A letter from Sordello (1230-45)

Translated letter:

"Sir Sordello, what do you think about the good, highly thought of Countess? For everyone's talking, gossiping about how you came here just for her love, and you're planning to be her man instead of Sir Blacatz, who's all gray because of her." "Peter William, God put all his care into fashioning her for my loss, and the beauties that other women have are nil, and their worth minute. Blacatz and I would sooner be hanged than to let one of them join our crowd." "Sir Sordello, I never saw here any operator with quite the coloration that you have; for all other wooers want to lie down and kiss, but everything that other lovers want you treat as not worth a damn." "From her I want company and honor, Peter William, and if she throws in a little bit of the savor of love -- out of mercy, not from necessity -- he who wants it can have sheer wealth, provided I can have her pleasure instead." "Sir Sordello, you seem more in control than any lover who ever lived; and if the Count lies back assured, he'll be very sorry for it later; because you'd dare to scandalize a man -- if anyone dares to bring this up to you." "Peter William, you're deranged, in the style of a man who doesn't value his fun; but my Count is such a brainy guy that he won't sleep less because of this; because a man should never see or hear a thing that he can't conceal or cover up." "Sordello, he truly knows how to fence who can ward away your swipe." "Peter William, I know how to suffer the evils of love -- and to enjoy its good."

Original letter:

"En Sordell, e qe'us es semblan de la pro comtessa prezan? Qe tuit van dizen e gaban qe per s'amor sai iest vengutz, e cujatz ans esser sos drutz q'en Blacatz, q'es per leis canutz." "Peire Gilhem, per far mon dan, mes Dieus en leis tot son afan e las beutatz qe autras an son nientz, e'l pretz es menutz: ieu e Blacatz fossem pendutz anz qe nuls i fos avengutz." "En Sordell, anc entendedor no sai vi mais d'aital color com vos iest; qe'lh autr'amador volon lo baizar e'l jacer, e vos metes a no caler so q'autre drut volon aver." "De leis vueilh solaz et honor, Peire Gilhem, e si d'amor i mesclava un pauc de sabor, per merce e non per dever, qi's volges ages tot l'aver, sol q'ieu n'ages aqel plazer." "En Sordell, plus amesuratz vois faitz d'amador q'anc fos natz; e s'el coms es aseguratz, el s'en poiria ben pentir; qar autre n'auzetz escarnir, Sordel, s'om vos o auzes dir." "Peire Gilhem, vos derrengatz a lei d'ome cui jois non platz; mas lo coms es tan enseinhaz que d'aisso no'l qal mens dormir; q'om deu so celar e cobrir qe no's tainh vezer ni aucir." "Sordel, fort sap pro d'escremir qi's pot de vostre colp gandir." "Peire Gilhem, ben sai sufrir lo mal d'amor, e'l ben jauzir."

Historical context:

The identification with Beatrice is not absolute, but the fact that Sordello is coming to serve the lady Blacatz has long served, makes the countess of Provence a likely candidate. Sordello spent about fifteen years from 1230 to 1245 at Raymond Berengar's court (Wilhelm, xviii) and probably wrote his lament for Blacatz there, on which Dante modeled the litany of princes in Purgatory 7. After Raymond Berengar's death, Sordello was retained by his successor, Charles of Anjou, Beatrice's son-in-law.

Manuscript source:

Paris, Bibl. Nationale, French 12474

Printed source:

The Poetry of Sordello, ed. and transl. James J. Wilhelm (New York: Garland, 1987), 56-59.

Date:

1230-45