February 2009

As in dreams

The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters - Goya

The night of May 1820, while visiting his intermittent madness, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, painter and visionary, had a dream.

dreamed he was with his young lover under a tree. It was the austere countryside of Aragon and the sun was overhead. Her lover was sitting on a swing and he pushed her around the waist. Her lover had a little lace parasol and laughed with short and nervous laughter.

After she dropped her lover and he followed, rolling on the lawn. Slid down the slope of the hill until they came to a yellow wall. They leaned over the wall and saw soldiers, illuminated by a lamp, they were shooting a group of men. The lantern was an inconsistency in that sunny landscape, but livid illuminated the scene. The soldiers fired and the men fell, covering the pools of their own blood. Then Francisco de Goya y Lucientes got painter's brush in his belt and moved menacingly brandishing. The soldiers, as if by magic, they disappeared, frightened at the sight. And in its place appeared a hideous giant who devoured a human leg. Her hair was dirty and the white face, two trickles of blood ran down the corners of her mouth, her eyes were veiled, but she laughed.

Who are you, asked Francisco de Goya y Lucientes.

giant wiped his mouth and said: I am the monster that dominates humanity, history is my mother.

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes stepped and swung his brush. The monster was gone and in its place appeared an old woman. She was a witch with no teeth, leathery skin and yellow eyes.

Who are you, asked Francisco de Goya y Lucientes.

I'm disappointed, "said the old, and dominated the world, because every human dream is a dream brief. Francisco de Goya y Lucientes stepped and swung his brush. The old was gone and in its place appeared a dog. It was a small dog buried in the sand, of which only the head protruding.

Who are you, asked Francisco de Goya y Lucientes.

The dog lifted his neck and said: I am the beast of despair and I laugh at your penas.Francisco de Goya y Lucientes stepped and swung his brush. The dog disappeared and instead a man appeared. It was an old thick, his face swollen and unhappy.

Who are you, asked Francisco de Goya y Lucientes.

The man smiled a tired smile and said: I Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, against me can not do anything.

At that time Francisco de Goya y Lucientes awoke and found himself alone in his bed.

Author: Antonio Tabucchi. The text belongs to the book "Dreams of dreams."