M ('Male Marastre')
| Version | |
|---|---|
| Reference Number | |
| Author | |
| Title | Ystoire de la Male Marastre |
| Siglum of the version of the Seven Sages | M |
| Version Number | |
| Branch of the tradition | West |
| Adapted from (version) | A (Seven Sages) |
| Adapted into (version) | |
| Source for composition and adaptation information | Runte (1974) |
| Original language of version | Old French |
| Translated into (languages) | |
| Place of composition | |
| Date of composition | |
| Source for date of composition | Runte (1974) |
| Language of text | Old French |
| Regional or specific language of manuscript | |
| Modern research literature | Runte (1974) |
| Modern Editions | |
| General Notes (Internal) | |
Recorded secondary versions
Pattern of embedded stories in this version
| Short Story | Sequence Number | Narrator |
|---|---|---|
| Arbor | 1 | Empress |
| Canis | 2 | Bancillas |
| Aper | 3 | Empress |
| Medicus | 4 | Anxilles |
| Gaza | 5 | Empress |
| Avis | 6 | Chaton |
| Filius | 7 | Empress |
| Vidua | 8 | Lentulus |
| Nutrix | 9 | Empress |
| Anthenor | 10 | Jesse |
| Spurius | 11 | Empress |
| Cardamum | 12 | Lentulus |
| Assassinus | 13 | Empress |
| Inclusa | 14 | Markes |
| Vaticinium | 15 | Prince (Phiseus) |
Connected manuscripts
No connected manuscripts
Note: Spelling of sage's names taken from MS Ashburnham 52, using Runte's 1974 edition of that text.
Version M is anomalous in a number of ways. The Prince is named Phiseus, and the stories titled Filius, Nutrix, Antenor, Spurius, Cardamum, and Assassinus are unique to Version M (replacing Puteus, Senescalcus, Tentatmina, Virgilius, Sapientes, and Rome in Version A).
In his introduction to his 1974 edition of the Ystoire, Runte also notes that although all seven sages are introduced by name, two of them - Malcuidanz and Martins - do not appear to tell their stories (1974, p. xxiii). Runte suggests that Lentulus appearing twice to tell both Vidua and Cardamum is simply due to scribal error. However, the fact that the final story is told by Markes (or Marcus), the son of the sage Cato/Chaton, is indicative of his unusual prominence in the narrative. This also serves as evidence of the links between Version M and the 'continuations' (or sequels) to the Seven Sages material, in particular Le Roman de Marques de Rome, which continues the story of Markes.
