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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/831-0.txt b/831-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4769fb7 --- /dev/null +++ b/831-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15379 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Four Arthurian Romances, by Chrétien de Troyes + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Four Arthurian Romances + +Author: Chrétien de Troyes + +Release Date: February, 1997 [eBook #831] +[Most recently updated: June 29, 2023] + +Language: English + +Produced by: Douglas B. Killings and David Widger + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES *** + + + + +FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES: + +"EREC ET ENIDE", "CLIGÉS", "YVAIN", AND "LANCELOT" + + +by Chrétien de Troyes + +Fl. 12th Century A.D. + +Originally written in Old French, sometime in the second half of the +12th Century A.D., by the court poet Chrétien de Troyes. + + + + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +ORIGINAL TEXT-- + +Carroll, Carleton W. (Ed.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Erec and Enide" (Garland +Library of Medieval Literature, New York & London, 1987). Edited with a +translation (see Penguin Classics edition below). + +Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: The Knight with the Lion, +or Yvain (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 48A, New York & London, +1985). Original text with English translation (See Penguin Classics +edition below). + +Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Lancelot, or The Knight of +the Cart (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 1A, New York & London, +1981). Original text with English translation (See Penguin Classics +edition below). + +Micha, Alexandre (Ed.): "Les Romans de Chrétien de Troyes, Vol. II: +Cligés" (Champion, Paris, 1957). + + +OTHER TRANSLATIONS-- + +Cline, Ruth Harwood (Trans.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Yvain, or the Knight +with the Lion" (University of Georgia Press, Athens GA, 1975). + +Kibler, William W. & Carleton W. Carroll (Trans.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: +Arthurian Romances" (Penguin Classics, London, 1991). Contains +translations of "Erec et Enide" (by Carroll), "Cligés", "Yvain", +"Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval" (by Kibler). Highly +recommended. + +Owen, D.D.R (Trans.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" (Everyman +Library, London, 1987). Contains translations of "Erec et Enide", +"Cligés", "Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval". +NOTE: This edition replaced W.W. Comfort's in the Everyman Library +catalogue. Highly recommended. + + +RECOMMENDED READING-- + +Anonymous: "Lancelot of the Lake" (Trans: Corin Corely; Oxford +University Press, Oxford, 1989). English translation of one of the +earliest prose romances concerning Lancelot. + +Anonymous: "The Mabinogion" (Ed: Jeffrey Gantz; Penguin Classics, +London, 1976). Contains a translation of "Geraint and Enid", an earlier +Welsh version of "Erec et Enide". + +Anonymous: "Yvain and Gawain", "Sir Percyvell of Gales", and "The Anturs +of Arther" (Ed: Maldwyn Mills; Everyman, London, 1992). NOTE: Texts are +in Middle-English; "Yvain and Gawain" is a Middle-English work based +almost exclusively on Chrétien DeTroyes' "Yvain". + +Malory, Sir Thomas: "Le Morte D'Arthur" (Ed: Janet Cowen; Penguin +Classics, London, 1969). + + +***** + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +Chrétien De Troyes has had the peculiar fortune of becoming the best +known of the old French poets to students of mediaeval literature, and +of remaining practically unknown to any one else. The acquaintance of +students with the work of Chrétien has been made possible in academic +circles by the admirable critical editions of his romances undertaken +and carried to completion during the past thirty years by Professor +Wendelin Foerster of Bonn. At the same time the want of public +familiarity with Chrétien's work is due to the almost complete lack of +translations of his romances into the modern tongues. The man who, so +far as we know, first recounted the romantic adventures of Arthur's +knights, Gawain. Yvain, Erec, Lancelot, and Perceval, has been +forgotten; whereas posterity has been kinder to his debtors, Wolfram +yon Eschenbach, Malory, Lord Tennyson, and Richard Wagner. The present +volume has grown out of the desire to place these romances of adventure +before the reader of English in a prose version based directly upon the +oldest form in which they exist. + +Such extravagant claims for Chrétien's art have been made in some +quarters that one feels disinclined to give them even an echo here. +The modem reader may form his own estimate of the poet's art, and that +estimate will probably not be high. Monotony, lack of proportion, +vain repetitions, insufficient motivation, wearisome subtleties, and +threatened, if not actual, indelicacy are among the most salient defects +which will arrest, and mayhap confound, the reader unfamiliar with +mediaeval literary craft. No greater service can be performed by an +editor in such a case than to prepare the reader to overlook these +common faults, and to set before him the literary significance of this +twelfth-century poet. + +Chrétien de Troyes wrote in Champagne during the third quarter of the +twelfth century. Of his life we know neither the beginning nor the +end, but we know that between 1160 and 1172 he lived, perhaps as +herald-at-arms (according to Gaston Paris, based on "Lancelot" 5591-94) +at Troyes, where was the court of his patroness, the Countess Marie de +Champagne. She was the daughter of Louis VII, and of that famous Eleanor +of Aquitaine, as she is called in English histories, who, coming from +the South of France in 1137, first to Paris and later to England, may +have had some share in the introduction of those ideals of courtesy and +woman service which were soon to become the cult of European society. +The Countess Marie, possessing her royal mother's tastes and gifts, made +of her court a social experiment station, where these Provencal ideals +of a perfect society were planted afresh in congenial soil. It appears +from contemporary testimony that the authority of this celebrated feudal +dame was weighty, and widely felt. The old city of Troyes, where she +held her court, must be set down large in any map of literary history. +For it was there that Chrétien was led to write four romances which +together form the most complete expression we possess from a single +author of the ideals of French chivalry. These romances, written in +eight-syllable rhyming couplets, treat respectively of Erec and Enide, +Cligés, Yvain, and Lancelot. Another poem, "Perceval le Gallois", was +composed about 1175 for Philip, Count of Flanders, to whom Chrétien was +attached during his last years. This last poem is not included in +the present translation because of its extraordinary length of 32,000 +verses, because Chrétien wrote only the first 9000 verses, and because +Miss Jessie L. Weston has given us an English version of Wolfram's +well-known "Parzival", which tells substantially the same story, though +in a different spirit. To have included this poem, of which he wrote +less than one-third, in the works of Chrétien would have been unjust to +him. It is true the romance of "Lancelot" was not completed by Chrétien, +we are told, but the poem is his in such large part that one would be +over-scrupulous not to call it his. The other three poems mentioned are +his entire. In addition, there are quite generally assigned to the poet +two insignificant lyrics, the pious romance of "Guillaume d'Angleterre", +and the elaboration of an episode from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" (vi., +426-674) called "Philomena" by its recent editor (C. de Boer, Paris, +1909). All these are extant and accessible. But since "Guillaume +d'Angleterre" and "Philomena" are not universally attributed to +Chrétien, and since they have nothing to do with the Arthurian material, +it seems reasonable to limit the present enterprise to "Erec and Enide", +"Cligés", "Yvain", and "Lancelot". + +Professor Foerster, basing his remark upon the best knowledge we possess +of an obscure matter, has called "Erec and Enide" the oldest Arthurian +romance extant. It is not possible to dispute this significant claim, +but let us make it a little more intelligible. Scholarship has shown +that from the early Middle Ages popular tradition was rife in Britain +and Brittany. The existence of these traditions common to the Brythonic +peoples was called to the attention of the literary world by William of +Malmesbury ("Gesta regum Anglorum") and Geoffrey of Monmouth ("Historia +regum Britanniae") in their Latin histories about 1125 and 1137 +respectively, and by the Anglo-Norman poet Wace immediately afterward. +Scholars have waged war over the theories of transmission of the +so-called Arthurian material during the centuries which elapsed +between the time of the fabled chieftain's activity in 500 A.D. and +his appearance as a great literary personage in the twelfth century. +Documents are lacking for the dark ages of popular tradition before the +Norman Conquest, and the theorists may work their will. But Arthur and +his knights, as we see them in the earliest French romances, have little +in common with their Celtic prototypes, as we dimly catch sight of them +in Irish, Welsh, and Breton legend. Chrétien belonged to a generation +of French poets who rook over a great mass of Celtic folk-lore they +imperfectly understood, and made of what, of course, it had never been +before: the vehicle to carry a rich freight of chivalric customs and +ideals. As an ideal of social conduct, the code of chivalry never +touched the middle and lower classes, but it was the religion of the +aristocracy and of the twelfth-century "honnete homme". Never was +literature in any age closer to the ideals of a social class. So true is +this that it is difficult to determine whether social practices +called forth the literature, or whether, as in the case of the +seventeenth-century pastoral romance in France, it is truer to say that +literature suggested to society its ideals. Be that as it may, it is +proper to observe that the French romances of adventure portray +late mediaeval aristocracy as it fain would be. For the glaring +inconsistencies between the reality and the ideal, one may turn to the +chronicles of the period. Yet, even history tells of many an ugly sin +rebuked and of many a gallant deed performed because of the courteous +ideals of chivalry. The debt of our own social code to this literature +of courtesy and frequent self-sacrifice is perfectly manifest. + +What Chrétien's immediate and specific source was for his romances is of +deep interest to the student. Unfortunately, he has left us in doubt. He +speaks in the vaguest way of the materials he used. There is no evidence +that he had any Celtic written source. We are thus thrown back upon +Latin or French literary originals which are lost, or upon current +continental lore going back to a Celtic source. This very difficult +problem is as yet unsolved in the case of Chrétien, as it is in the +case of the Anglo-Norman Beroul, who wrote of Tristan about 1150. The +material evidently was at hand and Chrétien appropriated it, without +much understanding of its primitive spirit, but appreciating it as a +setting for the ideal society dreamed of but not realised in his own +day. Add to this literary perspicacity, a good foundation in classic +fable, a modicum of ecclesiastical doctrine, a remarkable facility in +phrase, figure, and rhyme and we have the foundations for Chrétien's art +as we shall find it upon closer examination. + +A French narrative poet of the twelfth century had three categories of +subject-matter from which to choose: legends connected with the history +of France ("matiere de France"), legends connected with Arthur and +other Celtic heroes ("matiere de Bretagne"), and stories culled from +the history or mythology of Greece and Rome, current in Latin and French +translations ("matiere de Rome la grant"). Chrétien tells us in "Cligés" +that his first essays as a poet were the translations into French of +certain parts of Ovid's most popular works: the "Metamorphoses", the +"Ars Amatoria", and perhaps the "Remedia Amoris". But he appears early +to have chosen as his special field the stories of Celtic origin dealing +with Arthur, the Round Table, and other features of Celtic folk-lore. +Not only was he alive to the literary interest of this material when +rationalised to suit the taste of French readers; his is further the +credit of having given to somewhat crude folk-lore that polish and +elegance which is peculiarly French, and which is inseparably associated +with the Arthurian legends in all modern literature. Though Beroul, and +perhaps other poets, had previously based romantic poems upon individual +Celtic heroes like Tristan, nevertheless to Chrétien, so far as we can +see, is due the considerable honour of having constituted Arthur's court +as a literary centre and rallying-point for an innumerable company +of knights and ladies engaged in a never-ending series of amorous +adventures and dangerous quests. Rather than unqualifiedly attribute +to Chrétien this important literary convention, one should bear in mind +that all his poems imply familiarity on the part of his readers with +the heroes of the court of which he speaks. One would suppose that other +stories, told before his versions, were current. Some critics would go +so far as to maintain that Chrétien came toward the close, rather than +at the beginning, of a school of French writers of Arthurian romances. +But, if so, we do not possess these earlier versions, and for lack of +rivals Chrétien may be hailed as an innovator in the current schools of +poetry. + +And now let us consider the faults which a modern reader will not be +slow to detect in Chrétien's style. Most of his salient faults are +common to all mediaeval narrative literature. They may be ascribed to +the extraordinary leisure of the class for whom it was composed--a class +which was always ready to read an old story told again, and which would +tolerate any description, however detailed. The pastimes of this +class of readers were jousting, hunting, and making love. Hence the +preponderance of these matters in the literature of its leisure hours. +No detail of the joust or hunt was unfamiliar or unwelcome to these +readers; no subtle arguments concerning the art of love were too +abstruse to delight a generation steeped in amorous casuistry and +allegories. And if some scenes seem to us indelicate, yet after +comparison with other authors of his times, Chrétien must be let off +with a light sentence. It is certain he intended to avoid what was +indecent, as did the writers of narrative poetry in general. To +appreciate fully the chaste treatment of Chrétien one must know some +other forms of mediaeval literature, such as the fabliaux, farces, and +morality plays, in which courtesy imposed no restraint. For our poet's +lack of sense of proportion, and for his carelessness in the proper +motivation of many episodes, no apology can be made. He is not always +guilty; some episodes betoken poetic mastery. But a poet acquainted, as +he was, with some first-class Latin poetry, and who had made a business +of his art, ought to have handled his material more intelligently, +even in the twelfth century. The emphasis is not always laid with +discrimination, nor is his yarn always kept free of tangles in the +spinning. + +Reference has been made to Chrétien's use of his sources. The tendency +of some critics has been to minimise the French poet's originality by +pointing out striking analogies in classic and Celtic fable. Attention +has been especially directed to the defence of the fountain and the +service of a fairy mistress in "Yvain", to the captivity of Arthur's +subjects in the kingdom of Gorre, as narrated in "Lancelot", reminding +one so insistently of the treatment of the kingdom of Death from which +some god or hero finally delivers those in durance, and to the reigned +death of Fenice in "Cligés", with its many variants. These episodes are +but examples of parallels which will occur to the observant reader. The +difficult point to determine, in speaking of conceptions so widespread +in classic and mediaeval literature, is the immediate source whence +these conceptions reached Chrétien. The list of works of reference +appended to this volume will enable the student to go deeper into +this much debated question, and will permit us to dispense with an +examination of the arguments in this place. However, such convincing +parallels for many of Chrétien's fairy and romantic episodes have been +adduced by students of Irish and Welsh legend that one cannot fail to +be impressed by the fact that Chrétien was in touch, either by oral or +literary tradition, with the populations of Britain and of Brittany, and +that we have here his most immediate inspiration. Professor Foerster, +stoutly opposing the so-called Anglo-Norman theory which supposes the +existence of lost Anglo-Norman romances in French as the sources of +Chrétien de Troyes, is, nevertheless, well within the truth when +he insists upon what is, so far as we are concerned, the essential +originality of the French poet. The general reader will to-day care as +little as did the reader of the twelfth century how the poet came upon +the motives and episodes of his stories, whether he borrowed them or +invented them himself. Any poet should be judged not as a "finder" +but as a "user" of the common stock of ideas. The study of sources of +mediaeval poetry, which is being so doggedly carried on by scholars, may +well throw light upon the main currents of literary tradition, but it +casts no reflection, favourable or otherwise, upon the personal art of +the poet in handling his stuff. On that count he may plead his own cause +before the jury. + +Chrétien's originality, then, consists in his portrayal of the social +ideal of the French aristocracy in the twelfth century. So far as we +know he was the first to create in the vulgar tongues a vast court, +where men and women lived in conformity with the rules of courtesy, +where the truth was told, where generosity was open-handed, where the +weak and the innocent were protected by men who dedicated themselves to +the cult of honour and to the quest of a spotless reputation. Honour and +love combined to engage the attention of this society; these were +its religion in a far more real sense than was that of the Church. +Perfection was attainable under this code of ethics: Gawain, for +example, was a perfect knight. Though the ideals of this court and +those of Christianity are in accord at many points, vet courtly love and +Christian morality are irreconcilable. This Arthurian material, as used +by Chrétien, is fundamentally immoral as judged by Christian standards. +Beyond question, the poets and the public alike knew this to be the +case, and therein lay its charm for a society in which the actual +relations or the sexes were rigidly prescribed by the Church and by +feudal practice, rather than by the sentiments of the individuals +concerned. The passionate love of Tristan for Iseut, of Lancelot for +Guinevere, of Cligés for Fenice, fascinate the conventional Christian +society of the twelfth century and of the twentieth century alike, +but there-is only one name among men for such relations as theirs, and +neither righteousness nor reason lie that way. Even Tennyson, in spite +of all he has done to spiritualise this material, was compelled to +portray the inevitable dissolution and ruin of Arthur's court. Chrétien +well knew the difference between right and wrong, between reason and +passion, as the reader of "Cligés" may learn for himself. Fenice was not +Iseut, and she would not have her Cligés to be a Tristan. Infidelity, +if you will, but not "menage a trois". Both "Erec" and "Yvain" present +a conventional morality. But "Lancelot" is flagrantly immoral, and the +poet is careful to state that for this particular romance he is indebted +to his patroness Marie de Champagne. He says it was she who furnished +him with both the "matiere" and the "san", the material of the story and +its method of treatment. + +Scholars have sought to fix the chronology of the poet's works, and have +been tempted to speculate upon the evolution of his literary and moral +ideas. Professor Foerster's chronology is generally accepted, and there +is little likelihood of his being in error when he supposes Chrétien's +work to have been done as follows: the lost "Tristan" (the existence of +which is denied by Gaston Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 297 +f.), "Erec and Enide", "Cligés", "Lancelot", "Yvain", "Perceval". The +arguments for this chronology, based upon external as well as internal +criticism, may be found in the Introductions to Professor Foerster's +recent editions. When we speculate upon the development of Chrétien's +moral ideas we are not on such sure ground. As we have seen, his +standards vary widely in the different romances. How much of this +variation is due to chance circumstance imposed by the nature of +his subject or by the taste of his public, and how much to changing +conviction it is easy to see, when we consider some contemporary +novelist, how dangerous it is to judge of moral convictions as reflected +in literary work. "Lancelot" must be the keystone of any theory +constructed concerning the moral evolution of Chrétien. The following +supposition is tenable, if the chronology of Foerster is correct. After +the works of his youth, consisting of lyric poems and translations +embodying the ideals of Ovid and of the school of contemporary +troubadour poets, Chrétien took up the Arthurinn material and started +upon a new course. "Erec" is the oldest Arthurinn romance to have +survived in any language, but it is almost certainly not the first to +have been written. It is a perfectly clean story: of love, estrangement, +and reconciliation in the persons of Erec and his charming sweetheart +Enide. The psychological analysis of Erec's motives in the rude testing +of Enide is worthy of attention, and is more subtle than anything +previous in French literature with which we are acquainted. The poem is +an episodical romance in the biography of an Arthurinn hero, with the +usual amount of space given to his adventures. "Cligés" apparently +connects a Byzantine tale of doubtful origin in an arbitrary fashion +with the court of Arthur. It is thought that the story embodies the same +motive as the widespread tale of the deception practised upon Solomon by +his wife, and that Chrétien's source, as he himself claims, was literary +(cf. Gaston Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 641-655). The +scene where Fenice feigns death in order to rejoin her lover is a +parallel of many others in literary history, and will, of course, +suggest the situation in Romeo and Juliet. This romance well illustrates +the drawing power of Arthur's court as a literary centre, and its use as +a rallying-point for courteous knights of whatever extraction. The poem +has been termed an "Anti-Tristan", because of its disparaging reference +to the love of Tristan and Iseut, which, it is generally supposed, +had been narrated by Chrétien in his earlier years. Next may come +"Lancelot", with its significant dedication to the Countess of +Champagne. Of all the poet's work, this tale of the rescue of Guinevere +by her lover seems to express most closely the ideals of Marie's court +ideals in which devotion and courtesy but thinly disguise free love. +"Yvain" is a return to the poet's natural bent, in an episodical +romance, while "Perceval" crowns his production with its pure and +exalted note, though without a touch of that religious mysticism +which later marked Wolfram yon Eschenbach's "Parzival". "Guillaime +d'Angleterre" is a pseudo-historical romance of adventure in which the +worldly distresses and the final reward of piety are conventionally +exposed. It is uninspired, its place is difficult to determine, and +its authorship is questioned by some. It is aside from the Arthurian +material, and there is no clue to its place in the evolution of +Chrétien's art, if indeed it be his work. + +A few words must be devoted to Chrétien's place in the history of +mediaeval narrative poetry. The heroic epic songs of France, devoted +either to the conflict of Christendom under the leadership of France +against the Saracens, or else to the strife and rivalry of French +vassals among themselves, had been current for perhaps a century before +our poet began to write. These epic poems, of which some three score +have survived, portray a warlike, virile, unsentimental feudal society, +whose chief occupation was fighting, and whose dominant ideals were +faith in God, loyalty to feudal family ties, and bravery in battle. +Woman's place is comparatively obscure, and of love-making there is +little said. It is a poetry of vigorous manhood, of uncompromising +morality, and of hard knocks given and taken for God, for Christendom, +and the King of France. This poetry is written in ten- or twelve- +syllable verses grouped, at first in assonanced, later in rhymed, +"tirades" of unequal length. It was intended for a society which was +still homogeneous, and to it at the outset doubtless all classes of the +population listened with equal interest. As poetry it is monotonous, +without sense of proportion, padded to facilitate memorisation by +professional reciters, and unadorned by figure, fancy, or imagination. +Its pretention to historic accuracy begot prosaicness in its approach +to the style of the chronicles. But its inspiration was noble, its +conception of human duties was lofty. It gives a realistic portrayal of +the age which produced it, the age of the first crusades, and to this +day we would choose as our models of citizenship Roland and Oliver +rather than Tristan and Lancelot. The epic poems, dealing with the +pseudo-historical characters who had fought in civil and foreign wars +under Charlemagne, remained the favourite literary pabulum of the middle +classes until the close of the thirteenth century. Professor Bedier +is at present engaged in explaining the extraordinary hold which these +poems had upon the public, and in proving that they exercised a distinct +function when exploited by the Church throughout the period of +the crusades to celebrate local shrines and to promote muscular +Christianity. But the refinement which began to penetrate the ideals of +the French aristocracy about the middle of the twelfth century craved a +different expression in narrative literature. Greek and Roman mythology +and history were seized upon with some effect to satisfy the new demand. +The "Roman de Thebes", the "Roman d'Alexandre", the "Roman de +Troie", and its logical continuation, the "Roman d'Eneas", are all +twelfth-century attempts to clothe classic legend in the dress of +mediaeval chivalry. But better fitted to satisfy the new demand was the +discovery by the alert Anglo-Normans perhaps in Brittany, perhaps in the +South of England, of a vast body of legendary material which, so far as +we know, had never before this century received any elaborate literary +treatment. The existence of the literary demand and this discovery of +the material for its prompt satisfaction is one of the most remarkable +coincidences in literary history. It would seem that the pride of the +Celtic populations in a Celtic hero, aided and abetted by Geoffrey of +Monmouth, who first showed the romantic possibilities of the material, +made of the obscure British chieftain Arthur a world conqueror. Arthur +thus became already in Geoffrey's "Historia regum Britaniae" a conscious +protagonist of Charlemagne and his rival in popularity. This grandiose +conception of Arthur persisted in England, but this conception of the +British chieftain did not interest the French. For Chrétien Arthur had +no political significance. He is simply the arbiter of his court in all +affairs of justice and courtesy. Charlemagne's very realistic entourage +of virile and busy barons is replaced by a court of elegant chevaliers +and unemployed ladies. Charlemagne's setting is historical and +geographical; Arthur's setting is ideal and in the air. In the oldest +epic poems we find only God-fearing men and a few self-effacing women; +in the Arthurian romances we meet gentlemen and ladies, more elegant and +seductive than any one in the epic poems, but less fortified by +faith and sense of duty against vice because breathing an enervating +atmosphere of leisure and decadent morally. Though the Church made the +attempt in "Parzival", it could never lay its hands so effectively upon +this Celtic material, because it contained too many elements which +were root and branch inconsistent with the essential teachings of +Christianity. A fleeting comparison of the noble end of Charlemagne's +Peers fighting for their God and their King at Ronceval with the futile +and dilettante careers of Arthur's knights in joust and hunt, will show +better than mere words where the difference lies. + +The student of the history of social and moral ideals will find much to +interest him in Chrétien's romances. Mediaeval references show that he +was held by his immediate successors, as he is held to-day when fairly +viewed, to have been a master of the art of story-telling. More than any +other single narrative poet, he was taken as a model both in France and +abroad. Professor F. M. Warren has set forth in detail the finer points +in the art of poetry as practised by Chrétien and his contemporary +craftsmen (see "Some Features of Style in Early French Narrative Poetry, +1150-1170 in "Modern Philology", iii., 179-209; iii., 513-539; iv., +655-675). Poets in his own land refer to him with reverence, and foreign +poets complimented him to a high degree by direct translation and by +embroidering upon the themes which he had made popular. The knights made +famous by Chrétien soon crossed the frontiers and obtained rights of +citizenship in counties so diverse as Germany, England, Scandinavia, +Holland, Italy, and to a lesser extent in Spain and Portugal. The +inevitable tendency of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries to reduce +poetry to prose affected the Arthurian material; vast prose compilations +finally embodied in print the matter formerly expressed in verse, and it +was in this form that the stories were known to later generations until +revived interest in the Middle Ages brought to light the manuscripts in +verse. + +Aside from certain episodes of Chrétien's romances, the student will be +most interested in the treatment of love as therein portrayed. On this +topic we may hear speaking the man of his time. "Cligés" contains the +body of Chrétien's doctrine of love, while Lancelot is his most perfect +lover. His debt to Ovid has not yet been indicated with sufficient +preciseness. An elaborate code to govern sentiment and its expression +was independently developed by the troubadours of Provence in the early +twelfth century. These Provencal ideals of the courtly life were carried +into Northern France partly as the result of a royal marriage in 1137 +and of the crusade of 1147, and there by such poets as Chrétien they +were gathered up and fused with the Ovidian doctrine into a highly +complicated but perfectly definite statement of the ideal relations of +the sexes. Nowhere in the vulgar tongues can a better statement of these +relations be found than in "Cligés." + +So we leave Chrétien to speak across the ages for himself and his +generation. He is to be read as a story-teller rather than as a poet, +as a casuist rather than as a philosopher. But when all deductions are +made, his significance as a literary artist and as the founder of a +precious literary tradition distinguishes him from all other poets +of the Latin races between the close of the Empire and the arrival of +Dante. + +--W. W. COMFORT. + + + + + +EREC ET ENIDE [11] + +(Vv. 1-26.) The rustic's proverb says that many a thing is despised that +is worth much more than is supposed. Therefore he does well who makes +the most of whatever intelligence he may possess. For he who neglects +this concern may likely omit to say something which would subsequently +give great pleasure. So Chrétien de Troyes maintains that one ought +always to study and strive to speak well and teach the right; and he +derives from a story of adventure a pleasing argument whereby it may be +proved and known that he is not wise who does not make liberal use of +his knowledge so long as God may give him grace. The story is about Erec +the son of Lac--a story which those who earn a living by telling stories +are accustomed to mutilate and spoil in the presence of kings and +counts. And now I shall begin the tale which will be remembered so long +as Christendom endures. This is Chrétien's boast. + +(Vv. 27-66.) One Easter Day in the Springtime, King Arthur held court in +his town of Cardigan. Never was there seen so rich a court; for many +a good knight was there, hardy, bold, and brave, and rich ladies and +damsels, gentle and fair daughters of kings. But before the court was +disbanded, the King told his knights that he wished to hunt the White +Stag, [12] in order to observe worthily the ancient custom. When my lord +Gawain heard this, he was sore displeased, and said: "Sire, you will +derive neither thanks nor goodwill from this hunt. We all know long +since what this custom of the White Stag is: whoever can kill the White +Stag must forsooth kiss the fairest maiden of your court, come what may. +But of this there might come great ill, for there are here five hundred +damsels of high birth, gentle and prudent daughters of kings, and there +is none of them but has a bold and valiant knight for her lover who +would be ready to contend, whether right or wrong, that she who is his +lady is the fairest and gentlest of them all." The King replies: "That +I know well; yet will I not desist on that account; for a king's word +ought never to be gainsaid. To-morrow morning we shall all gaily go to +hunt the White Stag in the forest of adventure. And very delightful this +hunt will be." + +(Vv. 67-114.) And so the affair is arranged for the next morning +at daybreak. The morrow, as soon as it is day, the King gets up and +dresses, and dons a short jacket for his forest ride. He commands the +knights to be aroused and the horses to be made ready. Already they +are ahorse, and off they go, with bows and arrows. After them the Queen +mounts her horse, taking a damsel with her. A maid she was, the daughter +of a king, and she rode a white palfrey. After them there swiftly +followed a knight, named Erec, who belonged to the Round Table, and had +great fame at the court. [13] Of all the knights that ever were there, +never one received such praise; and he was so fair that nowhere in the +world need one seek a fairer knight than he. He was very fair, brave, +and courteous, though not yet twenty-five years old. Never was there +a man of his age of greater knighthood. And what shall I say of his +virtues? Mounted on his horse, and clad in an ermine mantle, he came +galloping down the road, wearing a coat of splendid flowered silk which +was made at Constantinople. He had put on hose of brocade, well made and +cut, and when his golden spurs were well attached, he sat securely in +his stirrups. He carried no arm with him but his sword. As he galloped +along, at the corner of a street he came up with the Queen, and said: +"My lady, if it please you, I should gladly accompany you along this +road, having come for no other purpose than to bear you company." And +the Queen thanks him: "Fair friend, I like your company well, in truth; +for better I could not have." + +(Vv. 115-124.) Then they ride along at full speed until they come into +the forest, where the party who had gone before them had already started +the stag. Some wind the horns and others shout; the hounds plunge ahead +after the stag, running, attacking, and baying; the bowmen shoot amain. +And before them all rode the King on a Spanish hunter. + +(Vv. 125-154.) Queen Guinevere was in the wood listening for the dogs; +beside her were Erec and the damsel, who was very courteous and fair. +But those who had pursued the stag were so far from them that, however +intently they might listen to catch the sound of horn or baying of +hound, they no longer could hear either horse, huntsman, or hound. So +all three of them drew rein in a clearing beside the road. They had been +there but a short time when they saw an armed knight along on his steed, +with shield slung about his neck, and his lance in hand. The Queen +espied him from a distance By his right side rode a damsel of noble +bearing, and before them, on a hack, came a dwarf carrying in his hand +a knotted scourge. When Queen Guinevere saw the comely and graceful +knight, she desired to know who he and his damsel were. So she bid her +damsel go quickly and speak to him. + +(Vv. 155-274.) "Damsel," says the Queen, "go and bid yonder knight come +to me and bring his damsel with him." The maiden goes on amble straight +toward the knight. But the spiteful dwarf sallies forth to meet her with +his scourge in hand, crying: "Halt, maiden, what do you want here? You +shall advance no farther." "Dwarf," says she, "let me pass. I wish to +speak with yonder knight; for the Queen sends me hither." The dwarf, who +was rude and mean, took his stand in the middle of the road, and said: +"You have no business here. Go back. It is not meet that you should +speak to so excellent a knight." The damsel advanced and tried to pass +him by force, holding the dwarf in slight esteem when she saw that he +was so small. Then the dwarf raised his whip, when he saw her coming +toward him and tried to strike her in the face. She raised her arm +to protect herself, but he lifted his hand again and struck her all +unprotected on her bare hand: and so hard did he strike her on the back +of her hand that it turned all black and blue. When the maiden could do +nothing else, in spite of herself she must needs return. So weeping she +turned back. The tears came to her eyes and ran down her cheeks. When +the Queen sees her damsel wounded, she is sorely grieved and angered and +knows not what to do. "Ah, Erec, fair friend," she says, "I am in great +sorrow for my damsel whom that dwarf has wounded. The knight must be +discourteous indeed, to allow such a monster to strike so beautiful a +creature. Erec, fair friend, do you go to the knight and bid him come +to me without delay. I wish to know him and his lady." Erec starts +off thither, giving spurs to his steed, and rides straight toward +the knight. The ignoble dwarf sees him coming and goes to meet him. +"Vassal," says he, "stand back! For I know not what business you have +here. I advise you to withdraw." "Avaunt," says Erec, "provoking dwarf! +Thou art vile and troublesome. Let me pass." "You shall not." "That +will I." "You shall not." Erec thrusts the dwarf aside. The dwarf had no +equal for villainy: he gave him a great blow with his lash right on +the neck, so that Erec's neck and face are scarred with the blow of +the scourge; from top to bottom appear the lines which the thongs have +raised on him. He knew well that he could not have the satisfaction of +striking the dwarf; for he saw that the knight was armed, arrogant, and +of evil intent, and he was afraid that he would soon kill him, should he +strike the dwarf in his presence. Rashness is not bravery. So Erec acted +wisely in retreating without more ado. "My lady," he says, "now matters +stand worse; for the rascally dwarf has so wounded me that he has badly +cut my face. I did not dare to strike or touch him; but none ought +to reproach me, for I was completely unarmed. I mistrusted the armed +knight, who, being an ugly fellow and violent, would take it as no jest, +and would soon kill me in his pride. But this much I will promise you; +that if I can, I shall yet avenge my disgrace, or increase it. But my +arms are too far away to avail me in this time of need; for at Cardigan +did I leave them this morning when I came away. And if I should go to +fetch them there, peradventure I should never again find the knight who +is riding off apace. So I must follow him at once, far or near, until +I find some arms to hire or borrow. If I find some one who will lend me +arms, the knight will quickly find me ready for battle. And you may be +sure without fail that we two shall fight until he defeat me, or I him. +And if possible, I shall be back by the third day, when you will see me +home again either joyous or sad, I know not which. Lady, I cannot delay +longer, for I must follow after the knight. I go. To God I commend you." +And the Queen in like manner more than five hundred rimes commends him +to God, that he may defend him from harm. + +(Vv. 275-310.) Erec leaves the Queen and ceases not to pursue the +knight. The Queen remains in the wood, where now the King had come up +with the Stag. The King himself outstripped the others at the death. +Thus they killed and took the White Stag, and all returned, carrying the +Stag, till they came again to Cardigan. After supper, when the knights +were all in high spirits throughout the hall, the King, as the custom +was, because he had taken the Stag, said that he would bestow the kiss +and thus observe the custom of the Stag. Throughout the court a great +murmur is heard: each one vows and swears to his neighbour that it +shall not be done without the protest of sword or ashen lance. Each one +gallantly desires to contend that his lady is the fairest in the hall. +Their conversation bodes no good, and when my lord Gawain heard it, you +must know that it was not to his liking. Thus he addressed the King: +"Sire," he says, "your knights here are greatly aroused, and all their +talk is of this kiss. They say that it shall never be bestowed without +disturbance and a fight." And the King wisely replied to him: "Fair +nephew Gawain, give me counsel now, sparing my honour and my dignity, +for I have no mind for any disturbance." + +(Vv. 311-341.) To the council came a great part of the best knights of +the court. King Yder [14] arrived, who was the first to be summoned, and +after him King Cadoalant, who was very wise and bold. Kay and Girflet +came too, and King Amauguin was there, and a great number of other +knights were there with them. The discussion was in process when the +Queen arrived and told them of the adventure which she had met in the +forest, of the armed knight whom she saw, and of the malicious little +dwarf who had struck her damsel on the bare hand with his whip, and who +struck Erec, too, in the same way an ugly blow on the face; but that +Erec followed the knight to obtain vengeance, or increase his shame, and +how he said that if possible he would be back by the third day. "Sire," +says the Queen to the King, "listen to me a moment. If these knights +approve what I say, postpone this kiss until the third day, when Erec +will be back." There is none who does not agree with her, and the King +himself approves her words. + +(Vv. 342-392.) Erec steadily follows the knight who was armed and the +dwarf who had struck him until they come to a well placed town, strong +and fine [15]. They enter straight through the gate. Within the town +there was great joy of knights and ladies, of whom there were many and +fair. Some were feeding in the streets their sparrow-hawks and moulting +falcons; others were giving an airing to their tercels, [16] their mewed +birds, and young yellow hawks; others play at dice or other game of +chance, some at chess, and some at backgammon. The grooms in front of +the stables are rubbing down and currying the horses. The ladies are +bedecking themselves in their boudoirs. As soon as they see the knight +coming, whom they recognised with his dwarf and damsel, they go out +three by three to meet him. The knight they all greet and salute, but +they give no heed to Erec, for they did not know him. Erec follows close +upon the knight through the town, until he saw him lodged. Then, very +joyful, he passed on a little farther until he saw reclining upon some +steps a vavasor [17] well on in years. He was a comely man, with white +locks, debonair, pleasing, and frank. There he was seated all alone, +seeming to be engaged in thought. Erec took him for an honest man who +would at once give him lodging. When he turned through the gate into the +yard, the vavasor ran to meet him, and saluted him before Erec had said +a word. "Fair sir," says he, "be welcome. If you will deign to lodge +with me, here is my house all ready for you." Erec replies: "Thank you! +For no other purpose have I come; I need a lodging place this night." + +(Vv. 393-410.) Erec dismounts from his horse, which the host himself +leads away by the bridle, and does great honour to his guest. The +vavasor summons his wife and his beautiful daughter, who were busy in a +work-room--doing I know not what. The lady came out with her daughter, +who was dressed in a soft white under-robe with wide skirts hanging +loose in folds. Over it she wore a white linen garment, which completed +her attire. And this garment was so old that it was full of holes down +the sides. Poor, indeed, was her garb without, but within her body was +fair. + +(Vv. 411-458.) The maid was charming, in sooth, for Nature had used all +her skill in forming her. Nature herself had marvelled more than five +hundred times how upon this one occasion she had succeeded in creating +such a perfect thing. Never again could she so strive successfully to +reproduce her pattern. Nature bears witness concerning her that never +was so fair a creature seen in all the world. In truth I say that never +did Iseut the Fair have such radiant golden tresses that she could be +compared with this maiden. [18] The complexion of her forehead and face +was clearer and more delicate than the lily. But with wondrous art her +face with all its delicate pallor was suffused with a fresh crimson +which Nature had bestowed upon her. Her eyes were so bright that they +seemed like two stars. God never formed better nose, mouth, and eyes. +What shall I say of her beauty? In sooth, she was made to be looked at; +for in her one could have seen himself as in a mirror. So she came forth +from the work-room: and when she saw the knight whom she had never seen +before, she drew back a little, because she did not know him, and in her +modesty she blushed. Erec, for his part, was amazed when he beheld such +beauty in her, and the vavasor said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take +this horse and lead him to the stable along with my own horses. See that +he lack for nothing: take off his saddle and bridle, give him oats and +hay, look after him and curry him, that he may be in good condition." + +(Vv. 459-546) The maiden takes the horse, unlaces his breast-strap, and +takes off his bridle and saddle. Now the horse is in good hands, for she +takes excellent care of him. She throws a halter over his head, rubs him +down, curries him, and makes him comfortable. Then she ties him to the +manger and puts plenty of fresh sweet hay and oats before him. Then she +went back to her father, who said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take now +this gentleman by the hand and show him all honour. Take him by the hand +upstairs." The maiden did not delay (for in her there was no lack of +courtesy) and led him by the hand upstairs. The lady had gone before and +prepared the house. She had laid embroidered cushions and spreads upon +the couches, where they all three sat down Erec with his host beside +him, and the maiden opposite. Before them, the fire burns brightly. The +vavasor had only one man-servant, and no maid for chamber or kitchen +work. This one man was busy in the kitchen preparing meat and birds for +supper. A skilful cook was he, who knew how to prepare meal in boiling +water and birds on the spit. When he had the meal prepared in accordance +with the orders which had been given him, he brought them water for +washing in two basins. The table was soon set, cloths, bread, and wine +set out, and they sat down to supper. They had their fill of all they +needed. When they had finished and when the table was cleared, Erec thus +addressed his host, the master of the house: "Tell me, fair host." he +asked, "why your daughter, who is so passing fair and clever, is so +poorly and unsuitably attired." "Fair friend," the vavasor replies, +"many a man is harmed by poverty, and even so am I. I grieve to see +her so poorly clad, and yet I cannot help it, for I have been so long +involved in war that I have lost or mortgaged or sold all my land. [19] +And yet she would be well enough dressed if I allowed her to accept +everything that people wish to give her. The lord of this castle himself +would have dressed her in becoming fashion and would have done her every +manner of favour, for she is his niece and he is a count. And there is +no nobleman in this region, however rich and powerful, who would not +willingly have taken her to wife had I given my consent. But I am +waiting yet for some better occasion, when God shall bestow still +greater honour upon her, when fortune shall bring hither some king or +count who shall lead her away, for there is under Heaven no king or +count who would be ashamed of my daughter, who is so wondrous fair that +her match cannot be found. Fair, indeed, she is; but yet greater far +than her beauty, is her intelligence. God never created any one so +discreet and of such open heart. When I have my daughter beside me, I +don't care a marble about all the rest of the world. She is my delight +and my pastime, she is my joy and comfort, my wealth and my treasure, +and I love nothing so much as her own precious self." + +(Vv. 547-690.) When Erec had listened to all that his host told him, he +asked him to inform him whence came all the chivalry that was quartered +in the town. For there was no street or house so poor and small but it +was full of knights and ladies and squires. And the vavasor said to him: +"Fair friend, these are the nobles of the country round; all, both young +and old, have come to a fete which is to be held in this town tomorrow; +therefore the houses are so full. When they shall all have gathered, +there will be a great stir to-morrow; for in the presence of all the +people there will be set upon a silver perch a sparrow-hawk of five or +six moultings--the best you can imagine. Whoever wishes to gain the hawk +must have a mistress who is fair, prudent, and courteous. And if there +be a knight so bold as to wish to defend the worth and the name of the +fairest in his eyes, he will cause his mistress to step forward and +lift the hawk from the perch, if no one dares to interpose. This is the +custom they are observing, and for this each year they gather here." +Thereupon Erec speaks and asks him: "Fair host, may it not displease +you, but tell me, if you know, who is a certain knight bearing arms of +azure and gold, who passed by here not long ago, having close beside him +a courtly damsel, preceded by a hump-backed dwarf." To him the host then +made reply: "That is he who will win the hawk without any opposition +from the other knights. I don't believe that any one will offer +opposition; this time there will be no blows or wounds. For two years +already he has won it without being challenged; and if he wins it +again this year, he will have gained permanent possession of it. Every +succeeding year he may keep it without contest or challenge." Quickly +Erec makes reply: "I do not like that knight. Upon my word, had I some +arms I should challenge him for the hawk. Fair host, I beg you as a boon +to advise me how I may be equipped with arms whether old or new, poor or +rich, it matters not." And he replies to him generously: "It were a pity +for you to feel concern on that score! I have good fine arms which I +shall be glad to lend you. In the house I have a triple-woven hauberk, +[110] which was selected from among five hundred. And I have some fine +valuable greaves, polished, handsome, and light in weight. The helmet +is bright and handsome, and the shield fresh and new. Horse, sword, and +lance all I will lend you, of course; so let no more be said." "Thank +you kindly, fair gentle host! But I wish for no better sword that this +one which I have brought with me, nor for any other horse than my own, +for I can get along well enough with him. If you will lend me the rest, +I shall esteem it a great favour. But there is one more boon I wish to +ask of you, for which I shall make just return if God grant that I come +off from the battle with honour." And frankly he replies to him: "Ask +confidently for what you want, whatever it be, for nothing of mine shall +lack you." Then Erec said that he wished to defend the hawk on behalf +of his daughter; for surely there will be no damsel who is one hundredth +part as beautiful as she. And if he takes her with him, he will have +good and just reason to maintain and to prove that she is entitled to +carry away the hawk. Then he added: "Sire, you know not what guest you +have sheltered here, nor do you know my estate and kin. I am the son of +a rich and puissant king: my father's name is King Lac, and the Bretons +call me Erec. I belong to King Arthur's court, and have been with him +now three years. I know not if any report of my father or of me has ever +reached this land. But I promise you and vow that if you will fit me out +with arms, and will give me your daughter to-morrow when I strive for +the hawk, I will take her to my country, if God grant me the victory, +and I will give her a crown to wear, and she shall be queen of three +cities." "Ah, fair sir! Is it true that you are Erec, the son of Lac?" +"That is who I am, indeed" quoth he. Then the host was greatly delighted +and said: "We have indeed heard of you in this country. Now I think all +the more of you, for you are very valiant and brave. Nothing now shall +you be refused by me. At your request I give you my fair daughter." +Then taking her by the hand, he says: "Here, I give her to you." Erec +received her joyfully, and now has all he desired. Now they are all +happy there: the father is greatly delighted, and the mother weeps for +joy. The maiden sat quiet; but she was very happy and glad that she was +betrothed to him, because he was valiant and courteous: and she knew +that he would some day be king, and she should receive honour and be +crowned rich queen. + +(Vv. 691-746.) They had sat up very late that night. But now the +beds were prepared with white sheets and soft pillows, and when the +conversation flagged they all went to bed in happy frame. Erec slept +little that night, and the next morn, at crack of dawn, he and his host +rose early. They both go to pray at church, and hear a hermit chant the +Mass of the Holy Spirit, not forgetting to make an offering. When they +had heard Mass both kneel before the altar and then return to the house. +Erec was eager for the battle; so he asks for arms, and they are given +to him. The maiden herself puts on his arms (though she casts no spell +or charm), [111] laces on his iron greaves, and makes them fast with +thong of deer-hide. She puts on his hauberk with its strong meshes, and +laces on his ventail. The gleaming helmet she sets upon his head, and +thus arms him well from tip to toe. At his side she fastens his sword, +and then orders his horse to be brought, which is done. Up he jumped +clear of the ground. The damsel then brings the shield and the strong +lance: she hands him the shield, and he takes it and hangs it about his +neck by the strap. She places the lance in his hand, and when he had +grasped it by the butt-end, he thus addressed the gentle vavasor: "Fair +sire," quoth he, "if you please, make your daughter ready now; for +I wish to escort her to the sparrow-hawk in accordance with our +agreement." The vavasor then without delay had saddled a bay palfrey. +There can nothing be said of the harness because of the dire poverty +with which the vavasor was afflicted. Saddle and bridle were put on, and +up the maiden mounted all free and in light attire, without waiting +to be urged. Erec wished to delay no longer; so off he starts with the +host's daughter by his side, followed by the gentleman and his lady. + +(Vv. 747-862.) Erec rides with lance erect and with the comely damsel by +his side. All the people, great and small, gaze at them with wondering +eyes as they pass through the streets. And thus they question each +other: "Who is yonder knight? He must be doughty and brave, indeed, to +act as escort for this fair maid. His efforts will be well employed in +proving that this damsel is the fairest of them all." One man to another +says: "In very truth, she ought to have the sparrow-hawk." Some praised +the maid, while many said: "God! who can this knight be, with the fair +damsel by his side?" "I know not." "Nor I." Thus spake each one. "But +his gleaming helmet becomes him well, and the hauberk, and shield, and +his sharp steel sword. He sits well upon his steed and has the bearing +of a valiant vassal, well-shapen in arm, in limb and foot." While all +thus stand and gaze at them, they for their part made no delay to take +their stand by the sparrow-hawk, where to one side they awaited the +knight. And now behold! they see him come, attended by his dwarf and his +damsel. He had heard the report, that a knight had come who wished to +obtain the sparrow-hawk, but he did not believe there could be in the +world a knight so bold as to dare to fight with him. He would quickly +defeat him and lay him low. All the people knew him well, and all +welcome him and escort him in a noisy crowd: knights, squires, ladies, +and damsels make haste to run after him. Leading them all the knight +rides proudly on, with his damsel and his dwarf at his side, and he +makes his way quickly to the sparrow-hawk. But all about there was such +a press of the rough and vulgar crowd that it was impossible to touch +the hawk or to come near where it was. Then the Count arrived on the +scene, and threatened the populace with a switch which he held in his +hand. The crowd drew back, and the knight advanced and said quietly +to his lady: "My lady, this bird, which is so perfectly moulted and so +fair, should be yours as your just portion; for you are wondrous fair +and full of charm. Yours it shall surely be so long as I live. Step +forward, my dear, and lift the hawk from the perch." The damsel was on +the point of stretching forth her hand when Erec hastened to challenge +her, little heeding the other's arrogance. "Damsel," he cries, "stand +back! Go dally with some other bird, for to this one you have no right. +In spite of all, I say this hawk shall never be yours. For a better one +than you claims it--aye, much more fair and more courteous." The other +knight is very wroth; but Erec does not mind him, and bids his own +maiden step forward. "Fair one." he cries, "come forth. Lift the bird +from the perch, for it is right that you should have it. Damsel, come +forth! For I will make boast to defend it if any one is so bold as +to intervene. For no woman excels you in beauty or worth, in grace or +honour any more than the moon outshines the sun." The other could suffer +it no longer, when he hears him so manfully offer himself to do battle. +"Vassal," he cries, "who art thou who dost thus dispute with me the +hawk?" Erec boldly answers him: "A knight I am from another land. This +hawk I have come to obtain; for it is right, I say it in spite of all, +that this damsel of mine should have it." "Away!" cries the other, "it +shall never be. Madness has brought thee here. If thou dost wish to have +the hawk, thou shalt pay fight dearly for it." "Pay, vassal; and how?" +"Thou must fight with me, if thou dost not resign it to me." "You talk +madness," cries Erec; "for me these are idle threats; for little +enough do I fear you." "Then I defy thee here and now. The battle is +inevitable." Erec replies: "God help me now; for never did I wish for +aught so much." Now soon you will hear the noise of battle. + +(Vv. 863-1080.) The large place was cleared, with the people gathered +all around. They draw off from each other the space of an acre, then +drive their horses together; they reach for each other with the tips of +their lances, and strike each other so hard that the shields are pierced +and broken; the lances split and crack; the saddle-bows are knocked to +bits behind. They must needs lose their stirrups, so that they both fall +to the ground, and the horses run off across the field. Though smitten +with the lances, they are quickly on their feet again, and draw their +swords from the scabbards. With great fierceness they attack each other, +and exchange great sword blows, so that the helmets are crushed and made +to ring. Fierce is the clash of the swords, as they rain great blows +upon neck and shoulders. For this is no mere sport: they break whatever +they touch, cutting the shields and shattering the hauberks. The swords +are red with crimson blood. Long the battle lasts; but they fight so +lustily that they become weary and listless. Both the damsels are in +tears, and each knight sees his lady weep and raise her hands to God and +pray that He may give the honours of the battle to the one who strives +for her. "Ha! vassal," quoth the knight to Erec, "let us withdraw and +rest a little; for too weak are these blows we deal. We must deal better +blows than these; for now it draws near evening. It is shameful and +highly discreditable that this battle should last so long. See yonder +that gentle maid who weeps for thee and calls on God. Full sweetly she +prays for thee, as does also mine for me. Surely we should do our best +with our blades of steel for the sake of our lady-loves." Erec replies: +"You have spoken well." Then they take a little rest, Erec looking +toward his lady as she softly prays for him. While he sat and looked +on her, great strength was recruited within him. Her love and beauty +inspired him with great boldness. He remembered the Queen, to whom he +pledged his word that he would avenge the insult done him, or would make +it greater yet. "Ah! wretch," says he, "why do I wait? I have not yet +taken vengeance for the injury which this vassal permitted when his +dwarf struck me in the wood." His anger is revived within him as he +summons the knight: "Vassal," quoth he, "I call you to battle anew. Too +long we have rested; let us now renew our strife." And he replies: "That +is no hardship to me." Whereupon, they again fall upon each other. +They were both expert fencers. At his first lunge the knight would have +wounded Erec had he not skilfully parried. Even so, he smote him so +hard over the shield beside his temple that he struck a piece from his +helmet. Closely shaving his white coif, the sword descends, cleaving the +shield through to the buckle, and cutting more than a span from the side +of his hauberk. Then he must have been well stunned, as the cold steel +penetrated to the flesh on his thigh. May God protect him now! If the +blow had not glanced off, it would have cut right through his body. But +Erec is in no wise dismayed: he pays him back what is owing him, and. +attacking him boldly, smites him upon the shoulder so violently a blow +that the shield cannot withstand it, nor is the hauberk of any use to +prevent the sword from penetrating to the bone. He made the crimson +blood flow down to his waist-band. Both of the vassals are hard +fighters: they fight with honours even, for one cannot gain from the +other a single foot of ground. Their hauberks are so torn and their +shields so hacked, that there is actually not enough of them left to +serve as a protection. So they fight all exposed. Each one loses a deal +of blood, and both grow weak. He strikes Erec and Erec strikes him. Erec +deals him such a tremendous blow upon the helmet that he quite stuns +him. Then he lets him have it again and again, giving him three blows +in quick succession, which entirely split the helmet and cut the coif +beneath it. The sword even reaches the skull and cuts a bone of his +head, but without penetrating the brain. He stumbles and totters, and +while he staggers, Erec pushes him over, so that he falls upon his right +side. Erec grabs him by the helmet and forcibly drags it from his +head, and unlaces the ventail, so that his head and face are completely +exposed. When Erec thinks of the insult done him by the dwarf in the +wood, he would have cut off his head, had he not cried for mercy. "Ah! +vassal," says he, "thou hast defeated me. Mercy now, and do not kill me, +after having overcome me and taken me prisoner: that would never bring +thee praise or glory. If thou shouldst touch me more, thou wouldst do +great villainy. Take here my sword; I yield it thee." Erec, however, +does not take it, but says in reply: "I am within an ace of killing +thee." "Ah! gentle knight, mercy! For what crime, indeed, or for what +wrong shouldst thou hate me with mortal hatred? I never saw thee before +that I am aware, and never have I been engaged in doing thee any shame +or wrong." Erec replies: "Indeed you have." "Ah, sire, tell me when! For +I never saw you, that I can remember, and if I have done you any wrong, +I place myself at your mercy." Then Erec said: "Vassal, I am he who was +in the forest yesterday with Queen Guinevere, when thou didst allow thy +ill-bred dwarf to strike my lady's damsel. It is disgraceful to strike +a woman. And afterwards he struck me, taking me for some common fellow. +Thou wast guilty of too great insolence when thou sawest such an outrage +and didst complacently permit such a monster of a lout to strike the +damsel and myself. For such a crime I may well hate thee; for thou +hast committed a grave offence. Thou shalt now constitute thyself my +prisoner, and without delay go straight to my lady whom thou wilt surely +find at Cardigan, if thither thou takest thy way. Thou wilt reach there +this very night, for it is not seven leagues from here, I think. Thou +shalt hand over to her thyself, thy damsel, and thy dwarf, to do as she +may dictate; and tell her that I send her word that to-morrow I shall +come contented, bringing with me a damsel so fair and wise and fine +that in all the world she has not her match. So much thou mayst tell her +truthfully. And now I wish to know thy name." Then he must needs say in +spite of himself: "Sire, my name is Yder, son of Nut. This morning I had +not thought that any single man by force of arms could conquer me. Now +I have found by experience a man who is better than I. You are a very +valiant knight, and I pledge you my faith here and now that I will go +without delay and put myself in the Queen's hands. But tell me without +reserve what your name may be. Who shall I say it is that sends me? For +I am ready to start." And he replies: "My name I will tell thee without +disguise: it is Erec. Go, and tell her that it is I who have sent thee +to her." "Now I'll go, and I promise you that I will put my dwarf, my +damsel, and myself altogether at her disposal (you need have no fear), +and I will give her news of you and of your damsel." Then Erec received +his plighted word, and the Count and all the people round about the +ladies and the gentlemen were present at the agreement. Some were +joyous, and some downcast; some were sorry, and others glad. The most +rejoiced for the sake of the damsel with the white raiment, the daughter +of the poor vavasor she of the gentle and open heart; but his damsel and +those who were devoted to him were sorry for Yder. + +(Vv. 1081-1170.) Yder, compelled to execute his promise, did not wish +to tarry longer, but mounted his steed at once. But why should I make +a long story? Taking his dwarf and his damsel, they traversed the woods +and the plain, going on straight until they came to Cardigan. In the +bower [112] outside the great hall, Gawain and Kay the seneschal and a +great number of other lords were gathered. The seneschal was the first +to espy those approaching, and said to my lord Gawain: "Sire, my heart +divines that the vassal who yonder comes is he of whom the Queen spoke +as having yesterday done her such an insult. If I am not mistaken, there +are three in the party, for I see the dwarf and the damsel." "That is +so," says my lord Gawain; "it is surely a damsel and a dwarf who are +coming straight toward us with the knight. The knight himself is fully +armed, but his shield is not whole. If the Queen should see him, +she would know him. Hello, seneschal, go call her now!" So he went +straightway and found her in one of the apartments. "My lady," says he, +"do you remember the dwarf who yesterday angered you by wounding your +damsel?" "Yes, I remember him right well. Seneschal, have you any +news of him? Why have you mentioned him?" "Lady, because I have seen a +knight-errant armed coming upon a grey horse, and if my eyes have not +deceived me, I saw a damsel with him; and it seems to me that with him +comes the dwarf, who still holds the scourge from which Erec received +his lashing." Then the Queen rose quickly and said: "Let us go quickly, +seneschal, to see if it is the vassal. If it is he, you may be sure that +I shall tell you so, as soon as I see him." And Kay said: "I will show +him to you. Come up into the bower where your knights are assembled. It +was from there we saw him coming, and my lord Gawain himself awaits +you there. My lady, let us hasten thither, for here we have too long +delayed." Then the Queen bestirred herself, and coming to the windows +she took her stand by my lord Gawain, and straightway recognised the +knight. "Ha! my lords," she cries, "it is he. He has been through great +danger. He has been in a battle. I do not know whether Erec has avenged +his grief, or whether this knight has defeated Erec. But there is many a +dent upon his shield, and his hauberk is covered with blood, so that it +is rather red than white." "In sooth, my lady," quoth my lord Gawain, +"I am very sure that you are quite right. His hauberk is covered with +blood, and pounded and beaten, showing plainly that he has been in a +fight. We can easily see that the battle has been hot. Now we shall soon +hear from him news that will give us joy or gloom: whether Erec sends +him to you here as a prisoner at your discretion, or whether he comes +in pride of heart to boast before us arrogantly that he has defeated or +killed Erec. No other news can he bring, I think." The Queen says: "I am +of the same opinion." And all the others say: "It may well be so." + +(Vv. 1171-1243.) Meanwhile Yder enters the castle gate, bringing them +news. They all came down from the bower, and went to meet him. Yder came +up to the royal terrace and there dismounted from his horse. And Gawain +took the damsel and helped her down from her palfrey; the dwarf, for his +part, dismounted too. There were more than one hundred knights standing +there, and when the three newcomers had all dismounted they were led +into the King's presence. As soon as Yder saw the Queen, he bowed low +and first saluted her, then the King and his knights, and said: "Lady, +I am sent here as your prisoner by a gentleman, a valiant and noble +knight, whose face yesterday my dwarf made smart with his knotted +scourge. He has overcome me at arms and defeated me. Lady, the dwarf I +bring you here: he has come to surrender to you at discretion. I bring +you myself, my damsel, and my dwarf to do with us as you please." The +Queen keeps her peace no longer, but asks him for news of Erec: "Tell +me," she says, "if you please, do you know when Erec will arrive?" +"To-morrow, lady, and with him a damsel he will bring, the fairest of +all I ever knew." When he had delivered his message, the Queen, who was +kind and sensible, said to him courteously: "Friend, since thou hast +thrown thyself upon my mercy, thy confinement shall be less harsh; for I +have no desire to seek thy harm. But tell me now, so help thee God, what +is thy name?" And he replies: "Lady, my name is Yder, son of Nut." And +they knew that he told the truth. Then the Queen arose, and going before +the King, said: "Sire, did you hear? You have done well to wait for +Erec, the valiant knight. I gave you good advice yesterday, when I +counselled you to await his return. This proves that it is wise to take +advice." The King replies: "That is no lie; rather is it perfectly true +that he who takes advice is no fool. Happily we followed your advice +yesterday. But if you care anything for me, release this knight from his +durance, provided he consent to join henceforth my household and court; +and if he does not consent, let him suffer the consequence." When the +King had thus spoken, the Queen straightway released the knight; but it +was on this condition, that he should remain in the future at the court. +He did not have to be urged before he gave his consent to stay. Now he +was of the court and household to which he had not before belonged. Then +valets were at hand to run and relieve him of his arms. + +(Vv. 1244-1319.) Now we must revert to Erec, whom we left in the field +where the battle had taken place. Even Tristan, when he slew fierce +Morhot on Saint Samson's isle [113], awakened no such jubilee as they +celebrated here over Erec. Great and small, thin and stout--all make +much of him and praise his knighthood. There is not a knight but cries: +"Lord what a vassal! Under Heaven there is not his like!" They follow +him to his lodgings, praising him and talking much. Even the Count +himself embraces him, who above the rest was glad, and said: "Sire, if +you please, you ought by right to lodge in my house, since you are the +son of King Lac. If you would accept of my hospitality you would do me +a great honour, for I regard you as my liege. Fair sire, may it please +you, I beg you to lodge with me." Erec answers: "May it not displease +you, but I shall not desert my host to-night, who has done me much +honour in giving me his daughter. What say you, sir? Is it not a fair +and precious gift?" "Yes, sire," the Count replies; "the gift, in truth, +is fine and good. The maid herself is fair and clever, and besides is of +very noble birth. You must know that her mother is my sister. Surely, I +am glad at heart that you should deign to take my niece. Once more I beg +you to lodge with me this night." Erec replies: "Ask me no more. I will +not do it." Then the Count saw that further insistence was useless, and +said: "Sire, as it please you! We may as well say no more about it; but +I and my knights will all be with you to-night to cheer you and bear +you company." When Erec heard that, he thanked him, and returned to his +host's dwelling, with the Count attending him. Ladies and knights were +gathered there, and the vavasor was glad at heart. As soon as Erec +arrived, more than a score of squires ran quickly to remove his arms. +Any one who was present in that house could have witnessed a happy +scene. Erec went first and took his seat; then all the others in order +sit down upon the couches, the cushions, and benches. At Erec's side the +Count sat down, and the damsel with her radiant face, who was feeding +the much disputed hawk upon her wrist with a plover's wing. [114] Great +honour and joy and prestige had she gained that day, and she was very +glad at heart both for the bird and for her lord. She could not have +been happier, and showed it plainly, making no secret of her joy. All +could see how gay she was, and throughout the house there was great +rejoicing for the happiness of the maid they loved. + +(Vv. 1320-1352.) Erec thus addressed the vavasor: "Fair host, fair +friend, fair sire! You have done me great honour, and richly shall it +be repaid you. To-morrow I shall take away your daughter with me to the +King's court, where I wish to take her as my wife; and if you will +tarry here a little, I shall send betimes to fetch you. I shall have you +escorted into the country which is my father's now, but which later will +be mine. It is far from here--by no means near. There I shall give you +two towns, very splendid, rich, and fine. You shall be lord of Roadan, +which was built in the time of Adam, and of another town close by, which +is no less valuable. The people call it Montrevel, and my father owns no +better town. [115] And before the third day has passed, I shall send you +plenty of gold and silver, of dappled and grey furs, and precious silken +stuffs wherewith to adorn yourself and your wife my dear lady. To-morrow +at dawn I wish to take your daughter to court, dressed and arrayed as +she is at present. I wish my lady, the Queen, to dress her in her best +dress of satin and scarlet cloth." + +(Vv. 1353-1478.) There was a maiden near at hand, very honourable, +prudent, and virtuous. She was seated on a bench beside the maid with +the white shift, and was her own cousin the niece of my lord the Count. +When she heard how Erec intended to take her cousin in such very poor +array to the Queen's court, she spoke about it to the Count. "Sire," +she says, "it would be a shame to you more than to any one else if this +knight should take your niece away with him in such sad array." And +the Count made answer: "Gentle niece, do you give her the best of your +dresses." But Erec heard the conversation, and said: "By no means, my +lord. For be assured that nothing in the world would tempt me to let +her have another robe until the Queen shall herself bestow it upon her." +When the damsel heard this, she replied: "Alas! fair sire, since you +insist upon leading off my cousin thus dressed in a white shift and +chemise, and since you are determined that she shall have none of +my dresses, a different gift I wish to make her. I have three good +palfreys, as good as any of king or count, one sorrel, one dappled, and +the other black with white forefeet. Upon my word, if you had a hundred +to pick from, you would not find a better one than the dappled mount. +The birds in the air do not fly more swiftly than the palfrey; and he is +not too lively, but just suits a lady. A child can ride him, for he +is neither skittish nor balky, nor does he bite nor kick nor become +unmanageable. Any one who is looking for something better does not know +what he wants. And his pace is so easy and gentle that a body is more +comfortable and easy on his back than in a boat." Then said Erec: "My +dear, I have no objection to her accepting this gift; indeed, I am +pleased with the offer, and do not wish her to refuse it." Then the +damsel calls one of her trusty servants, and says to him: "Go, friend, +saddle my dappled palfrey, and lead him here at once." And he carries +out her command: he puts on saddle and bridle and strives to make him +appear well. Then he jumps on the maned palfrey, which is now ready for +inspection. When Erec saw the animal, he did not spare his praise, for +he could see that he was very fine and gentle. So he bade a servant lead +him back and hitch him in the stable beside his own horse. Then they all +separated, after an evening agreeably spent. The Count goes off to his +own dwelling, and leaves Erec with the vavasor, saying that he will bear +him company in the morning when he leaves. All that night they slept +well. In the morning, when the dawn was bright, Erec prepares to start, +commanding his horses to be saddled. His fair sweetheart, too, awakes, +dresses, and makes ready. The vavasor and his wife rise too, and every +knight and lady there prepares to escort the damsel and the knight. Now +they are all on horseback, and the Count as well. Erec rides beside the +Count, having beside him his sweetheart ever mindful of her hawk. Having +no other riches, she plays with her hawk. Very merry were they as they +rode along; but when the time came to part, the Count wished to send +along with Erec a party of his knights to do him honour by escorting +him. But he announced that none should bide with him, and that he wanted +no company but that of the damsel. Then, when they had accompanied them +some distance, he said: "In God's name, farewell!" Then the Count kisses +Erec and his niece, and commends them both to merciful God. Her father +and mother, too, kiss them again and again, and could not keep back +their tears: at parting, the mother weeps, the father and the daughter +too. For such is love and human nature, and such is affection between +parents and children. They wept from sorrow, tenderness, and love which +they had for their child; yet they knew full well that their daughter +was to fill a place from which great honour would accrue to them. They +shed tears of love and pity when they separated from their daughter, but +they had no other cause to weep. They knew well enough that eventually +they would receive great honour from her marriage. So at parting many +a tear was shed, as weeping they commend one another to God, and thus +separate without more delay. + +(Vv. 1479-1690.) Erec quit his host; for he was very anxious to reach +the royal court. In his adventure he took great satisfaction; for now he +had a lady passing fair, discreet, courteous, and debonair. He could not +look at her enough: for the more he looks at her, the more she pleases +him. He cannot help giving her a kiss. He is happy to ride by her side, +and it does him good to look at her. Long he gazes at her fair hair, her +laughing eyes, and her radiant forehead, her nose, her face, and mouth, +for all of which gladness fills his heart. He gazes upon her down to the +waist, at her chin and her snowy neck, her bosom and sides, her arms and +hands. But no less the damsel looks at the vassal with a clear eye and +loyal heart, as if they were in competition. They would not have ceased +to survey each other even for promise of a reward! A perfect match they +were in courtesy, beauty, and gentleness. And they were so alike in +quality, manner, and customs, that no one wishing to tell the truth +could choose the better of them, nor the fairer, nor the more discreet. +Their sentiments, too, were much alike; so that they were well suited +to each other. Thus each steals the other's heart away. Law or marriage +never brought together two such sweet creatures. And so they rode along +until just on the stroke of noon they approached the castle of Cardigan, +where they were both expected. Some of the first nobles of the court had +gone up to look from the upper windows and see if they could see them. +Queen Guinevere ran up, and even the King came with Kay and Perceval of +Wales, and with them my lord Gawain and Tor, the son of King Ares; Lucan +the cupbearer was there, too, and many another doughty knight. Finally, +they espied Erec coming along in company with his lady. They all knew +him well enough from as far as they could see him. The Queen is greatly +pleased, and indeed the whole court is glad of his coming, because they +all love him so. As soon as he was come before the entrance hall, the +King and Queen go down to meet him, all greeting him in God's name. They +welcome Erec and his maiden, commending and praising her great beauty. +And the King himself caught her and lifted her down from her palfrey. +The King was decked in fine array and was then in cheery mood. He did +signal honour to the damsel by taking her hand and leading her up into +the great stone hall. After them Erec and the Queen also went up hand +in hand, and he said to her: "I bring you, lady, my damsel and my +sweetheart dressed in poor garb. As she was given to me, so have I +brought her to you. She is the daughter of a poor vavasor. Through +poverty many an honourable man is brought low: her father, for instance, +is gentle and courteous, but he has little means. And her mother is a +very gentle lady, the sister of a rich Count. She has no lack of beauty +or of lineage, that I should not marry her. It is poverty that has +compelled her to wear this white linen garment until both sleeves are +torn at the side. And yet, had it been my desire, she might have had +dresses rich enough. For another damsel, a cousin of hers, wished to +give her a robe of ermine and of spotted or grey silk. But I would +not have her dressed in any other robe until you should have seen her. +Gentle lady, consider the matter now and see what need she has of a +fine becoming gown." And the Queen at once replies: "You have done quite +right; it is fitting that she should have one of my gowns, and I will +give her straightway a rich, fair gown, both fresh and new." The Queen +then hastily took her off to her own private room, and gave orders +to bring quickly the fresh tunic and the greenish-purple mantle, +embroidered with little crosses, which had been made for herself. The +one who went at her behest came bringing to her the mantle and the +tunic, which was lined with white ermine even to the sleeves. At the +wrists and on the neck-band there was in truth more than half a mark's +weight of beaten gold, and everywhere set in the gold there were +precious stones of divers colours, indigo and green, blue and dark +brown. This tunic was very rich, but not a writ less precious, I trow, +was the mantle. As yet, there were no ribbons on it; for the mantle like +the tunic was brand new. The mantle was very rich and fine: laid about +the neck were two sable skins, and in the tassels there was more than an +ounce of gold; on one a hyacinth, and on the other a ruby flashed more +bright than burning candle. The fur lining was of white ermine; never +was finer seen or found. The cloth was skilfully embroidered with little +crosses, all different, indigo, vermilion, dark blue, white, green, +blue, and yellow. The Queen called for some ribbons four ells long, made +of silken thread and gold. The ribbons are given to her, handsome and +well matched. Quickly she had them fastened to the mantle by some one +who knew how to do it, and who was master of the art. When the mantle +needed no more touches, the gay and gentle lady clasped the maid with +the white gown and said to her cheerily: "Mademoiselle, you must change +this frock for this tunic which is worth more than a hundred marks of +silver. So much I wish to bestow upon you. And put on this mantle, too. +Another time I will give you more." Not able to refuse the gift, she +takes the robe and thanks her for it. Then two maids took her aside into +a room, where she took off her frock as being of no further value; but +she asked and requested that it be given away (to some poor woman) for +the love of God. Then she dons the tunic, and girds herself, binding on +tightly a golden belt, and afterwards puts on the mantle. Now she looked +by no means ill; for the dress became her so well that it made her look +more beautiful than ever. The two maids wove a gold thread in amongst +her golden hair: but her tresses were more radiant than the thread of +gold, fine though it was. The maids, moreover, wove a fillet of flowers +of many various colours and placed it upon her head. They strove as best +they might to adorn her in such wise that no fault should be found with +her attire. Strung upon a ribbon around her neck, a damsel hung two +brooches of enamelled gold. Now she looked so charming and fair that I +do not believe that you could find her equal in any land, search as you +might, so skilfully had Nature wrought in her. Then she stepped out of +the dressing-room into the Queen's presence. The Queen made much of her, +because she liked her and was glad that she was beautiful and had such +gentle manners. They took each other by the hand and passed into the +King's presence. And when the King saw them, he got up to meet them. +When they came into the great hall, there were so many knights there who +rose before them that I cannot call by name the tenth part of them, or +the thirteenth, or the fifteenth. But I can tell you the names of some +of the best of the knights who belonged to the Round Table and who were +the best in the world. + +(Vv. 1691-1750.) Before all the excellent knights, Gawain ought to be +named the first, and second Erec the son of Lac, and third Lancelot of +the Lake. [116] Gornemant of Gohort was fourth, and the fifth was the +Handsome Coward. The sixth was the Ugly Brave, the seventh Meliant of +Liz, the eighth Mauduit the Wise, and the ninth Dodinel the Wild. Let +Gandelu be named the tenth, for he was a goodly man. The others I shall +mention without order, because the numbers bother me. Eslit was there +with Briien, and Yvain the son of Uriien. And Yvain of Loenel was there, +as well as Yvain the Adulterer. Beside Yvain of Cavaliot was Garravain +of Estrangot. After the Knight with the Horn was the Youth with the +Golden Ring. And Tristan who never laughed sat beside Bliobleheris, and +beside Brun of Piciez was his brother Gru the Sullen. The Armourer sat +next, who preferred war to peace. Next sat Karadues the Shortarmed, +a knight of good cheer; and Caveron of Robendic, and the son of King +Quenedic and the Youth of Quintareus and Yder of the Dolorous Mount. +Gaheriet and Kay of Estraus, Amauguin and Gales the Bald, Grain, +Gornevain, and Carabes, and Tor the son of King Aras, Girflet the son +of Do, and Taulas, who never wearied of arms: and a young man of great +merit, Loholt the son of King Arthur, [117] and Sagremor the Impetuous, +who should not be forgotten, nor Bedoiier the Master of the Horse, +who was skilled at chess and trictrac, nor Bravain, nor King Lot, nor +Galegantin of Wales, nor Gronosis, versed in evil, who was son of Kay +the Seneschal, nor Labigodes the Courteous, nor Count Cadorcaniois, nor +Letron of Prepelesant, whose manners were so excellent, nor Breon the +son of Canodan, nor the Count of Honolan who had such a head of fine +fair hair; he it was who received the King's horn in an evil day; [118] +he never had any care for truth. + +(Vv. 1751-1844.) When the stranger maiden saw all the knights arrayed +looking steadfastly at her, she bowed her head in embarrassment; nor was +it strange that her face blushed all crimson. But her confusion was so +becoming to her that she looked all the more lovely. When the King saw +that she was embarrassed, he did not wish to leave her side. Taking her +gently by the hand, he made her sit down on his right hand; and on his +left sat the Queen, speaking thus to the King the while. "Sire, in my +opinion he who can win such a fair lady by his arms in another land +ought by right to come to a royal court. It was well we waited for Erec; +for now you can bestow the kiss upon the fairest of the court. I should +think none would find fault with you! for none can say, unless he lie, +that this maiden is not the most charming of all the damsels here, or +indeed in all the world." The King makes answer: "That is no lie; and +upon her, if there is no remonstrance, I shall bestow the honour of the +White Stag." Then he added to the knights: "My lords, what say you? What +is your opinion? In body, in face, and in whatever a maid should have, +this one is the most charming and beautiful to be found, as I may say, +before you come to where Heaven and earth meet. I say it is meet that +she should receive the honour of the Stag. And you, my lords, what do +you think about it? Can you make any objection? If any one wishes to +protest, let him straightway speak his mind. I am King, and must keep +my word and must not permit any baseness, falsity, or arrogance. I must +maintain truth and righteousness. It is the business of a loyal king +to support the law, truth, faith, and justice. I would not in any wise +commit a disloyal deed or wrong to either weak or strong. It is not meet +that any one should complain of me; nor do I wish the custom and the +practice to lapse, which my family has been wont to foster. You, too, +would doubtless regret to see me strive to introduce other customs +and other laws than those my royal sire observed. Regardless of +consequences, I am bound to keep and maintain the institution of my +father Pendragon, who was a just king and emperor. Now tell me fully +what you think! Let none be slow to speak his mind, if this damsel is +not the fairest of my household and ought not by right to receive the +kiss of the White Stag: I wish to know what you truly think." Then they +all cry with one accord: "Sire, by the Lord and his Cross! you may well +kiss her with good reason, for she is the fairest one there is. In this +damsel there is more beauty than there is of radiance in the sun. You +may kiss her freely, for we all agree in sanctioning it." When the King +hears that this is well pleasing to them all, he will no longer delay in +bestowing the kiss, but turns toward her and embraces her. The maid was +sensible, and perfectly willing that the King should kiss her; she would +have been discourteous, indeed, to resent it. In courteous fashion and +in the presence of all his knights the King kissed her, and said: "My +dear. I give you my love in all honesty. I will love you with true +heart, without malice and without guile." By this adventure the King +carried out the practice and the usage to which the White Stag was +entitled at his court. + +Here ends the first part of my story. [119] + +(Vv. 1845-1914.) When the kiss of the Stag was taken according to the +custom of the country, Erec, like a polite and kind man, was solicitous +for his poor host. It was not his intention to fail to execute what he +had promised. Hear how he kept his covenant: for he sent him now five +sumpter mules, strong and sleek, loaded with dresses and clothes, +buckrams and scarlets, marks of gold and silver plate, furs both vair +and grey, skins of sable, purple stuffs, and silks. When the mules were +loaded with all that a gentleman can need, he sent with them an escort +of ten knights and sergeants chosen from his own men, and straightly +charged them to salute his host and show great honour both to him and to +his lady, as if it were to himself in person; and when they should have +presented to them the sumpters which they brought them, the gold, the +silver, and money, and all the other furnishings which were in the +boxes, they should escort the lady and the vavasor with great honour +into his kingdom of Farther Wales. [120] Two towns there he had promised +them, the most choice and the best situated that there were in all his +land, with nothing to fear from attack. Montrevel was the name of one, +and the other's name was Roadan. When they should arrive in his kingdom, +they should make over to them these two towns, together with their rents +and their jurisdiction, in accordance with what he had promised them. +All was carried out as Erec had ordered. The messengers made no delay, +and in good time they presented to his host the gold and the silver +and the sumpters and the robes and the money, of which there was great +plenty. They escorted them into Erec's kingdom, and strove to serve them +well. They came into the country on the third day, and transferred to +them the towers of the towns; for King Lac made no objection. He gave +them a warm welcome and showed them honour, loving them for the sake +of his son Erec. He made over to them the title to the towns, and +established their suzerainty by making knights and bourgeois swear that +they would reverence them as their true liege lords. When this was +done and accomplished, the messengers returned to their lord Erec, who +received them gladly. When he asked for news of the vavasor and his +lady, of his own father and of his kingdom, the report they gave him was +good and fair. + +(Vv. 1915-2024.) Not long after this, the time drew near when Erec was +to celebrate his marriage. The delay was irksome to him, and he resolved +no longer to suffer and wait. So he went and asked of the King that +it might please him to allow him to be married at the court. The King +vouchsafed him the boon, and sent through all his kingdom to search for +the kings and counts who were his liege-men, bidding them that none be +so bold as not to be present at Pentecost. None dares to hold back and +not go to court at the King's summons. Now I will tell you, and listen +well, who were these counts and kings. With a rich escort and one +hundred extra mounts Count Brandes of Gloucester came. After him came +Menagormon, who was Count of Clivelon. And he of the Haute Montagne came +with a very rich following. The Count of Treverain came, too, with a +hundred of his knights, and Count Godegrain with as many more. Along +with those whom I have just mentioned came Maheloas, a great baron, lord +of the Isle of Voirre. In this island no thunder is heard, no lightning +strikes, nor tempests rage, nor do toads or serpents exist there, nor is +it ever too hot or too cold. [121] Graislemier of Fine Posterne brought +twenty companions, and had with him his brother Guigomar, lord of the +Isle of Avalon. Of the latter we have heard it said that he was a friend +of Morgan the Fay, and such he was in very truth. Davit of Tintagel +came, who never suffered woe or grief. Guergesin, the Duke of Haut Bois, +came with a very rich equipment. There was no lack of counts and dukes, +but of kings there were still more. Garras of Cork, a doughty king, was +there with five hundred knights clad in mantles, hose, and tunics of +brocade and silk. Upon a Cappadocian steed came Aguisel, the Scottish +king, and brought with him his two sons, Cadret and Coi--two much +respected knights. Along with those whom I have named came King Ban of +Gomeret, and he had in his company only young men, beardless as yet on +chin and lip. A numerous and gay band he brought two hundred of them +in his suite; and there was none, whoever he be, but had a falcon or +tercel, a merlin or a sparrow-hawk, or some precious pigeon-hawk, golden +or mewed. Kerrin, the old King of Riel, brought no youth, but rather +three hundred companions of whom the youngest was seven score years old. +Because of their great age, their heads were all as white as snow, and +their beards reached down to their girdles. Arthur held them in great +respect. The lord of the dwarfs came next, Bilis, the king of Antipodes. +This king of whom I speak was a dwarf himself and own brother of Brien. +Bilis, on the one hand, was the smallest of all the dwarfs, while his +brother Brien was a half-foot or full palm taller than any other knight +in the kingdom. To display his wealth and power, Bilis brought with him +two kings who were also dwarfs and who were vassals of his, Grigoras and +Glecidalan. Every one looked at them as marvels. When they had arrived +at court, they were treated with great esteem. All three were honoured +and served at the court like kings, for they were very perfect +gentlemen. In brief, when King Arthur saw all his lords assembled, his +heart was glad. Then, to heighten the joy, he ordered a hundred squires +to be bathed whom he wished to dub knights. There was none of them +but had a parti-coloured robe of rich brocade of Alexandria, each one +choosing such as pleased his fancy. All had arms of a uniform pattern, +and horses swift and full of mettle, of which the worst was worth a +hundred livres. + +(Vv. 2025-2068.) When Erec received his wife, he must needs call her by +her right name. For a wife is not espoused unless she is called by her +proper name. As yet no one knew her name, but now for the first time it +was made known: Enide was her baptismal name. [122] The Archbishop of +Canterbury, who had come to the court, blessed them, as is his right. +When the court was all assembled, there was not a minstrel in the +countryside who possessed any pleasing accomplishment that did not come +to the court. In the great hall there was much merry-making, each one +contributing what he could to the entertainment: one jumps, another +tumbles, another does magic; there is story-telling, singing, whistling, +playing from notes; they play on the harp, the rote, the fiddle, the +violin, the flute, and pipe. The maidens sing and dance, and outdo each +other in the merry-making. At the wedding that day everything was +done which can give joy and incline man's heart to gladness. Drums are +beaten, large and small, and there is playing of pipes, fifes, horns, +trumpets, and bagpipes. What more shall I say? There was not a wicket or +a gate kept closed; but the exits and entrances all stood ajar, so that +no one, poor or rich, was turned away. King Arthur was not miserly, but +gave orders to the bakers, the cooks, and the butlers that they should +serve every one generously with bread, wine, and venison. No one asked +anything whatever to be passed to him without getting all he desired. + +(Vv. 2069-2134.) There was great merriment in the palace. But I will +pass over the rest, and you shall hear of the joy and pleasure in the +bridal chamber. Bishops and archbishops were there on the night when +the bride and groom retired. At this their first meeting, Iseut was not +filched away, nor was Brangien put in her place. [123] The Queen herself +took charge of their preparations for the night; for both of them were +dear to her. The hunted stag which pants for thirst does not so long for +the spring, nor does the hungry sparrow-hawk return so quickly when he +is called, as did these two come to hold each other in close embrace. +That night they had full compensation for their long delay. After the +chamber had been cleared, they allow each sense to be gratified: the +eyes, which are the entrance-way of love, and which carry messages to +the heart, take satisfaction in the glance, for they rejoice in all they +see; after the message of the eyes comes the far surpassing sweetness of +the kisses inviting love; both of them make trial of this sweetness, and +let their hearts quaff so freely that hardly can they leave off. Thus, +kissing was their first sport. And the love which is between them +emboldened the maid and left her quite without her fears; regardless of +pain, she suffered all. Before she rose, she no longer bore the name +of maid; in the morning she was a new-made dame. That day the minstrels +were in happy mood, for they were all well paid. They were fully +compensated for the entertainment they had given, and many a handsome +gift was bestowed upon them: robes of grey squirrel skin and ermine, of +rabbit skins and violet stuffs, scarlets and silken stuffs. Whether +it be a horse or money, each one got what he deserved according to his +skill. And thus the wedding festivities and the court lasted almost +a fortnight with great joy and magnificence. For his own glory and +satisfaction, as well as to honour Erec the more, King Arthur made all +the knights remain a full fortnight. When the third week began, all +together by common consent agreed to hold a tournament. On the one +side, my lord Gawain offered himself as surety that it would take place +between Evroic and Tenebroc: and Meliz and Meliadoc were guarantors on +the other side. Then the court separated. + +(Vv. 2135-2292.) A month after Pentecost the tournament assembled, and +the jousting began in the plain below Tenebroc. Many an ensign of red, +blue, and white, many a veil and many a sleeve were bestowed as tokens +of love. Many a lance was carried there, flying the colours argent and +green, or gold and azure blue. There were many, too, with different +devices, some with stripes and some with dots. That day one saw laced on +many a helmet of gold or steel, some green, some yellow, and others red, +all aglowing in the sun; so many scutcheons and white hauberks; so many +swords girt on the left side; so many good shields, fresh and new, some +resplendent in silver and green, others of azure with buckles of gold; +so many good steeds marked with white, or sorrel, tawny, white, black, +and bay: all gather hastily. And now the field is quite covered with +arms. On either side the ranks tremble, and a roar rises from the fight. +The shock of the lances is very great. Lances break and shields are +riddled, the hauberks receive bumps and are torn asunder, saddles go +empty and horsemen ramble, while the horses sweat and foam. Swords are +quickly drawn on those who tumble noisily, and some run to receive the +promise of a ransom, others to stave off this disgrace. Erec rode a +white horse, and came forth alone at the head of the line to joust, if +he may find an opponent. From the opposite side there rides out to meet +him Orguelleus de la Lande, mounted on an Irish steed which bears +him along with marvellous speed. On the shield before his breast Erec +strikes him with such force that he knocks him from his horse: he leaves +him prone and passes on. Then Raindurant opposed him, son of the old +dame of Tergalo, covered with blue cloth of silk; he was a knight of +great prowess. Against one another now they charge and deal fierce blows +on the shields about their neck. Erec from lance's length lays him over +on the hard ground. While riding back he met the King of the Red City, +who was very valiant and bold. They grasp their reins by the knots and +their shields by the inner straps. They both had fine arms, and strong +swift horses, and good shields, fresh and new. With such fury they +strike each other that both their lances fly in splinters. Never was +there seen such a blow. They rush together with shields, arms, and +horses. But neither girth nor rein nor breast-strap could prevent the +king from coming to earth. So he flew from his steed, carrying with him +saddle and stirrup, and even the reins of his bridle in his hand. All +those who witnessed the jousting were filled with amazement, and said it +cost him dear to joust with such a goodly knight. Erec did not wish +to stop to capture either horse or rider, but rather to joust and +distinguish himself in order that his prowess might appear. He thrills +the ranks in front of him. Gawain animates those who were on his side +by his prowess, and by winning horses and knights to the discomfiture +of his opponents. I speak of my lord Gawain, who did right well and +valiantly. In the fight he unhorsed Guincel, and took Gaudin of the +Mountain; he captured knights and horses alike: my lord Gawain did well. +Girtlet the son of Do, and Yvain, and Sagremor the Impetuous, so evilly +entreated their adversaries that they drove them back to the gates, +capturing and unhorsing many of them. In front of the gate of the town +the strife began again between those within and those without. There +Sagremor was thrown down, who was a very gallant knight. He was on the +point of being detained and captured, when Erec spurs to rescue him, +breaking his lance into splinters upon one of the opponents. So hard he +strikes him on the breast that he made him quit the saddle. Then he +made of his sword and advances upon them, crushing and splitting their +helmets. Some flee, and others make way before him, for even the boldest +fears him. Finally, he distributed so many blows and thrusts that he +rescued Sagremor from them, and drove them all in confusion into the +town. Meanwhile, the vesper hour drew to a close. Erec bore himself so +well that day that he was the best of the combatants. But on the morrow +he did much better yet: for he took so many knights and left so many +saddles empty that none could believe it except those who had seen it. +Every one on both sides said that with his lance and shield he had won +the honours of the tournament. Now was Erec's renown so high that no one +spoke save of him, nor was any one of such goodly favour. In countenance +he resembled Absalom, in language he seemed a Solomon, in boldness he +equalled Samson, [124] and in generous giving and spending he was the +equal of Alexander. On his return from the tourney Erec went to speak +with the King. He went to ask him for leave to go and visit his own +land; but first he thanked him like a frank, wise, and courteous man for +the honour which he had done him; for very deep was his gratitude. +Then he asked his permission to leave, for he wished to visit his own +country, and he wished to take his wife with him. This request the King +could not deny, and yet he would have had him stay. He gives him leave +and begs him to return as soon as possible: for in the whole court there +was no better or more gallant knight, save only his dear nephew Gawain; +[125] with him no one could be compared. But next after him, he prized +Erec most, and held him more dear than any other knight. + +(Vv. 2293-2764.) Erec wished to delay no longer. As soon as he had the +King's leave, he bid his wife make her preparations, and he retained as +his escort sixty knights of merit with horses and with dappled and grey +furs. As soon as he was ready for his journey, he tarried little further +at court, but took leave of the Queen and commended the knights to God. +The Queen grants him leave to depart. At the hour of prime he set out +from the royal palace. In the presence of them all he mounted his steed, +and his wife mounted the dappled horse which she had brought from her +own country; then all his escort mounted. Counting knights and squires, +there were full seven score in the train. After four long days' journey +over hills and slopes, through forests, plains, and streams, they +came on the fifth day to Camant, where King Lac was residing in a very +charming town. No one ever saw one better situated; for the town was +provided with forests and meadow-land, with vineyards and farms, with +streams and orchards, with ladies and knights, and fine, lively youths, +and polite, well-mannered clerks who spent their incomes freely, with +fair and charming maidens, and with prosperous burghers. Before Erec +reached the town, he sent two knights ahead to announce his arrival +to the King. When he heard the news, the King had clerks, knights, and +damsels quickly mount, and ordered the bells to be rung, and the streets +to be hung with tapestries and silken stuffs, that his son might be +received with joy; then he himself got on his horse. Of clerks there +were present fourscore, gentle and honourable men, clad in grey cloaks +bordered with sable. Of knights there were full five hundred, mounted +on bay, sorrel, or white-spotted steeds. There were so many burghers and +dames that no one could tell the number of them. The King and his son +galloped and rode on till they saw and recognised each other. They both +jump down from their horses and embrace and greet each other for a long +time, without stirring from the place where they first met. Each party +wished the other joy: the King makes much of Erec, but all at once +breaks off to turn to Enide. On all sides he is in clover: he embraces +and kisses them both, and knows not which of the two pleases him the +more. As they gaily enter the castle, the bells all ring their peals to +honour Erec's arrival. The streets are all strewn with reeds, mint, and +iris, and are hung overhead with curtains and tapestries of fancy silk +and satin stuffs. There was great rejoicing; for all the people came +together to see their new lord, and no one ever saw greater happiness +than was shown alike by young and old. First they came to the church, +where very devoutly they were received in a procession. Erec kneeled +before the altar of the Crucifix, and two knights led his wife to the +image of Our Lady. When she had finished her prayer, she stepped back +a little and crossed herself with her right hand, as a well-bred dame +should do. Then they came out from the church and entered the royal +palace, when the festivity began. That day Erec received many presents +from the knights and burghers: from one a palfrey of northern stock, and +from another a golden cup. One presents him with a golden pigeon-hawk, +another with a setter-dog, this one a greyhound, this other a +sparrowhawk, and another a swift Arab steed, this one a shield, this one +an ensign, this one a sword, and this a helmet. Never was a king more +gladly seen in his kingdom, nor received with greater joy, as all strove +to serve him well. Yet greater joy they made of Enide than of him, for +the great beauty which they saw in her, and still more for her open +charm. She was seated in a chamber upon a cushion of brocade which had +been brought from Thessaly. Round about her was many a fair lady; yet as +the lustrous gem outshines the brown flint, and as the rose excels the +poppy, so was Enide fairer than any other lady or damsel to be found in +the world, wherever one might search. She was so gentle and honourable, +of wise speech and affable, of pleasing character and kindly mien. No +one could ever be so watchful as to detect in her any folly, or sign of +evil or villainy. She had been so schooled in good manners that she had +learned all virtues which any lady can possess, as well as generosity +and knowledge. All loved her for her open heart, and whoever could do +her any service was glad and esteemed himself the more. No one spoke any +ill of her, for no one could do so. In the realm or empire there was no +lady of such good manners. But Erec loved her with such a tender love +that he cared no more for arms, nor did he go to tournaments, nor have +any desire to joust; but he spent his time in cherishing his wife. He +made of her his mistress and his sweetheart. He devoted all his heart +and mind to fondling and kissing her, and sought no delight in other +pastime. His friends grieved over this, and often regretted among +themselves that he was so deep in love. Often it was past noon before +he left her side; for there he was happy, say what they might. He rarely +left her society, and yet he was as open-handed as ever to his knights +with arms, dress, and money. There was not a tournament anywhere to +which he did not send them well apparelled and equipped. Whatever the +cost might be, he gave them fresh steeds for the tourney and joust. All +the knights said it was a great pity and misfortune that such a valiant +man as he was wont to be should no longer wish to bear arms. He was +blamed so much on all sides by the knights and squires that murmurs +reached Enide's ears how that her lord had turned craven about arms +and deeds of chivalry, and that his manner of life was greatly changed. +[126] She grieved sorely over this, but she did not dare to show her +grief; for her lord at once would take affront, if she should speak to +him. So the matter remained a secret, until one morning they lay in bed +where they had had sport together. There they lay in close embrace, like +the true lovers they were. He was asleep, but she was awake, thinking +of what many a man in the country was saying of her lord. And when she +began to think it all over, she could not keep back the tears. Such +was her grief and her chagrin that by mischance she let fall a word for +which she later felt remorse, though in her heart there was no guile. +She began to survey her lord from head to foot, his well-shaped body and +his clear countenance, until her tears fell fast upon the bosom of her +lord, and she said: "Alas, woe is me that I ever left my country! What +did I come here to seek? The earth ought by right to swallow me up when +the best knight, the most hardy, brave, fair, and courteous that ever +was a count or king, has completely abjured all his deeds of chivalry +because of me. And thus, in truth, it is I who have brought shame upon +his head, though I would fain not have done so at any price." Then she +said to him: "Unhappy thou!" And then kept silence and spoke no more. +Erec was not sound asleep and, though dozing, heard plainly what she +said. He aroused at her words, and much surprised to see her weeping, he +asked her: "Tell me, my precious beauty, why do you weep thus? What has +caused you woe or sorrow? Surely it is my wish to know. Tell me now, +my gentle sweetheart; and raise care to keep nothing back, why you said +that woe was me? For you said it of me and of no one else. I heard your +words plainly enough." Then was Enide in a great plight, afraid and +dismayed. "Sire," says she, "I know nothing of what you say." "Lady, why +do you conceal it? Concealment is of no avail. You hare been crying; I +can see that, and you do not cry for nothing. And in my sleep I heard +what you said." "Ah! fair sire, you never heard it, and I dare say it +was a dream." "Now you are coming to me with lies. I hear you calmly +lying to me. But if you do not tell me the truth now, you will come to +repent of it later." "Sire, since you torment me thus, I will tell you +the whole truth, and keep nothing back. But I am afraid that you will +not like it. In this land they all say--the dark, the fair, and the +ruddy--that it is a great pity that you should renounce your arms; your +reputation has suffered from it. Every one used to say not long ago that +in all the world there was known no better or more gallant knight. +Now they all go about making game of you--old and young, little and +great--calling you a recreant. Do you suppose it does not give me pain +to hear you thus spoken of with scorn? It grieves me when I hear it +said, and yet it grieves me more that they put the blame for it on me. +Yes, I am blamed for it, I regret to say, and they all assert it is +because I have so ensnared and caught you that you are losing all your +merit, and do not care for aught but me. You must choose another course, +so that you may silence this reproach and regain your former fame; for I +have heard too much of this reproach, and yet I did not dare to disclose +it to you. Many a time, when I think of it, I have to weep for very +grief. Such chagrin I felt just now that I could not keep myself from +saying that you were ill-starred." "Lady," said he, "you were in the +right, and those who blame me do so with reason. And now at once prepare +yourself to take the road. Rise up from here, and dress yourself in your +richest robe, and order your saddle to be put on your best palfrey." Now +Enide is in great distress: very sad and pensive, she gets up, blaming +and upbraiding herself for the foolish words she spoke: she had now +made her bed, and must lie in it. "Ah!" said she, "poor fool! I was too +happy, for there lacked me nothing. God! why was I so forward as to dare +to utter such folly? God! did not my lord love me to excess? In faith, +alas, he was too fond of me. And now I must go away into exile. But I +have yet a greater grief, that I shall no longer see my lord, who loved +me with such tenderness that there was nothing he held so dear. The best +man that was ever born had become so wrapped up in me that he cared for +nothing else. I lacked for nothing then. I was very happy. But pride +it is that stirred me up: because of my pride, I must suffer woe for +telling him such insulting words, and it is right that I should suffer +woe. One does not know what good fortune is until he has made trial of +evil." Thus the lady bemoaned her fate, while she dressed herself fitly +in her richest robe. Yet nothing gave her any pleasure, but rather cause +for deep chagrin. Then she had a maid call one of her squires, and bids +him saddle her precious palfrey of northern stock, than which no count +or king ever had a better. As soon as she had given him the command, the +fellow asked for no delay, but straightway went and saddled the dappled +palfrey. And Erec summoned another squire and bade him bring his arms to +arm his body withal. Then he went up into a bower, and had a Limoges rug +laid out before him on the floor. Meanwhile, the squire ran to fetch the +arms and came back and laid them on the rug. Erec took a seat opposite, +on the figure of a leopard which was portrayed on the rug. He prepares +and gets ready to put on his arms: first, he had laced on a pair of +greaves of polished steel; next, he dons a hauberk, which was so fine +that not a mesh could be cut away from it. This hauberk of his was rich, +indeed, for neither inside nor outside of it was there enough iron to +make a needle, nor could it gather any rust; for it was all made of +worked silver in tiny meshes triple-wove; and it was made with such +skill that I can assure you that no one who had put it on would have +been more uncomfortable or sore because of it, than if he had put on a +silk jacket over his undershirt. The knights and squires all began to +wonder why he was being armed; but no one dared to ask him why. When +they had put on his hauberk, a valet laces about his head a helmet +fluted with a band of gold, shining brighter than a mirror. Then he +takes the sword and girds it on, and orders them to bring him saddled +his bay steed of Gascony. Then he calls a valet to him, and says: +"Valet, go quickly, run to the chamber beside the tower where my wife +is, and tell her that she is keeping me waiting here too long. She has +spent too much time on her attire. Tell her to come and mount at once, +for I am awaiting her." And the fellow goes and finds her all ready, +weeping and making moan: and he straightway addressed her thus: "Lady, +why do you so delay? My lord is awaiting you outside yonder, already +fully armed. He would have mounted some time ago, had you been ready." +Enide wondered greatly what her lord's intention was; but she very +wisely showed herself with as cheerful a countenance as possible, when +she appeared before him. In the middle of the courtyard she found him, +and King Lac comes running out. Knights come running, too, striving with +each other to reach there first. There is neither young nor old but goes +to learn and ask if he will take any of them with him. So each offers +and presents himself. But he states definitely and affirms that he will +take no companion except his wife, asserting that he will go alone. +Then the King is in great distress. "Fair son," says he, "what dost thou +intend to do? Thou shouldst tell me thy business and keep nothing back. +Tell me whither thou will go; for thou art unwilling on any account +to be accompanied by an escort of squires or knights. If thou hast +undertaken to fight some knight in single combat, yet shouldst thou not +for that reason fail to take a part of thy knights with thee to betoken +thy wealth and lordship. A king's son ought not to fare alone. Fair son, +have thy sumpters loaded now, and take thirty or forty or more of thy +knights, and see that silver and gold is taken, and whatever a gentleman +needs." Finally Erec makes reply and tells him all in detail how he has +planned his journey. "Sire," says he, "it must be so. I shall take no +extra horse, nor have I any use for gold or silver, squire or sergeant; +nor do I ask for any company save that of my wife alone. But I pray you, +whatever may happen, should I die and she come back, to love her and +hold her dear for love of me and for my prayer, and give her so long as +she live, without contention or any strife, the half of your land to be +her own." Upon hearing his son's request, the King said: "Fair son, I +promise it. But I grieve much to see thee thus go off without escort, +and if I had my way, thou shouldst not thus depart." "Sire, it cannot +be otherwise. I go now, and to God commend you. But keep in mind my +companions, and give them horses and arms and all that knight may need." +The King cannot keep back the tears when he is parted from his son. The +people round about weep too; the ladies and knights shed tears and make +great moan for him. There is not one who does not mourn, and many a one +in the courtyard swoons. Weeping, they kiss and embrace him, and are +almost beside themselves with grief. I think they would not have been +more sad if they had seen him dead or wounded. Then Erec said to comfort +them: "My lords, why do you weep so sore? I am neither in prison nor +wounded. You gain nothing by this display of grief. If I go away, I +shall come again when it please God and when I can. To God I commend you +one and all; so now let me go; too long you keep me here. I am sorry and +grieved to see you weep." To God he commends them and they him. + +(Vv. 2765-2924.) So they departed, leaving sorrow behind them. Erec +starts, and leads his wife he knows not whither, as chance dictates. +"Ride fast," he says, "and take good care not to be so rash as to speak +to me of anything you may see. Take care never to speak to me, unless I +address you first. Ride on now fast and with confidence." "Sire," says +she, "it shall be done." She rode ahead and held her peace. Neither one +nor the other spoke a word. But Enide's heart is very sad, and within +herself she thus laments, soft and low that he may not hear: "Alas," she +says, "God had raised and exalted me to such great joy; but now He +has suddenly cast me down. Fortune who had beckoned me has quickly now +withdrawn her hand. I should not mind that so much, alas, if only I +dared to address my lord. But I am mortified and distressed because my +lord has turned against me, I see it clearly, since he will not speak +to me. And I am not so bold as to dare to look at him." While she thus +laments, a knight who lived by robbery issued forth from the woods. He +had two companions with him, and all three were armed. They covet the +palfrey which Enide rides. "My lords, do you know the news I bring?" +says he to his two companions. "If we do not now make a haul, we are +good-for-nothing cowards and are playing in bad luck. Here comes a lady +wondrous fair, whether married or not I do not know, but she is very +richly dressed. The palfrey and saddle, with the breast-strap and reins, +are worth a thousand livres of Chartres. I will take the palfrey for +mine, and the rest of the booty you may have. I don't want any more for +my share. The knight shall not lead away the lady, so help me God. For I +intend to give him such a thrust as he will dearly pay. I it was who saw +him first, and so it is my right to go the first and offer battle." +They give him leave and he rides off, crouching well beneath his shield, +while the other two remain aloof. In those days it was the custom and +practice that in an attack two knights should not join against one; +thus if they too had assailed him, it would seem that they had acted +treacherously. Enide saw the robbers, and was seized with great fear. +"God," says she, "what can I say? Now my lord will be either killed +or made a prisoner; for there are three of them and he is alone. The +contest is not fair between one knight and three. That fellow will +strike him now at a disadvantage; for my lord is off his guard. God, +shall I be then such a craven as not to dare to raise my voice? Such a +coward I will not be: I will not fail to speak to him." On the spot +she turns about and calls to him: "Fair sire, of what are you thinking? +There come riding after you three knights who press you hard. I greatly +fear they will do you harm." "What?" says Erec, "what's that you say? +You have surely been very bold to disdain my command and prohibition. +This time you shall be pardoned; but if it should happen another time, +you would not be forgiven." Then turning his shield and lance, he rushes +at the knight. The latter sees him coming and challenges him. When Erec +hears him, he defies him. Both give spur and clash together, holding +their lances at full extent. But he missed Erec, while Erec used him +hard; for he knew well the right attack. He strikes him on the shield +so fiercely that he cracks it from top to bottom. Nor is his hauberk any +protection: Erec pierces and crushes it in the middle of his breast, and +thrusts a foot and a half of his lance into his body. When he drew back, +he pulled out the shaft. And the other fell to earth. He must needs die, +for the blade had drunk of his life's blood. Then one of the other two +rushes forward, leaving his companion behind, and spurs toward Erec, +threatening him. Erec firmly grasps his shield, and attacks him with +a stout heart. The other holds his shield before his breast. Then they +strike upon the emblazoned shields. The knight's lance flies into two +bits, while Erec drives a quarter of lance's length through the other's +breast. He will give him no more trouble. Erec unhorses him and leaves +him in a faint, while he spurs at an angle toward the third robber. When +the latter saw him coming on he began to make his escape. He was afraid, +and did not dare to face him; so he hastened to take refuge in the +woods. But his flight is of small avail, for Erec follows him close +and cries aloud: "Vassal, vassal, turn about now, and prepare to defend +yourself, so that I may not slay you in act of flight. It is useless +to try to escape." But the fellow has no desire to turn about, and +continues to flee with might and main. Following and overtaking him, +Erec hits him squarely on his painted shield, and throws him over on the +other side. To these three robbers he gives no further heed: one he has +killed, another wounded, and of the third he got rid by throwing him +to earth from his steed. He took the horses of all three and tied them +together by the bridles. In colour they were not alike: the first was +white as milk, the second black and not at all bad looking, while the +third was dappled all over. He came back to the road where Enide was +awaiting him. He bade her lead and drive the three horses in front of +her, warning her harshly never again to be so bold as to speak a single +word unless he give her leave. She makes answer: "I will never do so, +fair sire, if it be your will." Then they ride on, and she holds her +peace. + +(Vv. 2925-3085.) They had not yet gone a league when before them in a +valley there came five other knights, with lances in rest, shields held +close in to the neck, and their shining helmets laced up tight; they, +too, were on plunder bent. All at once they saw the lady approach in +charge of the three horses, and Erec who followed after. As soon as they +saw them, they divided their equipment among themselves, just as if they +had already taken possession of it. Covetousness is a bad thing. But it +did not turn out as they expected; for vigorous defence was made. Much +that a fool plans is not executed, and many a man misses what he thinks +to obtain. So it befell them in this attack. One said that he would +take the maid or lose his life in the attempt; and another said that the +dappled steed shall be his, and that he will be satisfied with that. The +third said that he would take the black horse. "And the white one for +me," said the fourth. The fifth was not at all backward, and vowed that +he would have the horse and arms of the knight himself. He wished to win +them by himself, and would fain attack him first, if they would give him +leave: and they willingly gave consent. Then he leaves them and rides +ahead on a good and nimble steed. Erec saw him, but made pretence that +he did not yet notice him. When Enide saw them, her heart jumped with +fear and great dismay. "Alas!" said she, "I know not what to say or do; +for my lord severely threatens me, and says that he will punish me, if +I speak a word to him. But if my lord were dead now, there would be no +comfort for me. I should be killed and roughly treated. God! my lord +does not see them! Why, then, do I hesitate, crazed as I am? I am indeed +too chary of my words, when I have not already spoken to him. I know +well enough that those who are coming yonder are intent upon some wicked +deed. And God! how shall I speak to him? He will kill me. Well, let him +kill me! Yet I will not fail to speak to him." Then she softly calls +him: "Sire!" "What?" says he, "what do you want?" "Your pardon, sire. I +want to tell you that five knights have emerged from yonder thicket, of +whom I am in mortal fear. Having noticed them, I am of the opinion that +they intend to fight with you. Four of them have stayed behind, and the +other comes toward you as fast as his steed can carry him. I am afraid +every moment lest he will strike you. 'Tis true, the four have stayed +behind; but still they are not far away, and will quickly aid him, +if need arise." Erec replies: "You had an evil thought, when you +transgressed my command--a thing which I had forbidden you. And yet I +knew all the time that you did not hold me in esteem. Your service has +been ill employed; for it has not awakened my gratitude, but rather +kindled the more my ire. I have told you that once, and I say it again. +This once again I will pardon you; but another time restrain yourself, +and do not again turn around to watch me: for in doing so you would +be very foolish. I do not relish your words." Then he spurs across the +field toward his adversary, and they come together. Each seeks out and +assails the other. Erec strikes him with such force that his shield +flies from his neck, and thus he breaks his collar-bone. His stirrups +break, and he falls without the strength to rise again, for he was badly +bruised and wounded. One of the others then appeared, and they attack +each other fiercely. Without difficulty Erec thrusts the sharp and well +forged steel into his neck beneath the chin, severing thus the bones +and nerves. At the back of his neck the blade protrudes, and the hot red +blood flows down on both sides from the wound. He yields his spirit, and +his heart is still. The third sallies forth from his hiding-place on +the other side of a ford. Straight through the water, on he comes. Erec +spurs forward and meets him before he came out of the water, striking +him so hard that he beats down flat both rider and horse. The steed lay +upon the body long enough to drown him in the stream, and then struggled +until with difficulty he got upon his feet. Thus he conquered three of +them, when the other two thought it wise to quit the conflict and not to +strive with him. In flight they follow the stream, and Erec after them +in hot pursuit, until he strikes one upon the spine so hard that he +throws him forward upon the saddle-bow. He put all his strength into the +blow, and breaks his lance upon his body, so that the fellow fell head +foremost. Erec makes him pay dearly for the lance which he has broken +on him, and drew his sword from the scabbard. The fellow unwisely +straightened up; for Erec gave him three such strokes that he slaked his +sword's thirst in his blood. He severs the shoulder from his body, so +that it fell down on the ground. Then, with sword drawn, he attacked the +other, as he sought to escape without company or escort. When he sees +Erec pursuing him, he is so afraid that he knows not what to do: he does +not dare to face him, and cannot turn aside; he has to leave his horse, +for he has no more trust in him. He throws away his shield and lance, +and slips from his horse to earth. When he saw him on his feet, Erec +no longer cared to pursue him, but he stooped over for the lance, not +wishing to leave that, because of his own which had been broken. He +carries off his lance and goes away, not leaving the horses behind: he +catches all five of them and leads them off. Enide had hard work to +lead them all; for he hands over all five of them to her with the other +three, and commands her to go along smartly, and to keep from addressing +him in order that no evil or harm may come to her. So not a word does +she reply, but rather keeps silence; and thus they go, leading with them +all the eight horses. + +(Vv. 3086-3208.) They rode till nightfall without coming to any town or +shelter. When night came on, they took refuge beneath a tree in an open +field. Erec bids his lady sleep, and he will watch. She replies that she +will not, for it is not right, and she does not wish to do so. It is +for him to sleep who is more weary. Well pleased at this, Erec accedes. +Beneath his head he placed his shield, and the lady took her cloak, and +stretched it over him from head to foot. Thus, he slept and she kept +watch, never dozing the whole night, but holding tight in her hand by +the bridle the horses until the morning broke; and much she blamed and +reproached herself for the words which she had uttered, and said that +she acted badly, and was not half so ill-treated as she deserved to be. +"Alas," said she, "in what an evil hour have I witnessed my pride and +presumption! I might have known without doubt that there was no knight +better than, or so good as, my lord. I knew it well enough before, but +now I know it better. For I have seen with my own eyes how he has not +quailed before three or even five armed men. A plague for ever upon +my tongue for having uttered such pride and insult as now compel me +to suffer shame!" All night long she thus lamented until the morning +dawned. Erec rises early, and again they take the road, she in front and +he behind. At noon a squire met them in a little valley, accompanied +by two fellows who were carrying cakes and wine and some rich autumn +cheeses to those who were mowing the hay in the meadows belonging to +Count Galoain. The squire was a clever fellow, and when he saw Erec and +Enide, who were coming from the direction of the woods, he perceived +that they must have spent the night in the forest and had had nothing to +eat or drink; for within a radius of a day's journey there was no town, +city or tower, no strong place or abbey, hospice or place of refuge. So +he formed an honest purpose and turned his steps toward them, saluting +them politely and saving: "Sire, I presume that you have had a hard +experience last night. I am sure you have had no sleep and have spent +the night in these woods. I offer you some of this white cake, if it +please you to partake of it. I say it not in hope of reward: for I ask +and demand nothing of you. The cakes are made of good wheat; I have good +wine and rich cheeses, too, a white cloth and fine jugs. If you feel +like taking lunch, you need not seek any farther. Beneath these white +beeches, here on the greensward, you might lay off your arms and rest +yourself a while. My advice is that you dismount." Erec got down from +his horse and said: "Fair gentle friend, I thank you kindly: I will eat +something, without going farther." The young man knew well what to do: +he helped the lady from her horse, and the boys who had come with the +squire held the steeds. Then they go and sit down in the shade. The +squire relieves Erec of his helmet, unlaces the mouth-piece from before +his face; then he spreads out the cloth before them on the thick tuff. +He passes them the cake and wine, and prepares and cuts a cheese. Hungry +as they were, they helped themselves, and gladly drank of the wine. The +squire serves them and omits no attention. When they had eaten and drunk +their fill, Erec was courteous and generous. "Friend," says he, "as a +reward, I wish to present you with one of my horses. Take the one you +like the best. And I pray it may be no hardship for you to return to the +town and make ready there a goodly lodging." And he replies that he +will gladly do whatever is his will. Then he goes up to the horses and, +untying them, chooses the dapple, and speaks his thanks; for this one +seems to be the best. Up he springs by the left stirrup, and leaving +them both there, he rode off to the town at top speed, where he engaged +suitable quarters. Now behold! he is back again: "Now mount, sire, +quickly," says he, "for you have a good fine lodging ready." Erec +mounted, and then his lady, and, as the town was hard by, they soon had +reached their lodging-place. There they were received with joy. The host +with kindness welcomed them, and with joy and gladness made generous +provision for their needs. + +(Vv. 3209-3458.) When the squire had done for them all the honour that +he could do, he came and mounted his horse again, leading it off in +front of the Count's bower to the stable. The Count and three of his +vassals were leaning out of the bower, when the Count, seeing his squire +mounted on the dappled steed, asked him whose it was. And he replied +that it was his. The Count, greatly astonished, says: "How is that? +Where didst thou get him?" "A knight whom I esteem highly gave him to +me, sire," says he. "I have conducted him within this town, and he +is lodged at a burgher's house. He is a very courteous knight and the +handsomest man I ever saw. Even if I had given you my word and oath, +I could not half tell you how handsome he is." The Count replies: "I +suppose and presume that he is not more handsome than I am." "Upon my +word, sire," the sergeant says, "you are very handsome and a gentleman. +There is not a knight in this country, a native of this land, whom you +do not excel in favour. But I dare maintain concerning this one that +he is fairer than you, if he were not beaten black and blue beneath his +hauberk, and bruised. In the forest he has been fighting single-handed +with eight knights, and leads away their eight horses. And there comes +with him a lady so fair that never lady was half so fair as she." [128] +When the Count hears this news, the desire takes him to go and see if +this is true or false. "I never heard such a thing," says he; "take me +now to his lodging-place, for certainly I wish to know if thou dost lie +or speak the truth." He replies: "Right gladly, sire. This is the way +and the path to follow, for it is not far from here." "I am anxious to +see them," says the Count. Then he comes down, and the squire gets off +his horse, and makes the Count mount in his place. Then he ran ahead +to tell Erec that the Count was coming to visit him. Erec's lodging was +rich indeed--the kind to which he was accustomed. There were many tapers +and candles lighted all about. The Count came attended by only three +companions. Erec, who was of gracious manners, rose to meet him, and +exclaimed: "Welcome, sire!" And the Count returned his salutation. They +both sat down side by side upon a soft white couch, where they chat with +each other. The Count makes him an offer and urges him to consent to +accept from him a guarantee for the payment of his expenses in the +town. But Erec does not deign to accept, saying he is well supplied with +money, and has no need to accept aught from him. They speak long of many +things, but the Count constantly glances about in the other direction, +where he caught sight of the lady. Because of her manifest beauty, he +fixed all his thought on her. He looked at her as much as he could; +he coveted her, and she pleased him so that her beauty filled him with +love. Very craftily he asked Erec for permission to speak with her. +"Sire," he says "I ask a favour of you, and may it not displease you. As +an act of courtesy and as a pleasure, I would fain sit by yonder lady's +side. With good intent I came to see you both, and you should see no +harm in that. I wish to present to the lady my service in all respects. +Know well that for love of you I would do whatever may please her." Erec +was not in the least jealous and suspected no evil or treachery. "Sire," +says he, "I have no objection. You may sit down and talk with her. Don't +think that I have any objection. I give you permission willingly." The +lady was seated about two spear-lengths away from him. And the Count +took his seat close beside her on a low stool. Prudent and courteous, +the lady turned toward him. "Alas," quoth he, "how grieved I am to see +you in such humble state! I am sorry and feel great distress. But if you +would believe my word, you could have honour and great advantage, and +much wealth would accrue to you. Such beauty as yours is entitled to +great honour and distinction. I would make you my mistress, if it should +please you and be your will; you would be my mistress dear and lady over +all my land. When I deign to woo you thus, you ought not to disdain my +suit. I know and perceive that your lord does not love and esteem you. +If you will remain with me, you would be mated with a worthy lord." +"Sire," says Enide, "your proposal is vain. It cannot be. Ah! better +that I were yet unborn, or burnt upon a fire of thorns and my ashes +scattered abroad than that I should ever in any wise be false to my +lord, or conceive any felony or treachery toward him. You have made a +great mistake in making such a proposal to me. I shall not agree to it +in any wise." The Count's ire began to rise. "You disdain to love me, +lady?" says he; "upon my word, you are too proud. Neither for flattery +nor for prayer you will do my will? It is surely true that a woman's +pride mounts the more one prays and flatters her; but whoever insults +and dishonours her will often find her more tractable. I give you my +word that if you do not do my will there soon will be some sword-play +here. Rightly or wrongly, I will have your lord slain right here before +your eyes." "Ah, sire," says Enide, "there is a better way than that you +say. You would commit a wicked and treacherous deed if you killed him +thus. Calm yourself again, I pray; for I will do your pleasure. You +may regard me as all your own, for I am yours and wish to be. I did not +speak as I did from pride, but to learn and prove if I could find in you +the true love of a sincere heart. But I would not at any price have you +commit an act of treason. My lord is not on his guard; and if you should +kill him thus, you would do a very ugly deed, and I should have the +blame for it. Every one in the land would say that it had been done with +my consent. Go and rest until the morrow, when my lord shall be about +to rise. Then you can better do him harm without blame and without +reproach." With her heart's thoughts her words do not agree. "Sire," +says she, "believe me now! Have no anxiety; but send here to-morrow your +knights and squires and have me carried away by force. My lord will rush +to my defence, for he is proud and bold enough. Either in earnest or in +jest, have him seized and treated ill, or strike his head off, if you +will. I have led this life now long enough; to tell the truth. I like +not the company of this my lord. Rather would I feel your body lying +beside me in a bed. And since we have reached this point, of my love you +may rest assured." The Count replies: "It is well, my lady! God bless +the hour that you were born; in great estate you shall be held." "Sire," +says she, "indeed, I believe it. And yet I would fain have your word +that you will always hold me dear; I could not believe you otherwise." +Glad and merry, the Count replies: "See here, my faith I will pledge to +you loyally as a Count, Madame, that I shall do all your behests. Have +no further fear of that. All you want you shall always have." Then she +took his plighted word; but little she valued or cared for it, except +therewith to save her lord. Well she knows how to deceive a fool, when +she puts her mind upon it. Better it were to lie to him than that her +lord should be cut off. The Count now rose from her side, and commends +her to God a hundred times. But of little use to him will be the faith +which she has pledged to him. Erec knew nothing at all of this that they +were plotting to work his death; but God will be able to lend him aid, +and I think He will do so. Now Erec is in great peril, and does not know +that he must be on his guard. The Count's intentions are very base in +planning to steal away his wife and kill him when he is without defence. +In treacherous guise he takes his leave: "To God I commend you," says +he, and Erec replies: "And so do I you, sire." Thus they separated. +Already a good part of the night was passed. Out of the way, in one of +the rooms, two beds were made upon the floor. In one of them Erec lays +him down, in the other Enide went to rest. Full of grief and anxiety, +she never closed her eyes that night, but remained on watch for her +lord's sake; for from what she had seen of the Count, she knew him to be +full of wickedness. She knows full well that if he once gets possession +of her lord, he will not fail to do him harm. He may be sure of being +killed: so for his sake she is in distress. All night she must needs +keep her vigil; but before the dawn, if she can bring it about, and if +her lord will take her word, they will be ready to depart. + +(Vv. 3459-3662.) Erec slept all night long securely until daylight. Then +Enide realised and suspected that she might hesitate too long. Her heart +was tender toward her lord, like a good and loyal lady. Her heart was +neither deceitful nor false. So she rises and makes ready, and drew near +to her lord to wake him up. "Ah, sire," says she, "I crave your +pardon. Rise quickly now, for you are betrayed beyond all doubt, though +guiltless and free from any crime. The Count is a proven traitor, and +if he can but catch you here, you will never get away without his having +cut you in pieces. He hates you because he desires me. But if it please +God, who knows all things, you shall be neither slain nor caught. Last +evening he would have killed you had I not assured him that I would be +his mistress and his wife. You will see him return here soon: he wants +to seize me and keep me here and kill you if he can find you." Now Erec +learns how loyal his wife is to him. "Lady," says he, "have our horses +quickly saddled; then run and call our host, and tell him quickly to +come here. Treason has been long abroad." Now the horses are saddled, +and the lady summoned the host. Erec has armed and dressed himself, and +into his presence came the host. "Sire," said he, "what haste is this, +that you are risen at such an hour, before the day and the sun appear?" +Erec replies that he has a long road and a full day before him, and +therefore he has made ready to set out, having it much upon his mind; +and he added: "Sire, you have nor yet handed me any statement of my +expenses. You have received me with honour and kindness, and therein +great merit redounds to you. Cancel my indebtedness with these seven +horses that I brought here with me. Do not disdain them, but keep them +for your own. I cannot increase my gift to you by so much as the value +of a halter." The burgher was delighted with this gift and bowed low, +expressing his thanks and gratitude. Then Erec mounts and takes his +leave, and they set out upon their way. As they ride, he frequently +warns Enide that if she sees anything she should not be so bold as to +speak to him about it. Meanwhile, there entered the house a hundred +knights well armed, and very much dismayed they were to find Erec no +longer there. Then the Count learned that the lady had deceived him. He +discovered the footsteps of the horses, and they all followed the trail, +the Count threatening Erec and vowing that, if he can come up with him, +nothing can keep him from having his head on the spot. "A curse on +him who now hangs back, and does not spur on fast!" quoth he; "he who +presents me with the head of the knight whom I hate so bitterly, will +have served me to my taste." Then they plunge on at topmost speed, +filled with hostility toward him who had never laid eyes on them and had +never harmed them by deed or word. They ride ahead until they made him +out; at the edge of a forest they catch sight of him before he was hid +by the forest trees. Not one of them halted then, but all rushed on in +rivalry. Enide hears the clang and noise of their arms and horses, and +sees that the valley is full of them. As soon as she saw them, she could +not restrain her tongue. "Ah, sire," she cries, "alas, how this Count +has attacked you, when he leads against you such a host! Sire, ride +faster now, until we be within this wood. I think we can easily distance +them, for they are still a long way behind. If you go on at this pace, +you can never escape from death, for you are no match for them." Erec +replies: "Little esteem you have for me, and lightly you hold my words. +It seems I cannot correct you by fair request. But as the Lord have +mercy upon me until I escape from here, I swear that you shall pay +dearly for this speech of yours; that is, unless my mind should change." +Then he straightway turns about, and sees the seneschal drawing near +upon a horse both strong and fleet. Before them all he takes his stand +at the distance of four cross-bow shots. He had not disposed of his +arms, but was thoroughly well equipped. Erec reckons up his opponents' +strength, and sees there are fully a hundred of them. Then he who thus +is pressing him thinks he had better call a hair. Then they ride to meet +each other, and strike upon each other's shield great blows with their +sharp and trenchant swords. Erec caused his stout steel sword to pierce +his body through and through, so that his shield and hauberk protected +him no more than a shred of dark-blue silk. And next the Count comes +spurring on, who, as the story tells, was a strong and doughty knight. +But the Count in this was ill advised when he came with only shield and +lance. He placed such trust in his own prowess that he thought that he +needed no other arms. He showed his exceeding boldness by rushing on +ahead of all his men more than the space of nine acres. When Erec saw +him stand alone, he turned toward him; the Count is not afraid of him, +and they come together with clash of arms. First the Count strikes him +with such violence upon the breast that he would have lost his stirrups +if he had not been well set. He makes the wood of his shield to split +so that the iron of his lance protrudes on the other side. But Erec's +hauberk was very solid and protected him from death without the tear +of a single mesh. The Count was strong and breaks his lance; then Erec +strikes him with such force on his yellow painted shield that he +ran more than a yard of his lance through his abdomen, knocking him +senseless from his steed. Then he turned and rode away without further +tarrying on the spot. Straight into the forest he spurs at full speed. +Now Erec is in the woods, and the others paused a while over those who +lay in the middle of the field. Loudly they swear and vow that they will +rather follow after him for two or three days than fail to capture and +slaughter him. The Count, though grievously wounded in the abdomen, +hears what they say. He draws himself up a little and opens his eyes a +tiny bit. Now he realises what an evil deed he had begun to execute. He +makes the knights step back, and says: "My lords, I bid you all, both +strong and weak, high and low, that none of you be so bold as to dare +to advance a single step. All of you return now quickly! I have done +a villainous deed, and I repent me of my foul design. The lady who +outwitted me is very honourable, prudent, and courteous. Her beauty +fired me with love for her; because I desired her, I wished to kill her +lord and keep her back with me by force. I well deserved this woe, and +now it has come upon me. How abominably disloyal and treacherous I was +in my madness! Never was there a better knight born of mother than he. +Never shall he receive harm through me if I can in any way prevent it. +I command you all to retrace your steps." Back they go disconsolate, +carrying the lifeless seneschal on the shield reversed. The Count, +whose wound was not mortal, lived on for some time after. Thus was Erec +delivered. + +(Vv. 3663-3930.) Erec goes off at full speed down a road between two +hedgerows--he and his wife with him. Both putting spurs to their +horses, they rode until they came to a meadow which had been mown. After +emerging from the hedged enclosure they came upon a drawbridge before a +high tower, which was all closed about with a wall and a broad and deep +moat. They quickly pass over the bridge, but had not gone far before the +lord of the place espied them from up in his tower. About this man I +can tell you the truth: that he was very small of stature, but very +courageous of heart. When he sees Erec cross the bridge, he comes down +quickly from his tower, and on a great sorrel steed of his he causes +a saddle to be placed, which showed portrayed a golden lion. Then he +orders to be brought his shield, his stiff, straight lance, a sharp +polished sword, his bright shining helmet, his gleaming hauberk, and +triple-woven greaves; for he has seen an armed knight pass before his +list against whom he wishes to strive in arms, or else this stranger +will strive against him until he shall confess defeat. His command +was quickly done: behold the horse now led forth; a squire brought him +around already bridled and with saddle on. Another fellow brings the +arms. The knight passed out through the gate, as quickly as possible, +all alone, without companion. Erec is riding along a hill-side, when +behold the knight comes tearing down over the top of the hill, mounted +upon a powerful steed which tore along at such a pace that he crushed +the stones beneath his hoofs finer than a millstone grinds the corn; and +bright gleaming sparks flew off in all directions, so that it seemed as +if his four feet were all ablaze with fire. Enide heard the noise and +commotion, and almost fell from her palfrey, helpless and in a faint. +There was no vein in her body in which the blood did not turn, and her +face became all pale and white as if she were a corpse. Great is her +despair and dismay, for she does not dare to address her lord, who often +threatens and chides at her and charges her to hold her peace. She is +distracted between two courses to pursue, whether to speak or to hold +her peace. She takes counsel with herself, and often she prepares to +speak, so that her tongue already moves, but the voice cannot issue +forth; for her teeth are clenched with fear, and thus shut up her speech +within. Thus she admonishes and reproaches herself, but she closes her +mouth and grits her teeth so that her speech cannot issue forth. At +strife with herself, she said: "I am sure and certain that I shall incur +a grievous loss, if here I lose my lord. Shall I tell him all, then, +openly? Not I. Why not? I would not dare, for thus I should enrage my +lord. And if my lord's ire is once aroused, he will leave me in this +wild place alone, wretched and forlorn. Then I shall be worse off than +now. Worse off? What care I? May grief and sorrow always be mine as long +as I live, if my lord does not promptly escape from here without being +delivered to a violent death. But if I do not quickly inform him, this +knight who is spurring hither will have killed him before he is aware; +for he seems of very evil intent. I think I have waited too long from +fear of his vigorous prohibition. But I will no longer hesitate because +of his restraint. I see plainly that my lord is so deep in thought that +he forgets himself; so it is fight that I should address him." She +spoke to him. He threatens her, but has no desire to do her harm, for he +realises and knows full well that she loves him above all else, and +he loves her, too, to the utmost. He rides toward the knight, who +challenges him to battle, and they meet at the foot of the hill, where +they attack and defy each other. Both smite each other with their +iron-tipped lances with all their strength. The shields that hang about +their necks are not worth two coats of bark: the leather tears, and they +split the wood, and they shatter the meshes of the hauberks. Both are +pierced to the vitals by the lances, and the horses fall to earth. Now, +both the warriors were doughty. Grievously, but not mortally, wounded, +they quickly got upon their feet and grasped afresh their lances, which +were not broken nor the worse for wear. But they cast them away on the +ground, and drawing their swords from the scabbard, they attack each +other with great fury. Each wounds and injures the other, for there +is no mercy on either side. They deal such blows upon the helmets +that gleaming sparks fly out when their swords recoil. They split and +splinter the shields; they batter and crush the hauberks. In four places +the swords are brought down to the bare flesh, so that they are greatly +weakened and exhausted. And if both their swords had lasted long without +breaking, they would never have retreated, nor would the battle have +come to an end before one of them perforce had died. Enide, who was +watching them, was almost beside herself with grief. Whoever could +have seen her then, as she showed her great woe by wringing her hands, +tearing her hair and shedding tears, could have seen a loyal lady. And +any man would have been a vulgar wretch who saw and did not pity her. +And the knights still fight, knocking the jewels from the helmets and +dealing at each other fearful blows. From the third to the ninth hour +the battle continued so fierce that no one could in any wise make out +which was to have the better of it. Erec exerts himself and strives; he +brought his sword down upon his enemy's helmet, cleaving it to the inner +lining of mail and making him stagger; but he stood firmly and did not +fall. Then he attacked Erec in turn, and dealt him such a blow upon the +covering of his shield that his strong and precious sword broke when he +tried to pull it out. When he saw that his sword was broken, in a spite +he threw as far away as he could the part that remained in his hand. Now +he was afraid and must needs draw back; for any knight that lacks his +sword cannot do much execution in battle or assault. Erec pursues +him until he begs him, for God's sake, not to kill him. "Mercy, noble +knight," he cries, "be not so cruel and harsh toward me. Now that I am +left without my sword, you have the strength and the power to take my +life or make me your prisoner, for I have no means of defence." Erec +replies: "When thou thus dost petition me I fain would hear thee admit +outright whether thou art defeated and overcome. Thou shalt not again be +touched by me if thou dost surrender at my discretion." The knight was +slow to make reply. So, when Erec saw him hesitate, in order to further +dismay him, he again attacked him, rushing at him with drawn sword; +whereupon, thoroughly terrified, he cried: "Mercy, sire! Regard me as +your captive, since it cannot be otherwise." Erec answers: "More than +that is necessary. You shall not get off so easily as that. Tell me your +station and your name, and I in turn will tell you mine." "Sire," says +he, "you are right. I am king of this country. My liegemen are Irishmen, +and there is none who does not have to pay me rent. [129] My name +is Guivret the Little. I am very rich and powerful; for there is no +landholder whose lands touch mine in any direction who ever transgresses +my command and who does not do my pleasure. I have no neighbour who does +not fear me, however proud and bold he may be. But I greatly desire to +be your confidant and friend from this time on." Erec replies: "I, too, +can boast that I am a noble man. My name is Erec, son of King Lac. My +father is king of Farther Wales, and has many a rich city, fine hall, +and strong town; no king or emperor has more than he, save only King +Arthur. Him, of course, I except; for with him none can compare." +Guivret is greatly astonished at this, and says: "Sire, a great marvel +is this I hear. I was never so glad of anything as of your acquaintance. +You may put full trust in me! And should it please you to abide in my +country within my estates, I shall have you treated with great honour. +So long as you care to remain here, you shall be recognised as my lord. +We both have need of a physician, and I have a castle of mine near here, +not eight leagues away, nor even seven. I wish to take you thither with +me, and there we shall have our wounds tended." Erec replies: "I thank +you for what I have heard you say. However, I will not go, thank you. +But only so much I request of you, that if I should be in need, and +you should hear that I had need of aid, you would not then forget me." +"Sire" says he, "I promise you that never, so long as I am alive, shall +you have need of my help but that I shall go at once to aid you with all +the assistance I can command." "I have nothing more to ask of you," says +Erec; "you have promised me much. You are now my lord and friend, if +your deed is as good as your word." Then each kisses and embraces the +other. Never was there such an affectionate parting after such a fierce +battle; for from very affection and generosity each one cut off long, +wide strips from the bottom of his shirt and bound up the other's +wounds. When they had thus bandaged each other, they commended each +other to God. + +(Vv. 3931-4280.) So thus they parted. Guivret takes his way back alone, +while Erec resumed his road, in dire need of plaster wherewith to heal +his wounds. He did not cease to travel until he came to a plain beside a +lofty forest all full of stags, hinds, deer, does, and other beasts, +and all sorts of game. Now King Arthur and the Queen and the best of his +barons had come there that very day. The King wished to spend three or +four days in the forest for pleasure and sport, and had commanded tents, +pavilions, and canopies to be brought. My lord Gawain had stepped into +the King's tent, all tired out by a long ride. In front of the tent a +white beech stood, and there he had left a shield of his, together with +his ashen lance. He left his steed, all saddled and bridled, fastened to +a branch by the rein. There the horse stood until Kay the seneschal came +by. [130] He came up quickly and, as if to beguile the time, took the +steed and mounted, without the interference of any one. He took the +lance and the shield, too, which were close by under the tree. Galloping +along on the steed, Kay rode along a valley until it came about by +chance that Erec met him. Now Erec recognised the seneschal, and he knew +the arms and the horse, but Kay did not recognise him, for he could not +be distinguished by his arms. So many blows of sword and lance had he +received upon his shield that all the painted design had disappeared +from it. And the lady, who did not wish to be seen or recognised by him, +shrewdly held her veil before her face, as if she were doing it because +of the sun's glare and the dust. Kay approached rapidly and straightway +seized Erec's rein, without so much as saluting him. Before he let him +move, he presumptuously asked him: "Knight," says he, "I wish to know +who you are and whence you come." "You must be mad to stop me thus," +says Erec; "you shall not know that just now." And the other replies: +"Be not angry; I only ask it for your good. I can see and make out +clearly that you are wounded and hurt. If you will come along with me +you shall have a good lodging this night; I shall see that you are well +cared for, honoured and made comfortable: for you are in need of +rest. King Arthur and the Queen are close by here in a wood, lodged in +pavilions and tents. In all good faith, I advise you to come with me to +see the Queen and King, who will take much pleasure in you and will +show you great honour." Erec replies: "You say well; yet will I not +go thither for anything. You know not what my business is: I must yet +farther pursue my way. Now let me go; too long I stay. There is still +some daylight left." Kay makes answer: "You speak madness when you +decline to come. I trow you will repent of it. And however much it +may be against your will, you shall both go, as the priest goes to the +council, willy-nilly. To-night you will be badly served, if, unmindful +of my advice, you go there as strangers. Come now quickly, for I will +take you." At this word Erec's ire was roused. "Vassal," says he, "you +are mad to drag me thus after you by force. You have taken me quite off +my guard. I tell you you have committed an offence. For I thought to be +quite safe, and was not on my guard against you." Then he lays his hand +upon his sword and cries: "Hands off my bridle, vassal! Step aside. I +consider you proud and impudent. I shall strike you, be sure of that, if +you drag me longer after you. Leave me alone now." Then he lets him go, +and draws off across the field more than an acre's width; then turns +about and, as a man with evil intent, issues his challenge. Each +rushed at the other. But, because Kay was without armour, Erec acted +courteously and turned the point of his lance about and presented the +butt-end instead. Even so, he gave him such a blow high up on the broad +expanse of his shield that he caused it to wound him on the temple, +pinning his arm to his breast: all prone he throws him to the earth. +Then he went to catch the horse and hands him over by the bridle to +Enide. He was about to lead it away, when the wounded man with his +wonted flattery begs him to restore it courteously to him. With fair +words he flatters and wheedles him. "Vassal," says he, "so help me God, +that horse is not mine. Rather does it belong to that knight in whom +dwells the greatest prowess in the world, my lord Gawain the Bold. I +tell you so much on his behalf, in order that you may send it back to +him and thus win honour. So shall you be courteous and wise, and I shall +be your messenger." Erec makes answer: "Take the horse, vassal, and lead +it away. Since it belongs to my lord Gawain it is not meet that I should +appropriate it." Kay takes the horse, remounts, and coming to the royal +tent, tells the King the whole truth, keeping nothing back. And the King +summoned Gawain, saying: "Fair nephew Gawain, if ever you were true and +courteous, go quickly after him and ask him in winsome wise who he is +and what his business. And if you can influence him and bring him along +with you to us, take care not to fail to do so." Then Gawain mounts his +steed, two squires following after him. They soon made Erec out, but did +not recognise him. Gawain salutes him, and he Gawain: their greetings +were mutual. Then said my lord Gawain with his wonted openness: "Sire," +says he, "King Arthur sends me along this way to encounter you. The +Queen and King send you their greeting, and beg you urgently to come and +spend some time with them (it may benefit you and cannot harm), as they +are close by." Erec replies: "I am greatly obliged to the King and Queen +and to you who are, it seems, both kind of heart and of gentle mien. I +am not in a vigorous state; rather do I bear wounds within my body: yet +will I not turn aside from my way to seek a lodging-place. So you need +not longer wait: I thank you, but you may be gone." Now Gawain was a man +of sense. He draws back and whispers in the ear of one of the squires, +bidding him go quickly and tell the King to take measures at once to +take down and lower his tents and come and set them up in the middle of +the road three or four leagues in advance of where they now are. +There the King must lodge to-night, if he wishes to meet and extend +hospitality to the best knight in truth whom he can ever hope to see; +but who will not go out of his way for a lodging at the bidding of any +one. The fellow went and gave his message. The King without delay causes +his tents to be taken down. Now they are lowered, the sumpters loaded, +and off they set. The King mounted Aubagu, and the Queen afterwards +mounted a white Norse palfrey. All this while, my lord Gawain did not +cease to detain Erec, until the latter said to him: "Yesterday I covered +more ground than I shall do to-day. Sire, you annoy me; let me go. +You have already disturbed a good part of my day." And my lord Gawain +answers him: "I should like to accompany you a little way, if you do not +object; for it is yet a long while until night. They spent so much time +in talking that all the tents were set up before them, and Erec sees +them, and perceives that his lodging is arranged for him. "Ah! Gawain," +he says, "your shrewdness has outwitted me. By your great cunning you +have kept me here. Since it has turned out thus, I shall tell you my +name at once. Further concealment would be useless. I am Erec, who was +formerly your companion and friend." Gawain hears him and straightway +embraces him. He raised up his helmet and unlaced his mouthpiece. +Joyfully he clasps him in his embrace, while Erec embraces him in +turn. Then Gawain leaves him, saying, "Sire, this news will give great +pleasure to my lord; he and my lady will both be glad, and I must go +before to tell them of it. But first I must embrace and welcome and +speak comfortably to my lady Enide, your wife. My lady the Queen has a +great desire to see her. I heard her speak of her only yesterday." Then +he steps up to Enide and asks her how she is, if she is well and in good +case. She makes answer courteously: "Sire, I should have no cause for +grief, were I not in great distress for my lord; but as it is, I am in +dismay, for he has hardly a limb without a wound." Gawain replies: "This +grieves me much. It is perfectly evident from his face, which is all +pale and colourless. I could have wept myself when I saw him so pale +and wan, but my joy effaced my grief, for at sight of him I felt so glad +that I forgot all other pain. Now start and ride along slowly. I shall +ride ahead at top-speed to tell the Queen and the King that you are +following after me. I am sure that they will both be delighted when they +hear it." Then he goes, and comes to the King's tent. "Sire," he cries, +"now you and my lady must be glad, for here come Erec and his wife." The +King leaps to his feet with joy. "Upon my word!" he says, "right glad +I am. I could hear no news which could give me so much happiness." The +Queen and all the rest rejoice, and come out from the tents as fast as +they may. Even the King comes forth from his pavilion, and they met Erec +near at band. When Erec sees the King coming, he quickly dismounts, +and Enide too. The King embraces and meets them, and the Queen likewise +tenderly kisses and embraces them: there is no one that does not show +his joy. Right there, upon the spot, they took off Erec's armour; and +when they saw his wounds, their joy turned to sadness. The King draws a +deep sigh at the sight of them, and has a plaster brought which Morgan, +his sister, had made. This piaster, which Morgan had given to Arthur, +was of such sovereign virtue that no wound, whether on nerve or joint, +provided it were treated with the piaster once a day, could fail to be +completely cured and healed within a week. They brought to the King the +piaster which gave Erec great relief. When they had bathed, dried, and +bound up his wounds, the King leads him and Enide into his own royal +tent, saying that he intends, out of love for Erec, to tarry in the +forest a full fortnight, until he be completely restored to health. +For this Erec thanks the King, saying: "Fair sire, my wounds are not so +painful that I should desire to abandon my journey. No one could detain +me; to-morrow, without delay, I shall wish to get off in the morning, as +soon as I see the dawn." At this the King shook his head and said: "This +is a great mistake for you not to remain with us. I know that you are +far from well. Stay here, and you will do the right thing. It will be +a great pity and cause for grief if you die in this forest. Fair gentle +friend, stay here now until you are quite yourself again." Erec replies: +"Enough of this. I have undertaken this journey, and shall not tarry in +any wise." The King hears that he would by no means stay for prayer of +his; so he says no more about it, and commands the supper to be prepared +at once and the tables to be spread. The servants go to make their +preparations. It was a Saturday night; so they ate fish and fruit, pike +and perch, salmon and trout, and then pears both raw and cooked. [131] +Soon after supper they ordered the beds to be made ready. The King, who +held Erec dear, had him laid in a bed alone; for he did not wish that +any one should lie with him who might touch his wounds. That night he +was well lodged. In another bed close by lay Enide with the Queen under +a cover of ermine, and they all slept in great repose until the day +broke next morning. + +(Vv. 4281-4307.) Next day, as soon as it is dawn. Erec arises, dresses, +commands his horses to be saddled, and orders his arms to be brought to +him. The valets run and bring them to him. Again the King and all the +knights urge him to remain; but entreaty is of no avail, for he will not +stay for anything. Then you might have seen them all weep and show such +grief as if they already saw him dead. He puts on his arms, and Enide +arises. All the knights are sore distressed, for they think they will +never see them more. They follow them out from the tents, and send for +their own horses, that they may escort and accompany them. Erec said to +them: "Be not angry! but you shall not accompany me a single step. I'll +thank you if you'll stay behind!" His horse was brought to him, and he +mounts without delay. Taking his shield and lance, he commends them all +to God, and they in turn wish Erec well. Then Enide mounts, and they +ride away. + +(Vv. 4308-4380.) Entering a forest, they rode on without halting till +hour of prime. While they thus traversed the wood, they heard in the +distance the cry of a damsel in great distress. When Erec heard the cry, +he felt sure from the sound that it was the voice of one in trouble and +in need of help. Straightway calling Enide, he says: "Lady, there is +some maiden who goes through the wood calling aloud. I take it that she +is in need of aid and succour. I am going to hasten in that direction +and see what her trouble is. Do you dismount and await me here, while +I go yonder." "Gladly, sire," she says. Leaving her alone, he makes his +way until he found the damsel, who was going through the wood, lamenting +her lover whom two giants had taken and were leading away with very +cruel treatment. The maiden was rending her garments, and tearing her +hair and her tender crimson face. Erec sees her and, wondering greatly, +begs her to tell him why she cries and weeps so sore. The maiden cries +and sighs again, then sobbing, says: "Fair sire, it is no wonder if I +grieve, for I wish I were dead. I neither love nor prize my life, for my +lover has been led away prisoner by two wicked and cruel giants who are +his mortal enemies. God! what shall I do? Woe is me! deprived of the +best knight alive, the most noble and the most courteous. And now he +is in great peril of death. This very day, and without cause, they will +bring him to some vile death. Noble knight, for God's sake, I beg you to +succour my lover, if now you can lend him any aid. You will not have to +run far, for they must still be close by." "Damsel," says Erec, "I will +follow them, since you request it, and rest assured that I shall do all +within my power: either I shall be taken prisoner along with him, or +I shall restore him to you safe and sound. If the giants let him live +until I can find him, I intend to measure my strength with theirs." +"Noble knight," the maiden said, "I shall always be your servant if you +restore to me my lover. Now go in God's name, and make haste, I beseech +you." "Which way lies their path?" "This way, my lord. Here is the path +with the footprints." Then Erec started at a gallop, and told her to +await him there. The maid commends him to the Lord, and prays God very +fervently that He should give him force by His command to discomfit +those who intend evil toward her lover. + +(Vv. 4381-4579.) Erec went off along the trail, spurring his horse in +pursuit of the giants. He followed in pursuit of them until he caught +sight of them before they emerged from the wood; he saw the knight with +bare limbs mounted naked on a nag, his hands and feet bound as if he +were arrested for highway robbery. The giants had no lances, shields or +whetted swords; but they both had clubs and scourges, with which they +were beating him so cruelly that already they had cut the skin on his +back to the bone. Down his sides and flanks the blood ran, so that the +nag was all covered with blood down to the belly. [132] Erec came along +alone after them. He was very sad and distressed about the knight whom +he saw them treat so spitefully. Between two woods in an open field he +came up with them, and asks: "My lords," says he, "for what crime do you +treat this man so ill and lead him along like a common thief? You are +treating him too cruelly. You are driving him just as if he had been +caught stealing. It is a monstrous insult to strip a knight naked, and +then bind him and beat him so shamefully. Hand him over to me, I beg of +you with all good-will and courtesy. I have no wish to demand him of you +forcibly." "Vassal," they say, "what business is this of yours? You must +be mad to make any demand of us. If you do not like it, try and improve +matters." Erec replies: "Indeed, I like it not, and you shall not lead +him away so easily. Since you have left the matter in my hands, I say +whoever can get possession of him let him keep him. Take your positions. +I challenge you. You shall not take him any farther before some blows +have been dealt." "Vassal," they reply, "you are mad, indeed, to wish +to measure your strength with us. If you were four instead of one, +you would have no more strength against us than one lamb against two +wolves." "I do not know how it will turn out," Erec replies; "if the sky +fails and the earth melts, then many a lark will be caught. Many a man +boasts loudly who is of little worth. On guard now, for I am going +to attack you." The giants were strong and fierce, and held in their +clenched hands their big clubs tipped with iron. Erec went at them lance +in rest. He fears neither of them, in spite of their menace and their +pride, and strikes the foremost of them through the eye so deep into the +brain that the blood and brains spurt out at the back of his neck; that +one lies dead and his heart stops beating. When the other saw him dead, +he had reason to be sorely grieved. Furious, he went to avenge him: with +both hands he raised his club on high and thought to strike him squarely +upon his unprotected head: but Erec watched the blow, and received it on +his shield. Even so, the giant landed such a blow that it quite stunned +him, and almost made him fall to earth from his steed. Erec covers +himself with his shield and the giant, recovering himself, thinks to +strike again quickly upon his head. But Erec had drawn his sword, and +attacked him with such fierceness that the giant was severely handled: +he strikes him so hard upon the neck that he splits him down to the +saddle-bow. He scatters his bowels upon the earth, and the body falls +full length, split in two halves. The knight weeps with joy and, +worshipping, praises God who has sent him this aid. Then Erec unbound +him, made him dress and arm himself, and mount one of the horses; the +other he made him lead with his right hand, and asks him who he is. And +he replied: "Noble knight, thou art my liege lord. I wish to regard +thee as my lord, as by right I ought to do, for thou hast saved my life, +which but now would have been cut off from my body with great torment +and cruelty. What chance, fair gentle sire, in God's name, guided thee +hither to me, to free me by thy courage from the hands of my enemies? +Sire, I wish to do thee homage. Henceforth, I shall always accompany +thee and serve thee as my lord." Erec sees that he is disposed to serve +him gladly, if he may, and says: "Friend, for your service I have no +desire; but you must know that I came hither to succour you at the +instance of your lady, whom I found sorrowing in this wood. Because of +you, she grieves and moans; for full of sorrow is her heart. I wish to +present you to her now. As soon as I have reunited you with her, I shall +continue my way alone; for you have no call to go with me. I have no +need cf your company; but I fain would know your name." "Sire," says he, +"as you wish. Since you desire to know my name, it must not be kept from +you. My name is Cadoc of Tabriol: know that thus I am called. But since +I must part from you. I should like to know, if it may be, who you are +and of what land, where I may sometime find and search for you, when +I shall go a way from here." Erec replies: "Friend, that I will never +confide to you. Never speak of it again; but if you wish to find it out +and do me honour in any wise go quickly now without delay to my lord, +King Arthur, who with might and main is hunting the stag in yonder wood, +as I take it, not five short leagues from here. Go thither quickly and +take him word that you are sent to him as a gift by him whom yesterday +within his tent he joyfully received and lodged. And be careful not to +conceal from him from what peril I set free both your life and body. I +am dearly cherished at the court, and if you present yourself in my name +you will do me a service and honour. There you shall ask who I am; but +you cannot know it otherwise." "Sire," says Cadoc, "I will follow your +bidding in all respects. You need never have any fear that I do not go +with a glad heart. I shall tell the King the full truth regarding +the battle which you have fought on my behalf." Thus speaking, they +continued their way until they came to the maiden where Erec had left +her. The damsel's joy knew no bounds when she saw coming her lover whom +she never thought to see again. Taking him by the hand, Erec presents +him to her with the words: "Grieve no longer, demoiselle! Behold your +lover glad and joyous." And she with prudence makes reply: "Sire, by +right you have won us both. Yours we should be, to serve and honour. But +who could ever repay half the debt we owe you?" Erec makes answer: "My +gentle lady, no recompense do I ask of you. To God I now commend you +both, for too long, methinks, I have tarried here." Then he turns his +horse about, and rides away as fast as he can. Cadoc of Tabriol with his +damsel rides off in another direction; and soon he told the news to King +Arthur and the Queen. + +(Vv. 4580-4778.) Erec continues to ride at great speed to the place +where Enide was awaiting him in great concern, thinking that surely he +had completely deserted her. And he, too, was in great fear lest some +one, finding her alone, might have carried her off. So he made all haste +to return. But the heat of the day was such, and his arms caused him +such distress, that his wounds broke open and burst the bandages. His +wounds never stopped bleeding before he came directly to the spot where +Enide was waiting for him. She espied him and rejoiced: but she did not +realise or know the pain from which he was suffering; for all his body +was bathed in blood, and his heart hardly had strength to beat. As he +was descending a hill he fell suddenly over upon his horse's neck. As he +tried to straighten up, he lost his saddle and stirrups, falling, as if +lifeless, in a faint. Then began such heavy grief, when Enide saw him +fall to earth. Full of fear at the sight of him, she runs toward him +like one who makes no concealment of her grief. Aloud she cries, and +wrings her hands: not a shred of her robe remains untorn across her +breast. She begins to tear her hair and lacerate her tender face. [133] +"Ah God!" she cries, "fair gentle Lord, why dost Thou let me thus live +on? Come Death, and kill me hastily!" With these words she faints upon +his body. When she recovered, she said to herself reproachfully: "Woe is +me, wretched Enide; I am the murderer of my lord, in having killed +him by my speech. My lord would still be now alive, if I in my mad +presumption had not spoken the word which engaged him in this adventure. +Silence never harmed any one, but speech often worketh woe. The truth of +this I have tried and proved in more ways than one." Beside her lord she +took her seat, holding his head upon her lap. Then she begins her dole +anew. "Alas," she says, "my lord, unhappy thou, thou who never hadst a +peer; for in thee was beauty seen and prowess was made manifest; wisdom +had given thee its heart, and largess set a crown upon thee, without +which no one is esteemed. But what did I say? A grievous mistake I made +in uttering the word which has killed my lord--that fatal poisoned word +for which I must justly be reproached; and I recognise and admit that +no one is guilty but myself; I alone must be blamed for this." Then +fainting she falls upon the ground, and when she later sat up again, she +only moans again the more: "God, what shall I do, and why live on? Why +does Death delay and hesitate to come and seize me without respite? +Truly, Death holds me in great contempt! Since Death does not deign to +take my life, I must myself perforce achieve the vengeance for my sinful +deed. Thus shall I die in spite of Death, who will not heed my call for +aid. Yet, I cannot die through mere desire, nor would complaining avail +me aught. The sword, which my lord had gilded on, ought by right to +avenge his death. I will not longer consume myself in distress, in +prayer, and vain desire." She draws the sword forth from its sheath and +begins to consider it. God, who is full of mercy, caused her to delay +a little; and while she passes in review her sorrow and her misfortune, +behold there comes riding apace a Count with numerous suite, who from +afar had heard the lady's loud outcry. God did not wish to desert her; +for now she would have killed herself, had she not been surprised by +those who took away from her the sword and thrust it back into its +sheath. The Count then dismounted from his horse and began to inquire +of her concerning the knight, and whether she was his wife or his +lady-love. "Both one and the other, sire," she says, "my sorrow is such +as I cannot tell. Woe is me that I am not dead." And the Count begins +to comfort her: "Lady," he says, "by the Lord, I pray you, to take some +pity on yourself! It is meet that you should mourn, but it is no use to +be disconsolate; for you may yet rise to high estate. Do not sink into +apathy, but comfort yourself; that will be wise, and God will give you +joy again. Your wondrous beauty holds good fortune in store for you; for +I will take you as my wife, and make you a countess and dame of rank: +this ought to bring you much consolation. And I shall have the body +removed and laid away with great honour. Leave off now this grief of +yours which in your frenzy you display." And she replies: "Sire, begone! +For God's sake, let me be! You can accomplish nothing here. Nothing that +one could say or do could ever make me glad again." At this the Count +drew back and said: "Let us make a bier, whereon to carry away this body +with the lady to the town of Limors. There the body shall be interred. +Then will I espouse the lady, whether or not she give consent: for never +did I see any one so fair, nor desire any as I do her. Happy I am to +have met with her. Now make quickly and without delay a proper bier for +this dead knight. Halt not for the trouble, nor from sloth." Then some +of his men draw out their swords and soon cut two saplings, upon which +they laid branches cross-wise. Upon this litter they laid Erec down; +then hitched two horses to it. Enide rides alongside, not ceasing to +make lament, and often fainting and falling back; but the horsemen hold +her tight, and try to support her with their arms, and raise her up and +comfort her. All the way to Limors they escort the body, until they come +to the palace of the Count. All the people follow up after them--ladies, +knights, and townspeople. In the middle off the hall upon a dais they +stretched the body out full length, with his lance and shield alongside. +The hall is full, the crowd is dense. Each one is anxious to inquire +what is this trouble, what marvel here. Meanwhile the Count takes +counsel with his barons privily. "My lords," he says, "upon the spot I +wish to espouse this lady here. We can plainly judge by her beauty +and prudent mien that she is of very gentle rank. Her beauty and noble +bearing show that the honour of a kingdom or empire might well be +bestowed upon her. I shall never suffer disgrace through her; rather I +think to win more honour. Have my chaplain summoned now, and do you go +and fetch the lady. The half of all my land I will give her as her dower +if she will comply with my desire." Then they bade the chaplain come, +in accordance with the Count's command, and the dame they brought there, +too, and made her marry him perforce; for she flatly refused to give +consent. But in spite of all, the Count married her in accordance with +his wish. And when he had married her, the constable at once had the +tables set in the palace, and had the food prepared; for already it was +time for the evening meal. + +(Vv. 4779-4852.) After vespers, that day in May, Enide was in sore +distress, nor did her grief cease to trouble her. And the Count urged +her mildly by prayer and threat to make her peace and be consoled, and +he made her sit down upon a chair, though it was against her will. In +spite of her, they made her take a seat and placed the table in front of +her. The Count takes his place on the other side, almost beside himself +with rage to find that he cannot comfort her. "Lady," he says, "you must +now leave off this grief and banish it. You can have full trust in +me, that honour and riches will be yours. You must surely realise that +mourning will not revive the dead; for no one ever saw such a thing come +about. Remember now, though poor you were, that great riches are within +your reach. Once you were poor; rich now you will be. Fortune has +not been stingy toward you, in bestowing upon you the honour of being +henceforth hailed as Countess. It is true that your lord is dead. If +you grieve and lament because of this, do you think that I am surprised? +Nay. But I am giving you the best advice I know how to give. In that I +have married you, you ought to be content. Take care you do not anger +me! Eat now, as I bid you do." And she replies: "Not I, my lord. In +faith, as long as I live I will neither eat nor drink unless I first +see my lord eat who is lying on yonder dais" "Lady, that can never be. +People will think that you are mad when you talk such great nonsense. +You will receive a poor reward if you give occasion to-day for further +reproof." To this she vouchsafed no reply, holding his threats in slight +esteem, and the Count strikes her upon the face. At this she shrieks, +and the barons present blame the Count. "Hold, sire!" they cry to the +Count; "you ought to be ashamed of having struck this lady because she +will not eat. You have done a very ugly deed. If this lady is distressed +because of her lord whom she now sees dead, no one should say that she +is wrong." "Keep silence, all." the Count replies; "the dame is mine and +I am hers, and I will do with her as I please." At this she could not +hold her peace, but swears she will never be his. And the Count springs +up and strikes her again, and she cries out aloud. "Ha! wretch," she +says, "I care not what thou say to me, or what thou do! I fear not thy +blows, nor yet thy threats. Beat me and strike me, as thou wilt. I shall +never heed thy power so much as to do thy bidding more or less, even +were thou with thy hands fight now to snatch out my eyes or flay me +alive." + +(Vv. 4853-4938.) In the midst of these words and disputes Erec recovered +from his swoon, like a man who awakes from sleep. No wonder that he was +amazed at the crowd of people he saw around. But great was his grief +and great his woe when he heard the voice of his wife. He stepped to the +floor from off the dais and quickly drew his sword. Wrath and the love +he bore his wife gave him courage. He runs thither where he sees her, +and strikes the Count squarely upon the head, so that he beats out +his brains and, knocking in his forehead, leaves him senseless and +speechless; his blood and brains flow out. The knights spring from the +tables, persuaded that it is the devil who had made his way among them +there. Of young or old there none remains, for all were thrown in great +dismay. Each one tries to outrun the other in beating a hasty retreat. +Soon they were all clear of the palace, and cry aloud, both weak and +strong: "Flee, flee, here comes the corpse!" At the door the press is +great: each one strives to make his escape, and pushes and shoves as +best he may. He who is last in the surging throng would fain get into +the foremost line. Thus they make good their escape in flight, for one +dares not stand upon another's going. Erec ran to seize his shield, +hanging it about his neck by the strap, while Enide lays hands upon the +lance. Then they step out into the courtyard. There is no one so bold as +to offer resistance; for they did not believe it could be a man who had +thus expelled them, but a devil or some enemy who had entered the +dead body. Erec pursues them as they flee, and finds outside in +the castle-yard a stable-boy in the act of leading his steed to the +watering-place, all equipped with bridle and saddle. This chance +encounter pleased Erec well: as he steps up quickly to the horse, the +boy in fear straightway yields him up. Erec takes his seat between the +saddle-bows, while Enide, seizing the stirrup, springs up on to the +horse's neck, as Erec, who bade her mount, commanded and instructed her +to do. The horse bears them both away; and finding open the town gate, +they make their escape without detention. In the town there was great +anxiety about the Count who had been killed; but there is no one, +however brave, who follows Erec to take revenge. At his table the Count +was slain; while Erec, who bears his wife away, embraces and kisses and +gives her cheer. In his arms he clasps her against his heart, and +says: "Sweet sister mine, my proof of you has been complete! Be no more +concerned in any wise, for I love you now more than ever I did before; +and I am certain and rest assured that you love me with a perfect love. +From this time on for evermore, I offer myself to do your will just as +I used to do before. And if you have spoken ill of me, I pardon you +and call you quit of both the offence and the word you spoke." Then he +kisses her again and clasps her tight. Now Enide is not ill at ease when +her lord clasps and kisses her and tells her again that he loves her +still. Rapidly through the night they ride, and they are very glad that +the moon shines bright. + +(Vv. 4939-5058.) Meanwhile, the news has travelled fast, and there is +nothing else so quick. The news had reached Guivret the Little that a +knight wounded with arms had been found dead in the forest, and that +with him was a lady making moan, and so wondrous fair that Iseut would +have seemed her waiting-maid. Count Oringle of Limors had found them +both, and had caused the corpse to be borne away, and wished himself to +espouse the lady; but she refused him. When Guivret heard this news, +he was by no means pleased; for at once the thought of Erec occurred to +him. It came into his heart and mind to go and seek out the lady, and +to have the body honourably interred, if it should turn out to be he. +He assembled a thousand men-at-arms and knights to take the town. If the +Count would not surrender of his own accord the body and the lady, he +would put all to fire and flame. In the moonlight shining clear he led +his men on toward Limors, with helmets laced, in hauberks clad, and from +their necks the shields were hung. Thus, under arms, they all advanced +until nearly midnight, when Erec espied them. Now he expects to be +ensnared or killed or captured inevitably. He makes Enide dismount +beside a thicket-hedge. No wonder if he is dismayed. "Lady, do you stay +here," he says, "beside this thicket-hedge a while, until these people +shall have passed. I do not wish them to catch sight of you, for I do +not know what manner of people they are, nor of what they go in search. +I trust we may not attract their attention. But I see nowhere any place +where we could take refuge, should they wish to injure us. I know not +if any harm may come to me, but not from fear shall I fail to sally out +against them. And if any one assails me, I shall not fail to joust with +him. Yet, I am so sore and weary that it is no wonder if I grieve. Now +to meet them I must go, and do you stay quiet here. Take care that no +one see you, until they shall have left you far behind." Behold now +Guivret, with lance outstretched, who espied him from afar. They did not +recognise each other, for the moon had gone behind the shadow of a +dark cloud. Erec was weak and exhausted, and his antagonist was quite +recovered from his wounds and blows. Now Erec will be far from wise if +he does not promptly make himself known. He steps out from the hedge. +And Guivret spurs toward him without speaking to him at all, nor does +Erec utter a word to him: he thought he could do more than he could. +Whoever tries to run farther than he is able must perforce give up or +take a rest. They clash against each other; but the fight was unequal, +for one was weak and the other strong. Guivret strikes him with such +force that he carries him down to earth from his horse's back. Enide, +who was in hiding, when she sees her lord on the ground, expects to be +killed and badly used. Springing forth from the hedge, she runs to help +her lord. If she grieved before, now her anguish is greater. Coming up +to Guivret, she seized his horse's rein, and then said: "Cursed be thou, +knight! For thou hast attacked a weak and exhausted man, who is in +pain and mortally wounded, with such injustice that thou canst not find +reason for thy deed. If thou hadst been alone and helpless, thou wouldst +have rued this attack, provided my lord had been in health. Now be +generous and courteous, and kindly let cease this battle which thou +hast begun. For thy reputation would be no better for having killed or +captured a knight who has not the strength to rise, as thou canst see. +For he has suffered so many blows of arms that he is all covered with +wounds" And he replies: "Fear not, lady! I see that loyally you love +your lord, and I commend you for it. Have no fear whatsoever of me or of +my company. But tell me now without concealment what is the name of your +lord; for only advantage will you get from telling me. Whoever he be, +tell me his name; then he shall go safe and unmolested. Neither he nor +you have aught to fear, for you are both in safe hands." + +(Vv. 5059-5172.) Then Enide learns that she is safe, she answers him +briefly in a word: "His name is Erec; I ought not to lie, for I see you +are honest and of good intent." Guivret, in his delight, dismounts +and goes to fall at Erec's feet, where he was lying on the ground. +"My lord," he says, "I was going to seek for you, and was on my way to +Limors, where I expected to find you dead. It was told and recounted to +me as true that Count Oringle had carried off to Limors a knight who was +mortally wounded, and that he wickedly intended to marry a lady whom +he had found in his company; but that she would have nothing to do with +him. And I was coming urgently to aid and deliver her. If he refused +to hand over to me both the lady and you without resistance, I should +esteem myself of little worth if I left him a foot of earth to stand +upon. Be sure that had I not loved you dearly I should never have taken +this upon myself. I am Guivret, your friend; but if I have done you any +hurt through my failure to recognise you, you surely ought to pardon +me." At this Erec sat up, for he could do no more, and said: "Rise up, +my friend. Be absolved of the harm you have done me, since you did not +recognise me." Guivret gets up, and Erec tells him how he has killed the +Count while he sat at meat, and how he had gained possession again of +his steed in front of the stable, and how the sergeants and the squires +had fled across the yard, crying: "Flee, flee, the corpse is chasing +us;" then, how he came near being caught, and how he escaped through the +town and down the hill, carrying his wife on his horse's neck: all this +adventure of his he told him. Then Guivret said, "Sire, I have a castle +here close by, which is well placed in a healthful site. For your +comfort and benefit I wish to take you there to-morrow and have your +wounds cared for. I have two charming and sprightly sisters who are +skilful in the care of wounds: they will soon completely cure you. +[134] To-night we shall let our company lodge here in the fields until +morning; for I think a little rest to-night will do you much good. My +advice is that we spend the night here." Erec replies: "I am in favour +of doing so." So there they stayed and spent the night. They were not +reluctant to prepare a lodging-place, but they found few accommodations, +for the company was quite numerous. They lodge as best they may among +the bushes: Guivret had his tent set up, and ordered tinder to be +kindled, that they might have light and cheer. He has tapers taken out +from the boxes, and they light them within the tent. Now Enide no longer +grieves, for all has turned out well. She strips her lord of his arms +and clothes, and having washed his wounds, she dried them and bound them +up again; for she would let no one else touch him. Now Erec knows no +further reason to reproach her, for he has tried her well and found that +she bears great love to him. And Guivret, who treats them kindly, had +a high, long bed constructed of quilted coverlids, laid upon grass and +reed, which they found in abundance. There they laid Erec and covered +him up. Then Guivret opened a box and took out two patties. "Friend," +says he, "now try a little of these cold patties, and drink some wine +mixed with water. I have as much as six barrels of it, but undiluted it +is not good for you; for you are injured and covered with wounds. Fair +sweet friend, now try to eat; for it will do you good. And my lady will +eat some too--your wife who has been to-day in sore distress on your +account. But you have received full satisfaction for all that, and have +escaped. So eat now, and I will eat too, fair friend." Then Guivret sat +down by Erec's side, and so did Enide who was much pleased by all that +Guivret did. Both of them urge him to eat, giving him wine mixed with +water'; for unmixed it is too strong and heating. Erec ate as a sick man +eats, and drank a little--all he dared. But he rested comfortably and +slept all night; for on his account no noise or disturbance was made. + +(Vv. 5173-5366.) In the early morning they awoke, and prepared again to +mount and ride. Erec was so devoted to his own horse that he would ride +no other. They gave to Enide a mule, for she had lost her palfrey. But +she was not concerned; to judge by her looks, she gave the matter +no thought. She had a good mule with an easy gait that bore her very +comfortably. And it gave her great satisfaction that Erec was not cast +down, but rather assured them that he would recover completely. +Before the third hour they reached Penevric, a strong castle, well and +handsomely situated. There dwelt the two sisters of Guivret; for the +place was agreeable enough. Guivret escorted Erec to a delightful, +airy room in a remote part of the castle. His sisters, at his request, +exerted themselves to cure Erec; and Erec placed himself in their hands, +for they inspired him with perfect confidence. First, they removed the +dead flesh, then applied plaster and lint, devoting to his care all +their skill, like women who knew their business well. Again and again +they washed his wounds and applied the plaster. Four times or more each +day they made him eat and drink, allowing him, however, no garlic or +pepper. But whoever might go in or out Enide was always with him, being +more than any one else concerned. Guivret often came in to ask and +inquire if he wanted anything. He was well kept and well served, and +everything that he wished was willingly done. But the damsels cheerfully +and gladly showed such devotion in caring for him that by the end of a +fortnight he felt no hurt or pain. Then, to bring his colour back, they +began to give him baths. There was no need to instruct the damsels, +for they understood the treatment well. When he was able to walk about. +Guivret had two loose gowns made of two different kinds of silk, one +trimmed with ermine, the other with vair. One was of a dark purple +colour, and the other striped, sent to him as a present by a cousin of +his from Scotland. Enide had the purple gown trimmed with ermine, which +was very precious, while Erec had the striped stuff with the fur, which +was no less valuable. Now Erec was strong and well, cured and recovered. +Now that Enide was very happy and had everything she desired, her great +beauty returned to her; for her great distress had affected her so much +that she was very pale and wan. Now she was embraced and kissed, now she +was blessed with all good things, now she had her joy and pleasures; for +unadorned they lie in bed and each enfolds and kisses the other; nothing +gives them so much joy. They have had so much pain and sorrow, he for +her, and she for him, that now they have their satisfaction. Each vies +in seeking to please the other. Of their further sport I must not speak. +Now they have so welded their love and forgotten their grief that they +scarcely remember it any more. But now they must go on their way; so +they asked his leave to depart from Guivret, in whom they had found a +friend indeed; for he had honoured and served them in every way. When he +came to take leave, Erec said: "Sire, I do not wish to delay longer +my departure for my own land. Order everything to be prepared and +collected, in order that I may have all I need. I shall wish to start +to-morrow morning, as soon as it is day. I have stayed so long with you +that I feel strong and vigorous. God grant, if it please Him, that I may +live to meet you again somewhere, when I may be able in my turn to serve +and honour you. Unless I am captured or detained, I do not expect to +tarry anywhere until I reach the court of King Arthur, whom I hope to +find either at Robais or Carduel." To which Guivret makes prompt reply, +"Sire, you shall not go off alone! For I myself shall go with you and +shall take companions with us, if it be your pleasure." Erec accedes to +this advice, and says that, in accordance with his plans, he wishes +the journey to be begun. That night they make preparations for their +journey, not wishing to delay there longer. They all make ready and +prepare. In the early morning, when they awake, the saddles are placed +upon the steeds. Before he leaves, Erec goes to bid farewell to the +damsels in their rooms; and Enide (who was glad and full of joy) thither +follows him. When their preparations for departure were made, they took +their leave of the damsels. Erec, who was very courteous, in taking +leave of them, thanks them for his health and life, and pledges to them +his service. Then he took one of them by the hand she who was the nearer +to him and Enide took the other's hand: hand in hand they came up from +the bedroom into the castle hall. Guivret urges them to mount at once +without delay. Enide thinks the time will never come for them to mount. +They bring around to the block for her a good-tempered palfrey, a soft +stepper, handsome and well shaped. The palfrey was of fine appearance +and a good mount: it was no less valuable than her own which had stayed +behind at Limors. That other one was dappled, this one was sorrel; but +the head was of another colour: it was marked in such a way that one +cheek was all white, while the other was raven black. Between the +two colours there was a line, greener than a grape-vine leaf, which +separated the white from the black. Of the bridle, breast-strap, and +saddle I can surely say that the workmanship was rich and handsome. All +the breast-strap and bridle was of gold set with emeralds. The saddle +was decorated in another style, covered with a precious purple cloth. +The saddle-bows were of ivory, on which was carved the story of how +Aeneas came from Troy, how at Carthage with great joy Dido received him +to her bed, how Aeneas deceived her, and how for him she killed herself, +how Aeneas conquered Laurentum and all Lombardy, of which he was king +all his life. [135] Cunning was the workmanship and well carved, all +decorated with fine gold. A skilful craftsman, who made it spent more +than seven years in carving it, without touching any other piece of +work. I do not know whether he sold it; but he ought to have obtained a +good price for it. Now that Enide was presented with this palfrey, she +was well compensated for the loss of her own. The palfrey, thus richly +apparelled, was given to her and she mounted it gladly; then the +gentlemen and squires quickly mounted too. For their pleasure and +sport Guivret caused to be taken with them rich falcons, both young +and moulted, many a tercel and sparrow-hawk, and many a setter and +greyhound. + +(Vv. 5367-5446.) [136] They rode straight on from morn till eve more +than thirty Welsh leagues, and then came to the towers of a stronghold, +rich and fair, girt all about with a new wall. And all around, beneath +this wall, ran a very deep stream, roaring rushing like a storm. Erec +stops to look at it, and ask and find out if any one could truly +tell him who was the lord of this town. "Friend," said he to his kind +companion, "could you tell me the name of this town, and whose it is? +Tell me if it belongs to a count or a king. Since you have brought me +here, tell me, if you know." "Sire," he says, "I know very well, and +will tell you the truth about it. The name of the town is Brandigant, +and it is so strong and fine that it fears neither king nor emperor. +If France, and all of England, and all who live from here to Liege were +ranged about to lay a siege, they would never take it in their lives; +for the isle on which the town stands stretches away four leagues or +more, and within the enclosure grows all that a rich town needs: fruit +and wheat and wine are found; and of wood and water there is no lack. +It fears no assault on any side, nor could anything reduce it to +starvation. King Evrain had it fortified, and he has possessed it all +his days unmolested, and will possess it all his life. But not because +he feared any one did he thus fortify it; but the town is more pleasing +so. For if it had no wall or tower, but only the stream that encircles +it, it would still be so secure and strong that it would have no fear +of the whole world." "God!" said Erec, "what great wealth! Let us go and +see the fortress, and we shall take lodging in the town, for I wish to +stop here." "Sire," said the other in great distress, "were it not +to disappoint you, we should not stop here. In the town there is a +dangerous passage." "Dangerous?" says Erec; "do you know about it? +Whatever it be, tell us about it; for very gladly would I know." "Sire," +says he, "I should fear that you might suffer some harm there. I know +there is so much boldness and excellence in your heart that, were I to +tell you what I know of the perilous and hard adventure, you would wish +to enter in. I have often heard the story, and more than seven years +have passed since any one that went in quest of the adventure has come +back from the town; yet, proud, bold knights have come hither from many +a land. Sire, do not treat this as a jest: for you will never learn the +secret from me until you shall have promised me, by the love you have +sworn to me, that never by you will be undertaken this adventure, from +which no one escapes without receiving shame or death." + +(Vv. 5447-5492.) Now Erec hears what pleases him, and begs Guivret not +to be grieved, saying: "Ah, fair sweet friend, permit that our lodging +be made in the town, and do not be disturbed. It is time to halt for the +night, and so I trust that it will not displease you; for if any honour +comes to us here you ought to be very glad. I appeal to you conceding +the adventure that you tell me just the name of it, and I'll not insist +upon the rest." "Sire." he says, "I cannot be silent and refuse the +information you desire. The name is very fair to say, but the execution +is very hard: for no one can come from it alive. The adventure, upon my +word, is called 'the Joy of the Court.'" "God! there can be nothing but +good in joy," says Erec; "I go to seek it. Don't go now and discourage +me about this or anything else, fair gentle friend; but let us have our +lodgings taken, for great good may come to us of this. Nothing could +restrain me from going to seek the Joy." "Sire," says he, "God grant +your prayer, that you may find joy and return without mishap. I clearly +see that we must go in. Since otherwise it may not be, let us go in. +Our lodging is secured; for no knight of high degree, as I have heard it +said and told, can enter this castle with intent to lodge here but that +King Evrain offers to shelter him. So gentle and courteous is the King +that he has given notice to all his townsmen, appealing to their love +for him, that any gentleman from afar should not find lodging in their +houses, so that he himself may do honour to all gentlemen who may wish +to tarry here." + +(Vv. 5493-5668.) [137] Thus they proceed toward the castle, passing the +list and the drawbridge; and when they passed the listing-place, the +people who were gathered in the streets in crowds see Erec in all his +beauty, and apparently they think and believe that all the others are +in his train. Marvelling much, they stare at him; the whole town was +stirred and moved, as they take counsel and discuss about him. Even +the maidens at their song leave off their singing and desist, as all +together they look at him; and because of his great beauty they cross +themselves, and marvellously they pity him. One to another whispers low: +"Alas! This knight, who is passing, is on his way to the 'Joy of the +Court.' He will be sorry before he returns; no one ever came from +another land to claim the 'Joy of the Court' who did not receive shame +and harm, and leave his head there as a forfeit." Then, that he may hear +their words, they cry-aloud: "God defend thee, knight, from harm; for +thou art wondrously handsome, and thy beauty is greatly to be pitied, +for to-morrow we shall see it quenched. Tomorrow thy death is come; +to-morrow thou shalt surely die if God does not guard and defend thee." +Erec hears and understands that they are speaking of him through the +lower town: more than two thousand pitied him; but nothing causes him +dismay. He passes on without delay, bowing gaily to men and women +alike. And they all salute him too; and most of them swear with anxiety, +fearing more than he does himself, for his shame and for his hurt. The +mere sight of his countenance, his great beauty and his bearing, has so +won to him the hearts of all, that knights, ladies, and maids alike fear +his harm. King Evrain hears the news that men were arriving at his court +who brought with them a numerous train, and by his harness it appeared +that their leader was a count or king. King Evrain comes down the street +to meet them, and saluting them he cries: "Welcome to this company, both +to the master and all his suite. Welcome, gentlemen! Dismount." They +dismounted, and there were plenty to receive and take their horses. Nor +was King Evrain backward when he saw Enide coming; but he straightway +saluted her and ran to help her to dismount. Taking her white and tender +hand, he led her up into the palace, as was required by courtesy, and +honoured her in every way he could, for he knew right well what he ought +to do, without nonsense and without malice. He ordered a chamber to +be scented with incense, myrrh, and aloes. When they entered, they all +complimented King Evrain on its fine appearance. Hand in hand they enter +the room, the King escorting them and taking great pleasure in them. But +why should I describe to you the paintings and the silken draperies with +which the room was decorated? I should only waste time in folly, and I +do not wish to waste it, but rather to hasten on a little; for he who +travels the straight road passes him who turns aside; therefore I do not +wish to tarry. When the time and hour arrived, the King orders supper to +be prepared; but I do not wish to stop over that if I can find some more +direct way. That night they had in abundance all that heart desires and +craves: birds, venison, and fruit, and wines of different sorts. But +better than all is a happy cheer! For of all dishes the sweetest is a +joyful countenance and a happy face. They were very richly served until +Erec suddenly left off eating and drinking, and began speaking of +what rested most upon his heart: he remembered 'the Joy', and began a +conversation about it in which King Evrain joined. "Sire" says he, "it +is time now to tell you what I intend, and why I have come here. Too +long I have refrained from speech, and now can no longer conceal my +object. I ask you for 'the Joy' of the Court, for I covet nothing else +so much. Grant it to me, whatever it be, if you are in control of it." +"In truth, fair friend." the King replies, "I hear you speak great +nonsense. This is a very parlous thing, which has caused sorrow to many +a worthy man; you yourself will eventually be killed and undone if you +will not heed my counsel. But if you were willing to take my word, I +should advise you to desist from soliciting so grievous a thing in which +you would never succeed. Speak of it no more! Hold your peace! It would +be imprudent on your part not to follow my advice. I am not at all +surprised that you desire honour and fame; but if I should see you +harmed or injured in your body I should be distressed at heart. And know +well that I have seen many a man ruined who solicited this joy. They +were never any the better for it, but rather did they all die and +perish. Before to-morrow's evening come you may expect a like reward. +If you wish to strive for the Joy, you shall do so, though it grieve me +sore. It is something from which you are free to retreat and draw back +if you wish to work your welfare. Therefore I tell you, for I should +commit treachery and do you wrong were I not to tell you all the truth." +Erec hears him and admits that the King with reason counsels him. But +the greater the wonder and the more perilous the adventure, the more he +covets it and yearns for it, saying: "Sire, I can tell you that I find +you a worthy and a loyal man, and I can put no blame on you. I wish to +undertake this boon, however it may fall out with me. The die is cast, +for I shall never draw back from anything I have undertaken without +exerting all my strength before I quit the field." "I know that well," +the King replied; "you are acting against my will. You shall have the +Joy which you desire. But I am in great despair; for I greatly fear you +will be undone. But now be assured that you shall have what you desire. +If you come out of it happily, you will have won such great honour that +never did man win greater; and may God, as I desire, grant you a joyous +deliverance." + +(Vv. 5669-5738.) All that night they talked of it, until the beds were +prepared and they went to rest. In the morning, when it was daylight, +Erec, who was on the watch, saw the clear dawn and the sun, and quickly +rising, clothed himself. Enide again is in distress, very sad and ill at +ease; all night she is greatly disquieted with the solicitude and fear +which she felt for her lord, who is about to expose himself to great +peril. But nevertheless he equips himself, for no one can make him +change his mind. For his equipment the King sent him, when he arose, +arms which he put to good use. Erec did not refuse them, for his own +were worn and impaired and in bad state. He gladly accepted the arms +and had himself equipped with them in the hall. When he was armed, he +descends the steps and finds his horse saddled and the King who had +mounted. Every one in the castle and in the houses of the town hastened +to mount. In all the town there remained neither man nor woman, erect or +deformed, great or small, weak or strong, who is able to go and does not +do so. When they start, there is a great noise and clamour in all the +streets; for those of high and low degree alike cry out: "Alas, alas! +oh knight, the Joy that thou wishest to win has betrayed thee, and thou +goest to win but grief and death." And there is not one but says: "God +curse this joy! which has been the death of so many gentlemen. To-day it +will wreak the worst woe that it has ever yet wrought." Erec hears well +and notes that up and down they said of him: "Alas, alas, ill-starred +wert thou, fair, gentle, skilful knight! Surely it would not be just +that thy life should end so soon, or that harm should come to wound +and injure thee." He hears clearly the words and what they said; but +notwithstanding, he passes on without lowering his head, and without +the bearing of a craven. Whoever may speak, he longs to see and know and +understand why they are all in such distress, anxiety, and woe. The King +leads him without the town into a garden that stood near by; and all the +people follow after, praying that from this trial God may grant him a +happy issue. But it is not meet that I should pass on, from weariness +and exhaustion of tongue, without telling you the whole truth about the +garden, according as the story runs. + +(Vv. 5739-5826.) [138] The garden had around it no wall or fence except +of air: yet, by a spell, the garden was on all sides so shut in by the +air that nothing could enter there any more than if the garden were +enclosed in iron, unless it flew in over the top. And all through the +summer and the winter, too, there were flowers and ripe fruits there; +and the fruit was of such a nature that it could be eaten inside; the +danger consisted in carrying it out; for whoever should wish to carry +out a little would never be able to find the gate, and never could issue +from the garden until he had restored the fruit to its place. And there +is no flying bird under heaven, pleasing to man, but it sings there to +delight and to gladden him, and can be heard there in numbers of every +kind. And the earth, however far it stretch, bears no spice or root of +use in making medicine, but it had been planted there, and was to be +found in abundance. Through a narrow entrance the people entered--King +Evrain and all the rest. Erec went riding, lance in rest, into the +middle of the garden, greatly delighting in the song of the birds which +were singing there; they put him in mind of his Joy the thing he most +was longing for. But he saw a wondrous thing, which might arouse fear +in the bravest warrior of all whom we know, be it Thiebaut the Esclavon, +[139] or Ospinel, or Fernagu. For before them, on sharpened stakes, +there stood bright and shining helmets, and each one had beneath the rim +a man's head. But at the end there stood a stake where as yet there was +nothing but a horn. [140] He knows not what this signifies, yet draws +not back a step for that; rather does he ask the King, who was beside +him at the right, what this can be. The King speaks and explains to him: +"Friend," he says, "do you know the meaning of this thing that you see +here? You must be in great terror of it, if you care at all for your own +body; for this single stake which stands apart, where you see this horn +hung up, has been waiting a very long time, but we know not for whom, +whether for you or someone else. Take care lest thy head be set up +there; for such is the purpose of the stake. I had warned you well of +that before you came here. I do not expect that you will escape hence, +but that you will be killed and rent apart. For this much we know, that +the stake awaits your head. And if it turns out that it be placed +there, as the matter stands agreed, as soon as thy head is fixed upon it +another stake will be set up beside it which will await the arrival of +some one else--I know not when or whom. I will tell you nothing of the +horn; but never has any one been able to blow it. [141] However, he +who shall succeed in blowing it his fame and honour will grow until it +distance all those of his country, and he shall find such renown that +all will come to do him honour, and will hold him to be the best of them +all. Now there is no more of this matter. Have your men withdraw; for +'the Joy' will soon arrive, and will make you sorry, I suspect." + +(Vv. 5827-6410.) Meanwhile King Evrain leaves his side, and Erec stoops +over before Enide, whose heart was in great distress, although she held +her peace; for grief on lips is of no account unless it also touch the +heart. And he who well knew her heart, said to her: "Fair sister dear, +gentle, loyal, and prudent lady, I am acquainted with your thoughts. +You are in fear, I see that well, and yet you do not know for what; but +there is no reason for your dismay until you shall see that my shield is +shattered and that my body is wounded, and until you see the meshes of +my bright hauberk covered with blood, and my helmet broken and smashed, +and me defeated and weary, so that I can no longer defend myself, but +must beg and sue for mercy against my will; then you may lament, but now +you have begun too soon. Gentle lady, as yet you know not what this +is to be; no more do I. You are troubled without cause. But know this +truly: if there were in me only so much courage as your love inspires, +truly I should not fear to face any man alive. But I am foolish to vaunt +myself; yet I say it not from any pride, but because I wish to comfort +you. So comfort yourself, and let it be! I cannot longer tarry here, nor +can you go along with me; for, as the King has ordered, I must not take +you beyond this point." Then he kisses her and commends her to God, and +she him. But she is much chagrined that she cannot follow and escort +him, until she may learn and see what this adventure is to be, and +how he will conduct himself. But since she must stay behind and cannot +follow him, she remains sorrowful and grieving. And he went off alone +down a path, without companion of any sort, until he came to a silver +couch with a cover of gold-embroidered cloth, beneath the shade of +a sycamore; and on the bed a maiden of comely body and lovely face, +completely endowed with all beauty, was seated all alone. I intended to +say no more of her; but whoever could consider well all her attire and +her beauty might well say that never did Lavinia of Laurentum, who was +so fair and comely, possess the quarter of her beauty. Erec draws near +to her, wishing to see her more closely, and the onlookers go and sit +down under the trees in the orchard. Then behold, there comes a knight +armed with vermilion arms, and he was wondrous tall; and if he were not +so immeasurably tall, under the heavens there would be none fairer than +he; but, as every one averred, he was a foot taller than any knight he +knew. Before Erec caught sight of him, he cried out: "Vassal, vassal! +You are mad, upon my life, thus to approach my damsel. I should say +you are not worthy to draw near her. You will pay dearly for your +presumption, by my head! Stand back!" And Erec stops and looks at him, +and the other, too, stood still. Neither made advance until Erec had +replied all that he wished to say to him. "Friend," he says, "one can +speak folly as well as good sense. Threaten as much as you please, and +I will keep silence; for in threatening there is no sense. Do you know +why? A man sometimes thinks he has won the game who afterward loses it. +So he is manifestly a fool who is too presumptuous and who threatens too +much. If there are some who flee there are plenty who chase, but I do +not fear you so much that I am going to run away yet. I am ready to make +such defence, if there is any who wishes to offer me battle, that he +will have to do his uttermost, or otherwise he cannot escape." "Nay," +quoth he, "so help me God! know that you shall have the battle, for I +defy and challenge you." And you may know, upon my word, that then the +reins were not held in. The lances they had were not light, but were big +and square; nor were they planed smooth, but were rough and strong. Upon +the shields with mighty strength they smote each other with their sharp +weapons, so that a fathom of each lance passes through the gleaming +shields. But neither touches the other's flesh, nor was either lance +cracked; each one, as quickly as he could, draws back his lance, and +both rushing together, return to the fray. One against the other rides, +and so fiercely they smite each other that both lances break and the +horses fall beneath them. But they, being seated on their steeds, +sustain no harm; so they quickly rise, for they were strong and lithe. +They stand on foot in the middle of the garden, and straightway attack +each other with their green swords of German steel, and deal great +wicked blows upon their bright and gleaming helmets, so that they hew +them into bits, and their eyes shoot out flame. No greater efforts can +be made than those they make in striving and toiling to injure and wound +each other. Both fiercely smite with the gilded pommel and the cutting +edge. Such havoc did they inflict upon each other's teeth, cheeks, nose, +hands, arms, and the rest, upon temples, neck, and throat that their +bones all ache. They are very sore and very tired; yet they do not +desist, but rather only strive the more. Sweat, and the blood which +flows down with it, dim their eyes, so that they can hardly see a thing; +and very often they missed their blows, like men who did not see to +wield their swords upon each other. They can scarcely harm each other +now; yet, they do not desist at all from exercising all their strength. +Because their eyes are so blinded that they completely lose their sight, +they let their shields fall to the ground, and seize each other angrily. +Each pulls and drags the other, so that they fall upon their knees. +Thus, long they fight until the hour of noon is past, and the big knight +is so exhausted that his breath quite fails him. Erec has him at his +mercy, and pulls and drags so that he breaks all the lacing of his +helmet, and forces him over at his feet. He falls over upon his face +against Erec's breast, and has not strength to rise again. Though it +distresses him, he has to say and own: "I cannot deny it, you have +beaten me; but much it goes against my will. And yet you may be of such +degree and fame that only credit will redound to me; and insistently I +would request, if it may be in any way, that I might know your name, and +he thereby somewhat comforted. If a better man has defeated me, I shall +be glad, I promise you; but if it has so fallen out that a baser man +than I has worsted me, then I must feel great grief indeed." "Friend, +dost thou wish to know my name?" says Erec; "Well, I shall tell thee ere +I leave here; but it will be upon condition that thou tell me now why +thou art in this garden. Concerning that I will know all what is thy +name and what the Joy; for I am very anxious to hear the truth from +beginning to end of it." "Sire," says he, "fearlessly I will tell you +all you wish to know." Erec no more withholds his name, but says: "Didst +thou ever hear of King Lac and of his son Erec?" "Yea, sire, I knew +him well; for I was at his father's court for many a day before I was +knighted, and, if he had had his will, I should never have left him for +anything." "Then thou oughtest to know me well, if thou weft ever with +me at the court of my father, the King." "Then, upon my faith, it has +turned out well. Now hear who has detained me so long in this garden. I +will tell the truth in accordance with your injunction, whatever it +may cost me. That damsel who yonder sits, loved me from childhood and +I loved her. It pleased us both, and our love grew and increased, until +she asked a boon of me, but did not tell me what it was. Who would +deny his mistress aught? There is no lover but would surely do all his +sweet-heart's pleasure without default or guile, whenever he can in any +way. I agreed to her desire; but when I had agreed, she would have it, +too, that I should swear. I would have done more than that for her, but +she took me at my word. I made her a promise, without knowing what. Time +passed until I was made a knight. King Evrain, whose nephew I am, dubbed +me a knight in the presence of many honourable men in this very garden +where we are. My lady, who is sitting there, at once recalled to me my +word, and said that I had promised her that I would never go forth from +here until there should come some knight who should conquer me by trial +of arms. It was right that I should remain, for rather than break my +word, I should never have pledged it. Since I knew the good there was in +her, I could nor reveal or show to the one whom I hold most dear that +in all this I was displeased; for if she had noticed it, she would have +withdrawn her heart, and I would not have had it so for anything that +might happen. Thus my lady thought to detain me here for a long stay; +she did not think that there would ever enter this garden any vassal who +could conquer me. In this way she intended to keep me absolutely shut up +with her all the days of my life. And I should have committed an offence +if I had had resort to guile and not defeated all those against whom I +could prevail; such escape would have been a shame. And I dare to assure +you that I have no friend so dear that I would have feigned at all in +fighting with him. Never did I weary of arms, nor did I ever refuse to +fight. You have surely seen the helmets of those whom I have defeated +and put to death; but the guilt of it is not mine, when one considers it +aright. I could not help myself, unless I were willing to be false and +recreant and disloyal. Now I have told you the truth, and be assured +that it is no small honour which you have gained. You have given great +joy to the court of my uncle and my friends; for now I shall be released +from here; and because all those who are at the court will have joy of +it, therefore those who awaited the joy called it 'Joy of the Court'. +They have awaited it so long that now it will be granted them by you who +have won it by your fight. You have defeated and bewitched my prowess +and my chivalry. Now it is right that I tell you my name, if you would +know it. I am called Mabonagrain; but I am not remembered by that name +in any land where I have been, save only in this region; for never, when +I was a squire, did I tell or make known my name. Sire, you knew the +truth concerning all that you asked me. But I must still tell you that +there is in this garden a horn which I doubt not you have seen. I cannot +issue forth from here until you have blown the horn; but then you will +have released me, and then the Joy will begin. Whoever shall hear and +give it heed no hindrance will detain him, when he shall hear the sound +of the horn, from coming straight-way to the court. Rise up, sire! Go +quickly now! Go take the horn right joyfully; for you have no further +cause to wait; so do that which you must do." Now Erec rose, and the +other rises with him, and both approach the horn. Erec takes it and +blows it, putting into it all his strength, so that the sound of it +reaches far. Greatly did Enide rejoice when she heard the note, and +Guivret was greatly delighted too. The King is glad, and so are his +people; there is not one who is not well suited and pleased at this. +No one ceases or leaves off from making merry and from song. Erec could +boast that day, for never was such rejoicing made; it could not be +described or related by mouth of man, but I will tell you the sum of it +briefly and with few words. The news spreads through the country that +thus the affair has turned out. Then there was no holding back from +coming to the court. All the people hasten thither in confusion, some +on foot and some on horse, without waiting for each other. And those who +were in the garden hastened to remove Erec's arms, and in emulation they +all sang a song about the Joy; and the ladies made up a lay which they +called 'the Lay of Joy', [142] but the lay is not well known. Erec was +well sated with joy and well served to his heart's desire; but she who +sat on the silver couch was not a bit pleased. The joy which she saw was +not at all to her taste. But many people have to keep still and look +on at what gives them pain. Enide acted graciously; because she saw her +sitting pensive, alone on the couch, she felt moved to go and speak with +her and tell her about her affairs and about herself, and to strive, if +possible, to make her tell in return about herself, if it did not cause +her too great distress. Enide thought to go alone, wishing to take no +one with her, but some of the most noble and fairest dames and damsels +followed her out of affection to bear her company, and also to comfort +her to whom the joy brings great chagrin; for she assumed that now her +lover would be no longer with her so much as he had been, inasmuch as he +desired to leave the garden. However disappointing it may be, no one can +prevent his going away, for the hour and the time have come. Therefore +the tears ran down her face from her eyes. Much more than I can say was +she grieving and distressed; nevertheless she sat up straight. But she +does not care so much for any of those who try to comfort her that she +ceases her moan. Enide salutes her kindly; but for a while the other +could not reply a word, being prevented by the sighs and sobs which +torment and distress her. Some time it was before the damsel returned +her salutation, and when she had looked at her and examined her for a +while, it seemed that she had seen and known her before. But not being +very certain of it, she was not slow to inquire from whence she was, of +what country, and where her lord was born; she inquires who they both +are. Enide replies briefly and tells her the truth, saying: "I am the +niece of the Count who holds sway over Lalut, the daughter of his own +sister; at Lalut I was born and brought up." The other cannot help +smiling, without hearing more, for she is so delighted that she forgets +her sorrow. Her heart leaps with joy which she cannot conceal. She runs +and embraces Enide, saying: "I am your cousin! This is the very truth, +and you are my father's niece; for he and your father are brothers. But +I suspect that you do not know and have never heard how I came into this +country. The Count, your uncle, was at war, and to him there came to +fight for pay knights of many lands. Thus, fair cousin, it came about, +that with these hireling knights there came one who was the nephew of +the king of Brandigan. He was with my father almost a year. That was, I +think, twelve years ago, and I was still but a little child. He was very +handsome and attractive. There we had an understanding between us that +pleased us both. I never had any wish but his, until at last he began to +love me and promised and swore to me that he would always be my lover, +and that he would bring me here; that pleased us both alike. He could +not wait, and I was longing to come hither with him; so we both came +away, and no one knew of it but ourselves. In those days you and I were +both young and little girls. I have told you the truth; so now tell me +in turn, as I have told you, all about your lover, and by what adventure +he won you." "Fair cousin, he married me in such a way that my father +knew all about it, and my mother was greatly pleased. All our relatives +knew it and rejoiced over it, as they should do. Even the Count was +glad. For he is so good a knight that better cannot be found, and he +does not need to prove his honour and knighthood, and he is of very +gentle birth: I do not think that any can be his equal. He loves me +much, and I love him more, and our love cannot be greater. Never yet +could I withhold my love from him, nor should I do so. For is not my +lord the son of a king? For did he not take me when I was poor and +naked? Through him has such honour come to me that never was any such +vouchsafed to a poor helpless girl. And if it please you, I will tell +you without lying how I came to be thus raised up; for never will I be +slow to tell the story." Then she told and related to her how Erec +came to Lalut; for she had no desire to conceal it. She told her the +adventure word for word, without omission. But I pass over it now, +because he who tells a story twice makes his tale now tiresome. While +they were thus conversing, one lady slipped away alone, who sent and +told it all to the gentlemen, in order to increase and heighten their +pleasure too. All those who heard it rejoiced at this news. And when +Mabonagrain knew it he was delighted for his sweetheart because now +she was comforted. And she who bore them quickly the news made them all +happy in a short space. Even the King was glad for it; although he was +very happy before, yet now he is still happier, and shows Erec great +honour. Enide leads away her fair cousin, fairer than Helen, more +graceful and charming. Now Erec and Mabonagrain, Guivret and King +Evrain, and all the others run to meet them and salute them and do them +honour, for no one is grudging or holds back. Mabonagrain makes much of +Enide, and she of him. Erec and Guivret, for their part, rejoice over +the damsel as they all kiss and embrace each other. They propose to +return to the castle, for they have stayed too long in the garden. They +are all prepared to go out; so they sally forth joyfully, kissing each +other on the way. All go out after the King, but before they reached the +castle, the nobles were assembled from all the country around, and all +those who knew of the Joy, and who could do so, came hither. Great was +the gathering and the press. Every one, high and low, rich and poor, +strives to see Erec. Each thrusts himself before the other, and they +all salute him and bow before him, saying constantly: "May God save +him through whom joy and gladness come to our court! God save the most +blessed man whom God has ever brought into being!" Thus they bring him +to the court, and strive to show their glee as their hearts dictate. +Breton zithers, harps, and viols sound, fiddles, psalteries, and other +stringed instruments, and all kinds of music that one could name or +mention. But I wish to conclude the matter briefly without too long +delay. The King honours him to the extent of his power, as do all the +others ungrudgingly. There is no one who does not gladly offer to do his +service. Three whole days the Joy lasted, before Erec could get away. +On the fourth he would no longer tarry for any reason they could urge. +There was a great crowd to accompany him and a very great press when it +came to taking leave. If he had wished to reply to each one, he would +not have been able in half a day to return the salutations individually. +The nobles he salutes and embraces; the others he commends to God in +a word, and salutes them. Enide, for her part, is not silent when she +takes leave of the nobles. She salutes them all by name, and they in +turn do the like. Before she goes, she kisses her cousin very tenderly +and embraces her. Then they go and the Joy is over. + +(Vv. 6411-6509.) They go off and the others return. Erec and Guivret do +not tarry, but keep joyfully on their way, until they came in nine days +to Robais, where they were told the King was. The day before he had +been bled privately in his apartments; with him he had only five hundred +nobles of his household. Never before at any time was the King found so +alone, and he was much distressed that he had no more numerous suite at +his court. At that time a messenger comes running, whom they had sent +ahead to apprise the King of their approach. This man came in before the +assembly, found the King and all his people, and saluting him correctly, +said: "I am a messenger of Erec and of Guivret the Little." Then he told +him how they were coming to see him at his court. The King replies: "Let +them be welcome, as valiant and gallant gentlemen! Nowhere do I know +of any better than they two. By their presence my court will be much +enhanced." Then he sent for the Queen and told her the news. The others +have their horses saddled to go and meet the gentlemen. In such haste +are they to mount that they did not put on their spurs. I ought to state +briefly that the crowd of common people, including squires, cooks, and +butlers, had already entered the town to prepare for the lodgings. +The main party came after, and had already drawn so near that they had +entered the town. Now the two parties have met each other, and salute +and kiss each other. They come to the lodgings and make themselves +comfortable, removing their hose and making their toilet by donning +their rich robes. When they were completely decked out, they took their +way to the court. They come to court, where the King sees them, and the +Queen, who is beside herself with impatience to see Erec and Enide. The +King makes them take seats beside him, kisses Erec and Guivret; about +Enide's neck he throws his arms and kisses her repeatedly, in his great +joy. Nor is the Queen slow in embracing Erec and Enide. One might well +rejoice to see her now so full of joy. Every one enters with spirit into +the merry-making. Then the King causes silence to be made, and appeals +to Erec and asks news of his adventures. When the noise had ceased, Erec +began his story, telling him of his adventures, without forgetting any +detail. Do you think now that I shall tell you what motive he had had in +starting out? Nay, for you know the whole truth about this and the rest, +as I have revealed it to you. To tell the story again would burden me; +for the tale is not short, that any one should wish to begin it afresh +and re-embelish it, as he told and related it: of the three knights whom +he defeated, and then of the five, and then of the Count who strove to +do him harm, and then of the two giants--all in order, one after the +other, he told him of his adventures up to the point where he met Count +Oringle of Limors. "Many a danger have you gone through, fair gentle +friend," said the King to him; "now tarry in this country at my court, +as you are wont to do." "Sire, since you wish it, I shall remain very +gladly three or four years entire. But ask Guivret to remain here too a +request in which I would fain join." The King prays him to remain, and +he consents to stay. So they both stay: the King kept them with him, and +held them dear and honoured them. + +(Vv. 6510-6712.) Erec stayed at court, together with Guivret and Enide, +until the death of his father, the king, who was an old man and full of +years. The messengers then started out: the nobles who went to seek him, +and who were the greatest men of the land, sought and searched for him +until they found him at Tintagel three weeks before Christmas; they told +him the truth what had happened to his old, white-haired father, and +how he now was dead and gone. This grieved Erec much more than he showed +before the people. But sorrow is not seemly in a king, nor does it +become a king to mourn. There at Tintagel where he was, he caused vigils +for the dead and Masses to be sung; he promised and kept his promises, +as he had vowed to the religious houses and churches; he did well all +that he ought to do: he chose out more than one hundred and sixty-nine +of the wretched poor, and clothed them all in new garments. To the poor +clerks and priors he gave, as was right, black copes and warm linings to +wear beneath. For God's sake he did great good to all: to those who were +in need he distributed more than a barrel of small coins. When he had +shared his wealth, he then did a very wise thing in receiving his land +from the King's hand; and then he begged the King to crown him at his +court. The King bade him quickly be prepared; for they shall both be +crowned, he together with his wife, at the approaching Christmastide; +and he added: "You must go hence to Nantes in Brittany; there you shall +carry a royal ensign with crown on head and sceptre in hand; this gift +and privilege I bestow upon you." Erec thanked the King, and said that +that was a noble gift. At Christmas the King assembles all his nobles, +summoning them individually and commanding them to come to Nantes. He +summoned them all, and none stayed behind. Erec, too, sent word to many +of his followers, and summoned them to come thither; but more came than +he had bidden, to serve him and do him honour. I cannot tell you or +relate who each one was, and what his name; but whoever came or did not +come, the father and mother of my lady Enide were not forgotten. Her +father was sent for first of all, and he came to court in handsome +style, like a great lord and a chatelain. There was no great crowd of +chaplains or of silly, gaping yokels, but of excellent knights and of +people well equipped. Each day they made a long day's journey, and rode +on each day with great joy and great display, until on Christmas eve +they came to the city of Nantes. They made no halt until they entered +the great hall where the King and his courtiers were. Erec and Enide +see them, and you may know how glad they were. To meet them they quickly +make their way, and salute and embrace them, speaking to them tenderly +and showing their delight as they should. When they had rejoiced +together, taking each other by the hand, they all four came before the +King, saluting him and likewise the Queen, who was sitting by his side. +Taking his host by the hand, Erec said: "Sire, behold my good host, my +kind friend, who did me such honour that he made me master in his +own house. Before he knew anything about me, he lodged me well and +handsomely. All that he had he made over to me, and even his daughter he +bestowed upon me, without the advice or counsel of any one." "And this +lady with him," the King inquires, "who is she?" Erec does not conceal +the truth: "Sire," says he, "of this lady I may say that she is the +mother of my wife." "Is she her mother?" "Yes, truly, sire." "Certainly, +I may then well say that fair and comely should be the flower born of so +fair a stem, and better the fruit one picks; for sweet is the smell +of what springs from good. Fair is Enide and fair she should be in all +reason and by right; for her mother is a very handsome lady, and her +father is a goodly knight. Nor does she in aught belie them; for she +descends and inherits directly from them both in many respects." Then +the King ceases and sits down, bidding them be seated too. They do not +disobey his command, but straightway take seats. Now is Enide filled +with joy when she sees her father and mother, for a very long time had +passed since she had seen them. Her happiness now is greatly increased, +for she was delighted and happy, and she showed it all she could, but +she could not make such demonstration but that her joy was yet greater. +But I wish to say no more of that, for my heart draws me toward the +court which was now assembled in force. From many a different country +there were counts and dukes and kings, Normans, Bretons. Scotch, and +Irish: from England and Cornwall there was a very rich gathering of +nobles; for from Wales to Anjou, in Maine and in Poitou, there was no +knight of importance, nor lady of quality, but the best and the most +elegant were at the court at Nantes, as the King had bidden them. Now +hear, if you will, the great joy and grandeur, the display and the +wealth, that was exhibited at the court. Before the hour of nones had +sounded, King Arthur dubbed four hundred knights or more all sons of +counts and of kings. To each one he gave three horses and two pairs of +suits, in order that his court may make a better showing. Puissant and +lavish was the King; for the mantles he bestowed were not of serge, nor +of rabbit-skins, nor of cheap brown fur, but of heavy silk and ermine, +of spotted fur and flowered silks, bordered with heavy and stiff gold +braid. Alexander, who conquered so much that he subdued the whole world, +and who was so lavish and rich, compared with him was poor and mean. +Caesar, the Emperor of Rome, and all the kings whose names you hear in +stories and in epic songs, did not distribute at any feast so much +as Arthur gave on the day that he crowned Erec; nor would Caesar and +Alexander dare to spend so much as he spent at the court. The raiment +was taken from the chests and spread about freely through the halls; one +could take what he would, without restraint. In the midst of the court, +upon a rug, stood thirty bushels of bright sterlings; [143] for since +the time of Merlin until that day sterlings had currency throughout +Britain. There all helped themselves, each one carrying away that night +all that he wanted to his lodging-place. At nine o'clock on Christmas +day, all came together again at court. The great joy that is drawing +near for him had completely filched Erec's heart away. The tongue and +the mouth of no man, however skilful, could describe the third, or the +fourth, or the fifth part of the display which marked his coronation. So +it is a mad enterprise I undertake in wishing to attempt to describe +it. But since I must make the effort, come what may, I shall not fail to +relate a part of it, as best I may. + +(Vv. 6713-6809.) The King had two thrones of white ivory, well +constructed and new, of one pattern and style. He who made them beyond a +doubt was a very skilled and cunning craftsman. For so precisely did he +make the two alike in height, in breadth, and in ornamentation, that you +could nor look at them from every side to distinguish one from the other +and find in one aught that was not in the other. There was no part of +wood, but all of gold and fine ivory. Well were they carved with great +skill, for the two corresponding sides of each bore the representation +of a leopard, and the other two a dragon's shape. A knight named Bruiant +of the Isles had made a gift and present of them to King Arthur and the +Queen. King Arthur sat upon the one, and upon the other he made Erec +sit, who was robed in watered silk. As we read in the story, we find the +description of the robe, and in order that no one may say that I lie, +I quote as my authority Macrobius, [144] who devoted himself to the +description of it. Macrobius instructs me how to describe, according +as I have found it in the book, the workmanship and the figures of the +cloth. Four fairies had made it with great skill and mastery. [145] One +represented there geometry, how it estimates and measures the extent of +the heavens and the earth, so that nothing is lacking there; and +then the depth and the height, and the width, and the length; then it +estimates, besides, how broad and deep the sea is, and thus measures +the whole world. Such was the work of the first fairy. And the second +devoted her effort to the portrayal of arithmetic, and she strove hard +to represent clearly how it wisely enumerates the days and the hours of +time, and the water of the sea drop by drop, and then all the sand, and +the stars one by one, knowing well how to tell the truth, and how many +leaves there are in the woods: such is the skill of arithmetic that +numbers have never deceived her, nor will she ever be in error when she +wishes to apply her sense to them. The third design was that of music, +with which all merriment finds itself in accord, songs and harmonies, +and sounds of string: of harp, of Breton violin, and of viol. This +piece of work was good and fine; for upon it were portrayed all the +instruments and all the pastimes. The fourth, who next performed her +task, executed a most excellent work; for the best of the arts she there +portrayed. She undertook astronomy, which accomplishes so many marvels +and draws inspiration from the stars, the moon, and the sun. Nowhere +else does it seek counsel concerning aught which it has to do. They give +it good and sure advice. Concerning whatever inquiry it make of them, +whether in the past or in the future, they give it information without +falsehood and without deception. This work was portrayed on the stuff +of which Erec's robe was made, all worked and woven with thread of gold. +The fur lining that was sewed within, belonged to some strange beasts +whose heads are all white, and whose necks are as black as mulberries, +and which have red backs and green bellies, and dark blue tail. These +beasts live in India and they are called "barbiolets". They eat nothing +but spices, cinnamon, and fresh cloves. What shall I tell you of the +mantle? It was very rich and fine and handsome; it had four stones +in the tassels--two chrysolites on one side, and two amethysts on the +other, which were mounted in gold. + +(Vv. 6810-6946.) As yet Enide had not come to the palace. When the King +sees that she delays, he bids Gawain go quickly to bring her and the +Queen. Gawain hastens and was not slow, and with him King Cadoalant +and the generous King of Galloway. Guivret the Little accompanies them, +followed by Yder the son of Nut. So many of the other nobles ran thither +to escort the two ladies that they would have sufficed to overcome a +host; for there were more than a thousand of them. The Queen had made +her best effort to adorn Enide. Into the palace they brought her +the courteous Gawain escorting her on one side, and on the other the +generous King of Galloway, who loved her dearly on account of Erec who +was his nephew. When they came to the palace, King Arthur came quickly +toward them, and courteously seated Enide beside Erec; for he wished to +do her great honour. Now he orders to be brought forth from his treasure +two massive crowns of fine gold. As soon as he had spoken and given the +command, without delay the crowns were brought before him, all sparkling +with carbuncles, of which there were four in each. The light of the moon +is nothing compared with the light which the least of the carbuncles +could shed. Because of the radiance which they shed, all those who were +in the palace were so dazzled that for a moment they could see nothing; +and even the King was amazed, and yet filled with satisfaction, when +he saw them to be so clear and bright. He had one of them held by two +damsels, and the other by two gentlemen. Then he bade the bishops and +priors and the abbots of the Church step forward and anoint the new +King, as the Christian practice is. Now all the prelates, young and old, +came forward; for at the court there were a great number of bishops and +abbots. The Bishop of Nantes himself, who was a very worthy and saintly +man, anointed the new King in a very holy and becoming manner, and +placed the crown upon his head. King Arthur had a sceptre brought which +was very fine. Listen to the description of the sceptre, which was +clearer than a pane of glass, all of one solid emerald, fully as large +as your fist. I dare to tell you in very truth that in all the world +there is no manner of fish, or of wild behest, or of man, or of flying +bird that was not worked and chiselled upon it with its proper figure. +The sceptre was handed to the King, who looked at it with amazement; +then he put it without delay into King Erec's right hand; and now he +was King as he ought to be. Then he crowned Enide in turn. Now the +bells ring for Mass, and they go to the main church to hear the Mass and +service; they go to pray at the cathedral. You would have seen weeping +with joy the father of Queen Enide and her mother, Carsenefide. In truth +this was her mother's name, and her father's name was Liconal. Very +happy were they both. When they came to the cathedral, the procession +came out from the church with relics and treasures to meet them. Crosses +and prayerbooks and censers and reliquaries, with all the holy relics, +of which there were many in the church, were all brought out to meet +them; nor was there any lack of chants made. Never were seen so many +kings, counts, dukes, and nobles together at a Mass, and the press was +so great and thick that the church was completely filled. No low-born +man could enter there, but only ladies and knights. Outside the door +of the church a great number still remained, so many were there come +together who could not get inside the church. When they had heard all +the Mass they returned to the palace. It was all prepared and decorated: +tables set and cloths spread five hundred tables and more were there; +but I do not wish to make you believe a thing which does not seem true. +It would seem too great a lie were I to say that five hundred tables +were set in rows in one palace, so I will not say it; rather were there +five hails so filled with them that with great difficulty could one make +his way among the tables. At each table there was in truth a king or a +duke or a count; and full a hundred knights were seated at each table. A +thousand knights served the bread, and a thousand served the wine, and a +thousand the meat--all of them dressed in fresh fur robes of ermine. All +are served with divers dishes. Even if I did not see them, I might still +be able to tell you about them; but I must attend to something else than +to tell you what they had to eat. They had enough, without wanting more; +joyfully and liberally they were served to their heart's desire. + +(Vv. 6947-6958.) When this celebration was concluded, the King dismissed +the assemblage of kings, dukes, and counts, of which the number was +immense, and of the other humble folk who had come to the festival. +He rewarded them liberally with horses, arms and silver, cloths and +brocades of many kinds, because of his generosity, and because of Erec +whom he loved so much. Here the story ends at last. + + + +----Endnotes: Erec Et Enide + +NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all +other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 11: A Welsh version, "Geraint the Son of Erbin", included in +Lady Charlotte Guest's translation of "The Mabinogion" (London, 1838-49; +a modern edition will be found in Everyman Library, London, 1906), +tells the same story as "Erec et Enide" with some variations. This Welsh +version has also been translated into modern French by J. Loth ("Les +Mabinogion", Paris, 1889), where it may be consulted with the greatest +confidence. The relation of the Welsh prose to the French poem is a +moot point. Cf. E. Philipot in "Romania", XXV. 258-294, and earlier, +K. Othmer, "Ueber das Verhaltnis Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem +Mabinogion des rothen Buch von Hergest" (Koln, 1889); G. Paris in +"Romania", XIX. 157, and id. XX. 148-166.] + +[Footnote 12: We frequently read in the romances of a hunt at Easter +(F.). As here, so in "Fergus" (ed. Martin, Halle, 1872), p. 2 f., the +knights hunt a white stag, which Perceval finally slays, but there is no +mention of the ceremony of the bestowal of a kiss.] + +[Footnote 13: Chrétien nowhere gives any description of the nature of +the Round Table. With him, it is an institution. Layamon in "Brut" and +Wace in "Le Roman de Brut" are more specific in their accounts of this +remarkable piece of furniture. From their descriptions, and from other +sources in Welsh and Irish literature, it is reasonable to suppose that +the Round Table had a place in primitive Celtic folk-lore. Cf. L.F. +Mott, "The Round Table" in "Pub. of the Modern Language Association of +America", XX. 231-264; A.C.L. Brown, "The Round Table before Wace" in +"Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature", vii. 183-205 +(Boston, 1900); Miss J.L Weston, "A Hitherto Unconsidered Aspect of the +Round Table" in "Melanges de philologie romane offerts a M. Wilmotte", +ii. 883-894, 2 vols. (Paris, 1910).] + +[Footnote 14: There exists a romance devoted to Yder, of which G. Paris +printed a resume in "Hist. Litt. de la France", XXX., and which has +been recently edited by Heinrich Gelzer: "Der altfranzosische Yderroman" +(Dresden, 1913). There are apparently three different knight of this +name in the old French romances (F.).] + +[Footnote 15: The word "chastel" (from "castellum") is usually to be +translated as "town" or strong place within fortifications. Only where +it plainly refers to a detached building will the word "castle" be +used.] + +[Footnote 16: A "tercel" is a species of falcon, of which the male bird +is one-third smaller than the female.] + +[Footnote 17: A "vavasor" (from "vassus vassallorum") was a low order +of vassal, but a freeman. The vavasors are spoken of with respect in +the old French romances, as being of honourable character, though not of +high birth.] + +[Footnote 18: The numerous references to the story of King Mark, +Tristan, and Iseut in the extant poems of Chrétien support his own +statement, made at the outset of "Cligés", that he himself composed a +poem on the nephew and wife of the King of Cornwall. We have fragments +of poems on Tristan by the Anglo-Norman poets Beroul and Thomas, who +were contemporaries of Chrétien. Foerster's hypothesis that the lost +"Tristan" of Chrétien antedated "Erec" is doubtless correct. That +the poet later treated of the love of Cligés and Fenice as a sort of +literary atonement for the inevitable moral laxity of Tristan and Iseut +has been held by some, and the theory is acceptable in view of the +references to be met later in "Cligés". For the contrary opinion of +Gaston Paris see "Journal des Savants" (1902), p. 297 f.] + +[Footnote 19: In the Mabinogi "Geraint the Son of Erbin", the host +explains that he had wrongfully deprived his nephew of his possessions, +and that in revenge the nephew had later taken all his uncle's property, +including an earldom and this town. See Guest, "The Mabinogion".] + +[Footnote 110: The hauberk was a long shirt of mail reaching to the +knees, worn by knights in combat. The helmet, and the "coiffe" beneath +it, protected the head; the "ventail" of linked meshes was worn across +the lower part of the face, and was attached on each side of the neck to +the "coiffe", so that it protected the throat; the greaves covered the +legs. The body of the knight was thus well protected against blow of +sword or lance. Cf. Vv.711 f.] + +[Footnote 111: This passage seems to imply that charms and enchantments +were sometimes used when a knight was armed (F.).] + +[Footnote 112: The "loges", so often mentioned in old French romances, +were either window-balconies or architectural points of vantage +commanding some pleasing prospect. The conventional translation in the +old English romances is "bower".] + +[Footnote 113: Tristan killed Morholt, the uncle of Iseut, when he came +to claim tribute form King Mark (cf. Bedier, "Le Roman de Tristan", +etc., i. 85 f., 2 vols., Paris, 1902). The combat took place on an +island, unnamed in the original text (id. i. 84), but later identified +with St. Samson's Isle, one of the Scilly Isles.] + +[Footnote 114: The same act of feeding a hunting-bird with a plover's +wing is mentioned in "Le Roman de Thebes", 3857-58 (ed. "Anciens +Textes").] + +[Footnote 115: For such figurative expressions used to complement the +negative, cf. Gustav Dreyling, "Die Ausdruckweise der ubertriebenen +Verkleinerung im altfranzosischen Karlsepos", in Stengel's "Ausgaben und +Abhandlungen", No. 82 (Marsburg, 1888); W.W. Comfort in "Modern Language +Notes" (Baltimore, February 1908).] + +[Footnote 116: Chrétien in his later romances will avoid compiling such +a prosaic blue-book as is found in this passage, though similar lists of +knights occur in the old English romances as late as Malory, though of +some of them but little is known. Unfortunately, we have for the old +French romances no such complete work as that furnished for the epic +poems by E. Langois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris +dans les chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904).] + +[Footnote 117: The only mention by Chrétien of this son of Arthur, whose +role is absolutely insignificant in the Arthurian romances.] + +[Footnote 118: What was this drinking-cup, and who sent it to Arthur? We +have "Le Lai du cor" (ed. Wulff, Lund, 1888), which tells how a certain +King Mangount of Moraine sent a magic drinking-cup to Arthur. No one +could drink of this cup without spilling the contents if he were a +cuckold. Drinking from this cup was, then, one of the many current tests +of chastity. Further light may be thrown on the passage in our text by +the English poem "The Cokwold's Daunce" (in C.H. Hartshorne's "Ancient +Metrical Ballads", London, 1829), where Arthur is described as a cuckold +himself and as having always by him a horn (cup) which he delights +in trying on his knights as a test of their ladies' chastity. For +bibliography see T.P. Cross, "Notes on the Chastity-Testing Horns and +Mantle" in "Modern Philology", x. 289-299.] + +[Footnote 119: A unique instance of such a division of the material in +Chrétien's poems (F.).] + +[Footnote 120: Outre-Gales=Estre-Gales (v.3883)=Extra-Galliam.] + +[Footnote 121: Such fanciful descriptions of men and lands are common +in the French epic poems, where they are usually applied to the Saracens +(F.). Cf. W.w. Comfort, "The Saracens in Christian Poetry" in "The +Dublin Review", July 1911; J. Malsch, "Die Charakteristik der Volker im +altfranzosischen nationalen Epos" (Heidelberg, 1912).] + +[Footnote 122: With what seems to us mistaken taste, Chrétien frequently +thus delays mentioning the name of his leading charecters. The father +and mother of Enide remain anonymous until the end of this poem. The +reader will remark other instances of this peculiarity in "Yvain" and +"Lancelot".] + +[Footnote 123: The maid Brangien was substituted for Iseut, the bride, +upon the first night after her marriage with Mark. Similar traditions +are associated with the marriage of Arthur and Guinevere, and of Pepin +and Berte aus grans pies, the parents of Charlemagne. Adenet le Roi +toward the end of the 13th century is the author of the most artistic +treatments of Berte's history (ed. A. Scheler, Bruxelles, 1874). +Cf. W.W. Comfort, "Adenet le Roi: The End of a Literary Era" in "The +Quarterly Review", April 1913.] + +[Footnote 124: The reading "Sanson" (=Samson) is Foerster's most recent +(1904) suggestion to replace the word "lion" which stands in all +the MSS. Solomon's name has always been synonymous with wisdom, and +Alexander's generosity was proverbial in the Middle Ages. For Alexander, +cf. Paul Meyer, "Alexandre le Grand dans la litterature francaise du +moyen age", 2 vols. (Paris, 1886), vol ii., pp. 372-376, and Paget +Toynbee, "Dante Studies and Researches" (London, 1902), p. 144.] + +[Footnote 125: Of Arthur's several nephews, Gawain is represented by +Chrétien as peerless in respect of courage and courtesy. In the English +romances his character steadily deteriorates.] + +[Footnote 126: This sentence contains the motive for all the action +in the sequel. The same situation is threatened in "Yvain", but there +Gawain rescues the hero from the lethargy, ignoble in the eyes of a +feudal audience, into which he was falling. Cf. also "Marques de Rome" +("Lit. Verein in Stuttgart", Tubingen, 1889), p. 36, where the Empress +of Rome thus incites her husband to the chase: "Toz jors cropez vos a +Postel; vos n'estes point chevalereus, si come vos deussiez estre, si +juenes hom come vos estes"; also J. Gower, "Le Mirour de l'omme, 22, 813 +ff.: + +"Rois est des femmes trop decu, Qant plus les ayme que son dieu, Dont +laist honour pour foldelit: Cil Rois ne serra pas cremu, Q'ensi voet +laisser sou escu Et querre le bataille ou lit."] + +[Footnote 127: This brusque command, implying so sudden a change in +Erec's attitude toward his wife, initiates a long series of tests of +Enide's devotion, which fill the rest of the romance. Why did Erec treat +his wife with such severity? In the Mabinogi of "Geraint the Son of +Erbin", it is plain that jealousy was the hero's motive. The reader of +"Erec" may judge whether, as we believe, the hero's sudden resolve is +not rather that of a man piqued at being justly reproved by his wife +for a delinquency he had not himself remarked; irate at his wife's +imputation, and fearful of having forfeited her respect, he starts +out to redeem his reputation in her eyes, and to maker her retract any +insinuation she had made. Erec is simply angry with himself, but he +expends his wrath upon his defenceless wife until he is reassured of her +love and respect for him.] + +[Footnote 128: The situation here is a common one. Parallels will be +found in the "Voyage de Charlemagne", in the first tale of the "Arabian +Nights", in the poem "Biterolf and Dietlieb", and in the English ballad +of "King Arthur and King Cornwall". Professor Child, in his "English and +Scotch Ballads", indexes the ballads in his collection, which present +this motive, under the following caption: "King who regards himself as +the richest, most magnificent, etc., in the world, is told that there is +one who outstrips him, and undertakes to see for himself whether this is +so, threatening death to the person who has affirmed his inferiority in +case this is disproved."] + +[Footnote 129: The presence of the Irish in this connection is explained +by G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 149.] + +[Footnote 130: Kay the Seneschal appears here for the first time in +Chrétien's poems with the character which he regularly ascribes to him. +Readers of Arthurian romance are all familiar with Sir Kay; they will +find that in Chrétien, the seneschal, in addition to his undeniable +qualities of bravery and frankness, has less pleasing traits; he is +foolhardy, tactless, mean, and a disparager of others' merit. He figures +prominently in "Yvain" and "Lancelot". His poetic history has not yet +been written. His role in the German romances has been touched upon by +Dr. Friedrich Sachse, "Ueber den Ritter Kei" (Berlin, 1860).] + +[Footnote 131: No meat was eaten because it was the eve of Sunday.] + +[Footnote 132: In the French epic poems and romances of adventure alike +it is customary for giants and all manner of rustic boors to carry +clubs, the arms of knighthood being appropriate for such ignoble +creatures. Other instances of this convention will be remarked in the +text.] + +[Footnote 133: There follows and excellent example of an old French +lament for the dead. Such a wail was known in old French as a "regret", +a word which has lost its specific meaning in English.] + +[Footnote 134: Many examples will be met of women skilled in the +practice of medicine and surgery. On the subject, cf. A. Hertel, +"Versauberte Oertlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der altfranzosschen +Dichtung" (Hanover, 1908); Georg Manheimer, "Etwas liber die Aerzte im +alten Frankreich" in "Romanische Forschungen", vi. 581-614.] + +[Footnote 135: The reference here and in v.5891 is probably suggested by +the "Roman d'Eneas", which tells the same story as Virgil's "Aeneid", +in old French eight-syllable rhymed couplets, and which is dated by +the most recent scholarship 1160 circ. Cf. F.M. Warren in "Modern +Philology", iii. 179-209; iii. 513-539; iv. 655-675. Also M. Wilmotte, +"L'Evolution du roman francais aux environs de 1150" (Paris, 1903). +Scenes from classical and medieval romance were for a long time +favourite subject of portrayal upon cloths and tapestries, as well as of +illuminations for manuscripts.] + +[Footnote 136: Various conjectures have been advanced concerning the +significance of this strange adventure and its mysterious name "La +Joie de la cour". It is a quite extraneous episode, and Tennyson in his +artistic use of our hero and heroine in the Idyl of "Geraint and Enid" +did well to omit it. Chrétien's explanation, a little farther on, of "La +Joie de la cour" is lame and unsatisfactory, as if he himself did not +understand the significance of the matter upon which he was working. Cf. +E. Philipot in "Romania", xxv. 258-294; K. Othmer, "Ueber das Verhaltnis +Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem Mabinogion des rothen Buch von Hergest" +(Bonn, 1889); G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 152 f.] + +[Footnote 137: The following description of Erec's reception is repeated +with variations at the time of Yvain's entrance in the "Chastel de Pesme +Avanture" ("Yvain", 5107 f.) (F.).] + +[Footnote 138: For such conventional mediaeval descriptions of +other-world castles, palaces, and landscapes, cf. O.M. Johnston in +"Ztsch fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 705-710.] + +[Footnote 139: Tiebaut li Esclavon, frequently mentioned in the epic +poems, was a Saracen king, the first husband of Guibourne, who later +married the Christian hero Guillaume d'Orange. Opinel was also a +Saracen, mentioned in "Gaufrey", p. 132, and the hero of a lost epic +poem (see G. Paris, "Historie poetique de Charlemagne", p. 127). Fernagu +was another Saracen king, killed in a famous encounter by Roland, +"Otinel", p. 9 (F.). For further references to these characters, see +E. Langlois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris dans les +chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904).] + +[Footnote 140: There is a similar picket fence topped with helmets in +the "Las de la Mule sanz frain", v. 433 (ed. By R.T. Hill, Baltimore, +1911).] + +[Footnote 141: For such magic horns, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte +Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908).] + +[Footnote 142: In fact, nothing is known of this "lai", if, indeed, it +ever existed. For a recent definition of "lai", se L. Foulet in "Ztsch. +fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 161 f.] + +[Footnote 143: The sterling was the English silver penny, 240 of which +equalled 1 Pound Sterling of silver of 5760 grains 925 fine. It is early +described as "denarius Angliae qui vocatur sterlingus" ("Ency. Brit").] + +[Footnote 144: Macrobius was a Neoplatonic philosopher and Latin +grammarian of the early part of the 5th century A.D. He is best known +as the author of the "Saturnalia" and of a commentary upon Cicero's +"Somnium Scipionis" in that author's "De republica". It is this latter +work that is probably in the mind of Chrétien, as well as of Gower, who +refers to him in his "Mirour l'omme", and of Jean de Meun, the author of +the second part of the "Roman de la Rose".] + +[Footnote 145: For fairies and their handiwork in the Middle Ages, cf. +L.F.A. Maury, "Les Fees du moyen age" (Paris, 1843); Keightley, +"Fairy Mythology" (London, 1860); Lucy A. Paton, "Studies in the Fairy +Mythology of Arthurian Romance", Radcliffe Monograph (Boston, 1903); +D.B. Easter, "The Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure and the romans +bretons" (Baltimore, 1906).] + + + + + + +CLIGÉS [21] + +(Vv. 1-44.) He who wrote of Erec and Enide, and translated into French +the commands of Ovid and the Art of Love, and wrote the Shoulder +Bite, [22] and about King Mark and the fair Iseut, [23] and about the +metamorphosis of the Lapwing, [24] the Swallow, and the Nightingale, +will tell another story now about a youth who lived in Greece and was +a member of King Arthur's line. But before I tell you aught of him, you +shall hear of his father's life, whence he came and of what family. He +was so bold and so ambitious that he left Greece and went to England, +which was called Britain in those days, in order to win fame and renown. +This story, which I intend to relate to you, we find written in one of +the books of the library of my lord Saint Peter at Beauvais. [25] From +there the material was drawn of which Chrétien has made this romance. +The book is very old in which the story is told, and this adds to its +authority. [26] From such books which have been preserved we learn the +deeds of men of old and of the times long since gone by. Our books have +informed us that the pre-eminence in chivalry and learning once belonged +to Greece. Then chivalry passed to Rome, together with that highest +learning which now has come to France. God grant that it may be +cherished here, and that it may be made so welcome here that the honour +which has taken refuge with us may never depart from France: God had +awarded it as another's share, but of Greeks and Romans no more is +heard, their fame is passed, and their glowing ash is dead. + +(Vv. 45-134.) Chrétien begins his story as we find it in the history, +which tells of an emperor powerful in wealth and honour who ruled over +Greece and Constantinople. A very noble empress, too, there was, by +whom the emperor had two children. But the elder son was already so +far advanced before the younger one was born that, if he had wished, he +might have become a knight and held all the empire beneath his sway. +The name of the elder was Alexander, and the other's name was Alis. +Alexander, too, was the father's name, and the mother's name was +Tantalis. I shall now say nothing more of the emperor and of Alis; but +I shall speak of Alexander, who was so bold and proud that he scorned +to become a knight in his own country. He had heard of King Arthur, who +reigned in those days, and of the knights whom he always kept about +him, thus causing his court to be feared and famed throughout the world. +However, the affair may result and whatever fortune may await him, +nothing can restrain Alexander from his desire to go into Britain, but +he must obtain his father's consent before proceeding to Britain and +Cornwall. So Alexander, fair and brave, goes to speak with the emperor +in order to ask and obtain his leave. Now he will tell him of his desire +and what he wishes to do and undertake. "Fair sire," he says, "in quest +of honour and fame and praise I dare to ask you a boon, which I desire +you to give me now without delay, if you are willing to grant it to me." +The emperor thinks no harm will come from this request: he ought rather +to desire and long for his son's honour. "Fair son," he says, "I grant +you your desire; so tell me now what you wish me to give you." Now the +youth has accomplished his purpose, and is greatly pleased when the boon +is granted him which he so greatly desired. "Sire," says he, "do you +wish to know what it is that you have promised me? I wish to have a +great plenty of gold and silver, and such companions from among your +men as I will select; for I wish to go forth from your empire, and to +present my service to the king who rules over Britain, in order that he +may make me a knight. I promise you never in my life to wear armour on +my face or helmet upon my head until King Arthur shall gird on my sword, +if he will graciously do so. For from no other than from him will I +accept my arms." Without hesitation the emperor replies: "Fair son, for +God's sake, speak not so! This country all belongs to you, as well as +rich Constantinople. You ought not to think me mean, when I am ready +to make you such a gift. I shall be ready soon to have you crowned, and +to-morrow you shall be a knight. All Greece will be in your hands, and +you shall receive from your nobles, as is right, their homage and oaths +of allegiance. Whoever refuses such an offer is not wise." + +(Vv. 135-168.) The youth hears the promise how the next morning after +Mass his father is ready to dub him knight; but he says he will seek his +fortune for better or worse in another land. "If you are willing in this +matter to grant the boon I have asked of you, then give me mottled and +grey furs, some good horses and silken stuffs: for before I become +a knight I wish to enrol in King Arthur's service. Nor have I yet +sufficient strength to bear arms. No one could induce me by prayer or +flattery not to go to the foreign land to see his nobles and that king +whose fame is so great for courtesy and prowess. Many men of high degree +lose through sloth the great renown which they might win, were they to +wander about the world. [27] Repose and glory ill agree, as it seems to +me; for a man of wealth adds nothing to his reputation if he spends all +his days at ease. Prowess is irksome to the ignoble man, and cowardice +is a burden to the man of spirit; thus the two are contrary and +opposite. He is the slave of his wealth who spends his days in storing +and increasing it. Fair father, so long as I have the chance, and so +long as my rigour lasts, I wish to devote my effort and energy to the +pursuit of fame." + +(Vv. 169-234.) Upon hearing this; the emperor doubtless feels both joy +and grief: he is glad that his son's intention is fixed upon honour, +and on the other hand he is sorrowful because his son is about to be +separated from him. Yet, because of the promise which he made, despite +the grief he feels, he must grant his request; for an emperor must keep +his word. "Fair son," he says, "I must not fail to do your pleasure, +when I see you thus striving for honour. From my treasure you may have +two barges full of gold and silver; but take care to be generous and +courteous and well-behaved." Now the youth is very happy when his father +promises him so much, and places his treasure at his disposal, and bids +him urgently to give and spend generously. And his father explains his +reason for this: "Fair son," he says, "believe me, that generosity is +the dame and queen which sheds glory upon all the other virtues. And the +proof of this is not far to seek. For where could you find a man, be he +never so rich and powerful, who is not blamed if he is mean? Nor could +you find one, however ungracious he may be, whom generosity will not +bring into fair repute? Thus largess makes the gentleman, which +result can be accomplished neither by high birth, courtesy, knowledge, +gentility, money, strength, chivalry, boldness, dominion, beauty, or +anything else. [28] But just as the rose is fairer than any other flower +when it is fresh and newly blown, so there, where largess dwells, it +takes its place above all other virtues, and increases five hundred fold +the value of other good traits which it finds in the man who acquits +himself well. So great is the merit of generosity that I could not tell +you the half of it." The young man has now successfully concluded the +negotiations for what he wished; for his father has acceded to all +his desires. But the empress was sorely grieved when she heard of the +journey which her son was about to take. Yet, whoever may grieve or +sorrow, and whoever may attribute his intention to youthful folly, and +ever may blame and seek to dissuade him, the youth ordered his ships to +be made ready as soon as possible, desiring to tarry no longer in his +native land. At his command the ships were freighted that very night +with wine, meat, and biscuit. + +(Vv. 235-338.) The ships were loaded in the port, and the next morning +Alexander came to the strand in high spirits, accompanied by his +companions, who were happy over the prospective voyage. They were +escorted by the emperor and the empress in her grief. At the port they +find the sailors in the ships drawn up beside the cliff. The sea was +calm and smooth, the wind was light, and the weather clear. When he had +taken leave of his father, and bidden farewell to the empress, whose +heart was heavy in her bosom, Alexander first stepped from the small +boat into the skip; then all his companions hastened by fours, threes, +and twos to embark without delay. Soon the sail was spread and the +anchor raised. Those on shore whose heart is heavy because of the men +whom they watch depart, follow them with their gaze as long as they can: +and in order to watch them longer, they all climb a high hill behind +the beach. From there they sadly gaze, as long as their eyes can follow +them. With sorrow, indeed, they watch them go, being solicitous for +the youths, that God may bring them to their haven without accident and +without peril. All of April and part of May they spent at sea. Without +any great danger or mishap they came to port at Southampton. [29] +One day, between three o'clock and vespers, they cast anchor and +went ashore. The young men, who had never been accustomed to endure +discomfort or pain, had suffered so long from their life at sea that +they had all lost their colour, and even the strongest and most vigorous +were weak and faint. In spite of that, they rejoice to have escaped from +the sea and to have arrived where they wished to be. Because of their +depleted state, they spend the night at Southampton in happy frame, and +make inquiries whether the King is in England. They are told that he +is at Winchester, and that they can reach there in a very short time if +they will start early in the morning and keep to the straight road. At +this news they are greatly pleased, and the next morning at daybreak the +youths wake early, and prepare and equip themselves. And when they were +ready, they left Southampton, and kept to the direct road until they +reached Winchester, where the King was. Before six o'clock in the +morning the Greeks had arrived at the court. The squires with the horses +remain below in the yard, while the youths go up into the presence of +the King, who was the best that ever was or ever will be in the world. +And when the King sees them coming, they please him greatly, and meet +with his favour. But before approaching the King's presence, they +remove the cloaks from about their necks, lest they should be considered +ill-bred. Thus, all unmantled, they came before the King, while all the +nobles present held their peace, greatly pleased at the sight of these +handsome and well-behaved young men. They suppose that of course they +are all sons of counts or kings; and, to be sure, so they were, and of a +very charming age, with graceful and shapely forms. And the clothes +they wore were all of the same stuff and cut of the same appearance and +colour. There were twelve of them beside their lord, of whom I need tell +you no more than that there was none better than he. With modesty and +orderly mien, he was handsome and shapely as he stood uncovered before +the King. Then he kneeled before him, and all the others, for honour's +sake, did the same beside their lord. + +(Vv. 339-384.) Alexander, with his tongue well skilled in speaking fair +and wisely, salutes the King. "King," he says, "unless the report is +false that spreads abroad your fame, since God created the first man +there was never born a God-fearing man of such puissance as yours. King, +your widespread renown has drawn me to serve and honour you in your +court, and if you will accept my service, I would fain remain here +until I be dubbed a knight by your hand and by no one else. For unless +I receive this honour from your hand, I shall renounce all intention of +being knighted. If you will accept my service until you are willing +to dub me a knight, retain me now, oh gentle King, and my companions +gathered here." To which at once the King replies: "Friend, I refuse +neither you nor your companions. Be welcome all. For surely you seem, +and I doubt it not, to be sons of high-born men. Whence do you come?" +"From Greece." "From Greece?" "Yes." "Who is thy father?" "Upon my word, +sire, the emperor." "And what is thy name, fair friend?" "Alexander is +the name that was given me when I received the salt and holy oil, and +Christianity and baptism." "Alexander, my dear, fair friend. I will keep +you with me very gladly, with great pleasure and delight. For you have +done me signal honour in thus coming to my court. I wish you to be +honoured here, as free vassals who are wise and gentle. You have been +too long upon your knees; now, at my command, and henceforth make your +home with man and in my court; it is well that you have come to us." + +(Vv. 385-440.) Then the Greeks rise up, joyful that the King has so +kindly invited them to stay. Alexander did well to come; for he lacks +nothing that he desires, and there is no noble at the court who does not +address him kindly and welcome him. He is not so foolish as to be puffed +up, nor does he vaunt himself nor boast. He makes acquaintance with my +lord Gawain and with the others, one by one. He gains the good graces of +them all, but my lord Gawain grows so fond of him that he chooses him as +his friend and companion. [210] The Greeks took the best lodgings to be +had, with a citizen of the town. Alexander had brought great possessions +with him from Constantinople, intending to give heed above all to the +advice and counsel of the Emperor, that his heart should be ever +ready to give and dispense his riches well. To this end he devotes his +efforts, living well in his lodgings, and giving and spending liberally, +as is fitting in one so rich, and as his heart dictates. The entire +court wonders where he got all the wealth that he bestows; for on all +sides he presents the valuable horses which he had brought from his own +land. So much did Alexander do, in the performance of his service, +that the King, the Queen, and the nobles bear him great affection. +King Arthur about this time desired to cross over into Brittany. So he +summons all his barons together to take counsel and inquire to whom he +may entrust England to be kept in peace and safety until his return. +By common consent, it seems, the trust was assigned to Count Angres of +Windsor, for it was their judgement that there was no more trustworthy +lord in all the King's realm. When this man had received the land, King +Arthur set out the next day accompanied by the Queen and her damsels. +The Bretons make great rejoicing upon hearing the news in Brittany that +the King and his barons are on the way. + +(Vv. 441-540.) Into the ship in which the King sailed there entered +no youth or maiden save only Alexander and Soredamors, whom the Queen +brought with her. This maiden was scornful of love, for she had never +heard of any man whom she would deign to love, whatever might be his +beauty, prowess, lordship, or birth. And yet the damsel was so charming +and fair that she might fitly have learned of love, if it had pleased +her to lend a willing ear; but she would never give a thought to love. +Now Love will make her grieve, and will avenge himself for all the pride +and scorn with which she has always treated him. Carefully Love has +aimed his dart with which he pierced her to the heart. Now she grows +pale and trembles, and in spite of herself must succumb to Love. Only +with great difficulty can she restrain herself from casting a glance +toward Alexander; but she must be on her guard against her brother, my +lord Gawain. Dearly she pays and atones for her great pride and disdain. +Love has heated for her a bath which heats and burns her painfully. At +first it is grateful to her, and then it hurts; one moment she likes it, +and the next she will have none of it. She accuses her eyes of treason, +and says: [211] "My eyes, you have betrayed me now! My heart, usually +so faithful, now bears me ill-will because of you. Now what I see +distresses me. Distresses? Nay, verily, rather do I like it well. And if +I actually see something that distresses me, can I not control my eyes? +My strength must indeed have failed, and little should I esteem myself, +if I cannot control my eyes and make them turn their glance elsewhere. +Thus, I shall be able to baffle Love in his efforts to get control of +me. The heart feels no pain when the eye does not see; so, if I do not +look at him, no harm will come to me. He addresses me no request or +prayer, as he would do were he in love with me. And since he neither +loves nor esteems me, shall I love him without return? If his beauty +allures my eyes, and my eyes listen to the call, shall I say that I love +him just for that? Nay, for that would be a lie. Therefore, he has no +ground for complaint, nor can I make any claim against him. One cannot +love with the eyes alone. What crime, then, have my eyes committed, if +their glance but follows my desire? What is their fault and what their +sin? Ought I to blame them, then? Nay, verily. Who, then, should be +blamed? Surely myself, who have them in control. My eye glances at +nothing unless it gives my heart delight. My heart ought not to have any +desire which would give me pain. Yet its desire causes me pain. Pain? +Upon my faith, I must be mad, if to please my heart I wish for something +which troubles me. If I can, I ought to banish any wish that distresses +me. If I can? Mad one, what have I said? I must, indeed, have little +power if I have no control over myself. Does Love think to set me in +the same path which is wont to lead others astray? Others he may lead +astray, but not me who care not for him. Never shall I be his, nor +ever was, and I shall never seek his friendship." Thus she argues with +herself, one moment loving, and hating the next. She is in such doubt +that she does not know which course she had better adopt. She thinks to +be on the defence against Love, but defence is not what she wants. God! +She does not know that Alexander is thinking of her too! Love bestows +upon them equally such a share as is their due. He treats them very +fairly and justly, for each one loves and desires the other. And this +love would be true and right if only each one knew what was the other's +wish. But he does not know what her desire is, and she knows not the +cause of his distress. + +(Vv. 541-574.) The Queen takes note of them and sees them often blanch +and pale and heave deep sighs and tremble. But she knows no reason why +they should do so, unless it be because of the sea where they are. I +think she would have divined the cause had the sea not thrown her off +her guard, but the sea deceives and tricks her, so that she does not +discover love because of the sea; and it is from love that comes the +bitter pain that distresses them. [212] But of the three concerned, +the Queen puts all the blame upon the sea; for the other two accuse the +third to her, and hold it alone responsible for their guilt. Some one +who is not at fault is often blamed for another's wrong. Thus, the Queen +lays all the blame and guilt upon the sea, but it is unfair to put the +blame upon the sea, for it is guilty of no misdeed. Soredamors' deep +distress continued until the vessel came to port. As for the King, it is +well known that the Bretons were greatly pleased, and served him gladly +as their liege lord. But of King Arthur I will not longer speak in +this place; rather shall you hear me tell how Love distresses these two +lovers whom he has attacked. + +(Vv. 575-872.) Alexander loves and desires her; and she, too, pines for +the love of him, but he knows it not, nor will he know it until he +has suffered many a pain and many a grief. It is for her sake that he +renders to the Queen loving service, as well as to her maids-in-waiting; +but to her on whom his thoughts are fixed, he dares not speak or address +a word. If she but dared to assert to him the right which she thinks she +has, she would gladly inform him of the truth; but she does not dare, +and cannot do it. They dare neither speak nor act in accordance with +what each sees in the other--which works a great hardship to them both, +and their love but grows and flames the more. However, it is the custom +of all lovers to feast their eyes gladly with gazing, if they can do +no more; and they assume that, because they find pleasure in that which +causes their love to be born and grow, therefore it must be to their +advantage; whereas it only harms them more, just as he who approaches +and draws close beside the fire burns himself more than he who holds +aloof. Their love waxes and grows anon; but each is abashed before the +other, and so much is hidden and concealed that no flame or smoke arises +from the coals beneath the ashes. The heat is no less on this account, +but rather is better sustained beneath the ashes than above. Both of +them are in great torment; for, in order that none may perceive their +trouble, they are forced to deceive people by a feigned bearing; but at +night comes the bitter moan, which each one makes within his breast. Of +Alexander I will tell you first how he complains and vents his grief. +Love presents before his mind her for whom he is in such distress; it is +she who has filched his heart away, and grants him no rest upon his bed, +because, forsooth, he delights to recall the beauty and the grace of her +who, he has no hope, will ever bring him any joy. "I may as well hold +myself a madman." he exclaims. "A madman? Truly, I am beside myself, +when I dare not speak what I have in mind; for it would speedily fare +worse with me (if I held my peace). I have engaged my thoughts in a mad +emprise. But is it not better to keep my thoughts to myself than to be +called a fool? My wish will never then be known. Shall I then conceal +the cause of my distress, and not dare to seek aid and healing for my +wound? He is mad who feels himself afflicted, and seeks not what will +bring him health, if perchance he may find it anywhere; but many a one +seeks his welfare by striving for his heart's desire, who pursues only +that which brings him woe instead. And why should one ask for advice, +who does not expect to gain his health? He would only exert himself +in vain. I feel my own illness to be so grievous that I shall never be +healed by any medicine or draught, by any herb or root. For some ills +there is no remedy, and mine lies so deep within that it is beyond the +reach of medicine. Is there no help, then? Methinks I have lied. When +first I felt this malady, if I had dared to make mention of it. I might +have spoken with a physician who could have completely cured me. But I +like not to discuss such matters; I think he would pay me no heed and +would not consent to accept a fee. No wonder, then, if I am terrified; +for I am very ill, yet I do not know what disease this is which has me +in its grip, and I know not whence this pain has come. I do not know? I +know full well that it is Love who does me this injury. How is that? Can +Love do harm? Is he not gentle and well-bred? I used to think that there +was naught but good in Love; but I have found him full of enmity. He who +has not had experience of him does not know what tricks Love plays. +He is a fool who joins his ranks; for he always seeks to harm his +followers. Upon my faith, his tricks are bad. It is poor sport to play +with him, for his game will only do me harm. What shall I do, then? +Shall I retreat? I think it would be wise to do so, but I know not +how to do it. If Love chastens and threatens me in order to teach and +instruct me, ought I to disdain my teacher? He is a fool who scorns his +master. I ought to keep and cherish the lesson which Love teaches me, +for great good may soon come of it. But I am frightened because he beats +me so. And dost thou complain, when no sign of blow or wound appears? +Art thou not mistaken? Nay, for he has wounded me so deep that he has +shot his dart to my very heart, and has not yet drawn it out again. +[213] How has he pierced thy body with it, when no wound appears +without? Tell me that, for I wish to know. How did he make it enter in? +Through the eye. Through the eye? But he has not put it out? He did not +harm the eye at all, but all the pain is in the heart. Then tell me, if +the dart passed through the eye, how is it that the eye itself is not +injured or put out. If the dart entered through the eye, why does the +heart in the breast complain, when the eye, which received the first +effect, makes no complaint of it at all? I can readily account for that: +the eye is not concerned with the understanding, nor has it any part in +it; but it is the mirror of the heart, and through this mirror passes, +without doing harm or injury, the flame which sets the heart on fire. +For is not the heart placed in the breast just like a lighted candle +which is set in a lantern? If you take the candle away no light will +shine from the lantern; but so long as the candle lasts the lantern is +not dark at all, and the flame which shines within does it no harm or +injury. Likewise with a pane of glass, which might be very strong and +solid, and yet a ray of the sun could pass through it without cracking +it at all; yet a piece of glass will never be so bright as to enable one +to see, unless a stronger light strikes its surface. Know that the same +thing is true of the eyes as of the glass and the lantern; for the +light strikes the eyes in which the heart is accustomed to see itself +reflected, and lo! it sees some light outside, and many other things, +some green, some purple, others red or blue; and some it dislikes, and +some it likes, scorning some and prizing others. But many an object +seems fair to it when it looks at it in the glass, which will deceive it +if it is not on its guard. My mirror has greatly deceived me; for in +it my heart saw a ray of light with which I am afflicted, and which has +penetrated deep within me, causing me to lose my wits. I am ill-treated +by my friend, who deserts me for my enemy. I may well accuse him of +felony for the wrong he has done to me. I thought I had three friends, +my heart and my two eyes together; but it seems that they hate me. Where +shall I ever find a friend, when these three are my enemies, belonging +to me, yet putting me to death? My servants mock at my authority, in +doing what they please without consulting my desire. After my experience +with these who have done me wrong, I know full well that a good man's +love may be befouled by wicked servants in his employ. He who is +attended by a wicked servant will surely have cause to rue it, sooner or +later. Now I will tell you how the arrow, which has come into my keeping +and possession, is made and fashioned; but I fear greatly that I shall +fail in the attempt; for the fashion of it is so fine that it will be no +wonder if I fail. Yet I shall devote all my effort to telling you how +it seems to me. The notch and the feathers are so close together, when +carefully examined, that the line of separation is as fine as a hair's +breadth; but the notch is so smooth and straight that in it surely no +improvement could be made. The feathers are coloured as if they were +of gold or gilt; but gilt is here beside the mark, for I know these +feathers were more brilliant than any gilt. This dart is barbed with the +golden tresses that I saw the other day at sea. That is the dart which +awakes my love. God! What a treasure to possess! Would he who could gain +such a prize crave other riches his whole life long? For my part I could +swear that I should desire nothing else; I would not give up even the +barb and the notch for all the gold of Antioch. And if I prize so highly +these two things, who could estimate the value of what remains? That is +so fair and full of charm, so dear and precious, that I yearn and long +to gaze again upon her brow, which God's hand has made so clear that it +were vain to compare with it any mirror, emerald, or topaz. But all this +is of little worth to him who sees her flashing eyes; to all who gaze on +them they seem like twin candles burning. And whose tongue is so expert +as to describe the fashion of her well-shaped nose and radiant face, in +which the rose suffuses the lily so as to efface it somewhat, and thus +enhance the glory of her visage? And who shall speak of her laughing +mouth, which God shaped with such great skill that none might see it and +not suppose that she was laughing? And what about her teeth? They are so +close to one another that it seems they are all of one solid piece, +and in order that the effect might still be enhanced Nature added her +handiwork; for any one, to see her part her lips, would suppose that the +teeth were of ivory or of silver. There is so much to be said were I +to portray each detailed charm of chin and ears, that it would not be +strange were I to pass over some little thing. Of her throat I shall +only say that crystal beside it looks opaque. And her neck beneath her +hair is four times as white as ivory. Between the border of her gown and +the buckle at the parted throat, I saw her bosom left exposed and whiter +than new-fallen snow. My pain would be indeed assuaged, if I had seen +the dart entire. Gladly would I tell, if I but knew, what was the nature +of the shaft. But I did nor see it, and it is not my fault if I do +not attempt to describe something I have never seen. At that time Love +showed me only the notch and the barb; for the shaft was hidden in the +quiver, to wit, in the robe and shift in which the damsel was arrayed. +Upon my faith, malady which tortures me is the arrow--it is the dart at +which I am a wretch to be enraged. I am ungrateful to be incensed. Never +shall a straw be broken because of any distrust or quarrel that may +arise between Love and me. Now let Love do what he will with me as with +one who belongs to him; for I wish it, and so it pleases me. I hope that +this malady may never leave me, but that it may thus always maintain its +hold, and that health may never come to me except from the source of my +illness." + +(Vv. 873-1046.) Alexander's complaint is long enough; but that of the +maiden is nothing less. All night she lies in such distress that +she cannot sleep or get repose. Love has confined within her heart a +struggle and conflict which disturbs her breast, and which causes her +such pain and anguish that she weeps and moans all night, and tosses +about with sudden starts, so that she is almost beside herself. And when +she has tossed and sobbed and groaned and started up and sighed again +then she looked within her heart to see who and what manner of man it +was for whom Love was tormenting her. And when she has refreshed herself +somewhat with thinking to her heart's content, she stretches and tosses +about again, and ridicules all the thoughts she has had. Then she takes +another course, and says: "Silly one, what matters it to me if this +youth is of good birth and wise and courteous and valorous? All this is +simply to his honour and credit. And as for his beauty, what care I? Let +his beauty be gone with him! But if so, it will be against my will, for +it is not my wish to deprive him of anything. Deprive? No, indeed! That +I surely will not do. If he had the wisdom of Solomon, and if Nature had +bestowed on him all the beauty she can place in human form, and if God +had put in my power to undo it all, yet would I not injure him; but I +would gladly, if I could, make him still more wise and fair. In faith, +then, I do not hate him! And am I for that reason his friend? Nay, I am +not his any more than any other man's. Then what do I think of him so +much, if he pleases me no more than other men? I do not know; I am all +confused; for I never thought so much about any man in the world, and +if I had my will, I should see him all the time, and never take my eyes +from him. I feel such joy at the sight of him! Is this love? Yes, I +believe it is. I should not appeal to him so often, if I did not love +him above all others. So I love him, then, let it be agreed. Then shall +I not do what I please? Yes, provided he does not refuse. This intention +of mine is wrong; but Love has so filled my heart that I am mad and +beside myself, nor will any defence avail me now, if I must endure the +assault of Love. I have demeaned myself prudently toward Love so long, +and would never accede to his will; but now I am more than kindly +disposed toward him. And what thanks will he owe to me, if he cannot +have my loving service and good-will? By force he has humbled my pride, +and now I must follow his pleasure. Now I am ready to love, and I have +a master, and Love will teach me--but what? How I am to serve his will. +But of that I am very well informed, and am so expert in serving him +that no one could find fault with me. I need learn no more of that. Love +would have it, and so would I, that I should be sensible and modest and +kind and approachable to all for the sake of one I love. Shall I love +all men, then, for the sake of one? I should be pleasant to every one, +but Love does not bid me be the true friend of every one. Love's lessons +are only good. It is not without significance that I am called by the +name of Soredamors. [214] I am destined to love and be loved in turn, +and I intend to prove it by my name, if I can find the explanation +there. There is some significance in the fact that the first part of +my name is of golden colour; for what is golden is the best. For this +reason I highly esteem my name, because it begins with that colour with +which the purest gold harmonises. And the end of the name calls Love to +my mind; for whoever calls me by my right name always refreshes me with +love. And one half gilds the other with a bright coat of yellow gold; +for Soredamors has the meaning of 'one gilded over with Love.' Love has +highly honoured me in gilding me over with himself. A gilding of +real gold is not so fine as that which makes me radiant. And I shall +henceforth do my best to be his gilding, and shall never again complain +of it. Now I love and ever more shall love. Whom? Truly, that is a fine +question! Him whom Love bids me love, for no other shall ever have +my love. What will he care in his ignorance, unless I tell him of it +myself? What shall I do, if I do not make to him my prayer? Whoever +desires anything ought to ask for it and make request. What? Shall I +beseech him, then? Nay. Why? Did ever such a thing come about that a +woman should be so forward as to make love to any man; unless she were +clean beside herself. I should be mad beyond question if I uttered +anything for which I might be reproached. If he should know the truth +through word of mine I think he would hold me in slight esteem, and +would often reproach me with having solicited his love. May love never +be so base that I should be the first to prefer a request which would +lower me in his eyes! Alas, God! How will he ever know the truth, since +I shall not tell him of it? As yet I have very little cause to complain. +I will wait until his attention is aroused, if ever it is to be aroused. +He will surely guess the truth, I think, if ever he has had commerce +with Love, or has heard of it by word of mouth. Heard of it? That is a +foolish thing to say. Love is not of such easy access that any one may +claim acquaintance by hear-say only and without personal experience. +I have come to know that well enough myself; for I could never learn +anything of love through flattery and wooing words, though I have often +been in the school of experience, and have been flattered many a time. +But I have always stood aloof, and now he makes me pay a heavy penalty: +now I know more about it than does the ox of ploughing. But one thing +causes me despair: I fear he has never been in love. And if he is not in +love, and never has been so, then I have sowed in the sea where no seed +can take root. So there is nothing to do but wait and suffer, until +I see whether I can lead him on by hints and covered words. I shall +continue this until he is sure of my love and dares to ask me for it. So +there is nothing more about the matter, but that I love him and am his. +If he loves me not, yet will I love him." + +(Vv. 1047-1066.) Thus he and she utter their complaint, unhappy at night +and worse by day, each hiding the truth from the other's eyes. In such +distress they remained a long time in Brittany, I believe, until the end +of the summer came. At the beginning of October there came messengers +by Dover from London and Canterbury, bearing to the King news which +troubled him. The messengers told him that he might be tarrying too long +in Brittany; for, he to whom he had entrusted the kingdom was intending +to withstand him, and had already summoned a great army of his vassals +and friends, and had established himself in London for the purpose of +defending the city against Arthur when he should return. + +(Vv. 1067-1092.) When the King heard this news, angry and sore +displeased he summons all his knights. In order the better to spur them +on to punish the traitor, he tells them that they are entirely to blame +for his trouble and strife; for on their advice he entrusted his land to +the hands of the traitor, who is worse than Ganelon. [215] There is not +a single one who does not agree that the King is right, for he had only +followed their advice; but now this man is to be outlawed, and you may +be sure that no town or city will avail to save his body from being +dragged out by force. Thus they all assure the King, giving him their +word upon oath, that they will deliver the traitor to him, or never +again claim their fiefs. And the King proclaims throughout Brittany that +no one who can bear arms shall refuse to follow him at once. + +(Vv. 1093-1146.) All Brittany is now astir. Never was such an army seen +as King Arthur brought together. When the ships came to set sail, it +seemed that the whole world was putting out to sea; for even the water +was hid from view, being covered with the multitude of ships. It is +certainly true that, to judge by the commotion, all Brittany is under +way. Now the ships have crossed the Channel, and the assembled host is +quartered on the shore. Alexander bethought himself to go and pray the +King to make him a knight, for if ever he should win renown it will be +in this war. Prompted by his desire, he takes his companions with him +to accomplish what he has in mind. On reaching the King's quarters, they +found him seated before his tent. When he saw the Greeks approaching, he +summoned them to him, saying: "Gentlemen, do not conceal what business +has brought you here." Alexander replied on behalf of all, and told him +his desire: "I have come," he says, "to request of you, as I ought to do +of my liege lord, on behalf of my companions and myself, that you should +make us knights." The King replies: "Very gladly; nor shall there be any +delay about it, since you have preferred your request." Then the +King commands that equipment shall be furnished for twelve knights. +Straightway the King's command is done. As each one asks for his +equipment, it is handed to him--rich arms and a good horse: thus each +one received his outfit. The arms and robes and horse were of equal +value for each of the twelve; but the harness for Alexander s body, if +it should be valued or sold, was alone worth as much as that of all the +other twelve. At the water's edge they stripped, and then washed and +bathed themselves. Not wishing that any other bath should be heated for +them, they washed in the sea and used it as their tub. [216] + +(Vv. 1147-1196.) All this is known to the Queen, who bears Alexander no +ill will, but rather loves, esteems, and values him. She wishes to make +Alexander a gift, but it is far more precious than she thinks. She seeks +and delves in all her boxes until she finds a white silk shirt, well +made of delicate texture, and very soft. Every thread in the stitching +of it was of gold, or of silver at least. Soredamors had taken a hand in +the stitching of it here and there, and at intervals, in the sleeves and +neck, she had inserted beside the gold a strand of her own hair, to see +if any man could be found who, by close examination, could detect the +difference. For the hair was quite as bright and golden as the thread of +gold itself. The Queen takes the shirt and presents it to Alexander. Ah, +God! What joy would Alexander have felt had he known what the Queen was +giving him! And how glad would she, too, have been, who had inserted her +own hair, if she had known that her lover was to own and wear it! She +could then have taken great comfort; for she would not have cared +so much for all the hair she still possessed as for the little that +Alexander had. But, more is the pity, neither of them knew the truth. +The Queen's messenger finds the youths on the shore where they are +bathing, and gives the shirt to Alexander. He is greatly pleased with +it, esteeming the present all the more because it was given him by the +Queen. But if he had known the rest, he would have valued it still more; +in exchange for it he would not have taken the whole world, but rather +would have made a shrine of it and worshipped it, doubtless, day and +night. + +(Vv. 1197-1260.) Alexander delays no longer, but dresses himself at +once. When he was dressed and ready, he returned to the King's tent with +all his companions. The Queen, it seems, had come there, too, wishing +to see the new knights present themselves. They might all be called +handsome, but Alexander with his shapely body was the fairest of them +all. Well, now that they are knights I will say no more of them for the +present, but will tell of the King and of his host which came to +London. Most of the people remained faithful to him, though many allied +themselves with the opposition. Count Angres assembled his forces, +consisting of all those whose influence could be gained by promises or +gifts. When he had gathered all his strength, he slipped away quietly at +night, fearing to be betrayed by the many who hated him. But before he +made off, he sacked London as completely as possible of provisions, gold +and silver, which he divided among his followers. This news was told to +the King, how the traitor had escaped with all his forces, and that +he had carried off from the city so many supplies that the distressed +citizens were impoverished and destitute. Then the King replied that +he would not take a ransom for the traitor, but rather hang him, if he +could catch him or lay hands on him. Thereupon, all the army proceeded +to Windsor. However it may be now, in those days the castle was not easy +to take when any one chose to defend it. The traitor made it secure, as +soon as he planned his treacherous deed, with a triple line of walls +and moats, and had so braced the walls inside with sharpened stakes that +catapults could not throw them down. They had taken great pains with the +fortifications, spending all of June, July, and August in building walls +and barricades, making moats and drawbridges, ditches, obstructions, and +barriers, and iron portcullises and a great square tower of stone. The +gate was never closed from fear or against assault. The castle stood +upon a high hill, and around beneath it flows the Thames. The host +encamped on the river bank, and that day they have time only to pitch +camp and set up the tents. + +(Vv. 1261-1348.) The army is in camp beside the Thames, and all the +meadow is filled with green and red tents. The sun, striking on the +colours, causes the river to flash for more than a league around. Those +in the town had come down to disport themselves upon the river bank with +only their lances in their hands and their shields grasped before their +breasts, and carrying no other arms at all. In coming thus, they showed +those without the walls that they stood in no fear of them. Alexander +stood aloof and watched the knights disporting themselves at feats of +arms. He yearns to attack them, and summons his companions one by one +by name. First Cornix, whom he dearly loved, then the doughty Licorides, +then Nabunal of Mvcene, and Acorionde of Athens, and Ferolin of +Salonica, and Calcedor from Africa, Parmenides and Francagel, mighty +Torin and Pinabel, Nerius and Neriolis. "My lords," he says, "I feel the +call to go with shield and lance to make the acquaintance of those who +disport themselves yonder before our eyes. I see they scorn us and hold +us in slight esteem, when they come thus without their arms to exercise +before our very eyes. We have just been knighted, and have not yet given +an account of ourselves against any knight or manikin. [217] We have +kept our first lances too long intact. And for what were our shields +intended? As yet, they have not a hole or crack to show. There is no use +in having them except in a combat or a fight. Let's cross the ford and +rush at them!" "We shall not fail you," all reply; and each one adds: +"So help me God, who fails you now is no friend of yours." Then they +fasten on their swords, tighten their saddles and girths, and mount +their steeds with shields in hand. When they had hung the shields about +their necks, and taken their lances with the gaily coloured ensigns, +they all proceed to the ford at once. Those on the farther side lower +their lances, and quickly ride to strike at them. But they (on the +hither bank) knew how to pay them back, not sparing nor avoiding them, +nor yielding to them a foot of ground. Rather, each man struck his +opponent so fiercely that there is no knight so brave but is compelled +to leave the saddle. They did not underestimate the experience, skill, +and bravery of their antagonists, but made their first blows count, and +unhorsed thirteen of them. The report spread to the camp of the fight +and of the blows that were being struck. There would soon have been a +merry strife if the others had dared to stand their ground. All through +the camp they run to arms, and raising a shout they cross the ford. And +those on the farther bank take to flight, seeing no advantage in staying +where they are. And the Greeks pursue them with blows of lance and +sword. Though they struck off many a head they themselves did not +receive a wound, and gave a good account of themselves that day. But +Alexander distinguished himself, who by his own efforts led off four +captive knights in bonds. The sands are strewn with headless dead, while +many others lie wounded and injured. + +(Vv. 1349-1418.) Alexander courteously presents the victims of his first +conquest to the Queen, not wishing them to fall into the hands of the +King, who would have had them all hanged. The Queen, however, had them +seized and safely kept under guard, as being charged with treason. +Throughout the camp they talk of the Greeks, and all maintain that +Alexander acted very courteously and wisely in not surrendering the +knights whom he had captured to the King, who would surely have had them +burned or hanged. But the King is not so well satisfied, and sending +promptly to the Queen he bids her come into his presence and not detain +those who have proved treacherous towards him, for either she must give +them up or offend him by keeping them. While the Queen was in conference +with the King, as was necessary, about the traitors, the Greeks +remained in the Queen's tent with her maids-in-waiting. While his twelve +companions conversed with them, Alexander uttered not a word. Soredamors +took note of this, seated as she was close by his side. Her head resting +upon her hand, it was plain that she was lost in thought. [218] Thus +they sat a long time, until Soredamors saw on his sleeve and about his +neck the hair which she had stitched into the shirt. Then she drew a +little closer thinking now to find an excuse for speaking a word to him. +She considers how she can address him first, and what the first word is +to be--whether she should address him by his name; and thus she takes +counsel with herself: "What shall I say first?" she says; "shall I +address him by his name, or shall I call him 'friend'? Friend? Not I. +How then? Shall I call him by his name? God! The name of 'friend' is +fair and sweet to take upon the lips. If I should dare to call him +'friend'! Should I dare? What forbids me to do so? The fact that that +implies a lie. A lie? I know not what the result will be, but I shall be +sorry if I do not speak the truth. Therefore, it is best to admit that +I should not like to speak a lie. God! yet he would not speak a lie were +he to call me his sweet friend! And should I lie in thus addressing him? +We ought both to tell the truth. But if I lie the fault is his. But why +does his name seem so hard to me that I should wish to replace it by a +surname? I think it is because it is so long that I should stop in the +middle. But if I simply called him 'friend', I could soon utter so short +a name. Fearing lest I should break down in uttering his proper name, I +would fain shed my blood if his name were simply 'my sweet friend.'" + +(Vv. 1419-1448.) She turns this thought over in her mind until the Queen +returns from the King who had summoned her. Alexander, seeing her come, +goes to meet her, and inquires what is the King's command concerning +the prisoners, and what is to be their fate. "Friend," says she, "he +requires of me to surrender them at his discretion, and to let his +justice be carried out. Indeed, he is much incensed that I have not +already handed them over. So I must needs send them to him, since I see +no help for it." Thus they passed that day; and the next day there was +a great assembly of all the good and loyal knights before the royal tent +to sit in judgment and decide by what punishment and torture the four +traitors should die. Some hold that they should be flayed alive, and +others that they should be hanged or burned. And the King, for his part, +maintains that traitors ought to be torn asunder. Then he commands them +to be brought in. When they are brought, he orders them to be bound, and +says that they shall not be torn asunder until they are taken beneath +the town, so that those within may see the sight. [219] + +(Vv. 1449-1472.) When this sentence was pronounced, the King addresses +Alexander, calling him his dear friend. "My friend," he says, "yesterday +I saw you attack and defend yourself with great bravery. I wish now +to reward your action! I will add to your company five hundred Welsh +knights and one thousand troopers from that land. In addition to what I +have given you, when the war is over I will crown you king of the best +kingdom in Wales. Towns and castles, cities and halls will I give you +until the time you receive the land which your father holds, and +of which you are to be emperor." Alexander's companions join him in +thanking the King kindly for this boon, and all the nobles of the court +say that the honour which the King has bestowed upon Alexander is well +deserved. + +(Vv. 1473-1490.) As soon as Alexander sees his force, consisting of the +companions and the men-at-arms whom it had pleased the King to give him, +straightway they begin to sound the horns and trumpets throughout the +camp. Men of Wales and Britain, of Scotland and Cornwall, both good and +bad without exception--all take arms, for the forces of the host were +recruited from all quarters. The Thames was low because of the drought +resulting from a summer without rain, so that all the fish were dead, +and the ships were stranded upon the shore, and it was possible to ford +the stream even in the widest part. + +(Vv. 1491-1514.) After fording the Thames, the army divided, some taking +possession of the valley, and others occupying the high ground. Those +in the town take notice of them, and when they see approaching the +wonderful array, bent upon reducing and taking the town, they prepare +on their side to defend it. But before any assault is made, the King has +the traitors drawn by four horses through the valleys and over the hills +and unploughed fields. At this Count Angres is much distressed, when he +sees those whom he held dear dragged around outside the town. And his +people, too, are much dismayed, but in spite of the anxiety which they +feel, they have no mind to yield the place. They must needs defend +themselves, for the King makes it plain to all that he is angry, and +ill-disposed, and they see that if he should lay hands upon them he +would make them die a shameful death. + +(Vv.1515-1552.) When the four had been torn asunder and their limbs lay +strewn upon the field, then the assault begins. But all their labour is +in vain, for no matter how much they cast and shoot, their efforts are +of no effect. Yet they strive to do their utmost, hurling their javelins +amain, and shooting darts and bolts. On all sides is heard the din of +cross-bows and slings as the arrows and the round stones fly thick, +like rain mixed with hail. Thus all day long the struggle of attack and +defence continues, until the night separates them. And the King causes +to be proclaimed what gift he will bestow upon him who shall effect the +surrender of the town: a cup of great price weighing fifteen marks of +gold, the richest in his treasure, shall be his reward. The cup will be +very fine and rich, and, to tell the truth, the cup is to be esteemed +for the workmanship rather than for the material of which it is made. +But good as the workmanship may be, and fine though the gold, if the +truth be told, the precious stones set in the outside of the cup were of +most value. He through whose efforts the town shall be taken is to have +the cup, if he be only a foot soldier; and if the town is taken by a +knight, with the cup in his possession he shall never seek his fortune +in vain, if there is any to be found in the world. + +(Vv. 1553-1712.) When this news was announced, Alexander had not +forgotten his custom of going to see the Queen each evening. That night, +too, he had gone thither and was seated beside the Queen. Soredamors was +sitting alone close by them, looking at him with such satisfaction +that she would not have exchanged her lot for Paradise. The Queen took +Alexander by the hand, and examined the golden thread which was showing +the effects of wear; but the strand of hair was becoming more lustrous, +while the golden thread was tarnishing. And she laughed as she happened +to recall that the embroidery was the work of Soredamors. Alexander +noticed this, and begged her to tell him, if suitable, why she laughed. +The Queen was slow to make reply, and looking toward Soredamors, bade +her come to her. Gladly she went and knelt before her. Alexander was +overjoyed when he saw her draw so near that he could have touched her. +But he is not so bold as even to look at her; but rather does he so lose +his senses that he is well-nigh speechless. And she, for her part, is so +overcome that she has not the use of her eyes; but she casts her glance +upon the ground without fastening it upon anything. The Queen marvels +greatly at seeing her now pale, now crimson, and she notes well in her +heart the bearing and expression of each of them. She notices and thinks +she sees that these changes of colour are the fruit of love. But not +wishing to embarrass them, she pretends to understand nothing of what +she sees. In this she did well, for she gave no evidence of what was in +her mind beyond saying: "Look here, damsel, and tell us truly where the +shirt was sewed that this knight has on, and if you had any hand in +it or worked anything of yours into it." Though the maiden feels some +shame, yet she tells the story gladly; for she wishes the truth to be +known by him, who, when he hears her tell of how the shirt was made, can +hardly restrain himself for joy from worshipping and adoring the golden +hair. His companions and the Queen, who were with him, annoy him and +embarrass him; for their presence prevents him from raising the hair to +his eyes and mouth, as he would fain have done, had he not thought that +it would be remarked. He is glad to have so much of his lady, but he +does not hope or expect ever to receive more from her: his very desire +makes him dubious. Yet, when he has left the Queen and is by himself, he +kisses it more than a hundred thousand times, feeling how fortunate he +is. All night long he makes much of it, but is careful that no one shall +see him. As he lies upon his bed, he finds a vain delight and solace in +what can give him no satisfaction. All night he presses the shirt in his +arms, and when he looks at the golden hair, he feels like the lord of +the whole wide world. Thus Love makes a fool of this sensible man, +who finds his delight in a single hair and is in ecstasy over its +possession. But this charm will come to an end for him before the sun's +bright dawn. For the traitors are met in council to discuss what they +can do; and what their prospects are. To be sure they will be able to +make a long defence of the town if they determine so to do; but they +know the King's purpose to be so firm that he will not give up his +efforts to take the town so long as he lives, and when that time comes +they needs must die. And if they should surrender the town, they need +expect no mercy for doing so. Thus either outcome looks dark indeed, for +they see no help, but only death in either case. But this decision at +last is reached, that the next morning, before dawn appears, they shall +issue secretly from the town and find the camp disarmed, and the knights +still sleeping in their beds. Before they wake and get their armour +on there will have been such slaughter done that posterity will always +speak of the battle of that night. Having no further confidence in life, +the traitors as a last resort all subscribe to this design. Despair +emboldened them to fight, whatever the result might be; for they see +nothing sure in store for them save death or imprisonment. Such an +outcome is not attractive; nor do they see any use in flight, for they +see no place where they could find refuge should they betake themselves +to flight, being completely surrounded by the water and their enemies. +So they spend no more time in talk, but arm and equip themselves and +make a sally by an old postern gate [220] toward the north-west, that +being the side where they thought the camp would least expect attack. +In serried ranks they sallied forth, and divided their force into five +companies, each consisting of two thousand well armed foot, in addition +to a thousand knights. That night neither star nor moon had shed a ray +across the sky. But before they reached the tents, the moon began to +show itself, and I think it was to work them woe that it rose sooner +than was its wont. Thus God, who opposed their enterprise, illumined +the darkness of the night, having no love for these evil men, but rather +hating them for their sin. For God hates traitors and treachery more +than any other sin. So the moon began to shine in order to hamper their +enterprise. + +(Vv. 1713-1858.) They are much hampered by the moon, as it shines upon +their shields, and they are handicapped by their helmets, too, as they +glitter in the moonlight. They are detected by the pickets keeping watch +over the host, who now shout throughout the camp: "Up, knights, up! Rise +quickly, take your arms and arm yourselves! The traitors are upon us." +Through all the camp they run to arms, and hastily strive to equip +themselves in the urgent need; but not a single one of them left his +place until they were all comfortably armed and mounted upon their +steeds. While they are arming themselves, the attacking forces are eager +for battle and press forward, hoping to catch them off their guard and +find them disarmed. They bring up from different directions the five +companies into which they had divided their troops: some hug the woods, +others follow the river, the third company deploys upon the plain, while +the fourth enters a valley, and the fifth proceeds beside a rocky cliff. +For they planned to fall upon the tents suddenly with great fury. +But they did not find the path clear. For the King's men resist them, +defying them courageously and reproaching them for their treason. Their +iron lance-tips are splintered and shattered as they meet; they come +together with swords drawn, striking each other and casting each other +down upon the face. They rush upon each other with the fury of lions, +which devour whatever they capture. In this first rush there was heavy +slaughter on both sides. When they can no longer maintain themselves, +help comes to the traitors, who are defending themselves bravely and +selling their lives dearly. They see their troops from four sides arrive +to succour them. And the King's men ride hard with spur to attack them. +They deal such blows upon their shields that, beside the wounded, they +unhorse more than five hundred of them. Alexander, with his Greeks, +has no thought of sparing them, making every effort to prevail into the +thickest of the fight he goes to strike a knave whose shield and hauberk +are of no avail to keep him from falling to the earth. When he has +finished with him, he offers his service to another freely and without +stint, and serves him, too, so savagely that he drives the soul from his +body quite, and leaves the apartment without a tenant. After these two, +he addresses himself to another, piercing a noble and courteous knight +clean through and through, so that the blood spurts out on the other +side, and his expiring soul takes leave of the body. Many he killed and +many stunned, for like a flying thunderbolt he blasts all those whom +he seeks out. Neither coat of mail nor shield can protect him whom he +strikes with lance or sword. His companions, too, are generous in the +spilling of blood and brains, for they, too, know well how to deal their +blows. And the royal troops butcher so many of them that they break them +up and scatter them like low-born folk who have lost their heads. So +many dead lay about the fields, and so long did the battle rage, that +long before the day dawned the ranks were so cut in pieces that the rows +of dead stretched for five leagues along the stream. Count Angres leaves +his banner on the field and steals away, accompanied by only seven of +his men. Towards his town he made his way by a secret path, thinking +that no one could see him. But Alexander notices this, and sees them +escaping from the troops, and he thinks that if he can slip away without +the knowledge of any one, he will go to catch up with them. But before +he got down into the valley, he saw thirty knights following him down +the path, of whom six were Greeks, and twenty-four were men of Wales. +These intended to follow him at a distance until he should stand in need +of them. When Alexander saw them coming, he stopped to wait for them, +without failing to observe what course was taken by those who were +making their way back to the town. Finally, he saw them enter it. Then +he began to plan a very daring deed and a very marvellous design. And +when he had made up his mind, he turned toward his companions and thus +addressed them: "My lords," says he, "whether it be folly or wisdom, +frankly grant me my desire if you care for my good-will." And they +promised him never to oppose his will in aught. Then he says: "Let +us change our outer gear, by taking the shields and lances from the +traitors whom we have killed. Thus, when we approach the town, the +traitors within will suppose that we are of their party, and regardless +of the fate in store for them, they will throw open the gates for us. +And do you know what reward we shall offer them? If God so will we shall +take them all dead or alive. Now, if any of you repents of his promise, +be sure that, so long as I live, I shall never hold him dear." + +(Vv. 1859-1954.) All the others grant his boon, and, despoiling the +corpses of their shields, they arm themselves with them instead. The +men within the town had mounted to the battlements, and, recognising the +shields, suppose that they belong to their party, never dreaming of the +ruse hidden beneath the shields. The gatekeeper opens the gate for +them and admits them to the town. He is beguiled and deceived in not +addressing them a word; for no one of them speaks to him, but silently +and mute they pass, making such a show of grief that they trail their +lances after them and support themselves upon their shields. Thus it +seems that they are in great distress, as they pass on at their own +sweet will until they are within the triple walls. Inside they find a +number of men-at-arms and knights with the Count. I cannot tell you +just how many; but they were unarmed, except eight of them who had just +returned from the fight, and even they were preparing to remove their +arms. But their haste was ill considered; for now the other party make +no further pretence, but without any challenge by way of warning, they +brace themselves in the stirrups, and let their horses charge straight +at them, attacking them with such rigour that they lay low more than +thirty-one of them. The traitors in great dismay shout out: "We are +betrayed, betrayed!" But the assailants take no heed of this, and let +those whom they find unarmed feel the temper of their swords. Indeed, +three of those whom they found still armed were so roughly handled that +but five remained alive. Count Angres rushed at Calcedor, and in the +sight of all struck him upon his golden shield with such violence that +he stretched him dead upon the ground. Alexander is greatly troubled, +and is almost beside himself with rage when he sees his companion dead; +his blood boils with anger, but his strength and courage are doubled +as he strikes the Count with such fury that he breaks his lance. If +possible, he would avenge his friend. But the Count was a powerful man +and a good and hardy knight, whose match it would have been hard to +find, had he not been a base traitor. He now returns the blow, making +his lance double up so that it splits and breaks; but the other's shield +holds firm, and neither gives way before the other any more than a rock +would do, for both men were passing strong. But the fact that the Count +was in the wrong disturbs him greatly and troubles him. [221] The anger +of each rises higher as they both draw their swords after their lances +had been broken. No escape would have been possible if these two +swordsmen had persisted in continuing the fight. But at last one or the +other must die. The Count dares not longer hold his ground, when he sees +lying dead about him his men who had been caught unarmed. Meanwhile the +others press them hard, cutting, slashing, and carving them, spilling +their brains, and reproaching the Count for his treachery. When he hears +himself accused of treason, he flees for safety to his tower, followed +by his men. And their enemies follow after them, fiercely charging them +from the rear, and not letting a single one escape of all upon whom they +lay their hands. They kill and slay so many of them that I guess not +more than seven made good their escape. + +(Vv. 1955-2056.) When they had got inside the tower, they made a stand +at the gate; for those who were coming close behind had followed so +closely after them that they too would have pressed in had the gateway +been left exposed. The traitors make a brave defence, waiting for +succour from their friends, who were arming themselves down in the town. +But upon the advice of Nabunal, who was a Greek of great wisdom, the +approach was blocked so that relief could not arrive in time; for those +below had tarried too long, either from cowardice or sloth. Now there +was only one entrance to the stronghold; so that, if they stop that +entrance-way, they need have no fear that any force shall approach to do +them harm. Nabunal bids and exhorts twenty of them to hold the gate; +for soon such a company might arrive with force as would do them harm +by their assault and attack. While these twenty hold the gate, the +remaining ten should attack the tower and prevent the Count from +barricading himself inside. Nabunal's advice is taken: ten remain to +continue the assault at the entrance of the tower, while twenty go to +defend the gate. In doing so, they delay almost too long; for they see +approaching, furious and keen for the fight, a company containing many +cross-bow men and foot soldiers of different grades who carried arms +of divers sorts. Some carried light missiles, and others Danish axes, +lances and Turkish swords, bolts for cross-bows, arrows and javelins. +The Greeks would have had to pay a heavy score, if this crowd had +actually fallen upon them; but they did not reach the place in time. +Nabunal by his foresight and counsel had blocked their plans, and they +were forced to remain outside. When they see that they are shut out, +they pause in their advance, as it is evident they can gain nothing by +making an assault. Then there begins such weeping and wailing of women +and young children, of old men and youths, that those in the town +could not have heard a thunder-clap from heaven. At this the Greeks are +overjoyed; for now they know of a certainty that the Count by no good +luck can escape capture. Four of them mount the walls to keep watch lest +those outside by any means or ruse should enter the stronghold and +fall upon them. The remaining sixteen returned to where the ten were +fighting. The day was already breaking, and the ten had fought so well +that they had forced their way within the tower. The Count took his +stand against a post, and, armed with a battleaxe, defended himself with +great bravery. Those whom he reaches, he splits in half. And his men +line up about him, and are not slow to avenge themselves in this last +stand of the day, Alexander's men have reason to complain, for of the +original sixteen there remain now but thirteen. Alexander is almost +beside himself when he sees the havoc wrought among his dead or +exhausted followers. Yet his thoughts are fixed on vengeance: finding at +hand a long heavy club, he struck one of the rascals with it so fiercely +that neither shield nor hauberk was worth a button in preventing him +from failing to the ground. After finishing with him, he pursues the +Count, and raising his club to strike him he deals him such a blow with +his square club that the axe falls from his hands; and he was so stunned +and bewildered that he could not have stood up unless he had leaned +against the wall. + +(Vv. 2057-2146.) After this blow the battle ceases. Alexander leaps at +the Count and holds him so that he cannot move. Of the others nothing +need be said, for they were easily mastered when they saw the capture +of their lord. All are made prisoners with the Count and led away in +disgrace, in accordance with their deserts. Of all this the men outside +knew nothing. But when morning came they found their companions shields +lying among the slain when the battle was over. Then the Greeks, misled, +made a great lament for their lord. Recognising his shield, all are in +an agony of grief, swooning at sight of his shield and saying that +now they have lived too long. Cornix and Nerius first swoon, then, +recovering their senses, wish they were dead. So do Torin and Acorionde. +The tears run down in floods from their eyes upon their breasts. Life +and joy seem hateful now. And Parmenides more than the rest tore his +hair in dire distress. No greater grief could be shown than that of +these five for their lord. Yet, their dismay is groundless, for it is +another's body which they bear away when they think to have their lord. +Their distress is further increased by the sight of the other shields, +which cause them to mistake these corpses for their companions. So over +them they lament and swoon. But they are deceived by all these shields, +for of their men only one was killed, whose name was Neriolis. Him, +indeed, they would have borne away had they known the truth. But they +are in as great anxiety for the others as for him; so they bore them +all away. In every case but one they were misled. But like the man who +dreams and takes a fiction for the truth, so the shields cause them to +suppose this illusion to be a reality. It is the shields, then, that +cause this mistake. [222] Carrying the corpses, they move away and come +to their tents, where there was a sorrowing troop. Upon hearing the +lament raised by the Greeks, soon all the others gathered, until there +was but one great outcry. Now Saredamors thinks of her wretched estate +when she hears the cry and lament over her lover. Their anguish and +distress cause her to lose her senses and her colour, and her grief and +sorrow are increased because she dares not openly show a trace of her +distress. She shut up her grief within her heart. Had any one looked at +her, he could have seen by the expression of her face what agony she was +in; but every one was so engrossed with his own sorrow that he had no +care for another's grief. Each one lamented his own loss. For they find +the river bank covered with their relatives and friends, who had been +wounded or roughly treated. Each one wept for his own heavy and bitter +loss: here is a son weeping for a father, there a father for a son; +one swoons at the sight of his cousin, another over his nephew. Thus +fathers, brothers, and relatives bemoan their loss on every side. But +above all is noticeable the sorrow of the Greeks; and yet they might +have anticipated great joy, for the deepest grief of all the camp will +soon be changed into rejoicing. + +(Vv. 2147-2200.) The Greeks outside continue their lament, while +those inside strive to let them know the news which will cause them to +rejoice. They disarm and bind their prisoners, who pray and beg of them +to strike off their heads straightway. But the Greeks are unwilling, and +disdain their entreaties, saying that them will keep then under guard +and hand them over to the King, who will grant them such recompense as +shall require their services. When they had disarmed them all they made +them go up on the wall that they might be seen by the troops below. This +privilege is not to their liking, and when they saw their lord bound as +a prisoner, they were unhappy men. Alexander upon the walls swears to +God and all the saints that he will not let one of them live, but will +kill them all speedily, unless they will go to surrender to the King +before he can seize them. "Go," says he, "confidently to the King at +my command, and cast yourselves upon his mercy. None of you, except the +Count, has deserved to die. You shall not lose either life or limb if +you surrender to the King. If you do not deliver yourselves from death +by crying for mercy, you need have little hope of saving your lives or +bodies. Go forth disarmed to meet the King, and tell him from me that +Alexander sends you to him. Your action will not be in vain; for my lord +the King is so gentle and courteous that he will lay aside his wrath and +anger. But if you wish to act otherwise, you must expect to die, for his +heart will be closed to pity." All agree in accepting this advice, and +do not hesitate until they come to the King's tent, where they all fall +at his feet. The story they told was soon known throughout the camp. +The King and all his men mounted and spurred their horses to the town +without delay. + +(Vv. 2201-2248.) Alexander goes out from the town to meet the King, who +was greatly pleased, and to surrender to him the Count. The King did not +delay in fitly punishing him. But Alexander is congratulated and praised +by the King and all the others who esteem him highly. Their joy drives +away the grief which they had felt not long before. But no joy of the +others can compare with the exultation of the Greeks. The King presents +him with the precious cup, weighing fifteen marks, and tells him +confidently that there is nothing in his possession so valuable that he +would not place it in his hands upon request--save only the crown and +the Queen. Alexander dares not mention his heart's desire, though he +knows well that he would not be refused in asking for his sweetheart's +hand. But he fears so much lest he might displease her, whose heart +would have been made glad, that he prefers to suffer without her rather +than to win her against her will. Therefore, he asks for a little time, +not wishing to prefer his request until he is sure of her pleasure. But +he asked for no respite or delay in accepting the cup of gold. He takes +the cup, and courteously begs my lord Gawain to accept this cup as +a gift from him, which Gawain did most reluctantly. When Soredamors +learned the truth about Alexander she was greatly pleased and delighted. +When she heard that he was alive, she was so happy that it seemed to +her as though she could never be sad again. But she reflects that he is +slower in coming than is his wont. Yet in good time she will have her +wish, for both of them in rivalry are occupied with one common thought. + +(Vv. 2249-2278.) It seemed to Alexander an age before he could feast +his eyes with even one soft glance from her. Long ago he would fain have +gone to the Queen's tent, if he had not been detained elsewhere. He was +much put out by this delay, and as soon as he could, he betook himself +to the Queen in her tent. The Queen went to greet him, and, without his +having confided in her, she had already read his thoughts, and knew what +was passing in his mind. She greets him at the entrance of the tent, and +strives to make him welcome, well knowing for what purpose he has come. +Desirous of according him a favour, she beckons Soredamors to join them, +and they three engage in conversation at some distance from the rest. +The Queen first speaks, in whose mind there was no doubt that this +couple were in love. Of this fact she is quite sure, and is persuaded +moreover that Soredamors could not have a better lover. She took her +place between the two and began to say what was appropriate. + +(Vv. 2279-2310.) "Alexander," says the Queen, "any love is worse than +hate, when it torments and distresses its devotee. Lovers know not what +they do when they conceal their passion from one another. Love is a +serious business, and whoever does not boldly lay its foundation firm +can hardly succeed in completing the edifice. They say there is nothing +so hard to cross as the threshold. Now I wish to instruct you in the +lore of love; for I know well that Love is tormenting you. Therefore, I +have undertaken to instruct you; and do you take good care not to keep +anything back from me, for I have plainly seen in the faces of you both +that of two hearts you have made but one. So beware, and conceal nothing +from me! You are acting very foolishly in not speaking out your mind; +for concealment will be the death of you; thus you will be the murderers +of Love. Now I counsel you to exercise no tyranny, and to seek no +passing gratification in your love; but to be honourably joined together +in marriage. So, I believe, your love shall long endure. I can assure +you that, if you agree to this, I will arrange the marriage." + +(Vv. 2311-2360.) When the Queen had spoken her mind, Alexander thus made +reply: "Lady," he says, "I enter no defence against the charge you make, +but rather admit the truth of all you say. I wish never to be deserted +by love, but always to fix my thoughts on it. I am pleased and delighted +by what you have so kindly said. Since you know what my wishes are, I +see no reason why I should conceal them from you. Long ago, if I had +dared I would have confessed them openly; for the silence has been hard. +But it may well be that for some reason this maiden may not wish that I +be hers and she mine. But even if she grant me no rights over her, yet +will I place myself in her hands." At these words she trembled, having +no desire to refuse the gift. Her heart's desire betrays itself in her +words and her countenance. Falteringly she gives herself to him, and +says that without exception her will, her heart, and her body all is at +the disposal of the Queen, to do with her as she may please. The Queen +clasps them both in her arms, and presents one to the other. Then +laughingly she adds: "I give over to thee, Alexander, thy sweetheart's +body, and I know that thy heart does not draw back. Whoever may like it +or like it not, I give each of you to the other. Do thou, Soredamors, +take what is thine, and thou, Alexander, take what is thine!" Now she +has her own entire, and he has his without lack. At Windsor that day, +with the approval and permission of my lord Gawain and the King, the +marriage was celebrated. No one could tell, I am sure, so much of the +magnificence and the food, of the pleasure and entertainment, at this +wedding without falling short of the truth. Inasmuch as it would be +distasteful to some, I do not care to waste further words upon the +matter, but am anxious to turn to another subject. + +(Vv. 2361-2382.) That day at Windsor Alexander had all the honour and +happiness that he could desire. Three different joys and honours were +his: one was the town which he captured; another was the present of the +best kingdom in Wales, which King Arthur had promised to give him when +the war was over; that very day he made him king in his hall. But the +greatest joy of all was the third--that his sweetheart was queen of the +chess-board where he was king. Before five months had passed, Soredamors +found herself with child, and carried it until the time was fulfilled. +The seed remained in germ until the fruit was fully matured. No more +beautiful child was ever born before or since than he whom they now +called Cligés. + +(Vv. 2383-2456.) So Cligés was born, in whose honour this story has +been put in the Romance tongue. You shall hear me tell of him and of his +valorous deeds, when he shall have grown to manhood and obtained a good +report. But meanwhile in Greece it came about that he who ruled over +Constantinople drew near his end. He died, as indeed he must, not being +able to outlive his time. But before he died he assembled all the nobles +of his land to send and seek for his son Alexander, who was happily +detained in Britain. The messengers start out from Greece, and begin +their voyage over the seas; but a tempest catches them in its grasp, and +damages their ship and company. They were all drowned at sea, except one +unfaithful wretch, who was more devoted to Alis the younger son than to +Alexander the eider. When he escaped from the sea, he returned to +Greece with the story that they had all been lost at sea as they were +conducting their lord back from Britain, and that he was the only +survivor of the tragedy. They believed this lie of his, and, taking Alis +without objection or dissent, they crowned him emperor of Greece. But +it was not long before Alexander learned that Alis was emperor. Then he +took leave of King Arthur, unwilling to let his brother usurp his land +without protest. The King makes no opposition to his plan, but bids him +take with him so great a company of Welshmen, Scots, and Cornishmen that +his brother will not dare to withstand him when he sees him come with +such a host. Alexander, had he pleased, might have led a mighty force; +but he has no desire to harm his own people, if his brother will consent +to do his will. He took with him forty knights besides Soredamors and +his son; these two persons, who were so dear to him, he did not wish +to leave behind. Escorted as far as Shoreham by the entire court, they +there embarked, and with fair winds their ship made way more quickly +than a fleeing stag. Within a month, I think, they arrived in port +before Athens, a rich and powerful city. Indeed, the emperor was +residing there, and had convoked, a great assembly of his noblemen. As +soon as they arrived Alexander sent a privy messenger into the city to +learn whether they would receive him, or whether they would resist his +claim to be their only lawful lord. + +(Vv. 2457-2494.) He who was chosen for this mission was a courteous +knight with good judgment, named Acorionde, a rich man and eloquent; +he was a native of the country, too, having been born in Athens. His +ancestors for generations had always exercised lordship in the city. +When he had learned that the emperor was in the city he went and +challenged the crown on behalf of his brother Alexander, accusing him +openly of having usurped it unlawfully. Arriving at the palace, he finds +plenty of people who welcome him; but he says nothing to any of those +who greet him until he learns what is their attitude and disposition +toward their lawful lord. Coming into the presence of the emperor he +neither greets him nor bows before him nor calls him emperor. "Alis," +he says, "I bring thee tidings of Alexander, who is out yonder in the +harbour. Listen to thy brother's message: he asks thee for what belongs +to him, nor does he demand what is unjust. Constantinople, which thou +dost hold, should be his and shall be his. It would be neither just nor +right that discord should arise between you two. So give him the crown +without contest, for it is right that thou shouldst surrender it." + +(Vv. 2495-2524.) Alis replies: "Fair gentle friend, thou hast undertaken +a mad enterprise in bearing this message. There is little comfort in +thy speech, for well I know that my brother is dead. I should rejoice, +indeed, to learn that he was still alive. But I shall not believe the +news until I have seen him with my eyes. He died some time ago, alas! +What thou sayest is not credible. And if he lives, why does he not come? +He need never fear that I will not bestow on him some lands. He is a +fool to hold aloof from me, for in serving me he will find profit. But +no one shall possess the crown and empire beside me." He liked not the +speech of the emperor, and did not fail to speak his mind in the reply +he made. "Alis," he says, "may God confound me if the matter is thus +allowed to stand. I defy thee in thy brother's name, and dutifully +speaking in his name, I summon all those whom I see here to renounce +thee and to join his cause. It is right that they should side with him +and recognise him as their lord. Let him who is loyal now stand forth." + +(Vv. 2525-2554.) Upon saying this he leaves the court, and the emperor +summons those in whom he has most confidence. He requests their advice +concerning this defiance upon his brother's part, and wishes to learn +if he can trust them to lend no support or help to his brother's claim. +Thus he tries to test the loyalty of each; but he finds not one who +sides with him in the dispute, rather do they all bid him remember the +war which Eteocles undertook against his own brother Polynices, and how +each one died by the other's hand. [223] "So, too, it may happen to you, +if you undertake a war, and all the land will be distressed." Therefore, +they advise that such a peace be sought as shall be both reasonable and +just, and that neither one make excessive demands. Thus Alis understands +that if he does not make an equitable agreement with his brother all his +vassals will desert him; so he says that he will respect their wishes in +making any suitable contract, provided that however the affair may rum +out the crown shall remain in his possession. + +(Vv. 2555-2618.) In order to secure a firm and stable peace Alis sends +one of his officers to Alexander, bidding him come to him in person and +receive the government of the land, but stipulating that he should leave +to him the honour of emperor in name and of wearing the crown: thus, if +Alexander is willing, peace may be established between them. When this +news was brought to Alexander his men made ready with him and came to +Athens, where they were received with joy. But Alexander is not willing +that his brother should have the sovereignty of the empire and of the +crown unless he will pledge his word never to take a wife, and that +after him Cligés shall be emperor of Constantinople. Upon this the +brothers both agreed. Alexander dictated the terms of the oath, and his +brother agreed and gave his word that he would never in his life take a +wife in marriage. So peace is made, and they are friends again, to the +great satisfaction of the lords. They hold Alis as their emperor, but +all business is referred to Alexander. What he commands is done, and +little is done except through him. Alis has nothing but the name of +emperor; but Alexander is served and loved; and he who does not serve +him for love must needs do so from fear. Through the effect of one or +the other of these two motives he has all the land within his power. But +he whom they call Death spares neither the strong man nor the weak, but +kills and slays them all. So Alexander had to die; for a disease caught +him in its grip from which he could obtain no relief. But before he +was surprised by death he summoned his son and said to him: "Fair son +Cligés, thou canst never know that prowess and valour are thine unless +thou go first to make test of them with the Bretons and French at King +Arthur's court. If adventure takes thee thither, so conduct and demean +thyself that thy identity be not known until thou hast tried thy +strength with the most excellent knights of that court. I beg thee to +heed my counsel in this matter, and if the occasion arises have no fear +to measure thy skill with thy uncle, my lord Gawain. Do not forget this +advice, I pray." + +(Vv. 2619-2665.) After he had thus exhorted him, he did not live long. +Soredamors' grief was such that she could not survive him, but +died after him of a broken heart. Alis and Cligés both mourned him +becomingly, but finally they ceased their grief, for sorrow, like +everything else, must be outlived. To continue in sorrow is wrong, for +no good can come from it. So the mourning was ended, and the emperor +refrained for a long time from taking a wife, being careful of his word. +But there is no court in all the world which is free from evil counsel. +Great men often go astray, and do not observe loyalty because of the bad +advice they take. Thus, the emperor hears his men giving him advice and +counselling him to take a wife; and daily they so exhort and urge him +that by their very insistence they persuade him to break his oath, and +to accede to their desire. But he insists that she who is to be mistress +of Constantinople must be gentle, fair, wise, rich, and noble. Then his +counsellors say that they wish to prepare to go away to the German land, +and seek the daughter of the emperor. She is the choice they propose +to him; for the emperor of Germany is very rich and powerful, and his +daughter is so charming that never was there a maid of her beauty in +Christendom. The emperor grants them full authority, and they set out +upon the journey well provided with all they need. They proceeded on +their way until they found the emperor at Regensburg, when they asked +him to give them his oldest daughter at the instance of their lord. + +(Vv. 2669-2680.) The emperor was pleased with this request, and gladly +gave them his daughter; for in doing so, he does not debase himself, nor +diminish his honour in any way. But he says that he had promised her +to the Duke of Saxony, and that they would not be able to lead her away +unless the emperor should come with a great army, so that the duke would +be unable to do him any harm or injury while homeward bound. + +(Vv. 2681-2706.) When the messengers heard the emperor's reply, they +took leave and departed. They returned to their lord, and bore him +the answer. And the emperor selected a chosen company of the most +experienced knights whom he could find, and took with him his nephew, +in whose interests he had vowed never to marry a wife, but he will not +respect this vow if he can once reach Cologne. [224] Upon a certain day +he leaves Greece and draws near to Germany, intending to take a wife +despite all blame and reproach; but his honour will be smirched. Upon +reaching Cologne, he found that the emperor had assembled all his court +for a festival. When the company of the Greeks reached Cologne, there +was such a great number of Greeks and Germans that it was necessary to +lodge more than sixty thousand of them outside the city. + +(Vv.2707-2724.) Great was the crowd of people, and great the joy of the +two emperors when they met. When the barons had gathered in the vast +palace, the emperor summoned his charming daughter. The maiden made no +delay in coming straightway into the palace. She had been made very fair +and shapely by the Creator, whose pleasure it had been to arouse the +people's admiration. God, who had fashioned her, never gave man a word +which could adequately express such beauty as she possessed. + +(Vv. 2725-2760.) Fenice was the maiden's name, and for this there +was good reason: [225] for if the Phoenix bird is unique as the most +beautiful of all the birds, so Fenice, it seems to me, had no equal in +beauty. She was such a miracle and marvel that Nature was never able to +make her like again. In order to be more brief, I will not describe in +words her arms, her body, her head and hands; for if I should live a +thousand years, and if my skill were to double every day, yet should +I waste all my time in trying to tell the truth about her. I know very +well, if I should undertake it, that I would exhaust my brain and waste +my pains: it would be but misspent energy. [226] The damsel hastened +until she came into the palace, with head uncovered and face unveiled; +and the radiance of her beauty lighted the palace more brightly than +four carbuncles would have done. Cligés stood, his over-cloak removed, +in his uncle's presence. The day outside was somewhat dark, but he and +the maiden were both so fair that a ray shone forth from their beauty +which illumined the palace, just as the morning sun shines clear and +red. + +(Vv. 2761-2792.) I wish to attempt in a very few words to describe the +beauty of Cligés. He was in his flower, being now almost fifteen years +of age. He was more comely and charming than Narcissus who saw his +reflection in the spring beneath the elm-tree, and, when he saw it, +he loved it so that he died, they say, because he could not get it. +Narcissus was fair, but had little sense; [227] but as fine gold +surpasses copper, so was Cligés better endowed with wisdom, and even +then I have not said all. His locks seemed made of fine gold, and his +face was of a fresh rosy colour. He had a well-formed nose and shapely +mouth, and in stature he was built upon Nature's best pattern; for in +him she had united gifts which she is wont to scatter wide. Nature was +so lavish with him that she gave him all she could, and placed all in +one receptacle. Such was Cligés, who combined good sense and beauty, +generosity and strength. He possessed the wood as well as the bark; +he knew more of fencing and of the bow than did Tristan, King Mark's +nephew, and more about birds and hounds than he. [228] In Cligés there +lacked no good thing. + +(Vv. 2793-2870.) Cligés stood in all his beauty before his uncle, and +those who did not know who he was looked at him with eager curiosity. +And on the other hand, the interest was aroused of those who did not +know the maiden: wonderingly they gaze upon her. But Cligés, under the +sway of love, let his eyes rest on her covertly, and withdrew them again +so discreetly that in their passage to and fro no one could blame his +lack of skill. Blithely he looks upon the maid, but does not note that +she repays him in kind. Not flattering him, but in sincere love, she +gives him her eyes, and takes back his. This exchange seems good to her, +and would have seemed to her better still had she known something of who +he was. But she knows nothing except that he is fair, and that, if she +is ever to love any one for beauty's sake, she need not seek elsewhere +to bestow her heart. She handed over to him the possession of her eyes +and heart, and he pledged his in turn to her. Pledged? Rather gave +outright. Gave? Nay, upon my faith, I lie; for no one can give away his +heart. I must express it some other way. I will not say it, as some have +done who make two hearts dwell in one body, for it bears not even the +semblance of truth that there should be in one body two hearts; and even +if they could be so united, it would never seem true. But if it please +you to heed my words, I shall be able explain how two hearts form but +one without coming to be identified. Only so far are they merged in one +as the desire of each passes from one to the other, thus joining in one +common desire; and because of this harmony of desire, there are some who +are wont to say that each one has both hearts; but one heart cannot be +in two places. Each one always keeps his own heart, though the desire +be shared by both, just as many different men may sing a song or tune +in unison. By this comparison I prove that for one body to contain two +hearts it is not enough to know each other's wish, nor yet for one to +know what the other loves and what he hates; just as voices which are +heard together seem to be merged in one, and yet do not all come from +one mouth, so it is with a body which can contain but one heart. But +there is no need of further argument, for other matters press upon me. +I must speak now of the damsel and of Cligés, and you shall hear of +the Duke of Saxony, who has sent to Cologne a young nephew of his. This +youth informs the emperor that his uncle, the duke, sends word that +he need expect no peace or trace with him, unless he sends to him his +daughter, and that the one who is intending to carry her away with him +had better not start home, for he will find the road occupied and well +defended unless the maiden be surrendered. + +(Vv. 2871-3010.) The youth spoke his message well, without pride and +without insult. But he found neither knight nor emperor who would answer +him. When he saw that they all held their peace and treated him with +scorn, he left the court in defiant mood. But youth and thirst for +daring deeds made Cligés defy him in combat as he left. For the contest +they mount their steeds, three hundred of them on either side, exactly +equal thus in strength. All the palace is quite emptied of knights and +ladies, who mount to the balconies, battlements, and windows to see and +watch those who were about to fight. Even the maiden, whose will Love +had subdued beneath his sway, sought for a point from which to see. She +took her place at a window, where she sat with great delight, because +from there she could get a view of him whom she holds secretly in her +heart with no desire to remove him thence; for she will never love any +other man. But she does not know his name, nor who he is, nor of what +race; for it is not proper to ask questions; but she yearns to hear +tidings which will bring joy to her heart. She looks out of the window +at the shields with their gleaming gold, and she gazes at those who wear +the shields about their necks, as they prepare for the trial at arms. +But all her thoughts and glances soon rest upon one object, and to all +others she is indifferent. Whereever Cligés goes, she seeks to follow +him with her eyes. And he in turn does his best for her, and battles +openly, in order that she at least may hear it said that he is bold and +very skilled: thus she will be compelled to prize him for his prowess. +He attacks the duke's nephew, who was breaking many a lance and sorely +discomfiting the Greeks. But Cligés, who is displeased at this, braces +himself firmly in his stirrups, and goes to strike him so speedily that +in spite of himself he had to vacate the saddle-bows. When he got up, +the uproar was great; for the youth arose and mounted, thinking to +avenge his shame. But many a man only falls into deeper disgrace who +thinks to avenge his shame when he has the chance. The young man rushes +at Cligés, who lowers his lance to meet him, and thrusts at him with +such force that he carries him to earth again. Now his shame is doubled, +and all his followers are in dismay, seeing that they can never leave +the field with honour; for not one of them is so valiant that he can +keep his seat in the saddle when Cligés thrust reaches him. But those of +Germany and the Greeks are overjoyed when they see their party drive off +the Saxons, who retreat discomfited. With mockery they pursue them until +they come up with them at a stream, into which they drive them for +a plunge. In the deepest part of the ford Cligés unhorsed the duke's +nephew and so many of his men that they escaped grieving and sad in +their shame and confusion. But Cligés, twice victor, returned in glee, +and entered a gate which was near the apartment where the maiden was; +and as he passed through the gate she exacted as toll a tender glance, +which he paid her as their eyes met. Thus was the maiden subdued by the +man. But there is not a German of the lowland or highland, possessing +the power of speech who does not cry: "God! who is this in whom such +beauty is radiant? God! how has it happened that so suddenly he has +attained such great success?" Thus one man and another asks: "Who is +this youth, who is he, I say?" Thus, soon throughout the city it is +known what his name is, and who is his father, and what pledge that was +which had been made to him by the emperor. So much was said and noised +about that the news reached the ears of her who in her heart rejoiced +because she could no more say that Love had made sport of her, nor had +she any ground for complaint. For Love has made her give her heart to +the fairest, most courteous, and valiant man that could anywhere be +found. But some force must be employed, if she would gain possession of +him who is not free do her will. This makes her anxious and distraught. +For she has no one with whom to take counsel concerning him for whom +she pines, but must waste herself in thought and vigils. She becomes so +affected by these cares that she loses her colour and grows wan, and +it becomes plain to all that her loss of colour betokens an unfulfilled +desire. She plays less now than she used to do, and laughs less and +loses her gaiety. But she conceals her trouble and passes it off, if any +one asks what her ailment is. Her old nurse's name was Thessala, [229] +who was skilled in necromancy, having been born in Thessaly, where +devilish charms are taught and wrought; for the women of that country +perform many a charm and mystic rite. + +(Vv. 3011-3062.) Thessala saw pale and wan her whom Love holds in his +bonds, and thus she addressed her with advice: "God!" she said, "are you +bewitched, my lady dear, that your face should be so pale? I wonder what +your trouble is. Tell me, if you can, where this pain attacks you most, +for if any one can cure you, you may safely trust me to give you back +your health again. I can cure the dropsy, gout, quinsy, and asthma; I am +so expert in examining the urine and the pulse that you need consult no +other physician. And I dare say that I know more than ever Medea [230] +knew of enchantments and of charms which tests have proven to be true. +I have never spoken to you of this, though I have cared for you all your +life; and now I should not mention it did I not plainly see that you are +so afflicted as to need my ministrations. My lady, you will do well to +tell me what your sickness is before its hold becomes more severe. The +emperor has committed you to me in order that I may care for you, and my +devotion has been such that I have kept you safe and sound. Now all my +pains will come to naught if I do not relieve this malady. Take care +not to conceal from me whether this is sickness or something else." The +damsel dares not openly expose her desire in all its fullness for she +is in fear lest she be disapproved and blamed. And when she hears and +understands how Thessala boasts and highly rates herself as being expert +in enchantments, charms, and potions, she decides to tell her what +is the cause of her pale and colourless face; but first she makes her +promise to keep her secret and never to oppose her will. + +(Vv. 3063-3216.) "Nurse," she said, "I truly thought I felt no pain, but +I shall soon feel differently. For as soon as I begin to think about it, +I feel great pain, and am dismayed. But when one has no experience, +how can one tell what is sickness and what is health? My illness is +different from all others; for when I wish to speak of it, it causes me +both joy and pain, so happy I am in my distress. And if it can be that +sickness brings delight, then my trouble and joy are one, and in my +illness consists my health. So I do not know why I complain, for I know +not whence my trouble comes, unless it is caused by my desire. Perchance +my desire is my disease, but I find so much joy in it that the suffering +it causes me is grateful, and there is so much contentment in my pain +that it is sweet to suffer so. Nurse Thessala, now tell me true, is not +this a deceitful ill, to charm and torment me both at once? I do not see +how I can tell whether this is a disease or not. Nurse, tell me now its +name, nature, and character. But understand well that I have no desire +to be cured of it, for my distress is very dear to me." Thessala, who +was very wise about love and its symptoms knows full well from what she +hears that it is love which is tormenting her; the tender, endearing +terms she uses are certain proof that she is in love, for all other +woes are hard to bear, except that alone which comes from love; but love +transforms its bitterness into sweetness and joy, then often transforms +them back again. The nurse, who was expert in this matter, thus replies +to her: "Have no fear, for I will tell you at once the name of your +malady. You told me, I believe, that the pain which you feel seems +rather to be joy and health: now of such a nature is love-sickness, +for in it, too, there is joy and bliss. You are in love, then, as I can +prove to you, for I find no pleasure in any malady save only in love. +All other sickness is always bad and horrible, but love is sweet and +peaceable. You are in love; of that I am sure, nor do I see any wrong in +that. But I shall consider it very wrong, if through some childish +folly you conceal from me your heart." "Nurse, there is no need of +your speaking so. But first I must be sure and certain that under no +circumstances will you speak of it to any living soul." "My lady, surely +the winds will speak of it before I do without your leave, and I will +give you my word so to favour your desires that you may safely trust in +having your joy fulfilled through my services." "In that case, Nurse, +I shall be cured. But the emperor is giving me in marriage, wherefore +I grieve and am sorrowful; for he who has won my heart is the nephew of +him whom I must take. And though he may find joy in me, yet is my joy +forever lost, and no respite is possible. I would rather be torn limb +from limb than that men should speak of us as they speak of the loves of +Iseut and Tristan, of so many unseemly stories are told that I should +be ashamed to mention them. I could never bring myself to lead the +life that Iseut led. Such love as hers was far too base; for her body +belonged to two, whereas her heart was possessed by one. Thus all her +life was spent, refusing her favours to neither one. But mine is fixed +on one object, and under no circumstances will there be any sharing +of my body and heart. Never will my body be portioned out between two +shareholders. Who has the heart has the body, too, and may bid all +others stand aside. But I cannot clearly see how he whom I love can have +my body when my father gives me to another, and his will I do not dare +resist. And when this other is lord of my body, and does something which +displeases me, it is not right for me to summon another to my aid. +Nor can this man marry a wife without breaking his plighted word; for, +unless injustice be done, Cligés is to have the empire after his uncle's +death. But I should be well served by you, if you were so skilful as +to present him, to whom I am pledged and engaged, from having any claim +upon me. O Nurse, exert yourself to the end that he may not break the +pledge which he gave to the father of Cligés, when he promised him +solemnly never to take a wife in marriage. For now, if he should marry +me his promise would be broken. But Cligés is so dear to me that I would +rather be under ground than that he should ever lose through me a penny +of the fortune which should be his. May never a child be born to me to +cause his disinheritance! Nurse, now do your best, and I will always be +your slave." Then the nurse tells her and assures her that she will cast +so many charms, and prepare so many potions and enchantments that she +need never have any worry or fear concerning the emperor after he shall +have drunk of the potion which she will give him; even when they shall +lie together and she be at his side, she may be as secure as if there +were a wall between them. "But do not be alarmed, if, in his sleep, he +sports with you, for when he is plunged in sleep he will have his sport +with you, and he will be convinced that he has had you when wide awake, +nor will he think it is all a dream, a fiction, and illusion. Thus he +will have his sport with you when asleep, he will think he is awake." + +(Vv. 3217-3250.) The maiden is highly pleased and delighted by the +nurse's kindness and offer of help. Her nurse inspires good hope in her +by the promise which she makes, and which she binds herself to keep; +with this hope she expects to obtain her desire, in spite of wearisome +delay, for if Cligés' nature is as noble as she takes it to be he cannot +fail to take pity upon her when he learns that she loves him, and +that she has imposed virginity upon herself in order to insure his +inheritance. So the maiden believes her nurse, and puts full confidence +in her. One promises to the other, and gives her word, that this plot +shall be kept so secret as never to be revealed. At this point their +conversation ceases, and the next morning the emperor summons his +daughter. At his command she goes to him. But why should I weary you +with details? The two emperors have so settled the matter that the +marriage is solemnised, and joy reigns in the palace. But I do not wish +to stop to describe all this in detail. Rather will I address myself to +Thessala, as she diligently prepares and tempers her potions. + +(Vv. 3251-3328.) Thessala steeps her drink, putting in spices in +abundance to sweeten and temper it. After having well beaten and mixed +it, she strains it clear, with no sharp or bitter taste, for the spices +she puts in give it a sweet and pleasant fragrance. When the potion was +prepared, the day had drawn to a close, the tables were set for supper, +and the cloths were spread. But Thessala delays the supper, because +she must discover by what device and what agent she can have the potion +served. At supper, finally, all were seated, and more than six dishes +had been passed, and Cligés served behind his uncle's place. Thessala, +as she watches him, thinks how ill he serves his own interests, and how +he is assisting in his own disinheritance, and the thought torments and +worries her. Then in her kindness she conceives the plan of having +the potion served by him to whom it will bring both joy and honour. So +Thessala summoned Cligés; and when he had come to her, he asked her why +she had sent for him. "Friend," said she, "I wish to present the emperor +at this meal with a beverage which he will esteem highly, and I want him +to taste no other to-night, either at supper or when he goes to bed. +I think he cannot fail to relish it, for he never has tasted a better +drink or one that has cost so much. And I warn you, take good care to +let no one else drink of it, for there is but a little of it. And this, +too, I beg of you, not to let him know whence it came; but tell him it +came about by chance that you found it among the presents, and tasted it +yourself, and detected the aroma of the sweet spices in the air; then, +seeing the wine to be all clear you poured it into his cup. If by chance +he should inquire, you can satisfy him with this reply. But have no +suspicion yourself, after what I have said, for the drink is pure and +healthful, full excellent spices, and I think it may some day bring you +joy." When he heard that advantage would come to him, he took the potion +and went away, for he did not know there was any harm in it. He set +it in a crystal cup before the emperor, who took it without question, +trusting in his nephew. After taking a long draught of the beverage, he +straightway feels its strength, as it descends from head to heart, and +rises again from heart to head, and penetrates every part of him without +doing the slightest harm. And by the time they left the tables, the +emperor had drunk so much of the pleasing drink that he can never escape +it influence. Every night he will sleep under its influence, and its +effects will be such that he will think he is awake when sound asleep. + +(Vv. 3329-3394.) Now the emperor has been deceived. Many bishops and +abbots were present to bless and hallow the marriage-bed. When the time +came to retire, the emperor, as was his right, lay beside his wife that +night. "As was his right;" but the statement is inexact, for he neither +kissed nor fondled her, yet they lay together in one bed. At first the +maiden trembled with fear and anxiety lest the potion should not act. +But it has so mastered him that he will never desire her or any other +woman except in his sleep. But when asleep he will have such sport with +her as one may have in dreams, and he will think the dream is true. +Nevertheless, she is on her guard, and at first, holds aloof from him, +so that he cannot approach her. But now he must needs fall asleep; +then he sleeps and dreams, though, the senses are awake, and he exerts +himself to win the favours of the maid, while she, realising the danger, +defends her virginity. He woos her and calls her gently his sweetheart, +and thinks he possesses her, but in vain. But he is gratified by this +vain semblance, embracing, kissing, and fondling an empty thing, seeing +and speaking to no purpose, struggling and striving without effect. +Surely the potion was effective in thus possessing and mastering him. +All his pains are of no avail, as he thinks and is persuaded that the +fortress is won. Thus he thinks and is convinced, when he desists after +his vain efforts. But now I may say once for all that his satisfaction +was never more than this. To such relations with her he will for ever be +condemned if indeed he can lead her to his own land; but before he can +get her to safety, I judge that there is trouble in store for him. For +while he is on his journey home, the duke, to whom his bride had been +betrothed, will appear upon the scene. The duke gathered a numerous +force, and garrisoned the frontiers, while at court he had his spies to +inform him each day of the emperor's doings and preparations, and how +long they are going to stay, and by what route they intend to return. +The emperor did not tarry long after the marriage, but left Cologne in +high spirits. The German emperor escorted him with a numerous company, +fearing and dreading the force of the Duke of Saxony. + +(Vv. 3395-3424.) The two emperors pursued their journey until they were +beyond Regensburg, where one evening they were encamped in a meadow by +the Danube. The Greeks were in their tents in the fields bordering upon +the Black Forest. Opposite to them the Saxons were lodged, spying +upon them. The duke's nephew stood alone upon a hill, whence he could +reconnoitre for a chance to inflict some loss or harm on the enemy. +From that point of vantage he espied Cligés with three of his young men +disporting themselves with lances and shields, eager for a conflict and +shock of arms. If he could get the chance the duke's nephew would gladly +attack them and do them harm. Starting out with five companions he +concealed them in a valley close by a wood, so that the Greeks never saw +them until they emerged from the valley; then the duke's nephew made an +attack, and striking Cligés, wounded him slightly in the back. Cligés, +bending over, avoids the lance which passed him, inflicting only a +slight hurt. + +(Vv. 3425-3570.) When Cligés felt himself wounded, he charged the youth, +and struck him with such force that he drove his lance quite through his +heart, and stretched him dead. Then all the Saxons in fear of him betook +themselves to flight through the woods. And Cligés, ignorant of the +ambuscade, courageously but imprudently leaving his companions behind, +pursues them to the place where the duke's troops were in force +preparing to attack the Greeks. Alone he goes in hot pursuit after the +youths, who, in despair over their lord whom they had lost, come running +to the duke and tell him weeping of his nephew's death. The duke saw +no joke in this affair; and, swearing by God and all His saints that he +will take no joy or pride in life so long as the slayer of his nephew +remains alive, he adds that whoever will bring him his head will be his +friend and will serve him well. Then a knight made boast that if he +can find the guilty man, he will present him with Cligés' head. Cligés +follows the young men until he falls among the Saxons, when he is seen +by him who had undertaken to carry off his head, and who starts after +him without delay. But Cligés haste had turned back to escape from his +enemies and came in to where he had left his companions; he found none +there, for they had returned to camp to relate their adventure. And the +emperor ordered to horse the Greeks and Germans in one band. Soon all +through the camp the knights are arming and mounting. Meanwhile Cligés +is hotly pursued by his enemy, all armed and with helmet closed. Cligés, +who never wished to be numbered among the coward and craven-hearted, +notices that he comes alone. First, the knight challenged him, calling +him "fellow," unable to conceal his rage: "Young fellow," he cried, +"thou shalt leave me here a pledge for my lord whom thou hast killed. +If I do not carry away thy head with me, I am not worth a counterfeit +besant. I must make of it a present to the duke, and will accept no +other forfeit. In return for his nephew, I shall make such restitution +that he will profit by the exchange." Cligés hears him reproaching him +thus boldly and with impudence. "Vassal," he says, "be on your guard! +For I will defend my head, and you shall not get it without my leave." +Then the attack begins. The other missed his blow, while Cligés struck +him with such force that horse and rider went down together in one heap. +The horse fell upon him so heavily that he shattered completely one of +his legs. Cligés dismounted on the greensward and disarmed him. When he +had disarmed him, he appropriated his weapons, and cut off his enemy's +head with the sword which had just now been his. After severing his head +he fixed it firmly on the point of his lance, thinking to offer it to +the duke, to whom his nephew had promised to present his own if he +could meet him in the strife. Cligés had no sooner put on the dead man's +helmet and taken his shield and mounted his steed, letting his own stray +at large to terrify the Greeks, than he saw advancing with more than a +hundred banners flying several full squadrons of Greeks and Germans. Now +the fierce and cruel struggles will soon begin between the Saxons and +the Greeks. As soon as Cligés sees his men advancing, he betakes himself +toward the Saxons, his own men hotly pursuing him, and not knowing him +in his disguise. It is no wonder that his uncle is in despair and fear, +when he sees the head he is carrying off. So all the host pursue him +fast, while Cligés leads them on to provoke a fight, until the Saxons +see him drawing near. But they, too, are quite misled by the arms with +which he has armed and equipped himself. He succeeds in deceiving +and mocking them; for the duke and all the rest, when they saw him +approaching lance in rest, cried out: "Here comes our knight! On the +point of his lance he carries Cligés' head, and the Greeks are hotly +pursuing him!" Then, as they give their horses rein, Cligés spurs +to meet the Saxons, crouching low beneath his shield, the lance out +straight with the head affixed. Now, though he was braver than a lion, +he was no stronger than any other man. Both parties think that he is +dead, and while the Saxons rejoice, the Greeks and Germans grieve. But +before long the truth will out. For Cligés no longer held his peace: +but, rushing fiercely at a Saxon, he struck him with his ashen lance +upon the head and in the breast, so that he made him lose his stirrups, +and at the same time he cried aloud: "Strike gentlemen, for I am Cligés +whom you seek. Come on, my bold and hardy knights! Let none hold back, +for the first joust is already won! He is a coward who does not relish +such a dish." + +(Vv. 3571-3620.) The emperor's joy was great when he heard the voice of +his nephew Cligés summoning and exhorting them; he was greatly pleased +and comforted. But the duke is greatly chagrined now when he sees he +is betrayed, unless his force should prove the stronger. While he +draws together his troops in serried lines, the Greeks do the same, and +pressing them close, attack and rush upon them. On both sides lances are +lowered as they meet for the proper reception of a hostile host. At the +first shock shields are pierced and lances shattered, girths are cut and +stirrups broken, while the horses of those who fall to earth are left +without a rider. But regardless of what any other does, Cligés and the +duke meet in the fray; holding their lances low, they strike one another +upon the shield with such violence that the strong and well-made lances +fly into splinters. Cligés was skilful on horseback, and sits straight +in his saddle without shaking or losing his balance. But the duke has +lost his seat, and in spite of himself quits the saddle-bows. Cligés +struggled and strove to capture him and carry him away, but his strength +did not suffice, for the Saxons were around about fighting to rescue +him. Nevertheless, Cligés escapes from the conflict without receiving +harm and with a precious prize; for he makes off with the duke's steed, +which was whiter than wool, and was worth more to a gentleman than the +fortune of Octavian [231] at Rome. The steed was an Arabian. The Greeks +and Germans are overjoyed to see Cligés on such a mount, for they had +already remarked the excellence and beauty of the Arab steed. But they +were not on their guard against an ambuscade; and before they are aware +of it great damage will be done. + +(Vv. 3621-3748.) A spy came to the duke, bringing him welcome news. +"Duke," says the spy, "not a man remains in all the encampment of the +Greeks who is able to defend himself. If thou wilt take my word for it, +now is the time to have the emperor's daughter seized, while the Greeks +are seen intent upon the battle and the strife. Lend me a hundred of thy +knights, and I will put the lady in their hands. By an old and secluded +path I will lead them so carefully that they will not be seen or met +by any man of Germany, until they can seize the damsel in her tent and +carry her off so handily that no resistance will be made." At this the +duke is highly pleased. He sent a hundred and more tried knights with +the spy, who so successfully conducted them that they carried the maiden +away captive without exerting any force; for they could abduct her +easily. After carrying her some distance from the tents, they send her +on under escort of twelve of their number whom they accompany but a +short distance. While the twelve led the damsel on, the others went to +tell the duke how successful they had been. The duke's desire being now +satisfied, he at once makes a truce with the Greeks until next day. The +truce was sworn by both parties. The duke's men then turned back, while +the Greeks without delay repaired each man to his own tent. But Cligés +stays behind alone, stationed upon a little hill where no one caught +sight of him, until he saw the twelve pass by with her whom they were +carrying off at topmost speed. Cligés, in his thirst for glory, rides +at them without delay; for he thinks within himself, and his heart tells +him, that it is not for nothing that they flee. So, as soon as he espied +them, he spurred after them; and when they saw him coming on, a foolish +thought occurred to them: "It is the duke," they said, "who comes. Let +us rein in a little; for he has left the troops and is riding hard after +us alone." Every man thinks that so it is. They all want to turn back to +meet him, but each one wishes to go alone. Meanwhile, Cligés must +needs descend a deep valley between two mountains. He would never have +recognised their blazons, if they had not come to meet him, or if they +had not awaited him. Six of the twelve come to meet him in an encounter +they will soon regret. The other six stay with the damsel, leading her +gently at a walk and easy jog. And the six ride quickly on, spurring up +the valley, until he who had the swiftest horse reached him first +and cried aloud: "Hail, Duke of Saxony! God bless thee! Duke, we have +recovered thy lady. The Greeks shall not get her now, for she shall be +placed in thy hands." When Cligés heard the words this fellow shouts, +his heart is not gay; rather is it strange that he does not lose his +wits. Never was any wild beast--leopard, tiger, or lion--upon seeing its +young captured, so fierce and furious as Cligés, who sets no value upon +his life if he deserts his sweetheart now. He would rather die than not +win her back. In his trouble he feels great wrath, which gives him the +courage he requires. He urges and spurs the Arab steed, and rushes +to give the Saxon such a blow upon his painted shield that without +exaggeration, he makes his heart feel the lance. This gives Cligés +confidence. He drove and spurred the Arab charger on for more than the +space of an acre before he came upon the next Saxon, for they came up +singly, each fearless of his predecessor's fare, for Cligés fights +them one by one. As he takes them thus individually, no one receives +another's aid. He makes a rush at the second one, who, like the first, +thought to give him joy by telling him of his own evil fate. But Cligés +has no concern to heed his talk and idle charter. Thrusting his lance +into his body so that the blood spurts out when it is withdrawn, he +deprives him of life and the gift of speech. After these two he meets +the third, who expects to find him in good humour and to make him +rejoice over his own mischance. Spurring eagerly he came up to him; +but before he has time to say a word, Cligés ran a fathom of his lance +through the middle of his body, leaving him senseless on the ground. +To the fourth he gives such a blow that he leaves him fainting on the +field. After the fourth he goes at the fifth, and after him he attacks +the sixth. None of them could defend himself, but each was left silent +and mute. He stood in less fear of the others now, and more hardily +pressed after them, taking no further thought of the six dead men. + +(Vv. 3749-3816.) Feeling no further care for them, he starts to present +a debt of shame and woe to the others who are leading the maid away. He +caught up with them, and made such an onslaught upon them as a hungry +and ravenous wolf makes when leaping upon its prey. Now he feels his +luck has come, when he can display his chivalry and bravery openly +before her who is his very life. Now may he die, if he does not rescue +her! And she, too, is at death's door from anxiety for his sake, though +she does not know that he is no near. Lance in rest, Cligés made an +attack which pleased him well; for he struck first one Saxon and then +another, so that with a single rush he carried them both to earth, +though it cost him his ashen lance. And they both fall in such distress, +being wounded in the body, that they have no power to rise again and +do him any harm or ill. The other four in bitter rage join in an attack +upon Cligés; but he neither quails nor trembles, and they are unable +to dislodge him from his seat. Quickly drawing his keen sword from its +sheath, in order to please her who awaits his love, he rode hard at a +Saxon and, striking him with his whetted blade, he severed his head and +half his neck from the body: such was the limit of his pity. Fenice, who +witnesses what transpires, does not know yet that this is Cligés. She +wishes that it were he, indeed, but because of the present danger she +says to herself that she would not have him there. Thus, doubly she +shows the devotion of a sweetheart, fearing at once his death, and +desiring that honour may be his. And Cligés sword in hand attacks the +other three, who face him bravely and puncture and split his shield. But +they are unable to lay hands upon him, or to pierce the meshes of his +hauberk. And whatever Cligés reaches cannot stand against his blow, +but must needs be split and torn apart; for he turns faster than a +top driven and lashed by the whip. Boldness and love, which holds him +enthralled, make him eager for the fray. He pressed the Saxons so hard +that he left them all dead and defeated, some only wounded, and others +dead--except one whom he let escape, disdaining to kill him when left +alone at his mercy; besides, he wished him to tell the duke of the loss +and injury he had sustained. But before this fellow left Cligés, he +begged him to tell him his name, which later he repeated to the duke, +thus rousing his bitter ire. + +(Vv. 3817-3864.) Now bad luck had fallen to the duke, who was in great +distress and grief. And Cligés takes back Fenice, whose love torments +and troubles him. If he does not confess to her now, love will long be +his enemy, and hers too, if she holds her peace and speaks not the word +which will bring him joy; for now each can tell the other privily the +thoughts that lie within the heart. But they so fear to be refused that +they dare not reveal their hearts. For his part, he fears lest she will +not accept his love, whereas she, too, would have spoken out had she +not feared to be rejected. In spite of this, the eyes of each reveal the +hidden thought, if only they had heeded this evidence. They converse +by glance of eye, but their tongues are so cowardly that they dare not +speak in any wise of the love which possesses them. No wonder if she +hesitates to begin, for a maid must be a simple and shrinking thing; but +he--why does he wait and hold back who was so bold for her just now, but +now in her presence is cowardly? God! whence comes this fear, that he +should shrink from a lonely girl, feeble and timid, simple and mild? It +is as if I should see the dog flee before the hare, and the fish chase +the beaver, the lamb the wolf, and the dove the eagle. In the same +fashion the labourer would forsake his pick with which he strives to +earn a livelihood, and the falcon would flee from the duck, and the +gerfalcon from the heron, and the pike from the minnow, and the stag +would chase the lion, and everything would be reversed. Now I feel +within me the desire to give some reason why it should happen to true +lovers that they lose their sense and boldness to say what they have in +mind when they have leisure and place and time. + +(Vv. 3865-3914.) Ye who are interested in the art of Love, who do +faithfully maintain the customs and usage of his court, who never failed +to obey his law, whatever the result might be, tell me if there is +anything that pleases because of love without causing us to tremble +and grow pale. If any one oppose me in this, I can at once refute his +argument; for whoever does not grow pale and tremble, whoever does not +lose his senses and memory, is trying to filch and get by stealth what +does not by right belong to him. The servant who does not fear his +master ought not to remain in his employ nor do his service. He who does +not esteem his lord does not fear him, and whoever does not esteem him +does not hold him dear, but rather tries to deceive him and to steal +from him what is his. The servant ought to tremble with fear when his +master calls or summons him. And whoever commits himself to Love owns +him as his lord and master, and is bound to do him reverence and fear +him much and honour him, if he wishes to be numbered in his court. Love +without alarm or fear is like a fire without flame or heat, day without +sun, comb without honey, summer without flowers, winter without frost, +sky without moon, and a book without letters. Such is my argument +in refutation, for where fear is absent love is not to be mentioned. +Whoever would love must needs feel fear, for otherwise he cannot be in +love. But let him fear only her whom he loves, and for her sake be brave +against all others. Then if he stands in awe of his lady-love Cligés +is guilty of nothing wrong. Even so, he would not have failed to speak +straightway with her of love, whatever the outcome might have been, had +it not been that she was his uncle's wife. This causes the festering of +his wound, and it torments and pains him the more because he dares not +utter what he fain would say. + +(Vv. 3915-3962.) Thus they make their way back to their own people, and +if they speak of anything it is nothing of much concern. Each seated on +a white horse, they rode rapidly toward the camp, which was plunged in +great sorrow. The whole army is beside itself with grief, but they are +altogether wrong in supposing Cligés to be dead: hence their bitter and +poignant grief. And for Fenice, too, they are in dismay, thinking never +to win her back again. Thus, for her and him the whole army is in great +distress. But soon upon their return the whole affair will change its +aspect; for now they have reached the camp again, and have quickly +changed the grief to joy. Joy returns and sorrow flees. All the troops +come together and sally forth to welcome them. The two emperors, upon +hearing the report about Cligés and the damsel, go to meet them with +joyful hearts, and each can hardly wait to hear how Cligés found and +recovered the empress. Cligés tells them, and, as they listen, they are +amazed and are loud in their praises of his courage and devotion. +But, for his part, the duke is furious, swearing and proclaiming his +determination to fight Cligés, if he dares, in single combat; and it +shall be agreed that if Cligés wins the battle the emperor shall proceed +unchallenged, and freely take the maiden with him, and if he should kill +or defeat Cligés, who had done him such injury, then let there be no +truce or stay to prevent each party from doing its best. This is what +the duke desires, and by an interpreter of his, who knew both the Greek +and the German tongues, he announces to the two emperors his desire thus +to arrange the battle. + +(Vv. 3963-4010.) The messenger delivered his message so well in both +languages that all could understand it. The entire army was in an +uproar, saying that may God forbid that Cligés ever engage in the +battle. Both emperors are in a fright, but Cligés throws himself at +their feet and begs them not to grieve, but if ever he did them any +favour, he prays them to grant him this battle as a guerdon and reward. +And if the right to fight should be denied him, then he will never again +serve for a single day his uncle's cause and honour. The emperor, who +loved his nephew as he should, raised him by the hand and said: "Fair +nephew, I am deeply grieved to know you are so keen to fight; for after +joy, sorrow is to be expected. [232] You have made me glad, I cannot +deny it; but it is hard for me to yield the point and send you forth to +this battle, when I see you still so young. And yet I know you to be +so confident of yourself that I dare not ever refuse anything that you +choose to ask of me. Be assured that, merely to gratify you, it should +be done; but if my request has any power, you would never assume this +task." "My lord, there is no need of further speech," said Cligés; "may +God damn me, if I would take the whole world, and miss this battle! I do +not know why I should seek from you any postponement or long delay." +The emperor weeps with pity, while Cligés sheds tears of joy when the +permission to fight is granted him. Many a tear was shed that day, and +no respite or delay was asked. Before the hour of prime, by the duke's +own messenger the challenge to battle was sent back to him accepted as +he had proposed. + +(Vv. 4011-4036.) The duke, who thinks and confidently trusts that Cligés +will be unable to stave off death and defeat at his hands, has himself +quickly armed. Cligés, who is anxious for the fight, feels no concern +as to how he shall defend himself. He asks the emperor for his arms, and +desires him to dub him a knight. So the emperor generously gives him his +arms, and he takes them, his heart being keen for the battle which he +anticipates with joy and eagerness. No time is lost in arming him. And +when he was armed from head to foot, the emperor, all sorrowing, girds +the sword upon his side. Thus Cligés completely armed mounts his white +Arab steed; from his neck he hangs by the straps an ivory shield, such +as will never break or split; and upon it there was neither colour nor +design. All his armour was white, and the steed, and the harness, too, +was all whiter than any snow. + +(Vv. 4037-4094.) Cligés and the duke, now being armed, summon each other +to meet half way, and they stipulate that their men shall take their +stand on either side, but without their swords and lances, under oath +and pledge that not a man will be so rash, so long as the battle lasts, +as to dare to move for any reason, any more than he would dare to pluck +out his own eye. When this had been agreed upon, they came together, +each yearning ardently for the glory he hopes to win and for the joy +of victory. But before a single blow was dealt, the empress has herself +borne thither, solicitous for Cligés' fate. It seems to her that if he +dies, she, too, must needs do so. No comfort can avail to keep her from +joining him in death, for, without him, life has no joys for her. When +all were gathered on the field--high and low, young and old--and the +guards had taken their place, then both seized their lances and rushed +together so savagely that they both broke their lances and fell to +the ground, unable to keep their saddles. But not being wounded, they +quickly get upon their feet and attack each other without delay. Upon +their resonant helmets they play such a tune with swords that it seems +to those who are looking on that the helmets are on fire and send forth +sparks. And when the swords rebound in air, gleaming sparks fly off +from them as from a smoking piece of iron which the smith beats upon his +anvil after, drawing it from the forge. Both of the vassals are generous +in dealing blows in great plenty, and each has the best of intentions +to repay quickly what he borrows; neither one holds back from repaying +promptly capital and interest, without accounting and without measure. +But the duke is much chagrined with anger and discomfiture when he fails +to defeat and slay Cligés in the first assault. Such a marvellously +great and mighty blow he deals him that he falls at his feet upon his +knee. + +(Vv. 4095-4138.) When this blow brought Cligés down, the emperor was +struck with fear, and would have been no more dismayed had he himself +been beneath the shield. Nor could Fenice in her fear longer contain +herself, whatever the effect might be, from crying: "God help him!" +as loud as she could. But that was the only word she uttered, for +straightway her voice failed her, and she fell forward upon her face, +which was somewhat wounded by the fall. Two high nobles raised her up +and supported her upon her feet until she returned to consciousness. +But in spite of her countenance, none who saw her guessed why she had +swooned. Not a man there blamed her, but rather praised her for her act, +for each one supposes that she would have done the same thing for him, +if he had been in Cligés' place, but in all this they are quite astray. +Cligés heard, and well understood, the sound of Fenice's cry. Her voice +restored his strength and courage, as he leaped up quickly, and came +with fury, toward the duke, so charging and attacking him that the duke +in turn was now dismayed. For now he found him more fierce for the +fray, stronger and more agile and energetic than when at first they came +together. And because he feared his onslaught, he cried: "Young man, so +help me God, I see thou art brave and very bold. If it were not for my +nephew now, whom I shall never more forget, I would gladly make peace +with thee, and leave thy quarrel without interfering in it more." + +(Vv. 4139-4236.) "Duke," says Cligés, "what is your pleasure now? Must +one not surrender his right when he is unable to recover it? When one of +two evils must be faced, one should choose the lesser one. Your nephew +was not wise to become angrily embroiled with me. You may be sure that +I shall treat you in like fashion, if I get the chance, unless you agree +to my terms of peace." The duke, to whom it seems that Cligés' vigour is +steadily growing, thinks that he had better desist in mid-career before +he is utterly undone. Nevertheless, he does not openly give in, but +says: "Young man, I see thou art skilful and alert and not lacking in +courage. But thou art yet too young; therefore I feel assured that if I +defeat and kill thee I shall gain no praise or fame, and I should never +like to confess in the hearing of a man of honour that I had fought with +thee, for I should but do thee honour, and myself win shame. But if thou +art aware of honour's worth, it will always be a glorious thing for thee +to have withstood me for two rounds at arms. So now my heart and feeling +bid me let thee have thy way, and no longer fight with thee." [233] +"Duke," says Cligés, "that will not do. In the hearing of all you must +repeat those words, for it shall never be said and noised abroad that +you let me off and had mercy on me. In the hearing of all those who are +gathered here, you must repeat your words, if you wish to be reconciled +with me." So the duke repeats his words in the hearing of all. Then they +make peace and are reconciled. But however the matter be regarded Cligés +had all the honour and glory of it, and the Greeks were greatly pleased. +For their part, the Saxons could not laugh, all of them having plainly +seen that their lord was worn out and exhausted just now; but there is +no doubt at all that, if he could have helped himself, this peace would +never have been made, and that Cligés' soul would have been drawn from +his body had it proven possible. The duke goes back to Saxony sorrowing, +downcast, and filled with shame; for of his men there are not even two +who do not regard him as worsted, defeated, and disgraced. The Saxons +with all their shame have now returned to Saxony, while the +Greeks without delay make their way with joy and gladness toward +Constantinople, for Cligés by his prowess has opened the way for them. +The emperor of Germany no longer follows and convoys them. Taking leave +of the Greek troops and of his daughter and Cligés, and finally of the +emperor, he stayed behind in Germany. And the emperor of the Greeks goes +off happily and in joyous mood. Cligés, brave and courteous, calls to +mind his sire's command. If his uncle, the emperor, will give him his +permission, he will go and ask him for leave to return to Britain and +there converse with his great-uncle, the King; for he is desirous of +seeing and knowing him. So he presents himself before the emperor, and +requests that he consent to let him go to Britain to see his uncle and +his friends. Gently he proffered his request. But his uncle refused, +when he had listened to the request he made. "Fair nephew," he said, "it +is not my will that you should wish to leave me. I shall never give you +without regret this permission to go away. For it is my pleasure and +desire that you should be my companion and lord, with me, of all my +empire." + +(Vv. 4237-4282.) Now Cligés hears something that does not suit him when +his uncle refuses the prayer and request he made. "Fair sire," said he, +"I am not brave and wise enough, nor would it be seemly for me to join +myself with you or any one else in the duty of governing this empire; I +am too young and inexperienced. They put gold to the test when they wish +to learn if it is fine. And so it is my wish, in brief, to try to prove +myself, wherever I can find the test. In Britain, if I am brave, I can +apply myself to the whetstone and to the real true test, whereby my +prowess shall be proved. In Britain are the gentlemen whom honour and +prowess distinguish. And he who wishes to win honour should associate +himself with them, for honour is won and gained by him who associates +with gentlemen. And so I ask you for leave to go, and you may be very +sure that if you do not grant me the boon and send me thither I shall go +without your leave." "Fair nephew, I will give you leave, seeing you +are so disposed that I cannot keep you back either by force or prayer +of mine. Now since prayer, prohibition, and force do not avail, may God +give you the desire and inclination promptly to return. I wish you to +take with you more than a bushel of gold and silver, and I will give for +your pleasure such horses as you may choose." He had no sooner spoken +than Cligés bowed before him. All that the emperor, mentioned and +promised him was straightway brought thither. + +(Vv. 4283-4574.) Cligés took all the money and companions that he +wished and needed. For his personal use he took four horses of different +colours: one white, one sorrel, one fallow red, and one black. But I +must have passed over something which it is not proper to omit. Cligés +goes to ask and obtain leave to depart from his sweetheart Fenice; for +he wishes to commend her to God's safe keeping. Coming before her, +he throws himself upon his knees, weeping so bitterly that the tears +moisten his tunic and ermine, the while keeping his eyes upon the +ground; for he dares not raise his eyes to her, as if he were guilty +of some crime and misdeed toward her, for which he seems overcome with +shame. And Fenice, who timidly and fearfully looks at him, does not know +the occasion of his coming, and speaks to him with difficulty. "Rise, +friend and fair sir! Sit here beside me, and weep no more, and tell me +what your pleasure is." "Lady, what shall I say, and what leave unsaid? +I come to ask your leave." "Leave? To do what?" "Lady, I must go off to +Britain." "Then tell me what your business is, before I give you leave +to go." "Lady, my father, before he departed this life and died, begged +me not to fail to go to Britain as soon as I should be made a knight. +I should not wish for any reason to disregard his command. I must not +falter until I have accomplished the journey. It is a long road from +here to Greece, and if I should go thither, the journey would be too +long from Constantinople to Britain. But it is right that I should ask +leave from you to whom I altogether belong." Many a covert sigh and sob +marked the separation. But the eyes of none were keen enough, nor the +ears of any sharp enough, to learn from what he saw and heard that there +was any love between these two. Cligés, in spite of the grief he felt, +took his leave at the first opportunity. He is full of thought as he +goes away, and so are the emperor and many others who stay behind. But +more than all the others, Fenice is pensive: she finds no bottom or +bound to the reflections which occupy her, so abundantly are her cares +multiplied. She was still oppressed with thought when she arrived in +Greece. There she was held in great honour as mistress and empress; but +her heart and mind belong to Cligés, wherever he goes, and she wishes +her heart never to return to her, unless it is brought back to her by +him who is perishing of the same disease with which he has smitten her. +If he should get well, she would recover too, but he will never be its +victim without her being so as well. Her trouble appears in her pale and +changed colour; for the fresh, clear, and radiant colour which Nature +had given her is now a stranger to her face. She often weeps and often +sighs. Little she cares for her empire and for the riches that are hers. +She always cherishes in her remembrance the hour when Cligés went away, +and the leave he took of her, how he changed colour and grew pale, and +how tearful his expression was, for he came to weep in her presence +humbly and simply upon his knees, as if constrained to worship her. +All this is sweet and pleasant for her to remember and think about. And +afterward, as a little treat, she takes on her tongue instead of spice +a sweet word which for all Greece she would not wish him to have used +contrary to the sense she had understood when he first had uttered +it; for she lives upon no other dainty, and there is nothing else that +pleases her. This word alone sustains and nourishes her, and assuages +all her pain. She cares to eat and drink of no other dish or beverage, +for when the two lovers came to part, Cligés had said he was "altogether +hers." This word is so sweet and tastes so good that from the tongue it +stirs her heart, and she takes it into her mouth and heart to be all the +more sure of it. Under any other lock she would not dare to store this +treasure. Nowhere could it be lodged so well as in her own bosom. She +will never leave it exposed at any price, being in such fear of robbers +and thieves. But there is no ground for her anxiety, and she need have +no fear of the birds of prey, for her treasure is not movable, but is +rather like a house which cannot be destroyed by fire or flood, but will +always stay fixed in a single place. But she feels no confidence in the +matter, so she worries and strives to find and hold some ground on which +to stand, interpreting the situation in divers ways. She both opposes +and defends her position, and engages in the following argument: "With +what intention should Cligés say 'I am altogether yours' unless it was +love that prompted him? What power can I have over him that he should +esteem me so highly as to make me the mistress of his heart? Is he not +more fair than I, and of higher rank than I? I see in it naught but +love, which could vouchsafe me such a boon. I, who cannot escape its +power, will prove by my own case that unless he loved me he would never +say that he was mine; unless love holds him in its toils, Cligés +could never say that he was mine any more than I could say that I was +altogether his unless love had put me in his hands. For if he loves me +not, at least he does not fear me. I hope that love which gives me to +him will in return give him to me. But now I am sore dismayed because it +is so trite a word, and I may simply be deceived, for many there be who +in flattering terms will say even to a total stranger, 'I and all that +I have are yours,' and they are more idle chatterers than the jays. So +I do not know what to think, for it might well turn out that he said it +just to flatter me. Yet I saw his colour change, and I saw him weeping +piteously. In my judgment, the tears and his face confused and pale were +not produced by treachery, nor were they the fruits of trickery. Those +eyes from which I saw tears roll down were not guilty of falsehood. +Signs enough of love I saw, if I know anything about it. Yes, in an +evil hour I thought of love; woe is me that I ever learned it, for the +experience has been bitter. Has it indeed? Yes, verily. I am dead when +I cannot see him who has stolen my heart away by his cajoling flattery, +because of which my heart leaves its dwelling, and will not abide with +me, hating my home and establishment. In truth I have been ill treated +by him who has my heart in his keeping. He who robs me and takes what is +mine cannot love me, of that I am sure. But am I sure? Why then did he +weep? Why? It was not in vain, for there was cause enough. I must not +assume that I was the cause of it, for one is always loath to leave +people whom one loves and knows. So it is not strange if he was sorry +and grieved and if he wept when he left some one whom he knew. But +he who gave him this advice to go and dwell in Britain could not have +smitten me more effectively. He is cut to the quick who loses his heart. +He who deserves it, should be treated ill; but I have never deserved +such treatment. Alas, unhappy one, why has Cligés killed me when I +am innocent? But I am unjust to accuse him thus without cause. Surely +Cligés would never have deserted me if his heart were like mine. I am +sure his heart is not like mine. And if my heart is lodged in his it +will never draw away, and his will never part from mine, for my heart +follows him secretly: they have formed such a goodly company. But, after +all, to tell the truth, they are very different and contrary. How are +they different and contrary? Why, his is the master and mine the slave; +and the slave can have no will of his own, but only do his master's will +and forsake all other affairs. But what reference has that to me? My +heart and service are no concern to him. This arrangement distresses +me, that one is master of us both. Why is not my heart as independent +as his? Then their power would be equalised. My heart is now a prisoner, +unable to move itself unless his moves as well. And whether his heart +wanders or stays still, mine must needs prepare to follow him in his +train. God! why are our bodies not so near one another that I could +in some way bring back my heart! Bring back? Foolish one, if I should +remove it from its joy I should be the death of it. Let it stay there! +I have no desire to dislodge it, but rather wish that it tarry with its +lord until he feel some pity for it. For rather over there than here +ought he to have mercy on his servant, because they are both in a +foreign land. If my heart knows well the language of flattery, as is +necessary for the courtier, it will be rich ere it comes back. Whoever +wishes to stand in the good graces of his lord and sit beside him on his +right, to be in the fashion now-a-days, must remove the feather from +his head, even when there is none there. But there is one bad feature of +this practice: while he is smoothing down his master, who is filled +with evil and villainy, he will never be so courteous as to tell him the +truth; rather he makes him think and believe that no one could compare +with him in prowess and in knowledge, and the master thinks that he is +speaking the truth. That man does not know himself who takes another's +word about qualities which he does not possess. For even if he is a +wicked and insolent wretch, and as cowardly as a hare, mean, crazy, and +misshapen, and a villain both in word and deed--yet some man will praise +him to his face who behind his back will mock at him. But when in his +hearing he speaks of him to some other, he praises him, while his lord +pretends not to hear what they say between themselves; if, however, he +thought that he would not be heard, he would say something his master +would not like. And if his master is pleased to lie, the servant is all +ready with his consent, and will never be backward in averring that all +his master says is true. He who frequents courts and lords must ever be +ready with a lie. So, too, must my heart do if it would find favour with +its lord. Let it flatter and be obsequious. But Cligés is such a knight, +so fair, so open, and so loyal, that my heart, in praising him, +need never be false or perfidious, for in him there is nothing to be +improved. Therefore I wish my heart to serve him, for, as the people's +proverb runs, 'He who serves a noble man is bad indeed if he does not +improve in his company.'" + +(Vv. 4575-4628.) Thus love harrows Fenice. But this torment is her +delight, of which she can never grow weary. And Cligés now has crossed +the sea and come to Wallingford. There he took expensive quarters in +great state. But his thoughts are always of Fenice, not forgetting her +for a single hour. While he delays and tarries there, his men, acting +under his instructions, made diligent inquiries. They were informed that +King Arthur's barons and the King in person had appointed a tourney to +be held in the plain before Oxford, which lies close to Wallingford. +[234] There the struggle was arranged, and it was to last four days. But +Cligés will have abundant time to prepare himself if in the meantime +he needs anything, for more than a fortnight must elapse before the +tournament begins. He orders three of his squires to go quickly to +London and there buy three different sets of arms, one black, another +red, the third green, and that on the way back each shall be kept +covered with new cloth, so that if any one should meet them on the road +he may not know the colour of the arms they carry. The squires start at +once and come to London, where they find available everything they need. +Having finished this errand, they return at once without losing any +time. When the arms they had brought were shown to Cligés he was +well pleased with them. He ordered them to be set away and concealed, +together with those which the emperor had given him by the Danube, when +he knighted him. I do not choose to tell you now why he had them stored +away; but it will be explained to you when all the high barons of the +land are mounted on their steeds and assemble in search of fame. + +(Vv. 4629-4726.) On the day which had been agreed upon, the nobles of +renown came together. King Arthur, with all his men whom he had selected +from among the best, took up his position at Oxford, while most of the +knights ranged themselves near Wallingford. Do not expect me to delay +the story and tell you that such and such kings and counts were there, +and that this, that, and the other were of the number. [235] When the +time came for the knights to gather, in accordance with the custom +of those days, there came forth alone between two lines one of King +Arthur's most valiant knights to announce that the tourney should begin. +But in this case no one dares to advance and confront him for the joust. +There is none who does not hold back. And there are some who ask: "Why +do these knights of ours delay, without stepping forward from the ranks? +Some one will surely soon begin." And the others make reply: "Don't you +see, then, what an adversary yonder party has sent against us? Any one +who does not know should learn that he is a pillar, [236] able to stand +beside the best three in the world." "Who is he, then?" "Why, don't +you see? It is Sagremor the Wild." "Is it he?" "It surely is." Cligés +listens and hears what they say, as he sits on his horse Morel, clad +in armour blacker than a mulberry: for all his armour was black. As he +emerges from the ranks and spurs Morel free of the crowd, there is not +one, upon seeing him, but exclaims to his neighbour: "That fellow rides +well lance in rest; he is a very, skilful knight and carries his arms +right handily; his shield fits well about his neck. But he must be a +fool to undertake of his own free will to joust with one of the most +valiant knights to be found in all the land. Who can he be? Where was +he born? Who knows him here?" "Not I." "Nor I." "There is not a flake +of snow on him; but all his armour is blacker far than the cloak of any +monk or prior." While thus they talk, the two contestants give their +horses rein without delay, for they are very eager and keen to come +together in the fight. Cligés strikes him so that he crushes the shield +against his arm, and the arm against his body, whereupon Sagremor falls +full length. Cligés goes unerringly and bids him declare himself his +prisoner, which Sagremor does at once. Now the tourney is fairly begun, +and adversaries meet in rivalry. Cligés rushes about the field, seeking +adversaries with whom to joust, but not a knight presents himself whom +he does not cast down or take prisoner. He excels in glory, all the +knights on either side, for wherever he goes to battle, there the fight +is quickly ended. That man may be considered brave who holds his ground +to joust with him, for it is more credit to dare face him than it is to +defeat another knight. And if Cligés leads him away prisoner, for this +at least he gains renown that he dared to wait and fight with him. +Cligés wins the fame and glory of all the tournament. When evening came, +he secretly repaired to his lodging-place in order that none might have +any words with him. And lest any one should seek the house where the +black arms are displayed, he puts them away in a room in order that no +one may find them or see them, and he hangs up his green arms at the +street-door, where they will be in evidence, and where passers-by will +see them. And if any one asks and inquires where his lodging is, he +cannot learn when he sees no sign of the black shield for which he +seeks. + +(Vv. 4727-4758.) By this ruse Cligés remains hidden in the town. And +those who were his prisoners went from one end of the town to the other +asking for the black knight, but none could give them any information. +Even King Arthur himself has search made up and down for him; but there +is only one answer: "We have not seen him since we left the lists, and +do not know what became of him." More than twenty young men seek him, +whom the King sent out; but Cligés so successfully concealed himself +that they cannot find a trace of him. King Arthur is filled with +astonishment when he is informed that no one of high or low degree +can point out his lodging-place, any more than if he were in Caesarea, +Toledo, or Crete. "Upon my word," he says, "I know not what they may +say, but to me this seems a marvellous thing. Perchance it was a phantom +that appeared in our midst. Many a knight has been unhorsed, and noble +men have pledged faith to one whose house they cannot find, or even his +country or locality; each of these men perforce must fail to keep his +pledge." Thus the King spoke his mind, but he might as well have held +his peace. + +(Vv. 4759-4950.) That evening among all the barons there was much talk +of the black knight, for indeed they spoke of nothing else. The next +day they armed themselves again without summons and without request. +Lancelot of the Lake, in whom there is no lack of courage, rides forth +with lance upright to await a contestant in the first joust. Here comes +Cligés tiding fast, greener than the grass of the field, and mounted on +a fallow red steed, carrying its mane on the right-hand side. Wherever +Cligés spurs the horse, there is no one, either with hair or without, +who does not look at him amazed and exclaim to his neighbour on either +side: "This knight is in all respects more graceful and skilful than the +one who yesterday wore the black arms, just as a pine is more beautiful +than a white beech, and the laurel than the elder-bush. As yet we know +not who yesterday's victor was; but we shall know to-night who this man +is." Each one makes reply: "I don't know him, nor did I ever see him, +that I am aware. But he is fairer than he who fought yesterday, and +fairer than Lancelot of the Lake. If this man rode armed in a bag and +Lancelot in silver and gold, this man would still be fairer than he." +Thus they all take Cligés' part. And the two champions drive their +steeds together with all the force of spur. Cligés gives him such a blow +upon the golden shield with the lion portrayed thereon that he knocks +him down from his saddle and stands over him to receive his surrender. +For Lancelot there was no help; so he admitted himself his prisoner. +Then the noise began afresh with the shock of breaking lances. Those who +are on Cligés' side place all their confidence in him. For of those whom +he challenges and strikes, there is none so strong but must fall from +his horse to earth. That day Cligés did so well, and unhorsed and took +captive so many knights, that he gave double the satisfaction to his +side, and won for himself twice the glory that he had gained on the +preceding day. When evening came, he betook himself as fast as he could +to his lodging-place, and quickly ordered out the vermilion shield and +his other arms, while he ordered the arms which he had worn that day to +be laid away: the host carefully put them aside. Again that evening the +knights whom he had captured sought for him, but without hearing any +news of him. In their lodging-places, most of those who speak of him do +so with praise and admiration. The next day the gay and doughty knights +return to the contest. From the Oxford side comes forth a vassal of +great renown--his name was Perceval of Wales. As soon as Cligés saw him +start, and learned certainly who it was, when he had heard the name of +Perceval he was very anxious to contest with him. He issued straightway +from the ranks upon a Spanish sorrel steed, and completely clad in +vermilion armour. Then all gaze at him, wondering more than ever +before, and saying that they had never seen so perfect a knight. And +the contestants without delay spur forward until their mighty blows land +upon their shields. The lances, though they were short and stout, bend +until they look like hoops. In the sight of all who were looking on, +Cligés struck Perceval so hard that he knocked him from his horse and +made him surrender without a long struggle or much ado. When Perceval +had pledged his word then the joust began again, and the engagement +became general. Every knight whom Cligés meets he forces to earth. He +did not quit the lists that day even for a single hour, while all the +others struck at him as at a tower--individually, of course, and not +in groups of two or three, for such was not the custom then. Upon his +shield, as upon an anvil, the others strike and pound, splitting and +hewing it to bits. But every one who strikes him there, he pays back by +casting him from his stirrups and saddle; and no one, unless he wished +to lie, could fail to say when the jousting ceased that the knight with +the red shield had won all the glory on that day. And all the best and +most courtly knights would fain have made his acquaintance. But their +desire was not felt before he had departed secretly, seeing the sun +already set; and he had his vermilion shield and all his other harness +removed, and ordered his white arms to be brought out, in which he had +first been dubbed a knight, while the other arms and the steeds were +fastened outside by the door. Those who notice this realise and exclaim +that they have all been defeated and undone by one single man; for each +day he has disguised himself with a different horse and set of armour, +thus seeming to change his identity; for the first time now they noticed +this. And my lord Gawain proclaimed that he never saw such a champion, +and therefore he wished to make his acquaintance and learn his name, +announcing that on the morrow he himself will be the first at the rally +of the knights. Yet, withal, he makes no boast; on the other hand, +he says that he fully expects the stranger knight will have all the +advantage with the lance; but it may be that with the sword he will not +be his superior (for with the sword Gawain had no master). Now it is +Gawain's desire to measure his strength on the morrow with this strange +knight who changes every day his arms, as well as his horse and harness. +His moultings will soon be numerous if he continues thus each day, as +is his custom, to discard his old and assume new plumage. Thus, when he +thought of the sword and the lance respectively. Gawain disparaged and +esteemed highly the prowess of his foe. The next day he sees Cligés come +back whiter than the fleur-delis, his shield grasped tight by the inside +straps and seated on his white Arab steed, as he had planned the +night before. Gawain, brave and illustrious, seeks no repose on the +battleground, but spurs and rides forward, endeavouring as best he may +to win honour in the fray, if he can find an opponent. In a moment they +will both be on the field. For Cligés had no desire to hold back when he +overheard the words of the men who said: "There goes Gawain, who is no +weakling either on foot or ahorse. He is a man whom no one will attack." +When Cligés hears these words, he rushes toward him in mid-field; they +both advance and come together with a swifter leap than that of the +stag who hears the sound of the dogs as they come baying after him. The +lances are thrust at the shields, and the blows produce such havoc that +the lances split, crack and break clear down to the butt-end, and the +saddle-bows behind give away, and the girths and breast-straps snap. +Both come to earth at once and draw their naked swords, while the others +gather round to watch the battle. Then King Arthur stepped forward to +separate them and establish peace. But before the truce was sworn, the +white hauberks were badly torn and rent apart, the shields were cracked +and hewed to bits, and the helmets crushed. + +(Vv. 4951-5040.) The King viewed them with pleasure for a while, as did +many others who said that they esteemed the white knight's deeds of arms +no less than those of my lord Gawain, and they were not ready yet to say +which was the better and which the worse, nor which was likely to win, +if they had been allowed to fight to a finish; but it did not please the +King to let them do more than they had done. So he stepped forward to +separate them, saying: "Stop now! Woe if another blow be struck! Make +peace now, and be good friends. Fair nephew Gawain, I make this request +of you; for without resentment and hate it is not becoming for a +gentleman to continue to fight and defy his foe. But if this knight +would consent to come to my court and join our sport it would not be +to his sorrow or hurt. Nephew, make this request of him." "Gladly, my +lord." Cligés has no desire to refuse, and gladly consents to go when +the tourney is concluded. For now he has more than sufficiently carried +out the injunction of his father. And the King says he has no desire +that the tournament shall last too long, and that they can afford to +stop at once. So the knights drew off, according to the wish and order +of the King. Now that he is to follow in the royal suite, Cligés sends +for all his armour. As soon as he can, he comes to court; but first, +he completely changed his gear, and came dressed in the style of the +French. As soon as he arrived at court, all ran to meet him without +delay, making such joy and festival that never was there greater seen, +and all those call him lord whom he had captured in the joust; but he +would hear none of this, and said they might all go free, if they were +quite sure and satisfied that it was he who had captured them. And there +was not one who did not cry: "You were the man; we are sure of that! We +value highly your acquaintance, and we ought to love and esteem you +and call you our lord, for none of us can equal you. Just as the sun +outshines the little stars, so that their light cannot be seen in the +sky when the sun's rays appear, so is our prowess extinguished and +abased in the presence of yours, though ours too was once famous in +the world." Cligés knows not what to reply, for in his opinion they all +praise him more than he deserves; it pleases him, but he feels ashamed, +and the blood rises in his face, revealing to all his modesty. Escorting +him into the middle of the hall, they led him to the King, where all +ceased their words of compliment and praise. The time for the meal had +come, and those whose duty it was hastened to set the tables. The tables +in the hall were quickly spread, then while some took the towels, and +others held the basins, they offered water to all who came. When all had +washed, they took their seats. And the King, taking Cligés by the hand, +made him sit down in front of him, for he wished to learn this very day, +if possible, who he was. Of the meal I need not further speak, for the +courses were as well supplied as if beef were selling at a penny. + +(Vv. 5041-5114.) When all the courses had been served, the King no +longer held his peace. "My friend," he says, "I wish to learn if it +was from pride that you did not deign to come to court as soon as you +arrived in this country, and why you kept aloof from people, and why +you changed your arms; and tell me what your name is, too, and from what +race you spring." Cligés replies: "It shall not be hid." He told and +related to the King everything he wished to know. And when the King had +heard it all, he embraced him, and made much of him, while all joined in +greeting him. And when my lord Gawain learned the truth, he, more than +the others, cordially welcomed him. Thus, all unite in saluting him, +saying that he is very fair and brave. The King loves and honours him +above all his nephews. Cligés tarries with the King until the summer +comes around, in the meantime visiting all Brittany, France, and +Normandy, where he did so many knightly deeds that he thoroughly proved +his worth. But the love whose wound he bears gives him no peace or +relief. The inclination of his heart keeps him fixed upon a single +thought. To Fenice his thought harks back, who from afar afflicts his +heart. The desire takes him to go back; for he has been deprived too +long of the sight of the most desired lady who was ever desired by +any one. He will not prolong this privation, but prepares to return to +Greece, and sets out, after taking leave. The King and my lord Gawain +were grieved, I can well believe, when they could no longer detain him. +But he is anxious to return to her whom he loves and so covets that the +way seems long to him as he passes over land and sea: so ardently he +longs for the sight of her who has stolen and filched Iris heart away. +But she makes him recompense in full; for she pays him, as it were rent, +the coin of her own heart, which is no less dear to her. But he is by no +means sure of that, having no contract or agreement to show; wherefore +his anxiety is great. And she is in just as great distress, harried +and tormented by love, taking no pleasure in aught she sees since that +moment when she saw him last. The fact that she does not even know +whether he be alive or not fills her heart with anguish. But Cligés +draws nearer day by day, being fortunate in having favourable winds, +until he joyfully comes to port before Constantinople. When the news +reached the city, none need ask if the emperor was glad; but a hundred +times greater was the empress's joy. + +(Vv. 5115-5156.) Cligés, with his company, having landed at +Constantinople, has now returned to Greece. The richest and most noble +men all come to meet him at the port. And when the emperor encounters +him, who before all others had gone to meet him with the empress by his +side, he runs to embrace and greet him in the presence of them all. And +when Fenice welcomes him, each changes colour in the other's presence, +and it is indeed a marvel, when they are so close together, how they +keep from embracing each other and bestowing such kisses as love would +have; but that would have been folly and madness. The people come +together from all sides with the desire to see him, and conduct him +through the city, some on foot and some on horseback, until they bring +him to the imperial palace. No words can ever tell the joy and honour +and courteous service that were there displayed. But each one strove as +best he might to do everything which he thought would please and gratify +Cligés. And his uncle hands over to him all his possessions, except the +crown: he wishes him to gratify his pleasure fully, and to take all he +desires of his wealth, either in the form of land or treasure. But +he has no care for silver or gold, so long as he dares not reveal his +thoughts to her because of whom he can find no repose; and yet he has +plenty of time and opportunity to speak, if he were not afraid of +being repelled; for now he can see her every day, and sit beside her +"tete-a-tete" without opposition or hindrance, for no one sees any harm +in that. + +(Vv. 5157-5280.) Some time after his return, he came alone one day to +the room of her who was not his enemy, and you may be sure that the door +was not barred at his approach. By her side he took his seat, while the +others moved away, so that no one might be seated near them and hear +their words. First, Fenice spoke of Britain, and asked him about the +character and appearance of my lord Gawain, until her words finally hit +upon the subject which filled her with dread. She asked him if he +had given his love to any dame or damsel in that land. Cligés was not +obstinate or slow to respond to this demand, but he knew at once what +reply to make as soon as she had put the question. "Lady," he says, "I +was in love while there, but not with any one of that land. In Britain +my body was without my heart, as a piece of bark without the wood. Since +leaving Germany I have not known what became of my heart, except that it +came here after you. My heart was here, and my body was there. I was not +really away from Greece; for hither my heart had come, for which I now +have come back again; yet, it does not return to its lodging-place, +nor can I draw it back to me, nor do I wish to do so, if I could. And +you--how has it fared with you, since you came to this country? What joy +have you had here? Do you like the people, do you like the land? I ought +not to ask you any other question than whether the country pleases you." +"It has not pleased me until now; but at present I feel a certain joy +and satisfaction, which, you may be sure, I would not lose for Pavia or +Piacenza. From this joy I cannot wrest my heart, nor shall I ever use +force in the attempt. Nothing but the bark is left in me, for I live and +exist without a heart. I have never been in Britain, and yet without +me my heart has been engaged in business there I know not what." "Lady, +when was it that your heart was there? Tell me when it went thither--the +time and season--if it be a thing that you can fairly tell me or any one +else. Was it there while I was there?" "Yes, but you were not aware of +it. It was there as long as you were, and came away again with you." +"God! I never saw it, nor knew it was there. God! why did I not know it? +If I had been informed of this, surely, my lady, I would have borne it +pleasant company." "You would have repaid me with the consolation which +you really owed to me, for I should have been very gracious to your +heart if it had been pleased to come where it might have known I was." +"Lady, surely it came to you." "To me? Then it came to no strange place, +for mine also went to you." "Then, lady, according to what you say, our +hearts are here with us now, for my heart is altogether in your hands." +"You in turn have mine, my friend; so we are in perfect accord. And you +may be sure, so help me God, that your uncle has never shared in me, for +it was not my pleasure, and he could not. Never has he yet known me +as Adam knew his wife. In error I am called a wife; but I am sure that +whoever calls me wife does not know that I am still a maid. Even your +uncle is not aware of it, for, having drunk of the sleeping potion, he +thinks he is awake when he is asleep, and he fancies he has his sport +with me while I lie in his embrace. But his exclusion has been complete. +My heart is yours, and my body too, and from me no one shall ever +learn how to practise villainy. For when my heart went over to you it +presented you with the body too, and it made a pledge that none other +should ever share in it. Love for you has wounded me so deep that I +should never recover from it, any more than the sea can dry up. If I +love you, and you love me, you shall never be called Tristan, nor I +Iseut; [237] for then our love would not be honourable. But I make you +this promise, that you shall never have other joy of me than that you +now have, unless you can devise some means whereby I can be removed from +your uncle and his society without his finding me again, or being able +to blame either you or me, or having any ground for accusation. And +to-morrow you shall tell me of the best plan you have devised, and I, +too, will think of it. To-morrow, as soon as I arise, come and speak +with me; then each of us will speak his mind, and we shall proceed to +execute whatever seems best." + +(Vv. 5281-5400.) As soon as Cligés heard her will be fully agreed with +her, and said that would be the best thing to do. He leaves her happy, +and goes off with a light heart himself. That night each one lies awake +thinking over, with great delight, what the best plan will be. The next +morning, as soon as they had arisen, they meet again to take counsel +privately, as indeed they must. Cligés speaks first and says what he +had thought of in the night: "My lady," says he, "I think, and am of +the opinion, that we could not do better than go to Britain; I thought I +might take you there; now do not refuse, for never was Helen so joyfully +received at Troy when Paris took her thither but that still greater joy +would be felt over you and me in the land of the King, my uncle. And if +this plan does not meet with your favour, tell me what you think, for +I am ready, whatever may happen, to abide by your decision." And she +replies: "This is my answer: I will never go off with you thus; for +after we had gone away, every one would speak of us as they do of Iseut +the Blond and of Tristan. And everywhere all men and women would speak +evil of our love. No one would believe, nor is it natural that they +should do so, the truth of the matter. Who would believe that I have +thus, all to no purpose, evaded and escaped from your uncle still a +maid? I should be regarded simply as wanton and dissolute, and you would +be thought mad. It is well to remember and observe the injunction of St. +Paul: if any one is unwilling to live chaste, St. Paul counsels him to +act so that he shall receive no criticism, or blame, or reproach. [238] +It is well to stop evil mouths, and therefore, if you agree, I have +a proposal to make: it seems best to me to consent to feign that I am +dead. I shall fall sick in a little while. And you in the meantime may +plan some preparations for a place of burial. Put all your wits to work +to the end that a sepulchre and bier be so constructed that I shall not +die in it, or be stifled, and that no one shall mount guard over it at +night when you come to take me out. So now seek such a retreat for me, +where no one may see me excepting you; and let no one provide for any +need of mine except you, to whom I surrender and give myself. Never, my +whole life long, do I wish to be served by other man than you. My lord +and my servant you shall be; whatever you do shall seem good to me; and +never shall I be mistress of any empire unless you are its master. Any +wretched place, however dark and foul, will seem brighter to me than +all these halls if you are with me. If I have you where I can see you, +I shall be mistress of boundless treasure, and the world will belong to +me. And if the business is carefully managed, no harm will come of it, +and no one will ever be able to speak ill of it, for it will be believed +throughout the empire that I am mouldering in the ground. My maid, +Thessala, who has been my nurse, and in whom I have great confidence, +will give me faithful aid, for she is very clever, and I trust her +fully." And Cligés, when he heard his sweetheart, replies: "My lady, if +this is feasible, and if you think your nurse's advice reliable, we have +nothing to do but make our preparations without delay; but if we commit +any imprudence, we are lost without escape. In this city there is an +artisan who cuts and carves wonderful images: there is no land where he +is not known for the figures which he has shapen and carved and made. +John is his name, and he is a serf of mine. No one could cope with +John's best efforts in any art, however varied it might be. For, +compared with him, they are all novices, and like a child with nurse. +By imitating his handiwork the artisans of Antioch and Rome have learned +all they know how to do--and besides there is no more loyal man. Now I +want to make a test, and if I can put trust in him I will set him and +all his descendants free; and I shall not fail to tell him of all +our plan if he will swear and give his word to me that he will aid me +loyally, and will never divulge my secret." + +(Vv. 5401-5466.) And she replies: "So let it be." With her permission +Cligés left the room and went away. And she sends for Thessala, her +maid, whom she brought with her from her native land. Thessala came at +once without delay, yet not knowing why she was summoned. When she asked +Fenice privately what was her desire and pleasure, she concealed none +of her intentions from her. "Nurse," she said, "I know full well that +anything I tell you will go no further, for I have tried you thoroughly +and have found you very prudent. I love you for all you have done +for me. In all my troubles I appeal to you without seeking counsel +elsewhere. You know why I lie awake, and what my thoughts and wishes +are. My eyes behold only one object which pleases me, but I can have no +pleasure or joy in it if I do not first buy it with a heavy price. For I +have now found my peer; and if I love him he loves me in return, and if +I grieve he grieves too for my pain and sorrow. Now I must acquaint you +with a plan and project upon which we two have privately agreed." Then +she told and explained to her how she was willing to feign illness, and +would complain so bitterly that at last she would pretend to be dead, +and how Cligés would steal her away at night, and then they would be +together all their days. She thinks that in no other way she could +longer bear to live. But if she was sure that she would consent to lend +her aid, the matter would be arranged in accordance with their wishes. +"But I am tired of waiting for my joy and luck." Then her nurse assured +her that she would help her in every way, telling her to have no further +fear. She said that as soon as she set to work she would bring it about +that there would be no man, upon seeing her, who would not certainly +believe that the soul had left the body after she had drunk of a potion +which would leave her cold, colourless, pale, and stiff, without power +of speech and deprived of health; yet she would be alive and well, and +would have no sensations of any kind, and would be none the worse for a +day and a night entire spent in the sepulchre and bier. [239] + +(Vv. 5467-5554.) When Fenice heard these words, she thus spoke in reply: +"Nurse, I commit myself to you, and, with full confidence in you, will +take no steps in my own behalf. I am in your hands; so think of my +interests, and tell all the people who are here to betake themselves +away, for I am ill, and they bother me." So, like a prudent woman, she +said to them: "My lords, my lady is not well, and desires you all to +go away. You are talking loud and making a noise, and the noise is +disagreeable to her. She can get no rest or repose so long as you are in +the room. I never remember her to have complained of such a sickness +as this so violent and serious does it seem. So go away, and don't feel +hurt." As soon as she had issued this command, they all quickly go away. +And Cligés sent for John to come quickly, and thus in private spoke to +him: "John, dost thou know what I am about to say? Thou art my slave and +I thy master, and I can give away or sell thy body like a thing which is +my own. But if I could trust thee in an affair I meditate, thou wouldst +go for ever free, as well as the heirs which may be born of thee." John, +in his desire for freedom, replies at once: "My lord, there is nothing +I would not gladly do to see myself, my wife, and children free. Tell me +what your orders are, for nothing can be so hard as to cause me any +work or pain or be hard for me to execute. For that matter, even were +it against my will, I must needs obey your commands and give up my own +affairs." "True, John; but this is a matter of which I hardly dare to +speak, unless thou wilt assure me upon thy oath thou wilt faithfully +give me aid and never betray me." "Willingly, sire," John makes reply: +"have never a fear on that account! For I will swear and pledge my word +that, so long as I live, I will never say a word which I think will +grieve you or cause you harm." "Ah John, even were I to die for it, +there is no man to whom I would dare mention the matter in which I +desire thy counsel; I would rather have my eye plucked out; I would +rather be put to death by thee than that thou shouldst speak of it to +another man. But I hold thee to be so loyal and prudent that I will +reveal to thee all my thought. I am sure thou wilt observe my wishes, +both by aiding me and holding thy peace." "Truly, sire so, help me God!" +Then Cligés speaks and explains to him openly the adventurous plan. +And when he had revealed the project--as you have heard me set it +forth--then John said that he would promise to construct the sepulchre +in accordance with his best skill, and said that he would take him to +see a certain house of his which no one yet had ever seen--not even his +wife or any child of his. This house, which he had built, he would show +him, if he cared to go with him to the place where in absolute privacy +he works and paints and carves. He would show him the finest and +prettiest place that he had ever seen. Cligés replies: "Let us go +thither then." + +(Vv. 5555-5662.) Below the city, in a remote spot, John had expended +much labour in the construction of a tower. Thither he conducted Cligés, +leading him through the different storeys, which were decorated with +fine painted pictures. He shows him the rooms and the fire-places, +taking him everywhere up and down. Cligés examines this lonely house +where no one lives or has access. He passes from one room to another, +until he thinks he has seen it all, and he is much pleased with the +tower and says he thinks it is very fine. The lady will be comfortable +there as long as she lives, for no one will know of her dwelling place. +"No sire, you are right; she will never be discovered here. But do you +think you have seen all of my tower and fair retreat? There still remain +rooms so concealed that no man could ever find them out. And if you +choose to test the truth of this by investigating as thoroughly as you +can, you can never be so shrewd and clever in your search as to find +another story here, unless I show you and point it out. You must know +that baths are not lacking here, nor anything else which a lady needs, +and which I can think of or recall. The lady will be here at her ease. +Below the level of the ground the tower widens out, as you will see, +and you cannot anywhere find any entrance-door. The door is made of hard +stone with such skill and art that you cannot find the crack." Cligés +says: "These are wonderful things I hear. Lead on and I will follow you, +for I am anxious to see all this." Then John started on, taking Cligés +by the hand, until he came to a smooth and polished door, all coloured +and painted over. When John came to the wall, he stopped, holding Cligés +by the right hand. "Sire," he says, "there is no one who could see a +window or a door in this wall; and do you think that any one could pass +through it without using violence and breaking it down?" And Cligés +replies that he does not think so, and that he will never think so, +unless he sees it first. Then John says that he shall see it at once, +and that he will open a door in the wall for him. John, who constructed +this piece of work, unfastens the door in the wall and opens it for him, +so that he has to use no strength or violence to force it; then, one +stepping before the other, they descend by a winding-stair to a vaulted +apartment where John used to do his work, when it pleased him to labour +at anything. "Sire," he says, "of all the men God ever made, no one but +us two has ever been where we are now. And you shall see presently +how convenient the place is. My advice is that you choose this as your +retreat, and that your sweetheart be lodged here. These quarters are +good enough for such a guest; for there are bedrooms, and bathrooms +with hot water in the tubs, which comes through pipes under the ground. +Whoever is looking for a comfortable place in which to establish and +conceal his lady, would have to go a long way before he would find +anything so charming. When you shall have explored it thoroughly you +will find this place very suitable." Then John showed him everything, +fine chambers and painted vaults, pointing out many examples of his +work which pleased Cligés much. When they had examined the whole tower, +Cligés said: "John, my friend, I set you free and all your descendants, +and my life is absolutely in your hands. I desire that my sweetheart be +here all alone, and that no one shall know of it excepting me and you +and her." John makes answer: "I thank you, sire. Now we have been here +long enough, and as we have nothing more to do, let us return." "That is +right," says Cligés, "let us be gone." Then they go away, and leave the +tower. Upon their return they hear every one in the city saying to +his neighbour: "Don't you know the marvellous news about my lady, the +empress? May the Holy Spirit give her health--the gentle and prudent +lady; for she lies sick of a grievous malady." + +(Vv. 5663-5698.) When Cligés heard this talk he went in haste to the +court. But there was no joy or gladness there: for all the people were +sad and prostrated because of the empress, who is only feigning to be +ill; for the illness of which she complains causes her no grief or pain. +But she has told them all that she wishes no one to enter her room so +long as her sickness maintains its grip with its accompanying pains in +her heart and head. She makes an exception, however, in favour of the +emperor and his nephew, not wishing to place a ban upon them; but she +will not care if the emperor, her lord, does not come. For Cligés' sake +she is compelled to pass through great pain and peril. It distresses +her that he does not come, for she has no desire to see any one but him. +Cligés, however, will soon be there, to tell her of what he has seen and +found. He came into the room and spoke to her, but stayed only a moment, +for Fenice, in order that they might think she was annoyed by what +pleased her so, cried out aloud: "Be gone, be gone! You disturb and +bother me too much, for I am so seriously ill that I shall never rise up +again." Cligés, though pleased with this, goes away with a sad face: you +would never see so woeful a countenance. To judge from his appearance he +is very sad; but within his heart is gay in anticipation of its joy. + +(Vv. 5699-5718.) The empress, without being really ill, complains and +pretends that she is sick. And the emperor, who has faith in her, ceases +not to grieve, and summons a physician. But she will not allow any one +to see her or touch her. The emperor may well feel chagrined when she +says that she will never have but one doctor, who can easily restore her +to health whenever it pleases him to do so. He can cause her to die or +to live, and to him she trusts her health and life. They think that she +refers to God; but her meaning is very different, for she is thinking +of no one but Cligés. He is her god who can bring her health, or who can +cause her death. + +(Vv. 5719-5814.) Thus the empress takes care that no physician shall +examine her; and more completely to deceive the emperor she refuses to +eat or drink, until she grows all pale and blue. Meanwhile her nurse +keeps busy about her, and with great shrewdness sought privily all +through the city, without the knowledge of any one, until she found a +woman who was hopelessly ill with a mortal disease. In order to perfect +her ruse she used to go to see her often and promised to cure her of her +illness; so each day she used to take a urinal in which to examine the +urine, until she saw one day that no medicine could ever be of any help, +and that she would die that very day. This urine Thessala carried off +and kept until the emperor arose, when she went to him and said: "If now +it be your will, my lord, send for all your physicians; for my mistress +has passed some water; she is very ill with this disease, and she +desires the doctors to see it, but she does not wish them to come where +she is." The doctors came into the hall and found upon examination that +the urine was very bad and colourless, and each one said what he thought +about it. Finally, they all agreed that she would never recover, and +that she would scarcely live till three o'clock, when, at the latest, +God would take her soul to Himself. This conclusion they reached +privately, when the emperor asked and conjured them to tell him the +truth. They reply that they have no confidence in her recovery, and that +she cannot live past three o'clock but will yield up her soul before +that time. When the emperor heard this, he almost fell unconscious to +the floor, as well as many others who heard the news. Never did any +people make such moan as there was then throughout the palace. However, +I will speak no further of their grief; but you shall hear of Thessala's +activities--how she mixes and brews the potion. She mixed and stirred it +up, for she had provided herself a long time in advance with everything +which she would need for the potion. A little before three o'clock she +gives her the potion to drink. At once her sight became dimmed, her face +grew as pale and white as if she had lost her blood: she could not have +moved a foot or hand, if they had flayed her alive, and she does not +stir or say a word, although she perceives and hears the emperor's grief +and the cries which fill the hall. The weeping crowds lament through all +the city, saying: "God! what woe and misfortune has been brought upon us +by wicked death! O covetous and voracious death! Death is worse than a +she-wolf which always remains insatiable. Such a cruel bite thou hast +never inflicted upon the world! Death, what hast thou done? May God +confound thee for having put out the light of perfect beauty! Thou hast +done to death the fairest and most lovely creature, had she but lived, +whom God has ever sought to form. God's patience surely is too great +when He suffers thee to have the power to break in pieces what belongs +to Him. Now God ought to be wroth with thee, and cast thee out of thy +bailiwick; for thy impudence has been too great, as well as thy pride +and disrespect." Thus the people storm about and wring their arms and +beat their hands; while the priests read their psalms, making prayers +for the good lady, that God may have mercy on her soul. + +(Vv. 5815-5904.) [240] In the midst of the tears and cries, as the story +runs, there arrived aged physicians from Salerno, where they had long +sojourned. At the sight of the great mourning they stopped to ask and +inquire the cause of the cries and tears--why all the people are in +such sorrow and distress. And this is the answer they receive: "God! +gentlemen, don't you know? The whole world would be beside itself as we +are, if it but knew of the great sorrow and grief and woe and loss which +has come to us this day. God! where have you come from, then, that you +do not know what has happened just now in this city? We will tell you +the truth, for we wish you to join with us in the grief we feel. Do +you not know about grim Death, who desires and covets all things, and +everywhere lies in wait for what is best, do you not know what mad act +she has committed to-day, as it is her wont to do? God has illuminated +the world with one great radiance, with one bright light. But Death +cannot restrain herself from acting as her custom is. Every day, to the +extent of her power, she blots out the best creature she can find. So +she wishes to try her power, and in one body she has carried off more +excellence than she has left behind. She would have done better to take +the whole world, and leave alive and sound this prey which now she has +carried off. Beauty, courtesy, and knowledge, and all that a lady can +possess of goodness has been taken and filched from us by Death, who +has destroyed all goodness in the person of our lady, the empress. Thus +Death has deprived us all of life." "Ah, God!" the doctors say, "we know +that Thou art wroth with this city because we did not reach here sooner. +If we had arrived here yesterday, Death might have boasted of her +strength if she could wrest her prey from us." "Gentlemen, madame would +not have allowed you at any price to see her or to exercise your skill. +Of good physicians there was no lack, but madame would not permit any +one of them to see her or to investigate her malady." "No?" "Truly, +sirs, that she would not." Then they recalled the case of Solomon, who +was so hated by his wife that she deceived him by feigning death. [241] +They think this woman has done the same. But if they could in any way +bring about her cure, no one could make them lie or keep them from +exposing the truth, if they discovered any trickery. So to the court +they take their way, where there was such a noise and cry that you could +not have heard God's thunder crash. The chief of these three doctors, +who knew the most, drew near the bier. No one says to him "Keep hands +off," and no one tries to hold him back. He places his hand on her +breast and side, and surely feels that life is still in the body: he +perceives and knows that well enough. He sees the emperor standing by, +mad and tormented by his grief. Seeing him, he calls aloud: "Emperor, +console thyself! I am sure and plainly see that this lady is not dead. +Leave off thy grief, and be comforted! If I do not restore her alive to +thee, thou mayst kill me or string me up." + +(Vv. 5995-5988.) At once throughout the palace the noise is quieted and +hushed. And the emperor bade the doctor tell him fully his orders and +wishes, whatever they might be. If he can restore life in the empress +he will be sire and lord over the emperor himself; but if he has in +any respect lied to him he will be hanged like a common thief. And the +doctor said: "I consent to that, and may you never have mercy upon me +if I do not cause her to speak to you here! Without tarrying and without +delay have the palace cleared at once, and let not a single soul remain. +I must examine in private the illness which afflicts the lady. These two +doctors, who are my friends, will remain with me alone in the room, +and let every one else go out." This order would have been opposed by +Cligés, John, and Thessala; but all the others who were there might have +turned against them if they had tried to oppose his order. So they hold +their peace and approve what they hear approved by the others, and leave +the palace. After the three doctors had forcibly tipped apart the lady's +winding-sheer, without using any knife or scissors, they said to +her: "Lady, don't be frightened, have no fear, but speak to us with +confidence! We know well enough that you are perfectly sound and in good +state. Be sensible and obliging now, and do not despair of anything, +for if you have any need of us we will all three assure you of our aid, +whether for good or ill. We shall be very loyal to you, both in keeping +our counsel and in helping you. Do not keep us talking here! Since +we put at your disposal our skill and service, you should surely not +refuse." Thus they think to hoodwink and deceive her, but they have no +success; for she has no need or care for the service which they promise +her; so they are wasting their time in a vain effort. When the three +physicians see that they will make nothing out of her either by prayer +or flattery, then they take her from her bier, and begin to beat and +belabour her. But their efforts are foolish, for not a word can they +extract from her. Then they threaten and try to terrify her by saying +that if she does not speak she will soon have reason to repent of her +folly, for they are going to do such a wonderful thing to her that such +a thing was never done to the body of any wretched woman. "We know that +you are alive, and will not deign to speak to us. We know that you are +feigning death, and would thus deceive the emperor. Have no fear of us! +If any of us has angered you, before we do you further harm, cease your +mad behaviour now, for you are acting wickedly; and we will lend you +our aid in any enterprise--wise or mad." But it cannot be; they have no +success. Then they renew their attack, striking her with thongs upon the +back, so that the welts are plainly seen, and they combine to tear her +tender flesh until they cause the blood to flow. + +(Vv. 5989-6050.) When they had beaten her with the thongs until they had +slashed her flesh, and when the blood is dropping down, as it trickles +from among the wounds, even then their efforts are of no avail to +extract from her a sigh or word, nor to make her stir or move. Then they +say that they must procure fire and lead, which they will melt and lay +upon her hands, rather than fail in their efforts to make her speak. +After securing a light and some lead they kindle a fire and melt the +lead. Thus the miserable villains torment and afflict the lady, by +taking the lead all boiling hot from the fire and pouring it into the +palms of her hands. Not satisfied with pouring the lead clean through +her palms, the cowardly rascals say that, if she does not speak at once +they will straightway stretch her on the grate until she is completely +grilled. Yet, she holds her peace, and does not refuse to have her body +beaten and maltreated by them. Now they were on the point of placing +her upon the fire to be roasted and grilled when more than a thousand +ladies, who were stationed before the palace, come to the door and +through a little crack catch sight of the torture and anguish which they +were inflicting upon the lady, as with coal and flame they accomplished +her martyrdom. They bring clubs and hammers to smash and break down the +door. Great was the noise and uproar as they battered and broke in the +door. If now they can lay hands on the doctors, the latter will not have +long to wait before they receive their full deserts. With a single rush +the ladies enter the palace, and in the press is Thessala, who has no +other aim than to reach her mistress. Beside the fire she finds her +stripped, severely wounded and injured. She puts her back in the bier +again, and over her she spreads a cloth, while the ladies go to give +their reward to the three doctors, without wishing to wait for the +emperor or his seneschal. Out of the windows they threw them down into +the court-yard, breaking the necks, ribs, arms, and legs of all: no +better piece of work was ever done by any ladies. + +(Vv. 6051-6162.) Now the three doctors have received their gruesome +reward at the hands of the ladies. But Cligés is terror-stricken and +filled with grief upon hearing of the pain and martyrdom which his +sweetheart has endured for him. He is almost beside himself, fearing +greatly, and with good reason, that she may be dead or badly injured by +the torture inflicted upon her by the three physicians who now are dead. +So he is in despair and despondency when Thessala comes, bringing with +her a very precious ointment with which she has already gently rubbed +the body and wounds of her mistress. When they laid her back in her bier +the ladies wrapped her again in a cloth of Syrian stuff, leaving her +face uncovered. All that night there is no abatement of the cries they +raise unceasingly. Throughout the city, high and low, poor and rich, are +beside themselves with grief, and it seems as if each one boasts that he +will outdo all others in his woe, and would fain never be comforted. All +that night the grief continues. The next morning John came to the court; +and the emperor sends for him and issues to him this command: "John, if +ever thou wroughtest a fine piece of work, now put forth and show all +thy skill in constructing such a sepulchre as for beauty and workmanship +shall have no match." And John, who had already performed the task, +says that he has already completed one which is very fine and cleverly +wrought; but when he began the work he had no thought that other than a +holy body should be laid in it. "Now let the empress be laid in it and +buried in some sacred place, for she, I think, is sanctified." "You have +spoken well," says the emperor; "she shall be buried yonder in my lord +Saint Peter's Church, where bodies are wont to be interred. For before +her death she made this request of me, that I should have her buried +there. Now go about your task, and place your sepulchre in the best +position in the cemetery, where it ought rightfully to be." John +replies: "Very well, my lord." John at once takes his leave, and +prepares the sepulchre with great skill; a feather-bed he placed inside, +because the stone was hard and cold; and in order that the odour may +be sweet, he spreads flowers and leaves about. Another reason for doing +this was that no one might perceive the mattress he had laid within +the grave. Already Mass had been said for the dead in the churches and +parishes, and the bells were tolling continuously as is proper for the +dead. Orders are given to bring the body to be laid in the sepulchre, +which John with all his skill has constructed so richly and handsomely. +In all Constantinople none remains, whether small or great, who does +not follow the body in tears, cursing and reproaching Death. Knights and +youths alike grow faint, while the ladies and damsels beat their breasts +as they thus find fault with Death: "O Death," cries each, "why didst +thou not take ransom for my lady? Surely, thy gain was slight enough, +whereas the loss to us is great." And in this grief Cligés surely bears +his part, as he suffers and laments more than all the others do, and it +is strange he does not kill himself. But still he decides to put this +off until the hour and the time shall come for him to disinter her and +get possession of her and see whether she be alive or not. Over the +gave stand the men who let down the body into its place; but, with John +there, they do not meddle with the adjustment of the sarcophagus, and +since they were so prostrated that they could not see, John had plenty +of time to perform his special task. When the coffin was in its place, +and nothing else was in the grave, he sealed up tightly all the joints. +When this was done, any one would have been skilful who, except by +force or violence, could take away or loosen anything which John had put +inside. + +(Vv. 6163-6316.) Fenice lies in the sepulchre until the darkness of +night came on. But thirty knights mount guard over her, and there +are ten tapers burning there, which light up the place all about. The +knights were weary and exhausted by the strain they had undergone; so +they ate and drank that night until they all fell sound asleep. When +night came on, Cligés steals away from the court and from all his +followers, so that there was not a single knight or servant who knew +what had become of him. He did not stop until he found John, who advises +him as best he can. He furnishes him with arms, but he will never +have any need of them. Once armed, they both spur to the cemetery. The +cemetery was enclosed all about with a high wall, so that the knights, +who had gone asleep after making the gate fast within, could rest +assured that no one would enter there. Cligés does not see how he can +get in, for there is no passing through the gate. And yet, somehow he +must pass through, for love bids him and drives him on. He tries the +wall and climbs up, being strong and agile. Inside was a garden planted +with trees, one of which stood so near the wall that it touched it. Now +Cligés had what he needed, and after letting himself down by the tree, +the first thing he did was to go to open the gate for John. Seeing the +knights asleep, they extinguished all the lights, so that the place +remained in darkness. And John now uncovers the grave and opens the +coffin, taking care to do it no harm. Cligés steps into the grave and +lifts out his Sweetheart, all weak and prostrate, whom he fondles, +kisses, and embraces. He does not know whether to rejoice or regret that +she does not stir or move. And John, as quickly as he could, closed +up the sepulchre again, so that it was not apparent that any one had +tampered with it. Then they betook themselves as fast as they could to +the tower. When they had set her in the tower, in the rooms which were +beneath the level of the ground, they took off her grave clothes; and +Cligés, who knew nothing of the potion which she had taken, which made +her dumb and kept her motionless, thinks that she is dead, and is in +despair with anxiety as he heavily sighs and weeps. But soon the time +will come for the potion to lose its force. And Fenice, who hears his +grief, struggles and strives for strength to comfort him by word or +glance. Her heart almost bursts because of the sorrow which he shows. +"Ah Death!" he says, "how mean thou art, to spare and reprieve all +things despicable and vile--to let them live on and endure. Death! art +thou beside thyself or drunk, who hast killed my lady without me? This +is a marvellous thing I see: my lady is dead, and I still live on! Ah, +precious one, why does your lover live to see you dead? One now could +rightly say that you have died in my service, and that it is I who +have killed and murdered you. Sweetheart, then I am the death that has +smitten you. Is not that wrong? For it is my own life I have lost in +you, and have preserved your life in me. For did not your health and +life belong to me, sweet one? And did not mine belong to you? For I +loved nothing excepting you, and our double existence was as one. So now +I have done what was right in keeping your soul in my body while mine +has escaped from your body, and one ought to go to seek the company of +the other, wherever it may be, and nothing ought to separate them." At +this she heaves a gentle sigh and whispers faintly: "Lover mine, I am +not altogether dead, but very near it. I value my life but little now. I +thought it a jest and a mere pretence; but now I am indeed to be pitied, +for death has not treated this as a jest. It will be a marvel if I +escape alive. For the doctors have seriously wounded me, and broken my +flesh and disfigured me. And yet, if it was possible for my nurse to +come here, and if efforts were of any avail, she would restore me to +health again." "Do not worry, dear, about that," says Cligés, "for this +very night I will bring her here." "Dear, let John go for her now." So +John departed and looked for her until he found her, and told her how +he wished her to come along and to let no other cause detain her; for +Fenice and Cligés have sent for her to come to a tower where they are +awaiting her; and that Fenice is in a grievous state, so that she must +come provided with ointments and remedies, and to bear in mind that +she will not live long, if she does not quickly come to bear her aid. +Thessala runs at once and, taking ointments, plaster, and remedies which +she has prepared, she meets John again. Secretly they go out from the +city, until they come straight to the tower. When Fenice sees her nurse, +she feels already cured, because of the loving faith and trust she +places in her. And Cligés greets her affectionately, and says: "Welcome, +nurse, whom I love and prize. Nurse, for God's sake, what do you think +of this young lady's malady? What is your opinion? Will she recover?" +"Yes, my lord, have no fear but that I shall restore her completely. +A fortnight will not pass before I make her so well that she was never +before so lively and strong." + +(Vv. 6317-6346.) While Thessala is busy with her remedies, John goes to +provide the tower with everything that is necessary. Cligés goes to the +tower and comes away bravely and openly, for he has lodged a moulting +falcon there, and he says that he goes to visit it; thus no one can +guess that he goes there for any other reason than for the falcon. He +makes long stays there night and day. He orders John to guard the tower, +so that no one shall enter against his will. Fenice now has no further +cause to complain, for Thessala has completely cured her. If Cligés were +Duke of Almeria, Morocco, or Tudela, he would not consider it all worth +a holly-berry compared with the joy which he now feels. Certainly Love +did not debase itself when it joined these two, for it seems to them, +when they embrace and kiss each other, that all the world must be better +for their joy and happiness. Now ask me no more of this, for one can +have no wish in which the other does not acquiesce. Thus they have but +one desire, as if they two themselves were one. + +(Vv. 6347-6392.) Fenice was in the tower, I believe, all that year and +full two months of the next, until summer came again. When the trees +bring forth their flowers and leaves, and the little birds rejoice, +singing gaily their litanies, it came about that Fenice one morning +heard the song of the nightingale. Cligés was holding her tightly +clasped with his arms about her waist and neck, and she held him in a +like embrace, as she said: "Dear fair lover mine. A garden would do me +good, in which I could disport myself. For more than fifteen months I +have not seen the light of moon or sun. If possible, I would fain go out +yonder into the daylight, for here in this tower I am confined. If there +was a garden near, where I could go and amuse myself, it would often do +me good." Then Cligés promises her to consult with John about it as soon +as he can see him. At that very moment John came in, as he was often +wont to do, and Cligés spoke to him of what Fenice desired. John +replies: "All that she asks for is already provided and supplied. This +tower is well equipped with what she wishes and requires." Then Fenice +was very glad, and asked John to take her there, which he said he +would very gladly do. Then John goes and opens a door, constructed in +a fashion which I cannot properly describe. No one but John could have +made it, and no one could have asserted that there was any door or +window there--so perfectly was it concealed. + +(Vv. 6393-6424.) When Fenice saw the door open, and the sun come +streaming in, as she had not seen it for many a day, her heart beat high +with joy; she said that now there was nothing lacking, since she could +leave her dungeon-tower, and that she wished for no other lodging-place. +She passed out through the door into the garden, with its pleasures and +delights. In the middle of the garden stood a grafted tree loaded with +blooming flowers and leaves, and with a wide-spreading top. The branches +of it were so trained that they all hung downwards until they almost +touched the ground; the main trunk, however, from which they sprang, +rose straight into the air. Fenice desires no other place. Beneath the +tree the turf is very pleasant and fine, and at noon, when it is hot, +the sun will never be high enough for its rays to penetrate there. John +had shown his skill in arranging and training the branches thus. There +Fenice goes to enjoy herself, where they set up a bed for her by day. +There they taste of joy and delight. And the garden is enclosed about +with a high wall connected with the tower, so that nothing can enter +there without first passing through the tower. + +(Vv. 6425-6586.) Fenice now is very happy: there is nothing to cause her +displeasure, and nothing is lacking which she desires, when her lover is +at liberty to embrace her beneath the blossoms and the leaves. [242] +At the season when people take the sparrow-hawk and setter and hunt the +lark and brown-thrush or stalk the quail and partridge, it chanced that +a knight of Thrace, who was young and alert and inclined to knightly +sport, came one day close by the tower in his search for game. The hawk +of Bertrand (for such was his name) having missed a lark, had flown +away, and Bertrand thought how great his loss would be if he should lose +his hunting-bird. When he saw it come down and light in a garden beneath +the tower he was glad, for he thought he could not lose it now. At once +he goes and clambers up the wall until he succeeds in getting over it, +when beneath the tree he sees Fenice and Cligés lying asleep and naked +in close embrace. "God!" said he, "what has happened to me now? What +marvel is this I see? Is that not Cligés? It surely is. Is not that the +empress with him there? Nay, but it looks like her. Never did one thing +so resemble another. Her nose, her mouth, and brow are like those of +my lady the empress. Never did Nature make two creatures of such +similitude. There is no feature in this woman here which I have not seen +in my lady. If she were alive, I should say that it was certainly she +herself." Just then a pear falls down and strikes close by Fenice's ear. +She jumps and awakes and, seeing Bertrand, cries out aloud: "My dear, my +dear, we are lost. Yonder is Bertrand. If he escapes you, we are caught +in a bad trap, for he will tell that he has seen us." Then Bertrand +realised that it was the empress beyond any doubt. He sees the necessity +of leaving at once, for Cligés had brought with him his sword into +the garden, and had laid it down beside the bed. He jumped up now and +grasped his sword, while Bertrand hastily took his leave. As fast as he +could he scaled the wall, and was almost safely over when Cligés coming +after him raised his sword and struck him with such violence that he +severed his leg below the knee, as if it had been a fennel stalk. In +spite of this, Bertrand got away, though badly wounded and maimed. +Beside themselves with grief and wrath at the sight of his sorry state, +his men on the other side picked him up, and insistently inquired who it +was who had used him thus. "Don't speak to me now," he says, "but help +me to mount my horse. No mention shall be made of this excepting to the +emperor. He who thus has treated me must be, and doubtless is, in great +terror; for he is in great danger of his life." Then they set him upon +his palfrey and lead him through the city, sorely grieved in their +fright the while. After them more than twenty thousand others come, +following them to the court. And all the people run together, each +striving to be there first. Bertrand made his complaint aloud, in the +hearing of all, to the emperor: but they took him for an idle chatterer +when he said that he had seen the empress all exposed. The city is in +a ferment of excitement: some regard the news they hear as simple +nonsense, others advise and urge the emperor to visit the tower himself. +Great is the noise and confusion of the people who prepare to accompany +him. But they find nothing in the tower, for Fenice and Cligés make +their escape, taking with them Thessala, who comforts them and declares +to them that, if perchance they see people coming after them to arrest +them, they need have no fear; that they would never approach to do them +harm within the range of a strong cross-bow. And the emperor within the +tower has John sought for and brought. He orders him to be bound and +tied saying that he will have him hanged or burnt, and will have his +ashes scattered wide. He shall receive his due reward for the shame he +has caused the emperor; but this reward will not be agreeable, because +John has hidden in the tower his nephew with his wife. "Upon my word, +you tell the truth," says John; "I will not lie, but will go still +further and declare the truth, and if I have done any wrong it is right +that I should be seized. But I offer this as my excuse: that a servant +ought to refuse nothing when his lawful lord commands. Now, every one +knows forsooth that I am his, and this tower is too." "It is not, John. +Rather is it thine." "Mine, sire? Yes, after him: but neither do I +belong to myself, nor have I anything which is mine, except what he +pleased to bestow on me. And if you should think to say that my lord +is guilty of having done you wrong, I am ready to take up his defence +without any command from him. But I feel emboldened to proclaim openly +what is on my mind, just as I have thought it out, for I know full well +that I must die. So I will speak regardless of results. For if I die +for my lord's sake, I shall not die an ignoble death, for the facts +are generally known about that oath and pledge which you gave to your +brother, that after you Cligés should be emperor, who now is banished as +a wanderer. But if God will, he shall yet be emperor! Hence you are open +to reproach, for you ought not to have taken a wife; yet you married her +and did Cligés a wrong, and he has done you no wrong at all. And if I am +punished with death by you, and if I die wrongfully for his sake, and +if he is still alive, he will avenge my death on you. Now go and do the +best you can, for if I die you shall also die." + +(Vv. 6587-6630.) The emperor trembles with wrath upon hearing the +mocking words addressed to him by John. "John," he says, "thou shalt +have so much respite, until we find thy lord, who has done such wrong +to me, though I loved him dearly and had no thought of defrauding him. +Meanwhile, thou shalt stay in prison. If thou knowest what has become of +him, tell me at once, I order thee." "I tell you? How can I commit such +treachery? Were the life to be drawn from my body I would not reveal my +lord to you, even if I knew his whereabouts. As a matter of fact, I do +not know any more than you where they have gone, so help me God! But +there is no need for your jealousy. I do not so much fear your wrath +that I should not say, so that all can hear, how you have been deceived, +even my words are not believed. You were deceived and tricked by potion +you drank on your wedding night. Unless it happened in dream, when you +were asleep, you have never had your pleasure with her; but the night +made you dream, and the dream gave you as much satisfaction as if it had +happened in your waking hours that she had held you in her arms: that +was the sum of your satisfaction. Her heart was so devoted to Cligés +that she feigned death for his sake; and he had such confidence in me +that he explained it all to me and established her in my house, which +rightfully belongs to him. You ought not to find fault with me. I ought, +indeed, to be burnt or hanged, were I to betray my lord or refuse to do +his will." + +(Vv. 6631-6784.) When the emperor's attention is recalled to the potion +which he had been pleased to drink, and with which Thessala had deceived +him, then he realised for the first time that he had never had pleasure +with his wife, unless it had happened in a dream: thus it was but an +illusory joy. And he says that if he does not take vengeance for the +shame and disgrace inflicted upon him by the traitor who has seduced +his wife, he will never again be happy. "Now quick!" he says, "as far as +Pavia, and from here to Germany, let no castle, town, or city remain in +which search is not made. I will hold that man above all others dear who +will bring to me captive the two of them. Now up and down, near and far, +go diligently and search!" Then they started out with zeal and spent all +that day in the search. But in the number Cligés had some friends, who, +if they found them, would have led them to some hiding-place rather than +hale them back again. All that fortnight they exhausted themselves in a +fruitless search. For Thessala, who is acting as their guide, conducts +them by her arts and charms in such security that they feel no dread or +fear of all the strength of the emperor. They seek repose in no town +or city; yet they have all they wish or desire, even more so than is +usually the case. For all they need is procured for them by Thessala, +who searches and scours and purveys for them. Nor is there any who hunts +them now, for all have returned to their homes again. Meanwhile Cligés +is not idle, but starts to find his uncle, King Arthur. He continued +his search until he found him, and to him he made his claim and protest +about his uncle, the emperor, who, in order to disinherit him, had +disloyally taken a wife, which it was not right for him to do; for he +had sworn to his father that he would never marry in his life. And the +King says that with a fleet he will proceed to Constantinople, and that +he will fill a thousand ships with knights, and three thousand more with +men-at-arms, until no city or burg, town or castle, however strong or +however high, will be able to withstand their assault. Then Cligés did +not forget to thank the King for the aid he offered him. The King sends +out to seek and summon all the high barons of the land, and causes to be +requisitioned and equipped ships, war vessels, boats, and barks. He has +a hundred ships loaded and filled with shields, lances, bucklers, and +armour fit for knights. The King makes such great preparations for +the war that never did Caesar or Alexander make the like. He orders to +assemble at his summons all England, and all Flanders, Normandy, France, +and Brittany, and all the men as far as the Pyrenees. [243] Already they +were about to set sail, when messengers arrived from Greece who delayed +the embarkation and kept the King and his people back. Among the +messengers who came was John, that trusty man, for he would never be a +witness or messenger of any news which was not true, and which he did +not know for a certainty. The messengers were high born men of Greece, +who came in search for Cligés. They made inquiry and asked for him, +until they found him at the King's court, when they said to him: "God +save you, sire! Greece is made over to you, and Constantinople is given +to you by all those of your empire, because of the right you have to +them. Your uncle (but you know it not) is dead of the grief he felt +because he could not discover you. His grief was such that he lost +his mind; he would neither drink nor eat, but died like a man beside +himself. Fair sire, now come back again! For all your lords have sent +for you. Greatly they desire and long for you, wishing to make you their +emperor." Some there were that rejoiced at this; and others there were +who would have gladly seen their guests elsewhere, and the fleet make +sail for Greece. But the expedition is given up, and the King dismisses +his men, and the hosts depart to their homes again. And Cligés hurriedly +makes haste in his desire to return to Greece. He has no wish to tarry. +His preparations made, he took his leave of the King, and then of all +his friends, and taking Fenice with him, he goes away. They travel until +they arrive in Greece, where they receive him with the jubilation +which they ought to show to their rightful lord, and they give him +his sweetheart to be his wife. Both of them are crowned at once. His +mistress he has made his wife, but he still calls her his mistress and +sweetheart, and she can complain of no loss of affection, for he loves +her still as his mistress, and she loves him, too, as a lady ought to +love her lover. And each day saw their love grow stronger: he never +doubted her, nor did she blame him for anything. She was never kept +confined, as so many women have been who have lived since her time. For +never since has there been an emperor who did not stand in fear of his +wife, lest he should be deceived by her, upon his hearing the story of +how Fenice deceived Alis, first with the potion which he drank, and then +later by that other ruse. Therefore, every empress, however rich and +noble she may be, is guarded in Constantinople as in a prison, for the +emperor has no confidence in her when he remembers the story of Fenice. +He keeps her constantly guarded in her room, nor is there ever allowed +any man in her presence, unless he be a eunuch from his youth; in the +case of such there is no fear or doubt that Love will ensnare them in +his bonds. Here ends the work of Chrétien. [244] + + + +----Endnotes: Cligés + +Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other +endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 21: There is no English version corresponding to the old +French "Cligés". The English metrical romance "Sir Cleges" has nothing +to do with the French romance.] + +[Footnote 22: Ovid in "Metamorphosis", vi. 404, relates how Tantalus at +a feast to the gods offered them the shoulder of his own son. It is not +certain, however, that Chrétien is referring here to this slight episode +of the "Metamorphosis".] + +[Footnote 23: This allusion is generally taken as evidence that the poet +had written previously of the love of Tristan and Iseut. Gaston Paris, +however, in one of his last utterances ("Journal des Savants", 1902, +p. 297), says: "Je n'hesite pas a dire que l'existence d'un poeme sur +Tristan par Chrétien de Troies, a laquelle j'ai cru comme presque tout +le monde, me parait aujourd'hui fort peu probable; j'en vais donner les +raisons."] + +[Footnote 24: The story of Philomela or Philomena, familiar in Chaucer's +"Legende of Good Women", is told by Ovid in "Metamorphosis", vi. +426-674. Cretiens li Gois is cited by the author of the "Ovide moralise" +as the author of the episode of Philomena incorporated in his long +didactic poem. This episode has been ascribed to Chrétien de Troyes by +many recent critics, and has been separately edited by C. de Boer, who +offers in his Introduction a lengthy discussion of its authorship. See +C. de Boer, "Philomena, conte raconte d'apres Ovide par Chrétien de +Troyes" (Paris, 1909).] + +[Footnote 25: The present cathedral of Beauvais is dedicated to St. +Peter, and its construction was begun in 1227. The earlier structure +here referred to, destroyed in 1118, probably was also dedicated to the +same saint. (F.)] + +[Footnote 26: The real kernal of the Cligés story, stripped of its +lengthy introduction concerning Alexandre and Soredamors, is told in a +few lines in "Marques de Rome", p. 135 (ed. J. Alton in "Lit. Verein in +Stuttgart", No. 187, Tubingen, 1889), as one of the tales or "exempla" +recounted by the Empress of Rome to the Emperor and the Seven Sages. No +names are given except that of Cligés himself; the version owes nothing +to Chrétien's poem, and seems to rest upon a story which the author may +have heard orally. See Foerster's "Einleitung to Cligés" (1910), p. 32 +f.] + +[Footnote 27: This criticism of ignoble leisure on the part of a warrior +is found also in "Erec et Enide" and "Yvain".] + +[Footnote 28: This allegorical tribute to "largesse" is quite in the +spirit of the age. When professional poets lived upon the bounty of +their patrons, it is not strange that their poetry should dwell upon the +importance of generosity in their heroes. For an exhaustive collection +of "chastisements" or "enseignements", such as that here given to +Alexandre by his father, see Eugen Altner, "Ueber die chastiements in +den altfranzosischen chansons de geste" (Leipzig, 1885).] + +[Footnote 29: As Miss Weston has remarked ("The Three Days' Tournament", +p. 45), the peculiar georgraphy of this poem "is distinctly Anglo-Norman +rather than Arthurian".] + +[Footnote 210: For this intimate relation between heroes, so common +in the old French heroic and romantic poems, see Jacques Flach, "Le +compagnonnage dans les chansons de geste" in "Etudes romances dediees a +Gaston Paris" (Paris, 1891). Reviewed in "Romania", xxii. 145.] + +[Footnote 211: Here begins one of those long dialogues, where one person +is represented as taking both sides of an argument. This rhetorical +device, so wearisome to modern readers, is used by Chrétien preferably +when some sentiment or deep emotion is to be portrayed. Ovid may well +have suggested the device, but Ovid never abuses it as does the more +prolix mediaeval poet. For the part playing by the eyes in mediaeval +love sophistry, see J.F. Hanford, "The Debate of Heart and Eye" in +"Modern Language Notes", xxvi. 161-165; and H.R. Lang, "The Eyes as +Generators of Love." id. xxiii. 126-127.] + +[Footnote 212: For play upon words and for fanciful derivation of proper +names in mediaeval romance literature, see the interesting article +of Adolf Tobler in "Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211-266. Gaston Paris +("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 354) points out that Thomas used the +same scene and the play upon the same words "mer", "amer", and "amers" +in his "Tristan" and was later imitated by Gottfried von Strassburg.] + +[Footnote 213: According to the 12th century troubadours, the shafts of +Love entered the victim's body through the eyes, and thence pierced the +heart.] + +[Footnote 214: For fanciful derivation of proper names, cf. A. Tobler, +"Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211-266.] + +[Footnote 215: Ganelon, the traitor in the "Chanson de Roland", to +whose charge is laid the defeat of Charlemagne's rear-guard at Ronceval, +became the arch-traitor of mediaeval literature. It will be recalled +that Dante places him in the lowest pit of Hell ("Inferno", xxxii. 122). +(NOTE: There is a slight time discrepance here. Roland, Ganelon, and the +Battle of Ronceval were said to have happened in 8th Century A.D., fully +300 years after Arthur and the Round Table.--DBK).] + +[Footnote 216: For the ceremonies attendant upon the conferring of +knighthood, see Karl Treis, "Die Formalitaten des Ritterschlags in der +altfranzosischen Epik" (Berlin, 1887).] + +[Footnote 217: The "quintainne" was "a manikin mounted on a pivot and +armed with a club in such a way that, when a man struck it unskilfully +with his lance, it turned and landed a blow upon his back" (Larousse).] + +[Footnote 218: This conventional attitude of one engaged in thought or +a prey to sadness has been referred to by G.L. Hamilton in "Ztsch fur +romanische Philologie", xxxiv. 571-572.] + +[Footnote 219: Many traitors in old French literature suffered the same +punishments as Ganelon, and were drawn asunder by horses ("Roland", +3960-74).] + +[Footnote 220: The same rare words "galerne" and "posterne" occur in +rhyme in the "Roman de Thebes", 1471-72.] + +[Footnote 221: This qualified praise is often used in speaking of +traitors and of Saracens.] + +[Footnote 222: The failure to identify the warriors is due to the fact +that the knights are totally encased in armour.] + +[Footnote 223: A reference to the "Roman de Thebes", 1160 circ.] + +[Footnote 224: The disregard of Alis for his nephew Cligés is similar to +that of King Mark for Tristan in another legend. In the latter, however, +Tristan joins with the other courtiers in advising his uncle to marry, +though he himself had been chosen heir to the throne by Mark. cf. J. +Bedier, "Le Roman de Tristan", 2 vols. (Paris, 1902), i. 63 f.] + +[Footnote 225: See Endnote #14 above.] + +[Footnote 226: Cf. Shakespeare, "Othello", ii. I, where Cassio, speaking +of Othello's marriage with Desdemona, says: "he hath achieved a maid +That paragons description and wild fame; One that excels the quirks of +blazoning pens, And in the essential vesture of creation Does tire the +enginer."] + +[Footnote 227: Ovid ("Metamorphosis", iii. 339-510) is Chrétien's +authority.] + +[Footnote 228: Cf. L. Sudre, "Les allusions a la legende de Tristan dans +la litterature du moyen age", "Romania", xv. 435 f. Tristan was famed as +a hunter, fencer, wrestler, and harpist.] + +[Footnote 229: "The word 'Thessala' was a common one in Latin, as +meaning 'enchantress', 'sorceress', 'witch', as Pliny himself tells +us, adding that the art of enchantment was not, however, indigenous to +Thessaly, but came originally from Persia." ("Natural History", xxx. +2).--D.B. Easter, "Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure and the +romans bretons, p. 7. (Baltimore, 1906). A Jeanroy in "Romania", xxxiii. +420 note, says: "Quant au nom de Thessala, il doit venir de Lucain, tres +lu dans les ecoles au XIIe siecle." See also G. Paris in "Journal des +Savants", 1902, p. 441 note. Thessala is mentioned in the "Roman de la +Violetta", v. 514, in company with Brangien of the Tristan legend.] + +[Footnote 230: Medea, the wife of Jason, is the great sorceress of +classic legend.] + +[Footnote 231: This personage was regarded in the Middle Ages as an +Emperor of Rome. In the 13th-century poem of "Octavian" (ed. Vollmuller, +Heilbronn, 1883) he is represented as a contemporary of King Dagobert!] + +[Footnote 232: This commonplace remark is quoted as a proverb of the +rustic in "Ipomedon", 1671-72; id., 10, 348-51; "Roman de Mahomet", +1587-88; "Roman de Renart", vi. 85-86; Gower's "Mirour de l'omme", 28, +599, etc.] + +[Footnote 233: It is curious to note that Corneille puts almost +identical words in the mouth of Don Gomes as he addresses the Cid ("Le +Cid", ii. 2).] + +[Footnote 234: For this tournament and its parallels in folk-lore, +see Miss J.L. Weston, "The Three Days' Tournament" (London, 1902). She +argues (p. 14 f. and p. 43 f.) against Foerster's unqualified opinion of +the originality of Chrétien in his use of this current description of +a tournament, an opinion set forth in his "Einleitung to Lancelot", pp. +43, 126, 128, 138.] + +[Footnote 235: Note that Chrétien here deliberately avoids such a list +of knights as he introduces in "Erec". (F.)] + +[Footnote 236: It must be admitted that the text, which is offered +by all but one MS., is here unintelligible. The reference, if any be +intended, is not clear. (F.)] + +[Footnote 237: Much has been made of this expression as intimating that +Chrétien wrote "Cligés" as a sort of disavowal of the immorality of +his lost "Tristan". Cf. Foerster, "Cligés" (Ed. 1910), p. xxxix f., and +Myrrha Borodine, "La femme et l'amour au XXIe Seicle d'apres les poemes +de Chrétien de Troyes" (Paris, 1909). G. Paris has ably defended another +interpretation of the references in "Cligés" to the Tristan legend in +"Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 442 f.] + +[Footnote 238: This curious moral teaching appears to be a perversion +of three passages form St. Paul's Epistles: I Cor. vii. 9, I Cor. x. 32, +Eph. v. 15. Cf. H. Emecke, "Chrétien von Troyes als Personlichkeit und +als Dichter" (Wurzburg, 1892).] + +[Footnote 239: "This feature of a woman who, thanks to some charm, +preserves her virginity with a husband whom she does not love, is found +not only in widespread stories, but in several French epic poems. In +only one, "Les Enfances Guillaume", does the husband, like Alis, remain +ignorant of the fraud of which he is the victim, and think that he +really possesses the woman.... If Chrétien alone gave to the charm +of the form of a potion, it is in imitation of the love potion in +"Tristan". (G. Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 446). For +many other references to the effect of herb potions, cf. A. Hertel, +"Verzauberte Oerlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der altfranzosische +erzahlende Dichtung", p. 41 ff. (Hanover, 1908).] + +[Footnote 240: I have pointed out the curious parallel between the +following passage and Dante's "Vita Nova", 41 ("Romantic Review", ii. +2). There is no certain evidence that Dante knew Chrétien's work (cf. A. +Farinelli, "Dante e la Francia", vol. i., p. 16 note), but it would be +strange if he did not know such a distinguished predecessor.] + +[Footnote 241: For the legend of Solomon deceived by his wife, see +Foerster "Cligés" (ed. 1910), p. xxxii. f., and G. Paris in "Romania", +ix. 436-443, and in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 645 f. For an +additional reference, add "Ipomedon", 9103.] + +[Footnote 242: For an imitation of the following scene, see Hans Herzog +in "Germania", xxxi. 325.] + +[Footnote 243: "Porz d'Espaingne" refers to the passes in the Pyrenees +which formed the entrance-ways to Spain. Cf. The "Cilician Gates" in +Xenophon's "Anabasis".] + +[Footnote 244: Chrétien here insists upon his divergence from the +famous dictum attributed to the Countess Marie de Champagne by Andre le +Chapelain: "Praeceptum tradit amoris, quod nulla etiam coniugata regis +poterit amoris praemio coronari, nisi extra coniugii foedera ipsius +amoris militae cernatur adiuneta". (Andreae Capellini, "De Amore", p. +154; Ed. Trojel, Havniae, 1892). + + + + + +YVAIN + +or, The Knight with the Lion + +(Vv. 1-174.) Arthur, the good King of Britain, whose prowess teaches us +that we, too, should be brave and courteous, held a rich and royal +court upon that precious feast-day which is always known by the name +of Pentecost. [31] The court was at Carduel in Wales. When the meal was +finished, the knights betook themselves whither they were summoned by +the ladies, damsels, and maidens. Some told stories; others spoke of +love, of the trials and sorrows, as well as of the great blessings, +which often fall to the members of its order, which was rich and +flourishing in those days of old. But now its followers are few, having +deserted it almost to a man, so that love is much abased. For lovers +used to deserve to be considered courteous, brave, generous, and +honourable. But now love is a laughing-stock, for those who have no +intelligence of it assert that they love, and in that they lie. Thus +they utter a mockery and lie by boasting where they have no right. [32] +But let us leave those who are still alive, to speak of those of former +time. For, I take it, a courteous man, though dead, is worth more than +a living knave. So it is my pleasure to relate a matter quite worthy of +heed concerning the King whose fame was such that men still speak of him +far and near; and I agree with the opinion of the Bretons that his name +will live on for evermore. And in connection with him we call to mind +those goodly chosen knights who spent themselves for honour's sake. But +upon this day of which I speak, great was their astonishment at seeing +the King quit their presence; and there were some who felt chagrined, +and who did not mince their words, never before having seen the King, on +the occasion of such a feast, enter his own chamber either to sleep or +to seek repose. But this day it came about that the Queen detained him, +and he remained so long at her side that he forgot himself and fell +asleep. Outside the chamber door were Dodinel, Sagremor, and Kay, my +lord Gawain, my lord Yvain, and with them Calogrenant, a very comely +knight, who had begun to tell them a tale, though it was not to his +credit, but rather to his shame. The Queen could hear him as he told his +tale, and rising from beside the King, she came upon them so stealthily +that before any caught sight of her, she had fallen, as it were, right +in their midst. Calogrenant alone jumped up quickly when he saw her +come. Then Kay, who was very quarrelsome, mean, sarcastic, and abusive, +said to him: "By the Lord, Calogrenant, I see you are very bold and +forward now, and certainly it pleases me to see you the most courteous +of us all. And I know that you are quite persuaded of your own +excellence, for that is in keeping with your little sense. And of course +it is natural that my lady should suppose that you surpass us all in +courtesy and bravery. We failed to rise through sloth, forsooth, or +because we did not care! Upon my word, it is not so, my lord; but we +did not see my lady until you had risen first." "Really, Kay," the Queen +then says, "I think you would burst if you could not pour out the poison +of which you are so full. You are troublesome and mean thus to annoy +your companions." "Lady," says Kay, "if we are not better for your +company, at least let us not lose by it. I am not aware that I said +anything for which I ought to be accused, and so I pray you say no more. +It is impolite and foolish to keep up a vain dispute. This argument +should go no further, nor should any one try to make more of it. But +since there must be no more high words, command him to continue the tale +he had begun." Thereupon Calogrenant prepares to reply in this fashion: +"My lord, little do I care about the quarrel, which matters little and +affects me not. If you have vented your scorn on me, I shall never be +harmed by it. You have often spoken insultingly, my lord Kay, to braver +and better men than I, for you are given to this kind of thing. The +manure-pile will always stink, [33] and gadflies sting, and bees will +hum, and so a bore will torment and make a nuisance of himself. However, +with my lady's leave, I'll not continue my tale to-day, and I beg her +to say no more about it, and kindly not give me any unwelcome command." +"Lady," says Kay, "all those who are here will be in your debt, for they +are desirous to hear it out. Don't do it as a favour to me! But by the +faith you owe the King, your lord and mine, command him to continue, and +you will do well." "Calogrenant," the Queen then says, "do not mind the +attack of my lord Kay the seneschal. He is so accustomed to evil speech +that one cannot punish him for it. I command and request you not to +be angered because of him, nor should you fail on his account to say +something which it will please us all to hear; if you wish to preserve +my good-will, pray begin the tale anew." "Surely, lady, it is a very +unwelcome command you lay upon me. Rather than tell any more of my +tale to-day, I would have one eye plucked out, if I did not fear your +displeasure. Yet will I perform your behest, however distasteful it may +be. Then since you will have it so, give heed. Let your heart and ears +be mine. For words, though heard, are lost unless understood within the +heart. Some men there are who give consent to what they hear but do not +understand: these men have the hearing alone. For the moment the heart +fails to understand, the word falls upon the ears simply as the wind +that blows, without stopping to tarry there; rather it quickly passes on +if the heart is not so awake as to be ready to receive it. For the heart +alone can receive it when it comes along, and shut it up within. The +ears are the path and channel by which the voice can reach the heart, +while the heart receives within the bosom the voice which enters through +the ear. Now, whoever will heed my words, must surrender to me his heart +and ears, for I am not going to speak of a dream, an idle tale, or lie, +with which many another has regaled you, but rather shall I speak of +what I saw." + +(Vv. 175-268.) "It happened seven years ago that, lonely as a +countryman, I was making my way in search of adventures, fully armed +as a knight should be, when I came upon a road leading off to the right +into a thick forest. The road there was very bad, full of briars and +thorns. In spite of the trouble and inconvenience, I followed the road +and path. Almost the entire day I went thus riding until I emerged from +the forest of Broceliande. [34] Out from the forest I passed into the +open country where I saw a wooden tower at the distance of half a Welsh +league: it may have been so far, but it was not anymore. Proceeding +faster than a walk, I drew near and saw the palisade and moat all round +it, deep and wide, and standing upon the bridge, with a moulted falcon +upon his wrist, I saw the master of the castle. I had no sooner saluted +him than he came forward to hold my stirrup and invited me to +dismount. I did so, for it was useless to deny that I was in need of a +lodging-place. Then he told me more than a hundred times at once that +blessed was the road by which I had come thither. Meanwhile, we crossed +the bridge, and passing through the gate, found ourselves in the +courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard of this vavasor, to whom may +God repay such joy and honour as he bestowed upon me that night, there +hung a gong not of iron or wood, I trow, but all of copper. Upon this +gong the vavasor struck three times with a hammer which hung on a post +close by. Those who were upstairs in the house, upon hearing his voice +and the sound, came out into the yard below. Some took my horse which +the good vavasor was holding; and I saw coming toward me a very fair and +gentle maid. On looking at her narrowly I saw she was tall and slim and +straight. Skilful she was in disarming me, which she did gently and with +address; then, when she had robed me in a short mantle of scarlet stuff +spotted with a peacock's plumes, all the others left us there, so that +she and I remained alone. This pleased me well, for I needed naught +else to look upon. Then she took me to sit down in the prettiest little +field, shut in by a wall all round about. There I found her so elegant, +so fair of speech and so well informed, of such pleasing manners and +character, that it was a delight to be there, and I could have wished +never to be compelled to move. But as ill luck would have it, when night +came on, and the time for supper had arrived. The vavasor came to look +for me. No more delay was possible, so I complied with his request. Of +the supper I will only say that it was all after my heart, seeing that +the damsel took her seat at the table just in front of me. After the +supper the vavasor admitted to me that, though he had lodged many an +errant knight, he knew not how long it had been since he had welcomed +one in search of adventure. Then, as a favour, he begged of me to return +by way of his residence, if I could make it possible. So I said to him: +'Right gladly, sire!' for a refusal would have been impolite, and that +was the least I could do for such a host." + +(Vv. 269-580.) "That night, indeed, I was well lodged, and as soon as +the morning light appeared, I found my steed ready saddled, as I had +requested the night before; thus my request was carried out. My kind +host and his dear daughter I commended to the Holy Spirit, and, after +taking leave of all, I got away as soon as possible. I had not proceeded +far from my stopping-place when I came to a clearing, where there were +some wild bulls at large; they were fighting among themselves and making +such a dreadful and horrible noise that if the truth be known, I drew +back in fear, for there is no beast so fierce and dangerous as a bull. I +saw sitting upon a stump, with a great club in his hand, a rustic +lout, as black as a mulberry, indescribably big and hideous; indeed, +so passing ugly was the creature that no word of mouth could do him +justice. On drawing near to this fellow, I saw that his head was bigger +than that of a horse or of any other beast; that his hair was in tufts, +leaving his forehead bare for a width of more than two spans; that his +ears were big and mossy, just like those of an elephant; his eyebrows +were heavy and his face was flat; his eyes were those of an owl, and his +nose was like a cat's; his jowls were split like a wolf, and his teeth +were sharp and yellow like a wild boar's; his beard was black and his +whiskers twisted; his chin merged into his chest and his backbone was +long, but twisted and hunched. [35] There he stood, leaning upon his +club and accoutred in a strange garb, consisting not of cotton or wool, +but rather of the hides recently flayed from two bulls or two beeves: +these he wore hanging from his neck. The fellow leaped up straightway +when he saw me drawing near. I do not know whether he was going to +strike me or what he intended to do, but I was prepared to stand him +off, until I saw him stop and stand stock-still upon a tree trunk, where +he stood full seventeen feet in height. Then he gazed at me but spoke +not a word, any more than a beast would have done. And I supposed that +he had not his senses or was drunk. However, I made bold to say to him: +'Come, let me know whether thou art a creature of good or not.' And +he replied: 'I am a man.' 'What kind of a man art thou?' 'Such as thou +seest me to be: I am by no means otherwise.' 'What dost thou here?' 'I +was here, tending these cattle in this wood.' 'Wert thou really tending +them? By Saint Peter of Rome! They know not the command of any man. +I guess one cannot possibly guard wild beasts in a plain or wood or +anywhere else unless they are tied or confined inside.' 'Well, I tend +and have control of these beasts so that they will never leave this +neighbourhood.' 'How dost thou do that? Come, tell me now!' 'There is +not one of them that dares to move when they see me coming. For when +I can get hold of one I give its two horns such a wrench with my hard, +strong hands that the others tremble with fear, and gather at once round +about me as if to ask for mercy. No one could venture here but me, for +if he should go among them he would be straightway done to death. In +this way I am master of my beasts. And now thou must tell me in turn +what kind of a man thou art, and what thou seekest here.' 'I am, as +thou seest, a knight seeking for what I cannot find; long have I sought +without success.' 'And what is this thou fain wouldst find?' 'Some +adventure whereby to test my prowess and my bravery. Now I beg and +urgently request thee to give me some counsel, if possible, concerning +some adventure or marvellous thing.' Says he: 'Thou wilt have to do +without, for I know nothing of adventure, nor did I ever hear tell +of such. But if thou wouldst go to a certain spring here hard by and +shouldst comply with the practice there, thou wouldst not easily come +back again. Close by here thou canst easily find a path which will +lead thee thither. If thou wouldst go aright, follow the straight path, +otherwise thou mayst easily go astray among the many other paths. +Thou shalt see the spring which boils, though the water is colder than +marble. It is shadowed by the fairest tree that ever Nature formed, for +its foliage is evergreen, regardless of the winter's cold, and an iron +basin is hanging there by a chain long enough to reach the spring. And +beside the spring thou shalt find a massive stone, as thou shalt see, +but whose nature I cannot explain, never having seen its like. On the +other side a chapel stands, small, but very beautiful. If thou wilt take +of the water in the basin and spill it upon the stone, thou shalt see +such a storm come up that not a beast will remain within this wood; +every doe, star, deer, boar, and bird will issue forth. For thou shalt +see such lightning-bolts descend, such blowing of gales and crashing +of trees, such torrents fail, such thunder and lightning, that, if thou +canst escape from them without trouble and mischance, thou wilt be more +fortunate than ever any knight was yet.' I left the fellow then, after +he had pointed our the way. It must have been after nine o'clock and +might have been drawing on toward noon, when I espied the tree and the +chapel. I can truly say that this tree was the finest pine that ever +grew on earth. I do not believe that it ever rained so hard that a +drop of water could penetrate it, but would rather drip from the outer +branches. From the tree I saw the basin hanging, [36] of the finest gold +that was ever for sale in any fair. As for the spring, you may take my +word that it was boiling like hot water. The stone was of emerald, with +holes in it like a cask, and there were four rubies underneath, more +radiant and red than is the morning sun when it rises in the east. +Now not one word will I say which is not true. I wished to see the +marvellous appearing of the tempest and the storm; but therein I was not +wise, for I would gladly have repented, if I could, when I had sprinkled +the perforated stone with the water from the basin. But I fear I poured +too much, for straightway I saw the heavens so break loose that from +more than fourteen directions the lightning blinded my eyes, and all at +once the clouds let fall snow and rain and hail. The storm was so fierce +and terrible that a hundred times I thought I should be killed by the +bolts which fell about me and by the trees which were rent apart. Know +that I was in great distress until the uproar was appeased. But God gave +me such comfort that the storm did not continue long, and all the winds +died down again. The winds dared not blow against God's will. And when +I saw the air clear and serene I was filled with joy again. For I have +observed that joy quickly causes trouble to be forgot. As soon as the +storm was completely past, I saw so many birds gathered in the pine tree +(if any one will believe my words) that not a branch or twig was to be +seen which was not entirely covered with birds. [37] The tree was all +the more lovely then, for all the birds sang in harmony, yet the note of +each was different, so that I never heard one singing another's note. I, +too, rejoiced in their joyousness, and listened to them until they had +sung their service through, for I have never heard such happy song, nor +do I think any one else will hear it, unless he goes to listen to what +filled me with such joy and bliss that I was lost in rapture. I stayed +there until I heard some knights coming, as I thought it seemed that +there must be ten of them. But all the noise and commotion was made +by the approach of a single knight. When I saw him coming on alone +I quickly caught my steed and made no delay in mounting him. And the +knight, as if with evil intent, came on swifter than an eagle, looking +as fierce as a lion. From as far as his voice could reach he began to +challenge me, and said: 'Vassal, without provocation you have caused +me shame and harm. If there was any quarrel between us you should first +have challenged me, or at least sought justice before attacking me. But, +sir vassal, if it be within my power, upon you shall fall the punishment +for the damage which is evident. About me here lies the evidence of my +woods destroyed. He who has suffered has the right to complain. And I +have good reason to complain that you have driven me from my house with +lightning-bolt and rain. You have made trouble for me, and cursed be he +who thinks it fair. For within my own woods and town you have made such +an attack upon me that resources of men of arms and of fortifications +would have been of no avail to me; no man could have been secure, even +if he had been in a fortress of solid stone and wood. But be assured +that from this moment there shall be neither truce nor peace between +us.' At these words we rushed together, each one holding his shield well +gripped and covering himself with it. The knight had a good horse and a +stout lance, and was doubtless a whole head taller than I. Thus, I was +altogether at a disadvantage, being shorter than he, while his horse was +stronger than mine. You may be sure that I will tell the facts, in order +to cover up my shame. With intent to do my best, I dealt him as hard a +blow as I could give, striking the top of his shield, and I put all my +strength into it with such effect that my lance flew all to splinters. +His lance remained entire, being very heavy and bigger than any knight's +lance I ever saw. And the knight struck me with it so heavily that he +knocked me over my horse's crupper and laid me flat upon the ground, +where he left me ashamed and exhausted, without bestowing another glance +upon me. He took my horse, but me he left, and started back by the way +he came. And I, who knew not what to do, remained there in pain and +with troubled thoughts. Seating myself beside the spring I rested there +awhile, not daring to follow after the knight for fear of committing +some rash act of madness. And, indeed, had I had the courage, I knew not +what had become of him. Finally, it occurred to me that I would keep my +promise to my host and would return by way of his dwelling. This idea +pleased me, and so I did. I laid off all my arms in order to proceed +more easily, and thus with shame I retraced my steps. When I reached +his home that night, I found my host to be the same good-natured and +courteous man as I had before discovered him to be. I could not observe +that either his daughter or he himself welcomed me any less gladly, +or did me any less honour than they had done the night before. I am +indebted to them for the great honour they all did me in that house; and +they even said that, so far as they knew or had heard tell, no one had +ever escaped, without being killed or kept a prisoner, from the place +whence I returned. Thus I went and thus I returned, feeling, as I did +so, deeply ashamed. So I have foolishly told you the story which I never +wished to tell again." + +(Vv. 581-648.) "By my head," cries my lord Yvain, "you are my own +cousin-german, and we ought to love each other well. But I must consider +you as mad to have concealed this from me so long. If I call you mad, I +beg you not to be incensed. For if I can, and if I obtain the leave, I +shall go to avenge your shame." "It is evident that we have dined," says +Kay, with his ever-ready speech; "there are more words in a pot full of +wine than in a whole barrel of beer. [38] They say that a cat is merry +when full. After dinner no one stirs, but each one is ready to +slay Noradin, [39] and you will take vengeance on Forre! Are your +saddle-cloths ready stuffed, and your iron greaves polished, and your +banners unfurled? Come now, in God's name, my lord Yvain, is it to-night +or to-morrow that you start? Tell us, fair sire, when you will start for +this rude test, for we would fain convoy you thither. There will be no +provost or constable who will not gladly escort you. And however it may +be, I beg that you will not go without taking leave of us; and if you +have a bad dream to-night, by all means stay at home!" "The devil, +Sir Kay," the Queen replies, "are you beside yourself that your tongue +always runs on so? Cursed be your tongue which is so full of bitterness! +Surely your tongue must hate you, for it says the worst it knows to +every man. Damned be any tongue that never ceases to speak ill! As for +your tongue, it babbles so that it makes you hated everywhere. It cannot +do you greater treachery. See here: if it were mine, I would accuse it +of treason. Any man that cannot be cured by punishment ought to be tied +like a madman in front of the chancel in the church." "Really, madame," +says my lord Yvain, "his impudence matters not to me. In every court my +lord Kay has so much ability, knowledge, and worth that he will never be +deaf or dumb. He has the wit to reply wisely and courteously to all that +is mean, and this he has always done. You well know if I lie in saying +so. But I have no desire to dispute or to begin our foolishness again. +For he who deals the first blow does not always win the fight, but +rather he who gains revenge. He who fights with his companion had better +fight against some stranger. I do not wish to be like the hound that +stiffens up and growls when another dog yaps at him." + +(Vv. 649-722.) While they were talking thus, the King came out of his +room where he had been all this time asleep. And when the knights saw +him they all sprang to their feet before him, but he made them at once +sit down again. He took his place beside the Queen, who repeated to him +word for word, with her customary skill, the story of Calogrenant. The +King listened eagerly to it, and then he swore three mighty oaths by the +soul of his father Utherpendragon, and by the soul of his son, and of +his mother too, that he would go to see that spring before a fortnight +should have passed; and he would see the storm and the marvels there by +reaching it on the eve of my lord Saint John the Baptist's feast; there +he would spend the night, and all who wished might accompany him. All +the court thought well of this, for the knights and the young bachelors +were very eager to make the expedition. But despite the general joy and +satisfaction my lord Yvain was much chagrined, for he intended to go +there all alone; so he was grieved and much put out because of the King +who planned to go. The chief cause of his displeasure was that he knew +that my lord Kay, to whom the favour would not be refused if he should +solicit it, would secure the battle rather than he himself, or else +perchance my lord Gawain would first ask for it. If either one of these +two should make request, the favour would never be refused him. But, +having no desire for their company, he resolves not to wait for them, +but to go off alone, if possible, whether it be to his gain or hurt. And +whoever may stay behind, he intends to be on the third day in the forest +of Broceliande, and there to seek if possibly he may find the narrow +wooded path for which he yearns eagerly, and the plain with the strong +castle, and the pleasure and delight of the courteous damsel, who is +so charming and fair, and with the damsel her worthy sire, who is so +honourable and nobly born that he strives to dispense honour. Then he +will see the bulls in the clearing, with the giant boor who watches +them. Great is his desire to see this fellow, who is so stout and big +and ugly and deformed, and as black as a smith. Then, too, he will see, +if possible, the stone and the spring itself, and the basin and the +birds in the pine-tree, and he will make it rain and blow. But of all +this he will not boast, nor, if he can help it, shall any one know +of his purpose until he shall have received from it either great +humiliation or great renown: then let the facts be known. + +(Vv. 723-746.) My lord Yvain gets away from the court without any one +meeting him, and proceeds alone to his lodging place. There he found all +his household, and gave orders to have his horse saddled; then, calling +one of his squires who was privy to his every thought, he says: "Come +now, follow me outside yonder, and bring me my arms. I shall go out at +once through yonder gate upon my palfrey. For thy part, do not delay, +for I have a long road to travel. Have my steed well shod, and bring him +quickly where I am; then shalt thou lead back my palfrey. But take good +care, I adjure thee, if any one questions thee about me, to give him no +satisfaction. Otherwise, whatever thy confidence in me, thou need never +again count on my goodwill." "Sire," he says, "all will be well, for no +one shall learn anything from me. Proceed, and I shall follow you." + +(Vv. 747-906.) My lord Yvain mounts at once, intending to avenge, if +possible, his cousin's disgrace before he returns. The squire ran for +the arms and steed; he mounted at once without delay, since he was +already equipped with shoes and nails. Then he followed his master's +track until he saw him standing mounted, waiting to one side of the road +in a place apart. He brought him his harness and equipment, and then +accoutred him. My lord Yvain made no delay after putting on his arms, +but hastily made his way each day over the mountains and through the +valleys, through the forests long and wide, through strange and wild +country, passing through many gruesome spots, many a danger and many a +strait, until he came directly to the path, which was full of brambles +and dark enough; then he felt he was safe at last, and could not now +lose his way. Whoever may have to pay the cost, he will not stop until +he sees the pine which shades the spring and stone, and the tempest of +hail and rain and thunder and wind. That night, you may be sure, he had +such lodging as he desired, for he found the vavasor to be even more +polite and courteous than he had been told, and in the damsel he +perceived a hundred times more sense and beauty than Calogrenant had +spoken of, for one cannot rehearse the sum of a lady's or a good man's +qualities. The moment such a man devotes himself to virtue, his story +cannot be summed up or told, for no tongue could estimate the honourable +deeds of such a gentleman. My lord Yvain was well content with the +excellent lodging he had that night, and when he entered the clearing +the next day, he met the bulls and the rustic boor who showed him the +way to take. But more than a hundred times he crossed himself at sight +of the monster before him--how Nature had ever been able to form such +a hideous, ugly creature. Then to the spring he made his way, and found +there all that he wished to see. Without hesitation and without sitting +down he poured the basin full of water upon the stone, when straightway +it began to blow and rain, and such a storm was caused as had been +foretold. And when God had appeased the storm, the birds came to perch +upon the pine, and sang their joyous songs up above the perilous spring. +But before their jubilee had ceased there came the knight, more blazing +with wrath than a burning log, and making as much noise as if he were +chasing a lusty stag. As soon as they espied each other they rushed +together and displayed the mortal hate they bore. Each one carried a +stiff, stout lance, with which they dealt such mighty blows that they +pierced the shields about their necks, and cut the meshes of their +hauberks; their lances are splintered and sprung, while the fragments +are cast high in air. Then each attacks the other with his sword, and in +the strife they cut the straps of the shields away, and cut the shields +all to bits from end to end, so that the shreds hang down, no longer +serving as covering or defence; for they have so split them up that they +bring down the gleaming blades upon their sides, their arms, and hips. +Fierce, indeed, is their assault; yet they do not budge from their +standing-place any more than would two blocks of stone. Never were there +two knights so intent upon each other's death. They are careful not to +waste their blows, but lay them on as best they may; they strike and +bend their helmets, and they send the meshes of their hauberks flying +so, that they draw not a little blood, for the hauberks are so hot with +their body's heat that they hardly serve as more protection than a coat. +As they drive the sword-point at the face, it is marvellous that so +fierce and bitter a strife should last so long. But both are possessed +of such courage that one would not for aught retreat a foot before his +adversary until he had wounded him to death. Yet, in this respect they +were very honourable in not trying or deigning to strike or harm their +steeds in any way; but they sat astride their steeds without putting +foot to earth, which made the fight more elegant. At last my lord Yvain +crushed the helmet of the knight, whom the blow stunned and made so +faint that he swooned away, never having received such a cruel blow +before. Beneath his kerchief his head was split to the very brains, so +that the meshes of his bright hauberk were stained with the brains and +blood, all of which caused him such intense pain that his heart almost +ceased to beat. He had good reason then to flee, for he felt that he had +a mortal wound, and that further resistance would not avail. With this +thought in mind he quickly made his escape toward his town, where the +bridge was lowered and the gate quickly opened for him; meanwhile my +lord Yvain at once spurs after him at topmost speed. As a gerfalcon +swoops upon a crane when he sees him rising from afar, and then draws so +near to him that he is about to seize him, yet misses him, so flees the +knight, with Yvain pressing him so close that he can almost throw his +arm about him, and yet cannot quite come up with him, though he is so +close that he can hear him groan for the pain he feels. While the one +exerts himself in flight the other strives in pursuit of him, fearing to +have wasted his effort unless he takes him alive or dead; for he still +recalls the mocking words which my lord Kay had addressed to him. He +had not yet carried out the pledge which he had given to his cousin; +nor will they believe his word unless he returns with the evidence. The +knight led him a rapid chase to the gate of his town, where they entered +in; but finding no man or woman in the streets through which they +passed, they both rode swiftly on till they came to the palace-gate. + +(Vv. 907-1054.) The gate was very high and wide, yet it had such a +narrow entrance-way that two men or two horses could scarcely enter +abreast or pass without interference or great difficulty; for it was +constructed just like a trap which is set for the rat on mischief bent, +and which has a blade above ready to fall and strike and catch, and +which is suddenly released whenever anything, however gently, comes in +contact with the spring. In like fashion, beneath the gate there were +two springs connected with a portcullis up above, edged with iron and +very sharp. If anything stepped upon this contrivance the gate descended +from above, and whoever below was struck by the gate was caught and +mangled. Precisely in the middle the passage lay as narrow as if it were +a beaten track. Straight through it exactly the knight rushed on, with +my lord Yvain madly following him apace, and so close to him that he +held him by the saddle-bow behind. It was well for him that he was +stretched forward, for had it not been for this piece of luck he would +have been cut quite through; for his horse stepped upon the wooden +spring which kept the portcullis in place. Like a hellish devil the gate +dropped down, catching the saddle and the horse's haunches, which it cut +off clean. But, thank God, my lord Yvain was only slightly touched when +it grazed his back so closely that it cut both his spurs off even with +his heels. And while he thus fell in dismay, the other with his mortal +wound escaped him, as you now shall see. Farther on there was another +gate just like the one they had just passed; through this the knight +made his escape, and the gate descended behind him. Thus my lord Yvain +was caught, very much concerned and discomfited as he finds himself +shut in this hallway, which was all studded with gilded nails, and whose +walls were cunningly decorated with precious paints. [310] But about +nothing was he so worried as not to know what had become of the knight. +While he was in this narrow place, he heard open the door of a little +adjoining room, and there came forth alone a fair and charming maiden +who closed the door again after her. When she found my lord Yvain, at +first she was sore dismayed. [311] "Surely, sir knight," she says, "I +fear you have come in an evil hour. If you are seen here, you will be +all cut to pieces. For my lord is mortally wounded, and I know it is you +who have been the death of him. My lady is in such a state of grief, and +her people about her are crying so that they are ready to die with rage; +and, moreover, they know you to be inside. But as yet their grief is +such that they are unable to attend to you. The moment they come +to attack you, they cannot fail to kill or capture you, as they may +choose." And my lord Yvain replies to her: "If God will they shall never +kill me, nor shall I fall into their hands." "No," she says, "for I +shall do my utmost to assist you. It is not manly to cherish fear. So +I hold you to be a man of courage, when you are not dismayed. And rest +assured that if I could I would help you and treat you honourably, as +you in turn would do for me. Once my lady sent me on an errand to the +King's court, and I suppose I was not so experienced or courteous or +so well behaved as a maiden ought to be; at any rate, there was not a +knight there who deigned to say a word to me except you alone who stand +here now; but you, in your kindness, honoured and aided me. For the +honour you did me then I shall now reward you. I know full well what +your name is, and I recognised you at once: your name is my lord Yvain. +You may be sure and certain that if you take my advice you will never be +caught or treated ill. Please take this little ring of mine, which you +will return when I shall have delivered you." [312] Then she handed him +the little ring and told him that its effect was like that of the bark +which covers the wood so that it cannot be seen; but it must be worn so +that the stone is within the palm; then he who wears the ring upon his +finger need have no concern for anything; for no one, however sharp his +eyes may be, will be able to see him any more than the wood which is +covered by the outside bark. All this is pleasing to my lord Yvain. And +when she had told him this, she led him to a seat upon a couch covered +with a quilt so rich that the Duke of Austria had none such, and she +told him that if he cared for something to eat she would fetch it for +him; and he replied that he would gladly do so. Running quickly into the +chamber, she presently returned, bringing a roasted fowl and a cake, a +cloth, a full pot of good grape-wine covered with a white drinking-cup; +all this she offered to him to eat. And he, who stood in need of food, +very gladly ate and drank. + +(Vv. 1055-1172.) By the time he had finished his meal the knights were +astir inside looking for him and eager to avenge their lord, who was +already stretched upon his bier. Then the damsel said to Yvain: "Friend, +do you hear them all seeking you? There is a great noise and uproar +brewing. But whoever may come or go, do not stir for any noise of +theirs, for they can never discover you if you do not move from this +couch. Presently you will see this room all full of ill-disposed and +hostile people, who will think to find you here; and I make no doubt +that they will bring the body here before interment, and they will begin +to search for you under the seats and the beds. It will be amusing for a +man who is not afraid when he sees people searching so fruitlessly, for +they will all be so blind, so undone, and so misguided that they will be +beside themselves with rage. I cannot tell you more just now, for I dare +no longer tarry here. But I may thank God for giving me the chance and +the opportunity to do some service to please you, as I yearned to do." +Then she turned away, and when she was gone all the crowd with one +accord had come from both sides to the gates, armed with clubs and +swords. There was a mighty crowd and press of hostile people surging +about, when they espied in front of the gate the half of the horse which +had been cut down. Then they felt very sure that when the gates were +opened they would find inside him whose life they wished to take. Then +they caused to be drawn up those gates which had been the death of many +men. But since no spring or trap was laid for their passage they all +came through abreast. Then they found at the threshold the other half of +the horse that had been killed; but none of them had sharp enough eyes +to see my lord Yvain, whom they would gladly have killed; and he saw +them beside themselves with rage and fury, as they said: "How can this +be? For there is no door or window here through which anything could +escape, unless it be a bird, a squirrel, or marmot, or some other even +smaller animal; for the windows are barred, and the gates were closed +as soon as my lord passed through. The body is in here, dead or alive, +since there is no sign of it outside there; we can see more than half +of the saddle in here, but of him we see nothing, except the spurs which +fell down severed from his feet. Now let us cease this idle talk, and +search in all these comers, for he is surely in here still, or else we +are all enchanted, or the evil spirits have filched him away from us." +Thus they all, aflame with rage, sought him about the room, beating +upon the walls, and beds, and seats. But the couch upon which he lay was +spared and missed the blows, so that he was not struck or touched. But +all about they thrashed enough, and raised an uproar in the room with +their clubs, like a blind man who pounds as he goes about his search. +While they were poking about under the beds and the stools, there +entered one of the most beautiful ladies that any earthly creature ever +saw. Word or mention was never made of such a fair Christian dame, and +yet she was so crazed with grief that she was on the point of taking her +life. All at once she cried out at the top of her voice, and then fell +prostrate in a swoon. And when she had been picked up she began to claw +herself and tear her hair, like a woman who had lost her mind. She tears +her hair and rips her dress, and faints at every step she takes; nor can +anything comfort her when she sees her husband borne along lifeless +in the bier; for her happiness is at an end, and so she made her loud +lament. The holy water and the cross and the tapers were borne in +advance by the nuns from a convent; then came missals and censers +and the priests, who pronounce the final absolution required for the +wretched soul. + +(Vv. 1173-1242.) My lord Yvain heard the cries and the grief that can +never be described, for no one could describe it, nor was such ever set +down in a book. The procession passed, but in the middle of the room a +great crowd gathered about the bier, for the fresh warm blood trickled +out again from the dead man's wound, and this betokened certainly that +the man was still surely present who had fought the battle and had +killed and defeated him. Then they sought and searched everywhere, and +turned and stirred up everything, until they were all in a sweat with +the trouble and the press which had been caused by the sight of the +trickling crimson blood. Then my lord Yvain was well struck and beaten +where he lay, but not for that did he stir at all. And the people became +more and more distraught because of the wounds which burst open, and +they marvelled why they bled, without knowing whose fault it was. [313] +And each one to his neighbour said: "The murderer is among us here, and +yet we do not see him, which is passing strange and mysterious." At this +the lady showed such grief that she made an attempt upon her life, and +cried as if beside herself: "All God, then will the murderer not be +found, the traitor who took my good lord's life? Good? Aye, the best of +the good, indeed! True God, Thine will be the fault if Thou dost let him +thus escape. No other man than Thou should I blame for it who dost hide +him from my sight. Such a wonder was never seen, nor such injustice, as +Thou dost to me in not allowing me even to see the man who must be so +close to me. When I cannot see him, I may well say that some demon or +spirit has interposed himself between us, so that I am under a spell. Or +else he is a coward and is afraid of me: he must be a craven to stand in +awe of me, and it is an act of cowardice not to show himself before +me. Ah, thou spirit, craven thing! Why art thou so in fear of me, when +before my lord thou weft so brave? O empty and elusive thing, why cannot +I have thee in my power? Why cannot I lay hands upon thee now? But how +could it ever come about that thou didst kill my lord, unless it was +done by treachery? Surely my lord would never have met defeat at thy +hands had he seen thee face to face. For neither God nor man ever knew +of his like, nor is there any like him now. Surely, hadst thou been a +mortal man, thou wouldst never have dared to withstand my lord, for no +one could compare with him." Thus the lady struggles with herself, and +thus she contends and exhausts herself. And her people with her, for +their part, show the greatest possible grief as they carry off the +body to burial. After their long efforts and search they are completely +exhausted by the quest, and give it up from weariness, inasmuch as they +can find no one who is in any way guilty. The nuns and priests, having +already finished the service, had returned from the church and were gone +to the burial. But to all this the damsel in her chamber paid no heed. +Her thoughts are with my lord Yvain, and, coming quickly, she said to +him: "Fair sir, these people have been seeking you in force. They have +raised a great tumult here, and have poked about in all the corners more +diligently than a hunting-dog goes ferreting a partridge or a quail. +Doubtless you have been afraid." "Upon my word, you are right," says he: +"I never thought to be so afraid. And yet, if it were possible I should +gladly look out through some window or aperture at the procession +and the corpse." Yet he had no interest in either the corpse or the +procession, for he would gladly have seen them all burned, even had it +cost him a thousand marks. A thousand marks? Three thousand, verily, +upon my word. But he said it because of the lady of the town, of whom he +wished to catch a glimpse. So the damsel placed him at a little window, +and repaid him as well as she could for the honour which he had done +her. From this window my lord Yvain espies the fair lady, as she says: +"Sire, may God have mercy upon your soul! For never, I verily believe, +did any knight ever sit in saddle who was your equal in any respect. +No other knight, my fair sweet lord, ever possessed your honour or +courtesy. Generosity was your friend and boldness your companion. May +your soul rest among the saints, my fair dear lord." Then she strikes +and tears whatever she can lay her hands upon. Whatever the outcome +may be, it is hard for my lord Yvain to restrain himself from running +forward to seize her hands. But the damsel begs and advises him, and +even urgently commands him, though with courtesy and graciousness, not +to commit any rash deed, saying: "You are well off here. Do not stir +for any cause until this grief shall be assuaged; let these people all +depart, as they will do presently. If you act as I advise, in accordance +with my views, great advantage may come to you. It will be best for you +to remain seated here, and watch the people inside and out as they +pass along the way without their seeing you. But take care not to speak +violently, for I hold that man to be rather imprudent than brave who +goes too far and loses his self-restraint and commits some deed of +violence the moment he has the time and chance. So if you cherish some +rash thought be careful not to utter it. The wise man conceals his +imprudent thought and works out righteousness if he can. So wisely take +good care not to risk your head, for which they would accept no ransom. +Be considerate of yourself and remember my advice. Rest assured until +I return, for I dare not stay longer now. I might stay so long, I fear, +that they would suspect me when they did not see me in the crowd, and +then I should suffer for it." + +(Vv. 1339-1506.) Then she goes off, and he remains, not knowing how to +comport himself. He is loath to see them bury the corpse without his +securing anything to take back as evidence that he has defeated and +killed him. If he has no proof or evidence he will be held in contempt, +for Kay is so mean and obstinate, so given to mockery, and so annoying, +that he could never succeed in convincing him. He would go about for +ever insulting him, flinging his mockery and taunts as he did the other +day. These taunts are still fresh and rankling in his heart. But with +her sugar and honey a new Love now softened him; he had been to hunt +upon his lands and had gathered in his prey. His enemy carries off +his heart, and he loves the creature who hates him most. The lady, all +unaware, has well avenged her lord's death. She has secured greater +revenge than she could ever have done unless she had been aided by Love, +who attacks him so gently that he wounds his heart through his eyes. +And this wound is more enduring than any inflicted by lance or sword. +A sword-blow is cured and healed at once as soon as a doctor attends to +it, but the wound of love is worst when it is nearest to its physician. +This is the wound of my lord Yvain, from which he will never more +recover, for Love has installed himself with him. He deserts and goes +away from the places he was wont to frequent. He cares for no lodging +or landlord save this one, and he is very wise in leaving a poor +lodging-place in order to betake himself to him. In order to devote +himself completely to him, he will have no other lodging-place, though +often he is wont to seek out lowly hostelries. It is a shame that +Love should ever so basely conduct himself as to select the meanest +lodging-place quite as readily as the best. But now he has come where he +is welcome, and where he will be treated honourably, and where he will +do well to stay. This is the way Love ought to act, being such a noble +creature that it is marvellous how he dares shamefully to descend to +such low estate. He is like him who spreads his balm upon the ashes and +dust, who mingles sugar with gall, and suet with honey. However, he did +not act so this time, but rather lodged in a noble place, for which no +one can reproach him. When the dead man had been buried, all the people +dispersed, leaving no clerks or knights or ladies, excepting only +her who makes no secret of her grief. She alone remains behind, often +clutching at her throat, wringing her hands, and beating her palms, as +she reads her psalms in her gilt lettered psalter. All this while my +lord Yvain is at the window gazing at her, and the more he looks at her +the more he loves her and is enthralled by her. He would have wished +that she should cease her weeping and reading, and that she should +feel inclined to converse with him. Love, who caught him at the window, +filled him with this desire. But he despairs of realising his wish, for +he cannot imagine or believe that his desire can be gratified. So he +says: "I may consider myself a fool to wish for what I cannot have. +Her lord it was whom I wounded mortally, and yet do I think I can be +reconciled with her? Upon my word, such thoughts are folly, for at +present she has good reason to hate me more bitterly than anything. I am +right in saying 'at present', for a woman has more than one mind. That +mind in which she is just now I trust she will soon change; indeed, she +will change it certainly, and I am mad thus to despair. God grant that +she change it soon! For I am doomed to be her slave, since such is the +will of Love. Whoever does not welcome Love gladly, when he comes to +him, commits treason and a felony. I admit (and let whosoever will, +heed what I say) that such an one deserves no happiness or joy. But if I +lose, it will not be for such a reason; rather will I love my enemy. +For I ought not to feel any hate for her unless I wish to betray Love. +I must love in accordance with Love's desire. And ought she to regard me +as a friend? Yes, surely, since it is she whom I love. And I call her +my enemy, for she hates me, though with good reason, for I killed the +object of her love. So, then, am I her enemy? Surely no, but her true +friend, for I never so loved any one before. I grieve for her fair +tresses, surpassing gold in their radiance; I feel the pangs of anguish +and torment when I see her tear and cut them, nor can her tears e'er +be dried which I see falling from her eyes; by all these things I am +distressed. Although they are full of ceaseless, ever-flowing tears, yet +never were there such lovely eves. The sight of her weeping causes me +agony, but nothing pains me so much as the sight of her face, which she +lacerates without its having merited such treatment. I never saw such a +face so perfectly formed, nor so fresh and delicately coloured. And then +it has pierced my heart to see her clutch her throat. Surely, it is all +too true that she is doing the worst she can. And yet no crystal nor any +mirror is so bright and smooth. God! why is she thus possessed, and why +does she not spare herself? Why does she wring her lovely hands and beat +and tear her breast? Would she not be marvellously fair to look upon +when in happy mood, seeing that she is so fair in her displeasure? +Surely yes, I can take my oath on that. Never before in a work of beauty +was Nature thus able to outdo herself, for I am sure she has gone beyond +the limits of any previous attempt. How could it ever have happened +then? Whence came beauty so marvellous? God must have made her with His +naked hand that Nature might rest from further toil. If she should try +to make a replica, she might spend her time in vain without succeeding +in her task. Even God Himself, were He to try, could not succeed, I +guess, in ever making such another, whatever effort He might put forth." + +(Vv. 1507-1588.) Thus my lord Yvain considers her who is broken with her +grief, and I suppose it would never happen again that any man in prison, +like my lord Yvain in fear for his life, would ever be so madly in love +as to make no request on his own behalf, when perhaps no one else will +speak for him. He stayed at the window until he saw the lady go away, +and both the portcullises were lowered again. Another might have grieved +at this, who would prefer a free escape to tarrying longer where he was. +But to him it is quite indifferent whether they be shut or opened. If +they were open he surely would not go away, no, even were the lady to +give him leave and pardon him freely for the death of her lord. For he +is detained by Love and Shame which rise up before him on either hand: +he is ashamed to go away, for no one would believe in the success of his +exploit; on the other hand, he has such a strong desire to see the lady +at least, if he cannot obtain any other favour, that he feels little +concern about his imprisonment. He would rather die than go away. And +now the damsel returns, wishing to bear him company with her solace +and gaiety, and to go and fetch for him whatever he may desire. But she +found him pensive and quite worn out with the love which had laid hold +of him; whereupon she addressed him thus: "My lord Yvain, what sort of +a time have you had to-day?" "I have been pleasantly occupied," was his +reply. "Pleasantly? In God's name, is that the truth? What? How can one +enjoy himself seeing that he is hunted to death, unless he courts and +wishes it?" "Of a truth," he says, "my gentle friend, I should by no +means wish to die; and yet, as God beholds me, I was pleased, am pleased +now, and always shall be pleased by what I saw." "Well, let us say no +more of that," she makes reply, "for I can understand well enough what +is the meaning of such words. I am not so foolish or inexperienced that +I cannot understand such words as those; but come now after me, for I +shall find some speedy means to release you from your confinement. I +shall surely set you free to-night or to-morrow, if you please. Come +now, I will lead you away." And he thus makes reply: "You may be sure +that I will never escape secretly and like a thief. When the people are +all gathered out there in the streets, I can go forth more honourably +than if I did so surreptitiously." Then he followed her into the little +room. The damsel, who was kind, secured and bestowed upon him all that +he desired. And when the opportunity arose, she remembered what he +had said to her how he had been pleased by what he saw when they were +seeking him in the room with intent to kill him. + +(Vv. 1589-1652.) The damsel stood in such favour with her lady that she +had no fear of telling her anything, regardless of the consequences, for +she was her confidante and companion. Then, why should she be backward +in comforting her lady and in giving her advice which should redound to +her honour? The first time she said to her privily: "My lady, I greatly +marvel to see you act so extravagantly. Do you think you can recover +your lord by giving away thus to your grief?" "Nay, rather, if I had my +wish," says she, "I would now be dead of grief." "And why?" "In order to +follow after him." "After him? God forbid, and give you again as good a +lord, as is consistent with His might." "Thou didst never speak such a +lie as that, for He could never give me so good a lord again." "He will +give you a better one, if you will accept him, and I can prove it." +"Begone! Peace! I shall never find such a one." "Indeed you shall, my +lady, if you will consent. Just tell me, if you will, who is going to +defend your land when King Arthur comes next week to the margin of the +spring? You have already been apprised of this by letters sent you by +the Dameisele Sauvage. Alas, what a kind service she did for you! you +ought to be considering how you will defend your spring, and yet you +cease not to weep! If it please you, my dear lady, you ought not to +delay. For surely, all the knights you have are not worth, as you well +know, so much as a single chamber-maid. Neither shield nor lance will +ever be taken in hand by the best of them. You have plenty of craven +servants, but there is not one of them brave enough to dare to mount a +steed. And the King is coming with such a host that his victory will +be inevitable." The lady, upon reflection, knows very well that she is +giving her sincere advice, but she is unreasonable in one respect, as +also are other women who are, almost without exception, guilty of their +own folly, and refuse to accept what they really wish. "Begone," she +says; "leave me alone. If I ever hear thee speak of this again it will +go hard with thee, unless thou flee. Thou weariest me with thy idle +words." "Very well, my lady," she says; "that you are a woman is +evident, for woman will grow irate when she hears any one give her good +advice." + +(Vv. 1653-1726.) Then she went away and left her alone. And the lady +reflected that she had been in the wrong. She would have been very glad +to know how the damsel could ever prove that it would be possible to +find a better knight than her lord had ever been. She would be very glad +to hear her speak, but now she has forbidden her. With this desire in +mind, she waited until she returned. But the warning was of no avail, +for she began to say to her at once: "My lady, is it seemly that you +should thus torment yourself with grief? For God's sake now control +yourself, and for shame, at least, cease your lament. It is not fitting +that so great a lady should keep up her grief so long. Remember your +honourable estate and your very gentle birth! Think you that all virtue +ceased with the death of your lord? There are in the world a hundred as +good or better men." "May God confound me, if thou dost not lie! Just +name to me a single one who is reputed to be so excellent as my lord was +all his life." "If I did so you would be angry with me, and would fly +into a passion and you would esteem me less." "No, I will not, I assure +thee." "Then may it all be for your future welfare if you would but +consent, and may God so incline your will! I see no reason for holding +my peace, for no one hears or heeds what we say. Doubtless you will +think I am impudent, but I shall freely speak my mind. When two knights +have met in an affray of arms and when one has beaten the other, which +of the two do you think is the better? For my part I award the prize +to the victor. Now what do you think?" "It seems to me you are laying a +trap for me and intend to catch me in my words." "Upon my faith, you may +rest assured that I am in the right, and I can irrefutably prove to you +that he who defeated your lord is better than he was himself. He beat +him and pursued him valiantly until he imprisoned him in his house." +"Now," she replies, "I hear the greatest nonsense that was ever uttered. +Begone, thou spirit charged with evil! Begone, thou foolish and tiresome +girl! Never again utter such idle words, and never come again into my +presence to speak a word on his behalf!" "Indeed, my lady, I knew full +well that I should receive no thanks from you, and I said so before I +spoke. But you promised me you would not be displeased, and that you +would not be angry with me for it. But you have failed to keep your +promise, and now, as it has turned out, you have discharged your wrath +on me, and I have lost by not holding my peace." + +(Vv. 1727-1942.) Thereupon she goes back to the room where my lord Yvain +is waiting, comfortably guarded by her vigilance. But he is ill at ease +when he cannot see the lady, and he pays no attention, and hears no word +of the report which the damsel brings to him. The lady, too, is in great +perplexity all night, being worried about how she should defend the +spring; and she begins to repent of her action to the damsel, whom she +had blamed and insulted and treated with contempt. She feels very sure +and certain that not for any reward or bribe, nor for any affection +which she may bear him, would the maiden ever have mentioned him; and +that she must love her more than him, and that she would never give her +advice which would bring her shame or embarrassment: the maid is too +loyal a friend for that. Thus, lo! the lady is completely changed: she +fears now that she to whom she had spoken harshly will never love her +again devotedly; and him whom she had repulsed, she now loyally and with +good reason pardons, seeing that he had done her no wrong. So she argues +as if he were in her presence there, and thus she begins her argument: +"Come," she says, "canst thou deny that my lord was killed by thee?" +"That," says he, "I cannot deny. Indeed, I fully admit it." "Tell me, +then, the reason of thy deed. Didst thou do it to injure me, prompted by +hatred or by spite?" "May death not spare me now, if I did it to injure +you." "In that case, thou hast done me no wrong, nor art thou guilty +of aught toward him. For he would have killed thee, if he could. So it +seems to me that I have decided well and righteously." Thus, by her own +arguments she succeeds in discovering justice, reason, and common sense, +how that there is no cause for hating him; thus she frames the matter to +conform with her desire, and by her own efforts she kindles her love, as +a bush which only smokes with the flame beneath, until some one blows +it or stirs it up. If the damsel should come in now, she would win the +quarrel for which she had been so reproached, and by which she had +been so hurt. And next morning, in fact, she appeared again, taking +the subject up where she had let it drop. Meanwhile, the lady bowed +her head, knowing she had done wrong in attacking her. But now she is +anxious to make amends, and to inquire concerning the name, character, +and lineage of the knight: so she wisely humbles herself, and says: "I +wish to beg your pardon for the insulting words of pride which in my +rage I spoke to you: I will follow your advice. So tell me now, if +possible, about the knight of whom you have spoken so much to me: what +sort of a man is he, and of what parentage? If he is suited to become +my mate, and provided he be so disposed, I promise you to make him my +husband and lord of my domain. But he will have to act in such a way +that no one can reproach me by saying: 'This is she who took him who +killed her lord.'" "In God's name, lady, so shall it be. You will have +the gentlest, noblest, and fairest lord who ever belonged to Abel's +line." "What is his name?" "My lord Yvain." "Upon my word, if he is King +Urien's son he is of no mean birth, but very noble, as I well know." +"Indeed, my lady, you say the truth." "And when shall we be able to see +him?" "In five days' time." "That would be too long; for I wish he were +already come. Let him come to-night, or to-morrow, at the latest." "My +lady, I think no one could fly so far in one day. But I shall send one +of my squires who can run fast, and who will reach King Arthur's court +at least by to-morrow night, I think; that is the place we must seek for +him." "That is a very long time. The days are long. But tell him that +to-morrow night he must be back here, and that he must make greater +haste than usual. If he will only do his best, he can do two days' +journey in one. Moreover, to-night the moon will shine; so let him turn +night into day. And when he returns I will give him whatever he wishes +me to give." "Leave all care of that to me; for you shall have him in +your hands the day after to-morrow at the very latest. Meanwhile you +shall summon your men and confer with them about the approaching visit +of the King. In order to make the customary defence of your spring it +behoves you to consult with them. None of them will be so hardy as to +dare to boast that he will present himself. In that case you will have +a good excuse for saving that it behoves you to marry again. A certain +knight, highly qualified, seeks your hand; but you do not presume to +accept him without their unanimous consent. And I warrant what the +outcome will be: I know them all to be such cowards that in order to put +on some one else the burden which would be too heavy for them, they +will fall at your feet and speak their gratitude; for thus their +responsibility will be at an end. For, whoever is afraid of his own +shadow willingly avoids, if possible, any meeting with lance or spear; +for such games a coward has no use." "Upon my word," the lady replies, +"so I would have it, and so I consent, having already conceived the plan +which you have expressed; so that is what we shall do. But why do you +tarry here? Go, without delay, and take measures to bring him here, +while I shall summon my liege-men." Thus concluded their conference. And +the damsel pretends to send to search for my lord Yvain in his country; +while every day she has him bathed, and washed, and groomed. And besides +this she prepares for him a robe of red scarlet stuff, brand new and +lined with spotted fur. There is nothing necessary for his equipment +which she does not lend to him: a golden buckle for his neck, ornamented +with precious stones which make people look well, a girdle, and a wallet +made of rich gold brocade. She fitted him out perfectly, then informed +her lady that the messenger had returned, having done his errand +well. "How is that?" she says, "is he here? Then let him come at once, +secretly and privily, while no one is here with me. See to it that no +one else come in, for I should hate to see a fourth person here." At +this the damsel went away, and returned to her guest again. However, her +face did not reveal the joy that was in her heart; indeed, she said +that her lady knew that she had been sheltering him, and was very much +incensed at her. "Further concealment is useless now. The news about +you has been so divulged that my lady knows the whole story and is very +angry with me, heaping me with blame and reproaches. But she has given +me her word that I may take you into her presence without any harm or +danger. I take it that you will have no objection to this, except for +one condition (for I must not disguise the truth, or I should be unjust +to you): she wishes to have you in her control, and she desires such +complete possession of your body that even your heart shall not be at +large." "Certainly," he said, "I readily consent to what will be no +hardship to me. I am willing to be her prisoner." "So shall you be: +I swear it by this right hand laid upon you!. Now come and, upon my +advice, demean yourself so humbly in her presence that your imprisonment +may not be grievous. Otherwise feel no concern. I do not think that your +restraint will be irksome." Then the damsel leads him off, now +alarming, now reassuring him, and speaking to him mysteriously about +the confinement in which he is to find himself; for every lover is a +prisoner. She is right in calling him a prisoner; for surely any one who +loves is no longer free. + +(Vv. 1943-2036.) Taking my lord Yvain by the hand, the damsel leads him +where he will be dearly loved; but expecting to be ill received, it +is not strange if he is afraid. They found the lady seated upon a red +cushion. I assure you my lord Yvain was terrified upon entering the +room, where he found the lady who spoke not a word to him. At this he +was still more afraid, being overcome with fear at the thought that he +had been betrayed. He stood there to one side so long that the damsel +at last spoke up and said: "Five hundred curses upon the head of him who +takes into a fair lady's chamber a knight who will not draw near, +and who has neither tongue nor mouth nor sense to introduce himself." +Thereupon, taking him by the arm, she thrust him forward with the words: +"Come, step forward, knight, and have no fear that my lady is going to +snap at you; but seek her good-will and give her yours. I will join you +in your prayer that she pardon you for the death of her lord, Esclados +the Red." Then my lord Yvain clasped his hands, and failing upon his +knees, spoke like a lover with these words: "I will not crave your +pardon, lady, but rather thank you for any treatment you may inflict on +me, knowing that no act of yours could ever be distasteful to me." "Is +that so, sir? And what if I think to kill you now?" "My lady, if it +please you, you will never hear me speak otherwise." "I never heard of +such a thing as this: that you put yourself voluntarily and absolutely +within my power, without the coercion of any one." "My lady, there is +no force so strong, in truth, as that which commands me to conform +absolutely to your desire. I do not fear to carry out any order you +may be pleased to give. And if I could atone for the death, which came +through no fault of mine, I would do so cheerfully." "What?" says she, +"come tell me now and be forgiven, if you did no wrong in killing my +lord?" "Lady," he says, "if I may say it, when your lord attacked me, +why was I wrong to defend myself? When a man in self-defence kills +another who is trying to kill or capture him, tell me if in any way he +is to blame." "No, if one looks at it aright. And I suppose it would +have been no use, if I had had you put to death. But I should be glad +to learn whence you derive the force that bids you to consent +unquestioningly to whatever my will may dictate. I pardon you all your +misdeeds and crimes. But be seated, and tell us now what is the cause of +your docility?" "My lady," he says, "the impelling force comes from +my heart, which is inclined toward you. My heart has fixed me in this +desire." "And what prompted your heart, my fair sweet friend?" "Lady, my +eyes." "And what the eyes?" "The great beauty that I see in you." "And +where is beauty's fault in that?" "Lady, in this: that it makes me +love." "Love? And whom?" "You, my lady dear." "I?" "Yes, truly." +"Really? And how is that?" "To such an extent that my heart will not +stir from you, nor is it elsewhere to be found; to such an extent that I +cannot think of anything else, and I surrender myself altogether to you, +whom I love more than I love myself, and for whom, if you will, I am +equally ready to die or live." "And would you dare to undertake the +defence of my spring for love of me?" "Yes, my lady, against the world." +"Then you may know that our peace is made." + +(Vv. 2037-2048.) Thus they are quickly reconciled. And the lady, having +previously consulted her lords, says: "We shall proceed from here to the +hall where my men are assembled, who, in view of the evident need, have +advised and counselled me to take a husband at their request. And I +shall do so, in view of the urgent need: here and now I give myself to +you; for I should not refuse to accept as lord, such a good knight and a +king's son." + +(Vv. 2049-2328.) Now the damsel has brought about exactly what she had +desired. And my lord Yvain's mastery is more complete than could be told +or described; for the lady leads him away to the hall, which was full of +her knights and men-at-arms. And my lord Yvain was so handsome that they +all marvelled to look at him, and all, rising to their feet, salute and +bow to my lord Yvain, guessing well as they did so: "This is he whom +my lady will select. Cursed be he who opposes him! For he seems a +wonderfully fine man. Surely, the empress of Rome would be well married +with such a man. Would now that he had given his word to her, and she to +him, with clasped hand, and that the wedding might take place to-day +or tomorrow." Thus they spoke among themselves. At the end of the hall +there was a seat, and there in the sight of all the lady took her place. +And my lord Yvain made as if he intended to seat himself at her feet; +but she raised him up, and ordered the seneschal to speak aloud, so +that his speech might be heard by all. Then the seneschal began, being +neither stubborn nor slow of speech: "My lords," he said, "we are +confronted by war. Every day the King is preparing with all the haste he +can command to come to ravage our lands. Before a fortnight shall have +passed, all will have been laid waste, unless some valiant defender +shall appear. When my lady married first, not quite seven years ago, she +did it on your advice. Now her husband is dead, and she is grieved. Six +feet of earth is all he has, who formerly owned all this land, and who +was indeed its ornament. [314] It is a pity he lived so short a while. +A woman cannot bear a shield, nor does she know how to fight with lance. +It would exalt and dignify her again if she should marry some worthy +lord. Never was there greater need than now; do all of you recommend +that she take a spouse, before the custom shall lapse which has been +observed in this town for more than the past sixty years." At this, all +at once proclaim that it seems to them the right thing to do, and they +all throw themselves at her feet. They strengthen her desire by their +consent; yet she hesitates to assert her wishes until, as if against +her will, she finally speaks to the same intent as she would have done, +indeed, if every one had opposed her wish: "My lords, since it is your +wish, this knight who is seated beside me has wooed me and ardently +sought my hand. He wishes to engage himself in the defence of my rights +and in my service, for which I thank him heartily, as you do also. It is +true I have never known him in person, but I have often heard his name. +Know that he is no less a man than the son of King Urien. Beside his +illustrious lineage, he is so brave, courteous, and wise that no one +has cause to disparage him. You have all already heard, I suppose, of +my lord Yvain, and it is he who seeks my hand. When the marriage is +consummated, I shall have a more noble lord than I deserve." They all +say: "If you are prudent, this very day shall not go by without the +marriage being solemnised. For it is folly to postpone for a single hour +an advantageous act." They beseech her so insistently that she consents +to what she would have done in any case. For Love bids her do that for +which she asks counsel and advice; but there is more honour for him in +being accepted with the approval of her men. To her their prayers are +not unwelcome; rather do they stir and incite her heart to have its way. +The horse, already under speed, goes faster yet when it is spurred. In +the presence of all her lords, the lady gives herself to my lord Yvain. +From the hand of her chaplain he received the lady, Laudine de Landuc, +daughter of Duke Laudunet, of whom they sing a lay. That very day +without delay he married her, and the wedding was celebrated. There +were plenty of mitres and croziers there, for the lady had summoned her +bishops and abbots. Great was the joy and rejoicing, there were many +people, and much wealth was displayed--more than I could tell you of, +were I to devote much thought to it. It is better to keep silent than to +be inadequate. So my lord Yvain is master now, and the dead man is quite +forgot. He who killed him is now married to his wife, and they enjoy the +marriage rights. The people love and esteem their living lord more than +they ever did the dead. They served him well at his marriage-feast, +until the eve before the day when the King came to visit the marvellous +spring and its stone, bringing with him upon this expedition his +companions and all those of his household; not one was left behind. And +my lord Kay remarked: "Ah, what now has become of Yvain, who after his +dinner made the boast that he would avenge his cousin's shame? Evidently +he spoke in his cups. I believe that he has run away. He would not +dare to come back for anything. He was very presumptuous to make such a +boast. He is a bold man who dares to boast of what no one would praise +him for, and who has no proof of his great feats except the words of +some false flatterer. There is a great difference between a coward and a +hero; for the coward seated beside the fire talks loudly about himself, +holding all the rest as fools, and thinking that no one knows his real +character. A hero would be distressed at hearing his prowess related by +some one else. And yet I maintain that the coward is not wrong to praise +and vaunt himself, for he will find no one else to lie for him. If he +does not boast of his deeds, who will? All pass over him in silence, +even the heralds, who proclaim the brave, but discard the cowards." When +my lord Kay had spoken thus, my lord Gawain made this reply: "My lord +Kay, have some mercy now! Since my lord Yvain is not here, you do not +know what business occupies him. Indeed, he never so debased himself as +to speak any ill of you compared with the gracious things he has said." +"Sire," says Kay, "I'll hold my peace. I'll not say another word to-day, +since I see you are offended by my speech." Then the King, in order to +see the rain, poured a whole basin full of water upon the stone beneath +the pine, and at once the rain began to pour. It was not long before my +lord Yvain without delay entered the forest fully armed, tiding faster +than a gallop on a large, sleek steed, strong, intrepid, and fleet of +foot. And it was my lord Kay's desire to request the first encounter. +For, whatever the outcome might be, he always wished to begin the fight +and joust the first, or else he would be much incensed. Before all the +rest, he requested the King to allow him to do battle first. The King +says: "Kay, since it is your wish, and since you are the first to make +the request, the favour ought not to be denied." Kay thanks him first, +then mounts his steed. If now my lord Yvain can inflict a mild disgrace +upon him, he will be very glad to do so; for he recognises him by his +arms. [315] Each grasping his shield by the straps, they rush together. +Spurring their steeds, they lower the lances, which they hold tightly +gripped. Then they thrust them forward a little, so that they grasped +them by the leather-wrapped handles, and so that when they came together +they were able to deal such cruel blows that both lances broke in +splinters clear to the handle of the shaft. My lord Yvain gave him such +a mighty blow that Kay took a summersault from out of his saddle and +struck with his helmet on the ground. My lord Yvain has no desire to +inflict upon him further harm, but simply dismounts and takes his horse. +This pleased them all, and many said: "Ah, ah, see how you prostrate +lie, who but now held others up to scorn! And yet it is only right to +pardon you this time; for it never happened to you before." Thereupon +my lord Yvain approached the King, leading the horse in his hand by the +bridle, and wishing to make it over to him. "Sire," says he, "now take +this steed, for I should do wrong to keep back anything of yours." "And +who are you?" the King replies; "I should never know you, unless I heard +your name, or saw you without your arms." Then my lord told him who +he was, and Kay was overcome with shame, mortified, humbled, and +discomfited, for having said that he had run away. But the others were +greatly pleased, and made much of the honour he had won. Even the King +was greatly gratified, and my lord Gawain a hundred times more than any +one else. For he loved his company more than that of any other knight +he knew. And the King requested him urgently to tell him, if it be his +will, how he had fared; for he was very curious to learn all about his +adventure; so the King begs him to tell the truth. And he soon told him +all about the service and kindness of the damsel, not passing over +a single word, not forgetting to mention anything. And after this he +invited the King and all his knights to come to lodge with him, saying +they would be doing him great honour in accepting his hospitality. And +the King said that for an entire week he would gladly do him the honour +and pleasure, and would bear him company. And when my lord Yvain had +thanked him, they tarry no longer there, but mount and take the most +direct road to the town. My lord Yvain sends in advance of the company +a squire beating a crane-falcon, in order that they might not take the +lady by surprise, and that her people might decorate the streets against +the arrival of the King. When the lady heard the news of the King's +visit she was greatly pleased; nor was there any one who, upon hearing +the news, was not happy and elated. And the lady summons them all and +requests them to go to meet him, to which they make no objection or +remonstrance, all being anxious to do her will. + +(Vv. 2329-2414.) [316] Mounted on great Spanish steeds, they all go to +meet the King of Britain, saluting King Arthur first with great courtesy +and then all his company. "Welcome," they say, "to this company, so full +of honourable men! Blessed be he who brings them hither and presents us +with such fair guests!" At the King's arrival the town resounds with +the joyous welcome which they give. Silken stuffs are taken out and hung +aloft as decorations, and they spread tapestries to walk upon and drape +the streets with them, while they wait for the King's approach. And they +make still another preparation, in covering the streets with awnings +against the hot rays of the sun. Bells, horns, and trumpets cause +the town to ring so that God's thunder could not have been heard. The +maidens dance before him, flutes and pipes are played, kettle-drums, +drums, and cymbals are beaten. On their part the nimble youths leap, and +all strive to show their delight. With such evidence of their joy, they +welcome the King fittingly. And the Lady came forth, dressed in imperial +garb a robe of fresh ermine--and upon her head she wore a diadem all +ornamented with rubies. No cloud was there upon her face, but it was +so gay and full of joy that she was more beautiful, I think, than any +goddess. Around her the crowd pressed close, as they cried with one +accord: "Welcome to the King of kings and lord of lords!" The King could +not reply to all before he saw the lady coming toward him to hold his +stirrup. However, he would not wait for this, but hastened to dismount +himself as soon as he caught sight of her. Then she salutes him with +these words: "Welcome a hundred thousand times to the King, my lord, and +blessed be his nephew, my lord Gawain!" The King replies: "I wish +all happiness and good luck to your fair body and your face, lovely +creature!" Then clasping her around the waist, the King embraced her +gaily and heartily as she did him, throwing her arms about him. I will +say no more of how gladly she welcomed them, but no one ever heard of +any people who were so honourably received and served. I might tell you +much of the joy should I not be wasting words, but I wish to make brief +mention of an acquaintance which was made in private between the moon +and the sun. Do you know of whom I mean to speak? He who was lord of the +knights, and who was renowned above them all, ought surely to be called +the sun. I refer, of course, to my lord Gawain, for chivalry is enhanced +by him just as when the morning sun sheds its rays abroad and lights all +places where it shines. And I call her the moon, who cannot be otherwise +because of her sense and courtesy. However, I call her so not only +because of her good repute, but because her name is, in fact, Lunete. + +(Vv. 2415-2538.) The damsel's name was Lunete, and she was a charming +brunette, prudent, clever, and polite. As her acquaintance grows with +my lord Gawain, he values her highly and gives her his love as to his +sweetheart, because she had saved from death his companion and friend; +he places himself freely at her service. On her part she describes and +relates to him with what difficulty she persuaded her mistress to take +my lord Yvain as her husband, and how she protected him from the hands +of those who were seeking him; how he was in their midst but they did +not see him. My lord Gawain laughed aloud at this story of hers, and +then he said: "Mademoiselle, when you need me and when you don't, such +as I am, I place myself at your disposal. Never throw me off for some +one else when you think you can improve your lot. I am yours, and do +you be from now on my demoiselle!" "I thank you kindly, sire," she said. +While the acquaintance of these two was ripening thus, the others, too, +were engaged in flirting. For there were perhaps ninety ladies there, +each of whom was fair and charming, noble and polite, virtuous and +prudent, and a lady of exalted birth, so the men could agreeably employ +themselves in caressing and kissing them, and in talking to them and +in gazing at them while they were seated by their side; that much +satisfaction they had at least. My lord Yvain is in high feather because +the King is lodged with him. And the lady bestows such attention upon +them all, as individuals and collectively, that some foolish person +might suppose that the charming attentions which she showed them were +dictated by love. But such persons may properly be rated as fools for +thinking that a lady is in love with them just because she is courteous +and speaks to some unfortunate fellow, and makes him happy and caresses +him. A fool is made happy by fair words, and is very easily taken in. +That entire week they spent in gaiety; forest and stream offered plenty +of sport for any one who desired it. And whoever wished to see the land +which had come into the hands of my lord Yvain with the lady whom he +had married, could go to enjoy himself at one of the castles which stood +within a radius of two, three, or four leagues. When the King had stayed +as long as he chose, he made ready to depart. But during the week they +had all begged urgently, and with all the insistence at their command, +that they might take away my lord Yvain with them. "What? Will you +be one of those." said my lord Gawain to him, "who degenerate after +marriage? [317] Cursed be he by Saint Mary who marries and then +degenerates! Whoever has a fair lady as his mistress or his wife should +be the better for it, and it is not right that her affection should be +bestowed on him after his worth and reputation are gone. Surely you, +too, would have cause to regret her love if you grew soft, for a +woman quickly withdraws her love, and rightly so, and despises him who +degenerates in any way when he has become lord of the realm. Now ought +your fame to be increased! Slip off the bridle and halter and come to +the tournament with me, that no one may say that you are jealous. Now +you must no longer hesitate to frequent the lists, to share in the +onslaught, and to contend with force, whatever effort it may cost! +Inaction produces indifference. But, really, you must come, for I shall +be in your company. Have a care that our comradeship shall not fail +through any fault of yours, fair companion; for my part, you may count +on me. It is strange how a man sets store by the life of ease which +has no end. Pleasures grow sweeter through postponement; and a little +pleasure, when delayed, is much sweeter to the taste than great pleasure +enjoyed at once. The sweets of a love which develops late are like +a fire in a green bush; for the longer one delays in lighting it the +greater will be the heat it yields, and the longer will its force +endure. One may easily fall into habits which it is very difficult +to shake off, for when one desires to do so, he finds he has lost the +power. Don't misunderstand my words, my friend: if I had such a fair +mistress as you have, I call God and His saints to witness, I should +leave her most reluctantly; indeed, I should doubtless be infatuated. +But a man may give another counsel, which he would not take himself, +just as the preachers, who are deceitful rascals, and preach and +proclaim the right but who do not follow it themselves." + +(Vv. 2539-2578.) My lord Gawain spoke at such length and so urgently +that he promised him that he would go; but he said that he must consult +his lady and ask for her consent. Whether it be a foolish or a prudent +thing to do, he will not fail to ask her leave to return to Britain. +Then he took counsel with his wife, who had no inkling of the permission +he desired, as he addressed her with these words: "My beloved lady, my +heart and soul, my treasure, joy, and happiness, grant me now a favour +which will redound to your honour and to mine." The lady at once gives +her consent, not knowing what his desire is, and says: "Fair lord, you +may command me your pleasure, whatever it be." Then my lord Yvain +at once asks her for permission to escort the King and to attend at +tournaments, that no one may reproach his indolence. And she replies: +"I grant you leave until a certain date; but be sure that my love will +change to hate if you stay beyond the term that I shall fix. Remember +that I shall keep my word; if you break your word I will keep mine. If +you wish to possess my love, and if you have any regard for me, remember +to come back again at the latest a year from the present date a week +after St. John's day; for to-day is the eighth day since that feast. +You will be checkmated of my love if you are not restored to me on that +day." + +(Vv. 2579-2635.) My lord Yvain weeps and sighs so bitterly that he can +hardly find words to say: "My lady, this date is indeed a long way off. +If I could be a dove, whenever the fancy came to me, I should often +rejoin you here. And I pray God that in His pleasure He may not detain +me so long away. But sometimes a man intends speedily to return who +knows not what the future has in store for him. And I know not what will +be my fate--perhaps some urgency of sickness or imprisonment may keep +me back: you are unjust in not making an exception at least of actual +hindrance." "My lord," says she, "I will make that exception. And yet +I dare to promise you that, if God deliver you from death, no hindrance +will stand in your way so long as you remember me. So put on your finger +now this ring of mine, which I lend to you. And I will tell you all +about the stone: no true and loyal lover can be imprisoned or lose any +blood, nor can any harm befall him, provided he carry it and hold it +dear, and keep his sweetheart in mind. You will become as hard as iron, +and it will serve you as shield and hauberk. I have never before been +willing to lend or entrust it to any knight, but to you I give it +because of my affection for you." Now my lord Yvain is free to go, but +he weeps bitterly on taking leave. The King, however, would not tarry +longer for anything that might be said: rather was he anxious to have +the palfreys brought all equipped and bridled. They acceded at once to +his desire, bringing the palfreys forth, so that it remained only to +mount. I do not know whether I ought to tell you how my lord Yvain took +his leave, and of the kisses bestowed on him, mingled with tears and +steeped in sweetness. And what shall I tell you about the King how the +lady escorts him, accompanied by her damsels and seneschal? All this +would require too much time. When he sees the lady's tears, the King +implores her to come no farther, but to return to her abode. He begged +her with such urgency that, heavy at heart, she turned about followed by +her company. + +(Vv. 2639-2773.) My lord Yvain is so distressed to leave his lady that +his heart remains behind. The King may take his body off, but he cannot +lead his heart away. She who stays behind clings so tightly to his heart +that the King has not the power to take it away with him. When the body +is left without the heart it cannot possibly live on. For such a marvel +was never seen as the body alive without the heart. Yet this marvel now +came about: for he kept his body without the heart, which was wont to be +enclosed in it, but which would not follow the body now. The heart has +a good abiding-place, while the body, hoping for a safe return to its +heart, in strange fashion takes a new heart of hope, which is so often +deceitful and treacherous. He will never know in advance, I think, the +hour when this hope will play him false, for if he overstays by single +day the term which he has agreed upon, it will be hard for him to gain +again his lady's pardon and goodwill. Yet I think he will overstay +the term, for my lord Gawain will not allow him to part from him, as +together they go to joust wherever tournaments are held. And as the year +passes by my lord Yvain had such success that my lord Gawain strove +to honour him, and caused him to delay so long that all the first year +slipped by, and it came to the middle of August of the ensuing year, +when the King held court at Chester, whither they had returned the day +before from a tournament where my lord Yvain had been and where he had +won the glory and the story tells how the two companions were unwilling +to lodge in the town, but had their tents set up outside the city, and +held court there. For they never went to the royal court, but the King +came rather to join in theirs, for they had the best knights, and the +greatest number, in their company. Now King Arthur was seated in their +midst, when Yvain suddenly had a thought which surprised him more than +any that had occurred to him since he had taken leave of his lady, for +he realised that he had broken his word, and that the limit of his +leave was already exceeded. He could hardly keep back his tears, but he +succeeded in doing so from shame. He was still deep in thought when +he saw a damsel approaching rapidly upon a black palfrey with white +forefeet. As she got down before the tent no one helped her to dismount, +and no one went to take her horse. As soon as she made out the King, she +let her mantle fall, and thus displayed she entered the tent and came +before the King, announcing that her mistress sent greetings to the +King, and to my lord Gawain and all the other knights, except +Yvain, that disloyal traitor, liar, hypocrite, who had deserted her +deceitfully. "She has seen clearly the treachery of him who pretended +he was a faithful lover while he was a false and treacherous thief. This +thief has traduced my lady, who was all unprepared for any evil, and +to whom it never occurred that he would steal her heart away. Those who +love truly do not steal hearts away; there are, however, some men, +by whom these former are called thieves, who themselves go about +deceitfully making love, but in whom there is no real knowledge of the +matter. The lover takes his lady's heart, of course, but he does not run +away with it; rather does he treasure it against those thieves who, +in the guise of honourable men, would steal it from him. But those are +deceitful and treacherous thieves who vie with one another in stealing +hearts for which they care nothing. The true lover, wherever he may go, +holds the heart dear and brings it back again. But Yvain has caused my +lady's death, for she supposed that he would guard her heart for her, +and would bring it back again before the year elapsed. Yvain, thou wast +of short memory when thou couldst not remember to return to thy mistress +within a year. She gave thee thy liberty until St. John's day, and thou +settest so little store by her that never since has a thought of her +crossed thy mind. My lady had marked every day in her chamber, as the +seasons passed: for when one is in love, one is ill at ease and cannot +get any restful sleep, but all night long must needs count and reckon +up the days as they come and go. Dost thou know how lovers spend their +time? They keep count of the time and the season. Her complaint is not +presented prematurely or without cause, and I am not accusing him in any +way, but I simply say that we have been betrayed by him who married +my lady. Yvain, my mistress has no further care for thee, but sends thee +word by me never to come back to her, and no longer to keep her ring. +She bids thee send it back to her by me, whom thou seest present here. +Surrender it now, as thou art bound to do." + +(Vv. 2774-3230.) Senseless and deprived of speech, Yvain is unable to +reply. And the damsel steps forth and takes the ring from his finger, +commending to God the King and all the others except him, whom she +leaves in deep distress. And his sorrow grows on him: he feels oppressed +by what he hears, and is tormented by what he sees. He would rather be +banished alone in some wild land, where no one would know where to seek +for him, and where no man or woman would know of his whereabouts any +more than if he were in some deep abyss. He hates nothing so much as he +hates himself, nor does he know to whom to go for comfort in the death +he has brought upon himself. But he would rather go insane than not +take vengeance upon himself, deprived, as he is, of joy through his own +fault. He rises from his place among the knights, fearing he will lose +his mind if he stays longer in their midst. On their part, they pay no +heed to him, but let him take his departure alone. They know well enough +that he cares nothing for their talk or their society. And he goes away +until he is far from the tents and pavilions. Then such a storm broke +loose in his brain that he loses his senses; he tears his flesh and, +stripping off his clothes, he flees across the meadows and fields, +leaving his men quite at a loss, and wondering what has become of him. +[318] They go in search of him through all the country around--in the +lodgings of the knights, by the hedgerows, and in the gardens--but they +seek him where he is not to be found. Still fleeing, he rapidly pursued +his way until he met close by a park a lad who had in his hand a bow and +five barbed arrows, which were very sharp and broad. He had sense enough +to go and take the bow and arrows which he held. However, he had no +recollection of anything that he had done. He lies in wait for the +beasts in the woods, killing them, and then eating the venison raw. Thus +he dwelt in the forest like a madman or a savage, until he came upon a +little, low-lying house belonging to a hermit, who was at work clearing +his ground. When he saw him coming with nothing on, he could easily +perceive that he was not in his right mind; and such was the case, as +the hermit very well knew. So, in fear, he shut himself up in his little +house, and taking some bread and fresh water, he charitably set it +outside the house on a narrow window-ledge. And thither the other comes, +hungry for the bread which he takes and eats. I do not believe that he +ever before had tasted such hard and bitter bread. The measure of barley +kneaded with the straw, of which the bread, sourer than yeast, was made, +had not cost more than five sous; and the bread was musty and as dry +as bark. But hunger torments and whets his appetite, so that the +bread tasted to him like sauce. For hunger is itself a well mixed and +concocted sauce for any food. My lord Yvain soon ate the hermit's bread, +which tasted good to him, and drank the cool water from the jar. When he +had eaten, he betook himself again to the woods in search of stags and +does. And when he sees him going away, the good man beneath his roof +prays God to defend him and guard him lest he ever pass that way again. +But there is no creature, with howsoever little sense, that will not +gladly return to a place where he is kindly treated. So, not a day +passed while he was in this mad fit that he did not bring to his door +some wild game. Such was the life he led; and the good man took it upon +himself to remove the skin and set a good quantity of the venison to +cook; and the bread and the water in the jug was always standing on the +window-ledge for the madman to make a meal. Thus he had something to eat +and drink: venison without salt or pepper, and good cool water from the +spring. And the good man exerted himself to sell the hide and buy bread +made of barley, or oats, or of some other grain; so, after that, Yvain +had a plentiful supply of bread and venison, which sufficed him for +a long time, until one day he was found asleep in the forest by two +damsels and their mistress, in whose service they were. When they saw +the naked man, one of the three ran and dismounted and examined him +closely, before she saw anything about him which would serve to identify +him. If he had only been richly attired, as he had been many a time, and +if she could have seen him then she would have known him quickly enough. +But she was slow to recognise him, and continued to look at him until +at last she noticed a scar which he had on his face, and she recollected +that my lord Yvain's face was scarred in this same way; she was sure of +it, for she had often seen it. Because of the scar she saw that it was +he beyond any doubt; but she marvelled greatly how it came about that +she found him thus poor and stripped. Often she crosses herself in +amazement, but she does not touch him or wake him up; rather does +she mount her horse again, and going back to the others, tells them +tearfully of her adventure. I do not know if I ought to delay to tell +you of the grief she showed; but thus she spoke weeping to her mistress: +"My lady, I have found Yvain, who has proved himself to be the best +knight in the world, and the most virtuous. I cannot imagine what sin +has reduced the gentleman to such a plight. I think he must have had +some misfortune, which causes him thus to demean himself, for one may +lose his wits through grief. And any one can see that he is not in his +right mind, for it would surely never be like him to conduct himself +thus indecently unless he had lost his mind. Would that God had restored +to him the best sense he ever had, and would that he might then consent +to render assistance to your cause! For Count Alier, who is at war with +you, has made upon you a fierce attack. I should see the strife between +you two quickly settled in your favour if God favoured your fortunes +so that he should return to his senses and undertake to aid you in this +stress." To this the lady made reply: "Take care now! For surely, if he +does not escape, with God's help I think we can clear his head of all +the madness and insanity. But we must be on our way at once! For I +recall a certain ointment with which Morgan the Wise presented me, +saying there was no delirium of the head which it would not cure." +Thereupon, they go off at once toward the town, which was hard by, for +it was not any more than half a league of the kind they have in that +country; and, as compared with ours, two of their leagues make one and +four make two. And he remains sleeping all alone, while the lady goes +to fetch the ointment. The lady opens a case of hers, and, taking out a +box, gives it to the damsel, and charges her not to be too prodigal in +its use: she should rub only his temples with it, for there is no use of +applying it elsewhere; she should anoint only his temples with it, and +the remainder she should carefully keep, for there is nothing the matter +with him except in his brain. She sends him also a robe of spotted fur, +a coat, and a mantle of scarlet silk. The damsel takes them, and leads +in her right hand an excellent palfrey. And she added to these, of her +own store, a shirt, some soft hose, and some new drawers of proper cut. +With all these things she quickly set out, and found him still asleep +where she had left him. After putting her horse in an enclosure where +she tied him fast, she came with the clothes and the ointment to the +place where he was asleep. Then she made so bold as to approach the +madman, so that she could touch and handle him: then taking the +ointment she rubbed him with it until none remained in the box, being +so solicitous for his recovery that she proceeded to anoint him all over +with it; and she used it so freely that she heeded not the warning of +her mistress, nor indeed did she remember it. She put more on than was +needed, but in her opinion it was well employed. She rubbed his temples +and forehead, and his whole body down to the ankles. She rubbed his +temples and his whole body so much there in the hot sunshine that the +madness and the depressing gloom passed completely out of his brain. But +she was foolish to anoint his body, for of that there was no need. If +she had had five measures of it she would doubtless have done the same +thing. She carries off the box, and takes hidden refuge by her horse. +But she leaves the robe behind, wishing that, if God calls him back to +life, he may see it all laid out, and may take it and put it on. She +posts herself behind an oak tree until he had slept enough, and was +cured and quite restored, having regained his wits and memory. Then he +sees that he is as naked as ivory, and feels much ashamed; but he would +have been yet more ashamed had he known what had happened. As it is, he +knows nothing but that he is naked. He sees the new robe lying before +him, and marvels greatly how and by what adventure it had come there. +But he is ashamed and concerned, because of his nakedness, and says that +he is dead and utterly undone if any one has come upon him there and +recognised him. Meanwhile, he clothes himself and looks out into the +forest to see if any one was approaching. He tries to stand up and +support himself, but cannot summon the strength to walk away, for his +sickness has so affected him that he can scarcely stand upon his feet. +Thereupon, the damsel resolves to wait no longer, but, mounting, she +passed close by him, as if unaware of his presence. Quite indifferent as +to whence might come the help, which he needed so much to lead him away +to some lodging-place, where he might recruit his strength, he calls out +to her with all his might. And the damsel, for her part, looks about +her as if not knowing what the trouble is. Confused, she goes hither and +thither, not wishing to go straight up to him. Then he begins to call +again: "Damsel, come this way, here!" And the damsel guided toward him +her soft-stepping palfrey. By this ruse she made him think that she knew +nothing of him and had never seen him before; in so doing she was wise +and courteous. When she had come before him, she said: "Sir knight, what +do you desire that you call me so insistently?" "Ah," said he, "prudent +damsel, I have found myself in this wood by some mishap--I know not +what. For God's sake and your belief in Him, I pray you to lend me, +taking my word as pledge, or else to give me outright, that palfrey +you are leading in your hand." "Gladly, sire: but you must accompany me +whither I am going." "Which way?" says he. "To a town that stands near +by, beyond the forest." "Tell me, damsel, if you stand in need of me." +"Yes," she says, "I do; but I think you are not very well. For the next +two weeks at least you ought to rest. Take this horse, which I hold in +my right hand, and we shall go to our lodging-place." And he, who had no +other desire, takes it and mounts, and they proceed until they come to a +bridge over a swift and turbulent stream. And the damsel throws into the +water the empty box she is carrying, thinking to excuse herself to her +mistress for her ointment by saying that she was so unlucky as to let +the box fall into the water for, when her palfrey stumbled under her, +the box slipped from her gasp, and she came near falling in too, which +would have been still worse luck. It is her intention to invent this +story when she comes into her mistress' presence. Together they held +their way until they came to the town, where the lady detained my lord +Yvain and asked her damsel in private for her box and ointment: and the +damsel repeated to her the lie as she had invented it, not daring to +tell her the truth. Then the lady was greatly enraged, and said: "This +is certainly a very serious loss, and I am sure and certain that the +box will never be found again. But since it has happened so, there is +nothing more to be done about it. One often desires a blessing which +turns out to be a curse; thus I, who looked for a blessing and joy from +this knight, have lost the dearest and most precious of my possessions. +However, I beg you to serve him in all respects." "Ah, lady, how wisely +now you speak! For it would be too bad to convert one misfortune into +two." + +(Vv. 3131-3254.) Then they say no more about the box, but minister in +every way they can to the comfort of my lord Yvain, bathing him and +washing his hair, having him shaved and clipped, for one could have +taken up a fist full of hair upon his face. His every want is satisfied: +if he asks for arms, they are furnished him: if he wants a horse, they +provide him with one that is large and handsome, strong and spirited. +He stayed there until, upon a Tuesday, Count Alier came to the town with +his men and knights, who started fires and took plunder. Those in the +town at once rose up and equipped themselves with arms. Some armed and +some unarmed, they issued forth to meet the plunderers, who did not +deign to retreat before them, but awaited them in a narrow pass. My lord +Yvain struck at the crowd; he had had so long a rest that his strength +was quite restored, and he struck a knight upon his shield with such +force that he sent down in a heap, I think, the knight together with his +horse. The knight never rose again, for his backbone was broken and +his heart burst within his breast. My lord Yvain drew back a little to +recover. Then protecting himself completely with his shield, he spurred +forward to clear the pass. One could not have counted up to four before +one would have seen him cast down speedily four knights. Whereupon, +those who were with him waxed more brave, for many a man of poor and +timid heart, at the sight of some brave man who attacks a dangerous task +before his eyes, will be overwhelmed by confusion and shame, which will +drive out the poor heart in his body and give him another like to a +hero's for courage. So these men grew brave and each stood his ground in +the fight and attack. And the lady was up in the tower, whence she saw +the fighting and the rush to win and gain possession of the pass, and +she saw lying upon the ground many who were wounded and many killed, +both of her own party and of the enemy, but more of the enemy than of +her own. For my courteous, bold, and excellent lord Yvain made them +yield just as a falcon does the teal. And the men and women who had +remained within the town declared as they watched the strife: "Ah, what +a valiant knight! How he makes his enemies yield, and how fierce is his +attack! He was about him as a lion among the fallow deer, when he is +impelled by need and hunger. Then, too, all our other knights are more +brave and daring because of him, for, were it not for him alone, not a +lance would have been splintered nor a sword drawn to strike. When such +an excellent man is found he ought to be loved and dearly prized. See +now how he proves himself, see how he maintains his place, see how he +stains with blood his lance and bare sword, see how he presses the enemy +and follows them up, how he comes boldly to attack them, then gives +away and turns about; but he spends little time in giving away, and soon +returns to the attack. See him in the fray again, how lightly he esteems +his shield, which he allows to be cut in pieces mercilessly. Just see +how keen he is to avenge the blows which are dealt at him. For, if some +one should use all the forest of Argone [319] to make lances for him, +I guess he would have none left by night. For he breaks all the lances +that they place in his socket, and calls for more. And see how he +wields the sword when he draws it! Roland never wrought such havoc with +Durendal against the Turks at Ronceval or in Spain! [320] If he had in +his company some good companions like himself, the traitor, whose attack +we are suffering, would retreat today discomfited, or would stand his +ground only to find defeat." Then they say that the woman would be +blessed who should be loved by one who is so powerful in arms, and who +above all others may be recognised as a taper among candles, as a moon +among the stars, and as the sun above the moon. He so won the hearts of +all that the prowess which they see in him made them wish that he had +taken their lady to wife, and that he were master of the land. + +(Vv. 3255-3340.) Thus men and women alike praised him, and in doing so +they but told the truth. For his attack on his adversaries was such +that they vie with one another in flight. But he presses hard upon their +heels, and all his companions follow him, for by his side they feel +as safe as if they were enclosed in a high and thick stone wall. +The pursuit continues until those who flee become exhausted, and the +pursuers slash at them and disembowel their steeds. The living roll +over upon the dead as they wound and kill each other. They work dreadful +destruction upon each other; and meanwhile the Count flees with my +lord Yvain after him, until he comes up with him at the foot of a steep +ascent, near the entrance of a strong place which belonged to the Count. +There the Count was stopped, with no one near to lend him aid; and +without any excessive parley my lord Yvain received his surrender. For +as soon as he held him in his hands, and they were left just man to +man, there was no further possibility of escape, or of yielding, or of +self-defence; so the Count pledged his word to go to surrender to the +lady of Noroison as her prisoner, and to make such peace as she might +dictate. And when he had accepted his word he made him disarm his head +and remove the shield from about his neck, and the Count surrendered to +him his sword. Thus he won the honour of leading off the Count as his +prisoner, and of giving him over to his enemies, who make no secret of +their joy. But the news was carried to the town before they themselves +arrived. While all come forth to meet them, the lady herself leads the +way. My lord Yvain holds his prisoner by the hand, and presents him to +her. The Count gladly acceded to her wishes and demands, and secured +her by his word, oath, and pledges. Giving her pledges, he swears to her +that he will always live on peaceful terms with her, and will make good +to her all the loss which she can prove, and will build up again the +houses which he had destroyed. When these things were agreed upon in +accordance with the lady's wish, my lord Yvain asked leave to depart. +But she would not have granted him this permission had he been willing +to take her as his mistress, or to marry her. But he would not allow +himself to be followed or escorted a single step, but rather departed +hastily: in this case entreaty was of no avail. So he started out to +retrace his path, leaving the lady much chagrined, whose joy he had +caused a while before. When he will not tarry longer she is the more +distressed and ill at ease in proportion to the happiness he had brought +to her, for she would have wished to honour him, and would have made +him, with his consent, lord of all her possessions, or else she would +have paid him for his services whatever sum he might have named. But he +would not heed any word of man or woman. Despite their grief he left the +knights and the lady who vainly tried to detain him longer. + +(Vv. 3341-3484.) Pensively my lord Yvain proceeded through a deep wood, +until he heard among the trees a very loud and dismal cry, and he turned +in the direction whence it seemed to come. And when he had arrived upon +the spot he saw in a cleared space a lion, and a serpent which held +him by the tail, burning his hind-quarters with flames of fire. My lord +Yvain did not gape at this strange spectacle, but took counsel with +himself as to which of the two he should aid. Then he says that he will +succour the lion, for a treacherous and venomous creature deserves to +be harmed. Now the serpent is poisonous, and fire bursts forth from its +mouth--so full of wickedness is the creature. So my lord Yvain decides +that he will kill the serpent first. Drawing his sword he steps forward, +holding the shield before his face in order not to be harmed by the +flame emerging from the creature's throat, which was larger than a pot. +If the lion attacks him next, he too shall have all the fight he wishes; +but whatever may happen afterwards he makes up his mind to help him now. +For pity urges him and makes request that he should bear succour and aid +to the gentle and noble beast. With his sword, which cuts so clean, he +attacks the wicked serpent, first cleaving him through to the earth and +cutting him in two, then continuing his blows until he reduces him to +tiny bits. But he had to cut off a piece of the lion's tail to get at +the serpent's head, which held the lion by the tail. He cut off only so +much as was necessary and unavoidable. When he had set the lion free, he +supposed that he would have to fight with him, and that the lion would +come at him; but the lion was not minded so. Just hear now what the +lion did! He acted nobly and as one well-bred; for he began to make +it evident that he yielded himself to him, by standing upon his two +hind-feet and bowing his face to the earth, with his fore-feet joined +and stretched out toward him. Then he fell on his knees again, and all +his face was wet with the tears of humility. My lord Yvain knows for a +truth that the lion is thanking him and doing him homage because of the +serpent which he had killed, thereby delivering him from death. He was +greatly pleased by this episode. He cleaned his sword of the serpent's +poison and filth; then he replaced it in its scabbard, and resumed his +way. And the lion walks close by his side, unwilling henceforth to part +from him: he will always in future accompany him, eager to serve and +protect him. [321] He goes ahead until he scents in the wind upon his +way some wild beasts feeding; then hunger and his nature prompt him to +seek his prey and to secure his sustenance. It is his nature so to do. +He started ahead a little on the trail, thus showing his master that he +had come upon and detected the odour and scent of some wild game. +Then he looks at him and halts, wishing to serve his every wish, and +unwilling to proceed against his will. Yvain understands by his attitude +that he is showing that he awaits his pleasure. He perceives this and +understands that if he holds back he will hold back too, and that if he +follows him he will seize the game which he has scented. Then he incites +and cries to him, as he would do to hunting-dogs. At once the lion +directed his nose to the scent which he had detected, and by which he +was not deceived, for he had not gone a bow-shot when he saw in a valley +a deer grazing all alone. This deer he will seize, if he has his way. +And so he did, at the first spring, and then drank its blood still warm. +When he had killed it he laid it upon his back and carried it back to +his master, who thereupon conceived a greater affection for him, and +chose him as a companion for all his life, because of the great devotion +he found in him. It was near nightfall now, and it seemed good to him +to spend the night there, and strip from the deer as much as he cared to +eat. Beginning to carve it he splits the skin along the rib, and taking +a steak from the loin he strikes from a flint a spark, which he catches +in some dry brush-wood; then he quickly puts his steak upon a roasting +spit to cook before the fire, and roasts it until it is quite cooked +through. But there was no pleasure in the meal, for there was no bread, +or wine, or salt, or cloth, or knife, or anything else. While he was +eating, the lion lay at his feet; nor a movement did he make, but +watched him steadily until he had eaten all that he could eat of the +steak. What remained of the deer the lion devoured, even to the bones. +And while all night his master laid his head upon his shield to gain +such rest as that afforded, the lion showed such intelligence that he +kept awake, and was careful to guard the horse as it fed upon the grass, +which yielded some slight nourishment. + +(Vv. 3485-3562.) In the morning they go off together, and the same sort +of existence, it seems, as they had led that night, they two continued +to lead all the ensuing week, until chance brought them to the spring +beneath the pine-tree. There my lord Yvain almost lost his wits a second +time, as he approached the spring, with its stone and the chapel that +stood close by. So great was his distress that a thousand times he +sighed "alas!" and grieving fell in a swoon; and the point of his sharp +sword, falling from its scabbard, pierced the meshes of his hauberk +right in the neck beside the cheek. There is not a mesh that does not +spread, and the sword cuts the flesh of his neck beneath the shining +mail, so that it causes the blood to start. Then the lion thinks that +he sees his master and companion dead. You never heard greater grief +narrated or told about anything than he now began to show. He casts +himself about, and scratches and cries, and has the wish to kill himself +with the sword with which he thinks his master has killed himself. +Taking the sword from him with his teeth he lays it on a fallen tree, +and steadies it on a trunk behind, so that it will not slip or give +way, when he hurls his breast against it, His intention was nearly +accomplished when his master recovered from his swoon, and the lion +restrained himself as he was blindly rushing upon death, like a wild +boar heedless of where he wounds himself. Thus my lord Yvain lies in +a swoon beside the stone, but, on recovering, he violently reproached +himself for the year during which he had overstayed his leave, and +for which he had incurred his lady's hate, and he said: "Why does this +wretch not kill himself who has thus deprived himself of joy? Alas! why +do I not take my life? How can I stay here and look upon what belongs +to my lady? Why does the soul still tarry in my body? What is the soul +doing in so miserable a frame? If it had already escaped away it would +not be in such torment. It is fitting to hate and blame and despise +myself, even as in fact I do. Whoever loses his bliss and contentment +through fault or error of his own ought to hate himself mortally. He +ought to hate and kill himself. And now, when no one is looking on, why +do I thus spare myself? Why do I not take my life? Have I not seen this +lion a prey to such grief on my behalf that he was on the point just now +of thrusting my sword through his breast? And ought I to fear death who +have changed happiness into grief? Joy is now a stranger to me. Joy? +What joy is that? I shall say no more of that, for no one could speak of +such a thing; and I have asked a foolish question. That was the greatest +joy of all which was assured as my possession, but it endured for but +a little while. Whoever loses such joy through his own misdeed is +undeserving of happiness." + +(Vv. 3563-3898.) While he thus bemoaned his fate, a lorn damsel in sorry +plight, who was in the chapel, saw him and heard his words through +a crack in the wall. As soon as he was recovered from his swoon, she +called to him: "God," said she, "who is that I hear? Who is it that thus +complains?" And he replied: "And who are you?" "I am a wretched one," +she said, "the most miserable thing alive." And he replied: "Be silent, +foolish one! Thy grief is joy and thy sorrow is bliss compared with that +in which I am cast down. In proportion as a man becomes more accustomed +to happiness and joy, so is he more distracted and stunned than any +other man by sorrow when it comes. A man of little strength can carry, +through custom and habit, a weight which another man of greater strength +could not carry for anything." "Upon my word," she said, "I know +the truth of that remark; but that is no reason to believe that your +misfortune is worse than mine. Indeed, I do not believe it at all, for +it seems to me that you can go anywhere you choose to go, whereas I am +imprisoned here, and such a fate is my portion that to-morrow I shall be +seized and delivered to mortal judgment." "Ah, God!" said he, "and for +what crime?" "Sir knight, may God never have mercy upon my soul, if I +have merited such a fate! Nevertheless, I shall tell you truly, without +deception, why I am here in prison: I am charged with treason, and I +cannot find any one to defend me from being burned or hanged to-morrow." +"In the first place," he replied, "I may say that my grief and woe are +greater than yours, for you may yet be delivered by some one from the +peril in which you are. Is that not true:" "Yes, but I know not yet by +whom. There are only two men in the world who would dare on my behalf +to face three men in battle." "What? In God's name, are there three +of them?" "Yes, sire, upon my word. There are three who accuse me of +treachery." "And who are they who are so devoted to you that either one +of them would be bold enough to fight against three in your defence?" "I +will answer your question truthfully: one of them is my lord Gawain, and +the other is my lord Yvain, because of whom I shall to-morrow be handed +over unjustly to the martyrdom of death." "Because of whom?" he asked, +"what did you say?" "Sire, so help me God, because of the son of King +Urien." "Now I understand your words, but you shall not die, without +he dies too. I myself am that Yvain, because of whom you are in such +distress. And you, I take it, are she who once guarded me safely in the +hall, and saved my life and my body between the two portcullises, when I +was troubled and distressed, and alarmed at being trapped. I should have +been killed or seized, had it not been for your kind aid. Now tell me, +my gentle friend, who are those who now accuse you of treachery, and +have confined you in this lonely place?" "Sire, I shall not conceal it +from you, since you desire me to tell you all. It is a fact that I was +not slow in honestly aiding you. Upon my advice my lady received you, +after heeding my opinion and my counsel. And by the Holy Paternoster, +more for her welfare than for your own I thought I was doing it, and I +think so still. So much now I confess to you: it was her honour and +your desire that I sought to serve, so help me God! But when it became +evident that you had overstayed the year when you should return to my +mistress, then she became enraged at me, and thought that she had been +deceived by putting trust in my advice. And when this was discovered by +the seneschal--a rascally, underhanded, disloyal wretch, who was jealous +of me because in many matters my lady trusted me more than she trusted +him, he saw that he could now stir up great enmity between me and +her. In full court and in the presence of all he accused me of having +betrayed her in your favour. And I had no counsel or aid except my own; +but I knew that I had never done or conceived any treacherous act toward +my lady, so I cried out, as one beside herself, and without the advice +of any one, that I would present in my own defence one knight who should +fight against three. The fellow was not courteous enough to scorn +to accept such odds, nor was I at liberty to retreat or withdraw +for anything that might happen. So he took me at my word, and I was +compelled to furnish bail that I would present within forty days a +knight to do battle against three knights. Since then I have visited +many courts; I was at King Arthur's court, but found no help from any +there, nor did I find any one who could tell me any good news of you, +for they knew nothing of your affairs." "Pray tell me. Where then was my +good and gentle lord Gawain? No damsel in distress ever needed his aid +without its being extended to her." "If I had found him at court, I +could not have asked him for anything which would have been refused me; +but a certain knight has carried off the Queen, so they told me; surely +the King was mad to send her off in his company. [322] I believe it was +Kay who escorted her to meet the knight who has taken her away; and my +lord Gawain in great distress has gone in search for her. He will never +have any rest until he finds her. Now I have told you the whole truth of +my adventure. To-morrow I shall be put to a shameful death, and shall +be burnt inevitably, a victim of your criminal neglect." And he replies: +"May God forbid that you should be harmed because of me! So long as +I live you shall not die! You may expect me tomorrow, prepared to the +extent of my power to present my body in your cause, as it is proper +that I should do. But have no concern to tell the people who I am! +However the battle may turn out, take care that I be not recognised!" +"Surely, sire, no pressure could make me reveal your name. I would +sooner suffer death, since you will have it so. Yet, after all, I beg +you not to return for my sake. I would not have you undertake a battle +which will be so desperate. I thank you for your promised word that you +would gladly undertake it, but consider yourself now released, for it is +better that I should die alone than that I should see them rejoice over +your death as well as mine; they would not spare my life after they had +put you to death. So it is better for you to remain alive than that we +both should meet death." "That is very ungrateful remark, my dear," says +my lord Yvain; "I suppose that either you do not wish to be delivered +from death, or else that you scorn the comfort I bring you with my aid. +I will not discuss the matter more, for you have surely done so much +for me that I cannot fail you in any need. I know that you are in great +distress; but, if it be God's will, in whom I trust, they shall all +three be discomfited. So no more upon that score: I am going off now to +find some shelter in this wood, for there is no dwelling near at hand." +"Sire," she says, "may God give you both good shelter and good night, +and protect you as I desire from everything that might do you harm!" +Then my lord Yvain departs, and the lion as usual after him. They +journeyed until they came to a baron's fortified place, which was +completely surrounded by a massive, strong, and high wall. The castle, +being extraordinarily well protected, feared no assault of catapult or +storming-machine; but outside the walls the ground was so completely +cleared that not a single hut or dwelling remained standing. You will +learn the cause of this a little later, when the time comes. My lord +Yvain made his way directly toward the fortified place, and seven +varlets came out who lowered the bridge and advanced to meet him. But +they were terrified at sight of the lion, which they saw with him, and +asked him kindly to leave the lion at the gate lest he should wound or +kill them. And he replies: "Say no more of that! For I shall not enter +without him. Either we shall both find shelter here or else I shall stay +outside; he is as dear to me as I am myself. Yet you need have no fear +of him! For I shall keep him so well in hand that you may be quite +confident." They made answer: "Very well!" Then they entered the town, +and passed on until they met knights and ladies and charming damsels +coming down the street, who salute him and wait to remove his armour as +they say: "Welcome to our midst, fair sire! And may God grant that you +tarry here until you may leave with great honour and satisfaction!" High +and low alike extend to him a glad welcome, and do all they can for him, +as they joyfully escort him into the town. But after they had expressed +their gladness they are overwhelmed by grief, which makes them quickly +forget their joy, as they begin to lament and weep and beat themselves. +Thus, for a long space of time, they cease not to rejoice or make +lament: it is to honour their guest that they rejoice, but their heart +is not in what they do, for they are greatly worried over an event which +they expect to take place on the following day, and they feel very sure +and certain that it will come to pass before midday. My lord Yvain was +so surprised that they so often changed their mood, and mingled grief +with their happiness, that he addressed the lord of the place on the +subject. "For God's sake," he said, "fair gentle sir, will you kindly +inform me why you have thus honoured me, and shown at once such joy and +such heaviness?" "Yes, if you desire to know, but it would be better +for you to desire ignorance and silence. I will never tell you willingly +anything to cause you grief. Allow us to continue to lament, and do you +pay no attention to what we do!" "It would be quite impossible for me +to see you sad and nor take it upon my heart, so I desire to know the +truth, whatever chagrin may result to me." "Well, then," he said, "I +will tell you all. I have suffered much from a giant, who has insisted +that I should give him my daughter, who surpasses in beauty all the +maidens in the world. This evil giant, whom may God confound, is named +Harpin of the Mountain. Not a day passes without his taking all of my +possessions upon which he can lay his hands. No one has a better right +than I to complain, and to be sorrowful, and to make lament. I might +well lose my senses from very grief, for I had six sons who were +knights, fairer than any I knew in the world, and the giant has taken +all six of them. Before my eyes he killed two of them, and to-morrow he +will kill the other four, unless I find some one who will dare to fight +him for the deliverance of my sons, or unless I consent to surrender my +daughter to him; and he says that when he has her in his possession he +will give her over to be the sport of the vilest and lewdest fellows in +his house, for he would scorn to take her now for himself. That is the +disaster which awaits me to-morrow, unless the Lord God grant me His +aid. So it is no wonder, fair sir, if we are all in tears. But for your +sake we strive for the moment to assume as cheerful a countenance as we +can. For he is a fool who attracts a gentleman to his presence and then +does not honour him; and you seem to be a very perfect gentleman. Now +I have told you the entire story of our great distress. Neither in town +nor in fortress has the giant left us anything, except what we have +here. If you had noticed, you must have seen this evening that he has +not left us so much as an egg, except these walls which are new; for he +has razed the entire town. When he had plundered all he wished, he set +fire to what remained. In this way he has done me many an evil turn." + +(Vv. 3899-3956.) My lord Yvain listened to all that his host told him, +and when he had heard it all he was pleased to answer him: "Sire, I am +sorry and distressed about this trouble of yours; but I marvel greatly +that you have not asked assistance at good King Arthur's court. There is +no man so mighty that he could not find at his court some who would be +glad to try their strength with his." Then the wealthy man reveals and +explains to him that he would have had efficient help if he had known +where to find my lord Gawain. "He would not have failed me upon this +occasion, for my wife is his own sister; but a knight from a strange +land, who went to court to seek the King's wife, has led her away. +However, he could not have gotten possession of her by any means of his +own invention, had it not been for Kay, who so befooled the King that he +gave the Queen into his charge and placed her under his protection. He +was a fool, and she imprudent to entrust herself to his escort. And I +am the one who suffers and loses in all this; for it is certain that my +excellent lord Gawain would have made haste to come here, had he known +the facts, for the sake of his nephews and his niece. But he knows +nothing of it, wherefore I am so distressed that my heart is almost +breaking, for he is gone in pursuit of him, to whom may God bring shame +and woe for having led the Queen away." While listening to this recital +my lord Yvain does not cease to sigh. Inspired by the pity which he +feels, he makes this reply: "Fair gentle sire, I would gladly undertake +this perilous adventure, if the giant and your sons should arrive +to-morrow in time to cause me no delay, for tomorrow at noon I shall +be somewhere else, in accordance with a promise I have made." "Once +for all, fair sire," the good man said, "I thank you a hundred thousand +times for your willingness." And all the people of the house likewise +expressed their gratitude. + +(Vv. 3957-4384.) Just then the damsel came out of a room, with her +graceful body and her face so fair and pleasing to look upon. She was +very simple and sad and quiet as she came, for there was no end to the +grief she felt: she walked with her head bowed to the ground. And her +mother, too, came in from an adjoining room, for the gentleman had sent +for them to meet his guest. They entered with their mantles wrapped +about them to conceal their tears; and he bid them throw back their +mantles, and hold up their heads, saying: "You ought not to hesitate +to obey my behests, for God and good fortune have given us here a very +well-born gentleman who assures me that he will fight against the giant. +Delay no longer now to throw yourselves at his feet!" "May God never let +me see that!" my lord Yvain hastens to exclaim; "surely it would not be +proper under any circumstances for the sister and the niece of my lord +Gawain to prostrate themselves at my feet. May God defend me from ever +giving place to such pride as to let them fall at my feet! Indeed, I +should never forget the shame which I should feel; but I should be +very glad if they would take comfort until to-morrow, when they may see +whether God will consent to aid them. I have no other request to make, +except that the giant may come in such good time that I be not compelled +to break my engagement elsewhere; for I would not fail for anything +to be present to-morrow noon at the greatest business I could ever +undertake." Thus he is unwilling to reassure them completely, for he +fears that the giant may not come early enough to allow him to reach +in time the damsel who is imprisoned in the chapel. Nevertheless, he +promises them enough to arouse good hope in them. They all alike join in +thanking him, for they place great confidence in his prowess, and they +think he must be a very good man, when they see the lion by his side as +confident as a lamb would be. They take comfort and rejoice because of +the hope they stake on him, and they indulge their grief no more. When +the time came they led him off to bed in a brightly lighted room; both +the damsel and her mother escorted him, for they prized him dearly, and +would have done so a hundred thousand times more had they been informed +of his prowess and courtesy. He and the lion together lay down there and +took their rest. The others dared not sleep in the room; but they closed +the door so tight that they could not come out until the next day at +dawn. When the room was thrown open he got up and heard Mass, and then, +because of the promise he had made, he waited until the hour of prime. +Then in the hearing of all he summoned the lord of the town and said: +"My lord, I have no more time to wait, but must ask your permission +to leave at once; I cannot tarry longer here. But believe truly that +I would gladly and willingly stay here yet awhile for the sake of the +nephews and the niece of my beloved lord Gawain, if I did not have a +great business on hand, and if it were not so far away." At this the +damsel's blood quivered and boiled with fear, as well as the lady's and +the lord's. They were so afraid he would go away that they were on the +point of humbling themselves and casting themselves at his feet, when +they recalled that he would not approve or permit their action. Then the +lord makes him an offer of all he will take of his lands or wealth, if +only he will wait a little longer. And he replied: "God forbid that ever +I should take anything of yours!" Then the damsel, who is in dismay, +begins to weep aloud, and beseeches him to stay. Like one distracted and +prey to dread, she begs him by the glorious queen of heaven and of the +angels, and by the Lord, not to go but to wait a little while; and +then, too, for her uncle's sake, whom he says he knows, and loves, and +esteems. Then his heart is touched with deep pity when he hears her +adjuring him in the name of him whom he loves the most, and by the +mistress of heaven, and by the Lord, who is the very honey and sweet +savour of pity. Filled with anguish he heaved a sigh, for were the +kingdom of Tarsus at stake he would not see her burned to whom he had +pledged his aid. If he could not reach her in time, he would be unable +to endure his life, or would live on without his wits on the other hand, +the kindness of his friend, my lord Gawain, only increased his distress; +his heart almost bursts in half at the thought that he cannot delay. +Nevertheless, he does not stir, but delays and waits so long that the +giant came suddenly, bringing with him the knights: and hanging from his +neck he carried a big square stake with a pointed end, and with this he +frequently spurred them on. For their part they had no clothing on that +was worth a straw, except some soiled and filthy shirts: and their feet +and hands were bound with cords, as they came riding upon four limping +jades, which were weak, and thin, and miserable. As they came riding +along beside a wood, a dwarf, who was puffed up like a toad, had +tied the horses' tails together, and walked beside them, beating them +remorselessly with a four-knotted scourge until they bled, thinking +thereby to be doing something wonderful. Thus they were brought along in +shame by the giant and the dwarf. Stopping in the plain in front of the +city gate, the giant shouts out to the noble lord that he will kill his +sons unless he delivers to him his daughter, whom he will surrender to +his vile fellows to become their sport. For he no longer loves her nor +esteems her, that he should deign to abase himself to her. She shall be +constantly beset by a thousand lousy and ragged knaves, vacant wretches, +and scullery boys, who all shall lay hands on her. The worthy man is +well-nigh beside himself when he hears how his daughter will be made +a bawd, or else, before his very eyes, his four sons will be put to a +speedy death. His agony is like that of one who would rather be dead +than alive. Again and again he bemoans his fate, and weeps aloud and +sighs. Then my frank and gentle lord Yvain thus began to speak to him: +"Sire, very vile and impudent is that giant who vaunts himself out +there. But may God never grant that he should have your daughter in his +power! He despises her and insults her openly. It would be too great a +calamity if so lovely a creature of such high birth were handed over +to become the sport of boys. Give me now my arms and horse! Have the +drawbridge lowered, and let me pass. One or the other must be cast down, +either I or he, I know not which. If I could only humiliate the cruel +wretch who is thus oppressing you, so that he would release your sons +and should come and make amends for the insulting words he has spoken +to you, then I would commend you to God and go about my business." Then +they go to get his horse, and hand over to him his arms, striving so +expeditiously that they soon have him quite equipped. They delayed as +little as they could in arming him. When his equipment was complete, +there remained nothing but to lower the bridge and let him go. They +lowered it for him, and he went out. But the lion would by no means +stay behind. All those who were left behind commended the knight to +the Saviour, for they fear exceedingly lest their devilish enemy, who +already had slain so many good men on the same field before their eyes, +would do the same with him. So they pray God to defend him from death, +and return him to them safe and sound, and that He may give him strength +to slay the giant. Each one softly prays to God in accordance with his +wish. And the giant fiercely came at him, and with threatening words +thus spake to him: "By my eyes, the man who sent thee here surely had +no love for thee! No better way could he have taken to avenge himself on +thee. He has chosen well his vengeance for whatever wrong thou hast done +to him." But the other, fearing naught, replies: "Thou treatest of what +matters not. Now do thy best, and I'll do mine. Idle parley wearies me." +Thereupon my lord Yvain, who was anxious to depart, rides at him. He +goes to strike him on the breast, which was protected by a bear's skin, +and the giant runs at him with his stake raised in air. My lord Yvain +deals him such a blow upon the chest that he thrusts through the skin +and wets the tip of his lance in his body's blood by way of sauce. And +the giant belabours him with the stake, and makes him bend beneath the +blows. My lord Yvain then draws the sword with which he knew how to +deal fierce blows. He found the giant unprotected, for he trusted in his +strength so much that he disdained to arm himself. And he who had drawn +his blade gave him such a slash with the cutting edge, and not with the +flat side, that he cut from his cheek a slice fit to roast. Then the +other in turn gave him such a blow with the stake that it made him sing +in a heap upon his horse's neck. Thereupon the lion bristles up, ready +to lend his master aid, and leaps up in his anger and strength, and +strikes and tears like so much bark the heavy bearskin the giant wore, +and he tore away beneath the skin a large piece of his thigh, together +with the nerves and flesh. The giant escaped his clutches, roaring and +bellowing like a bull, for the lion had badly wounded him. Then raising +his stake in both hands, he thought to strike him, but missed his aim, +when the lion leaded backward so he missed his blow, and fell exhausted +beside my lord Yvain, but without either of them touching the other. +Then my lord Yvain took aim and landed two blows on him. Before he could +recover himself he had severed with the edge of his sword the giant's +shoulder from his body. With the next blow he ran the whole blade of his +sword through his liver beneath his chest; the giant falls in death's +embrace. And if a great oak tree should fall, I think it would make no +greater noise than the giant made when he tumbled down. All those who +were on the wall would fain have witnessed such a blow. Then it became +evident who was the most fleet of foot, for all ran to see the game, +just like hounds which have followed the beast until they finally come +up with him. So men and women in rivalry ran forward without delay to +where the giant lay face downward. The daughter comes running, and +her mother too. And the four brothers rejoice after the woes they have +endured. As for my lord Yvain they are very sure that they could not +detain him for any reason they might allege, but they beseech him to +return and stay to enjoy himself as soon as he shall have completed the +business which calls him away. And he replies that he cannot promise +them anything, for as yet he cannot guess whether it will fare well or +ill with him. But thus much did he say to his host: that he wished that +his four sons and his daughter should take the dwarf and go to my lord +Gawain when they hear of his return, and should tell and relate to him +how he has conducted himself. For kind actions are of no use if you are +not willing that they be known. And they reply: "It is not right that +such kindness as this should be kept hid: we shall do whatever you +desire. But tell us what we can say when we come before him. Whose +praises can we speak, when we know not what your name may be?" And he +answers them: "When you come before him, you may say thus much: that I +told you 'The Knight with the Lion' was my name. And at the same time +I must beg you to tell him from me that, if he does not recognise who I +am, yet he knows me well and I know him. Now I must be gone from here, +and the thing which most alarms me is that I may too long have tarried +here, for before the hour of noon be passed I shall have plenty to do +elsewhere, if indeed I can arrive there in time." Then, without further +delay, he starts. But first his host begged him insistently that he +would take with him his four sons: for there was none of them who would +not strive to serve him, if he would allow it. But it did not please +or suit him that any one should accompany him; so he left the place to +them, and went away alone. And as soon as he starts, riding as fast as +his steed can carry him, he heads toward the chapel. The path was good +and straight, and he knew well how to keep the road. But before he could +reach the chapel, the damsel had been dragged out and the pyre prepared +upon which she was to be placed. Clad only in a shift, she was held +bound before the fire by those who wrongly attributed to her an +intention she had never had. My lord Yvain arrived, and, seeing her +beside the fire into which she was about to be cast, he was naturally +incensed. He would be neither courteous nor sensible who had any +doubt about that fact. So it is true that he was much incensed; but he +cherishes within himself the hope that God and the Right will be on his +side. In such helpers he confides; nor does he scorn his lion's aid. +Rushing quickly toward the crowd, he shouts: "Let the damsel be, you +wicked folk! Having committed no crime, it is not right that she should +be cast upon a pyre or into a furnace." And they draw off on either +side, leaving a passage-way for him. But he yearns to see with his own +eyes her whom his heart beholds in whatever place she may be. His eyes +seek her until he finds her, while he subdues and holds in check his +heart, just as one holds in check with a strong curb a horse that pulls. +Nevertheless, he gladly gazes at her, and sighs the while; but he does +not sigh so openly that his action is detected; rather does he stifle +his sighs, though with difficulty. And he is seized with pity at +hearing, seeing, and perceiving the grief of the poor ladies, who cried: +"Ah, God, how hast Thou forgotten us! How desolate we shall now remain +when we lose so kind a friend, who gave us such counsel and such aid, +and interceded for us at court! It was she who prompted madame to clothe +us with her clothes of vair. Henceforth the situation will change, for +there will be no one to speak for us! Cursed be he who is the cause of +our loss! For we shall fare badly in all this. There will be no one to +utter such advice as this: 'My lady, give this vair mantle, this cloak, +and this garment to such and such an honest dame! Truly, such charity +will be well employed, for she is in very dire need of them.' No such +words as these shall be uttered henceforth, for there is no one else who +is frank and courteous; but every one solicits for himself rather than +for some one else, even though he have no need." + +(Vv. 4385-4474.) Thus they were bemoaning their fate; and my lord Yvain +who was in their midst, heard their complaints, which were neither +groundless nor assumed. He saw Lunete on her knees and stripped to her +shift, having already made confession, and besought God's mercy for her +sins. Then he who had loved her deeply once came to her and raised her +up, saying: "My damsel, where are those who blame and accuse you? Upon +the spot, unless they refuse, battle will be offered them." And she, who +had neither seen nor looked at him before, said: "Sire, you come from +God in this time of my great need! The men who falsely accuse me are all +ready before me here; if you had been a little later I should soon have +been reduced to fuel and ashes. You have come here in my defence, +and may God give you the power to accomplish it in proportion as I am +guiltless of the accusation which is made against me!" The seneschal and +his two brothers heard these words. "Ah!" they exclaim, "woman, chary +of uttering truth but generous with lies! He indeed is mad who for thy +words assumes so great a task. The knight must be simple-minded who has +come here to die for thee, for he is alone and there are three of us. My +advice to him is that he turn back before any harm shall come to him." +Then he replies, as one impatient to begin: "Whoever is afraid, let him +run away! I am not so afraid of your three shields that I should go off +defeated without a blow. I should be indeed discourteous, if, while yet +unscathed and in perfect case, I should leave the place and field to +you. Never, so long as I am alive and sound, will I run away before +such threats. But I advise thee to set free the damsel whom thou hast +unjustly accused; for she tells me, and I believe her word, and she has +assured me upon the salvation of her soul, that she never committed, +or spoke, or conceived any treason against her mistress. I believe +implicitly what she has told me, and will defend her as best I can, for +I consider the righteousness of her cause to be in my favour. For, if +the truth be known, God always sides with the righteous cause, for God +and the Right are one; and if they are both upon my side, then I have +better company and better aid than thou." [323] Then the other responds +imprudently that he may make every effort that pleases him and is +convenient to do him injury, provided that his lion shall not do him +harm. And he replies that he never brought the lion to champion his +cause, nor does he wish any but himself to take a hand: but if the lion +attacks him, let him defend himself against him as best he can, for +concerning him he will give no guarantee. Then the other answers: +"Whatever thou mayst say; unless thou now warn thy lion, and make him +stand quietly to one side, there is no use of thy longer staying here, +but begone at once, and so shalt thou be wise; for throughout this +country every one is aware how this girl betrayed her lady, and it is +right that she receive her due reward in fire and flame." "May the Holy +Spirit forbid!" says he who knows the truth; "may God not let me +stir from here until I have delivered her!" Then he tells the lion to +withdraw and to lie down quietly, and he does so obediently. + +(Vv. 4475-4532.) The lion now withdrew, and the parley and quarrel being +ended between them two, they all took their distance for the charge. The +three together spurred toward him, and he went to meet them at a walk. +He did not wish to be overturned or hurt at this first encounter. So he +let them split their lances, while keeping his entire, making for them a +target of his shield, whereon each one broke his lance. Then he galloped +off until he was separated from them by the space of an acre; but he +soon returned to the business in hand, having no desire to delay. On +his coming up the second time, he reached the seneschal before his two +brothers, and breaking his lance upon his body, he carried him to earth +in spite of himself, and he gave him such a powerful blow that for a +long while he lay stunned, incapable of doing him any harm. And then the +other two came at him with their swords bared, and both deal him great +blows, but they receive still heavier blows from him. For a single one +of the blows he deals is more than a match for two of theirs; thus he +defends himself so well that they have no advantage over him, until the +seneschal gets up and does his best to injure him, in which attempt the +others join, until they begin to press him and get the upper hand. Then +the lion, who is looking on, delays no longer to lend him aid; for it +seems to him that he needs it now. And all the ladies, who are devoted +to the damsel, beseech God repeatedly and pray to Him earnestly not to +allow the death or the defeat of him who has entered the fray on her +account. The ladies, having no other weapons, thus assist him with their +prayers. And the lion brings him such effective aid, that at his first +attack, he strikes so fiercely the seneschal, who was now on his feet, +that he makes the meshes fly from the hauberk like straw, and he drags +him down with such violence that he tears the soft flesh from his +shoulder and all down his side. He strips whatever he touches, so that +the entrails lie exposed. The other two avenge this blow. + +(Vv. 4533-4634.) Now they are all even on the field. The seneschal is +marked for death, as he turns and welters in the red stream of warm +blood pouring from his body. The lion attacks the others; for my +lord Yvain is quite unable, though he did his best by beating or +by threatening him, to drive him back; but the lion doubtless feels +confident that his master does not dislike his aid, but rather loves him +the more for it: so he fiercely attacks them, until they have reason +to complain of his blows, and they wound him in turn and use him badly. +When my lord Yvain sees his lion wounded, his heart is wroth within his +breast, and rightly so; but he makes such efforts to avenge him, and +presses them so hard, that he completely reduces them; they no longer +resist him, but surrender to him at discretion, because of the lion's +help, who is now in great distress; for he was wounded everywhere, and +had good cause to be in pain. For his part, my lord Yvain was by no +means in a healthy state, for his body bore many a wound. But he is not +so anxious about himself as about his lion, which is in distress. Now +he has delivered the damsel exactly in accordance with his wish, and +the lady has very willingly dismissed the grudge that she bore her. +And those men were burned upon the pyre which had been kindled for +the damsel's death; for it is right and just that he who has misjudged +another, should suffer the same manner of death as that to which he had +condemned the other. Now Lunete is joyous and glad at being reconciled +with her mistress, and together they were more happy than any one ever +was before. Without recognising him, all present offered to him, who was +their lord, their service so long as life should last; even the lady, +who possessed unknowingly his heart, begged him insistently to tarry +there until his lion and he had quite recovered. And he replied: "Lady, +I shall not now tarry here until my lady removes from me her displeasure +and anger: then the end of all my labours will come." "Indeed," she +said, "that grieves me. I think the lady cannot be very courteous who +cherishes ill-will against you. She ought not to close her door against +so valorous a knight as you, unless he had done her some great wrong." +"Lady," he replies, "however great the hardship be, I am pleased by what +ever may be her will. But speak to me no more of that; for I shall say +nothing of the cause or crime, except to those who are informed of it." +"Does any one know it, then, beside you two?" "Yes, truly, lady." "Well, +tell us at least your name, fair sir; then you will be free to go." +"Quite free, my lady? No, I shall not be free. I owe more than I can +pay. Yet, I ought not to conceal from you my name. You will never hear +of 'The Knight with the Lion' without hearing of me; for I wish to be +known by that name." "For God's sake, sir, what does that name mean? For +we never saw you before, nor have we ever heard mentioned this name +of yours." "My lady, you may from that infer that my fame is not +widespread." Then the lady says: "Once more, if it did not oppose your +will, I would pray you to tarry here." "Really, my lady, I should not +dare, until I knew certainly that I had regained my lady's good-will." +"Well, then, go in God's name, fair sir; and, if it be His will, may He +convert your grief and sorrow into joy." "Lady," says he, "may God hear +your prayer." Then he added softly under his breath: "Lady, it is you +who hold the key, and, though you know it not, you hold the casket in +which my happiness is kept under lock." + +(Vv. 4635-4674.) Then he goes away in great distress, and there is no +one who recognises him save Lunete, who accompanied him a long distance. +Lunete alone keeps him company, and he begs her insistently never to +reveal the name of her champion. "Sire," says she, "I will never do so." +Then he further requested her that she should not forget him, and that +she should keep a place for him in his mistress' heart, whenever the +chance arose. She tells him to be at ease on that score; for she will +never be forgetful, nor unfaithful, nor idle. Then he thanks her a +thousand times, and he departs pensive and oppressed, because of his +lion that he must needs carry, being unable to follow him on foot. He +makes for him a litter of moss and ferns in his shield. When he has made +a bed for him there, he lays him in it as gently as he can, and carries +him thus stretched out full length on the inner side of his shield. +Thus, in his shield he bears him off, until he arrives before the gate +of a mansion, strong and fair. Finding it closed, he called, and the +porter opened it so promptly that he had no need to call but once. He +reaches out to take his rein, and greets him thus: "Come in, fair sire. +I offer you the dwelling of my lord, if it please you to dismount." "I +accept the offer gladly," he replies, "for I stand in great need of it, +and it is time to find a lodging." + +(Vv. 4675-4702.) Thereupon, he passed through the gate, and saw the +retainers in a mass coming to meet him. They greeted him and helped him +from his horse, and laid down upon the pavement his shield with the lion +on it. And some, taking his horse, put it in a stable: while others very +properly relieved him of his arms and took them. Then the lord of the +castle heard the news, and at once came down into the courtyard, +and greeted him. And his lady came down, too, with all her sons and +daughters and a great crowd of other people, who all rejoiced to offer +him a lodging. They gave him a quiet room, because they deemed that he +was sick; but their good nature was put to a test when they allowed the +lion to go with him. His cure was undertaken by two maidens skilled in +surgery, who were daughters of the lord. I do not know how many days +he stayed there, until he and his lion, being cured, were compelled to +proceed upon their way. + +(Vv. 4703-4736.) But within this time it came about that my lord of +Noire Espine had a struggle with Death, and so fierce was Death's attack +that he was forced to die. After his death it happened that the elder of +two daughters whom he had, announced that she would possess uncontested +all the estates for herself during her entire lifetime, and that she +would give no share to her sister. And the other one said that she would +go to King Arthur's court to seek help for the defence of her claim to +the land. When the former saw that her sister would by no means concede +all the estates to her without contest, she was greatly concerned, and +thought that, if possible, she would get to court before her. At once +she prepared and equipped herself, and without any tarrying or delay, +she proceeded to the court. The other followed her, and made all the +haste she could; but her journey was all in vain, for her eider sister +had already presented her case to my lord Gawain, and he had promised +to execute her will. But there was an agreement between them that if any +one should learn of the facts from her, he would never again take arms +for her, and to this arrangement she gave consent. + +(Vv. 4737-4758.) Just then the other sister arrived at court, clad in +a short mantle of scarlet cloth and fresh ermine. It happened to be +the third day after the Queen had returned from the captivity in which +Maleagant had detained her with all the other prisoners; but Lancelot +had remained behind, treacherously confined within a tower. And on that +very day, when the damsel came to court, news was received of the cruel +and wicked giant whom the knight with the lion had killed in battle. In +his name, my lord Gawain was greeted by his nephews and niece, who told +him in detail of all the great service and great deeds of prowess he +had done for them for his sake, and how that he was well acquainted with +him, though not aware of his identity. + +(Vv. 4759-4820.) All this was heard by her, who was plunged thereby +into great despair and sorrow and dejection; for, since the best of the +knights was absent, she thought she would find no aid or counsel at the +court. She had already made several loving and insistent appeals to my +lord Gawain; but he had said to her: "My dear, it is useless to appeal +to me; I cannot do it; I have another affair on hand, which I shall +in no wise give up." Then the damsel at once left him, and presented +herself before the King. "O King," said she, "I have come to thee and to +thy court for aid. But I find none, and I am very much mazed that I can +get no counsel here. Yet it would not be right for me to go away without +taking leave. My sister may know, however, that she might obtain by +kindness whatever she desired of my property; but I will never surrender +my heritage to her by force, if I can help it, and if I can find any +aid or counsel." "You have spoken wisely," said the King; "since she is +present here, I advise, recommend, and urge her to surrender to you what +is your right." Then the other, who was confident of the best knight in +the world, replied: "Sire, may God confound me, if ever I bestow on her +from my estates any castle, town, clearing, forest, land, or anything +else. But if any knight dares to take arms on her behalf and desires to +defend her cause, let him step forth at once." "Your offer to her is not +fair; she needs more time," the King replied; "if she desires, she may +have forty days to secure a champion, according to the practice of all +courts." To which the elder sister replied: "Fair King, my lord, you may +establish your laws as it pleases you, and as seems good, nor is it +my place to gainsay you, so I must consent to the postponement, if she +desires it." Whereupon, the other says that she does desire it, and she +makes formal request for it. Then she commended the King to God, and +left the court resolving to devote her life to the search through all +the land for the Knight with the Lion, who devotes himself to succouring +women in need of aid. + +(Vv. 4821-4928.) Thus she entered upon her quest, and traversed many +a country without hearing any news of him, which caused her such grief +that she fell sick. But it was well for her that it happened so; for she +came to the dwelling of a friend of hers, by whom she was dearly loved. +By this time her face showed clearly that she was not in good health. +They insisted upon detaining her until she told them of her plight; +whereupon, another damsel took up the quest wherein she had been +engaged, and continued the search on her behalf. So while the one +remained in this retreat, the other rode rapidly all day long, until the +darkness of night came on, and caused her great anxiety. [324] And her +trouble was doubled when the rain came on with terrible violence, as +if God Himself were doing His worst, while she was in the depths of the +forest. The night and the woods cause her great distress, but she is +more tormented by the rain than by either the woods or the night. And +the road was so bad that her horse was often up to the girth in mud; any +damsel might well be terrified to be in the woods, without escort, in +such bad weather and in such darkness that she could not see the horse +she was riding. So she called on God first, and His mother next, and +then on all the saints in turn, and offered up many a prayer that +God would lead her out from this forest and conduct her to some +lodging-place. She continued in prayer until she heard a horn, at which +she greatly rejoiced; for she thought now she would find shelter, if she +could only reach the place. So she turned in the direction of the sound, +and came upon a paved road which led straight toward the horn whose +sound she heard; for the horn had given three long, loud blasts. And she +made her way straight toward the sound, until she came to a cross which +stood on the right side of the road, and there she thought that she +might find the horn and the person who had sounded it. So she spurred +her horse in that direction, until she drew near a bridge, and descried +the white walls and the barbican of a circular castle. Thus, by chance +she came upon the castle, setting her course by the sound which had led +her thither. She had been attracted by the sound of the horn blown by a +watchman upon the walls. As soon as the watchman caught sight of her, he +called to her, then came down, and taking the key of the gate, opened +it for her and said: "Welcome, damsel, whoe'er you be. You shall be +well lodged this night." "I have no other desire than that," the damsel +replied, as he let her in. After the toil and anxiety she had endured +that day, she was fortunate to find such a lodging-place; for she was +very comfortable there. After the meal the host addressed her, and +inquired where she was going and what was her quest. Whereupon, she thus +replied: "I am seeking one whom I never saw, so far as I am aware, and +never knew; but he has a lion with him, and I am told that, if I find +him, I can place great confidence in him." "I can testify to that," the +other said: "for the day before yesterday God sent him here to me in +my dire need. Blessed be the paths which led him to my dwelling. For he +made me glad by avenging me of a mortal enemy and killing him before +my eyes. Outside yonder gate you may see to-morrow the body of a mighty +giant, whom he slew with such ease that he hardly had to sweat." "For +God's sake, sire," the damsel said, "tell me now the truth, if you know +whither he went, and where he is." "I don't know," he said, "as God sees +me here; but to-morrow I will start you on the road by which he went +away from here." "And may God," said she, "lead me where I may hear true +news of him. For if I find him, I shall be very glad." + +(Vv. 4929-4964.) Thus they continued in long converse until at last they +went to bed. When the day dawned, the maid arose, being in great concern +to find the object of her quest. And the master of the house arose with +all his companions, and set her upon the road which led straight to the +spring beneath the pine. And she, hastening on her way toward the town, +came and asked the first men whom she met, if they could tell her where +she would find the lion and the knight who travelled in company. And +they told her that they had seen him defeat three knights in that very +place. Whereupon, she said at once: "For God's sake, since you have said +so much, do not keep back from me anything that you can add." "No," they +replied; "we know nothing more than we have said, nor do we know what +became of him. If she for whose sake he came here, cannot give you +further news, there will be no one here to enlighten you. You will not +have far to go, if you wish to speak with her; for she has gone to make +prayer to God and to hear Mass in yonder church, and judging by the time +she has been inside, her orisons have been prolonged." + +(Vv. 4965-5106.) While they were talking thus, Lunete came out from the +church, and they said: "There she is." Then she went to meet her, and +they greeted each other. She asked Lunete at once for the information +she desired; and Lunete said that she would have a palfrey saddled; for +she wished to accompany her, and would take her to an enclosure where +she had left him. The other maiden thanked her heartily. Lunete mounts +the palfrey which is brought without delay, and, as they ride, she tells +her how she had been accused and charged with treason, and how the pyre +was already kindled upon which she was to be laid, and how he had come +to help her in just the moment of her need. While speaking thus, she +escorted her to the road which led directly to the spot where my lord +Yvain had parted from her. When she had accompanied her thus far, she +said: "Follow this road until you come to a place where, if it please +God and the Holy Spirit, you will hear more reliable news of him than +I can tell. I very well remember that I left him either near here, or +exactly here, where we are now; we have not seen each other since then, +and I do not know what he has done. When he left me, he was in sore need +of a plaster for his wounds. So I will send you along after him, and if +it be God's will, may He grant that you find him to-night or to-morrow +in good health. Now go: I commend you to God. I must not follow you any +farther, lest my mistress be displeased with me." Then Lunete leaves her +and turns back; while the other pushed on until she found a house, +where my lord Yvain had tarried until he was restored to health. She saw +people gathered before the gate, knights, ladies and men-at-arms, and +the master of the house; she saluted them, and asked them to tell her, +if possible, news of a knight for whom she sought. "Who is he?" they +ask. "I have heard it said that he is never without a lion." "Upon my +word, damsel," the master says, "he has just now left us. You can come +up with him to-night, if you are able to keep his tracks in sight, and +are careful not to lose any time." "Sire," she answers, "God forbid. +But tell me now in what direction I must follow him." And they tell +her: "This way, straight ahead," and they beg her to greet him on their +behalf. But their courtesy was not of much avail; for, without giving +any heed, she galloped off at once. The pace seemed much too slow to +her, though her palfrey made good time. So she galloped through the mud +just the same as where the road was good and smooth, until she caught +sight of him with the lion as his companion. Then in her gladness she +exclaims: "God, help me now. At last I see him whom I have so long +pursued, and whose trace I have long followed. But if I pursue and +nothing gain, what will it profit me to come up with him? Little or +nothing, upon my word. If he does not join in my enterprise, I have +wasted all my pains." Thus saying, she pressed on so fast that her +palfrey was all in a sweat; but she caught up with him and saluted him. +He thus at once replied to her: "God save you, fair one, and deliver you +from grief and woe." "The same to you, sire, who, I hope, will soon be +able to deliver me." Then she draws nearer to him, and says: "Sire, I +have long searched for you. The great fame of your merit has made me +traverse many a county in my weary search for you. But I continued my +quest so long, thank God, that at last I have found you here. And if I +brought any anxiety with me, I am no longer concerned about it, nor do I +complain or remember it now. I am entirely relieved; my worry has taken +flight the moment I met with you. Moreover, the affair is none of mine: +I come to you from one that is better than I, a woman who is more noble +and excellent. But if she be disappointed in her hopes of you, then she +has been betrayed by your fair renown, for she has no expectation of +other aid. My damsel, who is deprived of her inheritance by a sister, +expects with your help to win her suit; she will have none but you +defend her cause. No one can make her believe that any one else could +bear her aid. By securing her share of the heritage, you will have won +and acquired the love of her who is now disinherited, and you will also +increase your own renown. She herself was going in search for you to +secure the boon for which she hoped; no one else would have taken her +place, had she not been detained by an illness which compels her to keep +her bed. Now tell me, please, whether you will dare to come, or whether +you will decline." "No," he says; "no man can win praise in a life of +ease; and I will not hold back, but will follow you gladly, my sweet +friend, whithersoever it may please you. And if she for whose sake you +have sought me out stands in some great need of me, have no fear that I +shall not do all I can for her. Now may God grant me the happiness and +grace to settle in her favour her rightful claim." + +(Vv. 5107-5184.) [325] Thus conversing, they two rode away until they +approached the town of Pesme Avanture. They had no desire to pass it +by, for the day was already drawing to a close. They came riding to the +castle, when all the people, seeing them approach, called out to the +knight: "Ill come, sire, ill come. This lodging-place was pointed out to +you in order that you might suffer harm and shame. An abbot might take +his oath to that." "Ah," he replied, "foolish and vulgar folk, full +of all mischief, and devoid of honour, why have you thus assailed me?" +"Why? you will find out soon enough, if you will go a little farther. +But you shall learn nothing more until you have ascended to the +fortress." At once my lord Yvain turns toward the tower, and the crowd +cries out, all shouting aloud at him: "Eh, eh, wretch, whither goest +thou? If ever in thy life thou hast encountered one who worked thee +shame and woe, such will be done thee there, whither thou art going, +as will never be told again by thee." My lord Yvain, who is listening, +says: "Base and pitiless people, miserable and impudent, why do you +assail me thus, why do you attack me so? What do you wish of me, what +do you want, that you growl this way after me?" A lady, who was somewhat +advanced in years, who was courteous and sensible, said: "Thou hast no +cause to be enraged: they mean no harm in what they say; but, if thou +understoodest them aright, they are warning thee not to spend the night +up there; they dare not tell thee the reason for this, but they are +warning and blaming thee because they wish to arouse thy fears. This +they are accustomed to do in the case of all who come, so that they may +not go inside. And the custom is such that we dare not receive in our +own houses, for any reason whatsoever, any gentleman who comes here from +a distance. The responsibility now is thine alone; no one will stand in +thy way. If thou wishest, thou mayst go up now; but my advice is to turn +back again." "Lady," he says, "doubtless it would be to my honour and +advantage to follow your advice; but I do not know where I should find +a lodging-place to-night." "Upon my word," says she, "I'll say no more, +for the concern is none of mine. Go wherever you please. Nevertheless, +I should be very glad to see you return from inside without too great +shame; but that could hardly be." "Lady," he says, "may God reward you +for the wish. However, my wayward heart leads me on inside, and I +shall do what my heart desires." Thereupon, he approaches the gate, +accompanied by his lion and his damsel. Then the porter calls to him, +and says: "Come quickly, come. You are on your way to a place where you +will be securely detained, and may your visit be accursed." + +(Vv. 5185-5346.) The porter, after addressing him with this very +ungracious welcome, hurried upstairs. But my lord Yvain, without making +reply, passed straight on, and found a new and lofty hall; in front +of it there was a yard enclosed with large, round, pointed stakes, +and seated inside the stakes he saw as many as three hundred maidens, +working at different kinds of embroidery. Each one was sewing with +golden thread and silk, as best she could. But such was their poverty, +that many of them wore no girdle, and looked slovenly, because so poor; +and their garments were torn about their breasts and at the elbows, and +their shifts were soiled about their necks. Their necks were thin, and +their faces pale with hunger and privation. They see him, as he looks at +them, and they weep, and are unable for some time to do anything or to +raise their eyes from the ground, so bowed down they are with woe. When +he had contemplated them for a while, my lord Yvain turned about and +moved toward the door; but the porter barred the way, and cried: "It +is no use, fair master; you shall not get out now. You would like to be +outside: but, by my head, it is of no use. Before you escape you will +have suffered such great shame that you could not easily suffer more; +so you were not wise to enter here, for there is no question of escaping +now." "Nor do I wish to do so, fair brother," said he; "but tell me, +by thy father's soul, whence came the damsels whom I saw in the yard, +weaving cloths of silk and gold. I enjoy seeing the work they do, but I +am much distressed to see their bodies so thin, and their faces so pale +and sad. I imagine they would be fair and charming, if they had what +they desire." "I will tell you nothing," was the reply; "seek some one +else to tell you." "That will I do, since there is no better way." Then +he searches until he finds the entrance of the yard where the damsels +were at work: and coming before them, he greets them all, and sees tears +flowing from their eyes, as they weep. Then he says to them: "May it +please God to remove from your hearts, and turn to joy, this grief, the +cause of which I do not know." One of them answers: "May you be heard by +God, to whom you have addressed your prayer. It shall not be concealed +from you who we are, and from what land: I suppose that is what you wish +to know." "For no other purpose came I here," says he. [326] "Sire, +it happened a long while ago that the king of the Isle of Damsels went +seeking news through divers courts and countries, and he kept on his +travels like a dunce until he encountered this perilous place. It was an +unlucky hour when he first came here, for we wretched captives who are +here receive all the shame and misery which we have in no wise deserved. +And rest assured that you yourself may expect great shame, unless a +ransom for you be accepted. But, at any rate, so it came about that my +lord came to this town, where there are two sons of the devil (do not +take it as a jest) who were born of a woman and an imp. These two were +about to fight with the king, whose terror was great, for he was not yet +eighteen years old, and they would have been able to cleave him through +like a tender lamb. So the king, in his terror, escaped his fate as best +he could, by swearing that he would send hither each year, as required, +thirty of his damsels, and with this rent he freed himself. And when +he swore, it was agreed that this arrangement should remain in force +as long as the two devils lived. But upon the day when they should +be conquered and defeated in battle, he would be relieved from this +tribute, and we should be delivered who are now shamefully given over to +distress and misery. Never again shall we know what pleasure is. But I +spoke folly just now in referring to our deliverance, for we shall never +more leave this place. We shall spend our days weaving cloths of silk, +without ever being better clad. We shall always be poor and naked, and +shall always suffer from hunger and thirst, for we shall never be able +to earn enough to procure for ourselves any better food. Our bread +supply is very scarce--a little in the morning and less at night, for +none of us can gain by her handiwork more than fourpence a day for her +daily bread. And with this we cannot provide ourselves with sufficient +food and clothes. For though there is not one of us who does not earn as +much as twenty sous [327] a week, yet we cannot live without hardship. +Now you must know that there is not a single one of us who does not do +twenty sous worth of work or more, and with such a sum even a duke would +be considered rich. So while we are reduced to such poverty, he, for +whom we work, is rich with the product of our toil. We sit up many +nights, as well as every day, to earn the more, for they threaten to do +us injury, when we seek some rest, so we do not dare to rest ourselves. +But why should I tell you more? We are so shamefully treated and +insulted that I cannot tell you the fifth part of it all. But what makes +us almost wild with rage is that we very often see rich and excellent +knights, who fight with the two devils, lose their lives on our account. +They pay dearly for the lodging they receive, as you will do to-morrow. +For, whether you wish to do so or not, you will have to fight +singlehanded and lose your fair renown with these two devils." "May God, +the true and spiritual, protect me," said my lord Yvain, "and give you +back your honour and happiness, if it be His will. I must go now and see +the people inside there, and find out what sort of entertainment they +will offer me." "Go now, sire, and may He protect you who gives and +distributes all good things." + +(Vv. 5347-5456.) Then he went until he came to the hall where he found +no one, good or bad, to address him. Then he and his companion passed +through the house until they came to a garden. They never spoke of, or +mentioned, stabling their horses. But what matters it? For those who +considered them already as their own had stabled them carefully. I do +not know whether their expectation was wise, for the horses' owners are +still perfectly hale. The horses, however, have oats and hay, and stand +in litter up to their belly. My lord Yvain and his company enter the +garden. There he sees, reclining upon his elbow upon a silken rug, a +gentleman, to whom a maiden was reading from a romance about I know +not whom. There had come to recline there with them and listen to the +romance a lady, who was the mother of the damsel, as the gentleman was +her father; they had good reason to enjoy seeing and hearing her, for +they had no other children. She was not yet sixteen years old, and +was so fair and full of grace that the god of Love would have devoted +himself entirely to her service, if he had seen her, and would never +have made her fall in love with anybody except himself. For her sake he +would have become a man, and would lay aside his deity, and would smite +his own body with that dart whose wound never heals unless some base +physician attends to it. It is not fitting that any one should recover +until he meets with faithlessness. Any one who is cured by other means +is not honestly in love. I could tell you so much about this wound, if +you were pleased to listen to it, that I would not get through my tale +to-day. But there would be some one who would promptly say that I was +telling you but an idle tale; for people don't fall in love nowadays, +nor do they love as they used to do, so they do not care to hear of it. +[328] But hear now in what fashion and with what manner of hospitality +my lord Yvain was received. All those who were in the garden leaped to +their feet when they saw him come, and cried out: "This way, fair sire. +May you and all you love be blessed with all that God can do or say." I +know not if they were deceiving him, but they receive him joyfully and +act as if they are pleased that he should be comfortably lodged. Even +the lord's daughter serves him very honourably, as one should treat a +worthy guest. She relieves him of all his arms, nor was it the least +attention she bestowed on him when she herself washed his neck and face. +The lord wishes that all honour should be shown him, as indeed they do. +She gets out from her wardrobe a folded shirt, white drawers, needle and +thread for his sleeves, which she sews on, thus clothing him. [329] May +God want now that this attention and service may not prove too costly to +him! She gave him a handsome jacket to put on over his shirt, and about +his neck she placed a brand new spotted mantle of scarlet stuff. +She takes such pains to serve him well that he feels ashamed and +embarrassed. But the damsel is so courteous and open-hearted and polite +that she feels she is doing very little. And she knows well that it is +her mother's will that she shall leave nothing undone for him which she +thinks may win his gratitude. That night at table he was so well served +with so many dishes that there were too many. The servants who brought +in the dishes might well have been wearied by serving them. That night +they did him all manner of honour, putting him comfortably to bed, and +not once going near him again after he had retired. His lion lay at +his feet, as his custom was. In the morning, when God lighted His great +light for the world, as early as was consistent in one who was always +considerate, my lord Yvain quickly arose, as did his damsel too. They +heard Mass in a chapel, where it was promptly said for them in honour of +the Holy Spirit. + +(Vv. 5457-5770.) After the Mass my lord Yvain heard bad news, when he +thought the time had come for him to leave and that nothing would stand +in his way; but it could not be in accordance with his wish. When he +said: "Sire, if it be your will, and with your permission, I am going +now," the master of the house replied: "Friend, I will not grant you +permission yet. There is a reason why I cannot do so, for there is +established in this castle a very terrible practice which I am bound +to observe. I shall now cause to approach two great, strong fellows of +mine, against whom, whether right or wrong, you must take arms. If you +can defend yourself against them, and conquer and slay them both, my +daughter desires you as her lord, and the suzerainty of this town and +all its dependencies awaits you." "Sire," said he, "for all this I have +no desire. So may God never bestow your daughter upon me, but may she +remain with you; for she is so fair and so elegant that the Emperor +of Germany would be fortunate to win her as his wife." "No more, fair +guest," the lord replied: "there is no need of my listening to your +refusal, for you cannot escape. He who can defeat the two, who are about +to attack you, must by right receive my castle, and all my land, and +my daughter as his wife. There is no way of avoiding or renouncing +the battle. But I feel sure that your refusal of my daughter is due to +cowardice, for you think that in this manner you can completely avoid +the battle. Know, however, without fail that you must surely fight. No +knight who lodges here can possibly escape. This is a settled custom +and statute, which will endure yet for many a year, for my daughter will +never be married until I see them dead or defeated." "Then I must fight +them in spite of myself. But I assure you that I should very gladly give +it up. In spite of my reluctance, however, I shall accept the battle, +since it is inevitable." Thereupon, the two hideous, black sons of +the devil come in, both armed with a crooked club of a cornelian +cherry-tree, which they had covered with copper and wound with brass. +They were armed from the shoulders to the knees, but their head and +face were bare, as well as their brawny legs. Thus armed, they advanced, +bearing in their hands round shields, stout and light for fighting. The +lion begins to quiver as soon as he sees them, for he sees the arms they +have, and perceives that they come to fight his master. He is aroused, +and bristles up at once, and, trembling with rage and bold impulse, he +thrashes the earth with his tail, desiring to rescue his master before +they kill him. And when they see him they say: "Vassal, remove the lion +from here that he may not do us harm. Either surrender to us at once, or +else, we adjure you, that lion must be put where he can take no part in +aiding you or in harming us. You must come alone to enjoy our sport, for +the lion would gladly help you, if he could." My lord Yvain then replies +to them: "Take him away yourselves if you are afraid of him. For I shall +be well pleased and satisfied if he can contrive to injure you, and I +shall be grateful for his aid." They answer: "Upon my word that will +not do; you shall never receive any help from him. Do the best you can +alone, without the help of any one. You must fight single-handed against +us two. If you were not alone, it would be two against two; so you must +follow our orders, and remove your lion from here at once, however much +you may dislike to do so." "Where do you wish him to be?" he asks, "or +where do you wish me to put him?" Then they show him a small room, and +say: "Shut him up in there." "It shall be done, since it is your will." +Then he takes him and shuts him up. And now they bring him arms for his +body, and lead out his horse, which they give to him, and he mounts. The +two champions, being now assured about the lion, which is shut up in +the room, come at him to injure him and do him harm. They give him such +blows with the maces that his shield and helmet are of little use, for +when they hit him on the helmet they batter it in and break it; and the +shield is broken and dissolved like ice, for they make such holes in +it that one could thrust his fists through it: their onslaught is truly +terrible. And he--what does he do against these two devils? Urged on +by shame and fear, he defends himself with all his strength. He strains +every nerve, and exerts himself to deal heavy, and telling blows; they +lost nothing by his gifts, for he returned their attentions with +double measure. In his room, the lion's heart is heavy and sad, for he +remembers the kind deed done for him by this noble man, who now must +stand in great need of his service and aid. If now he could escape +from there, he would return him the kindness with full measure and +full bushel, without any discount whatsoever. He looks about in all +directions, but sees no way of escape. He hears the blows of the +dangerous and desperate fight, and in his grief he rages and is beside +himself. He investigates, until he comes to the threshold, which was +beginning to grow rotten; and he scratches at it until he can squeeze +himself in as far as his haunches, when he sticks fast. Meanwhile, my +lord Yvain was hard pressed and sweating freely, for he found that the +two fellows were very strong, fierce, and persistent. He had received +many a blow, and repaid it as best he could, but without doing them any +harm, for they were well skilled in fencing, and their shields were not +of a kind to be hacked by any sword, however sharp and well tempered +it might be. So my lord Yvain had good reason to fear his death, yet he +managed to hold his own until the lion extricated himself by continued +scratching beneath the threshold. If the rascals are not killed now, +surely they will never be. For so long as the lion knows them to be +alive, they can never obtain truce or peace with him. He seizes one of +them, and pulls him down to earth like a tree-trunk. The wretches are +terrified, and there is not a man present who does not rejoice. For he +whom the lion has dragged down will never be able to rise again, unless +the other succours him. He runs up to bring him aid, and at the same +time to protect himself, lest the lion should attack him as soon as he +had despatched the one whom he had thrown down; he was more afraid of +the lion than of his master. But my lord Yvain will be foolish now if +he allows him longer life, when he sees him turn his back, and sees his +neck bare and exposed; this chance turned out well for him. When the +rascal exposed to him his bare head and neck, he dealt him such a blow +that he smote his head from his shoulders so quietly that the fellow +never knew a word about it. Then he dismounts, wishing to help and save +the other one from the lion, who holds him fast. But it is of no use, +for already he is in such straits that a physician can never arrive in +time; for the lion, coming at him furiously, so wounded him at the first +attack, that he was in a dreadful state. Nevertheless, he drags the lion +back, and sees that he had torn his shoulder from its place. He is in +no fear of the fellow now, for his club has fallen from his hand, and +he lies like a dead man without action or movement; still he has enough +strength to speak, and he said as clearly as he could: "Please take your +lion away, fair sire, that he may not do me further harm. Henceforth you +may do with me whatever may be your desire. Whoever begs and prays +for mercy, ought not to have his prayer refused, unless he addresses a +heartless man. I will no longer defend myself, nor will I ever get up +from here with my own strength; so I put myself in your hands." "Speak +out then," he says, "if thou dost admit that thou art conquered and +defeated." "Sire," he says, "it is evident. I am defeated in spite of +myself, and I surrender, I promise you." "Then thou needest have no +further fear of me, and my lion will leave thee alone." Then he is +surrounded by all the crowd, who arrive on the scene in haste. And both +the lord and his lady rejoice over him, and embrace him, and speak to +him of their daughter, saying: "Now you will be the lord and master of +us all, and our daughter will be your wife, for we bestow her upon you +as your spouse." "And for my part," he says. "I restore her to you. Let +him who has her keep her. I have no concern with her, though I say it +not in disparagement. Take it not amiss if I do not accept her, for +I cannot and must not do so. But deliver to me now, if you will, the +wretched maidens in your possession. The agreement, as you well know, +is that they shall all go free." "What you say is true," he says: "and I +resign and deliver them freely to you: there will be no dispute on that +score. But you will be wise to take my daughter with all my wealth, for +she is fair, and charming, and sensible. You will never find again such +a rich marriage as this." "Sire," he replies, "you do not know of my +engagements and my affairs, and I do not dare to explain them to you. +But, you may be sure, when I refuse what would never be refused by any +one who was free to devote his heart and intentions to such a fair and +charming girl, that I too would willingly accept her hand if I could, or +if I were free to accept her or any other maid. But I assure you that I +cannot do it: so let me depart in peace. For the damsel, who escorted +me hither, is awaiting me. She has kept me company, and I would not +willingly desert her whatever the future may have in store." "You wish +to go, fair sire? But how? My gate will never be opened for you unless +my judgment bids me give the command; rather shall you remain here as my +prisoner. You are acting haughtily and making a mistake when you disdain +to take my daughter at my request." "Disdain, my lord? Upon my soul, I +do not disdain her. Whatever the penalty may be, I cannot marry a wife +or tarry here. I shall follow the damsel who is my guide: for otherwise +it cannot be. But, with your consent, I will pledge you my right hand, +and you may take my word, that, just as you see me now, I will return +if possible, and then will accept your daughter's hand, whenever it may +seem good ro you." "Confound any one," he says, "who asks you for your +word or promise or pledge. If my daughter pleases you, you will return +quickly enough. You will not return any sooner. I think, for having +given your word or sworn an oath. Begone now. I release you from all +oaths and promises. If you are detained by rain or wind, or by nothing +at all, it is of no consequence to me. I do not hold my daughter so +cheap as to bestow her upon you forcibly. Now go about your business. +For it is quite the same to me whether you go or whether you stay." + +(Vv. 5771-5871.) Thereupon my lord Yvain turns away and delays no longer +in the castle. He escorted the poor and ill-clad wretches, who were now +released from captivity, and whom the lord committed to his care. These +maidens feel that now they are rich, as they file out in pairs before +him from the castle. I do not believe that they would rejoice so much as +they do now were He who created the whole world to descend to earth from +Heaven. Now all those people who had insulted him in every possible way +come to beseech him for mercy and peace, and escort him on his way. He +replies that he knows nothing of what they mean. "I do not understand +what you mean," he says; "but I have nothing against you. I do not +remember that you ever said anything that harmed me." They are very glad +for what they hear, and loudly praise his courtesy, and after escorting +him a long distance, they all commend him to God. Then the damsels, +after asking his permission, separated from him. When they left him, +they all bowed to him, and prayed and expressed the wish that God might +grant him joy and health, and the accomplishment of his desire, wherever +in the future he should go. Then he, who is anxious to be gone, says +that he hopes God will save them all. "Go," he says, "and may God +conduct you into your countries safe and happy." Then they continue +their way joyfully; and my lord Yvain departs in the other direction. +All the days of that week he never ceases to hurry on under the escort +of the maid, who was well acquainted with the road, and with the retired +place where she had left the unhappy and disconsolate damsel who had +been deprived of her inheritance. But when she heard news of the arrival +of the maiden and of the Knight with the Lion. There never was such joy +as she felt within her heart. For now she thinks that, if she insists, +her sister will cede her a part of her inheritance. The damsel had long +lain sick, and had just recovered from her malady. It had seriously +affected her, as was apparent from her face. Straightway she went forth +to meet them, greeting them and honouring them in every way she could. +There is no need to speak of the happiness that prevailed that night +in the house. No mention will be made of it, for the story would be too +long to tell. I pass over all that, until they mounted next morning and +went away. They rode until they saw the town where King Arthur had been +staying for a fortnight or more. And there, too, was the damsel who +had deprived her sister of her heritage, for she had kept close to the +court, waiting for the arrival of her sister, who now draws near. But +she does not worry much, for she does not think that her sister can find +any knight who can withstand my lord Gawain's attack, and only one day +of the forty yet remains. If this single day had passed, she would have +had the reasonable and legal right to claim the heritage for herself +alone. But more stands in the way than she thinks or believes. That +night they spent outside the town in a small and humble house, where, +in accordance with their desire, they were not recognised. At the first +sign of dawn the next morning they necessarily issue forth, but ensconce +themselves in hiding until broad daylight. + +(Vv. 5872-5924.) I know not how many days had passed since my lord +Gawain had so completely disappeared that no one at court knew anything +about him, except only the damsel in whose cause he was to fight. He +had concealed himself three or four leagues from the court, and when he +returned he was so equipped that even those who knew him perfectly +could not recognise him by the arms he bore. The damsel, whose injustice +toward her sister was evident, presented him at court in the sight of +all, for she intended with his help to triumph in the dispute where she +had no rights. So she said to the King: "My lord, time passes. The +noon hour will soon be gone, and this is the last day. As you see, I am +prepared to defend my claim. If my sister were going to return, there +would be nothing to do but await her arrival. But I may praise God that +she is not coming back again. It is evident that she cannot better her +affairs, and that her trouble has been for naught. For my part, I have +been ready all the time up to this last day, to prove my claim to what +is mine. I have proved my point entirely without a fight, and now I +may rightfully go to accept my heritage in peace; for I shall render no +accounting for it to my sister as long as I live, and she will lead a +wretched and miserable existence." Then the King, who well knew that the +damsel was disloyally unjust toward her sister, said to her: "My dear, +upon my word, in a royal court one must wait as long as the king's +justice sits and deliberates upon the verdict. It is not yet time to +pack up, for it is my belief that your sister will yet arrive in time." +Before the King had finished, he saw the Knight with the Lion and the +damsel with him. They two were advancing alone, having slipped away from +the lion, who had stayed where they spent the night. + +(Vv. 5925-5990.) The King saw the damsel whom he did not fail to +recognise, and he was greatly pleased and delighted to see her, for +he was on her side of the quarrel, because he had regard for what was +right. Joyfully he cried out to her as soon as he could: "Come forward, +fair one: may God save you!" When the other sister hears these words, +she turns trembling, and sees her with the knight whom she had brought +to defend in her claim: then she turned blacker than the earth. The +damsel, after being kindly welcomed by all, went to where the King was +sitting. When she had come before him, she spoke to him thus: "God save +the King and his household. If my rights in this dispute can be settled +by a champion, then it will be done by this knight who has followed +me hither. This frank and courteous knight had many other things to do +elsewhere; but he felt such pity for me that he cast aside all his other +affairs for the sake of mine. Now, madame, my very dear sister, whom I +love as much as my own heart, would do the right and courteous thing if +she would let me have so much of what is mine by right that there might +be peace between me and her; for I ask for nothing that is hers." "Nor +do I ask for anything that is thine," the other replied; "for thou hast +nothing, and nothing shalt thou have. Thou canst never talk so much as +to gain anything by thy words. Thou mayest dry up with grief." Then the +other, who was very polite and sensible and courteous, replied with the +words: "Certainly I am sorry that two such gentlemen as these should +fight on our behalf over so small a disagreement. But I cannot disregard +my claim, for I am in too great need of it. So I should be much obliged +to you if you would give me what is rightly mine." "Surely," the other +said, "any one would be a fool to consider thy demands. May I burn in +evil fire and flame if I give thee anything to ease thy life! The banks +of the Seine will meet, and the hour of prime will be called noon, +before I refuse to carry out the fight." "May God and the right, which +I have in this cause, and in which I trust and have trusted till the +present time, aid him, who in charity and courtesy has offered himself +in my service, though he knows not who I am, and though we are ignorant +of each other's identity." + +(Vv. 5991-6148.) So they talked until their conversation ceased, and +then produced the knights in the middle of the court. Then all the +people crowd about, as people are wont to do when they wish to witness +blows in battle or in joust. But those who were about to fight did +not recognise each other, though their relations were wont to be very +affectionate. Then do they not love each other now? I would answer you +both "yes" and "no." And I shall prove that each answer is correct. In +truth, my lord Gawain loves Yvain and regards him as his companion, and +so does Yvain regard him, wherever he may be. Even here, if he knew who +he was, he would make much of him, and either one of them would lay down +his head for the other before he would allow any harm to come to him. Is +not that a perfect and lofty love? Yes, surely. But, on the other hand, +is not their hate equally manifest? Yes; for it is a certain thing that +doubtless each would be glad to have broken the other's head, and so +to have injured him as to cause his humiliation. Upon my word, it is a +wondrous thing, that Love and mortal Hate should dwell together. God! +How can two things so opposed find lodging in the same dwelling-place? +It seems to me they cannot live together; for one could not dwell with +the other, without giving rise to noise and contention, as soon as each +knew of the other's presence. But upon the ground-floor there may be +several apartments: for there are halls and sleeping-rooms. It may be +the same in this case: I think Love had ensconced himself in some hidden +room, while Hate had betaken herself to the balconies looking on the +high-road, because she wishes to be seen. Just now Hate is in the +saddle, and spurs and pricks forward as she can, to get ahead of Love +who is indisposed to move. Ah! Love, what has become of thee? Come out +now, and thou shalt see what a host has been brought up and opposed to +thee by the enemies of thy friends. The enemies are these very men who +love each other with such a holy love for love, which is neither false +nor feigned, is a precious and a holy thing. In this case Love is +completely blind, and Hate, too, is deprived of sight. For if Love had +recognised these two men, he must have forbidden each to attack the +other, or to do any thing to cause him harm. In this respect, then, +Love is blind and discomfited and beguiled; for, though he sees them, he +fails to recognise those who rightly belong to him. And though Hate is +unable to tell why one of them should hate the other, yet she tries to +engage them wrongfully, so that each hates the other mortally. You know, +of course, that he cannot be said to love a man who would wish to harm +him and see him dead. How then? Does Yvain wish to kill his friend, my +lord Gawain? Yes, and the desire is mutual. Would, then, my lord Gawain +desire to kill Yvain with his own hands, or do even worse than I have +said? Nay, not really, I swear and protest. One would not wish to injure +or harm the other, in return for all that God has done for man, or for +all the empire of Rome. But this, in turn, is a lie of mine, for it is +plainly to be seen that, with lance raised high in rest, each is ready +to attack the other, and there will be no restraint of the desire of +each to wound the other with intent to injure him and work him woe. Now +tell me! When one will have defeated the other, of whom can he complain +who has the worst of it? For if they go so far as to come to blows, I am +very much afraid that they will continue the battle and the strife +until victory be definitely decided. If he is defeated, will Yvain be +justified in saying that he has been harmed and wronged by a man who +counts him among his friends, and who has never mentioned him but by the +name of friend or companion? Or, if it comes about perchance that Yvain +should hurt him in turn, or defeat him in any way, will Gawain have +the right to complain? Nay, for he will not know whose fault it is. In +ignorance of each other's identity, they both drew off and took their +distance. At this first shock, their lances break, though they were +stout, and made of ash. Not a word do they exchange, for if they had +stopped to converse their meeting would have been different. In that +case, no blow would have been dealt with lance or sword; they would have +kissed and embraced each other rather than sought each other's harm. For +now they attack each other with injurious intent. The condition of the +swords is not improved, nor that of the helmets and shields, which are +dented and split; and the edges of the swords are nicked and dulled. For +they strike each other violently, not with the fiat of the swords, +but with the edge, and they deal such blows with the pommels upon the +nose-guards and upon the neck, forehead and cheeks, that they are all +marked black and blue where the blood collects beneath the skin. And +their hauberks are so torn, and their shields so broken in pieces, that +neither one escaped without wounds. Their breath is almost exhausted +with the labour of the strife; they hammer away at each other so lustily +that every hyacinth and emerald set in their helmets is crushed and +smashed. For they give each other such a battering with their pommels +upon the helmets that they are quite stunned, as they almost beat out +each other's brains. The eyes in their heads gleam like sparks, as, with +stout square fists, and strong nerves, and hard bones, they strike each +other upon the mouth as long as they can grip their swords, which are of +great service to them in dealing their heavy blows. + +(Vv. 6149-6228.) When they had for a long time strained themselves, +until the helmets were crushed, and the hauberks' meshes were torn +apart with the hammering of the swords, and the shields were split and +cracked, they drew apart a little to give their pulse a rest and to +catch their breath again. However, they do not long delay, but run at +each other again more fiercely than before. And all declare that they +never saw two more courageous knights. "This fight between them is no +jest, but they are in grim earnest. They will never be repaid for their +merits and deserts." The two friends, in their bitter struggle, heard +these words, and heard how the people were talking of reconciling the +two sisters; but they had no success in placating the elder one. And the +younger one said she would leave it to the King, and would not gainsay +him in anything. But the elder one was so obstinate that even the +Queen Guinevere and the knights and the King and the ladies and the +townspeople side with the younger sister, and all join in beseeching the +King to give her a third or a fourth part of the land in spite of the +elder sister, and to separate the two knights who had displayed such +bravery, for it would be too bad if one should injure the other or +deprive him of any honour. And the King replied that he would take no +hand in making peace, for the elder sister is so cruel that she has no +desire for it. All these words were heard by the two, who were attacking +each other so bitterly that all were astonished thereat; for the battle +is waged so evenly that it is impossible to judge which has the better +and which the worse. Even the two men themselves, who fight, and who +are purchasing honour with agony, are filled with amazement and stand +aghast, for they are so well matched in their attack, that each wonders +who it can be that withstands him with such bravery. They fight so long +that the day draws on to night, while their arms grow weary and their +bodies sore, and the hot, boiling blood flows from many a spot and +trickles down beneath their hauberks: they are in such distress that +it is no wonder if they wish to rest. Then both withdraw to rest +themselves, each thinking within himself that, however long he has had +to wait, he now at last has met his match. For some time they thus seek +repose, without daring to resume the fight. They feel no further desire +to fight, because of the night which is growing dark, and because of the +respect they feel for each other's might. These two considerations keep +them apart, and urge them to keep the peace. But before they leave the +field they will discover each other's identity, and joy and mercy will +be established between them. + +(Vv. 6229-6526.) My brave and courteous lord Yvain was the first to +speak. But his good friend was unable to recognise him by his utterance; +for he was prevented by his low tone and by his voice which was hoarse, +weak, and broken; for his blood was all stirred up by the blows he had +received. "My lord," he says, "the night comes on! I think no blame +or reproach will attach to us if the night comes between us. But I +am willing to admit, for my own part, that I feel great respect and +admiration for you, and never in my life have I engaged in a battle +which has made me smart so much, nor did I ever expect to see a knight +whose acquaintance I should so yearn to make. You know well how to land +your blows and how to make good use of them: I have never known a knight +who was so skilled in dealing blows. It was against my will that I +received all the blows you have bestowed on me to-day; I am stunned +by the blows you have I struck upon my head." "Upon my word," my lord +Gawain replies, "you are not so stunned and faint but that I am as much +so, or more. And if I should tell you the simple truth, I think you +would not be loath to hear it, for if I have lent you anything of mine, +you have fully paid me back, principal and interest; for you were more +ready to pay back than I was to accept the payment. But however that +may be, since you wish me to inform you of my name, it shall not be kept +from you: my name is Gawain the son of King Lot." As soon as my +lord Yvain heard that, he was amazed and sorely troubled; angry and +grief-stricken, he cast upon the ground his bloody sword and broken +shield, then dismounted from his horse, and cried: "Alas, what mischance +is this! Through what unhappy ignorance in not recognising each other +have we waged this battle! For if I had known who you were, I should +never have fought with you; but, upon my word, I should have surrendered +without a blow." "How is that?" my lord Gawain inquires, "who are you, +then?" "I am Yvain, who love you more than any man in the whole wide +world, for you have always been fond of me and shown me honour in every +court. But I wish to make you such amends and do you such honour in this +affair that I will confess myself to have been defeated." "Will you do +so much for my sake?" my gentle lord Gawain asks him; "surely I should +be presumptuous to accept any such amends from you. This honour shall +never be claimed as mine, but it shall be yours, to whom I resign +it." "Ah, fair sire, do not speak so. For that could never be. I am so +wounded and exhausted that I cannot endure more." "Surely, you have no +cause to be concerned." his friend and companion replies; "but for my +part, I am defeated and overcome; I say it not as a compliment; for +there is no stranger in the world, to whom I would not say as much, +rather than receive any more blows." Thus saying, he got down from his +horse, and they threw their arms about each other's neck, kissing each +other, and each continuing to assert that it is he who has met defeat. +The argument is still in progress when the King and the knights come +running up from every side, at the sight of their reconciliation; and +great is their desire to hear how this can be, and who these men are who +manifest such happiness. The King says: "Gentlemen, tell us now who +it is that has so suddenly brought about this friendship and harmony +between you two, after the hatred and strife there has been this day?" +Then his nephew, my lord Gawain, thus answers him: "My lord, you shall +be informed of the misfortune and mischance which have been the cause of +our strife. Since you have tarried in order to hear and learn the cause +of it, it is right to let you know the truth. I, Gawain, who am your +nephew, did not recognise this companion of mine, my lord Yvain, until +he fortunately, by the will of God, asked me my name. After each had +informed the other of his name, we recognised each other, but not until +we had fought it out. Our struggle already has been long; and if we had +fought yet a little longer, it would have fared ill with me, for, by my +head, he would have killed me, what with his prowess and the evil cause +of her who chose me as her champion. But I would rather be defeated than +killed by a friend in battle." Then my lord Yvain's blood was stirred, +as he said to him in reply: "Fair dear sire, so help me God, you have no +right to say so much. Let my lord, The King, well know in this battle +I am surely the one who has been defeated and overcome!" "I am the one" +"No, I am." Thus each cries out, and both are so honest and courteous +that each allows the victory and crown to be the other's prize, while +neither one of them will accept it. Thus each strives to convince the +King and all the people that he has been defeated and overthrown. +But when he had listened to them for a while, the King terminated the +dispute. He was well pleased with what he heard and with the sight of +them in each other's arms, though they had wounded and injured each +other in several places. "My lords," he says, "there is deep affection +between you two. You give clear evidence of that, when each insists that +it is he who has been defeated. Now leave it all to me! For I think I +can arrange it in such a way that it will redound to your honour, and +every one will give consent." Then they both promised him that they +would do his will in every particular. And the King says that he will +decide the quarrel fairly and faithfully. "Where is the damsel," he +inquires, "who has ejected her sister from her land, and has forcibly +and cruelly disinherited her?" "My lord," she answers, "here I am." "Are +you there? Then draw near to me! I saw plainly some time ago that you +were disinheriting her. But her right shall no longer be denied; for you +yourself have avowed the truth to me. You must now resign her share to +her." "Sire," she says, "if I uttered a foolish and thoughtless word, +you ought not to take me up in it. For God's sake, sire, do not be hard +on me! You are a king, and you ought to guard against wrong and error." +The King replies: "That is precisely why I wish to give your sister her +rights; for I have never defended what is wrong. And you have surely +heard how your knight and hers have left the matter in my hands. I shall +not say what is altogether pleasing to you; for your injustice is well +known. In his desire to honour the other, each one says that he has been +defeated. But there is no need to delay further: since the matter has +been left to me, either you will do in all respects what I say, without +resistance, or I shall announce that my nephew has been defeated in the +fight. That would be the worst thing that could happen to your cause, +and I shall be sorry to make such a declaration." In reality, he would +not have said it for anything; but he spoke thus in order to see if he +could frighten her into restoring the heritage to her sister; for he +clearly saw that she never would surrender anything to her for any +words of his unless she was influenced by force or fear. In fear and +apprehension, she replied to him: "Fair lord, I must now respect your +desire, though my heart is very loath to yield. Yet, however hard it may +go with me, I shall do it, and my sister shall have what belongs to her. +I give her your own person as a pledge of her share in my inheritance, +in order that she may be more assured of it." "Endow her with it, then, +at once," the King replies; "let her receive it from your hands, and +let her vow fidelity to you! Do you love her as your vassal, and let +her love you as her sovereign lady and as her sister." Thus the King +conducts the affair until the damsel takes possession of her land, and +offers her thanks to him for it. Then the King asked the valiant and +brave knight who was his nephew to allow himself to be disarmed; and +he requested my lord Yvain to lay aside his arms also; for now they may +well dispense with them. Then the two vassals lay aside their arms and +separate on equal terms. And while they are taking off their armour, +they see the lion running up in search of his master. As soon as he +catches sight of him, he begins to show his joy. Then you would have +seen people draw aside, and the boldest among them takes to flight. +My lord Yvain cries out: "Stand still, all! Why do you flee? No one is +chasing you. Have no fear that yonder lion will do you harm. Believe +me, please, when I say that he is mine, and I am his, and we are both +companions." Then it was known of a truth by all those who had heard +tell of the adventures of the lion and of his companion that this must +be the very man who had killed the wicked giant. And my lord Gawain said +to him: "Sir companion, so help me God, you have overwhelmed me with +shame this day. I did not deserve the service that you did me in killing +the giant to save my nephews and my niece. I have been thinking about +you for some time, and I was troubled because it was said that we +were acquainted as loving friends. I have surely thought much upon the +subject: but I could not hit upon the truth, and had never heard of any +knight that I had known in any land where I had been, who was called +'The Knight with the Lion.'" While they chatted thus they took their +armour off, and the lion came with no slow step to the place where his +master sat, and showed such joy as a dumb beast could. Then the two +knights had to be removed to a sick-room and infirmary, for they needed +a doctor and piaster to cure their wounds. King Arthur, who loved them +well, had them both brought before him, and summoned a surgeon whose +knowledge of surgery was supreme. He exercised his art in curing them, +until he had healed their wounds as well and as quickly as possible. +When he had cured them both, my lord Yvain, who had his heart set fast +on love, saw clearly that he could not live, but that he finally would +die unless his lady took pity upon him; for he was dying for love of +her; so he thought he would go away from the court alone, and would go +to fight at the spring that belonged to her, where he would cause such +a storm of wind and rain that she would be compelled perforce to make +peace with him; otherwise, there would be no end to the disturbance of +the spring, and to the rain and wind. + +(Vv. 6527-6658.) As soon as my lord Yvain felt that he was cured and +sound again, he departed without the knowledge of any one. But he had +with him his lion, who never in his life wished to desert him. They +travelled until they saw the spring and made the rain descend. Think not +that this is a lie of mine, when I tell you that the disturbance was so +violent that no one could tell the tenth part of it: for it seemed as if +the whole forest must surely be engulfed. The lady fears for her town, +lest it, too, will crumble away; the walls totter, and the tower rocks +so that it is on the verge of falling down. The bravest Turk would +rather be a captive in Persia than be shut up within those walls. The +people are so stricken with terror that they curse all their ancestors, +saying: "Confounded be the man who first constructed a house in this +neighbourhood, and all those who built this town! For in the wide world +they could not have found so detestable a spot, for a single man is able +here to invade and worry and harry us." "You must take counsel in this +matter, my lady," says Lunete; "you will find no one who will undertake +to aid you in this time of need unless you seek for him afar. In the +future we shall never be secure in this town, nor dare to pass beyond +the walls and gate. You know full well that, were some one to summon +together all your knights for this cause, the best of them would not +dare to step forward. If it is true that you have no one to defend +your spring, you will appear ridiculous and humiliated. It will redound +greatly to your honour, forsooth, if he who has attacked you shall +retire without a fight! Surely you are in a bad predicament if you do +not devise some other plan to benefit yourself." The lady replies: "Do +thou, who art so wise, tell me what plan I can devise, and I will follow +thy advice." "Indeed, lady, if I had any plan, I should gladly propose +it to you. But you have great need of a wiser counsellor. So I shall +certainly not dare to intrude, and in common with the others I shall +endure the rain and wind until, if it please God, I shall see some +worthy man appear here in your court who will assume the responsibility +and burden of the battle; but I do not believe that that will happen +to-day, and we have not yet seen the worst of your urgent need." Then +the lady replies at once: "Damsel, speak now of something else! Say no +more of the people of my household; for I cherish no further expectation +that the spring and its marble brim will ever be defended by any of +them. But, if it please God, let us hear now what is your opinion +and plan; for people always say that in time of need one can test his +friend." [330] "My lady, if there is any one who thinks he could find +him who slew the giant and defeated the three knights, he would do +well to go to search for him. But so long as he shall incur the enmity, +wrath, and displeasure of his lady, I fancy there is not under heaven +any man or woman whom he would follow, until he had been assured upon +oath that everything possible would be done to appease the hostility +which his lady feels for him, and which is so bitter that he is dying +of the grief and anxiety it causes him." And the lady said: "Before you +enter upon the quest, I am prepared to promise you upon my word and to +swear that, if he will return to me, I will openly and frankly do all +I can to bring about his peace of mind." Then Lunete replies to her: +"Lady, have no fear that you cannot easily effect his reconciliation, +when once it is your desire to do so; but, if you do not object, I will +take your oath before I start." "I have no objection," the lady says. +With delicate courtesy, Lunete procured at once for her a very precious +relic, and the lady fell upon her knees. Thus Lunete very courteously +accepted her upon her oath. In administering the oath, she forgot +nothing which it might be an advantage to insert. "Lady," she says, "now +raise your hand! I do not wish that the day after to-morrow you should +lay any charge upon me; for you are not doing anything for me, but you +are acting for your own good. If you please now, you shall swear that +you will exert yourself in the interests of the Knight with the Lion +until he recover his lady's love as completely as he ever possessed it." +The lady then raised her right hand and said: "I swear to all that thou +hast said, so help me God and His holy saint, that my heart may never +fail to do all within my power. If I have the strength and ability, +I will restore to him the love and favour which with his lady he once +enjoyed." + +(Vv. 6659-6716.) Lunete has now done well her work; there was nothing +which she had desired so much as the object which she had now attained. +They had already got out for her a palfrey with an easy pace. Gladly and +in a happy frame of mind Lunete mounts and rides away, until she finds +beneath the pine-tree him whom she did not expect to find so near at +hand. Indeed, she had thought that she would have to seek afar before +discovering him. As soon as she saw him, she recognised him by the lion, +and coming toward him rapidly, she dismounted upon the solid earth. And +my lord Yvain recognised her as soon as he saw her, and greeted her, as +she saluted him with the words: "Sire, I am very happy to have found you +so near at hand." And my lord Yvain said in reply: "How is that? Were +you looking for me, then?" "Yes, sire, and in all my life I have never +felt so glad, for I have made my mistress promise, if she does not go +back upon her word, that she will be again your lady as was once the +case, and that you shall be her lord; this truth I make bold to tell." +My lord Yvain was greatly elated at the news he hears, and which he +had never expected to hear again. He could not sufficiently show his +gratitude to her who had accomplished this for him. He kisses her eyes, +and then her face, saying: "Surely, my sweet friend, I can never repay +you for this service. I fear that ability and time will fail me to do +you the honour and service which is your due." "Sire," she replies, "have +no concern, and let not that thought worry you! For you will have an +abundance of strength and time to show me and others your good will. If +I have paid this debt I owed, I am entitled to only so much gratitude as +the man who borrows another's goods and then discharges the obligation. +Even now I do not consider that I have paid you the debt I owed." +"Indeed you have, as God sees me, more than five hundred thousand times. +Now, when you are ready, let us go. But have you told her who I am?" +"No, I have not, upon my word. She knows you only by the name of 'The +Knight with the Lion.'" + +(Vv. 6717-6758.) Thus conversing they went along, with the lion +following after them, until they all three came to the town. They said +not a word to any man or woman there, until they arrived where the lady +was. And the lady was greatly pleased as soon as she heard that the +damsel was approaching, and that she was bringing with her the lion and +the knight, whom she was very anxious to meet and know and see. All +clad in his arms, my lord Yvain fell at her feet upon his knees, while +Lunete, who was standing by, said to her: "Raise him up, lady, and apply +all your efforts and strength and skill in procuring that peace and +pardon which no one in the world, except you, can secure for him." Then +the lady bade him rise, and said: "He may dispose of all my power! +I shall be very happy, if possible, to accomplish his wish and his +desire." "Surely, my lady," Lunete replied, "I would not say it if it +were not true. But all this is even more possible for you than I have +said: but now I will tell you the whole truth, and you shall see: you +never had and you never will have such a good friend as this gentleman. +God, whose will it is that there should be unending peace and love +between you and him, has caused me to find him this day so near at hand. +In order to test the truth of this, I have only one thing to say: lady, +dismiss the grudge you bear him! For he has no other mistress than you. +This is your husband, my lord Yvain." + +(Vv. 6759-6776.) The lady, trembling at these words, replied: "God save +me! You have caught me neatly in a trap! You will make me love, in spite +of myself, a man who neither loves nor esteems me. This is a fine piece +of work, and a charming way of serving me! I would rather endure the +winds and the tempests all my life: And if it were not a mean and +ugly thing to break one's word, he would never make his peace or be +reconciled with me. This purpose would have always lurked within me, as +a fire smoulders in the ashes; but I do not wish to renew it now, nor do +I care to refer to it, since I must be reconciled with him." + +(Vv. 6777-6798.) My lord Yvain hears and understands that his cause is +going well, and that he will be peacefully reconciled with her. So he +says: "Lady, one ought to have mercy on a sinner. I have had to pay, and +dearly to pay, for my mad act. It was madness that made me stay away, +and I now admit my guilt and sin. I have been bold, indeed, in daring +to present myself to you; but if you will deign to keep me now, I never +again shall do you any wrong." She replied: "I will surely consent to +that; for if I did not do all I could to establish peace between you +and me, I should be guilty of perjury. So, if you please, I grant your +request." "Lady," says he, "so truly as God in this mortal life could +not otherwise restore me to happiness, so may the Holy Spirit bless me +five hundred times!" + +(Vv. 6799-6813.) Now my lord Yvain is reconciled, and you may believe +that, in spite of the trouble he has endured, he was never so happy +for anything. All has turned out well at last; for he is beloved and +treasured by his lady, and she by him. His troubles no longer are in +his mind; for he forgets them all in the joy he feels with his precious +wife. And Lunete, for her part, is happy too: all her desires are +satisfied when once she had made an enduring peace between my polite +lord Yvain and his sweetheart so dear and so elegant. + +(Vv. 6814-6818.) Thus Chrétien concludes his romance of the Knight with +the Lion; for I never heard any more told of it, nor will you ever hear +any further particulars, unless some one wishes to add some lies. + + + +----Endnotes: Yvain + +Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other +endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 31: + + "cele feste, qui tant coste, + Qu'an doit clamer la pantecoste." + + This rhyme is frequently met in mediaeval narrative poems. + (F.)]] + +[Footnote 32: The contemporary degeneracy of lovers and of the art of +love is a favourite theme of mediaeval poets.] + +[Footnote 33: Cf. "Roman de la Rose", 9661, for the stinking manure pit. +(F.)] + +[Footnote 34: The forest of Broceliande is in Brittany, and in it +Chrétien places the marvellous spring of Barenton, of which we read +in the sequel. In his version the poet forgets that the sea separates +the court at Carduel from the forest of Broceliande. His readers, +however, probably passed over this "lapsus". The most famous passage +relating to this forest and its spring is found in Wace, "Le Roman de +Rou et des dues de Normandie", vv. 6395-6420, 2 vols. (Heilbronn, +1877-79). Cf. further the informing note by W.L. Holland, "Chrétien von +Troies", p. 152 f. (Tubingen, 1854).] + +[Footnote 35: This grotesque portrait of the "vilain" is perfectly +conventional in aristocratic poetry, and is also applied to some +Saracens in the epic poems. Cf. W.W. Comfort in "Pub. of the Modern +Language Association of America", xxi. 494 f., and in "The Dublin +Review", July 1911.] + +[Footnote 36: For the description of the magic fountain, cf. W.A. Nitze, +"The Fountain Defended" in "Modern Philology", vii. 145-164; G.L. +Hamilton, "Storm-making Springs", etc., in "Romantic Review", ii. +355-375; A.F. Grimme in "Germania", xxxiii. 38; O.M. Johnston in +"Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association", +xxxiii., p. lxxxiii. f.] + +[Footnote 37: Eugen Kolbing, "Christian von Troyes Yvain und die +Brandanuslegende" in "Ztsch. fur vergleichende Literaturgeschichte" +(Neue Folge, xi. Brand, 1897), pp. 442-448, has pointed out other +striking allusions in the Latin "Navigatio S. Brandans" (ed. Wahlund, +Upsala, 1900) and elsewhere in Celtic legend to trees teeming with +singing birds, in which the souls of the blessed are incorporated. A +more general reference to trees, animated by the souls of the dead, is +found in J.G. Frazer, "The Golden Bough" (2nd ed. 1900), vol. I., p. 178 +f.] + +[Footnote 38: Cf. A. Tobler in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", iv. +80-85, who gives many other instances of boasting after meals. See +next note.] + +[Footnote 39: Noradin is the Sultan Nureddin Mahmud (reigned 1146-1173), +a contemporary of the poet; Forre is a legendary Saracen king of +Naples, mentioned in the epic poems (cf. E. Langlois, "Table des noms +propres de toute nature compris dans les chansons de geste", Paris, +1904; Albert Counson, "Noms epiques entres dans le vocabulaire commun" +in "Romanische Forschungen", xxiii. 401-413). These names are mentioned +here in connection with the brave exploits which Christian knights, +while in their cups, may boast that they will accomplish (F.). This +practice of boasting was called indulging in "gabs" (=Eng. "gab"), a +good instance of which will be found in "Le Voyage de Charlemagne a +Jeruslaem" (ed. Koschwitz), v. 447 ff.] + +[Footnote 310: It is evident in this passage that Chrétien's version is +not clear; the reader cannot be sure in what sort of an apartment +Yvain is secreted. The passage is perfectly clear, however, in the +Welsh "Owein", as shown by A.C.L. Brown in "Romanic Review", iii. +143-172, "On the Independent Character of the Welsh 'Owain'", where he +argues convincingly for an original older than either the extant French +of Welsh versions.] + +[Footnote 311: The damsel's surprise and fright at the sight of Yvain, +which puzzled Professor Foerster, is satisfactorily explained by J. +Acher in "Ztsch. fur franzosische Sprache und Literatur", xxxv. 150.] + +[Footnote 312: For magic rings, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte +Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908); D.B. Easter, "The Magic Elements +in the romans d'aventure and the romans bretons" (Baltimore, 1906).] + +[Footnote 313: Much has been written on the widespread belief that a +dead person's wounds would bleed afresh in the presence of his +murderer. The passage in our text is interesting as being the earliest +literary reference to the belief. Other instances will be found in +Shakespear ("King Richard III., Act. I., Sc. 2), Cervantes ("Don +Quixote"), Scott ("Ballads"), and Schiller ("Braut von Messina"). In +the 15th and 16th centuries especially, the bleeding of the dead became +in Italy, Germany, France, and Spain an absolute or contributory proof +of guilt in the eyes of the law. The suspected culprit might be +subjected to this ordeal as part of the inquisitional method to +determine guilt. For theories of the origin of this belief and of its +use in legal trials, as well as for more extended bibliography, cf. Karl +Lehmann in "Germanistische Abhandlungen fur Konrad von Maurer" +(Gottingen, 1893), pp. 21-45; C.V. Christensen, "Baareproven" +(Copenhagen, 1900).] + +[Footnote 314: W.L. Holland in his note for this passage recalls +Schiller's "Jungfrau von Orleans", Act III. Sc. 7, and Shakespeare, +first part of "King Henry IV.", Act V. Sc. 4: + + "When that this body did contain a spirit, + A kingdom for it was too small a bound; + But now two paces of the vilest earth + Is room enough."] + +[Footnote 315: Foerster regards this excuse for Kay's defeat as +ironical.] + +[Footnote 316: It is hoped that the following passage may have retained +in the translation some of the gay animation which clothes this +description of a royal entry into a mediaeval town.] + +[Footnote 317: This idea forms the dominating motive, it will be +recalled, in "Erec et Enide" (cf. note to "Erec", v. 2576).] + +[Footnote 318: The parallel between Yvain's and Roland's madness will +occur to readers of Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso", though in the +former case Yvain's madness seems to be rather a retribution for his +failure to keep his promise, while Roland's madness arises from excess +of love.] + +[Footnote 319: Argonne is the name of a hilly and well-wooded district +in the north-east of France, lying between the Meuse and the Aisne.] + +[Footnote 320: An allusion to the well-known epic tradition embodied in +the "Chanson de Roland". It was common for mediaeval poets to give +names to both the horses and the swords of their heroes.] + +[Footnote 321: For the faithful lion in the Latin bestiaries and +mediaeval romances, see the long note of W.L. Holland, "Chrétien von +Troies" (Tubingen, 1854), p. 161 f., and G. Baist in Zeitschrift fur +romanische Philologie, xxi. 402-405. To the examples there cited may be +added the episodes in "Octavian" (15th century), published in the +"Romanische Bibliothek" (Heilbronn, 1883).] + +[Footnote 322: This is the first of three references in this poem to the +abduction of Guinevere as fully narrated in the poem of "Lancelot". The +other references are in v. 3918 and v.4740 f.] + +[Footnote 323: Yvain here states the theory of the judicial trial by +combat. For another instance see "Lancelot", v. 4963 f. Cf. M. Pfeffer +in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philogie", ix. 1-74, and L. Jordan, id. Xxix. +385-401.] + +[Footnote 324: A similar description of a distressed damsel wandering at +night in a forest is found in "Berte aus grans pies", by Adenet le Roi +(13th century).] + +[Footnote 325: The lion is forgotten for the moment, but will appear +again v. 5446. (F.)] + +[Footnote 326: This entire passage belongs in the catagory of widespread +myths which tell of a tribute of youths or maidens paid to some cruel +monster, from which some hero finally obtains deliverance. Instances +are presented in the adventures of Theseus and Tristan.] + +[Footnote 327: The old French monetary table was as follows: + +10 as = 1 denier; 12 deniers = 1 sol; 20 sous = 1 livre] + +[Footnote 328: It appears to be the poet's prerogative in all epochs of +social history to bemoan the degeneracy of true love in his own +generation.] + +[Footnote 329: The sleeves of shirts were detachable, and were sewed on +afresh when a clean garment was put on. (F.)] + +[Footnote 330: This was an axiom of feudal society, and occurs more +frequently in feudal literature than any other statement of mediaeval +social relations.] + + + + + +LANCELOT + +or, The Knight of the Cart + +(Vv. 1-30.) Since my lady of Champagne wishes me to undertake to write a +romance, [41] I shall very gladly do so, being so devoted to her +service as to do anything in the world for her, without any intention +of flattery. But if one were to introduce any flattery upon such an +occasion, he might say, and I would subscribe to it, that this lady +surpasses all others who are alive, just as the south wind which blows +in May or April is more lovely than any other wind. But upon my word, I +am not one to wish to flatter my lady. I will simply say: "The Countess +is worth as many queens as a gem is worth of pearls and sards." Nay I +shall make no comparison, and yet it is true in spite of me; I will say, +however, that her command has more to do with this work than any thought +or pains that I may expend upon it. Here Chrétien begins his book about +the Knight of the Cart. The material and the treatment of it are given +and furnished to him by the Countess, and he is simply trying to carry +out her concern and intention. Here he begins the story. + +(Vv. 31-172.) Upon a certain Ascension Day King Arthur had come from +Caerleon, and had held a very magnificent court at Camelot as was +fitting on such a day. [42] After the feast the King did not quit his +noble companions, of whom there were many in the hall. The Queen was +present, too, and with her many a courteous lady able to converse in +French. And Kay, who had furnished the meal, was eating with the others +who had served the food. While Kay was sitting there at meat, behold +there came to court a knight, well equipped and fully armed, and thus +the knight appeared before the King as he sat among his lords. He gave +him no greeting, but spoke out thus: "King Arthur, I hold in captivity +knights, ladies, and damsels who belong to thy dominion and household; +but it is not because of any intention to restore them to thee that I +make reference to them here; rather do I wish to proclaim and serve thee +notice that thou hast not the strength or the resources to enable thee +to secure them again. And be assured that thou shalt die before thou +canst ever succour them." The King replies that he must needs endure +what he has not the power to change; nevertheless, he is filled with +grief. Then the knight makes as if to go away, and turns about, without +tarrying longer before the King; but after reaching the door of the +hall, he does not go down the stairs, but stops and speaks from there +these words: "King, if in thy court there is a single knight in whom +thou hast such confidence that thou wouldst dare to entrust to him the +Queen that he might escort her after me out into the woods whither I am +going, I will promise to await him there, and will surrender to thee all +the prisoners whom I hold in exile in my country if he is able to defend +the Queen and if he succeeds in bringing her back again." Many who +were in the palace heard this challenge, and the whole court was in +an uproar. Kay, too, heard the news as he sat at meat with those who +served. Leaving the table, he came straight to the King, and as if +greatly enraged, he began to say: "O King, I have served thee long, +faithfully, and loyally; now I take my leave, and shall go away, having +no desire to serve thee more." The King was grieved at what he heard, +and as soon as he could, he thus replied to him: "Is this serious, or +a joke?" And Kay replied: "O King, fair sire, I have no desire to jest, +and I take my leave quite seriously. No other reward or wages do I wish +in return for the service I have given you. My mind is quite made up to +go away immediately." "Is it in anger or in spite that you wish to +go?" the King inquired; "seneschal, remain at court, as you have done +hitherto, and be assured that I have nothing in the world which I would +not give you at once in return for your consent to stay." "Sire," says +Kay, "no need of that. I would not accept for each day's pay a measure +of fine pure gold." Thereupon, the King in great dismay went off to +seek the Queen. "My lady," he says, "you do not know the demand that the +seneschal makes of me. He asks me for leave to go away, and says he will +no longer stay at court; the reason of this I do not know. But he will +do at your request what he will not do for me. Go to him now, my lady +dear. Since he will not consent to stay for my sake, pray him to remain +on your account, and if need be, fall at his feet, for I should never +again be happy if I should lose his company." [43] The King sends the +Queen to the seneschal, and she goes to him. Finding him with the rest, +she went up to him, and said: "Kay, you may be very sure that I am +greatly troubled by the news I have heard of you. I am grieved to say +that I have been told it is your intention to leave the King. How does +this come about? What motive have you in your mind? I cannot think that +you are so sensible or courteous as usual. I want to ask you to remain: +stay with us here, and grant my prayer." "Lady," he says, "I give you +thanks; nevertheless, I shall not remain." The Queen again makes her +request, and is joined by all the other knights. And Kay informs her +that he is growing tired of a service which is unprofitable. Then the +Queen prostrates herself at full length before his feet. Kay beseeches +her to rise, but she says that she will never do so until he grants her +request. Then Kay promises her to remain, provided the King and she will +grant in advance a favour he is about to ask. "Kay," she says, "he will +grant it, whatever it may be. Come now, and we shall tell him that upon +this condition you will remain." So Kay goes away with the Queen to the +King's presence. The Queen says: "I have had hard work to detain Kay; +but I have brought him here to you with the understanding that you will +do what he is going to ask." The King sighed with satisfaction, and said +that he would perform whatever request he might make. + +(Vv. 173-246.) "Sire," says Kay, "hear now what I desire, and what is +the gift you have promised me. I esteem myself very fortunate to gain +such a boon with your consent. Sire, you have pledged your word that you +would entrust to me my lady here, and that we should go after the knight +who awaits us in the forest." Though the King is grieved, he trusts him +with the charge, for he never went back upon his word. But it made +him so ill-humoured and displeased that it plainly showed in his +countenance. The Queen, for her part, was sorry too, and all those +of the household say that Kay had made a proud, outrageous, and mad +request. Then the King took the Queen by the hand, and said: "My lady, +you must accompany Kay without making objection." And Kay said: "Hand +her over to me now, and have no fear, for I shall bring her back +perfectly happy and safe." The King gives her into his charge, and he +takes her off. After them all the rest go out, and there is not one who +is not sad. You must know that the seneschal was fully armed, and his +horse was led into the middle of the courtyard, together with a palfrey, +as is fitting, for the Queen. The Queen walked up to the palfrey, which +was neither restive nor hard-mouthed. Grieving and sad, with a sigh the +Queen mounts, saying to herself in a low voice, so that no one could +hear: "Alas, alas, if you only knew it, I am sure you would never allow +me without interference to be led away a step." [44] She thought she +had spoken in a very low tone; but Count Guinable heard her, who was +standing by when she mounted. When they started away, as great a lament +was made by all the men and women present as if she already lay dead +upon a bier. They do not believe that she will ever in her life come +back. The seneschal in his impudence takes her where that other knight +is awaiting her. But no one was so much concerned as to undertake to +follow him; until at last my lord Gawain thus addressed the King his +uncle: "Sire," he says, "you have done a very foolish thing, which +causes me great surprise; but if you will take my advice, while they are +still near by, I and you will ride after them, and all those who wish +to accompany us. For my part, I cannot restrain myself from going in +pursuit of them at once. It would not be proper for us not to go after +them, at least far enough to learn what is to become of the Queen, +and how Kay is going to comport himself." "Ah, fair nephew," the King +replied, "you have spoken courteously. And since you have undertaken the +affair, order our horses to be led out bridled and saddled that there +may be no delay in setting out." + +(Vv. 247-398.) The horses are at once brought out, all ready and with +the saddles on. First the King mounts, then my lord Gawain, and all the +others rapidly. Each one, wishing to be of the party, follows his own +will and starts away. Some were armed, but there were not a few without +their arms. My lord Gawain was armed, and he bade two squires lead by +the bridle two extra steeds. And as they thus approached the forest, +they saw Kay's horse running out; and they recognised him, and saw that +both reins of the bridle were broken. The horse was running wild, the +stirrup-straps all stained with blood, and the saddle-bow was broken and +damaged. Every one was chagrined at this, and they nudged each other and +shook their heads. My lord Gawain was riding far in advance of the rest +of the party, and it was not long before he saw coming slowly a knight +on a horse that was sore, painfully tired, and covered with sweat. The +knight first saluted my lord Gawain, and his greeting my lord Gawain +returned. Then the knight, recognising my lord Gawain, stopped and thus +spoke to him: "You see, sir, my horse is in a sweat and in such case as +to be no longer serviceable. I suppose that those two horses belong to +you now, with the understanding that I shall return the service and the +favour, I beg you to let me have one or the other of them, either as a +loan or outright as a gift." And he answers him: "Choose whichever you +prefer." Then he who was in dire distress did not try to select the +better or the fairer or the larger of the horses, but leaped quickly +upon the one which was nearer to him, and rode him off. Then the one he +had just left fell dead, for he had ridden him hard that day, so that +he was used up and overworked. The knight without delay goes pricking +through the forest, and my lord Gawain follows in pursuit of him with +all speed, until he reaches the bottom of a hill. And when he had gone +some distance, he found the horse dead which he had given to the knight, +and noticed that the ground had been trampled by horses, and that broken +shields and lances lay strewn about, so that it seemed that there had +been a great combat between several knights, and he was very sorry and +grieved not to have been there. However, he did not stay there long, but +rapidly passed on until he saw again by chance the knight all alone on +foot, completely armed, with helmet laced, shield hanging from his neck, +and with his sword girt on. He had overtaken a cart. In those days such +a cart served the same purpose as does a pillory now; and in each good +town where there are more than three thousand such carts nowadays, in +those times there was only one, and this, like our pillories, had to do +service for all those who commit murder or treason, and those who are +guilty of any delinquency, and for thieves who have stolen others' +property or have forcibly seized it on the roads. Whoever was convicted +of any crime was placed upon a cart and dragged through all the streets, +and he lost henceforth all his legal rights, and was never afterward +heard, honoured, or welcomed in any court. The carts were so dreadful in +those days that the saying was then first used: "When thou dost see and +meet a cart, cross thyself and call upon God, that no evil may befall +thee." The knight on foot, and without a lance, walked behind the cart, +and saw a dwarf sitting on the shafts, who held, as a driver does, a +long goad in his hand. Then he cries out: "Dwarf, for God's sake, +tell me now if thou hast seen my lady, the Queen, pass by here." The +miserable, low-born dwarf would not give him any news of her, but +replied: "If thou wilt get up into the cart I am driving thou shalt +hear to-morrow what has happened to the Queen." Then he kept on his way +without giving further heed. The knight hesitated only for a couple of +steps before getting in. Yet, it was unlucky for him that he shrank from +the disgrace, and did not jump in at once; for he will later rue his +delay. But common sense, which is inconsistent with love's dictates, +bids him refrain from getting in, warning him and counselling him to do +and undertake nothing for which he may reap shame and disgrace. Reason, +which dares thus speak to him, reaches only his lips, but not his heart; +but love is enclosed within his heart, bidding him and urging him to +mount at once upon the cart. So he jumps in, since love will have it +so, feeling no concern about the shame, since he is prompted by love's +commands. And my lord Gawain presses on in haste after the cart, and +when he finds the knight sitting in it, his surprise is great. "Tell +me," he shouted to the dwarf, "if thou knowest anything of the Queen." +And he replied: "If thou art so much thy own enemy as is this knight +who is sitting here, get in with him, if it be thy pleasure, and I +will drive thee along with him." When my lord Gawain heard that, he +considered it great foolishness, and said that he would not get in, for +it would be dishonourable to exchange a horse for a cart: "Go on, and +wherever thy journey lies, I will follow after thee." + +(Vv. 399-462.) Thereupon they start ahead, one mounted on his horse, the +other two riding in the cart, and thus they proceed in company. Late in +the afternoon they arrive at a town, which, you must know, was very +rich and beautiful. All three entered through the gate; the people are +greatly amazed to see the knight borne upon the cart, and they take no +pains to conceal their feelings, but small and great and old and young +shout taunts at him in the streets, so that the knight hears many vile +and scornful words at his expense. [45] They all inquire: "To what +punishment is this knight to be consigned? Is he to be rayed, or hanged, +or drowned, or burned upon a fire of thorns? Tell us, thou dwarf, +who art driving him, in what crime was he caught? Is he convicted of +robbery? Is he a murderer, or a criminal?" And to all this the dwarf +made no response, vouchsafing to them no reply. He conducts the knight +to a lodging-place; and Gawain follows the dwarf closely to a tower, +which stood on the same level over against the town. Beyond there +stretched a meadow, and the tower was built close by, up on a lofty +eminence of rock, whose face formed a sharp precipice. Following the +horse and cart, Gawain entered the tower. In the hall they met a damsel +elegantly attired, than whom there was none fairer in the land, and with +her they saw coming two fair and charming maidens. As soon as they saw +my lord Gawain, they received him joyously and saluted him, and then +asked news about the other knight: "Dwarf, of what crime is this knight +guilty, whom thou dost drive like a lame man?" He would not answer +her question, but he made the knight get out of the cart, and then he +withdrew, without their knowing whither he went. Then my lord Gawain +dismounts, and valets come forward to relieve the two knights of their +armour. The damsel ordered two green mantles to be brought, which they +put on. When the hour for supper came, a sumptuous repast was set. The +damsel sat at table beside my lord Gawain. They would not have changed +their lodging-place to seek any other, for all that evening the damsel +showed them gear honour, and provided them with fair and pleasant +company. + +(Vv. 463-538.) When they had sat up long enough, two long, high beds +were prepared in the middle of the hall; and there was another bed +alongside, fairer and more splendid than the rest; for, as the story +testifies, it possessed all the excellence that one could think of in +a bed. When the time came to retire, the damsel took both the guests to +whom she had offered her hospitality; she shows them the two fine, +long, wide beds, and says: "These two beds are set up here for the +accommodation of your bodies; but in that one yonder no one ever lay who +did not merit it: it was not set up to be used by you." The knight who +came riding on the cart replies at once: "Tell me," he says, "for what +cause this bed is inaccessible." Being thoroughly informed of this, she +answers unhesitatingly: "It is not your place to ask or make such an +inquiry. Any knight is disgraced in the land after being in a cart, and +it is not fitting that he should concern himself with the matter upon +which you have questioned me; and most of all it is not right that he +should lie upon the bed, for he would soon pay dearly for his act. So +rich a couch has not been prepared for you, and you would pay dearly for +ever harbouring such a thought." He replies: "You will see about +that presently.".... "Am I to see it?".... "Yes.".... "It will soon +appear.".... "By my head," the knight replies, "I know not who is to pay +the penalty. But whoever may object or disapprove, I intend to lie upon +this bed and repose there at my ease." Then he at once disrobed in the +bed, which was long and raised half an ell above the other two, and was +covered with a yellow cloth of silk and a coverlet with gilded stars. +The furs were not of skinned vair but of sable; the covering he had on +him would have been fitting for a king. The mattress was not made of +straw or rushes or of old mats. At midnight there descended from the +rafters suddenly a lance, as with the intention of pinning the knight +through the flanks to the coverlet and the white sheets where he lay. +[46] To the lance there was attached a pennon all ablaze. The coverlet, +the bedclothes, and the bed itself all caught fire at once. And the tip +of the lance passed so close to the knight's side that it cut the skin a +little, without seriously wounding him. Then the knight got up, put out +the fire and, taking the lance, swung it in the middle of the hall, all +this without leaving his bed; rather did he lie down again and slept as +securely as at first. + +(Vv. 539-982.) In the morning, at daybreak, the damsel of the tower had +Mass celebrated on their account, and had them rise and dress. When Mass +had been celebrated for them, the knight who had ridden in the cart sat +down pensively at a window, which looked out upon the meadow, and he +gazed upon the fields below. The damsel came to another window close by, +and there my lord Gawain conversed with her privately for a while about +something, I know not what. I do not know what words were uttered, but +while they were leaning on the window-sill they saw carried along the +river through the fields a bier, upon which there lay a knight, [47] and +alongside three damsels walked, mourning bitterly. Behind the bier they +saw a crowd approaching, with a tall knight in front, leading a fair +lady by the horse's rein. The knight at the window knew that it was the +Queen. He continued to gaze at her attentively and with delight as long +as she was visible. And when he could no longer see her, he was minded +to throw himself out and break his body down below. And he would have +let himself fall out had not my lord Gawain seen him, and drawn him +back, saying: "I beg you, sire, be quiet now. For God's sake, never +think again of committing such a mad deed. It is wrong for you to +despise your life." "He is perfectly right," the damsel says; "for will +not the news of his disgrace be known everywhere? Since he has been upon +the cart, he has good reason to wish to die, for he would be better dead +than alive. His life henceforth is sure to be one of shame, vexation, +and unhappiness." Then the knights asked for their armour, and armed +themselves, the damsel treating them courteously, with distinction and +generosity; for when she had joked with the knight and ridiculed him +enough, she presented him with a horse and lance as a token of her +goodwill. The knights then courteously and politely took leave of the +damsel, first saluting her, and then going off in the direction taken +by the crowd they had seen. Thus they rode out from the town without +addressing them. They proceeded quickly in the direction they had seen +taken by the Queen, but they did not overtake the procession, which +had advanced rapidly. After leaving the fields, the knights enter an +enclosed place, and find a beaten road. They advanced through the woods +until it might be six o'clock, [48] and then at a crossroads they met a +damsel, whom they both saluted, each asking and requesting her to +tell them, if she knows, whither the Queen has been taken. Replying +intelligently, she said to them: "If you would pledge me your word, I +could set you on the right road and path, and I would tell you the name +of the country and of the knight who is conducting her; but whoever +would essay to enter that country must endure sore trials, for before +he could reach there he must suffer much." Then my lord Gawain replies: +"Damsel, so help me God, I promise to place all my strength at your +disposal and service, whenever you please, if you will tell me now the +truth." And he who had been on the cart did not say that he would pledge +her all his strength; but he proclaims, like one whom love makes +rich, powerful and bold for any enterprise, that at once and without +hesitation he will promise her anything she desires, and he puts himself +altogether at her disposal. "Then I will tell you the truth," says +she. Then the damsel relates to them the following story: "In truth, my +lords, Meleagant, a tall and powerful knight, son of the King of Gorre, +has taken her off into the kingdom whence no foreigner returns, but +where he must perforce remain in servitude and banishment." Then they +ask her: "Damsel, where is this country? Where can we find the way +thither?" She replies: "That you shall quickly learn; but you may be +sure that you will meet with many obstacles and difficult passages, for +it is not easy to enter there except with the permission of the king, +whose name is Bademagu; however, it is possible to enter by two very +perilous paths and by two very difficult passage-ways. One is called the +water-bridge, because the bridge is under water, and there is the same +amount of water beneath it as above it, so that the bridge is exactly in +the middle; and it is only a foot and a half in width and in thickness. +This choice is certainly to be avoided, and yet it is the less dangerous +of the two. In addition there are a number of other obstacles of which I +will say nothing. The other bridge is still more impracticable and much +more perilous, never having been crossed by man. It is just like a sharp +sword, and therefore all the people call it 'the sword-bridge'. Now I +have told you all the truth I know." But they ask of her once again: +"Damsel, deign to show us these two passages." To which the damsel makes +reply: "This road here is the most direct to the water-bridge, and that +one yonder leads straight to the sword-bridge." Then the knight, who +had been on the cart, says: "Sire, I am ready to share with you without +prejudice: take one of these two routes, and leave the other one to me; +take whichever you prefer." "In truth," my lord Gawain replies, "both of +them are hard and dangerous: I am not skilled in making such a choice, +and hardly know which of them to take; but it is not right for me +to hesitate when you have left the choice to me: I will choose the +water-bridge." The other answers: "Then I must go uncomplainingly to the +sword-bridge, which I agree to do." Thereupon, they all three part, each +one commending the others very courteously to God. And when she sees +them departing, she says: "Each one of you owes me a favour of my +choosing, whenever I may choose to ask it. Take care not to forget +that." "We shall surely not forget it, sweet friend," both the knights +call out. Then each one goes his own way, and he of the cart is occupied +with deep reflections, like one who has no strength or defence against +love which holds him in its sway. His thoughts are such that he +totally forgets himself, and he knows not whether he is alive or dead, +forgetting even his own name, not knowing whether he is armed or not, or +whither he is going or whence he came. Only one creature he has in mind, +and for her his thought is so occupied that he neither sees nor hears +aught else. [49] And his horse bears him along rapidly, following no +crooked road, but the best and the most direct; and thus proceeding +unguided, he brings him into an open plain. In this plain there was a +ford, on the other side of which a knight stood armed, who guarded it, +and in his company there was a damsel who had come on a palfrey. By this +time the afternoon was well advanced, and yet the knight, unchanged and +unwearied, pursued his thoughts. The horse, being very thirsty, sees +clearly the ford, and as soon as he sees it, hastens toward it. Then he +on the other side cries out: "Knight, I am guarding the ford, and forbid +you to cross." He neither gives him heed, nor hears his words, being +still deep in thought. In the meantime, his horse advanced rapidly +toward the water. The knight calls out to him that he will do wisely to +keep at a distance from the ford, for there is no passage that way; and +he swears by the heart within his breast that he will smite him if he +enters the water. But his threats are not heard, and he calls out to +him a third time: "Knight, do not enter the ford against my will and +prohibition; for, by my head, I shall strike you as soon as I see you in +the ford." But he is so deep in thought that he does not hear him. And +the horse, quickly leaving the bank, leaps into the ford and greedily +begins to drink. And the knight says he shall pay for this, that his +shield and the hauberk he wears upon his back shall afford him no +protection. First, he puts his horse at a gallop, and from a gallop he +urges him to a run, and he strikes the knight so hard that he knocks +him down flat in the ford which he had forbidden him to cross. His +lance flew from his hand and the shield from his neck. When he feels the +water, he shivers, and though stunned, he jumps to his feet, like one +aroused from sleep, listening and looking about him with astonishment, +to see who it can be who has struck him. Then face to face with the +other knight, he said: "Vassal, tell me why you have struck me, when I +was not aware of your presence, and when I had done you no harm." "Upon +my word, you had wronged me," the other says: "did you not treat me +disdainfully when I forbade you three times to cross the ford, shouting +at you as loudly as I could? You surely heard me challenge you at least +two or three times, and you entered in spite of me, though I told you +I should strike you as soon as I saw you in the ford." Then the knight +replies to him: "Whoever heard you or saw you, let him be damned, so far +as I am concerned. I was probably deep in thought when you forbade me +to cross the ford. But be assured that I would make you reset it, if I +could just lay one of my hands on your bridle." And the other replies: +"Why, what of that? If you dare, you may seize my bridle here and now. I +do not esteem your proud threats so much as a handful of ashes." And he +replies: "That suits me perfectly. However the affair may turn out, I +should like to lay my hands on you." Then the other knight advances +to the middle of the ford, where the other lays his left hand upon his +bridle, and his right hand upon his leg, pulling, dragging, and pressing +him so roughly that he remonstrates, thinking that he would pull his +leg out of his body. Then he begs him to let go, saying: "Knight, if +it please thee to fight me on even terms, take thy shield and horse +and lance, and joust with me." He answers: "That will I not do, upon my +word; for I suppose thou wouldst run away as soon as thou hadst escaped +my grip." Hearing this, he was much ashamed, and said: "Knight, mount +thy horse, in confidence for I will pledge thee loyally my word that I +shall not flinch or run away." Then once again he answers him: "First, +thou wilt have to swear to that, and I insist upon receiving thy oath +that thou wilt neither run away nor flinch, nor touch me, nor come near +me until thou shalt see me on my horse; I shall be treating thee very +generously, if, when thou art in my hands, I let thee go." He can +do nothing but give his oath; and when the other hears him swear, he +gathers up his shield and lance which were floating in the ford and by +this time had drifted well down-stream; then he returns and takes his +horse. After catching and mounting him, he seizes the shield by the +shoulder-straps and lays his lance in rest. Then each spurs toward the +other as fast as their horses can carry them. And he who had to defend +the ford first attacks the other, striking him so hard that his lance is +completely splintered. The other strikes him in return so that he throws +him prostrate into the ford, and the water closes over him. Having +accomplished that, he draws back and dismounts, thinking he could drive +and chase away a hundred such. While he draws from the scabbard his +sword of steel, the other jumps up and draws his excellent flashing +blade. Then they clash again, advancing and covering themselves with the +shields which gleam with gold. Ceaselessly and without repose they +wield their swords; they have the courage to deal so many blows that the +battle finally is so protracted that the Knight of the Cart is greatly +ashamed in his heart, thinking that he is making a sorry start in the +way he has undertaken, when he has spent so much time in defeating a +single knight. If he had met yesterday a hundred such, he does not think +or believe that they could have withstood him; so now he is much grieved +and wroth to be in such an exhausted state that he is missing his +strokes and losing time. Then he runs at him and presses him so hard +that the other knight gives way and flees. However reluctant he may +be, he leaves the ford and crossing free. But the other follows him in +pursuit until he falls forward upon his hands; then he of the cart runs +up to him, swearing by all he sees that he shall rue the day when he +upset him in the ford and disturbed his revery. The damsel, whom the +knight had with him, upon hearing the threats, is in great fear, and +begs him for her sake to forbear from killing him; but he tells her that +he must do so, and can show him no mercy for her sake, in view of +the shameful wrong that he has done him. Then, with sword drawn, he +approaches the knight who cries in sore dismay: "For God's sake and for +my own, show me the mercy I ask of you." And he replies: "As God may +save me, no one ever sinned so against me that I would not show him +mercy once, for God's sake as is right, if he asked it of me in God's +name. And so on thee I will have mercy; for I ought not to refuse thee +when thou hast besought me. But first, thou shalt give me thy word to +constitute thyself my prisoner whenever I may wish to summon thee." +Though it was hard to do so, he promised him. At once the damsel said: +"O knight, since thou hast granted the mercy he asked of thee, if ever +thou hast broken any bonds, for my sake now be merciful and release this +prisoner from his parole. Set him free at my request, upon condition +that when the time comes, I shall do my utmost to repay thee in any way +that thou shalt choose." Then he declares himself satisfied with the +promise she has made, and sets the knight at liberty. Then she is +ashamed and anxious, thinking that he will recognise her, which she did +not wish. But he goes away at once, the knight and the damsel commending +him to God, and taking leave of him. He grants them leave to go, while +he himself pursues his way, until late in the afternoon he met a damsel +coming, who was very fair and charming, well attired and richly dressed. +The damsel greets him prudently and courteously, and he replies: +"Damsel, God grant you health and happiness." Then the damsel said +to him: "Sire, my house is prepared for you, if you will accept my +hospitality, but you shall find shelter there only on condition that you +will lie with me; upon these terms I propose and make the offer." Not a +few there are who would have thanked her five hundred times for such +a gift; but he is much displeased, and made a very different answer: +"Damsel, I thank you for the offer of your house, and esteem it highly, +but, if you please, I should be very sorry to lie with you." "By my +eyes," the damsel says, "then I retract my offer." And he, since it is +unavoidable, lets her have her way, though his heart grieves to give +consent. He feels only reluctance now; but greater distress will be his +when it is time to go to bed. The damsel, too, who leads him away, will +pass through sorrow and heaviness. For it is possible that she will +love him so that she will not wish to part with him. As soon as he had +granted her wish and desire, she escorts him to a fortified place, than +which there was none fairer in Thessaly; for it was entirely enclosed by +a high wall and a deep moat, and there was no man within except him whom +she brought with her. + +(Vv. 983-1042.) Here she had constructed for her residence a quantity of +handsome rooms, and a large and roomy hall. Riding along a river bank, +they approached their lodging-place, and a drawbridge was lowered to +allow them to pass. Crossing the bridge, they entered in, and found the +hall open with its roof of tiles. Through the open door they pass, and +see a table laid with a broad white cloth, upon which the dishes were +set, and the candles burning in their stands, and the gilded silver +drinking-cups, and two pots of wine, one red and one white. Standing +beside the table, at the end of a bench, they found two basins of warm +water in which to wash their hands, with a richly embroidered towel, all +white and clean, with which to dry their hands. No valets, servants, or +squires were to be found or seen. The knight, removing his shield from +about his neck, hangs it upon a hook, and, taking his lance, lays it +above upon a rack. Then he dismounts from his horse, as does the damsel +from hers. The knight, for his part, was pleased that she did not care +to wait for him to help her to dismount. Having dismounted, she runs +directly to a room and brings him a short mantle of scarlet cloth which +she puts on him. The hall was by no means dark; for beside the light +from the stars, there were many large twisted candles lighted there, so +that the illumination was very bright. When she had thrown the mantle +about his shoulders, she said to him: "Friend, here is the water and the +towel; there is no one to present or offer it to you except me whom you +see. Wash your hands, and then sit down, when you feel like doing so. +The hour and the meal, as you can see, demand that you should do so." +He washes, and then gladly and readily takes his seat, and she sits down +beside him, and they eat and drink together, until the time comes to +leave the table. + +(Vv. 1043-1206.) When they had risen from the table, the damsel said to +the knight: "Sire, if you do not object, go outside and amuse yourself; +but, if you please, do not stay after you think I must be in bed. Feel +no concern or embarrassment; for then you may come to me at once, if you +will keep the promise you have made." And he replies: "I will keep my +word, and will return when I think the time has come." Then he went out, +and stayed in the courtyard until he thought it was time to return and +keep the promise he had made. Going back into the hall, he sees nothing +of her who would be his mistress; for she was not there. Not finding or +seeing her, he said: "Wherever she may be, I shall look for her until I +find her." He makes no delay in his search, being bound by the promise +he had made her. Entering one of the rooms, he hears a damsel cry aloud, +and it was the very one with whom he was about to lie. At the same time, +he sees the door of another room standing open, and stepping toward it, +he sees right before his eyes a knight who had thrown her down, and was +holding her naked and prostrate upon the bed. She, thinking that he had +come of course to help her, cried aloud: "Help, help, thou knight, who +art my guest. If thou dost not take this man away from me, I shall find +no one to do so; if thou dost not succour me speedily, he will wrong me +before thy eyes. Thou art the one to lie with me, in accordance with +thy promise; and shall this man by force accomplish his wish before thy +eyes? Gentle knight, exert thyself, and make haste to bear me aid." He +sees that the other man held the damsel brutally uncovered to the waist, +and he is ashamed and angered to see him assault her so; yet it is not +jealousy he feels, nor will he be made a cuckold by him. At the door +there stood as guards two knights completely armed and with swords +drawn. Behind them there stood four men-at-arms, each armed with an axe +the sort with which you could split a cow down the back as easily as a +root of juniper or broom. The knight hesitated at the door, and thought: +"God, what can I do? I am engaged in no less an affair than the quest of +Queen Guinevere. I ought not to have the heart of a hare, when for her +sake I have engaged in such a quest. If cowardice puts its heart in me, +and if I follow its dictates, I shall never attain what I seek. I am +disgraced, if I stand here; indeed, I am ashamed even to have thought +of holding back. My heart is very sad and oppressed: now I am so ashamed +and distressed that I would gladly die for having hesitated here so +long. I say it not in pride: but may God have mercy on me if I do not +prefer to die honourably rather than live a life of shame! If my path +were unobstructed, and if these men gave me leave to pass through +without restraint, what honour would I gain? Truly, in that case the +greatest coward alive would pass through; and all the while I hear +this poor creature calling for help constantly, and reminding me of my +promise, and reproaching me with bitter taunts." Then he steps to the +door, thrusting in his head and shoulders; glancing up, he sees two +swords descending. He draws back, and the knights could not check their +strokes: they had wielded them with such force that the swords struck +the floor, and both were broken in pieces. When he sees that the swords +are broken, he pays less attention to the axes, fearing and dreading +them much less. Rushing in among them, he strikes first one guard in +the side and then another. The two who are nearest him he jostles and +thrusts aside, throwing them both down flat; the third missed his stroke +at him, but the fourth, who attacked him, strikes him so that he cuts +his mantle and shirt, and slices the white flesh on his shoulder so +that the blood trickles down from the wound. But he, without delay, +and without complaining of his wound, presses on more rapidly, until he +strikes between the temples him who was assaulting his hostess. Before +he departs, he will try to keep his pledge to her. He makes him stand up +reluctantly. Meanwhile, he who had missed striking him comes at him as +fast as he can and, raising his arm again, expects to split his head to +the teeth with the axe. But the other, alert to defend himself, thrusts +the knight toward him in such a way that he receives the axe just where +the shoulder joins the neck, so that they are cleaved apart. Then the +knight seizes the axe, wresting it quickly from him who holds it; then +he lets go the knight whom he still held, and looks to his own defence; +for the knights from the door, and the three men with axes are all +attacking him fiercely. So he leaped quickly between the bed and the +wall, and called to them: "Come on now, all of you. If there were +thirty-seven of you, you would have all the fight you wish, with me so +favourably placed; I shall never be overcome by you." And the damsel +watching him, exclaimed: "By my eyes, you need have no thought of that +henceforth where I am." Then at once she dismisses the knights and the +men-at-arms, who retire from there at once, without delay or objection. +And the damsel continues: "Sire you have well defended me against the +men of my household. Come now, and I'll lead you on." Hand in hand they +enter the hall, but he was not at all pleased, and would have willingly +dispensed with her. + +(Vv. 1207-1292.) In the midst of the hall a bed had been set up, the +sheets of which were by no means soiled, but were white and wide and +well spread out. The bed was not of shredded straw or of coarse spreads. +But a covering of two silk cloths had been laid upon the couch. The +damsel lay down first, but without removing her chemise. He had great +trouble in removing his hose and in untying the knots. He sweated with +the trouble of it all; yet, in the midst of all the trouble, his promise +impels and drives him on. Is this then an actual force? Yes, virtually +so; for he feels that he is in duty bound to take his place by the +damsel's side. It is his promise that urges him and dictates his act. +So he lies down at once, but like her, he does not remove his shirt. He +takes good care not to touch her; and when he is in bed, he turns away +from her as far as possible, and speaks not a word to her, like a monk +to whom speech is forbidden. Not once does he look at her, nor show her +any courtesy. Why not? Because his heart does not go out to her. She +was certainly very fair and winsome, but not every one is pleased and +touched by what is fair and winsome. The knight has only one heart, and +this one is really no longer his, but has been entrusted to some one +else, so that he cannot bestow it elsewhere. Love, which holds all +hearts beneath its sway, requires it to be lodged in a single place. +All hearts? No, only those which it esteems. And he whom love deigns to +control ought to prize himself the more. Love prized his heart so highly +that it constrained it in a special manner, and made him so proud of +this distinction that I am not inclined to find fault with him, if he +lets alone what love forbids, and remains fixed where it desires. The +maiden clearly sees and knows that he dislikes her company and would +gladly dispense with it, and that, having no desire to win her love, +he would not attempt to woo her. So she said: "My lord, if you will not +feel hurt, I will leave and return to bed in my own room, and you will +be more comfortable. I do not believe that you are pleased with my +company and society. Do not esteem me less if I tell you what I think. +Now take your rest all night, for you have so well kept your promise +that I have no right to make further request of you. So I commend you +to God; and shall go away." Thereupon she arises: the knight does not +object, but rather gladly lets her go, like one who is the devoted lover +of some one else; the damsel clearly perceived this, and went to her +room, where she undressed completely and retired, saying to herself: "Of +all the knights I have ever known, I never knew a single knight whom I +would value the third part of an angevin in comparison with this one. As +I understand the case, he has on hand a more perilous and grave affair +than any ever undertaken by a knight; and may God grant that he succeed +in it." Then she fell asleep, and remained in bed until the next day's +dawn appeared. + +(Vv. 1293-1368.) At daybreak she awakes and gets up. The knight awakes +too, dressing, and putting on his arms, without waiting for any help. +Then the damsel comes and sees that he is already dressed. Upon seeing +him, she says: "May this day be a happy one for you." "And may it be +the same to you, damsel," the knight replies, adding that he is waiting +anxiously for some one to bring out his horse. The maiden has some one +fetch the horse, and says: "Sire, I should like to accompany you for +some distance along the road, if you would agree to escort and conduct +me according to the customs and practices which were observed before we +were made captive in the kingdom of Logres." In those days the customs +and privileges were such that, if a knight found a damsel or lorn maid +alone, and if he cared for his fair name, he would no more treat her +with dishonour than he would cut his own throat. And if he assaulted +her, he would be disgraced for ever in every court. But if, while she +was under his escort, she should be won at arms by another who engaged +him in battle, then this other knight might do with her what he pleased +without receiving shame or blame. This is why the damsel said she would +go with him, if he had the courage and willingness to safe guard her in +his company, so that no one should do her any harm. And he says to her: +"No one shall harm you, I promise you, unless he harm me first." "Then," +she says, "I will go with you." She orders her palfrey to be saddled, +and her command is obeyed at once. Her palfrey was brought together with +the knight's horse. Without the aid of any squire, they both mount, and +rapidly ride away. She talks to him, but not caring for her words, he +pays no attention to what she says. He likes to think, but dislikes to +talk. Love very often inflicts afresh the wound it has given him. Yet, +he applied no poultice to the wound to cure it and make it comfortable, +having no intention or desire to secure a poultice or to seek a +physician, unless the wound becomes more painful. Yet, there is one +whose remedy he would gladly seek .... [410] They follow the roads and +paths in the right direction until they come to a spring, situated +in the middle of a field, and bordered by a stone basin. Some one had +forgotten upon the stone a comb of gilded ivory. Never since ancient +times has wise man or fool seen such a comb. In its teeth there was +almost a handful of hair belonging to her who had used the comb. + +(Vv. 1369-1552.) When the damsel notices the spring, and sees the stone, +she does not wish her companion to see it; so she turns off in another +direction. And he, agreeably occupied with his own thoughts, does not at +once remark that she is leading him aside; but when at last he notices +it, he is afraid of being beguiled, thinking that she is yielding and is +going out of the way in order to avoid some danger. "See here, damsel," +he cries, "you are not going right; come this way! No one, I think, ever +went straight who left this road." "Sire, this is a better way for us," +the damsel says, "I am sure of it." Then he replies to her: "I don't +know, damsel, what you think; but you can plainly see that the beaten +path lies this way; and since I have started to follow it, I shall not +turn aside. So come now, if you will, for I shall continue along this +way." Then they go forward until they come near the stone basin and +see the comb. The knight says: "I surely never remember to have seen +so beautiful a comb as this." "Let me have it," the damsel says. +"Willingly, damsel," he replies. Then he stoops over and picks it up. +While holding it, he looks at it steadfastly, gazing at the hair until +the damsel begins to laugh. When he sees her doing so, he begs her to +tell him why she laughs. And she says: "Never mind, for I will never +tell you." "Why not?" he asks. "Because I don't wish to do so." And when +he hears that, he implores her like one who holds that lovers ought to +keep faith mutually: "Damsel, if you love anything passionately, by that +I implore and conjure and beg you not to conceal from me the reason why +you laugh." "Your appeal is so strong," she says, "that I will tell you +and keep nothing back. I am sure, as I am of anything, that this comb +belonged to the Queen. And you may take my word that those are strands +of the Queen's hair which you see to be so fair and light and radiant, +and which are clinging in the teeth of the comb; they surely never grew +anywhere else." Then the knight replied: "Upon my word, there are plenty +of queens and kings; what queen do you mean?" And she answered: "In +truth, fair sire, it is of King Arthur's wife I speak." When he +hears that, he has not strength to keep from bowing his head over +his saddle-bow. And when the damsel sees him thus, she is amazed and +terrified, thinking he is about to fall. Do not blame her for her fear, +for she thought him in a faint. He might as well have swooned, so near +was he to doing so; for in his heart he felt such grief that for a long +time he lost his colour and power of speech. And the damsel dismounts, +and runs as quickly as possible to support and succour him; for she +would not have wished for anything to see him fall. When he saw her, he +felt ashamed, and said: "Why do you need to bear me aid?" You must not +suppose that the damsel told him why; for he would have been ashamed +and distressed, and it would have annoyed and troubled him, if she had +confessed to him the truth. So she took good care not to tell the truth, +but tactfully answered him: "Sire, I dismounted to get the comb; for +I was so anxious to hold it in my hand that I could not longer wait." +Willing that she should have the comb, he gives it to her, first pulling +out the hair so carefully that he tears none of it. Never will the eye +of man see anything receive such honour as when he begins to adore these +tresses. A hundred thousand times he raises them to his eyes and mouth, +to his forehead and face: he manifests his joy in every way, considering +himself rich and happy now. He lays them in his bosom near his heart, +between the shirt and the flesh. He would not exchange them for a +cartload of emeralds and carbuncles, nor does he think that any sore +or illness can afflict him now; he holds in contempt essence of pearl, +treacle, and the cure for pleurisy; [411] even for St. Martin and St. +James he has no need; for he has such confidence in this hair that he +requires no other aid. But what was this hair like? If I tell the truth +about it, you will think I am a mad teller of lies. When the mart is +full at the yearly fair of St. Denis, [412] and when the goods are +most abundantly displayed, even then the knight would not take all this +wealth, unless he had found these tresses too. And if you wish to know +the truth, gold a hundred thousand times refined, and melted down as +many times, would be darker than is night compared with the brightest +summer day we have had this year, if one were to see the gold and set it +beside this hair. But why should I make a long story of it? The damsel +mounts again with the comb in her possession; while he revels and +delights in the tresses in his bosom. Leaving the plain, they come to +a forest and take a short cut through it until they come to a narrow +place, where they have to go in single file; for it would have been +impossible to ride two horses abreast. Just where the way was narrowest, +they see a knight approach. As soon as she saw him, the damsel +recognised him, and said: "Sir knight, do you see him who yonder comes +against us all armed and ready for a battle? I know what his intention +is: he thinks now that he cannot fail to take me off defenceless with +him. He loves me, but he is very foolish to do so. In person, and by +messenger, he has been long wooing me. But my love is not within his +reach, for I would not love him under any consideration, so help me God! +I would kill myself rather than bestow my love on him. I do not doubt +that he is delighted now, and is as satisfied as if he had me already +in his power. But now I shall see what you can do, and I shall see +how brave you are, and it will become apparent whether your escort can +protect me. If you can protect me now, I shall not fail to proclaim that +you are brave and very worthy." And he answered her: "Go on, go on!" +which was as much as to say: "I am not concerned; there is no need of +your being worried about what you have said." + +(Vv. 1553-1660.) While they were proceeding, talking thus, the knight, +who was alone, rode rapidly toward them on the run. He was the more +eager to make haste, because he felt more sure of success; he felt that +he was lucky now to see her whom he most dearly loves. As soon as he +approaches her, he greets her with words that come from his heart: +"Welcome to her, whence-soever she comes, whom I most desire, but who +has hitherto caused me least joy and most distress!" It is not fitting +that she should be so stingy of her speech as not to return his +greeting, at least by word of mouth. The knight is greatly elated when +the damsel greets him; though she does not take the words seriously, and +the effort costs her nothing. Yet, if he had at this moment been victor +in a tournament, he would not have so highly esteemed himself, nor +thought he had won such honour and renown. Being now more confident of +his worth, he grasped the bridle rein, and said: "Now I shall lead you +away: I have to-day sailed well on my course to have arrived at last +at so good a port. Now my troubles are at an end: after dangers, I have +reached a haven; after sorrow, I have attained happiness; after pain, I +have perfect health; now I have accomplished my desire, when I find +you in such case that I can without resistance lead you away with me +at once." Then she says: "You have no advantage; for I am under this +knight's escort." "Surely, the escort is not worth much," he says, "and +I am going to lead you off at once. This knight would have time to eat a +bushel of salt before he could defend you from me; I think I could never +meet a knight from whom I should not win you. And since I find you here +so opportunely, though he too may do his best to prevent it, yet I will +take you before his very eyes, however disgruntled he may be." The other +is not angered by all the pride he hears expressed, but without any +impudence or boasting, he begins thus to challenge him for her: "Sire, +don't be in a hurry, and don't waste your words, but speak a little +reasonably. You shall not be deprived of as much of her as rightly +belongs to you. You must know, however, that the damsel has come hither +under my protection. Let her alone now, for you have detained her long +enough!" The other gives them leave to burn him, if he does not take her +away in spite of him. Then the other says: "It would not be right for +me to let you take her away; I would sooner fight with you. But if we +should wish to fight, we could not possibly do it in this narrow road. +Let us go to some level place--a meadow or an open field." And he +replies that that will suit him perfectly: "Certainly, I agree to +that: you are quite right, this road is too narrow. My horse is so much +hampered here that I am afraid he will crush his flank before I can turn +him around." Then with great difficulty he turns, and his horse +escapes without any wound or harm. Then he says: "To be sure, I am much +chagrined that we have not met in a favourable spot and in the presence +of other men, for I should have been glad to have them see which is the +better of us two. Come on now, let us begin our search: we shall find in +the vicinity some large, broad, and open space." Then they proceed to a +meadow, where there were maids, knights, and damsels playing at divers +games in this pleasant place. They were not all engaged in idle sport, +but were playing backgammon and chess or dice, and were evidently +agreeably employed. Most were engaged in such games as these; but +the others there were engaged in sports, dancing, singing, tumbling, +leaping, and wrestling with each other. + +(Vv. 1661-1840.) A knight somewhat advanced in years was on the other +side of the meadow, seared upon a sorrel Spanish steed. His bridle and +saddle were of gold, and his hair was turning grey. One hand hung at +his side with easy grace. The weather being fine, he was in his shirt +sleeves, with a short mantle of scarlet cloth and fur slung over his +shoulders, and thus he watched the games and dances. On the other side +of the field, close by a path, there were twenty-three knights mounted +on good Irish steeds. As soon as the three new arrivals come into view, +they all cease their play and shout across the fields: "See, yonder +comes the knight who was driven in the cart! Let no one continue his +sport while he is in our midst. A curse upon him who cares or deigns +to play so long as he is here!" Meanwhile he who loved the damsel and +claimed her as his own, approached the old knight, and said: "Sire, I +have attained great happiness; let all who will now hear me say that God +has granted me the thing that I have always most desired; His gift would +not have been so great had He crowned me as king, nor would I have been +so indebted to Him, nor would I have so profited; for what I have gained +is fair and good." "I know not yet if it be thine," the knight replies +to his son. But the latter answers him: "Don't you know? Can't you see +it, then? For God's sake, sire, have no further doubt, when you see that +I have her in my possession. In this forest, whence I come, I met her as +she was on her way. I think God had fetched her there for me, and I have +taken her for my own." "I do not know whether this will be allowed by +him whom I see coming after thee; he looks as if he is coming to demand +her of thee." During this conversation the dancing had ceased because of +the knight whom they saw, nor were they gaily playing any more because +of the disgust and scorn they felt for him. But the knight without +delay came up quickly after the damsel, and said: "Let the damsel alone, +knight, for you have no right to her! If you dare, I am willing at once +to fight with you in her defence." Then the old knight remarked: "Did I +not know it? Fair son, detain the damsel no longer, but let her go." He +does not relish this advice, and swears that he will not give her up: +"May God never grant me joy if I give her up to him! I have her, and I +shall hold on to her as something that is mine own. The shoulder-strap +and all the armlets of my shield shall first be broken, and I shall have +lost all confidence in my strength and arms, my sword and lance, before +I will surrender my mistress to him." And his father says: "I shall not +let thee fight for any reason thou mayest urge. Thou art too confident +of thy bravery. So obey my command." But he in his pride replies: "What? +Am I a child to be terrified? Rather will I make my boast that there is +not within the sea-girt land any knight, wheresoever he may dwell, so +excellent that I would let him have her, and whom I should not expect +speedily to defeat." The father answers: "Fair son, I do not doubt that +thou dost really think so, for thou art so confident of thy strength. +But I do not wish to see thee enter a contest with this knight." Then +he replies: "I shall be disgraced if I follow your advice. Curse me if +I heed your counsel and turn recreant because of you, and do not do +my utmost in the fight. It is true that a man fares ill among his +relatives: I could drive a better bargain somewhere else, for you are +trying to take me in. I am sure that where I am not known, I could act +with better grace. No one, who did not know me, would try to thwart my +will; whereas you are annoying and tormenting me. I am vexed by your +finding fault with me. You know well enough that when any one is blamed, +he breaks out still more passionately. But may God never give me joy if +I renounce my purpose because of you; rather will I fight in spite of +you!" "By the faith I bear the Apostle St. Peter," his father says, "now +I see that my request is of no avail. I waste my time in rebuking thee; +but I shall soon devise such means as shall compel thee against thy will +to obey my commands and submit to them." Straightway summoning all the +knights to approach, he bids them lay hands upon his son whom he cannot +correct, saying: "I will have him bound rather than let him fight. You +here are all my men, and you owe me your devotion and service: by all +the fiefs you hold from me, I hold you responsible, and I add my prayer. +It seems to me that he must be mad, and that he shows excessive pride, +when he refuses to respect my will." Then they promise to take care of +him, and say that never, while he is in their charge, shall he wish to +fight, but that he must renounce the damsel in spite of himself. Then +they all join and seize him by the arms and neck. "Dost thou not think +thyself foolish now?" his father asks; "confess the truth: thou hast not +the strength or power to fight or joust, however distasteful and hard it +may be for thee to admit it. Thou wilt be wise to consent to my will +and pleasure. Dost thou know what my intention is? In order somewhat to +mitigate thy disappointment, I am willing to join thee, if thou wilt, in +following the knight to-day and to-morrow, through wood and plain, each +one mounted on his horse. Perhaps we shall soon find him to be of such a +character and bearing that I might let thee have thy way and fight with +him." To this proposal the other must perforce consent. Like the man +who has no alternative, he says that he will give in, provided they +both shall follow him. And when the people in the field see how this +adventure has turned out, they all exclaim: "Did you see? He who was +mounted on the cart has gained such honour here that he is leading away +the mistress of the son of my lord, and he himself is allowing it. We +may well suppose that he finds in him some merit, when he lets him take +her off. Now cursed a hundred times be he who ceases longer his sport on +his account! Come, let us go back to our games again." Then they resume +their games and dances. + +(Vv. 1841-1966.) Thereupon the knight turns away, without longer +remaining in the field, and the damsel accompanies him. They leave in +haste, while the father and his son ride after them through the mown +fields until toward three o'clock, when in a very pleasant spot they +come upon a church; beside the chancel there was a cemetery enclosed by +a wall. The knight was both courteous and wise to enter the church on +foot and make his prayer to God, while the damsel held his horse for him +until he returned. When he had made his prayer, and while he was coming +back, a very old monk suddenly presented himself; whereupon the knight +politely requests him to tell him what this place is; for he does not +know. And he tells him it is a cemetery. And the other says: "Take me +in, so help you God!" "Gladly, sire," and he takes him in. Following the +monk's lead, the knight beholds the most beautiful tombs that one could +find as far as Dombes [413] or Pampelune; and on each tomb there were +letters cut, telling the names of those who were destined to be buried +there. And he began in order to read the names, and came upon some which +said: "Here Gawain is to lie, here Louis, and here Yvain." After +these three, he read the names of many others among the most famed and +cherished knights of this or any other land. Among the others, he finds +one of marble, which appears to be new, and is more rich and handsome +than all the rest. Calling the monk, the knight inquired: "Of what use +are these tombs here?" And the monk replied: "You have already read the +inscriptions; if you have understood, you must know what they say, and +what is the meaning of the tombs." "Now tell me, what is this large one +for?" And the hermit answered: "I will tell you. That is a very large +sarcophagus, larger than any that ever was made; one so rich and +well-carved was never seen. It is magnificent without, and still more so +within. But you need not be concerned with that, for it can never do you +any good; you will never see inside of it; for it would require seven +strong men to raise the lid of stone, if any one wished to open it. And +you may be sure that to raise it would require seven men stronger than +you and I. There is an inscription on it which says that any one who can +lift this stone of his own unaided strength will set free all the men +and women who are captives in the land, whence no slave or noble can +issue forth, unless he is a native of that land. No one has ever come +back from there, but they are detained in foreign prisons; whereas +they of the country go and come in and out as they please." At once +the knight goes to grasp the stone, and raises it without the slightest +trouble, more easily than ten men would do who exerted all their +strength. And the monk was amazed, and nearly fell down at the sight of +this marvellous thing; for he thought he would never see the like again, +and said: "Sire, I am very anxious to know your name. Will you tell me +what it is?" "Not I," says the knight, "upon my word." "I am certainly +sorry, for that," he says; "but if you would tell me, you would do me a +great favour, and might benefit yourself. Who are you, and where do +you come from?" "I am a knight, as you may see, and I was born in the +kingdom of Logre. After so much information, I should prefer to be +excused. Now please tell me, for your part, who is to lie within this +tomb." "Sire, he who shall deliver all those who are held captive in +the kingdom whence none escapes." And when he had told him all this, the +knight commended him to God and all His saints. And then, for the first +time, he felt free to return to the damsel. The old white-haired monk +escorts him out of the church, and they resume their way. While the +damsel is mounting, however, the hermit relates to her all that the +knight had done inside, and then he begged her to tell him, if she knew, +what his name was; but she assured him that she did not know, but that +there was one sure thing she could say, namely, that there was not such +a knight alive where the four winds of heaven blow. + +(Vv. 1967-2022.) Then the damsel takes leave of him, and rides swiftly +after the knight. Then those who were following them come up and see +the hermit standing alone before the church. The old knight in his shirt +sleeves said: "Sire, tell us, have you seen a knight with a damsel in +his company?" And he replies: "I shall not be loath to tell you all +I know, for they have just passed on from here. The knight was inside +yonder, and did a very marvellous thing in raising the stone from the +huge marble tomb, quite unaided and without the least effort. He is bent +upon the rescue of the Queen, and doubtless he will rescue her, as well +as all the other people. You know well that this must be so, for you +have often read the inscription upon the stone. No knight was ever born +of man and woman, and no knight ever sat in a saddle, who was the equal +of this man." Then the father turns to his son, and says: "Son, what +dost thou think about him now? Is he not a man to be respected who has +performed such a feat? Now thou knowest who was wrong, and whether it +was thou or I. I would not have thee fight with him for all the town of +Amiens; and yet thou didst struggle hard, before any one could dissuade +thee from thy purpose. Now we may as well go back, for we should be very +foolish to follow him any farther." And he replies: "I agree to that. +It would be useless to follow him. Since it is your pleasure, let us +return." They were very wise to retrace their steps. And all the time +the damsel rides close beside the knight, wishing to compel him to +give heed to her. She is anxious to learn his name, and she begs and +beseeches him again and again to tell her, until in his annoyance he +answers her: "Have I not already told you that I belong in King Arthur's +realm? I swear by God and His goodness that you shall not learn my +name." Then she bids him give her leave to go, and she will turn back, +which request he gladly grants. + +(Vv. 2023-2198.) Thereupon the damsel departs, and he rides on alone +until it grew very late. After vespers, about compline, as he pursued +his way, he saw a knight returning from the wood where he had been +hunting. With helmet unlaced, he rode along upon his big grey hunter, +to which he had tied the game which God had permitted him to take. This +gentleman came quickly to meet the knight, offering him hospitality. +"Sire," he says, "night will soon be here. It is time for you to be +reasonable and seek a place to spend the night. I have a house of mine +near at hand, whither I shall take you. No one ever lodged you better +than I shall do, to the extent of my resources: I shall be very glad, if +you consent." "For my part, I gladly accept," he says. The gentleman +at once sends his son ahead, to prepare the house and start the +preparations for supper. The lad willingly executes his command +forthwith, and goes off at a rapid pace, while the others, who are in +no haste, follow the road leisurely until they arrive at the house. The +gentleman's wife was a very accomplished lady; and he had five sons, +whom he dearly loved, three of them mere lads, and two already knights; +and he had two fair and charming daughters, who were still unmarried. +They were not natives of the land, but were there in durance, having +been long kept there as prisoners away from their native land of Logres. +When the gentleman led the knight into his yard, the lady with her sons +and daughters jumped up and ran to meet them, vying in their efforts to +do him honour, as they greeted him and helped him to dismount. Neither +the sisters nor the five brothers paid much attention to their father, +for they knew well enough that he would have it so. They honoured the +knight and welcomed him; and when they had relieved him of his armour, +one of his host's two daughters threw her own mantle about him, taking +it from her own shoulders and throwing it about his neck. I do not +need to tell how well he was served at supper; but when the meal +was finished, they felt no further hesitation in speaking of various +matters. First, the host began to ask him who he was, and from what +land, but he did not inquire about his name. The knight promptly +answered him: "I am from the kingdom of Logres, and have never been in +this land before." And when the gentleman heard that, he was greatly +amazed, as were his wife and children too, and each one of them was sore +distressed. Then they began to say to him: "Woe that you have come here, +fair sire, for only trouble will come of it! For, like us, you will +be reduced to servitude and exile." "Where do you come from, then?" he +asked. "Sire, we belong in your country. Many men from your country +are held in servitude in this land. Cursed be the custom, together with +those who keep it up! No stranger comes here who is not compelled to +stay here in the land where he is detained. For whoever wishes may come +in, but once in, he has to stay. About your own fate, you may be at +rest, you will doubtless never escape from here." He replies: "Indeed, +I shall do so, if possible." To this the gentleman replies: "How? Do you +think you can escape?" "Yes, indeed, if it be God's will; and I shall do +all within my power." "In that case, doubtless all the rest would be set +free; for, as soon as one succeeds in fairly escaping from this durance, +then all the rest may go forth unchallenged." Then the gentleman +recalled that he had been told and informed that a knight of great +excellence was making his way into the country to seek for the Queen, +who was held by the king's son, Meleagant; and he said to himself: "Upon +my word, I believe it is he, and I'll tell him so." So he said to him: +"Sire, do not conceal from me your business, if I promise to give +you the best advice I know. I too shall profit by any success you may +attain. Reveal to me the truth about your errand, that it may be to your +advantage as well as mine. I am persuaded that you have come in search +of the Queen into this land and among these heathen people, who are +worse than the Saracens." And the knight replies: "For no other purpose +have I come. I know not where my lady is confined, but I am striving +hard to rescue her, and am in dire need of advice. Give me any counsel +you can." And he says: "Sire, you have undertaken a very grievous task. +The road you are travelling will lead you straight to the sword-bridge. +[414] You surely need advice. If you would heed my counsel, you would +proceed to the sword-bridge by a surer way, and I would have you +escorted thither." Then he, whose mind is fixed upon the most direct +way, asks him: "Is the road of which you speak as direct as the other +way?" "No, it is not," he says; "it is longer, but more sure." Then he +says: "I have no use for it; tell me about this road I am following!" "I +am ready to do so," he replies; "but I am sure you will not fare well if +you take any other than the road I recommend. To-morrow you will reach +a place where you will have trouble: it is called 'the stony passage'. +Shall I tell you how bad a place it is to pass? Only one horse can go +through at a time; even two men could not pass abreast, and the passage +is well guarded and defended. You will meet with resistance as soon as +you arrive. You will sustain many a blow of sword and lance, and will +have to return full measure before you succeed in passing through." And +when he had completed the account, one of the gentleman's sons, who was +a knight, stepped forward, saying: "Sire, if you do not object, I will +go with this gentleman." Then one of the lads jumps up, and says: "I too +will go." And the father gladly gives them both consent. Now the knight +will not have to go alone, and he expresses his gratitude, being much +pleased with the company. + +(Vv. 2199-2266.) Then the conversation ceases, and they take the knight +to bed, where he was glad to fall asleep. As soon as daylight was +visible he got up, and those who were to accompany him got up too. The +two knights donned their armour and took their leave, while the young +fellow started on ahead. Together they pursued their way until they came +at the hour of prime to "the stony passage." In the middle of it they +found a wooden tower, where there was always a man on guard. Before they +drew near, he who was on the tower saw them and cried twice aloud: "Woe +to this man who comes!" And then behold! A knight issued from the tower, +mounted and armed with fresh armour, and escorted on either side by +servants carrying sharp axes. Then, when the other draws near the +passage, he who defends it begins to heap him with abuse about the cart, +saying: "Vassal, thou art bold and foolish, indeed, to have entered this +country. No man ought ever to come here who had ridden upon a cart, +and may God withhold from him His blessing!" Then they spur toward each +other at the top of their horses' speed. And he who was to guard the +passage-way at once breaks his lance and lets the two pieces fall; the +other strikes him in the neck, reaching him beneath the shield, and +throws him over prostrate upon the stones. Then the servants come +forward with the axes, but they intentionally fail to strike him, having +no desire to harm or damage him; so he does not deign to draw his sword, +and quickly passes on with his companions. One of them remarks to the +other: "No one has ever seen so good a knight, nor has he any equal. Is +not this a marvellous thing, that he has forced a passage here?" And the +knight says to his brother: "Fair brother, for God's sake, make haste +to go and tell our father of this adventure." But the lad asserts and +swears that he will not go with the message, and will never leave the +knight until he has dubbed and knighted him; let his brother go with the +message, if he is so much concerned. + +(Vv. 2267-2450.) Then they go on together until about three o'clock, +when they come upon a man, who asks them who they are. And they answer: +"We are knights, busy about our own affairs." Then the man says to the +knight: "Sire, I should be glad to offer hospitality to you and your +companions here." This invitation he delivers to him whom he takes to be +the lord and master of the others. And this one replies to him: "I could +not seek shelter for the night at such an hour as this; for it is not +well to tarry and seek one's ease when one has undertaken some great +task. And I have such business on hand that I shall not stop for the +night for some time yet." Then the man continues: "My house is not near +here, but is some distance ahead. It will be late when you reach there, +so you may proceed, assured that you will find a place to lodge just +when it suits you." "In that case," he says, "I will go thither." +Thereupon the man starts ahead as guide, and the knight follows along +the path. And when they had proceeded some distance, they met a squire +who was coming along at a gallop, mounted upon a nag that was as fat +and round as an apple. And the squire calls our to the man: "Sire, +sire, make haste! For the people of Logres have attacked in force the +inhabitants of this land, and war and strife have already broken out; +and they say that this country has been invaded by a knight who has +been in many battles, and that wherever he wishes to go, no one, however +reluctantly, is able to deny him passage. And they further say that he +will deliver those who are in this country, and will subdue our people. +Now take my advice and make haste!" Then the man starts at a gallop, and +the others are greatly delighted at the words they have heard, for they +are eager to help their side. And the vavasor's son says: "Hear what +this squire says! Come and let us aid our people who are fighting their +enemies!" Meanwhile the man rides off, without waiting for them, and +makes his way rapidly toward a fortress which stood upon a fortified +hill; thither he hastens, till he comes to the gate, while the others +spur after him. The castle was surrounded by a high wall and moat. As +soon as they had got inside, a gate was lowered upon their heels, so +that they could not get out again. Then they say: "Come on, come on! +Let us not stop here!" and they rapidly pursue the man until they reach +another gate which was not closed against them. But as soon as the man +had passed through, a portcullis dropped behind him. Then the others +were much dismayed to see themselves shut in, and they think they must +be bewitched. But he, of whom I have more to tell, wore upon his finger +a ring, whose stone was of such virtue that any one who gazed at it was +freed from the power of enchantment. [415] Holding the ring before his +eyes, he gazed at it, and said: "Lady, lady, so help me God, now I have +great need of your succour!" [416] This lady was a fairy, who had given +it to him, and who had cared for him in his infancy. And he had great +confidence that, wherever he might be, she would aid and succour him. +But after appealing to her and gazing upon the ring, he realises that +there is no enchantment here, but that they are actually shut in and +confined. Then they come to the barred door of a low and narrow postern +gate. Drawing their swords, they all strike it with such violence that +they cut the bar. As soon as they were outside the tower, they see that +a fierce strife was already begun down in the meadows, and that there +are at least a thousand knights engaged, beside the low-bred infantry. +While they were descending to the plain, the wise and moderate son of +the vavasor remarked: "Sire, before we arrive upon the field, it would +be wise for us, it seems to me, to find out and learn on which side our +people are. I do not know where they are placed, but I will go and +find out, if you wish it so." "I wish you would do so," he replies, +"go quickly, and do not fail to come back again at once." He goes and +returns at once, saying: "It has turned out well for us, for I have +plainly seen that these are our troops on this side of the field." Then +the knight at once rode into the fight and jousted with a knight who +was approaching him, striking him in the eye with such violence that he +knocked him lifeless to the ground. Then the lad dismounts, and taking +the dead knight's horse and arms, he arms himself with skill and +cleverness. When he was armed, he straightway mounts, taking the shield +and the lance, which was heavy, stiff, and decorated, and about his +waist he girt a sharp, bright, and flashing sword. Then he followed his +brother and lord into the fight. The latter demeaned himself bravely +in the melee for some time, breaking, splitting, and crushing shields, +helmets and hauberks. No wood or steel protected the man whom he +struck; he either wounded him or knocked him lifeless from the horse. +Unassisted, he did so well that he discomfited all whom he met, while +his companions did their part as well. The people of Logres, not knowing +him, are amazed at what they see, and ask the vavasor's sons about the +stranger knight. This reply is made to them: "Gentlemen, this is he who +is to deliver us all from durance and misery, in which we have so long +been confined, and we ought to do him great honour when, to set us free, +he has passed through so many perils and is ready to face many more. He +has done much, and will do yet more." Every one is overjoyed at hearing +this welcome news. The news travelled fast, and was noised about, until +it was known by all. Their strength and courage rise, so that they slay +many of those still alive, and apparently because of the example of +a single knight they work greater havoc than because of all the rest +combined. And if it had not been so near evening, all would have gone +away defeated; but night came on so dark that they had to separate. + +(Vv. 2451-2614.) When the battle was over, all the captives pressed +about the knight, grasping his rein on either side, and thus addressing +him: "Welcome, fair sire," and each one adds: "Sire, for the name of +God, do not fail to lodge with me!" What one says they all repeat, for +young and old alike insist that he must lodge with them, saying: "You +will be more comfortably lodged with me than with any one else." Thus +each one addresses him to his face, and in the desire to capture him, +each one drags him from the rest, until they almost come to blows. +Then he tells them that they are very foolish and silly to struggle so. +"Cease this wrangling among yourselves, for it does no good to me or +you. Instead of quarrelling among ourselves, we ought rather to lend one +another aid. You must not dispute about the privilege of lodging me, but +rather consider how to lodge me in such a place that it may be to your +general advantage, and that I may be advanced upon my way." Then each +one exclaims at once: "That is my house, or, No, it is mine," until the +knight replies: "Follow my advice and say nothing more; the wisest of +you is foolish to contend this way. You ought to be concerned to further +my affairs, and instead you are seeking to turn me aside. If you had +each individually done me all the honour and service it is possible to +do, and I had accepted your kindness, by all the saints of Rome I +swear that I could not be more obliged to you than I am now for your +good-will. So may God give me joy and health, your good intentions +please me as much as if each one of you had already shown me great +honour and kindness: so let the will stand for the deed!" Thus he +persuades and appeases them all. Then they take him quickly along the +road to a knight's residence, where they seek to serve him: all rejoice +to honour and serve him throughout the evening until bedtime, for they +hold him very dear. Next morning, when the time came to separate, each +one offers and presents himself, with the desire to accompany him; but +it is not his will or pleasure that any one shall go with him except the +two whom he had brought with him. Accompanied by them alone, he +resumed his journey. That day they rode from morn till evening without +encountering any adventure. When it was now very late, and while they +were riding rapidly out of a forest, they saw a house belonging to a +knight, and seated at the door they saw his wife, who had the bearing of +a gentle lady. As soon as she espied them coming, she rose to her feet +to meet them, and greeted them joyfully with a smile: "Welcome! I wish +you to accept my house; this is your lodging; pray dismount" "Lady, +since it is your will, we thank you, and will dismount; we accept your +hospitality for the night." When they had dismounted, the lady had the +horses taken by members of her well-ordered household. She calls +her sons and daughters who come at once: the youths were courteous, +handsome, and well-behaved, and the daughters were fair. She bids the +lads remove the saddles and curry the horses well; no one refused to do +this, but each carried out her instructions willingly. When she ordered +the knights to be disarmed, her daughters step forward to perform this +service. They remove their armour, and hand them three short mantles +to put on. Then at once they take them into the house which was very +handsome. The master was not at home, being out in the woods with two +of his sons. But he presently returned, and his household, which was +well-ordered, ran to meet him outside the door. Quickly they untie and +unpack the game he brings, and tell him the news: "Sire, sire, you do +not know that you have three knights for guests." "God be praised for +that," he says. Then the knight and his two sons extend a glad welcome +to their guests. The rest of the household were not backward, for even +the least among them prepared to perform his special task. While some +run to prepare the meal, others light the candles in profusion; still +others get a towel and basins, and offer water for the hands: they are +not niggardly in all this. When all had washed, they take their seats. +Nothing that was done there seemed to be any trouble or burdensome. +But at the first course there came a surprise in the form of a knight +outside the door. As he sat on his charger, all armed from head to feet, +he looked prouder than a bull, and a bull is a yew proud beast. One leg +was fixed in the stirrup, but the other he had thrown over the mane of +his horse's neck, to give himself a careless and jaunty air. Behold him +advancing thus, though no one noticed him until he came forward with the +words: "I wish to know which is the man who is so foolish and proud +a numskull that he has come to this country and intends to cross the +sword-bridge. All his pains will come to naught, and his expedition +is in vain." Then he, who felt no fear at all, thus replies with +confidence: "I am he who intends to cross the bridge." "Thou? Thou? +How didst thou dare to think of such a thing? Before undertaking such +a course, thou oughtest to have thought of the end that is in store for +thee, and thou oughtest to have in mind the memory of the cart on which +thou didst ride. I know not whether thou feelest shame for the ride +thou hadst on it, but no sensible man would have embarked on such an +enterprise as this if he had felt the reproach of his action." + +(Vv. 2615-2690.) Not a word does he deign to reply to what he hears the +other say; but the master of the house and all the others express their +surprise openly: "Ah, God, what a misfortune this is," each one of them +says to himself; "cursed be the hour when first a cart was conceived or +made! For it is a very vile and hateful thing. Ah, God, of what was he +accused? Why was he carried in a cart? For what sin, or for what crime? +He will always suffer the reproach. If he were only clear of this +disgrace, no knight could be found in all the world, however his valour +might be proved, who would equal the merit of this knight. If all good +knights could be compared, and if the truth were to be known, you +could find none so handsome or so expert." Thus they expressed their +sentiments. Then he began his speech of impudence: "Listen, thou knight, +who art bound for the sword-bridge! If thou wishest, thou shalt cross +the water very easily and comfortably. I will quickly have thee ferried +over in a skiff. But once on the other side, I will make thee pay me +toll, and I will take thy head, if I please to do so, or if not, thou +shalt be held at my discretion." And he replies that he is not seeking +trouble, and that he will never risk his head in such an adventure for +any consideration. To which the other answers at once: "Since thou +wilt not do this, whosesoever the shame and loss may be, thou must come +outside with me and there engage me hand to hand." Then, to beguile him. +the other says: "If I could refuse, I would very gladly excuse myself; +but in truth I would rather fight than be compelled to do what is +wrong." Before he arose from the table where they were sitting, he told +the youths who were serving him, to saddle his horse at once, and fetch +his arms and give them to him. This order they promptly execute: some +devote themselves to arming him, while others go to fetch his horse. As +he slowly rode along completely armed, holding his shield tight by the +straps, you must know that he was evidently to be included in the list +of the brave and fair. His horse became him so well that it is evident +he must be his own, and as for the shield he held by the straps and the +helmet laced upon his head, which fitted him so well, you would never +for a moment have thought that he had borrowed it or received it as a +loan; rather, you would be so pleased with him that you would maintain +that he had been thus born and raised: for all this I should like you to +take my word. + +(Vv. 2691-2792.) Outside the gate, where the battle was to be fought, +there was a stretch of level ground well adapted for the encounter. When +they catch sight of each other, they spur hotly to the attack and come +together with such a shock, dealing such blows with their lances, that +they first bend, then buckle up, and finally fly into splinters. With +their swords they then hew away at their shields, helmets, and hauberks. +The wood is cut and the steel gives way, so that they wound each other +in several places. They pay each other such angry blows that it seems +as if they had made a bargain. The swords often descend upon the horses' +croups, where they drink and feast upon their blood; their riders strike +them upon the flanks until at last they kill them both. And when both +have fallen to earth, they attack each other afoot; and if they had +cherished a mortal hatred, they could not have assailed each other more +fiercely with their swords. They deal their blows with greater frequency +than the man who stakes his money at dice and never fails to double the +stakes every time he loses; yet, this game of theirs was very different; +for there were no losses here, but only fierce blows and cruel strife. +All the people came out from the house: the master, his lady, his sons +and daughters; no man or woman, friend or stranger, stayed behind, +but all stood in line to see the fight in progress in the broad, +level field. The Knight of the Cart blames and reproaches himself for +faintheartedness when he sees his host watching him and notices all the +others looking on. His heart is stirred with anger, for it seems to him +that he ought long since to have beaten his adversary. Then he strikes +him, rushing in like a storm and bringing his sword down close by his +head; he pushes and presses him so hard that he drives him from his +ground and reduces him to such a state of exhaustion that he has little +strength to defend himself. Then the knight recalls how the other had +basely reproached him about the cart; so he assails him and drubs him so +soundly that not a string or strap remains unbroken about the neck-band +of his hauberk, and he knocks the helmet and ventail from his head. His +wounds and distress are so great that he has to cry for mercy. Just +as the lark cannot withstand or protect itself against the hawk which +outflies it and attacks it from above, so he in his helplessness and +shame, must invoke him and sue for mercy. And when he hears him beg for +mercy, he ceases his attack and says: "Dost thou wish for mercy?" He +replies: "You have asked a very clever question; any fool could ask +that. I never wished for anything so much as I now wish for mercy." +Then he says to him: "Thou must mount, then, upon a cart. Nothing thou +couldst say would have any influence with me, unless thou mountest the +cart, to atone for the vile reproaches thou didst address to me with thy +silly mouth." And the knight thus answers him: "May it never please God +that I mount a cart!" "No?" he asks; "then you shall die." "Sire, you +can easily put me to death; but I beg and beseech you for God's sake +to show me mercy and not compel me to mount a cart. I will agree to +anything, however grievous, excepting that. I would rather die a hundred +times than undergo such a disgrace. In your goodness and mercy you can +tell me nothing so distasteful that I will not do it." + +(Vv. 2793-2978.) While he is thus beseeching him, behold across the +field a maiden riding on a tawny mule, her head uncovered and her dress +disarranged. In her hand she held a whip with which she belaboured the +mule; and in truth no horse could have galloped so fast as was the pace +of the mule. The damsel called out to the Knight of the Cart: "May God +bless thy heart, Sir Knight, with whatever delights thee most!" And he, +who heard her gladly, says: "May God bless you, damsel, and give you joy +and health!" Then she tells him of her desire. "Knight," she says, "in +urgent need I have come from afar to thee to ask a favour, for which +thou wilt deserve the best guerdon I can make to thee; and I believe +that thou wilt yet have need of my assistance." And he replies: "Tell +me what it is you wish; and if I have it, you shall have it at once, +provided it be not something extravagant." Then she says: "It is the +head of the knight whom thou hast just defeated; in truth, thou +hast never dealt with such a wicked and faithless man. Thou wilt be +committing no sin or wrong, but rather doing a deed of charity, for he +is the basest creature that ever was or ever shall be." And when he who +had been vanquished hears that she wishes him to be killed, he says to +him: "Don't believe her, for she hates me; but by that God who was +at once Father and Son, and who chose for His mother her who was His +daughter and handmaiden, I beg you to have mercy upon me!" "Ah, knight!" +the maid exclaims, "pay no attention to what this traitor says! May God +give thee all the joy and honour to which thou dost aspire, and may +He give thee good success in thy undertaking." Then the knight is in +a predicament, as he thinks and ponders over the question: whether to +present to her the head she asks him to cut off, or whether he shall +allow himself to be touched by pity for him. [417] He wishes to respect +the wishes of both her and him. Generosity and pity each command him to +do their will; for he was both generous and tender-hearted. But if +she carries off the head, then will pity be defeated and put to +death; whereas, if she does not carry off the head, generosity will +be discomfited. Thus, pity and generosity hold him so confined and so +distressed that he is tormented and spurred on by each of them in turn. +The damsel asks him to give her the head, and on the other hand the +knight makes his request, appealing to his pity and kindness. And, +since he has implored him, shall he not receive mercy? Yes, for it never +happened that, when he had put down an enemy and compelled him to sue +for mercy, he would refuse such an one his mercy or longer bear him any +grudge. Since this is his custom, he will not refuse his mercy to him +who now begs and sues for it. And shall she have the head she covets? +Yes, if it be possible. "Knight," he says, "it is necessary for thee to +fight me again, and if thou dost care to defend thy head again, I will +show thee such mercy as to allow thee to resume the helmet; and I will +give thee time to arm thy body and thy head as well as possible. But, if +I conquer thee again, know that thou shalt surely die." And he replies: +"I desire nothing better than that, and ask for no further favour." +"And I will give thee this advantage," he adds: "I will fight thee as +I stand, without changing my present position." Then the other knight +makes ready, and they begin the fight again eagerly. But this time the +knight triumphed more quickly than he had done at first. And the damsel +at once cries out: "Do not spare him, knight, for anything he may say to +thee. Surely he would not have spared thee, had he once defeated thee. +If thou heedest what he says, be sure that he will again beguile thee. +Fair knight, cut off the head of the most faithless man in the empire +and kingdom, and give it to me! Thou shouldst present it to me, in view +of the guerdon I intend for thee. For another day may well come when, if +he can, he will beguile thee again with his words." He, thinking his end +is near, cries aloud to him for mercy; but his cry is of no avail, nor +anything that he can say. The other drags him by the helmet, tearing all +the fastening, and he strikes from his head the ventail and the gleaming +coif. Then he cries out more loudly still: "Mercy, for God's sake! +Mercy, sir!" But the other answers: "So help me, I shall never again +show thee pity, after having once let thee off." "Ah," he says, "thou +wouldst do wrong to heed my enemy and kill me thus." While she, intent +upon his death, admonishes him to cut off his head, and not to believe +a word he says. He strikes: the head flies across the sward and the body +fails. Then the damsel is pleased and satisfied. Grasping the head by +the hair, the knight presents it to the damsel, who takes it joyfully +with the words: "May thy heart receive such delight from whatever it +most desires as my heart now receives from what I most coveted. I had +only one grief in life, and that was that this man was still alive. I +have a reward laid up for thee which thou shalt receive at the proper +time. I promise thee that thou shalt have a worthy reward for the +service thou hast rendered me. Now I will go away, with the prayer +that God may guard thee from harm." Then the damsel leaves him, as each +commends the other to God. But all those who had seen the battle in the +plain are overjoyed, and in their joy they at once relieve the knight of +his armour, and honour him in every way they can. Then they wash their +hands again and take their places at the meal, which they eat with +better cheer than is their wont. When they had been eating for some +time, the gentleman turned to his guest at his side, and said: "Sire, a +long while ago we came hither from the kingdom of Logres. We were born +your countrymen, and we should like to see you win honour and fortune +and joy in this country; for we should profit by it as well as you, and +it would be to the advantage of many others, if you should gain honour +and fortune in the enterprise you have undertaken in this land." And he +makes answer: "May God hear your desire." + +(Vv. 2979-3020.) When the host had dropped his voice and ceased +speaking, one of his sons followed him and said: "Sire, we ought to +place all our resources at your service, and give them outright rather +than promise them; if you have any need of our assistance, we ought not +to wait until you ask for it. Sire, be not concerned over your horse +which is dead. We have good strong horses here. I want you to take +anything of ours which you need, and you shall choose the best of +our horses in place of yours." And he replies: "I willingly accept." +Thereupon, they have the beds prepared and retire for the night. The +next morning they rise early, and dress, after which they prepare to +start. Upon leaving, they fail in no act of courtesy, but take leave of +the lady, her lord, and all the rest. But in order to omit nothing, I +must remark that the knight was unwilling to mount the borrowed steed +which was standing ready at the door; rather, he caused him to be ridden +by one of the two knights who had come with him, while he took the +latter's horse instead, for thus it pleased him best to do. When each +was seated on his horse, they all asked for leave to depart from their +host who had served them so honourably. Then they ride along the road +until the day draws to a close, and late in the afternoon they reach the +sword-bridge. + +(Vv. 3021-3194.) At the end of this very difficult bridge they dismount +from their steeds and gaze at the wicked-looking stream, which is as +swift and raging, as black and turgid, as fierce and terrible as if +it were the devil's stream; and it is so dangerous and bottomless that +anything failing into it would be as completely lost as if it fell into +the salt sea. And the bridge, which spans it, is different from any +other bridge; for there never was such a one as this. If any one asks of +me the truth, there never was such a bad bridge, nor one whose flooring +was so bad. The bridge across the cold stream consisted of a polished, +gleaming sword; but the sword was stout and stiff, and was as long as +two lances. At each end there was a tree-trunk in which the sword +was firmly fixed. No one need fear to fall because of its breaking +or bending, for its excellence was such that it could support a +great weight. But the two knights who were with the third were much +discouraged; for they surmised that two lions or two leopards would be +found tied to a great rock at the other end of the bridge. The water +and the bridge and the lions combine so to terrify them that they both +tremble with fear, and say: "Fair sire, consider well what confronts +you; for it is necessary and needful to do so. This bridge is badly made +and built, and the construction of it is bad. If you do not change your +mind in time, it will be too late to repent. You must consider which of +several alternatives you will choose. Suppose that you once get across +(but that cannot possibly come to pass, any more than one could hold in +the winds and forbid them to blow, or keep the birds from singing, +or re-enter one's mother's womb and be born again--all of which is as +impossible as to empty the sea of its water); but even supposing that +you got across, can you think and suppose that those two fierce lions +that are chained on the other side will not kill you, and suck the blood +from your veins, and eat your flesh and then gnaw your bones? For my +part, I am bold enough, when I even dare to look and gaze at them. If +you do not take care, they will certainly devour you. Your body will +soon be torn and rent apart, for they will show you no mercy. So take +pity on us now, and stay here in our company! It would be wrong for +you to expose yourself intentionally to such mortal peril." And he, +laughing, replies to them: "Gentlemen, receive my thanks and gratitude +for the concern you feel for me: it comes from your love and kind +hearts. I know full well that you would not like to see any mishap come +to me; but I have faith and confidence in God, that He will protect me +to the end. I fear the bridge and stream no more than I fear this dry +land; so I intend to prepare and make the dangerous attempt to cross. +I would rather die than turn back now." The others have nothing more to +say; but each weeps with pity and heaves a sigh. Meanwhile he prepares, +as best he may, to cross the stream, and he does a very marvellous thing +in removing the armour from his feet and hands. He will be in a sorry +state when he reaches the other side. He is going to support himself +with his bare hands and feet upon the sword, which was sharper than a +scythe, for he had not kept on his feet either sole or upper or hose. +But he felt no fear of wounds upon his hands or feet; he preferred to +maim himself rather than to fall from the bridge and be plunged in +the water from which he could never escape. In accordance with this +determination, he passes over with great pain and agony, being wounded +in the hands, knees, and feet. But even this suffering is sweet to him: +for Love, who conducts and leads him on, assuages and relieves the pain. +Creeping on his hands, feet, and knees, he proceeds until he reaches +the other side. Then he recalls and recollects the two lions which he +thought he had seen from the other side; but, on looking about, he does +not see so much as a lizard or anything else to do him harm. He raises +his hand before his face and looks at his ring, and by this test he +proves that neither of the lions is there which he thought he had seen, +and that he had been enchanted and deceived; for there was not a living +creature there. When those who had remained behind upon the bank saw +that he had safely crossed, their joy was natural; but they do not know +of his injuries. He, however, considers himself fortunate not to have +suffered anything worse. The blood from his wounds drips on his shirt +on all sides. Then he sees before him a tower, which was so strong that +never had he seen such a strong one before: indeed, it could not have +been a better tower. At the window there sat King Bademagu, who was very +scrupulous and precise about matters of honour and what was right, and +who was careful to observe and practise loyalty above all else; and +beside him stood his son, who always did precisely the opposite so far +as possible, for he found his pleasure in disloyalty, and never wearied +of villainy, treason, and felony. From their point of vantage they had +seen the knight cross the bridge with trouble and pain. Meleagant's +colour changed with the rage and displeasure he felt; for he knows now +that he will be challenged for the Queen; but his character was such +that he feared no man, however strong or formidable. If he were not base +and disloyal, there could no better knight be found; but he had a heart +of wood, without gentleness and pity. What enraged his son and roused +his ire, made the king happy and glad. The king knew of a truth that he +who had crossed the bridge was much better than any one else. For no one +would dare to pass over it in whom there dwelt any of that evil nature +which brings more shame upon those who possess it than prowess brings +of honour to the virtuous. For prowess cannot accomplish so much as +wickedness and sloth can do: it is true beyond a doubt that it is +possible to do more evil than good. + +(Vv. 3195-3318.) I could say more on these two heads, if it did not +cause me to delay. But I must turn to something else and resume my +subject, and you shall hear how the king speaks profitably to his son: +"Son," he says, "it was fortunate that thou and I came to look out +this window; our reward has been to witness the boldest deed that ever +entered the mind of man. Tell me now if thou art not well disposed +toward him who has performed such a marvellous feat. Make peace and be +reconciled with him, and deliver the Queen into his hands. Thou shalt +gain no glory in battle with him, but rather mayst thou incur great +loss. Show thyself to be courteous and sensible, and send the Queen to +meet him before he sees thee. Show him honour in this land of thine, and +before he asks it, present to him what he has come to seek. Thou knowest +well enough that he has come for the Queen Guinevere. Do not act so that +people will take thee to be obstinate, foolish, or proud. If this man +has entered thy land alone, thou shouldst bear him company, for one +gentleman ought not to avoid another, but rather attract him and honour +him with courtesy. One receives honour by himself showing it; be sure +that the honour will be thine, if thou doest honour and service to him +who is plainly the best knight in the world." And he replies: "May God +confound me, if there is not as good a knight, or even a better one +than he!" It was too bad that he did not mention himself, of whom he +entertains no mean opinion. And he adds: "I suppose you wish me to clasp +my hands and kneel before him as his liegeman, and to hold my lands from +him? So help me God, I would rather become his man than surrender to +him the Queen! God forbid that in such a fashion I should deliver her +to him! She shall never be given up by me, but rather contested and +defended against all who are so foolish as to dare to come in quest +of her." Then again the king says to him: "Son, thou wouldst act very +courteously to renounce this pretension. I advise thee and beg thee to +keep the peace. Thou knowest well that the honour will belong to the +knight, if he wins the Queen from thee in battle. He would doubtless +rather win her in battle than as a gift, for it will thus enhance +his fame. It is my opinion that he is seeking her, not to receive her +peaceably, but because he wishes to win her by force of arms. So it +would be wise on thy part to deprive him of the satisfaction of fighting +thee. I am sorry to see thee so foolish; but if thou dost not heed my +advice, evil will come of it, and the ensuing misfortune will be worse +for thee. For the knight need fear no hostility from any one here save +thee. On behalf of myself and all my men, I will grant him a truce and +security. I have never yet done a disloyal deed or practised treason and +felony, and I shall not begin to do so now on thy account any more than +I would for any stranger. I do not wish to flatter thee, for I promise +that the knight shall not lack any arms, or horse or anything else he +needs, in view of the boldness he has displayed in coming thus far. +He shall be securely guarded and well defended against all men here +excepting thee. I wish him clearly to understand that, if he can +maintain himself against thee, he need have no fear of any one else." "I +have listened to you in silence long enough," says Meleagant, "and you +may say what you please. But little do I care for all you say. I am not +a hermit, nor so compassionate and charitable, and I have no desire to +be so honourable as to give him what I most love. His task will not be +performed so quickly or so lightly; rather will it turn out otherwise +than as you and he expect. You and I need not quarrel because you aid +him against me. Even if he enjoys peace and a truce with you and all +your men, what matters that to me? My heart does not quail on that +account; rather, so help me God, I am glad that he need not feel concern +for any one here but me; I do not wish you to do on my account anything +which might be construed as disloyalty or treachery. Be as compassionate +as you please, but let me be cruel." "What? Wilt thou not change thy +mind?" "No," he says. "Then I will say nothing more. I will leave thee +alone to do thy best and will go now to speak with the knight. I wish +to offer and present to him my aid and counsel in all respects; for I am +altogether on his side." + +(Vv. 3319-3490.) Then the king goes down and orders them to bring his +horse. A large steed is brought to him, upon which he springs by the +stirrup, and he rides off with some of his men: three knights and two +squires he bade to go with him. They did not stop their ride downhill +until they came to the bridge, where they see him stanching his wounds +and wiping the blood from them. The king expects to keep him as his +guest for a long time while his wounds are healing; but he might as well +expect to drain the sea. The king hastens to dismount, and he who was +grievously wounded, stood up at once to meet him, though he did not know +him, and he gave no more evidence of the pain he felt in his feet and +hands than if he had been actually sound. The king sees that he is +exerting himself, and quickly runs to greet him with the words: "Sire, +I am greatly amazed that you have fallen upon us in this land. But be +welcome, for no one will ever repeat the attempt: it never happened in +the past, and it will never happen in the future that any one should +perform such a hardy feat or expose himself to such peril. And know that +I admire you greatly for having executed what no one before ever dared +to conceive. You will find me very kindly disposed, and loyal and +courteous toward you. I am the king of this land, and offer you freely +all my counsel and service; and I think I know pretty well what you have +come here to seek. You come, I am sure, to seek the Queen." "Sire," +he replies, "your surmise is correct; no other cause brings me here." +"Friend, you must suffer hardship to obtain her," he replies; "and you +are sorely wounded, as I see by the wounds and the flowing blood. You +will not find him who brought her hither so generous as to give her up +without a struggle; but you must tarry, and have your wounds cared for +until they are completely healed. I will give you some of 'the three +Marys' ointment, [418] and something still better, if it can be found, +for I am very solicitous about your comfort and your recovery. And the +Queen is so confined that no mortal man has access to her--not even my +son, who brought her here with him and who resents such treatment, for +never was a man so beside himself and so desperate as he. But I am well +disposed toward you, and will gladly give you, so help me God, all of +which you stand in need. My son himself will not have such good arms but +that I will give you some that are just as good, and a horse, too, +such as you will need, though my son will be angry with me. Despite the +feelings of any one, I will protect you against all men. You will have +no cause to fear any one excepting him who brought the Queen here. No +man ever menaced another as I have menaced him, and I came near driving +him from my land, in my displeasure because he will not surrender her +to you. To be sure, he is my son; but feel no concern, for unless he +defeats you in battle, he can never do you the slightest harm against my +will." "Sire," he says, "I thank you. But I am losing time here which +I do not wish to waste. I have no cause to complain, and have no wound +which is paining me. Take me where I can find him; for with such arms +as I have, I am ready to divert myself by giving and receiving blows." +"Friend, you had better wait two or three weeks until your wounds are +healed, for it would be well for you to tarry here at least two weeks, +and not on any account could I allow it, or look on, while you fought +in my presence with such arms and with such an outfit." And he replies: +"With your permission, no other arms would be used than these, for I +should prefer to fight with them, and I should not ask for the slightest +postponement, adjournment or delay. However, in deference to you, I +will consent to wait until to-morrow; but despite what any one may say, +longer I will not wait." Then the king assured him that all would +be done as he wished; then he has the lodging-place prepared, and +insistently requests his men, who are in the company, to serve him, +which they do devotedly. And the king, who would gladly have made peace, +had it been possible, went at once to his son and spoke to him like one +who desires peace and harmony, saying: "Fair son, be reconciled now with +this knight without a fight! He has not come here to disport himself or +to hunt or chase, but he comes in search of honour and to increase his +fame and renown, and I have seen that he stands in great need of rest. +If he had taken my advice, he would not have rashly undertaken, either +this month or the next, the battle which he so greatly desires. If thou +makest over the Queen to him, dost thou fear any dishonour in the deed? +Have no fear of that, for no blame can attach to thee; rather is it +wrong to keep that to which one has no rightful claim. He would gladly +have entered the battle at once, though his hands and feet are not +sound, but cut and wounded." Meleagant answers his father thus: "You are +foolish to be concerned. By the faith I owe St. Peter, I will not take +your advice in this matter. I should deserve to be drawn apart with +horses, if I heeded your advice. If he is seeking his honour, so do I +seek mine; if he is in search of glory, so am I; if he is anxious for +the battle, so am I a hundred times more so than he." "I see plainly," +says the king, "that thou art intent upon thy mad enterprise, and thou +shalt have thy fill of it. Since such is thy pleasure, to-morrow thou +shalt try thy strength with the knight." "May no greater hardship ever +visit me than that!" Meleagant replies; "I would much rather it were +to-day than to-morrow. Just see how much more downcast I am than is +usual! My eyes are wild, and my face is pale! I shall have no joy or +satisfaction or any cause for happiness until I am actually engaged with +him." + +(Vv. 3491-3684.) The king understands that further advice and prayers +are of no avail, so reluctantly he leaves his son and, taking a good, +strong horse and handsome arms, he sends them to him who well deserves +them, together with a surgeon who was a loyal and Christian man. There +was in the world no more trusty man, and he was more skilled in the +cure of wounds than all the doctors of Montpeilier. [419] That night +he treated the knight as best he could, in accordance with the king's +command. Already the news was known by the knights and damsels, the +ladies and barons of all the country-side, and all through the night +until daybreak strangers and friends were making long journeys from all +the country round. When morning came, there was such a press before the +castle that there was not room to move one's foot. And the king, rising +early in his distress about the battle, goes directly to his son, who +had already laced upon his head the helmet which was of Poitiers make. +No delay or peace is possible, for though the king did his best, his +efforts are of no effect. In the middle of the castle-square, where all +the people are assembled, the battle will be fought in compliance with +the king's wish and command. The king sends at once for the stranger +knight, and he is conducted to the grounds which were filled with people +from the kingdom of Logres. For just as people are accustomed to go +to church to hear the organ on the annual feast-days of Pentecost or +Christmas, so they had all assembled now. All the foreign maidens from +King Arthur's realm had fasted three days and gone barefoot in their +shifts, in order that God might endow with strength and courage the +knight who was to fight his adversary on behalf of the captives. Very +early, before prime had yet been sounded, both of the knights fully +armed were led to the place, mounted upon two horses equally protected. +Meleagant was very graceful, alert, and shapely; the hauberk with its +fine meshes, the helmet, and the shield hanging from his neck--all these +became him well. All the spectators, however, favoured the other knight, +even those who wished him ill, and they say that Meleagant is worth +nothing compared with him. As soon as they were both on the ground, the +king comes and detains them as long as possible in an effort to make +peace between them, but he is unable to persuade his son. Then he says +to them: "Hold in your horses until I reach the top of the tower. It +will be only a slight favour, if you will wait so long for me." Then in +sorrowful mood he leaves them and goes directly to the place where he +knew he would find the Queen. She had begged him the evening before to +place her where she might have an unobstructed view of the battle; he +had granted her the boon, and went now to seek and fetch her, for he +was very anxious to show her honour and courtesy. He placed her at one +window, and took his place at another window on her right. Beside them, +there were gathered there many knights and prudent dames and damsels, +who were natives of that land; and there were many others, who were +captives, and who were intent upon their orisons and prayers. Those who +were prisoners were praying for their lord, for to God and to him they +entrusted their succour and deliverance. Then the combatants without +delay make all the people stand aside; then they clash the shields with +their elbows, and thrust their arms into the straps, and spur at each +other so violently that each sends his lance two arms' length through +his opponent's shield, causing the lance to split and splinter like a +flying spark. And the horses meet head on, clashing breast to breast, +and the shields and helmets crash with such a noise that it seems like +a mighty thunder-clap; not a breast-strap, girth, rein or surcingle +remains unbroken, and the saddle-bows, though strong, are broken to +pieces. The combatants felt no shame in falling to earth, in view of +their mishaps, but they quickly spring to their feet, and without waste +of threatening words rush at each other more fiercely than two wild +boars, and deal great blows with their swords of steel like men whose +hate is violent. Repeatedly they trim the helmets and shining hauberks +so fiercely that after the sword the blood spurts out. They furnished +an excellent battle, indeed, as they stunned and wounded each other with +their heavy, wicked blows. Many fierce, hard, long bouts they sustained +with equal honour, so that the onlookers could discern no advantage on +either side. But it was inevitable that he who had crossed the bridge +should be much weakened by his wounded hands. The people who sided with +him were much dismayed, for they notice that his strokes are growing +weaker, and they fear he will get the worst of it; it seemed to them +that he was weakening, while Meleagant was triumphing, and they began +to murmur all around. But up at the window of the tower there was a wise +maiden who thought within herself that the knight had not undertaken the +battle either on her account or for the sake of the common herd who had +gathered about the list, but that his only incentive had been the Queen; +and she thought that, if he knew that she was at the window seeing and +watching him, his strength and courage would increase. And if she had +known his name, she would gladly have called to him to look about him. +Then she came to the Queen and said: "Lady, for God's sake and your +own as well as ours, I beseech you to tell me, if you know, the name of +yonder knight, to the end that it may be of some help to him." "Damsel," +the Queen replies, "you have asked me a question in which I see no hate +or evil, but rather good intent; the name of the knight, I know, is +Lancelot of the Lake." [420] "God, how happy and glad at heart I am!" +the damsel says. Then she leans forward and calls to him by name so +loudly that all the people hear: "Lancelot, turn about and see who is +here taking note of thee!" + +(Vv. 3685-3954.) When Lancelot heard his name, he was not slow to turn +around: he turns and sees seated up there at the window of the tower +her whom he desired most in the world to see. From the moment he caught +sight of her, he did not turn or take his eyes and face from her, +defending himself with backhand blows. And Meleagant meanwhile attacked +him as fiercely as he could, delighted to think that the other cannot +withstand him now; and they of the country are well pleased too, +while the foreigners are so distressed that they can no longer support +themselves, and many of them fall to earth either upon their knees or +stretched out prone; thus some are glad, and some distressed. Then the +damsel cried again from the window: "Ah, Lancelot, how is it that thou +dost now conduct thyself so foolishly? Once thou wert the embodiment +of prowess and of all that is good, and I do not think God ever made a +knight who could equal thee in valour and in worth. But now we see +thee so distressed that thou dealest back-hand blows and fightest thy +adversary, behind thy back. Turn, so as to be on the other side, and so +that thou canst face toward this tower, for it will help thee to keep +it in view." Then Lancelot is so ashamed and mortified that he hates +himself, for he knows full well that all have seen how, for some time +past, he has had the worst of the fight. Thereupon he leaps backward and +so manoeuvres as to force Meleagant into a position between him and the +tower. Meleagant makes every effort to regain his former position. But +Lancelot rushes upon him, and strikes him so violently upon his body and +shield whenever he tries to get around him, that he compels him to whirl +about two or three times in spite of himself. Lancelot's strength and +courage grow, partly because he has love's aid, and partly because he +never hated any one so much as him with whom he is engaged. Love and +mortal hate, so fierce that never before was such hate seen, make him so +fiery and bold that Meleagant ceases to treat it as a jest and begins to +stand in awe of him, for he had never met or known so doughty a knight, +nor had any knight ever wounded or injured him as this one does. He +is glad to get away from him, and he winces and sidesteps, fearing his +blows and avoiding them. And Lancelot does not idly threaten him, but +drives him rapidly toward the tower where the Queen was stationed on the +watch. There upon the tower he did her the homage of his blows until he +came so close that, if he advanced another step, he would lose sight +of her. Thus Lancelot drove him back and forth repeatedly in whatever +direction he pleased, always stopping before the Queen, his lady, who +had kindled the flame which compels him to fix his gaze upon her. And +this same flame so stirred him against Meleagant that he was enabled to +lead and drive him wherever he pleased. In spite of himself he drives +him on like a blind man or a man with a wooden leg. The king sees his +son so hard pressed that he is sorry for him and he pities him, and he +will not deny him aid and assistance if possible; but if he wishes to +proceed courteously, he must first beg the Queen's permission. So he +began to say to her: "Lady, since I have had you in my power, I have +loved you and faithfully served and honoured you. I never consciously +left anything undone in which I saw your honour involved; now repay +me for what I have done. For I am about to ask you a favour which you +should not grant unless you do so willingly. I plainly see that my son +is getting the worst of this battle; I do not speak so because of the +chagrin I feel, but in order that Lancelot, who has him in his power, +may not kill him. Nor ought you to wish to see him killed; not because +he has not wronged both you and him, but because I make the request of +you: so tell him, please, to stop beating him. If you will, you can thus +repay me for what I have done for you." "Fair sire, I am willing to do +so at your request," the Queen replies; "had I mortal hatred for your +son, whom it is true I do not love, yet you have served me so well that, +to please you, I am quite willing that he should desist." These words +were not spoken privately, but Lancelot and Meleagrant heard what was +said. The man who is a perfect lover is always obedient and quickly and +gladly does his mistress' pleasure. So Lancelot was constrained to do +his Lady's will, for he loved more than Pyramus, [421] if that were +possible for any man to do. Lancelot heard what was said, and as soon as +the last word had issued from her mouth, "since you wish him to desist, +I am willing that he should do so," Lancelot would not have touched him +or made a movement for anything, even if the other had killed him. He +does not touch him or raise his hand. But Meleagant, beside himself with +rage and shame when he hears that it has been necessary to intercede +in his behalf, strikes him with all the strength he can muster. And the +king went down from the tower to upbraid his son, and entering the list +he addressed him thus: "How now? Is this becoming, to strike him when he +is not touching thee? Thou art too cruel and savage, and thy prowess +is now out of place! For we all know beyond a doubt that he is thy +superior." Then Meleagant, choking with shame, says to the king: "I +think you must be blind! I do not believe you see a thing. Any one must +indeed be blind to think I am not better than he." "Seek some one to +believe thy words!" the king replies, "for all the people know whether +thou speakest the truth or a lie. All of us know full well the truth." +Then the king bids his barons lead his son away, which they do at once +in execution of his command: they led away Meleagant. But it was not +necessary to use force to induce Lancelot to withdraw, for Meleagant +might have harmed him grievously, before he would have sought to defend +himself. Then the king says to his son: "So help me God, now thou must +make peace and surrender the Queen. Thou must cease this quarrel once +for all and withdraw thy claim." "That is great nonsense you have +uttered! I hear you speak foolishly. Stand aside! Let us fight, and do +not mix in our affairs!" But the king says he will take a hand, for he +knows well that, were the fight to continue, Lancelot would kill his +son. "He kill me! Rather would I soon defeat and kill him, if you would +leave us alone and let us fight." Then the king says: "So help me God, +all that thou sayest is of no avail." "Why is that?" he asks. "Because I +will not consent. I will not so trust in thy folly and pride as to allow +thee to be killed. A man is a fool to court death, as thou dost in thy +ignorance. I know well that thou hatest me because I wish to save thy +life. God will not let me see and witness thy death, if I can help it, +for it would cause me too much grief." He talks to him and reproves him +until finally peace and good-will are restored. The terms of the peace +are these: he will surrender the Queen to Lancelot, provided that the +latter without reluctance will fight them again within a year of such +time as he shall choose to summon him: this is no trial to Lancelot. +When peace is made, all the people press about, and it is decided +that the battle shall be fought at the court of King Arthur, who holds +Britain and Cornwall in his sway: there they decide that it shall be. +And the Queen has to consent, and Lancelot has to promise, that if +Meleagant can prove him recreant, she shall come back with him again +without the interference of any one. When the Queen and Lancelot had +both agreed to this, the arrangement was concluded, and they both +retired and removed their arms. Now the custom in the country was that +when one issued forth, all the others might do so too. All called down +blessings upon Lancelot: and you may know that he must have felt great +joy, as in truth he did. All the strangers assemble and rejoice over +Lancelot, speaking so as to be heard by him: "Sire, in truth we were +joyful as soon as we heard your name, for we felt sure at once that we +should all be set free." There was a great crowd present at this glad +scene, as each one strives and presses forward to touch him if possible. +Any one who succeeded in touching him was more delighted than he could +tell. There was plenty of joy, and of sorrow too; those who were now set +free rejoiced unrestrainedly; but Meleagant and his followers have not +anything they want, but are pensive, gloomy, and downcast. The king +turns away from the list, taking with him Lancelot, who begs him to take +him to the Queen. "I shall not fail to do so," the king replies; "for it +seems to me the proper thing to do. And if you like, I will show you Kay +the seneschal." At this Lancelot is so glad that he almost falls at his +feet. Then the king took him at once into the hall, where the Queen had +come to wait for him. + +(Vv. 3955-4030.) When the Queen saw the king holding Lancelot by the +hand, she rose before the king, but she looked displeased with clouded +brow, and she spoke not a word. "Lady, here is Lancelot come to see +you," says the king; "you ought to be pleased and satisfied." "I, sire? +He cannot please me. I care nothing about seeing him." "Come now, lady," +says the king who was very frank and courteous, "what induces you to +act like this? You are too scornful toward a man who has served you so +faithfully that he has repeatedly exposed his life to mortal danger on +this journey for your sake, and who has defended and rescued you from my +son Meleagant who had deeply wronged you." "Sire, truly he has made +poor use of his time. I shall never deny that I feel no gratitude toward +him." Now Lancelot is dumbfounded; but he replies very humbly like a +polished lover: "Lady, certainly I am grieved at this, but I dare +not ask your reason." The Queen listened as Lancelot voiced his +disappointment, but in order to grieve and confound him, she would not +answer a single word, but returned to her room. And Lancelot followed +her with his eyes and heart until she reached the door; but she was not +long in sight, for the room was close by. His eyes would gladly have +followed her, had that been possible; but the heart, which is more +lordly and masterful in its strength, went through the door after her, +while the eyes remained behind weeping with the body. And the king said +privily to him: "Lancelot, I am amazed at what this means: and how it +comes about that the Queen cannot endure the sight of you, and that she +is so unwilling to speak with you. If she is ever accustomed to speak +with you, she ought not to be niggardly now or avoid conversation with +you, after what you have done for her. Now tell me, if you know, why and +for what misdeed she has shown you such a countenance." "Sire, I did not +notice that just now; but she will not look at me or hear my words, and +that distresses and grieves me much." "Surely," says the king, "she is +in the wrong, for you have risked your life for her. Come away now, fair +sweet friend, and we shall go to speak with the seneschal." "I shall be +glad to do so," he replies. Then they both go to the seneschal. As soon +as Lancelot came where he was, the seneschal's first exclamation was: +"How thou hast shamed me!" "I? How so?" Lancelot inquires; "tell me what +disgrace have I brought upon you?" "A very great disgrace, for thou hast +carried out what I could not accomplish, and thou hast done what I could +not do." + +(Vv. 4031-4124.) Then the king left them together in the room, and went +out alone. And Lancelot inquires of the seneschal if he has been badly +off. "Yes," he answers, "and I still am so. I was never more wretched +than I am now. And I should have died a long time ago, had it not been +for the king, who in his compassion has shown me so much gentleness and +kindness that he willingly let me lack nothing of which I stood in need; +but I was furnished at once with everything that I desired. But opposed +to the kindness which he showed me, was Meleagant his son, who is full +of wickedness, and who summoned the physicians to him and bade them +apply such ointments as would kill me. Such a father and stepfather have +I had! For when the king had a good plaster applied to my wounds in his +desire that I should soon be cured, his treacherous son, wishing to put +me to death, had it promptly taken off and some harmful salve applied. +But I am very sure that the king was ignorant of this; he would not +tolerate such base and murderous tricks. But you do not know how +courteous he has been to my lady: no frontier tower since the time that +Noah built the ark was ever so carefully guarded, for he has guarded her +so vigilantly that, though his son chafed under the restraint, he would +nor let him see her except in the presence of the king himself. Up to +the present time the king in his mercy has shown her all the marks of +consideration which she herself proposed. She alone had the disposition +of her affairs. And the king esteemed her all the more for the loyalty +she showed. But is it true, as I am told, that she is so angry with you +that she has publicly refused to speak with you?" "You have been told +the exact truth," Lancelot replies, "but for God's sake, can you tell me +why she is so displeased with me?" He replies that he does not know, and +that he is greatly surprised at it. "Well, let it be as she pleases," +says Lancelot, feeling his helplessness; "I must now take my leave, and +I shall go to seek my lord Gawain who has entered this land, and who +arranged with me that he would proceed directly to the waterbridge." +Then, leaving the room, he appeared before the king and asked for leave +to proceed in that direction. And the king willingly grants him leave to +go. Then those whom Lancelot had set free and delivered from prison ask +him what they are to do. And he replies: "All those who desire may come +with me, and those who wish to stay with the Queen may do so: there is +no reason why they should accompany me." Then all those, who so desire, +accompany him, more glad and joyous than is their wont. With the Queen +remain her damsels who are light of heart, and many knights and ladies +too. But there is not one of those who stay behind, who would not have +preferred to return to his own country to staying there. But on my +lord Gawain's account, whose arrival is expected, the Queen keeps them, +saying that she will never stir until she has news of him. + +(Vv. 4125-4262.) The news spreads everywhere that the Queen is free to +go, and that all the other prisoners have been set at liberty and are +free to go whenever it suits and pleases them. Wherever the people of +the land gather together, they ask each other about the truth of this +report, and never talk of anything else. They are very much enraged that +all the dangerous passes have been overcome, and that any one may come +and go as he pleases. But when the natives of the country, who had not +been present at the battle, learned how Lancelot had been the victor, +they all betook themselves to the place where they knew he must pass +by, thinking that the king would be well pleased if they should seize +Lancelot and hale him back to him. All of his own men were without +their arms, and therefore they were at a disadvantage when they saw the +natives of the country coming under arms. It was not strange that they +seized Lancelot, who was without his arms. They lead him back prisoner, +his feet lashed together beneath his horse. Then his own men say: +"Gentlemen, this is an evil deed; for the king has given us his +safe-conduct, and we are under his protection." But the others reply: +"We do not know how that may be; but as we have taken you, you must +return with us to court." The rumour, which swiftly flies and runs, +reaches the king, that his men have seized Lancelot and put him to +death. When the king hears it, he is sorely grieved and swears angrily +by his head that they who have killed him shall surely die for the deed; +and that, if he can seize or catch them, it shall be their fate to be +hanged, burned, or drowned. And if they attempt to deny their deed, he +will not believe what they say, for they have brought him such grief and +shame that he would be disgraced were vengeance not to be exacted from +them; but he will be avenged without a doubt. The news of this spread +until it reached the Queen, who was sitting at meat. She almost killed +herself on hearing the false report about Lancelot, but she supposes it +to be true, and therefore she is in such dismay that she almost loses +the power to speak; but, because of those present, she forces herself +to say: "In truth, I am sorry for his death, and it is no wonder that +I grieve, for he came into this country for my sake, and therefore I +should mourn for him." Then she says to herself, so that the others +should not hear, that no one need ask her to drink or eat, if it is +true that he is dead, in whose life she found her own. Then grieving she +rises from the table, and makes her lament, but so that no one hears +or notices her. She is so beside herself that she repeatedly grasps +her throat with the desire to kill herself; but first she confesses to +herself, and repents with self-reproach, blaming and censuring herself +for the wrong she had done him, who, as she knew, had always been hers, +and would still be hers, if he were alive. She is so distressed at +the thought of her cruelty, that her beauty is seriously impaired. Her +cruelty and meanness affected her and marred her beauty more than all +the vigils and fastings with which she afflicted herself. When all her +sins rise up before her, she gathers them together, and as she reviews +them, she repeatedly exclaims: "Alas! of what was I thinking when my +lover stood before me and I should have welcomed him, that I would not +listen to his words? Was I not a fool, when I refused to look at or +speak to him? Foolish indeed? Rather was I base and cruel, so help me +God. I intended it as a jest, but he did not take it so, and has not +pardoned me. I am sure it was no one but me who gave him his death-blow. +When he came before me smiling and expecting that I would be glad to +see him and would welcome him, and when I would not look at him, was not +that a mortal blow? When I refused to speak with him, then doubtless at +one blow I deprived him of his heart and life. These two strokes have +killed him, I am sure; no other bandits have caused his death. God! can +I ever make amends for this murder and this crime? No, indeed; sooner +will the rivers and the sea dry up. Alas! how much better I should feel, +and how much comfort I should take, if only once before he died I had +held him in my arms! What? Yes, certainly, quite unclad, in order the +better to enjoy him. If he is dead, I am very wicked not to destroy +myself. Why? Can it harm my lover for me to live on after he is dead, if +I take no pleasure in anything but in the woe I bear for him? In giving +myself up to grief after his death, the very woes I court would be sweet +to me, if he were only still alive. It is wrong for a woman to wish to +die rather than to suffer for her lover's sake. It is certainly sweet +for me to mourn him long. I would rather be beaten alive than die and be +at rest." + +(Vv. 4263-4414.) For two days the Queen thus mourned for him without +eating or drinking, until they thought she too would die. There are +plenty of people ready to carry bad news rather than good. The news +reaches Lancelot that his lady and sweetheart is dead. You need have +no doubt of the grief he felt; every one may feel sure that he was +afflicted and overcome with grief. Indeed, if you would know the truth, +he was so downcast that he held his life in slight esteem. He wished to +kill himself at once, but first he uttered a brief lament. He makes +a running noose at one end of the belt he wore, and then tearfully +communes thus with himself: "Ah, death, how hast thou spied me out and +undone me, when in the bloom of health! I am undone, and yet I feel no +pain except the grief within my heart. This is a terrible mortal grief. +I am willing that it should be so, and if God will, I shall die of it. +Then can I not die some other way, without God's consent? Yes, if he +will let me tie this noose around my neck. I think I can compel death, +even against her will, to take my life. Death, who covets only those +who fear her, will not come to me; but my belt will bring her within my +power, and as soon as she is mine, she will execute my desire. But, in +truth, she will come too tardily for me, for I yearn to have her now!" +Then he delays and hesitates no longer, but adjusts his head within the +noose until it rests about his neck; and in order that he may not +fail to harm himself, he fastens the end of the belt tightly about the +saddle-bow, without attracting the attention of any one. Then he let +himself slide to earth, intending his horse to drag him until he was +lifeless, for he disdains to live another hour. When those who ride with +him see him fallen to earth, they suppose him to be in a faint, for no +one sees the noose which he had attached about his neck. At once they +caught him in their arms and, on raising him, they found the noose which +he had put around his neck and with which he sought to kill himself. +They quickly cut the noose; but the noose had so hurt his throat that +for some time he could not speak; the veins of his neck and throat are +almost broken. Now he could not harm himself, even had he wished to +do so; however, he is grieved that they have laid hands on him, and he +almost burns up with rage, for willingly would he have killed himself +had no one chanced to notice him. And now when he cannot harm himself, +he cries: "Ah, vile and shameless death! For God's sake, why hadst thou +not the power and might to kill me before my lady died? I suppose it +was because thou wouldst not deign to do what might be a kindly deed. If +thou didst spare me, it must be attributed to thy wickedness. Ah, what +kind of service and kindness is that! How well hast thou employed them +here! A curse upon him who thanks thee or feels gratitude for such a +service! I know not which is more my enemy: life, which detains me, or +death, which will not slay me. Each one torments me mortally; and it +serves me right, so help me God, that in spite of myself I should still +live on. For I ought to have killed myself as soon as my lady the Queen +showed her hate for me; she did not do it without cause, but she had +some good reason, though I know not what it is. And if I had known what +it was before her soul went to God, I should have made her such rich +amends as would have pleased her and gained her mercy. God! what could +my crime have been? I think she must have known that I mounted upon the +cart. I do not know what other cause she can have to blame me. This has +been my undoing. If this is the reason of her hate, God! what harm could +this crime do? Any one who would reproach me for such an act never knew +what love is, for no one could mention anything which, if prompted by +love, ought to be turned into a reproach. Rather, everything that one +can do for his lady-love is to be regarded as a token of his love and +courtesy. Yet, I did not do it for my 'lady-love'. I know not by what +name to call her, whether 'lady-love', or not. I do not dare to call her +by this name. But I think I know this much of love: that if she loved +me, she ought not to esteem me less for this crime, but rather call me +her true lover, inasmuch as I regarded it as an honour to do all love +bade me do, even to mount upon a cart. She ought to ascribe this to +love; and this is a certain proof that love thus tries his devotees and +thus learns who is really his. But this service did not please my lady, +as I discovered by her countenance. And yet her lover did for her that +for which many have shamefully reproached and blamed him, though she was +the cause of it; and many blame me for the part I have played, and have +turned my sweetness into bitterness. In truth, such is the custom of +those who know so little of love, that even honour they wash in shame. +But whoever dips honour into shame, does not wash it, but rather sullies +it. But they, who maltreat him so, are quite ignorant of love; and he, +who fears not his commands, boasts himself very superior to him. +For unquestionably he fares well who obeys the commands of love, and +whatever he does is pardonable, but he is the coward who does not dare." + +(Vv. 4415-4440.) Thus Lancelot makes his lament, and his men stand +grieving by his side, keeping hold of him and guarding him. Then the +news comes that the Queen is not dead. Thereupon Lancelot at once takes +comfort, and if his grief for her death had before been intense and +deep, now his joy for her life was a hundred thousand times as great. +And when they arrived within six or seven leagues of the castle where +King Bademagu was, grateful news of Lancelot was told him, how he was +alive and was coming hale and hearty, and this news the king was glad +to hear. He did a very courteous thing in going at once to appraise the +Queen. And she replies: "Fair sire, since you say so, I believe it is +true, but I assure you that, if he were dead, I should never be happy +again. All my joy would be cut off, if a knight had been killed in my +service." + +(Vv. 4441-4530.) Then the king leaves her, and the Queen yearns ardently +for the arrival of her lover and her joy. She has no desire this time +to bear him any grudge. But rumour, which never rests but runs always +unceasingly, again reaches the Queen to the effect that Lancelot would +have killed himself for her sake, if he had had the chance. She is happy +at the thought that this is true, but she would not have had it happen +so for anything, for her sorrow would have been too great. Thereupon +Lancelot arrived in haste. [422] As soon as the king sees him, he runs +to kiss and embrace him. He feels as if he ought to fly, borne along by +the buoyancy of his joy. But his satisfaction is cut short by those who +had taken and bound his guest, and the king tells them they have come +in an evil hour, for they shall all be killed and confounded. Then they +made answer that they thought he would have it so. "It is I whom you +have insulted in doing your pleasure. He has no reason to complain," +the king replies; "you have not shamed him at all, but only me who was +protecting him. However you look at it, the shame is mine. But if you +escape me now, you will see no joke in this." When Lancelot hears his +wrath, he puts forth every effort to make peace and adjust matters; when +his efforts have met with success, the king takes him away to see the +Queen. This time the Queen did not lower her eyes to the ground, but she +went to meet him cheerfully, honouring him all she could, and making him +sit down by her side. Then they talked together at length of all that +was upon their hearts, and love furnished them with so much to say that +topics did not lack. And when Lancelot sees how well he stands, and that +all he says finds favour with the Queen, he says to her in confidence: +"Lady, I marvel greatly why you received me with such a countenance when +you saw me the day before yesterday, and why you would not speak a word +to me: I almost died of the blow you gave me, and I had not the courage +to dare to question you about it, as I now venture to do. I am ready +now, lady, to make amends, when you have told me what has been the crime +which has caused me such distress." Then the Queen replies: "What? Did +you not hesitate for shame to mount the cart? You showed you were loath +to get in, when you hesitated for two whole steps. That is the reason +why I would neither address nor look at you." "May God save me from such +a crime again," Lancelot replies, "and may God show me no mercy, if you +were not quite right! For God's sake, lady, receive my amends at once, +and tell me, for God's sake, if you can ever pardon me." "Friend, you +are quite forgiven," the Queen replies; "I pardon you willingly." "Thank +you for that, lady," he then says; "but I cannot tell you here all that +I should like to say; I should like to talk with you more at leisure, if +possible." Then the Queen indicates a window by her glance rather than +with her finger, and says: "Come through the garden to-night and speak +with me at yonder window, when every one inside has gone to sleep. You +will not be able to get in: I shall be inside and you outside: to gain +entrance will be impossible. I shall be able to touch you only with my +lips or hand, but, if you please, I will stay there until morning for +love of you. Our bodies cannot be joined, for close beside me in my room +lies Kay the seneschal, who is still suffering from his wounds. And the +door is not open, but is tightly closed and guarded well. When you come, +take care to let no spy catch sight of you." "Lady," says he, "if I can +help it, no spy shall see me who might think or speak evil of us." Then, +having agreed upon this plan, they separate very joyfully. + +(Vv. 4551-4650.) Lancelot leaves the room in such a happy frame that all +his past troubles are forgotten. But he was so impatient for the night +to come that his restlessness made the day seem longer than a hundred +ordinary days or than an entire year. If night had only come, he would +gladly have gone to the trysting place. Dark and sombre night at last +won its struggle with the day, and wrapped it up in its covering, and +laid it away beneath its cloak. When he saw the light of day obscured, +he pretended to be tired and worn, and said that, in view of his +protracted vigils, he needed rest. You, who have ever done the same, may +well understand and guess that he pretends to be tired and goes to bed +in order to deceive the people of the house; but he cared nothing about +his bed, nor would he have sought rest there for anything, for he could +not have done so and would not have dared, and furthermore he would not +have cared to possess the courage or the power to do so. Soon he softly +rose, and was pleased to find that no moon or star was shining, and that +in the house there was no candle, lamp, or lantern burning. Thus he went +out and looked about, but there was no one on the watch for him, for +all thought that he would sleep in his bed all night. Without escort or +company he quickly went out into the garden, meeting no one on the way, +and he was so fortunate as to find that a part of the garden-wall had +recently fallen down. Through this break he passes quickly and proceeds +to the window, where he stands, taking good care not to cough or sneeze, +until the Queen arrives clad in a very white chemise. She wore no cloak +or coat, but had thrown over her a short cape of scarlet cloth and +shrew-mouse fur. As soon as Lancelot saw the Queen leaning on the +window-sill behind the great iron bars, he honoured her with a gentle +salute. She promptly returned his greeting, for he was desirous of her, +and she of him. Their talk and conversation are not of vulgar, tiresome +affairs. They draw close to one another, until each holds the other's +hand. But they are so distressed at not being able to come together more +completely, that they curse the iron bars. Then Lancelot asserts that, +with the Queen's consent, he will come inside to be with her, and that +the bars cannot keep him out. And the Queen replies: "Do you not see how +the bars are stiff to bend and hard to break? You could never so twist, +pull or drag at them as to dislodge one of them." "Lady," says he, "have +no fear of that. It would take more than these bars to keep me out. +Nothing but your command could thwart my power to come to you. If you +will but grant me your permission, the way will open before me. But if +it is not your pleasure, then the way is so obstructed that I could not +possibly pass through." "Certainly," she says, "I consent. My will need +not stand in your way; but you must wait until I retire to my bed again, +so that no harm may come to you, for it would be no joke or jest if the +seneschal, who is sleeping here, should wake up on hearing you. So it is +best for me to withdraw, for no good could come of it, if he should see +me standing here." "Go then, lady," he replies; "but have no fear that I +shall make any noise. I think I can draw out the bars so softly and with +so little effort that no one shall be aroused." + +(Vv. 4651-4754.) Then the Queen retires, and he prepares to loosen the +window. Seizing the bars, he pulls and wrenches them until he makes them +bend and drags them from their places. But the iron was so sharp that +the end of his little finger was cut to the nerve, and the first joint +of the next finger was torn; but he who is intent upon something else +paid no heed to any of his wounds or to the blood which trickled down. +Though the window is not low, Lancelot gets through it quickly and +easily. First he finds Kay asleep in his bed, then he comes to the bed +of the Queen, whom he adores and before whom he kneels, holding her more +dear than the relic of any saint. And the Queen extends her arms to him +and, embracing him, presses him tightly against her bosom, drawing him +into the bed beside her and showing him every possible satisfaction; her +love and her heart go out to him. It is love that prompts her to treat +him so; and if she feels great love for him, he feels a hundred thousand +times as much for her. For there is no love at all in other hearts +compared with what there is in his; in his heart love was so completely +embodied that it was niggardly toward all other hearts. Now Lancelot +possesses all he wants, when the Queen voluntarily seeks his company +and love, and when he holds her in his arms, and she holds him in hers. +Their sport is so agreeable and sweet, as they kiss and fondle each +other, that in truth such a marvellous joy comes over them as was never +heard or known. But their joy will not be revealed by me, for in a +story, it has no place. Yet, the most choice and delightful satisfaction +was precisely that of which our story must not speak. That night +Lancelot's joy and pleasure were very great. But, to his sorrow, day +comes when he must leave his mistress' side. It cost him such pain to +leave her that he suffered a real martyr's agony. His heart now stays +where the Queen remains; he has not the power to lead it away, for it +finds such pleasure in the Queen that it has no desire to leave her: +so his body goes, and his heart remains. But enough of his body stays +behind to spot and stain the sheets with the blood which has fallen from +his fingers. Full of sighs and tears, Lancelot leaves in great distress. +He grieves that no time is fixed for another meeting, but it cannot +be. Regretfully he leaves by the window through which he had entered so +happily. He was so badly wounded in the fingers that they were in sorry, +state; yet he straightened the bars and set them in their place again, +so that from neither side, either before or behind, was it evident that +any one had drawn out or bent any of the bars. When he leaves the room, +he bows and acts precisely as if he were before a shrine; then he goes +with a heavy heart, and reaches his lodgings without being recognised by +any one. He throws himself naked upon his bed without awaking any one, +and then for the first time he is surprised to notice the cuts in his +fingers; but he is not at all concerned, for he is very sure that the +wound was caused by dragging the window bars from the wall. Therefore he +was not at all worried, for he would rather have had both arms dragged +from his body than not enter through the window. But he would have been +very angry and distressed, if he had thus injured and wounded himself +under any other circumstances. + +(Vv. 4755-5006.) In the morning, within her curtained room, the Queen +had fallen into a gentle sleep; she had not noticed that her sheets +were spotted with blood, but she supposed them to be perfectly white +and clean and presentable. Now Meleagant, as soon as he was dressed and +ready, went to the room where the Queen lay. He finds her awake, and he +sees the sheets spotted with fresh drops of blood, whereupon he nudges +his companions and, suspicious of some mischief, looks at the bed of Kay +the seneschal, and sees that his sheets are blood-stained too, for you +must know that in the night his wounds had begun to bleed afresh. Then +he said: "Lady, now I have found the evidence that I desired. It is very +true that any man is a fool to try to confine a woman: he wastes his +efforts and his pains. He who tries to keep her under guard loses her +sooner than the man who takes no thought of her. A fine watch, indeed, +has been kept by my father, who is guarding you on my behalf! He +has succeeded in keeping you from me, but, in spite of him, Kay the +seneschal has looked upon you last night, and has done what he pleased +with you, as can readily be proved." "What is that?" she asks. "Since I +must speak, I find blood on your sheets, which proves the fact. I know +it and can prove it, because I find on both your sheets and his the +blood which issued from his wounds: the evidence is very strong." +Then the Queen saw on both beds the bloody sheets, and marvelling, she +blushed with shame and said: "So help me God, this blood which I see +upon my sheets was never brought here by Kay, but my nose bled during +the night, and I suppose it must be from my nose." In saying so, she +thinks she tells the truth. "By my head," says Meleagant, "there is +nothing in what you say. Swearing is of no avail, for you are taken +in your guilt, and the truth will soon be proved." Then he said to the +guards who were present: "Gentlemen, do not move, and see to it that the +sheets are not taken from the bed until I return. I wish the king to do +me justice, as soon as he has seen the truth." Then he searched until he +found him, and failing at his feet, he said: "Sire, come to see what +you have failed to guard. Come to see the Queen, and you shall see the +certain marvels which I have already seen and tested. But, before you +go, I beg you not to fail to be just and upright toward me. You know +well to what danger I have exposed myself for the Queen; yet, you are no +friend of mine and keep her from me under guard. This morning I went to +see her in her bed, and I remarked that Kay lies with her every night. +Sire, for God's sake, be not angry, if I am disgruntled and if I +complain. For it is very humiliating for me to be hated and despised by +one with whom Kay is allowed to lie." "Silence!" says the king; "I don't +believe it." "Then come, my lord, and see the sheets and the state in +which Kay has left them. Since you will not believe my words, and since +you think I am lying, I will show you the sheets and the quilt covered +with blood from Kay's wounds." "Come now," says the king, "I wish to +see for myself, and my eyes will judge of the truth." Then the king goes +directly to the room, where the Queen got up at his approach. He sees +that the sheets are blood-stained on her bed and on Kay's alike and he +says: "Lady, it is going badly now, if what my son has said is true." +Then she replies: "So help me God, never even in a dream was uttered +such a monstrous lie. I think Kay the seneschal is courteous and loyal +enough not to commit such a deed, and besides, I do not expose my body +in the market-place, nor offer it of my own free will. Surely, Kay +is not the man to make an insulting proposal to me, and I have never +desired and shall never desire to do such a thing myself." "Sire, I +shall be much obliged to you," says Meleagant to his father, "if Kay +shall be made to atone for this outrage, and the Queen's shame thus +be exposed. It devolves upon you to see that justice is done, and this +justice I now request and claim. Kay has betrayed King Arthur, his lord, +who had such confidence in him that he entrusted to him what he loved +most in the world." "Let me answer, sire," says Kay, "and I shall +exonerate myself. May God have no mercy upon my soul when I leave this +world, if I ever lay with my lady! Indeed, I should rather be dead than +ever do my lord such an ugly wrong, and may God never grant me better +health than I have now but rather kill me on the spot, if such a thought +ever entered my mind! But I know that my wounds bled profusely last +night, and that is the reason why my sheets are stained with blood. That +is why your son suspects me, but surely he has no right to do so." +And Meleagant answers him: "So help me God, the devils and demons have +betrayed you. You grew too heated last night and, as a result of your +exertions, your wounds have doubtless bled afresh. There is no use in +your denying it; we can see it, and it is perfectly evident. It is +right that he should atone for his crime, who is so plainly taken in his +guilt. Never did a knight with so fair a name commit such iniquities +as this, and yours is the shame for it." "Sire, sire," says Kay to the +king, "I will defend the Queen and myself against the accusation of your +son. He harasses and distresses me, though he has no ground to treat me +so." "You cannot fight," the king replies, "you are too ill." "Sire, if +you will allow it, I will fight with him, ill as I am, and will show +him that I am not guilty of the crime which he imputes to me." But the +Queen, having secretly sent word to Lancelot, tells the king that she +will present a knight who will defend the seneschal, if Meleagant dares +to urge this charge. Then Meleagant said at once: "There is no knight +without exception, even were he a giant, whom I will not fight until one +of us is defeated." Then Lancelot came in, and with him such a rout +of knights that the whole hall was filled with them. As soon as he had +entered, in the hearing of all, both young and old, the Queen told +what had happened, and said: "Lancelot, this insult has been done me +by Meleagant. In the presence of all who hear his words he says I have +lied, if you do not make him take it back. Last night, he asserted, +Kay lay with me, because he found my sheets, like his, all stained with +blood; and he says that he stands convicted, unless he will undertake +his own defence, or unless some one else will fight the battle on his +behalf." Lancelot says: "You need never use arguments with me. May it +not please God that either you or he should be thus discredited! I am +ready to fight and to prove to the extent of my power that he never +was guilty of such a thought. I am ready to employ my strength in his +behalf, and to defend him against this charge." Then Meleagant jumped up +and said: "So help me God, I am pleased and well satisfied with that: +no one need think that I object." And Lancelot said: "My lord king, I +am well acquainted with suits and laws, with trials and verdicts: in +a question of veracity an oath should be taken before the fight." +Meleagant at once replies: "I agree to take an oath; so let the relics +be brought at once, for I know well that I am right." And Lancelot +answers him: "So help me God, no one who ever knew Kay the seneschal +would doubt his word on such a point." Then they call for their horses, +and ask that their arms be brought. This is promptly done, and when +the valets had armed them, they were ready for the fight. Then the holy +relics are brought forth: Meleagant steps forward, with Lancelot by his +side, and both fall on their knees. Then Meleagant, laying his hands +upon the relics, swears unreservedly: "So help me God and this holy +relic, Kay the seneschal lay with the Queen in her bed last night +and, had his pleasure with her." "And I swear that thou liest," says +Lancelot, "and furthermore I swear that he neither lay with her nor +touched her. And may it please God to take vengeance upon him who has +lied, and may He bring the truth to light! Moreover, I will take another +oath and swear, whoever may dislike it or be displeased, that if I am +permitted to vanquish Meleagant to-day, I will show him no mercy, so +help me God and these relics here!" The king felt no joy when he heard +this oath. + +(Vv. 5007-5198.) When the oaths had been taken, their horses were +brought forward, which were fair and good in every way. Each man mounts +his own home, and they ride at once at each other as fast as the steeds +can carry them; and when the horses are in mid-career, the knights +strike each other so fiercely that there is nothing left of the lances +in their hands. Each brings the other to earth; however, they are not +dismayed, but they rise at once and attack each other with their sharp +drawn swords. The burning sparks fly in the air from their helmets. They +assail each other so bitterly with the drawn swords in their hands that, +as they thrust and draw, they encounter each other with their blows and +will not pause even to catch their breath. The king in his grief and +anxiety called the Queen, who had gone up in the tower to look out from +the balcony: he begged her for God's sake, the Creator, to let them be +separated. "Whatever is your pleasure is agreeable to me," the Queen +says honestly: "I shall not object to anything you do." Lancelot plainly +heard what reply the Queen made to the king's request, and from +that time he ceased to fight and renounced the struggle at once. But +Meleagant does not wish to stop, and continues to strike and hew at him. +But the king rushes between them and stops his son, who declares with an +oath that he has no desire for peace. He wants to fight, and cares not +for peace. Then the king says to him: "Be quiet, and take my advice, and +be sensible. No shame or harm shall come to thee, if thou wilt do what +is right and heed my words. Dost thou not remember that thou hast agreed +to fight him at King Arthur's court? And dost thou not suppose that +it would be a much greater honour for thee to defeat him there than +anywhere else?" The king says this to see if he can so influence him as +to appease him and separate them. And Lancelot, who was impatient to +go in search of my lord Gawain, requests leave of the king and Queen to +depart. With their permission he goes away toward the water-bridge, and +after him there followed a great company of knights. But it would have +suited him very well, if many of those who went had stayed behind. They +make long days' journeys until they approach the water-bridge, but are +still about a league from it. Before they came in sight of the bridge, a +dwarf came to meet them on a mighty hunter, holding a scourge with which +to urge on and incite his steed. In accordance with his instructions, he +at once inquired: "Which of you is Lancelot? Don't conceal him from me; +I am of your party; tell me confidently, for I ask the question for your +good." Lancelot replies in his own behalf, and says: "I am he whom thou +seekest and askest for." "Ah," says the dwarf, "frank knight, leave +these people, and trust in me. Come along with me alone, for I will take +thee to a goodly place. Let no one follow thee for anything, but let +them wait here; for we shall return presently." He, suspecting no harm +in this, bids all his men stay there, and follows the dwarf who has +betrayed him. Meanwhile his men who wait for him may continue to expect +him long in vain, for they, who have taken and seized him, have no +desire to give him up. And his men are in such a state of grief at his +failure to return that they do not know what steps to take. They all +say sorrowfully that the dwarf has betrayed them. It would be useless to +inquire for him: with heavy hearts they begin to search, but they know +not where to look for him with any hope of finding him. So they all take +counsel, and the most reasonable and sensible agree on this, it seems: +to go to the passage of the water-bridge, which is close by, to see if +they can find my lord Gawain in wood or plain, and then with his advice +search for Lancelot. Upon this plan they all agree without dissension. +Toward the water-bridge they go, and as soon as they reach the bridge, +they see my lord Gawain overturned and fallen from the bridge into the +stream which is very deep. One moment he rises, and the next he sinks; +one moment they see him, and the next they lose him from sight. They +make such efforts that they succeed in raising him with branches, poles +and hooks. He had nothing but his hauberk on his back, and on his head +was fixed his helmet, which was worth ten of the common sort, and he +wore his iron greaves, which were all rusty with his sweat, for he had +endured great trials, and had passed victoriously through many perils +and assaults. His lance, his shield, and horse were all behind on the +other bank. Those who have rescued him do not believe he is alive. For +his body was full of water, and until he got rid of it, they did not +hear him speak a word. But when his speech and voice and the passageway +to his heart are free, and as soon, as what he said could be heard and +understood, he tried to speak he inquired at once for the Queen, whether +those present had any news of her. And they replied that she is still +with King Bademagu, who serves her well and honourably. "Has no one come +to seek her in this land?" my lord Gawain then inquires of them. And +they answer him: "Yes, indeed." "Who?" "Lancelot of the Lake," they say, +"who crossed the sword-bridge, and rescued and delivered her as well +as all the rest of us. But we have been betrayed by a pot-bellied, +humpbacked, and crabbed dwarf. He has deceived us shamefully in seducing +Lancelot from us, and we do not know what he has done with him." "When +was that?" my lord Gawain inquires. "Sire, near here this very day this +trick was played on us, while he was coming with us to meet you." "And +how has Lancelot been occupied since he entered this land?" Then they +begin to tell him all about him in detail, and then they tell him about +the Queen, how she is waiting for him and asserting that nothing could +induce her to leave the country, until she sees him or hears some +credible news of him. To them my lord Gawain replies: "When we leave +this bridge, we shall go to search for Lancelot." There is not one who +does not advise rather that they go to the Queen at once, and have the +king seek Lancelot, for it is their opinion that his son Meleagant has +shown his enmity by having him cast into prison. But if the king can +learn where he is, he will certainly make him surrender him: they can +rely upon this with confidence. + +(Vv. 5199-5256.) They all agreed upon this plan, and started at once +upon their way until they drew near the court where the Queen and king +were. There, too, was Kay the seneschal, and that disloyal man, full +to overflowing of treachery, who has aroused the greatest anxiety for +Lancelot on the part of the party which now arrives. They feel they +have been discomfited and betrayed, and they make great lament in their +misery. It is not a gracious message which reports this mourning to +the Queen. Nevertheless, she deports herself with as good a grace as +possible. She resolves to endure it, as she must, for the sake of my +lord Gawain. However, she does not so conceal her grief that it does not +somewhat appear. She has to show both joy and grief at once: her heart +is empty for Lancelot, and to my lord Gawain she shows excessive joy. +Every one who hears of the loss of Lancelot is grief-stricken and +distracted. The king would have rejoiced at the coming of my lord +Gawain and would have been delighted with his acquaintance; but he is +so sorrowful and distressed over the betrayal of Lancelot that he is +prostrated and full of grief. And the Queen beseeches him insistently +to have him searched for, up and down throughout the land, without +postponement or delay. My lord Gawain and Kay and all the others join +in this prayer and request. "Leave this care to me, and speak no more +of it," the king replies, "for I have been ready to do so for some +time. Without need of request or prayer this search shall be made with +thoroughness." Everyone bows in sign of gratitude, and the king at once +sends messengers through his realm, sagacious and prudent men-at-arms, +who inquired for him throughout the land. They made inquiry for him +everywhere, but gained no certain news of him. Not finding any, they +come back to the place where the knights remain; then Gawain and Kay and +all the others say that they will go in search of him, fully armed and +lance in rest; they will not trust to sending some one else. + +(Vv. 5257-5378.) One day after dinner they were all in the hall putting +on their arms, and the point had been reached where there was nothing to +do but start, when a valet entered and passed by them all until he came +before the Queen, whose cheeks were by no means rosy! For she was in +such mourning for Lancelot, of whom she had no news, that she had lost +all her colour. The valet greeted her as well as the king, who was by +her side, and then all the others and Kay and my lord Gawain. He held a +letter in his hand which he gave to the king, who took it. The king had +it read in the hearing of all by one who made no mistake in reading it. +The reader knew full well how to communicate to them what was written in +the parchment: he says that Lancelot sends greetings to the king as his +kind lord, and thanks him for the honour and kindness he has shown him, +and that he now places himself at the king's orders. And know that he +is now hale and hearty at King Arthur's court, and he bids him tell +the Queen to come thither, if she will consent, in company with my lord +Gawain and Kay. In proof of which, he affixed his signature which they +should recognise, as indeed they did. At this they were very happy and +glad; the whole court resounds with their jubilation, and they say they +will start next day as soon as it is light. So, when the day broke, they +make ready and prepare: they rise and mount and start. With great joy +and jubilee the king escorts them for a long distance on their way. When +he has conducted them to the frontier and has seen them safely across +the border, he takes leave of the Queen, and likewise of all the rest. +And when he comes to take his leave, the Queen is careful to express +her gratitude for all the kindness he has shown to her, and throwing +her arms about his neck, she offers and promises him her own service and +that of her lord: no greater promise can she make. And my lord Gawain +promises his service to him, as to his lord and friend, and then Kay +does likewise, and all the rest. Then the king commends them to God as +they start upon their way. After these three, he bids the rest farewell, +and then turns his face toward home. The Queen and her company do not +tarry a single day until news of them reaches the court. King Arthur +was delighted at the news of the Queen's approach, and he is happy and +pleased at the thought that his nephew had brought about the Queen's +return, as well as that of Kay and of the lesser folk. But the truth is +quite different from what he thinks. All the town is cleared as they go +to meet them, and knights and vassals join in shouting as they approach: +"Welcome to my lord Gawain, who has brought back the Queen and many +another captive lady, and has freed for us many prisoners!" Then Gawain +answered them: "Gentlemen, I do not deserve your praise. Do not trouble +ever to say this again, for the compliment does not apply to me. This +honour causes me only shame, for I did not reach the Queen in time; my +detention made me late. But Lancelot reached there in time, and won such +honour as was never won by any other knight." "Where is he, then, fair +dear sire, for we do not see him here?" "Where?" echoes my lord Gawain; +"at the court of my lord the King, to be sure. Is he not?" "No, he is +not here, or anywhere else in this country. Since my lady was taken +away, we have had no news of him." Then for the first time my lord +Gawain realised that the letter had been forged, and that they had been +betrayed and deceived: by the letter they had been misled. Then they all +begin to lament, and they come thus weeping to the court, where the King +at once asks for information about the affair. There were plenty who +could tell him how much Lancelot had done, how the Queen and all the +captives were delivered from durance by him, and by what treachery the +dwarf had stolen him and drawn him away from them. This news is not +pleasing to the King, and he is very sorry and full of grief; but his +heart is so lightened by the pleasure he takes in the Queen's return, +that his grief concludes in joy. When he has what he most desires, he +cares little for the rest. + +(Vv. 5379-5514.) While the Queen was out of the country, I believe, the +ladies and the damsels who were disconsolate, decided among themselves +that they would marry, soon, and they organised a contest and a +tournament. The lady of Noauz was patroness of it, with the lady of +Pomelegloi. They will have nothing to do with those who fare ill, but +they assert that they will accept those who comport themselves well in +the tournament. And they had the date of the contest proclaimed s long +while in advance in all the countries near and far, in order that there +might be more participants. Now the Queen arrived before the date they +had set, and as soon as the ladies heard of the Queen's return, most of +them came at once to the King and besought him to grant them a favour +and boon, which he did. He promised to do whatever they wished, before +he knew what their desire might be. Then they told him that they wished +him to let the Queen come to be present at their contest. And he who was +not accustomed to forbid, said he was willing, if she wished ir so. In +happy mood they go to the Queen and say to her: "Lady, do not deprive us +of the boon which the King has granted us." Then she asks them: "What +is that? Don't fail to tell!" Then they say to her: "If you will come to +our tournament, he will not gainsay you nor stand in the way." Then she +said that she would come, since he was willing that she should. Promptly +the dames send word throughout the realm that they are going to bring +the Queen on the day set for the tournament. The news spread far and +near, here and there, until it reached the kingdom whence no one used +to return--but now whoever wished might enter or pass out unopposed. +The news travelled in this kingdom until it came to a seneschal of +the faithless Meleagant may an evil fire burn him! This seneschal had +Lancelot in his keeping, for to him he had been entrusted by his enemy +Meleagant, who hated him with deadly hate. Lancelot learned the hour and +date of the tournament, and as soon as he heard of it, his eyes were not +tearless nor was his heart glad. The lady of the house, seeing Lancelot +sad and pensive, thus spoke to him: "Sire, for God's sake and for your +own soul's good, tell me truly," the lady said, "why you are so changed. +You won't eat or drink anything, and I see that you do not make merry or +laugh. You can tell me with confidence why you are so sad and troubled." +"Ah, lady, for God's sake, do not be surprised that I am sad! Truly, I +am very much downcast, since I cannot be present where all that is good +in the world will be assembled: that is, at the tournament where +there will be a gathering of the people who make the earth tremble. +Nevertheless, if it pleased you, and if God should incline your heart +to let me go thither, you might rest assured that I should be careful to +return to my captivity here." "I would gladly do it," she replied, "if I +did not see that my death and destruction would result. But I am in such +terror of my lord, the despicable Meleagant, that I would not dare to +do it, for he would kill my husband at once. It is not strange that I +am afraid of him, for, as you know, he is very bad." "Lady, if you are +afraid that I may not return to you at once after the tournament, I will +take an oath which I will never break, that nothing will detain me from +returning at once to my prison here immediately after the tournament." +"Upon my word," said she, "I will allow it upon one condition." "Lady, +what condition is that?" Then she replies: "Sire, upon condition that +you wilt swear to return to me, and promise that I shall have your +love." "Lady, I give you all the love I have, and swear to come back." +Then the lady laughs and says: "I have no cause to boast of such a gift, +for I know you have bestowed upon some one else the love for which I +have just made request. However, I do not disdain to take so much of it +as I can get. I shall be satisfied with what I can have, and will accept +your oath that you will be so considerate of me as to return hither a +prisoner." + +(Vv. 5515-5594.) In accordance with her wish, Lancelot swears by Holy +Church that he will return without fail. And the lady at once gives him +the vermilion arms of her lord, and his horse which was marvellously +good and strong and brave. He mounts and leaves, armed with handsome, +new arms, and proceeds until he comes to Noauz. He espoused this side in +the tournament, and took his lodging outside the town. Never did such +a noble man choose such a small and lowly lodging-place; but he did not +wish to lodge where he might be recognised. There were many good and +excellent knights gathered within the town. But there were many more +outside, for so many had come on account of the presence of the Queen +that the fifth part could not be accommodated inside. For every one who +would have been there under ordinary circumstances, there were seven who +would not have come excepting on the Queen's account. The barons were +quartered in tents, lodges, and pavilions for five leagues around. +Moreover, it was wonderful how many gentle ladies and damsels were +there. Lancelot placed his shield outside the door of his lodging-place, +and then, to make himself more comfortable, he took off his arms and lay +down upon a bed which he held in slight esteem; for it was narrow +and had a thin mattress, and was covered with a coarse hempen cloth. +Lancelot had thrown himself upon the bed all disarmed, and as he +lay there in such poor estate, behold! a fellow came in in his +shirt-sleeves; he was a herald-at-arms, and had left his coat and shoes +in the tavern as a pledge; so he came running barefoot and exposed to +the wind. He saw the shield hanging outside the door, and looked at it: +but naturally he did not recognise it or know to whom it belonged, or +who was the bearer of it. He sees the door of the house standing open, +and upon entering, he sees Lancelot upon the bed, and as soon as he saw +him, he recognised him and crossed himself. And Lancelot made a sign to +him, and ordered him not to speak of him wherever he might go, for if +he should tell that he knew him, it would be better for him to have his +eyes put out or his neck broken. "Sire," the herald says, "I have +always held you in high esteem, and so long as I live, I shall never +do anything to cause you displeasure." Then he runs from the house and +cries aloud: "Now there has come one who will take the measure! [423] +Now there has come one who will take the measure!" The fellow shouts +this everywhere, and the people come from every side and ask him what is +the meaning of his cry. He is not so rash as to answer them, but goes +on shouting the same words: "Now there has come one who will take the +measure!" This herald was the master of us all, when he taught us to use +the phrase, for he was the first to make use of it. + +(Vv. 5595-5640.) Now the crowd was assembled, including the Queen and +all the ladies, the knights and the other people, and there were many +men-at-arms everywhere, to the right and left. At the place where the +tournament was to be, there were some large wooden stands for the use of +the Queen with her ladies and damsels. Such fine stands were never seen +before they were so long and well constructed. Thither the ladies betook +themselves with the Queen, wishing to see who would fare better or worse +in the combat. Knights arrive by tens, twenties, and thirties, here +eighty and there ninety, here a hundred, there still more, and yonder +twice as many yet; so that the press is so great in front of the stands +and all around that they decide to begin the joust. As they assemble, +armed and unarmed, their lances suggest the appearance of a wood, for +those who have come to the sport brought so many lances that there is +nothing in sight but lances, banners, and standards. Those who are going +to take part begin to joust, and they find plenty of their companions +who had come with similar intent. Still others prepare to perform other +feats of chivalry. The fields, meadows, and fallow lands are so full of +knights that it is impossible to estimate how many of them are there. +But there was no sign of Lancelot at this first gathering of the +knights; but later, when he entered the middle of the field, the herald +saw him and could not refrain from crying out: "Behold him who will take +the measure! Behold him who will take the measure!" And the people ask +him who he is, but he will not tell them anything. + +(Vv. 5641-6104.) When Lancelot entered the tournament, he was as good as +twenty of the best, and he began to fight so doughtily that no one could +take his eyes from him, wherever he was. On the Pomelegloi side there +was a brave and valorous knight, and his horse was spirited and swifter +than a wild stag. He was the son of the Irish king, and fought well +and handsomely. But the unknown knight pleased them all more a hundred +times. In wonder they all make haste to ask: "Who is this knight who +fights so well?" And the Queen privily called a clever and wise damsel +to her and said: "Damsel, you must carry a message, and do it quickly +and with few words. Go down from the stand, and approach yonder knight +with the vermilion shield, and tell him privately that I bid him do his +'worst'." She goes quickly, and with intelligence executes the Queen's +command. She sought the knight until she came up close to him; then +she said to him prudently and in a voice so low that no one standing by +might hear: "Sire, my lady the Queen sends you word by me that you shall +do your 'worst'." When he heard this, he replied: "Very willingly," like +one who is altogether hers. Then he rides at another knight as hard as +his horse can carry him, and misses his thrust which should have struck +him. From that time till evening fell he continued to do as badly as +possible in accordance with the Queen's desire. But the other, who +fought with him, did not miss his thrust, but struck him with such +violence that he was roughly handled. Thereupon he took to flight, and +after that he never turned his horse's head toward any knight, and were +he to die for it, he would never do anything unless he saw in it his +shame, disgrace, and dishonour; he even pretends to be afraid of all the +knights who pass to and fro. And the very knights who formerly esteemed +him now hurled jests and jibes at him. And the herald who had been +saying: "He will beat them all in turn!" is greatly dejected and +discomfited when he hears the scornful jokes of those who shout: +"Friend, say no more! This fellow will not take any one's measure again. +He has measured so much that his yardstick is broken, of which thou hast +boasted to us so much." Many say: "What is he going to do? He was so +brave just now; but now he is so cowardly that there is not a knight +whom he dares to face. The cause of his first success must have been +that he never engaged at arms before, and he was so brave at his first +attack that the most skilled knight dared not withstand him, for he +fought like a wild man. But now he has learned so much of arms that he +will never wish to bear them again his whole life long. His heart cannot +longer endure the thought, for there is nothing more cowardly than his +heart." And the Queen, as she watches him, is happy and well-pleased, +for she knows full well, though she does not say it, that this is surely +Lancelot. Thus all day long till evening he played his coward's part, +and late in the afternoon they separated. At parting there was a great +discussion as to who had done the best. The son of the Irish king thinks +that without doubt or contradiction he has all the glory and renown. But +he is grievously mistaken, for there were plenty of others as good as +he. Even the vermilion knight so pleased the fairest and gentlest of +the ladies and damsels that they had gazed at him more than at any +other knight, for they had remarked how well he fought at first, and how +excellent and brave he was; then he had become so cowardly that he dared +not face a single knight, and even the worst of them could defeat and +capture him at will. But knights and ladies all agreed that on the +morrow they should return to the list, and the damsels should choose +as their lords those who should win honour in that day's fight: on this +arrangement they all agree. Then they turn toward their lodgings, and +when they had returned, here and there men began to say: "What has +become of the worst, the most craven and despised of knights? Whither +did he go? Where is he concealed? Where is he to be found? Where shall +we search for him? We shall probably never see him again. For he has +been driven off by cowardice, with which he is so filled that there +is no greater craven in the world than he. And he is not wrong, for a +coward is a hundred times more at ease than a valorous fighting man. +Cowardice is easy of entreaty, and that is the reason he has given her +the kiss of peace and has taken from her all she has to give. Courage +never so debased herself as to lodge in his breast or take quarters near +him. But cowardice is altogether lodged with him, and she has found a +host who will honour her and serve her so faithfully that he is willing +to resign his own fair name for hers." Thus they wrangle all night, +vying with each other in slander. But often one man maligns another, and +yet is much worse himself than the object of his blame and scorn. Thus, +every one said what he pleased about him. And when the next day dawned, +all the people prepared and came again to the jousting place. The Queen +was in the stand again, accompanied by her ladies and damsels and many +knights without their arms, who had been captured or defeated, and these +explained to them the armorial bearings of the knights whom they most +esteem. Thus they talk among themselves: [424] "Do you see that knight +yonder with a golden band across the middle of his red shield? That is +Governauz of Roberdic. And do you see that other one, who has an eagle +and a dragon painted side by side upon his shield? That is the son of +the King of Aragon, who has come to this land in search of glory and +renown. And do you see that one beside him, who thrusts and jousts so +well, bearing a shield with a leopard painted on a green ground on +one part, and the other half is azure blue? That is Ignaures the +well-beloved, a lover himself and jovial. And he who bears the shield +with the pheasants portrayed beak to beak is Coguillanz of Mautirec. Do +you see those two side by side, with their dappled steeds, and golden +shields showing black lions? One is named Semiramis, and the other is +his companion; their shields are painted alike. And do you see the one +who has a shield with a gate painted on it, through which a stag appears +to be passing out? That is King Ider, in truth." Thus they talk up in +the stand. "That shield was made at Limoges, whence it was brought by +Pilades, who is very ardent and keen to be always in the fight. That +shield, bridle, and breast-strap were made at Toulouse, and were brought +here by Kay of Estraus. The other came from Lyons on the Rhone, and +there is no better under heaven; for his great merit it was presented +to Taulas of the Desert, who bears it well and protects himself with +it skilfully. Yonder shield is of English workmanship and was made at +London; you see on it two swallows which appear as if about to fly; yet +they do not move, but receive many blows from the Poitevin lances of +steel; he who has it is poor Thoas." Thus they point out and describe +the arms of those they know; but they see nothing of him whom they had +held in such contempt, and, not remarking him in the fray, they suppose +that he has slipped away. When the Queen sees that he is not there, she +feels inclined to send some one to search for him in the crowd until he +be found. She knows of no one better to send in search of him than she +who yesterday performed her errand. So, straightway calling her, she +said to her: "Damsel, go and mount your palfrey! I send you to the same +knight as I sent you yesterday, and do you seek him until you find him. +Do not delay for any cause, and tell him again to do his 'worst'. And +when you have given him this message, mark well what reply he makes." +The damsel makes no delay, for she had carefully noticed the direction +he took the night before, knowing well that she would be sent to him +again. She made her way through the ranks until she saw the knight, whom +she instructs at once to do his "worst" again, if he desires the love +and favour of the Queen which she sends him. And he makes answer: "My +thanks to her, since such is her will." Then the damsel went away, and +the valets, sergeants, and squires begin to shout: "See this marvellous +thing! He of yesterday with the vermilion arms is back again. What +can he want? Never in the world was there such a vile, despicable, and +craven wretch! He is so in the power of cowardice that resistance is +useless on his part." And the damsel returns to the Queen, who detained +her and would not let her go until she heard what his response had been; +then she heartily rejoiced, feeling no longer any doubt that this is he +to whom she altogether belongs, and he is hers in like manner. Then she +bids the damsel quickly return and tell him that it is her command and +prayer that he shall do his "best "; and she says she will go at once +without delay. She came down from the stand to where her valet with +the palfrey was awaiting her. She mounted and rode until she found the +knight, to whom she said at once: "Sire, my lady now sends word that you +shall do the 'best' you can!" And he replies: "Tell her now that it +is never a hardship to do her will, for whatever pleases her is my +delight." The maiden was not slow in bearing back this message, for she +thinks it will greatly please and delight the Queen. She made her way as +directly as possible to the stand, where the Queen rose and started to +meet her, however, she did not go down, but waited for her at the top +of the steps. And the damsel came happy in the message she had to bear. +When she had climbed the steps and reached her side, she said: "Lady, I +never saw so courteous g knight, for he is more than ready to obey every +command you send to him, for, if the truth be known, he accepts good and +evil with the same countenance." "Indeed," says the Queen, "that may +well be so." Then she returns to the balcony to watch the knights. And +Lancelot without delay seizes his shield by the leather straps, for he +is kindled and consumed by the desire to show his prowess. Guiding his +horse's head, he lets him run between two lines. All those mistaken and +deluded men, who have spent a large part of the day and night in heaping +him with ridicule, will soon be disconcerted. For a long time they have +had their sport and joke and fun. The son of the King of Ireland held +his shield closely gripped by the leather straps, as he spurs fiercely +to meet him from the opposite direction. They come together with such +violence that the son of the Irish king having broken and splintered his +lance, wishes no more of the tournament; for it was not moss he struck, +but hard, dry boards. In this encounter Lancelot taught him one of his +thrusts, when he pinned his shield to his arm, and his arm to his side, +and brought him down from his horse to earth. Like arrows the knights +at once fly out, spurring and pricking from either side, some to relieve +this knight, others to add to his distress. While some thus try to aid +their lords, many a saddle is left empty in the strife and fray. But +all that day Gawain took no hand at arms, though he was with the others +there, for he took such pleasure in watching the deeds of him with +the red painted arms that what the others did seemed to him pale in +comparison. And the herald cheered up again, as he shouted aloud so +that all could hear: "Here there has one come who will take the measure! +To-day you shall see what he can do. To-day his prowess shall appear." +Then the knight directs his steed and makes a very skilful thrust +against a certain knight, whom he strikes so hard that he carries him a +hundred feet or more from his horse. His feats with sword and lance are +so well performed that there is none of the onlookers who does not find +pleasure in watching him. Many even of those who bear arms find pleasure +and satisfaction in what he does, for it is great sport to see how he +makes horses and knights tumble and fall. He encounters hardly a single +knight who is able to keep his seat, and he gives the horses he wins to +those who want them. Then those who had been making game of him said: +"Now we are disgraced and mortified. It was a great mistake for us to +deride and vilify this man, for he is surely worth a thousand such as +we are on this field; for he has defeated and outdone all the knights +in the world, so that there is no one now that opposes him." And the +damsels, who amazed were watching him, all said that he might take them +to wife; but they did not dare to trust in their beauty or wealth, or +power or highness, for not for her beauty or wealth would this peerless +knight deign to choose any one of them. Yet, most of them are so +enamoured of him that they say that, unless they marry him, they will +not be bestowed upon any man this year. And the Queen, who hears them +boast, laughs to herself and enjoy the fun, for well she knows that if +all the gold of Arabia should be set before him, yet he who is beloved +by them all would not select the best, the fairest, or the most charming +of the group. One wish is common to them all--each wishes to have him as +her spouse. One is jealous of another, as if she were already his wife; +and all this is because they see him so adroit that in their opinion no +mortal man could perform such deeds as he had done. He did so well that +when the time came to leave the list, they admitted freely on both sides +that no one had equalled the knight with the vermilion shield. All said +this, and it was true. But when he left, he allowed his shield and lance +and trappings to fall where he saw the thickest press, then he rode off +hastily with such secrecy that no one of all the host noticed that he +had disappeared. But he went straight back to the place whence he had +come, to keep his oath. When the tournament broke up, they all searched +and asked for him, but without success, for he fled away, having no +desire to be recognised. The knights are disappointed and distressed, +for they would have rejoiced to have him there. But if the knights were +grieved to have been deserted thus, still greater was the damsels' grief +when they learned the truth, and they asserted by St. John that they +would not marry at all that year. If they can't have him whom they +truly love, then all the others may be dismissed. Thus the tourney was +adjourned without any of them choosing a husband. Meanwhile Lancelot +without delay repairs to his prison. But the seneschal arrived two or +three days before Lancelot, and inquired where he was. And his wife, who +had given to Lancelot his fair and well-equipped vermilion arms, as well +as his harness and his horse, told the truth to the seneschal--how she +had sent him where there had been jousting at the tourney of Noauz. +"Lady," the seneschal replies, "you could truly have done nothing worse +than that. Doubtless, I shall smart for this, for my lord Meleagant +will treat me worse than the beach-combers' law would treat me were I a +mariner in distress. I shall be killed or banished the moment he hears +the news, and he will have no pity for me." "Fair sire, be not now +dismayed," the lady said; "there is no occasion for the fear you feel. +There is no possibility of his detention, for he swore to me by the +saints that he would return as soon as possible." + +(Vv. 6105-6166.) [425] Then the seneschal mounts, and coming to his +lord, tells him the whole story of the episode; but at the same time, he +emphatically reassures him, telling how his wife had received his oath +that he would return to his prison. "He will not break his word, I +know," says Meleagant: "and yet I am very much displeased at what your +wife has done. Not for any consideration would I have had him present at +that tournament. But return now, and see to it that, when he comes back, +he be so strictly guarded that he shall not escape from his prison or +have any freedom of body: and send me word at once." "Your orders shall +be obeyed," says the seneschal. Then he goes away and finds Lancelot +returned as prisoner in his yard. A messenger, sent by the seneschal, +runs back at once to Meleagant, appraising him of Lancelot's return. +When he heard this news, he took masons and carpenters who unwillingly +or of their own free-will executed his commands. He summoned the best +artisans in the land, and commanded them to build a tower, and exert +themselves to build it well. The stone was quarried by the seaside; for +near Gorre on this side there runs a big broad arm of the sea, in the +midst of which an island stood, as Meleagant well knew. He ordered the +stone to be carried thither and the material for the construction of +the tower. In less than fifty-seven days the tower was completely built, +high and thick and well-founded. When it was completed, he had Lancelot +brought thither by night, and after putting him in the tower, he ordered +the doors to be walled up, and made all the masons swear that they would +never utter a word about this tower. It was his will that it should be +thus sealed up, and that no door or opening should remain, except one +small window. Here Lancelot was compelled to stay, and they gave him +poor and meagre fare through this little window at certain hours, as the +disloyal wretch had ordered and commanded them. + +(Vv. 6167-6220.) Now Meleagant has carried out all his purpose, and he +betakes himself to King Arthur's court: behold him now arrived! And when +he was before the King, he thus spoke with pride and arrogance: "King, I +have scheduled a battle to take place in thy presence and in thy +court. But I see nothing of Lancelot who agreed to be my antagonist. +Nevertheless, as my duty is, in the hearing of all who are present here, +I offer myself to fight this battle. And if he is here, let him now step +forth and agree to meet me in your court a year from now. I know not if +any one has told you how this battle was agreed upon. But I see knights +here who were present at our conference, and who, if they would, could +tell you the truth. If he should try to deny the truth, I should employ +no hireling to take my place, but would prove it to him hand to hand." +The Queen, who was seated beside the King, draws him to her as she says: +"Sire, do you know who that knight is? It is Meleagant who carried me +away while escorted by Kay the seneschal; he caused him plenty of shame +and mischief too." And the King answered her: "Lady, I understand; I +know full well that it is he who held my people in distress." The Queen +says no more, but the King addresses Meleagant: "Friend," he says, "so +help me God, we are very sad because we know nothing of Lancelot." "My +lord King," says Meleagant, "Lancelot told me that I should surely +find him here. Nowhere but in your court must I issue the call to this +battle, and I desire all your knights here to bear me witness that I +summon him to fight a year from to-day, as stipulated when we agreed to +fight." + +(Vv. 6221-6458.) At this my lord Gawain gets up, much distressed at what +he hears: "Sire, there is nothing known of Lancelot in all this land," +he says; "but we shall send in search of him and, if God will, we shall +find him yet, before the end of the year is reached, unless he be dead +or in prison. And if he does not appear, then grant me the battle, and +I will fight for him: I will arm myself in place of Lancelot, if he does +not return before that day." "Ah," says Meleagant, "for God's sake, my +fair lord King, grant him the boon. I join my request to his desire, for +I know no knight in all the world with whom I would more gladly try my +strength, excepting only Lancelot. But bear in mind that, if I do not +fight with one of them, I will accept no exchange or substitution for +either one." And the King says that this is understood, if Lancelot +does not return within the time. Then Meleagant left the royal court and +journeyed until he found his father, King Bademagu. In order to appear +brave and of consideration in his presence, he began by making a great +pretence and by assuming an expression of marvellous cheer. That day the +king was holding a joyous court at his city of Bade; [426] it was his +birthday, which he celebrated with splendour and generosity, and there +were many people of divers sorts gathered with him. All the palace +was filled with knights and damsels, and among them was the sister of +Meleagant, of whom I shall tell you, farther on, what is my thought +and reason for mentioning her here. But it is not fitting that I should +explain it here, for I do not wish to confuse or entangle my material, +but rather to treat it straight forwardly. Now I must tell you that +Meleagant in the hearing of all, both great and small, spoke thus to his +father boastingly: "Father," he says, "so help me God, please tell me +truly now whether he ought not to be well-content, and whether he is +not truly brave, who can cause his arms to be feared at King Arthur's +court?" To this question his father replies at once: "Son," he says, +"all good men ought to honour and serve and seek the company of one +whose deserts are such." Then he flattered him with the request that +he should not conceal why he has alluded to this, what he wishes, and +whence he comes. "Sire, I know not whether you remember," Meleagant +begins, "the agreements and stipulations which were recorded when +Lancelot and I made peace. It was then agreed, I believe, and in the +presence of many we were told, that we should present ourselves at the +end of a year at Arthur's court. I went thither at the appointed time, +ready equipped for my business there. I did everything that had been +prescribed: I called and searched for Lancelot, with whom I was to +fight, but I could not gain a sight of him: he had fled and run away. +When I came away, Gawain pledged his word that, if Lancelot is not alive +and does not return within the time agreed upon, no further postponement +will be asked, but that he himself will fight the battle against me in +place of Lancelot. Arthur has no knight, as is well known, whose fame +equals his, but before the flowers bloom again, I shall see, when we +come to blows, whether his fame and his deeds are in accord: I only +wish it could be settled now!" "Son," says his father, "thou art acting +exactly like a fool. Any one, who knew it not before, may learn of thy +madness from thy own lips. A good heart truly humbles itself, but the +fool and the boastful never lose their folly. Son, to thee I direct my +words, for the traits of thy character are so hard and dry, that +there is no place for sweetness or friendship. Thy heart is altogether +pitiless: thou art altogether in folly's grasp. This accounts for my +slight respect for thee, and this is what will cast thee down. If thou +art brave, there will be plenty of men to say so in time of need. A +virtuous man need not praise his heart in order to enhance his deed; the +deed itself will speak in its own praise. Thy self-praise does not aid +thee a whit to increase in any one's esteem; indeed, I hold thee in less +esteem. Son, I chasten thee; but to what end? It is of little use to +advise a fool. He only wastes his strength in vain who tries to cure +the madness of a fool, and the wisdom that one teaches and expounds is +worthless, wasted and unemployed, unless it is expressed in works." Then +Meleagant was sorely enraged and furious. I may truly say that never +could you see a mortal man so full of anger as he was; the last bond +between them was broken then, as he spoke to his father these ungracious +words: "Are you in a dream or trance, when you say that I am mad to tell +you how my matters stand? I thought I had come to you as to my lord and +my father; but that does not seem to be the case, for you insult me more +outrageously than I think you have any right to do; moreover, you can +give no reason for having addressed me thus." "Indeed, I can." "What is +it, then?" "Because I see nothing in thee but folly and wrath. I know +very well what thy courage is like, and that it will cause thee great +trouble yet. A curse upon him who supposes that the elegant Lancelot, +who is esteemed by all but thee, has ever fled from thee through fear. +I am sure that he is buried or confined in some prison whose door is +barred so tight that he cannot escape without leave. I should surely be +sorely grieved if he were dead or in distress. It would surely be too +bad, were a creature so splendidly equipped, so fair, so bold, yet so +serene, to perish thus before his time. But, may it please God, this +is not true." Then Bademagu said no more; but a daughter of his had +listened attentively to all his words, and you must know that it was she +whom I mentioned earlier in my tale, and who is not happy now to hear +such news of Lancelot. It is quite clear to her that he is shut up, +since no one knows any news of him or his wanderings. "May God never +look upon me, if I rest until I have some sure and certain news of +him!" Straightway, without making any noise or disturbance, she runs +and mounts a fair and easy-stepping mule. But I must say that when she +leaves the court, she knows not which way to turn. However, she asks no +advice in her predicament, but takes the first road she finds, and +rides along at random rapidly, unaccompanied by knight or squire. In her +eagerness she makes haste to attain the object of her search. Keenly she +presses forward in her quest, but it will not soon terminate. She may +not rest or delay long in any single place, if she wishes to carry out +her plan, to release Lancelot from his prison, if she can find him and +if it is possible. But in my opinion, before she finds him she will have +searched in many a land, after many a journey and many a quest, before +she has any news of him. But what would be the use of my telling you of +her lodgings and her journeyings? Finally, she travelled so far through +hill and dale, up and down, that more than a month had passed, and as +yet she had learned only so much as she knew before--that is, absolutely +nothing. One day she was crossing a field in a sad and pensive mood, +when she saw a tower in the distance standing by the shore of an arm of +the sea. Not within a league around about was there any house, cottage, +or dwelling-place. Meleagant had had it built, and had confined Lancelot +within. But of all this she still was unaware. As soon as she espied the +tower, she fixed her attention upon it to the exclusion of all else. And +her heart gives her assurance that here is the object of her quest; now +at last she has reached her goal, to which Fortune through many trials +has at last directed her. + +(Vv. 6459-6656.) The damsel draws so near to the tower that she can +touch it with her hands. She walks about, listening attentively, I +suppose, if perchance she may hear some welcome sound. She looks down +and she gazes up, and she sees that the tower is strong and high and +thick. She is amazed to see no door or window, except one little narrow +opening. Moreover, there was no ladder or steps about this high, sheer +tower. For this reason she surmises that it was made so intentionally, +and that Lancelot is confined inside. But she resolves that before she +tastes of food, she will learn whether this is so or not. She thinks she +will call Lancelot by name, and is about to do so when she is deterred +by hearing from the tower a voice which was making a marvellously sad +moan as it called on death. It implores death to come, and complains of +misery unbearable. In contempt of the body and life, it weakly piped in +a low, hoarse tone: "Ah, fortune, how disastrously thy wheel has turned +for me! Thou hast mocked me shamefully: a while ago I was up, but now I +am down; I was well off of late, but now I am in a sorry state; not long +since thou didst smile on me, but now thy eyes are filled with tears. +Alas, poor wretch, why didst thou trust in her, when so soon she has +deserted thee! Behold, in a very little while she has cast thee down +from thy high estate! Fortune, it was wrong of thee to mock me thus; but +what carest thou! Thou carest not how it may turn out. Ah, sacred Cross! +All, Holy Ghost! How am I wretched and undone! How completely has my +career been closed! Ah, Gawain, you who possess such worth, and whose +goodness is unparalleled, surely I may well be amazed that you do +not come to succour me. Surely you delay too long and are not showing +courtesy. He ought indeed to receive your aid whom you used to love so +devotedly! For my part I may truly say that there is no lodging place or +retreat on either side of the sea, where I would not have searched for +you at least seven or ten years before finding you, if I knew you to be +in prison. But why do I thus torment myself? You do not care for me even +enough to take this trouble. The rustic is right when he says that it +is hard nowadays to find a friend! It is easy to rest the true friend +in time of need. Alas! more than a year has passed since first I was put +inside this tower. I feel hurt, Gawain, that you have so long deserted +me! But doubtless you know nothing of all this, and I have no ground for +blaming you. Yes, when I think of it, this must be the case, and I was +very wrong to imagine such a thing; for I am confident that not for all +the world contains would you and your men have failed to come to release +me from this trouble and distress, if you were aware of it. If for no +other reason, you would be bound to do this out of love for me, your +companion. But it is idle to talk about it--it cannot be. Ah, may the +curse and the damnation of God and St. Sylvester rest upon him who +has shut me up so shamefully! He is the vilest man alive, this envious +Meleagant, to treat me as evilly as possible!" Then he, who is wearing +out his life in grief, ceases speaking and holds his peace. But when +she, who was lingering at the base of the tower, heard what he said, +she did not delay, but acted wisely and called him thus: "Lancelot," +as loudly as she could; "friend, up there, speak to one who is your +friend!" But inside he did not hear her words. Then she called out +louder yet, until he in his weakness faintly heard her, and wondered +who could be calling him. [427] He heard the voice and heard his name +pronounced, but he did not know who was calling him: he thinks it must +be a spirit. He looks all about him to see, I suppose, if he could espy +any one; but there is nothing to be seen but the tower and himself. +"God," says he, "what is that I heard? I heard some one speak, but see +nothing! Indeed, this is passing marvellous, for I am not asleep, but +wide awake. Of course, if this happened in a dream, I should consider it +an illusion; but I am awake, and therefore I am distressed." Then with +some trouble he gets up, and with slow and feeble steps he moves toward +the little opening. Once there, he peers through it, up and down and to +either side. When he had looked out as best he might, he caught sight of +her who had hailed him. He did not recognise her by sight. But she knew +him at once and said: "Lancelot, I have come from afar in search of you. +Now, thank God, at last I have found you. I am she who asked of you a +boon as you were on your way to the sword-bridge, and you very gladly +granted it at my request; it was the head I bade you cut from the +conquered knight whom I hated so. Because of this boon and this service +you did me, I have gone to this trouble. As a guerdon I shall deliver +you from here." "Damsel, many thanks to you," the prisoner then replied; +"the service I did you will be well repaid if I am set at liberty. If +you can get me out of here, I promise and engage to be henceforth always +yours, so help me the holy Apostle Paul! And as I may see God face to +face, I shall never fail to obey your commands in accordance with your +will. You may ask for anything I have, and receive it without delay." +"Friend, have no fear that you will not be released from here. You shall +be loosed and set free this very day. Not for a thousand pounds would I +renounce the expectation of seeing you free before the datum of another +day. Then I shall take you to a pleasant place, where you may rest and +take your ease. There you shall have everything you desire, whatever +it be. So have no fear. But first I must see if I can find some tool +anywhere hereabouts with which you might enlarge this hole, at least +enough to let you pass." "God grant that you find something," he said, +agreeing to this plan; "I have plenty of rope in here, which the rascals +gave me to pull up my food--hard barley bread and dirty water, which +sicken my stomach and heart." Then the daughter of Bademagu sought and +found a strong, stout, sharp pick, which she handed to him. He pounded, +and hammered and struck and dug, notwithstanding the pain it caused him, +until he could get out comfortably. Now he is greatly relieved and glad, +you may be sure, to be out Of prison and to get away from the place +where he has been so long confined. Now he is at large in the open air. +You may be sure that he would not go back again, were some one to gather +in a pile and give to him all the gold there is scattered in the world. + +(Vv. 6657-6728.) Behold Lancelot now released, but so feeble that he +staggered from his weakness and disability. Gently, without hurting him, +she sets him before her on her mule, and then they ride off rapidly. But +the damsel purposely avoids the beaten track, that they may not be +seen, and proceeds by a hidden path; for if she had travelled openly, +doubtless some one would have recognised them and done them harm, and +she would not have wished that to happen. So she avoided the dangerous +places and came to a mansion where she often makes her sojourn because +of its beauty and charm. The entire estate and the people on it belonged +to her, and the place was well furnished, safe, and private. There +Lancelot arrived. And as soon as he had come, and had laid aside his +clothes, the damsel gently laid him on a lofty, handsome couch, then +bathed and rubbed him so carefully that I could not describe half the +care she took. She handled and treated him as gently as if he had been +her father. Her treatment makes a new man of him, as she revives him +with her cares. Now he is no less fair than an angel and is more nimble +and more spry than anything you ever saw. When he arose, he was no +longer mangy and haggard, but strong and handsome. And the damsel sought +out for him the finest robe she could find, with which she clothed him +when he arose. And he was glad to put it on, quicker than a bird +in flight. He kissed and embraced the maid, and then said to her +graciously: "My dear, I have only God and you to thank for being +restored to health again. Since I owe my liberty to you, you may take +and command at will my heart and body, my service and estate. I belong +to you in return for what you have done for me; but it is long since I +have been at the court of my lord Arthur, who has shown me great honour; +and there is plenty there for me to do. Now, my sweet gentle friend, +I beg you affectionately for leave to go; then, with your consent, I +should feel free to go." "Lancelot, fair, sweet dear friend, I am quite +willing," the damsel says; "I desire your honour and welfare above +everything everywhere." Then she gives him a wonderful horse she has, +the best horse that ever was seen, and he leaps up without so much as +saying to the stirrups "by your leave": he was up without considering +them. Then to God, who never lies, they commend each other with good +intent. + +(Vv. 6729-7004.) Lancelot was so glad to be on the road that, if I +should take an oath, I could not possibly describe the joy he felt at +having escaped from his trap. But he said to himself repeatedly that woe +was the traitor, the reprobate, whom now he has tricked and ridiculed, +"for in spite of him I have escaped." Then he swears by the heart and +body of Him who made the world that not for all the riches and wealth +from Babylon to Ghent would he let Meleagant escape, if he once got him +in his power: for he has him to thank for too much harm and shame! But +events will soon turn out so as to make this possible; for this very +Meleagant, whom he threatens and presses hard, had already come to court +that day without being summoned by any one; and the first thing he did +was to search until he found my lord Gawain. Then the rascally proven +traitor asks him about Lancelot, whether he had been seen or found, as +if he himself did not know the truth. As a matter of fact, he did not +know the truth, although he thought he knew it well enough. And Gawain +told him, as was true, that he had not been seen, and that he had not +come. "Well, since I don't find him," says Meleagant, "do you come and +keep the promise you made me: I shall not longer wait for you." Then +Gawain makes answer: "I will keep presently my word with you, if it +please God in whom I place my trust. I expect to discharge my debt to +you. But if it comes to throwing dice for points, and I should throw +a higher number than you, so help me God and the holy faith, I'll not +withdraw, but will keep on until I pocket all the stakes." [428] Then +without delay Gawain orders a rug to be thrown down and spread before +him. There was no snivelling or attempt to run away when the squires +heard this command, but without grumbling or complaint they execute +what he commands. They bring the rug and spread it out in the place +indicated; then he who had sent for it takes his seat upon it and gives +orders to be armed by the young men who were standing unarmed before +him. There were two of them, his cousins or nephews, I know not +which, but they were accomplished and knew what to do. They arm him so +skilfully and well that no one could find any fault in the world with +them for any mistake in what they did. When they finished arming him, +one of them went to fetch a Spanish steed able to cross the fields, +woods, hills, and valleys more swiftly than the good Bucephalus. [429] +Upon a horse such as you have heard Gawain took his seat--the admired +and most accomplished knight upon whom the sign of the Cross was ever +made. Already he was about to seize his shield, when he saw Lancelot +dismount before him, whom he was not expecting to see. He looked at +him in amazement, because he had come so unexpectedly; and, if I am not +wrong, he was as much surprised as if he had fallen from the clouds. +However, no business of his own can detain him, as soon as he sees +Lancelot, from dismounting and extending his arms to him, as he +embraces, salutes and kisses him. Now he is happy and at ease, when he +has found his companion. Now I will tell you the truth, and you must not +think I lie, that Gawain would not wish to be chosen king, unless he had +Lancelot with him. The King and all the rest now learn that, in spite of +all, Lancelot, for whom they so long have watched, has come back quite +safe and sound. Therefore they all rejoice, and the court, which so +long has looked for him, comes together to honour him. Their happiness +dispels and drives away the sorrow which formerly was theirs. Grief +takes flight and is replaced by an awakening joy. And how about the +Queen? Does she not share in the general jubilee? Yes, verily, she +first of all. How so? For God's sake, where, then, could she be keeping +herself? She was never so glad in her life as she was for his return. +And did she not even go to him? Certainly she did; she is so close to +him that her body came near following her heart. Where is her heart, +then? It was kissing and welcoming Lancelot. And why did the body +conceal itself? Why is not her joy complete? Is it mingled with anger or +hate? No, certainly, not at all; but it may be that the King or some of +the others who are there, and who are watching what takes place, would +have taken the whole situation in, if, while all were looking on, she +had followed the dictates of her heart. If common-sense had not banished +this mad impulse and rash desire, her heart would have been revealed and +her folly would have been complete. Therefore reason closes up and +binds her fond heart and her rash intent, and made it more reasonable, +postponing the greeting until it shall see and espy a suitable and more +private place where they would fare better than here and now. The King +highly honoured Lancelot, and after welcoming him, thus spoke: "I have +not heard for a long time news of any man which were so welcome as news +of you; yet I am much concerned to learn in what region and in what land +you have tarried so long a time. I have had search made for you up and +down, all the winter and summer through, but no one could find a trace +of you." "Indeed, fair sire," says Lancelot, "I can inform you in a few +words exactly how it has fared with me. The miserable traitor Meleagant +has kept me in prison ever since the hour of the deliverance of the +prisoners in his land, and has condemned me to a life of shame in a +tower of his beside the sea. There he put me and shut me in, and there I +should still be dragging out my weary life, if it were not for a friend +of mine, a damsel for whom I once performed a slight service. In return +for the little favour I did her, she has repaid me liberally: she has +bestowed upon me great honour and blessing. But I wish to repay without +delay him for whom I have no love, who has sought out and devised for +me this shame and injury. He need not wait, for the sum is all ready, +principal and interest; but God forbid that he find in it cause to +rejoice!" Then Gawain said to Lancelot: "Friend, it will be only a +slight favour for me, who am in your debt, to make this payment for you. +Moreover, I am all ready and mounted, as you see. Fair, sweet friend, do +not deny me the boon I desire and request." But Lancelot replies that +he would rather have his eye plucked out, or even both of them, than be +persuaded to do this: he swears it shall never be so. He owes the debt +and he will pay it himself: for with his own hand he promised it. Gawain +plainly sees that nothing he can say is of any avail, so he loosens and +takes off his hauberk from his back, and completely disarms himself. +Lancelot at once arms himself without delay; for he is impatient to +settle and discharge his debt. Meleagant, who is amazed beyond measure +at what he sees, has reached the end of his good fortunes, and is about +to receive what is owing him. He is almost beside himself and comes +near fainting. "Surely I was a fool," he says, "not to go, before coming +here, to see if I still held imprisoned in my tower him who now has +played this trick on me. But, God, why should I have gone? What cause +had I to think that he could possibly escape? Is not the wall built +strong enough, and is not the tower sufficiently strong and high? There +was no hole or crevice in it, through which he could pass, unless he was +aided from outside. I am sure his hiding-place was revealed. If the wall +were worn away and had fallen into decay, would he not have been caught +and injured or killed at the same time? Yes, so help me God, if it had +fallen down, he would certainly have been killed. But I guess, before +that wall gives away without being torn down, that all the water in the +sea will dry up without leaving a drop and the world will come to an +end. No, that is not it: it happened otherwise: he was helped to escape, +and could not have got out otherwise: I have been outwitted through some +trickery. At any rate, he has escaped; but if I had been on my guard, +all this would never have happened, and he would never have come to +court. But it's too late now to repent. The rustic, who seldom errs, +pertinently remarks that it is too late to close the stable when +the horse is out. I know I shall now be exposed to great shame and +humiliation, if indeed I do not suffer and endure something worse. What +shall I suffer and endure? Rather, so long as I live, I will give him +full measure, if it please God, in whom I trust." Thus he consoles +himself, and has no other desire than to meet his antagonist on the +field. And he will not have long to wait, I think, for Lancelot goes +in search of him, expecting soon to conquer him. But before the assault +begins, the King bids them go down into the plain where the tower +stands, the prettiest place this side of Ireland for a fight. So they +did, and soon found themselves on the plain below. The King goes down +too, and all the rest, men and women in crowds. No one stays behind; but +many go up to the windows of the tower, among them the Queen, her ladies +and damsels, of whom she had many with her who were fair. + +(Vv. 7005-7119.) In the field there stood a sycamore as fair as any tree +could be; it was wide-spread and covered a large area, and around it +grew a fine border of thick fresh grass which was green at all seasons +of the year. Under this fair and stately sycamore, which was planted +back in Abel's time, there rises a clear spring of water which flows +away hurriedly. The bed of the spring is beautiful and as bright as +silver, and the channel through which the water flows is formed, I +think, of refined and tested gold, and it stretches away across the +field down into a valley between the woods. There it pleases the King to +take his seat where nothing unpleasant is in sight. After the crowd has +drawn back at the King's command, Lancelot rushes furiously at Meleagant +as at one whom he hates cordially, but before striking him, he shouted +with a loud and commanding voice: "Take your stand, I defy you! And take +my word, this time you shall not be spared." Then he spurs his steed +and draws back the distance of a bow-shot. Then they drive their horses +toward each other at top speed, and strike each other so fiercely +upon their resisting shields that they pierced and punctured them. But +neither one is wounded, nor is the flesh touched in this first assault. +They pass each other without delay, and come back at the top of their +horses: speed to renew their blows on the strong, stout shields. Both of +the knights are strong and brave, and both of the horses are stout and +fast. So mighty are the blows they deal on the shields about their necks +that the lances passed clean through, without breaking or splintering, +until the cold steel reached their flesh. Each strikes the other with +such force that both are borne to earth, and no breast-strap, girth, +or stirrup could save them from falling backward over their saddle-bow, +leaving the saddle without an occupant. The horses run riderless over +hill and dale, but they kick and bite each other, thus showing their +mortal hatred. As for the knights who fell to earth, they leaped up +as quickly as possible and drew their swords, which were engraved with +chiselled lettering. Holding their shields before the face, they strive +to wound each other with their swords of steel. Lancelot stands in no +fear of him, for he knew half as much again about fencing as did his +antagonist, having learned it in his youth. Both dealt such blows on the +shield slung from their necks, and upon their helmets barred with gold, +that they crushed and damaged them. But Lancelot presses him hard and +gives him a mighty blow upon his right arm which, though encased in +mail, was unprotected by the shield, severing it with one clean stroke. +And when he felt the loss of his right arm, he said that it should be +dearly sold. If it is at all possible, he will not fail to exact the +price; he is in such pain and wrath and rage that he is well-nigh beside +himself, and he has a poor opinion of himself, if he cannot score on his +rival now. He rushes at him with the intent to seize him, but Lancelot +forestalls his plan, for with his trenchant sword he deals his body +such a cut as he will not recover from until April and May be passed. He +smashes his nose-guard against his teeth, breaking three of them in his +mouth. And Meleagant's rage is such that he cannot speak or say a word; +nor does he deign to cry for mercy, for his foolish heart holds tight in +such constraint that even now it deludes him still. Lancelot approaches +and, unlacing his helmet, cuts off his head. Never more will this man +trouble him; it is all over with him as he falls dead. Not a soul who +was present there felt any pity at the sight. The King and all the +others there are jubilant and express their joy. Happier than they +ever were before, they relieve Lancelot of his arms, and lead him away +exultingly. + +(Vv. 7120-7134.) My lords, if I should prolong my tale, it would be +beside the purpose, and so I will conclude. Godefroi de Leigni, the +clerk, has written the conclusion of "the Cart"; but let no one find +fault with him for having embroidered on Chrétien's theme, for it was +done with the consent of Chrétien who started it. Godefroi has finished +it from the point where Lancelot was imprisoned in the tower. So much he +wrote; but he would fain add nothing more, for fear of disfiguring the +tale. + + + +----Endnotes: Lancelot + +Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other +endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 41: Marie, daughter of Louis VII. of France and Eleanor of +Aquitaine, married in 1164, Henri I., Count of Champagne. On the +poet's own statement below, she furnished him with the subject matter +("maitere") and the manner of treatment ("san") of this romance. (F.)] + +[Footnote 42: The situation of Camelot has not been certainly +determined. Foerster places it in Somersetshire, while F. Paris +identified it with Colchester in Essex. (F.)] + +[Footnote 43: The high value here set upon Kay by king Arthur is worth +noting in view of the unfavourable light in which Chrétien usually +portrays him.] + +[Footnote 44: This enigmatic exclamation is addressed to the absent +Lancelot, who is the secret lover of Guinevere, and who, though he long +remains anonymous as "the Knight of the Cart", is really the hero of the +poem.] + +[Footnote 45: It was not uncommon in old French romances and epic poems +for knights to be subjected to the mockery and raillery of the vulgar +townspeople (cf. "Aiol", 911-923; id. 2579-2733; and even Moliere in +"Monsieur de Pourceaugnac", f. 3).] + +[Footnote 46: For magic beds with descending swords, see A. Hertel, +"Versauberte Oertlichkeiten", etc., p. 69 f. (Hanover, 1908).] + +[Footnote 47: The wounded knight is the defeated seneschal.] + +[Footnote 48: Mediaeval knights were such early risers as to cause us +astonishment!] + +[Footnote 49: Lancelot has constantly in mind the Queen, for whose sake +he is enduring all this pain and shame.] + +[Footnote 410: i.e., the Queen.] + +[Footnote 411: Nothing can here be added to the tentative conjectures of +Foerster regarding the nature of these unknown remedies.] + +[Footnote 412: A great annual fair at Paris marked the festival, on June +11, of St. Denis, the patron saint of the city. (F.)] + +[Footnote 413: "Donbes" (=Dombes) is the reading chosen by Foerster from +a number of variants. None of these variants has any significance, but +a place-name rhyming with "tonbes" in the preceding verse is required. +Modern Dombes is the name of a former principality in Burgundy, between +the Rhone and the Saone, while Pampelune is, of course, a Spanish city +near the French frontier. (F.)] + +[Footnote 414: The topography of the kingdom of Gorre, the land where +dwell the captives held by King Bademagu, is much confused. One would +suppose at first that the stream traversed by the two perilous bridges +formed the frontier of the kingdom. But here (v.2102), before reaching +such a frontier, the captives are already met. Foerster suggests that we +may be here at a sort of foreground or borderland which is defended by +the knight at the ford (v. 735 f.), and which, though not within the +limits of the kingdom, is nevertheless beneath the sway of Bademagu. In +the sequel the stream with the perilous bridges is placed immediately +before the King's palace (cf. Foerster's note and G. Paris in "Romania", +xxi. 471 note).] + +[Footnote 415: For magic rings, see A. Hertel, op. cit., p. 62 f.] + +[Footnote 416: This "dame" was the fairy Vivian, "the lady of the lake". +(F.)] + +[Footnote 417: A good example of the moral dilemmas in which Chrétien +delights to place his characters. Under the displeasing shell of +allegory and mediaeval casuistry we have here the germ of psychological +analysis of motive.] + +[Footnote 418: The legendary origin of this ointment, named after Mary +Magdelene, Mary the mother of James, and Mary Salome, is mentioned in +the epic poem "Mort Aimeri de Narbonne" (ed. "Anciens Textes", p. 86). +(F.)] + +[Footnote 419: The universities of Montpellier and of Salerno were the +chief centres of medical study in the Middle Ages. Salerno is referred +to in "Cligés", v. 5818.] + +[Footnote 420: The hero of the poem is here first mentioned by name.] + +[Footnote 421: The classic love-story of Pyramus and Thisbe, told by +Ovid et al., was a favourite in the Middle Ages.] + +[Footnote 422: Here he have the explanation of Guinevere's cold +reception of Lancelot; he had been faithless to the rigid code of +courtesy when he had hesitated for even a moment to cover himself with +shame for her sake.] + +[Footnote 423: The expression "or est venuz qui aunera", less literally +means "who will defeat the entire field". Though Chrétien refers to the +expression as a current proverb, only two other examples of its use +have been found. (Cf. "Romania", xvi. 101, and "Ztsch. fur romanische +Philologie", xi. 430.) From this passage G. Paris surmised that Chrétien +himself was a herald-at-arms ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 296), but +as Foerster says, the text hardly warrants the supposition.] + +[Footnote 424: The evident satisfaction with which Chrétien describes in +detail the bearings of the knights in the following passage lends colour +to Gaston Paris' conjecture that he was a herald as well as a poet.] + +[Footnote 425: According to the statement made at the end of the poem +by the continuator of Chrétien, Godefroi de Leigni, it must have been at +about this point that the continuator took up the thread of the story. +It is not known why Chrétien dropped the poem where he did.] + +[Footnote 426: Bade = Bath. (F.)] + +[Footnote 427: The situation recalls that in "Aucassin et Nicolette", +where Aucassin confined in the tower hears his sweetheart calling to him +from outside.] + +[Footnote 428: The figure is, of course, taken from the game of throwing +dice for high points. For an exhaustive account of dice-playing derived +from old French texts, cf. Franz Semrau, "Wurfel und Wurfelspiel in +alten Frankreich", "Beiheft" 23 of "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie +(Halle," 1910).] + +[Footnote 429: Alexander's horse.] + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ +concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Four Arthurian Romances</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Chrétien de Troyes</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February, 1997 [eBook #831]<br /> +[Most recently updated: June 29, 2023]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Douglas B. Killings and David Widger</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES ***</div> + + <h1> + FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES: + </h1> + <h1> + "EREC ET ENIDE", "CLIGÉS", "YVAIN", AND "LANCELOT" + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by Chrétien de Troyes + </h2> + <h4> + Fl. 12th Century A.D. + </h4> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h4> + Originally written in Old French, sometime in the second half<br /> of the + 12th Century A.D., by the court poet Chrétien de Troyes. + </h4> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> EREC ET ENIDE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> CLIGÉS </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> YVAIN </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> LANCELOT </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + + <h2><a name="link2H_4_0001"></a> + SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + </h2> + <h3> + ORIGINAL TEXT— + </h3> + <p> + Carroll, Carleton W. (Ed.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Erec and Enide" (Garland + Library of Medieval Literature, New York & London, 1987). Edited with + a translation (see Penguin Classics edition below). + </p> + <p> + Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: The Knight with the Lion, or + Yvain (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 48A, New York & London, + 1985). Original text with English translation (See Penguin Classics + edition below). + </p> + <p> + Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Lancelot, or The Knight of + the Cart (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 1A, New York & + London, 1981). Original text with English translation (See Penguin + Classics edition below). + </p> + <p> + Micha, Alexandre (Ed.): "Les Romans de Chrétien de Troyes, Vol. II: + Cligés" (Champion, Paris, 1957). + </p> + <p> + OTHER TRANSLATIONS— + </p> + <p> + Cline, Ruth Harwood (Trans.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Yvain, or the Knight + with the Lion" (University of Georgia Press, Athens GA, 1975). + </p> + <p> + Kibler, William W. & Carleton W. Carroll (Trans.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: + Arthurian Romances" (Penguin Classics, London, 1991). Contains + translations of "Erec et Enide" (by Carroll), "Cligés", "Yvain", + "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval" (by Kibler). Highly + recommended. + </p> + <p> + Owen, D.D.R (Trans.): "Chrétien DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" (Everyman + Library, London, 1987). Contains translations of "Erec et Enide", + "Cligés", "Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval". NOTE: + This edition replaced W.W. Comfort's in the Everyman Library catalogue. + Highly recommended. + </p> + <p> + RECOMMENDED READING— + </p> + <p> + Anonymous: "Lancelot of the Lake" (Trans: Corin Corely; Oxford University + Press, Oxford, 1989). English translation of one of the earliest prose + romances concerning Lancelot. + </p> + <p> + Anonymous: "The Mabinogion" (Ed: Jeffrey Gantz; Penguin Classics, London, + 1976). Contains a translation of "Geraint and Enid", an earlier Welsh + version of "Erec et Enide". + </p> + <p> + Anonymous: "Yvain and Gawain", "Sir Percyvell of Gales", and "The Anturs + of Arther" (Ed: Maldwyn Mills; Everyman, London, 1992). NOTE: Texts are in + Middle-English; "Yvain and Gawain" is a Middle-English work based almost + exclusively on Chrétien DeTroyes' "Yvain". + </p> + <p> + Malory, Sir Thomas: "Le Morte D'Arthur" (Ed: Janet Cowen; Penguin + Classics, London, 1969). + </p> + <hr /> + + <h2><a name="link2H_INTR"></a> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> + <p> + Chrétien De Troyes has had the peculiar fortune of becoming the best known + of the old French poets to students of mediaeval literature, and of + remaining practically unknown to any one else. The acquaintance of + students with the work of Chrétien has been made possible in academic + circles by the admirable critical editions of his romances undertaken and + carried to completion during the past thirty years by Professor Wendelin + Foerster of Bonn. At the same time the want of public familiarity with + Chrétien's work is due to the almost complete lack of translations of his + romances into the modern tongues. The man who, so far as we know, first + recounted the romantic adventures of Arthur's knights, Gawain. Yvain, + Erec, Lancelot, and Perceval, has been forgotten; whereas posterity has + been kinder to his debtors, Wolfram yon Eschenbach, Malory, Lord Tennyson, + and Richard Wagner. The present volume has grown out of the desire to + place these romances of adventure before the reader of English in a prose + version based directly upon the oldest form in which they exist. + </p> + <p> + Such extravagant claims for Chrétien's art have been made in some quarters + that one feels disinclined to give them even an echo here. The modem + reader may form his own estimate of the poet's art, and that estimate will + probably not be high. Monotony, lack of proportion, vain repetitions, + insufficient motivation, wearisome subtleties, and threatened, if not + actual, indelicacy are among the most salient defects which will arrest, + and mayhap confound, the reader unfamiliar with mediaeval literary craft. + No greater service can be performed by an editor in such a case than to + prepare the reader to overlook these common faults, and to set before him + the literary significance of this twelfth-century poet. + </p> + <p> + Chrétien de Troyes wrote in Champagne during the third quarter of the + twelfth century. Of his life we know neither the beginning nor the end, + but we know that between 1160 and 1172 he lived, perhaps as herald-at-arms + (according to Gaston Paris, based on "Lancelot" 5591-94) at Troyes, where + was the court of his patroness, the Countess Marie de Champagne. She was + the daughter of Louis VII, and of that famous Eleanor of Aquitaine, as she + is called in English histories, who, coming from the South of France in + 1137, first to Paris and later to England, may have had some share in the + introduction of those ideals of courtesy and woman service which were soon + to become the cult of European society. The Countess Marie, possessing her + royal mother's tastes and gifts, made of her court a social experiment + station, where these Provencal ideals of a perfect society were planted + afresh in congenial soil. It appears from contemporary testimony that the + authority of this celebrated feudal dame was weighty, and widely felt. The + old city of Troyes, where she held her court, must be set down large in + any map of literary history. For it was there that Chrétien was led to + write four romances which together form the most complete expression we + possess from a single author of the ideals of French chivalry. These + romances, written in eight-syllable rhyming couplets, treat respectively + of Erec and Enide, Cligés, Yvain, and Lancelot. Another poem, "Perceval le + Gallois", was composed about 1175 for Philip, Count of Flanders, to whom + Chrétien was attached during his last years. This last poem is not + included in the present translation because of its extraordinary length of + 32,000 verses, because Chrétien wrote only the first 9000 verses, and + because Miss Jessie L. Weston has given us an English version of Wolfram's + well-known "Parzival", which tells substantially the same story, though in + a different spirit. To have included this poem, of which he wrote less + than one-third, in the works of Chrétien would have been unjust to him. It + is true the romance of "Lancelot" was not completed by Chrétien, we are + told, but the poem is his in such large part that one would be + over-scrupulous not to call it his. The other three poems mentioned are + his entire. In addition, there are quite generally assigned to the poet + two insignificant lyrics, the pious romance of "Guillaume d'Angleterre", + and the elaboration of an episode from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" (vi., + 426-674) called "Philomena" by its recent editor (C. de Boer, Paris, + 1909). All these are extant and accessible. But since "Guillaume + d'Angleterre" and "Philomena" are not universally attributed to Chrétien, + and since they have nothing to do with the Arthurian material, it seems + reasonable to limit the present enterprise to "Erec and Enide", "Cligés", + "Yvain", and "Lancelot". + </p> + <p> + Professor Foerster, basing his remark upon the best knowledge we possess + of an obscure matter, has called "Erec and Enide" the oldest Arthurian + romance extant. It is not possible to dispute this significant claim, but + let us make it a little more intelligible. Scholarship has shown that from + the early Middle Ages popular tradition was rife in Britain and Brittany. + The existence of these traditions common to the Brythonic peoples was + called to the attention of the literary world by William of Malmesbury + ("Gesta regum Anglorum") and Geoffrey of Monmouth ("Historia regum + Britanniae") in their Latin histories about 1125 and 1137 respectively, + and by the Anglo-Norman poet Wace immediately afterward. Scholars have + waged war over the theories of transmission of the so-called Arthurian + material during the centuries which elapsed between the time of the fabled + chieftain's activity in 500 A.D. and his appearance as a great literary + personage in the twelfth century. Documents are lacking for the dark ages + of popular tradition before the Norman Conquest, and the theorists may + work their will. But Arthur and his knights, as we see them in the + earliest French romances, have little in common with their Celtic + prototypes, as we dimly catch sight of them in Irish, Welsh, and Breton + legend. Chrétien belonged to a generation of French poets who rook over a + great mass of Celtic folk-lore they imperfectly understood, and made of + what, of course, it had never been before: the vehicle to carry a rich + freight of chivalric customs and ideals. As an ideal of social conduct, + the code of chivalry never touched the middle and lower classes, but it + was the religion of the aristocracy and of the twelfth-century "honnete + homme". Never was literature in any age closer to the ideals of a social + class. So true is this that it is difficult to determine whether social + practices called forth the literature, or whether, as in the case of the + seventeenth-century pastoral romance in France, it is truer to say that + literature suggested to society its ideals. Be that as it may, it is + proper to observe that the French romances of adventure portray late + mediaeval aristocracy as it fain would be. For the glaring inconsistencies + between the reality and the ideal, one may turn to the chronicles of the + period. Yet, even history tells of many an ugly sin rebuked and of many a + gallant deed performed because of the courteous ideals of chivalry. The + debt of our own social code to this literature of courtesy and frequent + self-sacrifice is perfectly manifest. + </p> + <p> + What Chrétien's immediate and specific source was for his romances is of + deep interest to the student. Unfortunately, he has left us in doubt. He + speaks in the vaguest way of the materials he used. There is no evidence + that he had any Celtic written source. We are thus thrown back upon Latin + or French literary originals which are lost, or upon current continental + lore going back to a Celtic source. This very difficult problem is as yet + unsolved in the case of Chrétien, as it is in the case of the Anglo-Norman + Beroul, who wrote of Tristan about 1150. The material evidently was at + hand and Chrétien appropriated it, without much understanding of its + primitive spirit, but appreciating it as a setting for the ideal society + dreamed of but not realised in his own day. Add to this literary + perspicacity, a good foundation in classic fable, a modicum of + ecclesiastical doctrine, a remarkable facility in phrase, figure, and + rhyme and we have the foundations for Chrétien's art as we shall find it + upon closer examination. + </p> + <p> + A French narrative poet of the twelfth century had three categories of + subject-matter from which to choose: legends connected with the history of + France ("matiere de France"), legends connected with Arthur and other + Celtic heroes ("matiere de Bretagne"), and stories culled from the history + or mythology of Greece and Rome, current in Latin and French translations + ("matiere de Rome la grant"). Chrétien tells us in "Cligés" that his first + essays as a poet were the translations into French of certain parts of + Ovid's most popular works: the "Metamorphoses", the "Ars Amatoria", and + perhaps the "Remedia Amoris". But he appears early to have chosen as his + special field the stories of Celtic origin dealing with Arthur, the Round + Table, and other features of Celtic folk-lore. Not only was he alive to + the literary interest of this material when rationalised to suit the taste + of French readers; his is further the credit of having given to somewhat + crude folk-lore that polish and elegance which is peculiarly French, and + which is inseparably associated with the Arthurian legends in all modern + literature. Though Beroul, and perhaps other poets, had previously based + romantic poems upon individual Celtic heroes like Tristan, nevertheless to + Chrétien, so far as we can see, is due the considerable honour of having + constituted Arthur's court as a literary centre and rallying-point for an + innumerable company of knights and ladies engaged in a never-ending series + of amorous adventures and dangerous quests. Rather than unqualifiedly + attribute to Chrétien this important literary convention, one should bear + in mind that all his poems imply familiarity on the part of his readers + with the heroes of the court of which he speaks. One would suppose that + other stories, told before his versions, were current. Some critics would + go so far as to maintain that Chrétien came toward the close, rather than + at the beginning, of a school of French writers of Arthurian romances. + But, if so, we do not possess these earlier versions, and for lack of + rivals Chrétien may be hailed as an innovator in the current schools of + poetry. + </p> + <p> + And now let us consider the faults which a modern reader will not be slow + to detect in Chrétien's style. Most of his salient faults are common to + all mediaeval narrative literature. They may be ascribed to the + extraordinary leisure of the class for whom it was composed—a class + which was always ready to read an old story told again, and which would + tolerate any description, however detailed. The pastimes of this class of + readers were jousting, hunting, and making love. Hence the preponderance + of these matters in the literature of its leisure hours. No detail of the + joust or hunt was unfamiliar or unwelcome to these readers; no subtle + arguments concerning the art of love were too abstruse to delight a + generation steeped in amorous casuistry and allegories. And if some scenes + seem to us indelicate, yet after comparison with other authors of his + times, Chrétien must be let off with a light sentence. It is certain he + intended to avoid what was indecent, as did the writers of narrative + poetry in general. To appreciate fully the chaste treatment of Chrétien + one must know some other forms of mediaeval literature, such as the + fabliaux, farces, and morality plays, in which courtesy imposed no + restraint. For our poet's lack of sense of proportion, and for his + carelessness in the proper motivation of many episodes, no apology can be + made. He is not always guilty; some episodes betoken poetic mastery. But a + poet acquainted, as he was, with some first-class Latin poetry, and who + had made a business of his art, ought to have handled his material more + intelligently, even in the twelfth century. The emphasis is not always + laid with discrimination, nor is his yarn always kept free of tangles in + the spinning. + </p> + <p> + Reference has been made to Chrétien's use of his sources. The tendency of + some critics has been to minimise the French poet's originality by + pointing out striking analogies in classic and Celtic fable. Attention has + been especially directed to the defence of the fountain and the service of + a fairy mistress in "Yvain", to the captivity of Arthur's subjects in the + kingdom of Gorre, as narrated in "Lancelot", reminding one so insistently + of the treatment of the kingdom of Death from which some god or hero + finally delivers those in durance, and to the reigned death of Fenice in + "Cligés", with its many variants. These episodes are but examples of + parallels which will occur to the observant reader. The difficult point to + determine, in speaking of conceptions so widespread in classic and + mediaeval literature, is the immediate source whence these conceptions + reached Chrétien. The list of works of reference appended to this volume + will enable the student to go deeper into this much debated question, and + will permit us to dispense with an examination of the arguments in this + place. However, such convincing parallels for many of Chrétien's fairy and + romantic episodes have been adduced by students of Irish and Welsh legend + that one cannot fail to be impressed by the fact that Chrétien was in + touch, either by oral or literary tradition, with the populations of + Britain and of Brittany, and that we have here his most immediate + inspiration. Professor Foerster, stoutly opposing the so-called + Anglo-Norman theory which supposes the existence of lost Anglo-Norman + romances in French as the sources of Chrétien de Troyes, is, nevertheless, + well within the truth when he insists upon what is, so far as we are + concerned, the essential originality of the French poet. The general + reader will to-day care as little as did the reader of the twelfth century + how the poet came upon the motives and episodes of his stories, whether he + borrowed them or invented them himself. Any poet should be judged not as a + "finder" but as a "user" of the common stock of ideas. The study of + sources of mediaeval poetry, which is being so doggedly carried on by + scholars, may well throw light upon the main currents of literary + tradition, but it casts no reflection, favourable or otherwise, upon the + personal art of the poet in handling his stuff. On that count he may plead + his own cause before the jury. + </p> + <p> + Chrétien's originality, then, consists in his portrayal of the social + ideal of the French aristocracy in the twelfth century. So far as we know + he was the first to create in the vulgar tongues a vast court, where men + and women lived in conformity with the rules of courtesy, where the truth + was told, where generosity was open-handed, where the weak and the + innocent were protected by men who dedicated themselves to the cult of + honour and to the quest of a spotless reputation. Honour and love combined + to engage the attention of this society; these were its religion in a far + more real sense than was that of the Church. Perfection was attainable + under this code of ethics: Gawain, for example, was a perfect knight. + Though the ideals of this court and those of Christianity are in accord at + many points, vet courtly love and Christian morality are irreconcilable. + This Arthurian material, as used by Chrétien, is fundamentally immoral as + judged by Christian standards. Beyond question, the poets and the public + alike knew this to be the case, and therein lay its charm for a society in + which the actual relations or the sexes were rigidly prescribed by the + Church and by feudal practice, rather than by the sentiments of the + individuals concerned. The passionate love of Tristan for Iseut, of + Lancelot for Guinevere, of Cligés for Fenice, fascinate the conventional + Christian society of the twelfth century and of the twentieth century + alike, but there-is only one name among men for such relations as theirs, + and neither righteousness nor reason lie that way. Even Tennyson, in spite + of all he has done to spiritualise this material, was compelled to portray + the inevitable dissolution and ruin of Arthur's court. Chrétien well knew + the difference between right and wrong, between reason and passion, as the + reader of "Cligés" may learn for himself. Fenice was not Iseut, and she + would not have her Cligés to be a Tristan. Infidelity, if you will, but + not "menage a trois". Both "Erec" and "Yvain" present a conventional + morality. But "Lancelot" is flagrantly immoral, and the poet is careful to + state that for this particular romance he is indebted to his patroness + Marie de Champagne. He says it was she who furnished him with both the + "matiere" and the "san", the material of the story and its method of + treatment. + </p> + <p> + Scholars have sought to fix the chronology of the poet's works, and have + been tempted to speculate upon the evolution of his literary and moral + ideas. Professor Foerster's chronology is generally accepted, and there is + little likelihood of his being in error when he supposes Chrétien's work + to have been done as follows: the lost "Tristan" (the existence of which + is denied by Gaston Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 297 f.), + "Erec and Enide", "Cligés", "Lancelot", "Yvain", "Perceval". The arguments + for this chronology, based upon external as well as internal criticism, + may be found in the Introductions to Professor Foerster's recent editions. + When we speculate upon the development of Chrétien's moral ideas we are + not on such sure ground. As we have seen, his standards vary widely in the + different romances. How much of this variation is due to chance + circumstance imposed by the nature of his subject or by the taste of his + public, and how much to changing conviction it is easy to see, when we + consider some contemporary novelist, how dangerous it is to judge of moral + convictions as reflected in literary work. "Lancelot" must be the keystone + of any theory constructed concerning the moral evolution of Chrétien. The + following supposition is tenable, if the chronology of Foerster is + correct. After the works of his youth, consisting of lyric poems and + translations embodying the ideals of Ovid and of the school of + contemporary troubadour poets, Chrétien took up the Arthurinn material and + started upon a new course. "Erec" is the oldest Arthurinn romance to have + survived in any language, but it is almost certainly not the first to have + been written. It is a perfectly clean story: of love, estrangement, and + reconciliation in the persons of Erec and his charming sweetheart Enide. + The psychological analysis of Erec's motives in the rude testing of Enide + is worthy of attention, and is more subtle than anything previous in + French literature with which we are acquainted. The poem is an episodical + romance in the biography of an Arthurinn hero, with the usual amount of + space given to his adventures. "Cligés" apparently connects a Byzantine + tale of doubtful origin in an arbitrary fashion with the court of Arthur. + It is thought that the story embodies the same motive as the widespread + tale of the deception practised upon Solomon by his wife, and that + Chrétien's source, as he himself claims, was literary (cf. Gaston Paris in + "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 641-655). The scene where Fenice feigns + death in order to rejoin her lover is a parallel of many others in + literary history, and will, of course, suggest the situation in Romeo and + Juliet. This romance well illustrates the drawing power of Arthur's court + as a literary centre, and its use as a rallying-point for courteous + knights of whatever extraction. The poem has been termed an + "Anti-Tristan", because of its disparaging reference to the love of + Tristan and Iseut, which, it is generally supposed, had been narrated by + Chrétien in his earlier years. Next may come "Lancelot", with its + significant dedication to the Countess of Champagne. Of all the poet's + work, this tale of the rescue of Guinevere by her lover seems to express + most closely the ideals of Marie's court ideals in which devotion and + courtesy but thinly disguise free love. "Yvain" is a return to the poet's + natural bent, in an episodical romance, while "Perceval" crowns his + production with its pure and exalted note, though without a touch of that + religious mysticism which later marked Wolfram yon Eschenbach's + "Parzival". "Guillaime d'Angleterre" is a pseudo-historical romance of + adventure in which the worldly distresses and the final reward of piety + are conventionally exposed. It is uninspired, its place is difficult to + determine, and its authorship is questioned by some. It is aside from the + Arthurian material, and there is no clue to its place in the evolution of + Chrétien's art, if indeed it be his work. + </p> + <p> + A few words must be devoted to Chrétien's place in the history of + mediaeval narrative poetry. The heroic epic songs of France, devoted + either to the conflict of Christendom under the leadership of France + against the Saracens, or else to the strife and rivalry of French vassals + among themselves, had been current for perhaps a century before our poet + began to write. These epic poems, of which some three score have survived, + portray a warlike, virile, unsentimental feudal society, whose chief + occupation was fighting, and whose dominant ideals were faith in God, + loyalty to feudal family ties, and bravery in battle. Woman's place is + comparatively obscure, and of love-making there is little said. It is a + poetry of vigorous manhood, of uncompromising morality, and of hard knocks + given and taken for God, for Christendom, and the King of France. This + poetry is written in ten- or twelve- syllable verses grouped, at first in + assonanced, later in rhymed, "tirades" of unequal length. It was intended + for a society which was still homogeneous, and to it at the outset + doubtless all classes of the population listened with equal interest. As + poetry it is monotonous, without sense of proportion, padded to facilitate + memorisation by professional reciters, and unadorned by figure, fancy, or + imagination. Its pretention to historic accuracy begot prosaicness in its + approach to the style of the chronicles. But its inspiration was noble, + its conception of human duties was lofty. It gives a realistic portrayal + of the age which produced it, the age of the first crusades, and to this + day we would choose as our models of citizenship Roland and Oliver rather + than Tristan and Lancelot. The epic poems, dealing with the + pseudo-historical characters who had fought in civil and foreign wars + under Charlemagne, remained the favourite literary pabulum of the middle + classes until the close of the thirteenth century. Professor Bedier is at + present engaged in explaining the extraordinary hold which these poems had + upon the public, and in proving that they exercised a distinct function + when exploited by the Church throughout the period of the crusades to + celebrate local shrines and to promote muscular Christianity. But the + refinement which began to penetrate the ideals of the French aristocracy + about the middle of the twelfth century craved a different expression in + narrative literature. Greek and Roman mythology and history were seized + upon with some effect to satisfy the new demand. The "Roman de Thebes", + the "Roman d'Alexandre", the "Roman de Troie", and its logical + continuation, the "Roman d'Eneas", are all twelfth-century attempts to + clothe classic legend in the dress of mediaeval chivalry. But better + fitted to satisfy the new demand was the discovery by the alert + Anglo-Normans perhaps in Brittany, perhaps in the South of England, of a + vast body of legendary material which, so far as we know, had never before + this century received any elaborate literary treatment. The existence of + the literary demand and this discovery of the material for its prompt + satisfaction is one of the most remarkable coincidences in literary + history. It would seem that the pride of the Celtic populations in a + Celtic hero, aided and abetted by Geoffrey of Monmouth, who first showed + the romantic possibilities of the material, made of the obscure British + chieftain Arthur a world conqueror. Arthur thus became already in + Geoffrey's "Historia regum Britaniae" a conscious protagonist of + Charlemagne and his rival in popularity. This grandiose conception of + Arthur persisted in England, but this conception of the British chieftain + did not interest the French. For Chrétien Arthur had no political + significance. He is simply the arbiter of his court in all affairs of + justice and courtesy. Charlemagne's very realistic entourage of virile and + busy barons is replaced by a court of elegant chevaliers and unemployed + ladies. Charlemagne's setting is historical and geographical; Arthur's + setting is ideal and in the air. In the oldest epic poems we find only + God-fearing men and a few self-effacing women; in the Arthurian romances + we meet gentlemen and ladies, more elegant and seductive than any one in + the epic poems, but less fortified by faith and sense of duty against vice + because breathing an enervating atmosphere of leisure and decadent + morally. Though the Church made the attempt in "Parzival", it could never + lay its hands so effectively upon this Celtic material, because it + contained too many elements which were root and branch inconsistent with + the essential teachings of Christianity. A fleeting comparison of the + noble end of Charlemagne's Peers fighting for their God and their King at + Ronceval with the futile and dilettante careers of Arthur's knights in + joust and hunt, will show better than mere words where the difference + lies. + </p> + <p> + The student of the history of social and moral ideals will find much to + interest him in Chrétien's romances. Mediaeval references show that he was + held by his immediate successors, as he is held to-day when fairly viewed, + to have been a master of the art of story-telling. More than any other + single narrative poet, he was taken as a model both in France and abroad. + Professor F. M. Warren has set forth in detail the finer points in the art + of poetry as practised by Chrétien and his contemporary craftsmen (see + "Some Features of Style in Early French Narrative Poetry, 1150-1170 in + "Modern Philology", iii., 179-209; iii., 513-539; iv., 655-675). Poets in + his own land refer to him with reverence, and foreign poets complimented + him to a high degree by direct translation and by embroidering upon the + themes which he had made popular. The knights made famous by Chrétien soon + crossed the frontiers and obtained rights of citizenship in counties so + diverse as Germany, England, Scandinavia, Holland, Italy, and to a lesser + extent in Spain and Portugal. The inevitable tendency of the fourteenth + and fifteenth centuries to reduce poetry to prose affected the Arthurian + material; vast prose compilations finally embodied in print the matter + formerly expressed in verse, and it was in this form that the stories were + known to later generations until revived interest in the Middle Ages + brought to light the manuscripts in verse. + </p> + <p> + Aside from certain episodes of Chrétien's romances, the student will be + most interested in the treatment of love as therein portrayed. On this + topic we may hear speaking the man of his time. "Cligés" contains the body + of Chrétien's doctrine of love, while Lancelot is his most perfect lover. + His debt to Ovid has not yet been indicated with sufficient preciseness. + An elaborate code to govern sentiment and its expression was independently + developed by the troubadours of Provence in the early twelfth century. + These Provencal ideals of the courtly life were carried into Northern + France partly as the result of a royal marriage in 1137 and of the crusade + of 1147, and there by such poets as Chrétien they were gathered up and + fused with the Ovidian doctrine into a highly complicated but perfectly + definite statement of the ideal relations of the sexes. Nowhere in the + vulgar tongues can a better statement of these relations be found than in + "Cligés." + </p> + <p> + So we leave Chrétien to speak across the ages for himself and his + generation. He is to be read as a story-teller rather than as a poet, as a + casuist rather than as a philosopher. But when all deductions are made, + his significance as a literary artist and as the founder of a precious + literary tradition distinguishes him from all other poets of the Latin + races between the close of the Empire and the arrival of Dante. + </p> + <p> + —W. W. COMFORT. + </p> + + <h2><a name="link2H_4_0003"></a>EREC ET ENIDE <a href="#linknote-11" name="linknoteref-11"><small>11</small></a> + </h2> + <p> + (Vv. 1-26.) The rustic's proverb says that many a thing is despised that + is worth much more than is supposed. Therefore he does well who makes the + most of whatever intelligence he may possess. For he who neglects this + concern may likely omit to say something which would subsequently give + great pleasure. So Chrétien de Troyes maintains that one ought always to + study and strive to speak well and teach the right; and he derives from a + story of adventure a pleasing argument whereby it may be proved and known + that he is not wise who does not make liberal use of his knowledge so long + as God may give him grace. The story is about Erec the son of Lac—a + story which those who earn a living by telling stories are accustomed to + mutilate and spoil in the presence of kings and counts. And now I shall + begin the tale which will be remembered so long as Christendom endures. + This is Chrétien's boast. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 27-66.) One Easter Day in the Springtime, King Arthur held court in + his town of Cardigan. Never was there seen so rich a court; for many a + good knight was there, hardy, bold, and brave, and rich ladies and + damsels, gentle and fair daughters of kings. But before the court was + disbanded, the King told his knights that he wished to hunt the White + Stag, <a href="#linknote-12" name="linknoteref-12"><small>12</small></a> + in order to observe worthily the ancient custom. When my lord Gawain heard + this, he was sore displeased, and said: "Sire, you will derive neither + thanks nor goodwill from this hunt. We all know long since what this + custom of the White Stag is: whoever can kill the White Stag must forsooth + kiss the fairest maiden of your court, come what may. But of this there + might come great ill, for there are here five hundred damsels of high + birth, gentle and prudent daughters of kings, and there is none of them + but has a bold and valiant knight for her lover who would be ready to + contend, whether right or wrong, that she who is his lady is the fairest + and gentlest of them all." The King replies: "That I know well; yet will I + not desist on that account; for a king's word ought never to be gainsaid. + To-morrow morning we shall all gaily go to hunt the White Stag in the + forest of adventure. And very delightful this hunt will be." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 67-114.) And so the affair is arranged for the next morning at + daybreak. The morrow, as soon as it is day, the King gets up and dresses, + and dons a short jacket for his forest ride. He commands the knights to be + aroused and the horses to be made ready. Already they are ahorse, and off + they go, with bows and arrows. After them the Queen mounts her horse, + taking a damsel with her. A maid she was, the daughter of a king, and she + rode a white palfrey. After them there swiftly followed a knight, named + Erec, who belonged to the Round Table, and had great fame at the court. <a + href="#linknote-13" name="linknoteref-13"><small>13</small></a> + Of all the knights that ever were there, never one received such praise; + and he was so fair that nowhere in the world need one seek a fairer knight + than he. He was very fair, brave, and courteous, though not yet + twenty-five years old. Never was there a man of his age of greater + knighthood. And what shall I say of his virtues? Mounted on his horse, and + clad in an ermine mantle, he came galloping down the road, wearing a coat + of splendid flowered silk which was made at Constantinople. He had put on + hose of brocade, well made and cut, and when his golden spurs were well + attached, he sat securely in his stirrups. He carried no arm with him but + his sword. As he galloped along, at the corner of a street he came up with + the Queen, and said: "My lady, if it please you, I should gladly accompany + you along this road, having come for no other purpose than to bear you + company." And the Queen thanks him: "Fair friend, I like your company + well, in truth; for better I could not have." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 115-124.) Then they ride along at full speed until they come into the + forest, where the party who had gone before them had already started the + stag. Some wind the horns and others shout; the hounds plunge ahead after + the stag, running, attacking, and baying; the bowmen shoot amain. And + before them all rode the King on a Spanish hunter. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 125-154.) Queen Guinevere was in the wood listening for the dogs; + beside her were Erec and the damsel, who was very courteous and fair. But + those who had pursued the stag were so far from them that, however + intently they might listen to catch the sound of horn or baying of hound, + they no longer could hear either horse, huntsman, or hound. So all three + of them drew rein in a clearing beside the road. They had been there but a + short time when they saw an armed knight along on his steed, with shield + slung about his neck, and his lance in hand. The Queen espied him from a + distance By his right side rode a damsel of noble bearing, and before + them, on a hack, came a dwarf carrying in his hand a knotted scourge. When + Queen Guinevere saw the comely and graceful knight, she desired to know + who he and his damsel were. So she bid her damsel go quickly and speak to + him. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 155-274.) "Damsel," says the Queen, "go and bid yonder knight come to + me and bring his damsel with him." The maiden goes on amble straight + toward the knight. But the spiteful dwarf sallies forth to meet her with + his scourge in hand, crying: "Halt, maiden, what do you want here? You + shall advance no farther." "Dwarf," says she, "let me pass. I wish to + speak with yonder knight; for the Queen sends me hither." The dwarf, who + was rude and mean, took his stand in the middle of the road, and said: + "You have no business here. Go back. It is not meet that you should speak + to so excellent a knight." The damsel advanced and tried to pass him by + force, holding the dwarf in slight esteem when she saw that he was so + small. Then the dwarf raised his whip, when he saw her coming toward him + and tried to strike her in the face. She raised her arm to protect + herself, but he lifted his hand again and struck her all unprotected on + her bare hand: and so hard did he strike her on the back of her hand that + it turned all black and blue. When the maiden could do nothing else, in + spite of herself she must needs return. So weeping she turned back. The + tears came to her eyes and ran down her cheeks. When the Queen sees her + damsel wounded, she is sorely grieved and angered and knows not what to + do. "Ah, Erec, fair friend," she says, "I am in great sorrow for my damsel + whom that dwarf has wounded. The knight must be discourteous indeed, to + allow such a monster to strike so beautiful a creature. Erec, fair friend, + do you go to the knight and bid him come to me without delay. I wish to + know him and his lady." Erec starts off thither, giving spurs to his + steed, and rides straight toward the knight. The ignoble dwarf sees him + coming and goes to meet him. "Vassal," says he, "stand back! For I know + not what business you have here. I advise you to withdraw." "Avaunt," says + Erec, "provoking dwarf! Thou art vile and troublesome. Let me pass." "You + shall not." "That will I." "You shall not." Erec thrusts the dwarf aside. + The dwarf had no equal for villainy: he gave him a great blow with his + lash right on the neck, so that Erec's neck and face are scarred with the + blow of the scourge; from top to bottom appear the lines which the thongs + have raised on him. He knew well that he could not have the satisfaction + of striking the dwarf; for he saw that the knight was armed, arrogant, and + of evil intent, and he was afraid that he would soon kill him, should he + strike the dwarf in his presence. Rashness is not bravery. So Erec acted + wisely in retreating without more ado. "My lady," he says, "now matters + stand worse; for the rascally dwarf has so wounded me that he has badly + cut my face. I did not dare to strike or touch him; but none ought to + reproach me, for I was completely unarmed. I mistrusted the armed knight, + who, being an ugly fellow and violent, would take it as no jest, and would + soon kill me in his pride. But this much I will promise you; that if I + can, I shall yet avenge my disgrace, or increase it. But my arms are too + far away to avail me in this time of need; for at Cardigan did I leave + them this morning when I came away. And if I should go to fetch them + there, peradventure I should never again find the knight who is riding off + apace. So I must follow him at once, far or near, until I find some arms + to hire or borrow. If I find some one who will lend me arms, the knight + will quickly find me ready for battle. And you may be sure without fail + that we two shall fight until he defeat me, or I him. And if possible, I + shall be back by the third day, when you will see me home again either + joyous or sad, I know not which. Lady, I cannot delay longer, for I must + follow after the knight. I go. To God I commend you." And the Queen in + like manner more than five hundred rimes commends him to God, that he may + defend him from harm. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 275-310.) Erec leaves the Queen and ceases not to pursue the knight. + The Queen remains in the wood, where now the King had come up with the + Stag. The King himself outstripped the others at the death. Thus they + killed and took the White Stag, and all returned, carrying the Stag, till + they came again to Cardigan. After supper, when the knights were all in + high spirits throughout the hall, the King, as the custom was, because he + had taken the Stag, said that he would bestow the kiss and thus observe + the custom of the Stag. Throughout the court a great murmur is heard: each + one vows and swears to his neighbour that it shall not be done without the + protest of sword or ashen lance. Each one gallantly desires to contend + that his lady is the fairest in the hall. Their conversation bodes no + good, and when my lord Gawain heard it, you must know that it was not to + his liking. Thus he addressed the King: "Sire," he says, "your knights + here are greatly aroused, and all their talk is of this kiss. They say + that it shall never be bestowed without disturbance and a fight." And the + King wisely replied to him: "Fair nephew Gawain, give me counsel now, + sparing my honour and my dignity, for I have no mind for any disturbance." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 311-341.) To the council came a great part of the best knights of the + court. King Yder <a href="#linknote-14" name="linknoteref-14"><small>14</small></a> arrived, who was the first to be + summoned, and after him King Cadoalant, who was very wise and bold. Kay + and Girflet came too, and King Amauguin was there, and a great number of + other knights were there with them. The discussion was in process when the + Queen arrived and told them of the adventure which she had met in the + forest, of the armed knight whom she saw, and of the malicious little + dwarf who had struck her damsel on the bare hand with his whip, and who + struck Erec, too, in the same way an ugly blow on the face; but that Erec + followed the knight to obtain vengeance, or increase his shame, and how he + said that if possible he would be back by the third day. "Sire," says the + Queen to the King, "listen to me a moment. If these knights approve what I + say, postpone this kiss until the third day, when Erec will be back." + There is none who does not agree with her, and the King himself approves + her words. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 342-392.) Erec steadily follows the knight who was armed and the + dwarf who had struck him until they come to a well placed town, strong and + fine <a href="#linknote-15" name="linknoteref-15"><small>15</small></a>. + They enter straight through the gate. Within the town there was great joy + of knights and ladies, of whom there were many and fair. Some were feeding + in the streets their sparrow-hawks and moulting falcons; others were + giving an airing to their tercels, <a href="#linknote-16" + name="linknoteref-16"><small>16</small></a> their + mewed birds, and young yellow hawks; others play at dice or other game of + chance, some at chess, and some at backgammon. The grooms in front of the + stables are rubbing down and currying the horses. The ladies are bedecking + themselves in their boudoirs. As soon as they see the knight coming, whom + they recognised with his dwarf and damsel, they go out three by three to + meet him. The knight they all greet and salute, but they give no heed to + Erec, for they did not know him. Erec follows close upon the knight + through the town, until he saw him lodged. Then, very joyful, he passed on + a little farther until he saw reclining upon some steps a vavasor <a + href="#linknote-17" name="linknoteref-17"><small>17</small></a> + well on in years. He was a comely man, with white locks, debonair, + pleasing, and frank. There he was seated all alone, seeming to be engaged + in thought. Erec took him for an honest man who would at once give him + lodging. When he turned through the gate into the yard, the vavasor ran to + meet him, and saluted him before Erec had said a word. "Fair sir," says + he, "be welcome. If you will deign to lodge with me, here is my house all + ready for you." Erec replies: "Thank you! For no other purpose have I + come; I need a lodging place this night." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 393-410.) Erec dismounts from his horse, which the host himself leads + away by the bridle, and does great honour to his guest. The vavasor + summons his wife and his beautiful daughter, who were busy in a work-room—doing + I know not what. The lady came out with her daughter, who was dressed in a + soft white under-robe with wide skirts hanging loose in folds. Over it she + wore a white linen garment, which completed her attire. And this garment + was so old that it was full of holes down the sides. Poor, indeed, was her + garb without, but within her body was fair. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 411-458.) The maid was charming, in sooth, for Nature had used all + her skill in forming her. Nature herself had marvelled more than five + hundred times how upon this one occasion she had succeeded in creating + such a perfect thing. Never again could she so strive successfully to + reproduce her pattern. Nature bears witness concerning her that never was + so fair a creature seen in all the world. In truth I say that never did + Iseut the Fair have such radiant golden tresses that she could be compared + with this maiden. <a href="#linknote-18" name="linknoteref-18"><small>18</small></a> The complexion of her forehead + and face was clearer and more delicate than the lily. But with wondrous + art her face with all its delicate pallor was suffused with a fresh + crimson which Nature had bestowed upon her. Her eyes were so bright that + they seemed like two stars. God never formed better nose, mouth, and eyes. + What shall I say of her beauty? In sooth, she was made to be looked at; + for in her one could have seen himself as in a mirror. So she came forth + from the work-room: and when she saw the knight whom she had never seen + before, she drew back a little, because she did not know him, and in her + modesty she blushed. Erec, for his part, was amazed when he beheld such + beauty in her, and the vavasor said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take this + horse and lead him to the stable along with my own horses. See that he + lack for nothing: take off his saddle and bridle, give him oats and hay, + look after him and curry him, that he may be in good condition." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 459-546) The maiden takes the horse, unlaces his breast-strap, and + takes off his bridle and saddle. Now the horse is in good hands, for she + takes excellent care of him. She throws a halter over his head, rubs him + down, curries him, and makes him comfortable. Then she ties him to the + manger and puts plenty of fresh sweet hay and oats before him. Then she + went back to her father, who said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take now + this gentleman by the hand and show him all honour. Take him by the hand + upstairs." The maiden did not delay (for in her there was no lack of + courtesy) and led him by the hand upstairs. The lady had gone before and + prepared the house. She had laid embroidered cushions and spreads upon the + couches, where they all three sat down Erec with his host beside him, and + the maiden opposite. Before them, the fire burns brightly. The vavasor had + only one man-servant, and no maid for chamber or kitchen work. This one + man was busy in the kitchen preparing meat and birds for supper. A skilful + cook was he, who knew how to prepare meal in boiling water and birds on + the spit. When he had the meal prepared in accordance with the orders + which had been given him, he brought them water for washing in two basins. + The table was soon set, cloths, bread, and wine set out, and they sat down + to supper. They had their fill of all they needed. When they had finished + and when the table was cleared, Erec thus addressed his host, the master + of the house: "Tell me, fair host." he asked, "why your daughter, who is + so passing fair and clever, is so poorly and unsuitably attired." "Fair + friend," the vavasor replies, "many a man is harmed by poverty, and even + so am I. I grieve to see her so poorly clad, and yet I cannot help it, for + I have been so long involved in war that I have lost or mortgaged or sold + all my land. <a href="#linknote-19" name="linknoteref-19"><small>19</small></a> And yet she would be well enough + dressed if I allowed her to accept everything that people wish to give + her. The lord of this castle himself would have dressed her in becoming + fashion and would have done her every manner of favour, for she is his + niece and he is a count. And there is no nobleman in this region, however + rich and powerful, who would not willingly have taken her to wife had I + given my consent. But I am waiting yet for some better occasion, when God + shall bestow still greater honour upon her, when fortune shall bring + hither some king or count who shall lead her away, for there is under + Heaven no king or count who would be ashamed of my daughter, who is so + wondrous fair that her match cannot be found. Fair, indeed, she is; but + yet greater far than her beauty, is her intelligence. God never created + any one so discreet and of such open heart. When I have my daughter beside + me, I don't care a marble about all the rest of the world. She is my + delight and my pastime, she is my joy and comfort, my wealth and my + treasure, and I love nothing so much as her own precious self." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 547-690.) When Erec had listened to all that his host told him, he + asked him to inform him whence came all the chivalry that was quartered in + the town. For there was no street or house so poor and small but it was + full of knights and ladies and squires. And the vavasor said to him: "Fair + friend, these are the nobles of the country round; all, both young and + old, have come to a fete which is to be held in this town tomorrow; + therefore the houses are so full. When they shall all have gathered, there + will be a great stir to-morrow; for in the presence of all the people + there will be set upon a silver perch a sparrow-hawk of five or six + moultings—the best you can imagine. Whoever wishes to gain the hawk + must have a mistress who is fair, prudent, and courteous. And if there be + a knight so bold as to wish to defend the worth and the name of the + fairest in his eyes, he will cause his mistress to step forward and lift + the hawk from the perch, if no one dares to interpose. This is the custom + they are observing, and for this each year they gather here." Thereupon + Erec speaks and asks him: "Fair host, may it not displease you, but tell + me, if you know, who is a certain knight bearing arms of azure and gold, + who passed by here not long ago, having close beside him a courtly damsel, + preceded by a hump-backed dwarf." To him the host then made reply: "That + is he who will win the hawk without any opposition from the other knights. + I don't believe that any one will offer opposition; this time there will + be no blows or wounds. For two years already he has won it without being + challenged; and if he wins it again this year, he will have gained + permanent possession of it. Every succeeding year he may keep it without + contest or challenge." Quickly Erec makes reply: "I do not like that + knight. Upon my word, had I some arms I should challenge him for the hawk. + Fair host, I beg you as a boon to advise me how I may be equipped with + arms whether old or new, poor or rich, it matters not." And he replies to + him generously: "It were a pity for you to feel concern on that score! I + have good fine arms which I shall be glad to lend you. In the house I have + a triple-woven hauberk, <a href="#linknote-110" name="linknoteref-110"><small>110</small></a> which was selected from among + five hundred. And I have some fine valuable greaves, polished, handsome, + and light in weight. The helmet is bright and handsome, and the shield + fresh and new. Horse, sword, and lance all I will lend you, of course; so + let no more be said." "Thank you kindly, fair gentle host! But I wish for + no better sword that this one which I have brought with me, nor for any + other horse than my own, for I can get along well enough with him. If you + will lend me the rest, I shall esteem it a great favour. But there is one + more boon I wish to ask of you, for which I shall make just return if God + grant that I come off from the battle with honour." And frankly he replies + to him: "Ask confidently for what you want, whatever it be, for nothing of + mine shall lack you." Then Erec said that he wished to defend the hawk on + behalf of his daughter; for surely there will be no damsel who is one + hundredth part as beautiful as she. And if he takes her with him, he will + have good and just reason to maintain and to prove that she is entitled to + carry away the hawk. Then he added: "Sire, you know not what guest you + have sheltered here, nor do you know my estate and kin. I am the son of a + rich and puissant king: my father's name is King Lac, and the Bretons call + me Erec. I belong to King Arthur's court, and have been with him now three + years. I know not if any report of my father or of me has ever reached + this land. But I promise you and vow that if you will fit me out with + arms, and will give me your daughter to-morrow when I strive for the hawk, + I will take her to my country, if God grant me the victory, and I will + give her a crown to wear, and she shall be queen of three cities." "Ah, + fair sir! Is it true that you are Erec, the son of Lac?" "That is who I + am, indeed" quoth he. Then the host was greatly delighted and said: "We + have indeed heard of you in this country. Now I think all the more of you, + for you are very valiant and brave. Nothing now shall you be refused by + me. At your request I give you my fair daughter." Then taking her by the + hand, he says: "Here, I give her to you." Erec received her joyfully, and + now has all he desired. Now they are all happy there: the father is + greatly delighted, and the mother weeps for joy. The maiden sat quiet; but + she was very happy and glad that she was betrothed to him, because he was + valiant and courteous: and she knew that he would some day be king, and + she should receive honour and be crowned rich queen. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 691-746.) They had sat up very late that night. But now the beds were + prepared with white sheets and soft pillows, and when the conversation + flagged they all went to bed in happy frame. Erec slept little that night, + and the next morn, at crack of dawn, he and his host rose early. They both + go to pray at church, and hear a hermit chant the Mass of the Holy Spirit, + not forgetting to make an offering. When they had heard Mass both kneel + before the altar and then return to the house. Erec was eager for the + battle; so he asks for arms, and they are given to him. The maiden herself + puts on his arms (though she casts no spell or charm), <a + href="#linknote-111" name="linknoteref-111"><small>111</small></a> + laces on his iron greaves, and makes them fast with thong of deer-hide. + She puts on his hauberk with its strong meshes, and laces on his ventail. + The gleaming helmet she sets upon his head, and thus arms him well from + tip to toe. At his side she fastens his sword, and then orders his horse + to be brought, which is done. Up he jumped clear of the ground. The damsel + then brings the shield and the strong lance: she hands him the shield, and + he takes it and hangs it about his neck by the strap. She places the lance + in his hand, and when he had grasped it by the butt-end, he thus addressed + the gentle vavasor: "Fair sire," quoth he, "if you please, make your + daughter ready now; for I wish to escort her to the sparrow-hawk in + accordance with our agreement." The vavasor then without delay had saddled + a bay palfrey. There can nothing be said of the harness because of the + dire poverty with which the vavasor was afflicted. Saddle and bridle were + put on, and up the maiden mounted all free and in light attire, without + waiting to be urged. Erec wished to delay no longer; so off he starts with + the host's daughter by his side, followed by the gentleman and his lady. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 747-862.) Erec rides with lance erect and with the comely damsel by + his side. All the people, great and small, gaze at them with wondering + eyes as they pass through the streets. And thus they question each other: + "Who is yonder knight? He must be doughty and brave, indeed, to act as + escort for this fair maid. His efforts will be well employed in proving + that this damsel is the fairest of them all." One man to another says: "In + very truth, she ought to have the sparrow-hawk." Some praised the maid, + while many said: "God! who can this knight be, with the fair damsel by his + side?" "I know not." "Nor I." Thus spake each one. "But his gleaming + helmet becomes him well, and the hauberk, and shield, and his sharp steel + sword. He sits well upon his steed and has the bearing of a valiant + vassal, well-shapen in arm, in limb and foot." While all thus stand and + gaze at them, they for their part made no delay to take their stand by the + sparrow-hawk, where to one side they awaited the knight. And now behold! + they see him come, attended by his dwarf and his damsel. He had heard the + report, that a knight had come who wished to obtain the sparrow-hawk, but + he did not believe there could be in the world a knight so bold as to dare + to fight with him. He would quickly defeat him and lay him low. All the + people knew him well, and all welcome him and escort him in a noisy crowd: + knights, squires, ladies, and damsels make haste to run after him. Leading + them all the knight rides proudly on, with his damsel and his dwarf at his + side, and he makes his way quickly to the sparrow-hawk. But all about + there was such a press of the rough and vulgar crowd that it was + impossible to touch the hawk or to come near where it was. Then the Count + arrived on the scene, and threatened the populace with a switch which he + held in his hand. The crowd drew back, and the knight advanced and said + quietly to his lady: "My lady, this bird, which is so perfectly moulted + and so fair, should be yours as your just portion; for you are wondrous + fair and full of charm. Yours it shall surely be so long as I live. Step + forward, my dear, and lift the hawk from the perch." The damsel was on the + point of stretching forth her hand when Erec hastened to challenge her, + little heeding the other's arrogance. "Damsel," he cries, "stand back! Go + dally with some other bird, for to this one you have no right. In spite of + all, I say this hawk shall never be yours. For a better one than you + claims it—aye, much more fair and more courteous." The other knight + is very wroth; but Erec does not mind him, and bids his own maiden step + forward. "Fair one." he cries, "come forth. Lift the bird from the perch, + for it is right that you should have it. Damsel, come forth! For I will + make boast to defend it if any one is so bold as to intervene. For no + woman excels you in beauty or worth, in grace or honour any more than the + moon outshines the sun." The other could suffer it no longer, when he + hears him so manfully offer himself to do battle. "Vassal," he cries, "who + art thou who dost thus dispute with me the hawk?" Erec boldly answers him: + "A knight I am from another land. This hawk I have come to obtain; for it + is right, I say it in spite of all, that this damsel of mine should have + it." "Away!" cries the other, "it shall never be. Madness has brought thee + here. If thou dost wish to have the hawk, thou shalt pay fight dearly for + it." "Pay, vassal; and how?" "Thou must fight with me, if thou dost not + resign it to me." "You talk madness," cries Erec; "for me these are idle + threats; for little enough do I fear you." "Then I defy thee here and now. + The battle is inevitable." Erec replies: "God help me now; for never did I + wish for aught so much." Now soon you will hear the noise of battle. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 863-1080.) The large place was cleared, with the people gathered all + around. They draw off from each other the space of an acre, then drive + their horses together; they reach for each other with the tips of their + lances, and strike each other so hard that the shields are pierced and + broken; the lances split and crack; the saddle-bows are knocked to bits + behind. They must needs lose their stirrups, so that they both fall to the + ground, and the horses run off across the field. Though smitten with the + lances, they are quickly on their feet again, and draw their swords from + the scabbards. With great fierceness they attack each other, and exchange + great sword blows, so that the helmets are crushed and made to ring. + Fierce is the clash of the swords, as they rain great blows upon neck and + shoulders. For this is no mere sport: they break whatever they touch, + cutting the shields and shattering the hauberks. The swords are red with + crimson blood. Long the battle lasts; but they fight so lustily that they + become weary and listless. Both the damsels are in tears, and each knight + sees his lady weep and raise her hands to God and pray that He may give + the honours of the battle to the one who strives for her. "Ha! vassal," + quoth the knight to Erec, "let us withdraw and rest a little; for too weak + are these blows we deal. We must deal better blows than these; for now it + draws near evening. It is shameful and highly discreditable that this + battle should last so long. See yonder that gentle maid who weeps for thee + and calls on God. Full sweetly she prays for thee, as does also mine for + me. Surely we should do our best with our blades of steel for the sake of + our lady-loves." Erec replies: "You have spoken well." Then they take a + little rest, Erec looking toward his lady as she softly prays for him. + While he sat and looked on her, great strength was recruited within him. + Her love and beauty inspired him with great boldness. He remembered the + Queen, to whom he pledged his word that he would avenge the insult done + him, or would make it greater yet. "Ah! wretch," says he, "why do I wait? + I have not yet taken vengeance for the injury which this vassal permitted + when his dwarf struck me in the wood." His anger is revived within him as + he summons the knight: "Vassal," quoth he, "I call you to battle anew. Too + long we have rested; let us now renew our strife." And he replies: "That + is no hardship to me." Whereupon, they again fall upon each other. They + were both expert fencers. At his first lunge the knight would have wounded + Erec had he not skilfully parried. Even so, he smote him so hard over the + shield beside his temple that he struck a piece from his helmet. Closely + shaving his white coif, the sword descends, cleaving the shield through to + the buckle, and cutting more than a span from the side of his hauberk. + Then he must have been well stunned, as the cold steel penetrated to the + flesh on his thigh. May God protect him now! If the blow had not glanced + off, it would have cut right through his body. But Erec is in no wise + dismayed: he pays him back what is owing him, and. attacking him boldly, + smites him upon the shoulder so violently a blow that the shield cannot + withstand it, nor is the hauberk of any use to prevent the sword from + penetrating to the bone. He made the crimson blood flow down to his + waist-band. Both of the vassals are hard fighters: they fight with honours + even, for one cannot gain from the other a single foot of ground. Their + hauberks are so torn and their shields so hacked, that there is actually + not enough of them left to serve as a protection. So they fight all + exposed. Each one loses a deal of blood, and both grow weak. He strikes + Erec and Erec strikes him. Erec deals him such a tremendous blow upon the + helmet that he quite stuns him. Then he lets him have it again and again, + giving him three blows in quick succession, which entirely split the + helmet and cut the coif beneath it. The sword even reaches the skull and + cuts a bone of his head, but without penetrating the brain. He stumbles + and totters, and while he staggers, Erec pushes him over, so that he falls + upon his right side. Erec grabs him by the helmet and forcibly drags it + from his head, and unlaces the ventail, so that his head and face are + completely exposed. When Erec thinks of the insult done him by the dwarf + in the wood, he would have cut off his head, had he not cried for mercy. + "Ah! vassal," says he, "thou hast defeated me. Mercy now, and do not kill + me, after having overcome me and taken me prisoner: that would never bring + thee praise or glory. If thou shouldst touch me more, thou wouldst do + great villainy. Take here my sword; I yield it thee." Erec, however, does + not take it, but says in reply: "I am within an ace of killing thee." "Ah! + gentle knight, mercy! For what crime, indeed, or for what wrong shouldst + thou hate me with mortal hatred? I never saw thee before that I am aware, + and never have I been engaged in doing thee any shame or wrong." Erec + replies: "Indeed you have." "Ah, sire, tell me when! For I never saw you, + that I can remember, and if I have done you any wrong, I place myself at + your mercy." Then Erec said: "Vassal, I am he who was in the forest + yesterday with Queen Guinevere, when thou didst allow thy ill-bred dwarf + to strike my lady's damsel. It is disgraceful to strike a woman. And + afterwards he struck me, taking me for some common fellow. Thou wast + guilty of too great insolence when thou sawest such an outrage and didst + complacently permit such a monster of a lout to strike the damsel and + myself. For such a crime I may well hate thee; for thou hast committed a + grave offence. Thou shalt now constitute thyself my prisoner, and without + delay go straight to my lady whom thou wilt surely find at Cardigan, if + thither thou takest thy way. Thou wilt reach there this very night, for it + is not seven leagues from here, I think. Thou shalt hand over to her + thyself, thy damsel, and thy dwarf, to do as she may dictate; and tell her + that I send her word that to-morrow I shall come contented, bringing with + me a damsel so fair and wise and fine that in all the world she has not + her match. So much thou mayst tell her truthfully. And now I wish to know + thy name." Then he must needs say in spite of himself: "Sire, my name is + Yder, son of Nut. This morning I had not thought that any single man by + force of arms could conquer me. Now I have found by experience a man who + is better than I. You are a very valiant knight, and I pledge you my faith + here and now that I will go without delay and put myself in the Queen's + hands. But tell me without reserve what your name may be. Who shall I say + it is that sends me? For I am ready to start." And he replies: "My name I + will tell thee without disguise: it is Erec. Go, and tell her that it is I + who have sent thee to her." "Now I'll go, and I promise you that I will + put my dwarf, my damsel, and myself altogether at her disposal (you need + have no fear), and I will give her news of you and of your damsel." Then + Erec received his plighted word, and the Count and all the people round + about the ladies and the gentlemen were present at the agreement. Some + were joyous, and some downcast; some were sorry, and others glad. The most + rejoiced for the sake of the damsel with the white raiment, the daughter + of the poor vavasor she of the gentle and open heart; but his damsel and + those who were devoted to him were sorry for Yder. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1081-1170.) Yder, compelled to execute his promise, did not wish to + tarry longer, but mounted his steed at once. But why should I make a long + story? Taking his dwarf and his damsel, they traversed the woods and the + plain, going on straight until they came to Cardigan. In the bower <a + href="#linknote-112" name="linknoteref-112"><small>112</small></a> + outside the great hall, Gawain and Kay the seneschal and a great number of + other lords were gathered. The seneschal was the first to espy those + approaching, and said to my lord Gawain: "Sire, my heart divines that the + vassal who yonder comes is he of whom the Queen spoke as having yesterday + done her such an insult. If I am not mistaken, there are three in the + party, for I see the dwarf and the damsel." "That is so," says my lord + Gawain; "it is surely a damsel and a dwarf who are coming straight toward + us with the knight. The knight himself is fully armed, but his shield is + not whole. If the Queen should see him, she would know him. Hello, + seneschal, go call her now!" So he went straightway and found her in one + of the apartments. "My lady," says he, "do you remember the dwarf who + yesterday angered you by wounding your damsel?" "Yes, I remember him right + well. Seneschal, have you any news of him? Why have you mentioned him?" + "Lady, because I have seen a knight-errant armed coming upon a grey horse, + and if my eyes have not deceived me, I saw a damsel with him; and it seems + to me that with him comes the dwarf, who still holds the scourge from + which Erec received his lashing." Then the Queen rose quickly and said: + "Let us go quickly, seneschal, to see if it is the vassal. If it is he, + you may be sure that I shall tell you so, as soon as I see him." And Kay + said: "I will show him to you. Come up into the bower where your knights + are assembled. It was from there we saw him coming, and my lord Gawain + himself awaits you there. My lady, let us hasten thither, for here we have + too long delayed." Then the Queen bestirred herself, and coming to the + windows she took her stand by my lord Gawain, and straightway recognised + the knight. "Ha! my lords," she cries, "it is he. He has been through + great danger. He has been in a battle. I do not know whether Erec has + avenged his grief, or whether this knight has defeated Erec. But there is + many a dent upon his shield, and his hauberk is covered with blood, so + that it is rather red than white." "In sooth, my lady," quoth my lord + Gawain, "I am very sure that you are quite right. His hauberk is covered + with blood, and pounded and beaten, showing plainly that he has been in a + fight. We can easily see that the battle has been hot. Now we shall soon + hear from him news that will give us joy or gloom: whether Erec sends him + to you here as a prisoner at your discretion, or whether he comes in pride + of heart to boast before us arrogantly that he has defeated or killed + Erec. No other news can he bring, I think." The Queen says: "I am of the + same opinion." And all the others say: "It may well be so." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1171-1243.) Meanwhile Yder enters the castle gate, bringing them + news. They all came down from the bower, and went to meet him. Yder came + up to the royal terrace and there dismounted from his horse. And Gawain + took the damsel and helped her down from her palfrey; the dwarf, for his + part, dismounted too. There were more than one hundred knights standing + there, and when the three newcomers had all dismounted they were led into + the King's presence. As soon as Yder saw the Queen, he bowed low and first + saluted her, then the King and his knights, and said: "Lady, I am sent + here as your prisoner by a gentleman, a valiant and noble knight, whose + face yesterday my dwarf made smart with his knotted scourge. He has + overcome me at arms and defeated me. Lady, the dwarf I bring you here: he + has come to surrender to you at discretion. I bring you myself, my damsel, + and my dwarf to do with us as you please." The Queen keeps her peace no + longer, but asks him for news of Erec: "Tell me," she says, "if you + please, do you know when Erec will arrive?" "To-morrow, lady, and with him + a damsel he will bring, the fairest of all I ever knew." When he had + delivered his message, the Queen, who was kind and sensible, said to him + courteously: "Friend, since thou hast thrown thyself upon my mercy, thy + confinement shall be less harsh; for I have no desire to seek thy harm. + But tell me now, so help thee God, what is thy name?" And he replies: + "Lady, my name is Yder, son of Nut." And they knew that he told the truth. + Then the Queen arose, and going before the King, said: "Sire, did you + hear? You have done well to wait for Erec, the valiant knight. I gave you + good advice yesterday, when I counselled you to await his return. This + proves that it is wise to take advice." The King replies: "That is no lie; + rather is it perfectly true that he who takes advice is no fool. Happily + we followed your advice yesterday. But if you care anything for me, + release this knight from his durance, provided he consent to join + henceforth my household and court; and if he does not consent, let him + suffer the consequence." When the King had thus spoken, the Queen + straightway released the knight; but it was on this condition, that he + should remain in the future at the court. He did not have to be urged + before he gave his consent to stay. Now he was of the court and household + to which he had not before belonged. Then valets were at hand to run and + relieve him of his arms. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1244-1319.) Now we must revert to Erec, whom we left in the field + where the battle had taken place. Even Tristan, when he slew fierce Morhot + on Saint Samson's isle <a href="#linknote-113" name="linknoteref-113"><small>113</small></a>, awakened no such jubilee as + they celebrated here over Erec. Great and small, thin and stout—all + make much of him and praise his knighthood. There is not a knight but + cries: "Lord what a vassal! Under Heaven there is not his like!" They + follow him to his lodgings, praising him and talking much. Even the Count + himself embraces him, who above the rest was glad, and said: "Sire, if you + please, you ought by right to lodge in my house, since you are the son of + King Lac. If you would accept of my hospitality you would do me a great + honour, for I regard you as my liege. Fair sire, may it please you, I beg + you to lodge with me." Erec answers: "May it not displease you, but I + shall not desert my host to-night, who has done me much honour in giving + me his daughter. What say you, sir? Is it not a fair and precious gift?" + "Yes, sire," the Count replies; "the gift, in truth, is fine and good. The + maid herself is fair and clever, and besides is of very noble birth. You + must know that her mother is my sister. Surely, I am glad at heart that + you should deign to take my niece. Once more I beg you to lodge with me + this night." Erec replies: "Ask me no more. I will not do it." Then the + Count saw that further insistence was useless, and said: "Sire, as it + please you! We may as well say no more about it; but I and my knights will + all be with you to-night to cheer you and bear you company." When Erec + heard that, he thanked him, and returned to his host's dwelling, with the + Count attending him. Ladies and knights were gathered there, and the + vavasor was glad at heart. As soon as Erec arrived, more than a score of + squires ran quickly to remove his arms. Any one who was present in that + house could have witnessed a happy scene. Erec went first and took his + seat; then all the others in order sit down upon the couches, the + cushions, and benches. At Erec's side the Count sat down, and the damsel + with her radiant face, who was feeding the much disputed hawk upon her + wrist with a plover's wing. <a href="#linknote-114" name="linknoteref-114"><small>114</small></a> Great honour and joy and + prestige had she gained that day, and she was very glad at heart both for + the bird and for her lord. She could not have been happier, and showed it + plainly, making no secret of her joy. All could see how gay she was, and + throughout the house there was great rejoicing for the happiness of the + maid they loved. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1320-1352.) Erec thus addressed the vavasor: "Fair host, fair friend, + fair sire! You have done me great honour, and richly shall it be repaid + you. To-morrow I shall take away your daughter with me to the King's + court, where I wish to take her as my wife; and if you will tarry here a + little, I shall send betimes to fetch you. I shall have you escorted into + the country which is my father's now, but which later will be mine. It is + far from here—by no means near. There I shall give you two towns, + very splendid, rich, and fine. You shall be lord of Roadan, which was + built in the time of Adam, and of another town close by, which is no less + valuable. The people call it Montrevel, and my father owns no better town. + <a href="#linknote-115" name="linknoteref-115"><small>115</small></a> + And before the third day has passed, I shall send you plenty of gold and + silver, of dappled and grey furs, and precious silken stuffs wherewith to + adorn yourself and your wife my dear lady. To-morrow at dawn I wish to + take your daughter to court, dressed and arrayed as she is at present. I + wish my lady, the Queen, to dress her in her best dress of satin and + scarlet cloth." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1353-1478.) There was a maiden near at hand, very honourable, + prudent, and virtuous. She was seated on a bench beside the maid with the + white shift, and was her own cousin the niece of my lord the Count. When + she heard how Erec intended to take her cousin in such very poor array to + the Queen's court, she spoke about it to the Count. "Sire," she says, "it + would be a shame to you more than to any one else if this knight should + take your niece away with him in such sad array." And the Count made + answer: "Gentle niece, do you give her the best of your dresses." But Erec + heard the conversation, and said: "By no means, my lord. For be assured + that nothing in the world would tempt me to let her have another robe + until the Queen shall herself bestow it upon her." When the damsel heard + this, she replied: "Alas! fair sire, since you insist upon leading off my + cousin thus dressed in a white shift and chemise, and since you are + determined that she shall have none of my dresses, a different gift I wish + to make her. I have three good palfreys, as good as any of king or count, + one sorrel, one dappled, and the other black with white forefeet. Upon my + word, if you had a hundred to pick from, you would not find a better one + than the dappled mount. The birds in the air do not fly more swiftly than + the palfrey; and he is not too lively, but just suits a lady. A child can + ride him, for he is neither skittish nor balky, nor does he bite nor kick + nor become unmanageable. Any one who is looking for something better does + not know what he wants. And his pace is so easy and gentle that a body is + more comfortable and easy on his back than in a boat." Then said Erec: "My + dear, I have no objection to her accepting this gift; indeed, I am pleased + with the offer, and do not wish her to refuse it." Then the damsel calls + one of her trusty servants, and says to him: "Go, friend, saddle my + dappled palfrey, and lead him here at once." And he carries out her + command: he puts on saddle and bridle and strives to make him appear well. + Then he jumps on the maned palfrey, which is now ready for inspection. + When Erec saw the animal, he did not spare his praise, for he could see + that he was very fine and gentle. So he bade a servant lead him back and + hitch him in the stable beside his own horse. Then they all separated, + after an evening agreeably spent. The Count goes off to his own dwelling, + and leaves Erec with the vavasor, saying that he will bear him company in + the morning when he leaves. All that night they slept well. In the + morning, when the dawn was bright, Erec prepares to start, commanding his + horses to be saddled. His fair sweetheart, too, awakes, dresses, and makes + ready. The vavasor and his wife rise too, and every knight and lady there + prepares to escort the damsel and the knight. Now they are all on + horseback, and the Count as well. Erec rides beside the Count, having + beside him his sweetheart ever mindful of her hawk. Having no other + riches, she plays with her hawk. Very merry were they as they rode along; + but when the time came to part, the Count wished to send along with Erec a + party of his knights to do him honour by escorting him. But he announced + that none should bide with him, and that he wanted no company but that of + the damsel. Then, when they had accompanied them some distance, he said: + "In God's name, farewell!" Then the Count kisses Erec and his niece, and + commends them both to merciful God. Her father and mother, too, kiss them + again and again, and could not keep back their tears: at parting, the + mother weeps, the father and the daughter too. For such is love and human + nature, and such is affection between parents and children. They wept from + sorrow, tenderness, and love which they had for their child; yet they knew + full well that their daughter was to fill a place from which great honour + would accrue to them. They shed tears of love and pity when they separated + from their daughter, but they had no other cause to weep. They knew well + enough that eventually they would receive great honour from her marriage. + So at parting many a tear was shed, as weeping they commend one another to + God, and thus separate without more delay. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1479-1690.) Erec quit his host; for he was very anxious to reach the + royal court. In his adventure he took great satisfaction; for now he had a + lady passing fair, discreet, courteous, and debonair. He could not look at + her enough: for the more he looks at her, the more she pleases him. He + cannot help giving her a kiss. He is happy to ride by her side, and it + does him good to look at her. Long he gazes at her fair hair, her laughing + eyes, and her radiant forehead, her nose, her face, and mouth, for all of + which gladness fills his heart. He gazes upon her down to the waist, at + her chin and her snowy neck, her bosom and sides, her arms and hands. But + no less the damsel looks at the vassal with a clear eye and loyal heart, + as if they were in competition. They would not have ceased to survey each + other even for promise of a reward! A perfect match they were in courtesy, + beauty, and gentleness. And they were so alike in quality, manner, and + customs, that no one wishing to tell the truth could choose the better of + them, nor the fairer, nor the more discreet. Their sentiments, too, were + much alike; so that they were well suited to each other. Thus each steals + the other's heart away. Law or marriage never brought together two such + sweet creatures. And so they rode along until just on the stroke of noon + they approached the castle of Cardigan, where they were both expected. + Some of the first nobles of the court had gone up to look from the upper + windows and see if they could see them. Queen Guinevere ran up, and even + the King came with Kay and Perceval of Wales, and with them my lord Gawain + and Tor, the son of King Ares; Lucan the cupbearer was there, too, and + many another doughty knight. Finally, they espied Erec coming along in + company with his lady. They all knew him well enough from as far as they + could see him. The Queen is greatly pleased, and indeed the whole court is + glad of his coming, because they all love him so. As soon as he was come + before the entrance hall, the King and Queen go down to meet him, all + greeting him in God's name. They welcome Erec and his maiden, commending + and praising her great beauty. And the King himself caught her and lifted + her down from her palfrey. The King was decked in fine array and was then + in cheery mood. He did signal honour to the damsel by taking her hand and + leading her up into the great stone hall. After them Erec and the Queen + also went up hand in hand, and he said to her: "I bring you, lady, my + damsel and my sweetheart dressed in poor garb. As she was given to me, so + have I brought her to you. She is the daughter of a poor vavasor. Through + poverty many an honourable man is brought low: her father, for instance, + is gentle and courteous, but he has little means. And her mother is a very + gentle lady, the sister of a rich Count. She has no lack of beauty or of + lineage, that I should not marry her. It is poverty that has compelled her + to wear this white linen garment until both sleeves are torn at the side. + And yet, had it been my desire, she might have had dresses rich enough. + For another damsel, a cousin of hers, wished to give her a robe of ermine + and of spotted or grey silk. But I would not have her dressed in any other + robe until you should have seen her. Gentle lady, consider the matter now + and see what need she has of a fine becoming gown." And the Queen at once + replies: "You have done quite right; it is fitting that she should have + one of my gowns, and I will give her straightway a rich, fair gown, both + fresh and new." The Queen then hastily took her off to her own private + room, and gave orders to bring quickly the fresh tunic and the + greenish-purple mantle, embroidered with little crosses, which had been + made for herself. The one who went at her behest came bringing to her the + mantle and the tunic, which was lined with white ermine even to the + sleeves. At the wrists and on the neck-band there was in truth more than + half a mark's weight of beaten gold, and everywhere set in the gold there + were precious stones of divers colours, indigo and green, blue and dark + brown. This tunic was very rich, but not a writ less precious, I trow, was + the mantle. As yet, there were no ribbons on it; for the mantle like the + tunic was brand new. The mantle was very rich and fine: laid about the + neck were two sable skins, and in the tassels there was more than an ounce + of gold; on one a hyacinth, and on the other a ruby flashed more bright + than burning candle. The fur lining was of white ermine; never was finer + seen or found. The cloth was skilfully embroidered with little crosses, + all different, indigo, vermilion, dark blue, white, green, blue, and + yellow. The Queen called for some ribbons four ells long, made of silken + thread and gold. The ribbons are given to her, handsome and well matched. + Quickly she had them fastened to the mantle by some one who knew how to do + it, and who was master of the art. When the mantle needed no more touches, + the gay and gentle lady clasped the maid with the white gown and said to + her cheerily: "Mademoiselle, you must change this frock for this tunic + which is worth more than a hundred marks of silver. So much I wish to + bestow upon you. And put on this mantle, too. Another time I will give you + more." Not able to refuse the gift, she takes the robe and thanks her for + it. Then two maids took her aside into a room, where she took off her + frock as being of no further value; but she asked and requested that it be + given away (to some poor woman) for the love of God. Then she dons the + tunic, and girds herself, binding on tightly a golden belt, and afterwards + puts on the mantle. Now she looked by no means ill; for the dress became + her so well that it made her look more beautiful than ever. The two maids + wove a gold thread in amongst her golden hair: but her tresses were more + radiant than the thread of gold, fine though it was. The maids, moreover, + wove a fillet of flowers of many various colours and placed it upon her + head. They strove as best they might to adorn her in such wise that no + fault should be found with her attire. Strung upon a ribbon around her + neck, a damsel hung two brooches of enamelled gold. Now she looked so + charming and fair that I do not believe that you could find her equal in + any land, search as you might, so skilfully had Nature wrought in her. + Then she stepped out of the dressing-room into the Queen's presence. The + Queen made much of her, because she liked her and was glad that she was + beautiful and had such gentle manners. They took each other by the hand + and passed into the King's presence. And when the King saw them, he got up + to meet them. When they came into the great hall, there were so many + knights there who rose before them that I cannot call by name the tenth + part of them, or the thirteenth, or the fifteenth. But I can tell you the + names of some of the best of the knights who belonged to the Round Table + and who were the best in the world. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1691-1750.) Before all the excellent knights, Gawain ought to be + named the first, and second Erec the son of Lac, and third Lancelot of the + Lake. <a href="#linknote-116" name="linknoteref-116"><small>116</small></a> + Gornemant of Gohort was fourth, and the fifth was the Handsome Coward. The + sixth was the Ugly Brave, the seventh Meliant of Liz, the eighth Mauduit + the Wise, and the ninth Dodinel the Wild. Let Gandelu be named the tenth, + for he was a goodly man. The others I shall mention without order, because + the numbers bother me. Eslit was there with Briien, and Yvain the son of + Uriien. And Yvain of Loenel was there, as well as Yvain the Adulterer. + Beside Yvain of Cavaliot was Garravain of Estrangot. After the Knight with + the Horn was the Youth with the Golden Ring. And Tristan who never laughed + sat beside Bliobleheris, and beside Brun of Piciez was his brother Gru the + Sullen. The Armourer sat next, who preferred war to peace. Next sat + Karadues the Shortarmed, a knight of good cheer; and Caveron of Robendic, + and the son of King Quenedic and the Youth of Quintareus and Yder of the + Dolorous Mount. Gaheriet and Kay of Estraus, Amauguin and Gales the Bald, + Grain, Gornevain, and Carabes, and Tor the son of King Aras, Girflet the + son of Do, and Taulas, who never wearied of arms: and a young man of great + merit, Loholt the son of King Arthur, <a href="#linknote-117" + name="linknoteref-117"><small>117</small></a> and + Sagremor the Impetuous, who should not be forgotten, nor Bedoiier the + Master of the Horse, who was skilled at chess and trictrac, nor Bravain, + nor King Lot, nor Galegantin of Wales, nor Gronosis, versed in evil, who + was son of Kay the Seneschal, nor Labigodes the Courteous, nor Count + Cadorcaniois, nor Letron of Prepelesant, whose manners were so excellent, + nor Breon the son of Canodan, nor the Count of Honolan who had such a head + of fine fair hair; he it was who received the King's horn in an evil day; + <a href="#linknote-118" name="linknoteref-118"><small>118</small></a> + he never had any care for truth. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1751-1844.) When the stranger maiden saw all the knights arrayed + looking steadfastly at her, she bowed her head in embarrassment; nor was + it strange that her face blushed all crimson. But her confusion was so + becoming to her that she looked all the more lovely. When the King saw + that she was embarrassed, he did not wish to leave her side. Taking her + gently by the hand, he made her sit down on his right hand; and on his + left sat the Queen, speaking thus to the King the while. "Sire, in my + opinion he who can win such a fair lady by his arms in another land ought + by right to come to a royal court. It was well we waited for Erec; for now + you can bestow the kiss upon the fairest of the court. I should think none + would find fault with you! for none can say, unless he lie, that this + maiden is not the most charming of all the damsels here, or indeed in all + the world." The King makes answer: "That is no lie; and upon her, if there + is no remonstrance, I shall bestow the honour of the White Stag." Then he + added to the knights: "My lords, what say you? What is your opinion? In + body, in face, and in whatever a maid should have, this one is the most + charming and beautiful to be found, as I may say, before you come to where + Heaven and earth meet. I say it is meet that she should receive the honour + of the Stag. And you, my lords, what do you think about it? Can you make + any objection? If any one wishes to protest, let him straightway speak his + mind. I am King, and must keep my word and must not permit any baseness, + falsity, or arrogance. I must maintain truth and righteousness. It is the + business of a loyal king to support the law, truth, faith, and justice. I + would not in any wise commit a disloyal deed or wrong to either weak or + strong. It is not meet that any one should complain of me; nor do I wish + the custom and the practice to lapse, which my family has been wont to + foster. You, too, would doubtless regret to see me strive to introduce + other customs and other laws than those my royal sire observed. Regardless + of consequences, I am bound to keep and maintain the institution of my + father Pendragon, who was a just king and emperor. Now tell me fully what + you think! Let none be slow to speak his mind, if this damsel is not the + fairest of my household and ought not by right to receive the kiss of the + White Stag: I wish to know what you truly think." Then they all cry with + one accord: "Sire, by the Lord and his Cross! you may well kiss her with + good reason, for she is the fairest one there is. In this damsel there is + more beauty than there is of radiance in the sun. You may kiss her freely, + for we all agree in sanctioning it." When the King hears that this is well + pleasing to them all, he will no longer delay in bestowing the kiss, but + turns toward her and embraces her. The maid was sensible, and perfectly + willing that the King should kiss her; she would have been discourteous, + indeed, to resent it. In courteous fashion and in the presence of all his + knights the King kissed her, and said: "My dear. I give you my love in all + honesty. I will love you with true heart, without malice and without + guile." By this adventure the King carried out the practice and the usage + to which the White Stag was entitled at his court. + </p> + <p> + Here ends the first part of my story. <a href="#linknote-119" + name="linknoteref-119"><small>119</small></a> + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1845-1914.) When the kiss of the Stag was taken according to the + custom of the country, Erec, like a polite and kind man, was solicitous + for his poor host. It was not his intention to fail to execute what he had + promised. Hear how he kept his covenant: for he sent him now five sumpter + mules, strong and sleek, loaded with dresses and clothes, buckrams and + scarlets, marks of gold and silver plate, furs both vair and grey, skins + of sable, purple stuffs, and silks. When the mules were loaded with all + that a gentleman can need, he sent with them an escort of ten knights and + sergeants chosen from his own men, and straightly charged them to salute + his host and show great honour both to him and to his lady, as if it were + to himself in person; and when they should have presented to them the + sumpters which they brought them, the gold, the silver, and money, and all + the other furnishings which were in the boxes, they should escort the lady + and the vavasor with great honour into his kingdom of Farther Wales. <a + href="#linknote-120" name="linknoteref-120"><small>120</small></a> + Two towns there he had promised them, the most choice and the best + situated that there were in all his land, with nothing to fear from + attack. Montrevel was the name of one, and the other's name was Roadan. + When they should arrive in his kingdom, they should make over to them + these two towns, together with their rents and their jurisdiction, in + accordance with what he had promised them. All was carried out as Erec had + ordered. The messengers made no delay, and in good time they presented to + his host the gold and the silver and the sumpters and the robes and the + money, of which there was great plenty. They escorted them into Erec's + kingdom, and strove to serve them well. They came into the country on the + third day, and transferred to them the towers of the towns; for King Lac + made no objection. He gave them a warm welcome and showed them honour, + loving them for the sake of his son Erec. He made over to them the title + to the towns, and established their suzerainty by making knights and + bourgeois swear that they would reverence them as their true liege lords. + When this was done and accomplished, the messengers returned to their lord + Erec, who received them gladly. When he asked for news of the vavasor and + his lady, of his own father and of his kingdom, the report they gave him + was good and fair. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1915-2024.) Not long after this, the time drew near when Erec was to + celebrate his marriage. The delay was irksome to him, and he resolved no + longer to suffer and wait. So he went and asked of the King that it might + please him to allow him to be married at the court. The King vouchsafed + him the boon, and sent through all his kingdom to search for the kings and + counts who were his liege-men, bidding them that none be so bold as not to + be present at Pentecost. None dares to hold back and not go to court at + the King's summons. Now I will tell you, and listen well, who were these + counts and kings. With a rich escort and one hundred extra mounts Count + Brandes of Gloucester came. After him came Menagormon, who was Count of + Clivelon. And he of the Haute Montagne came with a very rich following. + The Count of Treverain came, too, with a hundred of his knights, and Count + Godegrain with as many more. Along with those whom I have just mentioned + came Maheloas, a great baron, lord of the Isle of Voirre. In this island + no thunder is heard, no lightning strikes, nor tempests rage, nor do toads + or serpents exist there, nor is it ever too hot or too cold. <a + href="#linknote-121" name="linknoteref-121"><small>121</small></a> + Graislemier of Fine Posterne brought twenty companions, and had with him + his brother Guigomar, lord of the Isle of Avalon. Of the latter we have + heard it said that he was a friend of Morgan the Fay, and such he was in + very truth. Davit of Tintagel came, who never suffered woe or grief. + Guergesin, the Duke of Haut Bois, came with a very rich equipment. There + was no lack of counts and dukes, but of kings there were still more. + Garras of Cork, a doughty king, was there with five hundred knights clad + in mantles, hose, and tunics of brocade and silk. Upon a Cappadocian steed + came Aguisel, the Scottish king, and brought with him his two sons, Cadret + and Coi—two much respected knights. Along with those whom I have + named came King Ban of Gomeret, and he had in his company only young men, + beardless as yet on chin and lip. A numerous and gay band he brought two + hundred of them in his suite; and there was none, whoever he be, but had a + falcon or tercel, a merlin or a sparrow-hawk, or some precious + pigeon-hawk, golden or mewed. Kerrin, the old King of Riel, brought no + youth, but rather three hundred companions of whom the youngest was seven + score years old. Because of their great age, their heads were all as white + as snow, and their beards reached down to their girdles. Arthur held them + in great respect. The lord of the dwarfs came next, Bilis, the king of + Antipodes. This king of whom I speak was a dwarf himself and own brother + of Brien. Bilis, on the one hand, was the smallest of all the dwarfs, + while his brother Brien was a half-foot or full palm taller than any other + knight in the kingdom. To display his wealth and power, Bilis brought with + him two kings who were also dwarfs and who were vassals of his, Grigoras + and Glecidalan. Every one looked at them as marvels. When they had arrived + at court, they were treated with great esteem. All three were honoured and + served at the court like kings, for they were very perfect gentlemen. In + brief, when King Arthur saw all his lords assembled, his heart was glad. + Then, to heighten the joy, he ordered a hundred squires to be bathed whom + he wished to dub knights. There was none of them but had a parti-coloured + robe of rich brocade of Alexandria, each one choosing such as pleased his + fancy. All had arms of a uniform pattern, and horses swift and full of + mettle, of which the worst was worth a hundred livres. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2025-2068.) When Erec received his wife, he must needs call her by + her right name. For a wife is not espoused unless she is called by her + proper name. As yet no one knew her name, but now for the first time it + was made known: Enide was her baptismal name. <a href="#linknote-122" + name="linknoteref-122"><small>122</small></a> The + Archbishop of Canterbury, who had come to the court, blessed them, as is + his right. When the court was all assembled, there was not a minstrel in + the countryside who possessed any pleasing accomplishment that did not + come to the court. In the great hall there was much merry-making, each one + contributing what he could to the entertainment: one jumps, another + tumbles, another does magic; there is story-telling, singing, whistling, + playing from notes; they play on the harp, the rote, the fiddle, the + violin, the flute, and pipe. The maidens sing and dance, and outdo each + other in the merry-making. At the wedding that day everything was done + which can give joy and incline man's heart to gladness. Drums are beaten, + large and small, and there is playing of pipes, fifes, horns, trumpets, + and bagpipes. What more shall I say? There was not a wicket or a gate kept + closed; but the exits and entrances all stood ajar, so that no one, poor + or rich, was turned away. King Arthur was not miserly, but gave orders to + the bakers, the cooks, and the butlers that they should serve every one + generously with bread, wine, and venison. No one asked anything whatever + to be passed to him without getting all he desired. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2069-2134.) There was great merriment in the palace. But I will pass + over the rest, and you shall hear of the joy and pleasure in the bridal + chamber. Bishops and archbishops were there on the night when the bride + and groom retired. At this their first meeting, Iseut was not filched + away, nor was Brangien put in her place. <a href="#linknote-123" + name="linknoteref-123"><small>123</small></a> The + Queen herself took charge of their preparations for the night; for both of + them were dear to her. The hunted stag which pants for thirst does not so + long for the spring, nor does the hungry sparrow-hawk return so quickly + when he is called, as did these two come to hold each other in close + embrace. That night they had full compensation for their long delay. After + the chamber had been cleared, they allow each sense to be gratified: the + eyes, which are the entrance-way of love, and which carry messages to the + heart, take satisfaction in the glance, for they rejoice in all they see; + after the message of the eyes comes the far surpassing sweetness of the + kisses inviting love; both of them make trial of this sweetness, and let + their hearts quaff so freely that hardly can they leave off. Thus, kissing + was their first sport. And the love which is between them emboldened the + maid and left her quite without her fears; regardless of pain, she + suffered all. Before she rose, she no longer bore the name of maid; in the + morning she was a new-made dame. That day the minstrels were in happy + mood, for they were all well paid. They were fully compensated for the + entertainment they had given, and many a handsome gift was bestowed upon + them: robes of grey squirrel skin and ermine, of rabbit skins and violet + stuffs, scarlets and silken stuffs. Whether it be a horse or money, each + one got what he deserved according to his skill. And thus the wedding + festivities and the court lasted almost a fortnight with great joy and + magnificence. For his own glory and satisfaction, as well as to honour + Erec the more, King Arthur made all the knights remain a full fortnight. + When the third week began, all together by common consent agreed to hold a + tournament. On the one side, my lord Gawain offered himself as surety that + it would take place between Evroic and Tenebroc: and Meliz and Meliadoc + were guarantors on the other side. Then the court separated. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2135-2292.) A month after Pentecost the tournament assembled, and the + jousting began in the plain below Tenebroc. Many an ensign of red, blue, + and white, many a veil and many a sleeve were bestowed as tokens of love. + Many a lance was carried there, flying the colours argent and green, or + gold and azure blue. There were many, too, with different devices, some + with stripes and some with dots. That day one saw laced on many a helmet + of gold or steel, some green, some yellow, and others red, all aglowing in + the sun; so many scutcheons and white hauberks; so many swords girt on the + left side; so many good shields, fresh and new, some resplendent in silver + and green, others of azure with buckles of gold; so many good steeds + marked with white, or sorrel, tawny, white, black, and bay: all gather + hastily. And now the field is quite covered with arms. On either side the + ranks tremble, and a roar rises from the fight. The shock of the lances is + very great. Lances break and shields are riddled, the hauberks receive + bumps and are torn asunder, saddles go empty and horsemen ramble, while + the horses sweat and foam. Swords are quickly drawn on those who tumble + noisily, and some run to receive the promise of a ransom, others to stave + off this disgrace. Erec rode a white horse, and came forth alone at the + head of the line to joust, if he may find an opponent. From the opposite + side there rides out to meet him Orguelleus de la Lande, mounted on an + Irish steed which bears him along with marvellous speed. On the shield + before his breast Erec strikes him with such force that he knocks him from + his horse: he leaves him prone and passes on. Then Raindurant opposed him, + son of the old dame of Tergalo, covered with blue cloth of silk; he was a + knight of great prowess. Against one another now they charge and deal + fierce blows on the shields about their neck. Erec from lance's length + lays him over on the hard ground. While riding back he met the King of the + Red City, who was very valiant and bold. They grasp their reins by the + knots and their shields by the inner straps. They both had fine arms, and + strong swift horses, and good shields, fresh and new. With such fury they + strike each other that both their lances fly in splinters. Never was there + seen such a blow. They rush together with shields, arms, and horses. But + neither girth nor rein nor breast-strap could prevent the king from coming + to earth. So he flew from his steed, carrying with him saddle and stirrup, + and even the reins of his bridle in his hand. All those who witnessed the + jousting were filled with amazement, and said it cost him dear to joust + with such a goodly knight. Erec did not wish to stop to capture either + horse or rider, but rather to joust and distinguish himself in order that + his prowess might appear. He thrills the ranks in front of him. Gawain + animates those who were on his side by his prowess, and by winning horses + and knights to the discomfiture of his opponents. I speak of my lord + Gawain, who did right well and valiantly. In the fight he unhorsed + Guincel, and took Gaudin of the Mountain; he captured knights and horses + alike: my lord Gawain did well. Girtlet the son of Do, and Yvain, and + Sagremor the Impetuous, so evilly entreated their adversaries that they + drove them back to the gates, capturing and unhorsing many of them. In + front of the gate of the town the strife began again between those within + and those without. There Sagremor was thrown down, who was a very gallant + knight. He was on the point of being detained and captured, when Erec + spurs to rescue him, breaking his lance into splinters upon one of the + opponents. So hard he strikes him on the breast that he made him quit the + saddle. Then he made of his sword and advances upon them, crushing and + splitting their helmets. Some flee, and others make way before him, for + even the boldest fears him. Finally, he distributed so many blows and + thrusts that he rescued Sagremor from them, and drove them all in + confusion into the town. Meanwhile, the vesper hour drew to a close. Erec + bore himself so well that day that he was the best of the combatants. But + on the morrow he did much better yet: for he took so many knights and left + so many saddles empty that none could believe it except those who had seen + it. Every one on both sides said that with his lance and shield he had won + the honours of the tournament. Now was Erec's renown so high that no one + spoke save of him, nor was any one of such goodly favour. In countenance + he resembled Absalom, in language he seemed a Solomon, in boldness he + equalled Samson, <a href="#linknote-124" name="linknoteref-124"><small>124</small></a> and in generous giving and + spending he was the equal of Alexander. On his return from the tourney + Erec went to speak with the King. He went to ask him for leave to go and + visit his own land; but first he thanked him like a frank, wise, and + courteous man for the honour which he had done him; for very deep was his + gratitude. Then he asked his permission to leave, for he wished to visit + his own country, and he wished to take his wife with him. This request the + King could not deny, and yet he would have had him stay. He gives him + leave and begs him to return as soon as possible: for in the whole court + there was no better or more gallant knight, save only his dear nephew + Gawain; <a href="#linknote-125" name="linknoteref-125"><small>125</small></a> + with him no one could be compared. But next after him, he prized Erec + most, and held him more dear than any other knight. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2293-2764.) Erec wished to delay no longer. As soon as he had the + King's leave, he bid his wife make her preparations, and he retained as + his escort sixty knights of merit with horses and with dappled and grey + furs. As soon as he was ready for his journey, he tarried little further + at court, but took leave of the Queen and commended the knights to God. + The Queen grants him leave to depart. At the hour of prime he set out from + the royal palace. In the presence of them all he mounted his steed, and + his wife mounted the dappled horse which she had brought from her own + country; then all his escort mounted. Counting knights and squires, there + were full seven score in the train. After four long days' journey over + hills and slopes, through forests, plains, and streams, they came on the + fifth day to Camant, where King Lac was residing in a very charming town. + No one ever saw one better situated; for the town was provided with + forests and meadow-land, with vineyards and farms, with streams and + orchards, with ladies and knights, and fine, lively youths, and polite, + well-mannered clerks who spent their incomes freely, with fair and + charming maidens, and with prosperous burghers. Before Erec reached the + town, he sent two knights ahead to announce his arrival to the King. When + he heard the news, the King had clerks, knights, and damsels quickly + mount, and ordered the bells to be rung, and the streets to be hung with + tapestries and silken stuffs, that his son might be received with joy; + then he himself got on his horse. Of clerks there were present fourscore, + gentle and honourable men, clad in grey cloaks bordered with sable. Of + knights there were full five hundred, mounted on bay, sorrel, or + white-spotted steeds. There were so many burghers and dames that no one + could tell the number of them. The King and his son galloped and rode on + till they saw and recognised each other. They both jump down from their + horses and embrace and greet each other for a long time, without stirring + from the place where they first met. Each party wished the other joy: the + King makes much of Erec, but all at once breaks off to turn to Enide. On + all sides he is in clover: he embraces and kisses them both, and knows not + which of the two pleases him the more. As they gaily enter the castle, the + bells all ring their peals to honour Erec's arrival. The streets are all + strewn with reeds, mint, and iris, and are hung overhead with curtains and + tapestries of fancy silk and satin stuffs. There was great rejoicing; for + all the people came together to see their new lord, and no one ever saw + greater happiness than was shown alike by young and old. First they came + to the church, where very devoutly they were received in a procession. + Erec kneeled before the altar of the Crucifix, and two knights led his + wife to the image of Our Lady. When she had finished her prayer, she + stepped back a little and crossed herself with her right hand, as a + well-bred dame should do. Then they came out from the church and entered + the royal palace, when the festivity began. That day Erec received many + presents from the knights and burghers: from one a palfrey of northern + stock, and from another a golden cup. One presents him with a golden + pigeon-hawk, another with a setter-dog, this one a greyhound, this other a + sparrowhawk, and another a swift Arab steed, this one a shield, this one + an ensign, this one a sword, and this a helmet. Never was a king more + gladly seen in his kingdom, nor received with greater joy, as all strove + to serve him well. Yet greater joy they made of Enide than of him, for the + great beauty which they saw in her, and still more for her open charm. She + was seated in a chamber upon a cushion of brocade which had been brought + from Thessaly. Round about her was many a fair lady; yet as the lustrous + gem outshines the brown flint, and as the rose excels the poppy, so was + Enide fairer than any other lady or damsel to be found in the world, + wherever one might search. She was so gentle and honourable, of wise + speech and affable, of pleasing character and kindly mien. No one could + ever be so watchful as to detect in her any folly, or sign of evil or + villainy. She had been so schooled in good manners that she had learned + all virtues which any lady can possess, as well as generosity and + knowledge. All loved her for her open heart, and whoever could do her any + service was glad and esteemed himself the more. No one spoke any ill of + her, for no one could do so. In the realm or empire there was no lady of + such good manners. But Erec loved her with such a tender love that he + cared no more for arms, nor did he go to tournaments, nor have any desire + to joust; but he spent his time in cherishing his wife. He made of her his + mistress and his sweetheart. He devoted all his heart and mind to fondling + and kissing her, and sought no delight in other pastime. His friends + grieved over this, and often regretted among themselves that he was so + deep in love. Often it was past noon before he left her side; for there he + was happy, say what they might. He rarely left her society, and yet he was + as open-handed as ever to his knights with arms, dress, and money. There + was not a tournament anywhere to which he did not send them well + apparelled and equipped. Whatever the cost might be, he gave them fresh + steeds for the tourney and joust. All the knights said it was a great pity + and misfortune that such a valiant man as he was wont to be should no + longer wish to bear arms. He was blamed so much on all sides by the + knights and squires that murmurs reached Enide's ears how that her lord + had turned craven about arms and deeds of chivalry, and that his manner of + life was greatly changed. <a href="#linknote-126" name="linknoteref-126"><small>126</small></a> She grieved sorely over this, + but she did not dare to show her grief; for her lord at once would take + affront, if she should speak to him. So the matter remained a secret, + until one morning they lay in bed where they had had sport together. There + they lay in close embrace, like the true lovers they were. He was asleep, + but she was awake, thinking of what many a man in the country was saying + of her lord. And when she began to think it all over, she could not keep + back the tears. Such was her grief and her chagrin that by mischance she + let fall a word for which she later felt remorse, though in her heart + there was no guile. She began to survey her lord from head to foot, his + well-shaped body and his clear countenance, until her tears fell fast upon + the bosom of her lord, and she said: "Alas, woe is me that I ever left my + country! What did I come here to seek? The earth ought by right to swallow + me up when the best knight, the most hardy, brave, fair, and courteous + that ever was a count or king, has completely abjured all his deeds of + chivalry because of me. And thus, in truth, it is I who have brought shame + upon his head, though I would fain not have done so at any price." Then + she said to him: "Unhappy thou!" And then kept silence and spoke no more. + Erec was not sound asleep and, though dozing, heard plainly what she said. + He aroused at her words, and much surprised to see her weeping, he asked + her: "Tell me, my precious beauty, why do you weep thus? What has caused + you woe or sorrow? Surely it is my wish to know. Tell me now, my gentle + sweetheart; and raise care to keep nothing back, why you said that woe was + me? For you said it of me and of no one else. I heard your words plainly + enough." Then was Enide in a great plight, afraid and dismayed. "Sire," + says she, "I know nothing of what you say." "Lady, why do you conceal it? + Concealment is of no avail. You hare been crying; I can see that, and you + do not cry for nothing. And in my sleep I heard what you said." "Ah! fair + sire, you never heard it, and I dare say it was a dream." "Now you are + coming to me with lies. I hear you calmly lying to me. But if you do not + tell me the truth now, you will come to repent of it later." "Sire, since + you torment me thus, I will tell you the whole truth, and keep nothing + back. But I am afraid that you will not like it. In this land they all say—the + dark, the fair, and the ruddy—that it is a great pity that you + should renounce your arms; your reputation has suffered from it. Every one + used to say not long ago that in all the world there was known no better + or more gallant knight. Now they all go about making game of you—old + and young, little and great—calling you a recreant. Do you suppose + it does not give me pain to hear you thus spoken of with scorn? It grieves + me when I hear it said, and yet it grieves me more that they put the blame + for it on me. Yes, I am blamed for it, I regret to say, and they all + assert it is because I have so ensnared and caught you that you are losing + all your merit, and do not care for aught but me. You must choose another + course, so that you may silence this reproach and regain your former fame; + for I have heard too much of this reproach, and yet I did not dare to + disclose it to you. Many a time, when I think of it, I have to weep for + very grief. Such chagrin I felt just now that I could not keep myself from + saying that you were ill-starred." "Lady," said he, "you were in the + right, and those who blame me do so with reason. And now at once prepare + yourself to take the road. Rise up from here, and dress yourself in your + richest robe, and order your saddle to be put on your best palfrey." <a + href="#linknote-127" name="linknoteref-127"><small>127</small></a>Now + Enide is in great distress: very sad and pensive, she gets up, blaming and + upbraiding herself for the foolish words she spoke: she had now made her + bed, and must lie in it. "Ah!" said she, "poor fool! I was too happy, for + there lacked me nothing. God! why was I so forward as to dare to utter + such folly? God! did not my lord love me to excess? In faith, alas, he was + too fond of me. And now I must go away into exile. But I have yet a + greater grief, that I shall no longer see my lord, who loved me with such + tenderness that there was nothing he held so dear. The best man that was + ever born had become so wrapped up in me that he cared for nothing else. I + lacked for nothing then. I was very happy. But pride it is that stirred me + up: because of my pride, I must suffer woe for telling him such insulting + words, and it is right that I should suffer woe. One does not know what + good fortune is until he has made trial of evil." Thus the lady bemoaned + her fate, while she dressed herself fitly in her richest robe. Yet nothing + gave her any pleasure, but rather cause for deep chagrin. Then she had a + maid call one of her squires, and bids him saddle her precious palfrey of + northern stock, than which no count or king ever had a better. As soon as + she had given him the command, the fellow asked for no delay, but + straightway went and saddled the dappled palfrey. And Erec summoned + another squire and bade him bring his arms to arm his body withal. Then he + went up into a bower, and had a Limoges rug laid out before him on the + floor. Meanwhile, the squire ran to fetch the arms and came back and laid + them on the rug. Erec took a seat opposite, on the figure of a leopard + which was portrayed on the rug. He prepares and gets ready to put on his + arms: first, he had laced on a pair of greaves of polished steel; next, he + dons a hauberk, which was so fine that not a mesh could be cut away from + it. This hauberk of his was rich, indeed, for neither inside nor outside + of it was there enough iron to make a needle, nor could it gather any + rust; for it was all made of worked silver in tiny meshes triple-wove; and + it was made with such skill that I can assure you that no one who had put + it on would have been more uncomfortable or sore because of it, than if he + had put on a silk jacket over his undershirt. The knights and squires all + began to wonder why he was being armed; but no one dared to ask him why. + When they had put on his hauberk, a valet laces about his head a helmet + fluted with a band of gold, shining brighter than a mirror. Then he takes + the sword and girds it on, and orders them to bring him saddled his bay + steed of Gascony. Then he calls a valet to him, and says: "Valet, go + quickly, run to the chamber beside the tower where my wife is, and tell + her that she is keeping me waiting here too long. She has spent too much + time on her attire. Tell her to come and mount at once, for I am awaiting + her." And the fellow goes and finds her all ready, weeping and making + moan: and he straightway addressed her thus: "Lady, why do you so delay? + My lord is awaiting you outside yonder, already fully armed. He would have + mounted some time ago, had you been ready." Enide wondered greatly what + her lord's intention was; but she very wisely showed herself with as + cheerful a countenance as possible, when she appeared before him. In the + middle of the courtyard she found him, and King Lac comes running out. + Knights come running, too, striving with each other to reach there first. + There is neither young nor old but goes to learn and ask if he will take + any of them with him. So each offers and presents himself. But he states + definitely and affirms that he will take no companion except his wife, + asserting that he will go alone. Then the King is in great distress. "Fair + son," says he, "what dost thou intend to do? Thou shouldst tell me thy + business and keep nothing back. Tell me whither thou will go; for thou art + unwilling on any account to be accompanied by an escort of squires or + knights. If thou hast undertaken to fight some knight in single combat, + yet shouldst thou not for that reason fail to take a part of thy knights + with thee to betoken thy wealth and lordship. A king's son ought not to + fare alone. Fair son, have thy sumpters loaded now, and take thirty or + forty or more of thy knights, and see that silver and gold is taken, and + whatever a gentleman needs." Finally Erec makes reply and tells him all in + detail how he has planned his journey. "Sire," says he, "it must be so. I + shall take no extra horse, nor have I any use for gold or silver, squire + or sergeant; nor do I ask for any company save that of my wife alone. But + I pray you, whatever may happen, should I die and she come back, to love + her and hold her dear for love of me and for my prayer, and give her so + long as she live, without contention or any strife, the half of your land + to be her own." Upon hearing his son's request, the King said: "Fair son, + I promise it. But I grieve much to see thee thus go off without escort, + and if I had my way, thou shouldst not thus depart." "Sire, it cannot be + otherwise. I go now, and to God commend you. But keep in mind my + companions, and give them horses and arms and all that knight may need." + The King cannot keep back the tears when he is parted from his son. The + people round about weep too; the ladies and knights shed tears and make + great moan for him. There is not one who does not mourn, and many a one in + the courtyard swoons. Weeping, they kiss and embrace him, and are almost + beside themselves with grief. I think they would not have been more sad if + they had seen him dead or wounded. Then Erec said to comfort them: "My + lords, why do you weep so sore? I am neither in prison nor wounded. You + gain nothing by this display of grief. If I go away, I shall come again + when it please God and when I can. To God I commend you one and all; so + now let me go; too long you keep me here. I am sorry and grieved to see + you weep." To God he commends them and they him. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2765-2924.) So they departed, leaving sorrow behind them. Erec + starts, and leads his wife he knows not whither, as chance dictates. "Ride + fast," he says, "and take good care not to be so rash as to speak to me of + anything you may see. Take care never to speak to me, unless I address you + first. Ride on now fast and with confidence." "Sire," says she, "it shall + be done." She rode ahead and held her peace. Neither one nor the other + spoke a word. But Enide's heart is very sad, and within herself she thus + laments, soft and low that he may not hear: "Alas," she says, "God had + raised and exalted me to such great joy; but now He has suddenly cast me + down. Fortune who had beckoned me has quickly now withdrawn her hand. I + should not mind that so much, alas, if only I dared to address my lord. + But I am mortified and distressed because my lord has turned against me, I + see it clearly, since he will not speak to me. And I am not so bold as to + dare to look at him." While she thus laments, a knight who lived by + robbery issued forth from the woods. He had two companions with him, and + all three were armed. They covet the palfrey which Enide rides. "My lords, + do you know the news I bring?" says he to his two companions. "If we do + not now make a haul, we are good-for-nothing cowards and are playing in + bad luck. Here comes a lady wondrous fair, whether married or not I do not + know, but she is very richly dressed. The palfrey and saddle, with the + breast-strap and reins, are worth a thousand livres of Chartres. I will + take the palfrey for mine, and the rest of the booty you may have. I don't + want any more for my share. The knight shall not lead away the lady, so + help me God. For I intend to give him such a thrust as he will dearly pay. + I it was who saw him first, and so it is my right to go the first and + offer battle." They give him leave and he rides off, crouching well + beneath his shield, while the other two remain aloof. In those days it was + the custom and practice that in an attack two knights should not join + against one; thus if they too had assailed him, it would seem that they + had acted treacherously. Enide saw the robbers, and was seized with great + fear. "God," says she, "what can I say? Now my lord will be either killed + or made a prisoner; for there are three of them and he is alone. The + contest is not fair between one knight and three. That fellow will strike + him now at a disadvantage; for my lord is off his guard. God, shall I be + then such a craven as not to dare to raise my voice? Such a coward I will + not be: I will not fail to speak to him." On the spot she turns about and + calls to him: "Fair sire, of what are you thinking? There come riding + after you three knights who press you hard. I greatly fear they will do + you harm." "What?" says Erec, "what's that you say? You have surely been + very bold to disdain my command and prohibition. This time you shall be + pardoned; but if it should happen another time, you would not be + forgiven." Then turning his shield and lance, he rushes at the knight. The + latter sees him coming and challenges him. When Erec hears him, he defies + him. Both give spur and clash together, holding their lances at full + extent. But he missed Erec, while Erec used him hard; for he knew well the + right attack. He strikes him on the shield so fiercely that he cracks it + from top to bottom. Nor is his hauberk any protection: Erec pierces and + crushes it in the middle of his breast, and thrusts a foot and a half of + his lance into his body. When he drew back, he pulled out the shaft. And + the other fell to earth. He must needs die, for the blade had drunk of his + life's blood. Then one of the other two rushes forward, leaving his + companion behind, and spurs toward Erec, threatening him. Erec firmly + grasps his shield, and attacks him with a stout heart. The other holds his + shield before his breast. Then they strike upon the emblazoned shields. + The knight's lance flies into two bits, while Erec drives a quarter of + lance's length through the other's breast. He will give him no more + trouble. Erec unhorses him and leaves him in a faint, while he spurs at an + angle toward the third robber. When the latter saw him coming on he began + to make his escape. He was afraid, and did not dare to face him; so he + hastened to take refuge in the woods. But his flight is of small avail, + for Erec follows him close and cries aloud: "Vassal, vassal, turn about + now, and prepare to defend yourself, so that I may not slay you in act of + flight. It is useless to try to escape." But the fellow has no desire to + turn about, and continues to flee with might and main. Following and + overtaking him, Erec hits him squarely on his painted shield, and throws + him over on the other side. To these three robbers he gives no further + heed: one he has killed, another wounded, and of the third he got rid by + throwing him to earth from his steed. He took the horses of all three and + tied them together by the bridles. In colour they were not alike: the + first was white as milk, the second black and not at all bad looking, + while the third was dappled all over. He came back to the road where Enide + was awaiting him. He bade her lead and drive the three horses in front of + her, warning her harshly never again to be so bold as to speak a single + word unless he give her leave. She makes answer: "I will never do so, fair + sire, if it be your will." Then they ride on, and she holds her peace. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2925-3085.) They had not yet gone a league when before them in a + valley there came five other knights, with lances in rest, shields held + close in to the neck, and their shining helmets laced up tight; they, too, + were on plunder bent. All at once they saw the lady approach in charge of + the three horses, and Erec who followed after. As soon as they saw them, + they divided their equipment among themselves, just as if they had already + taken possession of it. Covetousness is a bad thing. But it did not turn + out as they expected; for vigorous defence was made. Much that a fool + plans is not executed, and many a man misses what he thinks to obtain. So + it befell them in this attack. One said that he would take the maid or + lose his life in the attempt; and another said that the dappled steed + shall be his, and that he will be satisfied with that. The third said that + he would take the black horse. "And the white one for me," said the + fourth. The fifth was not at all backward, and vowed that he would have + the horse and arms of the knight himself. He wished to win them by + himself, and would fain attack him first, if they would give him leave: + and they willingly gave consent. Then he leaves them and rides ahead on a + good and nimble steed. Erec saw him, but made pretence that he did not yet + notice him. When Enide saw them, her heart jumped with fear and great + dismay. "Alas!" said she, "I know not what to say or do; for my lord + severely threatens me, and says that he will punish me, if I speak a word + to him. But if my lord were dead now, there would be no comfort for me. I + should be killed and roughly treated. God! my lord does not see them! Why, + then, do I hesitate, crazed as I am? I am indeed too chary of my words, + when I have not already spoken to him. I know well enough that those who + are coming yonder are intent upon some wicked deed. And God! how shall I + speak to him? He will kill me. Well, let him kill me! Yet I will not fail + to speak to him." Then she softly calls him: "Sire!" "What?" says he, + "what do you want?" "Your pardon, sire. I want to tell you that five + knights have emerged from yonder thicket, of whom I am in mortal fear. + Having noticed them, I am of the opinion that they intend to fight with + you. Four of them have stayed behind, and the other comes toward you as + fast as his steed can carry him. I am afraid every moment lest he will + strike you. 'Tis true, the four have stayed behind; but still they are not + far away, and will quickly aid him, if need arise." Erec replies: "You had + an evil thought, when you transgressed my command—a thing which I + had forbidden you. And yet I knew all the time that you did not hold me in + esteem. Your service has been ill employed; for it has not awakened my + gratitude, but rather kindled the more my ire. I have told you that once, + and I say it again. This once again I will pardon you; but another time + restrain yourself, and do not again turn around to watch me: for in doing + so you would be very foolish. I do not relish your words." Then he spurs + across the field toward his adversary, and they come together. Each seeks + out and assails the other. Erec strikes him with such force that his + shield flies from his neck, and thus he breaks his collar-bone. His + stirrups break, and he falls without the strength to rise again, for he + was badly bruised and wounded. One of the others then appeared, and they + attack each other fiercely. Without difficulty Erec thrusts the sharp and + well forged steel into his neck beneath the chin, severing thus the bones + and nerves. At the back of his neck the blade protrudes, and the hot red + blood flows down on both sides from the wound. He yields his spirit, and + his heart is still. The third sallies forth from his hiding-place on the + other side of a ford. Straight through the water, on he comes. Erec spurs + forward and meets him before he came out of the water, striking him so + hard that he beats down flat both rider and horse. The steed lay upon the + body long enough to drown him in the stream, and then struggled until with + difficulty he got upon his feet. Thus he conquered three of them, when the + other two thought it wise to quit the conflict and not to strive with him. + In flight they follow the stream, and Erec after them in hot pursuit, + until he strikes one upon the spine so hard that he throws him forward + upon the saddle-bow. He put all his strength into the blow, and breaks his + lance upon his body, so that the fellow fell head foremost. Erec makes him + pay dearly for the lance which he has broken on him, and drew his sword + from the scabbard. The fellow unwisely straightened up; for Erec gave him + three such strokes that he slaked his sword's thirst in his blood. He + severs the shoulder from his body, so that it fell down on the ground. + Then, with sword drawn, he attacked the other, as he sought to escape + without company or escort. When he sees Erec pursuing him, he is so afraid + that he knows not what to do: he does not dare to face him, and cannot + turn aside; he has to leave his horse, for he has no more trust in him. He + throws away his shield and lance, and slips from his horse to earth. When + he saw him on his feet, Erec no longer cared to pursue him, but he stooped + over for the lance, not wishing to leave that, because of his own which + had been broken. He carries off his lance and goes away, not leaving the + horses behind: he catches all five of them and leads them off. Enide had + hard work to lead them all; for he hands over all five of them to her with + the other three, and commands her to go along smartly, and to keep from + addressing him in order that no evil or harm may come to her. So not a + word does she reply, but rather keeps silence; and thus they go, leading + with them all the eight horses. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3086-3208.) They rode till nightfall without coming to any town or + shelter. When night came on, they took refuge beneath a tree in an open + field. Erec bids his lady sleep, and he will watch. She replies that she + will not, for it is not right, and she does not wish to do so. It is for + him to sleep who is more weary. Well pleased at this, Erec accedes. + Beneath his head he placed his shield, and the lady took her cloak, and + stretched it over him from head to foot. Thus, he slept and she kept + watch, never dozing the whole night, but holding tight in her hand by the + bridle the horses until the morning broke; and much she blamed and + reproached herself for the words which she had uttered, and said that she + acted badly, and was not half so ill-treated as she deserved to be. + "Alas," said she, "in what an evil hour have I witnessed my pride and + presumption! I might have known without doubt that there was no knight + better than, or so good as, my lord. I knew it well enough before, but now + I know it better. For I have seen with my own eyes how he has not quailed + before three or even five armed men. A plague for ever upon my tongue for + having uttered such pride and insult as now compel me to suffer shame!" + All night long she thus lamented until the morning dawned. Erec rises + early, and again they take the road, she in front and he behind. At noon a + squire met them in a little valley, accompanied by two fellows who were + carrying cakes and wine and some rich autumn cheeses to those who were + mowing the hay in the meadows belonging to Count Galoain. The squire was a + clever fellow, and when he saw Erec and Enide, who were coming from the + direction of the woods, he perceived that they must have spent the night + in the forest and had had nothing to eat or drink; for within a radius of + a day's journey there was no town, city or tower, no strong place or + abbey, hospice or place of refuge. So he formed an honest purpose and + turned his steps toward them, saluting them politely and saving: "Sire, I + presume that you have had a hard experience last night. I am sure you have + had no sleep and have spent the night in these woods. I offer you some of + this white cake, if it please you to partake of it. I say it not in hope + of reward: for I ask and demand nothing of you. The cakes are made of good + wheat; I have good wine and rich cheeses, too, a white cloth and fine + jugs. If you feel like taking lunch, you need not seek any farther. + Beneath these white beeches, here on the greensward, you might lay off + your arms and rest yourself a while. My advice is that you dismount." Erec + got down from his horse and said: "Fair gentle friend, I thank you kindly: + I will eat something, without going farther." The young man knew well what + to do: he helped the lady from her horse, and the boys who had come with + the squire held the steeds. Then they go and sit down in the shade. The + squire relieves Erec of his helmet, unlaces the mouth-piece from before + his face; then he spreads out the cloth before them on the thick tuff. He + passes them the cake and wine, and prepares and cuts a cheese. Hungry as + they were, they helped themselves, and gladly drank of the wine. The + squire serves them and omits no attention. When they had eaten and drunk + their fill, Erec was courteous and generous. "Friend," says he, "as a + reward, I wish to present you with one of my horses. Take the one you like + the best. And I pray it may be no hardship for you to return to the town + and make ready there a goodly lodging." And he replies that he will gladly + do whatever is his will. Then he goes up to the horses and, untying them, + chooses the dapple, and speaks his thanks; for this one seems to be the + best. Up he springs by the left stirrup, and leaving them both there, he + rode off to the town at top speed, where he engaged suitable quarters. Now + behold! he is back again: "Now mount, sire, quickly," says he, "for you + have a good fine lodging ready." Erec mounted, and then his lady, and, as + the town was hard by, they soon had reached their lodging-place. There + they were received with joy. The host with kindness welcomed them, and + with joy and gladness made generous provision for their needs. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3209-3458.) When the squire had done for them all the honour that he + could do, he came and mounted his horse again, leading it off in front of + the Count's bower to the stable. The Count and three of his vassals were + leaning out of the bower, when the Count, seeing his squire mounted on the + dappled steed, asked him whose it was. And he replied that it was his. The + Count, greatly astonished, says: "How is that? Where didst thou get him?" + "A knight whom I esteem highly gave him to me, sire," says he. "I have + conducted him within this town, and he is lodged at a burgher's house. He + is a very courteous knight and the handsomest man I ever saw. Even if I + had given you my word and oath, I could not half tell you how handsome he + is." The Count replies: "I suppose and presume that he is not more + handsome than I am." "Upon my word, sire," the sergeant says, "you are + very handsome and a gentleman. There is not a knight in this country, a + native of this land, whom you do not excel in favour. But I dare maintain + concerning this one that he is fairer than you, if he were not beaten + black and blue beneath his hauberk, and bruised. In the forest he has been + fighting single-handed with eight knights, and leads away their eight + horses. And there comes with him a lady so fair that never lady was half + so fair as she." <a href="#linknote-128" name="linknoteref-128"><small>128</small></a> When the Count hears this + news, the desire takes him to go and see if this is true or false. "I + never heard such a thing," says he; "take me now to his lodging-place, for + certainly I wish to know if thou dost lie or speak the truth." He replies: + "Right gladly, sire. This is the way and the path to follow, for it is not + far from here." "I am anxious to see them," says the Count. Then he comes + down, and the squire gets off his horse, and makes the Count mount in his + place. Then he ran ahead to tell Erec that the Count was coming to visit + him. Erec's lodging was rich indeed—the kind to which he was + accustomed. There were many tapers and candles lighted all about. The + Count came attended by only three companions. Erec, who was of gracious + manners, rose to meet him, and exclaimed: "Welcome, sire!" And the Count + returned his salutation. They both sat down side by side upon a soft white + couch, where they chat with each other. The Count makes him an offer and + urges him to consent to accept from him a guarantee for the payment of his + expenses in the town. But Erec does not deign to accept, saying he is well + supplied with money, and has no need to accept aught from him. They speak + long of many things, but the Count constantly glances about in the other + direction, where he caught sight of the lady. Because of her manifest + beauty, he fixed all his thought on her. He looked at her as much as he + could; he coveted her, and she pleased him so that her beauty filled him + with love. Very craftily he asked Erec for permission to speak with her. + "Sire," he says "I ask a favour of you, and may it not displease you. As + an act of courtesy and as a pleasure, I would fain sit by yonder lady's + side. With good intent I came to see you both, and you should see no harm + in that. I wish to present to the lady my service in all respects. Know + well that for love of you I would do whatever may please her." Erec was + not in the least jealous and suspected no evil or treachery. "Sire," says + he, "I have no objection. You may sit down and talk with her. Don't think + that I have any objection. I give you permission willingly." The lady was + seated about two spear-lengths away from him. And the Count took his seat + close beside her on a low stool. Prudent and courteous, the lady turned + toward him. "Alas," quoth he, "how grieved I am to see you in such humble + state! I am sorry and feel great distress. But if you would believe my + word, you could have honour and great advantage, and much wealth would + accrue to you. Such beauty as yours is entitled to great honour and + distinction. I would make you my mistress, if it should please you and be + your will; you would be my mistress dear and lady over all my land. When I + deign to woo you thus, you ought not to disdain my suit. I know and + perceive that your lord does not love and esteem you. If you will remain + with me, you would be mated with a worthy lord." "Sire," says Enide, "your + proposal is vain. It cannot be. Ah! better that I were yet unborn, or + burnt upon a fire of thorns and my ashes scattered abroad than that I + should ever in any wise be false to my lord, or conceive any felony or + treachery toward him. You have made a great mistake in making such a + proposal to me. I shall not agree to it in any wise." The Count's ire + began to rise. "You disdain to love me, lady?" says he; "upon my word, you + are too proud. Neither for flattery nor for prayer you will do my will? It + is surely true that a woman's pride mounts the more one prays and flatters + her; but whoever insults and dishonours her will often find her more + tractable. I give you my word that if you do not do my will there soon + will be some sword-play here. Rightly or wrongly, I will have your lord + slain right here before your eyes." "Ah, sire," says Enide, "there is a + better way than that you say. You would commit a wicked and treacherous + deed if you killed him thus. Calm yourself again, I pray; for I will do + your pleasure. You may regard me as all your own, for I am yours and wish + to be. I did not speak as I did from pride, but to learn and prove if I + could find in you the true love of a sincere heart. But I would not at any + price have you commit an act of treason. My lord is not on his guard; and + if you should kill him thus, you would do a very ugly deed, and I should + have the blame for it. Every one in the land would say that it had been + done with my consent. Go and rest until the morrow, when my lord shall be + about to rise. Then you can better do him harm without blame and without + reproach." With her heart's thoughts her words do not agree. "Sire," says + she, "believe me now! Have no anxiety; but send here to-morrow your + knights and squires and have me carried away by force. My lord will rush + to my defence, for he is proud and bold enough. Either in earnest or in + jest, have him seized and treated ill, or strike his head off, if you + will. I have led this life now long enough; to tell the truth. I like not + the company of this my lord. Rather would I feel your body lying beside me + in a bed. And since we have reached this point, of my love you may rest + assured." The Count replies: "It is well, my lady! God bless the hour that + you were born; in great estate you shall be held." "Sire," says she, + "indeed, I believe it. And yet I would fain have your word that you will + always hold me dear; I could not believe you otherwise." Glad and merry, + the Count replies: "See here, my faith I will pledge to you loyally as a + Count, Madame, that I shall do all your behests. Have no further fear of + that. All you want you shall always have." Then she took his plighted + word; but little she valued or cared for it, except therewith to save her + lord. Well she knows how to deceive a fool, when she puts her mind upon + it. Better it were to lie to him than that her lord should be cut off. The + Count now rose from her side, and commends her to God a hundred times. But + of little use to him will be the faith which she has pledged to him. Erec + knew nothing at all of this that they were plotting to work his death; but + God will be able to lend him aid, and I think He will do so. Now Erec is + in great peril, and does not know that he must be on his guard. The + Count's intentions are very base in planning to steal away his wife and + kill him when he is without defence. In treacherous guise he takes his + leave: "To God I commend you," says he, and Erec replies: "And so do I + you, sire." Thus they separated. Already a good part of the night was + passed. Out of the way, in one of the rooms, two beds were made upon the + floor. In one of them Erec lays him down, in the other Enide went to rest. + Full of grief and anxiety, she never closed her eyes that night, but + remained on watch for her lord's sake; for from what she had seen of the + Count, she knew him to be full of wickedness. She knows full well that if + he once gets possession of her lord, he will not fail to do him harm. He + may be sure of being killed: so for his sake she is in distress. All night + she must needs keep her vigil; but before the dawn, if she can bring it + about, and if her lord will take her word, they will be ready to depart. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3459-3662.) Erec slept all night long securely until daylight. Then + Enide realised and suspected that she might hesitate too long. Her heart + was tender toward her lord, like a good and loyal lady. Her heart was + neither deceitful nor false. So she rises and makes ready, and drew near + to her lord to wake him up. "Ah, sire," says she, "I crave your pardon. + Rise quickly now, for you are betrayed beyond all doubt, though guiltless + and free from any crime. The Count is a proven traitor, and if he can but + catch you here, you will never get away without his having cut you in + pieces. He hates you because he desires me. But if it please God, who + knows all things, you shall be neither slain nor caught. Last evening he + would have killed you had I not assured him that I would be his mistress + and his wife. You will see him return here soon: he wants to seize me and + keep me here and kill you if he can find you." Now Erec learns how loyal + his wife is to him. "Lady," says he, "have our horses quickly saddled; + then run and call our host, and tell him quickly to come here. Treason has + been long abroad." Now the horses are saddled, and the lady summoned the + host. Erec has armed and dressed himself, and into his presence came the + host. "Sire," said he, "what haste is this, that you are risen at such an + hour, before the day and the sun appear?" Erec replies that he has a long + road and a full day before him, and therefore he has made ready to set + out, having it much upon his mind; and he added: "Sire, you have nor yet + handed me any statement of my expenses. You have received me with honour + and kindness, and therein great merit redounds to you. Cancel my + indebtedness with these seven horses that I brought here with me. Do not + disdain them, but keep them for your own. I cannot increase my gift to you + by so much as the value of a halter." The burgher was delighted with this + gift and bowed low, expressing his thanks and gratitude. Then Erec mounts + and takes his leave, and they set out upon their way. As they ride, he + frequently warns Enide that if she sees anything she should not be so bold + as to speak to him about it. Meanwhile, there entered the house a hundred + knights well armed, and very much dismayed they were to find Erec no + longer there. Then the Count learned that the lady had deceived him. He + discovered the footsteps of the horses, and they all followed the trail, + the Count threatening Erec and vowing that, if he can come up with him, + nothing can keep him from having his head on the spot. "A curse on him who + now hangs back, and does not spur on fast!" quoth he; "he who presents me + with the head of the knight whom I hate so bitterly, will have served me + to my taste." Then they plunge on at topmost speed, filled with hostility + toward him who had never laid eyes on them and had never harmed them by + deed or word. They ride ahead until they made him out; at the edge of a + forest they catch sight of him before he was hid by the forest trees. Not + one of them halted then, but all rushed on in rivalry. Enide hears the + clang and noise of their arms and horses, and sees that the valley is full + of them. As soon as she saw them, she could not restrain her tongue. "Ah, + sire," she cries, "alas, how this Count has attacked you, when he leads + against you such a host! Sire, ride faster now, until we be within this + wood. I think we can easily distance them, for they are still a long way + behind. If you go on at this pace, you can never escape from death, for + you are no match for them." Erec replies: "Little esteem you have for me, + and lightly you hold my words. It seems I cannot correct you by fair + request. But as the Lord have mercy upon me until I escape from here, I + swear that you shall pay dearly for this speech of yours; that is, unless + my mind should change." Then he straightway turns about, and sees the + seneschal drawing near upon a horse both strong and fleet. Before them all + he takes his stand at the distance of four cross-bow shots. He had not + disposed of his arms, but was thoroughly well equipped. Erec reckons up + his opponents' strength, and sees there are fully a hundred of them. Then + he who thus is pressing him thinks he had better call a hair. Then they + ride to meet each other, and strike upon each other's shield great blows + with their sharp and trenchant swords. Erec caused his stout steel sword + to pierce his body through and through, so that his shield and hauberk + protected him no more than a shred of dark-blue silk. And next the Count + comes spurring on, who, as the story tells, was a strong and doughty + knight. But the Count in this was ill advised when he came with only + shield and lance. He placed such trust in his own prowess that he thought + that he needed no other arms. He showed his exceeding boldness by rushing + on ahead of all his men more than the space of nine acres. When Erec saw + him stand alone, he turned toward him; the Count is not afraid of him, and + they come together with clash of arms. First the Count strikes him with + such violence upon the breast that he would have lost his stirrups if he + had not been well set. He makes the wood of his shield to split so that + the iron of his lance protrudes on the other side. But Erec's hauberk was + very solid and protected him from death without the tear of a single mesh. + The Count was strong and breaks his lance; then Erec strikes him with such + force on his yellow painted shield that he ran more than a yard of his + lance through his abdomen, knocking him senseless from his steed. Then he + turned and rode away without further tarrying on the spot. Straight into + the forest he spurs at full speed. Now Erec is in the woods, and the + others paused a while over those who lay in the middle of the field. + Loudly they swear and vow that they will rather follow after him for two + or three days than fail to capture and slaughter him. The Count, though + grievously wounded in the abdomen, hears what they say. He draws himself + up a little and opens his eyes a tiny bit. Now he realises what an evil + deed he had begun to execute. He makes the knights step back, and says: + "My lords, I bid you all, both strong and weak, high and low, that none of + you be so bold as to dare to advance a single step. All of you return now + quickly! I have done a villainous deed, and I repent me of my foul design. + The lady who outwitted me is very honourable, prudent, and courteous. Her + beauty fired me with love for her; because I desired her, I wished to kill + her lord and keep her back with me by force. I well deserved this woe, and + now it has come upon me. How abominably disloyal and treacherous I was in + my madness! Never was there a better knight born of mother than he. Never + shall he receive harm through me if I can in any way prevent it. I command + you all to retrace your steps." Back they go disconsolate, carrying the + lifeless seneschal on the shield reversed. The Count, whose wound was not + mortal, lived on for some time after. Thus was Erec delivered. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3663-3930.) Erec goes off at full speed down a road between two + hedgerows—he and his wife with him. Both putting spurs to their + horses, they rode until they came to a meadow which had been mown. After + emerging from the hedged enclosure they came upon a drawbridge before a + high tower, which was all closed about with a wall and a broad and deep + moat. They quickly pass over the bridge, but had not gone far before the + lord of the place espied them from up in his tower. About this man I can + tell you the truth: that he was very small of stature, but very courageous + of heart. When he sees Erec cross the bridge, he comes down quickly from + his tower, and on a great sorrel steed of his he causes a saddle to be + placed, which showed portrayed a golden lion. Then he orders to be brought + his shield, his stiff, straight lance, a sharp polished sword, his bright + shining helmet, his gleaming hauberk, and triple-woven greaves; for he has + seen an armed knight pass before his list against whom he wishes to strive + in arms, or else this stranger will strive against him until he shall + confess defeat. His command was quickly done: behold the horse now led + forth; a squire brought him around already bridled and with saddle on. + Another fellow brings the arms. The knight passed out through the gate, as + quickly as possible, all alone, without companion. Erec is riding along a + hill-side, when behold the knight comes tearing down over the top of the + hill, mounted upon a powerful steed which tore along at such a pace that + he crushed the stones beneath his hoofs finer than a millstone grinds the + corn; and bright gleaming sparks flew off in all directions, so that it + seemed as if his four feet were all ablaze with fire. Enide heard the + noise and commotion, and almost fell from her palfrey, helpless and in a + faint. There was no vein in her body in which the blood did not turn, and + her face became all pale and white as if she were a corpse. Great is her + despair and dismay, for she does not dare to address her lord, who often + threatens and chides at her and charges her to hold her peace. She is + distracted between two courses to pursue, whether to speak or to hold her + peace. She takes counsel with herself, and often she prepares to speak, so + that her tongue already moves, but the voice cannot issue forth; for her + teeth are clenched with fear, and thus shut up her speech within. Thus she + admonishes and reproaches herself, but she closes her mouth and grits her + teeth so that her speech cannot issue forth. At strife with herself, she + said: "I am sure and certain that I shall incur a grievous loss, if here I + lose my lord. Shall I tell him all, then, openly? Not I. Why not? I would + not dare, for thus I should enrage my lord. And if my lord's ire is once + aroused, he will leave me in this wild place alone, wretched and forlorn. + Then I shall be worse off than now. Worse off? What care I? May grief and + sorrow always be mine as long as I live, if my lord does not promptly + escape from here without being delivered to a violent death. But if I do + not quickly inform him, this knight who is spurring hither will have + killed him before he is aware; for he seems of very evil intent. I think I + have waited too long from fear of his vigorous prohibition. But I will no + longer hesitate because of his restraint. I see plainly that my lord is so + deep in thought that he forgets himself; so it is fight that I should + address him." She spoke to him. He threatens her, but has no desire to do + her harm, for he realises and knows full well that she loves him above all + else, and he loves her, too, to the utmost. He rides toward the knight, + who challenges him to battle, and they meet at the foot of the hill, where + they attack and defy each other. Both smite each other with their + iron-tipped lances with all their strength. The shields that hang about + their necks are not worth two coats of bark: the leather tears, and they + split the wood, and they shatter the meshes of the hauberks. Both are + pierced to the vitals by the lances, and the horses fall to earth. Now, + both the warriors were doughty. Grievously, but not mortally, wounded, + they quickly got upon their feet and grasped afresh their lances, which + were not broken nor the worse for wear. But they cast them away on the + ground, and drawing their swords from the scabbard, they attack each other + with great fury. Each wounds and injures the other, for there is no mercy + on either side. They deal such blows upon the helmets that gleaming sparks + fly out when their swords recoil. They split and splinter the shields; + they batter and crush the hauberks. In four places the swords are brought + down to the bare flesh, so that they are greatly weakened and exhausted. + And if both their swords had lasted long without breaking, they would + never have retreated, nor would the battle have come to an end before one + of them perforce had died. Enide, who was watching them, was almost beside + herself with grief. Whoever could have seen her then, as she showed her + great woe by wringing her hands, tearing her hair and shedding tears, + could have seen a loyal lady. And any man would have been a vulgar wretch + who saw and did not pity her. And the knights still fight, knocking the + jewels from the helmets and dealing at each other fearful blows. From the + third to the ninth hour the battle continued so fierce that no one could + in any wise make out which was to have the better of it. Erec exerts + himself and strives; he brought his sword down upon his enemy's helmet, + cleaving it to the inner lining of mail and making him stagger; but he + stood firmly and did not fall. Then he attacked Erec in turn, and dealt + him such a blow upon the covering of his shield that his strong and + precious sword broke when he tried to pull it out. When he saw that his + sword was broken, in a spite he threw as far away as he could the part + that remained in his hand. Now he was afraid and must needs draw back; for + any knight that lacks his sword cannot do much execution in battle or + assault. Erec pursues him until he begs him, for God's sake, not to kill + him. "Mercy, noble knight," he cries, "be not so cruel and harsh toward + me. Now that I am left without my sword, you have the strength and the + power to take my life or make me your prisoner, for I have no means of + defence." Erec replies: "When thou thus dost petition me I fain would hear + thee admit outright whether thou art defeated and overcome. Thou shalt not + again be touched by me if thou dost surrender at my discretion." The + knight was slow to make reply. So, when Erec saw him hesitate, in order to + further dismay him, he again attacked him, rushing at him with drawn + sword; whereupon, thoroughly terrified, he cried: "Mercy, sire! Regard me + as your captive, since it cannot be otherwise." Erec answers: "More than + that is necessary. You shall not get off so easily as that. Tell me your + station and your name, and I in turn will tell you mine." "Sire," says he, + "you are right. I am king of this country. My liegemen are Irishmen, and + there is none who does not have to pay me rent. <a href="#linknote-129" + name="linknoteref-129"><small>129</small></a> My name + is Guivret the Little. I am very rich and powerful; for there is no + landholder whose lands touch mine in any direction who ever transgresses + my command and who does not do my pleasure. I have no neighbour who does + not fear me, however proud and bold he may be. But I greatly desire to be + your confidant and friend from this time on." Erec replies: "I, too, can + boast that I am a noble man. My name is Erec, son of King Lac. My father + is king of Farther Wales, and has many a rich city, fine hall, and strong + town; no king or emperor has more than he, save only King Arthur. Him, of + course, I except; for with him none can compare." Guivret is greatly + astonished at this, and says: "Sire, a great marvel is this I hear. I was + never so glad of anything as of your acquaintance. You may put full trust + in me! And should it please you to abide in my country within my estates, + I shall have you treated with great honour. So long as you care to remain + here, you shall be recognised as my lord. We both have need of a + physician, and I have a castle of mine near here, not eight leagues away, + nor even seven. I wish to take you thither with me, and there we shall + have our wounds tended." Erec replies: "I thank you for what I have heard + you say. However, I will not go, thank you. But only so much I request of + you, that if I should be in need, and you should hear that I had need of + aid, you would not then forget me." "Sire" says he, "I promise you that + never, so long as I am alive, shall you have need of my help but that I + shall go at once to aid you with all the assistance I can command." "I + have nothing more to ask of you," says Erec; "you have promised me much. + You are now my lord and friend, if your deed is as good as your word." + Then each kisses and embraces the other. Never was there such an + affectionate parting after such a fierce battle; for from very affection + and generosity each one cut off long, wide strips from the bottom of his + shirt and bound up the other's wounds. When they had thus bandaged each + other, they commended each other to God. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3931-4280.) So thus they parted. Guivret takes his way back alone, + while Erec resumed his road, in dire need of plaster wherewith to heal his + wounds. He did not cease to travel until he came to a plain beside a lofty + forest all full of stags, hinds, deer, does, and other beasts, and all + sorts of game. Now King Arthur and the Queen and the best of his barons + had come there that very day. The King wished to spend three or four days + in the forest for pleasure and sport, and had commanded tents, pavilions, + and canopies to be brought. My lord Gawain had stepped into the King's + tent, all tired out by a long ride. In front of the tent a white beech + stood, and there he had left a shield of his, together with his ashen + lance. He left his steed, all saddled and bridled, fastened to a branch by + the rein. There the horse stood until Kay the seneschal came by. <a + href="#linknote-130" name="linknoteref-130"><small>130</small></a> + He came up quickly and, as if to beguile the time, took the steed and + mounted, without the interference of any one. He took the lance and the + shield, too, which were close by under the tree. Galloping along on the + steed, Kay rode along a valley until it came about by chance that Erec met + him. Now Erec recognised the seneschal, and he knew the arms and the + horse, but Kay did not recognise him, for he could not be distinguished by + his arms. So many blows of sword and lance had he received upon his shield + that all the painted design had disappeared from it. And the lady, who did + not wish to be seen or recognised by him, shrewdly held her veil before + her face, as if she were doing it because of the sun's glare and the dust. + Kay approached rapidly and straightway seized Erec's rein, without so much + as saluting him. Before he let him move, he presumptuously asked him: + "Knight," says he, "I wish to know who you are and whence you come." "You + must be mad to stop me thus," says Erec; "you shall not know that just + now." And the other replies: "Be not angry; I only ask it for your good. I + can see and make out clearly that you are wounded and hurt. If you will + come along with me you shall have a good lodging this night; I shall see + that you are well cared for, honoured and made comfortable: for you are in + need of rest. King Arthur and the Queen are close by here in a wood, + lodged in pavilions and tents. In all good faith, I advise you to come + with me to see the Queen and King, who will take much pleasure in you and + will show you great honour." Erec replies: "You say well; yet will I not + go thither for anything. You know not what my business is: I must yet + farther pursue my way. Now let me go; too long I stay. There is still some + daylight left." Kay makes answer: "You speak madness when you decline to + come. I trow you will repent of it. And however much it may be against + your will, you shall both go, as the priest goes to the council, + willy-nilly. To-night you will be badly served, if, unmindful of my + advice, you go there as strangers. Come now quickly, for I will take you." + At this word Erec's ire was roused. "Vassal," says he, "you are mad to + drag me thus after you by force. You have taken me quite off my guard. I + tell you you have committed an offence. For I thought to be quite safe, + and was not on my guard against you." Then he lays his hand upon his sword + and cries: "Hands off my bridle, vassal! Step aside. I consider you proud + and impudent. I shall strike you, be sure of that, if you drag me longer + after you. Leave me alone now." Then he lets him go, and draws off across + the field more than an acre's width; then turns about and, as a man with + evil intent, issues his challenge. Each rushed at the other. But, because + Kay was without armour, Erec acted courteously and turned the point of his + lance about and presented the butt-end instead. Even so, he gave him such + a blow high up on the broad expanse of his shield that he caused it to + wound him on the temple, pinning his arm to his breast: all prone he + throws him to the earth. Then he went to catch the horse and hands him + over by the bridle to Enide. He was about to lead it away, when the + wounded man with his wonted flattery begs him to restore it courteously to + him. With fair words he flatters and wheedles him. "Vassal," says he, "so + help me God, that horse is not mine. Rather does it belong to that knight + in whom dwells the greatest prowess in the world, my lord Gawain the Bold. + I tell you so much on his behalf, in order that you may send it back to + him and thus win honour. So shall you be courteous and wise, and I shall + be your messenger." Erec makes answer: "Take the horse, vassal, and lead + it away. Since it belongs to my lord Gawain it is not meet that I should + appropriate it." Kay takes the horse, remounts, and coming to the royal + tent, tells the King the whole truth, keeping nothing back. And the King + summoned Gawain, saying: "Fair nephew Gawain, if ever you were true and + courteous, go quickly after him and ask him in winsome wise who he is and + what his business. And if you can influence him and bring him along with + you to us, take care not to fail to do so." Then Gawain mounts his steed, + two squires following after him. They soon made Erec out, but did not + recognise him. Gawain salutes him, and he Gawain: their greetings were + mutual. Then said my lord Gawain with his wonted openness: "Sire," says + he, "King Arthur sends me along this way to encounter you. The Queen and + King send you their greeting, and beg you urgently to come and spend some + time with them (it may benefit you and cannot harm), as they are close + by." Erec replies: "I am greatly obliged to the King and Queen and to you + who are, it seems, both kind of heart and of gentle mien. I am not in a + vigorous state; rather do I bear wounds within my body: yet will I not + turn aside from my way to seek a lodging-place. So you need not longer + wait: I thank you, but you may be gone." Now Gawain was a man of sense. He + draws back and whispers in the ear of one of the squires, bidding him go + quickly and tell the King to take measures at once to take down and lower + his tents and come and set them up in the middle of the road three or four + leagues in advance of where they now are. There the King must lodge + to-night, if he wishes to meet and extend hospitality to the best knight + in truth whom he can ever hope to see; but who will not go out of his way + for a lodging at the bidding of any one. The fellow went and gave his + message. The King without delay causes his tents to be taken down. Now + they are lowered, the sumpters loaded, and off they set. The King mounted + Aubagu, and the Queen afterwards mounted a white Norse palfrey. All this + while, my lord Gawain did not cease to detain Erec, until the latter said + to him: "Yesterday I covered more ground than I shall do to-day. Sire, you + annoy me; let me go. You have already disturbed a good part of my day." + And my lord Gawain answers him: "I should like to accompany you a little + way, if you do not object; for it is yet a long while until night. They + spent so much time in talking that all the tents were set up before them, + and Erec sees them, and perceives that his lodging is arranged for him. + "Ah! Gawain," he says, "your shrewdness has outwitted me. By your great + cunning you have kept me here. Since it has turned out thus, I shall tell + you my name at once. Further concealment would be useless. I am Erec, who + was formerly your companion and friend." Gawain hears him and straightway + embraces him. He raised up his helmet and unlaced his mouthpiece. Joyfully + he clasps him in his embrace, while Erec embraces him in turn. Then Gawain + leaves him, saying, "Sire, this news will give great pleasure to my lord; + he and my lady will both be glad, and I must go before to tell them of it. + But first I must embrace and welcome and speak comfortably to my lady + Enide, your wife. My lady the Queen has a great desire to see her. I heard + her speak of her only yesterday." Then he steps up to Enide and asks her + how she is, if she is well and in good case. She makes answer courteously: + "Sire, I should have no cause for grief, were I not in great distress for + my lord; but as it is, I am in dismay, for he has hardly a limb without a + wound." Gawain replies: "This grieves me much. It is perfectly evident + from his face, which is all pale and colourless. I could have wept myself + when I saw him so pale and wan, but my joy effaced my grief, for at sight + of him I felt so glad that I forgot all other pain. Now start and ride + along slowly. I shall ride ahead at top-speed to tell the Queen and the + King that you are following after me. I am sure that they will both be + delighted when they hear it." Then he goes, and comes to the King's tent. + "Sire," he cries, "now you and my lady must be glad, for here come Erec + and his wife." The King leaps to his feet with joy. "Upon my word!" he + says, "right glad I am. I could hear no news which could give me so much + happiness." The Queen and all the rest rejoice, and come out from the + tents as fast as they may. Even the King comes forth from his pavilion, + and they met Erec near at band. When Erec sees the King coming, he quickly + dismounts, and Enide too. The King embraces and meets them, and the Queen + likewise tenderly kisses and embraces them: there is no one that does not + show his joy. Right there, upon the spot, they took off Erec's armour; and + when they saw his wounds, their joy turned to sadness. The King draws a + deep sigh at the sight of them, and has a plaster brought which Morgan, + his sister, had made. This piaster, which Morgan had given to Arthur, was + of such sovereign virtue that no wound, whether on nerve or joint, + provided it were treated with the piaster once a day, could fail to be + completely cured and healed within a week. They brought to the King the + piaster which gave Erec great relief. When they had bathed, dried, and + bound up his wounds, the King leads him and Enide into his own royal tent, + saying that he intends, out of love for Erec, to tarry in the forest a + full fortnight, until he be completely restored to health. For this Erec + thanks the King, saying: "Fair sire, my wounds are not so painful that I + should desire to abandon my journey. No one could detain me; to-morrow, + without delay, I shall wish to get off in the morning, as soon as I see + the dawn." At this the King shook his head and said: "This is a great + mistake for you not to remain with us. I know that you are far from well. + Stay here, and you will do the right thing. It will be a great pity and + cause for grief if you die in this forest. Fair gentle friend, stay here + now until you are quite yourself again." Erec replies: "Enough of this. I + have undertaken this journey, and shall not tarry in any wise." The King + hears that he would by no means stay for prayer of his; so he says no more + about it, and commands the supper to be prepared at once and the tables to + be spread. The servants go to make their preparations. It was a Saturday + night; so they ate fish and fruit, pike and perch, salmon and trout, and + then pears both raw and cooked. <a href="#linknote-131" + name="linknoteref-131"><small>131</small></a> Soon + after supper they ordered the beds to be made ready. The King, who held + Erec dear, had him laid in a bed alone; for he did not wish that any one + should lie with him who might touch his wounds. That night he was well + lodged. In another bed close by lay Enide with the Queen under a cover of + ermine, and they all slept in great repose until the day broke next + morning. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4281-4307.) Next day, as soon as it is dawn. Erec arises, dresses, + commands his horses to be saddled, and orders his arms to be brought to + him. The valets run and bring them to him. Again the King and all the + knights urge him to remain; but entreaty is of no avail, for he will not + stay for anything. Then you might have seen them all weep and show such + grief as if they already saw him dead. He puts on his arms, and Enide + arises. All the knights are sore distressed, for they think they will + never see them more. They follow them out from the tents, and send for + their own horses, that they may escort and accompany them. Erec said to + them: "Be not angry! but you shall not accompany me a single step. I'll + thank you if you'll stay behind!" His horse was brought to him, and he + mounts without delay. Taking his shield and lance, he commends them all to + God, and they in turn wish Erec well. Then Enide mounts, and they ride + away. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4308-4380.) Entering a forest, they rode on without halting till hour + of prime. While they thus traversed the wood, they heard in the distance + the cry of a damsel in great distress. When Erec heard the cry, he felt + sure from the sound that it was the voice of one in trouble and in need of + help. Straightway calling Enide, he says: "Lady, there is some maiden who + goes through the wood calling aloud. I take it that she is in need of aid + and succour. I am going to hasten in that direction and see what her + trouble is. Do you dismount and await me here, while I go yonder." + "Gladly, sire," she says. Leaving her alone, he makes his way until he + found the damsel, who was going through the wood, lamenting her lover whom + two giants had taken and were leading away with very cruel treatment. The + maiden was rending her garments, and tearing her hair and her tender + crimson face. Erec sees her and, wondering greatly, begs her to tell him + why she cries and weeps so sore. The maiden cries and sighs again, then + sobbing, says: "Fair sire, it is no wonder if I grieve, for I wish I were + dead. I neither love nor prize my life, for my lover has been led away + prisoner by two wicked and cruel giants who are his mortal enemies. God! + what shall I do? Woe is me! deprived of the best knight alive, the most + noble and the most courteous. And now he is in great peril of death. This + very day, and without cause, they will bring him to some vile death. Noble + knight, for God's sake, I beg you to succour my lover, if now you can lend + him any aid. You will not have to run far, for they must still be close + by." "Damsel," says Erec, "I will follow them, since you request it, and + rest assured that I shall do all within my power: either I shall be taken + prisoner along with him, or I shall restore him to you safe and sound. If + the giants let him live until I can find him, I intend to measure my + strength with theirs." "Noble knight," the maiden said, "I shall always be + your servant if you restore to me my lover. Now go in God's name, and make + haste, I beseech you." "Which way lies their path?" "This way, my lord. + Here is the path with the footprints." Then Erec started at a gallop, and + told her to await him there. The maid commends him to the Lord, and prays + God very fervently that He should give him force by His command to + discomfit those who intend evil toward her lover. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4381-4579.) Erec went off along the trail, spurring his horse in + pursuit of the giants. He followed in pursuit of them until he caught + sight of them before they emerged from the wood; he saw the knight with + bare limbs mounted naked on a nag, his hands and feet bound as if he were + arrested for highway robbery. The giants had no lances, shields or whetted + swords; but they both had clubs and scourges, with which they were beating + him so cruelly that already they had cut the skin on his back to the bone. + Down his sides and flanks the blood ran, so that the nag was all covered + with blood down to the belly. <a href="#linknote-132" + name="linknoteref-132"><small>132</small></a> Erec + came along alone after them. He was very sad and distressed about the + knight whom he saw them treat so spitefully. Between two woods in an open + field he came up with them, and asks: "My lords," says he, "for what crime + do you treat this man so ill and lead him along like a common thief? You + are treating him too cruelly. You are driving him just as if he had been + caught stealing. It is a monstrous insult to strip a knight naked, and + then bind him and beat him so shamefully. Hand him over to me, I beg of + you with all good-will and courtesy. I have no wish to demand him of you + forcibly." "Vassal," they say, "what business is this of yours? You must + be mad to make any demand of us. If you do not like it, try and improve + matters." Erec replies: "Indeed, I like it not, and you shall not lead him + away so easily. Since you have left the matter in my hands, I say whoever + can get possession of him let him keep him. Take your positions. I + challenge you. You shall not take him any farther before some blows have + been dealt." "Vassal," they reply, "you are mad, indeed, to wish to + measure your strength with us. If you were four instead of one, you would + have no more strength against us than one lamb against two wolves." "I do + not know how it will turn out," Erec replies; "if the sky fails and the + earth melts, then many a lark will be caught. Many a man boasts loudly who + is of little worth. On guard now, for I am going to attack you." The + giants were strong and fierce, and held in their clenched hands their big + clubs tipped with iron. Erec went at them lance in rest. He fears neither + of them, in spite of their menace and their pride, and strikes the + foremost of them through the eye so deep into the brain that the blood and + brains spurt out at the back of his neck; that one lies dead and his heart + stops beating. When the other saw him dead, he had reason to be sorely + grieved. Furious, he went to avenge him: with both hands he raised his + club on high and thought to strike him squarely upon his unprotected head: + but Erec watched the blow, and received it on his shield. Even so, the + giant landed such a blow that it quite stunned him, and almost made him + fall to earth from his steed. Erec covers himself with his shield and the + giant, recovering himself, thinks to strike again quickly upon his head. + But Erec had drawn his sword, and attacked him with such fierceness that + the giant was severely handled: he strikes him so hard upon the neck that + he splits him down to the saddle-bow. He scatters his bowels upon the + earth, and the body falls full length, split in two halves. The knight + weeps with joy and, worshipping, praises God who has sent him this aid. + Then Erec unbound him, made him dress and arm himself, and mount one of + the horses; the other he made him lead with his right hand, and asks him + who he is. And he replied: "Noble knight, thou art my liege lord. I wish + to regard thee as my lord, as by right I ought to do, for thou hast saved + my life, which but now would have been cut off from my body with great + torment and cruelty. What chance, fair gentle sire, in God's name, guided + thee hither to me, to free me by thy courage from the hands of my enemies? + Sire, I wish to do thee homage. Henceforth, I shall always accompany thee + and serve thee as my lord." Erec sees that he is disposed to serve him + gladly, if he may, and says: "Friend, for your service I have no desire; + but you must know that I came hither to succour you at the instance of + your lady, whom I found sorrowing in this wood. Because of you, she + grieves and moans; for full of sorrow is her heart. I wish to present you + to her now. As soon as I have reunited you with her, I shall continue my + way alone; for you have no call to go with me. I have no need cf your + company; but I fain would know your name." "Sire," says he, "as you wish. + Since you desire to know my name, it must not be kept from you. My name is + Cadoc of Tabriol: know that thus I am called. But since I must part from + you. I should like to know, if it may be, who you are and of what land, + where I may sometime find and search for you, when I shall go a way from + here." Erec replies: "Friend, that I will never confide to you. Never + speak of it again; but if you wish to find it out and do me honour in any + wise go quickly now without delay to my lord, King Arthur, who with might + and main is hunting the stag in yonder wood, as I take it, not five short + leagues from here. Go thither quickly and take him word that you are sent + to him as a gift by him whom yesterday within his tent he joyfully + received and lodged. And be careful not to conceal from him from what + peril I set free both your life and body. I am dearly cherished at the + court, and if you present yourself in my name you will do me a service and + honour. There you shall ask who I am; but you cannot know it otherwise." + "Sire," says Cadoc, "I will follow your bidding in all respects. You need + never have any fear that I do not go with a glad heart. I shall tell the + King the full truth regarding the battle which you have fought on my + behalf." Thus speaking, they continued their way until they came to the + maiden where Erec had left her. The damsel's joy knew no bounds when she + saw coming her lover whom she never thought to see again. Taking him by + the hand, Erec presents him to her with the words: "Grieve no longer, + demoiselle! Behold your lover glad and joyous." And she with prudence + makes reply: "Sire, by right you have won us both. Yours we should be, to + serve and honour. But who could ever repay half the debt we owe you?" Erec + makes answer: "My gentle lady, no recompense do I ask of you. To God I now + commend you both, for too long, methinks, I have tarried here." Then he + turns his horse about, and rides away as fast as he can. Cadoc of Tabriol + with his damsel rides off in another direction; and soon he told the news + to King Arthur and the Queen. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4580-4778.) Erec continues to ride at great speed to the place where + Enide was awaiting him in great concern, thinking that surely he had + completely deserted her. And he, too, was in great fear lest some one, + finding her alone, might have carried her off. So he made all haste to + return. But the heat of the day was such, and his arms caused him such + distress, that his wounds broke open and burst the bandages. His wounds + never stopped bleeding before he came directly to the spot where Enide was + waiting for him. She espied him and rejoiced: but she did not realise or + know the pain from which he was suffering; for all his body was bathed in + blood, and his heart hardly had strength to beat. As he was descending a + hill he fell suddenly over upon his horse's neck. As he tried to + straighten up, he lost his saddle and stirrups, falling, as if lifeless, + in a faint. Then began such heavy grief, when Enide saw him fall to earth. + Full of fear at the sight of him, she runs toward him like one who makes + no concealment of her grief. Aloud she cries, and wrings her hands: not a + shred of her robe remains untorn across her breast. She begins to tear her + hair and lacerate her tender face. <a href="#linknote-133" + name="linknoteref-133"><small>133</small></a> "Ah + God!" she cries, "fair gentle Lord, why dost Thou let me thus live on? + Come Death, and kill me hastily!" With these words she faints upon his + body. When she recovered, she said to herself reproachfully: "Woe is me, + wretched Enide; I am the murderer of my lord, in having killed him by my + speech. My lord would still be now alive, if I in my mad presumption had + not spoken the word which engaged him in this adventure. Silence never + harmed any one, but speech often worketh woe. The truth of this I have + tried and proved in more ways than one." Beside her lord she took her + seat, holding his head upon her lap. Then she begins her dole anew. + "Alas," she says, "my lord, unhappy thou, thou who never hadst a peer; for + in thee was beauty seen and prowess was made manifest; wisdom had given + thee its heart, and largess set a crown upon thee, without which no one is + esteemed. But what did I say? A grievous mistake I made in uttering the + word which has killed my lord—that fatal poisoned word for which I + must justly be reproached; and I recognise and admit that no one is guilty + but myself; I alone must be blamed for this." Then fainting she falls upon + the ground, and when she later sat up again, she only moans again the + more: "God, what shall I do, and why live on? Why does Death delay and + hesitate to come and seize me without respite? Truly, Death holds me in + great contempt! Since Death does not deign to take my life, I must myself + perforce achieve the vengeance for my sinful deed. Thus shall I die in + spite of Death, who will not heed my call for aid. Yet, I cannot die + through mere desire, nor would complaining avail me aught. The sword, + which my lord had gilded on, ought by right to avenge his death. I will + not longer consume myself in distress, in prayer, and vain desire." She + draws the sword forth from its sheath and begins to consider it. God, who + is full of mercy, caused her to delay a little; and while she passes in + review her sorrow and her misfortune, behold there comes riding apace a + Count with numerous suite, who from afar had heard the lady's loud outcry. + God did not wish to desert her; for now she would have killed herself, had + she not been surprised by those who took away from her the sword and + thrust it back into its sheath. The Count then dismounted from his horse + and began to inquire of her concerning the knight, and whether she was his + wife or his lady-love. "Both one and the other, sire," she says, "my + sorrow is such as I cannot tell. Woe is me that I am not dead." And the + Count begins to comfort her: "Lady," he says, "by the Lord, I pray you, to + take some pity on yourself! It is meet that you should mourn, but it is no + use to be disconsolate; for you may yet rise to high estate. Do not sink + into apathy, but comfort yourself; that will be wise, and God will give + you joy again. Your wondrous beauty holds good fortune in store for you; + for I will take you as my wife, and make you a countess and dame of rank: + this ought to bring you much consolation. And I shall have the body + removed and laid away with great honour. Leave off now this grief of yours + which in your frenzy you display." And she replies: "Sire, begone! For + God's sake, let me be! You can accomplish nothing here. Nothing that one + could say or do could ever make me glad again." At this the Count drew + back and said: "Let us make a bier, whereon to carry away this body with + the lady to the town of Limors. There the body shall be interred. Then + will I espouse the lady, whether or not she give consent: for never did I + see any one so fair, nor desire any as I do her. Happy I am to have met + with her. Now make quickly and without delay a proper bier for this dead + knight. Halt not for the trouble, nor from sloth." Then some of his men + draw out their swords and soon cut two saplings, upon which they laid + branches cross-wise. Upon this litter they laid Erec down; then hitched + two horses to it. Enide rides alongside, not ceasing to make lament, and + often fainting and falling back; but the horsemen hold her tight, and try + to support her with their arms, and raise her up and comfort her. All the + way to Limors they escort the body, until they come to the palace of the + Count. All the people follow up after them—ladies, knights, and + townspeople. In the middle off the hall upon a dais they stretched the + body out full length, with his lance and shield alongside. The hall is + full, the crowd is dense. Each one is anxious to inquire what is this + trouble, what marvel here. Meanwhile the Count takes counsel with his + barons privily. "My lords," he says, "upon the spot I wish to espouse this + lady here. We can plainly judge by her beauty and prudent mien that she is + of very gentle rank. Her beauty and noble bearing show that the honour of + a kingdom or empire might well be bestowed upon her. I shall never suffer + disgrace through her; rather I think to win more honour. Have my chaplain + summoned now, and do you go and fetch the lady. The half of all my land I + will give her as her dower if she will comply with my desire." Then they + bade the chaplain come, in accordance with the Count's command, and the + dame they brought there, too, and made her marry him perforce; for she + flatly refused to give consent. But in spite of all, the Count married her + in accordance with his wish. And when he had married her, the constable at + once had the tables set in the palace, and had the food prepared; for + already it was time for the evening meal. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4779-4852.) After vespers, that day in May, Enide was in sore + distress, nor did her grief cease to trouble her. And the Count urged her + mildly by prayer and threat to make her peace and be consoled, and he made + her sit down upon a chair, though it was against her will. In spite of + her, they made her take a seat and placed the table in front of her. The + Count takes his place on the other side, almost beside himself with rage + to find that he cannot comfort her. "Lady," he says, "you must now leave + off this grief and banish it. You can have full trust in me, that honour + and riches will be yours. You must surely realise that mourning will not + revive the dead; for no one ever saw such a thing come about. Remember + now, though poor you were, that great riches are within your reach. Once + you were poor; rich now you will be. Fortune has not been stingy toward + you, in bestowing upon you the honour of being henceforth hailed as + Countess. It is true that your lord is dead. If you grieve and lament + because of this, do you think that I am surprised? Nay. But I am giving + you the best advice I know how to give. In that I have married you, you + ought to be content. Take care you do not anger me! Eat now, as I bid you + do." And she replies: "Not I, my lord. In faith, as long as I live I will + neither eat nor drink unless I first see my lord eat who is lying on + yonder dais" "Lady, that can never be. People will think that you are mad + when you talk such great nonsense. You will receive a poor reward if you + give occasion to-day for further reproof." To this she vouchsafed no + reply, holding his threats in slight esteem, and the Count strikes her + upon the face. At this she shrieks, and the barons present blame the + Count. "Hold, sire!" they cry to the Count; "you ought to be ashamed of + having struck this lady because she will not eat. You have done a very + ugly deed. If this lady is distressed because of her lord whom she now + sees dead, no one should say that she is wrong." "Keep silence, all." the + Count replies; "the dame is mine and I am hers, and I will do with her as + I please." At this she could not hold her peace, but swears she will never + be his. And the Count springs up and strikes her again, and she cries out + aloud. "Ha! wretch," she says, "I care not what thou say to me, or what + thou do! I fear not thy blows, nor yet thy threats. Beat me and strike me, + as thou wilt. I shall never heed thy power so much as to do thy bidding + more or less, even were thou with thy hands fight now to snatch out my + eyes or flay me alive." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4853-4938.) In the midst of these words and disputes Erec recovered + from his swoon, like a man who awakes from sleep. No wonder that he was + amazed at the crowd of people he saw around. But great was his grief and + great his woe when he heard the voice of his wife. He stepped to the floor + from off the dais and quickly drew his sword. Wrath and the love he bore + his wife gave him courage. He runs thither where he sees her, and strikes + the Count squarely upon the head, so that he beats out his brains and, + knocking in his forehead, leaves him senseless and speechless; his blood + and brains flow out. The knights spring from the tables, persuaded that it + is the devil who had made his way among them there. Of young or old there + none remains, for all were thrown in great dismay. Each one tries to + outrun the other in beating a hasty retreat. Soon they were all clear of + the palace, and cry aloud, both weak and strong: "Flee, flee, here comes + the corpse!" At the door the press is great: each one strives to make his + escape, and pushes and shoves as best he may. He who is last in the + surging throng would fain get into the foremost line. Thus they make good + their escape in flight, for one dares not stand upon another's going. Erec + ran to seize his shield, hanging it about his neck by the strap, while + Enide lays hands upon the lance. Then they step out into the courtyard. + There is no one so bold as to offer resistance; for they did not believe + it could be a man who had thus expelled them, but a devil or some enemy + who had entered the dead body. Erec pursues them as they flee, and finds + outside in the castle-yard a stable-boy in the act of leading his steed to + the watering-place, all equipped with bridle and saddle. This chance + encounter pleased Erec well: as he steps up quickly to the horse, the boy + in fear straightway yields him up. Erec takes his seat between the + saddle-bows, while Enide, seizing the stirrup, springs up on to the + horse's neck, as Erec, who bade her mount, commanded and instructed her to + do. The horse bears them both away; and finding open the town gate, they + make their escape without detention. In the town there was great anxiety + about the Count who had been killed; but there is no one, however brave, + who follows Erec to take revenge. At his table the Count was slain; while + Erec, who bears his wife away, embraces and kisses and gives her cheer. In + his arms he clasps her against his heart, and says: "Sweet sister mine, my + proof of you has been complete! Be no more concerned in any wise, for I + love you now more than ever I did before; and I am certain and rest + assured that you love me with a perfect love. From this time on for + evermore, I offer myself to do your will just as I used to do before. And + if you have spoken ill of me, I pardon you and call you quit of both the + offence and the word you spoke." Then he kisses her again and clasps her + tight. Now Enide is not ill at ease when her lord clasps and kisses her + and tells her again that he loves her still. Rapidly through the night + they ride, and they are very glad that the moon shines bright. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4939-5058.) Meanwhile, the news has travelled fast, and there is + nothing else so quick. The news had reached Guivret the Little that a + knight wounded with arms had been found dead in the forest, and that with + him was a lady making moan, and so wondrous fair that Iseut would have + seemed her waiting-maid. Count Oringle of Limors had found them both, and + had caused the corpse to be borne away, and wished himself to espouse the + lady; but she refused him. When Guivret heard this news, he was by no + means pleased; for at once the thought of Erec occurred to him. It came + into his heart and mind to go and seek out the lady, and to have the body + honourably interred, if it should turn out to be he. He assembled a + thousand men-at-arms and knights to take the town. If the Count would not + surrender of his own accord the body and the lady, he would put all to + fire and flame. In the moonlight shining clear he led his men on toward + Limors, with helmets laced, in hauberks clad, and from their necks the + shields were hung. Thus, under arms, they all advanced until nearly + midnight, when Erec espied them. Now he expects to be ensnared or killed + or captured inevitably. He makes Enide dismount beside a thicket-hedge. No + wonder if he is dismayed. "Lady, do you stay here," he says, "beside this + thicket-hedge a while, until these people shall have passed. I do not wish + them to catch sight of you, for I do not know what manner of people they + are, nor of what they go in search. I trust we may not attract their + attention. But I see nowhere any place where we could take refuge, should + they wish to injure us. I know not if any harm may come to me, but not + from fear shall I fail to sally out against them. And if any one assails + me, I shall not fail to joust with him. Yet, I am so sore and weary that + it is no wonder if I grieve. Now to meet them I must go, and do you stay + quiet here. Take care that no one see you, until they shall have left you + far behind." Behold now Guivret, with lance outstretched, who espied him + from afar. They did not recognise each other, for the moon had gone behind + the shadow of a dark cloud. Erec was weak and exhausted, and his + antagonist was quite recovered from his wounds and blows. Now Erec will be + far from wise if he does not promptly make himself known. He steps out + from the hedge. And Guivret spurs toward him without speaking to him at + all, nor does Erec utter a word to him: he thought he could do more than + he could. Whoever tries to run farther than he is able must perforce give + up or take a rest. They clash against each other; but the fight was + unequal, for one was weak and the other strong. Guivret strikes him with + such force that he carries him down to earth from his horse's back. Enide, + who was in hiding, when she sees her lord on the ground, expects to be + killed and badly used. Springing forth from the hedge, she runs to help + her lord. If she grieved before, now her anguish is greater. Coming up to + Guivret, she seized his horse's rein, and then said: "Cursed be thou, + knight! For thou hast attacked a weak and exhausted man, who is in pain + and mortally wounded, with such injustice that thou canst not find reason + for thy deed. If thou hadst been alone and helpless, thou wouldst have + rued this attack, provided my lord had been in health. Now be generous and + courteous, and kindly let cease this battle which thou hast begun. For thy + reputation would be no better for having killed or captured a knight who + has not the strength to rise, as thou canst see. For he has suffered so + many blows of arms that he is all covered with wounds" And he replies: + "Fear not, lady! I see that loyally you love your lord, and I commend you + for it. Have no fear whatsoever of me or of my company. But tell me now + without concealment what is the name of your lord; for only advantage will + you get from telling me. Whoever he be, tell me his name; then he shall go + safe and unmolested. Neither he nor you have aught to fear, for you are + both in safe hands." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5059-5172.) Then Enide learns that she is safe, she answers him + briefly in a word: "His name is Erec; I ought not to lie, for I see you + are honest and of good intent." Guivret, in his delight, dismounts and + goes to fall at Erec's feet, where he was lying on the ground. "My lord," + he says, "I was going to seek for you, and was on my way to Limors, where + I expected to find you dead. It was told and recounted to me as true that + Count Oringle had carried off to Limors a knight who was mortally wounded, + and that he wickedly intended to marry a lady whom he had found in his + company; but that she would have nothing to do with him. And I was coming + urgently to aid and deliver her. If he refused to hand over to me both the + lady and you without resistance, I should esteem myself of little worth if + I left him a foot of earth to stand upon. Be sure that had I not loved you + dearly I should never have taken this upon myself. I am Guivret, your + friend; but if I have done you any hurt through my failure to recognise + you, you surely ought to pardon me." At this Erec sat up, for he could do + no more, and said: "Rise up, my friend. Be absolved of the harm you have + done me, since you did not recognise me." Guivret gets up, and Erec tells + him how he has killed the Count while he sat at meat, and how he had + gained possession again of his steed in front of the stable, and how the + sergeants and the squires had fled across the yard, crying: "Flee, flee, + the corpse is chasing us;" then, how he came near being caught, and how he + escaped through the town and down the hill, carrying his wife on his + horse's neck: all this adventure of his he told him. Then Guivret said, + "Sire, I have a castle here close by, which is well placed in a healthful + site. For your comfort and benefit I wish to take you there to-morrow and + have your wounds cared for. I have two charming and sprightly sisters who + are skilful in the care of wounds: they will soon completely cure you. <a + href="#linknote-134" name="linknoteref-134"><small>134</small></a> + To-night we shall let our company lodge here in the fields until morning; + for I think a little rest to-night will do you much good. My advice is + that we spend the night here." Erec replies: "I am in favour of doing so." + So there they stayed and spent the night. They were not reluctant to + prepare a lodging-place, but they found few accommodations, for the + company was quite numerous. They lodge as best they may among the bushes: + Guivret had his tent set up, and ordered tinder to be kindled, that they + might have light and cheer. He has tapers taken out from the boxes, and + they light them within the tent. Now Enide no longer grieves, for all has + turned out well. She strips her lord of his arms and clothes, and having + washed his wounds, she dried them and bound them up again; for she would + let no one else touch him. Now Erec knows no further reason to reproach + her, for he has tried her well and found that she bears great love to him. + And Guivret, who treats them kindly, had a high, long bed constructed of + quilted coverlids, laid upon grass and reed, which they found in + abundance. There they laid Erec and covered him up. Then Guivret opened a + box and took out two patties. "Friend," says he, "now try a little of + these cold patties, and drink some wine mixed with water. I have as much + as six barrels of it, but undiluted it is not good for you; for you are + injured and covered with wounds. Fair sweet friend, now try to eat; for it + will do you good. And my lady will eat some too—your wife who has + been to-day in sore distress on your account. But you have received full + satisfaction for all that, and have escaped. So eat now, and I will eat + too, fair friend." Then Guivret sat down by Erec's side, and so did Enide + who was much pleased by all that Guivret did. Both of them urge him to + eat, giving him wine mixed with water'; for unmixed it is too strong and + heating. Erec ate as a sick man eats, and drank a little—all he + dared. But he rested comfortably and slept all night; for on his account + no noise or disturbance was made. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5173-5366.) In the early morning they awoke, and prepared again to + mount and ride. Erec was so devoted to his own horse that he would ride no + other. They gave to Enide a mule, for she had lost her palfrey. But she + was not concerned; to judge by her looks, she gave the matter no thought. + She had a good mule with an easy gait that bore her very comfortably. And + it gave her great satisfaction that Erec was not cast down, but rather + assured them that he would recover completely. Before the third hour they + reached Penevric, a strong castle, well and handsomely situated. There + dwelt the two sisters of Guivret; for the place was agreeable enough. + Guivret escorted Erec to a delightful, airy room in a remote part of the + castle. His sisters, at his request, exerted themselves to cure Erec; and + Erec placed himself in their hands, for they inspired him with perfect + confidence. First, they removed the dead flesh, then applied plaster and + lint, devoting to his care all their skill, like women who knew their + business well. Again and again they washed his wounds and applied the + plaster. Four times or more each day they made him eat and drink, allowing + him, however, no garlic or pepper. But whoever might go in or out Enide + was always with him, being more than any one else concerned. Guivret often + came in to ask and inquire if he wanted anything. He was well kept and + well served, and everything that he wished was willingly done. But the + damsels cheerfully and gladly showed such devotion in caring for him that + by the end of a fortnight he felt no hurt or pain. Then, to bring his + colour back, they began to give him baths. There was no need to instruct + the damsels, for they understood the treatment well. When he was able to + walk about. Guivret had two loose gowns made of two different kinds of + silk, one trimmed with ermine, the other with vair. One was of a dark + purple colour, and the other striped, sent to him as a present by a cousin + of his from Scotland. Enide had the purple gown trimmed with ermine, which + was very precious, while Erec had the striped stuff with the fur, which + was no less valuable. Now Erec was strong and well, cured and recovered. + Now that Enide was very happy and had everything she desired, her great + beauty returned to her; for her great distress had affected her so much + that she was very pale and wan. Now she was embraced and kissed, now she + was blessed with all good things, now she had her joy and pleasures; for + unadorned they lie in bed and each enfolds and kisses the other; nothing + gives them so much joy. They have had so much pain and sorrow, he for her, + and she for him, that now they have their satisfaction. Each vies in + seeking to please the other. Of their further sport I must not speak. Now + they have so welded their love and forgotten their grief that they + scarcely remember it any more. But now they must go on their way; so they + asked his leave to depart from Guivret, in whom they had found a friend + indeed; for he had honoured and served them in every way. When he came to + take leave, Erec said: "Sire, I do not wish to delay longer my departure + for my own land. Order everything to be prepared and collected, in order + that I may have all I need. I shall wish to start to-morrow morning, as + soon as it is day. I have stayed so long with you that I feel strong and + vigorous. God grant, if it please Him, that I may live to meet you again + somewhere, when I may be able in my turn to serve and honour you. Unless I + am captured or detained, I do not expect to tarry anywhere until I reach + the court of King Arthur, whom I hope to find either at Robais or + Carduel." To which Guivret makes prompt reply, "Sire, you shall not go off + alone! For I myself shall go with you and shall take companions with us, + if it be your pleasure." Erec accedes to this advice, and says that, in + accordance with his plans, he wishes the journey to be begun. That night + they make preparations for their journey, not wishing to delay there + longer. They all make ready and prepare. In the early morning, when they + awake, the saddles are placed upon the steeds. Before he leaves, Erec goes + to bid farewell to the damsels in their rooms; and Enide (who was glad and + full of joy) thither follows him. When their preparations for departure + were made, they took their leave of the damsels. Erec, who was very + courteous, in taking leave of them, thanks them for his health and life, + and pledges to them his service. Then he took one of them by the hand she + who was the nearer to him and Enide took the other's hand: hand in hand + they came up from the bedroom into the castle hall. Guivret urges them to + mount at once without delay. Enide thinks the time will never come for + them to mount. They bring around to the block for her a good-tempered + palfrey, a soft stepper, handsome and well shaped. The palfrey was of fine + appearance and a good mount: it was no less valuable than her own which + had stayed behind at Limors. That other one was dappled, this one was + sorrel; but the head was of another colour: it was marked in such a way + that one cheek was all white, while the other was raven black. Between the + two colours there was a line, greener than a grape-vine leaf, which + separated the white from the black. Of the bridle, breast-strap, and + saddle I can surely say that the workmanship was rich and handsome. All + the breast-strap and bridle was of gold set with emeralds. The saddle was + decorated in another style, covered with a precious purple cloth. The + saddle-bows were of ivory, on which was carved the story of how Aeneas + came from Troy, how at Carthage with great joy Dido received him to her + bed, how Aeneas deceived her, and how for him she killed herself, how + Aeneas conquered Laurentum and all Lombardy, of which he was king all his + life. <a href="#linknote-135" name="linknoteref-135"><small>135</small></a> + Cunning was the workmanship and well carved, all decorated with fine gold. + A skilful craftsman, who made it spent more than seven years in carving + it, without touching any other piece of work. I do not know whether he + sold it; but he ought to have obtained a good price for it. Now that Enide + was presented with this palfrey, she was well compensated for the loss of + her own. The palfrey, thus richly apparelled, was given to her and she + mounted it gladly; then the gentlemen and squires quickly mounted too. For + their pleasure and sport Guivret caused to be taken with them rich + falcons, both young and moulted, many a tercel and sparrow-hawk, and many + a setter and greyhound. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5367-5446.) <a href="#linknote-136" name="linknoteref-136"><small>136</small></a> They rode straight on from + morn till eve more than thirty Welsh leagues, and then came to the towers + of a stronghold, rich and fair, girt all about with a new wall. And all + around, beneath this wall, ran a very deep stream, roaring rushing like a + storm. Erec stops to look at it, and ask and find out if any one could + truly tell him who was the lord of this town. "Friend," said he to his + kind companion, "could you tell me the name of this town, and whose it is? + Tell me if it belongs to a count or a king. Since you have brought me + here, tell me, if you know." "Sire," he says, "I know very well, and will + tell you the truth about it. The name of the town is Brandigant, and it is + so strong and fine that it fears neither king nor emperor. If France, and + all of England, and all who live from here to Liege were ranged about to + lay a siege, they would never take it in their lives; for the isle on + which the town stands stretches away four leagues or more, and within the + enclosure grows all that a rich town needs: fruit and wheat and wine are + found; and of wood and water there is no lack. It fears no assault on any + side, nor could anything reduce it to starvation. King Evrain had it + fortified, and he has possessed it all his days unmolested, and will + possess it all his life. But not because he feared any one did he thus + fortify it; but the town is more pleasing so. For if it had no wall or + tower, but only the stream that encircles it, it would still be so secure + and strong that it would have no fear of the whole world." "God!" said + Erec, "what great wealth! Let us go and see the fortress, and we shall + take lodging in the town, for I wish to stop here." "Sire," said the other + in great distress, "were it not to disappoint you, we should not stop + here. In the town there is a dangerous passage." "Dangerous?" says Erec; + "do you know about it? Whatever it be, tell us about it; for very gladly + would I know." "Sire," says he, "I should fear that you might suffer some + harm there. I know there is so much boldness and excellence in your heart + that, were I to tell you what I know of the perilous and hard adventure, + you would wish to enter in. I have often heard the story, and more than + seven years have passed since any one that went in quest of the adventure + has come back from the town; yet, proud, bold knights have come hither + from many a land. Sire, do not treat this as a jest: for you will never + learn the secret from me until you shall have promised me, by the love you + have sworn to me, that never by you will be undertaken this adventure, + from which no one escapes without receiving shame or death." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5447-5492.) Now Erec hears what pleases him, and begs Guivret not to + be grieved, saying: "Ah, fair sweet friend, permit that our lodging be + made in the town, and do not be disturbed. It is time to halt for the + night, and so I trust that it will not displease you; for if any honour + comes to us here you ought to be very glad. I appeal to you conceding the + adventure that you tell me just the name of it, and I'll not insist upon + the rest." "Sire." he says, "I cannot be silent and refuse the information + you desire. The name is very fair to say, but the execution is very hard: + for no one can come from it alive. The adventure, upon my word, is called + 'the Joy of the Court.'" "God! there can be nothing but good in joy," says + Erec; "I go to seek it. Don't go now and discourage me about this or + anything else, fair gentle friend; but let us have our lodgings taken, for + great good may come to us of this. Nothing could restrain me from going to + seek the Joy." "Sire," says he, "God grant your prayer, that you may find + joy and return without mishap. I clearly see that we must go in. Since + otherwise it may not be, let us go in. Our lodging is secured; for no + knight of high degree, as I have heard it said and told, can enter this + castle with intent to lodge here but that King Evrain offers to shelter + him. So gentle and courteous is the King that he has given notice to all + his townsmen, appealing to their love for him, that any gentleman from + afar should not find lodging in their houses, so that he himself may do + honour to all gentlemen who may wish to tarry here." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5493-5668.) <a href="#linknote-137" name="linknoteref-137"><small>137</small></a> Thus they proceed toward the + castle, passing the list and the drawbridge; and when they passed the + listing-place, the people who were gathered in the streets in crowds see + Erec in all his beauty, and apparently they think and believe that all the + others are in his train. Marvelling much, they stare at him; the whole + town was stirred and moved, as they take counsel and discuss about him. + Even the maidens at their song leave off their singing and desist, as all + together they look at him; and because of his great beauty they cross + themselves, and marvellously they pity him. One to another whispers low: + "Alas! This knight, who is passing, is on his way to the 'Joy of the + Court.' He will be sorry before he returns; no one ever came from another + land to claim the 'Joy of the Court' who did not receive shame and harm, + and leave his head there as a forfeit." Then, that he may hear their + words, they cry-aloud: "God defend thee, knight, from harm; for thou art + wondrously handsome, and thy beauty is greatly to be pitied, for to-morrow + we shall see it quenched. Tomorrow thy death is come; to-morrow thou shalt + surely die if God does not guard and defend thee." Erec hears and + understands that they are speaking of him through the lower town: more + than two thousand pitied him; but nothing causes him dismay. He passes on + without delay, bowing gaily to men and women alike. And they all salute + him too; and most of them swear with anxiety, fearing more than he does + himself, for his shame and for his hurt. The mere sight of his + countenance, his great beauty and his bearing, has so won to him the + hearts of all, that knights, ladies, and maids alike fear his harm. King + Evrain hears the news that men were arriving at his court who brought with + them a numerous train, and by his harness it appeared that their leader + was a count or king. King Evrain comes down the street to meet them, and + saluting them he cries: "Welcome to this company, both to the master and + all his suite. Welcome, gentlemen! Dismount." They dismounted, and there + were plenty to receive and take their horses. Nor was King Evrain backward + when he saw Enide coming; but he straightway saluted her and ran to help + her to dismount. Taking her white and tender hand, he led her up into the + palace, as was required by courtesy, and honoured her in every way he + could, for he knew right well what he ought to do, without nonsense and + without malice. He ordered a chamber to be scented with incense, myrrh, + and aloes. When they entered, they all complimented King Evrain on its + fine appearance. Hand in hand they enter the room, the King escorting them + and taking great pleasure in them. But why should I describe to you the + paintings and the silken draperies with which the room was decorated? I + should only waste time in folly, and I do not wish to waste it, but rather + to hasten on a little; for he who travels the straight road passes him who + turns aside; therefore I do not wish to tarry. When the time and hour + arrived, the King orders supper to be prepared; but I do not wish to stop + over that if I can find some more direct way. That night they had in + abundance all that heart desires and craves: birds, venison, and fruit, + and wines of different sorts. But better than all is a happy cheer! For of + all dishes the sweetest is a joyful countenance and a happy face. They + were very richly served until Erec suddenly left off eating and drinking, + and began speaking of what rested most upon his heart: he remembered 'the + Joy', and began a conversation about it in which King Evrain joined. + "Sire" says he, "it is time now to tell you what I intend, and why I have + come here. Too long I have refrained from speech, and now can no longer + conceal my object. I ask you for 'the Joy' of the Court, for I covet + nothing else so much. Grant it to me, whatever it be, if you are in + control of it." "In truth, fair friend." the King replies, "I hear you + speak great nonsense. This is a very parlous thing, which has caused + sorrow to many a worthy man; you yourself will eventually be killed and + undone if you will not heed my counsel. But if you were willing to take my + word, I should advise you to desist from soliciting so grievous a thing in + which you would never succeed. Speak of it no more! Hold your peace! It + would be imprudent on your part not to follow my advice. I am not at all + surprised that you desire honour and fame; but if I should see you harmed + or injured in your body I should be distressed at heart. And know well + that I have seen many a man ruined who solicited this joy. They were never + any the better for it, but rather did they all die and perish. Before + to-morrow's evening come you may expect a like reward. If you wish to + strive for the Joy, you shall do so, though it grieve me sore. It is + something from which you are free to retreat and draw back if you wish to + work your welfare. Therefore I tell you, for I should commit treachery and + do you wrong were I not to tell you all the truth." Erec hears him and + admits that the King with reason counsels him. But the greater the wonder + and the more perilous the adventure, the more he covets it and yearns for + it, saying: "Sire, I can tell you that I find you a worthy and a loyal + man, and I can put no blame on you. I wish to undertake this boon, however + it may fall out with me. The die is cast, for I shall never draw back from + anything I have undertaken without exerting all my strength before I quit + the field." "I know that well," the King replied; "you are acting against + my will. You shall have the Joy which you desire. But I am in great + despair; for I greatly fear you will be undone. But now be assured that + you shall have what you desire. If you come out of it happily, you will + have won such great honour that never did man win greater; and may God, as + I desire, grant you a joyous deliverance." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5669-5738.) All that night they talked of it, until the beds were + prepared and they went to rest. In the morning, when it was daylight, + Erec, who was on the watch, saw the clear dawn and the sun, and quickly + rising, clothed himself. Enide again is in distress, very sad and ill at + ease; all night she is greatly disquieted with the solicitude and fear + which she felt for her lord, who is about to expose himself to great + peril. But nevertheless he equips himself, for no one can make him change + his mind. For his equipment the King sent him, when he arose, arms which + he put to good use. Erec did not refuse them, for his own were worn and + impaired and in bad state. He gladly accepted the arms and had himself + equipped with them in the hall. When he was armed, he descends the steps + and finds his horse saddled and the King who had mounted. Every one in the + castle and in the houses of the town hastened to mount. In all the town + there remained neither man nor woman, erect or deformed, great or small, + weak or strong, who is able to go and does not do so. When they start, + there is a great noise and clamour in all the streets; for those of high + and low degree alike cry out: "Alas, alas! oh knight, the Joy that thou + wishest to win has betrayed thee, and thou goest to win but grief and + death." And there is not one but says: "God curse this joy! which has been + the death of so many gentlemen. To-day it will wreak the worst woe that it + has ever yet wrought." Erec hears well and notes that up and down they + said of him: "Alas, alas, ill-starred wert thou, fair, gentle, skilful + knight! Surely it would not be just that thy life should end so soon, or + that harm should come to wound and injure thee." He hears clearly the + words and what they said; but notwithstanding, he passes on without + lowering his head, and without the bearing of a craven. Whoever may speak, + he longs to see and know and understand why they are all in such distress, + anxiety, and woe. The King leads him without the town into a garden that + stood near by; and all the people follow after, praying that from this + trial God may grant him a happy issue. But it is not meet that I should + pass on, from weariness and exhaustion of tongue, without telling you the + whole truth about the garden, according as the story runs. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5739-5826.) <a href="#linknote-138" name="linknoteref-138"><small>138</small></a> The garden had around it no + wall or fence except of air: yet, by a spell, the garden was on all sides + so shut in by the air that nothing could enter there any more than if the + garden were enclosed in iron, unless it flew in over the top. And all + through the summer and the winter, too, there were flowers and ripe fruits + there; and the fruit was of such a nature that it could be eaten inside; + the danger consisted in carrying it out; for whoever should wish to carry + out a little would never be able to find the gate, and never could issue + from the garden until he had restored the fruit to its place. And there is + no flying bird under heaven, pleasing to man, but it sings there to + delight and to gladden him, and can be heard there in numbers of every + kind. And the earth, however far it stretch, bears no spice or root of use + in making medicine, but it had been planted there, and was to be found in + abundance. Through a narrow entrance the people entered—King Evrain + and all the rest. Erec went riding, lance in rest, into the middle of the + garden, greatly delighting in the song of the birds which were singing + there; they put him in mind of his Joy the thing he most was longing for. + But he saw a wondrous thing, which might arouse fear in the bravest + warrior of all whom we know, be it Thiebaut the Esclavon, <a + href="#linknote-139" name="linknoteref-139"><small>139</small></a> + or Ospinel, or Fernagu. For before them, on sharpened stakes, there stood + bright and shining helmets, and each one had beneath the rim a man's head. + But at the end there stood a stake where as yet there was nothing but a + horn. <a href="#linknote-140" name="linknoteref-140"><small>140</small></a> + He knows not what this signifies, yet draws not back a step for that; + rather does he ask the King, who was beside him at the right, what this + can be. The King speaks and explains to him: "Friend," he says, "do you + know the meaning of this thing that you see here? You must be in great + terror of it, if you care at all for your own body; for this single stake + which stands apart, where you see this horn hung up, has been waiting a + very long time, but we know not for whom, whether for you or someone else. + Take care lest thy head be set up there; for such is the purpose of the + stake. I had warned you well of that before you came here. I do not expect + that you will escape hence, but that you will be killed and rent apart. + For this much we know, that the stake awaits your head. And if it turns + out that it be placed there, as the matter stands agreed, as soon as thy + head is fixed upon it another stake will be set up beside it which will + await the arrival of some one else—I know not when or whom. I will + tell you nothing of the horn; but never has any one been able to blow it. + <a href="#linknote-141" name="linknoteref-141"><small>141</small></a> + However, he who shall succeed in blowing it his fame and honour will grow + until it distance all those of his country, and he shall find such renown + that all will come to do him honour, and will hold him to be the best of + them all. Now there is no more of this matter. Have your men withdraw; for + 'the Joy' will soon arrive, and will make you sorry, I suspect." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5827-6410.) Meanwhile King Evrain leaves his side, and Erec stoops + over before Enide, whose heart was in great distress, although she held + her peace; for grief on lips is of no account unless it also touch the + heart. And he who well knew her heart, said to her: "Fair sister dear, + gentle, loyal, and prudent lady, I am acquainted with your thoughts. You + are in fear, I see that well, and yet you do not know for what; but there + is no reason for your dismay until you shall see that my shield is + shattered and that my body is wounded, and until you see the meshes of my + bright hauberk covered with blood, and my helmet broken and smashed, and + me defeated and weary, so that I can no longer defend myself, but must beg + and sue for mercy against my will; then you may lament, but now you have + begun too soon. Gentle lady, as yet you know not what this is to be; no + more do I. You are troubled without cause. But know this truly: if there + were in me only so much courage as your love inspires, truly I should not + fear to face any man alive. But I am foolish to vaunt myself; yet I say it + not from any pride, but because I wish to comfort you. So comfort + yourself, and let it be! I cannot longer tarry here, nor can you go along + with me; for, as the King has ordered, I must not take you beyond this + point." Then he kisses her and commends her to God, and she him. But she + is much chagrined that she cannot follow and escort him, until she may + learn and see what this adventure is to be, and how he will conduct + himself. But since she must stay behind and cannot follow him, she remains + sorrowful and grieving. And he went off alone down a path, without + companion of any sort, until he came to a silver couch with a cover of + gold-embroidered cloth, beneath the shade of a sycamore; and on the bed a + maiden of comely body and lovely face, completely endowed with all beauty, + was seated all alone. I intended to say no more of her; but whoever could + consider well all her attire and her beauty might well say that never did + Lavinia of Laurentum, who was so fair and comely, possess the quarter of + her beauty. Erec draws near to her, wishing to see her more closely, and + the onlookers go and sit down under the trees in the orchard. Then behold, + there comes a knight armed with vermilion arms, and he was wondrous tall; + and if he were not so immeasurably tall, under the heavens there would be + none fairer than he; but, as every one averred, he was a foot taller than + any knight he knew. Before Erec caught sight of him, he cried out: + "Vassal, vassal! You are mad, upon my life, thus to approach my damsel. I + should say you are not worthy to draw near her. You will pay dearly for + your presumption, by my head! Stand back!" And Erec stops and looks at + him, and the other, too, stood still. Neither made advance until Erec had + replied all that he wished to say to him. "Friend," he says, "one can + speak folly as well as good sense. Threaten as much as you please, and I + will keep silence; for in threatening there is no sense. Do you know why? + A man sometimes thinks he has won the game who afterward loses it. So he + is manifestly a fool who is too presumptuous and who threatens too much. + If there are some who flee there are plenty who chase, but I do not fear + you so much that I am going to run away yet. I am ready to make such + defence, if there is any who wishes to offer me battle, that he will have + to do his uttermost, or otherwise he cannot escape." "Nay," quoth he, "so + help me God! know that you shall have the battle, for I defy and challenge + you." And you may know, upon my word, that then the reins were not held + in. The lances they had were not light, but were big and square; nor were + they planed smooth, but were rough and strong. Upon the shields with + mighty strength they smote each other with their sharp weapons, so that a + fathom of each lance passes through the gleaming shields. But neither + touches the other's flesh, nor was either lance cracked; each one, as + quickly as he could, draws back his lance, and both rushing together, + return to the fray. One against the other rides, and so fiercely they + smite each other that both lances break and the horses fall beneath them. + But they, being seated on their steeds, sustain no harm; so they quickly + rise, for they were strong and lithe. They stand on foot in the middle of + the garden, and straightway attack each other with their green swords of + German steel, and deal great wicked blows upon their bright and gleaming + helmets, so that they hew them into bits, and their eyes shoot out flame. + No greater efforts can be made than those they make in striving and + toiling to injure and wound each other. Both fiercely smite with the + gilded pommel and the cutting edge. Such havoc did they inflict upon each + other's teeth, cheeks, nose, hands, arms, and the rest, upon temples, + neck, and throat that their bones all ache. They are very sore and very + tired; yet they do not desist, but rather only strive the more. Sweat, and + the blood which flows down with it, dim their eyes, so that they can + hardly see a thing; and very often they missed their blows, like men who + did not see to wield their swords upon each other. They can scarcely harm + each other now; yet, they do not desist at all from exercising all their + strength. Because their eyes are so blinded that they completely lose + their sight, they let their shields fall to the ground, and seize each + other angrily. Each pulls and drags the other, so that they fall upon + their knees. Thus, long they fight until the hour of noon is past, and the + big knight is so exhausted that his breath quite fails him. Erec has him + at his mercy, and pulls and drags so that he breaks all the lacing of his + helmet, and forces him over at his feet. He falls over upon his face + against Erec's breast, and has not strength to rise again. Though it + distresses him, he has to say and own: "I cannot deny it, you have beaten + me; but much it goes against my will. And yet you may be of such degree + and fame that only credit will redound to me; and insistently I would + request, if it may be in any way, that I might know your name, and he + thereby somewhat comforted. If a better man has defeated me, I shall be + glad, I promise you; but if it has so fallen out that a baser man than I + has worsted me, then I must feel great grief indeed." "Friend, dost thou + wish to know my name?" says Erec; "Well, I shall tell thee ere I leave + here; but it will be upon condition that thou tell me now why thou art in + this garden. Concerning that I will know all what is thy name and what the + Joy; for I am very anxious to hear the truth from beginning to end of it." + "Sire," says he, "fearlessly I will tell you all you wish to know." Erec + no more withholds his name, but says: "Didst thou ever hear of King Lac + and of his son Erec?" "Yea, sire, I knew him well; for I was at his + father's court for many a day before I was knighted, and, if he had had + his will, I should never have left him for anything." "Then thou oughtest + to know me well, if thou weft ever with me at the court of my father, the + King." "Then, upon my faith, it has turned out well. Now hear who has + detained me so long in this garden. I will tell the truth in accordance + with your injunction, whatever it may cost me. That damsel who yonder + sits, loved me from childhood and I loved her. It pleased us both, and our + love grew and increased, until she asked a boon of me, but did not tell me + what it was. Who would deny his mistress aught? There is no lover but + would surely do all his sweet-heart's pleasure without default or guile, + whenever he can in any way. I agreed to her desire; but when I had agreed, + she would have it, too, that I should swear. I would have done more than + that for her, but she took me at my word. I made her a promise, without + knowing what. Time passed until I was made a knight. King Evrain, whose + nephew I am, dubbed me a knight in the presence of many honourable men in + this very garden where we are. My lady, who is sitting there, at once + recalled to me my word, and said that I had promised her that I would + never go forth from here until there should come some knight who should + conquer me by trial of arms. It was right that I should remain, for rather + than break my word, I should never have pledged it. Since I knew the good + there was in her, I could nor reveal or show to the one whom I hold most + dear that in all this I was displeased; for if she had noticed it, she + would have withdrawn her heart, and I would not have had it so for + anything that might happen. Thus my lady thought to detain me here for a + long stay; she did not think that there would ever enter this garden any + vassal who could conquer me. In this way she intended to keep me + absolutely shut up with her all the days of my life. And I should have + committed an offence if I had had resort to guile and not defeated all + those against whom I could prevail; such escape would have been a shame. + And I dare to assure you that I have no friend so dear that I would have + feigned at all in fighting with him. Never did I weary of arms, nor did I + ever refuse to fight. You have surely seen the helmets of those whom I + have defeated and put to death; but the guilt of it is not mine, when one + considers it aright. I could not help myself, unless I were willing to be + false and recreant and disloyal. Now I have told you the truth, and be + assured that it is no small honour which you have gained. You have given + great joy to the court of my uncle and my friends; for now I shall be + released from here; and because all those who are at the court will have + joy of it, therefore those who awaited the joy called it 'Joy of the + Court'. They have awaited it so long that now it will be granted them by + you who have won it by your fight. You have defeated and bewitched my + prowess and my chivalry. Now it is right that I tell you my name, if you + would know it. I am called Mabonagrain; but I am not remembered by that + name in any land where I have been, save only in this region; for never, + when I was a squire, did I tell or make known my name. Sire, you knew the + truth concerning all that you asked me. But I must still tell you that + there is in this garden a horn which I doubt not you have seen. I cannot + issue forth from here until you have blown the horn; but then you will + have released me, and then the Joy will begin. Whoever shall hear and give + it heed no hindrance will detain him, when he shall hear the sound of the + horn, from coming straight-way to the court. Rise up, sire! Go quickly + now! Go take the horn right joyfully; for you have no further cause to + wait; so do that which you must do." Now Erec rose, and the other rises + with him, and both approach the horn. Erec takes it and blows it, putting + into it all his strength, so that the sound of it reaches far. Greatly did + Enide rejoice when she heard the note, and Guivret was greatly delighted + too. The King is glad, and so are his people; there is not one who is not + well suited and pleased at this. No one ceases or leaves off from making + merry and from song. Erec could boast that day, for never was such + rejoicing made; it could not be described or related by mouth of man, but + I will tell you the sum of it briefly and with few words. The news spreads + through the country that thus the affair has turned out. Then there was no + holding back from coming to the court. All the people hasten thither in + confusion, some on foot and some on horse, without waiting for each other. + And those who were in the garden hastened to remove Erec's arms, and in + emulation they all sang a song about the Joy; and the ladies made up a lay + which they called 'the Lay of Joy', <a href="#linknote-142" + name="linknoteref-142"><small>142</small></a> but the + lay is not well known. Erec was well sated with joy and well served to his + heart's desire; but she who sat on the silver couch was not a bit pleased. + The joy which she saw was not at all to her taste. But many people have to + keep still and look on at what gives them pain. Enide acted graciously; + because she saw her sitting pensive, alone on the couch, she felt moved to + go and speak with her and tell her about her affairs and about herself, + and to strive, if possible, to make her tell in return about herself, if + it did not cause her too great distress. Enide thought to go alone, + wishing to take no one with her, but some of the most noble and fairest + dames and damsels followed her out of affection to bear her company, and + also to comfort her to whom the joy brings great chagrin; for she assumed + that now her lover would be no longer with her so much as he had been, + inasmuch as he desired to leave the garden. However disappointing it may + be, no one can prevent his going away, for the hour and the time have + come. Therefore the tears ran down her face from her eyes. Much more than + I can say was she grieving and distressed; nevertheless she sat up + straight. But she does not care so much for any of those who try to + comfort her that she ceases her moan. Enide salutes her kindly; but for a + while the other could not reply a word, being prevented by the sighs and + sobs which torment and distress her. Some time it was before the damsel + returned her salutation, and when she had looked at her and examined her + for a while, it seemed that she had seen and known her before. But not + being very certain of it, she was not slow to inquire from whence she was, + of what country, and where her lord was born; she inquires who they both + are. Enide replies briefly and tells her the truth, saying: "I am the + niece of the Count who holds sway over Lalut, the daughter of his own + sister; at Lalut I was born and brought up." The other cannot help + smiling, without hearing more, for she is so delighted that she forgets + her sorrow. Her heart leaps with joy which she cannot conceal. She runs + and embraces Enide, saying: "I am your cousin! This is the very truth, and + you are my father's niece; for he and your father are brothers. But I + suspect that you do not know and have never heard how I came into this + country. The Count, your uncle, was at war, and to him there came to fight + for pay knights of many lands. Thus, fair cousin, it came about, that with + these hireling knights there came one who was the nephew of the king of + Brandigan. He was with my father almost a year. That was, I think, twelve + years ago, and I was still but a little child. He was very handsome and + attractive. There we had an understanding between us that pleased us both. + I never had any wish but his, until at last he began to love me and + promised and swore to me that he would always be my lover, and that he + would bring me here; that pleased us both alike. He could not wait, and I + was longing to come hither with him; so we both came away, and no one knew + of it but ourselves. In those days you and I were both young and little + girls. I have told you the truth; so now tell me in turn, as I have told + you, all about your lover, and by what adventure he won you." "Fair + cousin, he married me in such a way that my father knew all about it, and + my mother was greatly pleased. All our relatives knew it and rejoiced over + it, as they should do. Even the Count was glad. For he is so good a knight + that better cannot be found, and he does not need to prove his honour and + knighthood, and he is of very gentle birth: I do not think that any can be + his equal. He loves me much, and I love him more, and our love cannot be + greater. Never yet could I withhold my love from him, nor should I do so. + For is not my lord the son of a king? For did he not take me when I was + poor and naked? Through him has such honour come to me that never was any + such vouchsafed to a poor helpless girl. And if it please you, I will tell + you without lying how I came to be thus raised up; for never will I be + slow to tell the story." Then she told and related to her how Erec came to + Lalut; for she had no desire to conceal it. She told her the adventure + word for word, without omission. But I pass over it now, because he who + tells a story twice makes his tale now tiresome. While they were thus + conversing, one lady slipped away alone, who sent and told it all to the + gentlemen, in order to increase and heighten their pleasure too. All those + who heard it rejoiced at this news. And when Mabonagrain knew it he was + delighted for his sweetheart because now she was comforted. And she who + bore them quickly the news made them all happy in a short space. Even the + King was glad for it; although he was very happy before, yet now he is + still happier, and shows Erec great honour. Enide leads away her fair + cousin, fairer than Helen, more graceful and charming. Now Erec and + Mabonagrain, Guivret and King Evrain, and all the others run to meet them + and salute them and do them honour, for no one is grudging or holds back. + Mabonagrain makes much of Enide, and she of him. Erec and Guivret, for + their part, rejoice over the damsel as they all kiss and embrace each + other. They propose to return to the castle, for they have stayed too long + in the garden. They are all prepared to go out; so they sally forth + joyfully, kissing each other on the way. All go out after the King, but + before they reached the castle, the nobles were assembled from all the + country around, and all those who knew of the Joy, and who could do so, + came hither. Great was the gathering and the press. Every one, high and + low, rich and poor, strives to see Erec. Each thrusts himself before the + other, and they all salute him and bow before him, saying constantly: "May + God save him through whom joy and gladness come to our court! God save the + most blessed man whom God has ever brought into being!" Thus they bring + him to the court, and strive to show their glee as their hearts dictate. + Breton zithers, harps, and viols sound, fiddles, psalteries, and other + stringed instruments, and all kinds of music that one could name or + mention. But I wish to conclude the matter briefly without too long delay. + The King honours him to the extent of his power, as do all the others + ungrudgingly. There is no one who does not gladly offer to do his service. + Three whole days the Joy lasted, before Erec could get away. On the fourth + he would no longer tarry for any reason they could urge. There was a great + crowd to accompany him and a very great press when it came to taking + leave. If he had wished to reply to each one, he would not have been able + in half a day to return the salutations individually. The nobles he + salutes and embraces; the others he commends to God in a word, and salutes + them. Enide, for her part, is not silent when she takes leave of the + nobles. She salutes them all by name, and they in turn do the like. Before + she goes, she kisses her cousin very tenderly and embraces her. Then they + go and the Joy is over. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6411-6509.) They go off and the others return. Erec and Guivret do + not tarry, but keep joyfully on their way, until they came in nine days to + Robais, where they were told the King was. The day before he had been bled + privately in his apartments; with him he had only five hundred nobles of + his household. Never before at any time was the King found so alone, and + he was much distressed that he had no more numerous suite at his court. At + that time a messenger comes running, whom they had sent ahead to apprise + the King of their approach. This man came in before the assembly, found + the King and all his people, and saluting him correctly, said: "I am a + messenger of Erec and of Guivret the Little." Then he told him how they + were coming to see him at his court. The King replies: "Let them be + welcome, as valiant and gallant gentlemen! Nowhere do I know of any better + than they two. By their presence my court will be much enhanced." Then he + sent for the Queen and told her the news. The others have their horses + saddled to go and meet the gentlemen. In such haste are they to mount that + they did not put on their spurs. I ought to state briefly that the crowd + of common people, including squires, cooks, and butlers, had already + entered the town to prepare for the lodgings. The main party came after, + and had already drawn so near that they had entered the town. Now the two + parties have met each other, and salute and kiss each other. They come to + the lodgings and make themselves comfortable, removing their hose and + making their toilet by donning their rich robes. When they were completely + decked out, they took their way to the court. They come to court, where + the King sees them, and the Queen, who is beside herself with impatience + to see Erec and Enide. The King makes them take seats beside him, kisses + Erec and Guivret; about Enide's neck he throws his arms and kisses her + repeatedly, in his great joy. Nor is the Queen slow in embracing Erec and + Enide. One might well rejoice to see her now so full of joy. Every one + enters with spirit into the merry-making. Then the King causes silence to + be made, and appeals to Erec and asks news of his adventures. When the + noise had ceased, Erec began his story, telling him of his adventures, + without forgetting any detail. Do you think now that I shall tell you what + motive he had had in starting out? Nay, for you know the whole truth about + this and the rest, as I have revealed it to you. To tell the story again + would burden me; for the tale is not short, that any one should wish to + begin it afresh and re-embelish it, as he told and related it: of the + three knights whom he defeated, and then of the five, and then of the + Count who strove to do him harm, and then of the two giants—all in + order, one after the other, he told him of his adventures up to the point + where he met Count Oringle of Limors. "Many a danger have you gone + through, fair gentle friend," said the King to him; "now tarry in this + country at my court, as you are wont to do." "Sire, since you wish it, I + shall remain very gladly three or four years entire. But ask Guivret to + remain here too a request in which I would fain join." The King prays him + to remain, and he consents to stay. So they both stay: the King kept them + with him, and held them dear and honoured them. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6510-6712.) Erec stayed at court, together with Guivret and Enide, + until the death of his father, the king, who was an old man and full of + years. The messengers then started out: the nobles who went to seek him, + and who were the greatest men of the land, sought and searched for him + until they found him at Tintagel three weeks before Christmas; they told + him the truth what had happened to his old, white-haired father, and how + he now was dead and gone. This grieved Erec much more than he showed + before the people. But sorrow is not seemly in a king, nor does it become + a king to mourn. There at Tintagel where he was, he caused vigils for the + dead and Masses to be sung; he promised and kept his promises, as he had + vowed to the religious houses and churches; he did well all that he ought + to do: he chose out more than one hundred and sixty-nine of the wretched + poor, and clothed them all in new garments. To the poor clerks and priors + he gave, as was right, black copes and warm linings to wear beneath. For + God's sake he did great good to all: to those who were in need he + distributed more than a barrel of small coins. When he had shared his + wealth, he then did a very wise thing in receiving his land from the + King's hand; and then he begged the King to crown him at his court. The + King bade him quickly be prepared; for they shall both be crowned, he + together with his wife, at the approaching Christmastide; and he added: + "You must go hence to Nantes in Brittany; there you shall carry a royal + ensign with crown on head and sceptre in hand; this gift and privilege I + bestow upon you." Erec thanked the King, and said that that was a noble + gift. At Christmas the King assembles all his nobles, summoning them + individually and commanding them to come to Nantes. He summoned them all, + and none stayed behind. Erec, too, sent word to many of his followers, and + summoned them to come thither; but more came than he had bidden, to serve + him and do him honour. I cannot tell you or relate who each one was, and + what his name; but whoever came or did not come, the father and mother of + my lady Enide were not forgotten. Her father was sent for first of all, + and he came to court in handsome style, like a great lord and a chatelain. + There was no great crowd of chaplains or of silly, gaping yokels, but of + excellent knights and of people well equipped. Each day they made a long + day's journey, and rode on each day with great joy and great display, + until on Christmas eve they came to the city of Nantes. They made no halt + until they entered the great hall where the King and his courtiers were. + Erec and Enide see them, and you may know how glad they were. To meet them + they quickly make their way, and salute and embrace them, speaking to them + tenderly and showing their delight as they should. When they had rejoiced + together, taking each other by the hand, they all four came before the + King, saluting him and likewise the Queen, who was sitting by his side. + Taking his host by the hand, Erec said: "Sire, behold my good host, my + kind friend, who did me such honour that he made me master in his own + house. Before he knew anything about me, he lodged me well and handsomely. + All that he had he made over to me, and even his daughter he bestowed upon + me, without the advice or counsel of any one." "And this lady with him," + the King inquires, "who is she?" Erec does not conceal the truth: "Sire," + says he, "of this lady I may say that she is the mother of my wife." "Is + she her mother?" "Yes, truly, sire." "Certainly, I may then well say that + fair and comely should be the flower born of so fair a stem, and better + the fruit one picks; for sweet is the smell of what springs from good. + Fair is Enide and fair she should be in all reason and by right; for her + mother is a very handsome lady, and her father is a goodly knight. Nor + does she in aught belie them; for she descends and inherits directly from + them both in many respects." Then the King ceases and sits down, bidding + them be seated too. They do not disobey his command, but straightway take + seats. Now is Enide filled with joy when she sees her father and mother, + for a very long time had passed since she had seen them. Her happiness now + is greatly increased, for she was delighted and happy, and she showed it + all she could, but she could not make such demonstration but that her joy + was yet greater. But I wish to say no more of that, for my heart draws me + toward the court which was now assembled in force. From many a different + country there were counts and dukes and kings, Normans, Bretons. Scotch, + and Irish: from England and Cornwall there was a very rich gathering of + nobles; for from Wales to Anjou, in Maine and in Poitou, there was no + knight of importance, nor lady of quality, but the best and the most + elegant were at the court at Nantes, as the King had bidden them. Now + hear, if you will, the great joy and grandeur, the display and the wealth, + that was exhibited at the court. Before the hour of nones had sounded, + King Arthur dubbed four hundred knights or more all sons of counts and of + kings. To each one he gave three horses and two pairs of suits, in order + that his court may make a better showing. Puissant and lavish was the + King; for the mantles he bestowed were not of serge, nor of rabbit-skins, + nor of cheap brown fur, but of heavy silk and ermine, of spotted fur and + flowered silks, bordered with heavy and stiff gold braid. Alexander, who + conquered so much that he subdued the whole world, and who was so lavish + and rich, compared with him was poor and mean. Caesar, the Emperor of + Rome, and all the kings whose names you hear in stories and in epic songs, + did not distribute at any feast so much as Arthur gave on the day that he + crowned Erec; nor would Caesar and Alexander dare to spend so much as he + spent at the court. The raiment was taken from the chests and spread about + freely through the halls; one could take what he would, without restraint. + In the midst of the court, upon a rug, stood thirty bushels of bright + sterlings; <a href="#linknote-143" name="linknoteref-143"><small>143</small></a> for since the time of Merlin + until that day sterlings had currency throughout Britain. There all helped + themselves, each one carrying away that night all that he wanted to his + lodging-place. At nine o'clock on Christmas day, all came together again + at court. The great joy that is drawing near for him had completely + filched Erec's heart away. The tongue and the mouth of no man, however + skilful, could describe the third, or the fourth, or the fifth part of the + display which marked his coronation. So it is a mad enterprise I undertake + in wishing to attempt to describe it. But since I must make the effort, + come what may, I shall not fail to relate a part of it, as best I may. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6713-6809.) The King had two thrones of white ivory, well constructed + and new, of one pattern and style. He who made them beyond a doubt was a + very skilled and cunning craftsman. For so precisely did he make the two + alike in height, in breadth, and in ornamentation, that you could nor look + at them from every side to distinguish one from the other and find in one + aught that was not in the other. There was no part of wood, but all of + gold and fine ivory. Well were they carved with great skill, for the two + corresponding sides of each bore the representation of a leopard, and the + other two a dragon's shape. A knight named Bruiant of the Isles had made a + gift and present of them to King Arthur and the Queen. King Arthur sat + upon the one, and upon the other he made Erec sit, who was robed in + watered silk. As we read in the story, we find the description of the + robe, and in order that no one may say that I lie, I quote as my authority + Macrobius, <a href="#linknote-144" name="linknoteref-144"><small>144</small></a> who devoted himself to the + description of it. Macrobius instructs me how to describe, according as I + have found it in the book, the workmanship and the figures of the cloth. + Four fairies had made it with great skill and mastery. <a + href="#linknote-145" name="linknoteref-145"><small>145</small></a> + One represented there geometry, how it estimates and measures the extent + of the heavens and the earth, so that nothing is lacking there; and then + the depth and the height, and the width, and the length; then it + estimates, besides, how broad and deep the sea is, and thus measures the + whole world. Such was the work of the first fairy. And the second devoted + her effort to the portrayal of arithmetic, and she strove hard to + represent clearly how it wisely enumerates the days and the hours of time, + and the water of the sea drop by drop, and then all the sand, and the + stars one by one, knowing well how to tell the truth, and how many leaves + there are in the woods: such is the skill of arithmetic that numbers have + never deceived her, nor will she ever be in error when she wishes to apply + her sense to them. The third design was that of music, with which all + merriment finds itself in accord, songs and harmonies, and sounds of + string: of harp, of Breton violin, and of viol. This piece of work was + good and fine; for upon it were portrayed all the instruments and all the + pastimes. The fourth, who next performed her task, executed a most + excellent work; for the best of the arts she there portrayed. She + undertook astronomy, which accomplishes so many marvels and draws + inspiration from the stars, the moon, and the sun. Nowhere else does it + seek counsel concerning aught which it has to do. They give it good and + sure advice. Concerning whatever inquiry it make of them, whether in the + past or in the future, they give it information without falsehood and + without deception. This work was portrayed on the stuff of which Erec's + robe was made, all worked and woven with thread of gold. The fur lining + that was sewed within, belonged to some strange beasts whose heads are all + white, and whose necks are as black as mulberries, and which have red + backs and green bellies, and dark blue tail. These beasts live in India + and they are called "barbiolets". They eat nothing but spices, cinnamon, + and fresh cloves. What shall I tell you of the mantle? It was very rich + and fine and handsome; it had four stones in the tassels—two + chrysolites on one side, and two amethysts on the other, which were + mounted in gold. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6810-6946.) As yet Enide had not come to the palace. When the King + sees that she delays, he bids Gawain go quickly to bring her and the + Queen. Gawain hastens and was not slow, and with him King Cadoalant and + the generous King of Galloway. Guivret the Little accompanies them, + followed by Yder the son of Nut. So many of the other nobles ran thither + to escort the two ladies that they would have sufficed to overcome a host; + for there were more than a thousand of them. The Queen had made her best + effort to adorn Enide. Into the palace they brought her the courteous + Gawain escorting her on one side, and on the other the generous King of + Galloway, who loved her dearly on account of Erec who was his nephew. When + they came to the palace, King Arthur came quickly toward them, and + courteously seated Enide beside Erec; for he wished to do her great + honour. Now he orders to be brought forth from his treasure two massive + crowns of fine gold. As soon as he had spoken and given the command, + without delay the crowns were brought before him, all sparkling with + carbuncles, of which there were four in each. The light of the moon is + nothing compared with the light which the least of the carbuncles could + shed. Because of the radiance which they shed, all those who were in the + palace were so dazzled that for a moment they could see nothing; and even + the King was amazed, and yet filled with satisfaction, when he saw them to + be so clear and bright. He had one of them held by two damsels, and the + other by two gentlemen. Then he bade the bishops and priors and the abbots + of the Church step forward and anoint the new King, as the Christian + practice is. Now all the prelates, young and old, came forward; for at the + court there were a great number of bishops and abbots. The Bishop of + Nantes himself, who was a very worthy and saintly man, anointed the new + King in a very holy and becoming manner, and placed the crown upon his + head. King Arthur had a sceptre brought which was very fine. Listen to the + description of the sceptre, which was clearer than a pane of glass, all of + one solid emerald, fully as large as your fist. I dare to tell you in very + truth that in all the world there is no manner of fish, or of wild behest, + or of man, or of flying bird that was not worked and chiselled upon it + with its proper figure. The sceptre was handed to the King, who looked at + it with amazement; then he put it without delay into King Erec's right + hand; and now he was King as he ought to be. Then he crowned Enide in + turn. Now the bells ring for Mass, and they go to the main church to hear + the Mass and service; they go to pray at the cathedral. You would have + seen weeping with joy the father of Queen Enide and her mother, + Carsenefide. In truth this was her mother's name, and her father's name + was Liconal. Very happy were they both. When they came to the cathedral, + the procession came out from the church with relics and treasures to meet + them. Crosses and prayerbooks and censers and reliquaries, with all the + holy relics, of which there were many in the church, were all brought out + to meet them; nor was there any lack of chants made. Never were seen so + many kings, counts, dukes, and nobles together at a Mass, and the press + was so great and thick that the church was completely filled. No low-born + man could enter there, but only ladies and knights. Outside the door of + the church a great number still remained, so many were there come together + who could not get inside the church. When they had heard all the Mass they + returned to the palace. It was all prepared and decorated: tables set and + cloths spread five hundred tables and more were there; but I do not wish + to make you believe a thing which does not seem true. It would seem too + great a lie were I to say that five hundred tables were set in rows in one + palace, so I will not say it; rather were there five hails so filled with + them that with great difficulty could one make his way among the tables. + At each table there was in truth a king or a duke or a count; and full a + hundred knights were seated at each table. A thousand knights served the + bread, and a thousand served the wine, and a thousand the meat—all + of them dressed in fresh fur robes of ermine. All are served with divers + dishes. Even if I did not see them, I might still be able to tell you + about them; but I must attend to something else than to tell you what they + had to eat. They had enough, without wanting more; joyfully and liberally + they were served to their heart's desire. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6947-6958.) When this celebration was concluded, the King dismissed + the assemblage of kings, dukes, and counts, of which the number was + immense, and of the other humble folk who had come to the festival. He + rewarded them liberally with horses, arms and silver, cloths and brocades + of many kinds, because of his generosity, and because of Erec whom he + loved so much. Here the story ends at last. + </p> + <p> + ——Endnotes: Erec Et Enide + </p> + <p> + NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all + other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-11"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 11 (<a href="#linknoteref-11">return</a>)<br /> [ A Welsh version, "Geraint + the Son of Erbin", included in Lady Charlotte Guest's translation of "The + Mabinogion" (London, 1838-49; a modern edition will be found in Everyman + Library, London, 1906), tells the same story as "Erec et Enide" with some + variations. This Welsh version has also been translated into modern French + by J. Loth ("Les Mabinogion", Paris, 1889), where it may be consulted with + the greatest confidence. The relation of the Welsh prose to the French + poem is a moot point. Cf. E. Philipot in "Romania", XXV. 258-294, and + earlier, K. Othmer, "Ueber das Verhaltnis Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem + Mabinogion des rothen Buch von Hergest" (Koln, 1889); G. Paris in + "Romania", XIX. 157, and id. XX. 148-166.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-12"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 12 (<a href="#linknoteref-12">return</a>)<br /> [ We frequently read in the + romances of a hunt at Easter (F.). As here, so in "Fergus" (ed. Martin, + Halle, 1872), p. 2 f., the knights hunt a white stag, which Perceval + finally slays, but there is no mention of the ceremony of the bestowal of + a kiss.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-13"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 13 (<a href="#linknoteref-13">return</a>)<br /> [ Chrétien nowhere gives + any description of the nature of the Round Table. With him, it is an + institution. Layamon in "Brut" and Wace in "Le Roman de Brut" are more + specific in their accounts of this remarkable piece of furniture. From + their descriptions, and from other sources in Welsh and Irish literature, + it is reasonable to suppose that the Round Table had a place in primitive + Celtic folk-lore. Cf. L.F. Mott, "The Round Table" in "Pub. of the Modern + Language Association of America", XX. 231-264; A.C.L. Brown, "The Round + Table before Wace" in "Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and + Literature", vii. 183-205 (Boston, 1900); Miss J.L Weston, "A Hitherto + Unconsidered Aspect of the Round Table" in "Melanges de philologie romane + offerts a M. Wilmotte", ii. 883-894, 2 vols. (Paris, 1910).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-14"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 14 (<a href="#linknoteref-14">return</a>)<br /> [ There exists a romance + devoted to Yder, of which G. Paris printed a resume in "Hist. Litt. de la + France", XXX., and which has been recently edited by Heinrich Gelzer: "Der + altfranzosische Yderroman" (Dresden, 1913). There are apparently three + different knight of this name in the old French romances (F.).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-15"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 15 (<a href="#linknoteref-15">return</a>)<br /> [ The word "chastel" (from + "castellum") is usually to be translated as "town" or strong place within + fortifications. Only where it plainly refers to a detached building will + the word "castle" be used.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-16"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 16 (<a href="#linknoteref-16">return</a>)<br /> [ A "tercel" is a species + of falcon, of which the male bird is one-third smaller than the female.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-17"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 17 (<a href="#linknoteref-17">return</a>)<br /> [ A "vavasor" (from "vassus + vassallorum") was a low order of vassal, but a freeman. The vavasors are + spoken of with respect in the old French romances, as being of honourable + character, though not of high birth.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-18"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 18 (<a href="#linknoteref-18">return</a>)<br /> [ The numerous references + to the story of King Mark, Tristan, and Iseut in the extant poems of + Chrétien support his own statement, made at the outset of "Cligés", that + he himself composed a poem on the nephew and wife of the King of Cornwall. + We have fragments of poems on Tristan by the Anglo-Norman poets Beroul and + Thomas, who were contemporaries of Chrétien. Foerster's hypothesis that + the lost "Tristan" of Chrétien antedated "Erec" is doubtless correct. That + the poet later treated of the love of Cligés and Fenice as a sort of + literary atonement for the inevitable moral laxity of Tristan and Iseut + has been held by some, and the theory is acceptable in view of the + references to be met later in "Cligés". For the contrary opinion of Gaston + Paris see "Journal des Savants" (1902), p. 297 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-19"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 19 (<a href="#linknoteref-19">return</a>)<br /> [ In the Mabinogi "Geraint + the Son of Erbin", the host explains that he had wrongfully deprived his + nephew of his possessions, and that in revenge the nephew had later taken + all his uncle's property, including an earldom and this town. See Guest, + "The Mabinogion".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-110"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 110 (<a href="#linknoteref-110">return</a>)<br /> [ The hauberk was a long + shirt of mail reaching to the knees, worn by knights in combat. The + helmet, and the "coiffe" beneath it, protected the head; the "ventail" of + linked meshes was worn across the lower part of the face, and was attached + on each side of the neck to the "coiffe", so that it protected the throat; + the greaves covered the legs. The body of the knight was thus well + protected against blow of sword or lance. Cf. Vv.711 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-111"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 111 (<a href="#linknoteref-111">return</a>)<br /> [ This passage seems to + imply that charms and enchantments were sometimes used when a knight was + armed (F.).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-112"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 112 (<a href="#linknoteref-112">return</a>)<br /> [ The "loges", so often + mentioned in old French romances, were either window-balconies or + architectural points of vantage commanding some pleasing prospect. The + conventional translation in the old English romances is "bower".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-113"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 113 (<a href="#linknoteref-113">return</a>)<br /> [ Tristan killed Morholt, + the uncle of Iseut, when he came to claim tribute form King Mark (cf. + Bedier, "Le Roman de Tristan", etc., i. 85 f., 2 vols., Paris, 1902). The + combat took place on an island, unnamed in the original text (id. i. 84), + but later identified with St. Samson's Isle, one of the Scilly Isles.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-114"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 114 (<a href="#linknoteref-114">return</a>)<br /> [ The same act of feeding + a hunting-bird with a plover's wing is mentioned in "Le Roman de Thebes", + 3857-58 (ed. "Anciens Textes").] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-115"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 115 (<a href="#linknoteref-115">return</a>)<br /> [ For such figurative + expressions used to complement the negative, cf. Gustav Dreyling, "Die + Ausdruckweise der ubertriebenen Verkleinerung im altfranzosischen + Karlsepos", in Stengel's "Ausgaben und Abhandlungen", No. 82 (Marsburg, + 1888); W.W. Comfort in "Modern Language Notes" (Baltimore, February + 1908).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-116"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 116 (<a href="#linknoteref-116">return</a>)<br /> [ Chrétien in his later + romances will avoid compiling such a prosaic blue-book as is found in this + passage, though similar lists of knights occur in the old English romances + as late as Malory, though of some of them but little is known. + Unfortunately, we have for the old French romances no such complete work + as that furnished for the epic poems by E. Langois, "Table des noms + propres de toute nature compris dans les chansons de geste" (Paris, + 1904).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-117"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 117 (<a href="#linknoteref-117">return</a>)<br /> [ The only mention by + Chrétien of this son of Arthur, whose role is absolutely insignificant in + the Arthurian romances.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-118"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 118 (<a href="#linknoteref-118">return</a>)<br /> [ What was this + drinking-cup, and who sent it to Arthur? We have "Le Lai du cor" (ed. + Wulff, Lund, 1888), which tells how a certain King Mangount of Moraine + sent a magic drinking-cup to Arthur. No one could drink of this cup + without spilling the contents if he were a cuckold. Drinking from this cup + was, then, one of the many current tests of chastity. Further light may be + thrown on the passage in our text by the English poem "The Cokwold's + Daunce" (in C.H. Hartshorne's "Ancient Metrical Ballads", London, 1829), + where Arthur is described as a cuckold himself and as having always by him + a horn (cup) which he delights in trying on his knights as a test of their + ladies' chastity. For bibliography see T.P. Cross, "Notes on the + Chastity-Testing Horns and Mantle" in "Modern Philology", x. 289-299.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-119"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 119 (<a href="#linknoteref-119">return</a>)<br /> [ A unique instance of + such a division of the material in Chrétien's poems (F.).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-120"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 120 (<a href="#linknoteref-120">return</a>)<br /> [ Outre-Gales=Estre-Gales + (v.3883)=Extra-Galliam.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-121"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 121 (<a href="#linknoteref-121">return</a>)<br /> [ Such fanciful + descriptions of men and lands are common in the French epic poems, where + they are usually applied to the Saracens (F.). Cf. W.w. Comfort, "The + Saracens in Christian Poetry" in "The Dublin Review", July 1911; J. + Malsch, "Die Charakteristik der Volker im altfranzosischen nationalen + Epos" (Heidelberg, 1912).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-122"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 122 (<a href="#linknoteref-122">return</a>)<br /> [ With what seems to us + mistaken taste, Chrétien frequently thus delays mentioning the name of his + leading charecters. The father and mother of Enide remain anonymous until + the end of this poem. The reader will remark other instances of this + peculiarity in "Yvain" and "Lancelot".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-123"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 123 (<a href="#linknoteref-123">return</a>)<br /> [ The maid Brangien was + substituted for Iseut, the bride, upon the first night after her marriage + with Mark. Similar traditions are associated with the marriage of Arthur + and Guinevere, and of Pepin and Berte aus grans pies, the parents of + Charlemagne. Adenet le Roi toward the end of the 13th century is the + author of the most artistic treatments of Berte's history (ed. A. Scheler, + Bruxelles, 1874). Cf. W.W. Comfort, "Adenet le Roi: The End of a Literary + Era" in "The Quarterly Review", April 1913.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-124"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 124 (<a href="#linknoteref-124">return</a>)<br /> [ The reading "Sanson" + (=Samson) is Foerster's most recent (1904) suggestion to replace the word + "lion" which stands in all the MSS. Solomon's name has always been + synonymous with wisdom, and Alexander's generosity was proverbial in the + Middle Ages. For Alexander, cf. Paul Meyer, "Alexandre le Grand dans la + litterature francaise du moyen age", 2 vols. (Paris, 1886), vol ii., pp. + 372-376, and Paget Toynbee, "Dante Studies and Researches" (London, 1902), + p. 144.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-125"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 125 (<a href="#linknoteref-125">return</a>)<br /> [ Of Arthur's several + nephews, Gawain is represented by Chrétien as peerless in respect of + courage and courtesy. In the English romances his character steadily + deteriorates.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-126"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 126 (<a href="#linknoteref-126">return</a>)<br /> [ This sentence contains + the motive for all the action in the sequel. The same situation is + threatened in "Yvain", but there Gawain rescues the hero from the + lethargy, ignoble in the eyes of a feudal audience, into which he was + falling. Cf. also "Marques de Rome" ("Lit. Verein in Stuttgart", Tubingen, + 1889), p. 36, where the Empress of Rome thus incites her husband to the + chase: "Toz jors cropez vos a Postel; vos n'estes point chevalereus, si + come vos deussiez estre, si juenes hom come vos estes"; also J. Gower, "Le + Mirour de l'omme, 22, 813 ff.: + </p> + <p> + "Rois est des femmes trop decu, Qant plus les ayme que son dieu, Dont + laist honour pour foldelit: Cil Rois ne serra pas cremu, Q'ensi voet + laisser sou escu Et querre le bataille ou lit."] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-127"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 127 (<a href="#linknoteref-127">return</a>)<br /> [ This brusque command, + implying so sudden a change in Erec's attitude toward his wife, initiates + a long series of tests of Enide's devotion, which fill the rest of the + romance. Why did Erec treat his wife with such severity? In the Mabinogi + of "Geraint the Son of Erbin", it is plain that jealousy was the hero's + motive. The reader of "Erec" may judge whether, as we believe, the hero's + sudden resolve is not rather that of a man piqued at being justly reproved + by his wife for a delinquency he had not himself remarked; irate at his + wife's imputation, and fearful of having forfeited her respect, he starts + out to redeem his reputation in her eyes, and to maker her retract any + insinuation she had made. Erec is simply angry with himself, but he + expends his wrath upon his defenceless wife until he is reassured of her + love and respect for him.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-128"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 128 (<a href="#linknoteref-128">return</a>)<br /> [ The situation here is a + common one. Parallels will be found in the "Voyage de Charlemagne", in the + first tale of the "Arabian Nights", in the poem "Biterolf and Dietlieb", + and in the English ballad of "King Arthur and King Cornwall". Professor + Child, in his "English and Scotch Ballads", indexes the ballads in his + collection, which present this motive, under the following caption: "King + who regards himself as the richest, most magnificent, etc., in the world, + is told that there is one who outstrips him, and undertakes to see for + himself whether this is so, threatening death to the person who has + affirmed his inferiority in case this is disproved."] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-129"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 129 (<a href="#linknoteref-129">return</a>)<br /> [ The presence of the + Irish in this connection is explained by G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 149.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-130"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 130 (<a href="#linknoteref-130">return</a>)<br /> [ Kay the Seneschal + appears here for the first time in Chrétien's poems with the character + which he regularly ascribes to him. Readers of Arthurian romance are all + familiar with Sir Kay; they will find that in Chrétien, the seneschal, in + addition to his undeniable qualities of bravery and frankness, has less + pleasing traits; he is foolhardy, tactless, mean, and a disparager of + others' merit. He figures prominently in "Yvain" and "Lancelot". His + poetic history has not yet been written. His role in the German romances + has been touched upon by Dr. Friedrich Sachse, "Ueber den Ritter Kei" + (Berlin, 1860).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-131"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 131 (<a href="#linknoteref-131">return</a>)<br /> [ No meat was eaten + because it was the eve of Sunday.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-132"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 132 (<a href="#linknoteref-132">return</a>)<br /> [ In the French epic + poems and romances of adventure alike it is customary for giants and all + manner of rustic boors to carry clubs, the arms of knighthood being + appropriate for such ignoble creatures. Other instances of this convention + will be remarked in the text.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-133"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 133 (<a href="#linknoteref-133">return</a>)<br /> [ There follows and + excellent example of an old French lament for the dead. Such a wail was + known in old French as a "regret", a word which has lost its specific + meaning in English.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-134"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 134 (<a href="#linknoteref-134">return</a>)<br /> [ Many examples will be + met of women skilled in the practice of medicine and surgery. On the + subject, cf. A. Hertel, "Versauberte Oertlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der + altfranzosschen Dichtung" (Hanover, 1908); Georg Manheimer, "Etwas liber + die Aerzte im alten Frankreich" in "Romanische Forschungen", vi. 581-614.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-135"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 135 (<a href="#linknoteref-135">return</a>)<br /> [ The reference here and + in v.5891 is probably suggested by the "Roman d'Eneas", which tells the + same story as Virgil's "Aeneid", in old French eight-syllable rhymed + couplets, and which is dated by the most recent scholarship 1160 circ. Cf. + F.M. Warren in "Modern Philology", iii. 179-209; iii. 513-539; iv. + 655-675. Also M. Wilmotte, "L'Evolution du roman francais aux environs de + 1150" (Paris, 1903). Scenes from classical and medieval romance were for a + long time favourite subject of portrayal upon cloths and tapestries, as + well as of illuminations for manuscripts.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-136"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 136 (<a href="#linknoteref-136">return</a>)<br /> [ Various conjectures + have been advanced concerning the significance of this strange adventure + and its mysterious name "La Joie de la cour". It is a quite extraneous + episode, and Tennyson in his artistic use of our hero and heroine in the + Idyl of "Geraint and Enid" did well to omit it. Chrétien's explanation, a + little farther on, of "La Joie de la cour" is lame and unsatisfactory, as + if he himself did not understand the significance of the matter upon which + he was working. Cf. E. Philipot in "Romania", xxv. 258-294; K. Othmer, + "Ueber das Verhaltnis Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem Mabinogion des + rothen Buch von Hergest" (Bonn, 1889); G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 152 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-137"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 137 (<a href="#linknoteref-137">return</a>)<br /> [ The following + description of Erec's reception is repeated with variations at the time of + Yvain's entrance in the "Chastel de Pesme Avanture" ("Yvain", 5107 f.) + (F.).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-138"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 138 (<a href="#linknoteref-138">return</a>)<br /> [ For such conventional + mediaeval descriptions of other-world castles, palaces, and landscapes, + cf. O.M. Johnston in "Ztsch fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 705-710.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-139"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 139 (<a href="#linknoteref-139">return</a>)<br /> [ Tiebaut li Esclavon, + frequently mentioned in the epic poems, was a Saracen king, the first + husband of Guibourne, who later married the Christian hero Guillaume + d'Orange. Opinel was also a Saracen, mentioned in "Gaufrey", p. 132, and + the hero of a lost epic poem (see G. Paris, "Historie poetique de + Charlemagne", p. 127). Fernagu was another Saracen king, killed in a + famous encounter by Roland, "Otinel", p. 9 (F.). For further references to + these characters, see E. Langlois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature + compris dans les chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-140"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 140 (<a href="#linknoteref-140">return</a>)<br /> [ There is a similar + picket fence topped with helmets in the "Las de la Mule sanz frain", v. + 433 (ed. By R.T. Hill, Baltimore, 1911).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-141"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 141 (<a href="#linknoteref-141">return</a>)<br /> [ For such magic horns, + cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-142"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 142 (<a href="#linknoteref-142">return</a>)<br /> [ In fact, nothing is + known of this "lai", if, indeed, it ever existed. For a recent definition + of "lai", se L. Foulet in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 161 + f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-143"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 143 (<a href="#linknoteref-143">return</a>)<br /> [ The sterling was the + English silver penny, 240 of which equalled 1 Pound Sterling of silver of + 5760 grains 925 fine. It is early described as "denarius Angliae qui + vocatur sterlingus" ("Ency. Brit").] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-144"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 144 (<a href="#linknoteref-144">return</a>)<br /> [ Macrobius was a + Neoplatonic philosopher and Latin grammarian of the early part of the 5th + century A.D. He is best known as the author of the "Saturnalia" and of a + commentary upon Cicero's "Somnium Scipionis" in that author's "De + republica". It is this latter work that is probably in the mind of + Chrétien, as well as of Gower, who refers to him in his "Mirour l'omme", + and of Jean de Meun, the author of the second part of the "Roman de la + Rose".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-145"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 145 (<a href="#linknoteref-145">return</a>)<br /> [ For fairies and their + handiwork in the Middle Ages, cf. L.F.A. Maury, "Les Fees du moyen age" + (Paris, 1843); Keightley, "Fairy Mythology" (London, 1860); Lucy A. Paton, + "Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Romance", Radcliffe Monograph + (Boston, 1903); D.B. Easter, "The Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure + and the romans bretons" (Baltimore, 1906).] + </p> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0004"></a>CLIGÉS<a href="#linknote-21" name="linknoteref-21"><small>21</small></a></h2> + + <p> + (Vv. 1-44.) He who wrote of Erec and Enide, and translated into French the + commands of Ovid and the Art of Love, and wrote the Shoulder Bite, <a + href="#linknote-22" name="linknoteref-22"><small>22</small></a> + and about King Mark and the fair Iseut, <a href="#linknote-23" + name="linknoteref-23"><small>23</small></a> and about + the metamorphosis of the Lapwing, <a href="#linknote-24" + name="linknoteref-24"><small>24</small></a> the + Swallow, and the Nightingale, will tell another story now about a youth + who lived in Greece and was a member of King Arthur's line. But before I + tell you aught of him, you shall hear of his father's life, whence he came + and of what family. He was so bold and so ambitious that he left Greece + and went to England, which was called Britain in those days, in order to + win fame and renown. This story, which I intend to relate to you, we find + written in one of the books of the library of my lord Saint Peter at + Beauvais. <a href="#linknote-25" name="linknoteref-25"><small>25</small></a> + From there the material was drawn of which Chrétien has made this romance. + The book is very old in which the story is told, and this adds to its + authority. <a href="#linknote-26" name="linknoteref-26"><small>26</small></a> + From such books which have been preserved we learn the deeds of men of old + and of the times long since gone by. Our books have informed us that the + pre-eminence in chivalry and learning once belonged to Greece. Then + chivalry passed to Rome, together with that highest learning which now has + come to France. God grant that it may be cherished here, and that it may + be made so welcome here that the honour which has taken refuge with us may + never depart from France: God had awarded it as another's share, but of + Greeks and Romans no more is heard, their fame is passed, and their + glowing ash is dead. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 45-134.) Chrétien begins his story as we find it in the history, + which tells of an emperor powerful in wealth and honour who ruled over + Greece and Constantinople. A very noble empress, too, there was, by whom + the emperor had two children. But the elder son was already so far + advanced before the younger one was born that, if he had wished, he might + have become a knight and held all the empire beneath his sway. The name of + the elder was Alexander, and the other's name was Alis. Alexander, too, + was the father's name, and the mother's name was Tantalis. I shall now say + nothing more of the emperor and of Alis; but I shall speak of Alexander, + who was so bold and proud that he scorned to become a knight in his own + country. He had heard of King Arthur, who reigned in those days, and of + the knights whom he always kept about him, thus causing his court to be + feared and famed throughout the world. However, the affair may result and + whatever fortune may await him, nothing can restrain Alexander from his + desire to go into Britain, but he must obtain his father's consent before + proceeding to Britain and Cornwall. So Alexander, fair and brave, goes to + speak with the emperor in order to ask and obtain his leave. Now he will + tell him of his desire and what he wishes to do and undertake. "Fair + sire," he says, "in quest of honour and fame and praise I dare to ask you + a boon, which I desire you to give me now without delay, if you are + willing to grant it to me." The emperor thinks no harm will come from this + request: he ought rather to desire and long for his son's honour. "Fair + son," he says, "I grant you your desire; so tell me now what you wish me + to give you." Now the youth has accomplished his purpose, and is greatly + pleased when the boon is granted him which he so greatly desired. "Sire," + says he, "do you wish to know what it is that you have promised me? I wish + to have a great plenty of gold and silver, and such companions from among + your men as I will select; for I wish to go forth from your empire, and to + present my service to the king who rules over Britain, in order that he + may make me a knight. I promise you never in my life to wear armour on my + face or helmet upon my head until King Arthur shall gird on my sword, if + he will graciously do so. For from no other than from him will I accept my + arms." Without hesitation the emperor replies: "Fair son, for God's sake, + speak not so! This country all belongs to you, as well as rich + Constantinople. You ought not to think me mean, when I am ready to make + you such a gift. I shall be ready soon to have you crowned, and to-morrow + you shall be a knight. All Greece will be in your hands, and you shall + receive from your nobles, as is right, their homage and oaths of + allegiance. Whoever refuses such an offer is not wise." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 135-168.) The youth hears the promise how the next morning after Mass + his father is ready to dub him knight; but he says he will seek his + fortune for better or worse in another land. "If you are willing in this + matter to grant the boon I have asked of you, then give me mottled and + grey furs, some good horses and silken stuffs: for before I become a + knight I wish to enrol in King Arthur's service. Nor have I yet sufficient + strength to bear arms. No one could induce me by prayer or flattery not to + go to the foreign land to see his nobles and that king whose fame is so + great for courtesy and prowess. Many men of high degree lose through sloth + the great renown which they might win, were they to wander about the + world. <a href="#linknote-27" name="linknoteref-27"><small>27</small></a> + Repose and glory ill agree, as it seems to me; for a man of wealth adds + nothing to his reputation if he spends all his days at ease. Prowess is + irksome to the ignoble man, and cowardice is a burden to the man of + spirit; thus the two are contrary and opposite. He is the slave of his + wealth who spends his days in storing and increasing it. Fair father, so + long as I have the chance, and so long as my rigour lasts, I wish to + devote my effort and energy to the pursuit of fame." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 169-234.) Upon hearing this; the emperor doubtless feels both joy and + grief: he is glad that his son's intention is fixed upon honour, and on + the other hand he is sorrowful because his son is about to be separated + from him. Yet, because of the promise which he made, despite the grief he + feels, he must grant his request; for an emperor must keep his word. "Fair + son," he says, "I must not fail to do your pleasure, when I see you thus + striving for honour. From my treasure you may have two barges full of gold + and silver; but take care to be generous and courteous and well-behaved." + Now the youth is very happy when his father promises him so much, and + places his treasure at his disposal, and bids him urgently to give and + spend generously. And his father explains his reason for this: "Fair son," + he says, "believe me, that generosity is the dame and queen which sheds + glory upon all the other virtues. And the proof of this is not far to + seek. For where could you find a man, be he never so rich and powerful, + who is not blamed if he is mean? Nor could you find one, however + ungracious he may be, whom generosity will not bring into fair repute? + Thus largess makes the gentleman, which result can be accomplished neither + by high birth, courtesy, knowledge, gentility, money, strength, chivalry, + boldness, dominion, beauty, or anything else. <a href="#linknote-28" + name="linknoteref-28"><small>28</small></a> But just + as the rose is fairer than any other flower when it is fresh and newly + blown, so there, where largess dwells, it takes its place above all other + virtues, and increases five hundred fold the value of other good traits + which it finds in the man who acquits himself well. So great is the merit + of generosity that I could not tell you the half of it." The young man has + now successfully concluded the negotiations for what he wished; for his + father has acceded to all his desires. But the empress was sorely grieved + when she heard of the journey which her son was about to take. Yet, + whoever may grieve or sorrow, and whoever may attribute his intention to + youthful folly, and ever may blame and seek to dissuade him, the youth + ordered his ships to be made ready as soon as possible, desiring to tarry + no longer in his native land. At his command the ships were freighted that + very night with wine, meat, and biscuit. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 235-338.) The ships were loaded in the port, and the next morning + Alexander came to the strand in high spirits, accompanied by his + companions, who were happy over the prospective voyage. They were escorted + by the emperor and the empress in her grief. At the port they find the + sailors in the ships drawn up beside the cliff. The sea was calm and + smooth, the wind was light, and the weather clear. When he had taken leave + of his father, and bidden farewell to the empress, whose heart was heavy + in her bosom, Alexander first stepped from the small boat into the skip; + then all his companions hastened by fours, threes, and twos to embark + without delay. Soon the sail was spread and the anchor raised. Those on + shore whose heart is heavy because of the men whom they watch depart, + follow them with their gaze as long as they can: and in order to watch + them longer, they all climb a high hill behind the beach. From there they + sadly gaze, as long as their eyes can follow them. With sorrow, indeed, + they watch them go, being solicitous for the youths, that God may bring + them to their haven without accident and without peril. All of April and + part of May they spent at sea. Without any great danger or mishap they + came to port at Southampton. <a href="#linknote-29" name="linknoteref-29"><small>29</small></a> One day, between three o'clock + and vespers, they cast anchor and went ashore. The young men, who had + never been accustomed to endure discomfort or pain, had suffered so long + from their life at sea that they had all lost their colour, and even the + strongest and most vigorous were weak and faint. In spite of that, they + rejoice to have escaped from the sea and to have arrived where they wished + to be. Because of their depleted state, they spend the night at + Southampton in happy frame, and make inquiries whether the King is in + England. They are told that he is at Winchester, and that they can reach + there in a very short time if they will start early in the morning and + keep to the straight road. At this news they are greatly pleased, and the + next morning at daybreak the youths wake early, and prepare and equip + themselves. And when they were ready, they left Southampton, and kept to + the direct road until they reached Winchester, where the King was. Before + six o'clock in the morning the Greeks had arrived at the court. The + squires with the horses remain below in the yard, while the youths go up + into the presence of the King, who was the best that ever was or ever will + be in the world. And when the King sees them coming, they please him + greatly, and meet with his favour. But before approaching the King's + presence, they remove the cloaks from about their necks, lest they should + be considered ill-bred. Thus, all unmantled, they came before the King, + while all the nobles present held their peace, greatly pleased at the + sight of these handsome and well-behaved young men. They suppose that of + course they are all sons of counts or kings; and, to be sure, so they + were, and of a very charming age, with graceful and shapely forms. And the + clothes they wore were all of the same stuff and cut of the same + appearance and colour. There were twelve of them beside their lord, of + whom I need tell you no more than that there was none better than he. With + modesty and orderly mien, he was handsome and shapely as he stood + uncovered before the King. Then he kneeled before him, and all the others, + for honour's sake, did the same beside their lord. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 339-384.) Alexander, with his tongue well skilled in speaking fair + and wisely, salutes the King. "King," he says, "unless the report is false + that spreads abroad your fame, since God created the first man there was + never born a God-fearing man of such puissance as yours. King, your + widespread renown has drawn me to serve and honour you in your court, and + if you will accept my service, I would fain remain here until I be dubbed + a knight by your hand and by no one else. For unless I receive this honour + from your hand, I shall renounce all intention of being knighted. If you + will accept my service until you are willing to dub me a knight, retain me + now, oh gentle King, and my companions gathered here." To which at once + the King replies: "Friend, I refuse neither you nor your companions. Be + welcome all. For surely you seem, and I doubt it not, to be sons of + high-born men. Whence do you come?" "From Greece." "From Greece?" "Yes." + "Who is thy father?" "Upon my word, sire, the emperor." "And what is thy + name, fair friend?" "Alexander is the name that was given me when I + received the salt and holy oil, and Christianity and baptism." "Alexander, + my dear, fair friend. I will keep you with me very gladly, with great + pleasure and delight. For you have done me signal honour in thus coming to + my court. I wish you to be honoured here, as free vassals who are wise and + gentle. You have been too long upon your knees; now, at my command, and + henceforth make your home with man and in my court; it is well that you + have come to us." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 385-440.) Then the Greeks rise up, joyful that the King has so kindly + invited them to stay. Alexander did well to come; for he lacks nothing + that he desires, and there is no noble at the court who does not address + him kindly and welcome him. He is not so foolish as to be puffed up, nor + does he vaunt himself nor boast. He makes acquaintance with my lord Gawain + and with the others, one by one. He gains the good graces of them all, but + my lord Gawain grows so fond of him that he chooses him as his friend and + companion. <a href="#linknote-210" name="linknoteref-210"><small>210</small></a> The Greeks took the best + lodgings to be had, with a citizen of the town. Alexander had brought + great possessions with him from Constantinople, intending to give heed + above all to the advice and counsel of the Emperor, that his heart should + be ever ready to give and dispense his riches well. To this end he devotes + his efforts, living well in his lodgings, and giving and spending + liberally, as is fitting in one so rich, and as his heart dictates. The + entire court wonders where he got all the wealth that he bestows; for on + all sides he presents the valuable horses which he had brought from his + own land. So much did Alexander do, in the performance of his service, + that the King, the Queen, and the nobles bear him great affection. King + Arthur about this time desired to cross over into Brittany. So he summons + all his barons together to take counsel and inquire to whom he may entrust + England to be kept in peace and safety until his return. By common + consent, it seems, the trust was assigned to Count Angres of Windsor, for + it was their judgement that there was no more trustworthy lord in all the + King's realm. When this man had received the land, King Arthur set out the + next day accompanied by the Queen and her damsels. The Bretons make great + rejoicing upon hearing the news in Brittany that the King and his barons + are on the way. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 441-540.) Into the ship in which the King sailed there entered no + youth or maiden save only Alexander and Soredamors, whom the Queen brought + with her. This maiden was scornful of love, for she had never heard of any + man whom she would deign to love, whatever might be his beauty, prowess, + lordship, or birth. And yet the damsel was so charming and fair that she + might fitly have learned of love, if it had pleased her to lend a willing + ear; but she would never give a thought to love. Now Love will make her + grieve, and will avenge himself for all the pride and scorn with which she + has always treated him. Carefully Love has aimed his dart with which he + pierced her to the heart. Now she grows pale and trembles, and in spite of + herself must succumb to Love. Only with great difficulty can she restrain + herself from casting a glance toward Alexander; but she must be on her + guard against her brother, my lord Gawain. Dearly she pays and atones for + her great pride and disdain. Love has heated for her a bath which heats + and burns her painfully. At first it is grateful to her, and then it + hurts; one moment she likes it, and the next she will have none of it. She + accuses her eyes of treason, and says: <a href="#linknote-211" + name="linknoteref-211"><small>211</small></a> "My + eyes, you have betrayed me now! My heart, usually so faithful, now bears + me ill-will because of you. Now what I see distresses me. Distresses? Nay, + verily, rather do I like it well. And if I actually see something that + distresses me, can I not control my eyes? My strength must indeed have + failed, and little should I esteem myself, if I cannot control my eyes and + make them turn their glance elsewhere. Thus, I shall be able to baffle + Love in his efforts to get control of me. The heart feels no pain when the + eye does not see; so, if I do not look at him, no harm will come to me. He + addresses me no request or prayer, as he would do were he in love with me. + And since he neither loves nor esteems me, shall I love him without + return? If his beauty allures my eyes, and my eyes listen to the call, + shall I say that I love him just for that? Nay, for that would be a lie. + Therefore, he has no ground for complaint, nor can I make any claim + against him. One cannot love with the eyes alone. What crime, then, have + my eyes committed, if their glance but follows my desire? What is their + fault and what their sin? Ought I to blame them, then? Nay, verily. Who, + then, should be blamed? Surely myself, who have them in control. My eye + glances at nothing unless it gives my heart delight. My heart ought not to + have any desire which would give me pain. Yet its desire causes me pain. + Pain? Upon my faith, I must be mad, if to please my heart I wish for + something which troubles me. If I can, I ought to banish any wish that + distresses me. If I can? Mad one, what have I said? I must, indeed, have + little power if I have no control over myself. Does Love think to set me + in the same path which is wont to lead others astray? Others he may lead + astray, but not me who care not for him. Never shall I be his, nor ever + was, and I shall never seek his friendship." Thus she argues with herself, + one moment loving, and hating the next. She is in such doubt that she does + not know which course she had better adopt. She thinks to be on the + defence against Love, but defence is not what she wants. God! She does not + know that Alexander is thinking of her too! Love bestows upon them equally + such a share as is their due. He treats them very fairly and justly, for + each one loves and desires the other. And this love would be true and + right if only each one knew what was the other's wish. But he does not + know what her desire is, and she knows not the cause of his distress. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 541-574.) The Queen takes note of them and sees them often blanch and + pale and heave deep sighs and tremble. But she knows no reason why they + should do so, unless it be because of the sea where they are. I think she + would have divined the cause had the sea not thrown her off her guard, but + the sea deceives and tricks her, so that she does not discover love + because of the sea; and it is from love that comes the bitter pain that + distresses them. <a href="#linknote-212" name="linknoteref-212"><small>212</small></a> But of the three concerned, + the Queen puts all the blame upon the sea; for the other two accuse the + third to her, and hold it alone responsible for their guilt. Some one who + is not at fault is often blamed for another's wrong. Thus, the Queen lays + all the blame and guilt upon the sea, but it is unfair to put the blame + upon the sea, for it is guilty of no misdeed. Soredamors' deep distress + continued until the vessel came to port. As for the King, it is well known + that the Bretons were greatly pleased, and served him gladly as their + liege lord. But of King Arthur I will not longer speak in this place; + rather shall you hear me tell how Love distresses these two lovers whom he + has attacked. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 575-872.) Alexander loves and desires her; and she, too, pines for + the love of him, but he knows it not, nor will he know it until he has + suffered many a pain and many a grief. It is for her sake that he renders + to the Queen loving service, as well as to her maids-in-waiting; but to + her on whom his thoughts are fixed, he dares not speak or address a word. + If she but dared to assert to him the right which she thinks she has, she + would gladly inform him of the truth; but she does not dare, and cannot do + it. They dare neither speak nor act in accordance with what each sees in + the other—which works a great hardship to them both, and their love + but grows and flames the more. However, it is the custom of all lovers to + feast their eyes gladly with gazing, if they can do no more; and they + assume that, because they find pleasure in that which causes their love to + be born and grow, therefore it must be to their advantage; whereas it only + harms them more, just as he who approaches and draws close beside the fire + burns himself more than he who holds aloof. Their love waxes and grows + anon; but each is abashed before the other, and so much is hidden and + concealed that no flame or smoke arises from the coals beneath the ashes. + The heat is no less on this account, but rather is better sustained + beneath the ashes than above. Both of them are in great torment; for, in + order that none may perceive their trouble, they are forced to deceive + people by a feigned bearing; but at night comes the bitter moan, which + each one makes within his breast. Of Alexander I will tell you first how + he complains and vents his grief. Love presents before his mind her for + whom he is in such distress; it is she who has filched his heart away, and + grants him no rest upon his bed, because, forsooth, he delights to recall + the beauty and the grace of her who, he has no hope, will ever bring him + any joy. "I may as well hold myself a madman." he exclaims. "A madman? + Truly, I am beside myself, when I dare not speak what I have in mind; for + it would speedily fare worse with me (if I held my peace). I have engaged + my thoughts in a mad emprise. But is it not better to keep my thoughts to + myself than to be called a fool? My wish will never then be known. Shall I + then conceal the cause of my distress, and not dare to seek aid and + healing for my wound? He is mad who feels himself afflicted, and seeks not + what will bring him health, if perchance he may find it anywhere; but many + a one seeks his welfare by striving for his heart's desire, who pursues + only that which brings him woe instead. And why should one ask for advice, + who does not expect to gain his health? He would only exert himself in + vain. I feel my own illness to be so grievous that I shall never be healed + by any medicine or draught, by any herb or root. For some ills there is no + remedy, and mine lies so deep within that it is beyond the reach of + medicine. Is there no help, then? Methinks I have lied. When first I felt + this malady, if I had dared to make mention of it. I might have spoken + with a physician who could have completely cured me. But I like not to + discuss such matters; I think he would pay me no heed and would not + consent to accept a fee. No wonder, then, if I am terrified; for I am very + ill, yet I do not know what disease this is which has me in its grip, and + I know not whence this pain has come. I do not know? I know full well that + it is Love who does me this injury. How is that? Can Love do harm? Is he + not gentle and well-bred? I used to think that there was naught but good + in Love; but I have found him full of enmity. He who has not had + experience of him does not know what tricks Love plays. He is a fool who + joins his ranks; for he always seeks to harm his followers. Upon my faith, + his tricks are bad. It is poor sport to play with him, for his game will + only do me harm. What shall I do, then? Shall I retreat? I think it would + be wise to do so, but I know not how to do it. If Love chastens and + threatens me in order to teach and instruct me, ought I to disdain my + teacher? He is a fool who scorns his master. I ought to keep and cherish + the lesson which Love teaches me, for great good may soon come of it. But + I am frightened because he beats me so. And dost thou complain, when no + sign of blow or wound appears? Art thou not mistaken? Nay, for he has + wounded me so deep that he has shot his dart to my very heart, and has not + yet drawn it out again. <a href="#linknote-213" name="linknoteref-213"><small>213</small></a> How has he pierced thy body + with it, when no wound appears without? Tell me that, for I wish to know. + How did he make it enter in? Through the eye. Through the eye? But he has + not put it out? He did not harm the eye at all, but all the pain is in the + heart. Then tell me, if the dart passed through the eye, how is it that + the eye itself is not injured or put out. If the dart entered through the + eye, why does the heart in the breast complain, when the eye, which + received the first effect, makes no complaint of it at all? I can readily + account for that: the eye is not concerned with the understanding, nor has + it any part in it; but it is the mirror of the heart, and through this + mirror passes, without doing harm or injury, the flame which sets the + heart on fire. For is not the heart placed in the breast just like a + lighted candle which is set in a lantern? If you take the candle away no + light will shine from the lantern; but so long as the candle lasts the + lantern is not dark at all, and the flame which shines within does it no + harm or injury. Likewise with a pane of glass, which might be very strong + and solid, and yet a ray of the sun could pass through it without cracking + it at all; yet a piece of glass will never be so bright as to enable one + to see, unless a stronger light strikes its surface. Know that the same + thing is true of the eyes as of the glass and the lantern; for the light + strikes the eyes in which the heart is accustomed to see itself reflected, + and lo! it sees some light outside, and many other things, some green, + some purple, others red or blue; and some it dislikes, and some it likes, + scorning some and prizing others. But many an object seems fair to it when + it looks at it in the glass, which will deceive it if it is not on its + guard. My mirror has greatly deceived me; for in it my heart saw a ray of + light with which I am afflicted, and which has penetrated deep within me, + causing me to lose my wits. I am ill-treated by my friend, who deserts me + for my enemy. I may well accuse him of felony for the wrong he has done to + me. I thought I had three friends, my heart and my two eyes together; but + it seems that they hate me. Where shall I ever find a friend, when these + three are my enemies, belonging to me, yet putting me to death? My + servants mock at my authority, in doing what they please without + consulting my desire. After my experience with these who have done me + wrong, I know full well that a good man's love may be befouled by wicked + servants in his employ. He who is attended by a wicked servant will surely + have cause to rue it, sooner or later. Now I will tell you how the arrow, + which has come into my keeping and possession, is made and fashioned; but + I fear greatly that I shall fail in the attempt; for the fashion of it is + so fine that it will be no wonder if I fail. Yet I shall devote all my + effort to telling you how it seems to me. The notch and the feathers are + so close together, when carefully examined, that the line of separation is + as fine as a hair's breadth; but the notch is so smooth and straight that + in it surely no improvement could be made. The feathers are coloured as if + they were of gold or gilt; but gilt is here beside the mark, for I know + these feathers were more brilliant than any gilt. This dart is barbed with + the golden tresses that I saw the other day at sea. That is the dart which + awakes my love. God! What a treasure to possess! Would he who could gain + such a prize crave other riches his whole life long? For my part I could + swear that I should desire nothing else; I would not give up even the barb + and the notch for all the gold of Antioch. And if I prize so highly these + two things, who could estimate the value of what remains? That is so fair + and full of charm, so dear and precious, that I yearn and long to gaze + again upon her brow, which God's hand has made so clear that it were vain + to compare with it any mirror, emerald, or topaz. But all this is of + little worth to him who sees her flashing eyes; to all who gaze on them + they seem like twin candles burning. And whose tongue is so expert as to + describe the fashion of her well-shaped nose and radiant face, in which + the rose suffuses the lily so as to efface it somewhat, and thus enhance + the glory of her visage? And who shall speak of her laughing mouth, which + God shaped with such great skill that none might see it and not suppose + that she was laughing? And what about her teeth? They are so close to one + another that it seems they are all of one solid piece, and in order that + the effect might still be enhanced Nature added her handiwork; for any + one, to see her part her lips, would suppose that the teeth were of ivory + or of silver. There is so much to be said were I to portray each detailed + charm of chin and ears, that it would not be strange were I to pass over + some little thing. Of her throat I shall only say that crystal beside it + looks opaque. And her neck beneath her hair is four times as white as + ivory. Between the border of her gown and the buckle at the parted throat, + I saw her bosom left exposed and whiter than new-fallen snow. My pain + would be indeed assuaged, if I had seen the dart entire. Gladly would I + tell, if I but knew, what was the nature of the shaft. But I did nor see + it, and it is not my fault if I do not attempt to describe something I + have never seen. At that time Love showed me only the notch and the barb; + for the shaft was hidden in the quiver, to wit, in the robe and shift in + which the damsel was arrayed. Upon my faith, malady which tortures me is + the arrow—it is the dart at which I am a wretch to be enraged. I am + ungrateful to be incensed. Never shall a straw be broken because of any + distrust or quarrel that may arise between Love and me. Now let Love do + what he will with me as with one who belongs to him; for I wish it, and so + it pleases me. I hope that this malady may never leave me, but that it may + thus always maintain its hold, and that health may never come to me except + from the source of my illness." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 873-1046.) Alexander's complaint is long enough; but that of the + maiden is nothing less. All night she lies in such distress that she + cannot sleep or get repose. Love has confined within her heart a struggle + and conflict which disturbs her breast, and which causes her such pain and + anguish that she weeps and moans all night, and tosses about with sudden + starts, so that she is almost beside herself. And when she has tossed and + sobbed and groaned and started up and sighed again then she looked within + her heart to see who and what manner of man it was for whom Love was + tormenting her. And when she has refreshed herself somewhat with thinking + to her heart's content, she stretches and tosses about again, and + ridicules all the thoughts she has had. Then she takes another course, and + says: "Silly one, what matters it to me if this youth is of good birth and + wise and courteous and valorous? All this is simply to his honour and + credit. And as for his beauty, what care I? Let his beauty be gone with + him! But if so, it will be against my will, for it is not my wish to + deprive him of anything. Deprive? No, indeed! That I surely will not do. + If he had the wisdom of Solomon, and if Nature had bestowed on him all the + beauty she can place in human form, and if God had put in my power to undo + it all, yet would I not injure him; but I would gladly, if I could, make + him still more wise and fair. In faith, then, I do not hate him! And am I + for that reason his friend? Nay, I am not his any more than any other + man's. Then what do I think of him so much, if he pleases me no more than + other men? I do not know; I am all confused; for I never thought so much + about any man in the world, and if I had my will, I should see him all the + time, and never take my eyes from him. I feel such joy at the sight of + him! Is this love? Yes, I believe it is. I should not appeal to him so + often, if I did not love him above all others. So I love him, then, let it + be agreed. Then shall I not do what I please? Yes, provided he does not + refuse. This intention of mine is wrong; but Love has so filled my heart + that I am mad and beside myself, nor will any defence avail me now, if I + must endure the assault of Love. I have demeaned myself prudently toward + Love so long, and would never accede to his will; but now I am more than + kindly disposed toward him. And what thanks will he owe to me, if he + cannot have my loving service and good-will? By force he has humbled my + pride, and now I must follow his pleasure. Now I am ready to love, and I + have a master, and Love will teach me—but what? How I am to serve + his will. But of that I am very well informed, and am so expert in serving + him that no one could find fault with me. I need learn no more of that. + Love would have it, and so would I, that I should be sensible and modest + and kind and approachable to all for the sake of one I love. Shall I love + all men, then, for the sake of one? I should be pleasant to every one, but + Love does not bid me be the true friend of every one. Love's lessons are + only good. It is not without significance that I am called by the name of + Soredamors. <a href="#linknote-214" name="linknoteref-214"><small>214</small></a> I am destined to love and be + loved in turn, and I intend to prove it by my name, if I can find the + explanation there. There is some significance in the fact that the first + part of my name is of golden colour; for what is golden is the best. For + this reason I highly esteem my name, because it begins with that colour + with which the purest gold harmonises. And the end of the name calls Love + to my mind; for whoever calls me by my right name always refreshes me with + love. And one half gilds the other with a bright coat of yellow gold; for + Soredamors has the meaning of 'one gilded over with Love.' Love has highly + honoured me in gilding me over with himself. A gilding of real gold is not + so fine as that which makes me radiant. And I shall henceforth do my best + to be his gilding, and shall never again complain of it. Now I love and + ever more shall love. Whom? Truly, that is a fine question! Him whom Love + bids me love, for no other shall ever have my love. What will he care in + his ignorance, unless I tell him of it myself? What shall I do, if I do + not make to him my prayer? Whoever desires anything ought to ask for it + and make request. What? Shall I beseech him, then? Nay. Why? Did ever such + a thing come about that a woman should be so forward as to make love to + any man; unless she were clean beside herself. I should be mad beyond + question if I uttered anything for which I might be reproached. If he + should know the truth through word of mine I think he would hold me in + slight esteem, and would often reproach me with having solicited his love. + May love never be so base that I should be the first to prefer a request + which would lower me in his eyes! Alas, God! How will he ever know the + truth, since I shall not tell him of it? As yet I have very little cause + to complain. I will wait until his attention is aroused, if ever it is to + be aroused. He will surely guess the truth, I think, if ever he has had + commerce with Love, or has heard of it by word of mouth. Heard of it? That + is a foolish thing to say. Love is not of such easy access that any one + may claim acquaintance by hear-say only and without personal experience. I + have come to know that well enough myself; for I could never learn + anything of love through flattery and wooing words, though I have often + been in the school of experience, and have been flattered many a time. But + I have always stood aloof, and now he makes me pay a heavy penalty: now I + know more about it than does the ox of ploughing. But one thing causes me + despair: I fear he has never been in love. And if he is not in love, and + never has been so, then I have sowed in the sea where no seed can take + root. So there is nothing to do but wait and suffer, until I see whether I + can lead him on by hints and covered words. I shall continue this until he + is sure of my love and dares to ask me for it. So there is nothing more + about the matter, but that I love him and am his. If he loves me not, yet + will I love him." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1047-1066.) Thus he and she utter their complaint, unhappy at night + and worse by day, each hiding the truth from the other's eyes. In such + distress they remained a long time in Brittany, I believe, until the end + of the summer came. At the beginning of October there came messengers by + Dover from London and Canterbury, bearing to the King news which troubled + him. The messengers told him that he might be tarrying too long in + Brittany; for, he to whom he had entrusted the kingdom was intending to + withstand him, and had already summoned a great army of his vassals and + friends, and had established himself in London for the purpose of + defending the city against Arthur when he should return. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1067-1092.) When the King heard this news, angry and sore displeased + he summons all his knights. In order the better to spur them on to punish + the traitor, he tells them that they are entirely to blame for his trouble + and strife; for on their advice he entrusted his land to the hands of the + traitor, who is worse than Ganelon. <a href="#linknote-215" + name="linknoteref-215"><small>215</small></a> There + is not a single one who does not agree that the King is right, for he had + only followed their advice; but now this man is to be outlawed, and you + may be sure that no town or city will avail to save his body from being + dragged out by force. Thus they all assure the King, giving him their word + upon oath, that they will deliver the traitor to him, or never again claim + their fiefs. And the King proclaims throughout Brittany that no one who + can bear arms shall refuse to follow him at once. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1093-1146.) All Brittany is now astir. Never was such an army seen as + King Arthur brought together. When the ships came to set sail, it seemed + that the whole world was putting out to sea; for even the water was hid + from view, being covered with the multitude of ships. It is certainly true + that, to judge by the commotion, all Brittany is under way. Now the ships + have crossed the Channel, and the assembled host is quartered on the + shore. Alexander bethought himself to go and pray the King to make him a + knight, for if ever he should win renown it will be in this war. Prompted + by his desire, he takes his companions with him to accomplish what he has + in mind. On reaching the King's quarters, they found him seated before his + tent. When he saw the Greeks approaching, he summoned them to him, saying: + "Gentlemen, do not conceal what business has brought you here." Alexander + replied on behalf of all, and told him his desire: "I have come," he says, + "to request of you, as I ought to do of my liege lord, on behalf of my + companions and myself, that you should make us knights." The King replies: + "Very gladly; nor shall there be any delay about it, since you have + preferred your request." Then the King commands that equipment shall be + furnished for twelve knights. Straightway the King's command is done. As + each one asks for his equipment, it is handed to him—rich arms and a + good horse: thus each one received his outfit. The arms and robes and + horse were of equal value for each of the twelve; but the harness for + Alexander s body, if it should be valued or sold, was alone worth as much + as that of all the other twelve. At the water's edge they stripped, and + then washed and bathed themselves. Not wishing that any other bath should + be heated for them, they washed in the sea and used it as their tub. <a + href="#linknote-216" name="linknoteref-216"><small>216</small></a> + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1147-1196.) All this is known to the Queen, who bears Alexander no + ill will, but rather loves, esteems, and values him. She wishes to make + Alexander a gift, but it is far more precious than she thinks. She seeks + and delves in all her boxes until she finds a white silk shirt, well made + of delicate texture, and very soft. Every thread in the stitching of it + was of gold, or of silver at least. Soredamors had taken a hand in the + stitching of it here and there, and at intervals, in the sleeves and neck, + she had inserted beside the gold a strand of her own hair, to see if any + man could be found who, by close examination, could detect the difference. + For the hair was quite as bright and golden as the thread of gold itself. + The Queen takes the shirt and presents it to Alexander. Ah, God! What joy + would Alexander have felt had he known what the Queen was giving him! And + how glad would she, too, have been, who had inserted her own hair, if she + had known that her lover was to own and wear it! She could then have taken + great comfort; for she would not have cared so much for all the hair she + still possessed as for the little that Alexander had. But, more is the + pity, neither of them knew the truth. The Queen's messenger finds the + youths on the shore where they are bathing, and gives the shirt to + Alexander. He is greatly pleased with it, esteeming the present all the + more because it was given him by the Queen. But if he had known the rest, + he would have valued it still more; in exchange for it he would not have + taken the whole world, but rather would have made a shrine of it and + worshipped it, doubtless, day and night. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1197-1260.) Alexander delays no longer, but dresses himself at once. + When he was dressed and ready, he returned to the King's tent with all his + companions. The Queen, it seems, had come there, too, wishing to see the + new knights present themselves. They might all be called handsome, but + Alexander with his shapely body was the fairest of them all. Well, now + that they are knights I will say no more of them for the present, but will + tell of the King and of his host which came to London. Most of the people + remained faithful to him, though many allied themselves with the + opposition. Count Angres assembled his forces, consisting of all those + whose influence could be gained by promises or gifts. When he had gathered + all his strength, he slipped away quietly at night, fearing to be betrayed + by the many who hated him. But before he made off, he sacked London as + completely as possible of provisions, gold and silver, which he divided + among his followers. This news was told to the King, how the traitor had + escaped with all his forces, and that he had carried off from the city so + many supplies that the distressed citizens were impoverished and + destitute. Then the King replied that he would not take a ransom for the + traitor, but rather hang him, if he could catch him or lay hands on him. + Thereupon, all the army proceeded to Windsor. However it may be now, in + those days the castle was not easy to take when any one chose to defend + it. The traitor made it secure, as soon as he planned his treacherous + deed, with a triple line of walls and moats, and had so braced the walls + inside with sharpened stakes that catapults could not throw them down. + They had taken great pains with the fortifications, spending all of June, + July, and August in building walls and barricades, making moats and + drawbridges, ditches, obstructions, and barriers, and iron portcullises + and a great square tower of stone. The gate was never closed from fear or + against assault. The castle stood upon a high hill, and around beneath it + flows the Thames. The host encamped on the river bank, and that day they + have time only to pitch camp and set up the tents. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1261-1348.) The army is in camp beside the Thames, and all the meadow + is filled with green and red tents. The sun, striking on the colours, + causes the river to flash for more than a league around. Those in the town + had come down to disport themselves upon the river bank with only their + lances in their hands and their shields grasped before their breasts, and + carrying no other arms at all. In coming thus, they showed those without + the walls that they stood in no fear of them. Alexander stood aloof and + watched the knights disporting themselves at feats of arms. He yearns to + attack them, and summons his companions one by one by name. First Cornix, + whom he dearly loved, then the doughty Licorides, then Nabunal of Mvcene, + and Acorionde of Athens, and Ferolin of Salonica, and Calcedor from + Africa, Parmenides and Francagel, mighty Torin and Pinabel, Nerius and + Neriolis. "My lords," he says, "I feel the call to go with shield and + lance to make the acquaintance of those who disport themselves yonder + before our eyes. I see they scorn us and hold us in slight esteem, when + they come thus without their arms to exercise before our very eyes. We + have just been knighted, and have not yet given an account of ourselves + against any knight or manikin. <a href="#linknote-217" + name="linknoteref-217"><small>217</small></a> We have + kept our first lances too long intact. And for what were our shields + intended? As yet, they have not a hole or crack to show. There is no use + in having them except in a combat or a fight. Let's cross the ford and + rush at them!" "We shall not fail you," all reply; and each one adds: "So + help me God, who fails you now is no friend of yours." Then they fasten on + their swords, tighten their saddles and girths, and mount their steeds + with shields in hand. When they had hung the shields about their necks, + and taken their lances with the gaily coloured ensigns, they all proceed + to the ford at once. Those on the farther side lower their lances, and + quickly ride to strike at them. But they (on the hither bank) knew how to + pay them back, not sparing nor avoiding them, nor yielding to them a foot + of ground. Rather, each man struck his opponent so fiercely that there is + no knight so brave but is compelled to leave the saddle. They did not + underestimate the experience, skill, and bravery of their antagonists, but + made their first blows count, and unhorsed thirteen of them. The report + spread to the camp of the fight and of the blows that were being struck. + There would soon have been a merry strife if the others had dared to stand + their ground. All through the camp they run to arms, and raising a shout + they cross the ford. And those on the farther bank take to flight, seeing + no advantage in staying where they are. And the Greeks pursue them with + blows of lance and sword. Though they struck off many a head they + themselves did not receive a wound, and gave a good account of themselves + that day. But Alexander distinguished himself, who by his own efforts led + off four captive knights in bonds. The sands are strewn with headless + dead, while many others lie wounded and injured. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1349-1418.) Alexander courteously presents the victims of his first + conquest to the Queen, not wishing them to fall into the hands of the + King, who would have had them all hanged. The Queen, however, had them + seized and safely kept under guard, as being charged with treason. + Throughout the camp they talk of the Greeks, and all maintain that + Alexander acted very courteously and wisely in not surrendering the + knights whom he had captured to the King, who would surely have had them + burned or hanged. But the King is not so well satisfied, and sending + promptly to the Queen he bids her come into his presence and not detain + those who have proved treacherous towards him, for either she must give + them up or offend him by keeping them. While the Queen was in conference + with the King, as was necessary, about the traitors, the Greeks remained + in the Queen's tent with her maids-in-waiting. While his twelve companions + conversed with them, Alexander uttered not a word. Soredamors took note of + this, seated as she was close by his side. Her head resting upon her hand, + it was plain that she was lost in thought. <a href="#linknote-218" + name="linknoteref-218"><small>218</small></a> Thus + they sat a long time, until Soredamors saw on his sleeve and about his + neck the hair which she had stitched into the shirt. Then she drew a + little closer thinking now to find an excuse for speaking a word to him. + She considers how she can address him first, and what the first word is to + be—whether she should address him by his name; and thus she takes + counsel with herself: "What shall I say first?" she says; "shall I address + him by his name, or shall I call him 'friend'? Friend? Not I. How then? + Shall I call him by his name? God! The name of 'friend' is fair and sweet + to take upon the lips. If I should dare to call him 'friend'! Should I + dare? What forbids me to do so? The fact that that implies a lie. A lie? I + know not what the result will be, but I shall be sorry if I do not speak + the truth. Therefore, it is best to admit that I should not like to speak + a lie. God! yet he would not speak a lie were he to call me his sweet + friend! And should I lie in thus addressing him? We ought both to tell the + truth. But if I lie the fault is his. But why does his name seem so hard + to me that I should wish to replace it by a surname? I think it is because + it is so long that I should stop in the middle. But if I simply called him + 'friend', I could soon utter so short a name. Fearing lest I should break + down in uttering his proper name, I would fain shed my blood if his name + were simply 'my sweet friend.'" + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1419-1448.) She turns this thought over in her mind until the Queen + returns from the King who had summoned her. Alexander, seeing her come, + goes to meet her, and inquires what is the King's command concerning the + prisoners, and what is to be their fate. "Friend," says she, "he requires + of me to surrender them at his discretion, and to let his justice be + carried out. Indeed, he is much incensed that I have not already handed + them over. So I must needs send them to him, since I see no help for it." + Thus they passed that day; and the next day there was a great assembly of + all the good and loyal knights before the royal tent to sit in judgment + and decide by what punishment and torture the four traitors should die. + Some hold that they should be flayed alive, and others that they should be + hanged or burned. And the King, for his part, maintains that traitors + ought to be torn asunder. Then he commands them to be brought in. When + they are brought, he orders them to be bound, and says that they shall not + be torn asunder until they are taken beneath the town, so that those + within may see the sight. <a href="#linknote-219" name="linknoteref-219"><small>219</small></a> + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1449-1472.) When this sentence was pronounced, the King addresses + Alexander, calling him his dear friend. "My friend," he says, "yesterday I + saw you attack and defend yourself with great bravery. I wish now to + reward your action! I will add to your company five hundred Welsh knights + and one thousand troopers from that land. In addition to what I have given + you, when the war is over I will crown you king of the best kingdom in + Wales. Towns and castles, cities and halls will I give you until the time + you receive the land which your father holds, and of which you are to be + emperor." Alexander's companions join him in thanking the King kindly for + this boon, and all the nobles of the court say that the honour which the + King has bestowed upon Alexander is well deserved. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1473-1490.) As soon as Alexander sees his force, consisting of the + companions and the men-at-arms whom it had pleased the King to give him, + straightway they begin to sound the horns and trumpets throughout the + camp. Men of Wales and Britain, of Scotland and Cornwall, both good and + bad without exception—all take arms, for the forces of the host were + recruited from all quarters. The Thames was low because of the drought + resulting from a summer without rain, so that all the fish were dead, and + the ships were stranded upon the shore, and it was possible to ford the + stream even in the widest part. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1491-1514.) After fording the Thames, the army divided, some taking + possession of the valley, and others occupying the high ground. Those in + the town take notice of them, and when they see approaching the wonderful + array, bent upon reducing and taking the town, they prepare on their side + to defend it. But before any assault is made, the King has the traitors + drawn by four horses through the valleys and over the hills and unploughed + fields. At this Count Angres is much distressed, when he sees those whom + he held dear dragged around outside the town. And his people, too, are + much dismayed, but in spite of the anxiety which they feel, they have no + mind to yield the place. They must needs defend themselves, for the King + makes it plain to all that he is angry, and ill-disposed, and they see + that if he should lay hands upon them he would make them die a shameful + death. + </p> + <p> + (Vv.1515-1552.) When the four had been torn asunder and their limbs lay + strewn upon the field, then the assault begins. But all their labour is in + vain, for no matter how much they cast and shoot, their efforts are of no + effect. Yet they strive to do their utmost, hurling their javelins amain, + and shooting darts and bolts. On all sides is heard the din of cross-bows + and slings as the arrows and the round stones fly thick, like rain mixed + with hail. Thus all day long the struggle of attack and defence continues, + until the night separates them. And the King causes to be proclaimed what + gift he will bestow upon him who shall effect the surrender of the town: a + cup of great price weighing fifteen marks of gold, the richest in his + treasure, shall be his reward. The cup will be very fine and rich, and, to + tell the truth, the cup is to be esteemed for the workmanship rather than + for the material of which it is made. But good as the workmanship may be, + and fine though the gold, if the truth be told, the precious stones set in + the outside of the cup were of most value. He through whose efforts the + town shall be taken is to have the cup, if he be only a foot soldier; and + if the town is taken by a knight, with the cup in his possession he shall + never seek his fortune in vain, if there is any to be found in the world. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1553-1712.) When this news was announced, Alexander had not forgotten + his custom of going to see the Queen each evening. That night, too, he had + gone thither and was seated beside the Queen. Soredamors was sitting alone + close by them, looking at him with such satisfaction that she would not + have exchanged her lot for Paradise. The Queen took Alexander by the hand, + and examined the golden thread which was showing the effects of wear; but + the strand of hair was becoming more lustrous, while the golden thread was + tarnishing. And she laughed as she happened to recall that the embroidery + was the work of Soredamors. Alexander noticed this, and begged her to tell + him, if suitable, why she laughed. The Queen was slow to make reply, and + looking toward Soredamors, bade her come to her. Gladly she went and knelt + before her. Alexander was overjoyed when he saw her draw so near that he + could have touched her. But he is not so bold as even to look at her; but + rather does he so lose his senses that he is well-nigh speechless. And + she, for her part, is so overcome that she has not the use of her eyes; + but she casts her glance upon the ground without fastening it upon + anything. The Queen marvels greatly at seeing her now pale, now crimson, + and she notes well in her heart the bearing and expression of each of + them. She notices and thinks she sees that these changes of colour are the + fruit of love. But not wishing to embarrass them, she pretends to + understand nothing of what she sees. In this she did well, for she gave no + evidence of what was in her mind beyond saying: "Look here, damsel, and + tell us truly where the shirt was sewed that this knight has on, and if + you had any hand in it or worked anything of yours into it." Though the + maiden feels some shame, yet she tells the story gladly; for she wishes + the truth to be known by him, who, when he hears her tell of how the shirt + was made, can hardly restrain himself for joy from worshipping and adoring + the golden hair. His companions and the Queen, who were with him, annoy + him and embarrass him; for their presence prevents him from raising the + hair to his eyes and mouth, as he would fain have done, had he not thought + that it would be remarked. He is glad to have so much of his lady, but he + does not hope or expect ever to receive more from her: his very desire + makes him dubious. Yet, when he has left the Queen and is by himself, he + kisses it more than a hundred thousand times, feeling how fortunate he is. + All night long he makes much of it, but is careful that no one shall see + him. As he lies upon his bed, he finds a vain delight and solace in what + can give him no satisfaction. All night he presses the shirt in his arms, + and when he looks at the golden hair, he feels like the lord of the whole + wide world. Thus Love makes a fool of this sensible man, who finds his + delight in a single hair and is in ecstasy over its possession. But this + charm will come to an end for him before the sun's bright dawn. For the + traitors are met in council to discuss what they can do; and what their + prospects are. To be sure they will be able to make a long defence of the + town if they determine so to do; but they know the King's purpose to be so + firm that he will not give up his efforts to take the town so long as he + lives, and when that time comes they needs must die. And if they should + surrender the town, they need expect no mercy for doing so. Thus either + outcome looks dark indeed, for they see no help, but only death in either + case. But this decision at last is reached, that the next morning, before + dawn appears, they shall issue secretly from the town and find the camp + disarmed, and the knights still sleeping in their beds. Before they wake + and get their armour on there will have been such slaughter done that + posterity will always speak of the battle of that night. Having no further + confidence in life, the traitors as a last resort all subscribe to this + design. Despair emboldened them to fight, whatever the result might be; + for they see nothing sure in store for them save death or imprisonment. + Such an outcome is not attractive; nor do they see any use in flight, for + they see no place where they could find refuge should they betake + themselves to flight, being completely surrounded by the water and their + enemies. So they spend no more time in talk, but arm and equip themselves + and make a sally by an old postern gate <a href="#linknote-220" + name="linknoteref-220"><small>220</small></a> toward + the north-west, that being the side where they thought the camp would + least expect attack. In serried ranks they sallied forth, and divided + their force into five companies, each consisting of two thousand well + armed foot, in addition to a thousand knights. That night neither star nor + moon had shed a ray across the sky. But before they reached the tents, the + moon began to show itself, and I think it was to work them woe that it + rose sooner than was its wont. Thus God, who opposed their enterprise, + illumined the darkness of the night, having no love for these evil men, + but rather hating them for their sin. For God hates traitors and treachery + more than any other sin. So the moon began to shine in order to hamper + their enterprise. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1713-1858.) They are much hampered by the moon, as it shines upon + their shields, and they are handicapped by their helmets, too, as they + glitter in the moonlight. They are detected by the pickets keeping watch + over the host, who now shout throughout the camp: "Up, knights, up! Rise + quickly, take your arms and arm yourselves! The traitors are upon us." + Through all the camp they run to arms, and hastily strive to equip + themselves in the urgent need; but not a single one of them left his place + until they were all comfortably armed and mounted upon their steeds. While + they are arming themselves, the attacking forces are eager for battle and + press forward, hoping to catch them off their guard and find them + disarmed. They bring up from different directions the five companies into + which they had divided their troops: some hug the woods, others follow the + river, the third company deploys upon the plain, while the fourth enters a + valley, and the fifth proceeds beside a rocky cliff. For they planned to + fall upon the tents suddenly with great fury. But they did not find the + path clear. For the King's men resist them, defying them courageously and + reproaching them for their treason. Their iron lance-tips are splintered + and shattered as they meet; they come together with swords drawn, striking + each other and casting each other down upon the face. They rush upon each + other with the fury of lions, which devour whatever they capture. In this + first rush there was heavy slaughter on both sides. When they can no + longer maintain themselves, help comes to the traitors, who are defending + themselves bravely and selling their lives dearly. They see their troops + from four sides arrive to succour them. And the King's men ride hard with + spur to attack them. They deal such blows upon their shields that, beside + the wounded, they unhorse more than five hundred of them. Alexander, with + his Greeks, has no thought of sparing them, making every effort to prevail + into the thickest of the fight he goes to strike a knave whose shield and + hauberk are of no avail to keep him from falling to the earth. When he has + finished with him, he offers his service to another freely and without + stint, and serves him, too, so savagely that he drives the soul from his + body quite, and leaves the apartment without a tenant. After these two, he + addresses himself to another, piercing a noble and courteous knight clean + through and through, so that the blood spurts out on the other side, and + his expiring soul takes leave of the body. Many he killed and many + stunned, for like a flying thunderbolt he blasts all those whom he seeks + out. Neither coat of mail nor shield can protect him whom he strikes with + lance or sword. His companions, too, are generous in the spilling of blood + and brains, for they, too, know well how to deal their blows. And the + royal troops butcher so many of them that they break them up and scatter + them like low-born folk who have lost their heads. So many dead lay about + the fields, and so long did the battle rage, that long before the day + dawned the ranks were so cut in pieces that the rows of dead stretched for + five leagues along the stream. Count Angres leaves his banner on the field + and steals away, accompanied by only seven of his men. Towards his town he + made his way by a secret path, thinking that no one could see him. But + Alexander notices this, and sees them escaping from the troops, and he + thinks that if he can slip away without the knowledge of any one, he will + go to catch up with them. But before he got down into the valley, he saw + thirty knights following him down the path, of whom six were Greeks, and + twenty-four were men of Wales. These intended to follow him at a distance + until he should stand in need of them. When Alexander saw them coming, he + stopped to wait for them, without failing to observe what course was taken + by those who were making their way back to the town. Finally, he saw them + enter it. Then he began to plan a very daring deed and a very marvellous + design. And when he had made up his mind, he turned toward his companions + and thus addressed them: "My lords," says he, "whether it be folly or + wisdom, frankly grant me my desire if you care for my good-will." And they + promised him never to oppose his will in aught. Then he says: "Let us + change our outer gear, by taking the shields and lances from the traitors + whom we have killed. Thus, when we approach the town, the traitors within + will suppose that we are of their party, and regardless of the fate in + store for them, they will throw open the gates for us. And do you know + what reward we shall offer them? If God so will we shall take them all + dead or alive. Now, if any of you repents of his promise, be sure that, so + long as I live, I shall never hold him dear." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1859-1954.) All the others grant his boon, and, despoiling the + corpses of their shields, they arm themselves with them instead. The men + within the town had mounted to the battlements, and, recognising the + shields, suppose that they belong to their party, never dreaming of the + ruse hidden beneath the shields. The gatekeeper opens the gate for them + and admits them to the town. He is beguiled and deceived in not addressing + them a word; for no one of them speaks to him, but silently and mute they + pass, making such a show of grief that they trail their lances after them + and support themselves upon their shields. Thus it seems that they are in + great distress, as they pass on at their own sweet will until they are + within the triple walls. Inside they find a number of men-at-arms and + knights with the Count. I cannot tell you just how many; but they were + unarmed, except eight of them who had just returned from the fight, and + even they were preparing to remove their arms. But their haste was ill + considered; for now the other party make no further pretence, but without + any challenge by way of warning, they brace themselves in the stirrups, + and let their horses charge straight at them, attacking them with such + rigour that they lay low more than thirty-one of them. The traitors in + great dismay shout out: "We are betrayed, betrayed!" But the assailants + take no heed of this, and let those whom they find unarmed feel the temper + of their swords. Indeed, three of those whom they found still armed were + so roughly handled that but five remained alive. Count Angres rushed at + Calcedor, and in the sight of all struck him upon his golden shield with + such violence that he stretched him dead upon the ground. Alexander is + greatly troubled, and is almost beside himself with rage when he sees his + companion dead; his blood boils with anger, but his strength and courage + are doubled as he strikes the Count with such fury that he breaks his + lance. If possible, he would avenge his friend. But the Count was a + powerful man and a good and hardy knight, whose match it would have been + hard to find, had he not been a base traitor. He now returns the blow, + making his lance double up so that it splits and breaks; but the other's + shield holds firm, and neither gives way before the other any more than a + rock would do, for both men were passing strong. But the fact that the + Count was in the wrong disturbs him greatly and troubles him. <a + href="#linknote-221" name="linknoteref-221"><small>221</small></a> + The anger of each rises higher as they both draw their swords after their + lances had been broken. No escape would have been possible if these two + swordsmen had persisted in continuing the fight. But at last one or the + other must die. The Count dares not longer hold his ground, when he sees + lying dead about him his men who had been caught unarmed. Meanwhile the + others press them hard, cutting, slashing, and carving them, spilling + their brains, and reproaching the Count for his treachery. When he hears + himself accused of treason, he flees for safety to his tower, followed by + his men. And their enemies follow after them, fiercely charging them from + the rear, and not letting a single one escape of all upon whom they lay + their hands. They kill and slay so many of them that I guess not more than + seven made good their escape. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1955-2056.) When they had got inside the tower, they made a stand at + the gate; for those who were coming close behind had followed so closely + after them that they too would have pressed in had the gateway been left + exposed. The traitors make a brave defence, waiting for succour from their + friends, who were arming themselves down in the town. But upon the advice + of Nabunal, who was a Greek of great wisdom, the approach was blocked so + that relief could not arrive in time; for those below had tarried too + long, either from cowardice or sloth. Now there was only one entrance to + the stronghold; so that, if they stop that entrance-way, they need have no + fear that any force shall approach to do them harm. Nabunal bids and + exhorts twenty of them to hold the gate; for soon such a company might + arrive with force as would do them harm by their assault and attack. While + these twenty hold the gate, the remaining ten should attack the tower and + prevent the Count from barricading himself inside. Nabunal's advice is + taken: ten remain to continue the assault at the entrance of the tower, + while twenty go to defend the gate. In doing so, they delay almost too + long; for they see approaching, furious and keen for the fight, a company + containing many cross-bow men and foot soldiers of different grades who + carried arms of divers sorts. Some carried light missiles, and others + Danish axes, lances and Turkish swords, bolts for cross-bows, arrows and + javelins. The Greeks would have had to pay a heavy score, if this crowd + had actually fallen upon them; but they did not reach the place in time. + Nabunal by his foresight and counsel had blocked their plans, and they + were forced to remain outside. When they see that they are shut out, they + pause in their advance, as it is evident they can gain nothing by making + an assault. Then there begins such weeping and wailing of women and young + children, of old men and youths, that those in the town could not have + heard a thunder-clap from heaven. At this the Greeks are overjoyed; for + now they know of a certainty that the Count by no good luck can escape + capture. Four of them mount the walls to keep watch lest those outside by + any means or ruse should enter the stronghold and fall upon them. The + remaining sixteen returned to where the ten were fighting. The day was + already breaking, and the ten had fought so well that they had forced + their way within the tower. The Count took his stand against a post, and, + armed with a battleaxe, defended himself with great bravery. Those whom he + reaches, he splits in half. And his men line up about him, and are not + slow to avenge themselves in this last stand of the day, Alexander's men + have reason to complain, for of the original sixteen there remain now but + thirteen. Alexander is almost beside himself when he sees the havoc + wrought among his dead or exhausted followers. Yet his thoughts are fixed + on vengeance: finding at hand a long heavy club, he struck one of the + rascals with it so fiercely that neither shield nor hauberk was worth a + button in preventing him from failing to the ground. After finishing with + him, he pursues the Count, and raising his club to strike him he deals him + such a blow with his square club that the axe falls from his hands; and he + was so stunned and bewildered that he could not have stood up unless he + had leaned against the wall. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2057-2146.) After this blow the battle ceases. Alexander leaps at the + Count and holds him so that he cannot move. Of the others nothing need be + said, for they were easily mastered when they saw the capture of their + lord. All are made prisoners with the Count and led away in disgrace, in + accordance with their deserts. Of all this the men outside knew nothing. + But when morning came they found their companions shields lying among the + slain when the battle was over. Then the Greeks, misled, made a great + lament for their lord. Recognising his shield, all are in an agony of + grief, swooning at sight of his shield and saying that now they have lived + too long. Cornix and Nerius first swoon, then, recovering their senses, + wish they were dead. So do Torin and Acorionde. The tears run down in + floods from their eyes upon their breasts. Life and joy seem hateful now. + And Parmenides more than the rest tore his hair in dire distress. No + greater grief could be shown than that of these five for their lord. Yet, + their dismay is groundless, for it is another's body which they bear away + when they think to have their lord. Their distress is further increased by + the sight of the other shields, which cause them to mistake these corpses + for their companions. So over them they lament and swoon. But they are + deceived by all these shields, for of their men only one was killed, whose + name was Neriolis. Him, indeed, they would have borne away had they known + the truth. But they are in as great anxiety for the others as for him; so + they bore them all away. In every case but one they were misled. But like + the man who dreams and takes a fiction for the truth, so the shields cause + them to suppose this illusion to be a reality. It is the shields, then, + that cause this mistake. <a href="#linknote-222" name="linknoteref-222"><small>222</small></a> Carrying the corpses, they + move away and come to their tents, where there was a sorrowing troop. Upon + hearing the lament raised by the Greeks, soon all the others gathered, + until there was but one great outcry. Now Saredamors thinks of her + wretched estate when she hears the cry and lament over her lover. Their + anguish and distress cause her to lose her senses and her colour, and her + grief and sorrow are increased because she dares not openly show a trace + of her distress. She shut up her grief within her heart. Had any one + looked at her, he could have seen by the expression of her face what agony + she was in; but every one was so engrossed with his own sorrow that he had + no care for another's grief. Each one lamented his own loss. For they find + the river bank covered with their relatives and friends, who had been + wounded or roughly treated. Each one wept for his own heavy and bitter + loss: here is a son weeping for a father, there a father for a son; one + swoons at the sight of his cousin, another over his nephew. Thus fathers, + brothers, and relatives bemoan their loss on every side. But above all is + noticeable the sorrow of the Greeks; and yet they might have anticipated + great joy, for the deepest grief of all the camp will soon be changed into + rejoicing. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2147-2200.) The Greeks outside continue their lament, while those + inside strive to let them know the news which will cause them to rejoice. + They disarm and bind their prisoners, who pray and beg of them to strike + off their heads straightway. But the Greeks are unwilling, and disdain + their entreaties, saying that them will keep then under guard and hand + them over to the King, who will grant them such recompense as shall + require their services. When they had disarmed them all they made them go + up on the wall that they might be seen by the troops below. This privilege + is not to their liking, and when they saw their lord bound as a prisoner, + they were unhappy men. Alexander upon the walls swears to God and all the + saints that he will not let one of them live, but will kill them all + speedily, unless they will go to surrender to the King before he can seize + them. "Go," says he, "confidently to the King at my command, and cast + yourselves upon his mercy. None of you, except the Count, has deserved to + die. You shall not lose either life or limb if you surrender to the King. + If you do not deliver yourselves from death by crying for mercy, you need + have little hope of saving your lives or bodies. Go forth disarmed to meet + the King, and tell him from me that Alexander sends you to him. Your + action will not be in vain; for my lord the King is so gentle and + courteous that he will lay aside his wrath and anger. But if you wish to + act otherwise, you must expect to die, for his heart will be closed to + pity." All agree in accepting this advice, and do not hesitate until they + come to the King's tent, where they all fall at his feet. The story they + told was soon known throughout the camp. The King and all his men mounted + and spurred their horses to the town without delay. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2201-2248.) Alexander goes out from the town to meet the King, who + was greatly pleased, and to surrender to him the Count. The King did not + delay in fitly punishing him. But Alexander is congratulated and praised + by the King and all the others who esteem him highly. Their joy drives + away the grief which they had felt not long before. But no joy of the + others can compare with the exultation of the Greeks. The King presents + him with the precious cup, weighing fifteen marks, and tells him + confidently that there is nothing in his possession so valuable that he + would not place it in his hands upon request—save only the crown and + the Queen. Alexander dares not mention his heart's desire, though he knows + well that he would not be refused in asking for his sweetheart's hand. But + he fears so much lest he might displease her, whose heart would have been + made glad, that he prefers to suffer without her rather than to win her + against her will. Therefore, he asks for a little time, not wishing to + prefer his request until he is sure of her pleasure. But he asked for no + respite or delay in accepting the cup of gold. He takes the cup, and + courteously begs my lord Gawain to accept this cup as a gift from him, + which Gawain did most reluctantly. When Soredamors learned the truth about + Alexander she was greatly pleased and delighted. When she heard that he + was alive, she was so happy that it seemed to her as though she could + never be sad again. But she reflects that he is slower in coming than is + his wont. Yet in good time she will have her wish, for both of them in + rivalry are occupied with one common thought. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2249-2278.) It seemed to Alexander an age before he could feast his + eyes with even one soft glance from her. Long ago he would fain have gone + to the Queen's tent, if he had not been detained elsewhere. He was much + put out by this delay, and as soon as he could, he betook himself to the + Queen in her tent. The Queen went to greet him, and, without his having + confided in her, she had already read his thoughts, and knew what was + passing in his mind. She greets him at the entrance of the tent, and + strives to make him welcome, well knowing for what purpose he has come. + Desirous of according him a favour, she beckons Soredamors to join them, + and they three engage in conversation at some distance from the rest. The + Queen first speaks, in whose mind there was no doubt that this couple were + in love. Of this fact she is quite sure, and is persuaded moreover that + Soredamors could not have a better lover. She took her place between the + two and began to say what was appropriate. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2279-2310.) "Alexander," says the Queen, "any love is worse than + hate, when it torments and distresses its devotee. Lovers know not what + they do when they conceal their passion from one another. Love is a + serious business, and whoever does not boldly lay its foundation firm can + hardly succeed in completing the edifice. They say there is nothing so + hard to cross as the threshold. Now I wish to instruct you in the lore of + love; for I know well that Love is tormenting you. Therefore, I have + undertaken to instruct you; and do you take good care not to keep anything + back from me, for I have plainly seen in the faces of you both that of two + hearts you have made but one. So beware, and conceal nothing from me! You + are acting very foolishly in not speaking out your mind; for concealment + will be the death of you; thus you will be the murderers of Love. Now I + counsel you to exercise no tyranny, and to seek no passing gratification + in your love; but to be honourably joined together in marriage. So, I + believe, your love shall long endure. I can assure you that, if you agree + to this, I will arrange the marriage." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2311-2360.) When the Queen had spoken her mind, Alexander thus made + reply: "Lady," he says, "I enter no defence against the charge you make, + but rather admit the truth of all you say. I wish never to be deserted by + love, but always to fix my thoughts on it. I am pleased and delighted by + what you have so kindly said. Since you know what my wishes are, I see no + reason why I should conceal them from you. Long ago, if I had dared I + would have confessed them openly; for the silence has been hard. But it + may well be that for some reason this maiden may not wish that I be hers + and she mine. But even if she grant me no rights over her, yet will I + place myself in her hands." At these words she trembled, having no desire + to refuse the gift. Her heart's desire betrays itself in her words and her + countenance. Falteringly she gives herself to him, and says that without + exception her will, her heart, and her body all is at the disposal of the + Queen, to do with her as she may please. The Queen clasps them both in her + arms, and presents one to the other. Then laughingly she adds: "I give + over to thee, Alexander, thy sweetheart's body, and I know that thy heart + does not draw back. Whoever may like it or like it not, I give each of you + to the other. Do thou, Soredamors, take what is thine, and thou, + Alexander, take what is thine!" Now she has her own entire, and he has his + without lack. At Windsor that day, with the approval and permission of my + lord Gawain and the King, the marriage was celebrated. No one could tell, + I am sure, so much of the magnificence and the food, of the pleasure and + entertainment, at this wedding without falling short of the truth. + Inasmuch as it would be distasteful to some, I do not care to waste + further words upon the matter, but am anxious to turn to another subject. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2361-2382.) That day at Windsor Alexander had all the honour and + happiness that he could desire. Three different joys and honours were his: + one was the town which he captured; another was the present of the best + kingdom in Wales, which King Arthur had promised to give him when the war + was over; that very day he made him king in his hall. But the greatest joy + of all was the third—that his sweetheart was queen of the + chess-board where he was king. Before five months had passed, Soredamors + found herself with child, and carried it until the time was fulfilled. The + seed remained in germ until the fruit was fully matured. No more beautiful + child was ever born before or since than he whom they now called Cligés. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2383-2456.) So Cligés was born, in whose honour this story has been + put in the Romance tongue. You shall hear me tell of him and of his + valorous deeds, when he shall have grown to manhood and obtained a good + report. But meanwhile in Greece it came about that he who ruled over + Constantinople drew near his end. He died, as indeed he must, not being + able to outlive his time. But before he died he assembled all the nobles + of his land to send and seek for his son Alexander, who was happily + detained in Britain. The messengers start out from Greece, and begin their + voyage over the seas; but a tempest catches them in its grasp, and damages + their ship and company. They were all drowned at sea, except one + unfaithful wretch, who was more devoted to Alis the younger son than to + Alexander the eider. When he escaped from the sea, he returned to Greece + with the story that they had all been lost at sea as they were conducting + their lord back from Britain, and that he was the only survivor of the + tragedy. They believed this lie of his, and, taking Alis without objection + or dissent, they crowned him emperor of Greece. But it was not long before + Alexander learned that Alis was emperor. Then he took leave of King + Arthur, unwilling to let his brother usurp his land without protest. The + King makes no opposition to his plan, but bids him take with him so great + a company of Welshmen, Scots, and Cornishmen that his brother will not + dare to withstand him when he sees him come with such a host. Alexander, + had he pleased, might have led a mighty force; but he has no desire to + harm his own people, if his brother will consent to do his will. He took + with him forty knights besides Soredamors and his son; these two persons, + who were so dear to him, he did not wish to leave behind. Escorted as far + as Shoreham by the entire court, they there embarked, and with fair winds + their ship made way more quickly than a fleeing stag. Within a month, I + think, they arrived in port before Athens, a rich and powerful city. + Indeed, the emperor was residing there, and had convoked, a great assembly + of his noblemen. As soon as they arrived Alexander sent a privy messenger + into the city to learn whether they would receive him, or whether they + would resist his claim to be their only lawful lord. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2457-2494.) He who was chosen for this mission was a courteous knight + with good judgment, named Acorionde, a rich man and eloquent; he was a + native of the country, too, having been born in Athens. His ancestors for + generations had always exercised lordship in the city. When he had learned + that the emperor was in the city he went and challenged the crown on + behalf of his brother Alexander, accusing him openly of having usurped it + unlawfully. Arriving at the palace, he finds plenty of people who welcome + him; but he says nothing to any of those who greet him until he learns + what is their attitude and disposition toward their lawful lord. Coming + into the presence of the emperor he neither greets him nor bows before him + nor calls him emperor. "Alis," he says, "I bring thee tidings of + Alexander, who is out yonder in the harbour. Listen to thy brother's + message: he asks thee for what belongs to him, nor does he demand what is + unjust. Constantinople, which thou dost hold, should be his and shall be + his. It would be neither just nor right that discord should arise between + you two. So give him the crown without contest, for it is right that thou + shouldst surrender it." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2495-2524.) Alis replies: "Fair gentle friend, thou hast undertaken a + mad enterprise in bearing this message. There is little comfort in thy + speech, for well I know that my brother is dead. I should rejoice, indeed, + to learn that he was still alive. But I shall not believe the news until I + have seen him with my eyes. He died some time ago, alas! What thou sayest + is not credible. And if he lives, why does he not come? He need never fear + that I will not bestow on him some lands. He is a fool to hold aloof from + me, for in serving me he will find profit. But no one shall possess the + crown and empire beside me." He liked not the speech of the emperor, and + did not fail to speak his mind in the reply he made. "Alis," he says, "may + God confound me if the matter is thus allowed to stand. I defy thee in thy + brother's name, and dutifully speaking in his name, I summon all those + whom I see here to renounce thee and to join his cause. It is right that + they should side with him and recognise him as their lord. Let him who is + loyal now stand forth." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2525-2554.) Upon saying this he leaves the court, and the emperor + summons those in whom he has most confidence. He requests their advice + concerning this defiance upon his brother's part, and wishes to learn if + he can trust them to lend no support or help to his brother's claim. Thus + he tries to test the loyalty of each; but he finds not one who sides with + him in the dispute, rather do they all bid him remember the war which + Eteocles undertook against his own brother Polynices, and how each one + died by the other's hand. <a href="#linknote-223" name="linknoteref-223"><small>223</small></a> "So, too, it may happen to + you, if you undertake a war, and all the land will be distressed." + Therefore, they advise that such a peace be sought as shall be both + reasonable and just, and that neither one make excessive demands. Thus + Alis understands that if he does not make an equitable agreement with his + brother all his vassals will desert him; so he says that he will respect + their wishes in making any suitable contract, provided that however the + affair may rum out the crown shall remain in his possession. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2555-2618.) In order to secure a firm and stable peace Alis sends one + of his officers to Alexander, bidding him come to him in person and + receive the government of the land, but stipulating that he should leave + to him the honour of emperor in name and of wearing the crown: thus, if + Alexander is willing, peace may be established between them. When this + news was brought to Alexander his men made ready with him and came to + Athens, where they were received with joy. But Alexander is not willing + that his brother should have the sovereignty of the empire and of the + crown unless he will pledge his word never to take a wife, and that after + him Cligés shall be emperor of Constantinople. Upon this the brothers both + agreed. Alexander dictated the terms of the oath, and his brother agreed + and gave his word that he would never in his life take a wife in marriage. + So peace is made, and they are friends again, to the great satisfaction of + the lords. They hold Alis as their emperor, but all business is referred + to Alexander. What he commands is done, and little is done except through + him. Alis has nothing but the name of emperor; but Alexander is served and + loved; and he who does not serve him for love must needs do so from fear. + Through the effect of one or the other of these two motives he has all the + land within his power. But he whom they call Death spares neither the + strong man nor the weak, but kills and slays them all. So Alexander had to + die; for a disease caught him in its grip from which he could obtain no + relief. But before he was surprised by death he summoned his son and said + to him: "Fair son Cligés, thou canst never know that prowess and valour + are thine unless thou go first to make test of them with the Bretons and + French at King Arthur's court. If adventure takes thee thither, so conduct + and demean thyself that thy identity be not known until thou hast tried + thy strength with the most excellent knights of that court. I beg thee to + heed my counsel in this matter, and if the occasion arises have no fear to + measure thy skill with thy uncle, my lord Gawain. Do not forget this + advice, I pray." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2619-2665.) After he had thus exhorted him, he did not live long. + Soredamors' grief was such that she could not survive him, but died after + him of a broken heart. Alis and Cligés both mourned him becomingly, but + finally they ceased their grief, for sorrow, like everything else, must be + outlived. To continue in sorrow is wrong, for no good can come from it. So + the mourning was ended, and the emperor refrained for a long time from + taking a wife, being careful of his word. But there is no court in all the + world which is free from evil counsel. Great men often go astray, and do + not observe loyalty because of the bad advice they take. Thus, the emperor + hears his men giving him advice and counselling him to take a wife; and + daily they so exhort and urge him that by their very insistence they + persuade him to break his oath, and to accede to their desire. But he + insists that she who is to be mistress of Constantinople must be gentle, + fair, wise, rich, and noble. Then his counsellors say that they wish to + prepare to go away to the German land, and seek the daughter of the + emperor. She is the choice they propose to him; for the emperor of Germany + is very rich and powerful, and his daughter is so charming that never was + there a maid of her beauty in Christendom. The emperor grants them full + authority, and they set out upon the journey well provided with all they + need. They proceeded on their way until they found the emperor at + Regensburg, when they asked him to give them his oldest daughter at the + instance of their lord. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2669-2680.) The emperor was pleased with this request, and gladly + gave them his daughter; for in doing so, he does not debase himself, nor + diminish his honour in any way. But he says that he had promised her to + the Duke of Saxony, and that they would not be able to lead her away + unless the emperor should come with a great army, so that the duke would + be unable to do him any harm or injury while homeward bound. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2681-2706.) When the messengers heard the emperor's reply, they took + leave and departed. They returned to their lord, and bore him the answer. + And the emperor selected a chosen company of the most experienced knights + whom he could find, and took with him his nephew, in whose interests he + had vowed never to marry a wife, but he will not respect this vow if he + can once reach Cologne. <a href="#linknote-224" name="linknoteref-224"><small>224</small></a> Upon a certain day he leaves + Greece and draws near to Germany, intending to take a wife despite all + blame and reproach; but his honour will be smirched. Upon reaching + Cologne, he found that the emperor had assembled all his court for a + festival. When the company of the Greeks reached Cologne, there was such a + great number of Greeks and Germans that it was necessary to lodge more + than sixty thousand of them outside the city. + </p> + <p> + (Vv.2707-2724.) Great was the crowd of people, and great the joy of the + two emperors when they met. When the barons had gathered in the vast + palace, the emperor summoned his charming daughter. The maiden made no + delay in coming straightway into the palace. She had been made very fair + and shapely by the Creator, whose pleasure it had been to arouse the + people's admiration. God, who had fashioned her, never gave man a word + which could adequately express such beauty as she possessed. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2725-2760.) Fenice was the maiden's name, and for this there was good + reason: <a href="#linknote-225" name="linknoteref-225"><small>225</small></a> + for if the Phoenix bird is unique as the most beautiful of all the birds, + so Fenice, it seems to me, had no equal in beauty. She was such a miracle + and marvel that Nature was never able to make her like again. In order to + be more brief, I will not describe in words her arms, her body, her head + and hands; for if I should live a thousand years, and if my skill were to + double every day, yet should I waste all my time in trying to tell the + truth about her. I know very well, if I should undertake it, that I would + exhaust my brain and waste my pains: it would be but misspent energy. <a + href="#linknote-226" name="linknoteref-226"><small>226</small></a> + The damsel hastened until she came into the palace, with head uncovered + and face unveiled; and the radiance of her beauty lighted the palace more + brightly than four carbuncles would have done. Cligés stood, his + over-cloak removed, in his uncle's presence. The day outside was somewhat + dark, but he and the maiden were both so fair that a ray shone forth from + their beauty which illumined the palace, just as the morning sun shines + clear and red. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2761-2792.) I wish to attempt in a very few words to describe the + beauty of Cligés. He was in his flower, being now almost fifteen years of + age. He was more comely and charming than Narcissus who saw his reflection + in the spring beneath the elm-tree, and, when he saw it, he loved it so + that he died, they say, because he could not get it. Narcissus was fair, + but had little sense; <a href="#linknote-227" name="linknoteref-227"><small>227</small></a> but as fine gold surpasses + copper, so was Cligés better endowed with wisdom, and even then I have not + said all. His locks seemed made of fine gold, and his face was of a fresh + rosy colour. He had a well-formed nose and shapely mouth, and in stature + he was built upon Nature's best pattern; for in him she had united gifts + which she is wont to scatter wide. Nature was so lavish with him that she + gave him all she could, and placed all in one receptacle. Such was Cligés, + who combined good sense and beauty, generosity and strength. He possessed + the wood as well as the bark; he knew more of fencing and of the bow than + did Tristan, King Mark's nephew, and more about birds and hounds than he. + <a href="#linknote-228" name="linknoteref-228"><small>228</small></a> + In Cligés there lacked no good thing. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2793-2870.) Cligés stood in all his beauty before his uncle, and + those who did not know who he was looked at him with eager curiosity. And + on the other hand, the interest was aroused of those who did not know the + maiden: wonderingly they gaze upon her. But Cligés, under the sway of + love, let his eyes rest on her covertly, and withdrew them again so + discreetly that in their passage to and fro no one could blame his lack of + skill. Blithely he looks upon the maid, but does not note that she repays + him in kind. Not flattering him, but in sincere love, she gives him her + eyes, and takes back his. This exchange seems good to her, and would have + seemed to her better still had she known something of who he was. But she + knows nothing except that he is fair, and that, if she is ever to love any + one for beauty's sake, she need not seek elsewhere to bestow her heart. + She handed over to him the possession of her eyes and heart, and he + pledged his in turn to her. Pledged? Rather gave outright. Gave? Nay, upon + my faith, I lie; for no one can give away his heart. I must express it + some other way. I will not say it, as some have done who make two hearts + dwell in one body, for it bears not even the semblance of truth that there + should be in one body two hearts; and even if they could be so united, it + would never seem true. But if it please you to heed my words, I shall be + able explain how two hearts form but one without coming to be identified. + Only so far are they merged in one as the desire of each passes from one + to the other, thus joining in one common desire; and because of this + harmony of desire, there are some who are wont to say that each one has + both hearts; but one heart cannot be in two places. Each one always keeps + his own heart, though the desire be shared by both, just as many different + men may sing a song or tune in unison. By this comparison I prove that for + one body to contain two hearts it is not enough to know each other's wish, + nor yet for one to know what the other loves and what he hates; just as + voices which are heard together seem to be merged in one, and yet do not + all come from one mouth, so it is with a body which can contain but one + heart. But there is no need of further argument, for other matters press + upon me. I must speak now of the damsel and of Cligés, and you shall hear + of the Duke of Saxony, who has sent to Cologne a young nephew of his. This + youth informs the emperor that his uncle, the duke, sends word that he + need expect no peace or trace with him, unless he sends to him his + daughter, and that the one who is intending to carry her away with him had + better not start home, for he will find the road occupied and well + defended unless the maiden be surrendered. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2871-3010.) The youth spoke his message well, without pride and + without insult. But he found neither knight nor emperor who would answer + him. When he saw that they all held their peace and treated him with + scorn, he left the court in defiant mood. But youth and thirst for daring + deeds made Cligés defy him in combat as he left. For the contest they + mount their steeds, three hundred of them on either side, exactly equal + thus in strength. All the palace is quite emptied of knights and ladies, + who mount to the balconies, battlements, and windows to see and watch + those who were about to fight. Even the maiden, whose will Love had + subdued beneath his sway, sought for a point from which to see. She took + her place at a window, where she sat with great delight, because from + there she could get a view of him whom she holds secretly in her heart + with no desire to remove him thence; for she will never love any other + man. But she does not know his name, nor who he is, nor of what race; for + it is not proper to ask questions; but she yearns to hear tidings which + will bring joy to her heart. She looks out of the window at the shields + with their gleaming gold, and she gazes at those who wear the shields + about their necks, as they prepare for the trial at arms. But all her + thoughts and glances soon rest upon one object, and to all others she is + indifferent. Whereever Cligés goes, she seeks to follow him with her eyes. + And he in turn does his best for her, and battles openly, in order that + she at least may hear it said that he is bold and very skilled: thus she + will be compelled to prize him for his prowess. He attacks the duke's + nephew, who was breaking many a lance and sorely discomfiting the Greeks. + But Cligés, who is displeased at this, braces himself firmly in his + stirrups, and goes to strike him so speedily that in spite of himself he + had to vacate the saddle-bows. When he got up, the uproar was great; for + the youth arose and mounted, thinking to avenge his shame. But many a man + only falls into deeper disgrace who thinks to avenge his shame when he has + the chance. The young man rushes at Cligés, who lowers his lance to meet + him, and thrusts at him with such force that he carries him to earth + again. Now his shame is doubled, and all his followers are in dismay, + seeing that they can never leave the field with honour; for not one of + them is so valiant that he can keep his seat in the saddle when Cligés + thrust reaches him. But those of Germany and the Greeks are overjoyed when + they see their party drive off the Saxons, who retreat discomfited. With + mockery they pursue them until they come up with them at a stream, into + which they drive them for a plunge. In the deepest part of the ford Cligés + unhorsed the duke's nephew and so many of his men that they escaped + grieving and sad in their shame and confusion. But Cligés, twice victor, + returned in glee, and entered a gate which was near the apartment where + the maiden was; and as he passed through the gate she exacted as toll a + tender glance, which he paid her as their eyes met. Thus was the maiden + subdued by the man. But there is not a German of the lowland or highland, + possessing the power of speech who does not cry: "God! who is this in whom + such beauty is radiant? God! how has it happened that so suddenly he has + attained such great success?" Thus one man and another asks: "Who is this + youth, who is he, I say?" Thus, soon throughout the city it is known what + his name is, and who is his father, and what pledge that was which had + been made to him by the emperor. So much was said and noised about that + the news reached the ears of her who in her heart rejoiced because she + could no more say that Love had made sport of her, nor had she any ground + for complaint. For Love has made her give her heart to the fairest, most + courteous, and valiant man that could anywhere be found. But some force + must be employed, if she would gain possession of him who is not free do + her will. This makes her anxious and distraught. For she has no one with + whom to take counsel concerning him for whom she pines, but must waste + herself in thought and vigils. She becomes so affected by these cares that + she loses her colour and grows wan, and it becomes plain to all that her + loss of colour betokens an unfulfilled desire. She plays less now than she + used to do, and laughs less and loses her gaiety. But she conceals her + trouble and passes it off, if any one asks what her ailment is. Her old + nurse's name was Thessala, <a href="#linknote-229" name="linknoteref-229"><small>229</small></a> who was skilled in necromancy, + having been born in Thessaly, where devilish charms are taught and + wrought; for the women of that country perform many a charm and mystic + rite. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3011-3062.) Thessala saw pale and wan her whom Love holds in his + bonds, and thus she addressed her with advice: "God!" she said, "are you + bewitched, my lady dear, that your face should be so pale? I wonder what + your trouble is. Tell me, if you can, where this pain attacks you most, + for if any one can cure you, you may safely trust me to give you back your + health again. I can cure the dropsy, gout, quinsy, and asthma; I am so + expert in examining the urine and the pulse that you need consult no other + physician. And I dare say that I know more than ever Medea <a + href="#linknote-230" name="linknoteref-230"><small>230</small></a> + knew of enchantments and of charms which tests have proven to be true. I + have never spoken to you of this, though I have cared for you all your + life; and now I should not mention it did I not plainly see that you are + so afflicted as to need my ministrations. My lady, you will do well to + tell me what your sickness is before its hold becomes more severe. The + emperor has committed you to me in order that I may care for you, and my + devotion has been such that I have kept you safe and sound. Now all my + pains will come to naught if I do not relieve this malady. Take care not + to conceal from me whether this is sickness or something else." The damsel + dares not openly expose her desire in all its fullness for she is in fear + lest she be disapproved and blamed. And when she hears and understands how + Thessala boasts and highly rates herself as being expert in enchantments, + charms, and potions, she decides to tell her what is the cause of her pale + and colourless face; but first she makes her promise to keep her secret + and never to oppose her will. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3063-3216.) "Nurse," she said, "I truly thought I felt no pain, but I + shall soon feel differently. For as soon as I begin to think about it, I + feel great pain, and am dismayed. But when one has no experience, how can + one tell what is sickness and what is health? My illness is different from + all others; for when I wish to speak of it, it causes me both joy and + pain, so happy I am in my distress. And if it can be that sickness brings + delight, then my trouble and joy are one, and in my illness consists my + health. So I do not know why I complain, for I know not whence my trouble + comes, unless it is caused by my desire. Perchance my desire is my + disease, but I find so much joy in it that the suffering it causes me is + grateful, and there is so much contentment in my pain that it is sweet to + suffer so. Nurse Thessala, now tell me true, is not this a deceitful ill, + to charm and torment me both at once? I do not see how I can tell whether + this is a disease or not. Nurse, tell me now its name, nature, and + character. But understand well that I have no desire to be cured of it, + for my distress is very dear to me." Thessala, who was very wise about + love and its symptoms knows full well from what she hears that it is love + which is tormenting her; the tender, endearing terms she uses are certain + proof that she is in love, for all other woes are hard to bear, except + that alone which comes from love; but love transforms its bitterness into + sweetness and joy, then often transforms them back again. The nurse, who + was expert in this matter, thus replies to her: "Have no fear, for I will + tell you at once the name of your malady. You told me, I believe, that the + pain which you feel seems rather to be joy and health: now of such a + nature is love-sickness, for in it, too, there is joy and bliss. You are + in love, then, as I can prove to you, for I find no pleasure in any malady + save only in love. All other sickness is always bad and horrible, but love + is sweet and peaceable. You are in love; of that I am sure, nor do I see + any wrong in that. But I shall consider it very wrong, if through some + childish folly you conceal from me your heart." "Nurse, there is no need + of your speaking so. But first I must be sure and certain that under no + circumstances will you speak of it to any living soul." "My lady, surely + the winds will speak of it before I do without your leave, and I will give + you my word so to favour your desires that you may safely trust in having + your joy fulfilled through my services." "In that case, Nurse, I shall be + cured. But the emperor is giving me in marriage, wherefore I grieve and am + sorrowful; for he who has won my heart is the nephew of him whom I must + take. And though he may find joy in me, yet is my joy forever lost, and no + respite is possible. I would rather be torn limb from limb than that men + should speak of us as they speak of the loves of Iseut and Tristan, of so + many unseemly stories are told that I should be ashamed to mention them. I + could never bring myself to lead the life that Iseut led. Such love as + hers was far too base; for her body belonged to two, whereas her heart was + possessed by one. Thus all her life was spent, refusing her favours to + neither one. But mine is fixed on one object, and under no circumstances + will there be any sharing of my body and heart. Never will my body be + portioned out between two shareholders. Who has the heart has the body, + too, and may bid all others stand aside. But I cannot clearly see how he + whom I love can have my body when my father gives me to another, and his + will I do not dare resist. And when this other is lord of my body, and + does something which displeases me, it is not right for me to summon + another to my aid. Nor can this man marry a wife without breaking his + plighted word; for, unless injustice be done, Cligés is to have the empire + after his uncle's death. But I should be well served by you, if you were + so skilful as to present him, to whom I am pledged and engaged, from + having any claim upon me. O Nurse, exert yourself to the end that he may + not break the pledge which he gave to the father of Cligés, when he + promised him solemnly never to take a wife in marriage. For now, if he + should marry me his promise would be broken. But Cligés is so dear to me + that I would rather be under ground than that he should ever lose through + me a penny of the fortune which should be his. May never a child be born + to me to cause his disinheritance! Nurse, now do your best, and I will + always be your slave." Then the nurse tells her and assures her that she + will cast so many charms, and prepare so many potions and enchantments + that she need never have any worry or fear concerning the emperor after he + shall have drunk of the potion which she will give him; even when they + shall lie together and she be at his side, she may be as secure as if + there were a wall between them. "But do not be alarmed, if, in his sleep, + he sports with you, for when he is plunged in sleep he will have his sport + with you, and he will be convinced that he has had you when wide awake, + nor will he think it is all a dream, a fiction, and illusion. Thus he will + have his sport with you when asleep, he will think he is awake." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3217-3250.) The maiden is highly pleased and delighted by the nurse's + kindness and offer of help. Her nurse inspires good hope in her by the + promise which she makes, and which she binds herself to keep; with this + hope she expects to obtain her desire, in spite of wearisome delay, for if + Cligés' nature is as noble as she takes it to be he cannot fail to take + pity upon her when he learns that she loves him, and that she has imposed + virginity upon herself in order to insure his inheritance. So the maiden + believes her nurse, and puts full confidence in her. One promises to the + other, and gives her word, that this plot shall be kept so secret as never + to be revealed. At this point their conversation ceases, and the next + morning the emperor summons his daughter. At his command she goes to him. + But why should I weary you with details? The two emperors have so settled + the matter that the marriage is solemnised, and joy reigns in the palace. + But I do not wish to stop to describe all this in detail. Rather will I + address myself to Thessala, as she diligently prepares and tempers her + potions. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3251-3328.) Thessala steeps her drink, putting in spices in abundance + to sweeten and temper it. After having well beaten and mixed it, she + strains it clear, with no sharp or bitter taste, for the spices she puts + in give it a sweet and pleasant fragrance. When the potion was prepared, + the day had drawn to a close, the tables were set for supper, and the + cloths were spread. But Thessala delays the supper, because she must + discover by what device and what agent she can have the potion served. At + supper, finally, all were seated, and more than six dishes had been + passed, and Cligés served behind his uncle's place. Thessala, as she + watches him, thinks how ill he serves his own interests, and how he is + assisting in his own disinheritance, and the thought torments and worries + her. Then in her kindness she conceives the plan of having the potion + served by him to whom it will bring both joy and honour. So Thessala + summoned Cligés; and when he had come to her, he asked her why she had + sent for him. "Friend," said she, "I wish to present the emperor at this + meal with a beverage which he will esteem highly, and I want him to taste + no other to-night, either at supper or when he goes to bed. I think he + cannot fail to relish it, for he never has tasted a better drink or one + that has cost so much. And I warn you, take good care to let no one else + drink of it, for there is but a little of it. And this, too, I beg of you, + not to let him know whence it came; but tell him it came about by chance + that you found it among the presents, and tasted it yourself, and detected + the aroma of the sweet spices in the air; then, seeing the wine to be all + clear you poured it into his cup. If by chance he should inquire, you can + satisfy him with this reply. But have no suspicion yourself, after what I + have said, for the drink is pure and healthful, full excellent spices, and + I think it may some day bring you joy." When he heard that advantage would + come to him, he took the potion and went away, for he did not know there + was any harm in it. He set it in a crystal cup before the emperor, who + took it without question, trusting in his nephew. After taking a long + draught of the beverage, he straightway feels its strength, as it descends + from head to heart, and rises again from heart to head, and penetrates + every part of him without doing the slightest harm. And by the time they + left the tables, the emperor had drunk so much of the pleasing drink that + he can never escape it influence. Every night he will sleep under its + influence, and its effects will be such that he will think he is awake + when sound asleep. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3329-3394.) Now the emperor has been deceived. Many bishops and + abbots were present to bless and hallow the marriage-bed. When the time + came to retire, the emperor, as was his right, lay beside his wife that + night. "As was his right;" but the statement is inexact, for he neither + kissed nor fondled her, yet they lay together in one bed. At first the + maiden trembled with fear and anxiety lest the potion should not act. But + it has so mastered him that he will never desire her or any other woman + except in his sleep. But when asleep he will have such sport with her as + one may have in dreams, and he will think the dream is true. Nevertheless, + she is on her guard, and at first, holds aloof from him, so that he cannot + approach her. But now he must needs fall asleep; then he sleeps and + dreams, though, the senses are awake, and he exerts himself to win the + favours of the maid, while she, realising the danger, defends her + virginity. He woos her and calls her gently his sweetheart, and thinks he + possesses her, but in vain. But he is gratified by this vain semblance, + embracing, kissing, and fondling an empty thing, seeing and speaking to no + purpose, struggling and striving without effect. Surely the potion was + effective in thus possessing and mastering him. All his pains are of no + avail, as he thinks and is persuaded that the fortress is won. Thus he + thinks and is convinced, when he desists after his vain efforts. But now I + may say once for all that his satisfaction was never more than this. To + such relations with her he will for ever be condemned if indeed he can + lead her to his own land; but before he can get her to safety, I judge + that there is trouble in store for him. For while he is on his journey + home, the duke, to whom his bride had been betrothed, will appear upon the + scene. The duke gathered a numerous force, and garrisoned the frontiers, + while at court he had his spies to inform him each day of the emperor's + doings and preparations, and how long they are going to stay, and by what + route they intend to return. The emperor did not tarry long after the + marriage, but left Cologne in high spirits. The German emperor escorted + him with a numerous company, fearing and dreading the force of the Duke of + Saxony. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3395-3424.) The two emperors pursued their journey until they were + beyond Regensburg, where one evening they were encamped in a meadow by the + Danube. The Greeks were in their tents in the fields bordering upon the + Black Forest. Opposite to them the Saxons were lodged, spying upon them. + The duke's nephew stood alone upon a hill, whence he could reconnoitre for + a chance to inflict some loss or harm on the enemy. From that point of + vantage he espied Cligés with three of his young men disporting themselves + with lances and shields, eager for a conflict and shock of arms. If he + could get the chance the duke's nephew would gladly attack them and do + them harm. Starting out with five companions he concealed them in a valley + close by a wood, so that the Greeks never saw them until they emerged from + the valley; then the duke's nephew made an attack, and striking Cligés, + wounded him slightly in the back. Cligés, bending over, avoids the lance + which passed him, inflicting only a slight hurt. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3425-3570.) When Cligés felt himself wounded, he charged the youth, + and struck him with such force that he drove his lance quite through his + heart, and stretched him dead. Then all the Saxons in fear of him betook + themselves to flight through the woods. And Cligés, ignorant of the + ambuscade, courageously but imprudently leaving his companions behind, + pursues them to the place where the duke's troops were in force preparing + to attack the Greeks. Alone he goes in hot pursuit after the youths, who, + in despair over their lord whom they had lost, come running to the duke + and tell him weeping of his nephew's death. The duke saw no joke in this + affair; and, swearing by God and all His saints that he will take no joy + or pride in life so long as the slayer of his nephew remains alive, he + adds that whoever will bring him his head will be his friend and will + serve him well. Then a knight made boast that if he can find the guilty + man, he will present him with Cligés' head. Cligés follows the young men + until he falls among the Saxons, when he is seen by him who had undertaken + to carry off his head, and who starts after him without delay. But Cligés + haste had turned back to escape from his enemies and came in to where he + had left his companions; he found none there, for they had returned to + camp to relate their adventure. And the emperor ordered to horse the + Greeks and Germans in one band. Soon all through the camp the knights are + arming and mounting. Meanwhile Cligés is hotly pursued by his enemy, all + armed and with helmet closed. Cligés, who never wished to be numbered + among the coward and craven-hearted, notices that he comes alone. First, + the knight challenged him, calling him "fellow," unable to conceal his + rage: "Young fellow," he cried, "thou shalt leave me here a pledge for my + lord whom thou hast killed. If I do not carry away thy head with me, I am + not worth a counterfeit besant. I must make of it a present to the duke, + and will accept no other forfeit. In return for his nephew, I shall make + such restitution that he will profit by the exchange." Cligés hears him + reproaching him thus boldly and with impudence. "Vassal," he says, "be on + your guard! For I will defend my head, and you shall not get it without my + leave." Then the attack begins. The other missed his blow, while Cligés + struck him with such force that horse and rider went down together in one + heap. The horse fell upon him so heavily that he shattered completely one + of his legs. Cligés dismounted on the greensward and disarmed him. When he + had disarmed him, he appropriated his weapons, and cut off his enemy's + head with the sword which had just now been his. After severing his head + he fixed it firmly on the point of his lance, thinking to offer it to the + duke, to whom his nephew had promised to present his own if he could meet + him in the strife. Cligés had no sooner put on the dead man's helmet and + taken his shield and mounted his steed, letting his own stray at large to + terrify the Greeks, than he saw advancing with more than a hundred banners + flying several full squadrons of Greeks and Germans. Now the fierce and + cruel struggles will soon begin between the Saxons and the Greeks. As soon + as Cligés sees his men advancing, he betakes himself toward the Saxons, + his own men hotly pursuing him, and not knowing him in his disguise. It is + no wonder that his uncle is in despair and fear, when he sees the head he + is carrying off. So all the host pursue him fast, while Cligés leads them + on to provoke a fight, until the Saxons see him drawing near. But they, + too, are quite misled by the arms with which he has armed and equipped + himself. He succeeds in deceiving and mocking them; for the duke and all + the rest, when they saw him approaching lance in rest, cried out: "Here + comes our knight! On the point of his lance he carries Cligés' head, and + the Greeks are hotly pursuing him!" Then, as they give their horses rein, + Cligés spurs to meet the Saxons, crouching low beneath his shield, the + lance out straight with the head affixed. Now, though he was braver than a + lion, he was no stronger than any other man. Both parties think that he is + dead, and while the Saxons rejoice, the Greeks and Germans grieve. But + before long the truth will out. For Cligés no longer held his peace: but, + rushing fiercely at a Saxon, he struck him with his ashen lance upon the + head and in the breast, so that he made him lose his stirrups, and at the + same time he cried aloud: "Strike gentlemen, for I am Cligés whom you + seek. Come on, my bold and hardy knights! Let none hold back, for the + first joust is already won! He is a coward who does not relish such a + dish." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3571-3620.) The emperor's joy was great when he heard the voice of + his nephew Cligés summoning and exhorting them; he was greatly pleased and + comforted. But the duke is greatly chagrined now when he sees he is + betrayed, unless his force should prove the stronger. While he draws + together his troops in serried lines, the Greeks do the same, and pressing + them close, attack and rush upon them. On both sides lances are lowered as + they meet for the proper reception of a hostile host. At the first shock + shields are pierced and lances shattered, girths are cut and stirrups + broken, while the horses of those who fall to earth are left without a + rider. But regardless of what any other does, Cligés and the duke meet in + the fray; holding their lances low, they strike one another upon the + shield with such violence that the strong and well-made lances fly into + splinters. Cligés was skilful on horseback, and sits straight in his + saddle without shaking or losing his balance. But the duke has lost his + seat, and in spite of himself quits the saddle-bows. Cligés struggled and + strove to capture him and carry him away, but his strength did not + suffice, for the Saxons were around about fighting to rescue him. + Nevertheless, Cligés escapes from the conflict without receiving harm and + with a precious prize; for he makes off with the duke's steed, which was + whiter than wool, and was worth more to a gentleman than the fortune of + Octavian <a href="#linknote-231" name="linknoteref-231"><small>231</small></a> at Rome. The steed was an + Arabian. The Greeks and Germans are overjoyed to see Cligés on such a + mount, for they had already remarked the excellence and beauty of the Arab + steed. But they were not on their guard against an ambuscade; and before + they are aware of it great damage will be done. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3621-3748.) A spy came to the duke, bringing him welcome news. + "Duke," says the spy, "not a man remains in all the encampment of the + Greeks who is able to defend himself. If thou wilt take my word for it, + now is the time to have the emperor's daughter seized, while the Greeks + are seen intent upon the battle and the strife. Lend me a hundred of thy + knights, and I will put the lady in their hands. By an old and secluded + path I will lead them so carefully that they will not be seen or met by + any man of Germany, until they can seize the damsel in her tent and carry + her off so handily that no resistance will be made." At this the duke is + highly pleased. He sent a hundred and more tried knights with the spy, who + so successfully conducted them that they carried the maiden away captive + without exerting any force; for they could abduct her easily. After + carrying her some distance from the tents, they send her on under escort + of twelve of their number whom they accompany but a short distance. While + the twelve led the damsel on, the others went to tell the duke how + successful they had been. The duke's desire being now satisfied, he at + once makes a truce with the Greeks until next day. The truce was sworn by + both parties. The duke's men then turned back, while the Greeks without + delay repaired each man to his own tent. But Cligés stays behind alone, + stationed upon a little hill where no one caught sight of him, until he + saw the twelve pass by with her whom they were carrying off at topmost + speed. Cligés, in his thirst for glory, rides at them without delay; for + he thinks within himself, and his heart tells him, that it is not for + nothing that they flee. So, as soon as he espied them, he spurred after + them; and when they saw him coming on, a foolish thought occurred to them: + "It is the duke," they said, "who comes. Let us rein in a little; for he + has left the troops and is riding hard after us alone." Every man thinks + that so it is. They all want to turn back to meet him, but each one wishes + to go alone. Meanwhile, Cligés must needs descend a deep valley between + two mountains. He would never have recognised their blazons, if they had + not come to meet him, or if they had not awaited him. Six of the twelve + come to meet him in an encounter they will soon regret. The other six stay + with the damsel, leading her gently at a walk and easy jog. And the six + ride quickly on, spurring up the valley, until he who had the swiftest + horse reached him first and cried aloud: "Hail, Duke of Saxony! God bless + thee! Duke, we have recovered thy lady. The Greeks shall not get her now, + for she shall be placed in thy hands." When Cligés heard the words this + fellow shouts, his heart is not gay; rather is it strange that he does not + lose his wits. Never was any wild beast—leopard, tiger, or lion—upon + seeing its young captured, so fierce and furious as Cligés, who sets no + value upon his life if he deserts his sweetheart now. He would rather die + than not win her back. In his trouble he feels great wrath, which gives + him the courage he requires. He urges and spurs the Arab steed, and rushes + to give the Saxon such a blow upon his painted shield that without + exaggeration, he makes his heart feel the lance. This gives Cligés + confidence. He drove and spurred the Arab charger on for more than the + space of an acre before he came upon the next Saxon, for they came up + singly, each fearless of his predecessor's fare, for Cligés fights them + one by one. As he takes them thus individually, no one receives another's + aid. He makes a rush at the second one, who, like the first, thought to + give him joy by telling him of his own evil fate. But Cligés has no + concern to heed his talk and idle charter. Thrusting his lance into his + body so that the blood spurts out when it is withdrawn, he deprives him of + life and the gift of speech. After these two he meets the third, who + expects to find him in good humour and to make him rejoice over his own + mischance. Spurring eagerly he came up to him; but before he has time to + say a word, Cligés ran a fathom of his lance through the middle of his + body, leaving him senseless on the ground. To the fourth he gives such a + blow that he leaves him fainting on the field. After the fourth he goes at + the fifth, and after him he attacks the sixth. None of them could defend + himself, but each was left silent and mute. He stood in less fear of the + others now, and more hardily pressed after them, taking no further thought + of the six dead men. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3749-3816.) Feeling no further care for them, he starts to present a + debt of shame and woe to the others who are leading the maid away. He + caught up with them, and made such an onslaught upon them as a hungry and + ravenous wolf makes when leaping upon its prey. Now he feels his luck has + come, when he can display his chivalry and bravery openly before her who + is his very life. Now may he die, if he does not rescue her! And she, too, + is at death's door from anxiety for his sake, though she does not know + that he is no near. Lance in rest, Cligés made an attack which pleased him + well; for he struck first one Saxon and then another, so that with a + single rush he carried them both to earth, though it cost him his ashen + lance. And they both fall in such distress, being wounded in the body, + that they have no power to rise again and do him any harm or ill. The + other four in bitter rage join in an attack upon Cligés; but he neither + quails nor trembles, and they are unable to dislodge him from his seat. + Quickly drawing his keen sword from its sheath, in order to please her who + awaits his love, he rode hard at a Saxon and, striking him with his + whetted blade, he severed his head and half his neck from the body: such + was the limit of his pity. Fenice, who witnesses what transpires, does not + know yet that this is Cligés. She wishes that it were he, indeed, but + because of the present danger she says to herself that she would not have + him there. Thus, doubly she shows the devotion of a sweetheart, fearing at + once his death, and desiring that honour may be his. And Cligés sword in + hand attacks the other three, who face him bravely and puncture and split + his shield. But they are unable to lay hands upon him, or to pierce the + meshes of his hauberk. And whatever Cligés reaches cannot stand against + his blow, but must needs be split and torn apart; for he turns faster than + a top driven and lashed by the whip. Boldness and love, which holds him + enthralled, make him eager for the fray. He pressed the Saxons so hard + that he left them all dead and defeated, some only wounded, and others + dead—except one whom he let escape, disdaining to kill him when left + alone at his mercy; besides, he wished him to tell the duke of the loss + and injury he had sustained. But before this fellow left Cligés, he begged + him to tell him his name, which later he repeated to the duke, thus + rousing his bitter ire. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3817-3864.) Now bad luck had fallen to the duke, who was in great + distress and grief. And Cligés takes back Fenice, whose love torments and + troubles him. If he does not confess to her now, love will long be his + enemy, and hers too, if she holds her peace and speaks not the word which + will bring him joy; for now each can tell the other privily the thoughts + that lie within the heart. But they so fear to be refused that they dare + not reveal their hearts. For his part, he fears lest she will not accept + his love, whereas she, too, would have spoken out had she not feared to be + rejected. In spite of this, the eyes of each reveal the hidden thought, if + only they had heeded this evidence. They converse by glance of eye, but + their tongues are so cowardly that they dare not speak in any wise of the + love which possesses them. No wonder if she hesitates to begin, for a maid + must be a simple and shrinking thing; but he—why does he wait and + hold back who was so bold for her just now, but now in her presence is + cowardly? God! whence comes this fear, that he should shrink from a lonely + girl, feeble and timid, simple and mild? It is as if I should see the dog + flee before the hare, and the fish chase the beaver, the lamb the wolf, + and the dove the eagle. In the same fashion the labourer would forsake his + pick with which he strives to earn a livelihood, and the falcon would flee + from the duck, and the gerfalcon from the heron, and the pike from the + minnow, and the stag would chase the lion, and everything would be + reversed. Now I feel within me the desire to give some reason why it + should happen to true lovers that they lose their sense and boldness to + say what they have in mind when they have leisure and place and time. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3865-3914.) Ye who are interested in the art of Love, who do + faithfully maintain the customs and usage of his court, who never failed + to obey his law, whatever the result might be, tell me if there is + anything that pleases because of love without causing us to tremble and + grow pale. If any one oppose me in this, I can at once refute his + argument; for whoever does not grow pale and tremble, whoever does not + lose his senses and memory, is trying to filch and get by stealth what + does not by right belong to him. The servant who does not fear his master + ought not to remain in his employ nor do his service. He who does not + esteem his lord does not fear him, and whoever does not esteem him does + not hold him dear, but rather tries to deceive him and to steal from him + what is his. The servant ought to tremble with fear when his master calls + or summons him. And whoever commits himself to Love owns him as his lord + and master, and is bound to do him reverence and fear him much and honour + him, if he wishes to be numbered in his court. Love without alarm or fear + is like a fire without flame or heat, day without sun, comb without honey, + summer without flowers, winter without frost, sky without moon, and a book + without letters. Such is my argument in refutation, for where fear is + absent love is not to be mentioned. Whoever would love must needs feel + fear, for otherwise he cannot be in love. But let him fear only her whom + he loves, and for her sake be brave against all others. Then if he stands + in awe of his lady-love Cligés is guilty of nothing wrong. Even so, he + would not have failed to speak straightway with her of love, whatever the + outcome might have been, had it not been that she was his uncle's wife. + This causes the festering of his wound, and it torments and pains him the + more because he dares not utter what he fain would say. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3915-3962.) Thus they make their way back to their own people, and if + they speak of anything it is nothing of much concern. Each seated on a + white horse, they rode rapidly toward the camp, which was plunged in great + sorrow. The whole army is beside itself with grief, but they are + altogether wrong in supposing Cligés to be dead: hence their bitter and + poignant grief. And for Fenice, too, they are in dismay, thinking never to + win her back again. Thus, for her and him the whole army is in great + distress. But soon upon their return the whole affair will change its + aspect; for now they have reached the camp again, and have quickly changed + the grief to joy. Joy returns and sorrow flees. All the troops come + together and sally forth to welcome them. The two emperors, upon hearing + the report about Cligés and the damsel, go to meet them with joyful + hearts, and each can hardly wait to hear how Cligés found and recovered + the empress. Cligés tells them, and, as they listen, they are amazed and + are loud in their praises of his courage and devotion. But, for his part, + the duke is furious, swearing and proclaiming his determination to fight + Cligés, if he dares, in single combat; and it shall be agreed that if + Cligés wins the battle the emperor shall proceed unchallenged, and freely + take the maiden with him, and if he should kill or defeat Cligés, who had + done him such injury, then let there be no truce or stay to prevent each + party from doing its best. This is what the duke desires, and by an + interpreter of his, who knew both the Greek and the German tongues, he + announces to the two emperors his desire thus to arrange the battle. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3963-4010.) The messenger delivered his message so well in both + languages that all could understand it. The entire army was in an uproar, + saying that may God forbid that Cligés ever engage in the battle. Both + emperors are in a fright, but Cligés throws himself at their feet and begs + them not to grieve, but if ever he did them any favour, he prays them to + grant him this battle as a guerdon and reward. And if the right to fight + should be denied him, then he will never again serve for a single day his + uncle's cause and honour. The emperor, who loved his nephew as he should, + raised him by the hand and said: "Fair nephew, I am deeply grieved to know + you are so keen to fight; for after joy, sorrow is to be expected. <a + href="#linknote-232" name="linknoteref-232"><small>232</small></a> + You have made me glad, I cannot deny it; but it is hard for me to yield + the point and send you forth to this battle, when I see you still so + young. And yet I know you to be so confident of yourself that I dare not + ever refuse anything that you choose to ask of me. Be assured that, merely + to gratify you, it should be done; but if my request has any power, you + would never assume this task." "My lord, there is no need of further + speech," said Cligés; "may God damn me, if I would take the whole world, + and miss this battle! I do not know why I should seek from you any + postponement or long delay." The emperor weeps with pity, while Cligés + sheds tears of joy when the permission to fight is granted him. Many a + tear was shed that day, and no respite or delay was asked. Before the hour + of prime, by the duke's own messenger the challenge to battle was sent + back to him accepted as he had proposed. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4011-4036.) The duke, who thinks and confidently trusts that Cligés + will be unable to stave off death and defeat at his hands, has himself + quickly armed. Cligés, who is anxious for the fight, feels no concern as + to how he shall defend himself. He asks the emperor for his arms, and + desires him to dub him a knight. So the emperor generously gives him his + arms, and he takes them, his heart being keen for the battle which he + anticipates with joy and eagerness. No time is lost in arming him. And + when he was armed from head to foot, the emperor, all sorrowing, girds the + sword upon his side. Thus Cligés completely armed mounts his white Arab + steed; from his neck he hangs by the straps an ivory shield, such as will + never break or split; and upon it there was neither colour nor design. All + his armour was white, and the steed, and the harness, too, was all whiter + than any snow. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4037-4094.) Cligés and the duke, now being armed, summon each other + to meet half way, and they stipulate that their men shall take their stand + on either side, but without their swords and lances, under oath and pledge + that not a man will be so rash, so long as the battle lasts, as to dare to + move for any reason, any more than he would dare to pluck out his own eye. + When this had been agreed upon, they came together, each yearning ardently + for the glory he hopes to win and for the joy of victory. But before a + single blow was dealt, the empress has herself borne thither, solicitous + for Cligés' fate. It seems to her that if he dies, she, too, must needs do + so. No comfort can avail to keep her from joining him in death, for, + without him, life has no joys for her. When all were gathered on the field—high + and low, young and old—and the guards had taken their place, then + both seized their lances and rushed together so savagely that they both + broke their lances and fell to the ground, unable to keep their saddles. + But not being wounded, they quickly get upon their feet and attack each + other without delay. Upon their resonant helmets they play such a tune + with swords that it seems to those who are looking on that the helmets are + on fire and send forth sparks. And when the swords rebound in air, + gleaming sparks fly off from them as from a smoking piece of iron which + the smith beats upon his anvil after, drawing it from the forge. Both of + the vassals are generous in dealing blows in great plenty, and each has + the best of intentions to repay quickly what he borrows; neither one holds + back from repaying promptly capital and interest, without accounting and + without measure. But the duke is much chagrined with anger and + discomfiture when he fails to defeat and slay Cligés in the first assault. + Such a marvellously great and mighty blow he deals him that he falls at + his feet upon his knee. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4095-4138.) When this blow brought Cligés down, the emperor was + struck with fear, and would have been no more dismayed had he himself been + beneath the shield. Nor could Fenice in her fear longer contain herself, + whatever the effect might be, from crying: "God help him!" as loud as she + could. But that was the only word she uttered, for straightway her voice + failed her, and she fell forward upon her face, which was somewhat wounded + by the fall. Two high nobles raised her up and supported her upon her feet + until she returned to consciousness. But in spite of her countenance, none + who saw her guessed why she had swooned. Not a man there blamed her, but + rather praised her for her act, for each one supposes that she would have + done the same thing for him, if he had been in Cligés' place, but in all + this they are quite astray. Cligés heard, and well understood, the sound + of Fenice's cry. Her voice restored his strength and courage, as he leaped + up quickly, and came with fury, toward the duke, so charging and attacking + him that the duke in turn was now dismayed. For now he found him more + fierce for the fray, stronger and more agile and energetic than when at + first they came together. And because he feared his onslaught, he cried: + "Young man, so help me God, I see thou art brave and very bold. If it were + not for my nephew now, whom I shall never more forget, I would gladly make + peace with thee, and leave thy quarrel without interfering in it more." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4139-4236.) "Duke," says Cligés, "what is your pleasure now? Must one + not surrender his right when he is unable to recover it? When one of two + evils must be faced, one should choose the lesser one. Your nephew was not + wise to become angrily embroiled with me. You may be sure that I shall + treat you in like fashion, if I get the chance, unless you agree to my + terms of peace." The duke, to whom it seems that Cligés' vigour is + steadily growing, thinks that he had better desist in mid-career before he + is utterly undone. Nevertheless, he does not openly give in, but says: + "Young man, I see thou art skilful and alert and not lacking in courage. + But thou art yet too young; therefore I feel assured that if I defeat and + kill thee I shall gain no praise or fame, and I should never like to + confess in the hearing of a man of honour that I had fought with thee, for + I should but do thee honour, and myself win shame. But if thou art aware + of honour's worth, it will always be a glorious thing for thee to have + withstood me for two rounds at arms. So now my heart and feeling bid me + let thee have thy way, and no longer fight with thee." <a + href="#linknote-233" name="linknoteref-233"><small>233</small></a> + "Duke," says Cligés, "that will not do. In the hearing of all you must + repeat those words, for it shall never be said and noised abroad that you + let me off and had mercy on me. In the hearing of all those who are + gathered here, you must repeat your words, if you wish to be reconciled + with me." So the duke repeats his words in the hearing of all. Then they + make peace and are reconciled. But however the matter be regarded Cligés + had all the honour and glory of it, and the Greeks were greatly pleased. + For their part, the Saxons could not laugh, all of them having plainly + seen that their lord was worn out and exhausted just now; but there is no + doubt at all that, if he could have helped himself, this peace would never + have been made, and that Cligés' soul would have been drawn from his body + had it proven possible. The duke goes back to Saxony sorrowing, downcast, + and filled with shame; for of his men there are not even two who do not + regard him as worsted, defeated, and disgraced. The Saxons with all their + shame have now returned to Saxony, while the Greeks without delay make + their way with joy and gladness toward Constantinople, for Cligés by his + prowess has opened the way for them. The emperor of Germany no longer + follows and convoys them. Taking leave of the Greek troops and of his + daughter and Cligés, and finally of the emperor, he stayed behind in + Germany. And the emperor of the Greeks goes off happily and in joyous + mood. Cligés, brave and courteous, calls to mind his sire's command. If + his uncle, the emperor, will give him his permission, he will go and ask + him for leave to return to Britain and there converse with his + great-uncle, the King; for he is desirous of seeing and knowing him. So he + presents himself before the emperor, and requests that he consent to let + him go to Britain to see his uncle and his friends. Gently he proffered + his request. But his uncle refused, when he had listened to the request he + made. "Fair nephew," he said, "it is not my will that you should wish to + leave me. I shall never give you without regret this permission to go + away. For it is my pleasure and desire that you should be my companion and + lord, with me, of all my empire." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4237-4282.) Now Cligés hears something that does not suit him when + his uncle refuses the prayer and request he made. "Fair sire," said he, "I + am not brave and wise enough, nor would it be seemly for me to join myself + with you or any one else in the duty of governing this empire; I am too + young and inexperienced. They put gold to the test when they wish to learn + if it is fine. And so it is my wish, in brief, to try to prove myself, + wherever I can find the test. In Britain, if I am brave, I can apply + myself to the whetstone and to the real true test, whereby my prowess + shall be proved. In Britain are the gentlemen whom honour and prowess + distinguish. And he who wishes to win honour should associate himself with + them, for honour is won and gained by him who associates with gentlemen. + And so I ask you for leave to go, and you may be very sure that if you do + not grant me the boon and send me thither I shall go without your leave." + "Fair nephew, I will give you leave, seeing you are so disposed that I + cannot keep you back either by force or prayer of mine. Now since prayer, + prohibition, and force do not avail, may God give you the desire and + inclination promptly to return. I wish you to take with you more than a + bushel of gold and silver, and I will give for your pleasure such horses + as you may choose." He had no sooner spoken than Cligés bowed before him. + All that the emperor, mentioned and promised him was straightway brought + thither. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4283-4574.) Cligés took all the money and companions that he wished + and needed. For his personal use he took four horses of different colours: + one white, one sorrel, one fallow red, and one black. But I must have + passed over something which it is not proper to omit. Cligés goes to ask + and obtain leave to depart from his sweetheart Fenice; for he wishes to + commend her to God's safe keeping. Coming before her, he throws himself + upon his knees, weeping so bitterly that the tears moisten his tunic and + ermine, the while keeping his eyes upon the ground; for he dares not raise + his eyes to her, as if he were guilty of some crime and misdeed toward + her, for which he seems overcome with shame. And Fenice, who timidly and + fearfully looks at him, does not know the occasion of his coming, and + speaks to him with difficulty. "Rise, friend and fair sir! Sit here beside + me, and weep no more, and tell me what your pleasure is." "Lady, what + shall I say, and what leave unsaid? I come to ask your leave." "Leave? To + do what?" "Lady, I must go off to Britain." "Then tell me what your + business is, before I give you leave to go." "Lady, my father, before he + departed this life and died, begged me not to fail to go to Britain as + soon as I should be made a knight. I should not wish for any reason to + disregard his command. I must not falter until I have accomplished the + journey. It is a long road from here to Greece, and if I should go + thither, the journey would be too long from Constantinople to Britain. But + it is right that I should ask leave from you to whom I altogether belong." + Many a covert sigh and sob marked the separation. But the eyes of none + were keen enough, nor the ears of any sharp enough, to learn from what he + saw and heard that there was any love between these two. Cligés, in spite + of the grief he felt, took his leave at the first opportunity. He is full + of thought as he goes away, and so are the emperor and many others who + stay behind. But more than all the others, Fenice is pensive: she finds no + bottom or bound to the reflections which occupy her, so abundantly are her + cares multiplied. She was still oppressed with thought when she arrived in + Greece. There she was held in great honour as mistress and empress; but + her heart and mind belong to Cligés, wherever he goes, and she wishes her + heart never to return to her, unless it is brought back to her by him who + is perishing of the same disease with which he has smitten her. If he + should get well, she would recover too, but he will never be its victim + without her being so as well. Her trouble appears in her pale and changed + colour; for the fresh, clear, and radiant colour which Nature had given + her is now a stranger to her face. She often weeps and often sighs. Little + she cares for her empire and for the riches that are hers. She always + cherishes in her remembrance the hour when Cligés went away, and the leave + he took of her, how he changed colour and grew pale, and how tearful his + expression was, for he came to weep in her presence humbly and simply upon + his knees, as if constrained to worship her. All this is sweet and + pleasant for her to remember and think about. And afterward, as a little + treat, she takes on her tongue instead of spice a sweet word which for all + Greece she would not wish him to have used contrary to the sense she had + understood when he first had uttered it; for she lives upon no other + dainty, and there is nothing else that pleases her. This word alone + sustains and nourishes her, and assuages all her pain. She cares to eat + and drink of no other dish or beverage, for when the two lovers came to + part, Cligés had said he was "altogether hers." This word is so sweet and + tastes so good that from the tongue it stirs her heart, and she takes it + into her mouth and heart to be all the more sure of it. Under any other + lock she would not dare to store this treasure. Nowhere could it be lodged + so well as in her own bosom. She will never leave it exposed at any price, + being in such fear of robbers and thieves. But there is no ground for her + anxiety, and she need have no fear of the birds of prey, for her treasure + is not movable, but is rather like a house which cannot be destroyed by + fire or flood, but will always stay fixed in a single place. But she feels + no confidence in the matter, so she worries and strives to find and hold + some ground on which to stand, interpreting the situation in divers ways. + She both opposes and defends her position, and engages in the following + argument: "With what intention should Cligés say 'I am altogether yours' + unless it was love that prompted him? What power can I have over him that + he should esteem me so highly as to make me the mistress of his heart? Is + he not more fair than I, and of higher rank than I? I see in it naught but + love, which could vouchsafe me such a boon. I, who cannot escape its + power, will prove by my own case that unless he loved me he would never + say that he was mine; unless love holds him in its toils, Cligés could + never say that he was mine any more than I could say that I was altogether + his unless love had put me in his hands. For if he loves me not, at least + he does not fear me. I hope that love which gives me to him will in return + give him to me. But now I am sore dismayed because it is so trite a word, + and I may simply be deceived, for many there be who in flattering terms + will say even to a total stranger, 'I and all that I have are yours,' and + they are more idle chatterers than the jays. So I do not know what to + think, for it might well turn out that he said it just to flatter me. Yet + I saw his colour change, and I saw him weeping piteously. In my judgment, + the tears and his face confused and pale were not produced by treachery, + nor were they the fruits of trickery. Those eyes from which I saw tears + roll down were not guilty of falsehood. Signs enough of love I saw, if I + know anything about it. Yes, in an evil hour I thought of love; woe is me + that I ever learned it, for the experience has been bitter. Has it indeed? + Yes, verily. I am dead when I cannot see him who has stolen my heart away + by his cajoling flattery, because of which my heart leaves its dwelling, + and will not abide with me, hating my home and establishment. In truth I + have been ill treated by him who has my heart in his keeping. He who robs + me and takes what is mine cannot love me, of that I am sure. But am I + sure? Why then did he weep? Why? It was not in vain, for there was cause + enough. I must not assume that I was the cause of it, for one is always + loath to leave people whom one loves and knows. So it is not strange if he + was sorry and grieved and if he wept when he left some one whom he knew. + But he who gave him this advice to go and dwell in Britain could not have + smitten me more effectively. He is cut to the quick who loses his heart. + He who deserves it, should be treated ill; but I have never deserved such + treatment. Alas, unhappy one, why has Cligés killed me when I am innocent? + But I am unjust to accuse him thus without cause. Surely Cligés would + never have deserted me if his heart were like mine. I am sure his heart is + not like mine. And if my heart is lodged in his it will never draw away, + and his will never part from mine, for my heart follows him secretly: they + have formed such a goodly company. But, after all, to tell the truth, they + are very different and contrary. How are they different and contrary? Why, + his is the master and mine the slave; and the slave can have no will of + his own, but only do his master's will and forsake all other affairs. But + what reference has that to me? My heart and service are no concern to him. + This arrangement distresses me, that one is master of us both. Why is not + my heart as independent as his? Then their power would be equalised. My + heart is now a prisoner, unable to move itself unless his moves as well. + And whether his heart wanders or stays still, mine must needs prepare to + follow him in his train. God! why are our bodies not so near one another + that I could in some way bring back my heart! Bring back? Foolish one, if + I should remove it from its joy I should be the death of it. Let it stay + there! I have no desire to dislodge it, but rather wish that it tarry with + its lord until he feel some pity for it. For rather over there than here + ought he to have mercy on his servant, because they are both in a foreign + land. If my heart knows well the language of flattery, as is necessary for + the courtier, it will be rich ere it comes back. Whoever wishes to stand + in the good graces of his lord and sit beside him on his right, to be in + the fashion now-a-days, must remove the feather from his head, even when + there is none there. But there is one bad feature of this practice: while + he is smoothing down his master, who is filled with evil and villainy, he + will never be so courteous as to tell him the truth; rather he makes him + think and believe that no one could compare with him in prowess and in + knowledge, and the master thinks that he is speaking the truth. That man + does not know himself who takes another's word about qualities which he + does not possess. For even if he is a wicked and insolent wretch, and as + cowardly as a hare, mean, crazy, and misshapen, and a villain both in word + and deed—yet some man will praise him to his face who behind his + back will mock at him. But when in his hearing he speaks of him to some + other, he praises him, while his lord pretends not to hear what they say + between themselves; if, however, he thought that he would not be heard, he + would say something his master would not like. And if his master is + pleased to lie, the servant is all ready with his consent, and will never + be backward in averring that all his master says is true. He who frequents + courts and lords must ever be ready with a lie. So, too, must my heart do + if it would find favour with its lord. Let it flatter and be obsequious. + But Cligés is such a knight, so fair, so open, and so loyal, that my + heart, in praising him, need never be false or perfidious, for in him + there is nothing to be improved. Therefore I wish my heart to serve him, + for, as the people's proverb runs, 'He who serves a noble man is bad + indeed if he does not improve in his company.'" + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4575-4628.) Thus love harrows Fenice. But this torment is her + delight, of which she can never grow weary. And Cligés now has crossed the + sea and come to Wallingford. There he took expensive quarters in great + state. But his thoughts are always of Fenice, not forgetting her for a + single hour. While he delays and tarries there, his men, acting under his + instructions, made diligent inquiries. They were informed that King + Arthur's barons and the King in person had appointed a tourney to be held + in the plain before Oxford, which lies close to Wallingford. <a + href="#linknote-234" name="linknoteref-234"><small>234</small></a> + There the struggle was arranged, and it was to last four days. But Cligés + will have abundant time to prepare himself if in the meantime he needs + anything, for more than a fortnight must elapse before the tournament + begins. He orders three of his squires to go quickly to London and there + buy three different sets of arms, one black, another red, the third green, + and that on the way back each shall be kept covered with new cloth, so + that if any one should meet them on the road he may not know the colour of + the arms they carry. The squires start at once and come to London, where + they find available everything they need. Having finished this errand, + they return at once without losing any time. When the arms they had + brought were shown to Cligés he was well pleased with them. He ordered + them to be set away and concealed, together with those which the emperor + had given him by the Danube, when he knighted him. I do not choose to tell + you now why he had them stored away; but it will be explained to you when + all the high barons of the land are mounted on their steeds and assemble + in search of fame. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4629-4726.) On the day which had been agreed upon, the nobles of + renown came together. King Arthur, with all his men whom he had selected + from among the best, took up his position at Oxford, while most of the + knights ranged themselves near Wallingford. Do not expect me to delay the + story and tell you that such and such kings and counts were there, and + that this, that, and the other were of the number. <a href="#linknote-235" + name="linknoteref-235"><small>235</small></a> When + the time came for the knights to gather, in accordance with the custom of + those days, there came forth alone between two lines one of King Arthur's + most valiant knights to announce that the tourney should begin. But in + this case no one dares to advance and confront him for the joust. There is + none who does not hold back. And there are some who ask: "Why do these + knights of ours delay, without stepping forward from the ranks? Some one + will surely soon begin." And the others make reply: "Don't you see, then, + what an adversary yonder party has sent against us? Any one who does not + know should learn that he is a pillar, <a href="#linknote-236" + name="linknoteref-236"><small>236</small></a> able to + stand beside the best three in the world." "Who is he, then?" "Why, don't + you see? It is Sagremor the Wild." "Is it he?" "It surely is." Cligés + listens and hears what they say, as he sits on his horse Morel, clad in + armour blacker than a mulberry: for all his armour was black. As he + emerges from the ranks and spurs Morel free of the crowd, there is not + one, upon seeing him, but exclaims to his neighbour: "That fellow rides + well lance in rest; he is a very, skilful knight and carries his arms + right handily; his shield fits well about his neck. But he must be a fool + to undertake of his own free will to joust with one of the most valiant + knights to be found in all the land. Who can he be? Where was he born? Who + knows him here?" "Not I." "Nor I." "There is not a flake of snow on him; + but all his armour is blacker far than the cloak of any monk or prior." + While thus they talk, the two contestants give their horses rein without + delay, for they are very eager and keen to come together in the fight. + Cligés strikes him so that he crushes the shield against his arm, and the + arm against his body, whereupon Sagremor falls full length. Cligés goes + unerringly and bids him declare himself his prisoner, which Sagremor does + at once. Now the tourney is fairly begun, and adversaries meet in rivalry. + Cligés rushes about the field, seeking adversaries with whom to joust, but + not a knight presents himself whom he does not cast down or take prisoner. + He excels in glory, all the knights on either side, for wherever he goes + to battle, there the fight is quickly ended. That man may be considered + brave who holds his ground to joust with him, for it is more credit to + dare face him than it is to defeat another knight. And if Cligés leads him + away prisoner, for this at least he gains renown that he dared to wait and + fight with him. Cligés wins the fame and glory of all the tournament. When + evening came, he secretly repaired to his lodging-place in order that none + might have any words with him. And lest any one should seek the house + where the black arms are displayed, he puts them away in a room in order + that no one may find them or see them, and he hangs up his green arms at + the street-door, where they will be in evidence, and where passers-by will + see them. And if any one asks and inquires where his lodging is, he cannot + learn when he sees no sign of the black shield for which he seeks. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4727-4758.) By this ruse Cligés remains hidden in the town. And those + who were his prisoners went from one end of the town to the other asking + for the black knight, but none could give them any information. Even King + Arthur himself has search made up and down for him; but there is only one + answer: "We have not seen him since we left the lists, and do not know + what became of him." More than twenty young men seek him, whom the King + sent out; but Cligés so successfully concealed himself that they cannot + find a trace of him. King Arthur is filled with astonishment when he is + informed that no one of high or low degree can point out his + lodging-place, any more than if he were in Caesarea, Toledo, or Crete. + "Upon my word," he says, "I know not what they may say, but to me this + seems a marvellous thing. Perchance it was a phantom that appeared in our + midst. Many a knight has been unhorsed, and noble men have pledged faith + to one whose house they cannot find, or even his country or locality; each + of these men perforce must fail to keep his pledge." Thus the King spoke + his mind, but he might as well have held his peace. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4759-4950.) That evening among all the barons there was much talk of + the black knight, for indeed they spoke of nothing else. The next day they + armed themselves again without summons and without request. Lancelot of + the Lake, in whom there is no lack of courage, rides forth with lance + upright to await a contestant in the first joust. Here comes Cligés tiding + fast, greener than the grass of the field, and mounted on a fallow red + steed, carrying its mane on the right-hand side. Wherever Cligés spurs the + horse, there is no one, either with hair or without, who does not look at + him amazed and exclaim to his neighbour on either side: "This knight is in + all respects more graceful and skilful than the one who yesterday wore the + black arms, just as a pine is more beautiful than a white beech, and the + laurel than the elder-bush. As yet we know not who yesterday's victor was; + but we shall know to-night who this man is." Each one makes reply: "I + don't know him, nor did I ever see him, that I am aware. But he is fairer + than he who fought yesterday, and fairer than Lancelot of the Lake. If + this man rode armed in a bag and Lancelot in silver and gold, this man + would still be fairer than he." Thus they all take Cligés' part. And the + two champions drive their steeds together with all the force of spur. + Cligés gives him such a blow upon the golden shield with the lion + portrayed thereon that he knocks him down from his saddle and stands over + him to receive his surrender. For Lancelot there was no help; so he + admitted himself his prisoner. Then the noise began afresh with the shock + of breaking lances. Those who are on Cligés' side place all their + confidence in him. For of those whom he challenges and strikes, there is + none so strong but must fall from his horse to earth. That day Cligés did + so well, and unhorsed and took captive so many knights, that he gave + double the satisfaction to his side, and won for himself twice the glory + that he had gained on the preceding day. When evening came, he betook + himself as fast as he could to his lodging-place, and quickly ordered out + the vermilion shield and his other arms, while he ordered the arms which + he had worn that day to be laid away: the host carefully put them aside. + Again that evening the knights whom he had captured sought for him, but + without hearing any news of him. In their lodging-places, most of those + who speak of him do so with praise and admiration. The next day the gay + and doughty knights return to the contest. From the Oxford side comes + forth a vassal of great renown—his name was Perceval of Wales. As + soon as Cligés saw him start, and learned certainly who it was, when he + had heard the name of Perceval he was very anxious to contest with him. He + issued straightway from the ranks upon a Spanish sorrel steed, and + completely clad in vermilion armour. Then all gaze at him, wondering more + than ever before, and saying that they had never seen so perfect a knight. + And the contestants without delay spur forward until their mighty blows + land upon their shields. The lances, though they were short and stout, + bend until they look like hoops. In the sight of all who were looking on, + Cligés struck Perceval so hard that he knocked him from his horse and made + him surrender without a long struggle or much ado. When Perceval had + pledged his word then the joust began again, and the engagement became + general. Every knight whom Cligés meets he forces to earth. He did not + quit the lists that day even for a single hour, while all the others + struck at him as at a tower—individually, of course, and not in + groups of two or three, for such was not the custom then. Upon his shield, + as upon an anvil, the others strike and pound, splitting and hewing it to + bits. But every one who strikes him there, he pays back by casting him + from his stirrups and saddle; and no one, unless he wished to lie, could + fail to say when the jousting ceased that the knight with the red shield + had won all the glory on that day. And all the best and most courtly + knights would fain have made his acquaintance. But their desire was not + felt before he had departed secretly, seeing the sun already set; and he + had his vermilion shield and all his other harness removed, and ordered + his white arms to be brought out, in which he had first been dubbed a + knight, while the other arms and the steeds were fastened outside by the + door. Those who notice this realise and exclaim that they have all been + defeated and undone by one single man; for each day he has disguised + himself with a different horse and set of armour, thus seeming to change + his identity; for the first time now they noticed this. And my lord Gawain + proclaimed that he never saw such a champion, and therefore he wished to + make his acquaintance and learn his name, announcing that on the morrow he + himself will be the first at the rally of the knights. Yet, withal, he + makes no boast; on the other hand, he says that he fully expects the + stranger knight will have all the advantage with the lance; but it may be + that with the sword he will not be his superior (for with the sword Gawain + had no master). Now it is Gawain's desire to measure his strength on the + morrow with this strange knight who changes every day his arms, as well as + his horse and harness. His moultings will soon be numerous if he continues + thus each day, as is his custom, to discard his old and assume new + plumage. Thus, when he thought of the sword and the lance respectively. + Gawain disparaged and esteemed highly the prowess of his foe. The next day + he sees Cligés come back whiter than the fleur-delis, his shield grasped + tight by the inside straps and seated on his white Arab steed, as he had + planned the night before. Gawain, brave and illustrious, seeks no repose + on the battleground, but spurs and rides forward, endeavouring as best he + may to win honour in the fray, if he can find an opponent. In a moment + they will both be on the field. For Cligés had no desire to hold back when + he overheard the words of the men who said: "There goes Gawain, who is no + weakling either on foot or ahorse. He is a man whom no one will attack." + When Cligés hears these words, he rushes toward him in mid-field; they + both advance and come together with a swifter leap than that of the stag + who hears the sound of the dogs as they come baying after him. The lances + are thrust at the shields, and the blows produce such havoc that the + lances split, crack and break clear down to the butt-end, and the + saddle-bows behind give away, and the girths and breast-straps snap. Both + come to earth at once and draw their naked swords, while the others gather + round to watch the battle. Then King Arthur stepped forward to separate + them and establish peace. But before the truce was sworn, the white + hauberks were badly torn and rent apart, the shields were cracked and + hewed to bits, and the helmets crushed. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4951-5040.) The King viewed them with pleasure for a while, as did + many others who said that they esteemed the white knight's deeds of arms + no less than those of my lord Gawain, and they were not ready yet to say + which was the better and which the worse, nor which was likely to win, if + they had been allowed to fight to a finish; but it did not please the King + to let them do more than they had done. So he stepped forward to separate + them, saying: "Stop now! Woe if another blow be struck! Make peace now, + and be good friends. Fair nephew Gawain, I make this request of you; for + without resentment and hate it is not becoming for a gentleman to continue + to fight and defy his foe. But if this knight would consent to come to my + court and join our sport it would not be to his sorrow or hurt. Nephew, + make this request of him." "Gladly, my lord." Cligés has no desire to + refuse, and gladly consents to go when the tourney is concluded. For now + he has more than sufficiently carried out the injunction of his father. + And the King says he has no desire that the tournament shall last too + long, and that they can afford to stop at once. So the knights drew off, + according to the wish and order of the King. Now that he is to follow in + the royal suite, Cligés sends for all his armour. As soon as he can, he + comes to court; but first, he completely changed his gear, and came + dressed in the style of the French. As soon as he arrived at court, all + ran to meet him without delay, making such joy and festival that never was + there greater seen, and all those call him lord whom he had captured in + the joust; but he would hear none of this, and said they might all go + free, if they were quite sure and satisfied that it was he who had + captured them. And there was not one who did not cry: "You were the man; + we are sure of that! We value highly your acquaintance, and we ought to + love and esteem you and call you our lord, for none of us can equal you. + Just as the sun outshines the little stars, so that their light cannot be + seen in the sky when the sun's rays appear, so is our prowess extinguished + and abased in the presence of yours, though ours too was once famous in + the world." Cligés knows not what to reply, for in his opinion they all + praise him more than he deserves; it pleases him, but he feels ashamed, + and the blood rises in his face, revealing to all his modesty. Escorting + him into the middle of the hall, they led him to the King, where all + ceased their words of compliment and praise. The time for the meal had + come, and those whose duty it was hastened to set the tables. The tables + in the hall were quickly spread, then while some took the towels, and + others held the basins, they offered water to all who came. When all had + washed, they took their seats. And the King, taking Cligés by the hand, + made him sit down in front of him, for he wished to learn this very day, + if possible, who he was. Of the meal I need not further speak, for the + courses were as well supplied as if beef were selling at a penny. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5041-5114.) When all the courses had been served, the King no longer + held his peace. "My friend," he says, "I wish to learn if it was from + pride that you did not deign to come to court as soon as you arrived in + this country, and why you kept aloof from people, and why you changed your + arms; and tell me what your name is, too, and from what race you spring." + Cligés replies: "It shall not be hid." He told and related to the King + everything he wished to know. And when the King had heard it all, he + embraced him, and made much of him, while all joined in greeting him. And + when my lord Gawain learned the truth, he, more than the others, cordially + welcomed him. Thus, all unite in saluting him, saying that he is very fair + and brave. The King loves and honours him above all his nephews. Cligés + tarries with the King until the summer comes around, in the meantime + visiting all Brittany, France, and Normandy, where he did so many knightly + deeds that he thoroughly proved his worth. But the love whose wound he + bears gives him no peace or relief. The inclination of his heart keeps him + fixed upon a single thought. To Fenice his thought harks back, who from + afar afflicts his heart. The desire takes him to go back; for he has been + deprived too long of the sight of the most desired lady who was ever + desired by any one. He will not prolong this privation, but prepares to + return to Greece, and sets out, after taking leave. The King and my lord + Gawain were grieved, I can well believe, when they could no longer detain + him. But he is anxious to return to her whom he loves and so covets that + the way seems long to him as he passes over land and sea: so ardently he + longs for the sight of her who has stolen and filched Iris heart away. But + she makes him recompense in full; for she pays him, as it were rent, the + coin of her own heart, which is no less dear to her. But he is by no means + sure of that, having no contract or agreement to show; wherefore his + anxiety is great. And she is in just as great distress, harried and + tormented by love, taking no pleasure in aught she sees since that moment + when she saw him last. The fact that she does not even know whether he be + alive or not fills her heart with anguish. But Cligés draws nearer day by + day, being fortunate in having favourable winds, until he joyfully comes + to port before Constantinople. When the news reached the city, none need + ask if the emperor was glad; but a hundred times greater was the empress's + joy. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5115-5156.) Cligés, with his company, having landed at + Constantinople, has now returned to Greece. The richest and most noble men + all come to meet him at the port. And when the emperor encounters him, who + before all others had gone to meet him with the empress by his side, he + runs to embrace and greet him in the presence of them all. And when Fenice + welcomes him, each changes colour in the other's presence, and it is + indeed a marvel, when they are so close together, how they keep from + embracing each other and bestowing such kisses as love would have; but + that would have been folly and madness. The people come together from all + sides with the desire to see him, and conduct him through the city, some + on foot and some on horseback, until they bring him to the imperial + palace. No words can ever tell the joy and honour and courteous service + that were there displayed. But each one strove as best he might to do + everything which he thought would please and gratify Cligés. And his uncle + hands over to him all his possessions, except the crown: he wishes him to + gratify his pleasure fully, and to take all he desires of his wealth, + either in the form of land or treasure. But he has no care for silver or + gold, so long as he dares not reveal his thoughts to her because of whom + he can find no repose; and yet he has plenty of time and opportunity to + speak, if he were not afraid of being repelled; for now he can see her + every day, and sit beside her "tete-a-tete" without opposition or + hindrance, for no one sees any harm in that. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5157-5280.) Some time after his return, he came alone one day to the + room of her who was not his enemy, and you may be sure that the door was + not barred at his approach. By her side he took his seat, while the others + moved away, so that no one might be seated near them and hear their words. + First, Fenice spoke of Britain, and asked him about the character and + appearance of my lord Gawain, until her words finally hit upon the subject + which filled her with dread. She asked him if he had given his love to any + dame or damsel in that land. Cligés was not obstinate or slow to respond + to this demand, but he knew at once what reply to make as soon as she had + put the question. "Lady," he says, "I was in love while there, but not + with any one of that land. In Britain my body was without my heart, as a + piece of bark without the wood. Since leaving Germany I have not known + what became of my heart, except that it came here after you. My heart was + here, and my body was there. I was not really away from Greece; for hither + my heart had come, for which I now have come back again; yet, it does not + return to its lodging-place, nor can I draw it back to me, nor do I wish + to do so, if I could. And you—how has it fared with you, since you + came to this country? What joy have you had here? Do you like the people, + do you like the land? I ought not to ask you any other question than + whether the country pleases you." "It has not pleased me until now; but at + present I feel a certain joy and satisfaction, which, you may be sure, I + would not lose for Pavia or Piacenza. From this joy I cannot wrest my + heart, nor shall I ever use force in the attempt. Nothing but the bark is + left in me, for I live and exist without a heart. I have never been in + Britain, and yet without me my heart has been engaged in business there I + know not what." "Lady, when was it that your heart was there? Tell me when + it went thither—the time and season—if it be a thing that you + can fairly tell me or any one else. Was it there while I was there?" "Yes, + but you were not aware of it. It was there as long as you were, and came + away again with you." "God! I never saw it, nor knew it was there. God! + why did I not know it? If I had been informed of this, surely, my lady, I + would have borne it pleasant company." "You would have repaid me with the + consolation which you really owed to me, for I should have been very + gracious to your heart if it had been pleased to come where it might have + known I was." "Lady, surely it came to you." "To me? Then it came to no + strange place, for mine also went to you." "Then, lady, according to what + you say, our hearts are here with us now, for my heart is altogether in + your hands." "You in turn have mine, my friend; so we are in perfect + accord. And you may be sure, so help me God, that your uncle has never + shared in me, for it was not my pleasure, and he could not. Never has he + yet known me as Adam knew his wife. In error I am called a wife; but I am + sure that whoever calls me wife does not know that I am still a maid. Even + your uncle is not aware of it, for, having drunk of the sleeping potion, + he thinks he is awake when he is asleep, and he fancies he has his sport + with me while I lie in his embrace. But his exclusion has been complete. + My heart is yours, and my body too, and from me no one shall ever learn + how to practise villainy. For when my heart went over to you it presented + you with the body too, and it made a pledge that none other should ever + share in it. Love for you has wounded me so deep that I should never + recover from it, any more than the sea can dry up. If I love you, and you + love me, you shall never be called Tristan, nor I Iseut; <a + href="#linknote-237" name="linknoteref-237"><small>237</small></a> + for then our love would not be honourable. But I make you this promise, + that you shall never have other joy of me than that you now have, unless + you can devise some means whereby I can be removed from your uncle and his + society without his finding me again, or being able to blame either you or + me, or having any ground for accusation. And to-morrow you shall tell me + of the best plan you have devised, and I, too, will think of it. + To-morrow, as soon as I arise, come and speak with me; then each of us + will speak his mind, and we shall proceed to execute whatever seems best." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5281-5400.) As soon as Cligés heard her will be fully agreed with + her, and said that would be the best thing to do. He leaves her happy, and + goes off with a light heart himself. That night each one lies awake + thinking over, with great delight, what the best plan will be. The next + morning, as soon as they had arisen, they meet again to take counsel + privately, as indeed they must. Cligés speaks first and says what he had + thought of in the night: "My lady," says he, "I think, and am of the + opinion, that we could not do better than go to Britain; I thought I might + take you there; now do not refuse, for never was Helen so joyfully + received at Troy when Paris took her thither but that still greater joy + would be felt over you and me in the land of the King, my uncle. And if + this plan does not meet with your favour, tell me what you think, for I am + ready, whatever may happen, to abide by your decision." And she replies: + "This is my answer: I will never go off with you thus; for after we had + gone away, every one would speak of us as they do of Iseut the Blond and + of Tristan. And everywhere all men and women would speak evil of our love. + No one would believe, nor is it natural that they should do so, the truth + of the matter. Who would believe that I have thus, all to no purpose, + evaded and escaped from your uncle still a maid? I should be regarded + simply as wanton and dissolute, and you would be thought mad. It is well + to remember and observe the injunction of St. Paul: if any one is + unwilling to live chaste, St. Paul counsels him to act so that he shall + receive no criticism, or blame, or reproach. <a href="#linknote-238" + name="linknoteref-238"><small>238</small></a> It is + well to stop evil mouths, and therefore, if you agree, I have a proposal + to make: it seems best to me to consent to feign that I am dead. I shall + fall sick in a little while. And you in the meantime may plan some + preparations for a place of burial. Put all your wits to work to the end + that a sepulchre and bier be so constructed that I shall not die in it, or + be stifled, and that no one shall mount guard over it at night when you + come to take me out. So now seek such a retreat for me, where no one may + see me excepting you; and let no one provide for any need of mine except + you, to whom I surrender and give myself. Never, my whole life long, do I + wish to be served by other man than you. My lord and my servant you shall + be; whatever you do shall seem good to me; and never shall I be mistress + of any empire unless you are its master. Any wretched place, however dark + and foul, will seem brighter to me than all these halls if you are with + me. If I have you where I can see you, I shall be mistress of boundless + treasure, and the world will belong to me. And if the business is + carefully managed, no harm will come of it, and no one will ever be able + to speak ill of it, for it will be believed throughout the empire that I + am mouldering in the ground. My maid, Thessala, who has been my nurse, and + in whom I have great confidence, will give me faithful aid, for she is + very clever, and I trust her fully." And Cligés, when he heard his + sweetheart, replies: "My lady, if this is feasible, and if you think your + nurse's advice reliable, we have nothing to do but make our preparations + without delay; but if we commit any imprudence, we are lost without + escape. In this city there is an artisan who cuts and carves wonderful + images: there is no land where he is not known for the figures which he + has shapen and carved and made. John is his name, and he is a serf of + mine. No one could cope with John's best efforts in any art, however + varied it might be. For, compared with him, they are all novices, and like + a child with nurse. By imitating his handiwork the artisans of Antioch and + Rome have learned all they know how to do—and besides there is no + more loyal man. Now I want to make a test, and if I can put trust in him I + will set him and all his descendants free; and I shall not fail to tell + him of all our plan if he will swear and give his word to me that he will + aid me loyally, and will never divulge my secret." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5401-5466.) And she replies: "So let it be." With her permission + Cligés left the room and went away. And she sends for Thessala, her maid, + whom she brought with her from her native land. Thessala came at once + without delay, yet not knowing why she was summoned. When she asked Fenice + privately what was her desire and pleasure, she concealed none of her + intentions from her. "Nurse," she said, "I know full well that anything I + tell you will go no further, for I have tried you thoroughly and have + found you very prudent. I love you for all you have done for me. In all my + troubles I appeal to you without seeking counsel elsewhere. You know why I + lie awake, and what my thoughts and wishes are. My eyes behold only one + object which pleases me, but I can have no pleasure or joy in it if I do + not first buy it with a heavy price. For I have now found my peer; and if + I love him he loves me in return, and if I grieve he grieves too for my + pain and sorrow. Now I must acquaint you with a plan and project upon + which we two have privately agreed." Then she told and explained to her + how she was willing to feign illness, and would complain so bitterly that + at last she would pretend to be dead, and how Cligés would steal her away + at night, and then they would be together all their days. She thinks that + in no other way she could longer bear to live. But if she was sure that + she would consent to lend her aid, the matter would be arranged in + accordance with their wishes. "But I am tired of waiting for my joy and + luck." Then her nurse assured her that she would help her in every way, + telling her to have no further fear. She said that as soon as she set to + work she would bring it about that there would be no man, upon seeing her, + who would not certainly believe that the soul had left the body after she + had drunk of a potion which would leave her cold, colourless, pale, and + stiff, without power of speech and deprived of health; yet she would be + alive and well, and would have no sensations of any kind, and would be + none the worse for a day and a night entire spent in the sepulchre and + bier. <a href="#linknote-239" name="linknoteref-239"><small>239</small></a> + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5467-5554.) When Fenice heard these words, she thus spoke in reply: + "Nurse, I commit myself to you, and, with full confidence in you, will + take no steps in my own behalf. I am in your hands; so think of my + interests, and tell all the people who are here to betake themselves away, + for I am ill, and they bother me." So, like a prudent woman, she said to + them: "My lords, my lady is not well, and desires you all to go away. You + are talking loud and making a noise, and the noise is disagreeable to her. + She can get no rest or repose so long as you are in the room. I never + remember her to have complained of such a sickness as this so violent and + serious does it seem. So go away, and don't feel hurt." As soon as she had + issued this command, they all quickly go away. And Cligés sent for John to + come quickly, and thus in private spoke to him: "John, dost thou know what + I am about to say? Thou art my slave and I thy master, and I can give away + or sell thy body like a thing which is my own. But if I could trust thee + in an affair I meditate, thou wouldst go for ever free, as well as the + heirs which may be born of thee." John, in his desire for freedom, replies + at once: "My lord, there is nothing I would not gladly do to see myself, + my wife, and children free. Tell me what your orders are, for nothing can + be so hard as to cause me any work or pain or be hard for me to execute. + For that matter, even were it against my will, I must needs obey your + commands and give up my own affairs." "True, John; but this is a matter of + which I hardly dare to speak, unless thou wilt assure me upon thy oath + thou wilt faithfully give me aid and never betray me." "Willingly, sire," + John makes reply: "have never a fear on that account! For I will swear and + pledge my word that, so long as I live, I will never say a word which I + think will grieve you or cause you harm." "Ah John, even were I to die for + it, there is no man to whom I would dare mention the matter in which I + desire thy counsel; I would rather have my eye plucked out; I would rather + be put to death by thee than that thou shouldst speak of it to another + man. But I hold thee to be so loyal and prudent that I will reveal to thee + all my thought. I am sure thou wilt observe my wishes, both by aiding me + and holding thy peace." "Truly, sire so, help me God!" Then Cligés speaks + and explains to him openly the adventurous plan. And when he had revealed + the project—as you have heard me set it forth—then John said + that he would promise to construct the sepulchre in accordance with his + best skill, and said that he would take him to see a certain house of his + which no one yet had ever seen—not even his wife or any child of + his. This house, which he had built, he would show him, if he cared to go + with him to the place where in absolute privacy he works and paints and + carves. He would show him the finest and prettiest place that he had ever + seen. Cligés replies: "Let us go thither then." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5555-5662.) Below the city, in a remote spot, John had expended much + labour in the construction of a tower. Thither he conducted Cligés, + leading him through the different storeys, which were decorated with fine + painted pictures. He shows him the rooms and the fire-places, taking him + everywhere up and down. Cligés examines this lonely house where no one + lives or has access. He passes from one room to another, until he thinks + he has seen it all, and he is much pleased with the tower and says he + thinks it is very fine. The lady will be comfortable there as long as she + lives, for no one will know of her dwelling place. "No sire, you are + right; she will never be discovered here. But do you think you have seen + all of my tower and fair retreat? There still remain rooms so concealed + that no man could ever find them out. And if you choose to test the truth + of this by investigating as thoroughly as you can, you can never be so + shrewd and clever in your search as to find another story here, unless I + show you and point it out. You must know that baths are not lacking here, + nor anything else which a lady needs, and which I can think of or recall. + The lady will be here at her ease. Below the level of the ground the tower + widens out, as you will see, and you cannot anywhere find any + entrance-door. The door is made of hard stone with such skill and art that + you cannot find the crack." Cligés says: "These are wonderful things I + hear. Lead on and I will follow you, for I am anxious to see all this." + Then John started on, taking Cligés by the hand, until he came to a smooth + and polished door, all coloured and painted over. When John came to the + wall, he stopped, holding Cligés by the right hand. "Sire," he says, + "there is no one who could see a window or a door in this wall; and do you + think that any one could pass through it without using violence and + breaking it down?" And Cligés replies that he does not think so, and that + he will never think so, unless he sees it first. Then John says that he + shall see it at once, and that he will open a door in the wall for him. + John, who constructed this piece of work, unfastens the door in the wall + and opens it for him, so that he has to use no strength or violence to + force it; then, one stepping before the other, they descend by a + winding-stair to a vaulted apartment where John used to do his work, when + it pleased him to labour at anything. "Sire," he says, "of all the men God + ever made, no one but us two has ever been where we are now. And you shall + see presently how convenient the place is. My advice is that you choose + this as your retreat, and that your sweetheart be lodged here. These + quarters are good enough for such a guest; for there are bedrooms, and + bathrooms with hot water in the tubs, which comes through pipes under the + ground. Whoever is looking for a comfortable place in which to establish + and conceal his lady, would have to go a long way before he would find + anything so charming. When you shall have explored it thoroughly you will + find this place very suitable." Then John showed him everything, fine + chambers and painted vaults, pointing out many examples of his work which + pleased Cligés much. When they had examined the whole tower, Cligés said: + "John, my friend, I set you free and all your descendants, and my life is + absolutely in your hands. I desire that my sweetheart be here all alone, + and that no one shall know of it excepting me and you and her." John makes + answer: "I thank you, sire. Now we have been here long enough, and as we + have nothing more to do, let us return." "That is right," says Cligés, + "let us be gone." Then they go away, and leave the tower. Upon their + return they hear every one in the city saying to his neighbour: "Don't you + know the marvellous news about my lady, the empress? May the Holy Spirit + give her health—the gentle and prudent lady; for she lies sick of a + grievous malady." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5663-5698.) When Cligés heard this talk he went in haste to the + court. But there was no joy or gladness there: for all the people were sad + and prostrated because of the empress, who is only feigning to be ill; for + the illness of which she complains causes her no grief or pain. But she + has told them all that she wishes no one to enter her room so long as her + sickness maintains its grip with its accompanying pains in her heart and + head. She makes an exception, however, in favour of the emperor and his + nephew, not wishing to place a ban upon them; but she will not care if the + emperor, her lord, does not come. For Cligés' sake she is compelled to + pass through great pain and peril. It distresses her that he does not + come, for she has no desire to see any one but him. Cligés, however, will + soon be there, to tell her of what he has seen and found. He came into the + room and spoke to her, but stayed only a moment, for Fenice, in order that + they might think she was annoyed by what pleased her so, cried out aloud: + "Be gone, be gone! You disturb and bother me too much, for I am so + seriously ill that I shall never rise up again." Cligés, though pleased + with this, goes away with a sad face: you would never see so woeful a + countenance. To judge from his appearance he is very sad; but within his + heart is gay in anticipation of its joy. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5699-5718.) The empress, without being really ill, complains and + pretends that she is sick. And the emperor, who has faith in her, ceases + not to grieve, and summons a physician. But she will not allow any one to + see her or touch her. The emperor may well feel chagrined when she says + that she will never have but one doctor, who can easily restore her to + health whenever it pleases him to do so. He can cause her to die or to + live, and to him she trusts her health and life. They think that she + refers to God; but her meaning is very different, for she is thinking of + no one but Cligés. He is her god who can bring her health, or who can + cause her death. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5719-5814.) Thus the empress takes care that no physician shall + examine her; and more completely to deceive the emperor she refuses to eat + or drink, until she grows all pale and blue. Meanwhile her nurse keeps + busy about her, and with great shrewdness sought privily all through the + city, without the knowledge of any one, until she found a woman who was + hopelessly ill with a mortal disease. In order to perfect her ruse she + used to go to see her often and promised to cure her of her illness; so + each day she used to take a urinal in which to examine the urine, until + she saw one day that no medicine could ever be of any help, and that she + would die that very day. This urine Thessala carried off and kept until + the emperor arose, when she went to him and said: "If now it be your will, + my lord, send for all your physicians; for my mistress has passed some + water; she is very ill with this disease, and she desires the doctors to + see it, but she does not wish them to come where she is." The doctors came + into the hall and found upon examination that the urine was very bad and + colourless, and each one said what he thought about it. Finally, they all + agreed that she would never recover, and that she would scarcely live till + three o'clock, when, at the latest, God would take her soul to Himself. + This conclusion they reached privately, when the emperor asked and + conjured them to tell him the truth. They reply that they have no + confidence in her recovery, and that she cannot live past three o'clock + but will yield up her soul before that time. When the emperor heard this, + he almost fell unconscious to the floor, as well as many others who heard + the news. Never did any people make such moan as there was then throughout + the palace. However, I will speak no further of their grief; but you shall + hear of Thessala's activities—how she mixes and brews the potion. + She mixed and stirred it up, for she had provided herself a long time in + advance with everything which she would need for the potion. A little + before three o'clock she gives her the potion to drink. At once her sight + became dimmed, her face grew as pale and white as if she had lost her + blood: she could not have moved a foot or hand, if they had flayed her + alive, and she does not stir or say a word, although she perceives and + hears the emperor's grief and the cries which fill the hall. The weeping + crowds lament through all the city, saying: "God! what woe and misfortune + has been brought upon us by wicked death! O covetous and voracious death! + Death is worse than a she-wolf which always remains insatiable. Such a + cruel bite thou hast never inflicted upon the world! Death, what hast thou + done? May God confound thee for having put out the light of perfect + beauty! Thou hast done to death the fairest and most lovely creature, had + she but lived, whom God has ever sought to form. God's patience surely is + too great when He suffers thee to have the power to break in pieces what + belongs to Him. Now God ought to be wroth with thee, and cast thee out of + thy bailiwick; for thy impudence has been too great, as well as thy pride + and disrespect." Thus the people storm about and wring their arms and beat + their hands; while the priests read their psalms, making prayers for the + good lady, that God may have mercy on her soul. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5815-5904.) <a href="#linknote-240" name="linknoteref-240"><small>240</small></a> In the midst of the tears and + cries, as the story runs, there arrived aged physicians from Salerno, + where they had long sojourned. At the sight of the great mourning they + stopped to ask and inquire the cause of the cries and tears—why all + the people are in such sorrow and distress. And this is the answer they + receive: "God! gentlemen, don't you know? The whole world would be beside + itself as we are, if it but knew of the great sorrow and grief and woe and + loss which has come to us this day. God! where have you come from, then, + that you do not know what has happened just now in this city? We will tell + you the truth, for we wish you to join with us in the grief we feel. Do + you not know about grim Death, who desires and covets all things, and + everywhere lies in wait for what is best, do you not know what mad act she + has committed to-day, as it is her wont to do? God has illuminated the + world with one great radiance, with one bright light. But Death cannot + restrain herself from acting as her custom is. Every day, to the extent of + her power, she blots out the best creature she can find. So she wishes to + try her power, and in one body she has carried off more excellence than + she has left behind. She would have done better to take the whole world, + and leave alive and sound this prey which now she has carried off. Beauty, + courtesy, and knowledge, and all that a lady can possess of goodness has + been taken and filched from us by Death, who has destroyed all goodness in + the person of our lady, the empress. Thus Death has deprived us all of + life." "Ah, God!" the doctors say, "we know that Thou art wroth with this + city because we did not reach here sooner. If we had arrived here + yesterday, Death might have boasted of her strength if she could wrest her + prey from us." "Gentlemen, madame would not have allowed you at any price + to see her or to exercise your skill. Of good physicians there was no + lack, but madame would not permit any one of them to see her or to + investigate her malady." "No?" "Truly, sirs, that she would not." Then + they recalled the case of Solomon, who was so hated by his wife that she + deceived him by feigning death. <a href="#linknote-241" + name="linknoteref-241"><small>241</small></a> They + think this woman has done the same. But if they could in any way bring + about her cure, no one could make them lie or keep them from exposing the + truth, if they discovered any trickery. So to the court they take their + way, where there was such a noise and cry that you could not have heard + God's thunder crash. The chief of these three doctors, who knew the most, + drew near the bier. No one says to him "Keep hands off," and no one tries + to hold him back. He places his hand on her breast and side, and surely + feels that life is still in the body: he perceives and knows that well + enough. He sees the emperor standing by, mad and tormented by his grief. + Seeing him, he calls aloud: "Emperor, console thyself! I am sure and + plainly see that this lady is not dead. Leave off thy grief, and be + comforted! If I do not restore her alive to thee, thou mayst kill me or + string me up." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5995-5988.) At once throughout the palace the noise is quieted and + hushed. And the emperor bade the doctor tell him fully his orders and + wishes, whatever they might be. If he can restore life in the empress he + will be sire and lord over the emperor himself; but if he has in any + respect lied to him he will be hanged like a common thief. And the doctor + said: "I consent to that, and may you never have mercy upon me if I do not + cause her to speak to you here! Without tarrying and without delay have + the palace cleared at once, and let not a single soul remain. I must + examine in private the illness which afflicts the lady. These two doctors, + who are my friends, will remain with me alone in the room, and let every + one else go out." This order would have been opposed by Cligés, John, and + Thessala; but all the others who were there might have turned against them + if they had tried to oppose his order. So they hold their peace and + approve what they hear approved by the others, and leave the palace. After + the three doctors had forcibly tipped apart the lady's winding-sheer, + without using any knife or scissors, they said to her: "Lady, don't be + frightened, have no fear, but speak to us with confidence! We know well + enough that you are perfectly sound and in good state. Be sensible and + obliging now, and do not despair of anything, for if you have any need of + us we will all three assure you of our aid, whether for good or ill. We + shall be very loyal to you, both in keeping our counsel and in helping + you. Do not keep us talking here! Since we put at your disposal our skill + and service, you should surely not refuse." Thus they think to hoodwink + and deceive her, but they have no success; for she has no need or care for + the service which they promise her; so they are wasting their time in a + vain effort. When the three physicians see that they will make nothing out + of her either by prayer or flattery, then they take her from her bier, and + begin to beat and belabour her. But their efforts are foolish, for not a + word can they extract from her. Then they threaten and try to terrify her + by saying that if she does not speak she will soon have reason to repent + of her folly, for they are going to do such a wonderful thing to her that + such a thing was never done to the body of any wretched woman. "We know + that you are alive, and will not deign to speak to us. We know that you + are feigning death, and would thus deceive the emperor. Have no fear of + us! If any of us has angered you, before we do you further harm, cease + your mad behaviour now, for you are acting wickedly; and we will lend you + our aid in any enterprise—wise or mad." But it cannot be; they have + no success. Then they renew their attack, striking her with thongs upon + the back, so that the welts are plainly seen, and they combine to tear her + tender flesh until they cause the blood to flow. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5989-6050.) When they had beaten her with the thongs until they had + slashed her flesh, and when the blood is dropping down, as it trickles + from among the wounds, even then their efforts are of no avail to extract + from her a sigh or word, nor to make her stir or move. Then they say that + they must procure fire and lead, which they will melt and lay upon her + hands, rather than fail in their efforts to make her speak. After securing + a light and some lead they kindle a fire and melt the lead. Thus the + miserable villains torment and afflict the lady, by taking the lead all + boiling hot from the fire and pouring it into the palms of her hands. Not + satisfied with pouring the lead clean through her palms, the cowardly + rascals say that, if she does not speak at once they will straightway + stretch her on the grate until she is completely grilled. Yet, she holds + her peace, and does not refuse to have her body beaten and maltreated by + them. Now they were on the point of placing her upon the fire to be + roasted and grilled when more than a thousand ladies, who were stationed + before the palace, come to the door and through a little crack catch sight + of the torture and anguish which they were inflicting upon the lady, as + with coal and flame they accomplished her martyrdom. They bring clubs and + hammers to smash and break down the door. Great was the noise and uproar + as they battered and broke in the door. If now they can lay hands on the + doctors, the latter will not have long to wait before they receive their + full deserts. With a single rush the ladies enter the palace, and in the + press is Thessala, who has no other aim than to reach her mistress. Beside + the fire she finds her stripped, severely wounded and injured. She puts + her back in the bier again, and over her she spreads a cloth, while the + ladies go to give their reward to the three doctors, without wishing to + wait for the emperor or his seneschal. Out of the windows they threw them + down into the court-yard, breaking the necks, ribs, arms, and legs of all: + no better piece of work was ever done by any ladies. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6051-6162.) Now the three doctors have received their gruesome reward + at the hands of the ladies. But Cligés is terror-stricken and filled with + grief upon hearing of the pain and martyrdom which his sweetheart has + endured for him. He is almost beside himself, fearing greatly, and with + good reason, that she may be dead or badly injured by the torture + inflicted upon her by the three physicians who now are dead. So he is in + despair and despondency when Thessala comes, bringing with her a very + precious ointment with which she has already gently rubbed the body and + wounds of her mistress. When they laid her back in her bier the ladies + wrapped her again in a cloth of Syrian stuff, leaving her face uncovered. + All that night there is no abatement of the cries they raise unceasingly. + Throughout the city, high and low, poor and rich, are beside themselves + with grief, and it seems as if each one boasts that he will outdo all + others in his woe, and would fain never be comforted. All that night the + grief continues. The next morning John came to the court; and the emperor + sends for him and issues to him this command: "John, if ever thou + wroughtest a fine piece of work, now put forth and show all thy skill in + constructing such a sepulchre as for beauty and workmanship shall have no + match." And John, who had already performed the task, says that he has + already completed one which is very fine and cleverly wrought; but when he + began the work he had no thought that other than a holy body should be + laid in it. "Now let the empress be laid in it and buried in some sacred + place, for she, I think, is sanctified." "You have spoken well," says the + emperor; "she shall be buried yonder in my lord Saint Peter's Church, + where bodies are wont to be interred. For before her death she made this + request of me, that I should have her buried there. Now go about your + task, and place your sepulchre in the best position in the cemetery, where + it ought rightfully to be." John replies: "Very well, my lord." John at + once takes his leave, and prepares the sepulchre with great skill; a + feather-bed he placed inside, because the stone was hard and cold; and in + order that the odour may be sweet, he spreads flowers and leaves about. + Another reason for doing this was that no one might perceive the mattress + he had laid within the grave. Already Mass had been said for the dead in + the churches and parishes, and the bells were tolling continuously as is + proper for the dead. Orders are given to bring the body to be laid in the + sepulchre, which John with all his skill has constructed so richly and + handsomely. In all Constantinople none remains, whether small or great, + who does not follow the body in tears, cursing and reproaching Death. + Knights and youths alike grow faint, while the ladies and damsels beat + their breasts as they thus find fault with Death: "O Death," cries each, + "why didst thou not take ransom for my lady? Surely, thy gain was slight + enough, whereas the loss to us is great." And in this grief Cligés surely + bears his part, as he suffers and laments more than all the others do, and + it is strange he does not kill himself. But still he decides to put this + off until the hour and the time shall come for him to disinter her and get + possession of her and see whether she be alive or not. Over the gave stand + the men who let down the body into its place; but, with John there, they + do not meddle with the adjustment of the sarcophagus, and since they were + so prostrated that they could not see, John had plenty of time to perform + his special task. When the coffin was in its place, and nothing else was + in the grave, he sealed up tightly all the joints. When this was done, any + one would have been skilful who, except by force or violence, could take + away or loosen anything which John had put inside. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6163-6316.) Fenice lies in the sepulchre until the darkness of night + came on. But thirty knights mount guard over her, and there are ten tapers + burning there, which light up the place all about. The knights were weary + and exhausted by the strain they had undergone; so they ate and drank that + night until they all fell sound asleep. When night came on, Cligés steals + away from the court and from all his followers, so that there was not a + single knight or servant who knew what had become of him. He did not stop + until he found John, who advises him as best he can. He furnishes him with + arms, but he will never have any need of them. Once armed, they both spur + to the cemetery. The cemetery was enclosed all about with a high wall, so + that the knights, who had gone asleep after making the gate fast within, + could rest assured that no one would enter there. Cligés does not see how + he can get in, for there is no passing through the gate. And yet, somehow + he must pass through, for love bids him and drives him on. He tries the + wall and climbs up, being strong and agile. Inside was a garden planted + with trees, one of which stood so near the wall that it touched it. Now + Cligés had what he needed, and after letting himself down by the tree, the + first thing he did was to go to open the gate for John. Seeing the knights + asleep, they extinguished all the lights, so that the place remained in + darkness. And John now uncovers the grave and opens the coffin, taking + care to do it no harm. Cligés steps into the grave and lifts out his + Sweetheart, all weak and prostrate, whom he fondles, kisses, and embraces. + He does not know whether to rejoice or regret that she does not stir or + move. And John, as quickly as he could, closed up the sepulchre again, so + that it was not apparent that any one had tampered with it. Then they + betook themselves as fast as they could to the tower. When they had set + her in the tower, in the rooms which were beneath the level of the ground, + they took off her grave clothes; and Cligés, who knew nothing of the + potion which she had taken, which made her dumb and kept her motionless, + thinks that she is dead, and is in despair with anxiety as he heavily + sighs and weeps. But soon the time will come for the potion to lose its + force. And Fenice, who hears his grief, struggles and strives for strength + to comfort him by word or glance. Her heart almost bursts because of the + sorrow which he shows. "Ah Death!" he says, "how mean thou art, to spare + and reprieve all things despicable and vile—to let them live on and + endure. Death! art thou beside thyself or drunk, who hast killed my lady + without me? This is a marvellous thing I see: my lady is dead, and I still + live on! Ah, precious one, why does your lover live to see you dead? One + now could rightly say that you have died in my service, and that it is I + who have killed and murdered you. Sweetheart, then I am the death that has + smitten you. Is not that wrong? For it is my own life I have lost in you, + and have preserved your life in me. For did not your health and life + belong to me, sweet one? And did not mine belong to you? For I loved + nothing excepting you, and our double existence was as one. So now I have + done what was right in keeping your soul in my body while mine has escaped + from your body, and one ought to go to seek the company of the other, + wherever it may be, and nothing ought to separate them." At this she + heaves a gentle sigh and whispers faintly: "Lover mine, I am not + altogether dead, but very near it. I value my life but little now. I + thought it a jest and a mere pretence; but now I am indeed to be pitied, + for death has not treated this as a jest. It will be a marvel if I escape + alive. For the doctors have seriously wounded me, and broken my flesh and + disfigured me. And yet, if it was possible for my nurse to come here, and + if efforts were of any avail, she would restore me to health again." "Do + not worry, dear, about that," says Cligés, "for this very night I will + bring her here." "Dear, let John go for her now." So John departed and + looked for her until he found her, and told her how he wished her to come + along and to let no other cause detain her; for Fenice and Cligés have + sent for her to come to a tower where they are awaiting her; and that + Fenice is in a grievous state, so that she must come provided with + ointments and remedies, and to bear in mind that she will not live long, + if she does not quickly come to bear her aid. Thessala runs at once and, + taking ointments, plaster, and remedies which she has prepared, she meets + John again. Secretly they go out from the city, until they come straight + to the tower. When Fenice sees her nurse, she feels already cured, because + of the loving faith and trust she places in her. And Cligés greets her + affectionately, and says: "Welcome, nurse, whom I love and prize. Nurse, + for God's sake, what do you think of this young lady's malady? What is + your opinion? Will she recover?" "Yes, my lord, have no fear but that I + shall restore her completely. A fortnight will not pass before I make her + so well that she was never before so lively and strong." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6317-6346.) While Thessala is busy with her remedies, John goes to + provide the tower with everything that is necessary. Cligés goes to the + tower and comes away bravely and openly, for he has lodged a moulting + falcon there, and he says that he goes to visit it; thus no one can guess + that he goes there for any other reason than for the falcon. He makes long + stays there night and day. He orders John to guard the tower, so that no + one shall enter against his will. Fenice now has no further cause to + complain, for Thessala has completely cured her. If Cligés were Duke of + Almeria, Morocco, or Tudela, he would not consider it all worth a + holly-berry compared with the joy which he now feels. Certainly Love did + not debase itself when it joined these two, for it seems to them, when + they embrace and kiss each other, that all the world must be better for + their joy and happiness. Now ask me no more of this, for one can have no + wish in which the other does not acquiesce. Thus they have but one desire, + as if they two themselves were one. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6347-6392.) Fenice was in the tower, I believe, all that year and + full two months of the next, until summer came again. When the trees bring + forth their flowers and leaves, and the little birds rejoice, singing + gaily their litanies, it came about that Fenice one morning heard the song + of the nightingale. Cligés was holding her tightly clasped with his arms + about her waist and neck, and she held him in a like embrace, as she said: + "Dear fair lover mine. A garden would do me good, in which I could disport + myself. For more than fifteen months I have not seen the light of moon or + sun. If possible, I would fain go out yonder into the daylight, for here + in this tower I am confined. If there was a garden near, where I could go + and amuse myself, it would often do me good." Then Cligés promises her to + consult with John about it as soon as he can see him. At that very moment + John came in, as he was often wont to do, and Cligés spoke to him of what + Fenice desired. John replies: "All that she asks for is already provided + and supplied. This tower is well equipped with what she wishes and + requires." Then Fenice was very glad, and asked John to take her there, + which he said he would very gladly do. Then John goes and opens a door, + constructed in a fashion which I cannot properly describe. No one but John + could have made it, and no one could have asserted that there was any door + or window there—so perfectly was it concealed. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6393-6424.) When Fenice saw the door open, and the sun come streaming + in, as she had not seen it for many a day, her heart beat high with joy; + she said that now there was nothing lacking, since she could leave her + dungeon-tower, and that she wished for no other lodging-place. She passed + out through the door into the garden, with its pleasures and delights. In + the middle of the garden stood a grafted tree loaded with blooming flowers + and leaves, and with a wide-spreading top. The branches of it were so + trained that they all hung downwards until they almost touched the ground; + the main trunk, however, from which they sprang, rose straight into the + air. Fenice desires no other place. Beneath the tree the turf is very + pleasant and fine, and at noon, when it is hot, the sun will never be high + enough for its rays to penetrate there. John had shown his skill in + arranging and training the branches thus. There Fenice goes to enjoy + herself, where they set up a bed for her by day. There they taste of joy + and delight. And the garden is enclosed about with a high wall connected + with the tower, so that nothing can enter there without first passing + through the tower. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6425-6586.) Fenice now is very happy: there is nothing to cause her + displeasure, and nothing is lacking which she desires, when her lover is + at liberty to embrace her beneath the blossoms and the leaves. <a + href="#linknote-242" name="linknoteref-242"><small>242</small></a> + At the season when people take the sparrow-hawk and setter and hunt the + lark and brown-thrush or stalk the quail and partridge, it chanced that a + knight of Thrace, who was young and alert and inclined to knightly sport, + came one day close by the tower in his search for game. The hawk of + Bertrand (for such was his name) having missed a lark, had flown away, and + Bertrand thought how great his loss would be if he should lose his + hunting-bird. When he saw it come down and light in a garden beneath the + tower he was glad, for he thought he could not lose it now. At once he + goes and clambers up the wall until he succeeds in getting over it, when + beneath the tree he sees Fenice and Cligés lying asleep and naked in close + embrace. "God!" said he, "what has happened to me now? What marvel is this + I see? Is that not Cligés? It surely is. Is not that the empress with him + there? Nay, but it looks like her. Never did one thing so resemble + another. Her nose, her mouth, and brow are like those of my lady the + empress. Never did Nature make two creatures of such similitude. There is + no feature in this woman here which I have not seen in my lady. If she + were alive, I should say that it was certainly she herself." Just then a + pear falls down and strikes close by Fenice's ear. She jumps and awakes + and, seeing Bertrand, cries out aloud: "My dear, my dear, we are lost. + Yonder is Bertrand. If he escapes you, we are caught in a bad trap, for he + will tell that he has seen us." Then Bertrand realised that it was the + empress beyond any doubt. He sees the necessity of leaving at once, for + Cligés had brought with him his sword into the garden, and had laid it + down beside the bed. He jumped up now and grasped his sword, while + Bertrand hastily took his leave. As fast as he could he scaled the wall, + and was almost safely over when Cligés coming after him raised his sword + and struck him with such violence that he severed his leg below the knee, + as if it had been a fennel stalk. In spite of this, Bertrand got away, + though badly wounded and maimed. Beside themselves with grief and wrath at + the sight of his sorry state, his men on the other side picked him up, and + insistently inquired who it was who had used him thus. "Don't speak to me + now," he says, "but help me to mount my horse. No mention shall be made of + this excepting to the emperor. He who thus has treated me must be, and + doubtless is, in great terror; for he is in great danger of his life." + Then they set him upon his palfrey and lead him through the city, sorely + grieved in their fright the while. After them more than twenty thousand + others come, following them to the court. And all the people run together, + each striving to be there first. Bertrand made his complaint aloud, in the + hearing of all, to the emperor: but they took him for an idle chatterer + when he said that he had seen the empress all exposed. The city is in a + ferment of excitement: some regard the news they hear as simple nonsense, + others advise and urge the emperor to visit the tower himself. Great is + the noise and confusion of the people who prepare to accompany him. But + they find nothing in the tower, for Fenice and Cligés make their escape, + taking with them Thessala, who comforts them and declares to them that, if + perchance they see people coming after them to arrest them, they need have + no fear; that they would never approach to do them harm within the range + of a strong cross-bow. And the emperor within the tower has John sought + for and brought. He orders him to be bound and tied saying that he will + have him hanged or burnt, and will have his ashes scattered wide. He shall + receive his due reward for the shame he has caused the emperor; but this + reward will not be agreeable, because John has hidden in the tower his + nephew with his wife. "Upon my word, you tell the truth," says John; "I + will not lie, but will go still further and declare the truth, and if I + have done any wrong it is right that I should be seized. But I offer this + as my excuse: that a servant ought to refuse nothing when his lawful lord + commands. Now, every one knows forsooth that I am his, and this tower is + too." "It is not, John. Rather is it thine." "Mine, sire? Yes, after him: + but neither do I belong to myself, nor have I anything which is mine, + except what he pleased to bestow on me. And if you should think to say + that my lord is guilty of having done you wrong, I am ready to take up his + defence without any command from him. But I feel emboldened to proclaim + openly what is on my mind, just as I have thought it out, for I know full + well that I must die. So I will speak regardless of results. For if I die + for my lord's sake, I shall not die an ignoble death, for the facts are + generally known about that oath and pledge which you gave to your brother, + that after you Cligés should be emperor, who now is banished as a + wanderer. But if God will, he shall yet be emperor! Hence you are open to + reproach, for you ought not to have taken a wife; yet you married her and + did Cligés a wrong, and he has done you no wrong at all. And if I am + punished with death by you, and if I die wrongfully for his sake, and if + he is still alive, he will avenge my death on you. Now go and do the best + you can, for if I die you shall also die." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6587-6630.) The emperor trembles with wrath upon hearing the mocking + words addressed to him by John. "John," he says, "thou shalt have so much + respite, until we find thy lord, who has done such wrong to me, though I + loved him dearly and had no thought of defrauding him. Meanwhile, thou + shalt stay in prison. If thou knowest what has become of him, tell me at + once, I order thee." "I tell you? How can I commit such treachery? Were + the life to be drawn from my body I would not reveal my lord to you, even + if I knew his whereabouts. As a matter of fact, I do not know any more + than you where they have gone, so help me God! But there is no need for + your jealousy. I do not so much fear your wrath that I should not say, so + that all can hear, how you have been deceived, even my words are not + believed. You were deceived and tricked by potion you drank on your + wedding night. Unless it happened in dream, when you were asleep, you have + never had your pleasure with her; but the night made you dream, and the + dream gave you as much satisfaction as if it had happened in your waking + hours that she had held you in her arms: that was the sum of your + satisfaction. Her heart was so devoted to Cligés that she feigned death + for his sake; and he had such confidence in me that he explained it all to + me and established her in my house, which rightfully belongs to him. You + ought not to find fault with me. I ought, indeed, to be burnt or hanged, + were I to betray my lord or refuse to do his will." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6631-6784.) When the emperor's attention is recalled to the potion + which he had been pleased to drink, and with which Thessala had deceived + him, then he realised for the first time that he had never had pleasure + with his wife, unless it had happened in a dream: thus it was but an + illusory joy. And he says that if he does not take vengeance for the shame + and disgrace inflicted upon him by the traitor who has seduced his wife, + he will never again be happy. "Now quick!" he says, "as far as Pavia, and + from here to Germany, let no castle, town, or city remain in which search + is not made. I will hold that man above all others dear who will bring to + me captive the two of them. Now up and down, near and far, go diligently + and search!" Then they started out with zeal and spent all that day in the + search. But in the number Cligés had some friends, who, if they found + them, would have led them to some hiding-place rather than hale them back + again. All that fortnight they exhausted themselves in a fruitless search. + For Thessala, who is acting as their guide, conducts them by her arts and + charms in such security that they feel no dread or fear of all the + strength of the emperor. They seek repose in no town or city; yet they + have all they wish or desire, even more so than is usually the case. For + all they need is procured for them by Thessala, who searches and scours + and purveys for them. Nor is there any who hunts them now, for all have + returned to their homes again. Meanwhile Cligés is not idle, but starts to + find his uncle, King Arthur. He continued his search until he found him, + and to him he made his claim and protest about his uncle, the emperor, + who, in order to disinherit him, had disloyally taken a wife, which it was + not right for him to do; for he had sworn to his father that he would + never marry in his life. And the King says that with a fleet he will + proceed to Constantinople, and that he will fill a thousand ships with + knights, and three thousand more with men-at-arms, until no city or burg, + town or castle, however strong or however high, will be able to withstand + their assault. Then Cligés did not forget to thank the King for the aid he + offered him. The King sends out to seek and summon all the high barons of + the land, and causes to be requisitioned and equipped ships, war vessels, + boats, and barks. He has a hundred ships loaded and filled with shields, + lances, bucklers, and armour fit for knights. The King makes such great + preparations for the war that never did Caesar or Alexander make the like. + He orders to assemble at his summons all England, and all Flanders, + Normandy, France, and Brittany, and all the men as far as the Pyrenees. <a + href="#linknote-243" name="linknoteref-243"><small>243</small></a> + Already they were about to set sail, when messengers arrived from Greece + who delayed the embarkation and kept the King and his people back. Among + the messengers who came was John, that trusty man, for he would never be a + witness or messenger of any news which was not true, and which he did not + know for a certainty. The messengers were high born men of Greece, who + came in search for Cligés. They made inquiry and asked for him, until they + found him at the King's court, when they said to him: "God save you, sire! + Greece is made over to you, and Constantinople is given to you by all + those of your empire, because of the right you have to them. Your uncle + (but you know it not) is dead of the grief he felt because he could not + discover you. His grief was such that he lost his mind; he would neither + drink nor eat, but died like a man beside himself. Fair sire, now come + back again! For all your lords have sent for you. Greatly they desire and + long for you, wishing to make you their emperor." Some there were that + rejoiced at this; and others there were who would have gladly seen their + guests elsewhere, and the fleet make sail for Greece. But the expedition + is given up, and the King dismisses his men, and the hosts depart to their + homes again. And Cligés hurriedly makes haste in his desire to return to + Greece. He has no wish to tarry. His preparations made, he took his leave + of the King, and then of all his friends, and taking Fenice with him, he + goes away. They travel until they arrive in Greece, where they receive him + with the jubilation which they ought to show to their rightful lord, and + they give him his sweetheart to be his wife. Both of them are crowned at + once. His mistress he has made his wife, but he still calls her his + mistress and sweetheart, and she can complain of no loss of affection, for + he loves her still as his mistress, and she loves him, too, as a lady + ought to love her lover. And each day saw their love grow stronger: he + never doubted her, nor did she blame him for anything. She was never kept + confined, as so many women have been who have lived since her time. For + never since has there been an emperor who did not stand in fear of his + wife, lest he should be deceived by her, upon his hearing the story of how + Fenice deceived Alis, first with the potion which he drank, and then later + by that other ruse. Therefore, every empress, however rich and noble she + may be, is guarded in Constantinople as in a prison, for the emperor has + no confidence in her when he remembers the story of Fenice. He keeps her + constantly guarded in her room, nor is there ever allowed any man in her + presence, unless he be a eunuch from his youth; in the case of such there + is no fear or doubt that Love will ensnare them in his bonds. Here ends + the work of Chrétien. <a href="#linknote-244" name="linknoteref-244"><small>244</small></a> + </p> + <p> + ——Endnotes: Cligés + </p> + <p> + Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other + endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-21"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 21 (<a href="#linknoteref-21">return</a>)<br /> [ There is no English + version corresponding to the old French "Cligés". The English metrical + romance "Sir Cleges" has nothing to do with the French romance.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-22"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 22 (<a href="#linknoteref-22">return</a>)<br /> [ Ovid in "Metamorphosis", + vi. 404, relates how Tantalus at a feast to the gods offered them the + shoulder of his own son. It is not certain, however, that Chrétien is + referring here to this slight episode of the "Metamorphosis".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-23"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 23 (<a href="#linknoteref-23">return</a>)<br /> [ This allusion is + generally taken as evidence that the poet had written previously of the + love of Tristan and Iseut. Gaston Paris, however, in one of his last + utterances ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 297), says: "Je n'hesite pas a + dire que l'existence d'un poeme sur Tristan par Chrétien de Troies, a + laquelle j'ai cru comme presque tout le monde, me parait aujourd'hui fort + peu probable; j'en vais donner les raisons."] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-24"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 24 (<a href="#linknoteref-24">return</a>)<br /> [ The story of Philomela or + Philomena, familiar in Chaucer's "Legende of Good Women", is told by Ovid + in "Metamorphosis", vi. 426-674. Cretiens li Gois is cited by the author + of the "Ovide moralise" as the author of the episode of Philomena + incorporated in his long didactic poem. This episode has been ascribed to + Chrétien de Troyes by many recent critics, and has been separately edited + by C. de Boer, who offers in his Introduction a lengthy discussion of its + authorship. See C. de Boer, "Philomena, conte raconte d'apres Ovide par + Chrétien de Troyes" (Paris, 1909).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-25"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 25 (<a href="#linknoteref-25">return</a>)<br /> [ The present cathedral of + Beauvais is dedicated to St. Peter, and its construction was begun in + 1227. The earlier structure here referred to, destroyed in 1118, probably + was also dedicated to the same saint. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-26"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 26 (<a href="#linknoteref-26">return</a>)<br /> [ The real kernal of the + Cligés story, stripped of its lengthy introduction concerning Alexandre + and Soredamors, is told in a few lines in "Marques de Rome", p. 135 (ed. + J. Alton in "Lit. Verein in Stuttgart", No. 187, Tubingen, 1889), as one + of the tales or "exempla" recounted by the Empress of Rome to the Emperor + and the Seven Sages. No names are given except that of Cligés himself; the + version owes nothing to Chrétien's poem, and seems to rest upon a story + which the author may have heard orally. See Foerster's "Einleitung to + Cligés" (1910), p. 32 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-27"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 27 (<a href="#linknoteref-27">return</a>)<br /> [ This criticism of ignoble + leisure on the part of a warrior is found also in "Erec et Enide" and + "Yvain".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-28"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 28 (<a href="#linknoteref-28">return</a>)<br /> [ This allegorical tribute + to "largesse" is quite in the spirit of the age. When professional poets + lived upon the bounty of their patrons, it is not strange that their + poetry should dwell upon the importance of generosity in their heroes. For + an exhaustive collection of "chastisements" or "enseignements", such as + that here given to Alexandre by his father, see Eugen Altner, "Ueber die + chastiements in den altfranzosischen chansons de geste" (Leipzig, 1885).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-29"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 29 (<a href="#linknoteref-29">return</a>)<br /> [ As Miss Weston has + remarked ("The Three Days' Tournament", p. 45), the peculiar georgraphy of + this poem "is distinctly Anglo-Norman rather than Arthurian".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-210"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 210 (<a href="#linknoteref-210">return</a>)<br /> [ For this intimate + relation between heroes, so common in the old French heroic and romantic + poems, see Jacques Flach, "Le compagnonnage dans les chansons de geste" in + "Etudes romances dediees a Gaston Paris" (Paris, 1891). Reviewed in + "Romania", xxii. 145.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-211"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 211 (<a href="#linknoteref-211">return</a>)<br /> [ Here begins one of + those long dialogues, where one person is represented as taking both sides + of an argument. This rhetorical device, so wearisome to modern readers, is + used by Chrétien preferably when some sentiment or deep emotion is to be + portrayed. Ovid may well have suggested the device, but Ovid never abuses + it as does the more prolix mediaeval poet. For the part playing by the + eyes in mediaeval love sophistry, see J.F. Hanford, "The Debate of Heart + and Eye" in "Modern Language Notes", xxvi. 161-165; and H.R. Lang, "The + Eyes as Generators of Love." id. xxiii. 126-127.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-212"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 212 (<a href="#linknoteref-212">return</a>)<br /> [ For play upon words and + for fanciful derivation of proper names in mediaeval romance literature, + see the interesting article of Adolf Tobler in "Vermischte Beitrage", ii. + 211-266. Gaston Paris ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 354) points out + that Thomas used the same scene and the play upon the same words "mer", + "amer", and "amers" in his "Tristan" and was later imitated by Gottfried + von Strassburg.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-213"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 213 (<a href="#linknoteref-213">return</a>)<br /> [ According to the 12th + century troubadours, the shafts of Love entered the victim's body through + the eyes, and thence pierced the heart.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-214"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 214 (<a href="#linknoteref-214">return</a>)<br /> [ For fanciful derivation + of proper names, cf. A. Tobler, "Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211-266.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-215"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 215 (<a href="#linknoteref-215">return</a>)<br /> [ Ganelon, the traitor in + the "Chanson de Roland", to whose charge is laid the defeat of + Charlemagne's rear-guard at Ronceval, became the arch-traitor of mediaeval + literature. It will be recalled that Dante places him in the lowest pit of + Hell ("Inferno", xxxii. 122). (NOTE: There is a slight time discrepance + here. Roland, Ganelon, and the Battle of Ronceval were said to have + happened in 8th Century A.D., fully 300 years after Arthur and the Round + Table.—DBK).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-216"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 216 (<a href="#linknoteref-216">return</a>)<br /> [ For the ceremonies + attendant upon the conferring of knighthood, see Karl Treis, "Die + Formalitaten des Ritterschlags in der altfranzosischen Epik" (Berlin, + 1887).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-217"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 217 (<a href="#linknoteref-217">return</a>)<br /> [ The "quintainne" was "a + manikin mounted on a pivot and armed with a club in such a way that, when + a man struck it unskilfully with his lance, it turned and landed a blow + upon his back" (Larousse).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-218"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 218 (<a href="#linknoteref-218">return</a>)<br /> [ This conventional + attitude of one engaged in thought or a prey to sadness has been referred + to by G.L. Hamilton in "Ztsch fur romanische Philologie", xxxiv. 571-572.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-219"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 219 (<a href="#linknoteref-219">return</a>)<br /> [ Many traitors in old + French literature suffered the same punishments as Ganelon, and were drawn + asunder by horses ("Roland", 3960-74).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-220"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 220 (<a href="#linknoteref-220">return</a>)<br /> [ The same rare words + "galerne" and "posterne" occur in rhyme in the "Roman de Thebes", + 1471-72.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-221"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 221 (<a href="#linknoteref-221">return</a>)<br /> [ This qualified praise + is often used in speaking of traitors and of Saracens.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-222"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 222 (<a href="#linknoteref-222">return</a>)<br /> [ The failure to identify + the warriors is due to the fact that the knights are totally encased in + armour.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-223"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 223 (<a href="#linknoteref-223">return</a>)<br /> [ A reference to the + "Roman de Thebes", 1160 circ.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-224"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 224 (<a href="#linknoteref-224">return</a>)<br /> [ The disregard of Alis + for his nephew Cligés is similar to that of King Mark for Tristan in + another legend. In the latter, however, Tristan joins with the other + courtiers in advising his uncle to marry, though he himself had been + chosen heir to the throne by Mark. cf. J. Bedier, "Le Roman de Tristan", 2 + vols. (Paris, 1902), i. 63 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-225"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 225 (<a href="#linknoteref-225">return</a>)<br /> [ See Endnote #14 above.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-226"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 226 (<a href="#linknoteref-226">return</a>)<br /> [ Cf. Shakespeare, + "Othello", ii. I, where Cassio, speaking of Othello's marriage with + Desdemona, says: "he hath achieved a maid That paragons description and + wild fame; One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens, And in the + essential vesture of creation Does tire the enginer."] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-227"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 227 (<a href="#linknoteref-227">return</a>)<br /> [ Ovid ("Metamorphosis", + iii. 339-510) is Chrétien's authority.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-228"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 228 (<a href="#linknoteref-228">return</a>)<br /> [ Cf. L. Sudre, "Les + allusions a la legende de Tristan dans la litterature du moyen age", + "Romania", xv. 435 f. Tristan was famed as a hunter, fencer, wrestler, and + harpist.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-229"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 229 (<a href="#linknoteref-229">return</a>)<br /> [ "The word 'Thessala' + was a common one in Latin, as meaning 'enchantress', 'sorceress', 'witch', + as Pliny himself tells us, adding that the art of enchantment was not, + however, indigenous to Thessaly, but came originally from Persia." + ("Natural History", xxx. 2).—D.B. Easter, "Magic Elements in the + romans d'aventure and the romans bretons, p. 7. (Baltimore, 1906). A + Jeanroy in "Romania", xxxiii. 420 note, says: "Quant au nom de Thessala, + il doit venir de Lucain, tres lu dans les ecoles au XIIe siecle." See also + G. Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 441 note. Thessala is + mentioned in the "Roman de la Violetta", v. 514, in company with Brangien + of the Tristan legend.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-230"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 230 (<a href="#linknoteref-230">return</a>)<br /> [ Medea, the wife of + Jason, is the great sorceress of classic legend.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-231"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 231 (<a href="#linknoteref-231">return</a>)<br /> [ This personage was + regarded in the Middle Ages as an Emperor of Rome. In the 13th-century + poem of "Octavian" (ed. Vollmuller, Heilbronn, 1883) he is represented as + a contemporary of King Dagobert!] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-232"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 232 (<a href="#linknoteref-232">return</a>)<br /> [ This commonplace remark + is quoted as a proverb of the rustic in "Ipomedon", 1671-72; id., 10, + 348-51; "Roman de Mahomet", 1587-88; "Roman de Renart", vi. 85-86; Gower's + "Mirour de l'omme", 28, 599, etc.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-233"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 233 (<a href="#linknoteref-233">return</a>)<br /> [ It is curious to note + that Corneille puts almost identical words in the mouth of Don Gomes as he + addresses the Cid ("Le Cid", ii. 2).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-234"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 234 (<a href="#linknoteref-234">return</a>)<br /> [ For this tournament and + its parallels in folk-lore, see Miss J.L. Weston, "The Three Days' + Tournament" (London, 1902). She argues (p. 14 f. and p. 43 f.) against + Foerster's unqualified opinion of the originality of Chrétien in his use + of this current description of a tournament, an opinion set forth in his + "Einleitung to Lancelot", pp. 43, 126, 128, 138.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-235"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 235 (<a href="#linknoteref-235">return</a>)<br /> [ Note that Chrétien here + deliberately avoids such a list of knights as he introduces in "Erec". + (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-236"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 236 (<a href="#linknoteref-236">return</a>)<br /> [ It must be admitted + that the text, which is offered by all but one MS., is here + unintelligible. The reference, if any be intended, is not clear. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-237"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 237 (<a href="#linknoteref-237">return</a>)<br /> [ Much has been made of + this expression as intimating that Chrétien wrote "Cligés" as a sort of + disavowal of the immorality of his lost "Tristan". Cf. Foerster, "Cligés" + (Ed. 1910), p. xxxix f., and Myrrha Borodine, "La femme et l'amour au XXIe + Seicle d'apres les poemes de Chrétien de Troyes" (Paris, 1909). G. Paris + has ably defended another interpretation of the references in "Cligés" to + the Tristan legend in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 442 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-238"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 238 (<a href="#linknoteref-238">return</a>)<br /> [ This curious moral + teaching appears to be a perversion of three passages form St. Paul's + Epistles: I Cor. vii. 9, I Cor. x. 32, Eph. v. 15. Cf. H. Emecke, + "Chrétien von Troyes als Personlichkeit und als Dichter" (Wurzburg, + 1892).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-239"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 239 (<a href="#linknoteref-239">return</a>)<br /> [ "This feature of a + woman who, thanks to some charm, preserves her virginity with a husband + whom she does not love, is found not only in widespread stories, but in + several French epic poems. In only one, "Les Enfances Guillaume", does the + husband, like Alis, remain ignorant of the fraud of which he is the + victim, and think that he really possesses the woman.... If Chrétien alone + gave to the charm of the form of a potion, it is in imitation of the love + potion in "Tristan". (G. Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 446). + For many other references to the effect of herb potions, cf. A. Hertel, + "Verzauberte Oerlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der altfranzosische + erzahlende Dichtung", p. 41 ff. (Hanover, 1908).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-240"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 240 (<a href="#linknoteref-240">return</a>)<br /> [ I have pointed out the + curious parallel between the following passage and Dante's "Vita Nova", 41 + ("Romantic Review", ii. 2). There is no certain evidence that Dante knew + Chrétien's work (cf. A. Farinelli, "Dante e la Francia", vol. i., p. 16 + note), but it would be strange if he did not know such a distinguished + predecessor.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-241"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 241 (<a href="#linknoteref-241">return</a>)<br /> [ For the legend of + Solomon deceived by his wife, see Foerster "Cligés" (ed. 1910), p. xxxii. + f., and G. Paris in "Romania", ix. 436-443, and in "Journal des Savants", + 1902, p. 645 f. For an additional reference, add "Ipomedon", 9103.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-242"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 242 (<a href="#linknoteref-242">return</a>)<br /> [ For an imitation of the + following scene, see Hans Herzog in "Germania", xxxi. 325.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-243"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 243 (<a href="#linknoteref-243">return</a>)<br /> [ "Porz d'Espaingne" + refers to the passes in the Pyrenees which formed the entrance-ways to + Spain. Cf. The "Cilician Gates" in Xenophon's "Anabasis".] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-244"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 244 (<a href="#linknoteref-244">return</a>)<br /> [ Chrétien here insists + upon his divergence from the famous dictum attributed to the Countess + Marie de Champagne by Andre le Chapelain: "Praeceptum tradit amoris, quod + nulla etiam coniugata regis poterit amoris praemio coronari, nisi extra + coniugii foedera ipsius amoris militae cernatur adiuneta". (Andreae + Capellini, "De Amore", p. 154; Ed. Trojel, Havniae, 1892). + </p> + + <h2><a name="link2H_4_0005"></a>YVAIN</h2> + <h3> + or, The Knight with the Lion + </h3> + <p> + (Vv. 1-174.) Arthur, the good King of Britain, whose prowess teaches us + that we, too, should be brave and courteous, held a rich and royal court + upon that precious feast-day which is always known by the name of + Pentecost. <a href="#linknote-31" name="linknoteref-31"><small>31</small></a> + The court was at Carduel in Wales. When the meal was finished, the knights + betook themselves whither they were summoned by the ladies, damsels, and + maidens. Some told stories; others spoke of love, of the trials and + sorrows, as well as of the great blessings, which often fall to the + members of its order, which was rich and flourishing in those days of old. + But now its followers are few, having deserted it almost to a man, so that + love is much abased. For lovers used to deserve to be considered + courteous, brave, generous, and honourable. But now love is a + laughing-stock, for those who have no intelligence of it assert that they + love, and in that they lie. Thus they utter a mockery and lie by boasting + where they have no right. <a href="#linknote-32" name="linknoteref-32"><small>32</small></a> But let us leave those who are + still alive, to speak of those of former time. For, I take it, a courteous + man, though dead, is worth more than a living knave. So it is my pleasure + to relate a matter quite worthy of heed concerning the King whose fame was + such that men still speak of him far and near; and I agree with the + opinion of the Bretons that his name will live on for evermore. And in + connection with him we call to mind those goodly chosen knights who spent + themselves for honour's sake. But upon this day of which I speak, great + was their astonishment at seeing the King quit their presence; and there + were some who felt chagrined, and who did not mince their words, never + before having seen the King, on the occasion of such a feast, enter his + own chamber either to sleep or to seek repose. But this day it came about + that the Queen detained him, and he remained so long at her side that he + forgot himself and fell asleep. Outside the chamber door were Dodinel, + Sagremor, and Kay, my lord Gawain, my lord Yvain, and with them + Calogrenant, a very comely knight, who had begun to tell them a tale, + though it was not to his credit, but rather to his shame. The Queen could + hear him as he told his tale, and rising from beside the King, she came + upon them so stealthily that before any caught sight of her, she had + fallen, as it were, right in their midst. Calogrenant alone jumped up + quickly when he saw her come. Then Kay, who was very quarrelsome, mean, + sarcastic, and abusive, said to him: "By the Lord, Calogrenant, I see you + are very bold and forward now, and certainly it pleases me to see you the + most courteous of us all. And I know that you are quite persuaded of your + own excellence, for that is in keeping with your little sense. And of + course it is natural that my lady should suppose that you surpass us all + in courtesy and bravery. We failed to rise through sloth, forsooth, or + because we did not care! Upon my word, it is not so, my lord; but we did + not see my lady until you had risen first." "Really, Kay," the Queen then + says, "I think you would burst if you could not pour out the poison of + which you are so full. You are troublesome and mean thus to annoy your + companions." "Lady," says Kay, "if we are not better for your company, at + least let us not lose by it. I am not aware that I said anything for which + I ought to be accused, and so I pray you say no more. It is impolite and + foolish to keep up a vain dispute. This argument should go no further, nor + should any one try to make more of it. But since there must be no more + high words, command him to continue the tale he had begun." Thereupon + Calogrenant prepares to reply in this fashion: "My lord, little do I care + about the quarrel, which matters little and affects me not. If you have + vented your scorn on me, I shall never be harmed by it. You have often + spoken insultingly, my lord Kay, to braver and better men than I, for you + are given to this kind of thing. The manure-pile will always stink, <a + href="#linknote-33" name="linknoteref-33"><small>33</small></a> + and gadflies sting, and bees will hum, and so a bore will torment and make + a nuisance of himself. However, with my lady's leave, I'll not continue my + tale to-day, and I beg her to say no more about it, and kindly not give me + any unwelcome command." "Lady," says Kay, "all those who are here will be + in your debt, for they are desirous to hear it out. Don't do it as a + favour to me! But by the faith you owe the King, your lord and mine, + command him to continue, and you will do well." "Calogrenant," the Queen + then says, "do not mind the attack of my lord Kay the seneschal. He is so + accustomed to evil speech that one cannot punish him for it. I command and + request you not to be angered because of him, nor should you fail on his + account to say something which it will please us all to hear; if you wish + to preserve my good-will, pray begin the tale anew." "Surely, lady, it is + a very unwelcome command you lay upon me. Rather than tell any more of my + tale to-day, I would have one eye plucked out, if I did not fear your + displeasure. Yet will I perform your behest, however distasteful it may + be. Then since you will have it so, give heed. Let your heart and ears be + mine. For words, though heard, are lost unless understood within the + heart. Some men there are who give consent to what they hear but do not + understand: these men have the hearing alone. For the moment the heart + fails to understand, the word falls upon the ears simply as the wind that + blows, without stopping to tarry there; rather it quickly passes on if the + heart is not so awake as to be ready to receive it. For the heart alone + can receive it when it comes along, and shut it up within. The ears are + the path and channel by which the voice can reach the heart, while the + heart receives within the bosom the voice which enters through the ear. + Now, whoever will heed my words, must surrender to me his heart and ears, + for I am not going to speak of a dream, an idle tale, or lie, with which + many another has regaled you, but rather shall I speak of what I saw." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 175-268.) "It happened seven years ago that, lonely as a countryman, + I was making my way in search of adventures, fully armed as a knight + should be, when I came upon a road leading off to the right into a thick + forest. The road there was very bad, full of briars and thorns. In spite + of the trouble and inconvenience, I followed the road and path. Almost the + entire day I went thus riding until I emerged from the forest of + Broceliande. <a href="#linknote-34" name="linknoteref-34"><small>34</small></a> Out from the forest I passed + into the open country where I saw a wooden tower at the distance of half a + Welsh league: it may have been so far, but it was not anymore. Proceeding + faster than a walk, I drew near and saw the palisade and moat all round + it, deep and wide, and standing upon the bridge, with a moulted falcon + upon his wrist, I saw the master of the castle. I had no sooner saluted + him than he came forward to hold my stirrup and invited me to dismount. I + did so, for it was useless to deny that I was in need of a lodging-place. + Then he told me more than a hundred times at once that blessed was the + road by which I had come thither. Meanwhile, we crossed the bridge, and + passing through the gate, found ourselves in the courtyard. In the middle + of the courtyard of this vavasor, to whom may God repay such joy and + honour as he bestowed upon me that night, there hung a gong not of iron or + wood, I trow, but all of copper. Upon this gong the vavasor struck three + times with a hammer which hung on a post close by. Those who were upstairs + in the house, upon hearing his voice and the sound, came out into the yard + below. Some took my horse which the good vavasor was holding; and I saw + coming toward me a very fair and gentle maid. On looking at her narrowly I + saw she was tall and slim and straight. Skilful she was in disarming me, + which she did gently and with address; then, when she had robed me in a + short mantle of scarlet stuff spotted with a peacock's plumes, all the + others left us there, so that she and I remained alone. This pleased me + well, for I needed naught else to look upon. Then she took me to sit down + in the prettiest little field, shut in by a wall all round about. There I + found her so elegant, so fair of speech and so well informed, of such + pleasing manners and character, that it was a delight to be there, and I + could have wished never to be compelled to move. But as ill luck would + have it, when night came on, and the time for supper had arrived. The + vavasor came to look for me. No more delay was possible, so I complied + with his request. Of the supper I will only say that it was all after my + heart, seeing that the damsel took her seat at the table just in front of + me. After the supper the vavasor admitted to me that, though he had lodged + many an errant knight, he knew not how long it had been since he had + welcomed one in search of adventure. Then, as a favour, he begged of me to + return by way of his residence, if I could make it possible. So I said to + him: 'Right gladly, sire!' for a refusal would have been impolite, and + that was the least I could do for such a host." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 269-580.) "That night, indeed, I was well lodged, and as soon as the + morning light appeared, I found my steed ready saddled, as I had requested + the night before; thus my request was carried out. My kind host and his + dear daughter I commended to the Holy Spirit, and, after taking leave of + all, I got away as soon as possible. I had not proceeded far from my + stopping-place when I came to a clearing, where there were some wild bulls + at large; they were fighting among themselves and making such a dreadful + and horrible noise that if the truth be known, I drew back in fear, for + there is no beast so fierce and dangerous as a bull. I saw sitting upon a + stump, with a great club in his hand, a rustic lout, as black as a + mulberry, indescribably big and hideous; indeed, so passing ugly was the + creature that no word of mouth could do him justice. On drawing near to + this fellow, I saw that his head was bigger than that of a horse or of any + other beast; that his hair was in tufts, leaving his forehead bare for a + width of more than two spans; that his ears were big and mossy, just like + those of an elephant; his eyebrows were heavy and his face was flat; his + eyes were those of an owl, and his nose was like a cat's; his jowls were + split like a wolf, and his teeth were sharp and yellow like a wild boar's; + his beard was black and his whiskers twisted; his chin merged into his + chest and his backbone was long, but twisted and hunched. <a + href="#linknote-35" name="linknoteref-35"><small>35</small></a> + There he stood, leaning upon his club and accoutred in a strange garb, + consisting not of cotton or wool, but rather of the hides recently flayed + from two bulls or two beeves: these he wore hanging from his neck. The + fellow leaped up straightway when he saw me drawing near. I do not know + whether he was going to strike me or what he intended to do, but I was + prepared to stand him off, until I saw him stop and stand stock-still upon + a tree trunk, where he stood full seventeen feet in height. Then he gazed + at me but spoke not a word, any more than a beast would have done. And I + supposed that he had not his senses or was drunk. However, I made bold to + say to him: 'Come, let me know whether thou art a creature of good or + not.' And he replied: 'I am a man.' 'What kind of a man art thou?' 'Such + as thou seest me to be: I am by no means otherwise.' 'What dost thou + here?' 'I was here, tending these cattle in this wood.' 'Wert thou really + tending them? By Saint Peter of Rome! They know not the command of any + man. I guess one cannot possibly guard wild beasts in a plain or wood or + anywhere else unless they are tied or confined inside.' 'Well, I tend and + have control of these beasts so that they will never leave this + neighbourhood.' 'How dost thou do that? Come, tell me now!' 'There is not + one of them that dares to move when they see me coming. For when I can get + hold of one I give its two horns such a wrench with my hard, strong hands + that the others tremble with fear, and gather at once round about me as if + to ask for mercy. No one could venture here but me, for if he should go + among them he would be straightway done to death. In this way I am master + of my beasts. And now thou must tell me in turn what kind of a man thou + art, and what thou seekest here.' 'I am, as thou seest, a knight seeking + for what I cannot find; long have I sought without success.' 'And what is + this thou fain wouldst find?' 'Some adventure whereby to test my prowess + and my bravery. Now I beg and urgently request thee to give me some + counsel, if possible, concerning some adventure or marvellous thing.' Says + he: 'Thou wilt have to do without, for I know nothing of adventure, nor + did I ever hear tell of such. But if thou wouldst go to a certain spring + here hard by and shouldst comply with the practice there, thou wouldst not + easily come back again. Close by here thou canst easily find a path which + will lead thee thither. If thou wouldst go aright, follow the straight + path, otherwise thou mayst easily go astray among the many other paths. + Thou shalt see the spring which boils, though the water is colder than + marble. It is shadowed by the fairest tree that ever Nature formed, for + its foliage is evergreen, regardless of the winter's cold, and an iron + basin is hanging there by a chain long enough to reach the spring. And + beside the spring thou shalt find a massive stone, as thou shalt see, but + whose nature I cannot explain, never having seen its like. On the other + side a chapel stands, small, but very beautiful. If thou wilt take of the + water in the basin and spill it upon the stone, thou shalt see such a + storm come up that not a beast will remain within this wood; every doe, + star, deer, boar, and bird will issue forth. For thou shalt see such + lightning-bolts descend, such blowing of gales and crashing of trees, such + torrents fail, such thunder and lightning, that, if thou canst escape from + them without trouble and mischance, thou wilt be more fortunate than ever + any knight was yet.' I left the fellow then, after he had pointed our the + way. It must have been after nine o'clock and might have been drawing on + toward noon, when I espied the tree and the chapel. I can truly say that + this tree was the finest pine that ever grew on earth. I do not believe + that it ever rained so hard that a drop of water could penetrate it, but + would rather drip from the outer branches. From the tree I saw the basin + hanging, <a href="#linknote-36" name="linknoteref-36"><small>36</small></a> + of the finest gold that was ever for sale in any fair. As for the spring, + you may take my word that it was boiling like hot water. The stone was of + emerald, with holes in it like a cask, and there were four rubies + underneath, more radiant and red than is the morning sun when it rises in + the east. Now not one word will I say which is not true. I wished to see + the marvellous appearing of the tempest and the storm; but therein I was + not wise, for I would gladly have repented, if I could, when I had + sprinkled the perforated stone with the water from the basin. But I fear I + poured too much, for straightway I saw the heavens so break loose that + from more than fourteen directions the lightning blinded my eyes, and all + at once the clouds let fall snow and rain and hail. The storm was so + fierce and terrible that a hundred times I thought I should be killed by + the bolts which fell about me and by the trees which were rent apart. Know + that I was in great distress until the uproar was appeased. But God gave + me such comfort that the storm did not continue long, and all the winds + died down again. The winds dared not blow against God's will. And when I + saw the air clear and serene I was filled with joy again. For I have + observed that joy quickly causes trouble to be forgot. As soon as the + storm was completely past, I saw so many birds gathered in the pine tree + (if any one will believe my words) that not a branch or twig was to be + seen which was not entirely covered with birds. <a href="#linknote-37" + name="linknoteref-37"><small>37</small></a> The tree + was all the more lovely then, for all the birds sang in harmony, yet the + note of each was different, so that I never heard one singing another's + note. I, too, rejoiced in their joyousness, and listened to them until + they had sung their service through, for I have never heard such happy + song, nor do I think any one else will hear it, unless he goes to listen + to what filled me with such joy and bliss that I was lost in rapture. I + stayed there until I heard some knights coming, as I thought it seemed + that there must be ten of them. But all the noise and commotion was made + by the approach of a single knight. When I saw him coming on alone I + quickly caught my steed and made no delay in mounting him. And the knight, + as if with evil intent, came on swifter than an eagle, looking as fierce + as a lion. From as far as his voice could reach he began to challenge me, + and said: 'Vassal, without provocation you have caused me shame and harm. + If there was any quarrel between us you should first have challenged me, + or at least sought justice before attacking me. But, sir vassal, if it be + within my power, upon you shall fall the punishment for the damage which + is evident. About me here lies the evidence of my woods destroyed. He who + has suffered has the right to complain. And I have good reason to complain + that you have driven me from my house with lightning-bolt and rain. You + have made trouble for me, and cursed be he who thinks it fair. For within + my own woods and town you have made such an attack upon me that resources + of men of arms and of fortifications would have been of no avail to me; no + man could have been secure, even if he had been in a fortress of solid + stone and wood. But be assured that from this moment there shall be + neither truce nor peace between us.' At these words we rushed together, + each one holding his shield well gripped and covering himself with it. The + knight had a good horse and a stout lance, and was doubtless a whole head + taller than I. Thus, I was altogether at a disadvantage, being shorter + than he, while his horse was stronger than mine. You may be sure that I + will tell the facts, in order to cover up my shame. With intent to do my + best, I dealt him as hard a blow as I could give, striking the top of his + shield, and I put all my strength into it with such effect that my lance + flew all to splinters. His lance remained entire, being very heavy and + bigger than any knight's lance I ever saw. And the knight struck me with + it so heavily that he knocked me over my horse's crupper and laid me flat + upon the ground, where he left me ashamed and exhausted, without bestowing + another glance upon me. He took my horse, but me he left, and started back + by the way he came. And I, who knew not what to do, remained there in pain + and with troubled thoughts. Seating myself beside the spring I rested + there awhile, not daring to follow after the knight for fear of committing + some rash act of madness. And, indeed, had I had the courage, I knew not + what had become of him. Finally, it occurred to me that I would keep my + promise to my host and would return by way of his dwelling. This idea + pleased me, and so I did. I laid off all my arms in order to proceed more + easily, and thus with shame I retraced my steps. When I reached his home + that night, I found my host to be the same good-natured and courteous man + as I had before discovered him to be. I could not observe that either his + daughter or he himself welcomed me any less gladly, or did me any less + honour than they had done the night before. I am indebted to them for the + great honour they all did me in that house; and they even said that, so + far as they knew or had heard tell, no one had ever escaped, without being + killed or kept a prisoner, from the place whence I returned. Thus I went + and thus I returned, feeling, as I did so, deeply ashamed. So I have + foolishly told you the story which I never wished to tell again." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 581-648.) "By my head," cries my lord Yvain, "you are my own + cousin-german, and we ought to love each other well. But I must consider + you as mad to have concealed this from me so long. If I call you mad, I + beg you not to be incensed. For if I can, and if I obtain the leave, I + shall go to avenge your shame." "It is evident that we have dined," says + Kay, with his ever-ready speech; "there are more words in a pot full of + wine than in a whole barrel of beer. <a href="#linknote-38" + name="linknoteref-38"><small>38</small></a> They say + that a cat is merry when full. After dinner no one stirs, but each one is + ready to slay Noradin, <a href="#linknote-39" name="linknoteref-39"><small>39</small></a> and you will take vengeance on + Forre! Are your saddle-cloths ready stuffed, and your iron greaves + polished, and your banners unfurled? Come now, in God's name, my lord + Yvain, is it to-night or to-morrow that you start? Tell us, fair sire, + when you will start for this rude test, for we would fain convoy you + thither. There will be no provost or constable who will not gladly escort + you. And however it may be, I beg that you will not go without taking + leave of us; and if you have a bad dream to-night, by all means stay at + home!" "The devil, Sir Kay," the Queen replies, "are you beside yourself + that your tongue always runs on so? Cursed be your tongue which is so full + of bitterness! Surely your tongue must hate you, for it says the worst it + knows to every man. Damned be any tongue that never ceases to speak ill! + As for your tongue, it babbles so that it makes you hated everywhere. It + cannot do you greater treachery. See here: if it were mine, I would accuse + it of treason. Any man that cannot be cured by punishment ought to be tied + like a madman in front of the chancel in the church." "Really, madame," + says my lord Yvain, "his impudence matters not to me. In every court my + lord Kay has so much ability, knowledge, and worth that he will never be + deaf or dumb. He has the wit to reply wisely and courteously to all that + is mean, and this he has always done. You well know if I lie in saying so. + But I have no desire to dispute or to begin our foolishness again. For he + who deals the first blow does not always win the fight, but rather he who + gains revenge. He who fights with his companion had better fight against + some stranger. I do not wish to be like the hound that stiffens up and + growls when another dog yaps at him." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 649-722.) While they were talking thus, the King came out of his room + where he had been all this time asleep. And when the knights saw him they + all sprang to their feet before him, but he made them at once sit down + again. He took his place beside the Queen, who repeated to him word for + word, with her customary skill, the story of Calogrenant. The King + listened eagerly to it, and then he swore three mighty oaths by the soul + of his father Utherpendragon, and by the soul of his son, and of his + mother too, that he would go to see that spring before a fortnight should + have passed; and he would see the storm and the marvels there by reaching + it on the eve of my lord Saint John the Baptist's feast; there he would + spend the night, and all who wished might accompany him. All the court + thought well of this, for the knights and the young bachelors were very + eager to make the expedition. But despite the general joy and satisfaction + my lord Yvain was much chagrined, for he intended to go there all alone; + so he was grieved and much put out because of the King who planned to go. + The chief cause of his displeasure was that he knew that my lord Kay, to + whom the favour would not be refused if he should solicit it, would secure + the battle rather than he himself, or else perchance my lord Gawain would + first ask for it. If either one of these two should make request, the + favour would never be refused him. But, having no desire for their + company, he resolves not to wait for them, but to go off alone, if + possible, whether it be to his gain or hurt. And whoever may stay behind, + he intends to be on the third day in the forest of Broceliande, and there + to seek if possibly he may find the narrow wooded path for which he yearns + eagerly, and the plain with the strong castle, and the pleasure and + delight of the courteous damsel, who is so charming and fair, and with the + damsel her worthy sire, who is so honourable and nobly born that he + strives to dispense honour. Then he will see the bulls in the clearing, + with the giant boor who watches them. Great is his desire to see this + fellow, who is so stout and big and ugly and deformed, and as black as a + smith. Then, too, he will see, if possible, the stone and the spring + itself, and the basin and the birds in the pine-tree, and he will make it + rain and blow. But of all this he will not boast, nor, if he can help it, + shall any one know of his purpose until he shall have received from it + either great humiliation or great renown: then let the facts be known. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 723-746.) My lord Yvain gets away from the court without any one + meeting him, and proceeds alone to his lodging place. There he found all + his household, and gave orders to have his horse saddled; then, calling + one of his squires who was privy to his every thought, he says: "Come now, + follow me outside yonder, and bring me my arms. I shall go out at once + through yonder gate upon my palfrey. For thy part, do not delay, for I + have a long road to travel. Have my steed well shod, and bring him quickly + where I am; then shalt thou lead back my palfrey. But take good care, I + adjure thee, if any one questions thee about me, to give him no + satisfaction. Otherwise, whatever thy confidence in me, thou need never + again count on my goodwill." "Sire," he says, "all will be well, for no + one shall learn anything from me. Proceed, and I shall follow you." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 747-906.) My lord Yvain mounts at once, intending to avenge, if + possible, his cousin's disgrace before he returns. The squire ran for the + arms and steed; he mounted at once without delay, since he was already + equipped with shoes and nails. Then he followed his master's track until + he saw him standing mounted, waiting to one side of the road in a place + apart. He brought him his harness and equipment, and then accoutred him. + My lord Yvain made no delay after putting on his arms, but hastily made + his way each day over the mountains and through the valleys, through the + forests long and wide, through strange and wild country, passing through + many gruesome spots, many a danger and many a strait, until he came + directly to the path, which was full of brambles and dark enough; then he + felt he was safe at last, and could not now lose his way. Whoever may have + to pay the cost, he will not stop until he sees the pine which shades the + spring and stone, and the tempest of hail and rain and thunder and wind. + That night, you may be sure, he had such lodging as he desired, for he + found the vavasor to be even more polite and courteous than he had been + told, and in the damsel he perceived a hundred times more sense and beauty + than Calogrenant had spoken of, for one cannot rehearse the sum of a + lady's or a good man's qualities. The moment such a man devotes himself to + virtue, his story cannot be summed up or told, for no tongue could + estimate the honourable deeds of such a gentleman. My lord Yvain was well + content with the excellent lodging he had that night, and when he entered + the clearing the next day, he met the bulls and the rustic boor who showed + him the way to take. But more than a hundred times he crossed himself at + sight of the monster before him—how Nature had ever been able to + form such a hideous, ugly creature. Then to the spring he made his way, + and found there all that he wished to see. Without hesitation and without + sitting down he poured the basin full of water upon the stone, when + straightway it began to blow and rain, and such a storm was caused as had + been foretold. And when God had appeased the storm, the birds came to + perch upon the pine, and sang their joyous songs up above the perilous + spring. But before their jubilee had ceased there came the knight, more + blazing with wrath than a burning log, and making as much noise as if he + were chasing a lusty stag. As soon as they espied each other they rushed + together and displayed the mortal hate they bore. Each one carried a + stiff, stout lance, with which they dealt such mighty blows that they + pierced the shields about their necks, and cut the meshes of their + hauberks; their lances are splintered and sprung, while the fragments are + cast high in air. Then each attacks the other with his sword, and in the + strife they cut the straps of the shields away, and cut the shields all to + bits from end to end, so that the shreds hang down, no longer serving as + covering or defence; for they have so split them up that they bring down + the gleaming blades upon their sides, their arms, and hips. Fierce, + indeed, is their assault; yet they do not budge from their standing-place + any more than would two blocks of stone. Never were there two knights so + intent upon each other's death. They are careful not to waste their blows, + but lay them on as best they may; they strike and bend their helmets, and + they send the meshes of their hauberks flying so, that they draw not a + little blood, for the hauberks are so hot with their body's heat that they + hardly serve as more protection than a coat. As they drive the sword-point + at the face, it is marvellous that so fierce and bitter a strife should + last so long. But both are possessed of such courage that one would not + for aught retreat a foot before his adversary until he had wounded him to + death. Yet, in this respect they were very honourable in not trying or + deigning to strike or harm their steeds in any way; but they sat astride + their steeds without putting foot to earth, which made the fight more + elegant. At last my lord Yvain crushed the helmet of the knight, whom the + blow stunned and made so faint that he swooned away, never having received + such a cruel blow before. Beneath his kerchief his head was split to the + very brains, so that the meshes of his bright hauberk were stained with + the brains and blood, all of which caused him such intense pain that his + heart almost ceased to beat. He had good reason then to flee, for he felt + that he had a mortal wound, and that further resistance would not avail. + With this thought in mind he quickly made his escape toward his town, + where the bridge was lowered and the gate quickly opened for him; + meanwhile my lord Yvain at once spurs after him at topmost speed. As a + gerfalcon swoops upon a crane when he sees him rising from afar, and then + draws so near to him that he is about to seize him, yet misses him, so + flees the knight, with Yvain pressing him so close that he can almost + throw his arm about him, and yet cannot quite come up with him, though he + is so close that he can hear him groan for the pain he feels. While the + one exerts himself in flight the other strives in pursuit of him, fearing + to have wasted his effort unless he takes him alive or dead; for he still + recalls the mocking words which my lord Kay had addressed to him. He had + not yet carried out the pledge which he had given to his cousin; nor will + they believe his word unless he returns with the evidence. The knight led + him a rapid chase to the gate of his town, where they entered in; but + finding no man or woman in the streets through which they passed, they + both rode swiftly on till they came to the palace-gate. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 907-1054.) The gate was very high and wide, yet it had such a narrow + entrance-way that two men or two horses could scarcely enter abreast or + pass without interference or great difficulty; for it was constructed just + like a trap which is set for the rat on mischief bent, and which has a + blade above ready to fall and strike and catch, and which is suddenly + released whenever anything, however gently, comes in contact with the + spring. In like fashion, beneath the gate there were two springs connected + with a portcullis up above, edged with iron and very sharp. If anything + stepped upon this contrivance the gate descended from above, and whoever + below was struck by the gate was caught and mangled. Precisely in the + middle the passage lay as narrow as if it were a beaten track. Straight + through it exactly the knight rushed on, with my lord Yvain madly + following him apace, and so close to him that he held him by the + saddle-bow behind. It was well for him that he was stretched forward, for + had it not been for this piece of luck he would have been cut quite + through; for his horse stepped upon the wooden spring which kept the + portcullis in place. Like a hellish devil the gate dropped down, catching + the saddle and the horse's haunches, which it cut off clean. But, thank + God, my lord Yvain was only slightly touched when it grazed his back so + closely that it cut both his spurs off even with his heels. And while he + thus fell in dismay, the other with his mortal wound escaped him, as you + now shall see. Farther on there was another gate just like the one they + had just passed; through this the knight made his escape, and the gate + descended behind him. Thus my lord Yvain was caught, very much concerned + and discomfited as he finds himself shut in this hallway, which was all + studded with gilded nails, and whose walls were cunningly decorated with + precious paints. <a href="#linknote-310" name="linknoteref-310"><small>310</small></a> But about nothing was he so + worried as not to know what had become of the knight. While he was in this + narrow place, he heard open the door of a little adjoining room, and there + came forth alone a fair and charming maiden who closed the door again + after her. When she found my lord Yvain, at first she was sore dismayed. + <a href="#linknote-311" name="linknoteref-311"><small>311</small></a> + "Surely, sir knight," she says, "I fear you have come in an evil hour. If + you are seen here, you will be all cut to pieces. For my lord is mortally + wounded, and I know it is you who have been the death of him. My lady is + in such a state of grief, and her people about her are crying so that they + are ready to die with rage; and, moreover, they know you to be inside. But + as yet their grief is such that they are unable to attend to you. The + moment they come to attack you, they cannot fail to kill or capture you, + as they may choose." And my lord Yvain replies to her: "If God will they + shall never kill me, nor shall I fall into their hands." "No," she says, + "for I shall do my utmost to assist you. It is not manly to cherish fear. + So I hold you to be a man of courage, when you are not dismayed. And rest + assured that if I could I would help you and treat you honourably, as you + in turn would do for me. Once my lady sent me on an errand to the King's + court, and I suppose I was not so experienced or courteous or so well + behaved as a maiden ought to be; at any rate, there was not a knight there + who deigned to say a word to me except you alone who stand here now; but + you, in your kindness, honoured and aided me. For the honour you did me + then I shall now reward you. I know full well what your name is, and I + recognised you at once: your name is my lord Yvain. You may be sure and + certain that if you take my advice you will never be caught or treated + ill. Please take this little ring of mine, which you will return when I + shall have delivered you." <a href="#linknote-312" name="linknoteref-312"><small>312</small></a> Then she handed him the little + ring and told him that its effect was like that of the bark which covers + the wood so that it cannot be seen; but it must be worn so that the stone + is within the palm; then he who wears the ring upon his finger need have + no concern for anything; for no one, however sharp his eyes may be, will + be able to see him any more than the wood which is covered by the outside + bark. All this is pleasing to my lord Yvain. And when she had told him + this, she led him to a seat upon a couch covered with a quilt so rich that + the Duke of Austria had none such, and she told him that if he cared for + something to eat she would fetch it for him; and he replied that he would + gladly do so. Running quickly into the chamber, she presently returned, + bringing a roasted fowl and a cake, a cloth, a full pot of good grape-wine + covered with a white drinking-cup; all this she offered to him to eat. And + he, who stood in need of food, very gladly ate and drank. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1055-1172.) By the time he had finished his meal the knights were + astir inside looking for him and eager to avenge their lord, who was + already stretched upon his bier. Then the damsel said to Yvain: "Friend, + do you hear them all seeking you? There is a great noise and uproar + brewing. But whoever may come or go, do not stir for any noise of theirs, + for they can never discover you if you do not move from this couch. + Presently you will see this room all full of ill-disposed and hostile + people, who will think to find you here; and I make no doubt that they + will bring the body here before interment, and they will begin to search + for you under the seats and the beds. It will be amusing for a man who is + not afraid when he sees people searching so fruitlessly, for they will all + be so blind, so undone, and so misguided that they will be beside + themselves with rage. I cannot tell you more just now, for I dare no + longer tarry here. But I may thank God for giving me the chance and the + opportunity to do some service to please you, as I yearned to do." Then + she turned away, and when she was gone all the crowd with one accord had + come from both sides to the gates, armed with clubs and swords. There was + a mighty crowd and press of hostile people surging about, when they espied + in front of the gate the half of the horse which had been cut down. Then + they felt very sure that when the gates were opened they would find inside + him whose life they wished to take. Then they caused to be drawn up those + gates which had been the death of many men. But since no spring or trap + was laid for their passage they all came through abreast. Then they found + at the threshold the other half of the horse that had been killed; but + none of them had sharp enough eyes to see my lord Yvain, whom they would + gladly have killed; and he saw them beside themselves with rage and fury, + as they said: "How can this be? For there is no door or window here + through which anything could escape, unless it be a bird, a squirrel, or + marmot, or some other even smaller animal; for the windows are barred, and + the gates were closed as soon as my lord passed through. The body is in + here, dead or alive, since there is no sign of it outside there; we can + see more than half of the saddle in here, but of him we see nothing, + except the spurs which fell down severed from his feet. Now let us cease + this idle talk, and search in all these comers, for he is surely in here + still, or else we are all enchanted, or the evil spirits have filched him + away from us." Thus they all, aflame with rage, sought him about the room, + beating upon the walls, and beds, and seats. But the couch upon which he + lay was spared and missed the blows, so that he was not struck or touched. + But all about they thrashed enough, and raised an uproar in the room with + their clubs, like a blind man who pounds as he goes about his search. + While they were poking about under the beds and the stools, there entered + one of the most beautiful ladies that any earthly creature ever saw. Word + or mention was never made of such a fair Christian dame, and yet she was + so crazed with grief that she was on the point of taking her life. All at + once she cried out at the top of her voice, and then fell prostrate in a + swoon. And when she had been picked up she began to claw herself and tear + her hair, like a woman who had lost her mind. She tears her hair and rips + her dress, and faints at every step she takes; nor can anything comfort + her when she sees her husband borne along lifeless in the bier; for her + happiness is at an end, and so she made her loud lament. The holy water + and the cross and the tapers were borne in advance by the nuns from a + convent; then came missals and censers and the priests, who pronounce the + final absolution required for the wretched soul. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1173-1242.) My lord Yvain heard the cries and the grief that can + never be described, for no one could describe it, nor was such ever set + down in a book. The procession passed, but in the middle of the room a + great crowd gathered about the bier, for the fresh warm blood trickled out + again from the dead man's wound, and this betokened certainly that the man + was still surely present who had fought the battle and had killed and + defeated him. Then they sought and searched everywhere, and turned and + stirred up everything, until they were all in a sweat with the trouble and + the press which had been caused by the sight of the trickling crimson + blood. Then my lord Yvain was well struck and beaten where he lay, but not + for that did he stir at all. And the people became more and more + distraught because of the wounds which burst open, and they marvelled why + they bled, without knowing whose fault it was. <a href="#linknote-313" + name="linknoteref-313"><small>313</small></a> And + each one to his neighbour said: "The murderer is among us here, and yet we + do not see him, which is passing strange and mysterious." At this the lady + showed such grief that she made an attempt upon her life, and cried as if + beside herself: "All God, then will the murderer not be found, the traitor + who took my good lord's life? Good? Aye, the best of the good, indeed! + True God, Thine will be the fault if Thou dost let him thus escape. No + other man than Thou should I blame for it who dost hide him from my sight. + Such a wonder was never seen, nor such injustice, as Thou dost to me in + not allowing me even to see the man who must be so close to me. When I + cannot see him, I may well say that some demon or spirit has interposed + himself between us, so that I am under a spell. Or else he is a coward and + is afraid of me: he must be a craven to stand in awe of me, and it is an + act of cowardice not to show himself before me. Ah, thou spirit, craven + thing! Why art thou so in fear of me, when before my lord thou weft so + brave? O empty and elusive thing, why cannot I have thee in my power? Why + cannot I lay hands upon thee now? But how could it ever come about that + thou didst kill my lord, unless it was done by treachery? Surely my lord + would never have met defeat at thy hands had he seen thee face to face. + For neither God nor man ever knew of his like, nor is there any like him + now. Surely, hadst thou been a mortal man, thou wouldst never have dared + to withstand my lord, for no one could compare with him." Thus the lady + struggles with herself, and thus she contends and exhausts herself. And + her people with her, for their part, show the greatest possible grief as + they carry off the body to burial. After their long efforts and search + they are completely exhausted by the quest, and give it up from weariness, + inasmuch as they can find no one who is in any way guilty. The nuns and + priests, having already finished the service, had returned from the church + and were gone to the burial. But to all this the damsel in her chamber + paid no heed. Her thoughts are with my lord Yvain, and, coming quickly, + she said to him: "Fair sir, these people have been seeking you in force. + They have raised a great tumult here, and have poked about in all the + corners more diligently than a hunting-dog goes ferreting a partridge or a + quail. Doubtless you have been afraid." "Upon my word, you are right," + says he: "I never thought to be so afraid. And yet, if it were possible I + should gladly look out through some window or aperture at the procession + and the corpse." Yet he had no interest in either the corpse or the + procession, for he would gladly have seen them all burned, even had it + cost him a thousand marks. A thousand marks? Three thousand, verily, upon + my word. But he said it because of the lady of the town, of whom he wished + to catch a glimpse. So the damsel placed him at a little window, and + repaid him as well as she could for the honour which he had done her. From + this window my lord Yvain espies the fair lady, as she says: "Sire, may + God have mercy upon your soul! For never, I verily believe, did any knight + ever sit in saddle who was your equal in any respect. No other knight, my + fair sweet lord, ever possessed your honour or courtesy. Generosity was + your friend and boldness your companion. May your soul rest among the + saints, my fair dear lord." Then she strikes and tears whatever she can + lay her hands upon. Whatever the outcome may be, it is hard for my lord + Yvain to restrain himself from running forward to seize her hands. But the + damsel begs and advises him, and even urgently commands him, though with + courtesy and graciousness, not to commit any rash deed, saying: "You are + well off here. Do not stir for any cause until this grief shall be + assuaged; let these people all depart, as they will do presently. If you + act as I advise, in accordance with my views, great advantage may come to + you. It will be best for you to remain seated here, and watch the people + inside and out as they pass along the way without their seeing you. But + take care not to speak violently, for I hold that man to be rather + imprudent than brave who goes too far and loses his self-restraint and + commits some deed of violence the moment he has the time and chance. So if + you cherish some rash thought be careful not to utter it. The wise man + conceals his imprudent thought and works out righteousness if he can. So + wisely take good care not to risk your head, for which they would accept + no ransom. Be considerate of yourself and remember my advice. Rest assured + until I return, for I dare not stay longer now. I might stay so long, I + fear, that they would suspect me when they did not see me in the crowd, + and then I should suffer for it." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1339-1506.) Then she goes off, and he remains, not knowing how to + comport himself. He is loath to see them bury the corpse without his + securing anything to take back as evidence that he has defeated and killed + him. If he has no proof or evidence he will be held in contempt, for Kay + is so mean and obstinate, so given to mockery, and so annoying, that he + could never succeed in convincing him. He would go about for ever + insulting him, flinging his mockery and taunts as he did the other day. + These taunts are still fresh and rankling in his heart. But with her sugar + and honey a new Love now softened him; he had been to hunt upon his lands + and had gathered in his prey. His enemy carries off his heart, and he + loves the creature who hates him most. The lady, all unaware, has well + avenged her lord's death. She has secured greater revenge than she could + ever have done unless she had been aided by Love, who attacks him so + gently that he wounds his heart through his eyes. And this wound is more + enduring than any inflicted by lance or sword. A sword-blow is cured and + healed at once as soon as a doctor attends to it, but the wound of love is + worst when it is nearest to its physician. This is the wound of my lord + Yvain, from which he will never more recover, for Love has installed + himself with him. He deserts and goes away from the places he was wont to + frequent. He cares for no lodging or landlord save this one, and he is + very wise in leaving a poor lodging-place in order to betake himself to + him. In order to devote himself completely to him, he will have no other + lodging-place, though often he is wont to seek out lowly hostelries. It is + a shame that Love should ever so basely conduct himself as to select the + meanest lodging-place quite as readily as the best. But now he has come + where he is welcome, and where he will be treated honourably, and where he + will do well to stay. This is the way Love ought to act, being such a + noble creature that it is marvellous how he dares shamefully to descend to + such low estate. He is like him who spreads his balm upon the ashes and + dust, who mingles sugar with gall, and suet with honey. However, he did + not act so this time, but rather lodged in a noble place, for which no one + can reproach him. When the dead man had been buried, all the people + dispersed, leaving no clerks or knights or ladies, excepting only her who + makes no secret of her grief. She alone remains behind, often clutching at + her throat, wringing her hands, and beating her palms, as she reads her + psalms in her gilt lettered psalter. All this while my lord Yvain is at + the window gazing at her, and the more he looks at her the more he loves + her and is enthralled by her. He would have wished that she should cease + her weeping and reading, and that she should feel inclined to converse + with him. Love, who caught him at the window, filled him with this desire. + But he despairs of realising his wish, for he cannot imagine or believe + that his desire can be gratified. So he says: "I may consider myself a + fool to wish for what I cannot have. Her lord it was whom I wounded + mortally, and yet do I think I can be reconciled with her? Upon my word, + such thoughts are folly, for at present she has good reason to hate me + more bitterly than anything. I am right in saying 'at present', for a + woman has more than one mind. That mind in which she is just now I trust + she will soon change; indeed, she will change it certainly, and I am mad + thus to despair. God grant that she change it soon! For I am doomed to be + her slave, since such is the will of Love. Whoever does not welcome Love + gladly, when he comes to him, commits treason and a felony. I admit (and + let whosoever will, heed what I say) that such an one deserves no + happiness or joy. But if I lose, it will not be for such a reason; rather + will I love my enemy. For I ought not to feel any hate for her unless I + wish to betray Love. I must love in accordance with Love's desire. And + ought she to regard me as a friend? Yes, surely, since it is she whom I + love. And I call her my enemy, for she hates me, though with good reason, + for I killed the object of her love. So, then, am I her enemy? Surely no, + but her true friend, for I never so loved any one before. I grieve for her + fair tresses, surpassing gold in their radiance; I feel the pangs of + anguish and torment when I see her tear and cut them, nor can her tears + e'er be dried which I see falling from her eyes; by all these things I am + distressed. Although they are full of ceaseless, ever-flowing tears, yet + never were there such lovely eves. The sight of her weeping causes me + agony, but nothing pains me so much as the sight of her face, which she + lacerates without its having merited such treatment. I never saw such a + face so perfectly formed, nor so fresh and delicately coloured. And then + it has pierced my heart to see her clutch her throat. Surely, it is all + too true that she is doing the worst she can. And yet no crystal nor any + mirror is so bright and smooth. God! why is she thus possessed, and why + does she not spare herself? Why does she wring her lovely hands and beat + and tear her breast? Would she not be marvellously fair to look upon when + in happy mood, seeing that she is so fair in her displeasure? Surely yes, + I can take my oath on that. Never before in a work of beauty was Nature + thus able to outdo herself, for I am sure she has gone beyond the limits + of any previous attempt. How could it ever have happened then? Whence came + beauty so marvellous? God must have made her with His naked hand that + Nature might rest from further toil. If she should try to make a replica, + she might spend her time in vain without succeeding in her task. Even God + Himself, were He to try, could not succeed, I guess, in ever making such + another, whatever effort He might put forth." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1507-1588.) Thus my lord Yvain considers her who is broken with her + grief, and I suppose it would never happen again that any man in prison, + like my lord Yvain in fear for his life, would ever be so madly in love as + to make no request on his own behalf, when perhaps no one else will speak + for him. He stayed at the window until he saw the lady go away, and both + the portcullises were lowered again. Another might have grieved at this, + who would prefer a free escape to tarrying longer where he was. But to him + it is quite indifferent whether they be shut or opened. If they were open + he surely would not go away, no, even were the lady to give him leave and + pardon him freely for the death of her lord. For he is detained by Love + and Shame which rise up before him on either hand: he is ashamed to go + away, for no one would believe in the success of his exploit; on the other + hand, he has such a strong desire to see the lady at least, if he cannot + obtain any other favour, that he feels little concern about his + imprisonment. He would rather die than go away. And now the damsel + returns, wishing to bear him company with her solace and gaiety, and to go + and fetch for him whatever he may desire. But she found him pensive and + quite worn out with the love which had laid hold of him; whereupon she + addressed him thus: "My lord Yvain, what sort of a time have you had + to-day?" "I have been pleasantly occupied," was his reply. "Pleasantly? In + God's name, is that the truth? What? How can one enjoy himself seeing that + he is hunted to death, unless he courts and wishes it?" "Of a truth," he + says, "my gentle friend, I should by no means wish to die; and yet, as God + beholds me, I was pleased, am pleased now, and always shall be pleased by + what I saw." "Well, let us say no more of that," she makes reply, "for I + can understand well enough what is the meaning of such words. I am not so + foolish or inexperienced that I cannot understand such words as those; but + come now after me, for I shall find some speedy means to release you from + your confinement. I shall surely set you free to-night or to-morrow, if + you please. Come now, I will lead you away." And he thus makes reply: "You + may be sure that I will never escape secretly and like a thief. When the + people are all gathered out there in the streets, I can go forth more + honourably than if I did so surreptitiously." Then he followed her into + the little room. The damsel, who was kind, secured and bestowed upon him + all that he desired. And when the opportunity arose, she remembered what + he had said to her how he had been pleased by what he saw when they were + seeking him in the room with intent to kill him. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1589-1652.) The damsel stood in such favour with her lady that she + had no fear of telling her anything, regardless of the consequences, for + she was her confidante and companion. Then, why should she be backward in + comforting her lady and in giving her advice which should redound to her + honour? The first time she said to her privily: "My lady, I greatly marvel + to see you act so extravagantly. Do you think you can recover your lord by + giving away thus to your grief?" "Nay, rather, if I had my wish," says + she, "I would now be dead of grief." "And why?" "In order to follow after + him." "After him? God forbid, and give you again as good a lord, as is + consistent with His might." "Thou didst never speak such a lie as that, + for He could never give me so good a lord again." "He will give you a + better one, if you will accept him, and I can prove it." "Begone! Peace! I + shall never find such a one." "Indeed you shall, my lady, if you will + consent. Just tell me, if you will, who is going to defend your land when + King Arthur comes next week to the margin of the spring? You have already + been apprised of this by letters sent you by the Dameisele Sauvage. Alas, + what a kind service she did for you! you ought to be considering how you + will defend your spring, and yet you cease not to weep! If it please you, + my dear lady, you ought not to delay. For surely, all the knights you have + are not worth, as you well know, so much as a single chamber-maid. Neither + shield nor lance will ever be taken in hand by the best of them. You have + plenty of craven servants, but there is not one of them brave enough to + dare to mount a steed. And the King is coming with such a host that his + victory will be inevitable." The lady, upon reflection, knows very well + that she is giving her sincere advice, but she is unreasonable in one + respect, as also are other women who are, almost without exception, guilty + of their own folly, and refuse to accept what they really wish. "Begone," + she says; "leave me alone. If I ever hear thee speak of this again it will + go hard with thee, unless thou flee. Thou weariest me with thy idle + words." "Very well, my lady," she says; "that you are a woman is evident, + for woman will grow irate when she hears any one give her good advice." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1653-1726.) Then she went away and left her alone. And the lady + reflected that she had been in the wrong. She would have been very glad to + know how the damsel could ever prove that it would be possible to find a + better knight than her lord had ever been. She would be very glad to hear + her speak, but now she has forbidden her. With this desire in mind, she + waited until she returned. But the warning was of no avail, for she began + to say to her at once: "My lady, is it seemly that you should thus torment + yourself with grief? For God's sake now control yourself, and for shame, + at least, cease your lament. It is not fitting that so great a lady should + keep up her grief so long. Remember your honourable estate and your very + gentle birth! Think you that all virtue ceased with the death of your + lord? There are in the world a hundred as good or better men." "May God + confound me, if thou dost not lie! Just name to me a single one who is + reputed to be so excellent as my lord was all his life." "If I did so you + would be angry with me, and would fly into a passion and you would esteem + me less." "No, I will not, I assure thee." "Then may it all be for your + future welfare if you would but consent, and may God so incline your will! + I see no reason for holding my peace, for no one hears or heeds what we + say. Doubtless you will think I am impudent, but I shall freely speak my + mind. When two knights have met in an affray of arms and when one has + beaten the other, which of the two do you think is the better? For my part + I award the prize to the victor. Now what do you think?" "It seems to me + you are laying a trap for me and intend to catch me in my words." "Upon my + faith, you may rest assured that I am in the right, and I can irrefutably + prove to you that he who defeated your lord is better than he was himself. + He beat him and pursued him valiantly until he imprisoned him in his + house." "Now," she replies, "I hear the greatest nonsense that was ever + uttered. Begone, thou spirit charged with evil! Begone, thou foolish and + tiresome girl! Never again utter such idle words, and never come again + into my presence to speak a word on his behalf!" "Indeed, my lady, I knew + full well that I should receive no thanks from you, and I said so before I + spoke. But you promised me you would not be displeased, and that you would + not be angry with me for it. But you have failed to keep your promise, and + now, as it has turned out, you have discharged your wrath on me, and I + have lost by not holding my peace." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1727-1942.) Thereupon she goes back to the room where my lord Yvain + is waiting, comfortably guarded by her vigilance. But he is ill at ease + when he cannot see the lady, and he pays no attention, and hears no word + of the report which the damsel brings to him. The lady, too, is in great + perplexity all night, being worried about how she should defend the + spring; and she begins to repent of her action to the damsel, whom she had + blamed and insulted and treated with contempt. She feels very sure and + certain that not for any reward or bribe, nor for any affection which she + may bear him, would the maiden ever have mentioned him; and that she must + love her more than him, and that she would never give her advice which + would bring her shame or embarrassment: the maid is too loyal a friend for + that. Thus, lo! the lady is completely changed: she fears now that she to + whom she had spoken harshly will never love her again devotedly; and him + whom she had repulsed, she now loyally and with good reason pardons, + seeing that he had done her no wrong. So she argues as if he were in her + presence there, and thus she begins her argument: "Come," she says, "canst + thou deny that my lord was killed by thee?" "That," says he, "I cannot + deny. Indeed, I fully admit it." "Tell me, then, the reason of thy deed. + Didst thou do it to injure me, prompted by hatred or by spite?" "May death + not spare me now, if I did it to injure you." "In that case, thou hast + done me no wrong, nor art thou guilty of aught toward him. For he would + have killed thee, if he could. So it seems to me that I have decided well + and righteously." Thus, by her own arguments she succeeds in discovering + justice, reason, and common sense, how that there is no cause for hating + him; thus she frames the matter to conform with her desire, and by her own + efforts she kindles her love, as a bush which only smokes with the flame + beneath, until some one blows it or stirs it up. If the damsel should come + in now, she would win the quarrel for which she had been so reproached, + and by which she had been so hurt. And next morning, in fact, she appeared + again, taking the subject up where she had let it drop. Meanwhile, the + lady bowed her head, knowing she had done wrong in attacking her. But now + she is anxious to make amends, and to inquire concerning the name, + character, and lineage of the knight: so she wisely humbles herself, and + says: "I wish to beg your pardon for the insulting words of pride which in + my rage I spoke to you: I will follow your advice. So tell me now, if + possible, about the knight of whom you have spoken so much to me: what + sort of a man is he, and of what parentage? If he is suited to become my + mate, and provided he be so disposed, I promise you to make him my husband + and lord of my domain. But he will have to act in such a way that no one + can reproach me by saying: 'This is she who took him who killed her + lord.'" "In God's name, lady, so shall it be. You will have the gentlest, + noblest, and fairest lord who ever belonged to Abel's line." "What is his + name?" "My lord Yvain." "Upon my word, if he is King Urien's son he is of + no mean birth, but very noble, as I well know." "Indeed, my lady, you say + the truth." "And when shall we be able to see him?" "In five days' time." + "That would be too long; for I wish he were already come. Let him come + to-night, or to-morrow, at the latest." "My lady, I think no one could fly + so far in one day. But I shall send one of my squires who can run fast, + and who will reach King Arthur's court at least by to-morrow night, I + think; that is the place we must seek for him." "That is a very long time. + The days are long. But tell him that to-morrow night he must be back here, + and that he must make greater haste than usual. If he will only do his + best, he can do two days' journey in one. Moreover, to-night the moon will + shine; so let him turn night into day. And when he returns I will give him + whatever he wishes me to give." "Leave all care of that to me; for you + shall have him in your hands the day after to-morrow at the very latest. + Meanwhile you shall summon your men and confer with them about the + approaching visit of the King. In order to make the customary defence of + your spring it behoves you to consult with them. None of them will be so + hardy as to dare to boast that he will present himself. In that case you + will have a good excuse for saving that it behoves you to marry again. A + certain knight, highly qualified, seeks your hand; but you do not presume + to accept him without their unanimous consent. And I warrant what the + outcome will be: I know them all to be such cowards that in order to put + on some one else the burden which would be too heavy for them, they will + fall at your feet and speak their gratitude; for thus their responsibility + will be at an end. For, whoever is afraid of his own shadow willingly + avoids, if possible, any meeting with lance or spear; for such games a + coward has no use." "Upon my word," the lady replies, "so I would have it, + and so I consent, having already conceived the plan which you have + expressed; so that is what we shall do. But why do you tarry here? Go, + without delay, and take measures to bring him here, while I shall summon + my liege-men." Thus concluded their conference. And the damsel pretends to + send to search for my lord Yvain in his country; while every day she has + him bathed, and washed, and groomed. And besides this she prepares for him + a robe of red scarlet stuff, brand new and lined with spotted fur. There + is nothing necessary for his equipment which she does not lend to him: a + golden buckle for his neck, ornamented with precious stones which make + people look well, a girdle, and a wallet made of rich gold brocade. She + fitted him out perfectly, then informed her lady that the messenger had + returned, having done his errand well. "How is that?" she says, "is he + here? Then let him come at once, secretly and privily, while no one is + here with me. See to it that no one else come in, for I should hate to see + a fourth person here." At this the damsel went away, and returned to her + guest again. However, her face did not reveal the joy that was in her + heart; indeed, she said that her lady knew that she had been sheltering + him, and was very much incensed at her. "Further concealment is useless + now. The news about you has been so divulged that my lady knows the whole + story and is very angry with me, heaping me with blame and reproaches. But + she has given me her word that I may take you into her presence without + any harm or danger. I take it that you will have no objection to this, + except for one condition (for I must not disguise the truth, or I should + be unjust to you): she wishes to have you in her control, and she desires + such complete possession of your body that even your heart shall not be at + large." "Certainly," he said, "I readily consent to what will be no + hardship to me. I am willing to be her prisoner." "So shall you be: I + swear it by this right hand laid upon you!. Now come and, upon my advice, + demean yourself so humbly in her presence that your imprisonment may not + be grievous. Otherwise feel no concern. I do not think that your restraint + will be irksome." Then the damsel leads him off, now alarming, now + reassuring him, and speaking to him mysteriously about the confinement in + which he is to find himself; for every lover is a prisoner. She is right + in calling him a prisoner; for surely any one who loves is no longer free. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1943-2036.) Taking my lord Yvain by the hand, the damsel leads him + where he will be dearly loved; but expecting to be ill received, it is not + strange if he is afraid. They found the lady seated upon a red cushion. I + assure you my lord Yvain was terrified upon entering the room, where he + found the lady who spoke not a word to him. At this he was still more + afraid, being overcome with fear at the thought that he had been betrayed. + He stood there to one side so long that the damsel at last spoke up and + said: "Five hundred curses upon the head of him who takes into a fair + lady's chamber a knight who will not draw near, and who has neither tongue + nor mouth nor sense to introduce himself." Thereupon, taking him by the + arm, she thrust him forward with the words: "Come, step forward, knight, + and have no fear that my lady is going to snap at you; but seek her + good-will and give her yours. I will join you in your prayer that she + pardon you for the death of her lord, Esclados the Red." Then my lord + Yvain clasped his hands, and failing upon his knees, spoke like a lover + with these words: "I will not crave your pardon, lady, but rather thank + you for any treatment you may inflict on me, knowing that no act of yours + could ever be distasteful to me." "Is that so, sir? And what if I think to + kill you now?" "My lady, if it please you, you will never hear me speak + otherwise." "I never heard of such a thing as this: that you put yourself + voluntarily and absolutely within my power, without the coercion of any + one." "My lady, there is no force so strong, in truth, as that which + commands me to conform absolutely to your desire. I do not fear to carry + out any order you may be pleased to give. And if I could atone for the + death, which came through no fault of mine, I would do so cheerfully." + "What?" says she, "come tell me now and be forgiven, if you did no wrong + in killing my lord?" "Lady," he says, "if I may say it, when your lord + attacked me, why was I wrong to defend myself? When a man in self-defence + kills another who is trying to kill or capture him, tell me if in any way + he is to blame." "No, if one looks at it aright. And I suppose it would + have been no use, if I had had you put to death. But I should be glad to + learn whence you derive the force that bids you to consent unquestioningly + to whatever my will may dictate. I pardon you all your misdeeds and + crimes. But be seated, and tell us now what is the cause of your + docility?" "My lady," he says, "the impelling force comes from my heart, + which is inclined toward you. My heart has fixed me in this desire." "And + what prompted your heart, my fair sweet friend?" "Lady, my eyes." "And + what the eyes?" "The great beauty that I see in you." "And where is + beauty's fault in that?" "Lady, in this: that it makes me love." "Love? + And whom?" "You, my lady dear." "I?" "Yes, truly." "Really? And how is + that?" "To such an extent that my heart will not stir from you, nor is it + elsewhere to be found; to such an extent that I cannot think of anything + else, and I surrender myself altogether to you, whom I love more than I + love myself, and for whom, if you will, I am equally ready to die or + live." "And would you dare to undertake the defence of my spring for love + of me?" "Yes, my lady, against the world." "Then you may know that our + peace is made." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2037-2048.) Thus they are quickly reconciled. And the lady, having + previously consulted her lords, says: "We shall proceed from here to the + hall where my men are assembled, who, in view of the evident need, have + advised and counselled me to take a husband at their request. And I shall + do so, in view of the urgent need: here and now I give myself to you; for + I should not refuse to accept as lord, such a good knight and a king's + son." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2049-2328.) Now the damsel has brought about exactly what she had + desired. And my lord Yvain's mastery is more complete than could be told + or described; for the lady leads him away to the hall, which was full of + her knights and men-at-arms. And my lord Yvain was so handsome that they + all marvelled to look at him, and all, rising to their feet, salute and + bow to my lord Yvain, guessing well as they did so: "This is he whom my + lady will select. Cursed be he who opposes him! For he seems a wonderfully + fine man. Surely, the empress of Rome would be well married with such a + man. Would now that he had given his word to her, and she to him, with + clasped hand, and that the wedding might take place to-day or tomorrow." + Thus they spoke among themselves. At the end of the hall there was a seat, + and there in the sight of all the lady took her place. And my lord Yvain + made as if he intended to seat himself at her feet; but she raised him up, + and ordered the seneschal to speak aloud, so that his speech might be + heard by all. Then the seneschal began, being neither stubborn nor slow of + speech: "My lords," he said, "we are confronted by war. Every day the King + is preparing with all the haste he can command to come to ravage our + lands. Before a fortnight shall have passed, all will have been laid + waste, unless some valiant defender shall appear. When my lady married + first, not quite seven years ago, she did it on your advice. Now her + husband is dead, and she is grieved. Six feet of earth is all he has, who + formerly owned all this land, and who was indeed its ornament. <a + href="#linknote-314" name="linknoteref-314"><small>314</small></a> + It is a pity he lived so short a while. A woman cannot bear a shield, nor + does she know how to fight with lance. It would exalt and dignify her + again if she should marry some worthy lord. Never was there greater need + than now; do all of you recommend that she take a spouse, before the + custom shall lapse which has been observed in this town for more than the + past sixty years." At this, all at once proclaim that it seems to them the + right thing to do, and they all throw themselves at her feet. They + strengthen her desire by their consent; yet she hesitates to assert her + wishes until, as if against her will, she finally speaks to the same + intent as she would have done, indeed, if every one had opposed her wish: + "My lords, since it is your wish, this knight who is seated beside me has + wooed me and ardently sought my hand. He wishes to engage himself in the + defence of my rights and in my service, for which I thank him heartily, as + you do also. It is true I have never known him in person, but I have often + heard his name. Know that he is no less a man than the son of King Urien. + Beside his illustrious lineage, he is so brave, courteous, and wise that + no one has cause to disparage him. You have all already heard, I suppose, + of my lord Yvain, and it is he who seeks my hand. When the marriage is + consummated, I shall have a more noble lord than I deserve." They all say: + "If you are prudent, this very day shall not go by without the marriage + being solemnised. For it is folly to postpone for a single hour an + advantageous act." They beseech her so insistently that she consents to + what she would have done in any case. For Love bids her do that for which + she asks counsel and advice; but there is more honour for him in being + accepted with the approval of her men. To her their prayers are not + unwelcome; rather do they stir and incite her heart to have its way. The + horse, already under speed, goes faster yet when it is spurred. In the + presence of all her lords, the lady gives herself to my lord Yvain. From + the hand of her chaplain he received the lady, Laudine de Landuc, daughter + of Duke Laudunet, of whom they sing a lay. That very day without delay he + married her, and the wedding was celebrated. There were plenty of mitres + and croziers there, for the lady had summoned her bishops and abbots. + Great was the joy and rejoicing, there were many people, and much wealth + was displayed—more than I could tell you of, were I to devote much + thought to it. It is better to keep silent than to be inadequate. So my + lord Yvain is master now, and the dead man is quite forgot. He who killed + him is now married to his wife, and they enjoy the marriage rights. The + people love and esteem their living lord more than they ever did the dead. + They served him well at his marriage-feast, until the eve before the day + when the King came to visit the marvellous spring and its stone, bringing + with him upon this expedition his companions and all those of his + household; not one was left behind. And my lord Kay remarked: "Ah, what + now has become of Yvain, who after his dinner made the boast that he would + avenge his cousin's shame? Evidently he spoke in his cups. I believe that + he has run away. He would not dare to come back for anything. He was very + presumptuous to make such a boast. He is a bold man who dares to boast of + what no one would praise him for, and who has no proof of his great feats + except the words of some false flatterer. There is a great difference + between a coward and a hero; for the coward seated beside the fire talks + loudly about himself, holding all the rest as fools, and thinking that no + one knows his real character. A hero would be distressed at hearing his + prowess related by some one else. And yet I maintain that the coward is + not wrong to praise and vaunt himself, for he will find no one else to lie + for him. If he does not boast of his deeds, who will? All pass over him in + silence, even the heralds, who proclaim the brave, but discard the + cowards." When my lord Kay had spoken thus, my lord Gawain made this + reply: "My lord Kay, have some mercy now! Since my lord Yvain is not here, + you do not know what business occupies him. Indeed, he never so debased + himself as to speak any ill of you compared with the gracious things he + has said." "Sire," says Kay, "I'll hold my peace. I'll not say another + word to-day, since I see you are offended by my speech." Then the King, in + order to see the rain, poured a whole basin full of water upon the stone + beneath the pine, and at once the rain began to pour. It was not long + before my lord Yvain without delay entered the forest fully armed, tiding + faster than a gallop on a large, sleek steed, strong, intrepid, and fleet + of foot. And it was my lord Kay's desire to request the first encounter. + For, whatever the outcome might be, he always wished to begin the fight + and joust the first, or else he would be much incensed. Before all the + rest, he requested the King to allow him to do battle first. The King + says: "Kay, since it is your wish, and since you are the first to make the + request, the favour ought not to be denied." Kay thanks him first, then + mounts his steed. If now my lord Yvain can inflict a mild disgrace upon + him, he will be very glad to do so; for he recognises him by his arms. <a + href="#linknote-315" name="linknoteref-315"><small>315</small></a> + Each grasping his shield by the straps, they rush together. Spurring their + steeds, they lower the lances, which they hold tightly gripped. Then they + thrust them forward a little, so that they grasped them by the + leather-wrapped handles, and so that when they came together they were + able to deal such cruel blows that both lances broke in splinters clear to + the handle of the shaft. My lord Yvain gave him such a mighty blow that + Kay took a summersault from out of his saddle and struck with his helmet + on the ground. My lord Yvain has no desire to inflict upon him further + harm, but simply dismounts and takes his horse. This pleased them all, and + many said: "Ah, ah, see how you prostrate lie, who but now held others up + to scorn! And yet it is only right to pardon you this time; for it never + happened to you before." Thereupon my lord Yvain approached the King, + leading the horse in his hand by the bridle, and wishing to make it over + to him. "Sire," says he, "now take this steed, for I should do wrong to + keep back anything of yours." "And who are you?" the King replies; "I + should never know you, unless I heard your name, or saw you without your + arms." Then my lord told him who he was, and Kay was overcome with shame, + mortified, humbled, and discomfited, for having said that he had run away. + But the others were greatly pleased, and made much of the honour he had + won. Even the King was greatly gratified, and my lord Gawain a hundred + times more than any one else. For he loved his company more than that of + any other knight he knew. And the King requested him urgently to tell him, + if it be his will, how he had fared; for he was very curious to learn all + about his adventure; so the King begs him to tell the truth. And he soon + told him all about the service and kindness of the damsel, not passing + over a single word, not forgetting to mention anything. And after this he + invited the King and all his knights to come to lodge with him, saying + they would be doing him great honour in accepting his hospitality. And the + King said that for an entire week he would gladly do him the honour and + pleasure, and would bear him company. And when my lord Yvain had thanked + him, they tarry no longer there, but mount and take the most direct road + to the town. My lord Yvain sends in advance of the company a squire + beating a crane-falcon, in order that they might not take the lady by + surprise, and that her people might decorate the streets against the + arrival of the King. When the lady heard the news of the King's visit she + was greatly pleased; nor was there any one who, upon hearing the news, was + not happy and elated. And the lady summons them all and requests them to + go to meet him, to which they make no objection or remonstrance, all being + anxious to do her will. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2329-2414.) <a href="#linknote-316" name="linknoteref-316"><small>316</small></a> Mounted on great Spanish + steeds, they all go to meet the King of Britain, saluting King Arthur + first with great courtesy and then all his company. "Welcome," they say, + "to this company, so full of honourable men! Blessed be he who brings them + hither and presents us with such fair guests!" At the King's arrival the + town resounds with the joyous welcome which they give. Silken stuffs are + taken out and hung aloft as decorations, and they spread tapestries to + walk upon and drape the streets with them, while they wait for the King's + approach. And they make still another preparation, in covering the streets + with awnings against the hot rays of the sun. Bells, horns, and trumpets + cause the town to ring so that God's thunder could not have been heard. + The maidens dance before him, flutes and pipes are played, kettle-drums, + drums, and cymbals are beaten. On their part the nimble youths leap, and + all strive to show their delight. With such evidence of their joy, they + welcome the King fittingly. And the Lady came forth, dressed in imperial + garb a robe of fresh ermine—and upon her head she wore a diadem all + ornamented with rubies. No cloud was there upon her face, but it was so + gay and full of joy that she was more beautiful, I think, than any + goddess. Around her the crowd pressed close, as they cried with one + accord: "Welcome to the King of kings and lord of lords!" The King could + not reply to all before he saw the lady coming toward him to hold his + stirrup. However, he would not wait for this, but hastened to dismount + himself as soon as he caught sight of her. Then she salutes him with these + words: "Welcome a hundred thousand times to the King, my lord, and blessed + be his nephew, my lord Gawain!" The King replies: "I wish all happiness + and good luck to your fair body and your face, lovely creature!" Then + clasping her around the waist, the King embraced her gaily and heartily as + she did him, throwing her arms about him. I will say no more of how gladly + she welcomed them, but no one ever heard of any people who were so + honourably received and served. I might tell you much of the joy should I + not be wasting words, but I wish to make brief mention of an acquaintance + which was made in private between the moon and the sun. Do you know of + whom I mean to speak? He who was lord of the knights, and who was renowned + above them all, ought surely to be called the sun. I refer, of course, to + my lord Gawain, for chivalry is enhanced by him just as when the morning + sun sheds its rays abroad and lights all places where it shines. And I + call her the moon, who cannot be otherwise because of her sense and + courtesy. However, I call her so not only because of her good repute, but + because her name is, in fact, Lunete. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2415-2538.) The damsel's name was Lunete, and she was a charming + brunette, prudent, clever, and polite. As her acquaintance grows with my + lord Gawain, he values her highly and gives her his love as to his + sweetheart, because she had saved from death his companion and friend; he + places himself freely at her service. On her part she describes and + relates to him with what difficulty she persuaded her mistress to take my + lord Yvain as her husband, and how she protected him from the hands of + those who were seeking him; how he was in their midst but they did not see + him. My lord Gawain laughed aloud at this story of hers, and then he said: + "Mademoiselle, when you need me and when you don't, such as I am, I place + myself at your disposal. Never throw me off for some one else when you + think you can improve your lot. I am yours, and do you be from now on my + demoiselle!" "I thank you kindly, sire," she said. While the acquaintance + of these two was ripening thus, the others, too, were engaged in flirting. + For there were perhaps ninety ladies there, each of whom was fair and + charming, noble and polite, virtuous and prudent, and a lady of exalted + birth, so the men could agreeably employ themselves in caressing and + kissing them, and in talking to them and in gazing at them while they were + seated by their side; that much satisfaction they had at least. My lord + Yvain is in high feather because the King is lodged with him. And the lady + bestows such attention upon them all, as individuals and collectively, + that some foolish person might suppose that the charming attentions which + she showed them were dictated by love. But such persons may properly be + rated as fools for thinking that a lady is in love with them just because + she is courteous and speaks to some unfortunate fellow, and makes him + happy and caresses him. A fool is made happy by fair words, and is very + easily taken in. That entire week they spent in gaiety; forest and stream + offered plenty of sport for any one who desired it. And whoever wished to + see the land which had come into the hands of my lord Yvain with the lady + whom he had married, could go to enjoy himself at one of the castles which + stood within a radius of two, three, or four leagues. When the King had + stayed as long as he chose, he made ready to depart. But during the week + they had all begged urgently, and with all the insistence at their + command, that they might take away my lord Yvain with them. "What? Will + you be one of those." said my lord Gawain to him, "who degenerate after + marriage? <a href="#linknote-317" name="linknoteref-317"><small>317</small></a> Cursed be he by Saint Mary who + marries and then degenerates! Whoever has a fair lady as his mistress or + his wife should be the better for it, and it is not right that her + affection should be bestowed on him after his worth and reputation are + gone. Surely you, too, would have cause to regret her love if you grew + soft, for a woman quickly withdraws her love, and rightly so, and despises + him who degenerates in any way when he has become lord of the realm. Now + ought your fame to be increased! Slip off the bridle and halter and come + to the tournament with me, that no one may say that you are jealous. Now + you must no longer hesitate to frequent the lists, to share in the + onslaught, and to contend with force, whatever effort it may cost! + Inaction produces indifference. But, really, you must come, for I shall be + in your company. Have a care that our comradeship shall not fail through + any fault of yours, fair companion; for my part, you may count on me. It + is strange how a man sets store by the life of ease which has no end. + Pleasures grow sweeter through postponement; and a little pleasure, when + delayed, is much sweeter to the taste than great pleasure enjoyed at once. + The sweets of a love which develops late are like a fire in a green bush; + for the longer one delays in lighting it the greater will be the heat it + yields, and the longer will its force endure. One may easily fall into + habits which it is very difficult to shake off, for when one desires to do + so, he finds he has lost the power. Don't misunderstand my words, my + friend: if I had such a fair mistress as you have, I call God and His + saints to witness, I should leave her most reluctantly; indeed, I should + doubtless be infatuated. But a man may give another counsel, which he + would not take himself, just as the preachers, who are deceitful rascals, + and preach and proclaim the right but who do not follow it themselves." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2539-2578.) My lord Gawain spoke at such length and so urgently that + he promised him that he would go; but he said that he must consult his + lady and ask for her consent. Whether it be a foolish or a prudent thing + to do, he will not fail to ask her leave to return to Britain. Then he + took counsel with his wife, who had no inkling of the permission he + desired, as he addressed her with these words: "My beloved lady, my heart + and soul, my treasure, joy, and happiness, grant me now a favour which + will redound to your honour and to mine." The lady at once gives her + consent, not knowing what his desire is, and says: "Fair lord, you may + command me your pleasure, whatever it be." Then my lord Yvain at once asks + her for permission to escort the King and to attend at tournaments, that + no one may reproach his indolence. And she replies: "I grant you leave + until a certain date; but be sure that my love will change to hate if you + stay beyond the term that I shall fix. Remember that I shall keep my word; + if you break your word I will keep mine. If you wish to possess my love, + and if you have any regard for me, remember to come back again at the + latest a year from the present date a week after St. John's day; for + to-day is the eighth day since that feast. You will be checkmated of my + love if you are not restored to me on that day." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2579-2635.) My lord Yvain weeps and sighs so bitterly that he can + hardly find words to say: "My lady, this date is indeed a long way off. If + I could be a dove, whenever the fancy came to me, I should often rejoin + you here. And I pray God that in His pleasure He may not detain me so long + away. But sometimes a man intends speedily to return who knows not what + the future has in store for him. And I know not what will be my fate—perhaps + some urgency of sickness or imprisonment may keep me back: you are unjust + in not making an exception at least of actual hindrance." "My lord," says + she, "I will make that exception. And yet I dare to promise you that, if + God deliver you from death, no hindrance will stand in your way so long as + you remember me. So put on your finger now this ring of mine, which I lend + to you. And I will tell you all about the stone: no true and loyal lover + can be imprisoned or lose any blood, nor can any harm befall him, provided + he carry it and hold it dear, and keep his sweetheart in mind. You will + become as hard as iron, and it will serve you as shield and hauberk. I + have never before been willing to lend or entrust it to any knight, but to + you I give it because of my affection for you." Now my lord Yvain is free + to go, but he weeps bitterly on taking leave. The King, however, would not + tarry longer for anything that might be said: rather was he anxious to + have the palfreys brought all equipped and bridled. They acceded at once + to his desire, bringing the palfreys forth, so that it remained only to + mount. I do not know whether I ought to tell you how my lord Yvain took + his leave, and of the kisses bestowed on him, mingled with tears and + steeped in sweetness. And what shall I tell you about the King how the + lady escorts him, accompanied by her damsels and seneschal? All this would + require too much time. When he sees the lady's tears, the King implores + her to come no farther, but to return to her abode. He begged her with + such urgency that, heavy at heart, she turned about followed by her + company. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2639-2773.) My lord Yvain is so distressed to leave his lady that his + heart remains behind. The King may take his body off, but he cannot lead + his heart away. She who stays behind clings so tightly to his heart that + the King has not the power to take it away with him. When the body is left + without the heart it cannot possibly live on. For such a marvel was never + seen as the body alive without the heart. Yet this marvel now came about: + for he kept his body without the heart, which was wont to be enclosed in + it, but which would not follow the body now. The heart has a good + abiding-place, while the body, hoping for a safe return to its heart, in + strange fashion takes a new heart of hope, which is so often deceitful and + treacherous. He will never know in advance, I think, the hour when this + hope will play him false, for if he overstays by single day the term which + he has agreed upon, it will be hard for him to gain again his lady's + pardon and goodwill. Yet I think he will overstay the term, for my lord + Gawain will not allow him to part from him, as together they go to joust + wherever tournaments are held. And as the year passes by my lord Yvain had + such success that my lord Gawain strove to honour him, and caused him to + delay so long that all the first year slipped by, and it came to the + middle of August of the ensuing year, when the King held court at Chester, + whither they had returned the day before from a tournament where my lord + Yvain had been and where he had won the glory and the story tells how the + two companions were unwilling to lodge in the town, but had their tents + set up outside the city, and held court there. For they never went to the + royal court, but the King came rather to join in theirs, for they had the + best knights, and the greatest number, in their company. Now King Arthur + was seated in their midst, when Yvain suddenly had a thought which + surprised him more than any that had occurred to him since he had taken + leave of his lady, for he realised that he had broken his word, and that + the limit of his leave was already exceeded. He could hardly keep back his + tears, but he succeeded in doing so from shame. He was still deep in + thought when he saw a damsel approaching rapidly upon a black palfrey with + white forefeet. As she got down before the tent no one helped her to + dismount, and no one went to take her horse. As soon as she made out the + King, she let her mantle fall, and thus displayed she entered the tent and + came before the King, announcing that her mistress sent greetings to the + King, and to my lord Gawain and all the other knights, except Yvain, that + disloyal traitor, liar, hypocrite, who had deserted her deceitfully. "She + has seen clearly the treachery of him who pretended he was a faithful + lover while he was a false and treacherous thief. This thief has traduced + my lady, who was all unprepared for any evil, and to whom it never + occurred that he would steal her heart away. Those who love truly do not + steal hearts away; there are, however, some men, by whom these former are + called thieves, who themselves go about deceitfully making love, but in + whom there is no real knowledge of the matter. The lover takes his lady's + heart, of course, but he does not run away with it; rather does he + treasure it against those thieves who, in the guise of honourable men, + would steal it from him. But those are deceitful and treacherous thieves + who vie with one another in stealing hearts for which they care nothing. + The true lover, wherever he may go, holds the heart dear and brings it + back again. But Yvain has caused my lady's death, for she supposed that he + would guard her heart for her, and would bring it back again before the + year elapsed. Yvain, thou wast of short memory when thou couldst not + remember to return to thy mistress within a year. She gave thee thy + liberty until St. John's day, and thou settest so little store by her that + never since has a thought of her crossed thy mind. My lady had marked + every day in her chamber, as the seasons passed: for when one is in love, + one is ill at ease and cannot get any restful sleep, but all night long + must needs count and reckon up the days as they come and go. Dost thou + know how lovers spend their time? They keep count of the time and the + season. Her complaint is not presented prematurely or without cause, and I + am not accusing him in any way, but I simply say that we have been + betrayed by him who married my lady. Yvain, my mistress has no further + care for thee, but sends thee word by me never to come back to her, and no + longer to keep her ring. She bids thee send it back to her by me, whom + thou seest present here. Surrender it now, as thou art bound to do." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2774-3230.) Senseless and deprived of speech, Yvain is unable to + reply. And the damsel steps forth and takes the ring from his finger, + commending to God the King and all the others except him, whom she leaves + in deep distress. And his sorrow grows on him: he feels oppressed by what + he hears, and is tormented by what he sees. He would rather be banished + alone in some wild land, where no one would know where to seek for him, + and where no man or woman would know of his whereabouts any more than if + he were in some deep abyss. He hates nothing so much as he hates himself, + nor does he know to whom to go for comfort in the death he has brought + upon himself. But he would rather go insane than not take vengeance upon + himself, deprived, as he is, of joy through his own fault. He rises from + his place among the knights, fearing he will lose his mind if he stays + longer in their midst. On their part, they pay no heed to him, but let him + take his departure alone. They know well enough that he cares nothing for + their talk or their society. And he goes away until he is far from the + tents and pavilions. Then such a storm broke loose in his brain that he + loses his senses; he tears his flesh and, stripping off his clothes, he + flees across the meadows and fields, leaving his men quite at a loss, and + wondering what has become of him. <a href="#linknote-318" + name="linknoteref-318"><small>318</small></a> They go + in search of him through all the country around—in the lodgings of + the knights, by the hedgerows, and in the gardens—but they seek him + where he is not to be found. Still fleeing, he rapidly pursued his way + until he met close by a park a lad who had in his hand a bow and five + barbed arrows, which were very sharp and broad. He had sense enough to go + and take the bow and arrows which he held. However, he had no recollection + of anything that he had done. He lies in wait for the beasts in the woods, + killing them, and then eating the venison raw. Thus he dwelt in the forest + like a madman or a savage, until he came upon a little, low-lying house + belonging to a hermit, who was at work clearing his ground. When he saw + him coming with nothing on, he could easily perceive that he was not in + his right mind; and such was the case, as the hermit very well knew. So, + in fear, he shut himself up in his little house, and taking some bread and + fresh water, he charitably set it outside the house on a narrow + window-ledge. And thither the other comes, hungry for the bread which he + takes and eats. I do not believe that he ever before had tasted such hard + and bitter bread. The measure of barley kneaded with the straw, of which + the bread, sourer than yeast, was made, had not cost more than five sous; + and the bread was musty and as dry as bark. But hunger torments and whets + his appetite, so that the bread tasted to him like sauce. For hunger is + itself a well mixed and concocted sauce for any food. My lord Yvain soon + ate the hermit's bread, which tasted good to him, and drank the cool water + from the jar. When he had eaten, he betook himself again to the woods in + search of stags and does. And when he sees him going away, the good man + beneath his roof prays God to defend him and guard him lest he ever pass + that way again. But there is no creature, with howsoever little sense, + that will not gladly return to a place where he is kindly treated. So, not + a day passed while he was in this mad fit that he did not bring to his + door some wild game. Such was the life he led; and the good man took it + upon himself to remove the skin and set a good quantity of the venison to + cook; and the bread and the water in the jug was always standing on the + window-ledge for the madman to make a meal. Thus he had something to eat + and drink: venison without salt or pepper, and good cool water from the + spring. And the good man exerted himself to sell the hide and buy bread + made of barley, or oats, or of some other grain; so, after that, Yvain had + a plentiful supply of bread and venison, which sufficed him for a long + time, until one day he was found asleep in the forest by two damsels and + their mistress, in whose service they were. When they saw the naked man, + one of the three ran and dismounted and examined him closely, before she + saw anything about him which would serve to identify him. If he had only + been richly attired, as he had been many a time, and if she could have + seen him then she would have known him quickly enough. But she was slow to + recognise him, and continued to look at him until at last she noticed a + scar which he had on his face, and she recollected that my lord Yvain's + face was scarred in this same way; she was sure of it, for she had often + seen it. Because of the scar she saw that it was he beyond any doubt; but + she marvelled greatly how it came about that she found him thus poor and + stripped. Often she crosses herself in amazement, but she does not touch + him or wake him up; rather does she mount her horse again, and going back + to the others, tells them tearfully of her adventure. I do not know if I + ought to delay to tell you of the grief she showed; but thus she spoke + weeping to her mistress: "My lady, I have found Yvain, who has proved + himself to be the best knight in the world, and the most virtuous. I + cannot imagine what sin has reduced the gentleman to such a plight. I + think he must have had some misfortune, which causes him thus to demean + himself, for one may lose his wits through grief. And any one can see that + he is not in his right mind, for it would surely never be like him to + conduct himself thus indecently unless he had lost his mind. Would that + God had restored to him the best sense he ever had, and would that he + might then consent to render assistance to your cause! For Count Alier, + who is at war with you, has made upon you a fierce attack. I should see + the strife between you two quickly settled in your favour if God favoured + your fortunes so that he should return to his senses and undertake to aid + you in this stress." To this the lady made reply: "Take care now! For + surely, if he does not escape, with God's help I think we can clear his + head of all the madness and insanity. But we must be on our way at once! + For I recall a certain ointment with which Morgan the Wise presented me, + saying there was no delirium of the head which it would not cure." + Thereupon, they go off at once toward the town, which was hard by, for it + was not any more than half a league of the kind they have in that country; + and, as compared with ours, two of their leagues make one and four make + two. And he remains sleeping all alone, while the lady goes to fetch the + ointment. The lady opens a case of hers, and, taking out a box, gives it + to the damsel, and charges her not to be too prodigal in its use: she + should rub only his temples with it, for there is no use of applying it + elsewhere; she should anoint only his temples with it, and the remainder + she should carefully keep, for there is nothing the matter with him except + in his brain. She sends him also a robe of spotted fur, a coat, and a + mantle of scarlet silk. The damsel takes them, and leads in her right hand + an excellent palfrey. And she added to these, of her own store, a shirt, + some soft hose, and some new drawers of proper cut. With all these things + she quickly set out, and found him still asleep where she had left him. + After putting her horse in an enclosure where she tied him fast, she came + with the clothes and the ointment to the place where he was asleep. Then + she made so bold as to approach the madman, so that she could touch and + handle him: then taking the ointment she rubbed him with it until none + remained in the box, being so solicitous for his recovery that she + proceeded to anoint him all over with it; and she used it so freely that + she heeded not the warning of her mistress, nor indeed did she remember + it. She put more on than was needed, but in her opinion it was well + employed. She rubbed his temples and forehead, and his whole body down to + the ankles. She rubbed his temples and his whole body so much there in the + hot sunshine that the madness and the depressing gloom passed completely + out of his brain. But she was foolish to anoint his body, for of that + there was no need. If she had had five measures of it she would doubtless + have done the same thing. She carries off the box, and takes hidden refuge + by her horse. But she leaves the robe behind, wishing that, if God calls + him back to life, he may see it all laid out, and may take it and put it + on. She posts herself behind an oak tree until he had slept enough, and + was cured and quite restored, having regained his wits and memory. Then he + sees that he is as naked as ivory, and feels much ashamed; but he would + have been yet more ashamed had he known what had happened. As it is, he + knows nothing but that he is naked. He sees the new robe lying before him, + and marvels greatly how and by what adventure it had come there. But he is + ashamed and concerned, because of his nakedness, and says that he is dead + and utterly undone if any one has come upon him there and recognised him. + Meanwhile, he clothes himself and looks out into the forest to see if any + one was approaching. He tries to stand up and support himself, but cannot + summon the strength to walk away, for his sickness has so affected him + that he can scarcely stand upon his feet. Thereupon, the damsel resolves + to wait no longer, but, mounting, she passed close by him, as if unaware + of his presence. Quite indifferent as to whence might come the help, which + he needed so much to lead him away to some lodging-place, where he might + recruit his strength, he calls out to her with all his might. And the + damsel, for her part, looks about her as if not knowing what the trouble + is. Confused, she goes hither and thither, not wishing to go straight up + to him. Then he begins to call again: "Damsel, come this way, here!" And + the damsel guided toward him her soft-stepping palfrey. By this ruse she + made him think that she knew nothing of him and had never seen him before; + in so doing she was wise and courteous. When she had come before him, she + said: "Sir knight, what do you desire that you call me so insistently?" + "Ah," said he, "prudent damsel, I have found myself in this wood by some + mishap—I know not what. For God's sake and your belief in Him, I + pray you to lend me, taking my word as pledge, or else to give me + outright, that palfrey you are leading in your hand." "Gladly, sire: but + you must accompany me whither I am going." "Which way?" says he. "To a + town that stands near by, beyond the forest." "Tell me, damsel, if you + stand in need of me." "Yes," she says, "I do; but I think you are not very + well. For the next two weeks at least you ought to rest. Take this horse, + which I hold in my right hand, and we shall go to our lodging-place." And + he, who had no other desire, takes it and mounts, and they proceed until + they come to a bridge over a swift and turbulent stream. And the damsel + throws into the water the empty box she is carrying, thinking to excuse + herself to her mistress for her ointment by saying that she was so unlucky + as to let the box fall into the water for, when her palfrey stumbled under + her, the box slipped from her gasp, and she came near falling in too, + which would have been still worse luck. It is her intention to invent this + story when she comes into her mistress' presence. Together they held their + way until they came to the town, where the lady detained my lord Yvain and + asked her damsel in private for her box and ointment: and the damsel + repeated to her the lie as she had invented it, not daring to tell her the + truth. Then the lady was greatly enraged, and said: "This is certainly a + very serious loss, and I am sure and certain that the box will never be + found again. But since it has happened so, there is nothing more to be + done about it. One often desires a blessing which turns out to be a curse; + thus I, who looked for a blessing and joy from this knight, have lost the + dearest and most precious of my possessions. However, I beg you to serve + him in all respects." "Ah, lady, how wisely now you speak! For it would be + too bad to convert one misfortune into two." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3131-3254.) Then they say no more about the box, but minister in + every way they can to the comfort of my lord Yvain, bathing him and + washing his hair, having him shaved and clipped, for one could have taken + up a fist full of hair upon his face. His every want is satisfied: if he + asks for arms, they are furnished him: if he wants a horse, they provide + him with one that is large and handsome, strong and spirited. He stayed + there until, upon a Tuesday, Count Alier came to the town with his men and + knights, who started fires and took plunder. Those in the town at once + rose up and equipped themselves with arms. Some armed and some unarmed, + they issued forth to meet the plunderers, who did not deign to retreat + before them, but awaited them in a narrow pass. My lord Yvain struck at + the crowd; he had had so long a rest that his strength was quite restored, + and he struck a knight upon his shield with such force that he sent down + in a heap, I think, the knight together with his horse. The knight never + rose again, for his backbone was broken and his heart burst within his + breast. My lord Yvain drew back a little to recover. Then protecting + himself completely with his shield, he spurred forward to clear the pass. + One could not have counted up to four before one would have seen him cast + down speedily four knights. Whereupon, those who were with him waxed more + brave, for many a man of poor and timid heart, at the sight of some brave + man who attacks a dangerous task before his eyes, will be overwhelmed by + confusion and shame, which will drive out the poor heart in his body and + give him another like to a hero's for courage. So these men grew brave and + each stood his ground in the fight and attack. And the lady was up in the + tower, whence she saw the fighting and the rush to win and gain possession + of the pass, and she saw lying upon the ground many who were wounded and + many killed, both of her own party and of the enemy, but more of the enemy + than of her own. For my courteous, bold, and excellent lord Yvain made + them yield just as a falcon does the teal. And the men and women who had + remained within the town declared as they watched the strife: "Ah, what a + valiant knight! How he makes his enemies yield, and how fierce is his + attack! He was about him as a lion among the fallow deer, when he is + impelled by need and hunger. Then, too, all our other knights are more + brave and daring because of him, for, were it not for him alone, not a + lance would have been splintered nor a sword drawn to strike. When such an + excellent man is found he ought to be loved and dearly prized. See now how + he proves himself, see how he maintains his place, see how he stains with + blood his lance and bare sword, see how he presses the enemy and follows + them up, how he comes boldly to attack them, then gives away and turns + about; but he spends little time in giving away, and soon returns to the + attack. See him in the fray again, how lightly he esteems his shield, + which he allows to be cut in pieces mercilessly. Just see how keen he is + to avenge the blows which are dealt at him. For, if some one should use + all the forest of Argone <a href="#linknote-319" name="linknoteref-319"><small>319</small></a> to make lances for him, I + guess he would have none left by night. For he breaks all the lances that + they place in his socket, and calls for more. And see how he wields the + sword when he draws it! Roland never wrought such havoc with Durendal + against the Turks at Ronceval or in Spain! <a href="#linknote-320" + name="linknoteref-320"><small>320</small></a> If he + had in his company some good companions like himself, the traitor, whose + attack we are suffering, would retreat today discomfited, or would stand + his ground only to find defeat." Then they say that the woman would be + blessed who should be loved by one who is so powerful in arms, and who + above all others may be recognised as a taper among candles, as a moon + among the stars, and as the sun above the moon. He so won the hearts of + all that the prowess which they see in him made them wish that he had + taken their lady to wife, and that he were master of the land. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3255-3340.) Thus men and women alike praised him, and in doing so + they but told the truth. For his attack on his adversaries was such that + they vie with one another in flight. But he presses hard upon their heels, + and all his companions follow him, for by his side they feel as safe as if + they were enclosed in a high and thick stone wall. The pursuit continues + until those who flee become exhausted, and the pursuers slash at them and + disembowel their steeds. The living roll over upon the dead as they wound + and kill each other. They work dreadful destruction upon each other; and + meanwhile the Count flees with my lord Yvain after him, until he comes up + with him at the foot of a steep ascent, near the entrance of a strong + place which belonged to the Count. There the Count was stopped, with no + one near to lend him aid; and without any excessive parley my lord Yvain + received his surrender. For as soon as he held him in his hands, and they + were left just man to man, there was no further possibility of escape, or + of yielding, or of self-defence; so the Count pledged his word to go to + surrender to the lady of Noroison as her prisoner, and to make such peace + as she might dictate. And when he had accepted his word he made him disarm + his head and remove the shield from about his neck, and the Count + surrendered to him his sword. Thus he won the honour of leading off the + Count as his prisoner, and of giving him over to his enemies, who make no + secret of their joy. But the news was carried to the town before they + themselves arrived. While all come forth to meet them, the lady herself + leads the way. My lord Yvain holds his prisoner by the hand, and presents + him to her. The Count gladly acceded to her wishes and demands, and + secured her by his word, oath, and pledges. Giving her pledges, he swears + to her that he will always live on peaceful terms with her, and will make + good to her all the loss which she can prove, and will build up again the + houses which he had destroyed. When these things were agreed upon in + accordance with the lady's wish, my lord Yvain asked leave to depart. But + she would not have granted him this permission had he been willing to take + her as his mistress, or to marry her. But he would not allow himself to be + followed or escorted a single step, but rather departed hastily: in this + case entreaty was of no avail. So he started out to retrace his path, + leaving the lady much chagrined, whose joy he had caused a while before. + When he will not tarry longer she is the more distressed and ill at ease + in proportion to the happiness he had brought to her, for she would have + wished to honour him, and would have made him, with his consent, lord of + all her possessions, or else she would have paid him for his services + whatever sum he might have named. But he would not heed any word of man or + woman. Despite their grief he left the knights and the lady who vainly + tried to detain him longer. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3341-3484.) Pensively my lord Yvain proceeded through a deep wood, + until he heard among the trees a very loud and dismal cry, and he turned + in the direction whence it seemed to come. And when he had arrived upon + the spot he saw in a cleared space a lion, and a serpent which held him by + the tail, burning his hind-quarters with flames of fire. My lord Yvain did + not gape at this strange spectacle, but took counsel with himself as to + which of the two he should aid. Then he says that he will succour the + lion, for a treacherous and venomous creature deserves to be harmed. Now + the serpent is poisonous, and fire bursts forth from its mouth—so + full of wickedness is the creature. So my lord Yvain decides that he will + kill the serpent first. Drawing his sword he steps forward, holding the + shield before his face in order not to be harmed by the flame emerging + from the creature's throat, which was larger than a pot. If the lion + attacks him next, he too shall have all the fight he wishes; but whatever + may happen afterwards he makes up his mind to help him now. For pity urges + him and makes request that he should bear succour and aid to the gentle + and noble beast. With his sword, which cuts so clean, he attacks the + wicked serpent, first cleaving him through to the earth and cutting him in + two, then continuing his blows until he reduces him to tiny bits. But he + had to cut off a piece of the lion's tail to get at the serpent's head, + which held the lion by the tail. He cut off only so much as was necessary + and unavoidable. When he had set the lion free, he supposed that he would + have to fight with him, and that the lion would come at him; but the lion + was not minded so. Just hear now what the lion did! He acted nobly and as + one well-bred; for he began to make it evident that he yielded himself to + him, by standing upon his two hind-feet and bowing his face to the earth, + with his fore-feet joined and stretched out toward him. Then he fell on + his knees again, and all his face was wet with the tears of humility. My + lord Yvain knows for a truth that the lion is thanking him and doing him + homage because of the serpent which he had killed, thereby delivering him + from death. He was greatly pleased by this episode. He cleaned his sword + of the serpent's poison and filth; then he replaced it in its scabbard, + and resumed his way. And the lion walks close by his side, unwilling + henceforth to part from him: he will always in future accompany him, eager + to serve and protect him. <a href="#linknote-321" name="linknoteref-321"><small>321</small></a> He goes ahead until he scents + in the wind upon his way some wild beasts feeding; then hunger and his + nature prompt him to seek his prey and to secure his sustenance. It is his + nature so to do. He started ahead a little on the trail, thus showing his + master that he had come upon and detected the odour and scent of some wild + game. Then he looks at him and halts, wishing to serve his every wish, and + unwilling to proceed against his will. Yvain understands by his attitude + that he is showing that he awaits his pleasure. He perceives this and + understands that if he holds back he will hold back too, and that if he + follows him he will seize the game which he has scented. Then he incites + and cries to him, as he would do to hunting-dogs. At once the lion + directed his nose to the scent which he had detected, and by which he was + not deceived, for he had not gone a bow-shot when he saw in a valley a + deer grazing all alone. This deer he will seize, if he has his way. And so + he did, at the first spring, and then drank its blood still warm. When he + had killed it he laid it upon his back and carried it back to his master, + who thereupon conceived a greater affection for him, and chose him as a + companion for all his life, because of the great devotion he found in him. + It was near nightfall now, and it seemed good to him to spend the night + there, and strip from the deer as much as he cared to eat. Beginning to + carve it he splits the skin along the rib, and taking a steak from the + loin he strikes from a flint a spark, which he catches in some dry + brush-wood; then he quickly puts his steak upon a roasting spit to cook + before the fire, and roasts it until it is quite cooked through. But there + was no pleasure in the meal, for there was no bread, or wine, or salt, or + cloth, or knife, or anything else. While he was eating, the lion lay at + his feet; nor a movement did he make, but watched him steadily until he + had eaten all that he could eat of the steak. What remained of the deer + the lion devoured, even to the bones. And while all night his master laid + his head upon his shield to gain such rest as that afforded, the lion + showed such intelligence that he kept awake, and was careful to guard the + horse as it fed upon the grass, which yielded some slight nourishment. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3485-3562.) In the morning they go off together, and the same sort of + existence, it seems, as they had led that night, they two continued to + lead all the ensuing week, until chance brought them to the spring beneath + the pine-tree. There my lord Yvain almost lost his wits a second time, as + he approached the spring, with its stone and the chapel that stood close + by. So great was his distress that a thousand times he sighed "alas!" and + grieving fell in a swoon; and the point of his sharp sword, falling from + its scabbard, pierced the meshes of his hauberk right in the neck beside + the cheek. There is not a mesh that does not spread, and the sword cuts + the flesh of his neck beneath the shining mail, so that it causes the + blood to start. Then the lion thinks that he sees his master and companion + dead. You never heard greater grief narrated or told about anything than + he now began to show. He casts himself about, and scratches and cries, and + has the wish to kill himself with the sword with which he thinks his + master has killed himself. Taking the sword from him with his teeth he + lays it on a fallen tree, and steadies it on a trunk behind, so that it + will not slip or give way, when he hurls his breast against it, His + intention was nearly accomplished when his master recovered from his + swoon, and the lion restrained himself as he was blindly rushing upon + death, like a wild boar heedless of where he wounds himself. Thus my lord + Yvain lies in a swoon beside the stone, but, on recovering, he violently + reproached himself for the year during which he had overstayed his leave, + and for which he had incurred his lady's hate, and he said: "Why does this + wretch not kill himself who has thus deprived himself of joy? Alas! why do + I not take my life? How can I stay here and look upon what belongs to my + lady? Why does the soul still tarry in my body? What is the soul doing in + so miserable a frame? If it had already escaped away it would not be in + such torment. It is fitting to hate and blame and despise myself, even as + in fact I do. Whoever loses his bliss and contentment through fault or + error of his own ought to hate himself mortally. He ought to hate and kill + himself. And now, when no one is looking on, why do I thus spare myself? + Why do I not take my life? Have I not seen this lion a prey to such grief + on my behalf that he was on the point just now of thrusting my sword + through his breast? And ought I to fear death who have changed happiness + into grief? Joy is now a stranger to me. Joy? What joy is that? I shall + say no more of that, for no one could speak of such a thing; and I have + asked a foolish question. That was the greatest joy of all which was + assured as my possession, but it endured for but a little while. Whoever + loses such joy through his own misdeed is undeserving of happiness." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3563-3898.) While he thus bemoaned his fate, a lorn damsel in sorry + plight, who was in the chapel, saw him and heard his words through a crack + in the wall. As soon as he was recovered from his swoon, she called to + him: "God," said she, "who is that I hear? Who is it that thus complains?" + And he replied: "And who are you?" "I am a wretched one," she said, "the + most miserable thing alive." And he replied: "Be silent, foolish one! Thy + grief is joy and thy sorrow is bliss compared with that in which I am cast + down. In proportion as a man becomes more accustomed to happiness and joy, + so is he more distracted and stunned than any other man by sorrow when it + comes. A man of little strength can carry, through custom and habit, a + weight which another man of greater strength could not carry for + anything." "Upon my word," she said, "I know the truth of that remark; but + that is no reason to believe that your misfortune is worse than mine. + Indeed, I do not believe it at all, for it seems to me that you can go + anywhere you choose to go, whereas I am imprisoned here, and such a fate + is my portion that to-morrow I shall be seized and delivered to mortal + judgment." "Ah, God!" said he, "and for what crime?" "Sir knight, may God + never have mercy upon my soul, if I have merited such a fate! + Nevertheless, I shall tell you truly, without deception, why I am here in + prison: I am charged with treason, and I cannot find any one to defend me + from being burned or hanged to-morrow." "In the first place," he replied, + "I may say that my grief and woe are greater than yours, for you may yet + be delivered by some one from the peril in which you are. Is that not + true:" "Yes, but I know not yet by whom. There are only two men in the + world who would dare on my behalf to face three men in battle." "What? In + God's name, are there three of them?" "Yes, sire, upon my word. There are + three who accuse me of treachery." "And who are they who are so devoted to + you that either one of them would be bold enough to fight against three in + your defence?" "I will answer your question truthfully: one of them is my + lord Gawain, and the other is my lord Yvain, because of whom I shall + to-morrow be handed over unjustly to the martyrdom of death." "Because of + whom?" he asked, "what did you say?" "Sire, so help me God, because of the + son of King Urien." "Now I understand your words, but you shall not die, + without he dies too. I myself am that Yvain, because of whom you are in + such distress. And you, I take it, are she who once guarded me safely in + the hall, and saved my life and my body between the two portcullises, when + I was troubled and distressed, and alarmed at being trapped. I should have + been killed or seized, had it not been for your kind aid. Now tell me, my + gentle friend, who are those who now accuse you of treachery, and have + confined you in this lonely place?" "Sire, I shall not conceal it from + you, since you desire me to tell you all. It is a fact that I was not slow + in honestly aiding you. Upon my advice my lady received you, after heeding + my opinion and my counsel. And by the Holy Paternoster, more for her + welfare than for your own I thought I was doing it, and I think so still. + So much now I confess to you: it was her honour and your desire that I + sought to serve, so help me God! But when it became evident that you had + overstayed the year when you should return to my mistress, then she became + enraged at me, and thought that she had been deceived by putting trust in + my advice. And when this was discovered by the seneschal—a rascally, + underhanded, disloyal wretch, who was jealous of me because in many + matters my lady trusted me more than she trusted him, he saw that he could + now stir up great enmity between me and her. In full court and in the + presence of all he accused me of having betrayed her in your favour. And I + had no counsel or aid except my own; but I knew that I had never done or + conceived any treacherous act toward my lady, so I cried out, as one + beside herself, and without the advice of any one, that I would present in + my own defence one knight who should fight against three. The fellow was + not courteous enough to scorn to accept such odds, nor was I at liberty to + retreat or withdraw for anything that might happen. So he took me at my + word, and I was compelled to furnish bail that I would present within + forty days a knight to do battle against three knights. Since then I have + visited many courts; I was at King Arthur's court, but found no help from + any there, nor did I find any one who could tell me any good news of you, + for they knew nothing of your affairs." "Pray tell me. Where then was my + good and gentle lord Gawain? No damsel in distress ever needed his aid + without its being extended to her." "If I had found him at court, I could + not have asked him for anything which would have been refused me; but a + certain knight has carried off the Queen, so they told me; surely the King + was mad to send her off in his company. <a href="#linknote-322" + name="linknoteref-322"><small>322</small></a> I + believe it was Kay who escorted her to meet the knight who has taken her + away; and my lord Gawain in great distress has gone in search for her. He + will never have any rest until he finds her. Now I have told you the whole + truth of my adventure. To-morrow I shall be put to a shameful death, and + shall be burnt inevitably, a victim of your criminal neglect." And he + replies: "May God forbid that you should be harmed because of me! So long + as I live you shall not die! You may expect me tomorrow, prepared to the + extent of my power to present my body in your cause, as it is proper that + I should do. But have no concern to tell the people who I am! However the + battle may turn out, take care that I be not recognised!" "Surely, sire, + no pressure could make me reveal your name. I would sooner suffer death, + since you will have it so. Yet, after all, I beg you not to return for my + sake. I would not have you undertake a battle which will be so desperate. + I thank you for your promised word that you would gladly undertake it, but + consider yourself now released, for it is better that I should die alone + than that I should see them rejoice over your death as well as mine; they + would not spare my life after they had put you to death. So it is better + for you to remain alive than that we both should meet death." "That is + very ungrateful remark, my dear," says my lord Yvain; "I suppose that + either you do not wish to be delivered from death, or else that you scorn + the comfort I bring you with my aid. I will not discuss the matter more, + for you have surely done so much for me that I cannot fail you in any + need. I know that you are in great distress; but, if it be God's will, in + whom I trust, they shall all three be discomfited. So no more upon that + score: I am going off now to find some shelter in this wood, for there is + no dwelling near at hand." "Sire," she says, "may God give you both good + shelter and good night, and protect you as I desire from everything that + might do you harm!" Then my lord Yvain departs, and the lion as usual + after him. They journeyed until they came to a baron's fortified place, + which was completely surrounded by a massive, strong, and high wall. The + castle, being extraordinarily well protected, feared no assault of + catapult or storming-machine; but outside the walls the ground was so + completely cleared that not a single hut or dwelling remained standing. + You will learn the cause of this a little later, when the time comes. My + lord Yvain made his way directly toward the fortified place, and seven + varlets came out who lowered the bridge and advanced to meet him. But they + were terrified at sight of the lion, which they saw with him, and asked + him kindly to leave the lion at the gate lest he should wound or kill + them. And he replies: "Say no more of that! For I shall not enter without + him. Either we shall both find shelter here or else I shall stay outside; + he is as dear to me as I am myself. Yet you need have no fear of him! For + I shall keep him so well in hand that you may be quite confident." They + made answer: "Very well!" Then they entered the town, and passed on until + they met knights and ladies and charming damsels coming down the street, + who salute him and wait to remove his armour as they say: "Welcome to our + midst, fair sire! And may God grant that you tarry here until you may + leave with great honour and satisfaction!" High and low alike extend to + him a glad welcome, and do all they can for him, as they joyfully escort + him into the town. But after they had expressed their gladness they are + overwhelmed by grief, which makes them quickly forget their joy, as they + begin to lament and weep and beat themselves. Thus, for a long space of + time, they cease not to rejoice or make lament: it is to honour their + guest that they rejoice, but their heart is not in what they do, for they + are greatly worried over an event which they expect to take place on the + following day, and they feel very sure and certain that it will come to + pass before midday. My lord Yvain was so surprised that they so often + changed their mood, and mingled grief with their happiness, that he + addressed the lord of the place on the subject. "For God's sake," he said, + "fair gentle sir, will you kindly inform me why you have thus honoured me, + and shown at once such joy and such heaviness?" "Yes, if you desire to + know, but it would be better for you to desire ignorance and silence. I + will never tell you willingly anything to cause you grief. Allow us to + continue to lament, and do you pay no attention to what we do!" "It would + be quite impossible for me to see you sad and nor take it upon my heart, + so I desire to know the truth, whatever chagrin may result to me." "Well, + then," he said, "I will tell you all. I have suffered much from a giant, + who has insisted that I should give him my daughter, who surpasses in + beauty all the maidens in the world. This evil giant, whom may God + confound, is named Harpin of the Mountain. Not a day passes without his + taking all of my possessions upon which he can lay his hands. No one has a + better right than I to complain, and to be sorrowful, and to make lament. + I might well lose my senses from very grief, for I had six sons who were + knights, fairer than any I knew in the world, and the giant has taken all + six of them. Before my eyes he killed two of them, and to-morrow he will + kill the other four, unless I find some one who will dare to fight him for + the deliverance of my sons, or unless I consent to surrender my daughter + to him; and he says that when he has her in his possession he will give + her over to be the sport of the vilest and lewdest fellows in his house, + for he would scorn to take her now for himself. That is the disaster which + awaits me to-morrow, unless the Lord God grant me His aid. So it is no + wonder, fair sir, if we are all in tears. But for your sake we strive for + the moment to assume as cheerful a countenance as we can. For he is a fool + who attracts a gentleman to his presence and then does not honour him; and + you seem to be a very perfect gentleman. Now I have told you the entire + story of our great distress. Neither in town nor in fortress has the giant + left us anything, except what we have here. If you had noticed, you must + have seen this evening that he has not left us so much as an egg, except + these walls which are new; for he has razed the entire town. When he had + plundered all he wished, he set fire to what remained. In this way he has + done me many an evil turn." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3899-3956.) My lord Yvain listened to all that his host told him, and + when he had heard it all he was pleased to answer him: "Sire, I am sorry + and distressed about this trouble of yours; but I marvel greatly that you + have not asked assistance at good King Arthur's court. There is no man so + mighty that he could not find at his court some who would be glad to try + their strength with his." Then the wealthy man reveals and explains to him + that he would have had efficient help if he had known where to find my + lord Gawain. "He would not have failed me upon this occasion, for my wife + is his own sister; but a knight from a strange land, who went to court to + seek the King's wife, has led her away. However, he could not have gotten + possession of her by any means of his own invention, had it not been for + Kay, who so befooled the King that he gave the Queen into his charge and + placed her under his protection. He was a fool, and she imprudent to + entrust herself to his escort. And I am the one who suffers and loses in + all this; for it is certain that my excellent lord Gawain would have made + haste to come here, had he known the facts, for the sake of his nephews + and his niece. But he knows nothing of it, wherefore I am so distressed + that my heart is almost breaking, for he is gone in pursuit of him, to + whom may God bring shame and woe for having led the Queen away." While + listening to this recital my lord Yvain does not cease to sigh. Inspired + by the pity which he feels, he makes this reply: "Fair gentle sire, I + would gladly undertake this perilous adventure, if the giant and your sons + should arrive to-morrow in time to cause me no delay, for tomorrow at noon + I shall be somewhere else, in accordance with a promise I have made." + "Once for all, fair sire," the good man said, "I thank you a hundred + thousand times for your willingness." And all the people of the house + likewise expressed their gratitude. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3957-4384.) Just then the damsel came out of a room, with her + graceful body and her face so fair and pleasing to look upon. She was very + simple and sad and quiet as she came, for there was no end to the grief + she felt: she walked with her head bowed to the ground. And her mother, + too, came in from an adjoining room, for the gentleman had sent for them + to meet his guest. They entered with their mantles wrapped about them to + conceal their tears; and he bid them throw back their mantles, and hold up + their heads, saying: "You ought not to hesitate to obey my behests, for + God and good fortune have given us here a very well-born gentleman who + assures me that he will fight against the giant. Delay no longer now to + throw yourselves at his feet!" "May God never let me see that!" my lord + Yvain hastens to exclaim; "surely it would not be proper under any + circumstances for the sister and the niece of my lord Gawain to prostrate + themselves at my feet. May God defend me from ever giving place to such + pride as to let them fall at my feet! Indeed, I should never forget the + shame which I should feel; but I should be very glad if they would take + comfort until to-morrow, when they may see whether God will consent to aid + them. I have no other request to make, except that the giant may come in + such good time that I be not compelled to break my engagement elsewhere; + for I would not fail for anything to be present to-morrow noon at the + greatest business I could ever undertake." Thus he is unwilling to + reassure them completely, for he fears that the giant may not come early + enough to allow him to reach in time the damsel who is imprisoned in the + chapel. Nevertheless, he promises them enough to arouse good hope in them. + They all alike join in thanking him, for they place great confidence in + his prowess, and they think he must be a very good man, when they see the + lion by his side as confident as a lamb would be. They take comfort and + rejoice because of the hope they stake on him, and they indulge their + grief no more. When the time came they led him off to bed in a brightly + lighted room; both the damsel and her mother escorted him, for they prized + him dearly, and would have done so a hundred thousand times more had they + been informed of his prowess and courtesy. He and the lion together lay + down there and took their rest. The others dared not sleep in the room; + but they closed the door so tight that they could not come out until the + next day at dawn. When the room was thrown open he got up and heard Mass, + and then, because of the promise he had made, he waited until the hour of + prime. Then in the hearing of all he summoned the lord of the town and + said: "My lord, I have no more time to wait, but must ask your permission + to leave at once; I cannot tarry longer here. But believe truly that I + would gladly and willingly stay here yet awhile for the sake of the + nephews and the niece of my beloved lord Gawain, if I did not have a great + business on hand, and if it were not so far away." At this the damsel's + blood quivered and boiled with fear, as well as the lady's and the lord's. + They were so afraid he would go away that they were on the point of + humbling themselves and casting themselves at his feet, when they recalled + that he would not approve or permit their action. Then the lord makes him + an offer of all he will take of his lands or wealth, if only he will wait + a little longer. And he replied: "God forbid that ever I should take + anything of yours!" Then the damsel, who is in dismay, begins to weep + aloud, and beseeches him to stay. Like one distracted and prey to dread, + she begs him by the glorious queen of heaven and of the angels, and by the + Lord, not to go but to wait a little while; and then, too, for her uncle's + sake, whom he says he knows, and loves, and esteems. Then his heart is + touched with deep pity when he hears her adjuring him in the name of him + whom he loves the most, and by the mistress of heaven, and by the Lord, + who is the very honey and sweet savour of pity. Filled with anguish he + heaved a sigh, for were the kingdom of Tarsus at stake he would not see + her burned to whom he had pledged his aid. If he could not reach her in + time, he would be unable to endure his life, or would live on without his + wits on the other hand, the kindness of his friend, my lord Gawain, only + increased his distress; his heart almost bursts in half at the thought + that he cannot delay. Nevertheless, he does not stir, but delays and waits + so long that the giant came suddenly, bringing with him the knights: and + hanging from his neck he carried a big square stake with a pointed end, + and with this he frequently spurred them on. For their part they had no + clothing on that was worth a straw, except some soiled and filthy shirts: + and their feet and hands were bound with cords, as they came riding upon + four limping jades, which were weak, and thin, and miserable. As they came + riding along beside a wood, a dwarf, who was puffed up like a toad, had + tied the horses' tails together, and walked beside them, beating them + remorselessly with a four-knotted scourge until they bled, thinking + thereby to be doing something wonderful. Thus they were brought along in + shame by the giant and the dwarf. Stopping in the plain in front of the + city gate, the giant shouts out to the noble lord that he will kill his + sons unless he delivers to him his daughter, whom he will surrender to his + vile fellows to become their sport. For he no longer loves her nor esteems + her, that he should deign to abase himself to her. She shall be constantly + beset by a thousand lousy and ragged knaves, vacant wretches, and scullery + boys, who all shall lay hands on her. The worthy man is well-nigh beside + himself when he hears how his daughter will be made a bawd, or else, + before his very eyes, his four sons will be put to a speedy death. His + agony is like that of one who would rather be dead than alive. Again and + again he bemoans his fate, and weeps aloud and sighs. Then my frank and + gentle lord Yvain thus began to speak to him: "Sire, very vile and + impudent is that giant who vaunts himself out there. But may God never + grant that he should have your daughter in his power! He despises her and + insults her openly. It would be too great a calamity if so lovely a + creature of such high birth were handed over to become the sport of boys. + Give me now my arms and horse! Have the drawbridge lowered, and let me + pass. One or the other must be cast down, either I or he, I know not + which. If I could only humiliate the cruel wretch who is thus oppressing + you, so that he would release your sons and should come and make amends + for the insulting words he has spoken to you, then I would commend you to + God and go about my business." Then they go to get his horse, and hand + over to him his arms, striving so expeditiously that they soon have him + quite equipped. They delayed as little as they could in arming him. When + his equipment was complete, there remained nothing but to lower the bridge + and let him go. They lowered it for him, and he went out. But the lion + would by no means stay behind. All those who were left behind commended + the knight to the Saviour, for they fear exceedingly lest their devilish + enemy, who already had slain so many good men on the same field before + their eyes, would do the same with him. So they pray God to defend him + from death, and return him to them safe and sound, and that He may give + him strength to slay the giant. Each one softly prays to God in accordance + with his wish. And the giant fiercely came at him, and with threatening + words thus spake to him: "By my eyes, the man who sent thee here surely + had no love for thee! No better way could he have taken to avenge himself + on thee. He has chosen well his vengeance for whatever wrong thou hast + done to him." But the other, fearing naught, replies: "Thou treatest of + what matters not. Now do thy best, and I'll do mine. Idle parley wearies + me." Thereupon my lord Yvain, who was anxious to depart, rides at him. He + goes to strike him on the breast, which was protected by a bear's skin, + and the giant runs at him with his stake raised in air. My lord Yvain + deals him such a blow upon the chest that he thrusts through the skin and + wets the tip of his lance in his body's blood by way of sauce. And the + giant belabours him with the stake, and makes him bend beneath the blows. + My lord Yvain then draws the sword with which he knew how to deal fierce + blows. He found the giant unprotected, for he trusted in his strength so + much that he disdained to arm himself. And he who had drawn his blade gave + him such a slash with the cutting edge, and not with the flat side, that + he cut from his cheek a slice fit to roast. Then the other in turn gave + him such a blow with the stake that it made him sing in a heap upon his + horse's neck. Thereupon the lion bristles up, ready to lend his master + aid, and leaps up in his anger and strength, and strikes and tears like so + much bark the heavy bearskin the giant wore, and he tore away beneath the + skin a large piece of his thigh, together with the nerves and flesh. The + giant escaped his clutches, roaring and bellowing like a bull, for the + lion had badly wounded him. Then raising his stake in both hands, he + thought to strike him, but missed his aim, when the lion leaded backward + so he missed his blow, and fell exhausted beside my lord Yvain, but + without either of them touching the other. Then my lord Yvain took aim and + landed two blows on him. Before he could recover himself he had severed + with the edge of his sword the giant's shoulder from his body. With the + next blow he ran the whole blade of his sword through his liver beneath + his chest; the giant falls in death's embrace. And if a great oak tree + should fall, I think it would make no greater noise than the giant made + when he tumbled down. All those who were on the wall would fain have + witnessed such a blow. Then it became evident who was the most fleet of + foot, for all ran to see the game, just like hounds which have followed + the beast until they finally come up with him. So men and women in rivalry + ran forward without delay to where the giant lay face downward. The + daughter comes running, and her mother too. And the four brothers rejoice + after the woes they have endured. As for my lord Yvain they are very sure + that they could not detain him for any reason they might allege, but they + beseech him to return and stay to enjoy himself as soon as he shall have + completed the business which calls him away. And he replies that he cannot + promise them anything, for as yet he cannot guess whether it will fare + well or ill with him. But thus much did he say to his host: that he wished + that his four sons and his daughter should take the dwarf and go to my + lord Gawain when they hear of his return, and should tell and relate to + him how he has conducted himself. For kind actions are of no use if you + are not willing that they be known. And they reply: "It is not right that + such kindness as this should be kept hid: we shall do whatever you desire. + But tell us what we can say when we come before him. Whose praises can we + speak, when we know not what your name may be?" And he answers them: "When + you come before him, you may say thus much: that I told you 'The Knight + with the Lion' was my name. And at the same time I must beg you to tell + him from me that, if he does not recognise who I am, yet he knows me well + and I know him. Now I must be gone from here, and the thing which most + alarms me is that I may too long have tarried here, for before the hour of + noon be passed I shall have plenty to do elsewhere, if indeed I can arrive + there in time." Then, without further delay, he starts. But first his host + begged him insistently that he would take with him his four sons: for + there was none of them who would not strive to serve him, if he would + allow it. But it did not please or suit him that any one should accompany + him; so he left the place to them, and went away alone. And as soon as he + starts, riding as fast as his steed can carry him, he heads toward the + chapel. The path was good and straight, and he knew well how to keep the + road. But before he could reach the chapel, the damsel had been dragged + out and the pyre prepared upon which she was to be placed. Clad only in a + shift, she was held bound before the fire by those who wrongly attributed + to her an intention she had never had. My lord Yvain arrived, and, seeing + her beside the fire into which she was about to be cast, he was naturally + incensed. He would be neither courteous nor sensible who had any doubt + about that fact. So it is true that he was much incensed; but he cherishes + within himself the hope that God and the Right will be on his side. In + such helpers he confides; nor does he scorn his lion's aid. Rushing + quickly toward the crowd, he shouts: "Let the damsel be, you wicked folk! + Having committed no crime, it is not right that she should be cast upon a + pyre or into a furnace." And they draw off on either side, leaving a + passage-way for him. But he yearns to see with his own eyes her whom his + heart beholds in whatever place she may be. His eyes seek her until he + finds her, while he subdues and holds in check his heart, just as one + holds in check with a strong curb a horse that pulls. Nevertheless, he + gladly gazes at her, and sighs the while; but he does not sigh so openly + that his action is detected; rather does he stifle his sighs, though with + difficulty. And he is seized with pity at hearing, seeing, and perceiving + the grief of the poor ladies, who cried: "Ah, God, how hast Thou forgotten + us! How desolate we shall now remain when we lose so kind a friend, who + gave us such counsel and such aid, and interceded for us at court! It was + she who prompted madame to clothe us with her clothes of vair. Henceforth + the situation will change, for there will be no one to speak for us! + Cursed be he who is the cause of our loss! For we shall fare badly in all + this. There will be no one to utter such advice as this: 'My lady, give + this vair mantle, this cloak, and this garment to such and such an honest + dame! Truly, such charity will be well employed, for she is in very dire + need of them.' No such words as these shall be uttered henceforth, for + there is no one else who is frank and courteous; but every one solicits + for himself rather than for some one else, even though he have no need." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4385-4474.) Thus they were bemoaning their fate; and my lord Yvain + who was in their midst, heard their complaints, which were neither + groundless nor assumed. He saw Lunete on her knees and stripped to her + shift, having already made confession, and besought God's mercy for her + sins. Then he who had loved her deeply once came to her and raised her up, + saying: "My damsel, where are those who blame and accuse you? Upon the + spot, unless they refuse, battle will be offered them." And she, who had + neither seen nor looked at him before, said: "Sire, you come from God in + this time of my great need! The men who falsely accuse me are all ready + before me here; if you had been a little later I should soon have been + reduced to fuel and ashes. You have come here in my defence, and may God + give you the power to accomplish it in proportion as I am guiltless of the + accusation which is made against me!" The seneschal and his two brothers + heard these words. "Ah!" they exclaim, "woman, chary of uttering truth but + generous with lies! He indeed is mad who for thy words assumes so great a + task. The knight must be simple-minded who has come here to die for thee, + for he is alone and there are three of us. My advice to him is that he + turn back before any harm shall come to him." Then he replies, as one + impatient to begin: "Whoever is afraid, let him run away! I am not so + afraid of your three shields that I should go off defeated without a blow. + I should be indeed discourteous, if, while yet unscathed and in perfect + case, I should leave the place and field to you. Never, so long as I am + alive and sound, will I run away before such threats. But I advise thee to + set free the damsel whom thou hast unjustly accused; for she tells me, and + I believe her word, and she has assured me upon the salvation of her soul, + that she never committed, or spoke, or conceived any treason against her + mistress. I believe implicitly what she has told me, and will defend her + as best I can, for I consider the righteousness of her cause to be in my + favour. For, if the truth be known, God always sides with the righteous + cause, for God and the Right are one; and if they are both upon my side, + then I have better company and better aid than thou." <a + href="#linknote-323" name="linknoteref-323"><small>323</small></a> + Then the other responds imprudently that he may make every effort that + pleases him and is convenient to do him injury, provided that his lion + shall not do him harm. And he replies that he never brought the lion to + champion his cause, nor does he wish any but himself to take a hand: but + if the lion attacks him, let him defend himself against him as best he + can, for concerning him he will give no guarantee. Then the other answers: + "Whatever thou mayst say; unless thou now warn thy lion, and make him + stand quietly to one side, there is no use of thy longer staying here, but + begone at once, and so shalt thou be wise; for throughout this country + every one is aware how this girl betrayed her lady, and it is right that + she receive her due reward in fire and flame." "May the Holy Spirit + forbid!" says he who knows the truth; "may God not let me stir from here + until I have delivered her!" Then he tells the lion to withdraw and to lie + down quietly, and he does so obediently. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4475-4532.) The lion now withdrew, and the parley and quarrel being + ended between them two, they all took their distance for the charge. The + three together spurred toward him, and he went to meet them at a walk. He + did not wish to be overturned or hurt at this first encounter. So he let + them split their lances, while keeping his entire, making for them a + target of his shield, whereon each one broke his lance. Then he galloped + off until he was separated from them by the space of an acre; but he soon + returned to the business in hand, having no desire to delay. On his coming + up the second time, he reached the seneschal before his two brothers, and + breaking his lance upon his body, he carried him to earth in spite of + himself, and he gave him such a powerful blow that for a long while he lay + stunned, incapable of doing him any harm. And then the other two came at + him with their swords bared, and both deal him great blows, but they + receive still heavier blows from him. For a single one of the blows he + deals is more than a match for two of theirs; thus he defends himself so + well that they have no advantage over him, until the seneschal gets up and + does his best to injure him, in which attempt the others join, until they + begin to press him and get the upper hand. Then the lion, who is looking + on, delays no longer to lend him aid; for it seems to him that he needs it + now. And all the ladies, who are devoted to the damsel, beseech God + repeatedly and pray to Him earnestly not to allow the death or the defeat + of him who has entered the fray on her account. The ladies, having no + other weapons, thus assist him with their prayers. And the lion brings him + such effective aid, that at his first attack, he strikes so fiercely the + seneschal, who was now on his feet, that he makes the meshes fly from the + hauberk like straw, and he drags him down with such violence that he tears + the soft flesh from his shoulder and all down his side. He strips whatever + he touches, so that the entrails lie exposed. The other two avenge this + blow. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4533-4634.) Now they are all even on the field. The seneschal is + marked for death, as he turns and welters in the red stream of warm blood + pouring from his body. The lion attacks the others; for my lord Yvain is + quite unable, though he did his best by beating or by threatening him, to + drive him back; but the lion doubtless feels confident that his master + does not dislike his aid, but rather loves him the more for it: so he + fiercely attacks them, until they have reason to complain of his blows, + and they wound him in turn and use him badly. When my lord Yvain sees his + lion wounded, his heart is wroth within his breast, and rightly so; but he + makes such efforts to avenge him, and presses them so hard, that he + completely reduces them; they no longer resist him, but surrender to him + at discretion, because of the lion's help, who is now in great distress; + for he was wounded everywhere, and had good cause to be in pain. For his + part, my lord Yvain was by no means in a healthy state, for his body bore + many a wound. But he is not so anxious about himself as about his lion, + which is in distress. Now he has delivered the damsel exactly in + accordance with his wish, and the lady has very willingly dismissed the + grudge that she bore her. And those men were burned upon the pyre which + had been kindled for the damsel's death; for it is right and just that he + who has misjudged another, should suffer the same manner of death as that + to which he had condemned the other. Now Lunete is joyous and glad at + being reconciled with her mistress, and together they were more happy than + any one ever was before. Without recognising him, all present offered to + him, who was their lord, their service so long as life should last; even + the lady, who possessed unknowingly his heart, begged him insistently to + tarry there until his lion and he had quite recovered. And he replied: + "Lady, I shall not now tarry here until my lady removes from me her + displeasure and anger: then the end of all my labours will come." + "Indeed," she said, "that grieves me. I think the lady cannot be very + courteous who cherishes ill-will against you. She ought not to close her + door against so valorous a knight as you, unless he had done her some + great wrong." "Lady," he replies, "however great the hardship be, I am + pleased by what ever may be her will. But speak to me no more of that; for + I shall say nothing of the cause or crime, except to those who are + informed of it." "Does any one know it, then, beside you two?" "Yes, + truly, lady." "Well, tell us at least your name, fair sir; then you will + be free to go." "Quite free, my lady? No, I shall not be free. I owe more + than I can pay. Yet, I ought not to conceal from you my name. You will + never hear of 'The Knight with the Lion' without hearing of me; for I wish + to be known by that name." "For God's sake, sir, what does that name mean? + For we never saw you before, nor have we ever heard mentioned this name of + yours." "My lady, you may from that infer that my fame is not widespread." + Then the lady says: "Once more, if it did not oppose your will, I would + pray you to tarry here." "Really, my lady, I should not dare, until I knew + certainly that I had regained my lady's good-will." "Well, then, go in + God's name, fair sir; and, if it be His will, may He convert your grief + and sorrow into joy." "Lady," says he, "may God hear your prayer." Then he + added softly under his breath: "Lady, it is you who hold the key, and, + though you know it not, you hold the casket in which my happiness is kept + under lock." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4635-4674.) Then he goes away in great distress, and there is no one + who recognises him save Lunete, who accompanied him a long distance. + Lunete alone keeps him company, and he begs her insistently never to + reveal the name of her champion. "Sire," says she, "I will never do so." + Then he further requested her that she should not forget him, and that she + should keep a place for him in his mistress' heart, whenever the chance + arose. She tells him to be at ease on that score; for she will never be + forgetful, nor unfaithful, nor idle. Then he thanks her a thousand times, + and he departs pensive and oppressed, because of his lion that he must + needs carry, being unable to follow him on foot. He makes for him a litter + of moss and ferns in his shield. When he has made a bed for him there, he + lays him in it as gently as he can, and carries him thus stretched out + full length on the inner side of his shield. Thus, in his shield he bears + him off, until he arrives before the gate of a mansion, strong and fair. + Finding it closed, he called, and the porter opened it so promptly that he + had no need to call but once. He reaches out to take his rein, and greets + him thus: "Come in, fair sire. I offer you the dwelling of my lord, if it + please you to dismount." "I accept the offer gladly," he replies, "for I + stand in great need of it, and it is time to find a lodging." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4675-4702.) Thereupon, he passed through the gate, and saw the + retainers in a mass coming to meet him. They greeted him and helped him + from his horse, and laid down upon the pavement his shield with the lion + on it. And some, taking his horse, put it in a stable: while others very + properly relieved him of his arms and took them. Then the lord of the + castle heard the news, and at once came down into the courtyard, and + greeted him. And his lady came down, too, with all her sons and daughters + and a great crowd of other people, who all rejoiced to offer him a + lodging. They gave him a quiet room, because they deemed that he was sick; + but their good nature was put to a test when they allowed the lion to go + with him. His cure was undertaken by two maidens skilled in surgery, who + were daughters of the lord. I do not know how many days he stayed there, + until he and his lion, being cured, were compelled to proceed upon their + way. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4703-4736.) But within this time it came about that my lord of Noire + Espine had a struggle with Death, and so fierce was Death's attack that he + was forced to die. After his death it happened that the elder of two + daughters whom he had, announced that she would possess uncontested all + the estates for herself during her entire lifetime, and that she would + give no share to her sister. And the other one said that she would go to + King Arthur's court to seek help for the defence of her claim to the land. + When the former saw that her sister would by no means concede all the + estates to her without contest, she was greatly concerned, and thought + that, if possible, she would get to court before her. At once she prepared + and equipped herself, and without any tarrying or delay, she proceeded to + the court. The other followed her, and made all the haste she could; but + her journey was all in vain, for her eider sister had already presented + her case to my lord Gawain, and he had promised to execute her will. But + there was an agreement between them that if any one should learn of the + facts from her, he would never again take arms for her, and to this + arrangement she gave consent. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4737-4758.) Just then the other sister arrived at court, clad in a + short mantle of scarlet cloth and fresh ermine. It happened to be the + third day after the Queen had returned from the captivity in which + Maleagant had detained her with all the other prisoners; but Lancelot had + remained behind, treacherously confined within a tower. And on that very + day, when the damsel came to court, news was received of the cruel and + wicked giant whom the knight with the lion had killed in battle. In his + name, my lord Gawain was greeted by his nephews and niece, who told him in + detail of all the great service and great deeds of prowess he had done for + them for his sake, and how that he was well acquainted with him, though + not aware of his identity. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4759-4820.) All this was heard by her, who was plunged thereby into + great despair and sorrow and dejection; for, since the best of the knights + was absent, she thought she would find no aid or counsel at the court. She + had already made several loving and insistent appeals to my lord Gawain; + but he had said to her: "My dear, it is useless to appeal to me; I cannot + do it; I have another affair on hand, which I shall in no wise give up." + Then the damsel at once left him, and presented herself before the King. + "O King," said she, "I have come to thee and to thy court for aid. But I + find none, and I am very much mazed that I can get no counsel here. Yet it + would not be right for me to go away without taking leave. My sister may + know, however, that she might obtain by kindness whatever she desired of + my property; but I will never surrender my heritage to her by force, if I + can help it, and if I can find any aid or counsel." "You have spoken + wisely," said the King; "since she is present here, I advise, recommend, + and urge her to surrender to you what is your right." Then the other, who + was confident of the best knight in the world, replied: "Sire, may God + confound me, if ever I bestow on her from my estates any castle, town, + clearing, forest, land, or anything else. But if any knight dares to take + arms on her behalf and desires to defend her cause, let him step forth at + once." "Your offer to her is not fair; she needs more time," the King + replied; "if she desires, she may have forty days to secure a champion, + according to the practice of all courts." To which the elder sister + replied: "Fair King, my lord, you may establish your laws as it pleases + you, and as seems good, nor is it my place to gainsay you, so I must + consent to the postponement, if she desires it." Whereupon, the other says + that she does desire it, and she makes formal request for it. Then she + commended the King to God, and left the court resolving to devote her life + to the search through all the land for the Knight with the Lion, who + devotes himself to succouring women in need of aid. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4821-4928.) Thus she entered upon her quest, and traversed many a + country without hearing any news of him, which caused her such grief that + she fell sick. But it was well for her that it happened so; for she came + to the dwelling of a friend of hers, by whom she was dearly loved. By this + time her face showed clearly that she was not in good health. They + insisted upon detaining her until she told them of her plight; whereupon, + another damsel took up the quest wherein she had been engaged, and + continued the search on her behalf. So while the one remained in this + retreat, the other rode rapidly all day long, until the darkness of night + came on, and caused her great anxiety. <a href="#linknote-324" + name="linknoteref-324"><small>324</small></a> And her + trouble was doubled when the rain came on with terrible violence, as if + God Himself were doing His worst, while she was in the depths of the + forest. The night and the woods cause her great distress, but she is more + tormented by the rain than by either the woods or the night. And the road + was so bad that her horse was often up to the girth in mud; any damsel + might well be terrified to be in the woods, without escort, in such bad + weather and in such darkness that she could not see the horse she was + riding. So she called on God first, and His mother next, and then on all + the saints in turn, and offered up many a prayer that God would lead her + out from this forest and conduct her to some lodging-place. She continued + in prayer until she heard a horn, at which she greatly rejoiced; for she + thought now she would find shelter, if she could only reach the place. So + she turned in the direction of the sound, and came upon a paved road which + led straight toward the horn whose sound she heard; for the horn had given + three long, loud blasts. And she made her way straight toward the sound, + until she came to a cross which stood on the right side of the road, and + there she thought that she might find the horn and the person who had + sounded it. So she spurred her horse in that direction, until she drew + near a bridge, and descried the white walls and the barbican of a circular + castle. Thus, by chance she came upon the castle, setting her course by + the sound which had led her thither. She had been attracted by the sound + of the horn blown by a watchman upon the walls. As soon as the watchman + caught sight of her, he called to her, then came down, and taking the key + of the gate, opened it for her and said: "Welcome, damsel, whoe'er you be. + You shall be well lodged this night." "I have no other desire than that," + the damsel replied, as he let her in. After the toil and anxiety she had + endured that day, she was fortunate to find such a lodging-place; for she + was very comfortable there. After the meal the host addressed her, and + inquired where she was going and what was her quest. Whereupon, she thus + replied: "I am seeking one whom I never saw, so far as I am aware, and + never knew; but he has a lion with him, and I am told that, if I find him, + I can place great confidence in him." "I can testify to that," the other + said: "for the day before yesterday God sent him here to me in my dire + need. Blessed be the paths which led him to my dwelling. For he made me + glad by avenging me of a mortal enemy and killing him before my eyes. + Outside yonder gate you may see to-morrow the body of a mighty giant, whom + he slew with such ease that he hardly had to sweat." "For God's sake, + sire," the damsel said, "tell me now the truth, if you know whither he + went, and where he is." "I don't know," he said, "as God sees me here; but + to-morrow I will start you on the road by which he went away from here." + "And may God," said she, "lead me where I may hear true news of him. For + if I find him, I shall be very glad." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4929-4964.) Thus they continued in long converse until at last they + went to bed. When the day dawned, the maid arose, being in great concern + to find the object of her quest. And the master of the house arose with + all his companions, and set her upon the road which led straight to the + spring beneath the pine. And she, hastening on her way toward the town, + came and asked the first men whom she met, if they could tell her where + she would find the lion and the knight who travelled in company. And they + told her that they had seen him defeat three knights in that very place. + Whereupon, she said at once: "For God's sake, since you have said so much, + do not keep back from me anything that you can add." "No," they replied; + "we know nothing more than we have said, nor do we know what became of + him. If she for whose sake he came here, cannot give you further news, + there will be no one here to enlighten you. You will not have far to go, + if you wish to speak with her; for she has gone to make prayer to God and + to hear Mass in yonder church, and judging by the time she has been + inside, her orisons have been prolonged." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4965-5106.) While they were talking thus, Lunete came out from the + church, and they said: "There she is." Then she went to meet her, and they + greeted each other. She asked Lunete at once for the information she + desired; and Lunete said that she would have a palfrey saddled; for she + wished to accompany her, and would take her to an enclosure where she had + left him. The other maiden thanked her heartily. Lunete mounts the palfrey + which is brought without delay, and, as they ride, she tells her how she + had been accused and charged with treason, and how the pyre was already + kindled upon which she was to be laid, and how he had come to help her in + just the moment of her need. While speaking thus, she escorted her to the + road which led directly to the spot where my lord Yvain had parted from + her. When she had accompanied her thus far, she said: "Follow this road + until you come to a place where, if it please God and the Holy Spirit, you + will hear more reliable news of him than I can tell. I very well remember + that I left him either near here, or exactly here, where we are now; we + have not seen each other since then, and I do not know what he has done. + When he left me, he was in sore need of a plaster for his wounds. So I + will send you along after him, and if it be God's will, may He grant that + you find him to-night or to-morrow in good health. Now go: I commend you + to God. I must not follow you any farther, lest my mistress be displeased + with me." Then Lunete leaves her and turns back; while the other pushed on + until she found a house, where my lord Yvain had tarried until he was + restored to health. She saw people gathered before the gate, knights, + ladies and men-at-arms, and the master of the house; she saluted them, and + asked them to tell her, if possible, news of a knight for whom she sought. + "Who is he?" they ask. "I have heard it said that he is never without a + lion." "Upon my word, damsel," the master says, "he has just now left us. + You can come up with him to-night, if you are able to keep his tracks in + sight, and are careful not to lose any time." "Sire," she answers, "God + forbid. But tell me now in what direction I must follow him." And they + tell her: "This way, straight ahead," and they beg her to greet him on + their behalf. But their courtesy was not of much avail; for, without + giving any heed, she galloped off at once. The pace seemed much too slow + to her, though her palfrey made good time. So she galloped through the mud + just the same as where the road was good and smooth, until she caught + sight of him with the lion as his companion. Then in her gladness she + exclaims: "God, help me now. At last I see him whom I have so long + pursued, and whose trace I have long followed. But if I pursue and nothing + gain, what will it profit me to come up with him? Little or nothing, upon + my word. If he does not join in my enterprise, I have wasted all my + pains." Thus saying, she pressed on so fast that her palfrey was all in a + sweat; but she caught up with him and saluted him. He thus at once replied + to her: "God save you, fair one, and deliver you from grief and woe." "The + same to you, sire, who, I hope, will soon be able to deliver me." Then she + draws nearer to him, and says: "Sire, I have long searched for you. The + great fame of your merit has made me traverse many a county in my weary + search for you. But I continued my quest so long, thank God, that at last + I have found you here. And if I brought any anxiety with me, I am no + longer concerned about it, nor do I complain or remember it now. I am + entirely relieved; my worry has taken flight the moment I met with you. + Moreover, the affair is none of mine: I come to you from one that is + better than I, a woman who is more noble and excellent. But if she be + disappointed in her hopes of you, then she has been betrayed by your fair + renown, for she has no expectation of other aid. My damsel, who is + deprived of her inheritance by a sister, expects with your help to win her + suit; she will have none but you defend her cause. No one can make her + believe that any one else could bear her aid. By securing her share of the + heritage, you will have won and acquired the love of her who is now + disinherited, and you will also increase your own renown. She herself was + going in search for you to secure the boon for which she hoped; no one + else would have taken her place, had she not been detained by an illness + which compels her to keep her bed. Now tell me, please, whether you will + dare to come, or whether you will decline." "No," he says; "no man can win + praise in a life of ease; and I will not hold back, but will follow you + gladly, my sweet friend, whithersoever it may please you. And if she for + whose sake you have sought me out stands in some great need of me, have no + fear that I shall not do all I can for her. Now may God grant me the + happiness and grace to settle in her favour her rightful claim." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5107-5184.) <a href="#linknote-325" name="linknoteref-325"><small>325</small></a> Thus conversing, they two rode + away until they approached the town of Pesme Avanture. They had no desire + to pass it by, for the day was already drawing to a close. They came + riding to the castle, when all the people, seeing them approach, called + out to the knight: "Ill come, sire, ill come. This lodging-place was + pointed out to you in order that you might suffer harm and shame. An abbot + might take his oath to that." "Ah," he replied, "foolish and vulgar folk, + full of all mischief, and devoid of honour, why have you thus assailed + me?" "Why? you will find out soon enough, if you will go a little farther. + But you shall learn nothing more until you have ascended to the fortress." + At once my lord Yvain turns toward the tower, and the crowd cries out, all + shouting aloud at him: "Eh, eh, wretch, whither goest thou? If ever in thy + life thou hast encountered one who worked thee shame and woe, such will be + done thee there, whither thou art going, as will never be told again by + thee." My lord Yvain, who is listening, says: "Base and pitiless people, + miserable and impudent, why do you assail me thus, why do you attack me + so? What do you wish of me, what do you want, that you growl this way + after me?" A lady, who was somewhat advanced in years, who was courteous + and sensible, said: "Thou hast no cause to be enraged: they mean no harm + in what they say; but, if thou understoodest them aright, they are warning + thee not to spend the night up there; they dare not tell thee the reason + for this, but they are warning and blaming thee because they wish to + arouse thy fears. This they are accustomed to do in the case of all who + come, so that they may not go inside. And the custom is such that we dare + not receive in our own houses, for any reason whatsoever, any gentleman + who comes here from a distance. The responsibility now is thine alone; no + one will stand in thy way. If thou wishest, thou mayst go up now; but my + advice is to turn back again." "Lady," he says, "doubtless it would be to + my honour and advantage to follow your advice; but I do not know where I + should find a lodging-place to-night." "Upon my word," says she, "I'll say + no more, for the concern is none of mine. Go wherever you please. + Nevertheless, I should be very glad to see you return from inside without + too great shame; but that could hardly be." "Lady," he says, "may God + reward you for the wish. However, my wayward heart leads me on inside, and + I shall do what my heart desires." Thereupon, he approaches the gate, + accompanied by his lion and his damsel. Then the porter calls to him, and + says: "Come quickly, come. You are on your way to a place where you will + be securely detained, and may your visit be accursed." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5185-5346.) The porter, after addressing him with this very + ungracious welcome, hurried upstairs. But my lord Yvain, without making + reply, passed straight on, and found a new and lofty hall; in front of it + there was a yard enclosed with large, round, pointed stakes, and seated + inside the stakes he saw as many as three hundred maidens, working at + different kinds of embroidery. Each one was sewing with golden thread and + silk, as best she could. But such was their poverty, that many of them + wore no girdle, and looked slovenly, because so poor; and their garments + were torn about their breasts and at the elbows, and their shifts were + soiled about their necks. Their necks were thin, and their faces pale with + hunger and privation. They see him, as he looks at them, and they weep, + and are unable for some time to do anything or to raise their eyes from + the ground, so bowed down they are with woe. When he had contemplated them + for a while, my lord Yvain turned about and moved toward the door; but the + porter barred the way, and cried: "It is no use, fair master; you shall + not get out now. You would like to be outside: but, by my head, it is of + no use. Before you escape you will have suffered such great shame that you + could not easily suffer more; so you were not wise to enter here, for + there is no question of escaping now." "Nor do I wish to do so, fair + brother," said he; "but tell me, by thy father's soul, whence came the + damsels whom I saw in the yard, weaving cloths of silk and gold. I enjoy + seeing the work they do, but I am much distressed to see their bodies so + thin, and their faces so pale and sad. I imagine they would be fair and + charming, if they had what they desire." "I will tell you nothing," was + the reply; "seek some one else to tell you." "That will I do, since there + is no better way." Then he searches until he finds the entrance of the + yard where the damsels were at work: and coming before them, he greets + them all, and sees tears flowing from their eyes, as they weep. Then he + says to them: "May it please God to remove from your hearts, and turn to + joy, this grief, the cause of which I do not know." One of them answers: + "May you be heard by God, to whom you have addressed your prayer. It shall + not be concealed from you who we are, and from what land: I suppose that + is what you wish to know." "For no other purpose came I here," says he. <a + href="#linknote-326" name="linknoteref-326"><small>326</small></a> + "Sire, it happened a long while ago that the king of the Isle of Damsels + went seeking news through divers courts and countries, and he kept on his + travels like a dunce until he encountered this perilous place. It was an + unlucky hour when he first came here, for we wretched captives who are + here receive all the shame and misery which we have in no wise deserved. + And rest assured that you yourself may expect great shame, unless a ransom + for you be accepted. But, at any rate, so it came about that my lord came + to this town, where there are two sons of the devil (do not take it as a + jest) who were born of a woman and an imp. These two were about to fight + with the king, whose terror was great, for he was not yet eighteen years + old, and they would have been able to cleave him through like a tender + lamb. So the king, in his terror, escaped his fate as best he could, by + swearing that he would send hither each year, as required, thirty of his + damsels, and with this rent he freed himself. And when he swore, it was + agreed that this arrangement should remain in force as long as the two + devils lived. But upon the day when they should be conquered and defeated + in battle, he would be relieved from this tribute, and we should be + delivered who are now shamefully given over to distress and misery. Never + again shall we know what pleasure is. But I spoke folly just now in + referring to our deliverance, for we shall never more leave this place. We + shall spend our days weaving cloths of silk, without ever being better + clad. We shall always be poor and naked, and shall always suffer from + hunger and thirst, for we shall never be able to earn enough to procure + for ourselves any better food. Our bread supply is very scarce—a + little in the morning and less at night, for none of us can gain by her + handiwork more than fourpence a day for her daily bread. And with this we + cannot provide ourselves with sufficient food and clothes. For though + there is not one of us who does not earn as much as twenty sous <a + href="#linknote-327" name="linknoteref-327"><small>327</small></a> + a week, yet we cannot live without hardship. Now you must know that there + is not a single one of us who does not do twenty sous worth of work or + more, and with such a sum even a duke would be considered rich. So while + we are reduced to such poverty, he, for whom we work, is rich with the + product of our toil. We sit up many nights, as well as every day, to earn + the more, for they threaten to do us injury, when we seek some rest, so we + do not dare to rest ourselves. But why should I tell you more? We are so + shamefully treated and insulted that I cannot tell you the fifth part of + it all. But what makes us almost wild with rage is that we very often see + rich and excellent knights, who fight with the two devils, lose their + lives on our account. They pay dearly for the lodging they receive, as you + will do to-morrow. For, whether you wish to do so or not, you will have to + fight singlehanded and lose your fair renown with these two devils." "May + God, the true and spiritual, protect me," said my lord Yvain, "and give + you back your honour and happiness, if it be His will. I must go now and + see the people inside there, and find out what sort of entertainment they + will offer me." "Go now, sire, and may He protect you who gives and + distributes all good things." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5347-5456.) Then he went until he came to the hall where he found no + one, good or bad, to address him. Then he and his companion passed through + the house until they came to a garden. They never spoke of, or mentioned, + stabling their horses. But what matters it? For those who considered them + already as their own had stabled them carefully. I do not know whether + their expectation was wise, for the horses' owners are still perfectly + hale. The horses, however, have oats and hay, and stand in litter up to + their belly. My lord Yvain and his company enter the garden. There he + sees, reclining upon his elbow upon a silken rug, a gentleman, to whom a + maiden was reading from a romance about I know not whom. There had come to + recline there with them and listen to the romance a lady, who was the + mother of the damsel, as the gentleman was her father; they had good + reason to enjoy seeing and hearing her, for they had no other children. + She was not yet sixteen years old, and was so fair and full of grace that + the god of Love would have devoted himself entirely to her service, if he + had seen her, and would never have made her fall in love with anybody + except himself. For her sake he would have become a man, and would lay + aside his deity, and would smite his own body with that dart whose wound + never heals unless some base physician attends to it. It is not fitting + that any one should recover until he meets with faithlessness. Any one who + is cured by other means is not honestly in love. I could tell you so much + about this wound, if you were pleased to listen to it, that I would not + get through my tale to-day. But there would be some one who would promptly + say that I was telling you but an idle tale; for people don't fall in love + nowadays, nor do they love as they used to do, so they do not care to hear + of it. <a href="#linknote-328" name="linknoteref-328"><small>328</small></a> + But hear now in what fashion and with what manner of hospitality my lord + Yvain was received. All those who were in the garden leaped to their feet + when they saw him come, and cried out: "This way, fair sire. May you and + all you love be blessed with all that God can do or say." I know not if + they were deceiving him, but they receive him joyfully and act as if they + are pleased that he should be comfortably lodged. Even the lord's daughter + serves him very honourably, as one should treat a worthy guest. She + relieves him of all his arms, nor was it the least attention she bestowed + on him when she herself washed his neck and face. The lord wishes that all + honour should be shown him, as indeed they do. She gets out from her + wardrobe a folded shirt, white drawers, needle and thread for his sleeves, + which she sews on, thus clothing him. <a href="#linknote-329" + name="linknoteref-329"><small>329</small></a> May God + want now that this attention and service may not prove too costly to him! + She gave him a handsome jacket to put on over his shirt, and about his + neck she placed a brand new spotted mantle of scarlet stuff. She takes + such pains to serve him well that he feels ashamed and embarrassed. But + the damsel is so courteous and open-hearted and polite that she feels she + is doing very little. And she knows well that it is her mother's will that + she shall leave nothing undone for him which she thinks may win his + gratitude. That night at table he was so well served with so many dishes + that there were too many. The servants who brought in the dishes might + well have been wearied by serving them. That night they did him all manner + of honour, putting him comfortably to bed, and not once going near him + again after he had retired. His lion lay at his feet, as his custom was. + In the morning, when God lighted His great light for the world, as early + as was consistent in one who was always considerate, my lord Yvain quickly + arose, as did his damsel too. They heard Mass in a chapel, where it was + promptly said for them in honour of the Holy Spirit. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5457-5770.) After the Mass my lord Yvain heard bad news, when he + thought the time had come for him to leave and that nothing would stand in + his way; but it could not be in accordance with his wish. When he said: + "Sire, if it be your will, and with your permission, I am going now," the + master of the house replied: "Friend, I will not grant you permission yet. + There is a reason why I cannot do so, for there is established in this + castle a very terrible practice which I am bound to observe. I shall now + cause to approach two great, strong fellows of mine, against whom, whether + right or wrong, you must take arms. If you can defend yourself against + them, and conquer and slay them both, my daughter desires you as her lord, + and the suzerainty of this town and all its dependencies awaits you." + "Sire," said he, "for all this I have no desire. So may God never bestow + your daughter upon me, but may she remain with you; for she is so fair and + so elegant that the Emperor of Germany would be fortunate to win her as + his wife." "No more, fair guest," the lord replied: "there is no need of + my listening to your refusal, for you cannot escape. He who can defeat the + two, who are about to attack you, must by right receive my castle, and all + my land, and my daughter as his wife. There is no way of avoiding or + renouncing the battle. But I feel sure that your refusal of my daughter is + due to cowardice, for you think that in this manner you can completely + avoid the battle. Know, however, without fail that you must surely fight. + No knight who lodges here can possibly escape. This is a settled custom + and statute, which will endure yet for many a year, for my daughter will + never be married until I see them dead or defeated." "Then I must fight + them in spite of myself. But I assure you that I should very gladly give + it up. In spite of my reluctance, however, I shall accept the battle, + since it is inevitable." Thereupon, the two hideous, black sons of the + devil come in, both armed with a crooked club of a cornelian cherry-tree, + which they had covered with copper and wound with brass. They were armed + from the shoulders to the knees, but their head and face were bare, as + well as their brawny legs. Thus armed, they advanced, bearing in their + hands round shields, stout and light for fighting. The lion begins to + quiver as soon as he sees them, for he sees the arms they have, and + perceives that they come to fight his master. He is aroused, and bristles + up at once, and, trembling with rage and bold impulse, he thrashes the + earth with his tail, desiring to rescue his master before they kill him. + And when they see him they say: "Vassal, remove the lion from here that he + may not do us harm. Either surrender to us at once, or else, we adjure + you, that lion must be put where he can take no part in aiding you or in + harming us. You must come alone to enjoy our sport, for the lion would + gladly help you, if he could." My lord Yvain then replies to them: "Take + him away yourselves if you are afraid of him. For I shall be well pleased + and satisfied if he can contrive to injure you, and I shall be grateful + for his aid." They answer: "Upon my word that will not do; you shall never + receive any help from him. Do the best you can alone, without the help of + any one. You must fight single-handed against us two. If you were not + alone, it would be two against two; so you must follow our orders, and + remove your lion from here at once, however much you may dislike to do + so." "Where do you wish him to be?" he asks, "or where do you wish me to + put him?" Then they show him a small room, and say: "Shut him up in + there." "It shall be done, since it is your will." Then he takes him and + shuts him up. And now they bring him arms for his body, and lead out his + horse, which they give to him, and he mounts. The two champions, being now + assured about the lion, which is shut up in the room, come at him to + injure him and do him harm. They give him such blows with the maces that + his shield and helmet are of little use, for when they hit him on the + helmet they batter it in and break it; and the shield is broken and + dissolved like ice, for they make such holes in it that one could thrust + his fists through it: their onslaught is truly terrible. And he—what + does he do against these two devils? Urged on by shame and fear, he + defends himself with all his strength. He strains every nerve, and exerts + himself to deal heavy, and telling blows; they lost nothing by his gifts, + for he returned their attentions with double measure. In his room, the + lion's heart is heavy and sad, for he remembers the kind deed done for him + by this noble man, who now must stand in great need of his service and + aid. If now he could escape from there, he would return him the kindness + with full measure and full bushel, without any discount whatsoever. He + looks about in all directions, but sees no way of escape. He hears the + blows of the dangerous and desperate fight, and in his grief he rages and + is beside himself. He investigates, until he comes to the threshold, which + was beginning to grow rotten; and he scratches at it until he can squeeze + himself in as far as his haunches, when he sticks fast. Meanwhile, my lord + Yvain was hard pressed and sweating freely, for he found that the two + fellows were very strong, fierce, and persistent. He had received many a + blow, and repaid it as best he could, but without doing them any harm, for + they were well skilled in fencing, and their shields were not of a kind to + be hacked by any sword, however sharp and well tempered it might be. So my + lord Yvain had good reason to fear his death, yet he managed to hold his + own until the lion extricated himself by continued scratching beneath the + threshold. If the rascals are not killed now, surely they will never be. + For so long as the lion knows them to be alive, they can never obtain + truce or peace with him. He seizes one of them, and pulls him down to + earth like a tree-trunk. The wretches are terrified, and there is not a + man present who does not rejoice. For he whom the lion has dragged down + will never be able to rise again, unless the other succours him. He runs + up to bring him aid, and at the same time to protect himself, lest the + lion should attack him as soon as he had despatched the one whom he had + thrown down; he was more afraid of the lion than of his master. But my + lord Yvain will be foolish now if he allows him longer life, when he sees + him turn his back, and sees his neck bare and exposed; this chance turned + out well for him. When the rascal exposed to him his bare head and neck, + he dealt him such a blow that he smote his head from his shoulders so + quietly that the fellow never knew a word about it. Then he dismounts, + wishing to help and save the other one from the lion, who holds him fast. + But it is of no use, for already he is in such straits that a physician + can never arrive in time; for the lion, coming at him furiously, so + wounded him at the first attack, that he was in a dreadful state. + Nevertheless, he drags the lion back, and sees that he had torn his + shoulder from its place. He is in no fear of the fellow now, for his club + has fallen from his hand, and he lies like a dead man without action or + movement; still he has enough strength to speak, and he said as clearly as + he could: "Please take your lion away, fair sire, that he may not do me + further harm. Henceforth you may do with me whatever may be your desire. + Whoever begs and prays for mercy, ought not to have his prayer refused, + unless he addresses a heartless man. I will no longer defend myself, nor + will I ever get up from here with my own strength; so I put myself in your + hands." "Speak out then," he says, "if thou dost admit that thou art + conquered and defeated." "Sire," he says, "it is evident. I am defeated in + spite of myself, and I surrender, I promise you." "Then thou needest have + no further fear of me, and my lion will leave thee alone." Then he is + surrounded by all the crowd, who arrive on the scene in haste. And both + the lord and his lady rejoice over him, and embrace him, and speak to him + of their daughter, saying: "Now you will be the lord and master of us all, + and our daughter will be your wife, for we bestow her upon you as your + spouse." "And for my part," he says. "I restore her to you. Let him who + has her keep her. I have no concern with her, though I say it not in + disparagement. Take it not amiss if I do not accept her, for I cannot and + must not do so. But deliver to me now, if you will, the wretched maidens + in your possession. The agreement, as you well know, is that they shall + all go free." "What you say is true," he says: "and I resign and deliver + them freely to you: there will be no dispute on that score. But you will + be wise to take my daughter with all my wealth, for she is fair, and + charming, and sensible. You will never find again such a rich marriage as + this." "Sire," he replies, "you do not know of my engagements and my + affairs, and I do not dare to explain them to you. But, you may be sure, + when I refuse what would never be refused by any one who was free to + devote his heart and intentions to such a fair and charming girl, that I + too would willingly accept her hand if I could, or if I were free to + accept her or any other maid. But I assure you that I cannot do it: so let + me depart in peace. For the damsel, who escorted me hither, is awaiting + me. She has kept me company, and I would not willingly desert her whatever + the future may have in store." "You wish to go, fair sire? But how? My + gate will never be opened for you unless my judgment bids me give the + command; rather shall you remain here as my prisoner. You are acting + haughtily and making a mistake when you disdain to take my daughter at my + request." "Disdain, my lord? Upon my soul, I do not disdain her. Whatever + the penalty may be, I cannot marry a wife or tarry here. I shall follow + the damsel who is my guide: for otherwise it cannot be. But, with your + consent, I will pledge you my right hand, and you may take my word, that, + just as you see me now, I will return if possible, and then will accept + your daughter's hand, whenever it may seem good ro you." "Confound any + one," he says, "who asks you for your word or promise or pledge. If my + daughter pleases you, you will return quickly enough. You will not return + any sooner. I think, for having given your word or sworn an oath. Begone + now. I release you from all oaths and promises. If you are detained by + rain or wind, or by nothing at all, it is of no consequence to me. I do + not hold my daughter so cheap as to bestow her upon you forcibly. Now go + about your business. For it is quite the same to me whether you go or + whether you stay." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5771-5871.) Thereupon my lord Yvain turns away and delays no longer + in the castle. He escorted the poor and ill-clad wretches, who were now + released from captivity, and whom the lord committed to his care. These + maidens feel that now they are rich, as they file out in pairs before him + from the castle. I do not believe that they would rejoice so much as they + do now were He who created the whole world to descend to earth from + Heaven. Now all those people who had insulted him in every possible way + come to beseech him for mercy and peace, and escort him on his way. He + replies that he knows nothing of what they mean. "I do not understand what + you mean," he says; "but I have nothing against you. I do not remember + that you ever said anything that harmed me." They are very glad for what + they hear, and loudly praise his courtesy, and after escorting him a long + distance, they all commend him to God. Then the damsels, after asking his + permission, separated from him. When they left him, they all bowed to him, + and prayed and expressed the wish that God might grant him joy and health, + and the accomplishment of his desire, wherever in the future he should go. + Then he, who is anxious to be gone, says that he hopes God will save them + all. "Go," he says, "and may God conduct you into your countries safe and + happy." Then they continue their way joyfully; and my lord Yvain departs + in the other direction. All the days of that week he never ceases to hurry + on under the escort of the maid, who was well acquainted with the road, + and with the retired place where she had left the unhappy and disconsolate + damsel who had been deprived of her inheritance. But when she heard news + of the arrival of the maiden and of the Knight with the Lion. There never + was such joy as she felt within her heart. For now she thinks that, if she + insists, her sister will cede her a part of her inheritance. The damsel + had long lain sick, and had just recovered from her malady. It had + seriously affected her, as was apparent from her face. Straightway she + went forth to meet them, greeting them and honouring them in every way she + could. There is no need to speak of the happiness that prevailed that + night in the house. No mention will be made of it, for the story would be + too long to tell. I pass over all that, until they mounted next morning + and went away. They rode until they saw the town where King Arthur had + been staying for a fortnight or more. And there, too, was the damsel who + had deprived her sister of her heritage, for she had kept close to the + court, waiting for the arrival of her sister, who now draws near. But she + does not worry much, for she does not think that her sister can find any + knight who can withstand my lord Gawain's attack, and only one day of the + forty yet remains. If this single day had passed, she would have had the + reasonable and legal right to claim the heritage for herself alone. But + more stands in the way than she thinks or believes. That night they spent + outside the town in a small and humble house, where, in accordance with + their desire, they were not recognised. At the first sign of dawn the next + morning they necessarily issue forth, but ensconce themselves in hiding + until broad daylight. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5872-5924.) I know not how many days had passed since my lord Gawain + had so completely disappeared that no one at court knew anything about + him, except only the damsel in whose cause he was to fight. He had + concealed himself three or four leagues from the court, and when he + returned he was so equipped that even those who knew him perfectly could + not recognise him by the arms he bore. The damsel, whose injustice toward + her sister was evident, presented him at court in the sight of all, for + she intended with his help to triumph in the dispute where she had no + rights. So she said to the King: "My lord, time passes. The noon hour will + soon be gone, and this is the last day. As you see, I am prepared to + defend my claim. If my sister were going to return, there would be nothing + to do but await her arrival. But I may praise God that she is not coming + back again. It is evident that she cannot better her affairs, and that her + trouble has been for naught. For my part, I have been ready all the time + up to this last day, to prove my claim to what is mine. I have proved my + point entirely without a fight, and now I may rightfully go to accept my + heritage in peace; for I shall render no accounting for it to my sister as + long as I live, and she will lead a wretched and miserable existence." + Then the King, who well knew that the damsel was disloyally unjust toward + her sister, said to her: "My dear, upon my word, in a royal court one must + wait as long as the king's justice sits and deliberates upon the verdict. + It is not yet time to pack up, for it is my belief that your sister will + yet arrive in time." Before the King had finished, he saw the Knight with + the Lion and the damsel with him. They two were advancing alone, having + slipped away from the lion, who had stayed where they spent the night. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5925-5990.) The King saw the damsel whom he did not fail to + recognise, and he was greatly pleased and delighted to see her, for he was + on her side of the quarrel, because he had regard for what was right. + Joyfully he cried out to her as soon as he could: "Come forward, fair one: + may God save you!" When the other sister hears these words, she turns + trembling, and sees her with the knight whom she had brought to defend in + her claim: then she turned blacker than the earth. The damsel, after being + kindly welcomed by all, went to where the King was sitting. When she had + come before him, she spoke to him thus: "God save the King and his + household. If my rights in this dispute can be settled by a champion, then + it will be done by this knight who has followed me hither. This frank and + courteous knight had many other things to do elsewhere; but he felt such + pity for me that he cast aside all his other affairs for the sake of mine. + Now, madame, my very dear sister, whom I love as much as my own heart, + would do the right and courteous thing if she would let me have so much of + what is mine by right that there might be peace between me and her; for I + ask for nothing that is hers." "Nor do I ask for anything that is thine," + the other replied; "for thou hast nothing, and nothing shalt thou have. + Thou canst never talk so much as to gain anything by thy words. Thou + mayest dry up with grief." Then the other, who was very polite and + sensible and courteous, replied with the words: "Certainly I am sorry that + two such gentlemen as these should fight on our behalf over so small a + disagreement. But I cannot disregard my claim, for I am in too great need + of it. So I should be much obliged to you if you would give me what is + rightly mine." "Surely," the other said, "any one would be a fool to + consider thy demands. May I burn in evil fire and flame if I give thee + anything to ease thy life! The banks of the Seine will meet, and the hour + of prime will be called noon, before I refuse to carry out the fight." + "May God and the right, which I have in this cause, and in which I trust + and have trusted till the present time, aid him, who in charity and + courtesy has offered himself in my service, though he knows not who I am, + and though we are ignorant of each other's identity." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5991-6148.) So they talked until their conversation ceased, and then + produced the knights in the middle of the court. Then all the people crowd + about, as people are wont to do when they wish to witness blows in battle + or in joust. But those who were about to fight did not recognise each + other, though their relations were wont to be very affectionate. Then do + they not love each other now? I would answer you both "yes" and "no." And + I shall prove that each answer is correct. In truth, my lord Gawain loves + Yvain and regards him as his companion, and so does Yvain regard him, + wherever he may be. Even here, if he knew who he was, he would make much + of him, and either one of them would lay down his head for the other + before he would allow any harm to come to him. Is not that a perfect and + lofty love? Yes, surely. But, on the other hand, is not their hate equally + manifest? Yes; for it is a certain thing that doubtless each would be glad + to have broken the other's head, and so to have injured him as to cause + his humiliation. Upon my word, it is a wondrous thing, that Love and + mortal Hate should dwell together. God! How can two things so opposed find + lodging in the same dwelling-place? It seems to me they cannot live + together; for one could not dwell with the other, without giving rise to + noise and contention, as soon as each knew of the other's presence. But + upon the ground-floor there may be several apartments: for there are halls + and sleeping-rooms. It may be the same in this case: I think Love had + ensconced himself in some hidden room, while Hate had betaken herself to + the balconies looking on the high-road, because she wishes to be seen. + Just now Hate is in the saddle, and spurs and pricks forward as she can, + to get ahead of Love who is indisposed to move. Ah! Love, what has become + of thee? Come out now, and thou shalt see what a host has been brought up + and opposed to thee by the enemies of thy friends. The enemies are these + very men who love each other with such a holy love for love, which is + neither false nor feigned, is a precious and a holy thing. In this case + Love is completely blind, and Hate, too, is deprived of sight. For if Love + had recognised these two men, he must have forbidden each to attack the + other, or to do any thing to cause him harm. In this respect, then, Love + is blind and discomfited and beguiled; for, though he sees them, he fails + to recognise those who rightly belong to him. And though Hate is unable to + tell why one of them should hate the other, yet she tries to engage them + wrongfully, so that each hates the other mortally. You know, of course, + that he cannot be said to love a man who would wish to harm him and see + him dead. How then? Does Yvain wish to kill his friend, my lord Gawain? + Yes, and the desire is mutual. Would, then, my lord Gawain desire to kill + Yvain with his own hands, or do even worse than I have said? Nay, not + really, I swear and protest. One would not wish to injure or harm the + other, in return for all that God has done for man, or for all the empire + of Rome. But this, in turn, is a lie of mine, for it is plainly to be seen + that, with lance raised high in rest, each is ready to attack the other, + and there will be no restraint of the desire of each to wound the other + with intent to injure him and work him woe. Now tell me! When one will + have defeated the other, of whom can he complain who has the worst of it? + For if they go so far as to come to blows, I am very much afraid that they + will continue the battle and the strife until victory be definitely + decided. If he is defeated, will Yvain be justified in saying that he has + been harmed and wronged by a man who counts him among his friends, and who + has never mentioned him but by the name of friend or companion? Or, if it + comes about perchance that Yvain should hurt him in turn, or defeat him in + any way, will Gawain have the right to complain? Nay, for he will not know + whose fault it is. In ignorance of each other's identity, they both drew + off and took their distance. At this first shock, their lances break, + though they were stout, and made of ash. Not a word do they exchange, for + if they had stopped to converse their meeting would have been different. + In that case, no blow would have been dealt with lance or sword; they + would have kissed and embraced each other rather than sought each other's + harm. For now they attack each other with injurious intent. The condition + of the swords is not improved, nor that of the helmets and shields, which + are dented and split; and the edges of the swords are nicked and dulled. + For they strike each other violently, not with the fiat of the swords, but + with the edge, and they deal such blows with the pommels upon the + nose-guards and upon the neck, forehead and cheeks, that they are all + marked black and blue where the blood collects beneath the skin. And their + hauberks are so torn, and their shields so broken in pieces, that neither + one escaped without wounds. Their breath is almost exhausted with the + labour of the strife; they hammer away at each other so lustily that every + hyacinth and emerald set in their helmets is crushed and smashed. For they + give each other such a battering with their pommels upon the helmets that + they are quite stunned, as they almost beat out each other's brains. The + eyes in their heads gleam like sparks, as, with stout square fists, and + strong nerves, and hard bones, they strike each other upon the mouth as + long as they can grip their swords, which are of great service to them in + dealing their heavy blows. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6149-6228.) When they had for a long time strained themselves, until + the helmets were crushed, and the hauberks' meshes were torn apart with + the hammering of the swords, and the shields were split and cracked, they + drew apart a little to give their pulse a rest and to catch their breath + again. However, they do not long delay, but run at each other again more + fiercely than before. And all declare that they never saw two more + courageous knights. "This fight between them is no jest, but they are in + grim earnest. They will never be repaid for their merits and deserts." The + two friends, in their bitter struggle, heard these words, and heard how + the people were talking of reconciling the two sisters; but they had no + success in placating the elder one. And the younger one said she would + leave it to the King, and would not gainsay him in anything. But the elder + one was so obstinate that even the Queen Guinevere and the knights and the + King and the ladies and the townspeople side with the younger sister, and + all join in beseeching the King to give her a third or a fourth part of + the land in spite of the elder sister, and to separate the two knights who + had displayed such bravery, for it would be too bad if one should injure + the other or deprive him of any honour. And the King replied that he would + take no hand in making peace, for the elder sister is so cruel that she + has no desire for it. All these words were heard by the two, who were + attacking each other so bitterly that all were astonished thereat; for the + battle is waged so evenly that it is impossible to judge which has the + better and which the worse. Even the two men themselves, who fight, and + who are purchasing honour with agony, are filled with amazement and stand + aghast, for they are so well matched in their attack, that each wonders + who it can be that withstands him with such bravery. They fight so long + that the day draws on to night, while their arms grow weary and their + bodies sore, and the hot, boiling blood flows from many a spot and + trickles down beneath their hauberks: they are in such distress that it is + no wonder if they wish to rest. Then both withdraw to rest themselves, + each thinking within himself that, however long he has had to wait, he now + at last has met his match. For some time they thus seek repose, without + daring to resume the fight. They feel no further desire to fight, because + of the night which is growing dark, and because of the respect they feel + for each other's might. These two considerations keep them apart, and urge + them to keep the peace. But before they leave the field they will discover + each other's identity, and joy and mercy will be established between them. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6229-6526.) My brave and courteous lord Yvain was the first to speak. + But his good friend was unable to recognise him by his utterance; for he + was prevented by his low tone and by his voice which was hoarse, weak, and + broken; for his blood was all stirred up by the blows he had received. "My + lord," he says, "the night comes on! I think no blame or reproach will + attach to us if the night comes between us. But I am willing to admit, for + my own part, that I feel great respect and admiration for you, and never + in my life have I engaged in a battle which has made me smart so much, nor + did I ever expect to see a knight whose acquaintance I should so yearn to + make. You know well how to land your blows and how to make good use of + them: I have never known a knight who was so skilled in dealing blows. It + was against my will that I received all the blows you have bestowed on me + to-day; I am stunned by the blows you have I struck upon my head." "Upon + my word," my lord Gawain replies, "you are not so stunned and faint but + that I am as much so, or more. And if I should tell you the simple truth, + I think you would not be loath to hear it, for if I have lent you anything + of mine, you have fully paid me back, principal and interest; for you were + more ready to pay back than I was to accept the payment. But however that + may be, since you wish me to inform you of my name, it shall not be kept + from you: my name is Gawain the son of King Lot." As soon as my lord Yvain + heard that, he was amazed and sorely troubled; angry and grief-stricken, + he cast upon the ground his bloody sword and broken shield, then + dismounted from his horse, and cried: "Alas, what mischance is this! + Through what unhappy ignorance in not recognising each other have we waged + this battle! For if I had known who you were, I should never have fought + with you; but, upon my word, I should have surrendered without a blow." + "How is that?" my lord Gawain inquires, "who are you, then?" "I am Yvain, + who love you more than any man in the whole wide world, for you have + always been fond of me and shown me honour in every court. But I wish to + make you such amends and do you such honour in this affair that I will + confess myself to have been defeated." "Will you do so much for my sake?" + my gentle lord Gawain asks him; "surely I should be presumptuous to accept + any such amends from you. This honour shall never be claimed as mine, but + it shall be yours, to whom I resign it." "Ah, fair sire, do not speak so. + For that could never be. I am so wounded and exhausted that I cannot + endure more." "Surely, you have no cause to be concerned." his friend and + companion replies; "but for my part, I am defeated and overcome; I say it + not as a compliment; for there is no stranger in the world, to whom I + would not say as much, rather than receive any more blows." Thus saying, + he got down from his horse, and they threw their arms about each other's + neck, kissing each other, and each continuing to assert that it is he who + has met defeat. The argument is still in progress when the King and the + knights come running up from every side, at the sight of their + reconciliation; and great is their desire to hear how this can be, and who + these men are who manifest such happiness. The King says: "Gentlemen, tell + us now who it is that has so suddenly brought about this friendship and + harmony between you two, after the hatred and strife there has been this + day?" Then his nephew, my lord Gawain, thus answers him: "My lord, you + shall be informed of the misfortune and mischance which have been the + cause of our strife. Since you have tarried in order to hear and learn the + cause of it, it is right to let you know the truth. I, Gawain, who am your + nephew, did not recognise this companion of mine, my lord Yvain, until he + fortunately, by the will of God, asked me my name. After each had informed + the other of his name, we recognised each other, but not until we had + fought it out. Our struggle already has been long; and if we had fought + yet a little longer, it would have fared ill with me, for, by my head, he + would have killed me, what with his prowess and the evil cause of her who + chose me as her champion. But I would rather be defeated than killed by a + friend in battle." Then my lord Yvain's blood was stirred, as he said to + him in reply: "Fair dear sire, so help me God, you have no right to say so + much. Let my lord, The King, well know in this battle I am surely the one + who has been defeated and overcome!" "I am the one" "No, I am." Thus each + cries out, and both are so honest and courteous that each allows the + victory and crown to be the other's prize, while neither one of them will + accept it. Thus each strives to convince the King and all the people that + he has been defeated and overthrown. But when he had listened to them for + a while, the King terminated the dispute. He was well pleased with what he + heard and with the sight of them in each other's arms, though they had + wounded and injured each other in several places. "My lords," he says, + "there is deep affection between you two. You give clear evidence of that, + when each insists that it is he who has been defeated. Now leave it all to + me! For I think I can arrange it in such a way that it will redound to + your honour, and every one will give consent." Then they both promised him + that they would do his will in every particular. And the King says that he + will decide the quarrel fairly and faithfully. "Where is the damsel," he + inquires, "who has ejected her sister from her land, and has forcibly and + cruelly disinherited her?" "My lord," she answers, "here I am." "Are you + there? Then draw near to me! I saw plainly some time ago that you were + disinheriting her. But her right shall no longer be denied; for you + yourself have avowed the truth to me. You must now resign her share to + her." "Sire," she says, "if I uttered a foolish and thoughtless word, you + ought not to take me up in it. For God's sake, sire, do not be hard on me! + You are a king, and you ought to guard against wrong and error." The King + replies: "That is precisely why I wish to give your sister her rights; for + I have never defended what is wrong. And you have surely heard how your + knight and hers have left the matter in my hands. I shall not say what is + altogether pleasing to you; for your injustice is well known. In his + desire to honour the other, each one says that he has been defeated. But + there is no need to delay further: since the matter has been left to me, + either you will do in all respects what I say, without resistance, or I + shall announce that my nephew has been defeated in the fight. That would + be the worst thing that could happen to your cause, and I shall be sorry + to make such a declaration." In reality, he would not have said it for + anything; but he spoke thus in order to see if he could frighten her into + restoring the heritage to her sister; for he clearly saw that she never + would surrender anything to her for any words of his unless she was + influenced by force or fear. In fear and apprehension, she replied to him: + "Fair lord, I must now respect your desire, though my heart is very loath + to yield. Yet, however hard it may go with me, I shall do it, and my + sister shall have what belongs to her. I give her your own person as a + pledge of her share in my inheritance, in order that she may be more + assured of it." "Endow her with it, then, at once," the King replies; "let + her receive it from your hands, and let her vow fidelity to you! Do you + love her as your vassal, and let her love you as her sovereign lady and as + her sister." Thus the King conducts the affair until the damsel takes + possession of her land, and offers her thanks to him for it. Then the King + asked the valiant and brave knight who was his nephew to allow himself to + be disarmed; and he requested my lord Yvain to lay aside his arms also; + for now they may well dispense with them. Then the two vassals lay aside + their arms and separate on equal terms. And while they are taking off + their armour, they see the lion running up in search of his master. As + soon as he catches sight of him, he begins to show his joy. Then you would + have seen people draw aside, and the boldest among them takes to flight. + My lord Yvain cries out: "Stand still, all! Why do you flee? No one is + chasing you. Have no fear that yonder lion will do you harm. Believe me, + please, when I say that he is mine, and I am his, and we are both + companions." Then it was known of a truth by all those who had heard tell + of the adventures of the lion and of his companion that this must be the + very man who had killed the wicked giant. And my lord Gawain said to him: + "Sir companion, so help me God, you have overwhelmed me with shame this + day. I did not deserve the service that you did me in killing the giant to + save my nephews and my niece. I have been thinking about you for some + time, and I was troubled because it was said that we were acquainted as + loving friends. I have surely thought much upon the subject: but I could + not hit upon the truth, and had never heard of any knight that I had known + in any land where I had been, who was called 'The Knight with the Lion.'" + While they chatted thus they took their armour off, and the lion came with + no slow step to the place where his master sat, and showed such joy as a + dumb beast could. Then the two knights had to be removed to a sick-room + and infirmary, for they needed a doctor and piaster to cure their wounds. + King Arthur, who loved them well, had them both brought before him, and + summoned a surgeon whose knowledge of surgery was supreme. He exercised + his art in curing them, until he had healed their wounds as well and as + quickly as possible. When he had cured them both, my lord Yvain, who had + his heart set fast on love, saw clearly that he could not live, but that + he finally would die unless his lady took pity upon him; for he was dying + for love of her; so he thought he would go away from the court alone, and + would go to fight at the spring that belonged to her, where he would cause + such a storm of wind and rain that she would be compelled perforce to make + peace with him; otherwise, there would be no end to the disturbance of the + spring, and to the rain and wind. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6527-6658.) As soon as my lord Yvain felt that he was cured and sound + again, he departed without the knowledge of any one. But he had with him + his lion, who never in his life wished to desert him. They travelled until + they saw the spring and made the rain descend. Think not that this is a + lie of mine, when I tell you that the disturbance was so violent that no + one could tell the tenth part of it: for it seemed as if the whole forest + must surely be engulfed. The lady fears for her town, lest it, too, will + crumble away; the walls totter, and the tower rocks so that it is on the + verge of falling down. The bravest Turk would rather be a captive in + Persia than be shut up within those walls. The people are so stricken with + terror that they curse all their ancestors, saying: "Confounded be the man + who first constructed a house in this neighbourhood, and all those who + built this town! For in the wide world they could not have found so + detestable a spot, for a single man is able here to invade and worry and + harry us." "You must take counsel in this matter, my lady," says Lunete; + "you will find no one who will undertake to aid you in this time of need + unless you seek for him afar. In the future we shall never be secure in + this town, nor dare to pass beyond the walls and gate. You know full well + that, were some one to summon together all your knights for this cause, + the best of them would not dare to step forward. If it is true that you + have no one to defend your spring, you will appear ridiculous and + humiliated. It will redound greatly to your honour, forsooth, if he who + has attacked you shall retire without a fight! Surely you are in a bad + predicament if you do not devise some other plan to benefit yourself." The + lady replies: "Do thou, who art so wise, tell me what plan I can devise, + and I will follow thy advice." "Indeed, lady, if I had any plan, I should + gladly propose it to you. But you have great need of a wiser counsellor. + So I shall certainly not dare to intrude, and in common with the others I + shall endure the rain and wind until, if it please God, I shall see some + worthy man appear here in your court who will assume the responsibility + and burden of the battle; but I do not believe that that will happen + to-day, and we have not yet seen the worst of your urgent need." Then the + lady replies at once: "Damsel, speak now of something else! Say no more of + the people of my household; for I cherish no further expectation that the + spring and its marble brim will ever be defended by any of them. But, if + it please God, let us hear now what is your opinion and plan; for people + always say that in time of need one can test his friend." <a + href="#linknote-330" name="linknoteref-330"><small>330</small></a> + "My lady, if there is any one who thinks he could find him who slew the + giant and defeated the three knights, he would do well to go to search for + him. But so long as he shall incur the enmity, wrath, and displeasure of + his lady, I fancy there is not under heaven any man or woman whom he would + follow, until he had been assured upon oath that everything possible would + be done to appease the hostility which his lady feels for him, and which + is so bitter that he is dying of the grief and anxiety it causes him." And + the lady said: "Before you enter upon the quest, I am prepared to promise + you upon my word and to swear that, if he will return to me, I will openly + and frankly do all I can to bring about his peace of mind." Then Lunete + replies to her: "Lady, have no fear that you cannot easily effect his + reconciliation, when once it is your desire to do so; but, if you do not + object, I will take your oath before I start." "I have no objection," the + lady says. With delicate courtesy, Lunete procured at once for her a very + precious relic, and the lady fell upon her knees. Thus Lunete very + courteously accepted her upon her oath. In administering the oath, she + forgot nothing which it might be an advantage to insert. "Lady," she says, + "now raise your hand! I do not wish that the day after to-morrow you + should lay any charge upon me; for you are not doing anything for me, but + you are acting for your own good. If you please now, you shall swear that + you will exert yourself in the interests of the Knight with the Lion until + he recover his lady's love as completely as he ever possessed it." The + lady then raised her right hand and said: "I swear to all that thou hast + said, so help me God and His holy saint, that my heart may never fail to + do all within my power. If I have the strength and ability, I will restore + to him the love and favour which with his lady he once enjoyed." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6659-6716.) Lunete has now done well her work; there was nothing + which she had desired so much as the object which she had now attained. + They had already got out for her a palfrey with an easy pace. Gladly and + in a happy frame of mind Lunete mounts and rides away, until she finds + beneath the pine-tree him whom she did not expect to find so near at hand. + Indeed, she had thought that she would have to seek afar before + discovering him. As soon as she saw him, she recognised him by the lion, + and coming toward him rapidly, she dismounted upon the solid earth. And my + lord Yvain recognised her as soon as he saw her, and greeted her, as she + saluted him with the words: "Sire, I am very happy to have found you so + near at hand." And my lord Yvain said in reply: "How is that? Were you + looking for me, then?" "Yes, sire, and in all my life I have never felt so + glad, for I have made my mistress promise, if she does not go back upon + her word, that she will be again your lady as was once the case, and that + you shall be her lord; this truth I make bold to tell." My lord Yvain was + greatly elated at the news he hears, and which he had never expected to + hear again. He could not sufficiently show his gratitude to her who had + accomplished this for him. He kisses her eyes, and then her face, saying: + "Surely, my sweet friend, I can never repay you for this service. I fear + that ability and time will fail me to do you the honour and service which + is your due." "Sire," she replies, "have no concern, and let not that + thought worry you! For you will have an abundance of strength and time to + show me and others your good will. If I have paid this debt I owed, I am + entitled to only so much gratitude as the man who borrows another's goods + and then discharges the obligation. Even now I do not consider that I have + paid you the debt I owed." "Indeed you have, as God sees me, more than + five hundred thousand times. Now, when you are ready, let us go. But have + you told her who I am?" "No, I have not, upon my word. She knows you only + by the name of 'The Knight with the Lion.'" + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6717-6758.) Thus conversing they went along, with the lion following + after them, until they all three came to the town. They said not a word to + any man or woman there, until they arrived where the lady was. And the + lady was greatly pleased as soon as she heard that the damsel was + approaching, and that she was bringing with her the lion and the knight, + whom she was very anxious to meet and know and see. All clad in his arms, + my lord Yvain fell at her feet upon his knees, while Lunete, who was + standing by, said to her: "Raise him up, lady, and apply all your efforts + and strength and skill in procuring that peace and pardon which no one in + the world, except you, can secure for him." Then the lady bade him rise, + and said: "He may dispose of all my power! I shall be very happy, if + possible, to accomplish his wish and his desire." "Surely, my lady," + Lunete replied, "I would not say it if it were not true. But all this is + even more possible for you than I have said: but now I will tell you the + whole truth, and you shall see: you never had and you never will have such + a good friend as this gentleman. God, whose will it is that there should + be unending peace and love between you and him, has caused me to find him + this day so near at hand. In order to test the truth of this, I have only + one thing to say: lady, dismiss the grudge you bear him! For he has no + other mistress than you. This is your husband, my lord Yvain." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6759-6776.) The lady, trembling at these words, replied: "God save + me! You have caught me neatly in a trap! You will make me love, in spite + of myself, a man who neither loves nor esteems me. This is a fine piece of + work, and a charming way of serving me! I would rather endure the winds + and the tempests all my life: And if it were not a mean and ugly thing to + break one's word, he would never make his peace or be reconciled with me. + This purpose would have always lurked within me, as a fire smoulders in + the ashes; but I do not wish to renew it now, nor do I care to refer to + it, since I must be reconciled with him." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6777-6798.) My lord Yvain hears and understands that his cause is + going well, and that he will be peacefully reconciled with her. So he + says: "Lady, one ought to have mercy on a sinner. I have had to pay, and + dearly to pay, for my mad act. It was madness that made me stay away, and + I now admit my guilt and sin. I have been bold, indeed, in daring to + present myself to you; but if you will deign to keep me now, I never again + shall do you any wrong." She replied: "I will surely consent to that; for + if I did not do all I could to establish peace between you and me, I + should be guilty of perjury. So, if you please, I grant your request." + "Lady," says he, "so truly as God in this mortal life could not otherwise + restore me to happiness, so may the Holy Spirit bless me five hundred + times!" + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6799-6813.) Now my lord Yvain is reconciled, and you may believe + that, in spite of the trouble he has endured, he was never so happy for + anything. All has turned out well at last; for he is beloved and treasured + by his lady, and she by him. His troubles no longer are in his mind; for + he forgets them all in the joy he feels with his precious wife. And + Lunete, for her part, is happy too: all her desires are satisfied when + once she had made an enduring peace between my polite lord Yvain and his + sweetheart so dear and so elegant. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6814-6818.) Thus Chrétien concludes his romance of the Knight with + the Lion; for I never heard any more told of it, nor will you ever hear + any further particulars, unless some one wishes to add some lies. + </p> + <p> + ——Endnotes: Yvain + </p> + <p> + Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other + endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-31"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 31 (<a href="#linknoteref-31">return</a>)<br /> [ + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "cele feste, qui tant coste, + Qu'an doit clamer la pantecoste." + + This rhyme is frequently met in mediaeval narrative poems. + (F.)]] +</pre> + <p> + <a name="linknote-32"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 32 (<a href="#linknoteref-32">return</a>)<br /> [ The contemporary + degeneracy of lovers and of the art of love is a favourite theme of + mediaeval poets.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-33"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 33 (<a href="#linknoteref-33">return</a>)<br /> [ Cf. "Roman de la Rose", + 9661, for the stinking manure pit. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-34"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 34 (<a href="#linknoteref-34">return</a>)<br /> [ The forest of Broceliande + is in Brittany, and in it Chrétien places the marvellous spring of + Barenton, of which we read in the sequel. In his version the poet forgets + that the sea separates the court at Carduel from the forest of + Broceliande. His readers, however, probably passed over this "lapsus". The + most famous passage relating to this forest and its spring is found in + Wace, "Le Roman de Rou et des dues de Normandie", vv. 6395-6420, 2 vols. + (Heilbronn, 1877-79). Cf. further the informing note by W.L. Holland, + "Chrétien von Troies", p. 152 f. (Tubingen, 1854).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-35"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 35 (<a href="#linknoteref-35">return</a>)<br /> [ This grotesque portrait + of the "vilain" is perfectly conventional in aristocratic poetry, and is + also applied to some Saracens in the epic poems. Cf. W.W. Comfort in "Pub. + of the Modern Language Association of America", xxi. 494 f., and in "The + Dublin Review", July 1911.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-36"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 36 (<a href="#linknoteref-36">return</a>)<br /> [ For the description of + the magic fountain, cf. W.A. Nitze, "The Fountain Defended" in "Modern + Philology", vii. 145-164; G.L. Hamilton, "Storm-making Springs", etc., in + "Romantic Review", ii. 355-375; A.F. Grimme in "Germania", xxxiii. 38; + O.M. Johnston in "Transactions and Proceedings of the American + Philological Association", xxxiii., p. lxxxiii. f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-37"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 37 (<a href="#linknoteref-37">return</a>)<br /> [ Eugen Kolbing, "Christian + von Troyes Yvain und die Brandanuslegende" in "Ztsch. fur vergleichende + Literaturgeschichte" (Neue Folge, xi. Brand, 1897), pp. 442-448, has + pointed out other striking allusions in the Latin "Navigatio S. Brandans" + (ed. Wahlund, Upsala, 1900) and elsewhere in Celtic legend to trees + teeming with singing birds, in which the souls of the blessed are + incorporated. A more general reference to trees, animated by the souls of + the dead, is found in J.G. Frazer, "The Golden Bough" (2nd ed. 1900), vol. + I., p. 178 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-38"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 38 (<a href="#linknoteref-38">return</a>)<br /> [ Cf. A. Tobler in "Ztsch. + fur romanische Philologie", iv. 80-85, who gives many other instances of + boasting after meals. See next note.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-39"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 39 (<a href="#linknoteref-39">return</a>)<br /> [ Noradin is the Sultan + Nureddin Mahmud (reigned 1146-1173), a contemporary of the poet; Forre is + a legendary Saracen king of Naples, mentioned in the epic poems (cf. E. + Langlois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris dans les + chansons de geste", Paris, 1904; Albert Counson, "Noms epiques entres dans + le vocabulaire commun" in "Romanische Forschungen", xxiii. 401-413). These + names are mentioned here in connection with the brave exploits which + Christian knights, while in their cups, may boast that they will + accomplish (F.). This practice of boasting was called indulging in "gabs" + (=Eng. "gab"), a good instance of which will be found in "Le Voyage de + Charlemagne a Jeruslaem" (ed. Koschwitz), v. 447 ff.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-310"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 310 (<a href="#linknoteref-310">return</a>)<br /> [ It is evident in this + passage that Chrétien's version is not clear; the reader cannot be sure in + what sort of an apartment Yvain is secreted. The passage is perfectly + clear, however, in the Welsh "Owein", as shown by A.C.L. Brown in "Romanic + Review", iii. 143-172, "On the Independent Character of the Welsh + 'Owain'", where he argues convincingly for an original older than either + the extant French of Welsh versions.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-311"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 311 (<a href="#linknoteref-311">return</a>)<br /> [ The damsel's surprise + and fright at the sight of Yvain, which puzzled Professor Foerster, is + satisfactorily explained by J. Acher in "Ztsch. fur franzosische Sprache + und Literatur", xxxv. 150.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-312"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 312 (<a href="#linknoteref-312">return</a>)<br /> [ For magic rings, cf. A. + Hertel, "Verzauberte Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908); D.B. Easter, + "The Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure and the romans bretons" + (Baltimore, 1906).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-313"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 313 (<a href="#linknoteref-313">return</a>)<br /> [ Much has been written + on the widespread belief that a dead person's wounds would bleed afresh in + the presence of his murderer. The passage in our text is interesting as + being the earliest literary reference to the belief. Other instances will + be found in Shakespear ("King Richard III., Act. I., Sc. 2), Cervantes + ("Don Quixote"), Scott ("Ballads"), and Schiller ("Braut von Messina"). In + the 15th and 16th centuries especially, the bleeding of the dead became in + Italy, Germany, France, and Spain an absolute or contributory proof of + guilt in the eyes of the law. The suspected culprit might be subjected to + this ordeal as part of the inquisitional method to determine guilt. For + theories of the origin of this belief and of its use in legal trials, as + well as for more extended bibliography, cf. Karl Lehmann in + "Germanistische Abhandlungen fur Konrad von Maurer" (Gottingen, 1893), pp. + 21-45; C.V. Christensen, "Baareproven" (Copenhagen, 1900).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-314"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 314 (<a href="#linknoteref-314">return</a>)<br /> [ W.L. Holland in his + note for this passage recalls Schiller's "Jungfrau von Orleans", Act III. + Sc. 7, and Shakespeare, first part of "King Henry IV.", Act V. Sc. 4: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "When that this body did contain a spirit, + A kingdom for it was too small a bound; + But now two paces of the vilest earth + Is room enough."] +</pre> + <p> + <a name="linknote-315"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 315 (<a href="#linknoteref-315">return</a>)<br /> [ Foerster regards this + excuse for Kay's defeat as ironical.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-316"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 316 (<a href="#linknoteref-316">return</a>)<br /> [ It is hoped that the + following passage may have retained in the translation some of the gay + animation which clothes this description of a royal entry into a mediaeval + town.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-317"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 317 (<a href="#linknoteref-317">return</a>)<br /> [ This idea forms the + dominating motive, it will be recalled, in "Erec et Enide" (cf. note to + "Erec", v. 2576).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-318"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 318 (<a href="#linknoteref-318">return</a>)<br /> [ The parallel between + Yvain's and Roland's madness will occur to readers of Ariosto's "Orlando + Furioso", though in the former case Yvain's madness seems to be rather a + retribution for his failure to keep his promise, while Roland's madness + arises from excess of love.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-319"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 319 (<a href="#linknoteref-319">return</a>)<br /> [ Argonne is the name of + a hilly and well-wooded district in the north-east of France, lying + between the Meuse and the Aisne.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-320"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 320 (<a href="#linknoteref-320">return</a>)<br /> [ An allusion to the + well-known epic tradition embodied in the "Chanson de Roland". It was + common for mediaeval poets to give names to both the horses and the swords + of their heroes.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-321"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 321 (<a href="#linknoteref-321">return</a>)<br /> [ For the faithful lion + in the Latin bestiaries and mediaeval romances, see the long note of W.L. + Holland, "Chrétien von Troies" (Tubingen, 1854), p. 161 f., and G. Baist + in Zeitschrift fur romanische Philologie, xxi. 402-405. To the examples + there cited may be added the episodes in "Octavian" (15th century), + published in the "Romanische Bibliothek" (Heilbronn, 1883).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-322"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 322 (<a href="#linknoteref-322">return</a>)<br /> [ This is the first of + three references in this poem to the abduction of Guinevere as fully + narrated in the poem of "Lancelot". The other references are in v. 3918 + and v.4740 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-323"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 323 (<a href="#linknoteref-323">return</a>)<br /> [ Yvain here states the + theory of the judicial trial by combat. For another instance see + "Lancelot", v. 4963 f. Cf. M. Pfeffer in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philogie", + ix. 1-74, and L. Jordan, id. Xxix. 385-401.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-324"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 324 (<a href="#linknoteref-324">return</a>)<br /> [ A similar description + of a distressed damsel wandering at night in a forest is found in "Berte + aus grans pies", by Adenet le Roi (13th century).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-325"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 325 (<a href="#linknoteref-325">return</a>)<br /> [ The lion is forgotten + for the moment, but will appear again v. 5446. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-326"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 326 (<a href="#linknoteref-326">return</a>)<br /> [ This entire passage + belongs in the catagory of widespread myths which tell of a tribute of + youths or maidens paid to some cruel monster, from which some hero finally + obtains deliverance. Instances are presented in the adventures of Theseus + and Tristan.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-327"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 327 (<a href="#linknoteref-327">return</a>)<br /> [ The old French monetary + table was as follows: + </p> + <p> + 10 as = 1 denier; 12 deniers = 1 sol; 20 sous = 1 livre] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-328"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 328 (<a href="#linknoteref-328">return</a>)<br /> [ It appears to be the + poet's prerogative in all epochs of social history to bemoan the + degeneracy of true love in his own generation.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-329"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 329 (<a href="#linknoteref-329">return</a>)<br /> [ The sleeves of shirts + were detachable, and were sewed on afresh when a clean garment was put on. + (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-330"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 330 (<a href="#linknoteref-330">return</a>)<br /> [ This was an axiom of + feudal society, and occurs more frequently in feudal literature than any + other statement of mediaeval social relations.] + </p> + + <h2><a name="link2H_4_0006"></a>LANCELOT</h2> + <h3> + or, The Knight of the Cart + </h3> + <p> + (Vv. 1-30.) Since my lady of Champagne wishes me to undertake to write a + romance, <a href="#linknote-41" name="linknoteref-41"><small>41</small></a> + I shall very gladly do so, being so devoted to her service as to do + anything in the world for her, without any intention of flattery. But if + one were to introduce any flattery upon such an occasion, he might say, + and I would subscribe to it, that this lady surpasses all others who are + alive, just as the south wind which blows in May or April is more lovely + than any other wind. But upon my word, I am not one to wish to flatter my + lady. I will simply say: "The Countess is worth as many queens as a gem is + worth of pearls and sards." Nay I shall make no comparison, and yet it is + true in spite of me; I will say, however, that her command has more to do + with this work than any thought or pains that I may expend upon it. Here + Chrétien begins his book about the Knight of the Cart. The material and + the treatment of it are given and furnished to him by the Countess, and he + is simply trying to carry out her concern and intention. Here he begins + the story. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 31-172.) Upon a certain Ascension Day King Arthur had come from + Caerleon, and had held a very magnificent court at Camelot as was fitting + on such a day. <a href="#linknote-42" name="linknoteref-42"><small>42</small></a> After the feast the King did not + quit his noble companions, of whom there were many in the hall. The Queen + was present, too, and with her many a courteous lady able to converse in + French. And Kay, who had furnished the meal, was eating with the others + who had served the food. While Kay was sitting there at meat, behold there + came to court a knight, well equipped and fully armed, and thus the knight + appeared before the King as he sat among his lords. He gave him no + greeting, but spoke out thus: "King Arthur, I hold in captivity knights, + ladies, and damsels who belong to thy dominion and household; but it is + not because of any intention to restore them to thee that I make reference + to them here; rather do I wish to proclaim and serve thee notice that thou + hast not the strength or the resources to enable thee to secure them + again. And be assured that thou shalt die before thou canst ever succour + them." The King replies that he must needs endure what he has not the + power to change; nevertheless, he is filled with grief. Then the knight + makes as if to go away, and turns about, without tarrying longer before + the King; but after reaching the door of the hall, he does not go down the + stairs, but stops and speaks from there these words: "King, if in thy + court there is a single knight in whom thou hast such confidence that thou + wouldst dare to entrust to him the Queen that he might escort her after me + out into the woods whither I am going, I will promise to await him there, + and will surrender to thee all the prisoners whom I hold in exile in my + country if he is able to defend the Queen and if he succeeds in bringing + her back again." Many who were in the palace heard this challenge, and the + whole court was in an uproar. Kay, too, heard the news as he sat at meat + with those who served. Leaving the table, he came straight to the King, + and as if greatly enraged, he began to say: "O King, I have served thee + long, faithfully, and loyally; now I take my leave, and shall go away, + having no desire to serve thee more." The King was grieved at what he + heard, and as soon as he could, he thus replied to him: "Is this serious, + or a joke?" And Kay replied: "O King, fair sire, I have no desire to jest, + and I take my leave quite seriously. No other reward or wages do I wish in + return for the service I have given you. My mind is quite made up to go + away immediately." "Is it in anger or in spite that you wish to go?" the + King inquired; "seneschal, remain at court, as you have done hitherto, and + be assured that I have nothing in the world which I would not give you at + once in return for your consent to stay." "Sire," says Kay, "no need of + that. I would not accept for each day's pay a measure of fine pure gold." + Thereupon, the King in great dismay went off to seek the Queen. "My lady," + he says, "you do not know the demand that the seneschal makes of me. He + asks me for leave to go away, and says he will no longer stay at court; + the reason of this I do not know. But he will do at your request what he + will not do for me. Go to him now, my lady dear. Since he will not consent + to stay for my sake, pray him to remain on your account, and if need be, + fall at his feet, for I should never again be happy if I should lose his + company." <a href="#linknote-43" name="linknoteref-43"><small>43</small></a> + The King sends the Queen to the seneschal, and she goes to him. Finding + him with the rest, she went up to him, and said: "Kay, you may be very + sure that I am greatly troubled by the news I have heard of you. I am + grieved to say that I have been told it is your intention to leave the + King. How does this come about? What motive have you in your mind? I + cannot think that you are so sensible or courteous as usual. I want to ask + you to remain: stay with us here, and grant my prayer." "Lady," he says, + "I give you thanks; nevertheless, I shall not remain." The Queen again + makes her request, and is joined by all the other knights. And Kay informs + her that he is growing tired of a service which is unprofitable. Then the + Queen prostrates herself at full length before his feet. Kay beseeches her + to rise, but she says that she will never do so until he grants her + request. Then Kay promises her to remain, provided the King and she will + grant in advance a favour he is about to ask. "Kay," she says, "he will + grant it, whatever it may be. Come now, and we shall tell him that upon + this condition you will remain." So Kay goes away with the Queen to the + King's presence. The Queen says: "I have had hard work to detain Kay; but + I have brought him here to you with the understanding that you will do + what he is going to ask." The King sighed with satisfaction, and said that + he would perform whatever request he might make. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 173-246.) "Sire," says Kay, "hear now what I desire, and what is the + gift you have promised me. I esteem myself very fortunate to gain such a + boon with your consent. Sire, you have pledged your word that you would + entrust to me my lady here, and that we should go after the knight who + awaits us in the forest." Though the King is grieved, he trusts him with + the charge, for he never went back upon his word. But it made him so + ill-humoured and displeased that it plainly showed in his countenance. The + Queen, for her part, was sorry too, and all those of the household say + that Kay had made a proud, outrageous, and mad request. Then the King took + the Queen by the hand, and said: "My lady, you must accompany Kay without + making objection." And Kay said: "Hand her over to me now, and have no + fear, for I shall bring her back perfectly happy and safe." The King gives + her into his charge, and he takes her off. After them all the rest go out, + and there is not one who is not sad. You must know that the seneschal was + fully armed, and his horse was led into the middle of the courtyard, + together with a palfrey, as is fitting, for the Queen. The Queen walked up + to the palfrey, which was neither restive nor hard-mouthed. Grieving and + sad, with a sigh the Queen mounts, saying to herself in a low voice, so + that no one could hear: "Alas, alas, if you only knew it, I am sure you + would never allow me without interference to be led away a step." <a + href="#linknote-44" name="linknoteref-44"><small>44</small></a> + She thought she had spoken in a very low tone; but Count Guinable heard + her, who was standing by when she mounted. When they started away, as + great a lament was made by all the men and women present as if she already + lay dead upon a bier. They do not believe that she will ever in her life + come back. The seneschal in his impudence takes her where that other + knight is awaiting her. But no one was so much concerned as to undertake + to follow him; until at last my lord Gawain thus addressed the King his + uncle: "Sire," he says, "you have done a very foolish thing, which causes + me great surprise; but if you will take my advice, while they are still + near by, I and you will ride after them, and all those who wish to + accompany us. For my part, I cannot restrain myself from going in pursuit + of them at once. It would not be proper for us not to go after them, at + least far enough to learn what is to become of the Queen, and how Kay is + going to comport himself." "Ah, fair nephew," the King replied, "you have + spoken courteously. And since you have undertaken the affair, order our + horses to be led out bridled and saddled that there may be no delay in + setting out." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 247-398.) The horses are at once brought out, all ready and with the + saddles on. First the King mounts, then my lord Gawain, and all the others + rapidly. Each one, wishing to be of the party, follows his own will and + starts away. Some were armed, but there were not a few without their arms. + My lord Gawain was armed, and he bade two squires lead by the bridle two + extra steeds. And as they thus approached the forest, they saw Kay's horse + running out; and they recognised him, and saw that both reins of the + bridle were broken. The horse was running wild, the stirrup-straps all + stained with blood, and the saddle-bow was broken and damaged. Every one + was chagrined at this, and they nudged each other and shook their heads. + My lord Gawain was riding far in advance of the rest of the party, and it + was not long before he saw coming slowly a knight on a horse that was + sore, painfully tired, and covered with sweat. The knight first saluted my + lord Gawain, and his greeting my lord Gawain returned. Then the knight, + recognising my lord Gawain, stopped and thus spoke to him: "You see, sir, + my horse is in a sweat and in such case as to be no longer serviceable. I + suppose that those two horses belong to you now, with the understanding + that I shall return the service and the favour, I beg you to let me have + one or the other of them, either as a loan or outright as a gift." And he + answers him: "Choose whichever you prefer." Then he who was in dire + distress did not try to select the better or the fairer or the larger of + the horses, but leaped quickly upon the one which was nearer to him, and + rode him off. Then the one he had just left fell dead, for he had ridden + him hard that day, so that he was used up and overworked. The knight + without delay goes pricking through the forest, and my lord Gawain follows + in pursuit of him with all speed, until he reaches the bottom of a hill. + And when he had gone some distance, he found the horse dead which he had + given to the knight, and noticed that the ground had been trampled by + horses, and that broken shields and lances lay strewn about, so that it + seemed that there had been a great combat between several knights, and he + was very sorry and grieved not to have been there. However, he did not + stay there long, but rapidly passed on until he saw again by chance the + knight all alone on foot, completely armed, with helmet laced, shield + hanging from his neck, and with his sword girt on. He had overtaken a + cart. In those days such a cart served the same purpose as does a pillory + now; and in each good town where there are more than three thousand such + carts nowadays, in those times there was only one, and this, like our + pillories, had to do service for all those who commit murder or treason, + and those who are guilty of any delinquency, and for thieves who have + stolen others' property or have forcibly seized it on the roads. Whoever + was convicted of any crime was placed upon a cart and dragged through all + the streets, and he lost henceforth all his legal rights, and was never + afterward heard, honoured, or welcomed in any court. The carts were so + dreadful in those days that the saying was then first used: "When thou + dost see and meet a cart, cross thyself and call upon God, that no evil + may befall thee." The knight on foot, and without a lance, walked behind + the cart, and saw a dwarf sitting on the shafts, who held, as a driver + does, a long goad in his hand. Then he cries out: "Dwarf, for God's sake, + tell me now if thou hast seen my lady, the Queen, pass by here." The + miserable, low-born dwarf would not give him any news of her, but replied: + "If thou wilt get up into the cart I am driving thou shalt hear to-morrow + what has happened to the Queen." Then he kept on his way without giving + further heed. The knight hesitated only for a couple of steps before + getting in. Yet, it was unlucky for him that he shrank from the disgrace, + and did not jump in at once; for he will later rue his delay. But common + sense, which is inconsistent with love's dictates, bids him refrain from + getting in, warning him and counselling him to do and undertake nothing + for which he may reap shame and disgrace. Reason, which dares thus speak + to him, reaches only his lips, but not his heart; but love is enclosed + within his heart, bidding him and urging him to mount at once upon the + cart. So he jumps in, since love will have it so, feeling no concern about + the shame, since he is prompted by love's commands. And my lord Gawain + presses on in haste after the cart, and when he finds the knight sitting + in it, his surprise is great. "Tell me," he shouted to the dwarf, "if thou + knowest anything of the Queen." And he replied: "If thou art so much thy + own enemy as is this knight who is sitting here, get in with him, if it be + thy pleasure, and I will drive thee along with him." When my lord Gawain + heard that, he considered it great foolishness, and said that he would not + get in, for it would be dishonourable to exchange a horse for a cart: "Go + on, and wherever thy journey lies, I will follow after thee." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 399-462.) Thereupon they start ahead, one mounted on his horse, the + other two riding in the cart, and thus they proceed in company. Late in + the afternoon they arrive at a town, which, you must know, was very rich + and beautiful. All three entered through the gate; the people are greatly + amazed to see the knight borne upon the cart, and they take no pains to + conceal their feelings, but small and great and old and young shout taunts + at him in the streets, so that the knight hears many vile and scornful + words at his expense. <a href="#linknote-45" name="linknoteref-45"><small>45</small></a> They all inquire: "To what + punishment is this knight to be consigned? Is he to be rayed, or hanged, + or drowned, or burned upon a fire of thorns? Tell us, thou dwarf, who art + driving him, in what crime was he caught? Is he convicted of robbery? Is + he a murderer, or a criminal?" And to all this the dwarf made no response, + vouchsafing to them no reply. He conducts the knight to a lodging-place; + and Gawain follows the dwarf closely to a tower, which stood on the same + level over against the town. Beyond there stretched a meadow, and the + tower was built close by, up on a lofty eminence of rock, whose face + formed a sharp precipice. Following the horse and cart, Gawain entered the + tower. In the hall they met a damsel elegantly attired, than whom there + was none fairer in the land, and with her they saw coming two fair and + charming maidens. As soon as they saw my lord Gawain, they received him + joyously and saluted him, and then asked news about the other knight: + "Dwarf, of what crime is this knight guilty, whom thou dost drive like a + lame man?" He would not answer her question, but he made the knight get + out of the cart, and then he withdrew, without their knowing whither he + went. Then my lord Gawain dismounts, and valets come forward to relieve + the two knights of their armour. The damsel ordered two green mantles to + be brought, which they put on. When the hour for supper came, a sumptuous + repast was set. The damsel sat at table beside my lord Gawain. They would + not have changed their lodging-place to seek any other, for all that + evening the damsel showed them gear honour, and provided them with fair + and pleasant company. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 463-538.) When they had sat up long enough, two long, high beds were + prepared in the middle of the hall; and there was another bed alongside, + fairer and more splendid than the rest; for, as the story testifies, it + possessed all the excellence that one could think of in a bed. When the + time came to retire, the damsel took both the guests to whom she had + offered her hospitality; she shows them the two fine, long, wide beds, and + says: "These two beds are set up here for the accommodation of your + bodies; but in that one yonder no one ever lay who did not merit it: it + was not set up to be used by you." The knight who came riding on the cart + replies at once: "Tell me," he says, "for what cause this bed is + inaccessible." Being thoroughly informed of this, she answers + unhesitatingly: "It is not your place to ask or make such an inquiry. Any + knight is disgraced in the land after being in a cart, and it is not + fitting that he should concern himself with the matter upon which you have + questioned me; and most of all it is not right that he should lie upon the + bed, for he would soon pay dearly for his act. So rich a couch has not + been prepared for you, and you would pay dearly for ever harbouring such a + thought." He replies: "You will see about that presently.".... "Am I to + see it?".... "Yes.".... "It will soon appear.".... "By my head," the + knight replies, "I know not who is to pay the penalty. But whoever may + object or disapprove, I intend to lie upon this bed and repose there at my + ease." Then he at once disrobed in the bed, which was long and raised half + an ell above the other two, and was covered with a yellow cloth of silk + and a coverlet with gilded stars. The furs were not of skinned vair but of + sable; the covering he had on him would have been fitting for a king. The + mattress was not made of straw or rushes or of old mats. At midnight there + descended from the rafters suddenly a lance, as with the intention of + pinning the knight through the flanks to the coverlet and the white sheets + where he lay. <a href="#linknote-46" name="linknoteref-46"><small>46</small></a> To the lance there was attached + a pennon all ablaze. The coverlet, the bedclothes, and the bed itself all + caught fire at once. And the tip of the lance passed so close to the + knight's side that it cut the skin a little, without seriously wounding + him. Then the knight got up, put out the fire and, taking the lance, swung + it in the middle of the hall, all this without leaving his bed; rather did + he lie down again and slept as securely as at first. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 539-982.) In the morning, at daybreak, the damsel of the tower had + Mass celebrated on their account, and had them rise and dress. When Mass + had been celebrated for them, the knight who had ridden in the cart sat + down pensively at a window, which looked out upon the meadow, and he gazed + upon the fields below. The damsel came to another window close by, and + there my lord Gawain conversed with her privately for a while about + something, I know not what. I do not know what words were uttered, but + while they were leaning on the window-sill they saw carried along the + river through the fields a bier, upon which there lay a knight, <a + href="#linknote-47" name="linknoteref-47"><small>47</small></a> + and alongside three damsels walked, mourning bitterly. Behind the bier + they saw a crowd approaching, with a tall knight in front, leading a fair + lady by the horse's rein. The knight at the window knew that it was the + Queen. He continued to gaze at her attentively and with delight as long as + she was visible. And when he could no longer see her, he was minded to + throw himself out and break his body down below. And he would have let + himself fall out had not my lord Gawain seen him, and drawn him back, + saying: "I beg you, sire, be quiet now. For God's sake, never think again + of committing such a mad deed. It is wrong for you to despise your life." + "He is perfectly right," the damsel says; "for will not the news of his + disgrace be known everywhere? Since he has been upon the cart, he has good + reason to wish to die, for he would be better dead than alive. His life + henceforth is sure to be one of shame, vexation, and unhappiness." Then + the knights asked for their armour, and armed themselves, the damsel + treating them courteously, with distinction and generosity; for when she + had joked with the knight and ridiculed him enough, she presented him with + a horse and lance as a token of her goodwill. The knights then courteously + and politely took leave of the damsel, first saluting her, and then going + off in the direction taken by the crowd they had seen. Thus they rode out + from the town without addressing them. They proceeded quickly in the + direction they had seen taken by the Queen, but they did not overtake the + procession, which had advanced rapidly. After leaving the fields, the + knights enter an enclosed place, and find a beaten road. They advanced + through the woods until it might be six o'clock, <a href="#linknote-48" + name="linknoteref-48"><small>48</small></a> and then + at a crossroads they met a damsel, whom they both saluted, each asking and + requesting her to tell them, if she knows, whither the Queen has been + taken. Replying intelligently, she said to them: "If you would pledge me + your word, I could set you on the right road and path, and I would tell + you the name of the country and of the knight who is conducting her; but + whoever would essay to enter that country must endure sore trials, for + before he could reach there he must suffer much." Then my lord Gawain + replies: "Damsel, so help me God, I promise to place all my strength at + your disposal and service, whenever you please, if you will tell me now + the truth." And he who had been on the cart did not say that he would + pledge her all his strength; but he proclaims, like one whom love makes + rich, powerful and bold for any enterprise, that at once and without + hesitation he will promise her anything she desires, and he puts himself + altogether at her disposal. "Then I will tell you the truth," says she. + Then the damsel relates to them the following story: "In truth, my lords, + Meleagant, a tall and powerful knight, son of the King of Gorre, has taken + her off into the kingdom whence no foreigner returns, but where he must + perforce remain in servitude and banishment." Then they ask her: "Damsel, + where is this country? Where can we find the way thither?" She replies: + "That you shall quickly learn; but you may be sure that you will meet with + many obstacles and difficult passages, for it is not easy to enter there + except with the permission of the king, whose name is Bademagu; however, + it is possible to enter by two very perilous paths and by two very + difficult passage-ways. One is called the water-bridge, because the bridge + is under water, and there is the same amount of water beneath it as above + it, so that the bridge is exactly in the middle; and it is only a foot and + a half in width and in thickness. This choice is certainly to be avoided, + and yet it is the less dangerous of the two. In addition there are a + number of other obstacles of which I will say nothing. The other bridge is + still more impracticable and much more perilous, never having been crossed + by man. It is just like a sharp sword, and therefore all the people call + it 'the sword-bridge'. Now I have told you all the truth I know." But they + ask of her once again: "Damsel, deign to show us these two passages." To + which the damsel makes reply: "This road here is the most direct to the + water-bridge, and that one yonder leads straight to the sword-bridge." + Then the knight, who had been on the cart, says: "Sire, I am ready to + share with you without prejudice: take one of these two routes, and leave + the other one to me; take whichever you prefer." "In truth," my lord + Gawain replies, "both of them are hard and dangerous: I am not skilled in + making such a choice, and hardly know which of them to take; but it is not + right for me to hesitate when you have left the choice to me: I will + choose the water-bridge." The other answers: "Then I must go + uncomplainingly to the sword-bridge, which I agree to do." Thereupon, they + all three part, each one commending the others very courteously to God. + And when she sees them departing, she says: "Each one of you owes me a + favour of my choosing, whenever I may choose to ask it. Take care not to + forget that." "We shall surely not forget it, sweet friend," both the + knights call out. Then each one goes his own way, and he of the cart is + occupied with deep reflections, like one who has no strength or defence + against love which holds him in its sway. His thoughts are such that he + totally forgets himself, and he knows not whether he is alive or dead, + forgetting even his own name, not knowing whether he is armed or not, or + whither he is going or whence he came. Only one creature he has in mind, + and for her his thought is so occupied that he neither sees nor hears + aught else. <a href="#linknote-49" name="linknoteref-49"><small>49</small></a> And his horse bears him along + rapidly, following no crooked road, but the best and the most direct; and + thus proceeding unguided, he brings him into an open plain. In this plain + there was a ford, on the other side of which a knight stood armed, who + guarded it, and in his company there was a damsel who had come on a + palfrey. By this time the afternoon was well advanced, and yet the knight, + unchanged and unwearied, pursued his thoughts. The horse, being very + thirsty, sees clearly the ford, and as soon as he sees it, hastens toward + it. Then he on the other side cries out: "Knight, I am guarding the ford, + and forbid you to cross." He neither gives him heed, nor hears his words, + being still deep in thought. In the meantime, his horse advanced rapidly + toward the water. The knight calls out to him that he will do wisely to + keep at a distance from the ford, for there is no passage that way; and he + swears by the heart within his breast that he will smite him if he enters + the water. But his threats are not heard, and he calls out to him a third + time: "Knight, do not enter the ford against my will and prohibition; for, + by my head, I shall strike you as soon as I see you in the ford." But he + is so deep in thought that he does not hear him. And the horse, quickly + leaving the bank, leaps into the ford and greedily begins to drink. And + the knight says he shall pay for this, that his shield and the hauberk he + wears upon his back shall afford him no protection. First, he puts his + horse at a gallop, and from a gallop he urges him to a run, and he strikes + the knight so hard that he knocks him down flat in the ford which he had + forbidden him to cross. His lance flew from his hand and the shield from + his neck. When he feels the water, he shivers, and though stunned, he + jumps to his feet, like one aroused from sleep, listening and looking + about him with astonishment, to see who it can be who has struck him. Then + face to face with the other knight, he said: "Vassal, tell me why you have + struck me, when I was not aware of your presence, and when I had done you + no harm." "Upon my word, you had wronged me," the other says: "did you not + treat me disdainfully when I forbade you three times to cross the ford, + shouting at you as loudly as I could? You surely heard me challenge you at + least two or three times, and you entered in spite of me, though I told + you I should strike you as soon as I saw you in the ford." Then the knight + replies to him: "Whoever heard you or saw you, let him be damned, so far + as I am concerned. I was probably deep in thought when you forbade me to + cross the ford. But be assured that I would make you reset it, if I could + just lay one of my hands on your bridle." And the other replies: "Why, + what of that? If you dare, you may seize my bridle here and now. I do not + esteem your proud threats so much as a handful of ashes." And he replies: + "That suits me perfectly. However the affair may turn out, I should like + to lay my hands on you." Then the other knight advances to the middle of + the ford, where the other lays his left hand upon his bridle, and his + right hand upon his leg, pulling, dragging, and pressing him so roughly + that he remonstrates, thinking that he would pull his leg out of his body. + Then he begs him to let go, saying: "Knight, if it please thee to fight me + on even terms, take thy shield and horse and lance, and joust with me." He + answers: "That will I not do, upon my word; for I suppose thou wouldst run + away as soon as thou hadst escaped my grip." Hearing this, he was much + ashamed, and said: "Knight, mount thy horse, in confidence for I will + pledge thee loyally my word that I shall not flinch or run away." Then + once again he answers him: "First, thou wilt have to swear to that, and I + insist upon receiving thy oath that thou wilt neither run away nor flinch, + nor touch me, nor come near me until thou shalt see me on my horse; I + shall be treating thee very generously, if, when thou art in my hands, I + let thee go." He can do nothing but give his oath; and when the other + hears him swear, he gathers up his shield and lance which were floating in + the ford and by this time had drifted well down-stream; then he returns + and takes his horse. After catching and mounting him, he seizes the shield + by the shoulder-straps and lays his lance in rest. Then each spurs toward + the other as fast as their horses can carry them. And he who had to defend + the ford first attacks the other, striking him so hard that his lance is + completely splintered. The other strikes him in return so that he throws + him prostrate into the ford, and the water closes over him. Having + accomplished that, he draws back and dismounts, thinking he could drive + and chase away a hundred such. While he draws from the scabbard his sword + of steel, the other jumps up and draws his excellent flashing blade. Then + they clash again, advancing and covering themselves with the shields which + gleam with gold. Ceaselessly and without repose they wield their swords; + they have the courage to deal so many blows that the battle finally is so + protracted that the Knight of the Cart is greatly ashamed in his heart, + thinking that he is making a sorry start in the way he has undertaken, + when he has spent so much time in defeating a single knight. If he had met + yesterday a hundred such, he does not think or believe that they could + have withstood him; so now he is much grieved and wroth to be in such an + exhausted state that he is missing his strokes and losing time. Then he + runs at him and presses him so hard that the other knight gives way and + flees. However reluctant he may be, he leaves the ford and crossing free. + But the other follows him in pursuit until he falls forward upon his + hands; then he of the cart runs up to him, swearing by all he sees that he + shall rue the day when he upset him in the ford and disturbed his revery. + The damsel, whom the knight had with him, upon hearing the threats, is in + great fear, and begs him for her sake to forbear from killing him; but he + tells her that he must do so, and can show him no mercy for her sake, in + view of the shameful wrong that he has done him. Then, with sword drawn, + he approaches the knight who cries in sore dismay: "For God's sake and for + my own, show me the mercy I ask of you." And he replies: "As God may save + me, no one ever sinned so against me that I would not show him mercy once, + for God's sake as is right, if he asked it of me in God's name. And so on + thee I will have mercy; for I ought not to refuse thee when thou hast + besought me. But first, thou shalt give me thy word to constitute thyself + my prisoner whenever I may wish to summon thee." Though it was hard to do + so, he promised him. At once the damsel said: "O knight, since thou hast + granted the mercy he asked of thee, if ever thou hast broken any bonds, + for my sake now be merciful and release this prisoner from his parole. Set + him free at my request, upon condition that when the time comes, I shall + do my utmost to repay thee in any way that thou shalt choose." Then he + declares himself satisfied with the promise she has made, and sets the + knight at liberty. Then she is ashamed and anxious, thinking that he will + recognise her, which she did not wish. But he goes away at once, the + knight and the damsel commending him to God, and taking leave of him. He + grants them leave to go, while he himself pursues his way, until late in + the afternoon he met a damsel coming, who was very fair and charming, well + attired and richly dressed. The damsel greets him prudently and + courteously, and he replies: "Damsel, God grant you health and happiness." + Then the damsel said to him: "Sire, my house is prepared for you, if you + will accept my hospitality, but you shall find shelter there only on + condition that you will lie with me; upon these terms I propose and make + the offer." Not a few there are who would have thanked her five hundred + times for such a gift; but he is much displeased, and made a very + different answer: "Damsel, I thank you for the offer of your house, and + esteem it highly, but, if you please, I should be very sorry to lie with + you." "By my eyes," the damsel says, "then I retract my offer." And he, + since it is unavoidable, lets her have her way, though his heart grieves + to give consent. He feels only reluctance now; but greater distress will + be his when it is time to go to bed. The damsel, too, who leads him away, + will pass through sorrow and heaviness. For it is possible that she will + love him so that she will not wish to part with him. As soon as he had + granted her wish and desire, she escorts him to a fortified place, than + which there was none fairer in Thessaly; for it was entirely enclosed by a + high wall and a deep moat, and there was no man within except him whom she + brought with her. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 983-1042.) Here she had constructed for her residence a quantity of + handsome rooms, and a large and roomy hall. Riding along a river bank, + they approached their lodging-place, and a drawbridge was lowered to allow + them to pass. Crossing the bridge, they entered in, and found the hall + open with its roof of tiles. Through the open door they pass, and see a + table laid with a broad white cloth, upon which the dishes were set, and + the candles burning in their stands, and the gilded silver drinking-cups, + and two pots of wine, one red and one white. Standing beside the table, at + the end of a bench, they found two basins of warm water in which to wash + their hands, with a richly embroidered towel, all white and clean, with + which to dry their hands. No valets, servants, or squires were to be found + or seen. The knight, removing his shield from about his neck, hangs it + upon a hook, and, taking his lance, lays it above upon a rack. Then he + dismounts from his horse, as does the damsel from hers. The knight, for + his part, was pleased that she did not care to wait for him to help her to + dismount. Having dismounted, she runs directly to a room and brings him a + short mantle of scarlet cloth which she puts on him. The hall was by no + means dark; for beside the light from the stars, there were many large + twisted candles lighted there, so that the illumination was very bright. + When she had thrown the mantle about his shoulders, she said to him: + "Friend, here is the water and the towel; there is no one to present or + offer it to you except me whom you see. Wash your hands, and then sit + down, when you feel like doing so. The hour and the meal, as you can see, + demand that you should do so." He washes, and then gladly and readily + takes his seat, and she sits down beside him, and they eat and drink + together, until the time comes to leave the table. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1043-1206.) When they had risen from the table, the damsel said to + the knight: "Sire, if you do not object, go outside and amuse yourself; + but, if you please, do not stay after you think I must be in bed. Feel no + concern or embarrassment; for then you may come to me at once, if you will + keep the promise you have made." And he replies: "I will keep my word, and + will return when I think the time has come." Then he went out, and stayed + in the courtyard until he thought it was time to return and keep the + promise he had made. Going back into the hall, he sees nothing of her who + would be his mistress; for she was not there. Not finding or seeing her, + he said: "Wherever she may be, I shall look for her until I find her." He + makes no delay in his search, being bound by the promise he had made her. + Entering one of the rooms, he hears a damsel cry aloud, and it was the + very one with whom he was about to lie. At the same time, he sees the door + of another room standing open, and stepping toward it, he sees right + before his eyes a knight who had thrown her down, and was holding her + naked and prostrate upon the bed. She, thinking that he had come of course + to help her, cried aloud: "Help, help, thou knight, who art my guest. If + thou dost not take this man away from me, I shall find no one to do so; if + thou dost not succour me speedily, he will wrong me before thy eyes. Thou + art the one to lie with me, in accordance with thy promise; and shall this + man by force accomplish his wish before thy eyes? Gentle knight, exert + thyself, and make haste to bear me aid." He sees that the other man held + the damsel brutally uncovered to the waist, and he is ashamed and angered + to see him assault her so; yet it is not jealousy he feels, nor will he be + made a cuckold by him. At the door there stood as guards two knights + completely armed and with swords drawn. Behind them there stood four + men-at-arms, each armed with an axe the sort with which you could split a + cow down the back as easily as a root of juniper or broom. The knight + hesitated at the door, and thought: "God, what can I do? I am engaged in + no less an affair than the quest of Queen Guinevere. I ought not to have + the heart of a hare, when for her sake I have engaged in such a quest. If + cowardice puts its heart in me, and if I follow its dictates, I shall + never attain what I seek. I am disgraced, if I stand here; indeed, I am + ashamed even to have thought of holding back. My heart is very sad and + oppressed: now I am so ashamed and distressed that I would gladly die for + having hesitated here so long. I say it not in pride: but may God have + mercy on me if I do not prefer to die honourably rather than live a life + of shame! If my path were unobstructed, and if these men gave me leave to + pass through without restraint, what honour would I gain? Truly, in that + case the greatest coward alive would pass through; and all the while I + hear this poor creature calling for help constantly, and reminding me of + my promise, and reproaching me with bitter taunts." Then he steps to the + door, thrusting in his head and shoulders; glancing up, he sees two swords + descending. He draws back, and the knights could not check their strokes: + they had wielded them with such force that the swords struck the floor, + and both were broken in pieces. When he sees that the swords are broken, + he pays less attention to the axes, fearing and dreading them much less. + Rushing in among them, he strikes first one guard in the side and then + another. The two who are nearest him he jostles and thrusts aside, + throwing them both down flat; the third missed his stroke at him, but the + fourth, who attacked him, strikes him so that he cuts his mantle and + shirt, and slices the white flesh on his shoulder so that the blood + trickles down from the wound. But he, without delay, and without + complaining of his wound, presses on more rapidly, until he strikes + between the temples him who was assaulting his hostess. Before he departs, + he will try to keep his pledge to her. He makes him stand up reluctantly. + Meanwhile, he who had missed striking him comes at him as fast as he can + and, raising his arm again, expects to split his head to the teeth with + the axe. But the other, alert to defend himself, thrusts the knight toward + him in such a way that he receives the axe just where the shoulder joins + the neck, so that they are cleaved apart. Then the knight seizes the axe, + wresting it quickly from him who holds it; then he lets go the knight whom + he still held, and looks to his own defence; for the knights from the + door, and the three men with axes are all attacking him fiercely. So he + leaped quickly between the bed and the wall, and called to them: "Come on + now, all of you. If there were thirty-seven of you, you would have all the + fight you wish, with me so favourably placed; I shall never be overcome by + you." And the damsel watching him, exclaimed: "By my eyes, you need have + no thought of that henceforth where I am." Then at once she dismisses the + knights and the men-at-arms, who retire from there at once, without delay + or objection. And the damsel continues: "Sire you have well defended me + against the men of my household. Come now, and I'll lead you on." Hand in + hand they enter the hall, but he was not at all pleased, and would have + willingly dispensed with her. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1207-1292.) In the midst of the hall a bed had been set up, the + sheets of which were by no means soiled, but were white and wide and well + spread out. The bed was not of shredded straw or of coarse spreads. But a + covering of two silk cloths had been laid upon the couch. The damsel lay + down first, but without removing her chemise. He had great trouble in + removing his hose and in untying the knots. He sweated with the trouble of + it all; yet, in the midst of all the trouble, his promise impels and + drives him on. Is this then an actual force? Yes, virtually so; for he + feels that he is in duty bound to take his place by the damsel's side. It + is his promise that urges him and dictates his act. So he lies down at + once, but like her, he does not remove his shirt. He takes good care not + to touch her; and when he is in bed, he turns away from her as far as + possible, and speaks not a word to her, like a monk to whom speech is + forbidden. Not once does he look at her, nor show her any courtesy. Why + not? Because his heart does not go out to her. She was certainly very fair + and winsome, but not every one is pleased and touched by what is fair and + winsome. The knight has only one heart, and this one is really no longer + his, but has been entrusted to some one else, so that he cannot bestow it + elsewhere. Love, which holds all hearts beneath its sway, requires it to + be lodged in a single place. All hearts? No, only those which it esteems. + And he whom love deigns to control ought to prize himself the more. Love + prized his heart so highly that it constrained it in a special manner, and + made him so proud of this distinction that I am not inclined to find fault + with him, if he lets alone what love forbids, and remains fixed where it + desires. The maiden clearly sees and knows that he dislikes her company + and would gladly dispense with it, and that, having no desire to win her + love, he would not attempt to woo her. So she said: "My lord, if you will + not feel hurt, I will leave and return to bed in my own room, and you will + be more comfortable. I do not believe that you are pleased with my company + and society. Do not esteem me less if I tell you what I think. Now take + your rest all night, for you have so well kept your promise that I have no + right to make further request of you. So I commend you to God; and shall + go away." Thereupon she arises: the knight does not object, but rather + gladly lets her go, like one who is the devoted lover of some one else; + the damsel clearly perceived this, and went to her room, where she + undressed completely and retired, saying to herself: "Of all the knights I + have ever known, I never knew a single knight whom I would value the third + part of an angevin in comparison with this one. As I understand the case, + he has on hand a more perilous and grave affair than any ever undertaken + by a knight; and may God grant that he succeed in it." Then she fell + asleep, and remained in bed until the next day's dawn appeared. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1293-1368.) At daybreak she awakes and gets up. The knight awakes + too, dressing, and putting on his arms, without waiting for any help. Then + the damsel comes and sees that he is already dressed. Upon seeing him, she + says: "May this day be a happy one for you." "And may it be the same to + you, damsel," the knight replies, adding that he is waiting anxiously for + some one to bring out his horse. The maiden has some one fetch the horse, + and says: "Sire, I should like to accompany you for some distance along + the road, if you would agree to escort and conduct me according to the + customs and practices which were observed before we were made captive in + the kingdom of Logres." In those days the customs and privileges were such + that, if a knight found a damsel or lorn maid alone, and if he cared for + his fair name, he would no more treat her with dishonour than he would cut + his own throat. And if he assaulted her, he would be disgraced for ever in + every court. But if, while she was under his escort, she should be won at + arms by another who engaged him in battle, then this other knight might do + with her what he pleased without receiving shame or blame. This is why the + damsel said she would go with him, if he had the courage and willingness + to safe guard her in his company, so that no one should do her any harm. + And he says to her: "No one shall harm you, I promise you, unless he harm + me first." "Then," she says, "I will go with you." She orders her palfrey + to be saddled, and her command is obeyed at once. Her palfrey was brought + together with the knight's horse. Without the aid of any squire, they both + mount, and rapidly ride away. She talks to him, but not caring for her + words, he pays no attention to what she says. He likes to think, but + dislikes to talk. Love very often inflicts afresh the wound it has given + him. Yet, he applied no poultice to the wound to cure it and make it + comfortable, having no intention or desire to secure a poultice or to seek + a physician, unless the wound becomes more painful. Yet, there is one + whose remedy he would gladly seek .... <a href="#linknote-410" + name="linknoteref-410"><small>410</small></a> They + follow the roads and paths in the right direction until they come to a + spring, situated in the middle of a field, and bordered by a stone basin. + Some one had forgotten upon the stone a comb of gilded ivory. Never since + ancient times has wise man or fool seen such a comb. In its teeth there + was almost a handful of hair belonging to her who had used the comb. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1369-1552.) When the damsel notices the spring, and sees the stone, + she does not wish her companion to see it; so she turns off in another + direction. And he, agreeably occupied with his own thoughts, does not at + once remark that she is leading him aside; but when at last he notices it, + he is afraid of being beguiled, thinking that she is yielding and is going + out of the way in order to avoid some danger. "See here, damsel," he + cries, "you are not going right; come this way! No one, I think, ever went + straight who left this road." "Sire, this is a better way for us," the + damsel says, "I am sure of it." Then he replies to her: "I don't know, + damsel, what you think; but you can plainly see that the beaten path lies + this way; and since I have started to follow it, I shall not turn aside. + So come now, if you will, for I shall continue along this way." Then they + go forward until they come near the stone basin and see the comb. The + knight says: "I surely never remember to have seen so beautiful a comb as + this." "Let me have it," the damsel says. "Willingly, damsel," he replies. + Then he stoops over and picks it up. While holding it, he looks at it + steadfastly, gazing at the hair until the damsel begins to laugh. When he + sees her doing so, he begs her to tell him why she laughs. And she says: + "Never mind, for I will never tell you." "Why not?" he asks. "Because I + don't wish to do so." And when he hears that, he implores her like one who + holds that lovers ought to keep faith mutually: "Damsel, if you love + anything passionately, by that I implore and conjure and beg you not to + conceal from me the reason why you laugh." "Your appeal is so strong," she + says, "that I will tell you and keep nothing back. I am sure, as I am of + anything, that this comb belonged to the Queen. And you may take my word + that those are strands of the Queen's hair which you see to be so fair and + light and radiant, and which are clinging in the teeth of the comb; they + surely never grew anywhere else." Then the knight replied: "Upon my word, + there are plenty of queens and kings; what queen do you mean?" And she + answered: "In truth, fair sire, it is of King Arthur's wife I speak." When + he hears that, he has not strength to keep from bowing his head over his + saddle-bow. And when the damsel sees him thus, she is amazed and + terrified, thinking he is about to fall. Do not blame her for her fear, + for she thought him in a faint. He might as well have swooned, so near was + he to doing so; for in his heart he felt such grief that for a long time + he lost his colour and power of speech. And the damsel dismounts, and runs + as quickly as possible to support and succour him; for she would not have + wished for anything to see him fall. When he saw her, he felt ashamed, and + said: "Why do you need to bear me aid?" You must not suppose that the + damsel told him why; for he would have been ashamed and distressed, and it + would have annoyed and troubled him, if she had confessed to him the + truth. So she took good care not to tell the truth, but tactfully answered + him: "Sire, I dismounted to get the comb; for I was so anxious to hold it + in my hand that I could not longer wait." Willing that she should have the + comb, he gives it to her, first pulling out the hair so carefully that he + tears none of it. Never will the eye of man see anything receive such + honour as when he begins to adore these tresses. A hundred thousand times + he raises them to his eyes and mouth, to his forehead and face: he + manifests his joy in every way, considering himself rich and happy now. He + lays them in his bosom near his heart, between the shirt and the flesh. He + would not exchange them for a cartload of emeralds and carbuncles, nor + does he think that any sore or illness can afflict him now; he holds in + contempt essence of pearl, treacle, and the cure for pleurisy; <a + href="#linknote-411" name="linknoteref-411"><small>411</small></a> + even for St. Martin and St. James he has no need; for he has such + confidence in this hair that he requires no other aid. But what was this + hair like? If I tell the truth about it, you will think I am a mad teller + of lies. When the mart is full at the yearly fair of St. Denis, <a + href="#linknote-412" name="linknoteref-412"><small>412</small></a> + and when the goods are most abundantly displayed, even then the knight + would not take all this wealth, unless he had found these tresses too. And + if you wish to know the truth, gold a hundred thousand times refined, and + melted down as many times, would be darker than is night compared with the + brightest summer day we have had this year, if one were to see the gold + and set it beside this hair. But why should I make a long story of it? The + damsel mounts again with the comb in her possession; while he revels and + delights in the tresses in his bosom. Leaving the plain, they come to a + forest and take a short cut through it until they come to a narrow place, + where they have to go in single file; for it would have been impossible to + ride two horses abreast. Just where the way was narrowest, they see a + knight approach. As soon as she saw him, the damsel recognised him, and + said: "Sir knight, do you see him who yonder comes against us all armed + and ready for a battle? I know what his intention is: he thinks now that + he cannot fail to take me off defenceless with him. He loves me, but he is + very foolish to do so. In person, and by messenger, he has been long + wooing me. But my love is not within his reach, for I would not love him + under any consideration, so help me God! I would kill myself rather than + bestow my love on him. I do not doubt that he is delighted now, and is as + satisfied as if he had me already in his power. But now I shall see what + you can do, and I shall see how brave you are, and it will become apparent + whether your escort can protect me. If you can protect me now, I shall not + fail to proclaim that you are brave and very worthy." And he answered her: + "Go on, go on!" which was as much as to say: "I am not concerned; there is + no need of your being worried about what you have said." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1553-1660.) While they were proceeding, talking thus, the knight, who + was alone, rode rapidly toward them on the run. He was the more eager to + make haste, because he felt more sure of success; he felt that he was + lucky now to see her whom he most dearly loves. As soon as he approaches + her, he greets her with words that come from his heart: "Welcome to her, + whence-soever she comes, whom I most desire, but who has hitherto caused + me least joy and most distress!" It is not fitting that she should be so + stingy of her speech as not to return his greeting, at least by word of + mouth. The knight is greatly elated when the damsel greets him; though she + does not take the words seriously, and the effort costs her nothing. Yet, + if he had at this moment been victor in a tournament, he would not have so + highly esteemed himself, nor thought he had won such honour and renown. + Being now more confident of his worth, he grasped the bridle rein, and + said: "Now I shall lead you away: I have to-day sailed well on my course + to have arrived at last at so good a port. Now my troubles are at an end: + after dangers, I have reached a haven; after sorrow, I have attained + happiness; after pain, I have perfect health; now I have accomplished my + desire, when I find you in such case that I can without resistance lead + you away with me at once." Then she says: "You have no advantage; for I am + under this knight's escort." "Surely, the escort is not worth much," he + says, "and I am going to lead you off at once. This knight would have time + to eat a bushel of salt before he could defend you from me; I think I + could never meet a knight from whom I should not win you. And since I find + you here so opportunely, though he too may do his best to prevent it, yet + I will take you before his very eyes, however disgruntled he may be." The + other is not angered by all the pride he hears expressed, but without any + impudence or boasting, he begins thus to challenge him for her: "Sire, + don't be in a hurry, and don't waste your words, but speak a little + reasonably. You shall not be deprived of as much of her as rightly belongs + to you. You must know, however, that the damsel has come hither under my + protection. Let her alone now, for you have detained her long enough!" The + other gives them leave to burn him, if he does not take her away in spite + of him. Then the other says: "It would not be right for me to let you take + her away; I would sooner fight with you. But if we should wish to fight, + we could not possibly do it in this narrow road. Let us go to some level + place—a meadow or an open field." And he replies that that will suit + him perfectly: "Certainly, I agree to that: you are quite right, this road + is too narrow. My horse is so much hampered here that I am afraid he will + crush his flank before I can turn him around." Then with great difficulty + he turns, and his horse escapes without any wound or harm. Then he says: + "To be sure, I am much chagrined that we have not met in a favourable spot + and in the presence of other men, for I should have been glad to have them + see which is the better of us two. Come on now, let us begin our search: + we shall find in the vicinity some large, broad, and open space." Then + they proceed to a meadow, where there were maids, knights, and damsels + playing at divers games in this pleasant place. They were not all engaged + in idle sport, but were playing backgammon and chess or dice, and were + evidently agreeably employed. Most were engaged in such games as these; + but the others there were engaged in sports, dancing, singing, tumbling, + leaping, and wrestling with each other. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1661-1840.) A knight somewhat advanced in years was on the other side + of the meadow, seared upon a sorrel Spanish steed. His bridle and saddle + were of gold, and his hair was turning grey. One hand hung at his side + with easy grace. The weather being fine, he was in his shirt sleeves, with + a short mantle of scarlet cloth and fur slung over his shoulders, and thus + he watched the games and dances. On the other side of the field, close by + a path, there were twenty-three knights mounted on good Irish steeds. As + soon as the three new arrivals come into view, they all cease their play + and shout across the fields: "See, yonder comes the knight who was driven + in the cart! Let no one continue his sport while he is in our midst. A + curse upon him who cares or deigns to play so long as he is here!" + Meanwhile he who loved the damsel and claimed her as his own, approached + the old knight, and said: "Sire, I have attained great happiness; let all + who will now hear me say that God has granted me the thing that I have + always most desired; His gift would not have been so great had He crowned + me as king, nor would I have been so indebted to Him, nor would I have so + profited; for what I have gained is fair and good." "I know not yet if it + be thine," the knight replies to his son. But the latter answers him: + "Don't you know? Can't you see it, then? For God's sake, sire, have no + further doubt, when you see that I have her in my possession. In this + forest, whence I come, I met her as she was on her way. I think God had + fetched her there for me, and I have taken her for my own." "I do not know + whether this will be allowed by him whom I see coming after thee; he looks + as if he is coming to demand her of thee." During this conversation the + dancing had ceased because of the knight whom they saw, nor were they + gaily playing any more because of the disgust and scorn they felt for him. + But the knight without delay came up quickly after the damsel, and said: + "Let the damsel alone, knight, for you have no right to her! If you dare, + I am willing at once to fight with you in her defence." Then the old + knight remarked: "Did I not know it? Fair son, detain the damsel no + longer, but let her go." He does not relish this advice, and swears that + he will not give her up: "May God never grant me joy if I give her up to + him! I have her, and I shall hold on to her as something that is mine own. + The shoulder-strap and all the armlets of my shield shall first be broken, + and I shall have lost all confidence in my strength and arms, my sword and + lance, before I will surrender my mistress to him." And his father says: + "I shall not let thee fight for any reason thou mayest urge. Thou art too + confident of thy bravery. So obey my command." But he in his pride + replies: "What? Am I a child to be terrified? Rather will I make my boast + that there is not within the sea-girt land any knight, wheresoever he may + dwell, so excellent that I would let him have her, and whom I should not + expect speedily to defeat." The father answers: "Fair son, I do not doubt + that thou dost really think so, for thou art so confident of thy strength. + But I do not wish to see thee enter a contest with this knight." Then he + replies: "I shall be disgraced if I follow your advice. Curse me if I heed + your counsel and turn recreant because of you, and do not do my utmost in + the fight. It is true that a man fares ill among his relatives: I could + drive a better bargain somewhere else, for you are trying to take me in. I + am sure that where I am not known, I could act with better grace. No one, + who did not know me, would try to thwart my will; whereas you are annoying + and tormenting me. I am vexed by your finding fault with me. You know well + enough that when any one is blamed, he breaks out still more passionately. + But may God never give me joy if I renounce my purpose because of you; + rather will I fight in spite of you!" "By the faith I bear the Apostle St. + Peter," his father says, "now I see that my request is of no avail. I + waste my time in rebuking thee; but I shall soon devise such means as + shall compel thee against thy will to obey my commands and submit to + them." Straightway summoning all the knights to approach, he bids them lay + hands upon his son whom he cannot correct, saying: "I will have him bound + rather than let him fight. You here are all my men, and you owe me your + devotion and service: by all the fiefs you hold from me, I hold you + responsible, and I add my prayer. It seems to me that he must be mad, and + that he shows excessive pride, when he refuses to respect my will." Then + they promise to take care of him, and say that never, while he is in their + charge, shall he wish to fight, but that he must renounce the damsel in + spite of himself. Then they all join and seize him by the arms and neck. + "Dost thou not think thyself foolish now?" his father asks; "confess the + truth: thou hast not the strength or power to fight or joust, however + distasteful and hard it may be for thee to admit it. Thou wilt be wise to + consent to my will and pleasure. Dost thou know what my intention is? In + order somewhat to mitigate thy disappointment, I am willing to join thee, + if thou wilt, in following the knight to-day and to-morrow, through wood + and plain, each one mounted on his horse. Perhaps we shall soon find him + to be of such a character and bearing that I might let thee have thy way + and fight with him." To this proposal the other must perforce consent. + Like the man who has no alternative, he says that he will give in, + provided they both shall follow him. And when the people in the field see + how this adventure has turned out, they all exclaim: "Did you see? He who + was mounted on the cart has gained such honour here that he is leading + away the mistress of the son of my lord, and he himself is allowing it. We + may well suppose that he finds in him some merit, when he lets him take + her off. Now cursed a hundred times be he who ceases longer his sport on + his account! Come, let us go back to our games again." Then they resume + their games and dances. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1841-1966.) Thereupon the knight turns away, without longer remaining + in the field, and the damsel accompanies him. They leave in haste, while + the father and his son ride after them through the mown fields until + toward three o'clock, when in a very pleasant spot they come upon a + church; beside the chancel there was a cemetery enclosed by a wall. The + knight was both courteous and wise to enter the church on foot and make + his prayer to God, while the damsel held his horse for him until he + returned. When he had made his prayer, and while he was coming back, a + very old monk suddenly presented himself; whereupon the knight politely + requests him to tell him what this place is; for he does not know. And he + tells him it is a cemetery. And the other says: "Take me in, so help you + God!" "Gladly, sire," and he takes him in. Following the monk's lead, the + knight beholds the most beautiful tombs that one could find as far as + Dombes <a href="#linknote-413" name="linknoteref-413"><small>413</small></a> + or Pampelune; and on each tomb there were letters cut, telling the names + of those who were destined to be buried there. And he began in order to + read the names, and came upon some which said: "Here Gawain is to lie, + here Louis, and here Yvain." After these three, he read the names of many + others among the most famed and cherished knights of this or any other + land. Among the others, he finds one of marble, which appears to be new, + and is more rich and handsome than all the rest. Calling the monk, the + knight inquired: "Of what use are these tombs here?" And the monk replied: + "You have already read the inscriptions; if you have understood, you must + know what they say, and what is the meaning of the tombs." "Now tell me, + what is this large one for?" And the hermit answered: "I will tell you. + That is a very large sarcophagus, larger than any that ever was made; one + so rich and well-carved was never seen. It is magnificent without, and + still more so within. But you need not be concerned with that, for it can + never do you any good; you will never see inside of it; for it would + require seven strong men to raise the lid of stone, if any one wished to + open it. And you may be sure that to raise it would require seven men + stronger than you and I. There is an inscription on it which says that any + one who can lift this stone of his own unaided strength will set free all + the men and women who are captives in the land, whence no slave or noble + can issue forth, unless he is a native of that land. No one has ever come + back from there, but they are detained in foreign prisons; whereas they of + the country go and come in and out as they please." At once the knight + goes to grasp the stone, and raises it without the slightest trouble, more + easily than ten men would do who exerted all their strength. And the monk + was amazed, and nearly fell down at the sight of this marvellous thing; + for he thought he would never see the like again, and said: "Sire, I am + very anxious to know your name. Will you tell me what it is?" "Not I," + says the knight, "upon my word." "I am certainly sorry, for that," he + says; "but if you would tell me, you would do me a great favour, and might + benefit yourself. Who are you, and where do you come from?" "I am a + knight, as you may see, and I was born in the kingdom of Logre. After so + much information, I should prefer to be excused. Now please tell me, for + your part, who is to lie within this tomb." "Sire, he who shall deliver + all those who are held captive in the kingdom whence none escapes." And + when he had told him all this, the knight commended him to God and all His + saints. And then, for the first time, he felt free to return to the + damsel. The old white-haired monk escorts him out of the church, and they + resume their way. While the damsel is mounting, however, the hermit + relates to her all that the knight had done inside, and then he begged her + to tell him, if she knew, what his name was; but she assured him that she + did not know, but that there was one sure thing she could say, namely, + that there was not such a knight alive where the four winds of heaven + blow. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 1967-2022.) Then the damsel takes leave of him, and rides swiftly + after the knight. Then those who were following them come up and see the + hermit standing alone before the church. The old knight in his shirt + sleeves said: "Sire, tell us, have you seen a knight with a damsel in his + company?" And he replies: "I shall not be loath to tell you all I know, + for they have just passed on from here. The knight was inside yonder, and + did a very marvellous thing in raising the stone from the huge marble + tomb, quite unaided and without the least effort. He is bent upon the + rescue of the Queen, and doubtless he will rescue her, as well as all the + other people. You know well that this must be so, for you have often read + the inscription upon the stone. No knight was ever born of man and woman, + and no knight ever sat in a saddle, who was the equal of this man." Then + the father turns to his son, and says: "Son, what dost thou think about + him now? Is he not a man to be respected who has performed such a feat? + Now thou knowest who was wrong, and whether it was thou or I. I would not + have thee fight with him for all the town of Amiens; and yet thou didst + struggle hard, before any one could dissuade thee from thy purpose. Now we + may as well go back, for we should be very foolish to follow him any + farther." And he replies: "I agree to that. It would be useless to follow + him. Since it is your pleasure, let us return." They were very wise to + retrace their steps. And all the time the damsel rides close beside the + knight, wishing to compel him to give heed to her. She is anxious to learn + his name, and she begs and beseeches him again and again to tell her, + until in his annoyance he answers her: "Have I not already told you that I + belong in King Arthur's realm? I swear by God and His goodness that you + shall not learn my name." Then she bids him give her leave to go, and she + will turn back, which request he gladly grants. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2023-2198.) Thereupon the damsel departs, and he rides on alone until + it grew very late. After vespers, about compline, as he pursued his way, + he saw a knight returning from the wood where he had been hunting. With + helmet unlaced, he rode along upon his big grey hunter, to which he had + tied the game which God had permitted him to take. This gentleman came + quickly to meet the knight, offering him hospitality. "Sire," he says, + "night will soon be here. It is time for you to be reasonable and seek a + place to spend the night. I have a house of mine near at hand, whither I + shall take you. No one ever lodged you better than I shall do, to the + extent of my resources: I shall be very glad, if you consent." "For my + part, I gladly accept," he says. The gentleman at once sends his son + ahead, to prepare the house and start the preparations for supper. The lad + willingly executes his command forthwith, and goes off at a rapid pace, + while the others, who are in no haste, follow the road leisurely until + they arrive at the house. The gentleman's wife was a very accomplished + lady; and he had five sons, whom he dearly loved, three of them mere lads, + and two already knights; and he had two fair and charming daughters, who + were still unmarried. They were not natives of the land, but were there in + durance, having been long kept there as prisoners away from their native + land of Logres. When the gentleman led the knight into his yard, the lady + with her sons and daughters jumped up and ran to meet them, vying in their + efforts to do him honour, as they greeted him and helped him to dismount. + Neither the sisters nor the five brothers paid much attention to their + father, for they knew well enough that he would have it so. They honoured + the knight and welcomed him; and when they had relieved him of his armour, + one of his host's two daughters threw her own mantle about him, taking it + from her own shoulders and throwing it about his neck. I do not need to + tell how well he was served at supper; but when the meal was finished, + they felt no further hesitation in speaking of various matters. First, the + host began to ask him who he was, and from what land, but he did not + inquire about his name. The knight promptly answered him: "I am from the + kingdom of Logres, and have never been in this land before." And when the + gentleman heard that, he was greatly amazed, as were his wife and children + too, and each one of them was sore distressed. Then they began to say to + him: "Woe that you have come here, fair sire, for only trouble will come + of it! For, like us, you will be reduced to servitude and exile." "Where + do you come from, then?" he asked. "Sire, we belong in your country. Many + men from your country are held in servitude in this land. Cursed be the + custom, together with those who keep it up! No stranger comes here who is + not compelled to stay here in the land where he is detained. For whoever + wishes may come in, but once in, he has to stay. About your own fate, you + may be at rest, you will doubtless never escape from here." He replies: + "Indeed, I shall do so, if possible." To this the gentleman replies: "How? + Do you think you can escape?" "Yes, indeed, if it be God's will; and I + shall do all within my power." "In that case, doubtless all the rest would + be set free; for, as soon as one succeeds in fairly escaping from this + durance, then all the rest may go forth unchallenged." Then the gentleman + recalled that he had been told and informed that a knight of great + excellence was making his way into the country to seek for the Queen, who + was held by the king's son, Meleagant; and he said to himself: "Upon my + word, I believe it is he, and I'll tell him so." So he said to him: "Sire, + do not conceal from me your business, if I promise to give you the best + advice I know. I too shall profit by any success you may attain. Reveal to + me the truth about your errand, that it may be to your advantage as well + as mine. I am persuaded that you have come in search of the Queen into + this land and among these heathen people, who are worse than the + Saracens." And the knight replies: "For no other purpose have I come. I + know not where my lady is confined, but I am striving hard to rescue her, + and am in dire need of advice. Give me any counsel you can." And he says: + "Sire, you have undertaken a very grievous task. The road you are + travelling will lead you straight to the sword-bridge. <a + href="#linknote-414" name="linknoteref-414"><small>414</small></a> + You surely need advice. If you would heed my counsel, you would proceed to + the sword-bridge by a surer way, and I would have you escorted thither." + Then he, whose mind is fixed upon the most direct way, asks him: "Is the + road of which you speak as direct as the other way?" "No, it is not," he + says; "it is longer, but more sure." Then he says: "I have no use for it; + tell me about this road I am following!" "I am ready to do so," he + replies; "but I am sure you will not fare well if you take any other than + the road I recommend. To-morrow you will reach a place where you will have + trouble: it is called 'the stony passage'. Shall I tell you how bad a + place it is to pass? Only one horse can go through at a time; even two men + could not pass abreast, and the passage is well guarded and defended. You + will meet with resistance as soon as you arrive. You will sustain many a + blow of sword and lance, and will have to return full measure before you + succeed in passing through." And when he had completed the account, one of + the gentleman's sons, who was a knight, stepped forward, saying: "Sire, if + you do not object, I will go with this gentleman." Then one of the lads + jumps up, and says: "I too will go." And the father gladly gives them both + consent. Now the knight will not have to go alone, and he expresses his + gratitude, being much pleased with the company. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2199-2266.) Then the conversation ceases, and they take the knight to + bed, where he was glad to fall asleep. As soon as daylight was visible he + got up, and those who were to accompany him got up too. The two knights + donned their armour and took their leave, while the young fellow started + on ahead. Together they pursued their way until they came at the hour of + prime to "the stony passage." In the middle of it they found a wooden + tower, where there was always a man on guard. Before they drew near, he + who was on the tower saw them and cried twice aloud: "Woe to this man who + comes!" And then behold! A knight issued from the tower, mounted and armed + with fresh armour, and escorted on either side by servants carrying sharp + axes. Then, when the other draws near the passage, he who defends it + begins to heap him with abuse about the cart, saying: "Vassal, thou art + bold and foolish, indeed, to have entered this country. No man ought ever + to come here who had ridden upon a cart, and may God withhold from him His + blessing!" Then they spur toward each other at the top of their horses' + speed. And he who was to guard the passage-way at once breaks his lance + and lets the two pieces fall; the other strikes him in the neck, reaching + him beneath the shield, and throws him over prostrate upon the stones. + Then the servants come forward with the axes, but they intentionally fail + to strike him, having no desire to harm or damage him; so he does not + deign to draw his sword, and quickly passes on with his companions. One of + them remarks to the other: "No one has ever seen so good a knight, nor has + he any equal. Is not this a marvellous thing, that he has forced a passage + here?" And the knight says to his brother: "Fair brother, for God's sake, + make haste to go and tell our father of this adventure." But the lad + asserts and swears that he will not go with the message, and will never + leave the knight until he has dubbed and knighted him; let his brother go + with the message, if he is so much concerned. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2267-2450.) Then they go on together until about three o'clock, when + they come upon a man, who asks them who they are. And they answer: "We are + knights, busy about our own affairs." Then the man says to the knight: + "Sire, I should be glad to offer hospitality to you and your companions + here." This invitation he delivers to him whom he takes to be the lord and + master of the others. And this one replies to him: "I could not seek + shelter for the night at such an hour as this; for it is not well to tarry + and seek one's ease when one has undertaken some great task. And I have + such business on hand that I shall not stop for the night for some time + yet." Then the man continues: "My house is not near here, but is some + distance ahead. It will be late when you reach there, so you may proceed, + assured that you will find a place to lodge just when it suits you." "In + that case," he says, "I will go thither." Thereupon the man starts ahead + as guide, and the knight follows along the path. And when they had + proceeded some distance, they met a squire who was coming along at a + gallop, mounted upon a nag that was as fat and round as an apple. And the + squire calls our to the man: "Sire, sire, make haste! For the people of + Logres have attacked in force the inhabitants of this land, and war and + strife have already broken out; and they say that this country has been + invaded by a knight who has been in many battles, and that wherever he + wishes to go, no one, however reluctantly, is able to deny him passage. + And they further say that he will deliver those who are in this country, + and will subdue our people. Now take my advice and make haste!" Then the + man starts at a gallop, and the others are greatly delighted at the words + they have heard, for they are eager to help their side. And the vavasor's + son says: "Hear what this squire says! Come and let us aid our people who + are fighting their enemies!" Meanwhile the man rides off, without waiting + for them, and makes his way rapidly toward a fortress which stood upon a + fortified hill; thither he hastens, till he comes to the gate, while the + others spur after him. The castle was surrounded by a high wall and moat. + As soon as they had got inside, a gate was lowered upon their heels, so + that they could not get out again. Then they say: "Come on, come on! Let + us not stop here!" and they rapidly pursue the man until they reach + another gate which was not closed against them. But as soon as the man had + passed through, a portcullis dropped behind him. Then the others were much + dismayed to see themselves shut in, and they think they must be bewitched. + But he, of whom I have more to tell, wore upon his finger a ring, whose + stone was of such virtue that any one who gazed at it was freed from the + power of enchantment. <a href="#linknote-415" name="linknoteref-415"><small>415</small></a> Holding the ring before his + eyes, he gazed at it, and said: "Lady, lady, so help me God, now I have + great need of your succour!" <a href="#linknote-416" name="linknoteref-416"><small>416</small></a> This lady was a fairy, who had + given it to him, and who had cared for him in his infancy. And he had + great confidence that, wherever he might be, she would aid and succour + him. But after appealing to her and gazing upon the ring, he realises that + there is no enchantment here, but that they are actually shut in and + confined. Then they come to the barred door of a low and narrow postern + gate. Drawing their swords, they all strike it with such violence that + they cut the bar. As soon as they were outside the tower, they see that a + fierce strife was already begun down in the meadows, and that there are at + least a thousand knights engaged, beside the low-bred infantry. While they + were descending to the plain, the wise and moderate son of the vavasor + remarked: "Sire, before we arrive upon the field, it would be wise for us, + it seems to me, to find out and learn on which side our people are. I do + not know where they are placed, but I will go and find out, if you wish it + so." "I wish you would do so," he replies, "go quickly, and do not fail to + come back again at once." He goes and returns at once, saying: "It has + turned out well for us, for I have plainly seen that these are our troops + on this side of the field." Then the knight at once rode into the fight + and jousted with a knight who was approaching him, striking him in the eye + with such violence that he knocked him lifeless to the ground. Then the + lad dismounts, and taking the dead knight's horse and arms, he arms + himself with skill and cleverness. When he was armed, he straightway + mounts, taking the shield and the lance, which was heavy, stiff, and + decorated, and about his waist he girt a sharp, bright, and flashing + sword. Then he followed his brother and lord into the fight. The latter + demeaned himself bravely in the melee for some time, breaking, splitting, + and crushing shields, helmets and hauberks. No wood or steel protected the + man whom he struck; he either wounded him or knocked him lifeless from the + horse. Unassisted, he did so well that he discomfited all whom he met, + while his companions did their part as well. The people of Logres, not + knowing him, are amazed at what they see, and ask the vavasor's sons about + the stranger knight. This reply is made to them: "Gentlemen, this is he + who is to deliver us all from durance and misery, in which we have so long + been confined, and we ought to do him great honour when, to set us free, + he has passed through so many perils and is ready to face many more. He + has done much, and will do yet more." Every one is overjoyed at hearing + this welcome news. The news travelled fast, and was noised about, until it + was known by all. Their strength and courage rise, so that they slay many + of those still alive, and apparently because of the example of a single + knight they work greater havoc than because of all the rest combined. And + if it had not been so near evening, all would have gone away defeated; but + night came on so dark that they had to separate. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2451-2614.) When the battle was over, all the captives pressed about + the knight, grasping his rein on either side, and thus addressing him: + "Welcome, fair sire," and each one adds: "Sire, for the name of God, do + not fail to lodge with me!" What one says they all repeat, for young and + old alike insist that he must lodge with them, saying: "You will be more + comfortably lodged with me than with any one else." Thus each one + addresses him to his face, and in the desire to capture him, each one + drags him from the rest, until they almost come to blows. Then he tells + them that they are very foolish and silly to struggle so. "Cease this + wrangling among yourselves, for it does no good to me or you. Instead of + quarrelling among ourselves, we ought rather to lend one another aid. You + must not dispute about the privilege of lodging me, but rather consider + how to lodge me in such a place that it may be to your general advantage, + and that I may be advanced upon my way." Then each one exclaims at once: + "That is my house, or, No, it is mine," until the knight replies: "Follow + my advice and say nothing more; the wisest of you is foolish to contend + this way. You ought to be concerned to further my affairs, and instead you + are seeking to turn me aside. If you had each individually done me all the + honour and service it is possible to do, and I had accepted your kindness, + by all the saints of Rome I swear that I could not be more obliged to you + than I am now for your good-will. So may God give me joy and health, your + good intentions please me as much as if each one of you had already shown + me great honour and kindness: so let the will stand for the deed!" Thus he + persuades and appeases them all. Then they take him quickly along the road + to a knight's residence, where they seek to serve him: all rejoice to + honour and serve him throughout the evening until bedtime, for they hold + him very dear. Next morning, when the time came to separate, each one + offers and presents himself, with the desire to accompany him; but it is + not his will or pleasure that any one shall go with him except the two + whom he had brought with him. Accompanied by them alone, he resumed his + journey. That day they rode from morn till evening without encountering + any adventure. When it was now very late, and while they were riding + rapidly out of a forest, they saw a house belonging to a knight, and + seated at the door they saw his wife, who had the bearing of a gentle + lady. As soon as she espied them coming, she rose to her feet to meet + them, and greeted them joyfully with a smile: "Welcome! I wish you to + accept my house; this is your lodging; pray dismount" "Lady, since it is + your will, we thank you, and will dismount; we accept your hospitality for + the night." When they had dismounted, the lady had the horses taken by + members of her well-ordered household. She calls her sons and daughters + who come at once: the youths were courteous, handsome, and well-behaved, + and the daughters were fair. She bids the lads remove the saddles and + curry the horses well; no one refused to do this, but each carried out her + instructions willingly. When she ordered the knights to be disarmed, her + daughters step forward to perform this service. They remove their armour, + and hand them three short mantles to put on. Then at once they take them + into the house which was very handsome. The master was not at home, being + out in the woods with two of his sons. But he presently returned, and his + household, which was well-ordered, ran to meet him outside the door. + Quickly they untie and unpack the game he brings, and tell him the news: + "Sire, sire, you do not know that you have three knights for guests." "God + be praised for that," he says. Then the knight and his two sons extend a + glad welcome to their guests. The rest of the household were not backward, + for even the least among them prepared to perform his special task. While + some run to prepare the meal, others light the candles in profusion; still + others get a towel and basins, and offer water for the hands: they are not + niggardly in all this. When all had washed, they take their seats. Nothing + that was done there seemed to be any trouble or burdensome. But at the + first course there came a surprise in the form of a knight outside the + door. As he sat on his charger, all armed from head to feet, he looked + prouder than a bull, and a bull is a yew proud beast. One leg was fixed in + the stirrup, but the other he had thrown over the mane of his horse's + neck, to give himself a careless and jaunty air. Behold him advancing + thus, though no one noticed him until he came forward with the words: "I + wish to know which is the man who is so foolish and proud a numskull that + he has come to this country and intends to cross the sword-bridge. All his + pains will come to naught, and his expedition is in vain." Then he, who + felt no fear at all, thus replies with confidence: "I am he who intends to + cross the bridge." "Thou? Thou? How didst thou dare to think of such a + thing? Before undertaking such a course, thou oughtest to have thought of + the end that is in store for thee, and thou oughtest to have in mind the + memory of the cart on which thou didst ride. I know not whether thou + feelest shame for the ride thou hadst on it, but no sensible man would + have embarked on such an enterprise as this if he had felt the reproach of + his action." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2615-2690.) Not a word does he deign to reply to what he hears the + other say; but the master of the house and all the others express their + surprise openly: "Ah, God, what a misfortune this is," each one of them + says to himself; "cursed be the hour when first a cart was conceived or + made! For it is a very vile and hateful thing. Ah, God, of what was he + accused? Why was he carried in a cart? For what sin, or for what crime? He + will always suffer the reproach. If he were only clear of this disgrace, + no knight could be found in all the world, however his valour might be + proved, who would equal the merit of this knight. If all good knights + could be compared, and if the truth were to be known, you could find none + so handsome or so expert." Thus they expressed their sentiments. Then he + began his speech of impudence: "Listen, thou knight, who art bound for the + sword-bridge! If thou wishest, thou shalt cross the water very easily and + comfortably. I will quickly have thee ferried over in a skiff. But once on + the other side, I will make thee pay me toll, and I will take thy head, if + I please to do so, or if not, thou shalt be held at my discretion." And he + replies that he is not seeking trouble, and that he will never risk his + head in such an adventure for any consideration. To which the other + answers at once: "Since thou wilt not do this, whosesoever the shame and + loss may be, thou must come outside with me and there engage me hand to + hand." Then, to beguile him. the other says: "If I could refuse, I would + very gladly excuse myself; but in truth I would rather fight than be + compelled to do what is wrong." Before he arose from the table where they + were sitting, he told the youths who were serving him, to saddle his horse + at once, and fetch his arms and give them to him. This order they promptly + execute: some devote themselves to arming him, while others go to fetch + his horse. As he slowly rode along completely armed, holding his shield + tight by the straps, you must know that he was evidently to be included in + the list of the brave and fair. His horse became him so well that it is + evident he must be his own, and as for the shield he held by the straps + and the helmet laced upon his head, which fitted him so well, you would + never for a moment have thought that he had borrowed it or received it as + a loan; rather, you would be so pleased with him that you would maintain + that he had been thus born and raised: for all this I should like you to + take my word. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2691-2792.) Outside the gate, where the battle was to be fought, + there was a stretch of level ground well adapted for the encounter. When + they catch sight of each other, they spur hotly to the attack and come + together with such a shock, dealing such blows with their lances, that + they first bend, then buckle up, and finally fly into splinters. With + their swords they then hew away at their shields, helmets, and hauberks. + The wood is cut and the steel gives way, so that they wound each other in + several places. They pay each other such angry blows that it seems as if + they had made a bargain. The swords often descend upon the horses' croups, + where they drink and feast upon their blood; their riders strike them upon + the flanks until at last they kill them both. And when both have fallen to + earth, they attack each other afoot; and if they had cherished a mortal + hatred, they could not have assailed each other more fiercely with their + swords. They deal their blows with greater frequency than the man who + stakes his money at dice and never fails to double the stakes every time + he loses; yet, this game of theirs was very different; for there were no + losses here, but only fierce blows and cruel strife. All the people came + out from the house: the master, his lady, his sons and daughters; no man + or woman, friend or stranger, stayed behind, but all stood in line to see + the fight in progress in the broad, level field. The Knight of the Cart + blames and reproaches himself for faintheartedness when he sees his host + watching him and notices all the others looking on. His heart is stirred + with anger, for it seems to him that he ought long since to have beaten + his adversary. Then he strikes him, rushing in like a storm and bringing + his sword down close by his head; he pushes and presses him so hard that + he drives him from his ground and reduces him to such a state of + exhaustion that he has little strength to defend himself. Then the knight + recalls how the other had basely reproached him about the cart; so he + assails him and drubs him so soundly that not a string or strap remains + unbroken about the neck-band of his hauberk, and he knocks the helmet and + ventail from his head. His wounds and distress are so great that he has to + cry for mercy. Just as the lark cannot withstand or protect itself against + the hawk which outflies it and attacks it from above, so he in his + helplessness and shame, must invoke him and sue for mercy. And when he + hears him beg for mercy, he ceases his attack and says: "Dost thou wish + for mercy?" He replies: "You have asked a very clever question; any fool + could ask that. I never wished for anything so much as I now wish for + mercy." Then he says to him: "Thou must mount, then, upon a cart. Nothing + thou couldst say would have any influence with me, unless thou mountest + the cart, to atone for the vile reproaches thou didst address to me with + thy silly mouth." And the knight thus answers him: "May it never please + God that I mount a cart!" "No?" he asks; "then you shall die." "Sire, you + can easily put me to death; but I beg and beseech you for God's sake to + show me mercy and not compel me to mount a cart. I will agree to anything, + however grievous, excepting that. I would rather die a hundred times than + undergo such a disgrace. In your goodness and mercy you can tell me + nothing so distasteful that I will not do it." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2793-2978.) While he is thus beseeching him, behold across the field + a maiden riding on a tawny mule, her head uncovered and her dress + disarranged. In her hand she held a whip with which she belaboured the + mule; and in truth no horse could have galloped so fast as was the pace of + the mule. The damsel called out to the Knight of the Cart: "May God bless + thy heart, Sir Knight, with whatever delights thee most!" And he, who + heard her gladly, says: "May God bless you, damsel, and give you joy and + health!" Then she tells him of her desire. "Knight," she says, "in urgent + need I have come from afar to thee to ask a favour, for which thou wilt + deserve the best guerdon I can make to thee; and I believe that thou wilt + yet have need of my assistance." And he replies: "Tell me what it is you + wish; and if I have it, you shall have it at once, provided it be not + something extravagant." Then she says: "It is the head of the knight whom + thou hast just defeated; in truth, thou hast never dealt with such a + wicked and faithless man. Thou wilt be committing no sin or wrong, but + rather doing a deed of charity, for he is the basest creature that ever + was or ever shall be." And when he who had been vanquished hears that she + wishes him to be killed, he says to him: "Don't believe her, for she hates + me; but by that God who was at once Father and Son, and who chose for His + mother her who was His daughter and handmaiden, I beg you to have mercy + upon me!" "Ah, knight!" the maid exclaims, "pay no attention to what this + traitor says! May God give thee all the joy and honour to which thou dost + aspire, and may He give thee good success in thy undertaking." Then the + knight is in a predicament, as he thinks and ponders over the question: + whether to present to her the head she asks him to cut off, or whether he + shall allow himself to be touched by pity for him. <a href="#linknote-417" + name="linknoteref-417"><small>417</small></a> He + wishes to respect the wishes of both her and him. Generosity and pity each + command him to do their will; for he was both generous and tender-hearted. + But if she carries off the head, then will pity be defeated and put to + death; whereas, if she does not carry off the head, generosity will be + discomfited. Thus, pity and generosity hold him so confined and so + distressed that he is tormented and spurred on by each of them in turn. + The damsel asks him to give her the head, and on the other hand the knight + makes his request, appealing to his pity and kindness. And, since he has + implored him, shall he not receive mercy? Yes, for it never happened that, + when he had put down an enemy and compelled him to sue for mercy, he would + refuse such an one his mercy or longer bear him any grudge. Since this is + his custom, he will not refuse his mercy to him who now begs and sues for + it. And shall she have the head she covets? Yes, if it be possible. + "Knight," he says, "it is necessary for thee to fight me again, and if + thou dost care to defend thy head again, I will show thee such mercy as to + allow thee to resume the helmet; and I will give thee time to arm thy body + and thy head as well as possible. But, if I conquer thee again, know that + thou shalt surely die." And he replies: "I desire nothing better than + that, and ask for no further favour." "And I will give thee this + advantage," he adds: "I will fight thee as I stand, without changing my + present position." Then the other knight makes ready, and they begin the + fight again eagerly. But this time the knight triumphed more quickly than + he had done at first. And the damsel at once cries out: "Do not spare him, + knight, for anything he may say to thee. Surely he would not have spared + thee, had he once defeated thee. If thou heedest what he says, be sure + that he will again beguile thee. Fair knight, cut off the head of the most + faithless man in the empire and kingdom, and give it to me! Thou shouldst + present it to me, in view of the guerdon I intend for thee. For another + day may well come when, if he can, he will beguile thee again with his + words." He, thinking his end is near, cries aloud to him for mercy; but + his cry is of no avail, nor anything that he can say. The other drags him + by the helmet, tearing all the fastening, and he strikes from his head the + ventail and the gleaming coif. Then he cries out more loudly still: + "Mercy, for God's sake! Mercy, sir!" But the other answers: "So help me, I + shall never again show thee pity, after having once let thee off." "Ah," + he says, "thou wouldst do wrong to heed my enemy and kill me thus." While + she, intent upon his death, admonishes him to cut off his head, and not to + believe a word he says. He strikes: the head flies across the sward and + the body fails. Then the damsel is pleased and satisfied. Grasping the + head by the hair, the knight presents it to the damsel, who takes it + joyfully with the words: "May thy heart receive such delight from whatever + it most desires as my heart now receives from what I most coveted. I had + only one grief in life, and that was that this man was still alive. I have + a reward laid up for thee which thou shalt receive at the proper time. I + promise thee that thou shalt have a worthy reward for the service thou + hast rendered me. Now I will go away, with the prayer that God may guard + thee from harm." Then the damsel leaves him, as each commends the other to + God. But all those who had seen the battle in the plain are overjoyed, and + in their joy they at once relieve the knight of his armour, and honour him + in every way they can. Then they wash their hands again and take their + places at the meal, which they eat with better cheer than is their wont. + When they had been eating for some time, the gentleman turned to his guest + at his side, and said: "Sire, a long while ago we came hither from the + kingdom of Logres. We were born your countrymen, and we should like to see + you win honour and fortune and joy in this country; for we should profit + by it as well as you, and it would be to the advantage of many others, if + you should gain honour and fortune in the enterprise you have undertaken + in this land." And he makes answer: "May God hear your desire." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 2979-3020.) When the host had dropped his voice and ceased speaking, + one of his sons followed him and said: "Sire, we ought to place all our + resources at your service, and give them outright rather than promise + them; if you have any need of our assistance, we ought not to wait until + you ask for it. Sire, be not concerned over your horse which is dead. We + have good strong horses here. I want you to take anything of ours which + you need, and you shall choose the best of our horses in place of yours." + And he replies: "I willingly accept." Thereupon, they have the beds + prepared and retire for the night. The next morning they rise early, and + dress, after which they prepare to start. Upon leaving, they fail in no + act of courtesy, but take leave of the lady, her lord, and all the rest. + But in order to omit nothing, I must remark that the knight was unwilling + to mount the borrowed steed which was standing ready at the door; rather, + he caused him to be ridden by one of the two knights who had come with + him, while he took the latter's horse instead, for thus it pleased him + best to do. When each was seated on his horse, they all asked for leave to + depart from their host who had served them so honourably. Then they ride + along the road until the day draws to a close, and late in the afternoon + they reach the sword-bridge. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3021-3194.) At the end of this very difficult bridge they dismount + from their steeds and gaze at the wicked-looking stream, which is as swift + and raging, as black and turgid, as fierce and terrible as if it were the + devil's stream; and it is so dangerous and bottomless that anything + failing into it would be as completely lost as if it fell into the salt + sea. And the bridge, which spans it, is different from any other bridge; + for there never was such a one as this. If any one asks of me the truth, + there never was such a bad bridge, nor one whose flooring was so bad. The + bridge across the cold stream consisted of a polished, gleaming sword; but + the sword was stout and stiff, and was as long as two lances. At each end + there was a tree-trunk in which the sword was firmly fixed. No one need + fear to fall because of its breaking or bending, for its excellence was + such that it could support a great weight. But the two knights who were + with the third were much discouraged; for they surmised that two lions or + two leopards would be found tied to a great rock at the other end of the + bridge. The water and the bridge and the lions combine so to terrify them + that they both tremble with fear, and say: "Fair sire, consider well what + confronts you; for it is necessary and needful to do so. This bridge is + badly made and built, and the construction of it is bad. If you do not + change your mind in time, it will be too late to repent. You must consider + which of several alternatives you will choose. Suppose that you once get + across (but that cannot possibly come to pass, any more than one could + hold in the winds and forbid them to blow, or keep the birds from singing, + or re-enter one's mother's womb and be born again—all of which is as + impossible as to empty the sea of its water); but even supposing that you + got across, can you think and suppose that those two fierce lions that are + chained on the other side will not kill you, and suck the blood from your + veins, and eat your flesh and then gnaw your bones? For my part, I am bold + enough, when I even dare to look and gaze at them. If you do not take + care, they will certainly devour you. Your body will soon be torn and rent + apart, for they will show you no mercy. So take pity on us now, and stay + here in our company! It would be wrong for you to expose yourself + intentionally to such mortal peril." And he, laughing, replies to them: + "Gentlemen, receive my thanks and gratitude for the concern you feel for + me: it comes from your love and kind hearts. I know full well that you + would not like to see any mishap come to me; but I have faith and + confidence in God, that He will protect me to the end. I fear the bridge + and stream no more than I fear this dry land; so I intend to prepare and + make the dangerous attempt to cross. I would rather die than turn back + now." The others have nothing more to say; but each weeps with pity and + heaves a sigh. Meanwhile he prepares, as best he may, to cross the stream, + and he does a very marvellous thing in removing the armour from his feet + and hands. He will be in a sorry state when he reaches the other side. He + is going to support himself with his bare hands and feet upon the sword, + which was sharper than a scythe, for he had not kept on his feet either + sole or upper or hose. But he felt no fear of wounds upon his hands or + feet; he preferred to maim himself rather than to fall from the bridge and + be plunged in the water from which he could never escape. In accordance + with this determination, he passes over with great pain and agony, being + wounded in the hands, knees, and feet. But even this suffering is sweet to + him: for Love, who conducts and leads him on, assuages and relieves the + pain. Creeping on his hands, feet, and knees, he proceeds until he reaches + the other side. Then he recalls and recollects the two lions which he + thought he had seen from the other side; but, on looking about, he does + not see so much as a lizard or anything else to do him harm. He raises his + hand before his face and looks at his ring, and by this test he proves + that neither of the lions is there which he thought he had seen, and that + he had been enchanted and deceived; for there was not a living creature + there. When those who had remained behind upon the bank saw that he had + safely crossed, their joy was natural; but they do not know of his + injuries. He, however, considers himself fortunate not to have suffered + anything worse. The blood from his wounds drips on his shirt on all sides. + Then he sees before him a tower, which was so strong that never had he + seen such a strong one before: indeed, it could not have been a better + tower. At the window there sat King Bademagu, who was very scrupulous and + precise about matters of honour and what was right, and who was careful to + observe and practise loyalty above all else; and beside him stood his son, + who always did precisely the opposite so far as possible, for he found his + pleasure in disloyalty, and never wearied of villainy, treason, and + felony. From their point of vantage they had seen the knight cross the + bridge with trouble and pain. Meleagant's colour changed with the rage and + displeasure he felt; for he knows now that he will be challenged for the + Queen; but his character was such that he feared no man, however strong or + formidable. If he were not base and disloyal, there could no better knight + be found; but he had a heart of wood, without gentleness and pity. What + enraged his son and roused his ire, made the king happy and glad. The king + knew of a truth that he who had crossed the bridge was much better than + any one else. For no one would dare to pass over it in whom there dwelt + any of that evil nature which brings more shame upon those who possess it + than prowess brings of honour to the virtuous. For prowess cannot + accomplish so much as wickedness and sloth can do: it is true beyond a + doubt that it is possible to do more evil than good. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3195-3318.) I could say more on these two heads, if it did not cause + me to delay. But I must turn to something else and resume my subject, and + you shall hear how the king speaks profitably to his son: "Son," he says, + "it was fortunate that thou and I came to look out this window; our reward + has been to witness the boldest deed that ever entered the mind of man. + Tell me now if thou art not well disposed toward him who has performed + such a marvellous feat. Make peace and be reconciled with him, and deliver + the Queen into his hands. Thou shalt gain no glory in battle with him, but + rather mayst thou incur great loss. Show thyself to be courteous and + sensible, and send the Queen to meet him before he sees thee. Show him + honour in this land of thine, and before he asks it, present to him what + he has come to seek. Thou knowest well enough that he has come for the + Queen Guinevere. Do not act so that people will take thee to be obstinate, + foolish, or proud. If this man has entered thy land alone, thou shouldst + bear him company, for one gentleman ought not to avoid another, but rather + attract him and honour him with courtesy. One receives honour by himself + showing it; be sure that the honour will be thine, if thou doest honour + and service to him who is plainly the best knight in the world." And he + replies: "May God confound me, if there is not as good a knight, or even a + better one than he!" It was too bad that he did not mention himself, of + whom he entertains no mean opinion. And he adds: "I suppose you wish me to + clasp my hands and kneel before him as his liegeman, and to hold my lands + from him? So help me God, I would rather become his man than surrender to + him the Queen! God forbid that in such a fashion I should deliver her to + him! She shall never be given up by me, but rather contested and defended + against all who are so foolish as to dare to come in quest of her." Then + again the king says to him: "Son, thou wouldst act very courteously to + renounce this pretension. I advise thee and beg thee to keep the peace. + Thou knowest well that the honour will belong to the knight, if he wins + the Queen from thee in battle. He would doubtless rather win her in battle + than as a gift, for it will thus enhance his fame. It is my opinion that + he is seeking her, not to receive her peaceably, but because he wishes to + win her by force of arms. So it would be wise on thy part to deprive him + of the satisfaction of fighting thee. I am sorry to see thee so foolish; + but if thou dost not heed my advice, evil will come of it, and the ensuing + misfortune will be worse for thee. For the knight need fear no hostility + from any one here save thee. On behalf of myself and all my men, I will + grant him a truce and security. I have never yet done a disloyal deed or + practised treason and felony, and I shall not begin to do so now on thy + account any more than I would for any stranger. I do not wish to flatter + thee, for I promise that the knight shall not lack any arms, or horse or + anything else he needs, in view of the boldness he has displayed in coming + thus far. He shall be securely guarded and well defended against all men + here excepting thee. I wish him clearly to understand that, if he can + maintain himself against thee, he need have no fear of any one else." "I + have listened to you in silence long enough," says Meleagant, "and you may + say what you please. But little do I care for all you say. I am not a + hermit, nor so compassionate and charitable, and I have no desire to be so + honourable as to give him what I most love. His task will not be performed + so quickly or so lightly; rather will it turn out otherwise than as you + and he expect. You and I need not quarrel because you aid him against me. + Even if he enjoys peace and a truce with you and all your men, what + matters that to me? My heart does not quail on that account; rather, so + help me God, I am glad that he need not feel concern for any one here but + me; I do not wish you to do on my account anything which might be + construed as disloyalty or treachery. Be as compassionate as you please, + but let me be cruel." "What? Wilt thou not change thy mind?" "No," he + says. "Then I will say nothing more. I will leave thee alone to do thy + best and will go now to speak with the knight. I wish to offer and present + to him my aid and counsel in all respects; for I am altogether on his + side." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3319-3490.) Then the king goes down and orders them to bring his + horse. A large steed is brought to him, upon which he springs by the + stirrup, and he rides off with some of his men: three knights and two + squires he bade to go with him. They did not stop their ride downhill + until they came to the bridge, where they see him stanching his wounds and + wiping the blood from them. The king expects to keep him as his guest for + a long time while his wounds are healing; but he might as well expect to + drain the sea. The king hastens to dismount, and he who was grievously + wounded, stood up at once to meet him, though he did not know him, and he + gave no more evidence of the pain he felt in his feet and hands than if he + had been actually sound. The king sees that he is exerting himself, and + quickly runs to greet him with the words: "Sire, I am greatly amazed that + you have fallen upon us in this land. But be welcome, for no one will ever + repeat the attempt: it never happened in the past, and it will never + happen in the future that any one should perform such a hardy feat or + expose himself to such peril. And know that I admire you greatly for + having executed what no one before ever dared to conceive. You will find + me very kindly disposed, and loyal and courteous toward you. I am the king + of this land, and offer you freely all my counsel and service; and I think + I know pretty well what you have come here to seek. You come, I am sure, + to seek the Queen." "Sire," he replies, "your surmise is correct; no other + cause brings me here." "Friend, you must suffer hardship to obtain her," + he replies; "and you are sorely wounded, as I see by the wounds and the + flowing blood. You will not find him who brought her hither so generous as + to give her up without a struggle; but you must tarry, and have your + wounds cared for until they are completely healed. I will give you some of + 'the three Marys' ointment, <a href="#linknote-418" name="linknoteref-418"><small>418</small></a> and something still better, if + it can be found, for I am very solicitous about your comfort and your + recovery. And the Queen is so confined that no mortal man has access to + her—not even my son, who brought her here with him and who resents + such treatment, for never was a man so beside himself and so desperate as + he. But I am well disposed toward you, and will gladly give you, so help + me God, all of which you stand in need. My son himself will not have such + good arms but that I will give you some that are just as good, and a + horse, too, such as you will need, though my son will be angry with me. + Despite the feelings of any one, I will protect you against all men. You + will have no cause to fear any one excepting him who brought the Queen + here. No man ever menaced another as I have menaced him, and I came near + driving him from my land, in my displeasure because he will not surrender + her to you. To be sure, he is my son; but feel no concern, for unless he + defeats you in battle, he can never do you the slightest harm against my + will." "Sire," he says, "I thank you. But I am losing time here which I do + not wish to waste. I have no cause to complain, and have no wound which is + paining me. Take me where I can find him; for with such arms as I have, I + am ready to divert myself by giving and receiving blows." "Friend, you had + better wait two or three weeks until your wounds are healed, for it would + be well for you to tarry here at least two weeks, and not on any account + could I allow it, or look on, while you fought in my presence with such + arms and with such an outfit." And he replies: "With your permission, no + other arms would be used than these, for I should prefer to fight with + them, and I should not ask for the slightest postponement, adjournment or + delay. However, in deference to you, I will consent to wait until + to-morrow; but despite what any one may say, longer I will not wait." Then + the king assured him that all would be done as he wished; then he has the + lodging-place prepared, and insistently requests his men, who are in the + company, to serve him, which they do devotedly. And the king, who would + gladly have made peace, had it been possible, went at once to his son and + spoke to him like one who desires peace and harmony, saying: "Fair son, be + reconciled now with this knight without a fight! He has not come here to + disport himself or to hunt or chase, but he comes in search of honour and + to increase his fame and renown, and I have seen that he stands in great + need of rest. If he had taken my advice, he would not have rashly + undertaken, either this month or the next, the battle which he so greatly + desires. If thou makest over the Queen to him, dost thou fear any + dishonour in the deed? Have no fear of that, for no blame can attach to + thee; rather is it wrong to keep that to which one has no rightful claim. + He would gladly have entered the battle at once, though his hands and feet + are not sound, but cut and wounded." Meleagant answers his father thus: + "You are foolish to be concerned. By the faith I owe St. Peter, I will not + take your advice in this matter. I should deserve to be drawn apart with + horses, if I heeded your advice. If he is seeking his honour, so do I seek + mine; if he is in search of glory, so am I; if he is anxious for the + battle, so am I a hundred times more so than he." "I see plainly," says + the king, "that thou art intent upon thy mad enterprise, and thou shalt + have thy fill of it. Since such is thy pleasure, to-morrow thou shalt try + thy strength with the knight." "May no greater hardship ever visit me than + that!" Meleagant replies; "I would much rather it were to-day than + to-morrow. Just see how much more downcast I am than is usual! My eyes are + wild, and my face is pale! I shall have no joy or satisfaction or any + cause for happiness until I am actually engaged with him." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3491-3684.) The king understands that further advice and prayers are + of no avail, so reluctantly he leaves his son and, taking a good, strong + horse and handsome arms, he sends them to him who well deserves them, + together with a surgeon who was a loyal and Christian man. There was in + the world no more trusty man, and he was more skilled in the cure of + wounds than all the doctors of Montpeilier. <a href="#linknote-419" + name="linknoteref-419"><small>419</small></a> That + night he treated the knight as best he could, in accordance with the + king's command. Already the news was known by the knights and damsels, the + ladies and barons of all the country-side, and all through the night until + daybreak strangers and friends were making long journeys from all the + country round. When morning came, there was such a press before the castle + that there was not room to move one's foot. And the king, rising early in + his distress about the battle, goes directly to his son, who had already + laced upon his head the helmet which was of Poitiers make. No delay or + peace is possible, for though the king did his best, his efforts are of no + effect. In the middle of the castle-square, where all the people are + assembled, the battle will be fought in compliance with the king's wish + and command. The king sends at once for the stranger knight, and he is + conducted to the grounds which were filled with people from the kingdom of + Logres. For just as people are accustomed to go to church to hear the + organ on the annual feast-days of Pentecost or Christmas, so they had all + assembled now. All the foreign maidens from King Arthur's realm had fasted + three days and gone barefoot in their shifts, in order that God might + endow with strength and courage the knight who was to fight his adversary + on behalf of the captives. Very early, before prime had yet been sounded, + both of the knights fully armed were led to the place, mounted upon two + horses equally protected. Meleagant was very graceful, alert, and shapely; + the hauberk with its fine meshes, the helmet, and the shield hanging from + his neck—all these became him well. All the spectators, however, + favoured the other knight, even those who wished him ill, and they say + that Meleagant is worth nothing compared with him. As soon as they were + both on the ground, the king comes and detains them as long as possible in + an effort to make peace between them, but he is unable to persuade his + son. Then he says to them: "Hold in your horses until I reach the top of + the tower. It will be only a slight favour, if you will wait so long for + me." Then in sorrowful mood he leaves them and goes directly to the place + where he knew he would find the Queen. She had begged him the evening + before to place her where she might have an unobstructed view of the + battle; he had granted her the boon, and went now to seek and fetch her, + for he was very anxious to show her honour and courtesy. He placed her at + one window, and took his place at another window on her right. Beside + them, there were gathered there many knights and prudent dames and + damsels, who were natives of that land; and there were many others, who + were captives, and who were intent upon their orisons and prayers. Those + who were prisoners were praying for their lord, for to God and to him they + entrusted their succour and deliverance. Then the combatants without delay + make all the people stand aside; then they clash the shields with their + elbows, and thrust their arms into the straps, and spur at each other so + violently that each sends his lance two arms' length through his + opponent's shield, causing the lance to split and splinter like a flying + spark. And the horses meet head on, clashing breast to breast, and the + shields and helmets crash with such a noise that it seems like a mighty + thunder-clap; not a breast-strap, girth, rein or surcingle remains + unbroken, and the saddle-bows, though strong, are broken to pieces. The + combatants felt no shame in falling to earth, in view of their mishaps, + but they quickly spring to their feet, and without waste of threatening + words rush at each other more fiercely than two wild boars, and deal great + blows with their swords of steel like men whose hate is violent. + Repeatedly they trim the helmets and shining hauberks so fiercely that + after the sword the blood spurts out. They furnished an excellent battle, + indeed, as they stunned and wounded each other with their heavy, wicked + blows. Many fierce, hard, long bouts they sustained with equal honour, so + that the onlookers could discern no advantage on either side. But it was + inevitable that he who had crossed the bridge should be much weakened by + his wounded hands. The people who sided with him were much dismayed, for + they notice that his strokes are growing weaker, and they fear he will get + the worst of it; it seemed to them that he was weakening, while Meleagant + was triumphing, and they began to murmur all around. But up at the window + of the tower there was a wise maiden who thought within herself that the + knight had not undertaken the battle either on her account or for the sake + of the common herd who had gathered about the list, but that his only + incentive had been the Queen; and she thought that, if he knew that she + was at the window seeing and watching him, his strength and courage would + increase. And if she had known his name, she would gladly have called to + him to look about him. Then she came to the Queen and said: "Lady, for + God's sake and your own as well as ours, I beseech you to tell me, if you + know, the name of yonder knight, to the end that it may be of some help to + him." "Damsel," the Queen replies, "you have asked me a question in which + I see no hate or evil, but rather good intent; the name of the knight, I + know, is Lancelot of the Lake." <a href="#linknote-420" + name="linknoteref-420"><small>420</small></a> "God, + how happy and glad at heart I am!" the damsel says. Then she leans forward + and calls to him by name so loudly that all the people hear: "Lancelot, + turn about and see who is here taking note of thee!" + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3685-3954.) When Lancelot heard his name, he was not slow to turn + around: he turns and sees seated up there at the window of the tower her + whom he desired most in the world to see. From the moment he caught sight + of her, he did not turn or take his eyes and face from her, defending + himself with backhand blows. And Meleagant meanwhile attacked him as + fiercely as he could, delighted to think that the other cannot withstand + him now; and they of the country are well pleased too, while the + foreigners are so distressed that they can no longer support themselves, + and many of them fall to earth either upon their knees or stretched out + prone; thus some are glad, and some distressed. Then the damsel cried + again from the window: "Ah, Lancelot, how is it that thou dost now conduct + thyself so foolishly? Once thou wert the embodiment of prowess and of all + that is good, and I do not think God ever made a knight who could equal + thee in valour and in worth. But now we see thee so distressed that thou + dealest back-hand blows and fightest thy adversary, behind thy back. Turn, + so as to be on the other side, and so that thou canst face toward this + tower, for it will help thee to keep it in view." Then Lancelot is so + ashamed and mortified that he hates himself, for he knows full well that + all have seen how, for some time past, he has had the worst of the fight. + Thereupon he leaps backward and so manoeuvres as to force Meleagant into a + position between him and the tower. Meleagant makes every effort to regain + his former position. But Lancelot rushes upon him, and strikes him so + violently upon his body and shield whenever he tries to get around him, + that he compels him to whirl about two or three times in spite of himself. + Lancelot's strength and courage grow, partly because he has love's aid, + and partly because he never hated any one so much as him with whom he is + engaged. Love and mortal hate, so fierce that never before was such hate + seen, make him so fiery and bold that Meleagant ceases to treat it as a + jest and begins to stand in awe of him, for he had never met or known so + doughty a knight, nor had any knight ever wounded or injured him as this + one does. He is glad to get away from him, and he winces and sidesteps, + fearing his blows and avoiding them. And Lancelot does not idly threaten + him, but drives him rapidly toward the tower where the Queen was stationed + on the watch. There upon the tower he did her the homage of his blows + until he came so close that, if he advanced another step, he would lose + sight of her. Thus Lancelot drove him back and forth repeatedly in + whatever direction he pleased, always stopping before the Queen, his lady, + who had kindled the flame which compels him to fix his gaze upon her. And + this same flame so stirred him against Meleagant that he was enabled to + lead and drive him wherever he pleased. In spite of himself he drives him + on like a blind man or a man with a wooden leg. The king sees his son so + hard pressed that he is sorry for him and he pities him, and he will not + deny him aid and assistance if possible; but if he wishes to proceed + courteously, he must first beg the Queen's permission. So he began to say + to her: "Lady, since I have had you in my power, I have loved you and + faithfully served and honoured you. I never consciously left anything + undone in which I saw your honour involved; now repay me for what I have + done. For I am about to ask you a favour which you should not grant unless + you do so willingly. I plainly see that my son is getting the worst of + this battle; I do not speak so because of the chagrin I feel, but in order + that Lancelot, who has him in his power, may not kill him. Nor ought you + to wish to see him killed; not because he has not wronged both you and + him, but because I make the request of you: so tell him, please, to stop + beating him. If you will, you can thus repay me for what I have done for + you." "Fair sire, I am willing to do so at your request," the Queen + replies; "had I mortal hatred for your son, whom it is true I do not love, + yet you have served me so well that, to please you, I am quite willing + that he should desist." These words were not spoken privately, but + Lancelot and Meleagrant heard what was said. The man who is a perfect + lover is always obedient and quickly and gladly does his mistress' + pleasure. So Lancelot was constrained to do his Lady's will, for he loved + more than Pyramus, <a href="#linknote-421" name="linknoteref-421"><small>421</small></a> if that were possible for any + man to do. Lancelot heard what was said, and as soon as the last word had + issued from her mouth, "since you wish him to desist, I am willing that he + should do so," Lancelot would not have touched him or made a movement for + anything, even if the other had killed him. He does not touch him or raise + his hand. But Meleagant, beside himself with rage and shame when he hears + that it has been necessary to intercede in his behalf, strikes him with + all the strength he can muster. And the king went down from the tower to + upbraid his son, and entering the list he addressed him thus: "How now? Is + this becoming, to strike him when he is not touching thee? Thou art too + cruel and savage, and thy prowess is now out of place! For we all know + beyond a doubt that he is thy superior." Then Meleagant, choking with + shame, says to the king: "I think you must be blind! I do not believe you + see a thing. Any one must indeed be blind to think I am not better than + he." "Seek some one to believe thy words!" the king replies, "for all the + people know whether thou speakest the truth or a lie. All of us know full + well the truth." Then the king bids his barons lead his son away, which + they do at once in execution of his command: they led away Meleagant. But + it was not necessary to use force to induce Lancelot to withdraw, for + Meleagant might have harmed him grievously, before he would have sought to + defend himself. Then the king says to his son: "So help me God, now thou + must make peace and surrender the Queen. Thou must cease this quarrel once + for all and withdraw thy claim." "That is great nonsense you have uttered! + I hear you speak foolishly. Stand aside! Let us fight, and do not mix in + our affairs!" But the king says he will take a hand, for he knows well + that, were the fight to continue, Lancelot would kill his son. "He kill + me! Rather would I soon defeat and kill him, if you would leave us alone + and let us fight." Then the king says: "So help me God, all that thou + sayest is of no avail." "Why is that?" he asks. "Because I will not + consent. I will not so trust in thy folly and pride as to allow thee to be + killed. A man is a fool to court death, as thou dost in thy ignorance. I + know well that thou hatest me because I wish to save thy life. God will + not let me see and witness thy death, if I can help it, for it would cause + me too much grief." He talks to him and reproves him until finally peace + and good-will are restored. The terms of the peace are these: he will + surrender the Queen to Lancelot, provided that the latter without + reluctance will fight them again within a year of such time as he shall + choose to summon him: this is no trial to Lancelot. When peace is made, + all the people press about, and it is decided that the battle shall be + fought at the court of King Arthur, who holds Britain and Cornwall in his + sway: there they decide that it shall be. And the Queen has to consent, + and Lancelot has to promise, that if Meleagant can prove him recreant, she + shall come back with him again without the interference of any one. When + the Queen and Lancelot had both agreed to this, the arrangement was + concluded, and they both retired and removed their arms. Now the custom in + the country was that when one issued forth, all the others might do so + too. All called down blessings upon Lancelot: and you may know that he + must have felt great joy, as in truth he did. All the strangers assemble + and rejoice over Lancelot, speaking so as to be heard by him: "Sire, in + truth we were joyful as soon as we heard your name, for we felt sure at + once that we should all be set free." There was a great crowd present at + this glad scene, as each one strives and presses forward to touch him if + possible. Any one who succeeded in touching him was more delighted than he + could tell. There was plenty of joy, and of sorrow too; those who were now + set free rejoiced unrestrainedly; but Meleagant and his followers have not + anything they want, but are pensive, gloomy, and downcast. The king turns + away from the list, taking with him Lancelot, who begs him to take him to + the Queen. "I shall not fail to do so," the king replies; "for it seems to + me the proper thing to do. And if you like, I will show you Kay the + seneschal." At this Lancelot is so glad that he almost falls at his feet. + Then the king took him at once into the hall, where the Queen had come to + wait for him. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 3955-4030.) When the Queen saw the king holding Lancelot by the hand, + she rose before the king, but she looked displeased with clouded brow, and + she spoke not a word. "Lady, here is Lancelot come to see you," says the + king; "you ought to be pleased and satisfied." "I, sire? He cannot please + me. I care nothing about seeing him." "Come now, lady," says the king who + was very frank and courteous, "what induces you to act like this? You are + too scornful toward a man who has served you so faithfully that he has + repeatedly exposed his life to mortal danger on this journey for your + sake, and who has defended and rescued you from my son Meleagant who had + deeply wronged you." "Sire, truly he has made poor use of his time. I + shall never deny that I feel no gratitude toward him." Now Lancelot is + dumbfounded; but he replies very humbly like a polished lover: "Lady, + certainly I am grieved at this, but I dare not ask your reason." The Queen + listened as Lancelot voiced his disappointment, but in order to grieve and + confound him, she would not answer a single word, but returned to her + room. And Lancelot followed her with his eyes and heart until she reached + the door; but she was not long in sight, for the room was close by. His + eyes would gladly have followed her, had that been possible; but the + heart, which is more lordly and masterful in its strength, went through + the door after her, while the eyes remained behind weeping with the body. + And the king said privily to him: "Lancelot, I am amazed at what this + means: and how it comes about that the Queen cannot endure the sight of + you, and that she is so unwilling to speak with you. If she is ever + accustomed to speak with you, she ought not to be niggardly now or avoid + conversation with you, after what you have done for her. Now tell me, if + you know, why and for what misdeed she has shown you such a countenance." + "Sire, I did not notice that just now; but she will not look at me or hear + my words, and that distresses and grieves me much." "Surely," says the + king, "she is in the wrong, for you have risked your life for her. Come + away now, fair sweet friend, and we shall go to speak with the seneschal." + "I shall be glad to do so," he replies. Then they both go to the + seneschal. As soon as Lancelot came where he was, the seneschal's first + exclamation was: "How thou hast shamed me!" "I? How so?" Lancelot + inquires; "tell me what disgrace have I brought upon you?" "A very great + disgrace, for thou hast carried out what I could not accomplish, and thou + hast done what I could not do." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4031-4124.) Then the king left them together in the room, and went + out alone. And Lancelot inquires of the seneschal if he has been badly + off. "Yes," he answers, "and I still am so. I was never more wretched than + I am now. And I should have died a long time ago, had it not been for the + king, who in his compassion has shown me so much gentleness and kindness + that he willingly let me lack nothing of which I stood in need; but I was + furnished at once with everything that I desired. But opposed to the + kindness which he showed me, was Meleagant his son, who is full of + wickedness, and who summoned the physicians to him and bade them apply + such ointments as would kill me. Such a father and stepfather have I had! + For when the king had a good plaster applied to my wounds in his desire + that I should soon be cured, his treacherous son, wishing to put me to + death, had it promptly taken off and some harmful salve applied. But I am + very sure that the king was ignorant of this; he would not tolerate such + base and murderous tricks. But you do not know how courteous he has been + to my lady: no frontier tower since the time that Noah built the ark was + ever so carefully guarded, for he has guarded her so vigilantly that, + though his son chafed under the restraint, he would nor let him see her + except in the presence of the king himself. Up to the present time the + king in his mercy has shown her all the marks of consideration which she + herself proposed. She alone had the disposition of her affairs. And the + king esteemed her all the more for the loyalty she showed. But is it true, + as I am told, that she is so angry with you that she has publicly refused + to speak with you?" "You have been told the exact truth," Lancelot + replies, "but for God's sake, can you tell me why she is so displeased + with me?" He replies that he does not know, and that he is greatly + surprised at it. "Well, let it be as she pleases," says Lancelot, feeling + his helplessness; "I must now take my leave, and I shall go to seek my + lord Gawain who has entered this land, and who arranged with me that he + would proceed directly to the waterbridge." Then, leaving the room, he + appeared before the king and asked for leave to proceed in that direction. + And the king willingly grants him leave to go. Then those whom Lancelot + had set free and delivered from prison ask him what they are to do. And he + replies: "All those who desire may come with me, and those who wish to + stay with the Queen may do so: there is no reason why they should + accompany me." Then all those, who so desire, accompany him, more glad and + joyous than is their wont. With the Queen remain her damsels who are light + of heart, and many knights and ladies too. But there is not one of those + who stay behind, who would not have preferred to return to his own country + to staying there. But on my lord Gawain's account, whose arrival is + expected, the Queen keeps them, saying that she will never stir until she + has news of him. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4125-4262.) The news spreads everywhere that the Queen is free to go, + and that all the other prisoners have been set at liberty and are free to + go whenever it suits and pleases them. Wherever the people of the land + gather together, they ask each other about the truth of this report, and + never talk of anything else. They are very much enraged that all the + dangerous passes have been overcome, and that any one may come and go as + he pleases. But when the natives of the country, who had not been present + at the battle, learned how Lancelot had been the victor, they all betook + themselves to the place where they knew he must pass by, thinking that the + king would be well pleased if they should seize Lancelot and hale him back + to him. All of his own men were without their arms, and therefore they + were at a disadvantage when they saw the natives of the country coming + under arms. It was not strange that they seized Lancelot, who was without + his arms. They lead him back prisoner, his feet lashed together beneath + his horse. Then his own men say: "Gentlemen, this is an evil deed; for the + king has given us his safe-conduct, and we are under his protection." But + the others reply: "We do not know how that may be; but as we have taken + you, you must return with us to court." The rumour, which swiftly flies + and runs, reaches the king, that his men have seized Lancelot and put him + to death. When the king hears it, he is sorely grieved and swears angrily + by his head that they who have killed him shall surely die for the deed; + and that, if he can seize or catch them, it shall be their fate to be + hanged, burned, or drowned. And if they attempt to deny their deed, he + will not believe what they say, for they have brought him such grief and + shame that he would be disgraced were vengeance not to be exacted from + them; but he will be avenged without a doubt. The news of this spread + until it reached the Queen, who was sitting at meat. She almost killed + herself on hearing the false report about Lancelot, but she supposes it to + be true, and therefore she is in such dismay that she almost loses the + power to speak; but, because of those present, she forces herself to say: + "In truth, I am sorry for his death, and it is no wonder that I grieve, + for he came into this country for my sake, and therefore I should mourn + for him." Then she says to herself, so that the others should not hear, + that no one need ask her to drink or eat, if it is true that he is dead, + in whose life she found her own. Then grieving she rises from the table, + and makes her lament, but so that no one hears or notices her. She is so + beside herself that she repeatedly grasps her throat with the desire to + kill herself; but first she confesses to herself, and repents with + self-reproach, blaming and censuring herself for the wrong she had done + him, who, as she knew, had always been hers, and would still be hers, if + he were alive. She is so distressed at the thought of her cruelty, that + her beauty is seriously impaired. Her cruelty and meanness affected her + and marred her beauty more than all the vigils and fastings with which she + afflicted herself. When all her sins rise up before her, she gathers them + together, and as she reviews them, she repeatedly exclaims: "Alas! of what + was I thinking when my lover stood before me and I should have welcomed + him, that I would not listen to his words? Was I not a fool, when I + refused to look at or speak to him? Foolish indeed? Rather was I base and + cruel, so help me God. I intended it as a jest, but he did not take it so, + and has not pardoned me. I am sure it was no one but me who gave him his + death-blow. When he came before me smiling and expecting that I would be + glad to see him and would welcome him, and when I would not look at him, + was not that a mortal blow? When I refused to speak with him, then + doubtless at one blow I deprived him of his heart and life. These two + strokes have killed him, I am sure; no other bandits have caused his + death. God! can I ever make amends for this murder and this crime? No, + indeed; sooner will the rivers and the sea dry up. Alas! how much better I + should feel, and how much comfort I should take, if only once before he + died I had held him in my arms! What? Yes, certainly, quite unclad, in + order the better to enjoy him. If he is dead, I am very wicked not to + destroy myself. Why? Can it harm my lover for me to live on after he is + dead, if I take no pleasure in anything but in the woe I bear for him? In + giving myself up to grief after his death, the very woes I court would be + sweet to me, if he were only still alive. It is wrong for a woman to wish + to die rather than to suffer for her lover's sake. It is certainly sweet + for me to mourn him long. I would rather be beaten alive than die and be + at rest." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4263-4414.) For two days the Queen thus mourned for him without + eating or drinking, until they thought she too would die. There are plenty + of people ready to carry bad news rather than good. The news reaches + Lancelot that his lady and sweetheart is dead. You need have no doubt of + the grief he felt; every one may feel sure that he was afflicted and + overcome with grief. Indeed, if you would know the truth, he was so + downcast that he held his life in slight esteem. He wished to kill himself + at once, but first he uttered a brief lament. He makes a running noose at + one end of the belt he wore, and then tearfully communes thus with + himself: "Ah, death, how hast thou spied me out and undone me, when in the + bloom of health! I am undone, and yet I feel no pain except the grief + within my heart. This is a terrible mortal grief. I am willing that it + should be so, and if God will, I shall die of it. Then can I not die some + other way, without God's consent? Yes, if he will let me tie this noose + around my neck. I think I can compel death, even against her will, to take + my life. Death, who covets only those who fear her, will not come to me; + but my belt will bring her within my power, and as soon as she is mine, + she will execute my desire. But, in truth, she will come too tardily for + me, for I yearn to have her now!" Then he delays and hesitates no longer, + but adjusts his head within the noose until it rests about his neck; and + in order that he may not fail to harm himself, he fastens the end of the + belt tightly about the saddle-bow, without attracting the attention of any + one. Then he let himself slide to earth, intending his horse to drag him + until he was lifeless, for he disdains to live another hour. When those + who ride with him see him fallen to earth, they suppose him to be in a + faint, for no one sees the noose which he had attached about his neck. At + once they caught him in their arms and, on raising him, they found the + noose which he had put around his neck and with which he sought to kill + himself. They quickly cut the noose; but the noose had so hurt his throat + that for some time he could not speak; the veins of his neck and throat + are almost broken. Now he could not harm himself, even had he wished to do + so; however, he is grieved that they have laid hands on him, and he almost + burns up with rage, for willingly would he have killed himself had no one + chanced to notice him. And now when he cannot harm himself, he cries: "Ah, + vile and shameless death! For God's sake, why hadst thou not the power and + might to kill me before my lady died? I suppose it was because thou + wouldst not deign to do what might be a kindly deed. If thou didst spare + me, it must be attributed to thy wickedness. Ah, what kind of service and + kindness is that! How well hast thou employed them here! A curse upon him + who thanks thee or feels gratitude for such a service! I know not which is + more my enemy: life, which detains me, or death, which will not slay me. + Each one torments me mortally; and it serves me right, so help me God, + that in spite of myself I should still live on. For I ought to have killed + myself as soon as my lady the Queen showed her hate for me; she did not do + it without cause, but she had some good reason, though I know not what it + is. And if I had known what it was before her soul went to God, I should + have made her such rich amends as would have pleased her and gained her + mercy. God! what could my crime have been? I think she must have known + that I mounted upon the cart. I do not know what other cause she can have + to blame me. This has been my undoing. If this is the reason of her hate, + God! what harm could this crime do? Any one who would reproach me for such + an act never knew what love is, for no one could mention anything which, + if prompted by love, ought to be turned into a reproach. Rather, + everything that one can do for his lady-love is to be regarded as a token + of his love and courtesy. Yet, I did not do it for my 'lady-love'. I know + not by what name to call her, whether 'lady-love', or not. I do not dare + to call her by this name. But I think I know this much of love: that if + she loved me, she ought not to esteem me less for this crime, but rather + call me her true lover, inasmuch as I regarded it as an honour to do all + love bade me do, even to mount upon a cart. She ought to ascribe this to + love; and this is a certain proof that love thus tries his devotees and + thus learns who is really his. But this service did not please my lady, as + I discovered by her countenance. And yet her lover did for her that for + which many have shamefully reproached and blamed him, though she was the + cause of it; and many blame me for the part I have played, and have turned + my sweetness into bitterness. In truth, such is the custom of those who + know so little of love, that even honour they wash in shame. But whoever + dips honour into shame, does not wash it, but rather sullies it. But they, + who maltreat him so, are quite ignorant of love; and he, who fears not his + commands, boasts himself very superior to him. For unquestionably he fares + well who obeys the commands of love, and whatever he does is pardonable, + but he is the coward who does not dare." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4415-4440.) Thus Lancelot makes his lament, and his men stand + grieving by his side, keeping hold of him and guarding him. Then the news + comes that the Queen is not dead. Thereupon Lancelot at once takes + comfort, and if his grief for her death had before been intense and deep, + now his joy for her life was a hundred thousand times as great. And when + they arrived within six or seven leagues of the castle where King Bademagu + was, grateful news of Lancelot was told him, how he was alive and was + coming hale and hearty, and this news the king was glad to hear. He did a + very courteous thing in going at once to appraise the Queen. And she + replies: "Fair sire, since you say so, I believe it is true, but I assure + you that, if he were dead, I should never be happy again. All my joy would + be cut off, if a knight had been killed in my service." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4441-4530.) Then the king leaves her, and the Queen yearns ardently + for the arrival of her lover and her joy. She has no desire this time to + bear him any grudge. But rumour, which never rests but runs always + unceasingly, again reaches the Queen to the effect that Lancelot would + have killed himself for her sake, if he had had the chance. She is happy + at the thought that this is true, but she would not have had it happen so + for anything, for her sorrow would have been too great. Thereupon Lancelot + arrived in haste. <a href="#linknote-422" name="linknoteref-422"><small>422</small></a> As soon as the king sees him, + he runs to kiss and embrace him. He feels as if he ought to fly, borne + along by the buoyancy of his joy. But his satisfaction is cut short by + those who had taken and bound his guest, and the king tells them they have + come in an evil hour, for they shall all be killed and confounded. Then + they made answer that they thought he would have it so. "It is I whom you + have insulted in doing your pleasure. He has no reason to complain," the + king replies; "you have not shamed him at all, but only me who was + protecting him. However you look at it, the shame is mine. But if you + escape me now, you will see no joke in this." When Lancelot hears his + wrath, he puts forth every effort to make peace and adjust matters; when + his efforts have met with success, the king takes him away to see the + Queen. This time the Queen did not lower her eyes to the ground, but she + went to meet him cheerfully, honouring him all she could, and making him + sit down by her side. Then they talked together at length of all that was + upon their hearts, and love furnished them with so much to say that topics + did not lack. And when Lancelot sees how well he stands, and that all he + says finds favour with the Queen, he says to her in confidence: "Lady, I + marvel greatly why you received me with such a countenance when you saw me + the day before yesterday, and why you would not speak a word to me: I + almost died of the blow you gave me, and I had not the courage to dare to + question you about it, as I now venture to do. I am ready now, lady, to + make amends, when you have told me what has been the crime which has + caused me such distress." Then the Queen replies: "What? Did you not + hesitate for shame to mount the cart? You showed you were loath to get in, + when you hesitated for two whole steps. That is the reason why I would + neither address nor look at you." "May God save me from such a crime + again," Lancelot replies, "and may God show me no mercy, if you were not + quite right! For God's sake, lady, receive my amends at once, and tell me, + for God's sake, if you can ever pardon me." "Friend, you are quite + forgiven," the Queen replies; "I pardon you willingly." "Thank you for + that, lady," he then says; "but I cannot tell you here all that I should + like to say; I should like to talk with you more at leisure, if possible." + Then the Queen indicates a window by her glance rather than with her + finger, and says: "Come through the garden to-night and speak with me at + yonder window, when every one inside has gone to sleep. You will not be + able to get in: I shall be inside and you outside: to gain entrance will + be impossible. I shall be able to touch you only with my lips or hand, + but, if you please, I will stay there until morning for love of you. Our + bodies cannot be joined, for close beside me in my room lies Kay the + seneschal, who is still suffering from his wounds. And the door is not + open, but is tightly closed and guarded well. When you come, take care to + let no spy catch sight of you." "Lady," says he, "if I can help it, no spy + shall see me who might think or speak evil of us." Then, having agreed + upon this plan, they separate very joyfully. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4551-4650.) Lancelot leaves the room in such a happy frame that all + his past troubles are forgotten. But he was so impatient for the night to + come that his restlessness made the day seem longer than a hundred + ordinary days or than an entire year. If night had only come, he would + gladly have gone to the trysting place. Dark and sombre night at last won + its struggle with the day, and wrapped it up in its covering, and laid it + away beneath its cloak. When he saw the light of day obscured, he + pretended to be tired and worn, and said that, in view of his protracted + vigils, he needed rest. You, who have ever done the same, may well + understand and guess that he pretends to be tired and goes to bed in order + to deceive the people of the house; but he cared nothing about his bed, + nor would he have sought rest there for anything, for he could not have + done so and would not have dared, and furthermore he would not have cared + to possess the courage or the power to do so. Soon he softly rose, and was + pleased to find that no moon or star was shining, and that in the house + there was no candle, lamp, or lantern burning. Thus he went out and looked + about, but there was no one on the watch for him, for all thought that he + would sleep in his bed all night. Without escort or company he quickly + went out into the garden, meeting no one on the way, and he was so + fortunate as to find that a part of the garden-wall had recently fallen + down. Through this break he passes quickly and proceeds to the window, + where he stands, taking good care not to cough or sneeze, until the Queen + arrives clad in a very white chemise. She wore no cloak or coat, but had + thrown over her a short cape of scarlet cloth and shrew-mouse fur. As soon + as Lancelot saw the Queen leaning on the window-sill behind the great iron + bars, he honoured her with a gentle salute. She promptly returned his + greeting, for he was desirous of her, and she of him. Their talk and + conversation are not of vulgar, tiresome affairs. They draw close to one + another, until each holds the other's hand. But they are so distressed at + not being able to come together more completely, that they curse the iron + bars. Then Lancelot asserts that, with the Queen's consent, he will come + inside to be with her, and that the bars cannot keep him out. And the + Queen replies: "Do you not see how the bars are stiff to bend and hard to + break? You could never so twist, pull or drag at them as to dislodge one + of them." "Lady," says he, "have no fear of that. It would take more than + these bars to keep me out. Nothing but your command could thwart my power + to come to you. If you will but grant me your permission, the way will + open before me. But if it is not your pleasure, then the way is so + obstructed that I could not possibly pass through." "Certainly," she says, + "I consent. My will need not stand in your way; but you must wait until I + retire to my bed again, so that no harm may come to you, for it would be + no joke or jest if the seneschal, who is sleeping here, should wake up on + hearing you. So it is best for me to withdraw, for no good could come of + it, if he should see me standing here." "Go then, lady," he replies; "but + have no fear that I shall make any noise. I think I can draw out the bars + so softly and with so little effort that no one shall be aroused." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4651-4754.) Then the Queen retires, and he prepares to loosen the + window. Seizing the bars, he pulls and wrenches them until he makes them + bend and drags them from their places. But the iron was so sharp that the + end of his little finger was cut to the nerve, and the first joint of the + next finger was torn; but he who is intent upon something else paid no + heed to any of his wounds or to the blood which trickled down. Though the + window is not low, Lancelot gets through it quickly and easily. First he + finds Kay asleep in his bed, then he comes to the bed of the Queen, whom + he adores and before whom he kneels, holding her more dear than the relic + of any saint. And the Queen extends her arms to him and, embracing him, + presses him tightly against her bosom, drawing him into the bed beside her + and showing him every possible satisfaction; her love and her heart go out + to him. It is love that prompts her to treat him so; and if she feels + great love for him, he feels a hundred thousand times as much for her. For + there is no love at all in other hearts compared with what there is in + his; in his heart love was so completely embodied that it was niggardly + toward all other hearts. Now Lancelot possesses all he wants, when the + Queen voluntarily seeks his company and love, and when he holds her in his + arms, and she holds him in hers. Their sport is so agreeable and sweet, as + they kiss and fondle each other, that in truth such a marvellous joy comes + over them as was never heard or known. But their joy will not be revealed + by me, for in a story, it has no place. Yet, the most choice and + delightful satisfaction was precisely that of which our story must not + speak. That night Lancelot's joy and pleasure were very great. But, to his + sorrow, day comes when he must leave his mistress' side. It cost him such + pain to leave her that he suffered a real martyr's agony. His heart now + stays where the Queen remains; he has not the power to lead it away, for + it finds such pleasure in the Queen that it has no desire to leave her: so + his body goes, and his heart remains. But enough of his body stays behind + to spot and stain the sheets with the blood which has fallen from his + fingers. Full of sighs and tears, Lancelot leaves in great distress. He + grieves that no time is fixed for another meeting, but it cannot be. + Regretfully he leaves by the window through which he had entered so + happily. He was so badly wounded in the fingers that they were in sorry, + state; yet he straightened the bars and set them in their place again, so + that from neither side, either before or behind, was it evident that any + one had drawn out or bent any of the bars. When he leaves the room, he + bows and acts precisely as if he were before a shrine; then he goes with a + heavy heart, and reaches his lodgings without being recognised by any one. + He throws himself naked upon his bed without awaking any one, and then for + the first time he is surprised to notice the cuts in his fingers; but he + is not at all concerned, for he is very sure that the wound was caused by + dragging the window bars from the wall. Therefore he was not at all + worried, for he would rather have had both arms dragged from his body than + not enter through the window. But he would have been very angry and + distressed, if he had thus injured and wounded himself under any other + circumstances. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 4755-5006.) In the morning, within her curtained room, the Queen had + fallen into a gentle sleep; she had not noticed that her sheets were + spotted with blood, but she supposed them to be perfectly white and clean + and presentable. Now Meleagant, as soon as he was dressed and ready, went + to the room where the Queen lay. He finds her awake, and he sees the + sheets spotted with fresh drops of blood, whereupon he nudges his + companions and, suspicious of some mischief, looks at the bed of Kay the + seneschal, and sees that his sheets are blood-stained too, for you must + know that in the night his wounds had begun to bleed afresh. Then he said: + "Lady, now I have found the evidence that I desired. It is very true that + any man is a fool to try to confine a woman: he wastes his efforts and his + pains. He who tries to keep her under guard loses her sooner than the man + who takes no thought of her. A fine watch, indeed, has been kept by my + father, who is guarding you on my behalf! He has succeeded in keeping you + from me, but, in spite of him, Kay the seneschal has looked upon you last + night, and has done what he pleased with you, as can readily be proved." + "What is that?" she asks. "Since I must speak, I find blood on your + sheets, which proves the fact. I know it and can prove it, because I find + on both your sheets and his the blood which issued from his wounds: the + evidence is very strong." Then the Queen saw on both beds the bloody + sheets, and marvelling, she blushed with shame and said: "So help me God, + this blood which I see upon my sheets was never brought here by Kay, but + my nose bled during the night, and I suppose it must be from my nose." In + saying so, she thinks she tells the truth. "By my head," says Meleagant, + "there is nothing in what you say. Swearing is of no avail, for you are + taken in your guilt, and the truth will soon be proved." Then he said to + the guards who were present: "Gentlemen, do not move, and see to it that + the sheets are not taken from the bed until I return. I wish the king to + do me justice, as soon as he has seen the truth." Then he searched until + he found him, and failing at his feet, he said: "Sire, come to see what + you have failed to guard. Come to see the Queen, and you shall see the + certain marvels which I have already seen and tested. But, before you go, + I beg you not to fail to be just and upright toward me. You know well to + what danger I have exposed myself for the Queen; yet, you are no friend of + mine and keep her from me under guard. This morning I went to see her in + her bed, and I remarked that Kay lies with her every night. Sire, for + God's sake, be not angry, if I am disgruntled and if I complain. For it is + very humiliating for me to be hated and despised by one with whom Kay is + allowed to lie." "Silence!" says the king; "I don't believe it." "Then + come, my lord, and see the sheets and the state in which Kay has left + them. Since you will not believe my words, and since you think I am lying, + I will show you the sheets and the quilt covered with blood from Kay's + wounds." "Come now," says the king, "I wish to see for myself, and my eyes + will judge of the truth." Then the king goes directly to the room, where + the Queen got up at his approach. He sees that the sheets are + blood-stained on her bed and on Kay's alike and he says: "Lady, it is + going badly now, if what my son has said is true." Then she replies: "So + help me God, never even in a dream was uttered such a monstrous lie. I + think Kay the seneschal is courteous and loyal enough not to commit such a + deed, and besides, I do not expose my body in the market-place, nor offer + it of my own free will. Surely, Kay is not the man to make an insulting + proposal to me, and I have never desired and shall never desire to do such + a thing myself." "Sire, I shall be much obliged to you," says Meleagant to + his father, "if Kay shall be made to atone for this outrage, and the + Queen's shame thus be exposed. It devolves upon you to see that justice is + done, and this justice I now request and claim. Kay has betrayed King + Arthur, his lord, who had such confidence in him that he entrusted to him + what he loved most in the world." "Let me answer, sire," says Kay, "and I + shall exonerate myself. May God have no mercy upon my soul when I leave + this world, if I ever lay with my lady! Indeed, I should rather be dead + than ever do my lord such an ugly wrong, and may God never grant me better + health than I have now but rather kill me on the spot, if such a thought + ever entered my mind! But I know that my wounds bled profusely last night, + and that is the reason why my sheets are stained with blood. That is why + your son suspects me, but surely he has no right to do so." And Meleagant + answers him: "So help me God, the devils and demons have betrayed you. You + grew too heated last night and, as a result of your exertions, your wounds + have doubtless bled afresh. There is no use in your denying it; we can see + it, and it is perfectly evident. It is right that he should atone for his + crime, who is so plainly taken in his guilt. Never did a knight with so + fair a name commit such iniquities as this, and yours is the shame for + it." "Sire, sire," says Kay to the king, "I will defend the Queen and + myself against the accusation of your son. He harasses and distresses me, + though he has no ground to treat me so." "You cannot fight," the king + replies, "you are too ill." "Sire, if you will allow it, I will fight with + him, ill as I am, and will show him that I am not guilty of the crime + which he imputes to me." But the Queen, having secretly sent word to + Lancelot, tells the king that she will present a knight who will defend + the seneschal, if Meleagant dares to urge this charge. Then Meleagant said + at once: "There is no knight without exception, even were he a giant, whom + I will not fight until one of us is defeated." Then Lancelot came in, and + with him such a rout of knights that the whole hall was filled with them. + As soon as he had entered, in the hearing of all, both young and old, the + Queen told what had happened, and said: "Lancelot, this insult has been + done me by Meleagant. In the presence of all who hear his words he says I + have lied, if you do not make him take it back. Last night, he asserted, + Kay lay with me, because he found my sheets, like his, all stained with + blood; and he says that he stands convicted, unless he will undertake his + own defence, or unless some one else will fight the battle on his behalf." + Lancelot says: "You need never use arguments with me. May it not please + God that either you or he should be thus discredited! I am ready to fight + and to prove to the extent of my power that he never was guilty of such a + thought. I am ready to employ my strength in his behalf, and to defend him + against this charge." Then Meleagant jumped up and said: "So help me God, + I am pleased and well satisfied with that: no one need think that I + object." And Lancelot said: "My lord king, I am well acquainted with suits + and laws, with trials and verdicts: in a question of veracity an oath + should be taken before the fight." Meleagant at once replies: "I agree to + take an oath; so let the relics be brought at once, for I know well that I + am right." And Lancelot answers him: "So help me God, no one who ever knew + Kay the seneschal would doubt his word on such a point." Then they call + for their horses, and ask that their arms be brought. This is promptly + done, and when the valets had armed them, they were ready for the fight. + Then the holy relics are brought forth: Meleagant steps forward, with + Lancelot by his side, and both fall on their knees. Then Meleagant, laying + his hands upon the relics, swears unreservedly: "So help me God and this + holy relic, Kay the seneschal lay with the Queen in her bed last night + and, had his pleasure with her." "And I swear that thou liest," says + Lancelot, "and furthermore I swear that he neither lay with her nor + touched her. And may it please God to take vengeance upon him who has + lied, and may He bring the truth to light! Moreover, I will take another + oath and swear, whoever may dislike it or be displeased, that if I am + permitted to vanquish Meleagant to-day, I will show him no mercy, so help + me God and these relics here!" The king felt no joy when he heard this + oath. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5007-5198.) When the oaths had been taken, their horses were brought + forward, which were fair and good in every way. Each man mounts his own + home, and they ride at once at each other as fast as the steeds can carry + them; and when the horses are in mid-career, the knights strike each other + so fiercely that there is nothing left of the lances in their hands. Each + brings the other to earth; however, they are not dismayed, but they rise + at once and attack each other with their sharp drawn swords. The burning + sparks fly in the air from their helmets. They assail each other so + bitterly with the drawn swords in their hands that, as they thrust and + draw, they encounter each other with their blows and will not pause even + to catch their breath. The king in his grief and anxiety called the Queen, + who had gone up in the tower to look out from the balcony: he begged her + for God's sake, the Creator, to let them be separated. "Whatever is your + pleasure is agreeable to me," the Queen says honestly: "I shall not object + to anything you do." Lancelot plainly heard what reply the Queen made to + the king's request, and from that time he ceased to fight and renounced + the struggle at once. But Meleagant does not wish to stop, and continues + to strike and hew at him. But the king rushes between them and stops his + son, who declares with an oath that he has no desire for peace. He wants + to fight, and cares not for peace. Then the king says to him: "Be quiet, + and take my advice, and be sensible. No shame or harm shall come to thee, + if thou wilt do what is right and heed my words. Dost thou not remember + that thou hast agreed to fight him at King Arthur's court? And dost thou + not suppose that it would be a much greater honour for thee to defeat him + there than anywhere else?" The king says this to see if he can so + influence him as to appease him and separate them. And Lancelot, who was + impatient to go in search of my lord Gawain, requests leave of the king + and Queen to depart. With their permission he goes away toward the + water-bridge, and after him there followed a great company of knights. But + it would have suited him very well, if many of those who went had stayed + behind. They make long days' journeys until they approach the + water-bridge, but are still about a league from it. Before they came in + sight of the bridge, a dwarf came to meet them on a mighty hunter, holding + a scourge with which to urge on and incite his steed. In accordance with + his instructions, he at once inquired: "Which of you is Lancelot? Don't + conceal him from me; I am of your party; tell me confidently, for I ask + the question for your good." Lancelot replies in his own behalf, and says: + "I am he whom thou seekest and askest for." "Ah," says the dwarf, "frank + knight, leave these people, and trust in me. Come along with me alone, for + I will take thee to a goodly place. Let no one follow thee for anything, + but let them wait here; for we shall return presently." He, suspecting no + harm in this, bids all his men stay there, and follows the dwarf who has + betrayed him. Meanwhile his men who wait for him may continue to expect + him long in vain, for they, who have taken and seized him, have no desire + to give him up. And his men are in such a state of grief at his failure to + return that they do not know what steps to take. They all say sorrowfully + that the dwarf has betrayed them. It would be useless to inquire for him: + with heavy hearts they begin to search, but they know not where to look + for him with any hope of finding him. So they all take counsel, and the + most reasonable and sensible agree on this, it seems: to go to the passage + of the water-bridge, which is close by, to see if they can find my lord + Gawain in wood or plain, and then with his advice search for Lancelot. + Upon this plan they all agree without dissension. Toward the water-bridge + they go, and as soon as they reach the bridge, they see my lord Gawain + overturned and fallen from the bridge into the stream which is very deep. + One moment he rises, and the next he sinks; one moment they see him, and + the next they lose him from sight. They make such efforts that they + succeed in raising him with branches, poles and hooks. He had nothing but + his hauberk on his back, and on his head was fixed his helmet, which was + worth ten of the common sort, and he wore his iron greaves, which were all + rusty with his sweat, for he had endured great trials, and had passed + victoriously through many perils and assaults. His lance, his shield, and + horse were all behind on the other bank. Those who have rescued him do not + believe he is alive. For his body was full of water, and until he got rid + of it, they did not hear him speak a word. But when his speech and voice + and the passageway to his heart are free, and as soon, as what he said + could be heard and understood, he tried to speak he inquired at once for + the Queen, whether those present had any news of her. And they replied + that she is still with King Bademagu, who serves her well and honourably. + "Has no one come to seek her in this land?" my lord Gawain then inquires + of them. And they answer him: "Yes, indeed." "Who?" "Lancelot of the + Lake," they say, "who crossed the sword-bridge, and rescued and delivered + her as well as all the rest of us. But we have been betrayed by a + pot-bellied, humpbacked, and crabbed dwarf. He has deceived us shamefully + in seducing Lancelot from us, and we do not know what he has done with + him." "When was that?" my lord Gawain inquires. "Sire, near here this very + day this trick was played on us, while he was coming with us to meet you." + "And how has Lancelot been occupied since he entered this land?" Then they + begin to tell him all about him in detail, and then they tell him about + the Queen, how she is waiting for him and asserting that nothing could + induce her to leave the country, until she sees him or hears some credible + news of him. To them my lord Gawain replies: "When we leave this bridge, + we shall go to search for Lancelot." There is not one who does not advise + rather that they go to the Queen at once, and have the king seek Lancelot, + for it is their opinion that his son Meleagant has shown his enmity by + having him cast into prison. But if the king can learn where he is, he + will certainly make him surrender him: they can rely upon this with + confidence. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5199-5256.) They all agreed upon this plan, and started at once upon + their way until they drew near the court where the Queen and king were. + There, too, was Kay the seneschal, and that disloyal man, full to + overflowing of treachery, who has aroused the greatest anxiety for + Lancelot on the part of the party which now arrives. They feel they have + been discomfited and betrayed, and they make great lament in their misery. + It is not a gracious message which reports this mourning to the Queen. + Nevertheless, she deports herself with as good a grace as possible. She + resolves to endure it, as she must, for the sake of my lord Gawain. + However, she does not so conceal her grief that it does not somewhat + appear. She has to show both joy and grief at once: her heart is empty for + Lancelot, and to my lord Gawain she shows excessive joy. Every one who + hears of the loss of Lancelot is grief-stricken and distracted. The king + would have rejoiced at the coming of my lord Gawain and would have been + delighted with his acquaintance; but he is so sorrowful and distressed + over the betrayal of Lancelot that he is prostrated and full of grief. And + the Queen beseeches him insistently to have him searched for, up and down + throughout the land, without postponement or delay. My lord Gawain and Kay + and all the others join in this prayer and request. "Leave this care to + me, and speak no more of it," the king replies, "for I have been ready to + do so for some time. Without need of request or prayer this search shall + be made with thoroughness." Everyone bows in sign of gratitude, and the + king at once sends messengers through his realm, sagacious and prudent + men-at-arms, who inquired for him throughout the land. They made inquiry + for him everywhere, but gained no certain news of him. Not finding any, + they come back to the place where the knights remain; then Gawain and Kay + and all the others say that they will go in search of him, fully armed and + lance in rest; they will not trust to sending some one else. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5257-5378.) One day after dinner they were all in the hall putting on + their arms, and the point had been reached where there was nothing to do + but start, when a valet entered and passed by them all until he came + before the Queen, whose cheeks were by no means rosy! For she was in such + mourning for Lancelot, of whom she had no news, that she had lost all her + colour. The valet greeted her as well as the king, who was by her side, + and then all the others and Kay and my lord Gawain. He held a letter in + his hand which he gave to the king, who took it. The king had it read in + the hearing of all by one who made no mistake in reading it. The reader + knew full well how to communicate to them what was written in the + parchment: he says that Lancelot sends greetings to the king as his kind + lord, and thanks him for the honour and kindness he has shown him, and + that he now places himself at the king's orders. And know that he is now + hale and hearty at King Arthur's court, and he bids him tell the Queen to + come thither, if she will consent, in company with my lord Gawain and Kay. + In proof of which, he affixed his signature which they should recognise, + as indeed they did. At this they were very happy and glad; the whole court + resounds with their jubilation, and they say they will start next day as + soon as it is light. So, when the day broke, they make ready and prepare: + they rise and mount and start. With great joy and jubilee the king escorts + them for a long distance on their way. When he has conducted them to the + frontier and has seen them safely across the border, he takes leave of the + Queen, and likewise of all the rest. And when he comes to take his leave, + the Queen is careful to express her gratitude for all the kindness he has + shown to her, and throwing her arms about his neck, she offers and + promises him her own service and that of her lord: no greater promise can + she make. And my lord Gawain promises his service to him, as to his lord + and friend, and then Kay does likewise, and all the rest. Then the king + commends them to God as they start upon their way. After these three, he + bids the rest farewell, and then turns his face toward home. The Queen and + her company do not tarry a single day until news of them reaches the + court. King Arthur was delighted at the news of the Queen's approach, and + he is happy and pleased at the thought that his nephew had brought about + the Queen's return, as well as that of Kay and of the lesser folk. But the + truth is quite different from what he thinks. All the town is cleared as + they go to meet them, and knights and vassals join in shouting as they + approach: "Welcome to my lord Gawain, who has brought back the Queen and + many another captive lady, and has freed for us many prisoners!" Then + Gawain answered them: "Gentlemen, I do not deserve your praise. Do not + trouble ever to say this again, for the compliment does not apply to me. + This honour causes me only shame, for I did not reach the Queen in time; + my detention made me late. But Lancelot reached there in time, and won + such honour as was never won by any other knight." "Where is he, then, + fair dear sire, for we do not see him here?" "Where?" echoes my lord + Gawain; "at the court of my lord the King, to be sure. Is he not?" "No, he + is not here, or anywhere else in this country. Since my lady was taken + away, we have had no news of him." Then for the first time my lord Gawain + realised that the letter had been forged, and that they had been betrayed + and deceived: by the letter they had been misled. Then they all begin to + lament, and they come thus weeping to the court, where the King at once + asks for information about the affair. There were plenty who could tell + him how much Lancelot had done, how the Queen and all the captives were + delivered from durance by him, and by what treachery the dwarf had stolen + him and drawn him away from them. This news is not pleasing to the King, + and he is very sorry and full of grief; but his heart is so lightened by + the pleasure he takes in the Queen's return, that his grief concludes in + joy. When he has what he most desires, he cares little for the rest. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5379-5514.) While the Queen was out of the country, I believe, the + ladies and the damsels who were disconsolate, decided among themselves + that they would marry, soon, and they organised a contest and a + tournament. The lady of Noauz was patroness of it, with the lady of + Pomelegloi. They will have nothing to do with those who fare ill, but they + assert that they will accept those who comport themselves well in the + tournament. And they had the date of the contest proclaimed s long while + in advance in all the countries near and far, in order that there might be + more participants. Now the Queen arrived before the date they had set, and + as soon as the ladies heard of the Queen's return, most of them came at + once to the King and besought him to grant them a favour and boon, which + he did. He promised to do whatever they wished, before he knew what their + desire might be. Then they told him that they wished him to let the Queen + come to be present at their contest. And he who was not accustomed to + forbid, said he was willing, if she wished ir so. In happy mood they go to + the Queen and say to her: "Lady, do not deprive us of the boon which the + King has granted us." Then she asks them: "What is that? Don't fail to + tell!" Then they say to her: "If you will come to our tournament, he will + not gainsay you nor stand in the way." Then she said that she would come, + since he was willing that she should. Promptly the dames send word + throughout the realm that they are going to bring the Queen on the day set + for the tournament. The news spread far and near, here and there, until it + reached the kingdom whence no one used to return—but now whoever + wished might enter or pass out unopposed. The news travelled in this + kingdom until it came to a seneschal of the faithless Meleagant may an + evil fire burn him! This seneschal had Lancelot in his keeping, for to him + he had been entrusted by his enemy Meleagant, who hated him with deadly + hate. Lancelot learned the hour and date of the tournament, and as soon as + he heard of it, his eyes were not tearless nor was his heart glad. The + lady of the house, seeing Lancelot sad and pensive, thus spoke to him: + "Sire, for God's sake and for your own soul's good, tell me truly," the + lady said, "why you are so changed. You won't eat or drink anything, and I + see that you do not make merry or laugh. You can tell me with confidence + why you are so sad and troubled." "Ah, lady, for God's sake, do not be + surprised that I am sad! Truly, I am very much downcast, since I cannot be + present where all that is good in the world will be assembled: that is, at + the tournament where there will be a gathering of the people who make the + earth tremble. Nevertheless, if it pleased you, and if God should incline + your heart to let me go thither, you might rest assured that I should be + careful to return to my captivity here." "I would gladly do it," she + replied, "if I did not see that my death and destruction would result. But + I am in such terror of my lord, the despicable Meleagant, that I would not + dare to do it, for he would kill my husband at once. It is not strange + that I am afraid of him, for, as you know, he is very bad." "Lady, if you + are afraid that I may not return to you at once after the tournament, I + will take an oath which I will never break, that nothing will detain me + from returning at once to my prison here immediately after the + tournament." "Upon my word," said she, "I will allow it upon one + condition." "Lady, what condition is that?" Then she replies: "Sire, upon + condition that you wilt swear to return to me, and promise that I shall + have your love." "Lady, I give you all the love I have, and swear to come + back." Then the lady laughs and says: "I have no cause to boast of such a + gift, for I know you have bestowed upon some one else the love for which I + have just made request. However, I do not disdain to take so much of it as + I can get. I shall be satisfied with what I can have, and will accept your + oath that you will be so considerate of me as to return hither a + prisoner." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5515-5594.) In accordance with her wish, Lancelot swears by Holy + Church that he will return without fail. And the lady at once gives him + the vermilion arms of her lord, and his horse which was marvellously good + and strong and brave. He mounts and leaves, armed with handsome, new arms, + and proceeds until he comes to Noauz. He espoused this side in the + tournament, and took his lodging outside the town. Never did such a noble + man choose such a small and lowly lodging-place; but he did not wish to + lodge where he might be recognised. There were many good and excellent + knights gathered within the town. But there were many more outside, for so + many had come on account of the presence of the Queen that the fifth part + could not be accommodated inside. For every one who would have been there + under ordinary circumstances, there were seven who would not have come + excepting on the Queen's account. The barons were quartered in tents, + lodges, and pavilions for five leagues around. Moreover, it was wonderful + how many gentle ladies and damsels were there. Lancelot placed his shield + outside the door of his lodging-place, and then, to make himself more + comfortable, he took off his arms and lay down upon a bed which he held in + slight esteem; for it was narrow and had a thin mattress, and was covered + with a coarse hempen cloth. Lancelot had thrown himself upon the bed all + disarmed, and as he lay there in such poor estate, behold! a fellow came + in in his shirt-sleeves; he was a herald-at-arms, and had left his coat + and shoes in the tavern as a pledge; so he came running barefoot and + exposed to the wind. He saw the shield hanging outside the door, and + looked at it: but naturally he did not recognise it or know to whom it + belonged, or who was the bearer of it. He sees the door of the house + standing open, and upon entering, he sees Lancelot upon the bed, and as + soon as he saw him, he recognised him and crossed himself. And Lancelot + made a sign to him, and ordered him not to speak of him wherever he might + go, for if he should tell that he knew him, it would be better for him to + have his eyes put out or his neck broken. "Sire," the herald says, "I have + always held you in high esteem, and so long as I live, I shall never do + anything to cause you displeasure." Then he runs from the house and cries + aloud: "Now there has come one who will take the measure! <a + href="#linknote-423" name="linknoteref-423"><small>423</small></a> + Now there has come one who will take the measure!" The fellow shouts this + everywhere, and the people come from every side and ask him what is the + meaning of his cry. He is not so rash as to answer them, but goes on + shouting the same words: "Now there has come one who will take the + measure!" This herald was the master of us all, when he taught us to use + the phrase, for he was the first to make use of it. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5595-5640.) Now the crowd was assembled, including the Queen and all + the ladies, the knights and the other people, and there were many + men-at-arms everywhere, to the right and left. At the place where the + tournament was to be, there were some large wooden stands for the use of + the Queen with her ladies and damsels. Such fine stands were never seen + before they were so long and well constructed. Thither the ladies betook + themselves with the Queen, wishing to see who would fare better or worse + in the combat. Knights arrive by tens, twenties, and thirties, here eighty + and there ninety, here a hundred, there still more, and yonder twice as + many yet; so that the press is so great in front of the stands and all + around that they decide to begin the joust. As they assemble, armed and + unarmed, their lances suggest the appearance of a wood, for those who have + come to the sport brought so many lances that there is nothing in sight + but lances, banners, and standards. Those who are going to take part begin + to joust, and they find plenty of their companions who had come with + similar intent. Still others prepare to perform other feats of chivalry. + The fields, meadows, and fallow lands are so full of knights that it is + impossible to estimate how many of them are there. But there was no sign + of Lancelot at this first gathering of the knights; but later, when he + entered the middle of the field, the herald saw him and could not refrain + from crying out: "Behold him who will take the measure! Behold him who + will take the measure!" And the people ask him who he is, but he will not + tell them anything. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 5641-6104.) When Lancelot entered the tournament, he was as good as + twenty of the best, and he began to fight so doughtily that no one could + take his eyes from him, wherever he was. On the Pomelegloi side there was + a brave and valorous knight, and his horse was spirited and swifter than a + wild stag. He was the son of the Irish king, and fought well and + handsomely. But the unknown knight pleased them all more a hundred times. + In wonder they all make haste to ask: "Who is this knight who fights so + well?" And the Queen privily called a clever and wise damsel to her and + said: "Damsel, you must carry a message, and do it quickly and with few + words. Go down from the stand, and approach yonder knight with the + vermilion shield, and tell him privately that I bid him do his 'worst'." + She goes quickly, and with intelligence executes the Queen's command. She + sought the knight until she came up close to him; then she said to him + prudently and in a voice so low that no one standing by might hear: "Sire, + my lady the Queen sends you word by me that you shall do your 'worst'." + When he heard this, he replied: "Very willingly," like one who is + altogether hers. Then he rides at another knight as hard as his horse can + carry him, and misses his thrust which should have struck him. From that + time till evening fell he continued to do as badly as possible in + accordance with the Queen's desire. But the other, who fought with him, + did not miss his thrust, but struck him with such violence that he was + roughly handled. Thereupon he took to flight, and after that he never + turned his horse's head toward any knight, and were he to die for it, he + would never do anything unless he saw in it his shame, disgrace, and + dishonour; he even pretends to be afraid of all the knights who pass to + and fro. And the very knights who formerly esteemed him now hurled jests + and jibes at him. And the herald who had been saying: "He will beat them + all in turn!" is greatly dejected and discomfited when he hears the + scornful jokes of those who shout: "Friend, say no more! This fellow will + not take any one's measure again. He has measured so much that his + yardstick is broken, of which thou hast boasted to us so much." Many say: + "What is he going to do? He was so brave just now; but now he is so + cowardly that there is not a knight whom he dares to face. The cause of + his first success must have been that he never engaged at arms before, and + he was so brave at his first attack that the most skilled knight dared not + withstand him, for he fought like a wild man. But now he has learned so + much of arms that he will never wish to bear them again his whole life + long. His heart cannot longer endure the thought, for there is nothing + more cowardly than his heart." And the Queen, as she watches him, is happy + and well-pleased, for she knows full well, though she does not say it, + that this is surely Lancelot. Thus all day long till evening he played his + coward's part, and late in the afternoon they separated. At parting there + was a great discussion as to who had done the best. The son of the Irish + king thinks that without doubt or contradiction he has all the glory and + renown. But he is grievously mistaken, for there were plenty of others as + good as he. Even the vermilion knight so pleased the fairest and gentlest + of the ladies and damsels that they had gazed at him more than at any + other knight, for they had remarked how well he fought at first, and how + excellent and brave he was; then he had become so cowardly that he dared + not face a single knight, and even the worst of them could defeat and + capture him at will. But knights and ladies all agreed that on the morrow + they should return to the list, and the damsels should choose as their + lords those who should win honour in that day's fight: on this arrangement + they all agree. Then they turn toward their lodgings, and when they had + returned, here and there men began to say: "What has become of the worst, + the most craven and despised of knights? Whither did he go? Where is he + concealed? Where is he to be found? Where shall we search for him? We + shall probably never see him again. For he has been driven off by + cowardice, with which he is so filled that there is no greater craven in + the world than he. And he is not wrong, for a coward is a hundred times + more at ease than a valorous fighting man. Cowardice is easy of entreaty, + and that is the reason he has given her the kiss of peace and has taken + from her all she has to give. Courage never so debased herself as to lodge + in his breast or take quarters near him. But cowardice is altogether + lodged with him, and she has found a host who will honour her and serve + her so faithfully that he is willing to resign his own fair name for + hers." Thus they wrangle all night, vying with each other in slander. But + often one man maligns another, and yet is much worse himself than the + object of his blame and scorn. Thus, every one said what he pleased about + him. And when the next day dawned, all the people prepared and came again + to the jousting place. The Queen was in the stand again, accompanied by + her ladies and damsels and many knights without their arms, who had been + captured or defeated, and these explained to them the armorial bearings of + the knights whom they most esteem. Thus they talk among themselves: <a + href="#linknote-424" name="linknoteref-424"><small>424</small></a> + "Do you see that knight yonder with a golden band across the middle of his + red shield? That is Governauz of Roberdic. And do you see that other one, + who has an eagle and a dragon painted side by side upon his shield? That + is the son of the King of Aragon, who has come to this land in search of + glory and renown. And do you see that one beside him, who thrusts and + jousts so well, bearing a shield with a leopard painted on a green ground + on one part, and the other half is azure blue? That is Ignaures the + well-beloved, a lover himself and jovial. And he who bears the shield with + the pheasants portrayed beak to beak is Coguillanz of Mautirec. Do you see + those two side by side, with their dappled steeds, and golden shields + showing black lions? One is named Semiramis, and the other is his + companion; their shields are painted alike. And do you see the one who has + a shield with a gate painted on it, through which a stag appears to be + passing out? That is King Ider, in truth." Thus they talk up in the stand. + "That shield was made at Limoges, whence it was brought by Pilades, who is + very ardent and keen to be always in the fight. That shield, bridle, and + breast-strap were made at Toulouse, and were brought here by Kay of + Estraus. The other came from Lyons on the Rhone, and there is no better + under heaven; for his great merit it was presented to Taulas of the + Desert, who bears it well and protects himself with it skilfully. Yonder + shield is of English workmanship and was made at London; you see on it two + swallows which appear as if about to fly; yet they do not move, but + receive many blows from the Poitevin lances of steel; he who has it is + poor Thoas." Thus they point out and describe the arms of those they know; + but they see nothing of him whom they had held in such contempt, and, not + remarking him in the fray, they suppose that he has slipped away. When the + Queen sees that he is not there, she feels inclined to send some one to + search for him in the crowd until he be found. She knows of no one better + to send in search of him than she who yesterday performed her errand. So, + straightway calling her, she said to her: "Damsel, go and mount your + palfrey! I send you to the same knight as I sent you yesterday, and do you + seek him until you find him. Do not delay for any cause, and tell him + again to do his 'worst'. And when you have given him this message, mark + well what reply he makes." The damsel makes no delay, for she had + carefully noticed the direction he took the night before, knowing well + that she would be sent to him again. She made her way through the ranks + until she saw the knight, whom she instructs at once to do his "worst" + again, if he desires the love and favour of the Queen which she sends him. + And he makes answer: "My thanks to her, since such is her will." Then the + damsel went away, and the valets, sergeants, and squires begin to shout: + "See this marvellous thing! He of yesterday with the vermilion arms is + back again. What can he want? Never in the world was there such a vile, + despicable, and craven wretch! He is so in the power of cowardice that + resistance is useless on his part." And the damsel returns to the Queen, + who detained her and would not let her go until she heard what his + response had been; then she heartily rejoiced, feeling no longer any doubt + that this is he to whom she altogether belongs, and he is hers in like + manner. Then she bids the damsel quickly return and tell him that it is + her command and prayer that he shall do his "best "; and she says she will + go at once without delay. She came down from the stand to where her valet + with the palfrey was awaiting her. She mounted and rode until she found + the knight, to whom she said at once: "Sire, my lady now sends word that + you shall do the 'best' you can!" And he replies: "Tell her now that it is + never a hardship to do her will, for whatever pleases her is my delight." + The maiden was not slow in bearing back this message, for she thinks it + will greatly please and delight the Queen. She made her way as directly as + possible to the stand, where the Queen rose and started to meet her, + however, she did not go down, but waited for her at the top of the steps. + And the damsel came happy in the message she had to bear. When she had + climbed the steps and reached her side, she said: "Lady, I never saw so + courteous g knight, for he is more than ready to obey every command you + send to him, for, if the truth be known, he accepts good and evil with the + same countenance." "Indeed," says the Queen, "that may well be so." Then + she returns to the balcony to watch the knights. And Lancelot without + delay seizes his shield by the leather straps, for he is kindled and + consumed by the desire to show his prowess. Guiding his horse's head, he + lets him run between two lines. All those mistaken and deluded men, who + have spent a large part of the day and night in heaping him with ridicule, + will soon be disconcerted. For a long time they have had their sport and + joke and fun. The son of the King of Ireland held his shield closely + gripped by the leather straps, as he spurs fiercely to meet him from the + opposite direction. They come together with such violence that the son of + the Irish king having broken and splintered his lance, wishes no more of + the tournament; for it was not moss he struck, but hard, dry boards. In + this encounter Lancelot taught him one of his thrusts, when he pinned his + shield to his arm, and his arm to his side, and brought him down from his + horse to earth. Like arrows the knights at once fly out, spurring and + pricking from either side, some to relieve this knight, others to add to + his distress. While some thus try to aid their lords, many a saddle is + left empty in the strife and fray. But all that day Gawain took no hand at + arms, though he was with the others there, for he took such pleasure in + watching the deeds of him with the red painted arms that what the others + did seemed to him pale in comparison. And the herald cheered up again, as + he shouted aloud so that all could hear: "Here there has one come who will + take the measure! To-day you shall see what he can do. To-day his prowess + shall appear." Then the knight directs his steed and makes a very skilful + thrust against a certain knight, whom he strikes so hard that he carries + him a hundred feet or more from his horse. His feats with sword and lance + are so well performed that there is none of the onlookers who does not + find pleasure in watching him. Many even of those who bear arms find + pleasure and satisfaction in what he does, for it is great sport to see + how he makes horses and knights tumble and fall. He encounters hardly a + single knight who is able to keep his seat, and he gives the horses he + wins to those who want them. Then those who had been making game of him + said: "Now we are disgraced and mortified. It was a great mistake for us + to deride and vilify this man, for he is surely worth a thousand such as + we are on this field; for he has defeated and outdone all the knights in + the world, so that there is no one now that opposes him." And the damsels, + who amazed were watching him, all said that he might take them to wife; + but they did not dare to trust in their beauty or wealth, or power or + highness, for not for her beauty or wealth would this peerless knight + deign to choose any one of them. Yet, most of them are so enamoured of him + that they say that, unless they marry him, they will not be bestowed upon + any man this year. And the Queen, who hears them boast, laughs to herself + and enjoy the fun, for well she knows that if all the gold of Arabia + should be set before him, yet he who is beloved by them all would not + select the best, the fairest, or the most charming of the group. One wish + is common to them all—each wishes to have him as her spouse. One is + jealous of another, as if she were already his wife; and all this is + because they see him so adroit that in their opinion no mortal man could + perform such deeds as he had done. He did so well that when the time came + to leave the list, they admitted freely on both sides that no one had + equalled the knight with the vermilion shield. All said this, and it was + true. But when he left, he allowed his shield and lance and trappings to + fall where he saw the thickest press, then he rode off hastily with such + secrecy that no one of all the host noticed that he had disappeared. But + he went straight back to the place whence he had come, to keep his oath. + When the tournament broke up, they all searched and asked for him, but + without success, for he fled away, having no desire to be recognised. The + knights are disappointed and distressed, for they would have rejoiced to + have him there. But if the knights were grieved to have been deserted + thus, still greater was the damsels' grief when they learned the truth, + and they asserted by St. John that they would not marry at all that year. + If they can't have him whom they truly love, then all the others may be + dismissed. Thus the tourney was adjourned without any of them choosing a + husband. Meanwhile Lancelot without delay repairs to his prison. But the + seneschal arrived two or three days before Lancelot, and inquired where he + was. And his wife, who had given to Lancelot his fair and well-equipped + vermilion arms, as well as his harness and his horse, told the truth to + the seneschal—how she had sent him where there had been jousting at + the tourney of Noauz. "Lady," the seneschal replies, "you could truly have + done nothing worse than that. Doubtless, I shall smart for this, for my + lord Meleagant will treat me worse than the beach-combers' law would treat + me were I a mariner in distress. I shall be killed or banished the moment + he hears the news, and he will have no pity for me." "Fair sire, be not + now dismayed," the lady said; "there is no occasion for the fear you feel. + There is no possibility of his detention, for he swore to me by the saints + that he would return as soon as possible." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6105-6166.) <a href="#linknote-425" name="linknoteref-425"><small>425</small></a> Then the seneschal mounts, and + coming to his lord, tells him the whole story of the episode; but at the + same time, he emphatically reassures him, telling how his wife had + received his oath that he would return to his prison. "He will not break + his word, I know," says Meleagant: "and yet I am very much displeased at + what your wife has done. Not for any consideration would I have had him + present at that tournament. But return now, and see to it that, when he + comes back, he be so strictly guarded that he shall not escape from his + prison or have any freedom of body: and send me word at once." "Your + orders shall be obeyed," says the seneschal. Then he goes away and finds + Lancelot returned as prisoner in his yard. A messenger, sent by the + seneschal, runs back at once to Meleagant, appraising him of Lancelot's + return. When he heard this news, he took masons and carpenters who + unwillingly or of their own free-will executed his commands. He summoned + the best artisans in the land, and commanded them to build a tower, and + exert themselves to build it well. The stone was quarried by the seaside; + for near Gorre on this side there runs a big broad arm of the sea, in the + midst of which an island stood, as Meleagant well knew. He ordered the + stone to be carried thither and the material for the construction of the + tower. In less than fifty-seven days the tower was completely built, high + and thick and well-founded. When it was completed, he had Lancelot brought + thither by night, and after putting him in the tower, he ordered the doors + to be walled up, and made all the masons swear that they would never utter + a word about this tower. It was his will that it should be thus sealed up, + and that no door or opening should remain, except one small window. Here + Lancelot was compelled to stay, and they gave him poor and meagre fare + through this little window at certain hours, as the disloyal wretch had + ordered and commanded them. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6167-6220.) Now Meleagant has carried out all his purpose, and he + betakes himself to King Arthur's court: behold him now arrived! And when + he was before the King, he thus spoke with pride and arrogance: "King, I + have scheduled a battle to take place in thy presence and in thy court. + But I see nothing of Lancelot who agreed to be my antagonist. + Nevertheless, as my duty is, in the hearing of all who are present here, I + offer myself to fight this battle. And if he is here, let him now step + forth and agree to meet me in your court a year from now. I know not if + any one has told you how this battle was agreed upon. But I see knights + here who were present at our conference, and who, if they would, could + tell you the truth. If he should try to deny the truth, I should employ no + hireling to take my place, but would prove it to him hand to hand." The + Queen, who was seated beside the King, draws him to her as she says: + "Sire, do you know who that knight is? It is Meleagant who carried me away + while escorted by Kay the seneschal; he caused him plenty of shame and + mischief too." And the King answered her: "Lady, I understand; I know full + well that it is he who held my people in distress." The Queen says no + more, but the King addresses Meleagant: "Friend," he says, "so help me + God, we are very sad because we know nothing of Lancelot." "My lord King," + says Meleagant, "Lancelot told me that I should surely find him here. + Nowhere but in your court must I issue the call to this battle, and I + desire all your knights here to bear me witness that I summon him to fight + a year from to-day, as stipulated when we agreed to fight." + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6221-6458.) At this my lord Gawain gets up, much distressed at what + he hears: "Sire, there is nothing known of Lancelot in all this land," he + says; "but we shall send in search of him and, if God will, we shall find + him yet, before the end of the year is reached, unless he be dead or in + prison. And if he does not appear, then grant me the battle, and I will + fight for him: I will arm myself in place of Lancelot, if he does not + return before that day." "Ah," says Meleagant, "for God's sake, my fair + lord King, grant him the boon. I join my request to his desire, for I know + no knight in all the world with whom I would more gladly try my strength, + excepting only Lancelot. But bear in mind that, if I do not fight with one + of them, I will accept no exchange or substitution for either one." And + the King says that this is understood, if Lancelot does not return within + the time. Then Meleagant left the royal court and journeyed until he found + his father, King Bademagu. In order to appear brave and of consideration + in his presence, he began by making a great pretence and by assuming an + expression of marvellous cheer. That day the king was holding a joyous + court at his city of Bade; <a href="#linknote-426" name="linknoteref-426"><small>426</small></a> it was his birthday, which he + celebrated with splendour and generosity, and there were many people of + divers sorts gathered with him. All the palace was filled with knights and + damsels, and among them was the sister of Meleagant, of whom I shall tell + you, farther on, what is my thought and reason for mentioning her here. + But it is not fitting that I should explain it here, for I do not wish to + confuse or entangle my material, but rather to treat it straight + forwardly. Now I must tell you that Meleagant in the hearing of all, both + great and small, spoke thus to his father boastingly: "Father," he says, + "so help me God, please tell me truly now whether he ought not to be + well-content, and whether he is not truly brave, who can cause his arms to + be feared at King Arthur's court?" To this question his father replies at + once: "Son," he says, "all good men ought to honour and serve and seek the + company of one whose deserts are such." Then he flattered him with the + request that he should not conceal why he has alluded to this, what he + wishes, and whence he comes. "Sire, I know not whether you remember," + Meleagant begins, "the agreements and stipulations which were recorded + when Lancelot and I made peace. It was then agreed, I believe, and in the + presence of many we were told, that we should present ourselves at the end + of a year at Arthur's court. I went thither at the appointed time, ready + equipped for my business there. I did everything that had been prescribed: + I called and searched for Lancelot, with whom I was to fight, but I could + not gain a sight of him: he had fled and run away. When I came away, + Gawain pledged his word that, if Lancelot is not alive and does not return + within the time agreed upon, no further postponement will be asked, but + that he himself will fight the battle against me in place of Lancelot. + Arthur has no knight, as is well known, whose fame equals his, but before + the flowers bloom again, I shall see, when we come to blows, whether his + fame and his deeds are in accord: I only wish it could be settled now!" + "Son," says his father, "thou art acting exactly like a fool. Any one, who + knew it not before, may learn of thy madness from thy own lips. A good + heart truly humbles itself, but the fool and the boastful never lose their + folly. Son, to thee I direct my words, for the traits of thy character are + so hard and dry, that there is no place for sweetness or friendship. Thy + heart is altogether pitiless: thou art altogether in folly's grasp. This + accounts for my slight respect for thee, and this is what will cast thee + down. If thou art brave, there will be plenty of men to say so in time of + need. A virtuous man need not praise his heart in order to enhance his + deed; the deed itself will speak in its own praise. Thy self-praise does + not aid thee a whit to increase in any one's esteem; indeed, I hold thee + in less esteem. Son, I chasten thee; but to what end? It is of little use + to advise a fool. He only wastes his strength in vain who tries to cure + the madness of a fool, and the wisdom that one teaches and expounds is + worthless, wasted and unemployed, unless it is expressed in works." Then + Meleagant was sorely enraged and furious. I may truly say that never could + you see a mortal man so full of anger as he was; the last bond between + them was broken then, as he spoke to his father these ungracious words: + "Are you in a dream or trance, when you say that I am mad to tell you how + my matters stand? I thought I had come to you as to my lord and my father; + but that does not seem to be the case, for you insult me more outrageously + than I think you have any right to do; moreover, you can give no reason + for having addressed me thus." "Indeed, I can." "What is it, then?" + "Because I see nothing in thee but folly and wrath. I know very well what + thy courage is like, and that it will cause thee great trouble yet. A + curse upon him who supposes that the elegant Lancelot, who is esteemed by + all but thee, has ever fled from thee through fear. I am sure that he is + buried or confined in some prison whose door is barred so tight that he + cannot escape without leave. I should surely be sorely grieved if he were + dead or in distress. It would surely be too bad, were a creature so + splendidly equipped, so fair, so bold, yet so serene, to perish thus + before his time. But, may it please God, this is not true." Then Bademagu + said no more; but a daughter of his had listened attentively to all his + words, and you must know that it was she whom I mentioned earlier in my + tale, and who is not happy now to hear such news of Lancelot. It is quite + clear to her that he is shut up, since no one knows any news of him or his + wanderings. "May God never look upon me, if I rest until I have some sure + and certain news of him!" Straightway, without making any noise or + disturbance, she runs and mounts a fair and easy-stepping mule. But I must + say that when she leaves the court, she knows not which way to turn. + However, she asks no advice in her predicament, but takes the first road + she finds, and rides along at random rapidly, unaccompanied by knight or + squire. In her eagerness she makes haste to attain the object of her + search. Keenly she presses forward in her quest, but it will not soon + terminate. She may not rest or delay long in any single place, if she + wishes to carry out her plan, to release Lancelot from his prison, if she + can find him and if it is possible. But in my opinion, before she finds + him she will have searched in many a land, after many a journey and many a + quest, before she has any news of him. But what would be the use of my + telling you of her lodgings and her journeyings? Finally, she travelled so + far through hill and dale, up and down, that more than a month had passed, + and as yet she had learned only so much as she knew before—that is, + absolutely nothing. One day she was crossing a field in a sad and pensive + mood, when she saw a tower in the distance standing by the shore of an arm + of the sea. Not within a league around about was there any house, cottage, + or dwelling-place. Meleagant had had it built, and had confined Lancelot + within. But of all this she still was unaware. As soon as she espied the + tower, she fixed her attention upon it to the exclusion of all else. And + her heart gives her assurance that here is the object of her quest; now at + last she has reached her goal, to which Fortune through many trials has at + last directed her. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6459-6656.) The damsel draws so near to the tower that she can touch + it with her hands. She walks about, listening attentively, I suppose, if + perchance she may hear some welcome sound. She looks down and she gazes + up, and she sees that the tower is strong and high and thick. She is + amazed to see no door or window, except one little narrow opening. + Moreover, there was no ladder or steps about this high, sheer tower. For + this reason she surmises that it was made so intentionally, and that + Lancelot is confined inside. But she resolves that before she tastes of + food, she will learn whether this is so or not. She thinks she will call + Lancelot by name, and is about to do so when she is deterred by hearing + from the tower a voice which was making a marvellously sad moan as it + called on death. It implores death to come, and complains of misery + unbearable. In contempt of the body and life, it weakly piped in a low, + hoarse tone: "Ah, fortune, how disastrously thy wheel has turned for me! + Thou hast mocked me shamefully: a while ago I was up, but now I am down; I + was well off of late, but now I am in a sorry state; not long since thou + didst smile on me, but now thy eyes are filled with tears. Alas, poor + wretch, why didst thou trust in her, when so soon she has deserted thee! + Behold, in a very little while she has cast thee down from thy high + estate! Fortune, it was wrong of thee to mock me thus; but what carest + thou! Thou carest not how it may turn out. Ah, sacred Cross! All, Holy + Ghost! How am I wretched and undone! How completely has my career been + closed! Ah, Gawain, you who possess such worth, and whose goodness is + unparalleled, surely I may well be amazed that you do not come to succour + me. Surely you delay too long and are not showing courtesy. He ought + indeed to receive your aid whom you used to love so devotedly! For my part + I may truly say that there is no lodging place or retreat on either side + of the sea, where I would not have searched for you at least seven or ten + years before finding you, if I knew you to be in prison. But why do I thus + torment myself? You do not care for me even enough to take this trouble. + The rustic is right when he says that it is hard nowadays to find a + friend! It is easy to rest the true friend in time of need. Alas! more + than a year has passed since first I was put inside this tower. I feel + hurt, Gawain, that you have so long deserted me! But doubtless you know + nothing of all this, and I have no ground for blaming you. Yes, when I + think of it, this must be the case, and I was very wrong to imagine such a + thing; for I am confident that not for all the world contains would you + and your men have failed to come to release me from this trouble and + distress, if you were aware of it. If for no other reason, you would be + bound to do this out of love for me, your companion. But it is idle to + talk about it—it cannot be. Ah, may the curse and the damnation of + God and St. Sylvester rest upon him who has shut me up so shamefully! He + is the vilest man alive, this envious Meleagant, to treat me as evilly as + possible!" Then he, who is wearing out his life in grief, ceases speaking + and holds his peace. But when she, who was lingering at the base of the + tower, heard what he said, she did not delay, but acted wisely and called + him thus: "Lancelot," as loudly as she could; "friend, up there, speak to + one who is your friend!" But inside he did not hear her words. Then she + called out louder yet, until he in his weakness faintly heard her, and + wondered who could be calling him. <a href="#linknote-427" + name="linknoteref-427"><small>427</small></a> He + heard the voice and heard his name pronounced, but he did not know who was + calling him: he thinks it must be a spirit. He looks all about him to see, + I suppose, if he could espy any one; but there is nothing to be seen but + the tower and himself. "God," says he, "what is that I heard? I heard some + one speak, but see nothing! Indeed, this is passing marvellous, for I am + not asleep, but wide awake. Of course, if this happened in a dream, I + should consider it an illusion; but I am awake, and therefore I am + distressed." Then with some trouble he gets up, and with slow and feeble + steps he moves toward the little opening. Once there, he peers through it, + up and down and to either side. When he had looked out as best he might, + he caught sight of her who had hailed him. He did not recognise her by + sight. But she knew him at once and said: "Lancelot, I have come from afar + in search of you. Now, thank God, at last I have found you. I am she who + asked of you a boon as you were on your way to the sword-bridge, and you + very gladly granted it at my request; it was the head I bade you cut from + the conquered knight whom I hated so. Because of this boon and this + service you did me, I have gone to this trouble. As a guerdon I shall + deliver you from here." "Damsel, many thanks to you," the prisoner then + replied; "the service I did you will be well repaid if I am set at + liberty. If you can get me out of here, I promise and engage to be + henceforth always yours, so help me the holy Apostle Paul! And as I may + see God face to face, I shall never fail to obey your commands in + accordance with your will. You may ask for anything I have, and receive it + without delay." "Friend, have no fear that you will not be released from + here. You shall be loosed and set free this very day. Not for a thousand + pounds would I renounce the expectation of seeing you free before the + datum of another day. Then I shall take you to a pleasant place, where you + may rest and take your ease. There you shall have everything you desire, + whatever it be. So have no fear. But first I must see if I can find some + tool anywhere hereabouts with which you might enlarge this hole, at least + enough to let you pass." "God grant that you find something," he said, + agreeing to this plan; "I have plenty of rope in here, which the rascals + gave me to pull up my food—hard barley bread and dirty water, which + sicken my stomach and heart." Then the daughter of Bademagu sought and + found a strong, stout, sharp pick, which she handed to him. He pounded, + and hammered and struck and dug, notwithstanding the pain it caused him, + until he could get out comfortably. Now he is greatly relieved and glad, + you may be sure, to be out Of prison and to get away from the place where + he has been so long confined. Now he is at large in the open air. You may + be sure that he would not go back again, were some one to gather in a pile + and give to him all the gold there is scattered in the world. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6657-6728.) Behold Lancelot now released, but so feeble that he + staggered from his weakness and disability. Gently, without hurting him, + she sets him before her on her mule, and then they ride off rapidly. But + the damsel purposely avoids the beaten track, that they may not be seen, + and proceeds by a hidden path; for if she had travelled openly, doubtless + some one would have recognised them and done them harm, and she would not + have wished that to happen. So she avoided the dangerous places and came + to a mansion where she often makes her sojourn because of its beauty and + charm. The entire estate and the people on it belonged to her, and the + place was well furnished, safe, and private. There Lancelot arrived. And + as soon as he had come, and had laid aside his clothes, the damsel gently + laid him on a lofty, handsome couch, then bathed and rubbed him so + carefully that I could not describe half the care she took. She handled + and treated him as gently as if he had been her father. Her treatment + makes a new man of him, as she revives him with her cares. Now he is no + less fair than an angel and is more nimble and more spry than anything you + ever saw. When he arose, he was no longer mangy and haggard, but strong + and handsome. And the damsel sought out for him the finest robe she could + find, with which she clothed him when he arose. And he was glad to put it + on, quicker than a bird in flight. He kissed and embraced the maid, and + then said to her graciously: "My dear, I have only God and you to thank + for being restored to health again. Since I owe my liberty to you, you may + take and command at will my heart and body, my service and estate. I + belong to you in return for what you have done for me; but it is long + since I have been at the court of my lord Arthur, who has shown me great + honour; and there is plenty there for me to do. Now, my sweet gentle + friend, I beg you affectionately for leave to go; then, with your consent, + I should feel free to go." "Lancelot, fair, sweet dear friend, I am quite + willing," the damsel says; "I desire your honour and welfare above + everything everywhere." Then she gives him a wonderful horse she has, the + best horse that ever was seen, and he leaps up without so much as saying + to the stirrups "by your leave": he was up without considering them. Then + to God, who never lies, they commend each other with good intent. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 6729-7004.) Lancelot was so glad to be on the road that, if I should + take an oath, I could not possibly describe the joy he felt at having + escaped from his trap. But he said to himself repeatedly that woe was the + traitor, the reprobate, whom now he has tricked and ridiculed, "for in + spite of him I have escaped." Then he swears by the heart and body of Him + who made the world that not for all the riches and wealth from Babylon to + Ghent would he let Meleagant escape, if he once got him in his power: for + he has him to thank for too much harm and shame! But events will soon turn + out so as to make this possible; for this very Meleagant, whom he + threatens and presses hard, had already come to court that day without + being summoned by any one; and the first thing he did was to search until + he found my lord Gawain. Then the rascally proven traitor asks him about + Lancelot, whether he had been seen or found, as if he himself did not know + the truth. As a matter of fact, he did not know the truth, although he + thought he knew it well enough. And Gawain told him, as was true, that he + had not been seen, and that he had not come. "Well, since I don't find + him," says Meleagant, "do you come and keep the promise you made me: I + shall not longer wait for you." Then Gawain makes answer: "I will keep + presently my word with you, if it please God in whom I place my trust. I + expect to discharge my debt to you. But if it comes to throwing dice for + points, and I should throw a higher number than you, so help me God and + the holy faith, I'll not withdraw, but will keep on until I pocket all the + stakes." <a href="#linknote-428" name="linknoteref-428"><small>428</small></a> Then without delay Gawain + orders a rug to be thrown down and spread before him. There was no + snivelling or attempt to run away when the squires heard this command, but + without grumbling or complaint they execute what he commands. They bring + the rug and spread it out in the place indicated; then he who had sent for + it takes his seat upon it and gives orders to be armed by the young men + who were standing unarmed before him. There were two of them, his cousins + or nephews, I know not which, but they were accomplished and knew what to + do. They arm him so skilfully and well that no one could find any fault in + the world with them for any mistake in what they did. When they finished + arming him, one of them went to fetch a Spanish steed able to cross the + fields, woods, hills, and valleys more swiftly than the good Bucephalus. + <a href="#linknote-429" name="linknoteref-429"><small>429</small></a> + Upon a horse such as you have heard Gawain took his seat—the admired + and most accomplished knight upon whom the sign of the Cross was ever + made. Already he was about to seize his shield, when he saw Lancelot + dismount before him, whom he was not expecting to see. He looked at him in + amazement, because he had come so unexpectedly; and, if I am not wrong, he + was as much surprised as if he had fallen from the clouds. However, no + business of his own can detain him, as soon as he sees Lancelot, from + dismounting and extending his arms to him, as he embraces, salutes and + kisses him. Now he is happy and at ease, when he has found his companion. + Now I will tell you the truth, and you must not think I lie, that Gawain + would not wish to be chosen king, unless he had Lancelot with him. The + King and all the rest now learn that, in spite of all, Lancelot, for whom + they so long have watched, has come back quite safe and sound. Therefore + they all rejoice, and the court, which so long has looked for him, comes + together to honour him. Their happiness dispels and drives away the sorrow + which formerly was theirs. Grief takes flight and is replaced by an + awakening joy. And how about the Queen? Does she not share in the general + jubilee? Yes, verily, she first of all. How so? For God's sake, where, + then, could she be keeping herself? She was never so glad in her life as + she was for his return. And did she not even go to him? Certainly she did; + she is so close to him that her body came near following her heart. Where + is her heart, then? It was kissing and welcoming Lancelot. And why did the + body conceal itself? Why is not her joy complete? Is it mingled with anger + or hate? No, certainly, not at all; but it may be that the King or some of + the others who are there, and who are watching what takes place, would + have taken the whole situation in, if, while all were looking on, she had + followed the dictates of her heart. If common-sense had not banished this + mad impulse and rash desire, her heart would have been revealed and her + folly would have been complete. Therefore reason closes up and binds her + fond heart and her rash intent, and made it more reasonable, postponing + the greeting until it shall see and espy a suitable and more private place + where they would fare better than here and now. The King highly honoured + Lancelot, and after welcoming him, thus spoke: "I have not heard for a + long time news of any man which were so welcome as news of you; yet I am + much concerned to learn in what region and in what land you have tarried + so long a time. I have had search made for you up and down, all the winter + and summer through, but no one could find a trace of you." "Indeed, fair + sire," says Lancelot, "I can inform you in a few words exactly how it has + fared with me. The miserable traitor Meleagant has kept me in prison ever + since the hour of the deliverance of the prisoners in his land, and has + condemned me to a life of shame in a tower of his beside the sea. There he + put me and shut me in, and there I should still be dragging out my weary + life, if it were not for a friend of mine, a damsel for whom I once + performed a slight service. In return for the little favour I did her, she + has repaid me liberally: she has bestowed upon me great honour and + blessing. But I wish to repay without delay him for whom I have no love, + who has sought out and devised for me this shame and injury. He need not + wait, for the sum is all ready, principal and interest; but God forbid + that he find in it cause to rejoice!" Then Gawain said to Lancelot: + "Friend, it will be only a slight favour for me, who am in your debt, to + make this payment for you. Moreover, I am all ready and mounted, as you + see. Fair, sweet friend, do not deny me the boon I desire and request." + But Lancelot replies that he would rather have his eye plucked out, or + even both of them, than be persuaded to do this: he swears it shall never + be so. He owes the debt and he will pay it himself: for with his own hand + he promised it. Gawain plainly sees that nothing he can say is of any + avail, so he loosens and takes off his hauberk from his back, and + completely disarms himself. Lancelot at once arms himself without delay; + for he is impatient to settle and discharge his debt. Meleagant, who is + amazed beyond measure at what he sees, has reached the end of his good + fortunes, and is about to receive what is owing him. He is almost beside + himself and comes near fainting. "Surely I was a fool," he says, "not to + go, before coming here, to see if I still held imprisoned in my tower him + who now has played this trick on me. But, God, why should I have gone? + What cause had I to think that he could possibly escape? Is not the wall + built strong enough, and is not the tower sufficiently strong and high? + There was no hole or crevice in it, through which he could pass, unless he + was aided from outside. I am sure his hiding-place was revealed. If the + wall were worn away and had fallen into decay, would he not have been + caught and injured or killed at the same time? Yes, so help me God, if it + had fallen down, he would certainly have been killed. But I guess, before + that wall gives away without being torn down, that all the water in the + sea will dry up without leaving a drop and the world will come to an end. + No, that is not it: it happened otherwise: he was helped to escape, and + could not have got out otherwise: I have been outwitted through some + trickery. At any rate, he has escaped; but if I had been on my guard, all + this would never have happened, and he would never have come to court. But + it's too late now to repent. The rustic, who seldom errs, pertinently + remarks that it is too late to close the stable when the horse is out. I + know I shall now be exposed to great shame and humiliation, if indeed I do + not suffer and endure something worse. What shall I suffer and endure? + Rather, so long as I live, I will give him full measure, if it please God, + in whom I trust." Thus he consoles himself, and has no other desire than + to meet his antagonist on the field. And he will not have long to wait, I + think, for Lancelot goes in search of him, expecting soon to conquer him. + But before the assault begins, the King bids them go down into the plain + where the tower stands, the prettiest place this side of Ireland for a + fight. So they did, and soon found themselves on the plain below. The King + goes down too, and all the rest, men and women in crowds. No one stays + behind; but many go up to the windows of the tower, among them the Queen, + her ladies and damsels, of whom she had many with her who were fair. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 7005-7119.) In the field there stood a sycamore as fair as any tree + could be; it was wide-spread and covered a large area, and around it grew + a fine border of thick fresh grass which was green at all seasons of the + year. Under this fair and stately sycamore, which was planted back in + Abel's time, there rises a clear spring of water which flows away + hurriedly. The bed of the spring is beautiful and as bright as silver, and + the channel through which the water flows is formed, I think, of refined + and tested gold, and it stretches away across the field down into a valley + between the woods. There it pleases the King to take his seat where + nothing unpleasant is in sight. After the crowd has drawn back at the + King's command, Lancelot rushes furiously at Meleagant as at one whom he + hates cordially, but before striking him, he shouted with a loud and + commanding voice: "Take your stand, I defy you! And take my word, this + time you shall not be spared." Then he spurs his steed and draws back the + distance of a bow-shot. Then they drive their horses toward each other at + top speed, and strike each other so fiercely upon their resisting shields + that they pierced and punctured them. But neither one is wounded, nor is + the flesh touched in this first assault. They pass each other without + delay, and come back at the top of their horses: speed to renew their + blows on the strong, stout shields. Both of the knights are strong and + brave, and both of the horses are stout and fast. So mighty are the blows + they deal on the shields about their necks that the lances passed clean + through, without breaking or splintering, until the cold steel reached + their flesh. Each strikes the other with such force that both are borne to + earth, and no breast-strap, girth, or stirrup could save them from falling + backward over their saddle-bow, leaving the saddle without an occupant. + The horses run riderless over hill and dale, but they kick and bite each + other, thus showing their mortal hatred. As for the knights who fell to + earth, they leaped up as quickly as possible and drew their swords, which + were engraved with chiselled lettering. Holding their shields before the + face, they strive to wound each other with their swords of steel. Lancelot + stands in no fear of him, for he knew half as much again about fencing as + did his antagonist, having learned it in his youth. Both dealt such blows + on the shield slung from their necks, and upon their helmets barred with + gold, that they crushed and damaged them. But Lancelot presses him hard + and gives him a mighty blow upon his right arm which, though encased in + mail, was unprotected by the shield, severing it with one clean stroke. + And when he felt the loss of his right arm, he said that it should be + dearly sold. If it is at all possible, he will not fail to exact the + price; he is in such pain and wrath and rage that he is well-nigh beside + himself, and he has a poor opinion of himself, if he cannot score on his + rival now. He rushes at him with the intent to seize him, but Lancelot + forestalls his plan, for with his trenchant sword he deals his body such a + cut as he will not recover from until April and May be passed. He smashes + his nose-guard against his teeth, breaking three of them in his mouth. And + Meleagant's rage is such that he cannot speak or say a word; nor does he + deign to cry for mercy, for his foolish heart holds tight in such + constraint that even now it deludes him still. Lancelot approaches and, + unlacing his helmet, cuts off his head. Never more will this man trouble + him; it is all over with him as he falls dead. Not a soul who was present + there felt any pity at the sight. The King and all the others there are + jubilant and express their joy. Happier than they ever were before, they + relieve Lancelot of his arms, and lead him away exultingly. + </p> + <p> + (Vv. 7120-7134.) My lords, if I should prolong my tale, it would be beside + the purpose, and so I will conclude. Godefroi de Leigni, the clerk, has + written the conclusion of "the Cart"; but let no one find fault with him + for having embroidered on Chrétien's theme, for it was done with the + consent of Chrétien who started it. Godefroi has finished it from the + point where Lancelot was imprisoned in the tower. So much he wrote; but he + would fain add nothing more, for fear of disfiguring the tale. + </p> + <p> + ——Endnotes: Lancelot + </p> + <p> + Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other + endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-41"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 41 (<a href="#linknoteref-41">return</a>)<br /> [ Marie, daughter of Louis + VII. of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine, married in 1164, Henri I., Count + of Champagne. On the poet's own statement below, she furnished him with + the subject matter ("maitere") and the manner of treatment ("san") of this + romance. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-42"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 42 (<a href="#linknoteref-42">return</a>)<br /> [ The situation of Camelot + has not been certainly determined. Foerster places it in Somersetshire, + while F. Paris identified it with Colchester in Essex. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-43"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 43 (<a href="#linknoteref-43">return</a>)<br /> [ The high value here set + upon Kay by king Arthur is worth noting in view of the unfavourable light + in which Chrétien usually portrays him.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-44"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 44 (<a href="#linknoteref-44">return</a>)<br /> [ This enigmatic + exclamation is addressed to the absent Lancelot, who is the secret lover + of Guinevere, and who, though he long remains anonymous as "the Knight of + the Cart", is really the hero of the poem.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-45"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 45 (<a href="#linknoteref-45">return</a>)<br /> [ It was not uncommon in + old French romances and epic poems for knights to be subjected to the + mockery and raillery of the vulgar townspeople (cf. "Aiol", 911-923; id. + 2579-2733; and even Moliere in "Monsieur de Pourceaugnac", f. 3).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-46"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 46 (<a href="#linknoteref-46">return</a>)<br /> [ For magic beds with + descending swords, see A. Hertel, "Versauberte Oertlichkeiten", etc., p. + 69 f. (Hanover, 1908).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-47"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 47 (<a href="#linknoteref-47">return</a>)<br /> [ The wounded knight is the + defeated seneschal.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-48"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 48 (<a href="#linknoteref-48">return</a>)<br /> [ Mediaeval knights were + such early risers as to cause us astonishment!] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-49"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 49 (<a href="#linknoteref-49">return</a>)<br /> [ Lancelot has constantly + in mind the Queen, for whose sake he is enduring all this pain and shame.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-410"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 410 (<a href="#linknoteref-410">return</a>)<br /> [ i.e., the Queen.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-411"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 411 (<a href="#linknoteref-411">return</a>)<br /> [ Nothing can here be + added to the tentative conjectures of Foerster regarding the nature of + these unknown remedies.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-412"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 412 (<a href="#linknoteref-412">return</a>)<br /> [ A great annual fair at + Paris marked the festival, on June 11, of St. Denis, the patron saint of + the city. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-413"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 413 (<a href="#linknoteref-413">return</a>)<br /> [ "Donbes" (=Dombes) is + the reading chosen by Foerster from a number of variants. None of these + variants has any significance, but a place-name rhyming with "tonbes" in + the preceding verse is required. Modern Dombes is the name of a former + principality in Burgundy, between the Rhone and the Saone, while Pampelune + is, of course, a Spanish city near the French frontier. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-414"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 414 (<a href="#linknoteref-414">return</a>)<br /> [ The topography of the + kingdom of Gorre, the land where dwell the captives held by King Bademagu, + is much confused. One would suppose at first that the stream traversed by + the two perilous bridges formed the frontier of the kingdom. But here + (v.2102), before reaching such a frontier, the captives are already met. + Foerster suggests that we may be here at a sort of foreground or + borderland which is defended by the knight at the ford (v. 735 f.), and + which, though not within the limits of the kingdom, is nevertheless + beneath the sway of Bademagu. In the sequel the stream with the perilous + bridges is placed immediately before the King's palace (cf. Foerster's + note and G. Paris in "Romania", xxi. 471 note).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-415"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 415 (<a href="#linknoteref-415">return</a>)<br /> [ For magic rings, see A. + Hertel, op. cit., p. 62 f.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-416"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 416 (<a href="#linknoteref-416">return</a>)<br /> [ This "dame" was the + fairy Vivian, "the lady of the lake". (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-417"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 417 (<a href="#linknoteref-417">return</a>)<br /> [ A good example of the + moral dilemmas in which Chrétien delights to place his characters. Under + the displeasing shell of allegory and mediaeval casuistry we have here the + germ of psychological analysis of motive.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-418"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 418 (<a href="#linknoteref-418">return</a>)<br /> [ The legendary origin of + this ointment, named after Mary Magdelene, Mary the mother of James, and + Mary Salome, is mentioned in the epic poem "Mort Aimeri de Narbonne" (ed. + "Anciens Textes", p. 86). (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-419"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 419 (<a href="#linknoteref-419">return</a>)<br /> [ The universities of + Montpellier and of Salerno were the chief centres of medical study in the + Middle Ages. Salerno is referred to in "Cligés", v. 5818.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-420"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 420 (<a href="#linknoteref-420">return</a>)<br /> [ The hero of the poem is + here first mentioned by name.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-421"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 421 (<a href="#linknoteref-421">return</a>)<br /> [ The classic love-story + of Pyramus and Thisbe, told by Ovid et al., was a favourite in the Middle + Ages.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-422"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 422 (<a href="#linknoteref-422">return</a>)<br /> [ Here he have the + explanation of Guinevere's cold reception of Lancelot; he had been + faithless to the rigid code of courtesy when he had hesitated for even a + moment to cover himself with shame for her sake.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-423"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 423 (<a href="#linknoteref-423">return</a>)<br /> [ The expression "or est + venuz qui aunera", less literally means "who will defeat the entire + field". Though Chrétien refers to the expression as a current proverb, + only two other examples of its use have been found. (Cf. "Romania", xvi. + 101, and "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", xi. 430.) From this passage + G. Paris surmised that Chrétien himself was a herald-at-arms ("Journal des + Savants", 1902, p. 296), but as Foerster says, the text hardly warrants + the supposition.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-424"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 424 (<a href="#linknoteref-424">return</a>)<br /> [ The evident + satisfaction with which Chrétien describes in detail the bearings of the + knights in the following passage lends colour to Gaston Paris' conjecture + that he was a herald as well as a poet.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-425"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 425 (<a href="#linknoteref-425">return</a>)<br /> [ According to the + statement made at the end of the poem by the continuator of Chrétien, + Godefroi de Leigni, it must have been at about this point that the + continuator took up the thread of the story. It is not known why Chrétien + dropped the poem where he did.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-426"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 426 (<a href="#linknoteref-426">return</a>)<br /> [ Bade = Bath. (F.)] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-427"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 427 (<a href="#linknoteref-427">return</a>)<br /> [ The situation recalls + that in "Aucassin et Nicolette", where Aucassin confined in the tower + hears his sweetheart calling to him from outside.] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-428"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 428 (<a href="#linknoteref-428">return</a>)<br /> [ The figure is, of + course, taken from the game of throwing dice for high points. For an + exhaustive account of dice-playing derived from old French texts, cf. + Franz Semrau, "Wurfel und Wurfelspiel in alten Frankreich", "Beiheft" 23 + of "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie (Halle," 1910).] + </p> + <p> + <a name="linknote-429"> + <!-- Note --></a> + </p> + <p class="foot"> + 429 (<a href="#linknoteref-429">return</a>)<br /> [ Alexander's horse.] + </p> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..23c4659 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #831 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/831) diff --git a/old/831.txt b/old/831.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..71fc5e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/831.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15398 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Four Arthurian Romances, by Chretien DeTroyes + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Four Arthurian Romances + "Erec et Enide", "Cliges", "Yvain", and "Lancelot" + +Author: Chretien DeTroyes + +Posting Date: July 26, 2008 [EBook #831] +Release Date: February, 1997 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings + + + + + +FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES: + +"EREC ET ENIDE", "CLIGES", "YVAIN", AND "LANCELOT" + + +by Chretien DeTroyes + +Fl. 12th Century A.D. + +Originally written in Old French, sometime in the second half of the +12th Century A.D., by the court poet Chretien DeTroyes. + + + + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +ORIGINAL TEXT-- + +Carroll, Carleton W. (Ed.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Erec and Enide" (Garland +Library of Medieval Literature, New York & London, 1987). Edited with a +translation (see Penguin Classics edition below). + +Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chretien DeTroyes: The Knight with the Lion, +or Yvain (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 48A, New York & London, +1985). Original text with English translation (See Penguin Classics +edition below). + +Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Lancelot, or The Knight of +the Cart (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 1A, New York & London, +1981). Original text with English translation (See Penguin Classics +edition below). + +Micha, Alexandre (Ed.): "Les Romans de Chretien de Troyes, Vol. II: +Cliges" (Champion, Paris, 1957). + + +OTHER TRANSLATIONS-- + +Cline, Ruth Harwood (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Yvain, or the Knight +with the Lion" (University of Georgia Press, Athens GA, 1975). + +Kibler, William W. & Carleton W. Carroll (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: +Arthurian Romances" (Penguin Classics, London, 1991). Contains +translations of "Erec et Enide" (by Carroll), "Cliges", "Yvain", +"Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval" (by Kibler). Highly +recommended. + +Owen, D.D.R (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" (Everyman +Library, London, 1987). Contains translations of "Erec et Enide", +"Cliges", "Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval". +NOTE: This edition replaced W.W. Comfort's in the Everyman Library +catalogue. Highly recommended. + + +RECOMMENDED READING-- + +Anonymous: "Lancelot of the Lake" (Trans: Corin Corely; Oxford +University Press, Oxford, 1989). English translation of one of the +earliest prose romances concerning Lancelot. + +Anonymous: "The Mabinogion" (Ed: Jeffrey Gantz; Penguin Classics, +London, 1976). Contains a translation of "Geraint and Enid", an earlier +Welsh version of "Erec et Enide". + +Anonymous: "Yvain and Gawain", "Sir Percyvell of Gales", and "The Anturs +of Arther" (Ed: Maldwyn Mills; Everyman, London, 1992). NOTE: Texts are +in Middle-English; "Yvain and Gawain" is a Middle-English work based +almost exclusively on Chretien DeTroyes' "Yvain". + +Malory, Sir Thomas: "Le Morte D'Arthur" (Ed: Janet Cowen; Penguin +Classics, London, 1969). + + +***** + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +Chretien De Troyes has had the peculiar fortune of becoming the best +known of the old French poets to students of mediaeval literature, and +of remaining practically unknown to any one else. The acquaintance of +students with the work of Chretien has been made possible in academic +circles by the admirable critical editions of his romances undertaken +and carried to completion during the past thirty years by Professor +Wendelin Foerster of Bonn. At the same time the want of public +familiarity with Chretien's work is due to the almost complete lack of +translations of his romances into the modern tongues. The man who, so +far as we know, first recounted the romantic adventures of Arthur's +knights, Gawain. Yvain, Erec, Lancelot, and Perceval, has been +forgotten; whereas posterity has been kinder to his debtors, Wolfram +yon Eschenbach, Malory, Lord Tennyson, and Richard Wagner. The present +volume has grown out of the desire to place these romances of adventure +before the reader of English in a prose version based directly upon the +oldest form in which they exist. + +Such extravagant claims for Chretien's art have been made in some +quarters that one feels disinclined to give them even an echo here. +The modem reader may form his own estimate of the poet's art, and that +estimate will probably not be high. Monotony, lack of proportion, +vain repetitions, insufficient motivation, wearisome subtleties, and +threatened, if not actual, indelicacy are among the most salient defects +which will arrest, and mayhap confound, the reader unfamiliar with +mediaeval literary craft. No greater service can be performed by an +editor in such a case than to prepare the reader to overlook these +common faults, and to set before him the literary significance of this +twelfth-century poet. + +Chretien de Troyes wrote in Champagne during the third quarter of the +twelfth century. Of his life we know neither the beginning nor the +end, but we know that between 1160 and 1172 he lived, perhaps as +herald-at-arms (according to Gaston Paris, based on "Lancelot" 5591-94) +at Troyes, where was the court of his patroness, the Countess Marie de +Champagne. She was the daughter of Louis VII, and of that famous Eleanor +of Aquitaine, as she is called in English histories, who, coming from +the South of France in 1137, first to Paris and later to England, may +have had some share in the introduction of those ideals of courtesy and +woman service which were soon to become the cult of European society. +The Countess Marie, possessing her royal mother's tastes and gifts, made +of her court a social experiment station, where these Provencal ideals +of a perfect society were planted afresh in congenial soil. It appears +from contemporary testimony that the authority of this celebrated feudal +dame was weighty, and widely felt. The old city of Troyes, where she +held her court, must be set down large in any map of literary history. +For it was there that Chretien was led to write four romances which +together form the most complete expression we possess from a single +author of the ideals of French chivalry. These romances, written in +eight-syllable rhyming couplets, treat respectively of Erec and Enide, +Cliges, Yvain, and Lancelot. Another poem, "Perceval le Gallois", was +composed about 1175 for Philip, Count of Flanders, to whom Chretien was +attached during his last years. This last poem is not included in +the present translation because of its extraordinary length of 32,000 +verses, because Chretien wrote only the first 9000 verses, and because +Miss Jessie L. Weston has given us an English version of Wolfram's +well-known "Parzival", which tells substantially the same story, though +in a different spirit. To have included this poem, of which he wrote +less than one-third, in the works of Chretien would have been unjust to +him. It is true the romance of "Lancelot" was not completed by Chretien, +we are told, but the poem is his in such large part that one would be +over-scrupulous not to call it his. The other three poems mentioned are +his entire. In addition, there are quite generally assigned to the poet +two insignificant lyrics, the pious romance of "Guillaume d'Angleterre", +and the elaboration of an episode from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" (vi., +426-674) called "Philomena" by its recent editor (C. de Boer, Paris, +1909). All these are extant and accessible. But since "Guillaume +d'Angleterre" and "Philomena" are not universally attributed to +Chretien, and since they have nothing to do with the Arthurian material, +it seems reasonable to limit the present enterprise to "Erec and Enide", +"Cliges", "Yvain", and "Lancelot". + +Professor Foerster, basing his remark upon the best knowledge we possess +of an obscure matter, has called "Erec and Enide" the oldest Arthurian +romance extant. It is not possible to dispute this significant claim, +but let us make it a little more intelligible. Scholarship has shown +that from the early Middle Ages popular tradition was rife in Britain +and Brittany. The existence of these traditions common to the Brythonic +peoples was called to the attention of the literary world by William of +Malmesbury ("Gesta regum Anglorum") and Geoffrey of Monmouth ("Historia +regum Britanniae") in their Latin histories about 1125 and 1137 +respectively, and by the Anglo-Norman poet Wace immediately afterward. +Scholars have waged war over the theories of transmission of the +so-called Arthurian material during the centuries which elapsed +between the time of the fabled chieftain's activity in 500 A.D. and +his appearance as a great literary personage in the twelfth century. +Documents are lacking for the dark ages of popular tradition before the +Norman Conquest, and the theorists may work their will. But Arthur and +his knights, as we see them in the earliest French romances, have little +in common with their Celtic prototypes, as we dimly catch sight of them +in Irish, Welsh, and Breton legend. Chretien belonged to a generation +of French poets who rook over a great mass of Celtic folk-lore they +imperfectly understood, and made of what, of course, it had never been +before: the vehicle to carry a rich freight of chivalric customs and +ideals. As an ideal of social conduct, the code of chivalry never +touched the middle and lower classes, but it was the religion of the +aristocracy and of the twelfth-century "honnete homme". Never was +literature in any age closer to the ideals of a social class. So true is +this that it is difficult to determine whether social practices +called forth the literature, or whether, as in the case of the +seventeenth-century pastoral romance in France, it is truer to say that +literature suggested to society its ideals. Be that as it may, it is +proper to observe that the French romances of adventure portray +late mediaeval aristocracy as it fain would be. For the glaring +inconsistencies between the reality and the ideal, one may turn to the +chronicles of the period. Yet, even history tells of many an ugly sin +rebuked and of many a gallant deed performed because of the courteous +ideals of chivalry. The debt of our own social code to this literature +of courtesy and frequent self-sacrifice is perfectly manifest. + +What Chretien's immediate and specific source was for his romances is of +deep interest to the student. Unfortunately, he has left us in doubt. He +speaks in the vaguest way of the materials he used. There is no evidence +that he had any Celtic written source. We are thus thrown back upon +Latin or French literary originals which are lost, or upon current +continental lore going back to a Celtic source. This very difficult +problem is as yet unsolved in the case of Chretien, as it is in the +case of the Anglo-Norman Beroul, who wrote of Tristan about 1150. The +material evidently was at hand and Chretien appropriated it, without +much understanding of its primitive spirit, but appreciating it as a +setting for the ideal society dreamed of but not realised in his own +day. Add to this literary perspicacity, a good foundation in classic +fable, a modicum of ecclesiastical doctrine, a remarkable facility in +phrase, figure, and rhyme and we have the foundations for Chretien's art +as we shall find it upon closer examination. + +A French narrative poet of the twelfth century had three categories of +subject-matter from which to choose: legends connected with the history +of France ("matiere de France"), legends connected with Arthur and +other Celtic heroes ("matiere de Bretagne"), and stories culled from +the history or mythology of Greece and Rome, current in Latin and French +translations ("matiere de Rome la grant"). Chretien tells us in "Cliges" +that his first essays as a poet were the translations into French of +certain parts of Ovid's most popular works: the "Metamorphoses", the +"Ars Amatoria", and perhaps the "Remedia Amoris". But he appears early +to have chosen as his special field the stories of Celtic origin dealing +with Arthur, the Round Table, and other features of Celtic folk-lore. +Not only was he alive to the literary interest of this material when +rationalised to suit the taste of French readers; his is further the +credit of having given to somewhat crude folk-lore that polish and +elegance which is peculiarly French, and which is inseparably associated +with the Arthurian legends in all modern literature. Though Beroul, and +perhaps other poets, had previously based romantic poems upon individual +Celtic heroes like Tristan, nevertheless to Chretien, so far as we can +see, is due the considerable honour of having constituted Arthur's court +as a literary centre and rallying-point for an innumerable company +of knights and ladies engaged in a never-ending series of amorous +adventures and dangerous quests. Rather than unqualifiedly attribute +to Chretien this important literary convention, one should bear in mind +that all his poems imply familiarity on the part of his readers with +the heroes of the court of which he speaks. One would suppose that other +stories, told before his versions, were current. Some critics would go +so far as to maintain that Chretien came toward the close, rather than +at the beginning, of a school of French writers of Arthurian romances. +But, if so, we do not possess these earlier versions, and for lack of +rivals Chretien may be hailed as an innovator in the current schools of +poetry. + +And now let us consider the faults which a modern reader will not be +slow to detect in Chretien's style. Most of his salient faults are +common to all mediaeval narrative literature. They may be ascribed to +the extraordinary leisure of the class for whom it was composed--a class +which was always ready to read an old story told again, and which would +tolerate any description, however detailed. The pastimes of this +class of readers were jousting, hunting, and making love. Hence the +preponderance of these matters in the literature of its leisure hours. +No detail of the joust or hunt was unfamiliar or unwelcome to these +readers; no subtle arguments concerning the art of love were too +abstruse to delight a generation steeped in amorous casuistry and +allegories. And if some scenes seem to us indelicate, yet after +comparison with other authors of his times, Chretien must be let off +with a light sentence. It is certain he intended to avoid what was +indecent, as did the writers of narrative poetry in general. To +appreciate fully the chaste treatment of Chretien one must know some +other forms of mediaeval literature, such as the fabliaux, farces, and +morality plays, in which courtesy imposed no restraint. For our poet's +lack of sense of proportion, and for his carelessness in the proper +motivation of many episodes, no apology can be made. He is not always +guilty; some episodes betoken poetic mastery. But a poet acquainted, as +he was, with some first-class Latin poetry, and who had made a business +of his art, ought to have handled his material more intelligently, +even in the twelfth century. The emphasis is not always laid with +discrimination, nor is his yarn always kept free of tangles in the +spinning. + +Reference has been made to Chretien's use of his sources. The tendency +of some critics has been to minimise the French poet's originality by +pointing out striking analogies in classic and Celtic fable. Attention +has been especially directed to the defence of the fountain and the +service of a fairy mistress in "Yvain", to the captivity of Arthur's +subjects in the kingdom of Gorre, as narrated in "Lancelot", reminding +one so insistently of the treatment of the kingdom of Death from which +some god or hero finally delivers those in durance, and to the reigned +death of Fenice in "Cliges", with its many variants. These episodes are +but examples of parallels which will occur to the observant reader. The +difficult point to determine, in speaking of conceptions so widespread +in classic and mediaeval literature, is the immediate source whence +these conceptions reached Chretien. The list of works of reference +appended to this volume will enable the student to go deeper into +this much debated question, and will permit us to dispense with an +examination of the arguments in this place. However, such convincing +parallels for many of Chretien's fairy and romantic episodes have been +adduced by students of Irish and Welsh legend that one cannot fail to +be impressed by the fact that Chretien was in touch, either by oral or +literary tradition, with the populations of Britain and of Brittany, and +that we have here his most immediate inspiration. Professor Foerster, +stoutly opposing the so-called Anglo-Norman theory which supposes the +existence of lost Anglo-Norman romances in French as the sources of +Chretien de Troyes, is, nevertheless, well within the truth when +he insists upon what is, so far as we are concerned, the essential +originality of the French poet. The general reader will to-day care as +little as did the reader of the twelfth century how the poet came upon +the motives and episodes of his stories, whether he borrowed them or +invented them himself. Any poet should be judged not as a "finder" +but as a "user" of the common stock of ideas. The study of sources of +mediaeval poetry, which is being so doggedly carried on by scholars, may +well throw light upon the main currents of literary tradition, but it +casts no reflection, favourable or otherwise, upon the personal art of +the poet in handling his stuff. On that count he may plead his own cause +before the jury. + +Chretien's originality, then, consists in his portrayal of the social +ideal of the French aristocracy in the twelfth century. So far as we +know he was the first to create in the vulgar tongues a vast court, +where men and women lived in conformity with the rules of courtesy, +where the truth was told, where generosity was open-handed, where the +weak and the innocent were protected by men who dedicated themselves to +the cult of honour and to the quest of a spotless reputation. Honour and +love combined to engage the attention of this society; these were +its religion in a far more real sense than was that of the Church. +Perfection was attainable under this code of ethics: Gawain, for +example, was a perfect knight. Though the ideals of this court and +those of Christianity are in accord at many points, vet courtly love and +Christian morality are irreconcilable. This Arthurian material, as used +by Chretien, is fundamentally immoral as judged by Christian standards. +Beyond question, the poets and the public alike knew this to be the +case, and therein lay its charm for a society in which the actual +relations or the sexes were rigidly prescribed by the Church and by +feudal practice, rather than by the sentiments of the individuals +concerned. The passionate love of Tristan for Iseut, of Lancelot for +Guinevere, of Cliges for Fenice, fascinate the conventional Christian +society of the twelfth century and of the twentieth century alike, +but there-is only one name among men for such relations as theirs, and +neither righteousness nor reason lie that way. Even Tennyson, in spite +of all he has done to spiritualise this material, was compelled to +portray the inevitable dissolution and ruin of Arthur's court. Chretien +well knew the difference between right and wrong, between reason and +passion, as the reader of "Cliges" may learn for himself. Fenice was not +Iseut, and she would not have her Cliges to be a Tristan. Infidelity, +if you will, but not "menage a trois". Both "Erec" and "Yvain" present +a conventional morality. But "Lancelot" is flagrantly immoral, and the +poet is careful to state that for this particular romance he is indebted +to his patroness Marie de Champagne. He says it was she who furnished +him with both the "matiere" and the "san", the material of the story and +its method of treatment. + +Scholars have sought to fix the chronology of the poet's works, and have +been tempted to speculate upon the evolution of his literary and moral +ideas. Professor Foerster's chronology is generally accepted, and there +is little likelihood of his being in error when he supposes Chretien's +work to have been done as follows: the lost "Tristan" (the existence of +which is denied by Gaston Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 297 +f.), "Erec and Enide", "Cliges", "Lancelot", "Yvain", "Perceval". The +arguments for this chronology, based upon external as well as internal +criticism, may be found in the Introductions to Professor Foerster's +recent editions. When we speculate upon the development of Chretien's +moral ideas we are not on such sure ground. As we have seen, his +standards vary widely in the different romances. How much of this +variation is due to chance circumstance imposed by the nature of +his subject or by the taste of his public, and how much to changing +conviction it is easy to see, when we consider some contemporary +novelist, how dangerous it is to judge of moral convictions as reflected +in literary work. "Lancelot" must be the keystone of any theory +constructed concerning the moral evolution of Chretien. The following +supposition is tenable, if the chronology of Foerster is correct. After +the works of his youth, consisting of lyric poems and translations +embodying the ideals of Ovid and of the school of contemporary +troubadour poets, Chretien took up the Arthurinn material and started +upon a new course. "Erec" is the oldest Arthurinn romance to have +survived in any language, but it is almost certainly not the first to +have been written. It is a perfectly clean story: of love, estrangement, +and reconciliation in the persons of Erec and his charming sweetheart +Enide. The psychological analysis of Erec's motives in the rude testing +of Enide is worthy of attention, and is more subtle than anything +previous in French literature with which we are acquainted. The poem is +an episodical romance in the biography of an Arthurinn hero, with the +usual amount of space given to his adventures. "Cliges" apparently +connects a Byzantine tale of doubtful origin in an arbitrary fashion +with the court of Arthur. It is thought that the story embodies the same +motive as the widespread tale of the deception practised upon Solomon by +his wife, and that Chretien's source, as he himself claims, was literary +(cf. Gaston Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 641-655). The +scene where Fenice feigns death in order to rejoin her lover is a +parallel of many others in literary history, and will, of course, +suggest the situation in Romeo and Juliet. This romance well illustrates +the drawing power of Arthur's court as a literary centre, and its use as +a rallying-point for courteous knights of whatever extraction. The poem +has been termed an "Anti-Tristan", because of its disparaging reference +to the love of Tristan and Iseut, which, it is generally supposed, +had been narrated by Chretien in his earlier years. Next may come +"Lancelot", with its significant dedication to the Countess of +Champagne. Of all the poet's work, this tale of the rescue of Guinevere +by her lover seems to express most closely the ideals of Marie's court +ideals in which devotion and courtesy but thinly disguise free love. +"Yvain" is a return to the poet's natural bent, in an episodical +romance, while "Perceval" crowns his production with its pure and +exalted note, though without a touch of that religious mysticism +which later marked Wolfram yon Eschenbach's "Parzival". "Guillaime +d'Angleterre" is a pseudo-historical romance of adventure in which the +worldly distresses and the final reward of piety are conventionally +exposed. It is uninspired, its place is difficult to determine, and +its authorship is questioned by some. It is aside from the Arthurian +material, and there is no clue to its place in the evolution of +Chretien's art, if indeed it be his work. + +A few words must be devoted to Chretien's place in the history of +mediaeval narrative poetry. The heroic epic songs of France, devoted +either to the conflict of Christendom under the leadership of France +against the Saracens, or else to the strife and rivalry of French +vassals among themselves, had been current for perhaps a century before +our poet began to write. These epic poems, of which some three score +have survived, portray a warlike, virile, unsentimental feudal society, +whose chief occupation was fighting, and whose dominant ideals were +faith in God, loyalty to feudal family ties, and bravery in battle. +Woman's place is comparatively obscure, and of love-making there is +little said. It is a poetry of vigorous manhood, of uncompromising +morality, and of hard knocks given and taken for God, for Christendom, +and the King of France. This poetry is written in ten- or twelve- +syllable verses grouped, at first in assonanced, later in rhymed, +"tirades" of unequal length. It was intended for a society which was +still homogeneous, and to it at the outset doubtless all classes of the +population listened with equal interest. As poetry it is monotonous, +without sense of proportion, padded to facilitate memorisation by +professional reciters, and unadorned by figure, fancy, or imagination. +Its pretention to historic accuracy begot prosaicness in its approach +to the style of the chronicles. But its inspiration was noble, its +conception of human duties was lofty. It gives a realistic portrayal of +the age which produced it, the age of the first crusades, and to this +day we would choose as our models of citizenship Roland and Oliver +rather than Tristan and Lancelot. The epic poems, dealing with the +pseudo-historical characters who had fought in civil and foreign wars +under Charlemagne, remained the favourite literary pabulum of the middle +classes until the close of the thirteenth century. Professor Bedier +is at present engaged in explaining the extraordinary hold which these +poems had upon the public, and in proving that they exercised a distinct +function when exploited by the Church throughout the period of +the crusades to celebrate local shrines and to promote muscular +Christianity. But the refinement which began to penetrate the ideals of +the French aristocracy about the middle of the twelfth century craved a +different expression in narrative literature. Greek and Roman mythology +and history were seized upon with some effect to satisfy the new demand. +The "Roman de Thebes", the "Roman d'Alexandre", the "Roman de +Troie", and its logical continuation, the "Roman d'Eneas", are all +twelfth-century attempts to clothe classic legend in the dress of +mediaeval chivalry. But better fitted to satisfy the new demand was the +discovery by the alert Anglo-Normans perhaps in Brittany, perhaps in the +South of England, of a vast body of legendary material which, so far as +we know, had never before this century received any elaborate literary +treatment. The existence of the literary demand and this discovery of +the material for its prompt satisfaction is one of the most remarkable +coincidences in literary history. It would seem that the pride of the +Celtic populations in a Celtic hero, aided and abetted by Geoffrey of +Monmouth, who first showed the romantic possibilities of the material, +made of the obscure British chieftain Arthur a world conqueror. Arthur +thus became already in Geoffrey's "Historia regum Britaniae" a conscious +protagonist of Charlemagne and his rival in popularity. This grandiose +conception of Arthur persisted in England, but this conception of the +British chieftain did not interest the French. For Chretien Arthur had +no political significance. He is simply the arbiter of his court in all +affairs of justice and courtesy. Charlemagne's very realistic entourage +of virile and busy barons is replaced by a court of elegant chevaliers +and unemployed ladies. Charlemagne's setting is historical and +geographical; Arthur's setting is ideal and in the air. In the oldest +epic poems we find only God-fearing men and a few self-effacing women; +in the Arthurian romances we meet gentlemen and ladies, more elegant and +seductive than any one in the epic poems, but less fortified by +faith and sense of duty against vice because breathing an enervating +atmosphere of leisure and decadent morally. Though the Church made the +attempt in "Parzival", it could never lay its hands so effectively upon +this Celtic material, because it contained too many elements which +were root and branch inconsistent with the essential teachings of +Christianity. A fleeting comparison of the noble end of Charlemagne's +Peers fighting for their God and their King at Ronceval with the futile +and dilettante careers of Arthur's knights in joust and hunt, will show +better than mere words where the difference lies. + +The student of the history of social and moral ideals will find much to +interest him in Chretien's romances. Mediaeval references show that he +was held by his immediate successors, as he is held to-day when fairly +viewed, to have been a master of the art of story-telling. More than any +other single narrative poet, he was taken as a model both in France and +abroad. Professor F. M. Warren has set forth in detail the finer points +in the art of poetry as practised by Chretien and his contemporary +craftsmen (see "Some Features of Style in Early French Narrative Poetry, +1150-1170 in "Modern Philology", iii., 179-209; iii., 513-539; iv., +655-675). Poets in his own land refer to him with reverence, and foreign +poets complimented him to a high degree by direct translation and by +embroidering upon the themes which he had made popular. The knights made +famous by Chretien soon crossed the frontiers and obtained rights of +citizenship in counties so diverse as Germany, England, Scandinavia, +Holland, Italy, and to a lesser extent in Spain and Portugal. The +inevitable tendency of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries to reduce +poetry to prose affected the Arthurian material; vast prose compilations +finally embodied in print the matter formerly expressed in verse, and it +was in this form that the stories were known to later generations until +revived interest in the Middle Ages brought to light the manuscripts in +verse. + +Aside from certain episodes of Chretien's romances, the student will be +most interested in the treatment of love as therein portrayed. On this +topic we may hear speaking the man of his time. "Cliges" contains the +body of Chretien's doctrine of love, while Lancelot is his most perfect +lover. His debt to Ovid has not yet been indicated with sufficient +preciseness. An elaborate code to govern sentiment and its expression +was independently developed by the troubadours of Provence in the early +twelfth century. These Provencal ideals of the courtly life were carried +into Northern France partly as the result of a royal marriage in 1137 +and of the crusade of 1147, and there by such poets as Chretien they +were gathered up and fused with the Ovidian doctrine into a highly +complicated but perfectly definite statement of the ideal relations of +the sexes. Nowhere in the vulgar tongues can a better statement of these +relations be found than in "Cliges." + +So we leave Chretien to speak across the ages for himself and his +generation. He is to be read as a story-teller rather than as a poet, +as a casuist rather than as a philosopher. But when all deductions are +made, his significance as a literary artist and as the founder of a +precious literary tradition distinguishes him from all other poets +of the Latin races between the close of the Empire and the arrival of +Dante. + +--W. W. COMFORT. + + + + + +EREC ET ENIDE [11] + +(Vv. 1-26.) The rustic's proverb says that many a thing is despised that +is worth much more than is supposed. Therefore he does well who makes +the most of whatever intelligence he may possess. For he who neglects +this concern may likely omit to say something which would subsequently +give great pleasure. So Chretien de Troyes maintains that one ought +always to study and strive to speak well and teach the right; and he +derives from a story of adventure a pleasing argument whereby it may be +proved and known that he is not wise who does not make liberal use of +his knowledge so long as God may give him grace. The story is about Erec +the son of Lac--a story which those who earn a living by telling stories +are accustomed to mutilate and spoil in the presence of kings and +counts. And now I shall begin the tale which will be remembered so long +as Christendom endures. This is Chretien's boast. + +(Vv. 27-66.) One Easter Day in the Springtime, King Arthur held court in +his town of Cardigan. Never was there seen so rich a court; for many +a good knight was there, hardy, bold, and brave, and rich ladies and +damsels, gentle and fair daughters of kings. But before the court was +disbanded, the King told his knights that he wished to hunt the White +Stag, [12] in order to observe worthily the ancient custom. When my lord +Gawain heard this, he was sore displeased, and said: "Sire, you will +derive neither thanks nor goodwill from this hunt. We all know long +since what this custom of the White Stag is: whoever can kill the White +Stag must forsooth kiss the fairest maiden of your court, come what may. +But of this there might come great ill, for there are here five hundred +damsels of high birth, gentle and prudent daughters of kings, and there +is none of them but has a bold and valiant knight for her lover who +would be ready to contend, whether fight or wrong, that she who is his +lady is the fairest and gentlest of them all." The King replies: "That +I know well; yet will I not desist on that account; for a king's word +ought never to be gainsaid. To-morrow morning we shall all gaily go to +hunt the White Stag in the forest of adventure. And very delightful this +hunt will be." + +(Vv. 67-114.) And so the affair is arranged for the next morning +at daybreak. The morrow, as soon as it is day, the King gets up and +dresses, and dons a short jacket for his forest ride. He commands the +knights to be aroused and the horses to be made ready. Already they +are ahorse, and off they go, with bows and arrows. After them the Queen +mounts her horse, taking a damsel with her. A maid she was, the daughter +of a king, and she rode a white palfrey. After them there swiftly +followed a knight, named Erec, who belonged to the Round Table, and had +great fame at the court. [13] Of all the knights that ever were there, +never one received such praise; and he was so fair that nowhere in the +world need one seek a fairer knight than he. He was very fair, brave, +and courteous, though not yet twenty-five years old. Never was there +a man of his age of greater knighthood. And what shall I say of his +virtues? Mounted on his horse, and clad in an ermine mantle, he came +galloping down the road, wearing a coat of splendid flowered silk which +was made at Constantinople. He had put on hose of brocade, well made and +cut, and when his golden spurs were well attached, he sat securely in +his stirrups. He carried no arm with him but his sword. As he galloped +along, at the corner of a street he came up with the Queen, and said: +"My lady, if it please you, I should gladly accompany you along this +road, having come for no other purpose than to bear you company." And +the Queen thanks him: "Fair friend, I like your company well, in truth; +for better I could not have." + +(Vv. 115-124.) Then they ride along at full speed until they come into +the forest, where the party who had gone before them had already started +the stag. Some wind the horns and others shout; the hounds plunge ahead +after the stag, running, attacking, and baying; the bowmen shoot amain. +And before them all rode the King on a Spanish hunter. + +(Vv. 125-154.) Queen Guinevere was in the wood listening for the dogs; +beside her were Erec and the damsel, who was very courteous and fair. +But those who had pursued the stag were so far from them that, however +intently they might listen to catch the sound of horn or baying of +hound, they no longer could hear either horse, huntsman, or hound. So +all three of them drew rein in a clearing beside the road. They had been +there but a short time when they saw an armed knight along on his steed, +with shield slung about his neck, and his lance in hand. The Queen +espied him from a distance By his right side rode a damsel of noble +bearing, and before them, on a hack, came a dwarf carrying in his hand +a knotted scourge. When Queen Guinevere saw the comely and graceful +knight, she desired to know who he and his damsel were. So she bid her +damsel go quickly and speak to him. + +(Vv. 155-274.) "Damsel," says the Queen, "go and bid yonder knight come +to me and bring his damsel with him." The maiden goes on amble straight +toward the knight. But the spiteful dwarf sallies forth to meet her with +his scourge in hand, crying: "Halt, maiden, what do you want here? You +shall advance no farther." "Dwarf," says she, "let me pass. I wish to +speak with yonder knight; for the Queen sends me hither." The dwarf, who +was rude and mean, took his stand in the middle of the road, and said: +"You have no business here. Go back. It is not meet that you should +speak to so excellent a knight." The damsel advanced and tried to pass +him by force, holding the dwarf in slight esteem when she saw that he +was so small. Then the dwarf raised his whip, when he saw her coming +toward him and tried to strike her in the face. She raised her arm +to protect herself, but he lifted his hand again and struck her all +unprotected on her bare hand: and so hard did he strike her on the back +of her hand that it turned all black and blue. When the maiden could do +nothing else, in spite of herself she must needs return. So weeping she +turned back. The tears came to her eyes and ran down her cheeks. When +the Queen sees her damsel wounded, she is sorely grieved and angered and +knows not what to do. "Ah, Erec, fair friend," she says, "I am in great +sorrow for my damsel whom that dwarf has wounded. The knight must be +discourteous indeed, to allow such a monster to strike so beautiful a +creature. Erec, fair friend, do you go to the knight and bid him come +to me without delay. I wish to know him and his lady." Erec starts +off thither, giving spurs to his steed, and rides straight toward +the knight. The ignoble dwarf sees him coming and goes to meet him. +"Vassal," says he, "stand back! For I know not what business you have +here. I advise you to withdraw." "Avaunt," says Erec, "provoking dwarf! +Thou art vile and troublesome. Let me pass." "You shall not." "That +will I." "You shall not." Erec thrusts the dwarf aside. The dwarf had no +equal for villainy: he gave him a great blow with his lash right on +the neck, so that Erec's neck and face are scarred with the blow of +the scourge; from top to bottom appear the lines which the thongs have +raised on him. He knew well that he could not have the satisfaction of +striking the dwarf; for he saw that the knight was armed, arrogant, and +of evil intent, and he was afraid that he would soon kill him, should he +strike the dwarf in his presence. Rashness is not bravery. So Erec acted +wisely in retreating without more ado. "My lady," he says, "now matters +stand worse; for the rascally dwarf has so wounded me that he has badly +cut my face. I did not dare to strike or touch him; but none ought +to reproach me, for I was completely unarmed. I mistrusted the armed +knight, who, being an ugly fellow and violent, would take it as no jest, +and would soon kill me in his pride. But this much I will promise you; +that if I can, I shall yet avenge my disgrace, or increase it. But my +arms are too far away to avail me in this time of need; for at Cardigan +did I leave them this morning when I came away. And if I should go to +fetch them there, peradventure I should never again find the knight who +is riding off apace. So I must follow him at once, far or near, until +I find some arms to hire or borrow. If I find some one who will lend me +arms, the knight will quickly find me ready for battle. And you may be +sure without fail that we two shall fight until he defeat me, or I him. +And if possible, I shall be back by the third day, when you will see me +home again either joyous or sad, I know not which. Lady, I cannot delay +longer, for I must follow after the knight. I go. To God I commend you." +And the Queen in like manner more than five hundred rimes commends him +to God, that he may defend him from harm. + +(Vv. 275-310.) Erec leaves the Queen and ceases not to pursue the +knight. The Queen remains in the wood, where now the King had come up +with the Stag. The King himself outstripped the others at the death. +Thus they killed and took the White Stag, and all returned, carrying the +Stag, till they came again to Cardigan. After supper, when the knights +were all in high spirits throughout the hall, the King, as the custom +was, because he had taken the Stag, said that he would bestow the kiss +and thus observe the custom of the Stag. Throughout the court a great +murmur is heard: each one vows and swears to his neighbour that it +shall not be done without the protest of sword or ashen lance. Each one +gallantly desires to contend that his lady is the fairest in the hall. +Their conversation bodes no good, and when my lord Gawain heard it, you +must know that it was not to his liking. Thus he addressed the King: +"Sire," he says, "your knights here are greatly aroused, and all their +talk is of this kiss. They say that it shall never be bestowed without +disturbance and a fight." And the King wisely replied to him: "Fair +nephew Gawain, give me counsel now, sparing my honour and my dignity, +for I have no mind for any disturbance." + +(Vv. 311-341.) To the council came a great part of the best knights of +the court. King Yder [14] arrived, who was the first to be summoned, and +after him King Cadoalant, who was very wise and bold. Kay and Girflet +came too, and King Amauguin was there, and a great number of other +knights were there with them. The discussion was in process when the +Queen arrived and told them of the adventure which she had met in the +forest, of the armed knight whom she saw, and of the malicious little +dwarf who had struck her damsel on the bare hand with his whip, and who +struck Erec, too, in the same way an ugly blow on the face; but that +Erec followed the knight to obtain vengeance, or increase his shame, and +how he said that if possible he would be back by the third day. "Sire," +says the Queen to the King, "listen to me a moment. If these knights +approve what I say, postpone this kiss until the third day, when Erec +will be back." There is none who does not agree with her, and the King +himself approves her words. + +(Vv. 342-392.) Erec steadily follows the knight who was armed and the +dwarf who had struck him until they come to a well placed town, strong +and fine [15]. They enter straight through the gate. Within the town +there was great joy of knights and ladies, of whom there were many and +fair. Some were feeding in the streets their sparrow-hawks and moulting +falcons; others were giving an airing to their tercels, [16] their mewed +birds, and young yellow hawks; others play at dice or other game of +chance, some at chess, and some at backgammon. The grooms in front of +the stables are rubbing down and currying the horses. The ladies are +bedecking themselves in their boudoirs. As soon as they see the knight +coming, whom they recognised with his dwarf and damsel, they go out +three by three to meet him. The knight they all greet and salute, but +they give no heed to Erec, for they did not know him. Erec follows close +upon the knight through the town, until he saw him lodged. Then, very +joyful, he passed on a little farther until he saw reclining upon some +steps a vavasor [17] well on in years. He was a comely man, with white +locks, debonair, pleasing, and frank. There he was seated all alone, +seeming to be engaged in thought. Erec took him for an honest man who +would at once give him lodging. When he turned through the gate into the +yard, the vavasor ran to meet him, and saluted him before Erec had said +a word. "Fair sir," says he, "be welcome. If you will deign to lodge +with me, here is my house all ready for you." Erec replies: "Thank you! +For no other purpose have I come; I need a lodging place this night." + +(Vv. 393-410.) Erec dismounts from his horse, which the host himself +leads away by the bridle, and does great honour to his guest. The +vavasor summons his wife and his beautiful daughter, who were busy in a +work-room--doing I know not what. The lady came out with her daughter, +who was dressed in a soft white under-robe with wide skirts hanging +loose in folds. Over it she wore a white linen garment, which completed +her attire. And this garment was so old that it was full of holes down +the sides. Poor, indeed, was her garb without, but within her body was +fair. + +(Vv. 411-458.) The maid was charming, in sooth, for Nature had used all +her skill in forming her. Nature herself had marvelled more than five +hundred times how upon this one occasion she had succeeded in creating +such a perfect thing. Never again could she so strive successfully to +reproduce her pattern. Nature bears witness concerning her that never +was so fair a creature seen in all the world. In truth I say that never +did Iseut the Fair have such radiant golden tresses that she could be +compared with this maiden. [18] The complexion of her forehead and face +was clearer and more delicate than the lily. But with wondrous art her +face with all its delicate pallor was suffused with a fresh crimson +which Nature had bestowed upon her. Her eyes were so bright that they +seemed like two stars. God never formed better nose, mouth, and eyes. +What shall I say of her beauty? In sooth, she was made to be looked at; +for in her one could have seen himself as in a mirror. So she came forth +from the work-room: and when she saw the knight whom she had never seen +before, she drew back a little, because she did not know him, and in her +modesty she blushed. Erec, for his part, was amazed when he beheld such +beauty in her, and the vavasor said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take +this horse and lead him to the stable along with my own horses. See that +he lack for nothing: take off his saddle and bridle, give him oats and +hay, look after him and curry him, that he may be in good condition." + +(Vv. 459-546) The maiden takes the horse, unlaces his breast-strap, and +takes off his bridle and saddle. Now the horse is in good hands, for she +takes excellent care of him. She throws a halter over his head, rubs him +down, curries him, and makes him comfortable. Then she ties him to the +manger and puts plenty of fresh sweet hay and oats before him. Then she +went back to her father, who said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take now +this gentleman by the hand and show him all honour. Take him by the hand +upstairs." The maiden did not delay (for in her there was no lack of +courtesy) and led him by the hand upstairs. The lady had gone before and +prepared the house. She had laid embroidered cushions and spreads upon +the couches, where they all three sat down Erec with his host beside +him, and the maiden opposite. Before them, the fire burns brightly. The +vavasor had only one man-servant, and no maid for chamber or kitchen +work. This one man was busy in the kitchen preparing meat and birds for +supper. A skilful cook was he, who knew how to prepare meal in boiling +water and birds on the spit. When he had the meal prepared in accordance +with the orders which had been given him, he brought them water for +washing in two basins. The table was soon set, cloths, bread, and wine +set out, and they sat down to supper. They had their fill of all they +needed. When they had finished and when the table was cleared, Erec thus +addressed his host, the master of the house: "Tell me, fair host." he +asked, "why your daughter, who is so passing fair and clever, is so +poorly and unsuitably attired." "Fair friend," the vavasor replies, +"many a man is harmed by poverty, and even so am I. I grieve to see +her so poorly clad, and yet I cannot help it, for I have been so long +involved in war that I have lost or mortgaged or sold all my land. [19] +And yet she would be well enough dressed if I allowed her to accept +everything that people wish to give her. The lord of this castle himself +would have dressed her in becoming fashion and would have done her every +manner of favour, for she is his niece and he is a count. And there is +no nobleman in this region, however rich and powerful, who would not +willingly have taken her to wife had I given my consent. But I am +waiting yet for some better occasion, when God shall bestow still +greater honour upon her, when fortune shall bring hither some king or +count who shall lead her away, for there is under Heaven no king or +count who would be ashamed of my daughter, who is so wondrous fair that +her match cannot be found. Fair, indeed, she is; but yet greater far +than her beauty, is her intelligence. God never created any one so +discreet and of such open heart. When I have my daughter beside me, I +don't care a marble about all the rest of the world. She is my delight +and my pastime, she is my joy and comfort, my wealth and my treasure, +and I love nothing so much as her own precious self." + +(Vv. 547-690.) When Erec had listened to all that his host told him, he +asked him to inform him whence came all the chivalry that was quartered +in the town. For there was no street or house so poor and small but it +was full of knights and ladies and squires. And the vavasor said to him: +"Fair friend, these are the nobles of the country round; all, both young +and old, have come to a fete which is to be held in this town tomorrow; +therefore the houses are so full. When they shall all have gathered, +there will be a great stir to-morrow; for in the presence of all the +people there will be set upon a silver perch a sparrow-hawk of five or +six moultings--the best you can imagine. Whoever wishes to gain the hawk +must have a mistress who is fair, prudent, and courteous. And if there +be a knight so bold as to wish to defend the worth and the name of the +fairest in his eyes, he will cause his mistress to step forward and +lift the hawk from the perch, if no one dares to interpose. This is the +custom they are observing, and for this each year they gather here." +Thereupon Erec speaks and asks him: "Fair host, may it not displease +you, but tell me, if you know, who is a certain knight bearing arms of +azure and gold, who passed by here not long ago, having close beside him +a courtly damsel, preceded by a hump-backed dwarf." To him the host then +made reply: "That is he who will win the hawk without any opposition +from the other knights. I don't believe that any one will offer +opposition; this time there will be no blows or wounds. For two years +already he has won it without being challenged; and if he wins it +again this year, he will have gained permanent possession of it. Every +succeeding year he may keep it without contest or challenge." Quickly +Erec makes reply: "I do not like that knight. Upon my word, had I some +arms I should challenge him for the hawk. Fair host, I beg you as a boon +to advise me how I may be equipped with arms whether old or new, poor or +rich, it matters not." And he replies to him generously: "It were a pity +for you to feel concern on that score! I have good fine arms which I +shall be glad to lend you. In the house I have a triple-woven hauberk, +[110] which was selected from among five hundred. And I have some fine +valuable greaves, polished, handsome, and light in weight. The helmet +is bright and handsome, and the shield fresh and new. Horse, sword, and +lance all I will lend you, of course; so let no more be said." "Thank +you kindly, fair gentle host! But I wish for no better sword that this +one which I have brought with me, nor for any other horse than my own, +for I can get along well enough with him. If you will lend me the rest, +I shall esteem it a great favour. But there is one more boon I wish to +ask of you, for which I shall make just return if God grant that I come +off from the battle with honour." And frankly he replies to him: "Ask +confidently for what you want, whatever it be, for nothing of mine shall +lack you." Then Erec said that he wished to defend the hawk on behalf +of his daughter; for surely there will be no damsel who is one hundredth +part as beautiful as she. And if he takes her with him, he will have +good and just reason to maintain and to prove that she is entitled to +carry away the hawk. Then he added: "Sire, you know not what guest you +have sheltered here, nor do you know my estate and kin. I am the son of +a rich and puissant king: my father's name is King Lac, and the Bretons +call me Erec. I belong to King Arthur's court, and have been with him +now three years. I know not if any report of my father or of me has ever +reached this land. But I promise you and vow that if you will fit me out +with arms, and will give me your daughter to-morrow when I strive for +the hawk, I will take her to my country, if God grant me the victory, +and I will give her a crown to wear, and she shall be queen of three +cities." "Ah, fair sir! Is it true that you are Erec, the son of Lac?" +"That is who I am, indeed" quoth he. Then the host was greatly delighted +and said: "We have indeed heard of you in this country. Now I think all +the more of you, for you are very valiant and brave. Nothing now shall +you be refused by me. At your request I give you my fair daughter." +Then taking her by the hand, he says: "Here, I give her to you." Erec +received her joyfully, and now has all he desired. Now they are all +happy there: the father is greatly delighted, and the mother weeps for +joy. The maiden sat quiet; but she was very happy and glad that she was +betrothed to him, because he was valiant and courteous: and she knew +that he would some day be king, and she should receive honour and be +crowned rich queen. + +(Vv. 691-746.) They had sat up very late that night. But now the +beds were prepared with white sheets and soft pillows, and when the +conversation flagged they all went to bed in happy frame. Erec slept +little that night, and the next morn, at crack of dawn, he and his host +rose early. They both go to pray at church, and hear a hermit chant the +Mass of the Holy Spirit, not forgetting to make an offering. When they +had heard Mass both kneel before the altar and then return to the house. +Erec was eager for the battle; so he asks for arms, and they are given +to him. The maiden herself puts on his arms (though she casts no spell +or charm), [111] laces on his iron greaves, and makes them fast with +thong of deer-hide. She puts on his hauberk with its strong meshes, and +laces on his ventail. The gleaming helmet she sets upon his head, and +thus arms him well from tip to toe. At his side she fastens his sword, +and then orders his horse to be brought, which is done. Up he jumped +clear of the ground. The damsel then brings the shield and the strong +lance: she hands him the shield, and he takes it and hangs it about his +neck by the strap. She places the lance in his hand, and when he had +grasped it by the butt-end, he thus addressed the gentle vavasor: "Fair +sire," quoth he, "if you please, make your daughter ready now; for +I wish to escort her to the sparrow-hawk in accordance with our +agreement." The vavasor then without delay had saddled a bay palfrey. +There can nothing be said of the harness because of the dire poverty +with which the vavasor was afflicted. Saddle and bridle were put on, and +up the maiden mounted all free and in light attire, without waiting +to be urged. Erec wished to delay no longer; so off he starts with the +host's daughter by his side, followed by the gentleman and his lady. + +(Vv. 747-862.) Erec rides with lance erect and with the comely damsel by +his side. All the people, great and small, gaze at them with wondering +eyes as they pass through the streets. And thus they question each +other: "Who is yonder knight? He must be doughty and brave, indeed, to +act as escort for this fair maid. His efforts will be well employed in +proving that this damsel is the fairest of them all." One man to another +says: "In very truth, she ought to have the sparrow-hawk." Some praised +the maid, while many said: "God! who can this knight be, with the fair +damsel by his side?" "I know not." "Nor I." Thus spake each one. "But +his gleaming helmet becomes him well, and the hauberk, and shield, and +his sharp steel sword. He sits well upon his steed and has the bearing +of a valiant vassal, well-shapen in arm, in limb and foot." While all +thus stand and gaze at them, they for their part made no delay to take +their stand by the sparrow-hawk, where to one side they awaited the +knight. And now behold! they see him come, attended by his dwarf and his +damsel. He had heard the report, that a knight had come who wished to +obtain the sparrow-hawk, but he did not believe there could be in the +world a knight so bold as to dare to fight with him. He would quickly +defeat him and lay him low. All the people knew him well, and all +welcome him and escort him in a noisy crowd: knights, squires, ladies, +and damsels make haste to run after him. Leading them all the knight +rides proudly on, with his damsel and his dwarf at his side, and he +makes his way quickly to the sparrow-hawk. But all about there was such +a press of the rough and vulgar crowd that it was impossible to touch +the hawk or to come near where it was. Then the Count arrived on the +scene, and threatened the populace with a switch which he held in his +hand. The crowd drew back, and the knight advanced and said quietly +to his lady: "My lady, this bird, which is so perfectly moulted and so +fair, should be yours as your just portion; for you are wondrous fair +and full of charm. Yours it shall surely be so long as I live. Step +forward, my dear, and lift the hawk from the perch." The damsel was on +the point of stretching forth her hand when Erec hastened to challenge +her, little heeding the other's arrogance. "Damsel," he cries, "stand +back! Go dally with some other bird, for to this one you have no right. +In spite of all, I say this hawk shall never be yours. For a better one +than you claims it--aye, much more fair and more courteous." The other +knight is very wroth; but Erec does not mind him, and bids his own +maiden step forward. "Fair one." he cries, "come forth. Lift the bird +from the perch, for it is right that you should have it. Damsel, come +forth! For I will make boast to defend it if any one is so bold as +to intervene. For no woman excels you in beauty or worth, in grace or +honour any more than the moon outshines the sun." The other could suffer +it no longer, when he hears him so manfully offer himself to do battle. +"Vassal," he cries, "who art thou who dost thus dispute with me the +hawk?" Erec boldly answers him: "A knight I am from another land. This +hawk I have come to obtain; for it is right, I say it in spite of all, +that this damsel of mine should have it." "Away!" cries the other, "it +shall never be. Madness has brought thee here. If thou dost wish to have +the hawk, thou shalt pay fight dearly for it." "Pay, vassal; and how?" +"Thou must fight with me, if thou dost not resign it to me." "You talk +madness," cries Erec; "for me these are idle threats; for little +enough do I fear you." "Then I defy thee here and now. The battle is +inevitable." Erec replies: "God help me now; for never did I wish for +aught so much." Now soon you will hear the noise of battle. + +(Vv. 863-1080.) The large place was cleared, with the people gathered +all around. They draw off from each other the space of an acre, then +drive their horses together; they reach for each other with the tips of +their lances, and strike each other so hard that the shields are pierced +and broken; the lances split and crack; the saddle-bows are knocked to +bits behind. They must needs lose their stirrups, so that they both fall +to the ground, and the horses run off across the field. Though smitten +with the lances, they are quickly on their feet again, and draw their +swords from the scabbards. With great fierceness they attack each other, +and exchange great sword blows, so that the helmets are crushed and made +to ring. Fierce is the clash of the swords, as they rain great blows +upon neck and shoulders. For this is no mere sport: they break whatever +they touch, cutting the shields and shattering the hauberks. The swords +are red with crimson blood. Long the battle lasts; but they fight so +lustily that they become weary and listless. Both the damsels are in +tears, and each knight sees his lady weep and raise her hands to God and +pray that He may give the honours of the battle to the one who strives +for her. "Ha! vassal," quoth the knight to Erec, "let us withdraw and +rest a little; for too weak are these blows we deal. We must deal better +blows than these; for now it draws near evening. It is shameful and +highly discreditable that this battle should last so long. See yonder +that gentle maid who weeps for thee and calls on God. Full sweetly she +prays for thee, as does also mine for me. Surely we should do our best +with our blades of steel for the sake of our lady-loves." Erec replies: +"You have spoken well." Then they take a little rest, Erec looking +toward his lady as she softly prays for him. While he sat and looked +on her, great strength was recruited within him. Her love and beauty +inspired him with great boldness. He remembered the Queen, to whom he +pledged his word that he would avenge the insult done him, or would make +it greater yet. "Ah! wretch," says he, "why do I wait? I have not yet +taken vengeance for the injury which this vassal permitted when his +dwarf struck me in the wood." His anger is revived within him as he +summons the knight: "Vassal," quoth he, "I call you to battle anew. Too +long we have rested; let us now renew our strife." And he replies: "That +is no hardship to me." Whereupon, they again fall upon each other. +They were both expert fencers. At his first lunge the knight would have +wounded Erec had he not skilfully parried. Even so, he smote him so +hard over the shield beside his temple that he struck a piece from his +helmet. Closely shaving his white coif, the sword descends, cleaving the +shield through to the buckle, and cutting more than a span from the side +of his hauberk. Then he must have been well stunned, as the cold steel +penetrated to the flesh on his thigh. May God protect him now! If the +blow had not glanced off, it would have cut right through his body. But +Erec is in no wise dismayed: he pays him back what is owing him, and. +attacking him boldly, smites him upon the shoulder so violently a blow +that the shield cannot withstand it, nor is the hauberk of any use to +prevent the sword from penetrating to the bone. He made the crimson +blood flow down to his waist-band. Both of the vassals are hard +fighters: they fight with honours even, for one cannot gain from the +other a single foot of ground. Their hauberks are so torn and their +shields so hacked, that there is actually not enough of them left to +serve as a protection. So they fight all exposed. Each one loses a deal +of blood, and both grow weak. He strikes Erec and Erec strikes him. Erec +deals him such a tremendous blow upon the helmet that he quite stuns +him. Then he lets him have it again and again, giving him three blows +in quick succession, which entirely split the helmet and cut the coif +beneath it. The sword even reaches the skull and cuts a bone of his +head, but without penetrating the brain. He stumbles and totters, and +while he staggers, Erec pushes him over, so that he falls upon his right +side. Erec grabs him by the helmet and forcibly drags it from his +head, and unlaces the ventail, so that his head and face are completely +exposed. When Erec thinks of the insult done him by the dwarf in the +wood, he would have cut off his head, had he not cried for mercy. "Ah! +vassal," says he, "thou hast defeated me. Mercy now, and do not kill me, +after having overcome me and taken me prisoner: that would never bring +thee praise or glory. If thou shouldst touch me more, thou wouldst do +great villainy. Take here my sword; I yield it thee." Erec, however, +does not take it, but says in reply: "I am within an ace of killing +thee." "Ah! gentle knight, mercy! For what crime, indeed, or for what +wrong shouldst thou hate me with mortal hatred? I never saw thee before +that I am aware, and never have I been engaged in doing thee any shame +or wrong." Erec replies: "Indeed you have." "Ah, sire, tell me when! For +I never saw you, that I can remember, and if I have done you any wrong, +I place myself at your mercy." Then Erec said: "Vassal, I am he who was +in the forest yesterday with Queen Guinevere, when thou didst allow thy +ill-bred dwarf to strike my lady's damsel. It is disgraceful to strike +a woman. And afterwards he struck me, taking me for some common fellow. +Thou wast guilty of too great insolence when thou sawest such an outrage +and didst complacently permit such a monster of a lout to strike the +damsel and myself. For such a crime I may well hate thee; for thou +hast committed a grave offence. Thou shalt now constitute thyself my +prisoner, and without delay go straight to my lady whom thou wilt surely +find at Cardigan, if thither thou takest thy way. Thou wilt reach there +this very night, for it is not seven leagues from here, I think. Thou +shalt hand over to her thyself, thy damsel, and thy dwarf, to do as she +may dictate; and tell her that I send her word that to-morrow I shall +come contented, bringing with me a damsel so fair and wise and fine +that in all the world she has not her match. So much thou mayst tell her +truthfully. And now I wish to know thy name." Then he must needs say in +spite of himself: "Sire, my name is Yder, son of Nut. This morning I had +not thought that any single man by force of arms could conquer me. Now +I have found by experience a man who is better than I. You are a very +valiant knight, and I pledge you my faith here and now that I will go +without delay and put myself in the Queen's hands. But tell me without +reserve what your name may be. Who shall I say it is that sends me? For +I am ready to start." And he replies: "My name I will tell thee without +disguise: it is Erec. Go, and tell her that it is I who have sent thee +to her." "Now I'll go, and I promise you that I will put my dwarf, my +damsel, and myself altogether at her disposal (you need have no fear), +and I will give her news of you and of your damsel." Then Erec received +his plighted word, and the Count and all the people round about the +ladies and the gentlemen were present at the agreement. Some were +joyous, and some downcast; some were sorry, and others glad. The most +rejoiced for the sake of the damsel with the white raiment, the daughter +of the poor vavasor she of the gentle and open heart; but his damsel and +those who were devoted to him were sorry for Yder. + +(Vv. 1081-1170.) Yder, compelled to execute his promise, did not wish +to tarry longer, but mounted his steed at once. But why should I make +a long story? Taking his dwarf and his damsel, they traversed the woods +and the plain, going on straight until they came to Cardigan. In the +bower [112] outside the great hall, Gawain and Kay the seneschal and a +great number of other lords were gathered. The seneschal was the first +to espy those approaching, and said to my lord Gawain: "Sire, my heart +divines that the vassal who yonder comes is he of whom the Queen spoke +as having yesterday done her such an insult. If I am not mistaken, there +are three in the party, for I see the dwarf and the damsel." "That is +so," says my lord Gawain; "it is surely a damsel and a dwarf who are +coming straight toward us with the knight. The knight himself is fully +armed, but his shield is not whole. If the Queen should see him, +she would know him. Hello, seneschal, go call her now!" So he went +straightway and found her in one of the apartments. "My lady," says he, +"do you remember the dwarf who yesterday angered you by wounding your +damsel?" "Yes, I remember him right well. Seneschal, have you any +news of him? Why have you mentioned him?" "Lady, because I have seen a +knight-errant armed coming upon a grey horse, and if my eyes have not +deceived me, I saw a damsel with him; and it seems to me that with him +comes the dwarf, who still holds the scourge from which Erec received +his lashing." Then the Queen rose quickly and said: "Let us go quickly, +seneschal, to see if it is the vassal. If it is he, you may be sure that +I shall tell you so, as soon as I see him." And Kay said: "I will show +him to you. Come up into the bower where your knights are assembled. It +was from there we saw him coming, and my lord Gawain himself awaits +you there. My lady, let us hasten thither, for here we have too long +delayed." Then the Queen bestirred herself, and coming to the windows +she took her stand by my lord Gawain, and straightway recognised the +knight. "Ha! my lords," she cries, "it is he. He has been through great +danger. He has been in a battle. I do not know whether Erec has avenged +his grief, or whether this knight has defeated Erec. But there is many a +dent upon his shield, and his hauberk is covered with blood, so that it +is rather red than white." "In sooth, my lady," quoth my lord Gawain, +"I am very sure that you are quite right. His hauberk is covered with +blood, and pounded and beaten, showing plainly that he has been in a +fight. We can easily see that the battle has been hot. Now we shall soon +hear from him news that will give us joy or gloom: whether Erec sends +him to you here as a prisoner at your discretion, or whether he comes +in pride of heart to boast before us arrogantly that he has defeated or +killed Erec. No other news can he bring, I think." The Queen says: "I am +of the same opinion." And all the others say: "It may well be so." + +(Vv. 1171-1243.) Meanwhile Yder enters the castle gate, bringing them +news. They all came down from the bower, and went to meet him. Yder came +up to the royal terrace and there dismounted from his horse. And Gawain +took the damsel and helped her down from her palfrey; the dwarf, for his +part, dismounted too. There were more than one hundred knights standing +there, and when the three newcomers had all dismounted they were led +into the King's presence. As soon as Yder saw the Queen, he bowed low +and first saluted her, then the King and his knights, and said: "Lady, +I am sent here as your prisoner by a gentleman, a valiant and noble +knight, whose face yesterday my dwarf made smart with his knotted +scourge. He has overcome me at arms and defeated me. Lady, the dwarf I +bring you here: he has come to surrender to you at discretion. I bring +you myself, my damsel, and my dwarf to do with us as you please." The +Queen keeps her peace no longer, but asks him for news of Erec: "Tell +me," she says, "if you please, do you know when Erec will arrive?" +"To-morrow, lady, and with him a damsel he will bring, the fairest of +all I ever knew." When he had delivered his message, the Queen, who was +kind and sensible, said to him courteously: "Friend, since thou hast +thrown thyself upon my mercy, thy confinement shall be less harsh; for I +have no desire to seek thy harm. But tell me now, so help thee God, what +is thy name?" And he replies: "Lady, my name is Yder, son of Nut." And +they knew that he told the truth. Then the Queen arose, and going before +the King, said: "Sire, did you hear? You have done well to wait for +Erec, the valiant knight. I gave you good advice yesterday, when I +counselled you to await his return. This proves that it is wise to take +advice." The King replies: "That is no lie; rather is it perfectly true +that he who takes advice is no fool. Happily we followed your advice +yesterday. But if you care anything for me, release this knight from his +durance, provided he consent to join henceforth my household and court; +and if he does not consent, let him suffer the consequence." When the +King had thus spoken, the Queen straightway released the knight; but it +was on this condition, that he should remain in the future at the court. +He did not have to be urged before he gave his consent to stay. Now he +was of the court and household to which he had not before belonged. Then +valets were at hand to run and relieve him of his arms. + +(Vv. 1244-1319.) Now we must revert to Erec, whom we left in the field +where the battle had taken place. Even Tristan, when he slew fierce +Morhot on Saint Samson's isle [113], awakened no such jubilee as they +celebrated here over Erec. Great and small, thin and stout--all make +much of him and praise his knighthood. There is not a knight but cries: +"Lord what a vassal! Under Heaven there is not his like!" They follow +him to his lodgings, praising him and talking much. Even the Count +himself embraces him, who above the rest was glad, and said: "Sire, if +you please, you ought by right to lodge in my house, since you are the +son of King Lac. If you would accept of my hospitality you would do me +a great honour, for I regard you as my liege. Fair sire, may it please +you, I beg you to lodge with me." Erec answers: "May it not displease +you, but I shall not desert my host to-night, who has done me much +honour in giving me his daughter. What say you, sir? Is it not a fair +and precious gift?" "Yes, sire," the Count replies; "the gift, in truth, +is fine and good. The maid herself is fair and clever, and besides is of +very noble birth. You must know that her mother is my sister. Surely, I +am glad at heart that you should deign to take my niece. Once more I beg +you to lodge with me this night." Erec replies: "Ask me no more. I will +not do it." Then the Count saw that further insistence was useless, and +said: "Sire, as it please you! We may as well say no more about it; but +I and my knights will all be with you to-night to cheer you and bear +you company." When Erec heard that, he thanked him, and returned to his +host's dwelling, with the Count attending him. Ladies and knights were +gathered there, and the vavasor was glad at heart. As soon as Erec +arrived, more than a score of squires ran quickly to remove his arms. +Any one who was present in that house could have witnessed a happy +scene. Erec went first and took his seat; then all the others in order +sit down upon the couches, the cushions, and benches. At Erec's side the +Count sat down, and the damsel with her radiant face, who was feeding +the much disputed hawk upon her wrist with a plover's wing. [114] Great +honour and joy and prestige had she gained that day, and she was very +glad at heart both for the bird and for her lord. She could not have +been happier, and showed it plainly, making no secret of her joy. All +could see how gay she was, and throughout the house there was great +rejoicing for the happiness of the maid they loved. + +(Vv. 1320-1352.) Erec thus addressed the vavasor: "Fair host, fair +friend, fair sire! You have done me great honour, and richly shall it +be repaid you. To-morrow I shall take away your daughter with me to the +King's court, where I wish to take her as my wife; and if you will +tarry here a little, I shall send betimes to fetch you. I shall have you +escorted into the country which is my father's now, but which later will +be mine. It is far from here--by no means near. There I shall give you +two towns, very splendid, rich, and fine. You shall be lord of Roadan, +which was built in the time of Adam, and of another town close by, which +is no less valuable. The people call it Montrevel, and my father owns no +better town. [115] And before the third day has passed, I shall send you +plenty of gold and silver, of dappled and grey furs, and precious silken +stuffs wherewith to adorn yourself and your wife my dear lady. To-morrow +at dawn I wish to take your daughter to court, dressed and arrayed as +she is at present. I wish my lady, the Queen, to dress her in her best +dress of satin and scarlet cloth." + +(Vv. 1353-1478.) There was a maiden near at hand, very honourable, +prudent, and virtuous. She was seated on a bench beside the maid with +the white shift, and was her own cousin the niece of my lord the Count. +When she heard how Erec intended to take her cousin in such very poor +array to the Queen's court, she spoke about it to the Count. "Sire," +she says, "it would be a shame to you more than to any one else if this +knight should take your niece away with him in such sad array." And +the Count made answer: "Gentle niece, do you give her the best of your +dresses." But Erec heard the conversation, and said: "By no means, my +lord. For be assured that nothing in the world would tempt me to let +her have another robe until the Queen shall herself bestow it upon her." +When the damsel heard this, she replied: "Alas! fair sire, since you +insist upon leading off my cousin thus dressed in a white shift and +chemise, and since you are determined that she shall have none of +my dresses, a different gift I wish to make her. I have three good +palfreys, as good as any of king or count, one sorrel, one dappled, and +the other black with white forefeet. Upon my word, if you had a hundred +to pick from, you would not find a better one than the dappled mount. +The birds in the air do not fly more swiftly than the palfrey; and he is +not too lively, but just suits a lady. A child can ride him, for he +is neither skittish nor balky, nor does he bite nor kick nor become +unmanageable. Any one who is looking for something better does not know +what he wants. And his pace is so easy and gentle that a body is more +comfortable and easy on his back than in a boat." Then said Erec: "My +dear, I have no objection to her accepting this gift; indeed, I am +pleased with the offer, and do not wish her to refuse it." Then the +damsel calls one of her trusty servants, and says to him: "Go, friend, +saddle my dappled palfrey, and lead him here at once." And he carries +out her command: he puts on saddle and bridle and strives to make him +appear well. Then he jumps on the maned palfrey, which is now ready for +inspection. When Erec saw the animal, he did not spare his praise, for +he could see that he was very fine and gentle. So he bade a servant lead +him back and hitch him in the stable beside his own horse. Then they all +separated, after an evening agreeably spent. The Count goes off to his +own dwelling, and leaves Erec with the vavasor, saying that he will bear +him company in the morning when he leaves. All that night they slept +well. In the morning, when the dawn was bright, Erec prepares to start, +commanding his horses to be saddled. His fair sweetheart, too, awakes, +dresses, and makes ready. The vavasor and his wife rise too, and every +knight and lady there prepares to escort the damsel and the knight. Now +they are all on horseback, and the Count as well. Erec rides beside the +Count, having beside him his sweetheart ever mindful of her hawk. Having +no other riches, she plays with her hawk. Very merry were they as they +rode along; but when the time came to part, the Count wished to send +along with Erec a party of his knights to do him honour by escorting +him. But he announced that none should bide with him, and that he wanted +no company but that of the damsel. Then, when they had accompanied them +some distance, he said: "In God's name, farewell!" Then the Count kisses +Erec and his niece, and commends them both to merciful God. Her father +and mother, too, kiss them again and again, and could not keep back +their tears: at parting, the mother weeps, the father and the daughter +too. For such is love and human nature, and such is affection between +parents and children. They wept from sorrow, tenderness, and love which +they had for their child; yet they knew full well that their daughter +was to fill a place from which great honour would accrue to them. They +shed tears of love and pity when they separated from their daughter, but +they had no other cause to weep. They knew well enough that eventually +they would receive great honour from her marriage. So at parting many +a tear was shed, as weeping they commend one another to God, and thus +separate without more delay. + +(Vv. 1479-1690.) Erec quit his host; for he was very anxious to reach +the royal court. In his adventure he took great satisfaction; for now he +had a lady passing fair, discreet, courteous, and debonair. He could not +look at her enough: for the more he looks at her, the more she pleases +him. He cannot help giving her a kiss. He is happy to ride by her side, +and it does him good to look at her. Long he gazes at her fair hair, her +laughing eyes, and her radiant forehead, her nose, her face, and mouth, +for all of which gladness fills his heart. He gazes upon her down to the +waist, at her chin and her snowy neck, her bosom and sides, her arms and +hands. But no less the damsel looks at the vassal with a clear eye and +loyal heart, as if they were in competition. They would not have ceased +to survey each other even for promise of a reward! A perfect match they +were in courtesy, beauty, and gentleness. And they were so alike in +quality, manner, and customs, that no one wishing to tell the truth +could choose the better of them, nor the fairer, nor the more discreet. +Their sentiments, too, were much alike; so that they were well suited +to each other. Thus each steals the other's heart away. Law or marriage +never brought together two such sweet creatures. And so they rode along +until just on the stroke of noon they approached the castle of Cardigan, +where they were both expected. Some of the first nobles of the court had +gone up to look from the upper windows and see if they could see them. +Queen Guinevere ran up, and even the King came with Kay and Perceval of +Wales, and with them my lord Gawain and Tor, the son of King Ares; Lucan +the cupbearer was there, too, and many another doughty knight. Finally, +they espied Erec coming along in company with his lady. They all knew +him well enough from as far as they could see him. The Queen is greatly +pleased, and indeed the whole court is glad of his coming, because they +all love him so. As soon as he was come before the entrance hall, the +King and Queen go down to meet him, all greeting him in God's name. They +welcome Erec and his maiden, commending and praising her great beauty. +And the King himself caught her and lifted her down from her palfrey. +The King was decked in fine array and was then in cheery mood. He did +signal honour to the damsel by taking her hand and leading her up into +the great stone hall. After them Erec and the Queen also went up hand +in hand, and he said to her: "I bring you, lady, my damsel and my +sweetheart dressed in poor garb. As she was given to me, so have I +brought her to you. She is the daughter of a poor vavasor. Through +poverty many an honourable man is brought low: her father, for instance, +is gentle and courteous, but he has little means. And her mother is a +very gentle lady, the sister of a rich Count. She has no lack of beauty +or of lineage, that I should not marry her. It is poverty that has +compelled her to wear this white linen garment until both sleeves are +torn at the side. And yet, had it been my desire, she might have had +dresses rich enough. For another damsel, a cousin of hers, wished to +give her a robe of ermine and of spotted or grey silk. But I would +not have her dressed in any other robe until you should have seen her. +Gentle lady, consider the matter now and see what need she has of a +fine becoming gown." And the Queen at once replies: "You have done quite +right; it is fitting that she should have one of my gowns, and I will +give her straightway a rich, fair gown, both fresh and new." The Queen +then hastily took her off to her own private room, and gave orders +to bring quickly the fresh tunic and the greenish-purple mantle, +embroidered with little crosses, which had been made for herself. The +one who went at her behest came bringing to her the mantle and the +tunic, which was lined with white ermine even to the sleeves. At the +wrists and on the neck-band there was in truth more than half a mark's +weight of beaten gold, and everywhere set in the gold there were +precious stones of divers colours, indigo and green, blue and dark +brown. This tunic was very rich, but not a writ less precious, I trow, +was the mantle. As yet, there were no ribbons on it; for the mantle like +the tunic was brand new. The mantle was very rich and fine: laid about +the neck were two sable skins, and in the tassels there was more than an +ounce of gold; on one a hyacinth, and on the other a ruby flashed more +bright than burning candle. The fur lining was of white ermine; never +was finer seen or found. The cloth was skilfully embroidered with little +crosses, all different, indigo, vermilion, dark blue, white, green, +blue, and yellow. The Queen called for some ribbons four ells long, made +of silken thread and gold. The ribbons are given to her, handsome and +well matched. Quickly she had them fastened to the mantle by some one +who knew how to do it, and who was master of the art. When the mantle +needed no more touches, the gay and gentle lady clasped the maid with +the white gown and said to her cheerily: "Mademoiselle, you must change +this frock for this tunic which is worth more than a hundred marks of +silver. So much I wish to bestow upon you. And put on this mantle, too. +Another time I will give you more." Not able to refuse the gift, she +takes the robe and thanks her for it. Then two maids took her aside into +a room, where she took off her frock as being of no further value; but +she asked and requested that it be given away (to some poor woman) for +the love of God. Then she dons the tunic, and girds herself, binding on +tightly a golden belt, and afterwards puts on the mantle. Now she looked +by no means ill; for the dress became her so well that it made her look +more beautiful than ever. The two maids wove a gold thread in amongst +her golden hair: but her tresses were more radiant than the thread of +gold, fine though it was. The maids, moreover, wove a fillet of flowers +of many various colours and placed it upon her head. They strove as best +they might to adorn her in such wise that no fault should be found with +her attire. Strung upon a ribbon around her neck, a damsel hung two +brooches of enamelled gold. Now she looked so charming and fair that I +do not believe that you could find her equal in any land, search as you +might, so skilfully had Nature wrought in her. Then she stepped out of +the dressing-room into the Queen's presence. The Queen made much of her, +because she liked her and was glad that she was beautiful and had such +gentle manners. They took each other by the hand and passed into the +King's presence. And when the King saw them, he got up to meet them. +When they came into the great hall, there were so many knights there who +rose before them that I cannot call by name the tenth part of them, or +the thirteenth, or the fifteenth. But I can tell you the names of some +of the best of the knights who belonged to the Round Table and who were +the best in the world. + +(Vv. 1691-1750.) Before all the excellent knights, Gawain ought to be +named the first, and second Erec the son of Lac, and third Lancelot of +the Lake. [116] Gornemant of Gohort was fourth, and the fifth was the +Handsome Coward. The sixth was the Ugly Brave, the seventh Meliant of +Liz, the eighth Mauduit the Wise, and the ninth Dodinel the Wild. Let +Gandelu be named the tenth, for he was a goodly man. The others I shall +mention without order, because the numbers bother me. Eslit was there +with Briien, and Yvain the son of Uriien. And Yvain of Loenel was there, +as well as Yvain the Adulterer. Beside Yvain of Cavaliot was Garravain +of Estrangot. After the Knight with the Horn was the Youth with the +Golden Ring. And Tristan who never laughed sat beside Bliobleheris, and +beside Brun of Piciez was his brother Gru the Sullen. The Armourer sat +next, who preferred war to peace. Next sat Karadues the Shortarmed, +a knight of good cheer; and Caveron of Robendic, and the son of King +Quenedic and the Youth of Quintareus and Yder of the Dolorous Mount. +Gaheriet and Kay of Estraus, Amauguin and Gales the Bald, Grain, +Gornevain, and Carabes, and Tor the son of King Aras, Girflet the son +of Do, and Taulas, who never wearied of arms: and a young man of great +merit, Loholt the son of King Arthur, [117] and Sagremor the Impetuous, +who should not be forgotten, nor Bedoiier the Master of the Horse, +who was skilled at chess and trictrac, nor Bravain, nor King Lot, nor +Galegantin of Wales, nor Gronosis, versed in evil, who was son of Kay +the Seneschal, nor Labigodes the Courteous, nor Count Cadorcaniois, nor +Letron of Prepelesant, whose manners were so excellent, nor Breon the +son of Canodan, nor the Count of Honolan who had such a head of fine +fair hair; he it was who received the King's horn in an evil day; [118] +he never had any care for truth. + +(Vv. 1751-1844.) When the stranger maiden saw all the knights arrayed +looking steadfastly at her, she bowed her head in embarrassment; nor was +it strange that her face blushed all crimson. But her confusion was so +becoming to her that she looked all the more lovely. When the King saw +that she was embarrassed, he did not wish to leave her side. Taking her +gently by the hand, he made her sit down on his right hand; and on his +left sat the Queen, speaking thus to the King the while. "Sire, in my +opinion he who can win such a fair lady by his arms in another land +ought by right to come to a royal court. It was well we waited for Erec; +for now you can bestow the kiss upon the fairest of the court. I should +think none would find fault with you! for none can say, unless he lie, +that this maiden is not the most charming of all the damsels here, or +indeed in all the world." The King makes answer: "That is no lie; and +upon her, if there is no remonstrance, I shall bestow the honour of the +White Stag." Then he added to the knights: "My lords, what say you? What +is your opinion? In body, in face, and in whatever a maid should have, +this one is the most charming and beautiful to be found, as I may say, +before you come to where Heaven and earth meet. I say it is meet that +she should receive the honour of the Stag. And you, my lords, what do +you think about it? Can you make any objection? If any one wishes to +protest, let him straightway speak his mind. I am King, and must keep +my word and must not permit any baseness, falsity, or arrogance. I must +maintain truth and righteousness. It is the business of a loyal king +to support the law, truth, faith, and justice. I would not in any wise +commit a disloyal deed or wrong to either weak or strong. It is not meet +that any one should complain of me; nor do I wish the custom and the +practice to lapse, which my family has been wont to foster. You, too, +would doubtless regret to see me strive to introduce other customs +and other laws than those my royal sire observed. Regardless of +consequences, I am bound to keep and maintain the institution of my +father Pendragon, who was a just king and emperor. Now tell me fully +what you think! Let none be slow to speak his mind, if this damsel is +not the fairest of my household and ought not by right to receive the +kiss of the White Stag: I wish to know what you truly think." Then they +all cry with one accord: "Sire, by the Lord and his Cross! you may well +kiss her with good reason, for she is the fairest one there is. In this +damsel there is more beauty than there is of radiance in the sun. You +may kiss her freely, for we all agree in sanctioning it." When the King +hears that this is well pleasing to them all, he will no longer delay in +bestowing the kiss, but turns toward her and embraces her. The maid was +sensible, and perfectly willing that the King should kiss her; she would +have been discourteous, indeed, to resent it. In courteous fashion and +in the presence of all his knights the King kissed her, and said: "My +dear. I give you my love in all honesty. I will love you with true +heart, without malice and without guile." By this adventure the King +carried out the practice and the usage to which the White Stag was +entitled at his court. + +Here ends the first part of my story. [119] + +(Vv. 1845-1914.) When the kiss of the Stag was taken according to the +custom of the country, Erec, like a polite and kind man, was solicitous +for his poor host. It was not his intention to fail to execute what he +had promised. Hear how he kept his covenant: for he sent him now five +sumpter mules, strong and sleek, loaded with dresses and clothes, +buckrams and scarlets, marks of gold and silver plate, furs both vair +and grey, skins of sable, purple stuffs, and silks. When the mules were +loaded with all that a gentleman can need, he sent with them an escort +of ten knights and sergeants chosen from his own men, and straightly +charged them to salute his host and show great honour both to him and to +his lady, as if it were to himself in person; and when they should have +presented to them the sumpters which they brought them, the gold, the +silver, and money, and all the other furnishings which were in the +boxes, they should escort the lady and the vavasor with great honour +into his kingdom of Farther Wales. [120] Two towns there he had promised +them, the most choice and the best situated that there were in all his +land, with nothing to fear from attack. Montrevel was the name of one, +and the other's name was Roadan. When they should arrive in his kingdom, +they should make over to them these two towns, together with their rents +and their jurisdiction, in accordance with what he had promised them. +All was carried out as Erec had ordered. The messengers made no delay, +and in good time they presented to his host the gold and the silver +and the sumpters and the robes and the money, of which there was great +plenty. They escorted them into Erec's kingdom, and strove to serve them +well. They came into the country on the third day, and transferred to +them the towers of the towns; for King Lac made no objection. He gave +them a warm welcome and showed them honour, loving them for the sake +of his son Erec. He made over to them the title to the towns, and +established their suzerainty by making knights and bourgeois swear that +they would reverence them as their true liege lords. When this was +done and accomplished, the messengers returned to their lord Erec, who +received them gladly. When he asked for news of the vavasor and his +lady, of his own father and of his kingdom, the report they gave him was +good and fair. + +(Vv. 1915-2024.) Not long after this, the time drew near when Erec was +to celebrate his marriage. The delay was irksome to him, and he resolved +no longer to suffer and wait. So he went and asked of the King that +it might please him to allow him to be married at the court. The King +vouchsafed him the boon, and sent through all his kingdom to search for +the kings and counts who were his liege-men, bidding them that none be +so bold as not to be present at Pentecost. None dares to hold back and +not go to court at the King's summons. Now I will tell you, and listen +well, who were these counts and kings. With a rich escort and one +hundred extra mounts Count Brandes of Gloucester came. After him came +Menagormon, who was Count of Clivelon. And he of the Haute Montagne came +with a very rich following. The Count of Treverain came, too, with a +hundred of his knights, and Count Godegrain with as many more. Along +with those whom I have just mentioned came Maheloas, a great baron, lord +of the Isle of Voirre. In this island no thunder is heard, no lightning +strikes, nor tempests rage, nor do toads or serpents exist there, nor is +it ever too hot or too cold. [121] Graislemier of Fine Posterne brought +twenty companions, and had with him his brother Guigomar, lord of the +Isle of Avalon. Of the latter we have heard it said that he was a friend +of Morgan the Fay, and such he was in very truth. Davit of Tintagel +came, who never suffered woe or grief. Guergesin, the Duke of Haut Bois, +came with a very rich equipment. There was no lack of counts and dukes, +but of kings there were still more. Garras of Cork, a doughty king, was +there with five hundred knights clad in mantles, hose, and tunics of +brocade and silk. Upon a Cappadocian steed came Aguisel, the Scottish +king, and brought with him his two sons, Cadret and Coi--two much +respected knights. Along with those whom I have named came King Ban of +Gomeret, and he had in his company only young men, beardless as yet on +chin and lip. A numerous and gay band he brought two hundred of them +in his suite; and there was none, whoever he be, but had a falcon or +tercel, a merlin or a sparrow-hawk, or some precious pigeon-hawk, golden +or mewed. Kerrin, the old King of Riel, brought no youth, but rather +three hundred companions of whom the youngest was seven score years old. +Because of their great age, their heads were all as white as snow, and +their beards reached down to their girdles. Arthur held them in great +respect. The lord of the dwarfs came next, Bilis, the king of Antipodes. +This king of whom I speak was a dwarf himself and own brother of Brien. +Bilis, on the one hand, was the smallest of all the dwarfs, while his +brother Brien was a half-foot or full palm taller than any other knight +in the kingdom. To display his wealth and power, Bilis brought with him +two kings who were also dwarfs and who were vassals of his, Grigoras and +Glecidalan. Every one looked at them as marvels. When they had arrived +at court, they were treated with great esteem. All three were honoured +and served at the court like kings, for they were very perfect +gentlemen. In brief, when King Arthur saw all his lords assembled, his +heart was glad. Then, to heighten the joy, he ordered a hundred squires +to be bathed whom he wished to dub knights. There was none of them +but had a parti-coloured robe of rich brocade of Alexandria, each one +choosing such as pleased his fancy. All had arms of a uniform pattern, +and horses swift and full of mettle, of which the worst was worth a +hundred livres. + +(Vv. 2025-2068.) When Erec received his wife, he must needs call her by +her right name. For a wife is not espoused unless she is called by her +proper name. As yet no one knew her name, but now for the first time it +was made known: Enide was her baptismal name. [122] The Archbishop of +Canterbury, who had come to the court, blessed them, as is his right. +When the court was all assembled, there was not a minstrel in the +countryside who possessed any pleasing accomplishment that did not come +to the court. In the great hall there was much merry-making, each one +contributing what he could to the entertainment: one jumps, another +tumbles, another does magic; there is story-telling, singing, whistling, +playing from notes; they play on the harp, the rote, the fiddle, the +violin, the flute, and pipe. The maidens sing and dance, and outdo each +other in the merry-making. At the wedding that day everything was +done which can give joy and incline man's heart to gladness. Drums are +beaten, large and small, and there is playing of pipes, fifes, horns, +trumpets, and bagpipes. What more shall I say? There was not a wicket or +a gate kept closed; but the exits and entrances all stood ajar, so that +no one, poor or rich, was turned away. King Arthur was not miserly, but +gave orders to the bakers, the cooks, and the butlers that they should +serve every one generously with bread, wine, and venison. No one asked +anything whatever to be passed to him without getting all he desired. + +(Vv. 2069-2134.) There was great merriment in the palace. But I will +pass over the rest, and you shall hear of the joy and pleasure in the +bridal chamber. Bishops and archbishops were there on the night when +the bride and groom retired. At this their first meeting, Iseut was not +filched away, nor was Brangien put in her place. [123] The Queen herself +took charge of their preparations for the night; for both of them were +dear to her. The hunted stag which pants for thirst does not so long for +the spring, nor does the hungry sparrow-hawk return so quickly when he +is called, as did these two come to hold each other in close embrace. +That night they had full compensation for their long delay. After the +chamber had been cleared, they allow each sense to be gratified: the +eyes, which are the entrance-way of love, and which carry messages to +the heart, take satisfaction in the glance, for they rejoice in all they +see; after the message of the eyes comes the far surpassing sweetness of +the kisses inviting love; both of them make trial of this sweetness, and +let their hearts quaff so freely that hardly can they leave off. Thus, +kissing was their first sport. And the love which is between them +emboldened the maid and left her quite without her fears; regardless of +pain, she suffered all. Before she rose, she no longer bore the name +of maid; in the morning she was a new-made dame. That day the minstrels +were in happy mood, for they were all well paid. They were fully +compensated for the entertainment they had given, and many a handsome +gift was bestowed upon them: robes of grey squirrel skin and ermine, of +rabbit skins and violet stuffs, scarlets and silken stuffs. Whether +it be a horse or money, each one got what he deserved according to his +skill. And thus the wedding festivities and the court lasted almost +a fortnight with great joy and magnificence. For his own glory and +satisfaction, as well as to honour Erec the more, King Arthur made all +the knights remain a full fortnight. When the third week began, all +together by common consent agreed to hold a tournament. On the one +side, my lord Gawain offered himself as surety that it would take place +between Evroic and Tenebroc: and Meliz and Meliadoc were guarantors on +the other side. Then the court separated. + +(Vv. 2135-2292.) A month after Pentecost the tournament assembled, and +the jousting began in the plain below Tenebroc. Many an ensign of red, +blue, and white, many a veil and many a sleeve were bestowed as tokens +of love. Many a lance was carried there, flying the colours argent and +green, or gold and azure blue. There were many, too, with different +devices, some with stripes and some with dots. That day one saw laced on +many a helmet of gold or steel, some green, some yellow, and others red, +all aglowing in the sun; so many scutcheons and white hauberks; so many +swords girt on the left side; so many good shields, fresh and new, some +resplendent in silver and green, others of azure with buckles of gold; +so many good steeds marked with white, or sorrel, tawny, white, black, +and bay: all gather hastily. And now the field is quite covered with +arms. On either side the ranks tremble, and a roar rises from the fight. +The shock of the lances is very great. Lances break and shields are +riddled, the hauberks receive bumps and are torn asunder, saddles go +empty and horsemen ramble, while the horses sweat and foam. Swords are +quickly drawn on those who tumble noisily, and some run to receive the +promise of a ransom, others to stave off this disgrace. Erec rode a +white horse, and came forth alone at the head of the line to joust, if +he may find an opponent. From the opposite side there rides out to meet +him Orguelleus de la Lande, mounted on an Irish steed which bears +him along with marvellous speed. On the shield before his breast Erec +strikes him with such force that he knocks him from his horse: he leaves +him prone and passes on. Then Raindurant opposed him, son of the old +dame of Tergalo, covered with blue cloth of silk; he was a knight of +great prowess. Against one another now they charge and deal fierce blows +on the shields about their neck. Erec from lance's length lays him over +on the hard ground. While riding back he met the King of the Red City, +who was very valiant and bold. They grasp their reins by the knots and +their shields by the inner straps. They both had fine arms, and strong +swift horses, and good shields, fresh and new. With such fury they +strike each other that both their lances fly in splinters. Never was +there seen such a blow. They rush together with shields, arms, and +horses. But neither girth nor rein nor breast-strap could prevent the +king from coming to earth. So he flew from his steed, carrying with him +saddle and stirrup, and even the reins of his bridle in his hand. All +those who witnessed the jousting were filled with amazement, and said it +cost him dear to joust with such a goodly knight. Erec did not wish +to stop to capture either horse or rider, but rather to joust and +distinguish himself in order that his prowess might appear. He thrills +the ranks in front of him. Gawain animates those who were on his side +by his prowess, and by winning horses and knights to the discomfiture +of his opponents. I speak of my lord Gawain, who did right well and +valiantly. In the fight he unhorsed Guincel, and took Gaudin of the +Mountain; he captured knights and horses alike: my lord Gawain did well. +Girtlet the son of Do, and Yvain, and Sagremor the Impetuous, so evilly +entreated their adversaries that they drove them back to the gates, +capturing and unhorsing many of them. In front of the gate of the town +the strife began again between those within and those without. There +Sagremor was thrown down, who was a very gallant knight. He was on the +point of being detained and captured, when Erec spurs to rescue him, +breaking his lance into splinters upon one of the opponents. So hard he +strikes him on the breast that he made him quit the saddle. Then he +made of his sword and advances upon them, crushing and splitting their +helmets. Some flee, and others make way before him, for even the boldest +fears him. Finally, he distributed so many blows and thrusts that he +rescued Sagremor from them, and drove them all in confusion into the +town. Meanwhile, the vesper hour drew to a close. Erec bore himself so +well that day that he was the best of the combatants. But on the morrow +he did much better yet: for he took so many knights and left so many +saddles empty that none could believe it except those who had seen it. +Every one on both sides said that with his lance and shield he had won +the honours of the tournament. Now was Erec's renown so high that no one +spoke save of him, nor was any one of such goodly favour. In countenance +he resembled Absalom, in language he seemed a Solomon, in boldness he +equalled Samson, [124] and in generous giving and spending he was the +equal of Alexander. On his return from the tourney Erec went to speak +with the King. He went to ask him for leave to go and visit his own +land; but first he thanked him like a frank, wise, and courteous man for +the honour which he had done him; for very deep was his gratitude. +Then he asked his permission to leave, for he wished to visit his own +country, and he wished to take his wife with him. This request the King +could not deny, and yet he would have had him stay. He gives him leave +and begs him to return as soon as possible: for in the whole court there +was no better or more gallant knight, save only his dear nephew Gawain; +[125] with him no one could be compared. But next after him, he prized +Erec most, and held him more dear than any other knight. + +(Vv. 2293-2764.) Erec wished to delay no longer. As soon as he had the +King's leave, he bid his wife make her preparations, and he retained as +his escort sixty knights of merit with horses and with dappled and grey +furs. As soon as he was ready for his journey, he tarried little further +at court, but took leave of the Queen and commended the knights to God. +The Queen grants him leave to depart. At the hour of prime he set out +from the royal palace. In the presence of them all he mounted his steed, +and his wife mounted the dappled horse which she had brought from her +own country; then all his escort mounted. Counting knights and squires, +there were full seven score in the train. After four long days' journey +over hills and slopes, through forests, plains, and streams, they +came on the fifth day to Camant, where King Lac was residing in a very +charming town. No one ever saw one better situated; for the town was +provided with forests and meadow-land, with vineyards and farms, with +streams and orchards, with ladies and knights, and fine, lively youths, +and polite, well-mannered clerks who spent their incomes freely, with +fair and charming maidens, and with prosperous burghers. Before Erec +reached the town, he sent two knights ahead to announce his arrival +to the King. When he heard the news, the King had clerks, knights, and +damsels quickly mount, and ordered the bells to be rung, and the streets +to be hung with tapestries and silken stuffs, that his son might be +received with joy; then he himself got on his horse. Of clerks there +were present fourscore, gentle and honourable men, clad in grey cloaks +bordered with sable. Of knights there were full five hundred, mounted +on bay, sorrel, or white-spotted steeds. There were so many burghers and +dames that no one could tell the number of them. The King and his son +galloped and rode on till they saw and recognised each other. They both +jump down from their horses and embrace and greet each other for a long +time, without stirring from the place where they first met. Each party +wished the other joy: the King makes much of Erec, but all at once +breaks off to turn to Enide. On all sides he is in clover: he embraces +and kisses them both, and knows not which of the two pleases him the +more. As they gaily enter the castle, the bells all ring their peals to +honour Erec's arrival. The streets are all strewn with reeds, mint, and +iris, and are hung overhead with curtains and tapestries of fancy silk +and satin stuffs. There was great rejoicing; for all the people came +together to see their new lord, and no one ever saw greater happiness +than was shown alike by young and old. First they came to the church, +where very devoutly they were received in a procession. Erec kneeled +before the altar of the Crucifix, and two knights led his wife to the +image of Our Lady. When she had finished her prayer, she stepped back +a little and crossed herself with her right hand, as a well-bred dame +should do. Then they came out from the church and entered the royal +palace, when the festivity began. That day Erec received many presents +from the knights and burghers: from one a palfrey of northern stock, and +from another a golden cup. One presents him with a golden pigeon-hawk, +another with a setter-dog, this one a greyhound, this other a +sparrowhawk, and another a swift Arab steed, this one a shield, this one +an ensign, this one a sword, and this a helmet. Never was a king more +gladly seen in his kingdom, nor received with greater joy, as all strove +to serve him well. Yet greater joy they made of Enide than of him, for +the great beauty which they saw in her, and still more for her open +charm. She was seated in a chamber upon a cushion of brocade which had +been brought from Thessaly. Round about her was many a fair lady; yet as +the lustrous gem outshines the brown flint, and as the rose excels the +poppy, so was Enide fairer than any other lady or damsel to be found in +the world, wherever one might search. She was so gentle and honourable, +of wise speech and affable, of pleasing character and kindly mien. No +one could ever be so watchful as to detect in her any folly, or sign of +evil or villainy. She had been so schooled in good manners that she had +learned all virtues which any lady can possess, as well as generosity +and knowledge. All loved her for her open heart, and whoever could do +her any service was glad and esteemed himself the more. No one spoke any +ill of her, for no one could do so. In the realm or empire there was no +lady of such good manners. But Erec loved her with such a tender love +that he cared no more for arms, nor did he go to tournaments, nor have +any desire to joust; but he spent his time in cherishing his wife. He +made of her his mistress and his sweetheart. He devoted all his heart +and mind to fondling and kissing her, and sought no delight in other +pastime. His friends grieved over this, and often regretted among +themselves that he was so deep in love. Often it was past noon before +he left her side; for there he was happy, say what they might. He rarely +left her society, and yet he was as open-handed as ever to his knights +with arms, dress, and money. There was not a tournament anywhere to +which he did not send them well apparelled and equipped. Whatever the +cost might be, he gave them fresh steeds for the tourney and joust. All +the knights said it was a great pity and misfortune that such a valiant +man as he was wont to be should no longer wish to bear arms. He was +blamed so much on all sides by the knights and squires that murmurs +reached Enide's ears how that her lord had turned craven about arms +and deeds of chivalry, and that his manner of life was greatly changed. +[126] She grieved sorely over this, but she did not dare to show her +grief; for her lord at once would take affront, if she should speak to +him. So the matter remained a secret, until one morning they lay in bed +where they had had sport together. There they lay in close embrace, like +the true lovers they were. He was asleep, but she was awake, thinking +of what many a man in the country was saying of her lord. And when she +began to think it all over, she could not keep back the tears. Such +was her grief and her chagrin that by mischance she let fall a word for +which she later felt remorse, though in her heart there was no guile. +She began to survey her lord from head to foot, his well-shaped body and +his clear countenance, until her tears fell fast upon the bosom of her +lord, and she said: "Alas, woe is me that I ever left my country! What +did I come here to seek? The earth ought by right to swallow me up when +the best knight, the most hardy, brave, fair, and courteous that ever +was a count or king, has completely abjured all his deeds of chivalry +because of me. And thus, in truth, it is I who have brought shame upon +his head, though I would fain not have done so at any price." Then she +said to him: "Unhappy thou!" And then kept silence and spoke no more. +Erec was not sound asleep and, though dozing, heard plainly what she +said. He aroused at her words, and much surprised to see her weeping, he +asked her: "Tell me, my precious beauty, why do you weep thus? What has +caused you woe or sorrow? Surely it is my wish to know. Tell me now, +my gentle sweetheart; and raise care to keep nothing back, why you said +that woe was me? For you said it of me and of no one else. I heard your +words plainly enough." Then was Enide in a great plight, afraid and +dismayed. "Sire," says she, "I know nothing of what you say." "Lady, why +do you conceal it? Concealment is of no avail. You hare been crying; I +can see that, and you do not cry for nothing. And in my sleep I heard +what you said." "Ah! fair sire, you never heard it, and I dare say it +was a dream." "Now you are coming to me with lies. I hear you calmly +lying to me. But if you do not tell me the truth now, you will come to +repent of it later." "Sire, since you torment me thus, I will tell you +the whole truth, and keep nothing back. But I am afraid that you will +not like it. In this land they all say--the dark, the fair, and the +ruddy--that it is a great pity that you should renounce your arms; your +reputation has suffered from it. Every one used to say not long ago that +in all the world there was known no better or more gallant knight. +Now they all go about making game of you--old and young, little and +great--calling you a recreant. Do you suppose it does not give me pain +to hear you thus spoken of with scorn? It grieves me when I hear it +said, and yet it grieves me more that they put the blame for it on me. +Yes, I am blamed for it, I regret to say, and they all assert it is +because I have so ensnared and caught you that you are losing all your +merit, and do not care for aught but me. You must choose another course, +so that you may silence this reproach and regain your former fame; for I +have heard too much of this reproach, and yet I did not dare to disclose +it to you. Many a time, when I think of it, I have to weep for very +grief. Such chagrin I felt just now that I could not keep myself from +saying that you were ill-starred." "Lady," said he, "you were in the +right, and those who blame me do so with reason. And now at once prepare +yourself to take the road. Rise up from here, and dress yourself in your +richest robe, and order your saddle to be put on your best palfrey." Now +Enide is in great distress: very sad and pensive, she gets up, blaming +and upbraiding herself for the foolish words she spoke: she had now +made her bed, and must lie in it. "Ah!" said she, "poor fool! I was too +happy, for there lacked me nothing. God! why was I so forward as to dare +to utter such folly? God! did not my lord love me to excess? In faith, +alas, he was too fond of me. And now I must go away into exile. But I +have yet a greater grief, that I shall no longer see my lord, who loved +me with such tenderness that there was nothing he held so dear. The best +man that was ever born had become so wrapped up in me that he cared for +nothing else. I lacked for nothing then. I was very happy. But pride +it is that stirred me up: because of my pride, I must suffer woe for +telling him such insulting words, and it is right that I should suffer +woe. One does not know what good fortune is until he has made trial of +evil." Thus the lady bemoaned her fate, while she dressed herself fitly +in her richest robe. Yet nothing gave her any pleasure, but rather cause +for deep chagrin. Then she had a maid call one of her squires, and bids +him saddle her precious palfrey of northern stock, than which no count +or king ever had a better. As soon as she had given him the command, the +fellow asked for no delay, but straightway went and saddled the dappled +palfrey. And Erec summoned another squire and bade him bring his arms to +arm his body withal. Then he went up into a bower, and had a Limoges rug +laid out before him on the floor. Meanwhile, the squire ran to fetch the +arms and came back and laid them on the rug. Erec took a seat opposite, +on the figure of a leopard which was portrayed on the rug. He prepares +and gets ready to put on his arms: first, he had laced on a pair of +greaves of polished steel; next, he dons a hauberk, which was so fine +that not a mesh could be cut away from it. This hauberk of his was rich, +indeed, for neither inside nor outside of it was there enough iron to +make a needle, nor could it gather any rust; for it was all made of +worked silver in tiny meshes triple-wove; and it was made with such +skill that I can assure you that no one who had put it on would have +been more uncomfortable or sore because of it, than if he had put on a +silk jacket over his undershirt. The knights and squires all began to +wonder why he was being armed; but no one dared to ask him why. When +they had put on his hauberk, a valet laces about his head a helmet +fluted with a band of gold, shining brighter than a mirror. Then he +takes the sword and girds it on, and orders them to bring him saddled +his bay steed of Gascony. Then he calls a valet to him, and says: +"Valet, go quickly, run to the chamber beside the tower where my wife +is, and tell her that she is keeping me waiting here too long. She has +spent too much time on her attire. Tell her to come and mount at once, +for I am awaiting her." And the fellow goes and finds her all ready, +weeping and making moan: and he straightway addressed her thus: "Lady, +why do you so delay? My lord is awaiting you outside yonder, already +fully armed. He would have mounted some time ago, had you been ready." +Enide wondered greatly what her lord's intention was; but she very +wisely showed herself with as cheerful a countenance as possible, when +she appeared before him. In the middle of the courtyard she found him, +and King Lac comes running out. Knights come running, too, striving with +each other to reach there first. There is neither young nor old but goes +to learn and ask if he will take any of them with him. So each offers +and presents himself. But he states definitely and affirms that he will +take no companion except his wife, asserting that he will go alone. +Then the King is in great distress. "Fair son," says he, "what dost thou +intend to do? Thou shouldst tell me thy business and keep nothing back. +Tell me whither thou will go; for thou art unwilling on any account +to be accompanied by an escort of squires or knights. If thou hast +undertaken to fight some knight in single combat, yet shouldst thou not +for that reason fail to take a part of thy knights with thee to betoken +thy wealth and lordship. A king's son ought not to fare alone. Fair son, +have thy sumpters loaded now, and take thirty or forty or more of thy +knights, and see that silver and gold is taken, and whatever a gentleman +needs." Finally Erec makes reply and tells him all in detail how he has +planned his journey. "Sire," says he, "it must be so. I shall take no +extra horse, nor have I any use for gold or silver, squire or sergeant; +nor do I ask for any company save that of my wife alone. But I pray you, +whatever may happen, should I die and she come back, to love her and +hold her dear for love of me and for my prayer, and give her so long as +she live, without contention or any strife, the half of your land to be +her own." Upon hearing his son's request, the King said: "Fair son, I +promise it. But I grieve much to see thee thus go off without escort, +and if I had my way, thou shouldst not thus depart." "Sire, it cannot +be otherwise. I go now, and to God commend you. But keep in mind my +companions, and give them horses and arms and all that knight may need." +The King cannot keep back the tears when he is parted from his son. The +people round about weep too; the ladies and knights shed tears and make +great moan for him. There is not one who does not mourn, and many a one +in the courtyard swoons. Weeping, they kiss and embrace him, and are +almost beside themselves with grief. I think they would not have been +more sad if they had seen him dead or wounded. Then Erec said to comfort +them: "My lords, why do you weep so sore? I am neither in prison nor +wounded. You gain nothing by this display of grief. If I go away, I +shall come again when it please God and when I can. To God I commend you +one and all; so now let me go; too long you keep me here. I am sorry and +grieved to see you weep." To God he commends them and they him. + +(Vv. 2765-2924.) So they departed, leaving sorrow behind them. Erec +starts, and leads his wife he knows not whither, as chance dictates. +"Ride fast," he says, "and take good care not to be so rash as to speak +to me of anything you may see. Take care never to speak to me, unless I +address you first. Ride on now fast and with confidence." "Sire," says +she, "it shall be done." She rode ahead and held her peace. Neither one +nor the other spoke a word. But Enide's heart is very sad, and within +herself she thus laments, soft and low that he may not hear: "Alas," she +says, "God had raised and exalted me to such great joy; but now He +has suddenly cast me down. Fortune who had beckoned me has quickly now +withdrawn her hand. I should not mind that so much, alas, if only I +dared to address my lord. But I am mortified and distressed because my +lord has turned against me, I see it clearly, since he will not speak +to me. And I am not so bold as to dare to look at him." While she thus +laments, a knight who lived by robbery issued forth from the woods. He +had two companions with him, and all three were armed. They covet the +palfrey which Enide rides. "My lords, do you know the news I bring?" +says he to his two companions. "If we do not now make a haul, we are +good-for-nothing cowards and are playing in bad luck. Here comes a lady +wondrous fair, whether married or not I do not know, but she is very +richly dressed. The palfrey and saddle, with the breast-strap and reins, +are worth a thousand livres of Chartres. I will take the palfrey for +mine, and the rest of the booty you may have. I don't want any more for +my share. The knight shall not lead away the lady, so help me God. For I +intend to give him such a thrust as he will dearly pay. I it was who saw +him first, and so it is my right to go the first and offer battle." +They give him leave and he rides off, crouching well beneath his shield, +while the other two remain aloof. In those days it was the custom and +practice that in an attack two knights should not join against one; +thus if they too had assailed him, it would seem that they had acted +treacherously. Enide saw the robbers, and was seized with great fear. +"God," says she, "what can I say? Now my lord will be either killed +or made a prisoner; for there are three of them and he is alone. The +contest is not fair between one knight and three. That fellow will +strike him now at a disadvantage; for my lord is off his guard. God, +shall I be then such a craven as not to dare to raise my voice? Such a +coward I will not be: I will not fail to speak to him." On the spot +she turns about and calls to him: "Fair sire, of what are you thinking? +There come riding after you three knights who press you hard. I greatly +fear they will do you harm." "What?" says Erec, "what's that you say? +You have surely been very bold to disdain my command and prohibition. +This time you shall be pardoned; but if it should happen another time, +you would not be forgiven." Then turning his shield and lance, he rushes +at the knight. The latter sees him coming and challenges him. When Erec +hears him, he defies him. Both give spur and clash together, holding +their lances at full extent. But he missed Erec, while Erec used him +hard; for he knew well the right attack. He strikes him on the shield +so fiercely that he cracks it from top to bottom. Nor is his hauberk any +protection: Erec pierces and crushes it in the middle of his breast, and +thrusts a foot and a half of his lance into his body. When he drew back, +he pulled out the shaft. And the other fell to earth. He must needs die, +for the blade had drunk of his life's blood. Then one of the other two +rushes forward, leaving his companion behind, and spurs toward Erec, +threatening him. Erec firmly grasps his shield, and attacks him with +a stout heart. The other holds his shield before his breast. Then they +strike upon the emblazoned shields. The knight's lance flies into two +bits, while Erec drives a quarter of lance's length through the other's +breast. He will give him no more trouble. Erec unhorses him and leaves +him in a faint, while he spurs at an angle toward the third robber. When +the latter saw him coming on he began to make his escape. He was afraid, +and did not dare to face him; so he hastened to take refuge in the +woods. But his flight is of small avail, for Erec follows him close +and cries aloud: "Vassal, vassal, turn about now, and prepare to defend +yourself, so that I may not slay you in act of flight. It is useless +to try to escape." But the fellow has no desire to turn about, and +continues to flee with might and main. Following and overtaking him, +Erec hits him squarely on his painted shield, and throws him over on the +other side. To these three robbers he gives no further heed: one he has +killed, another wounded, and of the third he got rid by throwing him +to earth from his steed. He took the horses of all three and tied them +together by the bridles. In colour they were not alike: the first was +white as milk, the second black and not at all bad looking, while the +third was dappled all over. He came back to the road where Enide was +awaiting him. He bade her lead and drive the three horses in front of +her, warning her harshly never again to be so bold as to speak a single +word unless he give her leave. She makes answer: "I will never do so, +fair sire, if it be your will." Then they ride on, and she holds her +peace. + +(Vv. 2925-3085.) They had not yet gone a league when before them in a +valley there came five other knights, with lances in rest, shields held +close in to the neck, and their shining helmets laced up tight; they, +too, were on plunder bent. All at once they saw the lady approach in +charge of the three horses, and Erec who followed after. As soon as they +saw them, they divided their equipment among themselves, just as if they +had already taken possession of it. Covetousness is a bad thing. But it +did not turn out as they expected; for vigorous defence was made. Much +that a fool plans is not executed, and many a man misses what he thinks +to obtain. So it befell them in this attack. One said that he would +take the maid or lose his life in the attempt; and another said that the +dappled steed shall be his, and that he will be satisfied with that. The +third said that he would take the black horse. "And the white one for +me," said the fourth. The fifth was not at all backward, and vowed that +he would have the horse and arms of the knight himself. He wished to win +them by himself, and would fain attack him first, if they would give him +leave: and they willingly gave consent. Then he leaves them and rides +ahead on a good and nimble steed. Erec saw him, but made pretence that +he did not yet notice him. When Enide saw them, her heart jumped with +fear and great dismay. "Alas!" said she, "I know not what to say or do; +for my lord severely threatens me, and says that he will punish me, if +I speak a word to him. But if my lord were dead now, there would be no +comfort for me. I should be killed and roughly treated. God! my lord +does not see them! Why, then, do I hesitate, crazed as I am? I am indeed +too chary of my words, when I have not already spoken to him. I know +well enough that those who are coming yonder are intent upon some wicked +deed. And God! how shall I speak to him? He will kill me. Well, let him +kill me! Yet I will not fail to speak to him." Then she softly calls +him: "Sire!" "What?" says he, "what do you want?" "Your pardon, sire. I +want to tell you that five knights have emerged from yonder thicket, of +whom I am in mortal fear. Having noticed them, I am of the opinion that +they intend to fight with you. Four of them have stayed behind, and the +other comes toward you as fast as his steed can carry him. I am afraid +every moment lest he will strike you. 'Tis true, the four have stayed +behind; but still they are not far away, and will quickly aid him, +if need arise." Erec replies: "You had an evil thought, when you +transgressed my command--a thing which I had forbidden you. And yet I +knew all the time that you did not hold me in esteem. Your service has +been ill employed; for it has not awakened my gratitude, but rather +kindled the more my ire. I have told you that once, and I say it again. +This once again I will pardon you; but another time restrain yourself, +and do not again turn around to watch me: for in doing so you would +be very foolish. I do not relish your words." Then he spurs across the +field toward his adversary, and they come together. Each seeks out and +assails the other. Erec strikes him with such force that his shield +flies from his neck, and thus he breaks his collar-bone. His stirrups +break, and he falls without the strength to rise again, for he was badly +bruised and wounded. One of the others then appeared, and they attack +each other fiercely. Without difficulty Erec thrusts the sharp and well +forged steel into his neck beneath the chin, severing thus the bones +and nerves. At the back of his neck the blade protrudes, and the hot red +blood flows down on both sides from the wound. He yields his spirit, and +his heart is still. The third sallies forth from his hiding-place on +the other side of a ford. Straight through the water, on he comes. Erec +spurs forward and meets him before he came out of the water, striking +him so hard that he beats down flat both rider and horse. The steed lay +upon the body long enough to drown him in the stream, and then struggled +until with difficulty he got upon his feet. Thus he conquered three of +them, when the other two thought it wise to quit the conflict and not to +strive with him. In flight they follow the stream, and Erec after them +in hot pursuit, until he strikes one upon the spine so hard that he +throws him forward upon the saddle-bow. He put all his strength into the +blow, and breaks his lance upon his body, so that the fellow fell head +foremost. Erec makes him pay dearly for the lance which he has broken +on him, and drew his sword from the scabbard. The fellow unwisely +straightened up; for Erec gave him three such strokes that he slaked his +sword's thirst in his blood. He severs the shoulder from his body, so +that it fell down on the ground. Then, with sword drawn, he attacked the +other, as he sought to escape without company or escort. When he sees +Erec pursuing him, he is so afraid that he knows not what to do: he does +not dare to face him, and cannot turn aside; he has to leave his horse, +for he has no more trust in him. He throws away his shield and lance, +and slips from his horse to earth. When he saw him on his feet, Erec +no longer cared to pursue him, but he stooped over for the lance, not +wishing to leave that, because of his own which had been broken. He +carries off his lance and goes away, not leaving the horses behind: he +catches all five of them and leads them off. Enide had hard work to +lead them all; for he hands over all five of them to her with the other +three, and commands her to go along smartly, and to keep from addressing +him in order that no evil or harm may come to her. So not a word does +she reply, but rather keeps silence; and thus they go, leading with them +all the eight horses. + +(Vv. 3086-3208.) They rode till nightfall without coming to any town or +shelter. When night came on, they took refuge beneath a tree in an open +field. Erec bids his lady sleep, and he will watch. She replies that she +will not, for it is not right, and she does not wish to do so. It is +for him to sleep who is more weary. Well pleased at this, Erec accedes. +Beneath his head he placed his shield, and the lady took her cloak, and +stretched it over him from head to foot. Thus, he slept and she kept +watch, never dozing the whole night, but holding tight in her hand by +the bridle the horses until the morning broke; and much she blamed and +reproached herself for the words which she had uttered, and said that +she acted badly, and was not half so ill-treated as she deserved to be. +"Alas," said she, "in what an evil hour have I witnessed my pride and +presumption! I might have known without doubt that there was no knight +better than, or so good as, my lord. I knew it well enough before, but +now I know it better. For I have seen with my own eyes how he has not +quailed before three or even five armed men. A plague for ever upon +my tongue for having uttered such pride and insult as now compel me +to suffer shame!" All night long she thus lamented until the morning +dawned. Erec rises early, and again they take the road, she in front and +he behind. At noon a squire met them in a little valley, accompanied +by two fellows who were carrying cakes and wine and some rich autumn +cheeses to those who were mowing the hay in the meadows belonging to +Count Galoain. The squire was a clever fellow, and when he saw Erec and +Enide, who were coming from the direction of the woods, he perceived +that they must have spent the night in the forest and had had nothing to +eat or drink; for within a radius of a day's journey there was no town, +city or tower, no strong place or abbey, hospice or place of refuge. So +he formed an honest purpose and turned his steps toward them, saluting +them politely and saving: "Sire, I presume that you have had a hard +experience last night. I am sure you have had no sleep and have spent +the night in these woods. I offer you some of this white cake, if it +please you to partake of it. I say it not in hope of reward: for I ask +and demand nothing of you. The cakes are made of good wheat; I have good +wine and rich cheeses, too, a white cloth and fine jugs. If you feel +like taking lunch, you need not seek any farther. Beneath these white +beeches, here on the greensward, you might lay off your arms and rest +yourself a while. My advice is that you dismount." Erec got down from +his horse and said: "Fair gentle friend, I thank you kindly: I will eat +something, without going farther." The young man knew well what to do: +he helped the lady from her horse, and the boys who had come with the +squire held the steeds. Then they go and sit down in the shade. The +squire relieves Erec of his helmet, unlaces the mouth-piece from before +his face; then he spreads out the cloth before them on the thick tuff. +He passes them the cake and wine, and prepares and cuts a cheese. Hungry +as they were, they helped themselves, and gladly drank of the wine. The +squire serves them and omits no attention. When they had eaten and drunk +their fill, Erec was courteous and generous. "Friend," says he, "as a +reward, I wish to present you with one of my horses. Take the one you +like the best. And I pray it may be no hardship for you to return to the +town and make ready there a goodly lodging." And he replies that he +will gladly do whatever is his will. Then he goes up to the horses and, +untying them, chooses the dapple, and speaks his thanks; for this one +seems to be the best. Up he springs by the left stirrup, and leaving +them both there, he rode off to the town at top speed, where he engaged +suitable quarters. Now behold! he is back again: "Now mount, sire, +quickly," says he, "for you have a good fine lodging ready." Erec +mounted, and then his lady, and, as the town was hard by, they soon had +reached their lodging-place. There they were received with joy. The host +with kindness welcomed them, and with joy and gladness made generous +provision for their needs. + +(Vv. 3209-3458.) When the squire had done for them all the honour that +he could do, he came and mounted his horse again, leading it off in +front of the Count's bower to the stable. The Count and three of his +vassals were leaning out of the bower, when the Count, seeing his squire +mounted on the dappled steed, asked him whose it was. And he replied +that it was his. The Count, greatly astonished, says: "How is that? +Where didst thou get him?" "A knight whom I esteem highly gave him to +me, sire," says he. "I have conducted him within this town, and he +is lodged at a burgher's house. He is a very courteous knight and the +handsomest man I ever saw. Even if I had given you my word and oath, +I could not half tell you how handsome he is." The Count replies: "I +suppose and presume that he is not more handsome than I am." "Upon my +word, sire," the sergeant says, "you are very handsome and a gentleman. +There is not a knight in this country, a native of this land, whom you +do not excel in favour. But I dare maintain concerning this one that +he is fairer than you, if he were not beaten black and blue beneath his +hauberk, and bruised. In the forest he has been fighting single-handed +with eight knights, and leads away their eight horses. And there comes +with him a lady so fair that never lady was half so fair as she." [128] +When the Count hears this news, the desire takes him to go and see if +this is true or false. "I never heard such a thing," says he; "take me +now to his lodging-place, for certainly I wish to know if thou dost lie +or speak the truth." He replies: "Right gladly, sire. This is the way +and the path to follow, for it is not far from here." "I am anxious to +see them," says the Count. Then he comes down, and the squire gets off +his horse, and makes the Count mount in his place. Then he ran ahead +to tell Erec that the Count was coming to visit him. Erec's lodging was +rich indeed--the kind to which he was accustomed. There were many tapers +and candles lighted all about. The Count came attended by only three +companions. Erec, who was of gracious manners, rose to meet him, and +exclaimed: "Welcome, sire!" And the Count returned his salutation. They +both sat down side by side upon a soft white couch, where they chat with +each other. The Count makes him an offer and urges him to consent to +accept from him a guarantee for the payment of his expenses in the +town. But Erec does not deign to accept, saying he is well supplied with +money, and has no need to accept aught from him. They speak long of many +things, but the Count constantly glances about in the other direction, +where he caught sight of the lady. Because of her manifest beauty, he +fixed all his thought on her. He looked at her as much as he could; +he coveted her, and she pleased him so that her beauty filled him with +love. Very craftily he asked Erec for permission to speak with her. +"Sire," he says "I ask a favour of you, and may it not displease you. As +an act of courtesy and as a pleasure, I would fain sit by yonder lady's +side. With good intent I came to see you both, and you should see no +harm in that. I wish to present to the lady my service in all respects. +Know well that for love of you I would do whatever may please her." Erec +was not in the least jealous and suspected no evil or treachery. "Sire," +says he, "I have no objection. You may sit down and talk with her. Don't +think that I have any objection. I give you permission willingly." The +lady was seated about two spear-lengths away from him. And the Count +took his seat close beside her on a low stool. Prudent and courteous, +the lady turned toward him. "Alas," quoth he, "how grieved I am to see +you in such humble state! I am sorry and feel great distress. But if you +would believe my word, you could have honour and great advantage, and +much wealth would accrue to you. Such beauty as yours is entitled to +great honour and distinction. I would make you my mistress, if it should +please you and be your will; you would be my mistress dear and lady over +all my land. When I deign to woo you thus, you ought not to disdain my +suit. I know and perceive that your lord does not love and esteem you. +If you will remain with me, you would be mated with a worthy lord." +"Sire," says Enide, "your proposal is vain. It cannot be. Ah! better +that I were yet unborn, or burnt upon a fire of thorns and my ashes +scattered abroad than that I should ever in any wise be false to my +lord, or conceive any felony or treachery toward him. You have made a +great mistake in making such a proposal to me. I shall not agree to it +in any wise." The Count's ire began to rise. "You disdain to love me, +lady?" says he; "upon my word, you are too proud. Neither for flattery +nor for prayer you will do my will? It is surely true that a woman's +pride mounts the more one prays and flatters her; but whoever insults +and dishonours her will often find her more tractable. I give you my +word that if you do not do my will there soon will be some sword-play +here. Rightly or wrongly, I will have your lord slain right here before +your eyes." "Ah, sire," says Enide, "there is a better way than that you +say. You would commit a wicked and treacherous deed if you killed him +thus. Calm yourself again, I pray; for I will do your pleasure. You +may regard me as all your own, for I am yours and wish to be. I did not +speak as I did from pride, but to learn and prove if I could find in you +the true love of a sincere heart. But I would not at any price have you +commit an act of treason. My lord is not on his guard; and if you should +kill him thus, you would do a very ugly deed, and I should have the +blame for it. Every one in the land would say that it had been done with +my consent. Go and rest until the morrow, when my lord shall be about +to rise. Then you can better do him harm without blame and without +reproach." With her heart's thoughts her words do not agree. "Sire," +says she, "believe me now! Have no anxiety; but send here to-morrow your +knights and squires and have me carried away by force. My lord will rush +to my defence, for he is proud and bold enough. Either in earnest or in +jest, have him seized and treated ill, or strike his head off, if you +will. I have led this life now long enough; to tell the truth. I like +not the company of this my lord. Rather would I feel your body lying +beside me in a bed. And since we have reached this point, of my love you +may rest assured." The Count replies: "It is well, my lady! God bless +the hour that you were born; in great estate you shall be held." "Sire," +says she, "indeed, I believe it. And yet I would fain have your word +that you will always hold me dear; I could not believe you otherwise." +Glad and merry, the Count replies: "See here, my faith I will pledge to +you loyally as a Count, Madame, that I shall do all your behests. Have +no further fear of that. All you want you shall always have." Then she +took his plighted word; but little she valued or cared for it, except +therewith to save her lord. Well she knows how to deceive a fool, when +she puts her mind upon it. Better it were to lie to him than that her +lord should be cut off. The Count now rose from her side, and commends +her to God a hundred times. But of little use to him will be the faith +which she has pledged to him. Erec knew nothing at all of this that they +were plotting to work his death; but God will be able to lend him aid, +and I think He will do so. Now Erec is in great peril, and does not know +that he must be on his guard. The Count's intentions are very base in +planning to steal away his wife and kill him when he is without defence. +In treacherous guise he takes his leave: "To God I commend you," says +he, and Erec replies: "And so do I you, sire." Thus they separated. +Already a good part of the night was passed. Out of the way, in one of +the rooms, two beds were made upon the floor. In one of them Erec lays +him down, in the other Enide went to rest. Full of grief and anxiety, +she never closed her eyes that night, but remained on watch for her +lord's sake; for from what she had seen of the Count, she knew him to be +full of wickedness. She knows full well that if he once gets possession +of her lord, he will not fail to do him harm. He may be sure of being +killed: so for his sake she is in distress. All night she must needs +keep her vigil; but before the dawn, if she can bring it about, and if +her lord will take her word, they will be ready to depart. + +(Vv. 3459-3662.) Erec slept all night long securely until daylight. Then +Enide realised and suspected that she might hesitate too long. Her heart +was tender toward her lord, like a good and loyal lady. Her heart was +neither deceitful nor false. So she rises and makes ready, and drew near +to her lord to wake him up. "Ah, sire," says she, "I crave your +pardon. Rise quickly now, for you are betrayed beyond all doubt, though +guiltless and free from any crime. The Count is a proven traitor, and +if he can but catch you here, you will never get away without his having +cut you in pieces. He hates you because he desires me. But if it please +God, who knows all things, you shall be neither slain nor caught. Last +evening he would have killed you had I not assured him that I would be +his mistress and his wife. You will see him return here soon: he wants +to seize me and keep me here and kill you if he can find you." Now Erec +learns how loyal his wife is to him. "Lady," says he, "have our horses +quickly saddled; then run and call our host, and tell him quickly to +come here. Treason has been long abroad." Now the horses are saddled, +and the lady summoned the host. Erec has armed and dressed himself, and +into his presence came the host. "Sire," said he, "what haste is this, +that you are risen at such an hour, before the day and the sun appear?" +Erec replies that he has a long road and a full day before him, and +therefore he has made ready to set out, having it much upon his mind; +and he added: "Sire, you have nor yet handed me any statement of my +expenses. You have received me with honour and kindness, and therein +great merit redounds to you. Cancel my indebtedness with these seven +horses that I brought here with me. Do not disdain them, but keep them +for your own. I cannot increase my gift to you by so much as the value +of a halter." The burgher was delighted with this gift and bowed low, +expressing his thanks and gratitude. Then Erec mounts and takes his +leave, and they set out upon their way. As they ride, he frequently +warns Enide that if she sees anything she should not be so bold as to +speak to him about it. Meanwhile, there entered the house a hundred +knights well armed, and very much dismayed they were to find Erec no +longer there. Then the Count learned that the lady had deceived him. He +discovered the footsteps of the horses, and they all followed the trail, +the Count threatening Erec and vowing that, if he can come up with him, +nothing can keep him from having his head on the spot. "A curse on +him who now hangs back, and does not spur on fast!" quoth he; "he who +presents me with the head of the knight whom I hate so bitterly, will +have served me to my taste." Then they plunge on at topmost speed, +filled with hostility toward him who had never laid eyes on them and had +never harmed them by deed or word. They ride ahead until they made him +out; at the edge of a forest they catch sight of him before he was hid +by the forest trees. Not one of them halted then, but all rushed on in +rivalry. Enide hears the clang and noise of their arms and horses, and +sees that the valley is full of them. As soon as she saw them, she could +not restrain her tongue. "Ah, sire," she cries, "alas, how this Count +has attacked you, when he leads against you such a host! Sire, ride +faster now, until we be within this wood. I think we can easily distance +them, for they are still a long way behind. If you go on at this pace, +you can never escape from death, for you are no match for them." Erec +replies: "Little esteem you have for me, and lightly you hold my words. +It seems I cannot correct you by fair request. But as the Lord have +mercy upon me until I escape from here, I swear that you shall pay +dearly for this speech of yours; that is, unless my mind should change." +Then he straightway turns about, and sees the seneschal drawing near +upon a horse both strong and fleet. Before them all he takes his stand +at the distance of four cross-bow shots. He had not disposed of his +arms, but was thoroughly well equipped. Erec reckons up his opponents' +strength, and sees there are fully a hundred of them. Then he who thus +is pressing him thinks he had better call a hair. Then they ride to meet +each other, and strike upon each other's shield great blows with their +sharp and trenchant swords. Erec caused his stout steel sword to pierce +his body through and through, so that his shield and hauberk protected +him no more than a shred of dark-blue silk. And next the Count comes +spurring on, who, as the story tells, was a strong and doughty knight. +But the Count in this was ill advised when he came with only shield and +lance. He placed such trust in his own prowess that he thought that he +needed no other arms. He showed his exceeding boldness by rushing on +ahead of all his men more than the space of nine acres. When Erec saw +him stand alone, he turned toward him; the Count is not afraid of him, +and they come together with clash of arms. First the Count strikes him +with such violence upon the breast that he would have lost his stirrups +if he had not been well set. He makes the wood of his shield to split +so that the iron of his lance protrudes on the other side. But Erec's +hauberk was very solid and protected him from death without the tear +of a single mesh. The Count was strong and breaks his lance; then Erec +strikes him with such force on his yellow painted shield that he +ran more than a yard of his lance through his abdomen, knocking him +senseless from his steed. Then he turned and rode away without further +tarrying on the spot. Straight into the forest he spurs at full speed. +Now Erec is in the woods, and the others paused a while over those who +lay in the middle of the field. Loudly they swear and vow that they will +rather follow after him for two or three days than fail to capture and +slaughter him. The Count, though grievously wounded in the abdomen, +hears what they say. He draws himself up a little and opens his eyes a +tiny bit. Now he realises what an evil deed he had begun to execute. He +makes the knights step back, and says: "My lords, I bid you all, both +strong and weak, high and low, that none of you be so bold as to dare +to advance a single step. All of you return now quickly! I have done +a villainous deed, and I repent me of my foul design. The lady who +outwitted me is very honourable, prudent, and courteous. Her beauty +fired me with love for her; because I desired her, I wished to kill her +lord and keep her back with me by force. I well deserved this woe, and +now it has come upon me. How abominably disloyal and treacherous I was +in my madness! Never was there a better knight born of mother than he. +Never shall he receive harm through me if I can in any way prevent it. +I command you all to retrace your steps." Back they go disconsolate, +carrying the lifeless seneschal on the shield reversed. The Count, +whose wound was not mortal, lived on for some time after. Thus was Erec +delivered. + +(Vv. 3663-3930.) Erec goes off at full speed down a road between two +hedgerows--he and his wife with him. Both putting spurs to their +horses, they rode until they came to a meadow which had been mown. After +emerging from the hedged enclosure they came upon a drawbridge before a +high tower, which was all closed about with a wall and a broad and deep +moat. They quickly pass over the bridge, but had not gone far before the +lord of the place espied them from up in his tower. About this man I +can tell you the truth: that he was very small of stature, but very +courageous of heart. When he sees Erec cross the bridge, he comes down +quickly from his tower, and on a great sorrel steed of his he causes +a saddle to be placed, which showed portrayed a golden lion. Then he +orders to be brought his shield, his stiff, straight lance, a sharp +polished sword, his bright shining helmet, his gleaming hauberk, and +triple-woven greaves; for he has seen an armed knight pass before his +list against whom he wishes to strive in arms, or else this stranger +will strive against him until he shall confess defeat. His command +was quickly done: behold the horse now led forth; a squire brought him +around already bridled and with saddle on. Another fellow brings the +arms. The knight passed out through the gate, as quickly as possible, +all alone, without companion. Erec is riding along a hill-side, when +behold the knight comes tearing down over the top of the hill, mounted +upon a powerful steed which tore along at such a pace that he crushed +the stones beneath his hoofs finer than a millstone grinds the corn; and +bright gleaming sparks flew off in all directions, so that it seemed as +if his four feet were all ablaze with fire. Enide heard the noise and +commotion, and almost fell from her palfrey, helpless and in a faint. +There was no vein in her body in which the blood did not turn, and her +face became all pale and white as if she were a corpse. Great is her +despair and dismay, for she does not dare to address her lord, who often +threatens and chides at her and charges her to hold her peace. She is +distracted between two courses to pursue, whether to speak or to hold +her peace. She takes counsel with herself, and often she prepares to +speak, so that her tongue already moves, but the voice cannot issue +forth; for her teeth are clenched with fear, and thus shut up her speech +within. Thus she admonishes and reproaches herself, but she closes her +mouth and grits her teeth so that her speech cannot issue forth. At +strife with herself, she said: "I am sure and certain that I shall incur +a grievous loss, if here I lose my lord. Shall I tell him all, then, +openly? Not I. Why not? I would not dare, for thus I should enrage my +lord. And if my lord's ire is once aroused, he will leave me in this +wild place alone, wretched and forlorn. Then I shall be worse off than +now. Worse off? What care I? May grief and sorrow always be mine as long +as I live, if my lord does not promptly escape from here without being +delivered to a violent death. But if I do not quickly inform him, this +knight who is spurring hither will have killed him before he is aware; +for he seems of very evil intent. I think I have waited too long from +fear of his vigorous prohibition. But I will no longer hesitate because +of his restraint. I see plainly that my lord is so deep in thought that +he forgets himself; so it is fight that I should address him." She +spoke to him. He threatens her, but has no desire to do her harm, for he +realises and knows full well that she loves him above all else, and +he loves her, too, to the utmost. He rides toward the knight, who +challenges him to battle, and they meet at the foot of the hill, where +they attack and defy each other. Both smite each other with their +iron-tipped lances with all their strength. The shields that hang about +their necks are not worth two coats of bark: the leather tears, and they +split the wood, and they shatter the meshes of the hauberks. Both are +pierced to the vitals by the lances, and the horses fall to earth. Now, +both the warriors were doughty. Grievously, but not mortally, wounded, +they quickly got upon their feet and grasped afresh their lances, which +were not broken nor the worse for wear. But they cast them away on the +ground, and drawing their swords from the scabbard, they attack each +other with great fury. Each wounds and injures the other, for there +is no mercy on either side. They deal such blows upon the helmets +that gleaming sparks fly out when their swords recoil. They split and +splinter the shields; they batter and crush the hauberks. In four places +the swords are brought down to the bare flesh, so that they are greatly +weakened and exhausted. And if both their swords had lasted long without +breaking, they would never have retreated, nor would the battle have +come to an end before one of them perforce had died. Enide, who was +watching them, was almost beside herself with grief. Whoever could +have seen her then, as she showed her great woe by wringing her hands, +tearing her hair and shedding tears, could have seen a loyal lady. And +any man would have been a vulgar wretch who saw and did not pity her. +And the knights still fight, knocking the jewels from the helmets and +dealing at each other fearful blows. From the third to the ninth hour +the battle continued so fierce that no one could in any wise make out +which was to have the better of it. Erec exerts himself and strives; he +brought his sword down upon his enemy's helmet, cleaving it to the inner +lining of mail and making him stagger; but he stood firmly and did not +fall. Then he attacked Erec in turn, and dealt him such a blow upon the +covering of his shield that his strong and precious sword broke when he +tried to pull it out. When he saw that his sword was broken, in a spite +he threw as far away as he could the part that remained in his hand. Now +he was afraid and must needs draw back; for any knight that lacks his +sword cannot do much execution in battle or assault. Erec pursues +him until he begs him, for God's sake, not to kill him. "Mercy, noble +knight," he cries, "be not so cruel and harsh toward me. Now that I am +left without my sword, you have the strength and the power to take my +life or make me your prisoner, for I have no means of defence." Erec +replies: "When thou thus dost petition me I fain would hear thee admit +outright whether thou art defeated and overcome. Thou shalt not again be +touched by me if thou dost surrender at my discretion." The knight was +slow to make reply. So, when Erec saw him hesitate, in order to further +dismay him, he again attacked him, rushing at him with drawn sword; +whereupon, thoroughly terrified, he cried: "Mercy, sire! Regard me as +your captive, since it cannot be otherwise." Erec answers: "More than +that is necessary. You shall not get off so easily as that. Tell me your +station and your name, and I in turn will tell you mine." "Sire," says +he, "you are right. I am king of this country. My liegemen are Irishmen, +and there is none who does not have to pay me rent. [129] My name +is Guivret the Little. I am very rich and powerful; for there is no +landholder whose lands touch mine in any direction who ever transgresses +my command and who does not do my pleasure. I have no neighbour who does +not fear me, however proud and bold he may be. But I greatly desire to +be your confidant and friend from this time on." Erec replies: "I, too, +can boast that I am a noble man. My name is Erec, son of King Lac. My +father is king of Farther Wales, and has many a rich city, fine hall, +and strong town; no king or emperor has more than he, save only King +Arthur. Him, of course, I except; for with him none can compare." +Guivret is greatly astonished at this, and says: "Sire, a great marvel +is this I hear. I was never so glad of anything as of your acquaintance. +You may put full trust in me! And should it please you to abide in my +country within my estates, I shall have you treated with great honour. +So long as you care to remain here, you shall be recognised as my lord. +We both have need of a physician, and I have a castle of mine near here, +not eight leagues away, nor even seven. I wish to take you thither with +me, and there we shall have our wounds tended." Erec replies: "I thank +you for what I have heard you say. However, I will not go, thank you. +But only so much I request of you, that if I should be in need, and +you should hear that I had need of aid, you would not then forget me." +"Sire" says he, "I promise you that never, so long as I am alive, shall +you have need of my help but that I shall go at once to aid you with all +the assistance I can command." "I have nothing more to ask of you," says +Erec; "you have promised me much. You are now my lord and friend, if +your deed is as good as your word." Then each kisses and embraces the +other. Never was there such an affectionate parting after such a fierce +battle; for from very affection and generosity each one cut off long, +wide strips from the bottom of his shirt and bound up the other's +wounds. When they had thus bandaged each other, they commended each +other to God. + +(Vv. 3931-4280.) So thus they parted. Guivret takes his way back alone, +while Erec resumed his road, in dire need of plaster wherewith to heal +his wounds. He did not cease to travel until he came to a plain beside a +lofty forest all full of stags, hinds, deer, does, and other beasts, +and all sorts of game. Now King Arthur and the Queen and the best of his +barons had come there that very day. The King wished to spend three or +four days in the forest for pleasure and sport, and had commanded tents, +pavilions, and canopies to be brought. My lord Gawain had stepped into +the King's tent, all tired out by a long ride. In front of the tent a +white beech stood, and there he had left a shield of his, together with +his ashen lance. He left his steed, all saddled and bridled, fastened to +a branch by the rein. There the horse stood until Kay the seneschal came +by. [130] He came up quickly and, as if to beguile the time, took the +steed and mounted, without the interference of any one. He took the +lance and the shield, too, which were close by under the tree. Galloping +along on the steed, Kay rode along a valley until it came about by +chance that Erec met him. Now Erec recognised the seneschal, and he knew +the arms and the horse, but Kay did not recognise him, for he could not +be distinguished by his arms. So many blows of sword and lance had he +received upon his shield that all the painted design had disappeared +from it. And the lady, who did not wish to be seen or recognised by him, +shrewdly held her veil before her face, as if she were doing it because +of the sun's glare and the dust. Kay approached rapidly and straightway +seized Erec's rein, without so much as saluting him. Before he let him +move, he presumptuously asked him: "Knight," says he, "I wish to know +who you are and whence you come." "You must be mad to stop me thus," +says Erec; "you shall not know that just now." And the other replies: +"Be not angry; I only ask it for your good. I can see and make out +clearly that you are wounded and hurt. If you will come along with me +you shall have a good lodging this night; I shall see that you are well +cared for, honoured and made comfortable: for you are in need of +rest. King Arthur and the Queen are close by here in a wood, lodged in +pavilions and tents. In all good faith, I advise you to come with me to +see the Queen and King, who will take much pleasure in you and will +show you great honour." Erec replies: "You say well; yet will I not +go thither for anything. You know not what my business is: I must yet +farther pursue my way. Now let me go; too long I stay. There is still +some daylight left." Kay makes answer: "You speak madness when you +decline to come. I trow you will repent of it. And however much it +may be against your will, you shall both go, as the priest goes to the +council, willy-nilly. To-night you will be badly served, if, unmindful +of my advice, you go there as strangers. Come now quickly, for I will +take you." At this word Erec's ire was roused. "Vassal," says he, "you +are mad to drag me thus after you by force. You have taken me quite off +my guard. I tell you you have committed an offence. For I thought to be +quite safe, and was not on my guard against you." Then he lays his hand +upon his sword and cries: "Hands off my bridle, vassal! Step aside. I +consider you proud and impudent. I shall strike you, be sure of that, if +you drag me longer after you. Leave me alone now." Then he lets him go, +and draws off across the field more than an acre's width; then turns +about and, as a man with evil intent, issues his challenge. Each +rushed at the other. But, because Kay was without armour, Erec acted +courteously and turned the point of his lance about and presented the +butt-end instead. Even so, he gave him such a blow high up on the broad +expanse of his shield that he caused it to wound him on the temple, +pinning his arm to his breast: all prone he throws him to the earth. +Then he went to catch the horse and hands him over by the bridle to +Enide. He was about to lead it away, when the wounded man with his +wonted flattery begs him to restore it courteously to him. With fair +words he flatters and wheedles him. "Vassal," says he, "so help me God, +that horse is not mine. Rather does it belong to that knight in whom +dwells the greatest prowess in the world, my lord Gawain the Bold. I +tell you so much on his behalf, in order that you may send it back to +him and thus win honour. So shall you be courteous and wise, and I shall +be your messenger." Erec makes answer: "Take the horse, vassal, and lead +it away. Since it belongs to my lord Gawain it is not meet that I should +appropriate it." Kay takes the horse, remounts, and coming to the royal +tent, tells the King the whole truth, keeping nothing back. And the King +summoned Gawain, saying: "Fair nephew Gawain, if ever you were true and +courteous, go quickly after him and ask him in winsome wise who he is +and what his business. And if you can influence him and bring him along +with you to us, take care not to fail to do so." Then Gawain mounts his +steed, two squires following after him. They soon made Erec out, but did +not recognise him. Gawain salutes him, and he Gawain: their greetings +were mutual. Then said my lord Gawain with his wonted openness: "Sire," +says he, "King Arthur sends me along this way to encounter you. The +Queen and King send you their greeting, and beg you urgently to come and +spend some time with them (it may benefit you and cannot harm), as they +are close by." Erec replies: "I am greatly obliged to the King and Queen +and to you who are, it seems, both kind of heart and of gentle mien. I +am not in a vigorous state; rather do I bear wounds within my body: yet +will I not turn aside from my way to seek a lodging-place. So you need +not longer wait: I thank you, but you may be gone." Now Gawain was a man +of sense. He draws back and whispers in the ear of one of the squires, +bidding him go quickly and tell the King to take measures at once to +take down and lower his tents and come and set them up in the middle of +the road three or four leagues in advance of where they now are. +There the King must lodge to-night, if he wishes to meet and extend +hospitality to the best knight in truth whom he can ever hope to see; +but who will not go out of his way for a lodging at the bidding of any +one. The fellow went and gave his message. The King without delay causes +his tents to be taken down. Now they are lowered, the sumpters loaded, +and off they set. The King mounted Aubagu, and the Queen afterwards +mounted a white Norse palfrey. All this while, my lord Gawain did not +cease to detain Erec, until the latter said to him: "Yesterday I covered +more ground than I shall do to-day. Sire, you annoy me; let me go. +You have already disturbed a good part of my day." And my lord Gawain +answers him: "I should like to accompany you a little way, if you do not +object; for it is yet a long while until night. They spent so much time +in talking that all the tents were set up before them, and Erec sees +them, and perceives that his lodging is arranged for him. "Ah! Gawain," +he says, "your shrewdness has outwitted me. By your great cunning you +have kept me here. Since it has turned out thus, I shall tell you my +name at once. Further concealment would be useless. I am Erec, who was +formerly your companion and friend." Gawain hears him and straightway +embraces him. He raised up his helmet and unlaced his mouthpiece. +Joyfully he clasps him in his embrace, while Erec embraces him in +turn. Then Gawain leaves him, saying, "Sire, this news will give great +pleasure to my lord; he and my lady will both be glad, and I must go +before to tell them of it. But first I must embrace and welcome and +speak comfortably to my lady Enide, your wife. My lady the Queen has a +great desire to see her. I heard her speak of her only yesterday." Then +he steps up to Enide and asks her how she is, if she is well and in good +case. She makes answer courteously: "Sire, I should have no cause for +grief, were I not in great distress for my lord; but as it is, I am in +dismay, for he has hardly a limb without a wound." Gawain replies: "This +grieves me much. It is perfectly evident from his face, which is all +pale and colourless. I could have wept myself when I saw him so pale +and wan, but my joy effaced my grief, for at sight of him I felt so glad +that I forgot all other pain. Now start and ride along slowly. I shall +ride ahead at top-speed to tell the Queen and the King that you are +following after me. I am sure that they will both be delighted when they +hear it." Then he goes, and comes to the King's tent. "Sire," he cries, +"now you and my lady must be glad, for here come Erec and his wife." The +King leaps to his feet with joy. "Upon my word!" he says, "right glad +I am. I could hear no news which could give me so much happiness." The +Queen and all the rest rejoice, and come out from the tents as fast as +they may. Even the King comes forth from his pavilion, and they met Erec +near at band. When Erec sees the King coming, he quickly dismounts, +and Enide too. The King embraces and meets them, and the Queen likewise +tenderly kisses and embraces them: there is no one that does not show +his joy. Right there, upon the spot, they took off Erec's armour; and +when they saw his wounds, their joy turned to sadness. The King draws a +deep sigh at the sight of them, and has a plaster brought which Morgan, +his sister, had made. This piaster, which Morgan had given to Arthur, +was of such sovereign virtue that no wound, whether on nerve or joint, +provided it were treated with the piaster once a day, could fail to be +completely cured and healed within a week. They brought to the King the +piaster which gave Erec great relief. When they had bathed, dried, and +bound up his wounds, the King leads him and Enide into his own royal +tent, saying that he intends, out of love for Erec, to tarry in the +forest a full fortnight, until he be completely restored to health. +For this Erec thanks the King, saying: "Fair sire, my wounds are not so +painful that I should desire to abandon my journey. No one could detain +me; to-morrow, without delay, I shall wish to get off in the morning, as +soon as I see the dawn." At this the King shook his head and said: "This +is a great mistake for you not to remain with us. I know that you are +far from well. Stay here, and you will do the right thing. It will be +a great pity and cause for grief if you die in this forest. Fair gentle +friend, stay here now until you are quite yourself again." Erec replies: +"Enough of this. I have undertaken this journey, and shall not tarry in +any wise." The King hears that he would by no means stay for prayer of +his; so he says no more about it, and commands the supper to be prepared +at once and the tables to be spread. The servants go to make their +preparations. It was a Saturday night; so they ate fish and fruit, pike +and perch, salmon and trout, and then pears both raw and cooked. [131] +Soon after supper they ordered the beds to be made ready. The King, who +held Erec dear, had him laid in a bed alone; for he did not wish that +any one should lie with him who might touch his wounds. That night he +was well lodged. In another bed close by lay Enide with the Queen under +a cover of ermine, and they all slept in great repose until the day +broke next morning. + +(Vv. 4281-4307.) Next day, as soon as it is dawn. Erec arises, dresses, +commands his horses to be saddled, and orders his arms to be brought to +him. The valets run and bring them to him. Again the King and all the +knights urge him to remain; but entreaty is of no avail, for he will not +stay for anything. Then you might have seen them all weep and show such +grief as if they already saw him dead. He puts on his arms, and Enide +arises. All the knights are sore distressed, for they think they will +never see them more. They follow them out from the tents, and send for +their own horses, that they may escort and accompany them. Erec said to +them: "Be not angry! but you shall not accompany me a single step. I'll +thank you if you'll stay behind!" His horse was brought to him, and he +mounts without delay. Taking his shield and lance, he commends them all +to God, and they in turn wish Erec well. Then Enide mounts, and they +ride away. + +(Vv. 4308-4380.) Entering a forest, they rode on without halting till +hour of prime. While they thus traversed the wood, they heard in the +distance the cry of a damsel in great distress. When Erec heard the cry, +he felt sure from the sound that it was the voice of one in trouble and +in need of help. Straightway calling Enide, he says: "Lady, there is +some maiden who goes through the wood calling aloud. I take it that she +is in need of aid and succour. I am going to hasten in that direction +and see what her trouble is. Do you dismount and await me here, while +I go yonder." "Gladly, sire," she says. Leaving her alone, he makes his +way until he found the damsel, who was going through the wood, lamenting +her lover whom two giants had taken and were leading away with very +cruel treatment. The maiden was rending her garments, and tearing her +hair and her tender crimson face. Erec sees her and, wondering greatly, +begs her to tell him why she cries and weeps so sore. The maiden cries +and sighs again, then sobbing, says: "Fair sire, it is no wonder if I +grieve, for I wish I were dead. I neither love nor prize my life, for my +lover has been led away prisoner by two wicked and cruel giants who are +his mortal enemies. God! what shall I do? Woe is me! deprived of the +best knight alive, the most noble and the most courteous. And now he +is in great peril of death. This very day, and without cause, they will +bring him to some vile death. Noble knight, for God's sake, I beg you to +succour my lover, if now you can lend him any aid. You will not have to +run far, for they must still be close by." "Damsel," says Erec, "I will +follow them, since you request it, and rest assured that I shall do all +within my power: either I shall be taken prisoner along with him, or +I shall restore him to you safe and sound. If the giants let him live +until I can find him, I intend to measure my strength with theirs." +"Noble knight," the maiden said, "I shall always be your servant if you +restore to me my lover. Now go in God's name, and make haste, I beseech +you." "Which way lies their path?" "This way, my lord. Here is the path +with the footprints." Then Erec started at a gallop, and told her to +await him there. The maid commends him to the Lord, and prays God very +fervently that He should give him force by His command to discomfit +those who intend evil toward her lover. + +(Vv. 4381-4579.) Erec went off along the trail, spurring his horse in +pursuit of the giants. He followed in pursuit of them until he caught +sight of them before they emerged from the wood; he saw the knight with +bare limbs mounted naked on a nag, his hands and feet bound as if he +were arrested for highway robbery. The giants had no lances, shields or +whetted swords; but they both had clubs and scourges, with which they +were beating him so cruelly that already they had cut the skin on his +back to the bone. Down his sides and flanks the blood ran, so that the +nag was all covered with blood down to the belly. [132] Erec came along +alone after them. He was very sad and distressed about the knight whom +he saw them treat so spitefully. Between two woods in an open field he +came up with them, and asks: "My lords," says he, "for what crime do you +treat this man so ill and lead him along like a common thief? You are +treating him too cruelly. You are driving him just as if he had been +caught stealing. It is a monstrous insult to strip a knight naked, and +then bind him and beat him so shamefully. Hand him over to me, I beg of +you with all good-will and courtesy. I have no wish to demand him of you +forcibly." "Vassal," they say, "what business is this of yours? You must +be mad to make any demand of us. If you do not like it, try and improve +matters." Erec replies: "Indeed, I like it not, and you shall not lead +him away so easily. Since you have left the matter in my hands, I say +whoever can get possession of him let him keep him. Take your positions. +I challenge you. You shall not take him any farther before some blows +have been dealt." "Vassal," they reply, "you are mad, indeed, to wish +to measure your strength with us. If you were four instead of one, +you would have no more strength against us than one lamb against two +wolves." "I do not know how it will turn out," Erec replies; "if the sky +fails and the earth melts, then many a lark will be caught. Many a man +boasts loudly who is of little worth. On guard now, for I am going +to attack you." The giants were strong and fierce, and held in their +clenched hands their big clubs tipped with iron. Erec went at them lance +in rest. He fears neither of them, in spite of their menace and their +pride, and strikes the foremost of them through the eye so deep into the +brain that the blood and brains spurt out at the back of his neck; that +one lies dead and his heart stops beating. When the other saw him dead, +he had reason to be sorely grieved. Furious, he went to avenge him: with +both hands he raised his club on high and thought to strike him squarely +upon his unprotected head: but Erec watched the blow, and received it on +his shield. Even so, the giant landed such a blow that it quite stunned +him, and almost made him fall to earth from his steed. Erec covers +himself with his shield and the giant, recovering himself, thinks to +strike again quickly upon his head. But Erec had drawn his sword, and +attacked him with such fierceness that the giant was severely handled: +he strikes him so hard upon the neck that he splits him down to the +saddle-bow. He scatters his bowels upon the earth, and the body falls +full length, split in two halves. The knight weeps with joy and, +worshipping, praises God who has sent him this aid. Then Erec unbound +him, made him dress and arm himself, and mount one of the horses; the +other he made him lead with his right hand, and asks him who he is. And +he replied: "Noble knight, thou art my liege lord. I wish to regard +thee as my lord, as by right I ought to do, for thou hast saved my life, +which but now would have been cut off from my body with great torment +and cruelty. What chance, fair gentle sire, in God's name, guided thee +hither to me, to free me by thy courage from the hands of my enemies? +Sire, I wish to do thee homage. Henceforth, I shall always accompany +thee and serve thee as my lord." Erec sees that he is disposed to serve +him gladly, if he may, and says: "Friend, for your service I have no +desire; but you must know that I came hither to succour you at the +instance of your lady, whom I found sorrowing in this wood. Because of +you, she grieves and moans; for full of sorrow is her heart. I wish to +present you to her now. As soon as I have reunited you with her, I shall +continue my way alone; for you have no call to go with me. I have no +need cf your company; but I fain would know your name." "Sire," says he, +"as you wish. Since you desire to know my name, it must not be kept from +you. My name is Cadoc of Tabriol: know that thus I am called. But since +I must part from you. I should like to know, if it may be, who you are +and of what land, where I may sometime find and search for you, when +I shall go a way from here." Erec replies: "Friend, that I will never +confide to you. Never speak of it again; but if you wish to find it out +and do me honour in any wise go quickly now without delay to my lord, +King Arthur, who with might and main is hunting the stag in yonder wood, +as I take it, not five short leagues from here. Go thither quickly and +take him word that you are sent to him as a gift by him whom yesterday +within his tent he joyfully received and lodged. And be careful not to +conceal from him from what peril I set free both your life and body. I +am dearly cherished at the court, and if you present yourself in my name +you will do me a service and honour. There you shall ask who I am; but +you cannot know it otherwise." "Sire," says Cadoc, "I will follow your +bidding in all respects. You need never have any fear that I do not go +with a glad heart. I shall tell the King the full truth regarding +the battle which you have fought on my behalf." Thus speaking, they +continued their way until they came to the maiden where Erec had left +her. The damsel's joy knew no bounds when she saw coming her lover whom +she never thought to see again. Taking him by the hand, Erec presents +him to her with the words: "Grieve no longer, demoiselle! Behold your +lover glad and joyous." And she with prudence makes reply: "Sire, by +right you have won us both. Yours we should be, to serve and honour. But +who could ever repay half the debt we owe you?" Erec makes answer: "My +gentle lady, no recompense do I ask of you. To God I now commend you +both, for too long, methinks, I have tarried here." Then he turns his +horse about, and rides away as fast as he can. Cadoc of Tabriol with his +damsel rides off in another direction; and soon he told the news to King +Arthur and the Queen. + +(Vv. 4580-4778.) Erec continues to ride at great speed to the place +where Enide was awaiting him in great concern, thinking that surely he +had completely deserted her. And he, too, was in great fear lest some +one, finding her alone, might have carried her off. So he made all haste +to return. But the heat of the day was such, and his arms caused him +such distress, that his wounds broke open and burst the bandages. His +wounds never stopped bleeding before he came directly to the spot where +Enide was waiting for him. She espied him and rejoiced: but she did not +realise or know the pain from which he was suffering; for all his body +was bathed in blood, and his heart hardly had strength to beat. As he +was descending a hill he fell suddenly over upon his horse's neck. As he +tried to straighten up, he lost his saddle and stirrups, falling, as if +lifeless, in a faint. Then began such heavy grief, when Enide saw him +fall to earth. Full of fear at the sight of him, she runs toward him +like one who makes no concealment of her grief. Aloud she cries, and +wrings her hands: not a shred of her robe remains untorn across her +breast. She begins to tear her hair and lacerate her tender face. [133] +"Ah God!" she cries, "fair gentle Lord, why dost Thou let me thus live +on? Come Death, and kill me hastily!" With these words she faints upon +his body. When she recovered, she said to herself reproachfully: "Woe is +me, wretched Enide; I am the murderer of my lord, in having killed +him by my speech. My lord would still be now alive, if I in my mad +presumption had not spoken the word which engaged him in this adventure. +Silence never harmed any one, but speech often worketh woe. The truth of +this I have tried and proved in more ways than one." Beside her lord she +took her seat, holding his head upon her lap. Then she begins her dole +anew. "Alas," she says, "my lord, unhappy thou, thou who never hadst a +peer; for in thee was beauty seen and prowess was made manifest; wisdom +had given thee its heart, and largess set a crown upon thee, without +which no one is esteemed. But what did I say? A grievous mistake I made +in uttering the word which has killed my lord--that fatal poisoned word +for which I must justly be reproached; and I recognise and admit that +no one is guilty but myself; I alone must be blamed for this." Then +fainting she falls upon the ground, and when she later sat up again, she +only moans again the more: "God, what shall I do, and why live on? Why +does Death delay and hesitate to come and seize me without respite? +Truly, Death holds me in great contempt! Since Death does not deign to +take my life, I must myself perforce achieve the vengeance for my sinful +deed. Thus shall I die in spite of Death, who will not heed my call for +aid. Yet, I cannot die through mere desire, nor would complaining avail +me aught. The sword, which my lord had gilded on, ought by right to +avenge his death. I will not longer consume myself in distress, in +prayer, and vain desire." She draws the sword forth from its sheath and +begins to consider it. God, who is full of mercy, caused her to delay +a little; and while she passes in review her sorrow and her misfortune, +behold there comes riding apace a Count with numerous suite, who from +afar had heard the lady's loud outcry. God did not wish to desert her; +for now she would have killed herself, had she not been surprised by +those who took away from her the sword and thrust it back into its +sheath. The Count then dismounted from his horse and began to inquire +of her concerning the knight, and whether she was his wife or his +lady-love. "Both one and the other, sire," she says, "my sorrow is such +as I cannot tell. Woe is me that I am not dead." And the Count begins +to comfort her: "Lady," he says, "by the Lord, I pray you, to take some +pity on yourself! It is meet that you should mourn, but it is no use to +be disconsolate; for you may yet rise to high estate. Do not sink into +apathy, but comfort yourself; that will be wise, and God will give you +joy again. Your wondrous beauty holds good fortune in store for you; for +I will take you as my wife, and make you a countess and dame of rank: +this ought to bring you much consolation. And I shall have the body +removed and laid away with great honour. Leave off now this grief of +yours which in your frenzy you display." And she replies: "Sire, begone! +For God's sake, let me be! You can accomplish nothing here. Nothing that +one could say or do could ever make me glad again." At this the Count +drew back and said: "Let us make a bier, whereon to carry away this body +with the lady to the town of Limors. There the body shall be interred. +Then will I espouse the lady, whether or not she give consent: for never +did I see any one so fair, nor desire any as I do her. Happy I am to +have met with her. Now make quickly and without delay a proper bier for +this dead knight. Halt not for the trouble, nor from sloth." Then some +of his men draw out their swords and soon cut two saplings, upon which +they laid branches cross-wise. Upon this litter they laid Erec down; +then hitched two horses to it. Enide rides alongside, not ceasing to +make lament, and often fainting and falling back; but the horsemen hold +her tight, and try to support her with their arms, and raise her up and +comfort her. All the way to Limors they escort the body, until they come +to the palace of the Count. All the people follow up after them--ladies, +knights, and townspeople. In the middle off the hall upon a dais they +stretched the body out full length, with his lance and shield alongside. +The hall is full, the crowd is dense. Each one is anxious to inquire +what is this trouble, what marvel here. Meanwhile the Count takes +counsel with his barons privily. "My lords," he says, "upon the spot I +wish to espouse this lady here. We can plainly judge by her beauty +and prudent mien that she is of very gentle rank. Her beauty and noble +bearing show that the honour of a kingdom or empire might well be +bestowed upon her. I shall never suffer disgrace through her; rather I +think to win more honour. Have my chaplain summoned now, and do you go +and fetch the lady. The half of all my land I will give her as her dower +if she will comply with my desire." Then they bade the chaplain come, +in accordance with the Count's command, and the dame they brought there, +too, and made her marry him perforce; for she flatly refused to give +consent. But in spite of all, the Count married her in accordance with +his wish. And when he had married her, the constable at once had the +tables set in the palace, and had the food prepared; for already it was +time for the evening meal. + +(Vv. 4779-4852.) After vespers, that day in May, Enide was in sore +distress, nor did her grief cease to trouble her. And the Count urged +her mildly by prayer and threat to make her peace and be consoled, and +he made her sit down upon a chair, though it was against her will. In +spite of her, they made her take a seat and placed the table in front of +her. The Count takes his place on the other side, almost beside himself +with rage to find that he cannot comfort her. "Lady," he says, "you must +now leave off this grief and banish it. You can have full trust in +me, that honour and riches will be yours. You must surely realise that +mourning will not revive the dead; for no one ever saw such a thing come +about. Remember now, though poor you were, that great riches are within +your reach. Once you were poor; rich now you will be. Fortune has +not been stingy toward you, in bestowing upon you the honour of being +henceforth hailed as Countess. It is true that your lord is dead. If +you grieve and lament because of this, do you think that I am surprised? +Nay. But I am giving you the best advice I know how to give. In that I +have married you, you ought to be content. Take care you do not anger +me! Eat now, as I bid you do." And she replies: "Not I, my lord. In +faith, as long as I live I will neither eat nor drink unless I first +see my lord eat who is lying on yonder dais" "Lady, that can never be. +People will think that you are mad when you talk such great nonsense. +You will receive a poor reward if you give occasion to-day for further +reproof." To this she vouchsafed no reply, holding his threats in slight +esteem, and the Count strikes her upon the face. At this she shrieks, +and the barons present blame the Count. "Hold, sire!" they cry to the +Count; "you ought to be ashamed of having struck this lady because she +will not eat. You have done a very ugly deed. If this lady is distressed +because of her lord whom she now sees dead, no one should say that she +is wrong." "Keep silence, all." the Count replies; "the dame is mine and +I am hers, and I will do with her as I please." At this she could not +hold her peace, but swears she will never be his. And the Count springs +up and strikes her again, and she cries out aloud. "Ha! wretch," she +says, "I care not what thou say to me, or what thou do! I fear not thy +blows, nor yet thy threats. Beat me and strike me, as thou wilt. I shall +never heed thy power so much as to do thy bidding more or less, even +were thou with thy hands fight now to snatch out my eyes or flay me +alive." + +(Vv. 4853-4938.) In the midst of these words and disputes Erec recovered +from his swoon, like a man who awakes from sleep. No wonder that he was +amazed at the crowd of people he saw around. But great was his grief +and great his woe when he heard the voice of his wife. He stepped to the +floor from off the dais and quickly drew his sword. Wrath and the love +he bore his wife gave him courage. He runs thither where he sees her, +and strikes the Count squarely upon the head, so that he beats out +his brains and, knocking in his forehead, leaves him senseless and +speechless; his blood and brains flow out. The knights spring from the +tables, persuaded that it is the devil who had made his way among them +there. Of young or old there none remains, for all were thrown in great +dismay. Each one tries to outrun the other in beating a hasty retreat. +Soon they were all clear of the palace, and cry aloud, both weak and +strong: "Flee, flee, here comes the corpse!" At the door the press is +great: each one strives to make his escape, and pushes and shoves as +best he may. He who is last in the surging throng would fain get into +the foremost line. Thus they make good their escape in flight, for one +dares not stand upon another's going. Erec ran to seize his shield, +hanging it about his neck by the strap, while Enide lays hands upon the +lance. Then they step out into the courtyard. There is no one so bold as +to offer resistance; for they did not believe it could be a man who had +thus expelled them, but a devil or some enemy who had entered the +dead body. Erec pursues them as they flee, and finds outside in +the castle-yard a stable-boy in the act of leading his steed to the +watering-place, all equipped with bridle and saddle. This chance +encounter pleased Erec well: as he steps up quickly to the horse, the +boy in fear straightway yields him up. Erec takes his seat between the +saddle-bows, while Enide, seizing the stirrup, springs up on to the +horse's neck, as Erec, who bade her mount, commanded and instructed her +to do. The horse bears them both away; and finding open the town gate, +they make their escape without detention. In the town there was great +anxiety about the Count who had been killed; but there is no one, +however brave, who follows Erec to take revenge. At his table the Count +was slain; while Erec, who bears his wife away, embraces and kisses and +gives her cheer. In his arms he clasps her against his heart, and +says: "Sweet sister mine, my proof of you has been complete! Be no more +concerned in any wise, for I love you now more than ever I did before; +and I am certain and rest assured that you love me with a perfect love. +From this time on for evermore, I offer myself to do your will just as +I used to do before. And if you have spoken ill of me, I pardon you +and call you quit of both the offence and the word you spoke." Then he +kisses her again and clasps her tight. Now Enide is not ill at ease when +her lord clasps and kisses her and tells her again that he loves her +still. Rapidly through the night they ride, and they are very glad that +the moon shines bright. + +(Vv. 4939-5058.) Meanwhile, the news has travelled fast, and there is +nothing else so quick. The news had reached Guivret the Little that a +knight wounded with arms had been found dead in the forest, and that +with him was a lady making moan, and so wondrous fair that Iseut would +have seemed her waiting-maid. Count Oringle of Limors had found them +both, and had caused the corpse to be borne away, and wished himself to +espouse the lady; but she refused him. When Guivret heard this news, +he was by no means pleased; for at once the thought of Erec occurred to +him. It came into his heart and mind to go and seek out the lady, and +to have the body honourably interred, if it should turn out to be he. +He assembled a thousand men-at-arms and knights to take the town. If the +Count would not surrender of his own accord the body and the lady, he +would put all to fire and flame. In the moonlight shining clear he led +his men on toward Limors, with helmets laced, in hauberks clad, and from +their necks the shields were hung. Thus, under arms, they all advanced +until nearly midnight, when Erec espied them. Now he expects to be +ensnared or killed or captured inevitably. He makes Enide dismount +beside a thicket-hedge. No wonder if he is dismayed. "Lady, do you stay +here," he says, "beside this thicket-hedge a while, until these people +shall have passed. I do not wish them to catch sight of you, for I do +not know what manner of people they are, nor of what they go in search. +I trust we may not attract their attention. But I see nowhere any place +where we could take refuge, should they wish to injure us. I know not +if any harm may come to me, but not from fear shall I fail to sally out +against them. And if any one assails me, I shall not fail to joust with +him. Yet, I am so sore and weary that it is no wonder if I grieve. Now +to meet them I must go, and do you stay quiet here. Take care that no +one see you, until they shall have left you far behind." Behold now +Guivret, with lance outstretched, who espied him from afar. They did not +recognise each other, for the moon had gone behind the shadow of a +dark cloud. Erec was weak and exhausted, and his antagonist was quite +recovered from his wounds and blows. Now Erec will be far from wise if +he does not promptly make himself known. He steps out from the hedge. +And Guivret spurs toward him without speaking to him at all, nor does +Erec utter a word to him: he thought he could do more than he could. +Whoever tries to run farther than he is able must perforce give up or +take a rest. They clash against each other; but the fight was unequal, +for one was weak and the other strong. Guivret strikes him with such +force that he carries him down to earth from his horse's back. Enide, +who was in hiding, when she sees her lord on the ground, expects to be +killed and badly used. Springing forth from the hedge, she runs to help +her lord. If she grieved before, now her anguish is greater. Coming up +to Guivret, she seized his horse's rein, and then said: "Cursed be thou, +knight! For thou hast attacked a weak and exhausted man, who is in +pain and mortally wounded, with such injustice that thou canst not find +reason for thy deed. If thou hadst been alone and helpless, thou wouldst +have rued this attack, provided my lord had been in health. Now be +generous and courteous, and kindly let cease this battle which thou +hast begun. For thy reputation would be no better for having killed or +captured a knight who has not the strength to rise, as thou canst see. +For he has suffered so many blows of arms that he is all covered with +wounds" And he replies: "Fear not, lady! I see that loyally you love +your lord, and I commend you for it. Have no fear whatsoever of me or of +my company. But tell me now without concealment what is the name of your +lord; for only advantage will you get from telling me. Whoever he be, +tell me his name; then he shall go safe and unmolested. Neither he nor +you have aught to fear, for you are both in safe hands." + +(Vv. 5059-5172.) Then Enide learns that she is safe, she answers him +briefly in a word: "His name is Erec; I ought not to lie, for I see you +are honest and of good intent." Guivret, in his delight, dismounts +and goes to fall at Erec's feet, where he was lying on the ground. +"My lord," he says, "I was going to seek for you, and was on my way to +Limors, where I expected to find you dead. It was told and recounted to +me as true that Count Oringle had carried off to Limors a knight who was +mortally wounded, and that he wickedly intended to marry a lady whom +he had found in his company; but that she would have nothing to do with +him. And I was coming urgently to aid and deliver her. If he refused +to hand over to me both the lady and you without resistance, I should +esteem myself of little worth if I left him a foot of earth to stand +upon. Be sure that had I not loved you dearly I should never have taken +this upon myself. I am Guivret, your friend; but if I have done you any +hurt through my failure to recognise you, you surely ought to pardon +me." At this Erec sat up, for he could do no more, and said: "Rise up, +my friend. Be absolved of the harm you have done me, since you did not +recognise me." Guivret gets up, and Erec tells him how he has killed the +Count while he sat at meat, and how he had gained possession again of +his steed in front of the stable, and how the sergeants and the squires +had fled across the yard, crying: "Flee, flee, the corpse is chasing +us;" then, how he came near being caught, and how he escaped through the +town and down the hill, carrying his wife on his horse's neck: all this +adventure of his he told him. Then Guivret said, "Sire, I have a castle +here close by, which is well placed in a healthful site. For your +comfort and benefit I wish to take you there to-morrow and have your +wounds cared for. I have two charming and sprightly sisters who are +skilful in the care of wounds: they will soon completely cure you. +[134] To-night we shall let our company lodge here in the fields until +morning; for I think a little rest to-night will do you much good. My +advice is that we spend the night here." Erec replies: "I am in favour +of doing so." So there they stayed and spent the night. They were not +reluctant to prepare a lodging-place, but they found few accommodations, +for the company was quite numerous. They lodge as best they may among +the bushes: Guivret had his tent set up, and ordered tinder to be +kindled, that they might have light and cheer. He has tapers taken out +from the boxes, and they light them within the tent. Now Enide no longer +grieves, for all has turned out well. She strips her lord of his arms +and clothes, and having washed his wounds, she dried them and bound them +up again; for she would let no one else touch him. Now Erec knows no +further reason to reproach her, for he has tried her well and found that +she bears great love to him. And Guivret, who treats them kindly, had +a high, long bed constructed of quilted coverlids, laid upon grass and +reed, which they found in abundance. There they laid Erec and covered +him up. Then Guivret opened a box and took out two patties. "Friend," +says he, "now try a little of these cold patties, and drink some wine +mixed with water. I have as much as six barrels of it, but undiluted it +is not good for you; for you are injured and covered with wounds. Fair +sweet friend, now try to eat; for it will do you good. And my lady will +eat some too--your wife who has been to-day in sore distress on your +account. But you have received full satisfaction for all that, and have +escaped. So eat now, and I will eat too, fair friend." Then Guivret sat +down by Erec's side, and so did Enide who was much pleased by all that +Guivret did. Both of them urge him to eat, giving him wine mixed with +water'; for unmixed it is too strong and heating. Erec ate as a sick man +eats, and drank a little--all he dared. But he rested comfortably and +slept all night; for on his account no noise or disturbance was made. + +(Vv. 5173-5366.) In the early morning they awoke, and prepared again to +mount and ride. Erec was so devoted to his own horse that he would ride +no other. They gave to Enide a mule, for she had lost her palfrey. But +she was not concerned; to judge by her looks, she gave the matter +no thought. She had a good mule with an easy gait that bore her very +comfortably. And it gave her great satisfaction that Erec was not cast +down, but rather assured them that he would recover completely. +Before the third hour they reached Penevric, a strong castle, well and +handsomely situated. There dwelt the two sisters of Guivret; for the +place was agreeable enough. Guivret escorted Erec to a delightful, +airy room in a remote part of the castle. His sisters, at his request, +exerted themselves to cure Erec; and Erec placed himself in their hands, +for they inspired him with perfect confidence. First, they removed the +dead flesh, then applied plaster and lint, devoting to his care all +their skill, like women who knew their business well. Again and again +they washed his wounds and applied the plaster. Four times or more each +day they made him eat and drink, allowing him, however, no garlic or +pepper. But whoever might go in or out Enide was always with him, being +more than any one else concerned. Guivret often came in to ask and +inquire if he wanted anything. He was well kept and well served, and +everything that he wished was willingly done. But the damsels cheerfully +and gladly showed such devotion in caring for him that by the end of a +fortnight he felt no hurt or pain. Then, to bring his colour back, they +began to give him baths. There was no need to instruct the damsels, +for they understood the treatment well. When he was able to walk about. +Guivret had two loose gowns made of two different kinds of silk, one +trimmed with ermine, the other with vair. One was of a dark purple +colour, and the other striped, sent to him as a present by a cousin of +his from Scotland. Enide had the purple gown trimmed with ermine, which +was very precious, while Erec had the striped stuff with the fur, which +was no less valuable. Now Erec was strong and well, cured and recovered. +Now that Enide was very happy and had everything she desired, her great +beauty returned to her; for her great distress had affected her so much +that she was very pale and wan. Now she was embraced and kissed, now she +was blessed with all good things, now she had her joy and pleasures; for +unadorned they lie in bed and each enfolds and kisses the other; nothing +gives them so much joy. They have had so much pain and sorrow, he for +her, and she for him, that now they have their satisfaction. Each vies +in seeking to please the other. Of their further sport I must not speak. +Now they have so welded their love and forgotten their grief that they +scarcely remember it any more. But now they must go on their way; so +they asked his leave to depart from Guivret, in whom they had found a +friend indeed; for he had honoured and served them in every way. When he +came to take leave, Erec said: "Sire, I do not wish to delay longer +my departure for my own land. Order everything to be prepared and +collected, in order that I may have all I need. I shall wish to start +to-morrow morning, as soon as it is day. I have stayed so long with you +that I feel strong and vigorous. God grant, if it please Him, that I may +live to meet you again somewhere, when I may be able in my turn to serve +and honour you. Unless I am captured or detained, I do not expect to +tarry anywhere until I reach the court of King Arthur, whom I hope to +find either at Robais or Carduel." To which Guivret makes prompt reply, +"Sire, you shall not go off alone! For I myself shall go with you and +shall take companions with us, if it be your pleasure." Erec accedes to +this advice, and says that, in accordance with his plans, he wishes +the journey to be begun. That night they make preparations for their +journey, not wishing to delay there longer. They all make ready and +prepare. In the early morning, when they awake, the saddles are placed +upon the steeds. Before he leaves, Erec goes to bid farewell to the +damsels in their rooms; and Enide (who was glad and full of joy) thither +follows him. When their preparations for departure were made, they took +their leave of the damsels. Erec, who was very courteous, in taking +leave of them, thanks them for his health and life, and pledges to them +his service. Then he took one of them by the hand she who was the nearer +to him and Enide took the other's hand: hand in hand they came up from +the bedroom into the castle hall. Guivret urges them to mount at once +without delay. Enide thinks the time will never come for them to mount. +They bring around to the block for her a good-tempered palfrey, a soft +stepper, handsome and well shaped. The palfrey was of fine appearance +and a good mount: it was no less valuable than her own which had stayed +behind at Limors. That other one was dappled, this one was sorrel; but +the head was of another colour: it was marked in such a way that one +cheek was all white, while the other was raven black. Between the +two colours there was a line, greener than a grape-vine leaf, which +separated the white from the black. Of the bridle, breast-strap, and +saddle I can surely say that the workmanship was rich and handsome. All +the breast-strap and bridle was of gold set with emeralds. The saddle +was decorated in another style, covered with a precious purple cloth. +The saddle-bows were of ivory, on which was carved the story of how +Aeneas came from Troy, how at Carthage with great joy Dido received him +to her bed, how Aeneas deceived her, and how for him she killed herself, +how Aeneas conquered Laurentum and all Lombardy, of which he was king +all his life. [135] Cunning was the workmanship and well carved, all +decorated with fine gold. A skilful craftsman, who made it spent more +than seven years in carving it, without touching any other piece of +work. I do not know whether he sold it; but he ought to have obtained a +good price for it. Now that Enide was presented with this palfrey, she +was well compensated for the loss of her own. The palfrey, thus richly +apparelled, was given to her and she mounted it gladly; then the +gentlemen and squires quickly mounted too. For their pleasure and +sport Guivret caused to be taken with them rich falcons, both young +and moulted, many a tercel and sparrow-hawk, and many a setter and +greyhound. + +(Vv. 5367-5446.) [136] They rode straight on from morn till eve more +than thirty Welsh leagues, and then came to the towers of a stronghold, +rich and fair, girt all about with a new wall. And all around, beneath +this wall, ran a very deep stream, roaring rushing like a storm. Erec +stops to look at it, and ask and find out if any one could truly +tell him who was the lord of this town. "Friend," said he to his kind +companion, "could you tell me the name of this town, and whose it is? +Tell me if it belongs to a count or a king. Since you have brought me +here, tell me, if you know." "Sire," he says, "I know very well, and +will tell you the truth about it. The name of the town is Brandigant, +and it is so strong and fine that it fears neither king nor emperor. +If France, and all of England, and all who live from here to Liege were +ranged about to lay a siege, they would never take it in their lives; +for the isle on which the town stands stretches away four leagues or +more, and within the enclosure grows all that a rich town needs: fruit +and wheat and wine are found; and of wood and water there is no lack. +It fears no assault on any side, nor could anything reduce it to +starvation. King Evrain had it fortified, and he has possessed it all +his days unmolested, and will possess it all his life. But not because +he feared any one did he thus fortify it; but the town is more pleasing +so. For if it had no wall or tower, but only the stream that encircles +it, it would still be so secure and strong that it would have no fear +of the whole world." "God!" said Erec, "what great wealth! Let us go and +see the fortress, and we shall take lodging in the town, for I wish to +stop here." "Sire," said the other in great distress, "were it not +to disappoint you, we should not stop here. In the town there is a +dangerous passage." "Dangerous?" says Erec; "do you know about it? +Whatever it be, tell us about it; for very gladly would I know." "Sire," +says he, "I should fear that you might suffer some harm there. I know +there is so much boldness and excellence in your heart that, were I to +tell you what I know of the perilous and hard adventure, you would wish +to enter in. I have often heard the story, and more than seven years +have passed since any one that went in quest of the adventure has come +back from the town; yet, proud, bold knights have come hither from many +a land. Sire, do not treat this as a jest: for you will never learn the +secret from me until you shall have promised me, by the love you have +sworn to me, that never by you will be undertaken this adventure, from +which no one escapes without receiving shame or death." + +(Vv. 5447-5492.) Now Erec hears what pleases him, and begs Guivret not +to be grieved, saying: "Ah, fair sweet friend, permit that our lodging +be made in the town, and do not be disturbed. It is time to halt for the +night, and so I trust that it will not displease you; for if any honour +comes to us here you ought to be very glad. I appeal to you conceding +the adventure that you tell me just the name of it, and I'll not insist +upon the rest." "Sire." he says, "I cannot be silent and refuse the +information you desire. The name is very fair to say, but the execution +is very hard: for no one can come from it alive. The adventure, upon my +word, is called 'the Joy of the Court.'" "God! there can be nothing but +good in joy," says Erec; "I go to seek it. Don't go now and discourage +me about this or anything else, fair gentle friend; but let us have our +lodgings taken, for great good may come to us of this. Nothing could +restrain me from going to seek the Joy." "Sire," says he, "God grant +your prayer, that you may find joy and return without mishap. I clearly +see that we must go in. Since otherwise it may not be, let us go in. +Our lodging is secured; for no knight of high degree, as I have heard it +said and told, can enter this castle with intent to lodge here but that +King Evrain offers to shelter him. So gentle and courteous is the King +that he has given notice to all his townsmen, appealing to their love +for him, that any gentleman from afar should not find lodging in their +houses, so that he himself may do honour to all gentlemen who may wish +to tarry here." + +(Vv. 5493-5668.) [137] Thus they proceed toward the castle, passing the +list and the drawbridge; and when they passed the listing-place, the +people who were gathered in the streets in crowds see Erec in all his +beauty, and apparently they think and believe that all the others are +in his train. Marvelling much, they stare at him; the whole town was +stirred and moved, as they take counsel and discuss about him. Even +the maidens at their song leave off their singing and desist, as all +together they look at him; and because of his great beauty they cross +themselves, and marvellously they pity him. One to another whispers low: +"Alas! This knight, who is passing, is on his way to the 'Joy of the +Court.' He will be sorry before he returns; no one ever came from +another land to claim the 'Joy of the Court' who did not receive shame +and harm, and leave his head there as a forfeit." Then, that he may hear +their words, they cry-aloud: "God defend thee, knight, from harm; for +thou art wondrously handsome, and thy beauty is greatly to be pitied, +for to-morrow we shall see it quenched. Tomorrow thy death is come; +to-morrow thou shalt surely die if God does not guard and defend thee." +Erec hears and understands that they are speaking of him through the +lower town: more than two thousand pitied him; but nothing causes him +dismay. He passes on without delay, bowing gaily to men and women +alike. And they all salute him too; and most of them swear with anxiety, +fearing more than he does himself, for his shame and for his hurt. The +mere sight of his countenance, his great beauty and his bearing, has so +won to him the hearts of all, that knights, ladies, and maids alike fear +his harm. King Evrain hears the news that men were arriving at his court +who brought with them a numerous train, and by his harness it appeared +that their leader was a count or king. King Evrain comes down the street +to meet them, and saluting them he cries: "Welcome to this company, both +to the master and all his suite. Welcome, gentlemen! Dismount." They +dismounted, and there were plenty to receive and take their horses. Nor +was King Evrain backward when he saw Enide coming; but he straightway +saluted her and ran to help her to dismount. Taking her white and tender +hand, he led her up into the palace, as was required by courtesy, and +honoured her in every way he could, for he knew right well what he ought +to do, without nonsense and without malice. He ordered a chamber to +be scented with incense, myrrh, and aloes. When they entered, they all +complimented King Evrain on its fine appearance. Hand in hand they enter +the room, the King escorting them and taking great pleasure in them. But +why should I describe to you the paintings and the silken draperies with +which the room was decorated? I should only waste time in folly, and I +do not wish to waste it, but rather to hasten on a little; for he who +travels the straight road passes him who turns aside; therefore I do not +wish to tarry. When the time and hour arrived, the King orders supper to +be prepared; but I do not wish to stop over that if I can find some more +direct way. That night they had in abundance all that heart desires and +craves: birds, venison, and fruit, and wines of different sorts. But +better than all is a happy cheer! For of all dishes the sweetest is a +joyful countenance and a happy face. They were very richly served until +Erec suddenly left off eating and drinking, and began speaking of +what rested most upon his heart: he remembered 'the Joy', and began a +conversation about it in which King Evrain joined. "Sire" says he, "it +is time now to tell you what I intend, and why I have come here. Too +long I have refrained from speech, and now can no longer conceal my +object. I ask you for 'the Joy' of the Court, for I covet nothing else +so much. Grant it to me, whatever it be, if you are in control of it." +"In truth, fair friend." the King replies, "I hear you speak great +nonsense. This is a very parlous thing, which has caused sorrow to many +a worthy man; you yourself will eventually be killed and undone if you +will not heed my counsel. But if you were willing to take my word, I +should advise you to desist from soliciting so grievous a thing in which +you would never succeed. Speak of it no more! Hold your peace! It would +be imprudent on your part not to follow my advice. I am not at all +surprised that you desire honour and fame; but if I should see you +harmed or injured in your body I should be distressed at heart. And know +well that I have seen many a man ruined who solicited this joy. They +were never any the better for it, but rather did they all die and +perish. Before to-morrow's evening come you may expect a like reward. +If you wish to strive for the Joy, you shall do so, though it grieve me +sore. It is something from which you are free to retreat and draw back +if you wish to work your welfare. Therefore I tell you, for I should +commit treachery and do you wrong were I not to tell you all the truth." +Erec hears him and admits that the King with reason counsels him. But +the greater the wonder and the more perilous the adventure, the more he +covets it and yearns for it, saying: "Sire, I can tell you that I find +you a worthy and a loyal man, and I can put no blame on you. I wish to +undertake this boon, however it may fall out with me. The die is cast, +for I shall never draw back from anything I have undertaken without +exerting all my strength before I quit the field." "I know that well," +the King replied; "you are acting against my will. You shall have the +Joy which you desire. But I am in great despair; for I greatly fear you +will be undone. But now be assured that you shall have what you desire. +If you come out of it happily, you will have won such great honour that +never did man win greater; and may God, as I desire, grant you a joyous +deliverance." + +(Vv. 5669-5738.) All that night they talked of it, until the beds were +prepared and they went to rest. In the morning, when it was daylight, +Erec, who was on the watch, saw the clear dawn and the sun, and quickly +rising, clothed himself. Enide again is in distress, very sad and ill at +ease; all night she is greatly disquieted with the solicitude and fear +which she felt for her lord, who is about to expose himself to great +peril. But nevertheless he equips himself, for no one can make him +change his mind. For his equipment the King sent him, when he arose, +arms which he put to good use. Erec did not refuse them, for his own +were worn and impaired and in bad state. He gladly accepted the arms +and had himself equipped with them in the hall. When he was armed, he +descends the steps and finds his horse saddled and the King who had +mounted. Every one in the castle and in the houses of the town hastened +to mount. In all the town there remained neither man nor woman, erect or +deformed, great or small, weak or strong, who is able to go and does not +do so. When they start, there is a great noise and clamour in all the +streets; for those of high and low degree alike cry out: "Alas, alas! +oh knight, the Joy that thou wishest to win has betrayed thee, and thou +goest to win but grief and death." And there is not one but says: "God +curse this joy! which has been the death of so many gentlemen. To-day it +will wreak the worst woe that it has ever yet wrought." Erec hears well +and notes that up and down they said of him: "Alas, alas, ill-starred +wert thou, fair, gentle, skilful knight! Surely it would not be just +that thy life should end so soon, or that harm should come to wound +and injure thee." He hears clearly the words and what they said; but +notwithstanding, he passes on without lowering his head, and without +the bearing of a craven. Whoever may speak, he longs to see and know and +understand why they are all in such distress, anxiety, and woe. The King +leads him without the town into a garden that stood near by; and all the +people follow after, praying that from this trial God may grant him a +happy issue. But it is not meet that I should pass on, from weariness +and exhaustion of tongue, without telling you the whole truth about the +garden, according as the story runs. + +(Vv. 5739-5826.) [138] The garden had around it no wall or fence except +of air: yet, by a spell, the garden was on all sides so shut in by the +air that nothing could enter there any more than if the garden were +enclosed in iron, unless it flew in over the top. And all through the +summer and the winter, too, there were flowers and ripe fruits there; +and the fruit was of such a nature that it could be eaten inside; the +danger consisted in carrying it out; for whoever should wish to carry +out a little would never be able to find the gate, and never could issue +from the garden until he had restored the fruit to its place. And there +is no flying bird under heaven, pleasing to man, but it sings there to +delight and to gladden him, and can be heard there in numbers of every +kind. And the earth, however far it stretch, bears no spice or root of +use in making medicine, but it had been planted there, and was to be +found in abundance. Through a narrow entrance the people entered--King +Evrain and all the rest. Erec went riding, lance in rest, into the +middle of the garden, greatly delighting in the song of the birds which +were singing there; they put him in mind of his Joy the thing he most +was longing for. But he saw a wondrous thing, which might arouse fear +in the bravest warrior of all whom we know, be it Thiebaut the Esclavon, +[139] or Ospinel, or Fernagu. For before them, on sharpened stakes, +there stood bright and shining helmets, and each one had beneath the rim +a man's head. But at the end there stood a stake where as yet there was +nothing but a horn. [140] He knows not what this signifies, yet draws +not back a step for that; rather does he ask the King, who was beside +him at the right, what this can be. The King speaks and explains to him: +"Friend," he says, "do you know the meaning of this thing that you see +here? You must be in great terror of it, if you care at all for your own +body; for this single stake which stands apart, where you see this horn +hung up, has been waiting a very long time, but we know not for whom, +whether for you or someone else. Take care lest thy head be set up +there; for such is the purpose of the stake. I had warned you well of +that before you came here. I do not expect that you will escape hence, +but that you will be killed and rent apart. For this much we know, that +the stake awaits your head. And if it turns out that it be placed +there, as the matter stands agreed, as soon as thy head is fixed upon it +another stake will be set up beside it which will await the arrival of +some one else--I know not when or whom. I will tell you nothing of the +horn; but never has any one been able to blow it. [141] However, he +who shall succeed in blowing it his fame and honour will grow until it +distance all those of his country, and he shall find such renown that +all will come to do him honour, and will hold him to be the best of them +all. Now there is no more of this matter. Have your men withdraw; for +'the Joy' will soon arrive, and will make you sorry, I suspect." + +(Vv. 5827-6410.) Meanwhile King Evrain leaves his side, and Erec stoops +over before Enide, whose heart was in great distress, although she held +her peace; for grief on lips is of no account unless it also touch the +heart. And he who well knew her heart, said to her: "Fair sister dear, +gentle, loyal, and prudent lady, I am acquainted with your thoughts. +You are in fear, I see that well, and yet you do not know for what; but +there is no reason for your dismay until you shall see that my shield is +shattered and that my body is wounded, and until you see the meshes of +my bright hauberk covered with blood, and my helmet broken and smashed, +and me defeated and weary, so that I can no longer defend myself, but +must beg and sue for mercy against my will; then you may lament, but now +you have begun too soon. Gentle lady, as yet you know not what this +is to be; no more do I. You are troubled without cause. But know this +truly: if there were in me only so much courage as your love inspires, +truly I should not fear to face any man alive. But I am foolish to vaunt +myself; yet I say it not from any pride, but because I wish to comfort +you. So comfort yourself, and let it be! I cannot longer tarry here, nor +can you go along with me; for, as the King has ordered, I must not take +you beyond this point." Then he kisses her and commends her to God, and +she him. But she is much chagrined that she cannot follow and escort +him, until she may learn and see what this adventure is to be, and +how he will conduct himself. But since she must stay behind and cannot +follow him, she remains sorrowful and grieving. And he went off alone +down a path, without companion of any sort, until he came to a silver +couch with a cover of gold-embroidered cloth, beneath the shade of +a sycamore; and on the bed a maiden of comely body and lovely face, +completely endowed with all beauty, was seated all alone. I intended to +say no more of her; but whoever could consider well all her attire and +her beauty might well say that never did Lavinia of Laurentum, who was +so fair and comely, possess the quarter of her beauty. Erec draws near +to her, wishing to see her more closely, and the onlookers go and sit +down under the trees in the orchard. Then behold, there comes a knight +armed with vermilion arms, and he was wondrous tall; and if he were not +so immeasurably tall, under the heavens there would be none fairer than +he; but, as every one averred, he was a foot taller than any knight he +knew. Before Erec caught sight of him, he cried out: "Vassal, vassal! +You are mad, upon my life, thus to approach my damsel. I should say +you are not worthy to draw near her. You will pay dearly for your +presumption, by my head! Stand back!" And Erec stops and looks at him, +and the other, too, stood still. Neither made advance until Erec had +replied all that he wished to say to him. "Friend," he says, "one can +speak folly as well as good sense. Threaten as much as you please, and +I will keep silence; for in threatening there is no sense. Do you know +why? A man sometimes thinks he has won the game who afterward loses it. +So he is manifestly a fool who is too presumptuous and who threatens too +much. If there are some who flee there are plenty who chase, but I do +not fear you so much that I am going to run away yet. I am ready to make +such defence, if there is any who wishes to offer me battle, that he +will have to do his uttermost, or otherwise he cannot escape." "Nay," +quoth he, "so help me God! know that you shall have the battle, for I +defy and challenge you." And you may know, upon my word, that then the +reins were not held in. The lances they had were not light, but were big +and square; nor were they planed smooth, but were rough and strong. Upon +the shields with mighty strength they smote each other with their sharp +weapons, so that a fathom of each lance passes through the gleaming +shields. But neither touches the other's flesh, nor was either lance +cracked; each one, as quickly as he could, draws back his lance, and +both rushing together, return to the fray. One against the other rides, +and so fiercely they smite each other that both lances break and the +horses fall beneath them. But they, being seated on their steeds, +sustain no harm; so they quickly rise, for they were strong and lithe. +They stand on foot in the middle of the garden, and straightway attack +each other with their green swords of German steel, and deal great +wicked blows upon their bright and gleaming helmets, so that they hew +them into bits, and their eyes shoot out flame. No greater efforts can +be made than those they make in striving and toiling to injure and wound +each other. Both fiercely smite with the gilded pommel and the cutting +edge. Such havoc did they inflict upon each other's teeth, cheeks, nose, +hands, arms, and the rest, upon temples, neck, and throat that their +bones all ache. They are very sore and very tired; yet they do not +desist, but rather only strive the more. Sweat, and the blood which +flows down with it, dim their eyes, so that they can hardly see a thing; +and very often they missed their blows, like men who did not see to +wield their swords upon each other. They can scarcely harm each other +now; yet, they do not desist at all from exercising all their strength. +Because their eyes are so blinded that they completely lose their sight, +they let their shields fall to the ground, and seize each other angrily. +Each pulls and drags the other, so that they fall upon their knees. +Thus, long they fight until the hour of noon is past, and the big knight +is so exhausted that his breath quite fails him. Erec has him at his +mercy, and pulls and drags so that he breaks all the lacing of his +helmet, and forces him over at his feet. He falls over upon his face +against Erec's breast, and has not strength to rise again. Though it +distresses him, he has to say and own: "I cannot deny it, you have +beaten me; but much it goes against my will. And yet you may be of such +degree and fame that only credit will redound to me; and insistently I +would request, if it may be in any way, that I might know your name, and +he thereby somewhat comforted. If a better man has defeated me, I shall +be glad, I promise you; but if it has so fallen out that a baser man +than I has worsted me, then I must feel great grief indeed." "Friend, +dost thou wish to know my name?" says Erec; "Well, I shall tell thee ere +I leave here; but it will be upon condition that thou tell me now why +thou art in this garden. Concerning that I will know all what is thy +name and what the Joy; for I am very anxious to hear the truth from +beginning to end of it." "Sire," says he, "fearlessly I will tell you +all you wish to know." Erec no more withholds his name, but says: "Didst +thou ever hear of King Lac and of his son Erec?" "Yea, sire, I knew +him well; for I was at his father's court for many a day before I was +knighted, and, if he had had his will, I should never have left him for +anything." "Then thou oughtest to know me well, if thou weft ever with +me at the court of my father, the King." "Then, upon my faith, it has +turned out well. Now hear who has detained me so long in this garden. I +will tell the truth in accordance with your injunction, whatever it +may cost me. That damsel who yonder sits, loved me from childhood and +I loved her. It pleased us both, and our love grew and increased, until +she asked a boon of me, but did not tell me what it was. Who would +deny his mistress aught? There is no lover but would surely do all his +sweet-heart's pleasure without default or guile, whenever he can in any +way. I agreed to her desire; but when I had agreed, she would have it, +too, that I should swear. I would have done more than that for her, but +she took me at my word. I made her a promise, without knowing what. Time +passed until I was made a knight. King Evrain, whose nephew I am, dubbed +me a knight in the presence of many honourable men in this very garden +where we are. My lady, who is sitting there, at once recalled to me my +word, and said that I had promised her that I would never go forth from +here until there should come some knight who should conquer me by trial +of arms. It was right that I should remain, for rather than break my +word, I should never have pledged it. Since I knew the good there was in +her, I could nor reveal or show to the one whom I hold most dear that +in all this I was displeased; for if she had noticed it, she would have +withdrawn her heart, and I would not have had it so for anything that +might happen. Thus my lady thought to detain me here for a long stay; +she did not think that there would ever enter this garden any vassal who +could conquer me. In this way she intended to keep me absolutely shut up +with her all the days of my life. And I should have committed an offence +if I had had resort to guile and not defeated all those against whom I +could prevail; such escape would have been a shame. And I dare to assure +you that I have no friend so dear that I would have feigned at all in +fighting with him. Never did I weary of arms, nor did I ever refuse to +fight. You have surely seen the helmets of those whom I have defeated +and put to death; but the guilt of it is not mine, when one considers it +aright. I could not help myself, unless I were willing to be false and +recreant and disloyal. Now I have told you the truth, and be assured +that it is no small honour which you have gained. You have given great +joy to the court of my uncle and my friends; for now I shall be released +from here; and because all those who are at the court will have joy of +it, therefore those who awaited the joy called it 'Joy of the Court'. +They have awaited it so long that now it will be granted them by you who +have won it by your fight. You have defeated and bewitched my prowess +and my chivalry. Now it is right that I tell you my name, if you would +know it. I am called Mabonagrain; but I am not remembered by that name +in any land where I have been, save only in this region; for never, when +I was a squire, did I tell or make known my name. Sire, you knew the +truth concerning all that you asked me. But I must still tell you that +there is in this garden a horn which I doubt not you have seen. I cannot +issue forth from here until you have blown the horn; but then you will +have released me, and then the Joy will begin. Whoever shall hear and +give it heed no hindrance will detain him, when he shall hear the sound +of the horn, from coming straight-way to the court. Rise up, sire! Go +quickly now! Go take the horn right joyfully; for you have no further +cause to wait; so do that which you must do." Now Erec rose, and the +other rises with him, and both approach the horn. Erec takes it and +blows it, putting into it all his strength, so that the sound of it +reaches far. Greatly did Enide rejoice when she heard the note, and +Guivret was greatly delighted too. The King is glad, and so are his +people; there is not one who is not well suited and pleased at this. +No one ceases or leaves off from making merry and from song. Erec could +boast that day, for never was such rejoicing made; it could not be +described or related by mouth of man, but I will tell you the sum of it +briefly and with few words. The news spreads through the country that +thus the affair has turned out. Then there was no holding back from +coming to the court. All the people hasten thither in confusion, some +on foot and some on horse, without waiting for each other. And those who +were in the garden hastened to remove Erec's arms, and in emulation they +all sang a song about the Joy; and the ladies made up a lay which they +called 'the Lay of Joy', [142] but the lay is not well known. Erec was +well sated with joy and well served to his heart's desire; but she who +sat on the silver couch was not a bit pleased. The joy which she saw was +not at all to her taste. But many people have to keep still and look +on at what gives them pain. Enide acted graciously; because she saw her +sitting pensive, alone on the couch, she felt moved to go and speak with +her and tell her about her affairs and about herself, and to strive, if +possible, to make her tell in return about herself, if it did not cause +her too great distress. Enide thought to go alone, wishing to take no +one with her, but some of the most noble and fairest dames and damsels +followed her out of affection to bear her company, and also to comfort +her to whom the joy brings great chagrin; for she assumed that now her +lover would be no longer with her so much as he had been, inasmuch as he +desired to leave the garden. However disappointing it may be, no one can +prevent his going away, for the hour and the time have come. Therefore +the tears ran down her face from her eyes. Much more than I can say was +she grieving and distressed; nevertheless she sat up straight. But she +does not care so much for any of those who try to comfort her that she +ceases her moan. Enide salutes her kindly; but for a while the other +could not reply a word, being prevented by the sighs and sobs which +torment and distress her. Some time it was before the damsel returned +her salutation, and when she had looked at her and examined her for a +while, it seemed that she had seen and known her before. But not being +very certain of it, she was not slow to inquire from whence she was, of +what country, and where her lord was born; she inquires who they both +are. Enide replies briefly and tells her the truth, saying: "I am the +niece of the Count who holds sway over Lalut, the daughter of his own +sister; at Lalut I was born and brought up." The other cannot help +smiling, without hearing more, for she is so delighted that she forgets +her sorrow. Her heart leaps with joy which she cannot conceal. She runs +and embraces Enide, saying: "I am your cousin! This is the very truth, +and you are my father's niece; for he and your father are brothers. But +I suspect that you do not know and have never heard how I came into this +country. The Count, your uncle, was at war, and to him there came to +fight for pay knights of many lands. Thus, fair cousin, it came about, +that with these hireling knights there came one who was the nephew of +the king of Brandigan. He was with my father almost a year. That was, I +think, twelve years ago, and I was still but a little child. He was very +handsome and attractive. There we had an understanding between us that +pleased us both. I never had any wish but his, until at last he began to +love me and promised and swore to me that he would always be my lover, +and that he would bring me here; that pleased us both alike. He could +not wait, and I was longing to come hither with him; so we both came +away, and no one knew of it but ourselves. In those days you and I were +both young and little girls. I have told you the truth; so now tell me +in turn, as I have told you, all about your lover, and by what adventure +he won you." "Fair cousin, he married me in such a way that my father +knew all about it, and my mother was greatly pleased. All our relatives +knew it and rejoiced over it, as they should do. Even the Count was +glad. For he is so good a knight that better cannot be found, and he +does not need to prove his honour and knighthood, and he is of very +gentle birth: I do not think that any can be his equal. He loves me +much, and I love him more, and our love cannot be greater. Never yet +could I withhold my love from him, nor should I do so. For is not my +lord the son of a king? For did he not take me when I was poor and +naked? Through him has such honour come to me that never was any such +vouchsafed to a poor helpless girl. And if it please you, I will tell +you without lying how I came to be thus raised up; for never will I be +slow to tell the story." Then she told and related to her how Erec +came to Lalut; for she had no desire to conceal it. She told her the +adventure word for word, without omission. But I pass over it now, +because he who tells a story twice makes his tale now tiresome. While +they were thus conversing, one lady slipped away alone, who sent and +told it all to the gentlemen, in order to increase and heighten their +pleasure too. All those who heard it rejoiced at this news. And when +Mabonagrain knew it he was delighted for his sweetheart because now +she was comforted. And she who bore them quickly the news made them all +happy in a short space. Even the King was glad for it; although he was +very happy before, yet now he is still happier, and shows Erec great +honour. Enide leads away her fair cousin, fairer than Helen, more +graceful and charming. Now Erec and Mabonagrain, Guivret and King +Evrain, and all the others run to meet them and salute them and do them +honour, for no one is grudging or holds back. Mabonagrain makes much of +Enide, and she of him. Erec and Guivret, for their part, rejoice over +the damsel as they all kiss and embrace each other. They propose to +return to the castle, for they have stayed too long in the garden. They +are all prepared to go out; so they sally forth joyfully, kissing each +other on the way. All go out after the King, but before they reached the +castle, the nobles were assembled from all the country around, and all +those who knew of the Joy, and who could do so, came hither. Great was +the gathering and the press. Every one, high and low, rich and poor, +strives to see Erec. Each thrusts himself before the other, and they +all salute him and bow before him, saying constantly: "May God save +him through whom joy and gladness come to our court! God save the most +blessed man whom God has ever brought into being!" Thus they bring him +to the court, and strive to show their glee as their hearts dictate. +Breton zithers, harps, and viols sound, fiddles, psalteries, and other +stringed instruments, and all kinds of music that one could name or +mention. But I wish to conclude the matter briefly without too long +delay. The King honours him to the extent of his power, as do all the +others ungrudgingly. There is no one who does not gladly offer to do his +service. Three whole days the Joy lasted, before Erec could get away. +On the fourth he would no longer tarry for any reason they could urge. +There was a great crowd to accompany him and a very great press when it +came to taking leave. If he had wished to reply to each one, he would +not have been able in half a day to return the salutations individually. +The nobles he salutes and embraces; the others he commends to God in +a word, and salutes them. Enide, for her part, is not silent when she +takes leave of the nobles. She salutes them all by name, and they in +turn do the like. Before she goes, she kisses her cousin very tenderly +and embraces her. Then they go and the Joy is over. + +(Vv. 6411-6509.) They go off and the others return. Erec and Guivret do +not tarry, but keep joyfully on their way, until they came in nine days +to Robais, where they were told the King was. The day before he had +been bled privately in his apartments; with him he had only five hundred +nobles of his household. Never before at any time was the King found so +alone, and he was much distressed that he had no more numerous suite at +his court. At that time a messenger comes running, whom they had sent +ahead to apprise the King of their approach. This man came in before the +assembly, found the King and all his people, and saluting him correctly, +said: "I am a messenger of Erec and of Guivret the Little." Then he told +him how they were coming to see him at his court. The King replies: "Let +them be welcome, as valiant and gallant gentlemen! Nowhere do I know +of any better than they two. By their presence my court will be much +enhanced." Then he sent for the Queen and told her the news. The others +have their horses saddled to go and meet the gentlemen. In such haste +are they to mount that they did not put on their spurs. I ought to state +briefly that the crowd of common people, including squires, cooks, and +butlers, had already entered the town to prepare for the lodgings. +The main party came after, and had already drawn so near that they had +entered the town. Now the two parties have met each other, and salute +and kiss each other. They come to the lodgings and make themselves +comfortable, removing their hose and making their toilet by donning +their rich robes. When they were completely decked out, they took their +way to the court. They come to court, where the King sees them, and the +Queen, who is beside herself with impatience to see Erec and Enide. The +King makes them take seats beside him, kisses Erec and Guivret; about +Enide's neck he throws his arms and kisses her repeatedly, in his great +joy. Nor is the Queen slow in embracing Erec and Enide. One might well +rejoice to see her now so full of joy. Every one enters with spirit into +the merry-making. Then the King causes silence to be made, and appeals +to Erec and asks news of his adventures. When the noise had ceased, Erec +began his story, telling him of his adventures, without forgetting any +detail. Do you think now that I shall tell you what motive he had had in +starting out? Nay, for you know the whole truth about this and the rest, +as I have revealed it to you. To tell the story again would burden me; +for the tale is not short, that any one should wish to begin it afresh +and re-embelish it, as he told and related it: of the three knights whom +he defeated, and then of the five, and then of the Count who strove to +do him harm, and then of the two giants--all in order, one after the +other, he told him of his adventures up to the point where he met Count +Oringle of Limors. "Many a danger have you gone through, fair gentle +friend," said the King to him; "now tarry in this country at my court, +as you are wont to do." "Sire, since you wish it, I shall remain very +gladly three or four years entire. But ask Guivret to remain here too a +request in which I would fain join." The King prays him to remain, and +he consents to stay. So they both stay: the King kept them with him, and +held them dear and honoured them. + +(Vv. 6510-6712.) Erec stayed at court, together with Guivret and Enide, +until the death of his father, the king, who was an old man and full of +years. The messengers then started out: the nobles who went to seek him, +and who were the greatest men of the land, sought and searched for him +until they found him at Tintagel three weeks before Christmas; they told +him the truth what had happened to his old, white-haired father, and +how he now was dead and gone. This grieved Erec much more than he showed +before the people. But sorrow is not seemly in a king, nor does it +become a king to mourn. There at Tintagel where he was, he caused vigils +for the dead and Masses to be sung; he promised and kept his promises, +as he had vowed to the religious houses and churches; he did well all +that he ought to do: he chose out more than one hundred and sixty-nine +of the wretched poor, and clothed them all in new garments. To the poor +clerks and priors he gave, as was right, black copes and warm linings to +wear beneath. For God's sake he did great good to all: to those who were +in need he distributed more than a barrel of small coins. When he had +shared his wealth, he then did a very wise thing in receiving his land +from the King's hand; and then he begged the King to crown him at his +court. The King bade him quickly be prepared; for they shall both be +crowned, he together with his wife, at the approaching Christmastide; +and he added: "You must go hence to Nantes in Brittany; there you shall +carry a royal ensign with crown on head and sceptre in hand; this gift +and privilege I bestow upon you." Erec thanked the King, and said that +that was a noble gift. At Christmas the King assembles all his nobles, +summoning them individually and commanding them to come to Nantes. He +summoned them all, and none stayed behind. Erec, too, sent word to many +of his followers, and summoned them to come thither; but more came than +he had bidden, to serve him and do him honour. I cannot tell you or +relate who each one was, and what his name; but whoever came or did not +come, the father and mother of my lady Enide were not forgotten. Her +father was sent for first of all, and he came to court in handsome +style, like a great lord and a chatelain. There was no great crowd of +chaplains or of silly, gaping yokels, but of excellent knights and of +people well equipped. Each day they made a long day's journey, and rode +on each day with great joy and great display, until on Christmas eve +they came to the city of Nantes. They made no halt until they entered +the great hall where the King and his courtiers were. Erec and Enide +see them, and you may know how glad they were. To meet them they quickly +make their way, and salute and embrace them, speaking to them tenderly +and showing their delight as they should. When they had rejoiced +together, taking each other by the hand, they all four came before the +King, saluting him and likewise the Queen, who was sitting by his side. +Taking his host by the hand, Erec said: "Sire, behold my good host, my +kind friend, who did me such honour that he made me master in his +own house. Before he knew anything about me, he lodged me well and +handsomely. All that he had he made over to me, and even his daughter he +bestowed upon me, without the advice or counsel of any one." "And this +lady with him," the King inquires, "who is she?" Erec does not conceal +the truth: "Sire," says he, "of this lady I may say that she is the +mother of my wife." "Is she her mother?" "Yes, truly, sire." "Certainly, +I may then well say that fair and comely should be the flower born of so +fair a stem, and better the fruit one picks; for sweet is the smell +of what springs from good. Fair is Enide and fair she should be in all +reason and by right; for her mother is a very handsome lady, and her +father is a goodly knight. Nor does she in aught belie them; for she +descends and inherits directly from them both in many respects." Then +the King ceases and sits down, bidding them be seated too. They do not +disobey his command, but straightway take seats. Now is Enide filled +with joy when she sees her father and mother, for a very long time had +passed since she had seen them. Her happiness now is greatly increased, +for she was delighted and happy, and she showed it all she could, but +she could not make such demonstration but that her joy was yet greater. +But I wish to say no more of that, for my heart draws me toward the +court which was now assembled in force. From many a different country +there were counts and dukes and kings, Normans, Bretons. Scotch, and +Irish: from England and Cornwall there was a very rich gathering of +nobles; for from Wales to Anjou, in Maine and in Poitou, there was no +knight of importance, nor lady of quality, but the best and the most +elegant were at the court at Nantes, as the King had bidden them. Now +hear, if you will, the great joy and grandeur, the display and the +wealth, that was exhibited at the court. Before the hour of nones had +sounded, King Arthur dubbed four hundred knights or more all sons of +counts and of kings. To each one he gave three horses and two pairs of +suits, in order that his court may make a better showing. Puissant and +lavish was the King; for the mantles he bestowed were not of serge, nor +of rabbit-skins, nor of cheap brown fur, but of heavy silk and ermine, +of spotted fur and flowered silks, bordered with heavy and stiff gold +braid. Alexander, who conquered so much that he subdued the whole world, +and who was so lavish and rich, compared with him was poor and mean. +Caesar, the Emperor of Rome, and all the kings whose names you hear in +stories and in epic songs, did not distribute at any feast so much +as Arthur gave on the day that he crowned Erec; nor would Caesar and +Alexander dare to spend so much as he spent at the court. The raiment +was taken from the chests and spread about freely through the halls; one +could take what he would, without restraint. In the midst of the court, +upon a rug, stood thirty bushels of bright sterlings; [143] for since +the time of Merlin until that day sterlings had currency throughout +Britain. There all helped themselves, each one carrying away that night +all that he wanted to his lodging-place. At nine o'clock on Christmas +day, all came together again at court. The great joy that is drawing +near for him had completely filched Erec's heart away. The tongue and +the mouth of no man, however skilful, could describe the third, or the +fourth, or the fifth part of the display which marked his coronation. So +it is a mad enterprise I undertake in wishing to attempt to describe +it. But since I must make the effort, come what may, I shall not fail to +relate a part of it, as best I may. + +(Vv. 6713-6809.) The King had two thrones of white ivory, well +constructed and new, of one pattern and style. He who made them beyond a +doubt was a very skilled and cunning craftsman. For so precisely did he +make the two alike in height, in breadth, and in ornamentation, that you +could nor look at them from every side to distinguish one from the other +and find in one aught that was not in the other. There was no part of +wood, but all of gold and fine ivory. Well were they carved with great +skill, for the two corresponding sides of each bore the representation +of a leopard, and the other two a dragon's shape. A knight named Bruiant +of the Isles had made a gift and present of them to King Arthur and the +Queen. King Arthur sat upon the one, and upon the other he made Erec +sit, who was robed in watered silk. As we read in the story, we find the +description of the robe, and in order that no one may say that I lie, +I quote as my authority Macrobius, [144] who devoted himself to the +description of it. Macrobius instructs me how to describe, according +as I have found it in the book, the workmanship and the figures of the +cloth. Four fairies had made it with great skill and mastery. [145] One +represented there geometry, how it estimates and measures the extent of +the heavens and the earth, so that nothing is lacking there; and +then the depth and the height, and the width, and the length; then it +estimates, besides, how broad and deep the sea is, and thus measures +the whole world. Such was the work of the first fairy. And the second +devoted her effort to the portrayal of arithmetic, and she strove hard +to represent clearly how it wisely enumerates the days and the hours of +time, and the water of the sea drop by drop, and then all the sand, and +the stars one by one, knowing well how to tell the truth, and how many +leaves there are in the woods: such is the skill of arithmetic that +numbers have never deceived her, nor will she ever be in error when she +wishes to apply her sense to them. The third design was that of music, +with which all merriment finds itself in accord, songs and harmonies, +and sounds of string: of harp, of Breton violin, and of viol. This +piece of work was good and fine; for upon it were portrayed all the +instruments and all the pastimes. The fourth, who next performed her +task, executed a most excellent work; for the best of the arts she there +portrayed. She undertook astronomy, which accomplishes so many marvels +and draws inspiration from the stars, the moon, and the sun. Nowhere +else does it seek counsel concerning aught which it has to do. They give +it good and sure advice. Concerning whatever inquiry it make of them, +whether in the past or in the future, they give it information without +falsehood and without deception. This work was portrayed on the stuff +of which Erec's robe was made, all worked and woven with thread of gold. +The fur lining that was sewed within, belonged to some strange beasts +whose heads are all white, and whose necks are as black as mulberries, +and which have red backs and green bellies, and dark blue tail. These +beasts live in India and they are called "barbiolets". They eat nothing +but spices, cinnamon, and fresh cloves. What shall I tell you of the +mantle? It was very rich and fine and handsome; it had four stones +in the tassels--two chrysolites on one side, and two amethysts on the +other, which were mounted in gold. + +(Vv. 6810-6946.) As yet Enide had not come to the palace. When the King +sees that she delays, he bids Gawain go quickly to bring her and the +Queen. Gawain hastens and was not slow, and with him King Cadoalant +and the generous King of Galloway. Guivret the Little accompanies them, +followed by Yder the son of Nut. So many of the other nobles ran thither +to escort the two ladies that they would have sufficed to overcome a +host; for there were more than a thousand of them. The Queen had made +her best effort to adorn Enide. Into the palace they brought her +the courteous Gawain escorting her on one side, and on the other the +generous King of Galloway, who loved her dearly on account of Erec who +was his nephew. When they came to the palace, King Arthur came quickly +toward them, and courteously seated Enide beside Erec; for he wished to +do her great honour. Now he orders to be brought forth from his treasure +two massive crowns of fine gold. As soon as he had spoken and given the +command, without delay the crowns were brought before him, all sparkling +with carbuncles, of which there were four in each. The light of the moon +is nothing compared with the light which the least of the carbuncles +could shed. Because of the radiance which they shed, all those who were +in the palace were so dazzled that for a moment they could see nothing; +and even the King was amazed, and yet filled with satisfaction, when +he saw them to be so clear and bright. He had one of them held by two +damsels, and the other by two gentlemen. Then he bade the bishops and +priors and the abbots of the Church step forward and anoint the new +King, as the Christian practice is. Now all the prelates, young and old, +came forward; for at the court there were a great number of bishops and +abbots. The Bishop of Nantes himself, who was a very worthy and saintly +man, anointed the new King in a very holy and becoming manner, and +placed the crown upon his head. King Arthur had a sceptre brought which +was very fine. Listen to the description of the sceptre, which was +clearer than a pane of glass, all of one solid emerald, fully as large +as your fist. I dare to tell you in very truth that in all the world +there is no manner of fish, or of wild behest, or of man, or of flying +bird that was not worked and chiselled upon it with its proper figure. +The sceptre was handed to the King, who looked at it with amazement; +then he put it without delay into King Erec's right hand; and now he +was King as he ought to be. Then he crowned Enide in turn. Now the +bells ring for Mass, and they go to the main church to hear the Mass and +service; they go to pray at the cathedral. You would have seen weeping +with joy the father of Queen Enide and her mother, Carsenefide. In truth +this was her mother's name, and her father's name was Liconal. Very +happy were they both. When they came to the cathedral, the procession +came out from the church with relics and treasures to meet them. Crosses +and prayerbooks and censers and reliquaries, with all the holy relics, +of which there were many in the church, were all brought out to meet +them; nor was there any lack of chants made. Never were seen so many +kings, counts, dukes, and nobles together at a Mass, and the press was +so great and thick that the church was completely filled. No low-born +man could enter there, but only ladies and knights. Outside the door +of the church a great number still remained, so many were there come +together who could not get inside the church. When they had heard all +the Mass they returned to the palace. It was all prepared and decorated: +tables set and cloths spread five hundred tables and more were there; +but I do not wish to make you believe a thing which does not seem true. +It would seem too great a lie were I to say that five hundred tables +were set in rows in one palace, so I will not say it; rather were there +five hails so filled with them that with great difficulty could one make +his way among the tables. At each table there was in truth a king or a +duke or a count; and full a hundred knights were seated at each table. A +thousand knights served the bread, and a thousand served the wine, and a +thousand the meat--all of them dressed in fresh fur robes of ermine. All +are served with divers dishes. Even if I did not see them, I might still +be able to tell you about them; but I must attend to something else than +to tell you what they had to eat. They had enough, without wanting more; +joyfully and liberally they were served to their heart's desire. + +(Vv. 6947-6958.) When this celebration was concluded, the King dismissed +the assemblage of kings, dukes, and counts, of which the number was +immense, and of the other humble folk who had come to the festival. +He rewarded them liberally with horses, arms and silver, cloths and +brocades of many kinds, because of his generosity, and because of Erec +whom he loved so much. Here the story ends at last. + + + +----Endnotes: Erec Et Enide + +NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all +other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 11: A Welsh version, "Geraint the Son of Erbin", included in +Lady Charlotte Guest's translation of "The Mabinogion" (London, 1838-49; +a modern edition will be found in Everyman Library, London, 1906), +tells the same story as "Erec et Enide" with some variations. This Welsh +version has also been translated into modern French by J. Loth ("Les +Mabinogion", Paris, 1889), where it may be consulted with the greatest +confidence. The relation of the Welsh prose to the French poem is a +moot point. Cf. E. Philipot in "Romania", XXV. 258-294, and earlier, +K. Othmer, "Ueber das Verhaltnis Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem +Mabinogion des rothen Buch von Hergest" (Koln, 1889); G. Paris in +"Romania", XIX. 157, and id. XX. 148-166.] + +[Footnote 12: We frequently read in the romances of a hunt at Easter +(F.). As here, so in "Fergus" (ed. Martin, Halle, 1872), p. 2 f., the +knights hunt a white stag, which Perceval finally slays, but there is no +mention of the ceremony of the bestowal of a kiss.] + +[Footnote 13: Chretien nowhere gives any description of the nature of +the Round Table. With him, it is an institution. Layamon in "Brut" and +Wace in "Le Roman de Brut" are more specific in their accounts of this +remarkable piece of furniture. From their descriptions, and from other +sources in Welsh and Irish literature, it is reasonable to suppose that +the Round Table had a place in primitive Celtic folk-lore. Cf. L.F. +Mott, "The Round Table" in "Pub. of the Modern Language Association of +America", XX. 231-264; A.C.L. Brown, "The Round Table before Wace" in +"Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature", vii. 183-205 +(Boston, 1900); Miss J.L Weston, "A Hitherto Unconsidered Aspect of the +Round Table" in "Melanges de philologie romane offerts a M. Wilmotte", +ii. 883-894, 2 vols. (Paris, 1910).] + +[Footnote 14: There exists a romance devoted to Yder, of which G. Paris +printed a resume in "Hist. Litt. de la France", XXX., and which has +been recently edited by Heinrich Gelzer: "Der altfranzosische Yderroman" +(Dresden, 1913). There are apparently three different knight of this +name in the old French romances (F.).] + +[Footnote 15: The word "chastel" (from "castellum") is usually to be +translated as "town" or strong place within fortifications. Only where +it plainly refers to a detached building will the word "castle" be +used.] + +[Footnote 16: A "tercel" is a species of falcon, of which the male bird +is one-third smaller than the female.] + +[Footnote 17: A "vavasor" (from "vassus vassallorum") was a low order +of vassal, but a freeman. The vavasors are spoken of with respect in +the old French romances, as being of honourable character, though not of +high birth.] + +[Footnote 18: The numerous references to the story of King Mark, +Tristan, and Iseut in the extant poems of Chretien support his own +statement, made at the outset of "Cliges", that he himself composed a +poem on the nephew and wife of the King of Cornwall. We have fragments +of poems on Tristan by the Anglo-Norman poets Beroul and Thomas, who +were contemporaries of Chretien. Foerster's hypothesis that the lost +"Tristan" of Chretien antedated "Erec" is doubtless correct. That +the poet later treated of the love of Cliges and Fenice as a sort of +literary atonement for the inevitable moral laxity of Tristan and Iseut +has been held by some, and the theory is acceptable in view of the +references to be met later in "Cliges". For the contrary opinion of +Gaston Paris see "Journal des Savants" (1902), p. 297 f.] + +[Footnote 19: In the Mabinogi "Geraint the Son of Erbin", the host +explains that he had wrongfully deprived his nephew of his possessions, +and that in revenge the nephew had later taken all his uncle's property, +including an earldom and this town. See Guest, "The Mabinogion".] + +[Footnote 110: The hauberk was a long shirt of mail reaching to the +knees, worn by knights in combat. The helmet, and the "coiffe" beneath +it, protected the head; the "ventail" of linked meshes was worn across +the lower part of the face, and was attached on each side of the neck to +the "coiffe", so that it protected the throat; the greaves covered the +legs. The body of the knight was thus well protected against blow of +sword or lance. Cf. Vv.711 f.] + +[Footnote 111: This passage seems to imply that charms and enchantments +were sometimes used when a knight was armed (F.).] + +[Footnote 112: The "loges", so often mentioned in old French romances, +were either window-balconies or architectural points of vantage +commanding some pleasing prospect. The conventional translation in the +old English romances is "bower".] + +[Footnote 113: Tristan killed Morholt, the uncle of Iseut, when he came +to claim tribute form King Mark (cf. Bedier, "Le Roman de Tristan", +etc., i. 85 f., 2 vols., Paris, 1902). The combat took place on an +island, unnamed in the original text (id. i. 84), but later identified +with St. Samson's Isle, one of the Scilly Isles.] + +[Footnote 114: The same act of feeding a hunting-bird with a plover's +wing is mentioned in "Le Roman de Thebes", 3857-58 (ed. "Anciens +Textes").] + +[Footnote 115: For such figurative expressions used to complement the +negative, cf. Gustav Dreyling, "Die Ausdruckweise der ubertriebenen +Verkleinerung im altfranzosischen Karlsepos", in Stengel's "Ausgaben und +Abhandlungen", No. 82 (Marsburg, 1888); W.W. Comfort in "Modern Language +Notes" (Baltimore, February 1908).] + +[Footnote 116: Chretien in his later romances will avoid compiling such +a prosaic blue-book as is found in this passage, though similar lists of +knights occur in the old English romances as late as Malory, though of +some of them but little is known. Unfortunately, we have for the old +French romances no such complete work as that furnished for the epic +poems by E. Langois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris +dans les chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904).] + +[Footnote 117: The only mention by Chretien of this son of Arthur, whose +role is absolutely insignificant in the Arthurian romances.] + +[Footnote 118: What was this drinking-cup, and who sent it to Arthur? We +have "Le Lai du cor" (ed. Wulff, Lund, 1888), which tells how a certain +King Mangount of Moraine sent a magic drinking-cup to Arthur. No one +could drink of this cup without spilling the contents if he were a +cuckold. Drinking from this cup was, then, one of the many current tests +of chastity. Further light may be thrown on the passage in our text by +the English poem "The Cokwold's Daunce" (in C.H. Hartshorne's "Ancient +Metrical Ballads", London, 1829), where Arthur is described as a cuckold +himself and as having always by him a horn (cup) which he delights +in trying on his knights as a test of their ladies' chastity. For +bibliography see T.P. Cross, "Notes on the Chastity-Testing Horns and +Mantle" in "Modern Philology", x. 289-299.] + +[Footnote 119: A unique instance of such a division of the material in +Chretien's poems (F.).] + +[Footnote 120: Outre-Gales=Estre-Gales (v.3883)=Extra-Galliam.] + +[Footnote 121: Such fanciful descriptions of men and lands are common +in the French epic poems, where they are usually applied to the Saracens +(F.). Cf. W.w. Comfort, "The Saracens in Christian Poetry" in "The +Dublin Review", July 1911; J. Malsch, "Die Charakteristik der Volker im +altfranzosischen nationalen Epos" (Heidelberg, 1912).] + +[Footnote 122: With what seems to us mistaken taste, Chretien frequently +thus delays mentioning the name of his leading charecters. The father +and mother of Enide remain anonymous until the end of this poem. The +reader will remark other instances of this peculiarity in "Yvain" and +"Lancelot".] + +[Footnote 123: The maid Brangien was substituted for Iseut, the bride, +upon the first night after her marriage with Mark. Similar traditions +are associated with the marriage of Arthur and Guinevere, and of Pepin +and Berte aus grans pies, the parents of Charlemagne. Adenet le Roi +toward the end of the 13th century is the author of the most artistic +treatments of Berte's history (ed. A. Scheler, Bruxelles, 1874). +Cf. W.W. Comfort, "Adenet le Roi: The End of a Literary Era" in "The +Quarterly Review", April 1913.] + +[Footnote 124: The reading "Sanson" (=Samson) is Foerster's most recent +(1904) suggestion to replace the word "lion" which stands in all +the MSS. Solomon's name has always been synonymous with wisdom, and +Alexander's generosity was proverbial in the Middle Ages. For Alexander, +cf. Paul Meyer, "Alexandre le Grand dans la litterature francaise du +moyen age", 2 vols. (Paris, 1886), vol ii., pp. 372-376, and Paget +Toynbee, "Dante Studies and Researches" (London, 1902), p. 144.] + +[Footnote 125: Of Arthur's several nephews, Gawain is represented by +Chretien as peerless in respect of courage and courtesy. In the English +romances his character steadily deteriorates.] + +[Footnote 126: This sentence contains the motive for all the action +in the sequel. The same situation is threatened in "Yvain", but there +Gawain rescues the hero from the lethargy, ignoble in the eyes of a +feudal audience, into which he was falling. Cf. also "Marques de Rome" +("Lit. Verein in Stuttgart", Tubingen, 1889), p. 36, where the Empress +of Rome thus incites her husband to the chase: "Toz jors cropez vos a +Postel; vos n'estes point chevalereus, si come vos deussiez estre, si +juenes hom come vos estes"; also J. Gower, "Le Mirour de l'omme, 22, 813 +ff.: + +"Rois est des femmes trop decu, Qant plus les ayme que son dieu, Dont +laist honour pour foldelit: Cil Rois ne serra pas cremu, Q'ensi voet +laisser sou escu Et querre le bataille ou lit."] + +[Footnote 127: This brusque command, implying so sudden a change in +Erec's attitude toward his wife, initiates a long series of tests of +Enide's devotion, which fill the rest of the romance. Why did Erec treat +his wife with such severity? In the Mabinogi of "Geraint the Son of +Erbin", it is plain that jealousy was the hero's motive. The reader of +"Erec" may judge whether, as we believe, the hero's sudden resolve is +not rather that of a man piqued at being justly reproved by his wife +for a delinquency he had not himself remarked; irate at his wife's +imputation, and fearful of having forfeited her respect, he starts +out to redeem his reputation in her eyes, and to maker her retract any +insinuation she had made. Erec is simply angry with himself, but he +expends his wrath upon his defenceless wife until he is reassured of her +love and respect for him.] + +[Footnote 128: The situation here is a common one. Parallels will be +found in the "Voyage de Charlemagne", in the first tale of the "Arabian +Nights", in the poem "Biterolf and Dietlieb", and in the English ballad +of "King Arthur and King Cornwall". Professor Child, in his "English and +Scotch Ballads", indexes the ballads in his collection, which present +this motive, under the following caption: "King who regards himself as +the richest, most magnificent, etc., in the world, is told that there is +one who outstrips him, and undertakes to see for himself whether this is +so, threatening death to the person who has affirmed his inferiority in +case this is disproved."] + +[Footnote 129: The presence of the Irish in this connection is explained +by G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 149.] + +[Footnote 130: Kay the Seneschal appears here for the first time in +Chretien's poems with the character which he regularly ascribes to him. +Readers of Arthurian romance are all familiar with Sir Kay; they will +find that in Chretien, the seneschal, in addition to his undeniable +qualities of bravery and frankness, has less pleasing traits; he is +foolhardy, tactless, mean, and a disparager of others' merit. He figures +prominently in "Yvain" and "Lancelot". His poetic history has not yet +been written. His role in the German romances has been touched upon by +Dr. Friedrich Sachse, "Ueber den Ritter Kei" (Berlin, 1860).] + +[Footnote 131: No meat was eaten because it was the eve of Sunday.] + +[Footnote 132: In the French epic poems and romances of adventure alike +it is customary for giants and all manner of rustic boors to carry +clubs, the arms of knighthood being appropriate for such ignoble +creatures. Other instances of this convention will be remarked in the +text.] + +[Footnote 133: There follows and excellent example of an old French +lament for the dead. Such a wail was known in old French as a "regret", +a word which has lost its specific meaning in English.] + +[Footnote 134: Many examples will be met of women skilled in the +practice of medicine and surgery. On the subject, cf. A. Hertel, +"Versauberte Oertlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der altfranzosschen +Dichtung" (Hanover, 1908); Georg Manheimer, "Etwas liber die Aerzte im +alten Frankreich" in "Romanische Forschungen", vi. 581-614.] + +[Footnote 135: The reference here and in v.5891 is probably suggested by +the "Roman d'Eneas", which tells the same story as Virgil's "Aeneid", +in old French eight-syllable rhymed couplets, and which is dated by +the most recent scholarship 1160 circ. Cf. F.M. Warren in "Modern +Philology", iii. 179-209; iii. 513-539; iv. 655-675. Also M. Wilmotte, +"L'Evolution du roman francais aux environs de 1150" (Paris, 1903). +Scenes from classical and medieval romance were for a long time +favourite subject of portrayal upon cloths and tapestries, as well as of +illuminations for manuscripts.] + +[Footnote 136: Various conjectures have been advanced concerning the +significance of this strange adventure and its mysterious name "La +Joie de la cour". It is a quite extraneous episode, and Tennyson in his +artistic use of our hero and heroine in the Idyl of "Geraint and Enid" +did well to omit it. Chretien's explanation, a little farther on, of "La +Joie de la cour" is lame and unsatisfactory, as if he himself did not +understand the significance of the matter upon which he was working. Cf. +E. Philipot in "Romania", xxv. 258-294; K. Othmer, "Ueber das Verhaltnis +Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem Mabinogion des rothen Buch von Hergest" +(Bonn, 1889); G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 152 f.] + +[Footnote 137: The following description of Erec's reception is repeated +with variations at the time of Yvain's entrance in the "Chastel de Pesme +Avanture" ("Yvain", 5107 f.) (F.).] + +[Footnote 138: For such conventional mediaeval descriptions of +other-world castles, palaces, and landscapes, cf. O.M. Johnston in +"Ztsch fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 705-710.] + +[Footnote 139: Tiebaut li Esclavon, frequently mentioned in the epic +poems, was a Saracen king, the first husband of Guibourne, who later +married the Christian hero Guillaume d'Orange. Opinel was also a +Saracen, mentioned in "Gaufrey", p. 132, and the hero of a lost epic +poem (see G. Paris, "Historie poetique de Charlemagne", p. 127). Fernagu +was another Saracen king, killed in a famous encounter by Roland, +"Otinel", p. 9 (F.). For further references to these characters, see +E. Langlois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris dans les +chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904).] + +[Footnote 140: There is a similar picket fence topped with helmets in +the "Las de la Mule sanz frain", v. 433 (ed. By R.T. Hill, Baltimore, +1911).] + +[Footnote 141: For such magic horns, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte +Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908).] + +[Footnote 142: In fact, nothing is known of this "lai", if, indeed, it +ever existed. For a recent definition of "lai", se L. Foulet in "Ztsch. +fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 161 f.] + +[Footnote 143: The sterling was the English silver penny, 240 of which +equalled 1 Pound Sterling of silver of 5760 grains 925 fine. It is early +described as "denarius Angliae qui vocatur sterlingus" ("Ency. Brit").] + +[Footnote 144: Macrobius was a Neoplatonic philosopher and Latin +grammarian of the early part of the 5th century A.D. He is best known +as the author of the "Saturnalia" and of a commentary upon Cicero's +"Somnium Scipionis" in that author's "De republica". It is this latter +work that is probably in the mind of Chretien, as well as of Gower, who +refers to him in his "Mirour l'omme", and of Jean de Meun, the author of +the second part of the "Roman de la Rose".] + +[Footnote 145: For fairies and their handiwork in the Middle Ages, cf. +L.F.A. Maury, "Les Fees du moyen age" (Paris, 1843); Keightley, +"Fairy Mythology" (London, 1860); Lucy A. Paton, "Studies in the Fairy +Mythology of Arthurian Romance", Radcliffe Monograph (Boston, 1903); +D.B. Easter, "The Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure and the romans +bretons" (Baltimore, 1906).] + + + + + + +CLIGES [21] + +(Vv. 1-44.) He who wrote of Erec and Enide, and translated into French +the commands of Ovid and the Art of Love, and wrote the Shoulder +Bite, [22] and about King Mark and the fair Iseut, [23] and about the +metamorphosis of the Lapwing, [24] the Swallow, and the Nightingale, +will tell another story now about a youth who lived in Greece and was +a member of King Arthur's line. But before I tell you aught of him, you +shall hear of his father's life, whence he came and of what family. He +was so bold and so ambitious that he left Greece and went to England, +which was called Britain in those days, in order to win fame and renown. +This story, which I intend to relate to you, we find written in one of +the books of the library of my lord Saint Peter at Beauvais. [25] From +there the material was drawn of which Chretien has made this romance. +The book is very old in which the story is told, and this adds to its +authority. [26] From such books which have been preserved we learn the +deeds of men of old and of the times long since gone by. Our books have +informed us that the pre-eminence in chivalry and learning once belonged +to Greece. Then chivalry passed to Rome, together with that highest +learning which now has come to France. God grant that it may be +cherished here, and that it may be made so welcome here that the honour +which has taken refuge with us may never depart from France: God had +awarded it as another's share, but of Greeks and Romans no more is +heard, their fame is passed, and their glowing ash is dead. + +(Vv. 45-134.) Chretien begins his story as we find it in the history, +which tells of an emperor powerful in wealth and honour who ruled over +Greece and Constantinople. A very noble empress, too, there was, by +whom the emperor had two children. But the elder son was already so +far advanced before the younger one was born that, if he had wished, he +might have become a knight and held all the empire beneath his sway. +The name of the elder was Alexander, and the other's name was Alis. +Alexander, too, was the father's name, and the mother's name was +Tantalis. I shall now say nothing more of the emperor and of Alis; but +I shall speak of Alexander, who was so bold and proud that he scorned +to become a knight in his own country. He had heard of King Arthur, who +reigned in those days, and of the knights whom he always kept about +him, thus causing his court to be feared and famed throughout the world. +However, the affair may result and whatever fortune may await him, +nothing can restrain Alexander from his desire to go into Britain, but +he must obtain his father's consent before proceeding to Britain and +Cornwall. So Alexander, fair and brave, goes to speak with the emperor +in order to ask and obtain his leave. Now he will tell him of his desire +and what he wishes to do and undertake. "Fair sire," he says, "in quest +of honour and fame and praise I dare to ask you a boon, which I desire +you to give me now without delay, if you are willing to grant it to me." +The emperor thinks no harm will come from this request: he ought rather +to desire and long for his son's honour. "Fair son," he says, "I grant +you your desire; so tell me now what you wish me to give you." Now the +youth has accomplished his purpose, and is greatly pleased when the boon +is granted him which he so greatly desired. "Sire," says he, "do you +wish to know what it is that you have promised me? I wish to have a +great plenty of gold and silver, and such companions from among your +men as I will select; for I wish to go forth from your empire, and to +present my service to the king who rules over Britain, in order that he +may make me a knight. I promise you never in my life to wear armour on +my face or helmet upon my head until King Arthur shall gird on my sword, +if he will graciously do so. For from no other than from him will I +accept my arms." Without hesitation the emperor replies: "Fair son, for +God's sake, speak not so! This country all belongs to you, as well as +rich Constantinople. You ought not to think me mean, when I am ready +to make you such a gift. I shall be ready soon to have you crowned, and +to-morrow you shall be a knight. All Greece will be in your hands, and +you shall receive from your nobles, as is right, their homage and oaths +of allegiance. Whoever refuses such an offer is not wise." + +(Vv. 135-168.) The youth hears the promise how the next morning after +Mass his father is ready to dub him knight; but he says he will seek his +fortune for better or worse in another land. "If you are willing in this +matter to grant the boon I have asked of you, then give me mottled and +grey furs, some good horses and silken stuffs: for before I become +a knight I wish to enrol in King Arthur's service. Nor have I yet +sufficient strength to bear arms. No one could induce me by prayer or +flattery not to go to the foreign land to see his nobles and that king +whose fame is so great for courtesy and prowess. Many men of high degree +lose through sloth the great renown which they might win, were they to +wander about the world. [27] Repose and glory ill agree, as it seems to +me; for a man of wealth adds nothing to his reputation if he spends all +his days at ease. Prowess is irksome to the ignoble man, and cowardice +is a burden to the man of spirit; thus the two are contrary and +opposite. He is the slave of his wealth who spends his days in storing +and increasing it. Fair father, so long as I have the chance, and so +long as my rigour lasts, I wish to devote my effort and energy to the +pursuit of fame." + +(Vv. 169-234.) Upon hearing this; the emperor doubtless feels both joy +and grief: he is glad that his son's intention is fixed upon honour, +and on the other hand he is sorrowful because his son is about to be +separated from him. Yet, because of the promise which he made, despite +the grief he feels, he must grant his request; for an emperor must keep +his word. "Fair son," he says, "I must not fail to do your pleasure, +when I see you thus striving for honour. From my treasure you may have +two barges full of gold and silver; but take care to be generous and +courteous and well-behaved." Now the youth is very happy when his father +promises him so much, and places his treasure at his disposal, and bids +him urgently to give and spend generously. And his father explains his +reason for this: "Fair son," he says, "believe me, that generosity is +the dame and queen which sheds glory upon all the other virtues. And the +proof of this is not far to seek. For where could you find a man, be he +never so rich and powerful, who is not blamed if he is mean? Nor could +you find one, however ungracious he may be, whom generosity will not +bring into fair repute? Thus largess makes the gentleman, which +result can be accomplished neither by high birth, courtesy, knowledge, +gentility, money, strength, chivalry, boldness, dominion, beauty, or +anything else. [28] But just as the rose is fairer than any other flower +when it is fresh and newly blown, so there, where largess dwells, it +takes its place above all other virtues, and increases five hundred fold +the value of other good traits which it finds in the man who acquits +himself well. So great is the merit of generosity that I could not tell +you the half of it." The young man has now successfully concluded the +negotiations for what he wished; for his father has acceded to all +his desires. But the empress was sorely grieved when she heard of the +journey which her son was about to take. Yet, whoever may grieve or +sorrow, and whoever may attribute his intention to youthful folly, and +ever may blame and seek to dissuade him, the youth ordered his ships to +be made ready as soon as possible, desiring to tarry no longer in his +native land. At his command the ships were freighted that very night +with wine, meat, and biscuit. + +(Vv. 235-338.) The ships were loaded in the port, and the next morning +Alexander came to the strand in high spirits, accompanied by his +companions, who were happy over the prospective voyage. They were +escorted by the emperor and the empress in her grief. At the port they +find the sailors in the ships drawn up beside the cliff. The sea was +calm and smooth, the wind was light, and the weather clear. When he had +taken leave of his father, and bidden farewell to the empress, whose +heart was heavy in her bosom, Alexander first stepped from the small +boat into the skip; then all his companions hastened by fours, threes, +and twos to embark without delay. Soon the sail was spread and the +anchor raised. Those on shore whose heart is heavy because of the men +whom they watch depart, follow them with their gaze as long as they can: +and in order to watch them longer, they all climb a high hill behind +the beach. From there they sadly gaze, as long as their eyes can follow +them. With sorrow, indeed, they watch them go, being solicitous for +the youths, that God may bring them to their haven without accident and +without peril. All of April and part of May they spent at sea. Without +any great danger or mishap they came to port at Southampton. [29] +One day, between three o'clock and vespers, they cast anchor and +went ashore. The young men, who had never been accustomed to endure +discomfort or pain, had suffered so long from their life at sea that +they had all lost their colour, and even the strongest and most vigorous +were weak and faint. In spite of that, they rejoice to have escaped from +the sea and to have arrived where they wished to be. Because of their +depleted state, they spend the night at Southampton in happy frame, and +make inquiries whether the King is in England. They are told that he +is at Winchester, and that they can reach there in a very short time if +they will start early in the morning and keep to the straight road. At +this news they are greatly pleased, and the next morning at daybreak the +youths wake early, and prepare and equip themselves. And when they were +ready, they left Southampton, and kept to the direct road until they +reached Winchester, where the King was. Before six o'clock in the +morning the Greeks had arrived at the court. The squires with the horses +remain below in the yard, while the youths go up into the presence of +the King, who was the best that ever was or ever will be in the world. +And when the King sees them coming, they please him greatly, and meet +with his favour. But before approaching the King's presence, they +remove the cloaks from about their necks, lest they should be considered +ill-bred. Thus, all unmantled, they came before the King, while all the +nobles present held their peace, greatly pleased at the sight of these +handsome and well-behaved young men. They suppose that of course they +are all sons of counts or kings; and, to be sure, so they were, and of a +very charming age, with graceful and shapely forms. And the clothes +they wore were all of the same stuff and cut of the same appearance and +colour. There were twelve of them beside their lord, of whom I need tell +you no more than that there was none better than he. With modesty and +orderly mien, he was handsome and shapely as he stood uncovered before +the King. Then he kneeled before him, and all the others, for honour's +sake, did the same beside their lord. + +(Vv. 339-384.) Alexander, with his tongue well skilled in speaking fair +and wisely, salutes the King. "King," he says, "unless the report is +false that spreads abroad your fame, since God created the first man +there was never born a God-fearing man of such puissance as yours. King, +your widespread renown has drawn me to serve and honour you in your +court, and if you will accept my service, I would fain remain here +until I be dubbed a knight by your hand and by no one else. For unless +I receive this honour from your hand, I shall renounce all intention of +being knighted. If you will accept my service until you are willing +to dub me a knight, retain me now, oh gentle King, and my companions +gathered here." To which at once the King replies: "Friend, I refuse +neither you nor your companions. Be welcome all. For surely you seem, +and I doubt it not, to be sons of high-born men. Whence do you come?" +"From Greece." "From Greece?" "Yes." "Who is thy father?" "Upon my word, +sire, the emperor." "And what is thy name, fair friend?" "Alexander is +the name that was given me when I received the salt and holy oil, and +Christianity and baptism." "Alexander, my dear, fair friend. I will keep +you with me very gladly, with great pleasure and delight. For you have +done me signal honour in thus coming to my court. I wish you to be +honoured here, as free vassals who are wise and gentle. You have been +too long upon your knees; now, at my command, and henceforth make your +home with man and in my court; it is well that you have come to us." + +(Vv. 385-440.) Then the Greeks rise up, joyful that the King has so +kindly invited them to stay. Alexander did well to come; for he lacks +nothing that he desires, and there is no noble at the court who does not +address him kindly and welcome him. He is not so foolish as to be puffed +up, nor does he vaunt himself nor boast. He makes acquaintance with my +lord Gawain and with the others, one by one. He gains the good graces of +them all, but my lord Gawain grows so fond of him that he chooses him as +his friend and companion. [210] The Greeks took the best lodgings to be +had, with a citizen of the town. Alexander had brought great possessions +with him from Constantinople, intending to give heed above all to the +advice and counsel of the Emperor, that his heart should be ever +ready to give and dispense his riches well. To this end he devotes his +efforts, living well in his lodgings, and giving and spending liberally, +as is fitting in one so rich, and as his heart dictates. The entire +court wonders where he got all the wealth that he bestows; for on all +sides he presents the valuable horses which he had brought from his own +land. So much did Alexander do, in the performance of his service, +that the King, the Queen, and the nobles bear him great affection. +King Arthur about this time desired to cross over into Brittany. So he +summons all his barons together to take counsel and inquire to whom he +may entrust England to be kept in peace and safety until his return. +By common consent, it seems, the trust was assigned to Count Angres of +Windsor, for it was their judgement that there was no more trustworthy +lord in all the King's realm. When this man had received the land, King +Arthur set out the next day accompanied by the Queen and her damsels. +The Bretons make great rejoicing upon hearing the news in Brittany that +the King and his barons are on the way. + +(Vv. 441-540.) Into the ship in which the King sailed there entered +no youth or maiden save only Alexander and Soredamors, whom the Queen +brought with her. This maiden was scornful of love, for she had never +heard of any man whom she would deign to love, whatever might be his +beauty, prowess, lordship, or birth. And yet the damsel was so charming +and fair that she might fitly have learned of love, if it had pleased +her to lend a willing ear; but she would never give a thought to love. +Now Love will make her grieve, and will avenge himself for all the pride +and scorn with which she has always treated him. Carefully Love has +aimed his dart with which he pierced her to the heart. Now she grows +pale and trembles, and in spite of herself must succumb to Love. Only +with great difficulty can she restrain herself from casting a glance +toward Alexander; but she must be on her guard against her brother, my +lord Gawain. Dearly she pays and atones for her great pride and disdain. +Love has heated for her a bath which heats and burns her painfully. At +first it is grateful to her, and then it hurts; one moment she likes it, +and the next she will have none of it. She accuses her eyes of treason, +and says: [211] "My eyes, you have betrayed me now! My heart, usually +so faithful, now bears me ill-will because of you. Now what I see +distresses me. Distresses? Nay, verily, rather do I like it well. And if +I actually see something that distresses me, can I not control my eyes? +My strength must indeed have failed, and little should I esteem myself, +if I cannot control my eyes and make them turn their glance elsewhere. +Thus, I shall be able to baffle Love in his efforts to get control of +me. The heart feels no pain when the eye does not see; so, if I do not +look at him, no harm will come to me. He addresses me no request or +prayer, as he would do were he in love with me. And since he neither +loves nor esteems me, shall I love him without return? If his beauty +allures my eyes, and my eyes listen to the call, shall I say that I love +him just for that? Nay, for that would be a lie. Therefore, he has no +ground for complaint, nor can I make any claim against him. One cannot +love with the eyes alone. What crime, then, have my eyes committed, if +their glance but follows my desire? What is their fault and what their +sin? Ought I to blame them, then? Nay, verily. Who, then, should be +blamed? Surely myself, who have them in control. My eye glances at +nothing unless it gives my heart delight. My heart ought not to have any +desire which would give me pain. Yet its desire causes me pain. Pain? +Upon my faith, I must be mad, if to please my heart I wish for something +which troubles me. If I can, I ought to banish any wish that distresses +me. If I can? Mad one, what have I said? I must, indeed, have little +power if I have no control over myself. Does Love think to set me in +the same path which is wont to lead others astray? Others he may lead +astray, but not me who care not for him. Never shall I be his, nor +ever was, and I shall never seek his friendship." Thus she argues with +herself, one moment loving, and hating the next. She is in such doubt +that she does not know which course she had better adopt. She thinks to +be on the defence against Love, but defence is not what she wants. God! +She does not know that Alexander is thinking of her too! Love bestows +upon them equally such a share as is their due. He treats them very +fairly and justly, for each one loves and desires the other. And this +love would be true and right if only each one knew what was the other's +wish. But he does not know what her desire is, and she knows not the +cause of his distress. + +(Vv. 541-574.) The Queen takes note of them and sees them often blanch +and pale and heave deep sighs and tremble. But she knows no reason why +they should do so, unless it be because of the sea where they are. I +think she would have divined the cause had the sea not thrown her off +her guard, but the sea deceives and tricks her, so that she does not +discover love because of the sea; and it is from love that comes the +bitter pain that distresses them. [212] But of the three concerned, +the Queen puts all the blame upon the sea; for the other two accuse the +third to her, and hold it alone responsible for their guilt. Some one +who is not at fault is often blamed for another's wrong. Thus, the Queen +lays all the blame and guilt upon the sea, but it is unfair to put the +blame upon the sea, for it is guilty of no misdeed. Soredamors' deep +distress continued until the vessel came to port. As for the King, it is +well known that the Bretons were greatly pleased, and served him gladly +as their liege lord. But of King Arthur I will not longer speak in +this place; rather shall you hear me tell how Love distresses these two +lovers whom he has attacked. + +(Vv. 575-872.) Alexander loves and desires her; and she, too, pines for +the love of him, but he knows it not, nor will he know it until he +has suffered many a pain and many a grief. It is for her sake that he +renders to the Queen loving service, as well as to her maids-in-waiting; +but to her on whom his thoughts are fixed, he dares not speak or address +a word. If she but dared to assert to him the right which she thinks she +has, she would gladly inform him of the truth; but she does not dare, +and cannot do it. They dare neither speak nor act in accordance with +what each sees in the other--which works a great hardship to them both, +and their love but grows and flames the more. However, it is the custom +of all lovers to feast their eyes gladly with gazing, if they can do +no more; and they assume that, because they find pleasure in that which +causes their love to be born and grow, therefore it must be to their +advantage; whereas it only harms them more, just as he who approaches +and draws close beside the fire burns himself more than he who holds +aloof. Their love waxes and grows anon; but each is abashed before the +other, and so much is hidden and concealed that no flame or smoke arises +from the coals beneath the ashes. The heat is no less on this account, +but rather is better sustained beneath the ashes than above. Both of +them are in great torment; for, in order that none may perceive their +trouble, they are forced to deceive people by a feigned bearing; but at +night comes the bitter moan, which each one makes within his breast. Of +Alexander I will tell you first how he complains and vents his grief. +Love presents before his mind her for whom he is in such distress; it is +she who has filched his heart away, and grants him no rest upon his bed, +because, forsooth, he delights to recall the beauty and the grace of her +who, he has no hope, will ever bring him any joy. "I may as well hold +myself a madman." he exclaims. "A madman? Truly, I am beside myself, +when I dare not speak what I have in mind; for it would speedily fare +worse with me (if I held my peace). I have engaged my thoughts in a mad +emprise. But is it not better to keep my thoughts to myself than to be +called a fool? My wish will never then be known. Shall I then conceal +the cause of my distress, and not dare to seek aid and healing for my +wound? He is mad who feels himself afflicted, and seeks not what will +bring him health, if perchance he may find it anywhere; but many a one +seeks his welfare by striving for his heart's desire, who pursues only +that which brings him woe instead. And why should one ask for advice, +who does not expect to gain his health? He would only exert himself +in vain. I feel my own illness to be so grievous that I shall never be +healed by any medicine or draught, by any herb or root. For some ills +there is no remedy, and mine lies so deep within that it is beyond the +reach of medicine. Is there no help, then? Methinks I have lied. When +first I felt this malady, if I had dared to make mention of it. I might +have spoken with a physician who could have completely cured me. But I +like not to discuss such matters; I think he would pay me no heed and +would not consent to accept a fee. No wonder, then, if I am terrified; +for I am very ill, yet I do not know what disease this is which has me +in its grip, and I know not whence this pain has come. I do not know? I +know full well that it is Love who does me this injury. How is that? Can +Love do harm? Is he not gentle and well-bred? I used to think that there +was naught but good in Love; but I have found him full of enmity. He who +has not had experience of him does not know what tricks Love plays. +He is a fool who joins his ranks; for he always seeks to harm his +followers. Upon my faith, his tricks are bad. It is poor sport to play +with him, for his game will only do me harm. What shall I do, then? +Shall I retreat? I think it would be wise to do so, but I know not +how to do it. If Love chastens and threatens me in order to teach and +instruct me, ought I to disdain my teacher? He is a fool who scorns his +master. I ought to keep and cherish the lesson which Love teaches me, +for great good may soon come of it. But I am frightened because he beats +me so. And dost thou complain, when no sign of blow or wound appears? +Art thou not mistaken? Nay, for he has wounded me so deep that he has +shot his dart to my very heart, and has not yet drawn it out again. +[213] How has he pierced thy body with it, when no wound appears +without? Tell me that, for I wish to know. How did he make it enter in? +Through the eye. Through the eye? But he has not put it out? He did not +harm the eye at all, but all the pain is in the heart. Then tell me, if +the dart passed through the eye, how is it that the eye itself is not +injured or put out. If the dart entered through the eye, why does the +heart in the breast complain, when the eye, which received the first +effect, makes no complaint of it at all? I can readily account for that: +the eye is not concerned with the understanding, nor has it any part in +it; but it is the mirror of the heart, and through this mirror passes, +without doing harm or injury, the flame which sets the heart on fire. +For is not the heart placed in the breast just like a lighted candle +which is set in a lantern? If you take the candle away no light will +shine from the lantern; but so long as the candle lasts the lantern is +not dark at all, and the flame which shines within does it no harm or +injury. Likewise with a pane of glass, which might be very strong and +solid, and yet a ray of the sun could pass through it without cracking +it at all; yet a piece of glass will never be so bright as to enable one +to see, unless a stronger light strikes its surface. Know that the same +thing is true of the eyes as of the glass and the lantern; for the +light strikes the eyes in which the heart is accustomed to see itself +reflected, and lo! it sees some light outside, and many other things, +some green, some purple, others red or blue; and some it dislikes, and +some it likes, scorning some and prizing others. But many an object +seems fair to it when it looks at it in the glass, which will deceive it +if it is not on its guard. My mirror has greatly deceived me; for in +it my heart saw a ray of light with which I am afflicted, and which has +penetrated deep within me, causing me to lose my wits. I am ill-treated +by my friend, who deserts me for my enemy. I may well accuse him of +felony for the wrong he has done to me. I thought I had three friends, +my heart and my two eyes together; but it seems that they hate me. Where +shall I ever find a friend, when these three are my enemies, belonging +to me, yet putting me to death? My servants mock at my authority, in +doing what they please without consulting my desire. After my experience +with these who have done me wrong, I know full well that a good man's +love may be befouled by wicked servants in his employ. He who is +attended by a wicked servant will surely have cause to rue it, sooner or +later. Now I will tell you how the arrow, which has come into my keeping +and possession, is made and fashioned; but I fear greatly that I shall +fail in the attempt; for the fashion of it is so fine that it will be no +wonder if I fail. Yet I shall devote all my effort to telling you how +it seems to me. The notch and the feathers are so close together, when +carefully examined, that the line of separation is as fine as a hair's +breadth; but the notch is so smooth and straight that in it surely no +improvement could be made. The feathers are coloured as if they were +of gold or gilt; but gilt is here beside the mark, for I know these +feathers were more brilliant than any gilt. This dart is barbed with the +golden tresses that I saw the other day at sea. That is the dart which +awakes my love. God! What a treasure to possess! Would he who could gain +such a prize crave other riches his whole life long? For my part I could +swear that I should desire nothing else; I would not give up even the +barb and the notch for all the gold of Antioch. And if I prize so highly +these two things, who could estimate the value of what remains? That is +so fair and full of charm, so dear and precious, that I yearn and long +to gaze again upon her brow, which God's hand has made so clear that it +were vain to compare with it any mirror, emerald, or topaz. But all this +is of little worth to him who sees her flashing eyes; to all who gaze on +them they seem like twin candles burning. And whose tongue is so expert +as to describe the fashion of her well-shaped nose and radiant face, in +which the rose suffuses the lily so as to efface it somewhat, and thus +enhance the glory of her visage? And who shall speak of her laughing +mouth, which God shaped with such great skill that none might see it and +not suppose that she was laughing? And what about her teeth? They are so +close to one another that it seems they are all of one solid piece, +and in order that the effect might still be enhanced Nature added her +handiwork; for any one, to see her part her lips, would suppose that the +teeth were of ivory or of silver. There is so much to be said were I +to portray each detailed charm of chin and ears, that it would not be +strange were I to pass over some little thing. Of her throat I shall +only say that crystal beside it looks opaque. And her neck beneath her +hair is four times as white as ivory. Between the border of her gown and +the buckle at the parted throat, I saw her bosom left exposed and whiter +than new-fallen snow. My pain would be indeed assuaged, if I had seen +the dart entire. Gladly would I tell, if I but knew, what was the nature +of the shaft. But I did nor see it, and it is not my fault if I do +not attempt to describe something I have never seen. At that time Love +showed me only the notch and the barb; for the shaft was hidden in the +quiver, to wit, in the robe and shift in which the damsel was arrayed. +Upon my faith, malady which tortures me is the arrow--it is the dart at +which I am a wretch to be enraged. I am ungrateful to be incensed. Never +shall a straw be broken because of any distrust or quarrel that may +arise between Love and me. Now let Love do what he will with me as with +one who belongs to him; for I wish it, and so it pleases me. I hope that +this malady may never leave me, but that it may thus always maintain its +hold, and that health may never come to me except from the source of my +illness." + +(Vv. 873-1046.) Alexander's complaint is long enough; but that of the +maiden is nothing less. All night she lies in such distress that +she cannot sleep or get repose. Love has confined within her heart a +struggle and conflict which disturbs her breast, and which causes her +such pain and anguish that she weeps and moans all night, and tosses +about with sudden starts, so that she is almost beside herself. And when +she has tossed and sobbed and groaned and started up and sighed again +then she looked within her heart to see who and what manner of man it +was for whom Love was tormenting her. And when she has refreshed herself +somewhat with thinking to her heart's content, she stretches and tosses +about again, and ridicules all the thoughts she has had. Then she takes +another course, and says: "Silly one, what matters it to me if this +youth is of good birth and wise and courteous and valorous? All this is +simply to his honour and credit. And as for his beauty, what care I? Let +his beauty be gone with him! But if so, it will be against my will, for +it is not my wish to deprive him of anything. Deprive? No, indeed! That +I surely will not do. If he had the wisdom of Solomon, and if Nature had +bestowed on him all the beauty she can place in human form, and if God +had put in my power to undo it all, yet would I not injure him; but I +would gladly, if I could, make him still more wise and fair. In faith, +then, I do not hate him! And am I for that reason his friend? Nay, I am +not his any more than any other man's. Then what do I think of him so +much, if he pleases me no more than other men? I do not know; I am all +confused; for I never thought so much about any man in the world, and +if I had my will, I should see him all the time, and never take my eyes +from him. I feel such joy at the sight of him! Is this love? Yes, I +believe it is. I should not appeal to him so often, if I did not love +him above all others. So I love him, then, let it be agreed. Then shall +I not do what I please? Yes, provided he does not refuse. This intention +of mine is wrong; but Love has so filled my heart that I am mad and +beside myself, nor will any defence avail me now, if I must endure the +assault of Love. I have demeaned myself prudently toward Love so long, +and would never accede to his will; but now I am more than kindly +disposed toward him. And what thanks will he owe to me, if he cannot +have my loving service and good-will? By force he has humbled my pride, +and now I must follow his pleasure. Now I am ready to love, and I have +a master, and Love will teach me--but what? How I am to serve his will. +But of that I am very well informed, and am so expert in serving him +that no one could find fault with me. I need learn no more of that. Love +would have it, and so would I, that I should be sensible and modest and +kind and approachable to all for the sake of one I love. Shall I love +all men, then, for the sake of one? I should be pleasant to every one, +but Love does not bid me be the true friend of every one. Love's lessons +are only good. It is not without significance that I am called by the +name of Soredamors. [214] I am destined to love and be loved in turn, +and I intend to prove it by my name, if I can find the explanation +there. There is some significance in the fact that the first part of +my name is of golden colour; for what is golden is the best. For this +reason I highly esteem my name, because it begins with that colour with +which the purest gold harmonises. And the end of the name calls Love to +my mind; for whoever calls me by my right name always refreshes me with +love. And one half gilds the other with a bright coat of yellow gold; +for Soredamors has the meaning of 'one gilded over with Love.' Love has +highly honoured me in gilding me over with himself. A gilding of +real gold is not so fine as that which makes me radiant. And I shall +henceforth do my best to be his gilding, and shall never again complain +of it. Now I love and ever more shall love. Whom? Truly, that is a fine +question! Him whom Love bids me love, for no other shall ever have +my love. What will he care in his ignorance, unless I tell him of it +myself? What shall I do, if I do not make to him my prayer? Whoever +desires anything ought to ask for it and make request. What? Shall I +beseech him, then? Nay. Why? Did ever such a thing come about that a +woman should be so forward as to make love to any man; unless she were +clean beside herself. I should be mad beyond question if I uttered +anything for which I might be reproached. If he should know the truth +through word of mine I think he would hold me in slight esteem, and +would often reproach me with having solicited his love. May love never +be so base that I should be the first to prefer a request which would +lower me in his eyes! Alas, God! How will he ever know the truth, since +I shall not tell him of it? As yet I have very little cause to complain. +I will wait until his attention is aroused, if ever it is to be aroused. +He will surely guess the truth, I think, if ever he has had commerce +with Love, or has heard of it by word of mouth. Heard of it? That is a +foolish thing to say. Love is not of such easy access that any one may +claim acquaintance by hear-say only and without personal experience. +I have come to know that well enough myself; for I could never learn +anything of love through flattery and wooing words, though I have often +been in the school of experience, and have been flattered many a time. +But I have always stood aloof, and now he makes me pay a heavy penalty: +now I know more about it than does the ox of ploughing. But one thing +causes me despair: I fear he has never been in love. And if he is not in +love, and never has been so, then I have sowed in the sea where no seed +can take root. So there is nothing to do but wait and suffer, until +I see whether I can lead him on by hints and covered words. I shall +continue this until he is sure of my love and dares to ask me for it. So +there is nothing more about the matter, but that I love him and am his. +If he loves me not, yet will I love him." + +(Vv. 1047-1066.) Thus he and she utter their complaint, unhappy at night +and worse by day, each hiding the truth from the other's eyes. In such +distress they remained a long time in Brittany, I believe, until the end +of the summer came. At the beginning of October there came messengers +by Dover from London and Canterbury, bearing to the King news which +troubled him. The messengers told him that he might be tarrying too long +in Brittany; for, he to whom he had entrusted the kingdom was intending +to withstand him, and had already summoned a great army of his vassals +and friends, and had established himself in London for the purpose of +defending the city against Arthur when he should return. + +(Vv. 1067-1092.) When the King heard this news, angry and sore +displeased he summons all his knights. In order the better to spur them +on to punish the traitor, he tells them that they are entirely to blame +for his trouble and strife; for on their advice he entrusted his land to +the hands of the traitor, who is worse than Ganelon. [215] There is not +a single one who does not agree that the King is right, for he had only +followed their advice; but now this man is to be outlawed, and you may +be sure that no town or city will avail to save his body from being +dragged out by force. Thus they all assure the King, giving him their +word upon oath, that they will deliver the traitor to him, or never +again claim their fiefs. And the King proclaims throughout Brittany that +no one who can bear arms shall refuse to follow him at once. + +(Vv. 1093-1146.) All Brittany is now astir. Never was such an army seen +as King Arthur brought together. When the ships came to set sail, it +seemed that the whole world was putting out to sea; for even the water +was hid from view, being covered with the multitude of ships. It is +certainly true that, to judge by the commotion, all Brittany is under +way. Now the ships have crossed the Channel, and the assembled host is +quartered on the shore. Alexander bethought himself to go and pray the +King to make him a knight, for if ever he should win renown it will be +in this war. Prompted by his desire, he takes his companions with him +to accomplish what he has in mind. On reaching the King's quarters, they +found him seated before his tent. When he saw the Greeks approaching, he +summoned them to him, saying: "Gentlemen, do not conceal what business +has brought you here." Alexander replied on behalf of all, and told him +his desire: "I have come," he says, "to request of you, as I ought to do +of my liege lord, on behalf of my companions and myself, that you should +make us knights." The King replies: "Very gladly; nor shall there be any +delay about it, since you have preferred your request." Then the +King commands that equipment shall be furnished for twelve knights. +Straightway the King's command is done. As each one asks for his +equipment, it is handed to him--rich arms and a good horse: thus each +one received his outfit. The arms and robes and horse were of equal +value for each of the twelve; but the harness for Alexander s body, if +it should be valued or sold, was alone worth as much as that of all the +other twelve. At the water's edge they stripped, and then washed and +bathed themselves. Not wishing that any other bath should be heated for +them, they washed in the sea and used it as their tub. [216] + +(Vv. 1147-1196.) All this is known to the Queen, who bears Alexander no +ill will, but rather loves, esteems, and values him. She wishes to make +Alexander a gift, but it is far more precious than she thinks. She seeks +and delves in all her boxes until she finds a white silk shirt, well +made of delicate texture, and very soft. Every thread in the stitching +of it was of gold, or of silver at least. Soredamors had taken a hand in +the stitching of it here and there, and at intervals, in the sleeves and +neck, she had inserted beside the gold a strand of her own hair, to see +if any man could be found who, by close examination, could detect the +difference. For the hair was quite as bright and golden as the thread of +gold itself. The Queen takes the shirt and presents it to Alexander. Ah, +God! What joy would Alexander have felt had he known what the Queen was +giving him! And how glad would she, too, have been, who had inserted her +own hair, if she had known that her lover was to own and wear it! She +could then have taken great comfort; for she would not have cared +so much for all the hair she still possessed as for the little that +Alexander had. But, more is the pity, neither of them knew the truth. +The Queen's messenger finds the youths on the shore where they are +bathing, and gives the shirt to Alexander. He is greatly pleased with +it, esteeming the present all the more because it was given him by the +Queen. But if he had known the rest, he would have valued it still more; +in exchange for it he would not have taken the whole world, but rather +would have made a shrine of it and worshipped it, doubtless, day and +night. + +(Vv. 1197-1260.) Alexander delays no longer, but dresses himself at +once. When he was dressed and ready, he returned to the King's tent with +all his companions. The Queen, it seems, had come there, too, wishing +to see the new knights present themselves. They might all be called +handsome, but Alexander with his shapely body was the fairest of them +all. Well, now that they are knights I will say no more of them for the +present, but will tell of the King and of his host which came to +London. Most of the people remained faithful to him, though many allied +themselves with the opposition. Count Angres assembled his forces, +consisting of all those whose influence could be gained by promises or +gifts. When he had gathered all his strength, he slipped away quietly at +night, fearing to be betrayed by the many who hated him. But before he +made off, he sacked London as completely as possible of provisions, gold +and silver, which he divided among his followers. This news was told to +the King, how the traitor had escaped with all his forces, and that +he had carried off from the city so many supplies that the distressed +citizens were impoverished and destitute. Then the King replied that +he would not take a ransom for the traitor, but rather hang him, if he +could catch him or lay hands on him. Thereupon, all the army proceeded +to Windsor. However it may be now, in those days the castle was not easy +to take when any one chose to defend it. The traitor made it secure, as +soon as he planned his treacherous deed, with a triple line of walls +and moats, and had so braced the walls inside with sharpened stakes that +catapults could not throw them down. They had taken great pains with the +fortifications, spending all of June, July, and August in building walls +and barricades, making moats and drawbridges, ditches, obstructions, and +barriers, and iron portcullises and a great square tower of stone. The +gate was never closed from fear or against assault. The castle stood +upon a high hill, and around beneath it flows the Thames. The host +encamped on the river bank, and that day they have time only to pitch +camp and set up the tents. + +(Vv. 1261-1348.) The army is in camp beside the Thames, and all the +meadow is filled with green and red tents. The sun, striking on the +colours, causes the river to flash for more than a league around. Those +in the town had come down to disport themselves upon the river bank with +only their lances in their hands and their shields grasped before their +breasts, and carrying no other arms at all. In coming thus, they showed +those without the walls that they stood in no fear of them. Alexander +stood aloof and watched the knights disporting themselves at feats of +arms. He yearns to attack them, and summons his companions one by one +by name. First Cornix, whom he dearly loved, then the doughty Licorides, +then Nabunal of Mvcene, and Acorionde of Athens, and Ferolin of +Salonica, and Calcedor from Africa, Parmenides and Francagel, mighty +Torin and Pinabel, Nerius and Neriolis. "My lords," he says, "I feel the +call to go with shield and lance to make the acquaintance of those who +disport themselves yonder before our eyes. I see they scorn us and hold +us in slight esteem, when they come thus without their arms to exercise +before our very eyes. We have just been knighted, and have not yet given +an account of ourselves against any knight or manikin. [217] We have +kept our first lances too long intact. And for what were our shields +intended? As yet, they have not a hole or crack to show. There is no use +in having them except in a combat or a fight. Let's cross the ford and +rush at them!" "We shall not fail you," all reply; and each one adds: +"So help me God, who fails you now is no friend of yours." Then they +fasten on their swords, tighten their saddles and girths, and mount +their steeds with shields in hand. When they had hung the shields about +their necks, and taken their lances with the gaily coloured ensigns, +they all proceed to the ford at once. Those on the farther side lower +their lances, and quickly ride to strike at them. But they (on the +hither bank) knew how to pay them back, not sparing nor avoiding them, +nor yielding to them a foot of ground. Rather, each man struck his +opponent so fiercely that there is no knight so brave but is compelled +to leave the saddle. They did not underestimate the experience, skill, +and bravery of their antagonists, but made their first blows count, and +unhorsed thirteen of them. The report spread to the camp of the fight +and of the blows that were being struck. There would soon have been a +merry strife if the others had dared to stand their ground. All through +the camp they run to arms, and raising a shout they cross the ford. And +those on the farther bank take to flight, seeing no advantage in staying +where they are. And the Greeks pursue them with blows of lance and +sword. Though they struck off many a head they themselves did not +receive a wound, and gave a good account of themselves that day. But +Alexander distinguished himself, who by his own efforts led off four +captive knights in bonds. The sands are strewn with headless dead, while +many others lie wounded and injured. + +(Vv. 1349-1418.) Alexander courteously presents the victims of his first +conquest to the Queen, not wishing them to fall into the hands of the +King, who would have had them all hanged. The Queen, however, had them +seized and safely kept under guard, as being charged with treason. +Throughout the camp they talk of the Greeks, and all maintain that +Alexander acted very courteously and wisely in not surrendering the +knights whom he had captured to the King, who would surely have had them +burned or hanged. But the King is not so well satisfied, and sending +promptly to the Queen he bids her come into his presence and not detain +those who have proved treacherous towards him, for either she must give +them up or offend him by keeping them. While the Queen was in conference +with the King, as was necessary, about the traitors, the Greeks +remained in the Queen's tent with her maids-in-waiting. While his twelve +companions conversed with them, Alexander uttered not a word. Soredamors +took note of this, seated as she was close by his side. Her head resting +upon her hand, it was plain that she was lost in thought. [218] Thus +they sat a long time, until Soredamors saw on his sleeve and about his +neck the hair which she had stitched into the shirt. Then she drew a +little closer thinking now to find an excuse for speaking a word to him. +She considers how she can address him first, and what the first word is +to be--whether she should address him by his name; and thus she takes +counsel with herself: "What shall I say first?" she says; "shall I +address him by his name, or shall I call him 'friend'? Friend? Not I. +How then? Shall I call him by his name? God! The name of 'friend' is +fair and sweet to take upon the lips. If I should dare to call him +'friend'! Should I dare? What forbids me to do so? The fact that that +implies a lie. A lie? I know not what the result will be, but I shall be +sorry if I do not speak the truth. Therefore, it is best to admit that +I should not like to speak a lie. God! yet he would not speak a lie were +he to call me his sweet friend! And should I lie in thus addressing him? +We ought both to tell the truth. But if I lie the fault is his. But why +does his name seem so hard to me that I should wish to replace it by a +surname? I think it is because it is so long that I should stop in the +middle. But if I simply called him 'friend', I could soon utter so short +a name. Fearing lest I should break down in uttering his proper name, I +would fain shed my blood if his name were simply 'my sweet friend.'" + +(Vv. 1419-1448.) She turns this thought over in her mind until the Queen +returns from the King who had summoned her. Alexander, seeing her come, +goes to meet her, and inquires what is the King's command concerning +the prisoners, and what is to be their fate. "Friend," says she, "he +requires of me to surrender them at his discretion, and to let his +justice be carried out. Indeed, he is much incensed that I have not +already handed them over. So I must needs send them to him, since I see +no help for it." Thus they passed that day; and the next day there was +a great assembly of all the good and loyal knights before the royal tent +to sit in judgment and decide by what punishment and torture the four +traitors should die. Some hold that they should be flayed alive, and +others that they should be hanged or burned. And the King, for his part, +maintains that traitors ought to be torn asunder. Then he commands them +to be brought in. When they are brought, he orders them to be bound, and +says that they shall not be torn asunder until they are taken beneath +the town, so that those within may see the sight. [219] + +(Vv. 1449-1472.) When this sentence was pronounced, the King addresses +Alexander, calling him his dear friend. "My friend," he says, "yesterday +I saw you attack and defend yourself with great bravery. I wish now +to reward your action! I will add to your company five hundred Welsh +knights and one thousand troopers from that land. In addition to what I +have given you, when the war is over I will crown you king of the best +kingdom in Wales. Towns and castles, cities and halls will I give you +until the time you receive the land which your father holds, and +of which you are to be emperor." Alexander's companions join him in +thanking the King kindly for this boon, and all the nobles of the court +say that the honour which the King has bestowed upon Alexander is well +deserved. + +(Vv. 1473-1490.) As soon as Alexander sees his force, consisting of the +companions and the men-at-arms whom it had pleased the King to give him, +straightway they begin to sound the horns and trumpets throughout the +camp. Men of Wales and Britain, of Scotland and Cornwall, both good and +bad without exception--all take arms, for the forces of the host were +recruited from all quarters. The Thames was low because of the drought +resulting from a summer without rain, so that all the fish were dead, +and the ships were stranded upon the shore, and it was possible to ford +the stream even in the widest part. + +(Vv. 1491-1514.) After fording the Thames, the army divided, some taking +possession of the valley, and others occupying the high ground. Those +in the town take notice of them, and when they see approaching the +wonderful array, bent upon reducing and taking the town, they prepare +on their side to defend it. But before any assault is made, the King has +the traitors drawn by four horses through the valleys and over the hills +and unploughed fields. At this Count Angres is much distressed, when he +sees those whom he held dear dragged around outside the town. And his +people, too, are much dismayed, but in spite of the anxiety which they +feel, they have no mind to yield the place. They must needs defend +themselves, for the King makes it plain to all that he is angry, and +ill-disposed, and they see that if he should lay hands upon them he +would make them die a shameful death. + +(Vv.1515-1552.) When the four had been torn asunder and their limbs lay +strewn upon the field, then the assault begins. But all their labour is +in vain, for no matter how much they cast and shoot, their efforts are +of no effect. Yet they strive to do their utmost, hurling their javelins +amain, and shooting darts and bolts. On all sides is heard the din of +cross-bows and slings as the arrows and the round stones fly thick, +like rain mixed with hail. Thus all day long the struggle of attack and +defence continues, until the night separates them. And the King causes +to be proclaimed what gift he will bestow upon him who shall effect the +surrender of the town: a cup of great price weighing fifteen marks of +gold, the richest in his treasure, shall be his reward. The cup will be +very fine and rich, and, to tell the truth, the cup is to be esteemed +for the workmanship rather than for the material of which it is made. +But good as the workmanship may be, and fine though the gold, if the +truth be told, the precious stones set in the outside of the cup were of +most value. He through whose efforts the town shall be taken is to have +the cup, if he be only a foot soldier; and if the town is taken by a +knight, with the cup in his possession he shall never seek his fortune +in vain, if there is any to be found in the world. + +(Vv. 1553-1712.) When this news was announced, Alexander had not +forgotten his custom of going to see the Queen each evening. That night, +too, he had gone thither and was seated beside the Queen. Soredamors was +sitting alone close by them, looking at him with such satisfaction +that she would not have exchanged her lot for Paradise. The Queen took +Alexander by the hand, and examined the golden thread which was showing +the effects of wear; but the strand of hair was becoming more lustrous, +while the golden thread was tarnishing. And she laughed as she happened +to recall that the embroidery was the work of Soredamors. Alexander +noticed this, and begged her to tell him, if suitable, why she laughed. +The Queen was slow to make reply, and looking toward Soredamors, bade +her come to her. Gladly she went and knelt before her. Alexander was +overjoyed when he saw her draw so near that he could have touched her. +But he is not so bold as even to look at her; but rather does he so lose +his senses that he is well-nigh speechless. And she, for her part, is so +overcome that she has not the use of her eyes; but she casts her glance +upon the ground without fastening it upon anything. The Queen marvels +greatly at seeing her now pale, now crimson, and she notes well in her +heart the bearing and expression of each of them. She notices and thinks +she sees that these changes of colour are the fruit of love. But not +wishing to embarrass them, she pretends to understand nothing of what +she sees. In this she did well, for she gave no evidence of what was in +her mind beyond saying: "Look here, damsel, and tell us truly where the +shirt was sewed that this knight has on, and if you had any hand in +it or worked anything of yours into it." Though the maiden feels some +shame, yet she tells the story gladly; for she wishes the truth to be +known by him, who, when he hears her tell of how the shirt was made, can +hardly restrain himself for joy from worshipping and adoring the golden +hair. His companions and the Queen, who were with him, annoy him and +embarrass him; for their presence prevents him from raising the hair to +his eyes and mouth, as he would fain have done, had he not thought that +it would be remarked. He is glad to have so much of his lady, but he +does not hope or expect ever to receive more from her: his very desire +makes him dubious. Yet, when he has left the Queen and is by himself, he +kisses it more than a hundred thousand times, feeling how fortunate he +is. All night long he makes much of it, but is careful that no one shall +see him. As he lies upon his bed, he finds a vain delight and solace in +what can give him no satisfaction. All night he presses the shirt in his +arms, and when he looks at the golden hair, he feels like the lord of +the whole wide world. Thus Love makes a fool of this sensible man, +who finds his delight in a single hair and is in ecstasy over its +possession. But this charm will come to an end for him before the sun's +bright dawn. For the traitors are met in council to discuss what they +can do; and what their prospects are. To be sure they will be able to +make a long defence of the town if they determine so to do; but they +know the King's purpose to be so firm that he will not give up his +efforts to take the town so long as he lives, and when that time comes +they needs must die. And if they should surrender the town, they need +expect no mercy for doing so. Thus either outcome looks dark indeed, for +they see no help, but only death in either case. But this decision at +last is reached, that the next morning, before dawn appears, they shall +issue secretly from the town and find the camp disarmed, and the knights +still sleeping in their beds. Before they wake and get their armour +on there will have been such slaughter done that posterity will always +speak of the battle of that night. Having no further confidence in life, +the traitors as a last resort all subscribe to this design. Despair +emboldened them to fight, whatever the result might be; for they see +nothing sure in store for them save death or imprisonment. Such an +outcome is not attractive; nor do they see any use in flight, for they +see no place where they could find refuge should they betake themselves +to flight, being completely surrounded by the water and their enemies. +So they spend no more time in talk, but arm and equip themselves and +make a sally by an old postern gate [220] toward the north-west, that +being the side where they thought the camp would least expect attack. +In serried ranks they sallied forth, and divided their force into five +companies, each consisting of two thousand well armed foot, in addition +to a thousand knights. That night neither star nor moon had shed a ray +across the sky. But before they reached the tents, the moon began to +show itself, and I think it was to work them woe that it rose sooner +than was its wont. Thus God, who opposed their enterprise, illumined +the darkness of the night, having no love for these evil men, but rather +hating them for their sin. For God hates traitors and treachery more +than any other sin. So the moon began to shine in order to hamper their +enterprise. + +(Vv. 1713-1858.) They are much hampered by the moon, as it shines upon +their shields, and they are handicapped by their helmets, too, as they +glitter in the moonlight. They are detected by the pickets keeping watch +over the host, who now shout throughout the camp: "Up, knights, up! Rise +quickly, take your arms and arm yourselves! The traitors are upon us." +Through all the camp they run to arms, and hastily strive to equip +themselves in the urgent need; but not a single one of them left his +place until they were all comfortably armed and mounted upon their +steeds. While they are arming themselves, the attacking forces are eager +for battle and press forward, hoping to catch them off their guard and +find them disarmed. They bring up from different directions the five +companies into which they had divided their troops: some hug the woods, +others follow the river, the third company deploys upon the plain, while +the fourth enters a valley, and the fifth proceeds beside a rocky cliff. +For they planned to fall upon the tents suddenly with great fury. +But they did not find the path clear. For the King's men resist them, +defying them courageously and reproaching them for their treason. Their +iron lance-tips are splintered and shattered as they meet; they come +together with swords drawn, striking each other and casting each other +down upon the face. They rush upon each other with the fury of lions, +which devour whatever they capture. In this first rush there was heavy +slaughter on both sides. When they can no longer maintain themselves, +help comes to the traitors, who are defending themselves bravely and +selling their lives dearly. They see their troops from four sides arrive +to succour them. And the King's men ride hard with spur to attack them. +They deal such blows upon their shields that, beside the wounded, they +unhorse more than five hundred of them. Alexander, with his Greeks, +has no thought of sparing them, making every effort to prevail into the +thickest of the fight he goes to strike a knave whose shield and hauberk +are of no avail to keep him from falling to the earth. When he has +finished with him, he offers his service to another freely and without +stint, and serves him, too, so savagely that he drives the soul from his +body quite, and leaves the apartment without a tenant. After these two, +he addresses himself to another, piercing a noble and courteous knight +clean through and through, so that the blood spurts out on the other +side, and his expiring soul takes leave of the body. Many he killed and +many stunned, for like a flying thunderbolt he blasts all those whom +he seeks out. Neither coat of mail nor shield can protect him whom he +strikes with lance or sword. His companions, too, are generous in the +spilling of blood and brains, for they, too, know well how to deal their +blows. And the royal troops butcher so many of them that they break them +up and scatter them like low-born folk who have lost their heads. So +many dead lay about the fields, and so long did the battle rage, that +long before the day dawned the ranks were so cut in pieces that the rows +of dead stretched for five leagues along the stream. Count Angres leaves +his banner on the field and steals away, accompanied by only seven of +his men. Towards his town he made his way by a secret path, thinking +that no one could see him. But Alexander notices this, and sees them +escaping from the troops, and he thinks that if he can slip away without +the knowledge of any one, he will go to catch up with them. But before +he got down into the valley, he saw thirty knights following him down +the path, of whom six were Greeks, and twenty-four were men of Wales. +These intended to follow him at a distance until he should stand in need +of them. When Alexander saw them coming, he stopped to wait for them, +without failing to observe what course was taken by those who were +making their way back to the town. Finally, he saw them enter it. Then +he began to plan a very daring deed and a very marvellous design. And +when he had made up his mind, he turned toward his companions and thus +addressed them: "My lords," says he, "whether it be folly or wisdom, +frankly grant me my desire if you care for my good-will." And they +promised him never to oppose his will in aught. Then he says: "Let +us change our outer gear, by taking the shields and lances from the +traitors whom we have killed. Thus, when we approach the town, the +traitors within will suppose that we are of their party, and regardless +of the fate in store for them, they will throw open the gates for us. +And do you know what reward we shall offer them? If God so will we shall +take them all dead or alive. Now, if any of you repents of his promise, +be sure that, so long as I live, I shall never hold him dear." + +(Vv. 1859-1954.) All the others grant his boon, and, despoiling the +corpses of their shields, they arm themselves with them instead. The +men within the town had mounted to the battlements, and, recognising the +shields, suppose that they belong to their party, never dreaming of the +ruse hidden beneath the shields. The gatekeeper opens the gate for +them and admits them to the town. He is beguiled and deceived in not +addressing them a word; for no one of them speaks to him, but silently +and mute they pass, making such a show of grief that they trail their +lances after them and support themselves upon their shields. Thus it +seems that they are in great distress, as they pass on at their own +sweet will until they are within the triple walls. Inside they find a +number of men-at-arms and knights with the Count. I cannot tell you +just how many; but they were unarmed, except eight of them who had just +returned from the fight, and even they were preparing to remove their +arms. But their haste was ill considered; for now the other party make +no further pretence, but without any challenge by way of warning, they +brace themselves in the stirrups, and let their horses charge straight +at them, attacking them with such rigour that they lay low more than +thirty-one of them. The traitors in great dismay shout out: "We are +betrayed, betrayed!" But the assailants take no heed of this, and let +those whom they find unarmed feel the temper of their swords. Indeed, +three of those whom they found still armed were so roughly handled that +but five remained alive. Count Angres rushed at Calcedor, and in the +sight of all struck him upon his golden shield with such violence that +he stretched him dead upon the ground. Alexander is greatly troubled, +and is almost beside himself with rage when he sees his companion dead; +his blood boils with anger, but his strength and courage are doubled +as he strikes the Count with such fury that he breaks his lance. If +possible, he would avenge his friend. But the Count was a powerful man +and a good and hardy knight, whose match it would have been hard to +find, had he not been a base traitor. He now returns the blow, making +his lance double up so that it splits and breaks; but the other's shield +holds firm, and neither gives way before the other any more than a rock +would do, for both men were passing strong. But the fact that the Count +was in the wrong disturbs him greatly and troubles him. [221] The anger +of each rises higher as they both draw their swords after their lances +had been broken. No escape would have been possible if these two +swordsmen had persisted in continuing the fight. But at last one or the +other must die. The Count dares not longer hold his ground, when he sees +lying dead about him his men who had been caught unarmed. Meanwhile the +others press them hard, cutting, slashing, and carving them, spilling +their brains, and reproaching the Count for his treachery. When he hears +himself accused of treason, he flees for safety to his tower, followed +by his men. And their enemies follow after them, fiercely charging them +from the rear, and not letting a single one escape of all upon whom they +lay their hands. They kill and slay so many of them that I guess not +more than seven made good their escape. + +(Vv. 1955-2056.) When they had got inside the tower, they made a stand +at the gate; for those who were coming close behind had followed so +closely after them that they too would have pressed in had the gateway +been left exposed. The traitors make a brave defence, waiting for +succour from their friends, who were arming themselves down in the town. +But upon the advice of Nabunal, who was a Greek of great wisdom, the +approach was blocked so that relief could not arrive in time; for those +below had tarried too long, either from cowardice or sloth. Now there +was only one entrance to the stronghold; so that, if they stop that +entrance-way, they need have no fear that any force shall approach to do +them harm. Nabunal bids and exhorts twenty of them to hold the gate; +for soon such a company might arrive with force as would do them harm +by their assault and attack. While these twenty hold the gate, the +remaining ten should attack the tower and prevent the Count from +barricading himself inside. Nabunal's advice is taken: ten remain to +continue the assault at the entrance of the tower, while twenty go to +defend the gate. In doing so, they delay almost too long; for they see +approaching, furious and keen for the fight, a company containing many +cross-bow men and foot soldiers of different grades who carried arms +of divers sorts. Some carried light missiles, and others Danish axes, +lances and Turkish swords, bolts for cross-bows, arrows and javelins. +The Greeks would have had to pay a heavy score, if this crowd had +actually fallen upon them; but they did not reach the place in time. +Nabunal by his foresight and counsel had blocked their plans, and they +were forced to remain outside. When they see that they are shut out, +they pause in their advance, as it is evident they can gain nothing by +making an assault. Then there begins such weeping and wailing of women +and young children, of old men and youths, that those in the town +could not have heard a thunder-clap from heaven. At this the Greeks are +overjoyed; for now they know of a certainty that the Count by no good +luck can escape capture. Four of them mount the walls to keep watch lest +those outside by any means or ruse should enter the stronghold and +fall upon them. The remaining sixteen returned to where the ten were +fighting. The day was already breaking, and the ten had fought so well +that they had forced their way within the tower. The Count took his +stand against a post, and, armed with a battleaxe, defended himself with +great bravery. Those whom he reaches, he splits in half. And his men +line up about him, and are not slow to avenge themselves in this last +stand of the day, Alexander's men have reason to complain, for of the +original sixteen there remain now but thirteen. Alexander is almost +beside himself when he sees the havoc wrought among his dead or +exhausted followers. Yet his thoughts are fixed on vengeance: finding at +hand a long heavy club, he struck one of the rascals with it so fiercely +that neither shield nor hauberk was worth a button in preventing him +from failing to the ground. After finishing with him, he pursues the +Count, and raising his club to strike him he deals him such a blow with +his square club that the axe falls from his hands; and he was so stunned +and bewildered that he could not have stood up unless he had leaned +against the wall. + +(Vv. 2057-2146.) After this blow the battle ceases. Alexander leaps at +the Count and holds him so that he cannot move. Of the others nothing +need be said, for they were easily mastered when they saw the capture +of their lord. All are made prisoners with the Count and led away in +disgrace, in accordance with their deserts. Of all this the men outside +knew nothing. But when morning came they found their companions shields +lying among the slain when the battle was over. Then the Greeks, misled, +made a great lament for their lord. Recognising his shield, all are in +an agony of grief, swooning at sight of his shield and saying that +now they have lived too long. Cornix and Nerius first swoon, then, +recovering their senses, wish they were dead. So do Torin and Acorionde. +The tears run down in floods from their eyes upon their breasts. Life +and joy seem hateful now. And Parmenides more than the rest tore his +hair in dire distress. No greater grief could be shown than that of +these five for their lord. Yet, their dismay is groundless, for it is +another's body which they bear away when they think to have their lord. +Their distress is further increased by the sight of the other shields, +which cause them to mistake these corpses for their companions. So over +them they lament and swoon. But they are deceived by all these shields, +for of their men only one was killed, whose name was Neriolis. Him, +indeed, they would have borne away had they known the truth. But they +are in as great anxiety for the others as for him; so they bore them +all away. In every case but one they were misled. But like the man who +dreams and takes a fiction for the truth, so the shields cause them to +suppose this illusion to be a reality. It is the shields, then, that +cause this mistake. [222] Carrying the corpses, they move away and come +to their tents, where there was a sorrowing troop. Upon hearing the +lament raised by the Greeks, soon all the others gathered, until there +was but one great outcry. Now Saredamors thinks of her wretched estate +when she hears the cry and lament over her lover. Their anguish and +distress cause her to lose her senses and her colour, and her grief and +sorrow are increased because she dares not openly show a trace of her +distress. She shut up her grief within her heart. Had any one looked at +her, he could have seen by the expression of her face what agony she was +in; but every one was so engrossed with his own sorrow that he had no +care for another's grief. Each one lamented his own loss. For they find +the river bank covered with their relatives and friends, who had been +wounded or roughly treated. Each one wept for his own heavy and bitter +loss: here is a son weeping for a father, there a father for a son; +one swoons at the sight of his cousin, another over his nephew. Thus +fathers, brothers, and relatives bemoan their loss on every side. But +above all is noticeable the sorrow of the Greeks; and yet they might +have anticipated great joy, for the deepest grief of all the camp will +soon be changed into rejoicing. + +(Vv. 2147-2200.) The Greeks outside continue their lament, while +those inside strive to let them know the news which will cause them to +rejoice. They disarm and bind their prisoners, who pray and beg of them +to strike off their heads straightway. But the Greeks are unwilling, and +disdain their entreaties, saying that them will keep then under guard +and hand them over to the King, who will grant them such recompense as +shall require their services. When they had disarmed them all they made +them go up on the wall that they might be seen by the troops below. This +privilege is not to their liking, and when they saw their lord bound as +a prisoner, they were unhappy men. Alexander upon the walls swears to +God and all the saints that he will not let one of them live, but will +kill them all speedily, unless they will go to surrender to the King +before he can seize them. "Go," says he, "confidently to the King at +my command, and cast yourselves upon his mercy. None of you, except the +Count, has deserved to die. You shall not lose either life or limb if +you surrender to the King. If you do not deliver yourselves from death +by crying for mercy, you need have little hope of saving your lives or +bodies. Go forth disarmed to meet the King, and tell him from me that +Alexander sends you to him. Your action will not be in vain; for my lord +the King is so gentle and courteous that he will lay aside his wrath and +anger. But if you wish to act otherwise, you must expect to die, for his +heart will be closed to pity." All agree in accepting this advice, and +do not hesitate until they come to the King's tent, where they all fall +at his feet. The story they told was soon known throughout the camp. +The King and all his men mounted and spurred their horses to the town +without delay. + +(Vv. 2201-2248.) Alexander goes out from the town to meet the King, who +was greatly pleased, and to surrender to him the Count. The King did not +delay in fitly punishing him. But Alexander is congratulated and praised +by the King and all the others who esteem him highly. Their joy drives +away the grief which they had felt not long before. But no joy of the +others can compare with the exultation of the Greeks. The King presents +him with the precious cup, weighing fifteen marks, and tells him +confidently that there is nothing in his possession so valuable that he +would not place it in his hands upon request--save only the crown and +the Queen. Alexander dares not mention his heart's desire, though he +knows well that he would not be refused in asking for his sweetheart's +hand. But he fears so much lest he might displease her, whose heart +would have been made glad, that he prefers to suffer without her rather +than to win her against her will. Therefore, he asks for a little time, +not wishing to prefer his request until he is sure of her pleasure. But +he asked for no respite or delay in accepting the cup of gold. He takes +the cup, and courteously begs my lord Gawain to accept this cup as +a gift from him, which Gawain did most reluctantly. When Soredamors +learned the truth about Alexander she was greatly pleased and delighted. +When she heard that he was alive, she was so happy that it seemed to +her as though she could never be sad again. But she reflects that he is +slower in coming than is his wont. Yet in good time she will have her +wish, for both of them in rivalry are occupied with one common thought. + +(Vv. 2249-2278.) It seemed to Alexander an age before he could feast +his eyes with even one soft glance from her. Long ago he would fain have +gone to the Queen's tent, if he had not been detained elsewhere. He was +much put out by this delay, and as soon as he could, he betook himself +to the Queen in her tent. The Queen went to greet him, and, without his +having confided in her, she had already read his thoughts, and knew what +was passing in his mind. She greets him at the entrance of the tent, and +strives to make him welcome, well knowing for what purpose he has come. +Desirous of according him a favour, she beckons Soredamors to join them, +and they three engage in conversation at some distance from the rest. +The Queen first speaks, in whose mind there was no doubt that this +couple were in love. Of this fact she is quite sure, and is persuaded +moreover that Soredamors could not have a better lover. She took her +place between the two and began to say what was appropriate. + +(Vv. 2279-2310.) "Alexander," says the Queen, "any love is worse than +hate, when it torments and distresses its devotee. Lovers know not what +they do when they conceal their passion from one another. Love is a +serious business, and whoever does not boldly lay its foundation firm +can hardly succeed in completing the edifice. They say there is nothing +so hard to cross as the threshold. Now I wish to instruct you in the +lore of love; for I know well that Love is tormenting you. Therefore, I +have undertaken to instruct you; and do you take good care not to keep +anything back from me, for I have plainly seen in the faces of you both +that of two hearts you have made but one. So beware, and conceal nothing +from me! You are acting very foolishly in not speaking out your mind; +for concealment will be the death of you; thus you will be the murderers +of Love. Now I counsel you to exercise no tyranny, and to seek no +passing gratification in your love; but to be honourably joined together +in marriage. So, I believe, your love shall long endure. I can assure +you that, if you agree to this, I will arrange the marriage." + +(Vv. 2311-2360.) When the Queen had spoken her mind, Alexander thus made +reply: "Lady," he says, "I enter no defence against the charge you make, +but rather admit the truth of all you say. I wish never to be deserted +by love, but always to fix my thoughts on it. I am pleased and delighted +by what you have so kindly said. Since you know what my wishes are, I +see no reason why I should conceal them from you. Long ago, if I had +dared I would have confessed them openly; for the silence has been hard. +But it may well be that for some reason this maiden may not wish that I +be hers and she mine. But even if she grant me no rights over her, yet +will I place myself in her hands." At these words she trembled, having +no desire to refuse the gift. Her heart's desire betrays itself in her +words and her countenance. Falteringly she gives herself to him, and +says that without exception her will, her heart, and her body all is at +the disposal of the Queen, to do with her as she may please. The Queen +clasps them both in her arms, and presents one to the other. Then +laughingly she adds: "I give over to thee, Alexander, thy sweetheart's +body, and I know that thy heart does not draw back. Whoever may like it +or like it not, I give each of you to the other. Do thou, Soredamors, +take what is thine, and thou, Alexander, take what is thine!" Now she +has her own entire, and he has his without lack. At Windsor that day, +with the approval and permission of my lord Gawain and the King, the +marriage was celebrated. No one could tell, I am sure, so much of the +magnificence and the food, of the pleasure and entertainment, at this +wedding without falling short of the truth. Inasmuch as it would be +distasteful to some, I do not care to waste further words upon the +matter, but am anxious to turn to another subject. + +(Vv. 2361-2382.) That day at Windsor Alexander had all the honour and +happiness that he could desire. Three different joys and honours were +his: one was the town which he captured; another was the present of the +best kingdom in Wales, which King Arthur had promised to give him when +the war was over; that very day he made him king in his hall. But the +greatest joy of all was the third--that his sweetheart was queen of the +chess-board where he was king. Before five months had passed, Soredamors +found herself with child, and carried it until the time was fulfilled. +The seed remained in germ until the fruit was fully matured. No more +beautiful child was ever born before or since than he whom they now +called Cliges. + +(Vv. 2383-2456.) So Cliges was born, in whose honour this story has +been put in the Romance tongue. You shall hear me tell of him and of his +valorous deeds, when he shall have grown to manhood and obtained a good +report. But meanwhile in Greece it came about that he who ruled over +Constantinople drew near his end. He died, as indeed he must, not being +able to outlive his time. But before he died he assembled all the nobles +of his land to send and seek for his son Alexander, who was happily +detained in Britain. The messengers start out from Greece, and begin +their voyage over the seas; but a tempest catches them in its grasp, and +damages their ship and company. They were all drowned at sea, except one +unfaithful wretch, who was more devoted to Alis the younger son than to +Alexander the eider. When he escaped from the sea, he returned to +Greece with the story that they had all been lost at sea as they were +conducting their lord back from Britain, and that he was the only +survivor of the tragedy. They believed this lie of his, and, taking Alis +without objection or dissent, they crowned him emperor of Greece. But +it was not long before Alexander learned that Alis was emperor. Then he +took leave of King Arthur, unwilling to let his brother usurp his land +without protest. The King makes no opposition to his plan, but bids him +take with him so great a company of Welshmen, Scots, and Cornishmen that +his brother will not dare to withstand him when he sees him come with +such a host. Alexander, had he pleased, might have led a mighty force; +but he has no desire to harm his own people, if his brother will consent +to do his will. He took with him forty knights besides Soredamors and +his son; these two persons, who were so dear to him, he did not wish +to leave behind. Escorted as far as Shoreham by the entire court, they +there embarked, and with fair winds their ship made way more quickly +than a fleeing stag. Within a month, I think, they arrived in port +before Athens, a rich and powerful city. Indeed, the emperor was +residing there, and had convoked, a great assembly of his noblemen. As +soon as they arrived Alexander sent a privy messenger into the city to +learn whether they would receive him, or whether they would resist his +claim to be their only lawful lord. + +(Vv. 2457-2494.) He who was chosen for this mission was a courteous +knight with good judgment, named Acorionde, a rich man and eloquent; +he was a native of the country, too, having been born in Athens. His +ancestors for generations had always exercised lordship in the city. +When he had learned that the emperor was in the city he went and +challenged the crown on behalf of his brother Alexander, accusing him +openly of having usurped it unlawfully. Arriving at the palace, he finds +plenty of people who welcome him; but he says nothing to any of those +who greet him until he learns what is their attitude and disposition +toward their lawful lord. Coming into the presence of the emperor he +neither greets him nor bows before him nor calls him emperor. "Alis," +he says, "I bring thee tidings of Alexander, who is out yonder in the +harbour. Listen to thy brother's message: he asks thee for what belongs +to him, nor does he demand what is unjust. Constantinople, which thou +dost hold, should be his and shall be his. It would be neither just nor +right that discord should arise between you two. So give him the crown +without contest, for it is right that thou shouldst surrender it." + +(Vv. 2495-2524.) Alis replies: "Fair gentle friend, thou hast undertaken +a mad enterprise in bearing this message. There is little comfort in +thy speech, for well I know that my brother is dead. I should rejoice, +indeed, to learn that he was still alive. But I shall not believe the +news until I have seen him with my eyes. He died some time ago, alas! +What thou sayest is not credible. And if he lives, why does he not come? +He need never fear that I will not bestow on him some lands. He is a +fool to hold aloof from me, for in serving me he will find profit. But +no one shall possess the crown and empire beside me." He liked not the +speech of the emperor, and did not fail to speak his mind in the reply +he made. "Alis," he says, "may God confound me if the matter is thus +allowed to stand. I defy thee in thy brother's name, and dutifully +speaking in his name, I summon all those whom I see here to renounce +thee and to join his cause. It is right that they should side with him +and recognise him as their lord. Let him who is loyal now stand forth." + +(Vv. 2525-2554.) Upon saying this he leaves the court, and the emperor +summons those in whom he has most confidence. He requests their advice +concerning this defiance upon his brother's part, and wishes to learn +if he can trust them to lend no support or help to his brother's claim. +Thus he tries to test the loyalty of each; but he finds not one who +sides with him in the dispute, rather do they all bid him remember the +war which Eteocles undertook against his own brother Polynices, and how +each one died by the other's hand. [223] "So, too, it may happen to you, +if you undertake a war, and all the land will be distressed." Therefore, +they advise that such a peace be sought as shall be both reasonable and +just, and that neither one make excessive demands. Thus Alis understands +that if he does not make an equitable agreement with his brother all his +vassals will desert him; so he says that he will respect their wishes in +making any suitable contract, provided that however the affair may rum +out the crown shall remain in his possession. + +(Vv. 2555-2618.) In order to secure a firm and stable peace Alis sends +one of his officers to Alexander, bidding him come to him in person and +receive the government of the land, but stipulating that he should leave +to him the honour of emperor in name and of wearing the crown: thus, if +Alexander is willing, peace may be established between them. When this +news was brought to Alexander his men made ready with him and came to +Athens, where they were received with joy. But Alexander is not willing +that his brother should have the sovereignty of the empire and of the +crown unless he will pledge his word never to take a wife, and that +after him Cliges shall be emperor of Constantinople. Upon this the +brothers both agreed. Alexander dictated the terms of the oath, and his +brother agreed and gave his word that he would never in his life take a +wife in marriage. So peace is made, and they are friends again, to the +great satisfaction of the lords. They hold Alis as their emperor, but +all business is referred to Alexander. What he commands is done, and +little is done except through him. Alis has nothing but the name of +emperor; but Alexander is served and loved; and he who does not serve +him for love must needs do so from fear. Through the effect of one or +the other of these two motives he has all the land within his power. But +he whom they call Death spares neither the strong man nor the weak, but +kills and slays them all. So Alexander had to die; for a disease caught +him in its grip from which he could obtain no relief. But before he +was surprised by death he summoned his son and said to him: "Fair son +Cliges, thou canst never know that prowess and valour are thine unless +thou go first to make test of them with the Bretons and French at King +Arthur's court. If adventure takes thee thither, so conduct and demean +thyself that thy identity be not known until thou hast tried thy +strength with the most excellent knights of that court. I beg thee to +heed my counsel in this matter, and if the occasion arises have no fear +to measure thy skill with thy uncle, my lord Gawain. Do not forget this +advice, I pray." + +(Vv. 2619-2665.) After he had thus exhorted him, he did not live long. +Soredamors' grief was such that she could not survive him, but +died after him of a broken heart. Alis and Cliges both mourned him +becomingly, but finally they ceased their grief, for sorrow, like +everything else, must be outlived. To continue in sorrow is wrong, for +no good can come from it. So the mourning was ended, and the emperor +refrained for a long time from taking a wife, being careful of his word. +But there is no court in all the world which is free from evil counsel. +Great men often go astray, and do not observe loyalty because of the bad +advice they take. Thus, the emperor hears his men giving him advice and +counselling him to take a wife; and daily they so exhort and urge him +that by their very insistence they persuade him to break his oath, and +to accede to their desire. But he insists that she who is to be mistress +of Constantinople must be gentle, fair, wise, rich, and noble. Then his +counsellors say that they wish to prepare to go away to the German land, +and seek the daughter of the emperor. She is the choice they propose +to him; for the emperor of Germany is very rich and powerful, and his +daughter is so charming that never was there a maid of her beauty in +Christendom. The emperor grants them full authority, and they set out +upon the journey well provided with all they need. They proceeded on +their way until they found the emperor at Regensburg, when they asked +him to give them his oldest daughter at the instance of their lord. + +(Vv. 2669-2680.) The emperor was pleased with this request, and gladly +gave them his daughter; for in doing so, he does not debase himself, nor +diminish his honour in any way. But he says that he had promised her +to the Duke of Saxony, and that they would not be able to lead her away +unless the emperor should come with a great army, so that the duke would +be unable to do him any harm or injury while homeward bound. + +(Vv. 2681-2706.) When the messengers heard the emperor's reply, they +took leave and departed. They returned to their lord, and bore him +the answer. And the emperor selected a chosen company of the most +experienced knights whom he could find, and took with him his nephew, +in whose interests he had vowed never to marry a wife, but he will not +respect this vow if he can once reach Cologne. [224] Upon a certain day +he leaves Greece and draws near to Germany, intending to take a wife +despite all blame and reproach; but his honour will be smirched. Upon +reaching Cologne, he found that the emperor had assembled all his court +for a festival. When the company of the Greeks reached Cologne, there +was such a great number of Greeks and Germans that it was necessary to +lodge more than sixty thousand of them outside the city. + +(Vv.2707-2724.) Great was the crowd of people, and great the joy of the +two emperors when they met. When the barons had gathered in the vast +palace, the emperor summoned his charming daughter. The maiden made no +delay in coming straightway into the palace. She had been made very fair +and shapely by the Creator, whose pleasure it had been to arouse the +people's admiration. God, who had fashioned her, never gave man a word +which could adequately express such beauty as she possessed. + +(Vv. 2725-2760.) Fenice was the maiden's name, and for this there +was good reason: [225] for if the Phoenix bird is unique as the most +beautiful of all the birds, so Fenice, it seems to me, had no equal in +beauty. She was such a miracle and marvel that Nature was never able to +make her like again. In order to be more brief, I will not describe in +words her arms, her body, her head and hands; for if I should live a +thousand years, and if my skill were to double every day, yet should +I waste all my time in trying to tell the truth about her. I know very +well, if I should undertake it, that I would exhaust my brain and waste +my pains: it would be but misspent energy. [226] The damsel hastened +until she came into the palace, with head uncovered and face unveiled; +and the radiance of her beauty lighted the palace more brightly than +four carbuncles would have done. Cliges stood, his over-cloak removed, +in his uncle's presence. The day outside was somewhat dark, but he and +the maiden were both so fair that a ray shone forth from their beauty +which illumined the palace, just as the morning sun shines clear and +red. + +(Vv. 2761-2792.) I wish to attempt in a very few words to describe the +beauty of Cliges. He was in his flower, being now almost fifteen years +of age. He was more comely and charming than Narcissus who saw his +reflection in the spring beneath the elm-tree, and, when he saw it, +he loved it so that he died, they say, because he could not get it. +Narcissus was fair, but had little sense; [227] but as fine gold +surpasses copper, so was Cliges better endowed with wisdom, and even +then I have not said all. His locks seemed made of fine gold, and his +face was of a fresh rosy colour. He had a well-formed nose and shapely +mouth, and in stature he was built upon Nature's best pattern; for in +him she had united gifts which she is wont to scatter wide. Nature was +so lavish with him that she gave him all she could, and placed all in +one receptacle. Such was Cliges, who combined good sense and beauty, +generosity and strength. He possessed the wood as well as the bark; +he knew more of fencing and of the bow than did Tristan, King Mark's +nephew, and more about birds and hounds than he. [228] In Cliges there +lacked no good thing. + +(Vv. 2793-2870.) Cliges stood in all his beauty before his uncle, and +those who did not know who he was looked at him with eager curiosity. +And on the other hand, the interest was aroused of those who did not +know the maiden: wonderingly they gaze upon her. But Cliges, under the +sway of love, let his eyes rest on her covertly, and withdrew them again +so discreetly that in their passage to and fro no one could blame his +lack of skill. Blithely he looks upon the maid, but does not note that +she repays him in kind. Not flattering him, but in sincere love, she +gives him her eyes, and takes back his. This exchange seems good to her, +and would have seemed to her better still had she known something of who +he was. But she knows nothing except that he is fair, and that, if she +is ever to love any one for beauty's sake, she need not seek elsewhere +to bestow her heart. She handed over to him the possession of her eyes +and heart, and he pledged his in turn to her. Pledged? Rather gave +outright. Gave? Nay, upon my faith, I lie; for no one can give away his +heart. I must express it some other way. I will not say it, as some have +done who make two hearts dwell in one body, for it bears not even the +semblance of truth that there should be in one body two hearts; and even +if they could be so united, it would never seem true. But if it please +you to heed my words, I shall be able explain how two hearts form but +one without coming to be identified. Only so far are they merged in one +as the desire of each passes from one to the other, thus joining in one +common desire; and because of this harmony of desire, there are some who +are wont to say that each one has both hearts; but one heart cannot be +in two places. Each one always keeps his own heart, though the desire +be shared by both, just as many different men may sing a song or tune +in unison. By this comparison I prove that for one body to contain two +hearts it is not enough to know each other's wish, nor yet for one to +know what the other loves and what he hates; just as voices which are +heard together seem to be merged in one, and yet do not all come from +one mouth, so it is with a body which can contain but one heart. But +there is no need of further argument, for other matters press upon me. +I must speak now of the damsel and of Cliges, and you shall hear of +the Duke of Saxony, who has sent to Cologne a young nephew of his. This +youth informs the emperor that his uncle, the duke, sends word that +he need expect no peace or trace with him, unless he sends to him his +daughter, and that the one who is intending to carry her away with him +had better not start home, for he will find the road occupied and well +defended unless the maiden be surrendered. + +(Vv. 2871-3010.) The youth spoke his message well, without pride and +without insult. But he found neither knight nor emperor who would answer +him. When he saw that they all held their peace and treated him with +scorn, he left the court in defiant mood. But youth and thirst for +daring deeds made Cliges defy him in combat as he left. For the contest +they mount their steeds, three hundred of them on either side, exactly +equal thus in strength. All the palace is quite emptied of knights and +ladies, who mount to the balconies, battlements, and windows to see and +watch those who were about to fight. Even the maiden, whose will Love +had subdued beneath his sway, sought for a point from which to see. She +took her place at a window, where she sat with great delight, because +from there she could get a view of him whom she holds secretly in her +heart with no desire to remove him thence; for she will never love any +other man. But she does not know his name, nor who he is, nor of what +race; for it is not proper to ask questions; but she yearns to hear +tidings which will bring joy to her heart. She looks out of the window +at the shields with their gleaming gold, and she gazes at those who wear +the shields about their necks, as they prepare for the trial at arms. +But all her thoughts and glances soon rest upon one object, and to all +others she is indifferent. Whereever Cliges goes, she seeks to follow +him with her eyes. And he in turn does his best for her, and battles +openly, in order that she at least may hear it said that he is bold and +very skilled: thus she will be compelled to prize him for his prowess. +He attacks the duke's nephew, who was breaking many a lance and sorely +discomfiting the Greeks. But Cliges, who is displeased at this, braces +himself firmly in his stirrups, and goes to strike him so speedily that +in spite of himself he had to vacate the saddle-bows. When he got up, +the uproar was great; for the youth arose and mounted, thinking to +avenge his shame. But many a man only falls into deeper disgrace who +thinks to avenge his shame when he has the chance. The young man rushes +at Cliges, who lowers his lance to meet him, and thrusts at him with +such force that he carries him to earth again. Now his shame is doubled, +and all his followers are in dismay, seeing that they can never leave +the field with honour; for not one of them is so valiant that he can +keep his seat in the saddle when Cliges thrust reaches him. But those of +Germany and the Greeks are overjoyed when they see their party drive off +the Saxons, who retreat discomfited. With mockery they pursue them until +they come up with them at a stream, into which they drive them for +a plunge. In the deepest part of the ford Cliges unhorsed the duke's +nephew and so many of his men that they escaped grieving and sad in +their shame and confusion. But Cliges, twice victor, returned in glee, +and entered a gate which was near the apartment where the maiden was; +and as he passed through the gate she exacted as toll a tender glance, +which he paid her as their eyes met. Thus was the maiden subdued by the +man. But there is not a German of the lowland or highland, possessing +the power of speech who does not cry: "God! who is this in whom such +beauty is radiant? God! how has it happened that so suddenly he has +attained such great success?" Thus one man and another asks: "Who is +this youth, who is he, I say?" Thus, soon throughout the city it is +known what his name is, and who is his father, and what pledge that was +which had been made to him by the emperor. So much was said and noised +about that the news reached the ears of her who in her heart rejoiced +because she could no more say that Love had made sport of her, nor had +she any ground for complaint. For Love has made her give her heart to +the fairest, most courteous, and valiant man that could anywhere be +found. But some force must be employed, if she would gain possession of +him who is not free do her will. This makes her anxious and distraught. +For she has no one with whom to take counsel concerning him for whom +she pines, but must waste herself in thought and vigils. She becomes so +affected by these cares that she loses her colour and grows wan, and +it becomes plain to all that her loss of colour betokens an unfulfilled +desire. She plays less now than she used to do, and laughs less and +loses her gaiety. But she conceals her trouble and passes it off, if any +one asks what her ailment is. Her old nurse's name was Thessala, [229] +who was skilled in necromancy, having been born in Thessaly, where +devilish charms are taught and wrought; for the women of that country +perform many a charm and mystic rite. + +(Vv. 3011-3062.) Thessala saw pale and wan her whom Love holds in his +bonds, and thus she addressed her with advice: "God!" she said, "are you +bewitched, my lady dear, that your face should be so pale? I wonder what +your trouble is. Tell me, if you can, where this pain attacks you most, +for if any one can cure you, you may safely trust me to give you back +your health again. I can cure the dropsy, gout, quinsy, and asthma; I am +so expert in examining the urine and the pulse that you need consult no +other physician. And I dare say that I know more than ever Medea [230] +knew of enchantments and of charms which tests have proven to be true. +I have never spoken to you of this, though I have cared for you all your +life; and now I should not mention it did I not plainly see that you are +so afflicted as to need my ministrations. My lady, you will do well to +tell me what your sickness is before its hold becomes more severe. The +emperor has committed you to me in order that I may care for you, and my +devotion has been such that I have kept you safe and sound. Now all my +pains will come to naught if I do not relieve this malady. Take care +not to conceal from me whether this is sickness or something else." The +damsel dares not openly expose her desire in all its fullness for she +is in fear lest she be disapproved and blamed. And when she hears and +understands how Thessala boasts and highly rates herself as being expert +in enchantments, charms, and potions, she decides to tell her what +is the cause of her pale and colourless face; but first she makes her +promise to keep her secret and never to oppose her will. + +(Vv. 3063-3216.) "Nurse," she said, "I truly thought I felt no pain, but +I shall soon feel differently. For as soon as I begin to think about it, +I feel great pain, and am dismayed. But when one has no experience, +how can one tell what is sickness and what is health? My illness is +different from all others; for when I wish to speak of it, it causes me +both joy and pain, so happy I am in my distress. And if it can be that +sickness brings delight, then my trouble and joy are one, and in my +illness consists my health. So I do not know why I complain, for I know +not whence my trouble comes, unless it is caused by my desire. Perchance +my desire is my disease, but I find so much joy in it that the suffering +it causes me is grateful, and there is so much contentment in my pain +that it is sweet to suffer so. Nurse Thessala, now tell me true, is not +this a deceitful ill, to charm and torment me both at once? I do not see +how I can tell whether this is a disease or not. Nurse, tell me now its +name, nature, and character. But understand well that I have no desire +to be cured of it, for my distress is very dear to me." Thessala, who +was very wise about love and its symptoms knows full well from what she +hears that it is love which is tormenting her; the tender, endearing +terms she uses are certain proof that she is in love, for all other +woes are hard to bear, except that alone which comes from love; but love +transforms its bitterness into sweetness and joy, then often transforms +them back again. The nurse, who was expert in this matter, thus replies +to her: "Have no fear, for I will tell you at once the name of your +malady. You told me, I believe, that the pain which you feel seems +rather to be joy and health: now of such a nature is love-sickness, +for in it, too, there is joy and bliss. You are in love, then, as I can +prove to you, for I find no pleasure in any malady save only in love. +All other sickness is always bad and horrible, but love is sweet and +peaceable. You are in love; of that I am sure, nor do I see any wrong in +that. But I shall consider it very wrong, if through some childish +folly you conceal from me your heart." "Nurse, there is no need of +your speaking so. But first I must be sure and certain that under no +circumstances will you speak of it to any living soul." "My lady, surely +the winds will speak of it before I do without your leave, and I will +give you my word so to favour your desires that you may safely trust in +having your joy fulfilled through my services." "In that case, Nurse, +I shall be cured. But the emperor is giving me in marriage, wherefore +I grieve and am sorrowful; for he who has won my heart is the nephew of +him whom I must take. And though he may find joy in me, yet is my joy +forever lost, and no respite is possible. I would rather be torn limb +from limb than that men should speak of us as they speak of the loves of +Iseut and Tristan, of so many unseemly stories are told that I should +be ashamed to mention them. I could never bring myself to lead the +life that Iseut led. Such love as hers was far too base; for her body +belonged to two, whereas her heart was possessed by one. Thus all her +life was spent, refusing her favours to neither one. But mine is fixed +on one object, and under no circumstances will there be any sharing +of my body and heart. Never will my body be portioned out between two +shareholders. Who has the heart has the body, too, and may bid all +others stand aside. But I cannot clearly see how he whom I love can have +my body when my father gives me to another, and his will I do not dare +resist. And when this other is lord of my body, and does something which +displeases me, it is not right for me to summon another to my aid. +Nor can this man marry a wife without breaking his plighted word; for, +unless injustice be done, Cliges is to have the empire after his uncle's +death. But I should be well served by you, if you were so skilful as +to present him, to whom I am pledged and engaged, from having any claim +upon me. O Nurse, exert yourself to the end that he may not break the +pledge which he gave to the father of Cliges, when he promised him +solemnly never to take a wife in marriage. For now, if he should marry +me his promise would be broken. But Cliges is so dear to me that I would +rather be under ground than that he should ever lose through me a penny +of the fortune which should be his. May never a child be born to me to +cause his disinheritance! Nurse, now do your best, and I will always be +your slave." Then the nurse tells her and assures her that she will cast +so many charms, and prepare so many potions and enchantments that she +need never have any worry or fear concerning the emperor after he shall +have drunk of the potion which she will give him; even when they shall +lie together and she be at his side, she may be as secure as if there +were a wall between them. "But do not be alarmed, if, in his sleep, he +sports with you, for when he is plunged in sleep he will have his sport +with you, and he will be convinced that he has had you when wide awake, +nor will he think it is all a dream, a fiction, and illusion. Thus he +will have his sport with you when asleep, he will think he is awake." + +(Vv. 3217-3250.) The maiden is highly pleased and delighted by the +nurse's kindness and offer of help. Her nurse inspires good hope in her +by the promise which she makes, and which she binds herself to keep; +with this hope she expects to obtain her desire, in spite of wearisome +delay, for if Cliges' nature is as noble as she takes it to be he cannot +fail to take pity upon her when he learns that she loves him, and +that she has imposed virginity upon herself in order to insure his +inheritance. So the maiden believes her nurse, and puts full confidence +in her. One promises to the other, and gives her word, that this plot +shall be kept so secret as never to be revealed. At this point their +conversation ceases, and the next morning the emperor summons his +daughter. At his command she goes to him. But why should I weary you +with details? The two emperors have so settled the matter that the +marriage is solemnised, and joy reigns in the palace. But I do not wish +to stop to describe all this in detail. Rather will I address myself to +Thessala, as she diligently prepares and tempers her potions. + +(Vv. 3251-3328.) Thessala steeps her drink, putting in spices in +abundance to sweeten and temper it. After having well beaten and mixed +it, she strains it clear, with no sharp or bitter taste, for the spices +she puts in give it a sweet and pleasant fragrance. When the potion was +prepared, the day had drawn to a close, the tables were set for supper, +and the cloths were spread. But Thessala delays the supper, because +she must discover by what device and what agent she can have the potion +served. At supper, finally, all were seated, and more than six dishes +had been passed, and Cliges served behind his uncle's place. Thessala, +as she watches him, thinks how ill he serves his own interests, and how +he is assisting in his own disinheritance, and the thought torments and +worries her. Then in her kindness she conceives the plan of having +the potion served by him to whom it will bring both joy and honour. So +Thessala summoned Cliges; and when he had come to her, he asked her why +she had sent for him. "Friend," said she, "I wish to present the emperor +at this meal with a beverage which he will esteem highly, and I want him +to taste no other to-night, either at supper or when he goes to bed. +I think he cannot fail to relish it, for he never has tasted a better +drink or one that has cost so much. And I warn you, take good care to +let no one else drink of it, for there is but a little of it. And this, +too, I beg of you, not to let him know whence it came; but tell him it +came about by chance that you found it among the presents, and tasted it +yourself, and detected the aroma of the sweet spices in the air; then, +seeing the wine to be all clear you poured it into his cup. If by chance +he should inquire, you can satisfy him with this reply. But have no +suspicion yourself, after what I have said, for the drink is pure and +healthful, full excellent spices, and I think it may some day bring you +joy." When he heard that advantage would come to him, he took the potion +and went away, for he did not know there was any harm in it. He set +it in a crystal cup before the emperor, who took it without question, +trusting in his nephew. After taking a long draught of the beverage, he +straightway feels its strength, as it descends from head to heart, and +rises again from heart to head, and penetrates every part of him without +doing the slightest harm. And by the time they left the tables, the +emperor had drunk so much of the pleasing drink that he can never escape +it influence. Every night he will sleep under its influence, and its +effects will be such that he will think he is awake when sound asleep. + +(Vv. 3329-3394.) Now the emperor has been deceived. Many bishops and +abbots were present to bless and hallow the marriage-bed. When the time +came to retire, the emperor, as was his right, lay beside his wife that +night. "As was his right;" but the statement is inexact, for he neither +kissed nor fondled her, yet they lay together in one bed. At first the +maiden trembled with fear and anxiety lest the potion should not act. +But it has so mastered him that he will never desire her or any other +woman except in his sleep. But when asleep he will have such sport with +her as one may have in dreams, and he will think the dream is true. +Nevertheless, she is on her guard, and at first, holds aloof from him, +so that he cannot approach her. But now he must needs fall asleep; +then he sleeps and dreams, though, the senses are awake, and he exerts +himself to win the favours of the maid, while she, realising the danger, +defends her virginity. He woos her and calls her gently his sweetheart, +and thinks he possesses her, but in vain. But he is gratified by this +vain semblance, embracing, kissing, and fondling an empty thing, seeing +and speaking to no purpose, struggling and striving without effect. +Surely the potion was effective in thus possessing and mastering him. +All his pains are of no avail, as he thinks and is persuaded that the +fortress is won. Thus he thinks and is convinced, when he desists after +his vain efforts. But now I may say once for all that his satisfaction +was never more than this. To such relations with her he will for ever be +condemned if indeed he can lead her to his own land; but before he can +get her to safety, I judge that there is trouble in store for him. For +while he is on his journey home, the duke, to whom his bride had been +betrothed, will appear upon the scene. The duke gathered a numerous +force, and garrisoned the frontiers, while at court he had his spies to +inform him each day of the emperor's doings and preparations, and how +long they are going to stay, and by what route they intend to return. +The emperor did not tarry long after the marriage, but left Cologne in +high spirits. The German emperor escorted him with a numerous company, +fearing and dreading the force of the Duke of Saxony. + +(Vv. 3395-3424.) The two emperors pursued their journey until they were +beyond Regensburg, where one evening they were encamped in a meadow by +the Danube. The Greeks were in their tents in the fields bordering upon +the Black Forest. Opposite to them the Saxons were lodged, spying +upon them. The duke's nephew stood alone upon a hill, whence he could +reconnoitre for a chance to inflict some loss or harm on the enemy. +From that point of vantage he espied Cliges with three of his young men +disporting themselves with lances and shields, eager for a conflict and +shock of arms. If he could get the chance the duke's nephew would gladly +attack them and do them harm. Starting out with five companions he +concealed them in a valley close by a wood, so that the Greeks never saw +them until they emerged from the valley; then the duke's nephew made an +attack, and striking Cliges, wounded him slightly in the back. Cliges, +bending over, avoids the lance which passed him, inflicting only a +slight hurt. + +(Vv. 3425-3570.) When Cliges felt himself wounded, he charged the youth, +and struck him with such force that he drove his lance quite through his +heart, and stretched him dead. Then all the Saxons in fear of him betook +themselves to flight through the woods. And Cliges, ignorant of the +ambuscade, courageously but imprudently leaving his companions behind, +pursues them to the place where the duke's troops were in force +preparing to attack the Greeks. Alone he goes in hot pursuit after the +youths, who, in despair over their lord whom they had lost, come running +to the duke and tell him weeping of his nephew's death. The duke saw +no joke in this affair; and, swearing by God and all His saints that he +will take no joy or pride in life so long as the slayer of his nephew +remains alive, he adds that whoever will bring him his head will be his +friend and will serve him well. Then a knight made boast that if he +can find the guilty man, he will present him with Cliges' head. Cliges +follows the young men until he falls among the Saxons, when he is seen +by him who had undertaken to carry off his head, and who starts after +him without delay. But Cliges haste had turned back to escape from his +enemies and came in to where he had left his companions; he found none +there, for they had returned to camp to relate their adventure. And the +emperor ordered to horse the Greeks and Germans in one band. Soon all +through the camp the knights are arming and mounting. Meanwhile Cliges +is hotly pursued by his enemy, all armed and with helmet closed. Cliges, +who never wished to be numbered among the coward and craven-hearted, +notices that he comes alone. First, the knight challenged him, calling +him "fellow," unable to conceal his rage: "Young fellow," he cried, +"thou shalt leave me here a pledge for my lord whom thou hast killed. +If I do not carry away thy head with me, I am not worth a counterfeit +besant. I must make of it a present to the duke, and will accept no +other forfeit. In return for his nephew, I shall make such restitution +that he will profit by the exchange." Cliges hears him reproaching him +thus boldly and with impudence. "Vassal," he says, "be on your guard! +For I will defend my head, and you shall not get it without my leave." +Then the attack begins. The other missed his blow, while Cliges struck +him with such force that horse and rider went down together in one heap. +The horse fell upon him so heavily that he shattered completely one of +his legs. Cliges dismounted on the greensward and disarmed him. When he +had disarmed him, he appropriated his weapons, and cut off his enemy's +head with the sword which had just now been his. After severing his head +he fixed it firmly on the point of his lance, thinking to offer it to +the duke, to whom his nephew had promised to present his own if he +could meet him in the strife. Cliges had no sooner put on the dead man's +helmet and taken his shield and mounted his steed, letting his own stray +at large to terrify the Greeks, than he saw advancing with more than a +hundred banners flying several full squadrons of Greeks and Germans. Now +the fierce and cruel struggles will soon begin between the Saxons and +the Greeks. As soon as Cliges sees his men advancing, he betakes himself +toward the Saxons, his own men hotly pursuing him, and not knowing him +in his disguise. It is no wonder that his uncle is in despair and fear, +when he sees the head he is carrying off. So all the host pursue him +fast, while Cliges leads them on to provoke a fight, until the Saxons +see him drawing near. But they, too, are quite misled by the arms with +which he has armed and equipped himself. He succeeds in deceiving +and mocking them; for the duke and all the rest, when they saw him +approaching lance in rest, cried out: "Here comes our knight! On the +point of his lance he carries Cliges' head, and the Greeks are hotly +pursuing him!" Then, as they give their horses rein, Cliges spurs +to meet the Saxons, crouching low beneath his shield, the lance out +straight with the head affixed. Now, though he was braver than a lion, +he was no stronger than any other man. Both parties think that he is +dead, and while the Saxons rejoice, the Greeks and Germans grieve. But +before long the truth will out. For Cliges no longer held his peace: +but, rushing fiercely at a Saxon, he struck him with his ashen lance +upon the head and in the breast, so that he made him lose his stirrups, +and at the same time he cried aloud: "Strike gentlemen, for I am Cliges +whom you seek. Come on, my bold and hardy knights! Let none hold back, +for the first joust is already won! He is a coward who does not relish +such a dish." + +(Vv. 3571-3620.) The emperor's joy was great when he heard the voice of +his nephew Cliges summoning and exhorting them; he was greatly pleased +and comforted. But the duke is greatly chagrined now when he sees he +is betrayed, unless his force should prove the stronger. While he +draws together his troops in serried lines, the Greeks do the same, and +pressing them close, attack and rush upon them. On both sides lances are +lowered as they meet for the proper reception of a hostile host. At the +first shock shields are pierced and lances shattered, girths are cut and +stirrups broken, while the horses of those who fall to earth are left +without a rider. But regardless of what any other does, Cliges and the +duke meet in the fray; holding their lances low, they strike one another +upon the shield with such violence that the strong and well-made lances +fly into splinters. Cliges was skilful on horseback, and sits straight +in his saddle without shaking or losing his balance. But the duke has +lost his seat, and in spite of himself quits the saddle-bows. Cliges +struggled and strove to capture him and carry him away, but his strength +did not suffice, for the Saxons were around about fighting to rescue +him. Nevertheless, Cliges escapes from the conflict without receiving +harm and with a precious prize; for he makes off with the duke's steed, +which was whiter than wool, and was worth more to a gentleman than the +fortune of Octavian [231] at Rome. The steed was an Arabian. The Greeks +and Germans are overjoyed to see Cliges on such a mount, for they had +already remarked the excellence and beauty of the Arab steed. But they +were not on their guard against an ambuscade; and before they are aware +of it great damage will be done. + +(Vv. 3621-3748.) A spy came to the duke, bringing him welcome news. +"Duke," says the spy, "not a man remains in all the encampment of the +Greeks who is able to defend himself. If thou wilt take my word for it, +now is the time to have the emperor's daughter seized, while the Greeks +are seen intent upon the battle and the strife. Lend me a hundred of thy +knights, and I will put the lady in their hands. By an old and secluded +path I will lead them so carefully that they will not be seen or met +by any man of Germany, until they can seize the damsel in her tent and +carry her off so handily that no resistance will be made." At this the +duke is highly pleased. He sent a hundred and more tried knights with +the spy, who so successfully conducted them that they carried the maiden +away captive without exerting any force; for they could abduct her +easily. After carrying her some distance from the tents, they send her +on under escort of twelve of their number whom they accompany but a +short distance. While the twelve led the damsel on, the others went to +tell the duke how successful they had been. The duke's desire being now +satisfied, he at once makes a truce with the Greeks until next day. The +truce was sworn by both parties. The duke's men then turned back, while +the Greeks without delay repaired each man to his own tent. But Cliges +stays behind alone, stationed upon a little hill where no one caught +sight of him, until he saw the twelve pass by with her whom they were +carrying off at topmost speed. Cliges, in his thirst for glory, rides +at them without delay; for he thinks within himself, and his heart tells +him, that it is not for nothing that they flee. So, as soon as he espied +them, he spurred after them; and when they saw him coming on, a foolish +thought occurred to them: "It is the duke," they said, "who comes. Let +us rein in a little; for he has left the troops and is riding hard after +us alone." Every man thinks that so it is. They all want to turn back to +meet him, but each one wishes to go alone. Meanwhile, Cliges must +needs descend a deep valley between two mountains. He would never have +recognised their blazons, if they had not come to meet him, or if they +had not awaited him. Six of the twelve come to meet him in an encounter +they will soon regret. The other six stay with the damsel, leading her +gently at a walk and easy jog. And the six ride quickly on, spurring up +the valley, until he who had the swiftest horse reached him first +and cried aloud: "Hail, Duke of Saxony! God bless thee! Duke, we have +recovered thy lady. The Greeks shall not get her now, for she shall be +placed in thy hands." When Cliges heard the words this fellow shouts, +his heart is not gay; rather is it strange that he does not lose his +wits. Never was any wild beast--leopard, tiger, or lion--upon seeing its +young captured, so fierce and furious as Cliges, who sets no value upon +his life if he deserts his sweetheart now. He would rather die than not +win her back. In his trouble he feels great wrath, which gives him the +courage he requires. He urges and spurs the Arab steed, and rushes +to give the Saxon such a blow upon his painted shield that without +exaggeration, he makes his heart feel the lance. This gives Cliges +confidence. He drove and spurred the Arab charger on for more than the +space of an acre before he came upon the next Saxon, for they came up +singly, each fearless of his predecessor's fare, for Cliges fights +them one by one. As he takes them thus individually, no one receives +another's aid. He makes a rush at the second one, who, like the first, +thought to give him joy by telling him of his own evil fate. But Cliges +has no concern to heed his talk and idle charter. Thrusting his lance +into his body so that the blood spurts out when it is withdrawn, he +deprives him of life and the gift of speech. After these two he meets +the third, who expects to find him in good humour and to make him +rejoice over his own mischance. Spurring eagerly he came up to him; +but before he has time to say a word, Cliges ran a fathom of his lance +through the middle of his body, leaving him senseless on the ground. +To the fourth he gives such a blow that he leaves him fainting on the +field. After the fourth he goes at the fifth, and after him he attacks +the sixth. None of them could defend himself, but each was left silent +and mute. He stood in less fear of the others now, and more hardily +pressed after them, taking no further thought of the six dead men. + +(Vv. 3749-3816.) Feeling no further care for them, he starts to present +a debt of shame and woe to the others who are leading the maid away. He +caught up with them, and made such an onslaught upon them as a hungry +and ravenous wolf makes when leaping upon its prey. Now he feels his +luck has come, when he can display his chivalry and bravery openly +before her who is his very life. Now may he die, if he does not rescue +her! And she, too, is at death's door from anxiety for his sake, though +she does not know that he is no near. Lance in rest, Cliges made an +attack which pleased him well; for he struck first one Saxon and then +another, so that with a single rush he carried them both to earth, +though it cost him his ashen lance. And they both fall in such distress, +being wounded in the body, that they have no power to rise again and +do him any harm or ill. The other four in bitter rage join in an attack +upon Cliges; but he neither quails nor trembles, and they are unable +to dislodge him from his seat. Quickly drawing his keen sword from its +sheath, in order to please her who awaits his love, he rode hard at a +Saxon and, striking him with his whetted blade, he severed his head and +half his neck from the body: such was the limit of his pity. Fenice, who +witnesses what transpires, does not know yet that this is Cliges. She +wishes that it were he, indeed, but because of the present danger she +says to herself that she would not have him there. Thus, doubly she +shows the devotion of a sweetheart, fearing at once his death, and +desiring that honour may be his. And Cliges sword in hand attacks the +other three, who face him bravely and puncture and split his shield. But +they are unable to lay hands upon him, or to pierce the meshes of his +hauberk. And whatever Cliges reaches cannot stand against his blow, +but must needs be split and torn apart; for he turns faster than a +top driven and lashed by the whip. Boldness and love, which holds him +enthralled, make him eager for the fray. He pressed the Saxons so hard +that he left them all dead and defeated, some only wounded, and others +dead--except one whom he let escape, disdaining to kill him when left +alone at his mercy; besides, he wished him to tell the duke of the loss +and injury he had sustained. But before this fellow left Cliges, he +begged him to tell him his name, which later he repeated to the duke, +thus rousing his bitter ire. + +(Vv. 3817-3864.) Now bad luck had fallen to the duke, who was in great +distress and grief. And Cliges takes back Fenice, whose love torments +and troubles him. If he does not confess to her now, love will long be +his enemy, and hers too, if she holds her peace and speaks not the word +which will bring him joy; for now each can tell the other privily the +thoughts that lie within the heart. But they so fear to be refused that +they dare not reveal their hearts. For his part, he fears lest she will +not accept his love, whereas she, too, would have spoken out had she +not feared to be rejected. In spite of this, the eyes of each reveal the +hidden thought, if only they had heeded this evidence. They converse +by glance of eye, but their tongues are so cowardly that they dare not +speak in any wise of the love which possesses them. No wonder if she +hesitates to begin, for a maid must be a simple and shrinking thing; but +he--why does he wait and hold back who was so bold for her just now, but +now in her presence is cowardly? God! whence comes this fear, that he +should shrink from a lonely girl, feeble and timid, simple and mild? It +is as if I should see the dog flee before the hare, and the fish chase +the beaver, the lamb the wolf, and the dove the eagle. In the same +fashion the labourer would forsake his pick with which he strives to +earn a livelihood, and the falcon would flee from the duck, and the +gerfalcon from the heron, and the pike from the minnow, and the stag +would chase the lion, and everything would be reversed. Now I feel +within me the desire to give some reason why it should happen to true +lovers that they lose their sense and boldness to say what they have in +mind when they have leisure and place and time. + +(Vv. 3865-3914.) Ye who are interested in the art of Love, who do +faithfully maintain the customs and usage of his court, who never failed +to obey his law, whatever the result might be, tell me if there is +anything that pleases because of love without causing us to tremble +and grow pale. If any one oppose me in this, I can at once refute his +argument; for whoever does not grow pale and tremble, whoever does not +lose his senses and memory, is trying to filch and get by stealth what +does not by right belong to him. The servant who does not fear his +master ought not to remain in his employ nor do his service. He who does +not esteem his lord does not fear him, and whoever does not esteem him +does not hold him dear, but rather tries to deceive him and to steal +from him what is his. The servant ought to tremble with fear when his +master calls or summons him. And whoever commits himself to Love owns +him as his lord and master, and is bound to do him reverence and fear +him much and honour him, if he wishes to be numbered in his court. Love +without alarm or fear is like a fire without flame or heat, day without +sun, comb without honey, summer without flowers, winter without frost, +sky without moon, and a book without letters. Such is my argument +in refutation, for where fear is absent love is not to be mentioned. +Whoever would love must needs feel fear, for otherwise he cannot be in +love. But let him fear only her whom he loves, and for her sake be brave +against all others. Then if he stands in awe of his lady-love Cliges +is guilty of nothing wrong. Even so, he would not have failed to speak +straightway with her of love, whatever the outcome might have been, had +it not been that she was his uncle's wife. This causes the festering of +his wound, and it torments and pains him the more because he dares not +utter what he fain would say. + +(Vv. 3915-3962.) Thus they make their way back to their own people, and +if they speak of anything it is nothing of much concern. Each seated on +a white horse, they rode rapidly toward the camp, which was plunged in +great sorrow. The whole army is beside itself with grief, but they are +altogether wrong in supposing Cliges to be dead: hence their bitter and +poignant grief. And for Fenice, too, they are in dismay, thinking never +to win her back again. Thus, for her and him the whole army is in great +distress. But soon upon their return the whole affair will change its +aspect; for now they have reached the camp again, and have quickly +changed the grief to joy. Joy returns and sorrow flees. All the troops +come together and sally forth to welcome them. The two emperors, upon +hearing the report about Cliges and the damsel, go to meet them with +joyful hearts, and each can hardly wait to hear how Cliges found and +recovered the empress. Cliges tells them, and, as they listen, they are +amazed and are loud in their praises of his courage and devotion. +But, for his part, the duke is furious, swearing and proclaiming his +determination to fight Cliges, if he dares, in single combat; and it +shall be agreed that if Cliges wins the battle the emperor shall proceed +unchallenged, and freely take the maiden with him, and if he should kill +or defeat Cliges, who had done him such injury, then let there be no +truce or stay to prevent each party from doing its best. This is what +the duke desires, and by an interpreter of his, who knew both the Greek +and the German tongues, he announces to the two emperors his desire thus +to arrange the battle. + +(Vv. 3963-4010.) The messenger delivered his message so well in both +languages that all could understand it. The entire army was in an +uproar, saying that may God forbid that Cliges ever engage in the +battle. Both emperors are in a fright, but Cliges throws himself at +their feet and begs them not to grieve, but if ever he did them any +favour, he prays them to grant him this battle as a guerdon and reward. +And if the right to fight should be denied him, then he will never again +serve for a single day his uncle's cause and honour. The emperor, who +loved his nephew as he should, raised him by the hand and said: "Fair +nephew, I am deeply grieved to know you are so keen to fight; for after +joy, sorrow is to be expected. [232] You have made me glad, I cannot +deny it; but it is hard for me to yield the point and send you forth to +this battle, when I see you still so young. And yet I know you to be +so confident of yourself that I dare not ever refuse anything that you +choose to ask of me. Be assured that, merely to gratify you, it should +be done; but if my request has any power, you would never assume this +task." "My lord, there is no need of further speech," said Cliges; "may +God damn me, if I would take the whole world, and miss this battle! I do +not know why I should seek from you any postponement or long delay." +The emperor weeps with pity, while Cliges sheds tears of joy when the +permission to fight is granted him. Many a tear was shed that day, and +no respite or delay was asked. Before the hour of prime, by the duke's +own messenger the challenge to battle was sent back to him accepted as +he had proposed. + +(Vv. 4011-4036.) The duke, who thinks and confidently trusts that Cliges +will be unable to stave off death and defeat at his hands, has himself +quickly armed. Cliges, who is anxious for the fight, feels no concern +as to how he shall defend himself. He asks the emperor for his arms, and +desires him to dub him a knight. So the emperor generously gives him his +arms, and he takes them, his heart being keen for the battle which he +anticipates with joy and eagerness. No time is lost in arming him. And +when he was armed from head to foot, the emperor, all sorrowing, girds +the sword upon his side. Thus Cliges completely armed mounts his white +Arab steed; from his neck he hangs by the straps an ivory shield, such +as will never break or split; and upon it there was neither colour nor +design. All his armour was white, and the steed, and the harness, too, +was all whiter than any snow. + +(Vv. 4037-4094.) Cliges and the duke, now being armed, summon each other +to meet half way, and they stipulate that their men shall take their +stand on either side, but without their swords and lances, under oath +and pledge that not a man will be so rash, so long as the battle lasts, +as to dare to move for any reason, any more than he would dare to pluck +out his own eye. When this had been agreed upon, they came together, +each yearning ardently for the glory he hopes to win and for the joy +of victory. But before a single blow was dealt, the empress has herself +borne thither, solicitous for Cliges' fate. It seems to her that if he +dies, she, too, must needs do so. No comfort can avail to keep her from +joining him in death, for, without him, life has no joys for her. When +all were gathered on the field--high and low, young and old--and the +guards had taken their place, then both seized their lances and rushed +together so savagely that they both broke their lances and fell to +the ground, unable to keep their saddles. But not being wounded, they +quickly get upon their feet and attack each other without delay. Upon +their resonant helmets they play such a tune with swords that it seems +to those who are looking on that the helmets are on fire and send forth +sparks. And when the swords rebound in air, gleaming sparks fly off +from them as from a smoking piece of iron which the smith beats upon his +anvil after, drawing it from the forge. Both of the vassals are generous +in dealing blows in great plenty, and each has the best of intentions +to repay quickly what he borrows; neither one holds back from repaying +promptly capital and interest, without accounting and without measure. +But the duke is much chagrined with anger and discomfiture when he fails +to defeat and slay Cliges in the first assault. Such a marvellously +great and mighty blow he deals him that he falls at his feet upon his +knee. + +(Vv. 4095-4138.) When this blow brought Cliges down, the emperor was +struck with fear, and would have been no more dismayed had he himself +been beneath the shield. Nor could Fenice in her fear longer contain +herself, whatever the effect might be, from crying: "God help him!" +as loud as she could. But that was the only word she uttered, for +straightway her voice failed her, and she fell forward upon her face, +which was somewhat wounded by the fall. Two high nobles raised her up +and supported her upon her feet until she returned to consciousness. +But in spite of her countenance, none who saw her guessed why she had +swooned. Not a man there blamed her, but rather praised her for her act, +for each one supposes that she would have done the same thing for him, +if he had been in Cliges' place, but in all this they are quite astray. +Cliges heard, and well understood, the sound of Fenice's cry. Her voice +restored his strength and courage, as he leaped up quickly, and came +with fury, toward the duke, so charging and attacking him that the duke +in turn was now dismayed. For now he found him more fierce for the +fray, stronger and more agile and energetic than when at first they came +together. And because he feared his onslaught, he cried: "Young man, so +help me God, I see thou art brave and very bold. If it were not for my +nephew now, whom I shall never more forget, I would gladly make peace +with thee, and leave thy quarrel without interfering in it more." + +(Vv. 4139-4236.) "Duke," says Cliges, "what is your pleasure now? Must +one not surrender his right when he is unable to recover it? When one of +two evils must be faced, one should choose the lesser one. Your nephew +was not wise to become angrily embroiled with me. You may be sure that +I shall treat you in like fashion, if I get the chance, unless you agree +to my terms of peace." The duke, to whom it seems that Cliges' vigour is +steadily growing, thinks that he had better desist in mid-career before +he is utterly undone. Nevertheless, he does not openly give in, but +says: "Young man, I see thou art skilful and alert and not lacking in +courage. But thou art yet too young; therefore I feel assured that if I +defeat and kill thee I shall gain no praise or fame, and I should never +like to confess in the hearing of a man of honour that I had fought with +thee, for I should but do thee honour, and myself win shame. But if thou +art aware of honour's worth, it will always be a glorious thing for thee +to have withstood me for two rounds at arms. So now my heart and feeling +bid me let thee have thy way, and no longer fight with thee." [233] +"Duke," says Cliges, "that will not do. In the hearing of all you must +repeat those words, for it shall never be said and noised abroad that +you let me off and had mercy on me. In the hearing of all those who are +gathered here, you must repeat your words, if you wish to be reconciled +with me." So the duke repeats his words in the hearing of all. Then they +make peace and are reconciled. But however the matter be regarded Cliges +had all the honour and glory of it, and the Greeks were greatly pleased. +For their part, the Saxons could not laugh, all of them having plainly +seen that their lord was worn out and exhausted just now; but there is +no doubt at all that, if he could have helped himself, this peace would +never have been made, and that Cliges' soul would have been drawn from +his body had it proven possible. The duke goes back to Saxony sorrowing, +downcast, and filled with shame; for of his men there are not even two +who do not regard him as worsted, defeated, and disgraced. The Saxons +with all their shame have now returned to Saxony, while the +Greeks without delay make their way with joy and gladness toward +Constantinople, for Cliges by his prowess has opened the way for them. +The emperor of Germany no longer follows and convoys them. Taking leave +of the Greek troops and of his daughter and Cliges, and finally of the +emperor, he stayed behind in Germany. And the emperor of the Greeks goes +off happily and in joyous mood. Cliges, brave and courteous, calls to +mind his sire's command. If his uncle, the emperor, will give him his +permission, he will go and ask him for leave to return to Britain and +there converse with his great-uncle, the King; for he is desirous of +seeing and knowing him. So he presents himself before the emperor, and +requests that he consent to let him go to Britain to see his uncle and +his friends. Gently he proffered his request. But his uncle refused, +when he had listened to the request he made. "Fair nephew," he said, "it +is not my will that you should wish to leave me. I shall never give you +without regret this permission to go away. For it is my pleasure and +desire that you should be my companion and lord, with me, of all my +empire." + +(Vv. 4237-4282.) Now Cliges hears something that does not suit him when +his uncle refuses the prayer and request he made. "Fair sire," said he, +"I am not brave and wise enough, nor would it be seemly for me to join +myself with you or any one else in the duty of governing this empire; I +am too young and inexperienced. They put gold to the test when they wish +to learn if it is fine. And so it is my wish, in brief, to try to prove +myself, wherever I can find the test. In Britain, if I am brave, I can +apply myself to the whetstone and to the real true test, whereby my +prowess shall be proved. In Britain are the gentlemen whom honour and +prowess distinguish. And he who wishes to win honour should associate +himself with them, for honour is won and gained by him who associates +with gentlemen. And so I ask you for leave to go, and you may be very +sure that if you do not grant me the boon and send me thither I shall go +without your leave." "Fair nephew, I will give you leave, seeing you +are so disposed that I cannot keep you back either by force or prayer +of mine. Now since prayer, prohibition, and force do not avail, may God +give you the desire and inclination promptly to return. I wish you to +take with you more than a bushel of gold and silver, and I will give for +your pleasure such horses as you may choose." He had no sooner spoken +than Cliges bowed before him. All that the emperor, mentioned and +promised him was straightway brought thither. + +(Vv. 4283-4574.) Cliges took all the money and companions that he +wished and needed. For his personal use he took four horses of different +colours: one white, one sorrel, one fallow red, and one black. But I +must have passed over something which it is not proper to omit. Cliges +goes to ask and obtain leave to depart from his sweetheart Fenice; for +he wishes to commend her to God's safe keeping. Coming before her, +he throws himself upon his knees, weeping so bitterly that the tears +moisten his tunic and ermine, the while keeping his eyes upon the +ground; for he dares not raise his eyes to her, as if he were guilty +of some crime and misdeed toward her, for which he seems overcome with +shame. And Fenice, who timidly and fearfully looks at him, does not know +the occasion of his coming, and speaks to him with difficulty. "Rise, +friend and fair sir! Sit here beside me, and weep no more, and tell me +what your pleasure is." "Lady, what shall I say, and what leave unsaid? +I come to ask your leave." "Leave? To do what?" "Lady, I must go off to +Britain." "Then tell me what your business is, before I give you leave +to go." "Lady, my father, before he departed this life and died, begged +me not to fail to go to Britain as soon as I should be made a knight. +I should not wish for any reason to disregard his command. I must not +falter until I have accomplished the journey. It is a long road from +here to Greece, and if I should go thither, the journey would be too +long from Constantinople to Britain. But it is right that I should ask +leave from you to whom I altogether belong." Many a covert sigh and sob +marked the separation. But the eyes of none were keen enough, nor the +ears of any sharp enough, to learn from what he saw and heard that there +was any love between these two. Cliges, in spite of the grief he felt, +took his leave at the first opportunity. He is full of thought as he +goes away, and so are the emperor and many others who stay behind. But +more than all the others, Fenice is pensive: she finds no bottom or +bound to the reflections which occupy her, so abundantly are her cares +multiplied. She was still oppressed with thought when she arrived in +Greece. There she was held in great honour as mistress and empress; but +her heart and mind belong to Cliges, wherever he goes, and she wishes +her heart never to return to her, unless it is brought back to her by +him who is perishing of the same disease with which he has smitten her. +If he should get well, she would recover too, but he will never be its +victim without her being so as well. Her trouble appears in her pale and +changed colour; for the fresh, clear, and radiant colour which Nature +had given her is now a stranger to her face. She often weeps and often +sighs. Little she cares for her empire and for the riches that are hers. +She always cherishes in her remembrance the hour when Cliges went away, +and the leave he took of her, how he changed colour and grew pale, and +how tearful his expression was, for he came to weep in her presence +humbly and simply upon his knees, as if constrained to worship her. +All this is sweet and pleasant for her to remember and think about. And +afterward, as a little treat, she takes on her tongue instead of spice +a sweet word which for all Greece she would not wish him to have used +contrary to the sense she had understood when he first had uttered +it; for she lives upon no other dainty, and there is nothing else that +pleases her. This word alone sustains and nourishes her, and assuages +all her pain. She cares to eat and drink of no other dish or beverage, +for when the two lovers came to part, Cliges had said he was "altogether +hers." This word is so sweet and tastes so good that from the tongue it +stirs her heart, and she takes it into her mouth and heart to be all the +more sure of it. Under any other lock she would not dare to store this +treasure. Nowhere could it be lodged so well as in her own bosom. She +will never leave it exposed at any price, being in such fear of robbers +and thieves. But there is no ground for her anxiety, and she need have +no fear of the birds of prey, for her treasure is not movable, but is +rather like a house which cannot be destroyed by fire or flood, but will +always stay fixed in a single place. But she feels no confidence in the +matter, so she worries and strives to find and hold some ground on which +to stand, interpreting the situation in divers ways. She both opposes +and defends her position, and engages in the following argument: "With +what intention should Cliges say 'I am altogether yours' unless it was +love that prompted him? What power can I have over him that he should +esteem me so highly as to make me the mistress of his heart? Is he not +more fair than I, and of higher rank than I? I see in it naught but +love, which could vouchsafe me such a boon. I, who cannot escape its +power, will prove by my own case that unless he loved me he would never +say that he was mine; unless love holds him in its toils, Cliges +could never say that he was mine any more than I could say that I was +altogether his unless love had put me in his hands. For if he loves me +not, at least he does not fear me. I hope that love which gives me to +him will in return give him to me. But now I am sore dismayed because it +is so trite a word, and I may simply be deceived, for many there be who +in flattering terms will say even to a total stranger, 'I and all that +I have are yours,' and they are more idle chatterers than the jays. So +I do not know what to think, for it might well turn out that he said it +just to flatter me. Yet I saw his colour change, and I saw him weeping +piteously. In my judgment, the tears and his face confused and pale were +not produced by treachery, nor were they the fruits of trickery. Those +eyes from which I saw tears roll down were not guilty of falsehood. +Signs enough of love I saw, if I know anything about it. Yes, in an +evil hour I thought of love; woe is me that I ever learned it, for the +experience has been bitter. Has it indeed? Yes, verily. I am dead when +I cannot see him who has stolen my heart away by his cajoling flattery, +because of which my heart leaves its dwelling, and will not abide with +me, hating my home and establishment. In truth I have been ill treated +by him who has my heart in his keeping. He who robs me and takes what is +mine cannot love me, of that I am sure. But am I sure? Why then did he +weep? Why? It was not in vain, for there was cause enough. I must not +assume that I was the cause of it, for one is always loath to leave +people whom one loves and knows. So it is not strange if he was sorry +and grieved and if he wept when he left some one whom he knew. But +he who gave him this advice to go and dwell in Britain could not have +smitten me more effectively. He is cut to the quick who loses his heart. +He who deserves it, should be treated ill; but I have never deserved +such treatment. Alas, unhappy one, why has Cliges killed me when I +am innocent? But I am unjust to accuse him thus without cause. Surely +Cliges would never have deserted me if his heart were like mine. I am +sure his heart is not like mine. And if my heart is lodged in his it +will never draw away, and his will never part from mine, for my heart +follows him secretly: they have formed such a goodly company. But, after +all, to tell the truth, they are very different and contrary. How are +they different and contrary? Why, his is the master and mine the slave; +and the slave can have no will of his own, but only do his master's will +and forsake all other affairs. But what reference has that to me? My +heart and service are no concern to him. This arrangement distresses +me, that one is master of us both. Why is not my heart as independent +as his? Then their power would be equalised. My heart is now a prisoner, +unable to move itself unless his moves as well. And whether his heart +wanders or stays still, mine must needs prepare to follow him in his +train. God! why are our bodies not so near one another that I could +in some way bring back my heart! Bring back? Foolish one, if I should +remove it from its joy I should be the death of it. Let it stay there! +I have no desire to dislodge it, but rather wish that it tarry with its +lord until he feel some pity for it. For rather over there than here +ought he to have mercy on his servant, because they are both in a +foreign land. If my heart knows well the language of flattery, as is +necessary for the courtier, it will be rich ere it comes back. Whoever +wishes to stand in the good graces of his lord and sit beside him on his +right, to be in the fashion now-a-days, must remove the feather from +his head, even when there is none there. But there is one bad feature of +this practice: while he is smoothing down his master, who is filled +with evil and villainy, he will never be so courteous as to tell him the +truth; rather he makes him think and believe that no one could compare +with him in prowess and in knowledge, and the master thinks that he is +speaking the truth. That man does not know himself who takes another's +word about qualities which he does not possess. For even if he is a +wicked and insolent wretch, and as cowardly as a hare, mean, crazy, and +misshapen, and a villain both in word and deed--yet some man will praise +him to his face who behind his back will mock at him. But when in his +hearing he speaks of him to some other, he praises him, while his lord +pretends not to hear what they say between themselves; if, however, he +thought that he would not be heard, he would say something his master +would not like. And if his master is pleased to lie, the servant is all +ready with his consent, and will never be backward in averring that all +his master says is true. He who frequents courts and lords must ever be +ready with a lie. So, too, must my heart do if it would find favour with +its lord. Let it flatter and be obsequious. But Cliges is such a knight, +so fair, so open, and so loyal, that my heart, in praising him, +need never be false or perfidious, for in him there is nothing to be +improved. Therefore I wish my heart to serve him, for, as the people's +proverb runs, 'He who serves a noble man is bad indeed if he does not +improve in his company.'" + +(Vv. 4575-4628.) Thus love harrows Fenice. But this torment is her +delight, of which she can never grow weary. And Cliges now has crossed +the sea and come to Wallingford. There he took expensive quarters in +great state. But his thoughts are always of Fenice, not forgetting her +for a single hour. While he delays and tarries there, his men, acting +under his instructions, made diligent inquiries. They were informed that +King Arthur's barons and the King in person had appointed a tourney to +be held in the plain before Oxford, which lies close to Wallingford. +[234] There the struggle was arranged, and it was to last four days. But +Cliges will have abundant time to prepare himself if in the meantime +he needs anything, for more than a fortnight must elapse before the +tournament begins. He orders three of his squires to go quickly to +London and there buy three different sets of arms, one black, another +red, the third green, and that on the way back each shall be kept +covered with new cloth, so that if any one should meet them on the road +he may not know the colour of the arms they carry. The squires start at +once and come to London, where they find available everything they need. +Having finished this errand, they return at once without losing any +time. When the arms they had brought were shown to Cliges he was +well pleased with them. He ordered them to be set away and concealed, +together with those which the emperor had given him by the Danube, when +he knighted him. I do not choose to tell you now why he had them stored +away; but it will be explained to you when all the high barons of the +land are mounted on their steeds and assemble in search of fame. + +(Vv. 4629-4726.) On the day which had been agreed upon, the nobles of +renown came together. King Arthur, with all his men whom he had selected +from among the best, took up his position at Oxford, while most of the +knights ranged themselves near Wallingford. Do not expect me to delay +the story and tell you that such and such kings and counts were there, +and that this, that, and the other were of the number. [235] When the +time came for the knights to gather, in accordance with the custom +of those days, there came forth alone between two lines one of King +Arthur's most valiant knights to announce that the tourney should begin. +But in this case no one dares to advance and confront him for the joust. +There is none who does not hold back. And there are some who ask: "Why +do these knights of ours delay, without stepping forward from the ranks? +Some one will surely soon begin." And the others make reply: "Don't you +see, then, what an adversary yonder party has sent against us? Any one +who does not know should learn that he is a pillar, [236] able to stand +beside the best three in the world." "Who is he, then?" "Why, don't +you see? It is Sagremor the Wild." "Is it he?" "It surely is." Cliges +listens and hears what they say, as he sits on his horse Morel, clad +in armour blacker than a mulberry: for all his armour was black. As he +emerges from the ranks and spurs Morel free of the crowd, there is not +one, upon seeing him, but exclaims to his neighbour: "That fellow rides +well lance in rest; he is a very, skilful knight and carries his arms +right handily; his shield fits well about his neck. But he must be a +fool to undertake of his own free will to joust with one of the most +valiant knights to be found in all the land. Who can he be? Where was +he born? Who knows him here?" "Not I." "Nor I." "There is not a flake +of snow on him; but all his armour is blacker far than the cloak of any +monk or prior." While thus they talk, the two contestants give their +horses rein without delay, for they are very eager and keen to come +together in the fight. Cliges strikes him so that he crushes the shield +against his arm, and the arm against his body, whereupon Sagremor falls +full length. Cliges goes unerringly and bids him declare himself his +prisoner, which Sagremor does at once. Now the tourney is fairly begun, +and adversaries meet in rivalry. Cliges rushes about the field, seeking +adversaries with whom to joust, but not a knight presents himself whom +he does not cast down or take prisoner. He excels in glory, all the +knights on either side, for wherever he goes to battle, there the fight +is quickly ended. That man may be considered brave who holds his ground +to joust with him, for it is more credit to dare face him than it is to +defeat another knight. And if Cliges leads him away prisoner, for this +at least he gains renown that he dared to wait and fight with him. +Cliges wins the fame and glory of all the tournament. When evening came, +he secretly repaired to his lodging-place in order that none might have +any words with him. And lest any one should seek the house where the +black arms are displayed, he puts them away in a room in order that no +one may find them or see them, and he hangs up his green arms at the +street-door, where they will be in evidence, and where passers-by will +see them. And if any one asks and inquires where his lodging is, he +cannot learn when he sees no sign of the black shield for which he +seeks. + +(Vv. 4727-4758.) By this ruse Cliges remains hidden in the town. And +those who were his prisoners went from one end of the town to the other +asking for the black knight, but none could give them any information. +Even King Arthur himself has search made up and down for him; but there +is only one answer: "We have not seen him since we left the lists, and +do not know what became of him." More than twenty young men seek him, +whom the King sent out; but Cliges so successfully concealed himself +that they cannot find a trace of him. King Arthur is filled with +astonishment when he is informed that no one of high or low degree +can point out his lodging-place, any more than if he were in Caesarea, +Toledo, or Crete. "Upon my word," he says, "I know not what they may +say, but to me this seems a marvellous thing. Perchance it was a phantom +that appeared in our midst. Many a knight has been unhorsed, and noble +men have pledged faith to one whose house they cannot find, or even his +country or locality; each of these men perforce must fail to keep his +pledge." Thus the King spoke his mind, but he might as well have held +his peace. + +(Vv. 4759-4950.) That evening among all the barons there was much talk +of the black knight, for indeed they spoke of nothing else. The next +day they armed themselves again without summons and without request. +Lancelot of the Lake, in whom there is no lack of courage, rides forth +with lance upright to await a contestant in the first joust. Here comes +Cliges tiding fast, greener than the grass of the field, and mounted on +a fallow red steed, carrying its mane on the right-hand side. Wherever +Cliges spurs the horse, there is no one, either with hair or without, +who does not look at him amazed and exclaim to his neighbour on either +side: "This knight is in all respects more graceful and skilful than the +one who yesterday wore the black arms, just as a pine is more beautiful +than a white beech, and the laurel than the elder-bush. As yet we know +not who yesterday's victor was; but we shall know to-night who this man +is." Each one makes reply: "I don't know him, nor did I ever see him, +that I am aware. But he is fairer than he who fought yesterday, and +fairer than Lancelot of the Lake. If this man rode armed in a bag and +Lancelot in silver and gold, this man would still be fairer than he." +Thus they all take Cliges' part. And the two champions drive their +steeds together with all the force of spur. Cliges gives him such a blow +upon the golden shield with the lion portrayed thereon that he knocks +him down from his saddle and stands over him to receive his surrender. +For Lancelot there was no help; so he admitted himself his prisoner. +Then the noise began afresh with the shock of breaking lances. Those who +are on Cliges' side place all their confidence in him. For of those whom +he challenges and strikes, there is none so strong but must fall from +his horse to earth. That day Cliges did so well, and unhorsed and took +captive so many knights, that he gave double the satisfaction to his +side, and won for himself twice the glory that he had gained on the +preceding day. When evening came, he betook himself as fast as he could +to his lodging-place, and quickly ordered out the vermilion shield and +his other arms, while he ordered the arms which he had worn that day to +be laid away: the host carefully put them aside. Again that evening the +knights whom he had captured sought for him, but without hearing any +news of him. In their lodging-places, most of those who speak of him do +so with praise and admiration. The next day the gay and doughty knights +return to the contest. From the Oxford side comes forth a vassal of +great renown--his name was Perceval of Wales. As soon as Cliges saw him +start, and learned certainly who it was, when he had heard the name of +Perceval he was very anxious to contest with him. He issued straightway +from the ranks upon a Spanish sorrel steed, and completely clad in +vermilion armour. Then all gaze at him, wondering more than ever +before, and saying that they had never seen so perfect a knight. And +the contestants without delay spur forward until their mighty blows land +upon their shields. The lances, though they were short and stout, bend +until they look like hoops. In the sight of all who were looking on, +Cliges struck Perceval so hard that he knocked him from his horse and +made him surrender without a long struggle or much ado. When Perceval +had pledged his word then the joust began again, and the engagement +became general. Every knight whom Cliges meets he forces to earth. He +did not quit the lists that day even for a single hour, while all the +others struck at him as at a tower--individually, of course, and not +in groups of two or three, for such was not the custom then. Upon his +shield, as upon an anvil, the others strike and pound, splitting and +hewing it to bits. But every one who strikes him there, he pays back by +casting him from his stirrups and saddle; and no one, unless he wished +to lie, could fail to say when the jousting ceased that the knight with +the red shield had won all the glory on that day. And all the best and +most courtly knights would fain have made his acquaintance. But their +desire was not felt before he had departed secretly, seeing the sun +already set; and he had his vermilion shield and all his other harness +removed, and ordered his white arms to be brought out, in which he had +first been dubbed a knight, while the other arms and the steeds were +fastened outside by the door. Those who notice this realise and exclaim +that they have all been defeated and undone by one single man; for each +day he has disguised himself with a different horse and set of armour, +thus seeming to change his identity; for the first time now they noticed +this. And my lord Gawain proclaimed that he never saw such a champion, +and therefore he wished to make his acquaintance and learn his name, +announcing that on the morrow he himself will be the first at the rally +of the knights. Yet, withal, he makes no boast; on the other hand, +he says that he fully expects the stranger knight will have all the +advantage with the lance; but it may be that with the sword he will not +be his superior (for with the sword Gawain had no master). Now it is +Gawain's desire to measure his strength on the morrow with this strange +knight who changes every day his arms, as well as his horse and harness. +His moultings will soon be numerous if he continues thus each day, as +is his custom, to discard his old and assume new plumage. Thus, when he +thought of the sword and the lance respectively. Gawain disparaged and +esteemed highly the prowess of his foe. The next day he sees Cliges come +back whiter than the fleur-delis, his shield grasped tight by the inside +straps and seated on his white Arab steed, as he had planned the +night before. Gawain, brave and illustrious, seeks no repose on the +battleground, but spurs and rides forward, endeavouring as best he may +to win honour in the fray, if he can find an opponent. In a moment they +will both be on the field. For Cliges had no desire to hold back when he +overheard the words of the men who said: "There goes Gawain, who is no +weakling either on foot or ahorse. He is a man whom no one will attack." +When Cliges hears these words, he rushes toward him in mid-field; they +both advance and come together with a swifter leap than that of the +stag who hears the sound of the dogs as they come baying after him. The +lances are thrust at the shields, and the blows produce such havoc that +the lances split, crack and break clear down to the butt-end, and the +saddle-bows behind give away, and the girths and breast-straps snap. +Both come to earth at once and draw their naked swords, while the others +gather round to watch the battle. Then King Arthur stepped forward to +separate them and establish peace. But before the truce was sworn, the +white hauberks were badly torn and rent apart, the shields were cracked +and hewed to bits, and the helmets crushed. + +(Vv. 4951-5040.) The King viewed them with pleasure for a while, as did +many others who said that they esteemed the white knight's deeds of arms +no less than those of my lord Gawain, and they were not ready yet to say +which was the better and which the worse, nor which was likely to win, +if they had been allowed to fight to a finish; but it did not please the +King to let them do more than they had done. So he stepped forward to +separate them, saying: "Stop now! Woe if another blow be struck! Make +peace now, and be good friends. Fair nephew Gawain, I make this request +of you; for without resentment and hate it is not becoming for a +gentleman to continue to fight and defy his foe. But if this knight +would consent to come to my court and join our sport it would not be +to his sorrow or hurt. Nephew, make this request of him." "Gladly, my +lord." Cliges has no desire to refuse, and gladly consents to go when +the tourney is concluded. For now he has more than sufficiently carried +out the injunction of his father. And the King says he has no desire +that the tournament shall last too long, and that they can afford to +stop at once. So the knights drew off, according to the wish and order +of the King. Now that he is to follow in the royal suite, Cliges sends +for all his armour. As soon as he can, he comes to court; but first, +he completely changed his gear, and came dressed in the style of the +French. As soon as he arrived at court, all ran to meet him without +delay, making such joy and festival that never was there greater seen, +and all those call him lord whom he had captured in the joust; but he +would hear none of this, and said they might all go free, if they were +quite sure and satisfied that it was he who had captured them. And there +was not one who did not cry: "You were the man; we are sure of that! We +value highly your acquaintance, and we ought to love and esteem you +and call you our lord, for none of us can equal you. Just as the sun +outshines the little stars, so that their light cannot be seen in the +sky when the sun's rays appear, so is our prowess extinguished and +abased in the presence of yours, though ours too was once famous in +the world." Cliges knows not what to reply, for in his opinion they all +praise him more than he deserves; it pleases him, but he feels ashamed, +and the blood rises in his face, revealing to all his modesty. Escorting +him into the middle of the hall, they led him to the King, where all +ceased their words of compliment and praise. The time for the meal had +come, and those whose duty it was hastened to set the tables. The tables +in the hall were quickly spread, then while some took the towels, and +others held the basins, they offered water to all who came. When all had +washed, they took their seats. And the King, taking Cliges by the hand, +made him sit down in front of him, for he wished to learn this very day, +if possible, who he was. Of the meal I need not further speak, for the +courses were as well supplied as if beef were selling at a penny. + +(Vv. 5041-5114.) When all the courses had been served, the King no +longer held his peace. "My friend," he says, "I wish to learn if it +was from pride that you did not deign to come to court as soon as you +arrived in this country, and why you kept aloof from people, and why +you changed your arms; and tell me what your name is, too, and from what +race you spring." Cliges replies: "It shall not be hid." He told and +related to the King everything he wished to know. And when the King had +heard it all, he embraced him, and made much of him, while all joined in +greeting him. And when my lord Gawain learned the truth, he, more than +the others, cordially welcomed him. Thus, all unite in saluting him, +saying that he is very fair and brave. The King loves and honours him +above all his nephews. Cliges tarries with the King until the summer +comes around, in the meantime visiting all Brittany, France, and +Normandy, where he did so many knightly deeds that he thoroughly proved +his worth. But the love whose wound he bears gives him no peace or +relief. The inclination of his heart keeps him fixed upon a single +thought. To Fenice his thought harks back, who from afar afflicts his +heart. The desire takes him to go back; for he has been deprived too +long of the sight of the most desired lady who was ever desired by +any one. He will not prolong this privation, but prepares to return to +Greece, and sets out, after taking leave. The King and my lord Gawain +were grieved, I can well believe, when they could no longer detain him. +But he is anxious to return to her whom he loves and so covets that the +way seems long to him as he passes over land and sea: so ardently he +longs for the sight of her who has stolen and filched Iris heart away. +But she makes him recompense in full; for she pays him, as it were rent, +the coin of her own heart, which is no less dear to her. But he is by no +means sure of that, having no contract or agreement to show; wherefore +his anxiety is great. And she is in just as great distress, harried +and tormented by love, taking no pleasure in aught she sees since that +moment when she saw him last. The fact that she does not even know +whether he be alive or not fills her heart with anguish. But Cliges +draws nearer day by day, being fortunate in having favourable winds, +until he joyfully comes to port before Constantinople. When the news +reached the city, none need ask if the emperor was glad; but a hundred +times greater was the empress's joy. + +(Vv. 5115-5156.) Cliges, with his company, having landed at +Constantinople, has now returned to Greece. The richest and most noble +men all come to meet him at the port. And when the emperor encounters +him, who before all others had gone to meet him with the empress by his +side, he runs to embrace and greet him in the presence of them all. And +when Fenice welcomes him, each changes colour in the other's presence, +and it is indeed a marvel, when they are so close together, how they +keep from embracing each other and bestowing such kisses as love would +have; but that would have been folly and madness. The people come +together from all sides with the desire to see him, and conduct him +through the city, some on foot and some on horseback, until they bring +him to the imperial palace. No words can ever tell the joy and honour +and courteous service that were there displayed. But each one strove as +best he might to do everything which he thought would please and gratify +Cliges. And his uncle hands over to him all his possessions, except the +crown: he wishes him to gratify his pleasure fully, and to take all he +desires of his wealth, either in the form of land or treasure. But +he has no care for silver or gold, so long as he dares not reveal his +thoughts to her because of whom he can find no repose; and yet he has +plenty of time and opportunity to speak, if he were not afraid of +being repelled; for now he can see her every day, and sit beside her +"tete-a-tete" without opposition or hindrance, for no one sees any harm +in that. + +(Vv. 5157-5280.) Some time after his return, he came alone one day to +the room of her who was not his enemy, and you may be sure that the door +was not barred at his approach. By her side he took his seat, while the +others moved away, so that no one might be seated near them and hear +their words. First, Fenice spoke of Britain, and asked him about the +character and appearance of my lord Gawain, until her words finally hit +upon the subject which filled her with dread. She asked him if he +had given his love to any dame or damsel in that land. Cliges was not +obstinate or slow to respond to this demand, but he knew at once what +reply to make as soon as she had put the question. "Lady," he says, "I +was in love while there, but not with any one of that land. In Britain +my body was without my heart, as a piece of bark without the wood. Since +leaving Germany I have not known what became of my heart, except that it +came here after you. My heart was here, and my body was there. I was not +really away from Greece; for hither my heart had come, for which I now +have come back again; yet, it does not return to its lodging-place, +nor can I draw it back to me, nor do I wish to do so, if I could. And +you--how has it fared with you, since you came to this country? What joy +have you had here? Do you like the people, do you like the land? I ought +not to ask you any other question than whether the country pleases you." +"It has not pleased me until now; but at present I feel a certain joy +and satisfaction, which, you may be sure, I would not lose for Pavia or +Piacenza. From this joy I cannot wrest my heart, nor shall I ever use +force in the attempt. Nothing but the bark is left in me, for I live and +exist without a heart. I have never been in Britain, and yet without +me my heart has been engaged in business there I know not what." "Lady, +when was it that your heart was there? Tell me when it went thither--the +time and season--if it be a thing that you can fairly tell me or any one +else. Was it there while I was there?" "Yes, but you were not aware of +it. It was there as long as you were, and came away again with you." +"God! I never saw it, nor knew it was there. God! why did I not know it? +If I had been informed of this, surely, my lady, I would have borne it +pleasant company." "You would have repaid me with the consolation which +you really owed to me, for I should have been very gracious to your +heart if it had been pleased to come where it might have known I was." +"Lady, surely it came to you." "To me? Then it came to no strange place, +for mine also went to you." "Then, lady, according to what you say, our +hearts are here with us now, for my heart is altogether in your hands." +"You in turn have mine, my friend; so we are in perfect accord. And you +may be sure, so help me God, that your uncle has never shared in me, for +it was not my pleasure, and he could not. Never has he yet known me +as Adam knew his wife. In error I am called a wife; but I am sure that +whoever calls me wife does not know that I am still a maid. Even your +uncle is not aware of it, for, having drunk of the sleeping potion, he +thinks he is awake when he is asleep, and he fancies he has his sport +with me while I lie in his embrace. But his exclusion has been complete. +My heart is yours, and my body too, and from me no one shall ever +learn how to practise villainy. For when my heart went over to you it +presented you with the body too, and it made a pledge that none other +should ever share in it. Love for you has wounded me so deep that I +should never recover from it, any more than the sea can dry up. If I +love you, and you love me, you shall never be called Tristan, nor I +Iseut; [237] for then our love would not be honourable. But I make you +this promise, that you shall never have other joy of me than that you +now have, unless you can devise some means whereby I can be removed from +your uncle and his society without his finding me again, or being able +to blame either you or me, or having any ground for accusation. And +to-morrow you shall tell me of the best plan you have devised, and I, +too, will think of it. To-morrow, as soon as I arise, come and speak +with me; then each of us will speak his mind, and we shall proceed to +execute whatever seems best." + +(Vv. 5281-5400.) As soon as Cliges heard her will be fully agreed with +her, and said that would be the best thing to do. He leaves her happy, +and goes off with a light heart himself. That night each one lies awake +thinking over, with great delight, what the best plan will be. The next +morning, as soon as they had arisen, they meet again to take counsel +privately, as indeed they must. Cliges speaks first and says what he +had thought of in the night: "My lady," says he, "I think, and am of +the opinion, that we could not do better than go to Britain; I thought I +might take you there; now do not refuse, for never was Helen so joyfully +received at Troy when Paris took her thither but that still greater joy +would be felt over you and me in the land of the King, my uncle. And if +this plan does not meet with your favour, tell me what you think, for +I am ready, whatever may happen, to abide by your decision." And she +replies: "This is my answer: I will never go off with you thus; for +after we had gone away, every one would speak of us as they do of Iseut +the Blond and of Tristan. And everywhere all men and women would speak +evil of our love. No one would believe, nor is it natural that they +should do so, the truth of the matter. Who would believe that I have +thus, all to no purpose, evaded and escaped from your uncle still a +maid? I should be regarded simply as wanton and dissolute, and you would +be thought mad. It is well to remember and observe the injunction of St. +Paul: if any one is unwilling to live chaste, St. Paul counsels him to +act so that he shall receive no criticism, or blame, or reproach. [238] +It is well to stop evil mouths, and therefore, if you agree, I have +a proposal to make: it seems best to me to consent to feign that I am +dead. I shall fall sick in a little while. And you in the meantime may +plan some preparations for a place of burial. Put all your wits to work +to the end that a sepulchre and bier be so constructed that I shall not +die in it, or be stifled, and that no one shall mount guard over it at +night when you come to take me out. So now seek such a retreat for me, +where no one may see me excepting you; and let no one provide for any +need of mine except you, to whom I surrender and give myself. Never, my +whole life long, do I wish to be served by other man than you. My lord +and my servant you shall be; whatever you do shall seem good to me; and +never shall I be mistress of any empire unless you are its master. Any +wretched place, however dark and foul, will seem brighter to me than +all these halls if you are with me. If I have you where I can see you, +I shall be mistress of boundless treasure, and the world will belong to +me. And if the business is carefully managed, no harm will come of it, +and no one will ever be able to speak ill of it, for it will be believed +throughout the empire that I am mouldering in the ground. My maid, +Thessala, who has been my nurse, and in whom I have great confidence, +will give me faithful aid, for she is very clever, and I trust her +fully." And Cliges, when he heard his sweetheart, replies: "My lady, if +this is feasible, and if you think your nurse's advice reliable, we have +nothing to do but make our preparations without delay; but if we commit +any imprudence, we are lost without escape. In this city there is an +artisan who cuts and carves wonderful images: there is no land where he +is not known for the figures which he has shapen and carved and made. +John is his name, and he is a serf of mine. No one could cope with +John's best efforts in any art, however varied it might be. For, +compared with him, they are all novices, and like a child with nurse. +By imitating his handiwork the artisans of Antioch and Rome have learned +all they know how to do--and besides there is no more loyal man. Now I +want to make a test, and if I can put trust in him I will set him and +all his descendants free; and I shall not fail to tell him of all +our plan if he will swear and give his word to me that he will aid me +loyally, and will never divulge my secret." + +(Vv. 5401-5466.) And she replies: "So let it be." With her permission +Cliges left the room and went away. And she sends for Thessala, her +maid, whom she brought with her from her native land. Thessala came at +once without delay, yet not knowing why she was summoned. When she asked +Fenice privately what was her desire and pleasure, she concealed none +of her intentions from her. "Nurse," she said, "I know full well that +anything I tell you will go no further, for I have tried you thoroughly +and have found you very prudent. I love you for all you have done +for me. In all my troubles I appeal to you without seeking counsel +elsewhere. You know why I lie awake, and what my thoughts and wishes +are. My eyes behold only one object which pleases me, but I can have no +pleasure or joy in it if I do not first buy it with a heavy price. For I +have now found my peer; and if I love him he loves me in return, and if +I grieve he grieves too for my pain and sorrow. Now I must acquaint you +with a plan and project upon which we two have privately agreed." Then +she told and explained to her how she was willing to feign illness, and +would complain so bitterly that at last she would pretend to be dead, +and how Cliges would steal her away at night, and then they would be +together all their days. She thinks that in no other way she could +longer bear to live. But if she was sure that she would consent to lend +her aid, the matter would be arranged in accordance with their wishes. +"But I am tired of waiting for my joy and luck." Then her nurse assured +her that she would help her in every way, telling her to have no further +fear. She said that as soon as she set to work she would bring it about +that there would be no man, upon seeing her, who would not certainly +believe that the soul had left the body after she had drunk of a potion +which would leave her cold, colourless, pale, and stiff, without power +of speech and deprived of health; yet she would be alive and well, and +would have no sensations of any kind, and would be none the worse for a +day and a night entire spent in the sepulchre and bier. [239] + +(Vv. 5467-5554.) When Fenice heard these words, she thus spoke in reply: +"Nurse, I commit myself to you, and, with full confidence in you, will +take no steps in my own behalf. I am in your hands; so think of my +interests, and tell all the people who are here to betake themselves +away, for I am ill, and they bother me." So, like a prudent woman, she +said to them: "My lords, my lady is not well, and desires you all to +go away. You are talking loud and making a noise, and the noise is +disagreeable to her. She can get no rest or repose so long as you are in +the room. I never remember her to have complained of such a sickness +as this so violent and serious does it seem. So go away, and don't feel +hurt." As soon as she had issued this command, they all quickly go away. +And Cliges sent for John to come quickly, and thus in private spoke to +him: "John, dost thou know what I am about to say? Thou art my slave and +I thy master, and I can give away or sell thy body like a thing which is +my own. But if I could trust thee in an affair I meditate, thou wouldst +go for ever free, as well as the heirs which may be born of thee." John, +in his desire for freedom, replies at once: "My lord, there is nothing +I would not gladly do to see myself, my wife, and children free. Tell me +what your orders are, for nothing can be so hard as to cause me any +work or pain or be hard for me to execute. For that matter, even were +it against my will, I must needs obey your commands and give up my own +affairs." "True, John; but this is a matter of which I hardly dare to +speak, unless thou wilt assure me upon thy oath thou wilt faithfully +give me aid and never betray me." "Willingly, sire," John makes reply: +"have never a fear on that account! For I will swear and pledge my word +that, so long as I live, I will never say a word which I think will +grieve you or cause you harm." "Ah John, even were I to die for it, +there is no man to whom I would dare mention the matter in which I +desire thy counsel; I would rather have my eye plucked out; I would +rather be put to death by thee than that thou shouldst speak of it to +another man. But I hold thee to be so loyal and prudent that I will +reveal to thee all my thought. I am sure thou wilt observe my wishes, +both by aiding me and holding thy peace." "Truly, sire so, help me God!" +Then Cliges speaks and explains to him openly the adventurous plan. +And when he had revealed the project--as you have heard me set it +forth--then John said that he would promise to construct the sepulchre +in accordance with his best skill, and said that he would take him to +see a certain house of his which no one yet had ever seen--not even his +wife or any child of his. This house, which he had built, he would show +him, if he cared to go with him to the place where in absolute privacy +he works and paints and carves. He would show him the finest and +prettiest place that he had ever seen. Cliges replies: "Let us go +thither then." + +(Vv. 5555-5662.) Below the city, in a remote spot, John had expended +much labour in the construction of a tower. Thither he conducted Cliges, +leading him through the different storeys, which were decorated with +fine painted pictures. He shows him the rooms and the fire-places, +taking him everywhere up and down. Cliges examines this lonely house +where no one lives or has access. He passes from one room to another, +until he thinks he has seen it all, and he is much pleased with the +tower and says he thinks it is very fine. The lady will be comfortable +there as long as she lives, for no one will know of her dwelling place. +"No sire, you are right; she will never be discovered here. But do you +think you have seen all of my tower and fair retreat? There still remain +rooms so concealed that no man could ever find them out. And if you +choose to test the truth of this by investigating as thoroughly as you +can, you can never be so shrewd and clever in your search as to find +another story here, unless I show you and point it out. You must know +that baths are not lacking here, nor anything else which a lady needs, +and which I can think of or recall. The lady will be here at her ease. +Below the level of the ground the tower widens out, as you will see, +and you cannot anywhere find any entrance-door. The door is made of hard +stone with such skill and art that you cannot find the crack." Cliges +says: "These are wonderful things I hear. Lead on and I will follow you, +for I am anxious to see all this." Then John started on, taking Cliges +by the hand, until he came to a smooth and polished door, all coloured +and painted over. When John came to the wall, he stopped, holding Cliges +by the right hand. "Sire," he says, "there is no one who could see a +window or a door in this wall; and do you think that any one could pass +through it without using violence and breaking it down?" And Cliges +replies that he does not think so, and that he will never think so, +unless he sees it first. Then John says that he shall see it at once, +and that he will open a door in the wall for him. John, who constructed +this piece of work, unfastens the door in the wall and opens it for him, +so that he has to use no strength or violence to force it; then, one +stepping before the other, they descend by a winding-stair to a vaulted +apartment where John used to do his work, when it pleased him to labour +at anything. "Sire," he says, "of all the men God ever made, no one but +us two has ever been where we are now. And you shall see presently +how convenient the place is. My advice is that you choose this as your +retreat, and that your sweetheart be lodged here. These quarters are +good enough for such a guest; for there are bedrooms, and bathrooms +with hot water in the tubs, which comes through pipes under the ground. +Whoever is looking for a comfortable place in which to establish and +conceal his lady, would have to go a long way before he would find +anything so charming. When you shall have explored it thoroughly you +will find this place very suitable." Then John showed him everything, +fine chambers and painted vaults, pointing out many examples of his +work which pleased Cliges much. When they had examined the whole tower, +Cliges said: "John, my friend, I set you free and all your descendants, +and my life is absolutely in your hands. I desire that my sweetheart be +here all alone, and that no one shall know of it excepting me and you +and her." John makes answer: "I thank you, sire. Now we have been here +long enough, and as we have nothing more to do, let us return." "That is +right," says Cliges, "let us be gone." Then they go away, and leave the +tower. Upon their return they hear every one in the city saying to +his neighbour: "Don't you know the marvellous news about my lady, the +empress? May the Holy Spirit give her health--the gentle and prudent +lady; for she lies sick of a grievous malady." + +(Vv. 5663-5698.) When Cliges heard this talk he went in haste to the +court. But there was no joy or gladness there: for all the people were +sad and prostrated because of the empress, who is only feigning to be +ill; for the illness of which she complains causes her no grief or pain. +But she has told them all that she wishes no one to enter her room so +long as her sickness maintains its grip with its accompanying pains in +her heart and head. She makes an exception, however, in favour of the +emperor and his nephew, not wishing to place a ban upon them; but she +will not care if the emperor, her lord, does not come. For Cliges' sake +she is compelled to pass through great pain and peril. It distresses +her that he does not come, for she has no desire to see any one but him. +Cliges, however, will soon be there, to tell her of what he has seen and +found. He came into the room and spoke to her, but stayed only a moment, +for Fenice, in order that they might think she was annoyed by what +pleased her so, cried out aloud: "Be gone, be gone! You disturb and +bother me too much, for I am so seriously ill that I shall never rise up +again." Cliges, though pleased with this, goes away with a sad face: you +would never see so woeful a countenance. To judge from his appearance he +is very sad; but within his heart is gay in anticipation of its joy. + +(Vv. 5699-5718.) The empress, without being really ill, complains and +pretends that she is sick. And the emperor, who has faith in her, ceases +not to grieve, and summons a physician. But she will not allow any one +to see her or touch her. The emperor may well feel chagrined when she +says that she will never have but one doctor, who can easily restore her +to health whenever it pleases him to do so. He can cause her to die or +to live, and to him she trusts her health and life. They think that she +refers to God; but her meaning is very different, for she is thinking +of no one but Cliges. He is her god who can bring her health, or who can +cause her death. + +(Vv. 5719-5814.) Thus the empress takes care that no physician shall +examine her; and more completely to deceive the emperor she refuses to +eat or drink, until she grows all pale and blue. Meanwhile her nurse +keeps busy about her, and with great shrewdness sought privily all +through the city, without the knowledge of any one, until she found a +woman who was hopelessly ill with a mortal disease. In order to perfect +her ruse she used to go to see her often and promised to cure her of her +illness; so each day she used to take a urinal in which to examine the +urine, until she saw one day that no medicine could ever be of any help, +and that she would die that very day. This urine Thessala carried off +and kept until the emperor arose, when she went to him and said: "If now +it be your will, my lord, send for all your physicians; for my mistress +has passed some water; she is very ill with this disease, and she +desires the doctors to see it, but she does not wish them to come where +she is." The doctors came into the hall and found upon examination that +the urine was very bad and colourless, and each one said what he thought +about it. Finally, they all agreed that she would never recover, and +that she would scarcely live till three o'clock, when, at the latest, +God would take her soul to Himself. This conclusion they reached +privately, when the emperor asked and conjured them to tell him the +truth. They reply that they have no confidence in her recovery, and that +she cannot live past three o'clock but will yield up her soul before +that time. When the emperor heard this, he almost fell unconscious to +the floor, as well as many others who heard the news. Never did any +people make such moan as there was then throughout the palace. However, +I will speak no further of their grief; but you shall hear of Thessala's +activities--how she mixes and brews the potion. She mixed and stirred it +up, for she had provided herself a long time in advance with everything +which she would need for the potion. A little before three o'clock she +gives her the potion to drink. At once her sight became dimmed, her face +grew as pale and white as if she had lost her blood: she could not have +moved a foot or hand, if they had flayed her alive, and she does not +stir or say a word, although she perceives and hears the emperor's grief +and the cries which fill the hall. The weeping crowds lament through all +the city, saying: "God! what woe and misfortune has been brought upon us +by wicked death! O covetous and voracious death! Death is worse than a +she-wolf which always remains insatiable. Such a cruel bite thou hast +never inflicted upon the world! Death, what hast thou done? May God +confound thee for having put out the light of perfect beauty! Thou hast +done to death the fairest and most lovely creature, had she but lived, +whom God has ever sought to form. God's patience surely is too great +when He suffers thee to have the power to break in pieces what belongs +to Him. Now God ought to be wroth with thee, and cast thee out of thy +bailiwick; for thy impudence has been too great, as well as thy pride +and disrespect." Thus the people storm about and wring their arms and +beat their hands; while the priests read their psalms, making prayers +for the good lady, that God may have mercy on her soul. + +(Vv. 5815-5904.) [240] In the midst of the tears and cries, as the story +runs, there arrived aged physicians from Salerno, where they had long +sojourned. At the sight of the great mourning they stopped to ask and +inquire the cause of the cries and tears--why all the people are in +such sorrow and distress. And this is the answer they receive: "God! +gentlemen, don't you know? The whole world would be beside itself as we +are, if it but knew of the great sorrow and grief and woe and loss which +has come to us this day. God! where have you come from, then, that you +do not know what has happened just now in this city? We will tell you +the truth, for we wish you to join with us in the grief we feel. Do +you not know about grim Death, who desires and covets all things, and +everywhere lies in wait for what is best, do you not know what mad act +she has committed to-day, as it is her wont to do? God has illuminated +the world with one great radiance, with one bright light. But Death +cannot restrain herself from acting as her custom is. Every day, to the +extent of her power, she blots out the best creature she can find. So +she wishes to try her power, and in one body she has carried off more +excellence than she has left behind. She would have done better to take +the whole world, and leave alive and sound this prey which now she has +carried off. Beauty, courtesy, and knowledge, and all that a lady can +possess of goodness has been taken and filched from us by Death, who +has destroyed all goodness in the person of our lady, the empress. Thus +Death has deprived us all of life." "Ah, God!" the doctors say, "we know +that Thou art wroth with this city because we did not reach here sooner. +If we had arrived here yesterday, Death might have boasted of her +strength if she could wrest her prey from us." "Gentlemen, madame would +not have allowed you at any price to see her or to exercise your skill. +Of good physicians there was no lack, but madame would not permit any +one of them to see her or to investigate her malady." "No?" "Truly, +sirs, that she would not." Then they recalled the case of Solomon, who +was so hated by his wife that she deceived him by feigning death. [241] +They think this woman has done the same. But if they could in any way +bring about her cure, no one could make them lie or keep them from +exposing the truth, if they discovered any trickery. So to the court +they take their way, where there was such a noise and cry that you could +not have heard God's thunder crash. The chief of these three doctors, +who knew the most, drew near the bier. No one says to him "Keep hands +off," and no one tries to hold him back. He places his hand on her +breast and side, and surely feels that life is still in the body: he +perceives and knows that well enough. He sees the emperor standing by, +mad and tormented by his grief. Seeing him, he calls aloud: "Emperor, +console thyself! I am sure and plainly see that this lady is not dead. +Leave off thy grief, and be comforted! If I do not restore her alive to +thee, thou mayst kill me or string me up." + +(Vv. 5995-5988.) At once throughout the palace the noise is quieted and +hushed. And the emperor bade the doctor tell him fully his orders and +wishes, whatever they might be. If he can restore life in the empress +he will be sire and lord over the emperor himself; but if he has in +any respect lied to him he will be hanged like a common thief. And the +doctor said: "I consent to that, and may you never have mercy upon me +if I do not cause her to speak to you here! Without tarrying and without +delay have the palace cleared at once, and let not a single soul remain. +I must examine in private the illness which afflicts the lady. These two +doctors, who are my friends, will remain with me alone in the room, +and let every one else go out." This order would have been opposed by +Cliges, John, and Thessala; but all the others who were there might have +turned against them if they had tried to oppose his order. So they hold +their peace and approve what they hear approved by the others, and leave +the palace. After the three doctors had forcibly tipped apart the lady's +winding-sheer, without using any knife or scissors, they said to +her: "Lady, don't be frightened, have no fear, but speak to us with +confidence! We know well enough that you are perfectly sound and in good +state. Be sensible and obliging now, and do not despair of anything, +for if you have any need of us we will all three assure you of our aid, +whether for good or ill. We shall be very loyal to you, both in keeping +our counsel and in helping you. Do not keep us talking here! Since +we put at your disposal our skill and service, you should surely not +refuse." Thus they think to hoodwink and deceive her, but they have no +success; for she has no need or care for the service which they promise +her; so they are wasting their time in a vain effort. When the three +physicians see that they will make nothing out of her either by prayer +or flattery, then they take her from her bier, and begin to beat and +belabour her. But their efforts are foolish, for not a word can they +extract from her. Then they threaten and try to terrify her by saying +that if she does not speak she will soon have reason to repent of her +folly, for they are going to do such a wonderful thing to her that such +a thing was never done to the body of any wretched woman. "We know that +you are alive, and will not deign to speak to us. We know that you are +feigning death, and would thus deceive the emperor. Have no fear of us! +If any of us has angered you, before we do you further harm, cease your +mad behaviour now, for you are acting wickedly; and we will lend you +our aid in any enterprise--wise or mad." But it cannot be; they have no +success. Then they renew their attack, striking her with thongs upon the +back, so that the welts are plainly seen, and they combine to tear her +tender flesh until they cause the blood to flow. + +(Vv. 5989-6050.) When they had beaten her with the thongs until they had +slashed her flesh, and when the blood is dropping down, as it trickles +from among the wounds, even then their efforts are of no avail to +extract from her a sigh or word, nor to make her stir or move. Then they +say that they must procure fire and lead, which they will melt and lay +upon her hands, rather than fail in their efforts to make her speak. +After securing a light and some lead they kindle a fire and melt the +lead. Thus the miserable villains torment and afflict the lady, by +taking the lead all boiling hot from the fire and pouring it into the +palms of her hands. Not satisfied with pouring the lead clean through +her palms, the cowardly rascals say that, if she does not speak at once +they will straightway stretch her on the grate until she is completely +grilled. Yet, she holds her peace, and does not refuse to have her body +beaten and maltreated by them. Now they were on the point of placing +her upon the fire to be roasted and grilled when more than a thousand +ladies, who were stationed before the palace, come to the door and +through a little crack catch sight of the torture and anguish which they +were inflicting upon the lady, as with coal and flame they accomplished +her martyrdom. They bring clubs and hammers to smash and break down the +door. Great was the noise and uproar as they battered and broke in the +door. If now they can lay hands on the doctors, the latter will not have +long to wait before they receive their full deserts. With a single rush +the ladies enter the palace, and in the press is Thessala, who has no +other aim than to reach her mistress. Beside the fire she finds her +stripped, severely wounded and injured. She puts her back in the bier +again, and over her she spreads a cloth, while the ladies go to give +their reward to the three doctors, without wishing to wait for the +emperor or his seneschal. Out of the windows they threw them down into +the court-yard, breaking the necks, ribs, arms, and legs of all: no +better piece of work was ever done by any ladies. + +(Vv. 6051-6162.) Now the three doctors have received their gruesome +reward at the hands of the ladies. But Cliges is terror-stricken and +filled with grief upon hearing of the pain and martyrdom which his +sweetheart has endured for him. He is almost beside himself, fearing +greatly, and with good reason, that she may be dead or badly injured by +the torture inflicted upon her by the three physicians who now are dead. +So he is in despair and despondency when Thessala comes, bringing with +her a very precious ointment with which she has already gently rubbed +the body and wounds of her mistress. When they laid her back in her bier +the ladies wrapped her again in a cloth of Syrian stuff, leaving her +face uncovered. All that night there is no abatement of the cries they +raise unceasingly. Throughout the city, high and low, poor and rich, are +beside themselves with grief, and it seems as if each one boasts that he +will outdo all others in his woe, and would fain never be comforted. All +that night the grief continues. The next morning John came to the court; +and the emperor sends for him and issues to him this command: "John, if +ever thou wroughtest a fine piece of work, now put forth and show all +thy skill in constructing such a sepulchre as for beauty and workmanship +shall have no match." And John, who had already performed the task, +says that he has already completed one which is very fine and cleverly +wrought; but when he began the work he had no thought that other than a +holy body should be laid in it. "Now let the empress be laid in it and +buried in some sacred place, for she, I think, is sanctified." "You have +spoken well," says the emperor; "she shall be buried yonder in my lord +Saint Peter's Church, where bodies are wont to be interred. For before +her death she made this request of me, that I should have her buried +there. Now go about your task, and place your sepulchre in the best +position in the cemetery, where it ought rightfully to be." John +replies: "Very well, my lord." John at once takes his leave, and +prepares the sepulchre with great skill; a feather-bed he placed inside, +because the stone was hard and cold; and in order that the odour may +be sweet, he spreads flowers and leaves about. Another reason for doing +this was that no one might perceive the mattress he had laid within +the grave. Already Mass had been said for the dead in the churches and +parishes, and the bells were tolling continuously as is proper for the +dead. Orders are given to bring the body to be laid in the sepulchre, +which John with all his skill has constructed so richly and handsomely. +In all Constantinople none remains, whether small or great, who does +not follow the body in tears, cursing and reproaching Death. Knights and +youths alike grow faint, while the ladies and damsels beat their breasts +as they thus find fault with Death: "O Death," cries each, "why didst +thou not take ransom for my lady? Surely, thy gain was slight enough, +whereas the loss to us is great." And in this grief Cliges surely bears +his part, as he suffers and laments more than all the others do, and it +is strange he does not kill himself. But still he decides to put this +off until the hour and the time shall come for him to disinter her and +get possession of her and see whether she be alive or not. Over the +gave stand the men who let down the body into its place; but, with John +there, they do not meddle with the adjustment of the sarcophagus, and +since they were so prostrated that they could not see, John had plenty +of time to perform his special task. When the coffin was in its place, +and nothing else was in the grave, he sealed up tightly all the joints. +When this was done, any one would have been skilful who, except by +force or violence, could take away or loosen anything which John had put +inside. + +(Vv. 6163-6316.) Fenice lies in the sepulchre until the darkness of +night came on. But thirty knights mount guard over her, and there +are ten tapers burning there, which light up the place all about. The +knights were weary and exhausted by the strain they had undergone; so +they ate and drank that night until they all fell sound asleep. When +night came on, Cliges steals away from the court and from all his +followers, so that there was not a single knight or servant who knew +what had become of him. He did not stop until he found John, who advises +him as best he can. He furnishes him with arms, but he will never +have any need of them. Once armed, they both spur to the cemetery. The +cemetery was enclosed all about with a high wall, so that the knights, +who had gone asleep after making the gate fast within, could rest +assured that no one would enter there. Cliges does not see how he can +get in, for there is no passing through the gate. And yet, somehow he +must pass through, for love bids him and drives him on. He tries the +wall and climbs up, being strong and agile. Inside was a garden planted +with trees, one of which stood so near the wall that it touched it. Now +Cliges had what he needed, and after letting himself down by the tree, +the first thing he did was to go to open the gate for John. Seeing the +knights asleep, they extinguished all the lights, so that the place +remained in darkness. And John now uncovers the grave and opens the +coffin, taking care to do it no harm. Cliges steps into the grave and +lifts out his Sweetheart, all weak and prostrate, whom he fondles, +kisses, and embraces. He does not know whether to rejoice or regret that +she does not stir or move. And John, as quickly as he could, closed +up the sepulchre again, so that it was not apparent that any one had +tampered with it. Then they betook themselves as fast as they could to +the tower. When they had set her in the tower, in the rooms which were +beneath the level of the ground, they took off her grave clothes; and +Cliges, who knew nothing of the potion which she had taken, which made +her dumb and kept her motionless, thinks that she is dead, and is in +despair with anxiety as he heavily sighs and weeps. But soon the time +will come for the potion to lose its force. And Fenice, who hears his +grief, struggles and strives for strength to comfort him by word or +glance. Her heart almost bursts because of the sorrow which he shows. +"Ah Death!" he says, "how mean thou art, to spare and reprieve all +things despicable and vile--to let them live on and endure. Death! art +thou beside thyself or drunk, who hast killed my lady without me? This +is a marvellous thing I see: my lady is dead, and I still live on! Ah, +precious one, why does your lover live to see you dead? One now could +rightly say that you have died in my service, and that it is I who +have killed and murdered you. Sweetheart, then I am the death that has +smitten you. Is not that wrong? For it is my own life I have lost in +you, and have preserved your life in me. For did not your health and +life belong to me, sweet one? And did not mine belong to you? For I +loved nothing excepting you, and our double existence was as one. So now +I have done what was right in keeping your soul in my body while mine +has escaped from your body, and one ought to go to seek the company of +the other, wherever it may be, and nothing ought to separate them." At +this she heaves a gentle sigh and whispers faintly: "Lover mine, I am +not altogether dead, but very near it. I value my life but little now. I +thought it a jest and a mere pretence; but now I am indeed to be pitied, +for death has not treated this as a jest. It will be a marvel if I +escape alive. For the doctors have seriously wounded me, and broken my +flesh and disfigured me. And yet, if it was possible for my nurse to +come here, and if efforts were of any avail, she would restore me to +health again." "Do not worry, dear, about that," says Cliges, "for this +very night I will bring her here." "Dear, let John go for her now." So +John departed and looked for her until he found her, and told her how +he wished her to come along and to let no other cause detain her; for +Fenice and Cliges have sent for her to come to a tower where they are +awaiting her; and that Fenice is in a grievous state, so that she must +come provided with ointments and remedies, and to bear in mind that +she will not live long, if she does not quickly come to bear her aid. +Thessala runs at once and, taking ointments, plaster, and remedies which +she has prepared, she meets John again. Secretly they go out from the +city, until they come straight to the tower. When Fenice sees her nurse, +she feels already cured, because of the loving faith and trust she +places in her. And Cliges greets her affectionately, and says: "Welcome, +nurse, whom I love and prize. Nurse, for God's sake, what do you think +of this young lady's malady? What is your opinion? Will she recover?" +"Yes, my lord, have no fear but that I shall restore her completely. +A fortnight will not pass before I make her so well that she was never +before so lively and strong." + +(Vv. 6317-6346.) While Thessala is busy with her remedies, John goes to +provide the tower with everything that is necessary. Cliges goes to the +tower and comes away bravely and openly, for he has lodged a moulting +falcon there, and he says that he goes to visit it; thus no one can +guess that he goes there for any other reason than for the falcon. He +makes long stays there night and day. He orders John to guard the tower, +so that no one shall enter against his will. Fenice now has no further +cause to complain, for Thessala has completely cured her. If Cliges were +Duke of Almeria, Morocco, or Tudela, he would not consider it all worth +a holly-berry compared with the joy which he now feels. Certainly Love +did not debase itself when it joined these two, for it seems to them, +when they embrace and kiss each other, that all the world must be better +for their joy and happiness. Now ask me no more of this, for one can +have no wish in which the other does not acquiesce. Thus they have but +one desire, as if they two themselves were one. + +(Vv. 6347-6392.) Fenice was in the tower, I believe, all that year and +full two months of the next, until summer came again. When the trees +bring forth their flowers and leaves, and the little birds rejoice, +singing gaily their litanies, it came about that Fenice one morning +heard the song of the nightingale. Cliges was holding her tightly +clasped with his arms about her waist and neck, and she held him in a +like embrace, as she said: "Dear fair lover mine. A garden would do me +good, in which I could disport myself. For more than fifteen months I +have not seen the light of moon or sun. If possible, I would fain go out +yonder into the daylight, for here in this tower I am confined. If there +was a garden near, where I could go and amuse myself, it would often do +me good." Then Cliges promises her to consult with John about it as soon +as he can see him. At that very moment John came in, as he was often +wont to do, and Cliges spoke to him of what Fenice desired. John +replies: "All that she asks for is already provided and supplied. This +tower is well equipped with what she wishes and requires." Then Fenice +was very glad, and asked John to take her there, which he said he +would very gladly do. Then John goes and opens a door, constructed in +a fashion which I cannot properly describe. No one but John could have +made it, and no one could have asserted that there was any door or +window there--so perfectly was it concealed. + +(Vv. 6393-6424.) When Fenice saw the door open, and the sun come +streaming in, as she had not seen it for many a day, her heart beat high +with joy; she said that now there was nothing lacking, since she could +leave her dungeon-tower, and that she wished for no other lodging-place. +She passed out through the door into the garden, with its pleasures and +delights. In the middle of the garden stood a grafted tree loaded with +blooming flowers and leaves, and with a wide-spreading top. The branches +of it were so trained that they all hung downwards until they almost +touched the ground; the main trunk, however, from which they sprang, +rose straight into the air. Fenice desires no other place. Beneath the +tree the turf is very pleasant and fine, and at noon, when it is hot, +the sun will never be high enough for its rays to penetrate there. John +had shown his skill in arranging and training the branches thus. There +Fenice goes to enjoy herself, where they set up a bed for her by day. +There they taste of joy and delight. And the garden is enclosed about +with a high wall connected with the tower, so that nothing can enter +there without first passing through the tower. + +(Vv. 6425-6586.) Fenice now is very happy: there is nothing to cause her +displeasure, and nothing is lacking which she desires, when her lover is +at liberty to embrace her beneath the blossoms and the leaves. [242] +At the season when people take the sparrow-hawk and setter and hunt the +lark and brown-thrush or stalk the quail and partridge, it chanced that +a knight of Thrace, who was young and alert and inclined to knightly +sport, came one day close by the tower in his search for game. The hawk +of Bertrand (for such was his name) having missed a lark, had flown +away, and Bertrand thought how great his loss would be if he should lose +his hunting-bird. When he saw it come down and light in a garden beneath +the tower he was glad, for he thought he could not lose it now. At once +he goes and clambers up the wall until he succeeds in getting over it, +when beneath the tree he sees Fenice and Cliges lying asleep and naked +in close embrace. "God!" said he, "what has happened to me now? What +marvel is this I see? Is that not Cliges? It surely is. Is not that the +empress with him there? Nay, but it looks like her. Never did one thing +so resemble another. Her nose, her mouth, and brow are like those of +my lady the empress. Never did Nature make two creatures of such +similitude. There is no feature in this woman here which I have not seen +in my lady. If she were alive, I should say that it was certainly she +herself." Just then a pear falls down and strikes close by Fenice's ear. +She jumps and awakes and, seeing Bertrand, cries out aloud: "My dear, my +dear, we are lost. Yonder is Bertrand. If he escapes you, we are caught +in a bad trap, for he will tell that he has seen us." Then Bertrand +realised that it was the empress beyond any doubt. He sees the necessity +of leaving at once, for Cliges had brought with him his sword into +the garden, and had laid it down beside the bed. He jumped up now and +grasped his sword, while Bertrand hastily took his leave. As fast as he +could he scaled the wall, and was almost safely over when Cliges coming +after him raised his sword and struck him with such violence that he +severed his leg below the knee, as if it had been a fennel stalk. In +spite of this, Bertrand got away, though badly wounded and maimed. +Beside themselves with grief and wrath at the sight of his sorry state, +his men on the other side picked him up, and insistently inquired who it +was who had used him thus. "Don't speak to me now," he says, "but help +me to mount my horse. No mention shall be made of this excepting to the +emperor. He who thus has treated me must be, and doubtless is, in great +terror; for he is in great danger of his life." Then they set him upon +his palfrey and lead him through the city, sorely grieved in their +fright the while. After them more than twenty thousand others come, +following them to the court. And all the people run together, each +striving to be there first. Bertrand made his complaint aloud, in the +hearing of all, to the emperor: but they took him for an idle chatterer +when he said that he had seen the empress all exposed. The city is in +a ferment of excitement: some regard the news they hear as simple +nonsense, others advise and urge the emperor to visit the tower himself. +Great is the noise and confusion of the people who prepare to accompany +him. But they find nothing in the tower, for Fenice and Cliges make +their escape, taking with them Thessala, who comforts them and declares +to them that, if perchance they see people coming after them to arrest +them, they need have no fear; that they would never approach to do them +harm within the range of a strong cross-bow. And the emperor within the +tower has John sought for and brought. He orders him to be bound and +tied saying that he will have him hanged or burnt, and will have his +ashes scattered wide. He shall receive his due reward for the shame he +has caused the emperor; but this reward will not be agreeable, because +John has hidden in the tower his nephew with his wife. "Upon my word, +you tell the truth," says John; "I will not lie, but will go still +further and declare the truth, and if I have done any wrong it is right +that I should be seized. But I offer this as my excuse: that a servant +ought to refuse nothing when his lawful lord commands. Now, every one +knows forsooth that I am his, and this tower is too." "It is not, John. +Rather is it thine." "Mine, sire? Yes, after him: but neither do I +belong to myself, nor have I anything which is mine, except what he +pleased to bestow on me. And if you should think to say that my lord +is guilty of having done you wrong, I am ready to take up his defence +without any command from him. But I feel emboldened to proclaim openly +what is on my mind, just as I have thought it out, for I know full well +that I must die. So I will speak regardless of results. For if I die +for my lord's sake, I shall not die an ignoble death, for the facts +are generally known about that oath and pledge which you gave to your +brother, that after you Cliges should be emperor, who now is banished as +a wanderer. But if God will, he shall yet be emperor! Hence you are open +to reproach, for you ought not to have taken a wife; yet you married her +and did Cliges a wrong, and he has done you no wrong at all. And if I am +punished with death by you, and if I die wrongfully for his sake, and +if he is still alive, he will avenge my death on you. Now go and do the +best you can, for if I die you shall also die." + +(Vv. 6587-6630.) The emperor trembles with wrath upon hearing the +mocking words addressed to him by John. "John," he says, "thou shalt +have so much respite, until we find thy lord, who has done such wrong +to me, though I loved him dearly and had no thought of defrauding him. +Meanwhile, thou shalt stay in prison. If thou knowest what has become of +him, tell me at once, I order thee." "I tell you? How can I commit such +treachery? Were the life to be drawn from my body I would not reveal my +lord to you, even if I knew his whereabouts. As a matter of fact, I do +not know any more than you where they have gone, so help me God! But +there is no need for your jealousy. I do not so much fear your wrath +that I should not say, so that all can hear, how you have been deceived, +even my words are not believed. You were deceived and tricked by potion +you drank on your wedding night. Unless it happened in dream, when you +were asleep, you have never had your pleasure with her; but the night +made you dream, and the dream gave you as much satisfaction as if it had +happened in your waking hours that she had held you in her arms: that +was the sum of your satisfaction. Her heart was so devoted to Cliges +that she feigned death for his sake; and he had such confidence in me +that he explained it all to me and established her in my house, which +rightfully belongs to him. You ought not to find fault with me. I ought, +indeed, to be burnt or hanged, were I to betray my lord or refuse to do +his will." + +(Vv. 6631-6784.) When the emperor's attention is recalled to the potion +which he had been pleased to drink, and with which Thessala had deceived +him, then he realised for the first time that he had never had pleasure +with his wife, unless it had happened in a dream: thus it was but an +illusory joy. And he says that if he does not take vengeance for the +shame and disgrace inflicted upon him by the traitor who has seduced +his wife, he will never again be happy. "Now quick!" he says, "as far as +Pavia, and from here to Germany, let no castle, town, or city remain in +which search is not made. I will hold that man above all others dear who +will bring to me captive the two of them. Now up and down, near and far, +go diligently and search!" Then they started out with zeal and spent all +that day in the search. But in the number Cliges had some friends, who, +if they found them, would have led them to some hiding-place rather than +hale them back again. All that fortnight they exhausted themselves in a +fruitless search. For Thessala, who is acting as their guide, conducts +them by her arts and charms in such security that they feel no dread or +fear of all the strength of the emperor. They seek repose in no town +or city; yet they have all they wish or desire, even more so than is +usually the case. For all they need is procured for them by Thessala, +who searches and scours and purveys for them. Nor is there any who hunts +them now, for all have returned to their homes again. Meanwhile Cliges +is not idle, but starts to find his uncle, King Arthur. He continued +his search until he found him, and to him he made his claim and protest +about his uncle, the emperor, who, in order to disinherit him, had +disloyally taken a wife, which it was not right for him to do; for he +had sworn to his father that he would never marry in his life. And the +King says that with a fleet he will proceed to Constantinople, and that +he will fill a thousand ships with knights, and three thousand more with +men-at-arms, until no city or burg, town or castle, however strong or +however high, will be able to withstand their assault. Then Cliges did +not forget to thank the King for the aid he offered him. The King sends +out to seek and summon all the high barons of the land, and causes to be +requisitioned and equipped ships, war vessels, boats, and barks. He has +a hundred ships loaded and filled with shields, lances, bucklers, and +armour fit for knights. The King makes such great preparations for +the war that never did Caesar or Alexander make the like. He orders to +assemble at his summons all England, and all Flanders, Normandy, France, +and Brittany, and all the men as far as the Pyrenees. [243] Already they +were about to set sail, when messengers arrived from Greece who delayed +the embarkation and kept the King and his people back. Among the +messengers who came was John, that trusty man, for he would never be a +witness or messenger of any news which was not true, and which he did +not know for a certainty. The messengers were high born men of Greece, +who came in search for Cliges. They made inquiry and asked for him, +until they found him at the King's court, when they said to him: "God +save you, sire! Greece is made over to you, and Constantinople is given +to you by all those of your empire, because of the right you have to +them. Your uncle (but you know it not) is dead of the grief he felt +because he could not discover you. His grief was such that he lost +his mind; he would neither drink nor eat, but died like a man beside +himself. Fair sire, now come back again! For all your lords have sent +for you. Greatly they desire and long for you, wishing to make you their +emperor." Some there were that rejoiced at this; and others there were +who would have gladly seen their guests elsewhere, and the fleet make +sail for Greece. But the expedition is given up, and the King dismisses +his men, and the hosts depart to their homes again. And Cliges hurriedly +makes haste in his desire to return to Greece. He has no wish to tarry. +His preparations made, he took his leave of the King, and then of all +his friends, and taking Fenice with him, he goes away. They travel until +they arrive in Greece, where they receive him with the jubilation +which they ought to show to their rightful lord, and they give him +his sweetheart to be his wife. Both of them are crowned at once. His +mistress he has made his wife, but he still calls her his mistress and +sweetheart, and she can complain of no loss of affection, for he loves +her still as his mistress, and she loves him, too, as a lady ought to +love her lover. And each day saw their love grow stronger: he never +doubted her, nor did she blame him for anything. She was never kept +confined, as so many women have been who have lived since her time. For +never since has there been an emperor who did not stand in fear of his +wife, lest he should be deceived by her, upon his hearing the story of +how Fenice deceived Alis, first with the potion which he drank, and then +later by that other ruse. Therefore, every empress, however rich and +noble she may be, is guarded in Constantinople as in a prison, for the +emperor has no confidence in her when he remembers the story of Fenice. +He keeps her constantly guarded in her room, nor is there ever allowed +any man in her presence, unless he be a eunuch from his youth; in the +case of such there is no fear or doubt that Love will ensnare them in +his bonds. Here ends the work of Chretien. [244] + + + +----Endnotes: Cliges + +Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other +endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 21: There is no English version corresponding to the old +French "Cliges". The English metrical romance "Sir Cleges" has nothing +to do with the French romance.] + +[Footnote 22: Ovid in "Metamorphosis", vi. 404, relates how Tantalus at +a feast to the gods offered them the shoulder of his own son. It is not +certain, however, that Chretien is referring here to this slight episode +of the "Metamorphosis".] + +[Footnote 23: This allusion is generally taken as evidence that the poet +had written previously of the love of Tristan and Iseut. Gaston Paris, +however, in one of his last utterances ("Journal des Savants", 1902, +p. 297), says: "Je n'hesite pas a dire que l'existence d'un poeme sur +Tristan par Chretien de Troies, a laquelle j'ai cru comme presque tout +le monde, me parait aujourd'hui fort peu probable; j'en vais donner les +raisons."] + +[Footnote 24: The story of Philomela or Philomena, familiar in Chaucer's +"Legende of Good Women", is told by Ovid in "Metamorphosis", vi. +426-674. Cretiens li Gois is cited by the author of the "Ovide moralise" +as the author of the episode of Philomena incorporated in his long +didactic poem. This episode has been ascribed to Chretien de Troyes by +many recent critics, and has been separately edited by C. de Boer, who +offers in his Introduction a lengthy discussion of its authorship. See +C. de Boer, "Philomena, conte raconte d'apres Ovide par Chretien de +Troyes" (Paris, 1909).] + +[Footnote 25: The present cathedral of Beauvais is dedicated to St. +Peter, and its construction was begun in 1227. The earlier structure +here referred to, destroyed in 1118, probably was also dedicated to the +same saint. (F.)] + +[Footnote 26: The real kernal of the Cliges story, stripped of its +lengthy introduction concerning Alexandre and Soredamors, is told in a +few lines in "Marques de Rome", p. 135 (ed. J. Alton in "Lit. Verein in +Stuttgart", No. 187, Tubingen, 1889), as one of the tales or "exempla" +recounted by the Empress of Rome to the Emperor and the Seven Sages. No +names are given except that of Cliges himself; the version owes nothing +to Chretien's poem, and seems to rest upon a story which the author may +have heard orally. See Foerster's "Einleitung to Cliges" (1910), p. 32 +f.] + +[Footnote 27: This criticism of ignoble leisure on the part of a warrior +is found also in "Erec et Enide" and "Yvain".] + +[Footnote 28: This allegorical tribute to "largesse" is quite in the +spirit of the age. When professional poets lived upon the bounty of +their patrons, it is not strange that their poetry should dwell upon the +importance of generosity in their heroes. For an exhaustive collection +of "chastisements" or "enseignements", such as that here given to +Alexandre by his father, see Eugen Altner, "Ueber die chastiements in +den altfranzosischen chansons de geste" (Leipzig, 1885).] + +[Footnote 29: As Miss Weston has remarked ("The Three Days' Tournament", +p. 45), the peculiar georgraphy of this poem "is distinctly Anglo-Norman +rather than Arthurian".] + +[Footnote 210: For this intimate relation between heroes, so common +in the old French heroic and romantic poems, see Jacques Flach, "Le +compagnonnage dans les chansons de geste" in "Etudes romances dediees a +Gaston Paris" (Paris, 1891). Reviewed in "Romania", xxii. 145.] + +[Footnote 211: Here begins one of those long dialogues, where one person +is represented as taking both sides of an argument. This rhetorical +device, so wearisome to modern readers, is used by Chretien preferably +when some sentiment or deep emotion is to be portrayed. Ovid may well +have suggested the device, but Ovid never abuses it as does the more +prolix mediaeval poet. For the part playing by the eyes in mediaeval +love sophistry, see J.F. Hanford, "The Debate of Heart and Eye" in +"Modern Language Notes", xxvi. 161-165; and H.R. Lang, "The Eyes as +Generators of Love." id. xxiii. 126-127.] + +[Footnote 212: For play upon words and for fanciful derivation of proper +names in mediaeval romance literature, see the interesting article +of Adolf Tobler in "Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211-266. Gaston Paris +("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 354) points out that Thomas used the +same scene and the play upon the same words "mer", "amer", and "amers" +in his "Tristan" and was later imitated by Gottfried von Strassburg.] + +[Footnote 213: According to the 12th century troubadours, the shafts of +Love entered the victim's body through the eyes, and thence pierced the +heart.] + +[Footnote 214: For fanciful derivation of proper names, cf. A. Tobler, +"Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211-266.] + +[Footnote 215: Ganelon, the traitor in the "Chanson de Roland", to +whose charge is laid the defeat of Charlemagne's rear-guard at Ronceval, +became the arch-traitor of mediaeval literature. It will be recalled +that Dante places him in the lowest pit of Hell ("Inferno", xxxii. 122). +(NOTE: There is a slight time discrepance here. Roland, Ganelon, and the +Battle of Ronceval were said to have happened in 8th Century A.D., fully +300 years after Arthur and the Round Table.--DBK).] + +[Footnote 216: For the ceremonies attendant upon the conferring of +knighthood, see Karl Treis, "Die Formalitaten des Ritterschlags in der +altfranzosischen Epik" (Berlin, 1887).] + +[Footnote 217: The "quintainne" was "a manikin mounted on a pivot and +armed with a club in such a way that, when a man struck it unskilfully +with his lance, it turned and landed a blow upon his back" (Larousse).] + +[Footnote 218: This conventional attitude of one engaged in thought or +a prey to sadness has been referred to by G.L. Hamilton in "Ztsch fur +romanische Philologie", xxxiv. 571-572.] + +[Footnote 219: Many traitors in old French literature suffered the same +punishments as Ganelon, and were drawn asunder by horses ("Roland", +3960-74).] + +[Footnote 220: The same rare words "galerne" and "posterne" occur in +rhyme in the "Roman de Thebes", 1471-72.] + +[Footnote 221: This qualified praise is often used in speaking of +traitors and of Saracens.] + +[Footnote 222: The failure to identify the warriors is due to the fact +that the knights are totally encased in armour.] + +[Footnote 223: A reference to the "Roman de Thebes", 1160 circ.] + +[Footnote 224: The disregard of Alis for his nephew Cliges is similar to +that of King Mark for Tristan in another legend. In the latter, however, +Tristan joins with the other courtiers in advising his uncle to marry, +though he himself had been chosen heir to the throne by Mark. cf. J. +Bedier, "Le Roman de Tristan", 2 vols. (Paris, 1902), i. 63 f.] + +[Footnote 225: See Endnote #14 above.] + +[Footnote 226: Cf. Shakespeare, "Othello", ii. I, where Cassio, speaking +of Othello's marriage with Desdemona, says: "he hath achieved a maid +That paragons description and wild fame; One that excels the quirks of +blazoning pens, And in the essential vesture of creation Does tire the +enginer."] + +[Footnote 227: Ovid ("Metamorphosis", iii. 339-510) is Chretien's +authority.] + +[Footnote 228: Cf. L. Sudre, "Les allusions a la legende de Tristan dans +la litterature du moyen age", "Romania", xv. 435 f. Tristan was famed as +a hunter, fencer, wrestler, and harpist.] + +[Footnote 229: "The word 'Thessala' was a common one in Latin, as +meaning 'enchantress', 'sorceress', 'witch', as Pliny himself tells +us, adding that the art of enchantment was not, however, indigenous to +Thessaly, but came originally from Persia." ("Natural History", xxx. +2).--D.B. Easter, "Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure and the +romans bretons, p. 7. (Baltimore, 1906). A Jeanroy in "Romania", xxxiii. +420 note, says: "Quant au nom de Thessala, il doit venir de Lucain, tres +lu dans les ecoles au XIIe siecle." See also G. Paris in "Journal des +Savants", 1902, p. 441 note. Thessala is mentioned in the "Roman de la +Violetta", v. 514, in company with Brangien of the Tristan legend.] + +[Footnote 230: Medea, the wife of Jason, is the great sorceress of +classic legend.] + +[Footnote 231: This personage was regarded in the Middle Ages as an +Emperor of Rome. In the 13th-century poem of "Octavian" (ed. Vollmuller, +Heilbronn, 1883) he is represented as a contemporary of King Dagobert!] + +[Footnote 232: This commonplace remark is quoted as a proverb of the +rustic in "Ipomedon", 1671-72; id., 10, 348-51; "Roman de Mahomet", +1587-88; "Roman de Renart", vi. 85-86; Gower's "Mirour de l'omme", 28, +599, etc.] + +[Footnote 233: It is curious to note that Corneille puts almost +identical words in the mouth of Don Gomes as he addresses the Cid ("Le +Cid", ii. 2).] + +[Footnote 234: For this tournament and its parallels in folk-lore, +see Miss J.L. Weston, "The Three Days' Tournament" (London, 1902). She +argues (p. 14 f. and p. 43 f.) against Foerster's unqualified opinion of +the originality of Chretien in his use of this current description of +a tournament, an opinion set forth in his "Einleitung to Lancelot", pp. +43, 126, 128, 138.] + +[Footnote 235: Note that Chretien here deliberately avoids such a list +of knights as he introduces in "Erec". (F.)] + +[Footnote 236: It must be admitted that the text, which is offered +by all but one MS., is here unintelligible. The reference, if any be +intended, is not clear. (F.)] + +[Footnote 237: Much has been made of this expression as intimating that +Chretien wrote "Cliges" as a sort of disavowal of the immorality of +his lost "Tristan". Cf. Foerster, "Cliges" (Ed. 1910), p. xxxix f., and +Myrrha Borodine, "La femme et l'amour au XXIe Seicle d'apres les poemes +de Chretien de Troyes" (Paris, 1909). G. Paris has ably defended another +interpretation of the references in "Cliges" to the Tristan legend in +"Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 442 f.] + +[Footnote 238: This curious moral teaching appears to be a perversion +of three passages form St. Paul's Epistles: I Cor. vii. 9, I Cor. x. 32, +Eph. v. 15. Cf. H. Emecke, "Chretien von Troyes als Personlichkeit und +als Dichter" (Wurzburg, 1892).] + +[Footnote 239: "This feature of a woman who, thanks to some charm, +preserves her virginity with a husband whom she does not love, is found +not only in widespread stories, but in several French epic poems. In +only one, "Les Enfances Guillaume", does the husband, like Alis, remain +ignorant of the fraud of which he is the victim, and think that he +really possesses the woman.... If Chretien alone gave to the charm +of the form of a potion, it is in imitation of the love potion in +"Tristan". (G. Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 446). For +many other references to the effect of herb potions, cf. A. Hertel, +"Verzauberte Oerlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der altfranzosische +erzahlende Dichtung", p. 41 ff. (Hanover, 1908).] + +[Footnote 240: I have pointed out the curious parallel between the +following passage and Dante's "Vita Nova", 41 ("Romantic Review", ii. +2). There is no certain evidence that Dante knew Chretien's work (cf. A. +Farinelli, "Dante e la Francia", vol. i., p. 16 note), but it would be +strange if he did not know such a distinguished predecessor.] + +[Footnote 241: For the legend of Solomon deceived by his wife, see +Foerster "Cliges" (ed. 1910), p. xxxii. f., and G. Paris in "Romania", +ix. 436-443, and in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 645 f. For an +additional reference, add "Ipomedon", 9103.] + +[Footnote 242: For an imitation of the following scene, see Hans Herzog +in "Germania", xxxi. 325.] + +[Footnote 243: "Porz d'Espaingne" refers to the passes in the Pyrenees +which formed the entrance-ways to Spain. Cf. The "Cilician Gates" in +Xenophon's "Anabasis".] + +[Footnote 244: Chretien here insists upon his divergence from the +famous dictum attributed to the Countess Marie de Champagne by Andre le +Chapelain: "Praeceptum tradit amoris, quod nulla etiam coniugata regis +poterit amoris praemio coronari, nisi extra coniugii foedera ipsius +amoris militae cernatur adiuneta". (Andreae Capellini, "De Amore", p. +154; Ed. Trojel, Havniae, 1892). + + + + + +YVAIN + +or, The Knight with the Lion + +(Vv. 1-174.) Arthur, the good King of Britain, whose prowess teaches us +that we, too, should be brave and courteous, held a rich and royal +court upon that precious feast-day which is always known by the name +of Pentecost. [31] The court was at Carduel in Wales. When the meal was +finished, the knights betook themselves whither they were summoned by +the ladies, damsels, and maidens. Some told stories; others spoke of +love, of the trials and sorrows, as well as of the great blessings, +which often fall to the members of its order, which was rich and +flourishing in those days of old. But now its followers are few, having +deserted it almost to a man, so that love is much abased. For lovers +used to deserve to be considered courteous, brave, generous, and +honourable. But now love is a laughing-stock, for those who have no +intelligence of it assert that they love, and in that they lie. Thus +they utter a mockery and lie by boasting where they have no right. [32] +But let us leave those who are still alive, to speak of those of former +time. For, I take it, a courteous man, though dead, is worth more than +a living knave. So it is my pleasure to relate a matter quite worthy of +heed concerning the King whose fame was such that men still speak of him +far and near; and I agree with the opinion of the Bretons that his name +will live on for evermore. And in connection with him we call to mind +those goodly chosen knights who spent themselves for honour's sake. But +upon this day of which I speak, great was their astonishment at seeing +the King quit their presence; and there were some who felt chagrined, +and who did not mince their words, never before having seen the King, on +the occasion of such a feast, enter his own chamber either to sleep or +to seek repose. But this day it came about that the Queen detained him, +and he remained so long at her side that he forgot himself and fell +asleep. Outside the chamber door were Dodinel, Sagremor, and Kay, my +lord Gawain, my lord Yvain, and with them Calogrenant, a very comely +knight, who had begun to tell them a tale, though it was not to his +credit, but rather to his shame. The Queen could hear him as he told his +tale, and rising from beside the King, she came upon them so stealthily +that before any caught sight of her, she had fallen, as it were, right +in their midst. Calogrenant alone jumped up quickly when he saw her +come. Then Kay, who was very quarrelsome, mean, sarcastic, and abusive, +said to him: "By the Lord, Calogrenant, I see you are very bold and +forward now, and certainly it pleases me to see you the most courteous +of us all. And I know that you are quite persuaded of your own +excellence, for that is in keeping with your little sense. And of course +it is natural that my lady should suppose that you surpass us all in +courtesy and bravery. We failed to rise through sloth, forsooth, or +because we did not care! Upon my word, it is not so, my lord; but we +did not see my lady until you had risen first." "Really, Kay," the Queen +then says, "I think you would burst if you could not pour out the poison +of which you are so full. You are troublesome and mean thus to annoy +your companions." "Lady," says Kay, "if we are not better for your +company, at least let us not lose by it. I am not aware that I said +anything for which I ought to be accused, and so I pray you say no more. +It is impolite and foolish to keep up a vain dispute. This argument +should go no further, nor should any one try to make more of it. But +since there must be no more high words, command him to continue the tale +he had begun." Thereupon Calogrenant prepares to reply in this fashion: +"My lord, little do I care about the quarrel, which matters little and +affects me not. If you have vented your scorn on me, I shall never be +harmed by it. You have often spoken insultingly, my lord Kay, to braver +and better men than I, for you are given to this kind of thing. The +manure-pile will always stink, [33] and gadflies sting, and bees will +hum, and so a bore will torment and make a nuisance of himself. However, +with my lady's leave, I'll not continue my tale to-day, and I beg her +to say no more about it, and kindly not give me any unwelcome command." +"Lady," says Kay, "all those who are here will be in your debt, for they +are desirous to hear it out. Don't do it as a favour to me! But by the +faith you owe the King, your lord and mine, command him to continue, and +you will do well." "Calogrenant," the Queen then says, "do not mind the +attack of my lord Kay the seneschal. He is so accustomed to evil speech +that one cannot punish him for it. I command and request you not to +be angered because of him, nor should you fail on his account to say +something which it will please us all to hear; if you wish to preserve +my good-will, pray begin the tale anew." "Surely, lady, it is a very +unwelcome command you lay upon me. Rather than tell any more of my +tale to-day, I would have one eye plucked out, if I did not fear your +displeasure. Yet will I perform your behest, however distasteful it may +be. Then since you will have it so, give heed. Let your heart and ears +be mine. For words, though heard, are lost unless understood within the +heart. Some men there are who give consent to what they hear but do not +understand: these men have the hearing alone. For the moment the heart +fails to understand, the word falls upon the ears simply as the wind +that blows, without stopping to tarry there; rather it quickly passes on +if the heart is not so awake as to be ready to receive it. For the heart +alone can receive it when it comes along, and shut it up within. The +ears are the path and channel by which the voice can reach the heart, +while the heart receives within the bosom the voice which enters through +the ear. Now, whoever will heed my words, must surrender to me his heart +and ears, for I am not going to speak of a dream, an idle tale, or lie, +with which many another has regaled you, but rather shall I speak of +what I saw." + +(Vv. 175-268.) "It happened seven years ago that, lonely as a +countryman, I was making my way in search of adventures, fully armed +as a knight should be, when I came upon a road leading off to the right +into a thick forest. The road there was very bad, full of briars and +thorns. In spite of the trouble and inconvenience, I followed the road +and path. Almost the entire day I went thus riding until I emerged from +the forest of Broceliande. [34] Out from the forest I passed into the +open country where I saw a wooden tower at the distance of half a Welsh +league: it may have been so far, but it was not anymore. Proceeding +faster than a walk, I drew near and saw the palisade and moat all round +it, deep and wide, and standing upon the bridge, with a moulted falcon +upon his wrist, I saw the master of the castle. I had no sooner saluted +him than he came forward to hold my stirrup and invited me to +dismount. I did so, for it was useless to deny that I was in need of a +lodging-place. Then he told me more than a hundred times at once that +blessed was the road by which I had come thither. Meanwhile, we crossed +the bridge, and passing through the gate, found ourselves in the +courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard of this vavasor, to whom may +God repay such joy and honour as he bestowed upon me that night, there +hung a gong not of iron or wood, I trow, but all of copper. Upon this +gong the vavasor struck three times with a hammer which hung on a post +close by. Those who were upstairs in the house, upon hearing his voice +and the sound, came out into the yard below. Some took my horse which +the good vavasor was holding; and I saw coming toward me a very fair and +gentle maid. On looking at her narrowly I saw she was tall and slim and +straight. Skilful she was in disarming me, which she did gently and with +address; then, when she had robed me in a short mantle of scarlet stuff +spotted with a peacock's plumes, all the others left us there, so that +she and I remained alone. This pleased me well, for I needed naught +else to look upon. Then she took me to sit down in the prettiest little +field, shut in by a wall all round about. There I found her so elegant, +so fair of speech and so well informed, of such pleasing manners and +character, that it was a delight to be there, and I could have wished +never to be compelled to move. But as ill luck would have it, when night +came on, and the time for supper had arrived. The vavasor came to look +for me. No more delay was possible, so I complied with his request. Of +the supper I will only say that it was all after my heart, seeing that +the damsel took her seat at the table just in front of me. After the +supper the vavasor admitted to me that, though he had lodged many an +errant knight, he knew not how long it had been since he had welcomed +one in search of adventure. Then, as a favour, he begged of me to return +by way of his residence, if I could make it possible. So I said to him: +'Right gladly, sire!' for a refusal would have been impolite, and that +was the least I could do for such a host." + +(Vv. 269-580.) "That night, indeed, I was well lodged, and as soon as +the morning light appeared, I found my steed ready saddled, as I had +requested the night before; thus my request was carried out. My kind +host and his dear daughter I commended to the Holy Spirit, and, after +taking leave of all, I got away as soon as possible. I had not proceeded +far from my stopping-place when I came to a clearing, where there were +some wild bulls at large; they were fighting among themselves and making +such a dreadful and horrible noise that if the truth be known, I drew +back in fear, for there is no beast so fierce and dangerous as a bull. I +saw sitting upon a stump, with a great club in his hand, a rustic +lout, as black as a mulberry, indescribably big and hideous; indeed, +so passing ugly was the creature that no word of mouth could do him +justice. On drawing near to this fellow, I saw that his head was bigger +than that of a horse or of any other beast; that his hair was in tufts, +leaving his forehead bare for a width of more than two spans; that his +ears were big and mossy, just like those of an elephant; his eyebrows +were heavy and his face was flat; his eyes were those of an owl, and his +nose was like a cat's; his jowls were split like a wolf, and his teeth +were sharp and yellow like a wild boar's; his beard was black and his +whiskers twisted; his chin merged into his chest and his backbone was +long, but twisted and hunched. [35] There he stood, leaning upon his +club and accoutred in a strange garb, consisting not of cotton or wool, +but rather of the hides recently flayed from two bulls or two beeves: +these he wore hanging from his neck. The fellow leaped up straightway +when he saw me drawing near. I do not know whether he was going to +strike me or what he intended to do, but I was prepared to stand him +off, until I saw him stop and stand stock-still upon a tree trunk, where +he stood full seventeen feet in height. Then he gazed at me but spoke +not a word, any more than a beast would have done. And I supposed that +he had not his senses or was drunk. However, I made bold to say to him: +'Come, let me know whether thou art a creature of good or not.' And +he replied: 'I am a man.' 'What kind of a man art thou?' 'Such as thou +seest me to be: I am by no means otherwise.' 'What dost thou here?' 'I +was here, tending these cattle in this wood.' 'Wert thou really tending +them? By Saint Peter of Rome! They know not the command of any man. +I guess one cannot possibly guard wild beasts in a plain or wood or +anywhere else unless they are tied or confined inside.' 'Well, I tend +and have control of these beasts so that they will never leave this +neighbourhood.' 'How dost thou do that? Come, tell me now!' 'There is +not one of them that dares to move when they see me coming. For when +I can get hold of one I give its two horns such a wrench with my hard, +strong hands that the others tremble with fear, and gather at once round +about me as if to ask for mercy. No one could venture here but me, for +if he should go among them he would be straightway done to death. In +this way I am master of my beasts. And now thou must tell me in turn +what kind of a man thou art, and what thou seekest here.' 'I am, as +thou seest, a knight seeking for what I cannot find; long have I sought +without success.' 'And what is this thou fain wouldst find?' 'Some +adventure whereby to test my prowess and my bravery. Now I beg and +urgently request thee to give me some counsel, if possible, concerning +some adventure or marvellous thing.' Says he: 'Thou wilt have to do +without, for I know nothing of adventure, nor did I ever hear tell +of such. But if thou wouldst go to a certain spring here hard by and +shouldst comply with the practice there, thou wouldst not easily come +back again. Close by here thou canst easily find a path which will +lead thee thither. If thou wouldst go aright, follow the straight path, +otherwise thou mayst easily go astray among the many other paths. +Thou shalt see the spring which boils, though the water is colder than +marble. It is shadowed by the fairest tree that ever Nature formed, for +its foliage is evergreen, regardless of the winter's cold, and an iron +basin is hanging there by a chain long enough to reach the spring. And +beside the spring thou shalt find a massive stone, as thou shalt see, +but whose nature I cannot explain, never having seen its like. On the +other side a chapel stands, small, but very beautiful. If thou wilt take +of the water in the basin and spill it upon the stone, thou shalt see +such a storm come up that not a beast will remain within this wood; +every doe, star, deer, boar, and bird will issue forth. For thou shalt +see such lightning-bolts descend, such blowing of gales and crashing +of trees, such torrents fail, such thunder and lightning, that, if thou +canst escape from them without trouble and mischance, thou wilt be more +fortunate than ever any knight was yet.' I left the fellow then, after +he had pointed our the way. It must have been after nine o'clock and +might have been drawing on toward noon, when I espied the tree and the +chapel. I can truly say that this tree was the finest pine that ever +grew on earth. I do not believe that it ever rained so hard that a +drop of water could penetrate it, but would rather drip from the outer +branches. From the tree I saw the basin hanging, [36] of the finest gold +that was ever for sale in any fair. As for the spring, you may take my +word that it was boiling like hot water. The stone was of emerald, with +holes in it like a cask, and there were four rubies underneath, more +radiant and red than is the morning sun when it rises in the east. +Now not one word will I say which is not true. I wished to see the +marvellous appearing of the tempest and the storm; but therein I was not +wise, for I would gladly have repented, if I could, when I had sprinkled +the perforated stone with the water from the basin. But I fear I poured +too much, for straightway I saw the heavens so break loose that from +more than fourteen directions the lightning blinded my eyes, and all at +once the clouds let fall snow and rain and hail. The storm was so fierce +and terrible that a hundred times I thought I should be killed by the +bolts which fell about me and by the trees which were rent apart. Know +that I was in great distress until the uproar was appeased. But God gave +me such comfort that the storm did not continue long, and all the winds +died down again. The winds dared not blow against God's will. And when +I saw the air clear and serene I was filled with joy again. For I have +observed that joy quickly causes trouble to be forgot. As soon as the +storm was completely past, I saw so many birds gathered in the pine tree +(if any one will believe my words) that not a branch or twig was to be +seen which was not entirely covered with birds. [37] The tree was all +the more lovely then, for all the birds sang in harmony, yet the note of +each was different, so that I never heard one singing another's note. I, +too, rejoiced in their joyousness, and listened to them until they had +sung their service through, for I have never heard such happy song, nor +do I think any one else will hear it, unless he goes to listen to what +filled me with such joy and bliss that I was lost in rapture. I stayed +there until I heard some knights coming, as I thought it seemed that +there must be ten of them. But all the noise and commotion was made +by the approach of a single knight. When I saw him coming on alone +I quickly caught my steed and made no delay in mounting him. And the +knight, as if with evil intent, came on swifter than an eagle, looking +as fierce as a lion. From as far as his voice could reach he began to +challenge me, and said: 'Vassal, without provocation you have caused +me shame and harm. If there was any quarrel between us you should first +have challenged me, or at least sought justice before attacking me. But, +sir vassal, if it be within my power, upon you shall fall the punishment +for the damage which is evident. About me here lies the evidence of my +woods destroyed. He who has suffered has the right to complain. And I +have good reason to complain that you have driven me from my house with +lightning-bolt and rain. You have made trouble for me, and cursed be he +who thinks it fair. For within my own woods and town you have made such +an attack upon me that resources of men of arms and of fortifications +would have been of no avail to me; no man could have been secure, even +if he had been in a fortress of solid stone and wood. But be assured +that from this moment there shall be neither truce nor peace between +us.' At these words we rushed together, each one holding his shield well +gripped and covering himself with it. The knight had a good horse and a +stout lance, and was doubtless a whole head taller than I. Thus, I was +altogether at a disadvantage, being shorter than he, while his horse was +stronger than mine. You may be sure that I will tell the facts, in order +to cover up my shame. With intent to do my best, I dealt him as hard a +blow as I could give, striking the top of his shield, and I put all my +strength into it with such effect that my lance flew all to splinters. +His lance remained entire, being very heavy and bigger than any knight's +lance I ever saw. And the knight struck me with it so heavily that he +knocked me over my horse's crupper and laid me flat upon the ground, +where he left me ashamed and exhausted, without bestowing another glance +upon me. He took my horse, but me he left, and started back by the way +he came. And I, who knew not what to do, remained there in pain and +with troubled thoughts. Seating myself beside the spring I rested there +awhile, not daring to follow after the knight for fear of committing +some rash act of madness. And, indeed, had I had the courage, I knew not +what had become of him. Finally, it occurred to me that I would keep my +promise to my host and would return by way of his dwelling. This idea +pleased me, and so I did. I laid off all my arms in order to proceed +more easily, and thus with shame I retraced my steps. When I reached +his home that night, I found my host to be the same good-natured and +courteous man as I had before discovered him to be. I could not observe +that either his daughter or he himself welcomed me any less gladly, +or did me any less honour than they had done the night before. I am +indebted to them for the great honour they all did me in that house; and +they even said that, so far as they knew or had heard tell, no one had +ever escaped, without being killed or kept a prisoner, from the place +whence I returned. Thus I went and thus I returned, feeling, as I did +so, deeply ashamed. So I have foolishly told you the story which I never +wished to tell again." + +(Vv. 581-648.) "By my head," cries my lord Yvain, "you are my own +cousin-german, and we ought to love each other well. But I must consider +you as mad to have concealed this from me so long. If I call you mad, I +beg you not to be incensed. For if I can, and if I obtain the leave, I +shall go to avenge your shame." "It is evident that we have dined," says +Kay, with his ever-ready speech; "there are more words in a pot full of +wine than in a whole barrel of beer. [38] They say that a cat is merry +when full. After dinner no one stirs, but each one is ready to +slay Noradin, [39] and you will take vengeance on Forre! Are your +saddle-cloths ready stuffed, and your iron greaves polished, and your +banners unfurled? Come now, in God's name, my lord Yvain, is it to-night +or to-morrow that you start? Tell us, fair sire, when you will start for +this rude test, for we would fain convoy you thither. There will be no +provost or constable who will not gladly escort you. And however it may +be, I beg that you will not go without taking leave of us; and if you +have a bad dream to-night, by all means stay at home!" "The devil, +Sir Kay," the Queen replies, "are you beside yourself that your tongue +always runs on so? Cursed be your tongue which is so full of bitterness! +Surely your tongue must hate you, for it says the worst it knows to +every man. Damned be any tongue that never ceases to speak ill! As for +your tongue, it babbles so that it makes you hated everywhere. It cannot +do you greater treachery. See here: if it were mine, I would accuse it +of treason. Any man that cannot be cured by punishment ought to be tied +like a madman in front of the chancel in the church." "Really, madame," +says my lord Yvain, "his impudence matters not to me. In every court my +lord Kay has so much ability, knowledge, and worth that he will never be +deaf or dumb. He has the wit to reply wisely and courteously to all that +is mean, and this he has always done. You well know if I lie in saying +so. But I have no desire to dispute or to begin our foolishness again. +For he who deals the first blow does not always win the fight, but +rather he who gains revenge. He who fights with his companion had better +fight against some stranger. I do not wish to be like the hound that +stiffens up and growls when another dog yaps at him." + +(Vv. 649-722.) While they were talking thus, the King came out of his +room where he had been all this time asleep. And when the knights saw +him they all sprang to their feet before him, but he made them at once +sit down again. He took his place beside the Queen, who repeated to him +word for word, with her customary skill, the story of Calogrenant. The +King listened eagerly to it, and then he swore three mighty oaths by the +soul of his father Utherpendragon, and by the soul of his son, and of +his mother too, that he would go to see that spring before a fortnight +should have passed; and he would see the storm and the marvels there by +reaching it on the eve of my lord Saint John the Baptist's feast; there +he would spend the night, and all who wished might accompany him. All +the court thought well of this, for the knights and the young bachelors +were very eager to make the expedition. But despite the general joy and +satisfaction my lord Yvain was much chagrined, for he intended to go +there all alone; so he was grieved and much put out because of the King +who planned to go. The chief cause of his displeasure was that he knew +that my lord Kay, to whom the favour would not be refused if he should +solicit it, would secure the battle rather than he himself, or else +perchance my lord Gawain would first ask for it. If either one of these +two should make request, the favour would never be refused him. But, +having no desire for their company, he resolves not to wait for them, +but to go off alone, if possible, whether it be to his gain or hurt. And +whoever may stay behind, he intends to be on the third day in the forest +of Broceliande, and there to seek if possibly he may find the narrow +wooded path for which he yearns eagerly, and the plain with the strong +castle, and the pleasure and delight of the courteous damsel, who is +so charming and fair, and with the damsel her worthy sire, who is so +honourable and nobly born that he strives to dispense honour. Then he +will see the bulls in the clearing, with the giant boor who watches +them. Great is his desire to see this fellow, who is so stout and big +and ugly and deformed, and as black as a smith. Then, too, he will see, +if possible, the stone and the spring itself, and the basin and the +birds in the pine-tree, and he will make it rain and blow. But of all +this he will not boast, nor, if he can help it, shall any one know +of his purpose until he shall have received from it either great +humiliation or great renown: then let the facts be known. + +(Vv. 723-746.) My lord Yvain gets away from the court without any one +meeting him, and proceeds alone to his lodging place. There he found all +his household, and gave orders to have his horse saddled; then, calling +one of his squires who was privy to his every thought, he says: "Come +now, follow me outside yonder, and bring me my arms. I shall go out at +once through yonder gate upon my palfrey. For thy part, do not delay, +for I have a long road to travel. Have my steed well shod, and bring him +quickly where I am; then shalt thou lead back my palfrey. But take good +care, I adjure thee, if any one questions thee about me, to give him no +satisfaction. Otherwise, whatever thy confidence in me, thou need never +again count on my goodwill." "Sire," he says, "all will be well, for no +one shall learn anything from me. Proceed, and I shall follow you." + +(Vv. 747-906.) My lord Yvain mounts at once, intending to avenge, if +possible, his cousin's disgrace before he returns. The squire ran for +the arms and steed; he mounted at once without delay, since he was +already equipped with shoes and nails. Then he followed his master's +track until he saw him standing mounted, waiting to one side of the road +in a place apart. He brought him his harness and equipment, and then +accoutred him. My lord Yvain made no delay after putting on his arms, +but hastily made his way each day over the mountains and through the +valleys, through the forests long and wide, through strange and wild +country, passing through many gruesome spots, many a danger and many a +strait, until he came directly to the path, which was full of brambles +and dark enough; then he felt he was safe at last, and could not now +lose his way. Whoever may have to pay the cost, he will not stop until +he sees the pine which shades the spring and stone, and the tempest of +hail and rain and thunder and wind. That night, you may be sure, he had +such lodging as he desired, for he found the vavasor to be even more +polite and courteous than he had been told, and in the damsel he +perceived a hundred times more sense and beauty than Calogrenant had +spoken of, for one cannot rehearse the sum of a lady's or a good man's +qualities. The moment such a man devotes himself to virtue, his story +cannot be summed up or told, for no tongue could estimate the honourable +deeds of such a gentleman. My lord Yvain was well content with the +excellent lodging he had that night, and when he entered the clearing +the next day, he met the bulls and the rustic boor who showed him the +way to take. But more than a hundred times he crossed himself at sight +of the monster before him--how Nature had ever been able to form such +a hideous, ugly creature. Then to the spring he made his way, and found +there all that he wished to see. Without hesitation and without sitting +down he poured the basin full of water upon the stone, when straightway +it began to blow and rain, and such a storm was caused as had been +foretold. And when God had appeased the storm, the birds came to perch +upon the pine, and sang their joyous songs up above the perilous spring. +But before their jubilee had ceased there came the knight, more blazing +with wrath than a burning log, and making as much noise as if he were +chasing a lusty stag. As soon as they espied each other they rushed +together and displayed the mortal hate they bore. Each one carried a +stiff, stout lance, with which they dealt such mighty blows that they +pierced the shields about their necks, and cut the meshes of their +hauberks; their lances are splintered and sprung, while the fragments +are cast high in air. Then each attacks the other with his sword, and in +the strife they cut the straps of the shields away, and cut the shields +all to bits from end to end, so that the shreds hang down, no longer +serving as covering or defence; for they have so split them up that they +bring down the gleaming blades upon their sides, their arms, and hips. +Fierce, indeed, is their assault; yet they do not budge from their +standing-place any more than would two blocks of stone. Never were there +two knights so intent upon each other's death. They are careful not to +waste their blows, but lay them on as best they may; they strike and +bend their helmets, and they send the meshes of their hauberks flying +so, that they draw not a little blood, for the hauberks are so hot with +their body's heat that they hardly serve as more protection than a coat. +As they drive the sword-point at the face, it is marvellous that so +fierce and bitter a strife should last so long. But both are possessed +of such courage that one would not for aught retreat a foot before his +adversary until he had wounded him to death. Yet, in this respect they +were very honourable in not trying or deigning to strike or harm their +steeds in any way; but they sat astride their steeds without putting +foot to earth, which made the fight more elegant. At last my lord Yvain +crushed the helmet of the knight, whom the blow stunned and made so +faint that he swooned away, never having received such a cruel blow +before. Beneath his kerchief his head was split to the very brains, so +that the meshes of his bright hauberk were stained with the brains and +blood, all of which caused him such intense pain that his heart almost +ceased to beat. He had good reason then to flee, for he felt that he had +a mortal wound, and that further resistance would not avail. With this +thought in mind he quickly made his escape toward his town, where the +bridge was lowered and the gate quickly opened for him; meanwhile my +lord Yvain at once spurs after him at topmost speed. As a gerfalcon +swoops upon a crane when he sees him rising from afar, and then draws so +near to him that he is about to seize him, yet misses him, so flees the +knight, with Yvain pressing him so close that he can almost throw his +arm about him, and yet cannot quite come up with him, though he is so +close that he can hear him groan for the pain he feels. While the one +exerts himself in flight the other strives in pursuit of him, fearing to +have wasted his effort unless he takes him alive or dead; for he still +recalls the mocking words which my lord Kay had addressed to him. He +had not yet carried out the pledge which he had given to his cousin; +nor will they believe his word unless he returns with the evidence. The +knight led him a rapid chase to the gate of his town, where they entered +in; but finding no man or woman in the streets through which they +passed, they both rode swiftly on till they came to the palace-gate. + +(Vv. 907-1054.) The gate was very high and wide, yet it had such a +narrow entrance-way that two men or two horses could scarcely enter +abreast or pass without interference or great difficulty; for it was +constructed just like a trap which is set for the rat on mischief bent, +and which has a blade above ready to fall and strike and catch, and +which is suddenly released whenever anything, however gently, comes in +contact with the spring. In like fashion, beneath the gate there were +two springs connected with a portcullis up above, edged with iron and +very sharp. If anything stepped upon this contrivance the gate descended +from above, and whoever below was struck by the gate was caught and +mangled. Precisely in the middle the passage lay as narrow as if it were +a beaten track. Straight through it exactly the knight rushed on, with +my lord Yvain madly following him apace, and so close to him that he +held him by the saddle-bow behind. It was well for him that he was +stretched forward, for had it not been for this piece of luck he would +have been cut quite through; for his horse stepped upon the wooden +spring which kept the portcullis in place. Like a hellish devil the gate +dropped down, catching the saddle and the horse's haunches, which it cut +off clean. But, thank God, my lord Yvain was only slightly touched when +it grazed his back so closely that it cut both his spurs off even with +his heels. And while he thus fell in dismay, the other with his mortal +wound escaped him, as you now shall see. Farther on there was another +gate just like the one they had just passed; through this the knight +made his escape, and the gate descended behind him. Thus my lord Yvain +was caught, very much concerned and discomfited as he finds himself +shut in this hallway, which was all studded with gilded nails, and whose +walls were cunningly decorated with precious paints. [310] But about +nothing was he so worried as not to know what had become of the knight. +While he was in this narrow place, he heard open the door of a little +adjoining room, and there came forth alone a fair and charming maiden +who closed the door again after her. When she found my lord Yvain, at +first she was sore dismayed. [311] "Surely, sir knight," she says, "I +fear you have come in an evil hour. If you are seen here, you will be +all cut to pieces. For my lord is mortally wounded, and I know it is you +who have been the death of him. My lady is in such a state of grief, and +her people about her are crying so that they are ready to die with rage; +and, moreover, they know you to be inside. But as yet their grief is +such that they are unable to attend to you. The moment they come +to attack you, they cannot fail to kill or capture you, as they may +choose." And my lord Yvain replies to her: "If God will they shall never +kill me, nor shall I fall into their hands." "No," she says, "for I +shall do my utmost to assist you. It is not manly to cherish fear. So +I hold you to be a man of courage, when you are not dismayed. And rest +assured that if I could I would help you and treat you honourably, as +you in turn would do for me. Once my lady sent me on an errand to the +King's court, and I suppose I was not so experienced or courteous or +so well behaved as a maiden ought to be; at any rate, there was not a +knight there who deigned to say a word to me except you alone who stand +here now; but you, in your kindness, honoured and aided me. For the +honour you did me then I shall now reward you. I know full well what +your name is, and I recognised you at once: your name is my lord Yvain. +You may be sure and certain that if you take my advice you will never be +caught or treated ill. Please take this little ring of mine, which you +will return when I shall have delivered you." [312] Then she handed him +the little ring and told him that its effect was like that of the bark +which covers the wood so that it cannot be seen; but it must be worn so +that the stone is within the palm; then he who wears the ring upon his +finger need have no concern for anything; for no one, however sharp his +eyes may be, will be able to see him any more than the wood which is +covered by the outside bark. All this is pleasing to my lord Yvain. And +when she had told him this, she led him to a seat upon a couch covered +with a quilt so rich that the Duke of Austria had none such, and she +told him that if he cared for something to eat she would fetch it for +him; and he replied that he would gladly do so. Running quickly into the +chamber, she presently returned, bringing a roasted fowl and a cake, a +cloth, a full pot of good grape-wine covered with a white drinking-cup; +all this she offered to him to eat. And he, who stood in need of food, +very gladly ate and drank. + +(Vv. 1055-1172.) By the time he had finished his meal the knights were +astir inside looking for him and eager to avenge their lord, who was +already stretched upon his bier. Then the damsel said to Yvain: "Friend, +do you hear them all seeking you? There is a great noise and uproar +brewing. But whoever may come or go, do not stir for any noise of +theirs, for they can never discover you if you do not move from this +couch. Presently you will see this room all full of ill-disposed and +hostile people, who will think to find you here; and I make no doubt +that they will bring the body here before interment, and they will begin +to search for you under the seats and the beds. It will be amusing for a +man who is not afraid when he sees people searching so fruitlessly, for +they will all be so blind, so undone, and so misguided that they will be +beside themselves with rage. I cannot tell you more just now, for I dare +no longer tarry here. But I may thank God for giving me the chance and +the opportunity to do some service to please you, as I yearned to do." +Then she turned away, and when she was gone all the crowd with one +accord had come from both sides to the gates, armed with clubs and +swords. There was a mighty crowd and press of hostile people surging +about, when they espied in front of the gate the half of the horse which +had been cut down. Then they felt very sure that when the gates were +opened they would find inside him whose life they wished to take. Then +they caused to be drawn up those gates which had been the death of many +men. But since no spring or trap was laid for their passage they all +came through abreast. Then they found at the threshold the other half of +the horse that had been killed; but none of them had sharp enough eyes +to see my lord Yvain, whom they would gladly have killed; and he saw +them beside themselves with rage and fury, as they said: "How can this +be? For there is no door or window here through which anything could +escape, unless it be a bird, a squirrel, or marmot, or some other even +smaller animal; for the windows are barred, and the gates were closed +as soon as my lord passed through. The body is in here, dead or alive, +since there is no sign of it outside there; we can see more than half +of the saddle in here, but of him we see nothing, except the spurs which +fell down severed from his feet. Now let us cease this idle talk, and +search in all these comers, for he is surely in here still, or else we +are all enchanted, or the evil spirits have filched him away from us." +Thus they all, aflame with rage, sought him about the room, beating +upon the walls, and beds, and seats. But the couch upon which he lay was +spared and missed the blows, so that he was not struck or touched. But +all about they thrashed enough, and raised an uproar in the room with +their clubs, like a blind man who pounds as he goes about his search. +While they were poking about under the beds and the stools, there +entered one of the most beautiful ladies that any earthly creature ever +saw. Word or mention was never made of such a fair Christian dame, and +yet she was so crazed with grief that she was on the point of taking her +life. All at once she cried out at the top of her voice, and then fell +prostrate in a swoon. And when she had been picked up she began to claw +herself and tear her hair, like a woman who had lost her mind. She tears +her hair and rips her dress, and faints at every step she takes; nor can +anything comfort her when she sees her husband borne along lifeless +in the bier; for her happiness is at an end, and so she made her loud +lament. The holy water and the cross and the tapers were borne in +advance by the nuns from a convent; then came missals and censers +and the priests, who pronounce the final absolution required for the +wretched soul. + +(Vv. 1173-1242.) My lord Yvain heard the cries and the grief that can +never be described, for no one could describe it, nor was such ever set +down in a book. The procession passed, but in the middle of the room a +great crowd gathered about the bier, for the fresh warm blood trickled +out again from the dead man's wound, and this betokened certainly that +the man was still surely present who had fought the battle and had +killed and defeated him. Then they sought and searched everywhere, and +turned and stirred up everything, until they were all in a sweat with +the trouble and the press which had been caused by the sight of the +trickling crimson blood. Then my lord Yvain was well struck and beaten +where he lay, but not for that did he stir at all. And the people became +more and more distraught because of the wounds which burst open, and +they marvelled why they bled, without knowing whose fault it was. [313] +And each one to his neighbour said: "The murderer is among us here, and +yet we do not see him, which is passing strange and mysterious." At this +the lady showed such grief that she made an attempt upon her life, and +cried as if beside herself: "All God, then will the murderer not be +found, the traitor who took my good lord's life? Good? Aye, the best of +the good, indeed! True God, Thine will be the fault if Thou dost let him +thus escape. No other man than Thou should I blame for it who dost hide +him from my sight. Such a wonder was never seen, nor such injustice, as +Thou dost to me in not allowing me even to see the man who must be so +close to me. When I cannot see him, I may well say that some demon or +spirit has interposed himself between us, so that I am under a spell. Or +else he is a coward and is afraid of me: he must be a craven to stand in +awe of me, and it is an act of cowardice not to show himself before +me. Ah, thou spirit, craven thing! Why art thou so in fear of me, when +before my lord thou weft so brave? O empty and elusive thing, why cannot +I have thee in my power? Why cannot I lay hands upon thee now? But how +could it ever come about that thou didst kill my lord, unless it was +done by treachery? Surely my lord would never have met defeat at thy +hands had he seen thee face to face. For neither God nor man ever knew +of his like, nor is there any like him now. Surely, hadst thou been a +mortal man, thou wouldst never have dared to withstand my lord, for no +one could compare with him." Thus the lady struggles with herself, and +thus she contends and exhausts herself. And her people with her, for +their part, show the greatest possible grief as they carry off the +body to burial. After their long efforts and search they are completely +exhausted by the quest, and give it up from weariness, inasmuch as they +can find no one who is in any way guilty. The nuns and priests, having +already finished the service, had returned from the church and were gone +to the burial. But to all this the damsel in her chamber paid no heed. +Her thoughts are with my lord Yvain, and, coming quickly, she said to +him: "Fair sir, these people have been seeking you in force. They have +raised a great tumult here, and have poked about in all the corners more +diligently than a hunting-dog goes ferreting a partridge or a quail. +Doubtless you have been afraid." "Upon my word, you are right," says he: +"I never thought to be so afraid. And yet, if it were possible I should +gladly look out through some window or aperture at the procession +and the corpse." Yet he had no interest in either the corpse or the +procession, for he would gladly have seen them all burned, even had it +cost him a thousand marks. A thousand marks? Three thousand, verily, +upon my word. But he said it because of the lady of the town, of whom he +wished to catch a glimpse. So the damsel placed him at a little window, +and repaid him as well as she could for the honour which he had done +her. From this window my lord Yvain espies the fair lady, as she says: +"Sire, may God have mercy upon your soul! For never, I verily believe, +did any knight ever sit in saddle who was your equal in any respect. +No other knight, my fair sweet lord, ever possessed your honour or +courtesy. Generosity was your friend and boldness your companion. May +your soul rest among the saints, my fair dear lord." Then she strikes +and tears whatever she can lay her hands upon. Whatever the outcome +may be, it is hard for my lord Yvain to restrain himself from running +forward to seize her hands. But the damsel begs and advises him, and +even urgently commands him, though with courtesy and graciousness, not +to commit any rash deed, saying: "You are well off here. Do not stir +for any cause until this grief shall be assuaged; let these people all +depart, as they will do presently. If you act as I advise, in accordance +with my views, great advantage may come to you. It will be best for you +to remain seated here, and watch the people inside and out as they +pass along the way without their seeing you. But take care not to speak +violently, for I hold that man to be rather imprudent than brave who +goes too far and loses his self-restraint and commits some deed of +violence the moment he has the time and chance. So if you cherish some +rash thought be careful not to utter it. The wise man conceals his +imprudent thought and works out righteousness if he can. So wisely take +good care not to risk your head, for which they would accept no ransom. +Be considerate of yourself and remember my advice. Rest assured until +I return, for I dare not stay longer now. I might stay so long, I fear, +that they would suspect me when they did not see me in the crowd, and +then I should suffer for it." + +(Vv. 1339-1506.) Then she goes off, and he remains, not knowing how to +comport himself. He is loath to see them bury the corpse without his +securing anything to take back as evidence that he has defeated and +killed him. If he has no proof or evidence he will be held in contempt, +for Kay is so mean and obstinate, so given to mockery, and so annoying, +that he could never succeed in convincing him. He would go about for +ever insulting him, flinging his mockery and taunts as he did the other +day. These taunts are still fresh and rankling in his heart. But with +her sugar and honey a new Love now softened him; he had been to hunt +upon his lands and had gathered in his prey. His enemy carries off +his heart, and he loves the creature who hates him most. The lady, all +unaware, has well avenged her lord's death. She has secured greater +revenge than she could ever have done unless she had been aided by Love, +who attacks him so gently that he wounds his heart through his eyes. +And this wound is more enduring than any inflicted by lance or sword. +A sword-blow is cured and healed at once as soon as a doctor attends to +it, but the wound of love is worst when it is nearest to its physician. +This is the wound of my lord Yvain, from which he will never more +recover, for Love has installed himself with him. He deserts and goes +away from the places he was wont to frequent. He cares for no lodging +or landlord save this one, and he is very wise in leaving a poor +lodging-place in order to betake himself to him. In order to devote +himself completely to him, he will have no other lodging-place, though +often he is wont to seek out lowly hostelries. It is a shame that +Love should ever so basely conduct himself as to select the meanest +lodging-place quite as readily as the best. But now he has come where he +is welcome, and where he will be treated honourably, and where he will +do well to stay. This is the way Love ought to act, being such a noble +creature that it is marvellous how he dares shamefully to descend to +such low estate. He is like him who spreads his balm upon the ashes and +dust, who mingles sugar with gall, and suet with honey. However, he did +not act so this time, but rather lodged in a noble place, for which no +one can reproach him. When the dead man had been buried, all the people +dispersed, leaving no clerks or knights or ladies, excepting only +her who makes no secret of her grief. She alone remains behind, often +clutching at her throat, wringing her hands, and beating her palms, as +she reads her psalms in her gilt lettered psalter. All this while my +lord Yvain is at the window gazing at her, and the more he looks at her +the more he loves her and is enthralled by her. He would have wished +that she should cease her weeping and reading, and that she should +feel inclined to converse with him. Love, who caught him at the window, +filled him with this desire. But he despairs of realising his wish, for +he cannot imagine or believe that his desire can be gratified. So he +says: "I may consider myself a fool to wish for what I cannot have. +Her lord it was whom I wounded mortally, and yet do I think I can be +reconciled with her? Upon my word, such thoughts are folly, for at +present she has good reason to hate me more bitterly than anything. I am +right in saying 'at present', for a woman has more than one mind. That +mind in which she is just now I trust she will soon change; indeed, she +will change it certainly, and I am mad thus to despair. God grant that +she change it soon! For I am doomed to be her slave, since such is the +will of Love. Whoever does not welcome Love gladly, when he comes to +him, commits treason and a felony. I admit (and let whosoever will, +heed what I say) that such an one deserves no happiness or joy. But if I +lose, it will not be for such a reason; rather will I love my enemy. +For I ought not to feel any hate for her unless I wish to betray Love. +I must love in accordance with Love's desire. And ought she to regard me +as a friend? Yes, surely, since it is she whom I love. And I call her +my enemy, for she hates me, though with good reason, for I killed the +object of her love. So, then, am I her enemy? Surely no, but her true +friend, for I never so loved any one before. I grieve for her fair +tresses, surpassing gold in their radiance; I feel the pangs of anguish +and torment when I see her tear and cut them, nor can her tears e'er +be dried which I see falling from her eyes; by all these things I am +distressed. Although they are full of ceaseless, ever-flowing tears, yet +never were there such lovely eves. The sight of her weeping causes me +agony, but nothing pains me so much as the sight of her face, which she +lacerates without its having merited such treatment. I never saw such a +face so perfectly formed, nor so fresh and delicately coloured. And then +it has pierced my heart to see her clutch her throat. Surely, it is all +too true that she is doing the worst she can. And yet no crystal nor any +mirror is so bright and smooth. God! why is she thus possessed, and why +does she not spare herself? Why does she wring her lovely hands and beat +and tear her breast? Would she not be marvellously fair to look upon +when in happy mood, seeing that she is so fair in her displeasure? +Surely yes, I can take my oath on that. Never before in a work of beauty +was Nature thus able to outdo herself, for I am sure she has gone beyond +the limits of any previous attempt. How could it ever have happened +then? Whence came beauty so marvellous? God must have made her with His +naked hand that Nature might rest from further toil. If she should try +to make a replica, she might spend her time in vain without succeeding +in her task. Even God Himself, were He to try, could not succeed, I +guess, in ever making such another, whatever effort He might put forth." + +(Vv. 1507-1588.) Thus my lord Yvain considers her who is broken with her +grief, and I suppose it would never happen again that any man in prison, +like my lord Yvain in fear for his life, would ever be so madly in love +as to make no request on his own behalf, when perhaps no one else will +speak for him. He stayed at the window until he saw the lady go away, +and both the portcullises were lowered again. Another might have grieved +at this, who would prefer a free escape to tarrying longer where he was. +But to him it is quite indifferent whether they be shut or opened. If +they were open he surely would not go away, no, even were the lady to +give him leave and pardon him freely for the death of her lord. For he +is detained by Love and Shame which rise up before him on either hand: +he is ashamed to go away, for no one would believe in the success of his +exploit; on the other hand, he has such a strong desire to see the lady +at least, if he cannot obtain any other favour, that he feels little +concern about his imprisonment. He would rather die than go away. And +now the damsel returns, wishing to bear him company with her solace +and gaiety, and to go and fetch for him whatever he may desire. But she +found him pensive and quite worn out with the love which had laid hold +of him; whereupon she addressed him thus: "My lord Yvain, what sort of +a time have you had to-day?" "I have been pleasantly occupied," was his +reply. "Pleasantly? In God's name, is that the truth? What? How can one +enjoy himself seeing that he is hunted to death, unless he courts and +wishes it?" "Of a truth," he says, "my gentle friend, I should by no +means wish to die; and yet, as God beholds me, I was pleased, am pleased +now, and always shall be pleased by what I saw." "Well, let us say no +more of that," she makes reply, "for I can understand well enough what +is the meaning of such words. I am not so foolish or inexperienced that +I cannot understand such words as those; but come now after me, for I +shall find some speedy means to release you from your confinement. I +shall surely set you free to-night or to-morrow, if you please. Come +now, I will lead you away." And he thus makes reply: "You may be sure +that I will never escape secretly and like a thief. When the people are +all gathered out there in the streets, I can go forth more honourably +than if I did so surreptitiously." Then he followed her into the little +room. The damsel, who was kind, secured and bestowed upon him all that +he desired. And when the opportunity arose, she remembered what he +had said to her how he had been pleased by what he saw when they were +seeking him in the room with intent to kill him. + +(Vv. 1589-1652.) The damsel stood in such favour with her lady that she +had no fear of telling her anything, regardless of the consequences, for +she was her confidante and companion. Then, why should she be backward +in comforting her lady and in giving her advice which should redound to +her honour? The first time she said to her privily: "My lady, I greatly +marvel to see you act so extravagantly. Do you think you can recover +your lord by giving away thus to your grief?" "Nay, rather, if I had my +wish," says she, "I would now be dead of grief." "And why?" "In order to +follow after him." "After him? God forbid, and give you again as good a +lord, as is consistent with His might." "Thou didst never speak such a +lie as that, for He could never give me so good a lord again." "He will +give you a better one, if you will accept him, and I can prove it." +"Begone! Peace! I shall never find such a one." "Indeed you shall, my +lady, if you will consent. Just tell me, if you will, who is going to +defend your land when King Arthur comes next week to the margin of the +spring? You have already been apprised of this by letters sent you by +the Dameisele Sauvage. Alas, what a kind service she did for you! you +ought to be considering how you will defend your spring, and yet you +cease not to weep! If it please you, my dear lady, you ought not to +delay. For surely, all the knights you have are not worth, as you well +know, so much as a single chamber-maid. Neither shield nor lance will +ever be taken in hand by the best of them. You have plenty of craven +servants, but there is not one of them brave enough to dare to mount a +steed. And the King is coming with such a host that his victory will +be inevitable." The lady, upon reflection, knows very well that she is +giving her sincere advice, but she is unreasonable in one respect, as +also are other women who are, almost without exception, guilty of their +own folly, and refuse to accept what they really wish. "Begone," she +says; "leave me alone. If I ever hear thee speak of this again it will +go hard with thee, unless thou flee. Thou weariest me with thy idle +words." "Very well, my lady," she says; "that you are a woman is +evident, for woman will grow irate when she hears any one give her good +advice." + +(Vv. 1653-1726.) Then she went away and left her alone. And the lady +reflected that she had been in the wrong. She would have been very glad +to know how the damsel could ever prove that it would be possible to +find a better knight than her lord had ever been. She would be very glad +to hear her speak, but now she has forbidden her. With this desire in +mind, she waited until she returned. But the warning was of no avail, +for she began to say to her at once: "My lady, is it seemly that you +should thus torment yourself with grief? For God's sake now control +yourself, and for shame, at least, cease your lament. It is not fitting +that so great a lady should keep up her grief so long. Remember your +honourable estate and your very gentle birth! Think you that all virtue +ceased with the death of your lord? There are in the world a hundred as +good or better men." "May God confound me, if thou dost not lie! Just +name to me a single one who is reputed to be so excellent as my lord was +all his life." "If I did so you would be angry with me, and would fly +into a passion and you would esteem me less." "No, I will not, I assure +thee." "Then may it all be for your future welfare if you would but +consent, and may God so incline your will! I see no reason for holding +my peace, for no one hears or heeds what we say. Doubtless you will +think I am impudent, but I shall freely speak my mind. When two knights +have met in an affray of arms and when one has beaten the other, which +of the two do you think is the better? For my part I award the prize +to the victor. Now what do you think?" "It seems to me you are laying a +trap for me and intend to catch me in my words." "Upon my faith, you may +rest assured that I am in the right, and I can irrefutably prove to you +that he who defeated your lord is better than he was himself. He beat +him and pursued him valiantly until he imprisoned him in his house." +"Now," she replies, "I hear the greatest nonsense that was ever uttered. +Begone, thou spirit charged with evil! Begone, thou foolish and tiresome +girl! Never again utter such idle words, and never come again into my +presence to speak a word on his behalf!" "Indeed, my lady, I knew full +well that I should receive no thanks from you, and I said so before I +spoke. But you promised me you would not be displeased, and that you +would not be angry with me for it. But you have failed to keep your +promise, and now, as it has turned out, you have discharged your wrath +on me, and I have lost by not holding my peace." + +(Vv. 1727-1942.) Thereupon she goes back to the room where my lord Yvain +is waiting, comfortably guarded by her vigilance. But he is ill at ease +when he cannot see the lady, and he pays no attention, and hears no word +of the report which the damsel brings to him. The lady, too, is in great +perplexity all night, being worried about how she should defend the +spring; and she begins to repent of her action to the damsel, whom she +had blamed and insulted and treated with contempt. She feels very sure +and certain that not for any reward or bribe, nor for any affection +which she may bear him, would the maiden ever have mentioned him; and +that she must love her more than him, and that she would never give her +advice which would bring her shame or embarrassment: the maid is too +loyal a friend for that. Thus, lo! the lady is completely changed: she +fears now that she to whom she had spoken harshly will never love her +again devotedly; and him whom she had repulsed, she now loyally and with +good reason pardons, seeing that he had done her no wrong. So she argues +as if he were in her presence there, and thus she begins her argument: +"Come," she says, "canst thou deny that my lord was killed by thee?" +"That," says he, "I cannot deny. Indeed, I fully admit it." "Tell me, +then, the reason of thy deed. Didst thou do it to injure me, prompted by +hatred or by spite?" "May death not spare me now, if I did it to injure +you." "In that case, thou hast done me no wrong, nor art thou guilty +of aught toward him. For he would have killed thee, if he could. So it +seems to me that I have decided well and righteously." Thus, by her own +arguments she succeeds in discovering justice, reason, and common sense, +how that there is no cause for hating him; thus she frames the matter to +conform with her desire, and by her own efforts she kindles her love, as +a bush which only smokes with the flame beneath, until some one blows +it or stirs it up. If the damsel should come in now, she would win the +quarrel for which she had been so reproached, and by which she had +been so hurt. And next morning, in fact, she appeared again, taking +the subject up where she had let it drop. Meanwhile, the lady bowed +her head, knowing she had done wrong in attacking her. But now she is +anxious to make amends, and to inquire concerning the name, character, +and lineage of the knight: so she wisely humbles herself, and says: "I +wish to beg your pardon for the insulting words of pride which in my +rage I spoke to you: I will follow your advice. So tell me now, if +possible, about the knight of whom you have spoken so much to me: what +sort of a man is he, and of what parentage? If he is suited to become +my mate, and provided he be so disposed, I promise you to make him my +husband and lord of my domain. But he will have to act in such a way +that no one can reproach me by saying: 'This is she who took him who +killed her lord.'" "In God's name, lady, so shall it be. You will have +the gentlest, noblest, and fairest lord who ever belonged to Abel's +line." "What is his name?" "My lord Yvain." "Upon my word, if he is King +Urien's son he is of no mean birth, but very noble, as I well know." +"Indeed, my lady, you say the truth." "And when shall we be able to see +him?" "In five days' time." "That would be too long; for I wish he were +already come. Let him come to-night, or to-morrow, at the latest." "My +lady, I think no one could fly so far in one day. But I shall send one +of my squires who can run fast, and who will reach King Arthur's court +at least by to-morrow night, I think; that is the place we must seek for +him." "That is a very long time. The days are long. But tell him that +to-morrow night he must be back here, and that he must make greater +haste than usual. If he will only do his best, he can do two days' +journey in one. Moreover, to-night the moon will shine; so let him turn +night into day. And when he returns I will give him whatever he wishes +me to give." "Leave all care of that to me; for you shall have him in +your hands the day after to-morrow at the very latest. Meanwhile you +shall summon your men and confer with them about the approaching visit +of the King. In order to make the customary defence of your spring it +behoves you to consult with them. None of them will be so hardy as to +dare to boast that he will present himself. In that case you will have +a good excuse for saving that it behoves you to marry again. A certain +knight, highly qualified, seeks your hand; but you do not presume to +accept him without their unanimous consent. And I warrant what the +outcome will be: I know them all to be such cowards that in order to put +on some one else the burden which would be too heavy for them, they +will fall at your feet and speak their gratitude; for thus their +responsibility will be at an end. For, whoever is afraid of his own +shadow willingly avoids, if possible, any meeting with lance or spear; +for such games a coward has no use." "Upon my word," the lady replies, +"so I would have it, and so I consent, having already conceived the plan +which you have expressed; so that is what we shall do. But why do you +tarry here? Go, without delay, and take measures to bring him here, +while I shall summon my liege-men." Thus concluded their conference. And +the damsel pretends to send to search for my lord Yvain in his country; +while every day she has him bathed, and washed, and groomed. And besides +this she prepares for him a robe of red scarlet stuff, brand new and +lined with spotted fur. There is nothing necessary for his equipment +which she does not lend to him: a golden buckle for his neck, ornamented +with precious stones which make people look well, a girdle, and a wallet +made of rich gold brocade. She fitted him out perfectly, then informed +her lady that the messenger had returned, having done his errand +well. "How is that?" she says, "is he here? Then let him come at once, +secretly and privily, while no one is here with me. See to it that no +one else come in, for I should hate to see a fourth person here." At +this the damsel went away, and returned to her guest again. However, her +face did not reveal the joy that was in her heart; indeed, she said +that her lady knew that she had been sheltering him, and was very much +incensed at her. "Further concealment is useless now. The news about +you has been so divulged that my lady knows the whole story and is very +angry with me, heaping me with blame and reproaches. But she has given +me her word that I may take you into her presence without any harm or +danger. I take it that you will have no objection to this, except for +one condition (for I must not disguise the truth, or I should be unjust +to you): she wishes to have you in her control, and she desires such +complete possession of your body that even your heart shall not be at +large." "Certainly," he said, "I readily consent to what will be no +hardship to me. I am willing to be her prisoner." "So shall you be: +I swear it by this right hand laid upon you!. Now come and, upon my +advice, demean yourself so humbly in her presence that your imprisonment +may not be grievous. Otherwise feel no concern. I do not think that your +restraint will be irksome." Then the damsel leads him off, now +alarming, now reassuring him, and speaking to him mysteriously about +the confinement in which he is to find himself; for every lover is a +prisoner. She is right in calling him a prisoner; for surely any one who +loves is no longer free. + +(Vv. 1943-2036.) Taking my lord Yvain by the hand, the damsel leads him +where he will be dearly loved; but expecting to be ill received, it +is not strange if he is afraid. They found the lady seated upon a red +cushion. I assure you my lord Yvain was terrified upon entering the +room, where he found the lady who spoke not a word to him. At this he +was still more afraid, being overcome with fear at the thought that he +had been betrayed. He stood there to one side so long that the damsel +at last spoke up and said: "Five hundred curses upon the head of him who +takes into a fair lady's chamber a knight who will not draw near, +and who has neither tongue nor mouth nor sense to introduce himself." +Thereupon, taking him by the arm, she thrust him forward with the words: +"Come, step forward, knight, and have no fear that my lady is going to +snap at you; but seek her good-will and give her yours. I will join you +in your prayer that she pardon you for the death of her lord, Esclados +the Red." Then my lord Yvain clasped his hands, and failing upon his +knees, spoke like a lover with these words: "I will not crave your +pardon, lady, but rather thank you for any treatment you may inflict on +me, knowing that no act of yours could ever be distasteful to me." "Is +that so, sir? And what if I think to kill you now?" "My lady, if it +please you, you will never hear me speak otherwise." "I never heard of +such a thing as this: that you put yourself voluntarily and absolutely +within my power, without the coercion of any one." "My lady, there is +no force so strong, in truth, as that which commands me to conform +absolutely to your desire. I do not fear to carry out any order you +may be pleased to give. And if I could atone for the death, which came +through no fault of mine, I would do so cheerfully." "What?" says she, +"come tell me now and be forgiven, if you did no wrong in killing my +lord?" "Lady," he says, "if I may say it, when your lord attacked me, +why was I wrong to defend myself? When a man in self-defence kills +another who is trying to kill or capture him, tell me if in any way he +is to blame." "No, if one looks at it aright. And I suppose it would +have been no use, if I had had you put to death. But I should be glad +to learn whence you derive the force that bids you to consent +unquestioningly to whatever my will may dictate. I pardon you all your +misdeeds and crimes. But be seated, and tell us now what is the cause of +your docility?" "My lady," he says, "the impelling force comes from +my heart, which is inclined toward you. My heart has fixed me in this +desire." "And what prompted your heart, my fair sweet friend?" "Lady, my +eyes." "And what the eyes?" "The great beauty that I see in you." "And +where is beauty's fault in that?" "Lady, in this: that it makes me +love." "Love? And whom?" "You, my lady dear." "I?" "Yes, truly." +"Really? And how is that?" "To such an extent that my heart will not +stir from you, nor is it elsewhere to be found; to such an extent that I +cannot think of anything else, and I surrender myself altogether to you, +whom I love more than I love myself, and for whom, if you will, I am +equally ready to die or live." "And would you dare to undertake the +defence of my spring for love of me?" "Yes, my lady, against the world." +"Then you may know that our peace is made." + +(Vv. 2037-2048.) Thus they are quickly reconciled. And the lady, having +previously consulted her lords, says: "We shall proceed from here to the +hall where my men are assembled, who, in view of the evident need, have +advised and counselled me to take a husband at their request. And I +shall do so, in view of the urgent need: here and now I give myself to +you; for I should not refuse to accept as lord, such a good knight and a +king's son." + +(Vv. 2049-2328.) Now the damsel has brought about exactly what she had +desired. And my lord Yvain's mastery is more complete than could be told +or described; for the lady leads him away to the hall, which was full of +her knights and men-at-arms. And my lord Yvain was so handsome that they +all marvelled to look at him, and all, rising to their feet, salute and +bow to my lord Yvain, guessing well as they did so: "This is he whom +my lady will select. Cursed be he who opposes him! For he seems a +wonderfully fine man. Surely, the empress of Rome would be well married +with such a man. Would now that he had given his word to her, and she to +him, with clasped hand, and that the wedding might take place to-day +or tomorrow." Thus they spoke among themselves. At the end of the hall +there was a seat, and there in the sight of all the lady took her place. +And my lord Yvain made as if he intended to seat himself at her feet; +but she raised him up, and ordered the seneschal to speak aloud, so +that his speech might be heard by all. Then the seneschal began, being +neither stubborn nor slow of speech: "My lords," he said, "we are +confronted by war. Every day the King is preparing with all the haste he +can command to come to ravage our lands. Before a fortnight shall have +passed, all will have been laid waste, unless some valiant defender +shall appear. When my lady married first, not quite seven years ago, she +did it on your advice. Now her husband is dead, and she is grieved. Six +feet of earth is all he has, who formerly owned all this land, and who +was indeed its ornament. [314] It is a pity he lived so short a while. +A woman cannot bear a shield, nor does she know how to fight with lance. +It would exalt and dignify her again if she should marry some worthy +lord. Never was there greater need than now; do all of you recommend +that she take a spouse, before the custom shall lapse which has been +observed in this town for more than the past sixty years." At this, all +at once proclaim that it seems to them the right thing to do, and they +all throw themselves at her feet. They strengthen her desire by their +consent; yet she hesitates to assert her wishes until, as if against +her will, she finally speaks to the same intent as she would have done, +indeed, if every one had opposed her wish: "My lords, since it is your +wish, this knight who is seated beside me has wooed me and ardently +sought my hand. He wishes to engage himself in the defence of my rights +and in my service, for which I thank him heartily, as you do also. It is +true I have never known him in person, but I have often heard his name. +Know that he is no less a man than the son of King Urien. Beside his +illustrious lineage, he is so brave, courteous, and wise that no one +has cause to disparage him. You have all already heard, I suppose, of +my lord Yvain, and it is he who seeks my hand. When the marriage is +consummated, I shall have a more noble lord than I deserve." They all +say: "If you are prudent, this very day shall not go by without the +marriage being solemnised. For it is folly to postpone for a single hour +an advantageous act." They beseech her so insistently that she consents +to what she would have done in any case. For Love bids her do that for +which she asks counsel and advice; but there is more honour for him in +being accepted with the approval of her men. To her their prayers are +not unwelcome; rather do they stir and incite her heart to have its way. +The horse, already under speed, goes faster yet when it is spurred. In +the presence of all her lords, the lady gives herself to my lord Yvain. +From the hand of her chaplain he received the lady, Laudine de Landuc, +daughter of Duke Laudunet, of whom they sing a lay. That very day +without delay he married her, and the wedding was celebrated. There +were plenty of mitres and croziers there, for the lady had summoned her +bishops and abbots. Great was the joy and rejoicing, there were many +people, and much wealth was displayed--more than I could tell you of, +were I to devote much thought to it. It is better to keep silent than to +be inadequate. So my lord Yvain is master now, and the dead man is quite +forgot. He who killed him is now married to his wife, and they enjoy the +marriage rights. The people love and esteem their living lord more than +they ever did the dead. They served him well at his marriage-feast, +until the eve before the day when the King came to visit the marvellous +spring and its stone, bringing with him upon this expedition his +companions and all those of his household; not one was left behind. And +my lord Kay remarked: "Ah, what now has become of Yvain, who after his +dinner made the boast that he would avenge his cousin's shame? Evidently +he spoke in his cups. I believe that he has run away. He would not +dare to come back for anything. He was very presumptuous to make such a +boast. He is a bold man who dares to boast of what no one would praise +him for, and who has no proof of his great feats except the words of +some false flatterer. There is a great difference between a coward and a +hero; for the coward seated beside the fire talks loudly about himself, +holding all the rest as fools, and thinking that no one knows his real +character. A hero would be distressed at hearing his prowess related by +some one else. And yet I maintain that the coward is not wrong to praise +and vaunt himself, for he will find no one else to lie for him. If he +does not boast of his deeds, who will? All pass over him in silence, +even the heralds, who proclaim the brave, but discard the cowards." When +my lord Kay had spoken thus, my lord Gawain made this reply: "My lord +Kay, have some mercy now! Since my lord Yvain is not here, you do not +know what business occupies him. Indeed, he never so debased himself as +to speak any ill of you compared with the gracious things he has said." +"Sire," says Kay, "I'll hold my peace. I'll not say another word to-day, +since I see you are offended by my speech." Then the King, in order to +see the rain, poured a whole basin full of water upon the stone beneath +the pine, and at once the rain began to pour. It was not long before my +lord Yvain without delay entered the forest fully armed, tiding faster +than a gallop on a large, sleek steed, strong, intrepid, and fleet of +foot. And it was my lord Kay's desire to request the first encounter. +For, whatever the outcome might be, he always wished to begin the fight +and joust the first, or else he would be much incensed. Before all the +rest, he requested the King to allow him to do battle first. The King +says: "Kay, since it is your wish, and since you are the first to make +the request, the favour ought not to be denied." Kay thanks him first, +then mounts his steed. If now my lord Yvain can inflict a mild disgrace +upon him, he will be very glad to do so; for he recognises him by his +arms. [315] Each grasping his shield by the straps, they rush together. +Spurring their steeds, they lower the lances, which they hold tightly +gripped. Then they thrust them forward a little, so that they grasped +them by the leather-wrapped handles, and so that when they came together +they were able to deal such cruel blows that both lances broke in +splinters clear to the handle of the shaft. My lord Yvain gave him such +a mighty blow that Kay took a summersault from out of his saddle and +struck with his helmet on the ground. My lord Yvain has no desire to +inflict upon him further harm, but simply dismounts and takes his horse. +This pleased them all, and many said: "Ah, ah, see how you prostrate +lie, who but now held others up to scorn! And yet it is only right to +pardon you this time; for it never happened to you before." Thereupon +my lord Yvain approached the King, leading the horse in his hand by the +bridle, and wishing to make it over to him. "Sire," says he, "now take +this steed, for I should do wrong to keep back anything of yours." "And +who are you?" the King replies; "I should never know you, unless I heard +your name, or saw you without your arms." Then my lord told him who +he was, and Kay was overcome with shame, mortified, humbled, and +discomfited, for having said that he had run away. But the others were +greatly pleased, and made much of the honour he had won. Even the King +was greatly gratified, and my lord Gawain a hundred times more than any +one else. For he loved his company more than that of any other knight +he knew. And the King requested him urgently to tell him, if it be his +will, how he had fared; for he was very curious to learn all about his +adventure; so the King begs him to tell the truth. And he soon told him +all about the service and kindness of the damsel, not passing over +a single word, not forgetting to mention anything. And after this he +invited the King and all his knights to come to lodge with him, saying +they would be doing him great honour in accepting his hospitality. And +the King said that for an entire week he would gladly do him the honour +and pleasure, and would bear him company. And when my lord Yvain had +thanked him, they tarry no longer there, but mount and take the most +direct road to the town. My lord Yvain sends in advance of the company +a squire beating a crane-falcon, in order that they might not take the +lady by surprise, and that her people might decorate the streets against +the arrival of the King. When the lady heard the news of the King's +visit she was greatly pleased; nor was there any one who, upon hearing +the news, was not happy and elated. And the lady summons them all and +requests them to go to meet him, to which they make no objection or +remonstrance, all being anxious to do her will. + +(Vv. 2329-2414.) [316] Mounted on great Spanish steeds, they all go to +meet the King of Britain, saluting King Arthur first with great courtesy +and then all his company. "Welcome," they say, "to this company, so full +of honourable men! Blessed be he who brings them hither and presents us +with such fair guests!" At the King's arrival the town resounds with +the joyous welcome which they give. Silken stuffs are taken out and hung +aloft as decorations, and they spread tapestries to walk upon and drape +the streets with them, while they wait for the King's approach. And they +make still another preparation, in covering the streets with awnings +against the hot rays of the sun. Bells, horns, and trumpets cause +the town to ring so that God's thunder could not have been heard. The +maidens dance before him, flutes and pipes are played, kettle-drums, +drums, and cymbals are beaten. On their part the nimble youths leap, and +all strive to show their delight. With such evidence of their joy, they +welcome the King fittingly. And the Lady came forth, dressed in imperial +garb a robe of fresh ermine--and upon her head she wore a diadem all +ornamented with rubies. No cloud was there upon her face, but it was +so gay and full of joy that she was more beautiful, I think, than any +goddess. Around her the crowd pressed close, as they cried with one +accord: "Welcome to the King of kings and lord of lords!" The King could +not reply to all before he saw the lady coming toward him to hold his +stirrup. However, he would not wait for this, but hastened to dismount +himself as soon as he caught sight of her. Then she salutes him with +these words: "Welcome a hundred thousand times to the King, my lord, and +blessed be his nephew, my lord Gawain!" The King replies: "I wish +all happiness and good luck to your fair body and your face, lovely +creature!" Then clasping her around the waist, the King embraced her +gaily and heartily as she did him, throwing her arms about him. I will +say no more of how gladly she welcomed them, but no one ever heard of +any people who were so honourably received and served. I might tell you +much of the joy should I not be wasting words, but I wish to make brief +mention of an acquaintance which was made in private between the moon +and the sun. Do you know of whom I mean to speak? He who was lord of the +knights, and who was renowned above them all, ought surely to be called +the sun. I refer, of course, to my lord Gawain, for chivalry is enhanced +by him just as when the morning sun sheds its rays abroad and lights all +places where it shines. And I call her the moon, who cannot be otherwise +because of her sense and courtesy. However, I call her so not only +because of her good repute, but because her name is, in fact, Lunete. + +(Vv. 2415-2538.) The damsel's name was Lunete, and she was a charming +brunette, prudent, clever, and polite. As her acquaintance grows with +my lord Gawain, he values her highly and gives her his love as to his +sweetheart, because she had saved from death his companion and friend; +he places himself freely at her service. On her part she describes and +relates to him with what difficulty she persuaded her mistress to take +my lord Yvain as her husband, and how she protected him from the hands +of those who were seeking him; how he was in their midst but they did +not see him. My lord Gawain laughed aloud at this story of hers, and +then he said: "Mademoiselle, when you need me and when you don't, such +as I am, I place myself at your disposal. Never throw me off for some +one else when you think you can improve your lot. I am yours, and do +you be from now on my demoiselle!" "I thank you kindly, sire," she said. +While the acquaintance of these two was ripening thus, the others, too, +were engaged in flirting. For there were perhaps ninety ladies there, +each of whom was fair and charming, noble and polite, virtuous and +prudent, and a lady of exalted birth, so the men could agreeably employ +themselves in caressing and kissing them, and in talking to them and +in gazing at them while they were seated by their side; that much +satisfaction they had at least. My lord Yvain is in high feather because +the King is lodged with him. And the lady bestows such attention upon +them all, as individuals and collectively, that some foolish person +might suppose that the charming attentions which she showed them were +dictated by love. But such persons may properly be rated as fools for +thinking that a lady is in love with them just because she is courteous +and speaks to some unfortunate fellow, and makes him happy and caresses +him. A fool is made happy by fair words, and is very easily taken in. +That entire week they spent in gaiety; forest and stream offered plenty +of sport for any one who desired it. And whoever wished to see the land +which had come into the hands of my lord Yvain with the lady whom he +had married, could go to enjoy himself at one of the castles which stood +within a radius of two, three, or four leagues. When the King had stayed +as long as he chose, he made ready to depart. But during the week they +had all begged urgently, and with all the insistence at their command, +that they might take away my lord Yvain with them. "What? Will you +be one of those." said my lord Gawain to him, "who degenerate after +marriage? [317] Cursed be he by Saint Mary who marries and then +degenerates! Whoever has a fair lady as his mistress or his wife should +be the better for it, and it is not right that her affection should be +bestowed on him after his worth and reputation are gone. Surely you, +too, would have cause to regret her love if you grew soft, for a +woman quickly withdraws her love, and rightly so, and despises him who +degenerates in any way when he has become lord of the realm. Now ought +your fame to be increased! Slip off the bridle and halter and come to +the tournament with me, that no one may say that you are jealous. Now +you must no longer hesitate to frequent the lists, to share in the +onslaught, and to contend with force, whatever effort it may cost! +Inaction produces indifference. But, really, you must come, for I shall +be in your company. Have a care that our comradeship shall not fail +through any fault of yours, fair companion; for my part, you may count +on me. It is strange how a man sets store by the life of ease which +has no end. Pleasures grow sweeter through postponement; and a little +pleasure, when delayed, is much sweeter to the taste than great pleasure +enjoyed at once. The sweets of a love which develops late are like +a fire in a green bush; for the longer one delays in lighting it the +greater will be the heat it yields, and the longer will its force +endure. One may easily fall into habits which it is very difficult +to shake off, for when one desires to do so, he finds he has lost the +power. Don't misunderstand my words, my friend: if I had such a fair +mistress as you have, I call God and His saints to witness, I should +leave her most reluctantly; indeed, I should doubtless be infatuated. +But a man may give another counsel, which he would not take himself, +just as the preachers, who are deceitful rascals, and preach and +proclaim the right but who do not follow it themselves." + +(Vv. 2539-2578.) My lord Gawain spoke at such length and so urgently +that he promised him that he would go; but he said that he must consult +his lady and ask for her consent. Whether it be a foolish or a prudent +thing to do, he will not fail to ask her leave to return to Britain. +Then he took counsel with his wife, who had no inkling of the permission +he desired, as he addressed her with these words: "My beloved lady, my +heart and soul, my treasure, joy, and happiness, grant me now a favour +which will redound to your honour and to mine." The lady at once gives +her consent, not knowing what his desire is, and says: "Fair lord, you +may command me your pleasure, whatever it be." Then my lord Yvain +at once asks her for permission to escort the King and to attend at +tournaments, that no one may reproach his indolence. And she replies: +"I grant you leave until a certain date; but be sure that my love will +change to hate if you stay beyond the term that I shall fix. Remember +that I shall keep my word; if you break your word I will keep mine. If +you wish to possess my love, and if you have any regard for me, remember +to come back again at the latest a year from the present date a week +after St. John's day; for to-day is the eighth day since that feast. +You will be checkmated of my love if you are not restored to me on that +day." + +(Vv. 2579-2635.) My lord Yvain weeps and sighs so bitterly that he can +hardly find words to say: "My lady, this date is indeed a long way off. +If I could be a dove, whenever the fancy came to me, I should often +rejoin you here. And I pray God that in His pleasure He may not detain +me so long away. But sometimes a man intends speedily to return who +knows not what the future has in store for him. And I know not what will +be my fate--perhaps some urgency of sickness or imprisonment may keep +me back: you are unjust in not making an exception at least of actual +hindrance." "My lord," says she, "I will make that exception. And yet +I dare to promise you that, if God deliver you from death, no hindrance +will stand in your way so long as you remember me. So put on your finger +now this ring of mine, which I lend to you. And I will tell you all +about the stone: no true and loyal lover can be imprisoned or lose any +blood, nor can any harm befall him, provided he carry it and hold it +dear, and keep his sweetheart in mind. You will become as hard as iron, +and it will serve you as shield and hauberk. I have never before been +willing to lend or entrust it to any knight, but to you I give it +because of my affection for you." Now my lord Yvain is free to go, but +he weeps bitterly on taking leave. The King, however, would not tarry +longer for anything that might be said: rather was he anxious to have +the palfreys brought all equipped and bridled. They acceded at once to +his desire, bringing the palfreys forth, so that it remained only to +mount. I do not know whether I ought to tell you how my lord Yvain took +his leave, and of the kisses bestowed on him, mingled with tears and +steeped in sweetness. And what shall I tell you about the King how the +lady escorts him, accompanied by her damsels and seneschal? All this +would require too much time. When he sees the lady's tears, the King +implores her to come no farther, but to return to her abode. He begged +her with such urgency that, heavy at heart, she turned about followed by +her company. + +(Vv. 2639-2773.) My lord Yvain is so distressed to leave his lady that +his heart remains behind. The King may take his body off, but he cannot +lead his heart away. She who stays behind clings so tightly to his heart +that the King has not the power to take it away with him. When the body +is left without the heart it cannot possibly live on. For such a marvel +was never seen as the body alive without the heart. Yet this marvel now +came about: for he kept his body without the heart, which was wont to be +enclosed in it, but which would not follow the body now. The heart has +a good abiding-place, while the body, hoping for a safe return to its +heart, in strange fashion takes a new heart of hope, which is so often +deceitful and treacherous. He will never know in advance, I think, the +hour when this hope will play him false, for if he overstays by single +day the term which he has agreed upon, it will be hard for him to gain +again his lady's pardon and goodwill. Yet I think he will overstay +the term, for my lord Gawain will not allow him to part from him, as +together they go to joust wherever tournaments are held. And as the year +passes by my lord Yvain had such success that my lord Gawain strove +to honour him, and caused him to delay so long that all the first year +slipped by, and it came to the middle of August of the ensuing year, +when the King held court at Chester, whither they had returned the day +before from a tournament where my lord Yvain had been and where he had +won the glory and the story tells how the two companions were unwilling +to lodge in the town, but had their tents set up outside the city, and +held court there. For they never went to the royal court, but the King +came rather to join in theirs, for they had the best knights, and the +greatest number, in their company. Now King Arthur was seated in their +midst, when Yvain suddenly had a thought which surprised him more than +any that had occurred to him since he had taken leave of his lady, for +he realised that he had broken his word, and that the limit of his +leave was already exceeded. He could hardly keep back his tears, but he +succeeded in doing so from shame. He was still deep in thought when +he saw a damsel approaching rapidly upon a black palfrey with white +forefeet. As she got down before the tent no one helped her to dismount, +and no one went to take her horse. As soon as she made out the King, she +let her mantle fall, and thus displayed she entered the tent and came +before the King, announcing that her mistress sent greetings to the +King, and to my lord Gawain and all the other knights, except +Yvain, that disloyal traitor, liar, hypocrite, who had deserted her +deceitfully. "She has seen clearly the treachery of him who pretended +he was a faithful lover while he was a false and treacherous thief. This +thief has traduced my lady, who was all unprepared for any evil, and +to whom it never occurred that he would steal her heart away. Those who +love truly do not steal hearts away; there are, however, some men, +by whom these former are called thieves, who themselves go about +deceitfully making love, but in whom there is no real knowledge of the +matter. The lover takes his lady's heart, of course, but he does not run +away with it; rather does he treasure it against those thieves who, +in the guise of honourable men, would steal it from him. But those are +deceitful and treacherous thieves who vie with one another in stealing +hearts for which they care nothing. The true lover, wherever he may go, +holds the heart dear and brings it back again. But Yvain has caused my +lady's death, for she supposed that he would guard her heart for her, +and would bring it back again before the year elapsed. Yvain, thou wast +of short memory when thou couldst not remember to return to thy mistress +within a year. She gave thee thy liberty until St. John's day, and thou +settest so little store by her that never since has a thought of her +crossed thy mind. My lady had marked every day in her chamber, as the +seasons passed: for when one is in love, one is ill at ease and cannot +get any restful sleep, but all night long must needs count and reckon +up the days as they come and go. Dost thou know how lovers spend their +time? They keep count of the time and the season. Her complaint is not +presented prematurely or without cause, and I am not accusing him in any +way, but I simply say that we have been betrayed by him who married +my lady. Yvain, my mistress has no further care for thee, but sends thee +word by me never to come back to her, and no longer to keep her ring. +She bids thee send it back to her by me, whom thou seest present here. +Surrender it now, as thou art bound to do." + +(Vv. 2774-3230.) Senseless and deprived of speech, Yvain is unable to +reply. And the damsel steps forth and takes the ring from his finger, +commending to God the King and all the others except him, whom she +leaves in deep distress. And his sorrow grows on him: he feels oppressed +by what he hears, and is tormented by what he sees. He would rather be +banished alone in some wild land, where no one would know where to seek +for him, and where no man or woman would know of his whereabouts any +more than if he were in some deep abyss. He hates nothing so much as he +hates himself, nor does he know to whom to go for comfort in the death +he has brought upon himself. But he would rather go insane than not +take vengeance upon himself, deprived, as he is, of joy through his own +fault. He rises from his place among the knights, fearing he will lose +his mind if he stays longer in their midst. On their part, they pay no +heed to him, but let him take his departure alone. They know well enough +that he cares nothing for their talk or their society. And he goes away +until he is far from the tents and pavilions. Then such a storm broke +loose in his brain that he loses his senses; he tears his flesh and, +stripping off his clothes, he flees across the meadows and fields, +leaving his men quite at a loss, and wondering what has become of him. +[318] They go in search of him through all the country around--in the +lodgings of the knights, by the hedgerows, and in the gardens--but they +seek him where he is not to be found. Still fleeing, he rapidly pursued +his way until he met close by a park a lad who had in his hand a bow and +five barbed arrows, which were very sharp and broad. He had sense enough +to go and take the bow and arrows which he held. However, he had no +recollection of anything that he had done. He lies in wait for the +beasts in the woods, killing them, and then eating the venison raw. Thus +he dwelt in the forest like a madman or a savage, until he came upon a +little, low-lying house belonging to a hermit, who was at work clearing +his ground. When he saw him coming with nothing on, he could easily +perceive that he was not in his right mind; and such was the case, as +the hermit very well knew. So, in fear, he shut himself up in his little +house, and taking some bread and fresh water, he charitably set it +outside the house on a narrow window-ledge. And thither the other comes, +hungry for the bread which he takes and eats. I do not believe that he +ever before had tasted such hard and bitter bread. The measure of barley +kneaded with the straw, of which the bread, sourer than yeast, was made, +had not cost more than five sous; and the bread was musty and as dry +as bark. But hunger torments and whets his appetite, so that the +bread tasted to him like sauce. For hunger is itself a well mixed and +concocted sauce for any food. My lord Yvain soon ate the hermit's bread, +which tasted good to him, and drank the cool water from the jar. When he +had eaten, he betook himself again to the woods in search of stags and +does. And when he sees him going away, the good man beneath his roof +prays God to defend him and guard him lest he ever pass that way again. +But there is no creature, with howsoever little sense, that will not +gladly return to a place where he is kindly treated. So, not a day +passed while he was in this mad fit that he did not bring to his door +some wild game. Such was the life he led; and the good man took it upon +himself to remove the skin and set a good quantity of the venison to +cook; and the bread and the water in the jug was always standing on the +window-ledge for the madman to make a meal. Thus he had something to eat +and drink: venison without salt or pepper, and good cool water from the +spring. And the good man exerted himself to sell the hide and buy bread +made of barley, or oats, or of some other grain; so, after that, Yvain +had a plentiful supply of bread and venison, which sufficed him for +a long time, until one day he was found asleep in the forest by two +damsels and their mistress, in whose service they were. When they saw +the naked man, one of the three ran and dismounted and examined him +closely, before she saw anything about him which would serve to identify +him. If he had only been richly attired, as he had been many a time, and +if she could have seen him then she would have known him quickly enough. +But she was slow to recognise him, and continued to look at him until +at last she noticed a scar which he had on his face, and she recollected +that my lord Yvain's face was scarred in this same way; she was sure of +it, for she had often seen it. Because of the scar she saw that it was +he beyond any doubt; but she marvelled greatly how it came about that +she found him thus poor and stripped. Often she crosses herself in +amazement, but she does not touch him or wake him up; rather does +she mount her horse again, and going back to the others, tells them +tearfully of her adventure. I do not know if I ought to delay to tell +you of the grief she showed; but thus she spoke weeping to her mistress: +"My lady, I have found Yvain, who has proved himself to be the best +knight in the world, and the most virtuous. I cannot imagine what sin +has reduced the gentleman to such a plight. I think he must have had +some misfortune, which causes him thus to demean himself, for one may +lose his wits through grief. And any one can see that he is not in his +right mind, for it would surely never be like him to conduct himself +thus indecently unless he had lost his mind. Would that God had restored +to him the best sense he ever had, and would that he might then consent +to render assistance to your cause! For Count Alier, who is at war with +you, has made upon you a fierce attack. I should see the strife between +you two quickly settled in your favour if God favoured your fortunes +so that he should return to his senses and undertake to aid you in this +stress." To this the lady made reply: "Take care now! For surely, if he +does not escape, with God's help I think we can clear his head of all +the madness and insanity. But we must be on our way at once! For I +recall a certain ointment with which Morgan the Wise presented me, +saying there was no delirium of the head which it would not cure." +Thereupon, they go off at once toward the town, which was hard by, for +it was not any more than half a league of the kind they have in that +country; and, as compared with ours, two of their leagues make one and +four make two. And he remains sleeping all alone, while the lady goes +to fetch the ointment. The lady opens a case of hers, and, taking out a +box, gives it to the damsel, and charges her not to be too prodigal in +its use: she should rub only his temples with it, for there is no use of +applying it elsewhere; she should anoint only his temples with it, and +the remainder she should carefully keep, for there is nothing the matter +with him except in his brain. She sends him also a robe of spotted fur, +a coat, and a mantle of scarlet silk. The damsel takes them, and leads +in her right hand an excellent palfrey. And she added to these, of her +own store, a shirt, some soft hose, and some new drawers of proper cut. +With all these things she quickly set out, and found him still asleep +where she had left him. After putting her horse in an enclosure where +she tied him fast, she came with the clothes and the ointment to the +place where he was asleep. Then she made so bold as to approach the +madman, so that she could touch and handle him: then taking the +ointment she rubbed him with it until none remained in the box, being +so solicitous for his recovery that she proceeded to anoint him all over +with it; and she used it so freely that she heeded not the warning of +her mistress, nor indeed did she remember it. She put more on than was +needed, but in her opinion it was well employed. She rubbed his temples +and forehead, and his whole body down to the ankles. She rubbed his +temples and his whole body so much there in the hot sunshine that the +madness and the depressing gloom passed completely out of his brain. But +she was foolish to anoint his body, for of that there was no need. If +she had had five measures of it she would doubtless have done the same +thing. She carries off the box, and takes hidden refuge by her horse. +But she leaves the robe behind, wishing that, if God calls him back to +life, he may see it all laid out, and may take it and put it on. She +posts herself behind an oak tree until he had slept enough, and was +cured and quite restored, having regained his wits and memory. Then he +sees that he is as naked as ivory, and feels much ashamed; but he would +have been yet more ashamed had he known what had happened. As it is, he +knows nothing but that he is naked. He sees the new robe lying before +him, and marvels greatly how and by what adventure it had come there. +But he is ashamed and concerned, because of his nakedness, and says that +he is dead and utterly undone if any one has come upon him there and +recognised him. Meanwhile, he clothes himself and looks out into the +forest to see if any one was approaching. He tries to stand up and +support himself, but cannot summon the strength to walk away, for his +sickness has so affected him that he can scarcely stand upon his feet. +Thereupon, the damsel resolves to wait no longer, but, mounting, she +passed close by him, as if unaware of his presence. Quite indifferent as +to whence might come the help, which he needed so much to lead him away +to some lodging-place, where he might recruit his strength, he calls out +to her with all his might. And the damsel, for her part, looks about +her as if not knowing what the trouble is. Confused, she goes hither and +thither, not wishing to go straight up to him. Then he begins to call +again: "Damsel, come this way, here!" And the damsel guided toward him +her soft-stepping palfrey. By this ruse she made him think that she knew +nothing of him and had never seen him before; in so doing she was wise +and courteous. When she had come before him, she said: "Sir knight, what +do you desire that you call me so insistently?" "Ah," said he, "prudent +damsel, I have found myself in this wood by some mishap--I know not +what. For God's sake and your belief in Him, I pray you to lend me, +taking my word as pledge, or else to give me outright, that palfrey +you are leading in your hand." "Gladly, sire: but you must accompany me +whither I am going." "Which way?" says he. "To a town that stands near +by, beyond the forest." "Tell me, damsel, if you stand in need of me." +"Yes," she says, "I do; but I think you are not very well. For the next +two weeks at least you ought to rest. Take this horse, which I hold in +my right hand, and we shall go to our lodging-place." And he, who had no +other desire, takes it and mounts, and they proceed until they come to a +bridge over a swift and turbulent stream. And the damsel throws into the +water the empty box she is carrying, thinking to excuse herself to her +mistress for her ointment by saying that she was so unlucky as to let +the box fall into the water for, when her palfrey stumbled under her, +the box slipped from her gasp, and she came near falling in too, which +would have been still worse luck. It is her intention to invent this +story when she comes into her mistress' presence. Together they held +their way until they came to the town, where the lady detained my lord +Yvain and asked her damsel in private for her box and ointment: and the +damsel repeated to her the lie as she had invented it, not daring to +tell her the truth. Then the lady was greatly enraged, and said: "This +is certainly a very serious loss, and I am sure and certain that the +box will never be found again. But since it has happened so, there is +nothing more to be done about it. One often desires a blessing which +turns out to be a curse; thus I, who looked for a blessing and joy from +this knight, have lost the dearest and most precious of my possessions. +However, I beg you to serve him in all respects." "Ah, lady, how wisely +now you speak! For it would be too bad to convert one misfortune into +two." + +(Vv. 3131-3254.) Then they say no more about the box, but minister in +every way they can to the comfort of my lord Yvain, bathing him and +washing his hair, having him shaved and clipped, for one could have +taken up a fist full of hair upon his face. His every want is satisfied: +if he asks for arms, they are furnished him: if he wants a horse, they +provide him with one that is large and handsome, strong and spirited. +He stayed there until, upon a Tuesday, Count Alier came to the town with +his men and knights, who started fires and took plunder. Those in the +town at once rose up and equipped themselves with arms. Some armed and +some unarmed, they issued forth to meet the plunderers, who did not +deign to retreat before them, but awaited them in a narrow pass. My lord +Yvain struck at the crowd; he had had so long a rest that his strength +was quite restored, and he struck a knight upon his shield with such +force that he sent down in a heap, I think, the knight together with his +horse. The knight never rose again, for his backbone was broken and +his heart burst within his breast. My lord Yvain drew back a little to +recover. Then protecting himself completely with his shield, he spurred +forward to clear the pass. One could not have counted up to four before +one would have seen him cast down speedily four knights. Whereupon, +those who were with him waxed more brave, for many a man of poor and +timid heart, at the sight of some brave man who attacks a dangerous task +before his eyes, will be overwhelmed by confusion and shame, which will +drive out the poor heart in his body and give him another like to a +hero's for courage. So these men grew brave and each stood his ground in +the fight and attack. And the lady was up in the tower, whence she saw +the fighting and the rush to win and gain possession of the pass, and +she saw lying upon the ground many who were wounded and many killed, +both of her own party and of the enemy, but more of the enemy than of +her own. For my courteous, bold, and excellent lord Yvain made them +yield just as a falcon does the teal. And the men and women who had +remained within the town declared as they watched the strife: "Ah, what +a valiant knight! How he makes his enemies yield, and how fierce is his +attack! He was about him as a lion among the fallow deer, when he is +impelled by need and hunger. Then, too, all our other knights are more +brave and daring because of him, for, were it not for him alone, not a +lance would have been splintered nor a sword drawn to strike. When such +an excellent man is found he ought to be loved and dearly prized. See +now how he proves himself, see how he maintains his place, see how he +stains with blood his lance and bare sword, see how he presses the enemy +and follows them up, how he comes boldly to attack them, then gives +away and turns about; but he spends little time in giving away, and soon +returns to the attack. See him in the fray again, how lightly he esteems +his shield, which he allows to be cut in pieces mercilessly. Just see +how keen he is to avenge the blows which are dealt at him. For, if some +one should use all the forest of Argone [319] to make lances for him, +I guess he would have none left by night. For he breaks all the lances +that they place in his socket, and calls for more. And see how he +wields the sword when he draws it! Roland never wrought such havoc with +Durendal against the Turks at Ronceval or in Spain! [320] If he had in +his company some good companions like himself, the traitor, whose attack +we are suffering, would retreat today discomfited, or would stand his +ground only to find defeat." Then they say that the woman would be +blessed who should be loved by one who is so powerful in arms, and who +above all others may be recognised as a taper among candles, as a moon +among the stars, and as the sun above the moon. He so won the hearts of +all that the prowess which they see in him made them wish that he had +taken their lady to wife, and that he were master of the land. + +(Vv. 3255-3340.) Thus men and women alike praised him, and in doing so +they but told the truth. For his attack on his adversaries was such +that they vie with one another in flight. But he presses hard upon their +heels, and all his companions follow him, for by his side they feel +as safe as if they were enclosed in a high and thick stone wall. +The pursuit continues until those who flee become exhausted, and the +pursuers slash at them and disembowel their steeds. The living roll +over upon the dead as they wound and kill each other. They work dreadful +destruction upon each other; and meanwhile the Count flees with my +lord Yvain after him, until he comes up with him at the foot of a steep +ascent, near the entrance of a strong place which belonged to the Count. +There the Count was stopped, with no one near to lend him aid; and +without any excessive parley my lord Yvain received his surrender. For +as soon as he held him in his hands, and they were left just man to +man, there was no further possibility of escape, or of yielding, or of +self-defence; so the Count pledged his word to go to surrender to the +lady of Noroison as her prisoner, and to make such peace as she might +dictate. And when he had accepted his word he made him disarm his head +and remove the shield from about his neck, and the Count surrendered to +him his sword. Thus he won the honour of leading off the Count as his +prisoner, and of giving him over to his enemies, who make no secret of +their joy. But the news was carried to the town before they themselves +arrived. While all come forth to meet them, the lady herself leads the +way. My lord Yvain holds his prisoner by the hand, and presents him to +her. The Count gladly acceded to her wishes and demands, and secured +her by his word, oath, and pledges. Giving her pledges, he swears to her +that he will always live on peaceful terms with her, and will make good +to her all the loss which she can prove, and will build up again the +houses which he had destroyed. When these things were agreed upon in +accordance with the lady's wish, my lord Yvain asked leave to depart. +But she would not have granted him this permission had he been willing +to take her as his mistress, or to marry her. But he would not allow +himself to be followed or escorted a single step, but rather departed +hastily: in this case entreaty was of no avail. So he started out to +retrace his path, leaving the lady much chagrined, whose joy he had +caused a while before. When he will not tarry longer she is the more +distressed and ill at ease in proportion to the happiness he had brought +to her, for she would have wished to honour him, and would have made +him, with his consent, lord of all her possessions, or else she would +have paid him for his services whatever sum he might have named. But he +would not heed any word of man or woman. Despite their grief he left the +knights and the lady who vainly tried to detain him longer. + +(Vv. 3341-3484.) Pensively my lord Yvain proceeded through a deep wood, +until he heard among the trees a very loud and dismal cry, and he turned +in the direction whence it seemed to come. And when he had arrived upon +the spot he saw in a cleared space a lion, and a serpent which held +him by the tail, burning his hind-quarters with flames of fire. My lord +Yvain did not gape at this strange spectacle, but took counsel with +himself as to which of the two he should aid. Then he says that he will +succour the lion, for a treacherous and venomous creature deserves to +be harmed. Now the serpent is poisonous, and fire bursts forth from its +mouth--so full of wickedness is the creature. So my lord Yvain decides +that he will kill the serpent first. Drawing his sword he steps forward, +holding the shield before his face in order not to be harmed by the +flame emerging from the creature's throat, which was larger than a pot. +If the lion attacks him next, he too shall have all the fight he wishes; +but whatever may happen afterwards he makes up his mind to help him now. +For pity urges him and makes request that he should bear succour and aid +to the gentle and noble beast. With his sword, which cuts so clean, he +attacks the wicked serpent, first cleaving him through to the earth and +cutting him in two, then continuing his blows until he reduces him to +tiny bits. But he had to cut off a piece of the lion's tail to get at +the serpent's head, which held the lion by the tail. He cut off only so +much as was necessary and unavoidable. When he had set the lion free, he +supposed that he would have to fight with him, and that the lion would +come at him; but the lion was not minded so. Just hear now what the +lion did! He acted nobly and as one well-bred; for he began to make +it evident that he yielded himself to him, by standing upon his two +hind-feet and bowing his face to the earth, with his fore-feet joined +and stretched out toward him. Then he fell on his knees again, and all +his face was wet with the tears of humility. My lord Yvain knows for a +truth that the lion is thanking him and doing him homage because of the +serpent which he had killed, thereby delivering him from death. He was +greatly pleased by this episode. He cleaned his sword of the serpent's +poison and filth; then he replaced it in its scabbard, and resumed his +way. And the lion walks close by his side, unwilling henceforth to part +from him: he will always in future accompany him, eager to serve and +protect him. [321] He goes ahead until he scents in the wind upon his +way some wild beasts feeding; then hunger and his nature prompt him to +seek his prey and to secure his sustenance. It is his nature so to do. +He started ahead a little on the trail, thus showing his master that he +had come upon and detected the odour and scent of some wild game. +Then he looks at him and halts, wishing to serve his every wish, and +unwilling to proceed against his will. Yvain understands by his attitude +that he is showing that he awaits his pleasure. He perceives this and +understands that if he holds back he will hold back too, and that if he +follows him he will seize the game which he has scented. Then he incites +and cries to him, as he would do to hunting-dogs. At once the lion +directed his nose to the scent which he had detected, and by which he +was not deceived, for he had not gone a bow-shot when he saw in a valley +a deer grazing all alone. This deer he will seize, if he has his way. +And so he did, at the first spring, and then drank its blood still warm. +When he had killed it he laid it upon his back and carried it back to +his master, who thereupon conceived a greater affection for him, and +chose him as a companion for all his life, because of the great devotion +he found in him. It was near nightfall now, and it seemed good to him +to spend the night there, and strip from the deer as much as he cared to +eat. Beginning to carve it he splits the skin along the rib, and taking +a steak from the loin he strikes from a flint a spark, which he catches +in some dry brush-wood; then he quickly puts his steak upon a roasting +spit to cook before the fire, and roasts it until it is quite cooked +through. But there was no pleasure in the meal, for there was no bread, +or wine, or salt, or cloth, or knife, or anything else. While he was +eating, the lion lay at his feet; nor a movement did he make, but +watched him steadily until he had eaten all that he could eat of the +steak. What remained of the deer the lion devoured, even to the bones. +And while all night his master laid his head upon his shield to gain +such rest as that afforded, the lion showed such intelligence that he +kept awake, and was careful to guard the horse as it fed upon the grass, +which yielded some slight nourishment. + +(Vv. 3485-3562.) In the morning they go off together, and the same sort +of existence, it seems, as they had led that night, they two continued +to lead all the ensuing week, until chance brought them to the spring +beneath the pine-tree. There my lord Yvain almost lost his wits a second +time, as he approached the spring, with its stone and the chapel that +stood close by. So great was his distress that a thousand times he +sighed "alas!" and grieving fell in a swoon; and the point of his sharp +sword, falling from its scabbard, pierced the meshes of his hauberk +right in the neck beside the cheek. There is not a mesh that does not +spread, and the sword cuts the flesh of his neck beneath the shining +mail, so that it causes the blood to start. Then the lion thinks that +he sees his master and companion dead. You never heard greater grief +narrated or told about anything than he now began to show. He casts +himself about, and scratches and cries, and has the wish to kill himself +with the sword with which he thinks his master has killed himself. +Taking the sword from him with his teeth he lays it on a fallen tree, +and steadies it on a trunk behind, so that it will not slip or give +way, when he hurls his breast against it, His intention was nearly +accomplished when his master recovered from his swoon, and the lion +restrained himself as he was blindly rushing upon death, like a wild +boar heedless of where he wounds himself. Thus my lord Yvain lies in +a swoon beside the stone, but, on recovering, he violently reproached +himself for the year during which he had overstayed his leave, and +for which he had incurred his lady's hate, and he said: "Why does this +wretch not kill himself who has thus deprived himself of joy? Alas! why +do I not take my life? How can I stay here and look upon what belongs +to my lady? Why does the soul still tarry in my body? What is the soul +doing in so miserable a frame? If it had already escaped away it would +not be in such torment. It is fitting to hate and blame and despise +myself, even as in fact I do. Whoever loses his bliss and contentment +through fault or error of his own ought to hate himself mortally. He +ought to hate and kill himself. And now, when no one is looking on, why +do I thus spare myself? Why do I not take my life? Have I not seen this +lion a prey to such grief on my behalf that he was on the point just now +of thrusting my sword through his breast? And ought I to fear death who +have changed happiness into grief? Joy is now a stranger to me. Joy? +What joy is that? I shall say no more of that, for no one could speak of +such a thing; and I have asked a foolish question. That was the greatest +joy of all which was assured as my possession, but it endured for but +a little while. Whoever loses such joy through his own misdeed is +undeserving of happiness." + +(Vv. 3563-3898.) While he thus bemoaned his fate, a lorn damsel in sorry +plight, who was in the chapel, saw him and heard his words through +a crack in the wall. As soon as he was recovered from his swoon, she +called to him: "God," said she, "who is that I hear? Who is it that thus +complains?" And he replied: "And who are you?" "I am a wretched one," +she said, "the most miserable thing alive." And he replied: "Be silent, +foolish one! Thy grief is joy and thy sorrow is bliss compared with that +in which I am cast down. In proportion as a man becomes more accustomed +to happiness and joy, so is he more distracted and stunned than any +other man by sorrow when it comes. A man of little strength can carry, +through custom and habit, a weight which another man of greater strength +could not carry for anything." "Upon my word," she said, "I know +the truth of that remark; but that is no reason to believe that your +misfortune is worse than mine. Indeed, I do not believe it at all, for +it seems to me that you can go anywhere you choose to go, whereas I am +imprisoned here, and such a fate is my portion that to-morrow I shall be +seized and delivered to mortal judgment." "Ah, God!" said he, "and for +what crime?" "Sir knight, may God never have mercy upon my soul, if I +have merited such a fate! Nevertheless, I shall tell you truly, without +deception, why I am here in prison: I am charged with treason, and I +cannot find any one to defend me from being burned or hanged to-morrow." +"In the first place," he replied, "I may say that my grief and woe are +greater than yours, for you may yet be delivered by some one from the +peril in which you are. Is that not true:" "Yes, but I know not yet by +whom. There are only two men in the world who would dare on my behalf +to face three men in battle." "What? In God's name, are there three +of them?" "Yes, sire, upon my word. There are three who accuse me of +treachery." "And who are they who are so devoted to you that either one +of them would be bold enough to fight against three in your defence?" "I +will answer your question truthfully: one of them is my lord Gawain, and +the other is my lord Yvain, because of whom I shall to-morrow be handed +over unjustly to the martyrdom of death." "Because of whom?" he asked, +"what did you say?" "Sire, so help me God, because of the son of King +Urien." "Now I understand your words, but you shall not die, without +he dies too. I myself am that Yvain, because of whom you are in such +distress. And you, I take it, are she who once guarded me safely in the +hall, and saved my life and my body between the two portcullises, when I +was troubled and distressed, and alarmed at being trapped. I should have +been killed or seized, had it not been for your kind aid. Now tell me, +my gentle friend, who are those who now accuse you of treachery, and +have confined you in this lonely place?" "Sire, I shall not conceal it +from you, since you desire me to tell you all. It is a fact that I was +not slow in honestly aiding you. Upon my advice my lady received you, +after heeding my opinion and my counsel. And by the Holy Paternoster, +more for her welfare than for your own I thought I was doing it, and I +think so still. So much now I confess to you: it was her honour and +your desire that I sought to serve, so help me God! But when it became +evident that you had overstayed the year when you should return to my +mistress, then she became enraged at me, and thought that she had been +deceived by putting trust in my advice. And when this was discovered by +the seneschal--a rascally, underhanded, disloyal wretch, who was jealous +of me because in many matters my lady trusted me more than she trusted +him, he saw that he could now stir up great enmity between me and +her. In full court and in the presence of all he accused me of having +betrayed her in your favour. And I had no counsel or aid except my own; +but I knew that I had never done or conceived any treacherous act toward +my lady, so I cried out, as one beside herself, and without the advice +of any one, that I would present in my own defence one knight who should +fight against three. The fellow was not courteous enough to scorn +to accept such odds, nor was I at liberty to retreat or withdraw +for anything that might happen. So he took me at my word, and I was +compelled to furnish bail that I would present within forty days a +knight to do battle against three knights. Since then I have visited +many courts; I was at King Arthur's court, but found no help from any +there, nor did I find any one who could tell me any good news of you, +for they knew nothing of your affairs." "Pray tell me. Where then was my +good and gentle lord Gawain? No damsel in distress ever needed his aid +without its being extended to her." "If I had found him at court, I +could not have asked him for anything which would have been refused me; +but a certain knight has carried off the Queen, so they told me; surely +the King was mad to send her off in his company. [322] I believe it was +Kay who escorted her to meet the knight who has taken her away; and my +lord Gawain in great distress has gone in search for her. He will never +have any rest until he finds her. Now I have told you the whole truth of +my adventure. To-morrow I shall be put to a shameful death, and shall +be burnt inevitably, a victim of your criminal neglect." And he replies: +"May God forbid that you should be harmed because of me! So long as +I live you shall not die! You may expect me tomorrow, prepared to the +extent of my power to present my body in your cause, as it is proper +that I should do. But have no concern to tell the people who I am! +However the battle may turn out, take care that I be not recognised!" +"Surely, sire, no pressure could make me reveal your name. I would +sooner suffer death, since you will have it so. Yet, after all, I beg +you not to return for my sake. I would not have you undertake a battle +which will be so desperate. I thank you for your promised word that you +would gladly undertake it, but consider yourself now released, for it is +better that I should die alone than that I should see them rejoice over +your death as well as mine; they would not spare my life after they had +put you to death. So it is better for you to remain alive than that we +both should meet death." "That is very ungrateful remark, my dear," says +my lord Yvain; "I suppose that either you do not wish to be delivered +from death, or else that you scorn the comfort I bring you with my aid. +I will not discuss the matter more, for you have surely done so much +for me that I cannot fail you in any need. I know that you are in great +distress; but, if it be God's will, in whom I trust, they shall all +three be discomfited. So no more upon that score: I am going off now to +find some shelter in this wood, for there is no dwelling near at hand." +"Sire," she says, "may God give you both good shelter and good night, +and protect you as I desire from everything that might do you harm!" +Then my lord Yvain departs, and the lion as usual after him. They +journeyed until they came to a baron's fortified place, which was +completely surrounded by a massive, strong, and high wall. The castle, +being extraordinarily well protected, feared no assault of catapult or +storming-machine; but outside the walls the ground was so completely +cleared that not a single hut or dwelling remained standing. You will +learn the cause of this a little later, when the time comes. My lord +Yvain made his way directly toward the fortified place, and seven +varlets came out who lowered the bridge and advanced to meet him. But +they were terrified at sight of the lion, which they saw with him, and +asked him kindly to leave the lion at the gate lest he should wound or +kill them. And he replies: "Say no more of that! For I shall not enter +without him. Either we shall both find shelter here or else I shall stay +outside; he is as dear to me as I am myself. Yet you need have no fear +of him! For I shall keep him so well in hand that you may be quite +confident." They made answer: "Very well!" Then they entered the town, +and passed on until they met knights and ladies and charming damsels +coming down the street, who salute him and wait to remove his armour as +they say: "Welcome to our midst, fair sire! And may God grant that you +tarry here until you may leave with great honour and satisfaction!" High +and low alike extend to him a glad welcome, and do all they can for him, +as they joyfully escort him into the town. But after they had expressed +their gladness they are overwhelmed by grief, which makes them quickly +forget their joy, as they begin to lament and weep and beat themselves. +Thus, for a long space of time, they cease not to rejoice or make +lament: it is to honour their guest that they rejoice, but their heart +is not in what they do, for they are greatly worried over an event which +they expect to take place on the following day, and they feel very sure +and certain that it will come to pass before midday. My lord Yvain was +so surprised that they so often changed their mood, and mingled grief +with their happiness, that he addressed the lord of the place on the +subject. "For God's sake," he said, "fair gentle sir, will you kindly +inform me why you have thus honoured me, and shown at once such joy and +such heaviness?" "Yes, if you desire to know, but it would be better +for you to desire ignorance and silence. I will never tell you willingly +anything to cause you grief. Allow us to continue to lament, and do you +pay no attention to what we do!" "It would be quite impossible for me +to see you sad and nor take it upon my heart, so I desire to know the +truth, whatever chagrin may result to me." "Well, then," he said, "I +will tell you all. I have suffered much from a giant, who has insisted +that I should give him my daughter, who surpasses in beauty all the +maidens in the world. This evil giant, whom may God confound, is named +Harpin of the Mountain. Not a day passes without his taking all of my +possessions upon which he can lay his hands. No one has a better right +than I to complain, and to be sorrowful, and to make lament. I might +well lose my senses from very grief, for I had six sons who were +knights, fairer than any I knew in the world, and the giant has taken +all six of them. Before my eyes he killed two of them, and to-morrow he +will kill the other four, unless I find some one who will dare to fight +him for the deliverance of my sons, or unless I consent to surrender my +daughter to him; and he says that when he has her in his possession he +will give her over to be the sport of the vilest and lewdest fellows in +his house, for he would scorn to take her now for himself. That is the +disaster which awaits me to-morrow, unless the Lord God grant me His +aid. So it is no wonder, fair sir, if we are all in tears. But for your +sake we strive for the moment to assume as cheerful a countenance as we +can. For he is a fool who attracts a gentleman to his presence and then +does not honour him; and you seem to be a very perfect gentleman. Now +I have told you the entire story of our great distress. Neither in town +nor in fortress has the giant left us anything, except what we have +here. If you had noticed, you must have seen this evening that he has +not left us so much as an egg, except these walls which are new; for he +has razed the entire town. When he had plundered all he wished, he set +fire to what remained. In this way he has done me many an evil turn." + +(Vv. 3899-3956.) My lord Yvain listened to all that his host told him, +and when he had heard it all he was pleased to answer him: "Sire, I am +sorry and distressed about this trouble of yours; but I marvel greatly +that you have not asked assistance at good King Arthur's court. There is +no man so mighty that he could not find at his court some who would be +glad to try their strength with his." Then the wealthy man reveals and +explains to him that he would have had efficient help if he had known +where to find my lord Gawain. "He would not have failed me upon this +occasion, for my wife is his own sister; but a knight from a strange +land, who went to court to seek the King's wife, has led her away. +However, he could not have gotten possession of her by any means of his +own invention, had it not been for Kay, who so befooled the King that he +gave the Queen into his charge and placed her under his protection. He +was a fool, and she imprudent to entrust herself to his escort. And I +am the one who suffers and loses in all this; for it is certain that my +excellent lord Gawain would have made haste to come here, had he known +the facts, for the sake of his nephews and his niece. But he knows +nothing of it, wherefore I am so distressed that my heart is almost +breaking, for he is gone in pursuit of him, to whom may God bring shame +and woe for having led the Queen away." While listening to this recital +my lord Yvain does not cease to sigh. Inspired by the pity which he +feels, he makes this reply: "Fair gentle sire, I would gladly undertake +this perilous adventure, if the giant and your sons should arrive +to-morrow in time to cause me no delay, for tomorrow at noon I shall +be somewhere else, in accordance with a promise I have made." "Once +for all, fair sire," the good man said, "I thank you a hundred thousand +times for your willingness." And all the people of the house likewise +expressed their gratitude. + +(Vv. 3957-4384.) Just then the damsel came out of a room, with her +graceful body and her face so fair and pleasing to look upon. She was +very simple and sad and quiet as she came, for there was no end to the +grief she felt: she walked with her head bowed to the ground. And her +mother, too, came in from an adjoining room, for the gentleman had sent +for them to meet his guest. They entered with their mantles wrapped +about them to conceal their tears; and he bid them throw back their +mantles, and hold up their heads, saying: "You ought not to hesitate +to obey my behests, for God and good fortune have given us here a very +well-born gentleman who assures me that he will fight against the giant. +Delay no longer now to throw yourselves at his feet!" "May God never let +me see that!" my lord Yvain hastens to exclaim; "surely it would not be +proper under any circumstances for the sister and the niece of my lord +Gawain to prostrate themselves at my feet. May God defend me from ever +giving place to such pride as to let them fall at my feet! Indeed, I +should never forget the shame which I should feel; but I should be +very glad if they would take comfort until to-morrow, when they may see +whether God will consent to aid them. I have no other request to make, +except that the giant may come in such good time that I be not compelled +to break my engagement elsewhere; for I would not fail for anything +to be present to-morrow noon at the greatest business I could ever +undertake." Thus he is unwilling to reassure them completely, for he +fears that the giant may not come early enough to allow him to reach +in time the damsel who is imprisoned in the chapel. Nevertheless, he +promises them enough to arouse good hope in them. They all alike join in +thanking him, for they place great confidence in his prowess, and they +think he must be a very good man, when they see the lion by his side as +confident as a lamb would be. They take comfort and rejoice because of +the hope they stake on him, and they indulge their grief no more. When +the time came they led him off to bed in a brightly lighted room; both +the damsel and her mother escorted him, for they prized him dearly, and +would have done so a hundred thousand times more had they been informed +of his prowess and courtesy. He and the lion together lay down there and +took their rest. The others dared not sleep in the room; but they closed +the door so tight that they could not come out until the next day at +dawn. When the room was thrown open he got up and heard Mass, and then, +because of the promise he had made, he waited until the hour of prime. +Then in the hearing of all he summoned the lord of the town and said: +"My lord, I have no more time to wait, but must ask your permission +to leave at once; I cannot tarry longer here. But believe truly that +I would gladly and willingly stay here yet awhile for the sake of the +nephews and the niece of my beloved lord Gawain, if I did not have a +great business on hand, and if it were not so far away." At this the +damsel's blood quivered and boiled with fear, as well as the lady's and +the lord's. They were so afraid he would go away that they were on the +point of humbling themselves and casting themselves at his feet, when +they recalled that he would not approve or permit their action. Then the +lord makes him an offer of all he will take of his lands or wealth, if +only he will wait a little longer. And he replied: "God forbid that ever +I should take anything of yours!" Then the damsel, who is in dismay, +begins to weep aloud, and beseeches him to stay. Like one distracted and +prey to dread, she begs him by the glorious queen of heaven and of the +angels, and by the Lord, not to go but to wait a little while; and +then, too, for her uncle's sake, whom he says he knows, and loves, and +esteems. Then his heart is touched with deep pity when he hears her +adjuring him in the name of him whom he loves the most, and by the +mistress of heaven, and by the Lord, who is the very honey and sweet +savour of pity. Filled with anguish he heaved a sigh, for were the +kingdom of Tarsus at stake he would not see her burned to whom he had +pledged his aid. If he could not reach her in time, he would be unable +to endure his life, or would live on without his wits on the other hand, +the kindness of his friend, my lord Gawain, only increased his distress; +his heart almost bursts in half at the thought that he cannot delay. +Nevertheless, he does not stir, but delays and waits so long that the +giant came suddenly, bringing with him the knights: and hanging from his +neck he carried a big square stake with a pointed end, and with this he +frequently spurred them on. For their part they had no clothing on that +was worth a straw, except some soiled and filthy shirts: and their feet +and hands were bound with cords, as they came riding upon four limping +jades, which were weak, and thin, and miserable. As they came riding +along beside a wood, a dwarf, who was puffed up like a toad, had +tied the horses' tails together, and walked beside them, beating them +remorselessly with a four-knotted scourge until they bled, thinking +thereby to be doing something wonderful. Thus they were brought along in +shame by the giant and the dwarf. Stopping in the plain in front of the +city gate, the giant shouts out to the noble lord that he will kill his +sons unless he delivers to him his daughter, whom he will surrender to +his vile fellows to become their sport. For he no longer loves her nor +esteems her, that he should deign to abase himself to her. She shall be +constantly beset by a thousand lousy and ragged knaves, vacant wretches, +and scullery boys, who all shall lay hands on her. The worthy man is +well-nigh beside himself when he hears how his daughter will be made +a bawd, or else, before his very eyes, his four sons will be put to a +speedy death. His agony is like that of one who would rather be dead +than alive. Again and again he bemoans his fate, and weeps aloud and +sighs. Then my frank and gentle lord Yvain thus began to speak to him: +"Sire, very vile and impudent is that giant who vaunts himself out +there. But may God never grant that he should have your daughter in his +power! He despises her and insults her openly. It would be too great a +calamity if so lovely a creature of such high birth were handed over +to become the sport of boys. Give me now my arms and horse! Have the +drawbridge lowered, and let me pass. One or the other must be cast down, +either I or he, I know not which. If I could only humiliate the cruel +wretch who is thus oppressing you, so that he would release your sons +and should come and make amends for the insulting words he has spoken +to you, then I would commend you to God and go about my business." Then +they go to get his horse, and hand over to him his arms, striving so +expeditiously that they soon have him quite equipped. They delayed as +little as they could in arming him. When his equipment was complete, +there remained nothing but to lower the bridge and let him go. They +lowered it for him, and he went out. But the lion would by no means +stay behind. All those who were left behind commended the knight to +the Saviour, for they fear exceedingly lest their devilish enemy, who +already had slain so many good men on the same field before their eyes, +would do the same with him. So they pray God to defend him from death, +and return him to them safe and sound, and that He may give him strength +to slay the giant. Each one softly prays to God in accordance with his +wish. And the giant fiercely came at him, and with threatening words +thus spake to him: "By my eyes, the man who sent thee here surely had +no love for thee! No better way could he have taken to avenge himself on +thee. He has chosen well his vengeance for whatever wrong thou hast done +to him." But the other, fearing naught, replies: "Thou treatest of what +matters not. Now do thy best, and I'll do mine. Idle parley wearies me." +Thereupon my lord Yvain, who was anxious to depart, rides at him. He +goes to strike him on the breast, which was protected by a bear's skin, +and the giant runs at him with his stake raised in air. My lord Yvain +deals him such a blow upon the chest that he thrusts through the skin +and wets the tip of his lance in his body's blood by way of sauce. And +the giant belabours him with the stake, and makes him bend beneath the +blows. My lord Yvain then draws the sword with which he knew how to +deal fierce blows. He found the giant unprotected, for he trusted in his +strength so much that he disdained to arm himself. And he who had drawn +his blade gave him such a slash with the cutting edge, and not with the +flat side, that he cut from his cheek a slice fit to roast. Then the +other in turn gave him such a blow with the stake that it made him sing +in a heap upon his horse's neck. Thereupon the lion bristles up, ready +to lend his master aid, and leaps up in his anger and strength, and +strikes and tears like so much bark the heavy bearskin the giant wore, +and he tore away beneath the skin a large piece of his thigh, together +with the nerves and flesh. The giant escaped his clutches, roaring and +bellowing like a bull, for the lion had badly wounded him. Then raising +his stake in both hands, he thought to strike him, but missed his aim, +when the lion leaded backward so he missed his blow, and fell exhausted +beside my lord Yvain, but without either of them touching the other. +Then my lord Yvain took aim and landed two blows on him. Before he could +recover himself he had severed with the edge of his sword the giant's +shoulder from his body. With the next blow he ran the whole blade of his +sword through his liver beneath his chest; the giant falls in death's +embrace. And if a great oak tree should fall, I think it would make no +greater noise than the giant made when he tumbled down. All those who +were on the wall would fain have witnessed such a blow. Then it became +evident who was the most fleet of foot, for all ran to see the game, +just like hounds which have followed the beast until they finally come +up with him. So men and women in rivalry ran forward without delay to +where the giant lay face downward. The daughter comes running, and +her mother too. And the four brothers rejoice after the woes they have +endured. As for my lord Yvain they are very sure that they could not +detain him for any reason they might allege, but they beseech him to +return and stay to enjoy himself as soon as he shall have completed the +business which calls him away. And he replies that he cannot promise +them anything, for as yet he cannot guess whether it will fare well or +ill with him. But thus much did he say to his host: that he wished that +his four sons and his daughter should take the dwarf and go to my lord +Gawain when they hear of his return, and should tell and relate to him +how he has conducted himself. For kind actions are of no use if you are +not willing that they be known. And they reply: "It is not right that +such kindness as this should be kept hid: we shall do whatever you +desire. But tell us what we can say when we come before him. Whose +praises can we speak, when we know not what your name may be?" And he +answers them: "When you come before him, you may say thus much: that I +told you 'The Knight with the Lion' was my name. And at the same time +I must beg you to tell him from me that, if he does not recognise who I +am, yet he knows me well and I know him. Now I must be gone from here, +and the thing which most alarms me is that I may too long have tarried +here, for before the hour of noon be passed I shall have plenty to do +elsewhere, if indeed I can arrive there in time." Then, without further +delay, he starts. But first his host begged him insistently that he +would take with him his four sons: for there was none of them who would +not strive to serve him, if he would allow it. But it did not please +or suit him that any one should accompany him; so he left the place to +them, and went away alone. And as soon as he starts, riding as fast as +his steed can carry him, he heads toward the chapel. The path was good +and straight, and he knew well how to keep the road. But before he could +reach the chapel, the damsel had been dragged out and the pyre prepared +upon which she was to be placed. Clad only in a shift, she was held +bound before the fire by those who wrongly attributed to her an +intention she had never had. My lord Yvain arrived, and, seeing her +beside the fire into which she was about to be cast, he was naturally +incensed. He would be neither courteous nor sensible who had any +doubt about that fact. So it is true that he was much incensed; but he +cherishes within himself the hope that God and the Right will be on his +side. In such helpers he confides; nor does he scorn his lion's aid. +Rushing quickly toward the crowd, he shouts: "Let the damsel be, you +wicked folk! Having committed no crime, it is not right that she should +be cast upon a pyre or into a furnace." And they draw off on either +side, leaving a passage-way for him. But he yearns to see with his own +eyes her whom his heart beholds in whatever place she may be. His eyes +seek her until he finds her, while he subdues and holds in check his +heart, just as one holds in check with a strong curb a horse that pulls. +Nevertheless, he gladly gazes at her, and sighs the while; but he does +not sigh so openly that his action is detected; rather does he stifle +his sighs, though with difficulty. And he is seized with pity at +hearing, seeing, and perceiving the grief of the poor ladies, who cried: +"Ah, God, how hast Thou forgotten us! How desolate we shall now remain +when we lose so kind a friend, who gave us such counsel and such aid, +and interceded for us at court! It was she who prompted madame to clothe +us with her clothes of vair. Henceforth the situation will change, for +there will be no one to speak for us! Cursed be he who is the cause of +our loss! For we shall fare badly in all this. There will be no one to +utter such advice as this: 'My lady, give this vair mantle, this cloak, +and this garment to such and such an honest dame! Truly, such charity +will be well employed, for she is in very dire need of them.' No such +words as these shall be uttered henceforth, for there is no one else who +is frank and courteous; but every one solicits for himself rather than +for some one else, even though he have no need." + +(Vv. 4385-4474.) Thus they were bemoaning their fate; and my lord Yvain +who was in their midst, heard their complaints, which were neither +groundless nor assumed. He saw Lunete on her knees and stripped to her +shift, having already made confession, and besought God's mercy for her +sins. Then he who had loved her deeply once came to her and raised her +up, saying: "My damsel, where are those who blame and accuse you? Upon +the spot, unless they refuse, battle will be offered them." And she, who +had neither seen nor looked at him before, said: "Sire, you come from +God in this time of my great need! The men who falsely accuse me are all +ready before me here; if you had been a little later I should soon have +been reduced to fuel and ashes. You have come here in my defence, +and may God give you the power to accomplish it in proportion as I am +guiltless of the accusation which is made against me!" The seneschal and +his two brothers heard these words. "Ah!" they exclaim, "woman, chary +of uttering truth but generous with lies! He indeed is mad who for thy +words assumes so great a task. The knight must be simple-minded who has +come here to die for thee, for he is alone and there are three of us. My +advice to him is that he turn back before any harm shall come to him." +Then he replies, as one impatient to begin: "Whoever is afraid, let him +run away! I am not so afraid of your three shields that I should go off +defeated without a blow. I should be indeed discourteous, if, while yet +unscathed and in perfect case, I should leave the place and field to +you. Never, so long as I am alive and sound, will I run away before +such threats. But I advise thee to set free the damsel whom thou hast +unjustly accused; for she tells me, and I believe her word, and she has +assured me upon the salvation of her soul, that she never committed, +or spoke, or conceived any treason against her mistress. I believe +implicitly what she has told me, and will defend her as best I can, for +I consider the righteousness of her cause to be in my favour. For, if +the truth be known, God always sides with the righteous cause, for God +and the Right are one; and if they are both upon my side, then I have +better company and better aid than thou." [323] Then the other responds +imprudently that he may make every effort that pleases him and is +convenient to do him injury, provided that his lion shall not do him +harm. And he replies that he never brought the lion to champion his +cause, nor does he wish any but himself to take a hand: but if the lion +attacks him, let him defend himself against him as best he can, for +concerning him he will give no guarantee. Then the other answers: +"Whatever thou mayst say; unless thou now warn thy lion, and make him +stand quietly to one side, there is no use of thy longer staying here, +but begone at once, and so shalt thou be wise; for throughout this +country every one is aware how this girl betrayed her lady, and it is +right that she receive her due reward in fire and flame." "May the Holy +Spirit forbid!" says he who knows the truth; "may God not let me +stir from here until I have delivered her!" Then he tells the lion to +withdraw and to lie down quietly, and he does so obediently. + +(Vv. 4475-4532.) The lion now withdrew, and the parley and quarrel being +ended between them two, they all took their distance for the charge. The +three together spurred toward him, and he went to meet them at a walk. +He did not wish to be overturned or hurt at this first encounter. So he +let them split their lances, while keeping his entire, making for them a +target of his shield, whereon each one broke his lance. Then he galloped +off until he was separated from them by the space of an acre; but he +soon returned to the business in hand, having no desire to delay. On +his coming up the second time, he reached the seneschal before his two +brothers, and breaking his lance upon his body, he carried him to earth +in spite of himself, and he gave him such a powerful blow that for a +long while he lay stunned, incapable of doing him any harm. And then the +other two came at him with their swords bared, and both deal him great +blows, but they receive still heavier blows from him. For a single one +of the blows he deals is more than a match for two of theirs; thus he +defends himself so well that they have no advantage over him, until the +seneschal gets up and does his best to injure him, in which attempt the +others join, until they begin to press him and get the upper hand. Then +the lion, who is looking on, delays no longer to lend him aid; for it +seems to him that he needs it now. And all the ladies, who are devoted +to the damsel, beseech God repeatedly and pray to Him earnestly not to +allow the death or the defeat of him who has entered the fray on her +account. The ladies, having no other weapons, thus assist him with their +prayers. And the lion brings him such effective aid, that at his first +attack, he strikes so fiercely the seneschal, who was now on his feet, +that he makes the meshes fly from the hauberk like straw, and he drags +him down with such violence that he tears the soft flesh from his +shoulder and all down his side. He strips whatever he touches, so that +the entrails lie exposed. The other two avenge this blow. + +(Vv. 4533-4634.) Now they are all even on the field. The seneschal is +marked for death, as he turns and welters in the red stream of warm +blood pouring from his body. The lion attacks the others; for my +lord Yvain is quite unable, though he did his best by beating or +by threatening him, to drive him back; but the lion doubtless feels +confident that his master does not dislike his aid, but rather loves him +the more for it: so he fiercely attacks them, until they have reason +to complain of his blows, and they wound him in turn and use him badly. +When my lord Yvain sees his lion wounded, his heart is wroth within his +breast, and rightly so; but he makes such efforts to avenge him, and +presses them so hard, that he completely reduces them; they no longer +resist him, but surrender to him at discretion, because of the lion's +help, who is now in great distress; for he was wounded everywhere, and +had good cause to be in pain. For his part, my lord Yvain was by no +means in a healthy state, for his body bore many a wound. But he is not +so anxious about himself as about his lion, which is in distress. Now +he has delivered the damsel exactly in accordance with his wish, and +the lady has very willingly dismissed the grudge that she bore her. +And those men were burned upon the pyre which had been kindled for +the damsel's death; for it is right and just that he who has misjudged +another, should suffer the same manner of death as that to which he had +condemned the other. Now Lunete is joyous and glad at being reconciled +with her mistress, and together they were more happy than any one ever +was before. Without recognising him, all present offered to him, who was +their lord, their service so long as life should last; even the lady, +who possessed unknowingly his heart, begged him insistently to tarry +there until his lion and he had quite recovered. And he replied: "Lady, +I shall not now tarry here until my lady removes from me her displeasure +and anger: then the end of all my labours will come." "Indeed," she +said, "that grieves me. I think the lady cannot be very courteous who +cherishes ill-will against you. She ought not to close her door against +so valorous a knight as you, unless he had done her some great wrong." +"Lady," he replies, "however great the hardship be, I am pleased by what +ever may be her will. But speak to me no more of that; for I shall say +nothing of the cause or crime, except to those who are informed of it." +"Does any one know it, then, beside you two?" "Yes, truly, lady." "Well, +tell us at least your name, fair sir; then you will be free to go." +"Quite free, my lady? No, I shall not be free. I owe more than I can +pay. Yet, I ought not to conceal from you my name. You will never hear +of 'The Knight with the Lion' without hearing of me; for I wish to be +known by that name." "For God's sake, sir, what does that name mean? For +we never saw you before, nor have we ever heard mentioned this name +of yours." "My lady, you may from that infer that my fame is not +widespread." Then the lady says: "Once more, if it did not oppose your +will, I would pray you to tarry here." "Really, my lady, I should not +dare, until I knew certainly that I had regained my lady's good-will." +"Well, then, go in God's name, fair sir; and, if it be His will, may He +convert your grief and sorrow into joy." "Lady," says he, "may God hear +your prayer." Then he added softly under his breath: "Lady, it is you +who hold the key, and, though you know it not, you hold the casket in +which my happiness is kept under lock." + +(Vv. 4635-4674.) Then he goes away in great distress, and there is no +one who recognises him save Lunete, who accompanied him a long distance. +Lunete alone keeps him company, and he begs her insistently never to +reveal the name of her champion. "Sire," says she, "I will never do so." +Then he further requested her that she should not forget him, and that +she should keep a place for him in his mistress' heart, whenever the +chance arose. She tells him to be at ease on that score; for she will +never be forgetful, nor unfaithful, nor idle. Then he thanks her a +thousand times, and he departs pensive and oppressed, because of his +lion that he must needs carry, being unable to follow him on foot. He +makes for him a litter of moss and ferns in his shield. When he has made +a bed for him there, he lays him in it as gently as he can, and carries +him thus stretched out full length on the inner side of his shield. +Thus, in his shield he bears him off, until he arrives before the gate +of a mansion, strong and fair. Finding it closed, he called, and the +porter opened it so promptly that he had no need to call but once. He +reaches out to take his rein, and greets him thus: "Come in, fair sire. +I offer you the dwelling of my lord, if it please you to dismount." "I +accept the offer gladly," he replies, "for I stand in great need of it, +and it is time to find a lodging." + +(Vv. 4675-4702.) Thereupon, he passed through the gate, and saw the +retainers in a mass coming to meet him. They greeted him and helped him +from his horse, and laid down upon the pavement his shield with the lion +on it. And some, taking his horse, put it in a stable: while others very +properly relieved him of his arms and took them. Then the lord of the +castle heard the news, and at once came down into the courtyard, +and greeted him. And his lady came down, too, with all her sons and +daughters and a great crowd of other people, who all rejoiced to offer +him a lodging. They gave him a quiet room, because they deemed that he +was sick; but their good nature was put to a test when they allowed the +lion to go with him. His cure was undertaken by two maidens skilled in +surgery, who were daughters of the lord. I do not know how many days +he stayed there, until he and his lion, being cured, were compelled to +proceed upon their way. + +(Vv. 4703-4736.) But within this time it came about that my lord of +Noire Espine had a struggle with Death, and so fierce was Death's attack +that he was forced to die. After his death it happened that the elder of +two daughters whom he had, announced that she would possess uncontested +all the estates for herself during her entire lifetime, and that she +would give no share to her sister. And the other one said that she would +go to King Arthur's court to seek help for the defence of her claim to +the land. When the former saw that her sister would by no means concede +all the estates to her without contest, she was greatly concerned, and +thought that, if possible, she would get to court before her. At once +she prepared and equipped herself, and without any tarrying or delay, +she proceeded to the court. The other followed her, and made all the +haste she could; but her journey was all in vain, for her eider sister +had already presented her case to my lord Gawain, and he had promised +to execute her will. But there was an agreement between them that if any +one should learn of the facts from her, he would never again take arms +for her, and to this arrangement she gave consent. + +(Vv. 4737-4758.) Just then the other sister arrived at court, clad in +a short mantle of scarlet cloth and fresh ermine. It happened to be +the third day after the Queen had returned from the captivity in which +Maleagant had detained her with all the other prisoners; but Lancelot +had remained behind, treacherously confined within a tower. And on that +very day, when the damsel came to court, news was received of the cruel +and wicked giant whom the knight with the lion had killed in battle. In +his name, my lord Gawain was greeted by his nephews and niece, who told +him in detail of all the great service and great deeds of prowess he +had done for them for his sake, and how that he was well acquainted with +him, though not aware of his identity. + +(Vv. 4759-4820.) All this was heard by her, who was plunged thereby +into great despair and sorrow and dejection; for, since the best of the +knights was absent, she thought she would find no aid or counsel at the +court. She had already made several loving and insistent appeals to my +lord Gawain; but he had said to her: "My dear, it is useless to appeal +to me; I cannot do it; I have another affair on hand, which I shall +in no wise give up." Then the damsel at once left him, and presented +herself before the King. "O King," said she, "I have come to thee and to +thy court for aid. But I find none, and I am very much mazed that I can +get no counsel here. Yet it would not be right for me to go away without +taking leave. My sister may know, however, that she might obtain by +kindness whatever she desired of my property; but I will never surrender +my heritage to her by force, if I can help it, and if I can find any +aid or counsel." "You have spoken wisely," said the King; "since she is +present here, I advise, recommend, and urge her to surrender to you what +is your right." Then the other, who was confident of the best knight in +the world, replied: "Sire, may God confound me, if ever I bestow on her +from my estates any castle, town, clearing, forest, land, or anything +else. But if any knight dares to take arms on her behalf and desires to +defend her cause, let him step forth at once." "Your offer to her is not +fair; she needs more time," the King replied; "if she desires, she may +have forty days to secure a champion, according to the practice of all +courts." To which the elder sister replied: "Fair King, my lord, you may +establish your laws as it pleases you, and as seems good, nor is it +my place to gainsay you, so I must consent to the postponement, if she +desires it." Whereupon, the other says that she does desire it, and she +makes formal request for it. Then she commended the King to God, and +left the court resolving to devote her life to the search through all +the land for the Knight with the Lion, who devotes himself to succouring +women in need of aid. + +(Vv. 4821-4928.) Thus she entered upon her quest, and traversed many +a country without hearing any news of him, which caused her such grief +that she fell sick. But it was well for her that it happened so; for she +came to the dwelling of a friend of hers, by whom she was dearly loved. +By this time her face showed clearly that she was not in good health. +They insisted upon detaining her until she told them of her plight; +whereupon, another damsel took up the quest wherein she had been +engaged, and continued the search on her behalf. So while the one +remained in this retreat, the other rode rapidly all day long, until the +darkness of night came on, and caused her great anxiety. [324] And her +trouble was doubled when the rain came on with terrible violence, as +if God Himself were doing His worst, while she was in the depths of the +forest. The night and the woods cause her great distress, but she is +more tormented by the rain than by either the woods or the night. And +the road was so bad that her horse was often up to the girth in mud; any +damsel might well be terrified to be in the woods, without escort, in +such bad weather and in such darkness that she could not see the horse +she was riding. So she called on God first, and His mother next, and +then on all the saints in turn, and offered up many a prayer that +God would lead her out from this forest and conduct her to some +lodging-place. She continued in prayer until she heard a horn, at which +she greatly rejoiced; for she thought now she would find shelter, if she +could only reach the place. So she turned in the direction of the sound, +and came upon a paved road which led straight toward the horn whose +sound she heard; for the horn had given three long, loud blasts. And she +made her way straight toward the sound, until she came to a cross which +stood on the right side of the road, and there she thought that she +might find the horn and the person who had sounded it. So she spurred +her horse in that direction, until she drew near a bridge, and descried +the white walls and the barbican of a circular castle. Thus, by chance +she came upon the castle, setting her course by the sound which had led +her thither. She had been attracted by the sound of the horn blown by a +watchman upon the walls. As soon as the watchman caught sight of her, he +called to her, then came down, and taking the key of the gate, opened +it for her and said: "Welcome, damsel, whoe'er you be. You shall be +well lodged this night." "I have no other desire than that," the damsel +replied, as he let her in. After the toil and anxiety she had endured +that day, she was fortunate to find such a lodging-place; for she was +very comfortable there. After the meal the host addressed her, and +inquired where she was going and what was her quest. Whereupon, she thus +replied: "I am seeking one whom I never saw, so far as I am aware, and +never knew; but he has a lion with him, and I am told that, if I find +him, I can place great confidence in him." "I can testify to that," the +other said: "for the day before yesterday God sent him here to me in +my dire need. Blessed be the paths which led him to my dwelling. For he +made me glad by avenging me of a mortal enemy and killing him before +my eyes. Outside yonder gate you may see to-morrow the body of a mighty +giant, whom he slew with such ease that he hardly had to sweat." "For +God's sake, sire," the damsel said, "tell me now the truth, if you know +whither he went, and where he is." "I don't know," he said, "as God sees +me here; but to-morrow I will start you on the road by which he went +away from here." "And may God," said she, "lead me where I may hear true +news of him. For if I find him, I shall be very glad." + +(Vv. 4929-4964.) Thus they continued in long converse until at last they +went to bed. When the day dawned, the maid arose, being in great concern +to find the object of her quest. And the master of the house arose with +all his companions, and set her upon the road which led straight to the +spring beneath the pine. And she, hastening on her way toward the town, +came and asked the first men whom she met, if they could tell her where +she would find the lion and the knight who travelled in company. And +they told her that they had seen him defeat three knights in that very +place. Whereupon, she said at once: "For God's sake, since you have said +so much, do not keep back from me anything that you can add." "No," they +replied; "we know nothing more than we have said, nor do we know what +became of him. If she for whose sake he came here, cannot give you +further news, there will be no one here to enlighten you. You will not +have far to go, if you wish to speak with her; for she has gone to make +prayer to God and to hear Mass in yonder church, and judging by the time +she has been inside, her orisons have been prolonged." + +(Vv. 4965-5106.) While they were talking thus, Lunete came out from the +church, and they said: "There she is." Then she went to meet her, and +they greeted each other. She asked Lunete at once for the information +she desired; and Lunete said that she would have a palfrey saddled; for +she wished to accompany her, and would take her to an enclosure where +she had left him. The other maiden thanked her heartily. Lunete mounts +the palfrey which is brought without delay, and, as they ride, she tells +her how she had been accused and charged with treason, and how the pyre +was already kindled upon which she was to be laid, and how he had come +to help her in just the moment of her need. While speaking thus, she +escorted her to the road which led directly to the spot where my lord +Yvain had parted from her. When she had accompanied her thus far, she +said: "Follow this road until you come to a place where, if it please +God and the Holy Spirit, you will hear more reliable news of him than +I can tell. I very well remember that I left him either near here, or +exactly here, where we are now; we have not seen each other since then, +and I do not know what he has done. When he left me, he was in sore need +of a plaster for his wounds. So I will send you along after him, and if +it be God's will, may He grant that you find him to-night or to-morrow +in good health. Now go: I commend you to God. I must not follow you any +farther, lest my mistress be displeased with me." Then Lunete leaves her +and turns back; while the other pushed on until she found a house, +where my lord Yvain had tarried until he was restored to health. She saw +people gathered before the gate, knights, ladies and men-at-arms, and +the master of the house; she saluted them, and asked them to tell her, +if possible, news of a knight for whom she sought. "Who is he?" they +ask. "I have heard it said that he is never without a lion." "Upon my +word, damsel," the master says, "he has just now left us. You can come +up with him to-night, if you are able to keep his tracks in sight, and +are careful not to lose any time." "Sire," she answers, "God forbid. +But tell me now in what direction I must follow him." And they tell +her: "This way, straight ahead," and they beg her to greet him on their +behalf. But their courtesy was not of much avail; for, without giving +any heed, she galloped off at once. The pace seemed much too slow to +her, though her palfrey made good time. So she galloped through the mud +just the same as where the road was good and smooth, until she caught +sight of him with the lion as his companion. Then in her gladness she +exclaims: "God, help me now. At last I see him whom I have so long +pursued, and whose trace I have long followed. But if I pursue and +nothing gain, what will it profit me to come up with him? Little or +nothing, upon my word. If he does not join in my enterprise, I have +wasted all my pains." Thus saying, she pressed on so fast that her +palfrey was all in a sweat; but she caught up with him and saluted him. +He thus at once replied to her: "God save you, fair one, and deliver you +from grief and woe." "The same to you, sire, who, I hope, will soon be +able to deliver me." Then she draws nearer to him, and says: "Sire, I +have long searched for you. The great fame of your merit has made me +traverse many a county in my weary search for you. But I continued my +quest so long, thank God, that at last I have found you here. And if I +brought any anxiety with me, I am no longer concerned about it, nor do I +complain or remember it now. I am entirely relieved; my worry has taken +flight the moment I met with you. Moreover, the affair is none of mine: +I come to you from one that is better than I, a woman who is more noble +and excellent. But if she be disappointed in her hopes of you, then she +has been betrayed by your fair renown, for she has no expectation of +other aid. My damsel, who is deprived of her inheritance by a sister, +expects with your help to win her suit; she will have none but you +defend her cause. No one can make her believe that any one else could +bear her aid. By securing her share of the heritage, you will have won +and acquired the love of her who is now disinherited, and you will also +increase your own renown. She herself was going in search for you to +secure the boon for which she hoped; no one else would have taken her +place, had she not been detained by an illness which compels her to keep +her bed. Now tell me, please, whether you will dare to come, or whether +you will decline." "No," he says; "no man can win praise in a life of +ease; and I will not hold back, but will follow you gladly, my sweet +friend, whithersoever it may please you. And if she for whose sake you +have sought me out stands in some great need of me, have no fear that I +shall not do all I can for her. Now may God grant me the happiness and +grace to settle in her favour her rightful claim." + +(Vv. 5107-5184.) [325] Thus conversing, they two rode away until they +approached the town of Pesme Avanture. They had no desire to pass it +by, for the day was already drawing to a close. They came riding to the +castle, when all the people, seeing them approach, called out to the +knight: "Ill come, sire, ill come. This lodging-place was pointed out to +you in order that you might suffer harm and shame. An abbot might take +his oath to that." "Ah," he replied, "foolish and vulgar folk, full +of all mischief, and devoid of honour, why have you thus assailed me?" +"Why? you will find out soon enough, if you will go a little farther. +But you shall learn nothing more until you have ascended to the +fortress." At once my lord Yvain turns toward the tower, and the crowd +cries out, all shouting aloud at him: "Eh, eh, wretch, whither goest +thou? If ever in thy life thou hast encountered one who worked thee +shame and woe, such will be done thee there, whither thou art going, +as will never be told again by thee." My lord Yvain, who is listening, +says: "Base and pitiless people, miserable and impudent, why do you +assail me thus, why do you attack me so? What do you wish of me, what +do you want, that you growl this way after me?" A lady, who was somewhat +advanced in years, who was courteous and sensible, said: "Thou hast no +cause to be enraged: they mean no harm in what they say; but, if thou +understoodest them aright, they are warning thee not to spend the night +up there; they dare not tell thee the reason for this, but they are +warning and blaming thee because they wish to arouse thy fears. This +they are accustomed to do in the case of all who come, so that they may +not go inside. And the custom is such that we dare not receive in our +own houses, for any reason whatsoever, any gentleman who comes here from +a distance. The responsibility now is thine alone; no one will stand in +thy way. If thou wishest, thou mayst go up now; but my advice is to turn +back again." "Lady," he says, "doubtless it would be to my honour and +advantage to follow your advice; but I do not know where I should find +a lodging-place to-night." "Upon my word," says she, "I'll say no more, +for the concern is none of mine. Go wherever you please. Nevertheless, +I should be very glad to see you return from inside without too great +shame; but that could hardly be." "Lady," he says, "may God reward you +for the wish. However, my wayward heart leads me on inside, and I +shall do what my heart desires." Thereupon, he approaches the gate, +accompanied by his lion and his damsel. Then the porter calls to him, +and says: "Come quickly, come. You are on your way to a place where you +will be securely detained, and may your visit be accursed." + +(Vv. 5185-5346.) The porter, after addressing him with this very +ungracious welcome, hurried upstairs. But my lord Yvain, without making +reply, passed straight on, and found a new and lofty hall; in front +of it there was a yard enclosed with large, round, pointed stakes, +and seated inside the stakes he saw as many as three hundred maidens, +working at different kinds of embroidery. Each one was sewing with +golden thread and silk, as best she could. But such was their poverty, +that many of them wore no girdle, and looked slovenly, because so poor; +and their garments were torn about their breasts and at the elbows, and +their shifts were soiled about their necks. Their necks were thin, and +their faces pale with hunger and privation. They see him, as he looks at +them, and they weep, and are unable for some time to do anything or to +raise their eyes from the ground, so bowed down they are with woe. When +he had contemplated them for a while, my lord Yvain turned about and +moved toward the door; but the porter barred the way, and cried: "It +is no use, fair master; you shall not get out now. You would like to be +outside: but, by my head, it is of no use. Before you escape you will +have suffered such great shame that you could not easily suffer more; +so you were not wise to enter here, for there is no question of escaping +now." "Nor do I wish to do so, fair brother," said he; "but tell me, +by thy father's soul, whence came the damsels whom I saw in the yard, +weaving cloths of silk and gold. I enjoy seeing the work they do, but I +am much distressed to see their bodies so thin, and their faces so pale +and sad. I imagine they would be fair and charming, if they had what +they desire." "I will tell you nothing," was the reply; "seek some one +else to tell you." "That will I do, since there is no better way." Then +he searches until he finds the entrance of the yard where the damsels +were at work: and coming before them, he greets them all, and sees tears +flowing from their eyes, as they weep. Then he says to them: "May it +please God to remove from your hearts, and turn to joy, this grief, the +cause of which I do not know." One of them answers: "May you be heard by +God, to whom you have addressed your prayer. It shall not be concealed +from you who we are, and from what land: I suppose that is what you wish +to know." "For no other purpose came I here," says he. [326] "Sire, +it happened a long while ago that the king of the Isle of Damsels went +seeking news through divers courts and countries, and he kept on his +travels like a dunce until he encountered this perilous place. It was an +unlucky hour when he first came here, for we wretched captives who are +here receive all the shame and misery which we have in no wise deserved. +And rest assured that you yourself may expect great shame, unless a +ransom for you be accepted. But, at any rate, so it came about that my +lord came to this town, where there are two sons of the devil (do not +take it as a jest) who were born of a woman and an imp. These two were +about to fight with the king, whose terror was great, for he was not yet +eighteen years old, and they would have been able to cleave him through +like a tender lamb. So the king, in his terror, escaped his fate as best +he could, by swearing that he would send hither each year, as required, +thirty of his damsels, and with this rent he freed himself. And when +he swore, it was agreed that this arrangement should remain in force +as long as the two devils lived. But upon the day when they should +be conquered and defeated in battle, he would be relieved from this +tribute, and we should be delivered who are now shamefully given over to +distress and misery. Never again shall we know what pleasure is. But I +spoke folly just now in referring to our deliverance, for we shall never +more leave this place. We shall spend our days weaving cloths of silk, +without ever being better clad. We shall always be poor and naked, and +shall always suffer from hunger and thirst, for we shall never be able +to earn enough to procure for ourselves any better food. Our bread +supply is very scarce--a little in the morning and less at night, for +none of us can gain by her handiwork more than fourpence a day for her +daily bread. And with this we cannot provide ourselves with sufficient +food and clothes. For though there is not one of us who does not earn as +much as twenty sous [327] a week, yet we cannot live without hardship. +Now you must know that there is not a single one of us who does not do +twenty sous worth of work or more, and with such a sum even a duke would +be considered rich. So while we are reduced to such poverty, he, for +whom we work, is rich with the product of our toil. We sit up many +nights, as well as every day, to earn the more, for they threaten to do +us injury, when we seek some rest, so we do not dare to rest ourselves. +But why should I tell you more? We are so shamefully treated and +insulted that I cannot tell you the fifth part of it all. But what makes +us almost wild with rage is that we very often see rich and excellent +knights, who fight with the two devils, lose their lives on our account. +They pay dearly for the lodging they receive, as you will do to-morrow. +For, whether you wish to do so or not, you will have to fight +singlehanded and lose your fair renown with these two devils." "May God, +the true and spiritual, protect me," said my lord Yvain, "and give you +back your honour and happiness, if it be His will. I must go now and see +the people inside there, and find out what sort of entertainment they +will offer me." "Go now, sire, and may He protect you who gives and +distributes all good things." + +(Vv. 5347-5456.) Then he went until he came to the hall where he found +no one, good or bad, to address him. Then he and his companion passed +through the house until they came to a garden. They never spoke of, or +mentioned, stabling their horses. But what matters it? For those who +considered them already as their own had stabled them carefully. I do +not know whether their expectation was wise, for the horses' owners are +still perfectly hale. The horses, however, have oats and hay, and stand +in litter up to their belly. My lord Yvain and his company enter the +garden. There he sees, reclining upon his elbow upon a silken rug, a +gentleman, to whom a maiden was reading from a romance about I know +not whom. There had come to recline there with them and listen to the +romance a lady, who was the mother of the damsel, as the gentleman was +her father; they had good reason to enjoy seeing and hearing her, for +they had no other children. She was not yet sixteen years old, and +was so fair and full of grace that the god of Love would have devoted +himself entirely to her service, if he had seen her, and would never +have made her fall in love with anybody except himself. For her sake he +would have become a man, and would lay aside his deity, and would smite +his own body with that dart whose wound never heals unless some base +physician attends to it. It is not fitting that any one should recover +until he meets with faithlessness. Any one who is cured by other means +is not honestly in love. I could tell you so much about this wound, if +you were pleased to listen to it, that I would not get through my tale +to-day. But there would be some one who would promptly say that I was +telling you but an idle tale; for people don't fall in love nowadays, +nor do they love as they used to do, so they do not care to hear of it. +[328] But hear now in what fashion and with what manner of hospitality +my lord Yvain was received. All those who were in the garden leaped to +their feet when they saw him come, and cried out: "This way, fair sire. +May you and all you love be blessed with all that God can do or say." I +know not if they were deceiving him, but they receive him joyfully and +act as if they are pleased that he should be comfortably lodged. Even +the lord's daughter serves him very honourably, as one should treat a +worthy guest. She relieves him of all his arms, nor was it the least +attention she bestowed on him when she herself washed his neck and face. +The lord wishes that all honour should be shown him, as indeed they do. +She gets out from her wardrobe a folded shirt, white drawers, needle and +thread for his sleeves, which she sews on, thus clothing him. [329] May +God want now that this attention and service may not prove too costly to +him! She gave him a handsome jacket to put on over his shirt, and about +his neck she placed a brand new spotted mantle of scarlet stuff. +She takes such pains to serve him well that he feels ashamed and +embarrassed. But the damsel is so courteous and open-hearted and polite +that she feels she is doing very little. And she knows well that it is +her mother's will that she shall leave nothing undone for him which she +thinks may win his gratitude. That night at table he was so well served +with so many dishes that there were too many. The servants who brought +in the dishes might well have been wearied by serving them. That night +they did him all manner of honour, putting him comfortably to bed, and +not once going near him again after he had retired. His lion lay at +his feet, as his custom was. In the morning, when God lighted His great +light for the world, as early as was consistent in one who was always +considerate, my lord Yvain quickly arose, as did his damsel too. They +heard Mass in a chapel, where it was promptly said for them in honour of +the Holy Spirit. + +(Vv. 5457-5770.) After the Mass my lord Yvain heard bad news, when he +thought the time had come for him to leave and that nothing would stand +in his way; but it could not be in accordance with his wish. When he +said: "Sire, if it be your will, and with your permission, I am going +now," the master of the house replied: "Friend, I will not grant you +permission yet. There is a reason why I cannot do so, for there is +established in this castle a very terrible practice which I am bound +to observe. I shall now cause to approach two great, strong fellows of +mine, against whom, whether right or wrong, you must take arms. If you +can defend yourself against them, and conquer and slay them both, my +daughter desires you as her lord, and the suzerainty of this town and +all its dependencies awaits you." "Sire," said he, "for all this I have +no desire. So may God never bestow your daughter upon me, but may she +remain with you; for she is so fair and so elegant that the Emperor +of Germany would be fortunate to win her as his wife." "No more, fair +guest," the lord replied: "there is no need of my listening to your +refusal, for you cannot escape. He who can defeat the two, who are about +to attack you, must by right receive my castle, and all my land, and +my daughter as his wife. There is no way of avoiding or renouncing +the battle. But I feel sure that your refusal of my daughter is due to +cowardice, for you think that in this manner you can completely avoid +the battle. Know, however, without fail that you must surely fight. No +knight who lodges here can possibly escape. This is a settled custom +and statute, which will endure yet for many a year, for my daughter will +never be married until I see them dead or defeated." "Then I must fight +them in spite of myself. But I assure you that I should very gladly give +it up. In spite of my reluctance, however, I shall accept the battle, +since it is inevitable." Thereupon, the two hideous, black sons of +the devil come in, both armed with a crooked club of a cornelian +cherry-tree, which they had covered with copper and wound with brass. +They were armed from the shoulders to the knees, but their head and +face were bare, as well as their brawny legs. Thus armed, they advanced, +bearing in their hands round shields, stout and light for fighting. The +lion begins to quiver as soon as he sees them, for he sees the arms they +have, and perceives that they come to fight his master. He is aroused, +and bristles up at once, and, trembling with rage and bold impulse, he +thrashes the earth with his tail, desiring to rescue his master before +they kill him. And when they see him they say: "Vassal, remove the lion +from here that he may not do us harm. Either surrender to us at once, or +else, we adjure you, that lion must be put where he can take no part in +aiding you or in harming us. You must come alone to enjoy our sport, for +the lion would gladly help you, if he could." My lord Yvain then replies +to them: "Take him away yourselves if you are afraid of him. For I shall +be well pleased and satisfied if he can contrive to injure you, and I +shall be grateful for his aid." They answer: "Upon my word that will +not do; you shall never receive any help from him. Do the best you can +alone, without the help of any one. You must fight single-handed against +us two. If you were not alone, it would be two against two; so you must +follow our orders, and remove your lion from here at once, however much +you may dislike to do so." "Where do you wish him to be?" he asks, "or +where do you wish me to put him?" Then they show him a small room, and +say: "Shut him up in there." "It shall be done, since it is your will." +Then he takes him and shuts him up. And now they bring him arms for his +body, and lead out his horse, which they give to him, and he mounts. The +two champions, being now assured about the lion, which is shut up in +the room, come at him to injure him and do him harm. They give him such +blows with the maces that his shield and helmet are of little use, for +when they hit him on the helmet they batter it in and break it; and the +shield is broken and dissolved like ice, for they make such holes in +it that one could thrust his fists through it: their onslaught is truly +terrible. And he--what does he do against these two devils? Urged on +by shame and fear, he defends himself with all his strength. He strains +every nerve, and exerts himself to deal heavy, and telling blows; they +lost nothing by his gifts, for he returned their attentions with +double measure. In his room, the lion's heart is heavy and sad, for he +remembers the kind deed done for him by this noble man, who now must +stand in great need of his service and aid. If now he could escape +from there, he would return him the kindness with full measure and +full bushel, without any discount whatsoever. He looks about in all +directions, but sees no way of escape. He hears the blows of the +dangerous and desperate fight, and in his grief he rages and is beside +himself. He investigates, until he comes to the threshold, which was +beginning to grow rotten; and he scratches at it until he can squeeze +himself in as far as his haunches, when he sticks fast. Meanwhile, my +lord Yvain was hard pressed and sweating freely, for he found that the +two fellows were very strong, fierce, and persistent. He had received +many a blow, and repaid it as best he could, but without doing them any +harm, for they were well skilled in fencing, and their shields were not +of a kind to be hacked by any sword, however sharp and well tempered +it might be. So my lord Yvain had good reason to fear his death, yet he +managed to hold his own until the lion extricated himself by continued +scratching beneath the threshold. If the rascals are not killed now, +surely they will never be. For so long as the lion knows them to be +alive, they can never obtain truce or peace with him. He seizes one of +them, and pulls him down to earth like a tree-trunk. The wretches are +terrified, and there is not a man present who does not rejoice. For he +whom the lion has dragged down will never be able to rise again, unless +the other succours him. He runs up to bring him aid, and at the same +time to protect himself, lest the lion should attack him as soon as he +had despatched the one whom he had thrown down; he was more afraid of +the lion than of his master. But my lord Yvain will be foolish now if +he allows him longer life, when he sees him turn his back, and sees his +neck bare and exposed; this chance turned out well for him. When the +rascal exposed to him his bare head and neck, he dealt him such a blow +that he smote his head from his shoulders so quietly that the fellow +never knew a word about it. Then he dismounts, wishing to help and save +the other one from the lion, who holds him fast. But it is of no use, +for already he is in such straits that a physician can never arrive in +time; for the lion, coming at him furiously, so wounded him at the first +attack, that he was in a dreadful state. Nevertheless, he drags the lion +back, and sees that he had torn his shoulder from its place. He is in +no fear of the fellow now, for his club has fallen from his hand, and +he lies like a dead man without action or movement; still he has enough +strength to speak, and he said as clearly as he could: "Please take your +lion away, fair sire, that he may not do me further harm. Henceforth you +may do with me whatever may be your desire. Whoever begs and prays +for mercy, ought not to have his prayer refused, unless he addresses a +heartless man. I will no longer defend myself, nor will I ever get up +from here with my own strength; so I put myself in your hands." "Speak +out then," he says, "if thou dost admit that thou art conquered and +defeated." "Sire," he says, "it is evident. I am defeated in spite of +myself, and I surrender, I promise you." "Then thou needest have no +further fear of me, and my lion will leave thee alone." Then he is +surrounded by all the crowd, who arrive on the scene in haste. And both +the lord and his lady rejoice over him, and embrace him, and speak to +him of their daughter, saying: "Now you will be the lord and master of +us all, and our daughter will be your wife, for we bestow her upon you +as your spouse." "And for my part," he says. "I restore her to you. Let +him who has her keep her. I have no concern with her, though I say it +not in disparagement. Take it not amiss if I do not accept her, for +I cannot and must not do so. But deliver to me now, if you will, the +wretched maidens in your possession. The agreement, as you well know, +is that they shall all go free." "What you say is true," he says: "and I +resign and deliver them freely to you: there will be no dispute on that +score. But you will be wise to take my daughter with all my wealth, for +she is fair, and charming, and sensible. You will never find again such +a rich marriage as this." "Sire," he replies, "you do not know of my +engagements and my affairs, and I do not dare to explain them to you. +But, you may be sure, when I refuse what would never be refused by any +one who was free to devote his heart and intentions to such a fair and +charming girl, that I too would willingly accept her hand if I could, or +if I were free to accept her or any other maid. But I assure you that I +cannot do it: so let me depart in peace. For the damsel, who escorted +me hither, is awaiting me. She has kept me company, and I would not +willingly desert her whatever the future may have in store." "You wish +to go, fair sire? But how? My gate will never be opened for you unless +my judgment bids me give the command; rather shall you remain here as my +prisoner. You are acting haughtily and making a mistake when you disdain +to take my daughter at my request." "Disdain, my lord? Upon my soul, I +do not disdain her. Whatever the penalty may be, I cannot marry a wife +or tarry here. I shall follow the damsel who is my guide: for otherwise +it cannot be. But, with your consent, I will pledge you my right hand, +and you may take my word, that, just as you see me now, I will return +if possible, and then will accept your daughter's hand, whenever it may +seem good ro you." "Confound any one," he says, "who asks you for your +word or promise or pledge. If my daughter pleases you, you will return +quickly enough. You will not return any sooner. I think, for having +given your word or sworn an oath. Begone now. I release you from all +oaths and promises. If you are detained by rain or wind, or by nothing +at all, it is of no consequence to me. I do not hold my daughter so +cheap as to bestow her upon you forcibly. Now go about your business. +For it is quite the same to me whether you go or whether you stay." + +(Vv. 5771-5871.) Thereupon my lord Yvain turns away and delays no longer +in the castle. He escorted the poor and ill-clad wretches, who were now +released from captivity, and whom the lord committed to his care. These +maidens feel that now they are rich, as they file out in pairs before +him from the castle. I do not believe that they would rejoice so much as +they do now were He who created the whole world to descend to earth from +Heaven. Now all those people who had insulted him in every possible way +come to beseech him for mercy and peace, and escort him on his way. He +replies that he knows nothing of what they mean. "I do not understand +what you mean," he says; "but I have nothing against you. I do not +remember that you ever said anything that harmed me." They are very glad +for what they hear, and loudly praise his courtesy, and after escorting +him a long distance, they all commend him to God. Then the damsels, +after asking his permission, separated from him. When they left him, +they all bowed to him, and prayed and expressed the wish that God might +grant him joy and health, and the accomplishment of his desire, wherever +in the future he should go. Then he, who is anxious to be gone, says +that he hopes God will save them all. "Go," he says, "and may God +conduct you into your countries safe and happy." Then they continue +their way joyfully; and my lord Yvain departs in the other direction. +All the days of that week he never ceases to hurry on under the escort +of the maid, who was well acquainted with the road, and with the retired +place where she had left the unhappy and disconsolate damsel who had +been deprived of her inheritance. But when she heard news of the arrival +of the maiden and of the Knight with the Lion. There never was such joy +as she felt within her heart. For now she thinks that, if she insists, +her sister will cede her a part of her inheritance. The damsel had long +lain sick, and had just recovered from her malady. It had seriously +affected her, as was apparent from her face. Straightway she went forth +to meet them, greeting them and honouring them in every way she could. +There is no need to speak of the happiness that prevailed that night +in the house. No mention will be made of it, for the story would be too +long to tell. I pass over all that, until they mounted next morning and +went away. They rode until they saw the town where King Arthur had been +staying for a fortnight or more. And there, too, was the damsel who +had deprived her sister of her heritage, for she had kept close to the +court, waiting for the arrival of her sister, who now draws near. But +she does not worry much, for she does not think that her sister can find +any knight who can withstand my lord Gawain's attack, and only one day +of the forty yet remains. If this single day had passed, she would have +had the reasonable and legal right to claim the heritage for herself +alone. But more stands in the way than she thinks or believes. That +night they spent outside the town in a small and humble house, where, +in accordance with their desire, they were not recognised. At the first +sign of dawn the next morning they necessarily issue forth, but ensconce +themselves in hiding until broad daylight. + +(Vv. 5872-5924.) I know not how many days had passed since my lord +Gawain had so completely disappeared that no one at court knew anything +about him, except only the damsel in whose cause he was to fight. He +had concealed himself three or four leagues from the court, and when he +returned he was so equipped that even those who knew him perfectly +could not recognise him by the arms he bore. The damsel, whose injustice +toward her sister was evident, presented him at court in the sight of +all, for she intended with his help to triumph in the dispute where she +had no rights. So she said to the King: "My lord, time passes. The +noon hour will soon be gone, and this is the last day. As you see, I am +prepared to defend my claim. If my sister were going to return, there +would be nothing to do but await her arrival. But I may praise God that +she is not coming back again. It is evident that she cannot better her +affairs, and that her trouble has been for naught. For my part, I have +been ready all the time up to this last day, to prove my claim to what +is mine. I have proved my point entirely without a fight, and now I +may rightfully go to accept my heritage in peace; for I shall render no +accounting for it to my sister as long as I live, and she will lead a +wretched and miserable existence." Then the King, who well knew that the +damsel was disloyally unjust toward her sister, said to her: "My dear, +upon my word, in a royal court one must wait as long as the king's +justice sits and deliberates upon the verdict. It is not yet time to +pack up, for it is my belief that your sister will yet arrive in time." +Before the King had finished, he saw the Knight with the Lion and the +damsel with him. They two were advancing alone, having slipped away from +the lion, who had stayed where they spent the night. + +(Vv. 5925-5990.) The King saw the damsel whom he did not fail to +recognise, and he was greatly pleased and delighted to see her, for +he was on her side of the quarrel, because he had regard for what was +right. Joyfully he cried out to her as soon as he could: "Come forward, +fair one: may God save you!" When the other sister hears these words, +she turns trembling, and sees her with the knight whom she had brought +to defend in her claim: then she turned blacker than the earth. The +damsel, after being kindly welcomed by all, went to where the King was +sitting. When she had come before him, she spoke to him thus: "God save +the King and his household. If my rights in this dispute can be settled +by a champion, then it will be done by this knight who has followed +me hither. This frank and courteous knight had many other things to do +elsewhere; but he felt such pity for me that he cast aside all his other +affairs for the sake of mine. Now, madame, my very dear sister, whom I +love as much as my own heart, would do the right and courteous thing if +she would let me have so much of what is mine by right that there might +be peace between me and her; for I ask for nothing that is hers." "Nor +do I ask for anything that is thine," the other replied; "for thou hast +nothing, and nothing shalt thou have. Thou canst never talk so much as +to gain anything by thy words. Thou mayest dry up with grief." Then the +other, who was very polite and sensible and courteous, replied with the +words: "Certainly I am sorry that two such gentlemen as these should +fight on our behalf over so small a disagreement. But I cannot disregard +my claim, for I am in too great need of it. So I should be much obliged +to you if you would give me what is rightly mine." "Surely," the other +said, "any one would be a fool to consider thy demands. May I burn in +evil fire and flame if I give thee anything to ease thy life! The banks +of the Seine will meet, and the hour of prime will be called noon, +before I refuse to carry out the fight." "May God and the right, which +I have in this cause, and in which I trust and have trusted till the +present time, aid him, who in charity and courtesy has offered himself +in my service, though he knows not who I am, and though we are ignorant +of each other's identity." + +(Vv. 5991-6148.) So they talked until their conversation ceased, and +then produced the knights in the middle of the court. Then all the +people crowd about, as people are wont to do when they wish to witness +blows in battle or in joust. But those who were about to fight did +not recognise each other, though their relations were wont to be very +affectionate. Then do they not love each other now? I would answer you +both "yes" and "no." And I shall prove that each answer is correct. In +truth, my lord Gawain loves Yvain and regards him as his companion, and +so does Yvain regard him, wherever he may be. Even here, if he knew who +he was, he would make much of him, and either one of them would lay down +his head for the other before he would allow any harm to come to him. Is +not that a perfect and lofty love? Yes, surely. But, on the other hand, +is not their hate equally manifest? Yes; for it is a certain thing that +doubtless each would be glad to have broken the other's head, and so +to have injured him as to cause his humiliation. Upon my word, it is a +wondrous thing, that Love and mortal Hate should dwell together. God! +How can two things so opposed find lodging in the same dwelling-place? +It seems to me they cannot live together; for one could not dwell with +the other, without giving rise to noise and contention, as soon as each +knew of the other's presence. But upon the ground-floor there may be +several apartments: for there are halls and sleeping-rooms. It may be +the same in this case: I think Love had ensconced himself in some hidden +room, while Hate had betaken herself to the balconies looking on the +high-road, because she wishes to be seen. Just now Hate is in the +saddle, and spurs and pricks forward as she can, to get ahead of Love +who is indisposed to move. Ah! Love, what has become of thee? Come out +now, and thou shalt see what a host has been brought up and opposed to +thee by the enemies of thy friends. The enemies are these very men who +love each other with such a holy love for love, which is neither false +nor feigned, is a precious and a holy thing. In this case Love is +completely blind, and Hate, too, is deprived of sight. For if Love had +recognised these two men, he must have forbidden each to attack the +other, or to do any thing to cause him harm. In this respect, then, +Love is blind and discomfited and beguiled; for, though he sees them, he +fails to recognise those who rightly belong to him. And though Hate is +unable to tell why one of them should hate the other, yet she tries to +engage them wrongfully, so that each hates the other mortally. You know, +of course, that he cannot be said to love a man who would wish to harm +him and see him dead. How then? Does Yvain wish to kill his friend, my +lord Gawain? Yes, and the desire is mutual. Would, then, my lord Gawain +desire to kill Yvain with his own hands, or do even worse than I have +said? Nay, not really, I swear and protest. One would not wish to injure +or harm the other, in return for all that God has done for man, or for +all the empire of Rome. But this, in turn, is a lie of mine, for it is +plainly to be seen that, with lance raised high in rest, each is ready +to attack the other, and there will be no restraint of the desire of +each to wound the other with intent to injure him and work him woe. Now +tell me! When one will have defeated the other, of whom can he complain +who has the worst of it? For if they go so far as to come to blows, I am +very much afraid that they will continue the battle and the strife +until victory be definitely decided. If he is defeated, will Yvain be +justified in saying that he has been harmed and wronged by a man who +counts him among his friends, and who has never mentioned him but by the +name of friend or companion? Or, if it comes about perchance that Yvain +should hurt him in turn, or defeat him in any way, will Gawain have +the right to complain? Nay, for he will not know whose fault it is. In +ignorance of each other's identity, they both drew off and took their +distance. At this first shock, their lances break, though they were +stout, and made of ash. Not a word do they exchange, for if they had +stopped to converse their meeting would have been different. In that +case, no blow would have been dealt with lance or sword; they would have +kissed and embraced each other rather than sought each other's harm. For +now they attack each other with injurious intent. The condition of the +swords is not improved, nor that of the helmets and shields, which are +dented and split; and the edges of the swords are nicked and dulled. For +they strike each other violently, not with the fiat of the swords, +but with the edge, and they deal such blows with the pommels upon the +nose-guards and upon the neck, forehead and cheeks, that they are all +marked black and blue where the blood collects beneath the skin. And +their hauberks are so torn, and their shields so broken in pieces, that +neither one escaped without wounds. Their breath is almost exhausted +with the labour of the strife; they hammer away at each other so lustily +that every hyacinth and emerald set in their helmets is crushed and +smashed. For they give each other such a battering with their pommels +upon the helmets that they are quite stunned, as they almost beat out +each other's brains. The eyes in their heads gleam like sparks, as, with +stout square fists, and strong nerves, and hard bones, they strike each +other upon the mouth as long as they can grip their swords, which are of +great service to them in dealing their heavy blows. + +(Vv. 6149-6228.) When they had for a long time strained themselves, +until the helmets were crushed, and the hauberks' meshes were torn +apart with the hammering of the swords, and the shields were split and +cracked, they drew apart a little to give their pulse a rest and to +catch their breath again. However, they do not long delay, but run at +each other again more fiercely than before. And all declare that they +never saw two more courageous knights. "This fight between them is no +jest, but they are in grim earnest. They will never be repaid for their +merits and deserts." The two friends, in their bitter struggle, heard +these words, and heard how the people were talking of reconciling the +two sisters; but they had no success in placating the elder one. And the +younger one said she would leave it to the King, and would not gainsay +him in anything. But the elder one was so obstinate that even the +Queen Guinevere and the knights and the King and the ladies and the +townspeople side with the younger sister, and all join in beseeching the +King to give her a third or a fourth part of the land in spite of the +elder sister, and to separate the two knights who had displayed such +bravery, for it would be too bad if one should injure the other or +deprive him of any honour. And the King replied that he would take no +hand in making peace, for the elder sister is so cruel that she has no +desire for it. All these words were heard by the two, who were attacking +each other so bitterly that all were astonished thereat; for the battle +is waged so evenly that it is impossible to judge which has the better +and which the worse. Even the two men themselves, who fight, and who +are purchasing honour with agony, are filled with amazement and stand +aghast, for they are so well matched in their attack, that each wonders +who it can be that withstands him with such bravery. They fight so long +that the day draws on to night, while their arms grow weary and their +bodies sore, and the hot, boiling blood flows from many a spot and +trickles down beneath their hauberks: they are in such distress that +it is no wonder if they wish to rest. Then both withdraw to rest +themselves, each thinking within himself that, however long he has had +to wait, he now at last has met his match. For some time they thus seek +repose, without daring to resume the fight. They feel no further desire +to fight, because of the night which is growing dark, and because of the +respect they feel for each other's might. These two considerations keep +them apart, and urge them to keep the peace. But before they leave the +field they will discover each other's identity, and joy and mercy will +be established between them. + +(Vv. 6229-6526.) My brave and courteous lord Yvain was the first to +speak. But his good friend was unable to recognise him by his utterance; +for he was prevented by his low tone and by his voice which was hoarse, +weak, and broken; for his blood was all stirred up by the blows he had +received. "My lord," he says, "the night comes on! I think no blame +or reproach will attach to us if the night comes between us. But I +am willing to admit, for my own part, that I feel great respect and +admiration for you, and never in my life have I engaged in a battle +which has made me smart so much, nor did I ever expect to see a knight +whose acquaintance I should so yearn to make. You know well how to land +your blows and how to make good use of them: I have never known a knight +who was so skilled in dealing blows. It was against my will that I +received all the blows you have bestowed on me to-day; I am stunned +by the blows you have I struck upon my head." "Upon my word," my lord +Gawain replies, "you are not so stunned and faint but that I am as much +so, or more. And if I should tell you the simple truth, I think you +would not be loath to hear it, for if I have lent you anything of mine, +you have fully paid me back, principal and interest; for you were more +ready to pay back than I was to accept the payment. But however that +may be, since you wish me to inform you of my name, it shall not be kept +from you: my name is Gawain the son of King Lot." As soon as my +lord Yvain heard that, he was amazed and sorely troubled; angry and +grief-stricken, he cast upon the ground his bloody sword and broken +shield, then dismounted from his horse, and cried: "Alas, what mischance +is this! Through what unhappy ignorance in not recognising each other +have we waged this battle! For if I had known who you were, I should +never have fought with you; but, upon my word, I should have surrendered +without a blow." "How is that?" my lord Gawain inquires, "who are you, +then?" "I am Yvain, who love you more than any man in the whole wide +world, for you have always been fond of me and shown me honour in every +court. But I wish to make you such amends and do you such honour in this +affair that I will confess myself to have been defeated." "Will you do +so much for my sake?" my gentle lord Gawain asks him; "surely I should +be presumptuous to accept any such amends from you. This honour shall +never be claimed as mine, but it shall be yours, to whom I resign +it." "Ah, fair sire, do not speak so. For that could never be. I am so +wounded and exhausted that I cannot endure more." "Surely, you have no +cause to be concerned." his friend and companion replies; "but for my +part, I am defeated and overcome; I say it not as a compliment; for +there is no stranger in the world, to whom I would not say as much, +rather than receive any more blows." Thus saying, he got down from his +horse, and they threw their arms about each other's neck, kissing each +other, and each continuing to assert that it is he who has met defeat. +The argument is still in progress when the King and the knights come +running up from every side, at the sight of their reconciliation; and +great is their desire to hear how this can be, and who these men are who +manifest such happiness. The King says: "Gentlemen, tell us now who +it is that has so suddenly brought about this friendship and harmony +between you two, after the hatred and strife there has been this day?" +Then his nephew, my lord Gawain, thus answers him: "My lord, you shall +be informed of the misfortune and mischance which have been the cause of +our strife. Since you have tarried in order to hear and learn the cause +of it, it is right to let you know the truth. I, Gawain, who am your +nephew, did not recognise this companion of mine, my lord Yvain, until +he fortunately, by the will of God, asked me my name. After each had +informed the other of his name, we recognised each other, but not until +we had fought it out. Our struggle already has been long; and if we had +fought yet a little longer, it would have fared ill with me, for, by my +head, he would have killed me, what with his prowess and the evil cause +of her who chose me as her champion. But I would rather be defeated than +killed by a friend in battle." Then my lord Yvain's blood was stirred, +as he said to him in reply: "Fair dear sire, so help me God, you have no +right to say so much. Let my lord, The King, well know in this battle +I am surely the one who has been defeated and overcome!" "I am the one" +"No, I am." Thus each cries out, and both are so honest and courteous +that each allows the victory and crown to be the other's prize, while +neither one of them will accept it. Thus each strives to convince the +King and all the people that he has been defeated and overthrown. +But when he had listened to them for a while, the King terminated the +dispute. He was well pleased with what he heard and with the sight of +them in each other's arms, though they had wounded and injured each +other in several places. "My lords," he says, "there is deep affection +between you two. You give clear evidence of that, when each insists that +it is he who has been defeated. Now leave it all to me! For I think I +can arrange it in such a way that it will redound to your honour, and +every one will give consent." Then they both promised him that they +would do his will in every particular. And the King says that he will +decide the quarrel fairly and faithfully. "Where is the damsel," he +inquires, "who has ejected her sister from her land, and has forcibly +and cruelly disinherited her?" "My lord," she answers, "here I am." "Are +you there? Then draw near to me! I saw plainly some time ago that you +were disinheriting her. But her right shall no longer be denied; for you +yourself have avowed the truth to me. You must now resign her share to +her." "Sire," she says, "if I uttered a foolish and thoughtless word, +you ought not to take me up in it. For God's sake, sire, do not be hard +on me! You are a king, and you ought to guard against wrong and error." +The King replies: "That is precisely why I wish to give your sister her +rights; for I have never defended what is wrong. And you have surely +heard how your knight and hers have left the matter in my hands. I shall +not say what is altogether pleasing to you; for your injustice is well +known. In his desire to honour the other, each one says that he has been +defeated. But there is no need to delay further: since the matter has +been left to me, either you will do in all respects what I say, without +resistance, or I shall announce that my nephew has been defeated in the +fight. That would be the worst thing that could happen to your cause, +and I shall be sorry to make such a declaration." In reality, he would +not have said it for anything; but he spoke thus in order to see if he +could frighten her into restoring the heritage to her sister; for he +clearly saw that she never would surrender anything to her for any +words of his unless she was influenced by force or fear. In fear and +apprehension, she replied to him: "Fair lord, I must now respect your +desire, though my heart is very loath to yield. Yet, however hard it may +go with me, I shall do it, and my sister shall have what belongs to her. +I give her your own person as a pledge of her share in my inheritance, +in order that she may be more assured of it." "Endow her with it, then, +at once," the King replies; "let her receive it from your hands, and +let her vow fidelity to you! Do you love her as your vassal, and let +her love you as her sovereign lady and as her sister." Thus the King +conducts the affair until the damsel takes possession of her land, and +offers her thanks to him for it. Then the King asked the valiant and +brave knight who was his nephew to allow himself to be disarmed; and +he requested my lord Yvain to lay aside his arms also; for now they may +well dispense with them. Then the two vassals lay aside their arms and +separate on equal terms. And while they are taking off their armour, +they see the lion running up in search of his master. As soon as he +catches sight of him, he begins to show his joy. Then you would have +seen people draw aside, and the boldest among them takes to flight. +My lord Yvain cries out: "Stand still, all! Why do you flee? No one is +chasing you. Have no fear that yonder lion will do you harm. Believe +me, please, when I say that he is mine, and I am his, and we are both +companions." Then it was known of a truth by all those who had heard +tell of the adventures of the lion and of his companion that this must +be the very man who had killed the wicked giant. And my lord Gawain said +to him: "Sir companion, so help me God, you have overwhelmed me with +shame this day. I did not deserve the service that you did me in killing +the giant to save my nephews and my niece. I have been thinking about +you for some time, and I was troubled because it was said that we +were acquainted as loving friends. I have surely thought much upon the +subject: but I could not hit upon the truth, and had never heard of any +knight that I had known in any land where I had been, who was called +'The Knight with the Lion.'" While they chatted thus they took their +armour off, and the lion came with no slow step to the place where his +master sat, and showed such joy as a dumb beast could. Then the two +knights had to be removed to a sick-room and infirmary, for they needed +a doctor and piaster to cure their wounds. King Arthur, who loved them +well, had them both brought before him, and summoned a surgeon whose +knowledge of surgery was supreme. He exercised his art in curing them, +until he had healed their wounds as well and as quickly as possible. +When he had cured them both, my lord Yvain, who had his heart set fast +on love, saw clearly that he could not live, but that he finally would +die unless his lady took pity upon him; for he was dying for love of +her; so he thought he would go away from the court alone, and would go +to fight at the spring that belonged to her, where he would cause such +a storm of wind and rain that she would be compelled perforce to make +peace with him; otherwise, there would be no end to the disturbance of +the spring, and to the rain and wind. + +(Vv. 6527-6658.) As soon as my lord Yvain felt that he was cured and +sound again, he departed without the knowledge of any one. But he had +with him his lion, who never in his life wished to desert him. They +travelled until they saw the spring and made the rain descend. Think not +that this is a lie of mine, when I tell you that the disturbance was so +violent that no one could tell the tenth part of it: for it seemed as if +the whole forest must surely be engulfed. The lady fears for her town, +lest it, too, will crumble away; the walls totter, and the tower rocks +so that it is on the verge of falling down. The bravest Turk would +rather be a captive in Persia than be shut up within those walls. The +people are so stricken with terror that they curse all their ancestors, +saying: "Confounded be the man who first constructed a house in this +neighbourhood, and all those who built this town! For in the wide world +they could not have found so detestable a spot, for a single man is able +here to invade and worry and harry us." "You must take counsel in this +matter, my lady," says Lunete; "you will find no one who will undertake +to aid you in this time of need unless you seek for him afar. In the +future we shall never be secure in this town, nor dare to pass beyond +the walls and gate. You know full well that, were some one to summon +together all your knights for this cause, the best of them would not +dare to step forward. If it is true that you have no one to defend +your spring, you will appear ridiculous and humiliated. It will redound +greatly to your honour, forsooth, if he who has attacked you shall +retire without a fight! Surely you are in a bad predicament if you do +not devise some other plan to benefit yourself." The lady replies: "Do +thou, who art so wise, tell me what plan I can devise, and I will follow +thy advice." "Indeed, lady, if I had any plan, I should gladly propose +it to you. But you have great need of a wiser counsellor. So I shall +certainly not dare to intrude, and in common with the others I shall +endure the rain and wind until, if it please God, I shall see some +worthy man appear here in your court who will assume the responsibility +and burden of the battle; but I do not believe that that will happen +to-day, and we have not yet seen the worst of your urgent need." Then +the lady replies at once: "Damsel, speak now of something else! Say no +more of the people of my household; for I cherish no further expectation +that the spring and its marble brim will ever be defended by any of +them. But, if it please God, let us hear now what is your opinion +and plan; for people always say that in time of need one can test his +friend." [330] "My lady, if there is any one who thinks he could find +him who slew the giant and defeated the three knights, he would do +well to go to search for him. But so long as he shall incur the enmity, +wrath, and displeasure of his lady, I fancy there is not under heaven +any man or woman whom he would follow, until he had been assured upon +oath that everything possible would be done to appease the hostility +which his lady feels for him, and which is so bitter that he is dying +of the grief and anxiety it causes him." And the lady said: "Before you +enter upon the quest, I am prepared to promise you upon my word and to +swear that, if he will return to me, I will openly and frankly do all +I can to bring about his peace of mind." Then Lunete replies to her: +"Lady, have no fear that you cannot easily effect his reconciliation, +when once it is your desire to do so; but, if you do not object, I will +take your oath before I start." "I have no objection," the lady says. +With delicate courtesy, Lunete procured at once for her a very precious +relic, and the lady fell upon her knees. Thus Lunete very courteously +accepted her upon her oath. In administering the oath, she forgot +nothing which it might be an advantage to insert. "Lady," she says, "now +raise your hand! I do not wish that the day after to-morrow you should +lay any charge upon me; for you are not doing anything for me, but you +are acting for your own good. If you please now, you shall swear that +you will exert yourself in the interests of the Knight with the Lion +until he recover his lady's love as completely as he ever possessed it." +The lady then raised her right hand and said: "I swear to all that thou +hast said, so help me God and His holy saint, that my heart may never +fail to do all within my power. If I have the strength and ability, +I will restore to him the love and favour which with his lady he once +enjoyed." + +(Vv. 6659-6716.) Lunete has now done well her work; there was nothing +which she had desired so much as the object which she had now attained. +They had already got out for her a palfrey with an easy pace. Gladly and +in a happy frame of mind Lunete mounts and rides away, until she finds +beneath the pine-tree him whom she did not expect to find so near at +hand. Indeed, she had thought that she would have to seek afar before +discovering him. As soon as she saw him, she recognised him by the lion, +and coming toward him rapidly, she dismounted upon the solid earth. And +my lord Yvain recognised her as soon as he saw her, and greeted her, as +she saluted him with the words: "Sire, I am very happy to have found you +so near at hand." And my lord Yvain said in reply: "How is that? Were +you looking for me, then?" "Yes, sire, and in all my life I have never +felt so glad, for I have made my mistress promise, if she does not go +back upon her word, that she will be again your lady as was once the +case, and that you shall be her lord; this truth I make bold to tell." +My lord Yvain was greatly elated at the news he hears, and which he +had never expected to hear again. He could not sufficiently show his +gratitude to her who had accomplished this for him. He kisses her eyes, +and then her face, saying: "Surely, my sweet friend, I can never repay +you for this service. I fear that ability and time will fail me to do +you the honour and service which is your due." "Sire," she replies, "have +no concern, and let not that thought worry you! For you will have an +abundance of strength and time to show me and others your good will. If +I have paid this debt I owed, I am entitled to only so much gratitude as +the man who borrows another's goods and then discharges the obligation. +Even now I do not consider that I have paid you the debt I owed." +"Indeed you have, as God sees me, more than five hundred thousand times. +Now, when you are ready, let us go. But have you told her who I am?" +"No, I have not, upon my word. She knows you only by the name of 'The +Knight with the Lion.'" + +(Vv. 6717-6758.) Thus conversing they went along, with the lion +following after them, until they all three came to the town. They said +not a word to any man or woman there, until they arrived where the lady +was. And the lady was greatly pleased as soon as she heard that the +damsel was approaching, and that she was bringing with her the lion and +the knight, whom she was very anxious to meet and know and see. All +clad in his arms, my lord Yvain fell at her feet upon his knees, while +Lunete, who was standing by, said to her: "Raise him up, lady, and apply +all your efforts and strength and skill in procuring that peace and +pardon which no one in the world, except you, can secure for him." Then +the lady bade him rise, and said: "He may dispose of all my power! +I shall be very happy, if possible, to accomplish his wish and his +desire." "Surely, my lady," Lunete replied, "I would not say it if it +were not true. But all this is even more possible for you than I have +said: but now I will tell you the whole truth, and you shall see: you +never had and you never will have such a good friend as this gentleman. +God, whose will it is that there should be unending peace and love +between you and him, has caused me to find him this day so near at hand. +In order to test the truth of this, I have only one thing to say: lady, +dismiss the grudge you bear him! For he has no other mistress than you. +This is your husband, my lord Yvain." + +(Vv. 6759-6776.) The lady, trembling at these words, replied: "God save +me! You have caught me neatly in a trap! You will make me love, in spite +of myself, a man who neither loves nor esteems me. This is a fine piece +of work, and a charming way of serving me! I would rather endure the +winds and the tempests all my life: And if it were not a mean and +ugly thing to break one's word, he would never make his peace or be +reconciled with me. This purpose would have always lurked within me, as +a fire smoulders in the ashes; but I do not wish to renew it now, nor do +I care to refer to it, since I must be reconciled with him." + +(Vv. 6777-6798.) My lord Yvain hears and understands that his cause is +going well, and that he will be peacefully reconciled with her. So he +says: "Lady, one ought to have mercy on a sinner. I have had to pay, and +dearly to pay, for my mad act. It was madness that made me stay away, +and I now admit my guilt and sin. I have been bold, indeed, in daring +to present myself to you; but if you will deign to keep me now, I never +again shall do you any wrong." She replied: "I will surely consent to +that; for if I did not do all I could to establish peace between you +and me, I should be guilty of perjury. So, if you please, I grant your +request." "Lady," says he, "so truly as God in this mortal life could +not otherwise restore me to happiness, so may the Holy Spirit bless me +five hundred times!" + +(Vv. 6799-6813.) Now my lord Yvain is reconciled, and you may believe +that, in spite of the trouble he has endured, he was never so happy +for anything. All has turned out well at last; for he is beloved and +treasured by his lady, and she by him. His troubles no longer are in +his mind; for he forgets them all in the joy he feels with his precious +wife. And Lunete, for her part, is happy too: all her desires are +satisfied when once she had made an enduring peace between my polite +lord Yvain and his sweetheart so dear and so elegant. + +(Vv. 6814-6818.) Thus Chretien concludes his romance of the Knight with +the Lion; for I never heard any more told of it, nor will you ever hear +any further particulars, unless some one wishes to add some lies. + + + +----Endnotes: Yvain + +Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other +endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 31: + + "cele feste, qui tant coste, + Qu'an doit clamer la pantecoste." + + This rhyme is frequently met in mediaeval narrative poems. + (F.)]] + +[Footnote 32: The contemporary degeneracy of lovers and of the art of +love is a favourite theme of mediaeval poets.] + +[Footnote 33: Cf. "Roman de la Rose", 9661, for the stinking manure pit. +(F.)] + +[Footnote 34: The forest of Broceliande is in Brittany, and in it +Chretien places the marvellous spring of Barenton, of which we read +in the sequel. In his version the poet forgets that the sea separates +the court at Carduel from the forest of Broceliande. His readers, +however, probably passed over this "lapsus". The most famous passage +relating to this forest and its spring is found in Wace, "Le Roman de +Rou et des dues de Normandie", vv. 6395-6420, 2 vols. (Heilbronn, +1877-79). Cf. further the informing note by W.L. Holland, "Chretien von +Troies", p. 152 f. (Tubingen, 1854).] + +[Footnote 35: This grotesque portrait of the "vilain" is perfectly +conventional in aristocratic poetry, and is also applied to some +Saracens in the epic poems. Cf. W.W. Comfort in "Pub. of the Modern +Language Association of America", xxi. 494 f., and in "The Dublin +Review", July 1911.] + +[Footnote 36: For the description of the magic fountain, cf. W.A. Nitze, +"The Fountain Defended" in "Modern Philology", vii. 145-164; G.L. +Hamilton, "Storm-making Springs", etc., in "Romantic Review", ii. +355-375; A.F. Grimme in "Germania", xxxiii. 38; O.M. Johnston in +"Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association", +xxxiii., p. lxxxiii. f.] + +[Footnote 37: Eugen Kolbing, "Christian von Troyes Yvain und die +Brandanuslegende" in "Ztsch. fur vergleichende Literaturgeschichte" +(Neue Folge, xi. Brand, 1897), pp. 442-448, has pointed out other +striking allusions in the Latin "Navigatio S. Brandans" (ed. Wahlund, +Upsala, 1900) and elsewhere in Celtic legend to trees teeming with +singing birds, in which the souls of the blessed are incorporated. A +more general reference to trees, animated by the souls of the dead, is +found in J.G. Frazer, "The Golden Bough" (2nd ed. 1900), vol. I., p. 178 +f.] + +[Footnote 38: Cf. A. Tobler in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", iv. +80-85, who gives many other instances of boasting after meals. See +next note.] + +[Footnote 39: Noradin is the Sultan Nureddin Mahmud (reigned 1146-1173), +a contemporary of the poet; Forre is a legendary Saracen king of +Naples, mentioned in the epic poems (cf. E. Langlois, "Table des noms +propres de toute nature compris dans les chansons de geste", Paris, +1904; Albert Counson, "Noms epiques entres dans le vocabulaire commun" +in "Romanische Forschungen", xxiii. 401-413). These names are mentioned +here in connection with the brave exploits which Christian knights, +while in their cups, may boast that they will accomplish (F.). This +practice of boasting was called indulging in "gabs" (=Eng. "gab"), a +good instance of which will be found in "Le Voyage de Charlemagne a +Jeruslaem" (ed. Koschwitz), v. 447 ff.] + +[Footnote 310: It is evident in this passage that Chretien's version is +not clear; the reader cannot be sure in what sort of an apartment +Yvain is secreted. The passage is perfectly clear, however, in the +Welsh "Owein", as shown by A.C.L. Brown in "Romanic Review", iii. +143-172, "On the Independent Character of the Welsh 'Owain'", where he +argues convincingly for an original older than either the extant French +of Welsh versions.] + +[Footnote 311: The damsel's surprise and fright at the sight of Yvain, +which puzzled Professor Foerster, is satisfactorily explained by J. +Acher in "Ztsch. fur franzosische Sprache und Literatur", xxxv. 150.] + +[Footnote 312: For magic rings, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte +Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908); D.B. Easter, "The Magic Elements +in the romans d'aventure and the romans bretons" (Baltimore, 1906).] + +[Footnote 313: Much has been written on the widespread belief that a +dead person's wounds would bleed afresh in the presence of his +murderer. The passage in our text is interesting as being the earliest +literary reference to the belief. Other instances will be found in +Shakespear ("King Richard III., Act. I., Sc. 2), Cervantes ("Don +Quixote"), Scott ("Ballads"), and Schiller ("Braut von Messina"). In +the 15th and 16th centuries especially, the bleeding of the dead became +in Italy, Germany, France, and Spain an absolute or contributory proof +of guilt in the eyes of the law. The suspected culprit might be +subjected to this ordeal as part of the inquisitional method to +determine guilt. For theories of the origin of this belief and of its +use in legal trials, as well as for more extended bibliography, cf. Karl +Lehmann in "Germanistische Abhandlungen fur Konrad von Maurer" +(Gottingen, 1893), pp. 21-45; C.V. Christensen, "Baareproven" +(Copenhagen, 1900).] + +[Footnote 314: W.L. Holland in his note for this passage recalls +Schiller's "Jungfrau von Orleans", Act III. Sc. 7, and Shakespeare, +first part of "King Henry IV.", Act V. Sc. 4: + + "When that this body did contain a spirit, + A kingdom for it was too small a bound; + But now two paces of the vilest earth + Is room enough."] + +[Footnote 315: Foerster regards this excuse for Kay's defeat as +ironical.] + +[Footnote 316: It is hoped that the following passage may have retained +in the translation some of the gay animation which clothes this +description of a royal entry into a mediaeval town.] + +[Footnote 317: This idea forms the dominating motive, it will be +recalled, in "Erec et Enide" (cf. note to "Erec", v. 2576).] + +[Footnote 318: The parallel between Yvain's and Roland's madness will +occur to readers of Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso", though in the +former case Yvain's madness seems to be rather a retribution for his +failure to keep his promise, while Roland's madness arises from excess +of love.] + +[Footnote 319: Argonne is the name of a hilly and well-wooded district +in the north-east of France, lying between the Meuse and the Aisne.] + +[Footnote 320: An allusion to the well-known epic tradition embodied in +the "Chanson de Roland". It was common for mediaeval poets to give +names to both the horses and the swords of their heroes.] + +[Footnote 321: For the faithful lion in the Latin bestiaries and +mediaeval romances, see the long note of W.L. Holland, "Chretien von +Troies" (Tubingen, 1854), p. 161 f., and G. Baist in Zeitschrift fur +romanische Philologie, xxi. 402-405. To the examples there cited may be +added the episodes in "Octavian" (15th century), published in the +"Romanische Bibliothek" (Heilbronn, 1883).] + +[Footnote 322: This is the first of three references in this poem to the +abduction of Guinevere as fully narrated in the poem of "Lancelot". The +other references are in v. 3918 and v.4740 f.] + +[Footnote 323: Yvain here states the theory of the judicial trial by +combat. For another instance see "Lancelot", v. 4963 f. Cf. M. Pfeffer +in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philogie", ix. 1-74, and L. Jordan, id. Xxix. +385-401.] + +[Footnote 324: A similar description of a distressed damsel wandering at +night in a forest is found in "Berte aus grans pies", by Adenet le Roi +(13th century).] + +[Footnote 325: The lion is forgotten for the moment, but will appear +again v. 5446. (F.)] + +[Footnote 326: This entire passage belongs in the catagory of widespread +myths which tell of a tribute of youths or maidens paid to some cruel +monster, from which some hero finally obtains deliverance. Instances +are presented in the adventures of Theseus and Tristan.] + +[Footnote 327: The old French monetary table was as follows: + +10 as = 1 denier; 12 deniers = 1 sol; 20 sous = 1 livre] + +[Footnote 328: It appears to be the poet's prerogative in all epochs of +social history to bemoan the degeneracy of true love in his own +generation.] + +[Footnote 329: The sleeves of shirts were detachable, and were sewed on +afresh when a clean garment was put on. (F.)] + +[Footnote 330: This was an axiom of feudal society, and occurs more +frequently in feudal literature than any other statement of mediaeval +social relations.] + + + + + +LANCELOT + +or, The Knight of the Cart + +(Vv. 1-30.) Since my lady of Champagne wishes me to undertake to write a +romance, [41] I shall very gladly do so, being so devoted to her +service as to do anything in the world for her, without any intention +of flattery. But if one were to introduce any flattery upon such an +occasion, he might say, and I would subscribe to it, that this lady +surpasses all others who are alive, just as the south wind which blows +in May or April is more lovely than any other wind. But upon my word, I +am not one to wish to flatter my lady. I will simply say: "The Countess +is worth as many queens as a gem is worth of pearls and sards." Nay I +shall make no comparison, and yet it is true in spite of me; I will say, +however, that her command has more to do with this work than any thought +or pains that I may expend upon it. Here Chretien begins his book about +the Knight of the Cart. The material and the treatment of it are given +and furnished to him by the Countess, and he is simply trying to carry +out her concern and intention. Here he begins the story. + +(Vv. 31-172.) Upon a certain Ascension Day King Arthur had come from +Caerleon, and had held a very magnificent court at Camelot as was +fitting on such a day. [42] After the feast the King did not quit his +noble companions, of whom there were many in the hall. The Queen was +present, too, and with her many a courteous lady able to converse in +French. And Kay, who had furnished the meal, was eating with the others +who had served the food. While Kay was sitting there at meat, behold +there came to court a knight, well equipped and fully armed, and thus +the knight appeared before the King as he sat among his lords. He gave +him no greeting, but spoke out thus: "King Arthur, I hold in captivity +knights, ladies, and damsels who belong to thy dominion and household; +but it is not because of any intention to restore them to thee that I +make reference to them here; rather do I wish to proclaim and serve thee +notice that thou hast not the strength or the resources to enable thee +to secure them again. And be assured that thou shalt die before thou +canst ever succour them." The King replies that he must needs endure +what he has not the power to change; nevertheless, he is filled with +grief. Then the knight makes as if to go away, and turns about, without +tarrying longer before the King; but after reaching the door of the +hall, he does not go down the stairs, but stops and speaks from there +these words: "King, if in thy court there is a single knight in whom +thou hast such confidence that thou wouldst dare to entrust to him the +Queen that he might escort her after me out into the woods whither I am +going, I will promise to await him there, and will surrender to thee all +the prisoners whom I hold in exile in my country if he is able to defend +the Queen and if he succeeds in bringing her back again." Many who +were in the palace heard this challenge, and the whole court was in +an uproar. Kay, too, heard the news as he sat at meat with those who +served. Leaving the table, he came straight to the King, and as if +greatly enraged, he began to say: "O King, I have served thee long, +faithfully, and loyally; now I take my leave, and shall go away, having +no desire to serve thee more." The King was grieved at what he heard, +and as soon as he could, he thus replied to him: "Is this serious, or +a joke?" And Kay replied: "O King, fair sire, I have no desire to jest, +and I take my leave quite seriously. No other reward or wages do I wish +in return for the service I have given you. My mind is quite made up to +go away immediately." "Is it in anger or in spite that you wish to +go?" the King inquired; "seneschal, remain at court, as you have done +hitherto, and be assured that I have nothing in the world which I would +not give you at once in return for your consent to stay." "Sire," says +Kay, "no need of that. I would not accept for each day's pay a measure +of fine pure gold." Thereupon, the King in great dismay went off to +seek the Queen. "My lady," he says, "you do not know the demand that the +seneschal makes of me. He asks me for leave to go away, and says he will +no longer stay at court; the reason of this I do not know. But he will +do at your request what he will not do for me. Go to him now, my lady +dear. Since he will not consent to stay for my sake, pray him to remain +on your account, and if need be, fall at his feet, for I should never +again be happy if I should lose his company." [43] The King sends the +Queen to the seneschal, and she goes to him. Finding him with the rest, +she went up to him, and said: "Kay, you may be very sure that I am +greatly troubled by the news I have heard of you. I am grieved to say +that I have been told it is your intention to leave the King. How does +this come about? What motive have you in your mind? I cannot think that +you are so sensible or courteous as usual. I want to ask you to remain: +stay with us here, and grant my prayer." "Lady," he says, "I give you +thanks; nevertheless, I shall not remain." The Queen again makes her +request, and is joined by all the other knights. And Kay informs her +that he is growing tired of a service which is unprofitable. Then the +Queen prostrates herself at full length before his feet. Kay beseeches +her to rise, but she says that she will never do so until he grants her +request. Then Kay promises her to remain, provided the King and she will +grant in advance a favour he is about to ask. "Kay," she says, "he will +grant it, whatever it may be. Come now, and we shall tell him that upon +this condition you will remain." So Kay goes away with the Queen to the +King's presence. The Queen says: "I have had hard work to detain Kay; +but I have brought him here to you with the understanding that you will +do what he is going to ask." The King sighed with satisfaction, and said +that he would perform whatever request he might make. + +(Vv. 173-246.) "Sire," says Kay, "hear now what I desire, and what is +the gift you have promised me. I esteem myself very fortunate to gain +such a boon with your consent. Sire, you have pledged your word that you +would entrust to me my lady here, and that we should go after the knight +who awaits us in the forest." Though the King is grieved, he trusts him +with the charge, for he never went back upon his word. But it made +him so ill-humoured and displeased that it plainly showed in his +countenance. The Queen, for her part, was sorry too, and all those +of the household say that Kay had made a proud, outrageous, and mad +request. Then the King took the Queen by the hand, and said: "My lady, +you must accompany Kay without making objection." And Kay said: "Hand +her over to me now, and have no fear, for I shall bring her back +perfectly happy and safe." The King gives her into his charge, and he +takes her off. After them all the rest go out, and there is not one who +is not sad. You must know that the seneschal was fully armed, and his +horse was led into the middle of the courtyard, together with a palfrey, +as is fitting, for the Queen. The Queen walked up to the palfrey, which +was neither restive nor hard-mouthed. Grieving and sad, with a sigh the +Queen mounts, saying to herself in a low voice, so that no one could +hear: "Alas, alas, if you only knew it, I am sure you would never allow +me without interference to be led away a step." [44] She thought she +had spoken in a very low tone; but Count Guinable heard her, who was +standing by when she mounted. When they started away, as great a lament +was made by all the men and women present as if she already lay dead +upon a bier. They do not believe that she will ever in her life come +back. The seneschal in his impudence takes her where that other knight +is awaiting her. But no one was so much concerned as to undertake to +follow him; until at last my lord Gawain thus addressed the King his +uncle: "Sire," he says, "you have done a very foolish thing, which +causes me great surprise; but if you will take my advice, while they are +still near by, I and you will ride after them, and all those who wish +to accompany us. For my part, I cannot restrain myself from going in +pursuit of them at once. It would not be proper for us not to go after +them, at least far enough to learn what is to become of the Queen, +and how Kay is going to comport himself." "Ah, fair nephew," the King +replied, "you have spoken courteously. And since you have undertaken the +affair, order our horses to be led out bridled and saddled that there +may be no delay in setting out." + +(Vv. 247-398.) The horses are at once brought out, all ready and with +the saddles on. First the King mounts, then my lord Gawain, and all the +others rapidly. Each one, wishing to be of the party, follows his own +will and starts away. Some were armed, but there were not a few without +their arms. My lord Gawain was armed, and he bade two squires lead by +the bridle two extra steeds. And as they thus approached the forest, +they saw Kay's horse running out; and they recognised him, and saw that +both reins of the bridle were broken. The horse was running wild, the +stirrup-straps all stained with blood, and the saddle-bow was broken and +damaged. Every one was chagrined at this, and they nudged each other and +shook their heads. My lord Gawain was riding far in advance of the rest +of the party, and it was not long before he saw coming slowly a knight +on a horse that was sore, painfully tired, and covered with sweat. The +knight first saluted my lord Gawain, and his greeting my lord Gawain +returned. Then the knight, recognising my lord Gawain, stopped and thus +spoke to him: "You see, sir, my horse is in a sweat and in such case as +to be no longer serviceable. I suppose that those two horses belong to +you now, with the understanding that I shall return the service and the +favour, I beg you to let me have one or the other of them, either as a +loan or outright as a gift." And he answers him: "Choose whichever you +prefer." Then he who was in dire distress did not try to select the +better or the fairer or the larger of the horses, but leaped quickly +upon the one which was nearer to him, and rode him off. Then the one he +had just left fell dead, for he had ridden him hard that day, so that +he was used up and overworked. The knight without delay goes pricking +through the forest, and my lord Gawain follows in pursuit of him with +all speed, until he reaches the bottom of a hill. And when he had gone +some distance, he found the horse dead which he had given to the knight, +and noticed that the ground had been trampled by horses, and that broken +shields and lances lay strewn about, so that it seemed that there had +been a great combat between several knights, and he was very sorry and +grieved not to have been there. However, he did not stay there long, but +rapidly passed on until he saw again by chance the knight all alone on +foot, completely armed, with helmet laced, shield hanging from his neck, +and with his sword girt on. He had overtaken a cart. In those days such +a cart served the same purpose as does a pillory now; and in each good +town where there are more than three thousand such carts nowadays, in +those times there was only one, and this, like our pillories, had to do +service for all those who commit murder or treason, and those who are +guilty of any delinquency, and for thieves who have stolen others' +property or have forcibly seized it on the roads. Whoever was convicted +of any crime was placed upon a cart and dragged through all the streets, +and he lost henceforth all his legal rights, and was never afterward +heard, honoured, or welcomed in any court. The carts were so dreadful in +those days that the saying was then first used: "When thou dost see and +meet a cart, cross thyself and call upon God, that no evil may befall +thee." The knight on foot, and without a lance, walked behind the cart, +and saw a dwarf sitting on the shafts, who held, as a driver does, a +long goad in his hand. Then he cries out: "Dwarf, for God's sake, +tell me now if thou hast seen my lady, the Queen, pass by here." The +miserable, low-born dwarf would not give him any news of her, but +replied: "If thou wilt get up into the cart I am driving thou shalt +hear to-morrow what has happened to the Queen." Then he kept on his way +without giving further heed. The knight hesitated only for a couple of +steps before getting in. Yet, it was unlucky for him that he shrank from +the disgrace, and did not jump in at once; for he will later rue his +delay. But common sense, which is inconsistent with love's dictates, +bids him refrain from getting in, warning him and counselling him to do +and undertake nothing for which he may reap shame and disgrace. Reason, +which dares thus speak to him, reaches only his lips, but not his heart; +but love is enclosed within his heart, bidding him and urging him to +mount at once upon the cart. So he jumps in, since love will have it +so, feeling no concern about the shame, since he is prompted by love's +commands. And my lord Gawain presses on in haste after the cart, and +when he finds the knight sitting in it, his surprise is great. "Tell +me," he shouted to the dwarf, "if thou knowest anything of the Queen." +And he replied: "If thou art so much thy own enemy as is this knight +who is sitting here, get in with him, if it be thy pleasure, and I +will drive thee along with him." When my lord Gawain heard that, he +considered it great foolishness, and said that he would not get in, for +it would be dishonourable to exchange a horse for a cart: "Go on, and +wherever thy journey lies, I will follow after thee." + +(Vv. 399-462.) Thereupon they start ahead, one mounted on his horse, the +other two riding in the cart, and thus they proceed in company. Late in +the afternoon they arrive at a town, which, you must know, was very +rich and beautiful. All three entered through the gate; the people are +greatly amazed to see the knight borne upon the cart, and they take no +pains to conceal their feelings, but small and great and old and young +shout taunts at him in the streets, so that the knight hears many vile +and scornful words at his expense. [45] They all inquire: "To what +punishment is this knight to be consigned? Is he to be rayed, or hanged, +or drowned, or burned upon a fire of thorns? Tell us, thou dwarf, +who art driving him, in what crime was he caught? Is he convicted of +robbery? Is he a murderer, or a criminal?" And to all this the dwarf +made no response, vouchsafing to them no reply. He conducts the knight +to a lodging-place; and Gawain follows the dwarf closely to a tower, +which stood on the same level over against the town. Beyond there +stretched a meadow, and the tower was built close by, up on a lofty +eminence of rock, whose face formed a sharp precipice. Following the +horse and cart, Gawain entered the tower. In the hall they met a damsel +elegantly attired, than whom there was none fairer in the land, and with +her they saw coming two fair and charming maidens. As soon as they saw +my lord Gawain, they received him joyously and saluted him, and then +asked news about the other knight: "Dwarf, of what crime is this knight +guilty, whom thou dost drive like a lame man?" He would not answer +her question, but he made the knight get out of the cart, and then he +withdrew, without their knowing whither he went. Then my lord Gawain +dismounts, and valets come forward to relieve the two knights of their +armour. The damsel ordered two green mantles to be brought, which they +put on. When the hour for supper came, a sumptuous repast was set. The +damsel sat at table beside my lord Gawain. They would not have changed +their lodging-place to seek any other, for all that evening the damsel +showed them gear honour, and provided them with fair and pleasant +company. + +(Vv. 463-538.) When they had sat up long enough, two long, high beds +were prepared in the middle of the hall; and there was another bed +alongside, fairer and more splendid than the rest; for, as the story +testifies, it possessed all the excellence that one could think of in +a bed. When the time came to retire, the damsel took both the guests to +whom she had offered her hospitality; she shows them the two fine, +long, wide beds, and says: "These two beds are set up here for the +accommodation of your bodies; but in that one yonder no one ever lay who +did not merit it: it was not set up to be used by you." The knight who +came riding on the cart replies at once: "Tell me," he says, "for what +cause this bed is inaccessible." Being thoroughly informed of this, she +answers unhesitatingly: "It is not your place to ask or make such an +inquiry. Any knight is disgraced in the land after being in a cart, and +it is not fitting that he should concern himself with the matter upon +which you have questioned me; and most of all it is not right that he +should lie upon the bed, for he would soon pay dearly for his act. So +rich a couch has not been prepared for you, and you would pay dearly for +ever harbouring such a thought." He replies: "You will see about +that presently.".... "Am I to see it?".... "Yes.".... "It will soon +appear.".... "By my head," the knight replies, "I know not who is to pay +the penalty. But whoever may object or disapprove, I intend to lie upon +this bed and repose there at my ease." Then he at once disrobed in the +bed, which was long and raised half an ell above the other two, and was +covered with a yellow cloth of silk and a coverlet with gilded stars. +The furs were not of skinned vair but of sable; the covering he had on +him would have been fitting for a king. The mattress was not made of +straw or rushes or of old mats. At midnight there descended from the +rafters suddenly a lance, as with the intention of pinning the knight +through the flanks to the coverlet and the white sheets where he lay. +[46] To the lance there was attached a pennon all ablaze. The coverlet, +the bedclothes, and the bed itself all caught fire at once. And the tip +of the lance passed so close to the knight's side that it cut the skin a +little, without seriously wounding him. Then the knight got up, put out +the fire and, taking the lance, swung it in the middle of the hall, all +this without leaving his bed; rather did he lie down again and slept as +securely as at first. + +(Vv. 539-982.) In the morning, at daybreak, the damsel of the tower had +Mass celebrated on their account, and had them rise and dress. When Mass +had been celebrated for them, the knight who had ridden in the cart sat +down pensively at a window, which looked out upon the meadow, and he +gazed upon the fields below. The damsel came to another window close by, +and there my lord Gawain conversed with her privately for a while about +something, I know not what. I do not know what words were uttered, but +while they were leaning on the window-sill they saw carried along the +river through the fields a bier, upon which there lay a knight, [47] and +alongside three damsels walked, mourning bitterly. Behind the bier they +saw a crowd approaching, with a tall knight in front, leading a fair +lady by the horse's rein. The knight at the window knew that it was the +Queen. He continued to gaze at her attentively and with delight as long +as she was visible. And when he could no longer see her, he was minded +to throw himself out and break his body down below. And he would have +let himself fall out had not my lord Gawain seen him, and drawn him +back, saying: "I beg you, sire, be quiet now. For God's sake, never +think again of committing such a mad deed. It is wrong for you to +despise your life." "He is perfectly right," the damsel says; "for will +not the news of his disgrace be known everywhere? Since he has been upon +the cart, he has good reason to wish to die, for he would be better dead +than alive. His life henceforth is sure to be one of shame, vexation, +and unhappiness." Then the knights asked for their armour, and armed +themselves, the damsel treating them courteously, with distinction and +generosity; for when she had joked with the knight and ridiculed him +enough, she presented him with a horse and lance as a token of her +goodwill. The knights then courteously and politely took leave of the +damsel, first saluting her, and then going off in the direction taken +by the crowd they had seen. Thus they rode out from the town without +addressing them. They proceeded quickly in the direction they had seen +taken by the Queen, but they did not overtake the procession, which +had advanced rapidly. After leaving the fields, the knights enter an +enclosed place, and find a beaten road. They advanced through the woods +until it might be six o'clock, [48] and then at a crossroads they met a +damsel, whom they both saluted, each asking and requesting her to +tell them, if she knows, whither the Queen has been taken. Replying +intelligently, she said to them: "If you would pledge me your word, I +could set you on the right road and path, and I would tell you the name +of the country and of the knight who is conducting her; but whoever +would essay to enter that country must endure sore trials, for before +he could reach there he must suffer much." Then my lord Gawain replies: +"Damsel, so help me God, I promise to place all my strength at your +disposal and service, whenever you please, if you will tell me now the +truth." And he who had been on the cart did not say that he would pledge +her all his strength; but he proclaims, like one whom love makes +rich, powerful and bold for any enterprise, that at once and without +hesitation he will promise her anything she desires, and he puts himself +altogether at her disposal. "Then I will tell you the truth," says +she. Then the damsel relates to them the following story: "In truth, my +lords, Meleagant, a tall and powerful knight, son of the King of Gorre, +has taken her off into the kingdom whence no foreigner returns, but +where he must perforce remain in servitude and banishment." Then they +ask her: "Damsel, where is this country? Where can we find the way +thither?" She replies: "That you shall quickly learn; but you may be +sure that you will meet with many obstacles and difficult passages, for +it is not easy to enter there except with the permission of the king, +whose name is Bademagu; however, it is possible to enter by two very +perilous paths and by two very difficult passage-ways. One is called the +water-bridge, because the bridge is under water, and there is the same +amount of water beneath it as above it, so that the bridge is exactly in +the middle; and it is only a foot and a half in width and in thickness. +This choice is certainly to be avoided, and yet it is the less dangerous +of the two. In addition there are a number of other obstacles of which I +will say nothing. The other bridge is still more impracticable and much +more perilous, never having been crossed by man. It is just like a sharp +sword, and therefore all the people call it 'the sword-bridge'. Now I +have told you all the truth I know." But they ask of her once again: +"Damsel, deign to show us these two passages." To which the damsel makes +reply: "This road here is the most direct to the water-bridge, and that +one yonder leads straight to the sword-bridge." Then the knight, who +had been on the cart, says: "Sire, I am ready to share with you without +prejudice: take one of these two routes, and leave the other one to me; +take whichever you prefer." "In truth," my lord Gawain replies, "both of +them are hard and dangerous: I am not skilled in making such a choice, +and hardly know which of them to take; but it is not right for me +to hesitate when you have left the choice to me: I will choose the +water-bridge." The other answers: "Then I must go uncomplainingly to the +sword-bridge, which I agree to do." Thereupon, they all three part, each +one commending the others very courteously to God. And when she sees +them departing, she says: "Each one of you owes me a favour of my +choosing, whenever I may choose to ask it. Take care not to forget +that." "We shall surely not forget it, sweet friend," both the knights +call out. Then each one goes his own way, and he of the cart is occupied +with deep reflections, like one who has no strength or defence against +love which holds him in its sway. His thoughts are such that he +totally forgets himself, and he knows not whether he is alive or dead, +forgetting even his own name, not knowing whether he is armed or not, or +whither he is going or whence he came. Only one creature he has in mind, +and for her his thought is so occupied that he neither sees nor hears +aught else. [49] And his horse bears him along rapidly, following no +crooked road, but the best and the most direct; and thus proceeding +unguided, he brings him into an open plain. In this plain there was a +ford, on the other side of which a knight stood armed, who guarded it, +and in his company there was a damsel who had come on a palfrey. By this +time the afternoon was well advanced, and yet the knight, unchanged and +unwearied, pursued his thoughts. The horse, being very thirsty, sees +clearly the ford, and as soon as he sees it, hastens toward it. Then he +on the other side cries out: "Knight, I am guarding the ford, and forbid +you to cross." He neither gives him heed, nor hears his words, being +still deep in thought. In the meantime, his horse advanced rapidly +toward the water. The knight calls out to him that he will do wisely to +keep at a distance from the ford, for there is no passage that way; and +he swears by the heart within his breast that he will smite him if he +enters the water. But his threats are not heard, and he calls out to +him a third time: "Knight, do not enter the ford against my will and +prohibition; for, by my head, I shall strike you as soon as I see you in +the ford." But he is so deep in thought that he does not hear him. And +the horse, quickly leaving the bank, leaps into the ford and greedily +begins to drink. And the knight says he shall pay for this, that his +shield and the hauberk he wears upon his back shall afford him no +protection. First, he puts his horse at a gallop, and from a gallop he +urges him to a run, and he strikes the knight so hard that he knocks +him down flat in the ford which he had forbidden him to cross. His +lance flew from his hand and the shield from his neck. When he feels the +water, he shivers, and though stunned, he jumps to his feet, like one +aroused from sleep, listening and looking about him with astonishment, +to see who it can be who has struck him. Then face to face with the +other knight, he said: "Vassal, tell me why you have struck me, when I +was not aware of your presence, and when I had done you no harm." "Upon +my word, you had wronged me," the other says: "did you not treat me +disdainfully when I forbade you three times to cross the ford, shouting +at you as loudly as I could? You surely heard me challenge you at least +two or three times, and you entered in spite of me, though I told you +I should strike you as soon as I saw you in the ford." Then the knight +replies to him: "Whoever heard you or saw you, let him be damned, so far +as I am concerned. I was probably deep in thought when you forbade me +to cross the ford. But be assured that I would make you reset it, if I +could just lay one of my hands on your bridle." And the other replies: +"Why, what of that? If you dare, you may seize my bridle here and now. I +do not esteem your proud threats so much as a handful of ashes." And he +replies: "That suits me perfectly. However the affair may turn out, I +should like to lay my hands on you." Then the other knight advances +to the middle of the ford, where the other lays his left hand upon his +bridle, and his right hand upon his leg, pulling, dragging, and pressing +him so roughly that he remonstrates, thinking that he would pull his +leg out of his body. Then he begs him to let go, saying: "Knight, if +it please thee to fight me on even terms, take thy shield and horse +and lance, and joust with me." He answers: "That will I not do, upon my +word; for I suppose thou wouldst run away as soon as thou hadst escaped +my grip." Hearing this, he was much ashamed, and said: "Knight, mount +thy horse, in confidence for I will pledge thee loyally my word that I +shall not flinch or run away." Then once again he answers him: "First, +thou wilt have to swear to that, and I insist upon receiving thy oath +that thou wilt neither run away nor flinch, nor touch me, nor come near +me until thou shalt see me on my horse; I shall be treating thee very +generously, if, when thou art in my hands, I let thee go." He can +do nothing but give his oath; and when the other hears him swear, he +gathers up his shield and lance which were floating in the ford and by +this time had drifted well down-stream; then he returns and takes his +horse. After catching and mounting him, he seizes the shield by the +shoulder-straps and lays his lance in rest. Then each spurs toward the +other as fast as their horses can carry them. And he who had to defend +the ford first attacks the other, striking him so hard that his lance is +completely splintered. The other strikes him in return so that he throws +him prostrate into the ford, and the water closes over him. Having +accomplished that, he draws back and dismounts, thinking he could drive +and chase away a hundred such. While he draws from the scabbard his +sword of steel, the other jumps up and draws his excellent flashing +blade. Then they clash again, advancing and covering themselves with the +shields which gleam with gold. Ceaselessly and without repose they +wield their swords; they have the courage to deal so many blows that the +battle finally is so protracted that the Knight of the Cart is greatly +ashamed in his heart, thinking that he is making a sorry start in the +way he has undertaken, when he has spent so much time in defeating a +single knight. If he had met yesterday a hundred such, he does not think +or believe that they could have withstood him; so now he is much grieved +and wroth to be in such an exhausted state that he is missing his +strokes and losing time. Then he runs at him and presses him so hard +that the other knight gives way and flees. However reluctant he may +be, he leaves the ford and crossing free. But the other follows him in +pursuit until he falls forward upon his hands; then he of the cart runs +up to him, swearing by all he sees that he shall rue the day when he +upset him in the ford and disturbed his revery. The damsel, whom the +knight had with him, upon hearing the threats, is in great fear, and +begs him for her sake to forbear from killing him; but he tells her that +he must do so, and can show him no mercy for her sake, in view of +the shameful wrong that he has done him. Then, with sword drawn, he +approaches the knight who cries in sore dismay: "For God's sake and for +my own, show me the mercy I ask of you." And he replies: "As God may +save me, no one ever sinned so against me that I would not show him +mercy once, for God's sake as is right, if he asked it of me in God's +name. And so on thee I will have mercy; for I ought not to refuse thee +when thou hast besought me. But first, thou shalt give me thy word to +constitute thyself my prisoner whenever I may wish to summon thee." +Though it was hard to do so, he promised him. At once the damsel said: +"O knight, since thou hast granted the mercy he asked of thee, if ever +thou hast broken any bonds, for my sake now be merciful and release this +prisoner from his parole. Set him free at my request, upon condition +that when the time comes, I shall do my utmost to repay thee in any way +that thou shalt choose." Then he declares himself satisfied with the +promise she has made, and sets the knight at liberty. Then she is +ashamed and anxious, thinking that he will recognise her, which she did +not wish. But he goes away at once, the knight and the damsel commending +him to God, and taking leave of him. He grants them leave to go, while +he himself pursues his way, until late in the afternoon he met a damsel +coming, who was very fair and charming, well attired and richly dressed. +The damsel greets him prudently and courteously, and he replies: +"Damsel, God grant you health and happiness." Then the damsel said +to him: "Sire, my house is prepared for you, if you will accept my +hospitality, but you shall find shelter there only on condition that you +will lie with me; upon these terms I propose and make the offer." Not a +few there are who would have thanked her five hundred times for such +a gift; but he is much displeased, and made a very different answer: +"Damsel, I thank you for the offer of your house, and esteem it highly, +but, if you please, I should be very sorry to lie with you." "By my +eyes," the damsel says, "then I retract my offer." And he, since it is +unavoidable, lets her have her way, though his heart grieves to give +consent. He feels only reluctance now; but greater distress will be his +when it is time to go to bed. The damsel, too, who leads him away, will +pass through sorrow and heaviness. For it is possible that she will +love him so that she will not wish to part with him. As soon as he had +granted her wish and desire, she escorts him to a fortified place, than +which there was none fairer in Thessaly; for it was entirely enclosed by +a high wall and a deep moat, and there was no man within except him whom +she brought with her. + +(Vv. 983-1042.) Here she had constructed for her residence a quantity of +handsome rooms, and a large and roomy hall. Riding along a river bank, +they approached their lodging-place, and a drawbridge was lowered to +allow them to pass. Crossing the bridge, they entered in, and found the +hall open with its roof of tiles. Through the open door they pass, and +see a table laid with a broad white cloth, upon which the dishes were +set, and the candles burning in their stands, and the gilded silver +drinking-cups, and two pots of wine, one red and one white. Standing +beside the table, at the end of a bench, they found two basins of warm +water in which to wash their hands, with a richly embroidered towel, all +white and clean, with which to dry their hands. No valets, servants, or +squires were to be found or seen. The knight, removing his shield from +about his neck, hangs it upon a hook, and, taking his lance, lays it +above upon a rack. Then he dismounts from his horse, as does the damsel +from hers. The knight, for his part, was pleased that she did not care +to wait for him to help her to dismount. Having dismounted, she runs +directly to a room and brings him a short mantle of scarlet cloth which +she puts on him. The hall was by no means dark; for beside the light +from the stars, there were many large twisted candles lighted there, so +that the illumination was very bright. When she had thrown the mantle +about his shoulders, she said to him: "Friend, here is the water and the +towel; there is no one to present or offer it to you except me whom you +see. Wash your hands, and then sit down, when you feel like doing so. +The hour and the meal, as you can see, demand that you should do so." +He washes, and then gladly and readily takes his seat, and she sits down +beside him, and they eat and drink together, until the time comes to +leave the table. + +(Vv. 1043-1206.) When they had risen from the table, the damsel said to +the knight: "Sire, if you do not object, go outside and amuse yourself; +but, if you please, do not stay after you think I must be in bed. Feel +no concern or embarrassment; for then you may come to me at once, if you +will keep the promise you have made." And he replies: "I will keep my +word, and will return when I think the time has come." Then he went out, +and stayed in the courtyard until he thought it was time to return and +keep the promise he had made. Going back into the hall, he sees nothing +of her who would be his mistress; for she was not there. Not finding or +seeing her, he said: "Wherever she may be, I shall look for her until I +find her." He makes no delay in his search, being bound by the promise +he had made her. Entering one of the rooms, he hears a damsel cry aloud, +and it was the very one with whom he was about to lie. At the same time, +he sees the door of another room standing open, and stepping toward it, +he sees right before his eyes a knight who had thrown her down, and was +holding her naked and prostrate upon the bed. She, thinking that he had +come of course to help her, cried aloud: "Help, help, thou knight, who +art my guest. If thou dost not take this man away from me, I shall find +no one to do so; if thou dost not succour me speedily, he will wrong me +before thy eyes. Thou art the one to lie with me, in accordance with +thy promise; and shall this man by force accomplish his wish before thy +eyes? Gentle knight, exert thyself, and make haste to bear me aid." He +sees that the other man held the damsel brutally uncovered to the waist, +and he is ashamed and angered to see him assault her so; yet it is not +jealousy he feels, nor will he be made a cuckold by him. At the door +there stood as guards two knights completely armed and with swords +drawn. Behind them there stood four men-at-arms, each armed with an axe +the sort with which you could split a cow down the back as easily as a +root of juniper or broom. The knight hesitated at the door, and thought: +"God, what can I do? I am engaged in no less an affair than the quest of +Queen Guinevere. I ought not to have the heart of a hare, when for her +sake I have engaged in such a quest. If cowardice puts its heart in me, +and if I follow its dictates, I shall never attain what I seek. I am +disgraced, if I stand here; indeed, I am ashamed even to have thought +of holding back. My heart is very sad and oppressed: now I am so ashamed +and distressed that I would gladly die for having hesitated here so +long. I say it not in pride: but may God have mercy on me if I do not +prefer to die honourably rather than live a life of shame! If my path +were unobstructed, and if these men gave me leave to pass through +without restraint, what honour would I gain? Truly, in that case the +greatest coward alive would pass through; and all the while I hear +this poor creature calling for help constantly, and reminding me of my +promise, and reproaching me with bitter taunts." Then he steps to the +door, thrusting in his head and shoulders; glancing up, he sees two +swords descending. He draws back, and the knights could not check their +strokes: they had wielded them with such force that the swords struck +the floor, and both were broken in pieces. When he sees that the swords +are broken, he pays less attention to the axes, fearing and dreading +them much less. Rushing in among them, he strikes first one guard in +the side and then another. The two who are nearest him he jostles and +thrusts aside, throwing them both down flat; the third missed his stroke +at him, but the fourth, who attacked him, strikes him so that he cuts +his mantle and shirt, and slices the white flesh on his shoulder so +that the blood trickles down from the wound. But he, without delay, +and without complaining of his wound, presses on more rapidly, until he +strikes between the temples him who was assaulting his hostess. Before +he departs, he will try to keep his pledge to her. He makes him stand up +reluctantly. Meanwhile, he who had missed striking him comes at him as +fast as he can and, raising his arm again, expects to split his head to +the teeth with the axe. But the other, alert to defend himself, thrusts +the knight toward him in such a way that he receives the axe just where +the shoulder joins the neck, so that they are cleaved apart. Then the +knight seizes the axe, wresting it quickly from him who holds it; then +he lets go the knight whom he still held, and looks to his own defence; +for the knights from the door, and the three men with axes are all +attacking him fiercely. So he leaped quickly between the bed and the +wall, and called to them: "Come on now, all of you. If there were +thirty-seven of you, you would have all the fight you wish, with me so +favourably placed; I shall never be overcome by you." And the damsel +watching him, exclaimed: "By my eyes, you need have no thought of that +henceforth where I am." Then at once she dismisses the knights and the +men-at-arms, who retire from there at once, without delay or objection. +And the damsel continues: "Sire you have well defended me against the +men of my household. Come now, and I'll lead you on." Hand in hand they +enter the hall, but he was not at all pleased, and would have willingly +dispensed with her. + +(Vv. 1207-1292.) In the midst of the hall a bed had been set up, the +sheets of which were by no means soiled, but were white and wide and +well spread out. The bed was not of shredded straw or of coarse spreads. +But a covering of two silk cloths had been laid upon the couch. The +damsel lay down first, but without removing her chemise. He had great +trouble in removing his hose and in untying the knots. He sweated with +the trouble of it all; yet, in the midst of all the trouble, his promise +impels and drives him on. Is this then an actual force? Yes, virtually +so; for he feels that he is in duty bound to take his place by the +damsel's side. It is his promise that urges him and dictates his act. +So he lies down at once, but like her, he does not remove his shirt. He +takes good care not to touch her; and when he is in bed, he turns away +from her as far as possible, and speaks not a word to her, like a monk +to whom speech is forbidden. Not once does he look at her, nor show her +any courtesy. Why not? Because his heart does not go out to her. She +was certainly very fair and winsome, but not every one is pleased and +touched by what is fair and winsome. The knight has only one heart, and +this one is really no longer his, but has been entrusted to some one +else, so that he cannot bestow it elsewhere. Love, which holds all +hearts beneath its sway, requires it to be lodged in a single place. +All hearts? No, only those which it esteems. And he whom love deigns to +control ought to prize himself the more. Love prized his heart so highly +that it constrained it in a special manner, and made him so proud of +this distinction that I am not inclined to find fault with him, if he +lets alone what love forbids, and remains fixed where it desires. The +maiden clearly sees and knows that he dislikes her company and would +gladly dispense with it, and that, having no desire to win her love, +he would not attempt to woo her. So she said: "My lord, if you will not +feel hurt, I will leave and return to bed in my own room, and you will +be more comfortable. I do not believe that you are pleased with my +company and society. Do not esteem me less if I tell you what I think. +Now take your rest all night, for you have so well kept your promise +that I have no right to make further request of you. So I commend you +to God; and shall go away." Thereupon she arises: the knight does not +object, but rather gladly lets her go, like one who is the devoted lover +of some one else; the damsel clearly perceived this, and went to her +room, where she undressed completely and retired, saying to herself: "Of +all the knights I have ever known, I never knew a single knight whom I +would value the third part of an angevin in comparison with this one. As +I understand the case, he has on hand a more perilous and grave affair +than any ever undertaken by a knight; and may God grant that he succeed +in it." Then she fell asleep, and remained in bed until the next day's +dawn appeared. + +(Vv. 1293-1368.) At daybreak she awakes and gets up. The knight awakes +too, dressing, and putting on his arms, without waiting for any help. +Then the damsel comes and sees that he is already dressed. Upon seeing +him, she says: "May this day be a happy one for you." "And may it be +the same to you, damsel," the knight replies, adding that he is waiting +anxiously for some one to bring out his horse. The maiden has some one +fetch the horse, and says: "Sire, I should like to accompany you for +some distance along the road, if you would agree to escort and conduct +me according to the customs and practices which were observed before we +were made captive in the kingdom of Logres." In those days the customs +and privileges were such that, if a knight found a damsel or lorn maid +alone, and if he cared for his fair name, he would no more treat her +with dishonour than he would cut his own throat. And if he assaulted +her, he would be disgraced for ever in every court. But if, while she +was under his escort, she should be won at arms by another who engaged +him in battle, then this other knight might do with her what he pleased +without receiving shame or blame. This is why the damsel said she would +go with him, if he had the courage and willingness to safe guard her in +his company, so that no one should do her any harm. And he says to her: +"No one shall harm you, I promise you, unless he harm me first." "Then," +she says, "I will go with you." She orders her palfrey to be saddled, +and her command is obeyed at once. Her palfrey was brought together with +the knight's horse. Without the aid of any squire, they both mount, and +rapidly ride away. She talks to him, but not caring for her words, he +pays no attention to what she says. He likes to think, but dislikes to +talk. Love very often inflicts afresh the wound it has given him. Yet, +he applied no poultice to the wound to cure it and make it comfortable, +having no intention or desire to secure a poultice or to seek a +physician, unless the wound becomes more painful. Yet, there is one +whose remedy he would gladly seek .... [410] They follow the roads and +paths in the right direction until they come to a spring, situated +in the middle of a field, and bordered by a stone basin. Some one had +forgotten upon the stone a comb of gilded ivory. Never since ancient +times has wise man or fool seen such a comb. In its teeth there was +almost a handful of hair belonging to her who had used the comb. + +(Vv. 1369-1552.) When the damsel notices the spring, and sees the stone, +she does not wish her companion to see it; so she turns off in another +direction. And he, agreeably occupied with his own thoughts, does not at +once remark that she is leading him aside; but when at last he notices +it, he is afraid of being beguiled, thinking that she is yielding and is +going out of the way in order to avoid some danger. "See here, damsel," +he cries, "you are not going right; come this way! No one, I think, ever +went straight who left this road." "Sire, this is a better way for us," +the damsel says, "I am sure of it." Then he replies to her: "I don't +know, damsel, what you think; but you can plainly see that the beaten +path lies this way; and since I have started to follow it, I shall not +turn aside. So come now, if you will, for I shall continue along this +way." Then they go forward until they come near the stone basin and +see the comb. The knight says: "I surely never remember to have seen +so beautiful a comb as this." "Let me have it," the damsel says. +"Willingly, damsel," he replies. Then he stoops over and picks it up. +While holding it, he looks at it steadfastly, gazing at the hair until +the damsel begins to laugh. When he sees her doing so, he begs her to +tell him why she laughs. And she says: "Never mind, for I will never +tell you." "Why not?" he asks. "Because I don't wish to do so." And when +he hears that, he implores her like one who holds that lovers ought to +keep faith mutually: "Damsel, if you love anything passionately, by that +I implore and conjure and beg you not to conceal from me the reason why +you laugh." "Your appeal is so strong," she says, "that I will tell you +and keep nothing back. I am sure, as I am of anything, that this comb +belonged to the Queen. And you may take my word that those are strands +of the Queen's hair which you see to be so fair and light and radiant, +and which are clinging in the teeth of the comb; they surely never grew +anywhere else." Then the knight replied: "Upon my word, there are plenty +of queens and kings; what queen do you mean?" And she answered: "In +truth, fair sire, it is of King Arthur's wife I speak." When he +hears that, he has not strength to keep from bowing his head over +his saddle-bow. And when the damsel sees him thus, she is amazed and +terrified, thinking he is about to fall. Do not blame her for her fear, +for she thought him in a faint. He might as well have swooned, so near +was he to doing so; for in his heart he felt such grief that for a long +time he lost his colour and power of speech. And the damsel dismounts, +and runs as quickly as possible to support and succour him; for she +would not have wished for anything to see him fall. When he saw her, he +felt ashamed, and said: "Why do you need to bear me aid?" You must not +suppose that the damsel told him why; for he would have been ashamed +and distressed, and it would have annoyed and troubled him, if she had +confessed to him the truth. So she took good care not to tell the truth, +but tactfully answered him: "Sire, I dismounted to get the comb; for +I was so anxious to hold it in my hand that I could not longer wait." +Willing that she should have the comb, he gives it to her, first pulling +out the hair so carefully that he tears none of it. Never will the eye +of man see anything receive such honour as when he begins to adore these +tresses. A hundred thousand times he raises them to his eyes and mouth, +to his forehead and face: he manifests his joy in every way, considering +himself rich and happy now. He lays them in his bosom near his heart, +between the shirt and the flesh. He would not exchange them for a +cartload of emeralds and carbuncles, nor does he think that any sore +or illness can afflict him now; he holds in contempt essence of pearl, +treacle, and the cure for pleurisy; [411] even for St. Martin and St. +James he has no need; for he has such confidence in this hair that he +requires no other aid. But what was this hair like? If I tell the truth +about it, you will think I am a mad teller of lies. When the mart is +full at the yearly fair of St. Denis, [412] and when the goods are +most abundantly displayed, even then the knight would not take all this +wealth, unless he had found these tresses too. And if you wish to know +the truth, gold a hundred thousand times refined, and melted down as +many times, would be darker than is night compared with the brightest +summer day we have had this year, if one were to see the gold and set it +beside this hair. But why should I make a long story of it? The damsel +mounts again with the comb in her possession; while he revels and +delights in the tresses in his bosom. Leaving the plain, they come to +a forest and take a short cut through it until they come to a narrow +place, where they have to go in single file; for it would have been +impossible to ride two horses abreast. Just where the way was narrowest, +they see a knight approach. As soon as she saw him, the damsel +recognised him, and said: "Sir knight, do you see him who yonder comes +against us all armed and ready for a battle? I know what his intention +is: he thinks now that he cannot fail to take me off defenceless with +him. He loves me, but he is very foolish to do so. In person, and by +messenger, he has been long wooing me. But my love is not within his +reach, for I would not love him under any consideration, so help me God! +I would kill myself rather than bestow my love on him. I do not doubt +that he is delighted now, and is as satisfied as if he had me already +in his power. But now I shall see what you can do, and I shall see +how brave you are, and it will become apparent whether your escort can +protect me. If you can protect me now, I shall not fail to proclaim that +you are brave and very worthy." And he answered her: "Go on, go on!" +which was as much as to say: "I am not concerned; there is no need of +your being worried about what you have said." + +(Vv. 1553-1660.) While they were proceeding, talking thus, the knight, +who was alone, rode rapidly toward them on the run. He was the more +eager to make haste, because he felt more sure of success; he felt that +he was lucky now to see her whom he most dearly loves. As soon as he +approaches her, he greets her with words that come from his heart: +"Welcome to her, whence-soever she comes, whom I most desire, but who +has hitherto caused me least joy and most distress!" It is not fitting +that she should be so stingy of her speech as not to return his +greeting, at least by word of mouth. The knight is greatly elated when +the damsel greets him; though she does not take the words seriously, and +the effort costs her nothing. Yet, if he had at this moment been victor +in a tournament, he would not have so highly esteemed himself, nor +thought he had won such honour and renown. Being now more confident of +his worth, he grasped the bridle rein, and said: "Now I shall lead you +away: I have to-day sailed well on my course to have arrived at last +at so good a port. Now my troubles are at an end: after dangers, I have +reached a haven; after sorrow, I have attained happiness; after pain, I +have perfect health; now I have accomplished my desire, when I find +you in such case that I can without resistance lead you away with me +at once." Then she says: "You have no advantage; for I am under this +knight's escort." "Surely, the escort is not worth much," he says, "and +I am going to lead you off at once. This knight would have time to eat a +bushel of salt before he could defend you from me; I think I could never +meet a knight from whom I should not win you. And since I find you here +so opportunely, though he too may do his best to prevent it, yet I will +take you before his very eyes, however disgruntled he may be." The other +is not angered by all the pride he hears expressed, but without any +impudence or boasting, he begins thus to challenge him for her: "Sire, +don't be in a hurry, and don't waste your words, but speak a little +reasonably. You shall not be deprived of as much of her as rightly +belongs to you. You must know, however, that the damsel has come hither +under my protection. Let her alone now, for you have detained her long +enough!" The other gives them leave to burn him, if he does not take her +away in spite of him. Then the other says: "It would not be right for +me to let you take her away; I would sooner fight with you. But if we +should wish to fight, we could not possibly do it in this narrow road. +Let us go to some level place--a meadow or an open field." And he +replies that that will suit him perfectly: "Certainly, I agree to +that: you are quite right, this road is too narrow. My horse is so much +hampered here that I am afraid he will crush his flank before I can turn +him around." Then with great difficulty he turns, and his horse +escapes without any wound or harm. Then he says: "To be sure, I am much +chagrined that we have not met in a favourable spot and in the presence +of other men, for I should have been glad to have them see which is the +better of us two. Come on now, let us begin our search: we shall find in +the vicinity some large, broad, and open space." Then they proceed to a +meadow, where there were maids, knights, and damsels playing at divers +games in this pleasant place. They were not all engaged in idle sport, +but were playing backgammon and chess or dice, and were evidently +agreeably employed. Most were engaged in such games as these; but +the others there were engaged in sports, dancing, singing, tumbling, +leaping, and wrestling with each other. + +(Vv. 1661-1840.) A knight somewhat advanced in years was on the other +side of the meadow, seared upon a sorrel Spanish steed. His bridle and +saddle were of gold, and his hair was turning grey. One hand hung at +his side with easy grace. The weather being fine, he was in his shirt +sleeves, with a short mantle of scarlet cloth and fur slung over his +shoulders, and thus he watched the games and dances. On the other side +of the field, close by a path, there were twenty-three knights mounted +on good Irish steeds. As soon as the three new arrivals come into view, +they all cease their play and shout across the fields: "See, yonder +comes the knight who was driven in the cart! Let no one continue his +sport while he is in our midst. A curse upon him who cares or deigns +to play so long as he is here!" Meanwhile he who loved the damsel and +claimed her as his own, approached the old knight, and said: "Sire, I +have attained great happiness; let all who will now hear me say that God +has granted me the thing that I have always most desired; His gift would +not have been so great had He crowned me as king, nor would I have been +so indebted to Him, nor would I have so profited; for what I have gained +is fair and good." "I know not yet if it be thine," the knight replies +to his son. But the latter answers him: "Don't you know? Can't you see +it, then? For God's sake, sire, have no further doubt, when you see that +I have her in my possession. In this forest, whence I come, I met her as +she was on her way. I think God had fetched her there for me, and I have +taken her for my own." "I do not know whether this will be allowed by +him whom I see coming after thee; he looks as if he is coming to demand +her of thee." During this conversation the dancing had ceased because of +the knight whom they saw, nor were they gaily playing any more because +of the disgust and scorn they felt for him. But the knight without +delay came up quickly after the damsel, and said: "Let the damsel alone, +knight, for you have no right to her! If you dare, I am willing at once +to fight with you in her defence." Then the old knight remarked: "Did I +not know it? Fair son, detain the damsel no longer, but let her go." He +does not relish this advice, and swears that he will not give her up: +"May God never grant me joy if I give her up to him! I have her, and I +shall hold on to her as something that is mine own. The shoulder-strap +and all the armlets of my shield shall first be broken, and I shall have +lost all confidence in my strength and arms, my sword and lance, before +I will surrender my mistress to him." And his father says: "I shall not +let thee fight for any reason thou mayest urge. Thou art too confident +of thy bravery. So obey my command." But he in his pride replies: "What? +Am I a child to be terrified? Rather will I make my boast that there is +not within the sea-girt land any knight, wheresoever he may dwell, so +excellent that I would let him have her, and whom I should not expect +speedily to defeat." The father answers: "Fair son, I do not doubt that +thou dost really think so, for thou art so confident of thy strength. +But I do not wish to see thee enter a contest with this knight." Then +he replies: "I shall be disgraced if I follow your advice. Curse me if +I heed your counsel and turn recreant because of you, and do not do +my utmost in the fight. It is true that a man fares ill among his +relatives: I could drive a better bargain somewhere else, for you are +trying to take me in. I am sure that where I am not known, I could act +with better grace. No one, who did not know me, would try to thwart my +will; whereas you are annoying and tormenting me. I am vexed by your +finding fault with me. You know well enough that when any one is blamed, +he breaks out still more passionately. But may God never give me joy if +I renounce my purpose because of you; rather will I fight in spite of +you!" "By the faith I bear the Apostle St. Peter," his father says, "now +I see that my request is of no avail. I waste my time in rebuking thee; +but I shall soon devise such means as shall compel thee against thy will +to obey my commands and submit to them." Straightway summoning all the +knights to approach, he bids them lay hands upon his son whom he cannot +correct, saying: "I will have him bound rather than let him fight. You +here are all my men, and you owe me your devotion and service: by all +the fiefs you hold from me, I hold you responsible, and I add my prayer. +It seems to me that he must be mad, and that he shows excessive pride, +when he refuses to respect my will." Then they promise to take care of +him, and say that never, while he is in their charge, shall he wish to +fight, but that he must renounce the damsel in spite of himself. Then +they all join and seize him by the arms and neck. "Dost thou not think +thyself foolish now?" his father asks; "confess the truth: thou hast not +the strength or power to fight or joust, however distasteful and hard it +may be for thee to admit it. Thou wilt be wise to consent to my will +and pleasure. Dost thou know what my intention is? In order somewhat to +mitigate thy disappointment, I am willing to join thee, if thou wilt, in +following the knight to-day and to-morrow, through wood and plain, each +one mounted on his horse. Perhaps we shall soon find him to be of such a +character and bearing that I might let thee have thy way and fight with +him." To this proposal the other must perforce consent. Like the man +who has no alternative, he says that he will give in, provided they +both shall follow him. And when the people in the field see how this +adventure has turned out, they all exclaim: "Did you see? He who was +mounted on the cart has gained such honour here that he is leading away +the mistress of the son of my lord, and he himself is allowing it. We +may well suppose that he finds in him some merit, when he lets him take +her off. Now cursed a hundred times be he who ceases longer his sport on +his account! Come, let us go back to our games again." Then they resume +their games and dances. + +(Vv. 1841-1966.) Thereupon the knight turns away, without longer +remaining in the field, and the damsel accompanies him. They leave in +haste, while the father and his son ride after them through the mown +fields until toward three o'clock, when in a very pleasant spot they +come upon a church; beside the chancel there was a cemetery enclosed by +a wall. The knight was both courteous and wise to enter the church on +foot and make his prayer to God, while the damsel held his horse for him +until he returned. When he had made his prayer, and while he was coming +back, a very old monk suddenly presented himself; whereupon the knight +politely requests him to tell him what this place is; for he does not +know. And he tells him it is a cemetery. And the other says: "Take me +in, so help you God!" "Gladly, sire," and he takes him in. Following the +monk's lead, the knight beholds the most beautiful tombs that one could +find as far as Dombes [413] or Pampelune; and on each tomb there were +letters cut, telling the names of those who were destined to be buried +there. And he began in order to read the names, and came upon some which +said: "Here Gawain is to lie, here Louis, and here Yvain." After +these three, he read the names of many others among the most famed and +cherished knights of this or any other land. Among the others, he finds +one of marble, which appears to be new, and is more rich and handsome +than all the rest. Calling the monk, the knight inquired: "Of what use +are these tombs here?" And the monk replied: "You have already read the +inscriptions; if you have understood, you must know what they say, and +what is the meaning of the tombs." "Now tell me, what is this large one +for?" And the hermit answered: "I will tell you. That is a very large +sarcophagus, larger than any that ever was made; one so rich and +well-carved was never seen. It is magnificent without, and still more so +within. But you need not be concerned with that, for it can never do you +any good; you will never see inside of it; for it would require seven +strong men to raise the lid of stone, if any one wished to open it. And +you may be sure that to raise it would require seven men stronger than +you and I. There is an inscription on it which says that any one who can +lift this stone of his own unaided strength will set free all the men +and women who are captives in the land, whence no slave or noble can +issue forth, unless he is a native of that land. No one has ever come +back from there, but they are detained in foreign prisons; whereas +they of the country go and come in and out as they please." At once +the knight goes to grasp the stone, and raises it without the slightest +trouble, more easily than ten men would do who exerted all their +strength. And the monk was amazed, and nearly fell down at the sight of +this marvellous thing; for he thought he would never see the like again, +and said: "Sire, I am very anxious to know your name. Will you tell me +what it is?" "Not I," says the knight, "upon my word." "I am certainly +sorry, for that," he says; "but if you would tell me, you would do me a +great favour, and might benefit yourself. Who are you, and where do +you come from?" "I am a knight, as you may see, and I was born in the +kingdom of Logre. After so much information, I should prefer to be +excused. Now please tell me, for your part, who is to lie within this +tomb." "Sire, he who shall deliver all those who are held captive in +the kingdom whence none escapes." And when he had told him all this, the +knight commended him to God and all His saints. And then, for the first +time, he felt free to return to the damsel. The old white-haired monk +escorts him out of the church, and they resume their way. While the +damsel is mounting, however, the hermit relates to her all that the +knight had done inside, and then he begged her to tell him, if she knew, +what his name was; but she assured him that she did not know, but that +there was one sure thing she could say, namely, that there was not such +a knight alive where the four winds of heaven blow. + +(Vv. 1967-2022.) Then the damsel takes leave of him, and rides swiftly +after the knight. Then those who were following them come up and see +the hermit standing alone before the church. The old knight in his shirt +sleeves said: "Sire, tell us, have you seen a knight with a damsel in +his company?" And he replies: "I shall not be loath to tell you all +I know, for they have just passed on from here. The knight was inside +yonder, and did a very marvellous thing in raising the stone from the +huge marble tomb, quite unaided and without the least effort. He is bent +upon the rescue of the Queen, and doubtless he will rescue her, as well +as all the other people. You know well that this must be so, for you +have often read the inscription upon the stone. No knight was ever born +of man and woman, and no knight ever sat in a saddle, who was the equal +of this man." Then the father turns to his son, and says: "Son, what +dost thou think about him now? Is he not a man to be respected who has +performed such a feat? Now thou knowest who was wrong, and whether it +was thou or I. I would not have thee fight with him for all the town of +Amiens; and yet thou didst struggle hard, before any one could dissuade +thee from thy purpose. Now we may as well go back, for we should be very +foolish to follow him any farther." And he replies: "I agree to that. +It would be useless to follow him. Since it is your pleasure, let us +return." They were very wise to retrace their steps. And all the time +the damsel rides close beside the knight, wishing to compel him to +give heed to her. She is anxious to learn his name, and she begs and +beseeches him again and again to tell her, until in his annoyance he +answers her: "Have I not already told you that I belong in King Arthur's +realm? I swear by God and His goodness that you shall not learn my +name." Then she bids him give her leave to go, and she will turn back, +which request he gladly grants. + +(Vv. 2023-2198.) Thereupon the damsel departs, and he rides on alone +until it grew very late. After vespers, about compline, as he pursued +his way, he saw a knight returning from the wood where he had been +hunting. With helmet unlaced, he rode along upon his big grey hunter, +to which he had tied the game which God had permitted him to take. This +gentleman came quickly to meet the knight, offering him hospitality. +"Sire," he says, "night will soon be here. It is time for you to be +reasonable and seek a place to spend the night. I have a house of mine +near at hand, whither I shall take you. No one ever lodged you better +than I shall do, to the extent of my resources: I shall be very glad, if +you consent." "For my part, I gladly accept," he says. The gentleman +at once sends his son ahead, to prepare the house and start the +preparations for supper. The lad willingly executes his command +forthwith, and goes off at a rapid pace, while the others, who are in +no haste, follow the road leisurely until they arrive at the house. The +gentleman's wife was a very accomplished lady; and he had five sons, +whom he dearly loved, three of them mere lads, and two already knights; +and he had two fair and charming daughters, who were still unmarried. +They were not natives of the land, but were there in durance, having +been long kept there as prisoners away from their native land of Logres. +When the gentleman led the knight into his yard, the lady with her sons +and daughters jumped up and ran to meet them, vying in their efforts to +do him honour, as they greeted him and helped him to dismount. Neither +the sisters nor the five brothers paid much attention to their father, +for they knew well enough that he would have it so. They honoured the +knight and welcomed him; and when they had relieved him of his armour, +one of his host's two daughters threw her own mantle about him, taking +it from her own shoulders and throwing it about his neck. I do not +need to tell how well he was served at supper; but when the meal +was finished, they felt no further hesitation in speaking of various +matters. First, the host began to ask him who he was, and from what +land, but he did not inquire about his name. The knight promptly +answered him: "I am from the kingdom of Logres, and have never been in +this land before." And when the gentleman heard that, he was greatly +amazed, as were his wife and children too, and each one of them was sore +distressed. Then they began to say to him: "Woe that you have come here, +fair sire, for only trouble will come of it! For, like us, you will +be reduced to servitude and exile." "Where do you come from, then?" he +asked. "Sire, we belong in your country. Many men from your country +are held in servitude in this land. Cursed be the custom, together with +those who keep it up! No stranger comes here who is not compelled to +stay here in the land where he is detained. For whoever wishes may come +in, but once in, he has to stay. About your own fate, you may be at +rest, you will doubtless never escape from here." He replies: "Indeed, +I shall do so, if possible." To this the gentleman replies: "How? Do you +think you can escape?" "Yes, indeed, if it be God's will; and I shall do +all within my power." "In that case, doubtless all the rest would be set +free; for, as soon as one succeeds in fairly escaping from this durance, +then all the rest may go forth unchallenged." Then the gentleman +recalled that he had been told and informed that a knight of great +excellence was making his way into the country to seek for the Queen, +who was held by the king's son, Meleagant; and he said to himself: "Upon +my word, I believe it is he, and I'll tell him so." So he said to him: +"Sire, do not conceal from me your business, if I promise to give +you the best advice I know. I too shall profit by any success you may +attain. Reveal to me the truth about your errand, that it may be to your +advantage as well as mine. I am persuaded that you have come in search +of the Queen into this land and among these heathen people, who are +worse than the Saracens." And the knight replies: "For no other purpose +have I come. I know not where my lady is confined, but I am striving +hard to rescue her, and am in dire need of advice. Give me any counsel +you can." And he says: "Sire, you have undertaken a very grievous task. +The road you are travelling will lead you straight to the sword-bridge. +[414] You surely need advice. If you would heed my counsel, you would +proceed to the sword-bridge by a surer way, and I would have you +escorted thither." Then he, whose mind is fixed upon the most direct +way, asks him: "Is the road of which you speak as direct as the other +way?" "No, it is not," he says; "it is longer, but more sure." Then he +says: "I have no use for it; tell me about this road I am following!" "I +am ready to do so," he replies; "but I am sure you will not fare well if +you take any other than the road I recommend. To-morrow you will reach +a place where you will have trouble: it is called 'the stony passage'. +Shall I tell you how bad a place it is to pass? Only one horse can go +through at a time; even two men could not pass abreast, and the passage +is well guarded and defended. You will meet with resistance as soon as +you arrive. You will sustain many a blow of sword and lance, and will +have to return full measure before you succeed in passing through." And +when he had completed the account, one of the gentleman's sons, who was +a knight, stepped forward, saying: "Sire, if you do not object, I will +go with this gentleman." Then one of the lads jumps up, and says: "I too +will go." And the father gladly gives them both consent. Now the knight +will not have to go alone, and he expresses his gratitude, being much +pleased with the company. + +(Vv. 2199-2266.) Then the conversation ceases, and they take the knight +to bed, where he was glad to fall asleep. As soon as daylight was +visible he got up, and those who were to accompany him got up too. The +two knights donned their armour and took their leave, while the young +fellow started on ahead. Together they pursued their way until they came +at the hour of prime to "the stony passage." In the middle of it they +found a wooden tower, where there was always a man on guard. Before they +drew near, he who was on the tower saw them and cried twice aloud: "Woe +to this man who comes!" And then behold! A knight issued from the tower, +mounted and armed with fresh armour, and escorted on either side by +servants carrying sharp axes. Then, when the other draws near the +passage, he who defends it begins to heap him with abuse about the cart, +saying: "Vassal, thou art bold and foolish, indeed, to have entered this +country. No man ought ever to come here who had ridden upon a cart, +and may God withhold from him His blessing!" Then they spur toward each +other at the top of their horses' speed. And he who was to guard the +passage-way at once breaks his lance and lets the two pieces fall; the +other strikes him in the neck, reaching him beneath the shield, and +throws him over prostrate upon the stones. Then the servants come +forward with the axes, but they intentionally fail to strike him, having +no desire to harm or damage him; so he does not deign to draw his sword, +and quickly passes on with his companions. One of them remarks to the +other: "No one has ever seen so good a knight, nor has he any equal. Is +not this a marvellous thing, that he has forced a passage here?" And the +knight says to his brother: "Fair brother, for God's sake, make haste +to go and tell our father of this adventure." But the lad asserts and +swears that he will not go with the message, and will never leave the +knight until he has dubbed and knighted him; let his brother go with the +message, if he is so much concerned. + +(Vv. 2267-2450.) Then they go on together until about three o'clock, +when they come upon a man, who asks them who they are. And they answer: +"We are knights, busy about our own affairs." Then the man says to the +knight: "Sire, I should be glad to offer hospitality to you and your +companions here." This invitation he delivers to him whom he takes to be +the lord and master of the others. And this one replies to him: "I could +not seek shelter for the night at such an hour as this; for it is not +well to tarry and seek one's ease when one has undertaken some great +task. And I have such business on hand that I shall not stop for the +night for some time yet." Then the man continues: "My house is not near +here, but is some distance ahead. It will be late when you reach there, +so you may proceed, assured that you will find a place to lodge just +when it suits you." "In that case," he says, "I will go thither." +Thereupon the man starts ahead as guide, and the knight follows along +the path. And when they had proceeded some distance, they met a squire +who was coming along at a gallop, mounted upon a nag that was as fat +and round as an apple. And the squire calls our to the man: "Sire, +sire, make haste! For the people of Logres have attacked in force the +inhabitants of this land, and war and strife have already broken out; +and they say that this country has been invaded by a knight who has +been in many battles, and that wherever he wishes to go, no one, however +reluctantly, is able to deny him passage. And they further say that he +will deliver those who are in this country, and will subdue our people. +Now take my advice and make haste!" Then the man starts at a gallop, and +the others are greatly delighted at the words they have heard, for they +are eager to help their side. And the vavasor's son says: "Hear what +this squire says! Come and let us aid our people who are fighting their +enemies!" Meanwhile the man rides off, without waiting for them, and +makes his way rapidly toward a fortress which stood upon a fortified +hill; thither he hastens, till he comes to the gate, while the others +spur after him. The castle was surrounded by a high wall and moat. As +soon as they had got inside, a gate was lowered upon their heels, so +that they could not get out again. Then they say: "Come on, come on! +Let us not stop here!" and they rapidly pursue the man until they reach +another gate which was not closed against them. But as soon as the man +had passed through, a portcullis dropped behind him. Then the others +were much dismayed to see themselves shut in, and they think they must +be bewitched. But he, of whom I have more to tell, wore upon his finger +a ring, whose stone was of such virtue that any one who gazed at it was +freed from the power of enchantment. [415] Holding the ring before his +eyes, he gazed at it, and said: "Lady, lady, so help me God, now I have +great need of your succour!" [416] This lady was a fairy, who had given +it to him, and who had cared for him in his infancy. And he had great +confidence that, wherever he might be, she would aid and succour him. +But after appealing to her and gazing upon the ring, he realises that +there is no enchantment here, but that they are actually shut in and +confined. Then they come to the barred door of a low and narrow postern +gate. Drawing their swords, they all strike it with such violence that +they cut the bar. As soon as they were outside the tower, they see that +a fierce strife was already begun down in the meadows, and that there +are at least a thousand knights engaged, beside the low-bred infantry. +While they were descending to the plain, the wise and moderate son of +the vavasor remarked: "Sire, before we arrive upon the field, it would +be wise for us, it seems to me, to find out and learn on which side our +people are. I do not know where they are placed, but I will go and +find out, if you wish it so." "I wish you would do so," he replies, +"go quickly, and do not fail to come back again at once." He goes and +returns at once, saying: "It has turned out well for us, for I have +plainly seen that these are our troops on this side of the field." Then +the knight at once rode into the fight and jousted with a knight who +was approaching him, striking him in the eye with such violence that he +knocked him lifeless to the ground. Then the lad dismounts, and taking +the dead knight's horse and arms, he arms himself with skill and +cleverness. When he was armed, he straightway mounts, taking the shield +and the lance, which was heavy, stiff, and decorated, and about his +waist he girt a sharp, bright, and flashing sword. Then he followed his +brother and lord into the fight. The latter demeaned himself bravely +in the melee for some time, breaking, splitting, and crushing shields, +helmets and hauberks. No wood or steel protected the man whom he +struck; he either wounded him or knocked him lifeless from the horse. +Unassisted, he did so well that he discomfited all whom he met, while +his companions did their part as well. The people of Logres, not knowing +him, are amazed at what they see, and ask the vavasor's sons about the +stranger knight. This reply is made to them: "Gentlemen, this is he who +is to deliver us all from durance and misery, in which we have so long +been confined, and we ought to do him great honour when, to set us free, +he has passed through so many perils and is ready to face many more. He +has done much, and will do yet more." Every one is overjoyed at hearing +this welcome news. The news travelled fast, and was noised about, until +it was known by all. Their strength and courage rise, so that they slay +many of those still alive, and apparently because of the example of +a single knight they work greater havoc than because of all the rest +combined. And if it had not been so near evening, all would have gone +away defeated; but night came on so dark that they had to separate. + +(Vv. 2451-2614.) When the battle was over, all the captives pressed +about the knight, grasping his rein on either side, and thus addressing +him: "Welcome, fair sire," and each one adds: "Sire, for the name of +God, do not fail to lodge with me!" What one says they all repeat, for +young and old alike insist that he must lodge with them, saying: "You +will be more comfortably lodged with me than with any one else." Thus +each one addresses him to his face, and in the desire to capture him, +each one drags him from the rest, until they almost come to blows. +Then he tells them that they are very foolish and silly to struggle so. +"Cease this wrangling among yourselves, for it does no good to me or +you. Instead of quarrelling among ourselves, we ought rather to lend one +another aid. You must not dispute about the privilege of lodging me, but +rather consider how to lodge me in such a place that it may be to your +general advantage, and that I may be advanced upon my way." Then each +one exclaims at once: "That is my house, or, No, it is mine," until the +knight replies: "Follow my advice and say nothing more; the wisest of +you is foolish to contend this way. You ought to be concerned to further +my affairs, and instead you are seeking to turn me aside. If you had +each individually done me all the honour and service it is possible to +do, and I had accepted your kindness, by all the saints of Rome I +swear that I could not be more obliged to you than I am now for your +good-will. So may God give me joy and health, your good intentions +please me as much as if each one of you had already shown me great +honour and kindness: so let the will stand for the deed!" Thus he +persuades and appeases them all. Then they take him quickly along the +road to a knight's residence, where they seek to serve him: all rejoice +to honour and serve him throughout the evening until bedtime, for they +hold him very dear. Next morning, when the time came to separate, each +one offers and presents himself, with the desire to accompany him; but +it is not his will or pleasure that any one shall go with him except the +two whom he had brought with him. Accompanied by them alone, he +resumed his journey. That day they rode from morn till evening without +encountering any adventure. When it was now very late, and while they +were riding rapidly out of a forest, they saw a house belonging to a +knight, and seated at the door they saw his wife, who had the bearing of +a gentle lady. As soon as she espied them coming, she rose to her feet +to meet them, and greeted them joyfully with a smile: "Welcome! I wish +you to accept my house; this is your lodging; pray dismount" "Lady, +since it is your will, we thank you, and will dismount; we accept your +hospitality for the night." When they had dismounted, the lady had the +horses taken by members of her well-ordered household. She calls +her sons and daughters who come at once: the youths were courteous, +handsome, and well-behaved, and the daughters were fair. She bids the +lads remove the saddles and curry the horses well; no one refused to do +this, but each carried out her instructions willingly. When she ordered +the knights to be disarmed, her daughters step forward to perform this +service. They remove their armour, and hand them three short mantles +to put on. Then at once they take them into the house which was very +handsome. The master was not at home, being out in the woods with two +of his sons. But he presently returned, and his household, which was +well-ordered, ran to meet him outside the door. Quickly they untie and +unpack the game he brings, and tell him the news: "Sire, sire, you do +not know that you have three knights for guests." "God be praised for +that," he says. Then the knight and his two sons extend a glad welcome +to their guests. The rest of the household were not backward, for even +the least among them prepared to perform his special task. While some +run to prepare the meal, others light the candles in profusion; still +others get a towel and basins, and offer water for the hands: they are +not niggardly in all this. When all had washed, they take their seats. +Nothing that was done there seemed to be any trouble or burdensome. +But at the first course there came a surprise in the form of a knight +outside the door. As he sat on his charger, all armed from head to feet, +he looked prouder than a bull, and a bull is a yew proud beast. One leg +was fixed in the stirrup, but the other he had thrown over the mane of +his horse's neck, to give himself a careless and jaunty air. Behold him +advancing thus, though no one noticed him until he came forward with the +words: "I wish to know which is the man who is so foolish and proud +a numskull that he has come to this country and intends to cross the +sword-bridge. All his pains will come to naught, and his expedition +is in vain." Then he, who felt no fear at all, thus replies with +confidence: "I am he who intends to cross the bridge." "Thou? Thou? +How didst thou dare to think of such a thing? Before undertaking such +a course, thou oughtest to have thought of the end that is in store for +thee, and thou oughtest to have in mind the memory of the cart on which +thou didst ride. I know not whether thou feelest shame for the ride +thou hadst on it, but no sensible man would have embarked on such an +enterprise as this if he had felt the reproach of his action." + +(Vv. 2615-2690.) Not a word does he deign to reply to what he hears the +other say; but the master of the house and all the others express their +surprise openly: "Ah, God, what a misfortune this is," each one of them +says to himself; "cursed be the hour when first a cart was conceived or +made! For it is a very vile and hateful thing. Ah, God, of what was he +accused? Why was he carried in a cart? For what sin, or for what crime? +He will always suffer the reproach. If he were only clear of this +disgrace, no knight could be found in all the world, however his valour +might be proved, who would equal the merit of this knight. If all good +knights could be compared, and if the truth were to be known, you +could find none so handsome or so expert." Thus they expressed their +sentiments. Then he began his speech of impudence: "Listen, thou knight, +who art bound for the sword-bridge! If thou wishest, thou shalt cross +the water very easily and comfortably. I will quickly have thee ferried +over in a skiff. But once on the other side, I will make thee pay me +toll, and I will take thy head, if I please to do so, or if not, thou +shalt be held at my discretion." And he replies that he is not seeking +trouble, and that he will never risk his head in such an adventure for +any consideration. To which the other answers at once: "Since thou +wilt not do this, whosesoever the shame and loss may be, thou must come +outside with me and there engage me hand to hand." Then, to beguile him. +the other says: "If I could refuse, I would very gladly excuse myself; +but in truth I would rather fight than be compelled to do what is +wrong." Before he arose from the table where they were sitting, he told +the youths who were serving him, to saddle his horse at once, and fetch +his arms and give them to him. This order they promptly execute: some +devote themselves to arming him, while others go to fetch his horse. As +he slowly rode along completely armed, holding his shield tight by the +straps, you must know that he was evidently to be included in the list +of the brave and fair. His horse became him so well that it is evident +he must be his own, and as for the shield he held by the straps and the +helmet laced upon his head, which fitted him so well, you would never +for a moment have thought that he had borrowed it or received it as a +loan; rather, you would be so pleased with him that you would maintain +that he had been thus born and raised: for all this I should like you to +take my word. + +(Vv. 2691-2792.) Outside the gate, where the battle was to be fought, +there was a stretch of level ground well adapted for the encounter. When +they catch sight of each other, they spur hotly to the attack and come +together with such a shock, dealing such blows with their lances, that +they first bend, then buckle up, and finally fly into splinters. With +their swords they then hew away at their shields, helmets, and hauberks. +The wood is cut and the steel gives way, so that they wound each other +in several places. They pay each other such angry blows that it seems +as if they had made a bargain. The swords often descend upon the horses' +croups, where they drink and feast upon their blood; their riders strike +them upon the flanks until at last they kill them both. And when both +have fallen to earth, they attack each other afoot; and if they had +cherished a mortal hatred, they could not have assailed each other more +fiercely with their swords. They deal their blows with greater frequency +than the man who stakes his money at dice and never fails to double the +stakes every time he loses; yet, this game of theirs was very different; +for there were no losses here, but only fierce blows and cruel strife. +All the people came out from the house: the master, his lady, his sons +and daughters; no man or woman, friend or stranger, stayed behind, +but all stood in line to see the fight in progress in the broad, +level field. The Knight of the Cart blames and reproaches himself for +faintheartedness when he sees his host watching him and notices all the +others looking on. His heart is stirred with anger, for it seems to him +that he ought long since to have beaten his adversary. Then he strikes +him, rushing in like a storm and bringing his sword down close by his +head; he pushes and presses him so hard that he drives him from his +ground and reduces him to such a state of exhaustion that he has little +strength to defend himself. Then the knight recalls how the other had +basely reproached him about the cart; so he assails him and drubs him so +soundly that not a string or strap remains unbroken about the neck-band +of his hauberk, and he knocks the helmet and ventail from his head. His +wounds and distress are so great that he has to cry for mercy. Just +as the lark cannot withstand or protect itself against the hawk which +outflies it and attacks it from above, so he in his helplessness and +shame, must invoke him and sue for mercy. And when he hears him beg for +mercy, he ceases his attack and says: "Dost thou wish for mercy?" He +replies: "You have asked a very clever question; any fool could ask +that. I never wished for anything so much as I now wish for mercy." +Then he says to him: "Thou must mount, then, upon a cart. Nothing thou +couldst say would have any influence with me, unless thou mountest the +cart, to atone for the vile reproaches thou didst address to me with thy +silly mouth." And the knight thus answers him: "May it never please God +that I mount a cart!" "No?" he asks; "then you shall die." "Sire, you +can easily put me to death; but I beg and beseech you for God's sake +to show me mercy and not compel me to mount a cart. I will agree to +anything, however grievous, excepting that. I would rather die a hundred +times than undergo such a disgrace. In your goodness and mercy you can +tell me nothing so distasteful that I will not do it." + +(Vv. 2793-2978.) While he is thus beseeching him, behold across the +field a maiden riding on a tawny mule, her head uncovered and her dress +disarranged. In her hand she held a whip with which she belaboured the +mule; and in truth no horse could have galloped so fast as was the pace +of the mule. The damsel called out to the Knight of the Cart: "May God +bless thy heart, Sir Knight, with whatever delights thee most!" And he, +who heard her gladly, says: "May God bless you, damsel, and give you joy +and health!" Then she tells him of her desire. "Knight," she says, "in +urgent need I have come from afar to thee to ask a favour, for which +thou wilt deserve the best guerdon I can make to thee; and I believe +that thou wilt yet have need of my assistance." And he replies: "Tell +me what it is you wish; and if I have it, you shall have it at once, +provided it be not something extravagant." Then she says: "It is the +head of the knight whom thou hast just defeated; in truth, thou +hast never dealt with such a wicked and faithless man. Thou wilt be +committing no sin or wrong, but rather doing a deed of charity, for he +is the basest creature that ever was or ever shall be." And when he who +had been vanquished hears that she wishes him to be killed, he says to +him: "Don't believe her, for she hates me; but by that God who was +at once Father and Son, and who chose for His mother her who was His +daughter and handmaiden, I beg you to have mercy upon me!" "Ah, knight!" +the maid exclaims, "pay no attention to what this traitor says! May God +give thee all the joy and honour to which thou dost aspire, and may +He give thee good success in thy undertaking." Then the knight is in +a predicament, as he thinks and ponders over the question: whether to +present to her the head she asks him to cut off, or whether he shall +allow himself to be touched by pity for him. [417] He wishes to respect +the wishes of both her and him. Generosity and pity each command him to +do their will; for he was both generous and tender-hearted. But if +she carries off the head, then will pity be defeated and put to +death; whereas, if she does not carry off the head, generosity will +be discomfited. Thus, pity and generosity hold him so confined and so +distressed that he is tormented and spurred on by each of them in turn. +The damsel asks him to give her the head, and on the other hand the +knight makes his request, appealing to his pity and kindness. And, +since he has implored him, shall he not receive mercy? Yes, for it never +happened that, when he had put down an enemy and compelled him to sue +for mercy, he would refuse such an one his mercy or longer bear him any +grudge. Since this is his custom, he will not refuse his mercy to him +who now begs and sues for it. And shall she have the head she covets? +Yes, if it be possible. "Knight," he says, "it is necessary for thee to +fight me again, and if thou dost care to defend thy head again, I will +show thee such mercy as to allow thee to resume the helmet; and I will +give thee time to arm thy body and thy head as well as possible. But, if +I conquer thee again, know that thou shalt surely die." And he replies: +"I desire nothing better than that, and ask for no further favour." +"And I will give thee this advantage," he adds: "I will fight thee as +I stand, without changing my present position." Then the other knight +makes ready, and they begin the fight again eagerly. But this time the +knight triumphed more quickly than he had done at first. And the damsel +at once cries out: "Do not spare him, knight, for anything he may say to +thee. Surely he would not have spared thee, had he once defeated thee. +If thou heedest what he says, be sure that he will again beguile thee. +Fair knight, cut off the head of the most faithless man in the empire +and kingdom, and give it to me! Thou shouldst present it to me, in view +of the guerdon I intend for thee. For another day may well come when, if +he can, he will beguile thee again with his words." He, thinking his end +is near, cries aloud to him for mercy; but his cry is of no avail, nor +anything that he can say. The other drags him by the helmet, tearing all +the fastening, and he strikes from his head the ventail and the gleaming +coif. Then he cries out more loudly still: "Mercy, for God's sake! +Mercy, sir!" But the other answers: "So help me, I shall never again +show thee pity, after having once let thee off." "Ah," he says, "thou +wouldst do wrong to heed my enemy and kill me thus." While she, intent +upon his death, admonishes him to cut off his head, and not to believe +a word he says. He strikes: the head flies across the sward and the body +fails. Then the damsel is pleased and satisfied. Grasping the head by +the hair, the knight presents it to the damsel, who takes it joyfully +with the words: "May thy heart receive such delight from whatever it +most desires as my heart now receives from what I most coveted. I had +only one grief in life, and that was that this man was still alive. I +have a reward laid up for thee which thou shalt receive at the proper +time. I promise thee that thou shalt have a worthy reward for the +service thou hast rendered me. Now I will go away, with the prayer +that God may guard thee from harm." Then the damsel leaves him, as each +commends the other to God. But all those who had seen the battle in the +plain are overjoyed, and in their joy they at once relieve the knight of +his armour, and honour him in every way they can. Then they wash their +hands again and take their places at the meal, which they eat with +better cheer than is their wont. When they had been eating for some +time, the gentleman turned to his guest at his side, and said: "Sire, a +long while ago we came hither from the kingdom of Logres. We were born +your countrymen, and we should like to see you win honour and fortune +and joy in this country; for we should profit by it as well as you, and +it would be to the advantage of many others, if you should gain honour +and fortune in the enterprise you have undertaken in this land." And he +makes answer: "May God hear your desire." + +(Vv. 2979-3020.) When the host had dropped his voice and ceased +speaking, one of his sons followed him and said: "Sire, we ought to +place all our resources at your service, and give them outright rather +than promise them; if you have any need of our assistance, we ought not +to wait until you ask for it. Sire, be not concerned over your horse +which is dead. We have good strong horses here. I want you to take +anything of ours which you need, and you shall choose the best of +our horses in place of yours." And he replies: "I willingly accept." +Thereupon, they have the beds prepared and retire for the night. The +next morning they rise early, and dress, after which they prepare to +start. Upon leaving, they fail in no act of courtesy, but take leave of +the lady, her lord, and all the rest. But in order to omit nothing, I +must remark that the knight was unwilling to mount the borrowed steed +which was standing ready at the door; rather, he caused him to be ridden +by one of the two knights who had come with him, while he took the +latter's horse instead, for thus it pleased him best to do. When each +was seated on his horse, they all asked for leave to depart from their +host who had served them so honourably. Then they ride along the road +until the day draws to a close, and late in the afternoon they reach the +sword-bridge. + +(Vv. 3021-3194.) At the end of this very difficult bridge they dismount +from their steeds and gaze at the wicked-looking stream, which is as +swift and raging, as black and turgid, as fierce and terrible as if +it were the devil's stream; and it is so dangerous and bottomless that +anything failing into it would be as completely lost as if it fell into +the salt sea. And the bridge, which spans it, is different from any +other bridge; for there never was such a one as this. If any one asks of +me the truth, there never was such a bad bridge, nor one whose flooring +was so bad. The bridge across the cold stream consisted of a polished, +gleaming sword; but the sword was stout and stiff, and was as long as +two lances. At each end there was a tree-trunk in which the sword +was firmly fixed. No one need fear to fall because of its breaking +or bending, for its excellence was such that it could support a +great weight. But the two knights who were with the third were much +discouraged; for they surmised that two lions or two leopards would be +found tied to a great rock at the other end of the bridge. The water +and the bridge and the lions combine so to terrify them that they both +tremble with fear, and say: "Fair sire, consider well what confronts +you; for it is necessary and needful to do so. This bridge is badly made +and built, and the construction of it is bad. If you do not change your +mind in time, it will be too late to repent. You must consider which of +several alternatives you will choose. Suppose that you once get across +(but that cannot possibly come to pass, any more than one could hold in +the winds and forbid them to blow, or keep the birds from singing, +or re-enter one's mother's womb and be born again--all of which is as +impossible as to empty the sea of its water); but even supposing that +you got across, can you think and suppose that those two fierce lions +that are chained on the other side will not kill you, and suck the blood +from your veins, and eat your flesh and then gnaw your bones? For my +part, I am bold enough, when I even dare to look and gaze at them. If +you do not take care, they will certainly devour you. Your body will +soon be torn and rent apart, for they will show you no mercy. So take +pity on us now, and stay here in our company! It would be wrong for +you to expose yourself intentionally to such mortal peril." And he, +laughing, replies to them: "Gentlemen, receive my thanks and gratitude +for the concern you feel for me: it comes from your love and kind +hearts. I know full well that you would not like to see any mishap come +to me; but I have faith and confidence in God, that He will protect me +to the end. I fear the bridge and stream no more than I fear this dry +land; so I intend to prepare and make the dangerous attempt to cross. +I would rather die than turn back now." The others have nothing more to +say; but each weeps with pity and heaves a sigh. Meanwhile he prepares, +as best he may, to cross the stream, and he does a very marvellous thing +in removing the armour from his feet and hands. He will be in a sorry +state when he reaches the other side. He is going to support himself +with his bare hands and feet upon the sword, which was sharper than a +scythe, for he had not kept on his feet either sole or upper or hose. +But he felt no fear of wounds upon his hands or feet; he preferred to +maim himself rather than to fall from the bridge and be plunged in +the water from which he could never escape. In accordance with this +determination, he passes over with great pain and agony, being wounded +in the hands, knees, and feet. But even this suffering is sweet to him: +for Love, who conducts and leads him on, assuages and relieves the pain. +Creeping on his hands, feet, and knees, he proceeds until he reaches +the other side. Then he recalls and recollects the two lions which he +thought he had seen from the other side; but, on looking about, he does +not see so much as a lizard or anything else to do him harm. He raises +his hand before his face and looks at his ring, and by this test he +proves that neither of the lions is there which he thought he had seen, +and that he had been enchanted and deceived; for there was not a living +creature there. When those who had remained behind upon the bank saw +that he had safely crossed, their joy was natural; but they do not know +of his injuries. He, however, considers himself fortunate not to have +suffered anything worse. The blood from his wounds drips on his shirt +on all sides. Then he sees before him a tower, which was so strong that +never had he seen such a strong one before: indeed, it could not have +been a better tower. At the window there sat King Bademagu, who was very +scrupulous and precise about matters of honour and what was right, and +who was careful to observe and practise loyalty above all else; and +beside him stood his son, who always did precisely the opposite so far +as possible, for he found his pleasure in disloyalty, and never wearied +of villainy, treason, and felony. From their point of vantage they had +seen the knight cross the bridge with trouble and pain. Meleagant's +colour changed with the rage and displeasure he felt; for he knows now +that he will be challenged for the Queen; but his character was such +that he feared no man, however strong or formidable. If he were not base +and disloyal, there could no better knight be found; but he had a heart +of wood, without gentleness and pity. What enraged his son and roused +his ire, made the king happy and glad. The king knew of a truth that he +who had crossed the bridge was much better than any one else. For no one +would dare to pass over it in whom there dwelt any of that evil nature +which brings more shame upon those who possess it than prowess brings +of honour to the virtuous. For prowess cannot accomplish so much as +wickedness and sloth can do: it is true beyond a doubt that it is +possible to do more evil than good. + +(Vv. 3195-3318.) I could say more on these two heads, if it did not +cause me to delay. But I must turn to something else and resume my +subject, and you shall hear how the king speaks profitably to his son: +"Son," he says, "it was fortunate that thou and I came to look out +this window; our reward has been to witness the boldest deed that ever +entered the mind of man. Tell me now if thou art not well disposed +toward him who has performed such a marvellous feat. Make peace and be +reconciled with him, and deliver the Queen into his hands. Thou shalt +gain no glory in battle with him, but rather mayst thou incur great +loss. Show thyself to be courteous and sensible, and send the Queen to +meet him before he sees thee. Show him honour in this land of thine, and +before he asks it, present to him what he has come to seek. Thou knowest +well enough that he has come for the Queen Guinevere. Do not act so that +people will take thee to be obstinate, foolish, or proud. If this man +has entered thy land alone, thou shouldst bear him company, for one +gentleman ought not to avoid another, but rather attract him and honour +him with courtesy. One receives honour by himself showing it; be sure +that the honour will be thine, if thou doest honour and service to him +who is plainly the best knight in the world." And he replies: "May God +confound me, if there is not as good a knight, or even a better one +than he!" It was too bad that he did not mention himself, of whom he +entertains no mean opinion. And he adds: "I suppose you wish me to clasp +my hands and kneel before him as his liegeman, and to hold my lands from +him? So help me God, I would rather become his man than surrender to +him the Queen! God forbid that in such a fashion I should deliver her +to him! She shall never be given up by me, but rather contested and +defended against all who are so foolish as to dare to come in quest +of her." Then again the king says to him: "Son, thou wouldst act very +courteously to renounce this pretension. I advise thee and beg thee to +keep the peace. Thou knowest well that the honour will belong to the +knight, if he wins the Queen from thee in battle. He would doubtless +rather win her in battle than as a gift, for it will thus enhance +his fame. It is my opinion that he is seeking her, not to receive her +peaceably, but because he wishes to win her by force of arms. So it +would be wise on thy part to deprive him of the satisfaction of fighting +thee. I am sorry to see thee so foolish; but if thou dost not heed my +advice, evil will come of it, and the ensuing misfortune will be worse +for thee. For the knight need fear no hostility from any one here save +thee. On behalf of myself and all my men, I will grant him a truce and +security. I have never yet done a disloyal deed or practised treason and +felony, and I shall not begin to do so now on thy account any more than +I would for any stranger. I do not wish to flatter thee, for I promise +that the knight shall not lack any arms, or horse or anything else he +needs, in view of the boldness he has displayed in coming thus far. +He shall be securely guarded and well defended against all men here +excepting thee. I wish him clearly to understand that, if he can +maintain himself against thee, he need have no fear of any one else." "I +have listened to you in silence long enough," says Meleagant, "and you +may say what you please. But little do I care for all you say. I am not +a hermit, nor so compassionate and charitable, and I have no desire to +be so honourable as to give him what I most love. His task will not be +performed so quickly or so lightly; rather will it turn out otherwise +than as you and he expect. You and I need not quarrel because you aid +him against me. Even if he enjoys peace and a truce with you and all +your men, what matters that to me? My heart does not quail on that +account; rather, so help me God, I am glad that he need not feel concern +for any one here but me; I do not wish you to do on my account anything +which might be construed as disloyalty or treachery. Be as compassionate +as you please, but let me be cruel." "What? Wilt thou not change thy +mind?" "No," he says. "Then I will say nothing more. I will leave thee +alone to do thy best and will go now to speak with the knight. I wish +to offer and present to him my aid and counsel in all respects; for I am +altogether on his side." + +(Vv. 3319-3490.) Then the king goes down and orders them to bring his +horse. A large steed is brought to him, upon which he springs by the +stirrup, and he rides off with some of his men: three knights and two +squires he bade to go with him. They did not stop their ride downhill +until they came to the bridge, where they see him stanching his wounds +and wiping the blood from them. The king expects to keep him as his +guest for a long time while his wounds are healing; but he might as well +expect to drain the sea. The king hastens to dismount, and he who was +grievously wounded, stood up at once to meet him, though he did not know +him, and he gave no more evidence of the pain he felt in his feet and +hands than if he had been actually sound. The king sees that he is +exerting himself, and quickly runs to greet him with the words: "Sire, +I am greatly amazed that you have fallen upon us in this land. But be +welcome, for no one will ever repeat the attempt: it never happened in +the past, and it will never happen in the future that any one should +perform such a hardy feat or expose himself to such peril. And know that +I admire you greatly for having executed what no one before ever dared +to conceive. You will find me very kindly disposed, and loyal and +courteous toward you. I am the king of this land, and offer you freely +all my counsel and service; and I think I know pretty well what you have +come here to seek. You come, I am sure, to seek the Queen." "Sire," +he replies, "your surmise is correct; no other cause brings me here." +"Friend, you must suffer hardship to obtain her," he replies; "and you +are sorely wounded, as I see by the wounds and the flowing blood. You +will not find him who brought her hither so generous as to give her up +without a struggle; but you must tarry, and have your wounds cared for +until they are completely healed. I will give you some of 'the three +Marys' ointment, [418] and something still better, if it can be found, +for I am very solicitous about your comfort and your recovery. And the +Queen is so confined that no mortal man has access to her--not even my +son, who brought her here with him and who resents such treatment, for +never was a man so beside himself and so desperate as he. But I am well +disposed toward you, and will gladly give you, so help me God, all of +which you stand in need. My son himself will not have such good arms but +that I will give you some that are just as good, and a horse, too, +such as you will need, though my son will be angry with me. Despite the +feelings of any one, I will protect you against all men. You will have +no cause to fear any one excepting him who brought the Queen here. No +man ever menaced another as I have menaced him, and I came near driving +him from my land, in my displeasure because he will not surrender her +to you. To be sure, he is my son; but feel no concern, for unless he +defeats you in battle, he can never do you the slightest harm against my +will." "Sire," he says, "I thank you. But I am losing time here which +I do not wish to waste. I have no cause to complain, and have no wound +which is paining me. Take me where I can find him; for with such arms +as I have, I am ready to divert myself by giving and receiving blows." +"Friend, you had better wait two or three weeks until your wounds are +healed, for it would be well for you to tarry here at least two weeks, +and not on any account could I allow it, or look on, while you fought +in my presence with such arms and with such an outfit." And he replies: +"With your permission, no other arms would be used than these, for I +should prefer to fight with them, and I should not ask for the slightest +postponement, adjournment or delay. However, in deference to you, I +will consent to wait until to-morrow; but despite what any one may say, +longer I will not wait." Then the king assured him that all would +be done as he wished; then he has the lodging-place prepared, and +insistently requests his men, who are in the company, to serve him, +which they do devotedly. And the king, who would gladly have made peace, +had it been possible, went at once to his son and spoke to him like one +who desires peace and harmony, saying: "Fair son, be reconciled now with +this knight without a fight! He has not come here to disport himself or +to hunt or chase, but he comes in search of honour and to increase his +fame and renown, and I have seen that he stands in great need of rest. +If he had taken my advice, he would not have rashly undertaken, either +this month or the next, the battle which he so greatly desires. If thou +makest over the Queen to him, dost thou fear any dishonour in the deed? +Have no fear of that, for no blame can attach to thee; rather is it +wrong to keep that to which one has no rightful claim. He would gladly +have entered the battle at once, though his hands and feet are not +sound, but cut and wounded." Meleagant answers his father thus: "You are +foolish to be concerned. By the faith I owe St. Peter, I will not take +your advice in this matter. I should deserve to be drawn apart with +horses, if I heeded your advice. If he is seeking his honour, so do I +seek mine; if he is in search of glory, so am I; if he is anxious for +the battle, so am I a hundred times more so than he." "I see plainly," +says the king, "that thou art intent upon thy mad enterprise, and thou +shalt have thy fill of it. Since such is thy pleasure, to-morrow thou +shalt try thy strength with the knight." "May no greater hardship ever +visit me than that!" Meleagant replies; "I would much rather it were +to-day than to-morrow. Just see how much more downcast I am than is +usual! My eyes are wild, and my face is pale! I shall have no joy or +satisfaction or any cause for happiness until I am actually engaged with +him." + +(Vv. 3491-3684.) The king understands that further advice and prayers +are of no avail, so reluctantly he leaves his son and, taking a good, +strong horse and handsome arms, he sends them to him who well deserves +them, together with a surgeon who was a loyal and Christian man. There +was in the world no more trusty man, and he was more skilled in the +cure of wounds than all the doctors of Montpeilier. [419] That night +he treated the knight as best he could, in accordance with the king's +command. Already the news was known by the knights and damsels, the +ladies and barons of all the country-side, and all through the night +until daybreak strangers and friends were making long journeys from all +the country round. When morning came, there was such a press before the +castle that there was not room to move one's foot. And the king, rising +early in his distress about the battle, goes directly to his son, who +had already laced upon his head the helmet which was of Poitiers make. +No delay or peace is possible, for though the king did his best, his +efforts are of no effect. In the middle of the castle-square, where all +the people are assembled, the battle will be fought in compliance with +the king's wish and command. The king sends at once for the stranger +knight, and he is conducted to the grounds which were filled with people +from the kingdom of Logres. For just as people are accustomed to go +to church to hear the organ on the annual feast-days of Pentecost or +Christmas, so they had all assembled now. All the foreign maidens from +King Arthur's realm had fasted three days and gone barefoot in their +shifts, in order that God might endow with strength and courage the +knight who was to fight his adversary on behalf of the captives. Very +early, before prime had yet been sounded, both of the knights fully +armed were led to the place, mounted upon two horses equally protected. +Meleagant was very graceful, alert, and shapely; the hauberk with its +fine meshes, the helmet, and the shield hanging from his neck--all these +became him well. All the spectators, however, favoured the other knight, +even those who wished him ill, and they say that Meleagant is worth +nothing compared with him. As soon as they were both on the ground, the +king comes and detains them as long as possible in an effort to make +peace between them, but he is unable to persuade his son. Then he says +to them: "Hold in your horses until I reach the top of the tower. It +will be only a slight favour, if you will wait so long for me." Then in +sorrowful mood he leaves them and goes directly to the place where he +knew he would find the Queen. She had begged him the evening before to +place her where she might have an unobstructed view of the battle; he +had granted her the boon, and went now to seek and fetch her, for he +was very anxious to show her honour and courtesy. He placed her at one +window, and took his place at another window on her right. Beside them, +there were gathered there many knights and prudent dames and damsels, +who were natives of that land; and there were many others, who were +captives, and who were intent upon their orisons and prayers. Those who +were prisoners were praying for their lord, for to God and to him they +entrusted their succour and deliverance. Then the combatants without +delay make all the people stand aside; then they clash the shields with +their elbows, and thrust their arms into the straps, and spur at each +other so violently that each sends his lance two arms' length through +his opponent's shield, causing the lance to split and splinter like a +flying spark. And the horses meet head on, clashing breast to breast, +and the shields and helmets crash with such a noise that it seems like +a mighty thunder-clap; not a breast-strap, girth, rein or surcingle +remains unbroken, and the saddle-bows, though strong, are broken to +pieces. The combatants felt no shame in falling to earth, in view of +their mishaps, but they quickly spring to their feet, and without waste +of threatening words rush at each other more fiercely than two wild +boars, and deal great blows with their swords of steel like men whose +hate is violent. Repeatedly they trim the helmets and shining hauberks +so fiercely that after the sword the blood spurts out. They furnished +an excellent battle, indeed, as they stunned and wounded each other with +their heavy, wicked blows. Many fierce, hard, long bouts they sustained +with equal honour, so that the onlookers could discern no advantage on +either side. But it was inevitable that he who had crossed the bridge +should be much weakened by his wounded hands. The people who sided with +him were much dismayed, for they notice that his strokes are growing +weaker, and they fear he will get the worst of it; it seemed to them +that he was weakening, while Meleagant was triumphing, and they began +to murmur all around. But up at the window of the tower there was a wise +maiden who thought within herself that the knight had not undertaken the +battle either on her account or for the sake of the common herd who had +gathered about the list, but that his only incentive had been the Queen; +and she thought that, if he knew that she was at the window seeing and +watching him, his strength and courage would increase. And if she had +known his name, she would gladly have called to him to look about him. +Then she came to the Queen and said: "Lady, for God's sake and your +own as well as ours, I beseech you to tell me, if you know, the name of +yonder knight, to the end that it may be of some help to him." "Damsel," +the Queen replies, "you have asked me a question in which I see no hate +or evil, but rather good intent; the name of the knight, I know, is +Lancelot of the Lake." [420] "God, how happy and glad at heart I am!" +the damsel says. Then she leans forward and calls to him by name so +loudly that all the people hear: "Lancelot, turn about and see who is +here taking note of thee!" + +(Vv. 3685-3954.) When Lancelot heard his name, he was not slow to turn +around: he turns and sees seated up there at the window of the tower +her whom he desired most in the world to see. From the moment he caught +sight of her, he did not turn or take his eyes and face from her, +defending himself with backhand blows. And Meleagant meanwhile attacked +him as fiercely as he could, delighted to think that the other cannot +withstand him now; and they of the country are well pleased too, +while the foreigners are so distressed that they can no longer support +themselves, and many of them fall to earth either upon their knees or +stretched out prone; thus some are glad, and some distressed. Then the +damsel cried again from the window: "Ah, Lancelot, how is it that thou +dost now conduct thyself so foolishly? Once thou wert the embodiment +of prowess and of all that is good, and I do not think God ever made a +knight who could equal thee in valour and in worth. But now we see +thee so distressed that thou dealest back-hand blows and fightest thy +adversary, behind thy back. Turn, so as to be on the other side, and so +that thou canst face toward this tower, for it will help thee to keep +it in view." Then Lancelot is so ashamed and mortified that he hates +himself, for he knows full well that all have seen how, for some time +past, he has had the worst of the fight. Thereupon he leaps backward and +so manoeuvres as to force Meleagant into a position between him and the +tower. Meleagant makes every effort to regain his former position. But +Lancelot rushes upon him, and strikes him so violently upon his body and +shield whenever he tries to get around him, that he compels him to whirl +about two or three times in spite of himself. Lancelot's strength and +courage grow, partly because he has love's aid, and partly because he +never hated any one so much as him with whom he is engaged. Love and +mortal hate, so fierce that never before was such hate seen, make him so +fiery and bold that Meleagant ceases to treat it as a jest and begins to +stand in awe of him, for he had never met or known so doughty a knight, +nor had any knight ever wounded or injured him as this one does. He +is glad to get away from him, and he winces and sidesteps, fearing his +blows and avoiding them. And Lancelot does not idly threaten him, but +drives him rapidly toward the tower where the Queen was stationed on the +watch. There upon the tower he did her the homage of his blows until he +came so close that, if he advanced another step, he would lose sight +of her. Thus Lancelot drove him back and forth repeatedly in whatever +direction he pleased, always stopping before the Queen, his lady, who +had kindled the flame which compels him to fix his gaze upon her. And +this same flame so stirred him against Meleagant that he was enabled to +lead and drive him wherever he pleased. In spite of himself he drives +him on like a blind man or a man with a wooden leg. The king sees his +son so hard pressed that he is sorry for him and he pities him, and he +will not deny him aid and assistance if possible; but if he wishes to +proceed courteously, he must first beg the Queen's permission. So he +began to say to her: "Lady, since I have had you in my power, I have +loved you and faithfully served and honoured you. I never consciously +left anything undone in which I saw your honour involved; now repay +me for what I have done. For I am about to ask you a favour which you +should not grant unless you do so willingly. I plainly see that my son +is getting the worst of this battle; I do not speak so because of the +chagrin I feel, but in order that Lancelot, who has him in his power, +may not kill him. Nor ought you to wish to see him killed; not because +he has not wronged both you and him, but because I make the request of +you: so tell him, please, to stop beating him. If you will, you can thus +repay me for what I have done for you." "Fair sire, I am willing to do +so at your request," the Queen replies; "had I mortal hatred for your +son, whom it is true I do not love, yet you have served me so well that, +to please you, I am quite willing that he should desist." These words +were not spoken privately, but Lancelot and Meleagrant heard what was +said. The man who is a perfect lover is always obedient and quickly and +gladly does his mistress' pleasure. So Lancelot was constrained to do +his Lady's will, for he loved more than Pyramus, [421] if that were +possible for any man to do. Lancelot heard what was said, and as soon as +the last word had issued from her mouth, "since you wish him to desist, +I am willing that he should do so," Lancelot would not have touched him +or made a movement for anything, even if the other had killed him. He +does not touch him or raise his hand. But Meleagant, beside himself with +rage and shame when he hears that it has been necessary to intercede +in his behalf, strikes him with all the strength he can muster. And the +king went down from the tower to upbraid his son, and entering the list +he addressed him thus: "How now? Is this becoming, to strike him when he +is not touching thee? Thou art too cruel and savage, and thy prowess +is now out of place! For we all know beyond a doubt that he is thy +superior." Then Meleagant, choking with shame, says to the king: "I +think you must be blind! I do not believe you see a thing. Any one must +indeed be blind to think I am not better than he." "Seek some one to +believe thy words!" the king replies, "for all the people know whether +thou speakest the truth or a lie. All of us know full well the truth." +Then the king bids his barons lead his son away, which they do at once +in execution of his command: they led away Meleagant. But it was not +necessary to use force to induce Lancelot to withdraw, for Meleagant +might have harmed him grievously, before he would have sought to defend +himself. Then the king says to his son: "So help me God, now thou must +make peace and surrender the Queen. Thou must cease this quarrel once +for all and withdraw thy claim." "That is great nonsense you have +uttered! I hear you speak foolishly. Stand aside! Let us fight, and do +not mix in our affairs!" But the king says he will take a hand, for he +knows well that, were the fight to continue, Lancelot would kill his +son. "He kill me! Rather would I soon defeat and kill him, if you would +leave us alone and let us fight." Then the king says: "So help me God, +all that thou sayest is of no avail." "Why is that?" he asks. "Because I +will not consent. I will not so trust in thy folly and pride as to allow +thee to be killed. A man is a fool to court death, as thou dost in thy +ignorance. I know well that thou hatest me because I wish to save thy +life. God will not let me see and witness thy death, if I can help it, +for it would cause me too much grief." He talks to him and reproves him +until finally peace and good-will are restored. The terms of the peace +are these: he will surrender the Queen to Lancelot, provided that the +latter without reluctance will fight them again within a year of such +time as he shall choose to summon him: this is no trial to Lancelot. +When peace is made, all the people press about, and it is decided +that the battle shall be fought at the court of King Arthur, who holds +Britain and Cornwall in his sway: there they decide that it shall be. +And the Queen has to consent, and Lancelot has to promise, that if +Meleagant can prove him recreant, she shall come back with him again +without the interference of any one. When the Queen and Lancelot had +both agreed to this, the arrangement was concluded, and they both +retired and removed their arms. Now the custom in the country was that +when one issued forth, all the others might do so too. All called down +blessings upon Lancelot: and you may know that he must have felt great +joy, as in truth he did. All the strangers assemble and rejoice over +Lancelot, speaking so as to be heard by him: "Sire, in truth we were +joyful as soon as we heard your name, for we felt sure at once that we +should all be set free." There was a great crowd present at this glad +scene, as each one strives and presses forward to touch him if possible. +Any one who succeeded in touching him was more delighted than he could +tell. There was plenty of joy, and of sorrow too; those who were now set +free rejoiced unrestrainedly; but Meleagant and his followers have not +anything they want, but are pensive, gloomy, and downcast. The king +turns away from the list, taking with him Lancelot, who begs him to take +him to the Queen. "I shall not fail to do so," the king replies; "for it +seems to me the proper thing to do. And if you like, I will show you Kay +the seneschal." At this Lancelot is so glad that he almost falls at his +feet. Then the king took him at once into the hall, where the Queen had +come to wait for him. + +(Vv. 3955-4030.) When the Queen saw the king holding Lancelot by the +hand, she rose before the king, but she looked displeased with clouded +brow, and she spoke not a word. "Lady, here is Lancelot come to see +you," says the king; "you ought to be pleased and satisfied." "I, sire? +He cannot please me. I care nothing about seeing him." "Come now, lady," +says the king who was very frank and courteous, "what induces you to +act like this? You are too scornful toward a man who has served you so +faithfully that he has repeatedly exposed his life to mortal danger on +this journey for your sake, and who has defended and rescued you from my +son Meleagant who had deeply wronged you." "Sire, truly he has made +poor use of his time. I shall never deny that I feel no gratitude toward +him." Now Lancelot is dumbfounded; but he replies very humbly like a +polished lover: "Lady, certainly I am grieved at this, but I dare +not ask your reason." The Queen listened as Lancelot voiced his +disappointment, but in order to grieve and confound him, she would not +answer a single word, but returned to her room. And Lancelot followed +her with his eyes and heart until she reached the door; but she was not +long in sight, for the room was close by. His eyes would gladly have +followed her, had that been possible; but the heart, which is more +lordly and masterful in its strength, went through the door after her, +while the eyes remained behind weeping with the body. And the king said +privily to him: "Lancelot, I am amazed at what this means: and how it +comes about that the Queen cannot endure the sight of you, and that she +is so unwilling to speak with you. If she is ever accustomed to speak +with you, she ought not to be niggardly now or avoid conversation with +you, after what you have done for her. Now tell me, if you know, why and +for what misdeed she has shown you such a countenance." "Sire, I did not +notice that just now; but she will not look at me or hear my words, and +that distresses and grieves me much." "Surely," says the king, "she is +in the wrong, for you have risked your life for her. Come away now, fair +sweet friend, and we shall go to speak with the seneschal." "I shall be +glad to do so," he replies. Then they both go to the seneschal. As soon +as Lancelot came where he was, the seneschal's first exclamation was: +"How thou hast shamed me!" "I? How so?" Lancelot inquires; "tell me what +disgrace have I brought upon you?" "A very great disgrace, for thou hast +carried out what I could not accomplish, and thou hast done what I could +not do." + +(Vv. 4031-4124.) Then the king left them together in the room, and went +out alone. And Lancelot inquires of the seneschal if he has been badly +off. "Yes," he answers, "and I still am so. I was never more wretched +than I am now. And I should have died a long time ago, had it not been +for the king, who in his compassion has shown me so much gentleness and +kindness that he willingly let me lack nothing of which I stood in need; +but I was furnished at once with everything that I desired. But opposed +to the kindness which he showed me, was Meleagant his son, who is full +of wickedness, and who summoned the physicians to him and bade them +apply such ointments as would kill me. Such a father and stepfather have +I had! For when the king had a good plaster applied to my wounds in his +desire that I should soon be cured, his treacherous son, wishing to put +me to death, had it promptly taken off and some harmful salve applied. +But I am very sure that the king was ignorant of this; he would not +tolerate such base and murderous tricks. But you do not know how +courteous he has been to my lady: no frontier tower since the time that +Noah built the ark was ever so carefully guarded, for he has guarded her +so vigilantly that, though his son chafed under the restraint, he would +nor let him see her except in the presence of the king himself. Up to +the present time the king in his mercy has shown her all the marks of +consideration which she herself proposed. She alone had the disposition +of her affairs. And the king esteemed her all the more for the loyalty +she showed. But is it true, as I am told, that she is so angry with you +that she has publicly refused to speak with you?" "You have been told +the exact truth," Lancelot replies, "but for God's sake, can you tell me +why she is so displeased with me?" He replies that he does not know, and +that he is greatly surprised at it. "Well, let it be as she pleases," +says Lancelot, feeling his helplessness; "I must now take my leave, and +I shall go to seek my lord Gawain who has entered this land, and who +arranged with me that he would proceed directly to the waterbridge." +Then, leaving the room, he appeared before the king and asked for leave +to proceed in that direction. And the king willingly grants him leave to +go. Then those whom Lancelot had set free and delivered from prison ask +him what they are to do. And he replies: "All those who desire may come +with me, and those who wish to stay with the Queen may do so: there is +no reason why they should accompany me." Then all those, who so desire, +accompany him, more glad and joyous than is their wont. With the Queen +remain her damsels who are light of heart, and many knights and ladies +too. But there is not one of those who stay behind, who would not have +preferred to return to his own country to staying there. But on my +lord Gawain's account, whose arrival is expected, the Queen keeps them, +saying that she will never stir until she has news of him. + +(Vv. 4125-4262.) The news spreads everywhere that the Queen is free to +go, and that all the other prisoners have been set at liberty and are +free to go whenever it suits and pleases them. Wherever the people of +the land gather together, they ask each other about the truth of this +report, and never talk of anything else. They are very much enraged that +all the dangerous passes have been overcome, and that any one may come +and go as he pleases. But when the natives of the country, who had not +been present at the battle, learned how Lancelot had been the victor, +they all betook themselves to the place where they knew he must pass +by, thinking that the king would be well pleased if they should seize +Lancelot and hale him back to him. All of his own men were without +their arms, and therefore they were at a disadvantage when they saw the +natives of the country coming under arms. It was not strange that they +seized Lancelot, who was without his arms. They lead him back prisoner, +his feet lashed together beneath his horse. Then his own men say: +"Gentlemen, this is an evil deed; for the king has given us his +safe-conduct, and we are under his protection." But the others reply: +"We do not know how that may be; but as we have taken you, you must +return with us to court." The rumour, which swiftly flies and runs, +reaches the king, that his men have seized Lancelot and put him to +death. When the king hears it, he is sorely grieved and swears angrily +by his head that they who have killed him shall surely die for the deed; +and that, if he can seize or catch them, it shall be their fate to be +hanged, burned, or drowned. And if they attempt to deny their deed, he +will not believe what they say, for they have brought him such grief and +shame that he would be disgraced were vengeance not to be exacted from +them; but he will be avenged without a doubt. The news of this spread +until it reached the Queen, who was sitting at meat. She almost killed +herself on hearing the false report about Lancelot, but she supposes it +to be true, and therefore she is in such dismay that she almost loses +the power to speak; but, because of those present, she forces herself +to say: "In truth, I am sorry for his death, and it is no wonder that +I grieve, for he came into this country for my sake, and therefore I +should mourn for him." Then she says to herself, so that the others +should not hear, that no one need ask her to drink or eat, if it is +true that he is dead, in whose life she found her own. Then grieving she +rises from the table, and makes her lament, but so that no one hears +or notices her. She is so beside herself that she repeatedly grasps +her throat with the desire to kill herself; but first she confesses to +herself, and repents with self-reproach, blaming and censuring herself +for the wrong she had done him, who, as she knew, had always been hers, +and would still be hers, if he were alive. She is so distressed at +the thought of her cruelty, that her beauty is seriously impaired. Her +cruelty and meanness affected her and marred her beauty more than all +the vigils and fastings with which she afflicted herself. When all her +sins rise up before her, she gathers them together, and as she reviews +them, she repeatedly exclaims: "Alas! of what was I thinking when my +lover stood before me and I should have welcomed him, that I would not +listen to his words? Was I not a fool, when I refused to look at or +speak to him? Foolish indeed? Rather was I base and cruel, so help me +God. I intended it as a jest, but he did not take it so, and has not +pardoned me. I am sure it was no one but me who gave him his death-blow. +When he came before me smiling and expecting that I would be glad to +see him and would welcome him, and when I would not look at him, was not +that a mortal blow? When I refused to speak with him, then doubtless at +one blow I deprived him of his heart and life. These two strokes have +killed him, I am sure; no other bandits have caused his death. God! can +I ever make amends for this murder and this crime? No, indeed; sooner +will the rivers and the sea dry up. Alas! how much better I should feel, +and how much comfort I should take, if only once before he died I had +held him in my arms! What? Yes, certainly, quite unclad, in order the +better to enjoy him. If he is dead, I am very wicked not to destroy +myself. Why? Can it harm my lover for me to live on after he is dead, if +I take no pleasure in anything but in the woe I bear for him? In giving +myself up to grief after his death, the very woes I court would be sweet +to me, if he were only still alive. It is wrong for a woman to wish to +die rather than to suffer for her lover's sake. It is certainly sweet +for me to mourn him long. I would rather be beaten alive than die and be +at rest." + +(Vv. 4263-4414.) For two days the Queen thus mourned for him without +eating or drinking, until they thought she too would die. There are +plenty of people ready to carry bad news rather than good. The news +reaches Lancelot that his lady and sweetheart is dead. You need have +no doubt of the grief he felt; every one may feel sure that he was +afflicted and overcome with grief. Indeed, if you would know the truth, +he was so downcast that he held his life in slight esteem. He wished to +kill himself at once, but first he uttered a brief lament. He makes +a running noose at one end of the belt he wore, and then tearfully +communes thus with himself: "Ah, death, how hast thou spied me out and +undone me, when in the bloom of health! I am undone, and yet I feel no +pain except the grief within my heart. This is a terrible mortal grief. +I am willing that it should be so, and if God will, I shall die of it. +Then can I not die some other way, without God's consent? Yes, if he +will let me tie this noose around my neck. I think I can compel death, +even against her will, to take my life. Death, who covets only those +who fear her, will not come to me; but my belt will bring her within my +power, and as soon as she is mine, she will execute my desire. But, in +truth, she will come too tardily for me, for I yearn to have her now!" +Then he delays and hesitates no longer, but adjusts his head within the +noose until it rests about his neck; and in order that he may not +fail to harm himself, he fastens the end of the belt tightly about the +saddle-bow, without attracting the attention of any one. Then he let +himself slide to earth, intending his horse to drag him until he was +lifeless, for he disdains to live another hour. When those who ride with +him see him fallen to earth, they suppose him to be in a faint, for no +one sees the noose which he had attached about his neck. At once they +caught him in their arms and, on raising him, they found the noose which +he had put around his neck and with which he sought to kill himself. +They quickly cut the noose; but the noose had so hurt his throat that +for some time he could not speak; the veins of his neck and throat are +almost broken. Now he could not harm himself, even had he wished to +do so; however, he is grieved that they have laid hands on him, and he +almost burns up with rage, for willingly would he have killed himself +had no one chanced to notice him. And now when he cannot harm himself, +he cries: "Ah, vile and shameless death! For God's sake, why hadst thou +not the power and might to kill me before my lady died? I suppose it +was because thou wouldst not deign to do what might be a kindly deed. If +thou didst spare me, it must be attributed to thy wickedness. Ah, what +kind of service and kindness is that! How well hast thou employed them +here! A curse upon him who thanks thee or feels gratitude for such a +service! I know not which is more my enemy: life, which detains me, or +death, which will not slay me. Each one torments me mortally; and it +serves me right, so help me God, that in spite of myself I should still +live on. For I ought to have killed myself as soon as my lady the Queen +showed her hate for me; she did not do it without cause, but she had +some good reason, though I know not what it is. And if I had known what +it was before her soul went to God, I should have made her such rich +amends as would have pleased her and gained her mercy. God! what could +my crime have been? I think she must have known that I mounted upon the +cart. I do not know what other cause she can have to blame me. This has +been my undoing. If this is the reason of her hate, God! what harm could +this crime do? Any one who would reproach me for such an act never knew +what love is, for no one could mention anything which, if prompted by +love, ought to be turned into a reproach. Rather, everything that one +can do for his lady-love is to be regarded as a token of his love and +courtesy. Yet, I did not do it for my 'lady-love'. I know not by what +name to call her, whether 'lady-love', or not. I do not dare to call her +by this name. But I think I know this much of love: that if she loved +me, she ought not to esteem me less for this crime, but rather call me +her true lover, inasmuch as I regarded it as an honour to do all love +bade me do, even to mount upon a cart. She ought to ascribe this to +love; and this is a certain proof that love thus tries his devotees and +thus learns who is really his. But this service did not please my lady, +as I discovered by her countenance. And yet her lover did for her that +for which many have shamefully reproached and blamed him, though she was +the cause of it; and many blame me for the part I have played, and have +turned my sweetness into bitterness. In truth, such is the custom of +those who know so little of love, that even honour they wash in shame. +But whoever dips honour into shame, does not wash it, but rather sullies +it. But they, who maltreat him so, are quite ignorant of love; and he, +who fears not his commands, boasts himself very superior to him. +For unquestionably he fares well who obeys the commands of love, and +whatever he does is pardonable, but he is the coward who does not dare." + +(Vv. 4415-4440.) Thus Lancelot makes his lament, and his men stand +grieving by his side, keeping hold of him and guarding him. Then the +news comes that the Queen is not dead. Thereupon Lancelot at once takes +comfort, and if his grief for her death had before been intense and +deep, now his joy for her life was a hundred thousand times as great. +And when they arrived within six or seven leagues of the castle where +King Bademagu was, grateful news of Lancelot was told him, how he was +alive and was coming hale and hearty, and this news the king was glad +to hear. He did a very courteous thing in going at once to appraise the +Queen. And she replies: "Fair sire, since you say so, I believe it is +true, but I assure you that, if he were dead, I should never be happy +again. All my joy would be cut off, if a knight had been killed in my +service." + +(Vv. 4441-4530.) Then the king leaves her, and the Queen yearns ardently +for the arrival of her lover and her joy. She has no desire this time +to bear him any grudge. But rumour, which never rests but runs always +unceasingly, again reaches the Queen to the effect that Lancelot would +have killed himself for her sake, if he had had the chance. She is happy +at the thought that this is true, but she would not have had it happen +so for anything, for her sorrow would have been too great. Thereupon +Lancelot arrived in haste. [422] As soon as the king sees him, he runs +to kiss and embrace him. He feels as if he ought to fly, borne along by +the buoyancy of his joy. But his satisfaction is cut short by those who +had taken and bound his guest, and the king tells them they have come +in an evil hour, for they shall all be killed and confounded. Then they +made answer that they thought he would have it so. "It is I whom you +have insulted in doing your pleasure. He has no reason to complain," +the king replies; "you have not shamed him at all, but only me who was +protecting him. However you look at it, the shame is mine. But if you +escape me now, you will see no joke in this." When Lancelot hears his +wrath, he puts forth every effort to make peace and adjust matters; when +his efforts have met with success, the king takes him away to see the +Queen. This time the Queen did not lower her eyes to the ground, but she +went to meet him cheerfully, honouring him all she could, and making him +sit down by her side. Then they talked together at length of all that +was upon their hearts, and love furnished them with so much to say that +topics did not lack. And when Lancelot sees how well he stands, and that +all he says finds favour with the Queen, he says to her in confidence: +"Lady, I marvel greatly why you received me with such a countenance when +you saw me the day before yesterday, and why you would not speak a word +to me: I almost died of the blow you gave me, and I had not the courage +to dare to question you about it, as I now venture to do. I am ready +now, lady, to make amends, when you have told me what has been the crime +which has caused me such distress." Then the Queen replies: "What? Did +you not hesitate for shame to mount the cart? You showed you were loath +to get in, when you hesitated for two whole steps. That is the reason +why I would neither address nor look at you." "May God save me from such +a crime again," Lancelot replies, "and may God show me no mercy, if you +were not quite right! For God's sake, lady, receive my amends at once, +and tell me, for God's sake, if you can ever pardon me." "Friend, you +are quite forgiven," the Queen replies; "I pardon you willingly." "Thank +you for that, lady," he then says; "but I cannot tell you here all that +I should like to say; I should like to talk with you more at leisure, if +possible." Then the Queen indicates a window by her glance rather than +with her finger, and says: "Come through the garden to-night and speak +with me at yonder window, when every one inside has gone to sleep. You +will not be able to get in: I shall be inside and you outside: to gain +entrance will be impossible. I shall be able to touch you only with my +lips or hand, but, if you please, I will stay there until morning for +love of you. Our bodies cannot be joined, for close beside me in my room +lies Kay the seneschal, who is still suffering from his wounds. And the +door is not open, but is tightly closed and guarded well. When you come, +take care to let no spy catch sight of you." "Lady," says he, "if I can +help it, no spy shall see me who might think or speak evil of us." Then, +having agreed upon this plan, they separate very joyfully. + +(Vv. 4551-4650.) Lancelot leaves the room in such a happy frame that all +his past troubles are forgotten. But he was so impatient for the night +to come that his restlessness made the day seem longer than a hundred +ordinary days or than an entire year. If night had only come, he would +gladly have gone to the trysting place. Dark and sombre night at last +won its struggle with the day, and wrapped it up in its covering, and +laid it away beneath its cloak. When he saw the light of day obscured, +he pretended to be tired and worn, and said that, in view of his +protracted vigils, he needed rest. You, who have ever done the same, may +well understand and guess that he pretends to be tired and goes to bed +in order to deceive the people of the house; but he cared nothing about +his bed, nor would he have sought rest there for anything, for he could +not have done so and would not have dared, and furthermore he would not +have cared to possess the courage or the power to do so. Soon he softly +rose, and was pleased to find that no moon or star was shining, and that +in the house there was no candle, lamp, or lantern burning. Thus he went +out and looked about, but there was no one on the watch for him, for +all thought that he would sleep in his bed all night. Without escort or +company he quickly went out into the garden, meeting no one on the way, +and he was so fortunate as to find that a part of the garden-wall had +recently fallen down. Through this break he passes quickly and proceeds +to the window, where he stands, taking good care not to cough or sneeze, +until the Queen arrives clad in a very white chemise. She wore no cloak +or coat, but had thrown over her a short cape of scarlet cloth and +shrew-mouse fur. As soon as Lancelot saw the Queen leaning on the +window-sill behind the great iron bars, he honoured her with a gentle +salute. She promptly returned his greeting, for he was desirous of her, +and she of him. Their talk and conversation are not of vulgar, tiresome +affairs. They draw close to one another, until each holds the other's +hand. But they are so distressed at not being able to come together more +completely, that they curse the iron bars. Then Lancelot asserts that, +with the Queen's consent, he will come inside to be with her, and that +the bars cannot keep him out. And the Queen replies: "Do you not see how +the bars are stiff to bend and hard to break? You could never so twist, +pull or drag at them as to dislodge one of them." "Lady," says he, "have +no fear of that. It would take more than these bars to keep me out. +Nothing but your command could thwart my power to come to you. If you +will but grant me your permission, the way will open before me. But if +it is not your pleasure, then the way is so obstructed that I could not +possibly pass through." "Certainly," she says, "I consent. My will need +not stand in your way; but you must wait until I retire to my bed again, +so that no harm may come to you, for it would be no joke or jest if the +seneschal, who is sleeping here, should wake up on hearing you. So it is +best for me to withdraw, for no good could come of it, if he should see +me standing here." "Go then, lady," he replies; "but have no fear that I +shall make any noise. I think I can draw out the bars so softly and with +so little effort that no one shall be aroused." + +(Vv. 4651-4754.) Then the Queen retires, and he prepares to loosen the +window. Seizing the bars, he pulls and wrenches them until he makes them +bend and drags them from their places. But the iron was so sharp that +the end of his little finger was cut to the nerve, and the first joint +of the next finger was torn; but he who is intent upon something else +paid no heed to any of his wounds or to the blood which trickled down. +Though the window is not low, Lancelot gets through it quickly and +easily. First he finds Kay asleep in his bed, then he comes to the bed +of the Queen, whom he adores and before whom he kneels, holding her more +dear than the relic of any saint. And the Queen extends her arms to him +and, embracing him, presses him tightly against her bosom, drawing him +into the bed beside her and showing him every possible satisfaction; her +love and her heart go out to him. It is love that prompts her to treat +him so; and if she feels great love for him, he feels a hundred thousand +times as much for her. For there is no love at all in other hearts +compared with what there is in his; in his heart love was so completely +embodied that it was niggardly toward all other hearts. Now Lancelot +possesses all he wants, when the Queen voluntarily seeks his company +and love, and when he holds her in his arms, and she holds him in hers. +Their sport is so agreeable and sweet, as they kiss and fondle each +other, that in truth such a marvellous joy comes over them as was never +heard or known. But their joy will not be revealed by me, for in a +story, it has no place. Yet, the most choice and delightful satisfaction +was precisely that of which our story must not speak. That night +Lancelot's joy and pleasure were very great. But, to his sorrow, day +comes when he must leave his mistress' side. It cost him such pain to +leave her that he suffered a real martyr's agony. His heart now stays +where the Queen remains; he has not the power to lead it away, for it +finds such pleasure in the Queen that it has no desire to leave her: +so his body goes, and his heart remains. But enough of his body stays +behind to spot and stain the sheets with the blood which has fallen from +his fingers. Full of sighs and tears, Lancelot leaves in great distress. +He grieves that no time is fixed for another meeting, but it cannot +be. Regretfully he leaves by the window through which he had entered so +happily. He was so badly wounded in the fingers that they were in sorry, +state; yet he straightened the bars and set them in their place again, +so that from neither side, either before or behind, was it evident that +any one had drawn out or bent any of the bars. When he leaves the room, +he bows and acts precisely as if he were before a shrine; then he goes +with a heavy heart, and reaches his lodgings without being recognised by +any one. He throws himself naked upon his bed without awaking any one, +and then for the first time he is surprised to notice the cuts in his +fingers; but he is not at all concerned, for he is very sure that the +wound was caused by dragging the window bars from the wall. Therefore he +was not at all worried, for he would rather have had both arms dragged +from his body than not enter through the window. But he would have been +very angry and distressed, if he had thus injured and wounded himself +under any other circumstances. + +(Vv. 4755-5006.) In the morning, within her curtained room, the Queen +had fallen into a gentle sleep; she had not noticed that her sheets +were spotted with blood, but she supposed them to be perfectly white +and clean and presentable. Now Meleagant, as soon as he was dressed and +ready, went to the room where the Queen lay. He finds her awake, and he +sees the sheets spotted with fresh drops of blood, whereupon he nudges +his companions and, suspicious of some mischief, looks at the bed of Kay +the seneschal, and sees that his sheets are blood-stained too, for you +must know that in the night his wounds had begun to bleed afresh. Then +he said: "Lady, now I have found the evidence that I desired. It is very +true that any man is a fool to try to confine a woman: he wastes his +efforts and his pains. He who tries to keep her under guard loses her +sooner than the man who takes no thought of her. A fine watch, indeed, +has been kept by my father, who is guarding you on my behalf! He +has succeeded in keeping you from me, but, in spite of him, Kay the +seneschal has looked upon you last night, and has done what he pleased +with you, as can readily be proved." "What is that?" she asks. "Since I +must speak, I find blood on your sheets, which proves the fact. I know +it and can prove it, because I find on both your sheets and his the +blood which issued from his wounds: the evidence is very strong." +Then the Queen saw on both beds the bloody sheets, and marvelling, she +blushed with shame and said: "So help me God, this blood which I see +upon my sheets was never brought here by Kay, but my nose bled during +the night, and I suppose it must be from my nose." In saying so, she +thinks she tells the truth. "By my head," says Meleagant, "there is +nothing in what you say. Swearing is of no avail, for you are taken +in your guilt, and the truth will soon be proved." Then he said to the +guards who were present: "Gentlemen, do not move, and see to it that the +sheets are not taken from the bed until I return. I wish the king to do +me justice, as soon as he has seen the truth." Then he searched until he +found him, and failing at his feet, he said: "Sire, come to see what +you have failed to guard. Come to see the Queen, and you shall see the +certain marvels which I have already seen and tested. But, before you +go, I beg you not to fail to be just and upright toward me. You know +well to what danger I have exposed myself for the Queen; yet, you are no +friend of mine and keep her from me under guard. This morning I went to +see her in her bed, and I remarked that Kay lies with her every night. +Sire, for God's sake, be not angry, if I am disgruntled and if I +complain. For it is very humiliating for me to be hated and despised by +one with whom Kay is allowed to lie." "Silence!" says the king; "I don't +believe it." "Then come, my lord, and see the sheets and the state in +which Kay has left them. Since you will not believe my words, and since +you think I am lying, I will show you the sheets and the quilt covered +with blood from Kay's wounds." "Come now," says the king, "I wish to +see for myself, and my eyes will judge of the truth." Then the king goes +directly to the room, where the Queen got up at his approach. He sees +that the sheets are blood-stained on her bed and on Kay's alike and he +says: "Lady, it is going badly now, if what my son has said is true." +Then she replies: "So help me God, never even in a dream was uttered +such a monstrous lie. I think Kay the seneschal is courteous and loyal +enough not to commit such a deed, and besides, I do not expose my body +in the market-place, nor offer it of my own free will. Surely, Kay +is not the man to make an insulting proposal to me, and I have never +desired and shall never desire to do such a thing myself." "Sire, I +shall be much obliged to you," says Meleagant to his father, "if Kay +shall be made to atone for this outrage, and the Queen's shame thus +be exposed. It devolves upon you to see that justice is done, and this +justice I now request and claim. Kay has betrayed King Arthur, his lord, +who had such confidence in him that he entrusted to him what he loved +most in the world." "Let me answer, sire," says Kay, "and I shall +exonerate myself. May God have no mercy upon my soul when I leave this +world, if I ever lay with my lady! Indeed, I should rather be dead than +ever do my lord such an ugly wrong, and may God never grant me better +health than I have now but rather kill me on the spot, if such a thought +ever entered my mind! But I know that my wounds bled profusely last +night, and that is the reason why my sheets are stained with blood. That +is why your son suspects me, but surely he has no right to do so." +And Meleagant answers him: "So help me God, the devils and demons have +betrayed you. You grew too heated last night and, as a result of your +exertions, your wounds have doubtless bled afresh. There is no use in +your denying it; we can see it, and it is perfectly evident. It is +right that he should atone for his crime, who is so plainly taken in his +guilt. Never did a knight with so fair a name commit such iniquities +as this, and yours is the shame for it." "Sire, sire," says Kay to the +king, "I will defend the Queen and myself against the accusation of your +son. He harasses and distresses me, though he has no ground to treat me +so." "You cannot fight," the king replies, "you are too ill." "Sire, if +you will allow it, I will fight with him, ill as I am, and will show +him that I am not guilty of the crime which he imputes to me." But the +Queen, having secretly sent word to Lancelot, tells the king that she +will present a knight who will defend the seneschal, if Meleagant dares +to urge this charge. Then Meleagant said at once: "There is no knight +without exception, even were he a giant, whom I will not fight until one +of us is defeated." Then Lancelot came in, and with him such a rout +of knights that the whole hall was filled with them. As soon as he had +entered, in the hearing of all, both young and old, the Queen told +what had happened, and said: "Lancelot, this insult has been done me +by Meleagant. In the presence of all who hear his words he says I have +lied, if you do not make him take it back. Last night, he asserted, +Kay lay with me, because he found my sheets, like his, all stained with +blood; and he says that he stands convicted, unless he will undertake +his own defence, or unless some one else will fight the battle on his +behalf." Lancelot says: "You need never use arguments with me. May it +not please God that either you or he should be thus discredited! I am +ready to fight and to prove to the extent of my power that he never +was guilty of such a thought. I am ready to employ my strength in his +behalf, and to defend him against this charge." Then Meleagant jumped up +and said: "So help me God, I am pleased and well satisfied with that: +no one need think that I object." And Lancelot said: "My lord king, I +am well acquainted with suits and laws, with trials and verdicts: in +a question of veracity an oath should be taken before the fight." +Meleagant at once replies: "I agree to take an oath; so let the relics +be brought at once, for I know well that I am right." And Lancelot +answers him: "So help me God, no one who ever knew Kay the seneschal +would doubt his word on such a point." Then they call for their horses, +and ask that their arms be brought. This is promptly done, and when +the valets had armed them, they were ready for the fight. Then the holy +relics are brought forth: Meleagant steps forward, with Lancelot by his +side, and both fall on their knees. Then Meleagant, laying his hands +upon the relics, swears unreservedly: "So help me God and this holy +relic, Kay the seneschal lay with the Queen in her bed last night +and, had his pleasure with her." "And I swear that thou liest," says +Lancelot, "and furthermore I swear that he neither lay with her nor +touched her. And may it please God to take vengeance upon him who has +lied, and may He bring the truth to light! Moreover, I will take another +oath and swear, whoever may dislike it or be displeased, that if I am +permitted to vanquish Meleagant to-day, I will show him no mercy, so +help me God and these relics here!" The king felt no joy when he heard +this oath. + +(Vv. 5007-5198.) When the oaths had been taken, their horses were +brought forward, which were fair and good in every way. Each man mounts +his own home, and they ride at once at each other as fast as the steeds +can carry them; and when the horses are in mid-career, the knights +strike each other so fiercely that there is nothing left of the lances +in their hands. Each brings the other to earth; however, they are not +dismayed, but they rise at once and attack each other with their sharp +drawn swords. The burning sparks fly in the air from their helmets. They +assail each other so bitterly with the drawn swords in their hands that, +as they thrust and draw, they encounter each other with their blows and +will not pause even to catch their breath. The king in his grief and +anxiety called the Queen, who had gone up in the tower to look out from +the balcony: he begged her for God's sake, the Creator, to let them be +separated. "Whatever is your pleasure is agreeable to me," the Queen +says honestly: "I shall not object to anything you do." Lancelot plainly +heard what reply the Queen made to the king's request, and from +that time he ceased to fight and renounced the struggle at once. But +Meleagant does not wish to stop, and continues to strike and hew at him. +But the king rushes between them and stops his son, who declares with an +oath that he has no desire for peace. He wants to fight, and cares not +for peace. Then the king says to him: "Be quiet, and take my advice, and +be sensible. No shame or harm shall come to thee, if thou wilt do what +is right and heed my words. Dost thou not remember that thou hast agreed +to fight him at King Arthur's court? And dost thou not suppose that +it would be a much greater honour for thee to defeat him there than +anywhere else?" The king says this to see if he can so influence him as +to appease him and separate them. And Lancelot, who was impatient to +go in search of my lord Gawain, requests leave of the king and Queen to +depart. With their permission he goes away toward the water-bridge, and +after him there followed a great company of knights. But it would have +suited him very well, if many of those who went had stayed behind. They +make long days' journeys until they approach the water-bridge, but are +still about a league from it. Before they came in sight of the bridge, a +dwarf came to meet them on a mighty hunter, holding a scourge with which +to urge on and incite his steed. In accordance with his instructions, he +at once inquired: "Which of you is Lancelot? Don't conceal him from me; +I am of your party; tell me confidently, for I ask the question for your +good." Lancelot replies in his own behalf, and says: "I am he whom thou +seekest and askest for." "Ah," says the dwarf, "frank knight, leave +these people, and trust in me. Come along with me alone, for I will take +thee to a goodly place. Let no one follow thee for anything, but let +them wait here; for we shall return presently." He, suspecting no harm +in this, bids all his men stay there, and follows the dwarf who has +betrayed him. Meanwhile his men who wait for him may continue to expect +him long in vain, for they, who have taken and seized him, have no +desire to give him up. And his men are in such a state of grief at his +failure to return that they do not know what steps to take. They all +say sorrowfully that the dwarf has betrayed them. It would be useless to +inquire for him: with heavy hearts they begin to search, but they know +not where to look for him with any hope of finding him. So they all take +counsel, and the most reasonable and sensible agree on this, it seems: +to go to the passage of the water-bridge, which is close by, to see if +they can find my lord Gawain in wood or plain, and then with his advice +search for Lancelot. Upon this plan they all agree without dissension. +Toward the water-bridge they go, and as soon as they reach the bridge, +they see my lord Gawain overturned and fallen from the bridge into the +stream which is very deep. One moment he rises, and the next he sinks; +one moment they see him, and the next they lose him from sight. They +make such efforts that they succeed in raising him with branches, poles +and hooks. He had nothing but his hauberk on his back, and on his head +was fixed his helmet, which was worth ten of the common sort, and he +wore his iron greaves, which were all rusty with his sweat, for he had +endured great trials, and had passed victoriously through many perils +and assaults. His lance, his shield, and horse were all behind on the +other bank. Those who have rescued him do not believe he is alive. For +his body was full of water, and until he got rid of it, they did not +hear him speak a word. But when his speech and voice and the passageway +to his heart are free, and as soon, as what he said could be heard and +understood, he tried to speak he inquired at once for the Queen, whether +those present had any news of her. And they replied that she is still +with King Bademagu, who serves her well and honourably. "Has no one come +to seek her in this land?" my lord Gawain then inquires of them. And +they answer him: "Yes, indeed." "Who?" "Lancelot of the Lake," they say, +"who crossed the sword-bridge, and rescued and delivered her as well +as all the rest of us. But we have been betrayed by a pot-bellied, +humpbacked, and crabbed dwarf. He has deceived us shamefully in seducing +Lancelot from us, and we do not know what he has done with him." "When +was that?" my lord Gawain inquires. "Sire, near here this very day this +trick was played on us, while he was coming with us to meet you." "And +how has Lancelot been occupied since he entered this land?" Then they +begin to tell him all about him in detail, and then they tell him about +the Queen, how she is waiting for him and asserting that nothing could +induce her to leave the country, until she sees him or hears some +credible news of him. To them my lord Gawain replies: "When we leave +this bridge, we shall go to search for Lancelot." There is not one who +does not advise rather that they go to the Queen at once, and have the +king seek Lancelot, for it is their opinion that his son Meleagant has +shown his enmity by having him cast into prison. But if the king can +learn where he is, he will certainly make him surrender him: they can +rely upon this with confidence. + +(Vv. 5199-5256.) They all agreed upon this plan, and started at once +upon their way until they drew near the court where the Queen and king +were. There, too, was Kay the seneschal, and that disloyal man, full +to overflowing of treachery, who has aroused the greatest anxiety for +Lancelot on the part of the party which now arrives. They feel they +have been discomfited and betrayed, and they make great lament in their +misery. It is not a gracious message which reports this mourning to +the Queen. Nevertheless, she deports herself with as good a grace as +possible. She resolves to endure it, as she must, for the sake of my +lord Gawain. However, she does not so conceal her grief that it does not +somewhat appear. She has to show both joy and grief at once: her heart +is empty for Lancelot, and to my lord Gawain she shows excessive joy. +Every one who hears of the loss of Lancelot is grief-stricken and +distracted. The king would have rejoiced at the coming of my lord +Gawain and would have been delighted with his acquaintance; but he is +so sorrowful and distressed over the betrayal of Lancelot that he is +prostrated and full of grief. And the Queen beseeches him insistently +to have him searched for, up and down throughout the land, without +postponement or delay. My lord Gawain and Kay and all the others join +in this prayer and request. "Leave this care to me, and speak no more +of it," the king replies, "for I have been ready to do so for some +time. Without need of request or prayer this search shall be made with +thoroughness." Everyone bows in sign of gratitude, and the king at once +sends messengers through his realm, sagacious and prudent men-at-arms, +who inquired for him throughout the land. They made inquiry for him +everywhere, but gained no certain news of him. Not finding any, they +come back to the place where the knights remain; then Gawain and Kay and +all the others say that they will go in search of him, fully armed and +lance in rest; they will not trust to sending some one else. + +(Vv. 5257-5378.) One day after dinner they were all in the hall putting +on their arms, and the point had been reached where there was nothing to +do but start, when a valet entered and passed by them all until he came +before the Queen, whose cheeks were by no means rosy! For she was in +such mourning for Lancelot, of whom she had no news, that she had lost +all her colour. The valet greeted her as well as the king, who was by +her side, and then all the others and Kay and my lord Gawain. He held a +letter in his hand which he gave to the king, who took it. The king had +it read in the hearing of all by one who made no mistake in reading it. +The reader knew full well how to communicate to them what was written in +the parchment: he says that Lancelot sends greetings to the king as his +kind lord, and thanks him for the honour and kindness he has shown him, +and that he now places himself at the king's orders. And know that he +is now hale and hearty at King Arthur's court, and he bids him tell +the Queen to come thither, if she will consent, in company with my lord +Gawain and Kay. In proof of which, he affixed his signature which they +should recognise, as indeed they did. At this they were very happy and +glad; the whole court resounds with their jubilation, and they say they +will start next day as soon as it is light. So, when the day broke, they +make ready and prepare: they rise and mount and start. With great joy +and jubilee the king escorts them for a long distance on their way. When +he has conducted them to the frontier and has seen them safely across +the border, he takes leave of the Queen, and likewise of all the rest. +And when he comes to take his leave, the Queen is careful to express +her gratitude for all the kindness he has shown to her, and throwing +her arms about his neck, she offers and promises him her own service and +that of her lord: no greater promise can she make. And my lord Gawain +promises his service to him, as to his lord and friend, and then Kay +does likewise, and all the rest. Then the king commends them to God as +they start upon their way. After these three, he bids the rest farewell, +and then turns his face toward home. The Queen and her company do not +tarry a single day until news of them reaches the court. King Arthur +was delighted at the news of the Queen's approach, and he is happy and +pleased at the thought that his nephew had brought about the Queen's +return, as well as that of Kay and of the lesser folk. But the truth is +quite different from what he thinks. All the town is cleared as they go +to meet them, and knights and vassals join in shouting as they approach: +"Welcome to my lord Gawain, who has brought back the Queen and many +another captive lady, and has freed for us many prisoners!" Then Gawain +answered them: "Gentlemen, I do not deserve your praise. Do not trouble +ever to say this again, for the compliment does not apply to me. This +honour causes me only shame, for I did not reach the Queen in time; my +detention made me late. But Lancelot reached there in time, and won such +honour as was never won by any other knight." "Where is he, then, fair +dear sire, for we do not see him here?" "Where?" echoes my lord Gawain; +"at the court of my lord the King, to be sure. Is he not?" "No, he is +not here, or anywhere else in this country. Since my lady was taken +away, we have had no news of him." Then for the first time my lord +Gawain realised that the letter had been forged, and that they had been +betrayed and deceived: by the letter they had been misled. Then they all +begin to lament, and they come thus weeping to the court, where the King +at once asks for information about the affair. There were plenty who +could tell him how much Lancelot had done, how the Queen and all the +captives were delivered from durance by him, and by what treachery the +dwarf had stolen him and drawn him away from them. This news is not +pleasing to the King, and he is very sorry and full of grief; but his +heart is so lightened by the pleasure he takes in the Queen's return, +that his grief concludes in joy. When he has what he most desires, he +cares little for the rest. + +(Vv. 5379-5514.) While the Queen was out of the country, I believe, the +ladies and the damsels who were disconsolate, decided among themselves +that they would marry, soon, and they organised a contest and a +tournament. The lady of Noauz was patroness of it, with the lady of +Pomelegloi. They will have nothing to do with those who fare ill, but +they assert that they will accept those who comport themselves well in +the tournament. And they had the date of the contest proclaimed s long +while in advance in all the countries near and far, in order that there +might be more participants. Now the Queen arrived before the date they +had set, and as soon as the ladies heard of the Queen's return, most of +them came at once to the King and besought him to grant them a favour +and boon, which he did. He promised to do whatever they wished, before +he knew what their desire might be. Then they told him that they wished +him to let the Queen come to be present at their contest. And he who was +not accustomed to forbid, said he was willing, if she wished ir so. In +happy mood they go to the Queen and say to her: "Lady, do not deprive us +of the boon which the King has granted us." Then she asks them: "What +is that? Don't fail to tell!" Then they say to her: "If you will come to +our tournament, he will not gainsay you nor stand in the way." Then she +said that she would come, since he was willing that she should. Promptly +the dames send word throughout the realm that they are going to bring +the Queen on the day set for the tournament. The news spread far and +near, here and there, until it reached the kingdom whence no one used +to return--but now whoever wished might enter or pass out unopposed. +The news travelled in this kingdom until it came to a seneschal of +the faithless Meleagant may an evil fire burn him! This seneschal had +Lancelot in his keeping, for to him he had been entrusted by his enemy +Meleagant, who hated him with deadly hate. Lancelot learned the hour and +date of the tournament, and as soon as he heard of it, his eyes were not +tearless nor was his heart glad. The lady of the house, seeing Lancelot +sad and pensive, thus spoke to him: "Sire, for God's sake and for your +own soul's good, tell me truly," the lady said, "why you are so changed. +You won't eat or drink anything, and I see that you do not make merry or +laugh. You can tell me with confidence why you are so sad and troubled." +"Ah, lady, for God's sake, do not be surprised that I am sad! Truly, I +am very much downcast, since I cannot be present where all that is good +in the world will be assembled: that is, at the tournament where +there will be a gathering of the people who make the earth tremble. +Nevertheless, if it pleased you, and if God should incline your heart +to let me go thither, you might rest assured that I should be careful to +return to my captivity here." "I would gladly do it," she replied, "if I +did not see that my death and destruction would result. But I am in such +terror of my lord, the despicable Meleagant, that I would not dare to +do it, for he would kill my husband at once. It is not strange that I +am afraid of him, for, as you know, he is very bad." "Lady, if you are +afraid that I may not return to you at once after the tournament, I will +take an oath which I will never break, that nothing will detain me from +returning at once to my prison here immediately after the tournament." +"Upon my word," said she, "I will allow it upon one condition." "Lady, +what condition is that?" Then she replies: "Sire, upon condition that +you wilt swear to return to me, and promise that I shall have your +love." "Lady, I give you all the love I have, and swear to come back." +Then the lady laughs and says: "I have no cause to boast of such a gift, +for I know you have bestowed upon some one else the love for which I +have just made request. However, I do not disdain to take so much of it +as I can get. I shall be satisfied with what I can have, and will accept +your oath that you will be so considerate of me as to return hither a +prisoner." + +(Vv. 5515-5594.) In accordance with her wish, Lancelot swears by Holy +Church that he will return without fail. And the lady at once gives him +the vermilion arms of her lord, and his horse which was marvellously +good and strong and brave. He mounts and leaves, armed with handsome, +new arms, and proceeds until he comes to Noauz. He espoused this side in +the tournament, and took his lodging outside the town. Never did such +a noble man choose such a small and lowly lodging-place; but he did not +wish to lodge where he might be recognised. There were many good and +excellent knights gathered within the town. But there were many more +outside, for so many had come on account of the presence of the Queen +that the fifth part could not be accommodated inside. For every one who +would have been there under ordinary circumstances, there were seven who +would not have come excepting on the Queen's account. The barons were +quartered in tents, lodges, and pavilions for five leagues around. +Moreover, it was wonderful how many gentle ladies and damsels were +there. Lancelot placed his shield outside the door of his lodging-place, +and then, to make himself more comfortable, he took off his arms and lay +down upon a bed which he held in slight esteem; for it was narrow +and had a thin mattress, and was covered with a coarse hempen cloth. +Lancelot had thrown himself upon the bed all disarmed, and as he +lay there in such poor estate, behold! a fellow came in in his +shirt-sleeves; he was a herald-at-arms, and had left his coat and shoes +in the tavern as a pledge; so he came running barefoot and exposed to +the wind. He saw the shield hanging outside the door, and looked at it: +but naturally he did not recognise it or know to whom it belonged, or +who was the bearer of it. He sees the door of the house standing open, +and upon entering, he sees Lancelot upon the bed, and as soon as he saw +him, he recognised him and crossed himself. And Lancelot made a sign to +him, and ordered him not to speak of him wherever he might go, for if +he should tell that he knew him, it would be better for him to have his +eyes put out or his neck broken. "Sire," the herald says, "I have +always held you in high esteem, and so long as I live, I shall never +do anything to cause you displeasure." Then he runs from the house and +cries aloud: "Now there has come one who will take the measure! [423] +Now there has come one who will take the measure!" The fellow shouts +this everywhere, and the people come from every side and ask him what is +the meaning of his cry. He is not so rash as to answer them, but goes +on shouting the same words: "Now there has come one who will take the +measure!" This herald was the master of us all, when he taught us to use +the phrase, for he was the first to make use of it. + +(Vv. 5595-5640.) Now the crowd was assembled, including the Queen and +all the ladies, the knights and the other people, and there were many +men-at-arms everywhere, to the right and left. At the place where the +tournament was to be, there were some large wooden stands for the use of +the Queen with her ladies and damsels. Such fine stands were never seen +before they were so long and well constructed. Thither the ladies betook +themselves with the Queen, wishing to see who would fare better or worse +in the combat. Knights arrive by tens, twenties, and thirties, here +eighty and there ninety, here a hundred, there still more, and yonder +twice as many yet; so that the press is so great in front of the stands +and all around that they decide to begin the joust. As they assemble, +armed and unarmed, their lances suggest the appearance of a wood, for +those who have come to the sport brought so many lances that there is +nothing in sight but lances, banners, and standards. Those who are going +to take part begin to joust, and they find plenty of their companions +who had come with similar intent. Still others prepare to perform other +feats of chivalry. The fields, meadows, and fallow lands are so full of +knights that it is impossible to estimate how many of them are there. +But there was no sign of Lancelot at this first gathering of the +knights; but later, when he entered the middle of the field, the herald +saw him and could not refrain from crying out: "Behold him who will take +the measure! Behold him who will take the measure!" And the people ask +him who he is, but he will not tell them anything. + +(Vv. 5641-6104.) When Lancelot entered the tournament, he was as good as +twenty of the best, and he began to fight so doughtily that no one could +take his eyes from him, wherever he was. On the Pomelegloi side there +was a brave and valorous knight, and his horse was spirited and swifter +than a wild stag. He was the son of the Irish king, and fought well +and handsomely. But the unknown knight pleased them all more a hundred +times. In wonder they all make haste to ask: "Who is this knight who +fights so well?" And the Queen privily called a clever and wise damsel +to her and said: "Damsel, you must carry a message, and do it quickly +and with few words. Go down from the stand, and approach yonder knight +with the vermilion shield, and tell him privately that I bid him do his +'worst'." She goes quickly, and with intelligence executes the Queen's +command. She sought the knight until she came up close to him; then +she said to him prudently and in a voice so low that no one standing by +might hear: "Sire, my lady the Queen sends you word by me that you shall +do your 'worst'." When he heard this, he replied: "Very willingly," like +one who is altogether hers. Then he rides at another knight as hard as +his horse can carry him, and misses his thrust which should have struck +him. From that time till evening fell he continued to do as badly as +possible in accordance with the Queen's desire. But the other, who +fought with him, did not miss his thrust, but struck him with such +violence that he was roughly handled. Thereupon he took to flight, and +after that he never turned his horse's head toward any knight, and were +he to die for it, he would never do anything unless he saw in it his +shame, disgrace, and dishonour; he even pretends to be afraid of all the +knights who pass to and fro. And the very knights who formerly esteemed +him now hurled jests and jibes at him. And the herald who had been +saying: "He will beat them all in turn!" is greatly dejected and +discomfited when he hears the scornful jokes of those who shout: +"Friend, say no more! This fellow will not take any one's measure again. +He has measured so much that his yardstick is broken, of which thou hast +boasted to us so much." Many say: "What is he going to do? He was so +brave just now; but now he is so cowardly that there is not a knight +whom he dares to face. The cause of his first success must have been +that he never engaged at arms before, and he was so brave at his first +attack that the most skilled knight dared not withstand him, for he +fought like a wild man. But now he has learned so much of arms that he +will never wish to bear them again his whole life long. His heart cannot +longer endure the thought, for there is nothing more cowardly than his +heart." And the Queen, as she watches him, is happy and well-pleased, +for she knows full well, though she does not say it, that this is surely +Lancelot. Thus all day long till evening he played his coward's part, +and late in the afternoon they separated. At parting there was a great +discussion as to who had done the best. The son of the Irish king thinks +that without doubt or contradiction he has all the glory and renown. But +he is grievously mistaken, for there were plenty of others as good as +he. Even the vermilion knight so pleased the fairest and gentlest of +the ladies and damsels that they had gazed at him more than at any +other knight, for they had remarked how well he fought at first, and how +excellent and brave he was; then he had become so cowardly that he dared +not face a single knight, and even the worst of them could defeat and +capture him at will. But knights and ladies all agreed that on the +morrow they should return to the list, and the damsels should choose +as their lords those who should win honour in that day's fight: on this +arrangement they all agree. Then they turn toward their lodgings, and +when they had returned, here and there men began to say: "What has +become of the worst, the most craven and despised of knights? Whither +did he go? Where is he concealed? Where is he to be found? Where shall +we search for him? We shall probably never see him again. For he has +been driven off by cowardice, with which he is so filled that there +is no greater craven in the world than he. And he is not wrong, for a +coward is a hundred times more at ease than a valorous fighting man. +Cowardice is easy of entreaty, and that is the reason he has given her +the kiss of peace and has taken from her all she has to give. Courage +never so debased herself as to lodge in his breast or take quarters near +him. But cowardice is altogether lodged with him, and she has found a +host who will honour her and serve her so faithfully that he is willing +to resign his own fair name for hers." Thus they wrangle all night, +vying with each other in slander. But often one man maligns another, and +yet is much worse himself than the object of his blame and scorn. Thus, +every one said what he pleased about him. And when the next day dawned, +all the people prepared and came again to the jousting place. The Queen +was in the stand again, accompanied by her ladies and damsels and many +knights without their arms, who had been captured or defeated, and these +explained to them the armorial bearings of the knights whom they most +esteem. Thus they talk among themselves: [424] "Do you see that knight +yonder with a golden band across the middle of his red shield? That is +Governauz of Roberdic. And do you see that other one, who has an eagle +and a dragon painted side by side upon his shield? That is the son of +the King of Aragon, who has come to this land in search of glory and +renown. And do you see that one beside him, who thrusts and jousts so +well, bearing a shield with a leopard painted on a green ground on +one part, and the other half is azure blue? That is Ignaures the +well-beloved, a lover himself and jovial. And he who bears the shield +with the pheasants portrayed beak to beak is Coguillanz of Mautirec. Do +you see those two side by side, with their dappled steeds, and golden +shields showing black lions? One is named Semiramis, and the other is +his companion; their shields are painted alike. And do you see the one +who has a shield with a gate painted on it, through which a stag appears +to be passing out? That is King Ider, in truth." Thus they talk up in +the stand. "That shield was made at Limoges, whence it was brought by +Pilades, who is very ardent and keen to be always in the fight. That +shield, bridle, and breast-strap were made at Toulouse, and were brought +here by Kay of Estraus. The other came from Lyons on the Rhone, and +there is no better under heaven; for his great merit it was presented +to Taulas of the Desert, who bears it well and protects himself with +it skilfully. Yonder shield is of English workmanship and was made at +London; you see on it two swallows which appear as if about to fly; yet +they do not move, but receive many blows from the Poitevin lances of +steel; he who has it is poor Thoas." Thus they point out and describe +the arms of those they know; but they see nothing of him whom they had +held in such contempt, and, not remarking him in the fray, they suppose +that he has slipped away. When the Queen sees that he is not there, she +feels inclined to send some one to search for him in the crowd until he +be found. She knows of no one better to send in search of him than she +who yesterday performed her errand. So, straightway calling her, she +said to her: "Damsel, go and mount your palfrey! I send you to the same +knight as I sent you yesterday, and do you seek him until you find him. +Do not delay for any cause, and tell him again to do his 'worst'. And +when you have given him this message, mark well what reply he makes." +The damsel makes no delay, for she had carefully noticed the direction +he took the night before, knowing well that she would be sent to him +again. She made her way through the ranks until she saw the knight, whom +she instructs at once to do his "worst" again, if he desires the love +and favour of the Queen which she sends him. And he makes answer: "My +thanks to her, since such is her will." Then the damsel went away, and +the valets, sergeants, and squires begin to shout: "See this marvellous +thing! He of yesterday with the vermilion arms is back again. What +can he want? Never in the world was there such a vile, despicable, and +craven wretch! He is so in the power of cowardice that resistance is +useless on his part." And the damsel returns to the Queen, who detained +her and would not let her go until she heard what his response had been; +then she heartily rejoiced, feeling no longer any doubt that this is he +to whom she altogether belongs, and he is hers in like manner. Then she +bids the damsel quickly return and tell him that it is her command and +prayer that he shall do his "best "; and she says she will go at once +without delay. She came down from the stand to where her valet with +the palfrey was awaiting her. She mounted and rode until she found the +knight, to whom she said at once: "Sire, my lady now sends word that you +shall do the 'best' you can!" And he replies: "Tell her now that it +is never a hardship to do her will, for whatever pleases her is my +delight." The maiden was not slow in bearing back this message, for she +thinks it will greatly please and delight the Queen. She made her way as +directly as possible to the stand, where the Queen rose and started to +meet her, however, she did not go down, but waited for her at the top +of the steps. And the damsel came happy in the message she had to bear. +When she had climbed the steps and reached her side, she said: "Lady, I +never saw so courteous g knight, for he is more than ready to obey every +command you send to him, for, if the truth be known, he accepts good and +evil with the same countenance." "Indeed," says the Queen, "that may +well be so." Then she returns to the balcony to watch the knights. And +Lancelot without delay seizes his shield by the leather straps, for he +is kindled and consumed by the desire to show his prowess. Guiding his +horse's head, he lets him run between two lines. All those mistaken and +deluded men, who have spent a large part of the day and night in heaping +him with ridicule, will soon be disconcerted. For a long time they have +had their sport and joke and fun. The son of the King of Ireland held +his shield closely gripped by the leather straps, as he spurs fiercely +to meet him from the opposite direction. They come together with such +violence that the son of the Irish king having broken and splintered his +lance, wishes no more of the tournament; for it was not moss he struck, +but hard, dry boards. In this encounter Lancelot taught him one of his +thrusts, when he pinned his shield to his arm, and his arm to his side, +and brought him down from his horse to earth. Like arrows the knights +at once fly out, spurring and pricking from either side, some to relieve +this knight, others to add to his distress. While some thus try to aid +their lords, many a saddle is left empty in the strife and fray. But +all that day Gawain took no hand at arms, though he was with the others +there, for he took such pleasure in watching the deeds of him with +the red painted arms that what the others did seemed to him pale in +comparison. And the herald cheered up again, as he shouted aloud so +that all could hear: "Here there has one come who will take the measure! +To-day you shall see what he can do. To-day his prowess shall appear." +Then the knight directs his steed and makes a very skilful thrust +against a certain knight, whom he strikes so hard that he carries him a +hundred feet or more from his horse. His feats with sword and lance are +so well performed that there is none of the onlookers who does not find +pleasure in watching him. Many even of those who bear arms find pleasure +and satisfaction in what he does, for it is great sport to see how he +makes horses and knights tumble and fall. He encounters hardly a single +knight who is able to keep his seat, and he gives the horses he wins to +those who want them. Then those who had been making game of him said: +"Now we are disgraced and mortified. It was a great mistake for us to +deride and vilify this man, for he is surely worth a thousand such as +we are on this field; for he has defeated and outdone all the knights +in the world, so that there is no one now that opposes him." And the +damsels, who amazed were watching him, all said that he might take them +to wife; but they did not dare to trust in their beauty or wealth, or +power or highness, for not for her beauty or wealth would this peerless +knight deign to choose any one of them. Yet, most of them are so +enamoured of him that they say that, unless they marry him, they will +not be bestowed upon any man this year. And the Queen, who hears them +boast, laughs to herself and enjoy the fun, for well she knows that if +all the gold of Arabia should be set before him, yet he who is beloved +by them all would not select the best, the fairest, or the most charming +of the group. One wish is common to them all--each wishes to have him as +her spouse. One is jealous of another, as if she were already his wife; +and all this is because they see him so adroit that in their opinion no +mortal man could perform such deeds as he had done. He did so well that +when the time came to leave the list, they admitted freely on both sides +that no one had equalled the knight with the vermilion shield. All said +this, and it was true. But when he left, he allowed his shield and lance +and trappings to fall where he saw the thickest press, then he rode off +hastily with such secrecy that no one of all the host noticed that he +had disappeared. But he went straight back to the place whence he had +come, to keep his oath. When the tournament broke up, they all searched +and asked for him, but without success, for he fled away, having no +desire to be recognised. The knights are disappointed and distressed, +for they would have rejoiced to have him there. But if the knights were +grieved to have been deserted thus, still greater was the damsels' grief +when they learned the truth, and they asserted by St. John that they +would not marry at all that year. If they can't have him whom they +truly love, then all the others may be dismissed. Thus the tourney was +adjourned without any of them choosing a husband. Meanwhile Lancelot +without delay repairs to his prison. But the seneschal arrived two or +three days before Lancelot, and inquired where he was. And his wife, who +had given to Lancelot his fair and well-equipped vermilion arms, as well +as his harness and his horse, told the truth to the seneschal--how she +had sent him where there had been jousting at the tourney of Noauz. +"Lady," the seneschal replies, "you could truly have done nothing worse +than that. Doubtless, I shall smart for this, for my lord Meleagant +will treat me worse than the beach-combers' law would treat me were I a +mariner in distress. I shall be killed or banished the moment he hears +the news, and he will have no pity for me." "Fair sire, be not now +dismayed," the lady said; "there is no occasion for the fear you feel. +There is no possibility of his detention, for he swore to me by the +saints that he would return as soon as possible." + +(Vv. 6105-6166.) [425] Then the seneschal mounts, and coming to his +lord, tells him the whole story of the episode; but at the same time, he +emphatically reassures him, telling how his wife had received his oath +that he would return to his prison. "He will not break his word, I +know," says Meleagant: "and yet I am very much displeased at what your +wife has done. Not for any consideration would I have had him present at +that tournament. But return now, and see to it that, when he comes back, +he be so strictly guarded that he shall not escape from his prison or +have any freedom of body: and send me word at once." "Your orders shall +be obeyed," says the seneschal. Then he goes away and finds Lancelot +returned as prisoner in his yard. A messenger, sent by the seneschal, +runs back at once to Meleagant, appraising him of Lancelot's return. +When he heard this news, he took masons and carpenters who unwillingly +or of their own free-will executed his commands. He summoned the best +artisans in the land, and commanded them to build a tower, and exert +themselves to build it well. The stone was quarried by the seaside; for +near Gorre on this side there runs a big broad arm of the sea, in the +midst of which an island stood, as Meleagant well knew. He ordered the +stone to be carried thither and the material for the construction of +the tower. In less than fifty-seven days the tower was completely built, +high and thick and well-founded. When it was completed, he had Lancelot +brought thither by night, and after putting him in the tower, he ordered +the doors to be walled up, and made all the masons swear that they would +never utter a word about this tower. It was his will that it should be +thus sealed up, and that no door or opening should remain, except one +small window. Here Lancelot was compelled to stay, and they gave him +poor and meagre fare through this little window at certain hours, as the +disloyal wretch had ordered and commanded them. + +(Vv. 6167-6220.) Now Meleagant has carried out all his purpose, and he +betakes himself to King Arthur's court: behold him now arrived! And when +he was before the King, he thus spoke with pride and arrogance: "King, I +have scheduled a battle to take place in thy presence and in thy +court. But I see nothing of Lancelot who agreed to be my antagonist. +Nevertheless, as my duty is, in the hearing of all who are present here, +I offer myself to fight this battle. And if he is here, let him now step +forth and agree to meet me in your court a year from now. I know not if +any one has told you how this battle was agreed upon. But I see knights +here who were present at our conference, and who, if they would, could +tell you the truth. If he should try to deny the truth, I should employ +no hireling to take my place, but would prove it to him hand to hand." +The Queen, who was seated beside the King, draws him to her as she says: +"Sire, do you know who that knight is? It is Meleagant who carried me +away while escorted by Kay the seneschal; he caused him plenty of shame +and mischief too." And the King answered her: "Lady, I understand; I +know full well that it is he who held my people in distress." The Queen +says no more, but the King addresses Meleagant: "Friend," he says, "so +help me God, we are very sad because we know nothing of Lancelot." "My +lord King," says Meleagant, "Lancelot told me that I should surely +find him here. Nowhere but in your court must I issue the call to this +battle, and I desire all your knights here to bear me witness that I +summon him to fight a year from to-day, as stipulated when we agreed to +fight." + +(Vv. 6221-6458.) At this my lord Gawain gets up, much distressed at what +he hears: "Sire, there is nothing known of Lancelot in all this land," +he says; "but we shall send in search of him and, if God will, we shall +find him yet, before the end of the year is reached, unless he be dead +or in prison. And if he does not appear, then grant me the battle, and +I will fight for him: I will arm myself in place of Lancelot, if he does +not return before that day." "Ah," says Meleagant, "for God's sake, my +fair lord King, grant him the boon. I join my request to his desire, for +I know no knight in all the world with whom I would more gladly try my +strength, excepting only Lancelot. But bear in mind that, if I do not +fight with one of them, I will accept no exchange or substitution for +either one." And the King says that this is understood, if Lancelot +does not return within the time. Then Meleagant left the royal court and +journeyed until he found his father, King Bademagu. In order to appear +brave and of consideration in his presence, he began by making a great +pretence and by assuming an expression of marvellous cheer. That day the +king was holding a joyous court at his city of Bade; [426] it was his +birthday, which he celebrated with splendour and generosity, and there +were many people of divers sorts gathered with him. All the palace +was filled with knights and damsels, and among them was the sister of +Meleagant, of whom I shall tell you, farther on, what is my thought +and reason for mentioning her here. But it is not fitting that I should +explain it here, for I do not wish to confuse or entangle my material, +but rather to treat it straight forwardly. Now I must tell you that +Meleagant in the hearing of all, both great and small, spoke thus to his +father boastingly: "Father," he says, "so help me God, please tell me +truly now whether he ought not to be well-content, and whether he is +not truly brave, who can cause his arms to be feared at King Arthur's +court?" To this question his father replies at once: "Son," he says, +"all good men ought to honour and serve and seek the company of one +whose deserts are such." Then he flattered him with the request that +he should not conceal why he has alluded to this, what he wishes, and +whence he comes. "Sire, I know not whether you remember," Meleagant +begins, "the agreements and stipulations which were recorded when +Lancelot and I made peace. It was then agreed, I believe, and in the +presence of many we were told, that we should present ourselves at the +end of a year at Arthur's court. I went thither at the appointed time, +ready equipped for my business there. I did everything that had been +prescribed: I called and searched for Lancelot, with whom I was to +fight, but I could not gain a sight of him: he had fled and run away. +When I came away, Gawain pledged his word that, if Lancelot is not alive +and does not return within the time agreed upon, no further postponement +will be asked, but that he himself will fight the battle against me in +place of Lancelot. Arthur has no knight, as is well known, whose fame +equals his, but before the flowers bloom again, I shall see, when we +come to blows, whether his fame and his deeds are in accord: I only +wish it could be settled now!" "Son," says his father, "thou art acting +exactly like a fool. Any one, who knew it not before, may learn of thy +madness from thy own lips. A good heart truly humbles itself, but the +fool and the boastful never lose their folly. Son, to thee I direct my +words, for the traits of thy character are so hard and dry, that +there is no place for sweetness or friendship. Thy heart is altogether +pitiless: thou art altogether in folly's grasp. This accounts for my +slight respect for thee, and this is what will cast thee down. If thou +art brave, there will be plenty of men to say so in time of need. A +virtuous man need not praise his heart in order to enhance his deed; the +deed itself will speak in its own praise. Thy self-praise does not aid +thee a whit to increase in any one's esteem; indeed, I hold thee in less +esteem. Son, I chasten thee; but to what end? It is of little use to +advise a fool. He only wastes his strength in vain who tries to cure +the madness of a fool, and the wisdom that one teaches and expounds is +worthless, wasted and unemployed, unless it is expressed in works." Then +Meleagant was sorely enraged and furious. I may truly say that never +could you see a mortal man so full of anger as he was; the last bond +between them was broken then, as he spoke to his father these ungracious +words: "Are you in a dream or trance, when you say that I am mad to tell +you how my matters stand? I thought I had come to you as to my lord and +my father; but that does not seem to be the case, for you insult me more +outrageously than I think you have any right to do; moreover, you can +give no reason for having addressed me thus." "Indeed, I can." "What is +it, then?" "Because I see nothing in thee but folly and wrath. I know +very well what thy courage is like, and that it will cause thee great +trouble yet. A curse upon him who supposes that the elegant Lancelot, +who is esteemed by all but thee, has ever fled from thee through fear. +I am sure that he is buried or confined in some prison whose door is +barred so tight that he cannot escape without leave. I should surely be +sorely grieved if he were dead or in distress. It would surely be too +bad, were a creature so splendidly equipped, so fair, so bold, yet so +serene, to perish thus before his time. But, may it please God, this +is not true." Then Bademagu said no more; but a daughter of his had +listened attentively to all his words, and you must know that it was she +whom I mentioned earlier in my tale, and who is not happy now to hear +such news of Lancelot. It is quite clear to her that he is shut up, +since no one knows any news of him or his wanderings. "May God never +look upon me, if I rest until I have some sure and certain news of +him!" Straightway, without making any noise or disturbance, she runs +and mounts a fair and easy-stepping mule. But I must say that when she +leaves the court, she knows not which way to turn. However, she asks no +advice in her predicament, but takes the first road she finds, and +rides along at random rapidly, unaccompanied by knight or squire. In her +eagerness she makes haste to attain the object of her search. Keenly she +presses forward in her quest, but it will not soon terminate. She may +not rest or delay long in any single place, if she wishes to carry out +her plan, to release Lancelot from his prison, if she can find him and +if it is possible. But in my opinion, before she finds him she will have +searched in many a land, after many a journey and many a quest, before +she has any news of him. But what would be the use of my telling you of +her lodgings and her journeyings? Finally, she travelled so far through +hill and dale, up and down, that more than a month had passed, and as +yet she had learned only so much as she knew before--that is, absolutely +nothing. One day she was crossing a field in a sad and pensive mood, +when she saw a tower in the distance standing by the shore of an arm of +the sea. Not within a league around about was there any house, cottage, +or dwelling-place. Meleagant had had it built, and had confined Lancelot +within. But of all this she still was unaware. As soon as she espied the +tower, she fixed her attention upon it to the exclusion of all else. And +her heart gives her assurance that here is the object of her quest; now +at last she has reached her goal, to which Fortune through many trials +has at last directed her. + +(Vv. 6459-6656.) The damsel draws so near to the tower that she can +touch it with her hands. She walks about, listening attentively, I +suppose, if perchance she may hear some welcome sound. She looks down +and she gazes up, and she sees that the tower is strong and high and +thick. She is amazed to see no door or window, except one little narrow +opening. Moreover, there was no ladder or steps about this high, sheer +tower. For this reason she surmises that it was made so intentionally, +and that Lancelot is confined inside. But she resolves that before she +tastes of food, she will learn whether this is so or not. She thinks she +will call Lancelot by name, and is about to do so when she is deterred +by hearing from the tower a voice which was making a marvellously sad +moan as it called on death. It implores death to come, and complains of +misery unbearable. In contempt of the body and life, it weakly piped in +a low, hoarse tone: "Ah, fortune, how disastrously thy wheel has turned +for me! Thou hast mocked me shamefully: a while ago I was up, but now I +am down; I was well off of late, but now I am in a sorry state; not long +since thou didst smile on me, but now thy eyes are filled with tears. +Alas, poor wretch, why didst thou trust in her, when so soon she has +deserted thee! Behold, in a very little while she has cast thee down +from thy high estate! Fortune, it was wrong of thee to mock me thus; but +what carest thou! Thou carest not how it may turn out. Ah, sacred Cross! +All, Holy Ghost! How am I wretched and undone! How completely has my +career been closed! Ah, Gawain, you who possess such worth, and whose +goodness is unparalleled, surely I may well be amazed that you do +not come to succour me. Surely you delay too long and are not showing +courtesy. He ought indeed to receive your aid whom you used to love so +devotedly! For my part I may truly say that there is no lodging place or +retreat on either side of the sea, where I would not have searched for +you at least seven or ten years before finding you, if I knew you to be +in prison. But why do I thus torment myself? You do not care for me even +enough to take this trouble. The rustic is right when he says that it +is hard nowadays to find a friend! It is easy to rest the true friend +in time of need. Alas! more than a year has passed since first I was put +inside this tower. I feel hurt, Gawain, that you have so long deserted +me! But doubtless you know nothing of all this, and I have no ground for +blaming you. Yes, when I think of it, this must be the case, and I was +very wrong to imagine such a thing; for I am confident that not for all +the world contains would you and your men have failed to come to release +me from this trouble and distress, if you were aware of it. If for no +other reason, you would be bound to do this out of love for me, your +companion. But it is idle to talk about it--it cannot be. Ah, may the +curse and the damnation of God and St. Sylvester rest upon him who +has shut me up so shamefully! He is the vilest man alive, this envious +Meleagant, to treat me as evilly as possible!" Then he, who is wearing +out his life in grief, ceases speaking and holds his peace. But when +she, who was lingering at the base of the tower, heard what he said, +she did not delay, but acted wisely and called him thus: "Lancelot," +as loudly as she could; "friend, up there, speak to one who is your +friend!" But inside he did not hear her words. Then she called out +louder yet, until he in his weakness faintly heard her, and wondered +who could be calling him. [427] He heard the voice and heard his name +pronounced, but he did not know who was calling him: he thinks it must +be a spirit. He looks all about him to see, I suppose, if he could espy +any one; but there is nothing to be seen but the tower and himself. +"God," says he, "what is that I heard? I heard some one speak, but see +nothing! Indeed, this is passing marvellous, for I am not asleep, but +wide awake. Of course, if this happened in a dream, I should consider it +an illusion; but I am awake, and therefore I am distressed." Then with +some trouble he gets up, and with slow and feeble steps he moves toward +the little opening. Once there, he peers through it, up and down and to +either side. When he had looked out as best he might, he caught sight of +her who had hailed him. He did not recognise her by sight. But she knew +him at once and said: "Lancelot, I have come from afar in search of you. +Now, thank God, at last I have found you. I am she who asked of you a +boon as you were on your way to the sword-bridge, and you very gladly +granted it at my request; it was the head I bade you cut from the +conquered knight whom I hated so. Because of this boon and this service +you did me, I have gone to this trouble. As a guerdon I shall deliver +you from here." "Damsel, many thanks to you," the prisoner then replied; +"the service I did you will be well repaid if I am set at liberty. If +you can get me out of here, I promise and engage to be henceforth always +yours, so help me the holy Apostle Paul! And as I may see God face to +face, I shall never fail to obey your commands in accordance with your +will. You may ask for anything I have, and receive it without delay." +"Friend, have no fear that you will not be released from here. You shall +be loosed and set free this very day. Not for a thousand pounds would I +renounce the expectation of seeing you free before the datum of another +day. Then I shall take you to a pleasant place, where you may rest and +take your ease. There you shall have everything you desire, whatever +it be. So have no fear. But first I must see if I can find some tool +anywhere hereabouts with which you might enlarge this hole, at least +enough to let you pass." "God grant that you find something," he said, +agreeing to this plan; "I have plenty of rope in here, which the rascals +gave me to pull up my food--hard barley bread and dirty water, which +sicken my stomach and heart." Then the daughter of Bademagu sought and +found a strong, stout, sharp pick, which she handed to him. He pounded, +and hammered and struck and dug, notwithstanding the pain it caused him, +until he could get out comfortably. Now he is greatly relieved and glad, +you may be sure, to be out Of prison and to get away from the place +where he has been so long confined. Now he is at large in the open air. +You may be sure that he would not go back again, were some one to gather +in a pile and give to him all the gold there is scattered in the world. + +(Vv. 6657-6728.) Behold Lancelot now released, but so feeble that he +staggered from his weakness and disability. Gently, without hurting him, +she sets him before her on her mule, and then they ride off rapidly. But +the damsel purposely avoids the beaten track, that they may not be +seen, and proceeds by a hidden path; for if she had travelled openly, +doubtless some one would have recognised them and done them harm, and +she would not have wished that to happen. So she avoided the dangerous +places and came to a mansion where she often makes her sojourn because +of its beauty and charm. The entire estate and the people on it belonged +to her, and the place was well furnished, safe, and private. There +Lancelot arrived. And as soon as he had come, and had laid aside his +clothes, the damsel gently laid him on a lofty, handsome couch, then +bathed and rubbed him so carefully that I could not describe half the +care she took. She handled and treated him as gently as if he had been +her father. Her treatment makes a new man of him, as she revives him +with her cares. Now he is no less fair than an angel and is more nimble +and more spry than anything you ever saw. When he arose, he was no +longer mangy and haggard, but strong and handsome. And the damsel sought +out for him the finest robe she could find, with which she clothed him +when he arose. And he was glad to put it on, quicker than a bird +in flight. He kissed and embraced the maid, and then said to her +graciously: "My dear, I have only God and you to thank for being +restored to health again. Since I owe my liberty to you, you may take +and command at will my heart and body, my service and estate. I belong +to you in return for what you have done for me; but it is long since I +have been at the court of my lord Arthur, who has shown me great honour; +and there is plenty there for me to do. Now, my sweet gentle friend, +I beg you affectionately for leave to go; then, with your consent, I +should feel free to go." "Lancelot, fair, sweet dear friend, I am quite +willing," the damsel says; "I desire your honour and welfare above +everything everywhere." Then she gives him a wonderful horse she has, +the best horse that ever was seen, and he leaps up without so much as +saying to the stirrups "by your leave": he was up without considering +them. Then to God, who never lies, they commend each other with good +intent. + +(Vv. 6729-7004.) Lancelot was so glad to be on the road that, if I +should take an oath, I could not possibly describe the joy he felt at +having escaped from his trap. But he said to himself repeatedly that woe +was the traitor, the reprobate, whom now he has tricked and ridiculed, +"for in spite of him I have escaped." Then he swears by the heart and +body of Him who made the world that not for all the riches and wealth +from Babylon to Ghent would he let Meleagant escape, if he once got him +in his power: for he has him to thank for too much harm and shame! But +events will soon turn out so as to make this possible; for this very +Meleagant, whom he threatens and presses hard, had already come to court +that day without being summoned by any one; and the first thing he did +was to search until he found my lord Gawain. Then the rascally proven +traitor asks him about Lancelot, whether he had been seen or found, as +if he himself did not know the truth. As a matter of fact, he did not +know the truth, although he thought he knew it well enough. And Gawain +told him, as was true, that he had not been seen, and that he had not +come. "Well, since I don't find him," says Meleagant, "do you come and +keep the promise you made me: I shall not longer wait for you." Then +Gawain makes answer: "I will keep presently my word with you, if it +please God in whom I place my trust. I expect to discharge my debt to +you. But if it comes to throwing dice for points, and I should throw +a higher number than you, so help me God and the holy faith, I'll not +withdraw, but will keep on until I pocket all the stakes." [428] Then +without delay Gawain orders a rug to be thrown down and spread before +him. There was no snivelling or attempt to run away when the squires +heard this command, but without grumbling or complaint they execute +what he commands. They bring the rug and spread it out in the place +indicated; then he who had sent for it takes his seat upon it and gives +orders to be armed by the young men who were standing unarmed before +him. There were two of them, his cousins or nephews, I know not +which, but they were accomplished and knew what to do. They arm him so +skilfully and well that no one could find any fault in the world with +them for any mistake in what they did. When they finished arming him, +one of them went to fetch a Spanish steed able to cross the fields, +woods, hills, and valleys more swiftly than the good Bucephalus. [429] +Upon a horse such as you have heard Gawain took his seat--the admired +and most accomplished knight upon whom the sign of the Cross was ever +made. Already he was about to seize his shield, when he saw Lancelot +dismount before him, whom he was not expecting to see. He looked at +him in amazement, because he had come so unexpectedly; and, if I am not +wrong, he was as much surprised as if he had fallen from the clouds. +However, no business of his own can detain him, as soon as he sees +Lancelot, from dismounting and extending his arms to him, as he +embraces, salutes and kisses him. Now he is happy and at ease, when he +has found his companion. Now I will tell you the truth, and you must not +think I lie, that Gawain would not wish to be chosen king, unless he had +Lancelot with him. The King and all the rest now learn that, in spite of +all, Lancelot, for whom they so long have watched, has come back quite +safe and sound. Therefore they all rejoice, and the court, which so +long has looked for him, comes together to honour him. Their happiness +dispels and drives away the sorrow which formerly was theirs. Grief +takes flight and is replaced by an awakening joy. And how about the +Queen? Does she not share in the general jubilee? Yes, verily, she +first of all. How so? For God's sake, where, then, could she be keeping +herself? She was never so glad in her life as she was for his return. +And did she not even go to him? Certainly she did; she is so close to +him that her body came near following her heart. Where is her heart, +then? It was kissing and welcoming Lancelot. And why did the body +conceal itself? Why is not her joy complete? Is it mingled with anger or +hate? No, certainly, not at all; but it may be that the King or some of +the others who are there, and who are watching what takes place, would +have taken the whole situation in, if, while all were looking on, she +had followed the dictates of her heart. If common-sense had not banished +this mad impulse and rash desire, her heart would have been revealed and +her folly would have been complete. Therefore reason closes up and +binds her fond heart and her rash intent, and made it more reasonable, +postponing the greeting until it shall see and espy a suitable and more +private place where they would fare better than here and now. The King +highly honoured Lancelot, and after welcoming him, thus spoke: "I have +not heard for a long time news of any man which were so welcome as news +of you; yet I am much concerned to learn in what region and in what land +you have tarried so long a time. I have had search made for you up and +down, all the winter and summer through, but no one could find a trace +of you." "Indeed, fair sire," says Lancelot, "I can inform you in a few +words exactly how it has fared with me. The miserable traitor Meleagant +has kept me in prison ever since the hour of the deliverance of the +prisoners in his land, and has condemned me to a life of shame in a +tower of his beside the sea. There he put me and shut me in, and there I +should still be dragging out my weary life, if it were not for a friend +of mine, a damsel for whom I once performed a slight service. In return +for the little favour I did her, she has repaid me liberally: she has +bestowed upon me great honour and blessing. But I wish to repay without +delay him for whom I have no love, who has sought out and devised for +me this shame and injury. He need not wait, for the sum is all ready, +principal and interest; but God forbid that he find in it cause to +rejoice!" Then Gawain said to Lancelot: "Friend, it will be only a +slight favour for me, who am in your debt, to make this payment for you. +Moreover, I am all ready and mounted, as you see. Fair, sweet friend, do +not deny me the boon I desire and request." But Lancelot replies that +he would rather have his eye plucked out, or even both of them, than be +persuaded to do this: he swears it shall never be so. He owes the debt +and he will pay it himself: for with his own hand he promised it. Gawain +plainly sees that nothing he can say is of any avail, so he loosens and +takes off his hauberk from his back, and completely disarms himself. +Lancelot at once arms himself without delay; for he is impatient to +settle and discharge his debt. Meleagant, who is amazed beyond measure +at what he sees, has reached the end of his good fortunes, and is about +to receive what is owing him. He is almost beside himself and comes +near fainting. "Surely I was a fool," he says, "not to go, before coming +here, to see if I still held imprisoned in my tower him who now has +played this trick on me. But, God, why should I have gone? What cause +had I to think that he could possibly escape? Is not the wall built +strong enough, and is not the tower sufficiently strong and high? There +was no hole or crevice in it, through which he could pass, unless he was +aided from outside. I am sure his hiding-place was revealed. If the wall +were worn away and had fallen into decay, would he not have been caught +and injured or killed at the same time? Yes, so help me God, if it had +fallen down, he would certainly have been killed. But I guess, before +that wall gives away without being torn down, that all the water in the +sea will dry up without leaving a drop and the world will come to an +end. No, that is not it: it happened otherwise: he was helped to escape, +and could not have got out otherwise: I have been outwitted through some +trickery. At any rate, he has escaped; but if I had been on my guard, +all this would never have happened, and he would never have come to +court. But it's too late now to repent. The rustic, who seldom errs, +pertinently remarks that it is too late to close the stable when +the horse is out. I know I shall now be exposed to great shame and +humiliation, if indeed I do not suffer and endure something worse. What +shall I suffer and endure? Rather, so long as I live, I will give him +full measure, if it please God, in whom I trust." Thus he consoles +himself, and has no other desire than to meet his antagonist on the +field. And he will not have long to wait, I think, for Lancelot goes +in search of him, expecting soon to conquer him. But before the assault +begins, the King bids them go down into the plain where the tower +stands, the prettiest place this side of Ireland for a fight. So they +did, and soon found themselves on the plain below. The King goes down +too, and all the rest, men and women in crowds. No one stays behind; but +many go up to the windows of the tower, among them the Queen, her ladies +and damsels, of whom she had many with her who were fair. + +(Vv. 7005-7119.) In the field there stood a sycamore as fair as any tree +could be; it was wide-spread and covered a large area, and around it +grew a fine border of thick fresh grass which was green at all seasons +of the year. Under this fair and stately sycamore, which was planted +back in Abel's time, there rises a clear spring of water which flows +away hurriedly. The bed of the spring is beautiful and as bright as +silver, and the channel through which the water flows is formed, I +think, of refined and tested gold, and it stretches away across the +field down into a valley between the woods. There it pleases the King to +take his seat where nothing unpleasant is in sight. After the crowd has +drawn back at the King's command, Lancelot rushes furiously at Meleagant +as at one whom he hates cordially, but before striking him, he shouted +with a loud and commanding voice: "Take your stand, I defy you! And take +my word, this time you shall not be spared." Then he spurs his steed +and draws back the distance of a bow-shot. Then they drive their horses +toward each other at top speed, and strike each other so fiercely +upon their resisting shields that they pierced and punctured them. But +neither one is wounded, nor is the flesh touched in this first assault. +They pass each other without delay, and come back at the top of their +horses: speed to renew their blows on the strong, stout shields. Both of +the knights are strong and brave, and both of the horses are stout and +fast. So mighty are the blows they deal on the shields about their necks +that the lances passed clean through, without breaking or splintering, +until the cold steel reached their flesh. Each strikes the other with +such force that both are borne to earth, and no breast-strap, girth, +or stirrup could save them from falling backward over their saddle-bow, +leaving the saddle without an occupant. The horses run riderless over +hill and dale, but they kick and bite each other, thus showing their +mortal hatred. As for the knights who fell to earth, they leaped up +as quickly as possible and drew their swords, which were engraved with +chiselled lettering. Holding their shields before the face, they strive +to wound each other with their swords of steel. Lancelot stands in no +fear of him, for he knew half as much again about fencing as did his +antagonist, having learned it in his youth. Both dealt such blows on the +shield slung from their necks, and upon their helmets barred with gold, +that they crushed and damaged them. But Lancelot presses him hard and +gives him a mighty blow upon his right arm which, though encased in +mail, was unprotected by the shield, severing it with one clean stroke. +And when he felt the loss of his right arm, he said that it should be +dearly sold. If it is at all possible, he will not fail to exact the +price; he is in such pain and wrath and rage that he is well-nigh beside +himself, and he has a poor opinion of himself, if he cannot score on his +rival now. He rushes at him with the intent to seize him, but Lancelot +forestalls his plan, for with his trenchant sword he deals his body +such a cut as he will not recover from until April and May be passed. He +smashes his nose-guard against his teeth, breaking three of them in his +mouth. And Meleagant's rage is such that he cannot speak or say a word; +nor does he deign to cry for mercy, for his foolish heart holds tight in +such constraint that even now it deludes him still. Lancelot approaches +and, unlacing his helmet, cuts off his head. Never more will this man +trouble him; it is all over with him as he falls dead. Not a soul who +was present there felt any pity at the sight. The King and all the +others there are jubilant and express their joy. Happier than they +ever were before, they relieve Lancelot of his arms, and lead him away +exultingly. + +(Vv. 7120-7134.) My lords, if I should prolong my tale, it would be +beside the purpose, and so I will conclude. Godefroi de Leigni, the +clerk, has written the conclusion of "the Cart"; but let no one find +fault with him for having embroidered on Chretien's theme, for it was +done with the consent of Chretien who started it. Godefroi has finished +it from the point where Lancelot was imprisoned in the tower. So much he +wrote; but he would fain add nothing more, for fear of disfiguring the +tale. + + + +----Endnotes: Lancelot + +Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other +endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + + +[Footnote 41: Marie, daughter of Louis VII. of France and Eleanor of +Aquitaine, married in 1164, Henri I., Count of Champagne. On the +poet's own statement below, she furnished him with the subject matter +("maitere") and the manner of treatment ("san") of this romance. (F.)] + +[Footnote 42: The situation of Camelot has not been certainly +determined. Foerster places it in Somersetshire, while F. Paris +identified it with Colchester in Essex. (F.)] + +[Footnote 43: The high value here set upon Kay by king Arthur is worth +noting in view of the unfavourable light in which Chretien usually +portrays him.] + +[Footnote 44: This enigmatic exclamation is addressed to the absent +Lancelot, who is the secret lover of Guinevere, and who, though he long +remains anonymous as "the Knight of the Cart", is really the hero of the +poem.] + +[Footnote 45: It was not uncommon in old French romances and epic poems +for knights to be subjected to the mockery and raillery of the vulgar +townspeople (cf. "Aiol", 911-923; id. 2579-2733; and even Moliere in +"Monsieur de Pourceaugnac", f. 3).] + +[Footnote 46: For magic beds with descending swords, see A. Hertel, +"Versauberte Oertlichkeiten", etc., p. 69 f. (Hanover, 1908).] + +[Footnote 47: The wounded knight is the defeated seneschal.] + +[Footnote 48: Mediaeval knights were such early risers as to cause us +astonishment!] + +[Footnote 49: Lancelot has constantly in mind the Queen, for whose sake +he is enduring all this pain and shame.] + +[Footnote 410: i.e., the Queen.] + +[Footnote 411: Nothing can here be added to the tentative conjectures of +Foerster regarding the nature of these unknown remedies.] + +[Footnote 412: A great annual fair at Paris marked the festival, on June +11, of St. Denis, the patron saint of the city. (F.)] + +[Footnote 413: "Donbes" (=Dombes) is the reading chosen by Foerster from +a number of variants. None of these variants has any significance, but +a place-name rhyming with "tonbes" in the preceding verse is required. +Modern Dombes is the name of a former principality in Burgundy, between +the Rhone and the Saone, while Pampelune is, of course, a Spanish city +near the French frontier. (F.)] + +[Footnote 414: The topography of the kingdom of Gorre, the land where +dwell the captives held by King Bademagu, is much confused. One would +suppose at first that the stream traversed by the two perilous bridges +formed the frontier of the kingdom. But here (v.2102), before reaching +such a frontier, the captives are already met. Foerster suggests that we +may be here at a sort of foreground or borderland which is defended by +the knight at the ford (v. 735 f.), and which, though not within the +limits of the kingdom, is nevertheless beneath the sway of Bademagu. In +the sequel the stream with the perilous bridges is placed immediately +before the King's palace (cf. Foerster's note and G. Paris in "Romania", +xxi. 471 note).] + +[Footnote 415: For magic rings, see A. Hertel, op. cit., p. 62 f.] + +[Footnote 416: This "dame" was the fairy Vivian, "the lady of the lake". +(F.)] + +[Footnote 417: A good example of the moral dilemmas in which Chretien +delights to place his characters. Under the displeasing shell of +allegory and mediaeval casuistry we have here the germ of psychological +analysis of motive.] + +[Footnote 418: The legendary origin of this ointment, named after Mary +Magdelene, Mary the mother of James, and Mary Salome, is mentioned in +the epic poem "Mort Aimeri de Narbonne" (ed. "Anciens Textes", p. 86). +(F.)] + +[Footnote 419: The universities of Montpellier and of Salerno were the +chief centres of medical study in the Middle Ages. Salerno is referred +to in "Cliges", v. 5818.] + +[Footnote 420: The hero of the poem is here first mentioned by name.] + +[Footnote 421: The classic love-story of Pyramus and Thisbe, told by +Ovid et al., was a favourite in the Middle Ages.] + +[Footnote 422: Here he have the explanation of Guinevere's cold +reception of Lancelot; he had been faithless to the rigid code of +courtesy when he had hesitated for even a moment to cover himself with +shame for her sake.] + +[Footnote 423: The expression "or est venuz qui aunera", less literally +means "who will defeat the entire field". Though Chretien refers to the +expression as a current proverb, only two other examples of its use +have been found. (Cf. "Romania", xvi. 101, and "Ztsch. fur romanische +Philologie", xi. 430.) From this passage G. Paris surmised that Chretien +himself was a herald-at-arms ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 296), but +as Foerster says, the text hardly warrants the supposition.] + +[Footnote 424: The evident satisfaction with which Chretien describes in +detail the bearings of the knights in the following passage lends colour +to Gaston Paris' conjecture that he was a herald as well as a poet.] + +[Footnote 425: According to the statement made at the end of the poem +by the continuator of Chretien, Godefroi de Leigni, it must have been at +about this point that the continuator took up the thread of the story. +It is not known why Chretien dropped the poem where he did.] + +[Footnote 426: Bade = Bath. (F.)] + +[Footnote 427: The situation recalls that in "Aucassin et Nicolette", +where Aucassin confined in the tower hears his sweetheart calling to him +from outside.] + +[Footnote 428: The figure is, of course, taken from the game of throwing +dice for high points. For an exhaustive account of dice-playing derived +from old French texts, cf. Franz Semrau, "Wurfel und Wurfelspiel in +alten Frankreich", "Beiheft" 23 of "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie +(Halle," 1910).] + +[Footnote 429: Alexander's horse.] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Four Arthurian Romances, by Chretien DeTroyes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUR ARTHURIAN ROMANCES *** + +***** This file should be named 831.txt or 831.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/3/831/ + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + Four Arthurian Romances + ("Erec et Enide", "Cliges", "Yvain", and "Lancelot") + +by Chretien DeTroyes +Fl. 12th Century A.D. + +Originally written in Old French, sometime in the second half of +the 12th Century A.D., by the court poet Chretien DeTroyes. + +This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@EnterAct.COM), November 1996. + +***************************************************************** + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +ORIGINAL TEXT -- + +Carroll, Carleton W. (Ed.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Erec and Enide" +(Garland Library of Medieval Literature, New York & London, +1987). Edited with a translation (see Penguin Classics edition +below). + +Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chretien DeTroyes: The Knight with the +Lion, or Yvain (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 48A, New +York & London, 1985). Original text with English translation +(See Penguin Classics edition below). + +Kibler, William W. (Ed.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Lancelot, or The +Knight of the Cart (Garland Library of Medieval Literature 1A, +New York & London, 1981). Original text with English translation +(See Penguin Classics edition below). + +Micha, Alexandre (Ed.): "Les Romans de Chretien de Troyes, Vol. +II: Cliges" (Champion, Paris, 1957). + + +OTHER TRANSLATIONS -- + +Cline, Ruth Harwood (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Yvain, or the +Knight with the Lion" (University of Georgia Press, Athens GA, +1975). + +Kibler, William W. & Carleton W. Carroll (Trans.): "Chretien +DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" (Penguin Classics, London, 1991). +Contains translations of "Erec et Enide" (by Carroll), "Cliges", +"Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval" (by +Kibler). Highly recommended. + +Owen, D.D.R (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" +(Everyman Library, London, 1987). Contains translations of "Erec +et Enide", "Cliges", "Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' +incomplete "Perceval". NOTE: This edition replaced W.W. +Comfort's in the Everyman Library catalogue. Highly recommended. + + +RECOMMENDED READING -- + +Anonymous: "Lancelot of the Lake" (Trans: Corin Corely; Oxford +University Press, Oxford, 1989). English translation of one of +the earliest prose romances concerning Lancelot. + +Anonymous: "The Mabinogion" (Ed: Jeffrey Gantz; Penguin Classics, +London, 1976). Contains a translation of "Geraint and Enid", an +earlier Welsh version of "Erec et Enide". + +Anonymous: "Yvain and Gawain", "Sir Percyvell of Gales", and "The +Anturs of Arther" (Ed: Maldwyn Mills; Everyman, London, 1992). +NOTE: Texts are in Middle-English; "Yvain and Gawain" is a +Middle-English work based almost exclusively on Chretien +DeTroyes' "Yvain". + +Malory, Sir Thomas: "Le Morte D'Arthur" (Ed: Janet Cowen; Penguin +Classics, London, 1969). + +***************************************************************** + +INTRODUCTION + +Chretien De Troyes has had the peculiar fortune of becoming the +best known of the old French poets to students of mediaeval +literature, and of remaining practically unknown to any one else. +The acquaintance of students with the work of Chretien has been +made possible in academic circles by the admirable critical +editions of his romances undertaken and carried to completion +during the past thirty years by Professor Wendelin Foerster of +Bonn. At the same time the want of public familiarity with +Chretien's work is due to the almost complete lack of +translations of his romances into the modern tongues. The man +who, so far as we know, first recounted the romantic adventures +of Arthur's knights, Gawain. Yvain, Erec, Lancelot, and Perceval, +has been forgotten; whereas posterity has been kinder to his +debtors, Wolfram yon Eschenbach, Malory, Lord Tennyson, and +Richard Wagner. The present volume has grown out of the desire +to place these romances of adventure before the reader of English +in a prose version based directly upon the oldest form in which +they exist. + +Such extravagant claims for Chretien's art have been made in some +quarters that one feels disinclined to give them even an echo +here. The modem reader may form his own estimate of the poet's +art, and that estimate will probably not be high. Monotony, lack +of proportion, vain repetitions, insufficient motivation, +wearisome subtleties, and threatened, if not actual, indelicacy +are among the most salient defects which will arrest, and mayhap +confound, the reader unfamiliar with mediaeval literary craft. +No greater service can be performed by an editor in such a case +than to prepare the reader to overlook these common faults, and +to set before him the literary significance of this twelfth-century poet. + +Chretien de Troyes wrote in Champagne during the third quarter of +the twelfth century. Of his life we know neither the beginning +nor the end, but we know that between 1160 and 1172 he lived, +perhaps as herald-at-arms (according to Gaston Paris, based on +"Lancelot" 5591-94) at Troyes, where was the court of his +patroness, the Countess Marie de Champagne. She was the daughter +of Louis VII, and of that famous Eleanor of Aquitaine, as she is +called in English histories, who, coming from the South of France +in 1137, first to Paris and later to England, may have had some +share in the introduction of those ideals of courtesy and woman +service which were soon to become the cult of European society. +The Countess Marie, possessing her royal mother's tastes and +gifts, made of her court a social experiment station, where these +Provencal ideals of a perfect society were planted afresh in +congenial soil. It appears from contemporary testimony that the +authority of this celebrated feudal dame was weighty, and widely +felt. The old city of Troyes, where she held her court, must be +set down large in any map of literary history. For it was there +that Chretien was led to write four romances which together form +the most complete expression we possess from a single author of +the ideals of French chivalry. These romances, written in +eight-syllable rhyming couplets, treat respectively of Erec and +Enide, Cliges, Yvain, and Lancelot. Another poem, "Perceval le +Gallois", was composed about 1175 for Philip, Count of Flanders, +to whom Chretien was attached during his last years. This last +poem is not included in the present translation because of its +extraordinary length of 32,000 verses, because Chretien wrote +only the first 9000 verses, and because Miss Jessie L. Weston has +given us an English version of Wolfram's wellknown "Parzival", +which tells substantially the same story, though in a different +spirit. To have included this poem, of which he wrote less than +one-third, in the works of Chretien would have been unjust to +him. It is true the romance of "Lancelot" was not completed by +Chretien, we are told, but the poem is his in such large part +that one would be over-scrupulous not to call it his. The other +three poems mentioned are his entire. In addition, there are +quite generally assigned to the poet two insignificant lyrics, +the pious romance of "Guillaume d'Angleterre", and the +elaboration of an episode from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" (vi., 426- +674) called "Philomena" by its recent editor (C. de Boer, Paris, +1909). All these are extant and accessible. But since +"Guillaume d'Angleterre" and "Philomena" are not universally +attributed to Chretien, and since they have nothing to do with +the Arthurian material, it seems reasonable to limit the present +enterprise to "Erec and Enide", "Cliges", "Yvain", and +"Lancelot". + +Professor Foerster, basing his remark upon the best knowledge we +possess of an obscure matter, has called "Erec and Enide" the +oldest Arthurian romance extant. It is not possible to dispute +this significant claim, but let us make it a little more +intelligible. Scholarship has shown that from the early Middle +Ages popular tradition was rife in Britain and Brittany. The +existence of these traditions common to the Brythonic peoples was +called to the attention of the literary world by William of +Malmesbury ("Gesta regum Anglorum") and Geoffrey of Monmouth +("Historia regum Britanniae") in their Latin histories about 1125 +and 1137 respectively, and by the Anglo-Norman poet Wace +immediately afterward. Scholars have waged war over the theories +of transmission of the so-called Arthurian material during the +centuries which elapsed between the time of the fabled +chieftain's activity in 500 A.D. and his appearance as a great +literary personage in the twelfth century. Documents are lacking +for the dark ages of popular tradition before the Norman +Conquest, and the theorists may work their will. But Arthur and +his knights, as we see them in the earliest French romances, have +little in common with their Celtic prototypes, as we dimly catch +sight of them in Irish, Welsh, and Breton legend. Chretien +belonged to a generation of French poets who rook over a great +mass of Celtic folk-lore they imperfectly understood, and made of +what, of course, it had never been before: the vehicle to carry a +rich freight of chivalric customs and ideals. As an ideal of +social conduct, the code of chivalry never touched the middle and +lower classes, but it was the religion of the aristocracy and of +the twelfth-century "honnete homme". Never was literature in any +age closer to the ideals of a social class. So true is this that +it is difficult to determine whether social practices called +forth the literature, or whether, as in the case of the +seventeenth-century pastoral romance in France, it is truer to +say that literature suggested to society its ideals. Be that as +it may, it is proper to observe that the French romances of +adventure portray late mediaeval aristocracy as it fain would be. +For the glaring inconsistencies between the reality and the +ideal, one may turn to the chronicles of the period. Yet, even +history tells of many an ugly sin rebuked and of many a gallant +deed performed because of the courteous ideals of chivalry. The +debt of our own social code to this literature of courtesy and +frequent self-sacrifice is perfectly manifest. + +What Chretien's immediate and specific source was for his +romances is of deep interest to the student. Unfortunately, he +has left us in doubt. He speaks in the vaguest way of the +materials he used. There is no evidence that he had any Celtic +written source. We are thus thrown back upon Latin or French +literary originals which are lost, or upon current continental +lore going back to a Celtic source. This very difficult problem +is as yet unsolved in the case of Chretien, as it is in the case +of the Anglo-Norman Beroul, who wrote of Tristan about 1150. The +material evidently was at hand and Chretien appropriated it, +without much understanding of its primitive spirit, but +appreciating it as a setting for the ideal society dreamed of but +not realised in his own day. Add to this literary perspicacity, +a good foundation in classic fable, a modicum of ecclesiastical +doctrine, a remarkable facility in phrase, figure, and rhyme and +we have the foundations for Chretien's art as we shall find it +upon closer examination. + +A French narrative poet of the twelfth century had three +categories of subject-matter from which to choose: legends +connected with the history of France ("matiere de France"), +legends connected with Arthur and other Celtic heroes ("matiere +de Bretagne"), and stories culled from the history or mythology +of Greece and Rome, current in Latin and French translations +("matiere de Rome la grant"). Chretien tells us in "Cliges" that +his first essays as a poet were the translations into French of +certain parts of Ovid's most popular works: the "Metamorphoses", +the "Ars Amatoria", and perhaps the "Remedia Amoris". But he +appears early to have chosen as his special field the stories of +Celtic origin dealing with Arthur, the Round Table, and other +features of Celtic folk-lore. Not only was he alive to the +literary interest of this material when rationalised to suit the +taste of French readers; his is further the credit of having +given to somewhat crude folk-lore that polish and elegance which +is peculiarly French, and which is inseparably associated with +the Arthurtan legends in all modern literature. Though Beroul, +and perhaps other poets, had previously based romantic poems upon +individual Celtic heroes like Tristan, nevertheless to Chretien, +so far as we can see, is due the considerable honour of having +constituted Arthur's court as a literary centre and rallying- +point for an innumerable company of knights and ladies engaged in +a never-ending series of amorous adventures and dangerous quests. +Rather than unqualifiedly attribute to Chretien this important +literary convention, one should bear in mind that all his poems +imply familiarity on the part of his readers with the heroes of +the court of which he speaks. One would suppose that other +stories, told before his versions, were current. Some critics +would go so far as to maintain that Chretien came toward the +close, rather than at the beginning, of a school of French +writers of Arthurian romances. But, if so, we do not possess +these earlier versions, and for lack of rivals Chretien may be +hailed as an innovator in the current schools of poetry. + +And now let us consider the faults which a modern reader will not +be slow to detect in Chretien's style. Most of his salient +faults are common to all mediaeval narrative literature. They +may be ascribed to the extraordinary leisure of the class for +whom it was composed--a class which was always ready to read an +old story told again, and which would tolerate any description, +however detailed. The pastimes of this class of readers were +jousting, hunting, and making love. Hence the preponderance of +these matters in the literature of its leisure hours. No detail +of the joust or hunt was unfamiliar or unwelcome to these +readers; no subtle arguments concerning the art of love were too +abstruse to delight a generation steeped in amorous casuistry and +allegories. And if some scenes seem to us indelicate, yet after +comparison with other authors of his times, Chretien must be let +off with a light sentence. It is certain he intended to avoid +what was indecent, as did the writers of narrative poetry in +general. To appreciate fully the chaste treatment of Chretien +one must know some other forms of mediaeval literature, such as +the fabliaux, farces, and morality plays, in which courtesy +imposed no restraint. For our poet's lack of sense of +proportion, and for his carelessness in the proper motivation of +many episodes, no apology can be made. He is not always guilty; +some episodes betoken poetic mastery. But a poet acquainted, as +he was, with some first-class Latin poetry, and who had made a +business of his art, ought to have handled his material more +intelligently, even in the twelfth century. The emphasis is not +always laid with discrimination, nor is his yarn always kept free +of tangles in the spinning. + +Reference has been made to Chretien's use of his sources. The +tendency of some critics has been to minimise the French poet's +originality by pointing out striking analogies in classic and +Celtic fable. Attention has been especially directed to the +defence of the fountain and the service of a fairy mistress in +"Yvain", to the captivity of Arthur's subjects in the kingdom of +Gorre, as narrated in "Lancelot", reminding one so insistently of +the treatment of the kingdom of Death from which some god or hero +finally delivers those in durance, and to the reigned death of +Fenice in "Cliges", with its many variants. These episodes are +but examples of parallels which will occur to the observant +reader. The difficult point to determine, in speaking of +conceptions so widespread in classic and mediaeval literature, is +the immediate source whence these conceptions reached Chretien. +The list of works of reference appended to this volume will +enable the student to go deeper into this much debated question, +and will permit us to dispense with an examination of the +arguments in this place. However, such convincing parallels for +many of Chretien's fairy and romantic episodes have been adduced +by students of Irish and Welsh legend that one cannot fail to be +impressed by the fact that Chretien was in touch, either by oral +or literary tradition, with the populations of Britain and of +Brittany, and that we have here his most immediate inspiration. +Professor Foerster, stoutly opposing the so-called Anglo-Norman +theory which supposes the existence of lost Anglo-Norman romances +in French as the sources of Chretien de Troyes, is, nevertheless, +well within the truth when he insists upon what is, so far as we +are concerned, the essential originality of the French poet. The +general reader will to-day care as little as did the reader of +the twelfth century how the poet came upon the motives and +episodes of his stories, whether he borrowed them or invented +them himself. Any poet should be judged not as a "finder" but as +a "user" of the common stock of ideas. The study of sources of +mediaeval poetry, which is being so doggedly carried on by +scholars, may well throw light upon the main currents of literary +tradition, but it casts no reflection, favourable or otherwise, +upon the personal art of the poet in handling his stuff. On that +count he may plead his own cause before the jury. + +Chretien's originality, then, consists in his portrayal of the +social ideal of the French aristocracy in the twelfth century. +So far as we know he was the first to create in the vulgar +tongues a vast court, where men and women lived in conformity +with the rules of courtesy, where the truth was told, where +generosity was open-handed, where the weak and the innocent were +protected by men who dedicated themselves to the cult of honour +and to the quest of a spotless reputation. Honour and love +combined to engage the attention of this society; these were its +religion in a far more real sense than was that of the Church. +Perfection was attainable under this code of ethics: Gawain, for +example, was a perfect knight. Though the ideals of this court +and those of Christianity are in accord at many points, vet +courtly love and Christian morality are irreconcilable. This +Arthurian material, as used by Chretien, is fundamentally immoral +as judged by Christian standards. Beyond question, the poets and +the public alike knew this to be the case, and therein lay its +charm for a society in which the actual relations or the sexes +were rigidly prescribed by the Church and by feudal practice, +rather than by the sentiments of the individuals concerned. The +passionate love of Tristan for Iseut, of Lancelot for Guinevere, +of Cliges for Fenice, fascinate the conventional Christian +society of the twelfth century and of the twentieth century +alike, but there-is only one name among men for such relations as +theirs, and neither righteousness nor reason lie that way. Even +Tennyson, in spite of all he has done to spiritualise this +material, was compelled to portray the inevitable dissolution and +ruin of Arthur's court. Chretien well knew the difference +between right and wrong, between reason and passion, as the +reader of "Cliges" may learn for himself. Fenice was not Iseut, +and she would not have her Cliges to be a Tristan. Infidelity, +if you will, but not "menage a trois". Both "Erec" and "Yvain" +present a conventional morality. But "Lancelot" is flagrantly +immoral, and the poet is careful to state that for this +particular romance he is indebted to his patroness Marie de +Champagne. He says it was she who furnished him with both the +"matiere" and the "san", the material of the story and its method +of treatment. + +Scholars have sought to fix the chronology of the poet's works, +and have been tempted to speculate upon the evolution of his +literary and moral ideas. Professor Foerster's chronology is +generally accepted, and there is little likelihood of his being +in error when he supposes Chretien's work to have been done as +follows: the lost "Tristan" (the existence of which is denied by +Gaston Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 297 f.), "Erec +and Enide", "Cliges", "Lancelot", "Yvain", "Perceval". The +arguments for this chronology, based upon external as well as +internal criticism, may be found in the Introductions to +Professor Foerster's recent editions. When we speculate upon the +development of Chretien's moral ideas we are not on such sure +ground. As we have seen, his standards vary widely in the +different romances. How much of this variation is due to chance +circumstance imposed by the nature of his subject or by the taste +of his public, and how much to changing conviction it is easy to +see, when we consider some contemporary novelist, how dangerous +it is to judge of moral convictions as reflected in literary +work. "Lancelot" must be the keystone of any theory constructed +concerning the moral evolution of Chretien. The following +supposition is tenable, if the chronology of Foerster is correct. +After the works of his youth, consisting of lyric poems and +translations embodying the ideals of Ovid and of the school of +contemporary troubadour poets, Chretien took up the Arthurinn +material and started upon a new course. "Erec" is the oldest +Arthurinn romance to have survived in any language, but it is +almost certainly not the first to have been written. It is a +perfectly clean story: of love, estrangement, and reconciliation +in the persons of Erec and his charming sweetheart Enide. The +psychological analysis of Erec's motives in the rude testing of +Enide is worthy of attention, and is more subtle than anything +previous in French literature with which we are acquainted. The +poem is an episodical romance in the biography of an Arthurinn +hero, with the usual amount of space given to his adventures. +"Cliges" apparently connects a Byzantine tale of doubtful origin +in an arbitrary fashion with the court of Arthur. It is thought +that the story embodies the same motive as the widespread tale of +the deception practised upon Solomon by his wife, and that +Chretien's source, as he himself claims, was literary (cf. Gaston +Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, pp. 641-655). The scene +where Fenice feigns death in order to rejoin her lover is a +parallel of many others in literary history, and will, of course, +suggest the situation in Romeo and Juliet. This romance well +illustrates the drawing power of Arthur's court as a literary +centre, and its use as a rallying-point for courteous knights of +whatever extraction. The poem has been termed an "Anti-Tristan", +because of its disparaging reference to the love of Tristan and +Iseut, which, it is generally supposed, had been narrated by +Chretien in his earlier years. Next may come "Lancelot", with +its significant dedication to the Countess of Champagne. Of all +the poet's work, this tale of the rescue of Guinevere by her +lover seems to express most closely the ideals of Marie's court +ideals in which devotion and courtesy but thinly disguise free +love. "Yvain" is a return to the poet's natural bent, in an +episodical romance, while "Perceval" crowns his production with +its pure and exalted note, though without a touch of that +religious mysticism which later marked Wolfram yon Eschenbach's +"Parzival". "Guillaime d'Angleterre" is a pseudo-historical +romance of adventure in which the worldly distresses and the +final reward of piety are conventionally exposed. It is +uninspired, its place is difficult to determine, and its +authorship is questioned by some. It is aside from the Arthurian +material, and there is no clue to its place in the evolution of +Chretien's art, if indeed it be his work. + +A few words must be devoted to Chretien's place in the history of +mediaeval narrative poetry. The heroic epic songs of France, +devoted either to the conflict of Christendom under the +leadership of France against the Saracens, or else to the strife +and rivalry of French vassals among themselves, had been current +for perhaps a century before our poet began to write. These +epic poems, of which some three score have survived, portray a +warlike, virile, unsentimental feudal society, whose chief +occupation was fighting, and whose dominant ideals were faith in +God, loyalty to feudal family ties, and bravery in battle. +Woman's place is comparatively obscure, and of love-making there +is little said. It is a poetry of vigorous manhood, of +uncompromising morality, and of hard knocks given and taken for +God, for Christendom, and the King of France. This poetry is +written in ten- or twelve- sylabble verses grouped, at first in +assonanced, later in rhymed, "tirades" of unequal length. It was +intended for a society which was still homogeneous, and to it at +the outset doubtless all classes of the population listened with +equal interest. As poetry it is monotonous, without sense of +proportion, padded to facilitate memorisation by professional +reciters, and unadorned by figure, fancy, or imagination. Its +pretention to historic accuracy begot prosaicness in its approach +to the style of the chronicles. But its inspiration was noble, +its conception of human duties was lofty. It gives a realistic +portrayal of the age which produced it, the age of the first +crusades, and to this day we would choose as our models of +citizenship Roland and Oliver rather than Tristan and Lancelot. +The epic poems, dealing with the pseudo-historical characters who +had fought in civil and foreign wars under Charlemagne, remained +the favourite literary pabulum of the middle classes until the +close of the thirteenth century. Professor Bedier is at present +engaged in explaining the extraordinary hold which these poems +had upon the public, and in proving that they exercised a +distinct function when exploited by the Church throughout the +period of the crusades to celebrate local shrines and to promote +muscular Christianity. But the refinement which began to +penetrate the ideals of the French aristocracy about the middle +of the twelfth century craved a different expression in narrative +literature. Greek and Roman mythology and history were seized +upon with some effect to satisfy the new demand. The "Roman de +Thebes", the "Roman d'Alexandre", the "Roman de Troie", and its +logical continuation, the "Roman d'Eneas", are all twelfth- +century attempts to clothe classic legend in the dress of +mediaeval chivalry. But better fitted to satisfy the new demand +was the discovery by the alert Anglo-Normans perhaps in Brittany, +perhaps in the South of England, of a vast body of legendary +material which, so far as we know, had never before this century +received any elaborate literary treatment. The existence of the +literary demand and this discovery of the material for its prompt +satisfaction is one of the most remarkable coincidences in +iiterary history. It would seem that the pride of the Celtic +populations in a Celtic hero, aided and abetted by Geoffrey of +Monmouth, who first showed the romantic possibilities of the +material, made of the obscure British chieftain Arthur a world +conqueror. Arthur thus became already in Geoffrey's "Historia +regum Britaniae" a conscious protagonist of Charlemagne and his +rival in popularity. This grandiose conception of Arthur +persisted in England, but this conception of the British +chieftain did not interest the French. For Chretien Arthur had +no political significance. He is simply the arbiter of his court +in all affairs of justice and courtesy. Charlemagne's very +realistic entourage of virile and busy barons is replaced by a +court of elegant chevaliers and unemployed ladies. Charlemagne's +setting is historical and geographical; Arthur's setting is ideal +and in the air. In the oldest epic poems we find only God- +fearing men and a few self-effacing women; in the Arthurian +romances we meet gentlemen and ladies, more elegant and seductive +than any one in the epic poems, but less fortified by faith and +sense of duty against vice because breathing an enervating +atmosphere of leisure and decadent morally. Though the Church +made the attempt in "Parzival", it could never lay its hands so +effectively upon this Celtic material, because it contained too +many elements which were root and branch inconsistent with the +essential teachings of Christianity. A fleeting comparison of +the noble end of Charlemagne's Peers fighting for their God and +their King at Ronceval with the futile and dilettante careers of +Arthur's knights in joust and hunt, will show better than mere +words where the difference lies. + +The student of the history of social and moral ideals will find +much to interest him in Chretien's romances. Mediaeval +references show that he was held by his immediate successors, as +he is held to-day when fairly viewed, to have been a master of +the art of story-telling. More than any other single narrative +poet, he was taken as a model both in France and abroad. +Professor F. M. Warren has set forth in detail the finer points +in the art of poetry as practised by Chretien and his +contemporary craftsmen (see "Some Features of Style in Early +French Narrative Poetry, 1150-1170 in "Modern Philology", iii., +179-209; iii., 513-539; iv., 655-675). Poets in his own land +refer to him with reverence, and foreign poets complimented him +to a high degree by direct translation and by embroidering upon +the themes which he had made popular. The knights made famous by +Chretien soon crossed the frontiers and obtained rights of +citizenship in counties so diverse as Germany, England, +Scandinavia, Holland, Italy, and to a lesser extent in Spain and +Portugal. The inevitable tendency of the fourteenth and +fifteenth centuries to reduce poetry to prose affected the +Arthurian material; vast prose compilations finally embodied in +print the matter formerly expressed in verse, and it was in this +form that the stories were known to later generations until +revived interest in the Middle Ages brought to light the +manuscripts in verse. + +Aside from certain episodes of Chretien's romances, the student +will be most interested in the treatment of love as therein +portrayed. On this topic we may hear speaking the man of his +time. "Cliges" contains the body of Chretien's doctrine of love, +while Lancelot is his most perfect lover. His debt to Ovid has +not yet been indicated with sufficient preciseness. An elaborate +code to govern sentiment and its expression was independently +developed by the troubadours of Provence in the early twelfth +century. These Provencal ideals of the courtly life were carried +into Northern France partly as the result of a royal marriage in +1137 and of the crusade of 1147, and there by such poets as +Chretien they were gathered up and fused with the Ovidian +doctrine into a highly complicated but perfectly definite +statement of the ideal relations of the sexes. Nowhere in the +vulgar tongues can a better statement of these relations be found +than in "Cliges." + +So we leave Chretien to speak across the ages for himself and his +generation. He is to be read as a story-teller rather than as a +poet, as a casuist rather than as a philosopher. But when all +deductions are made, his significance as a literary artist and as +the founder of a precious literary tradition distinguishes him +from all other poets of the Latin races between the close of the +Empire and the arrival of Dante. + +-- W. W. COMFORT. + + + +EREC ET ENIDE (1) + +(Vv. 1-26.) The rustic's proverb says that many a thing is +despised that is worth much more than is supposed. Therefore he +does well who makes the most of whatever intelligence he may +possess. For he who neglects this concern may likely omit to say +something which would subsequently give great pleasure. So +Chretien de Troyes maintains that one ought always to study and +strive to speak well and teach the right; and he derives from a +story of adventure a pleasing argument whereby it may be proved +and known that he is not wise who does not make liberal use of +his knowledge so long as God may give him grace. The story is +about Erec the son of Lac--a story which those who earn a +living by telling stories are accustomed to mutilate and spoil in +the presence of kings and counts. And now I shall begin the tale +which will be remembered so long as Christendom endures. This is +Chretien's boast. + +(Vv. 27-66.) One Easter Day in the Springtime, King Arthur held +court in his town of Cardigan. Never was there seen so rich a +court; for many a good knight was there, hardy, bold, and brave, +and rich ladies and damsels, gentle and fair daughters of kings. +But before the court was disbanded, the King told his knights +that he wished to hunt the White Stag, (2) in order to observe +worthily the ancient custom. When my lord Gawain heard this, he +was sore displeased. and said: "Sire, you will derive neither +thanks nor goodwill from this hunt. We all know long since what +this custom of the White Stag is: whoever can kill the White Stag +must forsooth kiss the fairest maiden of your court, come what +may. But of this there might come great ill, for there are here +five hundred damsels of high birth, gentle and prudent daughters +of kings, and there is none of them but has a bold and valiant +knight for her lover who would be ready to contend, whether fight +or wrong, that she who is his lady is the fairest and gentlest of +them all." The King replies: "That I know well; yet will I not +desist on that account; for a king's word ought never to be +gainsaid. To-morrow morning we shall all gaily go to hunt the +White Stag in the forest of adventure. And very delightful this +hunt will be." + +(Vv. 67-114.) And so the affair is arranged for the next morning +at daybreak. The morrow, as soon as it is day, the King gets up +and dresses, and dons a short jacket for his forest ride. He +commands the knights to be aroused and the horses to be made +ready. Already they are ahorse, and off they go, with bows and +arrows. After them the Queen mounts her horse, taking a damsel +with her. A maid she was, the daughter of a king, and she rode a +white palfrey. After them there swiftly followed a knight, named +Erec, who belonged to the Round Table, and had great fame at the +court. (3) Of all the knights that ever were there, never one +received such praise; and he was so fair that nowhere in the +world need one seek a fairer knight than he. He was very fair, +brave, and courteous, though not yet twenty-five years old. +Never was there a man of his age of greater knighthood. And what +shall I say of his virtues? Mounted on his horse, and clad in an +ermine mantle, he came galloping down the road, wearing a coat of +splendid flowered silk which was made at Constantinople. He had +put on hose of brocade, well made and cut, and when his golden +spurs were well attached, he sat securely in his stirrups. He +carried no arm with him but his sword. As he galloped along, at +the corner of a street he came up with the Queen, and said: "My +lady, if it please you, I should gladly accompany you along this +road, having come for no other purpose than to bear you company." +And the Queen thanks him: "Fair friend, I like your company well, +in truth; for better I could not have." + +(Vv. 115-124.) Then they ride along at full speed until they +come into the forest, where the party who had gone before them +had already started the stag. Some wind the horns and others +shout; the hounds plunge ahead after the stag, running, +attacking, and baying; the bowmen shoot amain. And before them +all rode the King on a Spanish hunter. + +(Vv. 125-154.) Queen Guinevere was in the wood listening for the +dogs; beside her were Erec and the damsel, who was very courteous +and fair. But those who had pursued the stag were so far from +them that, however intently they might listen to catch the sound +of horn or baying of hound, they no longer could hear either +horse, huntsman, or hound. So all three of them drew rein in a +clearing beside the road. They had been there but a short time +when they saw an armed knight along on his steed, with shield +slung about his neck, and his lance in hand. The Queen espied +him from a distance By his right side rode a damsel of noble +bearing, and before them, on a hack, came a dwarf carrying in his +hand a knotted scourge. When Queen Guinevere saw the comely and +graceful knight, she desired to know who he and his damsel were. +So she bid her damsel go quickly and speak to him, + +(Vv. 155-274.) "Damsel," says the Queen, "go and bid yonder +knight come to me and bring his damsel with him." The maiden +goes on amble straight toward the knight. But the spiteful dwarf +sallies forth to meet her with his scourge in hand, crying: +"Halt, maiden, what do you want here? You shall advance no +farther." "Dwarf," says she, "let me pass. I wish to speak with +yonder knight; for the Queen sends me hither." The dwarf, who +was rude and mean, took his stand in the middle of the road. and +said: "You have no business here. Go back. It is not meet that +vou should speak to so excellent a knight." The damsel advanced +and tried to pass him by force, holding the dwarf in slight +esteem when she saw that he was so small. Then the dwarf raised +his whip, when he saw her coming toward him and tried to strike +her in the face. She raised her arm to protect herself, but he +lifted his hand again and struck her all unprotected on her bare +hand: and so hard did he strike her on the back of her hand that +it turned all black and blue. When the maiden could do nothing +else, in spite of herself she must needs return. So weeping she +turned back. The tears came to her eyes and ran down her cheeks. +When the Queen sees her damsel wounded, she is sorely grieved and +angered and knows not what to do. "Ah, Erec, fair friend," she +says, "I am in great sorrow for my damsel whom that dwarf has +wounded. The knight must be discourteous indeed, to allow such a +monster to strike so beautiful a creature. Erec, fair friend, do +you go to the knight and bid him come to me without delay. I +wish to know him and his lady." Erec starts off thither, giving +spurs to his steed, and rides straight toward the knight. The +ignoble dwarf sees him coming and goes to meet him. "Vassal," +says he, "stand back! For I know not what business you have +here. I advise you to withdraw." "Avaunt," says Erec, +"provoking dwarf! Thou art vile and troublesome. Let me pass." +"You shall not." "That will I." "You shall not." Erec thrusts +the dwarf aside. The dwarf had no equal for villainy: he gave +him a great blow with his lash right on the neck, so that Erec's +neck and face are scarred with the blow of the scourge; from top +to bottom appear the lines which the thongs have raised on him. +He knew well that he could not have the satisfaction of striking +the dwarf; for he saw that the knight was armed, arrogant, and +of evil intent, and he was afraid that he would soon kill him, +should he strike the dwarf in his presence. Rashness is not +bravery. So Erec acted wisely in retreating without more ado. +"My lady," he says, "now matters stand worse; for the rascally +dwarf has so wounded me that he has badly cut my face. I did not +dare to strike or touch him; but none ought to reproach me, for I +was completely unarmed. I mistrusted the armed knight, who, +being an ugly fellow and violent, would take it as no jest, and +would soon kill me in his pride. But this much I will promise +you; that if I can, I shall yet avenge my disgrace, or increase +it. But my arms are too far away to avail me in this time of +need; for at Cardigan did I leave them this morning when I came +away. And if I should go to fetch them there, peradventure I +should never again find the knight who is riding off apace. So I +must follow him at once, far or near, until I find some arms to +hire or borrow. If I find some one who will lend me arms, the +knight will quickly find me ready for battle. And you may be +sure without fail that we two shall fight until he defeat me, or +I him. And if possible, I shall be back by the third day, when +you will see me home again either joyous or sad, I know not +which. Lady, I cannot delay longer, for I must follow after the +knight. I go. To God I commend you." And the Queen in like +manner more than five hundred rimes commends him to God, that he +may defend him from harm. + +(Vv. 275-310.) Erec leaves the Queen and ceases not to pursue +the knight. The Queen remains in the wood, where now the King +had come up with the Stag. The King himself outstripped the +others at the death. Thus they killed and took the White Stag, +and all returned, carrying the Stag, till they came again to +Cardigan. After supper, when the knights were all in high +spirits throughout the hall, the King, as the custom was, because +he had taken the Stag, said that he would bestow the kiss and +thus observe the custom of the Stag. Throughout the court a +great murmur is heard: each one vows and swears to his neighbour +that it shall not be done without the protest of sword or ashen +lance. Each one gallantly desires to contend that his lady is +the fairest in the hall. Their conversation bodes no good, and +when my lord Gawain heard it, you must know that it was not to +his liking. Thus he addressed the King: "Sire," he says, "your +knights here are greatly aroused, and all their talk is of this +kiss. They say that it shall never be bestowed without +disturbance and a fight." And the King wisely replied to him: +"Fair nephew Gawain, give me counsel now, sparing my honour and +my dignity, for I have no mind for any disturbance." + +(Vv. 311-341.) To the council came a great part of the best +knights of the court. King Yder (4) arrived, who was the first +to be summoned, and after him King Cadoalant, who was very wise +and bold. Kay and Girflet came too, and King Amauguin was there, +and a great number of other knights were there with them. The +discussion was in process when the Queen arrived and told them of +the adventure which she had met in the forest, of the armed +knight whom she saw, and of the malicious little dwarf who had +struck her damsel on the bare hand with his whip, and who struck +Erec, too, in the same way an ugly blow on the face; but that +Erec followed the knight to obtain vengeance, or increase his +shame, and how he said that if possible he would be back by the +third day. "Sire," says the Queen to the King, "listen to me a +moment. If these knights approve what I say, postpone this kiss +until the third day, when Erec will be back." There is none who +does not agree with her, and the King himself approves her words. + +(Vv. 342-392.) Erec steadily follows the knight who was armed +and the dwarf who had struck him until they come to a well placed +town, strong and fine (5). They enter straight through the gate. +Within the town there was great joy of knights and ladies, of +whom there were many and fair. Some were feeding in the streets +their sparrow-hawks and moulting falcons; others were giving an +airing to their tercels, (6) their mewed birds, and young yellow +hawks; others play at dice or other game of chance, some at +chess, and some at backgammon. The grooms in front of the +stables are rubbing down and currying the horses. The ladies are +bedecking themselves in their boudoirs. As soon as they see the +knight coming, whom they recognised with his dwarf and damsel, +they go out three by three to meet him. The knight they all +greet and salute, but they give no heed to Erec, for they did not +know him. Erec follows close upon the knight through the town, +until he saw him lodged. Then, very joyful, he passed on a +little farther until he saw reclining upon some steps a vavasor +(7) well on in years. He was a comely man, with white locks, +debonair, pleasing, and frank. There he was seated all alone, +seeming to be engaged in thought. Erec took him for an honest +man who would at once give him lodging. When he turned through +the gate into the yard, the vavasor ran to meet him, and saluted +him before Erec had said a word. "Fair sir," says he, "be +welcome. If you will deign to lodge with me, here is my house +all ready for you." Erec replies: "Thank you! For no other +purpose have I come; I need a lodging place this night." + +(Vv. 393-410.) Erec dismounts from his horse, which the host +himself leads away by the bridle, and does great honour to his +guest. The vavasor summons his wife and his beautiful daughter, +who were busy in a work-room--doing I know not what. The lady +came out with her daughter, who was dressed in a soft white +under-robe with wide skirts hanging loose in folds. Over it she +wore a white linen garment, which completed her attire. And this +garment was so old that it was full of holes down the sides. +Poor, indeed, was her garb without, but within her body was fair. + +(Vv. 411-458.) The maid was charming, in sooth, for Nature had +used all her skill in forming her. Nature herself had marvelled +more than five hundred times how upon this one occasion she had +succeeded in creating such a perfect thing. Never again could +she so strive successfully to reproduce her pattern. Nature +bears witness concerning her that never was so fair a creature +seen in all the world. In truth I say that never did Iseut the +Fair have such radiant golden tresses that she could be compared +with this maiden. (8) The complexion of her forehead and face +was clearer and more delicate than the lily. But with wondrous +art her face with all its delicate pallor was suffused with a +fresh crimson which Nature had bestowed upon her. Her eyes were +so bright that they seemed like two stars. God never formed +better nose, mouth, and eyes. What shall I say of her beauty? +In sooth, she was made to be looked at; for in her one could have +seen himself as in a mirror. So she came forth from the work- +room: and when she saw the knight whom she had never seen before, +she drew back a little, because she did not know him, and in her +modesty she blushed. Erec, for his part, was amazed when he +beheld such beauty in her, and the vavasor said to her: "Fair +daughter dear, take this horse and lead him to the stable along +with my own horses. See that he lack for nothing: take off his +saddle and bridle, give him oats and hay, look after him and +curry him, that he may be in good condition." + +(Vv. 459-546) The maiden takes the horse, unlaces his breast- +strap, and takes off his bridle and saddle. Now the horse is in +good hands, for she takes excellent care of him. She throws a +halter over his head, rubs him down, curries him, and makes him +comfortable. Then she ties him to the manger and puts plenty of +fresh sweet hay and oats before him. Then she went back to her +father, who said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take now this +gentleman by the hand and show him all honour. Take him by the +hand upstairs." The maiden did not delay (for in her there was +no lack of courtesy) and led him by the hand upstairs. The lady +had gone before and prepared the house. She had laid embroidered +cushions and spreads upon the couches, where they all three sat +down Erec with his host beside him, and the maiden opposite. +Before them, the fire burns brightly. The vavasor had only one +man-servant, and no maid for chamber or kitchen work. This one +man was busy in the kitchen preparing meat and birds for supper. +A skilful cook was he, who knew how to prepare meal in boiling +water and birds on the spit. When he had the meal prepared in +accordance with the orders which had been given him, he brought +them water for washing in two basins. The table was soon set, +cloths, bread, and wine set out, and they sat down to supper. +They had their fill of all they needed. When they had finished +and when the table was cleared, Erec thus addressed his host, the +master of the house: "Tell me, fair host." he asked, "why your +daughter, who is so passing fair and clever, is so poorly and +unsuitably attired." "Fair friend," the vavasor replies, "many a +man is harmed by poverty, and even so am I. I grieve to see her +so poorly clad, and yet I cannot help it, for I have been so long +involved in war that I have lost or mortgaged or sold all my +land. (9) And yet she would be well enough dressed if I allowed +her to accept everything that people wish to give her. The lord +of this castle himself would have dressed her in becoming fashion +and would have done her every manner of favour, for she is his +niece and he is a count. And there is no nobleman in this +region, however rich and powerful, who would not willingly have +taken her to wife had I given my consent. But I am waiting yet +for some better occasion, when God shall bestow still greater +honour upon her, when fortune shall bring hither some king or +count who shall lead her away, for there is under Heaven no king +or count who would be ashamed of my daughter, who is so wondrous +fair that her match cannot be found. Fair, indeed, she is; but +yet greater far than her beauty, is her intelligence. God never +created any one so discreet and of such open heart. When I have +my daughter beside me, I don't care a marble about all the rest +of the world. She is my delight and my pastime, she is my joy +and comfort, my wealth and my treasure, and I love nothing so +much as her own precious self." + +(Vv. 547-690.) When Erec had listened to all that his host told +him, he asked him to inform him whence came all the chivalry that +was quartered in the town. For there was no street or house so +poor and small but it was full of knights and ladies and squires. +And the vavasor said to him: "Fair friend, these are the nobles +of the country round; all, both young and old, have come to a +fete which is to be held in this town tomorrow; therefore the +houses are so full. When they shall all have gathered, there +will be a great stir to-morrow; for in the presence of all the +people there will be set upon a silver perch a sparrow-hawk of +five or six moultings--the best you can imagine. Whoever +wishes to gain the hawk must have a mistress who is fair, +prudent, and courteous. And if there be a knight so bold as to +wish to defend the worth and the name of the fairest in his eyes, +he will cause his mistress to step forward and lift the hawk from +the perch, if no one dares to interpose. This is the custom they +are observing, and for this each year they gather here." +Thereupon Erec speaks and asks him: "Fair host, may it not +displease you, but tell me, if you know, who is a certain knight +bearing arms of azure and gold, who passed by here not long ago, +having close beside him a courtly damsel, preceded by a hump- +backed dwarf." To him the host then made reply: "That is he who +will win the hawk without any opposition from the other knights. +I don't believe that any one will offer opposition; this time +there will be no blows or wounds. For two years already he has +won it without being challenged; and if he wins it again this +year, he will have gained permanent possession of it. Every +succeeding year he may keep it without contest or challenge." +Quickly Erec makes reply: "I do not like that knight. Upon my +word, had I some arms I should challenge him for the hawk. Fair +host, I beg you as a boon to advise me how I may be equipped with +arms whether old or new, poor or rich, it matters not." And he +replies to him generously: "It were a pity for you to feel +concern on that score! I have good fine arms which I shall be +glad to lend you. In the house I have a triple-woven hauberk, +(10) which was selected from among five hundred. And I have some +fine valuable greaves, polished, handsome, and light in weight. +The helmet is bright and handsome, and the shield fresh and new. +Horse, sword, and lance all I will lend you, of course; so let no +more be said." "Thank you kindly, fair gentle host! But I wish +for no better sword that this one which I have brought with me, +nor for any other horse than my own, for I can get along well +enough with him. If you will lend me the rest, I shall esteem it +a great favour. But there is one more boon I wish to ask of you, +for which I shall make just return if God grant that I come off +from the battle with honour." And frankly he replies to him: +"Ask confidently for what you want, whatever it be, for nothing +of mine shall lack you." Then Erec said that he wished to defend +the hawk on behalf of his daughter; for surely there will be no +damsel who is one hundredth part as beautiful as she. And if he +takes her with him, he will have good and just reason to maintain +and to prove that she is entitled to carry away the hawk. Then +he added: "Sire, you know not what guest you have sheltered here, +nor do you know my estate and kin. I am the son of a rich and +puissant king: my father's name is King Lac, and the Bretons call +me Erec. I belong to King Arthur's court, and have been with him +now three years. I know not if any report of my father or of me +has ever reached this land. But I promise you and vow that if +you will fit me out with arms, and will give me your daughter +to-morrow when I strive for the hawk, I will take her to my +country, if God grant me the victory, and I will give her a crown +to wear, and she shall be queen of three cities." "Ah, fair sir! +Is it true that you are Erec, the son of Lac?" "That is who I +am, indeed" quoth he. Then the host was greatly delighted and +said: "We have indeed heard of you in this country. Now I think +all the more of you, for you are very valiant and brave. Nothing +now shall you be refused by me. At your request I give you my +fair daughter." Then taking her by the hand, he says: "Here, I +give her to you." Erec received her joyfully, and now has all he +desired. Now they are all happy there: the father is greatly +delighted, and the mother weeps for joy. The maiden sat quiet; +but she was very happy and glad that she was betrothed to him, +because he was valiant and courteous: and she knew that he would +some day be king, and she should receive honour and be crowned +rich queen. + +(Vv. 691-746.) They had sat up very late that night. But now +the beds were prepared with white sheets and soft pillows, and +when the conversation flagged they all went to bed in happy +frame. Erec slept little that night, and the next morn, at crack +of dawn, he and his host rose early. They both go to pray at +church, and hear a hermit chant the Mass of the Holy Spirit, not +forgetting to make an offering. When they had heard Mass both +kneel before the altar and then return to the house. Erec was +eager for the battle; so he asks for arms, and they are given to +him. The maiden herself puts on his arms (though she casts no +spell or charm), (11) laces on his iron greaves, and makes them +fast with thong of deer-hide. She puts on his hauberk with its +strong meshes, and laces on his ventail. The gleaming helmet she +sets upon his head, and thus arms him well from tip to toe. At +his side she fastens his sword, and then orders his horse to be +brought, which is done. Up he jumped clear of the ground. The +damsel then brings the shield and the strong lance: she hands him +the shield, and he takes it and hangs it about his neck by the +strap. She places the lance in his hand, and when he had grasped +it by the butt-end, he thus addressed the gentle vavasor: "Fair +sire," quoth he, "if you please, make your daughter ready now; +for I wish to escort her to the sparrow-hawk in accordance with +our agreement." The vavasor then without delay had saddled a bay +palfrey. There can nothing be said of the harness because of the +dire poverty with which the vavasor was afflicted. Saddle and +bridle were put on, and up the maiden mounted all free and in +light attire, without waiting to be urged. Erec wished to delay +no longer; so off he starts with the host's daughter by his side, +followed by the gentleman and his lady. + +(Vv. 747-862.) Erec rides with lance erect and with the comely +damsel by his side. All the people, great and small, gaze at +them with wondering eyes as they pass through the streets. And +thus they question each other: "Who is yonder knight? He must be +doughty and brave, indeed, to act as escort for this fair maid. +His efforts will be well employed in proving that this damsel is +the fairest of them all." One man to another says: "In very +truth, she ought to have the sparrow-hawk." Some praised the +maid, while many said: "God! who can this knight be, with the +fair damsel by his side?" "I know not." "Nor I." Thus spake +each one. "But his gleaming helmet becomes him well, and the +hauberk, and shield, and his sharp steel sword. He sits well +upon his steed and has the bearing of a valiant vassal, well- +shapen in arm, in limb and foot." While all thus stand and gaze +at them, they for their part made no delay to take their stand by +the sparrow-hawk, where to one side they awaited the knight. And +now behold! they see him come, attended by his dwarf and his +damsel. He had heard the report, that a knight had come who +wished to obtain the sparrow-hawk, but he did not believe there +could be in the world a knight so bold as to dare to fight with +him. He would quickly defeat him and lay him low. All the +people knew him well, and all welcome him and escort him in a +noisy crowd: knights, squires, ladies, and damsels make haste to +run after him. Leading them all the knight rides proudly on, +with his damsel and his dwarf at his side, and he makes his way +quickly to the sparrow-hawk. But all about there was such a +press of the rough and vulgar crowd that it was impossible to +touch the hawk or to come near where it was. Then the Count +arrived on the scene, and threatened the populace with a switch +which he held in his hand. The crowd drew back, and the knight +advanced and said quietly to his lady: "My lady, this bird, which +is so perfectly moulted and so fair, should be yours as your just +portion; for you are wondrous fair and full of charm. Yours it +shall surely be so long as I live. Step forward, my dear, and +lift the hawk from the perch." The damsel was on the point of +stretching forth her hand when Erec hastened to challenge her, +little heeding the other's arrogance. "Damsel," he cries, "stand +back! Go dally with some other bird, for to this one you have no +right. In spite of all, I say this hawk shall never be yours. +For a better one than you claims it--aye, much more fair and +more courteous." The other knight is very wroth; but Erec does +not mind him, and bids his own maiden step forward. "Fair one." +he cries, "come forth. Lift the bird from the perch, for it is +right that you should have it. Damsel, come forth! For I will +make boast to defend it if any one is so bold as to intervene. +For no woman excels you in beauty or worth, in grace or honour +any more than the moon outshines the sun." The other could +suffer it no longer, when he hears him so manfully offer himself +to do battle. "Vassal," he cries, "who art thou who dost thus +dispute with me the hawk?" Erec boldly answers him: "A knight I +am from another land. This hawk I have come to obtain; for it is +right, I say it in spite of all, that this damsel of mine should +have it." "Away!" cries the other, "it shall never be. Madness +has brought thee here. If thou dost wish to have the hawk, thou +shalt pay fight dearly for it." "Pay, vassal; and how?" "Thou +must fight with me, if thou dost not resign it to me." "You talk +madness," cries Erec; "for me these are idle threats; for little +enough do I fear you." "Then I defy thee here and now. The +battle is inevitable." Erec replies: "God help me now; for never +did I wish for aught so much." Now soon you will hear the noise +of battle. + +(Vv. 863-1080.) The large place was cleared, with the people +gathered all around. They draw off from each other the space of +an acre, then drive their horses together; they reach for each +other with the tips of their lances, and strike each other so +hard that the shields are pierced and broken; the lances split +and crack; the saddle-bows are knocked to bits behind. They must +needs lose their stirrups, so that they both fall to the ground, +and the horses run off across the field. Though smitten with the +lances, they are quickly on their feet again, and draw their +swords from the scabbards. With great fierceness they attack +each other, and exchange great sword blows, so that the helmets +are crushed and made to ring. Fierce is the clash of the swords, +as they rain great blows upon neck and shoulders. For this is no +mere sport: they break whatever they touch, cutting the shields +and shattering the hauberks. The swords are red with crimson +blood. Long the battle lasts; but they fight so lustily that +they become weary and listless. Both the damsels are in tears, +and each knight sees his lady weep and raise her hands to God and +pray that He may give the honours of the battle to the one who +strives for her. "Ha! vassal," quoth the knight to Erec, "let +us withdraw and rest a little; for too weak are these blows we +deal. We must deal better blows than these; for now it draws +near evening. It is shameful and highly discreditable that this +battle should last so long. See yonder that gentle maid who +weeps for thee and calls on God. Full sweetly she prays for +thee, as does also mine for me. Surely we should do our best +with our blades of steel for the sake of our lady-loves." Erec +replies: "You have spoken well." Then they take a little rest, +Erec looking toward his lady as she softly prays for him. While +he sat and looked on her, great strength was recruited within +him. Her love and beauty inspired him with great boldness. He +remembered the Queen, to whom he pledged his word that he would +avenge the insult done him, or would make it greater yet. "Ah! +wretch," says he, "why do I wait? I have not yet taken vengeance +for the injury which this vassal permitted when his dwarf struck +me in the wood." His anger is revived within him as he summons +the knight: "Vassal," quoth he, "I call you to battle anew. Too +long we have rested; let us now renew our strife." And he +replies: "That is no hardship to me." Whereupon, they again +fall upon each other. They were both expert fencers. At his +first lunge the knight would have wounded Erec had he not +skilfully parried. Even so, he smote him so hard over the shield +beside his temple that he struck a piece from his helmet. +Closely shaving his white coif, the sword descends, cleaving the +shield through to the buckle, and cutting more than a span from +the side of his hauberk. Then he must have been well stunned, as +the cold steel penetrated to the flesh on his thigh. May God +protect him now! If the blow had not glanced off, it would have +cut right through his body. But Erec is in no wise dismayed: he +pays him back what is owing him, and. attacking him boldly, +smites him upon the shoulder so violently a blow that the shield +cannot withstand it, nor is the hauberk of any use to prevent the +sword from penetrating to the bone. He made the crimson blood +flow down to his waist-band. Both of the vassals are hard +fighters: they fight with honours even, for one cannot gain from +the other a single foot of ground. Their hauberks are so torn +and their shields so hacked, that there is actually not enough of +them left to serve as a protection. So they fight all exposed. +Each one loses a deal of blood, and both grow weak. He strikes +Erec and Erec strikes him. Erec deals him such a tremendous blow +upon the helmet that he quite stuns him. Then he lets him have +it again and again, giving him three blows in quick succession, +which entirely split the helmet and cut the coif beneath it. The +sword even reaches the skull and cuts a bone of his head, but +without penetrating the brain. He stumbles and totters, and +while he staggers, Erec pushes him over, so that he falls upon +his right side. Erec grabs him by the helmet and forcibly drags +it from his head, and unlaces the ventail, so that his head and +face are completely exposed. When Erec thinks of the insult done +him by the dwarf in the wood, he would have cut off his head, had +he not cried for mercy. "Ah! vassal," says he, "thou hast +defeated me. Mercy now, and do not kill me, after having +overcome me and taken me prisoner: that would never bring thee +praise or glory. If thou shouldst touch me more, thou wouldst do +great villainy. Take here my sword; I yield it thee." Erec, +however, does not take it, but says in reply: "I am within an ace +of killing thee." "Ah! gentle knight, mercy! For what crime, +indeed, or for what wrong shouldst thou hate me with mortal +hatred? I never saw thee before that I am aware, and never have +I been engaged in doing thee any shame or wrong." Erec replies: +"Indeed you have." "Ah, sire, tell me when! For I never saw +you, that I can remember, and if I have done you any wrong, I +place myself at your mercy." Then Erec said: "Vassal, I am he +who was in the forest yesterday with Queen Guinevere, when thou +didst allow thy ill-bred dwarf to strike my lady's damsel. It is +disgraceful to strike a woman. And afterwards he struck me, +taking me for some common fellow. Thou wast guilty of too great +insolence when thou sawest such an outrage and didst complacently +permit such a monster of a lout to strike the damsel and myself. +For such a crime I may well hate thee; for thou hast committed a +grave offence. Thou shalt now constitute thyself my prisoner, +and without delay go straight to my lady whom thou wilt surely +find at Cardigan, if thither thou takest thy way. Thou wilt +reach there this very night, for it is not seven leagues from +here, I think. Thou shalt hand over to her thyself, thy damsel, +and thy dwarf, to do as she may dictate; and tell her that I send +her word that to-morrow I shall come contented, bringing with me +a damsel so fair and wise and fine that in all the world she has +not her match. So much thou mayst tell her truthfully. And now +I wish to know thy name." Then he must needs say in spite of +himself: "Sire, my name is Yder, son of Nut. This morning I had +not thought that any single man by force of arms could conquer +me. Now I have found by experience a man who is better than I. +You are a very valiant knight, and I pledge you my faith here and +now that I will go without delay and put myself in the Queen's +hands. But tell me without reserve what your name may be. Who +shall I say it is that sends me? For I am ready to start." And +he replies: "My name I will tell thee without disguise: it is +Erec. Go, and tell her that it is I who have sent thee to her." +"Now I'll go, and I promise you that I will put my dwarf, my +damsel, and myself altogether at her disposal (you need have no +fear), and I will give her news of you and of your damsel." Then +Erec received his plighted word, and the Count and all the people +round about the ladies and the gentlemen were present at the +agreement. Some were joyous, and some downcast; some were sorry, +and others glad. The most rejoiced for the sake of the damsel +with the white raiment, the daughter of the poor vavasor she of +the gentle and open heart; but his damsel and those who were +devoted to him were sorry for Yder. + +(Vv. 1081-1170.) Yder, compelled to execute his promise, did not +wish to tarry longer, but mounted his steed at once. But why +should I make a long story? Taking his dwarf and his damsel, +they traversed the woods and the plain, going on straight until +they came to Cardigan. In the bower (12) outside the great hall, +Gawain and Kay the seneschal and a great number of other lords +were gathered. The seneschal was the first to espy those +approaching, and said to my lord Gawain: "Sire, my heart divines +that the vassal who yonder comes is he of whom the Queen spoke as +having yesterday done her such an insult. If I am not mistaken, +there are three in the party, for I see the dwarf and the +damsel." "That is so," says my lord Gawain; "it is surely a +damsel and a dwarf who are coming straight toward us with the +knight. The knight himself is fully armed, but his shield is not +whole. If the Queen should see him, she would know him. Hello, +seneschal, go call her now!" So he went straightway and found +her in one of the apartments. "My lady," says he, "do you +remember the dwarf who yesterday angered you by wounding your +damsel?" "Yes, I remember him right well. Seneschal, have you +any news o him? Why have you mentioned him?" "Lady, because I +have seen a knight-errant armed coming upon a grey horse, and if +my eyes have not deceived me, I saw a damsel with him; and it +seems to me that with him comes the dwarf, who still holds the +scourge from which Erec received his lashing." Then the Queen +rose quickly and said: "Let us go quickly, seneschal, to see if +it is the vassal. If it is he, you may be sure that I shall tell +you so, as soon as I see him." And Kay said: "I will show him to +you. Come up into the bower where your knights are assembled. +It was from there we saw him coming, and my lord Gawain himself +awaits you there. My lady, let us hasten thither, for here we +have too long delayed." Then the Queen bestirred herself, and +coming to the windows she took her stand by my lord Gawain, and +straightway recognised the knight. "Ha! my lords," she cries, +"it is he. He has been through great danger. He has been in a +battle. I do not know whether Erec has avenged his grief, or +whether this knight has defeated Erec. But there is many a dent +upon his shield, and his hauberk is covered with blood, so that +it is rather red than white." "In sooth, my lady," quoth my lord +Gawain, "I am very sure that you are quite right. His hauberk is +covered with blood, and pounded and beaten, showing plainly that +he has been in a fight. We can easily see that the battle has +been hot. Now we shall soon hear from him news that will give us +joy or gloom: whether Erec sends him to you here as a prisoner at +your discretion, or whether he comes in pride of heart to boast +before us arrogantly that he has defeated or killed Erec. No +other news can he bring, I think." The Queen says: "I am of the +same opinion." And all the others say: "It may well be so." + +(Vv. 1171-1243.) Meanwhile Yder enters the castle gate, bringing +them news. They all came down from the bower, and went to meet +him. Yder came up to the royal terrace and there dismounted from +his horse. And Gawain took the damsel and helped her down from +her palfrey; the dwarf, for his part, dismounted too. There were +more than one hundred knights standing there, and when the three +newcomers had all dismounted they were led into the King's +presence. As soon as Yder saw the Queen, he bowed low and first +saluted her, then the King and his knights, and said: "Lady, I am +sent here as your prisoner by a gentleman, a valiant and noble +knight, whose face yesterday my dwarf made smart with his knotted +scourge. He has overcome me at arms and defeated me. Lady, the +dwarf I bring you here: he has come to surrender to you at +discretion. I bring you myself, my damsel, and my dwarf to do +with us as you please." The Queen keeps her peace no longer, but +asks him for news of Erec: "Tell me," she says, "if you please, +do you know when Erec will arrive?" "To-morrow, lady, and with +him a damsel he will bring, the fairest of all I ever knew." +When he had delivered his message, the Queen, who was kind and +sensible, said to him courteously: "Friend, since thou hast +thrown thyself upon my mercy, thy confinement shall be less +harsh; for I have no desire to seek thy harm. But tell me now, +so help thee God, what is thy name?" And he replies: "Lady, my +name is Yder, son of Nut." And they knew that he told the truth. +Then the Queen arose, and going before the King, said: "Sire, did +you hear? You have done well to wait for Erec, the valiant +knight. I gave you good advice yesterday, when I counselled you +to await his return. This proves that it is wise to take +advice." The King replies: "That is no lie; rather is it +perfectly true that he who takes advice is no fool. Happily we +followed your advice yesterday. But if you care anything for me, +release this knight from his durance, provided he consent to join +henceforth my household and court; and if he does not consent, +let him suffer the consequence." When the King had thus spoken, +the Queen straightway released the knight; but it was on this +condition, that he should remain in the future at the court. He +did not have to be urged before he gave his consent to stay. Now +he was of the court and household to which he had not before +belonged. Then valets were at hand to run and relieve him of his +arms. + +(Vv. 1244-1319.) Now we must revert to Erec, whom we left in the +field where the battle had taken place. Even Tristan, when he +slew fierce Morhot on Saint Samson's isle (13), awakened no such +jubilee as they celebrated here over Erec. Great and small, thin +and stout--all make much of him and praise his knighthood. +There is not a knight but cries: "Lord what a vassal! Under +Heaven there is not his like!" They follow him to his lodgings, +praising him and talking much. Even the Count himself embraces +him, who above the rest was glad, and said: "Sire, if you please, +you ought by right to lodge in my house, since you are the son of +King Lac. If you would accept of my hospitality you would do me +a great honour, for I regard you as my liege. Fair sire, may it +please you, I beg you to lodge with me." Erec answers: "May it +not displease you, but I shall not desert my host to-night, who +has done me much honour in giving me his daughter. What say you, +sir? Is it not a fair and precious gift?" "Yes, sire," the +Count replies; "the gift, in truth, is fine and good. The maid +herself is fair and clever, and besides is of very noble birth. +You must know that her mother is my sister. Surely, I am glad at +heart that you should deign to take my niece. Once more I beg +you to lodge with me this night." Erec replies: "Ask me no more. +I will not do it." Then the Count saw that further insistence +was useless, and said: "Sire, as it please you! We may as well +say no more about it; but I and my knights will all be with you +to-night to cheer you and bear you company." When Erec heard +that, he thanked him, and returned to his host's dwelling, with +the Count attending him. Ladies and knights were gathered there, +and the vavasor was glad at heart. As soon as Erec arrived, more +than a score of squires ran quickly to remove his arms. Any one +who was present in that house could have witnessed a happy scene. +Erec went first and took his seat; then all the others in order +sit down upon the couches, the cushions, and benches. At Erec's +side the Count sat down, and the damsel with her radiant face, +who was feeding the much disputed hawk upon her wrist with a +plover's wing. (14) Great honour and joy and prestige had she +gained that day, and she was very glad at heart both for the bird +and for her lord. She could not have been happier, and showed it +plainly, making no secret of her joy. All could see how gay she +was, and throughout the house there was great rejoicing for the +happiness of the maid they loved. + +(Vv. 1320-1352.) Erec thus addressed the vavasor: "Fair host, +fair friend, fair sire! You have done me great honour, and +richly shall it be repaid you. To-morrow I shall take away your +daughter with me to the King's court, where I wish to take her as +my wife; and if you will tarry here a little, I shall send +betimes to fetch you. I shall have you escorted into the country +which is my father's now, but which later will be mine. It is +far from here--by no means near. There I shall give you two +towns, very splendid, rich, and fine. You shall be lord of +Roadan, which was built in the time of Adam, and of another town +close by, which is no less valuable. The people call it +Montrevel, and my father owns no better town. (15) And before +the third day has passed, I shall send you plenty of gold and +silver, of dappled and grey furs, and precious silken stuffs +wherewith to adorn yourself and your wife my dear lady. +To-morrow at dawn I wish to take your daughter to court, dressed +and arrayed as she is at present. I wish my lady, the Queen, to +dress her in her best dress of satin and scarlet cloth." + +(Vv. 1353-1478.) There was a maiden near at hand, very +honourable, prudent, and virtuous. She was seated on a bench +beside the maid with the white shift, and was her own cousin the +niece of my lord the Count. When she heard how Erec intended to +take her cousin in such very poor array to the Queen's court, she +spoke about it to the Count. "Sire," she says, "it would be a +shame to you more than to any one else if this knight should take +your niece away with him in such sad array." And the Count made +answer: "Gentle niece, do you give her the best of your dresses." +But Erec heard the conversation, and said: "By no means, my lord. +For be assured that nothing in the world would tempt me to let +her have another robe until the Queen shall herself bestow it +upon her." When the damsel heard this, she replied: "Alas! fair +sire, since you insist upon leading off my cousin thus dressed in +a white shift and chemise, and since you are determined that she +shall have none of my dresses, a different gift I wish to make +her. I have three good palfreys, as good as any of king or +count, one sorrel, one dappled, and the other black with white +forefeet. Upon my word, if you had a hundred to pick from, you +would not find a better one than the dappled mount. The birds in +the air do not fly more swiftly than the palfrey; and he is not +too lively, but just suits a lady. A child can ride him, for he +is neither skittish nor balky, nor does he bite nor kick nor +become unmanageable. Any one who is looking for something better +does not know what he wants. And his pace is so easy and gentle +that a body is more comfortable and easy on his back than in a +boat." Then said Erec: "My dear, I have no objection to her +accepting this gift; indeed, I am pleased with the offer, and do +not wish her to refuse it." Then the damsel calls one of her +trusty servants, and says to him: "Go, friend, saddle my dappled +palfrey, and lead him here at once." And he carries out her +command: he puts on saddle and bridle and strives to make him +appear well. Then he jumps on the maned palfrey, which is now +ready for inspection. When Erec saw the animal, he did not spare +his praise, for he could see that he was very fine and gentle. +So he bade a servant lead him back and hitch him in the stable +beside his own horse. Then they all separated, after an evening +agreeably spent. The Count goes off to his own dwelling, and +leaves Erec with the vavasor, saying that he will bear him +company in the morning when he leaves. All that night they slept +well. In the morning, when the dawn was bright, Erec prepares to +start, commanding his horses to be saddled. His fair sweetheart, +too, awakes, dresses, and makes ready. The vavasor and his wife +rise too, and every knight and lady there prepares to escort the +damsel and the knight. Now they are all on horseback, and the +Count as well. Erec rides beside the Count, having beside him +his sweetheart ever mindful of her hawk. Having no other riches, +she plays with her hawk. Very merry were they as they rode +along; but when the time came to part, the Count wished to send +along with Erec a party of his knights to do him honour by +escorting him. But he announced that none should bide with him, +and that he wanted no company but that of the damsel. Then, when +they had accompanied them some distance, he said: "In God's name, +farewell!" Then the Count kisses Erec and his niece, and +commends them both to merciful God. Her father and mother, too, +kiss them again and again, and could not keep back their tears: +at parting, the mother weeps, the father and the daughter too. +For such is love and human nature, and such is affection between +parents and children. They wept from sorrow, tenderness, and +love which they had for their child; yet they knew full well that +their daughter was to fill a place from which great honour would +accrue to them. They shed tears of love and pity when they +separated from their daughter, but they had no other cause to +weep. They knew well enough that eventually they would receive +great honour from her marriage. So at parting many a tear was +shed, as weeping they commend one another to God, and thus +separate without more delay. + +(Vv. 1479-1690.) Erec quit his host; for he was very anxious to +reach the royal court. In his adventure he took great +satisfaction; for now he had a lady passing fair, discreet, +courteous, and debonair. He could not look at her enough: for +the more he looks at her, the more she pleases him. He cannot +help giving her a kiss. He is happy to ride by her side, and it +does him good to look at her. Long he gazes at her fair hair, +her laughing eyes, and her radiant forehead, her nose, her face, +and mouth, for all of which gladness fills his heart. He gazes +upon her down to the waist, at her chin and her snowy neck, her +bosom and sides, her arms and hands. But no less the damsel +looks at the vassal with a clear eye and loyal heart, as if they +were in competition. They would not have ceased to survey each +other even for promise of a reward! A perfect match they were in +courtesy, beauty, and gentleness. And they were so alike in +quality, manner, and customs, that no one wishing to tell the +truth could choose the better of them, nor the fairer, nor the +more discreet. Their sentiments, too, were much alike; so that +they were well suited to each other. Thus each steals the +other's heart away. Law or marriage never brought together two +such sweet creatures. And so they rode along until just on the +stroke of noon they approached the castle of Cardigan, where they +were both expected. Some of the first nobles of the court had +gone up to look from the upper windows and see if they could see +them. Queen Guinevere ran up, and even the King came with Kay +and Perceval of Wales, and with them my lord Gawain and Tor, the +son of King Ares; Lucan the cupbearer was there, too, and many +another doughty knight. Finally, they espied Erec coming along +in company with his lady. They all knew him well enough from as +far as they could see him. The Queen is greatly pleased, and +indeed the whole court is glad of his coming, because they all +love him so. As soon as he was come before the entrance hall, +the King and Queen go down to meet him, all greeting him in God's +name. They welcome Erec and his maiden, commending and praising +her great beauty. And the King himself caught her and lifted her +down from her palfrey. The King was decked in fine array and was +then in cheery mood. He did signal honour to the damsel by +taking her hand and leading her up into the great stone hall. +After them Erec and the Queen also went up hand in hand, and he +said to her: "I bring you, lady, my damsel and my sweetheart +dressed in poor garb. As she was given to me, so have I brought +her to you. She is the daughter of a poor vavasor. Through +poverty many an honourable man is brought low: her father, for +instance, is gentle and courteous, but he has little means. And +her mother is a very gentle lady, the sister of a rich Count. +She has no lack of beauty or of lineage, that I should not marry +her. It is poverty that has compelled her to wear this white +linen garment until both sleeves are torn at the side. And yet, +had it been my desire, she might have had dresses rich enough. +For another damsel, a cousin of hers, wished to give her a robe +of ermine and of spotted or grey silk. But I would not have her +dressed in any other robe until you should have seen her. Gentle +lady, consider the matter now and see what need she has of a fine +becoming gown." And the Queen at once replies: "You have done +quite right; it is fitting that she should have one of my gowns, +and I will give her straightway a rich, fair gown, both fresh and +new." The Queen then hastily took her off to her own private +room, and gave orders to bring quickly the fresh tunic and the +greenish-purple mantle, embroidered with little crosses, which +had been made for herself. The one who went at her behest came +bringing to her the mantle and the tunic, which was lined with +white ermine even to the sleeves. At the wrists and on the neck- +band there was in truth more than half a mark's weight of beaten +gold, and everywhere set in the gold there were precious stones +of divers colours, indigo and green, blue and dark brown. This +tunic was very rich, but not a writ less precious, I trow, was +the mantle. As yet, there were no ribbons on it; for the mantle +like the tunic was brand new. The mantle was very rich and fine: +laid about the neck were two sable skins, and in the tassels +there was more than an ounce of gold; on one a hyacinth, and on +the other a ruby flashed more bright than burning candle. The +fur lining was of white ermine; never was finer seen or found. +The cloth was skilfully embroidered with little crosses, all +different, indigo, vermilion, dark blue, white, green, blue, and +yellow. The Queen called for some ribbons four ells long, made +of silken thread and gold. The ribbons are given to her, +handsome and well matched. Quickly she had them fastened to the +mantle by some one who knew how to do it, and who was master of +the art. When the mantle needed no more touches, the gay and +gentle lady clasped the maid with the white gown and said to her +cheerily: "Mademoiselle, you must change this frock for this +tunic which is worth more than a hundred marks of silver. So +much I wish to bestow upon you. And put on this mantle, too. +Another time I will give you more." Not able to refuse the gift, +she takes the robe and thanks her for it. Then two maids took +her aside into a room, where she took off her frock as being of +no further value; but she asked and requested that it be given +away (to some poor woman) for the love of God. Then she dons the +tunic, and girds herself, binding on tightly a golden belt, and +afterwards puts on the mantle. Now she looked by no means ill; +for the dress became her so well that it made her look more +beautiful than ever. The two maids wove a gold thread in amongst +her golden hair: but her tresses were more radiant than the +thread of gold, fine though it was. The maids, moreover, wove a +fillet of flowers of many various colours and placed it upon her +head. They strove as best they might to adorn her in such wise +that no fault should be found with her attire. Strung upon a +ribbon around her neck, a damsel hung two brooches of enamelled +gold. Now she looked so charming and fair that I do not believe +that you could find her equal in any land, search as you might, +so skilfully had Nature wrought in her. Then she stepped out of +the dressing-room into the Queen's presence. The Queen made much +of her, because she liked her and was glad that she was beautiful +and had such gentle manners. They took each other by the hand +and passed into the King's presence. And when the King saw them, +he got up to meet them. When they came into the great hall, +there were so many knights there who rose before them that I +cannot call by name the tenth part of them, or the thirteenth, or +the fifteenth. But I can tell you the names of some of the best +of the knights who belonged to the Round Table and who were the +best in the world. + +(Vv. 1691-1750.) Before all the excellent knights, Gawain ought +to be named the first, and second Erec the son of Lac, and third +Lancelot of the Lake. (16) Gornemant of Gohort was fourth, and +the fifth was the Handsome Coward. The sixth was the Ugly Brave, +the seventh Meliant of Liz, the eighth Mauduit the Wise, and the +ninth Dodinel the Wild. Let Gandelu be named the tenth, for he +was a goodly man. The others I shall mention without order, +because the numbers bother me. Eslit was there with Briien, and +Yvain the son of Uriien. And Yvain of Loenel was there, as well +as Yvain the Adulterer. Beside Yvain of Cavaliot was Garravain +of Estrangot. After the Knight with the Horn was the Youth with +the Golden Ring. And Tristan who never laughed sat beside +Bliobleheris, and beside Brun of Piciez was his brother Gru the +Sullen. The Armourer sat next, who preferred war to peace. Next +sat Karadues the Shortarmed, a knight of good cheer; and Caveron +of Robendic, and the son of King Quenedic and the Youth of +Quintareus and Yder of the Dolorous Mount. Gaheriet and Kay of +Estraus, Amauguin and Gales the Bald, Grain, Gornevain, and +Carabes, and Tor the son of King Aras, Girflet the son of Do, and +Taulas, who never wearied of arms: and a young man of great +merit, Loholt the son of King Arthur, (17) and Sagremor the +Impetuous, who should not be forgotten, nor Bedoiier the Master +of the Horse, who was skilled at chess and trictrac, nor Bravain, +nor King Lot, nor Galegantin of Wales, nor Gronosis, versed in +evil, who was son of Kay the Seneschal, nor Labigodes the +Courteous, nor Count Cadorcaniois. nor Letron of Prepelesant, +whose manners were so excellent, nor Breon the son of Canodan, +nor the Count of Honolan who had such a head of fine fair hair; +he it was who received the King's horn in an evil day; (18) he +never had any care for truth. + +(Vv. 1751-1844.) When the stranger maiden saw all the knights +arrayed looking steadfastly at her, she bowed her head in +embarrassment; nor was it strange that her face blushed all +crimson. But her confusion was so becoming to her that she +looked all the more lovely. When the King saw that she was +embarrassed, he did not wish to leave her side. Taking her +gently by the hand, he made her sit down on his right hand; and +on his left sat the Queen, speaking thus to the King the while. +"Sire, in my opinion he who can win such a fair lady by his arms +in another land ought by right to come to a royal court. It was +well we waited for Erec; for now you can bestow the kiss upon the +fairest of the court. I should think none would find fault with +you! for none can say, unless he lie, that this maiden is not +the most charming of all the damsels here, or indeed in all the +world." The King makes answer: "That is no lie; and upon her, if +there is no remonstrance, I shall bestow the honour of the White +Stag." Then he added to the knights: "My lords, what say you? +What is your opinion? In body, in face, and in whatever a maid +should have, this one is the most charming and beautiful to be +found, as I may say, before you come to where Heaven and earth +meet. I say it is meet that she should receive the honour of the +Stag. And you, my lords, what do you think about it? Can you +make any objection? If any one wishes to protest, let him +straightway speak his mind. I am King, and must keep my word and +must not permit any baseness, falsity, or arrogance. I must +maintain truth and righteousness. It is the business of a loyal +king to support the law, truth, faith, and justice. I would not +in any wise commit a disloyal deed or wrong to either weak or +strong. It is not meet that any one should complain of me; nor +do I wish the custom and the practice to lapse, which my family +has been wont to foster. You, too, would doubtless regret to see +me strive to introduce other customs and other laws than those my +royal sire observed. Regardless of consequences, I am bound to +keep and maintain the institution of my father Pendragon, who was +a just king and emperor. Now tell me fully what you think! Let +none be slow to speak his mind, if this damsel is not the fairest +of my household and ought not by right to receive the kiss of the +White Stag: I wish to know what you truly think." Then they all +cry with one accord: "Sire, by the Lord and his Cross! you may +well kiss her with good reason, for she is the fairest one there +is. In this damsel there is more beauty than there is of +radiance in the sun. You may kiss her freely, for we all agree +in sanctioning it." When the King hears that this is well +pleasing to them all, he will no longer delay in bestowing the +kiss, but turns toward her and embraces her. The maid was +sensible, and perfectly willing that the King should kiss her; +she would have been discourteous, indeed, to resent it. In +courteous fashion and in the presence of all his knights the King +kissed her, and said: "My dear. I give you my love in all +honesty. I will love you with true heart, without malice and +without guile." By this adventure the King carried out the +practice and the usage to which the White Stag was entitled at +his court. + +Here ends the first part of my story. (19) + +(Vv. 1845-1914.) When the kiss of the Stag was taken according +to the custom of the country, Erec, like a polite and kind man, +was solicitous for his poor host. It was not his intention to +fail to execute what he had promised. Hear how he kept his +covenant: for he sent him now five sumpter mules, strong and +sleek, loaded with dresses and clothes, buckrams and scarlets, +marks of gold and silver plate, furs both vair and grey, skins of +sable, purple stuffs, and silks. When the mules were loaded with +all that a gentleman can need, he sent with them an escort of ten +knights and sergeants chosen from his own men, and straightly +charged them to salute his host and show great honour both to him +and to his lady, as if it were to himself in person; and when +they should have presented to them the sumpters which they +brought them, the gold, the silver, and money, and all the other +furnishings which were in the boxes, they should escort the lady +and the vavasor with great honour into his kingdom of Farther +Wales. (20) Two towns there he had promised them, the most +choice and the best situated that there were in all his land, +with nothing to fear from attack. Montrevel was the name of one, +and the other's name was Roadan. When they should arrive in his +kingdom, they should make over to them these two towns, together +with their rents and their jurisdiction, in accordance with what +he had promised them. All was carried out as Erec had ordered. +The messengers made no delay, and in good time they presented to +his host the gold and the silver and the sumpters and the robes +and the money, of which there was great plenty. They escorted +them into Erec's kingdom, and strove to serve them well. They +came into the country on the third day, and transferred to them +the towers of the towns; for King Lac made no objection. He gave +them a warm welcome and showed them honour, loving them for the +sake of his son Erec. He made over to them the title to the +towns, and established their suzerainty by making knights and +bourgeois swear that they would reverence them as their true +liege lords. When this was done and accomplished, the messengers +returned to their lord Erec, who received them gladly. When he +asked for news of the vavasor and his lady, of his own father and +of his kingdom, the report they gave him was good and fair. + +(Vv. 1915-2024.) Not long after this, the time drew near when +Erec was to celebrate his marriage. The delay was irksome to +him, and he resolved no longer to suffer and wait. So he went +and asked of the King that it might please him to allow him to be +married at the court. The King vouchsafed him the boon, and sent +through all his kingdom to search for the kings and counts who +were his liege-men, bidding them that none be so bold as not to +be present at Pentecost. None dares to hold back and not go to +court at the King's summons. Now I will tell you, and listen +well, who were these counts and kings. With a rich escort and +one hundred extra mounts Count Brandes of Gloucester came. After +him came Menagormon, who was Count of Clivelon. And he of the +Haute Montagne came with a very rich following. The Count of +Treverain came, too, with a hundred of his knights, and Count +Godegrain with as many more. Along with those whom I have just +mentioned came Maheloas, a great baron, lord of the Isle of +Voirre. In this island no thunder is heard, no lightning +strikes, nor tempests rage, nor do toads or serpents exist there, +nor is it ever too hot or too cold. (21) Graislemier of Fine +Posterne brought twenty companions, and had with him his brother +Guigomar, lord of the Isle of Avalon. Of the latter we have +heard it said that he was a friend of Morgan the Fay, and such he +was in very truth. Davit of Tintagel came, who never suffered +woe or grief. Guergesin, the Duke of Haut Bois, came with a very +rich equipment. There was no lack of counts and dukes, but of +kings there were still more. Garras of Cork, a doughty king, was +there with five hundred knights clad in mantles, hose, and tunics +of brocade and silk. Upon a Cappadocian steed came Aguisel, the +Scottish king, and brought with him his two sons, Cadret and Coi +-- two much respected knights. Along with those whom I have +named came King Ban of Gomeret, and he had in his company only +young men, beardless as yet on chin and lip. A numerous and gay +band he brought two hundred of them in his suite; and there was +none, whoever he be, but had a falcon or tercel, a merlin or a +sparrow-hawk, or some precious pigeon-hawk, golden or mewed. +Kerrin, the old King of Riel, brought no youth, but rather three +hundred companions of whom the youngest was seven score years +old. Because of their great age, their heads were all as white +as snow, and their beards reached down to their girdles. Arthur +held them in great respect. The lord of the dwarfs came next, +Bilis, the king of Antipodes. This king of whom I speak was a +dwarf himself and own brother of Brien. Bilis, on the one hand, +was the smallest of all the dwarfs, while his brother Brien was a +half-foot or full palm taller than any other knight in the +kingdom. To display his wealth and power, Bilis brought with him +two kings who were also dwarfs and who were vassals of his, +Grigoras and Glecidalan. Every one looked at them as marvels. +When they had arrived at court, they were treated with great +esteem. All three were honoured and served at the court like +kings, for they were very perfect gentlemen. In brief, when King +Arthur saw all his lords assembled, his heart was glad. Then, to +heighten the joy, he ordered a hundred squires to be bathed whom +he wished to dub knights. There was none of them but had a +parti-coloured robe of rich brocade of Alexandria, each one +choosing such as pleased his fancy. All had arms of a uniform +pattern, and horses swift and full of mettle, of which the worst +was worth a hundred livres. + +(Vv. 2025-2068.) When Erec received his wife, he must needs call +her by her right name. For a wife is not espoused unless she is +called by her proper name. As yet no one knew her name, but now +for the first time it was made known: Enide was her baptismal +name. (22) The Archbishop of Canterbury, who had come to the +court, blessed them, as is his right. When the court was all +assembled, there was not a minstrel in the countryside who +possessed any pleasing accomplishment that did not come to the +court. In the great hall there was much merry-making, each one +contributing what he could to the entertainment: one jumps, +another tumbles, another does magic; there is story-telling, +singing, whistling, playing from notes; they play on the harp, +the rote, the fiddle, the violin, the flute, and pipe. The +maidens sing and dance, and outdo each other in the merry-making. +At the wedding that day everything was done which can give joy +and incline man's heart to gladness. Drums are beaten, large and +small, and there is playing of pipes, fifes, horns, trumpets, and +bagpipes. What more shall I say? There was not a wicket or a +gate kept closed; but the exits and entrances all stood ajar, so +that no one, poor or rich, was turned away. King Arthur was not +miserly, but gave orders to the bakers, the cooks, and the +butlers that they should serve every one generously with bread, +wine, and venison. No one asked anything whatever to be passed +to him without getting all he desired. + +(Vv. 2069-2134.) There was great merriment in the palace. But I +will pass over the rest, and you shall hear of the joy and +pleasure in the bridal chamber. Bishops and archbishops were +there on the night when the bride and groom retired. At this +their first meeting, Iseut was not filched away, nor was Brangien +put in her place. (23) The Queen herself took charge of their +preparations for the night; for both of them were dear to her. +The hunted stag which pants for thirst does not so long for the +spring, nor does the hungry sparrow-hawk return so quickly when +he is called, as did these two come to hold each other in close +embrace. That night they had full compensation for their long +delay. After the chamber had been cleared, they allow each sense +to be gratified: the eyes, which are the entrance-way of love, +and which carry messages to the heart, take satisfaction in the +glance, for they rejoice in all they see; after the message of +the eyes comes the far surpassing sweetness of the kisses +inviting love; both of them make trial of this sweetness, and let +their hearts quaff so freely that hardly can they leave off. +Thus, kissing was their first sport. And the love which is +between them emboldened the maid and left her quite without her +fears; regardless of pain, she suffered all. Before she rose, +she no longer bore the name of maid; in the morning she was a +new-made dame. That day the minstrels were in happy mood, for +they were all well paid. They were fully compensated for the +entertainment they had given, and many a handsome gift was +bestowed upon them: robes of grey squirrel skin and ermine, of +rabbit skins and violet stuffs, scarlets and silken stuffs. +Whether it be a horse or money, each one got what he deserved +according to his skill. And thus the wedding festivities and the +court lasted almost a fortnight with great joy and magnificence. +For his own glory and satisfaction, as well as to honour Erec the +more, King Arthur made all the knights remain a full fortnight. +When the third week began, all together by common consent agreed +to hold a tournament. On the one side, my lord Gawain offered +himself as surety that it would take place between Evroic and +Tenebroc: and Meliz and Meliadoc were guarantors on the other +side. Then the court separated. + +(Vv. 2135-2292.) A month after Pentecost the tournament +assembled, and the jousting began in the plain below Tenebroc. +Many an ensign of red, blue, and white, many a veil and many a +sleeve were bestowed as tokens of love. Many a lance was carried +there, flying the colours argent and green, or gold and azure +blue. There were many, too, with different devices, some with +stripes and some with dots. That day one saw laced on many a +helmet of gold or steel, some green, some yellow, and others red, +all aglowing in the sun; so many scutcheons and white hauberks; +so many swords girt on the left side; so many good shields, fresh +and new, some resplendent in silver and green, others of azure +with buckles of gold; so many good steeds marked with white, or +sorrel, tawny, white, black, and bay: all gather hastily. And +now the field is quite covered with arms. On either side the +ranks tremble, and a roar rises from the fight. The shock of the +lances is very great. Lances break and shields are riddled, the +hauberks receive bumps and are torn asunder, saddles go empty and +horsemen ramble, while the horses sweat and foam. Swords are +quickly drawn on those who tumble noisily, and some run to +receive the promise of a ransom, others to stave off this +disgrace. Erec rode a white horse, and came forth alone at the +head of the line to joust, if he may find an opponent. From the +opposite side there rides out to meet him Orguelleus de la Lande, +mounted on an Irish steed which bears him along with marvellous +speed. On the shield before his breast Erec strikes him with +such force that he knocks him from his horse: he leaves him prone +and passes on. Then Raindurant opposed him, son of the old dame +of Tergalo, covered with blue cloth of silk; he was a knight of +great prowess. Against one another now they charge and deal +fierce blows on the shields about their neck. Erec from lance's +length lays him over on the hard ground. While riding back he +met the King of the Red City, who was very valiant and bold. +They grasp their reins by the knots and their shields by the +inner straps. They both had fine arms, and strong swift horses, +and good shields, fresh and new. With such fury they strike each +other that both their lances fly in splinters. Never was there +seen such a blow. They rush together with shields, arms, and +horses. But neither girth nor rein nor breast-strap could +prevent the king from coming to earth. So he flew from his +steed, carrying with him saddle and stirrup, and even the reins +of his bridle in his hand. All those who witnessed the jousting +were filled with amazement, and said it cost him dear to joust +with such a goodly knight. Erec did not wish to stop to capture +either horse or rider, but rather to joust and distinguish +himself in order that his prowess might appear. He thrills the +ranks in front of him. Gawain animates those who were on his +side by his prowess, and by winning horses and knights to the +discomfiture of his opponents. I speak of my lord Gawain, who +did right well and valiantly. In the fight he unhorsed Guincel, +and took Gaudin of the Mountain; he captured knights and horses +alike: my lord Gawain did well. Girtlet the son of Do, and +Yvain, and Sagremor the Impetuous, so evilly entreated their +adversaries that they drove them back to the gates, capturing and +unhorsing many of them. In front of the gate of the town the +strife began again between those within and those without. There +Sagremor was thrown down, who was a very gallant knight. He was +on the point of being detained and captured, when Erec spurs to +rescue him, breaking his lance into splinters upon one of the +opponents. So hard he strikes him on the breast that he made him +quit the saddle. Then he made of his sword and advances upon +them, crushing and splitting their helmets. Some flee, and +others make way before him, for even the boldest fears him. +Finally, he distributed so many blows and thrusts that he rescued +Sagremor from them, and drove them all in confusion into the +town. Meanwhile, the vesper hour drew to a close. Erec bore +himself so well that day that he was the best of the combatants. +But on the morrow he did much better yet: for he took so many +knights and left so many saddles empty that none could believe it +except those who had seen it. Every one on both sides said that +with his lance and shield he had won the honours of the +tournament. Now was Erec's renown so high that no one spoke save +of him, nor was any one of such goodly favour. In countenance he +resembled Absalom, in language he seemed a Solomon, in boldness +he equalled Samson, (24) and in generous giving and spending he +was the equal of Alexander. On his return from the tourney Erec +went to speak with the King. He went to ask him for leave to go +and visit his own land; but first he thanked him like a frank, +wise, and courteous man for the honour which he had done him; for +very deep was his gratitude. Then he asked his permission to +leave, for he wished to visit his own country, and he wished to +take his wife with him. This request the King could not deny, +and yet he would have had him stay. He gives him leave and begs +him to return as soon as possible: for in the whole court there +was no better or more gallant knight, save only his dear nephew +Gawain; (25) with him no one could be compared. But next after +him, he prized Erec most, and held him more dear than any other +knight. + +(Vv. 2293-2764.) Erec wished to delay no longer. As soon as he +had the King's leave, he bid his wife make her preparations, and +he retained as his escort sixty knights of merit with horses and +with dappled and grey furs. As soon as he was ready for his +journey, he tarried little further at court, but took leave of +the Queen and commended the knights to God. The Queen grants him +leave to depart. At the hour of prime he set out from the royal +palace. In the presence of them all he mounted his steed, and +his wife mounted the dappled horse which she had brought from her +own country; then all his escort mounted. Counting knights and +squires, there were full seven score in the train. After four +long days' journey over hills and slopes, through forests, +plains, and streams, they came on the fifth day to Camant, where +King Lac was residing in a very charming town. No one ever saw +one better situated; for the town was provided with forests and +meadow-land, with vineyards and farms, with streams and orchards, +with ladies and knights, and fine, lively youths, and polite, +well-mannered clerks who spent their incomes freely, with fair +and charming maidens, and with prosperous burghers. Before Erec +reached the town, he sent two knights ahead to announce his +arrival to the King. When he heard the news, the King had +clerks, knights, and damsels quickly mount, and ordered the bells +to be rung, and the streets to be hung with tapestries and silken +stuffs, that his son might be received with joy; then he himself +got on his horse. Of clerks there were present fourscore, gentle +and honourable men, clad in grey cloaks bordered with sable. Of +knights there were full five hundred, mounted on bay, sorrel, or +white-spotted steeds. There were so many burghers and dames that +no one could tell the number of them. The King and his son +galloped and rode on till they saw and recognised each other. +They both jump down from their horses and embrace and greet each +other for a long time, without stirring from the place where they +first met. Each party wished the other joy: the King makes much +of Erec, but all at once breaks off to turn to Enide. On all +sides he is in clover: he embraces and kisses them both, and +knows not which of the two pleases him the more. As they gaily +enter the castle, the bells all ring their peals to honour Erec's +arrival. The streets are all strewn with reeds, mint, and iris. +and are hung overhead with curtains and tapestries of fancy silk +and satin stuffs. There was great rejoicing; for all the people +came together to see their new lord, and no one ever saw greater +happiness than was shown alike by young and old. First they came +to the church, where very devoutly they were received in a +procession. Erec kneeled before the altar of the Crucifix, and +two knights led his wife to the image of Our Lady. When she had +finished her prayer, she stepped back a little and crossed +herself with her right hand, as a well-bred dame should do. Then +they came out from the church and entered the royal palace, when +the festivity began. That day Erec received many presents from +the knights and burghers: from one a palfrey of northern stock, +and from another a golden cup. One presents him with a golden +pigeon-hawk, another with a setter-dog, this one a greyhound, +this other a sparrowhawk, and another a swift Arab steed, this +one a shield, this one an ensign, this one a sword, and this a +helmet. Never was a king more gladly seen in his kingdom, nor +received with greater joy, as all strove to serve him well. Yet +greater joy they made of Enide than of him, for the great beauty +which they saw in her, and still more for her open charm. She +was seated in a chamber upon a cushion of brocade which had been +brought from Thessaly. Round about her was many a fair lady; yet +as the lustrous gem outshines the brown flint, and as the rose +excels the poppy, so was Enide fairer than any other lady or +damsel to be found in the world, wherever one might search. She +was so gentle and honourable, of wise speech and affable, of +pleasing character and kindly mien. No one could ever be so +watchful as to detect in her any folly, or sign of evil or +villainy. She had been so schooled in good manners that she had +learned all virtues which any lady can possess, as well as +generosity and knowledge. All loved her for her open heart, and +whoever could do her any service was glad and esteemed himself +the more. No one spoke any ill of her, for no one could do so. +In the realm or empire there was no lady of such good manners. +But Erec loved her with such a tender love that he cared no more +for arms, nor did he go to tournaments, nor have any desire to +joust; but he spent his time in cherishing his wife. He made of +her his mistress and his sweetheart. He devoted all his heart +and mind to fondling and kissing her, and sought no delight in +other pastime. His friends grieved over this, and often +regretted among themselves that he was so deep in love. Often it +was past noon before he left her side; for there he was happy, +say what they might. He rarely left her society, and yet he was +as open-handed as ever to his knights with arms, dress, and +money. There was not a tournament anywhere to which he did not +send them well apparelled and equipped. Whatever the cost might +be, he gave them fresh steeds for the tourney and joust. All the +knights said it was a great pity and misfortune that such a +valiant man as he was wont to be should no longer wish to bear +arms. He was blamed so much on all sides by the knights and +squires that murmurs reached Enide's ears how that her lord had +turned craven about arms and deeds of chivalry, and that his +manner of life was greatly changed. (26) She grieved sorely over +this, but she did not dare to show her grief; for her lord at +once would take affront, if she should speak to him. So the +matter remained a secret, until one morning they lay in bed where +they had had sport together. There they lay in close embrace, +like the true lovers they were. He was asleep, but she was +awake, thinking of what many a man in the country was saying of +her lord. And when she began to think it all over, she could not +keep back the tears. Such was her grief and her chagrin that by +mischance she let fall a word for which she later felt remorse, +though in her heart there was no guile. She began to survey her +lord from head to foot, his well-shaped body and his clear +countenance, until her tears fell fast upon the bosom of her +lord, and she said: "Alas, woe is me that I ever left my country! +What did I come here to seek? The earth ought by right to +swallow me up when the best knight, the most hardy, brave, fair, +and courteous that ever was a count or king, has completely +abjured all his deeds of chivalry because of me. And thus, in +truth, it is I who have brought shame upon his head, though I +would fain not have done so at any price." Then she said to him: +"Unhappy thou!" And then kept silence and spoke no more. Erec +was not sound asleep and, though dozing, heard plainly what she +said. He aroused at her words, and much surprised to see her +weeping, he asked her: "Tell me, my precious beauty, why do you +weep thus? What has caused you woe or sorrow? Surely it is my +wish to know. Tell me now, my gentle sweetheart; and raise care +to keep nothing back, why you said that woe was me? For you said +it of me and of no one else. I heard your words plainly enough." +Then was Enide in a great plight, afraid and dismayed. "Sire," +says she, "I know nothing of what you say." "Lady, why do you +conceal it? Concealment is of no avail. You hare been crying; I +can see that, and you do not cry for nothing. And in my sleep I +heard what you said." "Ah! fair sire, you never heard it, and I +dare say it was a dream." "Now you are coming to me with lies. +I hear you calmly lying to me. But if you do not tell me the +truth now, you will come to repent of it later." "Sire, since +you torment me thus, I will tell you the whole truth, and keep +nothing back. But I am afraid that you will not like it. In +this land they all say--the dark, the fair, and the ruddy--that +it is a great pity that you should renounce your arms; your +reputation has suffered from it. Every one used to say not long +ago that in all the world there was known no better or more +gallant knight. Now they all go about making game of you--old +and young, little and great--calling you a recreant. Do you +suppose it does not give me pain to hear you thus spoken of with +scorn? It grieves me when I hear it said, and yet it grieves me +more that they put the blame for it on me. Yes, I am blamed for +it, I regret to say, and they all assert it is because I have so +ensnared and caught you that you are losing all your merit, and +do not care for aught but me. You must choose another course, so +that you may silence this reproach and regain your former fame; +for I have heard too much of this reproach, and yet I did not +dare to disclose it to you. Many a time, when I think of it, I +have to weep for very grief. Such chagrin I felt just now that I +could not keep myself from saying that you were ill-starred." +"Lady," said he, "you were in the right, and those who blame me +do so with reason. And now at once prepare yourself to take the +road. Rise up from here, and dress yourself in your richest +robe, and order your saddle to be put on your best palfrey." Now +Enide is in great distress: very sad and pensive, she gets up, +blaming and upbraiding herself for the foolish words she spoke: +she had now made her bed, and must lie in it. "Ah!" said she, +"poor fool! I was too happy, for there lacked me nothing. God! +why was I so forward as to dare to utter such folly? God! did +not my lord love me to excess? In faith, alas, he was too fond +of me. And now I must go away into exile. But I have yet a +greater grief, that I shall no longer see my lord, who loved me +with such tenderness that there was nothing he held so dear. The +best man that was ever born had become so wrapped up in me that +he cared for nothing else. I lacked for nothing then. I was +very happy. But pride it is that stirred me up: because of my +pride, I must suffer woe for telling him such insulting words, +and it is right that I should suffer woe. One does not know what +good fortune is until he has made trial of evil." Thus the lady +bemoaned her fate, while she dressed herself fitly in her richest +robe. Yet nothing gave her any pleasure, but rather cause for +deep chagrin. Then she had a maid call one of her squires, and +bids him saddle her precious palfrey of northern stock, than +which no count or king ever had a better. As soon as she had +given him the command, the fellow asked for no delay, but +straightway went and saddled the dappled palfrey. And Erec +summoned another squire and bade him bring his arms to arm his +body withal. Then he went up into a bower, and had a Limoges rug +laid out before him on the floor. Meanwhile, the squire ran to +fetch the arms and came back and laid them on the rug. Erec took +a seat opposite, on the figure of a leopard which was portrayed +on the rug. He prepares and gets ready to put on his arms: +first, he had laced on a pair of greaves of polished steel; next, +he dons a hauberk, which was so fine that not a mesh could be cut +away from it. This hauberk of his was rich, indeed, for neither +inside nor outside of it was there enough iron to make a needle, +nor could it gather any rust; for it was all made of worked +silver in tiny meshes triple-wove; and it was made with such +skill that I can assure you that no one who had put it on would +have been more uncomfortable or sore because of it, than if he +had put on a silk jacket over his undershirt. The knights and +squires all began to wonder why he was being armed; but no one +dared to ask him why. When they had put on his hauberk, a valet +laces about his head a helmet fluted with a band of gold, shining +brighter than a mirror. Then he takes the sword and girds it on, +and orders them to bring him saddled his bay steed of Gascony. +Then he calls a valet to him, and says: "Valet, go quickly, run +to the chamber beside the tower where my wife is, and tell her +that she is keeping me waiting here too long. She has spent too +much time on her attire. Tell her to come and mount at once, for +I am awaiting her." And the fellow goes and finds her all ready, +weeping and making moan: and he straightway addressed her thus: +"Lady, why do you so delay? My lord is awaiting you outside +yonder, already fully armed. He would have mounted some time +ago, had you been ready." Enide wondered greatly what her lord's +intention was; but she very wisely showed herself with as +cheerful a countenance as possible, when she appeared before him. +In the middle of the courtyard she found him, and King Lac comes +running out. Knights come running, too, striving with each other +to reach there first. There is neither young nor old but goes to +learn and ask if he will take any of them with him. So each +offers and presents himself. But he states definitely and +affirms that he will take no companion except his wife, asserting +that he will go alone. Then the King is in great distress. +"Fair son," says he, "what dost thou intend to do? Thou shouldst +tell me thy business and keep nothing back. Tell me whither thou +will go; for thou art unwilling on any account to be accompanied +by an escort of squires or knights. If thou hast undertaken to +fight some knight in single combat, yet shouldst thou not for +that reason fail to take a part of thy knights with thee to +betoken thy wealth and lordship. A king's son ought not to fare +alone. Fair son, have thy sumpters loaded now, and take thirty +or forty or more of thy knights, and see that silver and gold is +taken, and whatever a gentleman needs." Finally Erec makes reply +and tells him all in detail how he has planned his journey. +"Sire," says he, "it must be so. I shall take no extra horse, +nor have I any use for gold or silver, squire or sergeant; nor do +I ask for any company save that of my wife alone. But I pray +you, whatever may happen, should I die and she come back, to love +her and hold her dear for love of me and for my prayer, and give +her so long as she live, without contention or any strife, the +half of your land to be her own." Upon hearing his son's +request, the King said: "Fair son, I promise it. But I grieve +much to see thee thus go off without escort, and if I had my way, +thou shouldst not thus depart." "Sire, it cannot be otherwise. +I go now, and to God commend you. But keep in mind my +companions, and give them horses and arms and all that knight may +need." The King cannot keep back the tears when he is parted +from his son. The people round about weep too; the ladies and +knights shed tears and make great moan for him. There is not one +who does not mourn, and many a one in the courtyard swoons. +Weeping, they kiss and embrace him, and are almost beside +themselves with grief. I think they would not have been more sad +if they had seen him dead or wounded. Then Erec said to comfort +them: "My lords, why do you weep so sore? I am neither in prison +nor wounded. You gain nothing by this display of grief. If I go +away, I shall come again when it please God and when I can. To +God I commend you one and all; so now let me go; too long you +keep me here. I am sorry and grieved to see you weep." To God +he commends them and they him. + +(Vv. 2765-2924.) So they departed, leaving sorrow behind them. +Erec starts, and leads his wife he knows not whither, as chance +dictates. "Ride fast," he says, "and take good care not to be so +rash as to speak to me of anything you may see. Take care never +to speak to me, unless I address you first. Ride on now fast and +with confidence." "Sire," says she, "it shall be done." She +rode ahead and held her peace. Neither one nor the other spoke a +word. But Enide's heart is very sad, and within herself she thus +laments, soft and low that he may not hear: "Alas," she says, +"God had raised and exalted me to such great joy; but now He has +suddenly cast me down. Fortune who had beckoned me has quickly +now withdrawn her hand. I should not mind that so much, alas, if +only I dared to address my lord. But I am mortified and +distressed because my lord has turned against me, I see it +clearly, since he will not speak to me. And I am not so bold as +to dare to look at him." While she thus laments, a knight who +lived by robbery issued forth from the woods. He had two +companions with him, and all three were armed. They covet the +palfrey which Enide rides. "My lords, do you know the news I +bring?" says he to his two companions. "If we do not now make a +haul, we are good-for-nothing cowards and are playing in bad +luck. Here comes a lady wondrous fair, whether married or not I +do not know, but she is very richly dressed. The palfrey and +saddle, with the breast-strap and reins, are worth a thousand +livres of Chartres. I will take the palfrey for mine, and the +rest of the booty you may have. I don't want any more for my +share. The knight shall not lead away the lady, so help me God. +For I intend to give him such a thrust as he will dearly pay. I +it was who saw him first, and so it is my right to go the first +and offer battle." They give him leave and he rides off, +crouching well beneath his shield, while the other two remain +aloof. In those days it was the custom and practice that in an +attack two knights should not join against one; thus if they too +had assailed him, it would seem that they had acted +treacherously. Enide saw the robbers, and was seized with great +fear. "God," says she, "what can I say? Now my lord will be +either killed or made a prisoner; for there are three of them and +he is alone. The contest is not fair between one knight and +three. That fellow will strike him now at a disadvantage; for my +lord is off his guard. God, shall I be then such a craven as not +to dare to raise my voice? Such a coward I will not be: I will +not fail to speak to him." On the spot she turns about and calls +to him: "Fair sire, of what are you thinking? There come riding +after you three knights who press you hard. I greatly fear they +will do you harm." "What?" says Erec, "what's that you say? You +have surely been very bold to disdain my command and prohibition. +This time you shall be pardoned; but if it should happen another +time, you would not be forgiven." Then turning his shield and +lance, he rushes at the knight. The latter sees him coming and +challenges him. When Erec hears him, he defies him. Both give +spur and clash together, holding their lances at full extent. +But he missed Erec, while Erec used him hard; for he knew well +the right attack. He strikes him on the shield so fiercely that +he cracks it from top to bottom. Nor is his hauberk any +protection: Erec pierces and crushes it in the middle of his +breast, and thrusts a foot and a half of his lance into his body. +When he drew back, he pulled out the shaft. And the other fell +to earth. He must needs die, for the blade had drunk of his +life's blood. Then one of the other two rushes forward, leaving +his companion behind, and spurs toward Erec, threatening him. +Erec firmly grasps his shield, and attacks him with a stout +heart. The other holds his shield before his breast. Then they +strike upon the emblazoned shields. The knight's lance flies +into two bits, while Erec drives a quarter of lance's length +through the other's breast. He will give him no more trouble. +Erec unhorses him and leaves him in a faint, while he spurs at an +angle toward the third robber. When the latter saw him coming on +he began to make his escape. He was afraid, and did not dare to +face him; so he hastened to take refuge in the woods. But his +flight is of small avail, for Erec follows him close and cries +aloud: "Vassal, vassal, turn about now, and prepare to defend +yourself, so that I may not slay you in act of flight. It is +useless to try to escape." But the fellow has no desire to turn +about, and continues to flee with might and main. Following and +overtaking him, Erec hits him squarely on his painted shield, and +throws him over on the other side. To these three robbers he +gives no further heed: one he has killed, another wounded, and of +the third he got rid by throwing him to earth from his steed. He +took the horses of all three and tied them together by the +bridles. In colour they were not alike: the first was white as +milk, the second black and not at all bad looking, while the +third was dappled all over. He came back to the road where Enide +was awaiting him. He bade her lead and drive the three horses in +front of her, warning her harshly never again to be so bold as to +speak a single word unless he give her leave. She makes answer: +"I will never do so, fair sire, if it be your will." Then they +ride on, and she holds her peace. + +(Vv. 2925-3085.) They had not yet gone a league when before them +in a valley there came five other knights, with lances in rest, +shields held close in to the neck, and their shining helmets +laced up tight; they, too, were on plunder bent. All at once +they saw the lady approach in charge of the three horses, and +Erec who followed after. As soon as they saw them, they divided +their equipment among themselves, just as if they had already +taken possession of it. Covetousness is a bad thing. But it did +not turn out as they expected; for vigorous defence was made. +Much that a fool plans is not executed, and many a man misses +what he thinks to obtain. So it befell them in this attack. One +said that he would take the maid or lose his life in the attempt; +and another said that the dappled steed shall be his, and that he +will be satisfied with that. The third said that he would take +the black horse. "And the white one for me," said the fourth. +The fifth was not at all backward, and vowed that he would have +the horse and arms of the knight himself. He wished to win them +by himself, and would fain attack him first, if they would give +him leave: and they willingly gave consent. Then he leaves them +and rides ahead on a good and nimble steed. Erec saw him, but +made pretence that he did not yet notice him. When Enide saw +them, her heart jumped with fear and great dismay. "Alas!" said +she, "I know not what to say or do; for my lord severely +threatens me, and says that he will punish me, if I speak a word +to him. But if my lord were dead now, there would be no comfort +for me. I should be killed and roughly treated. God! my lord +does not see them! Why, then, do I hesitate, crazed as I am? I +am indeed too chary of my words, when I have not already spoken +to him. I know well enough that those who are coming yonder are +intent upon some wicked deed. And God! how shall I speak to +him? He will kill me. Well, let him kill me! Yet I will not +fail to speak to him." Then she softly calls him: "Sire!" +"What?" says he, "what do you want?" "Your pardon, sire. I want +to tell you that five knights have emerged from yonder thicket, +of whom I am in mortal fear. Having noticed them, I am of the +opinion that they intend to fight with you. Four of them have +stayed behind, and the other comes toward you as fast as his +steed can carry him. I am afraid every moment lest he will +strike you. 'Tis true, the four have stayed behind; but still +they are not far away, and will quickly aid him, if need arise." +Erec replies: "You had an evil thought, when you transgressed my +command--a thing which I had forbidden you. And yet I knew all +the time that you did not hold me in esteem. Your service has +been ill employed; for it has not awakened my gratitude, but +rather kindled the more my ire. I have told you that once, and I +say it again. This once again I will pardon you; but another +time restrain yourself, and do not again turn around to watch me: +for in doing so you would be very foolish. I do not relish your +words." Then he spurs across the field toward his adversary, and +they come together. Each seeks out and assails the other. Erec +strikes him with such force that his shield flies from his neck, +and thus he breaks his collar-bone. His stirrups break, and he +falls without the strength to rise again, for he was badly +bruised and wounded. One of the others then appeared, and they +attack each other fiercely. Without difficulty Erec thrusts the +sharp and well forged steel into his neck beneath the chin, +severing thus the bones and nerves. At the back of his neck the +blade protrudes, and the hot red blood flows down on both sides +from the wound. He yields his spirit, and his heart is still. +The third sallies forth from his hiding-place on the other side +of a ford. Straight through the water, on he comes. Erec spurs +forward and meets him before he came out of the water, striking +him so hard that he beats down flat both rider and horse. The +steed lay upon the body long enough to drown him in the stream, +and then struggled until with difficulty he got upon his feet. +Thus he conquered three of them, when the other two thought it +wise to quit the conflict and not to strive with him. In flight +they follow the stream, and Erec after them in hot pursuit, until +he strikes one upon the spine so hard that he throws him forward +upon the saddle-bow. He put all his strength into the blow, and +breaks his lance upon his body, so that the fellow fell head +foremost. Erec makes him pay dearly for the lance which he has +broken on him, and drew his sword from the scabbard. The fellow +unwisely straightened up; for Erec gave him three such strokes +that he slaked his sword's thirst in his blood. He severs the +shoulder from his body, so that it fell down on the ground. +Then, with sword drawn, he attacked the other, as he sought to +escape without company or escort. When he sees Erec pursuing +him, he is so afraid that he knows not what to do: he does not +dare to face him, and cannot turn aside; he has to leave his +horse, for he has no more trust in him. He throws away his +shield and lance, and slips from his horse to earth. When he saw +him on his feet, Erec no longer cared to pursue him, but he +stooped over for the lance, not wishing to leave that, because of +his own which had been broken. He carries off his lance and goes +away, not leaving the horses behind: he catches all five of them +and leads them off. Enide had hard work to lead them all; for he +hands over all five of them to her with the other three, and +commands her to go along smartly, and to keep from addressing him +in order that no evil or harm may come to her. So not a word +does she reply, but rather keeps silence; and thus they go, +leading with them all the eight horses. + +(Vv. 3086-3208.) They rode till nightfall without coming to any +town or shelter. When night came on, they took refuge beneath a +tree in an open field. Erec bids his lady sleep, and he will +watch. She replies that she will not, for it is not right, and +she does not wish to do so. It is for him to sleep who is more +weary. Well pleased at this, Erec accedes. Beneath his head he +placed his shield, and the lady took her cloak, and stretched it +over him from head to foot. Thus, he slept and she kept watch, +never dozing the whole night, but holding tight in her hand by +the bridle the horses until the morning broke; and much she +blamed and reproached herself for the words which she had +uttered, and said that she acted badly, and was not half so ill- +treated as she deserved to be. "Alas," said she, "in what an evil +hour have I witnessed my pride and presumption! I might have +known without doubt that there was no knight better than, or so +good as, my lord. I knew it well enough before, but now I know +it better. For I have seen with my own eyes how he has not +quailed before three or even five armed men. A plague for ever +upon my tongue for having uttered such pride and insult as now +compel me to suffer shame!" All night long she thus lamented +until the morning dawned. Erec rises early, and again they take +the road, she in front and he behind. At noon a squire met them +in a little valley, accompanied by two fellows who were carrying +cakes and wine and some rich autumn cheeses to those who were +mowing the hay in the meadows belonging to Count Galoain. The +squire was a clever fellow, and when he saw Erec and Enide, who +were coming from the direction of the woods, he perceived that +they must have spent the night in the forest and had had nothing +to eat or drink; for within a radius of a day's journey there was +no town, city or tower, no strong place or abbey, hospice or +place of refuge. So he formed an honest purpose and turned his +steps toward them, saluting them politely and saving: "Sire, I +presume that you have had a hard experience last night. I am +sure you have had no sleep and have spent the night in these +woods. I offer you some of this white cake, if it please you to +partake of it. I say it not in hope of reward: for I ask and +demand nothing of you. The cakes are made of good wheat; I have +good wine and rich cheeses, too, a white cloth and fine jugs. If +you feel like taking lunch, you need not seek any farther. +Beneath these white beeches, here on the greensward, you might +lay off your arms and rest yourself a while. My advice is that +you dismount." Erec got down from his horse and said: "Fair +gentle friend, I thank you kindly: I will eat something, without +going farther." The young man knew well what to do: he helped +the lady from her horse, and the boys who had come with the +squire held the steeds. Then they go and sit down in the shade. +The squire relieves Erec of his helmet, unlaces the mouth-piece +from before his face; then he spreads out the cloth before them +on the thick tuff. He passes them the cake and wine, and +prepares and cuts a cheese. Hungry as they were, they helped +themselves, and gladly drank of the wine. The squire serves them +and omits no attention. When they had eaten and drunk their +fill, Erec was courteous and generous. "Friend," says he, "as a +reward, I wish to present you with one of my horses. Take the +one you like the best. And I pray it may be no hardship for you +to return to the town and make ready there a goodly lodging." +And he replies that he will gladly do whatever is his will. Then +he goes up to the horses and, untying them, chooses the dapple, +and speaks his thanks; for this one seems to be the best. Up he +springs by the left stirrup, and leaving them both there, he rode +off to the town at top speed, where he engaged suitable quarters. +Now behold! he is back again: "Now mount, sire, quickly," says +he, "for you have a good fine lodging ready." Erec mounted, and +then his lady, and, as the town was hard by, they soon had +reached their lodging-place. There they were received with joy. +The host with kindness welcomed them, and with joy and gladness +made generous provision for their needs. + +(Vv. 3209-3458.) When the squire had done for them all the +honour that he could do, he came and mounted his horse again, +leading it off in front of the Count's bower to the stable. The +Count and three of his vassals were leaning out of the bower, +when the Count, seeing his squire mounted on the dappled steed, +asked him whose it was. And he replied that it was his. The +Count, greatly astonished, says: "How is that? Where didst thou +get him?" "A knight whom I esteem highly gave him to me, sire," +says he. "I have conducted him within this town, and he is lodged +at a burgher's house. He is a very courteous knight and the +handsomest man I ever saw. Even if I had given you my word and +oath, I could not half tell you how handsome he is." The Count +replies: "I suppose and presume that he is not more handsome than +I am." "Upon my word, sire," the sergeant says, "you are very +handsome and a gentleman. There is not a knight in this country, +a native of this land, whom you do not excel in favour. But I +dare maintain concerning this one that he is fairer than you, if +he were not beaten black and blue beneath his hauberk, and +bruised. In the forest he has been fighting single-handed with +eight knights, and leads away their eight horses. And there +comes with him a lady so fair that never lady was half so fair as +she." (28) When the Count hears this news, the desire takes him +to go and see if this is true or false. "I never heard such a +thing," says he; "take me now to his lodging-place, for certainly +I wish to know if thou dost lie or speak the truth." He replies: +"Right gladly, sire. This is the way and the path to follow, for +it is not far from here." "I am anxious to see them," says the +Count. Then he comes down, and the squire gets off his horse, +and makes the Count mount in his place. Then he ran ahead to +tell Erec that the Count was coming to visit him. Erec's lodging +was rich indeed--the kind to which he was accustomed. There +were many tapers and candles lighted all about. The Count came +attended by only three companions. Erec, who was of gracious +manners, rose to meet him, and exclaimed: "Welcome, sire!" And +the Count returned his salutation. They both sat down side by +side upon a soft white couch, where they chat with each other. +The Count makes him an offer and urges him to consent to accept +from him a guarantee for the payment of his expenses in the town. +But Erec does not deign to accept, saying he is well supplied +with money, and has no need to accept aught from him. They speak +long of many things, but the Count constantly glances about in +the other direction, where he caught sight of the lady. Because +of her manifest beauty, he fixed all his thought on her. He +looked at her as much as he could; he coveted her, and she +pleased him so that her beauty filled him with love. Very +craftily he asked Erec for permission to speak with her. "Sire," +he says "I ask a favour of you, and may it not displease you. As +an act of courtesy and as a pleasure, I would fain sit by yonder +lady's side. With good intent I came to see you both, and you +should see no harm in that. I wish to present to the lady my +service in all respects. Know well that for love of you I would +do whatever may please her." Erec was not in the least jealous +and suspected no evil or treachery. "Sire," says he, "I have no +objection. You may sit down and talk with her. Don't think that +I have any objection. I give you permission willingly." The +lady was seated about two spear-lengths away from him. And the +Count took his seat close beside her on a low stool. Prudent and +courteous, the lady turned toward him. "Alas," quoth he, "how +grieved I am to see you in such humble state! I am sorry and +feel great distress. But if you would believe my word, you could +have honour and great advantage, and much wealth would accrue to +you. Such beauty as yours is entitled to great honour and +distinction. I would make you my mistress, if it should please +you and be your will; you would be my mistress dear and lady over +all my land. When I deign to woo you thus, you ought not to +disdain my suit. I know and perceive that your lord does not +love and esteem you. If you will remain with me, you would be +mated with a worthy lord." "Sire," says Enide, "your proposal is +vain. It cannot be. Ah! better that I were yet unborn, or +burnt upon a fire of thorns and my ashes scattered abroad than +that I should ever in any wise be false to my lord, or conceive +any felony or treachery toward him. You have made a great +mistake in making such a proposal to me. I shall not agree to it +in any wise." The Count's ire began to rise. "You disdain to +love me, lady?" says he; "upon my word, you are too proud. +Neither for flattery nor for prayer you will do my will? It is +surely true that a woman's pride mounts the more one prays and +flatters her; but whoever insults and dishonours her will often +find her more tractable. I give you my word that if you do not +do my will there soon will be some sword-play here. Rightly or +wrongly, I will have your lord slain right here before your +eyes." "Ah, sire," says Enide, "there is a better way than that +you say. You would commit a wicked and treacherous deed if you +killed him thus. Calm yourself again, I pray; for I will do your +pleasure. You may regard me as all your own, for I am yours and +wish to be. I did not speak as I did from pride, but to learn +and prove if I could find in you the true love of a sincere +heart. But I would not at any price have you commit an act of +treason. My lord is not on his guard; and if you should kill him +thus, you would do a very ugly deed, and I should have the blame +for it. Every one in the land would say that it had been done +with my consent. Go and rest until the morrow, when my lord +shall be about to rise. Then you can better do him harm without +blame and without reproach." With her heart's thoughts her words +do not agree. "Sire," says she, "believe me now! Have no +anxiety; but send here to-morrow your knights and squires and +have me carried away by force. My lord will rush to my defence, +for he is proud and bold enough. Either in earnest or in jest, +have him seized and treated ill, or strike his head off, if you +will. I have led this life now long enough; to tell the truth. +I like not the company of this my lord. Rather would I feel your +body lying beside me in a bed. And since we have reached this +point, of my love you may rest assured." The Count replies: "It +is well, my lady! God bless the hour that you were born; in +great estate you shall be held." "Sire," says she, "indeed, I +believe it. And yet I would fain have your word that you will +always hold me dear; I could not believe you otherwise." Glad +and merry, the Count replies: "See here, my faith I will pledge +to you loyally as a Count, Madame, that I shall do all your +behests. Have no further fear of that. All you want you shall +always have." Then she took his plighted word; but little she +valued or cared for it, except therewith to save her lord. Well +she knows how to deceive a fool, when she puts her mind upon it. +Better it were to lie to him than that her lord should be cut +off. The Count now rose from her side, and commends her to God a +hundred times. But of little use to him will be the faith which +she has pledged to him. Erec knew nothing at all of this that +they were plotting to work his death; but God will be able to +lend him aid, and I think He will do so. Now Erec is in great +peril, and does not know that he must be on his guard. The +Count's intentions are very base in planning to steal away his +wife and kill him when he is without defence. In treacherous +guise he takes his leave: "To God I commend you," says he, and +Erec replies: "And so do I you, sire." Thus they separated. +Already a good part of the night was passed. Out of the way, in +one of the rooms, two beds were made upon the floor. In one of +them Erec lays him down, in the other Enide went to rest. Full +of grief and anxiety, she never closed her eyes that night, but +remained on watch for her lord's sake; for from what she had seen +of the Count, she knew him to be full of wickedness. She knows +full well that if he once gets possession of her lord, he will +not fail to do him harm. He may be sure of being killed: so for +his sake she is in distress. All night she must needs keep her +vigil; but before the dawn, if she can bring it about, and if her +lord will take her word, they will be ready to depart. + +(Vv. 3459-3662.) Erec slept all night long securely until +daylight. Then Enide realised and suspected that she might +hesitate too long. Her heart was tender toward her lord, like a +good and loyal lady. Her heart was neither deceitful nor false. +So she rises and makes ready, and drew near to her lord to wake +him up. "Ah, sire," says she, "I crave your pardon. Rise +quickly now, for you are betrayed beyond all doubt, though +guiltless and free from any crime. The Count is a proven +traitor, and if he can but catch you here, you will never get +away without his having cut you in pieces. He hates you because +he desires me. But if it please God, who knows all things, you +shall be neither slain nor caught. Last evening he would have +killed you had I not assured him that I would be his mistress and +his wife. You will see him return here soon: he wants to seize +me and keep me here and kill you if he can find you." Now Erec +learns how loyal his wife is to him. "Lady," says he, "have our +horses quickly saddled; then run and call our host, and tell him +quickly to come here. Treason has been long abroad." Now the +horses are saddled, and the lady summoned the host. Erec has +armed and dressed himself, and into his presence came the host. +"Sire," said he, "what haste is this, that you are risen at such +an hour, before the day and the sun appear?" Erec replies that +he has a long road and a full day before him, and therefore he +has made ready to set out, having it much upon his mind; and he +added: "Sire, you have nor yet handed me any statement of my +expenses. You have received me with honour and kindness, and +therein great merit redounds to you. Cancel my indebtedness with +these seven horses that I brought here with me. Do not disdain +them, but keep them for your own. I cannot increase my gift to +you by so much as the value of a halter." The burgher was +delighted with this gift and bowed low, expressing his thanks and +gratitude. Then Erec mounts and takes his leave, and they set +out upon their way. As they ride, he frequently warns Enide that +if she sees anything she should not be so bold as to speak to him +about it. Meanwhile, there entered the house a hundred knights +well armed, and very much dismayed they were to find Erec no +longer there. Then the Count learned that the lady had deceived +him. He discovered the footsteps of the horses, and they all +followed the trail, the Count threatening Erec and vowing that, +if he can come up with him, nothing can keep him from having his +head on the spot. "A curse on him who now hangs back, and does +not spur on fast!" quoth he; "he who presents me with the head of +the knight whom I hate so bitterly, will have served me to my +taste." Then they plunge on at topmost speed, filled with +hostility toward him who had never laid eyes on them and had +never harmed them by deed or word. They ride ahead until they +made him out; at the edge of a forest they catch sight of him +before he was hid by the forest trees. Not one of them halted +then, but all rushed on in rivalry. Enide hears the clang and +noise of their arms and horses, and sees that the valley is full +of them. As soon as she saw them, she could not restrain her +tongue. "Ah, sire," she cries. "alas, how this Count has +attacked you, when he leads against you such a host! Sire, ride +faster now, until we be within this wood. I think we can easily +distance them, for they are still a long way behind. If you go +on at this pace, you can never escape from death, for you are no +match for them." Erec replies: "Little esteem you have for me, +and lightly you hold my words. It seems I cannot correct you by +fair request. But as the Lord have mercy upon me until I escape +from here, I swear that you shall pay dearly for this speech of +yours; that is, unless my mind should change." Then he +straightway turns about, and sees the seneschal drawing near upon +a horse both strong and fleet. Before them all he takes his +stand at the distance of four cross-bow shots. He had not +disposed of his arms, but was thoroughly well equipped. Erec +reckons up his opponents' strength, and sees there are fully a +hundred of them. Then he who thus is pressing him thinks he had +better call a hair. Then they ride to meet each other, and +strike upon each other's shield great blows with their sharp and +trenchant swords. Erec caused his stout steel sword to pierce +his body through and through, so that his shield and hauberk +protected him no more than a shred of dark-blue silk. And next +the Count comes spurring on, who, as the story tells, was a +strong and doughty knight. But the Count in this was ill advised +when he came with only shield and lance. He placed such trust in +his own prowess that he thought that he needed no other arms. He +showed his exceeding boldness by rushing on ahead of all his men +more than the space of nine acres. When Erec saw him stand +alone, he turned toward him; the Count is not afraid of him, and +they come together with clash of arms. First the Count strikes +him with such violence upon the breast that he would have lost +his stirrups if he had not been well set. He makes the wood of +his shield to split so that the iron of his lance protrudes on +the other side. But Erec's hauberk was very solid and protected +him from death without the tear of a single mesh. The Count was +strong and breaks his lance; then Erec strikes him with such +force on his yellow painted shield that he ran more than a yard +of his lance through his abdomen, knocking him senseless from his +steed. Then he turned and rode away without further tarrying on +the spot. Straight into the forest he spurs at full speed. Now +Erec is in the woods, and the others paused a while over those +who lay in the middle of the field. Loudly they swear and vow +that they will rather follow after him for two or three days than +fail to capture and slaughter him. The Count, though grievously +wounded in the abdomen, hears what they say. He draws himself up +a little and opens his eyes a tiny bit. Now he realises what an +evil deed he had begun to execute. He makes the knights step +back, and says: "My lords, I bid you all, both strong and weak, +high and low, that none of you be so bold as to dare to advance a +single step. All of you return now quickly! I have done a +villainous deed, and I repent me of my foul design. The lady who +outwitted me is very honourable, prudent, and courteous. Her +beauty fired me with love for her; because I desired her, I +wished to kill her lord and keep her back with me by force. I +well deserved this woe, and now it has come upon me. How +abominably disloyal and treacherous I was in my madness! Never +was there a better knight born of mother than he. Never shall he +receive harm through me if I can in any way prevent it. I +command you all to retrace your steps." Back they go +disconsolate, carrying the lifeless seneschal on the shield +reversed. The Count, whose wound was not mortal, lived on for +some time after. Thus was Erec delivered. + +(Vv. 3663-3930.) Erec goes off at full speed down a road between +two hedgerows--he and his wife with him. Both putting spurs to +their horses, they rode until they came to a meadow which had +been mown. After emerging from the hedged enclosure they came +upon a drawbridge before a high tower, which was all closed about +with a wall and a broad and deep moat. They quickly pass over +the bridge, but had not gone far before the lord of the place +espied them from up in his tower. About this man I can tell you +the truth: that he was very small o stature, but very courageous +of heart. When he sees Erec cross the bridge, he comes down +quickly from his tower, and on a great sorrel steed of his he +causes a saddle to be placed, which showed portrayed a golden +lion. Then he orders to be brought his shield, his stiff, +straight lance, a sharp polished sword, his bright shining +helmet, his gleaming hauberk, and triple-woven greaves; for he +has seen an armed knight pass before his list against whom he +wishes to strive in arms, or else this stranger will strive +against him until he shall confess defeat. His command was +quickly done: behold the horse now led forth; a squire brought +him around already bridled and with saddle on. Another fellow +brings the arms. The knight passed out through the gate, as +quickly as possible, all alone, without companion. Erec is +riding along a hill-side, when behold the knight comes tearing +down over the top of the hill, mounted upon a powerful steed +which tore along at such a pace that he crushed the stones +beneath his hoofs finer than a millstone grinds the corn; and +bright gleaming sparks flew off in all directions, so that it +seemed as if his four feet were all ablaze with fire. Enide +heard the noise and commotion, and almost fell from her palfrey, +helpless and in a faint. There was no vein in her body in which +the blood did not turn, and her face became all pale and white as +if she were a corpse. Great is her despair and dismay, for she +does not dare to address her lord, who often threatens and chides +at her and charges her to hold her peace. She is distracted +between two courses to pursue, whether to speak or to hold her +peace. She takes counsel with herself, and often she prepares to +speak, so that her tongue already moves, but the voice cannot +issue forth; for her teeth are clenched with fear, and thus shut +up her speech within. Thus she admonishes and reproaches +herself, but she closes her mouth and grits her teeth so that her +speech cannot issue forth. At strife with herself, she said: "I +am sure and certain that I shall incur a grievous loss, if here I +lose my lord. Shall I tell him all, then, openly? Not I. Why +not? I would not dare, for thus I should enrage my lord. And if +my lord's ire is once aroused, he will leave me in this wild +place alone, wretched and forlorn. Then I shall be worse off +than now. Worse off? What care I? May grief and sorrow always +be mine as long as I live, if my lord does not promptly escape +from here without being delivered to a violent death. But if I +do not quickly inform him, this knight who is spurring hither +will have killed him before he is aware; for he seems of very +evil intent. I think I have waited too long from fear of his +vigorous prohibition. But I will no longer hesitate because of +his restraint. I see plainly that my lord is so deep in thought +that he forgets himself; so it is fight that I should address +him." She spoke to him. He threatens her, but has no desire to +do her harm, for he realises and knows full well that she loves +him above all else, and he loves her, too, to the utmost. He +rides toward the knight, who challenges him to battle, and they +meet at the foot of the hill, where they attack and defy each +other. Both smite each other with their iron-tipped lances with +all their strength. The shields that hang about their necks are +not worth two coats of bark: the leather tears, and they split +the wood, and they shatter the meshes of the hauberks. Both are +pierced to the vitals by the lances, and the horses fall to +earth. Now, both the warriors were doughty. Grievously, but not +mortally, wounded, they quickly got upon their feet and grasped +afresh their lances, which were not broken nor the worse for +wear. But they cast them away on the ground, and drawing their +swords from the scabbard, they attack each other with great fury. +Each wounds and injures the other, for there is no mercy on +either side. They deal such blows upon the helmets that gleaming +sparks fly out when their swords recoil. They split and splinter +the shields; they batter and crush the hauberks. In four places +the swords are brought down to the bare flesh, so that they are +greatly weakened and exhausted. And if both their swords had +lasted long without breaking, they would never have retreated, +nor would the battle have come to an end before one of them +perforce had died. Enide, who was watching them, was almost +beside herself with grief. Whoever could have seen her then, as +she showed her great woe by wringing her hands, tearing her hair +and shedding tears, could have seen a loyal lady. And any man +would have been a vulgar wretch who saw and did not pity her. +And the knights still fight, knocking the jewels from the helmets +and dealing at each other fearful blows. From the third to the +ninth hour the battle continued so fierce that no one could in +any wise make out which was to have the better of it. Erec +exerts himself and strives; he brought his sword down upon his +enemy's helmet, cleaving it to the inner lining of mail and +making him stagger; but he stood firmly and did not fall. Then +he attacked Erec in turn, and dealt him such a blow upon the +covering of his shield that his strong and precious sword broke +when he tried to pull it out. When he saw that his sword was +broken, in a spite he threw as far away as he could the part that +remained in his hand. Now he was afraid and must needs draw +back; for any knight that lacks his sword cannot do much +execution in battle or assault. Erec pursues him until he begs +him, for God's sake, not to kill him. "Mercy, noble knight," he +cries, "be not so cruel and harsh toward me. Now that I am left +without my sword, you have the strength and the power to take my +life or make me your prisoner, for I have no means of defence." +Erec replies: "When thou thus dost petition me I fain would hear +thee admit outright whether thou art defeated and overcome. Thou +shalt not again be touched by me if thou dost surrender at my +discretion." The knight was slow to make reply. So, when Erec +saw him hesitate, in order to further dismay him, he again +attacked him, rushing at him with drawn sword; whereupon, +thoroughly terrified, he cried: "Mercy, sire! Regard me as your +captive, since it cannot be otherwise." Erec answers: "More than +that is necessary. You shall not get off so easily as that. +Tell me your station and your name, and I in turn will tell +you mine." "Sire," says he, "you are right. I am king of this +country. My liegemen are Irishmen, and there is none who does +not have to pay me rent. (29) My name is Guivret the Little. I +am very rich and powerful; for there is no landholder whose lands +touch mine in any direction who ever transgresses my command and +who does not do my pleasure. I have no neighbour who does not +fear me, however proud and bold he may be. But I greatly desire +to be your confidant and friend from this time on." Erec +replies: "I, too, can boast that I am a noble man. My name is +Erec, son of King Lac. My father is king of Farther Wales, and +has many a rich city, fine hall, and strong town; no king or +emperor has more than he, save only King Arthur. Him, of course, +I except; for with him none can compare." Guivret is greatly +astonished at this, and says: "Sire, a great marvel is this I +hear. I was never so glad of anything as of your acquaintance. +You may put full trust in me! And should it please you to abide +in my country within my estates, I shall have you treated with +great honour. So long as you care to remain here, you shall be +recognised as my lord. We both have need of a physician, and I +have a castle of mine near here, not eight leagues away, nor even +seven. I wish to take you thither with me, and there we shall +have our wounds tended." Erec replies: "I thank you for what I +have heard you say. However, I will not go, thank you. But only +so much I request of you, that if I should be in need, and you +should hear that I had need of aid, you would not then forget +me." "Sire" says he, "I promise you that never, so long as I am +alive, shall you have need of my help but that I shall go at once +to aid you with all the assistance I can command." "I have +nothing more to ask of you," says Erec; "you have promised me +much. You are now my lord and friend, if your deed is as good as +your word." Then each kisses and embraces the other. Never was +there such an affectionate parting after such a fierce battle; +for from very affection and generosity each one cut off long, +wide strips from the bottom of his shirt and bound up the other's +wounds. When they had thus bandaged each other, they commended +each other to God. + +(Vv. 3931-4280.) So thus they parted. Guivret takes his way +back alone, while Erec resumed his road, in dire need of plaster +wherewith to heal his wounds. He did not cease to travel until +he came to a plain beside a lofty forest all full of stags, +hinds, deer, does, and other beasts, and all sorts of game. Now +King Arthur and the Queen and the best of his barons had come +there that very day. The King wished to spend three or four days +in the forest for pleasure and sport, and had commanded tents, +pavilions, and canopies to be brought. My lord Gawain had +stepped into the King's tent, all tired out by a long ride. In +front of the tent a white beech stood, and there he had left a +shield of his, together with his ashen lance. He left his steed, +all saddled and bridled, fastened to a branch by the rein. There +the horse stood until Kay the seneschal came by. (30) He came up +quickly and, as if to beguile the time, took the steed and +mounted, without the interference of any one. He took the lance +and the shield, too, which were close by under the tree. +Galloping along on the steed, Kay rode along a valley until it +came about by chance that Erec met him. Now Erec recognised the +seneschal, and he knew the arms and the horse, but Kay did not +recognise him, for he could not be distinguished by his arms. So +many blows of sword and lance had he received upon his shield +that all the painted design had disappeared from it. And the +lady, who did not wish to be seen or recognised by him, shrewdly +held her veil before her face, as if she were doing it because of +the sun's glare and the dust. Kay approached rapidly and +straightway seized Erec's rein, without so much as saluting him. +Before he let him move, he presumptuously asked him: "Knight," +says he, "I wish to know who you are and whence you come." "You +must be mad to stop me thus," says Erec; "you shall not know that +just now." And the other replies: "Be not angry; I only ask it +for your good. I can see and make out clearly that you are +wounded and hurt. If you will come along with me you shall have +a good lodging this night; I shall see that you are well cared +for, honoured and made comfortable: for you are in need of rest. +King Arthur and the Queen are close by here in a wood, lodged in +pavilions and tents. In all good faith, I advise you to come +with me to see the Queen and King, who will take much pleasure in +you and will show you great honour." Erec replies: "You say +well; yet will I not go thither for anything. You know not what +my business is: I must yet farther pursue my way. Now let me go; +too long I stay. There is still some daylight left." Kay makes +answer: "You speak madness when you decline to come. I trow you +will repent of it. And however much it may be against your will, +you shall both go, as the priest goes to the council, willy- +nilly. To-night you will be badly served, if, unmindful of my +advice, you go there as strangers. Come now quickly, for I will +take you." At this word Erec's ire was roused. "Vassal," says +he, "you are mad to drag me thus after you by force. You have +taken me quite off my guard. I tell you you have committed an +offence. For I thought to be quite safe, and was not on my guard +against you." Then he lays his hand upon his sword and cries: +"Hands off my bridle, vassal! Step aside. I consider you proud +and impudent. I shall strike you, be sure of that, if you drag +me longer after you. Leave me alone now." Then he lets him go, +and draws off across the field more than an acre's width; then +turns about and, as a man with evil intent, issues his challenge. +Each rushed at the other. But, because Kay was without armour, +Erec acted courteously and turned the point of his lance about +and presented the butt-end instead. Even so, he gave him such a +blow high up on the broad expanse of his shield that he caused it +to wound him on the temple, pinning his arm to his breast: all +prone he throws him to the earth. Then he went to catch the +horse and hands him over by the bridle to Enide. He was about to +lead it away, when the wounded man with his wonted flattery begs +him to restore it courteously to him. With fair words he +flatters and wheedles him. "Vassal," says he, "so help me God, +that horse is not mine. Rather does it belong to that knight in +whom dwells the greatest prowess in the world, my lord Gawain the +Bold. I tell you so much on his behalf, in order that you may +send it back to him and thus win honour. So shall you be +courteous and wise, and I shall be your messenger." Erec makes +answer: "Take the horse, vassal, and lead it away. Since it +belongs to my lord Gawain it is not meet that I should +appropriate it." Kay takes the horse, remounts, and coming to +the royal tent, tells the King the whole truth, keeping nothing +back. And the King summoned Gawain, saying: "Fair nephew Gawain, +if ever you were true and courteous, go quickly after him and ask +him in winsome wise who he is and what his business. And if you +can influence him and bring him along with you to us, take care +not to fail to do so." Then Gawain mounts his steed, two squires +following after him. They soon made Erec out, but did not +recognise him. Gawain salutes him, and he Gawain: their +greetings were mutual. Then said my lord Gawain with his wonted +openness: "Sire," says he, "King Arthur sends me along this way +to encounter you. The Queen and King send you their greeting, +and beg you urgently to come and spend some time with them (it +may benefit you and cannot harm), as they are close by." Erec +replies: "I am greatly obliged to the King and Queen and to you +who are, it seems, both kind of heart and of gentle mien. I am +not in a vigorous state; rather do I bear wounds within my body: +yet will I not turn aside from my way to seek a lodging-place. +So you need not longer wait: I thank you, but you may be gone. +Now Gawain was a man of sense. He draws back and whispers in the +ear of one of the squires, bidding him go quickly and tell the +King to take measures at once to take down and lower his tents +and come and set them up in the middle of the road three or four +leagues in advance of where they now are. There the King must +lodge to-night, if he wishes to meet and extend hospitality to +the best knight in truth whom he can ever hope to see; but who +will not go out of his way for a lodging at the bidding of any +one. The fellow went and gave his message. The King without +delay causes his tents to be taken down. Now they are lowered, +the sumpters loaded, and off they set. The King mounted Aubagu, +and the Queen afterwards mounted a white Norse palfrey. All this +while, my lord Gawain did not cease to detain Erec, until the +latter said to him: "Yesterday I covered more ground than I shall +do to-day. Sire, you annoy me; let me go. You have already +disturbed a good part of my day." And my lord Gawain answers +him: "I should like to accompany you a little way, if you do not +object; for it is yet a long while until night. They spent so +much time in talking that all the tents were set up before them, +and Erec sees them, and perceives that his lodging is arranged +for him. "Ah! Gawain," he says, "your shrewdness has outwitted +me. By your great cunning you have kept me here. Since it has +turned out thus, I shall tell you my name at once. Further +concealment would be useless. I am Erec, who was formerly your +companion and friend." Gawain hears him and straightway embraces +him. He raised up his helmet and unlaced his mouthpiece. +Joyfully he clasps him in his embrace, while Erec embraces him in +turn. Then Gawain leaves him, saying, "Sire, this news will give +great pleasure to my lord; he and my lady will both be glad, and +I must go before to tell them of it. But first I must embrace +and welcome and speak comfortably to my lady Enide, your wife. +My lady the Queen has a great desire to see her. I heard her +speak of her only yesterday." Then he steps up to Enide and asks +her how she is, if she is well and in good case. She makes +answer courteously: "Sire, I should have no cause for grief, were +I not in great distress for my lord; but as it is, I am in +dismay, for he has hardly a limb without a wound." Gawain +replies: "This grieves me much. It is perfectly evident from his +face, which is all pale and colourless. I could have wept myself +when I saw him so pale and wan, but my joy effaced my grief, for +at sight of him I felt so glad that I forgot all other pain. Now +start and ride along slowly. I shall ride ahead at top-speed to +tell the Queen and the King that you are following after me. I +am sure that they will both be delighted when they hear it." +Then he goes, and comes to the King's tent. "Sire," he cries, +"now you and my lady must be glad, for here come Erec and his +wife." The King leaps to his feet with joy. "Upon my word!" he +says, "right glad I am. I could hear no news which could give me +so much happiness." The Queen and all the rest rejoice, and come +out from the tents as fast as they may. Even the King comes +forth from his pavilion, and they met Erec near at band. When +Erec sees the King coming, he quickly dismounts, and Enide too. +The King embraces and meets them, and the Queen likewise tenderly +kisses and embraces them: there is no one that does not show his +joy. Right there, upon the spot, they took off Erec's armour; +and when they saw his wounds, their joy turned to sadness. The +King draws a deep sigh at the sight of them, and has a plaster +brought which Morgan, his sister, had made. This piaster, which +Morgan had given to Arthur, was of such sovereign virtue that no +wound, whether on nerve or joint, provided it were treated with +the piaster once a day, could fail to be completely cured and +healed within a week. They brought to the King the piaster which +gave Erec great relief. When they had bathed, dried, and bound +up his wounds, the King leads him and Enide into his own royal +tent, saying that he intends, out of love for Erec, to tarry in +the forest a full fortnight, until he be completely restored to +health. For this Erec thanks the King, saying: "Fair sire, my +wounds are not so painful that I should desire to abandon my +journey. No one could detain me; to-morrow, without delay, I +shall wish to get off in the morning, as soon as I see the dawn." +At this the King shook his head and said: "This is a great +mistake for you not to remain with us. I know that you are far +from well. Stay here, and you will do the right thing. It will +be a great pity and cause for grief if you die in this forest. +Fair gentle friend, stay here now until you are quite yourself +again." Erec replies: "Enough of this. I have undertaken this +journey, and shall not tarry in any wise." The King hears that +he would by no means stay for prayer of his; so he says no more +about it, and commands the supper to be prepared at once and the +tables to be spread. The servants go to make their preparations. +It was a Saturday night; so they ate fish and fruit, pike and +perch, salmon and trout, and then pears both raw and cooked. (31) +Soon after supper they ordered the beds to be made ready. The +King, who held Erec dear, had him laid in a bed alone; for he did +not wish that any one should lie with him who might touch his +wounds. That night he was well lodged. In another bed close by +lay Enide with the Queen under a cover of ermine, and they all +slept in great repose until the day broke next morning. + +(Vv. 4281-4307.) Next day, as soon as it is dawn. Erec arises, +dresses, commands his horses to be saddled, and orders his arms +to be brought to him. The valets run and bring them to him. +Again the King and all the knights urge him to remain; but +entreaty is of no avail, for he will not stay for anything. Then +you might have seen them all weep and show such grief as if they +already saw him dead. He puts on his arms, and Enide arises. +All the knights are sore distressed, for they think they will +never see them more. They follow them out from the tents, and +send for their own horses, that they may escort and accompany +them. Erec said to them: "Be not angry! but you shall not +accompany me a single step. I'll thank you if you'll stay +behind!" His horse was brought to him, and he mounts without +delay. Taking his shield and lance, he commends them all to God, +and they in turn wish Erec well. Then Enide mounts, and they +ride away. + +(Vv. 4308-4380.) Entering a forest, they rode on without halting +till hour of prime. While they thus traversed the wood, they +heard in the distance the cry of a damsel in great distress. +When Erec heard the cry, he felt sure from the sound that it was +the voice of one in trouble and in need of help. Straightway +calling Enide, he says: "Lady, there is some maiden who goes +through the wood calling aloud. I take it that she is in need of +aid and succour. I am going to hasten in that direction and see +what her trouble is. Do you dismount and await me here, while I +go yonder." "Gladly, sire," she says. Leaving her alone, he +makes his way until he found the damsel, who was going through +the wood, lamenting her lover whom two giants had taken and were +leading away with very cruel treatment. The maiden was rending +her garments, and tearing her hair and her tender crimson face. +Erec sees her and, wondering greatly, begs her to tell him why +she cries and weeps so sore. The maiden cries and sighs again, +then sobbing, says: "Fair sire, it is no wonder if I grieve, for +I wish I were dead. I neither love nor prize my life, for my +lover has been led away prisoner by two wicked and cruel giants +who are his mortal enemies. God! what shall I do? Woe is me! +deprived of the best knight alive, the most noble and the most +courteous. And now he is in great peril of death. This very +day, and without cause, they will bring him to some vile death. +Noble knight, for God's sake, I beg you to succour my lover, if +now you can lend him any aid. You will not have to run far, for +they must still be close by." "Damsel," says Erec, "I will +follow them, since you request it, and rest assured that I shall +do all within my power: either I shall be taken prisoner along +with him, or I shall restore him to you safe and sound. If the +giants let him live until I can find him, I intend to measure my +strength with theirs." "Noble knight," the maiden said, "I shall +always be your servant if you restore to me my lover. Now go in +God's name, and make haste, I beseech you." "Which way lies +their path?" "This way, my lord. Here is the path with the +footprints. Then Erec started at a gallop, and told her ro await +him there. The maid commends him to the Lord, and prays God very +fervently that He should give him force by His command to +discomfit those who intend evil toward her lover. + +(Vv. 4381-4579.) Erec went off along the trail, spurring his +horse in pursuit of the giants. He followed in pursuit of them +until he caught sight of them before they emerged from the wood; +he saw the knight with bare limbs mounted naked on a nag, his +hands and feet bound as if he were arrested for highway robbery. +The giants had no lances, shields or whetted swords; but they +both had clubs and scourges, with which they were beating him so +cruelly that already they had cut the skin on his back to the +bone. Down his sides and flanks the blood ran, so that the nag +was all covered with blood down to the belly. (32) Erec came +along alone after them. He was very sad and distressed about the +knight whom he saw them treat so spitefully. Between two woods +in an open field he came up with them, and asks: "My lords," says +he, "for what crime do you treat this man so ill and lead him +along like a common thief? You are treating him too cruelly. +You are driving him just as if he had been caught stealing. It +is a monstrous insult to strip a knight naked, and then bind him +and beat him so shamefully. Hand him over to me, I beg of you +with all good-will and courtesy. I have no wish to demand him of +you forcibly." "Vassal," they say, "what business is this of +yours? You must be mad to make any demand of us. If you do not +like it, try and improve matters." Erec replies: "Indeed, I like +it not, and you shall not lead him away so easily. Since you +have left the matter in my hands, I say whoever can get +possession of him let him keep him. Take your positions. I +challenge you. You shall not take him any farther before some +blows have been dealt." "Vassal," they reply, "you are mad, +indeed, to wish to measure your strength with us. If you were +four instead of one, you would have no more strength against us +than one lamb against two wolves." "I do not know how it will +turn out," Erec replies; "if the sky fails and the earth melts, +then many a lark will be caught. Many a man boasts loudly who is +of little worth. On guard now, for I am going to attack you." +The giants were strong and fierce, and held in their clenched +hands their big clubs tipped with iron. Erec went at them lance +in rest. He fears neither of them, in spite of their menace and +their pride, and strikes the foremost of them through the eye so +deep into the brain that the blood and brains spurt out at the +back of his neck; that one lies dead and his heart stops beating. +When the other saw him dead, he had reason to be sorely grieved. +Furious, he went to avenge him: with both hands he raised his +club on high and thought to strike him squarely upon his +unprotected head: but Erec watched the blow, and received it on +his shield. Even so, the giant landed such a blow that it quite +stunned him, and almost made him fall to earth from his steed. +Erec covers himself with his shield and the giant, recovering +himself, thinks to strike again quickly upon his head. But Erec +had drawn his sword, and attacked him with such fierceness that +the giant was severely handled: he strikes him so hard upon the +neck that he splits him down to the saddle-bow. He scatters his +bowels upon the earth, and the body falls full length, split in +two halves. The knight weeps with joy and, worshipping, praises +God who has sent him this aid. Then Erec unbound him, made him +dress and arm himself, and mount one of the horses; the other he +made him lead with his right hand, and asks him who he is. And +he replied: "Noble knight, thou art my liege lord. I wish to +regard thee as my lord, as by right I ought to do, for thou hast +saved my life, which but now would have been cut off from my body +with great torment and cruelty. What chance, fair gentle sire, +in God's name, guided thee hither to me, to free me by thy +courage from the hands of my enemies? Sire, I wish to do thee +homage. Henceforth, I shall always accompany thee and serve thee +as my lord." Erec sees that he is disposed to serve him gladly, +if he may, and says: "Friend, for your service I have no desire; +but you must know that I came hither to succour you at the +instance of your lady, whom I found sorrowing in this wood. +Because of you, she grieves and moans; for full of sorrow is her +heart. I wish to present you to her now. As soon as I have +reunited you with her, I shall continue my way alone; for you +have no call to go with me. I have no need cf your company; but +I fain would know your name." "Sire," says he, "as you wish. +Since you desire to know my name, it must not be kept from you. +My name is Cadoc of Tabriol: know that thus I am called. But +since I must part from you. I should like to know, if it may be, +who you are and of what land, where I may sometime find and +search for you, when I shall go a way from here." Erec replies: +"Friend, that I will never confide to you. Never speak of it +again; but if you wish to find it out and do me honour in any +wise go quickly now without delay to my lord, King Arthur, who +with might and main is hunting the stag in yonder wood, as I take +it, not five short leagues from here. Go thither quickly and +take him word that you are sent to him as a gift by him whom +yesterday within his tent he joyfully received and lodged. And +be careful not to conceal from him from what peril I set free +both your life and body. I am dearly cherished at the court, and +if you present yourself in my name you will do me a service and +honour. There you shall ask who I am; but you cannot know it +otherwise." "Sire," says Cadoc, "I will follow your bidding in +all respects. You need never have any fear that I do not go with +a glad heart. I shall tell the King the full truth regarding the +battle which you have fought on my behalf." Thus speaking, they +continued their way until they came to the maiden where Erec had +left her. The damsel's joy knew no bounds when she saw coming +her lover whom she never thought to see again. Taking him by the +hand, Erec presents him to her with the words: "Grieve no longer, +demoiselle! Behold your lover glad and joyous." And she with +prudence makes reply: "Sire, by right you have won us both. +Yours we should be, to serve and honour. But who could ever +repay half the debt we owe you?" Erec makes answer: "My gentle +lady, no recompense do I ask of you. To God I now commend you +both, for too long, methinks, I have tarried here." Then he +turns his horse about, and rides away as fast as he can. Cadoc +of Tabriol with his damsel rides off in another direction; and +soon he told the news to King Arthur and the Queen. + +(Vv. 4580-4778.) Erec continues to ride at great speed to the +place where Enide was awaiting him in great concern, thinking +that surely he had completely deserted her. And he, too, was in +great fear lest some one, finding her alone, might have carried +her off. So he made all haste to return. But the heat of the +day was such, and his arms caused him such distress, that his +wounds broke open and burst the bandages. His wounds never +stopped bleeding before he came directly to the spot where Enide +was waiting for him. She espied him and rejoiced: but she did +not realise or know the pain from which he was suffering; for all +his body was bathed in blood, and his heart hardly had strength +to beat. As he was descending a hill he fell suddenly over upon +his horse's neck. As he tried to straighten up, he lost his +saddle and stirrups, falling, as if lifeless, in a faint. Then +began such heavy grief, when Enide saw him fall to earth. Full +of fear at the sight of him, she runs toward him like one who +makes no concealment of her grief. Aloud she cries, and wrings +her hands: not a shred of her robe remains untorn across her +breast. She begins to tear her hair and lacerate her tender +face. (33) "Ah God!" she cries, "fair gentle Lord, why dost Thou +let me thus live on? Come Death, and kill me hastily!" With +these words she faints upon his body. When she recovered, she +said to herself reproachfully: "Woe is me, wretched Enide; I am +the murderer of my lord, in having killed him by my speech. My +lord would still be now alive, if I in my mad presumption had not +spoken the word which engaged him in this adventure. Silence +never harmed any one, but speech often worketh woe. The truth of +this I have tried and proved in more ways than one." Beside her +lord she took her seat, holding his head upon her lap. Then she +begins her dole anew. "Alas," she says, "my lord, unhappy thou, +thou who never hadst a peer; for in thee was beauty seen and +prowess was made manifest; wisdom had given thee its heart, and +largess set a crown upon thee, without which no one is esteemed. +But what did I say? A grievous mistake I made in uttering the +word which has killed my lord--that fatal poisoned word for +which I must justly be reproached; and I recognise and admit that +no one is guilty but myself; I alone must be blamed for this." +Then fainting she falls upon the ground, and when she later sat +up again, she only moans again the more: "God, what shall I do, +and why live on? Why does Death delay and hesitate to come and +seize me without respite? Truly, Death holds me in great +contempt! Since Death does not deign to take my life, I must +myself perforce achieve the vengeance for my sinful deed. Thus +shall I die in spite of Death, who will not heed my call for aid. +Yet, I cannot die through mere desire, nor would complaining +avail me aught. The sword, which my lord had gilded on, ought by +right to avenge his death. I will not longer consume myself in +distress, in prayer, and vain desire." She draws the sword forth +from its sheath and begins to consider it. God, who is full of +mercy, caused her to delay a little; and while she passes in +review her sorrow and her misfortune, behold there comes riding +apace a Count with numerous suite, who from afar had heard the +lady's loud outcry. God did not wish to desert her; for now she +would have killed herself, had she not been surprised by those +who took away from her the sword and thrust it back into its +sheath. The Count then dismounted from his horse and began to +inquire of her concerning the knight, and whether she was his +wife or his lady-love. "Both one and the other, sire," she says, +"my sorrow is such as I cannot tell. Woe is me that I am not +dead." And the Count begins to comfort her: "Lady," he says, "by +the Lord, I pray you, to take some pity on yourself! It is meet +that you should mourn, but it is no use to be disconsolate; for +you may yet rise to high estate. Do not sink into apathy, but +comfort yourself; that will be wise, and God will give you joy +again. Your wondrous beauty holds good fortune in store for you; +for I will take you as my wife, and make you a countess and dame +of rank: this ought to bring you much consolation. And I shall +have the body removed and laid away with great honour. Leave off +now this grief of yours which in your frenzy you display." And +she replies: "Sire, begone! For God's sake, let me be! You can +accomplish nothing here. Nothing that one could say or do could +ever make me glad again." At this the Count drew back and said: +"Let us make a bier, whereon to carry away this body with the +lady to the town of Limors. There the body shall be interred. +Then will I espouse the lady, whether or not she give consent: +for never did I see any one so fair, nor desire any as I do her. +Happy I am to have met with her. Now make quickly and without +delay a proper bier for this dead knight. Halt not for the +trouble, nor from sloth." Then some of his men draw out their +swords and soon cut two saplings, upon which they laid branches +cross-wise. Upon this litter they laid Erec down; then hitched +two horses to it. Enide rides alongside, not ceasing to make +lament, and often fainting and falling back; but the horsemen +hold her tight, and try to support her with their arms, and raise +her up and comfort her. All the way to Limors they escort the +body, until they come to the palace of the Count. All the people +follow up after them--ladies, knights, and townspeople. In the +middle off the hall upon a dais they stretched the body out full +length, with his lance and shield alongside. The hall is full, +the crowd is dense. Each one is anxious to inquire what is this +trouble, what marvel here. Meanwhile the Count takes counsel +with his barons privily. "My lords," he says, "upon the spot I +wish to espouse this lady here. We can plainly judge by her +beauty and prudent mien that she is of very gentle rank. Her +beauty and noble bearing show that the honour of a kingdom or +empire might well be bestowed upon her. I shall never suffer +disgrace through her; rather I think to win more honour. Have my +chaplain summoned now, and do you go and fetch the lady. The +half of all my land I will give her as her dower if she will +comply with my desire." Then they bade the chaplain come, in +accordance with the Count's command, and the dame they brought +there, too, and made her marry him perforce; for she flatly +refused to give consent. But in spite of all, the Count married +her in accordance with his wish. And when he had married her, +the constable at once had the tables set in the palace, and had +the food prepared; for already it was time for the evening meal. + +(Vv. 4779-4852.) After vespers, that day in May, Enide was in +sore distress, nor did her grief cease to trouble her. And the +Count urged her mildly by prayer and threat to make her peace and +be consoled, and he made her sit down upon a chair, though it was +against her will. In spite of her, they made her take a seat and +placed the table in front of her. The Count takes his place on +the other side, almost beside himself with rage to find that he +cannot comfort her. "Lady," he says, "you must now leave off +this grief and banish it. You can have full trust in me, that +honour and riches will be yours. You must surely realise that +mourning will not revive the dead; for no one ever saw such a +thing come about. Remember now, though poor you were, that great +riches are within your reach. Once you were poor; rich now you +will be. Fortune has not been stingy toward you, in bestowing +upon you the honour of being henceforth hailed as Countess. It +is true that your lord is dead. If you grieve and lament because +of this, do you think that I am surprised? Nay. But I am giving +you the best advice I know how to give. In that I have married +you, you ought to be content. Take care you do not anger me! +Eat now, as I bid you do." And she replies: "Not I, my lord. In +faith, as long as I live I will neither eat nor drink unless I +first see my lord eat who is lying on yonder dais" "Lady, that +can never be. People will think that you are mad when you talk +such great nonsense. You will receive a poor reward if you give +occasion to-day for further reproof." To this she vouchsafed no +reply, holding his threats in slight esteem, and the Count +strikes her upon the face. At this she shrieks, and the barons +present blame the Count. "Hold. sire!" they cry to the Count; +"you ought to be ashamed of having struck this lady because she +will not eat. You have done a very ugly deed. If this lady is +distressed because of her lord whom she now sees dead, no one +should say that she is wrong." "Keep silence, all." the Count +replies; "the dame is mine and I am hers, and I will do with her +as I please." At this she could not hold her peace, but swears +she will never be his. And the Count springs up and strikes her +again, and she cries out aloud. "Ha! wretch," she says, "I care +not what thou say to me, or what thou do! I fear not thy blows, +nor yet thy threats. Beat me and strike me, as thou wilt. I +shall never heed thy power so much as to do thy bidding more or +less, even were thou with thy hands fight now to snatch out my +eyes or flay me alive." + +(Vv. 4853-4938.) In the midst of these words and disputes Erec +recovered from his swoon, like a man who awakes from sleep. No +wonder that he was amazed at the crowd of people he saw around. +But great was his grief and great his woe when he heard the voice +of his wife. He stepped to the floor from off the dais and +quickly drew his sword. Wrath and the love he bore his wife gave +him courage. He runs thither where he sees her, and strikes the +Count squarely upon the head, so that he beats out his brains +and, knocking in his forehead, leaves him senseless and +speechless; his blood and brains flow out. The knights spring +from the tables, persuaded that it is the devil who had made his +way among them there. Of young or old there none remains, for +all were thrown in great dismay. Each one tries to outrun the +other in beating a hasty retreat. Soon they were all clear of +the palace, and cry aloud, both weak and strong: "Flee, flee, +here comes the corpse!" At the door the press is great: each one +strives to make his escape, and pushes and shoves as best he may. +He who is last in the surging throng would fain get into the +foremost line. Thus they make good their escape in flight, for +one dares not stand upon another's going. Erec ran to seize his +shield, hanging it about his neck by the strap, while Enide lays +hands upon the lance. Then they step out into the courtyard. +There is no one so bold as to offer resistance; for they did not +believe it could be a man who had thus expelled them, but a devil +or some enemy who had entered the dead body. Erec pursues them +as they flee, and finds outside in the castle-yard a stable-boy +in the act of leading his steed to the watering-place, all +equipped with bridle and saddle. This chance encounter pleased +Erec well: as he steps up quickly to the horse, the boy in fear +straightway yields him up. Erec takes his seat between the +saddle-bows, while Enide, seizing the stirrup, springs up on to +the horse's neck, as Erec, who bade her mount, commanded and +instructed her to do. The horse bears them both away; and +finding open the town gate, they make their escape without +detention. In the town there was great anxiety about the Count +who had been killed; but there is no one, however brave, who +follows Erec to take revenge. At his table the Count was slain; +while Erec, who bears his wife away, embraces and kisses and +gives her cheer. In his arms he clasps her against his heart, +and says: "Sweet sister mine, my proof of you has been complete! +Be no more concerned in any wise, for I love you now more than +ever I did before; and I am certain and rest assured that you +love me with a perfect love. From this time on for evermore, I +offer myself to do your will just as I used to do before. And if +you have spoken ill of me, I pardon you and call you quit of both +the offence and the word you spoke." Then he kisses her again +and clasps her tight. Now Enide is not ill at ease when her lord +clasps and kisses her and tells her again that he loves her +still. Rapidly through the night they ride, and they are very +glad that the moon shines bright. + +(Vv. 4939-5058.) Meanwhile, the news has travelled fast, and +there is nothing else so quick. The news had reached Guivret the +Little that a knight wounded with arms had been found dead in the +forest, and that with him was a lady making moan, and so wondrous +fair that Iseut would have seemed her waiting-maid. Count +Oringle of Limors had found them both, and had caused the corpse +to be borne away, and wished himself to espouse the lady; but she +refused him. When Guivret heard this news, he was by no means +pleased; for at once the thought of Erec occurred to him. It +came into his heart and mind to go and seek out the lady, and to +have the body honourably interred. if it should turn out to be +he. He assembled a thousand men-at-arms and knights to take the +town. If the Count would not surrender of his own accord the +body and the lady, he would put all to fire and flame. In the +moonlight shining clear he led his men on toward Limors, with +helmets laced, in hauberks clad, and from their necks the shields +were hung. Thus, under arms, they all advanced until nearly +midnight, when Erec espied them. Now he expects to be ensnared +or killed or captured inevitably. He makes Enide dismount beside +a thicket-hedge. No wonder if he is dismayed. "Lady, do you +stay here," he says, "beside this thicket-hedge a while, until +these people shall have passed. I do not wish them to catch +sight of you, for I do not know what manner of people they are, +nor of what they go in search. I trust we may not attract their +attention. But I see nowhere any place where we could take +refuge, should they wish to injure us. I know not if any harm +may come to me, but not from fear shall I fail to sally out +against them. And if any one assails me, I shall not fail to +joust with him. Yet, I am so sore and weary that it is no wonder +if I grieve. Now to meet them I must go, and do you stay quiet +here. Take care that no one see you, until they shall have left +you far behind." Behold now Guivret, with lance outstretched, +who espied him from afar. They did not recognise each other, for +the moon had gone behind the shadow of a dark cloud. Erec was +weak and exhausted, and his antagonist was quite recovered from +his wounds and blows. Now Erec will be far from wise if he does +not promptly make himself known. He steps out from the hedge. +And Guivret spurs toward him without speaking to him at all, nor +does Erec utter a word to him: he thought he could do more than +he could. Whoever tries to run farther than he is able must +perforce give up or take a rest. They clash against each other; +but the fight was unequal, for one was weak and the other strong. +Guivret strikes him with such force that he carries him down to +earth from his horse's back. Enide, who was in hiding, when she +sees her lord on the ground, expects to be killed and badly used. +Springing forth from the hedge, she runs to help her lord. If +she grieved before, now her anguish is greater. Coming up to +Guivret, she seized his horse's rein, and then said: "Cursed be +thou, knight! For thou hast attacked a weak and exhausted man, +who is in pain and mortally wounded, with such injustice that +thou canst not find reason for thy deed. If thou hadst been +alone and helpless, thou wouldst have rued this attack, provided +my lord had been in health. Now be generous and courteous, and +kindly let cease this battle which thou hast begun. For thy +reputation would be no better for having killed or captured a +knight who has not the strength to rise, as thou canst see. For +he has suffered so many blows of arms that he is all covered with +wounds" And he replies: "Fear not, lady! I see that loyally you +love your lord, and I commend you for it. Have no fear +whatsoever of me or of my company. But tell me now without +concealment what is the name of your lord; for only advantage +will you get from telling me. Whoever he be, tell me his name; +then he shall go safe and unmolested. Neither he nor you have +aught to fear, for you are both in safe hands." + +(Vv. 5059-5172.) Then Enide learns that she is safe, she answers +him briefly in a word: "His name is Erec; I ought not to lie, for +I see you are honest and of good intent." Guivret, in his +delight, dismounts and goes to fall at Erec's feet, where he was +lying on the ground. "My lord," he says, "I was going to seek +for you, and was on my way to Limors, where I expected to find +you dead. It was told and recounted to me as true that Count +Oringle had carried off to Limors a knight who was mortally +wounded, and that he wickedly intended to marry a lady whom he +had found in his company; but that she would have nothing to do +with him. And I was coming urgently to aid and deliver her. If +he refused to hand over to me both the lady and you without +resistance, I should esteem myself of little worth if I left him +a foot of earth to stand upon. Be sure that had I not loved you +dearly I should never have taken this upon myself. I am Guivret, +your friend; but if I have done you any hurt through my failure +to recognise you, you surely ought to pardon me." At this Erec +sat up, for he could do no more, and said: "Rise up, my friend. +Be absolved of the harm you have done me, since you did not +recognise me." Guivret gets up, and Erec tells him how he has +killed the Count while he sat at meat, and how he had gained +possession again of his steed in front of the stable, and how the +sergeants and the squires had fled across the yard, crying: +"Flee, flee, the corpse is chasing us;" then, how he came near +being caught, and how he escaped through the town and down the +hill, carrying his wife on his horse's neck: all this adventure +of his he told him. Then Guivret said, "Sire, I have a castle +here close by, which is well placed in a healthful site. For +your comfort and benefit I wish to take you there to-morrow and +have your wounds cared for. I have two charming and sprightly +sisters who are skilful in the care of wounds: they will soon +completely cure you. (34) To-night we shall let our company +lodge here in the fields until morning; for I think a little rest +to-night will do you much good. My advice is that we spend the +night here." Erec replies: "I am in favour of doing so." So +there they stayed and spent the night. They were not reluctant +to prepare a lodging-place, but they found few accommodations, +for the company was quite numerous. They lodge as best they may +among the bushes: Guivret had his tent set up, and ordered tinder +to be kindled, that they might have light and cheer. He has +tapers taken out from the boxes, and they light them within the +tent. Now Enide no longer grieves, for all has turned out well. +She strips her lord of his arms and clothes, and having washed +his wounds, she dried them and bound them up again; for she would +let no one else touch him. Now Erec knows no further reason to +reproach her, for he has tried her well and found that she bears +great love to him. And Guivret, who treats them kindly, had a +high, long bed constructed of quilted coverlids, laid upon grass +and reed, which they found in abundance. There they laid Erec +and covered him up. Then Guivret opened a box and took out two +patties. "Friend," says he, "now try a little of these cold +patties, and drink some wine mixed with water. I have as much as +six barrels of it, but undiluted it is not good for you; for you +are injured and covered with wounds. Fair sweet friend, now try +to eat; for it will do you good. And my lady will eat some too +-- your wife who has been to-day in sore distress on your +account. But you have received full satisfaction for all that, +and have escaped. So eat now, and I will eat too, fair friend." +Then Guivret sat down by Erec's side, and so did Enide who was +much pleased by all that Guivret did. Both of them urge him to +eat, giving him wine mixed with water'; for unmixed it is too +strong and heating. Erec ate as a sick man eats, and drank a +little--all he dared. But he rested comfortably and slept all +night; for on his account no noise or disturbance was made. + +(Vv. 5173-5366.) In the early morning they awoke, and prepared +again to mount and ride. Erec was so devoted to his own horse +that he would ride no other. They gave to Enide a mule, for she +had lost her palfrey. But she was not concerned; to judge by her +looks, she gave the matter no thought. She had a good mule with +an easy gait that bore her very comfortably. And it gave her +great satisfaction that Erec was not cast down, but rather +assured them that he would recover completely. Before the third +hour they reached Penevric, a strong castle, well and handsomely +situated. There dwelt the two sisters of Guivret; for the place +was agreeable enough. Guivret escorted Erec to a delightful, +airy room in a remote part of the castle. His sisters, at his +request, exerted themselves to cure Erec; and Erec placed himself +in their hands, for they inspired him with perfect confidence. +First, they removed the dead flesh, then applied plaster and +lint, devoting to his care all their skill, like women who knew +their business well. Again and again they washed his wounds and +applied the plaster. Four times or more each day they made him +eat and drink, allowing him, however, no garlic or pepper. But +whoever might go in or out Enide was always with him, being more +than any one else concerned. Guivret often came in to ask and +inquire if he wanted anything. He was well kept and well served, +and everything that he wished was willingly done. But the +damsels cheerfully and gladly showed such devotion in caring for +him that by the end of a fortnight he felt no hurt or pain. +Then, to bring his colour back, they began to give him baths. +There was no need to instruct the damsels, for they understood +the treatment well. When he was able to walk about. Guivret had +two loose gowns made of two different kinds of silk, one trimmed +with ermine, the other with vair. One was of a dark purple +colour, and the other striped, sent to him as a present by a +cousin of his from Scotland. Enide had the purple gown trimmed +with ermine, which was very precious, while Erec had the striped +stuff with the fur, which was no less valuable. Now Erec was +strong and well, cured and recovered. Now that Enide was very +happy and had everything she desired, her great beauty returned +to her; for her great distress had affected her so much that she +was very pale and wan. Now she was embraced and kissed, now she +was blessed with all good things, now she had her joy and +pleasures; for unadorned they lie in bed and each enfolds and +kisses the other; nothing gives them so much joy. They have had +so much pain and sorrow, he for her, and she for him, that now +they have their satisfaction. Each vies in seeking to please the +other. Of their further sport I must not speak. Now they have +so welded their love and forgotten their grief that they scarcely +remember it any more. But now they must go on their way; so they +asked his leave to depart from Guivret, in whom they had found a +friend indeed; for he had honoured and served them in every way. +When he came to take leave, Erec said: "Sire, I do not wish to +delay longer my departure for my own land. Order everything to +be prepared and collected, in order that I may have all I need. +I shall wish to start to-morrow morning, as soon as it is day. I +have stayed so long with you that I feel strong and vigorous. +God grant, if it please Him, that I may live to meet you again +somewhere, when I may be able in my turn to serve and honour you. +Unless I am captured or detained, I do not expect to tarry +anywhere until I reach the court of King Arthur, whom I hope to +find either at Robais or Carduel." To which Guivret makes prompt +reply, "Sire, you shall not go off alone! For I myself shall go +with you and shall take companions with us, if it be your +pleasure." Erec accedes to this advice, and says that, in +accordance with his plans, he wishes the journey to be begun. +That night they make preparations for their journey, not wishing +to delay there longer. They all make ready and prepare. In the +early morning, when they awake, the saddles are placed upon the +steeds. Before he leaves, Erec goes to bid farewell to the +damsels in their rooms; and Enide (who was glad and full of joy) +thither follows him. When their preparations for departure were +made, they took their leave of the damsels. Erec, who was very +courteous, in taking leave of them, thanks them for his health +and life, and pledges to them his service. Then he took one of +them by the hand she who was the nearer to him and Enide took the +other's hand: hand in hand they came up from the bedroom into the +castle hall. Guivret urges them to mount at once without delay. +Enide thinks the time will never come for them to mount. They +bring around to the block for her a good-tempered palfrey, a soft +stepper, handsome and well shaped. The palfrey was of fine +appearance and a good mount: it was no less valuable than her own +which had stayed behind at Limors. That other one was dappled, +this one was sorrel; but the head was of another colour: it was +marked in such a way that one cheek was all white, while the +other was raven black. Between the two colours there was a line, +greener than a grape-vine leaf, which separated the white from +the black. Of the bridle, breast-strap, and saddle I can surely +say that the workmanship was rich and handsome. All the breast- +strap and bridle was of gold set with emeralds. The saddle was +decorated in another style, covered with a precious purple cloth. +The saddle-bows were of ivory, on which was carved the story of +how Aeneas came from Troy, how at Carthage with great joy Dido +received him to her bed, how Aeneas deceived her, and how for him +she killed herself, how Aeneas conquered Laurentum and all +Lombardy, of which he was king all his life. (35) Cunning was +the workmanship and well carved, all decorated with fine gold. A +skilful craftsman, who made it spent more than seven years in +carving it, without touching any other piece of work. I do not +know whether he sold it; but he ought to have obtained a good +price for it. Now that Enide was presented with this palfrey, +she was well compensated for the loss of her own. The palfrey, +thus richly apparelled, was given to her and she mounted it +gladly; then the gentlemen and squires quickly mounted too. For +their pleasure and sport Guivret caused to be taken with them +rich falcons, both young and moulted, many a tercel and +sparrow-hawk, and many a setter and greyhound. + +(Vv. 5367-5446.) (36) They rode straight on from morn till eve +more than thirty Welsh leagues, and then came to the towers of a +stronghold, rich and fair, girt all about with a new wall. And +all around, beneath this wall, ran a very deep stream, roaring +rushing like a storm. Erec stops to look at it, and ask and find +out if any one could truly tell him who was the lord of this +town. "Friend," said he to his kind companion, "could you tell +me the name of this town, and whose it is? Tell me if it belongs +to a count or a king. Since you have brought me here, tell me, +if you know." "Sire," he says, "I know very well, and will tell +you the truth about it. The name of the town is Brandigant, and +it is so strong and fine that it fears neither king nor emperor. +If France, and all of England, and all who live from here to +Liege were ranged about to lay a siege, they would never take it +in their lives; for the isle on which the town stands stretches +away four leagues or more, and within the enclosure grows all +that a rich town needs: fruit and wheat and wine are found; and +of wood and water there is no lack. It fears no assault on any +side, nor could anything reduce it to starvation. King Evrain +had it fortified, and he has possessed it all his days +unmolested, and will possess it all his life. But not because he +feared any one did he thus fortify it; but the town is more +pleasing so. For if it had no wall or tower, but only the stream +that encircles it, it would still be so secure and strong that it +would have no fear of the whole world." "God!" said Erec, "what +great wealth! Let us go and see the fortress, and we shall take +lodging in the town, for I wish to stop here." "Sire," said the +other in great distress, "were it not to disappoint you, we +should not stop here. In the town there is a dangerous passage." +"Dangerous?" says Erec; "do you know about it? Whatever it be, +tell us about it; for very gladly would I know." "Sire," says +he, "I should fear that you might suffer some harm there. I know +there is so much boldness and excellence in your heart that, were +I to tell you what I know of the perilous and hard adventure, you +would wish to enter in. I have often heard the story, and more +than seven years have passed since any one that went in quest of +the adventure has come back from the town; yet, proud, bold +knights have come hither from many a land. Sire, do not treat +this as a jest: for you will never learn the secret from me until +you shall have promised me, by the love you have sworn to me, +that never by you will be undertaken this adventure, from which +no one escapes without receiving shame or death." + +(Vv. 5447-5492.) Now Erec hears what pleases him, and begs +Guivret not to be grieved, saying: "Ah, fair sweet friend, permit +that our lodging be made in the town, and do not be disturbed. +It is time to halt for the night, and so I trust that it will not +displease you; for if any honour comes to us here you ought to be +very glad. I appeal to you conceding the adventure that you tell +me just the name of it, and I'll not insist upon the rest." +"Sire." he says, "I cannot be silent and refuse the information +you desire. The name is very fair to say, but the execution is +very hard: for no one can come from it alive. The adventure, +upon my word, is called `the Joy of the Court.'" "God! there +can be nothing but good in joy," says Erec; "I go to seek it. +Don't go now and discourage me about this or anything else, fair +gentle friend; but let us have our lodgings taken, for great good +may come to us of this. Nothing could restrain me from going to +seek the Joy." "Sire," says he, "God grant your prayer, that you +may find joy and return without mishap. I clearly see that we +must go in. Since otherwise it may not be, let us go in. Our +lodging is secured; for no knight of high degree, as I have heard +it said and told, can enter this castle with intent to lodge here +but that King Evrain offers to shelter him. So gentle and +courteous is the King that he has given notice to all his +townsmen, appealing to their love for him, that any gentleman +from afar should not find lodging in their houses, so that he +himself may do honour to all gentlemen who may wish to tarry +here." + +(Vv. 5493-5668.) (37) Thus they proceed toward the castle, +passing the list and the drawbridge; and when they passed the +listing-place, the people who were gathered in the streets in +crowds see Erec in all his beauty, and apparently they think and +believe that all the others are in his train. Marvelling much, +they stare at him; the whole town was stirred and moved, as they +take counsel and discuss about him. Even the maidens at their +song leave off their singing and desist, as all together they +look at him; and because of his great beauty they cross +themselves, and marvellously they pity him. One to another +whispers low: "Alas! This knight, who is passing, is on his way +to the `Joy of the Court.' He will be sorry before he returns; +no one ever came from another land to claim the `Joy of the +Court' who did not receive shame and harm, and leave his head +there as a forfeit." Then, that he may hear their words, they +cry-aloud: "God defend thee, knight, from harm; for thou art +wondrously handsome, and thy beauty is greatly to be pitied, for +to-morrow we shall see it quenched. Tomorrow thy death is come; +to-morrow thou shalt surely die if God does not guard and defend +thee." Erec hears and understands that they are speaking of him +through the lower town: more than two thousand pitied him; but +nothing causes him dismay. He passes on without delay, bowing +gaily to men and women alike. And they all salute him too; and +most of them swear with anxiety, fearing more than he does +himself, for his shame and for his hurt. The mere sight of his +countenance, his great beauty and his bearing, has so won to him +the hearts of all, that knights, ladies, and maids alike fear his +harm. King Evrain hears the news that men were arriving at his +court who brought with them a numerous train, and by his harness +it appeared that their leader was a count or king. King Evrain +comes down the street to meet them, and saluting them he cries: +"Welcome to this company, both to the master and all his suite. +Welcome, gentlemen! Dismount." They dismounted, and there were +plenty to receive and take their horses. Nor was King Evrain +backward when he saw Enide coming; but he straightway saluted her +and ran to help her to dismount. Taking her white and tender +hand, he led her up into the palace, as was required by courtesy, +and honoured her in every way he could, for he knew right well +what he ought to do, without nonsense and without malice. He +ordered a chamber to be scented with incense, myrrh, and aloes. +When they entered, they all complimented King Evrain on its fine +appearance. Hand in hand they enter the room, the King escorting +them and taking great pleasure in them. But why should I +describe to you the paintings and the silken draperies with which +the room was decorated? I should only waste time in folly, and I +do not wish to waste it, but rather to hasten on a little; for he +who travels the straight road passes him who turns aside; +therefore I do not wish to tarry. When the time and hour +arrived, the King orders supper to be prepared; but I do not wish +to stop over that if I can find some more direct way. That night +they had in abundance all that heart desires and craves: birds, +venison, and fruit, and wines of different sorts. But better +than all is a happy cheer! For of all dishes the sweetest is a +joyful countenance and a happy face. They were very richly +served until Erec suddenly left off eating and drinking, and +began speaking of what rested most upon his heart: he remembered +`the Joy', and began a conversation about it in which King Evrain +joined. "Sire" says he, "it is time now to tell you what I +intend, and why I have come here. Too long I have refrained from +speech, and now can no longer conceal my object. I ask you for +`the Joy' of the Court, for I covet nothing else so much. Grant +it to me, whatever it be, if you are in control of it." "In +truth, fair friend." the King replies, "I hear you speak great +nonsense. This is a very parlous thing, which has caused sorrow +to many a worthy man; you yourself will eventually be killed and +undone if you will not heed my counsel. But if you were willing +to take my word, I should advise you to desist from soliciting so +grievous a thing in which you would never succeed. Speak of it +no more! Hold your peace! It would be imprudent on your part +not to follow my advice. I am not at all surprised that you +desire honour and fame; but if I should see you harmed or injured +in your body I should be distressed at heart. And know well that +I have seen many a man ruined who solicited this joy. They were +never any the better for it, but rather did they all die and +perish. Before to-morrow's evening come you may expect a like +reward. If you wish to strive for the Joy, you shall do so, +though it grieve me sore. It is something from which you are +free to retreat and draw back if you wish to work your welfare. +Therefore I tell you, for I should commit treachery and do you +wrong were I not to tell you all the truth." Erec hears him and +admits that the King with reason counsels him. But the greater +the wonder and the more perilous the adventure, the more he +covets it and yearns for it, saying: "Sire, I can tell you that I +find you a worthy and a loyal man, and I can put no blame on you. +I wish to undertake {his boon, however it may fall out with me. +The die is cast, for I shall never draw back from anything I have +undertaken without exerting all my strength before I quit the +field." "I know that well," the King replied; "you are acting +against my will. You shall have the Joy which you desire. But I +am in great despair; for I greatly fear you will be undone. But +now be assured that you shall have what you desire. If you come +out of it happily, you will have won such great honour that never +did man win greater; and may God, as I desire, grant you a joyous +deliverance." + +(Vv. 5669-5738.) All that night they talked of it, until the +beds were prepared and they went to rest. In the morning, when +it was daylight, Erec, who was on the watch, saw the clear dawn +and the sun, and quickly rising, clothed himself. Enide again is +in distress, very sad and ill at ease; all night she is greatly +disquieted with the solicitude and fear which she felt for her +lord, who is about to expose himself to great peril. But +nevertheless he equips himself, for no one can make him change +his mind. For his equipment the King sent him, when he arose, +arms which he put to good use. Erec did not refuse them, for his +own were worn and impaired and in bad state. He gladly accepted +the arms and had himself equipped with them in the hall. When he +was armed, he descends the steps and finds his horse saddled and +the King who had mounted. Every one in the castle and in the +houses of the town hastened to mount. In all the town there +remained neither man nor woman, erect or deformed, great or +small, weak or strong, who is able to go and does not do so. +When they start, there is a great noise and clamour in all the +streets; for those of high and low degree alike cry out: "Alas, +alas! oh knight, the Joy that thou wishest to win has betrayed +thee, and thou goest to win but grief and death." And there is +not one but says: "God curse this joy! which has been the death +of so many gentlemen. To-day it will wreak the worst woe that it +has ever yet wrought." Erec hears well and notes that up and +down they said of him: "Alas, alas, ill-starred wert thou, fair, +gentle, skilful knight! Surely it would not be just that thy +life should end so soon, or that harm should come to wound and +injure thee." He hears clearly the words and what they said; but +notwithstanding, he passes on without lowering his head, and +without the bearing of a craven. Whoever may speak, he longs to +see and know and understand why they are all in such distress, +anxiety, and woe. The King leads him without the town into a +garden that stood near by; and all the people follow after, +praying that from this trial God may grant him a happy issue. +But it is not meet that I should pass on, from weariness and +exhaustion of tongue, without telling you the whole truth about +the garden, according as the story runs. + +(Vv. 5739-5826.) (38) The garden had around it no wall or fence +except of air: yet, by a spell, the garden was on all sides so +shut in by the air that nothing could enter there any more than +if the garden were enclosed in iron, unless it flew in over the +top. And all through the summer and the winter, too, there were +flowers and ripe fruits there; and the fruit was of such a nature +that it could be eaten inside; the danger consisted in carrying +it out; for whoever should wish to carry out a little would never +be able to find the gate, and never could issue from the garden +until he had restored the fruit to its place. And there is no +flying bird under heaven, pleasing to man, but it sings there to +delight and to gladden him, and can be heard there in numbers of +every kind. And the earth, however far it stretch, bears no +spice or root of use in making medicine, but it had been planted +there, and was to be found in abundance. Through a narrow +entrance the people entered--King Evrain and all the rest. +Erec went riding, lance in rest, into the middle of the garden, +greatly delighting in the song of the birds which were singing +there; they put him in mind of his Joy the thing he most was +longing for. But he saw a wondrous thing, which might arouse +fear in the bravest warrior of all whom we know, be it Thiebaut +the Esclavon, (39) or Ospinel, or Fernagu. For before them, on +sharpened stakes, there stood bright and shining helmets, and +each one had beneath the rim a man's head. But at the end there +stood a stake where as yet there was nothing but a horn. (40) He +knows not what this signifies, yet draws not back a step for +that; rather does he ask the King, who was beside him at the +right, what this can be. The King speaks and explains to him: +"Friend," he says, "do you know the meaning of this thing that +you see here? You must be in great terror of it, if you care at +all for your own body; for this single stake which stands apart, +where you see this horn hung up, has been waiting a very long +time, but we know not for whom, whether for you or someone else. +Take care lest thy head be set up there; for such is the purpose +of the stake. I had warned you well of that before you came +here. I do not expect that you will escape hence, but that you +will be killed and rent apart. For this much we know, that the +stake awaits your head. And if it turns out that it be placed +there, as the matter stands agreed, as soon as thy head is fixed +upon it another stake will be set up beside it which will await +the arrival of some one else--I know not when or whom. I will +tell you nothing of the horn; but never has any one been able to +blow it. (41) However, he who shall succeed in blowing it his +fame and honour will grow until it distance all those of his +country, and he shall find such renown that all will come to do +him honour, and will hold him to be the best of them all. Now +there is no more of this matter. Have your men withdraw; for +`the Joy' will soon arrive, and will make you sorry, I suspect." + +(Vv. 5827-6410.) Meanwhile King Evrain leaves his side, and Erec +stoops over before Enide, whose heart was in great distress, +although she held her peace; for grief on lips is of no account +unless it also touch the heart. And he who well knew her heart, +said to her: "Fair sister dear, gentle, loyal, and prudent lady, +I am acquainted with your thoughts. You are in fear, I see that +well, and yet you do not know for what; but there is no reason +for your dismay until you shall see that my shield is shattered +and that my body is wounded, and until you see the meshes of my +bright hauberk covered with blood, and my helmet broken and +smashed, and me defeated and weary, so that I can no longer +defend myself, but must beg and sue for mercy against my will; +then you may lament, but now you have begun too soon. Gentle +lady, as yet you know not what this is to be; no more do I. You +are troubled without cause. But know this truly: if there were +in me only so much courage as your love inspires, truly I should +not fear to face any man alive. But I am foolish to vaunt +myself; yet I say it not from any pride, but because I wish to +comfort you. So comfort yourself, and let it be! I cannot +longer tarry here, nor can you go along with me; for, as the King +has ordered, I must not take you beyond this point." Then he +kisses her and commends her to God, and she him. But she is much +chagrined that she cannot follow and escort him, until she may +learn and see what this adventure is to be, and how he will +conduct himself. But since she must stay behind and cannot +follow him, she remains sorrowful and grieving. And he went off +alone down a path, without companion of any sort, until he came +to a silver couch with a cover of gold-embroidered cloth, beneath +the shade of a sycamore; and on the bed a maiden of comely body +and lovely face, completely endowed with all beauty, was seated +all alone. I intended to say no more of her; but whoever could +consider well all her attire and her beauty might well say that +never did Lavinia of Laurentum, who was so fair and comely, +possess the quarter of her beauty. Erec draws near to her, +wishing to see her more closely, and the onlookers go and sit +down under the trees in the orchard. Then behold, there comes a +knight armed with vermilion arms, and he was wondrous tall; and +if he were not so immeasurably tall, under the heavens there +would be none fairer than he; but, as every one averred, he was a +foot taller than any knight he knew. Before Erec caught sight of +him, he cried out: "Vassal, vassal! You are mad, upon my life, +thus to approach my damsel. I should say you are not worthy to +draw near her. You will pay dearly for your presumption, by my +head! Stand back!" And Erec stops and looks at him, and the +other, too, stood still. Neither made advance until Erec had +replied all that he wished to say to him. "Friend," he says, +"one can speak folly as well as good sense. Threaten as much as +you please, and I will keep silence; for in threatening there is +no sense. Do you know why? A man sometimes thinks he has won +the game who afterward loses it. So he is manifestly a fool who +is too presumptuous and who threatens too much. If there are +some who flee there are plenty who chase, but I do not fear you +so much that I am going to run away yet. I am ready to make such +defence, if there is any who wishes to offer me battle, that he +will have to do his uttermost, or otherwise he cannot escape." +"Nay," quoth he, "so help me God! know that you shall have the +battle, for I defy and challenge you." And you may know, upon my +word, that then the reins were not held in. The lances they had +were not light, but were big and square; nor were they planed +smooth, but were rough and strong. Upon the shields with mighty +strength they smote each other with their sharp weapons, so that +a fathom of each lance passes through the gleaming shields. But +neither touches the other's flesh, nor was either lance cracked; +each one, as quickly as he could, draws back his lance, and both +rushing together, return to the fray. One against the other +rides, and so fiercely they smite each other that both lances +break and the horses fall beneath them. But they, being seated +on their steeds, sustain no harm; so they quickly rise, for they +were strong and lithe. They stand on foot in the middle of the +garden, and straightway attack each other with their green swords +of German steel, and deal great wicked blows upon their bright +and gleaming helmets, so that they hew them into bits, and their +eyes shoot out flame. No greater efforts can be made than those +they make in striving and toiling to injure and wound each other. +Both fiercely smite with the gilded pommel and the cutting edge. +Such havoc did they inflict upon each other's teeth, cheeks, +nose, hands, arms, and the rest, upon temples, neck, and throat +that their bones all ache. They are very sore and very tired; +yet they do not desist, but rather only strive the more. Sweat, +and the blood which flows down with it, dim their eves, so that +they can hardly see a thing; and very often they missed their +blows, like men who did not see to wield their swords upon each +other. They can scarcely harm each other now; yet, they do not +desist at all from exercising all their strength. Because their +eyes are so blinded that they completely lose their sight, they +let their shields fall to the ground, and seize each other +angrily. Each pulls and drags the other, so that they fall upon +their knees. Thus, long they fight until the hour of noon is +past, and the big knight is so exhausted that his breath quite +fails him. Erec has him at his mercy, and pulls and drags so +that he breaks all the lacing of his helmet, and forces him over +at his feet. He falls over upon his face against Erec's breast, +and has not strength to rise again. Though it distresses him, he +has to say and own: "I cannot deny it, you have beaten me; but +much it goes against my will. And yet you may be of such degree +and fame that only credit will redound to me; and insistently I +would request, if it may be in any way, that I might know your +name, and he thereby somewhat comforted. If a better man has +defeated me, I shall be glad, I promise you; but if it has so +fallen out that a baser man than I has worsted me, then I must +feel great grief indeed." "Friend, dost thou wish to know my +name?" says Erec; "Well, I shall tell thee ere I leave here; but +it will be upon condition that thou tell me now why thou art in +this garden. Concerning that I will know all what is thy name +and what the Joy; for I am very anxious to hear the truth from +beginning to end of it." "Sire," says he, "fearlessly I will +tell you all you wish to know." Erec no more withholds his name, +but says: "Didst thou ever hear of King Lac and of his son Erec?" +"Yea, sire, I knew him well; for I was at his father's court for +many a day before I was knighted, and, if he had had his will, I +should never have left him for anything." "Then thou oughtest to +know me well, if thou weft ever with me at the court of my +father, the King." "Then, upon my faith, it has turned out well. +Now hear who has detained me so long in this garden. I will tell +the truth in accordance with your injunction, whatever it may +cost me. That damsel who yonder sits, loved me from childhood +and I loved her. It pleased us both, and our love grew and +increased, until she asked a boon of me, but did not tell me what +it was. Who would deny his mistress aught? There is no lover +but would surely do all his sweet-heart's pleasure without +default or guile, whenever he can in any way. I agreed to her +desire; but when I had agreed, she would have it, too, that I +should swear. I would have done more than that for her, but she +took me at my word. I made her a promise, without knowing what. +Time passed until I was made a knight. King Evrain, whose nephew +I am, dubbed me a knight in the presence of many honourable men +in this very garden where we are. My lady, who is sitting there, +at once recalled to me my word, and said that I had promised her +that I would never go forth from here until there should come +some knight who should conquer me by trial of arms. It was right +that I should remain, for rather than break my word, I should +never have pledged it. Since I knew the good there was in her, I +could nor reveal or show to the one whom I hold most dear that in +all this I was displeased; for if she had noticed it, she would +have withdrawn her heart, and I would not have had it so for +anything that might happen. Thus my lady thought to detain me +here for a long stay; she did not think that there would ever +enter this garden any vassal who could conquer me. In this way +she intended to keep me absolutely shut up with her all the days +of my life. And I should have committed an offence if I had had +resort to guile and not defeated all those against whom I could +prevail; such escape would have been a shame. And I dare to +assure you that I have no friend so dear that I would have +feigned at all in fighting with him. Never did I weary of arms, +nor did I ever refuse to fight. You have surely seen the helmets +of those whom I have defeated and put to death; but the guilt of +it is not mine, when one considers it aright. I could not help +myself, unless I were willing to be false and recreant and +disloyal. Now I have told you the truth, and be assured that it +is no small honour which you have gained. You have given great +joy to the court of my uncle and my friends; for now I shall be +released from here; and because all those who are at the court +will have joy of it, therefore those who awaited the joy called +it `Joy of the Court'. They have awaited it so long that now it +will be granted them by you who have won it by your fight. You +have defeated and bewitched my prowess and my chivalry. Now it +is right that I tell you my name, if you would know it. I am +called Mabonagrain; but I am not remembered by that name in any +land where I have been, save only in this region; for never, when +I was a squire, did I tell or make known my name. Sire, you knew +the truth concerning all that you asked me. But I must still +tell you that there is in this garden a horn which I doubt not +you have seen. I cannot issue forth from here until you have +blown the horn; but then you will have released me, and then the +Joy will begin. Whoever shall hear and give it heed no hindrance +will detain him, when he shall hear the sound of the horn, from +coming straight-way to the court. Rise up, sire! Go quickly +now! Go take the horn right joyfully; for you have no further +cause to wait; so do that which you must do." Now Erec rose, and +the other rises with him, and both approach the horn. Erec takes +it and blows it, putting into it all his strength, so that the +sound of it reaches far. Greatly did Enide rejoice when she +heard the note, and Guivret was greatly delighted too. The King +is glad, and so are his people; there is not one who is not well +suited and pleased at this. No one ceases or leaves off from +making merry and from song. Erec could boast that day, for never +was such rejoicing made; it could not be described or related by +mouth of man, but I will tell you the sum of it briefly and with +few words. The news spreads through the country that thus the +affair has turned out. Then there was no holding back from +coming to the court. All the people hasten thither in confusion, +some on foot and some on horse, without waiting for each other. +And those who were in the garden hastened to remove Erec's arms, +and in emulation they all sang a song about the Joy; and the +ladies made up a lay which they called `the Lay of Joy', (42) but +the lay is not well known. Erec was well sated with joy and well +served to his heart's desire; but she who sat on the silver couch +was not a bit pleased. The joy which she saw was not at all to +her taste. But many people have to keep still and look on at +what gives them pain. Enide acted graciously; because she saw +her sitting pensive, alone on the couch, she felt moved to go and +speak with her and tell her about her affairs and about herself, +and to strive, if possible, to make her tell in return about +herself, if it did not cause her too great distress. Enide +thought to go alone, wishing to take no one with her, but some of +the most noble and fairest dames and damsels followed her out of +affection to bear her company, and also to comfort her to whom +the joy brings great chagrin; for she assumed that now her lover +would be no longer with her so much as he had been, inasmuch as +he desired to leave the garden. However disappointing it may be, +no one can prevent his going away, for the hour and the time have +come. Therefore the tears ran down her face from her eyes. Much +more than I can say was she grieving and distressed; nevertheless +she sat up straight. But she does not care so much for any of +those who try to comfort her that she ceases her moan. Enide +salutes her kindly; but for a while the other could not reply a +word, being prevented by the sighs and sobs which torment and +distress her. Some time it was before the damsel returned her +salutation, and when she had looked at her and examined her for a +while, it seemed that she had seen and known her before. But not +being very certain of it, she was not slow to inquire from whence +she was, of what country, and where her lord was born; she +inquires who they both are. Enide replies briefly and tells her +the truth, saying: "I am the niece of the Count who holds sway +over Lalut, the daughter of his own sister; at Lalut I was born +and brought up." The other cannot help smiling, without hearing +more, for she is so delighted that she forgets her sorrow. Her +heart leaps with joy which she cannot conceal. She runs and +embraces Enide, saying: "I am your cousin! This is the very +truth, and you are my father's niece; for he and your father are +brothers. But I suspect that you do not know and have never +heard how I came into this country. The Count, your uncle, was +at war, and to him there came to fight for pay knights of many +lands. Thus, fair cousin, it came about, that with these +hireling knights there came one who was the nephew of the king of +Brandigan. He was with my father almost a year. That was, I +think, twelve years ago, and I was still but a little child. He +was very handsome and attractive. There we had an understanding +between us that pleased us both. I never had any wish but his, +until at last he began to love me and promised and swore to me +that he would always be my lover, and that he would bring me +here; that pleased us both alike. He could not wait, and I was +longing to come hither with him; so we both came away, and no one +knew of it but ourselves. In those days you and I were both +young and little girls. I have told you the truth; so now tell +me in turn, as I have told you, all about your lover, and by what +adventure he won you." "Fair cousin, he married me in such a way +that my father knew all about it, and my mother was greatly +pleased. All our relatives knew it and rejoiced over it, as they +should do. Even the Count was glad. For he is so good a knight +that better cannot be found, and he does not need to prove his +honour and knighthood, and he is of very gentle birth: I do not +think that any can be his equal. He loves me much, and I love +him more, and our love cannot be greater. Never yet could I +withhold my love from him, nor should I do so. For is not my +lord the son of a king? For did he not take me when I was poor +and naked? Through him has such honour come to me that never was +any such vouchsafed to a poor helpless girl. And if it please +you, I will tell you without lying how I came to be thus raised +up; for never will I be slow to tell the story." Then she told +and related to her how Erec came to Lalut; for she had no desire +to conceal it. She told her the adventure word for word, without +omission. But I pass over it now, because he who tells a story +twice makes his tale now tiresome. While they were thus +conversing, one lady slipped away alone, who sent and told it all +to the gentlemen, in order to increase and heighten their +pleasure too. All those who heard it rejoiced at this news. And +when Mabonagrain knew it he was delighted for his sweetheart +because now she was comforted. And she who bore them quickly the +news made them all happy in a short space. Even the King was +glad for it; although he was very happy before, yet now he is +still happier, and shows Erec great honour. Enide leads away her +fair cousin, fairer than Helen, more graceful and charming. Now +Erec and Mabonagrain, Guivret and King Evrain, and all the others +run to meet them and salute them and do them honour, for no one +is grudging or holds back. Mabonagrain makes much of Enide, and +she of him. Erec and Guivret, for their part, rejoice over the +damsel as they all kiss and embrace each other. They propose to +return to the castle, for they have stayed too long in the +garden. They are all prepared to go out; so they sally forth +joyfully, kissing each other on the way. All go out after the +King, but before they reached the castle, the nobles were +assembled from all the country around, and all those who knew of +the Joy, and who could do so, came hither. Great was the +gathering and the press. Every one, high and low, rich and poor, +strives to see Erec. Each thrusts himself before the other, and +they all salute him and bow before him, saying constantly: "May +God save him through whom joy and gladness come to our court! +God save the most blessed man whom God has ever brought into +being!" Thus they bring him to the court, and strive to show +their glee as their hearts dictate. Breton zithers, harps, and +viols sound, fiddles, psalteries, and other stringed instruments, +and all kinds of music that one could name or mention. But I +wish to conclude the matter briefly without too long delay. The +King honours him to the extent of his power, as do all the others +ungrudgingly. There is no one who does not gladly offer to do +his service. Three whole days the Joy lasted, before Erec could +get away. On the fourth he would no longer tarry for any reason +they could urge. There was a great crowd to accompany him and a +very great press when it came to taking leave. If he had wished +to reply to each one, he would not have been able in half a day +to return the salutations individually. The nobles he salutes +and embraces; the others he commends to God in a word, and +salutes them. Enide, for her part, is not silent when she takes +leave of the nobles. She salutes them all by name, and they in +turn do the like. Before she goes, she kisses her cousin very +tenderly and embraces her. Then they go and the Joy is over. + +(Vv. 6411-6509.) They go off and the others return. Erec and +Guivret do not tarry, but keep joyfully on their way, until they +came in nine days to Robais, where they were told the King was. +The day before he had been bled privately in his apartments; with +him he had only five hundred nobles of his household. Never +before at any time was the King found so alone, and he was much +distressed that he had no more numerous suite at his court. At +that time a messenger comes running, whom they had sent ahead to +apprise the King of their approach. This man came in before the +assembly, found the King and all his people, and saluting him +correctly, said: "I am a messenger of Erec and of Guivret the +Little." Then he told him how they were coming to see him at his +court. The King replies: "Let them be welcome, as valiant and +gallant gentlemen! Nowhere do I know of any better than they +two. By their presence my court will be much enhanced." Then he +sent for the Queen and told her the news. The others have their +horses saddled to go and meet the gentlemen. In such haste are +they to mount that they did not put on their spurs. I ought to +state briefly that the crowd of common people, including squires, +cooks, and butlers, had already entered the town to prepare for +the lodgings. The main party came after, and had already drawn +so near that they had entered the town. Now the two parties have +met each other, and salute and kiss each other. They come to the +lodgings and make themselves comfortable, removing their hose and +making their toilet by donning their rich robes. When they were +completely decked out, they took their way to the court. They +come to court, where the King sees them, and the Queen, who is +beside herself with impatience to see Erec and Enide. The King +makes them take seats beside him, kisses Erec and Guivret; about +Enide's neck he throws his arms and kisses her repeatedly, in his +great joy. Nor is the Queen slow in embracing Erec and Enide. +One might well rejoice to see her now so full of joy. Every one +enters with spirit into the merry-making. Then the King causes +silence to be made, and appeals to Erec and asks news of his +adventures. When the noise had ceased, Erec began his story, +telling him of his adventures, without forgetting any detail. Do +you think now that I shall tell you what motive he had had in +starting out? Nay, for you know the whole truth about this and +the rest, as I have revealed it to you. To tell the story again +would burden me; for the tale is not short, that any one should +wish to begin it afresh and re-embelish it, as he told and +related it: of the three knights whom he defeated, and then of +the five, and then of the Count who strove to do him harm, and +then of the two giants--all in order, one after the other, he +told him of his adventures up to the point where he met Count +Oringle of Limors. "Many a danger have you gone through, fair +gentle friend," said the King to him; "now tarry in this country +at my court, as you are wont to do." "Sire, since you wish it, I +shall remain very gladly three or four years entire. But ask +Guivret to remain here too a request in which I would fain join." +The King prays him to remain, and he consents to stay. So they +both stay: the King kept them with him, and held them dear and +honoured them. + +(Vv. 6510-6712.) Erec stayed at court, together with Guivret and +Enide, until the death of his father, the king, who was an old +man and full of years. The messengers then started out: the +nobles who went to seek him, and who were the greatest men of the +land, sought and searched for him until they found him at +Tintagel three weeks before Christmas; they told him the truth +what had happened to his old, white-haired father, and how he now +was dead and gone. This grieved Erec much more than he showed +before the people. But sorrow is not seemly in a king, nor does +it become a king to mourn. There at Tintagel where he was, he +caused vigils for the dead and Masses to be sung; he promised and +kept his promises, as he had vowed to the religious houses and +churches; he did well all that he ought to do: he chose out more +than one hundred and sixty-nine of the wretched poor, and clothed +them all in new garments. To the poor clerks and priors he gave, +as was right, black copes and warm linings to wear beneath. For +God's sake he did great good to all: to those who were in need he +distributed more than a barrel of small coins. When he had +shared his wealth, he then did a very wise thing in receiving his +land from the King's hand; and then he begged the King to crown +him at his court. The King bade him quickly be prepared; for +they shall both be crowned, he together with his wife, at the +approaching Christmastide; and he added: "You must go hence to +Nantes in Brittany; there you shall carry a royal ensign with +crown on head and sceptre in hand; this gift and privilege I +bestow upon you." Erec thanked the King, and said that that was +a noble gift. At Christmas the King assembles all his nobles, +summoning them individually and commanding them to come to +Nantes. He summoned them all, and none stayed behind. Erec, +too, sent word to many of his followers, and summoned them to +come thither; but more came than he had bidden, to serve him and +do him honour. I cannot tell you or relate who each one was, and +what his name; but whoever came or did not come, the father and +mother of my lady Enide were not forgotten. Her father was sent +for first of all, and he came to court in handsome style, like a +great lord and a chatelain. There was no great crowd of +chaplains or of silly, gaping yokels, but of excellent knights +and of people well equipped. Each day they made a long day's +journey, and rode on each day with great joy and great display, +until on Christmas eve they came to the city of Nantes. They +made no halt until they entered the great hall where the King and +his courtiers were. Erec and Enide see them, and you may know +how glad they were. To meet them they quickly make their way, +and salute and embrace them, speaking to them tenderly and +showing their delight as they should. When they had rejoiced +together, taking each other by the hand, they all four came +before the King, saluting him and likewise the Queen, who was +sitting by his side. Taking his host by the hand, Erec said: +"Sire, behold my good host, my kind friend, who did me such +honour that he made me master in his own house. Before he knew +anything about me, he lodged me well and handsomely. All that he +had he made over to me, and even his daughter he bestowed upon +me, without the advice or counsel of any one." "And this lady +with him," the King inquires, "who is she?" Erec does not +conceal the truth: "Sire," says he, "of this lady I may say that +she is the mother of my wife." "Is she her mother?" "Yes, +truly, sire." "Certainly, I may then well say that fair and +comely should be the flower born of so fair a stem, and better +the fruit one picks; for sweet is the smell of what springs from +good. Fair is Enide and fair she should be in all reason and by +right; for her mother is a very handsome lady, and her father is +a goodly knight. Nor does she in aught belie them; for she +descends and inherits directly from them both in many respects." +Then the King ceases and sits down, bidding them be seated too. +They do not disobey his command, but straightway take seats. Now +is Enide filled with joy when she sees her father and mother, for +a very long time had passed since she had seen them. Her +happiness now is greatly increased, for she was delighted and +happy, and she showed it all she could, but she could not make +such demonstration but that her joy was yet greater. But I wish +to say no more of that, for my heart draws me toward the court +which was now assembled in force. From many a different country +there were counts and dukes and kings, Normans, Bretons. Scotch, +and Irish: from England and Cornwall there was a very rich +gathering of nobles; for from Wales to Anjou, in Maine and in +Poitou, there was no knight of importance, nor lady of quality, +but the best and the most elegant were at the court at Nantes, as +the King had bidden them. Now hear, if you will, the great joy +and grandeur, the display and the wealth, that was exhibited at +the court. Before the hour of nones had sounded, King Arthur +dubbed four hundred knights or more all sons of counts and of +kings. To each one he gave three horses and two pairs of suits, +in order that his court may make a better showing. Puissant and +lavish was the King; for the mantles he bestowed were not of +serge, nor of rabbit-skins, nor of cheap brown fur, but of heavy +silk and ermine, of spotted fur and flowered silks, bordered with +heavy and stiff gold braid. Alexander, who conquered so much +that he subdued the whole world, and who was so lavish and rich, +compared with him was poor and mean. Caesar, the Emperor of +Rome, and all the kings whose names you hear in stories and in +epic songs, did not distribute at any feast so much as Arthur +gave on the day that he crowned Erec; nor would Caesar and +Alexander dare to spend so much as he spent at the court. The +raiment was taken from the chests and spread about freely through +the halls; one could take what he would, without restraint. In +the midst of the court, upon a rug, stood thirty bushels of +bright sterlings; (43) for since the time of Merlin until that +day sterlings had currency throughout Britain. There all helped +themselves, each one carrying away that night all that he wanted +to his lodging-place. At nine o'clock on Christmas day, all came +together again at court. The great joy that is drawing near for +him had completely filched Erec's heart away. The tongue and the +mouth of no man, however skilful, could describe the third, or +the fourth, or the fifth part of the display which marked his +coronation. So it is a mad enterprise I undertake in wishing to +attempt to describe it. But since I must make the effort, come +what may, I shall not fail to relate a part of it, as best I may. + +(Vv. 6713-6809.) The King had two thrones of white ivory, well +constructed and new, of one pattern and style. He who made them +beyond a doubt was a very skilled and cunning craftsman. For so +precisely did he make the two alike in height, in breadth, and in +ornamentation, that you could nor look at them from every side to +distinguish one from the other and find in one aught that was not +in the other. There was no part of wood, but all of gold and +fine ivory. Well were they carved with great skill, for the two +corresponding sides of each bore the representation of a leopard, +and the other two a dragon's shape. A knight named Bruiant of +the Isles had made a gift and present of them to King Arthur and +the Queen. King Arthur sat upon the one, and upon the other he +made Erec sit, who was robed in watered silk. As we read in the +story, we find the description of the robe, and in order that no +one may say that I lie, I quote as my authority Macrobius, (44) +who devoted himself to the description of it. Macrobius +instructs me how to describe, according as I have found it in the +book, the workmanship and the figures of the cloth. Four fairies +had made it with great skill and mastery. (45) One represented +there geometry, how it estimates and measures the extent of the +heavens and the earth, so that nothing is lacking there; and then +the depth and the height, and the width, and the length; then it +estimates, besides, how broad and deep the sea is, and thus +measures the whole world. Such was the work of the first fairy. +And the second devoted her effort to the portrayal of arithmetic, +and she strove hard to represent clearly how it wisely enumerates +the days and the hours of time, and the water of the sea drop by +drop, and then all the sand, and the stars one by one, knowing +well how to tell the truth, and how many leaves there are in the +woods: such is the skill of arithmetic that numbers have never +deceived her, nor will she ever be in error when she wishes to +apply her sense to them. The third design was that of music, +with which all merriment finds itself in accord, songs and +harmonies, and sounds of string: of harp, of Breton violin, and +of viol. This piece of work was good and fine; for upon it were +portrayed all the instruments and all the pastimes. The fourth, +who next performed her task, executed a most excellent work; for +the best of the arts she there portrayed. She undertook +astronomy, which accomplishes so many marvels and draws +inspiration from the stars, the moon, and the sun. Nowhere else +does it seek counsel concerning aught which it has to do. They +give it good and sure advice. Concerning whatever inquiry it +make of them, whether in the past or in the future, they give it +information without falsehood and without deception. This work +was portrayed on the stuff of which Erec's robe was made, all +worked and woven with thread of gold. The fur lining that was +sewed within, belonged to some strange beasts whose heads are all +white, and whose necks are as black as mulberries, and which have +red backs and green bellies, and dark blue tail. These beasts +live in India and they are called "barbiolets". They eat nothing +but spices, cinnamon, and fresh cloves. What shall I tell you of +the mantle? It was very rich and fine and handsome; it had four +stones in the tassels--two chrysolites on one side, and two +amethysts on the other, which were mounted in gold. + +(Vv. 6810-6946.) As yet Enide had not come to the palace. When +the King sees that she delays, he bids Gawain go quickly to bring +her and the Queen. Gawain hastens and was not slow, and with him +King Cadoalant and the generous King of Galloway. Guivret the +Little accompanies them, followed by Yder the son of Nut. So +many of the other nobles ran thither to escort the two ladies +that they would have sufficed to overcome a host; for there were +more than a thousand of them. The Queen had made her best effort +to adorn Enide. Into the palace they brought her the courteous +Gawain escorting her on one side, and on the other the generous +King of Galloway, who loved her dearly on account of Erec who was +his nephew. When they came to the palace, King Arthur came +quickly toward them, and courteously seated Enide beside Erec; +for he wished to do her great honour. Now he orders to be +brought forth from his treasure two massive crowns of fine gold. +As soon as he had spoken and given the command, without delay the +crowns were brought before him, all sparkling with carbuncles, of +which there were four in each. The light of the moon is nothing +compared with the light which the least of the carbuncles could +shed. Because of the radiance which they shed, all those who +were in the palace were so dazzled that for a moment they could +see nothing; and even the King was amazed, and yet filled with +satisfaction, when he saw them to be so clear and bright. He had +one of them held by two damsels, and the other by two gentlemen. +Then he bade the bishops and priors and the abbots of the Church +step forward and anoint the new King, as the Christian practice +is. Now all the prelates, young and old, came forward; for at +the court there were a great number of bishops and abbots. The +Bishop of Nantes himself, who was a very worthy and saintly man, +anointed the new King in a very holy and becoming manner, and +placed the crown upon his head. King Arthur had a sceptre +brought which was very fine. Listen to the description of the +sceptre, which was clearer than a pane of glass, all of one solid +emerald, fully as large as your fist. I dare to tell you in very +truth that in all the world there is no manner of fish, or of +wild behest, or of man, or of flying bird that was not worked and +chiselled upon it with its proper figure. The sceptre was handed +to the King, who looked at it with amazement; then he put it +without delay into King Erec's right hand; and now he was King as +he ought to be. Then he crowned Enide in turn. Now the bells +ring for Mass, and they go to the main church to hear the Mass +and service; they go to pray at the cathedral. You would have +seen weeping with joy the father of Queen Enide and her mother, +Carsenefide. In truth this was her mother's name, and her +father's name was Liconal. Very happy were they both. When they +came to the cathedral, the procession came out from the church +with relics and treasures to meet them. Crosses and prayerbooks +and censers and reliquaries, with all the holy relics, of which +there were many in the church, were all brought out to meet them; +nor was there any lack of chants made. Never were seen so many +kings, counts, dukes, and nobles together at a Mass, and the +press was so great and thick that the church was completely +filled. No low-born man could enter there, but only ladies and +knights. Outside the door of the church a great number still +remained, so many were there come together who could not get +inside the church. When they had heard all the Mass they +returned to the palace. It was all prepared and decorated: +tables set and cloths spread five hundred tables and more were +there; but I do not wish to make you believe a thing which does +not seem true. It would seem too great a lie were I to say that +five hundred tables were set in rows in one palace, so I will not +say it; rather were there five hails so filled with them that +with great difficulty could one make his way among the tables. +At each table there was in truth a king or a duke or a count; and +full a hundred knights were seated at each table. A thousand +knights served the bread, and a thousand served the wine, and a +thousand the meat--all of them dressed in fresh fur robes of +ermine. All are served with divers dishes. Even if I did not +see them, I might still be able to tell you about them; but I +must attend to something else than to tell you what they had to +eat. They had enough, without wanting more; joyfully and +liberally they were served to their heart's desire. + +(Vv. 6947-6958.) When this celebration was concluded, the King +dismissed the assemblage of kings, dukes, and counts, of which +the number was immense, and of the other humble folk who had come +to the festival. He rewarded them liberally with horses, arms +and silver, cloths and brocades of many kinds, because of his +generosity, and because of Erec whom he loved so much. Here the +story ends at last. + + +ENDNOTES: +NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by +"(F.)"; all other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + +(1) A Welsh version, "Geraint the Son of Erbin", included in + Lady Charlotte Guest's translation of "The Mabinogion" + (London, 1838-49; a modern edition will be found in Everyman + Library, London, 1906), tells the same story as "Erec et + Enide" with some variations. This Welsh version has also + been translated into modern French by J. Loth ("Les + Mabinogion", Paris, 1889), where it may be consulted with + the greatest confidence. The relation of the Welsh prose to + the French poem is a moot point. Cf. E. Philipot in + "Romania", XXV. 258-294, and earlier, K. Othmer, "Ueber das + Verhaltnis Chrestiens Erec und Enide zu dem Mabinogion des + rothen Buch von Hergest" (Koln, 1889); G. Paris in + "Romania", XIX. 157, and id. XX. 148-166. +(2) We frequently read in the romances of a hunt at Easter (F.). + As here, so in "Fergus" (ed. Martin, Halle, 1872), p. 2 f., + the knights hunt a white stag, which Perceval finally slays, + but there is no mention of the ceremony of the bestowal of a + kiss. +(3) Chretien nowhere gives any description of the nature of the + Round Table. With him, it is an institution. Layamon in + "Brut" and Wace in "Le Roman de Brut" are more specific in + their accounts of this remarkable piece of furniture. From + their descriptions, and from other sources in Welsh and + Irish literature, it is reasonable to suppose that the Round + Table had a place in primitive Celtic folk-lore. Cf. L.F. + Mott, "The Round Table" in "Pub. of the Modern Language + Association of America", XX. 231-264; A.C.L. Brown, "The + Round Table before Wace" in "Harvard Studies and Notes in + Philology and Literature", vii. 183-205 (Boston, 1900); Miss + J.L Weston, "A Hitherto Unconsidered Aspect of the Round + Table" in "Melanges de philologie romane offerts a M. + Wilmotte", ii. 883-894, 2 vols. (Paris, 1910). +(4) There exists a romance devoted to Yder, of which G. Paris + printed a resume in "Hist. Litt. de la France", XXX., and + which has been recently edited by Heinrich Gelzer: "Der + altfranzosische Yderroman" (Dresden, 1913). There are + apparently three different knight of this name in the old + French romances (F.). +(5) The word "chastel" (from "castellum") is usually to be + translated as "town" or strong place within fortifications. + Only where it plainly refers to a detached building will the + word "castle" be used. +(6) A "tercel" is a species of falcon, of which the male bird is + one-third smaller than the female. +(7) A "vavasor" (from "vassus vassallorum") was a low order of + vassal, but a freeman. The vavasors are spoken of with + respect in the old French romances, as being of honourable + character, though not of high birth. +(8) The numerous references to the story of King Mark, Tristan, + and Iseut in the extant poems of Chretien support his own + statement, made at the outset of "Cliges", that he himself + composed a poem on the nephew and wife of the King of + Cornwall. We have fragments of poems on Tristan by the + Anglo-Norman poets Beroul and Thomas, who were + contemporaries of Chretien. Foerster's hypothesis that the + lost "Tristan" of Chretien antedated "Erec" is doubtless + correct. That the poet later treated of the love of Cliges + and Fenice as a sort of literary atonement for the + inevitable moral laxity of Tristan and Iseut has been held + by some, and the theory is acceptable in view of the + references to be met later in "Cliges". For the contrary + opinion of Gaston Paris see "Journal des Savants" (1902), p. + 297 f. +(9) In the Mabinogi "Geraint the Son of Erbin", the host + explains that he had wrongfully deprived his nephew of his + possessions, and that in revenge the nephew had later taken + all his uncle's property, including an earldom and this + town. See Guest, "The Mabinogion". +(10) The hauberk was a long shirt of mail reaching to the knees, + worn by knights in combat. The helmet, and the "coiffe" + beneath it, protected the head; the "ventail" of linked + meshes was worn across the lower part of the face, and was + attached on each side of the neck to the "coiffe", so that + it protected the throat; the greaves covered the legs. The + body of the knight was thus well protected against blow of + sword or lance. Cf. Vv.711 f. +(11) This passage seems to imply that charms and enchantments + were sometimes used when a knight was armed (F.). +(12) The "loges", so often mentioned in old French romances, were + either window-balconies or architectural points of vantage + commanding some pleasing prospect. The conventional + translation in the old English romances is "bower". +(13) Tristan killed Morholt, the uncle of Iseut, when he came to + claim tribute form King Mark (cf. Bedier, "Le Roman de + Tristan", etc., i. 85 f., 2 vols., Paris, 1902). The combat + took place on an island, unnamed in the original text (id. + i. 84), but later identified with St. Samson's Isle, one of + the Scilly Isles. +(14) The same act of feeding a hunting-bird with a plover's wing + is mentioned in "Le Roman de Thebes", 3857-58 (ed. "Anciens + Textes"). +(15) For such figurative expressions used to complement the + negative, cf. Gustav Dreyling, "Die Ausdruckweise der + ubertriebenen Verkleinerung im altfranzosischen Karlsepos", + in Stengel's "Ausgaben und Abhandlungen", No. 82 (Marsburg, + 1888); W.W. Comfort in "Modern Language Notes" (Baltimore, + February 1908). +(16) Chretien in his later romances will avoid compiling such a + prosaic blue-book as is found in this passage, though + similar lists of knights occur in the old English romances + as late as Malory, though of some of them but little is + known. Unfortunately, we have for the old French romances + no such complete work as that furnished for the epic poems + by E. Langois, "Table des noms propres de toute nature + compris dans les chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904). +(17) The only mention by Chretien of this son of Arthur, whose + role is absolutely insignificant in the Arthurian romances. +(18) What was this drinking-cup, and who sent it to Arthur? We + have "Le Lai du cor" (ed. Wulff, Lund, 1888), which tells + how a certain King Mangount of Moraine sent a magic + drinking-cup to Arthur. No one could drink of this cup + without spilling the contents if he were a cuckold. + Drinking from this cup was, then, one of the many current + tests of chastity. Further light may be thrown on the + passage in our text by the English poem "The Cokwold's + Daunce" (in C.H. Hartshorne's "Ancient Metrical Ballads", + London, 1829), where Arthur is described as a cuckold + himself and as having always by him a horn (cup) which he + delights in trying on his knights as a test of their ladies' + chastity. For bibliography see T.P. Cross, "Notes on the + Chastity-Testing Horns and Mantle" in "Modern Philology", x. + 289-299. +(19) A unique instance of such a division of the material in + Chretien's poems (F.). +(20) Outre-Gales=Estre-Gales (v.3883)=Extra-Galliam. +(21) Such fanciful descriptions of men and lands are common in + the French epic poems, where they are usually applied to the + Saracens (F.). Cf. W.w. Comfort, "The Saracens in Christian + Poetry" in "The Dublin Review", July 1911; J. Malsch, "Die + Charakteristik der Volker im altfranzosischen nationalen + Epos" (Heidelberg, 1912). +(22) With what seems to us mistaken taste, Chretien frequently + thus delays mentioning the name of his leading charecters. + The father and mother of Enide remain anonymous until the + end of this poem. The reader will remark other instances of + this peculiarity in "Yvain" and "Lancelot". +(23) The maid Brangien was substituted for Iseut, the bride, upon + the first night after her marriage with Mark. Similar + traditions are associated with the marriage of Arthur and + Guinevere, and of Pepin and Berte aus grans pies, the + parents of Charlemagne. Adenet le Roi toward the end of the + 13th century is the author of the most artistic treatments + of Berte's history (ed. A. Scheler, Bruxelles, 1874). Cf. + W.W. Comfort, "Adenet le Roi: The End of a Literary Era" in + "The Quarterly Review", April 1913. +(24) The reading "Sanson" (=Samson) is Foerster's most recent + (1904) suggestion to replace the word "lion" which stands in + all the MSS. Solomon's name has always been syonymous with + wisdom, and Alexander's generosity was proverbial in the + Middle Ages. For Alexander, cf. Paul Meyer, "Alexandre le + Grand dans la litterature francaise du moyen age", 2 vols. + (Paris, 1886), vol ii., pp. 372-376, and Paget Toynbee, + "Dante Studies and Researches" (London, 1902), p. 144. +(25) Of Arthur's several nephews, Gawain is represented by + Chretien as peerless in respect of courage and courtesy. In + the English romances his character steadily deteriorates. +(26) This sentence contains the motive for all the action in the + sequel. The same situation is threatened in "Yvain", but + there Gawain rescues the hero from the lethargy, ignoble in + the eyes of a feudal audience, into which he was falling. + Cf. also "Marques de Rome" ("Lit. Verein in Stuttgart", + Tubingen, 1889), p. 36, where the Empress of Rome thus + incites her husband to the chase: "Toz jors cropez vos a + Postel; vos n'estes point chevalereus, si come vos deussiez + estre, si juenes hom come vos estes"; also J. Gower, "Le + Mirour de l'omme, 22, 813 ff.: + "Rois est des femmes trop decu, + Qant plus les ayme que son dieu, + Dont laist honour pour foldelit: + Cil Rois ne serra pas cremu, + Q'ensi voet laisser sou escu + Et querre le bataille ou lit." +(27) This brusque command, implying so sudden a change in Erec's + attitude toward his wife, initiates a long series of tests + of Enide's devotion, which fill the rest of the romance. + Why did Erec treat his wife with such severity? In the + Mabinogi of "Geraint the Son of Erbin", it is plain that + jealousy was the hero's motive. The reader of "Erec" may + judge whether, as we believe, the hero's sudden resolve is + not rather that of a man piqued at being justly reproved by + his wife for a delinquency he had not himself remarked; + irate at his wife's imputation, and fearful of having + forfeited her respect, he starts out to redeem his + reputation in her eyes, and to maker her retract any + insinuation she had made. Erec is simply angry with + himself, but he expends his wrath upon his defenceless wife + until he is reassured of her love and respect for him. +(28) The situation here is a common one. Parallels will be found + in the "Voyage de Charlemagne", in the first tale of the + "Arabian Nights", in the poem "Biterolf and Dietlieb", and + in the English ballad of "King Arthur and King Cornwall". + Professor Child, in his "English and Scotch Ballads", + indexes the ballads in his collection, which present this + motive, under the following caption: "King who regards + himself as the richest, most magnificent, etc., in the + world, is told that there is one who outstrips him, and + undertakes to see for himself whether this is so, + threatening death to the person who has affirmed his + inferiority in case this is disproved." +(29) The presence of the Irish in this connection is explained by + G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 149. +(30) Kay the Seneschal appears here for the first time in + Chretien's poems with the character which he regularly + ascribes to him. Readers of Arthurian romance are all + familiar with Sir Kay; they will find that in Chretien, the + seneschal, in addition to his undeniable qualities of + bravery and frankness, has less pleasing traits; he is + foolhardy, tactless, mean, and a disparager of others' + merit. He figures prominently in "Yvain" and "Lancelot". + His poetic history has not yet been written. His role in + the German romances has been touched upon by Dr. Friedrich + Sachse, "Ueber den Ritter Kei" (Berlin, 1860). +(31) No meat was eaten because it was the eve of Sunday. +(32) In the French epic poems and romances of adventure alike it + is customary for giants and all manner of rustic boors to + carry clubs, the arms of knighthood being appropriate for + such ignoble creatures. Other instances of this convention + will be remarked in the text. +(33) There follows and excellent example of an old French lament + for the dead. Such a wail was known in old French as a + "regret", a word which has lost its specific meaning in + English. +(34) Many examples will be met of women skilled in the practice + of medicine and surgery. On the subject, cf. A. Hertel, + "Versauberte Oertlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der + altfranzosschen Dichtung" (Hanover, 1908); Georg Manheimer, + "Etwas liber die Aerzte im alten Frankreich" in "Romanische + Forschungen", vi. 581-614. +(35) The reference here and in v.5891 is probably suggested by + the "Roman d'Eneas", which tells the same story as Virgil's + "Aeneid", in old French eight-syllable rhymed couplets, and + which is dated by the most recent scholarship 1160 circ. + Cf. F.M. Warren in "Modern Philology", iii. 179-209; iii. + 513-539; iv. 655-675. Also M. Wilmotte, "L'Evolution du + roman francais aux environs de 1150" (Paris, 1903). Scenes + from classical and medieval romance were for a long time + favourite subject of portrayal upon cloths and tapestries, + as well as of illuminations for manuscripts. +(36) Various conjectures have been advanced concerning the + significance of this strange adventure and its mysterious + name "La Joie de la cour". It is a quite extraneous + episode, and Tennyson in his artistic use of our hero and + heroine in the Idyl of "Geraint and Enid" did well to omit + it. Chretien's explanation, a little farther on, of "La + Joie de la cour" is lame and unsatisfactory, as if he + himself did not understand the significance of the matter + upon which he was working. Cf. E. Philipot in "Romania", + xxv. 258-294; K. Othmer, "Ueber das Verhaltnis Chrestiens + Erec und Enide zu dem Mabinogion des rothen Buch von + Hergest" (Bonn, 1889); G. Paris in "Romania", xx. 152 f. +(37) The following description of Erec's reception is repeated + with variations at the time of Yvain's entrance in the + "Chastel de Pesme Avanture" ("Yvain", 5107 f.) (F.). +(38) For such conventional mediaeval descriptions of other-world + castles, palaces, and landscapes, cf. O.M. Johnston in + "Ztsch fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 705-710. +(39) Tiebaut li Esclavon, frequently mentioned in the epic poems, + was a Saracen king, the first husband of Guibourne, who + later married the Christian hero Guillaume d'Orange. Opinel + was also a Saracen, mentioned in "Gaufrey", p. 132, and the + hero of a lost epic poem (see G. Paris, "Historie poetique + de Charlemagne", p. 127). Fernagu was another Saracen king, + killed in a famous encounter by Roland, "Otinel", p. 9 (F.). + For further references to these characters, see E. Langlois, + "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris dans les + chansons de geste" (Paris, 1904). +(40) There is a similar picket fence topped with helmets in the + "Las de la Mule sanz frain", v. 433 (ed. By R.T. Hill, + Baltimore, 1911). +(41) For such magic horns, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte + Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908). +(42) In fact, nothing is known of this "lai", if, indeed, it ever + existed. For a recent definition of "lai", se L. Foulet in + "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 161 f. +(43) The sterling was the English silver penny, 240 of which + equalled 1 Pound Sterling of silver of 5760 grains 925 fine. + It is early described as "denarius Angliae qui vocatur + sterlingus" ("Ency. Brit"). +(44) Macrobus was a Neoplatonic philosopher and Latin grammarian + of the early part of the 5th century A.D. He is best known + as the author of the "Saturnalia" and of a commentary upon + Cicero's "Somnium Scipionis" in that author's "De + republica". It is this latter work that is probably in the + mind of Chretien, as well as of Gower, who refers to him in + his "Mirour l'omme", and of Jean de Meun, the author of the + second part of the "Roman de la Rose". +(45) For fairies and their handiwork in the Middle Ages, cf. + L.F.A. Maury, "Les Fees du moyen age" (Paris, 1843); + Keightley, "Fairy Mythology" (London, 1860); Lucy A. Paton, + "Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Romance", + Radcliffe Monograph (Boston, 1903); D.B. Easter, "The Magic + Elements in the romans d'aventure and the romans bretons" + (Baltimore, 1906). + + + +CLIGES (1) + +(Vv. 1-44.) He who wrote of Erec and Enide, and translated into +French the commands of Ovid and the Art of Love, and wrote the +Shoulder Bite, (2) and about King Mark and the fair Iseut, (3) +and about the metamorphosis of the Lapwing, (4) the Swallow, and +the Nightingale, will tell another story now about a youth who +lived in Greece and was a member of King Arthur's line. But +before I tell you aught of him, you shall hear of his father's +life, whence he came and of what family. He was so bold and so +ambitious that he left Greece and went to England, which was +called Britain in those days, in order to win fame and renown. +This story, which I intend to relate to you, we find written in +one of the books of the library of my lord Saint Peter at +Beauvais. (5) From there the material was drawn of which +Chretien has made this romance. The book is very old in which +the story is told, and this adds to its authority. (6) From such +books which have been preserved we learn the deeds of men of old +and of the times long since gone by. Our books have informed us +that the pre-eminence in chivalry and learning once belonged to +Greece. Then chivalry passed to Rome, together with that highest +learning which now has come to France. God grant that it may be +cherished here, and that it may be made so welcome here that the +honour which has taken refuge with us may never depart from +France: God had awarded it as another's share, but of Greeks and +Romans no more is heard, their fame is passed, and their glowing +ash is dead. + +(Vv. 45-134.) Chretien begins his story as we find it in the +history, which tells of an emperor powerful in wealth and honour +who ruled over Greece and Constantinople. A very noble empress, +too, there was, by whom the emperor had two children. But the +elder son was already so far advanced before the younger one was +born that, if he had wished, he might have become a knight and +held all the empire beneath his sway. The name of the elder was +Alexander, and the other's name was Alis. Alexander, too, was +the father's name, and the mother's name was Tantalis. I shall +now say nothing more of the emperor and of Alis; but I shall +speak of Alexander, who was so bold and proud that he scorned to +become a knight in his own country. He had heard of King Arthur, +who reigned in those days, and of the knights whom he always kept +about him, thus causing his court to be feared and famed +throughout the world. However, the affair may result and +whatever fortune may await him, nothing can restrain Alexander +from his desire to go into Britain, but he must obtain his +father's consent before proceeding to Britain and Cornwall. So +Alexander, fair and brave, goes to speak with the emperor in +order to ask and obtain his leave. Now he will tell him of his +desire and what he wishes to do and undertake. "Fair sire," he +says, "in quest of honour and fame and praise I dare to ask you a +boon, which I desire you to give me now without delay, if you are +willing to grant it to me." The emperor thinks no harm will come +from this request: he ought rather to desire and long for his +son's honour. "Fair son," he says, "I grant you your desire; so +tell me now what you wish me to give you." Now the youth has +accomplished his purpose, and is greatly pleased when the boon is +granted him which he so greatly desired. "Sire," says he, "do +you wish to know what it is that you have promised me? I wish to +have a great plenty of gold and silver, and such companions from +among your men as I will select; for I wish to go forth from your +empire, and to present my service to the king who rules over +Britain, in order that he may make me a knight. I promise you +never in my life to wear armour on my face or helmet upon my head +until King Arthur shall gird on my sword, if he will graciously +do so. For from no other than from him will I accept my arms." +Without hesitation the emperor replies: "Fair son, for God's +sake, speak not so! This country all belongs to you, as well as +rich Constantinople. You ought not to think me mean, when I am +ready to make you such a gift. I shall be ready soon to have you +crowned, and to-morrow you shall be a knight. All Greece will be +in your hands, and you shall receive from your nobles, as is +right, their homage and oaths of allegiance. Whoever refuses +such an offer is not wise." + +(Vv. 135-168.) The youth hears the promise how the next morning +after Mass his father is ready to dub him knight; but he says he +will seek his fortune for better or worse in another land. "If +you are willing in this matter to grant the boon I have asked of +you, then give me mottled and grey furs, some good horses and +silken stuffs: for before I become a knight I wish to enrol in +King Arthur's service. Nor have I yet sufficient strength to +bear arms. No one could induce me by prayer or flattery not to +go to the foreign land to see his nobles and that king whose fame +is so great for courtesy and prowess. Many men of high degree +lose through sloth the great renown which they might win, were +they to wander about the world. (7) Repose and glory ill agree, +as it seems to me; for a man of wealth adds nothing to his +reputation if he spends all his days at ease. Prowess is irksome +to the ignoble man, and cowardice is a burden to the man of +spirit; thus the two are contrary and opposite. He is the slave +of his wealth who spends his days in storing and increasing it. +Fair father, so long as I have the chance, and so long as my +rigour lasts, I wish to devote my effort and energy to the +pursuit of fame." + +(Vv. 169-234.) Upon hearing this; the emperor doubtless feels +both joy and grief: he is glad that his son's intention is fixed +upon honour, and on the other hand he is sorrowful because his +son is about to be separated from him. Yet, because of the +promise which he made, despite the grief he feels, he must grant +his request; for an emperor must keep his word. "Fair son," he +says, "I must not fail to do your pleasure, when I see you thus +striving for honour. From my treasure you may have two barges +full of gold and silver; but take care to be generous and +courteous and well-behaved." Now the youth is very happy when +his father promises him so much, and places his treasure at his +disposal, and bids him urgently to give and spend generously. +And his father explains his reason for this: "Fair son," he says, +"believe me, that generosity is the dame and queen which sheds +glory upon all the other virtues. And the proof of this is not +far to seek. For where could you find a man, be he never so rich +and powerful, who is not blamed if he is mean? Nor could you +find one, however ungracious he may be, whom generosity will not +bring into fair repute? Thus largess makes the gentleman, which +result can be accomplished neither by high birth, courtesy, +knowledge, gentility, money, strength, chivalry, boldness, +dominion, beauty, or anything else. (8) But just as the rose is +fairer than any other flower when it is fresh and newly blown, so +there, where largess dwells, it takes its place above all +other virtues, and increases five hundred fold the value of other +good traits which it finds in the man who acquits himself well. +So great is the merit of generosity that I could not tell you the +half of it." The young man has now successfully concluded the +negotiations for what he wished; for his father has acceded to +all his desires. But the empress was sorely grieved when she +heard of the journey which her son was about to take. Yet, +whoever may grieve or sorrow, and whoever may attribute his +intention to youthful folly, and ever may blame and seek to +dissuade him, the youth ordered his ships to be made ready as +soon as possible, desiring to tarry no longer in his native land. +At his command the ships were freighted that very night with +wine, meat, and biscuit. + +(Vv. 235-338.) The ships were loaded in the port, and the next +morning Alexander came to the strand in high spirits, accompanied +by his companions, who were happy over the prospective voyage. +They were escorted by the emperor and the empress in her grief. +At the port they find the sailors in the ships drawn up beside +the cliff. The sea was calm and smooth, the wind was light, and +the weather clear. When he had taken leave of his father, and +bidden farewell to the empress, whose heart was heavy in her +bosom, Alexander first stepped from the small boat into the skip; +then all his companions hastened by fours, threes, and twos to +embark without delay. Soon the sail was spread and the anchor +raised. Those on shore whose heart is heavy because of the men +whom they watch depart, follow them with their gaze as long as +they can: and in order to watch them longer, they all climb a +high hill behind the beach. From there they sadly gaze, as long +as their eyes can follow them. With sorrow, indeed, they watch +them go, being solicitous for the youths, that God may bring them +to their haven without accident and without peril. All of April +and part of May they spent at sea. Without any great danger or +mishap they came to port at Southampton. (9) One day, between +three o'clock and vespers, they cast anchor and went ashore. The +young men, who had never been accustomed to endure discomfort or +pain, had suffered so long from their life at sea that they had +all lost their colour, and even the strongest and most vigorous +were weak and faint. In spite of that, they rejoice to have +escaped from the sea and to have arrived where they wished to be. +Because of their depleted state, they spend the night at +Southampton in happy frame, and make inquiries whether the King +is in England. They are told that he is at Winchester, and that +they can reach there in a very short time if they will start +early in the morning and keep to the straight road. At this news +they are greatly pleased, and the next morning at daybreak the +youths wake early, and prepare and equip themselves. And when +they were ready, they left Southampton, and kept to the direct +road until they reached Winchester, where the King was. Before +six o'clock in the morning the Greeks had arrived at the court. +The squires with the horses remain below in the yard, while the +youths go up into the presence of the King, who was the best that +ever was or ever will be in the world. And when the King sees +them coming, they please him greatly, and meet with his favour. +But before approaching the King's presence, they remove the +cloaks from about their necks, lest they should be considered +ill-bred. Thus, all unmantled, they came before the King, while +all the nobles present held their peace, greatly pleased at the +sight of these handsome and well-behaved young men. They suppose +that of course they are all sons of counts or kings; and, to be +sure, so they were, and of a very charming age, with graceful and +shapely forms. And the clothes they wore were all of the same +stuff and cut of the same appearance and colour. There were +twelve of them beside their lord, of whom I need tell you no more +than that there was none better than he. With modesty and +orderly mien, he was handsome and shapely as he stood uncovered +before the King. Then he kneeled before him, and all the others, +for honour's sake, did the same beside their lord. + +(Vv. 339-384.) Alexander, with his tongue well skilled in +speaking fair and wisely, salutes the King. "King," he says, +"unless the report is false that spreads abroad your fame, since +God created the first man there was never born a God-fearing man +of such puissance as yours. King, your widespread renown has +drawn me to serve and honour you in your court, and if you will +accept my service, I would fain remain here until I be dubbed a +knight by your hand and by no one else. For unless I receive +this honour from your hand, I shall renounce all intention of +being knighted. If you will accept my service until you are +willing to dub me a knight, retain me now, oh gentle King, and my +companions gathered here." To which at once the King replies: +"Friend, I refuse neither you nor your companions. Be welcome +all. For surely you seem, and I doubt it not, to be sons of +high-born men. Whence do you come?" "From Greece." "From +Greece?" "Yes." "Who is thy father?" "Upon my word, sire, the +emperor." "And what is thy name, fair friend?" "Alexander is +the name that was given me when I received the salt and holy oil, +and Christianity and baptism." "Alexander, my dear, fair friend. +I will keep you with me very gladly, with great pleasure and +delight. For you have done me signal honour in thus coming to my +court. I wish you to be honoured here, as free vassals who are +wise and gentle. You have been too long upon your knees; now, at +my command, and henceforth make your home with man and in my +court; it is well that you have come to us." + +(Vv. 385-440.) Then the Greeks rise up, joyful that the King has +so kindly invited them to stay. Alexander did well to come; for +he lacks nothing that he desires, and there is no noble at the +court who does not address him kindly and welcome him. He is not +so foolish as to be puffed up, nor does he vaunt himself nor +boast. He makes acquaintance with my lord Gawain and with the +others, one by one. He gains the good graces of them all, but my +lord Gawain grows so fond of him that he chooses him as his +friend and companion. (10) The Greeks took the best lodgings to +be had, with a citizen of the town. Alexander had brought great +possessions with him from Constantinople, intending to give heed +above all to the advice and counsel of the Emperor, that his +heart should be ever ready to give and dispense his riches well. +To this end he devotes his efforts, living well in his lodgings, +and giving and spending liberally, as is fitting in one so rich, +and as his heart dictates. The entire court wonders where he got +all the wealth that he bestows; for on all sides he presents the +valuable horses which he had brought from his own land. So much +did Alexander do, in the performance of his service, that the +King, the Queen, and the nobles bear him great affection. King +Arthur about this time desired to cross over into Brittany. So +he summons all his barons together to take counsel and inquire to +whom he may entrust England to be kept in peace and safety until +his return. By common consent, it seems, the trust was assigned +to Count Angres of Windsor, for it was their judgement that there +was no more trustworthy lord in all the King's realm. When this +man had received the land, King Arthur set out the next day +accompanied by the Queen and her damsels. The Bretons make great +rejoicing upon hearing the news in Brittany that the King and his +barons are on the way. + +(Vv. 441-540.) Into the ship in which the King sailed there +entered no youth or maiden save only Alexander and Soredamors, +whom the Queen brought with her. This maiden was scornful of +love, for she had never heard of any man whom she would deign to +love, whatever might be his beauty, prowess, lordship, or birth. +And yet the damsel was so charming and fair that she might fitly +have learned of love, if it had pleased her to lend a willing +ear; but she would never give a thought to love. Now Love will +make her grieve, and will avenge himself for all the pride and +scorn with which she has always treated him. Carefully Love has +aimed his dart with which he pierced her to the heart. Now she +grows pale and trembles, and in spite of herself must succumb to +Love. Only with great difficulty can she restrain herself from +casting a glance toward Alexander; but she must be on her guard +against her brother, my lord Gawain. Dearly she pays and atones +for her great pride and disdain. Love has heated for her a bath +which heats and burns her painfully. At first it is grateful to +her, and then it hurts; one moment she likes it, and the next she +will have none of it. She accuses her eyes of treason, and says: +(11) "My eyes, you have betrayed me now! My heart, usually so +faithful, now bears me ill-will because of you. Now what I see +distresses me. Distresses? Nay, verily, rather do I like it +well. And if I actually see something that distresses me, can I +not control my eyes? My strength must indeed have failed, and +little should I esteem myself, if I cannot control my eyes and +make them turn their glance elsewhere. Thus, I shall be able to +baffle Love in his efforts to get control of me. The heart feels +no pain when the eye does not see; so, if I do not look at him, +no harm will come to me. He addresses me no request or prayer, +as he would do were he in love with me. And since he neither +loves nor esteems me, shall I love him without return? If his +beauty allures my eyes, and my eyes listen to the call, shall I +say that I love him just for that? Nay, for that would be a lie. +Therefore, he has no ground for complaint, nor can I make any +claim against him. One cannot love with the eyes alone. What +crime, then, have my eyes committed, if their glance but follows +my desire? What is their fault and what their sin? Ought I to +blame them, then? Nay, verily. Who, then, should be blamed? +Surely myself, who have them in control. My eye glances at +nothing unless it gives my heart delight. My heart ought not to +have any desire which would give me pain. Yet its desire causes +me pain. Pain? Upon my faith, I must be mad, if to please my +heart I wish for something which troubles me. If I can, I ought +to banish any wish that distresses me. If I can? Mad one, what +have I said? I must, indeed, have little power if I have no +control over myself. Does Love think to set me in the same path +which is wont to lead others astray? Others he may lead astray, +but not me who care not for him. Never shall I be his, nor ever +was, and I shall never seek his friendship." Thus she argues +with herself, one moment loving, and hating the next. She is in +such doubt that she does not know which course she had better +adopt. She thinks to be on the defence against Love, but defence +is not what she wants. God! She does not know that Alexander is +thinking of her too! Love bestows upon them equally such a share +as is their due. He treats them very fairly and justly, for each +one loves and desires the other. And this love would be true and +right if only each one knew what was the other's wish. But he +does not know what her desire is, and she knows not the cause of +his distress. + +(Vv. 541-574.) The Queen takes note of them and sees them often +blanch and pale and heave deep sighs and tremble. But she knows +no reason why they should do so, unless it be because of the sea +where they are. I think she would have divined the cause had the +sea not thrown her off her guard, but the sea deceives and tricks +her, so that she does not discover love because of the sea; and +it is from love that comes the bitter pain that distresses them. +(12) But of the three concerned, the Queen puts all the blame +upon the sea; for the other two accuse the third to her, and hold +it alone responsible for their guilt. Some one who is not at +fault is often blamed for another's wrong. Thus, the Queen lays +all the blame and guilt upon the sea, but it is unfair to put the +blame upon the sea, for it is guilty of no misdeed. Soredamors' +deep distress continued until the vessel came to port. As for +the King, it is well known that the Bretons were greatly pleased, +and served him gladly as their liege lord. But of King Arthur I +will not longer speak in this place; rather shall you hear me +tell how Love distresses these two lovers whom he has attacked. + +(Vv. 575-872.) Alexander loves and desires her; and she, too, +pines for the love of him, but he knows it not, nor will he know +it until he has suffered many a pain and many a grief. It is for +her sake that he renders to the Queen loving service, as well as +to her maids-in-waiting; but to her on whom his thoughts are +fixed, he dares not speak or address a word. If she but dared to +assert to him the right which she thinks she has, she would +gladly inform him of the truth; but she does not dare, and cannot +do it. They dare neither speak nor act in accordance with what +each sees in the other--which works a great hardship to them +both, and their love but grows and flames the more. However, it +is the custom of all lovers to feast their eyes gladly with +gazing, if they can do no more; and they assume that, because +they find pleasure in that which causes their love to be born and +grow, therefore it must be to their advantage; whereas it only +harms them more, just as he who approaches and draws close beside +the fire burns himself more than he who holds aloof. Their love +waxes and grows anon; but each is abashed before the other, and +so much is hidden and concealed that no flame or smoke arises +from the coals beneath the ashes. The heat is no less on this +account, but rather is better sustained beneath the ashes than +above. Both of them are in great torment; for, in order that +none may perceive their trouble, they are forced to deceive +people by a feigned bearing; but at night comes the bitter moan, +which each one makes within his breast. Of Alexander I will tell +you first how he complains and vents his grief. Love presents +before his mind her for whom he is in such distress; it is she +who has filched his heart away, and grants him no rest upon his +bed, because, forsooth, he delights to recall the beauty and the +grace of her who, he has no hope, will ever bring him any joy. +"I may as well hold myself a madman." he exclaims. "A madman? +Truly, I am beside myself, when I dare not speak what I have in +mind; for it would speedily fare worse with me (if I held my +peace). I have engaged my thoughts in a mad emprise. But is it +not better to keep my thoughts to myself than to be called a +fool? My wish will never then be known. Shall I then conceal +the cause of my distress, and not dare to seek aid and healing +for my wound? He is mad who feels himself afflicted, and seeks +not what will bring him health, if perchance he may find it +anywhere; but many a one seeks his welfare by striving for his +heart's desire, who pursues only that which brings him woe +instead. And why should one ask for advice, who does not expect +to gain his health? He would only exert himself in vain. I feel +my own illness to be so grievous that I shall never be healed by +any medicine or draught, by any herb or root. For some ills +there is no remedy, and mine lies so deep within that it is +beyond the reach of medicine. Is there no help, then? Methinks +I have lied. When first I felt this malady, if I had dared to +make mention of it. I might have spoken with a physician who +could have completely cured me. But I like not to discuss such +matters; I think he would pay me no heed and would not consent to +accept a fee. No wonder, then, if I am terrified; for I am very +ill, yet I do not know what disease this is which has me in its +grip, and I know not whence this pain has come. I do not know? +I know full well that it is Love who does me this injury. How is +that? Can Love do harm? Is he not gentle and well-bred? I used +to think that there was naught but good in Love; but I have found +him full of enmity. He who has not had experience of him does +not know what tricks Love plays. He is a fool who joins his +ranks; for he always seeks to harm his followers. Upon my faith, +his tricks are bad. It is poor sport to play with him, for his +game will only do me harm. What shall I do, then? Shall I +retreat? I think it would be wise to do so, but I know not how +to do it. If Love chastens and threatens me in order to teach +and instruct me, ought I to disdain my teacher? He is a fool who +scorns his master. I ought to keep and cherish the lesson which +Love teaches me, for great good may soon come of it. But I am +frightened because he beats me so. And dost thou complain, when +no sign of blow or wound appears? Art thou not mistaken? Nay, +for he has wounded me so deep that he has shot his dart to my +very heart, and has not yet drawn it out again. (13) How has he +pierced thy body with it, when no wound appears without? Tell me +that, for I wish to know. How did he make it enter in? Through +the eye. Through the eye? But he has not put it out? He did +not harm the eye at all, but all the pain is in the heart. Then +tell me, if the dart passed through the eye, how is it that the +eye itself is not injured or put out. If the dart entered +through the eye, why does the heart in the breast complain, when +the eye, which received the first effect, makes no complaint of +it at all? I can readily account for that: the eye is not +concerned with the understanding, nor has it any part in it; but +it is the mirror of the heart, and through this mirror passes, +without doing harm or injury, the flame which sets the heart on +fire. For is not the heart placed in the breast just like a +lighted candle which is set in a lantern? If you take the candle +away no light will shine from the lantern; but so long as the +candle lasts the lantern is not dark at all, and the flame which +shines within does it no harm or injury. Likewise with a pane of +glass, which might be very strong and solid, and yet a ray of the +sun could pass through it without cracking it at all; yet a piece +of glass will never be so bright as to enable one to see, unless +a stronger light strikes its surface. Know that the same thing +is true of the eyes as of the glass and the lantern; for the +light strikes the eyes in which the heart is accustomed to see +itself reflected, and lo! it sees some light outside, and many +other things, some green, some purple, others red or blue; and +some it dislikes, and some it likes, scorning some and prizing +others. But many an object seems fair to it when it looks at it +in the glass, which will deceive it if it is not on its guard. +My mirror has greatly deceived me; for in it my heart saw a ray +of light with which I am afflicted, and which has penetrated deep +within me, causing me to lose my wits. I am ill-treated by my +friend, who deserts me for my enemy. I may well accuse him of +felony for the wrong he has done to me. I thought I had three +friends, my heart and my two eyes together; but it seems that +they hate me. Where shall I ever find a friend, when these three +are my enemies, belonging to me, yet putting me to death? My +servants mock at my authority, in doing what they please without +consulting my desire. After my experience with these who have +done me wrong, I know full well that a good man's love may be +befouled by wicked servants in his employ. He who is attended by +a wicked servant will surely have cause to rue it, sooner or +later. Now I will tell you how the arrow, which has come into my +keeping and possession, is made and fashioned; but I fear greatly +that I shall fail in the attempt; for the fashion of it is so +fine that it will be no wonder if I fail. Yet I shall devote all +my effort to telling you how it seems to me. The notch and the +feathers are so close together, when carefully examined, that the +line of separation is as fine as a hair's breadth; but the notch +is so smooth and straight that in it surely no improvement could +be made. The feathers are coloured as if they were of gold or +gilt; but gilt is here beside the mark, for I know these feathers +were more brilliant than any gilt. This dart is barbed with the +golden tresses that I saw the other day at sea. That is the dart +which awakes my love. God! What a treasure to possess! Would +he who could gain such a prize crave other riches his whole life +long? For my part I could swear that I should desire nothing +else; I would not give up even the barb and the notch for all the +gold of Antioch. And if I prize so highly these two things, who +could estimate the value of what remains? That is so fair and +full of charm, so dear and precious, that I yearn and long to +gaze again upon her brow, which God's hand has made so clear that +it were vain to compare with it any mirror, emerald, or topaz. +But all this is of little worth to him who sees her flashing +eyes; to all who gaze on them they seem like twin candles +burning. And whose tongue is so expert as to describe the +fashion of her well-shaped nose and radiant face, in which the +rose suffuses the lily so as to efface it somewhat, and thus +enhance the glory of her visage? And who shall speak of her +laughing mouth, which God shaped with such great skill that none +might see it and not suppose that she was laughing? And what +about her teeth? They are so close to one another that it seems +they are all of one solid piece, and in order that the effect +might still be enhanced Nature added her handiwork; for any one, +to see her part her lips, would suppose that the teeth were of +ivory or of silver. There is so much to be said were I to +portray each detailed charm of chin and ears, that it would not +be strange were I to pass over some little thing. Of her throat +I shall only say that crystal beside it looks opaque. And her +neck beneath her hair is four times as white as ivory. Between +the border of her gown and the buckle at the parted throat, I saw +her bosom left exposed and whiter than new-fallen snow. My pain +would be indeed assuaged, if I had seen the dart entire. Gladly +would I tell, if I but knew, what was the nature of the shaft. +But I did nor see it, and it is not my fault if I do not attempt +to describe something I have never seen. At that time Love +showed me only the notch and the barb; for the shaft was hidden +in the quiver, to wit, in the robe and shift in which the damsel +was arrayed. Upon my faith, malady which tortures me is the +arrow--it is the dart at which I am a wretch to be enraged. I +am ungrateful to be incensed. Never shall a straw be broken +because of any distrust or quarrel that may arise between Love +and me. Now let Love do what he will with me as with one who +belongs to him; for I wish it, and so it pleases me. I hope that +this malady may never leave me, but that it may thus always +maintain its hold, and that health may never come to me except +from the source of my illness." + +(Vv. 873-1046.) Alexander's complaint is long enough; but that +of the maiden is nothing less. All night she lies in such +distress that she cannot sleep or get repose. Love has confined +within her heart a struggle and conflict which disturbs her +breast, and which causes her such pain and anguish that she weeps +and moans all night, and tosses about with sudden starts, so that +she is almost beside herself. And when she has tossed and sobbed +and groaned and started up and sighed again then she looked +within her heart to see who and what manner of man it was for +whom Love was tormenting her. And when she has refreshed herself +somewhat with thinking to her heart's content, she stretches and +tosses about again, and ridicules all the thoughts she has had. +Then she takes another course, and says: "Silly one, what matters +it to me if this youth is of good birth and wise and courteous +and valorous? All this is simply to his honour and credit. And +as for his beauty, what care I? Let his beauty be gone with him! +But if so, it will be against my will, for it is not my wish to +deprive him of anything. Deprive? No, indeed! That I surely +will not do. If he had the wisdom of Solomon, and if Nature had +bestowed on him all the beauty she can place in human form, and +if God had put in my power to undo it all, yet would I not injure +him; but I would gladly, if I could, make him still more wise and +fair. In faith, then, I do not hate him! And am I for that +reason his friend? Nay, I am not his any more than any other +man's. Then what do I think of him so much, if he pleases me no +more than other men? I do not know; I am all confused; for I +never thought so much about any man in the world, and if I had my +will, I should see him all the time, and never take my eyes from +him. I feel such joy at the sight of him! Is this love? Yes, I +believe it is. I should not appeal to him so often, if I did not +love him above all others. So I love him, then, let it be +agreed. Then shall I not do what I please? Yes, provided he +does not refuse. This intention of mine is wrong; but Love has +so filled my heart that I am mad and beside myself, nor will any +defence avail me now, if I must endure the assault of Love. I +have demeaned myself prudently toward Love so long, and would +never accede to his will; but now I am more than kindly disposed +toward him. And what thanks will he owe to me, if he cannot have +my loving service and good-will? By force he has humbled my +pride, and now I must follow his pleasure. Now I am ready to +love, and I have a master, and Love will teach me--but what? +How I am to serve his will. But of that I am very well informed, +and am so expert in serving him that no one could find fault with +me. I need learn no more of that. Love would have it, and so +would I, that I should be sensible and modest and kind and +approachable to all for the sake of one I love. Shall I love all +men, then, for the sake of one? I should be pleasant to every +one, but Love does not bid me be the true friend of every one. +Love's lessons are only good. It is not without significance +that I am called by the name of Soredamors. (14) I am destined +to love and be loved in turn, and I intend to prove it by my +name, if I can find the explanation there. There is some +significance in the fact that the first part of my name is of +golden colour; for what is golden is the best. For this reason I +highly esteem my name, because it begins with that colour with +which the purest gold harmonises. And the end of the name calls +Love to my mind; for whoever calls me by my right name always +refreshes me with love. And one half gilds the other with a +bright coat of yellow gold; for Soredamors has the meaning of +`one gilded over with Love.' Love has highly honoured me in +gilding me over with himself. A gilding of real gold is not so +fine as that which makes me radiant. And I shall henceforth do +my best to be his gilding, and shall never again complain of it. +Now I love and ever more shall love. Whom? Truly, that is a +fine question! Him whom Love bids me love, for no other shall +ever have my love. What will he care in his ignorance, unless I +tell him of it myself? What shall I do, if l do not make to him +my prayer? Whoever desires anything ought to ask for it and make +request. What? Shall I beseech him, then? Nay. Why? Did ever +such a thing come about that a woman should be so forward as to +make love to any man; unless she were clean beside herself. I +should be mad beyond question if I uttered anything for which I +might be reproached. If he should know the truth through word of +mine I think he would hold me in slight esteem, and would often +reproach me with having solicited his love. May love never be so +base that I should be the first to prefer a request which would +lower me in his eyes! Alas, God! How will he ever know the +truth, since I shall not tell him of it? As yet I have very +little cause to complain. I will wait until his attention is +aroused, if ever it is to be aroused. He will surely guess the +truth, I think, if ever he has had commerce with Love, or has +heard of it by word of mouth. Heard of it? That is a foolish +thing to say. Love is not of such easy access that any one may +claim acquaintance by hear-say only and without personal +experience. I have come to know that well enough myself; for I +could never learn anything of love through flattery and wooing +words, though I have often been in the school of experience, and +have been flattered many a time. But I have always stood aloof, +and now he makes me pay a heavy penalty: now I know more about it +than does the ox of ploughing. But one thing causes me despair: +I fear he has never been in love. And if he is not in love, and +never has been so, then I have sowed in the sea where no seed can +take root. So there is nothing to do but wait and suffer, until +I see whether I can lead him on by hints and covered words. I +shall continue this until he is sure of my love and dares to ask +me for it. So there is nothing more about the matter, but that I +love him and am his. If he loves me not, yet will I love him." + +(Vv. 1047-1066.) Thus he and she utter their complaint, unhappy +at night and worse by day, each hiding the truth from the other's +eyes. In such distress they remained a long time in Brittany, I +believe, until the end of the summer came. At the beginning of +October there came messengers by Dover from London and +Canterbury, bearing to the King news which troubled him. The +messengers told him that he might be tarrying too long in +Brittany; for, he to whom he had entrusted the kingdom was +intending to withstand him, and had already summoned a great army +of his vassals and friends, and had established himself in London +for the purpose of defending the city against Arthur when he +should return. + +(Vv. 1067-1092.) When the King heard this news, angry and sore +displeased he summons all his knights. In order the better to +spur them on to punish the traitor, he tells them that they are +entirely to blame for his trouble and strife; for on their advice +he entrusted his land to the hands of the traitor, who is worse +than Ganelon. (15) There is not a single one who does not agree +that the King is right, for he had only followed their advice; +but now this man is to be outlawed, and you may be sure that no +town or city will avail to save his body from being dragged out +by force. Thus they all assure the King, giving him their word +upon oath, that they will deliver the traitor to him, or never +again claim their fiefs. And the King proclaims throughout +Brittany that no one who can bear arms shall refuse to follow him +at once. + +(Vv. 1093-1146.) All Brittany is now astir. Never was such an +army seen as King Arthur brought together. When the ships came +to set sail, it seemed that the whole world was putting out to +sea; for even the water was hid from view, being covered with the +multitude of ships. It is certainly true that, to judge by the +commotion, all Brittany is under way. Now the ships have crossed +the Channel, and the assembled host is quartered on the shore. +Alexander bethought himself to go and pray the King to make him a +knight, for if ever he should win renown it will be in this war. +Prompted by his desire, he takes his companions with him to +accomplish what he has in mind. On reaching the King's quarters, +they found him seated before his tent. When he saw the Greeks +approaching, he summoned them to him, saying: "Gentlemen, do not +conceal what business has brought you here." Alexander replied +on behalf of all, and told him his desire: "I have come," he +says, "to request of you, as I ought to do of my liege lord, on +behalf of my companions and myself, that you should make us +knights." The King replies: "Very gladly; nor shall there be any +delay about it, since you have preferred your request." Then the +King commands that equipment shall be furnished for twelve +knights. Straightway the King's command is done. As each one +asks for his equipment, it is handed to him-- rich arms and a +good horse: thus each one received his outfit. The arms and +robes and horse were of equal value for each of the twelve; but +the harness for Alexander s body, if it should be valued or sold, +was alone worth as much as that of all the other twelve. At the +water's edge they stripped, and then washed and bathed +themselves. Not wishing that any other bath should be heated for +them, they washed in the sea and used it as their tub. (16) + +(Vv. 1147-1196.) All this is known to the Queen, who bears +Alexander no ill will, but rather loves, esteems, and values him. +She wishes to make Alexander a gift, but it is far more precious +than she thinks. She seeks and delves in all her boxes until she +finds a white silk shirt, well made of delicate texture, and very +soft. Every thread in the stitching of it was of gold, or of +silver at least. Soredamors had taken a hand in the stitching of +it here and there, and at intervals, in the sleeves and neck, she +had inserted beside the gold a strand of her own hair, to see if +any man could be found who, by close examination, could detect +the difference. For the hair was quite as bright and golden as +the thread of gold itself. The Queen takes the shirt and +presents it to Alexander. Ah, God! What joy would Alexander +have felt had he known what the Queen was giving him! And how +glad would she, too, have been, who had inserted her own hair, if +she had known that her lover was to own and wear it! She could +then have taken great comfort; for she would not have cared so +much for all the hair she still possessed as for the little that +Alexander had. But, more is the pity, neither of them knew the +truth. The Queen's messenger finds the youths on the shore where +they are bathing, and gives the shirt to Alexander. He is +greatly pleased with it, esteeming the present all the more +because it was given him by the Queen. But if he had known the +rest, he would have valued it still more; in exchange for it he +would not have taken the whole world, but rather would have made +a shrine of it and worshipped it, doubtless, day and night. + +(Vv. 1197-1260.) Alexander delays no longer, but dresses himself +at once. When he was dressed and ready, he returned to the +King's tent with all his companions. The Queen, it seems, had +come there, too, wishing to see the new knights present +themselves. They might all be called handsome, but Alexander +with his shapely body was the fairest of them all. Well, now +that they are knights I will say no more of them for the present, +but will tell of the King and of his host which came to London. +Most of the people remained faithful to him, though many allied +themselves with the opposition. Count Angres assembled his +forces, consisting of all those whose influence could be gained +by promises or gifts. When he had gathered all his strength, he +slipped away quietly at night, fearing to be betrayed by the many +who hated him. But before he made off, he sacked London as +completely as possible of provisions, gold and silver, which he +divided among his followers. This news was told to the King, how +the traitor had escaped with all his forces, and that he had +carried off from the city so many supplies that the distressed +citizens were impoverished and destitute. Then the King replied +that he would not take a ransom for the traitor, but rather hang +him, if he could catch him or lay hands on him. Thereupon, all +the army proceeded to Windsor. However it may be now, in those +days the castle was not easy to take when any one chose to defend +it. The traitor made it secure, as soon as he planned his +treacherous deed, with a triple line of walls and moats, and had +so braced the walls inside with sharpened stakes that catapults +could not throw them down. They had taken great pains with the +fortifications, spending all of June, July, and August in +building walls and barricades, making moats and drawbridges, +ditches, obstructions, and barriers, and iron portcullises and a +great square tower of stone. The gate was never closed from fear +or against assault. The castle stood upon a high hill, and +around beneath it flows the Thames. The host encamped on the +river bank, and that day they have time only to pitch camp and +set up the tents. + +(Vv. 1261-1348.) The army is in camp beside the Thames, and all +the meadow is filled with green and red tents. The sun, striking +on the colours, causes the river to flash for more than a league +around. Those in the town had come down to disport themselves +upon the river bank with only their lances in their hands and +their shields grasped before their breasts, and carrying no other +arms at all. In coming thus, they showed those without the walls +that they stood in no fear of them. Alexander stood aloof and +watched the knights disporting themselves at feats of arms. He +yearns to attack them, and summons his companions one by one by +name. First Cornix, whom he dearly loved, then the doughty +Licorides, then Nabunal of Mvcene, and Acorionde of Athens, and +Ferolin of Salonica, and Calcedor from Africa, Parmenides and +Francagel, mighty Torin and Pinabel, Nerius and Neriolis. "My +lords," he says, "I feel the call to go with shield and lance to +make the acquaintance of those who disport themselves yonder +before our eyes. I see they scorn us and hold us in slight +esteem, when they come thus without their arms to exercise before +our very eyes. We have just been knighted, and have not yet +given an account of ourselves against any knight or manikin. (17) +We have kept our first lances too long intact. And for what were +our shields intended? As yet, they have not a hole or crack to +show. There is no use in having them except in a combat or a +fight. Let's cross the ford and rush at them!" "We shall not +fail you," all reply; and each one adds: "So help me God, who +fails you now is no friend of yours." Then they fasten on their +swords, tighten their saddles and girths, and mount their steeds +with shields in hand. When they had hung the shields about their +necks, and taken their lances with the gaily coloured ensigns, +they all proceed to the ford at once. Those on the farther side +lower their lances, and quickly ride to strike at them. But they +(on the hither bank) knew how to pay them back, not sparing nor +avoiding them, nor yielding to them a foot of ground. Rather, +each man struck his opponent so fiercely that there is no knight +so brave but is compelled to leave the saddle. They did not +underestimate the experience, skill, and bravery of their +antagonists, but made their first blows count, and unhorsed +thirteen of them. The report spread to the camp of the fight and +of the blows that were being struck. There would soon have been +a merry strife if the others had dared to stand their ground. +All through the camp they run to arms, and raising a shout they +cross the ford. And those on the farther bank take to flight, +seeing no advantage in staying where they are. And the Greeks +pursue them with blows of lance and sword. Though they struck +off many a head they themselves did not receive a wound, and gave +a good account of themselves that day. But Alexander +distinguished himself, who by his own efforts led off four +captive knights in bonds. The sands are strewn with headless +dead, while many others lie wounded and injured. + +(Vv. 1349-1418.) Alexander courteously presents the victims of +his first conquest to the Queen, not wishing them to fall into +the hands of the King, who would have had them all hanged. The +Queen, however, had them seized and safely kept under guard, as +being charged with treason. Throughout the camp they talk of the +Greeks, and all maintain that Alexander acted very courteously +and wisely in not surrendering the knights whom he had captured +to the King, who would surely have had them burned or hanged. +But the King is not so well satisfied, and sending promptly to +the Queen he bids her come into his presence and not detain those +who have proved treacherous towards him, for either she must give +them up or offend him by keeping them. While the Queen was in +conference with the King, as was necessary, about the traitors, +the Greeks remained in the Queen's tent with her maids-in- +waiting. While his twelve companions conversed with them, +Alexander uttered not a word. Soredamors took note of this, +seated as she was close by his side. Her head resting upon her +hand, it was plain that she was lost in thought. (18) Thus they +sat a long time, until Soredamors saw on his sleeve and about his +neck the hair which she had stitched into the shirt. Then she +drew a little closer thinking now to find an excuse for speaking +a word to him. She considers how she can address him first, and +what the first word is to be--whether she should address him by +his name; and thus she takes counsel with herself: "What shall I +say first?" she says; "shall I address him by his name, or shall +I call him `friend'? Friend? Not I. How then? Shall I call +him by his name? God! The name of `friend' is fair and sweet to +take upon the lips. If I should dare to call him `friend.! +Should I dare? What forbids me to do so? The fact that that +implies a lie. A lie? I know not what the result will be, but I +shall be sorry if I do not speak the truth. Therefore, it is +best to admit that I should not like to speak a lie. God! yet +he would not speak a lie were he to call me his sweet friend! +And should I lie in thus addressing him? We ought both to tell +the truth. But if I lie the fault is his. But why does his name +seem so hard to me that I should wish to replace it by a surname? +I think it is because it is so long that I should stop in the +middle. But if I simply called him `friend', I could soon utter +so short a name. Fearing lest I should break down in uttering +his proper name, I would fain shed my blood if his name were +simply `my sweet friend.'" + +(Vv. 1419-1448.) She turns this thought over in her mind until +the Queen returns from the King who had summoned her. Alexander, +seeing her come, goes to meet her, and inquires what is the +King's command concerning the prisoners, and what is to be their +fate. "Friend," says she, "he requires of me to surrender them +at his discretion, and to let his justice be carried out. +Indeed, he is much incensed that I have not already handed them +over. So I must needs send them to him, since I see no help for +it." Thus they passed that day; and the next day there was a +great assembly of all the good and loyal knights before the royal +tent to sit in judgment and decide by what punishment and torture +the four traitors should die. Some hold that they should be +flayed alive, and others that they should be hanged or burned. +And the King, for his part, maintains that traitors ought to be +torn asunder. Then he commands them to be brought in. When they +are brought, he orders them to be bound, and says that they shall +not be torn asunder until they are taken beneath the town, so +that those within may see the sight. (19) + +(Vv. 1449-1472.) When this sentence was pronounced, the King +addresses Alexander, calling him his dear friend. "My friend," +he says, "yesterday I saw you attack and defend yourself with +great bravery. I wish now to reward your action! I will add to +your company five hundred Welsh knights and one thousand troopers +from that land. In addition to what I have given you, when the +war is over I will crown you king of the best kingdom in Wales. +Towns and castles, cities and halls will I give you until the +time you receive the land which your father holds, and of which +you are to be emperor." Alexander's companions join him in +thanking the King kindly for this boon, and all the nobles of the +court say that the honour which the King has bestowed upon +Alexander is well deserved. + +(Vv. 1473-1490.) As soon as Alexander sees his force, consisting +of the companions and the men-at-arms whom it had pleased the +King to give him, straightway they begin to sound the horns and +trumpets throughout the camp. Men of Wales and Britain, of +Scotland and Cornwall, both good and bad without exception--all +take arms, for the forces of the host were recruited from all +quarters. The Thames was low because of the drought resulting +from a summer without rain, so that all the fish were dead, and +the ships were stranded upon the shore, and it was possible to +ford the stream even in the widest part. + +(Vv. 1491-1514.) After fording the Thames, the army divided, +some taking possession of the valley, and others occupying the +high ground. Those in the town take notice of them, and when +they see approaching the wonderful array, bent upon reducing and +taking the town, they prepare on their side to defend it. But +before any assault is made, the King has the traitors drawn by +four horses through the valleys and over the hills and unploughed +fields. At this Count Angres is much distressed, when he sees +those whom he held dear dragged around outside the town. And his +people, too, are much dismayed, but in spite of the anxiety which +they feel, they have no mind to yield the place. They must needs +defend themselves, for the King makes it plain to all that he is +angry, and ill-disposed, and they see that if he should lay hands +upon them he would make them die a shameful death. + +(Vv.1515-1552.) When the four had been torn asunder and their +limbs lay strewn upon the field, then the assault begins. But +all their labour is in vain, for no matter how much they cast and +shoot, their efforts are of no effect. Yet they strive to do +their utmost, hurling their javelins amain, and shooting darts +and bolts. On all sides is heard the din of cross-bows and +slings as the arrows and the round stones fly thick, like rain +mixed with hail. Thus all day long the struggle of attack and +defence continues, until the night separates them. And the King +causes to be proclaimed what gift he will bestow upon him who +shall effect the surrender of the town: a cup of great price +weighing fifteen marks of gold, the richest in his treasure, +shall be his reward. The cup will be very fine and rich, and, to +tell the truth, the cup is to be esteemed for the workmanship +rather than for the material of which it is made. But good as +the workmanship may be, and fine though the gold, if the truth be +told, the precious stones set in the outside of the cup were of +most value. He through whose efforts the town shall be taken is +to have the cup, if he be only a foot soldier; and if the town is +taken by a knight, with the cup in his possession he shall never +seek his fortune in vain, if there is any to be found in the +world. + +(Vv. 1553-1712.) When this news was announced, Alexander had not +forgotten his custom of going to see the Queen each evening. +That night, too, he had gone thither and was seated beside the +Queen. Soredamors was sitting alone close by them, looking at +him with such satisfaction that she would not have exchanged her +lot for Paradise. The Queen took Alexander by the hand, and +examined the golden thread which was showing the effects of wear; +but the strand of hair was becoming more lustrous, while the +golden thread was tarnishing. And she laughed as she happened to +recall that the embroidery was the work of Soredamors. Alexander +noticed this, and begged her to tell him, if suitable, why she +laughed. The Queen was slow to make reply, and looking toward +Soredamors, bade her come to her. Gladly she went and knelt +before her. Alexander was overjoyed when he saw her draw so near +that he could have touched her. But he is not so bold as even to +look at her; but rather does he so lose his senses that he is +well-nigh speechless. And she, for her part, is so overcome that +she has not the use of her eyes; but she casts her glance upon +the ground without fastening it upon anything. The Queen marvels +greatly at seeing her now pale, now crimson, and she notes well +in her heart the bearing and expression of each of them. She +notices and thinks she sees that these changes of colour are the +fruit of love. But not wishing to embarrass them, she pretends +to understand nothing of what she sees. In this she did well, +for she gave no evidence of what was in her mind beyond saying: +"Look here, damsel, and tell us truly where the shirt was sewed +that this knight has on, and if you had any hand in it or worked +anything of yours into it." Though the maiden feels some shame, +yet she tells the story gladly; for she wishes the truth to be +known by him, who, when he hears her tell of how the shirt was +made, can hardly restrain himself for joy from worshipping and +adoring the golden hair. His companions and the Queen, who were +with him, annoy him and embarrass him; for their presence +prevents him from raising the hair to his eyes and mouth, as he +would fain have done, had he not thought that it would be +remarked. He is glad to have so much of his lady, but he does +not hope or expect ever to receive more from her: his very desire +makes him dubious. Yet, when he has left the Queen and is by +himself, he kisses it more than a hundred thousand times, feeling +how fortunate he is. All night long he makes much of it, but is +careful that no one shall see him. As he lies upon his bed, he +finds a vain delight and solace in what can give him no +satisfaction. All night he presses the shirt in his arms, and +when he looks at the golden hair, he feels like the lord of the +whole wide world. Thus Love makes a fool of this sensible man, +who finds his delight in a single hair and is in ecstasy over its +possession. But this charm will come to an end for him before +the sun's bright dawn. For the traitors are met in council to +discuss what they can do; and what their prospects are. To be +sure they will be able to make a long defence of the town if they +determine so to do; but they know the King's purpose to be so +firm that he will not give up his efforts to take the town so +long as he lives, and when that time comes they needs must die. +And if they should surrender the town, they need expect no mercy +for doing so. Thus either outcome looks dark indeed, for they +see no help, but only death in either case. But this decision at +last is reached, that the next morning, before dawn appears, they +shall issue secretly from the town and find the camp disarmed, +and the knights still sleeping in their beds. Before they wake +and get their armour on there will have been such slaughter done +that posterity will always speak of the battle of that night. +Having no further confidence in life, the traitors as a last +resort all subscribe to this design. Despair emboldened them to +fight, whatever the result might be; for they see nothing sure in +store for them save death or imprisonment. Such an outcome is +not attractive; nor do they see any use in flight, for they see +no place where they could find refuge should they betake +themselves to flight, being completely surrounded by the water +and their enemies. So they spend no more time in talk, but arm +and equip themselves and make a sally by an old postern gate (20) +toward the north-west, that being the side where they thought the +camp would least expect attack. In serried ranks they sallied +forth, and divided their force into five companies, each +consisting of two thousand well armed foot, in addition to a +thousand knights. That night neither star nor moon had shed a +ray across the sky. But before they reached the tents, the moon +began to show itself, and I think it was to work them woe that it +rose sooner than was its wont. Thus God, who opposed their +enterprise, illumined the darkness of the night, having no love +for these evil men, but rather hating them for their sin. For +God hates traitors and treachery more than any other sin. So the +moon began to shine in order to hamper their enterprise. + +(Vv. 1713-1858.) They are much hampered by the moon, as it +shines upon their shields, and they are handicapped by their +helmets, too, as they glitter in the moonlight. They are +detected by the pickets keeping watch over the host, who now +shout throughout the camp: "Up. knights, up! Rise quickly, take +your arms and arm yourselves! The traitors are upon us." +Through all the camp they run to arms, and hastily strive to +equip themselves in the urgent need; but not a single one of them +left his place until they were all comfortably armed and mounted +upon their steeds. While they are arming themselves, the +attacking forces are eager for battle and press forward, hoping +to catch them off their guard and find them disarmed. They bring +up from different directions the five companies into which they +had divided their troops: some hug the woods, others follow the +river, the third company deploys upon the plain, while the fourth +enters a valley, and the fifth proceeds beside a rocky cliff. +For they planned to fall upon the tents suddenly with great fury. +But they did not find the path clear. For the King's men resist +them, defying them courageously and reproaching them for their +treason. Their iron lance-tips are splintered and shattered as +they meet; they come together with swords drawn, striking each +other and casting each other down upon the face. They rush upon +each other with the fury of lions, which devour whatever they +capture. In this first rush there was heavy slaughter on both +sides. When they can no longer maintain themselves, help comes +to the traitors, who are defending themselves bravely and selling +their lives dearly. They see their troops from four sides arrive +to succour them. And the King's men ride hard with spur to +attack them. They deal such blows upon their shields that, +beside the wounded, they unhorse more than five hundred of them. +Alexander, with his Greeks, has no thought of sparing them, +making every effort to prevail into the thickest of the fight he +goes to strike a knave whose shield and hauberk are of no avail +to keep him from falling to the earth. When he has finished with +him, he offers his service to another freely and without stint, +and serves him, too, so savagely that he drives the soul from his +body quite, and leaves the apartment without a tenant. After +these two, he addresses himself to another, piercing a noble and +courteous knight clean through and through, so that the blood +spurts out on the other side, and his expiring soul takes leave +of the body. Many he killed and many stunned, for like a flying +thunderbolt he blasts all those whom he seeks out. Neither coat +of mail nor shield can protect him whom he strikes with lance or +sword. His companions, too, are generous in the spilling of +blood and brains, for they, too, know well how to deal their +blows. And the royal troops butcher so many of them that they +break them up and scatter them like low-born folk who have lost +their heads. So many dead lay about the fields, and so long did +the battle rage, that long before the day dawned the ranks were +so cut in pieces that the rows of dead stretched for five leagues +along the stream. Count Angres leaves his banner on the field +and steals away, accompanied by only seven of his men. Towards +his town he made his way by a secret path, thinking that no one +could see him. But Alexander notices this, and sees them +escaping from the troops, and he thinks that if he can slip away +without the knowledge of any one, he will go to catch up with +them. But before he got down into the valley, he saw thirty +knights following him down the path, of whom six were Greeks, and +twenty-four were men of Wales. These intended to follow him at a +distance until he should stand in need of them. When Alexander +saw them coming, he stopped to wait for them, without failing to +observe what course was taken by those who were making their way +back to the town. Finally, he saw them enter it. Then he began +to plan a very daring deed and a very marvellous design. And +when he had made up his mind, he turned toward his companions and +thus addressed them: "My lords," says he, "whether it be folly or +wisdom, frankly grant me my desire if you care for my good-will." +And they promised him never to oppose his will in aught. Then he +says: "Let us change our outer gear, by taking the shields and +lances from the traitors whom we have killed. Thus, when we +approach the town, the traitors within will suppose that we are +of their party, and regardless of the fate in store for them, +they will throw open the gates for us. And do you know what +reward we shall offer them? If God so will we shall take them +all dead or alive. Now, if any of you repents of his promise, be +sure that, so long as I live, I shall never hold him dear." + +(Vv. 1859-1954.) All the others grant his boon, and, despoiling +the corpses of their shields, they arm themselves with them +instead. The men within the town had mounted to the battlements, +and, recognising the shields, suppose that they belong to their +party, never dreaming of the ruse hidden beneath the shields. +The gatekeeper opens the gate for them and admits them to the +town. He is beguiled and deceived in not addressing them a word; +for no one of them speaks to him, but silently and mute they +pass, making such a show of grief that they trail their lances +after them and support themselves upon their shields. Thus it +seems that they are in great distress, as they pass on at their +own sweet will until they are within the triple walls. Inside +they find a number of men-at-arms and knights with the Count. I +cannot tell you just how many; but they were unarmed, except +eight of them who had just returned from the fight, and even they +were preparing to remove their arms. But their haste was ill +considered; for now the other party make no further pretence, but +without any challenge by way of warning, they brace themselves in +the stirrups, and let their horses charge straight at them, +attacking them with such rigour that they lay low more than +thirty-one of them. The traitors in great dismay shout out: "We +are betrayed, betrayed!" But the assailants take no heed of +this, and let those whom they find unarmed feel the temper of +their swords. Indeed, three of those whom they found still armed +were so roughly handled that but five remained alive. Count +Angres rushed at Calcedor, and in the sight of all struck him +upon his golden shield with such violence that he stretched him +dead upon the ground. Alexander is greatly troubled, and is +almost beside himself with rage when he sees his companion dead; +his blood boils with anger, but his strength and courage are +doubled as he strikes the Count with such fury that he breaks his +lance. If possible, he would avenge his friend. But the Count +was a powerful man and a good and hardy knight, whose match it +would have been hard to find, had he not been a base traitor. He +now returns the blow, making his lance double up so that it +splits and breaks; but the other's shield holds firm, and neither +gives way before the other any more than a rock would do, for +both men were passing strong. But the fact that the Count was in +the wrong disturbs him greatly and troubles him. (21) The anger +of each rises higher as they both draw their swords after their +lances had been broken. No escape would have been possible if +these two swordsmen had persisted in continuing the fight. But +at last one or the other must die. The Count dares not longer +hold his ground, when he sees lying dead about him his men who +had been caught unarmed. Meanwhile the others press them hard, +cutting, slashing, and carving them, spilling their brains, and +reproaching the Count for his treachery. When he hears himself +accused of treason, he flees for safety to his tower, followed by +his men. And their enemies follow after them, fiercely charging +them from the rear, and not letting a single one escape of all +upon whom they lay their hands. They kill and slay so many of +them that I guess not more than seven made good their escape. + +(Vv. 1955-2056.) When they had got inside the tower, they made a +stand at the gate; for those who were coming close behind had +followed so closely after them that they too would have pressed +in had the gateway been left exposed. The traitors make a brave +defence, waiting for succour from their friends, who were arming +themselves down in the town. But upon the advice of Nabunal, who +was a Greek of great wisdom, the approach was blocked so that +relief could not arrive in time; for those below had tarried too +long, either from cowardice or sloth. Now there was only one +entrance to the stronghold; so that, if they stop that entrance- +way, they need have no fear that any force shall approach to do +them harm. Nabunal bids and exhorts twenty of them to hold the +gate; for soon such a company might arrive with force as would do +them harm by their assault and attack. While these twenty hold +the gate, the remaining ten should attack the tower and prevent +the Count from barricading himself inside. Nabunal's advice is +taken: ten remain to continue the assault at the entrance of the +tower, while twenty go to defend the gate. In doing so, they +delay almost too long; for they see approaching, furious and keen +for the fight, a company containing many cross-bow men and foot +soldiers of different grades who carried arms of divers sorts. +Some carried light missiles, and others Danish axes, lances and +Turkish swords, bolts for cross-bows, arrows and javelins. The +Greeks would have had to pay a heavy score, if this crowd had +actually fallen upon them; but they did not reach the place in +time. Nabunal by his foresight and counsel had blocked their +plans, and they were forced to remain outside. When they see +that they are shut out, they pause in their advance, as it is +evident they can gain nothing by making an assault. Then there +begins such weeping and wailing of women and young children, of +old men and youths, that those in the town could not have heard a +thunder-clap from heaven. At this the Greeks are overjoyed; for +now they know of a certainty that the Count by no good luck can +escape capture. Four of them mount the walls to keep watch lest +those outside by any means or ruse should enter the stronghold +and fall upon them. The remaining sixteen returned to where the +ten were fighting. The day was already breaking, and the ten had +fought so well that they had forced their way within the tower. +The Count took his stand against a post, and, armed with a +battleaxe, defended himself with great bravery. Those whom he +reaches, he splits in half. And his men line up about him, and +are not slow to avenge themselves in this last stand of the day, +Alexander's men have reason to complain, for of the original +sixteen there remain now but thirteen. Alexander is almost +beside himself when he sees the havoc wrought among his dead or +exhausted followers. Yet his thoughts are fixed on vengeance: +finding at hand a long heavy club, he struck one of the rascals +with it so fiercely that neither shield nor hauberk was worth a +button in preventing him from failing to the ground. After +finishing with him, he pursues the Count, and raising his club to +strike him he deals him such a blow with his square club that the +axe falls from his hands; and he was so stunned and bewildered +that he could not have stood up unless he had leaned against the +wall. + +(Vv. 2057-2146.) After this blow the battle ceases. Alexander +leaps at the Count and holds him so that he cannot move. Of the +others nothing need be said, for they were easily mastered when +they saw the capture of their lord. All are made prisoners with +the Count and led away in disgrace, in accordance with their +deserts. Of all this the men outside knew nothing. But when +morning came they found their companions shields lying among the +slain when the battle was over. Then the Greeks, misled, made a +great lament for their lord. Recognising his shield, all are in +an agony of grief, swooning at sight of his shield and saying +that now they have lived too long. Cornix and Nerius first +swoon, then, recovering their senses, wish they were dead. So do +Torin and Acorionde. The tears run down in floods from their +eyes upon their breasts. Life and joy seem hateful now. And +Parmenides more than the rest tore his hair in dire distress. No +greater grief could be shown than that of these five for their +lord. Yet, their dismay is groundless, for it is another's body +which they bear away when they think to have their lord. Their +distress is further increased by the sight of the other shields, +which cause them to mistake these corpses for their companions. +So over them they lament and swoon. But they are deceived by all +these shields, for of their men only one was killed, whose name +was Neriolis. Him, indeed, they would have borne away had they +known the truth. But they are in as great anxiety for the others +as for him; so they bore them all away. In every case but one +they were misled. But like the man who dreams and takes a +fiction for the truth, so the shields cause them to suppose this +illusion to be a reality. It is the shields, then, that cause +this mistake. (22) Carrying the corpses, they move away and come +to their tents, where there was a sorrowing troop. Upon hearing +the lament raised by the Greeks, soon all the others gathered, +until there was but one great outcry. Now Saredamors thinks of +her wretched estate when she hears the cry and lament over her +lover. Their anguish and distress cause her to lose her senses +and her colour, and her grief and sorrow are increased because +she dares not openly show a trace of her distress. She shut up +her grief within her heart. Had any one looked at her, he could +have seen by the expression of her face what agony she was in; +but every one was so engrossed with his own sorrow that he had no +care for another's grief. Each one lamented his own loss. For +they find the river bank covered with their relatives and +friends, who had been wounded or roughly treated. Each one wept +for his own heavy and bitter loss: here is a son weeping for a +father, there a father for a son; one swoons at the sight of his +cousin, another over his nephew. Thus fathers, brothers, and +relatives bemoan their loss on every side. But above all is +noticeable the sorrow of the Greeks; and yet they might have +anticipated great joy, for the deepest grief of all the camp will +soon be changed into rejoicing. + +(Vv. 2147-2200.) The Greeks outside continue their lament, while +those inside strive to let them know the news which will cause +them to rejoice. They disarm and bind their prisoners, who pray +and beg of them to strike off their heads straightway. But the +Greeks are unwilling, and disdain their entreaties, saying that +them will keep then under guard and hand them over to the King, +who will grant them such recompense as shall require their +services. When they had disarmed them all they made them go up +on the wall that they might be seen by the troops below. This +privilege is not to their liking, and when they saw their lord +bound as a prisoner, they were unhappy men. Alexander upon the +walls swears to God and all the saints that he will not let one +of them live, but will kill them all speedily, unless they will +go to surrender to the King before he can seize them. "Go," says +he, "confidently to the King at my command, and cast yourselves +upon his mercy. None of you, except the Count, has deserved to +die. You shall not lose either life or limb if you surrender to +the King. If you do not deliver yourselves from death by crying +for mercy, you need have little hope of saving your lives or +bodies. Go forth disarmed to meet the King, and tell him from me +that Alexander sends you to him. Your action will not be in +vain; for my lord the King is so gentle and courteous that he +will lay aside his wrath and anger. But if you wish to act +otherwise, you must expect to die, for his heart will be closed +to pity." All agree in accepting this advice, and do not +hesitate until they come to the King's tent, where they all fall +at his feet. The story they told was soon known throughout the +camp. The King and all his men mounted and spurred their horses +to the town without delay. + +(Vv. 2201-2248.) Alexander goes out from the town to meet the +King, who was greatly pleased, and to surrender to him the Count. +The King did not delay in fitly punishing him. But Alexander is +congratulated and praised by the King and all the others who +esteem him highly. Their joy drives away the grief which they +had felt not long before. But no joy of the others can compare +with the exultation of the Greeks. The King presents him with +the precious cup, weighing fifteen marks, and tells him +confidently that there is nothing in his possession so valuable +that he would not place it in his hands upon request--save only +the crown and the Queen. Alexander dares not mention his heart's +desire, though he knows well that he would not be refused in +asking for his sweetheart's hand. But he fears so much lest he +might displease her, whose heart would have been made glad, that +he prefers to suffer without her rather than to win her against +her will. Therefore, he asks for a little time, not wishing to +prefer his request until he is sure of her pleasure. But he +asked for no respite or delay in accepting the cup of gold. He +takes the cup, and courteously begs my lord Gawain to accept this +cup as a gift from him, which Gawain did most reluctantly. When +Soredamors learned the truth about Alexander she was greatly +pleased and delighted. When she heard that he was alive, she was +so happy that it seemed to her as though she could never be sad +again. But she reflects that he is slower in coming than is his +wont. Yet in good time she will have her wish, for both of them +in rivalry are occupied with one common thought. + +(Vv. 2249-2278.) It seemed to Alexander an age before he could +feast his eyes with even one soft glance from her. Long ago he +would fain have gone to the Queen's tent, if he had not been +detained elsewhere. He was much put out by this delay, and as +soon as he could, he betook himself to the Queen in her tent. +The Queen went to greet him, and, without his having confided in +her, she had already read his thoughts, and knew what was passing +in his mind. She greets him at the entrance of the tent, and +strives to make him welcome, well knowing for what purpose he has +come. Desirous of according him a favour, she beckons Soredamors +to join them, and they three engage in conversation at some +distance from the rest. The Queen first speaks, in whose mind +there was no doubt that this couple were in love. Of this fact +she is quite sure, and is persuaded moreover that Soredamors +could not have a better lover. She took her place between the +two and began to say what was appropriate. + +(Vv. 2279-2310.) "Alexander," says the Queen, "any love is worse +than hate, when it torments and distresses its devotee. Lovers +know not what they do when they conceal their passion from one +another. Love is a serious business, and whoever does not boldly +lay its foundation firm can hardly succeed in completing the +edifice. They say there is nothing so hard to cross as the +threshold. Now I wish to instruct you in the lore of love; for I +know well that Love is tormenting you. Therefore, I have +undertaken to instruct you; and do you take good care not to keep +anything back from me, for I have plainly seen in the faces of +you both that of two hearts you have made but one. So beware, +and conceal nothing from me! You are acting very foolishly in +not speaking out your mind; for concealment will be the death of +you; thus you will be the murderers of Love. Now I counsel you +to exercise no tyranny, and to seek no passing gratification in +your love; but to be honourably joined together in marriage. So, +I believe, your love shall long endure. I can assure you that, +if you agree to this, I will arrange the marriage." + +(Vv. 2311-2360.) When the Queen had spoken her mind, Alexander +thus made reply: "Lady," he says, "I enter no defence against the +charge you make, but rather admit the truth of all you say. I +wish never to be deserted by love, but always to fix my thoughts +on it. I am pleased and delighted by what you have so kindly +said. Since you know what my wishes are, I see no reason why I +should conceal them from you. Long ago, if I had dared I would +have confessed them openly; for the silence has been hard. But +it may well be that for some reason this maiden may not wish that +I be hers and she mine. But even if she grant me no rights over +her, yet will I place myself in her hands." At these words she +trembled, having no desire to refuse the gift. Her heart's +desire betrays itself in her words and her countenance. +Falteringly she gives herself to him, and says that without +exception her will, her heart, and her body all is at the +disposal of the Queen, to do with her as she may please. The +Queen clasps them both in her arms, and presents one to the +other. Then laughingly she adds: "I give over to thee, +Alexander, thy sweetheart's body, and I know that thy heart does +not draw back. Whoever may like it or like it not, I give each +of you to the other. Do thou, Soredamors, take what is thine, +and thou, Alexander, take what is thine!" Now she has her own +entire, and he has his without lack. At Windsor that day, with +the approval and permission of my lord Gawain and the King, the +marriage was celebrated. No one could tell, I am sure, so much +of the magnificence and the food, of the pleasure and +entertainment, at this wedding without falling short of the +truth. Inasmuch as it would be distasteful to some, I do not +care to waste further words upon the matter, but am anxious to +turn to another subject. + +(Vv. 2361-2382.) That day at Windsor Alexander had all the +honour and happiness that he could desire. Three different joys +and honours were his: one was the town which he captured; another +was the present of the best kingdom in Wales, which King Arthur +had promised to give him when the war was over; that very day he +made him king in his hall. But the greatest joy of all was the +third--that his sweetheart was queen of the chess-board where +he was king. Before five months had passed, Soredamors found +herself with child, and carried it until the time was fulfilled. +The seed remained in germ until the fruit was fully matured. No +more beautiful child was ever born before or since than he whom +they now called Cliges. + +(Vv. 2383-2456.) So Cliges was born, in whose honour this story +has been put in the Romance tongue. You shall hear me tell of +him and of his valorous deeds, when he shall have grown to +manhood and obtained a good report. But meanwhile in Greece it +came about that he who ruled over Constantinople drew near his +end. He died, as indeed he must, not being able to outlive his +time. But before he died he assembled all the nobles of his land +to send and seek for his son Alexander, who was happily detained +in Britain. The messengers start out from Greece, and begin +their voyage over the seas; but a tempest catches them in its +grasp, and damages their ship and company. They were all drowned +at sea, except one unfaithful wretch, who was more devoted to +Alis the younger son than to Alexander the eider. When he +escaped from the sea, he returned to Greece with the story that +they had all been lost at sea as they were conducting their lord +back from Britain, and that he was the only survivor of the +tragedy. They believed this lie of his, and, taking Alis without +objection or dissent, they crowned him emperor of Greece. But it +was not long before Alexander learned that Alis was emperor. +Then he took leave of King Arthur, unwilling to let his brother +usurp his land without protest. The King makes no opposition to +his plan, but bids him take with him so great a company of +Welshmen, Scots, and Cornishmen that his brother will not dare to +withstand him when he sees him come with such a host. Alexander, +had he pleased, might have led a mighty force; but he has no +desire to harm his own people, if his brother will consent to do +his will. He took with him forty knights besides Soredamors and +his son; these two persons, who were so dear to him, he did not +wish to leave behind. Escorted as far as Shoreham by the entire +court, they there embarked, and with fair winds their ship made +way more quickly than a fleeing stag. Within a month, I think, +they arrived in port before Athens, a rich and powerful city. +Indeed, the emperor was residing there, and had convoked, a great +assembly of his noblemen. As soon as they arrived Alexander sent +a privy messenger into the city to learn whether they would +receive him, or whether they would resist his claim to be their +only lawful lord. + +(Vv. 2457-2494.) He who was chosen for this mission was a +courteous knight with good judgment, named Acorionde, a rich man +and eloquent; he was a native of the country, too, having been +born in Athens. His ancestors for generations had always +exercised lordship in the city. When he had learned that the +emperor was in the city he went and challenged the crown on +behalf of his brother Alexander, accusing him openly of having +usurped it unlawfully. Arriving at the palace, he finds plenty +of people who welcome him; but he says nothing to any of those +who greet him until he learns what is their attitude and +disposition toward their lawful lord. Coming into the presence +of the emperor he neither greets him nor bows before him nor +calls him emperor. "Alis," he says, "I bring thee tidings of +Alexander, who is out yonder in the harbour. Listen to thy +brother's message: he asks thee for what belongs to him, nor does +he demand what is unjust. Constantinople, which thou dost hold, +should be his and shall be his. It would be neither just nor +right that discord should arise between you two. So give him the +crown without contest, for it is right that thou shouldst +surrender it." + +(Vv. 2495-2524.) Alis replies: "Fair gentle friend, thou hast +undertaken a mad enterprise in bearing this message. There is +little comfort in thy speech, for well I know that my brother is +dead. I should rejoice, indeed, to learn that he was still +alive. But I shall not believe the news until I have seen him +with my eyes. He died some time ago, alas! What thou sayest is +not credible. And if he lives, why does he not come? He need +never fear that I will not bestow on him some lands. He is a +fool to hold aloof from me, for in serving me he will find +profit. But no one shall possess the crown and empire beside +me." He liked not the speech of the emperor, and did not fail to +speak his mind in the reply he made. "Alis," he says, "may God +confound me if the matter is thus allowed to stand. I defy thee +in thy brother's name, and dutifully speaking in his name, I +summon all those whom I see here to renounce thee and to join his +cause. It is right that they should side with him and recognise +him as their lord. Let him who is loyal now stand forth." + +(Vv. 2525-2554.) Upon saying this he leaves the court, and the +emperor summons those in whom he has most confidence. He +requests their advice concerning this defiance upon his brother's +part, and wishes to learn if he can trust them to lend no support +or help to his brother's claim. Thus he tries to test the +loyalty of each; but he finds not one who sides with him in the +dispute, rather do they all bid him remember the war which +Eteocles undertook against his own brother Polynices, and how +each one died by the other's hand. (23) "So, too, it may happen +to you, if you undertake a war, and all the land will be +distressed." Therefore, they advise that such a peace be sought +as shall be both reasonable and just, and that neither one make +excessive demands. Thus Alis understands that if he does not +make an equitable agreement with his brother all his vassals will +desert him; so he says that he will respect their wishes in +making any suitable contract, provided that however the affair +may rum out the crown shall remain in his possession. + +(Vv. 2555-2618.) In order to secure a firm and stable peace Alis +sends one of his officers to Alexander, bidding him come to him +in person and receive the government of the land, but stipulating +that he should leave to him the honour of emperor in name and of +wearing the crown: thus, if Alexander is willing, peace may be +established between them. When this news was brought to +Alexander his men made ready with him and came to Athens, where +they were received with joy. But Alexander is not willing that +his brother should have the sovereignty of the empire and of the +crown unless he will pledge his word never to take a wife, and +that after him Cliges shall be emperor of Constantinople. Upon +this the brothers both agreed. Alexander dictated the terms of +the oath, and his brother agreed and gave his word that he would +never in his life take a wife in marriage. So peace is made, and +they are friends again, to the great satisfaction of the lords. +They hold Alis as their emperor, but all business is referred to +Alexander. What he commands is done, and little is done except +through him. Alis has nothing but the name of emperor; but +Alexander is served and loved; and he who does not serve him for +love must needs do so from fear. Through the effect of one or +the other of these two motives he has all the land within his +power. But he whom they call Death spares neither the strong man +nor the weak, but kills and slays them all. So Alexander had to +die; for a disease caught him in its grip from which he could +obtain no relief. But before he was surprised by death he +summoned his son and said to him: "Fair son Cliges, thou canst +never know that prowess and valour are thine unless thou go first +to make test of them with the Bretons and French at King Arthur's +court. If adventure takes thee thither, so conduct and demean +thyself that thy identity be not known until thou hast tried thy +strength with the most excellent knights of that court. I beg +thee to heed my counsel in this matter, and if the occasion +arises have no fear to measure thy skill with thy uncle, my lord +Gawain. Do not forget this advice, I pray." + +(Vv. 2619-2665.) After he had thus exhorted him, he did not live +long. Soredamors' grief was such that she could not survive him, +but died after him of a broken heart. Alis and Cliges both +mourned him becomingly, but finally they ceased their grief, for +sorrow, like everything else, must be outlived. To continue in +sorrow is wrong, for no good can come from it. So the mourning +was ended, and the emperor refrained for a long time from taking +a wife, being careful of his word. But there is no court in all +the world which is free from evil counsel. Great men often go +astray, and do not observe loyalty because of the bad advice they +take. Thus, the emperor hears his men giving him advice and +counselling him to take a wife; and daily they so exhort and urge +him that by their very insistence they persuade him to break his +oath, and to accede to their desire. But he insists that she who +is to be mistress of Constantinople must be gentle, fair, wise, +rich, and noble. Then his counsellors say that they wish to +prepare to go away to the German land, and seek the daughter of +the emperor. She is the choice they propose to him; for the +emperor of Germany is very rich and powerful, and his daughter is +so charming that never was there a maid of her beauty in +Christendom. The emperor grants them full authority, and they +set out upon the journey well provided with all they need. They +proceeded on their way until they found the emperor at +Regensburg, when they asked him to give them his oldest daughter +at the instance of their lord. + +(Vv. 2669-2680.) The emperor was pleased with this request, and +gladly gave them his daughter; for in doing so, he does not +debase himself, nor diminish his honour in any way. But he says +that he had promised her to the Duke of Saxony, and that they +would not be able to lead her away unless the emperor should come +with a great army, so that the duke would be unable to do him any +harm or injury while homeward bound. + +(Vv. 2681-2706.) When the messengers heard the emperor's reply, +they took leave and departed. They returned to their lord, and +bore him the answer. And the emperor selected a chosen company +of the most experienced knights whom he could find, and took with +him his nephew, in whose interests he had vowed never to marry a +wife, but he will not respect this vow if he can once reach +Cologne. (24) Upon a certain day he leaves Greece and draws near +to Germany, intending to take a wife despite all blame and +reproach; but his honour will be smirched. Upon reaching +Cologne, he found that the emperor had assembled all his court +for a festival. When the company of the Greeks reached Cologne, +there was such a great number of Greeks and Germans that it was +necessary to lodge more than sixty thousand of them outside the +city. + +(Vv.2707-2724.) Great was the crowd of people, and great the joy +of the two emperors when they met. When the barons had gathered +in the vast palace, the emperor summoned his charming daughter. +The maiden made no delay in coming straightway into the palace. +She had been made very fair and shapely by the Creator, whose +pleasure it had been to arouse the people's admiration. God, who +had fashioned her, never gave man a word which could adequately +express such beauty as she possessed. + +(Vv. 2725-2760.) Fenice was the maiden's name, and for this +there was good reason: (25) for if the Phoenix bird is unique as +the most beautiful of all the birds, so Fenice, it seems to me, +had no equal in beauty. She was such a miracle and marvel that +Nature was never able to make her like again. In order to be +more brief, I will not describe in words her arms, her body, her +head and hands; for if I should live a thousand years, and if my +skill were to double every day, yet should I waste all my time in +trying to tell the truth about her. I know very well, if I +should undertake it, that I would exhaust my brain and waste my +pains: it would be but misspent energy. (26) The damsel hastened +until she came into the palace, with head uncovered and face +unveiled; and the radiance of her beauty lighted the palace more +brightly than four carbuncles would have done. Cliges stood, his +over-cloak removed, in his uncle's presence. The day outside was +somewhat dark, but he and the maiden were both so fair that a ray +shone forth from their beauty which illumined the palace, just as +the morning sun shines clear and red. + +(Vv. 2761-2792.) I wish to attempt in a very few words to +describe the beauty of Cliges. He was in his flower, being now +almost fifteen years of age. He was more comely and charming +than Narcissus who saw his reflection in the spring beneath the +elm-tree, and, when he saw it, he loved it so that he died, they +say, because he could not get it. Narcissus was fair, but had +little sense; (27) but as fine gold surpasses copper, so was +Cliges better endowed with wisdom, and even then I have not said +all. His locks seemed made of fine gold, and his face was of a +fresh rosy colour. He had a well-formed nose and shapely mouth, +and in stature he was built upon Nature's best pattern; for in +him she had united gifts which she is wont to scatter wide. +Nature was so lavish with him that she gave him all she could, +and placed all in one receptacle. Such was Cliges, who combined +good sense and beauty, generosity and strength. He possessed the +wood as well as the bark; he knew more of fencing and of the bow +than did Tristan, King Mark's nephew, and more about birds and +hounds than he. (28) In Cliges there lacked no good thing. + +(Vv. 2793-2870.) Cliges stood in all his beauty before his +uncle, and those who did not know who he was looked at him with +eager curiosity. And on the other hand, the interest was aroused +of those who did not know the maiden: wonderingly they gaze upon +her. But Cliges, under the sway of love, let his eyes rest on +her covertly, and withdrew them again so discreetly that in their +passage to and fro no one could blame his lack of skill. +Blithely he looks upon the maid, but does not note that she +repays him in kind. Not flattering him, but in sincere love, she +gives him her eyes, and takes back his. This exchange seems good +to her, and would have seemed to her better still had she known +something of who he was. But she knows nothing except that he is +fair, and that, if she is ever to love any one for beauty's sake, +she need not seek elsewhere to bestow her heart. She handed over +to him the possession of her eyes and heart, and he pledged his +in turn to her. Pledged? Rather gave outright. Gave? Nay, +upon my faith, I lie; for no one can give away his heart. I must +express it some other way. I will not say it, as some have done +who make two hearts dwell in one body, for it bears not even the +semblance of truth that there should be in one body two hearts; +and even if they could be so united, it would never seem true. +But if it please you to heed my words, I shall be able explain +how two hearts form but one without coming to be identified. +Only so far are they merged in one as the desire of each passes +from one to the other, thus joining in one common desire; and +because of this harmony of desire, there are some who are wont to +say that each one has both hearts; but one heart cannot be in two +places. Each one always keeps his own heart, though the desire +be shared by both, just as many different men may sing a song or +tune in unison. By this comparison I prove that for one body to +contain two hearts it is not enough to know each other's wish, +nor yet for one to know what the other loves and what he hates; +just as voices which are heard together seem to be merged in one, +and yet do not all come from one mouth, so it is with a body +which can contain but one heart. But there is no need of further +argument, for other matters press upon me. I must speak now of +the damsel and of Cliges, and you shall hear of the Duke of +Saxony, who has sent to Cologne a young nephew of his. This +youth informs the emperor that his uncle, the duke, sends word +that he need expect no peace or trace with him, unless he sends +to him his daughter, and that the one who is intending to carry +her away with him had better not start home, for he will find the +road occupied and well defended unless the maiden be surrendered. + +(Vv. 2871-3010.) The youth spoke his message well, without pride +and without insult. But he found neither knight nor emperor who +would answer him. When he saw that they all held their peace and +treated him with scorn, he left the court in defiant mood. But +youth and thirst for daring deeds made Cliges defy him in combat +as he left. For the contest they mount their steeds, three +hundred of them on either side, exactly equal thus in strength. +All the palace is quite emptied of knights and ladies, who mount +to the balconies, battlements, and windows to see and watch those +who were about to fight. Even the maiden, whose will Love had +subdued beneath his sway, sought for a point from which to see. +She took her place at a window, where she sat with great delight, +because from there she could get a view of him whom she holds +secretly in her heart with no desire to remove him thence; for +she will never love any other man. But she does not know his +name, nor who he is, nor of what race; for it is not proper to +ask questions; but she yearns to hear tidings which will bring +joy to her heart. She looks out of the window at the shields +with their gleaming gold, and she gazes at those who wear the +shields about their necks, as they prepare for the trial at arms. +But all her thoughts and glances soon rest upon one object, and +to all others she is indifferent. Whereever Cliges goes, she +seeks to follow him with her eyes. And he in turn does his best +for her, and battles openly, in order that she at least may hear +it said that he is bold and very skilled: thus she will be +compelled to prize him for his prowess. He attacks the duke's +nephew, who was breaking many a lance and sorely discomfiting the +Greeks. But Cliges, who is displeased at this, braces himself +firmly in his stirrups, and goes to strike him so speedily that +in spite of himself he had to vacate the saddle-bows. When he +got up, the uproar was great; for the youth arose and mounted, +thinking to avenge his shame. But many a man only falls into +deeper disgrace who thinks to avenge his shame when he has the +chance. The young man rushes at Cliges, who lowers his lance to +meet him, and thrusts at him with such force that he carries him +to earth again. Now his shame is doubled, and all his followers +are in dismay, seeing that they can never leave the field with +honour; for not one of them is so valiant that he can keep his +seat in the saddle when Cliges thrust reaches him. But those of +Germany and the Greeks are overjoyed when they see their party +drive off the Saxons, who retreat discomfited. With mockery they +pursue them until they come up with them at a stream, into which +they drive them for a plunge. In the deepest part of the ford +Cliges unhorsed the duke's nephew and so many of his men that +they escaped grieving and sad in their shame and confusion. But +Cliges, twice victor, returned in glee, and entered a gate which +was near the apartment where the maiden was; and as he passed +through the gate she exacted as toll a tender glance, which he +paid her as their eyes met. Thus was the maiden subdued by the +man. But there is not a German of the lowland or highland, +possessing the power of speech who does not cry: "God! who is +this in whom such beauty is radiant? God! how has it happened +that so suddenly he has attained such great success?" Thus one +man and another asks: "Who is this youth, who is he, I say?" +Thus, soon throughout the city it is known what his name is, and +who is his father, and what pledge that was which had been made +to him by the emperor. So much was said and noised about that +the news reached the ears of her who in her heart rejoiced +because she could no more say that Love had made sport of her, +nor had she any ground for complaint. For Love has made her give +her heart to the fairest, most courteous, and valiant man that +could anywhere be found. But some force must be employed, if she +would gain possession of him who is not free do her will. This +makes her anxious and distraught. For she has no one with whom +to take counsel concerning him for whom she pines, but must waste +herself in thought and vigils. She becomes so affected by these +cares that she loses her colour and grows wan, and it becomes +plain to all that her loss of colour betokens an unfulfilled +desire. She plays less now than she used to do, and laughs less +and loses her gaiety. But she conceals her trouble and passes it +off, if any one asks what her ailment is. Her old nurse's name +was Thessala, (29) who was skilled in necromancy, having been +born in Thessaly, where devilish charms are taught and wrought; +for the women of that country perform many a charm and mystic +rite. + +(Vv. 3011-3062.) Thessala saw pale and wan her whom Love holds +in his bonds, and thus she addressed her with advice: "God!" she +said, "are you bewitched, my lady dear, that your face should be +so pale? I wonder what your trouble is. Tell me, if you can, +where this pain attacks you most, for if any one can cure you, +you may safely trust me to give you back your health again. I +can cure the dropsy, gout, quinsy, and asthma; I am so expert in +examining the urine and the pulse that you need consult no other +physician. And I dare say that I know more than ever Medea (30) +knew of enchantments and of charms which tests have proven to be +true. I have never spoken to you of this, though I have cared +for you all your life; and now I should not mention it did I not +plainly see that you are so afflicted as to need my +ministrations. My lady, you will do well to tell me what your +sickness is before its hold becomes more severe. The emperor has +committed you to me in order that I may care for you, and my +devotion has been such that I have kept you safe and sound. Now +all my pains will come to naught if I do not relieve this malady. +Take care not to conceal from me whether this is sickness or +something else." The damsel dares not openly expose her desire +in all its fullness for she is in fear lest she be disapproved +and blamed. And when she hears and understands how Thessala +boasts and highly rates herself as being expert in enchantments, +charms, and potions, she decides to tell her what is the cause of +her pale and colourless face; but first she makes her promise to +keep her secret and never to oppose her will. + +(Vv. 3063-3216.) "Nurse," she said, "I truly thought I felt no +pain, but I shall soon feel differently. For as soon as I begin +to think about it, I feel great pain, and am dismayed. But when +one has no experience, how can one tell what is sickness and what +is health? My illness is different from all others; for when I +wish to speak of it, it causes me both joy and pain, so happy I +am in my distress. And if it can be that sickness brings +delight, then my trouble and joy are one, and in my illness +consists my health. So I do not know why I complain, for I know +not whence my trouble comes, unless it is caused by my desire. +Perchance my desire is my disease, but I find so much joy in it +that the suffering it causes me is grateful, and there is so much +contentment in my pain that it is sweet to suffer so. Nurse +Thessala, now tell me true, is not this a deceitful ill, to charm +and torment me both at once? I do not see how I can tell whether +this is a disease or not. Nurse, tell me now its name, nature, +and character. But understand well that I have no desire to be +cured of it, for my distress is very dear to me." Thessala, who +was very wise about love and its symptoms knows full well from +what she hears that it is love which is tormenting her; the +tender, endearing terms she uses are certain proof that she is in +love, for all other woes are hard to bear, except that alone +which comes from love; but love transforms its bitterness into +sweetness and joy, then often transforms them back again. The +nurse, who was expert in this matter, thus replies to her: "Have +no fear, for I will tell you at once the name of your malady. +You told me, I believe, that the pain which you feel seems rather +to be joy and health: now of such a nature is love-sickness, for +in it, too, there is joy and bliss. You are in love, then, as I +can prove to you, for I find no pleasure in any malady save only +in love. All other sickness is always bad and horrible, but love +is sweet and peaceable. You are in love; of that I am sure, nor +do I see any wrong in that. But I shall consider it very wrong, +if through some childish folly you conceal from me your heart." +"Nurse, there is no need of your speaking so. But first I must +be sure and certain that under no circumstances will you speak of +it to any living soul." "My lady, surely the winds will speak of +it before I do without your leave, and I will give you my word so +to favour your desires that you may safely trust in having your +joy fulfilled through my services." "In that case, Nurse, I +shall be cured. But the emperor is giving me in marriage, +wherefore I grieve and am sorrowful; for he who has won my heart +is the nephew of him whom I must take. And though he may find +joy in me, yet is my joy forever lost, and no respite is +possible. I would rather be torn limb from limb than that men +should speak of us as they speak of the loves of Iseut and +Tristan, of so many unseemly stories are told that I should be +ashamed to mention them. I could never bring myself to lead the +life that Iseut led. Such love as hers was far too base; for her +body belonged to two, whereas her heart was possessed by one. +Thus all her life was spent, refusing her favours to neither one. +But mine is fixed on one object, and under no circumstances will +there be any sharing of my body and heart. Never will my body be +portioned out between two shareholders. Who has the heart has +the body, too, and may bid all others stand aside. But I cannot +clearly see how he whom I love can have my body when my father +gives me to another, and his will I do not dare resist. And when +this other is lord of my body, and does something which +displeases me, it is not right for me to summon another to my +aid. Nor can this man marry a wife without breaking his plighted +word; for, unless injustice be done, Cliges is to have the empire +after his uncle's death. But I should be well served by you, if +you were so skilful as to present him, to whom I am pledged and +engaged, from having any claim upon me. O Nurse, exert yourself +to the end that he may not break the pledge which he gave to the +father of Cliges, when he promised him solemnly never to take a +wife in marriage. For now, if he should marry me his promise +would be broken. But Cliges is so dear to me that I would rather +be under ground than that he should ever lose through me a penny +of the fortune which should be his. May never a child be born to +me to cause his disinheritance! Nurse, now do your best, and I +will always be your slave." Then the nurse tells her and assures +her that she will cast so many charms, and prepare so many +potions and enchantments that she need never have any worry or +fear concerning the emperor after he shall have drunk of the +potion which she will give him; even when they shall lie together +and she be at his side, she may be as secure as if there were a +wall between them. "But do not be alarmed, if, in his sleep, he +sports with you, for when he is plunged in sleep he will have his +sport with you, and he will be convinced that he has had you when +wide awake, nor will he think it is all a dream, a fiction, and +illusion. Thus he will have his sport with you when asleep, he +will think he is awake." + +(Vv. 3217-3250.) The maiden is highly pleased and delighted by +the nurse's kindness and offer of help. Her nurse inspires good +hope in her by the promise which she makes, and which she binds +herself to keep; with this hope she expects to obtain her desire, +in spite of wearisome delay, for if Cliges' nature is as noble as +she takes it to be he cannot fail to take pity upon her when he +learns that she loves him, and that she has imposed virginity +upon herself in order to insure his inheritance. So the maiden +believes her nurse, and puts full confidence in her. One +promises to the other, and gives her word, that this plot shall +be kept so secret as never to be revealed. At this point their +conversation ceases, and the next morning the emperor summons his +daughter. At his command she goes to him. But why should I +weary you with details? The two emperors have so settled the +matter that the marriage is solemnised, and joy reigns in the +palace. But I do not wish to stop to describe all this in +detail. Rather will I address myself to Thessala, as she +diligently prepares and tempers her potions. + +(Vv. 3251-3328.) Thessala steeps her drink, putting in spices in +abundance to sweeten and temper it. After having well beaten and +mixed it, she strains it clear, with no sharp or bitter taste, +for the spices she puts in give it a sweet and pleasant +fragrance. When the potion was prepared, the day had drawn to a +close, the tables were set for supper, and the cloths were +spread. But Thessala delays the supper, because she must +discover by what device and what agent she can have the potion +served. At supper, finally, all were seated, and more than six +dishes had been passed, and Cliges served behind his uncle's +place. Thessala, as she watches him, thinks how ill he serves +his own interests, and how he is assisting in his own +disinheritance, and the thought torments and worries her. Then +in her kindness she conceives the plan of having the potion +served by him to whom it will bring both joy and honour. So +Thessala summoned Cliges; and when he had come to her, he asked +her why she had sent for him. "Friend," said she, "I wish to +present the emperor at this meal with a beverage which he will +esteem highly, and I want him to taste no other to-night, either +at supper or when he goes to bed. I think he cannot fail to +relish it, for he never has tasted a better drink or one that has +cost so much. And I warn you, take good care to let no one else +drink of it, for there is but a little of it. And this, too, I +beg of you, not to let him know whence it came; but tell him it +came about by chance that you found it among the presents, and +tasted it yourself, and detected the aroma of the sweet spices in +the air; then, seeing the wine to be all clear you poured it into +his cup. If by chance he should inquire, you can satisfy him +with this reply. But have no suspicion yourself, after what I +have said, for the drink is pure and healthful, full excellent +spices, and I think it may some day bring you joy." When he +heard that advantage would come to him, he took the potion and +went away, for he did not know there was any harm in it. He set +it in a crystal cup before the emperor, who took it without +question, trusting in his nephew. After taking a long draught of +the beverage, he straightway feels its strength, as it descends +from head to heart, and rises again from heart to head, and +penetrates every part of him without doing the slightest harm. +And by the time they left the tables, the emperor had drunk so +much of the pleasing drink that he can never escape it +influence. Every night he will sleep under its influence, and its +effects will be such that he will think he is awake when sound +asleep. + +(Vv. 3329-3394.) Now the emperor has been deceived. Many +bishops and abbots were present to bless and hallow the marriage- +bed. When the time came to retire, the emperor, as was his +right, lay beside his wife that night. "As was his right;" but +the statement is inexact, for he neither kissed nor fondled her, +yet they lay together in one bed. At first the maiden trembled +with fear and anxiety lest the potion should not act. But it has +so mastered him that he will never desire her or any other woman +except in his sleep. But when asleep he will have such sport +with her as one may have in dreams, and he will think the dream +is true. Nevertheless, she is on her guard, and at first, holds +aloof from him, so that he cannot approach her. But now he must +needs fall asleep; then he sleeps and dreams, though, the senses +are awake, and he exerts himself to win the favours of the maid. +while she, realising the danger, defends her virginity. He woos +her and calls her gently his sweetheart, and thinks he possesses +her, but in vain. But he is gratified by this vain semblance, +embracing, kissing, and fondling an empty thing, seeing and +speaking to no purpose, struggling and striving without effect. +Surely the potion was effective in thus possessing and mastering +him. All his pains are of no avail, as he thinks and is +persuaded that the fortress is won. Thus he thinks and is +convinced, when he desists after his vain efforts. But now I may +say once for all that his satisfaction was never more than this. +To such relations with her he will for ever be condemned if +indeed he can lead her to his own land; but before he can get her +to safety, I judge that there is trouble in store for him. For +while he is on his journey home, the duke, to whom his bride had +been betrothed, will appear upon the scene. The duke gathered a +numerous force, and garrisoned the frontiers, while at court he +had his spies to inform him each day of the emperor's doings and +preparations, and how long they are going to stay, and by what +route they intend to return. The emperor did not tarry long +after the marriage, but left Cologne in high spirits. The German +emperor escorted him with a numerous company, fearing and +dreading the force of the Duke of Saxony. + +(Vv. 3395-3424.) The two emperors pursued their journey until +they were beyond Regensburg, where one evening they were encamped +in a meadow by the Danube. The Greeks were in their tents in the +fields bordering upon the Black Forest. Opposite to them the +Saxons were lodged, spying upon them. The duke's nephew stood +alone upon a hill, whence he could reconnoitre for a chance to +inflict some loss or harm on the enemy. From that point of +vantage he espied Cliges with three of his young men disporting +themselves with lances and shields, eager for a conflict and +shock of arms. If he could get the chance the duke's nephew +would gladly attack them and do them harm. Starting out with +five companions he concealed them in a valley close by a wood, so +that the Greeks never saw them until they emerged from the +valley; then the duke's nephew made an attack, and striking +Cliges, wounded him slightly in the back. Cliges, bending over, +avoids the lance which passed him, inflicting only a slight hurt. + +(Vv. 3425-3570.) When Cliges felt himself wounded, he charged +the youth, and struck him with such force that he drove his lance +quite through his heart, and stretched him dead. Then all the +Saxons in fear of him betook themselves to flight through the +woods. And Cliges, ignorant of the ambuscade, courageously but +imprudently leaving his companions behind, pursues them to the +place where the duke's troops were in force preparing to attack +the Greeks. Alone he goes in hot pursuit after the youths, who, +in despair over their lord whom they had lost, come running to +the duke and tell him weeping of his nephew's death. The duke +saw no joke in this affair; and, swearing by God and all His +saints that he will take no joy or pride in life so long as the +slayer of his nephew remains alive, he adds that whoever will +bring him his head will be his friend and will serve him well. +Then a knight made boast that if he can find the guilty man, he +will present him with Cliges' head. Cliges follows the young men +until he falls among the Saxons, when he is seen by him who had +undertaken to carry off his head, and who starts after him +without delay. But Cliges haste had turned back to escape from +his enemies and came in to where he had left his companions; he +found none there, for they had returned to camp to relate their +adventure. And the emperor ordered to horse the Greeks and +Germans in one band. Soon all through the camp the knights are +arming and mounting. Meanwhile Cliges is hotly pursued by his +enemy, all armed and with helmet closed. Cliges, who never +wished to be numbered among the coward and craven-hearted, +notices that he comes alone. First, the knight challenged him, +calling him "fellow," unable to conceal his rage: "Young fellow," +he cried, "thou shalt leave me here a pledge for my lord whom +thou hast killed. If I do not carry away thy head with me, I am +not worth a counterfeit besant. I must make of it a present to +the duke, and will accept no other forfeit. In return for his +nephew, I shall make such restitution that he will profit by the +exchange." Cliges hears him reproaching him thus boldly and with +impudence. "Vassal," he says, "be on your guard! For I will +defend my head, and you shall not get it without my leave." Then +the attack begins. The other missed his blow, while Cliges +struck him with such force that horse and rider went down +together in one heap. The horse fell upon him so heavily that he +shattered completely one of his legs. Cliges dismounted on the +greensward and disarmed him. When he had disarmed him, he +appropriated his weapons, and cut off his enemy's head with the +sword which had just now been his. After severing his head he +fixed it firmly on the point of his lance, thinking to offer it +to the duke, to whom his nephew had promised to present his own +if he could meet him in the strife. Cliges had no sooner put on +the dead man's helmet and taken his shield and mounted his steed, +letting his own stray at large to terrify the Greeks, than he saw +advancing with more than a hundred banners flying several full +squadrons of Greeks and Germans. Now the fierce and cruel +struggles will soon begin between the Saxons and the Greeks. As +soon as Cliges sees his men advancing, he betakes himself toward +the Saxons, his own men hotly pursuing him, and not knowing him +in his disguise. It is no wonder that his uncle is in despair +and fear, when he sees the head he is carrying off. So all the +host pursue him fast, while Cliges leads them on to provoke a +fight, until the Saxons see him drawing near. But they, too, are +quite misled by the arms with which he has armed and equipped +himself. He succeeds in deceiving and mocking them; for the duke +and all the rest, when they saw him approaching lance in rest, +cried out: "Here comes our knight! On the point of his lance he +carries Cliges' head, and the Greeks are hotly pursuing him!" +Then, as they give their horses rein, Cliges spurs to meet the +Saxons, crouching low beneath his shield, the lance out straight +with the head affixed. Now, though he was braver than a lion, he +was no stronger than any other man. Both parties think that he +is dead, and while the Saxons rejoice, the Greeks and Germans +grieve. But before long the truth will out. For Cliges no +longer held his peace: but, rushing fiercely at a Saxon, he +struck him with his ashen lance upon the head and in the breast, +so that he made him lose his stirrups, and at the same time he +cried aloud: "Strike gentlemen, for I am Cliges whom you seek. +Come on, my bold and hardy knights! Let none hold back, for the +first joust is already won! He is a coward who does not relish +such a dish." + +(Vv. 3571-3620.) The emperor's joy was great when he heard the +voice of his nephew Cliges summoning and exhorting them; he was +greatly pleased and comforted. But the duke is greatly chagrined +now when he sees he is betrayed, unless his force should prove +the stronger. While he draws together his troops in serried +lines, the Greeks do the same, and pressing them close, attack +and rush upon them. On both sides lances are lowered as they +meet for the proper reception of a hostile host. At the first +shock shields are pierced and lances shattered, girths are cut +and stirrups broken, while the horses of those who fall to earth +are left without a rider. But regardless of what any other does, +Cliges and the duke meet in the fray; holding their lances low, +they strike one another upon the shield with such violence that +the strong and well-made lances fly into splinters. Cliges was +skilful on horseback, and sits straight in his saddle without +shaking or losing his balance. But the duke has lost his seat, +and in spite of himself quits the saddle-bows. Cliges struggled +and strove to capture him and carry him away, but his strength +did not suffice, for the Saxons were around about fighting to +rescue him. Nevertheless, Cliges escapes from the conflict +without receiving harm and with a precious prize; for he makes +off with the duke's steed, which was whiter than wool, and was +worth more to a gentleman than the fortune of Octavian (31) at +Rome. The steed was an Arabian. The Greeks and Germans are +overjoyed to see Cliges on such a mount, for they had already +remarked the excellence and beauty of the Arab steed. But they +were not on their guard against an ambuscade; and before they are +aware of it great damage will be done. + +(Vv. 3621-3748.) A spy came to the duke, bringing him welcome +news. "Duke," says the spy, "not a man remains in all the +encampment of the Greeks who is able to defend himself. If thou +wilt take my word for it, now is the time to have the emperor's +daughter seized, while the Greeks are seen intent upon the battle +and the strife. Lend me a hundred of thy knights, and I will put +the lady in their hands. By an old and secluded path I will lead +them so carefully that they will not be seen or met by any man of +Germany, until they can seize the damsel in her tent and carry +her off so handily that no resistance will be made." At this the +duke is highly pleased. He sent a hundred and more tried knights +with the spy, who so successfully conducted them that they +carried the maiden away captive without exerting any force; for +they could abduct her easily. After carrying her some distance +from the tents, they send her on under escort of twelve of their +number whom they accompany but a short distance. While the +twelve led the damsel on, the others went to tell the duke how +successful they had been. The duke's desire being now satisfied, +he at once makes a truce with the Greeks until next day. The +truce was sworn by both parties. The duke's men then turned +back, while the Greeks without delay repaired each man to his own +tent. But Cliges stays behind alone, stationed upon a little +hill where no one caught sight of him, until he saw the twelve +pass by with her whom they were carrying off at topmost speed. +Cliges, in his thirst for glory, rides at them without delay; for +he thinks within himself, and his heart tells him, that it is not +for nothing that they flee. So, as soon as he espied them, he +spurred after them; and when they saw him coming on, a foolish +thought occurred to them: "It is the duke," they said, "who +comes. Let us rein in a little; for he has left the troops and +is riding hard after us alone." Every man thinks that so it is. +They all want to turn back to meet him, but each one wishes to go +alone. Meanwhile, Cliges must needs descend a deep valley +between two mountains. He would never have recognised their +blazons, if they had not come to meet him, or if they had not +awaited him. Six of the twelve come to meet him in an encounter +they will soon regret. The other six stay with the damsel, +leading her gently at a walk and easy jog. And the six ride +quickly on, spurring up the valley, until he who had the swiftest +horse reached him first and cried aloud: "Hail, Duke of Saxony! +God bless thee! Duke, we have recovered thy lady. The Greeks +shall not get her now, for she shall be placed in thy hands." +When Cliges heard the words this fellow shouts, his heart is not +gay; rather is it strange that he does not lose his wits. Never +was any wild beast--leopard, tiger, or lion--upon seeing its +young captured, so fierce and furious as Cliges, who sets no +value upon his life if he deserts his sweetheart now. He would +rather die than not win her back. In his trouble he feels great +wrath, which gives him the courage he requires. He urges and +spurs the Arab steed, and rushes to give the Saxon such a blow +upon his painted shield that without exaggeration, he makes his +heart feel the lance. This gives Cliges confidence. He drove +and spurred the Arab charger on for more than the space of an +acre before he came upon the next Saxon, for they came up singly, +each fearless of his predecessor's fare, for Cliges fights them +one by one. As he takes them thus individually, no one receives +another's aid. He makes a rush at the second one, who, like the +first, thought to give him joy by telling him of his own evil +fate. But Cliges has no concern to heed his talk and idle +charter. Thrusting his lance into his body so that the blood +spurts out when it is withdrawn, he deprives him of life and the +gift of speech. After these two he meets the third, who expects +to find him in good humour and to make him rejoice over his own +mischance. Spurring eagerly he came up to him; but before he has +time to say a word, Cliges ran a fathom of his lance through the +middle of his body, leaving him senseless on the ground. To the +fourth he gives such a blow that he leaves him fainting on the +field. After the fourth he goes at the fifth, and after him he +attacks the sixth. None of them could defend himself, but each +was left silent and mute. He stood in less fear of the others +now, and more hardily pressed after them, taking no further +thought of the six dead men. + +(Vv. 3749-3816.) Feeling no further care for them, he starts to +present a debt of shame and woe to the others who are leading the +maid away. He caught up with them, and made such an onslaught +upon them as a hungry and ravenous wolf makes when leaping upon +its prey. Now he feels his luck has come, when he can display +his chivalry and bravery openly before her who is his very life. +Now may he die, if he does not rescue her! And she, too, is at +death's door from anxiety for his sake, though she does not know +that he is no near. Lance in rest, Cliges made an attack which +pleased him well; for he struck first one Saxon and then another, +so that with a single rush he carried them both to earth, though +it cost him his ashen lance. And they both fall in such +distress, being wounded in the body, that they have no power to +rise again and do him any harm or ill. The other four in bitter +rage join in an attack upon Cliges; but he neither quails nor +trembles, and they are unable to dislodge him from his seat. +Quickly drawing his keen sword from its sheath, in order to +please her who awaits his love, he rode hard at a Saxon and, +striking him with his whetted blade, he severed his head and half +his neck from the body: such was the limit of his pity. Fenice, +who witnesses what transpires, does not know yet that this is +Cliges. She wishes that it were he, indeed, but because of the +present danger she says to herself that she would not have him +there. Thus, doubly she shows the devotion of a sweetheart, +fearing at once his death, and desiring that honour may be his. +And Cliges sword in hand attacks the other three, who face him +bravely and puncture and split his shield. But they are unable +to lay hands upon him, or to pierce the meshes of his hauberk. +And whatever Cliges reaches cannot stand against his blow, but +must needs be split and torn apart; for he turns faster than a +top driven and lashed by the whip. Boldness and love, which +holds him enthralled, make him eager for the fray. He pressed +the Saxons so hard that he left them all dead and defeated, some +only wounded, and others dead--except one whom he let escape, +disdaining to kill him when left alone at his mercy; besides, he +wished him to tell the duke of the loss and injury he had +sustained. But before this fellow left Cliges, he begged him to +tell him his name, which later he repeated to the duke, thus +rousing his bitter ire. + +(Vv. 3817-3864.) Now bad luck had fallen to the duke, who was in +great distress and grief. And Cliges takes back Fenice, whose +love torments and troubles him. If he does not confess to her +now, love will long be his enemy, and hers too, if she holds her +peace and speaks not the word which will bring him joy; for now +each can tell the other privily the thoughts that lie within the +heart. But they so fear to be refused that they dare not reveal +their hearts. For his part, he fears lest she will not accept +his love, whereas she, too, would have spoken out had she not +feared to be rejected. In spite of this, the eyes of each reveal +the hidden thought, if only they had heeded this evidence. They +converse by glance of eye, but their tongues are so cowardly that +they dare not speak in any wise of the love which possesses them. +No wonder if she hesitates to begin, for a maid must be a simple +and shrinking thing; but he--why does he wait and hold back who +was so bold for her just now, but now in her presence is +cowardly? God! whence comes this fear, that he should shrink +from a lonely girl, feeble and timid, simple and mild? It is as +if I should see the dog flee before the hare, and the fish chase +the beaver, the lamb the wolf, and the dove the eagle. In the +same fashion the labourer would forsake his pick with which he +strives to earn a livelihood, and the falcon would flee from the +duck, and the gerfalcon from the heron, and the pike from the +minnow, and the stag would chase the lion, and everything would +be reversed. Now I feel within me the desire to give some reason +why it should happen to true lovers that they lose their sense +and boldness to say what they have in mind when they have leisure +and place and time. + +(Vv. 3865-3914.) Ye who are interested in the art of Love, who +do faithfully maintain the customs and usage of his court, who +never failed to obey his law, whatever the result might be, tell +me if there is anything that pleases because of love without +causing us to tremble and grow pale. If any one oppose me in +this, I can at once refute his argument; for whoever does not +grow pale and tremble, whoever does not lose his senses and +memory, is trying to filch and get by stealth what does not by +right belong to him. The servant who does not fear his master +ought not to remain in his employ nor do his service. He who +does not esteem his lord does not fear him, and whoever does not +esteem him does not hold him dear, but rather tries to deceive +him and to steal from him what is his. The servant ought to +tremble with fear when his master calls or summons him. And +whoever commits himself to Love owns him as his lord and master, +and is bound to do him reverence and fear him much and honour +him, if he wishes to be numbered in his court. Love without +alarm or fear is like a fire without flame or heat, day without +sun, comb without honey, summer without flowers, winter without +frost, sky without moon, and a book without letters. Such is my +argument in refutation, for where fear is absent love is not to +be mentioned. Whoever would love must needs feel fear, for +otherwise he cannot be in love. But let him fear only her whom +he loves, and for her sake be brave against all others. Then if +he stands in awe of his lady-love Cliges is guilty of nothing +wrong. Even so, he would not have failed to speak straightway +with her of love, whatever the outcome might have been, had it +not been that she was his uncle's wife. This causes the +festering of his wound, and it torments and pains him the more +because he dares not utter what he fain would say. + +(Vv. 3915-3962.) Thus they make their way back to their own +people, and if they speak of anything it is nothing of much +concern. Each seated on a white horse, they rode rapidly toward +the camp, which was plunged in great sorrow. The whole army is +beside itself with grief, but they are altogether wrong in +supposing Cliges to be dead: hence their bitter and poignant +grief. And for Fenice, too, they are in dismay, thinking never +to win her back again. Thus, for her and him the whole army is +in great distress. But soon upon their return the whole affair +will change its aspect; for now they have reached the camp again, +and have quickly changed the grief to joy. Joy returns and +sorrow flees. All the troops come together and sally forth to +welcome them. The two emperors, upon hearing the report about +Cliges and the damsel, go to meet them with joyful hearts, and +each can hardly wait to hear how Cliges found and recovered the +empress. Cliges tells them, and, as they listen, they are amazed +and are loud in their praises of his courage and devotion. But, +for his part, the duke is furious, swearing and proclaiming his +determination to fight Cliges, if he dares, in single combat; and +it shall be agreed that if Cliges wins the battle the emperor +shall proceed unchallenged, and freely take the maiden with him, +and if he should kill or defeat Cliges, who had done him such +injury, then let there be no truce or stay to prevent each party +from doing its best. This is what the duke desires, and by an +interpreter of his, who knew both the Greek and the German +tongues, he announces to the two emperors his desire thus to +arrange the battle. + +(Vv. 3963-4010.) The messenger delivered his message so well in +both languages that all could understand it. The entire army was +in an uproar, saying that may God forbid that Cliges ever engage +in the battle. Both emperors are in a fright, but Cliges throws +himself at their feet and begs them not to grieve, but if ever he +did them any favour, he prays them to grant him this battle as a +guerdon and reward. And if the right to fight should be denied +him, then he will never again serve for a single day his uncle's +cause and honour. The emperor, who loved his nephew as he +should, raised him by the hand and said: "Fair nephew, I am +deeply grieved to know you are so keen to fight; for after joy, +sorrow is to be expected. (32) You have made me glad, I cannot +deny it; but it is hard for me to yield the point and send you +forth to this battle, when I see you still so young. And yet I +know you to be so confident of yourself that I dare not ever +refuse anything that you choose to ask of me. Be assured that, +merely to gratify you, it should be done; but if my request has +any power, you would never assume this task." "My lord, there is +no need of further speech," said Cliges; "may God damn me, if I +would take the whole world, and miss this battle! I do not know +why I should seek from you any postponement or long delay." The +emperor weeps with pity, while Cliges sheds tears of joy when the +permission to fight is granted him. Many a tear was shed that +day, and no respite or delay was asked. Before the hour of +prime, by the duke's own messenger the challenge to battle was +sent back to him accepted as he had proposed. + +(Vv. 4011-4036.) The duke, who thinks and confidently trusts +that Cliges will be unable to stave off death and defeat at his +hands, has himself quickly armed. Cliges, who is anxious for the +fight, feels no concern as to how he shall defend himself. He +asks the emperor for his arms, and desires him to dub him a +knight. So the emperor generously gives him his arms, and he +takes them, his heart being keen for the battle which he +anticipates with joy and eagerness. No time is lost in arming +him. And when he was armed from head to foot, the emperor, all +sorrowing, girds the sword upon his side. Thus Cliges completely +armed mounts his white Arab steed; from his neck he hangs by the +straps an ivory shield, such as will never break or split; and +upon it there was neither colour nor design. All his armour was +white, and the steed, and the harness, too, was all whiter than +any snow. + +(Vv. 4037-4094.) Cliges and the duke, now being armed, summon +each other to meet half way, and they stipulate that their men +shall take their stand on either side, but without their swords +and lances, under oath and pledge that not a man will be so rash, +so long as the battle lasts, as to dare to move for any reason, +any more than he would dare to pluck out his own eye. When this +had been agreed upon, they came together, each yearning ardently +for the glory he hopes to win and for the joy of victory. But +before a single blow was dealt, the empress has herself borne +thither, solicitous for Cliges' fate. It seems to her that if he +dies, she, too, must needs do so. No comfort can avail to keep +her from joining him in death, for, without him, life has no joys +for her. When all were gathered on the field--high and low, +young and old--and the guards had taken their place, then both +seized their lances and rushed together so savagely that they +both broke their lances and fell to the ground, unable to keep +their saddles. But not being wounded, they quickly get upon +their feet and attack each other without delay. Upon their +resonant helmets they play such a tune with swords that it seems +to those who are looking on that the helmets are on fire and send +forth sparks. And when the swords rebound in air, gleaming +sparks fly off from them as from a smoking piece of iron which +the smith beats upon his anvil after, drawing it from the forge. +Both of the vassals are generous in dealing blows in great +plenty, and each has the best of intentions to repay quickly what +he borrows; neither one holds back from repaying promptly capital +and interest, without accounting and without measure. But the +duke is much chagrined with anger and discomfiture when he fails +to defeat and slay Cliges in the first assault. Such a +marvellously great and mighty blow he deals him that he falls at +his feet upon his knee. + +(Vv. 4095-4138.) When this blow brought Cliges down, the emperor +was struck with fear, and would have been no more dismayed had he +himself been beneath the shield. Nor could Fenice in her fear +longer contain herself, whatever the effect might be, from +crying: "God help him!" as loud as she could. But that was the +only word she uttered, for straightway her voice failed her, and +she fell forward upon her face, which was somewhat wounded by the +fall. Two high nobles raised her up and supported her upon her +feet until she returned to consciousness. But in spite of her +countenance, none who saw her guessed why she had swooned. Not a +man there blamed her, but rather praised her for her act, for +each one supposes that she would have done the same thing for +him, if he had been in Cliges' place, but in all this they are +quite astray. Cliges heard, and well understood, the sound of +Fenice's cry. Her voice restored his strength and courage, as he +leaped up quickly, and came with fury, toward the duke, so +charging and attacking him that the duke in turn was now +dismayed. For now he found him more fierce for the fray, +stronger and more agile and energetic than when at first they +came together. And because he feared his onslaught, he cried: +"Young man, so help me God, I see thou art brave and very bold. +If it were not for my nephew now, whom I shall never more forget, +I would gladly make peace with thee, and leave thy quarrel +without interfering in it more." + +(Vv. 4139-4236.) "Duke," says Cliges, "what is your pleasure +now? Must one not surrender his right when he is unable to +recover it? When one of two evils must be faced, one should +choose the lesser one. Your nephew was not wise to become +angrily embroiled with me. You may be sure that I shall treat +you in like fashion, if I get the chance, unless you agree to my +terms of peace." The duke, to whom it seems that Cliges' vigour +is steadily growing, thinks that he had better desist in mid- +career before he is utterly undone. Nevertheless, he does not +openly give in, but says: "Young man, I see thou art skilful and +alert and not lacking in courage. But thou art yet too young; +therefore I feel assured that if I defeat and kill thee I shall +gain no praise or fame, and I should never like to confess in the +hearing of a man of honour that I had fought with thee, for I +should but do thee honour, and myself win shame. But if thou art +aware of honour's worth, it will always be a glorious thing for +thee to have withstood me for two rounds at arms. So now my +heart and feeling bid me let thee have thy way, and no longer +fight with thee." (33) "Duke," says Cliges, "that will not do. +In the hearing of all you must repeat those words, for it shall +never be said and noised abroad that you let me off and had mercy +on me. In the hearing of all those who are gathered here, you +must repeat your words, if you wish to be reconciled with me." +So the duke repeats his words in the hearing of all. Then they +make peace and are reconciled. But however the matter be +regarded Cliges had all the honour and glory of it, and the +Greeks were greatly pleased. For their part, the Saxons could +not laugh, all of them having plainly seen that their lord was +worn out and exhausted just now; but there is no doubt at all +that, if he could have helped himself, this peace would never +have been made, and that Cliges' soul would have been drawn from +his body had it proven possible. The duke goes back to Saxony +sorrowing, downcast, and filled with shame; for of his men there +are not even two who do not regard him as worsted, defeated, and +disgraced. The Saxons with all their shame have now returned to +Saxony, while the Greeks without delay make their way with joy +and gladness toward Constantinople, for Cliges by his prowess has +opened the way for them. The emperor of Germany no longer +follows and convoys them. Taking leave o the Greek troops and +of his daughter and Cliges, and finally of the emperor, he stayed +behind in Germany. And the emperor of the Greeks goes off +happily and in joyous mood. Cliges, brave and courteous, calls +to mind his sire's command. If his uncle, the emperor, will give +him his permission, he will go and ask him for leave to return to +Britain and there converse with his great-uncle, the King; for he +is desirous of seeing and knowing him. So he presents himself +before the emperor, and requests that he consent to let him go to +Britain to see his uncle and his friends. Gently he proffered +his request. But his uncle refused, when he had listened to the +request he made. "Fair nephew," he said, "it is not my will that +you should wish to leave me. I shall never give you without +regret this permission to go away. For it is my pleasure and +desire that you should be my companion and lord, with me, of all +my empire." + +(Vv. 4237-4282.) Now Cliges hears something that does not suit +him when his uncle refuses the prayer and request he made. "Fair +sire," said he, "I am not brave and wise enough, nor would it be +seemly for me to join myself with you or any one else in the duty +of governing this empire; I am too young and inexperienced. They +put gold to the test when they wish to learn if it is fine. And +so it is my wish, in brief, to try to prove myself, wherever I +can find the test. In Britain, if I am brave, I can apply myself +to the whetstone and to the real true test, whereby my prowess +shall be proved. In Britain are the gentlemen whom honour and +prowess distinguish. And he who wishes to win honour should +associate himself with them, for honour is won and gained by him +who associates with gentlemen. And so I ask you for leave to go, +and you may be very sure that if you do not grant me the boon and +send me thither I shall go without your leave." "Fair nephew, I +will give you leave, seeing you are so disposed that I cannot +keep you back either by force or prayer of mine. Now since +prayer, prohibition, and force do not avail, may God give you the +desire and inclination promptly to return. I wish you to take +with you more than a bushel of gold and silver, and I will give +for your pleasure such horses as you may choose." He had no +sooner spoken than Cliges bowed before him. All that the +emperor, mentioned and promised him was straightway brought +thither. + +(Vv. 4283-4574.) Cliges took all the money and companions that +he wished and needed. For his personal use he took four horses +of different colours: one white, one sorrel, one fallow red, and +one black. But I must have passed over something which it is not +proper to omit. Cliges goes to ask and obtain leave to depart +from his sweetheart Fenice; for he wishes to commend her to God's +safe keeping. Coming before her, he throws himself upon his +knees, weeping so bitterly that the tears moisten his tunic and +ermine, the while keeping his eyes upon the ground; for he dares +not raise his eyes to her, as if he were guilty of some crime and +misdeed toward her, for which he seems overcome with shame. And +Fenice, who timidly and fearfully looks at him, does not know the +occasion of his coming, and speaks to him with difficulty. +"Rise, friend and fair sir! Sit here beside me. and weep no +more, and tell me what your pleasure is." "Lady, what shall I +say, and what leave unsaid? I come to ask your leave." "Leave? +To do what?" "Lady, I must go off to Britain." "Then tell me +what your business is, before I give you leave to go." "Lady, my +father, before he departed this life and died, begged me not to +fail to go to Britain as soon as I should be made a knight. I +should not wish for any reason to disregard his command. I must +not falter until I have accomplished the journey. It is a long +road from here to Greece, and if I should go thither, the journey +would be too long from Constantinople to Britain. But it is +right that I should ask leave from you to whom I altogether +belong." Many a covert sigh and sob marked the separation. But +the eyes of none were keen enough, nor the ears of any sharp +enough, to learn from what he saw and heard that there was any +love between these two. Cliges, in spite of the grief he felt, +took his leave at the first opportunity. He is full of thought +as he goes away, and so are the emperor and many others who stay +behind. But more than all the others, Fenice is pensive: she +finds no bottom or bound to the reflections which occupy her, so +abundantly are her cares multiplied. She was still oppressed +with thought when she arrived in Greece. There she was held in +great honour as mistress and empress; but her heart and mind +belong to Cliges, wherever he goes, and she wishes her heart +never to return to her, unless it is brought back to her by him +who is perishing of the same disease with which he has smitten +her. If he should get well, she would recover too, but he will +never be its victim without her being so as well. Her trouble +appears in her pale and changed colour; for the fresh, clear, and +radiant colour which Nature had given her is now a stranger to +her face. She often weeps and often sighs. Little she cares for +her empire and for the riches that are hers. She always +cherishes in her remembrance the hour when Cliges went away, and +the leave he took of her, how he changed colour and grew pale, +and how tearful his expression was, for he came to weep in her +presence humbly and simply upon his knees, as if constrained to +worship her. All this is sweet and pleasant for her to remember +and think about. And afterward, as a little treat, she takes on +her tongue instead of spice a sweet word which for all Greece she +would not wish him to have used contrary to the sense she had +understood when he first had uttered it; for she lives upon no +other dainty, and there is nothing else that pleases her. This +word alone sustains and nourishes her, and assuages all her pain. +She cares to eat and drink of no other dish or beverage, for when +the two lovers came to part, Cliges had said he was "altogether +hers." This word is so sweet and tastes so good that from the +tongue it stirs her heart, and she takes it into her mouth and +heart to be all the more sure of it. Under any other lock she +would not dare to store this treasure. Nowhere could it be +lodged so well as in her own bosom. She will never leave it +exposed at any price, being in such fear of robbers and thieves. +But there is no ground for her anxiety, and she need have no fear +of the birds of prey, for her treasure is not movable, but is +rather like a house which cannot be destroyed by fire or flood, +but will always stay fixed in a single place. But she feels no +confidence in the matter, so she worries and strives to find and +hold some ground on which to stand, interpreting the situation in +divers ways. She both opposes and defends her position, and +engages in the following argument: "With what intention should +Cliges say `I am altogether yours' unless it was love that +prompted him? What power can I have over him that he should +esteem me so highly as to make me the mistress of his heart? Is +he not more fair than I, and of higher rank than I? I see in it +naught but love, which could vouchsafe me such a boon. I, who +cannot escape its power, will prove by my own case that unless he +loved me he would never say that he was mine; unless love holds +him in its toils, Cliges could never say that he was mine any +more than I could say that I was altogether his unless love had +put me in his hands. For if he loves me not, at least he does +not fear me. I hope that love which gives me to him will in +return give him to me. But now I am sore dismayed because it is +so trite a word, and I may simply be deceived, for many there be +who in flattering terms will say even to a total stranger, `I and +all that I have are yours,' and they are more idle chatterers +than the jays. So I do not know what to think, for it might well +turn out that he said it just to flatter me. Yet I saw his +colour change, and I saw him weeping piteously. In my judgment, +the tears and his face confused and pale were not produced by +treachery, nor were they the fruits of trickery. Those eyes from +which I saw tears roll down were not guilty of falsehood. Signs +enough of love I saw, if I know anything about it. Yes, in an +evil hour I thought of love; woe is me that I ever learned it, +for the experience has been bitter. Has it indeed? Yes, verily. +I am dead when I cannot see him who has stolen my heart away by +his cajoling flattery, because of which my heart leaves its +dwelling, and will not abide with me, hating my home and +establishment. In truth I have been ill treated by him who has +my heart in his keeping. He who robs me and takes what is mine +cannot love me, of that I am sure. But am I sure? Why then did +he weep? Why? It was not in vain, for there was cause enough. +I must not assume that I was the cause of it, for one is always +loath to leave people whom one loves and knows. So it is not +strange if he was sorry and grieved and if he wept when he left +some one whom he knew. But he who gave him this advice to go and +dwell in Britain could not have smitten me more effectively. He +is cut to the quick who loses his heart. He who deserves it, +should be treated ill; but I have never deserved such treatment. +Alas, unhappy one, why has Cliges killed me when I am innocent? +But I am unjust to accuse him thus without cause. Surely Cliges +would never have deserted me if his heart were like mine. I am +sure his heart is not like mine. And if my heart is lodged in +his it will never draw away, and his will never part from mine, +for my heart follows him secretly: they have formed such a goodly +company. But, after all, to tell the truth, they are very +different and contrary. How are they different and contrary? +Why, his is the master and mine the slave; and the slave can have +no will of his own, but only do his master's will and forsake all +other affairs. But what reference has that to me? My heart and +service are no concern to him. This arrangement distresses me, +that one is master of us both. Why is not my heart as +independent as his? Then their power would be equalised. My +heart is now a prisoner, unable to move itself unless his moves +as well. And whether his heart wanders or stays still, mine must +needs prepare to follow him in his train. God! why are our +bodies not so near one another that I could in some way bring +back my heart! Bring back? Foolish one, if I should remove it +from its joy I should be the death of it. Let it stay there! I +have no desire to dislodge it, but rather wish that it tarry with +its lord until he feel some pity for it. For rather over there +than here ought he to have mercy on his servant, because they are +both in a foreign land. If my heart knows well the language of +flattery, as is necessary for the courtier, it will be rich ere +it comes back. Whoever wishes to stand in the good graces of his +lord and sit beside him on his right, to be in the fashion now-a- +days, must remove the feather from his head, even when there +is none there. But there is one bad feature of this practice: +while he is smoothing down his master, who is filled with evil +and villainy, he will never be so courteous as to tell him the +truth; rather he makes him think and believe that no one could +compare with him in prowess and in knowledge, and the master +thinks that he is speaking the truth. That man does not know +himself who takes another's word about qualities which he does +not possess. For even if he is a wicked and insolent wretch, and +as cowardly as a hare, mean, crazy, and misshapen, and a villain +both in word and deed--yet some man will praise him to his face +who behind his back will mock at him. But when in his hearing he +speaks of him to some other, he praises him, while his lord +pretends not to hear what they say between themselves; if, +however, he thought that he would not be heard, he would say +something his master would not like. And if his master is +pleased to lie, the servant is all ready with his consent, and +will never be backward in averring that all his master says is +true. He who frequents courts and lords must ever be ready with +a lie. So, too, must my heart do if it would find favour with +its lord. Let it flatter and be obsequious. But Cliges is such +a knight, so fair, so open, and so loyal, that my heart, in +praising him, need never be false or perfidious, for in him there +is nothing to be improved. Therefore I wish my heart to serve +him, for, as the people's proverb runs, `He who serves a noble +man is bad indeed if he does not improve in his company.'" + +(Vv. 4575-4628.) Thus love harrows Fenice. But this torment is +her delight, of which she can never grow weary. And Cliges now +has crossed the sea and come to Wallingford. There he took +expensive quarters in great state. But his thoughts are always +of Fenice, not forgetting her for a single hour. While he delays +and tarries there, his men, acting under his instructions, made +diligent inquiries. They were informed that King Arthur's barons +and the King in person had appointed a tourney to be held in the +plain before Oxford, which lies close to Wallingford. (34) There +the struggle was arranged, and it was to last four days. But +Cliges will have abundant time to prepare himself if in the +meantime he needs anything, for more than a fortnight must elapse +before the tournament begins. He orders three of his squires to +go quickly to London and there buy three different sets of arms, +one black, another red, the third green, and that on the way back +each shall be kept covered with new cloth, so that if any one +should meet them on the road he may not know the colour of the +arms they carry. The squires start at once and come to London, +where they find available everything they need. Having finished +this errand, they return at once without losing any time. When +the arms they had brought were shown to Cliges he was well +pleased with them. He ordered them to be set away and concealed, +together with those which the emperor had given him by the +Danube, when he knighted him. I do not choose to tell you now +why he had them stored away; but it will be explained to you when +all the high barons of the land are mounted on their steeds and +assemble in search of fame. + +(Vv. 4629-4726.) On the day which had been agreed upon, the +nobles of renown came together. King Arthur, with all his men +whom he had selected from among the best, took up his position at +Oxford, while most of the knights ranged themselves near +Wallingford. Do not expect me to delay the story and tell you +that such and such kings and counts were there, and that this, +that, and the other were of the number. (35) When the time came +for the knights to gather, in accordance with the custom of those +days, there came forth alone between two lines one of King +Arthur's most valiant knights to announce that the tourney should +begin. But in this case no one dares to advance and confront him +for the joust. There is none who does not hold back. And there +are some who ask: "Why do these knights of ours delay, without +stepping forward from the ranks? Some one will surely soon +begin." And the others make reply: "Don't you see, then, what an +adversary yonder party has sent against us? Any one who does not +know should learn that he is a pillar, (36) able to stand beside +the best three in the world." "Who is he, then?" "Why, don't +you see? It is Sagremor the Wild." "Is it he?" "It surely is." +Cliges listens and hears what they say, as he sits on his horse +Morel, clad in armour blacker than a mulberry: for all his armour +was black. As he emerges from the ranks and spurs Morel free of +the crowd, there is not one, upon seeing him, but exclaims to his +neighbour: "That fellow rides well lance in rest; he is a very, +skilful knight and carries his arms right handily; his shield +fits well about his neck. But he must be a fool to undertake of +his own free will to joust with one of the most valiant knights +to be found in all the land. Who can he be? Where was he born? +Who knows him here?" "Not I." "Nor I." "There is not a flake +of snow on him; but all his armour is blacker far than the cloak +of any monk or prior." While thus they talk, the two contestants +give their horses rein without delay, for they are very eager and +keen to come together in the fight. Cliges strikes him so that +he crushes the shield against his arm, and the arm against his +body, whereupon Sagremor falls full length. Cliges goes +unerringly and bids him declare himself his prisoner, which +Sagremor does at once. Now the tourney is fairly begun, and +adversaries meet in rivalry. Cliges rushes about the field, +seeking adversaries with whom to joust, but not a knight presents +himself whom he does not cast down or take prisoner. He excels +in glory, all the knights on either side, for wherever he goes to +battle, there the fight is quickly ended. That man may be +considered brave who holds his ground to joust with him, for it +is more credit to dare face him than it is to defeat another +knight. And if Cliges leads him away prisoner, for this at least +he gains renown that he dared to wait and fight with him. Cliges +wins the fame and glory of all the tournament. When evening +came, he secretly repaired to his lodging-place in order that +none might have any words with him. And lest any one should seek +the house where the black arms are displayed, he puts them away +in a room in order that no one may find them or see them, and he +hangs up his green arms at the street-door, where they will be in +evidence, and where passers-by will see them. And if any one +asks and inquires where his lodging is, he cannot learn when he +sees no sign of the black shield for which he seeks. + +(Vv. 4727-4758.) By this ruse Cliges remains hidden in the town. +And those who were his prisoners went from one end of the town to +the other asking for the black knight, but none could give them +any information. Even King Arthur himself has search made up and +down for him; but there is only one answer: "We have not seen him +since we left the lists, and do not know what became of him." +More than twenty young men seek him, whom the King sent out; but +Cliges so successfully concealed himself that they cannot find a +trace of him. King Arthur is filled with astonishment when he is +informed that no one of high or low degree can point out his +lodging-place, any more than if he were in Caesarea, Toledo, or +Crete. "Upon my word," he says, "I know not what they may say, +but to me this seems a marvellous thing. Perchance it was a +phantom that appeared in our midst. Many a knight has been +unhorsed, and noble men have pledged faith to one whose house +they cannot find, or even his country or locality; each of these +men perforce must fail to keep his pledge." Thus the King spoke +his mind, but he might as well have held his peace. + +(Vv. 4759-4950.) That evening among all the barons there was +much talk of the black knight, for indeed they spoke of nothing +else. The next day they armed themselves again without summons +and without request. Lancelot of the Lake, in whom there is no +lack of courage, rides forth with lance upright to await a +contestant in the first joust. Here comes Cliges tiding fast, +greener than the grass of the field, and mounted on a fallow red +steed, carrying its mane on the right-hand side. Wherever Cliges +spurs the horse, there is no one, either with hair or without, +who does not look at him amazed and exclaim to his neighbour on +either side: "This knight is in all respects more graceful and +skilful than the one who yesterday wore the black arms, just as a +pine is more beautiful than a white beech, and the laurel than +the elder-bush. As yet we know not who yesterday's victor was; +but we shall know to-night who this man is." Each one makes +reply: "I don't know him, nor did I ever see him, that I am +aware. But he is fairer than he who fought yesterday, and fairer +than Lancelot of the Lake. If this man rode armed in a bag and +Lancelot in silver and gold, this man would still be fairer than +he." Thus they all take Cliges' part. And the two champions +drive their steeds together with all the force of spur. Cliges +gives him such a blow upon the golden shield with the lion +portrayed thereon that he knocks him down from his saddle and +stands over him to receive his surrender. For Lancelot there was +no help; so he admitted himself his prisoner. Then the noise +began afresh with the shock of breaking lances. Those who are on +Cliges' side place all their confidence in him. For of those +whom he challenges and strikes, there is none so strong but must +fall from his horse to earth. That day Cliges did so well, and +unhorsed and took captive so many knights, that he gave double +the satisfaction to his side, and won for himself twice the glory +that he had gained on the preceding day. When evening came, he +betook himself as fast as he could to his lodging-place, and +quickly ordered out the vermilion shield and his other arms, +while he ordered the arms which he had worn that day to be laid +away: the host carefully put them aside. Again that evening the +knights whom he had captured sought for him, but without hearing +any news of him. In their lodging-places, most of those who +speak of him do so with praise and admiration. The next day the +gay and doughty knights return to the contest. From the Oxford +side comes forth a vassal of great renown--his name was +Perceval of Wales. As soon as Cliges saw him start, and learned +certainly who it was, when he had heard the name of Perceval he +was very anxious to contest with him. He issued straightway from +the ranks upon a Spanish sorrel steed, and completely clad in +vermilion armour. Then all gaze at him, wondering more than ever +before, and saying that they had never seen so perfect a knight. +And the contestants without delay spur forward until their mighty +blows land upon their shields. The lances, though they were +short and stout, bend until they look like hoops. In the sight +of all who were looking on, Cliges struck Perceval so hard that +he knocked him from his horse and made him surrender without a +long struggle or much ado. When Perceval had pledged his word +then the joust began again, and the engagement became general. +Every knight whom Cliges meets he forces to earth. He did not +quit the lists that day even for a single hour, while all the +others struck at him as at a tower--individually, of course, +and not in groups of two or three, for such was not the custom +then. Upon his shield, as upon an anvil, the others strike and +pound, splitting and hewing it to bits. But every one who +strikes him there, he pays back by casting him from his stirrups +and saddle; and no one, unless he wished to lie, could fail to +say when the jousting ceased that the knight with the red shield +had won all the glory on that day. And all the best and most +courtly knights would fain have made his acquaintance. But their +desire was not felt before he had departed secretly, seeing the +sun already set; and he had his vermilion shield and all his +other harness removed, and ordered his white arms to be brought +out, in which he had first been dubbed a knight, while the other +arms and the steeds were fastened outside by the door. Those who +notice this realise and exclaim that they have all been defeated +and undone by one single man; for each day he has disguised +himself with a different horse and set of armour, thus seeming to +change his identity; for the first time now they noticed this. +And my lord Gawain proclaimed that he never saw such a champion, +and therefore he wished to make his acquaintance and learn his +name, announcing that on the morrow he himself will be the first +at the rally of the knights. Yet, withal, he makes no boast; on +the other hand, he says that he fully expects the stranger knight +will have all the advantage with the lance; but it may be that +with the sword he will not be his superior (for with the sword +Gawain had no master). Now it is Gawain's desire to measure his +strength on the morrow with this strange knight who changes every +day his arms, as well as his horse and harness. His moultings +will soon be numerous if he continues thus each day, as is his +custom, to discard his old and assume new plumage. Thus, when he +thought of the sword and the lance respectively. Gawain +disparaged and esteemed highly the prowess of his foe. The next +day he sees Cliges come back whiter than the fleur-delis, his +shield grasped tight by the inside straps and seated on his white +Arab steed, as he had planned the night before. Gawain, brave +and illustrious, seeks no repose on the battleground, but spurs +and rides forward, endeavouring as best he may to win honour in +the fray, if he can find an opponent. In a moment they will both +be on the field. For Cliges had no desire to hold back when he +overheard the words of the men who said: "There goes Gawain, who +is no weakling either on foot or ahorse. He is a man whom no one +will attack." When Cliges hears these words, he rushes toward +him in mid-field; they both advance and come together with a +swifter leap than that of the stag who hears the sound of the +dogs as they come baying after him. The lances are thrust at the +shields, and the blows produce such havoc that the lances split, +crack and break clear down to the butt-end, and the saddle-bows +behind give away, and the girths and breast-straps snap. Both +come to earth at once and draw their naked swords, while the +others gather round to watch the battle. Then King Arthur +stepped forward to separate them and establish peace. But before +the truce was sworn, the white hauberks were badly torn and rent +apart, the shields were cracked and hewed to bits, and the +helmets crushed. + +(Vv. 4951-5040.) The King viewed them with pleasure for a while, +as did many others who said that they esteemed the white knight's +deeds of arms no less than those of my lord Gawain, and they were +not ready yet to say which was the better and which the worse, +nor which was likely to win, if they had been allowed to fight to +a finish; but it did not please the King to let them do more than +they had done. So he stepped forward to separate them, saying: +"Stop now! Woe if another blow be struck! Make peace now, and +be good friends. Fair nephew Gawain, I make this request of you; +for without resentment and hate it is not becoming for a +gentleman to continue to fight and defy his foe. But if this +knight would consent to come to my court and join our sport it +would not be to his sorrow or hurt. Nephew, make this request of +him." "Gladly, my lord." Cliges has no desire to refuse, and +gladly consents to go when the tourney is concluded. For now he +has more than sufficiently carried out the injunction of his +father. And the King says he has no desire that the tournament +shall last too long, and that they can afford to stop at once. +So the knights drew off, according to the wish and order of the +King. Now that he is to follow in the royal suite, Cliges sends +for all his armour. As soon as he can, he comes to court; but +first, he completely changed his gear, and came dressed in the +style of the French. As soon as he arrived at court, all ran to +meet him without delay, making such joy and festival that never +was there greater seen, and all those call him lord whom he had +captured in the joust; but he would hear none of this, and said +they might all go free, if they were quite sure and satisfied +that it was he who had captured them. And there was not one who +did not cry: "You were the man; we are sure of that! We value +highly your acquaintance, and we ought to love and esteem you and +call you our lord, for none of us can equal you. Just as the sun +outshines the little stars, so that their light cannot be seen in +the sky when the sun's rays appear, so is our prowess +extinguished and abased in the presence of yours, though ours too +was once famous in the world." Cliges knows not what to reply, +for in his opinion they all praise him more than he deserves; it +pleases him, but he feels ashamed, and the blood rises in his +face, revealing to all his modesty. Escorting him into the +middle of the hall, they led him to the King, where all ceased +their words of compliment and praise. The time for the meal had +come, and those whose duty it was hastened to set the tables. +The tables in the hall were quickly spread, then while some took +the towels, and others held the basins, they offered water to all +who came. When all had washed, they took their seats. And the +King, taking Cliges by the hand, made him sit down in front of +him, for he wished to learn this very day, if possible, who he +was. Of the meal I need not further speak, for the courses were +as well supplied as if beef were selling at a penny. + +(Vv. 5041-5114.) When all the courses had been served, the King +no longer held his peace. "My friend," he says, "I wish to learn +if it was from pride that you did not deign to come to court as +soon as you arrived in this country, and why you kept aloof from +people, and why you changed your arms; and tell me what your name +is, too, and from what race you spring." Cliges replies: "It +shall not be hid." He told and related to the King everything he +wished to know. And when the King had heard it all, he embraced +him, and made much of him, while all joined in greeting him. And +when my lord Gawain learned the truth, he, more than the others, +cordially welcomed him. Thus, all unite in saluting him, saying +that he is very fair and brave. The King loves and honours him +above all his nephews. Cliges tarries with the King until the +summer comes around, in the meantime visiting all Brittany, +France, and Normandy, where he did so many knightly deeds that he +thoroughly proved his worth. But the love whose wound he bears +gives him no peace or relief. The inclination of his heart keeps +him fixed upon a single thought. To Fenice his thought harks +back, who from afar afflicts his heart. The desire takes him to +go back; for he has been deprived too long of the sight of the +most desired lady who was ever desired by any one. He will not +prolong this privation, but prepares to return to Greece, and +sets out, after taking leave. The King and my lord Gawain were +grieved, I can well believe, when they could no longer detain +him. But he is anxious to return to her whom he loves and so +covets that the way seems long to him as he passes over land and +sea: so ardently he longs for the sight of her who has stolen and +filched Iris heart away. But she makes him recompense in full; +for she pays him, as it were rent, the coin of her own heart, +which is no less dear to her. But he is by no means sure of +that, having no contract or agreement to show; wherefore his +anxiety is great. And she is in just as great distress, harried +and tormented by love, taking no pleasure in aught she sees since +that moment when she saw him last. The fact that she does not +even know whether he be alive or not fills her heart with +anguish. But Cliges draws nearer day by day, being fortunate in +having favourable winds, until he joyfully comes to port before +Constantinople. When the news reached the city, none need ask if +the emperor was glad; but a hundred times greater was the +empress's joy. + +(Vv. 5115-5156.) Cliges, with his company, having landed at +Constantinople, has now returned to Greece. The richest and most +noble men all come to meet him at the port. And when the emperor +encounters him, who before all others had gone to meet him with +the empress by his side, he runs to embrace and greet him in the +presence of them all. And when Fenice welcomes him, each changes +colour in the other's presence, and it is indeed a marvel, when +they are so close together, how they keep from embracing each +other and bestowing such kisses as love would have; but that +would have been folly and madness. The people come together from +all sides with the desire to see him, and conduct him through the +city, some on foot and some on horseback, until they bring him to +the imperial palace. No words can ever tell the joy and honour +and courteous service that were there displayed. But each one +strove as best he might to do everything which he thought would +please and gratify Cliges. And his uncle hands over to him all +his possessions, except the crown: he wishes him to gratify his +pleasure fully, and to take all he desires of his wealth, either +in the form of land or treasure. But he has no care for silver +or gold, so long as he dares not reveal his thoughts to her +because of whom he can find no repose; and yet he has plenty of +time and opportunity to speak, if he were not afraid of being +repelled; for now he can see her every day, and sit beside her +"tete-a-tete" without opposition or hindrance, for no one sees +any harm in that. + +(Vv. 5157-5280.) Some time after his return, he came alone one +day to the room of her who was not his enemy, and you may be sure +that the door was not barred at his approach. By her side he +took his seat, while the others moved away, so that no one might +be seated near them and hear their words. First, Fenice spoke of +Britain, and asked him about the character and appearance of my +lord Gawain, until her words finally hit upon the subject which +filled her with dread. She asked him if he had given his love to +any dame or damsel in that land. Cliges was not obstinate or +slow to respond to this demand, but he knew at once what reply to +make as soon as she had put the question. "Lady," he says, "I +was in love while there, but not with any one of that land. In +Britain my body was without my heart, as a piece of bark without +the wood. Since leaving Germany I have not known what became of +my heart, except that it came here after you. My heart was here, +and my body was there. I was not really away from Greece; for +hither my heart had come, for which I now have come back again; +yet, it does not return to its lodging-place, nor can I draw it +back to me, nor do I wish to do so, if I could. And you--how +has it fared with you, since you came to this country? What joy +have you had here? Do you like the people, do you like the land? +I ought not to ask you any other question than whether the +country pleases you." "It has not pleased me until now; but at +present I feel a certain joy and satisfaction, which, you may be +sure, I would not lose for Pavia or Piacenza. From this joy I +cannot wrest my heart, nor shall I ever use force in the attempt. +Nothing but the bark is left in me, for I live and exist without +a heart. I have never been in Britain, and yet without me my +heart has been engaged in business there I know not what." +"Lady, when was it that your heart was there? Tell me when it +went thither--the time and season--if it be a thing that you +can fairly tell me or any one else. Was it there while I was +there?" "Yes, but you were not aware of it. It was there as +long as you were, and came away again with you." "God! I never +saw it, nor knew it was there. God! why did I not know it? If +I had been informed of this, surely, my lady, I would have borne +it pleasant company." "You would have repaid me with the +consolation which you really owed to me, for I should have been +very gracious to your heart if it had been pleased to come where +it might have known I was." "Lady, surely it came to you." "To +me? Then it came to no strange place, for mine also went to +you." "Then, lady, according to what you say, our hearts are +here with us now, for my heart is altogether in your hands." +"You in turn have mine, my friend; so we are in perfect accord. +And you may be sure, so help me God, that your uncle has never +shared in me, for it was not my pleasure, and he could not. +Never has he yet known me as Adam knew his wife. In error I am +called a wife; but I am sure that whoever calls me wife does not +know that I am still a maid. Even your uncle is not aware of it, +for, having drunk of the sleeping potion, he thinks he is awake +when he is asleep, and he fancies he has his sport with me while +I lie in his embrace. But his exclusion has been complete. My +heart is yours, and my body too, and from me no one shall ever +learn how to practise villainy. For when my heart went over to +you it presented you with the body too, and it made a pledge that +none other should ever share in it. Love for you has wounded me +so deep that I should never recover from it, any more than the +sea can dry up. If I love you, and you love me, you shall never +be called Tristan, nor I Iseut; (37) for then our love would not +be honourable. But I make you this promise, that you shall never +have other joy of me than that you now have, unless you can +devise some means whereby I can be removed from your uncle and +his society without his finding me again, or being able to blame +either you or me, or having any ground for accusation. And +to-morrow you shall tell me of the best plan you have devised, +and I, too, will think of it. To-morrow, as soon as I arise, +come and speak with me; then each of us will speak his mind, and +we shall proceed to execute whatever seems best. + +(Vv. 5281-5400.) As soon as Cliges heard her will he fully +agreed with her, and said that would be the best thing to do. He +leaves her happy, and goes off with a light heart himself. That +night each one lies awake thinking over, with great delight, what +the best plan will be. The next morning, as soon as they had +arisen, they meet again to take counsel privately, as indeed they +must. Cliges speaks first and says what he had thought of in the +night: "My lady," says he, "I think, and am of the opinion, that +we could not do better than go to Britain; I thought I might take +you there; now do not refuse, for never was Helen so joyfully +received at Troy when Paris took her thither but that still +greater joy would be felt over you and me in the land of the +King, my uncle. And if this plan does not meet with your favour, +tell me what you think, for I am ready, whatever may happen, to +abide by your decision." And she replies: "This is my answer: I +will never go off with you thus; for after we had gone away, +every one would speak of us as they do of Iseut the Blond and of +Tristan. And everywhere all men and women would speak evil of +our love. No one would believe, nor is it natural that they +should do so, the truth of the matter. Who would believe that I +have thus, all to no purpose, evaded and escaped from your uncle +still a maid? I should be regarded simply as wanton and +dissolute, and you would be thought mad. It is well to remember +and observe the injunction of St. Paul: if any one is unwilling +to live chaste, St. Paul counsels him to act so that he shall +receive no criticism, or blame, or reproach. (38) It is well to +stop evil mouths, and therefore, if you agree, I have a proposal +to make: it seems best to me to consent to feign that I am dead. +I shall fall sick in a little while. And you in the meantime may +plan some preparations for a place of burial. Put all your wits +to work to the end that a sepulchre and bier be so constructed +that I shall not die in it, or be stifled, and that no one shall +mount guard over it at night when you come to take me out. So +now seek such a retreat for me, where no one may see me excepting +you; and let no one provide for any need of mine except you, to +whom I surrender and give myself. Never, my whole life long, do +I wish to be served by other man than you. My lord and my +servant you shall be; whatever you do shall seem good to me; and +never shall I be mistress of any empire unless you are its +master. Any wretched place, however dark and foul, will seem +brighter to me than all these halls if you are with me. If I +have you where I can see you, I shall be mistress of boundless +treasure, and the world will belong to me. And if the business +is carefully managed, no harm will come of it, and no one will +ever be able to speak ill of it, for it will be believed +throughout the empire that I am mouldering in the ground. My +maid, Thessala, who has been my nurse, and in whom I have great +confidence, will give me faithful aid, for she is very clever, +and I trust her fully." And Cliges, when he heard his +sweetheart, replies: "My lady, if this is feasible, and if you +think your nurse's advice reliable, we have nothing to do but +make our preparations without delay; but if we commit any +imprudence, we are lost without escape. In this city there is an +artisan who cuts and carves wonderful images: there is no land +where he is not known for the figures which he has shapen and +carved and made. John is his name, and he is a serf o mine. No +one could cope with John's best efforts in any art, however +varied it might be. For, compared with him, they are all +novices, and like a child with nurse. By imitating his handiwork +the artisans of Antioch and Rome have learned all they know how +to do--and besides there is no more loyal man. Now I want to +make a test, and if I can put trust in him I will set him and all +his descendants free; and I shall not fail to tell him of all our +plan if he will swear and give his word to me that he will aid me +loyally, and will never divulge my secret." + +(Vv. 5401-5466.) And she replies: "So let it be." With her +permission Cliges left the room and went away. And she sends for +Thessala, her maid, whom she brought with her from her native +land. Thessala came at once without delay, yet not knowing why +she was summoned. When she asked Fenice privately what was her +desire and pleasure, she concealed none of her intentions from +her. "Nurse," she said, "I know full well that anything I tell +you will go no further, for I have tried you thoroughly and have +found you very prudent. I love you for all you have done for me. +In all my troubles I appeal to you without seeking counsel +elsewhere. You know why I lie awake, and what my thoughts and +wishes are. My eyes behold only one object which pleases me, but +I can have no pleasure or joy in it if I do not first buy it with +a heavy price. For I have now found my peer; and if I love him +he loves me in return, and if I grieve he grieves too for my pain +and sorrow. Now I must acquaint you with a plan and project upon +which we two have privately agreed." Then she told and explained +to her how she was willing to feign illness, and would complain +so bitterly that at last she would pretend to be dead, and how +Cliges would steal her away at night, and then they would be +together all their days. She thinks that in no other way she +could longer bear to live. But if she was sure that she would +consent to lend her aid, the matter would be arranged in +accordance with their wishes. "But I am tired of waiting for my +joy and luck." Then her nurse assured her that she would help +her in every way, telling her to have no further fear. She said +that as soon as she set to work she would bring it about that +there would be no man, upon seeing her, who would not certainly +believe that the soul had left the body after she had drunk of a +potion which would leave her cold, colourless, pale, and stiff, +without power of speech and deprived of health; yet she would be +alive and well, and would have no sensations of any kind, and +would be none the worse for a day and a night entire spent in the +sepulchre and bier. (39) + +(Vv. 5467-5554.) When Fenice heard these words, she thus spoke +in reply: "Nurse, I commit myself to you, and, with full +confidence in you, will take no steps in my own behalf. I am in +your hands; so think of my interests, and tell all the people who +are here to betake themselves away, for I am ill, and they bother +me." So, like a prudent woman, she said to them: "My lords, my +lady is not well, and desires you all to go away. You are +talking loud and making a noise, and the noise is disagreeable to +her. She can get no rest or repose so long as you are in the +room. I never remember her to have complained of such a sickness +as this so violent and serious does it seem. So go away, and +don't feel hurt." As soon as she had issued this command, they +all quickly go away. And Cliges sent for John to come quickly, +and thus in private spoke to him: "John, dost thou know what I am +about to say? Thou art my slave and I thy master, and I can give +away or sell thy body like a thing which is my own. But if I +could trust thee in an affair I meditate, thou wouldst go for +ever free, as well as the heirs which may be born of thee." +John, in his desire for freedom, replies at once: "My lord, there +is nothing I would not gladly do to see myself, my wife, and +children free. Tell me what your orders are, for nothing can be +so hard as to cause me any work or pain or be hard for me to +execute. For that matter, even were it against my will, I must +needs obey your commands and give up my own affairs." "True, +John; but this is a matter of which I hardly dare to speak, +unless thou wilt assure me upon thy oath thou wilt faithfully +give me aid and never betray me." "Willingly, sire," John makes +reply: "have never a fear on that account! For I will swear and +pledge my word that, so long as I live, I will never say a word +which I think will grieve you or cause you harm." "Ah John, even +were I to die for it, there is no man to whom I would dare +mention the matter in which I desire thy counsel; I would rather +have my eye plucked out; I would rather be put to death by thee +than that thou shouldst speak of it to another man. But I hold +thee to be so loyal and prudent that I will reveal to thee all my +thought. I am sure thou wilt observe my wishes, both by aiding +me and holding thy peace." "Truly, sire so, help me God!" Then +Cliges speaks and explains to him openly the adventurous plan. +And when he had revealed the project--as you have heard me set +it forth--then John said that he would promise to construct the +sepulchre in accordance with his best skill, and said that he +would take him to see a certain house of his which no one yet had +ever seen--not even his wife or any child of his. This house, +which he had built, he would show him, if he cared to go with him +to the place where in absolute privacy he works and paints and +carves. He would show him the finest and prettiest place that he +had ever seen. Cliges replies: "Let us go thither then." + +(Vv. 5555-5662.) Below the city, in a remote spot, John had +expended much labour in the construction of a tower. Thither he +conducted Cliges, leading him through the different storeys, +which were decorated with fine painted pictures. He shows him +the rooms and the fire-places, taking him everywhere up and down. +Cliges examines this lonely house where no one lives or has +access. He passes from one room to another, until he thinks he +has seen it all, and he is much pleased with the tower and says +he thinks it is very fine. The lady will be comfortable there as +long as she lives, for no one will know of her dwelling place. +"No sire, you are right; she will never be discovered here. But +do you think you have seen all of my tower and fair retreat? +There still remain rooms so concealed that no man could ever find +them out. And if you choose to test the truth of this by +investigating as thoroughly as you can, you can never be so +shrewd and clever in your search as to find another story here, +unless I show you and point it out. You must know that baths are +not lacking here, nor anything else which a lady needs, and which +I can think of or recall. The lady will be here at her ease. +Below the level of the ground the tower widens out, as you will +see, and you cannot anywhere find any entrance-door. The door is +made of hard stone with such skill and art that you cannot find +the crack." Cliges says: "These are wonderful things I hear. +Lead on and I will follow you, for I am anxious to see all this." +Then John started on, taking Cliges by the hand, until he came to +a smooth and polished door, all coloured and painted over. When +John came to the wall, he stopped, holding Cliges by the right +hand. "Sire," he says, "there is no one who could see a window +or a door in this wall; and do you think that any one could pass +through it without using violence and breaking it down?" And +Cliges replies that he does not think so, and that he will never +think so, unless he sees it first. Then John says that he shall +see it at once, and that he will open a door in the wall for him. +John, who constructed this piece of work, unfastens the door in +the wall and opens it for him, so that he has to use no strength +or violence to force it; then, one stepping before the other, +they descend by a winding-stair to a vaulted apartment where John +used to do his work, when it pleased him to labour at anything. +"Sire," he says, "of all the men God ever made, no one but us two +has ever been where we are now. And you shall see presently how +convenient the place is. My advice is that you choose this as +your retreat, and that your sweetheart be lodged here. These +quarters are good enough for such a guest; for there are +bedrooms, and bathrooms with hot water in the tubs, which comes +through pipes under the ground. Whoever is looking for a +comfortable place in which to establish and conceal his lady, +would have to go a long way before he would find anything so +charming. When you shall have explored it thoroughly you will +find this place very suitable." Then John showed him everything, +fine chambers and painted vaults, pointing out many examples of +his work which pleased Cliges much. When they had examined the +whole tower, Cliges said: "John, my friend, I set you free and +all your descendants, and my life is absolutely in your hands. I +desire that my sweetheart be here all alone, and that no one +shall know of it excepting me and you and her." John makes +answer: "I thank you, sire. Now we have been here long enough, +and as we have nothing more to do, let us return." "That is +right," says Cliges, "let us be gone." Then they go away, and +leave the tower. Upon their return they hear every one in the +city saying to his neighbour: "Don't you know the marvellous news +about my lady, the empress? May the Holy Spirit give her health +-- the gentle and prudent lady; for she lies sick of a grievous +malady." + +(Vv. 5663-5698.) When Cliges heard this talk he went in haste to +the court. But there was no joy or gladness there: for all the +people were sad and prostrated because of the empress, who is +only feigning to be ill; for the illness of which she complains +causes her no grief or pain. But she has told them all that she +wishes no one to enter her room so long as her sickness maintains +its grip with its accompanying pains in her heart and head. She +makes an exception, however, in favour of the emperor and his +nephew, not wishing to place a ban upon them; but she will not +care if the emperor, her lord, does not come. For Cliges' sake +she is compelled to pass through great pain and peril. It +distresses her that he does not come, for she has no desire to +see any one but him. Cliges, however, will soon be there, to +tell her of what he has seen and found. He came into the room +and spoke to her, but stayed only a moment, for Fenice, in order +that they might think she was annoyed by what pleased her so, +cried out aloud: "Be gone, be gone! You disturb and bother me +too much, for I am so seriously ill that I shall never rise up +again." Cliges, though pleased with this, goes away with a sad +face: you would never see so woeful a countenance. To judge from +his appearance he is very sad; but within his heart is gay in +anticipation of its joy. + +(Vv. 5699-5718.) The empress, without being really ill, +complains and pretends that she is sick. And the emperor, who +has faith in her, ceases not to grieve, and summons a physician. +But she will not allow any one to see her or touch her. The +emperor may well feel chagrined when she says that she will never +have but one doctor, who can easily restore her to health +whenever it pleases him to do so. He can cause her to die or to +live, and to him she trusts her health and life. They think that +she refers to God; but her meaning is very different, for she is +thinking of no one but Cliges. He is her god who can bring her +health, or who can cause her death. + +(Vv. 5719-5814.) Thus the empress takes care that no physician +shall examine her; and more completely to deceive the emperor she +refuses to eat or drink, until she grows all pale and blue. +Meanwhile her nurse keeps busy about her, and with great +shrewdness sought privily all through the city, without the +knowledge of any one, until she found a woman who was hopelessly +ill with a mortal disease. In order to perfect her ruse she used +to go to see her often and promised to cure her of her illness; +so each day she used to take a urinal in which to examine the +urine, until she saw one day that no medicine could ever be of +any help, and that she would die that very day. This urine +Thessala carried off and kept until the emperor arose, when she +went to him and said: "If now it be your will, my lord, send for +all your physicians; for my mistress has passed some water; she +is very ill with this disease, and she desires the doctors to see +it, but she does not wish them to come where she is." The +doctors came into the hall and found upon examination that the +urine was very bad and colourless, and each one said what he +thought about it. Finally, they all agreed that she would never +recover, and that she would scarcely live till three o'clock, +when, at the latest, God would take her soul to Himself. This +conclusion they reached privately, when the emperor asked and +conjured them to tell him the truth. They reply that they have +no confidence in her recovery, and that she cannot live past +three o'clock but will yield up her soul before that time. When +the emperor heard this, he almost fell unconscious to the floor, +as well as many others who heard the news. Never did any people +make such moan as there was then throughout the palace. However, +I will speak no further of their grief; but you shall hear of +Thessala's activities--how she mixes and brews the potion. She +mixed and stirred it up, for she had provided herself a long time +in advance with everything which she would need for the potion. +A little before three o'clock she gives her the potion to drink. +At once her sight became dimmed, her face grew as pale and white +as if she had lost her blood: she could not have moved a foot or +hand, if they had flayed her alive, and she does not stir or say +a word, although she perceives and hears the emperor's grief and +the cries which fill the hall. The weeping crowds lament through +all the city, saying: "God! what woe and misfortune has been +brought upon us by wicked death! O covetous and voracious death! +Death is worse than a she-wolf which always remains insatiable. +Such a cruel bite thou hast never inflicted upon the world! +Death, what hast thou done? May God confound thee for having put +out the light of perfect beauty! Thou hast done to death the +fairest and most lovely creature, had she but lived, whom God has +ever sought to form. God's patience surely is too great when He +suffers thee to have the power to break in pieces what belongs to +Him. Now God ought to be wroth with thee, and cast thee out of +thy bailiwick; for thy impudence has been too great, as well as +thy pride and disrespect." Thus the people storm about and wring +their arms and beat their hands; while the priests read their +psalms, making prayers for the good lady, that God may have mercy +on her soul. + +(Vv. 5815-5904.) (40) In the midst of the tears and cries, as +the story runs, there arrived aged physicians from Salerno, where +they had long sojourned. At the sight of the great mourning they +stopped to ask and inquire the cause of the cries and tears--why +all the people are in such sorrow and distress. And this is +the answer they receive: "God! gentlemen, don't you know? The +whole world would be beside itself as we are, if it but knew of +the great sorrow and grief and woe and loss which has come to us +this day. God! where have you come from, then, that you do not +know what has happened just now in this city? We will tell you +the truth, for we wish you to join with us in the grief we feel. +Do you not know about grim Death, who desires and covets all +things, and everywhere lies in wait for what is best, do you not +know what mad act she has committed to-day, as it is her wont to +do? God has illuminated the world with one great radiance, with +one bright light. But Death cannot restrain herself from acting +as her custom is. Every day, to the extent of her power, she +blots out the best creature she can find. So she wishes to try +her power, and in one body she has carried off more excellence +than she has left behind. She would have done better to take the +whole world, and leave alive and sound this prey which now she +has carried off. Beauty, courtesy, and knowledge, and all that a +lady can possess of goodness has been taken and filched from us +by Death, who has destroyed all goodness in the person of our +lady, the empress. Thus Death has deprived us all of life." +"Ah, God!" the doctors say, "we know that Thou art wroth with +this city because we did not reach here sooner. If we had +arrived here yesterday, Death might have boasted of her strength +if she could wrest her prey from us." "Gentlemen, madame would +not have allowed you at any price to see her or to exercise your +skill. Of good physicians there was no lack, but madame would +not permit any one of them to see her or to investigate her +malady." "No?" "Truly, sirs, that she would not." Then they +recalled the case of Solomon, who was so hated by his wife that +she deceived him by feigning death. (41) They think this woman +has done the same. But if they could in any way bring about her +cure, no one could make them lie or keep them from exposing the +truth, if they discovered any trickery. So to the court they +take their way, where there was such a noise and cry that you +could not have heard God's thunder crash. The chief of these +three doctors, who knew the most, drew near the bier. No one +says to him "Keep hands off," and no one tries to hold him back. +He places his hand on her breast and side, and surely feels that +life is still in the body: he perceives and knows that well +enough. He sees the emperor standing by, mad and tormented by +his grief. Seeing him, he calls aloud: "Emperor, console +thyself! I am sure and plainly see that this lady is not dead. +Leave off thy grief, and be comforted! If I do not restore her +alive to thee, thou mayst kill me or string me up." + +(Vv. 5995-5988.) At once throughout the palace the noise is +quieted and hushed. And the emperor bade the doctor tell him +fully his orders and wishes, whatever they might be. If he can +restore life in the empress he will be sire and lord over the +emperor himself; but if he has in any respect lied to him he will +be hanged like a common thief. And the doctor said: "I consent +to that, and may you never have mercy upon me if I do not cause +her to speak to you here! Without tarrying and without delay +have the palace cleared at once, and let not a single soul +remain. I must examine in private the illness which afflicts the +lady. These two doctors, who are my friends, will remain with me +alone in the room, and let every one else go out." This order +would have been opposed by Cliges, John, and Thessala; but all +the others who were there might have turned against them if they +had tried to oppose his order. So they hold their peace and +approve what they hear approved by the others, and leave the +palace. After the three doctors had forcibly tipped apart the +lady's winding-sheer, without using any knife or scissors, they +said to her: "Lady, don't be frightened, have no fear, but speak +to us with confidence! We know well enough that you are +perfectly sound and in good state. Be sensible and obliging now, +and do not despair of anything, for if you have any need of us we +will all three assure you of our aid, whether for good or ill. +We shall be very loyal to you, both in keeping our counsel and in +helping you. Do not keep us talking here! Since we put at your +disposal our skill and service, you should surely not refuse." +Thus they think to hoodwink and deceive her, but they have no +success; for she has no need or care for the service which they +promise her; so they are wasting their time in a vain effort. +When the three physicians see that they will make nothing out of +her either by prayer or flattery, then they take her from her +bier, and begin to beat and belabour her. But their efforts are +foolish, for not a word can they extract from her. Then they +threaten and try to terrify her by saying that if she does not +speak she will soon have reason to repent of her folly, for they +are going to do such a wonderful thing to her that such a thing +was never done to the body of any wretched woman. "We know that +you are alive, and will not deign to speak to us. We know that +you are feigning death, and would thus deceive the emperor. Have +no fear of us! If any of us has angered you, before we do you +further harm, cease your mad behaviour now, for you are acting +wickedly; and we will lend you our aid in any enterprise--wise +or mad." But it cannot be; they have no success. Then they +renew their attack, striking her with thongs upon the back, so +that the welts are plainly seen, and they combine to tear her +tender flesh until they cause the blood to flow. + +(Vv. 5989-6050.) When they had beaten her with the thongs until +they had slashed her flesh, and when the blood is dropping down, +as it trickles from among the wounds, even then their efforts are +of no avail to extract from her a sigh or word, nor to make her +stir or move. Then they say that they must procure fire and +lead, which they will melt and lay upon her hands, rather than +fail in their efforts to make her speak. After securing a light +and some lead they kindle a fire and melt the lead. Thus the +miserable villains torment and afflict the lady, by taking the +lead all boiling hot from the fire and pouring it into the palms +of her hands. Not satisfied with pouring the lead clean through +her palms, the cowardly rascals say that, if she does not speak +at once they will straightway stretch her on the grate until she +is completely grilled. Yet, she holds her peace, and does not +refuse to have her body beaten and maltreated by them. Now they +were on the point of placing her upon the fire to be roasted and +grilled when more than a thousand ladies, who were stationed +before the palace, come to the door and through a little crack +catch sight of the torture and anguish which they were inflicting +upon the lady, as with coal and flame they accomplished her +martyrdom. They bring clubs and hammers to smash and break down +the door. Great was the noise and uproar as they battered and +broke in the door. If now they can lay hands on the doctors, the +latter will not have long to wait before they receive their full +deserts. With a single rush the ladies enter the palace, and in +the press is Thessala, who has no other aim than to reach her +mistress. Beside the fire she finds her stripped, severely +wounded and injured. She puts her back in the bier again, and +over her she spreads a cloth, while the ladies go to give their +reward to the three doctors, without wishing to wait for the +emperor or his seneschal. Out of the windows they threw them +down into the court-yard, breaking the necks, ribs, arms, and +legs of all: no better piece of work was ever done by any ladies. + +(Vv. 6051-6162.) Now the three doctors have received their +gruesome reward at the hands of the ladies. But Cliges is +terror-stricken and filled with grief upon hearing of the pain +and martyrdom which his sweetheart has endured for him. He is +almost beside himself, fearing greatly, and with good reason, +that she may be dead or badly injured by the torture inflicted +upon her by the three physicians who now are dead. So he is in +despair and despondency when Thessala comes, bringing with her a +very precious ointment with which she has already gently rubbed +the body and wounds of her mistress. When they laid her back in +her bier the ladies wrapped her again in a cloth of Syrian stuff, +leaving her face uncovered. All that night there is no abatement +of the cries they raise unceasingly. Throughout the city. high +and low, poor and rich, are beside themselves with grief, and it +seems as if each one boasts that he will outdo all others in his +woe, and would fain never be comforted. All that night the grief +continues. The next morning John came to the court; and the +emperor sends for him and issues to him this command: "John, if +ever thou wroughtest a fine piece of work, now put forth and show +all thy skill in constructing such a sepulchre as for beauty and +workmanship shall have no match." And John, who had already +performed the task, says that he has already completed one which +is very fine and cleverly wrought; but when he began the work he +had no thought that other than a holy body should be laid in it. +"Now let the empress be laid in it and buried in some sacred +place, for she, I think, is sanctified." "You have spoken well," +says the emperor; "she shall be buried yonder in my lord Saint +Peter's Church, where bodies are wont to be interred. For before +her death she made this request of me, that I should have her +buried there. Now go about your task, and place your sepulchre +in the best position in the cemetery, where it ought rightfully +to be." John replies: "Very well, my lord." John at once takes +his leave, and prepares the sepulchre with great skill; a +feather-bed he placed inside, because the stone was hard and +cold; and in order that the odour may be sweet, he spreads +flowers and leaves about. Another reason for doing this was that +no one might perceive the mattress he had laid within the grave. +Already Mass had been said for the dead in the churches and +parishes, and the bells were tolling continuously as is proper +for the dead. Orders are given to bring the body to be laid in +the sepulchre, which John with all his skill has constructed so +richly and handsomely. In all Constantinople none remains, +whether small or great, who does not follow the body in tears, +cursing and reproaching Death. Knights and youths alike grow +faint, while the ladies and damsels beat their breasts as they +thus find fault with Death: "O Death," cries each, "why didst +thou not take ransom for my lady? Surely, thy gain was slight +enough, whereas the loss to us is great." And in this grief +Cliges surely bears his part, as he suffers and laments more than +all the others do, and it is strange he does not kill himself. +But still he decides to put this off until the hour and the time +shall come for him to disinter her and get possession of her and +see whether she be alive or not. Over the gave stand the men who +let down the body into its place; but, with John there, they do +not meddle with the adjustment of the sarcophagus, and since they +were so prostrated that they could not see, John had plenty of +time to perform his special task. When the coffin was in its +place, and nothing else was in the grave, he sealed up tightly +all the joints. When this was done, any one would have been +skilful who, except by force or violence, could take away or +loosen anything which John had put inside. + +(Vv. 6163-6316.) Fenice lies in the sepulchre until the darkness +of night came on. But thirty knights mount guard over her, and +there are ten tapers burning there, which light up the place all +about. The knights were weary and exhausted by the strain they +had undergone; so they ate and drank that night until they all +fell sound asleep. When night came on, Cliges steals away from +the court and from all his followers, so that there was not a +single knight or servant who knew what had become of him. He did +not stop until he found John, who advises him as best he can. He +furnishes him with arms, but he will never have any need of them. +Once armed, they both spur to the cemetery. The cemetery was +enclosed all about with a high wall, so that the knights, who had +gone asleep after making the gate fast within, could rest assured +that no one would enter there. Cliges does not see how he can +get in, for there is no passing through the gate. And yet, +somehow he must pass through, for love bids him and drives him +on. He tries the wall and climbs up, being strong and agile. +Inside was a garden planted with trees, one of which stood so +near the wall that it touched it. Now Cliges had what he needed, +and after letting himself down by the tree, the first thing he +did was to go to open the gate for John. Seeing the knights +asleep, they extinguished all the lights, so that the place +remained in darkness. And John now uncovers the grave and opens +the coffin, taking care to do it no harm. Cliges steps into the +grave and lifts out his Sweetheart, all weak and prostrate, whom +he fondles, kisses, and embraces. He does not know whether to +rejoice or regret that she does not stir or move. And John, as +quickly as he could, closed up the sepulchre again, so that it +was not apparent that any one had tampered with it. Then they +betook themselves as fast as they could to the tower. When they +had set her in the tower, in the rooms which were beneath the +level of the ground, they took off her grave clothes; and Cliges, +who knew nothing of the potion which she had taken, which made +her dumb and kept her motionless, thinks that she is dead, and is +in despair with anxiety as he heavily sighs and weeps. But soon +the time will come for the potion to lose its force. And Fenice, +who hears his grief, struggles and strives for strength to +comfort him by word or glance. Her heart almost bursts because +of the sorrow which he shows. "Ah Death!" he says, "how mean +thou art, to spare and reprieve all things despicable and vile--to +let them live on and endure. Death! art thou beside thyself +or drunk, who hast killed my lady without me? This is a +marvellous thing I see: my lady is dead, and I still live on! +Ah, precious one, why does your lover live to see you dead? One +now could rightly say that you have died in my service, and that +it is I who have killed and murdered you. Sweetheart, then I am +the death that has smitten you. Is not that wrong? For it is my +own life I have lost in you, and have preserved your life in me. +For did not your health and life belong to me. sweet one? And +did not mine belong to you? For I loved nothing excepting you, +and our double existence was as one. So now I have done what was +right in keeping your soul in my body while mine has escaped from +your body, and one ought to go to seek the company of the other, +wherever it may be, and nothing ought to separate them." At this +she heaves a gentle sigh and whispers faintly: "Lover mine, I am +not altogether dead, but very near it. I value my life but +little now. I thought it a jest and a mere pretence; but now I +am indeed to be pitied, for death has not treated this as a jest. +It will be a marvel if I escape alive. For the doctors have +seriously wounded me, and broken my flesh and disfigured me. And +yet, if it was possible for my nurse to come here, and if efforts +were of any avail, she would restore me to health again." "Do +not worry, dear, about that," says Cliges, "for this very night I +will bring her here." "Dear, let John go for her now." So John +departed and looked for her until he found her, and told her how +he wished her to come along and to let no other cause detain her; +for Fenice and Cliges have sent for her to come to a tower where +they are awaiting her; and that Fenice is in a grievous state, so +that she must come provided with ointments and remedies, and to +bear in mind that she will not live long, if she does not quickly +come to bear her aid. Thessala runs at once and, taking +ointments, plaster, and remedies which she has prepared, she +meets John again. Secretly they go out from the city, until they +come straight to the tower. When Fenice sees her nurse, she +feels already cured, because of the loving faith and trust she +places in her. And Cliges greets her affectionately, and says: +"Welcome, nurse, whom I love and prize. Nurse, for God's sake, +what do you think of this young lady's malady? What is your +opinion? Will she recover?" "Yes, my lord, have no fear but +that I shall restore her completely. A fortnight will not pass +before I make her so well that she was never before so lively and +strong." + +(Vv. 6317-6346.) While Thessala is busy with her remedies, John +goes to provide the tower with everything that is necessary. +Cliges goes to the tower and comes away bravely and openly, for +he has lodged a moulting falcon there, and he says that he goes +to visit it; thus no one can guess that he goes there for any +other reason than for the falcon. He makes long stays there +night and day. He orders John to guard the tower, so that no one +shall enter against his will. Fenice now has no further cause to +complain, for Thessala has completely cured her. If Cliges were +Duke of Almeria, Morocco, or Tudela, he would not consider it all +worth a holly-berry compared with the joy which he now feels. +Certainly Love did not debase itself when it joined these two, +for it seems to them, when they embrace and kiss each other. that +all the world must be better for their joy and happiness. Now +ask me no more of this, for one can have no wish in which the +other does not acquiesce. Thus they have but one desire, as if +they two themselves were one. + +(Vv. 6347-6392.) Fenice was in the tower, I believe, all that +year and full two months of the next, until summer came again. +When the trees bring forth their flowers and leaves, and the +little birds rejoice, singing gaily their litanies, it came about +that Fenice one morning heard the song of the nightingale. +Cliges was holding her tightly clasped with his arms about her +waist and neck, and she held him in a like embrace, as she said: +"Dear fair lover mine. A garden would do me good, in which I +could disport myself. For more than fifteen months I have not +seen the light of moon or sun. If possible, I would fain go out +yonder into the daylight, for here in this tower I am confined. +If there was a garden near, where I could go and amuse myself, it +would often do me good." Then Cliges promises her to consult +with John about it as soon as he can see him. At that very +moment John came in, as he was often wont to do, and Cliges spoke +to him of what Fenice desired. John replies: "All that she asks +for is already provided and supplied. This tower is well +equipped with what she wishes and requires." Then Fenice was +very glad, and asked John to take her there, which he said he +would very gladly do. Then John goes and opens a door, +constructed in a fashion which I cannot properly describe. No +one but John could have made it, and no one could have asserted +that there was any door or window there--so perfectly was it +concealed. + +(Vv. 6393-6424.) When Fenice saw the door open, and the sun come +streaming in, as she had not seen it for many a day, her heart +beat high with joy; she said that now there was nothing lacking, +since she could leave her dungeon-tower, and that she wished for +no other lodging-place. She passed out through the door into the +garden, with its pleasures and delights. In the middle of the +garden stood a grafted tree loaded with blooming flowers and +leaves, and with a wide-spreading top. The branches of it were +so trained that they all hung downwards until they almost touched +the ground; the main trunk, however, from which they sprang, rose +straight into the air. Fenice desires no other place. Beneath +the tree the turf is very pleasant and fine, and at noon, when it +is hot, the sun will never be high enough for its rays to +penetrate there. John had shown his skill in arranging and +training the branches thus. There Fenice goes to enjoy herself, +where they set up a bed for her by day. There they taste of joy +and delight. And the garden is enclosed about with a high wall +connected with the tower, so that nothing can enter there without +first passing through the tower. + +(Vv. 6425-6586.) Fenice now is very happy: there is nothing to +cause her displeasure, and nothing is lacking which she desires, +when her lover is at liberty to embrace her beneath the blossoms +and the leaves. (42) At the season when people take the sparrow- +hawk and setter and hunt the lark and brown-thrush or stalk the +quail and partridge, it chanced that a knight of Thrace, who was +young and alert and inclined to knightly sport, came one day +close by the tower in his search for game. The hawk of Bertrand +(for~such was his name) having missed a lark, had flown away, and +Bertrand thought how great his loss would be if he should lose +his hunting-bird. When he saw it come down and light in a garden +beneath the tower he was glad, for he thought he could not lose +it now. At once he goes and clambers up the wall until he +succeeds in getting over it, when beneath the tree he sees Fenice +and Cliges lying asleep and naked in close embrace. "God!" said +he, "what has happened to me now? What marvel is this I see? Is +that not Cliges? It surely is. Is not that the empress with him +there? Nay, but it looks like her. Never did one thing so +resemble another. Her nose, her mouth, and brow are like those +of my lady the empress. Never did Nature make two creatures of +such similitude. There is no feature in this woman here which I +have not seen in my lady. If she were alive, I should say that it +was certainly she herself." Just then a pear falls down and +strikes close by Fenice's ear. She jumps and awakes and, seeing +Bertrand, cries out aloud: "My dear, my dear, we are lost. +Yonder is Bertrand. If he escapes you, we are caught in a bad +trap, for he will tell that he has seen us." Then Bertrand +realised that it was the empress beyond any doubt. He sees the +necessity of leaving at once, for Cliges had brought with him his +sword into the garden, and had laid it down beside the bed. He +jumped up now and grasped his sword, while Bertrand hastily took +his leave. As fast as he could he scaled the wall, and was +almost safely over when Cliges coming after him raised his sword +and struck him with such violence that he severed his leg below +the knee, as if it had been a fennel stalk. In spite of this, +Bertrand got away, though badly wounded and maimed. Beside +themselves with grief and wrath at the sight of his sorry state, +his men on the other side picked him up, and insistently inquired +who it was who had used him thus. "Don't speak to me now," he +says, "but help me to mount my horse. No mention shall be made +of this excepting to the emperor. He who thus has treated me +must be, and doubtless is, in great terror; for he is in great +danger of his life." Then they set him upon his palfrey and lead +him through the city, sorely grieved in their fright the while. +After them more than twenty thousand others come, following them +to the court. And all the people run together, each striving to +be there first. Bertrand made his complaint aloud, in the +hearing of all, to the emperor: but they took him for an idle +chatterer when he said that he had seen the empress all exposed. +The city is in a ferment of excitement: some regard the news they +hear as simple nonsense, others advise and urge the emperor to +visit the tower himself. Great is the noise and confusion of the +people who prepare to accompany him. But they find nothing in +the tower, for Fenice and Cliges make their escape, taking with +them Thessala, who comforts them and declares to them that, if +perchance they see people coming after them to arrest them, they +need have no fear; that they would never approach to do them harm +within the range of a strong cross-bow. And the emperor within +the tower has John sought for and brought. He orders him to be +bound and tied saying that he will have him hanged or burnt, and +will have his ashes scattered wide. He shall receive his due +reward for the shame he has caused the emperor; but this reward +will not be agreeable, because John has hidden in the tower his +nephew with his wife. "Upon my word, you tell the truth," says +John; "I will not lie, but will go still further and declare the +truth, and if I have done any wrong it is right that I should be +seized. But I offer this as my excuse: that a servant ought to +refuse nothing when his lawful lord commands. Now, every one +knows forsooth that I am his, and this tower is too." "It is +not, John. Rather is it thine." "Mine, sire? Yes, after him: +but neither do I belong to myself, nor have I anything which is +mine, except what he pleased to bestow on me. And if you should +think to say that my lord is guilty of having done you wrong, I +am ready to take up his defence without any command from him. +But I feel emboldened to proclaim openly what is on my mind, just +as I have thought it out, for I know full well that I must die. +So I will speak regardless of results. For if I die for my +lord's sake, I shall not die an ignoble death, for the facts are +generally known about that oath and pledge which you gave to your +brother, that after you Cliges should be emperor, who now is +banished as a wanderer. But if God will, he shall yet be +emperor! Hence you are open to reproach, for you ought not to +have taken a wife; yet you married her and did Cliges a wrong, +and he has done you no wrong at all. And if I am punished with +death by you, and if I die wrongfully for his sake, and if he is +still alive, he will avenge my death on you. Now go and do the +best you can, for if I die you shall also die." + +(Vv. 6587-6630.) The emperor trembles with wrath upon hearing +the mocking words addressed to him by John. "John," he says. +"thou shalt have so much respite, until we find thy lord, who has +done such wrong to me, though I loved him dearly and had no +thought of defrauding him. Meanwhile, thou shalt stay in prison. +If thou knowest what has become of him, tell me at once, I order +thee." "I tell you? How can I commit such treachery? Were the +life to be drawn from my body I would not reveal my lord to you, +even if I knew his whereabouts. As a matter of fact, I do not +know any more than you where they have gone, so help me God! But +there is no need for your jealousy. I do not so much fear your +wrath that I should not say, so that all can hear, how you have +been deceived, even my words are not believed. You were deceived +and tricked by potion you drank on your wedding night. Unless it +happened in dream, when you were asleep, you have never had your +pleasure with her; but the night made you dream, and the dream +gave you as much satisfaction as if it had happened in your +waking hours that she had held you in her arms: that was the sum +of your satisfaction. Her heart was so devoted to Cliges that +she feigned death for his sake; and he had such confidence in me +that he explained it all to me and established her in my house, +which rightfully belongs to him. You ought not to find fault +with me. I ought, indeed, to be burnt or hanged, were I to +betray my lord or refuse to do his will." + +(Vv. 6631-6784.) When the emperor's attention is recalled to the +potion which he had been pleased to drink, and with which +Thessala had deceived him, then he realised for the first time +that he had never had pleasure with his wife, unless it had +happened in a dream: thus it was but an illusory joy. And he +says that if he does not take vengeance for the shame and +disgrace inflicted upon him by the traitor who has seduced his +wife, he will never again be happy. "Now quick!" he says, "as +far as Pavia, and from here to Germany, let no castle, town, or +city remain in which search is not made. I will hold that man +above all others dear who will bring to me captive the two of +them. Now up and down, near and far, go diligently and search!" +Then they started out with zeal and spent all that day in the +search. But in the number Cliges had some friends, who, if they +found them, would have led them to some hiding-place rather than +hale them back again. All that fortnight they exhausted +themselves in a fruitless search. For Thessala, who is acting as +their guide, conducts them by her arts and charms in such +security that they feel no dread or fear of all the strength of +the emperor. They seek repose in no town or city; yet they have +all they wish or desire, even more so than is usually the case. +For all they need is procured for them by Thessala, who searches +and scours and purveys for them. Nor is there any who hunts them +now, for all have returned to their homes again. Meanwhile +Cliges is not idle, but starts to find his uncle, King Arthur. +He continued his search until he found him, and to him he made +his claim and protest about his uncle, the emperor, who, in order +to disinherit him, had disloyally taken a wife, which it was not +right for him to do; for he had sworn to his father that he would +never marry in his life. And the King says that with a fleet he +will proceed to Constantinople, and that he will fill a thousand +ships with knights, and three thousand more with men-at-arms, +until no city or burg, town or castle, however strong or however +high, will be able to withstand their assault. Then Cliges did +not forget to thank the King for the aid he offered him. The +King sends out to seek and summon all the high barons of the +land, and causes to be requisitioned and equipped ships, war +vessels, boats, and barks. He has a hundred ships loaded and +filled with shields, lances, bucklers, and armour fit for +knights. The King makes such great preparations for the war that +never did Caesar or Alexander make the like. He orders to +assemble at his summons all England, and all Flanders, Normandy, +France, and Brittany, and all the men as far as the Pyrenees. +(43) Already they were about to set sail, when messengers arrived +from Greece who delayed the embarkation and kept the King and his +people back. Among the messengers who came was John, that trusty +man, for he would never be a witness or messenger of any news +which was not true, and which he did not know for a certainty. +The messengers were high born men of Greece, who came in search +for Cliges. They made inquiry and asked for him, until they +found him at the King's court, when they said to him: "God save +you, sire! Greece is made over to you. and Constantinople is +given to you by all those of your empire, because of the right +you have to them. Your uncle (but you know it not) is dead of +the grief he felt because he could not discover you. His grief +was such that he lost his mind; he would neither drink nor eat, +but died like a man beside himself. Fair sire, now come back +again! For all your lords have sent for you. Greatly they +desire and long for you, wishing to make you their emperor." +Some there were that rejoiced at this; and others there were who +would have gladly seen their guests elsewhere, and the fleet make +sail for Greece. But the expedition is given up, and the King +dismisses his men, and the hosts depart to their homes again. +And Cliges hurriedly makes haste in his desire to return to +Greece. He has no wish to tarry. His preparations made, he took +his leave of the King, and then of all his friends. and taking +Fenice with him, he goes away. They travel until they arrive in +Greece, where they receive him with the jubilation which they +ought to show to their rightful lord, and they give him his +sweetheart to be his wife. Both of them are crowned at once. +His mistress he has made his wife, but he still calls her his +mistress and sweetheart, and she can complain of no loss of +affection, for he loves her still as his mistress, and she loves +him, too, as a lady ought to love her lover. And each day saw +their love grow stronger: he never doubted her, nor did she blame +him for anything. She was never kept confined, as so many women +have been who have lived since her time. For never since has +there been an emperor who did not stand in fear of his wife, lest +he should be deceived by her, upon his hearing the story of how +Fenice deceived Alis, first with the potion which he drank, and +then later by that other ruse. Therefore, every empress, however +rich and noble she may be, is guarded in Constantinople as in a +prison, for the emperor has no confidence in her when he +remembers the story of Fenice. He keeps her constantly guarded +in her room, nor is there ever allowed any man in her presence, +unless he be a eunuch from his youth; in the case of such there +is no fear or doubt that Love will ensnare them in his bonds. +Here ends the work of Chretien. (44) + +ENDNOTES: +NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by +"(F.)"; all other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + +(1) There is no English version corresponding to the old French + "Cliges". The English metrical romance "Sir Cleges" has + nothing to do with the French romance. +(2) Ovid in "Metamorphosis", vi. 404, relates how Tantalus at a + feast to the gods offered them the shoulder of his own son. + It is not certain, however, that Chretien is referring here + to this slight episode of the "Metamorphosis". +(3) This allusion is generally taken as evidence that the poet + had written previously of the love of Tristan and Iseut. + Gaston Paris, however, in one of his last utterances + ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 297), says: "Je n'hesite + pas a dire que l'existence d'un poeme sur Tristan par + Chretien de Troies, a laquelle j'ai cru comme presque tout + le monde, me parait aujourd'hui fort peu probable; j'en vais + donner les raisons." +(4) The story of Philomela or Philomena, familiar in Chaucer's + "Legende of Good Women", is told by Ovid in "Metamorphosis", + vi. 426-674. Cretiens li Gois is cited by the author of the + "Ovide moralise" as the author of the episode of Philomena + incorporated in his long didactic poem. This episode has + been ascribed to Chretien de Troyes by many recent critics, + and has been separately edited by C. de Boer, who offers in + his Introduction a lengthy discussion of its authorship. + See C. de Boer, "Philomena, conte raconte d'apres Ovide par + Chretien de Troyes" (Paris, 1909). +(5) The present cathedral of Beauvais is dedicated to St. Peter, + and its construction was begun in 1227. The earlier + structure here referred to, destroyed in 1118, probably was + also dedicated to the same saint. (F.) +(6) The real kernal of the Cliges story, stripped of its lengthy + introduction concerning Alexandre and Soredamors, is told in + a few lines in "Marques de Rome", p. 135 (ed. J. Alton in + "Lit. Verein in Stuttgart", No. 187, Tubingen, 1889), as one + of the tales or "exempla" recounted by the Empress of Rome + to the Emperor and the Seven Sages. No names are given + except that of Cliges himself; the version owes nothing to + Chretien's poem, and seems to rest upon a story which the + author may have heard orally. See Foerster's "Einleitung to + Cliges" (1910), p. 32 f. +(7) This criticism of ignoble leisure on the part of a warrior + is found also in "Erec et Enide" and "Yvain". +(8) This allegorical tribute to "largesse" is quite in the + spirit of the age. When professional poets lived upon the + bounty of their patrons, it is not strange that their poetry + should dwell upon the importance of generosity in their + heroes. For an exhaustive collection of "chastisements" or + "enseignements", such as that here given to Alexandre by his + father, see Eugen Altner, "Ueber die chastiements in den + altfranzosischen chansons de geste" (Leipzig, 1885). +(9) As Miss Weston has remarked ("The Three Days' Tournament", + p. 45), the peculiar georgraphy of this poem "is distinctly + Anglo-Norman rather than Arthurian". +(10) For this intimate relation between heroes, so common in the + old French heroic and romantic poems, see Jacques Flach, "Le + compagnonnage dans les chansons de geste" in "Etudes + romances dediees a Gaston Paris" (Paris, 1891). Reviewed in + "Romania", xxii. 145. +(11) Here begins one of those long dialogues, where one person is + represented as taking both sides of an argument. This + rhetorical device, so wearisome to modern readers, is used + by Chretien preferably when some sentiment or deep emotion + is to be portrayed. Ovid may well have suggested the + device, but Ovid never abuses it as does the more prolix + mediaeval poet. For the part playing by the eyes in + mediaeval love sophistry, see J.F. Hanford, "The Debate of + Heart and Eye" in "Modern Language Notes", xxvi. 161-165; + and H.R. Lang, "The Eyes as Generators of Love." id. xxiii. + 126-127. +(12) For play upon words and for fanciful derivation of proper + names in mediaeval romance literature, see the interesting + article of Adolf Tobler in "Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211- + 266. Gaston Paris ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 354) + points out that Thomas used the same scene and the play upon + the same words "mer", "amer", and "amers" in his "Tristan" + and was later imitated by Gottfried von Strassburg. +(13) According to the 12th century troubadours, the shafts of + Love entered the victim's body through the eyes, and thence + pierced the heart. +(14) For fanciful derivation of proper names, cf. A. Tobler, + "Vermischte Beitrage", ii. 211-266. +(15) Ganelon, the traitor in the "Chanson de Roland", to whose + charge is laid the defeat of Charlemagne's rear-guard at + Ronceval, became the arch-traitor of mediaeval literature. + It will be recalled that Dante places him in the lowest pit + of Hell ("Inferno", xxxii. 122). (NOTE: There is a slight + time discrepance here. Roland, Ganelon, and the Battle of + Ronceval were said to have happened in 8th Century A.D., + fully 300 years after Arthur and the Round Table.--DBK). +(16) For the ceremonies attendant upon the conferring of + knighthood, see Karl Treis, "Die Formalitaten des + Ritterschlags in der altfranzosischen Epik" (Berlin, 1887). +(17) The "quintainne" was "a manikin mounted on a pivot and armed + with a club in such a way that, when a man struck it + unskilfully with his lance, it turned and landed a blow upon + his back" (Larousse). +(18) This conventional attitude of one engaged in thought or a + prey to sadness has been referred to by G.L. Hamilton in + "Ztsch fur romanische Philologie", xxxiv. 571-572. +(19) Many traitors in old French literature suffered the same + punishments as Ganelon, and were drawn asunder by horses + ("Roland", 3960-74). +(20) The same rare words "galerne" and "posterne" occur in rhyme + in the "Roman de Thebes", 1471-72. +(21) This qualified praise is often used in speaking of traitors + and of Saracens. +(22) The failure to identify the warriors is due to the fact that + the knights are totally encased in armour. +(23) A reference to the "Roman de Thebes", 1160 circ. +(24) The disregard of Alis for his nephew Cliges is similar to + that of King Mark for Tristan in another legend. In the + latter, however, Tristan joins with the other courtiers in + advising his uncle to marry, though he himself had been + chosen heir to the throne by Mark. cf. J. Bedier, "Le Roman + de Tristan", 2 vols. (Paris, 1902), i. 63 f. +(25) See Endnote #14 above. +(26) Cf. Shakespeare, "Othello", ii. I, where Cassio, speaking of + Othello's marriage with Desdemona, says: + "he hath achieved a maid + That paragons description and wild fame; + One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens, + And in the essential vesture of creation + Does tire the enginer." +(27) Ovid ("Metamorphosis", iii. 339-510) is Chretien's + authority. +(28) Cf. L. Sudre, "Les allusions a la legende de Tristan dans la + litterature du moyen age", "Romania", xv. 435 f. Tristan + was famed as a hunter, fencer, wrestler, and harpist. +(29) "The word `Thessala' was a common one in Latin, as meaning + `enchantress', `sorceress', `witch', as Pliny himself tells + us, adding that the art of enchantment was not, however, + indigenous to Thessaly, but came originally from Persia." + ("Natural History", xxx. 2).--D.B. Easter, "Magic Elements + in the romans d'aventure and the romans bretons, p. 7. + (Baltimore, 1906). A Jeanroy in "Romania", xxxiii. 420 + note, says: "Quant au nom de Thessala, il doit venir de + Lucain, tres lu dans les ecoles au XIIe siecle." See also + G. Paris in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 441 note. + Thessala is mentioned in the "Roman de la Violetta", v. 514, + in company with Brangien of the Tristan legend. +(30) Medea, the wife of Jason, is the great sorceress of classic + legend. +(31) This personage was regarded in the Middle Ages as an Emperor + of Rome. In the 13th-century poem of "Octavian" (ed. + Vollmuller, Heilbronn, 1883) he is represented as a + contemporary of King Dagobert! +(32) This commonplace remark is quoted as a proverb of the rustic + in "Ipomedon", 1671-72; id., 10, 348-51; "Roman de Mahomet", + 1587-88; "Roman de Renart", vi. 85-86; Gower's "Mirour de + l'omme", 28, 599, etc. +(33) It is curious to note that Corneille puts almost identical + words in the mouth of Don Gomes as he addresses the Cid ("Le + Cid", ii. 2). +(34) For this tournament and its parallels in folk-lore, see Miss + J.L. Weston, "The Three Days' Tournament" (London, 1902). + She argues (p. 14 f. and p. 43 f.) against Foerster's + unqualified opinion of the originality of Chretien in his + use of this current description of a tournament, an opinion + set forth in his "Einleitung to Lancelot", pp. 43, 126, 128, + 138. +(35) Note that Chretien here deliberately avoids such a list of + knights as he introduces in "Erec". (F.) +(36) It must be admitted that the text, which is offered by all + but one MS., is here unintelligible. The reference, if any + be intended, is not clear. (F.) +(37) Much has been made of this expression as intimating that + Chretien wrote "Cliges" as a sort of disavowal of the + immorality of his lost "Tristan". Cf. Foerster, "Cliges" + (Ed. 1910), p. xxxix f., and Myrrha Borodine, "La femme et + l'amour au XXIe Seicle d'apres les poemes de Chretien de + Troyes" (Paris, 1909). G. Paris has ably defended another + interpretation of the references in "Cliges" to the Tristan + legend in "Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 442 f. +(38) This curious moral teaching appears to be a perversion of + three passages form St. Paul's Epistles: I Cor. vii. 9, I + Cor. x. 32, Eph. v. 15. Cf. H. Emecke, "Chretien von Troyes + als Personlichkeit und als Dichter" (Wurzburg, 1892). +(39) "This feature of a woman who, thanks to some charm, + preserves her virginity with a husband whom she does not + love, is found not only in widespread stories, but in + several French epic poems. In only one, "Les Enfances + Guillaume", does the husband, like Alis, remain ignorant of + the fraud of which he is the victim, and think that he + really possesses the woman.... If Chretien alone gave to the + charm of the form of a potion, it is in imitation of the + love potion in "Tristan". (G. Paris in "Journal des + Savants", 1902, p. 446). For many other references to the + effect of herb potions, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte + Oerlichkeiten und Gegenstande in der altfranzosische + erzahlende Dichtung", p. 41 ff. (Hanover, 1908). +(40) I have pointed out the curious parallel between the + following passage and Dante's "Vita Nova", 41 ("Romantic + Review", ii. 2). There is no certain evidence that Dante + knew Chretien's work (cf. A. Farinelli, "Dante e la + Francia", vol. i., p. 16 note), but it would be strange if + he did not know such a distinguished predecessor. +(41) For the legend of Solomon deceived by his wife, see Foerster + "Cliges" (ed. 1910), p. xxxii. f., and G. Paris in + "Romania", ix. 436-443, and in "Journal des Savants", 1902, + p. 645 f. For an additional reference, add "Ipomedon", + 9103. +(42) For an imitation of the following scene, see Hans Herzog in + "Germania", xxxi. 325. +(43) "Porz d'Espaingne" refers to the passes in the Pyrenees + which formed the entrance-ways to Spain. Cf. The "Cilician + Gates" in Xenophon's "Anabasis". +(44) Chretien here insists upon his divergence from the famous + dictum attributed to the Countess Marie de Champagne by + Andre le Chapelain: "Praeceptum tradit amoris, quod nulla + etiam coniugata regis poterit amoris praemio coronari, nisi + extra coniugii foedera ipsius amoris militae cernatur + adiuneta". (Andreae Capellini, "De Amore", p. 154; Ed. + Trojel, Havniae, 1892). + + + +YVAIN +or, The Knight with the Lion + +(Vv. 1-174.) Arthur, the good King of Britain, whose prowess +teaches us that we, too, should be brave and courteous, held a +rich and royal court upon that precious feast-day which is always +known by the name of Pentecost. (1) The court was at Carduel in +Wales. When the meal was finished, the knights betook themselves +whither they were summoned by the ladies, damsels, and maidens. +Some told stories; others spoke of love, of the trials and +sorrows, as well as of the great blessings, which often fall to +the members of its order, which was rich and flourishing in those +days of old. But now its followers are few, having deserted it +almost to a man, so that love is much abased. For lovers used to +deserve to be considered courteous, brave, generous, and +honourable. But now love is a laughing-stock, for those who have +no intelligence of it assert that they love, and in that they +lie. Thus they utter a mockery and lie by boasting where they +have no right. (2) But let us leave those who are still alive, +to speak of those of former time. For, I take it, a courteous +man, though dead, is worth more than a living knave. So it is my +pleasure to relate a matter quite worthy of heed concerning the +King whose fame was such that men still speak of him far and +near; and I agree with the opinion of the Bretons that his name +will live on for evermore. And in connection with him we call to +mind those goodly chosen knights who spent themselves for +honour's sake. But upon this day of which I speak, great was +their astonishment at seeing the King quit their presence; and +there were some who felt chagrined, and who did not mince their +words, never before having seen the King, on the occasion of such +a feast, enter his own chamber either to sleep or to seek repose. +But this day it came about that the Queen detained him, and he +remained so long at her side that he forgot himself and fell +asleep. Outside the chamber door were Dodinel, Sagremor, and +Kay, my lord Gawain, my lord Yvain, and with them Calogrenant, a +very comely knight, who had begun to tell them a tale, though it +was not to his credit, but rather to his shame. The Queen could +hear him as he told his tale, and rising from beside the King, +she came upon them so stealthily that before any caught sight of +her, she had fallen, as it were, right in their midst. Calogrenant +alone jumped up quickly when he saw her come. Then +Kay, who was very quarrelsome, mean, sarcastic, and abusive, said +to him: "By the Lord, Calogrenant, I see you are very bold and +forward now, and certainly it pleases me to see you the most +courteous of us all. And I know that you are quite persuaded of +your own excellence, for that is in keeping with your little +sense. And of course it is natural that my lady should suppose +that you surpass us all in courtesy and bravery. We failed to +rise through sloth, forsooth, or because we did not care! Upon +my word, it is not so, my lord; but we did not see my lady until +you had risen first." "Really, Kay," the Queen then says, "I +think you would burst if you could not pour out the poison of +which you are so full. You are troublesome and mean thus to +annoy your companions." "Lady," says Kay, "if we are not better +for your company, at least let us not lose by it. I am not aware +that I said anything for which I ought to be accused, and so I +pray you say no more. It is impolite and foolish to keep up a +vain dispute. This argument should go no further, nor should any +one try to make more of it. But since there must be no more high +words, command him to continue the tale he had begun." Thereupon +Calogrenant prepares to reply in this fashion: "My lord, little +do I care about the quarrel, which matters little and affects me +not. If you have vented your scorn on me, I shall never be +harmed by it. You have often spoken insultingly, my lord Kay, to +braver and better men than I, for you are given to this kind of +thing. The manure-pile will always stink, (3) and gadflies +sting, and bees will hum, and so a bore will torment and make a +nuisance of himself. However, with my lady's leave, I'll not +continue my tale to-day, and I beg her to say no more about it, +and kindly not give me any unwelcome command." "Lady," says Kay, +"all those who are here will be in your debt, for they are +desirous to hear it out. Don't do it as a favour to me! But by +the faith you owe the King, your lord and mine, command him to +continue, and you will do well." "Calogrenant," the Queen then +says, "do not mind the attack of my lord Kay the seneschal. He +is so accustomed to evil speech that one cannot punish him for +it. I command and request you not to be angered because of him, +nor should you fail on his account to say something which it will +please us all to hear; if you wish to preserve my good-will, pray +begin the tale anew." "Surely, lady, it is a very unwelcome +command you lay upon me. Rather than tell any more of my tale +to-day, I would have one eye plucked out, if I did not fear your +displeasure. Yet will I perform your behest, however distasteful +it may be. Then since you will have it so, give heed. Let your +heart and ears be mine. For words, though heard, are lost unless +understood within the heart. Some men there are who give consent +to what they hear but do not understand: these men have the +hearing alone. For the moment the heart fails to understand, the +word falls upon the ears simply as the wind that blows, without +stopping to tarry there; rather it quickly passes on if the heart +is not so awake as to be ready to receive it. For the heart +alone can receive it when it comes along, and shut it up within. +The ears are the path and channel by which the voice can reach +the heart, while the heart receives within the bosom the voice +which enters through the ear. Now, whoever will heed my words, +must surrender to me his heart and ears, for I am not going to +speak of a dream, an idle tale, or lie, with which many another +has regaled you, but rather shall I speak of what I saw. + +(Vv. 175-268.) "It happened seven years ago that, lonely as a +countryman, I was making my way in search of adventures, fully +armed as a knight should be, when I came upon a road leading off +to the right into a thick forest. The road there was very bad, +full of briars and thorns. In spite of the trouble and +inconvenience, I followed the road and path. Almost the entire +day I went thus riding until I emerged from the forest of +Broceliande. (4) Out from the forest I passed into the open +country where I saw a wooden tower at the distance of half a +Welsh league: it may have been so far, but it was not anymore. +Proceeding faster than a walk, I drew near and saw the palisade +and moat all round it, deep and wide, and standing upon the +bridge, with a moulted falcon upon his wrist, I saw the master of +the castle. I had no sooner saluted him than he came forward to +hold my stirrup and invited me to dismount. I did so, for it was +useless to deny that I was in need of a lodging-place. Then he +told me more than a hundred times at once that blessed was the +road by which I had come thither. Meanwhile, we crossed the +bridge, and passing through the gate, found ourselves in the +courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard of this vavasor, to +whom may God repay such joy and honour as he bestowed upon me +that night, there hung a gong not of iron or wood, I trow, but +all of copper. Upon this gong the vavasor struck three times +with a hammer which hung on a post close by. Those who were +upstairs in the house, upon hearing his voice and the sound, came +out into the yard below. Some took my horse which the good +vavasor was holding; and I saw coming toward me a very fair and +gentle maid. On looking at her narrowly I saw she was tall and +slim and straight. Skilful she was in disarming me, which she +did gently and with address; then, when she had robed me in a +short mantle of scarlet stuff spotted with a peacock's plumes, +all the others left us there, so that she and I remained alone. +This pleased me well, for I needed naught else to look upon. +Then she took me to sit down in the prettiest little field, shut +in by a wall all round about. There I found her so elegant, so +fair of speech and so well informed, of such pleasing manners and +character, that it was a delight to be there, and I could have +wished never to be compelled to move. But as ill luck would have +it, when night came on, and the time for supper had arrived. The +vavasor came to look for me. No more delay was possible, so I +complied with his request. Of the supper I will only say that it +was all after my heart, seeing that the damsel took her seat at +the table just in front of me. After the supper the vavasor +admitted to me that, though he had lodged many an errant knight, +he knew not how long it had been since he had welcomed one in +search of adventure. Then, as a favour, he begged of me to +return by way of his residence, if I could make it possible. So +I said to him: `Right gladly, sire!' for a refusal would have +been impolite, and that was the least I could do for such a host. + +(Vv. 269-580.) That night, indeed, I was well lodged, and as +soon as the morning light appeared, I found my steed ready +saddled, as I had requested the night before; thus my request was +carried out. My kind host and his dear daughter I commended to +the Holy Spirit, and, after taking leave of all, I got away as +soon as possible. I had not proceeded far from my stopping-place +when I came to a clearing, where there were some wild bulls at +large; they were fighting among themselves and making such a +dreadful and horrible noise that if the truth be known, I drew +back in fear, for there is no beast so fierce and dangerous as a +bull. I saw sitting upon a stump, with a great club in his hand, +a rustic lout, as black as a mulberry, indescribably big and +hideous; indeed, so passing ugly was the creature that no word of +mouth could do him justice. On drawing near to this fellow, I +saw that his head was bigger than that of a horse or of any other +beast; that his hair was in tufts, leaving his forehead bare for +a width of more than two spans; that his ears were big and mossy, +just like those of an elephant; his eyebrows were heavy and his +face was flat; his eyes were those of an owl, and his nose was +like a cat's; his jowls were split like a wolf, and his teeth +were sharp and yellow like a wild boar's; his beard was black and +his whiskers twisted; his chin merged into his chest and his +backbone was long, but twisted and hunched. (5) There he stood, +leaning upon his club and accoutred in a strange garb, consisting +not of cotton or wool, but rather of the hides recently flayed +from two bulls or two beeves: these he wore hanging from his +neck. The fellow leaped up straightway when he saw me drawing +near. I do not know whether he was going to strike me or what he +intended to do, but I was prepared to stand him off, until I saw +him stop and stand stock-still upon a tree trunk, where he stood +full seventeen feet in height. Then he gazed at me but spoke not +a word, any more than a beast would have done. And I supposed +that he had not his senses or was drunk. However, I made bold to +say to him: `Come, let me know whether thou art a creature of +good or not.' And he replied: `I am a man.' `What kind of a +man art thou?' `Such as thou seest me to be: I am by no means +otherwise.' `What dost thou here?' `I was here, tending these +cattle in this wood.' `Wert thou really tending them? By Saint +Peter of Rome! They know not the command of any man. I guess +one cannot possibly guard wild beasts in a plain or wood or +anywhere else unless they are tied or confined inside.' `Well, I +tend and have control of these beasts so that they will never +leave this neighbourhood.' `How dost thou do that? Come, tell +me now!' `There is not one of them that dares to move when they +see me coming. For when I can get hold of one I give its two +horns such a wrench with my hard, strong hands that the others +tremble with fear, and gather at once round about me as if to ask +for mercy. No one could venture here but me, for if he should go +among them he would be straightway done to death. In this way I +am master of my beasts. And now thou must tell me in turn what +kind of a man thou art, and what thou seekest here.' `I am, as +thou seest, a knight seeking for what I cannot find; long have I +sought without success.' `And what is this thou fain wouldst +find?' `Some adventure whereby to test my prowess and my +bravery. Now I beg and urgently request thee to give me some +counsel, if possible, concerning some adventure or marvellous +thing.' Says he: `Thou wilt have to do without, for I know +nothing of adventure, nor did I ever hear tell of such. But if +thou wouldst go to a certain spring here hard by and shouldst +comply with the practice there, thou wouldst not easily come back +again. Close by here thou canst easily find a path which will +lead thee thither. If thou wouldst go aright, follow the straight +path, otherwise thou mayst easily go astray among the many other +paths. Thou shalt see the spring which boils, though the water +is colder than marble. It is shadowed by the fairest tree that +ever Nature formed, for its foliage is evergreen, regardless of +the winter's cold, and an iron basin is hanging there by a chain +long enough to reach the spring. And beside the spring thou +shalt find a massive stone, as thou shalt see, but whose nature I +cannot explain, never having seen its like. On the other side a +chapel stands, small, but very beautiful. If thou wilt take of +the water in the basin and spill it upon the stone, thou shalt +see such a storm come up that not a beast will remain within this +wood; every doe, star, deer, boar, and bird will issue forth. +For thou shalt see such lightning-bolts descend, such blowing of +gales and crashing of trees, such torrents fail, such thunder and +lightning, that, if thou canst escape from them without trouble +and mischance, thou wilt be more fortunate than ever any knight +was yet.' I left the fellow then, after he had pointed our the +way. It must have been after nine o'clock and might have been +drawing on toward noon, when I espied the tree and the chapel. I +can truly say that this tree was the finest pine that ever grew +on earth. I do not believe that it ever rained so hard that a +drop of water could penetrate it, but would rather drip from the +outer branches. From the tree I saw the basin hanging, (6) of +the finest gold that was ever for sale in any fair. As for the +spring, you may take my word that it was boiling like hot water. +The stone was of emerald, with holes in it like a cask, and there +were four rubies underneath, more radiant and red than is the +morning sun when it rises in the east. Now not one word will I +say which is not true. I wished to see the marvellous appearing +of the tempest and the storm; but therein I was not wise, for I +would gladly have repented, if I could, when I had sprinkled the +perforated stone with the water from the basin. But I fear I +poured too much, for straightway I saw the heavens so break loose +that from more than fourteen directions the lightning blinded my +eyes, and all at once the clouds let fall snow and rain and hail. +The storm was so fierce and terrible that a hundred times I +thought I should be killed by the bolts which fell about me and +by the trees which were rent apart. Know that I was in great +distress until the uproar was appeased. But God gave me such +comfort that the storm did not continue long, and all the winds +died down again. The winds dared not blow against God's will. +And when I saw the air clear and serene I was filled with joy +again. For I have observed that joy quickly causes trouble to be +forgot. As soon as the storm was completely past, I saw so many +birds gathered in the pine tree (if any one will believe my +words) that not a branch or twig was to be seen which was not +entirely covered with birds. (7) The tree was all the more +lovely then, for all the birds sang in harmony, yet the note of +each was different, so that I never heard one singing another's +note. I, too, rejoiced in their joyousness, and listened to them +until they had sung their service through, for I have never heard +such happy song, nor do I think any one else will hear it, unless +he goes to listen to what filled me with such joy and bliss that +I was lost in rapture. I stayed there until I heard some knights +coming, as I thought it seemed that there must be ten of them. +But all the noise and commotion was made by the approach of a +single knight. When I saw him coming on alone I quickly caught +my steed and made no delay in mounting him. And the knight, as +if with evil intent, came on swifter than an eagle, looking as +fierce as a lion. From as far as his voice could reach he began +to challenge me, and said: `Vassal, without provocation you have +caused me shame and harm. If there was any quarrel between us +you should first have challenged me, or at least sought justice +before attacking me. But, sir vassal, if it be within my power, +upon you shall fall the punishment for the damage which is +evident. About me here lies the evidence of my woods destroyed. +He who has suffered has the right to complain. And I have good +reason to complain that you have driven me from my house with +lightning-bolt and rain. You have made trouble for me, and +cursed be he who thinks it fair. For within my own woods and +town you have made such an attack upon me that resources of men +of arms and of fortifications would have been of no avail to me; +no man could have been secure, even if he had been in a fortress +of solid stone and wood. But be assured that from this moment +there shall be neither truce nor peace between us.' At these +words we rushed together, each one holding his shield well +gripped and covering himself with it. The knight had a good +horse and a stout lance, and was doubtless a whole head taller +than I. Thus, I was altogether at a disadvantage, being shorter +than he, while his horse was stronger than mine. You may be sure +that I will tell the facts, in order to cover up my shame. With +intent to do my best, I dealt him as hard a blow as I could give, +striking the top of his shield, and I put all my strength into it +with such effect that my lance flew all to splinters. His lance +remained entire, being very heavy and bigger than any knight's +lance I ever saw. And the knight struck me with it so heavily +that he knocked me over my horse's crupper and laid me flat upon +the ground, where he left me ashamed and exhausted, without +bestowing another glance upon me. He took my horse, but me he +left, and started back by the way he came. And I, who knew not +what to do, remained there in pain and with troubled thoughts. +Seating myself beside the spring I rested there awhile, not +daring to follow after the knight for fear of committing some +rash act of madness. And, indeed, had I had the courage, I knew +not what had become of him. Finally, it occurred to me that I +would keep my promise to my host and would return by way of his +dwelling. This idea pleased me, and so I did. I laid off all my +arms in order to proceed more easily, and thus with shame I +retraced my steps. When I reached his home that night, I found +my host to be the same good-natured and courteous man as I had +before discovered him to be. I could not observe that either his +daughter or he himself welcomed me any less gladly, or did me any +less honour than they had done the night before. I am indebted +to them for the great honour they all did me in that house; and +they even said that, so far as they knew or had heard tell, no +one had ever escaped, without being killed or kept a prisoner, +from the place whence I returned. Thus I went and thus I +returned, feeling, as I did so, deeply ashamed. So I have +foolishly told you the story which I never wished to tell again." + +(Vv. 581-648.) "By my head," cries my lord Yvain, "you are my +own cousin-german, and we ought to love each other well. But I +must consider you as mad to have concealed this from me so long. +If I call you mad, I beg you not to be incensed. For if I can, +and if I obtain the leave, I shall go to avenge your shame." "It +is evident that we have dined," says Kay, with his ever-ready +speech; "there are more words in a pot full of wine than in a +whole barrel of beer. (8) They say that a cat is merry when +full. After dinner no one stirs, but each one is ready to slay +Noradin, (9) and you will take vengeance on Forre! Are your +saddle-cloths ready stuffed, and your iron greaves polished, and +your banners unfurled? Come now, in God's name, my lord Yvain, +is it to-night or to-morrow that you start? Tell us, fair sire, +when you will start for this rude test, for we would fain convoy +you thither. There will be no provost or constable who will not +gladly escort you. And however it may be, I beg that you will +not go without taking leave of us; and if you have a bad dream +to-night, by all means stay at home!" "The devil, Sir Kay," the +Queen replies, "are you beside yourself that your tongue always +runs on so? Cursed be your tongue which is so full of +bitterness! Surely your tongue must hate you, for it says the +worst it knows to every man. Damned be any tongue that never +ceases to speak ill! As for your tongue, it babbles so that it +makes you hated everywhere. It cannot do you greater treachery. +See here: if it were mine, I would accuse it of treason. Any man +that cannot be cured by punishment ought to be tied like a madman +in front of the chancel in the church." "Really, madame," says +my lord Yvain, "his impudence matters not to me. In every court +my lord Kay has so much ability, knowledge, and worth that he +will never be deaf or dumb. He has the wit to reply wisely and +courteously to all that is mean, and this he has always done. +You well know if I lie in saying so. But I have no desire to +dispute or to begin our foolishness again. For he who deals the +first blow does not always win the fight, but rather he who gains +revenge. He who fights with his companion had better fight +against some stranger. I do not wish to be like the hound that +stiffens up and growls when another dog yaps at him." + +(Vv. 649-722.) While they were talking thus, the King came out +of his room where he had been all this time asleep. And when the +knights saw him they all sprang to their feet before him, but he +made them at once sit down again. He took his place beside the +Queen, who repeated to him word for word, with her customary +skill, the story of Calogrenant. The King listened eagerly to +it, and then he swore three mighty oaths by the soul of his +father Utherpendragon, and by the soul of his son, and of his +mother too, that he would go to see that spring before a +fortnight should have passed; and he would see the storm and the +marvels there by reaching it on the eve of my lord Saint John the +Baptist's feast; there he would spend the night, and all who +wished might accompany him. All the court thought well of this, +for the knights and the young bachelors were very eager to make +the expedition. But despite the general joy and satisfaction my +lord Yvain was much chagrined, for he intended to go there all +alone; so he was grieved and much put out because of the King who +planned to go. The chief cause of his displeasure was that he +knew that my lord Kay, to whom the favour would not be refused if +he should solicit it, would secure the battle rather than he +himself, or else perchance my lord Gawain would first ask for it. +If either one of these two should make request, the favour would +never be refused him. But, having no desire for their company, +he resolves not to wait for them, but to go off alone, if +possible, whether it be to his gain or hurt. And whoever may +stay behind, he intends to be on the third day in the forest of +Broceliande, and there to seek if possibly he may find the narrow +wooded path for which he yearns eagerly, and the plain with the +strong castle, and the pleasure and delight of the courteous +damsel, who is so charming and fair, and with the damsel her +worthy sire, who is so honourable and nobly born that he strives +to dispense honour. Then he will see the bulls in the clearing, +with the giant boor who watches them. Great is his desire to see +this fellow, who is so stout and big and ugly and deformed, and +as black as a smith. Then, too, he will see, if possible, the +stone and the spring itself, and the basin and the birds in the +pine-tree, and he will make it rain and blow. But of all this he +will not boast, nor, if he can help it, shall any one know of his +purpose until he shall have received from it either great +humiliation or great renown: then let the facts be known. + +(Vv. 723-746.) My lord Yvain gets away from the court without +any one meeting him, and proceeds alone to his lodging place. +There he found all his household, and gave orders to have his +horse saddled; then, calling one of his squires who was privy to +his every thought, he says: "Come now, follow me outside yonder, +and bring me my arms. I shall go out at once through yonder gate +upon my palfrey. For thy part, do not delay, for I have a long +road to travel. Have my steed well shod, and bring him quickly +where I am; then shalt thou lead back my palfrey. But take good +care, I adjure thee, if any one questions thee about me, to give +him no satisfaction. Otherwise, whatever thy confidence in me, +thou need never again count on my goodwill." "Sire," he says, +"all will be well, for no one shall learn anything from me. +Proceed, and I shall follow you." + +(Vv. 747-906.) My lord Yvain mounts at once, intending to +avenge, if possible, his cousin's disgrace before he returns. +The squire ran for the arms and steed; he mounted at once without +delay, since he was already equipped with shoes and nails. Then +he followed his master's track until he saw him standing mounted, +waiting to one side of the road in a place apart. He brought him +his harness and equipment, and then accoutred him. My lord Yvain +made no delay after putting on his arms, but hastily made his way +each day over the mountains and through the valleys, through the +forests long and wide, through strange and wild country, passing +through many gruesome spots, many a danger and many a strait, +until he came directly to the path, which was full of brambles +and dark enough; then he felt he was safe at last, and could not +now lose his way. Whoever may have to pay the cost, he will not +stop until he sees the pine which shades the spring and stone, +and the tempest of hail and rain and thunder and wind. That +night, you may be sure, he had such lodging as he desired, for he +found the vavasor to be even more polite and courteous than he +had been told, and in the damsel he perceived a hundred times +more sense and beauty than Calogrenant had spoken of, for one +cannot rehearse the sum of a lady's or a good man's qualities. +The moment such a man devotes himself to virtue, his story cannot +be summed up or told, for no tongue could estimate the honourable +deeds of such a gentleman. My lord Yvain was well content with +the excellent lodging he had that night, and when he entered the +clearing the next day, he met the bulls and the rustic boor who +showed him the way to take. But more than a hundred times he +crossed himself at sight of the monster before him--how Nature +had ever been able to form such a hideous, ugly creature. Then +to the spring he made his way, and found there all that he wished +to see. Without hesitation and without sitting down he poured +the basin full of water upon the stone, when straightway it began +to blow and rain, and such a storm was caused as had been +foretold. And when God had appeased the storm, the birds came to +perch upon the pine, and sang their joyous songs up above the +perilous spring. But before their jubilee had ceased there came +the knight, more blazing with wrath than a burning log, and +making as much noise as if he were chasing a lusty stag. As soon +as they espied each other they rushed together and displayed the +mortal hate they bore. Each one carried a stiff, stout lance, +with which they dealt such mighty blows that they pierced the +shields about their necks, and cut the meshes of their hauberks; +their lances are splintered and sprung, while the fragments are +cast high in air. Then each attacks the other with his sword, +and in the strife they cut the straps of the shields away, and +cut the shields all to bits from end to end, so that the shreds +hang down, no longer serving as covering or defence; for they +have so split them up that they bring down the gleaming blades +upon their sides, their arms, and hips. Fierce, indeed, is their +assault; yet they do not budge from their standing-place any more +than would two blocks of stone. Never were there two knights so +intent upon each other's death. They are careful not to waste +their blows, but lay them on as best they may; they strike and +bend their helmets, and they send the meshes of their hauberks +flying so, that they draw not a little blood, for the hauberks +are so hot with their body's heat that they hardly serve as more +protection than a coat. As they drive the sword-point at the +face, it is marvellous that so fierce and bitter a strife should +last so long. But both are possessed of such courage that one +would not for aught retreat a foot before his adversary until he +had wounded him to death. Yet, in this respect they were very +honourable in not trying or deigning to strike or harm their +steeds in any way; but they sat astride their steeds without +putting foot to earth, which made the fight more elegant. At +last my lord Yvain crushed the helmet of the knight, whom the +blow stunned and made so faint that he swooned away, never having +received such a cruel blow before. Beneath his kerchief his head +was split to the very brains, so that the meshes of his bright +hauberk were stained with the brains and blood, all of which +caused him such intense pain that his heart almost ceased to +beat. He had good reason then to flee, for he felt that he had a +mortal wound, and that further resistance would not avail. With +this thought in mind he quickly made his escape toward his town, +where the bridge was lowered and the gate quickly opened for him; +meanwhile my lord Yvain at once spurs after him at topmost speed. +As a gerfalcon swoops upon a crane when he sees him rising from +afar, and then draws so near to him that he is about to seize +him, yet misses him, so flees the knight, with Yvain pressing him +so close that he can almost throw his arm about him, and yet +cannot quite come up with him, though he is so close that he can +hear him groan for the pain he feels. While the one exerts +himself in flight the other strives in pursuit of him, fearing to +have wasted his effort unless he takes him alive or dead; for he +still recalls the mocking words which my lord Kay had addressed +to him. He had not yet carried out the pledge which he had given +to his cousin; nor will they believe his word unless he returns +with the evidence. The knight led him a rapid chase to the gate +of his town, where they entered in; but finding no man or woman +in the streets through which they passed, they both rode swiftly +on till they came to the palace-gate. + +(Vv. 907-1054.) The gate was very high and wide, yet it had such +a narrow entrance-way that two men or two horses could scarcely +enter abreast or pass without interference or great difficulty; +for it was constructed just like a trap which is set for the rat +on mischief bent, and which has a blade above ready to fall and +strike and catch, and which is suddenly released whenever +anything, however gently, comes in contact with the spring. In +like fashion, beneath the gate there were two springs connected +with a portcullis up above, edged with iron and very sharp. If +anything stepped upon this contrivance the gate descended from +above, and whoever below was struck by the gate was caught and +mangled. Precisely in the middle the passage lay as narrow as if +it were a beaten track. Straight through it exactly the knight +rushed on, with my lord Yvain madly following him apace, and so +close to him that he held him by the saddle-bow behind. It was +well for him that he was stretched forward, for had it not been +for this piece of luck he would have been cut quite through; for +his horse stepped upon the wooden spring which kept the +portcullis in place. Like a hellish devil the gate dropped down, +catching the saddle and the horse's haunches, which it cut off +clean. But, thank God, my lord Yvain was only slightly touched +when it grazed his back so closely that it cut both his spurs off +even with his heels. And while he thus fell in dismay, the other +with his mortal wound escaped him, as you now shall see. Farther +on there was another gate just like the one they had just passed; +through this the knight made his escape, and the gate descended +behind him. Thus my lord Yvain was caught, very much concerned +and discomfited as he finds himself shut in this hallway, which +was all studded with gilded nails, and whose walls were cunningly +decorated with precious paints. (10) But about nothing was he so +worried as not to know what had become of the knight. While he +was in this narrow place, he heard open the door of a little +adjoining room, and there came forth alone a fair and charming +maiden who closed the door again after her. When she found my +lord Yvain, at first she was sore dismayed. (11) "Surely, sir +knight," she says, "I fear you have come in an evil hour. If you +are seen here, you will be all cut to pieces. For my lord is +mortally wounded, and I know it is you who have been the death of +him. My lady is in such a state of grief, and her people about +her are crying so that they are ready to die with rage; and, +moreover, they know you to be inside. But as yet their grief is +such that they are unable to attend to you. The moment they come +to attack you, they cannot fail to kill or capture you, as they +may choose." And my lord Yvain replies to her: "If God will they +shall never kill me, nor shall I fall into their hands." "No," +she says, "for I shall do my utmost to assist you. It is not +manly to cherish fear. So I hold you to be a man of courage, +when you are not dismayed. And rest assured that if I could I +would help you and treat you honourably, as you in turn would do +for me. Once my lady sent me on an errand to the King's court, +and I suppose I was not so experienced or courteous or so well +behaved as a maiden ought to be; at any rate, there was not a +knight there who deigned to say a word to me except you alone who +stand here now; but you, in your kindness, honoured and aided me. +For the honour you did me then I shall now reward you. I know +full well what your name is, and I recognised you at once: your +name is my lord Yvain. You may be sure and certain that if you +take my advice you will never be caught or treated ill. Please +take this little ring of mine, which you will return when I shall +have delivered you." (12) Then she handed him the little ring +and told him that its effect was like that of the bark which +covers the wood so that it cannot be seen; but it must be worn so +that the stone is within the palm; then he who wears the ring +upon his finger need have no concern for anything; for no one, +however sharp his eyes may be, will be able to see him any more +than the wood which is covered by the outside bark. All this is +pleasing to my lord Yvain. And when she had told him this, she +led him to a seat upon a couch covered with a quilt so rich that +the Duke of Austria had none such, and she told him that if he +cared for something to eat she would fetch it for him; and he +replied that he would gladly do so. Running quickly into the +chamber, she presently returned, bringing a roasted fowl and a +cake, a cloth, a full pot of good grape-wine covered with a white +drinking-cup; all this she offered to him to eat. And he, who +stood in need of food, very gladly ate and drank. + +(Vv. 1055-1172.) By the time he had finished his meal the +knights were astir inside looking for him and eager to avenge +their lord, who was already stretched upon his bier. Then the +damsel said to Yvain: "Friend, do you hear them all seeking you? +There is a great noise and uproar brewing. But whoever may come +or go, do not stir for any noise of theirs, for they can never +discover you if you do not move from this couch. Presently you +will see this room all full of ill-disposed and hostile people, +who will think to find you here; and I make no doubt that they +will bring the body here before interment, and they will begin to +search for you under the seats and the beds. It will be amusing +for a man who is not afraid when he sees people searching so +fruitlessly, for they will all be so blind, so undone, and so +misguided that they will be beside themselves with rage. I +cannot tell you more just now, for I dare no longer tarry here. +But I may thank God for giving me the chance and the opportunity +to do some service to please you, as I yearned to do." Then she +turned away, and when she was gone all the crowd with one accord +had come from both sides to the gates, armed with clubs and +swords. There was a mighty crowd and press of hostile people +surging about, when they espied in front of the gate the half of +the horse which had been cut down. Then they felt very sure that +when the gates were opened they would find inside him whose life +they wished to take. Then they caused to be drawn up those gates +which had been the death of many men. But since no spring or +trap was laid for their passage they all came through abreast. +Then they found at the threshold the other half of the horse that +had been killed; but none of them had sharp enough eyes to see my +lord Yvain, whom they would gladly have killed; and he saw them +beside themselves with rage and fury, as they said: "How can this +be? For there is no door or window here through which anything +could escape, unless it be a bird, a squirrel, or marmot, or some +other even smaller animal; for the windows are barred, and the +gates were closed as soon as my lord passed through. The body is +in here, dead or alive, since there is no sign of it outside +there; we can see more than half of the saddle in here, but of +him we see nothing, except the spurs which fell down severed from +his feet. Now let us cease this idle talk, and search in all +these comers, for he is surely in here still, or else we are all +enchanted, or the evil spirits have filched him away from us." +Thus they all, aflame with rage, sought him about the room, +beating upon the walls, and beds, and seats. But the couch upon +which he lay was spared and missed the blows, so that he was not +struck or touched. But all about they thrashed enough, and +raised an uproar in the room with their clubs, like a blind man +who pounds as he goes about his search. While they were poking +about under the beds and the stools, there entered one of the +most beautiful ladies that any earthly creature ever saw. Word +or mention was never made of such a fair Christian dame, and yet +she was so crazed with grief that she was on the point of taking +her life. All at once she cried out at the top of her voice, and +then fell prostrate in a swoon. And when she had been picked up +she began to claw herself and tear her hair, like a woman who had +lost her mind. She tears her hair and rips her dress, and faints +at every step she takes; nor can anything comfort her when she +sees her husband borne along lifeless in the bier; for her +happiness is at an end, and so she made her loud lament. The +holy water and the cross and the tapers were borne in advance by +the nuns from a convent; then came missals and censers and the +priests, who pronounce the final absolution required for the +wretched soul. + +(Vv. 1173-1242.) My lord Yvain heard the cries and the grief +that can never be described, for no one could describe it, nor +was such ever set down in a book. The procession passed, but in +the middle of the room a great crowd gathered about the bier, for +the fresh warm blood trickled out again from the dead man's +wound, and this betokened certainly that the man was still surely +present who had fought the battle and had killed and defeated +him. Then they sought and searched everywhere, and turned and +stirred up everything, until they were all in a sweat with the +trouble and the press which had been caused by the sight of the +trickling crimson blood. Then my lord Yvain was well struck and +beaten where he lay, but not for that did he stir at all. And +the people became more and more distraught because of the wounds +which burst open, and they marvelled why they bled, without +knowing whose fault it was. (13) And each one to his neighbour +said: "The murderer is among us here, and yet we do not see him, +which is passing strange and mysterious." At this the lady +showed such grief that she made an attempt upon her life, and +cried as if beside herself: "All God, then will the murderer not +be found, the traitor who took my good lord's life? Good? Aye, +the best of the good, indeed! True God, Thine will be the fault +if Thou dost let him thus escape. No other man than Thou should +I blame for it who dost hide him from my sight. Such a wonder +was never seen, nor such injustice, as Thou dost to me in not +allowing me even to see the man who must be so close to me. When +I cannot see him, I may well say that some demon or spirit has +interposed himself between us, so that I am under a spell. Or +else he is a coward and is afraid of me: he must be a craven to +stand in awe of me, and it is an act of cowardice not to show +himself before me. Ah, thou spirit, craven thing! Why art thou +so in fear of me, when before my lord thou weft so brave? O +empty and elusive thing, why cannot I have thee in my power? Why +cannot I lay hands upon thee now? But how could it ever come +about that thou didst kill my lord, unless it was done by +treachery? Surely my lord would never have met defeat at thy +hands had he seen thee face to face. For neither God nor man +ever knew of his like, nor is there any like him now. Surely, +hadst thou been a mortal man, thou wouldst never have dared to +withstand my lord, for no one could compare with him." Thus the +lady struggles with herself, and thus she contends and exhausts +herself. And her people with her, for their part, show the +greatest possible grief as they carry off the body to burial. +After their long efforts and search they are completely exhausted +by the quest, and give it up from weariness, inasmuch as they can +find no one who is in any way guilty. The nuns and priests, +having already finished the service, had returned from the church +and were gone to the burial. But to all this the damsel in her +chamber paid no heed. Her thoughts are with my lord Yvain, and, +coming quickly, she said to him: "Fair sir, these people have +been seeking you in force. They have raised a great tumult here, +and have poked about in all the corners more diligently than a +hunting-dog goes ferreting a partridge or a quail. Doubtless you +have been afraid." "Upon my word, you are right," says he: "I +never thought to be so afraid. And yet, if it were possible I +should gladly look out through some window or aperture at the +procession and the corpse." Yet he had no interest in either the +corpse or the procession, for he would gladly have seen them all +burned, even had it cost him a thousand marks. A thousand marks? +Three thousand, verily, upon my word. But he said it because of +the lady of the town, of whom he wished to catch a glimpse. So +the damsel placed him at a little window, and repaid him as well +as she could for the honour which he had done her. From this +window my lord Yvain espies the fair lady, as she says: "Sire, +may God have mercy upon your soul! For never, I verily believe, +did any knight ever sit in saddle who was your equal in any +respect. No other knight, my fair sweet lord, ever possessed +your honour or courtesy. Generosity was your friend and boldness +your companion. May your soul rest among the saints, my fair +dear lord." Then she strikes and tears whatever she can lay her +hands upon. Whatever the outcome may be, it is hard for my lord +Yvain to restrain himself from running forward to seize her +hands. But the damsel begs and advises him, and even urgently +commands him, though with courtesy and graciousness, not to +commit any rash deed, saying: "You are well off here. Do not +stir for any cause until this grief shall be assuaged; let these +people all depart, as they will do presently. If you act as I +advise, in accordance with my views, great advantage may come to +you. It will be best for you to remain seated here, and watch +the people inside and out as they pass along the way without +their seeing you. But take care not to speak violently, for I +hold that man to be rather imprudent than brave who goes too far +and loses his self-restraint and commits some deed of violence +the moment he has the time and chance. So if you cherish some +rash thought be careful not to utter it. The wise man conceals +his imprudent thought and works out righteousness if he can. So +wisely take good care not to risk your head, for which they would +accept no ransom. Be considerate of yourself and remember my +advice. Rest assured until I return, for I dare not stay longer +now. I might stay so long, I fear, that they would suspect me +when they did not see me in the crowd, and then I should suffer +for it." + +(Vv. 1339-1506.) Then she goes off, and he remains, not knowing +how to comport himself. He is loath to see them bury the corpse +without his securing anything to take back as evidence that he +has defeated and killed him. If he has no proof or evidence he +will be held in contempt, for Kay is so mean and obstinate, so +given to mockery, and so annoying, that he could never succeed in +convincing him. He would go about for ever insulting him, +flinging his mockery and taunts as he did the other day. These +taunts are still fresh and rankling in his heart. But with her +sugar and honey a new Love now softened him; he had been to hunt +upon his lands and had gathered in his prey. His enemy carries +off his heart, and he loves the creature who hates him most. The +lady, all unaware, has well avenged her lord's death. She has +secured greater revenge than she could ever have done unless she +had been aided by Love, who attacks him so gently that he wounds +his heart through his eyes. And this wound is more enduring than +any inflicted by lance or sword. A sword-blow is cured and +healed at once as soon as a doctor attends to it, but the wound +of love is worst when it is nearest to its physician. This is +the wound of my lord Yvain, from which he will never more +recover, for Love has installed himself with him. He deserts and +goes away from the places he was wont to frequent. He cares for +no lodging or landlord save this one, and he is very wise in +leaving a poor lodging-place in order to betake himself to him. +In order to devote himself completely to him, he will have no +other lodging-place, though often he is wont to seek out lowly +hostelries. It is a shame that Love should ever so basely +conduct himself as to select the meanest lodging-place quite as +readily as the best. But now he has come where he is welcome, +and where he will be treated honourably, and where he will do +well to stay. This is the way Love ought to act, being such a +noble creature that it is marvellous how he dares shamefully to +descend to such low estate. He is like him who spreads his balm +upon the ashes and dust, who mingles sugar with gall, and suet +with honey. However, he did not act so this time, but rather +lodged in a noble place, for which no one can reproach him. When +the dead man had been buried, all the people dispersed, leaving +no clerks or knights or ladies, excepting only her who makes no +secret of her grief. She alone remains behind, often clutching +at her throat, wringing her hands, and beating her palms, as she +reads her psalms in her gilt lettered psalter. All this while my +lord Yvain is at the window gazing at her, and the more he looks +at her the more he loves her and is enthralled by her. He would +have wished that she should cease her weeping and reading, and +that she should feel inclined to converse with him. Love, who +caught him at the window, filled him with this desire. But he +despairs of realising his wish, for he cannot imagine or believe +that his desire can be gratified. So he says: "I may consider +myself a fool to wish for what I cannot have. Her lord it was +whom I wounded mortally, and yet do I think I can be reconciled +with her? Upon my word, such thoughts are folly, for at present +she has good reason to hate me more bitterly than anything. I am +right in saying `at present', for a woman has more than one mind. +That mind in which she is just now I trust she will soon change; +indeed, she will change it certainly, and I am mad thus to +despair. God grant that she change it soon! For I am doomed to +be her slave, since such is the will of Love. Whoever does not +welcome Love gladly, when he comes to him, commits treason and a +felony. I admit (and let whosoever will, heed what I say) that +such an one deserves no happiness or joy. But if I lose, it will +not be for such a reason; rather will I love my enemy. For I +ought not to feel any hate for her unless I wish to betray Love. +I must love in accordance with Love's desire. And ought she to +regard me as a friend? Yes, surely, since it is she whom I love. +And I call her my enemy, for she hates me, though with good +reason, for I killed the object of her love. So, then, am I her +enemy? Surely no, but her true friend, for I never so loved any +one before. I grieve for her fair tresses, surpassing gold in +their radiance; I feel the pangs of anguish and torment when I +see her tear and cut them, nor can her tears e'er be dried which +I see falling from her eyes; by all these things I am distressed. +Although they are full of ceaseless, ever-flowing tears, yet +never were there such lovely eves. The sight of her weeping +causes me agony, but nothing pains me so much as the sight of her +face, which she lacerates without its having merited such +treatment. I never saw such a face so perfectly formed, nor so +fresh and delicately coloured. And then it has pierced my heart +to see her clutch her throat. Surely, it is all too true that +she is doing the worst she can. And yet no crystal nor any +mirror is so bright and smooth. God! why is she thus possessed, +and why does she not spare herself? Why does she wring her +lovely hands and beat and tear her breast? Would she not be +marvellously fair to look upon when in happy mood, seeing that +she is so fair in her displeasure? Surely yes, I can take my +oath on that. Never before in a work of beauty was Nature thus +able to outdo herself, for I am sure she has gone beyond the +limits of any previous attempt. How could it ever have happened +then? Whence came beauty so marvellous? God must have made her +with His naked hand that Nature might rest from further toil. If +she should try to make a replica, she might spend her time in +vain without succeeding in her task. Even God Himself, were He +to try, could not succeed, I guess, in ever making such another, +whatever effort He might put forth." + +(Vv. 1507-1588.) Thus my lord Yvain considers her who is broken +with her grief, and I suppose it would never happen again that +any man in prison, like my lord Yvain in fear for his life, would +ever be so madly in love as to make no request on his own behalf, +when perhaps no one else will speak for him. He stayed at the +window until he saw the lady go away, and both the portcullises +were lowered again. Another might have grieved at this, who +would prefer a free escape to tarrying longer where he was. But +to him it is quite indifferent whether they be shut or opened. +If they were open he surely would not go away, no, even were the +lady to give him leave and pardon him freely for the death of her +lord. For he is detained by Love and Shame which rise up before +him on either hand: he is ashamed to go away, for no one would +believe in the success of his exploit; on the other hand, he has +such a strong desire to see the lady at least, if he cannot +obtain any other favour, that he feels little concern about his +imprisonment. He would rather die than go away. And now the +damsel returns, wishing to bear him company with her solace and +gaiety, and to go and fetch for him whatever he may desire. But +she found him pensive and quite worn out with the love which had +laid hold of him; whereupon she addressed him thus: "My lord +Yvain, what sort of a time have you had to-day?" "I have been +pleasantly occupied," was his reply. "Pleasantly? In God's name, +is that the truth? What? How can one enjoy himself seeing that +he is hunted to death, unless he courts and wishes it?" "Of a +truth," he says, "my gentle friend, I should by no means wish to +die; and yet, as God beholds me, I was pleased, am pleased now, +and always shall be pleased by what I saw." "Well, let us say no +more of that," she makes reply, "for I can understand well enough +what is the meaning of such words. I am not so foolish or +inexperienced that I cannot understand such words as those; but +come now after me, for I shall find some speedy means to release +you from your confinement. I shall surely set you free to-night +or to-morrow, if you please. Come now, I will lead you away." +And he thus makes reply: "You may be sure that I will never +escape secretly and like a thief. When the people are all +gathered out there in the streets, I can go forth more honourably +than if I did so surreptitiously." Then he followed her into the +little room. The damsel, who was kind, secured and bestowed upon +him all that he desired. And when the opportunity arose, she +remembered what he had said to her how he had been pleased by +what he saw when they were seeking him in the room with intent to +kill him. + +(Vv. 1589-1652.) The damsel stood in such favour with her lady +that she had no fear of telling her anything, regardless of the +consequences, for she was her confidante and companion. Then, +why should she be backward in comforting her lady and in giving +her advice which should redound to her honour? The first time +she said to her privily: "My lady, I greatly marvel to see you +act so extravagantly. Do you think you can recover your lord by +giving away thus to your grief?" "Nay, rather, if I had my +wish," says she, "I would now be dead of grief." "And why?" "In +order to follow after him." "After him? God forbid, and give +you again as good a lord, as is consistent with His might." +"Thou didst never speak such a lie as that, for He could never +give me so good a lord again." "He will give you a better one, +if you will accept him, and I can prove it." "Begone! Peace! I +shall never find such a one." "Indeed you shall, my lady, if you +will consent. Just tell me, if you will, who is going to defend +your land when King Arthur comes next week to the margin of the +spring? You have already been apprised of this by letters sent +you by the Dameisele Sauvage. Alas, what a kind service she did +for you! you ought to be considering how you will defend your +spring, and yet you cease not to weep! If it please you, my dear +lady, you ought not to delay. For surely, all the knights you +have are not worth, as you well know, so much as a single +chamber-maid. Neither shield nor lance will ever be taken in +hand by the best of them. You have plenty of craven servants, +but there is not one of them brave enough to dare to mount a +steed. And the King is coming with such a host that his victory +will be inevitable." The lady, upon reflection, knows very well +that she is giving her sincere advice, but she is unreasonable in +one respect, as also are other women who are, almost without +exception, guilty of their own folly, and refuse to accept what +they really wish. "Begone," she says; "leave me alone. If I +ever hear thee speak of this again it will go hard with thee, +unless thou flee. Thou weariest me with thy idle words." "Very +well, my lady," she says; "that you are a woman is evident, for +woman will grow irate when she hears any one give her good +advice." + +(Vv. 1653-1726.) Then she went away and left her alone. And the +lady reflected that she had been in the wrong. She would have +been very glad to know how the damsel could ever prove that it +would be possible to find a better knight than her lord had ever +been. She would be very glad to hear her speak, but now she has +forbidden her. With this desire in mind, she waited until she +returned. But the warning was of no avail, for she began to say +to her at once: "My lady, is it seemly that you should thus +torment yourself with grief? For God's sake now control +yourself, and for shame, at least, cease your lament. It is not +fitting that so great a lady should keep up her grief so long. +Remember your honourable estate and your very gentle birth! +Think you that all virtue ceased with the death of your lord? +There are in the world a hundred as good or better men." "May +God confound me, if thou dost not lie! Just name to me a single +one who is reputed to be so excellent as my lord was all his +life." "If I did so you would be angry with me, and would fly +into a passion and you would esteem me less." "No, I will not, I +assure thee." "Then may it all be for your future welfare if you +would but consent, and may God so incline your will! I see no +reason for holding my peace, for no one hears or heeds what we +say. Doubtless you will think I am impudent, but I shall freely +speak my mind. When two knights have met in an affray of arms +and when one has beaten the other, which of the two do you think +is the better? For my part I award the prize to the victor. Now +what do you think?" "It seems to me you are laying a trap for me +and intend to catch me in my words." "Upon my faith, you may +rest assured that I am in the right, and I can irrefutably prove +to you that he who defeated your lord is better than he was +himself. He beat him and pursued him valiantly until he +imprisoned him in his house." "Now," she replies, "I hear the +greatest nonsense that was ever uttered. Begone, thou spirit +charged with evil! Begone, thou foolish and tiresome girl! +Never again utter such idle words, and never come again into my +presence to speak a word on his behalf!" "Indeed, my lady, I +knew full well that I should receive no thanks from you, and I +said so before I spoke. But you promised me you would not be +displeased, and that you would not be angry with me for it. But +you have failed to keep your promise, and now, as it has turned +out, you have discharged your wrath on me, and I have lost by not +holding my peace." + +(Vv. 1727-1942.) Thereupon she goes back to the room where my +lord Yvain is waiting, comfortably guarded by her vigilance. But +he is ill at ease when he cannot see the lady, and he pays no +attention, and hears no word of the report which the damsel +brings to him. The lady, too, is in great perplexity all night, +being worried about how she should defend the spring; and she +begins to repent of her action to the damsel, whom she had blamed +and insulted and treated with contempt. She feels very sure and +certain that not for any reward or bribe, nor for any affection +which she may bear him, would the maiden ever have mentioned him; +and that she must love her more than him, and that she would +never give her advice which would bring her shame or +embarrassment: the maid is too loyal a friend for that. Thus, +lo! the lady is completely changed: she fears now that she to +whom she had spoken harshly will never love her again devotedly; +and him whom she had repulsed, she now loyally and with good +reason pardons, seeing that he had done her no wrong. So she +argues as if he were in her presence there, and thus she begins +her argument: "Come," she says, "canst thou deny that my lord was +killed by thee?" "That," says he, "I cannot deny. Indeed, I +fully admit it." "Tell me, then, the reason of thy deed. Didst +thou do it to injure me, prompted by hatred or by spite?" "May +death not spare me now, if I did it to injure you." "In that +case, thou hast done me no wrong, nor art thou guilty of aught +toward him. For he would have killed thee, if he could. So it +seems to me that I have decided well and righteously." Thus, by +her own arguments she succeeds in discovering justice, reason, +and common sense, how that there is no cause for hating him; thus +she frames the matter to conform with her desire, and by her own +efforts she kindles her love, as a bush which only smokes with +the flame beneath, until some one blows it or stirs it up. If +the damsel should come in now, she would win the quarrel for +which she had been so reproached, and by which she had been so +hurt. And next morning, in fact, she appeared again, taking the +subject up where she had let it drop. Meanwhile, the lady bowed +her head, knowing she had done wrong in attacking her. But now +she is anxious to make amends, and to inquire concerning the +name, character, and lineage of the knight: so she wisely humbles +herself, and says: "I wish to beg your pardon for the insulting +words of pride which in my rage I spoke to you: I will follow +your advice. So tell me now, if possible, about the knight of +whom you have spoken so much to me: what sort of a man is he, and +of what parentage? If he is suited to become my mate, and +provided he be so disposed, I promise you to make him my husband +and lord of my domain. But he will have to act in such a way +that no one can reproach me by saying: `This is she who took him +who killed her lord.'" "In God's name, lady, so shall it be. +You will have the gentlest, noblest, and fairest lord who ever +belonged to Abel's line." "What is his name?" "My lord Yvain." +"Upon my word, if he is King Urien's son he is of no mean birth, +but very noble, as I well know." "Indeed, my lady, you say the +truth." "And when shall we be able to see him?" "In five days' +time." "That would be too long; for I wish he were already come. +Let him come to-night, or to-morrow, at the latest." "My lady, I +think no one could fly so far in one day. But I shall send one +of my squires who can run fast, and who will reach King Arthur's +court at least by to-morrow night, I think; that is the place we +must seek for him." "That is a very long time. The days are +long. But tell him that to-morrow night he must be back here, +and that he must make greater haste than usual. If he will only +do his best, he can do two days' journey in one. Moreover, +to-night the moon will shine; so let him turn night into day. +And when he returns I will give him whatever he wishes me to +give." "Leave all care of that to me; for you shall have him in +your hands the day after to-morrow at the very latest. Meanwhile +you shall summon your men and confer with them about the +approaching visit of the King. In order to make the customary +defence of your spring it behoves you to consult with them. None +of them will be so hardy as to dare to boast that he will present +himself. In that case you will have a good excuse for saving +that it behoves you to marry again. A certain knight, highly +qualified, seeks your hand; but you do not presume to accept him +without their unanimous consent. And I warrant what the outcome +will be: I know them all to be such cowards that in order to put +on some one else the burden which would be too heavy for them, +they will fall at your feet and speak their gratitude; for thus +their responsibility will be at an end. For, whoever is afraid +of his own shadow willingly avoids, if possible, any meeting with +lance or spear; for such games a coward has no use." "Upon my +word," the lady replies, "so I would have it, and so I consent, +having already conceived the plan which you have expressed; so +that is what we shall do. But why do you tarry here? Go, +without delay, and take measures to bring him here, while I shall +summon my liege-men." Thus concluded their conference. And the +damsel pretends to send to search for my lord Yvain in his +country; while every day she has him bathed, and washed, and +groomed. And besides this she prepares for him a robe of red +scarlet stuff, brand new and lined with spotted fur. There is +nothing necessary for his equipment which she does not lend to +him: a golden buckle for his neck, ornamented with precious +stones which make people look well, a girdle, and a wallet made +of rich gold brocade. She fitted him out perfectly, then +informed her lady that the messenger had returned, having done +his errand well. "How is that?" she says, "is he here? Then let +him come at once, secretly and privily, while no one is here with +me. See to it that no one else come in, for I should hate to see +a fourth person here." At this the damsel went away, and +returned to her guest again. However, her face did not reveal +the joy that was in her heart; indeed, she said that her lady +knew that she had been sheltering him, and was very much incensed +at her. "Further concealment is useless now. The news about you +has been so divulged that my lady knows the whole story and is +very angry with me, heaping me with blame and reproaches. But +she has given me her word that I may take you into her presence +without any harm or danger. I take it that you will have no +objection to this, except for one condition (for I must not +disguise the truth, or I should be unjust to you): she wishes to +have you in her control, and she desires such complete possession +of your body that even your heart shall not be at large." +"Certainly," he said, "I readily consent to what will be no +hardship to me. I am willing to be her prisoner." "So shall you +be: I swear it by this right hand laid upon you!. Now come and, +upon my advice, demean yourself so humbly in her presence that +your imprisonment may not be grievous. Otherwise feel no +concern. I do not think that your restraint will be irksome." +Then the damsel leads him off, now alarming, now reassuring him, +and speaking to him mysteriously about the confinement in which +he is to find himself; for every lover is a prisoner. She is +right in calling him a prisoner; for surely any one who loves is +no longer free. + +(Vv. 1943-2036.) Taking my lord Yvain by the hand, the damsel +leads him where he will be dearly loved; but expecting to be ill +received, it is not strange if he is afraid. They found the lady +seated upon a red cushion. I assure you my lord Yvain was +terrified upon entering the room, where he found the lady who +spoke not a word to him. At this he was still more afraid, being +overcome with fear at the thought that he had been betrayed. He +stood there to one side so long that the damsel at last spoke up +and said: "Five hundred curses upon the head of him who takes +into a fair lady's chamber a knight who will not draw near, and +who has neither tongue nor mouth nor sense to introduce himself." +Thereupon, taking him by the arm, she thrust him forward with the +words: "Come, step forward, knight, and have no fear that my lady +is going to snap at you; but seek her good-will and give her +yours. I will join you in your prayer that she pardon you for +the death of her lord, Esclados the Red." Then my lord Yvain +clasped his hands, and failing upon his knees, spoke like a lover +with these words: "I will not crave your pardon, lady, but rather +thank you for any treatment you may inflict on me, knowing that +no act of yours could ever be distasteful to me." "Is that so, +sir? And what if I think to kill you now?" "My lady, if it +please you, you will never hear me speak otherwise." "I never +heard of such a thing as this: that you put yourself voluntarily +and absolutely within my power, without the coercion of any one." +"My lady, there is no force so strong, in truth, as that which +commands me to conform absolutely to your desire. I do not fear +to carry out any order you may be pleased to give. And if I +could atone for the death, which came through no fault of mine, I +would do so cheerfully." "What?" says she, "come tell me now and +be forgiven, if you did no wrong in killing my lord?" "Lady," he +says, "if I may say it, when your lord attacked me, why was I +wrong to defend myself? When a man in self-defence kills another +who is trying to kill or capture him, tell me if in any way he is +to blame." "No, if one looks at it aright. And I suppose it +would have been no use, if I had had you put to death. But I +should be glad to learn whence you derive the force that bids you +to consent unquestioningly to whatever my will may dictate. I +pardon you all your misdeeds and crimes. But be seated, and tell +us now what is the cause of your docility?" "My lady," he says, +"the impelling force comes from my heart, which is inclined +toward you. My heart has fixed me in this desire." "And what +prompted your heart, my fair sweet friend?" "Lady, my eyes." +"And what the eyes?" "The great beauty that I see in you." "And +where is beauty's fault in that?" "Lady, in this: that it makes +me love." "Love? And whom?" "You, my lady dear." "I?" "Yes, +truly." "Really? And how is that?" "To such an extent that my +heart will not stir from you, nor is it elsewhere to be found; to +such an extent that I cannot think of anything else, and I +surrender myself altogether to you, whom I love more than I love +myself, and for whom, if you will, I am equally ready to die or +live." "And would you dare to undertake the defence of my spring +for love of me?" "Yes, my lady, against the world." "Then you +may know that our peace is made." + +(Vv. 2037-2048.) Thus they are quickly reconciled. And the +lady, having previously consulted her lords, says: "We shall +proceed from here to the hall where my men are assembled, who, in +view of the evident need, have advised and counselled me to take +a husband at their request. And I shall do so, in view of the +urgent need: here and now I give myself to you; for I should not +refuse to accept as lord, such a good knight and a king's son." + +(Vv. 2049-2328.) Now the damsel has brought about exactly what +she had desired. And my lord Yvain's mastery is more complete +than could be told or described; for the lady leads him away to +the hall, which was full of her knights and men-at-arms. And my +lord Yvain was so handsome that they all marvelled to look at +him, and all, rising to their feet, salute and bow to my lord +Yvain, guessing well as they did so: "This is he whom my lady +will select. Cursed be he who opposes him! For he seems a +wonderfully fine man. Surely, the empress of Rome would be well +married with such a man. Would now that he had given his word to +her, and she to him, with clasped hand, and that the wedding +might take place to-day or tomorrow." Thus they spoke among +themselves. At the end of the hall there was a seat, and there +in the sight of all the lady took her place. And my lord Yvain +made as if he intended to seat himself at her feet; but she +raised him up, and ordered the seneschal to speak aloud, so that +his speech might be heard by all. Then the seneschal began, +being neither stubborn nor slow of speech: "My lords," he said, +"we are confronted by war. Every day the King is preparing with +all the haste he can command to come to ravage our lands. Before +a fortnight shall have passed, all will have been laid waste, +unless some valiant defender shall appear. When my lady married +first, not quite seven years ago, she did it on your advice. Now +her husband is dead, and she is grieved. Six feet of earth is +all he has, who formerly owned all this land, and who was indeed +its ornament. (14) It is a pity he lived so short a while. A +woman cannot bear a shield, nor does she know how to fight with +lance. It would exalt and dignify her again if she should marry +some worthy lord. Never was there greater need than now; do all +of you recommend that she take a spouse, before the custom shall +lapse which has been observed in this town for more than the past +sixty years." At this, all at once proclaim that it seems to +them the right thing to do, and they all throw themselves at her +feet. They strengthen her desire by their consent; yet she +hesitates to assert her wishes until, as if against her will, she +finally speaks to the same intent as she would have done, indeed, +if every one had opposed her wish: "My lords, since it is your +wish, this knight who is seated beside me has wooed me and +ardently sought my hand. He wishes to engage himself in the +defence of my rights and in my service, for which I thank him +heartily, as you do also. It is true I have never known him in +person, but I have often heard his name. Know that he is no less +a man than the son of King Urien. Beside his illustrious +lineage, he is so brave, courteous, and wise that no one has +cause to disparage him. You have all already heard, I suppose, +of my lord Yvain, and it is he who seeks my hand. When the +marriage is consummated, I shall have a more noble lord than I +deserve." They all say: "If you are prudent, this very day shall +not go by without the marriage being solemnised. For it is folly +to postpone for a single hour an advantageous act." They beseech +her so insistently that she consents to what she would have done +in any case. For Love bids her do that for which she asks +counsel and advice; but there is more honour for him in being +accepted with the approval of her men. To her their prayers are +not unwelcome; rather do they stir and incite her heart to have +its way. The horse, already under speed, goes faster yet when it +is spurred. In the presence of all her lords, the lady gives +herself to my lord Yvain. From the hand of her chaplain he +received the lady, Laudine de Landuc, daughter of Duke Laudunet, +of whom they sing a lay. That very day without delay he married +her, and the wedding was celebrated. There were plenty of mitres +and croziers there, for the lady had summoned her bishops and +abbots. Great was the joy and rejoicing, there were many people, +and much wealth was displayed--more than I could tell you of, +were I to devote much thought to it. It is better to keep silent +than to be inadequate. So my lord Yvain is master now, and the +dead man is quite forgot. He who killed him is now married to +his wife, and they enjoy the marriage rights. The people love +and esteem their living lord more than they ever did the dead. +They served him well at his marriage-feast, until the eve before +the day when the King came to visit the marvellous spring and its +stone, bringing with him upon this expedition his companions and +all those of his household; not one was left behind. And my lord +Kay remarked: "Ah, what now has become of Yvain, who after his +dinner made the boast that he would avenge his cousin's shame? +Evidently he spoke in his cups. I believe that he has run away. +He would not dare to come back for anything. He was very +presumptuous to make such a boast. He is a bold man who dares to +boast of what no one would praise him for, and who has no proof +of his great feats except the words of some false flatterer. +There is a great difference between a coward and a hero; for the +coward seated beside the fire talks loudly about himself, holding +all the rest as fools, and thinking that no one knows his real +character. A hero would be distressed at hearing his prowess +related by some one else. And yet I maintain that the coward is +not wrong to praise and vaunt himself, for he will find no one +else to lie for him. If he does not boast of his deeds, who +will? All pass over him in silence, even the heralds, who +proclaim the brave, but discard the cowards." When my lord Kay +had spoken thus, my lord Gawain made this reply: "My lord Kay, +have some mercy now! Since my lord Yvain is not here, you do not +know what business occupies him. Indeed. he never so debased +himself as to speak any ill of you compared with the gracious +things he has said." "Sire," says Kay, "I'll hold my peace. +I'll not say another word to-day, since I see you are offended by +my speech." Then the King, in order to see the rain, poured a +whole basin full of water upon the stone beneath the pine, and at +once the rain began to pour. It was not long before my lord Yvain +without delay entered the forest fully armed, tiding faster than +a gallop on a large, sleek steed, strong, intrepid, and fleet of +foot. And it was my lord Kay's desire to request the first +encounter. For, whatever the outcome might be, he always wished +to begin the fight and joust the first, or else he would be much +incensed. Before all the rest, he requested the King to allow +him to do battle first. The King says: "Kay, since it is your +wish, and since you are the first to make the request, the favour +ought not to be denied." Kay thanks him first, then mounts his +steed. If now my lord Yvain can inflict a mild disgrace upon +him, he will be very glad to do so; for he recognises him by his +arms. (15) Each grasping his shield by the straps, they rush +together. Spurring their steeds, they lower the lances, which +they hold tightly gripped. Then they thrust them forward a +little, so that they grasped them by the leather-wrapped handles, +and so that when they came together they were able to deal such +cruel blows that both lances broke in splinters clear to the +handle of the shaft. My lord Yvain gave him such a mighty blow +that Kay took a summersault from out of his saddle and struck +with his helmet on the ground. My lord Yvain has no desire to +inflict upon him further harm, but simply dismounts and takes his +horse. This pleased them all, and many said: "Ah, ah, see how +you prostrate lie, who but now held others up to scorn! And yet +it is only right to pardon you this time; for it never happened +to you before." Thereupon my lord Yvain approached the King, +leading the horse in his hand by the bridle, and wishing to make +it over to him. "Sire," says he, "now take this steed, for I +should do wrong to keep back anything of yours." "And who are +you?" the King replies; "I should never know you, unless I heard +your name, or saw you without your arms." Then my lord told him +who he was, and Kay was overcome with shame, mortified, humbled, +and discomfited, for having said that he had run away. But the +others were greatly pleased, and made much of the honour he had +won. Even the King was greatly gratified, and my lord Gawain a +hundred times more than any one else. For he loved his company +more than that of any other knight he knew. And the King +requested him urgently to tell him, if it be his will, how he had +fared; for he was very curious to learn all about his adventure; +so the King begs him to tell the truth. And he soon told him all +about the service and kindness of the damsel, not passing over a +single word, not forgetting to mention anything. And after this +he invited the King and all his knights to come to lodge with +him, saying they would be doing him great honour in accepting his +hospitality. And the King said that for an entire week he would +gladly do him the honour and pleasure, and would bear him +company. And when my lord Yvain had thanked him, they tarry no +longer there, but mount and take the most direct road to the +town. My lord Yvain sends in advance of the company a squire +beating a crane-falcon, in order that they might not take the +lady by surprise, and that her people might decorate the streets +against the arrival of the King. When the lady heard the news +of the King's visit she was greatly pleased; nor was there any +one who, upon hearing the news, was not happy and elated. And +the lady summons them all and requests them to go to meet him, to +which they make no objection or remonstrance, all being anxious +to do her will. + +(Vv. 2329-2414.) (16) Mounted on great Spanish steeds, they all +go to meet the King of Britain, saluting King Arthur first with +great courtesy and then all his company. "Welcome," they say, +"to this company, so full of honourable men! Blessed be he who +brings them hither and presents us with such fair guests!" At +the King's arrival the town resounds with the joyous welcome +which they give. Silken stuffs are taken out and hung aloft as +decorations, and they spread tapestries to walk upon and drape +the streets with them, while they wait for the King's approach. +And they make still another preparation, in covering the streets +with awnings against the hot rays of the sun. Bells, horns, and +trumpets cause the town to ring so that God's thunder could not +have been heard. The maidens dance before him, flutes and pipes +are played, kettle-drums, drums, and cymbals are beaten. On +their part the nimble youths leap, and all strive to show their +delight. With such evidence of their joy, they welcome the King +fittingly. And the Lady came forth, dressed in imperial garb a +robe of fresh ermine--and upon her head she wore a diadem all +ornamented with rubies. No cloud was there upon her face, but it +was so gay and full of joy that she was more beautiful, I think, +than any goddess. Around her the crowd pressed close, as they +cried with one accord: "Welcome to the King of kings and lord of +lords!" The King could not reply to all before he saw the lady +coming toward him to hold his stirrup. However, he would not +wait for this, but hastened to dismount himself as soon as he +caught sight of her. Then she salutes him with these words: +"Welcome a hundred thousand times to the King, my lord, and +blessed be his nephew, my lord Gawain!" The King replies: "I +wish all happiness and good luck to your fair body and your face, +lovely creature!" Then clasping her around the waist, the King +embraced her gaily and heartily as she did him, throwing her arms +about him. I will say no more of how gladly she welcomed them, +but no one ever heard of any people who were so honourably +received and served. I might tell you much of the joy should I +not be wasting words, but I wish to make brief mention of an +acquaintance which was made in private between the moon and the +sun. Do you know of whom I mean to speak? He who was lord of +the knights, and who was renowned above them all, ought surely to +be called the sun. I refer, of course, to my lord Gawain, for +chivalry is enhanced by him just as when the morning sun sheds +its rays abroad and lights all places where it shines. And I +call her the moon, who cannot be otherwise because of her sense +and courtesy. However, I call her so not only because of her +good repute, but because her name is, in fact, Lunete. + +(Vv. 2415-2538.) The damsel's name was Lunete, and she was a +charming brunette, prudent, clever, and polite. As her +acquaintance grows with my lord Gawain, he values her highly and +gives her his love as to his sweetheart, because she had saved +from death his companion and friend; he places himself freely at +her service. On her part she describes and relates to him with +what difficulty she persuaded her mistress to take my lord Yvain +as her husband, and how she protected him from the hands of those +who were seeking him; how he was in their midst but they did not +see him. My lord Gawain laughed aloud at this story of hers, and +then he said: "Mademoiselle, when you need me and when you don't, +such as I am, I place myself at your disposal. Never throw me +off for some one else when you think you can improve your lot. I +am yours, and do you be from now on my demoiselle!" "I thank you +kindly, sire," she said. While the acquaintance of these two was +ripening thus, the others, too, were engaged in flirting. For +there were perhaps ninety ladies there, each of whom was fair and +charming, noble and polite, virtuous and prudent, and a lady of +exalted birth, so the men could agreeably employ themselves in +caressing and kissing them, and in talking to them and in gazing +at them while they were seated by their side; that much +satisfaction they had at least. My lord Yvain is in high feather +because the King is lodged with him. And the lady bestows such +attention upon them all, as individuals and collectively, that +some foolish person might suppose that the charming attentions +which she showed them were dictated by love. But such persons +may properly be rated as fools for thinking that a lady is in +love with them just because she is courteous and speaks to some +unfortunate fellow, and makes him happy and caresses him. A fool +is made happy by fair words, and is very easily taken in. That +entire week they spent in gaiety; forest and stream offered +plenty of sport for any one who desired it. And whoever wished +to see the land which had come into the hands of my lord Yvain +with the lady whom he had married, could go to enjoy himself at +one of the castles which stood within a radius of two, three, or +four leagues. When the King had stayed as long as he chose, he +made ready to depart. But during the week they had all begged +urgently, and with all the insistence at their command, that they +might take away my lord Yvain with them. "What? Will you be one +of those." said my lord Gawain to him, "who degenerate after +marriage? (17) Cursed be he by Saint Mary who marries and then +degenerates! Whoever has a fair lady as his mistress or his wife +should be the better for it, and it is not right that her +affection should be bestowed on him after his worth and +reputation are gone. Surely you, too, would have cause to regret +her love if you grew soft, for a woman quickly withdraws her +love, and rightly so, and despises him who degenerates in any way +when he has become lord of the realm. Now ought your fame to be +increased! Slip off the bridle and halter and come to the +tournament with me, that no one may say that you are jealous. +Now you must no longer hesitate to frequent the lists, to share +in the onslaught, and to contend with force, whatever effort it +may cost! Inaction produces indifference. But, really, you must +come, for I shall be in your company. Have a care that our +comradeship shall not fail through any fault of yours, fair +companion; for my part, you may count on me. It is strange how a +man sets store by the life of ease which has no end. Pleasures +grow sweeter through postponement; and a little pleasure, when +delayed, is much sweeter to the taste than great pleasure enjoyed +at once. The sweets of a love which develops late are like a +fire in a green bush; for the longer one delays in lighting it +the greater will be the heat it yields, and the longer will its +force endure. One may easily fall into habits which it is very +difficult to shake off, for when one desires to do so, he finds +he has lost the power. Don't misunderstand my words, my friend: +if I had such a fair mistress as you have, I call God and His +saints to witness, I should leave her most reluctantly; indeed, I +should doubtless be infatuated. But a man may give another +counsel, which he would not take himself, just as the preachers, +who are deceitful rascals, and preach and proclaim the right but +who do not follow it themselves." + +(Vv. 2539-2578.) My lord Gawain spoke at such length and so +urgently that he promised him that he would go; but he said that +he must consult his lady and ask for her consent. Whether it be +a foolish or a prudent thing to do, he will not fail to ask her +leave to return to Britain. Then he took counsel with his wife, +who had no inkling of the permission he desired, as he addressed +her with these words: "My beloved lady, my heart and soul, my +treasure, joy, and happiness, grant me now a favour which will +redound to your honour and to mine." The lady at once gives her +consent. not knowing what his desire is, and says: "Fair lord, +you may command me your pleasure, whatever it be." Then my lord +Yvain at once asks her for permission to escort the King and to +attend at tournaments, that no one may reproach his indolence. +And she replies: "I grant you leave until a certain date; but be +sure that my love will change to hate if you stay beyond the term +that I shall fix. Remember that I shall keep my word; if you +break your word I will keep mine. If you wish to possess my +love, and if you have any regard for me, remember to come back +again at the latest a year from the present date a week after St. +John's day; for to-day is the eighth day since that feast. You +will be checkmated of my love if you are not restored to me on +that day." + +(Vv. 2579-2635.) My lord Yvain weeps and sighs so bitterly that +he can hardly find words to say: "My lady, this date is indeed a +long way off. If I could be a dove, whenever the fancy came to +me, I should often rejoin you here. And I pray God that in His +pleasure He may not detain me so long away. But sometimes a man +intends speedily to return who knows not what the future has in +store for him. And I know not what will be my fate--perhaps +some urgency of sickness or imprisonment may keep me back: you +are unjust in not making an exception at least of actual +hindrance." "My lord," says she, "I will make that exception. +And yet I dare to promise you that, if God deliver you from +death, no hindrance will stand in your way so long as you +remember me. So put on your finger now this ring of mine, which +I lend to you. And I will tell you all about the stone: no true +and loyal lover can be imprisoned or lose any blood, nor can any +harm befall him, provided he carry it and hold it dear, and keep +his sweetheart in mind. You will become as hard as iron, and it +will serve you as shield and hauberk. I have never before been +willing to lend or entrust it to any knight, but to you I give it +because of my affection for you." Now my lord Yvain is free to +go, but he weeps bitterly on taking leave. The King, however, +would not tarry longer for anything that might be said: rather +was he anxious to have the palfreys brought all equipped and +bridled. They acceded at once to his desire, bringing the +palfreys forth, so that it remained only to mount. I do not know +whether I ought to tell you how my lord Yvain took his leave, and +of the kisses bestowed on him, mingled with tears and steeped in +sweetness. And what shall I tell you about the King how the lady +escorts him, accompanied by her damsels and seneschal? All this +would require too much time. When he sees the lady's tears, the +King implores her to come no farther, but to return to her abode. +He begged her with such urgency that, heavy at heart, she turned +about followed by her company. + +(Vv. 2639-2773.) My lord Yvain is so distressed to leave his +lady that his heart remains behind. The King may take his body +off, but he cannot lead his heart away. She who stays behind +clings so tightly to his heart that the King has not the power to +take it away with him. When the body is left without the heart +it cannot possibly live on. For such a marvel was never seen as +the body alive without the heart. Yet this marvel now came +about: for he kept his body without the heart, which was wont to +be enclosed in it, but which would not follow the body now. The +heart has a good abiding-place, while the body, hoping for a safe +return to its heart, in strange fashion takes a new heart of +hope, which is so often deceitful and treacherous. He will never +know in advance, I think, the hour when this hope will play him +false, for if he overstays by single day the term which he has +agreed upon, it will be hard for him to gain again his lady's +pardon and goodwill. Yet I think he will overstay the term, for +my lord Gawain will not allow him to part from him, as together +they go to joust wherever tournaments are held. And as the year +passes by my lord Yvain had such success that my lord Gawain +strove to honour him, and caused him to delay so long that all +the first year slipped by, and it came to the middle of August of +the ensuing year, when the King held court at Chester, whither +they had returned the day before from a tournament where my lord +Yvain had been and where he had won the glory and the story tells +how the two companions were unwilling to lodge in the town, but +had their tents set up outside the city, and held court there. +For they never went to the royal court, but the King came rather +to join in theirs, for they had the best knights, and the +greatest number, in their company. Now King Arthur was seated in +their midst, when Yvain suddenly had a thought which surprised +him more than any that had occurred to him since he had taken +leave of his lady, for he realised that he had broken his word, +and that the limit of his leave was already exceeded. He could +hardly keep back his tears, but he succeeded in doing so from +shame. He was still deep in thought when he saw a damsel +approaching rapidly upon a black palfrey with white forefeet. As +she got down before the tent no one helped her to dismount, and +no one went to take her horse. As soon as she made out the King, +she let her mantle fall, and thus displayed she entered the tent +and came before the King, announcing that her mistress sent +greetings to the King, and to my lord Gawain and all the other +knights, except Yvain, that disloyal traitor, liar, hypocrite, +who had deserted her deceitfully. "She has seen clearly the +treachery of him who pretended he was a faithful lover while he +was a false and treacherous thief. This thief has traduced my +lady, who was all unprepared for any evil, and to whom it never +occurred that he would steal her heart away. Those who love +truly do not steal hearts away; there are, however, some men, by +whom these former are called thieves, who themselves go about +deceitfully making love, but in whom there is no real knowledge +of the matter. The lover takes his lady's heart, of course, but +he does not run away with it; rather does he treasure it against +those thieves who, in the guise of honourable men, would steal it +from him. But those are deceitful and treacherous thieves who +vie with one another in stealing hearts for which they care +nothing. The true lover, wherever he may go, holds the heart +dear and brings it back again. But Yvain has caused my lady's +death, for she supposed that he would guard her heart for her, +and would bring it back again before the year elapsed. Yvain, +thou wast of short memory when thou couldst not remember to +return to thy mistress within a year. She gave thee thy liberty +until St. John's day, and thou settest so little store by her +that never since has a thought of her crossed thy mind. My lady +had marked every day in her chamber, as the seasons passed: for +when one is in love, one is ill at ease and cannot get any +restful sleep, but all night long must needs count and reckon up +the days as they come and go. Dost thou know how lovers spend +their time? They keep count of the time and the season. Her +complaint is not presented prematurely or without cause, and I am +not accusing him in any way, but I simply say that we have been ~ +betrayed by him who married my lady. Yvain, my mistress has no +further care for thee, but sends thee word by me never to come +back to her, and no longer to keep her ring. She bids thee send +it back to her by me, whom thou seest present here. Surrender it +now, as thou art bound to do." + +(Vv. 2774-3230.) Senseless and deprived of speech, Yvain is +unable to reply. And the damsel steps forth and takes the ring +from his finger, commending to God the King and all the others +except him, whom she leaves in deep distress. And his sorrow +grows on him: he feels oppressed by what he hears, and is +tormented by what he sees. He would rather be banished alone in +some wild land, where no one would know where to seek for him, +and where no man or woman would know of his whereabouts any more +than if he were in some deep abyss. He hates nothing so much as +he hates himself, nor does he know to whom to go for comfort in +the death he has brought upon himself. But he would rather go +insane than not take vengeance upon himself, deprived, as he is, +of joy through his own fault. He rises from his place among the +knights, fearing he will lose his mind if he stays longer in +their midst. On their part, they pay no heed to him, but let him +take his departure alone. They know well enough that he cares +nothing for their talk or their society. And he goes away until +he is far from the tents and pavilions. Then such a storm broke +loose in his brain that he loses his senses; he tears his flesh +and, stripping off his clothes, he flees across the meadows and +fields, leaving his men quite at a loss, and wondering what has +become of him. (18) They go in search of him through all the +country around--in the lodgings of the knights, by the +hedgerows, and in the gardens--but they seek him where he is +not to be found. Still fleeing, he rapidly pursued his way until +he met close by a park a lad who had in his hand a bow and five +barbed arrows, which were very sharp and broad. He had sense +enough to go and take the bow and arrows which he held. However, +he had no recollection of anything that he had done. He lies in +wait for the beasts in the woods, killing them, and then eating +the venison raw. Thus he dwelt in the forest like a madman or a +savage, until he came upon a little, low-lying house belonging to +a hermit, who was at work clearing his ground. When he saw him +coming with nothing on, he could easily perceive that he was not +in his right mind; and such was the case, as the hermit very well +knew. So, in fear, he shut himself up in his little house, and +taking some bread and fresh water, he charitably set it outside +the house on a narrow window-ledge. And thither the other comes, +hungry for the bread which he takes and eats. I do not believe +that he ever before had tasted such hard and bitter bread. The +measure of barley kneaded with the straw, of which the bread, +sourer than yeast, was made, had not cost more than five sous; +and the bread was musty and as dry as bark. But hunger torments +and whets his appetite, so that the bread tasted to him like +sauce. For hunger is itself a well mixed and concocted sauce for +any food. My lord Yvain soon ate the hermit's bread, which +tasted good to him, and drank the cool water from the jar. When +he had eaten, he betook himself again to the woods in search of +stags and does. And when he sees him going away, the good man +beneath his roof prays God to defend him and guard him lest he +ever pass that way again. But there is no creature, with +howsoever little sense, that will not gladly return to a place +where he is kindly treated. So, not a day passed while he was in +this mad fit that he did not bring to his door some wild game. +Such was the life he led; and the good man took it upon himself +to remove the skin and set a good quantity of the venison to +cook; and the bread and the water in the jug was always standing +on the window-ledge for the madman to make a meal. Thus he had +something to eat and drink: venison without salt or pepper, and +good cool water from the spring. And the good man exerted +himself to sell the hide and buy bread made of barley, or oats, +or of some other grain; so, after that, Yvain had a plentiful +supply of bread and venison, which sufficed him for a long time, +until one day he was found asleep in the forest by two damsels +and their mistress, in whose service they were. When they saw +the naked man, one of the three ran and dismounted and examined +him closely, before she saw anything about him which would serve +to identify him. If he had only been richly attired, as he had +been many a time, and if she could have seen him then she would +have known him quickly enough. But she was slow to recognise +him, and continued to look at him until at last she noticed a +scar which he had on his face, and she recollected that my lord +Yvain's face was scarred in this same way; she was sure of it, +for she had often seen it. Because of the scar she saw that it +was he beyond any doubt; but she marvelled greatly how it came +about that she found him thus poor and stripped. Often she +crosses herself in amazement, but she does not touch him or wake +him up; rather does she mount her horse again, and going back to +the others, tells them tearfully of her adventure. I do not know +if I ought to delay to tell you of the grief she showed; but thus +she spoke weeping to her mistress: "My lady, I have found Yvain, +who has proved himself to be the best knight in the world, and +the most virtuous. I cannot imagine what sin has reduced the +gentleman to such a plight. I think he must have had some +misfortune, which causes him thus to demean himself, for one may +lose his wits through grief. And any one can see that he is not +in his right mind, for it would surely never be like him to +conduct himself thus indecently unless he had lost his mind. +Would that God had restored to him the best sense he ever had, +and would that he might then consent to render assistance to your +cause! For Count Alier, who is at war with you, has made upon +you a fierce attack. I should see the strife between you two +quickly settled in your favour if God favoured your fortunes so +that he should return to his senses and undertake to aid you in +this stress." To this the lady made reply: "Take care now! For +surely, if he does not escape, with God's help I think we can +clear his head of all the madness and insanity. But we must be +on our way at once! For I recall a certain ointment with which +Morgan the Wise presented me, saying there was no delirium of the +head which it would not cure." Thereupon, they go off at once +toward the town, which was hard by, for it was not any more than +half a league of the kind they have in that country; and, as +compared with ours, two of their leagues make one and four make +two. And he remains sleeping all alone, while the lady goes to +fetch the ointment. The lady opens a case of hers, and, taking +out a box, gives it to the damsel, and charges her not to be too +prodigal in its use: she should rub only his temples with it, for +there is no use of applying it elsewhere; she should anoint only +his temples with it, and the remainder she should carefully keep, +for there is nothing the matter with him except in his brain. +She sends him also a robe of spotted fur, a coat, and a mantle of +scarlet silk. The damsel takes them, and leads in her right hand +an excellent palfrey. And she added to these, of her own store, +a shirt, some soft hose, and some new drawers of proper cut. +With all these things she quickly set out, and found him still +asleep where she had left him. After putting her horse in an +enclosure where she tied him fast, she came with the clothes and +the ointment to the place where he was asleep. Then she made so +bold as to approach the madman, so that she could touch and +handle him: then taking the ointment she rubbed him with it until +none remained in the box, being so solicitous for his recovery +that she proceeded to anoint him all over with it; and she used +it so freely that she heeded not the warning of her mistress, nor +indeed did she remember it. She put more on than was needed, but +in her opinion it was well employed. She rubbed his temples and +forehead, and his whole body down to the ankles. She rubbed his +temples and his whole body so much there in the hot sunshine that +the madness and the depressing gloom passed completely out of his +brain. But she was foolish to anoint his body, for of that there +was no need. If she had had five measures of it she would +doubtless have done the same thing. She carries off the box, and +takes hidden refuge by her horse. But she leaves the robe +behind, wishing that, if God calls him back to life, he may see +it all laid out, and may take it and put it on. She posts +herself behind an oak tree until he had slept enough, and was +cured and quite restored, having regained his wits and memory. +Then he sees that he is as naked as ivory, and feels much +ashamed; but he would have been yet more ashamed had he known +what had happened. As it is, he knows nothing but that he is +naked. He sees the new robe lying before him, and marvels +greatly how and by what adventure it had come there. But he is +ashamed and concerned, because of his nakedness, and says that he +is dead and utterly undone if any one has come upon him there and +recognised him. Meanwhile, he clothes himself and looks out into +the forest to see if any one was approaching. He tries to stand +up and support himself, but cannot summon the strength to walk +away, for his sickness has so affected him that he can scarcely +stand upon his feet. Thereupon, the damsel resolves to wait no +longer, but, mounting, she passed close by him, as if unaware of +his presence. Quite indifferent as to whence might come the +help, which he needed so much to lead him away to some lodging- +place, where he might recruit his strength, he calls out to her +with all his might. And the damsel, for her part, looks about +her as if not knowing what the trouble is. Confused, she goes +hither and thither, not wishing to go straight up to him. Then +he begins to call again: "Damsel, come this way, here!" And the +damsel guided toward him her soft-stepping palfrey. By this ruse +she made him think that she knew nothing of him and had never +seen him before; in so doing she was wise and courteous. When +she had come before him, she said: "Sir knight, what do you +desire that you call me so insistently?" "Ah," said he. "prudent +damsel, I have found myself in this wood by some mishap--I know +not what. For God's sake and your belief in Him, I pray you to +lend me, taking my word as pledge, or else to give me outright, +that palfrey you are leading in your hand." "Gladly, sire: but +you must accompany me whither I am going." "Which way?" says he. +"To a town that stands near by, beyond the forest." "Tell me, +damsel, if you stand in need of me." "Yes," she says, "I do; but +I think you are not very well. For the next two weeks at least +you ought to rest. Take this horse, which I hold in my right +hand, and we shall go to our lodging-place." And he, who had no +other desire, takes it and mounts, and they proceed until they +come to a bridge over a swift and turbulent stream. And the +damsel throws into the water the empty box she is carrying, +thinking to excuse herself to her mistress for her ointment by +saying that she was so unlucky as to let the box fall into the +water for, when her palfrey stumbled under her, the box slipped +from her gasp, and she came near falling in too, which would have +been still worse luck. It is her intention to invent this story +when she comes into her mistress' presence. Together they held +their way until they came to the town, where the lady detained my +lord Yvain and asked her damsel in private for her box and +ointment: and the damsel repeated to her the lie as she had +invented it, not daring to tell her the truth. Then the lady was +greatly enraged, and said: "This is certainly a very serious +loss, and I am sure and certain that the box will never be found +again. But since it has happened so, there is nothing more to be +done about it. One often desires a blessing which turns out to +be a curse; thus I, who looked for a blessing and joy from this +knight, have lost the dearest and most precious of my +possessions. However, I beg you to serve him in all respects." +"Ah, lady, how wisely now you speak! For it would be too bad to +convert one misfortune into two." + +(Vv. 3131-3254.) Then they say no more about the box, but +minister in every way they can to the comfort of my lord Yvain, +bathing him and washing his hair, having him shaved and clipped, +for one could have taken up a fist full of hair upon his face. +His every want is satisfied: if he asks for arms, they are +furnished him: if he wants a horse, they provide him with one +that is large and handsome, strong and spirited. He stayed there +until, upon a Tuesday, Count Alier came to the town with his men +and knights, who started fires and took plunder. Those in the +town at once rose up and equipped themselves with arms. Some +armed and some unarmed, they issued forth to meet the plunderers, +who did not deign to retreat before them, but awaited them in a +narrow pass. My lord Yvain struck at the crowd; he had had so +long a rest that his strength was quite restored, and he struck a +knight upon his shield with such force that he sent down in a +heap, I think, the knight together with his horse. The knight +never rose again, for his backbone was broken and his heart burst +within his breast. My lord Yvain drew back a little to recover. +Then protecting himself completely with his shield, he spurred +forward to clear the pass. One could not have counted up to four +before one would have seen him cast down speedily four knights. +Whereupon, those who were with him waxed more brave, for many a +man of poor and timid heart, at the sight of some brave man who +attacks a dangerous task before his eves, will be overwhelmed by +confusion and shame, which will drive out the poor heart in his +body and give him another like to a hero's for courage. So these +men grew brave and each stood his ground in the fight and attack. +And the lady was up in the tower, whence she saw the fighting and +the rush to win and gain possession of the pass, and she saw +lying upon the ground many who were wounded and many killed, both +of her own party and of the enemy, but more of the enemy than of +her own. For my courteous, bold, and excellent lord Yvain made +them yield just as a falcon does the teal. And the men and women +who had remained within the town declared as they watched the +strife: "Ah, what a valiant knight! How he makes his enemies +yield, and how fierce is his attack! He was about him as a lion +among the fallow deer, when he is impelled by need and hunger. +Then, too, all our other knights are more brave and daring +because of him, for, were it not for him alone, not a lance would +have been splintered nor a sword drawn to strike. When such an +excellent man is found he ought to be loved and dearly prized. +See now how he proves himself, see how he maintains his place, +see how he stains with blood his lance and bare sword, see how he +presses the enemy and follows them up, how he comes boldly to +attack them, then gives away and turns about; but he spends +little time in giving away, and soon returns to the attack. See +him in the fray again, how lightly he esteems his shield, which +he allows to be cut in pieces mercilessly. Just see how keen he +is to avenge the blows which are dealt at him. For, if some one +should use all the forest of Argone (19) to make lances for him, +I guess he would have none left by night. For he breaks all the +lances that they place in his socket, and calls for more. And +see how he wields the sword when he draws it! Roland never +wrought such havoc with Durendal against the Turks at Ronceval or +in Spain! (20) If he had in his company some good companions +like himself, the traitor, whose attack we are suffering, would +retreat today discomfited, or would stand his ground only to find +defeat." Then they say that the woman would be blessed who +should be loved by one who is so powerful in arms, and who above +all others may be recognised as a taper among candles, as a moon +among the stars, and as the sun above the moon. He so won the +hearts of all that the prowess which they see in him made them +wish that he had taken their lady to wife, and that he were +master of the land. + +(Vv. 3255-3340.) Thus men and women alike praised him, and in +doing so they but told the truth. For his attack on his +adversaries was such that they vie with one another in flight. +But he presses hard upon their heels, and all his companions +follow him, for by his side they feel as safe as if they were +enclosed in a high and thick stone wall. The pursuit continues +until those who flee become exhausted, and the pursuers slash at +them and disembowel their steeds. The living roll over upon the +dead as they wound and kill each other. They work dreadful +destruction upon each other; and meanwhile the Count flees with +my lord Yvain after him, until he comes up with him at the foot +of a steep ascent, near the entrance of a strong place which +belonged to the Count. There the Count was stopped, with no one +near to lend him aid; and without any excessive parley my lord +Yvain received his surrender. For as soon as he held him in his +hands, and they were left just man to man, there was no further +possibility of escape, or of yielding, or of self-defence; so the +Count pledged his word to go to surrender to the lady of Noroison +as her prisoner, and to make such peace as she might dictate. +And when he had accepted his word he made him disarm his head and +remove the shield from about his neck, and the Count surrendered +to him his sword. Thus he won the honour of leading off the +Count as his prisoner, and of giving him over to his enemies, who +make no secret of their joy. But the news was carried to the +town before they themselves arrived. While all come forth to +meet them, the lady herself leads the way. My lord Yvain holds +his prisoner by the hand, and presents him to her. The Count +gladly acceded to her wishes and demands, and secured her by his +word, oath, and pledges. Giving her pledges, he swears to her +that he will always live on peaceful terms with her, and will +make good to her all the loss which she can prove, and will build +up again the houses which he had destroyed. When these things +were agreed upon in accordance with the lady's wish, my lord +Yvain asked leave to depart. But she would not have granted him +this permission had he been willing to take her as his mistress. +or to marry her. But he would not allow himself to be followed +or escorted a single step, but rather departed hastily: in this +case entreaty was of no avail. So he started out to retrace his +path, leaving the lady much chagrined, whose joy he had caused a +while before. When he will not tarry longer she is the more +distressed and ill at ease in proportion to the happiness he had +brought to her, for she would have wished to honour him, and +would have made him, with his consent, lord of all her +possessions, or else she would have paid him for his services +whatever sum he might have named. But he would not heed any word +of man or woman. Despite their grief he left the knights and the +lady who vainly tried to detain him longer. + +(Vv. 3341-3484.) Pensively my lord Yvain proceeded through a +deep wood, until he heard among the trees a very loud and dismal +cry, and he turned in the direction whence it seemed to come. +And when he had arrived upon the spot he saw in a cleared space a +lion, and a serpent which held him by the tail, burning his hind- +quarters with flames of fire. My lord Yvain did not gape at this +strange spectacle, but took counsel with himself as to which of +the two he should aid. Then he says that he will succour the +lion, for a treacherous and venomous creature deserves to be +harmed. Now the serpent is poisonous, and fire bursts forth from +its mouth--so full of wickedness is the creature. So my lord +Yvain decides that he will kill the serpent first. Drawing his +sword he steps forward, holding the shield before his face in +order not to be harmed by the flame emerging from the creature's +throat, which was larger than a pot. If the lion attacks him +next, he too shall have all the fight he wishes; but whatever may +happen afterwards he makes up his mind to help him now. For pity +urges him and makes request that he should bear succour and aid +to the gentle and noble beast. With his sword, which cuts so +clean, he attacks the wicked serpent, first cleaving him through +to the earth and cutting him in two, then continuing his blows +until he reduces him to tiny bits. But he had to cut off a piece +of the lion's tail to get at the serpent's head, which held the +lion by the tail. He cut off only so much as was necessary and +unavoidable. When he had set the lion free, he supposed that he +would have to fight with him, and that the lion would come at +him; but the lion was not minded so. Just hear now what the lion +did! He acted nobly and as one well-bred; for he began to make +it evident that he yielded himself to him, by standing upon his +two hind-feet and bowing his face to the earth, with his fore-feet +joined and stretched out toward him. Then he fell on his +knees again, and all his face was wet with the tears of humility. +My lord Yvain knows for a truth that the lion is thanking him and +doing him homage because of the serpent which he had killed, +thereby delivering him from death. He was greatly pleased by +this episode. He cleaned his sword of the serpent's poison and +filth; then he replaced it in its scabbard, and resumed his way. +And the lion walks close by his side, unwilling henceforth to +part from him: he will always in future accompany him, eager to +serve and protect him. (21) He goes ahead until he scents in the +wind upon his way some wild beasts feeding; then hunger and his +nature prompt him to seek his prey and to secure his sustenance. +It is his nature so to do. He started ahead a little on the +trail, thus showing his master that he had come upon and detected +the odour and scent of some wild game. Then he looks at him and +halts, wishing to serve his every wish, and unwilling to proceed +against his will. Yvain understands by his attitude that he is +showing that he awaits his pleasure. He perceives this and +understands that if he holds back he will hold back too, and that +if he follows him he will seize the game which he has scented. +Then he incites and cries to him, as he would do to hunting-dogs. +At once the lion directed his nose to the scent which he had +detected, and by which he was not deceived, for he had not gone a +bow-shot when he saw in a valley a deer grazing all alone. This +deer he will seize, if he has his way. And so he did, at the +first spring, and then drank its blood still warm. When he had +killed it he laid it upon his back and carried it back to his +master, who thereupon conceived a greater affection for him, and +chose him as a companion for all his life, because of the great +devotion he found in him. It was near nightfall now, and it +seemed good to him to spend the night there, and strip from the +deer as much as he cared to eat. Beginning to carve it he splits +the skin along the rib, and taking a steak from the loin he +strikes from a flint a spark, which he catches in some dry brush- +wood; then he quickly puts his steak upon a roasting spit to cook +before the fire, and roasts it until it is quite cooked through. +But there was no pleasure in the meal, for there was no bread, or +wine, or salt, or cloth, or knife, or anything else. While he +was eating, the lion lay at his feet; nor a movement did he make, +but watched him steadily until he had eaten all that he could eat +of the steak. What remained of the deer the lion devoured, even +to the bones. And while all night his master laid his head upon +his shield to gain such rest as that afforded, the lion showed +such intelligence that he kept awake, and was careful to guard +the horse as it fed upon the grass, which yielded some slight +nourishment. + +(Vv. 3485-3562.) In the morning they go off together, and the +same sort of existence, it seems, as they had led that night, +they two continued to lead all the ensuing week, until chance +brought them to the spring beneath the pine-tree. There my lord +Yvain almost lost his wits a second time, as he approached the +spring, with its stone and the chapel that stood close by. So +great was his distress that a thousand times he sighed "alas!" +and grieving fell in a swoon; and the point of his sharp sword, +falling from its scabbard, pierced the meshes of his hauberk +right in the neck beside the cheek. There is not a mesh that +does not spread, and the sword cuts the flesh of his neck beneath +the shining mail, so that it causes the blood to start. Then the +lion thinks that he sees his master and companion dead. You +never heard greater grief narrated or told about anything than he +now began to show. He casts himself about, and scratches and +cries, and has the wish to kill himself with the sword with which +he thinks his master has killed himself. Taking the sword from +him with his teeth he lays it on a fallen tree, and steadies it +on a trunk behind, so that it will not slip or give way, when he +hurls his breast against it, His intention was nearly +accomplished when his master recovered from his swoon, and the +lion restrained himself as he was blindly rushing upon death, +like a wild boar heedless of where he wounds himself. Thus my +lord Yvain lies in a swoon beside the stone, but, on recovering, +he violently reproached himself for the year during which he had +overstayed his leave, and for which he had incurred his lady's +hate, and he said: "Why does this wretch not kill himself who has +thus deprived himself of joy? Alas! why do I not take my life? +How can I stay here and look upon what belongs to my lady? Why +does the soul still tarry in my body? What is the soul doing in +so miserable a frame? If it had already escaped away it would +not be in such torment. It is fitting to hate and blame and +despise myself, even as in fact I do. Whoever loses his bliss +and contentment through fault or error of his own ought to hate +himself mortally. He ought to hate and kill himself. And now, +when no one is looking on, why do I thus spare myself? Why do I +not take my life? Have I not seen this lion a prey to such grief +on my behalf that he was on the point just now of thrusting my +sword through his breast? And ought I to fear death who have +changed happiness into grief? Joy is now a stranger to me. Joy? +What joy is that? I shall say no more of that, for no one could +speak of such a thing; and I have asked a foolish question. That +was the greatest joy of all which was assured as my possession, +but it endured for but a little while. Whoever loses such joy +through his own misdeed is undeserving of happiness." + +(Vv. 3563-3898.) While he thus bemoaned his fate, a lorn damsel +in sorry plight, who was in the chapel, saw him and heard his +words through a crack in the wall. As soon as he was recovered +from his swoon, she called to him: "God," said she, "who is that +I hear? Who is it that thus complains?" And he replied: "And +who are you?" "I am a wretched one," she said, "the most +miserable thing alive." And he replied: "Be silent, foolish one! +Thy grief is joy and thy sorrow is bliss compared with that in +which I am cast down. In proportion as a man becomes more +accustomed to happiness and joy, so is he more distracted and +stunned than any other man by sorrow when it comes. A man of +little strength can carry, through custom and habit, a weight +which another man of greater strength could not carry for +anything." "Upon my word," she said, "I know the truth of that +remark; but that is no reason to believe that your misfortune is +worse than mine. Indeed, I do not believe it at all, for it +seems to me that you can go anywhere you choose to go, whereas I +am imprisoned here, and such a fate is my portion that to-morrow +I shall be seized and delivered to mortal judgment." "Ah, God!" +said he, "and for what crime?" "Sir knight, may God never have +mercy upon my soul, if I have merited such a fate! Nevertheless, +I shall tell you truly, without deception, why I am here in +prison: I am charged with treason, and I cannot find any one to +defend me from being burned or hanged to-morrow." "In the first +place," he replied, "I may say that my grief and woe are greater +than yours, for you may yet be delivered by some one from the +peril in which you are. Is that not true:" "Yes, but I know not +yet by whom. There are only two men in the world who would dare +on my behalf to face three men in battle." "What? In God's +name, are there three of them?" "Yes, sire, upon my word. There +are three who accuse me of treachery." "And who are they who are +so devoted to you that either one of them would be bold enough to +fight against three in your defence?" "I will answer your +question truthfully: one of them is my lord Gawain, and the other +is my lord Yvain, because of whom I shall to-morrow be handed +over unjustly to the martyrdom of death." "Because of whom?" he +asked, "what did you say?" "Sire, so help me God, because of the +son of King Urien." "Now I understand your words, but you shall +not die, without he dies too. I myself am that Yvain, because of +whom you are in such distress. And you, I take it, are she who +once guarded me safely in the hall, and saved my life and my body +between the two portcullises, when I was troubled and distressed, +and alarmed at being trapped. I should have been killed or +seized, had it not been for your kind aid. Now tell me, my +gentle friend, who are those who now accuse you of treachery, and +have confined you in this lonely place?" "Sire, I shall not +conceal it from you, since you desire me to tell you all. It is +a fact that I was not slow in honestly aiding you. Upon my +advice my lady received you, after heeding my opinion and my +counsel. And by the Holy Paternoster, more for her welfare than +for your own I thought I was doing it, and I think so still. So +much now I confess to you: it was her honour and your desire that +I sought to serve, so help me God! But when it became evident +that you had overstayed the year when you should return to my +mistress, then she became enraged at me, and thought that she had +been deceived by putting trust in my advice. And when this was +discovered by the seneschal--a rascally, underhanded, disloyal +wretch, who was jealous of me because in many matters my lady +trusted me more than she trusted him, he saw that he could now +stir up great enmity between me and her. In full court and in +the presence of all he accused me of having betrayed her in your +favour. And I had no counsel or aid except my own; but I knew +that I had never done or conceived any treacherous act toward my +lady, so I cried out, as one beside herself, and without the +advice of any one, that I would present in my own defence one +knight who should fight against three. The fellow was not +courteous enough to scorn to accept such odds, nor was I at +liberty to retreat or withdraw for anything that might happen. +So he took me at my word, and I was compelled to furnish bail +that I would present within forty days a knight to do battle +against three knights. Since then I have visited many courts; I +was at King Arthur's court, but found no help from any there, nor +did I find any one who could tell me any good news of you, for +they knew nothing of your affairs." "Pray tell me. Where then +was my good and gentle lord Gawain? No damsel in distress ever +needed his aid without its being extended to her." "If I had +found him at court, I could not have asked him for anything which +would have been refused me; but a certain knight has carried off +the Queen, so they told me; surely the King was mad to send her +off in his company. (22) I believe it was Kay who escorted her +to meet the knight who has taken her away; and my lord Gawain in +great distress has gone in search for her. He will never have +any rest until he finds her. Now I have told you the whole truth +of my adventure. To-morrow I shall be put to a shameful death, +and shall be burnt inevitably, a victim of your criminal +neglect." And he replies: "May God forbid that you should be +harmed because of me! So long as I live you shall not die! You +may expect me tomorrow, prepared to the extent of my power to +present my body in your cause, as it is proper that I should do. +But have no concern to tell the people who I am! However the +battle may turn out, take care that I be not recognised!" +"Surely, sire, no pressure could make me reveal your name. I +would sooner suffer death, since you will have it so. Yet, after +all, I beg you not to return for my sake. I would not have you +undertake a battle which will be so desperate. I thank you for +your promised word that you would gladly undertake it, but +consider yourself now released, for it is better that I should +die alone than that I should see them rejoice over your death as +well as mine; they would not spare my life after they had put you +to death. So it is better for you to remain alive than that we +both should meet death." "That is very ungrateful remark, my +dear," says my lord Yvain; "I suppose that either you do not wish +to be delivered from death, or else that you scorn the comfort I +bring you with my aid. I will not discuss the matter more, for +you have surely done so much for me that I cannot fail you in any +need. I know that you are in great distress; but, if it be God's +will, in whom I trust, they shall all three be discomfited. So +no more upon that score: I am going off now to find some shelter +in this wood, for there is no dwelling near at hand." "Sire," +she says, "may God give you both good shelter and good night, and +protect you as I desire from everything that might do you harm!" +Then my lord Yvain departs, and the lion as usual after him. +They journeyed until they came to a baron's fortified place, +which was completely surrounded by a massive, strong, and high +wall. The castle, being extraordinarily well protected, feared +no assault of catapult or storming-machine; but outside the walls +the ground was so completely cleared that not a single hut or +dwelling remained standing. You will learn the cause of this a +little later, when the time comes. My lord Yvain made his way +directly toward the fortified place, and seven varlets came out +who lowered the bridge and advanced to meet him. But they were +terrified at sight of the lion, which they saw with him, and +asked him kindly to leave the lion at the gate lest he should +wound or kill them. And he replies: "Say no more of that! For I +shall not enter without him. Either we shall both find shelter +here or else I shall stay outside; he is as dear to me as I am +myself. Yet you need have no fear of him! For I shall keep him +so well in hand that you may be quite confident." They made +answer: "Very well!" Then they entered the town, and passed on +until they met knights and ladies and charming damsels coming +down the street, who salute him and wait to remove his armour as +they say: "Welcome to our midst, fair sire! And may God grant +that you tarry here until you may leave with great honour and +satisfaction!" High and low alike extend to him a glad welcome, +and do all they can for him, as they joyfully escort him into the +town. But after they had expressed their gladness they are +overwhelmed by grief, which makes them quickly forget their joy, +as they begin to lament and weep and beat themselves. Thus, for +a long space of time, they cease not to rejoice or make lament: +it is to honour their guest that they rejoice, but their heart is +not in what they do, for they are greatly worried over an event +which they expect to take place on the following day, and they +feel very sure and certain that it will come to pass before +midday. My lord Yvain was so surprised that they so often +changed their mood, and mingled grief with their happiness, that +he addressed the lord of the place on the subject. "For God's +sake," he said, "fair gentle sir, will you kindly inform me why +you have thus honoured me, and shown at once such joy and such +heaviness?" "Yes, if you desire to know, but it would be better +for you to desire ignorance and silence. I will never tell you +willingly anything to cause you grief. Allow us to continue to +lament, and do you pay no attention to what we do!" "It would be +quite impossible for me to see you sad and nor take it upon my +heart, so I desire to know the truth, whatever chagrin may result +to me." "Well, then," he said, "I will tell you all. I have +suffered much from a giant, who has insisted that I should give +him my daughter, who surpasses in beauty all the maidens in the +world. This evil giant, whom may God confound, is named Harpin +of the Mountain. Not a day passes without his taking all of my +possessions upon which he can lay his hands. No one has a better +right than I to complain, and to be sorrowful, and to make +lament. I might well lose my senses from very grief, for I had +six sons who were knights, fairer than any I knew in the world, +and the giant has taken all six of them. Before my eyes he +killed two of them, and to-morrow he will kill the other four, +unless I find some one who will dare to fight him for the +deliverance of my sons, or unless I consent to surrender my +daughter to him; and he says that when he has her in his +possession he will give her over to be the sport of the vilest +and lewdest fellows in his house, for he would scorn to take her +now for himself. That is the disaster which awaits me to-morrow, +unless the Lord God grant me His aid. So it is no wonder, fair +sir, if we are all in tears. But for your sake we strive for the +moment to assume as cheerful a countenance as we can. For he is +a fool who attracts a gentleman to his presence and then does not +honour him; and you seem to be a very perfect gentleman. Now I +have told you the entire story of our great distress. Neither in +town nor in fortress has the giant left us anything, except what +we have here. If you had noticed, you must have seen this +evening that he has not left us so much as an egg, except these +walls which are new; for he has razed the entire town. When he +had plundered all he wished, he set fire to what remained. In +this way he has done me many an evil turn." + +(Vv. 3899-3956.) My lord Yvain listened to all that his host +told him, and when he had heard it all he was pleased to answer +him: "Sire, I am sorry and distressed about this trouble of +yours; but I marvel greatly that you have not asked assistance at +good King Arthur's court. There is no man so mighty that he +could not find at his court some who would be glad to try their +strength with his." Then the wealthy man reveals and explains to +him that he would have had efficient help if he had known where +to find my lord Gawain. "He would not have failed me upon this +occasion, for my wife is his own sister; but a knight from a +strange land, who went to court to seek the King's wife, has led +her away. However, he could not have gotten possession of her by +any means of his own invention, had it not been for Kay, who so +befooled the King that he gave the Queen into his charge and +placed her under his protection. He was a fool, and she +imprudent to entrust herself to his escort. And I am the one who +suffers and loses in all this; for it is certain that my +excellent lord Gawain would have made haste to come here, had he +known the facts, for the sake of his nephews and his niece. But +he knows nothing of it, wherefore I am so distressed that my +heart is almost breaking, for he is gone in pursuit of him, to +whom may God bring shame and woe for having led the Queen away." +While listening to this recital my lord Yvain does not cease to +sigh. Inspired by the pity which he feels, he makes this reply: +"Fair gentle sire, I would gladly undertake this perilous +adventure, if the giant and your sons should arrive to-morrow in +time to cause me no delay, for tomorrow at noon I shall be +somewhere else, in accordance with a promise I have made." "Once +for all, fair sire," the good man said, "I thank you a hundred +thousand times for your willingness." And all the people of the +house likewise expressed their gratitude. + +(Vv. 3957-4384.) Just then the damsel came out of a room, with +her graceful body and her face so fair and pleasing to look upon. +She was very simple and sad and quiet as she came, for there was +no end to the grief she felt: she walked with her head bowed to +the ground. And her mother, too, came in from an adjoining room, +for the gentleman had sent for them to meet his guest. They +entered with their mantles wrapped about them to conceal their +tears; and he bid them throw back their mantles, and hold up +their heads, saying: "You ought not to hesitate to obey my +behests, for God and good fortune have given us here a very well- +born gentleman who assures me that he will fight against the +giant. Delay no longer now to throw yourselves at his feet!" +"May God never let me see that!" my lord Yvain hastens to +exclaim; "surely it would not be proper under any circumstances +for the sister and the niece of my lord Gawain to prostrate +themselves at my feet. May God defend me from ever giving place +to such pride as to let them fall at my feet! Indeed, I should +never forget the shame which I should feel; but I should be very +glad if they would take comfort until to-morrow, when they may +see whether God will consent to aid them. I have no other +request to make, except that the giant may come in such good time +that I be not compelled to break my engagement elsewhere; for I +would not fail for anything to be present to-morrow noon at the +greatest business I could ever undertake." Thus he is unwilling +to reassure them completely, for he fears that the giant may not +come early enough to allow him to reach in time the damsel who is +imprisoned in the chapel. Nevertheless, he promises them enough +to arouse good hope in them. They all alike join in thanking +him, for they place great confidence in his prowess, and they +think he must be a very good man, when they see the lion by his +side as confident as a lamb would be. They take comfort and +rejoice because of the hope they stake on him, and they indulge +their grief no more. When the time came they led him off to bed +in a brightly lighted room; both the damsel and her mother +escorted him, for they prized him dearly, and would have done so +a hundred thousand times more had they been informed of his +prowess and courtesy. He and the lion together lay down there +and took their rest. The others dared not sleep in the room; but +they closed the door so tight that they could not come out until +the next day at dawn. When the room was thrown open he got up +and heard Mass, and then, because of the promise he had made, he +waited until the hour of prime. Then in the hearing of all he +summoned the lord of the town and said: "My lord, I have no more +time to wait, but must ask your permission to leave at once; I +cannot tarry longer here. But believe truly that I would gladly +and willingly stay here yet awhile for the sake of the nephews +and the niece of my beloved lord Gawain, if I did not have a +great business on hand, and if it were not so far away." At this +the damsel's blood quivered and boiled with fear, as well as the +lady's and the lord's. They were so afraid he would go away that +they were on the point of humbling themselves and casting +themselves at his feet, when they recalled that he would not +approve or permit their action. Then the lord makes him an offer +of all he will take of his lands or wealth, if only he will wait +a little longer. And he replied: "God forbid that ever I should +take anything of yours!" Then the damsel, who is in dismay, +begins to weep aloud, and beseeches him to stay. Like one +distracted and prey to dread, she begs him by the glorious queen +of heaven and of the angels, and by the Lord, not to go but to +wait a little while; and then, too, for her uncle's sake, whom he +says he knows, and loves, and esteems. Then his heart is touched +with deep pity when he hears her adjuring him in the name of him +whom he loves the most, and by the mistress of heaven, and by the +Lord, who is the very honey and sweet savour of pity. Filled +with anguish he heaved a sigh, for were the kingdom of Tarsus at +stake he would not see her burned to whom he had pledged his aid. +If he could not reach her in time, he would be unable to endure +his life, or would live on without his wits on the other hand, +the kindness of his friend, my lord Gawain, only increased his +distress; his heart almost bursts in half at the thought that he +cannot delay. Nevertheless, he does not stir, but delays and +waits so long that the giant came suddenly, bringing with him the +knights: and hanging from his neck he carried a big square stake +with a pointed end, and with this he frequently spurred them on. +For their part they had no clothing on that was worth a straw, +except some soiled and filthy shirts: and their feet and hands +were bound with cords, as they came riding upon four limping +jades, which were weak, and thin, and miserable. As they came +riding along beside a wood, a dwarf, who was puffed up like a +toad, had tied the horses' tails together, and walked beside +them, beating them remorselessly with a four-knotted scourge +until they bled, thinking thereby to be doing something +wonderful. Thus they were brought along in shame by the giant +and the dwarf. Stopping in the plain in front of the city gate, +the giant shouts out to the noble lord that he will kill his sons +unless he delivers to him his daughter, whom he will surrender to +his vile fellows to become their sport. For he no longer loves +her nor esteems her, that he should deign to abase himself to +her. She shall be constantly beset by a thousand lousy and +ragged knaves, vacant wretches, and scullery boys, who all shall +lay hands on her. The worthy man is well-nigh beside himself +when he hears how his daughter will be made a bawd, or else, +before his very eyes, his four sons will be put to a speedy +death. His agony is like that of one who would rather be dead +than alive. Again and again he bemoans his fate, and weeps aloud +and sighs. Then my frank and gentle lord Yvain thus began to +speak to him: "Sire, very vile and impudent is that giant who +vaunts himself out there. But may God never grant that he should +have your daughter in his power! He despises her and insults her +openly. It would be too great a calamity if so lovely a creature +of such high birth were handed over to become the sport of boys. +Give me now my arms and horse! Have the drawbridge lowered, and +let me pass. One or the other must be cast down, either I or he, +I know not which. If I could only humiliate the cruel wretch who +is thus oppressing you, so that he would release your sons and +should come and make amends for the insulting words he has spoken +to you, then I would commend you to God and go about my +business." Then they go to get his horse, and hand over to him +his arms, striving so expeditiously that they soon have him quite +equipped. They delayed as little as they could in arming him. +When his equipment was complete, there remained nothing but to +lower the bridge and let him go. They lowered it for him, and he +went out. But the lion would by no means stay behind. All those +who were left behind commended the knight to the Saviour, for +they fear exceedingly lest their devilish enemy, who already had +slain so many good men on the same field before their eyes, would +do the same with him. So they pray God to defend him from death, +and return him to them safe and sound, and that He may give him +strength to slay the giant. Each one softly prays to God in +accordance with his wish. And the giant fiercely came at him, +and with threatening words thus spake to him: "By my eyes, the +man who sent thee here surely had no love for thee! No better +way could he have taken to avenge himself on thee. He has chosen +well his vengeance for whatever wrong thou hast done to him." +But the other, fearing naught, replies: "Thou treatest of what +matters not. Now do thy best, and I'll do mine. Idle parley +wearies me." Thereupon my lord Yvain, who was anxious to depart, +rides at him. He goes to strike him on the breast, which was +protected by a bear's skin, and the giant runs at him with his +stake raised in air. My lord Yvain deals him such a blow upon +the chest that he thrusts through the skin and wets the tip of +his lance in his body's blood by way of sauce. And the giant +belabours him with the stake, and makes him bend beneath the +blows. My lord Yvain then draws the sword with which he knew how +to deal fierce blows. He found the giant unprotected, for he +trusted in his strength so much that he disdained to arm himself. +And he who had drawn his blade gave him such a slash with the +cutting edge, and not with the flat side, that he cut from his +cheek a slice fit to roast. Then the other in turn gave him such +a blow with the stake that it made him sing in a heap upon his +horse's neck. Thereupon the lion bristles up, ready to lend his +master aid, and leaps up in his anger and strength, and strikes +and tears like so much bark the heavy bearskin the giant wore, +and he tore away beneath the skin a large piece of his thigh, +together with the nerves and flesh. The giant escaped his +clutches, roaring and bellowing like a bull, for the lion had +badly wounded him. Then raising his stake in both hands, he +thought to strike him, but missed his aim, when the lion leaded +backward so he missed his blow, and fell exhausted beside my lord +Yvain, but without either of them touching the other. Then my +lord Yvain took aim and landed two blows on him. Before he could +recover himself he had severed with the edge of his sword the +giant's shoulder from his body. With the next blow he ran the +whole blade of his sword through his liver beneath his chest; the +giant falls in death's embrace. And if a great oak tree should +fall, I think it would make no greater noise than the giant made +when he tumbled down. All those who were on the wall would fain +have witnessed such a blow. Then it became evident who was the +most fleet of foot, for all ran to see the game, just like hounds +which have followed the beast until they finally come up with +him. So men and women in rivalry ran forward without delay to +where the giant lay face downward. The daughter comes running, +and her mother too. And the four brothers rejoice after the woes +they have endured. As for my lord Yvain they are very sure that +they could not detain him for any reason they might allege, but +they beseech him to return and stay to enjoy himself as soon as +he shall have completed the business which calls him away. And +he replies that he cannot promise them anything, for as yet he +cannot guess whether it will fare well or ill with him. But thus +much did he say to his host: that he wished that his four sons +and his daughter should take the dwarf and go to my lord Gawain +when they hear of his return, and should tell and relate to him +how he has conducted himself. For kind actions are of no use if +you are not willing that they be known. And they reply: "It is +not right that such kindness as this should be kept hid: we shall +do whatever you desire. But tell us what we can say when we come +before him. Whose praises can we speak, when we know not what +your name may be?" And he answers them: "When you come before +him, you may say thus much: that I told you `The Knight with the +Lion' was my name. And at the same time I must beg you to tell +him from me that, if he does not recognise who I am, yet he knows +me well and I know him. Now I must be gone from here, and the +thing which most alarms me is that I may too long have tarried +here, for before the hour of noon be passed I shall have plenty +to do elsewhere, if indeed I can arrive there in time." Then, +without further delay, he starts. But first his host begged him +insistently that he would take with him his four sons: for there +was none of them who would not strive to serve him, if he would +allow it. But it did not please or suit him that any one should +accompany him; so he left the place to them, and went away alone. +And as soon as he starts, riding as fast as his steed can carry +him, he heads toward the chapel. The path was good and straight, +and he knew well how to keep the road. But before he could reach +the chapel, the damsel had been dragged out and the pyre prepared +upon which she was to be placed. Clad only in a shift, she was +held bound before the fire by those who wrongly attributed to her +an intention she had never had. My lord Yvain arrived, and, +seeing her beside the fire into which she was about to be cast, +he was naturally incensed. He would be neither courteous nor +sensible who had any doubt about that fact. So it is true that +he was much incensed; but he cherishes within himself the hope +that God and the Right will be on his side. In such helpers he +confides; nor does he scorn his lion's aid. Rushing quickly +toward the crowd, he shouts: "Let the damsel be, you wicked folk! +Having committed no crime, it is not right that she should be +cast upon a pyre or into a furnace." And they draw off on either +side, leaving a passage-way for him. But he yearns to see with +his own eyes her whom his heart beholds in whatever place she may +be. His eyes seek her until he finds her, while he subdues and +holds in check his heart, just as one holds in check with a +strong curb a horse that pulls. Nevertheless, he gladly gazes at +her, and sighs the while; but he does not sigh so openly that his +action is detected; rather does he stifle his sighs, though with +difficulty. And he is seized with pity at hearing, seeing, and +perceiving the grief of the poor ladies, who cried: "Ah, God, how +hast Thou forgotten us! How desolate we shall now remain when we +lose so kind a friend, who gave us such counsel and such aid, and +interceded for us at court! It was she who prompted madame to +clothe us with her clothes of vair. Henceforth the situation +will change, for there will be no one to speak for us! Cursed be +he who is the cause of our loss! For we shall fare badly in all +this. There will be no one to utter such advice as this: `My +lady, give this vair mantle, this cloak, and this garment to such +and such an honest dame! Truly, such charity will be well +employed, for she is in very dire need of them.' No such words +as these shall be uttered henceforth, for there is no one else +who is frank and courteous; but every one solicits for himself +rather than for some one else, even though he have no need." + +(Vv. 4385-4474.) Thus they were bemoaning their fate; and my +lord Yvain who was in their midst, heard their complaints, which +were neither groundless nor assumed. He saw Lunete on her knees +and stripped to her shift, having already made confession, and +besought God's mercy for her sins. Then he who had loved her +deeply once came to her and raised her up, saying: "My damsel, +where are those who blame and accuse you? Upon the spot, unless +they refuse, battle will be offered them." And she, who had +neither seen nor looked at him before, said: "Sire. you come from +God in this time of my great need! The men who falsely accuse me +are all ready before me here; if you had been a little later I +should soon have been reduced to fuel and ashes. You have come +here in my defence, and may God give you the power to accomplish +it in proportion as I am guiltless of the accusation which is +made against me!" The seneschal and his two brothers heard these +words. "Ah!" they exclaim, "woman, chary of uttering truth but +generous with lies! He indeed is mad who for thy words assumes +so great a task. The knight must be simple-minded who has come +here to die for thee, for he is alone and there are three of us. +My advice to him is that he turn back before any harm shall come +to him." Then he replies, as one impatient to begin: "Whoever is +afraid, let him run away! I am not so afraid of your three +shields that I should go off defeated without a blow. I should +be indeed discourteous, if, while yet unscathed and in perfect +case, I should leave the place and field to you. Never, so long +as I am alive and sound, will I run away before such threats. +But I advise thee to set free the damsel whom thou hast unjustly +accused; for she tells me, and I believe her word, and she has +assured me upon the salvation of her soul, that she never +committed, or spoke, or conceived any treason against her +mistress. I believe implicitly what she has told me, and will +defend her as best I can, for I consider the righteousness of her +cause to be in my favour. For, if the truth be known, God always +sides with the righteous cause, for God and the Right are one; +and if they are both upon my side, then I have better company and +better aid than thou." (23) Then the other responds imprudently +that he may make every effort that pleases him and is convenient +to do him injury, provided that his lion shall not do him harm. +And he replies that he never brought the lion to champion his +cause, nor does he wish any but himself to take a hand: but if +the lion attacks him, let him defend himself against him as best +he can, for concerning him he will give no guarantee. Then the +other answers: "Whatever thou mayst say; unless thou now warn thy +lion, and make him stand quietly to one side, there is no use of +thy longer staying here, but begone at once, and so shalt thou be +wise; for throughout this country every one is aware how this +girl betrayed her lady, and it is right that she receive her due +reward in fire and flame." "May the Holy Spirit forbid!" says he +who knows the truth; "may God not let me stir from here until I +have delivered her!" Then he tells the lion to withdraw and to +lie down quietly, and he does so obediently. + +(Vv. 4475-4532.) The lion now withdrew, and the parley and +quarrel being ended between them two, they all took their +distance for the charge. The three together spurred toward him, +and he went to meet them at a walk. He did not wish to be +overturned or hurt at this first encounter. So he let them split +their lances, while keeping his entire, making for them a target +of his shield, whereon each one broke his lance. Then he +galloped off until he was separated from them by the space of an +acre; but he soon returned to the business in hand, having no +desire to delay. On his coming up the second time, he reached +the seneschal before his two brothers, and breaking his lance +upon his body, he carried him to earth in spite of himself, and +he gave him such a powerful blow that for a long while he lay +stunned, incapable of doing him any harm. And then the other two +came at him with their swords bared, and both deal him great +blows, but they receive still heavier blows from him. For a +single one of the blows he deals is more than a match for two of +theirs; thus he defends himself so well that they have no +advantage over him, until the seneschal gets up and does his best +to injure him, in which attempt the others join, until they begin +to press him and get the upper hand. Then the lion, who is +looking on, delays no longer to lend him aid; for it seems to him +that he needs it now. And all the ladies, who are devoted to the +damsel, beseech God repeatedly and pray to Him earnestly not to +allow the death or the defeat of him who has entered the fray on +her account. The ladies, having no other weapons, thus assist +him with their prayers. And the lion brings him such effective +aid, that at his first attack, he strikes so fiercely the +seneschal, who was now on his feet, that he makes the meshes fly +from the hauberk like straw, and he drags him down with such +violence that he tears the soft flesh from his shoulder and all +down his side. He strips whatever he touches, so that the +entrails lie exposed. The other two avenge this blow. + +(Vv. 4533-4634.) Now they are all even on the field. The +seneschal is marked for death, as he turns and welters in the red +stream of warm blood pouring from his body. The lion attacks the +others; for my lord Yvain is quite unable, though he did his best +by beating or by threatening him, to drive him back; but the lion +doubtless feels confident that his master does not dislike his +aid, but rather loves him the more for it: so he fiercely attacks +them, until they have reason to complain of his blows, and they +wound him in turn and use him badly. When my lord Yvain sees his +lion wounded, his heart is wroth within his breast, and rightly +so; but he makes such efforts to avenge him, and presses them so +hard, that he completely reduces them; they no longer resist him, +but surrender to him at discretion, because of the lion's help, +who is now in great distress; for he was wounded everywhere, and +had good cause to be in pain. For his part, my lord Yvain was by +no means in a healthy state, for his body bore many a wound. But +he is not so anxious about himself as about his lion, which is in +distress. Now he has delivered the damsel exactly in accordance +with his wish, and the lady has very willingly dismissed the +grudge that she bore her. And those men were burned upon the +pyre which had been kindled for the damsel's death; for it is +right and just that he who has misjudged another, should suffer +the same manner of death as that to which he had condemned the +other. Now Lunete is joyous and glad at being reconciled with +her mistress, and together they were more happy than any one ever +was before. Without recognising him, all present offered to him, +who was their lord, their service so long as life should last; +even the lady, who possessed unknowingly his heart, begged him +insistently to tarry there until his lion and he had quite +recovered. And he replied: "Lady, I shall not now tarry here +until my lady removes from me her displeasure and anger: then the +end of all my labours will come." "Indeed," she said, "that +grieves me. I think the lady cannot be very courteous who +cherishes ill-will against you. She ought not to close her door +against so valorous a knight as you, unless he had done her some +great wrong." "Lady,' he replies, "however great the hardship +be, I am pleased by what ever may be her will. But speak to me +no more of that; for I shall say nothing of the cause or crime, +except to those who are informed of it." "Does any one know it, +then, beside you two?" "Yes, truly, lady." "Well, tell us at +least your name, fair sir; then you will be free to go." "Quite +free, my lady? No, I shall not be free. I owe more than I can +pay. Yet, I ought not to conceal from you my name. You will +never hear of `The Knight with the Lion' without hearing of me; +for I wish to be known by that name." "For God's sake, sir, what +does that name mean? For we never saw you before, nor have we +ever heard mentioned this name of yours." "My lady, you may from +that infer that my fame is not widespread." Then the lady says: +"Once more, if it did not oppose your will, I would pray you to +tarry here." "Really, my lady, I should not dare, until I knew +certainly that I had regained my lady's good-will." "Well, then, +go in God's name, fair sir; and, if it be His will, may He +convert your grief and sorrow into joy." "Lady," says he, "may +God hear your prayer." Then he added softly under his breath: +"Lady, it is you who hold the key, and, though you know it not, +you hold the casket in which my happiness is kept under lock." + +(Vv. 4635-4674.) Then he goes away in great distress, and there +is no one who recognises him save Lunete, who accompanied him a +long distance. Lunete alone keeps him company, and he begs her +insistently never to reveal the name of her champion. "Sire," +says she, "I will never do so." Then he further requested her +that she should not forget him, and that she should keep a place +for him in his mistress' heart, whenever the chance arose. She +tells him to be at ease on that score; for she will never be +forgetful, nor unfaithful, nor idle. Then he thanks her a +thousand times, and he departs pensive and oppressed, because of +his lion that he must needs carry, being unable to follow him on +foot. He makes for him a litter of moss and ferns in his shield. +When he has made a bed for him there, he lays him in it as gently +as he can, and carries him thus stretched out full length on the +inner side of his shield. Thus, in his shield he bears him off, +until he arrives before the gate of a mansion, strong and fair. +Finding it closed, he called, and the porter opened it so +promptly that he had no need to call but once. He reaches out to +take his rein, and greets him thus: "Come in, fair sire. I offer +you the dwelling of my lord, if it please you to dismount." "I +accept the offer gladly," he replies, "for I stand in great need +of it, and it is time to find a lodging." + +(Vv. 4675-4702.) Thereupon, he passed through the gate, and saw +the retainers in a mass coming to meet him. They greeted him and +helped him from his horse, and laid down upon the pavement his +shield with the lion on it. And some, taking his horse, put it +in a stable: while others very properly relieved him of his arms +and took them. Then the lord of the castle heard the news, and +at once came down into the courtyard, and greeted him. And his +lady came down, too, with all her sons and daughters and a great +crowd of other people, who all rejoiced to offer him a lodging. +They gave him a quiet room, because they deemed that he was sick; +but their good nature was put to a test when they allowed the +lion to go with him. His cure was undertaken by two maidens +skilled in surgery, who were daughters of the lord. I do not +know how many days he stayed there, until he and his lion, being +cured, were compelled to proceed upon their way. + +(Vv. 4703-4736.) But within this time it came about that my lord +of Noire Espine had a struggle with Death, and so fierce was +Death's attack that he was forced to die. After his death it +happened that the elder of two daughters whom he had, announced +that she would possess uncontested all the estates for herself +during her entire lifetime, and that she would give no share to +her sister. And the other one said that she would go to King +Arthur's court to seek help for the defence of her claim to the +land. When the former saw that her sister would by no means +concede all the estates to her without contest, she was greatly +concerned, and thought that, if possible, she would get to court +before her. At once she prepared and equipped herself, and +without any tarrying or delay, she proceeded to the court. The +other followed her, and made all the haste she could; but her +journey was all in vain, for her eider sister had already +presented her case to my lord Gawain, and he had promised to +execute her will. But there was an agreement between them that +if any one should learn of the facts from her, he would never +again take arms for her, and to this arrangement she gave +consent. + +(Vv. 4737-4758.) Just then the other sister arrived at court, +clad in a short mantle of scarlet cloth and fresh ermine. It +happened to be the third day after the Queen had returned from +the captivity in which Maleagant had detained her with all the +other prisoners; but Lancelot had remained behind, treacherously +confined within a tower. And on that very day, when the damsel +came to court, news was received of the cruel and wicked giant +whom the knight with the lion had killed in battle. In his name, +my lord Gawain was greeted by his nephews and niece, who told him +in detail of all the great service and great deeds of prowess he +had done for them for his sake, and how that he was well +acquainted with him, though not aware of his identity. + +(Vv. 4759-4820.) All this was heard by her, who was plunged +thereby into great despair and sorrow and dejection; for, since +the best of the knights was absent, she thought she would find no +aid or counsel at the court. She had already made several loving +and insistent appeals to my lord Gawain; but he had said to her: +"My dear, it is useless to appeal to me; I cannot do it; I have +another affair on hand, which I shall in no wise give up." Then +the damsel at once left him, and presented herself before the +King. "O King," said she, "I have come to thee and to thy court +for aid. But I find none, and I am very much mazed that I can +get no counsel here. Yet it would not be right for me to go away +without taking leave. My sister may know, however, that she +might obtain by kindness whatever she desired of my property; but +I will never surrender my heritage to her by force, if I can help +it, and if I can find any aid or counsel." "You have spoken +wisely," said the King; "since she is present here, I advise, +recommend, and urge her to surrender to you what is your right." +Then the other, who was confident of the best knight in the +world, replied: "Sire, may God confound me, if ever I bestow on +her from my estates any castle, town, clearing, forest, land, or +anything else. But if any knight dares to take arms on her +behalf and desires to defend her cause, let him step forth at +once." "Your offer to her is not fair; she needs more time," the +King replied; "if she desires, she may have forty days to secure +a champion, according to the practice of all courts." To which +the elder sister replied: "Fair King, my lord, you may establish +your laws as it pleases you, and as seems good, nor is it my +place to gainsay you, so I must consent to the postponement, if +she desires it." Whereupon, the other says that she does desire +it, and she makes formal request for it. Then she commended the +King to God, and left the court resolving to devote her life to +the search through all the land for the Knight with the Lion, who +devotes himself to succouring women in need of aid. + +(Vv. 4821-4928.) Thus she entered upon her quest, and traversed +many a country without hearing any news of him, which caused her +such grief that she fell sick. But it was well for her that it +happened so; for she came to the dwelling of a friend of hers, by +whom she was dearly loved. By this time her face showed clearly +that she was not in good health. They insisted upon detaining +her until she told them of her plight; whereupon, another damsel +took up the quest wherein she had been engaged, and continued the +search on her behalf. So while the one remained in this retreat, +the other rode rapidly all day long, until the darkness of night +came on, and caused her great anxiety. (24) And her trouble was +doubled when the rain came on with terrible violence, as if God +Himself were doing His worst, while she was in the depths of the +forest. The night and the woods cause her great distress, but +she is more tormented by the rain than by either the woods or the +night. And the road was so bad that her horse was often up to +the girth in mud; any damsel might well be terrified to be in the +woods, without escort, in such bad weather and in such darkness +that she could not see the horse she was riding. So she called +on God first, and His mother next, and then on all the saints in +turn, and offered up many a prayer that God would lead her out +from this forest and conduct her to some lodging-place. She +continued in prayer until she heard a horn, at which she greatly +rejoiced; for she thought now she would find shelter, if she +could only reach the place. So she turned in the direction of +the sound, and came upon a paved road which led straight toward +the horn whose sound she heard; for the horn had given three +long, loud blasts. And she made her way straight toward the +sound, until she came to a cross which stood on the right side of +the road, and there she thought that she might find the horn and +the person who had sounded it. So she spurred her horse in that +direction, until she drew near a bridge, and descried the white +walls and the barbican of a circular castle. Thus, by chance she +came upon the castle, setting her course by the sound which had +led her thither. She had been attracted by the sound of the horn +blown by a watchman upon the walls. As soon as the watchman +caught sight of her, he called to her, then came down, and taking +the key of the gate, opened it for her and said: "Welcome, +damsel, whoe'er you be. You shall be well lodged this night." +"I have no other desire than that," the damsel replied, as he let +her in. After the toil and anxiety she had endured that day, she +was fortunate to find such a lodging-place; for she was very +comfortable there. After the meal the host addressed her, and +inquired where she was going and what was her quest. Whereupon, +she thus replied: "I am seeking one whom I never saw, so far as I +am aware, and never knew; but he has a lion with him, and I am +told that, if I find him, I can place great confidence in him." +"I can testify to that," the other said: "for the day before +yesterday God sent him here to me in my dire need. Blessed be +the paths which led him to my dwelling. For he made me glad by +avenging me of a mortal enemy and killing him before my eyes. +Outside yonder gate you may see to-morrow the body of a mighty +giant, whom he slew with such ease that he hardly had to sweat." +"For God's sake, sire," the damsel said, "tell me now the truth, +if you know whither he went, and where he is." "I don't know," +he said, "as God sees me here; but to-morrow I will start you on +the road by which he went away from here." "And may God," said +she, "lead me where I may hear true news of him. For if I find +him, I shall be very glad." + +(Vv. 4929-4964.) Thus they continued in long converse until at +last they went to bed. When the day dawned, the maid arose, +being in great concern to find the object of her quest. And the +master of the house arose with all his companions, and set her +upon the road which led straight to the spring beneath the pine. +And she, hastening on her way toward the town, came and asked the +first men whom she met, if they could tell her where she would +find the lion and the knight who travelled in company. And they +told her that they had seen him defeat three knights in that very +place. Whereupon, she said at once: "For God's sake, since you +have said so much, do not keep back from me anything that you can +add." "No," they replied; "we know nothing more than we have +said, nor do we know what became of him. If she for whose sake +he came here, cannot give you further news, there will be no one +here to enlighten you. You will not have far to go, if you wish +to speak with her; for she has gone to make prayer to God and to +hear Mass in yonder church, and judging by the time she has been +inside, her orisons have been prolonged." + +(Vv. 4965-5106.) While they were talking thus, Lunete came out +from the church, and they said: "There she is." Then she went to +meet her, and they greeted each other. She asked Lunete at once +for the information she desired; and Lunete said that she would +have a palfrey saddled; for she wished to accompany her, and +would take her to an enclosure where she had left him. The other +maiden thanked her heartily. Lunete mounts the palfrey which is +brought without delay, and, as they ride, she tells her how she +had been accused and charged with treason, and how the pyre was +already kindled upon which she was to be laid, and how he had +come to help her in just the moment of her need. While speaking +thus, she escorted her to the road which led directly to the spot +where my lord Yvain had parted from her. When she had +accompanied her thus far, she said: "Follow this road until you +come to a place where, if it please God and the Holy Spirit, you +will hear more reliable news of him than I can tell. I very well +remember that I left him either near here, or exactly here, where +we are now; we have not seen each other since then, and I do not +know what he has done. When he left me, he was in sore need of a +plaster for his wounds. So I will send you along after him, and +if it be God's will, may He grant that you find him to-night or +to-morrow in good health. Now go: I commend you to God. I must +not follow you any farther, lest my mistress be displeased with +me." Then Lunete leaves her and turns back; while the other +pushed on until she found a house, where my lord Yvain had +tarried until he was restored to health. She saw people gathered +before the gate, knights, ladies and men-at-arms, and the master +of the house; she saluted them, and asked them to tell her, if +possible, news of a knight for whom she sought. "Who is he?" +they ask. "I have heard it said that he is never without a lion." +"Upon my word, damsel," the master says, "he has just now left +us. You can come up with him to-night, if you are able to keep +his tracks in sight, and are careful not to lose any time." +"Sire," she answers, "God forbid. But tell me now in what +direction I must follow him." And they tell her: "This way, +straight ahead," and they beg her to greet him on their behalf. +But their courtesy was not of much avail; for, without giving any +heed, she galloped off at once. The pace seemed much too slow to +her, though her palfrey made good time. So she galloped through +the mud just the same as where the road was good and smooth, +until she caught sight of him with the lion as his companion. +Then in her gladness she exclaims: "God, help me now. At last I +see him whom I have so long pursued, and whose trace I have long +followed. But if I pursue and nothing gain, what will it profit +me to come up with him? Little or nothing, upon my word. If he +does not join in my enterprise, I have wasted all my pains." +Thus saying, she pressed on so fast that her palfrey was all in a +sweat; but she caught up with him and saluted him. He thus at +once replied to her: "God save you, fair one, and deliver you +from grief and woe." "The same to you, sire, who, I hope, will +soon be able to deliver me." Then she draws nearer to him, and +says: "Sire, I have long searched for you. The great fame of +your merit has made me traverse many a county in my weary search +for you. But I continued my quest so long, thank God, that at +last I have found you here. And if I brought any anxiety with +me, I am no longer concerned about it, nor do I complain or +remember it now. I am entirely relieved; my worry has taken +flight the moment I met with you. Moreover, the affair is none +of mine: I come to you from one that is better than I, a woman +who is more noble and excellent. But if she be disappointed in +her hopes of you, then she has been betrayed by your fair renown, +for she has no expectation of other aid. My damsel, who is +deprived of her inheritance by a sister, expects with your help +to win her suit; she will have none but you defend her cause. No +one can make her believe that any one else could bear her aid. +By securing her share of the heritage, you will have won and +acquired the love of her who is now disinherited, and you will +also increase your own renown. She herself was going in search +for you to secure the boon for which she hoped; no one else would +have taken her place, had she not been detained by an illness +which compels her to keep her bed. Now tell me, please, whether +you will dare to come, or whether you will decline." "No," he +says; "no man can win praise in a life of ease; and I will not +hold back, but will follow you gladly, my sweet friend, +whithersoever it may please you. And if she for whose sake you +have sought me out stands in some great need of me, have no fear +that I shall not do all I can for her. Now may God grant me the +happiness and grace to settle in her favour her rightful claim." + +(Vv. 5107-5184.) (25) Thus conversing, they two rode away until +they approached the town of Pesme Avanture. They had no desire +to pass it by, for the day was already drawing to a close. They +came riding to the castle, when all the people, seeing them +approach, called out to the knight: "Ill come, sire, ill come. +This lodging-place was pointed out to you in order that you might +suffer harm and shame. An abbot might take his oath to that." +"Ah," he replied, "foolish and vulgar folk, full of all mischief, +and devoid of honour, why have you thus assailed me?" "Why? you +will find out soon enough, if you will go a little farther. But +you shall learn nothing more until you have ascended to the +fortress." At once my lord Yvain turns toward the tower, and the +crowd cries out, all shouting aloud at him: "Eh, eh, wretch, +whither goest thou? If ever in thy life thou hast encountered +one who worked thee shame and woe, such will be done thee there, +whither thou art going, as will never be told again by thee." My +lord Yvain, who is listening, says: "Base and pitiless people, +miserable and impudent, why do you assail me thus, why do you +attack me so? What do you wish of me, what do you want, that you +growl this way after me?" A lady, who was somewhat advanced in +years, who was courteous and sensible, said: "Thou hast no cause +to be enraged: they mean no harm in what they say; but, if thou +understoodest them aright, they are warning thee not to spend the +night up there; they dare not tell thee the reason for this, but +they are warning and blaming thee because they wish to arouse thy +fears. This they are accustomed to do in the case of all who +come, so that they may not go inside. And the custom is such +that we dare not receive in our own houses, for any reason +whatsoever, any gentleman who comes here from a distance. The +responsibility now is thine alone; no one will stand in thy way. +If thou wishest, thou mayst go up now; but my advice is to turn +back again." "Lady," he says, "doubtless it would be to my +honour and advantage to follow your advice; but I do not know +where I should find a lodging-place to-night." "Upon my word," +says she, "I'll say no more, for the concern is none of mine. Go +wherever you please. Nevertheless, I should be very glad to see +you return from inside without too great shame; but that could +hardly be." "Lady," he says, "may God reward you for the wish. +However, my wayward heart leads me on inside, and I shall do what +my heart desires." Thereupon, he approaches the gate, +accompanied by his lion and his damsel. Then the porter calls to +him, and says: "Come quickly, come. You are on your way to a +place where you will be securely detained, and may your visit be +accursed." + +(Vv. 5185-5346.) The porter, after addressing him with this very +ungracious welcome, hurried upstairs. But my lord Yvain, without +making reply, passed straight on, and found a new and lofty hall; +in front of it there was a yard enclosed with large, round, +pointed stakes, and seated inside the stakes he saw as many as +three hundred maidens, working at different kinds of embroidery. +Each one was sewing with golden thread and silk, as best she +could. But such was their poverty, that many of them wore no +girdle, and looked slovenly, because so poor; and their garments +were torn about their breasts and at the elbows, and their shifts +were soiled about their necks. Their necks were thin, and their +faces pale with hunger and privation. They see him, as he looks +at them, and they weep, and are unable for some time to do +anything or to raise their eyes from the ground, so bowed down +they are with woe. When he had contemplated them for a while, my +lord Yvain turned about and moved toward the door; but the porter +barred the way, and cried: "It is no use, fair master; you shall +not get out now. You would like to be outside: but, by my head, +it is of no use. Before you escape you will have suffered such +great shame that you could not easily suffer more; so you were +not wise to enter here, for there is no question of escaping +now." "Nor do I wish to do so, fair brother," said he; "but tell +me, by thy father's soul, whence came the damsels whom I saw in +the yard, weaving cloths of silk and gold. I enjoy seeing the +work they do, but I am much distressed to see their bodies so +thin, and their faces so pale and sad. I imagine they would be +fair and charming, if they had what they desire." "I will tell +you nothing," was the reply; "seek some one else to tell you." +"That will I do, since there is no better way." Then he searches +until he finds the entrance of the yard where the damsels were at +work: and coming before them, he greets them all, and sees tears +flowing from their eyes, as they weep. Then he says to them: +"May it please God to remove from your hearts, and turn to joy, +this grief, the cause of which I do not know." One of them +answers: "May you be heard by God, to whom you have addressed +your prayer. It shall not be concealed from you who we are, and +from what land: I suppose that is what you wish to know." "For +no other purpose came I here," says he. (26) "Sire, it happened +a long while ago that the king of the Isle of Damsels went +seeking news through divers courts and countries, and he kept on +his travels like a dunce until he encountered this perilous +place. It was an unlucky hour when he first came here, for we +wretched captives who are here receive all the shame and misery +which we have in no wise deserved. And rest assured that you +yourself may expect great shame, unless a ransom for you be +accepted. But, at any rate, so it came about that my lord came +to this town, where there are two sons of the devil (do not take +it as a jest) who were born of a woman and an imp. These two +were about to fight with the king, whose terror was great, for he +was not yet eighteen years old, and they would have been able to +cleave him through like a tender lamb. So the king, in his +terror, escaped his fate as best he could, by swearing that he +would send hither each year, as required, thirty of his damsels, +and with this rent he freed himself. And when he swore, it was +agreed that this arrangement should remain in force as long as +the two devils lived. But upon the day when they should be +conquered and defeated in battle, he would be relieved from this +tribute, and we should be delivered who are now shamefully given +over to distress and misery. Never again shall we know what +pleasure is. But I spoke folly just now in referring to our +deliverance, for we shall never more leave this place. We shall +spend our days weaving cloths of silk, without ever being better +clad. We shall always be poor and naked, and shall always suffer +from hunger and thirst, for we shall never be able to earn enough +to procure for ourselves any better food. Our bread supply is +very scarce--a little in the morning and less at night, for +none of us can gain by her handiwork more than fourpence a day +for her daily bread. And with this we cannot provide ourselves +with sufficient food and clothes. For though there is not one of +us who does not earn as much as twenty sous (27) a week, yet we +cannot live without hardship. Now you must know that there is +not a single one of us who does not do twenty sous worth of work +or more, and with such a sum even a duke would be considered +rich. So while we are reduced to such poverty, he, for whom we +work, is rich with the product of our toil. We sit up many +nights, as well as every day, to earn the more, for they threaten +to do us injury, when we seek some rest, so we do not dare to +rest ourselves. But why should I tell you more? We are so +shamefully treated and insulted that I cannot tell you the fifth +part of it all. But what makes us almost wild with rage is that +we very often see rich and excellent knights, who fight with the +two devils, lose their lives on our account. They pay dearly for +the lodging they receive, as you will do to-morrow. For, whether +you wish to do so or not, you will have to fight singlehanded and +lose your fair renown with these two devils." "May God, the true +and spiritual, protect me," said my lord Yvain, "and give you +back your honour and happiness, if it be His will. I must go now +and see the people inside there, and find out what sort of +entertainment they will offer me." "Go now, sire, and may He +protect you who gives and distributes all good things." + +(Vv. 5347-5456.) Then he went until he came to the hall where he +found no one, good or bad, to address him. Then he and his +companion passed through the house until they came to a garden. +They never spoke of, or mentioned, stabling their horses. But +what matters it? For those who considered them already as their +own had stabled them carefully. I do not know whether their +expectation was wise, for the horses' owners are still perfectly +hale. The horses, however, have oats and hay, and stand in +litter up to their belly. My lord Yvain and his company enter +the garden. There he sees, reclining upon his elbow upon a +silken rug, a gentleman, to whom a maiden was reading from a +romance about I know not whom. There had come to recline there +with them and listen to the romance a lady, who was the mother of +the damsel, as the gentleman was her father; they had good reason +to enjoy seeing and hearing her, for they had no other children. +She was not yet sixteen years old, and was so fair and full of +grace that the god of Love would have devoted himself entirely to +her service, if he had seen her, and would never have made her +fall in love with anybody except himself. For her sake he would +have become a man, and would lay aside his deity, and would smite +his own body with that dart whose wound never heals unless some +base physician attends to it. It is not fitting that any one +should recover until he meets with faithlessness. Any one who is +cured by other means is not honestly in love. I could tell you +so much about this wound, if you were pleased to listen to it, +that I would not get through my tale to-day. But there would be +some one who would promptly say that I was telling you but an +idle tale; for people don't fall in love nowadays, nor do they +love as they used to do, so they do not care to hear of it. (28) +But hear now in what fashion and with what manner of hospitality +my lord Yvain was received. All those who were in the garden +leaped to their feet when they saw him come, and cried out: "This +way, fair sire. May you and all you love be blessed with all +that God can do or say." I know not if they were deceiving him, +but they receive him joyfully and act as if they are pleased that +he should be comfortably lodged. Even the lord's daughter serves +him very honourably, as one should treat a worthy guest. She +relieves him of all his arms, nor was it the least attention she +bestowed on him when she herself washed his neck and face. The +lord wishes that all honour should be shown him, as indeed they +do. She gets out from her wardrobe a folded shirt, white +drawers, needle and thread for his sleeves, which she sews on, +thus clothing him. (29) May God want now that this attention and +service may not prove too costly to him! She gave him a handsome +jacket to put on over his shirt, and about his neck she placed a +brand new spotted mantle of scarlet stuff. She takes such pains +to serve him well that he feels ashamed and embarrassed. But the +damsel is so courteous and open-hearted and polite that she feels +she is doing very little. And she knows well that it is her +mother's will that she shall leave nothing undone for him which +she thinks may win his gratitude. That night at table he was so +well served with so many dishes that there were too many. The +servants who brought in the dishes might well have been wearied +by serving them. That night they did him all manner of honour, +putting him comfortably to bed, and not once going near him again +after he had retired. His lion lay at his feet, as his custom +was. In the morning, when God lighted His great light for the +world, as early as was consistent in one who was always +considerate, my lord Yvain quickly arose, as did his damsel too. +They heard Mass in a chapel, where it was promptly said for them +in honour of the Holy Spirit. + +(Vv. 5457-5770.) After the Mass my lord Yvain heard bad news, +when he thought the time had come for him to leave and that +nothing would stand in his way; but it could not be in accordance +with his wish. When he said: "Sire, if it be your will, and with +your permission, I am going now," the master of the house +replied: "Friend, I will not grant you permission yet. There is +a reason why I cannot do so, for there is established in this +castle a very terrible practice which I am bound to observe. I +shall now cause to approach two great, strong fellows of mine, +against whom, whether right or wrong, you must take arms. If you +can defend yourself against them, and conquer and slay them both, +my daughter desires you as her lord, and the suzerainty of this +town and all its dependencies awaits you." "Sire," said he, "for +all this I have no desire. So may God never bestow your daughter +upon me, but may she remain with you; for she is so fair and so +elegant that the Emperor of Germany would be fortunate to win her +as his wife." "No more, fair guest," the lord replied: "there is +no need of my listening to your refusal, for you cannot escape. +He who can defeat the two, who are about to attack you, must by +right receive my castle, and all my land, and my daughter as his +wife. There is no way of avoiding or renouncing the battle. But +I feel sure that your refusal of my daughter is due to cowardice, +for you think that in this manner you can completely avoid the +battle. Know, however, without fail that you must surely fight. +No knight who lodges here can possibly escape. This is a settled +custom and statute, which will endure yet for many a year, for my +daughter will never be married until I see them dead or +defeated." "Then I must fight them in spite of myself. But I +assure you that I should very gladly give it up. In spite of my +reluctance, however, I shall accept the battle, since it is +inevitable." Thereupon, the two hideous, black sons of the devil +come in, both armed with a crooked club of a cornelian cherry- +tree, which they had covered with copper and wound with brass. +They were armed from the shoulders to the knees, but their head +and face were bare, as well as their brawny legs. Thus armed, +they advanced, bearing in their hands round shields, stout and +light for fighting. The lion begins to quiver as soon as he sees +them, for he sees the arms they have, and perceives that they +come to fight his master. He is aroused, and bristles up at +once, and, trembling with rage and bold impulse, he thrashes the +earth with his tail, desiring to rescue his master before they +kill him. And when they see him they say: "Vassal, remove the +lion from here that he may not do us harm. Either surrender to +us at once, or else, we adjure you, that lion must be put where +he can take no part in aiding you or in harming us. You must +come alone to enjoy our sport, for the lion would gladly help +you, if he could." My lord Yvain then replies to them: "Take him +away yourselves if you are afraid of him. For I shall be well +pleased and satisfied if he can contrive to injure you, and I +shall be grateful for his aid." They answer: "Upon my word that +will not do; you shall never receive any help from him. Do the +best you can alone, without the help of any one. You must fight +single-handed against us two. If you were not alone, it would be +two against two; so you must follow our orders, and remove your +lion from here at once, however much you may dislike to do so." +"Where do you wish him to be?" he asks, "or where do you wish me +to put him?" Then they show him a small room, and say: "Shut him +up in there." "It shall be done, since it is your will." Then +he takes him and shuts him up. And now they bring him arms for +his body, and lead out his horse, which they give to him, and he +mounts. The two champions, being now assured about the lion, +which is shut up in the room, come at him to injure him and do +him harm. They give him such blows with the maces that his +shield and helmet are of little use, for when they hit him on the +helmet they batter it in and break it; and the shield is broken +and dissolved like ice, for they make such holes in it that one +could thrust his fists through it: their onslaught is truly +terrible. And he--what does he do against these two devils? +Urged on by shame and fear, he defends himself with all his +strength. He strains every nerve, and exerts himself to deal +heavy, and telling blows; they lost nothing by his gifts, for he +returned their attentions with double measure. In his room, the +lion's heart is heavy and sad, for he remembers the kind deed +done for him by this noble man, who now must stand in great need +of his service and aid. If now he could escape from there, he +would return him the kindness with full measure and full bushel, +without any discount whatsoever. He looks about in all +directions, but sees no way of escape. He hears the blows of the +dangerous and desperate fight, and in his grief he rages and is +beside himself. He investigates, until he comes to the +threshold, which was beginning to grow rotten; and he scratches +at it until he can squeeze himself in as far as his haunches, +when he sticks fast. Meanwhile, my lord Yvain was hard pressed +and sweating freely, for he found that the two fellows were very +strong, fierce, and persistent. He had received many a blow, and +repaid it as best he could, but without doing them any harm, for +they were well skilled in fencing, and their shields were not of +a kind to be hacked by any sword, however sharp and well tempered +it might be. So my lord Yvain had good reason to fear his death, +yet he managed to hold his own until the lion extricated himself +by continued scratching beneath the threshold. If the rascals +are not killed now, surely they will never be. For so long as +the lion knows them to be alive, they can never obtain truce or +peace with him. He seizes one of them, and pulls him down to +earth like a tree-trunk. The wretches are terrified, and there +is not a man present who does not rejoice. For he whom the lion +has dragged down will never be able to rise again, unless the +other succours him. He runs up to bring him aid, and at the same +time to protect himself, lest the lion should attack him as soon +as he had despatched the one whom he had thrown down; he was more +afraid of the lion than of his master. But my lord Yvain will be +foolish now if he allows him longer life, when he sees him turn +his back, and sees his neck bare and exposed; this chance turned +out well for him. When the rascal exposed to him his bare head +and neck, he dealt him such a blow that he smote his head from +his shoulders so quietly that the fellow never knew a word about +it. Then he dismounts, wishing to help and save the other one +from the lion, who holds him fast. But it is of no use, for +already he is in such straits that a physician can never arrive +in time; for the lion, coming at him furiously, so wounded him at +the first attack, that he was in a dreadful state. Nevertheless, +he drags the lion back, and sees that he had torn his shoulder +from its place. He is in no fear of the fellow now, for his club +has fallen from his hand, and he lies like a dead man without +action or movement; still he has enough strength to speak, and he +said as clearly as he could: "Please take your lion away, fair +sire, that he may not do me further harm. Henceforth you may do +with me whatever may be your desire. Whoever begs and prays for +mercy, ought not to have his prayer refused, unless he addresses +a heartless man. I will no longer defend myself, nor will I ever +get up from here with my own strength; so I put myself in your +hands." "Speak out then," he says, "if thou dost admit that thou +art conquered and defeated." "Sire," he says, "it is evident. I +am defeated in spite of myself, and I surrender, I promise you." +"Then thou needest have no further fear of me, and my lion will +leave thee alone." Then he is surrounded by all the crowd, who +arrive on the scene in haste. And both the lord and his lady +rejoice over him, and embrace him, and speak to him of their +daughter, saying: "Now you will be the lord and master of us all, +and our daughter will be your wife, for we bestow her upon you as +your spouse." "And for my part," he says. "I restore her to you. +Let him who has her keep her. I have no concern with her, though +I say it not in disparagement. Take it not amiss if I do not +accept her, for I cannot and must not do so. But deliver to me +now, if you will, the wretched maidens in your possession. The +agreement, as you well know, is that they shall all go free." +"What you say is true," he says: "and I resign and deliver them +freely to you: there will be no dispute on that score. But you +will be wise to take my daughter with all my wealth, for she is +fair, and charming, and sensible. You will never find again such +a rich marriage as this." "Sire," he replies, "you do not know +of my engagements and my affairs, and I do not dare to explain +them to you. But, you may be sure, when I refuse what would +never be refused by any one who was free to devote his heart and +intentions to such a fair and charming girl, that I too would +willingly accept her hand if I could, or if I were free to accept +her or any other maid. But I assure you that I cannot do it: so +let me depart in peace. For the damsel, who escorted me hither, +is awaiting me. She has kept me company, and I would not +willingly desert her whatever the future may have in store." +"You wish to go, fair sire? But how? My gate will never be +opened for you unless my judgment bids me give the command; +rather shall you remain here as my prisoner. You are acting +haughtily and making a mistake when you disdain to take my +daughter at my request." "Disdain, my lord? Upon my soul, I do +not disdain her. Whatever the penalty may be, I cannot marry a +wife or tarry here. I shall follow the damsel who is my guide: +for otherwise it cannot be. But, with your consent, I will +pledge you my right hand, and you may take my word, that, just as +you see me now, I will return if possible, and then will accept +your daughter's hand, whenever it may seem good ro you." +"Confound any one," he says, "who asks you for your word or +promise or pledge. If my daughter pleases you, you will +return quickly enough. You will not return any sooner. I think, +for having given your word or sworn an oath. Begone now. I +release you from all oaths and promises. If you are detained by +rain or wind, or by nothing at all, it is of no consequence to +me. I do not hold my daughter so cheap as to bestow her upon you +forcibly. Now go about your business. For it is quite the same +to me whether you go or whether you stay." + +(Vv. 5771-5871.) Thereupon my lord Yvain turns away and delays +no longer in the castle. He escorted the poor and ill-clad +wretches, who were now released from captivity, and whom the lord +committed to his care. These maidens feel that now they are +rich, as they file out in pairs before him from the castle. I do +not believe that they would rejoice so much as they do now were +He who created the whole world to descend to earth from Heaven. +Now all those people who had insulted him in every possible way +come to beseech him for mercy and peace, and escort him on his +way. He replies that he knows nothing of what they mean. "I do +not understand what you mean," he says; "but I have nothing +against you. I do not remember that you ever said anything that +harmed me." They are very glad for what they hear, and loudly +praise his courtesy, and after escorting him a long distance, +they all commend him to God. Then the damsels, after asking his +permission, separated from him. When they left him, they all +bowed to him, and prayed and expressed the wish that God might +grant him joy and health, and the accomplishment of his desire, +wherever in the future he should go. Then he, who is anxious to +be gone, says that he hopes God will save them all. "Go," he +says, "and may God conduct you into your countries safe and +happy." Then they continue their way joyfully; and my lord Yvain +departs in the other direction. All the days of that week he +never ceases to hurry on under the escort of the maid, who was +well acquainted with the road, and with the retired place where +she had left the unhappy and disconsolate damsel who had been +deprived of her inheritance. But when she heard news of the +arrival of the maiden and of the Knight with the Lion. There +never was such joy as she felt within her heart. For now she +thinks that, if she insists, her sister will cede her a part of +her inheritance. The damsel had long lain sick, and had just +recovered from her malady. It had seriously affected her, as was +apparent from her face. Straightway she went forth to meet them, +greeting them and honouring them in every way she could. There +is no need to speak of the happiness that prevailed that night in +the house. No mention will be made of it, for the story would be +too long to tell. I pass over all that, until they mounted next +morning and went away. They rode until they saw the town where +King Arthur had been staying for a fortnight or more. And there, +too, was the damsel who had deprived her sister of her heritage, +for she had kept close to the court, waiting for the arrival of +her sister, who now draws near. But she does not worry much, for +she does not think that her sister can find any knight who can +withstand my lord Gawain's attack, and only one day of the forty +yet remains. If this single day had passed, she would have had +the reasonable and legal right to claim the heritage for herself +alone. But more stands in the way than she thinks or believes. +That night they spent outside the town in a small and humble +house, where, in accordance with their desire, they were not +recognised. At the first sign of dawn the next morning they +necessarily issue forth, but ensconce themselves in hiding until +broad daylight. + +(Vv. 5872-5924.) I know not how many days had passed since my +lord Gawain had so completely disappeared that no one at court +knew anything about him, except only the damsel in whose cause he +was to fight. He had concealed himself three or four leagues +from the court, and when he returned he was so equipped that even +those who knew him perfectly could not recognise him by the arms +he bore. The damsel, whose injustice toward her sister was +evident, presented him at court in the sight of all, for she +intended with his help to triumph in the dispute where she had no +rights. So she said to the King: "My lord, time passes. The +noon hour will soon be gone, and this is the last day. As you +see, I am prepared to defend my claim. If my sister were going +to return, there would be nothing to do but await her arrival. +But I may praise God that she is not coming back again. It is +evident that she cannot better her affairs, and that her trouble +has been for naught. For my part, I have been ready all the time +up to this last day, to prove my claim to what is mine. I have +proved my point entirely without a fight, and now I may +rightfully go to accept my heritage in peace; for I shall render +no accounting for it to my sister as long as I live, and she will +lead a wretched and miserable existence." Then the King, who +well knew that the damsel was disloyally unjust toward her +sister, said to her: "My dear, upon my word, in a royal court one +must wait as long as the king's justice sits and deliberates upon +the verdict. It is not yet time to pack up, for it is my belief +that your sister will yet arrive in time." Before the King had +finished, he saw the Knight with the Lion and the damsel with +him. They two were advancing alone, having slipped away from the +lion, who had stayed where they spent the night. + +(Vv. 5925-5990.) The King saw the damsel whom he did not fail to +recognise, and he was greatly pleased and delighted to see her, +for he was on her side of the quarrel, because he had regard for +what was right. Joyfully he cried out to her as soon as he +could: "Come forward, fair one: may God save you!" When the +other sister hears these words, she turns trembling, and sees her +with the knight whom she had brought to defend in her claim: then +she turned blacker than the earth. The damsel, after being +kindly welcomed by all, went to where the King was sitting. When +she had come before him, she spoke to him thus: "God save the +King and his household. If my rights in this dispute can be +settled by a champion, then it will be done by this knight who +has followed me hither. This frank and courteous knight had many +other things to do elsewhere; but he felt such pity for me that +he cast aside all his other affairs for the sake of mine. Now, +madame, my very dear sister, whom I love as much as my own heart, +would do the right and courteous thing if she would let me have +so much of what is mine by right that there might be peace +between me and her; for I ask for nothing that is hers." "Nor do +I ask for anything that is thine," the other replied; "for thou +hast nothing, and nothing shalt thou have. Thou canst never talk +so much as to gain anything by thy words. Thou mayest dry up +with grief." Then the other, who was very polite and sensible +and courteous, replied with the words: "Certainly I am sorry that +two such gentlemen as these should fight on our behalf over so +small a disagreement. But I cannot disregard my claim, for I am +in too great need of it. So I should be much obliged to you if +you would give me what is rightly mine." "Surely," the other +said, "any one would be a fool to consider thy demands. May I +burn in evil fire and flame if I give thee anything to ease thy +life! The banks of the Seine will meet, and the hour of prime +will be called noon, before I refuse to carry out the fight." +"May God and the right, which I have in this cause, and in which +I trust and have trusted till the present time, aid him, who in +charity and courtesy has offered himself in my service, though he +knows not who I am, and though we are ignorant of each other's +identity." + +(Vv. 5991-6148.) So they talked until their conversation ceased, +and then produced the knights in the middle of the court. Then +all the people crowd about, as people are wont to do when they +wish to witness blows in battle or in joust. But those who were +about to fight did not recognise each other, though their +relations were wont to be very affectionate. Then do they not +love each other now? I would answer you both "yes" and "no." +And I shall prove that each answer is correct. In truth, my lord +Gawain loves Yvain and regards him as his companion, and so does +Yvain regard him, wherever he may be. Even here, if he knew who +he was, he would make much of him, and either one of them would +lay down his head for the other before he would allow any harm to +come to him. Is not that a perfect and lofty love? Yes, surely. +But, on the other hand, is not their hate equally manifest? Yes; +for it is a certain thing that doubtless each would be glad to +have broken the other's head, and so to have injured him as to +cause his humiliation. Upon my word, it is a wondrous thing, +that Love and mortal Hate should dwell together. God! How can +two things so opposed find lodging in the same dwelling-place? +It seems to me they cannot live together; for one could not dwell +with the other, without giving rise to noise and contention, as +soon as each knew of the other's presence. But upon the ground- +floor there may be several apartments: for there are halls and +sleeping-rooms. It may be the same in this case: I think Love +had ensconced himself in some hidden room, while Hate had betaken +herself to the balconies looking on the high-road, because she +wishes to be seen. Just now Hate is in the saddle, and spurs and +pricks forward as she can, to get ahead of Love who is indisposed +to move. Ah! Love, what has become of thee? Come out now, and +thou shalt see what a host has been brought up and opposed to +thee by the enemies of thy friends. The enemies are these very +men who love each other with such a holy love for love, which is +neither false nor feigned, is a precious and a holy thing. In +this case Love is completely blind, and Hate, too, is deprived of +sight. For if Love had recognised these two men, he must have +forbidden each to attack the other, or to do any thing to cause +him harm. In this respect, then, Love is blind and discomfited +and beguiled; for, though he sees them, he fails to recognise +those who rightly belong to him. And though Hate is unable to +tell why one of them should hate the other, yet she tries to +engage them wrongfully, so that each hates the other mortally. +You know, of course, that he cannot be said to love a man who +would wish to harm him and see him dead. How then? Does Yvain +wish to kill his friend, my lord Gawain? Yes, and the desire is +mutual. Would, then, my lord Gawain desire to kill Yvain with +his own hands, or do even worse than I have said? Nay, not +really, I swear and protest. One would not wish to injure or +harm the other, in return for all that God has done for man, or +for all the empire of Rome. But this, in turn, is a lie of mine, +for it is plainly to be seen that, with lance raised high in +rest, each is ready to attack the other, and there will be no +restraint of the desire of each to wound the other with intent to +injure him and work him woe. Now tell me! When one will have +defeated the other, of whom can he complain who has the worst of +it? For if they go so far as to come to blows, I am very much +afraid that they will continue the battle and the strife until +victory be definitely decided. If he is defeated, will Yvain be +justified in saying that he has been harmed and wronged by a man +who counts him among his friends, and who has never mentioned him +but by the name of friend or companion? Or, if it comes about +perchance that Yvain should hurt him in turn, or defeat him in +any way, will Gawain have the right to complain? Nay, for he +will not know whose fault it is. In ignorance of each other's +identity, they both drew off and took their distance. At this +first shock, their lances break, though they were stout, and made +of ash. Not a word do they exchange, for if they had stopped to +converse their meeting would have been different. In that case, +no blow would have been dealt with lance or sword; they would +have kissed and embraced each other rather than sought each +other's harm. For now they attack each other with injurious +intent. The condition of the swords is not improved, nor that of +the helmets and shields, which are dented and split; and the +edges of the swords are nicked and dulled. For they strike each +other violently, not with the fiat of the swords, but with the +edge, and they deal such blows with the pommels upon the nose- +guards and upon the neck, forehead and cheeks, that they are all +marked black and blue where the blood collects beneath the skin. +And their hauberks are so torn, and their shields so broken in +pieces, that neither one escaped without wounds. Their breath is +almost exhausted with the labour of the strife; they hammer away +at each other so lustily that every hyacinth and emerald set in +their helmets is crushed and smashed. For they give each other +such a battering with their pommels upon the helmets that they +are quite stunned, as they almost beat out each other's brains. +The eyes in their heads gleam like sparks, as, with stout square +fists, and strong nerves, and hard bones, they strike each other +upon the mouth as long as they can grip their swords, which are +of great service to them in dealing their heavy blows. + +(Vv. 6149-6228.) When they had for a long time strained +themselves, until the helmets were crushed, and the hauberks' +meshes were torn apart with the hammering of the swords, and the +shields were split and cracked, they drew apart a little to give +their pulse a rest and to catch their breath again. However, +they do not long delay, but run at each other again more fiercely +than before. And all declare that they never saw two more +courageous knights. "This fight between them is no jest, but +they are in grim earnest. They will never be repaid for their +merits and deserts." The two friends, in their bitter struggle, +heard these words, and heard how the people were talking of +reconciling the two sisters; but they had no success in placating +the elder one. And the younger one said she would leave it to +the King, and would not gainsay him in anything. But the elder +one was so obstinate that even the Queen Guinevere and the +knights and the King and the ladies and the townspeople side with +the younger sister, and all join in beseeching the King to give +her a third or a fourth part of the land in spite of the elder +sister, and to separate the two knights who had displayed such +bravery, for it would be too bad if one should injure the other +or deprive him of any honour. And the King replied that he would +take no hand in making peace, for the elder sister is so cruel +that she has no desire for it. All these words were heard by the +two, who were attacking each other so bitterly that all were +astonished thereat; for the battle is waged so evenly that it is +impossible to judge which has the better and which the worse. +Even the two men themselves, who fight, and who are purchasing +honour with agony, are filled with amazement and stand aghast, +for they are so well matched in their attack, that each wonders +who it can be that withstands him with such bravery. They fight +so long that the day draws on to night, while their arms grow +weary and their bodies sore, and the hot, boiling blood flows +from many a spot and trickles down beneath their hauberks: they +are in such distress that it is no wonder if they wish to rest. +Then both withdraw to rest themselves, each thinking within +himself that, however long he has had to wait, he now at last has +met his match. For some time they thus seek repose, without +daring to resume the fight. They feel no further desire to +fight, because of the night which is growing dark, and because of +the respect they feel for each other's might. These two +considerations keep them apart, and urge them to keep the peace. +But before they leave the field they will discover each other's +identity, and joy and mercy will be established between them. + +(Vv. 6229-6526.) My brave and courteous lord Yvain was the first +to speak. But his good friend was unable to recognise him by his +utterance; for he was prevented by his low tone and by his voice +which was hoarse, weak, and broken; for his blood was all stirred +up by the blows he had received. "My lord," he says, "the night +comes on! I think no blame or reproach will attach to us if the +night comes between us. But I am willing to admit, for my own +part, that I feel great respect and admiration for you, and never +in my life have I engaged in a battle which has made me smart so +much, nor did I ever expect to see a knight whose acquaintance I +should so yearn to make. You know well how to land your blows +and how to make good use of them: I have never known a knight who +was so skilled in dealing blows. It was against my will that I +received all the blows you have bestowed on me to-day; I am +stunned by the blows you have I struck upon my head." "Upon my +word," my lord Gawain replies, "you are not so stunned and faint +but that I am as much so, or more. And if I should tell you the +simple truth, I think you would not be loath to hear it, for if I +have lent you anything of mine, you have fully paid me back, +principal and interest; for you were more ready to pay back than +I was to accept the payment. But however that may be, since you +wish me to inform you of my name, it shall not be kept from you: +my name is Gawain the son of King Lot." As soon as my lord Yvain +heard that, he was amazed and sorely troubled; angry and grief- +stricken, he cast upon the ground his bloody sword and broken +shield, then dismounted from his horse, and cried: "Alas, what +mischance is this! Through what unhappy ignorance in not +recognising each other have we waged this battle! For if I had +known who you were, I should never have fought with you; but, +upon my word, I should have surrendered without a blow." "How is +that?" my lord Gawain inquires, "who are you, then?" "I am +Yvain, who love you more than any man in the whole wide world, +for you have always been fond of me and shown me honour in every +court. But I wish to make you such amends and do you such honour +in this affair that I will confess myself to have been defeated." +"Will you do so much for my sake?" my gentle lord Gawain asks +him; "surely I should be presumptuous to accept any such amends +from you. This honour shall never be claimed as mine, but it +shall be yours, to whom I resign it." "Ah, fair sire, do not +speak so. For that could never be. I am so wounded and +exhausted that I cannot endure more." "Surely, you have no cause +to be concerned." his friend and companion replies; "but for my +part, I am defeated and overcome; I say it not as a compliment; +for there is no stranger in the world, to whom I would not say as +much, rather than receive any more blows." Thus saying, he got +down from his horse, and they threw their arms about each other's +neck, kissing each other, and each continuing to assert that it +is he who has met defeat. The argument is still in progress when +the King and the knights come running up from every side, at the +sight of their reconciliation; and great is their desire to hear +how this can be, and who these men are who manifest such +happiness. The King says: "Gentlemen, tell us now who it is that +has so suddenly brought about this friendship and harmony between +you two, after the hatred and strife there has been this day?" +Then his nephew, my lord Gawain, thus answers him: "My lord, you +shall be informed of the misfortune and mischance which have been +the cause of our strife. Since you have tarried in order to hear +and learn the cause of it, it is right to let you know the truth. +I, Gawain, who am your nephew, did not recognise this companion +of mine, my lord Yvain, until he fortunately, by the will of God, +asked me my name. After each had informed the other of his name, +we recognised each other, but not until we had fought it out. +Our struggle already has been long; and if we had fought yet a +little longer, it would have fared ill with me, for, by my head, +he would have killed me, what with his prowess and the evil cause +of her who chose me as her champion. But I would rather be +defeated than killed by a friend in battle." Then my lord +Yvain's blood was stirred, as he said to him in reply: "Fair dear +sire, so help me God, you have no right to say so much. Let my +lord, The King, well know in this battle I am surely the one who +has been defeated and overcome!" "I am the one" "No, I am." +Thus each cries out, and both are so honest and courteous that +each allows the victory and crown to be the other's prize, while +neither one of them will accept it. Thus each strives to +convince the King and all the people that he has been defeated +and overthrown. But when he had listened to them for a while, +the King terminated the dispute. He was well pleased with what +he heard and with the sight of them in each other's arms, though +they had wounded and injured each other in several places. "My +lords," he says, "there is deep affection between you two. You +give clear evidence of that, when each insists that it is he who +has been defeated. Now leave it all to me! For I think I can +arrange it in such a way that it will redound to your honour, and +every one will give consent." Then they both promised him that +they would do his will in every particular. And the King says +that he will decide the quarrel fairly and faithfully. "Where is +the damsel," he inquires, "who has ejected her sister from her +land, and has forcibly and cruelly disinherited her?" "My lord," +she answers, "here I am." "Are you there? Then draw near to me! +I saw plainly some time ago that you were disinheriting her. But +her right shall no longer be denied; for you yourself have avowed +the truth to me. You must now resign her share to her." "Sire," +she says, "if I uttered a foolish and thoughtless word, you ought +not to take me up in it. For God's sake, sire, do not be hard on +me! You are a king, and you ought to guard against wrong and +error." The King replies: "That is precisely why I wish to give +your sister her rights; for I have never defended what is wrong. +And you have surely heard how your knight and hers have left the +matter in my hands. I shall not say what is altogether pleasing +to you; for your injustice is well known. In his desire to +honour the other, each one says that he has been defeated. But +there is no need to delay further: since the matter has been left +to me, either you will do in all respects what I say, without +resistance, or I shall announce that my nephew has been defeated +in the fight. That would be the worst thing that could happen to +your cause, and I shall be sorry to make such a declaration." In +reality, he would not have said it for anything; but he spoke +thus in order to see if he could frighten her into restoring the +heritage to her sister; for he clearly saw that she never would +surrender anything to her for any words of his unless she was +influenced by force or fear. In fear and apprehension, she +replied to him: "Fair lord, I must now respect your desire, +though my heart is very loath to yield. Yet, however hard it may +go with me, I shall do it, and my sister shall have what belongs +to her. I give her your own person as a pledge of her share in +my inheritance, in order that she may be more assured of it." +"Endow her with it, then, at once," the King replies; "let her +receive it from your hands, and let her vow fidelity to you! Do +you love her as your vassal, and let her love you as her +sovereign lady and as her sister." Thus the King conducts the +affair until the damsel takes possession of her land, and offers +her thanks to him for it. Then the King asked the valiant and +brave knight who was his nephew to allow himself to be disarmed; +and he requested my lord Yvain to lay aside his arms also; for +now they may well dispense with them. Then the two vassals lay +aside their arms and separate on equal terms. And while they are +taking off their armour, they see the lion running up in search +of his master. As soon as he catches sight of him, he begins to +show his joy. Then you would have seen people draw aside, and +the boldest among them takes to flight. My lord Yvain cries out: +"Stand still, all! Why do you flee? No one is chasing you. +Have no fear that yonder lion will do you harm. Believe me, +please, when I say that he is mine, and I am his, and we are both +companions." Then it was known of a truth by all those who had +heard tell of the adventures of the lion and of his companion +that this must be the very man who had killed the wicked giant. +And my lord Gawain said to him: "Sir companion, so help me God, +you have overwhelmed me with shame this day. I did not deserve +the service that you did me in killing the giant to save my +nephews and my niece. I have been thinking about you for some +time, and I was troubled because it was said that we were +acquainted as loving friends. I have surely thought much upon +the subject: but I could not hit upon the truth, and had never +heard of any knight that I had known in any land where I had +been, who was called `The Knight with the Lion.'" While they +chatted thus they took their armour off, and the lion came with +no slow step to the place where his master sat, and showed such +joy as a dumb beast could. Then the two knights had to be +removed to a sick-room and infirmary, for they needed a doctor +and piaster to cure their wounds. King Arthur, who loved them +well, had them both brought before him, and summoned a surgeon +whose knowledge of surgery was supreme. He exercised his art in +curing them, until he had healed their wounds as well and as +quickly as possible. When he had cured them both, my lord Yvain. +who had his heart set fast on love, saw clearly that he could not +live, but that he finally would die unless his lady took pity +upon him; for he was dying for love of her; so he thought he +would go away from the court alone, and would go to fight at the +spring that belonged to her, where he would cause such a storm of +wind and rain that she would be compelled perforce to make peace +with him; otherwise, there would be no end to the disturbance of +the spring, and to the rain and wind. + +(Vv. 6527-6658.) As soon as my lord Yvain felt that he was cured +and sound again, he departed without the knowledge of any one. +But he had with him his lion, who never in his life wished to +desert him. They travelled until they saw the spring and made +the rain descend. Think not that this is a lie of mine, when I +tell you that the disturbance was so violent that no one could +tell the tenth part of it: for it seemed as if the whole forest +must surely be engulfed. The lady fears for her town, lest it, +too, will crumble away; the walls totter, and the tower rocks so +that it is on the verge of falling down. The bravest Turk would +rather be a captive in Persia than be shut up within those walls. +The people are so stricken with terror that they curse all their +ancestors, saying: "Confounded be the man who first constructed a +house in this neighbourhood, and all those who built this town! +For in the wide world they could not have found so detestable a +spot, for a single man is able here to invade and worry and harry +us." "You must take counsel in this matter, my lady," says +Lunete; "you will find no one who will undertake to aid you in +this time of need unless you seek for him afar. In the future we +shall never be secure in this town, nor dare to pass beyond the +walls and gate. You know full well that, were some one to summon +together all your knights for this cause, the best of them would +not dare to step forward. If it is true that you have no one to +defend your spring, you will appear ridiculous and humiliated. +It will redound greatly to your honour, forsooth, if he who has +attacked you shall retire without a fight! Surely you are in a +bad predicament if you do not devise some other plan to benefit +yourself." The lady replies: "Do thou, who art so wise, tell me +what plan I can devise, and I will follow thy advice." "Indeed, +lady, if I had any plan, I should gladly propose it to you. But +you have great need of a wiser counsellor. So I shall certainly +not dare to intrude, and in common with the others I shall endure +the rain and wind until, if it please God, I shall see some +worthy man appear here in your court who will assume the +responsibility and burden of the battle; but I do not believe +that that will happen to-day, and we have not yet seen the worst +of your urgent need." Then the lady replies at once: "Damsel, +speak now of something else! Say no more of the people of my +household; for I cherish no further expectation that the spring +and its marble brim will ever be defended by any of them. But, +if it please God, let us hear now what is your opinion and plan; +for people always say that in time of need one can test his +friend." (30) "My lady, if there is any one who thinks he could +find him who slew the giant and defeated the three knights, he +would do well to go to search for him. But so long as he shall +incur the enmity, wrath, and displeasure of his lady, I fancy +there is not under heaven any man or woman whom he would follow, +until he had been assured upon oath that everything possible +would be done to appease the hostility which his lady feels for +him, and which is so bitter that he is dying of the grief and +anxiety it causes him." And the lady said: "Before you enter +upon the quest, I am prepared to promise you upon my word and to +swear that, if he will return to me, I will openly and frankly do +all I can to bring about his peace of mind." Then Lunete replies +to her: "Lady, have no fear that you cannot easily effect his +reconciliation, when once it is your desire to do so; but, if you +do not object, I will take your oath before I start." "I have no +objection," the lady says. With delicate courtesy, Lunete +procured at once for her a very precious relic, and the lady fell +upon her knees. Thus Lunete very courteously accepted her upon +her oath. In administering the oath, she forgot nothing which it +might be an advantage to insert. "Lady," she says, "now raise +your hand! I do not wish that the day after to-morrow you should +lay any charge upon me; for you are not doing anything for me, +but you are acting for your own good. If you please now, you +shall swear that you will exert yourself in the interests of the +Knight with the Lion until he recover his lady's love as +completely as he ever possessed it." The lady then raised her +right hand and said: "I swear to all that thou hast said, so help +me God and His holy saint, that my heart may never fail to do all +within my power. If I have the strength and ability, I will +restore to him the love and favour which with his lady he once +enjoyed." + +(Vv. 6659-6716.) Lunete has now done well her work; there was +nothing which she had desired so much as the object which she had +now attained. They had already got out for her a palfrey with an +easy pace. Gladly and in a happy frame of mind Lunete mounts and +rides away, until she finds beneath the pine-tree him whom she +did not expect to find so near at hand. Indeed, she had thought +that she would have to seek afar before discovering him. As soon +as she saw him, she recognised him by the lion, and coming toward +him rapidly, she dismounted upon the solid earth. And my lord +Yvain recognised her as soon as he saw her, and greeted her, as +she saluted him with the words: "Sire, I am very happy to have +found you so near at hand." And my lord Yvain said in reply: +"How is that? Were you looking for me, then?" "Yes, sire, and +in all my life I have never felt so glad, for I have made my +mistress promise, if she does not go back upon her word, that she +will be again your lady as was once the case, and that you shall +be her lord; this truth I make bold to tell." My lord Yvain was +greatly elated at the news he hears, and which he had never +expected to hear again. He could not sufficiently show his +gratitude to her who had accomplished this for him. He kisses +her eyes, and then her face, saying: "Surely, my sweet friend, I +can never repay you for this service. I fear that ability and +time will fail me to do you the honour and service which is your +due." "Sire, she replies, "have no concern, and let not that +thought worry you! For you will have an abundance of strength +and time to show me and others your good will. If I have paid +this debt I owed, I am entitled to only so much gratitude as the +man who borrows another's goods and then discharges the +obligation. Even now I do not consider that I have paid you the +debt I owed." "Indeed you have, as God sees me, more than five +hundred thousand times. Now, when you are ready, let us go. But +have you told her who I am?" "No, I have not, upon my word. She +knows you only by the name of `The Knight with the Lion.'" + +(Vv. 6717-6758.) Thus conversing they went along, with the lion +following after them, until they all three came to the town. +They said not a word to any man or woman there, until they +arrived where the lady was. And the lady was greatly pleased as +soon as she heard that the damsel was approaching, and that she +was bringing with her the lion and the knight, whom she was very +anxious to meet and know and see. All clad in his arms, my lord +Yvain fell at her feet upon his knees, while Lunete, who was +standing by, said to her: "Raise him up, lady, and apply all your +efforts and strength and skill in procuring that peace and pardon +which no one in the world, except you, can secure for him." Then +the lady bade him rise, and said: "He may dispose of all my +power! I shall be very happy, if possible, to accomplish his +wish and his desire." "Surely, my lady," Lunete replied, "I +would not say it if it were not true. But all this is even more +possible for you than I have said: but now I will tell you the +whole truth, and you shall see: you never had and you never will +have such a good friend as this gentleman. God, whose will it is +that there should be unending peace and love between you and him, +has caused me to find him this day so near at hand. In order to +test the truth of this, I have only one thing to say: lady, +dismiss the grudge you bear him! For he has no other mistress +than you. This is your husband, my lord Yvain." + +(Vv. 6759-6776.) The lady, trembling at these words, replied: +"God save me! You have caught me neatly in a trap! You will +make me love, in spite of myself, a man who neither loves nor +esteems me. This is a fine piece of work, and a charming way of +serving me! I would rather endure the winds and the tempests all +my life: And if it were not a mean and ugly thing to break one's +word, he would never make his peace or be reconciled with me. +This purpose would have always lurked within me, as a fire +smoulders in the ashes; but I do not wish to renew it now, nor do +I care to refer to it, since I must be reconciled with him." + +(Vv. 6777-6798.) My lord Yvain hears and understands that his +cause is going well, and that he will be peacefully reconciled +with her. So he says: "Lady, one ought to have mercy on a +sinner. I have had to pay, and dearly to pay, for my mad act. +It was madness that made me stay away, and I now admit my guilt +and sin. I have been bold, indeed, in daring to present myself +to you; but if you will deign to keep me now, I never again shall +do you any wrong." She replied: "I will surely consent to that; +for if I did not do all I could to establish peace between you +and me, I should be guilty of perjury. So, if you please, I +grant your request." "Lady," says he, "so truly as God in this +mortal life could not otherwise restore me to happiness, so may +the Holy Spirit bless me five hundred times!" + +(Vv. 6799-6813.) Now my lord Yvain is reconciled, and you may +believe that, in spite of the trouble he has endured, he was +never so happy for anything. All has turned out well at last; +for he is beloved and treasured by his lady, and she by him. His +troubles no longer are in his mind; for he forgets them all in +the joy he feels with his precious wife. And Lunete, for her +part, is happy too: all her desires are satisfied when once she +had made an enduring peace between my polite lord Yvain and his +sweetheart so dear and so elegant. + +(Vv. 6814-6818.) Thus Chretien concludes his romance of the +Knight with the Lion; for I never heard any more told of it, nor +will you ever hear any further particulars, unless some one +wishes to add some lies. + + + +ENDNOTES: +NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by +"(F.)"; all other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + +(1) "cele feste, qui tant coste, + Qu'an doit clamer la pantecoste." + This rhyme is frequently met in mediaeval narrative poems. + (F.) +(2) The contemporary degeneracy of lovers and of the art of love + is a favourite theme of mediaeval poets. +(3) Cf. "Roman de la Rose", 9661, for the stinking manure pit. + (F.) +(4) The forest of Broceliande is in Brittany, and in it Chretien + places the marvellous spring of Barenton, of which we read + in the sequel. In his version the poet forgets that the sea + separates the court at Carduel from the forest of + Broceliande. His readers, however, probably passed over + this "lapsus". The most famous passage relating to this + forest and its spring is found in Wace, "Le Roman de Rou et + des dues de Normandie", vv. 6395-6420, 2 vols. (Heilbronn, + 1877-79). Cf. further the informing note by W.L. Holland, + "Chretien von Troies", p. 152 f. (Tubingen, 1854). +(5) This grotesque portrait of the "vilain" is perfectly + conventional in aristocratic poetry, and is also applied to + some Saracens in the epic poems. Cf. W.W. Comfort in "Pub. + of the Modern Language Association of America", xxi. 494 f., + and in "The Dublin Review", July 1911. +(6) For the description of the magic fountain, cf. W.A. Nitze, + "The Fountain Defended" in "Modern Philology", vii. 145-164; + G.L. Hamilton, "Storm-making Springs", etc., in "Romantic + Review", ii. 355-375; A.F. Grimme in "Germania", xxxiii. 38; + O.M. Johnston in "Transactions and Proceedings of the + American Philological Association", xxxiii., p. lxxxiii. f. +(7) Eugen Kolbing, "Christian von Troyes Yvain und die + Brandanuslegende" in "Ztsch. fur vergleichende + Literaturgeschichte" (Neue Folge, xi. Brand, 1897), pp. 442- + 448, has pointed out other striking allusions in the Latin + "Navigatio S. Brandans" (ed. Wahlund, Upsala, 1900) and + elsewhere in Celtic legend to trees teeming with singing + birds, in which the souls of the blessed are incorporated. + A more general reference to trees, animated by the souls of + the dead, is found in J.G. Frazer, "The Golden Bough" (2nd + ed. 1900), vol. I., p. 178 f. +(8) Cf. A. Tobler in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", iv. 80- + 85, who gives many other instances of boasting after meals. + See next note. +(9) Noradin is the Sultan Nureddin Mahmud (reigned 1146-1173), a + contemporary of the poet; Forre is a legendary Saracen king + of Naples, mentioned in the epic poems (cf. E. Langlois, + "Table des noms propres de toute nature compris dans les + chansons de geste", Paris, 1904; Albert Counson, "Noms + epiques entres dans le vocabulaire commun" in "Romanische + Forschungen", xxiii. 401-413). These names are mentioned + here in connection with the brave exploits which Christian + knights, while in their cups, may boast that they will + accomplish (F.). This practice of boasting was called + indulging in "gabs" (=Eng. "gab"), a good instance of which + will be found in "Le Voyage de Charlemagne a Jeruslaem" (ed. + Koschwitz), v. 447 ff. +(10) It is evident in this passage that Chretien's version is not + clear; the reader cannot be sure in what sort of an + apartment Yvain is secreted. The passage is perfectly + clear, however, in the Welsh "Owein", as shown by A.C.L. + Brown in "Romanic Review", iii. 143-172, "On the Independent + Character of the Welsh `Owain'", where he argues + convincingly for an original older than either the extant + French of Welsh versions. +(11) The damsel's surprise and fright at the sight of Yvain, + which puzzled Professor Foerster, is satisfactorily + explained by J. Acher in "Ztsch. fur franzosische Sprache + und Literatur", xxxv. 150. +(12) For magic rings, cf. A. Hertel, "Verzauberte + Oertlichkeiten", etc. (Hanover, 1908); D.B. Easter, "The + Magic Elements in the romans d'aventure and the romans + bretons" (Baltimore, 1906). +(13) Much has been written on the widespread belief that a dead + person's wounds would bleed afresh in the presence of his + murderer. The passage in our text is interesting as being + the earliest literary reference to the belief. Other + instances will be found in Shakespear ("King Richard III., + Act. I., Sc. 2), Cervantes ("Don Quixote"), Scott + ("Ballads"), and Schiller ("Braut von Messina"). In the + 15th and 16th centuries especially, the bleeding of the dead + became in Italy, Germany, France, and Spain an absolute or + contributory proof of guilt in the eyes of the law. The + suspected culprit might be subjected to this ordeal as part + of the inquisitional method to determine guilt. For + theories of the origin of this belief and of its use in + legal trials, as well as for more extended bibliography, cf. + Karl Lehmann in "Germanistische Abhandlungen fur Konrad von + Maurer" (Gottingen, 1893), pp. 21-45; C.V. Christensen, + "Baareproven" (Copenhagen, 1900). +(14) W.L. Holland in his note for this passage recalls Schiller's + "Jungfrau von Orleans", Act III. Sc. 7, and Shakespeare, + first part of "King Henry IV.", Act V. Sc. 4: + "When that this body did contain a spirit, + A kingdom for it was too small a bound; + But now two paces of the vilest earth + Is room enough." +(15) Foerster regards this excuse for Kay's defeat as ironical. +(16) It is hoped that the following passage may have retained in + the translation some of the gay animation which clothes this + description of a royal entry into a mediaeval town. +(17) This idea forms the dominating motive, it will be recalled, + in "Erec et Enide" (cf. note to "Erec", v. 2576). +(18) The parallel between Yvain's and Roland's madness will occur + to readers of Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso", though in the + former case Yvain's madness seems to be rather a retribution + for his failure to keep his promise, while Roland's madness + arises from excess of love. +(19) Argonne is the name of a hilly and well-wooded district in + the north-east of France, lying between the Meuse and the + Aisne. +(20) An allusion to the well-known epic tradition embodied in the + "Chanson de Roland". It was common for mediaeval poets to + give names to both the horses and the swords of their + heroes. +(21) For the faithful lion in the Latin bestiaries and mediaeval + romances, see the long note of W.L. Holland, "Chretien von + Troies" (Tubingen, 1854), p. 161 f., and G. Baist in + Zeitschrift fur romanische Philologie, xxi. 402-405. To the + examples there cited may be added the episodes in "Octavian" + (15th century), published in the "Romanische Bibliothek" + (Heilbronn, 1883). +(22) This is the first of three references in this poem to the + abduction of Guinevere as fully narrated in the poem of + "Lancelot". The other references are in v. 3918 and v.4740 + f. +(23) Yvain here states the theory of the judicial trial by + combat. For another instance see "Lancelot", v. 4963 f. + Cf. M. Pfeffer in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philogie", ix. 1- + 74, and L. Jordan, id. Xxix. 385-401. +(24) A similar description of a distressed damsel wandering at + night in a forest is found in "Berte aus grans pies", by + Adenet le Roi (13th century). +(25) The lion is forgotten for the moment, but will appear again + v. 5446. (F.) +(26) This entire passage belongs in the catagory of widespread + myths which tell of a tribute of youths or maidens paid to + some cruel monster, from which some hero finally obtains + deliverance. Instances are presented in the adventures of + Theseus and Tristan. +(27) The old French monetary table was as follows: + 10 as = 1 denier; 12 deniers = 1 sol; 20 sous = 1 livre +(28) It appears to be the poet's prerogative in all epochs of + social history to bemoan the degeneracy of true love in his + own generation. +(29) The sleeves of shirts were detachable, and were sewed on + afresh when a clean garment was put on. (F.) +(30) This was an axiom of feudal society, and occurs more + frequently in feudal literature than any other statement of + mediaeval social relations. + + + +LANCELOT +or, The Knight of the Cart + +(Vv. 1-30.) Since my lady of Champagne wishes me to undertake to +write a romance, (1) I shall very gladly do so, being so devoted +to her service as to do anything in the world for her, without +any intention of flattery. But if one were to introduce any +flattery upon such an occasion, he might say, and I would +subscribe to it, that this lady surpasses all others who are +alive, just as the south wind which blows in May or April is more +lovely than any other wind. But upon my word, I am not one to +wish to flatter my lady. I will simply say: "The Countess is +worth as many queens as a gem is worth of pearls and sards." Nay +I shall make no comparison, and yet it is true in spite of me; I +will say, however, that her command has more to do with this work +than any thought or pains that I may expend upon it. Here +Chretien begins his book about the Knight of the Cart. The +material and the treatment of it are given and furnished to him +by the Countess, and he is simply trying to carry out her concern +and intention. Here he begins the story. + +(Vv. 31-172.) Upon a certain Ascension Day King Arthur had come +from Caerleon, and had held a very magnificent court at Camelot +as was fitting on such a day. (2) After the feast the King did +not quit his noble companions, of whom there were many in the +hall. The Queen was present, too, and with her many a courteous +lady able to converse in French. And Kay, who had furnished the +meal, was eating with the others who had served the food. While +Kay was sitting there at meat, behold there came to court a +knight, well equipped and fully armed, and thus the knight +appeared before the King as he sat among his lords. He gave him +no greeting, but spoke out thus: "King Arthur, I hold in +captivity knights, ladies, and damsels who belong to thy dominion +and household; but it is not because of any intention to restore +them to thee that I make reference to them here; rather do I wish +to proclaim and serve thee notice that thou hast not the strength +or the resources to enable thee to secure them again. And be +assured that thou shalt die before thou canst ever succour them." +The King replies that he must needs endure what he has not the +power to change; nevertheless, he is filled with grief. Then the +knight makes as if to go away, and turns about, without tarrying +longer before the King; but after reaching the door of the hall, +he does not go down the stairs, but stops and speaks from there +these words: "King, if in thy court there is a single knight in +whom thou hast such confidence that thou wouldst dare to entrust +to him the Queen that he might escort her after me out into the +woods whither I am going, I will promise to await him there, and +will surrender to thee all the prisoners whom I hold in exile in +my country if he is able to defend the Queen and if he succeeds +in bringing her back again." Many who were in the palace heard +this challenge, and the whole court was in an uproar. Kay, too, +heard the news as he sat at meat with those who served. Leaving +the table, he came straight to the King, and as if greatly +enraged, he began to say: "O King, I have served thee long, +faithfully, and loyally; now I take my leave, and shall go away, +having no desire to serve thee more." The King was grieved at +what he heard, and as soon as he could, he thus replied to him: +"Is this serious, or a joke?" And Kay replied: "O King, fair +sire, I have no desire to jest, and I take my leave quite +seriously. No other reward or wages do I wish in return for the +service I have given you. My mind is quite made up to go away +immediately." "Is it in anger or in spite that you wish to go?" +the King inquired; "seneschal, remain at court, as you have done +hitherto, and be assured that I have nothing in the world which I +would not give you at once in return for your consent to stay." +"Sire," says Kay, "no need of that. I would not accept for each +day's pay a measure of fine pure gold." Thereupon, the King in +great dismay went off to seek the Queen. "My lady," he says, +"you do not know the demand that the seneschal makes of me. He +asks me for leave to go away, and says he will no longer stay at +court; the reason of this I do not know. But he will do at your +request what he will not do for me. Go to him now, my lady dear. +Since he will not consent to stay for my sake, pray him to remain +on your account, and if need be, fall at his feet, for I should +never again be happy if I should lose his company." (3) The King +sends the Queen to the seneschal, and she goes to him. Finding +him with the rest, she went up to him, and said: "Kay, you may be +very sure that I am greatly troubled by the news I have heard of +you. I am grieved to say that I have been told it is your +intention to leave the King. How does this come about? What +motive have you in your mind? I cannot think that you are so +sensible or courteous as usual. I want to ask you to remain: +stay with us here, and grant my prayer." "Lady," he says, "I +give you thanks; nevertheless, I shall not remain." The Queen +again makes her request, and is joined by all the other knights. +And Kay informs her that he is growing tired of a service which +is unprofitable. Then the Queen prostrates herself at full +length before his feet. Kay beseeches her to rise, but she says +that she will never do so until he grants her request. Then Kay +promises her to remain, provided the King and she will grant in +advance a favour he is about to ask. "Kay," she says, "he will +grant it, whatever it may be. Come now, and we shall tell him +that upon this condition you will remain." So Kay goes away with +the Queen to the King's presence. The Queen says: "I have had +hard work to detain Kay; but I have brought him here to you with +the understanding that you will do what he is going to ask." The +King sighed with satisfaction, and said that he would perform +whatever request he might make. + +(Vv. 173-246.) "Sire," says Kay, "hear now what I desire, and +what is the gift you have promised me. I esteem myself very +fortunate to gain such a boon with your consent. Sire, you have +pledged your word that you would entrust to me my lady here, and +that we should go after the knight who awaits us in the forest." +Though the King is grieved, he trusts him with the charge, for he +never went back upon his word. But it made him so ill-humoured +and displeased that it plainly showed in his countenance. The +Queen, for her part, was sorry too, and all those of the +household say that Kay had made a proud, outrageous, and mad +request. Then the King took the Queen by the hand, and said: "My +lady, you must accompany Kay without making objection." And Kay +said: "Hand her over to me now, and have no fear, for I shall +bring her back perfectly happy and safe." The King gives her +into his charge, and he takes her off. After them all the rest +go out, and there is not one who is not sad. You must know that +the seneschal was fully armed, and his horse was led into the +middle of the courtyard, together with a palfrey, as is fitting, +for the Queen. The Queen walked up to the palfrey, which was +neither restive nor hard-mouthed. Grieving and sad, with a sigh +the Queen mounts, saying to herself in a low voice, so that no +one could hear: "Alas, alas, if you only knew it, I am sure you +would never allow me without interference to be led away a step." +(4) She thought she had spoken in a very low tone; but Count +Guinable heard her, who was standing by when she mounted. When +they started away, as great a lament was made by all the men and +women present as if she already lay dead upon a bier. They do +not believe that she will ever in her life come back. The +seneschal in his impudence takes her where that other knight is +awaiting her. But no one was so much concerned as to undertake +to follow him; until at last my lord Gawain thus addressed the +King his uncle: "Sire," he says, "you have done a very foolish +thing, which causes me great surprise; but if you will take my +advice, while they are still near by, I and you will ride after +them, and all those who wish to accompany us. For my part, I +cannot restrain myself from going in pursuit of them at once. It +would not be proper for us not to go after them, at least far +enough to learn what is to become of the Queen, and how Kay is +going to comport himself." "Ah, fair nephew," the King replied, +"you have spoken courteously. And since you have undertaken the +affair, order our horses to be led out bridled and saddled that +there may be no delay in setting out." + +(Vv. 247-398.) The horses are at once brought out, all ready and +with the saddles on. First the King mounts, then my lord Gawain, +and all the others rapidly. Each one, wishing to be of the +party, follows his own will and starts away. Some were armed, +but there were not a few without their arms. My lord Gawain was +armed, and he bade two squires lead by the bridle two extra +steeds. And as they thus approached the forest, they saw Kay's +horse running out; and they recognised him, and saw that both +reins of the bridle were broken. The horse was running wild, the +stirrup-straps all stained with blood, and the saddle-bow was +broken and damaged. Every one was chagrined at this, and they +nudged each other and shook their heads. My lord Gawain was +riding far in advance of the rest of the party, and it was not +long before he saw coming slowly a knight on a horse that was +sore, painfully tired, and covered with sweat. The knight first +saluted my lord Gawain, and his greeting my lord Gawain returned. +Then the knight, recognising my lord Gawain, stopped and thus +spoke to him: "You see, sir, my horse is in a sweat and in such +case as to be no longer serviceable. I suppose that those two +horses belong to you now, with the understanding that I shall +return the service and the favour, I beg you to let me have one +or the other of them, either as a loan or outright as a gift." +And he answers him: "Choose whichever you prefer." Then he who +was in dire distress did not try to select the better or the +fairer or the larger of the horses, but leaped quickly upon the +one which was nearer to him, and rode him off. Then the one he +had just left fell dead, for he had ridden him hard that day, so +that he was used up and overworked. The knight without delay +goes pricking through the forest, and my lord Gawain follows in +pursuit of him with all speed, until he reaches the bottom of a +hill. And when he had gone some distance, he found the horse +dead which he had given to the knight, and noticed that the +ground had been trampled by horses, and that broken shields and +lances lay strewn about, so that it seemed that there had been a +great combat between several knights, and he was very sorry and +grieved not to have been there. However, he did not stay there +long, but rapidly passed on until he saw again by chance the +knight all alone on foot, completely armed, with helmet laced, +shield hanging from his neck, and with his sword girt on. He had +overtaken a cart. In those days such a cart served the same +purpose as does a pillory now; and in each good town where there +are more than three thousand such carts nowadays, in those times +there was only one, and this, like our pillories, had to do +service for all those who commit murder or treason, and those who +are guilty of any delinquency, and for thieves who have stolen +others' property or have forcibly seized it on the roads. +Whoever was convicted of any crime was placed upon a cart and +dragged through all the streets, and he lost henceforth all his +legal rights, and was never afterward heard, honoured, or +welcomed in any court. The carts were so dreadful in those days +that the saying was then first used: "When thou dost see and meet +a cart, cross thyself and call upon God, that no evil may befall +thee." The knight on foot, and without a lance, walked behind +the cart, and saw a dwarf sitting on the shafts, who held, as a +driver does, a long goad in his hand. Then he cries out: "Dwarf, +for God's sake, tell me now if thou hast seen my lady, the Queen, +pass by here." The miserable, low-born dwarf would not give him +any news of her, but replied: "If thou wilt get up into the cart +I am driving thou shalt hear to-morrow what has happened to the +Queen." Then he kept on his way without giving further heed. +The knight hesitated only for a couple of steps before getting +in. Yet, it was unlucky for him that he shrank from the +disgrace, and did not jump in at once; for he will later rue his +delay. But common sense, which is inconsistent with love's +dictates, bids him refrain from getting in, warning him and +counselling him to do and undertake nothing for which he may reap +shame and disgrace. Reason, which dares thus speak to him, +reaches only his lips, but not his heart; but love is enclosed +within his heart, bidding him and urging him to mount at once +upon the cart. So he jumps in, since love will have it so, +feeling no concern about the shame, since he is prompted by +love's commands. And my lord Gawain presses on in haste after +the cart, and when he finds the knight sitting in it, his +surprise is great. "Tell me," he shouted to the dwarf, "if thou +knowest anything of the Queen." And he replied: "If thou art so +much thy own enemy as is this knight who is sitting here, get in +with him, if it be thy pleasure, and I will drive thee along with +him." When my lord Gawain heard that, he considered it great +foolishness, and said that he would not get in, for it would be +dishonourable to exchange a horse for a cart: "Go on, and +wherever thy journey lies, I will follow after thee." + +(Vv. 399-462.) Thereupon they start ahead, one mounted on his +horse, the other two riding in the cart, and thus they proceed in +company. Late in the afternoon they arrive at a town, which, you +must know, was very rich and beautiful. All three entered +through the gate; the people are greatly amazed to see the knight +borne upon the cart, and they take no pains to conceal their +feelings, but small and great and old and young shout taunts at +him in the streets, so that the knight hears many vile and +scornful words at his expense. (5) They all inquire: "To what +punishment is this knight to be consigned? Is he to be rayed, or +hanged, or drowned, or burned upon a fire of thorns? Tell us, +thou dwarf, who art driving him, in what crime was he caught? Is +he convicted of robbery? Is he a murderer, or a criminal?" And +to all this the dwarf made no response, vouchsafing to them no +reply. He conducts the knight to a lodging-place; and Gawain +follows the dwarf closely to a tower, which stood on the same +level over against the town. Beyond there stretched a meadow, +and the tower was built close by, up on a lofty eminence of rock, +whose face formed a sharp precipice. Following the horse and +cart, Gawain entered the tower. In the hall they met a damsel +elegantly attired, than whom there was none fairer in the land, +and with her they saw coming two fair and charming maidens. As +soon as they saw my lord Gawain, they received him joyously and +saluted him, and then asked news about the other knight: "Dwarf, +of what crime is this knight guilty, whom thou dost drive like a +lame man?" He would not answer her question, but he made the +knight get out of the cart, and then he withdrew, without their +knowing whither he went. Then my lord Gawain dismounts, and +valets come forward to relieve the two knights of their armour. +The damsel ordered two green mantles to be brought, which they +put on. When the hour for supper came, a sumptuous repast was +set. The damsel sat at table beside my lord Gawain. They would +not have changed their lodging-place to seek any other, for all +that evening the damsel showed them gear honour, and provided +them with fair and pleasant company. + +(Vv. 463-538.) When they had sat up long enough, two long, high +beds were prepared in the middle of the hall; and there was +another bed alongside, fairer and more splendid than the rest; +for, as the story testifies, it possessed all the excellence that +one could think of in a bed. When the time came to retire, the +damsel took both the guests to whom she had offered her +hospitality; she shows them the two fine, long, wide beds, and +says: "These two beds are set up here for the accommodation of +your bodies; but in that one yonder no one ever lay who did not +merit it: it was not set up to be used by you." The knight who +came riding on the cart replies at once: "Tell me, he says, "for +what cause this bed is inaccessible." Being thoroughly informed +of this, she answers unhesitatingly: "It is not your place to ask +or make such an inquiry. Any knight is disgraced in the land +after being in a cart, and it is not fitting that he should +concern himself with the matter upon which you have questioned +me; and most of all it is not right that he should lie upon the +bed, for he would soon pay dearly for his act. So rich a couch +has not been prepared for you, and you would pay dearly for ever +harbouring such a thought." He replies: "You will see about that +presently." .... "Am I to see it?" .... "Yes." .... "It will soon +appear." .... "By my head," the knight replies, "I know not who +is to pay the penalty. But whoever may object or disapprove, I +intend to lie upon this bed and repose there at my ease." Then +he at once disrobed in the bed, which was long and raised half an +ell above the other two, and was covered with a yellow cloth of +silk and a coverlet with gilded stars. The furs were not of +skinned vair but of sable; the covering he had on him would have +been fitting for a king. The mattress was not made of straw or +rushes or of old mats. At midnight there descended from the +rafters suddenly a lance, as with the intention of pinning the +knight through the flanks to the coverlet and the white sheets +where he lay. (6) To the lance there was attached a pennon all +ablaze. The coverlet, the bedclothes, and the bed itself all +caught fire at once. And the tip of the lance passed so close to +the knight's side that it cut the skin a little, without +seriously wounding him. Then the knight got up, put out the fire +and, taking the lance, swung it in the middle of the hall, all +this without leaving his bed; rather did he lie down again and +slept as securely as at first. + +(Vv. 539-982.) In the morning, at daybreak, the damsel of the +tower had Mass celebrated on their account, and had them rise +and dress. When Mass had been celebrated for them, the knight +who had ridden in the cart sat down pensively at a window, which +looked out upon the meadow, and he gazed upon the fields below. +The damsel came to another window close by, and there my lord +Gawain conversed with her privately for a while about something, +I know not what. I do not know what words were uttered, but +while they were leaning on the window-sill they saw carried along +the river through the fields a bier, upon which there lay a +knight, (7) and alongside three damsels walked, mourning +bitterly. Behind the bier they saw a crowd approaching, with a +tall knight in front, leading a fair lady by the horse's rein. +The knight at the window knew that it was the Queen. He +continued to gaze at her attentively and with delight as long as +she was visible. And when he could no longer see her, he was +minded to throw himself out and break his body down below. And +he would have let himself fall out had not my lord Gawain seen +him, and drawn him back, saying: "I beg you, sire, be quiet now. +For God's sake, never think again of committing such a mad deed. +It is wrong for you to despise your life." "He is perfectly +right," the damsel says; "for will not the news of his disgrace +be known everywhere? Since he has been upon the cart, he has +good reason to wish to die, for he would be better dead than +alive. His life henceforth is sure to be one of shame, vexation, +and unhappiness." Then the knights asked for their armour, and +armed themselves, the damsel treating them courteously, with +distinction and generosity; for when she had joked with the +knight and ridiculed him enough, she presented him with a horse +and lance as a token of her goodwill. The knights then +courteously and politely took leave of the damsel, first saluting +her, and then going off in the direction taken by the crowd they +had seen. Thus they rode out from the town without addressing +them. They proceeded quickly in the direction they had seen +taken by the Queen, but they did not overtake the procession, +which had advanced rapidly. After leaving the fields, the +knights enter an enclosed place, and find a beaten road. They +advanced through the woods until it might be six o'clock, (8) and +then at a crossroads they met a damsel, whom they both saluted, +each asking and requesting her to tell them, if she knows, +whither the Queen has been taken. Replying intelligently, she +said to them: "If you would pledge me your word, I could set you +on the right road and path, and I would tell you the name of the +country and of the knight who is conducting her; but whoever +would essay to enter that country must endure sore trials, for +before he could reach there he must suffer much." Then my lord +Gawain replies: "Damsel, so help me God, I promise to place all +my strength at your disposal and service, whenever you please, if +you will tell me now the truth." And he who had been on the cart +did not say that he would pledge her all his strength; but he +proclaims, like one whom love makes rich, powerful and bold for +any enterprise, that at once and without hesitation he will +promise her anything she desires, and he puts himself altogether +at her disposal. "Then I will tell you the truth," says she. +Then the damsel relates to them the following story: "In truth, +my lords, Meleagant, a tall and powerful knight, son of the King +of Gorre, has taken her off into the kingdom whence no foreigner +returns, but where he must perforce remain in servitude and +banishment." Then they ask her: "Damsel, where is this country? +Where can we find the way thither?" She replies: "That you shall +quickly learn; but you may be sure that you will meet with many +obstacles and difficult passages, for it is not easy to enter +there except with the permission of the king, whose name is +Bademagu; however, it is possible to enter by two very perilous +paths and by two very difficult passage-ways. One is called the +water-bridge, because the bridge is under water, and there is the +same amount of water beneath it as above it, so that the bridge +is exactly in the middle; and it is only a foot and a half in +width and in thickness. This choice is certainly to be avoided. +and yet it is the less dangerous of the two. In addition there +are a number of other obstacles of which I will say nothing. The +other bridge is still more impracticable and much more perilous, +never having been crossed by man. It is just like a sharp sword, +and therefore all the people call it `the sword-bridge'. Now I +have told you all the truth I know." But they ask of her once +again: "Damsel, deign to show us these two passages." To which +the damsel makes reply: "This road here is the most direct to the +water-bridge, and that one yonder leads straight to the sword- +bridge." Then the knight, who had been on the cart, says: "Sire, +I am ready to share with you without prejudice: take one of these +two routes, and leave the other one to me; take whichever you +prefer." "In truth," my lord Gawain replies, "both of them are +hard and dangerous: I am not skilled in making such a choice, and +hardly know which of them to take; but it is not right for me to +hesitate when you have left the choice to me: I will choose the +water-bridge." The other answers: "Then I must go +uncomplainingly to the sword-bridge, which I agree to do." +Thereupon, they all three part, each one commending the others +very courteously to God. And when she sees them departing, she +says: "Each one of you owes me a favour of my choosing, whenever +I may choose to ask it. Take care not to forget that." "We +shall surely not forget it, sweet friend," both the knights call +out. Then each one goes his own way, and he of the cart is +occupied with deep reflections, like one who has no strength or +defence against love which holds him in its sway. His thoughts +are such that he totally forgets himself, and he knows not +whether he is alive or dead, forgetting even his own name, not +knowing whether he is armed or not, or whither he is going or +whence he came. Only one creature he has in mind, and for her +his thought is so occupied that he neither sees nor hears aught +else. (9) And his horse bears him along rapidly, following no +crooked road, but the best and the most direct; and thus +proceeding unguided, he brings him into an open plain. In this +plain there was a ford, on the other side of which a knight stood +armed, who guarded it, and in his company there was a damsel who +had come on a palfrey. By this time the afternoon was well +advanced, and yet the knight, unchanged and unwearied, pursued +his thoughts. The horse, being very thirsty, sees clearly the +ford, and as soon as he sees it, hastens toward it. Then he on +the other side cries out: "Knight, I am guarding the ford, and +forbid you to cross." He neither gives him heed, nor hears his +words, being still deep in thought. In the meantime, his horse +advanced rapidly toward the water. The knight calls out to him +that he will do wisely to keep at a distance from the ford, for +there is no passage that way; and he swears by the heart within +his breast that he will smite him if he enters the water. But +his threats are not heard, and he calls out to him a third time: +"Knight, do not enter the ford against my will and prohibition; +for, by my head, I shall strike you as soon as I see you in the +ford." But he is so deep in thought that he does not hear him. +And the horse, quickly leaving the bank, leaps into the ford and +greedily begins to drink. And the knight says he shall pay for +this, that his shield and the hauberk he wears upon his back +shall afford him no protection. First, he puts his horse at a +gallop, and from a gallop he urges him to a run, and he strikes +the knight so hard that he knocks him down flat in the ford which +he had forbidden him to cross. His lance flew from his hand and +the shield from his neck. When he feels the water, he shivers, +and though stunned, he jumps to his feet, like one aroused from +sleep, listening and looking about him with astonishment, to see +who it can be who has struck him. Then face to face with the +other knight, he said: "Vassal, tell me why you have struck me, +when I was not aware of your presence, and when I had done you no +harm." "Upon my word, you had wronged me," the other says: "did +you not treat me disdainfully when I forbade you three times to +cross the ford, shouting at you as loudly as I could? You surely +heard me challenge you at least two or three times, and you +entered in spite of me, though I told you I should strike you as +soon as I saw you in the ford." Then the knight replies to him: +"Whoever heard you or saw you, let him be damned, so far as I am +concerned. I was probably deep in thought when you forbade me to +cross the ford. But be assured that I would make you reset it, +if I could just lay one of my hands on your bridle." And the +other replies: "Why, what of that? If you dare, you may seize my +bridle here and now. I do not esteem your proud threats so much +as a handful of ashes." And he replies: "That suits me +perfectly. However the affair may turn out, I should like to lay +my hands on you." Then the other knight advances to the middle +of the ford, where the other lays his left hand upon his bridle, +and his right hand upon his leg, pulling, dragging, and pressing +him so roughly that he remonstrates, thinking that he would pull +his leg out of his body. Then he begs him to let go, saying: +"Knight, if it please thee to fight me on even terms, take thy +shield and horse and lance, and joust with me." He answers: +"That will I not do, upon my word; for I suppose thou wouldst run +away as soon as thou hadst escaped my grip." Hearing this, he +was much ashamed, and said: "Knight, mount thy horse, in +confidence for I will pledge thee loyally my word that I shall +not flinch or run away." Then once again he answers him: "First, +thou wilt have to swear to that, and I insist upon receiving thy +oath that thou wilt neither run away nor flinch, nor touch me, +nor come near me until thou shalt see me on my horse; I shall be +treating thee very generously, if, when thou art in my hands, I +let thee go." He can do nothing but give his oath; and when the +other hears him swear, he gathers up his shield and lance which +were floating in the ford and by this time had drifted well +down-stream; then he returns and takes his horse. After catching +and mounting him, he seizes the shield by the shoulder-straps and +lays his lance in rest. Then each spurs toward the other as fast +as their horses can carry them. And he who had to defend the +ford first attacks the other, striking him so hard that his lance +is completely splintered. The other strikes him in return so +that he throws him prostrate into the ford, and the water closes +over him. Having accomplished that, he draws back and dismounts, +thinking he could drive and chase away a hundred such. While he +draws from the scabbard his sword of steel, the other jumps up +and draws his excellent flashing blade. Then they clash again, +advancing and covering themselves with the shields which gleam +with gold. Ceaselessly and without repose they wield their +swords; they have the courage to deal so many blows that the +battle finally is so protracted that the Knight of the Cart is +greatly ashamed in his heart, thinking that he is making a sorry +start in the way he has undertaken, when he has spent so much +time in defeating a single knight. If he had met yesterday a +hundred such, he does not think or believe that they could have +withstood him; so now he is much grieved and wroth to be in such +an exhausted state that he is missing his strokes and losing +time. Then he runs at him and presses him so hard that the other +knight gives way and flees. However reluctant he may be, he +leaves the ford and crossing free. But the other follows him in +pursuit until he falls forward upon his hands; then he of the +cart runs up to him, swearing by all he sees that he shall rue +the day when he upset him in the ford and disturbed his revery. +The damsel, whom the knight had with him, upon hearing the +threats, is in great fear, and begs him for her sake to forbear +from killing him; but he tells her that he must do so, and can +show him no mercy for her sake, in view of the shameful wrong +that he has done him. Then, with sword drawn, he approaches the +knight who cries in sore dismay: "For God's sake and for my own, +show me the mercy I ask of you." And he replies: "As God may +save me, no one ever sinned so against me that I would not show +him mercy once, for God's sake as is right, if he asked it of me +in God's name. And so on thee I will have mercy; for I ought not +to refuse thee when thou hast besought me. But first, thou shalt +give me thy word to constitute thyself my prisoner whenever I may +wish to summon thee." Though it was hard to do so, he promised +him. At once the damsel said: "O knight, since thou hast granted +the mercy he asked of thee, if ever thou hast broken any bonds, +for my sake now be merciful and release this prisoner from his +parole. Set him free at my request, upon condition that when the +time comes, I shall do my utmost to repay thee in any way that +thou shalt choose." Then he declares himself satisfied with the +promise she has made, and sets the knight at liberty. Then she +is ashamed and anxious, thinking that he will recognise her, +which she did not wish. But he goes away at once, the knight and +the damsel commending him to God, and taking leave of him. He +grants them leave to go, while he himself pursues his way, until +late in the afternoon he met a damsel coming, who was very fair +and charming, well attired and richly dressed. The damsel greets +him prudently and courteously, and he replies: "Damsel, God grant +you health and happiness." Then the damsel said to him: "Sire, +my house is prepared for you, if you will accept my hospitality, +but you shall find shelter there only on condition that you will +lie with me; upon these terms I propose and make the offer." Not +a few there are who would have thanked her five hundred times for +such a gift; but he is much displeased, and made a very different +answer: "Damsel, I thank you for the offer of your house, and +esteem it highly, but, if you please, I should be very sorry to +lie with you." "By my eyes," the damsel says, "then I retract my +offer." And he, since it is unavoidable, lets her have her way, +though his heart grieves to give consent. He feels only +reluctance now; but greater distress will be his when it is time +to go to bed. The damsel, too, who leads him away, will pass +through sorrow and heaviness. For it is possible that she will +love him so that she will not wish to part with him. As soon as +he had granted her wish and desire, she escorts him to a +fortified place, than which there was none fairer in Thessaly; +for it was entirely enclosed by a high wall and a deep moat, and +there was no man within except him whom she brought with her. + +(Vv. 983-1042.) Here she had constructed for her residence a +quantity of handsome rooms, and a large and roomy hall. Riding +along a river bank, they approached their lodging-place, and a +drawbridge was lowered to allow them to pass. Crossing the +bridge, they entered in, and found the hall open with its roof of +tiles. Through the open door they pass, and see a table laid +with a broad white cloth, upon which the dishes were set, and the +candles burning in their stands, and the gilded silver drinking- +cups, and two pots of wine, one red and one white. Standing +beside the table, at the end of a bench, they found two basins of +warm water in which to wash their hands, with a richly +embroidered towel, all white and clean, with which to dry their +hands. No valets, servants, or squires were to be found or seen. +The knight, removing his shield from about his neck, hangs it +upon a hook, and, taking his lance, lays it above upon a rack. +Then he dismounts from his horse, as does the damsel from hers. +The knight, for his part, was pleased that she did not care to +wait for him to help her to dismount. Having dismounted, she +runs directly to a room and brings him a short mantle of scarlet +cloth which she puts on him. The hall was by no means dark; for +beside the light from the stars, there were many large twisted +candles lighted there, so that the illumination was very bright. +When she had thrown the mantle about his shoulders, she said to +him: "Friend, here is the water and the towel; there is no one to +present or offer it to you except me whom you see. Wash your +hands, and then sit down, when you feel like doing so. The hour +and the meal, as you can see, demand that you should do so." He +washes, and then gladly and readily takes his seat, and she sits +down beside him, and they eat and drink together, until the time +comes to leave the table. + +(Vv. 1043-1206.) When they had risen from the table, the damsel +said to the knight: "Sire, if you do not object, go outside and +amuse yourself; but, if you please, do not stay after you think I +must be in bed. Feel no concern or embarrassment; for then you +may come to me at once, if you will keep the promise you have +made." And he replies: "I will keep my word, and will return +when I think the time has come." Then he went out, and stayed in +the courtyard until he thought it was time to return and keep the +promise he had made. Going back into the hall, he sees nothing +of her who would be his mistress; for she was not there. Not +finding or seeing her, he said: "Wherever she may be, I shall +look for her until I find her." He makes no delay in his search, +being bound by the promise he had made her. Entering one of the +rooms, he hears a damsel cry aloud, and it was the very one with +whom he was about to lie. At the same time, he sees the door of +another room standing open, and stepping toward it, he sees right +before his eyes a knight who had thrown her down, and was holding +her naked and prostrate upon the bed. She, thinking that he had +come of course to help her, cried aloud: "Help, help, thou +knight, who art my guest. If thou dost not take this man away +from me, I shall find no one to do so; if thou dost not succour +me speedily, he will wrong me before thy eyes. Thou art the one +to lie with me, in accordance with thy promise; and shall this +man by force accomplish his wish before thy eyes? Gentle knight, +exert thyself, and make haste to bear me aid." He sees that the +other man held the damsel brutally uncovered to the waist, and he +is ashamed and angered to see him assault her so; yet it is not +jealousy he feels, nor will he be made a cuckold by him. At the +door there stood as guards two knights completely armed and with +swords drawn. Behind them there stood four men-at-arms, each +armed with an axe the sort with which you could split a cow down +the back as easily as a root of juniper or broom. The knight +hesitated at the door, and thought: "God, what can I do? I am +engaged in no less an affair than the quest of Queen Guinevere. +I ought not to have the heart of a hare, when for her sake I have +engaged in such a quest. If cowardice puts its heart in me, and +if I follow its dictates, I shall never attain what I seek. I am +disgraced, if I stand here; indeed, I am ashamed even to have +thought of holding back. My heart is very sad and oppressed: now +I am so ashamed and distressed that I would gladly die for having +hesitated here so long. I say it not in pride: but may God have +mercy on me if I do not prefer to die honourably rather than live +a life of shame! If my path were unobstructed, and if these men +gave me leave to pass through without restraint, what honour +would I gain? Truly, in that case the greatest coward alive +would pass through; and all the while I hear this poor creature +calling for help constantly, and reminding me of my promise, and +reproaching me with bitter taunts." Then he steps to the door, +thrusting in his head and shoulders; glancing up, he sees two +swords descending. He draws back, and the knights could not +check their strokes: they had wielded them with such force that +the swords struck the floor, and both were broken in pieces. +When he sees that the swords are broken, he pays less attention +to the axes, fearing and dreading them much less. Rushing in +among them, he strikes first one guard in the side and then +another. The two who are nearest him he jostles and thrusts +aside, throwing them both down flat; the third missed his stroke +at him, but the fourth, who attacked him, strikes him so that he +cuts his mantle and shirt, and slices the white flesh on his +shoulder so that the blood trickles down from the wound. But he, +without delay, and without complaining of his wound, presses on +more rapidly, until he strikes between the temples him who was +assaulting his hostess. Before he departs, he will try to keep +his pledge to her. He makes him stand up reluctantly. +Meanwhile, he who had missed striking him comes at him as fast as +he can and, raising his arm again, expects to split his head to +the teeth with the axe. But the other, alert to defend himself, +thrusts the knight toward him in such a way that he receives the +axe just where the shoulder joins the neck, so that they are +cleaved apart. Then the knight seizes the axe, wresting it +quickly from him who holds it; then he lets go the knight whom he +still held, and looks to his own defence; for the knights from +the door, and the three men with axes are all attacking him +fiercely. So he leaped quickly between the bed and the wall, and +called to them: "Come on now, all of you. If there were thirty- +seven of you, you would have all the fight you wish, with me so +favourably placed; I shall never be overcome by you." And the +damsel watching him, exclaimed: "By my eyes, you need have no +thought of that henceforth where I am." Then at once she +dismisses the knights and the men-at-arms, who retire from there +at once, without delay or objection. And the damsel continues: +"Sire you have well defended me against the men of my household. +Come now, and I'll lead you on." Hand in hand they enter the +hall, but he was not at all pleased, and would have willingly +dispensed with her. + +(Vv. 1207-1292.) In the midst of the hall a bed had been set up, +the sheets of which were by no means soiled, but were white and +wide and well spread out. The bed was not of shredded straw or +of coarse spreads. But a covering of two silk cloths had been +laid upon the couch. The damsel lay down first, but without +removing her chemise. He had great trouble in removing his hose +and in untying the knots. He sweated with the trouble of it all; +yet, in the midst of all the trouble, his promise impels and +drives him on. Is this then an actual force? Yes, virtually so; +for he feels that he is in duty bound to take his place by the +damsel's side. It is his promise that urges him and dictates his +act. So he lies down at once, but like her, he does not remove +his shirt. He takes good care not to touch her; and when he is +in bed, he turns away from her as far as possible, and speaks not +a word to her, like a monk to whom speech is forbidden. Not once +does he look at her, nor show her any courtesy. Why not? +Because his heart does not go out to her. She was certainly very +fair and winsome, but not every one is pleased and touched by +what is fair and winsome. The knight has only one heart, and +this one is really no longer his, but has been entrusted to some +one else, so that he cannot bestow it elsewhere. Love, which +holds all hearts beneath its sway, requires it to be lodged in a +single place. All hearts? No, only those which it esteems. And +he whom love deigns to control ought to prize himself the more. +Love prized his heart so highly that it constrained it in a +special manner, and made him so proud of this distinction that I +am not inclined to find fault with him, if he lets alone what +love forbids, and remains fixed where it desires. The maiden +clearly sees and knows that he dislikes her company and would +gladly dispense with it, and that, having no desire to win her +love, he would not attempt to woo her. So she said: "My lord, if +you will not feel hurt, I will leave and return to bed in my own +room, and you will be more comfortable. I do not believe that +you are pleased with my company and society. Do not esteem me +less if I tell you what I think. Now take your rest all night, +for you have so well kept your promise that I have no right to +make further request of you. So I commend you to God; and shall +go away." Thereupon she arises: the knight does not object, but +rather gladly lets her go, like one who is the devoted lover of +some one else; the damsel clearly perceived this, and went to her +room, where she undressed completely and retired, saying to +herself: "Of all the knights I have ever known, I never knew a +single knight whom I would value the third part of an angevin in +comparison with this one. As I understand the case, he has on +hand a more perilous and grave affair than any ever undertaken by +a knight; and may God grant that he succeed in it." Then she +fell asleep, and remained in bed until the next day's dawn +appeared. + +(Vv. 1293-1368.) At daybreak she awakes and gets up. The knight +awakes too, dressing, and putting on his arms, without waiting +for any help. Then the damsel comes and sees that he is already +dressed. Upon seeing him, she says: "May this day be a happy one +for you." "And may it be the same to you, damsel," the knight +replies, adding that he is waiting anxiously for some one to +bring out his horse. The maiden has some one fetch the horse, +and says: "Sire, I should like to accompany you for some distance +along the road, if you would agree to escort and conduct me +according to the customs and practices which were observed before +we were made captive in the kingdom of Logres." In those days +the customs and privileges were such that, if a knight found a +damsel or lorn maid alone, and if he cared for his fair name, he +would no more treat her with dishonour than he would cut his own +throat. And if he assaulted her, he would be disgraced for ever +in every court. But if, while she was under his escort, she +should be won at arms by another who engaged him in battle, then +this other knight might do with her what he pleased without +receiving shame or blame. This is why the damsel said she would +go with him, if he had the courage and willingness to safe guard +her in his company, so that no one should do her any harm. And +he says to her: "No one shall harm you, I promise you, unless he +harm me first." "Then," she says, "I will go with you." She +orders her palfrey to be saddled, and her command is obeyed at +once. Her palfrey was brought together with the knight's horse. +Without the aid of any squire, they both mount, and rapidly ride +away. She talks to him, but not caring for her words, he pays no +attention to what she says. He likes to think, but dislikes to +talk. Love very often inflicts afresh the wound it has given +him. Yet, he applied no poultice to the wound to cure it and +make it comfortable, having no intention or desire to secure a +poultice or to seek a physician, unless the wound becomes more +painful. Yet, there is one whose remedy he would gladly seek +.... (10) They follow the roads and paths in the right direction +until they come to a spring, situated in the middle of a field, +and bordered by a stone basin. Some one had forgotten upon the +stone a comb of gilded ivory. Never since ancient times has wise +man or fool seen such a comb. In its teeth there was almost a +handful of hair belonging to her who had used the comb. + +(Vv. 1369-1552.) When the damsel notices the spring, and sees +the stone, she does not wish her companion to see it; so she +turns off in another direction. And he, agreeably occupied with +his own thoughts, does not at once remark that she is leading him +aside; but when at last he notices it, he is afraid of being +beguiled, thinking that she is yielding and is going out of the +way in order to avoid some danger. "See here, damsel," he cries, +"you are not going right; come this way! No one, I think, ever +went straight who left this road." "Sire, this is a better way +for us," the damsel says, "I am sure of it." Then he replies to +her: "I don't know, damsel, what you think; but you can plainly +see that the beaten path lies this way; and since I have started +to follow it, I shall not turn aside. So come now, if you will, +for I shall continue along this way." Then they go forward until +they come near the stone basin and see the comb. The knight +says: "I surely never remember to have seen so beautiful a comb +as this." "Let me have it," the damsel says. "Willingly, +damsel," he replies. Then he stoops over and picks it up. While +holding it, he looks at it steadfastly, gazing at the hair until +the damsel begins to laugh. When he sees her doing so, he begs +her to tell him why she laughs. And she says: "Never mind, for I +will never tell you." "Why not?" he asks. "Because I don't wish +to do so." And when he hears that, he implores her like one who +holds that lovers ought to keep faith mutually: "Damsel, if you +love anything passionately, by that I implore and conjure and beg +you not to conceal from me the reason why you laugh." "Your +appeal is so strong," she says, "that I will tell you and keep +nothing back. I am sure, as I am of anything, that this comb +belonged to the Queen. And you may take my word that those are +strands of the Queen's hair which you see to be so fair and light +and radiant, and which are clinging in the teeth of the comb; +they surely never grew anywhere else." Then the knight replied: +"Upon my word, there are plenty of queens and kings; what queen +do you mean?" And she answered: "In truth, fair sire, it is of +King Arthur's wife I speak." When he hears that, he has not +strength to keep from bowing his head over his saddle-bow. And +when the damsel sees him thus, she is amazed and terrified, +thinking he is about to fall. Do not blame her for her fear, for +she thought him in a faint. He might as well have swooned, so +near was he to doing so; for in his heart he felt such grief that +for a long time he lost his colour and power of speech. And the +damsel dismounts, and runs as quickly as possible to support and +succour him; for she would not have wished for anything to see +him fall. When he saw her, he felt ashamed, and said: "Why do +you need to bear me aid?" You must not suppose that the damsel +told him why; for he would have been ashamed and distressed, and +it would have annoyed and troubled him, if she had confessed to +him the truth. So she took good care not to tell the truth, but +tactfully answered him: "Sire, I dismounted to get the comb; for +I was so anxious to hold it in my hand that I could not longer +wait." Willing that she should have the comb, he gives it to +her, first pulling out the hair so carefully that he tears none +of it. Never will the eye of man see anything receive such +honour as when he begins to adore these tresses. A hundred +thousand times he raises them to his eyes and mouth, to his +forehead and face: he manifests his joy in every way, considering +himself rich and happy now. He lays them in his bosom near his +heart, between the shirt and the flesh. He would not exchange +them for a cartload of emeralds and carbuncles, nor does he think +that any sore or illness can afflict him now; he holds in +contempt essence of pearl, treacle, and the cure for pleurisy; +(11) even for St. Martin and St. James he has no need; for he has +such confidence in this hair that he requires no other aid. But +what was this hair like? If I tell the truth about it, you will +think I am a mad teller of lies. When the mart is full at the +yearly fair of St. Denis, (12) and when the goods are most +abundantly displayed, even then the knight would not take all +this wealth, unless he had found these tresses too. And if you +wish to know the truth, gold a hundred thousand times refined, +and melted down as many times, would be darker than is night +compared with the brightest summer day we have had this year, if +one were to see the gold and set it beside this hair. But why +should I make a long story of it? The damsel mounts again with +the comb in her possession; while he revels and delights in the +tresses in his bosom. Leaving the plain, they come to a forest +and take a short cut through it until they come to a narrow +place, where they have to go in single file; for it would have +been impossible to ride two horses abreast. Just where the way +was narrowest, they see a knight approach. As soon as she saw +him, the damsel recognised him, and said: "Sir knight, do you see +him who yonder comes against us all armed and ready for a battle? +I know what his intention is: he thinks now that he cannot fail +to take me off defenceless with him. He loves me, but he is very +foolish to do so. In person, and by messenger, he has been long +wooing me. But my love is not within his reach, for I would not +love him under any consideration, so help me God! I would kill +myself rather than bestow my love on him. I do not doubt that he +is delighted now, and is as satisfied as if he had me already in +his power. But now I shall see what you can do, and I shall see +how brave you are, and it will become apparent whether your +escort can protect me. If you can protect me now, I shall not +fail to proclaim that you are brave and very worthy." And he +answered her: "Go on, go on!" which was as much as to say: "I am +not concerned; there is no need of your being worried about what +you have said." + +(Vv. 1553-1660.) While they were proceeding, talking thus, the +knight, who was alone, rode rapidly toward them on the run. He +was the more eager to make haste, because he felt more sure of +success; he felt that he was lucky now to see her whom he most +dearly loves. As soon as he approaches her, he greets her with +words that come from his heart: "Welcome to her, whence-soever +she comes, whom I most desire, but who has hitherto caused me +least joy and most distress!" It is not fitting that she should +be so stingy of her speech as not to return his greeting, at +least by word of mouth. The knight is greatly elated when the +damsel greets him; though she does not take the words seriously, +and the effort costs her nothing. Yet, if he had at this moment +been victor in a tournament, he would not have so highly esteemed +himself, nor thought he had won such honour and renown. Being +now more confident of his worth, he grasped the bridle rein, and +said: "Now I shall lead you away: I have to-day sailed well on my +course to have arrived at last at so good a port. Now my +troubles are at an end: after dangers, I have reached a haven; +after sorrow, I have attained happiness; after pain, I have +perfect health; now I have accomplished my desire, when I find +you in such case that I can without resistance lead you away with +me at once." Then she says: "You have no advantage; for I am +under this knight's escort." "Surely, the escort is not worth +much," he says, "and I am going to lead you off at once. This +knight would have time to eat a bushel of salt before he could +defend you from me; I think I could never meet a knight from whom +I should not win you. And since I find you here so opportunely, +though he too may do his best to prevent it, yet I will take you +before his very eyes, however disgruntled he may be." The other +is not angered by all the pride he hears expressed, but without +any impudence or boasting, he begins thus to challenge him for +her: "Sire, don't be in a hurry, and don't waste your words, but +speak a little reasonably. You shall not be deprived of as much +of her as rightly belongs to you. You must know, however, that +the damsel has come hither under my protection. Let her alone +now, for you have detained her long enough!" The other gives +them leave to burn him, if he does not take her away in spite of +him. Then the other says: "It would not be right for me to let +you take her away; I would sooner fight with you. But if we +should wish to fight, we could not possibly do it in this narrow +road. Let us go to some level place--a meadow or an open +field." And he replies that that will suit him perfectly: +"Certainly, I agree to that: you are quite right, this road is +too narrow. My horse is so much hampered here that I am afraid +he will crush his flank before I can turn him around." Then with +great difficulty he turns, and his horse escapes without any +wound or harm. Then he says: "To be sure, I am much chagrined +that we have not met in a favourable spot and in the presence of +other men, for I should have been glad to have them see which is +the better of us two. Come on now, let us begin our search: we +shall find in the vicinity some large, broad, and open space." +Then they proceed to a meadow, where there were maids, knights, +and damsels playing at divers games in this pleasant place. They +were not all engaged in idle sport, but were playing backgammon +and chess or dice, and were evidently agreeably employed. Most +were engaged in such games as these; but the others there were +engaged in sports, dancing, singing, tumbling, leaping, and +wrestling with each other. + +(Vv. 1661-1840.) A knight somewhat advanced in years was on the +other side of the meadow, seared upon a sorrel Spanish steed. +His bridle and saddle were of gold, and his hair was turning +grey. One hand hung at his side with easy grace. The weather +being fine, he was in his shirt sleeves, with a short mantle of +scarlet cloth and fur slung over his shoulders, and thus he +watched the games and dances. On the other side of the field, +close by a path, there were twenty-three knights mounted on good +Irish steeds. As soon as the three new arrivals come into view, +they all cease their play and shout across the fields: "See, +yonder comes the knight who was driven in the cart! Let no one +continue his sport while he is in our midst. A curse upon him +who cares or deigns to play so long as he is here!" Meanwhile he +who loved the damsel and claimed her as his own, approached the +old knight, and said: "Sire, I have attained great happiness; let +all who will now hear me say that God has granted me the thing +that I have always most desired; His gift would not have been so +great had He crowned me as king, nor would I have been so +indebted to Him, nor would I have so profited; for what I have +gained is fair and good." "I know not yet if it be thine," the +knight replies to his son. But the latter answers him: "Don't +you know? Can't you see it, then? For God's sake, sire, have no +further doubt, when you see that I have her in my possession. In +this forest, whence I come, I met her as she was on her way. I +think God had fetched her there for me, and I have taken her for +my own." "I do not know whether this will be allowed by him whom +I see coming after thee; he looks as if he is coming to demand +her of thee." During this conversation the dancing had ceased +because of the knight whom they saw, nor were they gaily playing +any more because of the disgust and scorn they felt for him. But +the knight without delay came up quickly after the damsel, and +said: "Let the damsel alone, knight, for you have no right to +her! If you dare, I am willing at once to fight with you in her +defence." Then the old knight remarked: "Did I not know it? +Fair son, detain the damsel no longer, but let her go." He does +not relish this advice, and swears that he will not give her up: +"May God never grant me joy if I give her up to him! I have her, +and I shall hold on to her as something that is mine own. The +shoulder-strap and all the armlets of my shield shall first be +broken, and I shall have lost all confidence in my strength and +arms, my sword and lance, before I will surrender my mistress to +him." And his father says: "I shall not let thee fight for any +reason thou mayest urge. Thou art too confident of thy bravery. +So obey my command." But he in his pride replies: "What? Am I a +child to be terrified? Rather will I make my boast that there is +not within the sea-girt land any knight, wheresoever he may +dwell, so excellent that I would let him have her, and whom I +should not expect speedily to defeat." The father answers: "Fair +son, I do not doubt that thou dost really think so, for thou art +so confident of thy strength. But I do not wish to see thee +enter a contest with this knight." Then he replies: "I shall be +disgraced if I follow your advice. Curse me if I heed your +counsel and turn recreant because of you, and do not do my utmost +in the fight. It is true that a man fares ill among his +relatives: I could drive a better bargain somewhere else, for you +are trying to take me in. I am sure that where I am not known, I +could act with better grace. No one, who did not know me, would +try to thwart my will; whereas you are annoying and tormenting +me. I am vexed by your finding fault with me. You know well +enough that when any one is blamed, he breaks out still more +passionately. But may God never give me joy if I renounce my +purpose because of you; rather will I fight in spite of you!" +"By the faith I bear the Apostle St. Peter," his father says, +"now I see that my request is of no avail. I waste my time in +rebuking thee; but I shall soon devise such means as shall compel +thee against thy will to obey my commands and submit to them." +Straightway summoning all the knights to approach, he bids them +lay hands upon his son whom he cannot correct, saying: "I will +have him bound rather than let him fight. You here are all my +men, and you owe me your devotion and service: by all the fiefs +you hold from me, I hold you responsible, and I add my prayer. +It seems to me that he must be mad, and that he shows excessive +pride, when he refuses to respect my will." Then they promise to +take care of him, and say that never, while he is in their +charge, shall he wish to fight, but that he must renounce the +damsel in spite of himself. Then they all join and seize him by +the arms and neck. "Dost thou not think thyself foolish now?" +his father asks; "confess the truth: thou hast not the strength +or power to fight or joust, however distasteful and hard it may +be for thee to admit it. Thou wilt be wise to consent to my will +and pleasure. Dost thou know what my intention is? In order +somewhat to mitigate thy disappointment, I am willing to join +thee, if thou wilt, in following the knight to-day and to-morrow, +through wood and plain, each one mounted on his horse. Perhaps +we shall soon find him to be of such a character and bearing that +I might let thee have thy way and fight with him." To this +proposal the other must perforce consent. Like the man who has +no alternative, he says that he will give in, provided they both +shall follow him. And when the people in the field see how this +adventure has turned out, they all exclaim: "Did you see? He who +was mounted on the cart has gained such honour here that he is +leading away the mistress of the son of my lord, and he himself +is allowing it. We may well suppose that he finds in him some +merit, when he lets him take her off. Now cursed a hundred times +be he who ceases longer his sport on his account! Come, let us +go back to our games again." Then they resume their games and +dances. + +(Vv. 1841-1966.) Thereupon the knight turns away, without longer +remaining in the field, and the damsel accompanies him. They +leave in haste, while the father and his son ride after them +through the mown fields until toward three o'clock, when in a +very pleasant spot they come upon a church; beside the chancel +there was a cemetery enclosed by a wall. The knight was both +courteous and wise to enter the church on foot and make his +prayer to God, while the damsel held his horse for him until he +returned. When he had made his prayer, and while he was coming +back, a very old monk suddenly presented himself; whereupon the +knight politely requests him to tell him what this place is; for +he does not know. And he tells him it is a cemetery. And the +other says: "Take me in, so help you God!" "Gladly, sire," and +he takes him in. Following the monk's lead, the knight beholds +the most beautiful tombs that one could find as far as Dombes +(13) or Pampelune; and on each tomb there were letters cut, +telling the names of those who were destined to be buried there. +And he began in order to read the names, and came upon some which +said: "Here Gawain is to lie, here Louis, and here Yvain." After +these three, he read the names of many others among the most +famed and cherished knights of this or any other land. Among the +others, he finds one of marble, which appears to be new, and is +more rich and handsome than all the rest. Calling the monk, the +knight inquired: "Of what use are these tombs here?" And the +monk replied: "You have already read the inscriptions; if you +have understood, you must know what they say, and what is the +meaning of the tombs." "Now tell me, what is this large one +for?" And the hermit answered: "I will tell you. That is a very +large sarcophagus, larger than any that ever was made; one so +rich and well-carved was never seen. It is magnificent without, +and still more so within. But you need not be concerned with +that, for it can never do you any good; you will never see inside +of it; for it would require seven strong men to raise the lid of +stone, if any one wished to open it. And you may be sure that to +raise it would require seven men stronger than you and I. There +is an inscription on it which says that any one who can lift this +stone of his own unaided strength will set free all the men and +women who are captives in the land, whence no slave or noble can +issue forth, unless he is a native of that land. No one has ever +come back from there, but they are detained in foreign prisons; +whereas they of the country go and come in and out as they +please." At once the knight goes to grasp the stone, and raises +it without the slightest trouble, more easily than ten men would +do who exerted all their strength. And the monk was amazed, and +nearly fell down at the sight of this marvellous thing; for he +thought he would never see the like again, and said: "Sire, I am +very anxious to know your name. Will you tell me what it is?" +"Not I," says the knight, "upon my word." "I am certainly sorry, +for that," he says; "but if you would tell me, you would do me a +great favour, and might benefit yourself. Who are you, and where +do you come from?" "I am a knight, as you may see, and I was +born in the kingdom of Logre. After so much information, I +should prefer to be excused. Now please tell me, for your part, +who is to lie within this tomb." "Sire, he who shall deliver all +those who are held captive in the kingdom whence none escapes." +And when he had told him all this, the knight commended him to +God and all His saints. And then, for the first time, he felt +free to return to the damsel. The old white-haired monk escorts +him out of the church, and they resume their way. While the +damsel is mounting, however, the hermit relates to her all that +the knight had done inside, and then he begged her to tell him. +if she knew, what his name was; but she assured him that she did +not know, but that there was one sure thing she could say, +namely, that there was not such a knight alive where the four +winds of heaven blow. + +(Vv. 1967-2022.) Then the damsel takes leave of him, and rides +swiftly after the knight. Then those who were following them +come up and see the hermit standing alone before the church. The +old knight in his shirt sleeves said: "Sire, tell us, have you +seen a knight with a damsel in his company?" And he replies: "I +shall not be loath to tell you all I know, for they have just +passed on from here. The knight was inside yonder, and did a +very marvellous thing in raising the stone from the huge marble +tomb, quite unaided and without the least effort. He is bent +upon the rescue of the Queen, and doubtless he will rescue her, +as well as all the other people. You know well that this must be +so, for you have often read the inscription upon the stone. No +knight was ever born of man and woman, and no knight ever sat in +a saddle, who was the equal of this man." Then the father turns +to his son, and says: "Son, what dost thou think about him now? +Is he not a man to be respected who has performed such a feat? +Now thou knowest who was wrong, and whether it was thou or I. I +would not have thee fight with him for all the town of Amiens; +and yet thou didst struggle hard, before any one could dissuade +thee from thy purpose. Now we may as well go back, for we should +be very foolish to follow him any farther." And he replies: "I +agree to that. It would be useless to follow him. Since it is +your pleasure, let us return." They were very wise to retrace +their steps. And all the time the damsel rides close beside the +knight, wishing to compel him to give heed to her. She is +anxious to learn his name, and she begs and beseeches him again +and again to tell her, until in his annoyance he answers her: +"Have I not already told you that I belong in King Arthur's +realm? I swear by God and His goodness that you shall not learn +my name." Then she bids him give her leave to go, and she will +turn back, which request he gladly grants. + +(Vv. 2023-2198.) Thereupon the damsel departs, and he rides on +alone until it grew very late. After vespers, about compline, as +he pursued his way, he saw a knight returning from the wood where +he had been hunting. With helmet unlaced, he rode along upon his +big grey hunter, to which he had tied the game which God had +permitted him to take. This gentleman came quickly to meet the +knight, offering him hospitality. "Sire," he says, "night will +soon be here. It is time for you to be reasonable and seek a +place to spend the night. I have a house of mine near at hand, +whither I shall take you. No one ever lodged you better than I +shall do, to the extent of my resources: I shall be very glad, if +you consent." "For my part, I gladly accept," he says. The +gentleman at once sends his son ahead, to prepare the house and +start the preparations for supper. The lad willingly executes +his command forthwith, and goes off at a rapid pace, while the +others, who are in no haste, follow the road leisurely until they +arrive at the house. The gentleman's wife was a very +accomplished lady; and he had five sons, whom he dearly loved, +three of them mere lads, and two already knights; and he had two +fair and charming daughters, who were still unmarried. They were +not natives of the land, but were there in durance, having been +long kept there as prisoners away from their native land of +Logres. When the gentleman led the knight into his yard, the +lady with her sons and daughters jumped up and ran to meet them, +vying in their efforts to do him honour, as they greeted him and +helped him to dismount. Neither the sisters nor the five +brothers paid much attention to their father, for they knew well +enough that he would have it so. They honoured the knight and +welcomed him; and when they had relieved him of his armour, one +of his host's two daughters threw her own mantle about him, +taking it from her own shoulders and throwing it about his neck. +I do not need to tell how well he was served at supper; but when +the meal was finished, they felt no further hesitation in +speaking of various matters. First, the host began to ask him +who he was, and from what land, but he did not inquire about his +name. The knight promptly answered him: "I am from the kingdom +of Logres, and have never been in this land before." And when +the gentleman heard that, he was greatly amazed, as were his wife +and children too, and each one of them was sore distressed. Then +they began to say to him: "Woe that you have come here, fair +sire, for only trouble will come of it! For, like us, you will +be reduced to servitude and exile." "Where do you come from, +then?" he asked. "Sire, we belong in your country. Many men +from your country are held in servitude in this land. Cursed be +the custom, together with those who keep it up! No stranger +comes here who is not compelled to stay here in the land where he +is detained. For whoever wishes may come in, but once in, he has +to stay. About your own fate, you may be at rest, you will +doubtless never escape from here." He replies: "Indeed, I shall +do so, if possible." To this the gentleman replies: "How? Do +you think you can escape?" "Yes, indeed, if it be God's will; +and I shall do all within my power." "In that case, doubtless +all the rest would be set free; for, as soon as one succeeds in +fairly escaping from this durance, then all the rest may go forth +unchallenged." Then the gentleman recalled that he had been told +and informed that a knight of great excellence was making his way +into the country to seek for the Queen, who was held by the +king's son, Meleagant; and he said to himself: "Upon my word, I +believe it is he, and I'll tell him so." So he said to him: +"Sire, do not conceal from me your business, if I promise to give +you the best advice I know. I too shall profit by any success +you may attain. Reveal to me the truth about your errand, that +it may be to your advantage as well as mine. I am persuaded that +you have come in search of the Queen into this land and among +these heathen people, who are worse than the Saracens." And the +knight replies: "For no other purpose have I come. I know not +where my lady is confined, but I am striving hard to rescue her, +and am in dire need of advice. Give me any counsel you can." +And he says: "Sire, you have undertaken a very grievous task. +The road you are travelling will lead you straight to the sword- +bridge. (14) You surely need advice. If you would heed my +counsel, you would proceed to the sword-bridge by a surer way, +and I would have you escorted thither." Then he, whose mind is +fixed upon the most direct way, asks him: "Is the road of which +you speak as direct as the other way?" "No, it is not," he says; +"it is longer, but more sure." Then he says: "I have no use for +it; tell me about this road I am following!" "I am ready to do +so," he replies; "but I am sure you will not fare well if you +take any other than the road I recommend. To-morrow you will +reach a place where you will have trouble: it is called `the +stony passage'. Shall I tell you how bad a place it is to pass? +Only one horse can go through at a time; even two men could not +pass abreast, and the passage is well guarded and defended. You +will meet with resistance as soon as you arrive. You will +sustain many a blow of sword and lance, and will have to return +full measure before you succeed in passing through." And when he +had completed the account, one of the gentleman's sons, who was a +knight, stepped forward, saying: "Sire, if you do not object, I +will go with this gentleman." Then one of the lads jumps up, and +says: "I too will go." And the father gladly gives them both +consent. Now the knight will not have to go alone, and he +expresses his gratitude, being much pleased with the company. + +(Vv. 2199-2266.) Then the conversation ceases, and they take the +knight to bed, where he was glad to fall asleep. As soon as +daylight was visible he got up, and those who were to accompany +him got up too. The two knights donned their armour and took +their leave, while the young fellow started on ahead. Together +they pursued their way until they came at the hour of prime to +"the stony passage." In the middle of it they found a wooden +tower, where there was always a man on guard. Before they drew +near, he who was on the tower saw them and cried twice aloud: +"Woe to this man who comes!" And then behold! A knight issued +from the tower, mounted and armed with fresh armour, and escorted +on either side by servants carrying sharp axes. Then, when the +other draws near the passage, he who defends it begins to heap +him with abuse about the cart, saying: "Vassal, thou art bold and +foolish, indeed, to have entered this country. No man ought ever +to come here who had ridden upon a cart, and may God withhold +from him His blessing!" Then they spur toward each other at the +top of their horses' speed. And he who was to guard the passage- +way at once breaks his lance and lets the two pieces fall; the +other strikes him in the neck, reaching him beneath the shield, +and throws him over prostrate upon the stones. Then the servants +come forward with the axes, but they intentionally fail to strike +him, having no desire to harm or damage him; so he does not deign +to draw his sword, and quickly passes on with his companions. +One of them remarks to the other: "No one has ever seen so good a +knight, nor has he any equal. Is not this a marvellous thing, +that he has forced a passage here?" And the knight says to his +brother: "Fair brother, for God's sake, make haste to go and tell +our father of this adventure." But the lad asserts and swears +that he will not go with the message, and will never leave the +knight until he has dubbed and knighted him; let his brother go +with the message, if he is so much concerned. + +(Vv. 2267-2450.) Then they go on together until about three +o'clock, when they come upon a man, who asks them who they are. +And they answer: "We are knights, busy about our own affairs." +Then the man says to the knight: "Sire, I should be glad to offer +hospitality to you and your companions here." This invitation he +delivers to him whom he takes to be the lord and master of the +others. And this one replies to him: "I could not seek shelter +for the night at such an hour as this; for it is not well to +tarry and seek one's ease when one has undertaken some great +task. And I have such business on hand that I shall not stop for +the night for some time yet." Then the man continues: "My house +is not near here, but is some distance ahead. It will be late +when you reach there, so you may proceed, assured that you will +find a place to lodge just when it suits you." "In that case," +he says, "I will go thither." Thereupon the man starts ahead as +guide, and the knight follows along the path. And when they had +proceeded some distance, they met a squire who was coming along +at a gallop, mounted upon a nag that was as fat and round as an +apple. And the squire calls our to the man: "Sire, sire, make +haste! For the people of Logres have attacked in force the +inhabitants of this land, and war and strife have already broken +out; and they say that this country has been invaded by a knight +who has been in many battles, and that wherever he wishes to go, +no one, however reluctantly, is able to deny him passage. And +they further say that he will deliver those who are in this +country, and will subdue our people. Now take my advice and make +haste!" Then the man starts at a gallop, and the others are +greatly delighted at the words they have heard, for they are +eager to help their side. And the vavasor's son says: "Hear what +this squire says! Come and let us aid our people who are +fighting their enemies!" Meanwhile the man rides off, without +waiting for them, and makes his way rapidly toward a fortress +which stood upon a fortified hill; thither he hastens, till he +comes to the gate, while the others spur after him. The castle +was surrounded by a high wall and moat. As soon as they had got +inside, a gate was lowered upon their heels, so that they could +not get out again. Then they say: "Come on, come on! Let us not +stop here!" and they rapidly pursue the man until they reach +another gate which was not closed against them. But as soon as +the man had passed through, a portcullis dropped behind him. +Then the others were much dismayed to see themselves shut in, and +they think they must be bewitched. But he, of whom I have more +to tell, wore upon his finger a ring, whose stone was of such +virtue that any one who gazed at it was freed from the power of +enchantment. (15) Holding the ring before his eyes, he gazed at +it, and said: "Lady, lady, so help me God, now I have great need +of your succour!" (16) This lady was a fairy, who had given it +to him, and who had cared for him in his infancy. And he had +great confidence that, wherever he might be, she would aid and +succour him. But after appealing to her and gazing upon the +ring, he realises that there is no enchantment here, but that +they are actually shut in and confined. Then they come to the +barred door of a low and narrow postern gate. Drawing their +swords, they all strike it with such violence that they cut the +bar. As soon as they were outside the tower, they see that a +fierce strife was already begun down in the meadows, and that +there are at least a thousand knights engaged, beside the +low-bred infantry. While they were descending to the plain, the +wise and moderate son of the vavasor remarked: "Sire, before we +arrive upon the field, it would be wise for us, it seems to me, +to find out and learn on which side our people are. I do not +know where they are placed, but I will go and find out, if you +wish it so." "I wish you would do so," he replies, "go quickly, +and do not fail to come back again at once." He goes and returns +at once, saying: "It has turned out well for us, for I have +plainly seen that these are our troops on this side of the +field." Then the knight at once rode into the fight and jousted +with a knight who was approaching him, striking him in the eye +with such violence that he knocked him lifeless to the ground. +Then the lad dismounts, and taking the dead knight's horse and +arms, he arms himself with skill and cleverness. When he was +armed, he straightway mounts, taking the shield and the lance, +which was heavy, stiff, and decorated, and about his waist he +girt a sharp, bright, and flashing sword. Then he followed his +brother and lord into the fight. The latter demeaned himself +bravely in the melee for some time, breaking, splitting, and +crushing shields, helmets and hauberks. No wood or steel +protected the man whom he struck; he either wounded him or +knocked him lifeless from the horse. Unassisted, he did so well +that he discomfited all whom he met, while his companions did +their part as well. The people of Logres, not knowing him, are +amazed at what they see, and ask the vavasor's sons about the +stranger knight. This reply is made to them: "Gentlemen, this is +he who is to deliver us all from durance and misery, in which we +have so long been confined, and we ought to do him great honour +when, to set us free, he has passed through so many perils and is +ready to face many more. He has done much, and will do yet +more." Every one is overjoyed at hearing this welcome news. The +news travelled fast, and was noised about, until it was known by +all. Their strength and courage rise, so that they slay many of +those still alive, and apparently because of the example of a +single knight they work greater havoc than because of all the +rest combined. And if it had not been so near evening, all would +have gone away defeated; but night came on so dark that they had +to separate. + +(Vv. 2451-2614.) When the battle was over, all the captives +pressed about the knight, grasping his rein on either side, and +thus addressing him: "Welcome, fair sire," and each one adds: +"Sire, for the name of God, do not fail to lodge with me!" What +one says they all repeat, for young and old alike insist that he +must lodge with them, saying: "You will be more comfortably +lodged with me than with any one else." Thus each one addresses +him to his face, and in the desire to capture him, each one drags +him from the rest, until they almost come to blows. Then he +tells them that they are very foolish and silly to struggle so. +"Cease this wrangling among yourselves, for it does no good to me +or you. Instead of quarrelling among ourselves, we ought rather +to lend one another aid. You must not dispute about the +privilege of lodging me, but rather consider how to lodge me in +such a place that it may be to your general advantage, and that I +may be advanced upon my way." Then each one exclaims at once: +"That is my house, or, No, it is mine," until the knight replies: +"Follow my advice and say nothing more; the wisest of you is +foolish to contend this way. You ought to be concerned to +further my affairs, and instead you are seeking to turn me aside. +If you had each individually done me all the honour and service +it is possible to do, and I had accepted your kindness, by all +the saints of Rome I swear that I could not be more obliged to +you than I am now for your good-will. So may God give me joy and +health, your good intentions please me as much as if each one of +you had already shown me great honour and kindness: so let the +will stand for the deed!" Thus he persuades and appeases them +all. Then they take him quickly along the road to a knight's +residence, where they seek to serve him: all rejoice to honour +and serve him throughout the evening until bedtime, for they hold +him very dear. Next morning, when the time came to separate, +each one offers and presents himself, with the desire to +accompany him; but it is not his will or pleasure that any one +shall go with him except the two whom he had brought with him. +Accompanied by them alone, he resumed his journey. That day they +rode from morn till evening without encountering any adventure. +When it was now very late, and while they were riding rapidly out +of a forest, they saw a house belonging to a knight, and seated +at the door they saw his wife, who had the bearing of a gentle +lady. As soon as she espied them coming, she rose to her feet to +meet them, and greeted them joyfully with a smile: "Welcome! I +wish you to accept my house; this is your lodging; pray dismount" +"Lady, since it is your will, we thank you, and will dismount; we +accept your hospitality for the night." When they had +dismounted, the lady had the horses taken by members of her well- +ordered household. She calls her sons and daughters who come at +once: the youths were courteous, handsome, and well-behaved, and +the daughters were fair. She bids the lads remove the saddles +and curry the horses well; no one refused to do this, but each +carried out her instructions willingly. When she ordered the +knights to be disarmed, her daughters step forward to perform +this service. They remove their armour, and hand them three +short mantles to put on. Then at once they take them into the +house which was very handsome. The master was not at home, being +out in the woods with two of his sons. But he presently +returned, and his household, which was well-ordered, ran to meet +him outside the door. Quickly they untie and unpack the game he +brings, and tell him the news: "Sire, sire, you do not know that +you have three knights for guests." "God be praised for that," +he says. Then the knight and his two sons extend a glad welcome +to their guests. The rest of the household were not backward, +for even the least among them prepared to perform his special +task. While some run to prepare the meal, others light the +candles in profusion; still others get a towel and basins, and +offer water for the hands: they are not niggardly in all this. +When all had washed, they take their seats. Nothing that was +done there seemed to be any trouble or burdensome. But at the +first course there came a surprise in the form of a knight +outside the door. As he sat on his charger, all armed from head +to feet, he looked prouder than a bull, and a bull is a yew proud +beast. One leg was fixed in the stirrup, but the other he had +thrown over the mane of his horse's neck, to give himself a +careless and jaunty air. Behold him advancing thus, though no +one noticed him until he came forward with the words: "I wish to +know which is the man who is so foolish and proud a numskull that +he has come to this country and intends to cross the sword- +bridge. All his pains will come to naught, and his expedition is +in vain." Then he, who felt no fear at all, thus replies with +confidence: "I am he who intends to cross the bridge." "Thou? +Thou? How didst thou dare to think of such a thing? Before +undertaking such a course, thou oughtest to have thought of the +end that is in store for thee, and thou oughtest to have in mind +the memory of the cart on which thou didst ride. I know not +whether thou feelest shame for the ride thou hadst on it, but no +sensible man would have embarked on such an enterprise as this if +he had felt the reproach of his action." + +(Vv. 2615-2690.) Not a word does he deign to reply to what he +hears the other say; but the master of the house and all the +others express their surprise openly: "Ah, God, what a misfortune +this is," each one of them says to himself; "cursed be the hour +when first a cart was conceived or made! For it is a very vile +and hateful thing. Ah, God, of what was he accused? Why was he +carried in a cart? For what sin, or for what crime? He will +always suffer the reproach. If he were only clear of this +disgrace, no knight could be found in all the world, however his +valour might be proved, who would equal the merit of this knight. +If all good knights could be compared, and if the truth were to +be known, you could find none so handsome or so expert." Thus +they expressed their sentiments. Then he began his speech of +impudence: "Listen, thou knight, who art bound for the sword- +bridge! If thou wishest, thou shalt cross the water very easily +and comfortably. I will quickly have thee ferried over in a +skiff. But once on the other side, I will make thee pay me toll, +and I will take thy head, if I please to do so, or if not, thou +shalt be held at my discretion." And he replies that he is not +seeking trouble, and that he will never risk his head in such an +adventure for any consideration. To which the other answers at +once: "Since thou wilt not do this, whosesoever the shame and +loss may be, thou must come outside with me and there engage me +hand to hand." Then, to beguile him. the other says: "If I could +refuse, I would very gladly excuse myself; but in truth I would +rather fight than be compelled to do what is wrong." Before he +arose from the table where they were sitting, he told the youths +who were serving him, to saddle his horse at once, and fetch his +arms and give them to him. This order they promptly execute: +some devote themselves to arming him, while others go to fetch +his horse. As he slowly rode along completely armed, holding his +shield tight by the straps, you must know that he was evidently +to be included in the list of the brave and fair. His horse +became him so well that it is evident he must be his own, and as +for the shield he held by the straps and the helmet laced upon +his head, which fitted him so well, you would never for a moment +have thought that he had borrowed it or received it as a loan; +rather, you would be so pleased with him that you would maintain +that he had been thus born and raised: for all this I should like +you to take my word. + +(Vv. 2691-2792.) Outside the gate, where the battle was to be +fought, there was a stretch of level ground well adapted for the +encounter. When they catch sight of each other, they spur hotly +to the attack and come together with such a shock, dealing such +blows with their lances, that they first bend, then buckle up, +and finally fly into splinters. With their swords they then hew +away at their shields, helmets, and hauberks. The wood is cut +and the steel gives way, so that they wound each other in several +places. They pay each other such angry blows that it seems as if +they had made a bargain. The swords often descend upon the +horses' croups, where they drink and feast upon their blood; +their riders strike them upon the flanks until at last they kill +them both. And when both have fallen to earth, they attack each +other afoot; and if they had cherished a mortal hatred, they +could not have assailed each other more fiercely with their +swords. They deal their blows with greater frequency than the +man who stakes his money at dice and never fails to double the +stakes every time he loses; yet, this game of theirs was very +different; for there were no losses here, but only fierce blows +and cruel strife. All the people came out from the house: the +master, his lady, his sons and daughters; no man or woman, friend +or stranger, stayed behind, but all stood in line to see the +fight in progress in the broad, level field. The Knight of the +Cart blames and reproaches himself for faintheartedness when he +sees his host watching him and notices all the others looking on. +His heart is stirred with anger, for it seems to him that he +ought long since to have beaten his adversary. Then he strikes +him, rushing in like a storm and bringing his sword down close by +his head; he pushes and presses him so hard that he drives him +from his ground and reduces him to such a state of exhaustion +that he has little strength to defend himself. Then the knight +recalls how the other had basely reproached him about the cart; +so he assails him and drubs him so soundly that not a string or +strap remains unbroken about the neck-band of his hauberk, and he +knocks the helmet and ventail from his head. His wounds and +distress are so great that he has to cry for mercy. Just as the +lark cannot withstand or protect itself against the hawk which +outflies it and attacks it from above, so he in his helplessness +and shame, must invoke him and sue for mercy. And when he hears +him beg for mercy, he ceases his attack and says: "Dost thou wish +for mercy?" He replies: "You have asked a very clever question; +any fool could ask that. I never wished for anything so much as +I now wish for mercy." Then he says to him: "Thou must mount, +then, upon a cart. Nothing thou couldst say would have any +influence with me, unless thou mountest the cart, to atone for +the vile reproaches thou didst address to me with thy silly +mouth." And the knight thus answers him: "May it never please +God that I mount a cart!" "No?" he asks; "then you shall die." +"Sire, you can easily put me to death; but I beg and beseech you +for God's sake to show me mercy and not compel me to mount a +cart. I will agree to anything, however grievous, excepting +that. I would rather die a hundred times than undergo such a +disgrace. In your goodness and mercy you can tell me nothing so +distasteful that I will not do it." + +(Vv. 2793-2978.) While he is thus beseeching him, behold across +the field a maiden riding on a tawny mule, her head uncovered and +her dress disarranged. In her hand she held a whip with which +she belaboured the mule; and in truth no horse could have +galloped so fast as was the pace of the mule. The damsel called +out to the Knight of the Cart: "May God bless thy heart, Sir +Knight, with whatever delights thee most!" And he, who heard her +gladly, says: "May God bless you, damsel, and give you joy and +health!" Then she tells him of her desire. "Knight," she says, +"in urgent need I have come from afar to thee to ask a favour, +for which thou wilt deserve the best guerdon I can make to thee; +and I believe that thou wilt yet have need of my assistance." +And he replies: "Tell me what it is you wish; and if I have it, +you shall have it at once, provided it be not something +extravagant." Then she says: "It is the head of the knight whom +thou hast just defeated; in truth, thou hast never dealt with +such a wicked and faithless man. Thou wilt be committing no sin +or wrong, but rather doing a deed of charity, for he is the +basest creature that ever was or ever shall be." And when he who +had been vanquished hears that she wishes him to be killed, he +says to him: "Don't believe her, for she hates me; but by that +God who was at once Father and Son, and who chose for His mother +her who was His daughter and handmaiden, I beg you to have mercy +upon me!" "Ah, knight!" the maid exclaims, "pay no attention to +what this traitor says! May God give thee all the joy and honour +to which thou dost aspire, and may He give thee good success in +thy undertaking." Then the knight is in a predicament, as he +thinks and ponders over the question: whether to present to her +the head she asks him to cut off, or whether he shall allow +himself to be touched by pity for him. (17) He wishes to respect +the wishes of both her and him. Generosity and pity each command +him to do their will; for he was both generous and tender- +hearted. But if she carries off the head, then will pity be +defeated and put to death; whereas, if she does not carry off the +head, generosity will be discomfited. Thus, pity and generosity +hold him so confined and so distressed that he is tormented and +spurred on by each of them in turn. The damsel asks him to give +her the head, and on the other hand the knight makes his request, +appealing to his pity and kindness. And, since he has implored +him, shall he not receive mercy? Yes, for it never happened +that, when he had put down an enemy and compelled him to sue for +mercy, he would refuse such an one his mercy or longer bear him +any grudge. Since this is his custom, he will not refuse his +mercy to him who now begs and sues for it. And shall she have +the head she covets? Yes, if it be possible. "Knight," he says, +"it is necessary for thee to fight me again, and if thou dost +care to defend thy head again, I will show thee such mercy as to +allow thee to resume the helmet; and I will give thee time to arm +thy body and thy head as well as possible. But, if I conquer +thee again, know that thou shalt surely die." And he replies: "I +desire nothing better than that, and ask for no further favour." +"And I will give thee this advantage," he adds: "I will fight +thee as I stand, without changing my present position." Then the +other knight makes ready, and they begin the fight again eagerly. +But this time the knight triumphed more quickly than he had done +at first. And the damsel at once cries out: "Do not spare him, +knight, for anything he may say to thee. Surely he would not +have spared thee, had he once defeated thee. If thou heedest +what he says, be sure that he will again beguile thee. Fair +knight, cut off the head of the most faithless man in the empire +and kingdom, and give it to me! Thou shouldst present it to me, +in view of the guerdon I intend for thee. For another day may +well come when, if he can, he will beguile thee again with his +words." He, thinking his end is near, cries aloud to him for +mercy; but his cry is of no avail, nor anything that he can say. +The other drags him by the helmet, tearing all the fastening, and +he strikes from his head the ventail and the gleaming coif. Then +he cries out more loudly still: "Mercy, for God's sake! Mercy, +sir!" But the other answers: "So help me, I shall never again +show thee pity, after having once let thee off." "Ah," he says, +"thou wouldst do wrong to heed my enemy and kill me thus." While +she, intent upon his death, admonishes him to cut off his head, +and not to believe a word he says. He strikes: the head flies +across the sward and the body fails. Then the damsel is pleased +and satisfied. Grasping the head by the hair, the knight +presents it to the damsel, who takes it joyfully with the words: +"May thy heart receive such delight from whatever it most desires +as my heart now receives from what I most coveted. I had only +one grief in life, and that was that this man was still alive. I +have a reward laid up for thee which thou shalt receive at the +proper time. I promise thee that thou shalt have a worthy reward +for the service thou hast rendered me. Now I will go away, with +the prayer that God may guard thee from harm." Then the damsel +leaves him, as each commends the other to God. But all those who +had seen the battle in the plain are overjoyed, and in their joy +they at once relieve the knight of his armour, and honour him in +every way they can. Then they wash their hands again and take +their places at the meal, which they eat with better cheer than +is their wont. When they had been eating for some time, the +gentleman turned to his guest at his side, and said: "Sire, a +long while ago we came hither from the kingdom of Logres. We +were born your countrymen, and we should like to see you win +honour and fortune and joy in this country; for we should profit +by it as well as you, and it would be to the advantage of many +others, if you should gain honour and fortune in the enterprise +you have undertaken in this land." And he makes answer: "May God +hear your desire." + +(Vv. 2979-3020.) When the host had dropped his voice and ceased +speaking, one of his sons followed him and said: "Sire, we ought +to place all our resources at your service, and give them +outright rather than promise them; if you have any need of our +assistance, we ought not to wait until you ask for it. Sire, be +not concerned over your horse which is dead. We have good strong +horses here. I want you to take anything of ours which you need, +and you shall choose the best of our horses in place of yours." +And he replies: "I willingly accept." Thereupon, they have the +beds prepared and retire for the night. The next morning they +rise early, and dress, after which they prepare to start. Upon +leaving, they fail in no act of courtesy, but take leave of the +lady, her lord, and all the rest. But in order to omit nothing, +I must remark that the knight was unwilling to mount the borrowed +steed which was standing ready at the door; rather, he caused him +to be ridden by one of the two knights who had come with him, +while he took the latter's horse instead, for thus it pleased him +best to do. When each was seated on his horse, they all asked +for leave to depart from their host who had served them so +honourably. Then they ride along the road until the day draws to +a close, and late in the afternoon they reach the sword-bridge. + +(Vv. 3021-3194.) At the end of this very difficult bridge they +dismount from their steeds and gaze at the wicked-looking stream, +which is as swift and raging, as black and turgid, as fierce and +terrible as if it were the devil's stream; and it is so dangerous +and bottomless that anything failing into it would be as +completely lost as if it fell into the salt sea. And the bridge, +which spans it, is different from any other bridge; for there +never was such a one as this. If any one asks of me the truth, +there never was such a bad bridge, nor one whose flooring was so +bad. The bridge across the cold stream consisted of a polished, +gleaming sword; but the sword was stout and stiff, and was as +long as two lances. At each end there was a tree-trunk in which +the sword was firmly fixed. No one need fear to fall because of +its breaking or bending, for its excellence was such that it +could support a great weight. But the two knights who were with +the third were much discouraged; for they surmised that two lions +or two leopards would be found tied to a great rock at the other +end of the bridge. The water and the bridge and the lions +combine so to terrify them that they both tremble with fear, and +say: "Fair sire, consider well what confronts you; for it is +necessary and needful to do so. This bridge is badly made and +built, and the construction of it is bad. If you do not change +your mind in time, it will be too late to repent. You must +consider which of several alternatives you will choose. Suppose +that you once get across (but that cannot possibly come to pass, +any more than one could hold in the winds and forbid them to +blow, or keep the birds from singing, or re-enter one's mother's +womb and be born again--all of which is as impossible as to +empty the sea of its water); but even supposing that you got +across, can you think and suppose that those two fierce lions +that are chained on the other side will not kill you, and suck +the blood from your veins, and eat your flesh and then gnaw your +bones? For my part, I am bold enough, when I even dare to look +and gaze at them. If you do not take care, they will certainly +devour you. Your body will soon be torn and rent apart, for they +will show you no mercy. So take pity on us now, and stay here in +our company! It would be wrong for you to expose yourself +intentionally to such mortal peril." And he, laughing, replies +to them: "Gentlemen, receive my thanks and gratitude for the +concern you feel for me: it comes from your love and kind hearts. +I know full well that you would not like to see any mishap come +to me; but I have faith and confidence in God, that He will +protect me to the end. I fear the bridge and stream no more than +I fear this dry land; so I intend to prepare and make the +dangerous attempt to cross. I would rather die than turn back +now." The others have nothing more to say; but each weeps with +pity and heaves a sigh. Meanwhile he prepares, as best he may, +to cross the stream, and he does a very marvellous thing in +removing the armour from his feet and hands. He will be in a +sorry state when he reaches the other side. He is going to +support himself with his bare hands and feet upon the sword, +which was sharper than a scythe, for he had not kept on his feet +either sole or upper or hose. But he felt no fear of wounds upon +his hands or feet; he preferred to maim himself rather than to +fall from the bridge and be plunged in the water from which he +could never escape. In accordance with this determination, he +passes over with great pain and agony, being wounded in the +hands, knees, and feet. But even this suffering is sweet to him: +for Love, who conducts and leads him on, assuages and relieves +the pain. Creeping on his hands, feet, and knees, he proceeds +until he reaches the other side. Then he recalls and recollects +the two lions which he thought he had seen from the other side; +but, on looking about, he does not see so much as a lizard or +anything else to do him harm. He raises his hand before his face +and looks at his ring, and by this test he proves that neither of +the lions is there which he thought he had seen, and that he had +been enchanted and deceived; for there was not a living creature +there. When those who had remained behind upon the bank saw that +he had safely crossed, their joy was natural; but they do not +know of his injuries. He, however, considers himself fortunate +not to have suffered anything worse. The blood from his wounds +drips on his shirt on all sides. Then he sees before him a +tower, which was so strong that never had he seen such a strong +one before: indeed, it could not have been a better tower. At +the window there sat King Bademagu, who was very scrupulous and +precise about matters of honour and what was right, and who was +careful to observe and practise loyalty above all else; and +beside him stood his son, who always did precisely the opposite +so far as possible, for he found his pleasure in disloyalty, and +never wearied of villainy, treason, and felony. From their point +of vantage they had seen the knight cross the bridge with trouble +and pain. Meleagant's colour changed with the rage and +displeasure he felt; for he knows now that he will be challenged +for the Queen; but his character was such that he feared no man, +however strong or formidable. If he were not base and disloyal, +there could no better knight be found; but he had a heart of +wood, without gentleness and pity. What enraged his son and +roused his ire, made the king happy and glad. The king knew of a +truth that he who had crossed the bridge was much better than any +one else. For no one would dare to pass over it in whom there +dwelt any of that evil nature which brings more shame upon those +who possess it than prowess brings of honour to the virtuous. +For prowess cannot accomplish so much as wickedness and sloth can +do: it is true beyond a doubt that it is possible to do more evil +than good. + +(Vv. 3195-3318.) I could say more on these two heads, if it did +not cause me to delay. But I must turn to something else and +resume my subject, and you shall hear how the king speaks +profitably to his son: "Son," he says, "it was fortunate that +thou and I came to look out this window; our reward has been to +witness the boldest deed that ever entered the mind of man. Tell +me now if thou art not well disposed toward him who has performed +such a marvellous feat. Make peace and be reconciled with him, +and deliver the Queen into his hands. Thou shalt gain no glory +in battle with him, but rather mayst thou incur great loss. Show +thyself to be courteous and sensible, and send the Queen to meet +him before he sees thee. Show him honour in this land of thine, +and before he asks it, present to him what he has come to seek. +Thou knowest well enough that he has come for the Queen +Guinevere. Do not act so that people will take thee to be +obstinate, foolish, or proud. If this man has entered thy land +alone, thou shouldst bear him company, for one gentleman ought +not to avoid another, but rather attract him and honour him with +courtesy. One receives honour by himself showing it; be sure +that the honour will be thine, if thou doest honour and service +to him who is plainly the best knight in the world." And he +replies: "May God confound me, if there is not as good a knight, +or even a better one than he!" It was too bad that he did not +mention himself, of whom he entertains no mean opinion. And he +adds: "I suppose you wish me to clasp my hands and kneel before +him as his liegeman, and to hold my lands from him? So help me +God, I would rather become his man than surrender to him the +Queen! God forbid that in such a fashion I should deliver her to +him! She shall never be given up by me, but rather contested and +defended against all who are so foolish as to dare to come in +quest of her." Then again the king says to him: "Son, thou +wouldst act very courteously to renounce this pretension. I +advise thee and beg thee to keep the peace. Thou knowest well +that the honour will belong to the knight, if he wins the Queen +from thee in battle. He would doubtless rather win her in battle +than as a gift, for it will thus enhance his fame. It is my +opinion that he is seeking her, not to receive her peaceably, but +because he wishes to win her by force of arms. So it would be +wise on thy part to deprive him of the satisfaction of fighting +thee. I am sorry to see thee so foolish; but if thou dost not +heed my advice, evil will come of it, and the ensuing misfortune +will be worse for thee. For the knight need fear no hostility +from any one here save thee. On behalf of myself and all my men, +I will grant him a truce and security. I have never yet done a +disloyal deed or practised treason and felony, and I shall not +begin to do so now on thy account any more than I would for any +stranger. I do not wish to flatter thee, for I promise that the +knight shall not lack any arms, or horse or anything else he +needs, in view of the boldness he has displayed in coming thus +far. He shall be securely guarded and well defended against all +men here excepting thee. I wish him clearly to understand that, +if he can maintain himself against thee, he need have no fear of +any one else." "I have listened to you in silence long enough," +says Meleagant, "and you may say what you please. But little do +I care for all you say. I am not a hermit, nor so compassionate +and charitable, and I have no desire to be so honourable as to +give him what I most love. His task will not be performed so +quickly or so lightly; rather will it turn out otherwise than as +you and he expect. You and I need not quarrel because you aid +him against me. Even if he enjoys peace and a truce with you and +all your men, what matters that to me? My heart does not quail +on that account; rather, so help me God, I am glad that he need +not feel concern for any one here but me; I do not wish you to do +on my account anything which might be construed as disloyalty or +treachery. Be as compassionate as you please, but let me be +cruel." "What? Wilt thou not change thy mind?" "No," he says. +"Then I will say nothing more. I will leave thee alone to do thy +best and will go now to speak with the knight. I wish to offer +and present to him my aid and counsel in all respects; for I am +altogether on his side." + +(Vv. 3319-3490.) Then the king goes down and orders them to +bring his horse. A large steed is brought to him, upon which he +springs by the stirrup, and he rides off with some of his men: +three knights and two squires he bade to go with him. They did +not stop their ride downhill until they came to the bridge, where +they see him stanching his wounds and wiping the blood from them. +The king expects to keep him as his guest for a long time while +his wounds are healing; but he might as well expect to drain the +sea. The king hastens to dismount, and he who was grievously +wounded, stood up at once to meet him, though he did not know +him, and he gave no more evidence of the pain he felt in his feet +and hands than if he had been actually sound. The king sees that +he is exerting himself, and quickly runs to greet him with the +words: "Sire, I am greatly amazed that you have fallen upon us in +this land. But be welcome, for no one will ever repeat the +attempt: it never happened in the past, and it will never happen +in the future that any one should perform such a hardy feat or +expose himself to such peril. And know that I admire you greatly +for having executed what no one before ever dared to conceive. +You will find me very kindly disposed, and loyal and courteous +toward you. I am the king of this land, and offer you freely all +my counsel and service; and I think I know pretty well what you +have come here to seek. You come, I am sure, to seek the Queen." +"Sire," he replies, "your surmise is correct; no other cause +brings me here." "Friend, you must suffer hardship to obtain +her," he replies; "and you are sorely wounded, as I see by the +wounds and the flowing blood. You will not find him who brought +her hither so generous as to give her up without a struggle; but +you must tarry, and have your wounds cared for until they are +completely healed. I will give you some of `the three Marys' +ointment, (18) and something still better, if it can be found, +for I am very solicitous about your comfort and your recovery. +And the Queen is so confined that no mortal man has access to her +-- not even my son, who brought her here with him and who resents +such treatment, for never was a man so beside himself and so +desperate as he. But I am well disposed toward you, and will +gladly give you, so help me God, all of which you stand in need. +My son himself will not have such good arms but that I will give +you some that are just as good, and a horse, too, such as you +will need, though my son will be angry with me. Despite the +feelings of any one, I will protect you against all men. You +will have no cause to fear any one excepting him who brought the +Queen here. No man ever menaced another as I have menaced him, +and I came near driving him from my land, in my displeasure +because he will not surrender her to you. To be sure, he is my +son; but feel no concern, for unless he defeats you in battle, he +can never do you the slightest harm against my will." "Sire," he +says, "I thank you. But I am losing time here which I do not +wish to waste. I have no cause to complain, and have no wound +which is paining me. Take me where I can find him; for with such +arms as I have, I am ready to divert myself by giving and +receiving blows." "Friend, you had better wait two or three +weeks until your wounds are healed, for it would be well for you +to tarry here at least two weeks, and not on any account could I +allow it, or look on, while you fought in my presence with such +arms and with such an outfit." And he replies: "With your +permission, no other arms would be used than these, for I should +prefer to fight with them, and I should not ask for the slightest +postponement, adjournment or delay. However, in deference to +you, I will consent to wait until to-morrow; but despite what any +one may say, longer I will not wait." Then the king assured him +that all would be done as he wished; then he has the +lodging-place prepared, and insistently requests his men, who are +in the company, to serve him, which they do devotedly. And the +king, who would gladly have made peace, had it been possible, +went at once to his son and spoke to him like one who desires +peace and harmony, saying: "Fair son, be reconciled now with this +knight without a fight! He has not come here to disport himself +or to hunt or chase, but he comes in search of honour and to +increase his fame and renown, and I have seen that he stands in +great need of rest. If he had taken my advice, he would not have +rashly undertaken, either this month or the next, the battle +which he so greatly desires. If thou makest over the Queen to +him, dost thou fear any dishonour in the deed? Have no fear of +that, for no blame can attach to thee; rather is it wrong to keep +that to which one has no rightful claim. He would gladly have +entered the battle at once, though his hands and feet are not +sound, but cut and wounded." Meleagant answers his father thus: +"You are foolish to be concerned. By the faith I owe St. Peter, +I will not take your advice in this matter. I should deserve to +be drawn apart with horses, if I heeded your advice. If he is +seeking his honour, so do I seek mine; if he is in search of +glory, so am I; if he is anxious for the battle, so am I a +hundred times more so than he." "I see plainly," says the king, +"that thou art intent upon thy mad enterprise, and thou shalt +have thy fill of it. Since such is thy pleasure, to-morrow thou +shalt try thy strength with the knight." "May no greater +hardship ever visit me than that!" Meleagant replies; "I would +much rather it were to-day than to-morrow. Just see how much +more downcast I am than is usual! My eyes are wild, and my face +is pale! I shall have no joy or satisfaction or any cause for +happiness until I am actually engaged with him." + +(Vv. 3491-3684.) The king understands that further advice and +prayers are of no avail, so reluctantly he leaves his son and, +taking a good, strong horse and handsome arms, he sends them to +him who well deserves them, together with a surgeon who was a +loyal and Christian man. There was in the world no more trusty +man, and he was more skilled in the cure of wounds than all the +doctors of Montpeilier. (19) That night he treated the knight as +best he could, in accordance with the king's command. Already +the news was known by the knights and damsels, the ladies and +barons of all the country-side, and all through the night until +daybreak strangers and friends were making long journeys from all +the country round. When morning came, there was such a press +before the castle that there was not room to move one's foot. +And the king, rising early in his distress about the battle, goes +directly to his son, who had already laced upon his head the +helmet which was of Poitiers make. No delay or peace is +possible, for though the king did his best, his efforts are of no +effect. In the middle of the castle-square, where all the people +are assembled, the battle will be fought in compliance with the +king's wish and command. The king sends at once for the stranger +knight, and he is conducted to the grounds which were filled with +people from the kingdom of Logres. For just as people are +accustomed to go to church to hear the organ on the annual feast- +days of Pentecost or Christmas, so they had all assembled now. +All the foreign maidens from King Arthur's realm had fasted three +days and gone barefoot in their shifts, in order that God might +endow with strength and courage the knight who was to fight his +adversary on behalf of the captives. Very early, before prime +had yet been sounded, both of the knights fully armed were led to +the place, mounted upon two horses equally protected. Meleagant +was very graceful, alert, and shapely; the hauberk with its fine +meshes, the helmet, and the shield hanging from his neck--all +these became him well. All the spectators. however, favoured the +other knight, even those who wished him ill, and they say that +Meleagant is worth nothing compared with him. As soon as they +were both on the ground, the king comes and detains them as long +as possible in an effort to make peace between them, but he is +unable to persuade his son. Then he says to them: "Hold in your +horses until I reach the top of the tower. It will be only a +slight favour, if you will wait so long for me." Then in +sorrowful mood he leaves them and goes directly to the place +where he knew he would find the Queen. She had begged him the +evening before to place her where she might have an unobstructed +view of the battle; he had granted her the boon, and went now to +seek and fetch her, for he was very anxious to show her honour +and courtesy. He placed her at one window, and took his place at +another window on her right. Beside them, there were gathered +there many knights and prudent dames and damsels, who were +natives of that land; and there were many others, who were +captives, and who were intent upon their orisons and prayers. +Those who were prisoners were praying for their lord, for to God +and to him they entrusted their succour and deliverance. Then +the combatants without delay make all the people stand aside; +then they clash the shields with their elbows, and thrust their +arms into the straps, and spur at each other so violently that +each sends his lance two arms' length through his opponent's +shield, causing the lance to split and splinter like a flying +spark. And the horses meet head on, clashing breast to breast, +and the shields and helmets crash with such a noise that it seems +like a mighty thunder-clap; not a breast-strap, girth, rein or +surcingle remains unbroken, and the saddle-bows, though strong, +are broken to pieces. The combatants felt no shame in falling to +earth, in view of their mishaps, but they quickly spring to their +feet, and without waste of threatening words rush at each other +more fiercely than two wild boars, and deal great blows with +their swords of steel like men whose hate is violent. Repeatedly +they trim the helmets and shining hauberks so fiercely that after +the sword the blood spurts out. They furnished an excellent +battle, indeed, as they stunned and wounded each other with their +heavy, wicked blows. Many fierce, hard, long bouts they +sustained with equal honour, so that the onlookers could discern +no advantage on either side. But it was inevitable that he who +had crossed the bridge should be much weakened by his wounded +hands. The people who sided with him were much dismayed, for +they notice that his strokes are growing weaker, and they fear he +will get the worst of it; it seemed to them that he was +weakening, while Meleagant was triumphing, and they began to +murmur all around. But up at the window of the tower there was a +wise maiden who thought within herself that the knight had not +undertaken the battle either on her account or for the sake of +the common herd who had gathered about the list, but that his +only incentive had been the Queen; and she thought that, if he +knew that she was at the window seeing and watching him, his +strength and courage would increase. And if she had known his +name, she would gladly have called to him to look about him. +Then she came to the Queen and said: "Lady, for God's sake and +your own as well as ours, I beseech you to tell me, if you know, +the name of yonder knight, to the end that it may be of some help +to him." "Damsel," the Queen replies, "you have asked me a +question in which I see no hate or evil, but rather good intent; +the name of the knight, I know, is Lancelot of the Lake." (20) +"God, how happy and glad at heart I am!" the damsel says. Then +she leans forward and calls to him by name so loudly that all the +people hear: "Lancelot, turn about and see who is here taking +note of thee!" + +(Vv. 3685-3954.) When Lancelot heard his name, he was not slow +to turn around: he turns and sees seated up there at the window +of the tower her whom he desired most in the world to see. From +the moment he caught sight of her, he did not turn or take his +eyes and face from her, defending himself with backhand blows. +And Meleagant meanwhile attacked him as fiercely as he could, +delighted to think that the other cannot withstand him now; and +they of the country are well pleased too, while the foreigners +are so distressed that they can no longer support themselves, and +many of them fall to earth either upon their knees or stretched +out prone; thus some are glad, and some distressed. Then the +damsel cried again from the window: "Ah, Lancelot, how is it that +thou dost now conduct thyself so foolishly? Once thou wert the +embodiment of prowess and of all that is good, and I do not think +God ever made a knight who could equal thee in valour and in +worth. But now we see thee so distressed that thou dealest back- +hand blows and fightest thy adversary, behind thy back. Turn, so +as to be on the other side, and so that thou canst face toward +this tower, for it will help thee to keep it in view." Then +Lancelot is so ashamed and mortified that he hates himself, for +he knows full well that all have seen how, for some time past, he +has had the worst of the fight. Thereupon he leaps backward and +so manoeuvres as to force Meleagant into a position between him +and the tower. Meleagant makes every effort to regain his former +position. But Lancelot rushes upon him, and strikes him so +violently upon his body and shield whenever he tries to get +around him, that he compels him to whirl about two or three times +in spite of himself. Lancelot's strength and courage grow, +partly because he has love's aid, and partly because he never +hated any one so much as him with whom he is engaged. Love and +mortal hate, so fierce that never before was such hate seen, make +him so fiery and bold that Meleagant ceases to treat it as a jest +and begins to stand in awe of him, for he had never met or known +so doughty a knight, nor had any knight ever wounded or injured +him as this one does. He is glad to get away from him, and he +winces and sidesteps, fearing his blows and avoiding them. And +Lancelot does not idly threaten him, but drives him rapidly +toward the tower where the Queen was stationed on the watch. +There upon the tower he did her the homage of his blows until he +came so close that, if he advanced another step, he would lose +sight of her. Thus Lancelot drove him back and forth repeatedly +in whatever direction he pleased, always stopping before the +Queen, his lady, who had kindled the flame which compels him to +fix his gaze upon her. And this same flame so stirred him +against Meleagant that he was enabled to lead and drive him +wherever he pleased. In spite of himself he drives him on like a +blind man or a man with a wooden leg. The king sees his son so +hard pressed that he is sorry for him and he pities him, and he +will not deny him aid and assistance if possible; but if he +wishes to proceed courteously, he must first beg the Queen's +permission. So he began to say to her: "Lady, since I have had +you in my power, I have loved you and faithfully served and +honoured you. I never consciously left anything undone in which +I saw your honour involved; now repay me for what I have done. +For I am about to ask you a favour which you should not grant +unless you do so willingly. I plainly see that my son is getting +the worst of this battle; I do not speak so because of the +chagrin I feel, but in order that Lancelot, who has him in his +power, may not kill him. Nor ought you to wish to see him +killed; not because he has not wronged both you and him, but +because I make the request of you: so tell him, please, to stop +beating him. If you will, you can thus repay me for what I have +done for you." "Fair sire, I am willing to do so at your +request," the Queen replies; "had I mortal hatred for your son, +whom it is true I do not love, yet you have served me so well +that, to please you, I am quite willing that he should desist." +These words were not spoken privately, but Lancelot and +Meleagrant heard what was said. The man who is a perfect lover +is always obedient and quickly and gladly does his mistress' +pleasure. So Lancelot was constrained to do his Lady's will, for +he loved more than Pyramus, (21) if that were possible for any +man to do. Lancelot heard what was said, and as soon as the last +word had issued from her mouth, "since you wish him to desist, I +am willing that he should do so," Lancelot would not have +touched him or made a movement for anything, even if the other +had killed him. He does not touch him or raise his hand. But +Meleagant, beside himself with rage and shame when he hears that +it has been necessary to intercede in his behalf, strikes him +with all the strength he can muster. And the king went down from +the tower to upbraid his son, and entering the list he addressed +him thus: "How now? Is this becoming, to strike him when he is +not touching thee? Thou art too cruel and savage, and thy +prowess is now out of place! For we all know beyond a doubt that +he is thy superior." Then Meleagant, choking with shame, says to +the king: "I think you must be blind! I do not believe you see a +thing. Any one must indeed be blind to think I am not better +than he." "Seek some one to believe thy words!" the king +replies, "for all the people know whether thou speakest the truth +or a lie. All of us know full well the truth." Then the king +bids his barons lead his son away, which they do at once in +execution of his command: they led away Meleagant. But it was +not necessary to use force to induce Lancelot to withdraw, for +Meleagant might have harmed him grievously, before he would have +sought to defend himself. Then the king says to his son: "So +help me God, now thou must make peace and surrender the Queen. +Thou must cease this quarrel once for all and withdraw thy +claim." "That is great nonsense you have uttered! I hear you +speak foolishly. Stand aside! Let us fight, and do not mix in +our affairs!" But the king says he will take a hand, for he +knows well that, were the fight to continue, Lancelot would kill +his son. "He kill me! Rather would I soon defeat and kill him, +if you would leave us alone and let us fight." Then the king +says: "So help me God, all that thou sayest is of no avail." +"Why is that?" he asks. "Because I will not consent. I will not +so trust in thy folly and pride as to allow thee to be killed. A +man is a fool to court death, as thou dost in thy ignorance. I +know well that thou hatest me because I wish to save thy life. +God will not let me see and witness thy death, if I can help it, +for it would cause me too much grief." He talks to him and +reproves him until finally peace and good-will are restored. The +terms of the peace are these: he will surrender the Queen to +Lancelot, provided that the latter without reluctance will fight +them again within a year of such time as he shall choose to +summon him: this is no trial to Lancelot. When peace is made, +all the people press about, and it is decided that the battle +shall be fought at the court of King Arthur, who holds Britain +and Cornwall in his sway: there they decide that it shall be. +And the Queen has to consent, and Lancelot has to promise, that +if Meleagant can prove him recreant, she shall come back with him +again without the interference of any one. When the Queen and +Lancelot had both agreed to this, the arrangement was concluded, +and they both retired and removed their arms. Now the custom in +the country was that when one issued forth, all the others might +do so too. All called down blessings upon Lancelot: and you may +know that he must have felt great joy, as in truth he did. All +the strangers assemble and rejoice over Lancelot, speaking so as +to be heard by him: "Sire, in truth we were joyful as soon as we +heard your name, for we felt sure at once that we should all be +set free." There was a great crowd present at this glad scene, +as each one strives and presses forward to touch him if possible. +Any one who succeeded in touching him was more delighted than he +could tell. There was plenty of joy, and of sorrow too; those +who were now set free rejoiced unrestrainedly; but Meleagant and +his followers have not anything they want, but are pensive, +gloomy, and downcast. The king turns away from the list, taking +with him Lancelot, who begs him to take him to the Queen. "I +shall not fail to do so," the king replies; "for it seems to me +the proper thing to do. And if you like, I will show you Kay the +seneschal." At this Lancelot is so glad that he almost falls at +his feet. Then the king took him at once into the hall, where +the Queen had come to wait for him. + +(Vv. 3955-4030.) When the Queen saw the king holding Lancelot by +the hand, she rose before the king, but she looked displeased +with clouded brow, and she spoke not a word. "Lady, here is +Lancelot come to see you," says the king; "you ought to be +pleased and satisfied." "I, sire? He cannot please me. I care +nothing about seeing him." "Come now, lady," says the king who +was very frank and courteous, "what induces you to act like this? +You are too scornful toward a man who has served you so +faithfully that he has repeatedly exposed his life to mortal +danger on this journey for your sake, and who has defended and +rescued you from my son Meleagant who had deeply wronged you." +"Sire, truly he has made poor use of his time. I shall never +deny that I feel no gratitude toward him." Now Lancelot is +dumbfounded; but he replies very humbly like a polished lover: +"Lady, certainly I am grieved at this, but I dare not ask your +reason." The Queen listened as Lancelot voiced his +disappointment, but in order to grieve and confound him, she +would not answer a single word, but returned to her room. And +Lancelot followed her with his eyes and heart until she reached +the door; but she was not long in sight, for the room was close +by. His eyes would gladly have followed her, had that been +possible; but the heart, which is more lordly and masterful in +its strength, went through the door after her, while the eyes +remained behind weeping with the body. And the king said privily +to him: "Lancelot, I am amazed at what this means: and how it +comes about that the Queen cannot endure the sight of you, and +that she is so unwilling to speak with you. If she is ever +accustomed to speak with you, she ought not to be niggardly now +or avoid conversation with you, after what you have done for her. +Now tell me, if you know, why and for what misdeed she has shown +you such a countenance." "Sire, I did not notice that just now; +but she will not look at me or hear my words, and that distresses +and grieves me much." "Surely," says the king, "she is in the +wrong, for you have risked your life for her. Come away now, +fair sweet friend, and we shall go to speak with the seneschal." +"I shall be glad to do so," he replies. Then they both go to the +seneschal. As soon as Lancelot came where he was, the +seneschal's first exclamation was: "How thou hast shamed me!" +"I? How so?" Lancelot inquires; "tell me what disgrace have I +brought upon you?" "A very great disgrace, for thou hast carried +out what I could not accomplish, and thou hast done what I could +not do." + +(Vv. 4031-4124.) Then the king left them together in the room, +and went out alone. And Lancelot inquires of the seneschal if he +has been badly off. "Yes," he answers, "and I still am so. I was +never more wretched than I am now. And I should have died a long +time ago, had it not been for the king, who in his compassion has +shown me so much gentleness and kindness that he willingly let me +lack nothing of which I stood in need; but I was furnished at +once with ever)thing that I desired. But opposed to the kindness +which he showed me, was Meleagant his son, who is full of +wickedness, and who summoned the physicians to him and bade them +apply such ointments as would kill me. Such a father and +stepfather have I had! For when the king had a good plaster +applied to my wounds in his desire that I should soon be cured, +his treacherous son, wishing to put me to death, had it promptly +taken off and some harmful salve applied. But I am very sure +that the king was ignorant of this; he would not tolerate such +base and murderous tricks. But you do not know how courteous he +has been to my lady: no frontier tower since the time that Noah +built the ark was ever so carefully guarded, for he has guarded +her so vigilantly that, though his son chafed under the +restraint, he would nor let him see her except in the presence of +the king himself. Up to the present time the king in his mercy +has shown her all the marks of consideration which she herself +proposed. She alone had the disposition of her affairs. And the +king esteemed her all the more for the loyalty she showed. But +is it true, as I am told, that she is so angry with you that she +has publicly refused to speak with you?" "You have been told the +exact truth," Lancelot replies, "but for God's sake, can you tell +me why she is so displeased with me?" He replies that he does +not know, and that he is greatly surprised at it. "Well, let it +be as she pleases," says Lancelot, feeling his helplessness; "I +must now take my leave, and I shall go to seek my lord Gawain who +has entered this land, and who arranged with me that he would +proceed directly to the waterbridge." Then, leaving the room, he +appeared before the king and asked for leave to proceed in that +direction. And the king willingly grants him leave to go. Then +those whom Lancelot had set free and delivered from prison ask +him what they are to do. And he replies: "All those who desire +may come with me, and those who wish to stay with the Queen may +do so: there is no reason why they should accompany me." Then +all those, who so desire, accompany him, more glad and joyous +than is their wont. With the Queen remain her damsels who are +light of heart, and many knights and ladies too. But there is +not one of those who stay behind, who would not have preferred to +return to his own country to staying there. But on my lord +Gawain's account, whose arrival is expected, the Queen keeps +them, saying that she will never stir until she has news of him. + +(Vv. 4125-4262.) The news spreads everywhere that the Queen is +free to go, and that all the other prisoners have been set at +liberty and are free to go whenever it suits and pleases them. +Wherever the people of the land gather together, they ask each +other about the truth of this report, and never talk of anything +else. They are very much enraged that all the dangerous passes +have been overcome, and that any one may come and go as he +pleases. But when the natives of the country, who had not been +present at the battle, learned how Lancelot had been the victor, +they all betook themselves to the place where they knew he must +pass by, thinking that the king would be well pleased if they +should seize Lancelot and hale him back to him. All of his own +men were without their arms, and therefore they were at a +disadvantage when they saw the natives of the country coming +under arms. It was not strange that they seized Lancelot, who +was without his arms. They lead him back prisoner, his feet +lashed together beneath his horse. Then his own men say: +"Gentlemen, this is an evil deed; for the king has given us his +safe-conduct, and we are under his protection." But the others +reply: "We do not know how that may be; but as we have taken you, +you must return with us to court." The rumour, which swiftly +flies and runs, reaches the king, that his men have seized +Lancelot and put him to death. When the king hears it, he is +sorely grieved and swears angrily by his head that they who have +killed him shall surely die for the deed; and that, if he can +seize or catch them, it shall be their fate to be hanged, burned, +or drowned. And if they attempt to deny their deed, he will not +believe what they say, for they have brought him such grief and +shame that he would be disgraced were vengeance not to be exacted +from them; but he will be avenged without a doubt. The news of +this spread until it reached the Queen, who was sitting at meat. +She almost killed herself on hearing the false report about +Lancelot, but she supposes it to be true, and therefore she is in +such dismay that she almost loses the power to speak; but, +because of those present, she forces herself to say: "In truth, I +am sorry for his death, and it is no wonder that I grieve, for he +came into this country for my sake, and therefore I should mourn +for him." Then she says to herself, so that the others should +not hear, that no one need ask her to drink or eat, if it is true +that he is dead, in whose life she found her own. Then grieving +she rises from the table, and makes her lament, but so that no +one hears or notices her. She is so beside herself that she +repeatedly grasps her throat with the desire to kill herself; but +first she confesses to herself, and repents with self-reproach, +blaming and censuring herself for the wrong she had done him, +who, as she knew, had always been hers, and would still be hers, +if he were alive. She is so distressed at the thought of her +cruelty, that her beauty is seriously impaired. Her cruelty and +meanness affected her and marred her beauty more than all the +vigils and fastings with which she afflicted herself. When all +her sins rise up before her, she gathers them together, and as +she reviews them, she repeatedly exclaims: "Alas! of what was I +thinking when my lover stood before me and I should have welcomed +him, that I would not listen to his words? Was I not a fool, +when I refused to look at or speak to him? Foolish indeed? +Rather was I base and cruel, so help me God. I intended it as a +jest, but he did not take it so, and has not pardoned me. I am +sure it was no one but me who gave him his death-blow. When he +came before me smiling and expecting that I would be glad to see +him and would welcome him, and when I would not look at him, was +not that a mortal blow? When I refused to speak with him, then +doubtless at one blow I deprived him of his heart and life. +These two strokes have killed him, I am sure; no other bandits +have caused his death. God! can I ever make amends for this +murder and this crime? No, indeed; sooner will the rivers and +the sea dry up. Alas! how much better I should feel, and how +much comfort I should take, if only once before he died I had +held him in my arms! What? Yes, certainly, quite unclad, in +order the better to enjoy him. If he is dead, I am very wicked +not to destroy myself. Why? Can it harm my lover for me to live +on after he is dead, if I take no pleasure in anything but in the +woe I bear for him? In giving myself up to grief after his +death, the very woes I court would be sweet to me, if he were +only still alive. It is wrong for a woman to wish to die rather +than to suffer for her lover's sake. It is certainly sweet for +me to mourn him long. I would rather be beaten alive than die +and be at rest." + +(Vv. 4263-4414.) For two days the Queen thus mourned for him +without eating or drinking, until they thought she too would die. +There are plenty of people ready to carry bad news rather than +good. The news reaches Lancelot that his lady and sweetheart is +dead. You need have no doubt of the grief he felt; every one may +feel sure that he was afflicted and overcome with grief. Indeed, +if you would know the truth, he was so downcast that he held his +life in slight esteem. He wished to kill himself at once, but +first he uttered a brief lament. He makes a running noose at one +end of the belt he wore, and then tearfully communes thus with +himself: "Ah, death, how hast thou spied me out and undone me, +when in the bloom of health! I am undone, and yet I feel no pain +except the grief within my heart. This is a terrible mortal +grief. I am willing that it should be so, and if God will, I +shall die of it. Then can I not die some other way, without +God's consent? Yes, if he will let me tie this noose around my +neck. I think I can compel death, even against her will, to take +my life. Death, who covets only those who fear her, will not +come to me; but my belt will bring her within my power, and as +soon as she is mine, she will execute my desire. But, in truth, +she will come too tardily for me, for I yearn to have her now!" +Then he delays and hesitates no longer, but adjusts his head +within the noose until it rests about his neck; and in order that +he may not fail to harm himself, he fastens the end of the belt +tightly about the saddle-bow, without attracting the attention of +any one. Then he let himself slide to earth, intending his horse +to drag him until he was lifeless, for he disdains to live +another hour. When those who ride with him see him fallen to +earth, they suppose him to be in a faint, for no one sees the +noose which he had attached about his neck. At once they caught +him in their arms and, on raising him, they found the noose which +he had put around his neck and with which he sought to kill +himself. They quickly cut the noose; but the noose had so hurt +his throat that for some time he could not speak; the veins of +his neck and throat are almost broken. Now he could not harm +himself, even had he wished to do so; however, he is grieved that +they have laid hands on him, and he almost burns up with rage, +for willingly would he have killed himself had no one chanced to +notice him. And now when he cannot harm himself, he cries: "Ah, +vile and shameless death! For God's sake, why hadst thou not the +power and might to kill me before my lady died? I suppose it was +because thou wouldst not deign to do what might be a kindly deed. +If thou didst spare me, it must be attributed to thy wickedness. +Ah, what kind of service and kindness is that! How well hast +thou employed them here! A curse upon him who thanks thee or +feels gratitude for such a service! I know not which is more my +enemy: life, which detains me, or death, which will not slay me. +Each one torments me mortally; and it serves me right, so help me +God, that in spite of myself I should still live on. For I ought +to have killed myself as soon as my lady the Queen showed her +hate for me; she did not do it without cause, but she had some +good reason, though I know not what it is. And if I had known +what it was before her soul went to God, I should have made her +such rich amends as would have pleased her and gained her mercy. +God! what could my crime have been? I think she must have known +that I mounted upon the cart. I do not know what other cause she +can have to blame me. This has been my undoing. If this is the +reason of her hate, God! what harm could this crime do? Any one +who would reproach me for such an act never knew what love is, +for no one could mention anything which, if prompted by love, +ought to be turned into a reproach. Rather, everything that one +can do for his lady-love is to be regarded as a token of his love +and courtesy. Yet, I did not do it for my `lady-love'. I know +not by what name to call her, whether `lady-love', or not. I do +not dare to call her by this name. But I think I know this much +of love: that if she loved me, she ought not to esteem me less +for this crime, but rather call me her true lover, inasmuch as I +regarded it as an honour to do all love bade me do, even to mount +upon a cart. She ought to ascribe this to love; and this is a +certain proof that love thus tries his devotees and thus learns +who is really his. But this service did not please my lady, as I +discovered by her countenance. And yet her lover did for her +that for which many have shamefully reproached and blamed him, +though she was the cause of it; and many blame me for the part I +have played, and have turned my sweetness into bitterness. In +truth, such is the custom of those who know so little of love, +that even honour they wash in shame. But whoever dips honour +into shame, does not wash it, but rather sullies it. But they, +who maltreat him so, are quite ignorant of love; and he, who +fears not his commands, boasts himself very superior to him. For +unquestionably he fares well who obeys the commands of love, and +whatever he does is pardonable, but he is the coward who does not +dare." + +(Vv. 4415-4440.) Thus Lancelot makes his lament, and his men +stand grieving by his side, keeping hold of him and guarding him. +Then the news comes that the Queen is not dead. Thereupon +Lancelot at once takes comfort, and if his grief for her death +had before been intense and deep, now his joy for her life was a +hundred thousand times as great. And when they arrived within +six or seven leagues of the castle where King Bademagu was, +grateful news of Lancelot was told him, how he was alive and was +coming hale and hearty, and this news the king was glad to hear. +He did a very courteous thing in going at once to appraise the +Queen. And she replies: "Fair sire, since you say so, I believe +it is true, but I assure you that, if he were dead, I should +never be happy again. All my joy would be cut off, if a knight +had been killed in my service." + +(Vv. 4441-4530.) Then the king leaves her, and the Queen yearns +ardently for the arrival of her lover and her joy. She has no +desire this time to bear him any grudge. But rumour, which never +rests but runs always unceasingly, again reaches the Queen to the +effect that Lancelot would have killed himself for her sake, if +he had had the chance. She is happy at the thought that this is +true, but she would not have had it happen so for anything, for +her sorrow would have been too great. Thereupon Lancelot arrived +in haste. (22) As soon as the king sees him, he runs to kiss and +embrace him. He feels as if he ought to fly, borne along by the +buoyancy of his joy. But his satisfaction is cut short by those +who had taken and bound his guest, and the king tells them they +have come in an evil hour, for they shall all be killed and +confounded. Then they made answer that they thought he would +have it so. "It is I whom you have insulted in doing your +pleasure. He has no reason to complain," the king replies; "you +have not shamed him at all, but only me who was protecting him. +However you look at it, the shame is mine. But if you escape me +now, you will see no joke in this." When Lancelot hears his +wrath, he puts forth every effort to make peace and adjust +matters; when his efforts have met with success, the king takes +him away to see the Queen. This time the Queen did not lower her +eyes to the ground, but she went to meet him cheerfully, +honouring him all she could, and making him sit down by her side. +Then they talked together at length of all that was upon their +hearts, and love furnished them with so much to say that topics +did not lack. And when Lancelot sees how well he stands, and +that all he says finds favour with the Queen, he says to her in +confidence: "Lady, I marvel greatly why you received me with such +a countenance when you saw me the day before yesterday, and why +you would not speak a word to me: I almost died of the blow you +gave me, and I had not the courage to dare to question you about +it, as I now venture to do. I am ready now, lady, to make +amends, when you have told me what has been the crime which has +caused me such distress." Then the Queen replies: "What? Did +you not hesitate for shame to mount the cart? You showed you +were loath to get in, when you hesitated for two whole steps. +That is the reason why I would neither address nor look at you." +"May God save me from such a crime again," Lancelot replies, "and +may God show me no mercy, if you were not quite right! For God's +sake, lady, receive my amends at once, and tell me, for God's +sake, if you can ever pardon me." "Friend, you are quite +forgiven," the Queen replies; "I pardon you willingly." "Thank +you for that, lady," he then says; "but I cannot tell you here +all that I should like to say; I should like to talk with you +more at leisure, if possible." Then the Queen indicates a window +by her glance rather than with her finger, and says: "Come +through the garden to-night and speak with me at yonder window, +when every one inside has gone to sleep. You will not be able to +get in: I shall be inside and you outside: to gain entrance will +be impossible. I shall be able to touch you only with my lips or +hand, but, if you please, I will stay there until morning for +love of you. Our bodies cannot be joined, for close beside me in +my room lies Kay the seneschal, who is still suffering from his +wounds. And the door is not open, but is tightly closed and +guarded well. When you come, take care to let no spy catch sight +of you." "Lady," says he, "if I can help it, no spy shall see me +who might think or speak evil of us." Then, having agreed upon +this plan, they separate very joyfully. + +(Vv. 4551-4650.) Lancelot leaves the room in such a happy frame +that all his past troubles are forgotten. But he was so +impatient for the night to come that his restlessness made the +day seem longer than a hundred ordinary days or than an entire +year. If night had only come, he would gladly have gone to the +trysting place. Dark and sombre night at last won its struggle +with the day, and wrapped it up in its covering, and laid it away +beneath its cloak. When he saw the light of day obscured, he +pretended to be tired and worn, and said that, in view of his +protracted vigils, he needed rest. You, who have ever done the +same, may well understand and guess that he pretends to be tired +and goes to bed in order to deceive the people of the house; but +he cared nothing about his bed, nor would he have sought rest +there for anything, for he could not have done so and would not +have dared, and furthermore he would not have cared to possess +the courage or the power to do so. Soon he softly rose, and was +pleased to find that no moon or star was shining, and that in the +house there was no candle, lamp, or lantern burning. Thus he +went out and looked about, but there was no one on the watch for +him, for all thought that he would sleep in his bed all night. +Without escort or company he quickly went out into the garden, +meeting no one on the way, and he was so fortunate as to find +that a part of the garden-wall had recently fallen down. Through +this break he passes quickly and proceeds to the window, where he +stands, taking good care not to cough or sneeze, until the Queen +arrives clad in a very white chemise. She wore no cloak or coat, +but had thrown over her a short cape of scarlet cloth and +shrew-mouse fur. As soon as Lancelot saw the Queen leaning on +the window-sill behind the great iron bars, he honoured her with +a gentle salute. She promptly returned his greeting, for he was +desirous of her, and she of him. Their talk and conversation are +not of vulgar, tiresome affairs. They draw close to one another, +until each holds the other's hand. But they are so distressed at +not being able to come together more completely, that they curse +the iron bars. Then Lancelot asserts that, with the Queen's +consent, he will come inside to be with her, and that the bars +cannot keep him out. And the Queen replies: "Do you not see how +the bars are stiff to bend and hard to break? You could never so +twist, pull or drag at them as to dislodge one of them." "Lady," +says he, "have no fear of that. It would take more than these +bars to keep me out. Nothing but your command could thwart my +power to come to you. If you will but grant me your permission, +the way will open before me. But if it is not your pleasure, +then the way is so obstructed that I could not possibly pass +through." "Certainly," she says, "I consent. My will need not +stand in your way; but you must wait until I retire to my bed +again, so that no harm may come to you, for it would be no joke +or jest if the seneschal, who is sleeping here, should wake up on +hearing you. So it is best for me to withdraw, for no good could +come of it, if he should see me standing here." "Go then, lady," +he replies; "but have no fear that I shall make any noise. I +think I can draw out the bars so softly and with so little effort +that no one shall be aroused." + +(Vv. 4651-4754.) Then the Queen retires, and he prepares to +loosen the window. Seizing the bars, he pulls and wrenches them +until he makes them bend and drags them from their places. But +the iron was so sharp that the end of his little finger was cut +to the nerve, and the first joint of the next finger was torn; +but he who is intent upon something else paid no heed to any of +his wounds or to the blood which trickled down. Though the +window is not low, Lancelot gets through it quickly and easily. +First he finds Kay asleep in his bed, then he comes to the bed of +the Queen, whom he adores and before whom he kneels, holding her +more dear than the relic of any saint. And the Queen extends her +arms to him and, embracing him, presses him tightly against her +bosom, drawing him into the bed beside her and showing him every +possible satisfaction; her love and her heart go out to him. It +is love that prompts her to treat him so; and if she feels great +love for him, he feels a hundred thousand times as much for her. +For there is no love at all in other hearts compared with what +there is in his; in his heart love was so completely embodied +that it was niggardly toward all other hearts. Now Lancelot +possesses all he wants, when the Queen voluntarily seeks his +company and love, and when he holds her in his arms, and she +holds him in hers. Their sport is so agreeable and sweet, as +they kiss and fondle each other, that in truth such a marvellous +joy comes over them as was never heard or known. But their joy +will not be revealed by me, for in a story, it has no place. +Yet, the most choice and delightful satisfaction was precisely +that of which our story must not speak. That night Lancelot's +joy and pleasure were very great. But, to his sorrow, day comes +when he must leave his mistress' side. It cost him such pain to +leave her that he suffered a real martyr's agony. His heart now +stays where the Queen remains; he has not the power to lead it +away, for it finds such pleasure in the Queen that it has no +desire to leave her: so his body goes, and his heart remains. +But enough of his body stays behind to spot and stain the sheets +with the blood which has fallen from his fingers. Full of sighs +and tears, Lancelot leaves in great distress. He grieves that no +time is fixed for another meeting, but it cannot be. Regretfully +he leaves by the window through which he had entered so happily. +He was so badly wounded in the fingers that they were in sorry, +state; yet he straightened the bars and set them in their place +again, so that from neither side, either before or behind, was it +evident that any one had drawn out or bent any of the bars. When +he leaves the room, he bows and acts precisely as if he were +before a shrine; then he goes with a heavy heart, and reaches his +lodgings without being recognised by any one. He throws himself +naked upon his bed without awaking any one, and then for the +first time he is surprised to notice the cuts in his fingers; but +he is not at all concerned, for he is very sure that the wound +was caused by dragging the window bars from the wall. Therefore +he was not at all worried, for he would rather have had both arms +dragged from his body than not enter through the window. But he +would have been very angry and distressed, if he had thus injured +and wounded himself under any other circumstances. + +(Vv. 4755-5006.) In the morning, within her curtained room, the +Queen had fallen into a gentle sleep; she had not noticed that +her sheets were spotted with blood, but she supposed them to be +perfectly white and clean and presentable. Now Meleagant, as +soon as he was dressed and ready, went to the room where the +Queen lay. He finds her awake, and he sees the sheets spotted +with fresh drops of blood, whereupon he nudges his companions +and, suspicious of some mischief, looks at the bed of Kay the +seneschal, and sees that his sheets are blood-stained too, for +you must know that in the night his wounds had begun to bleed +afresh. Then he said: "Lady, now I have found the evidence that +I desired. It is very true that any man is a fool to try to +confine a woman: he wastes his efforts and his pains. He who +tries to keep her under guard loses her sooner than the man who +takes no thought of her. A fine watch, indeed, has been kept by +my father, who is guarding you on my behalf! He has succeeded in +keeping you from me, but, in spite of him, Kay the seneschal has +looked upon you last night, and has done what he pleased with +you, as can readily be proved." "What is that?" she asks. +"Since I must speak, I find blood on your sheets, which proves +the fact. I know it and can prove it, because I find on both +your sheets and his the blood which issued from his wounds: the +evidence is very strong." Then the Queen saw on both beds the +bloody sheets, and marvelling, she blushed with shame and said: +"So help me God, this blood which I see upon my sheets was never +brought here by Kay, but my nose bled during the night, and I +suppose it must be from my nose." In saying so, she thinks she +tells the truth. "By my head," says Meleagant, "there is nothing +in what you say. Swearing is of no avail, for you are taken in +your guilt, and the truth will soon be proved." Then he said to +the guards who were present: "Gentlemen, do not move, and see to +it that the sheets are not taken from the bed until I return. I +wish the king to do me justice, as soon as he has seen the +truth." Then he searched until he found him, and failing at his +feet, he said: "Sire, come to see what you have failed to guard. +Come to see the Queen, and you shall see the certain marvels +which I have already seen and tested. But, before you go, I beg +you not to fail to be just and upright toward me. You know well +to what danger I have exposed myself for the Queen; yet, you are +no friend of mine and keep her from me under guard. This morning +I went to see her in her bed, and I remarked that Kay lies with +her every night. Sire, for God's sake, be not angry, if I am +disgruntled and if I complain. For it is very humiliating for me +to be hated and despised by one with whom Kay is allowed to lie." +"Silence!" says the king; "I don't believe it." "Then come, my +lord, and see the sheets and the state in which Kay has left +them. Since you will not believe my words, and since you think I +am lying, I will show you the sheets and the quilt covered with +blood from Kay's wounds." "Come now," says the king, "I wish to +see for myself, and my eyes will judge of the truth." Then the +king goes directly to the room, where the Queen got up at his +approach. He sees that the sheets are blood-stained on her bed +and on Kay's alike and he says: "Lady, it is going badly now, if +what my son has said is true." Then she replies: "So help me +God, never even in a dream was uttered such a monstrous lie. I +think Kay the seneschal is courteous and loyal enough not to +commit such a deed, and besides, I do not expose my body in the +market-place, nor offer it of my own free will. Surely, Kay is +not the man to make an insulting proposal to me, and I have never +desired and shall never desire to do such a thing myself." +"Sire, I shall be much obliged to you," says Meleagant to his +father, "if Kay shall be made to atone for this outrage, and the +Queen's shame thus be exposed. It devolves upon you to see that +justice is done, and this justice I now request and claim. Kay +has betrayed King Arthur, his lord, who had such confidence in +him that he entrusted to him what he loved most in the world." +"Let me answer, sire," says Kay, "and I shall exonerate myself. +May God have no mercy upon my soul when I leave this world, if I +ever lay with my lady! Indeed, I should rather be dead than ever +do my lord such an ugly wrong, and may God never grant me better +health than I have now but rather kill me on the spot, if such a +thought ever entered my mind! But I know that my wounds bled +profusely last night, and that is the reason why my sheets are +stained with blood. That is why your son suspects me, but surely +he has no right to do so." And Meleagant answers him: "So help +me God, the devils and demons have betrayed you. You grew too +heated last night and, as a result of your exertions, your wounds +have doubtless bled afresh. There is no use in your denying it; +we can see it, and it is perfectly evident. It is right that he +should atone for his crime, who is so plainly taken in his guilt. +Never did a knight with so fair a name commit such iniquities as +this, and yours is the shame for it." "Sire, sire," says Kay to +the king, "I will defend the Queen and myself against the +accusation of your son. He harasses and distresses me, though he +has no ground to treat me so." "You cannot fight," the king +replies, "you are too ill." "Sire, if you will allow it, I will +fight with him, ill as I am, and will show him that I am not +guilty of the crime which he imputes to me." But the Queen, +having secretly sent word to Lancelot, tells the king that she +will present a knight who will defend the seneschal, if Meleagant +dares to urge this charge. Then Meleagant said at once: "There +is no knight without exception, even were he a giant, whom I will +not fight until one of us is defeated." Then Lancelot came in, +and with him such a rout of knights that the whole hall was +filled with them. As soon as he had entered, in the hearing of +all, both young and old, the Queen told what had happened, and +said: "Lancelot, this insult has been done me by Meleagant. In +the presence of all who hear his words he says I have lied, if +you do not make him take it back. Last night, he asserted, Kay +lay with me, because he found my sheets, like his, all stained +with blood; and he says that he stands convicted, unless he will +undertake his own defence, or unless some one else will fight the +battle on his behalf." Lancelot says: "You need never use +arguments with me. May it not please God that either you or he +should be thus discredited! I am ready to fight and to prove to +the extent of my power that he never was guilty of such a +thought. I am ready to employ my strength in his behalf, and to +defend him against this charge." Then Meleagant jumped up and +said: "So help me God, I am pleased and well satisfied with that: +no one need think that I object." And Lancelot said: "My lord +king, I am well acquainted with suits and laws, with trials and +verdicts: in a question of veracity an oath should be taken +before the fight." Meleagant at once replies: "I agree to take +an oath; so let the relics be brought at once, for I know well +that I am right." And Lancelot answers him: "So help me God, no +one who ever knew Kay the seneschal would doubt his word on such +a point." Then they call for their horses, and ask that their +arms be brought. This is promptly done, and when the valets had +armed them, they were ready for the fight. Then the holy relics +are brought forth: Meleagant steps forward, with Lancelot by his +side, and both fall on their knees. Then Meleagant, laying his +hands upon the relics, swears unreservedly: "So help me God and +this holy relic, Kay the seneschal lay with the Queen in her bed +last night and, had his pleasure with her." "And I swear that +thou liest," says Lancelot, "and furthermore I swear that he +neither lay with her nor touched her. And may it please God to +take vengeance upon him who has lied, and may He bring the truth +to light! Moreover, I will take another oath and swear, whoever +may dislike it or be displeased, that if I am permitted to +vanquish Meleagant to-day, I will show him no mercy, so help me +God and these relics here!" The king felt no joy when he heard +this oath. + +(Vv. 5007-5198.) When the oaths had been taken, their horses +were brought forward, which were fair and good in every way. +Each man mounts his own home, and they ride at once at each other +as fast as the steeds can carry them; and when the horses are in +mid-career, the knights strike each other so fiercely that there +is nothing left of the lances in their hands. Each brings the +other to earth; however, they are not dismayed, but they rise at +once and attack each other with their sharp drawn swords. The +burning sparks fly in the air from their helmets. They assail +each other so bitterly with the drawn swords in their hands that, +as they thrust and draw, they encounter each other with their +blows and will not pause even to catch their breath. The king in +his grief and anxiety called the Queen, who had gone up in the +tower to look out from the balcony: he begged her for God's sake, +the Creator, to let them be separated. "Whatever is your +pleasure is agreeable to me," the Queen says honestly: "I shall +not object to anything you do." Lancelot plainly heard what +reply the Queen made to the king's request, and from that time he +ceased to fight and renounced the struggle at once. But +Meleagant does not wish to stop, and continues to strike and hew +at him. But the king rushes between them and stops his son, who +declares with an oath that he has no desire for peace. He wants +to fight, and cares not for peace. Then the king says to him: +"Be quiet, and take my advice, and be sensible. No shame or harm +shall come to thee, if thou wilt do what is right and heed my +words. Dost thou not remember that thou hast agreed to fight him +at King Arthur's court? And dost thou not suppose that it would +be a much greater honour for thee to defeat him there than +anywhere else?" The king says this to see if he can so influence +him as to appease him and separate them. And Lancelot, who was +impatient to go in search of my lord Gawain, requests leave of +the king and Queen to depart. With their permission he goes away +toward the water-bridge, and after him there followed a great +company of knights. But it would have suited him very well, if +many of those who went had stayed behind. They make long days' +journeys until they approach the water-bridge, but are still +about a league from it. Before they came in sight of the bridge, +a dwarf came to meet them on a mighty hunter, holding a scourge +with which to urge on and incite his steed. In accordance with +his instructions, he at once inquired: "Which of you is Lancelot? +Don't conceal him from me; I am of your party; tell me +confidently, for I ask the question for your good." Lancelot +replies in his own behalf, and says: "I am he whom thou seekest +and askest for." "Ah," says the dwarf, "frank knight, leave +these people, and trust in me. Come along with me alone, for I +will take thee to a goodly place. Let no one follow thee for +anything, but let them wait here; for we shall return presently." +He, suspecting no harm in this, bids all his men stay there, and +follows the dwarf who has betrayed him. Meanwhile his men who +wait for him may continue to expect him long in vain, for they, +who have taken and seized him, have no desire to give him up. +And his men are in such a state of grief at his failure to return +that they do not know what steps to take. They all say +sorrowfully that the dwarf has betrayed them. It would be +useless to inquire for him: with heavy hearts they begin to +search, but they know not where to look for him with any hope of +finding him. So they all take counsel, and the most reasonable +and sensible agree on this, it seems: to go to the passage of the +water-bridge, which is close by, to see if they can find my lord +Gawain in wood or plain, and then with his advice search for +Lancelot. Upon this plan they all agree without dissension. +Toward the water-bridge they go, and as soon as they reach the +bridge, they see my lord Gawain overturned and fallen from the +bridge into the stream which is very deep. One moment he rises, +and the next he sinks; one moment they see him, and the next they +lose him from sight. They make such efforts that they succeed in +raising him with branches, poles and hooks. He had nothing but +his hauberk on his back, and on his head was fixed his helmet, +which was worth ten of the common sort, and he wore his iron +greaves, which were all rusty with his sweat, for he had endured +great trials, and had passed victoriously through many perils and +assaults. His lance, his shield, and horse were all behind on +the other bank. Those who have rescued him do not believe he is +alive. For his body was full of water, and until he got rid of +it, they did not hear him speak a word. But when his speech and +voice and the passageway to his heart are free, and as soon, as +what he said could be heard and understood, he tried to speak he +inquired at once for the Queen, whether those present had any +news of her. And they replied that she is still with King +Bademagu, who serves her well and honourably. "Has no one come +to seek her in this land?" my lord Gawain then inquires of them. +And they answer him: "Yes, indeed." "Who?" "Lancelot of the +Lake," they say, "who crossed the sword-bridge, and rescued and +delivered her as well as all the rest of us. But we have been +betrayed by a pot-bellied, humpbacked, and crabbed dwarf. He has +deceived us shamefully in seducing Lancelot from us, and we do +not know what he has done with him." "When was that?" my lord +Gawain inquires. "Sire, near here this very day this trick was +played on us, while he was coming with us to meet you." "And how +has Lancelot been occupied since he entered this land?" Then +they begin to tell him all about him in detail, and then they +tell him about the Queen, how she is waiting for him and +asserting that nothing could induce her to leave the country, +until she sees him or hears some credible news of him. To them +my lord Gawain replies: "When we leave this bridge, we shall go +to search for Lancelot." There is not one who does not advise +rather that they go to the Queen at once, and have the king seek +Lancelot, for it is their opinion that his son Meleagant has +shown his enmity by having him cast into prison. But if the king +can learn where he is, he will certainly make him surrender him: +they can rely upon this with confidence. + +(Vv. 5199-5256.) They all agreed upon this plan, and started at +once upon their way until they drew near the court where the +Queen and king were. There, too, was Kay the seneschal, and that +disloyal man, full to overflowing of treachery, who has aroused +the greatest anxiety for Lancelot on the part of the party which +now arrives. They feel they have been discomfited and betrayed, +and they make great lament in their misery. It is not a gracious +message which reports this mourning to the Queen. Nevertheless, +she deports herself with as good a grace as possible. She +resolves to endure it, as she must, for the sake of my lord +Gawain. However, she does not so conceal her grief that it does +not somewhat appear. She has to show both joy and grief at once: +her heart is empty for Lancelot, and to my lord Gawain she shows +excessive joy. Every one who hears of the loss of Lancelot is +grief-stricken and distracted. The king would have rejoiced at +the coming of my lord Gawain and would have been delighted with +his acquaintance; but he is so sorrowful and distressed over the +betrayal of Lancelot that he is prostrated and full of grief. +And the Queen beseeches him insistently to have him searched for, +up and down throughout the land, without postponement or delay. +My lord Gawain and Kay and all the others join in this prayer and +request. "Leave this care to me, and speak no more of it," the +king replies, "for I have been ready to do so for some time. +Without need of request or prayer this search shall be made with +thoroughness." Everyone bows in sign of gratitude, and the king +at once sends messengers through his realm, sagacious and prudent +men-at-arms, who inquired for him throughout the land. They made +inquiry for him everywhere, but gained no certain news of him. +Not finding any, they come back to the place where the knights +remain; then Gawain and Kay and all the others say that they will +go in search of him, fully armed and lance in rest; they will not +trust to sending some one else. + +(Vv. 5257-5378.) One day after dinner they were all in the hall +putting on their arms, and the point had been reached where there +was nothing to do but start, when a valet entered and passed by +them all until he came before the Queen, whose cheeks were by no +means rosy! For she was in such mourning for Lancelot, of whom +she had no news, that she had lost all her colour. The valet +greeted her as well as the king, who was by her side, and then +all the others and Kay and my lord Gawain. He held a letter in +his hand which he gave to the king, who took it. The king had it +read in the hearing of all by one who made no mistake in reading +it. The reader knew full well how to communicate to them what +was written in the parchment: he says that Lancelot sends +greetings to the king as his kind lord, and thanks him for the +honour and kindness he has shown him, and that he now places +himself at the king's orders. And know that he is now hale and +hearty at King Arthur's court, and he bids him tell the Queen to +come thither, if she will consent, in company with my lord Gawain +and Kay. In proof of which, he affixed his signature which they +should recognise, as indeed they did. At this they were very +happy and glad; the whole court resounds with their jubilation, +and they say they will start next day as soon as it is light. +So, when the day broke, they make ready and prepare: they rise +and mount and start. With great joy and jubilee the king escorts +them for a long distance on their way. When he has conducted +them to the frontier and has seen them safely across the border, +he takes leave of the Queen, and likewise of all the rest. And +when he comes to take his leave, the Queen is careful to express +her gratitude for all the kindness he has shown to her, and +throwing her arms about his neck, she offers and promises him her +own service and that of her lord: no greater promise can she +make. And my lord Gawain promises his service to him, as to his +lord and friend, and then Kay does likewise, and all the rest. +Then the king commends them to God as they start upon their way. +After these three, he bids the rest farewell, and then turns his +face toward home. The Queen and her company do not tarry a +single day until news of them reaches the court. King Arthur was +delighted at the news of the Queen's approach, and he is happy +and pleased at the thought that his nephew had brought about the +Queen's return, as well as that of Kay and of the lesser folk. +But the truth is quite different from what he thinks. All the +town is cleared as they go to meet them, and knights and vassals +join in shouting as they approach: "Welcome to my lord Gawain, +who has brought back the Queen and many another captive lady, and +has freed for us many prisoners!" Then Gawain answered them: +"Gentlemen, I do not deserve your praise. Do not trouble ever to +say this again, for the compliment does not apply to me. This +honour causes me only shame, for I did not reach the Queen in +time; my detention made me late. But Lancelot reached there in +time, and won such honour as was never won by any other knight." +"Where is he, then, fair dear sire, for we do not see him here?" +"Where?" echoes my lord Gawain; "at the court of my lord the +King, to be sure. Is he not?" "No, he is not here, or anywhere +else in this country. Since my lady was taken away, we have had +no news of him." Then for the first time my lord Gawain realised +that the letter had been forged, and that they had been betrayed +and deceived: by the letter they had been misled. Then they all +begin to lament, and they come thus weeping to the court, where +the King at once asks for information about the affair. There +were plenty who could tell him how much Lancelot had done, how +the Queen and all the captives were delivered from durance by +him, and by what treachery the dwarf had stolen him and drawn him +away from them. This news is not pleasing to the King, and he is +very sorry and full of grief; but his heart is so lightened by +the pleasure he takes in the Queen's return, that his grief +concludes in joy. When he has what he most desires, he cares +little for the rest. + +(Vv. 5379-5514.) While the Queen was out of the country, I +believe, the ladies and the damsels who were disconsolate, +decided among themselves that they would marry, soon, and they +organised a contest and a tournament. The lady of Noauz was +patroness of it, with the lady of Pomelegloi. They will have +nothing to do with those who fare ill, but they assert that they +will accept those who comport themselves well in the tournament. +And they had the date of the contest proclaimed s long while in +advance in all the countries near and far, in order that there +might be more participants. Now the Queen arrived before the +date they had set, and as soon as the ladies heard of the Queen's +return, most of them came at once to the King and besought him +to grant them a favour and boon, which he did. He promised to do +whatever they wished, before he knew what their desire might be. +Then they told him that they wished him to let the Queen come to +be present at their contest. And he who was not accustomed to +forbid, said he was willing, if she wished ir so. In happy mood +they go to the Queen and say to her: "Lady, do not deprive us of +the boon which the King has granted us." Then she asks them: +"What is that? Don't fail to tell!" Then they say to her: "If +you will come to our tournament, he will not gainsay you nor +stand in the way." Then she said that she would come, since he +was willing that she should. Promptly the dames send word +throughout the realm that they are going to bring the Queen on +the day set for the tournament. The news spread far and near, +here and there, until it reached the kingdom whence no one used +to return--but now whoever wished might enter or pass out +unopposed. The news travelled in this kingdom until it came to a +seneschal of the faithless Meleagant may an evil fire burn +him! This seneschal had Lancelot in his keeping, for to him he +had been entrusted by his enemy Meleagant, who hated him with +deadly hate. Lancelot learned the hour and date of the +tournament, and as soon as he heard of it, his eyes were not +tearless nor was his heart glad. The lady of the house, seeing +Lancelot sad and pensive, thus spoke to him: "Sire, for God's +sake and for your own soul's good, tell me truly," the lady said, +"why you are so changed. You won't eat or drink anything, and I +see that you do not make merry or laugh. You can tell me with +confidence why you are so sad and troubled." "Ah, lady, for +God's sake, do not be surprised that I am sad! Truly, I am very +much downcast, since I cannot be present where all that is good +in the world will be assembled: that is, at the tournament where +there will be a gathering of the people who make the earth +tremble. Nevertheless, if it pleased you, and if God should +incline your heart to let me go thither, you might rest assured +that I should be careful to return to my captivity here." "I +would gladly do it," she replied, "if I did not see that my death +and destruction would result. But I am in such terror of my +lord, the despicable Meleagant, that I would not dare to do it, +for he would kill my husband at once. It is not strange that I +am afraid of him, for, as you know, he is very bad." "Lady, if +you are afraid that I may not return to you at once after the +tournament, I will take an oath which I will never break, that +nothing will detain me from returning at once to my prison here +immediately after the tournament." Upon my word," said she, "I +will allow it upon one condition." "Lady, what condition is +that?" Then she replies: "Sire, upon condition that you wilt +swear to return to me, and promise that I shall have your love." +"Lady, I give you all the love I have, and swear to come back." +Then the lady laughs and says: "I have no cause to boast of such +a gift, for I know you have bestowed upon some one else the love +for which I have just made request. However, I do not disdain to +take so much of it as I can get. I shall be satisfied with what +I can have, and will accept your oath that you will be so +considerate of me as to return hither a prisoner." + +(Vv. 5515-5594.) In accordance with her wish, Lancelot swears by +Holy Church that he will return without fail. And the lady at +once gives him the vermilion arms of her lord, and his horse +which was marvellously good and strong and brave. He mounts and +leaves, armed with handsome, new arms, and proceeds until he +comes to Noauz. He espoused this side in the tournament, and +took his lodging outside the town. Never did such a noble man +choose such a small and lowly lodging-place; but he did not wish +to lodge where he might be recognised. There were many good and +excellent knights gathered within the town. But there were many +more outside, for so many had come on account of the presence of +the Queen that the fifth part could not be accommodated inside. +For every one who would have been there under ordinary +circumstances, there were seven who would not have come excepting +on the Queen's account. The barons were quartered in tents, +lodges, and pavilions for five leagues around. Moreover, it was +wonderful how many gentle ladies and damsels were there. +Lancelot placed his shield outside the door of his lodging-place, +and then, to make himself more comfortable, he took off his arms +and lay down upon a bed which he held in slight esteem; for it +was narrow and had a thin mattress, and was covered with a coarse +hempen cloth. Lancelot had thrown himself upon the bed all +disarmed, and as he lay there in such poor estate, behold! a +fellow came in in his shirt-sleeves; he was a herald-at-arms, and +had left his coat and shoes in the tavern as a pledge; so he came +running barefoot and exposed to the wind. He saw the shield +hanging outside the door, and looked at it: but naturally he did +not recognise it or know to whom it belonged, or who was the +bearer of it. He sees the door of the house standing open, and +upon entering, he sees Lancelot upon the bed, and as soon as he +saw him, he recognised him and crossed himself. And Lancelot +made a sign to him, and ordered him not to speak of him wherever +he might go, for if he should tell that he knew him, it would be +better for him to have his eyes put out or his neck broken. +"Sire," the herald says, "I have always held you in high esteem, +and so long as I live, I shall never do anything to cause you +displeasure." Then he runs from the house and cries aloud: "Now +there has come one who will take the measure! (23) Now there has +come one who will take the measure!" The fellow shouts this +everywhere, and the people come from every side and ask him what +is the meaning of his cry. He is not so rash as to answer them, +but goes on shouting the same words: "Now there has come one who +will take the measure!" This herald was the master of us all, +when he taught us to use the phrase, for he was the first to make +use of it. + +(Vv. 5595-5640.) Now the crowd was assembled, including the +Queen and all the ladies, the knights and the other people, and +there were many men-at-arms everywhere, to the right and left. +At the place where the tournament was to be, there were some +large wooden stands for the use of the Queen with her ladies and +damsels. Such fine stands were never seen before they were so +long and well constructed. Thither the ladies betook themselves +with the Queen, wishing to see who would fare better or worse in +the combat. Knights arrive by tens, twenties, and thirties, here +eighty and there ninety, here a hundred, there still more, and +yonder twice as many yet; so that the press is so great in front +of the stands and all around that they decide to begin the joust. +As they assemble, armed and unarmed, their lances suggest the +appearance of a wood, for those who have come to the sport +brought so many lances that there is nothing in sight but lances, +banners, and standards. Those who are going to take part begin +to joust, and they find plenty of their companions who had come +with similar intent. Still others prepare to perform other feats +of chivalry. The fields, meadows, and fallow lands are so full +of knights that it is impossible to estimate how many of them are +there. But there was no sign of Lancelot at this first gathering +of the knights; but later, when he entered the middle of the +field, the herald saw him and could not refrain from crying out: +"Behold him who will take the measure! Behold him who will take +the measure!" And the people ask him who he is, but he will not +tell them anything. + +(Vv. 5641-6104.) When Lancelot entered the tournament, he was as +good as twenty of the best, and he began to fight so doughtily +that no one could take his eyes from him, wherever he was. On +the Pomelegloi side there was a brave and valorous knight, and +his horse was spirited and swifter than a wild stag. He was the +son of the Irish king, and fought well and handsomely. But the +unknown knight pleased them all more a hundred times. In wonder +they all make haste to ask: "Who is this knight who fights so +well?" And the Queen privily called a clever and wise damsel to +her and said: "Damsel, you must carry a message, and do it +quickly and with few words. Go down from the stand, and approach +yonder knight with the vermilion shield, and tell him privately +that I bid him do his `worst'." She goes quickly, and with +intelligence executes the Queen's command. She sought the knight +until she came up close to him; then she said to him prudently +and in a voice so low that no one standing by might hear: "Sire, +my lady the Queen sends you word by me that you shall do your +`worst'." When he heard this, he replied: "Very willingly," like +one who is altogether hers. Then he rides at another knight as +hard as his horse can carry him, and misses his thrust which +should have struck him. From that time till evening fell he +continued to do as badly as possible in accordance with the +Queen's desire. But the other, who fought with him, did not miss +his thrust, but struck him with such violence that he was roughly +handled. Thereupon he took to flight, and after that he never +turned his horse's head toward any knight, and were he to die for +it, he would never do anything unless he saw in it his shame, +disgrace, and dishonour; he even pretends to be afraid of all the +knights who pass to and fro. And the very knights who formerly +esteemed him now hurled jests and jibes at him. And the herald +who had been saying: "He will beat them all in turn!" is greatly +dejected and discomfited when he hears the scornful jokes of +those who shout: "Friend, say no more! This fellow will not take +any one's measure again. He has measured so much that his +yardstick is broken, of which thou hast boasted to us so much." +Many say: "What is he going to do? He was so brave just now; but +now he is so cowardly that there is not a knight whom he dares to +face. The cause of his first success must have been that he +never engaged at arms before, and he was so brave at his first +attack that the most skilled knight dared not withstand him, for +he fought like a wild man. But now he has learned so much of +arms that he will never wish to bear them again his whole life +long. His heart cannot longer endure the thought, for there is +nothing more cowardly than his heart." And the Queen, as she +watches him, is happy and well-pleased, for she knows full well, +though she does not say it, that this is surely Lancelot. Thus +all day long till evening he played his coward's part, and late +in the afternoon they separated. At parting there was a great +discussion as to who had done the best. The son of the Irish +king thinks that without doubt or contradiction he has all the +glory and renown. But he is grievously mistaken, for there were +plenty of others as good as he. Even the vermilion knight so +pleased the fairest and gentlest of the ladies and damsels that +they had gazed at him more than at any other knight, for they had +remarked how well he fought at first, and how excellent and brave +he was; then he had become so cowardly that he dared not face a +single knight, and even the worst of them could defeat and +capture him at will. But knights and ladies all agreed that on +the morrow they should return to the list, and the damsels should +choose as their lords those who should win honour in that day's +fight: on this arrangement they all agree. Then they turn toward +their lodgings, and when they had returned, here and there men +began to say: "What has become of the worst, the most craven and +despised of knights? Whither did he go? Where is he concealed? +Where is he to be found? Where shall we search for him? We +shall probably never see him again. For he has been driven off +by cowardice, with which he is so filled that there is no greater +craven in the world than he. And he is not wrong, for a coward +is a hundred times more at ease than a valorous fighting man. +Cowardice is easy of entreaty, and that is the reason he has +given her the kiss of peace and has taken from her all she has to +give. Courage never so debased herself as to lodge in his breast +or take quarters near him. But cowardice is altogether lodged +with him, and she has found a host who will honour her and serve +her so faithfully that he is willing to resign his own fair name +for hers." Thus they wrangle all night, vying with each other in +slander. But often one man maligns another, and yet is much +worse himself than the object of his blame and scorn. Thus, +every one said what he pleased about him. And when the next day +dawned, all the people prepared and came again to the jousting +place. The Queen was in the stand again, accompanied by her +ladies and damsels and many knights without their arms, who had +been captured or defeated, and these explained to them the +armorial bearings of the knights whom they most esteem. Thus +they talk among themselves: (24) "Do you see that knight yonder +with a golden band across the middle of his red shield? That is +Governauz of Roberdic. And do you see that other one, who has an +eagle and a dragon painted side by side upon his shield? That is +the son of the King of Aragon, who has come to this land in +search of glory and renown. And do you see that one beside him, +who thrusts and jousts so well, bearing a shield with a leopard +painted on a green ground on one part, and the other half is +azure blue? That is Ignaures the well-beloved, a lover himself +and jovial. And he who bears the shield with the pheasants +portrayed beak to beak is Coguillanz of Mautirec. Do you see +those two side by side, with their dappled steeds, and golden +shields showing black lions? One is named Semiramis, and the +other is his companion; their shields are painted alike. And do +you see the one who has a shield with a gate painted on it, +through which a stag appears to be passing out? That is King +Ider, in truth." Thus they talk up in the stand. "That shield +was made at Limoges, whence it was brought by Pilades, who is +very ardent and keen to be always in the fight. That shield, +bridle, and breast-strap were made at Toulouse, and were brought +here by Kay of Estraus. The other came from Lyons on the Rhone, +and there is no better under heaven; for his great merit it was +presented to Taulas of the Desert, who bears it well and protects +himself with it skilfully. Yonder shield is of English +workmanship and was made at London; you see on it two swallows +which appear as if about to fly; yet they do not move, but +receive many blows from the Poitevin lances of steel; he who has +it is poor Thoas." Thus they point out and describe the arms of +those they know; but they see nothing of him whom they had held +in such contempt, and, not remarking him in the fray, they +suppose that he has slipped away. When the Queen sees that he is +not there, she feels inclined to send some one to search for him +in the crowd until he be found. She knows of no one better to +send in search of him than she who yesterday performed her +errand. So, straightway calling her, she said to her: "Damsel, +go and mount your palfrey! I send you to the same knight as I +sent you yesterday, and do you seek him until you find him. Do +not delay for any cause, and tell him again to do his `worst'. +And when you have given him this message, mark well what reply he +makes." The damsel makes no delay, for she had carefully noticed +the direction he took the night before, knowing well that she +would be sent to him again. She made her way through the ranks +until she saw the knight, whom she instructs at once to do his +"worst" again, if he desires the love and favour of the Queen +which she sends him. And he makes answer: "My thanks to her, +since such is her will." Then the damsel went away, and the +valets, sergeants, and squires begin to shout: "See this +marvellous thing! He of yesterday with the vermilion arms is +back again. What can he want? Never in the world was there such +a vile, despicable, and craven wretch! He is so in the power of +cowardice that resistance is useless on his part." And the +damsel returns to the Queen, who detained her and would not let +her go until she heard what his response had been; then she +heartily rejoiced, feeling no longer any doubt that this is he to +whom she altogether belongs, and he is hers in like manner. Then +she bids the damsel quickly return and tell him that it is her +command and prayer that he shall do his "best "; and she says she +will go at once without delay. She came down from the stand to +where her valet with the palfrey was awaiting her. She mounted +and rode until she found the knight, to whom she said at once: +"Sire, my lady now sends word that you shall do the `best' you +can!" And he replies: "Tell her now that it is never a hardship +to do her will, for whatever pleases her is my delight." The +maiden was not slow in bearing back this message, for she thinks +it will greatly please and delight the Queen. She made her way +as directly as possible to the stand, where the Queen rose and +started to meet her, however, she did not go down, but waited for +her at the top of the steps. And the damsel came happy in the +message she had to bear. When she had climbed the steps and +reached her side, she said: "Lady, I never saw so courteous g +knight, for he is more than ready to obey every command you send +to him, for, if the truth be known, he accepts good and evil with +the same countenance. "Indeed," says the Queen, "that may well +be so." Then she returns to the balcony to watch the knights. +And Lancelot without delay seizes his shield by the leather +straps, for he is kindled and consumed by the desire to show his +prowess. Guiding his horse's head, he lets him run between two +lines. All those mistaken and deluded men, who have spent a +large part of the day and night in heaping him with ridicule, +will soon be disconcerted. For a long time they have had their +sport and joke and fun. The son of the King of Ireland held his +shield closely gripped by the leather straps, as he spurs +fiercely to meet him from the opposite direction. They come +together with such violence that the son of the Irish king having +broken and splintered his lance, wishes no more of the +tournament; for it was not moss he struck, but hard, dry boards. +In this encounter Lancelot taught him one of his thrusts, when he +pinned his shield to his arm, and his arm to his side, and +brought him down from his horse to earth. Like arrows the +knights at once fly out, spurring and pricking from either side, +some to relieve this knight, others to add to his distress. +While some thus try to aid their lords, many a saddle is left +empty in the strife and fray. But all that day Gawain took no +hand at arms, though he was with the others there, for he took +such pleasure in watching the deeds of him with the red painted +arms that what the others did seemed to him pale in comparison. +And the herald cheered up again, as he shouted aloud so that all +could hear: "Here there has one come who will take the measure! +To-day you shall see what he can do. To-day his prowess shall +appear." Then the knight directs his steed and makes a very +skilful thrust against a certain knight, whom he strikes so hard +that he carries him a hundred feet or more from his horse. His +feats with sword and lance are so well performed that there is +none of the onlookers who does not find pleasure in watching him. +Many even of those who bear arms find pleasure and satisfaction +in what he does, for it is great sport to see how he makes horses +and knights tumble and fall. He encounters hardly a single +knight who is able to keep his seat, and he gives the horses he +wins to those who want them. Then those who had been making game +of him said: "Now we are disgraced and mortified. It was a great +mistake for us to deride and vilify this man, for he is surely +worth a thousand such as we are on this field; for he has +defeated and outdone all the knights in the world, so that there +is no one now that opposes him." And the damsels, who amazed +were watching him, all said that he might take them to wife; but +they did not dare to trust in their beauty or wealth, or power or +highness, for not for her beauty or wealth would this peerless +knight deign to choose any one of them. Yet, most of them are so +enamoured of him that they say that, unless they marry him, they +will not be bestowed upon any man this year. And the Queen, who +hears them boast, laughs to herself and enjoy the fun, for well +she knows that if all the gold of Arabia should be set before +him, yet he who is beloved by them all would not select the best, +the fairest, or the most charming of the group. One wish is +common to them all--each wishes to have him as her spouse. One +is jealous of another, as if she were already his wife; and all +this is because they see him so adroit that in their opinion no +mortal man could perform such deeds as he had done. He did so +well that when the time came to leave the list, they admitted +freely on both sides that no one had equalled the knight with the +vermilion shield. All said this, and it was true. But when he +left, he allowed his shield and lance and trappings to fall where +he saw the thickest press, then he rode off hastily with such +secrecy that no one of all the host noticed that he had +disappeared. But he went straight back to the place whence he +had come, to keep his oath. When the tournament broke up, they +all searched and asked for him, but without success, for he fled +away, having no desire to be recognised. The knights are +disappointed and distressed, for they would have rejoiced to have +him there. But if the knights were grieved to have been deserted +thus, still greater was the damsels' grief when they learned the +truth, and they asserted by St. John that they would not marry at +all that year. If they can't have him whom they truly love, then +all the others may be dismissed. Thus the tourney was adjourned +without any of them choosing a husband. Meanwhile Lancelot +without delay repairs to his prison. But the seneschal arrived +two or three days before Lancelot, and inquired where he was. +And his wife, who had given to Lancelot his fair and well- +equipped vermilion arms, as well as his harness and his horse, +told the truth to the seneschal--how she had sent him where +there had been jousting at the tourney of Noauz. "Lady," the +seneschal replies, "you could truly have done nothing worse than +that. Doubtless, I shall smart for this, for my lord Meleagant +will treat me worse than the beach-combers' law would treat me +were I a mariner in distress. I shall be killed or banished the +moment he hears the news, and he will have no pity for me." +"Fair sire, be not now dismayed," the lady said; "there is no +occasion for the fear you feel. There is no possibility of his +detention, for he swore to me by the saints that he would return +as soon as possible." + +(Vv. 6105-6166.) (25) Then the seneschal mounts, and coming to +his lord, tells him the whole story of the episode; but at the +same time, he emphatically reassures him, telling how his wife +had received his oath that he would return to his prison. "He +will not break his word, I know," says Meleagant: "and yet I am +very much displeased at what your wife has done. Not for any +consideration would I have had him present at that tournament. +But return now, and see to it that, when he comes back, he be so +strictly guarded that he shall not escape from his prison or have +any freedom of body: and send me word at once." "Your orders +shall be obeyed," says the seneschal. Then he goes away and +finds Lancelot returned as prisoner in his yard. A messenger, +sent by the seneschal, runs back at once to Meleagant, appraising +him of Lancelot's return. When he heard this news, he took +masons and carpenters who unwillingly or of their own free-will +executed his commands. He summoned the best artisans in the +land, and commanded them to build a tower, and exert themselves +to build it well. The stone was quarried by the seaside; for +near Gorre on this side there runs a big broad arm of the sea, in +the midst of which an island stood, as Meleagant well knew. He +ordered the stone to be carried thither and the material for the +construction of the tower. In less than fifty-seven days the +tower was completely built, high and thick and well-founded. +When it was completed, he had Lancelot brought thither by night, +and after putting him in the tower, he ordered the doors to be +walled up, and made all the masons swear that they would never +utter a word about this tower. It was his will that it should be +thus sealed up, and that no door or opening should remain, except +one small window. Here Lancelot was compelled to stay, and they +gave him poor and meagre fare through this little window at +certain hours, as the disloyal wretch had ordered and commanded +them. + +(Vv. 6167-6220.) Now Meleagant has carried out all his purpose, +and he betakes himself to King Arthur's court: behold him now +arrived! And when he was before the King, he thus spoke with +pride and arrogance: "King, I have scheduled a battle to take +place in thy presence and in thy court. But I see nothing of +Lancelot who agreed to be my antagonist. Nevertheless, as my +duty is, in the hearing of all who are present here, I offer +myself to fight this battle. And if he is here, let him now step +forth and agree to meet me in your court a year from now. I know +not if any one has told you how this battle was agreed upon. But +I see knights here who were present at our conference, and who, +if they would, could tell you the truth. If he should try to +deny the truth, I should employ no hireling to take my place, but +would prove it to him hand to hand." The Queen, who was seated +beside the King, draws him to her as she says: "Sire, do you know +who that knight is? It is Meleagant who carried me away while +escorted by Kay the seneschal; he caused him plenty of shame and +mischief too." And the King answered her: "Lady, I understand; I +know full well that it is he who held my people in distress." +The Queen says no more, but the King addresses Meleagant: +"Friend," he says, "so help me God, we are very sad because we +know nothing of Lancelot." "My lord King," says Meleagant, +"Lancelot told me that I should surely find him here. Nowhere +but in your court must I issue the call to this battle, and I +desire all your knights here to bear me witness that I summon him +to fight a year from to-day, as stipulated when we agreed to +fight." + +(Vv. 6221-6458.) At this my lord Gawain gets up, much distressed +at what he hears: "Sire, there is nothing known of Lancelot in +all this land," he says; "but we shall send in search of him and, +if God will, we shall find him yet, before the end of the year is +reached, unless he be dead or in prison. And if he does not +appear, then grant me the battle, and I will fight for him: I +will arm myself in place of Lancelot, if he does not return +before that day." "Ah," says Meleagant, "for God's sake, my fair +lord King, grant him the boon. I join my request to his desire, +for I know no knight in all the world with whom I would more +gladly try my strength, excepting only Lancelot. But bear in +mind that, if I do not fight with one of them, I will accept no +exchange or substitution for either one." And the King says that +this is understood, if Lancelot does not return within the time. +Then Meleagant left the royal court and journeyed until he found +his father, King Bademagu. In order to appear brave and of +consideration in his presence, he began by making a great +pretence and by assuming an expression of marvellous cheer. That +day the king was holding a joyous court at his city of Bade; (26) +it was his birthday, which he celebrated with splendour and +generosity, and there were many people of divers sorts gathered +with him. All the palace was filled with knights and damsels, +and among them was the sister of Meleagant, of whom I shall tell +you, farther on, what is my thought and reason for mentioning her +here. But it is not fitting that I should explain it here, for I +do not wish to confuse or entangle my material, but rather to +treat it straight forwardly. Now I must tell you that Meleagant +in the hearing of all, both great and small, spoke thus to his +father boastingly: "Father," he says, "so help me God, please +tell me truly now whether he ought not to be well-content, and +whether he is not truly brave, who can cause his arms to be +feared at King Arthur's court?" To this question his father +replies at once: "Son," he says, "all good men ought to honour +and serve and seek the company of one whose deserts are such." +Then he flattered him with the request that he should not conceal +why he has alluded to this, what he wishes, and whence he comes. +"Sire, I know not whether you remember," Meleagant begins, "the +agreements and stipulations which were recorded when Lancelot and +I made peace. It was then agreed, I believe, and in the presence +of many we were told, that we should present ourselves at the end +of a year at Arthur's court. I went thither at the appointed +time, ready equipped for my business there. I did everything +that had been prescribed: I called and searched for Lancelot, +with whom I was to fight, but I could not gain a sight of him: he +had fled and run away. When I came away, Gawain pledged his word +that, if Lancelot is not alive and does not return within the +time agreed upon, no further postponement will be asked, but that +he himself will fight the battle against me in place of Lancelot. +Arthur has no knight, as is well known, whose fame equals his, +but before the flowers bloom again, I shall see, when we come to +blows, whether his fame and his deeds are in accord: I only wish +it could be settled now!" "Son," says his father, "thou art +acting exactly like a fool. Any one, who knew it not before, may +learn of thy madness from thy own lips. A good heart truly +humbles itself, but the fool and the boastful never lose their +folly. Son, to thee I direct my words, for the traits of thy +character are so hard and dry, that there is no place for +sweetness or friendship. Thy heart is altogether pitiless: thou +art altogether in folly's grasp. This accounts for my slight +respect for thee, and this is what will cast thee down. If thou +art brave, there will be plenty of men to say so in time of need. +A virtuous man need not praise his heart in order to enhance his +deed; the deed itself will speak in its own praise. Thy self- +praise does not aid thee a whit to increase in any one's esteem; +indeed, I hold thee in less esteem. Son, I chasten thee; but to +what end? It is of little use to advise a fool. He only wastes +his strength in vain who tries to cure the madness of a fool, and +the wisdom that one teaches and expounds is worthless, wasted and +unemployed, unless it is expressed in works." Then Meleagant was +sorely enraged and furious. I may truly say that never could you +see a mortal man so full of anger as he was; the last bond +between them was broken then, as he spoke to his father these +ungracious words: "Are you in a dream or trance, when you say +that I am mad to tell you how my matters stand? I thought I had +come to you as to my lord and my father; but that does not seem +to be the case, for you insult me more outrageously than I think +you have any right to do; moreover, you can give no reason for +having addressed me thus." "Indeed, I can." "What is it, then?" +"Because I see nothing in thee but folly and wrath. I know very +well what thy courage is like, and that it will cause thee great +trouble yet. A curse upon him who supposes that the elegant +Lancelot, who is esteemed by all but thee, has ever fled from +thee through fear. I am sure that he is buried or confined in +some prison whose door is barred so tight that he cannot escape +without leave. I should surely be sorely grieved if he were dead +or in distress. It would surely be too bad, were a creature so +splendidly equipped, so fair, so bold, yet so serene, to perish +thus before his time. But, may it please God, this is not true." +Then Bademagu said no more; but a daughter of his had listened +attentively to all his words, and you must know that it was she +whom I mentioned earlier in my tale, and who is not happy now to +hear such news of Lancelot. It is quite clear to her that he is +shut up, since no one knows any news of him or his wanderings. +"May God never look upon me, if I rest until I have some sure and +certain news of him!" Straightway, without making any noise or +disturbance, she runs and mounts a fair and easy-stepping mule. +But I must say that when she leaves the court, she knows not +which way to turn. However, she asks no advice in her +predicament, but takes the first road she finds, and rides along +at random rapidly, unaccompanied by knight or squire. In her +eagerness she makes haste to attain the object of her search. +Keenly she presses forward in her quest, but it will not soon +terminate. She may not rest or delay long in any single place, +if she wishes to carry out her plan, to release Lancelot from his +prison, if she can find him and if it is possible. But in my +opinion, before she finds him she will have searched in many a +land, after many a journey and many a quest, before she has any +news of him. But what would be the use of my telling you of her +lodgings and her journeyings? Finally, she travelled so far +through hill and dale, up and down, that more than a month had +passed, and as yet she had learned only so much as she knew +before--that is, absolutely nothing. One day she was crossing +a field in a sad and pensive mood, when she saw a tower in the +distance standing by the shore of an arm of the sea. Not within +a league around about was there any house, cottage, or dwelling- +place. Meleagant had had it built, and had confined Lancelot +within. But of all this she still was unaware. As soon as she +espied the tower, she fixed her attention upon it to the +exclusion of all else. And her heart gives her assurance that +here is the object of her quest; now at last she has reached her +goal, to which Fortune through many trials has at last directed +her. + +(Vv. 6459-6656.) The damsel draws so near to the tower that she +can touch it with her hands. She walks about, listening +attentively, I suppose, if perchance she may hear some welcome +sound. She looks down and she gazes up, and she sees that the +tower is strong and high and thick. She is amazed to see no door +or window, except one little narrow opening. Moreover, there was +no ladder or steps about this high, sheer tower. For this reason +she surmises that it was made so intentionally, and that Lancelot +is confined inside. But she resolves that before she tastes of +food, she will learn whether this is so or not. She thinks she +will call Lancelot by name, and is about to do so when she is +deterred by hearing from the tower a voice which was making a +marvellously sad moan as it called on death. It implores death +to come, and complains of misery unbearable. In contempt of the +body and life, it weakly piped in a low, hoarse tone: "Ah, +fortune, how disastrously thy wheel has turned for me! Thou hast +mocked me shamefully: a while ago I was up, but now I am down; I +was well off of late, but now I am in a sorry state; not long +since thou didst smile on me, but now thy eyes are filled with +tears. Alas, poor wretch, why didst thou trust in her, when so +soon she has deserted thee! Behold, in a very little while she +has cast thee down from thy high estate! Fortune, it was wrong +of thee to mock me thus; but what carest thou! Thou carest not +how it may turn out. Ah, sacred Cross! All, Holy Ghost! How am +I wretched and undone! How completely has my career been closed! +Ah, Gawain, you who possess such worth, and whose goodness is +unparalleled, surely I may well be amazed that you do not come to +succour me. Surely you delay too long and are not showing +courtesy. He ought indeed to receive your aid whom you used to +love so devotedly! For my part I may truly say that there is no +lodging place or retreat on either side of the sea, where I would +not have searched for you at least seven or ten years before +finding you, if I knew you to be in prison. But why do I thus +torment myself? You do not care for me even enough to take this +trouble. The rustic is right when he says that it is hard +nowadays to find a friend! It is easy to rest the true friend in +time o need. Alas! more than a year has passed since first I +was put inside this tower. I feel hurt, Gawain, that you have so +long deserted me! But doubtless you know nothing of all this, +and I have no ground for blaming you. Yes, when I think of it, +this must be the case, and I was very wrong to imagine such a +thing; for I am confident that not for all the world contains +would you and your men have failed to come to release me from +this trouble and distress, if you were aware of it. If for no +other reason, you would be bound to do this out of love for me, +your companion. But it is idle to talk about it--it cannot be. +Ah, may the curse and the damnation of God and St. Sylvester rest +upon him who has shut me up so shamefully! He is the vilest man +alive, this envious Meleagant, to treat me as evilly as +possible!" Then he, who is wearing out his life in grief, ceases +speaking and holds his peace. But when she, who was lingering at +the base of the tower, heard what he said, she did not delay, but +acted wisely and called him thus: "Lancelot," as loudly as she +could; "friend, up there, speak to one who is your friend!" But +inside he did not hear her words. Then she called out louder +yet, until he in his weakness faintly heard her, and wondered who +could be calling him. (27) He heard the voice and heard his name +pronounced, but he did not know who was calling him: he thinks it +must be a spirit. He looks all about him to see, I suppose, if +he could espy any one; but there is nothing to be seen but the +tower and himself. "God," says he, "what is that I heard? I +heard some one speak, but see nothing! Indeed, this is passing +marvellous, for I am not asleep, but wide awake. Of course, if +this happened in a dream, I should consider it an illusion; but I +am awake, and therefore I am distressed." Then with some trouble +he gets up, and with slow and feeble steps he moves toward the +little opening. Once there, he peers through it, up and down and +to either side. When he had looked out as best he might, he +caught sight of her who had hailed him. He did not recognise her +by sight. But she knew him at once and said: "Lancelot, I have +come from afar in search of you. Now, thank God, at last I have +found you. I am she who asked of you a boon as you were on your +way to the sword-bridge, and you very gladly granted it at my +request; it was the head I bade you cut from the conquered knight +whom I hated so. Because of this boon and this service you did +me, I have gone to this trouble. As a guerdon I shall deliver +you from here." "Damsel, many thanks to you," the prisoner then +replied; "the service I did you will be well repaid if I am set +at liberty. If you can get me out of here, I promise and engage +to be henceforth always yours, so help me the holy Apostle Paul! +And as I may see God face to face, I shall never fail to obey +your commands in accordance with your will. You may ask for +anything I have, and receive it without delay." "Friend, have no +fear that you will not be released from here. You shall be +loosed and set free this very day. Not for a thousand pounds +would I renounce the expectation of seeing you free before the +datum of another day. Then I shall take you to a pleasant place, +where you may rest and take your ease. There you shall have +everything you desire, whatever it be. So have no fear. But +first I must see if I can find some tool anywhere hereabouts with +which you might enlarge this hole, at least enough to let you +pass." "God grant that you find something," he said, agreeing to +this plan; "I have plenty of rope in here, which the rascals gave +me to pull up my food--hard barley bread and dirty water, which +sicken my stomach and heart." Then the daughter of Bademagu +sought and found a strong, stout, sharp pick, which she handed to +him. He pounded, and hammered and struck and dug, +notwithstanding the pain it caused him, until he could get out +comfortably. Now he is greatly relieved and glad, you may be +sure, to be out Of prison and to get away from the place where he +has been so long confined. Now he is at large in the open air. +You may be sure that he would not go back again, were some one to +gather in a pile and give to him all the gold there is scattered +in the world. + +(Vv. 6657-6728.) Behold Lancelot now released, but so feeble +that he staggered from his weakness and disability. Gently, +without hurting him, she sets him before her on her mule, and +then they ride off rapidly. But the damsel purposely avoids the +beaten track, that they may not be seen, and proceeds by a hidden +path; for if she had travelled openly, doubtless some one would +have recognised them and done them harm, and she would not have +wished that to happen. So she avoided the dangerous places and +came to a mansion where she often makes her sojourn because of +its beauty and charm. The entire estate and the people on it +belonged to her, and the place was well furnished, safe, and +private. There Lancelot arrived. And as soon as he had come, +and had laid aside his clothes, the damsel gently laid him on +a lofty, handsome couch, then bathed and rubbed him so carefully +that I could not describe half the care she took. She handled +and treated him as gently as if he had been her father. Her +treatment makes a new man of him, as she revives him with her +cares. Now he is no less fair than an angel and is more nimble +and more spry than anything you ever saw. When he arose, he was +no longer mangy and haggard, but strong and handsome. And the +damsel sought out for him the finest robe she could find, with +which she clothed him when he arose. And he was glad to put it +on, quicker than a bird in flight. He kissed and embraced the +maid, and then said to her graciously: "My dear, I have only God +and you to thank for being restored to health again. Since I owe +my liberty to you, you may take and command at will my heart and +body, my service and estate. I belong to you in return for what +you have done for me; but it is long since I have been at the +court of my lord Arthur, who has shown me great honour; and there +is plenty there for me to do. Now, my sweet gentle friend, I beg +you affectionately for leave to go; then, with your consent, I +should feel free to go." "Lancelot, fair, sweet dear friend, I +am quite willing," the damsel says; "I desire your honour and +welfare above everything everywhere." Then she gives him a +wonderful horse she has, the best horse that ever was seen, and +he leaps up without so much as saying to the stirrups "by your +leave": he was up without considering them. Then to God, who +never lies, they commend each other with good intent. + +(Vv. 6729-7004.) Lancelot was so glad to be on the road that, if +I should take an oath, I could not possibly describe the joy he +felt at having escaped from his trap. But he said to himself +repeatedly that woe was the traitor, the reprobate, whom now he +has tricked and ridiculed, "for in spite of him I have escaped." +Then he swears by the heart and body of Him who made the world +that not for all the riches and wealth from Babylon to Ghent +would he let Meleagant escape, if he once got him in his power: +for he has him to thank for too much harm and shame! But events +will soon turn out so as to make this possible; for this very +Meleagant, whom he threatens and presses hard, had already come +to court that day without being summoned by any one; and the +first thing he did was to search until he found my lord Gawain. +Then the rascally proven traitor asks him about Lancelot, whether +he had been seen or found, as if he himself did not know the +truth. As a matter of fact, he did not know the truth, although +he thought he knew it well enough. And Gawain told him, as was +true, that he had not been seen, and that he had not come. +"Well, since I don't find him," says Meleagant, "do you come and +keep the promise you made me: I shall not longer wait for you." +Then Gawain makes answer: "I will keep presently my word with +you, if it please God in whom I place my trust. I expect to +discharge my debt to you. But if it comes to throwing dice for +points, and I should throw a higher number than you, so help me +God and the holy faith, I'll not withdraw, but will keep on until +I pocket all the stakes." (28) Then without delay Gawain orders +a rug to be thrown down and spread before him. There was no +snivelling or attempt to run away when the squires heard this +command, but without grumbling or complaint they execute what he +commands. They bring the rug and spread it out in the place +indicated; then he who had sent for it takes his seat upon it and +gives orders to be armed by the young men who were standing +unarmed before him. There were two of them, his cousins or +nephews, I know not which, but they were accomplished and knew +what to do. They arm him so skilfully and well that no one could +find any fault in the world with them for any mistake in what +they did. When they finished arming him, one of them went to +fetch a Spanish steed able to cross the fields, woods, hills, and +valleys more swiftly than the good Bucephalus. (29) Upon a horse +such as you have heard Gawain took his seat--the admired and +most accomplished knight upon whom the sign of the Cross was ever +made. Already he was about to seize his shield, when he saw +Lancelot dismount before him, whom he was not expecting to see. +He looked at him in amazement, because he had come so +unexpectedly; and, if I am not wrong, he was as much surprised as +if he had fallen from the clouds. However, no business of his +own can detain him, as soon as he sees Lancelot, from dismounting +and extending his arms to him, as he embraces, salutes and kisses +him. Now he is happy and at ease, when he has found his +companion. Now I will tell you the truth, and you must not think +I lie, that Gawain would not wish to be chosen king, unless he +had Lancelot with him. The King and all the rest now learn that, +in spite of all, Lancelot, for whom they so long have watched, +has come back quite safe and sound. Therefore they all rejoice, +and the court, which so long has looked for him, comes together +to honour him. Their happiness dispels and drives away the +sorrow which formerly was theirs. Grief takes flight and is +replaced by an awakening joy. And how about the Queen? Does she +not share in the general jubilee? Yes, verily, she first of all. +How so? For God's sake, where, then, could she be keeping +herself? She was never so glad in her life as she was for his +return. And did she not even go to him? Certainly she did; she +is so close to him that her body came near following her heart. +Where is her heart, then? It was kissing and welcoming Lancelot. +And why did the body conceal itself? Why is not her joy +complete? Is it mingled with anger or hate? No, certainly, not +at all; but it may be that the King or some of the others who are +there, and who are watching what takes place, would have taken +the whole situation in, if, while all were looking on, she had +followed the dictates of her heart. If common-sense had not +banished this mad impulse and rash desire, her heart would have +been revealed and her folly would have been complete. Therefore +reason closes up and binds her fond heart and her rash intent, +and made it more reasonable, postponing the greeting until it +shall see and espy a suitable and more private place where they +would fare better than here and now. The King highly honoured +Lancelot, and after welcoming him, thus spoke: "I have not heard +for a long time news of any man which were so welcome as news of +you; yet I am much concerned to learn in what region and in what +land you have tarried so long a time. I have had search made for +you up and down, all the winter and summer through, but no one +could find a trace of you." "Indeed, fair sire," says Lancelot, +"I can inform you in a few words exactly how it has fared with +me. The miserable traitor Meleagant has kept me in prison ever +since the hour of the deliverance of the prisoners in his land, +and has condemned me to a life of shame in a tower of his beside +the sea. There he put me and shut me in, and there I should +still be dragging out my weary life, if it were not for a friend +of mine, a damsel for whom I once performed a slight service. In +return for the little favour I did her, she has repaid me +liberally: she has bestowed upon me great honour and blessing. +But I wish to repay without delay him for whom I have no love, +who has sought out and devised for me this shame and injury. He +need not wait, for the sum is all ready, principal and interest; +but God forbid that he find in it cause to rejoice!" Then Gawain +said to Lancelot: "Friend, it will be only a slight favour for +me, who am in your debt, to make this payment for you. Moreover, +I am all ready and mounted, as you see. Fair, sweet friend, do +not deny me the boon I desire and request." But Lancelot replies +that he would rather have his eye plucked out, or even both of +them, than be persuaded to do this: he swears it shall never be +so. He owes the debt and he will pay it himself: for with his +own hand he promised it. Gawain plainly sees that nothing he can +say is of any avail, so he loosens and takes off his hauberk from +his back, and completely disarms himself. Lancelot at once arms +himself without delay; for he is impatient to settle and +discharge his debt. Meleagant, who is amazed beyond measure at +what he sees, has reached the end of his good fortunes, and is +about to receive what is owing him. He is almost beside himself +and comes near fainting. "Surely I was a fool," he says, "not to +go, before coming here, to see if I still held imprisoned in my +tower him who now has played this trick on me. But, God, why +should I have gone? What cause had I to think that he could +possibly escape? Is not the wall built strong enough, and is not +the tower sufficiently strong and high? There was no hole or +crevice in it, through which he could pass, unless he was aided +from outside. I am sure his hiding-place was revealed. If the +wall were worn away and had fallen into decay, would he not have +been caught and injured or killed at the same time? Yes, so help +me God, if it had fallen down, he would certainly have been +killed. But I guess, before that wall gives away without being +torn down, that all the water in the sea will dry up without +leaving a drop and the world will come to an end. No, that is +not it: it happened otherwise: he was helped to escape, and could +not have got out otherwise: I have been outwitted through some +trickery. At any rate, he has escaped; but if I had been on my +guard, all this would never have happened, and he would never +have come to court. But it's too late now to repent. The +rustic, who seldom errs, pertinently remarks that it is too late +to close the stable when the horse is out. I know I shall now be +exposed to great shame and humiliation, if indeed I do not suffer +and endure something worse. What shall I suffer and endure? +Rather, so long as I live, I will give him full measure, if it +please God, in whom I trust." Thus he consoles himself, and has +no other desire than to meet his antagonist on the field. And he +will not have long to wait, I think, for Lancelot goes in search +of him, expecting soon to conquer him. But before the assault +begins, the King bids them go down into the plain where the tower +stands, the prettiest place this side of Ireland for a fight. So +they did, and soon found themselves on the plain below. The King +goes down too, and all the rest, men and women in crowds. No one +stays behind; but many go up to the windows of the tower, among +them the Queen, her ladies and damsels, of whom she had many with +her who were fair. + +(Vv. 7005-7119.) In the field there stood a sycamore as fair as +any tree could be; it was wide-spread and covered a large area, +and around it grew a fine border of thick fresh grass which was +green at all seasons of the year. Under this fair and stately +sycamore, which was planted back in Abel's time, there rises a +clear spring of water which flows away hurriedly. The bed of the +spring is beautiful and as bright as silver, and the channel +through which the water flows is formed, I think, of refined and +tested gold, and it stretches away across the field down into a +valley between the woods. There it pleases the King to take his +seat where nothing unpleasant is in sight. After the crowd has +drawn back at the King's command, Lancelot rushes furiously at +Meleagant as at one whom he hates cordially, but before striking +him, he shouted with a loud and commanding voice: "Take your +stand, I defy you! And take my word, this time you shall not be +spared." Then he spurs his steed and draws back the distance of +a bow-shot. Then they drive their horses toward each other at +top speed, and strike each other so fiercely upon their resisting +shields that they pierced and punctured them. But neither one is +wounded, nor is the flesh touched in this first assault. They +pass each other without delay, and come back at the top of their +horses: speed to renew their blows on the strong, stout shields. +Both of the knights are strong and brave, and both of the horses +are stout and fast. So mighty are the blows they deal on the +shields about their necks that the lances passed clean through, +without breaking or splintering, until the cold steel reached +their flesh. Each strikes the other with such force that both +are borne to earth, and no breast-strap, girth, or stirrup could +save them from falling backward over their saddle-bow, leaving +the saddle without an occupant. The horses run riderless over +hill and dale, but they kick and bite each other, thus showing +their mortal hatred. As for the knights who fell to earth, they +leaped up as quickly as possible and drew their swords, which +were engraved with chiselled lettering. Holding their shields +before the face, they strive to wound each other with their +swords of steel. Lancelot stands in no fear of him, for he knew +half as much again about fencing as did his antagonist, having +learned it in his youth. Both dealt such blows on the shield +slung from their necks, and upon their helmets barred with gold, +that they crushed and damaged them. But Lancelot presses him +hard and gives him a mighty blow upon his right arm which, though +encased in mail, was unprotected by the shield, severing it with +one clean stroke. And when he felt the loss of his right arm, he +said that it should be dearly sold. If it is at all possible, he +will not fail to exact the price; he is in such pain and wrath +and rage that he is well-nigh beside himself, and he has a poor +opinion of himself, if he cannot score on his rival now. He +rushes at him with the intent to seize him, but Lancelot +forestalls his plan, for with his trenchant sword he deals his +body such a cut as he will not recover from until April and May +be passed. He smashes his nose-guard against his teeth, breaking +three of them in his mouth. And Meleagant's rage is such that he +cannot speak or say a word; nor does he deign to cry for mercy, +for his foolish heart holds tight in such constraint that even +now it deludes him still. Lancelot approaches and, unlacing his +helmet, cuts off his head. Never more will this man trouble him; +it is all over with him as he falls dead. Not a soul who was +present there felt any pity at the sight. The King and all the +others there are jubilant and express their joy. Happier than +they ever were before, they relieve Lancelot of his arms, and +lead him away exultingly. + +(Vv. 7120-7134.) My lords, if I should prolong my tale, it would +be beside the purpose, and so I will conclude. Godefroi de +Leigni, the clerk, has written the conclusion of "the Cart"; but +let no one find fault with him for having embroidered on +Chretien's theme, for it was done with the consent of Chretien +who started it. Godefroi has finished it from the point where +Lancelot was imprisoned in the tower. So much he wrote; but he +would fain add nothing more, for fear of disfiguring the tale. + + + +ENDNOTES: +NOTE: Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by +"(F.)"; all other endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort. + +(1) Marie, daughter of Louis VII. of France and Eleanor of + Aquitaine, married in 1164, Henri I., Count of Champagne. + On the poet's own statement below, she furnished him with + the subject matter ("maitere") and the manner of treatment + ("san") of this romance. (F.) +(2) The situation of Camelot has not been certainly determined. + Foerster places it in Somersetshire, while F. Paris + identified it with Colchester in Essex. (F.) +(3) The high value here set upon Kay by king Arthur is worth + noting in view of the unfavourable light in which Chretien + usually portrays him. +(4) This enigmatic exclamation is addressed to the absent + Lancelot, who is the secret lover of Guinevere, and who, + though he long remains anonymous as "the Knight of the + Cart", is really the hero of the poem. +(5) It was not uncommon in old French romances and epic poems + for knights to be subjected to the mockery and raillery of + the vulgar townspeople (cf. "Aiol", 911-923; id. 2579-2733; + and even Moliere in "Monsieur de Pourceaugnac", f. 3). +(6) For magic beds with descending swords, see A. Hertel, + "Versauberte Oertlichkeiten", etc., p. 69 f. (Hanover, + 1908). +(7) The wounded knight is the defeated seneschal. +(8) Mediaeval knights were such early risers as to cause us + astonishment! +(9) Lancelot has constantly in mind the Queen, for whose sake he + is enduring all this pain and shame. +(10) i.e., the Queen. +(11) Nothing can here be added to the tentative conjectures of + Foerster regarding the nature of these unknown remedies. +(12) A great annual fair at Paris marked the festival, on June + 11, of St. Denis, the patron saint of the city. (F.) +(13) "Donbes" (=Dombes) is the reading chosen by Foerster from a + number of variants. None of these variants has any + significance, but a place-name rhyming with "tonbes" in the + preceding verse is required. Modern Dombes is the name of a + former principality in Burgundy, between the Rhone and the + Saone, while Pampelune is, of course, a Spanish city near + the French frontier. (F.) +(14) The topography of the kingdom of Gorre, the land where dwell + the captives held by King Bademagu, is much confused. One + would suppose at first that the stream traversed by the two + perilous bridges formed the frontier of the kingdom. But + here (v.2102), before reaching such a frontier, the captives + are already met. Foerster suggests that we may be here at a + sort of foreground or borderland which is defended by the + knight at the ford (v. 735 f.), and which, though not within + the limits of the kingdom, is nevertheless beneath the sway + of Bademagu. In the sequel the stream with the perilous + bridges is placed immediately before the King's palace (cf. + Foerster's note and G. Paris in "Romania", xxi. 471 note). +(15) For magic rings, see A. Hertel, op. cit., p. 62 f. +(16) This "dame" was the fairy Vivian, "the lady of the lake". + (F.) +(17) A good example of the moral dilemmas in which Chretien + delights to place his characters. Under the displeasing + shell of allegory and mediaeval casuistry we have here the + germ of psychological analysis of motive. +(18) The legendary origin of this ointment, named after Mary + Magdelene, Mary the mother of James, and Mary Salome, is + mentioned in the epic poem "Mort Aimeri de Narbonne" (ed. + "Anciens Textes", p. 86). (F.) +(19) The universities of Montpellier and of Salerno were the + chief centres of medical study in the Middle Ages. Salerno + is referred to in "Cliges", v. 5818. +(20) The hero of the poem is here first mentioned by name. +(21) The classic love-story of Pyramus and Thisbe, told by Ovid + et al., was a favourite in the Middle Ages. +(22) Here he have the explanation of Guinevere's cold reception + of Lancelot; he had been faithless to the rigid code of + courtesy when he had hesitated for even a moment to cover + himself with shame for her sake. +(23) The expression "or est venuz qui aunera", less literally + means "who will defeat the entire field". Though Chretien + refers to the expression as a current proverb, only two + other examples of its use have been found. (Cf. "Romania", + xvi. 101, and "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", xi. 430.) + From this passage G. Paris surmised that Chretien himself + was a herald-at-arms ("Journal des Savants", 1902, p. 296), + but as Foerster says, the text hardly warrants the + supposition. +(24) The evident satisfaction with which Chretien describes in + detail the bearings of the knights in the following passage + lends colour to Gaston Paris' conjecture that he was a + herald as well as a poet. +(25) According to the statement made at the end of the poem by + the continuator of Chretien, Godefroi de Leigni, it must + have been at about this point that the continuator took up + the thread of the story. It is not known why Chretien + dropped the poem where he did. +(26) Bade = Bath. (F.) +(27) The situation recalls that in "Aucassin et Nicolette", where + Aucassin confined in the tower hears his sweetheart calling + to him from outside. +(28) The figure is, of course, taken from the game of throwing + dice for high points. For an exhaustive account of dice- + playing derived from old French texts, cf. Franz Semrau, + "Wurfel und Wurfelspiel in alten Frankreich", "Beiheft" 23 + of "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie (Halle, 1910). +(29) Alexander's horse. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of Four Arthurian Romances by DeTroyes + diff --git a/old/dtroy10.zip b/old/dtroy10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..32fbe70 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/dtroy10.zip |