Prologue 1

Here begins the book of the Capture of Alexandria Gods once upon a time would fall in love and goddesses would play those courteous games tender, delicious, made for lovers’ use; and it was then that the bright sun, fair moon, the commune of the stars, all the twelve signs that rule the zodiac, together with the shining planets, clear and bright, agreed to call a parliament. Mighty, majestic, came the glorious gods, came scores of goddesses, far more of both than I have room to tell you; nymphs from woods, from rivers; satyrs too of every sort; women tragedians ² who humbly serve the gods and offer sacrifice; and nymphs of poetry, creatures of fairy kind. One goddess stayed away. The noble task did not appeal to Circe, wicked witch. Mistress of powerful spells, she would have ruined the meeting and their hopes. Look at this lady – royally she comes! Royal the throng of gods, but she, most fair, Venus, outshines them all. With her comes Mars, the god of war. How well she knows her worth, decked out in all the splendour she deserves, goddess and queen, ruler of hearts and souls, of bodies and the wealth of all who love – and yes, by God! of those as yet untouched. No one breaks free whom Venus deigns to grasp. 20The god of war spoke first. ‘I’ like to know’, he said, ‘what you all think. I had dear friends, but they’re all dead, alas, died wretchedly! Good Alexander, he was one of them, he conquered England, Flanders, all the world, and sought incessantly by land and sea for other realms and countries to subdue; Hector and Caesar, Judas Maccabaeus, King David, Joshua, great Charlemagne, Arthur who suffered much, and the good duke Godfrey of Bouillon, who invested all – his gold, his wisdom, strength and courage, heart – in his great task, and won the Promised Land, or most of it, and there at last he died. It falls to us now. We ought, all of us, seek out a new Duke Godfrey, find a man ready and able to defend his land.’ ³ ‘Mars is quite right, that’s certain,’ said they all, no deity dissenting. Then they begged Nature to make a creature who should be the best, most excellent, she could construct. Into conjunction Nature brought two gods, Venus and Mars. By Love and War she made the creature that was needed, and so well she did the work that everyone approved. And God Himself, master and lord of all who live and die, all that are, were, shall be, God without end, the first and last, supreme above all gods, He in His sovereign skill placed life and soul within His creature. Soon, guided and ruled by Nature, Venus bore the fruit of that conjunction I described. Vesta the priestess, lady of the nymphs, of the tragediannes both old and young, and of their holy temples, offered prayers to every god and goddess, begging them in noble generosity to give 21a happy destiny to this new child. Then she made sacrifice – heifer, ox, bull – to every god and goddess who was there. Gladly they took her offerings and so raised the child to highest rank; and this is fact, though, I don’t know, some of you may suppose that it’s a pretty fable, nothing more. Now ancient Saturn spoke. He talked good sense; outranked by none, no god or goddess there could claim more years. ‘Reason demands,’ he said, ‘that Courage place this child within a home where Honour dwells. Quick now, let’s give him gifts; this is appropriate, this we should do.’ Generous and prompt, each god hurried to give the child fine gifts which would ensure his place in Honour’s house. And Fortune, was she there? That I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see and find out how she treats him in the end. Now our young child is born. God give him grace, good life and honour! Which day did he come? Nature and God created this new man in the year twenty-nine, Saint Denis’ day, as daylight faded and the evening fell. ⁴ Good care and right companions must be found – four goddesses they chose, famous, revered, to cherish, rule, teach and instruct the boy. Hebe, goddess of youth, as sweet and kind as she is fair, the darling cup-bearer to the great gods, would guard his infancy till he reached understanding, and perhaps if need be later still. The gentle girl would do this duty well. Minerva next they asked to serve the boy, and she was glad 22as he and she were cousins. Goddess, queen, she’s mistress of all wisdom. After her, bedecked with glory, Juno – and the air sparkled all round her as the brilliant rays shone from her person. Kindly, tenderly they begged: let him not lack all he would need, what human bodies need, gold, silver, jewels, both for himself and for his followers. Old Saturn asked her this, and she at once gave what he asked. Why, what else could she do? Goddess of wealth, she must be generous. Saturn, though rough and rude to human kind and human matters, now seemed Artois-born, ⁵ pleasant and courteous, using his great strength to help the little child. Venus, his mother, loving and beloved, was there as sovereign lady, making sure her son should first meet love in the best way. This was her whole concern; in nothing else would she advise the boy. Mars taught his son to handle arms and fight. He had no squire, none to depend on, so was given a friend to bear his banner, serve and care for him. Vulcan was summoned – Mars had a request: ‘Listen,’ he said. ‘Your knowledge is a god’s, all your experience is right and true, none can approach your skill and mastery in making armour, proper, rich, secure, for mortal men. Make me a handsome suit, excellent, safe, of armour for this child. And as time passes, let it grow with him.’ ‘I hear you,’ Vulcan answered thoughtfully. ‘Yes, I’ll be glad to do it. I’ll enjoy the work, and have the time. It was I made Achilles’ armour – Ajax killed himself because he couldn’t get it. Ulysses, 23duke of Ulyssia, tricked him out of it. Give me six months, and I’ll make this for you, finer and stronger and more elegant. It will show scenes from earth, sky, sea, the wars of Troy and ancient history. What arms, though, does he bear? This I don’t know.’ Mars had them brought; Vulcan approved of them and settled down to work. This boy, what was his name? I’ll set it out, and mine as well; easily found, you’ll see. Vesta baptised the child, using a name she greatly valued; in the lines below you’ll find it and my own. Take the two lines done in a larger hand; to one add H and from the next take M, A, R away. Adieu ma vraie dame chiere Pour le milleur temps garde chier Honneur a vous qu’aim sans trickier ‘Goodbye my dear true lady For the better time I hold dear your honour which I love unfeignedly.’ ⁶ You have to separate the letters out and rearrange them. Please don’t be annoyed, I beg you, all true hearts, or think the less of me, who write this, if I put these lines with my name and the lord’s for whom I work, both at the end and here. Until it’s done, I’ve no idea how long the book will take, though I won’t rest, but write it day and night.