A Death in Cajamarca, Peru (Atahualpa, in Cajamarca ((in English and Spanish))

The Epic Poem:

A Death in Cajamarca, Peru
[Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]

Advance: This is a version, not a translation of any kind, on the incarceration and death of Atahualpa the Inca King of the Inca Empire, in the 16th century (Peru).

Atahualpa, enduring in Cajamarca
Greeted by De Soto, his free friend from Spain!
"Be Calm! These times will be tolerant to you."
By Riquelme, who is wearied with this place?
Unsatisfied with checkmate, looks upon Atahualpa
As simply detestable-blazing, bleak, uninviting,
And longs again to find himself in Spain,
After the embarrassment of defeat,
By the captive slave Atahualpa, Inca King
Who gave advice to Captain Hernando De Soto
And got inevitable checkmate?.
And friends and feast-saw more than all, its games-
This life seemed blank and flat. He slacks to rest
In its vast prison all alive with walls, listening
And quivering combatants with Inca robes-the air
Delighted by the roaring fermatas of men-
The sunlit canopy heaving overhead,
Inflamed and stained against its corded veins
And fluttering out its border with piercing testimony-
The wild warriors roaring from the pit below-
The wilder crowded soldiers from above
With one long yell that sends the startled blood
With thrill and sudden flush into the knees-
A hundred voices screaming-to the Inca King
Of Spanish horses galloping across the land-
The ring of swords, the sharp clashes of steel-
Live swords that spin in circles with bloody red-
Gall helmets flashing 'neath their torrent hair-
A conjuring, prophetic God-to them
Worse than the furor-the eyes of Atahualpa
To the Peruvian Indians-doing nothing-
Their muscle strained-and then comes slavery;
"Abet!-that's God's will," says Atahualpa to his people!
"?tha?s, 't is their Spain-'t is not ours and mine."

And yes, Atahualpa felt the great God was by his side
He stands with face up, as if he sees and believes
The game he so illustrates, and says, "That's death!"
"Ah! For my Spain!" I speak his very words
As for his group, I know them, every one-
An odd crazy place and full of make up, untamed-
Soto, Rada, Chavez, Atienza, and Riquelme
All seemed to me fine men devoid of revenge-
A little crazed-but who is entirely sane?
They went about with war as they were taught,
And gave away their laughter but not the gold,
And all their talk was of gold and uproar.

If Spaniards thought and said they were gods,
'T was undisruptive foolishness, not deserving death
Death to the riddled Inca King, Atahualpa

What most aroused Atahualpa's brother, Titu--
Was that his brother gave the Spaniards his resources,
And cried that wealthy men would pay his ransom;
And, worst of all, roundly denounced his people,
With all their cries to fight the Spaniards greed-;
Said they were frauds who made stretched prayers;
And were at best, only devil conquistadors;
And this it was that brought Pizarro to his death.

As it was Riquelme who voted to hang Atahualpa
Those who went with him did not believe in him
Were mostly dull, uneducated men
Simple and dazed by what he said,
And misconceiving every word he said.
He led them by an enthralled fear;
They followed him like rebels, where he went,
With feelings mixed of wonder, fear and dread.
Stricken with fear until they hung him!...

Thus much was said, by the ruling hand of Pizarro
I hear him fuming in the court below, like Pilot,
Cursing his servants and Spain.

The sun is dropping-all the sky's ablaze-
A half hour hence all will be boring and grey
again;
On through the blinding eyes of the many--
don Francisco Pizarro, like Titus of Rome
Announces the unjustifiable execution of
Atahualpa!...

As long as Inca's shall be know to men
Riquelme's name shall bear the brand of ill repute,
The curse, of generations still unborn! ...

#744 6/2005

Spanish Version

Una Muerte en Cajamarca, Per?
(Atahualpa)

Avance: Esta es una versi?n, no una traducci?n de ninguna clase, sobre el encarcelamiento y la muerte de Atahualpa, el Rey Inca del Imperio Incaico, en el siglo XVI (Per?).

Atahualpa, sufriendo en Cajamarca
Saludado por De Soto, su amigo emancipado de Espa?a
"?Ten calma! Estos tiempos ser?n tolerantes para ti".
Por Riquelme, que est? cansado de este lugar
Insatisfecho con el jaque mate, mira a Atahualpa
Como simplemente detestable-con ardimiento, triste poco atractivo,
Y anhela otra vez encontrarse en Espa?a.
Despu?s de la verg?enza de la derrota,
Por el esclavo cautivo Atahualpa, Inca Rey
Quien dio un consejo al Capit?n Hernando De Soto
Y consigui? un jaque mate inevitable?
Y amigos y fest?n-vieron m?s que todo, sus juegos-
Esta vida pareci? blanca y plana. ?l inerte para descansar
En su prisi?n extensa toda con paredes vivas, escuchando
Y combatientes temblorosos con trajes de incas-el aire
Encantado con el rugir creciente de hombres-
El pabell?n iluminado por el sol levantado en lo alto
Inflamado y manchado contra sus acordonadas venas
Y ondeando fuera de sus bordes con desgarradores testimonios-
Los guerreros salvajes rugiendo desde el abismo-
Los soldados m?s salvajes atestados gritando desde arriba
Con un grito largo que env?a la sangre sobresaltada
Con estremecimiento y corriente repentina a las rodillas-
Un ciento de voces gritando-al Inca Rey
De caballos espa?oles galopando a trav?s del terreno-
El toque de espadas, los choques agudos del acero.
Espadas vivas que giran en c?rculos con rojo sangriento-
Cascos, destellando bajo sus voluminosos pelos-
La prestidigitaci?n de un Dios prof?tico-para ellos
Peor que el esc?ndalo-los ojos de Atahualpa
A los indios peruanos-de no hacer nada-
Sus m?sculos tensos-y luego viene esclavitud;
"??nimo!-?sta es la voluntad de Dios", dice Atahualpa a su gente
"? ??sta es, ?sta es su Espa?a-esto no es m?o o nuestro".

Y si, Atahualpa sinti? que el gran Dios estaba de su lado
?l est? de pie, con la cara elevada, como si ?l ve y cree
El juego que ?l as? lo ilustra, y dice, "??sta es la muerte!"
"?Ah! Por mi Espa?a!" Yo digo sus propias palabras
Como por su grupo, yo los conozco, a todos-
Un raro lugar loco y constituido de ind?mitos-
Soto, Rada, Ch?vez, Atienza y Riquelme
Todos me parecieron a mi, hombres correctos desprovistos de venganza
Un poco locos-pero ?Qui?n es enteramente sano?
Ellos se ocuparon de la guerra como les ense?aron,
Y regalaron su sonrisa pero no el oro,
Y toda su conversaci?n fue del oro y el alboroto.

Si los espa?oles pensaron y dijeron que eran dioses,
Esto fue una insensatez inquebrantadota, no mereciendo la muerte
Muerte para el enigm?tico Inca rey, Atahualpa

Lo que m?s azuz? al hermano de Atahualpa, Titu-
Fue que su hermano dio a los espa?oles sus recursos,
Y exclam? que hombres ricos pagar?an su rescate;
Y, peor que todo, denunciando rotundamente a su gente,
Con todos sus gritos para pelear la ambici?n de los espa?oles-;
Dijeron que ellos eran fraudes que hicieron rezos extendidos;
Y eran a lo m?s, s?lo conquistadores del diablo;
Y esto fue lo que trajo Pizarro a su muerte.

Como fue Riquelme quien vot? para colgar a Atahualpa
Aquellos quienes fueron con ?l no cre?an en ?l
Fueron sobre todo endebles, hombres sin educaci?n
Simples y aturdidos por lo que ?l dijo,
Y mal entendiendo cada palabra que ?l dijo.
El los condujo con ?l en un miedo cautivado,
Ellos lo siguieron como rebeldes, donde ?l fue,
Con sentimientos mezclados de duda, miedo y temor.
Afligidos con miedo hasta que ellos lo colgaran!....

As?, mucho fue dicho, por la mano gobernante de Pizarro
Yo lo o? exasperarse abajo en la corte, como Pilatos.
Maldiciendo a sus criados y a Espa?a
El sol est? bajando-todo el cielo est? en llamas-
A media hora de aqu?, por lo tanto, todo ser? aburrido y gris otra vez;
Sobre los ojos ciegos de muchos
Don francisco Pizarro, como Tito de Roma
Anuncia la injustificable ejecuci?n de Atahualpa

Mientras el Inca sea reconocido por los hombres
El nombre de Riquelme llevar? la marca de reputaci?n enferma,
La maldici?n, de generaciones aun no nacidas!...

Dennis Siluk his web site is http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

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