Cervantes’ tale of the deranged gentleman who turns knight-errant,tilts at windmills and battles with sheep in the service of the lady of his dreams, Dulcinea del Toboso, has fascinated generations of readers, and inspired other creative artists such as Flaubert, Picasso and Richard Strauss. The tall, thin knight and his short, fat squire, Sancho Panza, have found their way into films, cartoons and even computer games...

Cervantes’ tale of the deranged gentleman who turns knight-errant,tilts at windmills and battles with sheep in the service of the lady of his dreams, Dulcinea del Toboso, has fascinated generations of readers, and inspired other creative artists such as Flaubert, Picasso and Richard Strauss. The tall, thin knight and his short, fat squire, Sancho Panza, have found their way into films, cartoons and even computer games. Supposedly intended as a parody of the most popular escapist fiction of the day, the "books of chivalry", this precursor of the modern novel broadened and deepened into a sophisticated, comic account of the contradictions of human nature. On his "heroic" journey Don Quixote meets characters of every class and condition, from the prostitute Maritornes, who is commended for her Christian charity, to the Knight of the Green Coat,who seems to embody some of the constraints of virtue. Cervantes’ greatest work can be enjoyed on many levels, an suffused with a subtle irony that reaches out to encompass the reader, and does not leave the author outside its circle.

Peter Motteux’ s fine eighteenth-century translation, acknowledged as one of the best, brilliantly succeeds in communicating the spirit of the original Spanish.

PART ONE

THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE TO THE READER

BOOK I

I The quality and manner of life of the renowned Don Quixote

de la Mancha

II Of Don Quixote’s first Sally

III An Account of the pleasant method taken by Don Quixote

to be dubbed a Knight

IV What befell the Knight after he had left the Inn

V A further Account of our Knight’s Mioeortunes

VI Of the pleasant and curious scrutiny with the Curate and the

Barber made of the Library of our ingenious Gentleman

VII Don Quixote’s second Sally in quest of Adventure

VIII Of the good success which the valorous Don Quixote had in

the most terrifying and never-to-be-imagined Adventure

of the Wind-Mills, with other transactions worthy to be

transmitted to posterity

BOOK II

I The event of the most stupendous Combat between the brave

Biscainer and the valorous Don Quixote

II What farther befell Don Quixote with the Biscainer; and of

the danger he ran among a parcel of Yanguesians

III What passed between Don Quixote and the Goatherd

IV The Story which a young Goatherd told to those that were

with Don Quixote

V A continuation of the Story of Marcella

VI The unfortunate Shepherd’s Verses and other

unexpected matters

BOOK III

I Giving an Account of Don Quixote’s unfortunate Rencounter

with certain bloody-minded and wicked

Yanguesian Carriers

II What happened to Don Quixote in the Inn which he took

for a Castle

III AfurtherAccount of the innumerable Hardships which the

brave Don Quixote, and his worthy Squire Sancho,

underwent in the Inn

IV Of the Discourse between the Knight and the Squire, with

other matters worth relating

V Of the wise Discourse between Sancho and his Master; as

also of the Adventure of the Dead Corpse, and other

famous Occurrences

VI Of a wonderful Adventure achieved by the valorous Don

Quixote de la Mancha; the like never compassed with less

danger by any of the most famous Knights in the World

VII Of the high Adventure and Conquest of Mambrino’s Helmet,

with other Events relating to our invincible Knight

VIII How Don Quixote set free many miserable creatures, who

were carrying, much against their wills, to a place

they did not like

IX What befell the renowned Don Quixote in the Sierra Morena

(Black Mountains), being one of the rarest Adventures

in this Authentic History

X The Adventure of the Sierra Morena continued

XI Of the Strange Things that happened to the valiant

Knight of La Mancha in the Black Mountains: and of

the Penance he did there, in imitation of Behenebros,

or the Lovely Obscure

XII A continuation of the refined Extravagancies by which the

gallant Knight of La Mancha chose to express his Love

in the Sierra Morena

XIII How the Curate and Barber put their Design in execution;

with other things worthy to be recorded.in this

important History

BOOK IV

I The pleasant new Adventure the Curate and Barber met

with in the Sierra Morena, or Black Mountains

II An account of the beautiful Dorothea’s Discretion, with

other pleasant Passages

III The pleasant Stratagems used to free the enamoured Knight

from the rigorous Penance which he had undertaken

IV The pleasant Dialogue between Don Quixote and his Squire

continued, with other Adventures

V What befell Don Quixote and his Company at the Inn

VI The Novel of the Curious Impertinent

VII In which the History of the Curious Impertinent is pursued

VIII The conclusion of the Novel of the ’Curious Impertinent’;

with the dreadful Battle betwixt Don Quixote and certain

Wine-Skins

IX Containing an account of many surprising Accidents in

the Inn

X The History of the famous Princess Micomicona continued,

- with otherpleasant Adventures

XI A continuation of Don Quixote’s curious Discourse on Arms

and Learning

XII Where the Captive relates his Life and Adventures

XIII The Story of the Captive continued

XIV The Adventures of the Captive continued

XV An Account of what happened afterwards at the Inn,

with several other Occurrences worth notice

XVI A pleasant Story of the young Muleteer, with other strange

adventures that happened at the Inn

XVII A continuation of the strange and unheard-of Adventures

in the Inn

XVIII The Controversy about Mambrino’s Helmet and the

Pack-Saddle disputed and decided; with other Accidents,

not more strange than true

XIX The notable Adventure of the Officers of the Holy

Brotherhood with Don Quixote’s great ferocity and

enchantment

XX Prosecuting the course of Don Quixote’s enchantment

with other memorable Occurrences

XXI Containing a continuation of the Canon’s Discourse upon

books of Knight-Errantry, and other curious matters

XXII A relation of the wise Conference between Sancho and

his Master

XXIII The notable Dispute between the Canon and Don Quixote;

with other matters

XXIV The Goatherd’s entertaining Tale

XXV Of the Combat between Don Quixote and the Goatherd:

with the rare Adventure of the Penitents, which the

Knight happily accomplished with the sweat of his brows

PART TWO

THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE

I Whatpassed between the Curate, the Barber, and Don

Quixote, concerning his Indisposition

II Of the memorable Quarrel between Sancho Panfa, and

Don Quixote’s Niece and Housekeeper; with other

pleasant passages

III The pleasant Discourse between Don Quixote, Sancho

Panfa, and the Bachelor Carrasco

IV Sancho Panga satisfies the Bachelor Samson Carrasco in

his doubts and queries; with other passages fit to be

known and related

V The wise andpleasant Dialogue between Sancho Panfa,

and Teresa Panga his Wife; together with other passages

worthy of happy memory

VI What passed between Don Quixote, his Niece, and the

Housekeeper: being one of the most important chapters

in the whole History

VII An account of Don Quixote’s Conference with his Squire,

and other most famous passages

VIII Don Quixote’s success in his Fourney to visit the Lady

Dulcinea del Toboso

IX Which gives an account of things which you will know

when you read it

X How Sancho cunningly found out a way to enchant the

Lady Dulcinea; with other passages no less certain

than ridiculous

XI Of the stupendous Adventure that befell the valorous

Don Quixote, with the Chariot or Cart of the Court

or Parliament of Death

XII The valorous Don Quixote’s strange Adventure with the

Knight of the Mirrors

XIII The Adventure with the Knight of the Wood continued;

with the wise and pleasant Discourse that passed

between the two Squires

XIV A continuation of the Adventure of the Knight of the Wood

XV Giving an account who the Knight of the Mirrors and

his Squire were

XVI What happened to Don Quixote, with a sober Gentleman

of La Mancha

XVII Where you will find set forth the highest and utmost proof

that the great Don Quixote ever gave, or could give of

his incredible courage, with the successful issue of the

Adventure of the Lions

XVIII How Don Quixote was entertained at the Castle or House

of the Knight of the Green Coat, with other extravagant

passages

XIX  The Adventure of the amorous Shepherd, and other

comical passages

XX An account of rich Camacho’s Wedding, and what befell

poor Basil

XXI  The Progress of Camacbo’s Wedding, with other delightful

accidents

XXII An account of the great Adventure of Montesinos’ Cave,

situated in the heart of La Mancha, which the valorous

Don Quixote successfully achieved

XXIII Of the wonderful things that the unparalleled Don Quixote

declared he had seen in the deep Cave of Montesinos,

the greatness and impossibility of which makes this

Adventure pass for apocryphal

XXIV Which gives an account of a thousand flimflams and stories,

as impertinent as necessary to the right understanding

of this grand History

XXV  Where you find the grounds of the Braying Adventures,

that of the Puppet-Player, and the memorable divining

of the fortune-telling Ape

XXVI A pleasant account of the Puppet-Play, with other good

things truly

XXVII Wherein is discovered who Master Peter was, and his Ape;

as also Don Quixote’s ill success in the Braying Adventure,

which did not end so happily as he desired and expected

XXVIII Of some things which Benengeli tells us so that he that

reads shall know, if he reads them with attention

XXIX The famous Adventure of the Enchanted Park

XXX  What happened to Don Quixote with the fair Huntress

XXXI  Which treats of many and great matters

XXXII Don Quixote’s answer to his Reprover, with other grave

and merry accidents

XXXIII The relishing Conference which the Duchess and her

women held with Sancho Panca, worth your reading

and observation

XXXIV Containing ways and means for disenchanting the peerless

Dulcinea del Toboso, being one of the most famous

Adventures in the whole book

XXXV Wherein is contained the Information given to

Don Quixote how to disenchant Dulcinea, with

other wonderful passages

XXXVI The strange and never-thought-of Adventure of the

disconsolate Matron, alias the Countess Trifaldi, with

Sancho Panga’s Letter to his wife Teresa Panca

XXXVII The famous Adventure of the disconsolate Matron

continued

XXXVIII The account which the disconsolate Matron gives of her

Misfortune

XXXIX Where Trifaldi continues her stupendous and memorable

Story

XL Of some things which relate to the Adventure, and

appertain to this memorable History

XLI  Of Clavileno ’s (alias Wooden Peg’s) arrival, with

the conclusion of this tedious Adventure

XLII The instructions which Don Quixote gave Sancho Panga,

before he went to the Government of his Island, with

other matters of moment

XLIII The second part of Don Quixote’s advice to Sancho Panga

XLIV How Sancho Panga was carried to his Government, and

of the strange Adventures that befell Don Quixote in the

Castle

XLV How the great Sancho Panga took possession of his Island,

and in what manner he began to govern

XLVI Of the dreadful alarms given to Don Quixote by the Bells

and Cats, during the course of Altisidora’s amours

XLVII A further account of Sancho Panga’s behaviour in his

Government

XLVIII What happened to Don Quixote with Donna Rodriguez,

the Duchess’s woman; as also other passages worthy to be

recorded, and had in eternal remembrance

XLIX  What happened to Sancho Panga as he went his rounds

in his Island

L  Who the Enchanters and Executioners were that whipped

the Duenna, and pinched and scratched Don Quixote;

with the success of the Page that carried Sancho’s letter

to his wife Teresa Panga

LI A continuation of Sancho Panga’s Government, with

other passages, such as they are

LII A relation of the Adventures of the second disconsolate or

distressed Matron, otherwise called Donna Rodriguez

LIII The toilsome end and conclusion to Sancho Panca’s

Government

LIV Which treats of matters that relate to this History, and

no other

LV What happened to Sancho by the way, with other matters,

which you will have no more to do than to see

LVI Of the extraordinary and unaccountable Combat between

Don Quixote de la Mancha, and the Lacquey, Tosilos,

in vindication of the Matron Donna Rodriguez’s daughter

LVII How Don Quixote took his leave of the Duke, and what

passed between him and the witty wanton Altisidora,

the Duchess’s damsel

LVIII How Adventures crowded so thick and threefold on

Don Quixote, that they trod upon one another’s heels

LIX Of an extraordinary Accident that happened to

Don Quixote, which may well pass for an Adventure

LX  What happened to Don Quixote in Barcelona

LXI Don Quixote’s entry into Barcelona, with other Accidents

that have less ingenuity in them than truth

LXII The Adventure of the Enchanted Head, with other

impertinences not to be omitted

LXIII Of Sancho’s Misfortune on board the Galleys, with the strangt

Adventures of the beautiful Morisca (Moorish lady)

LXIV Of an unlucky Adventure, which Don Quixote laid most to

heart of any that had yet befallen him

LXV An account of the Knight of the White Moon,

Don Gregorio’s enlargement, and other Passages

LXVI - Which treats of that which shall be seen by him who reads

it, and heard by him who listens when it is read

LXVII How Don Quixote resolved to turn Shepherd, and lead a

rural life, for the year’s time he was obliged not to bear

arms; with other passages truly good and diverting

LXVIII The Adventure of the Hogs

LXIX Of the most singular and strange Adventure that befell

Don Quixote in the whole course of this famous History

LXX  Which comes after the sixty-ninth, and contains several

particulars necessary for the illustration of this History

LXXI  What happened to Don Quixote, and his Squire, in their

way home

LXXII How Don Quixote and Sancho got home

LXIII Of the ominous Accidents that crossed Don Quixote as

he entered his village, with other Transactions that

illustrate and adorn this memorable History

LXXIV How Don Quixote fell sick, made his last will, and died