121
Johann Weyer, in his 1583
De praestigiis daemonum, quotes Plutarch
on this subject: «Those who seek sexual pleasures from their spouses
by means of amatory arts and love charms, spend their lives in company with
persons who are stupefied, demented, and totally ruined»
(278). Although Weyer is quoting Plutarch in the context of
denying (with multiple classical references) the efficacy of occult amatory
arts, the Plutarch passage is ambiguous: does it prove that these arts and
charms are ineffective, or that they induce stupor? (N. from the
A.)
122
Pierre Ullman has reminded me that a maga might well wish to bear the hero's child as an end in itself -something that will be well worth investigating in the course of further research book on magas. (N. from the A.)
123
See Lederer, for example. (N. from the A.)
124
Malory's might be the most famous rendering of this version of the tale. El Saffar (1989) also finds significance in Don Quijote's use of Lancelot as a model, but more in the context of his being a knight more faithful to his lady than to his lord. (N. from the A.)
125
It is worth recalling that Rebecca's considerable medical skills were regarded as sorcery. Ackerlind is also instructive (14-32) on the connections between women's healing skills and sorcery or magic. On sex with an infidel, there were also chivalric heroes like Palmerín, who had few scruples about making love to various ladies but was nonetheless horrified at the thought of sexual contact with a mora. On the other hand, these dark ladies with obvious sexual desires not only fulfill male various fantasies, but they provide a contrast to the pure future wife of the hero, who rarely admits to sexual feelings and indeed, often is described as having been overcome by him against her will. (N. from the A.)
126
Richard Predmore remains possibly the best place to start on Don Quijote and enchantment (36-52). Also see n. 41, above. (N. from the A.)
127
To present even a small selection of critical observations
on Don Quijote's wariness/reticence in the presence of women would require many
pages. Weiger comments extensively on his «sexual timidity»
(34-40), while Efron devotes most of a chapter to it (22-64). The
theories of Carroll Johnson regarding the importance of Don Quijote's teenaged
niece, and the homosexual interpretations of Combet and Rossi are well-known.
For an excellent summary, see Ruth El Saffar (1979). Also see Frye on
«chastity and magic»
in the romances (153). (N.
from the A.)
128
See Efron on this and other scenes of Don Quijote's rejection of various ladies (52-4). (N. from the A.)
129
See Castro, El pensamiento de Cervantes, 94-104. (N. from the A.)
130
For further discussion of enchantment in Cervantes, see Avalle-Arce (1974), Castro (1925), Garrote Pérez, Harrison, Maravall, Predmore, and Stackhouse, for instance. (N. from the A.)