four arthurian romances-第37部分

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in；　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　Cliges；　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　Cliges　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。　（24）　　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：　（25）　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。　（26）　　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。　　Cliges　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　Cliges。　　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；　（27）　but　as　fine　gold　surpasses　copper；　so　was　Cliges　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　Cliges；　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。　（28）　　In　Cliges　there　lacked　no　good　thing。

（Vv。　2793…2870。）　　Cliges　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　Cliges；　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　Cliges；　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　Cliges　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　took　her　place　at　a　window；　where　she　sat　with　great　delight；　b