EL

FILIBUSTERISMO
Chapter 2:

On the Lower
Deck
Below deck, medical student Basilio and
the young poet Isagani chat with Capitan
Basilio. The younger Basilio first updates
the capitan on the lack of improvement
in Capitan Tiago’s health condition and
supposed continued use of opium.
Their conversation turns to the Spanish
language academy the young men are planning
to start. Capitan Basilio is doubtful of their
success, but the young men calm his doubts by
revealing they expect a permit soon, and that
they have teachers and funds contributed by
fellow students.
The young men move on to other topics including
Paulita, Dona Victorina’s niece and Isagani’s love
interest; Dona Victorina’s hiring of Isagani to look for
Don Tiburcio, and the fact that Don Tiburcio is actually
hiding in Isagani’s uncle’s house. Simoun joins them
briefly, and Basilio introduces him to Isagani.
Also below deck on the rear is Isagani’s
uncle, Padre Florentino, now retired and
with a fortune left to him by his long
departed mother in exchange for his
agreeing to become a priest.
Chapter 3:

The Legends
Padre Florentino and Simoun join the group on
the upper deck, and the captain launches into the
topic of legends about the Pasig river. He talks
about Malapad-na-bato, believed to have been
the home of spirits but later became a bandits’
nest.
Padre Florentino next tells the story of
Doña Jeronima, a woman who had
grown old waiting for her betrothed who
had forgotten her and had gone on to
become the Archbishop of Manila.
To appease her, he prepared a cave for her where
she lived and died. Hearing this, Simoun turns to
Padre Salvi and pointedly remarks at how
ungallant the Archbishop had been. He believes it
would have been more fitting if the lady were shut
up in a nunnery like Santa Clara.
An uncomfortable Padre Salvi changes the topic
and relates a legend of his own about an
unbelieving China man who attacked by a
cayman, invoked St. Nicholas, and the cayman
turned to stone.
As the steamer enters the lake, Ben-Zayb asks the
captain where a certain Ibarra had been killed. The
captain gives a quick account of the pursuit on the
lake thirteen years ago and indicates where Ibarra
had been lost.
THANK
YOU
 SIMOUN
Simoun is the alter ego of Juan
Crisóstomo Ibarra. He has the
appearance of a foreigner, an
American, though of diverse
ancestry. He dresses like an
Englishman and wears blue-tinted
glasses, has a short beard, and has
long white hair.
 BASILIO
An aspiring and so far
successful physician on his last
year at university and was
waiting for his license to be
released upon his graduation.
 ISAGANI
Basilio's friend. He is
described as a poet,
taller and more robust
than Basilio although
younger.
 PAULITA

the girlfriend of
Isagani and niece
of Doña Victorina
 DON TIBURCIO

He was under his wife's

orders of being a proud
Spanish doctor in the
Philippines.
 DONYA VICTORINA
a socialite and friend of Capitan
Tiago. She along with her husband
Don Tiburcio sought to associate
themselves with the influential
figures of San Diego in order to
gain further social status.
PADRE FLORENTINO
parish priest of the town of
Tiani and the adoptive uncle
of Isagani. He eventually
came to shelter both Don
Tiburcio and Simoun from
their respective threats.
 PADRE SALVI
the town curate of San Diego and the
successor of Padre Damaso.
Possessing a rivalry with the town's
alferez, he later orchestrated the
downfall of Crisostomo Ibarra,
manipulating the townspeople in the
process.
 SIMOUN
Simoun is the alter ego of Juan
Crisóstomo Ibarra. He has the
appearance of a foreigner, an
American, though of diverse
ancestry. He dresses like an
Englishman and wears blue-tinted
glasses, has a short beard, and has
long white hair.