Body Against Soul. Raskolnikov, Masha. Published by The Ohio State University Press. For additional information about this book

Transcription

1 Body Against Soul Raskolnikov, Masha Published by The Ohio State University Press Raskolnikov, Masha. Body Against Soul: Gender and Sowlehele in Middle English Allegory. Columbus: The Ohio State University Press, Project MUSE., For additional information about this book No institutional affiliation (24 Jan :18 GMT)

2 A p p e n d i x translation by masha raskolnikov Standing in a dark place, I heard a little argument, 1 All about a body that was ungood, lying there upon the bier. Thus spoke the spirit, with sorrowful thoughts and all downcast: May woe befall your flesh, your foul blood; why are you now lying here? While you were still in life, you were keen to sit in judgment 5 Passing false decrees, profiting by trading two for five; Now it s clear to me that we will never be worthy of heaven s bliss Sorely may I make complaint, then, about our long time together. Then spoke the body, so dismal, to the wretched spirit: I had thought that my worldly bliss would last forever, at least for me; 10 I had no [thought] of the sins that now bind me so tightly; [But] the shackles that hold me now heavily pull me down into the earth. Then spoke the spirit, with right counsel after foul indeed: Where is your overweening pride, your richly-trimmed garments and your furs, Your palfreys and your steeds and your purple opulence? 15 Will you bring none of these along, wretch, to the place where you will lie? Then spoke the body, with envy of heart, lying there shrouded in sin: Now is this day come upon me, woe has indeed overwhelmed me. My hands are bound, my eyes are covered up, I think that I will remain here, in this evil that has happened to me. 20

3 Body, you have lived too long; may evil befall you [who are] so treacherous; All too often, you have turned right into wrong. While you were in this world, your words were false and treacherous; The one thing you can be sure of now are future torments, hard and strong. Go away now, wretched spirit, how long must this wrangling last? 25 As we argue, worms are holding their own debate, rendering their own firm judgment, They are casting their lots for my flesh; Many noble bodies will rot, I shall not be the last. Body, you may not leap up now to play or rage, To beat wild bears or to bind savage lions to your will, 30 Or threaten poor men, despoil them of their inheritance, You must have fallen very low, for all your high birth. Wretched spirit, oh go away, all you know is how to chide. I know well that I must rot here for all my pride; Worms must eat my throat and my pale, white side, 35 My own flesh they must eat and under earth it hide. I was no wretch at all except through your evil counsel. Oh, I have such shame thinking of your sins and all your evil deeds. For a while you were wild, now I dread you very little. To Christ must I call now; may he remedy now my need. 40 Go away now, wretched spirit, with your long tale, I have plenty of pain without you to upbraid me. I know truly that the worms must eat me; Yes, I know my deeds have drawn me from my proper place into this deep pit. Body, where are your sunny rooms and all your towers, 45 Your beautiful clothes and fancy vestments? So low must you fall for all your high bowers. Now all I can do is call out to Jesus; may he be my salvation. Wretched spirit, now go away, and journey where you must journey; My pain is truly enough now, my sides are cold and bare; 50 My house is made of clay, the walls are also cold and bare; Though you chide night and day, I will say nothing more to you. Body, why did you never think, while you might have been able to, About Him who made us all out of naught, and what you owe Him? For our sins and not for His, He sold His flesh; 55 Bloody was He made on the cross, as the prophet told us.

4 Body, if you now wish to listen, I will tell you About two miracles and five that must happen before Judgment Day. The man who is alive, he may see them then: Then will the man be fortunate who contrives to escape. 60 On the first day shall come a red dew; It shall take away from us our joys and pleasures. The green tree shall bleed that our Lord saw: Then will the man be fortunate who ever had been true. On the second day, fire shall burn all that stands before it, 65 No water will be able to quench it, nor will anything else that comes up against it, All this world shall be overwhelmed, all the wide lands: Then shall our Lord see who honored his wounds. On the third day, flood waters will inundate all the world, Both those who are low and those who are high will be swept away in their abundance. 70 Higher than any hill [is] will they be [sent] miles into the earth. Fortunate is the one who has been faithful all along. On the fourth day, a wind shall blow; it will blow so long That castles and high towers shall fall down. The forest will fall right onto the moor against the fierce blasts; 75 There shall each man know his [fate], and we shall know our own. On the fifth day it will be light; again the wind will blow, And, I don t think it s good to needlessly expand this tale; The woods will fall into the earth, the hills into the valleys I hold him lord and sire who can survive all seven of these days. 80 On the sixth day at the ninth hour, four angels shall appear, And blow so hard with the horns in their hands that all the earth shall shake; If any thing proves to be still alive in water or upon the land, There it must rise and go to its judgment. On the seventh day, so the book told us, 85 From their graves every one, both young and old, must rise, And come into the hall, to stand for harsh judgment: It will be well for the man who has done any good. It won t help you at all to argue or to carp that these judgments are harsh; For angels must tremble whom Christ made with his own hands, 90 And the twelve apostles who once dwelled in this land, And our dear Lady, who never loved any wrong.

5 Then our Lord will call upon Saint Mary, To bring him the rood that stood upon Mount Calvary; They will see where his feet stand, that his side is all bloody; 95 For our souls food, he knowingly suffered death. Then our Lord will call out, without any rebuke: Come, blessed children scattered all over the world; You shall all [go] to paradise, as the prophets told us, Whoever comes into this hall, with bliss he shall be led there. 100 Then our Lord will call upon Satan the rude: Fly away, foul creature, with your accursed gang. Fly away hence, don t stay here a minute, But ever without end [go] down into the pit of hell pit. Then the spirit said, alack, and after that alas! 105 Woe was that moment, Body, when you were born.