394 Mediaevistik 32 . 2019 of Crusades in Late

394 Mediaevistik 32 . 2019 of crusades in late medieval English li- a new genre, at least in part, common- terature, whereas Lee Manion traces the ly known as the “romances of antiqui- same theme in Renaissance literature. ty” (romans d'antiquité). The Roman de Louise d’Arcens concludes this collection Troie by Benoît de Sainte-Maure, dating with an essay on modern films and narra- to around 1165, is, along with the Roman tives dealing with the crusades. de Thèbes and the Roman d’Énéas, one While each article comes with a bib­ of the three such romances dealing with liography, the editor has put together a themes from antiquity. These creations separate select bibliography for each con- initiated the subjects, plots and structu- tribution. The volume is rounded off with res of the genre, which subsequently flo- a welcome index. This is a useful study wered under authors such as Chrétien de guide and proves to be a fairly easy read, Troyes. As an account of the Trojan War, making this Companion to a helpful text- Benoît’s version of necessity deals with book for a variety of history and litera- war and its causes, how it was fought and ture courses. The focus, unfortunately, what its ultimate consequences were for rests mostly on western literature, en­ the combatants. How to explain its suc- tirely leaving out Germany, Scandinavia, cess? The author chose the standard and even Italy, not to speak of Greece or any successful poetic form of the era—octo- of the Slavic countries. This means that syllabic rhyming couplets; he was fond of many of the major figures involved in the extended descriptions; he could easily re- crusades but not treated by the western count the intensity of personal struggles; European writers are simply ignored, and and, above all he was fascinated by the this then also applies to a vast number of trials and tribulations of love, a passion relevant literary texts that should have that affects several prominent warriors been consulted as well. It is commendable (among them Paris and his love for Helen, that both women and Hebrew and Arabic and Troilus and his affection for Brisei- writers receive more attention than usual, da). All these elements combined to con- but this cannot blind us to many signifi- tour this romance in which events from cant gaps in other respects. the High Middle Ages were presented as Albrecht Classen a likeness of the poet’s own feudal and courtly spheres. This long-awaited new translation, the first into English, is ac- companied by an extensive introduction The Roman de Troie by Benoît de Sainte- and six-page outline of the work; two ap- Maure: A Translation. Translated by pendices (on common words, and a list of Glyn S. Burgess, Douglas Kelly. Wood- known Troie manuscripts); nearly twenty bridge, UK, and Rochester, NY: D. S. pages of bibliography; plus exhaustive in- Brewer, 2017. Gallica, 41. 486 pp. dices of personal and geographical names In his Roman de Brut (1155), the Nor- and notes. As the two senior scholars as- man Robert Wace of Caen recounts the sert (p. 3), By translating Benoît’s entire founding of Britain by Brutus of Troy poem we seek to contribute to a greater to the end of legendary British history, appreciation of its composition and sub- while adapting freely the History of the ject-matter, and thus to make available to Kings of Britain (1136) by Geoffrey of a modern audience what medieval readers Monmouth. Wace’s Brut inaugurated and audiences knew and appreciated. Mediaevistik 32 . 2019 395

The editors have divided the work into 3. Le Sagittaire-12353-12396. “[King a tripartite structure, Part One: Causes Pistropleus] … brought a Sagittarius with and Effects (up to v.6975), Part Two: The him that was very cruel and wicked. It Trojan War (vv. 6979-26590) and Part had such horrid features that there is no Three: Settling Scores and Surviving living creature here below who would not {26591-30300). Given the massive 30,000 be terrified by it […].” lines of text and in order to offer the reader Certainly the line “Its face was fashio- a semblance of order and control, I have ned in such a way that it was a brighter selected just five passages to focus on here red than a piece of coal” calls for some very briefly, with the idea of critiquing sort of commentary, given that coal is the translation: the Medea episode, the black and not red (or “vermillion” as in lament of Achilles over Patroclus, the ex- the text?). Rather than “easily” catch traordinary description of the “cruel and sight of it, wouldn’t unmistakably fit bet- wicked” monster Sagittarius, a portion of ter? “[N]o living creature here below” is the Briseis love triangle (with Troilus and clearly better than Soz ciel taken literal- Diomedes), and finally a glance at the sec- ly, but just “on earth” would do, I should tion dealing with the Amazons. The Old think. French text referred to here is taken from 4. Briseida (re: Eleanor of Aquitaine?)- the 1904–1912 Société des Anciens Textes 13457-13470. “On this subject I truly fear Français edition, a multivolume edition incurring blame from that woman, who by Léopold Constans. has so many fine qualities […], noble lar- 1. Medea—vv. 1216–1228. “She was a gesse […]. On any level she is second to maiden of very great learning […]. She none on this earth.” made rivers flow upstream and was ex- After a misogynistic excursion on ceptionally knowledgeable.” women’s many faults, doubtless motiva- My only comment here is that the ted by his preceding negative comments translation, quite accurate, flows nicely on Briseida, Benoît turns to a now-ce- but does not follow the Old French word lebrated encomium of Queen Eleanor separation or punctuation. Such strategies (directly addressed, curiously!) “[N] will make it challenging for the neophyte oble largesse” must clearly mean nob- approaching the work for the first time. le generosity, largesse being too close 2. Achille pleure Patrocle—10331–10338. to the Old French, I presume. As well, “Achilles wept for Patroclus. No man ever “On any level” seems weak or uncle- expressed greater grief. Alas! What harsh ar; would “on any subject” or “in eve- destiny! The love I showed you was very ry possible way” fit better? “Noble” poor […].” for riche may be open to interpretation Sovent is usually rendered as “over and (see the Appendix I, p. 428), but I would over ” or “repeatedly.” Laidenge most of- choose “powerful”or “splendid” for each ten comes across as “cursing.” To help term: “Powerful (or splendid) spouse of a the sense of the sentence, “I sent you out” powerful (or splendid) king…”. could easily be expanded by adding “to 5. Amazons-23427-23446. “[…A]longsi- fight”—even if parenthetically. “Love de an ancient tower, the Amazons armed I showed you was very poor” could be themselves. […] Filled with anger and strengthened with “useless,” “inadequa- wrath, she promptly mounted a bay steed te” or “insufficient.” from Spain, bigger, stronger and more 396 Mediaevistik 32 . 2019 valiant than any other horse, and also and female prophets and mystics of the swifter. The horse was entirely covered mid-thirteenth to early fourteenth centu- with silk cloth that was whiter than a lily ries. His argument and thus the purpose flower.” of the investigation are clearly established The portrayal, “Filled with anger and from the beginning: starting with King wrath”—if one examines the Old French Louis IX (1214–1270), holy women were carefully—applies not to Penthesilea but integral in establishing the sanctification to the Spanish bay horse, suggesting a of the crown, but as the monarchy grew threatening madness in the animal. in secular power or entered into periods Apart from the observed nit-picking of crisis, court officials started to target on my part, some oversights in a pro- and to condemn these spiritual females as ject of this size may be expected. Three sorceresses or demonic threats. late Latin precursors (taken as potential Field focuses on six women (two of sources) of the romance are listed in a whom he covered in previous mono- footnote, pp. 6–7; what is missing there is graphs) who had contemporary reputati- a reference to the translations by Gérard ons as saints or as clairvoyants in order Fry, Récits inédits sur la Guerre de Troie to establish the rise and fall, effectively, (Belles Lettres, 1998). Also absent is the of the broader beguine movement. By footnote-cited 1981 article by Jill Tatter- extension, the work is reinforcing the no- sall; as well, the 1998 study by Jacques tion that the patriarchy of both the French Merceron is not cited. Some antecedents crown and the Catholic Church always paved the way for Burgess and Kelly: two found independent pious women proble- of the lamented E. Baumgartner’s trans- matic, but for a brief moment in time, lations (in French, 1987 and 1998) are the women served as a useful means to cited, as is R. K. Gordon’s very truncated connect the monarchy to a special type of rendering into English from 1964. religiosity by forging a direct legitimiza- In sum, we have here a very signal tion by God. Part of the challenge to this event for Old French studies. Finally, study, Field concedes, is the limitations of interested scholars will understand the the extant sources surrounding the holy great relevance and scope of Benoît’s women themselves, which he impressi- masterpiece. vely resolves by weaving together ha- Raymond J. Cormier, First Gent Emeri- giography, papal bulls, chronicles, and tus, Longwood University-VA; cormierrj@ inquisitorial registers in order to create a longwood.edu cohesive narrative with an organic begin- ning, middle, and end. The book has a resultant three part structure, each with a prologue that esta- Sean L. Field, Courting Sanctity: Holy blishes the political context of the Capetian Women and the Capetians. Ithaca, NY, monarchy’s aspirations to promote their and London Cornell University Press, divine right to rule. Much of this is well 2019, pp. 266 known to French scholars, yet certainly In Courting Sanctity, Sean Field delivers a beneficial to the uninitiated. Then the at- comprehensible, and at times, remarkably tention shifts to the women themselves, complex portrait of the relationship bet- as they “shaped and were shaped by the ween the French dynasty of the Capetians Capetian claims to holy authority.” (9).