Comparing Translations of
Don Quixote de la Mancha
compiled by Larry Lynch

It is fascinating that the same text can generate such disparate translations, depending on the whim of the translator. Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes, published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, has been translated into many languages many times. Here I offer a few interesting passages with my own reasonably literal translation side-by-side with three additional translations. Most are acceptable compared with the original, but occasionally they deviate rather noticably, particularly the Dodd, Mead version in a few instances. For more on how I came to compile these translations, see the Red Cedar Valley Journal homepage.

This beautiful work is often considered the first modern novel and in any case is generally listed among the handful of all-time greatest novels. It's a shame that abridgments dispense with most of the "extraneous" stories Cervantes included; these, like the poignant and memorable tale of the shepherdess Marcela, parallel the "main" story of Don Quijote and his sidekick Sancho, add depth, contrast, and counterpoint, and should not be missed. Samuel Putnam's abridgment in The Portable Cervantes of his full translation (Viking Press) at least provides good summaries of the missing passages, but they are really not a substitute.

Original text
(Aguilar ed.)
My translation
(fairly literal)
Samuel Putnam
(1949)
Walter Starkie
(1964)
Dodd, Mead & Co. edition* (1962)
En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme, no ha mucho tiempo que vivia un hidalgo de los de lanza en astillero, adarga antigua, rocín flaco y galgo corredor. Una olla de algo mas vaca que carnero, salpicón las más noches, duelos y quebrantos los sabados, lantejas los viernes, algún palomino de añadidura los domingos, consumían las tres partes de su hacienda.
Part I, Chap. I, p. 197
In a village of La Mancha, whose name I do not wish to recall, not long ago there lived a gentleman, one of those with a lance on the rack, an old leather shield, skinny horse, and racing greyhound. A stewpot with somewhat more beef than mutton in it, hash most nights, fried eggs and bacon on Saturdays, lentils on Fridays, and sometimes a young dove on Sundays for a special treat consumed three-fourths of the revenues from his estate. In a village of La Mancha the name of which I have no desire to recall, there lived not so long ago one of those gentlemen who always have a lance in the rack, an ancient buckler, a skinny nag, and a greyhound for the chase. A stew with more beef than mutton in it, chopped meat for his evening meal, scraps for a Saturday, lentils on Friday, and a young pigeon as a special delicacy for Sunday, went to account for three-quarters of his income.
p. 57
At a village of La Mancha, whose name I do not wish to remember, there lived a little while ago one of those gentlemen who are wont to keep a lance in the rack, an old buckler, a lean horse, and a swift greyhound. His stew had more beef than mutton in it and most nights he ate a hodge-podge, pickled and cold. Lentil soup on Fridays, "tripe and trouble" on Saturdays, and an occasional pigeon as an extra delicacy on Sundays consumed three-quarters of his income.
pp. 56-57
Down in a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to recollect, there lived, not long ago, one of those gentlemen who usually keep a lance upon a rack, an old buckler, a lean horse, and a coursing grayhound. Soup, composed of somewhat more mutton than beef, the fragments served up cold on most nights, lentils on Fridays, collops and eggs on Saturdays, and a pigeon by way of addition on Sundays, consumed three-fourths of his income.
p. 1
Yo tengo a mi señor Don Quijote por loco rematado.
II:XXXIII, 1199
I consider my lord Don Quijote a raving lunatic. I look upon my master Don Quixote as stark mad.
p. 542
I consider my master, Don Quixote, to be stark raving mad.
p. 767
I take my master Don Quixote for a downright madman.
p. 444
…pareció la pastora Marcela tan hermosa, que pasaba a su fama su hermosura
I:XIV, 327
…appeared the shepherdess Marcela, so beautiful that her beauty exceeded even its fame. …stood the shepherdess Marcela herself, more beautiful even than she was reputed to be.
p. 148
…appeared the shepherdess Marcela looking even more beautiful than she had been described.
p. 141
…appeared the shepherdess herself, so beautiful that her beauty even surpassed the fame of it.
p. 58
Yo nací libre, y para poder vivir libre escogí la soledad de los campos; los árboles destas montañas son mi compañía; las claras aguas destos arroyos son mis espejos; con los árboles y con las aguas comunico mis pensamientos y hermosura. Fuego soy apartado y espada puesta lejos.
I:XIV, 329
I was born free, and to live free I chose the solitude of the countryside; the trees of the mountains are my companions; the clear waters of these brooks are my mirrors; with the trees and waters I communicate my thoughts and beauty. I am distant fire and the sword not at hand. I was born a free being and in order to live freely I chose the solitude of the fields; these mountain trees are my company, the clear-running waters in these brooks are my mirror, and to the trees and waters I communicate my thoughts and lend them of my beauty. In short, I am that distant fire, that sharp-edged sword, that does not burn or cut.
p. 150
I was born free, and to live free I chose the solitude of the fields. The trees of the mountains are my companions; the clear waters of these brooks are my mirrors; with the trees and the brooks I share my thoughts and my beauty. I am the hidden fire and the distant sword.
p. 142-43
I was born free, and, that I might live free, I chose the solitude of these fields. The trees on these mountains are my companions; the clear waters of these brooks are my mirrors; to the trees and the waters I devote my meditations and my beauty. I am fire at a distance, and a sword afar off.
p. 60
Hízome el cielo, según vosotros decís, hermosa, y de tal manera, que, sin ser poderosos a otra cosa, a que me améis os mueve mi hermosura, y por el amor que me mostráis, decís y aun queréis que esté yo obligada a amaros.
I:XIV, 328
Heaven made me so beautiful, you tell me, that my beauty forces you to love me even against your will. And because of the love you show me, you say that I am obligated to love you in return. Heaven made me beautiful, you say, so beautiful that you are compelled to love me whether you will or no; and in return for the love that you show me, you would have it that I am obliged to love you in return.
p. 148
Heaven, you say, has made me so beautiful that without your being able to help it, my beauty compels you to fall in love with me, and in return for the love you show me, you say, and even claim, that I should be obliged to love you.
p. 142
Heaven, as you say, made me handsome, and to such a degree that my beauty impels you involuntarily to love me; and in return for this passion, you pretend that I am bound to love you.
p. 59
En esto ya comenzaron a gorjear en los árboles mil suertes de pintados pajarillos, y en sus diversos y alegres cantos parecía que daban la norabuena y saludaban a la fresca aurora, que ya por las puertas y balcones del Oriente iba descubriendo la hermosura de su rostro, sacudiendo de sus cabellos un número infinito de líquidas perlas…
II:XIV, 992
At this moment a thousand varieties of little painted birds began warbling in the trees, and in their diverse and joyful songs it seemed they greeted and saluted the freshening dawn, which was already revealing its beautiful face through the doorways and balconies of the East, shaking from its hair an infinite number of liquid pearls… At that moment gay-colored birds of all sorts began warbling in the trees and with their merry and varied songs appeared to be greeting and welcoming the fresh-dawning day, which already at the gates and on the balconies of the east was revealing its beautiful face as it shook out from its hair an infinite number of liquid pearls.
p. 470
And now a thousand kinds of little painted birds began to warble in the trees, and with their blithe and jocund notes they seemed to welcome and salute the fresh Aurora, who already was showing her beautiful countenance through the gates and balconies of the East, shaking from her tresses countless liquid pearls.
p. 621
And now a thousand sorts of birds, glittering in their gay attire, began to chirp and warble in the trees, and in a variety of joyous notes, seemed to hail the blushing Aurora, who now displayed her rising beauties from the bright arcades and balconies of the east, and gently shook from her locks a shower of liquid pearls…
pp. 350-51
*Translator and date of translation of the Dodd, Mead & Co. "Titan" edition are unspecified.
19.Mr.2000 R21.Mr.2000
Red Cedar Valley
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Proprietors:
Larry and Renee Lynch,
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Updated: 19 March 2000