Galatea

by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

All did so, constrained by his fair courtesy. Up to this point the ladies had kept their faces covered with two rich veils; but, seeing that the shepherds were remaining, they revealed themselves, revealing a beauty so strange that it caused great astonishment in all who saw it, for it seemed to them that after Galatea's there could be on earth no other beauty to match it. The two ladies were equally beautiful, though one of them, who seemed the older, excelled the smaller one in a certain grace and spirit. All being seated then, and at their ease, the second gentleman, who up till then had spoken nothing, said:

'When I stop to consider, amiable shepherds, the advantage your humble shepherds' ways have over the proud ways of the courtier, I cannot fail to have pity for myself and honourable envy of you.'

'Why do you say that, friend Darinto?' said the other gentleman.

'I say it, sir,' replied the former, 'because I see with what care you and I, and those who follow our ways, seek to adorn our persons, to nourish our bodies, and to increase our property, and how little it comes to profit us, since the purple, the gold, the brocade, and our faces are faded from badly digested victuals, eaten at odd hours, and as costly as they are wasteful, and since they adorn us in no way, nor beautify us, nor suffice to make us look better in the eyes of those who behold us. And all this you can see is different in those who follow the rustic pursuits of the field, proving it by those you have before you, who, it might be and even is the case, have been nourished and are nourished on simple victuals, in every way different from the wasteful composition of ours. And, besides, see the tan of their faces, which promises a state of health more perfect than the sickly pallor of ours, and how well a jerkin of white wool, a grey bonnet and some gaiters of whatsoever colour suit their robust and supple limbs; whereby they must appear more handsome in the eyes of their shepherdesses, than gay courtiers in those of modest ladies. What could I say to you, then, if I were minded, of the simplicity of their life, the sincerity of their character, and the purity of their love? I say no more to you, save that what I know of the shepherd's life has such power with me, that gladly would I exchange mine for it.'

'We shepherds are all indebted to you,' said Elicio, 'for the good opinion you have of us, but nevertheless I can tell you that in our country life there are as many slippery places and toils as are contained in your courtier's life.'

'I cannot but agree with what you say,' replied Darinto, 'for indeed it is well known that our life on earth is a war; but after all in the shepherd's life there is less of it than in that of the town, for it is more free from causes that may move and disquiet the spirit.'

'How well agrees with your opinion, Darinto,' said Damon, 'that of a shepherd friend of mine, called Lauso, who, after having spent some years in a courtier's pursuits, and some others in the toilsome pursuits of cruel Mars, has at last been brought to the poverty of our country life, and before he came to it, he showed that he much desired it, as appears by a song he composed and sent to the famous Larsileo, who has a long and practised experience in affairs of the court; and, because I saw fit to do so, I committed it all to memory, and would even repeat it to you, if I thought that time would permit it, and that it would not weary you to listen to it.'

'Nothing will give us greater pleasure than to listen to you, discreet Damon,' replied Darinto, calling Damon by his name, for he already knew it from having heard the other shepherds, his friends, name him; 'and so I for my part beg you to repeat to us Lauso's song, for since it is composed, as you say, to suit my case, and you have committed it to memory, it will be impossible for it not to be good.'

Damon began to repent of what he had said, and sought to escape from his promise; but the gentlemen and ladies and all the shepherds begged it of him so much, that he could not escape repeating it. And so, having composed himself a little, with admirable grace and charm he spoke in this wise: