Tristano (Tristan of Cornwall)

I Cantari di Tristano

• attestation: The cantare is subtitled as telling of when Tristano and Lancielotto fought at the stone of Merlino (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "A cantare of when Tristano and Lancielotto fought at the stone of Merlino."

• attestation: The cantare announces it will tell of Tristano and Lancielotto, identifying them as the best knights of King Artura (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Only of the best, of those of King Artura: I shall tell of Tristano and bold Lancielotto, How each was wounded at the stone of Merlin."

• attribution: Tristano and Lancielotto are described as noble knights of adventure who seek jousts across every plain (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "When the noble knights of adventure, Covered in armor on saddled warhorses, Go seeking jousts across every plain"

• attestation: Tristan di Cornovaglia (Tristan of Cornwall) hears that the good Astor di Mare is being held prisoner (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "One day Tristan di Cornovaglia heard That the good Astor di Mare was in prison"

• attestation: Tristano is identified as being from Cornovaglia (Cornwall), establishing his geographic origin (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristan di Cornovaglia"

• attestation: Tristano arms himself and rides alone through a forest, described as a noble baron (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "He put on his armor upon his worthy steed, That noble baron mounted up; And riding through a forest All alone, without companion"

• attestation: Tristano sleeps with his shield both beneath and above him, indicating knightly custom (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "His shield beneath him and over him above, He lay down to rest"

• attestation: Tristano's motivation for arming and riding out is to rescue Astor di Mare from imprisonment (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "He put on his armor upon his worthy steed, That noble baron mounted up"

• attestation: Night overtakes Tristano while riding through the forest, forcing him to dismount and rest (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Night overtook him, and to rest He dismounted to the ground and let the horse go free."

• attestation: Tristano overhears Palamidesse's threats but decides to wait until daylight to confront him (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristan heard those words being spoken And said to himself: "I will not say a word to him Until I see the daylight appear, And then someone will leave here with a broken head.""

• attestation: Tristano identifies himself to Palamidesse and declares that Palamidesse looked upon Isotta to his grief (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristan said: "You looked upon Isotta to your grief."

• attestation: Tristano reveals his identity to Palamidesse, declaring 'I am Tristano, whom you have threatened so much this night' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And then he said: "I am Tristano, Whom you have threatened so much this night, And you are Palamides the pagan, To whom I must repay the blows; And your arrogance I will lay low.""

• attestation: Tristano and Palamidesse engage in mounted combat, dealing each other two mighty blows that bring their horses to their knees (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And they dealt each other two mighty blows That made the good horses fall to their knees"

• attestation: After unhorsing each other, the knights draw their polished swords to continue the fight to the death (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Then they put hand to their fine polished swords To deal each other death, those bold knights."

• attestation: Tristano calls Palamidesse a false knight who deals in treachery (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristano said: "O false knight, You who ever deal in treachery,"

• attestation: Tristano strikes a blow on behalf of Isotta, declaring 'Fair Isotta will make you die: On her behalf, take this blow' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Fair Isotta will make you die: On her behalf, take this blow."

• attestation: Tristano strikes Palamidesse so hard he nearly unhorsed him, cutting through his helm and shield, splitting his armor, and wounding him (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "He cut through his helm and his shield, Split his armor, and wounded him."

• attestation: Tristano promises to kill Palamidesse for the love of Isotta and deals a blow that bends him over the saddlebow (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "For her love I shall make you die." And then upon his helm he dealt him a blow That bent him fully over the saddlebow."

• attestation: Tristano would have slain Palamidesse had Lionel not intervened (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And truly Tristan would have slain him, Had not a baron chanced to come upon them"

• attestation: Tristano demands that Palamidesse swear an oath to come to the stone of Merlin within eight days to finish the battle (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Sir Tristano said: "I wish to know From him, in your presence, his sworn oath That he shall come to the stone of Merlin Within eight days to finish this battle.""

• attestation: Tristano refuses Lionel's peace, insisting one of them must die on the path (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristano said: "It cannot be left unfinished, For one of us must remain here dead:"

• attestation: Tristano arrives at the stone of Merlin for the appointed duel and sees Lancielotto on the path (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And the good Tristan was coming to the appointed place And saw Lancielotto on the path."

• attestation: Tristano mistakes Lancielotto for Palamidesse the pagan and challenges him aggressively (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "He cried aloud: "Wicked knight!" He believed it was Palmides the pagan"

• attestation: Tristano and Lancielotto charge each other with lances, fighting like serpents, and the blows are so fierce their lances shatter (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And they dealt blows so fierce and cruel That their lances were of no use at all. Like knights well versed in the joust They struck each other so cruelly"

• attestation: Both knights fall unconscious from the force of their jousting (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "That they fell unconscious in spite of themselves And each one made a bed of the earth."

• attestation: Tristano threatens to deal death to the knight he mistakenly identifies as Palamidesse, showing no cowardice (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "I shall not be a coward in dealing you death."

• attestation: Tristano declares 'Ill met are you' to Lancielotto, repeating the same greeting he used when confronting Palamidesse earlier (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristano said: "Ill met are you; From this moment guard yourself from me"

• attestation: Tristano strikes Lancielotto on the helm with a blow that cuts down across his shoulders and through all his armor (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Upon the helm he dealt him such a blow, Down across his shoulders that blow went; All the armor it struck, it cut through entirely."

• attestation: Tristano rises first after both are knocked down, declaring to Lancielotto 'knight, you cannot survive' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And the good Tristan rose first, Saying: "Knight, you cannot survive.""

• attestation: Tristano calls Lancielotto a traitor and a bold knight who has shown great valor (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristano said: "Bold knight, You have shown great valor; But from me you cannot escape, O traitor.""

• attestation: Tristano tells his opponent to take a blow 'for the queen,' declaring that on her account his life shall be wretched today (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And he said: "Take that for the queen, For today on her account your life shall be wretched.""

• attestation: Both knights fight so fiercely that little of their armor holds together (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And each fought against the other so fiercely That little of their armor held together."

• attestation: Both knights continue fighting with neither showing mercy, driving each other almost to death (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And they were driving each other almost to death And neither showed the other any mercy"

• attestation: Tristano taunts his opponent about the queen, saying 'Today is the day you looked upon her to your grief' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "The queen whom you have so defended— Today is the day you looked upon her to your grief."

• attestation: The knights agree to rest and glare at each other like inflamed bears, leaning upon their swords (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "They agreed together to rest And gave each other glances like inflamed bears, And each went aside to rest, And they leaned upon their swords."

• attestation: They return to striking each other, each taunting the other, with bloodied swords, driving each other almost to death (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "So they returned to striking each other, The knights, each one taunting the other. They dealt blows of such great daring, And each had a blood-stained sword"

• attestation: Tristano refuses to give his name, insisting they return to fighting, and threatens to make his opponent die (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Tristano said: "I shall make you know it, If you do not know it well enough, with my sword. Now be done with it, false knight, Let us return to the fray, for that pleases me."

• attestation: Tristano commends himself to the Savior after receiving Lancielotto's grievous blow (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "From the blow that Lancielotto dealt, Tristano commended himself to the Savior."

• attestation: Tristano references 'the queen' whom Lancielotto has defended, showing he believes he fights for Isotta's honor (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "The queen whom you have so defended"

• attestation: Tristano strikes Lancielotto so hard he knocks him to one knee and then face-first to the ground (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "That he made him kneel down on one knee, Then straight to the ground he sent him face-first."

• attestation: Tristano addresses Lancielotto as messer (sir), using the Italian honorific indicating knightly status (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "messer Tristano said: "O knight, by me you shall be conquered.""

• attestation: Tristano marvels at Lancielotto's fighting ability, saying it does not resemble his earlier battle with Palamidesse (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Sir Tristan marveled greatly At the great blow of that knight, Saying: "This does not resemble The battle that I fought the other day.""

• attestation: Tristano tells Lancielotto that he does not love Isotta, still believing he is fighting Palamidesse (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Henceforth I do not value you a coin, For I can well see that you do not love Isotta."

• attribution: Tristano is identified as Tristan di Cornovaglia and described as 'the good Tristan' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "The good Tristan di Cornovaglia said"

• attestation: The combat between them has destroyed all the armor on their bodies (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And so fiercely did they fight with great valor That the armor on their bodies they had all cut to pieces."

• attestation: Tristano uses two hands to seize his sword, indicating the intensity of the combat (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "With both hands he seized his sword"

• attestation: Tristano reminds his opponent of a tournament in Irlanda where he carried two swords and had to leave one behind against his will (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Do you remember when you carried In Irlanda at the tournament two swords at your side, And against your will you had to leave one behind?"

• attestation: Tristano finally reveals his identity: 'I am Tristano, in case you do not well remember the name' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And then he said: "I am Tristano, In case you do not well remember the name."

• attestation: Tristano still believes he is fighting Palamidesse the pagan, telling him 'you are Palamides the pagan' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And you are Palamides the pagan, On whom I must heap heavy burdens."

• attribution: Lancielotto refers to Tristano as 'the sovereign lord,' acknowledging his superior status or prowess (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Lancielotto, hearing the sovereign lord"

• attestation: Tristano taunts his opponent by asking if he thinks he has an easy bargain, showing contempt (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "Do you think you have such easy bargain of me?"

• attestation: Tristano drops his weapon and embraces Lancielotto upon recognizing him, showing the reversal from hostility to affection (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "He threw down his sword and ran to embrace him"

• attestation: When Tristan recognizes Lancielotto, he throws down his sword and runs to embrace him, calling him 'my brother, noble and learned baron' (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "When Tristan recognized Lancielotto He threw down his sword and ran to embrace him, Saying: "My brother, noble and learned baron, Let us go somewhere to rest.""

• relationship: Tristano calls Lancielotto 'brother,' indicating a bond of sworn brotherhood between them (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "My brother, noble and learned baron"

• attestation: Tristano and Lancielotto go to the Castel di Diuasso (variant of Dinasso) together to rest after their battle (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "To the Castel di Diuasso they went straightaway"

• attestation: All three knights — Tristano, Lancielotto, and Palamidesse — make a full peace at the castle (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And all three made a full peace"

• attestation: The three-way peace between Tristano, Lancielotto, and Palamidesse resolves all conflicts of the cantare (I Cantari di Tristano > Tristano e Lancielotto al Petrone di Merlino)

  "And all three made a full peace: May God lead us to infinite glory."