméis: grillos, esposas,
Cadenas son que en vergonzosos lazos
Por siempre amarren tan inertes brazos.
15 Estremecióse España
Del indigno rumor que cerca oía,
Y al grande impulso de su justa saña
Rompió el volcán que en su interior hervía.
Sus déspotas antiguos
20 Consternados y pálidos se esconden;
Resuena el eco de venganza en torno,
Y del Tajo las márgenes responden:
«¡Venganza!» ¿Dónde están, sagrado río,
Los colosos de oprobio y de vergüenza
25 Que nuestro bien en su insolencia ahogaban;
Su gloria fué, nuestro esplendor comienza;
Y tú, orgulloso y fiero,
Viendo que aun hay Castilla y castellanos,
Precipitas al mar tus rubias ondas, page 49
¡Oh triunfo! ¡Oh gloria! ¡Oh celestial momento!
¿Con que puede ya dar el labio mío
El nombre augusto de la patria al viento?
5 Yo le daré; mas no en el arpa de oro
Que mi cantar sonoro
Acompañó hasta aquí; no aprisionado
En estrecho recinto, en que se apoca
El numen en el pecho
10 Y el aliento fatídico en la boca.
Desenterrad la lira de Tirteo,
Y el aire abierto á la radiante lumbre
Del sol, en la alta cumbre
Del riscoso y pinífero Fuenfría,
15 Allí volaré yo, y allí cantando
Con voz que atruene en rededor la sierra,
Lanzaré por los campos castellanos
Los ecos de la gloría y de la guerra.
¡Guerra, nombre tremendo, ahora sublime,
20 Único asilo y sacrosanto escudo
Al ímpetu sañudo
Del fiero Atila que á occidente oprime!
¡Guerra, guerra, españoles! En el Betis
Ved del Tercer Fernando alzarse airada
25 La augusta sombra; su divina frente
Mostrar Gonzalo en la imperial Granada;
Blandir el Cid su centelleante espada,
Y allá sobre los altos Pirineos,
Del hijo de Jimena page 50
Animarse los miembros giganteos.
En torvo ceño y desdeñosa pena
Ved como cruzan por los aires vanos;
Y el valor exhalando que se encierra
5 Dentro del hueco de sus tumbas frías,
En fiera y ronca voz pronuncian: «¡Guerra!
¡Pues qué! ¿Con faz serena
Vierais los campos devastar opimos,
Eterno objeto de ambición ajena,
10 Herencia inmensa que afanando os dimos?
Despertad, raza de héroes: el momento
Llegó ya de arrojarse á la victoria;
Que vuestro nombre eclipse nuestro nombre,
Que vuestra gloría humille nuestra gloria.
15 No ha sido en el gran día 15
El altar de la patria alzado en vano
Por vuestra mano fuerte.
Juradlo, ella os lo manda: _¡Antes la muerte
Que consentir jamás ningún tirano!_»
20 Sí, yo lo juro, venerables sombras;
Yo lo juro también, y en este instante
Ya me siento mayor. Dadme una lanza,
Ceñidme el casco fiero y refulgente;
Volemos al combate, á la venganza;
25 Y el que niegue su pecho á la esperanza,
Hunda en el polvo la cobarde frente.
Tal vez el gran torrente
De la devastación en su carrera
Me llevará. ¿Qué importa? ¿Por ventura page 51
No se muere una vez? ¿No iré, expirando,
Á encontrar nuestros ínclitos mayores?
«¡Salud, oh padres de la patria mía,
Yo les diré, salud! La heroica España
5 De entre el estrago universal y horrores
Levanta la cabeza ensangrentada,
Y vencedora de su mal destino,
Vuelve á dar á la tierra amedrentada
DON DIONISIO SOLÍS
LA PREGUNTA DE LA NIÑA
10 Madre mía, yo soy niña;
No se enfade, no me riña,
Si fiada en su prudencia
Desahogo mi conciencia,
Y contarle solicito
15 Mi desdicha ó mi delito,
Aunque muerta de rubor.
Pues Blasillo el otro día,
Cuando mismo anochecía,
Y cantando descuidada
20 Conducía mi manada,
En el bosque, por acaso,
Me salió solito al paso,
Más hermoso que el amor.
Se me acerca temeroso, page 52
Me saluda cariñoso,
Me repite que soy linda,
Que no hay pecho que no rinda,
Que si río, que si lloro,
5 Á los hombres enamoro,
Y que mato con mirar.
Con estilo cortesano
Se apodera de mi mano,
Y entre dientes, madre mía,
10 No sé bien qué me pedía;
Yo entendí que era una rosa,
Pero él dijo que era otra cosa,
Que yo no le quise dar.
¿Sabe usted lo que decía
15 El taimado que quería?
Con vergüenza lo confieso,
Mas no hay duda que era un beso
Y fue tanto mi sonrojo,
Que irritada de su arrojo,
20 No sé como no morí.
Mas mi pecho enternecido
De mirarle tan rendido,
Al principio resistiendo,
Él instando, yo cediendo,
25 Fue por fin tan importuno,
Que en la boca, y sólo uno,
Que me diera permití.
Desde entonces, si le miro,
Yo no sé por qué suspiro, page 53
Ni por qué si á Clori mira
Se me abrasa el rostro en ira;
Ni por qué, si con cuidado
Se me pone junto al lado,
5 Me estremezco de placer.
Siempre orillas de la fuente
Busco rosas á mi frente,
Pienso en él y me sonrío,
Y entre mí le llamo mío,
10 Me entristezco de su ausencia,
Y deseo en su presencia
La más bella parecer.
Confundida, peno y dudo,
Y por eso á usted acudo;
15 Dígame, querida madre,
Si sentía por mi padre
Este plácido tormento,
Esta dulce que yo siento
Deliciosa enfermedad.
20 Diga usted con qué se cura
Ó mi amor, ó mi locura,
Y si puede por un beso,
Sin que pase á más exceso,
Una niña enamorarse,
25 Y que trate de casarse
Á los quince de su edad.
page 54
DON JUAN NICASIO GALLEGO
EL DOS DE MAYO
Noche, lóbrega noche, eterno asilo
Del miserable que, esquivando el sueño,
En tu silencio pavoroso gime:
No desdeñes mi voz; letal beleño
5 Presta á mis sienes, y en tu horror sublime
Empapada la ardiente fantasía,
Da á mi pincel fatídicos colores
Con que el tremendo día
Trace al furor de vengadora tea,
10 Y el odio irrite de la patria mía,
Y escándalo y terror al orbe sea.
¡Día de execración! La destructora
Mano del tiempo le arrojó al averno;
Mas ¿quién el sempiterno
15 Clamor con que los ecos importuna
La madre España en enlutado arreo
Podrá atajar? Junto al sepulcro frío,
Al pálido lucir de opaca luna,
Entre cipreses fúnebres la veo:
20 Trémula, yerta, desceñido el manto,
Los ojos moribundos
Al cielo vuelve, que le oculta el llanto;
Roto y sin brillo el cetro de dos mundos
Yace entre el polvo, y el león guerrero
25 Lanza á sus pies rugido lastimero. page 55
¡Ay, que cual débil planta
Que agota en su furor hórrido viento,
De víctimas sin cuento
Lloró la destrucción Mantua afligida!
5 Yo vi, yo vi su juventud florida
Correr inerme al huésped ominoso.
¿Mas qué su generoso
Esfuerzo pudo? El pérfido caudillo
En quien su honor y su defensa fía,
10 La condenó al cuchillo.
¿Quién ¡ay! la alevosía,
La horrible asolación habrá que cuente,
Que, hollando de amistad los santos fueros,
Hizo furioso en la indefensa gente
15 Ese tropel de tigres carniceros?
Por las henchidas calles
Gritando se despeña
La infame turba que abrigó en su seno,
Rueda allá rechinando la cureña,
20 Acá retumba el espantoso trueno,
Allí el joven lozano,
El mendigo infeliz, el venerable
Sacerdote pacífico, el anciano
Que con su arada faz respeto imprime,
25 Juntos amarra su dogal tirano.
En balde, en balde gime,
De los duros satélites en torno,
La triste madre, la afligida esposa.
Con doliente clamor, la pavorosa page 56
Fatal descarga suena,
Que á luto y llanto eterno la condena.
¡Cuánta escena de muerte! ¡cuánto estrago!
¡Cuántos ayes doquier! Despavorido
5 Mirad ese infelice
Quejarse al adalid empedernido
De otra cuadrilla atroz. «¡Ah! ¿Qué te hice?»
Exclama el triste en lágrimas deshecho:
«Mi pan y mi mansión partí contigo,
10 Te abrí mis brazos, te cedí mi lecho,
Templé tu sed, y me llamé tu amigo;
¿Y ahora pagar podrás nuestro hospedaje
Sincero, franco, sin doblez ni engaño,
Con dura muerte y con indigno ultraje?»
15 ¡Perdido suplicar! ¡inútil ruego!
El monstruo infame á sus ministros mira,
Y con tremenda voz gritando: «¡fuego!»
Tinto en su sangre el desgraciado expira.
Y en tanto ¿dó se esconden?
20 ¿Dó están ¡oh cara patria! tus soldados,
Que á tu clamor de muerte no responden?
Presos, encarcelados
Por jefes sin honor, que, haciendo alarde
De su perfidia y dolo,
25 Á merced de los vándalos te dejan,
Como entre hierros el león, forcejean
Con inútil afán. Vosotros sólo,
Fuerte Daoiz, intrépido Velarde,
Que osando resistir al gran torrente page 57
Dar supisteis en flor la dulce vida
Con firme pecho y con serena frente;
Si de mi libre musa
5 Jamás el eco adormeció á tiranos,
Ni vil lisonja emponzoñó su aliento,
Allá del alto asiento,
Al que la acción magnánima os eleva,
El himno oid que á vuestro nombre entona,
Mientras la fama alígera le lleva
10 Del mar de hielo á la abrasada zona.
Mas ¡ay! que en tanto sus funestas alas
Por la opresa metrópoli tendiendo,
La yerma asolación sus plazas cubre,
Y al áspero silbar de ardientes balas,
15 Y al ronco son de los preñados bronces,
Nuevo fragor y estrépito sucede.
¿Oís cómo, rompiendo
De moradores tímidos las puertas,
Caen estallando de los fuertes gonces?
20 ¡Con qué espantoso estruendo
Los dueños buscan, que medrosos huyen!
Cuanto encuentran destruyen,
Bramando, los atroces forajidos,
Que el robo infame y la matanza ciegan.
25 ¿No veis cuál se despliegan,
Penetrando en los hondos aposentos,
De sangre y oro y lágrimas sedientos?
Rompen, talan, destrozan
Cuanto se ofrece á su sangrienta espada. page 58
Aquí, matando al dueño, se alborozan,
Hieren allí su esposa acongojada;
La familia asolada
Yace expirando, y con feroz sonrisa
5 Sorben voraces el fatal tesoro.
Suelta, á otro lado, la madeja de oro,
Mustio el dulce carmín de su mejilla,
Y en su frente marchita la azucena,
Con voz turbada y anhelante lloro,
10 De su verdugo ante los pies se humilla
Tímida virgen, de amargura llena;
Mas con furor de hiena,
Alzando el corvo alfanje damasquino,
Hiende su cuello el bárbaro asesino.
15 ¡Horrible atrocidad!... Treguas ¡oh musa!
Que ya la voz rehusa
Embargada en suspiros mi garganta.
Y en ignominia tanta,
¿Será que rinda el español bizarro
20 La indómita cerviz á la cadena?
No, que ya en torno suena
De Palas fiera el sanguinoso carro,
Y el látigo estallante
Los caballos flamígeros hostiga.
25 Ya el duro peto y el arnés brillante
Visten los fuertes hijos de Pelayo.
Fuego arrojó su ruginoso acero:
«¡Venganza y guerra!» resonó en su tumba;
«¡Venganza y guerra!» repitió Moncayo; page 59
Y al grito heroico que en los aires zumba,
«¡Venganza y guerra!» claman Turia y Duero.
Guadalquivir guerrero
Alza al bélico son la regia frente,
5 Y del Patrón valiente
Blandiendo altivo la nudosa lanza,
Corre gritando al mar: «¡Guerra y venganza!»
¡Oh sombras infelices
10 De los que aleve y bárbara cuchilla
Robó á los dulces lares!
¡Sombras inultas que en fugaz gemido
Cruzáis los anchos campos de Castilla!
La heroica España, en tanto que al bandido
Que á fuego y sangre, de insolencia ciego,
15 Brindó felicidad, á sangre y fuego
Le retribuye el don, sabrá piadosa
Daros solemne y noble monumento.
Allí en padrón cruento
De oprobio y mengua, que perpetuo dure,
20 La vil traición del déspota se lea,
Y altar eterno sea
Donde todo Español al monstruo jure
Rencor de muerte que en sus venas cunda,
Y á cien generaciones se difunda.
page 60
DON FRANCISCO MARTÍNEZ DE LA ROSA
EL NIDO
¿Dónde vas, zagal cruel,
Dónde vas con ese nido,
Riyendo tú mientras pían
Esos tristes pajarillos?
5 Su madre los dejó solos
En este momento mismo,
Para buscarles sustento
Y dárselo con su pico...
Mírala cuán azorada
10 Echa menos á sus hijos,
Salta de un árbol en otro,
Va, torna, vuela sin tino:
Al cielo favor demanda
Con acento dolorido;
15 Mientras ellos en tu mano
Baten el ala al oirlo...
¡Tú también tuviste madre,
Y la perdiste aun muy niño,
Y te encontraste en la tierra
20 Sin amparo y sin abrigo!--
Las lágrimas se le saltan
Al cuitado pastorcillo,
Y vergonzoso y confuso
Deja en el árbol el nido.
page 61
DON ÁNGEL DE SAAVEDRA, DUQUE DE RIVAS
UN CASTELLANO LEAL
ROMANCE PRIMERO
«Holá, hidalgos y escuderos
De mi alcurnia y mi blasón,
Mirad como bien nacidos
De mi sangre y casa en pro.
5 «Esas puertas se defiendan;
Que no ha de entrar, vive Dios,
Por ellas, quien no estuviere
Más limpio que lo está el sol.
«No profane mi palacio
10 Un fementido traidor
Que contra su Rey combate
Y que á su patria vendió.
«Pues si él es de Reyes primo,
Primo de Reyes soy yo;
15 Y conde de Benavente
Si él es duque de Borbón;
«Llevándole de ventaja
Que nunca jamás manchó
La traición mi noble sangre,
20 Y haber nacido español.»
Así atronaba la calle
Una ya cascada voz, page 62
Que de un palacio salía
Cuya puerta se cerró;
Y á la que estaba á caballo
Sobre un negro pisador,
5 Siendo en su escudo las lises
Más bien que timbre baldón,
Y de pajes y escuderos
Llevando un tropel en pos
Cubiertos de ricas galas,
10 El gran duque de Borbón:
El que lidiando en Pavía,
Más que valiente, feroz,
Gozóse en ver prisionero
Á su natural señor;
15 Y que á Toledo ha venido,
Ufano de su traición,
Para recibir mercedes
Y ver al Emperador.
ROMANCE SEGUNDO
En una anchurosa cuadra
20 Del alcázar de Toledo,
Cuyas paredes adornan
Ricos tapices flamencos,
Al lado de una gran mesa,
Que cubre de terciopelo
25 Napolitano tapete
Con borlones de oro y flecos;
Ante un sillón de respaldo page 63
Que entre bordado arabesco
Los timbres de España ostenta
Y el águila del imperio,
De pie estaba Carlos Quinto,
5 Que en España era primero,
Con gallardo y noble talle,
Con noble y tranquilo aspecto.
De brocado de oro y blanco
Viste tabardo tudesco,
10 De rubias martas orlado,
Y desabrochado y suelto,
Dejando ver un justillo
De raso jalde, cubierto
Con primorosos bordados
15 Y costosos sobrepuestos,
Y la excelsa y noble insignia
Del Toisón de oro, pendiendo
De una preciosa cadena
En la mitad de su pecho.
20 Un birrete de velludo
Con un blanco airón, sujeto
Por un joyel de diamantes
Y un antiguo camafeo,
Descubre por ambos lados,
25 Tanta majestad cubriendo,
Rubio, cual barba y bigote,
Bien atusado el cabello.
Apoyada en la cadera page 64
La potente diestra ha puesto,
Que aprieta dos guantes de ámbar
Y un primoroso mosquero,
Y con la siniestra halaga
5 De un mastín muy corpulento,
Blanco y las orejas rubias,
El ancho y carnoso cuello.
Con el Condestable insigne,
Apaciguador del reino,
10 De los pasados disturbios
Acaso está discurriendo;
Ó del trato que dispone
Con el Rey de Francia preso,
Ó de asuntos de Alemania
15 Agitada por Lutero;
Cuando un tropel de caballos
Oye venir á lo lejos
Y ante el alcázar pararse,
Quedando todo en silencio.
20 En la antecámara suena
Rumor impensado luego,
Ábrese al fin la mampara
Y entra el de Borbón soberbio,
Con el semblante de azufre
25 Y con los ojos de fuego,
Bramando de ira y de rabia
Que enfrena mal el respeto;
Y con balbuciente lengua, page 65
Y con mal borrado ceño,
Acusa al de Benavente,
Un desagravio pidiendo.
Del español Condestable
5 Latió con orgullo el pecho,
Ufano de la entereza
De su esclarecido deudo.
Y aunque advertido procura
Disimular cual discreto,
10 Á su noble rostro asoman
La aprobación y el contento.
El Emperador un punto
Quedó indeciso y suspenso,
Sin saber qué responderle
15 Al francés, de enojo ciego.
Y aunque en su interior se goza
Con el proceder violento
Del conde de Benavente,
De altas esperanzas lleno
20 Por tener tales vasallos,
De noble lealtad modelos,
Y con los que el ancho mundo
Será á sus glorias estrecho,
Mucho al de Borbón le debe
25 Y es fuerza satisfacerlo:
Le ofrece para calmarlo
Un desagravio completo.
Y, llamando á un gentil-hombre, page 66
Con el semblante severo
Manda que el de Benavente
Venga á su presencia presto.
ROMANCE TERCERO
Sostenido por sus pajes
5 Desciende de su litera
El conde de Benavente
Del alcázar á la puerta.
Era un viejo respetable,
Cuerpo enjuto, cara seca,
10 Con dos ojos como chispas,
Cargados de largas cejas,
Y con semblante muy noble,
Mas de gravedad tan seria
Que veneración de lejos
15 Y miedo causa de cerca.
Eran su traje unas calzas
De púrpura de Valencia,
Y de recamado ante
Un coleto á la leonesa:
20 De fino lienzo gallego
Los puños y la gorguera,
Unos y otra guarnecidos
Con randas barcelonesas:
Un birretón de velludo
25 Con su cintillo de perlas,
Y el gabán de paño verde
Con alamares de seda. page 67
Tan sólo de Calatrava
La insignia española lleva;
Que el Toisón ha despreciado
Por ser orden extranjera.
5 Con paso tardo, aunque firme,
Sube por las escaleras,
Y al verle, las alabardas
Un golpe dan en la tierra;
Golpe de honor, y de aviso
10 De que en el alcázar entra
Un Grande, á quien se le debe
Todo honor y reverencia.
Al llegar á la antesala,
Los pajes que están en ella
15 Con respeto le saludan
Abriendo las anchas puertas.
Con grave paso entra el conde
Sin que otro aviso preceda,
Salones atravesando
20 Hasta la cámara regia.
Pensativo está el Monarca,
Discurriendo como pueda
Componer aquel disturbio
Sin hacer á nadie ofensa.
25 Mucho al de Borbón le debe,
Aun mucho más de él espera,
Y al de Benavente mucho page 68
Considerar le interesa.
Dilación no admite el caso,
No hay quien dar consejo pueda
Y Villalar y Pavía
5 Á un tiempo se le recuerdan.
En el sillón asentado
Y el codo sobre la mesa,
Al personaje recibe,
Que comedido se acerca.
10 Grave el conde le saluda
Con una rodilla en tierra,
Mas como Grande del reino
Sin descubrir la cabeza.
El Emperador benigno
15 Que alce del suelo le ordena,
Y la plática difícil
Con sagacidad empieza.
Y entre severo y afable
Al cabo le manifiesta
20 Que es el que á Borbón aloje
Voluntad suya resuelta.
Con respeto muy profundo,
Pero con la voz entera,
Respóndele Benavente,
25 Destocando la cabeza:
«Soy, señor, vuestro vasallo,
Vos sois mi rey en la tierra,
Á vos ordenar os cumple page 69
De mi vida y de mi hacienda.
«Vuestro soy, vuestra mi casa,
De mí disponed y de ella,
Pero no toquéis mi honra
5 Y respetad mi conciencia.
«Mi casa Borbón ocupe
Puesto que es voluntad vuestra,
Contamine sus paredes,
Sus blasones envilezca;
10 «Que á mí me sobra en Toledo
Donde vivir, sin que tenga
Que rozarme con traidores,
Cuyo solo aliento infesta.
Y en cuanto él deje mi casa,
15 Antes de tornar yo á ella,
Purificaré con fuego
Sus paredes y sus puertas.»
Dijo el conde, la real mano
Besó, cubrió su cabeza,
20 Y retiróse bajando
Á do estaba su litera.
Y á casa de un su pariente
Mandó que le condujeran,
Abandonando la suya
25 Con cuanto dentro se encierra.
Quedó absorto Carlos Quinto
De ver tan noble firmeza,
Estimando la de España
Más que la imperial diadema.
page 70
ROMANCE CUARTO
Muy pocos días el duque
Hizo mansión en Toledo,
Del noble conde ocupando
Los honrados aposentos.
5 Y la noche en que el palacio
Dejó vacío, partiendo,
Con su séquito y sus pajes,
Orgulloso y satisfecho,
Turbó la apacible luna
10 Un vapor blanco y espeso
Que de las altas techumbres
Se iba elevando y creciendo:
Á poco rato tornóse
En humo confuso y denso
15 Que en nubarrones obscuros
Ofuscaba el claro cielo;
Después en ardientes chispas,
Y en un resplandor horrendo
20 Que iluminaba los valles
Dando en el Tajo reflejos,
Y al fin su furor mostrando
En embravecido incendio
Que devoraba altas torres
Y derrumbaba altos techos.
25 Resonaron las campanas,
Conmovióse todo el pueblo,
De Benavente el palacio page 71
Presa de las llamas viendo.
El Emperador confuso
Corre á procurar remedio,
En atajar tanto daño
5 Mostrando tenaz empeño.
En vano todo: tragóse
Tantas riquezas el fuego,
Á la lealtad castellana
Levantando un monumento.
10 Aun hoy unos viejos muros
Del humo y las llamas negros
Recuerdan acción tan grande
En la famosa Toledo.
PADRE JUAN AROLAS
SÉ MÁS FELIZ QUE YO
Sobre pupila azul, con sueño leve,
15 Tu párpado cayendo amortecido,
Se parece á la pura y blanca nieve
Que sobre las violetas reposó:
Yo el sueño del placer nunca he dormido:
Sé más feliz que yo.
20 Se asemeja tu voz en la plegaria
Al canto del zorzal de indiano suelo
Que sobre la pagoda solitaria
Los himnos de la tarde suspiró: page 72
Yo sólo esta oración dirijo al cielo:
Sé más feliz que yo.
Es tu aliento la esencia más fragante
De los lirios del Arno caudaloso
5 Que brotan sobre un junco vacilante
Cuando el céfiro blando los meció:
Yo no gozo su aroma delicioso:
Sé más feliz que yo.
El amor, que es espíritu de fuego,
10 Que de callada noche se aconseja
Y se nutre con lágrimas y ruego,
En tus purpúreos labios se escondió:
Él te guarde el placer y a mí la queja:
Sé más feliz que yo.
15 Bella es tu juventud en sus albores
Como un campo de rosas del Oriente;
Al ángel del recuerdo pedí flores
Para adornar tu sien, y me las dió;
Yo decía al ponerlas en tu frente:
20 Sé más feliz que yo.
Tu mirada vivaz es de paloma;
Como la adormidera del desierto
Causas dulce embriaguez, hurí de aroma
Que el cielo de topacio abandonó:
25 Mi suerte es dura, mi destino incierto:
Sé más feliz que yo.
page 73
DON JOSÉ DE ESPRONCEDA
CANCIÓN DEL PIRATA
Con diez cañones por banda,
Viento en popa á toda vela,
No corta el mar, sino vuela
Un velero bergantín:
5 Bajel pirata que llaman,
Por su bravura, el _Temido_,
En todo mar conocido
Del uno al otro confín.
La luna en el mar rïela,
10 En la lona gime el viento,
Y alza en blando movimiento
Olas de plata y azul;
Y ve el capitán pirata,
Cantando alegre en la popa,
15 Asia á un lado, al otro Europa,
Y allá á su frente Stambul,
«Navega, velero mío,
Sin temor;
Que ni enemigo navío,
20 Ni tormenta, ni bonanza
Tu rumbo á torcer alcanza,
Ni á sujetar tu valor.
«Veinte presas
Hemos hecho page 74
Á despecho
Del inglés,
Y han rendido
Sus pendones
5 Cien naciones5
Á mis pies.»
_Que es mi barco mi tesoro,
Que es mi Dios la libertad,
Mi ley la fuerza y el viento,
10 Mi única patria la mar._
«Allá muevan feroz guerra
Ciegos reyes
Por un palmo más de tierra:
Que yo tengo aquí por mío
15 Cuanto abarca el mar bravío,
Á quien nadie impuso leyes.
«Y no hay playa,
Sea cual quiera,
Ni bandera
20 De esplendor,
Que no sienta
Mi derecho,
Y dé pecho
Á mi valor.»
25 _Que es mi barco mi tesoro..._
«Á la voz de «¡barco viene!»
Es de ver page 75
Cómo vira y se previene
Á todo trapo á escapar;
Que yo soy el rey del mar,
Y mi furia es de temer.
5 «En las presas
Yo divido
Lo cogido
Por igual:
Sólo quiero
10 Por riqueza
La belleza
Sin rival.»
_Que es mi barco mi tesoro..._
«¡Sentenciado estoy á muerte!
15 Yo me río:
No me abandone la suerte,
Y al mismo que me condena
Colgaré de alguna entena,
Quizá en su propio navío.
20 «Y si caigo,
¿Qué es la vida?
Por perdida
Ya la di,
Cuando el yugo
25 Del esclavo,
Como un bravo,
Sacudí.»
_Que es mi barco mi tesoro..._
page 76
«Son mi música mejor
Aquilones:
El estrépito y temblor
De los cables sacudidos,
5 Del negro mar los bramidos
Y el rugir de mis cañones.
«Y del trueno
Al son violento
Y del viento
10 Al rebramar,
Yo me duermo
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