Rialto

293.33

 

Marcabru

 

 

 

 

Lo vers comens cant vei del fau
ses fuoilla la cima e·l branquill,
c’om d’auzel ni rana no·i au
4 chan ni grazill,
ni·o fara jusc’al tems soau
qe·l vais brondill.
 
  Esegon trobar naturau
8 port la peira e l’esca e·l fozill,
mas menut trobador bergau
entrebesquill
me torno mon chant en badau
12 e·n fan gratill.
 
Prez es vengutz d’amont avau
e caseguz en l’escubill,
  puois avers fai Roma venau;
16 ben cuit qe cill
no·n jauziran, qi son copau
d’aqest perill.
 
Avoleza porta la clau
20 e geta proeza en issil;
greu paireiarau mais igau
  paire ni fill,
que non auch dire fors Peitau
24 c’om s’en atill.
 
Li plus d’aqest segle carnau
  ant tornat joven e naugill,
qu’eu non trob, de qe mout m’es mau,
28 qui amaïstrill
cortesia ab cor leiau
  qe no·is ranquill.
 
Passat ant lo saut vergondau;
32 ab semblan d’usatg’acaptil
tot qant que donan fan sensau,
  plen de grondill,
e non prezon blasme ni lau
36 un gran de mill.
 
  Cel prophetizet ben e mau
qe diz c’on iri’en becill —
seignor ser et ser seignorau —
40 e si sunt ill,
que·i an fait li buzat d’Anjau
  cal d’esmerill.
 
Si amars a amic corau,
44 miga nonca m’en meravill
  si·ll si fai semblar bestiau
al departill;
greu veirez ja joc comenau
48 al pela-cill!
     
    Marcabrus diz qe no·il en cau
    qui quer ben lo vers al foïll,
    que no·i pot hom trobar a frau
52   mot de roïll;
    intrar pot hom de lonc jornau
    en breu roïll!

 

 

 

Text: Gaunt, Harvey and Paterson 2000 (XXXIII). – Rialto 29.xi.2002.


Ms.: A (28v-29r), C (177r-v), E (154), I (117v), K (103r-v), R (5v), d (303v).

Previous editions: Jean-Marie-Lucien Dejeanne, Poésies complètes du troubadour Marcabru, Toulouse 1909, p. 159 (XXXIII); Aurelio Roncaglia, «Lo vers comens quan vei del fau», Cultura neolatina, 11, 1951, pp. 25-48; Aurelio Roncaglia, Principi e applicazione di critica testuale (Anno accademico 1974-75), Roma 1975, pp. 148-58; Simon Gaunt, Ruth Harvey and Linda Paterson, Marcabru: A Critical Edition, Cambridge, D. S. Brewer, 2000, p. 415.

Versification: 8a 8b 8a 4b 8a 4b (Frank 223:4); nine coblas unissonans

Note: Critical discussion of this song has concentrated mainly on the implications of Marcabru’s claim to trobar naturau. We see this poem as a moralising song which makes two references to what would have been soft targets for a Poitevin audience: a commonplace «venal Rome» (line 15) and the ever-troublesome Angevin neighbours (lines 41-42). The honourable exception made of Poitou (lines 23-24) is an indication that this piece was probably composed before Duke William X’s death in 1137. The backhanded compliment to the Angevins’ «fighting spirit» might suggest that the latter had recently been involved in combat (possibly the ill-documented revolt of 1130, or perhaps the beginning of the 1135 campaign in Normandy in which William X fought alongside Geoffrey V), but we do not believe that the song can be precisely dated.

[RH]


Foreword

BdT    Marcabru