It was full of terms and allusions which meant nothing to them.
They knew something of government,--not of the old republic, but of their
own men and estates. They believed wholly and simply in Christianity,
especially the miraculous part of it. To them (as to all whom it has
most profoundly influenced) it was not a philosophy, but a history of
marvellous events. When, by the operation of society, their dialect had
formed itself, a new literature, unlike anything that had flourished in
ancient Rome, grew up among them. This was Romance, the great literary
form of the Middle Ages. It was a sincere literature, expressive of
their pride in arms and their simple religious faith. The early songs
and ballads, chanted in the Romance speech, have all perished. From a
later time there have come down to us the _Chansons de Geste_, narrative
poems composed by the professional caste of poets to celebrate the deeds
and adventures of the knights who fought the battles of Charlemagne
against the Saracen invader.
The note of this Romance literature is that it was actual, modern,
realistic, at a time when classical literature had become a remote
convention of bookish culture. It was sung in the banqueting-hall, while
Latin poetry was read in the cells of monks. It flourished enormously,
and extended itself to all the matter of history and legend, to King
Arthur, Theseus, Alexander, ancient heroes and warriors who were brought
alive again in the likeness of knights and emperors.
Pages:
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31