1.1.32
Don Quixote 1.1.32 · A name to match the new calling1.1.32A name to match the new calling
The sentence runs on: the horse’s new name must fit its master’s new life.
· · ·
y1
y
and
ansí2
an·SÍ
sothus
, procuraba3
pro·cu·RA·ba
tried
acomodársele4
a·co·mo·DÁR·se·le
to fit one to itto suit one to it
de5
de
in
manera6
ma·NE·ra
such a waymanner
que7
que
that
declarase8
de·cla·RA·se
would showwould declare
quién9
quién
whatwho
había10
ha·BÍ·a
had
sido11
SI·do
been
, antes12
AN·tes
before
que13
que
(that)
fuese14
FUE·se
belongedwas
de15
de
toof
caballero16
ca·ba·LLE·ro
knight
andante17
an·DAN·te
errantwalking
, y18
y
and
lo19
lo
whatthe
que20
que
(that)
era21
E·ra
was
entonces22
en·TON·ces
then
; pues23
pues
for
estaba24
es·TA·ba
was
muy25
muy
very
puesto26
PUES·to
placed
en27
en
in
razón28
ra·ZÓN
reason
que29
que
that
, mudando30
mu·DAN·do
changing
su31
su
its
señor32
se·ÑOR
masterlord
estado33
es·TA·do
stationstate
, mudase34
mu·DA·se
should change
él35
él
it
también36
tam·BIÉN
too
el37
el
itsthe
nombre38
NOM·bre
name
, y39
y
and
le40
le
oneit
cobrase41
co·BRA·se
should winshould collect
famoso42
fa·MO·so
famous
y43
y
and
de44
de
of
estruendo45
es·TRUEN·do
resoundingdin
, como46
CO·mo
as
convenía47
con·ve·NÍ·a
befittedsuited
a48
a
(to)
la49
la
the
nueva50
NUE·va
new
orden51
OR·den
order
y52
y
and
al53
al
theto the
nuevo54
NUE·vo
new
ejercicio55
e·jer·CI·cio
callingexercise
que56
que
that
ya57
ya
nowalready
profesaba58
pro·fe·SA·ba
professed
. and so, he tried to fit one to it so that it would show what it had been before it belonged to a knight errant, and what it was then; for it was only right that, with its master changing his station, it should change its name too, and win one famous and resounding, as befitted the new order and the new calling he now professed.
and so, he tried to fit one to it so that it would show what it had been before it belonged to a knight errant, and what it was then; for it was only right that, with its master changing his station, it should change its name too, and win one famous and resounding, as befitted the new order and the new calling he now professed.
Interpretation
and so he tried to fit it with one that would show what it had been before it belonged to a knight errant, and what it was now. It was only right, he thought, that when its master changed his station in life, the horse should change its name too, and win one that was famous and resounding, as suited the new order and the new calling he now professed.
The gentleman borrows his words from the Church. He speaks of the orden he has joined and the ejercicio he now profesa, the language used of a friar who takes his vows and enters a religious order. Spain had real military orders, Santiago and Calatrava among them, but he means knight errantry itself, taken up the way a man takes the habit.
The name he wants must be famoso y de estruendo. An estruendo is a crash or roar, the noise of drums and arms, so he is after a name that can be heard a long way off.
1.1.33
Don Quixote 1.1.33 · The name Rocinante1.1.33The name Rocinante
After much drafting in his head, he finds the horse’s name.
· · ·
And so, after many names that he made up, crossed out and threw away, added, undid and made again in his memory and imagination, at last he came to call it Rocinante: a name, in his opinion, lofty, ringing and meaningful of what it had been when it was a nag, before what it now was, which was ahead and first of all the nags in the world.