Samson is extremely important to Don Quixote. At first glance we think of him as the antagonist however, as the story progresses we find that he is trying to help the Don. "The ir a key figure that fulfills a double function: to cheer up Don Quijote so that he may go out for the third time and also to induce him to return home." This makes him a pivotal part of this story.

Presence and Sense of Sanson Carrasco | Request PDF. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298984686_Presence_and_sense_of_Sanson_Carrasco.

The balm of Fierabras mentioned in text was in fact widely used during Don Quixote's time. However, this obviously could not heal a man chopped in half. This is just an ode to Cervantes's knowledge in psychopharmacology. While Fierabras would not have healed a split body, it did induce a long sleep that could have allowed the body to heal a bit faster. "The effects of the Balsam of Fierabras are also described by Cervantes: intense vomiting at first, followed by profuse sweating and great fatigue, and finally a deep sleep."

López-Muñoz, Francisco et al. “Psychotropic drugs in the Cervantine texts.” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine vol. 101,5 (2008): 226-34. doi:10.1258/jrsm.2008.070269

Muslims were in-fact threatening Iberia, this is why Alfonzo asked for the Cid's help in protecting them. However. not all Muslims were enemies. As mentioned in the book 'Muslims in Spain, 1492-1814': "It is likewise affirmed that in the Poem of the Cid the Muslims of conquered territories, “although not seen as equals, are not wholly subjugated either.”38 During the eight hundred years of the Christian advance the Muslims who remained in the conquered territories, the Mudejars, were able to preserve their faith, their places of worship, and their cemeteries." As such, not all Muslims were deemed as bad. This why it was so important to mention in this introduction that the relationships between Christians and Muslims were so complex.

Corrales, Eloy Martín. " Introduction". Muslims in Spain, 1492–1814. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004443761_002 Web.

St. Julian was the saint of hospitality. So there should be no question why the Green Knight thanked him along with Christ that he found a place to rest his head. Fun Fact: St. Julian was told he would kill his parents. When coming home he had no idea his parents had come to visit, nor did he know they were asleep in his bed. When he saw two people in his bed he immediately killed them, not knowing they were his mother and father.

Catholic Online. “St. Julian - Saints & Angels.” Catholic Online, https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=400.

In this passage Krishna explains to Arjuna how little death matters in the grand scheme of ones existence according to Hindi beliefs. He is, in fact, speaking of what we now know of as reincarnation. According to Krishna.org, reincarnation is referred to as: "Our state of mind at the time of death determines the state we will attain after death. So we can understand from this that we are eternal. Even though our bodies will get old and die, we, the spirit souls within the bodies, do not die. Death is simply the soul leaving one body and going somewhere else." Not only are we reborn. We come back and start where we left off. It is believed that we will continue this cycle until we have reached complete enlightenment or Nirvana. Once this is reached, we will take our place with the Gods.

“Understanding Reincarnation from Bhagavad-Gita.” Krishna.org – Real Krishna Consciousness, May 27, 2017. https://krishna.org/understanding-reincarnation/.

Mahatma means "who understands Kṛṣṇa. He's mahātmā because his soul is increased in dimension to understand Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you become mahātmā, then you are no longer under the control of this material nature." Krishna is explaining to Arjuna his divinity. However, there are few who understand exactly who he is, and beings capable of such 'Mahatma' are hard to find. To me, it is at this moment that Arjuna reaches the enlightened (or Bodhi) stage of Mahatma.

“Mahatma Means.” Vaniquotes. Lecture on BG 7.7, February 22, 1974. https://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Mahatma_means.