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Rubén Darío's “Dinamita”: The Advent of Left-wing Terrorism in the Americas*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 December 2015
Extract
We Americans cannot complain: Our civilization is European. We have been copying from Europe from the French Revolution on, even to importing the Cafe chantant. So far, we have lacked the application of chemistry to our social order, the end-of-the century use of explosives. Now, even this is on the way here; at least the seed of the tree is among us. It would seem that the corner bootblack, and the sweeper down the street have not yet realized that all the capital of Pereira's is really their capital. The hungry of Europe bring us the contagion of rage stored up for centuries, to our blessed lands, where only the man who doesn't want to, fails to put in his pot the chicken which the goodhearted Henri IV2 wished for the soup pots of his subjects.
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- Research Article
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- Copyright
- Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1985
Footnotes
*
Translater's Note.
Having searched for sometime for the motto “Toda Europa esta minada por las caries socialista” (Ail of Europe is rotten with the caries of socialism) the translator, upon locating the source, feels the entire essay of the great Nicaraguan poet and cri tic, Rubén Darío, should be made available to the English reading public. Translator sincerely believes that Darío's essay has force and contemporary importance.
The essay “Dinamita” may be found in Rubén Darío's Obras completas (Madrid, Afrodisio Aguado, 1955) vol. 4, p. 643-654. Editor's note on p. 597 of cited work, indicates that the essays gathered under the title Mensajes or Mensajes de la tarde, were published serially in La Tribuna (Buenos Aires) 1893-1894 under pseudonymy of “Des Esseintes.” As much as possible, lexicography approximately contemporaneous with the 1890's was utilized in research for notes.
*
Translation and Annotation by Richard B. O'Keeffe Sr.
References
1 “… all the capital of Pereira.” This is probably a reference to Pereira, Leonardo, “… ganadero argentino, murió 1899 …” for whom see Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada (Madrid, Espasa-Calpe, reprint 1958), vol. 43, p. 609 Google Scholar.
2 “Henri IV …” “Je veux qu’il n’y ait si pauvre en mon royaume qu’il n’ait tous les dimanche sa poule au pot.” Ί want there to be no peasant in my kingdom so poor that he is unable to have a chicken in his pot every Sunday.’ de Péréfixe, Hardouin: Hist, de Henry Le Grande (1681), cited in Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (2nd ed.) (New York, OUP, 1958), p. 242 Google Scholar.
3 “Ravachol” “RAVACHOL (François Claudius Koenigstein, dit) anarchiste français (1859–1892) auteur de nombreux attentats, il fut guillotiné” Le Grande Larousse Enciclopédique (Paris, Larousse, 1964) vol. 9, p. 29. See also Boisson, Marius Les attentats anarchistes sous la 3e république (Paris, Les Éditions de France, 1931)Google Scholar NB: Reference only; text not seen by translator. Boisson’s “First Ravachol, with five murders behind him, blew up the homes of several magistrates in 1892, He was caught in a restaurant, brought to trial, and let off with penal servitude for life. Then another jury, intimidated by public outcry, reversed the decision and sent him to the guillotine” is quoted in Shattuck’s, Roger, The banquet years: The origin of the avant garde in France 1885 to World War I (rev. ed.) (New York, Vintage books, 1968) p. 20 Google Scholar. Curiously the index to Shattuck does not list the illustration (photograph) on Plate XVIIIA, between pages 178 & 179, displaying “the anarchist Ravachol’s police card.” Finally “RAVACHOL (ràvà) s. m. Pop. Pantomimeiro, palrador oco e sem siso, individuo charlatáo e exuberante de gestos e palavras (do n. p. Ravachol de um anarquista e agitador francẽs, dos meados do séc. XIX, m. na guilhotina, célebre pela su facundia demagógica). Certo apregoador verborreico de espectáculos de feira popular, nos principios deste século, adoptou este pseudónimo e daqui o popularismo.” Grande Enciclopédia Portuguesa e Brasileira (Lisboa, Editorial Enciclopédia, 1945) vol. 24, p. 454.
4 “Fontaine’s jackass …” LaFontaine, : OEuvres complètes (Paris, Gallimard, 1954)Google Scholar “Le Vieillard et l’âne” p. 138, line 15.
5 “Engels has said of Germany: …” Possibly in monographic publications The Peasant War in Germany (1870) or in Anti-Dühring. Translator is searching for concordance (??).
6 “…, Strauss’, Büchners, …” Strauss, David Friedrich 1808–1874 “en el hegelianismo de izquierda …” Diccionario Enciclopédico Salvai Universal (Barcelona, Salvat, 1976) vol. 19, p. 96 Google Scholar. Büchner, Georg 1813–1837 “Al estudiar la historia de la Revolución francesa fue cuajado en Büchner su talante revolucionario …” DESU, vol. 5, p. 291 Google Scholar.
7 “… to the ignorant and mute lumpenproletariat” = “a las masas populares cerradas e ignorantes”
8 “ ’Come to me,’ Christ explained …” Matthew 11:19.
9 “Todo por el faisán” possibly “Me for the pheasant”?
10 “… Commune Libre cemetery in Berlin//Schafft …” English is translator’s reading of epitaph. Cemetery is possibly “… cementerio de las víctimas de Marzo 1848. Situado junto al hospital de Friederichshain en la Landsberger Allée.” EUI vol. 8, p. 294 (article “BERLIN”).
11 “… St. Paul promises …” is a mis-citation. Text cited is Epistle of St. James 5:4.
12 “… Madame Veto must dance …” “captivity of King John”. John (Jean), II, king of France, 1319–1364 “surnamed ‘The Good’ captive after the Battle of Poitiers, 1356–1360” Encyclopaedia Britannica (14th ed.) (Chicago, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1956) vol. 13, p. 89 Google Scholar. See also article “Jacquerie” in £B-14, vol. 12, p. 861. “ ‘Monsieur’ and ‘Madame’ Veto occurs in the celebrated song called the Carmagnole.” Brewer, : The reader’s handbook (Philadelphia, Lippincott, 1899) p. 1173.Google Scholar
13 “… La Belle Lamballe” “Marie Thérèse Louise de Savoie-Carignan Lamballe, September 8, 1749—September 3, 1792. … She refused on September 3 to take the oath against the monarchy, and was literally torn to pieces by the mob as she emerged from the courthouse.” Century Dictionary: The Century Cyclopedia of Names (New York, Century, 1914) p. 587.
14 “With the first Turanians …” A classification in the religious/linguistic system of Müller, F. Max 1823–1900, for which see Encyclopaedia Britannica (15th ed.) (Chicago, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1976)Google Scholar “Macropedia” vol. 16, p. 629 (article “RELIGIONS, CLASSIFICATION OF”), EUI vol. 37, p. 251–254 has extensive article on “Millier.” Neither of these articles explains provenance of Dario’s usage. By 1893 Miiller was esteemed but controversial linguist, editor, historian. See Whitney’s, William Dwight, Max Miiller and the science of language (New York, D. Appleton, 1892)Google Scholar which work, cited in A New English dictionary on historical principles, ed. by Murray, James A.H. … (Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1926) vol. X, p. 471 Google Scholar.
15 “zíngaros” = variant form of “cíngaros,” i.e. gypsies. Diccionario de la Real Academia Española (19. ed.) (Madrid, RAE, 1970) p. 303.
16 “Klemich says to Becker …” Klemich, Oskar b. 1845, author of Der Egoismus als Welt Prinzip (2. aufl.) (Dresden, 1877)Google Scholar and Die Nationalitatsdunkel, eine Studie für Mords-Patrioten, Erbfeinde und sonstige Chauvinisten (Dresden, 1877). NB: reference only; these works not seen by translator. Johann Philip Becker, 1809–1886 “demagogo y revolucionario alemán, … más tarde afilióse al entonces naciente partido socialista, y dirigió varias publicaciones de éste, siendo uno de los más entusiastas de la Asociación Internacional de Obreros y de las teorías colectivistas de Karl Marx …” EUI vol. 7, p. 1413. “As characterized by F. Engels, ’he was a man who honorably took part in the liberation struggle of three generations …’ ” Great Soviet Encyclopedia (New York, Macmillan, 1973) vol. 3, p. 93.
17 “rich-baiter” = “come-ricos”
18 “others of that ilk” = “otros, ejusdem farinae” Jones, : Dictionary of foreign phrases and classical quotations. (Edinburgh, John Grant, 1949) p. 36 Google Scholar
19 “Frank Duperrut …” Possibly author of Résolutions (Lausanne, La Concorde, 1911) NB: Reference seen in The National Union Catalog: Pre-1956 imprints (London, Mansell, 1971) vol. 152. p. 271.
20 see note 16.
21 “… Vorwàrts …” “VORWAERTS; Berliner Volksblatt (Sozial demokratische partie Deutsch-lands) Berlin v. 1–50 18847–1933. Zentralorgan SPD.” Union List of serials in libraries of the U.S. and Canada. (3rd ed.) (New York, H. W. Wilson, 1965) vol. 5.
For a fine historical summary see article “VORWÀRTS” in EUI vol. 69, p. 1147.
22 “The model republic of Cabet …” Cabet, Etienne 1788–1856 “Political radical, born Dijon, France. Involved in the revolution of 1830; exiled for radical articles (1834–39). Influenced by Robert Owen, led a group to Nauvoo, 111. (1849) to found a Utopian community, called Icaria; became American citizen (1854); withdrew from community after dissension (1856).” Webster’’s biographical dictionary (1st ed.) (Springfield, Mass., G&C Merriam Co., 1943)Google Scholar. See also GLE, vol. 2, p. 472; more extensive biographical article in EUI, vol. 10, p. 115.
23 “ravacholizar” see note #3. Verbal coinage has not been admitted by DRAE-19.
24 “… melinite, panclastite …” From Century Dictionary (New York, Century, 1914): “MELINITE, n. An explosive of French invention, consisting of picric acid and guncotton dissolved in ether …” “PANCLASTITE, n. An explosive composed of liquid nitrogen tetroxid mixed with carbon disulphid or other liquid combustible …”
25 “De Amicis …” See biographic entries under “DE AMICIS” in Dizionario Enciclopedico Italiano (Roma, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 1970), vol. III, p. 768; and in Enciclopedia Italiana (Roma, Istituto Enciclopedia, 1950), vol. XII, p. 432 See entry under “AMICIS” (Edmondo de) in EB–14, vol. 1, p. 807; EB-15, “Micropedia,” vol. Ili, p. 413; also “AMICIS, Edmundo de … 846–1908 … En sus últimos años escribió sobre moral, sociología e historia …” EUI, vol. 5, p. 167–68.
26 “Séverine …” Pseudonym of Carolina Guebhard Remy, “periodista francesa, nació en Paris 1855… defendió el socialismo …” EUI, vol. 50, p. 769; longer biography in Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada: Apéndice (Madrid, Espasa-Calpe, 1930) vol. 9, p. 76-77 with portrait. Died 24 April 1929.
27 “Ernest Waldow.” Pseudonym of Lodoiska von Blum, NUC Pre-1956 imprints. Identical articles except for necrology in EUI, vol. 8, p. 1205; and EUI Apéndice, vol. 2, p. 322 “muerta 16 Oct. 1927.”
28 “Solomon Friedman …” Possibly an anarchist in Catarina. Title unattested.
29 “Liceo theatre of Barcelona.” New York Times Index: “July 1-December 31, 1893: Lyceum Th. dynamite explosions; J. Codina’s confession, Nov. 9, p. 9, col. 3; Dec. 20, p. 8, col. 4; and Dec. 24, p. 16, col. 7.” “From Spain, in November 1893, came the news that an anarchist had thrown two bombs into the Teatro Liceo … 20 people were killed …” Kedward, Roderick, The anarchists (New York, American Heritage Press, 1971) p. 41 Google Scholar.
30 “… popular novelist Gerstoetexker …” Probably Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Gerstäcker, 1816–1872. See Oxford companion to German literature (Garland) (Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1976) p. 277.
31 “Catulle Mendès …” Catulle Mendès, 1841–1909. “Il prodigait aussi des romans d’une perversite subtile …” GLE, vol. 7, p. 250. See also article on “MENDES, Cátulo” in EUI, vol. 34, p. 581–82.
32 “Hauptmann …” Gerhart Johann Robert Hauptmann, 1862–1946. See OCtGL, p. 345–46 for biography of Hauptmann; p. 919 for synopsis of Die Weber (1892). First English translation cited in NUC Pre-1956 imprints is dated 1899; Les Tisserands, traduction Française de M. Jean Thorel. Representé pour la première fois, à Paris au Théâtre-libre, i.e. 29 mai 1893. (Paris, G. Charpentier, 1893).
33 “Paul Schlenter …” = Schlenther, Paul, 1854–1916, author of Theater im 19. jahrhundert … (Berlin, Selbstverlag der Gesellschaft für theatergeschichte, 1930)Google Scholar. NB: Citation seen in NUC Pre-1956 imprints only, work not seen. Further biographic notice of Schlenther in EUI, vol. 54, p. 1032; Der Grosse Brockhaus (Wiesbaden, Brockhaus, 1956), vol. 10, p. 404.
34 “Three serpents manage to be seen at the head of the Eumenide.” “Their appearance is described by Aeschylus as Gorgo-like, their bodies covered with black, serpents twined in their hair …” Harper’s dictionary of classical literature and antiquity, ed. by Peck, H. T. (New York, Cooper, 1963) p. 693 Google Scholar. Further reference to the Aeschylean character of The weavers will be found in New Century classical handbook (New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1962) p. 459–60.
35 “… Tribulat Bonhommet of the delightful Villiers de L’Isle Adam …” For Tribulat Bonhomet’s proposed suppression of revolution by encouragement of drunkenness, see Conroy, William T., Villiers de L’Isle Adam (Boston, Twayne, 1978) p. 119–20Google Scholar. Summary of the five short stories, including “Banquet of the Eventualists,” see Kindlers Literatur Lexikon (München, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, 1974), Band 22, p. 9550–9551.
36 “… to his son in faith, Timothy: … content with this” = I Timothy 6:9 and I Timothy 6:8 respectively.
37 “… commisionary Obligado …” Possibly Rafael Obligado, 1851–1920, “Poeta argentino … tomando del pueblo solamente los temas.” Diccionario de la literatura española (4th ed.) (Madrid, Revista de Occidente, 1972) p. 653.