781; Pereg. Quat. p. 81; Niceph. Callist. VIII. 30;
Theatre Francais au Moyen Age, pp. 97, 173; Cathay, p. 48; Clavijo,
p. 90; Orient und Occident, Goettingen, 1867, vol. i.; Fabricii Vet.
Test. Pseud., etc., I. 1133; Dante, Purgat. xxxii. 35.)
But why does Polo bring this Arbre Sec into connection with the Sun Tree
of the Alexandrian Legend? I cannot answer this to my own entire
satisfaction, but I can show that such a connection had been imagined in
his time.
Paulin Paris, in a notice of MS. No. 6985. (Fonds Ancien) of the
National Library, containing a version of the Chansons de Geste
d'Alixandre, based upon the work of L. Le Court and Alex. de Bernay, but
with additions of later date, notices amongst these latter the visit of
Alexander to the Valley Perilous, where he sees a variety of wonders,
among others the Arbre des Pucelles. Another tree at a great distance
from the last is called the ARBRE SEC, and reveals to Alexander the secret
of the fate which attends him in Babylon. (Les MSS. Francais de la Bibl.
du Roi, III. 105.)[4] Again the English version of King Alisaundre,
published in Weber's Collection, shows clearly enough that in its French
original the term Arbre Sec was applied to the Oracular Trees, though
the word has been miswritten, and misunderstood by Weber. The King, as in
the Greek and French passages already quoted, meeting two old churls, asks
if they know of any marvel in those parts: -
"'Ye, par ma fay,' quoth heo,
'A great merveille we wol telle the;
That is hennes in even way
The mountas of ten daies journey,
Thou shalt find trowes[5] two:
Seyntes and holy they buth bo;
Higher than in othir countray all.
ARBESET men heom callith.'
* * * * *
'Sire Kyng,' quod on, 'by myn eyghe
Either Trough is an hundrod feet hygh,
They stondith up into the skye;
That on to the Sonne, sikirlye;
That othir, we tellith the nowe,
Is sakret in the Mone vertue.'"
(Weber, I. 277.)
Weber's glossary gives "Arbeset = Strawberry Tree, arbous, arbousier,
arbutus"; but that is nonsense.
Further, in the French Prose Romance of Alexander, which is contained in
the fine volume in the British Museum known as the Shrewsbury Book (Reg.
XV. e. 6), though we do not find the Arbre Sec so named, we find it
described and pictorially represented. The Romance (fol. xiiii. v.)
describes Alexander and his chief companions as ascending a certain
mountain by 2500 steps which were attached to a golden chain. At the top
they find the golden Temple of the Sun and an old man asleep within.
It goes on: -
"Quant le viellart les vit si leur demanda s'ils vouloient veoir les
Arbres sacrez de la Lune et du Soleil que nous annuncent les choses qui
sont a avenir. Quant Alexandre ouy ce si fut rempli de mult grant ioye. Si
lui respondirent, 'Ouye sur, nous les voulons veoir.' Et cil lui dist, 'Se
tu es nez de prince malle et de femelle il te convient entrer en celui
lieu.' Et Alexandre lui respondi, 'Nous somes nez de compagne malle et de
femelle.' Dont se leve le viellart du lit ou il gesoit, et leur dist,
'Hostez vos vestemens et vos chauces.' Et Tholomeus et Antigonus et
Perdiacas le suivrent.
