CHAPEL PERILOUS, LITERATURE BECOMES PSYCHOLOGY

Today, The Grandma is reading about the Chapel Perilous, an element very important in the Arthurian Cycle and in Psychology.

The term chapel perilous first appeared in Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (1485) as the setting for an adventure in which sorceress Hellawes unsuccessfully attempts to seduce Sir Lancelot. T. S. Eliot used it symbolically in The Waste Land (1922).

Students of the Grail romances will remember that in many of the versions the hero, sometimes it is a heroine, meets with a strange and terrifying adventure in a mysterious Chapel, an adventure which, we are given to understand, is fraught with extreme peril to life. The details vary: sometimes there is a Dead Body laid on the altar; sometimes a Black Hand extinguishes the tapers; there are strange and threatening voices, and the general impression is that this is an adventure in which supernatural, and evil, forces are engaged.

Such an adventure befalls Gawain on his way to the Grail Castle. He is overtaken by a terrible storm, and coming to a Chapel, standing at a crossways in the middle of a forest, enters for shelter.

The altar is bare, with no cloth, or covering, nothing is thereon but a great golden candlestick with a tall taper burning within it.

Behind the altar is a window, and as Gawain looks a Hand, black and hideous, comes through the window, and extinguishes the taper, while a voice makes lamentation loud and dire, beneath which the very building rocks. Gawain's horse shies for terror, and the knight, making the sign of the Cross, rides out of the Chapel, to find the storm abated, and the great wind fallen. Thereafter the night was calm and clear.

In the Perceval section of Wauchier and Manessier we find the same adventure in a dislocated form.

The earliest mention of a Perilous Cemetery, as distinct from a Chapel, appears to be in the Chastel Orguellous section of the Perceval, a section probably derived from a very early stratum of Arthurian romantic tradition.

The metaphorical Chapel Perilous traces back to the story, Le Morte d’Arthur, written by Sir Thomas Malory and published in 1485. In the dimly-lit chape, named Chapel Perilous by Malory, Sir Lancelot du Lake takes the liberty of purloining a sword and a scrap of shroud-silk from a dead knight, Sir Gilbert the Bastard, before encountering a beautiful sorceress, Hellawes, Lady of the Castle Nigramous. Refusing to kiss her, Lancelot avoids her seductive efforts and moves onward to the disastrous climax of his love for Queen Guinevere. Having loved Lancelot, Hellawes dies, broken-hearted. But had he given the sword to Hellawes, he would never have seen Guinevere again.

Chapel perilous is also a term referring to a psychological state in which an individual cannot be certain whether they have been aided or hindered by some force outside the realm of the natural world, or whether what appeared to be supernatural interference was a product of their own imagination.

It was used by the late writer and philosopher Robert Anton Wilson (1932–2007) in his book Cosmic Trigger (1977). According to Wilson, being in this state leads the subject to become either paranoid or an agnostic. In his opinion there is no third way.

Did Lancelot choose wisely? Was the fair damsel and sorceress, who loved him, truly evil? Was he a loyal Knight of the Round Table or a betrayer of his friend and King? Was he a bastard or a fool, or a bastard, hero, and fool, or something else, a lost soul? Did Guinevere invite Lancelot into coital shelter from the storms of life or a carnal version of Chapel Perilous? The sword and silk are obvious sexual symbols, and precursors but, all decoding aside, the questions cannot be answered in simple terms of yea and nay.

Chapel Perilous denotes a state of consciousness wherein a person seems to encounter a supernatural magnetic force, the sense of which defies classification in terms of good and evil. In any case, ordinary faith in dogma is made impossible by inescapable recognition of the infinite kaleidoscope-like processing of multidimensional Omniverse. Neither running nor hiding is an option.

More information: Heritage History

Knights! The gift of freedom is yours by right. 

But the home we seek resides not in some distant land. 

It's in us! And in our actions on this day! 

If this be our destiny, then so be it. 

But let history remember that as free men, 

we chose to make it so.
 

King Arthur

SOUS LE CIEL DE PARIS JUSQU'AU SOIR VONT CHANTER...

After an intense week between Lyon, Paris and Fleury-Mérogis, where winter has gone and spring has arrived, today, The Grandma says goodbye to her friends and takes a flight to Barcelona where tomorrow a new training begins that will keep her busy for almost three months.

One of the advantages of online training is that it allows you to do your work from anywhere and gives you great freedom of movement, but this new training is face-to-face, so, during the working days, The Grandma will have to be present in Sant Boi de Llobregat, where from Monday she will share her ideas with some new colleagues with the ultimate goal of improving their knowledge and skills to be able to find a job.

It is for this reason that this blog will now become the communication tool for the Morgans, this new family with whom The Grandma will share fictional stories with the aim not only of them learning but also of them disconnecting from reality to be able to first recover as a person, before preparing themselves formatively to return to the world of work as soon as possible with confidence and real possibilities of stabilization.

Occupational training has as its first objective to recover the person and then to offer them a personal training itinerary that helps them in the search for a new job, which is why it is so linked to mental health, because in many cases the loss of a job is such a great emotional shock that it affects the deepest part of the person.

So, starting next Monday, The Grandma's blog will go from being personal and telling her real adventures to being professional and telling the fictional adventures with the Morgans, and for this, it will be necessary to use a lot of digital tools, to create a parallel and imaginary world that helps the Morgans escape their real problems and let themselves be carried away by the world of training from imagination, creativity, solidarity, empathy and daily work.

So, this early morning, The Grandma will fly back to Barcelona while Joseph de Ca'th Lon and Claire Fontaine will fly to Hannover from where they will drive to Wolfsburg where on Tuesday the Northern Star has a very special match that the two friends do not want to miss.

They have had an intense few days where they have been able to attend in Lyon and Paris one of the best musical shows of the moment (Lux); they have visited Paris, a beautiful city that they know well, but where they always do the same rituals (visiting the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, sailing the Seine and getting lost in the city while savouring the local cuisine); they have seen the Northern Star shine again in Fleury-Mérogis, and they have met up with friends they haven't seen in a while, because this is always the most fascinating thing about travelling: meeting up with the people you love.  

Before taking the plane, The Grandma has made an interesting cheese supply, because being in Gaul means being able to enjoy the pleasure of eating great cheeses (with permission from the Swiss and Norwegians). If there are no delays, she will arrive in enough time to go to the Camp Nou, where there is an interesting match against Rayo Vallecano.

No one sings Paris better than Edith Piaf, and although times change and we have new sounds and rhythms, the essence, the word, the message, the spirit, the soul... remains the same.

 

Sous le ciel de Paris
S'envole une chanson
Elle est née d'aujourd'hui
Dans le coeur d'un garçon
Sous le ciel de Paris
Marchent des amoureux
Leur bonheur se construit
Sur une air fait pour eux

Sous le pont de Bercy
Un philosophe assis
Deux musiciens, quelques badauds
Puis des gens par milliers

Sous le ciel de Paris
Jusqu'au soir vont chanter
L'hymne d'un peuple épris
De sa vieille cité
Prés de Notre-Dame
Parfois couve un drame
Oui, mais à Paname
Tout peut s'arranger
Quelques rayons du ciel d'été
L'accordéon d'un marinier
L'espoir fleurit
Au ciel de Paris

Sous le ciel de Paris
Coule un fleuve joyeux
Il endort dans la nuit
Les clochards et les gueux
Sous le ciel de Paris
Les oiseaux du bon Dieu
Viennent du monde entier
Pour bavarder entre eux
Et le ciel de Paris
A son secret pour lui
Depuis vingt siècles il est épris
De notre île Saint Louis

Quand elle lui sourit
Il met son habit bleu
Quand il pleut sur Paris
C'est qu'il est malheureux
Quand il est trop jaloux
De ses millions d'amants
Il fait gronder sur eux
Son tonnerre éclatant
Mais le ciel de Paris n'est pas longtemps cruel
Pour se faire pardonner, il offre un arc-en-ciel

 

Under the Paris sky
A song takes flight
It was born today
In the heart of a boy

Under the Paris sky
Lovers walk
Their happiness is built
On a tune made for them

Under Bercy bridge
A philosopher sits
Two musicians, some onlookers
Then thousands of people

Under the Paris sky
They'll sing until dusk
The hymn of people in love
With this old city

Near Notre Dame
Sometimes drama broods
But at Paname
Everything comes together

Rays from the summer sky
A sailor's accordion
Hope blooms
In Paris' sky

And the Paris sky
Has a secret of its own
For twenty year's he's been in love
With our Saint Louis island
When she smiles at him
He dresses in blue

When it rains on Paris
It's because he's unhappy
When he grows jealous
Of her millions of lovers

He comes down on us
With his flashing thunder
But the Paris sky
Isn't cruel for long

To ask our forgiveness
He offers up a rainbow

 

More information: French Moments

Singing is a way of escaping. 
It's another world. 
I'm no longer on earth.

Edith Piaf

READING 'ASTÉRIX IN SWITZERLAND' IN FLEURY-MÉROGIS

The Grandma is enjoying her last days off before starting a new formation of almost three months in Sant Boi de Llobregat.

Last Monday, she enjoyed with Claire Fontaine and Joseph de Ca'th Lon the start of the Lux tour at the LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, a place they know well and visit often because it is a few metres from the Groupama Stadium.

On Wednesday, all three friends flew to Paris where they saw the Catalan artist again, this time at the Accor Arena, in a first concert and yesterday, Friday, in a second one. They have been three wonderful concerts, although the three friends are still waiting to hear Memória live, because they are lovers of fado and it reminds them a lot of the much-loved Mísia, the Catalan-Portuguese artist, whom they followed throughout her career.

And because they are still in Paris today, they have bought some Fleury 91-OL tickets this morning and they will drive to Fleury-Mérogis, a city located 30 km south of the French capital to attend an interesting match of the Northern Star's team. They are not very sure that she will play the match because next week she has a very important European commitment, but it is 30 km and it is worth going there.

They have brought their faithful travel companion when they are in Gaul, Astérix, this time with his adventure in Switzerland, to read it during the short trip.

Astérix chez les Helvètes, in English Astérix in Switzerland, is the sixteenth volume of the Astérix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in Pilote magazine issues 557-578 in 1970 and translated into English in 1973.

Following the protests of May 1968, Goscinny started introducing more adult themes such as the opening orgy scene which parodies Federico Fellini's debauched Roman film, Fellini Satyricon. The painted faces, feeling of ennui, mechanical gorging of elaborate food, and sado-masochistic punishments are balanced (in Helvetia) by the fastidiousness of the Swiss servants who keep cleaning up messes and washing whips.

The idea to send Astérix and Obélix to Switzerland was proposed by future French president Georges Pompidou. A handwritten note from Pompidou, when he was prime minister, urging the authors to write about Astérix among the Helvetians, was displayed in an Asterix exhibition at the National Library of France in 2013.

This album features a rare dark overtone in that the plot involves a victim of attempted murder. The added element of potential death offers a startling but refreshing moment of drama in the otherwise whimsical series. Other stories that share a dramatic turn include Astérix and Son (where the village is destroyed) and Astérix and the Magic Carpet.

The comic contains several puns on typical Swiss features, such as the confidentiality and high level of security of Swiss banks, fondue, Swiss clocks (especially cuckoo clocks), the Helvetians' insistence on neutrality, yodeling, punctuality, alphorns (as an alternative form of carnyx), and -in one notable scene- the Swiss Federal Assembly.

The comic suggests that modern mountain climbing was introduced when Astérix has the idea of him, Obélix and their Helvetian aides securing themselves with ropes, and sledding when Astérix accidentally rides Obélix down the mountainside.

One scene with Astérix shooting a bow while a boy with an apple on his head fixes a target is a nod to the Swiss folk hero William Tell.

In one panel, avalanches in the Alps are satirized when the Roman legionaire hanging on to Obélix cautions, Stop shouting, you could easily start something off.

Like always, this issue concludes with the celebrational village feast with Cacophonix being tied to the tree. However in this case he's not gagged. Nothing prevents his awful singing during the affair.

Bibendum (the Michelin logo) makes a brief guest appearance as the chariot wheel dealer in the original English translation; whereas the original French version used the Gaulish-warrior-like mascot of the French service station company Antar. The 2004 English re-print from Orion Books uses the French illustrations, thus rendering Obélix's joke about Bibendum's weight in the next panel nonsensical. Call me fat! Did you see his spare tire?

The book's storyline is rife with clever wordplay, delightful caricatures, and hilarious situations as Astérix and Obélix find themselves embroiled in comical confrontations with the Romans while showcasing the determination and perseverance of the Swiss people. The authors skillfully blend history, satire, and humor throughout the narrative, making Astérix in Switzerland an entertaining and educational read for all ages.

As with all Astérix books, the illustrations by Albert Uderzo are a visual feast, capturing the charm and whimsy of the Gaulish village, the grandeur of the Swiss landscape, and the amusing antics of the characters. Uderzo's dynamic artwork, vibrant colors, and attention to detail bring the story to life, making it a visual treat for readers.

Astérix in Switzerland not only entertains readers with its engaging story and delightful illustrations but also serves as a commentary on the themes of resistance, cultural identity, and the strength of community. The book showcases the power of unity, determination, and the ability to overcome adversity, echoing timeless values that continue to resonate with readers today.

In conclusion, Astérix in Switzerland is a captivating addition to the Astérix series, offering a delightful blend of history, satire, adventure, and humor. With its lovable characters, clever wordplay, and beautiful artwork, this book is sure to charm readers of all ages, transporting them on a grand escapade through the enchanting world of Astérix and Obélix.

Key Lessons From Astérix In Switzerland

-Unity is strength. One of the central themes of the book is the power of unity. The Gauls, led by Astérix and Obélix, join forces with the Swiss to not only protect their village from the Roman invaders but also to help the Swiss regain their independence. The book demonstrates that when people come together and work towards a common goal, they can achieve great things.

-The importance of cultural identity. Astérix in Switzerland celebrates the unique cultural identity of the Swiss. The Swiss characters are portrayed as having their own distinct language, traditions, and values. The book emphasizes the importance of preserving one's cultural heritage and not succumbing to external influences. It teaches the readers to appreciate and embrace their own cultural identity.

-Cultural stereotypes. The book playfully highlights various cultural stereotypes associated with both the Swiss and the Gauls. It shows the Swiss as being disciplined, precise, and punctual, while the Gauls are depicted as unconventionally brave and fiercely loyal. However, the book also challenges these stereotypes by showing that individuals from both cultures can defy expectations and exhibit traits not typically associated with them.

-Satire and humor. Astérix in Switzerland uses satire and humor to comment on various aspects of society. It humorously pokes fun at bureaucracy and politics, specifically in the scene where the Swiss decide on their new leader through a contest of yodeling. The puns and wordplay throughout the book add to the light-hearted and comedic tone.

-Loyalty and friendship. The book emphasizes the importance of loyalty and friendship through the relationship between Astérix and Obélix. Despite their differences, the two characters demonstrate unwavering loyalty and support for each other. The book also highlights the theme of loyalty to one's homeland, as both the Gauls and the Swiss are willing to fight for their respective countries and protect their way of life.

 Download Astérix in Switzerland by René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo

Switzerland: the land of yodelling, cuckoo clocks, 
and the extraordinary power of cheese!

 

Astérix

CORTO MALTESE & THE CELTS, ENJOYING A SPECIAL DAY

Today is The Grandma's birthday and the weather has wanted to give her a lovely rainy day, perhaps because it knows that The Grandma really likes these rainy and introspective days, fantastic for a good read and good company.

She will have the best company this afternoon when Claire Fontaine and Joseph de Ca'th Lon, who is some days in Barcelona, come to see her and all together enjoy the French football cup final, a very important match for the Northern Star, and she will have a good read before and after accompanied by Corto Maltese and his Celtic adventures.

Celtic Tales (or The Celts) is a volume of comics that brings together six adventures of Corto Maltese, a Maltese sailor. These stories were written and drawn by the Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt, and published for the first time between 1971 and 1972 in the French comic magazine Pif Gadget. They take place in Europe, during World War I, between 1917 and 1918. The stories are:

-The Angel in the Window to the Orient

-Under the Flag of Gold

-Concerto in O Minor for Harp and Nitroglycerin

-A Midwinter Morning’s Dream -Côtes de Nuit and Picardy Roses

-Burlesque Between Zuydcoote and Bray-Dunes

Hugo Pratt has produced numerous additional drawings of the characters and places relating to the stories in this album, as he did with other episodes of the series. Here, for example, he drew different places in Ireland and historical or legendary characters.

Among the many covers existing for Celtic Tales, one of them shows a poem in which Corto Maltese thanks different characters, mostly from Celtic legends:

-Merlin, the enchanter or wizard featured in Arthurian legend (like the followings three characters);

-Morgan le Fay and Viviane the Lady of the Lake;

-King Arthur; 

-Oberon (king of the fairies) and Puck;

-The Irish leprechauns; 

-The Cornish Pixies;

-The Scottish boggles;

-The Breton Korrigans; 

-The Welsh miners, Wales being renowned for its coal industry;

-The French elves;

-The Druids of Folle Pensée (name of a locality in the Paimpont forest);

-The little folk of the forest of Brocéliande;

-The royal ravens of Stonehenge;

-W. B. Yeats, the Irish poet; 

-And the harp of the wind somewhere to the north.

Hugo Pratt won the Prix Saint-Michel, for "Best Realistic Writing" in 1977, for the story A Midwinter Morning's Dream.

Twenty years after the death of Hugo Pratt, his ex-assistant Lele Vianello, another Italian comic book creator, gave him a tribute album. Entitled Twenty after... Homage to Hugo Pratt, it includes drawings inspired by the story A Midwinter Morning’s Dream, where Corto and characters from Celtic legends await Pratt on the day of his death to welcome him into their world.

More information: The Slings & Arrows

I haven't decided the date of my death yet.

Corto Maltese

ENJOY LA CASA PROVINCIAL DE LA MATERNITAT GARDENS

Yesterday was a day of a lot of technical and bureaucratic work for The Grandma, exactly the type of work she likes least and that they are increasingly trying to make more extensive and useless.

So, after catching up on posts and correcting dozens of activities, today, she has decided that she would have a more relaxed day, so she has gone down to have breakfast with Claire Fontaine in one of the most beautiful places she has near her home, La Maternitat, the old hospital and orphanage that has now become a reference hospital surrounded by beautiful Modernist public buildings, with gardens with a variety of very interesting vegetation, and, most importantly, Claire's workplace, with whom she has shared a good coffee, an interesting chat and a fantastic time.

And, as it could not be otherwise, The Grandma has spent a good while contemplating the construction work on the Camp Nou, a stadium that the popular saying has always said is located between life (Maternitat Hospital) and death (Les Corts Cemetery). 

Since the 16th century, the Hospital de la Santa Creu was responsible for welcoming foundlings from all over Catalunya. The exposure of children in the 16th century articulated a discourse around sin and illegitimacy, which led this institution to dedicate itself to maintaining secret maternity and raising children of sin. The quality of treatment was very low, with a mortality rate of more than 70% of the asylum seekers.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the exposure rate increased to a point where the institution collapsed. The lack of space and resources, overcrowding and the lack of sanitary conditions in the cities before the demolition of the walls in the mid-19th century caused the mortality rate to increase to 80%. The unsustainable situation of the institution, as well as the political, social and economic transformations derived from the Liberal Revolution, gave the only possible solution the creation of a unique institution dedicated to maternity and childhood.

Thus, on 23 November 1853, the Provincial Maternity and Foundling Home of Barcelona was inaugurated, based at the Casa de la Misericòrdia on Carrer de Ramelleres, 17, receiving 32 children from the Hospital de la Santa Creu. By virtue of the Charity Law of 23 January 1822, the General Charity Law of 26/6/1849 and the subsequent regulation published on 14 May 1852, it was decreed that these institutions were to be run by Boards of Ladies, thus establishing the association of the well-to-do woman's neighbour in the world of childcare, as was customary in 19th-century Europe.

Barcelona Zone writes about La Maternitat that:

In its past life, the grounds of today's tranquil park bore witness to a pioneering healthcare institution -La Maternitat i Sant Ramon hospital. This complex, which still serves various public functions, exhibits a collection of Modernist pavilions that have earned it a special place in Barcelona's rich architectural tapestry.

Originally built on the Can Cavaller estate in the late 19th century, the hospital La Maternitat de Barcelona began as the vision of Camil Oliveres i Cansaran, the then Provincial Council architect. His ambitious project aimed to integrate healthcare and aesthetics, delivering functionality adorned with artistic detailing. This approach resonated deeply with the Modernist movement sweeping the city at the time.

The death of Oliveres saw other architects take the reins, each contributing to the site's evolution while maintaining the founding principles of beauty intertwined with purpose. The pavilions, constructed of exposed brick and accented by dazzling polychrome ceramics, stand today as a testament to Modernist design -a symphony of form and function.

The complex’s signature buildings, the blue pavilion and the pink pavilion, catch the eye with their vivid colors and intricate design. Yet, the site's enchantment does not end with its buildings. Open to the public, the gardens of La Maternitat are where nature and architecture dance in harmonious balance. Amidst the foliage stands the statue 'La maternitat' by sculptor Lluïsa Granero, further emphasizing the theme of nurturing and care inherent to the site's history.

Designed to provide solace to recovering patients, the gardens now offer visitors the chance to lose themselves among diverse flora, including towering date palms and an impressive magnolia tree that claims the title of the tallest in Barcelona. In these gardens, nature performs its restorative magic, just as the architects intended decades ago.

Beyond its architectural splendor, La Maternitat hospital holds a profound social significance. Founded to aid the most vulnerable -abandoned children and mothers in need of discretion- the institution became a symbol of solidarity and care for the disadvantaged. This historical narrative echoes throughout the complex, adding depth to the visitor's experience.

The gardens, purposefully designed to offer comfort and peace to those healing within the hospital's walls, continue to provide solace to residents and tourists alike. Now, as you wander the footpaths of La Maternitat, you engage with a living history narrative that whispers tales of compassion from the leafy shade.

A trip to La Maternitat Barcelona extends far beyond mere sightseeing it's an encounter with a facet of the city's past that played a pivotal role in its social development. Whether you're an architecture enthusiast eager to explore Rationalist design or a traveler seeking a moment of tranquility away from the city’s more frenetic attractions, La Maternitat beckons with its unique charm.

The shade of the trees in the historic gardens of La Maternitat promises a welcoming escape. Indulge in the serene atmosphere and contemplate the history, beauty, and altruism that this remarkable site signifies. 

In the bustle of urban life, La Maternitat offers a serene vantage point to reflect on the city's legacy of caring for the well-being of its people both physically and architecturally.

As you leave the park, the harmonious blend of nature and architectural rationalism lingers in your mind -a reminder of Barcelona's lesser-known, but equally important, heritage.  

La Maternitat is more than just a place; it is a celebration of life, history, and the enduring spirit of Barcelona.

More information: Barcelona Travel Hacks

We learn from our gardens to deal 
with the most urgent question of the time: 
How much is enough?

Wendell Berry

ASTÉRIX AND THE ROMAN AGENT IN DÉCINES-CHARPIEU

Today, Claire Fontaine and Joseph de Ca'th Lon have arrived in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon where this afternoon they will go to see the Northern Star, who has a very important match today. During the trip from Milan to Lyon they have been reading a new Astérix adventure, in this case, Astérix and the Roman Agent.

Astérix and the Roman Agent, in French La Zizanie, is the fifteenth volume of the Astérix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It first appeared as a serial in Pilote magazine issues 531–552 in 1970 and was translated into English in 1972.

The original French title of this story was La Zizanie (The Ill-feeling or The Dissension). The inspiration was the dissension at Pilote magazine, a year before, during the May 1968 events in Paris, a time of civil unrest, when Goscinny, then also editor of Pilote, was almost evicted from the post, and remained bitter from the affair.

In the English version Caesar keeps making the famous Et tu Brute remark to Brutus who reacts in silent annoyance at this patronising attitude. In the original French version, Caesar keeps saying Et toi, mon fils (French for And you, my son), a possible reference to the suggestion by some historians that Brutus was actually fathered by Caesar, though some think it unlikely due to the mere 17-year age difference between the two men. It may also be a reference to the Greek phrase which the historian Suetonius reports Caesar did say to Brutus, καὶ σὺ τέκνον (Kai su, teknon?), literally, in English, You too, my child?

Brutus denies ever serving Caesar's enemy Pompey, whereas he actually did so in real life. It is a curious remark to make in a series which, although largely fictional, is based on extensive research into the history and background of the time and the habits of populations both old and new.

Centurion Felix Platypus is a caricature of the actor Lino Ventura, well-known for playing the parts of tough policemen.  

The incident of the Pirates fighting between themselves and sinking their own ship is referred to in the next adventure Astérix in Switzerland.

When Impedimenta screams at Vitalstatistix about idiots (words used in the original French edition) who might one day have the absurd idea of writing the history of the village, Goscinny and Uderzo are clearly referring to themselves.

This is the first appearance of several female villagers -Impedimenta's inner circle of prominent wives. In particular, the wives of Geriatrix and Fulliautomatix and an obese lady whose husband is not mentioned, but who appears in many crowd and background scenes in later albums, are first seen here.

In the scenes where people have been deceived into arguing, the speech bubbles are painted in increasingly dark green. In contrast, in the final banquet panel, Vitalstatistix makes his moving birthday speech in pink.

Stradivarius. The old senator's voice is compared to the sound of a Stradivarius violin, highlighting its rich and resonant quality.

Magnumopus (Fr. Savancosinus). The French name of the Roman legionary Magnumpous is Savancosinus. This is a clever play on the word cosine, referencing the comic character Savant Cosinus.

The Battle of the Four Camps. For the first time, all four Roman camps surrounding the Gaulish village  -Aquarium, Totorum, Laudanum, and Compendium- unite in a coordinated attack, increasing the stakes for the indomitable Gauls. In the American English release, the camps are named; Aquarium, Opprobrium, Nohappimedium and Delirium.

It is a very special adventure from which great vital ideas are extracted.

Despite Convolvulus's best efforts, the Gauls ultimately overcome the challenges he presents. By recognizing the dangers of manipulation and reaffirming their unity, they successfully thwart the Roman's plans and expose Convolvulus's treachery.

Astérix and the Roman Agent is a testament to the enduring brilliance of Goscinny and Uderzo. This thought-provoking adventure explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the importance of maintaining unity within a community, making it a timeless classic that continues to entertain and enlighten readers today.

Download Astérix and the Roman Agent by R. Goscinny & A. Uderzo

Astérix I think that we shall soon 

have to teach our friends a little lesson.

Obélix

FOOTBALL CLUB INTERNAZIONALE IS FOUNDED IN 1908

Joseph de Ca'th Lon and Claire Fontaine continue to enjoy the Paralympic Games in a city as important for sport as Milan. 

That is why, the two friends, great football fans, celebrate today the 118th anniversary of the founding of a European historic club, Inter Milan.

Tomorrow, they will travel to Lyon to watch the Northern Star, who has an important match that could mean winning the regular season of her league. 

Football Club Internazionale Milano, widely referred to as Internazionale, and commonly known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. 

Inter is the only team to have always participated in the top division of Italian football since its debut in 1909, never being relegated to Serie B. Since 1947, Inter has shared the San Siro stadium, the largest stadium in Italy, with AC Milan, with whom it contests the long-standing Derby della Madonnina, one of the most widely followed rivalries in world football.

The club was founded in 1908 after a split within the Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club (now AC Milan), and won its first championship in 1910. Since its formation, the club has won 37 domestic trophies, including 20 league titles, nine Coppa Italia, and eight Supercoppa Italiana. From 2006 to 2010, the club won five successive league titles, equaling the all-time record at that time. They have won the European Cup/Champions League three times, their latest win in 2010 completed an unprecedented Italian seasonal treble, with Inter winning the Serie A and the Coppa Italia the same year. The club has also won three UEFA Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup. Inter is the only Italian club that won at least an official trophy in every decade since the foundation of the club in 1908.

Inter has the highest home game attendance in Italy and the fourth-highest attendance in Europe. Since May 2024, the club has been owned by American asset management company Oaktree Capital Management.

The club was founded on 9 March 1908 as Football Club Internazionale, when a group of players left the Milan Cricket and Football Club (now AC Milan) to form a new club because they wanted to accept more foreign players. The name of the club derives from the wish of its founding members to accept foreign players as well as Italians. The club won its first championship in 1910 and its second in 1920. The captain and coach of the first championship winning team was Virgilio Fossati, who was later killed in battle while serving in the Italian army during World War I.

One of the founders of Inter, a painter named Giorgio Muggiani, was responsible for the design of the first Inter logo in 1908. The first design incorporated the letters FCIM in the centre of a series of circles that formed the badge of the club. The basic elements of the design have remained constant even as finer details have been modified over the years. Starting from the 1999-2000 season, the original club crest was reduced in size, to create space for the addition of the club's name and foundation year at the upper and lower part of the logo respectively.

In 2007, the logo was returned to the pre-1999-2000 era. It was given a more modern look with a smaller Scudetto star and lighter colour scheme. This version was used until July 2014, when the club decided to undertake a rebranding. The most significant difference between the current and the previous logo is the omission of the star from other media except match kits.

Since its founding in 1908, Inter have almost always worn black and blue stripes, earning them the nickname Nerazzurri. According to the tradition, the colours were adopted to represent the nocturnal sky: in fact, the club was established on the night of 9 March, at 23:30; moreover, blue was chosen by Giorgio Muggiani because he considered it to be the opposite colour to red, worn by the Milan Cricket and Football Club rivals.

During the 1928-29 season, however, Inter were forced by Fascist regime to abandon their black and blue uniforms.

In 1928, Inter's name and philosophy made the ruling Fascist Party uneasy; as a result, during the same year the 20-year-old club was merged with Unione Sportiva Milanese: the new club was named Società Sportiva Ambrosiana after the patron saint of Milan. The flag of Milan (the red cross on white background) replaced the traditional black and blue.

In 1929, the black-and-blue jerseys were restored, and after World War II, when the Fascists had fallen from power, the club reverted to their original name. 

In 2008, Inter celebrated their centenary with a red cross on their away shirt. The cross is reminiscent of the flag of their city, and they continue to use the pattern on their third kit.

In 2014, the club adopted a predominantly black home kit with thin blue pinstripes before returning to a more traditional design the following season.

Animals are often used to represent football clubs in Italy -the grass snake, called Biscione, represents Inter. The snake is a symbol for the city of Milan, appearing often in Milanese heraldry as a coiled viper with a man in its jaws. The symbol is present on the coat of arms of the House of Sforza (which ruled over Italy from Milan during the Renaissance period), the city of Milan, the historical Duchy of Milan (a 400-year state of the Holy Roman Empire) and Insubria (a historical region the city of Milan falls within). For the 2010-11 season, Inter's away kit featured the snake.

More information: Inter

Questa notte splendida darà i colori al nostro stemma: 
il nero e l'azzurro sullo sfondo d'oro delle stelle. 
Si chiamerà Internazionale, 
perché noi siamo fratelli del mondo.

This wonderful night will give us the colours of our crest: 
black and blue against a backdrop of stars. 
It shall be called International, 
because we are brothers of the world.

Giorgio Muggiani, 9 March 1908, Milan

ENJOYING HISTORY IN VIKINGESKIBSMUSEET, ROSKILDE

Joseph de Ca'th Lon and Claire Fontaine have arrived in Verona this morning, where they will attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games today. The two friends have been to Maria Enzasduaf and Kufstein this week, before arriving in this beautiful city in Veneto from where they will travel to the different places to enjoy such a spectacular sporting spectacle as the Paralympic Games.

Meanwhile, The Grandma continues in Denmark. She arrived in København with Veles e Vents by Ausiàs March and couldn't leave Roskilde without visiting the Vikingeskibsmuseet, an extraordinary museum that transports you throughout the history of the Vikings, who, just like Ausiàs March did in the Mediterranean, set out to sail, discover and live in places far from Scandinavian lands.

Vikingeskibsmuseet is a must-see to understand the Scandinavian past and present, a culture that has influenced the rest of Europe and part of North America much more than we will ever imagine.

For The Grandma, who loves the sea and sailing madly, being able to visit this museum is an indescribable pleasure, especially the part where they teach how these magnificent and majestic ships were made.

How do you take a piece of this culture with you? Some small souvenirs, a great book and a nice sweatshirt are not enough. Nothing is enough.

This evening, she will travel by train to Malmö, Sweden where she will stay for the weekend before returning to Barcelona, ​​where on Monday afternoon she will have a training session with future trainers in Castelldefels. 

Vikingeskibsmuseet (Viking Ship Museum) in Roskilde is Denmark's national ship museum for ships of the prehistoric and medieval period.

The main focus of the museum is a permanent exhibition of the Skuldelev ships, five original Viking ships excavated nearby in 1962.  

The Viking Ship Museum also conducts research and educates researchers in the fields of maritime history, marine archaeology and experimental archaeology. Various academic conferences are held here and there is a research library in association with the museum.

Around the year 1070, five Viking ships were deliberately sunk at Skuldelev in Roskilde Fjord in order to block the most important fairway and to protect Roskilde from an enemy attack from the sea. These ships, later known as the Skuldelev ships, were excavated in 1962. They turned out to be five different types of ships ranging from cargo ships to ships of war.

The Viking Ship Museum overlooking the inlet of Roskilde Fjord was built in 1969 with the main purpose of exhibiting the five newly discovered Skuldelev ships.

The original Skuldelev Viking ships are the main focus of the museum, but a small exhibition about the Roskilde ships and various temporary exhibitions with a broader scope can also be experienced here.

In the late 1990s, excavations for the shipyard expansion of the Viking Ship Museum uncovered the remains of a further nine ships, the Roskilde ships, from the medieval period. It is the largest such discovery of ships in Northern Europe. Most of these are from the period just after the Viking Age, 1060-1350 AD, but Roskilde 6 is from 1025 AD and is the longest Viking ship ever found; about 37 m long. All except Roskilde 8 have been excavated and their remains are at the National Museum of Denmark.

The Viking Ship Museum has a long tradition of Viking ship reconstructions and boat building and also collects boats of interest from all over Scandinavia. 

The boat collection at the museum now comprise more than 40 vessels and the associated ship building yard is constantly building new ships by original methods as part of an experimental archaeology learning process. It is possible to follow or engage in the ship building process here. The shipyard is located on a small isle known as Museumsøen (Museum Island), connected to the main museum exhibition buildings by a drawbridge.

Every summer, a handful of boats are launched for extended sea voyages to accumulate more knowledge about the seafaring techniques and conditions of the Vikings.

More information: Vikingeskibsmuseet

Nothing in life is going to be smooth sailing.

Dawn Staley

AUSIÀS MARCH, 'TEM LA MORT PER NO SER-VOS ABSENT'

Today, The Grandma has arrived in København where she will be staying until Friday for work. She has just arrived in time to watch the Northern Star, who has a very important match at Datenpol Arena in Maria Enzasduaf (Mödling, Lower Austria), where there are two luxury spectators: Joseph de Ca'th Lon and Claire Fontaine.

During the flight from Barcelona to København, The Grandma has been reading Ausiàs March, on the 567th anniversary of his death, the Valencian poet who so excellently sang of love and the art of sailing, an art shared with the Scandinavian inhabitants with whom The Grandma will spend a few days sharing work projects and cultural experiences. 

Perhaps one of the best-known poems of Ausiàs March is Veles e vents, a beauty one that expresses the inner struggle of the lover, especially the conflict between reason and love passion.

Ausiàs March uses the nautical metaphor (the winds, the sea, the ship) to represent his state of mind: the rough sea symbolizes his tormented heart; the contrary winds represent the opposing feelings that dominate him and the ship is himself, who tries to stay on course in the midst of emotional disorder.

Love is seen by Ausiàs March as a powerful and contradictory force that causes torment and instability; doubt and inner contradiction and emotional dependence. As in all his love poems, Ausiàs March expresses an intense, deep and often painful vision of love, very characteristic of his work.

More information: Lletra UOC

Ausiàs March (1397-March 3, 1459) was a Valencian poet and knight from Gandia, València. He is considered one of the most important poets of the Golden Century of Catalan literature.

Not much is known of March's life. He was born in approximately 1400 to a Valencian noble family. His father, Pere March, was himself a poet and served at the court of the younger brother of King Alfonso IV, Pere. His uncle, Jaume March II, was also a poet. March was one of the two children of Pere's second wife, Lionor of Ripoll; he had a younger sister, Peirona.

In 1413, the still-young March became head of his family -part of the Valencian petty nobility- upon the death of his father. From a very young age he took part in the expeditions that King Alfons el Magnànim carried out in the Mediterranean. After returning from these expeditions in 1427, he settled in Gandia. After his return, he would never again leave the region where he was born. March was twice married: first to Isabel Martorell (sister of the writer Joanot Martorell), and later to Joana Escorna.

In 1450, he moved from Gandia to Valencia. It was there that he died on March 3, 1459. While March himself was buried in his family's chapel at the Valencia Cathedral, his two wives and family are buried in the Monastery of Sant Jeroni de Cotalba. Five illegitimate children but no legitimate heirs have been attributed to him.

Inheriting an easy fortune from his father, Pere March -the treasurer to the Duke of Gandia- and enjoying the powerful patronage of Carles of Viana, prince of Aragon, March was able to devote himself to poetical composition. 

He was an undisguised follower of Petrarch, carrying the imitation to such a point that he addressed his Cants d'amor (Love songs) to a lady whom he professed to have seen first in church on Good Friday. So far as the difference of language allows, he reproduced the rhythmical cadences of his model, but this should be qualified as the medieval tradition of locus communis requested this following. This is something Petrarch himself did and it need not to be stressed. 

March is a very original and idiosyncratic poet. 

In the Cants de mort (Death hymns) he touches a note of brooding sentiment peculiar to himself. It can be said that he developed Petrarch's rhetoric and used it for more inner psychological meditations, as other major poets such a Camões and Shakespeare would.

March was one of the first poets to use the local vernacular, Catalan, instead of the troubadour language, Occitan. His poems are marked by obscurity, a sometimes monotonous morbidity, and a conflicting battle between desire and morality, achieved at its apex in the great Cant Spiritual. 

He was fully entitled to the supremacy which he enjoyed among his contemporaries, and the success of his innovation no doubt encouraged Boscán to introduce the Italian metres into Castilian.

March's poetry has been set to music by different composers.

 

Veles e vents han mos desigs complir

faent camins dubtosos per la mar.
Mestre i ponent contra d’ells veig armar:
xaloc, llevant los deuen subvenir
ab llurs amics lo grec e lo migjorn,
fent humils precs al vent tramuntanal
que en son bufar los sia parcial
e que tots cinc complesquen mon retorn.

Bullirà·l mar com la cassola en forn,
mudant color e l'estat natural,
e mostrarà voler tota res mal
que sobre si atur un punt al jorn.
Grans e pocs peixs a recors correran
e cercaran amagatalls secrets;
fugint al mar on són nodrits e fets,
per gran remei en terra eixiran.

Los pelegrins tots ensems votaran
e prometran molts dons de cera fets;
la gran paor traurà al llum los secrets
que al confés descoberts no seran.
En lo perill no·m caureu de l'esment,
ans votaré al Déu qui·ns ha lligats
de no minvar mes fermes voluntats
e que tots temps me sereu de present.

Jo tem la mort per no ser-vos absent,
perquè amor per mort és anul·lats;
mas jo no creu que mon voler sobrats
pusca ésser per tal departiment.
Jo só gelós de vostre escàs voler
que, jo morint, no meta mi en oblit.
Sol est pensar me tol del món delit
car, nós vivint, no creu se pusca fer:
aprés ma mort d'amar perdau poder
e sia tost en ira convertit,
e jo, forçat d’aquest món ser eixit,
tot lo meu mal serà vós no veer.
Oh Déu, ¿per què terme no hi ha en amor,
car prop d'aquell jo·m trobara tot sol?
Vostre voler sabera quant me vol,
tement, fiant, de tot l'avenidor.

Jo són aquell pus extrem amador
aprés d'aquell a qui Déu vida tol.
Puis jo són viu, mon cor no mostra dol
tant com la mort per sa extrema dolor.
A bé o mal d'amor jo só dispost,
mas per mon fat fortuna cas no·m porta.
Tot esvetlat, ab desbarrada porta,
me trobarà faent humil respost.
Jo desig ço que·m porà ser gran cost
i aquest esper de molts mals m'aconhorta.
A mi no plau ma vida ser estorta
d’un cas molt fer, qual prec Déu sia tost;
lladoncs les gents no·ls calrà donar fe
al que amor fora mi obrarà;
lo seu poder en acte·s mostrarà
e los meus dits ab los fets provaré.

Amor, de vós jo·n sent més que no·n sé,
de què la part pijor me'n romandrà,
e de vós sap lo qui sens vós està.
A joc de daus vos acompararé.

Sails and winds shall fulfill my deep longings,
forging uncertain paths along the sea.
Mistral and Ponent rise up against them;
Sirocco and Levanter must then resist,
with stalwart allies Gregal and Noonday,
making humble plea to wind Transmontane
to lend them favor with her billowing
that, as one, five might aid my swift return.

The sea will boil like a crock on the flame,
transforming her natural color and shape;
she will reveal how she distains all
that seek her refuge even for a moment.
Fish both great and humble, left succorless,
will seek a secret nook or hiding place,
fleeing what once engendered and protected
to pursue a desperate landlocked rescue.

With one voice, all seafarers will take oath,
pledging gifts of supplicatory wax;
the terror there will unlock the secrets
until then unconfessed, hence unabsolved.
Through such peril, you will not leave my thoughts,
and to the God who joined us, thus my plea:
that I be steadfast in my firm resolve,
and you my strong companion all the while.

I fear death for the absence it will bring,
because love, in death, is perforce anulled;
but I do not believe this departure
will reverse my own desperate longing.
I yearn deeply for your lukewarm heart, and
pray my death does not cause your disregard.
Life's joy is banished by this thought alone
(though while we live I doubt it will happen):
that when I die your love will soon falter
and all its fury be turned into rage.
And I, forcibly cast out of this world,
I will only regret not seeing you.
My God, were love not infinite, boundless
I would stand alone at its furthest point!
Then I would know the measure of your love,
and trust it all to fate, if fearfully.

No one has loved more ardently than I,
save any man whose life God took for love;
I, who live, cannot show the heartfelt pain
revealed best and alone in lovelorn death.
Yet I am at love’s call, for good or ill,
and although such fortune ne'er befall me,
will stand prepared, unbarred doors open wide,
where I'll be found in humble readiness.
I so want that which will cost me dearest
that there is solace in waiting alone!
I am not content to be spared the worst
Dear God, it is my life's most fervent plea
for then all who watch will see, in action,
love's universal and external works
made powerfully manifest in me,
as these many words I confirm with deeds.

Love, in you, feeling undermines thought,
so that to me falls the worst of all lots:
as with a bet at any gaming table,
discernment is for those not so enticed.

 

More information: The Anglo-Catalan Society

 La velletat en Valencians mal prova,
é no se com jo faça obra nova.

Old age is bad for Valencians,
I don't know how I make new work. 

Ausiàs March, Cants de Mort

INDÍBIL AND MANDONI, FROM IBERIAN ILTRIDA TO LLEIDA

If there is one thing the personalities of Joseph de Ca'th Lon, Claire Fontaine and The Grandma have in common, it is that all three are very shy and extremely discreet people. But of all three, the one who takes first prize is Claire Fontaine, which is why today they have decided to do a nice photo shoot for her (with her permission) while they have visited Lleida, a city that Claire knows perfectly and that she loves madly because we already know that your home is where your heart is.

 

This morning, all three of them have walked through the historic centre of the city with the omnipresent presence of the Seu Vella, that they have not been able to visit today due to lack of time, but that they know well and admire deeply. They have had a few hours before taking the Avant towards Barcelona and, for this reason, they have gone to visit the two heroes of the city, Indíbil and Mandoni.

During the train journey, The Grandma has taken the opportunity to write this post, because tomorrow, Claire and Joseph will fly to Vienna where the Northern Star has a very important match and they don't want to miss the opportunity to watch her live.

Indibilis and Mandonius (Indíbil i Mandoni in Catalan) were chieftains of the Ilergetes, an ancient Iberian people based in the Iberian Peninsula. 

Polybius speaks of the brothers as the most influential and powerful of the Iberian chieftains in that period. Livy calls one of the chieftains of the Ilergetes Indibilis. At the same time, Polybius gives "Andobales" for the same person. They agree that his brother chieftain was Mandonius.

Indibilis fought against the Romans and sided with the Carthaginians at the Battle of Cissa in 218 BC, when Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus fought them. Indibilis and Carthaginian general Hanno were defeated at this battle and became a prisoner.

In 217 BC, Indibilis regained his freedom and, with his younger brother Mandonius, decided to harass neighbouring Iberian tribes who were friendly to, or in alliance with, Rome. This harassment was fended off by Scipio Calvus by counter measures that involved killing some of Indibilis' tribesmen, taking some prisoner, and disarming the others. When Hasdrubal Barca, who was in north-western Iberia, heard of this, he returned to help out his Iberian allies south of the Ebro River. At this time, the tide of war took a turn because of unexpected intelligence received by Scipio Calvus from the Celtiberians. The Celtiberi were encouraged to collaborate with Scipio Calvus and invade New Carthage. On the way there, the combined armies took three fortified towns and fought two successful battles against Hasdrubal, Indibilis, and Mandonius. Scipio Calvus' combined armies killed 15,000 of the enemy and took 4,000 prisoners.

As a result, Indibilis and Mandonius and their remaining tribesmen stayed out of the picture until 211 BC. At that time, they gathered 7,500 Suessetani and joined forces with Hasdrubal. Publius Cornelius Scipio, father to Scipio Africanus and younger brother of Scipio Calvus, decided to attack the Iberian chieftain brothers as they were moving across his line of retreat from his camp. Cornelius Scipio did not want to be trapped and surrounded by Carthaginians. He marched at midnight to meet them and skirmished with them at daybreak. Cornelius Scipio was speared with a lance and killed during the Battle of Castulo, part of the Battle of the Upper Baetis. Scipio Calvus was killed at the Battle of Ilorca, the other part of the battle of the Upper Baetis, a few days later.

Even though the chieftains were generally pro-Carthaginian, for which they were rewarded by being given back their tribal territories after the death of the two Scipios in 211 BC, they soon changed their minds after the conduct of the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal Gisco. He demanded money from them for his own benefit. He also required that the wife of Mandonius and the daughters of Indibilis be held at New Carthage in pledge for their fathers' fidelity. The hostages were part of the booty when Scipio Africanus captured New Carthage in 209 BC. Africanus treated them with much dignity and returned them to their rightful places, which impressed the Iberians.

The two brothers soon abandoned the Carthaginians and sided with the Romans. In 209 BC, they concluded a treaty of alliance with the Romans which involved most of the Iberian tribes. They then collaborated in a campaign against Hasdrubal Gisco which ended in a victory at the Battle of Baecula in 208 BC.

Because of the presence of the Roman general Africanus, Indibilis and Mandonius maintained a friendly association with the Romans. However, when a rumour spread in 206 BC that Africanus was seriously ill and possibly dead, they started a rebellion aimed at getting the Romans to leave Iberia. This rumour also started a mutiny at the military camp at the Sucro River, which involved some 8,000 soldiers. Indibilis and Mandonius sided with the mutineers. Africanus recovered and returned to good health and ultimately defeated the mutiny with the thirty-five ringleaders beheaded. He then fought the armies of Indibilis and Mandonius and defeated them. Indibilis and Mandonius surrendered to Africanus asking for mercy. Indibilis and Mandonius were subsequently released by Scipio on favourable terms.

The next year, Africanus left Iberia in the hands of his generals L. Lentulus and L. Manlius and returned to Rome to prepare for an attack on Carthage. Since Africanus was the only Roman general of whom Indibilis and Mandonius were afraid, they roused the Iberian tribes and assembled an army of 30,000 foot soldiers and 4,000 cavalry and decided to rebel again. In a battle with the Romans, the Iberians were all but destroyed. Indibilis was killed during the battle and Mandonius escaped with the remnants of his forces. As part of the peace terms dictated by Rome, he was given up by his tribesmen to the Romans; what became of him is unknown.

More information: Mind Trip

La veu Mandoni i les cadenes trenca,
i estén los braços de genolls alçant-se...
Mes ai que xiula la destral, llampega,
i un tronc desploma’s i una testa salta.

La mare al poble gemegant la mostra:
-Què has fet, oh raça de tants hèroes? Guaita,
 i a eix preu te vens a los botxins? Desperta!  
Venjança i llibertat!... I el poble calla.

The voice of Mandoni and the chains break,
and he stretches his arms from his knees, rising...
But alas, the axe whistles, flashes,
and a trunk collapses and a head jumps.

The mother in the village groans and shows it:
-What have you done, oh race of so many heroes? Look,
and at this price you sell yourself to the executioners? Wake up! 
Revenge and freedom!... And the village is silent.

Angel Guimerà, Indíbil i Mandoni, Mar i Cel