Roma: Difference between revisions

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Rome

At a time when Rome is besieged by many 'heathen' kings, seven wise men attempt to govern the city, but cannot repel the enemy forces. At last the seventh wise man (sometimes named Junius or Genius), orders the troops to be readied, then mounts the walls to the highest point. He dons a strange cloak, and a mask with many faces, a takes up two swords. He sets up a mirror or a fire behind him, and shouts so loudly the heathen armies all hear him. It seems as though the light of heaven surrounds him, and the enemy armies are tricked into believing he is a powerful god and flee, leaving Rome victorious.

Note

Nishimura notes relevant motifs (TMI V232.1: Angel as helper in battle; TU345: Pagan army), as well as relevant reference narratives:

Reference stories, etc.: Bible, ‘Kings 2’, 19.35; Gesta Romanorum, 21 ‘Der treue König von Sparta’ and 139 ‘Der tödliche Basiliskenblick’. For narratives linking military victory and divine intervention, see several tales from the Golden Legend, such as 5: ‘St. Thomas the Apostle’ (p. 92); 83: ‘Pope St. Leo’ (p. 340); 84: ‘St. Peter the Apostle’ (pp. 362-363); 113: ‘Assumption of the Virgin Mary’ (p. 195); 149: ‘St. Luke the Evangelist’ (p. 114); and 152 ‘St. Simon the Apostle and St. Jude’ (p. 134). See also Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ch. 20 (p. 247, p. 249), ch. 35 (p. 273), and ch. 58 (pp. 176-177), and Ortutay, Hungarian Folktales, 37 ‘The Gypsy Who Became King’.

See also Shiki [Shiji, History], 22 ‘Biography of Titan', and Sangokushi (the Records of the Three Kingdoms), 95.

Additional Bibliography: Chauvin VIII 231; Landau 41; Krappe, 1927, pp. 168-176.

Critical Literature

Nishimura (2001), Clouston (1884), Campbell (1907)

Roma appears in the following versions and secondary versions

	Has Language Of Version	Has Branch Of Tradition	Is Adapted From
A (Seven Sages)	Old French	Seven Sages of Rome	V (Lost metrical Old French Sept Sages)
C (Sept Sages de Rome)	Old French	Seven Sages of Rome
D (Sept Sages de Rome)	Old French	Seven Sages of Rome
Dutch Version A	Dutch	Seven Sages of Rome	French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages
English Erasto	English	Seven Sages of Rome	French Erasto, Italian Erasto
Erasto (Es)	Italian	Seven Sages of Rome	L'Amabile di Continentia (Em)
Francis Kirkman, Prince Erastus	English	Seven Sages of Rome	French Erasto
French A/L Overlap	Old French	Seven Sages of Rome	L (Sept Sages de Rome), French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages
French Erasto	French	Seven Sages of Rome	Erasto (Es)
French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages	Old French	Seven Sages of Rome	A (Seven Sages)
Gaelic Version A	Gaelic	Seven Sages of Rome	Latin Version A
German Version A: Allegatio/Libellus	German (High and Low German)	Seven Sages of Rome	Latin Version A
I (Versio Italico)	Italian	Seven Sages of Rome	A (Seven Sages), French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages
Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C)	Italian	Seven Sages of Rome
Italian Prose (V)	Italian	Seven Sages of Rome	French A/L Overlap
Italian Version A	Italian	Seven Sages of Rome	French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages
K (Sept Sages de Rome)	Old French	Seven Sages of Rome	V (Lost metrical Old French Sept Sages)
L'Amabile di Continentia (Em)	Italian	Seven Sages of Rome
Latin Version A	Latin	Seven Sages of Rome	A (Seven Sages)
Latin Version A: Allegatio / Libellus	Latin	Seven Sages of Rome	Latin Version A
Latin Version A: De Septem Sapientibus	Latin	Seven Sages of Rome

Roma is narrated in the following occurrences

Narrator

Pages

Empress

A (Seven Sages), Bern Burgerbibliothek Cod. 388, Brussel Koninklijke Bibliotheek 9245, Brussel Koninklijke Bibliotheek II 1171, C (Sept Sages de Rome), Cambridge University Library MS Dd.1.17, Cambridge University Library MS Ff. 2, 38, Cambridge University Library MS Gg.6.28, Chantilly Musée Condé MS 683, Chartres Bibliothèque municipale 620, D (Sept Sages de Rome), Dublin Trinity College Library Ms 667, Dutch Version A, Edinburgh National Library of Scotland Advocates MS 19.2.1 (Auchinleck Manuscript), Edinburgh National Library of Scotland Advocates MS 72.1.39, English Erasto, Erasto (Es), Florence Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Gaddiano 166, Florence Biblioteca nazionale centrale, Landau Finaly 13, Florence Biblioteca nazionale centrale, Palatino 680, Francis Kirkman, Prince Erastus, French A/L Overlap, French Erasto, French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages, Gaelic Version A, German Version A: Allegatio/Libellus, I (Versio Italico), Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C), Italian Prose (V), Italian Version A, K (Sept Sages de Rome), L'Amabile di Continentia (Em), Latin Version A, Latin Version A: Allegatio / Libellus, Latin Version A: De Septem Sapientibus, Libro dei Sette Savj (A), London British Library Add. MS. 27429, London British Library Additional MS 15685, London British Library Arundel 140, London British Library Cotton Galba E IX, London British Library Egerton 1995, Mario Teluccini, Erasto in verse, Mario Teluccini, Erasto. Pesaro: Girolamo Concordia, 1566., Middle English Version A, Midland Version, Modena Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Estense It. 95 (α.P.8.20), Old Swedish Version A: Sju vise mästare, Oxford Balliol College Library MS 354 (Richard Hill's Commonplace Book), Oxford Bodleian Library Rawlinson poet. 175, Padua Biblioteca Civica C.M. 304/6, Paris Bibliothèque nationale de France, français 95, Parma Biblioteca Palatina Parm. 01391, Spanish Erasto, St. Florian Stiftsbibliothek Cod. XI 92 B, Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M), Storia di Stefano (R), Storia favolosa di Stefano (S), Uppsala Universitetsbiblioteket Cod. C 7, Venice Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana It. IX 621 (=10697), Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L), Wien Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Cod. 2937

Roma appears in the following manuscripts

	Has Language	Has Siglum Of The Version Of The Seven Sages	Has Language Group Within Version
Bern Burgerbibliothek Cod. 388	Old French	A (Seven Sages)	French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages
Brussel Koninklijke Bibliotheek 9245	Old French	Overlap of Versions A and L	French A/L Overlap
Brussel Koninklijke Bibliotheek II 1171	Dutch	A (Seven Sages)	Dutch Version A
Cambridge University Library MS Dd.1.17	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A
Cambridge University Library MS Ff. 2, 38	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A
Cambridge University Library MS Gg.6.28	Old French	Overlap of Versions A and L	French A/L Overlap
Chantilly Musée Condé MS 683	Latin	A (Seven Sages)	Latin Version A
Chartres Bibliothèque municipale 620	Old French	C (Sept Sages de Rome)	French Version C
Dublin Trinity College Library Ms 667	Latin	A (Seven Sages)	Latin Version A
Edinburgh National Library of Scotland Advocates MS 19.2.1 (Auchinleck Manuscript)	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A
Edinburgh National Library of Scotland Advocates MS 72.1.39	Gaelic	A (Seven Sages)	Gaelic Version A
Florence Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Gaddiano 166	Italian	A (Seven Sages)	Italian Version A
Florence Biblioteca nazionale centrale, Landau Finaly 13	Italian	I (Versio Italico)
Florence Biblioteca nazionale centrale, Palatino 680	Italian	A (Seven Sages)	Italian Version A
London British Library Add. MS. 27429	Italian	A (Seven Sages)	Italian Version A
London British Library Additional MS 15685	Latin	I (Versio Italico)
London British Library Arundel 140	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A
London British Library Cotton Galba E IX	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A
London British Library Egerton 1995	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A
Modena Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Estense It. 95 (α.P.8.20)	Italian	I (Versio Italico)
Oxford Balliol College Library MS 354 (Richard Hill's Commonplace Book)	English	A (Seven Sages)	Middle English Version A

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Inset Story
-|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001)
+|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)
 |Has Content Tag=Deception; Magic; Religious conflict; Military conflict
 |Has Summary='''Rome'''
-At a time when Rome is besieged by many 'heathen' kings, seven wise men attempt to govern the city, but cannot repel the enemy forces. At last the seventh wise man, named Junius (or Genius) orders the troops to be readied, then mounts the walls to the highest point. He dons a strange cloak, and a mask with many faces, a takes up two swords. He sets up a mirror or a fire behind him, and shouts so loudly the heathen armies all hear him. It seems as though the light of heaven surrounds him, and the enemy armies are tricked into believing he is a powerful god and flee, leaving Rome victorious.
+At a time when Rome is besieged by many 'heathen' kings, seven wise men attempt to govern the city, but cannot repel the enemy forces. At last the seventh wise man (sometimes named Junius or Genius), orders the troops to be readied, then mounts the walls to the highest point. He dons a strange cloak, and a mask with many faces, a takes up two swords. He sets up a mirror or a fire behind him, and shouts so loudly the heathen armies all hear him. It seems as though the light of heaven surrounds him, and the enemy armies are tricked into believing he is a powerful god and flee, leaving Rome victorious.
-|Has Note='''Motifs:''' cf. TMI V232.1 Angel as helper in battle. TU345 Pagan army.
+|Has Note=Nishimura notes relevant motifs (TMI V232.1: Angel as helper in battle; TU345: Pagan army), as well as relevant reference narratives:
-'''Reference stories''', '''etc.:''' ''Bible'', ‘Kings 2’, 19.35. ''Gesta Romanorum'', 21 ‘Der treue König von Sparta’ (the exiled king defends a besieged city by writing on a writing-board the enemy’s schemes and defensive measures) and 139 ‘Der tödliche Basiliskenblick’ (a besieged soldier dies without being wounded by a basilisk on the city walls). ''Golden Legend'', 5 ‘St. Thomas the Apostle’ (p. 92. A child standing on the gate reads a letter written by the Lord to the enemy army surrounding the city, and they either disperse or make peace with him); 83 ‘Pope St. Leo’ (p. 340. Attila, who was told by the man standing at Leo’s right hand with the drawn sword in his hand that if he did not do as he said, the whole army would be destroyed, agreed to withdraw from Italy and release the prisoners); 84 ‘St. Peter the Apostle’ (pp. 362-363. The remains of Peter and Paul were stolen by the Greeks); 113 ‘Assumption of the Virgin Mary’ (p. 195. The Tunica of the Virgin is raised and set forth, and the enemy army is attacked by madness and blindness); 149 ‘St. Luke the Evangelist’ (p. 114. The Turkish hordes besieging Antioch are defeated by the appearance of St. Luke); and 152 ‘St. Simon the Apostle and St. Jude’ (p. 134. The letters of Jesus are read at the city gates, and the enemy is defeated or makes peace). Gibbon, ''The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'', ch. 20 (p. 247. Of the victory of Constantine the Great, some in later times told that a divine army descended from heaven to aid the emperor; see also the note on Castor and Pollux, p. 249), ch. 35 (p. 273. Legend that St. Peter and St. Paul appeared to Attila besieging Rome and threatening the king), and ch. 58 (pp. 176-177. When the Crusaders occupying Antioch were besieged in the opposite direction, three knights with pure white robes and shining weapons were seen among the soldiers who went out, and the papal deputy declared them to be the three martyrs, St. George, St. Theodorus, and St. Mauricius). Ortutay, ''Hungarian Folktales'', 37 ‘The Gypsy Who Became King’ (when they all roll up their asses on horseback and point them at the enemy troops, the enemy, seeing them from a distance, thinks they are unidentifiable cannibals and retreat).
+'''Reference stories''', '''etc.:''' ''Bible'', ‘Kings 2’, 19.35; ''Gesta Romanorum'', 21 ‘Der treue König von Sparta’ and 139 ‘Der tödliche Basiliskenblick’. For narratives linking military victory and divine intervention, see several tales from the ''Golden Legend'', such as 5: ‘St. Thomas the Apostle’ (p. 92); 83: ‘Pope St. Leo’ (p. 340); 84: ‘St. Peter the Apostle’ (pp. 362-363); 113: ‘Assumption of the Virgin Mary’ (p. 195); 149: ‘St. Luke the Evangelist’ (p. 114); and 152 ‘St. Simon the Apostle and St. Jude’ (p. 134). See also Gibbon, ''The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'', ch. 20 (p. 247, p. 249), ch. 35 (p. 273), and ch. 58 (pp. 176-177), and Ortutay, ''Hungarian Folktales'', 37 ‘The Gypsy Who Became King’.
-''Shiki [Shiji, History]'', 22 ‘Biography of Titan (the lord of a castle that has escaped falling makes it known that “the gods have come down to teach me” and announces to the whole castle that “now the incarnation of the gods will appear and become my master”. In ''Sangokushi'' (the Records of the Three Kingdoms), 95, there is a story in which Kongming (Komei), in the face of 150,000 enemy soldiers, hid his army of only 2,500 men and opened the gates of the castle while he sat in the gate tower and played the zither. The enemy general saw him playing the zither and retreated, fearing that there must be some trick in the castle because Kongming never does anything dangerous.
+See also ''Shiki [Shiji, History]'', 22 ‘Biography of Titan', and ''Sangokushi'' (the Records of the Three Kingdoms), 95.
-'''Bibliography:''' Chauvin VIII231. Landau 41. W.A. Clouston, p.343. Campbell, 1907, pp. cviii-cix. Krappe, 1927, pp.168-176. My translation of the ''Tale of the Seven Wise Men'', note 22.
+'''Additional Bibliography:''' Chauvin VIII 231; Landau 41; Krappe, 1927, pp. 168-176.
 }}