A Maltese translation of Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote in poetic form which Pawlu Montebello (1905-2005) penned in the early 80s of the last century has been discovered in a private collection of the late journalist Anton Cassar. This literary masterpiece is expected to be published on the 400th anniversary of Miguel Cervantes' death on 23 April which is being celebrated in Spain and elsewhere by political and cultural figures.
Don Quixote has been translated into loads of languages including French, German, Italian and English. This interpretation in Maltese in poetic form adds to its lasting influence since the 16th century when Cervantes wrote it.
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) is best known for this major work, considered to be the first modern European novel and one of the best works of Western literary fiction. Cervantes himself states that he wrote Don Quixote in order to undermine the influence of those "vain and empty books of chivalry" as well as to provide some merry, original, and sometimes prudent material for his readers' entertainment.
Last year Cervantes was given a formal burial in Madrid after bone fragments were confirmed to have belonged to Don Quixote's author. The bones were dug up by experts after a near-year-long search at the convent where Cervantes was known to have been buried in 1616.
SKS (Sensiela Kotba Socjalisti), which is publishing this impressive translation, is the only Maltese publishing house that is marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes.