Juan Goytisolo: Cock-Eyed Comedy

Here is a passage from later in the novel that is set in the time of Góngora. Again read carefully the original and the two drafts. The comparison should already point to the tricky areas! Bearing in mind what I said about the process of translation, write your own version of the sequence and send to me at: peter.bush@macunlimited.net

Desterrado tres veces de la Corte por quienes temían la mordacidad de sus sátiras y a su vista desmedraban de envidia, había vuelto a ella con todod los atributos de su briosa alcurnia: montado en soberbio alazán, tocado con un sombrero ornado de un flameante diablo y la retadora divina: Más penado, más perdido, y menos arrepentido. Su Majestad, con rostro demudado, tuvo que tragarse el sapo. La reina sonreía, según los testigos, con alborozo mal oculto. ¿Es cierto, com dijeron luego, que para probar el amor que le profesaba, y al que ella correspondía, se presentó en las justas taurinas con el traje cubierto de reales de a ocho y con escarnio del monarca y escándalo de tontivanos enhestó el lema Mis amores son reales, jugando audazmente con el equívoco? Así lo difundió la leyenda que él mismo forjó. Su carrera vertiginosa de amante, aventurero, tahúr, bardo y erudito concitaban contra él la furia y el rencor de los zaheridos.

Draft 1
Exiled three times from the Court by those who feared his biting wit, he had returned with all attributes of his spirited stock: riding a fine roan, wearing a hat adorned with a flameante diablo and a divine challenge: Plenty depraved and dissolute, plenty unrepentant. His Majesty, his face crestfallen, had to swallow it whole.. The queen smiled, according to eye-witnesses, barely hiding her heart-a-flutter. is it true, as later was said, that prove the love he professed to her, and to which she corresponded, he came to the bullfighting tournament in a traje studded with coins worth eight royals and to offend the monarch and scandalise the tittle-tattlers he hoisted the legend My loves are right royal, boldly playing with ambiguity? That was the myth he himself forged. His dizzy career as lover, adventurer, tahúr, bard and sage attracted to him the fury and rancour of those slighted.

Draft 2
Exiled three times from the Court by those who feared his biting satire and burned with envy before him, he had returned with all attributes of his spirited stock: riding a fine roan, wearing a hat adorned with a fluttering diablo ? and a divine motto: Plenty depraved, plenty dissolute, plenty unrepentant. His majesty, face crestfallen, had to grin and bear it. The queen smiled, so eye-witnesses said, and barely hid her heart-a-flutter. Is it true, as was later claimed, that to prove the love he professed, and which she returned/requited, he came to the bullfight and to insult the monarch and scandalise idle hangers-on he hoisted the legend I love right royally, in a bold employ of ambiguity? So at least went the myth he himself forged. His dizzy career as lover, adventurer, gambler, bard and sage brought upon him the fury and rancour of those he wounded.

Draft 3
Thrice exiled from Court by those who feared his biting satire and burned with envy before him, he had returned with all the fire of his spirited stock: astride a fine roan, wearing a hat adorned with a fluttering pennant and divine (impenitent?) challenge: Plenty depraved, plenty dissolute, plenty unrepentant. Face crestfallen, his Majesty had to grin and bear it. The queen smiled, so eye-witnesses said, and scarcely hid her troubled heart. Is it true, as was later claimed, that to prove the love he professed, and which she requited, he appeared at a bullfight in a suit studded with sovereigns and, to insult the monarch and scandalise idle hangers-on, he hoisted the legend I love royally, in a bold play of double-entendre? At least so went the myth he himself forged. His dizzy career as lover, adventurer, gambler,bard and sage brought upon him the fury and rancour of those he blighted.

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