is a
wondrous thing, that Love and mortal Hate should dwell together. God!
How can two things so opposed find lodging in the same dwelling-place?
It seems to me they cannot live together; for one could not dwell with
the other, without giving rise to noise and contention, as soon as each
knew of the other's presence. But upon the ground-floor there may be
several apartments: for there are halls and sleeping-rooms. It may be
the same in this case: I think Love had ensconced himself in some hidden
room, while Hate had betaken herself to the balconies looking on the
high-road, because she wishes to be seen. Just now Hate is in the
saddle, and spurs and pricks forward as she can, to get ahead of Love
who is indisposed to move. Ah! Love, what has become of thee? Come out
now, and thou shalt see what a host has been brought up and opposed to
thee by the enemies of thy friends. The enemies are these very men who
love each other with such a holy love for love, which is neither false
nor feigned, is a precious and a holy thing. In this case Love is
completely blind, and Hate, too, is deprived of sight. For if Love had
recognised these two men, he must have forbidden each to attack the
other, or to do any thing to cause him harm. In this respect, then,
Love is blind and discomfited and beguiled; for, though he sees them, he
fails to recognise those who rightly belong to him. And though Hate is
unable to tell why one of them should hate the other, yet she tries to
engage them wrongfully, so that each hates the other mortally. You know,
of course, that he cannot be said to love a man who would wish to harm
him and see him dead. How then? Does Yvain wish to kill his friend, my
lord Gawain? Yes, and the desire is mutual. Would, then, my lord Gawain
desire to kill Yvain with his own hands, or do even worse than I have
said? Nay, not really, I swear and protest. One would not wish to injure
or harm the other, in return for all that God has done for man, or for
all the empire of Rome. But this, in turn, is a lie of mine, for it is
plainly to be seen that, with lance raised high in rest, each is ready
to attack the other, and there will be no restraint of the desire of
each to wound the other with intent to injure him and work him woe. Now
tell me! When one will have defeated the other, of whom can he complain
who has the worst of it? For if they go so far as to come to blows, I am
very much afraid that they will continue the battle and th