Literature of antiquity and the Middle Ages - Summary - 2019

Vision of Peter Pahare
William Langland (approx. 1330 - approx. 1400)

The prologue tells how the author "put on ... ... rough clothes, as if <...> was a shepherd," and went to wander around "wide light to listen to his miracles." Tired, he began to rest on the Malvernian hills, near the stream, and soon fell asleep. And he dreamed of a wonderful dream. He looked eastward and saw the tower on the tower, and underneath the valley on which the prison stood. Between them is a beautiful field full of people.

There were people of all sorts here: some were doing hard work walking on a plow, others "extinguishedly exterminated them", there were those who betrayed for prayer and repentance, and those who cherished their pride. There were merchants, minstrels, jokes, beggars, beggars. The author's particular indignation was caused by pilgrims and impoverished monks, deceitful, false interpretations of the Gospel, fooling fellow citizens and wandering their wallets. With sarcasm he describes the seller of indulgences, who, showing a bullet with the bishop's seal, released all sins, and gullible people gave him rings, gold, brooches. There came the king, whom "the power of the communities put <...> into the kingdom," and his adviser, followed by him, was Common Meaning. Suddenly there appeared a horde of rats and mice. After a discussion on how to neutralize a cat, they listened to the advice of a wise mouse to abandon this venture, because if the rats had full will, they could not control themselves.

A beautiful woman appears. She gives an explanation to the author about everything she's seen. The tower on the summit is the abode of Truth. Prison in the valley is the Castle of Care, in which Evil lives, Father Father. A beautiful lady teaches the author, advises him not to believe in the body, not to drink, does not serve zlato. After listening to all the useful tips, the author wonders: who is this lady? And she answers; "The Holy Church I am." Then he fell to his knees and begged to teach him how to save the soul. The answer was concise: to serve Pravda. For Truth "is the treasure that is most experienced on earth." True, Conscience and Love.

The author carefully listened to the teachings of the Holy Church. And she begged her to pray for mercy - to teach him to recognize Lies. The lady replied: "Look to the left side and see where lies lie, Lest and many of their comrades." And he saw a luxuriously and richly dressed woman named Mead ("Award, Mizta, but also a bribe, bribe, marriage," translated from English). Mead is preparing for a wedding with "the creation of an enemy of the human race." Her groom is Lying. Its sits consist of court clerks and bailiffs, sheriffs, courier couriers and brokers, lawyers and other corrupt people.

Flattery laments the bridegroom and the bride the right to be princes in pride and to despise poverty, "slander and brag, pseudoscience, mock, defile, etc.". County of greed is evil and spoilage. And all in the same sort. For these gifts, they will give Satan their souls at the end of the year.

However, Theology was upset by this marriage. He insisted that Mide should go to London to make sure "whether the law will want to live with them together." Lying, Lying and Guilty rushing ahead of everyone in London to present a case in false light. However, the Truth overpowered them and reported on this matter to the Sons. And the conscience reported to the king.

The king is angry, he swears that he would order to hang these scoundrels, but "let the law, as the law indicates, will fall on them all." Fear overheared this conversation and warned Lies, and he fled to wandering monks. The criminality was given by the merchants as a refuge, and the liar found shelter from traders by indulgences. And Deva Mead was brought to the king. The king ordered to give her all sorts of amenities, adding that he would disassemble her business. "And if she does according to my sentence, ... I will pardon her this guilt."

Everyone who lived in Westminster came to her for worship: jokes, minstrels, clerks and a confessor dressed in a poor monk. Everyone promised to help her in her case - to marry someone for whom she wants, in spite of the "tricks of Conscience". And all of Mead has been richly fortunate.

The king announced that he pardoned Mead and proposed instead of the Lie of another bridegroom, the Conscience. But Conscience refuses such a bride, listing her sins: deceit, lies, treachery ... Meid began to cry and asked the king to give her a word for justification. She defended herself, proving that she needed everything. The king had listened favorably to the wicked deceiver. But Conscience is not deceived by sweet things. He explains the difference between a reward for honest labor and a bribe, an accumulation, leads a Biblical story about Seoul, who was bored for bribe, for which the wrath of God fell upon him and his descendants.

The King asks the Conscience to bring the Mind to rule the kingdom. Conscience goes to the path. The mind, having learned about the invitation, began to quickly get on the way. He called for Cato, his servant, and Tom, and told them: "Put my saddle on Terpi until my time comes, / And get him tight enough with the elastics of the clever words, / And put on him a heavy belt to keep his head low / / Because he will double up before he is there."

Mind with Conscience went to the king. He met them kindly, planted between them and their son, and they kept wise speeches for a long time.

The world came and brought a bill about violence, debauchery and robbery of Unrighteousness. It was untrue to fear the accusations and began to ask Wisdom for the big money to make him peace with the world. But the king swears by Christ and his crown that the unjust will pay heavily for his deeds. Lying in the wrong place in the iron so that he could not see his legs for seven years.

However, the Wisdom and the Wise Men ask the king to forgive Lying: "It is better that the indemnity destroyed the damage ..." The king is adamant, while the Mind does not pity on the Falsehood, and the Punishment will not be baptized for him, the Truth will sit in the pillars. Everyone welcomed this decision, acknowledged Mead as a great sinner, and Genthos - having the right to rule. The king firmly decided: "As long as our life continues, we will live together" with Reason and Conscience.

In the meantime, the author woke up, sat quietly on the ground and began to read prayers. And again fell asleep peacefully under his mumble. And again he saw a dream. Reason preaches to the whole kingdom. He explains that "malignant ulcers were sent solely for sins, / And the southwest wind, apparently, for Pride." And the death penalty on the day of judgment will ruin everyone.

With warm, sincere words, he enthralled his listeners. He urged people to honestly and conscientiously do their work and seek the Holy Truth. And Pride has promised to submit to humility. The immorality swore "to drink only with droplet water, and to have lunch only once", Anger spoke kindly that he prepared food from evil words. And Repentance said to him: now repent. Greed, Laziness, Conscious - all repented of their great sins and promised to get on the path of correction. The power of the speech of the Reason was so great that thousands of people wished to seek Truth. "They cried to Christ and his Blessed Mother to receive the mercy of going with them to seek the Truth."

But among them there was no man who knew the path to Pravda. And they wandered like wild beasts. And they met the pilgrim that went from Sinai from the Holy Sepulcher. And in many places he visited Bethlehem and Babylon.

And the people asked him: "Do you know the holy man whom people call True?" And the Pilgrim replied: "No, God help me!"

And then Peter Pahar spoke and said: "I know him as closely as a scientist knows his books. Conscience and Common sense led me to his dwelling."

And everyone began asking Peter to be their guide.

Pakhar agreed, but first, he said, I need to plow and plant half an acre of land on a great road.

"And what will we do all this time?" Asked the lady under the veil. And Pyotr Pakhar found everything for everyone. Lady - sew the bag, wives and widows spin the wool and flax and teach the craft of their daughters, and all the rest - to take care of those in need and the naked ones. "Help work in the work of the one who produces food for you," concluded Peter.

The knight was warmly sympathetic to Peter's words. Peter promised to work all his life, and the Knight guarded him and the Holy Church from all sorts of evil people. Many helped Peter Pavhary in their work, but there were also idlers who drank beer and sang songs. Pyotr Pakhar complained to the Knight. But they did not listen to the Knight's warning, and they did not do anything. Then Peter called for Hunger. After a while, the laity began to hire "like hawks". But only upon the request of Pakhar, the famine went away, and abundance came. The lenders and the wipers began to get out of work again.

True hurried to help Peter Pavel, she bought for him and for all who helped him plow and sow, indulgence for eternal times. And in the indulgence it was written: "And those who have done good will go into eternal life. And who is evil - in eternal fire?"

The priest, after reading the indulgence, did not want to recognize her. The priest and Peter began to argue fiercely. And the author woke up from their scream and began to reflect on his sleep, and decided that "Do good is superior to indulgence / And that doing good on the day of judgment will be taken with due regard ...".

The author of all Christians called for mercy: "To do such things while we are here, / So that after our death, Do good could declare / On the day of judgment, that we did as he commanded."