| POIS VENTADORNS E COMBORNS ... | SINCE VENTADOUR AND COMBORN ... |
| Bertrans de Born | trans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal) |
|
Pois Ventadorns e Comborns ab Segur E Torena e Monfortz ab Gordo An fair acort ab Peiregorc e jur E li Borzes se claven de viro, M'es bel qu'eu chant e qu'eu m'en entremeta D'un sirventes per lor assegurar, Qu'eu no volh ges sia mia Toleta Per qu'eu segurs non i auses estar. A! Poi-Guilhem e Clarenz e Granhol E Sant-Astier, mout avetz grant onor, E eu mezeis, qui conoisser la·m vol, E a sobrier Engolesmes major D'en Charetier que guerpis la chareta; Non a deniers ni no'n pren ses paor, Per qu'ab onor pretz mais paucha terreta Qu'un grant empier tener a desonor. Si·l rics vescours que es chaps de·ls Gascos, A cui apen Bearns e Gavardas, E·n Vezias o vol e·n Bernardos El senher d'Acs e cel cui es Marsas, D'aquela part aura prol cours que fassa; E eissamen, aissi com el es pros, Ab sa grant ost que atrai e amassa Passe s'en sai e ajoste s'ab nos. Si Talhaborcs e Ponz e Lezinhas, E Maleos e Taunais for en pes E a Sivrai fos vescours vius e sas, Ja no creirai que no nos ajudes. Cel de Toartz, pois lo coms lo menassa, Tenga s'ab nos e no sia ges vas; E demandem, tro que el dreit nos fassa, De·ls omenes quens a traitz d'entre·ls mas. Entre Peiteus e la Isla-Bochart E Mirabel e Laudun e Chino, A Clarasvals an bastit ses regart Un bel chaslar e mes en pla chambo. Mas no volh ges lo sapcha ni lo veja Lo joves reis, que no·lh sabria bo; Mas paor ai, pois que tan fort blancheja Que lo veira be de Matafelo. E Del rei Felip sabrem be si paireja O si segra los usatges Charlo D'en Talhafer, que per senhor l'autreja, Pois a dit d'oc, que mais diga de no. |
Since Ventadour and Comborn, with Ségur, Turenne and Montfort, with Gourdon, have had accord with Périgord and sworn, the burghers close in all around so that it seems that I should sing and intervene and make a sirventés to reassure that I don't want Toledo to be mine, for there I wouldn't dare to be secure. At Puy-Guilhem and Clérans and Grignol and Saint-Astier, you all are honored much and I myself would like to know you too; and at the greater, upper Angoulême Sir Carter, who has left the cart behind, now has no money, takes none without fear, would rather, honored, hold a little land than have dishonor and a great empire. If the viscount who heads up Gascony on which depend Béarn and Gavardan, <br> Sir Vézian as well, and Sir Bernard, <br> the Lord of Dax and he who has Marsan, <br> of all that region make an able count, <br> and too, because he is so capable,<br> with the great army he'll attract and mass,<br> he'll come up here and join his troops with ours. <br> <br> If Taillebourg and Pons and Lusignan<br> and Mauléon and Tounay were a piece, <br> and Civray had a hardy Viscount there, <br> I can't believe they wouldn't help us out. <br> Those of Thouars, now menaced by the count,<br> hold off with us, may it not be in vain; <br> let us insist until we have the right<br> by signs that separate us from the rest.<br> <br> The whole way from Poitiers and l'Île-Bouchard<br> and Mirebeau and Loudun and Chinon<br> to Clairvaux, they have built, without a care <br> a castle in the middle of the fields,<br> but they don't want it known or seen by the <br> Young King, so he won't know how good it is; <br> but I'm afraid the place shines out so white <br> that you can see it well from Mateflon.<br> <br> E <br> We'll find out if King Philip's like his dad <br> or if he'll follow after Charlemagne.<br> Sir Taillefer, whom he sets up as Lord <br> has once said yes, but now he tells us no.<br> </table> <pre> </pre> <font size="-1">Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003</font> <pre> </pre> <center> <table width="30%" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0" border="3" bgcolor="#ccccff"> <td bgcolor="#eeffee" width="33%"><center><A href="povb4004.htm"><i><font size="-1">VB40 next</i></a></td> <td bgcolor="#eeffee" width="33%"><center><A href="vb40inde.htm"><i><font size="-1">VB40 index</i></a></td> <td bgcolor="#eeffee" width="34%"><center><A href="pwpoth.htm"><i><font size="-1">Other index</i></a></td> </tr></table> </center> </body></html> |