A Likely Contemporary Source for the «Damned be the First Builder of Boats» Topos

A LIKELY CONTEMPORARY SOURCE FOR THE«DAMNED BE THE FIRST BUILDER OF BOATS» TOPOS ALFRED RODRIGUEZ JACK E. TOMLINS University of New Mexico The many editions of Tirso de Molina's El burlador de Sevilla that appear in this century (especially fascinated by the Don Juan myth) have brought special attention to Catalinón's strong denunciation of the first man to set forth upon the sea:¡Mal haya aquel que primero pinos en la mar sembró, y que sus rumbos midió con quebradizo madero!' A direct result of this scholarly and editorial interest is the exceptional number of source studies for Tirso's expression available to the inquiring reader. We mif;ht best summarize these, bibliographically, by inserting Wade's note to the specific passage from El burlador de Sevilla into our text: In 541-550 our author is utilizing ancient lore well known to students of the classics. Castro saw a parallel in Lope's Isidro, and he implied that Lope's lines were inspired by one of Horace's odes. Hill and Harlan saw Tirso's source in Ode I, iii. B. B. Ashcom (Hisp, Rev., XI, 1943, 328-33) thought that Tirso used the Medea of Euripides; this theory is denied by Maria Rosa Lida de Malkiel (Hisp. Rev., XXX, 1962, 275-76), who saw no need for postulating for Tirso a knowledge of Grecian tragedy and who was quite certain that he found his inspiration in the Isidro. 2 It is clear from this array of scholarly opinions that a) non-Horatian and 63 64Bulletin ofthe Comediantes Horadan classical sources exist for the topos in question; ' and b) that there is a very definite possibility that Tirso's immedite source is, in fact, Lope de Vega's Isidro: Mal haya aquel que cortó el primero abeto y pino, y por donde no hay camino, incierto camino halló, que a tantas desdichas vino. 4 We have little quarrel with any of the conclusions indicated: the possibility of a direct classical source, any of several, for both Tirso and Lope, or the possibility of such a source for Lope alone, who would then serve as intermediary for Tirso's use of the topos. Both are, in fact, quite possible; but a much closer, contemporary antecedent for both Lope and Tirso, if found, would suppose an even greater degree of possibility, and might even approach the level of 'probable source.' Just such a source is Camoes' Os Lusiadas: O maldito o primeiro, que no mundo ñas ondas velas pos em seco lenho!5 There seems little question regarding the influential presence of Camoes in the Spain of Lope de Vega and Tirso de Molina; and even less so regarding the specific influential presence therein of the Portuguese poet's great epic: Pero ninguno de los poetas excelsos de España fue tan aficionado a Camoes como Lope de Vega. Faria y Sousa, amigo de Lope muchos años, asegura que éste vivió en perenne imitación y alabanza de Camoes. Textualmente: «Lope de Vega me dixo que, cuando se hallava oprimido por penalidades, acudía a leerle i con esso las olvidava» (i,4). Fácil es juntar un ramillete de citas e imitaciones de Camoes en la obra de Lope desde La Arcadia (1598) hasta las Rimas de Burguillos (1634). Lope en un soneto, Sirvió Jacob los siete largos años, identifica su situación amorosa entre la hermosa Micaela y la fea mujer propia, Juana de Guardo, con las figuras de Raquel y Lía. En las Rimas, dedicando un soneto a la pobreza de Camoes, comenta la mala fortuna de los poetas, muertos de hambre en vida, honrados en muerte: Que desatino es de la fortuna, hambre en la vida y mármol en la muerte. Es decir, ve a Camoes como figura hermana de la suya en amores y pobreza. The Topos «Damned Be the First Builders ofBoats»65 Dada esta identificación, ¿quién no supondría que cuando Lope gastó largos años en componer la Jerusalén conquistada (161 1) con intención de dotar a España de una gran epopeya nacional, tomaría a Camoes como dechado?../ Proof of...