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| prosody | miscellaneous |
Senher n'Aymar, chauzes de tres baros Cal prezas mais, e respondes premiers, Et aprop vos responda.n Perdigos: Qe l'uns es larcs e gais e ufaniers, E.l segonz es adretz e bons terriers Et alques larcs, mas non d'aital semblanza, E.l ters es bos per conduich e per lanza E gen garnens; cals a meillors mestiers? En Rainbaut, aisel dic qu'es plus pros C'ab mezura fai toz sos fatz entiers, E n'es sos pretz longamen cabalos, E.n pot esser als enemics sobriers; S'el es adretz, cortes ni placentiers, Doncs val el mais, segon la mi' ismanza, Qu'elz autres dos a tan de pejuranza, Per que negus non l'es de pretz pariers. Baros, eu sai que.us venserai amdos, Car mantenc lai don soi plus galaubiers, Ab ufana, q'es cabs, ab messios, De proeza e prez plus vertadiers. E monseihner aia terr' e deniers, Pos proeza no.l plaz ni non l'enanza! E.n Rainbauz mainteihna sels de Franza, C'armas e vis es toz lor conseriers. Perdiguon, trop a granz meillurazos Sel que ten jen los sieus e.ls estrangiers, Et es temsutz mais ab cen compaihnos Que s'us autres n'avia dos milliers. Et ufana non es mas cors leugiers E fols pretz vans, c'ab non-poder balanza, E rics escars non pod aver honranza Ab menutz dos per plazers mesongiers. En Rainbaut, rics hom braus orgoillos Es lo vostre, car es bons cavalliers, Per que non val tan la vostra razos, Que pauc ni pro non met mas en sabriers; E.n Perdigos pren con joglars laniers, Qu'en penr' aver a tota s'esperanza! E.l mieus es gais e de bella semblanza, Si tot non vol pretz d'orbs ni d'escassiers. A monseihnor vei qu'enoja.l tensos, C'ades manten los sieus fatz menudiers, E vol proez' e bon pretz metre jos, Sol car no.n sab ni no.n es cosdumiers; E.n Rainbautz mante los cors pleniers, Qu'en pron manjar a toa sa fianza, Mas si.l marches li fos d'aital semblanza, Enqer fora joglars o escudiers. Senher n'Aymar, vos etz vencutz primiers! E.n Perdigos viule descortz o dansa, Que contrafa n'Estornel ab sa lansa, E no fora de luy aitals mestiers. ....................................... ....................................... ....................................... ....................................... A monsenher tanh aissi pretz entiers Cum a mi fay lo regisme de Fransa! E.n Raymbautz, quant ab armas s'eslansa, Sembla trop mielhs jocglars que cavalliers. |
Lord Aymar, choose, out of three gentlemen, the one you deem the best, and answer first, and after you, let Perdigon answer: one is generous, gay and ostentatious, the second is intelligent and a good statesman and somewhat generous, but just not as much, the third is remarkable for his hospitality and his lance and for his handsome apparel. Which one behaves best? Sir Raimbaut, I say the one who is most deserving is the one who applies moderation to everything, and his merit gains the more from it, and he can be stronger than his enemy; if he is righteous, courteous and pleasant, so is he the worthiest, in my opinion, for the other two have such a score of flaws, that neither can equal him in merit. Gentlemen, I know that I'll defeat you both, for I stand there where I am luckiest: with ostentation, which is the summit, along with liberality, of merit, and the truest worth. And let my lord have land and riches, since merit does not appeal to him and does not advance him, while Raimbaut may defend the French, whose sole concerns are arms and wassail. Perdigon, far greater advances befall on the one who entreats handsomely both his own people and strangers, and he is more feared with a hundred companions than you two would be if you had a thousand; and ostentation is nothing but a fickle heart and foolish vainglory which totters in its impotence; and a rich miser cannot gain honour through falsely-promising small gifts Sir Raimbaut, your man is haughty, fierce and proud because he is a good knight, so that your argument is fallacious, for he spends nothing except for some gravy soup; and Perdigon chooses like a greedy jester, who puts all his hope in material gain. My man is gay and has fine manners, although he doesn't seek the esteem of the blind and lame. I see this debate wears my lord, for he keeps on upholding minor facts, and would put valour and worth at stake solely because he is not used to them; and Raimbaut defends a full stomach, because a meal is all he hopes for, but if the marquis had the same views, he would still be a jester or a squire. Lord Aymar, you are the first to lose; and let Perdigon play a discord or dance on the viol, since he imitates Sir Starling with his lance, and such a trade suits him ill. ....................................... ....................................... ....................................... ....................................... The highest merits befit my lord just as the Realm of France befits me! And sir Raimbaut, when he rides with armour, looks far more like a minstrel than like a knight. |