Ascanio's Secret Garden

[Eulalia]

We're going to post some wonderful work that Ascanio's been doing. ​

It began with our discovering a shared delight in mediaeval love-lyrics,​

especially those of the Provencal troubadours​

(Ascanio's home in NW Italy was once part of the Kingdom of Provence,​

the local dialect is descended from Provencal). ​

The theme is the adventure of Eulalia de Dia in the Secret Garden-​

nothing is known of Beatrice, Contessa de Dia, except that she was a troubaritz,​

a female troubadour, who composed some delicious love-lyrics.​

The Secret Garden is the 'hortus conclusus' in the biblical Song of Songs​

('a garden enclosed is my beloved'),​

from which the troubadours and other mediaeval lyricists drew inspiration. ​

​

​

 

[Eulalia]

​

I sing to the wind​

My words all fly away​

I sing to the wind​

The wind does not hear​

The wind cannot hear.​

​

​

The yellow jester plucks the strings,​

plays his tune and softly sings​

a song in ancient words:​

Trop ai estaia q'en bon Ascan no vir​

per q'es be dreiz qe toz joi mi sofragna,​

eu muor desiran d'el be.​

​

​

I have not seen my Ascanius for a long time​

and so I'm without joy,​

I die of desire.​

 

[Eulalia]

ASCAN D'AURAN Ascanius of Orange​

​

​

​

Ascanio torna dalla guerra​

lo accoglie la sua terra​

cingendolo d'allor,​

​

Ascanio back from the war,​

his land welcomes him,​

laurel surrounds his head,​

​

al sol della calda primavera ​

lampeggia l'armatura del sire vincitor,​

​

the hot spring sun​

flashes on the armour​

of the noble conqueror,​

​

il sangue del principe del Moro​

arrossano il cimiero ​

d'identico color,​

​

The blood of the prince of the Moors​

reddens his crest​

of the very same color,​

​

ma più che del corpo le ferite ​

da Ascanio son sentite ​

le bramosie d'amor.​

​

but more than body wounds​

Ascanio is feeling​

the pains of love.​

​

Più ancora che l'odor della battaglia ​

è il profumo di gagliarda ​

che stimola l'ardor.​

​

Even stronger than the smell of battle​

is the scent of woman-power (1)​

that stimulates passion.​

​

(1) 'gagliarda', literally meaning "strong one" (feminine),​

is a euphemism for the female sex organs.​

Quand'ecco nell'acqua si compone ​

mirabile visione ​

il simbolo d'amor​

​

​

​

​

when suddenly in the water there appears​

a wonderful vision,​

symbol of love​

​

nel folto di lunghe chiome bionde​

il seno si confonde​

ignudo in pieno sol.​

​

in the mass of long blond hair​

her breast emerges​

bare, in full sunlight.​

​

"Mai non fu vista cosa più bella​

mai io non colsi siffatta pulzella"​

​

"Never was seen a more beautiful thing,​

I never plucked such a maiden "​

 

[Eulalia]

'Es sprah: "Ich mache dich mein wip,​

dulcis es cum ore"​

Er warf mir uf daz hemdelin​

corpore detecta,​

er rante mir in daz purgelin,​

cuspide erecta.​

(from Carmina Burana)​

​

He said, "I shall make you my lady,​

you're so sweet with your mouth"​

He stripped off my dress,​

revealed my bare body,​

invaded my little furrow​

with his lance erect!​

Bene venabatur! Ludus compleatur.​

She was good sport, the game is played!​

​

 

[Eulalia]

​

​

Estat ai en greu cossirier / per un cavallier q'ai agut,​

e voill sia totz temps saubut / cum eu l'ai amat a sorbrier;​

ara vei q'ieu sui trahida / car eu non li donei m'amor,​

don ai estat en gran error / en lieig quand sui vestida.​

​

​

​

I was plunged into deep distress / by a knight who wooed me,​

and I wish to confess for all time / how passionately I loved him;​

Now I feel myself betrayed, / for I did not tell him of my love,​

therefore I suffer great wrong / in bed when I am fully dressed.​

​

​

Bels amics, avinens e bos, / Cora.us tenrai e mon poder ? ​

e que jagues ab vos un ser / e qe.us des un bais amoros ! ​

Sapchatz, gran talan n'auria / qe.us tengues en luoc del marit, ​

ab so que m'aguessetz plevit / de far tot so qu'eu volria.​

​

​

​

Handsome friend, tender and good, / when will you be mine ?​

Oh, to spend a night with you, / to give you the kiss of love !​

Know with what passion I cherish / the hope you'll take my husband's place,​

as you have sworn to me / you'll fulfill my every wish!​

 

[Eulalia]

Dimmi o mio signore che siedi così inquieto ​

l'alato messaggero che cosa ti portò? ​

​

​

​

Tell me, oh my lord, who sits so uneasy​

what has the winged messenger brought you?​

​

Una lettera di fuoco dalla mia donna, ella mi pretende nel suo letto, ​

per farmi soggiacere alle sue voglie. ​

​

​

​

​

A letter of fire from my woman,​

she wants me in her bed,​

for me to succumb to her wishes.​

 

[Eulalia]

Felicitate Jovem supero​

nocte cum illa si dormiero,​

et sua labia hei suxero.​

​

I shall exceed Jove in happiness​

if I sleep a night with her,​

and suck the juice of her lips.​

​

​

And Ascanius starts out from his castle​

​

though first he does not spare a redhaired rebel girl from her cruel fate...​

​

​

​

Ho composto un canto nuovo, vieni ad ascoltare!​

​

I have composed a new song, come and listen!​

​

Ab joi et ab joven m'apais ​

e jois e jovens m'apaia, ​

car mos amics es lo plus gais ​

per qu'ieu sui coindet'e gaia; ​

e pois eu li sui veraia, ​

be·is taing q'el me sia verais, ​

c'anc de lui amar no m'estrais ​

ni ai cor que m'en estraia. ​

​

​

​

With joy and youth I'm pleased,​

and joy and youth please me​

because my friend is the gayest,​

for that I'm gracious and gay;​

and as I'm true to him,​

as well he's true to me,​

I'll never from his love get free​

I haven't a heart that will let me free.​

 

[Eulalia]

Ben volria mon cavalier / tener un ser e mos bratz nut, ​

q'el s'en tengra per ereubut / sol q'a lui fezes cosseiller; ​

eu l'autrei mon cor e m'amor / mon sen, mos houills e ma vida. ​

​

​

​

Would that my knight might one night / lie naked in my arms​

and find himself in ecstasy / with me as his pillow;​

to him I give my heart and love, / my reason, eyes and life.​

 

[thehangingtree]

..trouble brewing...

 

[ERIN the Brave]

A red haird rebel girl...now who could that be?

 

[admihoek]

A red haird rebel girl...now who could that be?

and........................... I had even one with more red hairbut........... you had to stay waiting for it

 

[ERIN the Brave]

and........................... I had even one with more red hairbut........... you had to stay waiting for it

You are so evil!

 

[admihoek]

You are so evil!

and have so much fun about it

 

[ERIN the Brave]

 

[ascanio]

A red haird rebel girl...now who could that be?

Obiouvsly: You!

 

[Eulalia]

CHAPTER II​

​

The words for these pictures come from the Song of Songs,​

the most erotic book in the Bible,​

and one which inspired all the love-poets of the middle ages.​

​

The purple piper plays his tune,​

​

​

The choir softly sing,​

​

The orchestra begins,​

​

Nigra sum sed formosa, filiae Ierusalem,​

ideo dilexit me rex,​

et introduxit me in cubiculum suum​

​

I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem,​

therefore the king is delighted with me,​

and he has brought me into his chamber.​

​

Statura tua assimilata est palmae,​

et ubera tua botris.​

​

Your stature is like a palm tree,​

and your breasts are like clusters of grapes.​

​

Ego flos campi et lilium convallium;​

sicut lilium inter spinas, sic anima mea inter filias;​

fons hortorum et puteus aquarum viventium;​

quae fluunt impetu de Libano.​

​

"I am a flower of the field, a lily of the valley!"​

Like a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among girls,​

she is a fountain in the garden, a well of living waters​

that flow swiftly from Lebanon.​

​

Dum esset rex in accubitu suo,​

nardus mea dedit odorem suavitatis.​

​

While the king lay on his bed,​

my perfume gave out its fragrance.​

​

Osculetur me osculo oris sui​

quia meliori sunt osculi tui vino.​

​

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth -​

for your kisses are sweeter than wine!​

​

Favus distillans labia tua,​

mel et lac sub lingua tua.​

​

Your lips drip nectar,​

honey and milk are under your tongue!​

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[thehangingtree]

like very much...

Tree

 

[ascanio]

like very much...

Tree

Thanks Tree!

 

[Fantasmo]

Marvelous!
The illustrations of Ascanio meet the poetry of Eulalia, each accenting the other and forming a great whole!
Hat off!

 

[admihoek]

Marvelous!
The illustrations of Ascanio meet the poetry of Eulalia, each accenting the other and forming a great whole!
Hat off!

not only hat off on your knees toooooooooo