Aucassin and Nicolete.docx

Aucassin and Nicolete.docx

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AucassinandNicolete

AucassinandNicoleteTranslatedbyAndrewLang

INTRODUCTION

Thereisnothinginartisticpoetryquiteakinto"AucassinandNicolete."

ByararepieceofgoodfortunetheonemanuscriptoftheSong-Storyhasescapedthosewavesoftime,whichhavewreckedthebarkofMenander,andleftofSapphobutafewfloatingfragments.Theveryformofthetaleispeculiar;wehavenothingelsefromthetwelfthorthirteenthcenturyinthealternateproseandverseofthecante-

fable.{1}Wehavefabliauxinverse,andproseArthurianromances.

WehaveChansonsdeGeste,heroicpoemslike"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