Re[2]: Battle Poetry

[Carol_O'Leary@ed.gov (Carol O'Leary)]

Poster: Carol_O'Leary@ed.gov (Carol O'Leary)

     poster:  Melisande de Belvoir <Carol_O'Leary@ed.gov>
     
     Although I agree with the good Baron Corun that to watch Lady Susannah 
     Grey is to watch grace and gentility in action, I fear that his 
     message (appended below only because my mail reader isn't cooperating) 
     may tend to feed the fallacy that you have to speak medieval French or 
     do something else outside the reach of ordinary mortals to be 
     courteous.  It's not so.  You can be courteous and courtly, which is a 
     different thing altogether, in plain English just as well.
     
     Melisande


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Battle Poetry
Author:  atlantia@csc.ncsu.edu at Internet
Date:    7/16/96 12:18 PM


     
Poster: Corun MacAnndra <corun@access.digex.net>
     
Alfredo wrote:
> 
> I admit that I am not a fighter, and if I err in my ignorance, I 
> pray that those who know this arena correct me.
> I venture to guess that the knights who used those expressions had a 
> yearning to express something transcendant about their experience.
> Further, I daresay that the abovementioned expressions were not a 
> succesful fulfillment of that poetic yearning.
> I believe that fighters would do well to look to the classics of 
> the Period for ways to express themselves.
     
[snippage of the Beowulf poem]
     
> This is not the best example.  I wanted to quote something from 
> a translation of "Tirant Lo Blanc", a Catalonian romance about
> a hero who fought in Crusades and winner-take-armor tourneys, but 
> I couldn't find my copy.
> 
> If anyone agrees that such passages would help lead to more 
> appropriate language in our Society, I urge you to post your
> favorites here, that we might compile a list and circulate them, and 
> help send all mundane-sounding  battle metaphors to Uncle Dirt-Nap.
     
Perhaps Alfredo has hit upon something that the fighters could use as a 
theme at the next Pas d'Armes Tourney. I know Mistress Deirdre has been 
talking about hosting one to rival the Seven Deadly Sins Tourney that
was held down south some time ago. Maybe a contest for the Knights, squires 
and unbelted fighters. This would also allow them, especially the Knights and 
squires, to show that fighting isn't the only thing at which they're 
good.I've always felt that being fully versed in the Courtly manners and the 
Arts and Sciences is essential for anyone aspiring to Knighthood. To me, a 
Knight should show at least a modicum of ability in these areas. There are 
several Knights in this kingdom who could be named as such examples,
and at least one squire of my acquaintance who would be an excellent 
example. At the risk of insulting others by not mentioning them, as 
Mistress Deirdre was so astute to point out, I would encourage you all 
to watch Lady Susannah Grey at your next opportunity. I watched her 
issue challenges in poetic verse in Medaeval French. At least I think 
they were in verse. I don't speak French, Medaeval or otherwise.
     
In service,
Corun
     
-- 
===============================================================================
   Corun MacAnndra   |  Can not run out of time. There is infinite time. You
 Dark Horde by birth |  are finite. Zathras is finite. This....is wrong tool.
   Moritu by choice  |                                        -- Zathras
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