. . . Here sighs one shepherd, there another whines; here is one singing doleful ditties, there another is wringing his hands and making woeful complaints. You shall have one lay him down at night at the foot of a rock, or some oak, and there lie weeping and wailing without a wink of sleep, and talking to himself till the sun finds him the next morning. . . .

In this excerpt from "Don Quixote," Cervantes paints a vivid picture of romanticized pastoral life, capturing the emotional turmoil experienced by shepherds. The phrase "without a wink of sleep" is a powerful illustration of their despair, a nod to the sleepless anguish that love can provoke. This imagery speaks to the broader tradition of bucolic literature where shepherds are often portrayed as victims of unrequited love and relentless longing. By evoking such intense emotional displays, Cervantes satirizes the conventions of pastoral romances that were popular during Spain’s Golden Age. This blend of humor and pathos invites readers to question the idealized depictions of rustic life and the exaggerated sentiments that go along with it. The shepherds' restless night underlines the depth of their sorrow and the folly of their infatuations.