Isidore, Chapter Six

In the 406th era, during the fifth year of the reign of Valens, Athanaricus I took up the governing of the Gothic people, ruling for 13 years, whom, having been moved to a very cruel persecution of the faithful, wanted to train himself against Goths, who had taken up Christianity among his people.  Those out of the many, who would not agree to offer sacrifices to idols, he made martyrs. Moreover these many persecutions affected the feelings of the rest of the Goths. While he might have shrunk from killing a great number of people, he had committed a sin. Indeed he was driven to go into exile from his own kingdom and migrated alone to the Roman provinces.

[The Goths took up the Arian form of Christianity, i.e. they believed the Son was subordinate to the Father, but Valens was also Arian so this was not a source of conflict between them. It is surprising that Isidore referred to the Arians as Christians when, officially, they were considered heretics and worse than pagans. Athanaric does not appear to have been styled as a 'king' but as a 'judge'.]

Isidore, Chapter Five

[Spanish unit of time] Era 364, the Goths, having attacked the region of the Sarmatians in the 26th year of the rule of the emperor Constantinus, rushed against the Romans in the fertile fields, laying waste to all with overwhelming strength, sword and plundering. Against whom, Constantinus, himself, heroically took charge of the battle and scarcely was able to push the battle out beyond the Danube. This did not give him the bright fame of  overcoming people with strength but the victory of the Goths was more glorious. The Romans, acclaimed by the Senate, laid public lauds on Constantinus as are given when such people are defeated, who would later transform the Roman republic.

Constantinus - Constantine I, Saint Constantine, Constantine the Great, the emperor who made Christianity legal and formed the Nicean Council.

circa 332 since Ariaricus was captured in this campaign.

Isidore's History, Chapter Four

[Spanish] Era 295, during the first year of the rule of Valerian and Gallien, the Goths having descending from the mountains of the Alps, which they were inhabiting, laid waste to Greece, Macedonia, Pontus, Asia and Illyricus. They held Illyricus and Macedonia scarcely 15 years. From there, having been vanquished by the Emperor Claudius, they sought a suitable homeland. The Romans placed a golden statue in the capital and a golden shield in the forum honouring them and Claudius Augustus with insignia of glory because they were so strong a people, and forced them to withdraw from the borders of the republic.

Pontus - a part of modern day Turkey.
Illyricus- later Pannonia, Roman province along the Adriatic Sea, parts of which are in Albania and Croatia.
Time would be circa 255 A.D.
Claudius is Claudius II, aka Claudius Gothicus.
The first wave of Goths were the Thervingi in 268

Isidore's History, Chapter 3

Twelve years before the founding of our era, while seizing the power of the republic, Gnaeus Pompeius and Gaius Julius Caesar had been moved to civil war. The Goths, for the purpose of offering aide to Pompey, went to Thessaly to fight against Caesar. Where, while the multitudes of Ethiopians, Indians, Persians, Parthians, Greeks, Armenians, and Scythians, flocked to Pompey and what's more, having urged the rest of the peoples of the Orient to fight for their lives against Caesar, they stayed behind to offer stronger resistance on behalf of the rest against Caesar. Caesar, having been thrown into disorder by the troops and courage of them, made plans for a retreat when night made an end of the battle. At that moment, Caesar said that he knew that Pompey could not win nor would he be able to defeat Caesar. For if Pompey knew how to win, then with such fierce men he should have been able to overcome Caesar that day.

Back to Isidore

After a little diversion, I am back to my loose translation of Isidore of Seville's History of the Kingdom of the Goths, Vandals and Suevi. I must say, quite a bit of his Latin, or the way he spells Latin words, does not appear in any of my dictionaries. This makes it frustrating to translate because I am guessing to some degree.

The history begins.

1 That the Goths are a very ancient people is certain. In fact their ancestor is Magog, son of Japhet. They (Gog and Magog) are assumed to be joined together more by the prophet Ezekiel than by the similarity in their last syllables, but they are called Getas by the learned more than they are called Gog and Magog. This strongest of peoples will be recorded as having set foot even in the land of Judea.

2 Moreover a translation of their name has been uncovered in our language which means 'strength' and this is true because there was no people on this earth who have vexed the might of Rome so long as these have. For indeed, these people (the Goths) are those who even Alexander (the Great) proclaimed must be avoided, Pyrrhus (a Greek general whose life is recorded in Plutarch's Lives, "Some of his battles, though successful, cost him heavy losses, from which the term "Pyrrhic victory" was coined.")  feared them greatly, Caesar (Julius) dreaded them. {from Orosius's history} For many generations back, they were accustomed to be lead by dukes, afterwards by kings. Of whom it is necessary to quickly set forth the succession and the times, and they reigned in name and deed, to unravel a little about the histories.

You got to be curious about a people so fearsome that some of the biggest warmongers in history shuddered at the mention of their name.

More Isidore

I am not going to do a literal translation but the next 'chapter' states that

"Nature has enriched Spain as a reward with lots of things that grow. Rich fruit trees, full of vigor, happy harvests, innumerable olive trees, great show of life. You have flowering fields, leafy mountains, shores full of fishes. You have been placed on the most blessed region on earth. You do not burn with the flame of the summer heat, nor do you decline with strong blasts of ice, but you are encircled with a sky of moderate airs, western breezes will nourish the happy ones. The fields are so fertile, the land full of precious metals and beauty of living things and good pastures. Nor are the rivers to be neglected, which render famous the bright fame of the handsome flocks."

In short, Spain is the land of milk and honey according to Isidore. I don't know if the trouble is the Latin Library copy of the latin. More likely it is Isidore's latin. I have no footnotes so I am not sure how to take some of the parts that don't make sense which is why I am winging it.

History of the Kingdom of the Goths, Vandals and Suevi

      Isidore of Seville, bishop and saint, wrote a book called Etymologiae in which he tried to sum up all the 'knowledge' of the time, quoting extensively from many Roman authors. He also wrote a history of the Germanic tribes that conquered his part of Europe, Spain (whatever size or shape Spain was at the time). The Visigothic kingdom of Alaric (who conquered Rome in 410 a.d.) was still going strong although it was converting to Catholicism from Arianism. It had also been defeated by Clovis and had its capital looted of its Roman treasures.  Isidore does not seem to be a popular writer. His history has only been translated into English in the mid 1960's and googling some of the latin terms he used yielded nothing. Although he wrote a book called Etymologiae, his latin was not the best and is challenging to decipher but I feel like giving it a shot.

      Since I used up a bit of space taking about Isidore, I will do only the first chapter of the Prologue today. Isidore loved Spain since he starts off with this little bit:

 Of all the lands, which are from the west all the way to India, you are the most beautiful. O  holy, and always happy mother of the best of peoples, Hispania. I swear (though the form jure doesn't support a first person singular interpretation) you are the queen of all provinces, from which not even light of the setting sun or the rising sun can alter. You are the glory and the jewel of the earth, the brighter part of earth: in which many of the people of the Goths rejoice and what's more flourish for the most part  in glorious abundance.

Since Canada was not a country yet, I won't pause now to point out his error.

A Bit of Irony

      For Remembrance Day or Veteran's Day or Armistice Day (whatever you call it), most people around here have a public reading of John McRae's 'In Flander's Fields'. It is a moving poem and the good doctor was a Canadian who gave his life in service to his country. The poem, that as often comes to my mind, is called 'Dulce et Decorum Est' by Wilfred Owen, a British volunteer, who also died, killed in action seven days before the war came to an end.
     I mention this because his poem speaks against war and he was not someone who stayed home and wrote his anti-war poems from the safety of his living room far from the front. He wrote his poem describing the horror of the gas attack, having seen it up close, and finished with,

"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--- My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori."

He quoted a line from Horace, which means "how sweet and fitting it is to die for one's 
country". It was taken from a poem in Horace's book 3 of Carmina, poem #2 'Angustam Amice', the entire stanza is here,

"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori:

mors et fugacem persequitur virum

nec parcit inbellis iuventae

poplitibus timidove tergo."

"It is sweet and fitting to die for the fatherland.

Death pursues even the fleeing man and spares

not the unwarlike of young men or the hamstrings of the timid."

How would Horace know? Somehow he managed to survive the Battle of Philipi, 
fighting on the losing Republican side, even though he fled the battle without his shield. I guess the lie started with Horace. Augustus forgave him and then he spent the rest of his 
life writing poems for the glory of Augustus and his war machine.

It is difficult to provide a translation of the title because 'angustam' is an adjective and 
'amice' is an adverb and they just do not go together. Word order in classical Latin is fluid and it is more important to Roman poetry to adhere to the meter than to keep adjectives 
with the nouns they describe and adverbs with the verbs. The title of the poem would 
always be the first few words of the poem, hence The Aeneid was never called that by the Romans, it was "arma et virumque cano". "I sing of arms and a man."

The first stanza is then,

"Angustam amice pauperiem pati
robustus acri militia puer
condiscat et Parthos ferocis
vexet eques metuendus hasta."

ignoring meter and putting it together as a modern sentence, it should go like this:

" Robustus puer condiscat pati amice angustam pauperiem acri militia et hasta/eques 
vexet Parthos ferocis metuendus."

"Let the healthy boy learn to endure patriotically narrow poverty with military discipline 
just as the mounted spearman harasses the Parthinians with the ferocity of fear."

Sounds like fun. Sign me up for that.
The Latin version of Horace's poem was taken from The Latin Library website.

The Name of the Rose, A Review

     It has taken me a while to read this 502 page novel. Not because it is not interesting. It certainly is but Umberto Eco's passion for medieval history and language are very evident in this book. First off, like any Eco novel, it is well researched and the atmosphere feels authentic. You cannot fault him with any anachronisms or misinformation but he does go on a bit too long about the various heresies of the 13th and 14th centuries. However, some of this information is important to the back story of why William of Baskerville is at this Abbey in the mountains of northern Italy waiting for a delegation from the Pope when a young monk suddenly dies.
    The Abbot approaches William and asks him to investigate, although everyone believes it is a suicide, because William had been an Inquisitor for the Church at one time. William duly begins asking questions in the Scriptorum where the recently dead had worked and finds that there was indeed something mysterious about the young man's death. When another monk is found dead, soon after, it becomes clear that there is a murderer on the loose at the Abbey and William is engaged in a race against time to solve the murders before the Papal delegation arrives with the formidable and sinister Grand Inquisitor Bernard Gui at its head while the body count rises. Since the Abbot will not allow William to enter the Library, in the day or night, William must resort to stealth by night in the labyrinth of the Aedificium as it quickly becomes clear that the murders involve some forbidden book that is hidden in the library.
      The story is told from William's helper, the young novice Adso of Melk in the form of a memoir that Adso writes as he is nearing the end of his life. I recommend the book but, if anyone finds the discussions of medieval heresies or philosophy a bit wearying, they can easily be skipped over without losing anything essential to the story.

      Eco has written a nice introduction to the book, explaining his inspiration for the novel and he has also written a fairly lengthy postscript including a discussion of the source for the name.  He does not come out and say who or what is the 'Rose' of the title as he believes that, once the book is published, the reader is free to interpret the book as they see it. He writes that it is not the authors's job to tell the reader how to interpret the work and any interpretation could be equally valid. That being said, he does offer up the source for the Latin with which he ends the story: "stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus." as I translate it, "The pristine rose stands rose by name, we hold the name as evident." It is indeed a mystery.

     It is an odd little line because, in the source that Eco names, De Contemptu Mundi by Bernard of Morlay, available here in the original latin, the line is "Nunc ubi Regulus aut ubi Romulus aut ubi Remus? Stat Roma pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus." line 951-952.  "Where now is Regulus, or Romulus or Remus? The original Rome stands Rome by name, we understand the name."

In Book 1, line 177, there is a line about a rose "Tunc rosa sanguine, lilia virgine mente micabunt, gaudia maxima te pia lacrima te recreabunt." translated by me as "then, the lily gleams like the virgin mind, they recreate for you the great joy of your pious tear with the blood colored rose."

line 455 "Mox rosa fit rubus, ipseque cras pia, nunc rosa, cras fex." "Soon the rose will become red, Hereafter itself good, the rose is thereafter dregs."
line751 " O caro lactea, nunc rosa, postea sarcina vilis, flos tibi corruet et rose defluet haec iuvenilis....quid rosa? Foenum. " O milky flesh, now the rose, afterwards a burden of little value,the flower is corrupting to you and the rose proves unfaithful to the youthful of her......what is the rose? Hay."

The piece that Eco referred to is, in his own words, a variant on the ubi sunt theme. That is where have they gone?
It would be too easy to say the Rose is the girl who Adso meets in the kitchen one night and has sex with.  However the rose has so many meanings in medieval literature, one cannot be certain an event that was merely a footnote in a murder mystery was the most important event in the entire story that Adso tells about the Abbey. Perhaps it was the most important thing to Adso, but he never knows her name. The film with Sean Connery deviates a little from the book in the fate of the rose, although the novel is truer to what would have been her likely fate, which is more satisfying to a modern audience. Finally, I am not sure if Eco himself has a clear vision of who or what he meant the Rose to be.

More Latin

It is possible one could google some of these phrases From 'The Name of the Rose' and find them online as they appear to be from psalms that might well still be in use.

page 101 at the beginning of chapter "Matins"

"Domine, labia mea aperies et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam"

"Lord, May you open my lips and my voice will proclaim your praises."

followed by "Venite exultamus" "Come. Let us rejoice"

and "Deus qui est sanctorum slendor mirabilis." "God who is the wonderful brilliance of the saints."

"Iam lucis orto sidere" I had to google this one and it is just as well because it is a fragment and 'sidere' is not the infinitive of a verb nor would supplying a form of 'esse' make it make sense.

"Now in the glory of the light having dawned."

On page 94 of chapter 'Compline', Eco wrote that the monks only used rape oil and olive oil. Most people might not know that canola was once called 'rapeseed'. Of course that name does not sell the oil and 'canola' itself is an acronym for a specially bred type of rapeseed - Canadian oil seed, low acid". Rapeseed came from the latin for 'turnip' since they are relatives being both 'brassicae'. Cultivation for oil seems to have begun around the Rhine in the Middle Ages and more northern regions since olive trees do not grow there.

Latin in The Name of the Rose

I have to wonder with all the latin that I am seeing in this novel if it bothered people with no Latin at all that none of it is translated. I guess it gives the novel the aura of authenticity but surely it could have been translated in footnotes or brackets. I am not going to translate them all but, if someone comes across this blog and finds a phrase that they really want to understand and Google translate or Babelfish is not working for them, they can post a comment and I will do my best to translate it for them. My edition is a Harcourt paperback, translated into English by William Weaver.

There is a long Latin piece on pages 62-63 which I shall translate now.

"Quorum primus seraphico calculo purgatus et ardore celico inflammatus totum incendere videbatur. Secundus vero verbo predicationis fecundus super mundi tenebras clarius radiavit"

"The first of these having been cleansed by the seraphic stone and burned by the celestial fire seemed to burn up entirely. The second fertile one, in truth, gleamed more brightly by the word of his preaching upon the darkness of the world."

And then Ubertino said "yes, these were the promises: the Angelic Pope must come" So the first sentence refers to the Anti-Christ and the second is Jesus come again(?). At last Ubertino said "Mors est quies viatoris - finis est omnis laboris" or "Death is the repose of the traveller - is the end of all labor." Life is a journey not a destination.

Poem by Boethius

It's time to get out of the garden now that the typically really hot and humid Ontario summer is underway. So ..... latin verse. This one is by Boethius from Consolatio Philosophiae (Loeb Edition), Book II, Verse I.

Haec cum superba verterit vices dextra

Et aestuantis more fertur Euripi,

Dudum tremendos saeva proterit reges

Humilemque victi sublevat fallax vultum

Non illa miseros audit aut curat fletus

Ultroque gemitus dura quos fecit ridet.

Sic illa ludit, sic suas probat vires

Magnumque suis demonstrat ostentum, si quis

Visatur una stratus ac felix hora.

It does not rhyme. Latin poetry gets its rhythm from long and short stresses which would not be doable in a non-inflected language since word order would then matter. Just because an adjective is next to a noun does not mean the adjective describes that noun. This meter is said (on the Perseus site) to be in 'scazons' or 'limping iambic triameter'. I will take their word for it. I could not make the long and short fit. It matters because in a word like 'una', for example, because, if the 'a' is long, it is in the ablative form. If the 'a' is short, then it is in the nominative form. 'Vices dextra' was odd because does not mean 'wheel of fortune but has been translated that way. Checking the Oxford Latin Dictionary, vicis can mean 'a rotation' and dextra can mean 'right' not in the sense of direction but as 'fortune' however dextra is not in the genitive. It is awkward. If I was translating this without a dictionary or notes, I would be lost as to what Boethius is saying.

Euripus is a narrow strait between Euboea and Boeotia which has strong tidal currents. It is used here as poetic for 'tide'. Of course if you don't know what Euripus is, you would be lost. I hate Latin poetry. I don't like the translation in the Loeb edition. The one at Perseus is better but mine is best. And here it is.

With arrogance, this one will have turned the wheel of fortune

And it is foolishly carried away with the force of a tidal surge.

Just now the cruel one tramples down formidable kings

And the false one raises up the humble face of the conquered.

That one does not hear the wretched or care about the weeping ones,

And furthermore the harsh one laughs at those she has made groan.

Thus she will play.

In this way she tests her own strength

And she shows a great wonder to her own,

If someone is seen within the same hour

Lucky and laid low.

The voice is Lady Philosophy condemning Fortuna.

About King Herla, part one

Now that your nails are trimmed, it is time for a bedtime story from Walter Map. I am posting it in two parts because it is slightly long. Enjoy.

They tell of a similar story of our courts. They say King Herla of the most ancient Briton had been appointed on account of another king, who did not seem to be a pygmy, being of half height, who was not taller than a monkey. The manikin approached sitting on a great goat according to the story. The man was able to be described looking just like Pan, with a fiery face, large head, with a broad red beard, his chest was covered with a faun skin set with stars of great brightness, whose belly was shaggy and his legs ended with goat's feet. Herla was alone speaking with the man. The pygmy said, "I am a king of a great kingdom and a prince of an innumerable and infinite people, having been sent from them, I come to you willingly, indeed unknown to you, but having heard boasting about the reputation that you are above other kings, indeed, you are great and near to me in both place and blood, and it is fitting that you invite me as a glorious guest to your lovely wedding, when the King of the Franks gives his daughter to you, because it has been arranged with you not knowing, and (Behold!) the ambassadors come today. And let it be an eternal pact between us that I might first attend your wedding and you come to mine on the same day next year. " this having been said, he turned his back more swiftly than a tiger and vanished from his sight. Then, the king, returning from there with amazement, received ambassadors because he accepted their request. Whereby when settling down to the wedding feast, behold a pygmy appeared before the first course, with such a great multitude similar to himself that there were more reclining at full tables outdoors than inside in the pygmies' own tents which had been set up in a flash. Servants sprung up from among them with jars made of whole, precious stones and by inimitable arts. They filled up the palace and the tents with golden things which they carried. And everywhere they roasted eagerly, and the servants were not from the region but were strangers. All of the wine was served from their own stores, and everything they carried with them exceeded all prayers and vows. The things which Herla had prepared were spared, his servants sat in idleness, who were neither being sought nor served. The pygmies went around, followed by the esteem of all, lit up by costliness of clothes and of gems which were just as lights for the rest. No one was tedious in word or in deed either by their presence or by their absence. Therefore their king addressed King Herla in the middle of the ministering of his servants, "Best of Kings, Earthly Lord, I am present at your wedding according to our pact, if there are any greater arguments to be sought for you other than what you understand, I will supply them willingly. Now you must in turn honor me with what I sought." There was no response expected to these words, he suddenly returned the tents from whence they came and around break of day disappeared with his people.

About the Basilisk and the Mirror

Chapter 23 from the Deeds of the Romans

Alexander ruled, who obtained dominion over the whole earth. At this time, it happened, while he gathered a large army and besieged a certain city; he lost in that place many soldiers and other without any wounds. But when he wondered about this, he called his philosophers and said to them: "Magisters, how is this able to be; that suddenly without wounds, my soldiers are dying?" To him: "This is no wonder. A certain basilisk is upon the wall, by the sight of which the soldiers are being killed and dying." Alexander said: "And what is the remedy against the basilisk?" To whom they said: "The best mirror should be placed, raised up, between the army and the wall, where the basilisk is, and when the basilisk looks in the mirror, the view of itself, having been reflected, will be carried back to its very self and thus it will die." And thus it was done.

The Ending of Godot

I got tired of writing 'taciturnitas' in this piece.

Vlad: Nuntium de Godoto habes?

puer: Ita vero, domine.

Vlad: Non veniet illa nocte.

puer: Minime, domine.

Vlad: Sed veniet cras.

puer: Ita vero, domine

Vlad: Sine dubio.

puer: Ita vero, domine.

Taciturnitas

Vlad: Conveniesne quis?

puer: Minime, domine.

Vlad: Duum alium (dubitans) virum?

puer: Non vidi aliquis, domine.

Vlad: Quod facit, ille Godotus? (taciturnitas) Me audis?

puer: Ita vero, domine.

Vlad: Et?

puer: Nihil facit, domine.

taciturnitas

Vlad: Quid tuum fratrem agit?

puer: Incidit morbum, domine.

Vlad: Fortasse quia hoc venit heri.

puer: Non scio, domine.

taciturnitas

Vlad: (molliter) Barbam habet, Godotus?

puer: Ita vero, domine.

Vlad: Candidam aut (dubitat) atram?

puer: Credo est canam, domine.

Vlad: Christus nos misereat!

taciturnitas

puer: Quod dico Godotum, domine?

Vlad: Eum dices (dubitat) eum dices, me vidisti et quod (dubitat) me vidisti (pausam, Vlad appropinquat, puer resilit, Vlad - cessat, puer cessat. Cum violentia subita) Certus es me vidisti? Non venies et cras me dices quem me nunquam vidisti?

taciturnitas. Vlad facit subitum saltum prorsus. Puer refugit et currens abit. Taciturnitas. Sol occidit, luna oritur. Sicut in Primo Actu. Vlad stat sine motu et flexus. Estragonus excitat, caligam detrahit, surgit cum una in utraque manu et venit eas in medio frontis ponit, tum ad Vladimir venit.

Estragonus: Quid es tecum?

Vlad: Nihil.

Estragonus: Discedo.

Vlad: Etiam

Estragonus: Somno longe?

Vlad: Non scio. (taciturnitas)

Estragonus: Quo vadamus?

Vlad: Non procul.

Estragonus: Ita vero. Veniamus hoc procul.

Vlad: Non possimus.

Estragonus: Cur non?

Vlad: Redeundi erimus cras.

Estragonus: Cur?

Vlad: Manere Godoto.

Estragonus: Video (taciturnitas) Non venit.

Vlad: Non

Estragonus: Et nunc nimis tardum est.

Vlad: nunc nox est.

Estragonus: Et si demittamus (pausa) Si eum demittamus?

Vlad: Nos puniat. (taciturnitas. Aspicit arborem) Omnis mortuus est praeter arborem.

Estragonus: (Aspicit arborem) Quod est?

Vlad: Est illa arbor.

Estragonus: Ita vero sed quotum genus?

Vlad: Non scio. Salix.

Estragonus trahit Vlad ad arborem. Stant adversi arborem. Taciturnitas.

Estragonus: Cur non nosmet suspendeamus?

Vlad: Cum quod?

Estragonus: Non habes funum?

Vlad: Non habeo funum.

Estragonus: Tum non possumus (taciturnitas)

Vlad: Veniamus.

Estragonus: Mane. Meum cingulum est

vlad: Nimis breve est.

Estragonus: Detrahas mihi crures.

Vlad: Et quis detrahat mihi crures?

Estragonus: Verum

Vlad: Utique monstra. (estragonus solvit funiculum quam atollit bracas quas nimis magnus pro eum, cadit ad talis. Spectant funiculum.) Efficiat in re dubia. Sed satis durus est?

Estragonus: Videbimus mox. Hoc (utrique tenent funum funiculi et trahunt. Frangitur. Paene cadent)

Vlad: Non aestimatur pretium maledicti. (taciturnitas)

Estragonus: Dicis cras rursus veniendi sumus?

Vlad: Ita vero.

Estragonus: Tum poterimus apportare partem bonam funis.

Vlad: Ita vero. (taciturnitas)

Estragonus: Dide?

Vlad: Sic?

Estragonus: Agere sicut hoc non possum.

Vlad: Hoc est quod cogitas.

Estragonus: Si separamus nos. Fortasse melior pro nos erit.

Vlad: Cras nos suspendemus. (pausam) Nisi Godotus venit.

Estragonus: Etsi venit.

Vlad: Servabimur. (Vlad amovet petum. (Felicis) intuetur, tentat intus. id quassat, pulsat petum, imponit suo capiti iterum)

Estragonus: Et? Agemusne?

Vlad: Indue bracas.

Estragonus: Quod?

Vlad: Indue bracas.

Estragonus: Vis mihi exungere bracas?

Vlad: Indue bracas.

Estragonus: (sentiens bracas caditur) Verum (Induit bracas)

Vlad: Et? Agemus?

Estragonus: Agemus.

Non movunt.

finum

More stories from the 'Romans'

#40 About the Beasts

Basil said in the Hexameron ( a book about the six days of creation), that certain beast are built for the purpose of working and have no value as food, such as horses, mules and asses. Other beasts are built for the purpose of eating and have no value for labor such as sheep, pigs, chickens, waterfowl and peacocks. There also are other beasts, which are not valuable for eating or for work but for guarding the home or purging it like dogs and cats: dogs guard, cats cleanse it.

#48 About the Mage and the World

It is told about a certain learned man who had a particular very beautiful garden, which was full of scented flowers, full of sweet fruit, full of abundance and delight. Whatever was delectable was there. He was never willing to reveal this place unless to fools and his enemies. And when they had been brought inside, they saw all and so much source of delight that they were astonished. When they would ask where they were, the answer to them was they were in paradise.

De Opresssione

One of the best kept 'secrets' of Medievalists is the "Deeds Of the Romans", a book of stories that has not seemed to catch on with a modern audience although it was a fertile plundering ground for ideas and inspiration to later writers. I felt like translating one of the stories because I thought it was interesting.

About Violence

Claudius ruled, who established on behalf of the law that, if anyone seized a woman and overpowered her by force, it should be by the choice of the woman if he ought to be put to death or if he should have to marry her without a dowry. It happened that a certain man ravished two women in one night. One woman asked for death and the other to be wed. The rapist was seized and lead in person before the judge so that he could answer to the two women in accordance with the law.

The first woman sought the death penalty in accordance with the law. The second woman sought the man for a husband in accordance with the law and said to the first: "It is true, since the law says it, that you should obtain what you ask for. And thus it should be done for me. But since my request is gentler and more affectionate, it seems to me therefore, that the judge will choose on behalf of me". Both women proceeded to see the judge in person and each demanded the privilege of the law. When the judge heard the reasons from each, he ruled for the second woman so that she would be able to marry the man. And thus it was done.

Several thoughts occur to me with this story. First off, raptus could mean abduction, looting, violence, hurrying as well as sexual assault. In this story it seems pretty clear that rape is meant. Secondly, what a busy guy - attacking two women in one night! Thirdly, imagine marrying your rapist! Except that seizing a woman was usually a property complaint; she was the property of her father, brother or husband. Even if she was willing, it could be called rape since she did not usually have the right of consent.

Deeds of the Franks, Book 10, Travel Guide to Jerusalem

It Begins With a Description of Sacred Places of Jerusalem

If any wish to go from the West to the parts of Jerusalem, let him hold to the rising of the sun(east) only and he will find the locations of Jerusalem for prayer, just as it is here written down. In Jerusalem, there is a room covered with one stone where Solomon wrote his book Wisdom. And there, between the temple and the altar, on the marble before the altar, the blood of Zacharia was spilled. From there it is not far to the stone from which, through separate years, the Jews came and, anointing it, were lamenting and then were returning with a sigh. There is the home of Hezekiah, king of the Jews, to whom God had given 15 years. Then there is the home of Caiaphas and a column, to which Christ had been bound, when he had been struck by whips. At the port of Neopolitana, there is the general's tent of Pilate, where Christ was judged by the princes of the priests. Not far away is Golgotha, it is the place of the skull, where Christ the son of God was crucified, and where Adam had the first burial. Abraham sacrificed to God here. From which, just as far west as great stones can be thrown, is the place where Joseph of Arimathea buried the sacred body of the lord Jesus and there is a church splendidly built by Constantine the king. At the mount of Calvary, there are 13 paces west to the center of the world. At the left side, is the prison, where Christ had been imprisoned. On the right side, near the sepulcher, is a Latin monastery in honor of the Virgin, Blessed Mary, where her home had been. Where the high altar is in that monastery is where Mary, the virgin mother, stood and, with the sister of her mother, Maria Cleophe and Maria Magdalene, weeping and sorrowing, saw the Lord placed on the cross. There Jesus spoke to his mother: "Woman, behold your son" and to his disciple: "Behold your mother" From this place, twice as far as one is able to fire an arrow from a bow, on the east side, is the Temple of the Lord, having been built by Solomon, in which Christ had been presented by Simeon the Righteous. On the right side of this temple, Solomon built his won temple and between both temples there is a wonderfully constructed portico with marble columns. On the left side is the sheep pool (Pool of Bethesda which was near the Sheep Gate). From this, going east for a thousand paces, the Mount of Olives can be seen, where the lord Jesus prayed to his father saying: "Father, if it is able to become" and the rest. And he wrote the Pater Noster in stone and from which he ascended into heaven, saying to his disciples: "Go and teach all people" and the rest. Between the Temple of the Lord and the Mount of Olives is the valley of Jehoshaphat (Kidron Valley)where the virgin Mary was buried by the apostles. Into this valley, the Lord will come to judge the world. Nearby is a villa which is called Gethsemane, and where nearby is the garden across the brook of the Cedron, where Judas betrayed Jesus. Nearby is the sepulcher of Isaiah the prophet. From there, at a thousand paces to Bethany, is where Lazarus had been revived after being dead for four days. In the same location, nineteen miles towards Jericho, is the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed so that he could see Jesus. In another part, at a thousand paces from Jericho, is the fountain of Heliseus (Elisha), which he blessed by mixing it with salt. Five miles from here is the river Jordan, in which the Lord had been baptized by John, at a distance of eight leagues from Jerusalem. Not far from this is the mount from which Helias (Elijah) had been seized. From the Jordan, it is a trip of eighteen days all the way to Mount Sinai, where God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, and gave his law to him. And there is the great urn, which was unfailingly yielding the oil. Mount Thabor is distant from Jerusalem by a journey of three days, where the Lord had been transformed. At the foot of this mountain is said to be the Galilee and the sea of Tiberias, which is not a sea but a lake which the Jordan pours out of. On the right side of the city of Jerusalem, to the south and beyond the wall as far as one is able to fire an arrow is the Mount Sion, and there is the church that Solomon built. There Jesus dined with his disciples before the passion, and there he refilled them with the Holy Spirit; and where also the virgin Mary migrated from the secular, and gave back her spirit, whose holiest body was carried to the valley of Jehosaphath by the apostles. At the foot of this mountain to the south is the pool of Siloa, sprouting suddenly out of the earth. From which not far away is Sychem, where Joseph, coming from the valley of Hebron, sought his brothers. There is a villa which Jacob gave to Joseph his son and where his body rests. From which at a thousand paces is Sychar, where the Lord spoke to the Samaritan woman. Not far from this is the place where the angel wrestled with Jacob. That is where Bethlehem is, the city of David, where Christ was born, at a distance from Jerusalem of four miles to the south. And there is a church, having been built with marble columns, in which is the place where Jesus had been born. Not far from this, on the right side, is the manger of the Lord.

From which, at twelve miles, is the fortified town of Abraham, which is called Tocor, where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are buried with their wives. On the left side in the mount of the Lord Sees, and there is the place where Abraham wanted to sacrifice his son.

This explains the journeys to Jerusalem.

After he washed off the blood, Anonymous went sightseeing. I can just imagine some local calling him over with a "psst, I have a lock of Jesus hair. Normally I wouldn't sell it but I need the money and you look like a nice guy. How 'bout a souvenir of the Holy Land". Or some other relic. This last piece is a travel brochure. It seems so strange following all the killing and starvation and blood. No one knows what happened to Anonymous after this. Many of the knights, having achieved what they set out to do - free Jerusalem and complete their pilgrimage to the holy places - went home, leaving people like Bohemond, Godfrey, Baldwin and Tancred struggling to hold on to their new realms with a lack of manpower. I would include Raymond in this list but he was not very good at land grabbing and spent the rest of his life in a snit at everyone else especially Bohemond and Tancred.

Deeds of the Franks, Book 10, Chapter 39, cont.

Then the patriarch, bishop and other seigneurs had assembled at the river, because it was from part of the lands of Ascalon. There were many animals, oxen, camels, sheep and all sort of other things that are good booty. Nearly three hundred Arabs came and our men rushed to overcome them and seized two of their number, pursuing the others all the way to their main army. Moreover this deed having been done so late, the patriarch had it heralded through the entire host that tomorrow morning all will be prepared to fight at earliest dawn, and excommunicating any man taking any spoils before the battle is over. But by doing this, they could return with fortunate joy to take anything that the Lord has destined for them.

At first light, on the sixth day of the week, we entered a valley that was very, very beautiful with a beach next to the sea, in which they arranged their battle lines. The Duke instructed his line and the Count of Normandy ordered his own, Count of St. Giles his own, Count of Flanders his own, Count Eustache his own, Tancred and Gaston his own. Also, they arranged the foot soldiers and bowmen who would precede the knights, and thus all was arranged and they began immediately to war in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the left side was Duke Godfrey with his battle line, and the Count of St. Giles rode next to the sea on the right hand side, the Count of Flanders and Tancred with the others rode in the middle. Then our men began after a little while to trot. The pagans were standing prepared for the battle. Each one had his own skin bag hanging from his neck, from which they could drink while pursuing us; but this was not permitted to them, thanks be to God.

The Count of Normandy, seeing the standard of the emir who had a certain golden apple on top of a spear which was covered with silver, rushed vehemently against him and wounded him unto death. From another part, the Count of Flanders attacked them with very great harshness. Tancred therefore made his assault through the middle of their tents. The pagans, seeing this, immediately took flight. The multitude of pagans was innumerable and no one could know the number of them but God alone. The battle was immense, but divine virtue was so great which was allied with us, so strong, that we vanquished them on the spot. The enemies of God were standing blinded and amazed, and seeing the knights of Christ with open eyes, were not seeing anything, and they were not daring to rise up against the Christians, having been terrified by the strength of God. They were climbing trees from so great a fear, in which they were reckoning to hide themselves, but our men were knocking them to earth by arrow and with lances and swords killed them. Others were throwing themselves onto the ground not daring to stand against us. Our men, therefore, beheaded those just like a man might chop the head off an animal at the market. The Count of St. Giles killed many without number from these. Some were throwing themselves into the sea, others were fleeing here and there.

The emir, coming before the city, sorrowing and mourning, said with tears: "O spirit of the Gods, who ever saw or heard of such a thing? So much power, so much strength, such knights that never could they be vanquished by any people. By only so small number of Christians are these people overthrown. Alas for me sorrowing and sad, what more should I say? I am beaten by a beggarly people, defenseless and very poor, who have nothing but a day's provisions and a sack. These very people pursue the Egyptians, who they frequently received alms from when they were begging throughout our homeland. These having been lead here to meet our two hundred thousand soldiers, and I see those very soldiers with loose reins fleeing along the Babylonian road, and they dare not return to stand against the people of the Franks. I swear by Mohamed and by all divinity of the gods (many of the Franks did not understand that Islam was monotheistic) that I will not keep another assembly of knights, since I am expelled by a foreign people. Having been brought here, with all manner of arms and all machines, so that I could besiege them in Jerusalem and they journeyed in two days to come against me in battle. Alas for me! What more should I say? I will be forever dishonoured in the lands of Babylon."

Our men received his standard, which the Count of Normandy valued at 20 marks of silver and gave to the patriarch in honor of God and of the Sacred Sepulcher. His sword was bought for sixty besants. Thus our enemies were overcome by God's favor. All ships from the lands of the pagans departed. The men who were still on board, seeing the emir flee with his army, hoisted sail and set themselves off to the highest seas. Our men returned to their tents, and received innumerable spoils of gold, silver and all manner of goods and all species of animals and all sorts of tools and weapons. Whatever they wanted, they took away, and they destroyed the rest with fire.

Our men went back with joy to Jerusalem, bearing all goods with them which were deemed necessary to them. This battle had been enacted on the day before the ides of August, by the largess of our lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory now and always in the age of ages. Let every spirit say: Amen

Deeds of the Franks, Book 10, Chapter 39

Then our men held a council so that each man could give alms with prayers, so that God would choose he whom he wished to rule over the others and guide the city. They also ordered that all the dead Saracens to be thrown outside, before they got too stinky, since the city was nearly full with their cadavers. The surviving Saracens were dragging the dead before the exit of the gates and arranging a mountain of these, as if they were buildings. No one had ever heard of or seen so great a slaughter of pagan people because the pyre of them was arranged like pyramids, and no one knew the numbers of them except God alone. And Count Raymond had the emir and others who were with him given safe conduct all the way to Scalona(Ascalon), whole and unharmed.

On the eighth day after the city had been captured, they chose Duke Godfrey as prince of the city, who would subdue the pagans and guard the Christians. At the same time, they chose a patriarch, a very wise and honorable man by the name of Arnulf on the feast of St. Peter in Chains. Thus the city was captured by the Christians of God on the 15th day of July on the sixth day of the week (Saturday).

Meanwhile a messenger went to Tancred and Count Eustache, that they would prepare themselves to travel for the purpose of taking the city of Neopolitana. They left and lead with them many knights and foot soldiers and came to the city. And the inhabitants of the city surrendered themselves to them. Once more the Duke ordered them, that they come quickly to war which the emir of Babylon had prepared for us at the city Scalona(Ascalon). They, hurrying to seek the war with the Saracens, found a mountainous region and they came to Caesarea. Then, they, coming next to the sea at the city of Ramola, found many Arabs there who were the advance guards of the war. Our men, pursuing them, seized many of them who revealed all the plans for the battle, where they would be and how many there would be, and where they would be posted to fight against the Christians. Tancred, hearing this, immediately sent a messenger to Jerusalem to Duke Godfrey and the patriarch, and all the princes, saying "Let you know that war is being prepared for us at Ascalon. Therefore come quickly with all strength that you are able to muster." The the Duke ordered all, that they would faithfully be prepared to go to Asalon to meet our enemies. He exited the city on the third day of the week and with him went the patriarch and Robert Count of Flanders. The Bishop of Martirano went with them. The Count of St. Giles and Robert of Normandy said they would not go, unless they knew for certain there would be a war. (This happens to Raymond a lot) They arranged their knights so that some would travel to see if war truly broke out and they sent back many who soon would be prepared to go. They went and had witnessed the fight and quickly announced that they had seen it with their own eyes. Immediately the Duke, through the Bishop of Martirano whom he had taken along, ordered Jerusalem so that the knights who were there would ready themselves and come to the battle.

On the fourth day of the week, the princes left and fought the battle. The Bishop of Martirano returned (to Ascalon), carrying back words having been sent to the patriarch and the Duke. The Saracens coming out met him and lead the Bishop, having been seized, with them. Peter the Hermit stayed in Jerusalem, for reminding and instructing the Greeks and Latins and clerics that they should faithfully celebrate a procession for God and give alms with prayers so that God would give the victory to his own people. The clerics and priests, put their sacred vestments on and led a procession to the Temple of theLord, chanting masses and prayers so that he would defend the people.

cont............

The Arnulf that was chosen to be Patriarch appears to have been Adhemar's replacement and Raoul of Caen's teacher and friend. Raymond of Aguiler did not like him and also wrote that the other princes begged the Count of St. Giles to accept kingship of Jerusalem and he, very modestly turned it down. So when Duke Godfrey was then selected, he wanted Raymond out of the palace so he could set up his residence but Raymond did not want to give up the palace so another big argument broke out. I have to wonder if the other princes really did want Raymond be ruler of Jerusalem.