# LVII Which treats of how Don Quixote took leave of the duke, and of what followed with the witty and impudent Altisidora, one of the duchess’s damsels. explained — Don Quixote

> Chapter companion for Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

## What happens

Don Quixote decides to leave the duke's castle, feeling guilty for his idleness. He takes leave of the duke and duchess, who reluctantly grant permission. Sancho Panza reflects on his lost governorship and his wife's gift of acorns. As they depart, the damsel Altisidora delivers a mocking, lovesick lament accusing Don Quixote of stealing her kerchiefs and garters. Don Quixote denies the theft, and after a playful exchange, the duke and duchess allow them to leave. Don Quixote and Sancho ride out toward Saragossa.

## Themes in this chapter

### Chivalry and Idealism

Don Quixote feels compelled to leave idleness to fulfill his knightly duties, reflecting his commitment to chivalric ideals.

### Love and Worship

Altisidora's exaggerated lament parodies courtly love, as she accuses Don Quixote of stealing her heart and belongings, while he remains devoted to Dulcinea.

### Reality vs. Illusion

The playful accusations and denials about the stolen garters blur the line between genuine grievance and theatrical jest, highlighting the theme of illusion.

## Character check-ins

### Don Quixote

Takes leave of the duke and duchess, feeling guilty for idleness; denies stealing Altisidora's garters; departs for Saragossa.

### Sancho Panza

Reflects on his lost governorship and his wife's acorns; admits to having the three kerchiefs but not the garters; rides out with Don Quixote.

### Altisidora

The impudent damsel who delivers a mocking, lovesick lament accusing Don Quixote of stealing her kerchiefs and garters; later admits she had the garters on all along.

### The Duke

Grants Don Quixote permission to leave; plays along with the joke about the stolen garters, threatening combat but ultimately letting them go.

### The Duchess

Gives Sancho his wife's letters; is amazed at Altisidora's boldness; bids Don Quixote farewell and promises to chastise Altisidora.

## Key lines

> Don Quixote now felt it right to quit a life of such idleness as he was leading in the castle; for he fancied that he was making himself sorely missed by suffering himself to remain shut up and inactive amid the countless luxuries and enjoyments his hosts lavished upon him as a knight, and he felt too that he would have to render a strict account to heaven of that indolence and seclusion;

Don Quixote believed he should leave the castle because he was wasting time in luxury and neglecting his knightly duties, for which he would be answerable to God.

_Don Quixote's motivation for departing is rooted in his chivalric sense of duty._

> After all I went into the government naked, and I come out of it naked; so I can say with a safe conscience⁠—and that's no small matter⁠—'naked I was born, naked I find myself, I neither lose nor gain.'

Sancho reflects that he entered and left the governorship with nothing, so he has neither gained nor lost anything.

_Sancho's philosophical acceptance of his lost governorship._

> Give ear, cruel knight; Draw rein; where's the need Of spurring the flanks Of that ill-broken steed?

Listen, heartless knight; stop and don't spur your poorly trained horse.

_Altisidora's poetic plea for Don Quixote to stay._

> The three kerchiefs I have; but the garters, as much as 'over the hills of Úbeda.'

Sancho admits to having the kerchiefs but denies any knowledge of the garters.

_Sancho's evasive response to Don Quixote's question._

> I beg your pardon about the theft of the garters; for by God and upon my soul I have got them on, and I have fallen into the same blunder as he did who went looking for his ass being all the while mounted on it.

Altisidora apologizes, confessing she had the garters on all along, like someone searching for a donkey while riding it.

_Altisidora's humorous admission that the accusation was false._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/don_quixote_se/chapters/part-ii-lvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/don_quixote_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/don_quixote_se/chapters