# XXXVII: Mirzoza’s Dream explained — The Indiscreet Jewels

> Chapter companion for The Indiscreet Jewels by Denis Diderot.

## What happens

Mirzoza recounts a vivid dream to Mangogul, in which she is transported to a gallery filled with busts of ancient poets and philosophers. A majestic female guide explains the significance of each bust, representing figures like Homer, Virgil, and others. She witnesses a group of black-gowned men offering incense and garlands, followed by pygmies who try to damage the busts but only harm themselves. Another group of pygmies mutilates heads with razors and scissors, while a few try to restore them. The dream ends abruptly as the guide is about to explain further, and Mangogul suggests consulting Bloculocus to interpret it.

## Themes in this chapter

### Literary and Intellectual Satire

The dream allegorically critiques critics, scholars, and commentators who deface or misinterpret classical works, as seen in the pygmies' futile attacks and the black-gowned men's misguided veneration.

### Truth vs. Appearance

The dream contrasts the true beauty of the ancient busts with the distorted perceptions and actions of the pygmies and black-gowned men, highlighting the gap between genuine understanding and superficial or misguided engagement.

## Character check-ins

### Mirzoza

The favorite who recounts her strange dream to the Sultan.

### Mangogul

The Sultan who listens to Mirzoza's dream and proposes consulting Bloculocus for interpretation.

### Bloculocus

The juggler mentioned by Mangogul as the one who can interpret Mirzoza's dream.

## Key lines

> I was in my first sleep, when I imagined that I was transported into an immense gallery quite full of books.

Mirzoza dreams she is in a vast library.

_Sets the scene for the dream sequence._

> From space to space between the presses, that contain’d the books, there were pedestals, on which were placed most beautiful bustos of marble and Bronze.

Between the bookshelves are pedestals holding beautiful marble and bronze busts.

_Describes the arrangement of classical busts in the dream._

> The smoke of their incense stuck to the bustos, and the crowns of flowers put on them made a most ridiculous sight. But the antiques soon resumed their beauty, and I saw the crowns wither and fall shriveled on the ground.

The incense and garlands temporarily mar the busts, but the classical figures quickly regain their original beauty as the decorations decay.

_Illustrates the futility of the black-gowned men's attempts to venerate the busts._

> These little men were not two cubits high, but in recompense they had very sharp teeth and very long nails. They divided into several bands, and fell on the bustos.

Small pygmies with sharp teeth and long nails attack the busts in groups.

_Describes the pygmies' assault on the classical figures._

> But what diverted me much, was that these raps, instead of reaching the nose of the bust, rebounded on that of the pygmy; in consequence of which, upon a close inspection, I found most of them to be flat-nosed.

The pygmies' punches bounce back and hit their own noses, leaving many with flattened noses.

_Highlights the self-defeating nature of the pygmies' attacks._

## Links

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