A letter from Elias de Barjols (1219)

Translated letter:

I. Since I see that Love is no use to me, and does me no good, I make no effort to detach myself; but, thus constrained I am discouraged, for I can not so long suffer such grave distress since I have no hope of some kind of revival.

II. No hope of good, nor of consolation do I have in love, for she debases her own and raises and maintains the false, and they have all the enjoyment; but who injures her own, is diminished by the injury, and shares the blame that awaits.

III. I was certainly hers in good faith, but since so much harm has come to me from love, that I have no good from it, let everyone think for imself from now on, for I am cutting off my understanding and my heart and my hope from her, constrained, since nothing advances me, and I find no mercy there.

IV. I have never found mercy in love, nor pleased her, nor please her, so I will not seek mercy from her for I think it does me no good; with a miserly, grasping lord, I have been without joy, for nothing but anger and trouble have I had, with grave distress.

V. And since love conducts herself thus with her own that she betrays them, I am certainly mad if I continue to be drawn to her; for no good comes to me, except only that the beauty in whom I have faith/loyalty from which she gives me great happiness does not decline from her good merit.

VI. Savoy and its power, God keep them, for our honor increases that a flower comes from there of such aspect that we hope for worthy fruit.

VII. Sir Isnart, giving and dispensing, you increase in land and honor, Sir Blacatz does not injure himself, indeed I find him more worthy.

Original letter:

I. Pus vey que nulh pro no'm te Amors, ni nul be no'm fai, no fas nul esfors si'm n'estrai; pero, forsatz m'en recre, quar non puesc tan lonjamen sufrir tan grieu malanansa e quar non ai esperansa en calque revenimen.

II. Nulh’esperansa de be ni hulh bon conort no sai en amor, quar los sieus dechai e’ls fals enans’ e mante, qu’il n’an tot lo iauzimen; pero, qui’ls sieus dezenansa, el dezenans pren mermansa part lo blasme qui’l n’aten.

III. Ben fui sieus per bona fe, mas pus tan mal m’en estai, d’amor, que negun ben no’n ai, pes quascus hueymais de se, qu’ie’n part mon entendemen e mon cor e m’esperansa, forsatz, pos re no m’enansa ni no’y truep nulh chauzimen.

IV. Anc iorn n’y trobey merce, en amor, ni’l plac ni’l plai, per qu’eu ia merce no’lh querrai quar pes que no’m valgues re; qu’ap senhor avar, tenen ai estat ses alegransa, qu’anc ren mas ir’ e pezansa no’n ayc ab greu pessamen.

V. E pus enaissi’s capte amors vas los sieus que’ls tray, be suy folhs s’ieu pus m’i atray; que negus bes no m’en ve, si fai d’aitan solamen, que’l bell’en cui ai fiansa de que’m don gran benanansa de son bon pretz no deissen.

VI. Savoia e’l tenemen sal Dieus, car nos creis d’onransa que flors n’ieis de tal senblansa don esperam frug valen.

VII. N’Isnart, donan e meten creissetz de ‘terr’ e d’onransa, En Blacatz no’s dezenansa, qu’ades lo truep plus valen.

Historical context:

Elias was at the court of Provence in the time of Raymond Berengar's father, Alfonso, and wrote poems for Raymond's mother countess Garsenda (#5-8), herself a poet, as well as for Beatrice (#10-13) and for Beatrice's mother, Marguerite (9). This poem seems to have been written in celebration of the marriage of Beatrice and Raymond Berengar. Blacatz was a principal patron of Elias, Isnart a troubadour who had his differences with Blacatz, according to Stronski (90).

Printed source:

Le Troubadour Elias de Barjols, ed. Stanislas Stronski (Toulouse: Edouard Privat, 1906), 24-27, #10.

Date:

1219