arry.
His preparations made, he took his leave of the King, and then of all
his friends, and taking Fenice with him, he goes away. They travel until
they arrive in Greece, where they receive him with the jubilation
which they ought to show to their rightful lord, and they give him
his sweetheart to be his wife. Both of them are crowned at once. His
mistress he has made his wife, but he still calls her his mistress and
sweetheart, and she can complain of no loss of affection, for he loves
her still as his mistress, and she loves him, too, as a lady ought to
love her lover. And each day saw their love grow stronger: he never
doubted her, nor did she blame him for anything. She was never kept
confined, as so many women have been who have lived since her time. For
never since has there been an emperor who did not stand in fear of his
wife, lest he should be deceived by her, upon his hearing the story of
how Fenice deceived Alis, first with the potion which he drank, and then
later by that other ruse. Therefore, every empress, however rich and
noble she may be, is guarded in Constantinople as in a prison, for the
emperor has no confidence in her when he remembers the story of Fenice.
He keeps her constantly guarded in her room, nor is there ever allowed
any man in her presence, unless he be a eunuch from his youth; in the
case of such there is no fear or doubt that Love will ensnare them in
his bonds. Here ends the work of Chretien. [244]

----Endnotes: Cliges

Endnotes supplied by Prof. Foerster are indicated by "(F.)"; all other
endnotes are supplied by W.W. Comfort.

[Footnote 21: There is no English version corresponding to the old
French "Cliges". The English metrical romance "Sir Cleges" has nothing
to do with the French romance.]

[Footnote 22: Ovid in "Metamorphosis", vi. 404, relates how Tantalus at
a feast to the gods offered them the shoulder of his own son. It is not
certain, however, that Chretien is referring here to this slight episode
of the "Metamorphosis".]

[Footnote 23: This allusion is generally taken as evidence that the poet
had written previously of the love of Tristan and Iseut. Gaston Paris,
however, in one of his last utterances ("Journal des Savants", 1902,
p. 297), says: "Je n'hesite pas a dire que l'existence d'un poeme sur
Tristan par Chretien de Troies, a laquelle j'ai cru comme presque tout
le monde, me parait aujourd'hui fort peu probable; j'en vais donner les
raisons."]

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