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Voltaire's Candide or Optimism, Chapter 6

Chapter 6

VI HOW THE PORTUGUESE MADE A BEAUTIFUL AUTO-DA-FÉ, TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER EARTHQUAKES; AND HOW CANDIDE WAS PUBLICLY WHIPPED.

After the earthquake had destroyed three-fourths of Lisbon, the sages of that country could think of no means more effectual to prevent utter ruin than to give the people a beautiful auto-da-fé [6]; for it had been decided by the University of Coimbra, that the burning of a few people alive by a slow fire, and with great ceremony, is an infallible secret to hinder the earth from quaking.

In consequence hereof, they had seized on a Biscayner, convicted of having married his godmother, and on two Portuguese, for rejecting the bacon which larded a chicken they were eating[7]; after dinner, they came and secured Dr. Pangloss, and his disciple Candide, the one for speaking his mind, the other for having listened with an air of approbation. They were conducted to separate apartments, extremely cold, as they were never incommoded by the sun. [Pg 24] Eight days after they were dressed in san-benitos [8] and their heads ornamented with paper mitres. The mitre and san-benito belonging to Candide were painted with reversed flames and with devils that had neither tails nor claws; but Pangloss's devils had claws and tails and the flames were upright. They marched in procession thus habited and heard a very pathetic sermon, followed by fine church music. Candide was whipped in cadence while they were singing; the Biscayner, and the two men who had refused to eat bacon, were burnt; and Pangloss was hanged, though that was not the custom. The same day the earth sustained a most violent concussion.

Candide, terrified, amazed, desperate, all bloody, all palpitating, said to himself:

"If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others? Well, if I had been only whipped I could put up with it, for I experienced that among the Bulgarians; but oh, my dear Pangloss! thou greatest of philosophers, that I should have seen you hanged, without knowing for what! Oh, my dear Anabaptist, thou best of men, that thou should'st have been drowned in the very harbour! Oh, Miss Cunegonde, thou pearl of girls! that thou should'st have had thy belly ripped open! "[Pg 25] Thus he was musing, scarce able to stand, preached at, whipped, absolved, and blessed, when an old woman accosted him saying:

"My son, take courage and follow me."

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Chapter 6 Capítulo 6 Bölüm 6

VI HOW THE PORTUGUESE MADE A BEAUTIFUL AUTO-DA-FÉ, TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER EARTHQUAKES; AND HOW CANDIDE WAS PUBLICLY WHIPPED. |||||||auto-da-fé||||||||||||| VI COMMENT LES PORTUGAIS ONT FAIT UN BEAU AUTO-DA-FÉ, POUR PRÉVENIR TOUT NOUVEAU TREMBLE DE TERRE; ET COMMENT CANDIDE A ÉTÉ PUBLIQUEMENT FOUETTÉ.

After the earthquake had destroyed three-fourths of Lisbon, the sages of that country could think of no means more effectual to prevent utter ruin than to give the people a beautiful  auto-da-fé [6]; for it had been decided by the University of Coimbra, that the burning of a few people alive by a slow fire, and with great ceremony, is an infallible secret to hinder the earth from quaking. ||||||||||||||||||||effective|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Après que le tremblement de terre eut détruit les trois quarts de Lisbonne, les sages de ce pays ne purent penser à aucun moyen plus efficace pour empêcher une ruine totale que de donner au peuple un bel auto-da-fé [6]; car il avait été décidé par l'Université de Coimbra, que le fait de brûler quelques personnes vivantes par un feu lent et avec une grande cérémonie, est un secret infaillible pour empêcher la terre de trembler.

In consequence hereof, they had seized on a Biscayner, convicted of having married his godmother, and on two Portuguese, for rejecting the bacon which larded a chicken they were eating[7]; after dinner, they came and secured Dr. Pangloss, and his disciple Candide, the one for speaking his mind, the other for having listened with an air of approbation. ||of this||||||||||||godmother||||||||||greased or fattened||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| En conséquence, ils s'étaient saisis d'un biscayeur, condamné pour avoir épousé sa marraine, et de deux Portugais, pour avoir rejeté le lard qui lardait un poulet qu'ils mangeaient [7]; après le dîner, ils vinrent trouver le Dr Pangloss et son disciple Candide, l'un pour s'exprimer, l'autre pour avoir écouté avec un air d'approbation. They were conducted to separate apartments, extremely cold, as they were never incommoded by the sun. ||||||||||||hindered obstructed||| Ils ont été conduits dans des appartements séparés, extrêmement froids, car ils n'étaient jamais incommodés par le soleil. [Pg 24] Eight days after they were dressed in san-benitos [8] and their heads ornamented with paper mitres. ||||||||sackcloth garments|sackcloths||||decorated|||miters [Pg 24] Huit jours après, ils étaient habillés en san-benitos [8] et leurs têtes ornées de mitres en papier. The mitre and  san-benito belonging to Candide were painted with reversed flames and with devils that had neither tails nor claws; but Pangloss's devils had claws and tails and the flames were upright. |bishop's hat|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| La mitre et le san-benito appartenant à Candide étaient peints de flammes inversées et de démons sans queue ni griffe; mais les démons de Pangloss avaient des griffes et des queues et les flammes étaient droites. They marched in procession thus habited and heard a very pathetic sermon, followed by fine church music. |||||dressed||||||||||| Ils marchèrent en procession ainsi habités et entendirent un sermon très pathétique, suivi d'une belle musique d'église. Candide was whipped in cadence while they were singing; the Biscayner, and the two men who had refused to eat bacon, were burnt; and Pangloss was hanged, though that was not the custom. ||||rhythmic pattern|||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Candide était fouetté en cadence pendant qu'ils chantaient; le Biscayner et les deux hommes qui avaient refusé de manger du bacon furent brûlés; et Pangloss fut pendu, bien que ce ne fût pas la coutume. The same day the earth sustained a most violent concussion. |||||||||shockwave Le même jour, la terre a subi une commotion cérébrale des plus violentes.

Candide, terrified, amazed, desperate, all bloody, all palpitating, said to himself: Candide, terrifié, étonné, désespéré, tout sanglant, tout palpitant, se dit:

"If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others? Well, if I had been only whipped I could put up with it, for I experienced that among the Bulgarians; but oh, my dear Pangloss! Eh bien, si j'avais été seulement fouetté, je pourrais le supporter, car je l'ai vécu chez les Bulgares; mais oh, mon cher Pangloss! thou greatest of philosophers, that I should have seen you hanged, without knowing for what! ||||that you|||||||||| toi le plus grand des philosophes, que j'aurais dû te voir pendu, sans savoir pour quoi! Oh, my dear Anabaptist, thou best of men, that thou should'st have been drowned in the very harbour! Oh, mon cher anabaptiste, toi le meilleur des hommes, que tu aurais dû être noyé dans le port même! Oh, Miss Cunegonde, thou pearl of girls! that thou should'st have had thy belly ripped open! que tu aurais dû avoir le ventre déchiré! "[Pg 25] Thus he was musing, scarce able to stand, preached at, whipped, absolved, and blessed, when an old woman accosted him saying: Ainsi il rêvait, à peine capable de se tenir debout, prêchait, fouettait, absous et bénissait, lorsqu'une vieille femme l'aborda en disant:

"My son, take courage and follow me." "Mon fils, prends courage et suis-moi."