Carmen in victoriam Pisanorum
Encyclopedia
The Carmen in victoriam Pisanorum ("Song on the occasion of the victory of the Pisans") is a poem celebrating the victory of the Italian maritime republics in the Mahdia campaign
of 1087/8. It was probably written by a Pisa
n cleric within months of the campaign. G. H. Pertz was the first to note the historical value of the text in 1839. It is an important source for the development of Christian ideas about holy war
on the eve of the First Crusade
(1095–99), and may have been influenced by the contemporary theology of Anselm of Lucca
and his circle. It seems to have influenced the Gesta Francorum
, an account of the First Crusade composed by someone in the south Italian contingent. All of the later Pisan sources for the Mahdia campaign rely mainly on it: the Chronicon Pisanum only adds details about the memorial church, the Annales Pisani of Bernardo Maragone only rewords the former, and the Cronaca di Pisa of Ranieri Sardo and the Breviarium Pisanae historiae add only legendary material to the him.
3879–919, ff.
63r–65v, in the Bibliothèque royale Albert Ier in Brussels
. The manuscript originated in Italy in the twelfth century and contains 174 folios. The mansucript begins with the words "Here begins the prologue of the book of Guido, composed of various histories for diverse uses for edification of the reader", but there is no reason to believe that Guido of Pisa is the author of the Carmen. In fact, the Brussels manuscript is a careless copy of the original Liber Guidonis, which places the surviving Carmen at least two stages removed from the original. It has come down to us without a title, the conventional title has been supplied by editors.
The poem consists of 73 stanzas, each with four lines of fifteen syllables, for a total of 292 lines. It is written in Lombardic metre, which was traditionally used in Italy for historical poems and dirges, and which comprises rhyming trochaic tetrameter
s. In the surviving copy the rhyming is imperfect and the metre frequently fails. The author or copyist used a symbol resembling a small closing parenthesis above a dot to indicate the tetrameters and the end of every line, and a period to indicate the end of a stanza. In modern editions these may be replaced by commas, semi-colons, colons or exclamation marks where thought appropriate by the editor.
(1075) and the Pisan Liber Maiolichinus (1115), all of which were composed shortly after the battles they describe. In favour of an early date is the lack of reference to the Crusade, but the poet does refer to the consecration of a church dedicated to Pope Sixtus II
, on whose feast day (August 6), the Mahdian suburb of Zawīla was taken. If the date of composition is 1087–88, then the consecration of the church may reflect Pisan intentions rather than a fait accomplit. After the poem in the manuscript is the rubric ANNI [sic] DOMINI MILLESSIMI OCTUAGESIMO OCTAVO, meaning "in the year of the Lord
one thousand and eighty-eight [that is, 1087]", which probably reflects the copyist's (or author's) belief as to when the battle occurred and not when the poem was composed.
The author's "fervid tone of urban patriotism" points to his Pisan origin. His familiarity with the Old Testament to his clerical status, and his theme of holy warfare to the theological work of Anselm of Lucca.
The poet-chronicler also employs Biblical exempla in the mouth of Benedict of Modena to liken the Pisans (and their allies) to the Israelites at the Battle of Jericho
, to David
and to Judas Maccabeus
. The poet expected men like Benedict to employ extended metaphors like this; rather than simply offer the soldier a divine reward for good service he should invite him to take his place in an ongoing historical drama.
Mahdia campaign
The Mahdia campaign of 1087 was an attack on the North African town of Mahdia by armed ships from Genoa and Pisa in northern Italy. It had been prompted by the actions of its ruler Tamim as a pirate in waters off the Italian peninsula, along with his involvement in Sicily fighting the Norman...
of 1087/8. It was probably written by a Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
n cleric within months of the campaign. G. H. Pertz was the first to note the historical value of the text in 1839. It is an important source for the development of Christian ideas about holy war
Holy war
Holy war may refer to:* A religious war led with an exceptionally high grade of religious feeling* The Crusades, 11th, 12th, and 13th-century religiously sanctioned military campaigns waged by much of Christian Europe against the Muslim Middle East....
on the eve of the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
(1095–99), and may have been influenced by the contemporary theology of Anselm of Lucca
Anselm of Lucca
Saint Anselm of Lucca , called the Younger or Anselm II to distinguish him from his uncle, was an Italian bishop, a prominent figure in the Investiture Controversy and in the fighting in Central Italy between the forces of Countess Matilda of Tuscany, the papal champion, and those of Henry IV,...
and his circle. It seems to have influenced the Gesta Francorum
Gesta Francorum
The so-called Gesta Francorum or in full De Gesta Francorum et aliorum Hierosolimitanorum is a Latin chronicle of the First Crusade written in circa 1100-1101 by an anonymous author connected with Bohemund I of Antioch.It narrates the events of the First Crusade from the inception in November...
, an account of the First Crusade composed by someone in the south Italian contingent. All of the later Pisan sources for the Mahdia campaign rely mainly on it: the Chronicon Pisanum only adds details about the memorial church, the Annales Pisani of Bernardo Maragone only rewords the former, and the Cronaca di Pisa of Ranieri Sardo and the Breviarium Pisanae historiae add only legendary material to the him.
Text and structure
The text of the Carmen survives in a single copy in MS.Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
3879–919, ff.
Folio
Folio may refer to:* Folio , a book size* A particular edition of a book printed on folio pages, such as the First Folio of William Shakespeare's plays* A leaf of a book: see Recto and verso* Folio , a sans-serif typeface...
63r–65v, in the Bibliothèque royale Albert Ier in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. The manuscript originated in Italy in the twelfth century and contains 174 folios. The mansucript begins with the words "Here begins the prologue of the book of Guido, composed of various histories for diverse uses for edification of the reader", but there is no reason to believe that Guido of Pisa is the author of the Carmen. In fact, the Brussels manuscript is a careless copy of the original Liber Guidonis, which places the surviving Carmen at least two stages removed from the original. It has come down to us without a title, the conventional title has been supplied by editors.
The poem consists of 73 stanzas, each with four lines of fifteen syllables, for a total of 292 lines. It is written in Lombardic metre, which was traditionally used in Italy for historical poems and dirges, and which comprises rhyming trochaic tetrameter
Tetrameter
Tetrameter: [ti'tramitə]; te·tram·e·ter; a verse of four measuresOrigin: early 17th century : from late Latin tetrametrus, originally neuter from Greek tetrametros 'having four measures,' from tetra- 'four' + metron 'measure'....
s. In the surviving copy the rhyming is imperfect and the metre frequently fails. The author or copyist used a symbol resembling a small closing parenthesis above a dot to indicate the tetrameters and the end of every line, and a period to indicate the end of a stanza. In modern editions these may be replaced by commas, semi-colons, colons or exclamation marks where thought appropriate by the editor.
Date and authorship
The Carmen was almost certainly composed shortly after the campaign it describes. It has a "ring of triumphant immediacy" that has been compared to that of other celebratory poems of the age: the Carmen de Hastingae proelio (1066), the Carmen de bello SaxonicoCarmen de bello Saxonico
The Carmen de bello Saxonico is a epic retelling in 757 hexameters in three books of the first phase of the Saxon Rebellion against the Emperor Henry IV, from its inception until the Battle of Spier in October 1075. It is also limited geographically to the Harz region. It is strongly imperialist...
(1075) and the Pisan Liber Maiolichinus (1115), all of which were composed shortly after the battles they describe. In favour of an early date is the lack of reference to the Crusade, but the poet does refer to the consecration of a church dedicated to Pope Sixtus II
Pope Sixtus II
Pope Sixtus II or Pope Saint Sixtus II was Pope from August 30, 257 to August 6, 258. He died as a martyr during the persecution by Emperor Valerian....
, on whose feast day (August 6), the Mahdian suburb of Zawīla was taken. If the date of composition is 1087–88, then the consecration of the church may reflect Pisan intentions rather than a fait accomplit. After the poem in the manuscript is the rubric ANNI [sic] DOMINI MILLESSIMI OCTUAGESIMO OCTAVO, meaning "in the year of the Lord
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
one thousand and eighty-eight [that is, 1087]", which probably reflects the copyist's (or author's) belief as to when the battle occurred and not when the poem was composed.
The author's "fervid tone of urban patriotism" points to his Pisan origin. His familiarity with the Old Testament to his clerical status, and his theme of holy warfare to the theological work of Anselm of Lucca.
Themes and purpose
The Carmen shows the conception of "crusading as an act of love" in an early form. This includes love of one's neighbour, as when the cleric writes, "The Genoese ... join themselves to the Pisans with great love; they do not care about earthly life, or about their sons; they give themselves to the dangers for love of the Redeemer" (Convenerunt Genuenses virtute mirabili / et adiungunt se Pisanis amore amabili. / Non curant de vita mundi nec de suis filiis, / pro amore Redemptoris se donant periculis.), and also love of God, as when Bishop Benedict of Modena urges the warriors, "[Y]ou must forget everything of the world for Christ" (pro Christo omnes mundi vos obliviscimini). The presence of Benedict itself foreshadows the presence of Italian bishops Daimbert of Pisa, Maurice of Porto and Henry of Castello on later crusades. The poet-chronicler is also clear to attribute spiritual motives to the soldiers, as when he says that "with devoted hearts they offer penance to God, and share the Eucharist of Christ in turn" (offerunt corde devoto Deo penitentiam / et communicant vicissim Christi eucharistiam).The poet-chronicler also employs Biblical exempla in the mouth of Benedict of Modena to liken the Pisans (and their allies) to the Israelites at the Battle of Jericho
Battle of Jericho
The Battle of Jericho is an incident in Bible's Book of Joshua, the first battle of the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan. According to the narrative, the walls of Jericho fell after Joshua's Israelite army marched around the city blowing their trumpets.- Spying on Jericho:Before crossing...
, to David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
and to Judas Maccabeus
Judas Maccabeus
Judah Maccabee was a Kohen and a son of the Jewish priest Mattathias...
. The poet expected men like Benedict to employ extended metaphors like this; rather than simply offer the soldier a divine reward for good service he should invite him to take his place in an ongoing historical drama.
External links
- Carmen in vicotriam Pisanorum at The Latin LibraryThe Latin LibraryThe Latin Library is a website that collects public domain Latin texts. The texts have been drawn from different sources. Many were originally scanned and formatted from texts in the Public Domain. Others have been downloaded from various sites on the Internet . Most of the recent texts have been...