Talk:Captain Alatriste

What term should use for the temporal "job" of Alatriste and the permanent "job" of Malatesta ?

In Spanish would be probably "matón"; something like "espadachin" (swordfighter) mixed with and "asesino a sueldo" (contract killer). But assassin is not good enough.

By the way, not mercenary as Alatriste was always a soldier (except when doing jobs on the side) in the Spanish Tercios and Malatesta was never a soldier or mercenary.

--Carrasco 07:11, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Spoilers
Gee, thanks for telling us where and when he dies in the books and in the movie. I'm editing out the spoilers.Snowgrouse (talk) 16:44, 19 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I don't understand how one can know when he dies in the books if there are books in the series that haven't yet been written. -- Phil Barker 17:45, 19 July 2008 (UTC)

Snowgrouse, articles on fictional works contain spoilers, there's really not much else to talk about otherwise. Check out the Lord of the Rings articles, a featured article by way of example.

Philbarker, the book is told in the first person narrative viewpoint of a much older Inigo (sorry, don't know how to do tilda and accent marks on name). Each book generally stays in the time period, but occassionally Inigo will refer to things that happen in the future of the current story, but still in the storyteller's past. IMHO (talk) 18:25, 12 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Ahh. So it is. I guess then that the information about when Alatriste dies is no more a spoiler than any other information about him (where he lived, what he did ...) I mean, it's not as if it's going to be a point of suspense for any of the stories. -- Phil Barker 12:58, 13 August 2008 (UTC)


 * As to that, I don't remember if the time and place of Alatriste's death is mentioned in any of the first three books. I can only read the English translations and just got a copy of the fourth book this week.  Maybe it comes up in one of the later original Spanish editions, but Inigo's wandering thoughts in his narration would explain how it would come up before the end of the series (I'm assuming it will end with the death of the title character).   IMHO (talk) 17:20, 13 August 2008 (UTC)

I've read the fourth book, and the death is mentioned in a flashforward. I've restored the information about the death, but included the real life writing mechanism- flashforwarding- as well. Please review WP: Spoiler before removing this information. IMHO (talk) 01:20, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

English translations
I've added UK to the publication dates that were listed as date of publication in the USA. Would it be safe to assume that publication in all English speaking countries was in the same year? Then the article could easily be made as general as the coverage of the English language wikipedia. -- Phil Barker 17:43, 19 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I'm pretty sure that books are generally released in Canada at the same time as the USA, probably always for major publishers, but this is just an impression. I have NO idea about Australia, New Zealand or any other English speaking states though.  IMHO (talk) 18:15, 29 October 2008 (UTC)


 * The sixth book has been or is being translated into English. Pirates of the Levant is being released in the UK in August of 2010. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pirates-Levant-Adventures-Captain-Alatriste/dp/0297852493 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.241.102.168 (talk) 22:39, 4 November 2009 (UTC)


 * In the same vein, the sixth book is released in the US--"Pirates of the Levant" again--in September of 2010.

http://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Levant-Captain-Alatriste-Book/dp/039915664X/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.241.89.140 (talk) 03:21, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Name origin-contemporary references
This issue is one of the first that lead me to want to contribute. I do not have the book with me, but in the hardbond English version of The Sun over Breda, there is an author's comment of a few pages discussing the controversy of whether Alatriste was originally in the painting or not, going into the fact that modern examination has determined that parts of the painting were painted over. The tenor of the comments (several pages) leads me to believe that at least the name Captain Alatriste was bandied about in real life 17th century Spain. Of course, there are also the pieces of poetry mentioning Alatriste and attributed to real life contemporary poets as well, included in the backs of each of the books.

Now, it's possible that this is all an elaborate way of making Alatriste seem more real, but again, it doesn't have that feel to it. I am going to try and find my copy of the third book again. Because I am not certain, I put the dispute tag on the current claim on how the name Diego Alatriste came into the book. But I think it's something that should be looked into some more and then properly sourced. IMHO (talk) 01:35, 27 October 2008 (UTC) Edit- author's comment, above, should read Editor's Note (shortened version). IMHO (talk) 01:49, 3 November 2008 (UTC)


 * Well, the claim for the origin of the name certainly needs a citation. My own feeling is that the discussion of Alatriste in the painting is just a way of making the character seem more real.
 * "Erasing the boundary between history and fiction, and in the end being unable to differentiate between the real and the imagined, is a source of particular pleasure for the author. After all, that is why I write novels. "
 * from http://www.perez-reverte.com/Author.asp -- Phil Barker 13:51, 27 October 2008 (UTC)


 * Good thing to keep in mind that quote. As to the caption under the painting, I think that needs to be corrected as well.  Going by memory (still need to find the book, grrrr), but I believe the idea was that Alatriste is supposed to be in the area between the two horses, but in the back.  As best as I can translate from the Spanish version of the article, I think that's what they wrote.  Again, need to find the book.  IMHO (talk) 16:36, 27 October 2008 (UTC)  Edit- Okay, rereviewing stuff from Sun over Breda, he is supoosed to be on the Spanish side.  My mistake.  IMHO (talk) 01:49, 3 November 2008 (UTC)


 * I think that the Sealtiel Alatriste part is sure, but have no references.


 * I also have no references, but think that Pérez Reverte hinted somewhere that Alatriste was the model for Velazquez's Mars.
 * --Error (talk) 20:49, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Got Sun over Breda in hand now. I'm leaning toward the whole editor's note, full title Editor's Note Concerning the Presence of Captain Alatriste in Diego Velazquez's Painting The Surrender of Breda, is more a device to make Alatriste seem to come from history. However, followup would be good, so if anyone wants to check on some of the names and sources he cites, that'd be great. These include:
 * Professor Sergio Zamorano, University of Seville, Breda: Realidad y leyenda. This guy is supposed to mention Alatriste's physical characteristics.  Now if he mentions him by name and it predates the novels, pretty good proof that there is a real life discussion.  If just characteristics, it doesn't decide the issue, but is still noteworthy.
 * Miguel Antón, listed as a translator and scholar and for having written an essay titled "El Capitán Alatriste y la rendición de Bredá," obviously using the name of Alatriste. If this work is verifiable and predates, then the discussion of Alatriste in real life is proven.
 * José Camón Aznar's Velázquez appears to be a real work, the author being listed on Spanish wikipedia and the work listed in his article. Sun over Breda references 508-09, particularly the latter.  This is a 1952 book.  It probably won't resolve anything as Sun Over Breda lists it for proof that there is an "aquiline profile" where Alatriste is said to be, but double checking the actual work would be worthwhile.
 * Reference to an original copy, predating the official copy, of the play The Siege of Breda by Pedro Calderón de la Barca that includes lines explicitly mentioning Alatriste and a scene at the end of Sun over Breda. The editor's note indicates Professor Klaus Oldenbarnevelt of the Instituto de Estudios Hispánicos at the University of Utrecht discovered this copy and that it is housed at the archive and library of the Duques del Nuevo Extremo in Seville (I'm suspecting the names, but don't know any actual meanings- neither professor nor Duques del Nuevo Extremo are listed in Spanish wiki).
 * Last but not least is the reference to "Papeles del alférez Balboa (Lieutenant Balboa's Papers). Manuscript of 478 pages, Madrid, undated.  Sold by the Claymore auction house in London, November 25, 1952.  Currently located in the Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid."  The editor claims that most of the stories are based off these journals of an retired Íñigo.

A last thing I hope to look up is any compiled poetry by Francisco de Quevedo that contains any mention of Alatriste, but that will take some time. If find out anything about the above, please chime in. IMHO (talk) 02:19, 3 November 2008 (UTC)

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Is Alatriste fictional ? historical ? or both ?
It is probably obvious to anyone familiar with the stories but as I have not yet read them it is not to me. Was there ever a real Captain Alatriste or is he entirely fictional? Are these novels based on a real historical figure in any way? The article only says the man is a character in a series of novels but does not state if those novels are purely fictional, strongly historical or partial fiction based on history. I believe this needs to be clarified in the article. 172.88.134.103 (talk) 05:59, 23 April 2018 (UTC)


 * Hola, Alatriste es un personaje ficticio. Una suerte de avatar con el que el autor intenta visitar su interpretación de acontecimientos relevantes de la época de los Austrias Menores. Saludos. 194.30.41.129 (talk) 19:02, 15 March 2023 (UTC)