4

The relationships between the MSS are very difficult to determine exactly. The poem evidently perplexed the copyists as much as it does modern interpreters. The group AD is clearly established; cf. vv. 17, 20, 26, 33, 34, 40. N often agrees with AD (6, 17, 33, 34, 44), sometimes with D alone (27, 29, 42, 43, 45, 46), and once with A alone (47). The groups CR (6, 7–9, 20, 27) and Mf (6, 33, 34) are likewise fairly certain. The only possible stemma would be a tripartite one along the lines indicated.

In view of the rather defective text in all the MSS, the reconstruction has of necessity been somewhat eclectic. The choice of readings lies between CR on the one hand and AD on the other. Except in lines 7–9, where C’s reading seems to be grammatically impossible, we have followed C, with some evident corrections.

This is the most difficult, and also the most personal, of all of Aimeric’s songs. Most of the rest seem to be literary exercises, at least in large measure. The love, or loves, he sings in them are conventional. But a real emotion breathes through this piece. Aimeric had evidently deserted a first love, who treated him badly, for a second, who treated him worse. Is this the same situation as that referred to in songs 7 and 14? For similar sentiments, caused by a like betrayal, cf. the piece VIII of Jausbert de Puycibot (ed. Shepard, pp. 25–28).