Quotes from Pedro Calderon de la Barca

If I saw myself erewhile Prisoned, bound, kept out of sight, 'Twas that never on my mind Dawned the truth; but now I know Who I am — a mingled show Of the man and beast combined.

I desire from thee to know, Since thou thus dost treat me so, Why have I provoked thy scorn By the crime of being born?—

Since man's greatest crime on earth Is the fatal fact of birth — Sin supreme without appeal.

When unjust laws are duly weighed, The king, too, may be disobeyed. They owed their true prince everything.

Man dreams what he is, and wakes Only when upon him breaks Death's mysterious morning beam.

Any instrument whatever Would be out of tune that sought To combine and blend together The true feelings of the heart With the false words speech expresses.

Sueña el rico en su riqueza, que más cuidados le ofrece; sueña el pobre que padece su miseria y su pobreza; sueña el que a medrar empieza, sueña el que afana y pretende, sueña el que agravia y ofende, y en este mundo, en conclusión, todos sueñan lo que son, aunque ninguno lo entiende.

And though in embraces dear I would press you to my heart, I without them must depart, For, alas! your arms I fear.

For although to give with grace Is the noblest act 'mongst men, To take back the gift again Is the basest of the base.

And for what Should I show my gratitude! Tyrant of my will o'erthrown,

All who live but dream they act here.

For perhaps thou art but dreaming, When it seems that thou'rt awake.

Help her, since she is unhappy, And a woman; two good motives

Who'll believe that when one star Oft unites two happy lovers, Now one star, Estrella, comes Two to tear from one another?

King Basilius, who doth bow 'Neath the weight of years, the doom Age imposes, more inclined To the studies of the mind Than to women, wifeless, lone, Without sons, to fill his throne

All this woe, from beasts I've learned Polity, the same discerned Heeding what the birds had taught,

The king dreams he is a king, and lives in this deception commanding, disposing of, reigning, ruling, And the applause, thus on loan received so gets in the wind written. And in ashes Death will turn him - great disgrace! Who will dare so to govern seeing himself come awake to the sorry dream of Death?

Que tanto gusto había en quejarse, un filósofo decía, que, a trueco de quejarse, habían las desdichas de buscarse.

y teniendo yo más alma, tengo menos libertad?

Thee I do not look on, no, For, alas! it is of moment, That he must not see thy beauty Who is pledged to see thy honour.

Since no safety can there be 'Gainst the force of destiny, And the inclemency of fate;

Tis a dream that I in sadness Here am bound, the scorn of fate;

Twas a dream that once a state I enjoyed of light and gladness.

What is life? 'Tis but a madness.