Konrad von Würzburg: Art's Lament
Verse 9
Dâ saz Erbarmeherzekeit
frî vor missetæte,
diu Triuwe was dâ wol becleit
und ouch diu glanze Stæte.
ouch vant ich ‹dâ› Bescheidenheit
in wünneclicher wæte:
die viere wâren wol bereit,
vil guot was ir geræte.
Translation
Verse 9
There mercy sat
free from all wrongdoing,
faithfulness was beautifully clothed
and so was marvellous constancy.
I also found modesty there
in wonderful clothing:
The four were well equipped,
their equipment was very good.
Audio sample
Konrad von Würzburg: Art's Lament
Verse 10
Dô saz frou Güete gallen frî,
der crône was gewieret,
Êr unde Milte ich vant dâbî
nâch wunsche wol gezieret.
an die vil werden frouwen drî
wart von mir vil gezwieret:
si bluoten als ein rôsenzwî
daz ûf der heide smieret.
Translation
Verse 10
There sat Lady Goodness, free from gall,
whose crown was decorated with fine wires.
I found Êre and Milte
beautifully adorned.
I glanced at the three very dignified ladies
several times in secret:
they bloomed like a rose branch
that laughs on the heath.
Audio sample
Konrad von Würzburg: Art's Lament
Strophe 11
Dâ saz frou Scham diu reine fruht
frî vor itewîze,
von der man seit daz ir genuht
für alle tugende glîze.
dâ saz frou Mâze und ouch frou Zuht,
diu lûter und ‹diu› wîze;
si hæte kiusche an sich gedruht
mit herzeclichem flîze.
Translation
Strophe 11
There sat Lady Shame, the pure fruit
free from blame,
it’s been said her abundance
shines above all virtues.
There sat Lady Mâze and also Lady Zuht,
the pure and the immaculately white,
she held chastity
close to her.
Audio sample
Konrad von Würzburg: Art's Lament
Strophe 12
Dâ saz ân alle missetât
ouch bî der küniginne
Wârheit und ir vil hôher rât
und ouch gerehtiu Minne.
swaz edeler tugent namen hât,
daz was dâ mit gewinne:
unz an die Kunst, der was ir wât
zerbrochen ûze und inne.
Translation
Strophe 12
Without any transgression
there sat with the queen
Truth and her high counsel
and also fair Minne.
Everything that has rank and name among noble virtues
appeared favourably there:
except for Art, whose clothes
were torn inside and out.
Audio sample
All for one, one for all
A torn dress and a great lament at the court of virtue: In this text, several personifications, who are sitting in judgment with each other, receive detailed description.
The focus is on their splendid clothing, exemplary virtue and extraordinary beauty. The women are friendly with each other, embrace each other and face each other in conversation. The text also describes that they wear crowns with name tags so that they can be identified. Lady Art is also mentioned in this list, which introduces an obvious point of conflict into the poem: Art is wearing a tattered green velvet dress, while the virtues are sitting on chairs under a canopy in splendid robes.
Contents
A first-person speaker witnesses a court hearing of female figures in which the personified Art accuses the personified valsche Milte (false generosity) of neglect. Milte and Art take turns speaking and negotiate a central discourse: many patrons do not adequately reward good and lawful artistic practice. The court is presided over by the noble Lady Justice (Gerehtekeit), and eleven other personified virtues act as jurors: Mercy (Erbarmeherzekeit), Loyalty (Triuwe), Constancy (Staete), Modesty (Bemühung), Goodness (Güte), Eminence (Êre), Shame (Scham), Moderation (Mâze), Decency (Zuht), Truth (Wârheit) and Love (Minne). At the end of the proceedings, this ensemble of virtues makes an expansive judgment: patrons who inadequately remunerate art should henceforth be avoided by the virtues. In the final consequence, the speaker Cuonze (= Konrad) is called upon to announce the decision to the world.
What else?
Isn’t it interesting that so many personifications are used at once? Right at the beginning of the story there is even a Lady Wildekeit (wildness, savagery) who takes the author by the hand and leads him to the court hearing. Wildekeit and Art are concepts that refer to poetic considerations, that is, considerations about the form and function of literature itself.