Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical settingVaeth, Joseph Anthony
History
Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical setting
Vaeth, Joseph Anthony
Martorell, Joanot, -1468. Tirant lo Blanch
The loud tumult occasioned by the fighting was heard by the duke in the
besieged city. Thinking that the enemy was about to attack the place,
he ordered all his men to take up their arms and defend the city. At
daybreak he was surprised to see imperial banners outside the city
walls, and soldiers in pursuit of the fleeing Turks. He then came out
with his men and plundered the deserted tents of the enemy. They found
there a large quantity of gold, silver, and jewels. They took the booty
into the city and hid it, then came out again and rode towards the
imperial banners. When Tirant saw them, he rode in their direction, and
on approaching the duke, dismounted and showed him great respect and
honor. But the latter only raised his hand to his head. He spoke not a
word. All the kind and deferential words and actions of our hero were
met with scorn and contempt. (Chap. 133)
When Tirant sent ambassadors to the duke to ask him to give an account
of the booty taken from the camp of the Turks, the latter refused to do
so, and he bade the messengers tell the foreigner, Tirant, to return
to his country, and if he did not do so, he would make him drink so
much water that half of the amount would be too much. This speech was
bitterly resented by Tirant’s men. A battle between the forces of the
two leaders was imminent, but was averted by the calmness and prudence
of our hero. (Chap. 134)
Immediately after the victory over the Turks, Diaphebus had sent a
messenger to the emperor to announce the glad tidings. The good news
was then proclaimed throughout the city, all the bells were rung, and
the inhabitants went to the Church of Saint Sophia to render thanks
unto the Lord for the great victory. (Chap. 134)
In the meantime, Armini, the Grand Sultan of Babylon, sent three
ambassadors to Tirant to ask for a truce of six months, and also for
the liberation of a youth who was a brother of the sultan’s wife.
The generosity and magnanimity of our hero led him to set free the
youthful prisoner of war, and with him forty others. But the truce was
not granted, for it was the opinion of Tirant and his Council that
permanent peace could be secured only by vanquishing the infidel host.
(Chaps. 135-138)
On the same day that the ambassadors left the camp of Tirant, he
sent Diaphebus to Constantinople to deliver to the emperor the large
number of prisoners captured in the first battle with the enemy. This
gave Diaphebus an excellent opportunity to speak to his dearly loved
Stephania and to the princess. He told the latter that Tirant was
always thinking of her, and that whenever he went into battle, the name
of Carmesina was on his lips. And Stephania suggested that there was
no one more worthy and better qualified to be the next emperor than
Tirant, and he ought to be the husband of the princess. As for herself,
she confided to Carmesina, she would marry his kinsman, Diaphebus.
(Chap. 138)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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