Asterix in Corsica
Encyclopedia
Asterix in Corsica is the twentieth volume of the Asterix
comic book series, by René Goscinny
(stories) and Albert Uderzo
(illustrations
). It was originally serialized in Pilote
issues 687-708 in 1973. It is the best-selling title in the history of the series, owing to its sales in the French
market, but is one of the lowest-selling titles in the English language.
camps. Instead the reader is shown a map of Corsica
and a multiple of camps around the coast-line.
The story begins with a banquet celebrating the anniversary of Vercingetorix
's victory at the Battle of Gergovia
. As part of the celebrations, the indomitable Gauls
attack the local Roman camps. As a result, most of the Roman soldiers go on special manoeuvres
to avoid the punch-up.
On this particular year various people who have helped the Gauls against the Romans in previous books have been invited along with their wives (this may be because this was the last story published in Pilote
magazine, or because this was the 20th album). They include:
The Roman camp of Totorum, too, has visitors: three Roman soldiers escorting the Corsican leader Boneywasawarriorwayayix, exiled by Praetor
Perfidius. He is left to spend the night in the Centurion
's tent, to its owner's dismay. While the other camps are deserted, the Romans of Totorum have no option but to stay and be decimated by the Gauls and their friends, who discover Boneywasawarriorwayayix awakening from a long siesta.
The proud Boneywasawarriorwayayix attends the Gaulish banquet and leaves the next day for Corsica with Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix accompanying him. At Massalia, he hires a ship crewed by none other than Captain Redbeard and his pirates. When the passengers go aboard it is too dark for the captain and the Gauls to recognise each other. But when, in the middle of the night, the pirates attempt to rob the Corsican and his three companions, they recognize the sleeping Gauls and the entire crew vacates the ship in a rowboat.
The following morning the passengers awake to find to their astonishment that the ship is deserted. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then invites the Gauls to share a pungent Corsican cheese. Not used to the strong smell, they feel unwell, but then the Corsican realises that they are off the coast of his native island, abandons the cheese and excitedly swims ashore.
The arrival of the three men and dog is noticed by a Roman patrol. The Romans go to investigate the ship for anything suspicious, but find nothing. As they leave, the pirates arrive to reclaim their vessel. Unfortunately, the presence of a burning torch ignites the fumes from the Corsican cheese, blowing up the ship.
A keen young Roman called Courtingdisastus captures the pirate captain and takes him as a prisoner before Praetor Perfidius in the Roman city of Aleria
. From him the Romans learn that Boneywasawarriorwayayix, a known revolutionary leader, has returned from exile. Perfidius announces that he must be recaught and appoints Courtingdisastus leader of the party sent to recapture Boneywasawarriorwayayix. But in fact Perfidius has few illusions that the mission will be successful, and starts making his own plans to flee Corsica, leaving his men in the lurch and sailing away with all the loot he has purloined from the Corsicans.
Courtingdisastus and his men go to Boneywasawarriorwayayix' village, but are faced by his second-in-command Carferrix, who intimidates them into fleeing. Meanwhile the Corsican leader and the Gauls travel through the maquis
to a rendezvous where several clan chieftains are to gather and plan their attack on Aleria to recover the wealth the Praetor has extracted from them.
The attack begins before Perfidius can make his escape. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then makes a proud and defiant speech stating that Corsica will never be ruled by an Emperor
unless he is a Corsican himself.
After the victory over the Romans, a vendetta between the clans of Boneywasawarriorwayayix and Olabellamargaritix, fought over various but complicated age-old issues, is settled by the diplomatic Asterix; though, when the Gauls leave, there are strong hints that other Corsican chieftains will resume the feud with Olabellamargaritix even if Boneywasawarriorwayayix has called his off.
The Gauls return home with fond memories of their trip.
Asterix
Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo . The series first appeared in French in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959...
comic book series, by René Goscinny
René Goscinny
René Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
(stories) and Albert Uderzo
Albert Uderzo
Albert Uderzo is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. He is best known for his work on the Astérix series, but also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah, also in collaboration with René Goscinny.-Early life:...
(illustrations
Comic book creator
A comic book creator is someone who creates a comic book or graphic novel.The production of a comic book by one of the major comic book companies in the U.S...
). It was originally serialized in Pilote
Pilote
thumb|Cover of the first Pilote teaser issue, #0.Pilote was a French comics periodical published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois, Blueberry, Achille Talon, and Valérian et...
issues 687-708 in 1973. It is the best-selling title in the history of the series, owing to its sales in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
market, but is one of the lowest-selling titles in the English language.
Plot summary
In most editions of this book the map that is shown before the story begins does not present Gaul and a close-up of the village with the four surrounding RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
camps. Instead the reader is shown a map of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and a multiple of camps around the coast-line.
The story begins with a banquet celebrating the anniversary of Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
's victory at the Battle of Gergovia
Battle of Gergovia
The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC in Gaul at Gergovia, the chief town of the Arverni. The battle was fought between a Roman Republic army, led by proconsul Julius Caesar, and Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix...
. As part of the celebrations, the indomitable Gauls
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
attack the local Roman camps. As a result, most of the Roman soldiers go on special manoeuvres
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
to avoid the punch-up.
On this particular year various people who have helped the Gauls against the Romans in previous books have been invited along with their wives (this may be because this was the last story published in Pilote
Pilote
thumb|Cover of the first Pilote teaser issue, #0.Pilote was a French comics periodical published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois, Blueberry, Achille Talon, and Valérian et...
magazine, or because this was the 20th album). They include:
- Petitsuix from HelvetiaHelvetiaHelvetia is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially Confœderatio Helvetica, the "Helvetic Confederation".The allegory is typically pictured in a flowing gown, with a spear and a shield emblazoned with the Swiss flag, and commonly with braided hair, commonly with a wreath as...
(Asterix in SwitzerlandAsterix in SwitzerlandAsterix in Switzerland is the sixteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo...
), - Huevos Y Bacon and son Pepe from HispaniaHispaniaAnother theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
(Asterix in SpainAsterix in SpainAsterix in Spain is the fourteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was originally serialized in the megazine Pilote, issues 498-519, in 1969, and translated into English in 1971...
), - Instantmix, the Gaulish restaurateur from Rome (Asterix the GladiatorAsterix the GladiatorAsterix the Gladiator is the fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in the magazine Pilote, issues 126-168, in 1962.-Plot summary:...
), - Anticlimax from BritainRoman BritainRoman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
alongside Dipsomaniax the tavern-keeper, McAnix the ScotsmanScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, O'veroptimistix the IrishmanIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and Chief Mykingdomforanos (Asterix in BritainAsterix in BritainAsterix in Britain is the eighth in the Asterix comic book series. It was published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 307-334, in 1965, and in album form in 1966...
), - Drinklikafix of Massalia, Jellibabix of LugdunumLugdunumColonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum was an important Roman city in Gaul. The city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus. It served as the capital of the Roman province Gallia Lugdunensis. To 300 years after its foundation Lugdunum was the most important city to the west part of Roman...
, Seniorservix from GesocribatumLe ConquetLe Conquet is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Geography:Le Conquet is a fishing port in the northwest of Brittany...
(Asterix and the BanquetAsterix and the BanquetAsterix and the Banquet is the fifth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in the magazine Pilote, issues 172-213, in 1963.-Plot:...
), - Winesanspirix and his wife from Gergovia (Asterix and the Chieftain's ShieldAsterix and the Chieftain's ShieldAsterix and the Chieftain's Shield is the eleventh volume in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was originally published as a serial in Pilote issues 399-421 in 1967.The book is inspired by the battle of Alesia, where the Gaulish warrior chief...
).
The Roman camp of Totorum, too, has visitors: three Roman soldiers escorting the Corsican leader Boneywasawarriorwayayix, exiled by Praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
Perfidius. He is left to spend the night in the Centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
's tent, to its owner's dismay. While the other camps are deserted, the Romans of Totorum have no option but to stay and be decimated by the Gauls and their friends, who discover Boneywasawarriorwayayix awakening from a long siesta.
The proud Boneywasawarriorwayayix attends the Gaulish banquet and leaves the next day for Corsica with Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix accompanying him. At Massalia, he hires a ship crewed by none other than Captain Redbeard and his pirates. When the passengers go aboard it is too dark for the captain and the Gauls to recognise each other. But when, in the middle of the night, the pirates attempt to rob the Corsican and his three companions, they recognize the sleeping Gauls and the entire crew vacates the ship in a rowboat.
The following morning the passengers awake to find to their astonishment that the ship is deserted. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then invites the Gauls to share a pungent Corsican cheese. Not used to the strong smell, they feel unwell, but then the Corsican realises that they are off the coast of his native island, abandons the cheese and excitedly swims ashore.
The arrival of the three men and dog is noticed by a Roman patrol. The Romans go to investigate the ship for anything suspicious, but find nothing. As they leave, the pirates arrive to reclaim their vessel. Unfortunately, the presence of a burning torch ignites the fumes from the Corsican cheese, blowing up the ship.
A keen young Roman called Courtingdisastus captures the pirate captain and takes him as a prisoner before Praetor Perfidius in the Roman city of Aleria
Aléria
Aléria is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica...
. From him the Romans learn that Boneywasawarriorwayayix, a known revolutionary leader, has returned from exile. Perfidius announces that he must be recaught and appoints Courtingdisastus leader of the party sent to recapture Boneywasawarriorwayayix. But in fact Perfidius has few illusions that the mission will be successful, and starts making his own plans to flee Corsica, leaving his men in the lurch and sailing away with all the loot he has purloined from the Corsicans.
Courtingdisastus and his men go to Boneywasawarriorwayayix' village, but are faced by his second-in-command Carferrix, who intimidates them into fleeing. Meanwhile the Corsican leader and the Gauls travel through the maquis
Maquis
Maquis or macchia is a type of high ground in Corsica covered in thick vegetation, where privateers used to hide. The name has been adopted by a variety of guerilla movements in francophone countries.Maquis may also refer to:-Geography:...
to a rendezvous where several clan chieftains are to gather and plan their attack on Aleria to recover the wealth the Praetor has extracted from them.
The attack begins before Perfidius can make his escape. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then makes a proud and defiant speech stating that Corsica will never be ruled by an Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
unless he is a Corsican himself.
After the victory over the Romans, a vendetta between the clans of Boneywasawarriorwayayix and Olabellamargaritix, fought over various but complicated age-old issues, is settled by the diplomatic Asterix; though, when the Gauls leave, there are strong hints that other Corsican chieftains will resume the feud with Olabellamargaritix even if Boneywasawarriorwayayix has called his off.
The Gauls return home with fond memories of their trip.
Trivia
- Cacofonix is delighted to welcome Instantmix of Asterix the GladiatorAsterix the GladiatorAsterix the Gladiator is the fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in the magazine Pilote, issues 126-168, in 1962.-Plot summary:...
who says he wanted to hear the sound of his voice again. In the story itself they never actually met. Perhaps a more appropriate character would have been Justforkix of Asterix and the NormansAsterix and the NormansAsterix and the Normans is the ninth book in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 340-361, in 1966...
who really did enjoy Cacofonix's music. - Roman Centurion Hippopotamus, of the camp where Boneywasawarriorwayayix is held, is based on Goscinny and Uderzo's friend Pierre TcherniaPierre TcherniaPierre Tchernia was born Pierre Tcherniakowski on January 29, 1928 in Paris. In France known as "Magic" Tchernia and Monsieur Cinema, he is a cinema and television producer, screenwriter, presenter, animator and actor.- Career :...
who also appeared in other stories. - The stereotypes of Corsicans seen in the album (pride, vendetta, feuds, old men sitting and commenting, grim glare) are thought to apply also to the Cretans; Greek editions Mamouthcomix made a special translation of the album in the Cretan GreekCretan GreekCretan Greek is a dialect of the Greek language, spoken by more than half a million people in Crete and many thousands in the diaspora....
. In original SerbianSerbian languageSerbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
edition of the episode, Corsicans speak in typical dialect of MontenegroMontenegroMontenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, for similar reasons. - The four old men who sit outside the village and Aleria during the battle are similar to each other (maybe brothers) and only vary in terms of height. The DaltonsThe Daltons (Lucky Luke)The Daltons are fictional outlaws who regularly appear in the Lucky Luke comic book series and are recurrent villains. They were created by Morris and writer René Goscinny...
, villains of the popular Western comic series Lucky LukeLucky LukeLucky Luke is a Belgian comics series created by Belgian cartoonist, Maurice De Bevere better known as Morris, the original artist, and was for one period written by René Goscinny...
(which GoscinnyRené GoscinnyRené Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
also worked on), are also similar to each other, their only differences being their height: from Joe who is small to Averell who is tall. The Daltons, however, are much younger, villainous and vary in intelligence as well as size, while the four old Corsicans are just everyday gossips who appear to be similar in every way but height.
In other languages
- ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: أستريكس فى جزيرة كورسيكا - Catalan: Astèrix a Còrsega
- Croatian: Asteriks na Korzici
- Czech: Asterix na Korsice
- Cretan Greek: Ο Αστερικάκης στην Κορσική
- Danish: Asterix på Korsika
- Dutch: Asterix op Corsica
- German: Asterix auf Korsika
- Greek: Ο Αστερίξ στην Κορσική
- French: Astérix en Corse
- Finnish: Asterix Korsikassa
- Italian: Asterix in Corsica
- Norwegian: Asterix på Korsika
- Polish: Asteriks na Korsyce
- Portuguese: Astérix na Córsega
- Serbian: Aстерикс на Корзици
- Spanish: Astérix en Córcega
- Swedish: Asterix på Korsika
- Turkish: Asteriks Korsika'da