- Introduction
- Semantic repetition
- Identity
- Raimbaut d’Aurenga (ca. 1147-1173)
- Arnaut Daniel (high point 1180-1200)
- Jacopone da Todi (1228-1306)
- Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
- Variation
- Giacomo da Lentini (1210-60 ca.)
- Jacopone da Todi (1228-1306)
- Guido Cavalcanti (1251-1301)
- Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
- Torquato Tasso (1544-1595)
Vedi CAR and Note 4.3.5
Back to top: Semantics
Introduction
In sections 4.3.5 and 4.4.3 of the volume Thought in clay, I have indicated the significance of what I have called semantic isotonism. I give here examples from early European literature where this phenomenon plays an important role. The texts are quoted at length because it is the best way one can appreciate the full impact of the mechanism. The goal of these quotes is to give a sense of the sensitivity for the pheonmenon of semantic isotonism outside of the Mesopotamian realm.
Develop further with relationship to Mesopotamia; see Proverbs
see improtant articles Picchio Simonelli 1973 and by M. Spanos 1978, dealing specifically with aesthetic question
Below are examples taken from the troubadours and from early Italian literature, of the role that semantics can play in metrical organization. The word may be repeated with an identical meaning, or else with a variation of meaning. It gives a hammering effect, which is stronger than one gets with rhyme, though it is at the root a form of rhyme.
Back to top: Semantics
Semantic repetition
Syntactic isotonism differs from word repetition because it is linked to a specific metrical dimension, as the examples show. It is, however, in some ways related to it, and it occurs of course very frequently in all literary traditions. As a single example, I will cite here a passage from Lucretius, De rerum natura, I 809-816:
Scilicet, et nisi nos cibus aridus et tener umor
adiuvet, amisso iam corpore vita quoque omnis
omnibus e nervis atque ossibus exsoluatur;
adiutamur enim dubio procul atque alimur nos
certis ab rebus, certis aliae atque aliae res.
ni mirum quia multa modis communia multis
multarum rerum in rebus primordia mixta
sunt, ideo variis variae res rebus aluntur.
See also the examples from Dante and Tasso at the end, which belong here more properly than in metric isotonism
Back to top: Semantics
Identity
Jaufre Rudel ( -1147 ?)
text from trobar.org
|
Lanquan li jorn son lonc e may M'es belhs dous chans d'auzelhs de lonh, E quan mi suy partitz de lay, Remembra'm d'un' amor de lonh. Vau de talan embroncx e clis Si que chans ni flors d'albespis No-m valon plus que l'yverns gelatz. Be tenc lo Senhor per veray Per que formet sest' amor de lonh, Mas per un ben que m'en eschay N'ai dos mals, quar tant suy de lonh. A! quar no fuy lai pelegris, Si que mos fustz e mos tapis Fos pels sieus belhs huelhs remiratz! Be'm parra joys quan li querray, Per amor Dieu, l'ostal de lonh, E, s'a lieys platz, alberguarai Pres de lieys, si be'm suy de lonh, Qu'aissi es lo parlamens fis Quan drutz lonhdas et tan vezis Qu'ab cortes ginh jauzis solatz. Iratz e dolens m'en partray, S'ieu no vey sest' amor de lonh. No'm sai quora mais la veyrai, que tan son nostras terras lonh. Assatz hi a pas e camis, e per aisso no'n suy devis. Mas tot sia cum a lieys platz. Jamai d'amor no'm jauziray Si no'm jau d'est' amor de lonh, que mielher ni gensor no'n sai ves nulha part, ni pres ni lonh. Tant es sos pretz ricx e sobris Que lai el reng dels Sarrasis fos hieu per lieys chaitius clamatz. Dieus que fetz tot quant ve ni vay E formet sest'amor de lonh Mi don poder, que cor be n'ai, Qu'ieu veya sest'amor de lonh, Verayamen en luec aizis, Si que las cambras e'l jardis Mi resemblo novels palatz. Ver ditz qui m'apella lechay e deziros d'amor de lonh, que nulhs autres joys tan no'm play Cum jauzimen d'amor de lonh. Mas so qu'ieu vuelh m'es tant ahis, Qu'enaissi'm fadet mos pairis Qu'ieu ames e nos fos amatz. |
During May, when the days are long, I admire the song of the birds from far away and when I have gone away from there I remember a love far away. I go scowling, with my head down so much that songs and hawthorn flowers aren't better, to me, than the frozen Winter. I trust the Lord's fairness in having formed this faraway love, but for each consolation I achieve I get two ills, because I am so far away. Ah! Why didn't I go there as a pilgrim, so that my staff and hooded cloak would be beheld by her beautiful eyes! It will certainly feel like joy when I ask her, for the love of god, to be hosted; and, if she likes it, I shall lodge near her, although I come from far away. Conversation is so pleasant when the faraway lover is so close that he would long to be welcome with kind intentions. Sad and pained shall I depart if I don't see this faraway love. I don't know when ever I shall see her, so far away our countries are. So many are the crossings and the roads that I can't tell. But be everything as she likes it. Never shall I enjoy love unless I enjoy this faraway love, since I don't know of a better and worthier one anywhere, near or far away. So abundant and sovereign her merits are that down there, in the Saracen's realm, I wish I were held in thrall for her sake. God, who created all that comes and goes and shaped this faraway love, give me strength, since I already have the intention, so that I see this love far away in reality and in a fitting place so that rooms and gardens shall seem to me to be new palaces. He is true who calls me grasping and longing for a faraway love since no other merriment pleases me as much as enjoying a faraway love. But that which I want is denied to me since my godfather made it so that I love and am not loved. |
Back to top: Semantics
Raimbaut d’Aurenga (ca. 1147-1173)
text from trobar.org
There is one minor but noticeable and very regular variation, in every other strofe: enversa/enverse, tertres/tertre, conglapis/conglapi, trenza/trenque, siscles/siscle, giscles/giscle, joys/joy, croys/croy: some of these variations can only be seen in the written form of the poem.
| Ar resplan la flors enversa
Pels trencans rancs e pels tertres Quals flors? Neus, gels e conglapis Que cotz e destrenh e trenca; Don vey morz quils, critz, brays, siscles En fuelhs, en rams e en giscles. Mas mi ten vert e jauzen Joys Er quan vei secx los dolens croys. Quar enaissi m'o enverse Que bel plan mi semblon tertre, E tenc per flor lo conglapi, E·l cautz m'es vis que·l freit trenque, E·l tro mi son chant e siscle, E paro·m fulhat li giscle. Aissi·m sui ferm lassatz en joy Que re non vey que·m sia croy. Mas una gen fad' enversa (com s'erom noirit en tertres) Qu·em fan pro piegs que conglapis; Qu·us quecs ab sa lenga trenca E·n parla bas et ab siscles; E no i val bastos ni giscles, Ni menassas; –ans lur es joys Quan fan so don hom los clam croys. Quar en baizan no·us enverse No m'o tolon pla ni tertre, Dona, ni gel ni conglapi, Mais non-poder trop en trenque. Dona, per cuy chant e siscle, Vostre belh huelh mi son giscle, Que·m castion si·l cor ab joy Qu'ieu no·us aus aver talant croy. Anat ai com cauz' enversa Sercan rancx e vals e tertres, Marritz cum selh que conglapis Cocha e mazelh' e trenca: Que no·m conquis chans ni siscles Plus que flohs clercx conquer giscles. Mas ar – Dieu lau – m'alberga Joys Malgrat dels fals lauzengiers croys. Mos vers an – qu'aissi l'enverse, Que no·l tenhon bosc ni tertree – Lai on om non sen conglapi, Ni a freitz poder que y trenque. A midons lo chant e·l siscle Clar, qu'el cor l'en intro·l giscle, Selh que sap gen chantar ab joy Que no tanh a chantador croy. Doussa dona, Amors et Joys Nos ajosten malgrat dels croys. Jocglar, granren ai meynhs de joy! Quar no·us vey, en fas semblan croy. |
Now the flora shines, perverse,
through the jagged cliffs and through the hills. Which flora? Snow, ice and frost which stings and hurts and cuts; wherefore I can't hear anymore calls, cries, tweets and whistles among leafage, branches and twigs. But I am kept green and merry by Joy now that I see wither the felons and the bad. For now I so reverse [things] that fair plains look to me like a hill and I mistake flowers for frost and, through cold, heat appears to me to cut and the thunder I believe to sing and whistle and leafage seem to me to cover the twig. I am so firmly bound in joy that, to me, nothing looks bad. But a crowd grown perverse, as if it were brought up among the hills plagues me far more than the frost: for each one of their tongues cuts and speaks softly, as in whistles; and it doesn't avail [hitting them] with staves and twigs, nor do threats; for they call joy doing what makes people call them bad. I cannot by kept by cold nor by frost, nor by plain or hill, from kissing you, reverse, lady for whom I sing and whistle, but by powerlessness too much am I cut [down]; your beautiful eyes are the twig that punishes my heart so much with joy that, towards you, my intentions don't dare be bad. I have gone about like a perverse thing, searching crags and dales and hills, as distressed as one whom frost bites and batters and cuts: but I am not won by songs and whistles more than a foolish student is won by twigs. But now – god be praised – I am harboured by Joy in spite of the slanderers, captious and bad. Let my verse go – for I rerverse it so that it can't be stopped by wood or hill – there where one doesn't feel the frost, nor cold has power enough to cut. May someone tersely sing and whistle it to my lady, and may it sprout [a new] twig in her heart; let him be one who can sing nobly and with joy for it doesn't befit a singer who is bad. Sweet lady, Love and Joy match us in spite of the bad. Joglar, I have much less joy: since I don't see you, I look bad. |
Back to top: Semantics
Arnaut Daniel (high point 1180-1200)
text from trobar.org
The alternation is more complex than with Raimbaut, because the sequence varies from strophe to strophe; the word at the end of eh strophe rhymes with the word at the end of the first verse of the next strophe; and all six alternants appear in the final envoi, in final position. It has, however, six verse (a sextain) instead of eight as with Raimbaut.
Dante, in the rima petrosa given below, imitates closely Arnaut’s sextain. And, as is well know, he has Guinizzelli praise Arnaut as being the “miglior fabbro del parlar materno” (Purg. XXVI 117), “the best smith of the vulgar language”.
An Assyriological note. – A. Leo Oppenheim dedicated his article, “The City of Assur in 714 B.C.,” Jounral of Near Eastern Studies 19 (1960) 133-47 as follows: “For Benno Landsberger, il miglior fabbro.”
|
Lo ferm voler qu'el cor m'intra
no'm pot ges becs escoissendre ni ongla de lauzengier qui pert per mal dir s'arma; e pus no l'aus batr'ab ram ni verja, sivals a frau, lai on non aurai oncle, jauzirai joi, en vergier o dins cambra. Quan mi sove de la cambra on a mon dan sai que nulhs om non intra -ans me son tug plus que fraire ni oncle- non ai membre no'm fremisca, neis l'ongla, aissi cum fai l'enfas devant la verja: tal paor ai no'l sia prop de l'arma. Del cor li fos, non de l'arma, e cossentis m'a celat dins sa cambra, que plus mi nafra'l cor que colp de verja qu'ar lo sieus sers lai ont ilh es non intra: de lieis serai aisi cum carn e ongla e non creirai castic d'amic ni d'oncle. Anc la seror de mon oncle non amei plus ni tan, per aquest'arma, qu'aitan vezis cum es lo detz de l'ongla, s'a lieis plagues, volgr'esser de sa cambra: de me pot far l'amors qu'ins el cor m'intra miels a son vol c'om fortz de frevol verja. Pus floric la seca verja ni de n'Adam foron nebot e oncle tan fin'amors cum selha qu'el cor m'intra non cug fos anc en cors no neis en arma: on qu'eu estei, fors en plan o dins cambra, mos cors no's part de lieis tan cum ten l'ongla. Aissi s'empren e s'enongla mos cors en lieis cum l'escors'en la verja, qu'ilh m'es de joi tors e palais e cambra; e non am tan paren, fraire ni oncle, qu'en Paradis n'aura doble joi m'arma, si ja nulhs hom per ben amar lai intra. Arnaut tramet son chantar d'ongl'e d'oncle a Grant Desiei, qui de sa verj'a l'arma, son cledisat qu'apres dins cambra intra. |
The firm will that my heart enters
can't be scraped by beak nor by nail of slanderer who damns with ill speaking his soul; since I don't dare beat them with bough or rod, at least, secretly, where I won't have any uncle, I'll enjoy pleasure, in the garden or in the room. When I remember the room where, to my scorn, I know no man enters -instead they are all to me more than brother or uncle- I have no limb that doesn't shake, not even the fingernail, just as a child is before the rod: such is my fear of not being close to her soul. Were I close to her body, not to her soul, were she to let me hide in her room, since it hurts my heart more than strike of rod that her servant isn't there where she enters: I'll be with her what flesh is to nail and I won't follow advice of friend or of uncle. Not even the sister of my uncle did I love more or as much, by this soul, since, as the finger is close to the nail, if she pleases, I want to be to her soul: of me can do the love that my heart enters more with its will than a strong man with a frail rod. Since when flourished the withered rod and from Adam sprung nephew and uncle, a love as good as the one that my heart enters I don't think has ever been in any body or soul: wherever I am, out in the plains or in a room, my heart doesn't part from her more than a nail. So clings and is fixed, like with nail, my heart to her like the bark to the rod, she is to me tower, palace and room; and I don't love as much parent, brother or uncle, and in Paradise will have double joy my soul, if anyone there for good-loving enters. Arnaut sends forth this song of uncle and nail to Great Desire, which of his rod holds the soul, a framework-song which, learned, the room enters. |
Back to top: Semantics
Jacopone da Todi (1228-1306)
Laude 89: Amor de caritate, perché m’ài ssì feruto?
The word is repeated with an insistent hammering rhythm, but it also appears regualry at the beginning and the end of each strophe.
| Amor, Amore, che sì m’ài firito, | |
| altro che Amore non pòzzo gridare; | |
| 245 | Amor, Amore, teco so’ unito, |
| altro non pòzzo che te abracciare; | |
| Amore, Amore, forte m’ài rapito, | |
| lo cor sempre se spande per amare; | |
| per te voglio pasmare, Amor, ch’eo teco sia; | |
| 250 | Amor, per cortesia, famme morir d’amore. |
| Amor, Amor-Iesù, so’ iont’a pporto, | |
| Amor, Amor-Iesù, tu m’ài menato, | |
| Amor, Amor-Iesù, damme conforto, | |
| Amor, Amor-Iesù, ssì m’à’ enflammato, | |
| 255 | Amor, Amor-Iesù, pensa l’opporto, |
| famme en te stare, Amor, sempre abracciato, | |
| con teco trasformato en vera caritate | |
| e ’n summa veretate de trasformato amore. | |
| ‘Amore, Amore’ grida tutto ’l mondo, | |
| 260 | ‘Amore, Amore’ onne cosa clama. |
| Amore, Amore, tanto si prefondo, | |
| chi plu t’abraccia, sempre plu t’abrama! | |
| Amor, Amor, tu si cerchio retundo, | |
| con tutto cor, chi c’entra, sempre t’ama; | |
| 265 | ché tu si stam’e trama, chi t’ama per vistire, |
| cun sì dolce sentire che sempre grida ‘Amore!’ | |
| Amore, Amore, quanto tu me fai, | |
| Amore, Amore, no ’l pòzzo patere! | |
| Amore, Amore, tanto me tte dài, | |
| 270 | Amore, Amore, ben ne credo morire! |
| Amore, Amore, tanto preso m’ài, | |
| Amore, Amore, famme en te transire! | |
| Amore, dolce languire, morir plu delettoso, | |
| Amor medecaroso, anegam’enn amore. | |
| 275 | Amore, Amor, lo cor sì me sse spezza, |
| Amore, Amor, tale sente firita! | |
| Amore, Amor, tram’ e | |
| Amore, Amor, per te sì so’ rapita; | |
| Amore, Amor, vivere me desprezza, | |
| 280 | Amore, Amor, l’anema teco unita! |
| Amore, tu si sua vita, ià non se <’n> pò partire; | |
| per que la fai languire, tanto stregnenno, Amore? | |
| Amore, Amor-Iesù descideroso, | |
| Amor, voglio morire te abracciando, | |
| Amore, Amor-Iesù, dolce meo sposo, | |
| Amore, Amor, la morte t’ademando, | |
| Amore, Amor-Iesù, sì delettoso, | |
| tu me tt’arènni en te me trasformando! | |
| Pensa ch’eo vo pasmanno, Amor, non so o’ me sia, | |
| Iesù, speranza mia, abissame enn Amore!». |
Back to top: Semantics
Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
Rime, 101 – from Dante online
The metrical pattern is an exact imitation of Arnaut’s six sextains and one ter.
Al poco giorno e al gran cerchio d’ombra
son giunto, lasso!, ed al bianchir de’ colli,
quando si perde lo color ne l’erba;
e ‘l mio disio però non cangia il verde,
si è barbato ne la dura petra
che parla e sente come fosse donna.
Similemente questa nova donna
si sta gelata come neve a l’ombra;
che non la move, se non come petra,
il dolce tempo che riscalda i colli,
e che li fa tornar di bianco in verde
perché li copre di fioretti e d’erba.
Quand’ella ha in testa una ghirlanda d’erba,
trae de la mente nostra ogn’altra donna;
perché si mischia il crespo giallo e ‘l verde
sì bel, ch’Amor lì viene a stare a l’ombra,
che m’ha serrato intra piccioli colli
più forte assai che la calcina petra.
La sua bellezza ha più vertù che petra,
e ‘l colpo suo non può sanar per erba;
ch’io son fuggito per piani e per colli,
per potere scampar da cotal donna;
e dal suo lume non mi può far ombra
poggio né muro mai né fronda verde.
Io l’ho veduta già vestita a verde
sì fatta, ch’ella avrebbe messo in petra
l’amor ch’io porto pur a la sua ombra;
ond’io l’ho chesta in un bel prato d’erba
innamorata, com’anco fu donna,
e chiuso intorno d’altissimi colli.
Ma ben ritorneranno i fiumi a’ colli
prima che questo legno molle e verde
s’infiammi, come suol far bella donna,
di me; che mi torrei dormire in petra
tutto il mio tempo e gir pascendo l’erba,
sol per veder do’ suoi panni fanno ombra.
Quandunque i colli fanno più nera ombra,
sotto un bel verde la giovane donna
la fa sparer, com’uom petra sott’erba.
Back to top: Semantics
Variation
Back to top: Semantics
Giacomo da Lentini (1210-60 ca.)
[E]o viso – e non diviso – da lo viso,
e per aviso – credo ben visare;
però diviso – ‘viso’ – da lo ‘viso’,
c’altr’è lo viso – che lo divisare.
5 E per aviso – viso – in tale viso
de l[o] qual me non posso divisare:
viso a vedere quell’è peraviso,
che no è altro se non Deo divisare.
9 ’Ntra viso – e peraviso – no è diviso,
che non è altro che visare in viso:
però mi sforzo tuttora visare.
12 [E] credo per aviso – che da ‘viso’
giamai me’ non pos’essere diviso,
che l’uomo vi ’nde possa divisare.
Back to top: Semantics
Jacopone da Todi (1228-1306)
Laude 69 1-3: Oi dolze Amore
Oi dolze Amore,
c’ài morto l’amore,
pregote che m’occide d’Amore!
Back to top: Semantics
Guido Cavalcanti (1251-1301)
A special semantic recall in a sonet (28) of Cavalcanti:
| 1 | Pegli occhi fere un spirito sottile, |
| che fa ’n la mente spirito destare, | |
| dal qual si move spirito d’amare, | |
| ch’ogn’altro spiritel[lo] fa gentile. | |
| 5 | Sentir non pò di lu’ spirito vile, |
| di cotanta vertù spirito appare: | |
| quest’ è lo spiritel che fa tremare, | |
| lo spiritel che fa la donna umìle. | |
| 9 | E poi da questo spirito si move |
| un altro dolce spirito soave, | |
| che sieg[u]e un spiritello di mercede: | |
| 12 | lo quale spiritel spiriti piove, |
| ché di ciascuno spirit’ ha la chiave, | |
| per forza d’uno spirito che ’l vede. |
Back to top: Semantics
Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
A semantic recall in the Divine Comedy:
il nome di colei / che s’imbestiò ne le ‘mbestiate schegge (Purg. 26:86-87)
Back to top: Semantics
Torquato Tasso (1544-1595)
Some additional semantic recalls from the Gerusalemme liberata:
- Percosso il cavalier non ripercote (III 24:1)
- Rendé lor poscia, in dolci e care note, / grazie per l'alte grazie a lei concesse (IV 85:1-2)
- Ma mentre dolce parla e dolce ride / e di doppia dolcezza inebria i sensi (IV 92:1-2)
- gli altri anco d'onore / fingon desio quel ch'è desio d'amore (V 7:7-7)
- ch'ei puní l'onta ingiusta giustamente (V 58:8)
- Non sai com'egli al tuo doler si doglia (VI 74:3)
- il pietoso pastor pianse al suo pianto (VII 16:8)
- Signor, te sol – gli disse – io qui soletto / in cotal ora desiando aspetto (XVII 59:7-8)
Back to top: Semantics