Cligès by Chrétien de Troyes Translated by W. W. Comfort For your convenience, this text has been compiled into this PDF document by Camelot On-line. Please visit us on-line at: http://www.heroofcamelot.com/ Cligès Table of Contents Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................................3 PREPARER'S NOTE: ...............................................................................................................................4 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: ...............................................................................................................4 The Translation..........................................................................................................................................5 Part I: Vv. 1 - Vv. 2278..........................................................................................................................5 Part II: Vv. 2279 - Vv. 4574...............................................................................................................31 Part III: Vv. 4575 - Vv. 6784...............................................................................................................58 Endnotes...................................................................................................................................................84 2 Chrétien de Troyes Acknowledgments Cligès was written by the French poet Chrétien de Troyes in the twelfth century. Chrétien is a well-known poet among medievalists, and is particularly noted for his poems involving King Arthur and his knights. The original, Old French text of the poem is in the public domain because its author died at least 100 years ago. This English translation was completed by W. W. Comfort in 1914. It is also in the public domain in the United States and many other countries because it was published before January 1st, 1923. W. W. Comfort died in 1955, which also places this work in the public domain in any country which sets its copyright term at the life of the author plus 50 years. It may also be in the public domain in countries which apply the Rule of Shorter Term to foreign works. This electronic version of the translation has been prepared by Douglas B. Killings and kindly made available to the public by the Online Medieval and Classical Library. All of the text which follows, including the Preparer's Note and Selected Bibliography, have been taken from them, and reprinted here with their kind permission. Please visit them on-line at: http://www.omacl.org/ Their notes on this work: “Originally written in Old French, sometime in the second half of the 12th Century A.D., by the court poet Chretien DeTroyes. Translation by W. W. Comfort, 1914. The text of this edition is based on that published as CHRETIEN DETROYES: ARTHURIAN ROMANCES, (Trans: W. W. Comfort; Everyman's Library, London, 1914). This text is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN in the United States. This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by Douglas B. Killings ([email protected]), December 1996.” For your convenience, the text of this translation has been compiled into this PDF document for easy reading by Camelot On-line. You may use and redistribute it freely. Please visit us on-line at http://www.heroofcamelot.com/ 3 Cligès PREPARER©S NOTE: For background information and a discussion of Chretien DeTroyes' work, see W.W. Comfort's Introduction to his translations, released in OMACL text #21: "Erec et Enide". SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: ORIGINAL TEXT -- Micha, Alexandre (Ed.): "Les Romans de Chretien de Troyes, Vol. II: Cliges" (Champion, Paris, 1957). OTHER TRANSLATIONS -- Kibler, William W. & Carleton W. Carroll (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" (Penguin Classics, London, 1991). Contains translations of "Erec et Enide" (by Carroll), "Cliges", "Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval" (by Kibler). Highly recommended. Owen, D.D.R (Trans.): "Chretien DeTroyes: Arthurian Romances" (Everyman Library, London, 1987). Contains translations of "Erec et Enide", "Cliges", "Yvain", "Lancelot", and DeTroyes' incomplete "Perceval". NOTE: This edition replaced W.W. Comfort's in the Everyman Library catalogue. Highly recommended. RECOMMENDED READING -- Malory, Sir Thomas: "Le Morte D'Arthur" (Ed: Janet Cowen; Penguin Classics, London, 1969). 4 Chrétien de Troyes The Translation Part I: Vv. 1 - Vv. 2278 i(Vv. 1-44.) He who wrote of Erec and Enide, and translated into French the commands of Ovid and the Art of Love, and wrote the Shoulder Bite,ii and about King Mark and the fair Iseut,iii and about the metamorphosis of the Lapwing,iv the Swallow, and the Nightingale, will tell another story now about a youth who lived in Greece and was a member of King Arthur's line. But before I tell you aught of him, you shall hear of his father's life, whence he came and of what family. He was so bold and so ambitious that he left Greece and went to England, which was called Britain in those days, in order to win fame and renown. This story, which I intend to relate to you, we find written in one of the books of the library of my lord Saint Peter at Beauvais.v From there the material was drawn of which Chretien has made this romance. The book is very old in which the story is told, and this adds to its authority.vi From such books which have been preserved we learn the deeds of men of old and of the times long since gone by. Our books have informed us that the pre-eminence in chivalry and learning once belonged to Greece. Then chivalry passed to Rome, together with that highest learning which now has come to France. God grant that it may be cherished here, and that it may be made so welcome here that the honour which has taken refuge with us may never depart from France: God had awarded it as another's share, but of Greeks and Romans no more is heard, their fame is passed, and their glowing ash is dead. (Vv. 45-134.) Chretien begins his story as we find it in the history, which tells of an emperor powerful in wealth and honour who ruled over Greece and Constantinople. A very noble empress, too, there was, by whom the emperor had two children. But the elder son was already so far advanced before the younger one was born that, if he had wished, he might have become a knight and held all the empire beneath his sway. The name of the elder was Alexander, and the other's name was Alis. Alexander, too, was the father's name, and the mother's name was Tantalis. I shall now say nothing more of the emperor and of Alis; but I shall speak of Alexander, who was so bold and proud that he 5 Cligès scorned to become a knight in his own country. He had heard of King Arthur, who reigned in those days, and of the knights whom he always kept about him, thus causing his court to be feared and famed throughout the world. However, the affair may result and whatever fortune may await him, nothing can restrain Alexander from his desire to go into Britain, but he must obtain his father's consent before proceeding to Britain and Cornwall. So Alexander, fair and brave, goes to speak with the emperor in order to ask and obtain his leave. Now he will tell him of his desire and what he wishes to do and undertake. "Fair sire," he says, "in quest of honour and fame and praise I dare to ask you a boon, which I desire you to give me now without delay, if you are willing to grant it to me." The emperor thinks no harm will come from this request: he ought rather to desire and long for his son's honour. "Fair son," he says, "I grant you your desire; so tell me now what you wish me to give you." Now the youth has accomplished his purpose, and is greatly pleased when the boon is granted him which he so greatly desired. "Sire," says he, "do you wish to know what it is that you have promised me? I wish to have a great plenty of gold and silver, and such companions from among your men as I will select; for I wish to go forth from your empire, and to present my service to the king who rules over Britain, in order that he may make me a knight. I promise you never in my life to wear armour on my face or helmet upon my head until King Arthur shall gird on my sword, if he will graciously do so. For from no other than from him will I accept my arms." Without hesitation the emperor replies: "Fair son, for God's sake, speak not so! This country all belongs to you, as well as rich Constantinople. You ought not to think me mean, when I am ready to make you such a gift. I shall be ready soon to have you crowned, and to- morrow you shall be a knight. All Greece will be in your hands, and you shall receive from your nobles, as is right, their homage and oaths of allegiance. Whoever refuses such an offer is not wise." (Vv. 135-168.) The youth hears the promise how the next morning after Mass his father is ready to dub him knight; but he says he will seek his fortune for better or worse in another land. "If you are willing in this matter to grant the boon I have asked of you, then give me mottled and grey furs, some good horses and silken stuffs: for before I become a knight I wish to enrol in King Arthur's service. Nor have I yet sufficient strength to bear arms. No one could induce me by prayer or flattery not to go to the foreign land to see his nobles and that king whose fame is so great for courtesy and prowess. Many men of high degree lose through sloth the great renown which they might win, were they to wander about the world.vii Repose and glory ill agree, as it seems to me; for a man of wealth adds nothing to his reputation if he spends all his days at ease. Prowess is irksome to the ignoble man, and cowardice is a 6 Chrétien de Troyes burden to the man of spirit; thus the two are contrary and opposite.