Trying to stop slanderers' tongues is like trying to put gates to the open plain.
The quote from "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra suggests that attempting to silence those who gossip or spread falsehoods is a futile endeavor. Just as it is impossible to fully contain an expansive open field with gates, efforts to control or stop slanderers will ultimately be ineffective. This reflects the nature of human communication and the challenges in managing people's words and opinions.
This metaphor highlights the reality that rumors and slander can spread rapidly, much like the wind across an open plain. The book cautions against the fruitlessness of trying to suppress such negative speech, hinting at the larger themes of social dynamics and the impact of public perception that are prevalent throughout Cervantes' work.