76 
Indmna University Studies 
Juana’s attitude toward men is shown in the following lines, 
spoken in the first act, while arguing with Ines not to take 
Bernardo’s indifference toward her so to heart : 
Mira, los mas hombres son 
Mentirosos y traidores; 
Yo se sus engafios, yo, 
Yo se en lo que me fundo; 
Hombre fue en aqueste mundo 
El primero que mintio; 
Mai fuego venga de Dios 
En quien quererlos porfia. 
Yo he de vengar las mujeres, 
Yo, con invencion mas nueva 
Que pudiera a la venganza 
Disponer la astuta griega; 
6 Elios no dicen que quieren 
Las mujeres que requiebran? 
Pues yo he de fingir que adoro 
Aquellos que me pretendan; 
Yo he de comprar su castigo 
Con mi engano, de manera 
Que en las redes de mi industria 
Peligre su resistencia ; . . . 
Mujer soy, y solo vuelvo 
Por las mujeres, que es deuda 
Que pago a la obligacion 
De nuestra naturaleza; . . . 
Porque las mujeres vivan 
Y porque los hombres mueran. 
The reason Juana has for feeling this way is simply that she 
thinks men are deceitful, not trustworthy, and inconstant, re- 
fusing to believe them when they make love. Diana attributes 
all the misfortunes of life to love. She does not love and is 
sure that she never will and would rather die than marry. 
Her feeling, however, comes as the result of much thought and 
study, whereas Juana’s feeling is a less abstract, more personal 
and arbitrary conviction. It is not Diana’s idea, from the 
first, to make men fall in love with her, as it is Juana’s, only 
to spurn them afterwards. It becomes her policy in the case 
of Carlos, but only because he acts indifferently toward her. 
Previous to that, all she asks is to be let alone by the men. 
Juana, accusing men of deceiving, sets about to deceive them 
in revenge. When, in this determination of deception, she is 
