In that thy pure and proper element,
Whence erst the Lady of Love’s high advent
Was born, and endless fires sprang from the wave:-
Even as her Loves to her their offerings gave,
For the the jewelled gifts they bear, while each
Looks to those lips, of music-measured speech
The fount, and of more bliss than man may crave.
In royal wise ring-gift and bracelet-spann’d,
A flower of Venus’ own virginity,
Go shine among thy sisterly sweet band;
In maiden-minded converse delicately
Evermore white and soft; until thou be,
O hand! heart-handsel’d in a lover’s hand.
-copied from here.
In SM Stirling, The Desert And The Blade (New York, 2016), Chapter One, p. 21, the characters discuss Dante Gabriel Rossetti's La Bella Mano so I have copied the painting and the sonnet.
4 comments:
I feel there's a certain piquant irony in having a culture which -actually- resurrected a version of feudalism being captivated by a Victorian cultural movement which romanticized the Middle Ages.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
And that "romanticism," it seems to me, would be encouraged by the influence of the Society for Creative Anachronism. And both would do something to soften the harsher aspects of Norman Arminger's vision of "feudalism."
Sean
True, especially after Norman is gone. Norman started as an actual historian, of course.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
And at the very end of his life, the Protector himself bumped up against that. I recall how Lady Sandra wanted Norman to kill Eric Larsson before he could deliver Mike Havel's challenge to single combat. The Protector replied that was impossible, because to so grossly violate the notions of fair play and honor that was starting to take root among his barons and knights would fatally alienate them from him.
Sean
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