A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
appears to them, warning them to leave instantly; he again, equally
without result, repeats his warning on the following day. Then "he
shows himself to them on the third night--And shows them his power.--He
begins to speak:--'Listen, ye Germans--I have fulfilled my duty (by
giving them due warning)--But you heed not my words.--Not for you did I
prepare this site--But I founded it for the sons of my own country--Not
for you, faithless calumniators--You are infamous Hungarians[12], come
from anywhere.--If even the prince has given you this monastery--It
will to-day be taken from you.--You would not listen to good words--I
will now render your dwelling on the Sazava distasteful to you.--Quick,
delay not your journey--Return in haste to Prague.--After he had said
this, holding a large stick in his hand--He unmercifully thrashed the
Germans with it."... The legend ends with the return of the Bohemian
monks to the monastery on the Sazava.
Early Bohemian legends, as already mentioned, are very numerous.
Besides those already referred to, the legends of the "tears of St.
Mary," the "joys of St. Mary," the "tears of Mary Magdalene," the
"legends of St. George and St. Anselm," are among the best. The
last-named legend expresses the characteristic opinion that Judas
Iscariot was probably a German! Two allegorical poems, of a religious
character, entitled _The Contest of the Body and the Soul_ and
_Truth_, are also very ancient.
Though the chronology of early Bohemian literature is hopelessly
unreliable, it can, speaking generally, be stated--leaving the
manuscripts of Grüneberg and Königinhof out of consideration--that the
existent Bohemian writings of a secular character are less ancient than
those dealing with entirely religious subjects. Here, too, the earliest
writings have the character of poetic works; for the first prose
writings belonging to Bohemia were all in Latin.
Among these early works should be mentioned several poems of an epic
character, which are very similar to the chivalrous poetry of other
European countries. The literature of the period of the Crusades
(wars in which the Bohemians took a considerable part) possessed, in
many respects, an international character. Knights of many European
countries met in Palestine. A brisk exchange of ideas between men whose
tendencies and ideals were identical was but natural. The subjects of
the songs and epics of chivalrous poetry are limited in number, and
often belong to several countries when national particularities often
influence the details of the narrative. Such heroes of chivalrous
poetry are Alexander of Macedon, who is conceived as a Christian knight
and a crusader, Tristram and Isolde, and the other heroes and heroines
of the round table; Theodoric or Dietrich of Berne (Verona), and the
other heroes of ancient Gothic tradition.
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