Stories from Don Quixote . captains of the two armies whichhis disordered fancy had conjured up, and which, as thereader may have guessed, were neither more nor less thantwo vast flocks of sheep, whose bleatings now filled allthe air, mingled with the baying of dogs and the cries ofthe drovers. These sounds only acted as a spur to hisimagination, and he proceeded to describe with epicmagnificence the various nations composing the armies ofthe east and west. From the lush meadows of Xanthus,and from Africs scorching plains, they come, from thegolden sands of Arabia and Thermodons silver stream,
Stories from Don Quixote . captains of the two armies whichhis disordered fancy had conjured up, and which, as thereader may have guessed, were neither more nor less thantwo vast flocks of sheep, whose bleatings now filled allthe air, mingled with the baying of dogs and the cries ofthe drovers. These sounds only acted as a spur to hisimagination, and he proceeded to describe with epicmagnificence the various nations composing the armies ofthe east and west. From the lush meadows of Xanthus,and from Africs scorching plains, they come, from thegolden sands of Arabia and Thermodons silver stream,—from where Pactolus pours his liquid treasures into thelap of Lydia,—from haughty and perfidious Carthage,from Persia, and from Parthia, and from Media. Thereis the wandering Arab, the cruel Scythian, the iEthiopwith jewelled lip, and many a tribe besides, flocking inmultitudes, unnumbered and unnamed. And against 1 The Spanish is Alfeniquen, from Alfefiique, a sort of lozenge, made ofsugar and almonds (Covarrubias).. He lowered his lance and charged down the hill 64 Battle with the Army of the East 65 them march the embattled hosts gathered from everyland and province of Europe. Sancho listened open-mouthed, and the knight was stillin the full flood of his eloquence, when a sudden puff ofwind blew the dust aside, and discovered to view the twoflocks of ewes and rams, whose drivers had much ado tokeep their charges separate. Look, sir, said Sancho,when his master paused to take breath : Beshrew mywits if I can see either soldier, or knight, or giant; butperhaps we are bewitched again, as we were at the inn. What ? answered Don Quixote. Hearest thou notthe neighing of the steeds, the blare of the trumpets, andthe rolling of the drums ? I hear nothing, said Sancho, but a loud bleating ofewes and rams. It is thy terror, replied his master, which hathconfused thy senses, and deprived thee of the proper useof thine eyes and ears. Go hide thyself, poor coward,for my single arm i
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