PROFESSOR ALBRECHT CLASSEN

ANCIENT, MEDIEVAL, AND EARLY MODERN WINTER POETRY

READING BY

MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA MEDIEVAL, RENAISSANCE, AND REFORMATION COMMITTEE (UAMARRC)

NOV. 14, 2005, 6-8 P.M., UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, ILC 140. 

Funded by COH. 

Organized by Albrecht Classen, Dept. of German Studies

Ancient Greek, read by Kenneth Porter:

Hesiod (b. ca. 700 B.C.E.), Works and Days, 504-563:

"Avoid the month Lenaeon, wretched days, all of them fit to skin an ox, and frost which are cruel when Boreas blows over the earth. He blows across horse-breeding Thrace upon the wide sea and stirs it up, while earth and the forest howl. On many a high-leafed oak and thick pine he falls and brings them to the bounteous earth in mountain glens: then all the immense wood roars and the beasts shudder and put their tails between their legs, even those whose hide is covered with fur; for with his bitter blast he blows even through them although they are shaggy-breasted. He goes even through an ox's hide; it does not stop him. Also he blows through the goat's fine hair. But through the fleeces of sheep, because their wool is abundant, the keen wind Boreas pierces not at all; but it makes the old man curved as a wheel. And it does not blow through the tender maiden who stays indoors with her dear mother, unlearned as yet in the works of golden Aphrodite, and who washes her soft body and anoints herself with oil and lies down in an inner room within the house, on a winter's day when the Boneless One gnaws his foot in his fireless house and wretched home; for the sun shows him no pastures to make for, but goes to and fro over the land and city of dusky men, and shine more sluggishly upon the whole race of the Hellenes. Then the horned and unhorned denizens of the wood, with teeth chattering pitifully, flee through the copses and glades, and all, as they seek shelter, have this one care, to gain thick coverts or some hollow rock. Then, like the Three-legged One whose back is broken and whose head looks down upon the ground, like him, I say, they wander to escape the white snow.
"Then put on, as I bid you, a soft coat and a tunic to feet to shield your body, ?and you should weave thick woof on thin warp. In this clothe yourself so that your hair may keep still and not bristle and stand upon end all over your body. Lace on your feet close-fitting boots of the hideof a slaughtered ox, thickly lined with felt inside. And when the season of frost comes on, stitch together skins of firstling kids with ox-sinew, to put over your back and to keep off the rain. On your head above wear a shaped cap of felt to keep your ears from getting wet, for the dawn is chill when Boreas has once made his onslaught, and at dawn, a fruitful mist is spread over the earth from starry heaven upon the fields of blessed men: it is drawn from the ever flowing rivers and is raised high above the earth by wind-storm, and sometimes it turns to rain towards evening, and sometimes to wind when Tracian Boreas huddle the thick clouds. Finish your work and return home ahead of him, and do not let the dark cloud from heaven wrap round you and make your body clammy and soak your clothes. Avoid it: for this is the hardest month, wintry, hard for sheep and hard for me. In this season let your oxen have half their usual food, but let your man have more; for the helpful nights are long. Observe all this until the year is ended and you have nights and days of equal length, and Earth, the mother of all, bears again her various fruit."

 

Medieval Latin, read by Kenneth Porter and Heather Wiilliams:

Alcuin
Carmen 58

Conveniunt subito cuncti de montibus altis Pastores pecudum vernali luce sub umbra Arborea, pariter laetas celebrare Camenas.
Adfuit et iunvenis Dafnis seniorque Palemon; Omnes hi cuculo laudes cantare parabant.
Ver quoque florigero succinctus stemmate venit, Frigida venit Hiems, rigidis hirsuta capillis.
His certamen erat cuculi de carmine grande.
Ver prior adlusit ternos modulamine versus:
Ver
"Opto meus veniat cuculus, carissimus ales.
Omnibus iste solet fieri gratissimus hospes In tectis, modulans rutilo bona carmina rostro."
Hiems
Tum glacialis hiems respondit voce severa:
"Non veniat cuculus, nigris sed dormiat antris.
Iste famem secum semper portare suescit."
Ver
"Opto meus veniat cuculus cum germine laeto, Frigora depellat, Phoebo comes almus in aevum.
Phoebus amat cuculum crescenti luce serena."
Hiems
"Non veniat cuculus, generat quia forte labores, Proelia congeminat, requiem disiungit amatam, Omnia disturbat: pelagi terraeque laborant."
Ver
"Quid tu, tarda Hiems, cuculo convitia cantas?
Qui torpore gravi tenebrosis tectus in antris Post epulas Veneris, post stulti pocula Bacchi."
Hiems
"Sunt mihi divitiae, sunt et convivia laeta, Est requies dulcis, calidus est ignis in aede.
Haec cuculus nescit, sed perfidus ille laborat."
Ver
"Ore feret flores cuculus et mella ministrat, Aedificatque domus, placidas et navigat undas, Et generat soboles, laetos et vestiet agros."
Hiems
"Haec inimica mihi sunt, quae tibi laeta videntur.
Sed placet optatas gazas numerare per arcas Et gaudere cibis simul et requiescere semper."
Ver
"Quis tibi, tarda Hiems, semper dormire parata, Divitias cumulat, gazas vel congregat ullas, Si ver vel aestas ante tibi nulla laborant?"
Hiems
"Vera refers: illi, quoniam mihi multa laborant, Sunt etiam servi nostra ditione subacti, Iam mihi servante domino, quaecumque laborant?"
Ver
"Non illis dominus, sed pauper inopsque superbus, Nec te iam poteris per te tu pascere tantum, Ni tibi qui veniet cuculus alimonia praestet."
Palemon
Tum respondit ovans sublimi e sede Palemon Et Dafnis pariter, pastorum et turba piorum:
"Desine plura, Hiems; rerum tu prodigus, atrox.
Et veniat cuculus, pastorum dulcis amicus.
Collibus in nostris erumpant germina laeta, Pascua sint pecori, requies et dulcis in arvis, Et virides rami praestent umbracula fessis, Uberibus plenis veniantque ad mulctra capellae, Et volucres varia Phoebum sub voce salutent.
Quapropter citius cuculus nunc ecce venito!
Tu iam dulcis amor, cunctis gratissimus hospes:
Omnia te expectant, pelagus tellusque polusque, Salve, dulce decus, cuculus, per saecula salve!"


Translation:

Alcuin
Carmen 58

Suddenly, all come together from the tall mountains The shepherds of the sheep in the spring light below the wooded Shade, to celebrate the happy poems equally.
Even the young Daphnis and the elder Palemon were there; All these prepared to sing praises to the cuckoo Spring too comes readied with flower carrying garlands, Icy Winter comes, shaggy with rough hairs.
The struggle of the cuckoo is theirs about the great song.
Spring jests in melodic threefold verses:
Spring
"I hope my cuckoo come, that dearest bird.
That guest, most welcome to all, is accustomed to be on the roofs, singing fair songs from its red beak."
Winter
Snowy winter then responded with a voice severe:
May the cuckoo not come, let it sleep in dark hollows.
He is accustomed to bring hunger with him."
Spring
"I hope my cuckoo come with a happy shoot, Dispel the frost, nourishing comrade of Apollo into this time.
Apollo loves the cuckoo when the bright light waxes."
Winter
"May the cuckoo not come, since it perchance produces toils, The disputes double, unyoking lovely rest, He upsets all things: they work on sea and on land."
Spring
"Why do you, late Winter, sing of the vices of the cuckoo?
He who is covered by heavy torpor in dank caves After the feasts of Venus, after the cups of the idiot Bacchus."
Winter
"I have my riches, even my happy dinner parties, There is sweet rest, warmer is the fire in the house.
The cuckoo knows of this not, but that faithless one toils."
Spring
"The cuckoo shall bear flowers and furnishes honey, And he builds homes, and sails the even waves, And he produces offspring, and clothes the happy fields."
Winter
"Atrocious are these things to me, which seem joyful to you.
But it pleases to count up the desired treasures through the chests And to rejoice then in food and to rest always."
Spring
"Who to you, late Winter, always prepared to sleep Cumulates wealth, or heaps up any riches?
If Spring or Summer produces nothing before you."
Winter
"You speak the truth: They, since they produce much for me, Are even slaves, conquered by my power, Already serving my dominion, whatsoever do they produce?"
Spring
"You are not their lord, but a haughty and poor weakling, Already you will not be able to feed even yourself through yourself, Unless any cuckoo come and furnishes food for you."
Palemon
Then rejoicing responded Palemon from his high seat And Daphnis equally, and the crowd of pious shepherds:
"Stop this too much, Winter, you fierce and wasteful of things.
And let the cuckoo come, that sweet friend of shepherds.
Let the happy buds burst out in out hills, Let the sheep have pastures, and sweet rest in the fields And let the green branches supply the tired with a little shade, And with full udders, let the she-goats come to the milk pail, And let those who fly greet Apollo with a varied voice.
Behold how quickly the cuckoo now comes!
You now, sweet love, the most welcome guest of all:
Everything expects you, the sea and the earth and the sky, Welcome, sweet splendor, cuckoo, welcome through the ages!

 

MEDIEVAL FRENCH -- read by Jonathan Beck

“On the Approach of Winter.” Anonymous.

North central France. 13^th century.

Edited by Jeanroy and Langfors, Chansons satiriques et bachiques du XIII^e siècle. Trans. J. Beck.

Between 1209-1244, the South of France was invaded by armies from the North to whom the pope had promised the land and wealth of Christian nobles—principally the counts of Toulouse—considered too lax in their tolerance of heretics and Jews. Backed by hardline Cistercians like St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Innocent III declared the “Albigensian crusade” in 1208, which eventually succeeded in exterminating the Cathars (ascetic adherents of  a Manichean dualism widespread in the Mediterranean basin for centuries), and in expropriating their land—Albi, Toulouse, Caracasonne, Agen, Béziers. Disgusted by the plundering and gratuitous massacres, the dukes of Burgundy and Nevers, the earliest supporters of the crusade, refused to accept the blood-stained fiefs offered them by the pope, and returned home in 1209. The song below, “On the approach of Winter,” reflects  the disgust in the ranks of the soldiers.

MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN  -- read by Albrecht Classen

(English translations by Albrecht Classen)

Heinrich von Veldeke

Ez habent die kalte nähte getân (MF 64, 26)

Ez habent die kalte nähte getân,
daz diu löuber an der linden
winterlîche val stân.
der minne hân ich guoten wân
und weiz sîn nû ein liebez ende;
daz ist mir zem besten al vergân,
Dâ ich die minne guot vinde
und ich mich ir aldâ underwinde.
 

Translation:

The cold nights have been guilty
of changing the leaves on the linden trees
to take on a wintry color.
I had enjoyed high hopes for love,
and now I know that my love has ended.
I have lost the best time and place
there where I find good love
and where I can win this happiness.
 

Rudolf von Fenis

Daz ich den sumer alsô mæziclîchen klage (MF 83, 25)

1. Daz ich den sumer alsô mæzeclîchen klage, / walt unde bluomen die sint gar betwungen / daz ist dâ von, daz sîn zît mir noch her hât gevrumt harte kleine umb ein wîp. / vil lîhte gvreuwent si die liehten tage, / den dâ vor ist nâch ir willen gelungen. / mac mir der winter den strît noch gescheiden hin zir, der ie gerte mîn lîp, / Sô ist daz mîn reht, daz ich in iemer êre, / wan mîner swære wart nie mêre. / owê, zwiu lât mich verderben diu hêre?

2. Diu heide noch der vogel sanc / kan ân ir trôst mir niht vröide bringen, / diu mir das herze und den lîp hât bewungen, daz ich ir niht vergezzen mac. / swie vil si gesingent, mich dunket ze lanc / daz bîten. durch daz verzage ich an guoten gedingen. / dâ muoz ich dur nôt von verderben von ir, wan mir nie wîp sô nâhe gelac. / Swenne si wil, so bin ich leides âne. / mîn lachen stât sô bî sunnen der mâne. / doch was gnuoc grôz her mîn vröide von wâne.
 

Translation:

The reason why I lament the passing of summer so moderately, and equally little the defeat of trees and flowers, is that its wonderful time has hardly helped me to win a lady’s favor. Those who have been able to achieve their goals have the summer days in wonderful memory. If winter can help me win the struggle to gain her love, I would be very thankful to him. Then it would be my duty to give him honor, as my pain right now has never been worse. Oh dear, why does the harsh lady allow my death to happen?

Neither the meadow nor the bird song can give me any joy without her, she who has control over my heart and my body so that I cannot forget her. However much they might be singing, for me it seems to take too much time to beg for her favor. I will have to perish because of her, as I have never loved any lady more than her. My laughter is so close to her as the moon is to the sun, but I had enough happiness before because of my hope for her love.



Heinrich von Morungen

Uns ist zergangen (MF 140, 32)

1. Uns ist zergangen der lieplîch summer.
dâ man brach bluomen, da lît nu der snê.
mich muoz belangen, wenne sî mînen kummer
welle volenden, der mir tuot so wê.
Jâ klage ich niht den klê,
swenne ich gedenke an ir wîplîchen wengel,
diu man ze vröide so gerne ane sê.

2. Seht an ir ougen und merkent ir kinne,
seht an ir kele wîz und prüevent ir munt.
Si ist âne lougen gestalt sam diu minne.
mir wart von vrouwen so liebez nie kunt.
Jâ hât si mich verwunt
sêre in den tôt. ich verliuse die sinne
genâde, ein küniginne, du tuo mich gesunt.

3. Die ich mit gesange hie prîse unde krœne,
an die hât got sînen wunsch wol geleit.
in gesach nu lange nie bilde alsô schœne
als ist mîn vrowe; des bin ich gemeit.
Mich vröit ir werdekeit
baz danne der meie und alle sîn dœne,
die die vogel singt; daz sî iu geseit.

Translation:

1. The lovely summer has passed away.
Where we picked flowers, there is now snow
it troubles me deeply, when she wants to increase my pain; this hurts me so much.
I do not lament about the loss of clover
when I think of her womanly cheeks
which men like to look at out of pure joy.

2. Look in her eyes and notice her chin,
look at her white neck and check her lips.
She truly looks just like Lady Love.
No other woman has given me so much joy.
Yes, she has hurt me deeply
almost killed me. I am losing my senses,
mercy, you queen, make me healthy again.

3. She whom I praise and crown with my song,
has been the realization of God’s own ideal.
I have never seen such a beautiful image
as my lady. This makes me happy
her worthiness gives me more joy
than the month of May and all his noises,
which the birds make, be assured of that.
 

Walther von der Vogelweide (L 28, 31)

Ich hân mîn lêhen, al die werlt, ich hân mîn lêhen. / nû enfürhte ich niht den hornunc an die zêhen, / und wil alle bœse hêrren dester minre flêhen. / der edel künec, der milte künec hât mich berâten, / daz ich den sumer luft und in dem winter hitze hân. / mîn nâhgebûren dunke ich verre baz getân: / si sehent mich niht mêr an in butzen wîs als sî wîlent tâten. / ich bin ze lange arm gewesen ân mînen danc. / ich was sô voller scheltens daz mîn âten stanc: / daz hât der künec gemachet reine, und dar zuo mînen sanc.


Translation:

I have a farm, listen world, I have a farm, / now I do no longer fear February at my toes / and now I will no longer beg from all the evil lords. / The noble king, the generous king has helped me to enjoy fresh air during the summer and warmth in winter. / From now on my fellow men will think more highly of me, they will no longer look at me as some strange creature. / I have been poor just too long without any fault on my part. / I was so full of criticism that my breath began to smell. The king has cleaned it up, and so also my singing.
 

Walther von der Vogelweide (L. 39, 1)

Uns hât der winter geschât über al:
heide unde walt sint beide nû val,
dâ manic stimme vil suoze inne hal.
sæhe ich die megde an der strâze den bal
werfen! sô kæme uns der vogele schal.
Möhte ich verslâfen des winters zît!
wache ich die wîle, sô hân ich sîn nît,
daz sîn gewalt ist sô breit und sô wît.
weizgot er lât ouch dem meien den strît:
sô lise ich bluomen dâ rîfe nû lît.
 

Translation:

Winter has caused damage everywhere:
meadow and forest are all grey,
where before you heard many sounds.
If I could see the girls play ball on the street,
then bird song would come back.
If only I could sleep through the winter!
When I am awake I feel only hatred
that his power is so far and wide.
God knows, he even fights with May;
I picked flowers where there is now snow.


Neidhart L 24

Kint, bereitet iuch der sliten ûf daz îs!
da ist der leide winder kalt;
der hât uns der wünneclîchen bluomen vil benomen.
manger grüenen linden stênt ir tolden grîs,
unbesungen ist der walt.
daz ist allez von des rîfen ungenâden komen
mugt ir schouwen, wie er hât die heide erzogen?
diust von sînen schulden val.
dar zuo sint die nahtigal
alle ir wec gevlogen.

Wol bedörfte ich mîner wîsen vriunde rât
umbe ein dinc, als ich iu sage,
daz si rieten, wâ diu kint ir vreuden solten phlegen.
Megenwart der wîten stuben eine hât.
obz iu allen wol behage,
dar sul wir den gofenanz des vîretages legen.
ez ist sîner tohter wille, kom wir dar.
ir sultz alle ein ander sagen.
einen tanz alum die schragen
brüevet Engelmâr.



Translation:

Girls, prepare your sleds for the ice!
The miserable winter is cold;
he has stolen our wonderful flowers.
Many green linden trees are all shriveled.
Nobody sings in the forest.
This is caused by the merciless frost.
Do you want to see how he treated the meadow?
It has become withered because of his fault.
Moreover, the nightingales
have all flown away.

Now I need advice from my wise friends
because of one thing, as I tell you.
Where should the young people have fun.
Megenwart has a big hall.
If you all agree,
then we’ll have a dance on weekends there.
His daughter wants us to come there
tell everybody about it.
We’ll have a dance around the table
with Engelmâr as the leader.



Neidhart L 41



Sumer, dîner süezen weter müezen wir uns ânen
dirre kalte winder trûren unde senen gît.
ich bin ungetrœstet von der lieben wolgetânen.
Wie sol ich vertrîben dise langen swæren zît,
diu die heide velwet unde mange bluomen wolgetân?
dâ von sint die vogele in dem walde des betwungen,
daz si ir singen müezen lân.

Alsô hât diu vrouwe mîn daz herze mir betwungen,
daz ich âne vröude muoz verswenden mîne tâge.
ez vervæhet niht, swaz ich ir lange hân gesungen.
mir ist alsô mære, daz ich mêre stille dage.
ich geloube niht, daz sî den mannen immer werde holt
wir verliesen, swaz wir dar gesingen unde gerûnen,
ich und jener Hildebold.

Der ist nû der tumbist under geilen getelingen,
er und einer, nennet man den jungen Willegêr.
den enkunde ich disen sumer nie von ir gedringen,
so der tanz gein âbent an der strâze gie entwer.
mangen twerhen blic den wurfen sî mich mit den ougen an
daz ich sunder mînes guoten willen vor in beiden
ie ze sweime muose gân.

Closing stanza:

Her Nîthart hât uns hie verlâzen als diu krâ den stecken
diu dâ hinne fliuget unde sitzet ûf ein sât.
ez sol ein man mit fremden frouwen niht ze vil gezecken
der der wâren schulde an sîner keine vunden hât.
er niez sîn tegelîche spîse (der hât er dâ heime genuoc)
lâz Hildebolten mit gemache! ez was ein eichel, die
er bî im in dem biutel truoc.
 

Translation:

Summer, we are missing your good weather
this cold winter gives us sorrow and longing.
My beautiful beloved does not give me solace.
What shall I do during these long, heavy times,
as the meadow and the flowers have withered?
The birds in the wood are defeated by you
and have to stop singing.

The same way my lady exerts force on my heart
and I have to waste my time without any joy.
It is of no use what I used to sing for her,
this weighs so heavily on me that I stay quiet.
I do not think that she will ever love any man,
both I and that [peasant] Hildebold
forfeit the award for our singing and flattering.

He is the dumbest among the horny boors
he and another guy, called the young Willeger.
All summer I could never push him from her side
when the evening dance took place on the street.
Both [guys] looked at me full of jealousy
that I could not help but to feel like a pig
right in front of their eyes.


Closing Stanza:

Lord Neithart has left us as the crow left the stick
when it flies away and sits down on the seed field.
A man should not fool around too much with other women
when there is nothing wrong with his own wife.
He should enjoy his daily bread (of which he has enough at home)
leave Hildebolt alone, it was an acorn which
he carried in his bag (scrotum).

Middle English Winter Poetry - read by Roger Dahood

1. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Rawlinson G. 22 (unique text with music, ca. 1225)

Myrie* it is whil somer ylast*                        Merry / lasts
Wyth foweles* song;                                   birds’
But now neigheth* wyndes blast                   nears
And weder* strong*.                                weather / strong, severe, violent
Ei! Ei! What, this nyght is long,
And I wyth wel* muchel* wrong                    very / much
Sorwe* and murne* and faste.                      Sorrow / mourn

 

2. London, British Library, MS. Harley 2253 (unique text, ca. 1320)

Wynter wakeneth* al my care;                      wakens
Now thise leves waxen* bare.                       grow
Ofte I sike* and murne sare*                        sorely, grievously
    Whan it cometh in my thought
    Of this worldes joye, how it goth al
           to noght.

Now it is and now it nis*,                             isn’t
Also* it ner* nere*, y-wis*.                          As if / never / had been / truly
That* many man seyth, sooth* it is--             What / true
     Al goth* but Goddes wille;                       passes, ends
     Alle we shullen* deye*,                           must / die
            thogh us like ille*.                           though (it) displease us
 

Al that greyn* me* graveth* grene*,              grain, seed/one/plants/new
Now it faleweth* al bidene*.                         withers, dies / quickly
Jhesu, help that it be sene,                           plain, understood
     And shilde* us from Helle;                       shield
     For I not* whider* I shal*, ne*how long                                          
             heer dwelle.                             don’t know/ whither/must (go)/nor

3. Oxford, Bailliol College MS. 354 (unique text, MS. before 1550)

“The carol is spoken or sung by the minstrel in the person of the Lord of Misrule, who presided over the Christmas festivities: his authority is indicated by his orders to the marshal (l. 2, a functionary in charge of seating arrangements at feasts) and by his power to extract forfeits, e.g. confinement in the stocks for those who did not enter into the revelry (l. 11).” –R. H. Robbins

Refrain: 

Make we mery bothe more &  lasse*         great and small, i.e., everyone                                                         
            For now ys the tyme of Crystymas.

Lett no man cum into this hall--
Grome*, page, nor yet marshall,                   Groom, man-servant
But that sum sport he bring with-all*,          entertainment / in addition
For now ys the tyme of Crystmas.

Yff that he say he cannot syng,
sum oder* sport then lett hym bring,               other
That* yt may please at thys festing,                So that
For now ys the tyme of Crystmas.

Yff he say he can nowght* do,                         nothing
Then for my loue aske hym no mo*;                 more
But to the stokkes then lett hym go,
For now ys the tyme of Crystmas.

4. London, British Library Additional MS. 14997 (unique text, 1500)

Refrain:       Hay, ay, hay, ay,
            Make we mery as we may.

1. Now ys Yole comyn with gentyll chere,
Of merthe & gomyn* he has no pere*;             amusement / peer, equal
In euery londe where he comys nere*              near              
Is merthe & gomyn, I dar wele say.

2. Now ys comyn* a messyngere                     has come
Of yore lorde, Ser Nu Yere*,                           Sir / New Year
Byddes* vs all be mere* here                         (Who) commands / merry
And make as mere as we may.

3. Therefore euery mon that ys here
Synge a carol on hys manere*;                     in his own way, as best he can
Yf he con* non, we schall* hym lere*,          know / must / teach
So that we be mere allway.

4. Whosoeuer makes heve* chere*,   heavy, serious / face, facial expression
Were he neuer to me dere*,            No matter how dear he might be to me
In a dyche* I wolde* he were,              ditch / would wish
To dry hys clothes tyll hyt were day.

5. Mende the fyre, & make gud chere!
Fyll the cuppe, ser* botelere*!                      sir / butler
Let euery mon drynke to hys fere*!                fellow, companion
Thys endes my carol with care awaye.

From Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (?1390)

Þis kyng lay at Camylot vpon Krystmasse
With mony luflych˚ lorde, ledez˚ of þe best,                                many a courteous / men
Rekenly˚ of þe Rounde Table alle þo rich breþer˚,                     worthily / brothers (in arms)
With rych reuel oryght˚ and rechles merþes.˚                             properly / carefree joys
Þer tournayed tulkes˚ by tymez ful mony˚,                                 men / very many times
Justed ful jolilé˚ þise gentyle knightes,                                jousted very gallantly
Syþen kayred˚ to þe court caroles to make.                              afterwards rode
For þer þe fest watz ilyche ful˚ fiften dayes,                               kept up in full (for)
With alle þe mete and þe mirþe þat men couþe avyse˚;          devise
Such glaum ande gle˚ glorious to here,                           noise and revelry
Dere˚ dyn vpon day, daunsyng on nyghtes,                                pleasant
Al watz hap˚ vpon heghe in hallez and chambrez                        happiness
With lordez and ladies, as leuest him þoght˚.                     as seemed most pleasant to them
With all þe wele of þe worlde þay woned þer samen˚,           remained there together
Þe most kyd˚ knyghtez vnder Krystes seluen˚,                   renowned / Christ himself
And þe louelokkest˚ ladies þat euer lif haden˚,                   most courteous ladies / lived
And he þe comlokest˚ kyng þat þe court haldes˚;                      comeliest / rules
For al watz þis fayre folk in her˚ first age,                                  their
on sille˚,                                                                                    in the hall
Þe hapnest˚ vnder heuen,                                                          most fortunate
Kyng hyghest mon of wylle˚;                                                     temper, mind
Hit were now gret nye to neuen˚                                                        difficulty to name
So hardy a here˚ on hille.                                                          troop

Wyle Nw Yer watz so yep˚ þat hit watz nwe cummen,                  new
Þat day doubble on þe dece˚ watz þe douth˚ serued.                 dais / company
Fro˚ þe kyng watz cummen with knyghtes into þe halle,             After
Þe chauntré of˚ þe chapel cheued to an ende˚,                       singing from / having ended
Loude crye watz þer kest of˚ clerkez and oþer,                         spoken by
Nowel nayted˚ onewe, neuened˚ ful ofte;                                  celebrated, repeated / spoken
And syþen riche˚ forth runnen to reche hondeselle˚,                   nobles / give gifts
Yeyed˚, “Yeres-yiftes!” on high, yelde˚ hem bi hond,                 cried / gave
Debated busyly aboute þo˚ giftes;                                             those
Ladies laghed ful loude, þogh þay lost haden,               
And he þat wan watz not wrothe, þat may ye wel trawe.
Alle þis mirþe þay maden to þe mete˚ tyme;                              meal
When þay had waschen worþyly þay wenten to sete,
Þe best burne˚ ay abof, as hit best semed,                                 highest ranking man
Whene Guenore, ful gay˚, grayþed˚ in þe myddes,                     very lovely / seated
Dressed˚ on þe dere des, dubbed˚ al aboute,                            seated / adorned
Smal sendal˚ bisides, a selure hir ouer                                        fine silk / canopy
Of tryed˚ tolouse˚, and tars˚ tapites˚ innoghe,        fine / red cloth / rich cloth / wall hangings
Þat were enbrawded and beten˚ wyth þe best gemmes              embroidered
Þat myght be preued of prys wyth penyes to bye˚,                      shown worth great cost
in daye.                                                                                    ever
Þe comlokest to discrye                                                                see
Þer glent˚ with yghen gray,                                                        glanced, glinted, sparkled
A semloker˚ þat euer he syghe                                                      lovelier
Soth moght˚ no mon say.                                                      in truth might

Bot Arthure wolde not ete til al were serued,
He watz so joly˚ of his joyfnes˚, and sumquat childgered˚:          lively / youthfulness / boyish
His lif liked hym lyght˚, he louied þe lasse˚                          active / didn’t like (lit. loved the less)
Auþer˚ to longe lye or to longe sitte,                                          either
So bisied˚ him his yonge blod and his brayn wylde˚.                   stirred / restless
And also an oþer maner meued him eke˚                                       as well
Þat he þurgh nobelay˚ had nomen˚, he wolde neuer ete          on his honor / undertaken
Vpon such a dere day er hym deuised were˚                             before it were told to him
Of sum auenturus˚ þyng an vncouþe˚ tale,                                  daring / strange, marvelous
Of sum mayn˚ meruayle, þat he myght trawe,                         great
Of alderes˚, of armes, of oþer auenturus,                                   princes
Oþer˚ sum segg˚ hym bisoght˚ of sum siker˚ knyght                   or / man / for some true
To joyne wyth hym in iustyng˚, in jopardé to lay˚,                      To joust with him / to risk
Lede˚, lif for lyf, leue vchon oþer˚,                                             (each) man / allow the other
As fortune wolde fulsun hom˚, þe fayrer˚ to haue.              help them / the better (i.e., victory)
Þis watz þe kynges countenaunce˚ where˚ he in court were,                   custom / wherever
At vch farand fest˚ among his fre meny˚                         splendid feast / noble retinue
in halle.
Þerfore of face so fere
He stightlez˚ stif˚ in stalle˚,                                                 rules / boldly / erect
Ful yep˚ in þat Nw Yere                                                           very young
Much mirthe he mas˚ withalle.                                           makes

Thus þer stondes in stale þe stif kyng hisseluen,
Talkkande bifore þe hyghe table of trifles ful hende˚.          noble, courteous
There gode Gawan watz grayþed˚ Gwenore bisyde,                  seated
And Agrauayn a la Dure Mayn˚ on þat oþer syde sittes,            of the Hard Hand
Boþe þe kynges sistersunes˚ and ful siker knightes;                    nephews (sister’s sons)
Bischop Bawdewyn abof biginez þe table˚,                                sits on Arthur’s right-hand side
And Ywan, Vryn son, ette with hymseluen˚.                      Shared dishes with him (i.e., Baldwin)
Þise were dight on þe des˚ and derworþly˚ serued,                    seated at the dais / nobly
And siþen mony siker segge at þe sidbordez˚.                           lower tables
Þen þe first cors come with crakkyng of trumpes,
Wyth mony˚ baner ful bryght þat þerbi henged;                          many a
Nwe nakryn noyse˚ with þe noble pipes,                                   kettle drums’ sound
Wylde werbles˚ and wyght˚ wakned lote˚,                                 trills / loud / created echoes
Þat mony hert ful highe hef at her towches˚.                          rose up very high at their sounds
Dayntés dryuen þerwyth of ful dere metes˚,                 delicacies brought in of very costly foods
Foysoun˚ of þe fresche, and on so fele˚ disches             abundance / many
Þat pine˚ to fynde þe place þe peple biforne                              (it was) difficult
For to sette þe sylueren þat sere sewes halden˚                 silver dishes that held different stews
on clothe.
Iche lede as he loued hymselue˚                                    each one as he pleased
Þer laght˚ withouten loþe˚;                                    took / offending
Ay two˚ had disches twelue,                                     every two people
Good ber and bryght wyn boþe.

Now wyl I of hor˚ seruise say yow no more,                             their
For vch wyghe˚ may wel wit˚ no wont þat þer were˚.    person / know / lack was there
An oþer noyse ful newe neghed˚ biliue˚,                                    drew near / quickly
Þat˚ þe lude˚ myght haf leue liflode to cach˚;                  such that / king / be allowed to eat
For vneþe˚ watz þe noyce˚ not a whyle sesed˚,             hardly / music / ended
And þe fyrst cource in þe court kyndely˚ serued,                       properly, courteously
Þer hales˚ in at þe halle dor an aghlich mayster˚….                rushes / awesome, fearsome lord

Medieval Italian Poetry - read by Fabian Alfie

Dante

Io son venuto al punto de la rota

Al poco giorno e al gran cerchio d’ombra

Folgore da San Gimignano

To a Noble Company of Sienese

November

December

January

PERSIAN POETRY -

Poems by Jalal Al-Din Rumi

Read by Professor Kamran Talattof

Translations into English Verse' by A.J. Arberry, 1949.</