“Don Quixote” by Cervantes (post 2): Madman in mountains, purposely wounding himself, raises question of who was Bible madman Legion’s Dulcinea.

“As [Don Quixote and Sancho Panza] were conversing, they arrived at the foot of a lofty mountain…This was the place the Knight of the Rueful Figure chose for his penance [in honor of Lady Dulcinea]…‘I have yet to tear my garments…and bang my head against these rocks, and other things of the kind which will amaze you.’

“ ‘For the love of God,’ said Sancho, ‘take care how you go knocking your head against rocks…’

“ ‘I thank you, friend Sancho, for your good intentions…but I want you to realize that all these actions of mine are not for mockery…for…otherwise, I should be breaking the rules of chivalry, which forbid me to tell a lie…And so the knocks on the head must be real hard knocks without anything imaginary about them…(1, pp. 129-130).

New Testament

“And when [Jesus] had come…there met him…a man with an unclean spirit…Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always…bruising himself with stones…And Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many’ ” (Mark 5:2-9).

Jesus exorcises Legion of his many unclean spirits (demon possession), which are today interpreted as alternate personalities (search “Legion” for past posts).

Comment

In his description of Don Quixote in the mountains, intending to bruise himself with rocks, Cervantes may have been making the above biblical allusion. If so, was Cervantes ahead of his time in interpreting Legion as having multiple personality? I don’t know.

In any case, Cervantes makes me wonder who was Legion’s Dulcinea.

1. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Don Quixote. Translated, Abridged, and with an Introduction by Walter Starkie, and a New Afterword by Roberto González Echevarría. New York, Signet Classics, 2013.