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Vol. 1. Introduction, Text, Glossary, Index.
Edited by A. Ewert, Formerly Professor of the Romance Languages in the University of Oxford.
"The Romance of Tristran" by Beroul has long been recognized, not merely as a text of fundamental importance in the Tristran tradition, but as a work of striking literary merit and exceptional vitality. It is therefore natural that it should often figure among the Old French texts prescribed in our Universities. The only available edition has hitherto been that prepared by Professor Muret for the "Classiques français du moyen âge". This is once again out of print, and it is clearly undesirable that such an interesting text should have to be eliminated for this reason alone. In preparing a new edition I have been further actuated by the desire to meet the requirements of our students more fully than has been possible in the series mentioned, particularly in regard to the glossary.
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THE ROMANCE OF TRISTRAN
THE ROMANCE OF T R I S T R A N by BEROUL A Poem of the Twelfth Century Edited by A. EWERT Formerly Professor o f the Romance Languages in the University o f Oxford
VOLUME I I NTRODUCTI ON, TEXT,
BASI L
GLOSSARY,
BLACKWELL OXFORD 1 9 6 7
INDEX
© BASIL B L A C K W E L L & M O T T LTD.
First Printed 1939 Reprinted 1946 Reprinted 1953 Reprinted 1958 Reprinted 1963 Reprinted 1967
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY COMPTON PRINTING LTD. LONDON & AYLESBURY FOR BASIL BLACKWELL & MOTT LTD. AND BOUND BY THE KEMP HALL BINDERY, OXFORD
PREFACE
T he Rom ance of T ristran b y Beroul has long been recognized, not m erely as a te x t of fundam ental im portance in the T ristran tradition, b ut as a w ork of striking literary m erit and exceptional v ita lity . It is therefore n atural th a t it should often figure am ong the Old French tex ts prescribed in our U niversities. The only available edition has hitherto been th at prepared b y Professor Muret for the Classiques français du moyen âge. This is once again out of print, and it is clearly undesirable th at such an interesting tex t should have to be elim inated for this reason alone. In preparing a new edition I have been further actu ated b y the desire to meet the require ments of our students more fu lly than has been pos sible in the series m entioned, p articu larly in regard to the glossary. The difficulties presented b y this te x t are well known. T h e y h ave engaged the attention of Pro fessor Muret for m any years and the bulk of his em en dations, as em bodied in his latest edition (1928), m ust commend them selves as reasonable to the im partial critic. M any of them m ust be accepted b y an y future editor unless he carries independence to the point of perversity. M y indebtedness to him is therefore v e ry considerable and has been ackn ow ledged w ithout reserve in the proper place. I have, how ever, proceeded on principles which differ some w hat from his. The detailed discussion of em enda tions accepted or rejected in this edition is reserved for the second volum e, w hich w ill contain a com m entary and w ill deal w ith date, authorship, com position and other literary problem s. For the present, it must
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PREFACE
suffice to say that I have observed, as strictly as possible, the precept of the archaeologist Didron quoted b y the late Professor Bédier in the preface to his edition of the Chanson de Roland : ' Il faut conserver le plus possible, réparer le moins possible, ne restaurer à aucun p rix .’ The Glossary has been com piled anew from the tex t, but here too the full and w holly adm irable glossary which accom panies Professor M uret’s first edition for the Société des Anciens Textes Français repeatedly proved of great assistance. Considerations of space imposed some selection