Aucassin and NicoleteWord格式.docx

Aucassin and NicoleteWord格式.docx

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Roland,"

unrhymedassonantlaisses,butwehavenotthealternationsofprosewithlaissesinseven-syllabledlines.Itcannotbecertainlyknownwhethertheformof"

AucassinandNicolete"

wasafamiliarform--

usedbymanyjogleors,orwanderingminstrelsandstory-tellerssuchasNicolete,inthetale,feignedherselftobe,--orwhetherthisisasolitaryexperimentby"

theoldcaptive"

itsauthor,acontemporary,asM.GastonParisthinkshim,ofLouisVII（1130）.

Hewasoriginalenoughtohaveinvented,oradoptedfrompopulartradition,aformforhimself;

hisoriginalitydeclaresitselfeverywhereinhisonesurvivingmasterpiece.True,heusescertaintraditionalformulae,thathavesurvivedinhistime,astheysurvivedinHomer'

s,fromthemannerofpurelypopularpoetry,ofVolkslieder.Thusherepeatssnatchesofconversationalwaysinthesame,orverynearlythesamewords.Hehasastereotypedform,likeHomer,forsayingthatonepersonaddressedanother,"

ainstraistauviscontedelavilesil'

apela"

[Greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]...LikeHomer,andlikepopularsong,hedealsinrecurrentepithets,andchangelesscourtesies.ToAucassinthehideousplough-manis"

Biaxfrere,"

"

fairbrother,"

justasthetreacherousAegisthusis[Greektext]inHomer;

thesearecomplimentaryterms,withnomoralsenseinparticular.ThejogleorisnotmorecuriousthanHomer,orthanthepoetsoftheoldballads,aboutgivingnoveldescriptionsofhischaracters.AsHomer'

sladiesare"

fair-tressed,"

soNicoleteandAucassinhave,eachofthem,closeyellowcurls,eyesofvair（whateverthatmaymean）,andredlips.Warcannotbementionedexceptaswar"

whereknightsdosmiteandaresmitten,"

andsoforth.Theauthorisabsolutelyconventionalinsuchmatters,accordingtotheconventionofhisageandprofession.

Norishismattermoreoriginal.Hetellsastoryofthwartedandfinallyfortunatelove,andhisherois"

aChristenedknight"

--likeTamlane,--hisheroineaPaynimlady.Tobesure,Nicoletewasbaptizedbeforethetalebegins,anditisshewhoisacaptiveamongChristians,notherlover,asusual,whoisacaptiveamongSaracens.Theauthorhasreversedthecommonarrangement,andheappearstohavecaredlittlemorethanhisrecklesshero,aboutcreedsanddifferencesoffaith.HeisnotmuchinterestedintherecognitionofNicoletebyhergreatPaynimkindred,norindeedinanyofthe"

business"

ofthenarrative,thefighting,thestormsandtempests,andtheburlesqueofthekingdomofTorelore.

Whatthenamelessauthordoescarefor,ishistellingofthelove-

story,thepassionofAucassinandNicolete.Hisoriginalityliesinhischarmingmedleyofsentimentandhumour,ofasmilingcompassionandsympathywithatouchofmockingmirth.TheloveofAucassinandNicolete-

"

Desgranspainesqu'

ilsoufri,"

thatistheonethingserioustohiminthewholematter,andthatisnotsoveryserious.{2}Thestory-tellerisnoMimnermus,LoveandYoutharethebestthingsheknew,--"

deportduvielcaitif,"

--

andnowhehas"

cometofortyyears,"

andnowtheyarewithhimnolonger.ButhedoesnotlamentlikeMimnermus,likeAlcman,likeLlwyarchHen."

WhatisLife,whatisdelightwithoutgoldenAphrodite?

MayIdie!

saysMimnermus,"

whenIamnomoreconversantwiththese,withsecretlove,andgraciousgifts,andthebedofdesire."

AndAlcman,whenhislimbswaverbeneathhim,isonlysaddenedbythefacesandvoicesofgirls,andwouldchangehislotforthesea-birds."

{3}

Maidenswithvoiceslikehoneyforsweetnessthatbreathedesire,WouldthatIwereasea-birdwithlimbsthatnevercouldtire,Overthefoam-flowersflyingwithhalcyonseveronwing,Keepingacarelessheart,asea-bluebirdofthespring."

Butouroldcaptive,havingsaidfarewelltolove,hasyetakindlysmilinginterestinitsfeverandfolly.Nothingbetterhashemet,evennowthatheknows"

aladisanass."

Hetellsalovestory,astoryofloveovermastering,withoutconscienceorcareofaughtbutthebeloved.Andthevielcaitiftellsitwithsympathy,andwithasmile."

Ohfollyoffondness,"

heseemstocry,"

ohmerrydaysofdesolation"

WhenIwasyoungasyouareyoung,Whenlutesweretouchedandsongsweresung,Andlovelampsinthewindowshung."

ItistheverytoneofThackeray,whenThackerayistender,andtheworldhearditfirstfromthiselderly,namelessminstrel,strollingwithhisviolandhissingingboys,perhaps,likeablamelessd'

Assoucy,fromcastletocastlein"

thehappypoplarland."

Oneseemstoseehimandhearhiminthetwilight,inthecourtofsomechateauofPicardy,whiletheladiesonsilkencushionssitaroundhimlistening,andtheirlovers,fetteredwithsilverchains,lieattheirfeet.Theylisten,andlook,anddonotthinkoftheminstrelwithhisgreyheadandhisgreenheart,butwethinkofhim.Itisanoldman'

swork,andawearyman'

swork.Youcaneasilytelltheplaceswherehehaslingered,andbeenpleasedashewrote.Theyaremarked,likethebowerNicoletebuilt,withflowersandbrokenbrancheswetwithdew.SuchapassageisthedescriptionofNicoleteatherwindow,inthestrangelypaintedchamber,"

kifaiteestpargrantdevissepantureeamiramie."

Thence"

shesawtherosesblow,Heardthebirdssingloudandlow."

Again,theminstrelspeaksoutwhatmanymusthavethought,inthoseincredulousagesofFaith,aboutHeavenandHell,Hellwherethegallantcompanymakesupforeverything.Whenhecomestoabattle-

piecehemakesAucassin"

mightilyandknightlyhurlthroughthepress,"

likeoneofMalory'

smen.Hisheromustbeamanofhishands,nomeresighingyouthincapableofarms.Buttheminstrelsheartisinotherthings,forexample,intheverseswhereAucassintransferstoBeautythewonder-workingpowersofHoliness,andmakesthesightofhisladyhealthepalmer,astheshadowoftheApostle,fallingonthesickpeople,healedthembytheGateBeautiful.TheFlightofNicoleteisafamiliarandbeautifulpicture,thedaisyflowerslookblackintheivorymoonlightagainstherfeet,fairasBombyca'

s"

feetofcarvenivory"

intheSicilianidyll,longago.

{4}Itischaracteristicofthepoetthatthetwoloversbegintowrangleaboutwhichlovesbest,intheverymouthofdanger,whileAucassinisyetinprison,andthepatrolgodownthemoonlitstreet,withswordsintheirhands,sworntoslayNicolete.Thatistheplaceandtimechosenforthisancientcontroversy.Aucassin'

sthreatthatifhelosesNicoletehewillnotwaitforswordorknife,butwilldashhisheadagainstawall,isintheverytemperoftheprisonedwarrior-poet,whoactuallychosethiswayofdeath.

Thenthenightscene,withitsfantasy,andshadow,andmoonlightonflowersandstreet,yieldstoapictureoftheday,withthebirdssinging,andtheshepherdslaughing,inthegreenlinksbetweenwoodandwater.TheretheshepherdstakeNicoleteforafairy,sobrightabeautyshinesabouther.Theirmockery,theirindependence,maymakeusconsideragainourideasofearlyFeudalism.Probablytheywereintheserviceoftownsmen,whosegoodtowntreatedtheCountasnomorethananequalofitscorporatedignity.ThebowerofbranchesbuiltbyNicoleteiscertainlyoneoftheplaceswheretheminstrelhimselfhasrestedandbeenpleasedwithhiswork.Onecanfeelitstill,thecoolofthatclearsummernight,thesweetsmellofbrokenboughs,andtroddengrass,anddeepdew,andtheshiningofthestarthatAucassindeemedwasthetranslatedspiritofhislady.Romancehastouchedthebookherewithhermagic,asshehastouchedthelineswherewereadhowConsuelocamebymoonlighttotheCanon'

sgardenandthewhiteflowers.ThepleasurehereisthekeenerforcontrastwiththelucklesshindwhomAucassinencounteredintheforest:

themanwhohadlosthismaster'

sox,theungainlymanwhowept,becausehismother'

sbedhadbeentakenfromunderhertopayhisdebt.ThismanwasinthatestatewhichAchilles,inHades,preferredabovethekingshipofthedeadoutworn.Hewashindandhirelingtoavillein,[Greektext]

Itisanunexpectedtouchofpityforthepeople,andforotherthanlove-sorrows,inapoemintendedforthegreatandcourtlypeopleofchivalry.

Atlasttheloversmeet,inthelodgeofflowersbeneaththestars.

Herethestoryshouldend,thoughonecouldillsparetheprettylecturethegirlreadsherloverastheyrideatadventure,andthepictureofNicolete,withherbrownstain,andjogleor'

sattire,andherviol,playingbeforeAucassininhisowncastleofBiaucaire.

TheburlesqueinterludeofthecountryofToreloreislikeapageoutofRabelais,stitchedintothecante-fablebymistake.AtsuchlandsasTorelorePantagruelandPanurgetouchedmanyatimeintheirvaguevoyaging.Nobody,perhaps,cancareverymuchaboutNicolete'

sadventuresinCarthage,andherrecognitionbyherPaynimkindred.IftheoldcaptivehadbeenaprisoneramongtheSaracens,hewastooindolentorincurioustomakeuseofhisknowledge.Hehurriesontohisjourney'

send;

Journeysendinloversmeeting."

Sohefinishesthetale.Whatlivesinit,whatmakesitlive,isthetouchofpoetry,oftenderhe