Fortunatus

“ DRUS. O Substance Divine, that alone art truly without material form, that hast created man in Thine own image, and hast breathed into Thy creation the breath of life - command now this material body of Fortunatus to grow warm and be made again into a living soul - that this our third resurrection may redound to Thy praise, O wondrous Trinity!
ST. JOHN. Amen.
DRUS. Wake up, Fortunatus, and at Christ's command break asunder the chains of death! ”

“ Fortunatus having travelled over most part of the world, wanting nothing of worldly riches that his heart could wish, he began to consider the advancement of his children.
He then maintained a princely court, providing masters and learned men to instruct his children in all manner of learning and feats of chivalry, whereof the youngest was most inclined to behave himself manfully, which caused Fortunatus to bestow many jewels for jousting at Famagosta, where his youngest son won the victory. ”

“ It is not merely because we know that even these remnants of the social and material civilization of Rome would soon themselves die away that the tragedy of the sixth century looms so dark. It is because when we look below the surface we see that the life has gone out of it all, the soul that inflamed it is dead, nothing is now left but the empty shell. These men welcome Fortunatus just because he comes from Italy, where the rot has gone less far, where there still survives some reputation for learning and for culture. ”

“ Fortuna, a Roman divinity, the goddess of luck, and especially good luck, to whom Servius Tullius, in acknowledgment of her favours to him, erected several temples in Rome; is represented in art as standing poised on a globe or a wheel, to express her inconstancy.
Fortunatus, a character in a popular German legend, who possessed a purse out of which he was able to provide himself with money as often as he needed it and cap, by putting on of which, and wishing to be anywhere, he was straightway there ”

“ I hope in God, I shall be preferred: I have not been so badly brought up, but I can shift for myself. Upon this, Fortunatus went from his father's house with a hawk on his fist, travelling towards the sea-side, pondering with himself, that being absent from his father's sight, he might not be grieved thereby; and as he walked by the sea-side, he espied a galley of Venice, wherein was an Earl of Flanders, who had lost two of his men, wishing within himself that he could be entertained in the Earl's service, that he might be rid of the country of Cyprus ”

“ Fortunatus thinking how to settle in his own country, built him a noble house at Famagosta, so curiously adorned that the like was not in the island. He then made splendid entertainments for the king and queen, who highly favoured him, and wondered whence he should be master of so great a treasure; but he kept that as a secret. At last the king advised him to marry, in order to keep up a family that was so ancient, and promised him his choice of the three daughters of the Lord Neniva; upon which, having seen and discoursed with them, he made choice of the youngest, whose name was Cassandra. ”

“ He's got a tiny income in his own right, left him by his maternal grandfather—just enough, with care, for one! Off he goes with that in his pocket and a wealthy friend and, from that day to this, we haven't laid eyes on Prince Fortunatus! Well, what happens? Does he come to eating husks with the swine and so at last slink back! Not he! He enjoys life; he's free and footloose; he's put his burden on other folk's backs! Death comes along and unmakes his marriage. ”

“ FOrtunatus was sumptuously treated by the Soldan, and after supper he desired licence to bestow his gifts on the Soldan's servants, which was granted; then opened he his purse under the table, and gave rich gifts to all of them, according to their degree, insomuch that the Soldan marvelled; and being highly pleased, he told Fortunatus, that for his kindness he would shew him such rarities, that he never saw the like; then brought him to a tower made of marble stone, in the first room was several rich vessels and jewels, with great heaps of silver coined ”

“ Fortunatus took the cap and put it on his head, and then, without thinking, wished himself back in the ship that was starting for Famagosta. In a second he was standing at the prow, while the anchor was being weighed, and while the Sultan was repenting of his folly in allowing Fortunatus to try on the cap, the vessel was making fast for Cyprus.
When it arrived, Fortunatus found his wife and children well, but the two old people were dead and buried. His sons had grown tall and strong, but unlike their father had no wish to see the world, and found their chief pleasure in hunting and tilting. ”

“ But while Fortunatus was admiring their richness, the Soldian unlocked a cabinet of gold, and pulled out of it an old hat to all appearance, saying, this is a jewel I esteem above all the others, for, continued he, it has that secret virtue in it, given by a great magician, long since dead, that, put it upon your head, and wish to be where you will, you shall be immediately carried thither invisibly. Fortunatus from that moment thought with himself, if he had this to join with his purse, they would be the two greatest advantages in the world ”

“ Fortunatus having lived 12 years with his loving wife, now began to think of travelling into other countries where he had not been; which his dear Cassandra much opposed. But being fully resolved to travel, appeased her, promising, that he would return in a year; and so leaving her, besides his estate ten thousand crowns, in ready money, in a ship he had hired for his own use, he departed, resolving to turn merchant as well as traveller. ”

“ Now Fortunatus humbly begged his life of the Earl, and was willing to lose all his goods; the Earl being moved to save his life, at the intreaty of some of his men, delivered him his purse with the crowns in it, and charged him never more to come into his jurisdiction. Fortunatus rejoiced that he had so well escaped, and was not bereft of his precious Purse. After this he travelled towards his own country, having bought several horses and rich apparel, and several servants to attend him; he arrived at Famagosta, where it was told him that his father and mother were dead. ”

“ The more intelligent of the barbarian lords have imitated this refined and luxurious life as best they may. The Franks as well as the Gallo-Romans welcome little eager Fortunatus; every count wants a set of Latin verses dedicated to himself. It is plain that some of the old country house life at least has survived. ”

“ He simply could not see that God's grace was shining in them with fuller light.
AND. Now at last I realise why Fortunatus was not mentioned among those who were to be restored to life. It was because he was to die again so soon.
ST. JOHN. He certainly deserved to die twice over, once for outraging the corpse committed to his care, and again for insulting by his unreasonable behaviour those who had been restored to life. ”

“ They teach that wealth is not sufficient to secure permanent happiness, which is illustrated by its ultimately ruining Fortunatus and his sons, who were in possession of boundless riches and of a talisman enabling them to attain all their desires. ”

“ I am so hungry now, that almost anything will do." Fortunatus very soon ate quite enough, and then called for every sort of wine in the house, and drank his fill. After supper, he began to think what sort of life he should lead; "For," said he to himself, "I shall now have money enough for everything I can desire." He slept that night in the very best bed in the house, and the next day he ordered the finest victuals of all kinds. When he rang his bell, all the waiters tried who should run the fastest, to ask him what he pleased to want ”

“ How Fortunatus buying severel great horses, which an Earl before had prized, was taken prisoner, and strictly examined concerning the purse. TWO miles from this wood, was a little town and a castle, where dwelt an Earl that owned the wood: Fortunatus took up his lodging in the best inn, and asked the host, if he could wish him to some good horses, of which the Earl had chosen three, and offered 300 crowns for them, but it was refused Fortunatus went into his chamber took out of his purse 600 crowns, and bid his host; send for the merchant to bring his horses to him. ”

“ FORTUNATUS getting away in a manner aforesaid, travelled with all speed to Calais, where he took shipping for England, and coming to London, he fell into company with two Cyprus merchants, with whom he riotously spent all his money, and being in a poor condition, void of succour, he conveyed himself over the sea to France, where he arrived in Picardy, and resolved to go for Paris. When passing through a wood, and being at a loss which way to go ”

“ The moral of the story is obvious: men should desire reason and wisdom before all the treasures of the world. In its full form the history of Fortunatus occupies in Karl Simrock’s Die deutschen Volksbücher, vol. iii., upwards of 158 pages. The scene is continually shifted—from Cyprus to Flanders, from Flanders to London, from London to France ”

“ Thou dost suspend the firmament, [22] Thou heapest together the soil, Thou dost pour forth the seas, by whose [23] government all things which are fixed in their places flourish. Who seeing that the human race was plunged in the depth [24] of misery, that Thou mightest rescue man, didst Thyself also become man: nor wert Thou willing only to be born with a body, [25] but Thou becamest flesh, which endured to be born and to die. Thou dost undergo [26] funeral obsequies, Thyself the author of life and framer of the world, Thou dost enter [27] the path of death, in giving the aid of salvation. ”

“ He told her that could not be, for his treasure during his life was inexhaustible, and could not be spent spend what he would. Let me know, said the princess, from whence you have these great riches? Ah, said he, it was my dying father's command not to discover it to any; yet so dearly do I love you that I can deny you nothing. ”

“ He knew the virtue of it was so rare that those who had it would never part with it by fair means. And so pretending his brother was dead, he turned off his servants, sold his household furniture, and privately getting on shipboard, he sailed for Cyprus, telling his brother Ampedo the lementable news of the loss of the purse, which greatly grieved him and made him blame Andolocia for his folly and the breach of his father's last commands. ”

“ But he had no sooner eat two of them, and finding a drowsiness, lying down to sleep, and dreamed she was turned into a goat; but awaking she found a strange alteration, and going to her glass and seeing her horns, affrighted, she startled and scrieked out, whereupon her ladies came about her and were as much affrighted at the sight as she: but a grave matron who had been her nurse, desired them to be silent to prevent the disgrace that might follow, till physicians were consulted whose skill might take them away. ”

“ So the good old man bidding him give glory to God, led him out of the forest, and at the edge of it they parted.
Andolocia having some of the hornified apples, and likewise four of the contrary quality, began to meditate revenge on Agrippina, and so coming with all speed to England, he got an opportunity to present them to her, as fruit grown in the holy garden of Jerusalem, to restore decayed beauty and health for several years, make the aged look young, and other wonders. ”

“ It was this habit of thought which eventually gave the Romans that idea of Fortuna which has became our idea because it is the prevalent one in Roman literature and life in the periods with which we are most familiar. Now if Fortuna be thought of in this latter way, it is a very easy matter to connect her with Servius Tullius, for the legendary accounts of Servius's career picture him as a very child of "fortune," raised from the lowest estate to the highest power, the little slave boy who became king. ”

“ All this is very pretty, but it is unfortunately quite impossible, because whatever the time may have been when Fortuna began to be worshipped in Rome, it is certain that the idea of chance did not enter into the concept of her until long after Servius's day. Instead the early Fortuna was a goddess of plenty and fertility, among mankind as a protectress of women and of childbirth, among the crops and the herds as a goddess of fertility and fecundity. ”

“ Whither, then, Nina? To Castellamare or Sorrento, with their pink and yellow houses, their terraces and gardens, their vine-smothered bowers, or rather to the filmy island out yonder, that seems to move and tremble in the heat? A couple of words in their own tongue suffice to silence the importunate coral-girls; we climb the never-ending steps; behold, a cool and gracious balcony, with windows looking far out over the quivering plain of the sea. ”

“ Fortune, however, does not correspond to Glück as Misfortune corresponds to Unglück. It may be urged that Fortune had already lost its deep meaning in the Latin, perhaps because of the fickle and worldly character which poets attributed to the goddess Fortuna; but the difference in the comparative depth of signification between Fortune and Misfortune illustrates what I mean. Fortune has more and more turned toward a signification of luck or chance, or to an expression of the most worldly accidents of happiness, as wealth, etc. ”

“ In that event, the favours which by this time you would have received from the Roman people would far outnumber the misfortunes which you have suffered. But since Fortune has the chief control of human destiny, and since it seems to have been her pleasure that you should experience both our power and our kindness, make haste now that she allows it and follow the course which you have begun. ”