Schevill — Studies in Cervantes. 497 



At tlie outset mention was made of the importance of translations 

 from tlie classics because of the assistance they rendered in the 

 introduction of material from the Aeneid into later Renaissance 

 literature. With regard to Cervantes, while there is no evidence 

 that he could read Latin to any extent, there is no doubt that he 

 knew Virgil in the translation of Gregorio Hernandez Yelasco, the 

 one most widely current in his day.^ Moreover, in view of the fact 



hi poesia principes," which is a common phrase ; cf . also prologue to 

 la Circe; in the dedication of the Arcadia, Virgil is the author of "sagrados 

 versos . . . estupendo prognostico de la venida de nuestra salud al 

 niimdo" (Fourth Eclogue) ; ef. also p. 129 of Ai-cadia, "obras no 

 dramatieas." 



Cf. Antonio de Eslava, Noches de Invierno (Barcelona, 1609), p. 

 40: "por buen termino me tratays de mentiroso, etc.," but the author's 

 manner is justified, "que assi lo [mostraron] los celebres Poetas Homero y 

 Virgilio, etc.," as though they were standards in fiction; p. 152: Dido's 

 story; cf. also p. 176 for both versions of her story. Alonso J. de Salas 

 Barbadillo, "Bibliofilos espaiioles" vol. XXXI, El Necio hien afortunado, p. 

 298, has an interesting passage: "Estaba diciendo k voces estos desatinos 

 no sin causa: ; Oh grande hijo de Venus, heroe generoso, etc. (here follow 

 some of the deeds of Aeneas), en todos esos hechos tenia competidores ; 

 . . . pero huir de una muger blanda y amorosa . . . nadie lo ha 

 heeho sine tvi, valiente Eneas. Tu solo . . . mereces el sonoro monu- 

 mento . . . del gran Virgilio! i Oh, si yo te imitara! etc." In Alonso 

 mozo de miichos amos, by Jer6nimo de Alcala, there are two humorous 

 references; bk. II, chap. 2, to Aeneas bearing Anchises upon his shoulders, 

 II, chap. 5 to Dido. Montalban, Para Todos (7th day, "discurso iiltimo, 

 que se llama lo mejor de lo mejor," par. 32) mentions among famous 

 loving couples Dido and Aeneas, and Persiles and Sigismunda. 



'Menendez y Pelayo's article on Traductores espanoles de la Eneida (2d 

 vol. of Caro's translation, "Biblioteca cliisica," Vols. IX and X) is so 

 complete that little need be added. The doubt expressed about the existence 

 of Natas's translation, i. e., of bk. II of the Aeneid (p. xiii), may be 

 dispelled by Gallardo, Ensayo, etc., Vol. Ill, col. 951 ; cf. also p. 486, n. 2. 

 The long career of a Spanish Aeneid and its extensive popularity, notably 

 during the greater part of the 16th and 17th centuries, can be inferred 

 from the many editions mentioned by Menendez y Pelayo, and, therefore, 

 remain incontrovertible. Only the translation made by Gregorio Hernandez 

 concerns us here. In El Peregrino curioso y grandezas de Espana (16th 

 century) por Bartholome de Villalba y Estaiia, "Bibliofilos espaiioles," 

 Vol. XXIII (Madrid, 1886), the author first asserts "quan mas eastigados 

 son los poetas que los otros auctores," and then adds, p. 28 : "tanbien sobre 

 Virgilio y el Homero traducidos dan votos insipientes; mas consentir en 

 esto nada quiero, pues los dos vertidores son prudentes." Here the reference 

 is manifestly to Hernandez Velasco's version of the Aeneid, since he is 



