15 September 2003
Ransoms
There's a saying in modern French – it's the title of a song by Jacques Brel, too:
Un homme averti en vaut deux.
On Wednesday this week, popping up out of the database of daily inspirations programmed into this site, a medieval Occitan proverbs will appear:
Un avërti n'ën vâou dous.
If it is true that one person 'in the know' is worth two who are just guessing, I suppose the Crusaders camped beneath the walls of the medieval fortress city of Carcassonne must have been just as keen on moles and spies as the most ardent Cold War spy story.
Have I written a rôle for a spy in the court of Vicomte Trencavel in my novel Labyrinth? That would be telling.
Also this week, one of my favourite Occitan proverbs will appear:
A dû roûvë, dû coûgnë.
A hard oak needs a good swipe – a heavy blow – if you want to make any impression on it.
As I am writing, some scenes can be moved on quite easily with an hour's work here and there. But others need solid sessions of 3, 4 or more hours.
Also in the research database – but in contrast to the bloodthirsty progress of the so-called Christians who massacred and mutilated so many civilians in Languedoc – there are two interesting Feast Days from the Church calendar:
Born noble in Barcelona in the 13th century AD, Mary of Cerevellon spent her adult life helping to succour and free Christian slaves of the Moors, joining the Mercedarian order for this purpose. She died in around 1290 AD.
Shortly after the feast of 15 September commemorating the Mother of God as Our Lady of Sorrows, 24 September is devoted to Our Lady of Ransom, in memory of Christian slaves whose freedom was obtained through the payment of ransoms.
A noble contrast, like those from which good fiction can be made.
How much further into the Labyrinth can you go?
