Candide — Chapter 6 in Spanish
By Voltaire
Cómo hicieron los Portugueses un célebre Auto de Fe para precaver los terremotos, y cómo Candido fue azotado en público How the Portuguese Made a Superb Auto-da-Fé to Prevent Any Future Earthquakes, and How Candide Underwent Public Flagellation
Pasado el terremoto que habia destruido las tres quartas partes de Lisboa, el mas eficaz medio que ocurrió á los sabios del pais para precaver una total ruina, fue la fiesta de un soberbio auto de fe, habiendo decidido la universidad de Coïmbra que el espectáculo de unas quantas personas quemadas á fuego lento con toda solemnidad es infalible secreto para impedir los temblores de tierra. After the earthquake which had destroyed three-quarters of the city of Lisbon, the sages of that country could think of no means more effectual to preserve the kingdom from utter ruin, than to entertain the people with an auto-da-fé, it having been decided by the University of Coimbra that burning a few people alive by a slow fire, and with great ceremony, is an infallible secret to prevent earthquakes.
Habian sido presos por tanto un Vizcayno que estaba convicto de haberse casado con su comadre, y dos Portugueses que se habían comido un pollo un viernes, y la olla sin tocino un sábado; y despues de comer se lleváron atados al doctor Panglós y su discípulo Candido, al uno por lo que habia dicho, y al otro por haberle escuchado con ademan de aprobar lo que decia. In consequence thereof they had seized on a Biscayan for marrying his godmother, and on two Portuguese for taking out the bacon of a larded pullet they were eating. After dinner, they came and secured Dr. Pangloss, and his pupil Candide; the one for speaking his mind, and the other for seeming to approve what he had said. Pusiéronlos separados en unos aposentos muy frescos, donde nunca incomodaba el sol. They were conducted to separate apartments, extremely cool, where they were never incommoded with the sun. Pusiéronlos separados en unos aposentos muy frescos, donde nunca incomodaba el sol, y de allí á ocho dias los vistiéron de un san-benito, y les engalanáron la cabeza con unas mitras de papel: la coroza y el san-benito de Candido llevaban llamas boca abaxo, y diablos sin garras ni rabo; pero los diablos de Panglós tenian rabo y garras, y las llamas ardian hácia arriba. Eight days afterwards they were each dressed in a sanbenito, and their heads were adorned with paper mitres. The mitre and sanbenito worn by Candide were painted with flames reversed, and with devils that had neither tails nor claws; but Dr. Pangloss’s devils had both tails and claws, and his flames were upright. Así vestidos saliéron en procesion, y oyéron un sermon muy tierno, al qual se siguió una bellísima música en fabordon. In these habits they marched in procession, and heard a very pathetic sermon, which was followed by a chant, beautifully intoned. A Candido, miéntras duró el canto, le pegáron doscientos azotes á compas; al Vizcayno y á los dos que habian comido la olla sin tocino los quemáron, y Panglós fué ahorcado, aunque no era estilo. Candide was flogged in regular cadence, while the chant was being sung; the Biscayan, and the two men who would not eat bacon, were burnt, and Pangloss was hanged, although this is not a common custom at these solemnities. Aquel mismo día, tembló la tierra con un furor espantable. The same day there was another earthquake, which made most dreadful havoc.
Candido atónito, desatentado, confuso, ensangrentado y palpitante, decia entre sí: ¿Si este es el mejor de los mundos posibles, cómo serán los otros? Candide, amazed, terrified, confounded, astonished, and trembling from head to foot, said to himself, “If this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others? Si tan solo hubiera sido azotado, hubiera podido soportarlo, como lo hice entre los Búlgaros; pero ¡O mi caro Panglós! If I had only been whipped, I could have put up with it, as I did among the Bulgarians; but, O my dear Pangloss! Pero tú, caro Panglós, el mayor de los filósofos, ¿porqué te he visto ahorcar, sin saber por qué? thou greatest of philosophers! ¡que viva yo para verte ahorcado, sin saber por qué! that ever I should live to see thee hanged, without knowing for what! O mi amado anabautista, tu que eras el mejor de los hombres, ¿porqué te has ahogado en el puerto? O my dear Anabaptist, thou best of men, that it should be thy fate to be drowned in the very harbour! Y tú, baronesita Cunegunda, perla de las niñas, ¿porqué te han sacado el redaño? O Miss Cunegund, you mirror of young ladies! that it should be your fate to have your belly ripped open.”