Four Arthurian Romances
sides with him in the dispute, rather do they all bid him remember the
war which Eteocles undertook against his own brother Polynices, and how
each one died by the other's hand. [223] "So, too, it may happen to you,
if you undertake a war, and all the land will be distressed." Therefore,
they advise that such a peace be sought as shall be both reasonable and
just, and that neither one make excessive demands. Thus Alis understands
that if he does not make an equitable agreement with his brother all his
vassals will desert him; so he says that he will respect their wishes in
making any suitable contract, provided that however the affair may rum
out the crown shall remain in his possession.
(Vv. 2555-2618.) In order to secure a firm and stable peace Alis sends
one of his officers to Alexander, bidding him come to him in person and
receive the government of the land, but stipulating that he should leave
to him the honour of emperor in name and of wearing the crown: thus, if
Alexander is willing, peace may be established between them. When this
news was brought to Alexander his men made ready with him and came to
Athens, where they were received with joy. But Alexander is not willing
that his brother should have the sovereignty of the empire and of the
crown unless he will pledge his word never to take a wife, and that
after him Cligés shall be emperor of Constantinople. Upon this the
brothers both agreed. Alexander dictated the terms of the oath, and his
brother agreed and gave his word that he would never in his life take a
wife in marriage. So peace is made, and they are friends again, to the
great satisfaction of the lords. They hold Alis as their emperor, but
all business is referred to Alexander. What he commands is done, and
little is done except through him. Alis has nothing but the name of
emperor; but Alexander is served and loved; and he who does not serve
him for love must needs do so from fear. Through the effect of one or
the other of these two motives he has all the land within his power. But
he whom they call Death spares neither the strong man nor the weak, but
kills and slays them all. So Alexander had to die; for a disease caught
him in its grip from which he could obtain no relief. But before he
was surprised by death he summoned his son and said to him: "Fair son
Cligés, thou canst never know that prowess and valour are thine unless
thou go first to make test of them with the Bretons and French at King
Arthur's court. If adventure takes thee thither, so conduct and demean
thyself that thy identity be not known until thou hast tried thy
strength with the most excellent knights of that court. I beg thee to
heed my counsel in this matter, and if the occasion arises have no fear
to measure thy skill with thy uncle, my lord Gawain. Do not forget this
advice, I pray."
(Vv. 2619-2665.) After he had thus exhorted him, he did not live long.
Soredamors' grief was such that she could not survive him, but
died after him of a broken heart. Alis and Cligés both mourned him
becomingly, but finally they ceased their grief, for sorrow, like
everything else, must be outlived. To continue in sorrow is wrong, for
no good can come from it. So the mourning was ended, and the emperor
refrained for a long time from taking a wife, being careful of his word.
But there is no court in all the world which is free from evil counsel.
Great men often go astray, and do not observe loyalty because of the bad
advice they take. Thus, the emperor hears his men giving him advice and
counselling him to take a wife; and daily they so exhort and urge him
that by their very insistence they persuade him to break his oath, and
to accede to their desire. But he insists that she who is to be mistress
of Constantinople must be gentle, fair, wise, rich, and noble. Then his
counsellors say that they wish to prepare to go away to the German land,
and seek the daughter of the emperor. She is the choice they propose
to him; for the emperor of Germany is very rich and powerful, and his
daughter is so charming that never was there a maid of her beauty in
Christendom. The emperor grants them full authority, and they set out
upon the journey well provided with all they need. They proceeded on
their way until they found the emperor at Regensburg, when they asked
him to give them his oldest daughter at the instance of their lord.
(Vv. 2669-2680.) The emperor was pleased with this request, and gladly
gave them his daughter; for in doing so, he does not debase himself, nor
diminish his honour in any way. But he says that he had promised her
to the Duke of Saxony, and that they would not be able to lead her away
unless the emperor should come with a great army, so that the duke would
be unable to do him any harm or injury while homeward bound.
(Vv. 2681-2706.) When the messengers heard the emperor's reply, they
took leave and departed. They returned to their lord, and bore him
the answer. And the emperor selected a chosen company of the most
experienced knights whom he could find, and took with him his nephew,
in whose interests he had vowed never to marry a wife, but he will not
respect this vow if he can once reach Cologne. [224] Upon a certain day
he leaves Greece and draws near to Germany, intending to take a wife
despite all blame and reproach; but his honour will be smirched. Upon
reaching Cologne, he found that the emperor had assembled all his court
for a festival. When the company of the Greeks reached Cologne, there
was such a great number of Greeks and Germans that it was necessary to
lodge more than sixty thousand of them outside the city.
(Vv.2707-2724.) Great was the crowd of people, and great the joy of the
two emperors when they met. When the barons had gathered in the vast
palace, the emperor summoned his charming daughter. The maiden made no
delay in coming straightway into the palace. She had been made very fair
and shapely by the Creator, whose pleasure it had been to arouse the
people's admiration. God, who had fashioned her, never gave man a word
which could adequately express such beauty as she possessed.
(Vv. 2725-2760.) Fenice was the maiden's name, and for this there
was good reason: [225] for if the Phoenix bird is unique as the most
beautiful of all the birds, so Fenice, it seems to me, had no equal in
beauty. She was such a miracle and marvel that Nature was never able to
make her like again. In order to be more brief, I will not describe in
words her arms, her body, her head and hands; for if I should live a
thousand years, and if my skill were to double every day, yet should
I waste all my time in trying to tell the truth about her. I know very
well, if I should undertake it, that I would exhaust my brain and waste
my pains: it would be but misspent energy. [226] The damsel hastened
until she came into the palace, with head uncovered and face unveiled;
and the radiance of her beauty lighted the palace more brightly than
four carbuncles would have done. Cligés stood, his over-cloak removed,
in his uncle's presence. The day outside was somewhat dark, but he and
the maiden were both so fair that a ray shone forth from their beauty
which illumined the palace, just as the morning sun shines clear and
red.
(Vv. 2761-2792.) I wish to attempt in a very few words to describe the
beauty of Cligés. He was in his flower, being now almost fifteen years
of age. He was more comely and charming than Narcissus who saw his
reflection in the spring beneath the elm-tree, and, when he saw it,
he loved it so that he died, they say, because he could not get it.
Narcissus was fair, but had little sense; [227] but as fine gold
surpasses copper, so was Cligés better endowed with wisdom, and even
then I have not said all. His locks seemed made of fine gold, and his
face was of a fresh rosy colour. He had a well-formed nose and shapely
mouth, and in stature he was built upon Nature's best pattern; for in
him she had united gifts which she is wont to scatter wide. Nature was
so lavish with him that she gave him all she could, and placed all in
one receptacle. Such was Cligés, who combined good sense and beauty,
generosity and strength. He possessed the wood as well as the bark;
he knew more of fencing and of the bow than did Tristan, King Mark's
nephew, and more about birds and hounds than he. [228] In Cligés there
lacked no good thing.
(Vv. 2793-2870.) Cligés stood in all his beauty before his uncle, and
those who did not know who he was looked at him with eager curiosity.
And on the other hand, the interest was aroused of those who did not
know the maiden: wonderingly they gaze upon her. But Cligés, under the
sway of love, let his eyes rest on her covertly, and withdrew them again
so discreetly that in their passage to and fro no one could blame his
lack of skill. Blithely he looks upon the maid, but does not note that
she repays him in kind. Not flattering him, but in sincere love, she
gives him her eyes, and takes back his. This exchange seems good to her,
and would have seemed to her better still had she known something of who
he was. But she knows nothing except that he is fair, and that, if she
is ever to love any one for beauty's sake, she need not seek elsewhere
to bestow her heart. She handed over to him the possession of her eyes
and heart, and he pledged his in turn to her. Pledged? Rather gave
outright. Gave? Nay, upon my faith, I lie; for no one can give away his
heart. I must express it some other way. I will not say it, as some have
done who make two hearts dwell in one body, for it bears not even the
semblance of truth that there should be in one body two hearts; and even
if they could be so united, it would never seem true. But if it please
you to heed my words, I shall be able explain how two hearts form but
one without coming to be identified. Only so far are they merged in one
as the desire of each passes from one to the other, thus joining in one
common desire; and because of this harmony of desire, there are some who
are wont to say that each one has both hearts; but one heart cannot be
in two places. Each one always keeps his own heart, though the desire
be shared by both, just as many different men may sing a song or tune
in unison. By this comparison I prove that for one body to contain two
hearts it is not enough to know each other's wish, nor yet for one to
know what the other loves and what he hates; just as voices which are
heard together seem to be merged in one, and yet do not all come from
one mouth, so it is with a body which can contain but one heart. But
there is no need of further argument, for other matters press upon me.
I must speak now of the damsel and of Cligés, and you shall hear of
the Duke of Saxony, who has sent to Cologne a young nephew of his. This
youth informs the emperor that his uncle, the duke, sends word that
he need expect no peace or trace with him, unless he sends to him his
daughter, and that the one who is intending to carry her away with him
had better not start home, for he will find the road occupied and well
defended unless the maiden be surrendered.
(Vv. 2871-3010.) The youth spoke his message well, without pride and
without insult. But he found neither knight nor emperor who would answer
him. When he saw that they all held their peace and treated him with
scorn, he left the court in defiant mood. But youth and thirst for
daring deeds made Cligés defy him in combat as he left. For the contest
they mount their steeds, three hundred of them on either side, exactly
equal thus in strength. All the palace is quite emptied of knights and
ladies, who mount to the balconies, battlements, and windows to see and
watch those who were about to fight. Even the maiden, whose will Love
had subdued beneath his sway, sought for a point from which to see. She