Ariadna et va conduir

Ariadna et va conduir, fa molts anys, durant mitja hora, a través d'un singular però senzill laberint. Et precedia, i donaves un tomb, enmig de veus i figures estrafolàries. Podies seure, si et marejaves, en un racó plàcid, triat pel teu compte. No havies de topar amb el Minotaure. El laberint era intrascendental, sense perill, per a turistes. Quan te'n cansaves, Ariadna acudia, sol·lícita, i et mostrava, amb molta pau, el punt de partença. Si t'endevinava, però, agosarat, et deixava, benèvola -sense ella t'hauries perdut-, la il·lusió de la descoberta del pas de sortida. Ariadna era discreta, a penes parlava, insinuava amb un gest suau la seva guia. Ariadna era mòdica, i jo t'advertia de com l'havies de retribuir: calia convidar-la en plegar de la feina al te i a ballar. Si s'agradava de tu -Ariadna era romàntica, educada a Alemanya- corresponies als sentiments de l'afectuosa noia, t'era lícit de recordar que Naxos sempre quedava molt a prop. La bella dormidora es planyia, en despertar, del silenci, però aviat es consolava: ran de la costa Dionís recollia el destí d'Ariadna. Després varen venir tanmateix temps difícils, i aquell destí es va espatllar, i també el meu, i potser el de tots nosaltres. 

Salvador Espriu, Ariadna al laberint grotesc

Donem la benvinguda a l'any Espriu.
Ens mantindrem fidels.

Arianne led your way, long time ago, for half an hour, through a singular, but easy, maze. She walked ahead of you, and you strolled around, among bizarre voices and shapes. You were free to sit down, if you felt dizzy, in a quiet corner, chosen on your own. You didn't need to stumble on the Minotaur. The maze was trivial, not dangerous, meant for tourists. When you grew tired, Arianne appeared, and obligingly showed you the starting point, so peacefully. If she guessed, though, that you felt bold, she benevolently conceded you (without her, you would have been lost) the illusion of discovering the way out. Arianne was discreet; she hardly spoke; she insinuated her guidance with a soft gesture. Arianne was moderate; and I gave you some advice on how to reward her: you had to take her, after work, to dance and buy her a cup of tea. If she liked you (Arianne was romantic, educated in Germany), and you reciprocated the affectionate girl's feelings, you were allowed to remember that Naxos was not very far away. Waking up, the sleeping beauty grieved over the silence, but shortly afterwards she was reassured: on the shore, Dionysus picked up Arianne's destiny. Later on, hard times came, though, and that destiny was wrecked, as well as mine, and maybe that of us all. 

Salvador Espriu, Ariadna al laberint grotesc