Vaticinium and Amici
The Prophesy, and the Faithful Friend
This story combines an existing story - Vaticinium - with the popular narrative of the faithful friend, often referred to as Amicus and Amelius or, in the case of the Middle English romance narrative, Amis and Amiloun.
The first part of the story follows the pattern of Vaticinium:
A father and son set sail together, and are surprised when crows land upon the mast, cawing. The boy - in this version named Alexander - understands their speech, and tells their father that they prophesy that one day he will be rich, and his father shall kneel before him, holding a basin for him to wash while his mother holds the towel. Enraged, the father flings his son overboard. The boy is saved by a passing ship, is left at a nearby port, and enters the service of the steward of the castle. The king of that land (which, in the combined Vaticinium/Amici version, is specified as Egypt) had long been plagued by ravens constantly circling him and cawing, and he offered half his kingdom and his daughter’s hand in marriage to any who could free him from this nuisance. Alexander arrives at the court and explains to the king that the ravens want his judgement in a dispute to do with faith in times of hardship: in some versions, it is a lover's quarrel, in which two male ravens fight over which has claim the female based on whether they stood by her during famine; in other versions, it is a family issue, and two parents fight over who has claim to their child. The king judges that the raven who was a faithful caregiver during the period of hardship has the rightful claim, and the three ravens fly away. Alexander is given the hand of the princess, and promised the kingdom of Egypt upon the death of the king.
However, before he becomes king and eventually returns to visit his parents, the second part of the story begins.
Amici
Alexander wishes to travel to Rome, to learn the heights of courtesy that only the court of the emperor can boast. He leaves Egypt, promising to return for the hand of the princess and to take the throne, and serves at the emperor's table. He becomes bosom companions with another king's son there for the same purpose, named Ludwig (or Lodwyke, Lodwicus, etc.). Alexander and Ludwig's deep friendship and connection is reflected in their physical similarity; the two closely resemble each other, except Alexander is strong and skilled in arms, while Ludwig has no skill in battle. Ludwig falls in love with emperor's daughter, a princess named Florentine, and Alexander acts as go between, passing her one gift from Ludwig after another until she agrees to meet with him in private. The two fall in love, and begin a secret affair. Many in the court whisper enviously about them, but say nothing to the emperor for fear of Alexander's retribution. One day, however, word comes from Egypt that the king has died, and Alexander must leave to take the throne and be married. Before he goes, he cautions Ludwig and Florentine to be careful, and Ludwig gives him a ring as mark of his love and gratitude. Once Alexander has departed, the son of the king of Spain, named Guido, grows jealous of Ludwig, and tells the emperor that Ludwig has dishonoured the princess. The emperor decrees that there shall be a trial by combat, and Ludwig, despairing, asks leave for time to travel home to set his affairs in order before the duel. Instead of returning home, however, he goes to Egypt and pours out his heart to Alexander. Alexander agrees to fight in his stead, but he must leave immediately in order to arrive in time, and his wedding to the princess of Egypt is scheduled for the following day. Ludwig agrees to stand in for Alexander at Alexander's own wedding, while Alexander takes his place in duel. After the wedding, Ludwig lays a sword down the middle of the marriage bed, insulting the princess of Egypt who takes him for her true husband and is confused by his unwillingness to touch her. Meanwhile, Alexander defeats Guido in the duel, and wins the hand of Florentine for Ludwig. He departs, and the two trade places once more - but Alexander's wife, furious at 'his' previous cold shoulder, conspires with one of her knights and together they poison him. Alexander becomes a leper, and wanders for years until at last he comes to Rome, where Ludwig is now emperor, having married Florentine and had many children. Alexander is unrecognisable, but when is given food from the emperor's table, he returns the empty cup with Ludwig's own ring in it, clearly identifying him. In private, Ludwig rejoices to see Alexander, and summons all the greatest physicians in the land, but none can cure him. At last, on the point of giving up, Alexander has a dream or a vision in which he learns that the cure for his leprosy is the blood of Ludwig's children, slain by Ludwig himself; at the same time, a voice tells Ludwig that Alexander has discovered the cure. Alexander reveals the message, and Ludwig kills his children and bathes Alexander in their blood. He then speaks to Florentine, asking her, hypothetically, what she would do if the lives of her children could save their friend Alexander; she emphatically agrees that she would do anything for him. Ludwig then reveals what he has done, and horrified, she rushes to the nursery - where they find the children alive, singing the Ave Maria. Alexander is cured, all rejoice, and Ludwig leads his army into Egypt, overthrowing the princess and installing Alexander once more as king. Alexander marries Ludwig's sister instead.
And as in Vaticinium, Alexander at long last decides to visit his parents. When they hear the king is coming, they kneel before him with a basin to for him to wash, and a towel, and do not recognise him until he reveals his identity to them. He raises them up and forgives them their errors.
Critical Literature
No critical literature available
