CHAPTER IV

OTHER MATERIAL FROM THE _CHRONICA_ UTILIZED BY MARTORELL

But there are other features in this part of _Tirant lo Blanch_ that reveal the influence of that portion of the _Chronica_ which treats of Roger de Flor and his expedition. In recounting the career of the latter we have noted that the first fight in which his forces were engaged was against the Genoese, who were in the service of the emperor. This incident is reflected in the following words spoken by the emperor and addressed to Tirant:[47] “... perqueus prech, Capita virtuos, queus vullau dispondre en anar contra los enemichs nostres los genouesos, generacio mala....”

[47] Therefore I pray you, excellent Captain, to make ready to march against our enemies, the Genoese, an evil race.... _Tirant lo Blanch_, chap. cxxii, col. 2.

The incompetent, envious and treacherous commander, Xor Miqueli, is probably the prototype of the sullen and malicious Duke of Macedonia.

En Berenguer de Rocafort and En Berenguer Dentença came with reinforcements to Constantinople and joined Roger’s army; the Prior of Saint John, the Viscount of Branches, and the Duke of Messina came with many men to join Tirant’s forces.

At a session of the Imperial Council which had convened to consider certain military matters, one of the members proposed:

[48] ... antes que partixquen de açi la gent darmes deuen anar en romiatge, e fer grans presentalles als deus en la ylla don Paris sen porta la Reyna Elena: e perço hagueren en temps antich los Grechs victoria dels Troyans.

[48] ... before they leave here, the men at arms ought to make a pilgrimage and make great offerings to the gods on the island whence Paris carried away Queen Helen: it was in this way that, in ancient times, the Greeks won a victory over the Trojans. _Tirant lo Blanch_, chap. cxxiii, col. 4.

This proposal is surprising. Why should such a suggestion be made in a Christian court? We find the answer in the following passage taken from the _Chronica_:

[49] E en aquella illa del Tenedo en aquell temps hauia una ydola, e venien hi un mes del any tots los honrrats homens de Romania, e les honrrades dones a romeria. E axi fo, que en aquell temps Arena, muller del duch de Tenes, hi vench en romeria ab C cauallers qui lacompanyaren, e Paris, fill del rey Priam de Troya, axi mateix era vengut a romeria, e hauia ab si entro cinquanta cauallers. E vae la dona Arena, e altas tant della, que dix a sos homens, que mester era, que lagues e la sen menas. E axi com so mes en cor, axi fo: que garnis ab tota sa companya, e pres la dona, e volch sen menar. E aquells cauallers qui eren ab ella volgren la li defendre, e finalment tots cent muriren, e Paris menassan la dona.

[49] And on that island of Tenedos, there was at that time an idol, and one month in every year all the noble men and noble ladies of Romania came thither on a pilgrimage. And thus it was that at that time Arena [Helen] wife of the Duke of Tenes [Athens?] came thither on a pilgrimage with a hundred knights who accompanied her. And Paris, the son of King Priam of Troy, likewise had come on a pilgrimage and he had with him about fifty knights. He saw the Lady Arena, and fell so deeply in love with her that he said to his men that he must have her and carry her away with him. And what he had set his heart upon doing was done: he made ready to carry out his purpose with his company, and he seized the lady and was about to take her away. And those knights who were with her tried to defend her, and finally every one of the hundred was killed and Paris carried away the lady. Muntaner’s _Chronica_, chap. ccxiv.

Roger’s companion, En Fernan de Ahones, married a relative of the emperor and was appointed Admiral; Tirant’s intimate companion, Diaphebus, became Constable and married the niece of the emperor, Stephania.

The above are the principal features that seem to owe their origin to that part of the _Chronica_ that treats of Roger de Flor in connection with the Catalan-Aragonese expedition to the Orient. Another feature which is apparently due to the same source is the description of the manner in which Tirant ran the blockade at Rhodes. The description is as follows:

[50] E en la primera guayta la nau feu vela: e ixqueren del port ab molt bon temps: e agueren lo vent molt prosper: que en .iiii. dies passaren lo golf de Venecia e foren en vista de Rodes, e anaren al castell de sanct Pere, e aqui surgiren per sperar vent que fos un poch fortunal. E Tirant a consell de dos mariners que de sa terra hauia portats, qui amauen molt la honor sua, com veren lo vent larguer e bo, en la nit donaren vela e de mati apuntant la alba, ells foren en vista de Rodes molt prop. Com les naus de Genouesos veren aquella nau venir pensaren que era una de dues que hauien trameses per portar vitualles per al camp, e vehien que venien de levant, no podien pensar que neguna altra nau tingues atreviment de venir en mig de tantes naues com en lo port stauen. La nau se acosta e con fon prop delles carregua de tantes veles com podia portar: en aço conegueren los Genouesos, e en lo galip de la nau que no era de les sues, posarense en orde del que pogueren: empero la nau los fon tan prop que neguna nau no pogue alçar vela, e aquesta a veles plenes passa per mig de totes les naus al lur despit.

[50] And in the first watch the ship set sail: they left the port in very good weather and they had very favorable winds so that in four days they crossed the Gulf of Venice and were in sight of Rhodes. They went to the castle of Saint Peter, where they cast anchor in order to await a rather stormy wind. Tirant followed the advice of two mariners whom he had brought along with him from his native land. Both of these held his honor in high esteem. When they saw that the wind was strong and propitious they set sail during the night and in the morning at break of day they were very near Rhodes. When the ships of the Genoese saw that vessel coming they thought that it was one of two that they had sent to get provisions for the camp, and seeing that they were coming from the west, they could not imagine that any other ship would have the boldness to come into the midst of so many ships as were in the port. The vessel approached and when it was very close to them, all the sails that it was able to carry were set. By this and by the lines of the ship the Genoese saw that it was none of theirs and they put themselves in order the best they could: but the vessel was so near them that no ship was able to set a sail, and that one with sails full spread passed through the midst of all the ships in spite of them. _Tirant lo Blanch_, chap. ciiii, cols. 3 and 4.

When Robert, Duke of Catania, besieged the city of Messina in Sicily, Roger de Flor brought provisions to the starving soldiers and inhabitants, and the duke was obliged to raise the siege. Below follows the account of this event as narrated by Muntaner.

[51] E frare Roger ... axi hach deu galees, e carrega les a Xacca de forment, e venchses a Caragoça, e espera ques metes fortuna de xaloch o de mig jorn. E com la fortuna fo, que era tant gran, que tota la mar nanaua en sanch, que nul hom no so gosara pensar, qui no fos axi bon mariner, com ell, ana a fer vela de Caragoça, com hach donada part a la nuyt, e a lalba ell fo en bocha de Far; e en bocha de Far es la major marauella del mon, com res hi ha durada, com fortuna de xaloch o de mig jorn hi ha, que les corrents hi son tant grans, e la mar hi caua tant fort, que res no hi ha durada: e ell ab la sua galea primera pensa dentrar ab los artimons borts en que hauia forats. E com les galees del duch les vaeren, totes comensaren a chiular, que volgren llevar los ferres, e no pogren. E axi les deu galees ab frare Roger entraren a Macina saluament e segura; mas no hi hach nul hom qui hagues sobre si fil exut ... e axi Macina fo restaurada, e lendema lo duch llevas del setge, e tornasen a Cathania.

[51] And Brother Roger ... thus had ten galleys, and he loaded them with grain at Sciacca and came to Syracuse and waited for a strong wind to come up from the southeast or south. And when the wind came it was so strong that the whole sea began to rage, so that no man who was not so good a mariner as he, dared think of setting sail. He set sail from Syracuse when night had come, and at dawn he entered the Strait of Faro; and it is the greatest wonder in the world that anything can survive in the Strait of Faro when there is a strong wind from the southeast or the south, for the currents there are so powerful and the sea rages so violently that nothing can stand it. And he decided to enter first with his own galley provided with large sails in which there were holes. And when the galleys of the duke saw them, all began to shout and they wished to raise the anchors but they were unable to do so. And thus the ten galleys with Brother Roger entered the harbor of Messina safely and securely, but there was not a man who had on him a dry thread ... and thus Messina was relieved and the next day the duke raised the siege and returned to Catania. _Chronica_, chap. cxcvi.

The above comparative study of _Tirant lo Blanch_ and that part of Muntaner’s _Chronica_ that deals with Roger de Flor and the Catalan-Aragonese expedition presents strong evidence that Martorell was acquainted with Muntaner’s work. But yet what a difference! Were it not for the fact that Tirant reconquered practically all the lost territory of the Greek empire and was made Caesar of the empire, we should hardly associate his name with that of Roger de Flor. Such being the case, are not the statements that Roger de Flor’s career forms the principal source of this book rather misleading? However that may be, we are willing to admit that the martial and adventurous spirit of Roger de Flor and the members of his expedition finds expression in _Tirant lo Blanch_, and this constitutes the strongest resemblance.