La Celestina by Fernando de Rojas, translated and edited by Ashton Lackey

By Ashton Lackey

In 1499, an anonymous 16-act play was published in the Spanish town of Burgos that influenced the flourishing of the Spanish language and literature. Known as the La Comedia of Calisto and Melibea, it became widely popular. As a result, other editions were published in the next three years. A second edition came off the press in 1500, and a third edition was printed in 1502. In this 1502 edition, readers could put a name to the author—Fernando de Rojas—who added five more acts with an introduction and concluding material. The title was then changed to the La Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea, but this masterpiece later became known simply as La Celestina—the name of the cunning and seducing protagonist.
Calisto, a young nobleman, sees Melibea and falls head-over-heels in love. However, Melibea rejects him. Calisto enlists Celestina, an old woman who has seen and done it all, to help him win over the fair young lady. Celestina is successful, but the costs are high. By the end there has been a murder, a suicide, a more-or-less accidental death, and two characters have been beheaded for their actions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashton Lackey
• Release date: Nov 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9781628801309

Ashton Lackey

Ashton Lackey (Harrington A. Lackey) has been a Spanish instructor, translator, tutor and writer for the past 30 years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Anthropology from Eckerd College, a Master of Arts degree in Hispanic Literature from Auburn University, PhD candidate in Hispanic Literature at the University of Kentucky, and an Associate of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Nashville State Technical Institute. Ashton has taught Spanish classes at Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of Kentucky, Columbia State Community College, and Belmont University. He started a successful tutoring business- "Learning Strategies," but is now retired.Ashton has completed 10 years of studying French from grammar school to high school. Also, he completed a semester of advanced French in Angers, France at the l’Université Catholique de l’Ouest.He has written three novels, based on historical fiction: "Rare Gold," "Disciple's Curse," and "The Admiral's Signature." He has also published over 150 articles on various subjects and short stories. Ashton is now retired and currently lives in Bluffton, SC with his wife, Diana, and one furry daughter.Ashton has translated over 10 novels from Spanish to English, ("La Celestina", "Lazarillo de Tormes") and from English to Spanish: ("The Healing Of Gala"). I have recently been translating into English: "La Primera Catedral", "Surreal (Y otros relatos), and "MainCastle: La leyenda del caballero blanco".His hobbies are: collecting coins, comic books, books and metal detecting.

Book preview

LA CELESTINA

by

Fernando de Rojas

Translated & Edited by Ashton Lackey

Copyright 2017 Ashton Lackey

Published by Ashton Lackey at Smashwords.com.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

E-book edition, October 2017. ISBN 978-1-62880-130-9.

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Cover etching by Hans Holbein.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Author to a Friend

The Author Apologizes for His Errors in This Work

Prologue to the Third Edition

CELESTINA: Acts I-XXI

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

Act 6

Act 7

Act 8

Act 9

Act 10

Act 11

Act 12

Act 13

Act 14

Act 15

Act 16

Act 17

Act 18

Act 19

Act 20

Act 21

The Author Concludes

Alonso de Proaza

Bibliography

Translator’s Biography

Introduction

Translator’s Notes on the Cultural Background of La Celestina

In 1499, an anonymous 16-act play was published in the Spanish town of Burgos that influenced the flourishing of the Spanish language and literature. Known as the La Comedia of Calisto and Melibea, it became widely popular. As a result, other editions were published in the next three years. A second edition came off the press in 1500, and a third edition was printed in 1502. In this 1502 edition, readers could put a name to the author—Fernando de Rojas—who added five more acts with an introduction and concluding material. The title was then changed to the La Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea, but this masterpiece later became known simply as La Celestina—the name of the cunning and seducing protagonist.

Calisto, a young nobleman, sees Melibea and falls head-over-heels in love. However, Melibea rejects him. Calisto enlists Celestina, an old woman who has seen and done it all, to help him win over the fair young lady. Celestina is successful, but the costs are high. By the end there has been a murder, a suicide, a more-or-less accidental death, and two characters have been beheaded for their actions.

Fernando de Rojas

Not much is known about the author. Fernando de Rojas was born circa 1470, and died circa 1540. He was a law student at the University of Salamanca when he wrote La Celestina. As far as scholars know Rojas did not write any other literary works. He became a successful lawyer and later mayor of Talavera de la Reina, where he lived for three decades. But, Rojas was born into a family of conversos—Jews who converted to Christianity. He grew up during a time in Spain when the Inquisition tried and tortured Jews and converted Jews into becoming Christians. Fortunately, Rojas had little trouble with them. He was never tortured, nor did he become a prisoner of the Inquisition. As a law student living in Salamanca, he lived among fellow conversos in this modern university town which was mostly disregarded by the Inquisition. As a matter of fact, he defended his father-in-law, who was accused of secretly practicing Judaism, before the Inquisition and was released. The Bishop of Salamanca was so impressed by Rojas’ intellect that he asked him to solve the brutal murder of a professor of Theology at the door of the cathedral.

Fernando de Rojas was extremely well educated. His library not only included books about law, but many other books about the works of ancient Roman and Greek writers, plus many medieval and Renaissance Italian writers, novels of chivalry, sentimental novels, poetry. This is evident since he incorporates so many references and quotes by such classical sources that abound in this work. Rojas was considered a true humanist because of his references to the classics, which were stimulated by the philosophy of secularism—the appreciation of worldly pleasures—and above all intensified the assertion of personal independence and individual expression.

Spain’s Golden Age

Rojas lived in Spain at a time when it was going through major social, economic and cultural changes. In 1492, when he was about 20 years old, Spain achieved three major acts which changed the country for the next two and a half centuries. Spearheaded by the Queen Isabella of Castille, Muslims who had nearly conquered the country in 711 AD were forced militarily to leave Spain. Christopher Columbus traveled across the Atlantic Ocean in search for a new route to Oriental lands, but wound up sailing among islands which led Spain to a Golden Age with the New World. Also, the first Spanish grammar book was written by Antonio de Nebrija, which he dedicated to Queen Isabella.

Columbus returned to Spain with enough silver and gold that many Spaniards were enticed to travel across the Atlantic to America to enrich themselves. As a result, Spain became a rich nation, as conquistadors conquered much of North America, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Islands. Not only did Spain become wealthy from precious metals, but writers, poets, and conquistadors produced a large number of literary achievements on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Also, architecture, art, theater, law, banking, government, military, Christianity, and other elements catapulted Spain into history as the largest and most influential empire in the world for at least the next two centuries. Spanish became the language of conquest and even today is the second-most spoken language.

Rojas’ Narrative Style

La Celestina is a unique work written almost purely in dialogue which reads like a novel, although it is structured like a play with acts and scenes. According to Dorothy Severin, the work can be qualified as the first novel in world literature. Rojas’ Celestina is a transitional work between the medieval period and the Renaissance. Yet, Celestina is truly a Renaissance work, because the dominant theme is not about the Christian religion. Characters are not bound by what they must say – guided by Christian morality. Instead, we know what they think and feel using pure dialogue. None of the characters speaks in stoic rhyming verses referring to correct Christian dogma, which would make the work stilted and one dimensional. Nor, is it a traditional comedia written in rhyming verses, restricted by three acts, like future dramaturgos, such as Lope de Vega, Calderon de la Barca, and even Miguel de Cervantes. Instead the narration is realistic, colored by many short and long speeches charged with raw emotions, which allow the reader to enjoy and identify with the characters. Enamored Calisto talks to himself and others as he spouts out rich words in sometimes, long-winded chivalric speeches that show he is delusional as he pines for Melibea’s love. Melibea also talks in much the same courtly way when she falls in love with Calisto. Celestina pours out wise advice to Calisto and Melibea through quotes written by many classic philosophers and sages to prove her wise advice. Young Parmeno argues with Celestina surprisingly from his own knowledge of classic proverbs. Pleberio’s long mournful lament over the suicide of his precious daughter Melibea occupies most of the last 21st Act.

Influences of La Celestina

Between the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th centuries, La Celestina presented quite a new way to read. It is essentially a novel that, today, would have been a #1 New York Times Bestseller. This work comes alive with plots composed with dialogue and colorful characters, who make the work come alive and keep the reader, who can’t put it down, turning the pages. The story of a lusty old prostitute who turns courtly love a step further into sexual relationships was much too intriguing not to buy it. It was so successful when it was first printed, that a year later it was printed again. Then, more editions move through other reprints in which Fernando de Rojas soon identifies himself as the writer. In the second edition, Rojas includes a prologue, called The Author to a Friend and some fairly lengthy didactic verses. The third edition Rojas includes a brand new prologue.

It inspired another writer, Francis Delicado to pen another novel in dialogue—Portrait of Lozana: The Lusty Andalusian Woman in 1528. It’s a similar story about description of the life in Rome's underworld. In the same century, over twenty other novels in dialogue were printed. In 1554, an anonymous author wrote La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades. Like Celestina, this novel is a gritty tale about life on the Spanish streets. It became another Spanish masterpiece in dialogue about the underworld according to a poor boy, named Lazaro who is a picaro—a boy thief. His stepfather is accused of stealing, his mother asks a wily, rogue blind beggar to take on the boy as his apprentice. Lázaro develops his art of stealing while serving the blind beggar and several other lowlife masters.

In 1605, Miguel de Cervantes wrote Don Quixote de la Mancha. Many scholars defend Cervantes’ greatest work as not only Spain’s greatest literary masterpiece, but also the first novel. However, Cervantes was not the first author to write his greatest work in dialogue, of course. Like Calisto, the protagonist, Don Quixote is enamored by Dulcinea—an imaginary woman—and speaks delusionally in chivalric tone to whom he troths his love. He goes through with becoming a knight, doing great deeds so that he may be worthy of his woman’s love. Likewise, Calisto spends his entire time in Celestina believing Melibea is god and that he is unworthy to reach her.

From the Translator

While translating this edition into English, I turned the work’s old 15th century Spanish into modern English as much as possible. You will note that I used contractions of pronouns and verbs, such as It is to it’s. I am to I’m etc., although many other translators probably would find this inappropriate.

At the beginning I included the translation of the Prologue (The Author to a Friend), didactical poetry, and the translation of the Prologue to the Third edition (1502). At the end, I included the poetic verses of Alonso de Proaza, Publishing Editor to the Reader from the Second edition (1507)

As for the poetry, I didn’t set the end words to rhyme.

-Ashton Lackey

The Author To A Friend

Those who find themselves away from their home country usually take into account what they left suffer the greatest ignorance or lack what to serve their countrymen of whom over time they have benefitted. Seeing that legitimate obligation to investigate the same thing compels me to pay the many received favors of your open generosity, often in my room, resting upon my hand, opening up my senses like a sniffing hound and letting my mind roam freely, reminded that not only the necessity that our own country has the present work for the throngs of gallant, love-struck young men that it has. I contemplated your own youth ensnared by love, cruelly wounded due to lack of defensive weapons to resist his fires of love, which I found engraved in those roles, not forged by the great smithies of Milan, but by the bright intelligence of educated, learned men of Castille. As I considered its beauty, its subtle craft, its strong, pliant metal, its make of labor, its elegant style, never in our Castillian language had I been seen nor heard. I read it three or four times and so many more times. The more I read it the more I had to re-read it, the more I enjoyed it and each time, I received new wise ideas. I saw, not only to be sweet in its main story or fiction together but still some of its particularities left delightful rivulets of philosophy, other nice witticisms, other warnings and advice against flatteries and bad servants and artificial women witches. I saw that it didn’t have its author’s signature: which, according to what some say, it was Juan de Mena, among others, it was Rodrigo Cota, but whoever it might be is worthy of remembering the subtle invention, interwoven with abundant sentences disguised as jokes. The author was a great philosopher, and since he was afraid of critics and harmful words, he was quicker to reproach than know how to create, he had to hide and disguise his name. It’s not your fault if in the end beneath which I put it doesn’t express mine. Particularly since I am a lawyer, because although it is a discreet work, is out of my field who knew to say not by recreation from my main study, the one which I take as the truth, although distracted by the law in this new creation I put myself into. But they would not be right to challenge me for being so daring. Likewise they might not think that I completed it in two weeks while my companions were on vacation, which is the truth, but I spent even more time, yet in a less acceptable way than they did. To excuse all of which, not only you, but all who read it, I include the following verses. Because you know where my rough-hewn reasons begin, I determined that everything by the previous author was not divided by acts or scenes, including up until the second act, where it reads: My brothers, etc. Farewell.

The Author ApologiZes for His Errors in This Work He Wrote Arguing and Comparing Against Himself

Silence shields and usually covers

Lack of wit and clumsiness of speech;

Bragging contrary to writing faults

Talking too much without thinking.

Like the ant that refuses to walk

Comfortably on the ground with little provision

Priding on wings of its perdition

Lifted up, not knowing where to go.

HE CONTINUES

Enjoying strange new air

Birds of prey fly bolder

As bait is carried with

new wings are its danger

It’s sensible to apply my pen to this deceit

Not scorning those who contradict me

My wings crash to the earth

Are born yesterday misty and weak.

HE CONTINUES

This ant enjoys the thought of flying

And I write charged with more honor

Of one and the other was born in disfavor:

She is food and I am cutting reproaches.

Silencing the damages of envy and murmurs

I insist rowing, and leaving safe ports

Are all already fast advancing.

HE CONTINUES

If you want to see my clear motive,

To which does one straighten up of those ends,

With whom does it take part, who governs its oars,

Apollo, Diana or haughty Cupid,

look well for the end of what I write,

Or of the beginning read its argument:

Read it, you will see that, although it’s a sweet story,

Lovers go out of captivity.

Comparison

Like a suffering man and the bitter pill

Prescribed, but cannot swallow,

Put into the sweet delicacy;

Tricked with taste, health is lengthened:

Likewise my pen pauses,

Imposing such funny, lewd jokes,

Attracts the ears of punished people:

Who love to listen and shed their burden.

He returns to its intention.

Being surrounded by doubts and whims,

I composed such an end that the beginning unties;

I agreed to gild with canister gold

The thinnest tíbar that I saw with my eyes

And in roses sow thousand thorns.

I beg, you to discreetly compensate my absence.

Be afraid, coarse people and in so high work

See, keep silent or not be annoying.

He continues to give reasons why he moved to finish this work.

I saw the present work in Salamanca:

Moved to finish it for these reasons:

Is the first, that I am on vacation,

the other to imitate the prudent person;

and it is the final, see more people

turn and mixed vices in love.

These lovers will be afraid

To trust the Bawd, or false servant.

And so the development of this book

Was both brief, and more subtle,

That carried two thousand refrains

In lining of grace, labor of pleasure.

Daedalus the sculptor would have created something

True to my view in a sculpture

If end gave its own writing

Cota or Mena with their great knowledge.

Never did I see in Roman writing,

if I remembered, no one saw,

a work of style so high and elegant tone

in Tuscan, neither Greek, nor in Castilian.

Not a single adage by the La Puebla author,

laudable to its author and eternal Memory,

To which Jesus Christ receives in his glory

his holy Passion, that we all heal.

He warns those who love to serve God and leave the bad thoughts and vices of Love.

You, those who love, take this example,

this fine armor to defend yourselves:

turn back, don’t get lost;

Always praise God by visiting his temple.

walk with caution; don’t be an example

For which the dead and living can blame:

You live in sin and lie buried.

I feel great pain in my own contemplation.

Oh ladies, midwives, young men, married,

Note well the life these people led,

Look carefully your order which had:

To another that loves give your care,

Wipe your eyes, the blind lost,

Plant virtues with chaste living,

To all, run you must flee the love,

Or let Cupid’s golden shots find you.

Prologue to the Third Edition (1502)

The great sage Heraclitus said all things are created for battle in this way: Omnia secundum litem fiunt, a saying in my view is worth remembering forever. And as it is true that every word a wise man says is very swollen with meaning that it wants to burst, throwing out such grown branches and leaves that the minor seedling would tire fruit among discreet people. But since my poor wit isn’t fit to gnaw the dry husks of the sayings of those who deserved to be approved, with the little that I will take out, will satisfy the purpose of this brief prologue.

I discovered that the great orator and poet laureate Fransisco Petrarcha believed in this view when he said: «Sine lite atque ofensione nihil genuit natura parens»: Without fight and struggle nothing begat nature, mother of everything. It says later:

«Sic est enim, et sic propemodum universa testantur: rapido stellæ obviant firmamento; contraria inuicem elementa confligunt; terræ tremunt; maria fluctuant; aer cuatitur; crepant flammæ; bellum immortale venti gerunt; tempora temporibus concertant; secum singula nobiscum omnia».

This means: Truly so it is, and so all the things of this bear witness: The stars are in the raptured firmament of heaven. The adverse elements with each other break fight, tremendous land, wave the seas, the air is shaken, the flames ring, the winds tussle with each other bring perpetual war, times with times contend and litigate each other, one by one, all against us.

Summer afflicts us with too much heat; winter is cold and rough: so this seems to us a seasonal revolution, this with which we sustain ourselves; this with which we grow and live. If it begins to swell more than usually, it’s war. And what is to be feared, manifested by great earthquakes and whirlwinds, by shipwrecks and fires, as air and land. By the force of the hurricanes, by that roar of thunder, by that fearful lightning bolts, those moving and whirling of clouds, of whose open movements know the secret cause of which they proceed, is not less the dissension of the philosophers in the schools than of the waves in the sea.

For among the animals no kind is without war: fish, beasts, birds, snakes, of which everything, one species to another pursues. The lion to the wolf, the wolf the goat, the dog the hare and, if it did not look recommended after the fire, I would reach the end of this account. The elephant, an animal so powerful and strong, is frightened and flees from the sight of a dirty little mouse, and even just hearing it takes great fear. Among the snakes the basilisk raised the nature so venomous to conquer all the others that with his whistle the astonishment and with his coming scares and scatters, with his sight kills them. The snake, reptile or bitter snake, at the time of conception, by the mouth of the female stuck the head of the male with the great sweetness squeeze so much that it kills him and, being pregnant, the first son breaks the mother’s sides. Then all come out and she is dead as if they were a avengers of the paternal death. What greater battle, what greater conquest or war to beget in his body who eats his own bowels?

Also we believe there is natural dissension in fish. For it is a certain thing to enjoy the sea of so many forms of fish as the land and air rearing of birds and animals and many more. Aristotle and Pliny tell wonders of a small fish called Echeneis, as their property is suitable for various kinds of conflicts. It has one in particular, that if it arrives at a ship or ratchet, it stops it, so it cannot move, because it is in very strong in the waters; Which makes Lucano mention, saying:

Non puppim retinens, Euro tendente rudentes, In mediis Echeneis aquis.

«There is no shortage of the fish said Echeneis, which stops the ropes, when the Euro wind extends the ropes in the middle of the sea». Natural strife, worthy of admiration; the small fish has more power than a great ship with all its strength of the winds!

For if we go through the birds and by their petty enemies, we will claim to be all things bred in a way of strife. Most live by prey, like hawks and eagles and sparrowhawks. Even the rude Milan insults inside our dwellings the domestic chickens and come to hunt them under the wings of their mothers. Of a bird called a Roc, born in the Indian Ocean of the Orient, it is said to be of grandeur never heard and that carries on its beak to the clouds, not only a man or ten, but a ship loaded with all its rigging and people. And as are the wretched navigators like that suspended in the air, with the shake of its flight they fall to a cruel death. So what can we say about men who suffer from all that’s been retold? Who can explain all the wars, enemies,