GARCILASO

Poor Garcilaso. The end of his book describes the arrival of the Spaniards and the overthrow of Atahualpa. In detail he outlines the Spaniards' approach and arrival at Cajamarca, where Atahualpa would be taken prisoner. A handful of horsemen overthrowing an empire. The discourse between the emperor and the Spaniards is quoted, as though verbatim, from both sides. The Emperor pleading clemency; the Spaniards proselytising the gospel. The twin sides of Garcilaso's genetic inheritance face-to-face.

Who is responsible for what would happen next? How could the great empire whose glory he has just recounted fall to these gold-hungry warriors? How could God make such a mess of things? The writer, who wants to cast each one of the actors in the best of lights, searches for a solution to history's conundrum.

He finds it in the form of Felipe. Felipe is the translator. Who speaks neither Spanish nor Quechua with any great fluency. Who somehow manages to do a botch job on everything anyone has to say. When the Spanish talk with moderation, in the words of Felipe they sound bellicose. When Atahualpa seeks to be reasonable and conciliatory, in the words of Felipe he sounds proud and resistant. All the blame for what is to come belongs to the Indian who somehow managed to persuade the Spaniards he could be their interlocutor. An Empire falls on points of linguistic misunderstanding. It was all the fault of Felipe.

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