| AIMAR & PERDIGO - PARTIMEN | AIMAR & PERDIGO |
| Raimbaut de Vaqueiras | trans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal) |
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Senher n'Aimar, chauzetz de tres baros qual prezatz mays, e respondetz primiers, et apres vos responda'n Perdigos: que l'us es larcs e gays et ufaniers, e·l segons es savis e bos terriers et algues larcs, mas non d'aital semblansa, e·l terz es bos per condug e per lansa e gen guarnens, quals a melhors mestiers? En Raymbaut, d'aquelh dic qu'es plus pros qu'ab mezura fa totz sos faitz entiers, e n'es sos pretz longamens cabalos, e·n pot esser als enemicx sobriers; quar s'elh es francx, adregz e plazentiers, aquelh val mais, segon la mia esmansa, qu'els autres dos truep tan de peiuransa per que negus no l'es de pretz pariers. Baros, be sai qu'ie·us venserai amdos, quar mantenh so don sui plus galaubiers: grans ufana es caps, e messios, de proeza e pretz plus bobansiers; e mosenher aya terra e deniers, mas largueza no·ilh val ni no·l enansa; e'n Raymbautz mantengua selhs de Fransa, qu'armas e vis es totz lurs cossiriers. Senher n'Aimar, trop n'a meluirazos lo gen-guarnens, quant es bos cavalliers, qu'elh es temsutz mais ab cent companhos que s'us autres n'avia tres milliers; et ufana non es mas sens leugiers e fols cors vas, qu'ab non-poder balansa, e ricx volpils no pot aver onransa per menutz dos ni per digz messongiers. En Raimbaut, ricx hom braus orgulhos es lo vostres, quar es bos cavalliers. per que sos pretz non es tan cars ni bos? que pauc ni pro no met, mas en sabriers. e'n Perdigos ditz cum joglars laniers, qu'en penr'aver a tota s'esperansa. e·l mieus es pros e de bella cuinhdansa, si tot no·s vol pretz d'orps ni d'escassiers. A mosenher vei qu'enueiaܧ tensos, qu'ades capte los sieus faigz menudiers, e vol ufana e boban metre jos, quar elh no·n es vezatz ni costumiers. e'n Raimbautz mantenha'ls colps pleniers e·l fort mazanh, en qu'elh a sa fiansa, mas si·l marques fos d'aital acoinhdansa, enquer fora joglars o escudiers. E1 Senher n'Aimar, vos etz vencutz primiers; e'n Perdigos viule descortz o dansa que contrafa n'Estornel ab sa lansa, e no fara de lui aitals mestiers. E2 ... E3 A mon senhor tanh aissi pretz entiers cum a mi fai lo regisme de Fransa; e'n Raimbautz, qant ab armas s'eslansa, sembla trop mielhs joglars que cavalhiers. |
My Lord Sir Aimar, choose from these three men, the one you most esteem and answer first, and after you, let Perdigo respond, for he is generous and courtly too: the second's wise, well-manages his land, and generous without appearing so; the third is good in conduct and at arms and arming troops; whose character is best? Sir Raimbaut, as for saying which is best, with moderation any deed's complete, its worth will be outstanding and has been and can be even for our enemies, for if he's noble, active, pleasant too, then he's the one that's best, it seems to me: the other two have hints of detriment so we can't say that they are worthy peers. O Baron, I know well I'd beat you both for I'm the best of all in maintenance, with great displays of capes and luxury, in prowess and in praise most excellent, and so, my lord has land and money too and more largesse won't help him to advance and Sir Raimbaut will handle those of France, for arms and force are all they care about. My Lord Aimar, the ones who furnish troops have great advantage as good gentlemen, for they will fight, but with a hundred friends, as if you didn't have three thousand more; he's not a show-off or a libertine, nor foolish heart that runs no risk at all nor fox that has no honor although rich, with slender back or lying adages. Sir Raimbaut, you are rich and proud and tough it's yours, for you're a gentleman indeed, why then is your worth not so dear or good? in place of more or less, you put a sauce: Sir Perdigo's a greedy minstrel, too, who'd stake on this the last hope that he has; the best is good and well-connected too, if he is worth more than the lame or blind. I see that repartee annoys my lord; he quickly picks up on the minor things, and wants to put down pomp and such displays for he is not accustomerd to such things; Sir Raimbaut will keep up the telling blows, and this unrest in which he now confides, but if the marquis were of the intent then he would be a minstrel or a squire. E1 My Lord Aimar, you are the first to lose; Sir Perdigo plays dances or descorts and imitates Sir Starling with his lance, and will not make of him such qualities. E2 ... E3 To my lord play this way his total praise, the way the French regime has done for me; and Sir Raimbaut, as for his rush to arms, now seems a better minstrel than a knight. |
... = lacuna in MS
Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003