In an interesting poem Garin the Red implores _Mezura_ to teach him the
way to love purely and nobly; but he is anything but pleased with his
instructress, and comes to the conclusion that her whole wisdom is "just
good form" and nothing else.
But by my merry mood impelled
I kiss and dally night and morn
And do the things I feel compelled
To do--or else, with tonsure shorn,
I'd seek a cloister....
Elias of Barjols, finding that his love will never be returned, and
having no mind to sigh all his life in vain, renounces love altogether.
"I should be a fool if I served love any longer!"
"All you lovers are fools!" exclaimed another. "Do you think you can
change the nature of women?" This is one of the very rare criticisms of
woman; as a rule we hear only of her angelic perfection, wisdom, beauty
and aloofness.
The distinguished poet Marcabru was a woman-hater, and enemy of love
from the very beginning. He said of himself that he had never loved a
woman and that no woman had ever loved him.
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