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Subject Area: History
Subject Area: Literature

PARAPHRASE OF A PASSAGE IN THE CHRONICLE OF THE MONK OF ST. GALL. (1856.) - Thomas Babington, Lord Macaulay, Miscellaneous Writings, Vol.2 [1830]

Edition used:

The Miscellaneous Writings of Lord Macaulay, vol. 2, (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1860).

Part of: The Miscellaneous Writings of Lord Macaulay, in 2 vols.

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PARAPHRASE OF A PASSAGE IN THE CHRONICLE OF THE MONK OF ST. GALL. (1856.)

[In the summer of 1856, the author travelled with a friend through Lombardy. As they were on the road between Novara and Milan, they were conversing on the subject of the legends relating to that country. The author remarked to his companion that Mr. Panizzi, in the Essay on the Romantic Narrative Poetry of the Italians, prefixed to his edition of Bojardo, had pointed out an instance of the conversion of ballad poetry into prose narrative which strongly confirmed the theory of Perizonius and Niebuhr, upon which “The Lays of Ancient Rome” are founded; and, after repeating an extract which Mr. Panizzi has given from the chronicle of “The Monk of St. Gall,” he proceeded to frame a metrical paraphrase. The note in Mr. Panizzi’s work (vol. i. p. 123, note b) is here copied verbatim.]

‘The monk says that Oger was with Desiderius, King of Lombardy, watching the advance of Charlemagne’s army. The king often asked Oger where was Charlemagne. Quando videris, inquit, segetem campis inhorrescere, ferreum Padum et Ticinum marinis fluctibus ferro nigrantibus muros civitatis inundantes, tunc est spes Caroli venientis. His nedum expletis primum ad occasum Circino vel Borea cœpit apparere, quasi nubes tenebrosa, quæ diem clarissimam horrentes convertit in umbras. Sed propiante Imperatore, ex armorum splendore, dies omni nocte tenebrosior oborta est inclusis. Tunc visus est ipse ferreus Carolus ferrea galea cristatus, ferreis manicis armillatus, &c. &c. His igitur, quæ ego balbus et edentulus, non ut debui circuitu tardiore diutius explicare tentavi, veridicus speculator Oggerus celerrimo visu contuitus dixit ad Desiderium: Ecce, habes quem tantopere perquisisti. Et hæc dicens, pene exanimis cecidit.—Monach. Sangal.de Reb. Bel. Caroli Magni. lib. ii. § xxvi. Is this not evidently taken from poetical effusions?”

  • PARAPHRASE.
    • To Oggier spake King Didier:
    • “When cometh Charlemagne?
    • We looked for him in harvest:
    • We looked for him in rain.
    • Crops are reaped; and floods are past;
    • And still he is not here.
    • Some token show, that we may know
    • That Charlemagne is near.”
    • Then to the King made answer
    • Oggier, the christened Dane:
    • “When stands the iron harvest,
    • Ripe on the Lombard plain,
    • That stiff harvest which is reaped
    • With sword of knight and peer,
    • Then by that sign ye may divine
    • That Charlemagne is near.
    • “When round the Lombard cities
    • The iron flood shall flow,
    • A swifter flood than Ticin,
    • A broader flood than Po,
    • Frothing white with many a plume,
    • Dark blue with many a spear,
    • Then by that sign ye may divine
    • That Charlemagne is near.”