The lecture focuses on a traditional commonplace concerning the value of knowledge. A medieval lyrical debate on what is best to have between wealth or knowledge will introduce to a different narrative perspective, based on which it looks also possible to easily convert knowledge into money (selling the books in which said knowledge is textually encoded), and then waste it entirely, indulging in sinful habits. The discussed literary works will mainly be a provençal partimen, Guillem, prims iest en trobar a ma guiza (BdT 205,4), and the French narrative presented as Le département des livres in ms. Paris, BNF, 837.

1. H2CU Summer School on Cultural Heritage
NYC, July 2022
The Value of Knowledge
and how to squander it along the way
Anatole Pierre Fuksas
Università degli Studi di Cassino

2. Wealth and Knowledge
Medieval French Proverbs
ms. Paris, BNF, lat.10360
«Bonum Spatium»
French Proverbs provided with juridical commentaries extracted from the Digestum and the Decretales
1283 Q Mieulx vault savoir que avoir
ms. Paris, BNF, lat. 13965
Incipient dicta vel proverbia volgaria concordata auctoribus Biblie vel scriptorum
French Proverbs provided with Biblical references
1285 Ba Meus vaut science que richece
ms. Paris, BNF, lat. 8653
Scholar’s notebook containing French proverbs and their Latin translations
2227 N Sagece vaut mius que richace.
Est recte sapere multo preciosius ere.
Fert auro precium dignius esse pium.
U. Robert, Un vocabulaire latin-français du XIVe siècle, suivi d’un recueil d’anciens proverbes, in «Bibliothèque de l'École des chartes», 34 (1873), pp. 33-46, p. 39.

3. Proverbial sentence in romanesque context
Roman des sept sages (version K) vv. 763-764 (around 1155-1190)
Prinches de terre sans raison
Ne vauroit mie un seul bouton
(Le roman des sept sages, ed. J. Misrahi, Paris, Droz, 1933, p. 24)

4. Proverbial sentence in romanesque context
Roman de Dolopathos vv. 2179-2190 (around 1220-1125)
Doulz amis, por voi amendeir
vos wel proier et conmandeir,
can de moi departis sereis
et a la grant richesse avereiz
ke vostre peires vos donrait
ki a roi vos coronerait,
vostre roialme mainteneiz
con sages hons prous et seneiz,
et mainteneiz philosophie
conme rois a grant signorie:
molt petit valt rois sen scïence
et clergie ke ne s’avance
(Herbert, Le roman de Dolopathos, ed. J. Leclanche, Paris 1997, t. I, p. 141).

5. A romanesque prologue on the topic
Gilbert de Montreuil, Roman de la Violette vv. 1-21 (around 1227-1229)
Sens de povre homme est poi prisiés;
A painness ert autolisiés
Ja mais nus hom, s’il n’a avoir;
Namporquant je pris miex savoir
C’avoir. Avoirs est tost faillis;
Asses tost est uns hom salis
De grant avoir en la poverte
Ja puis ne li ert porte ouverte
Volentiers; quant il vient a court,
Erranment arriere racourt,
Por chou c’on ne l’i laisse entrer.
Por chou vous voel dire et moustrer
Qui povres est vils est tenus;
Et o les riches mal venus;
mais qui sens a, c’est avantages;
Ou dist assés tost: «cis est sages».
pour chou me voel jou entremetre
D’un plaisant conte en rime metre.
Puis ke scïence ai et tant vail,
Ja ne lairai pour mon travail
Que je ne die auchun biel mot
(Gerbert de Montreuil, Le roman de la violette ou de Gerart de Nevers, ed. D. L. Bu
ff
um,
Paris 1928, pp. 3-4).

6. Provençal Ensenhamen
Peire de Corbian, Thezaur vv. 1-28/33 (around 1225)
El nome de Jesu Christ, qu’es nostre salvamens,
[E de sancta Maria, don el pres naissemens,
Que la vertut del cel me sia cossolamens
Que ia negus no sia en mi [delir] podens]
Si m’escouta la cortz e Dieus m’en es cossens,
Voill far saber als savis co soi de sen manens.
[E mostrarai lur o aissi per
fi
echamens,
Car ieu no mentiria per aur ni per argen.]
Si tot no m’ai grans terras ni grans eretamens,
(Chastels ni borcs ni villas ni autres chasamens,)
Aur ni argen ni ceda, mas mon cors solamens,
No cuges per tot so que m’estei paubramens.
Tals pot aver mil marcs noill va tan richamens.
Sim demandas qui soi, ni don, ni de cals genz,
Maistre Peire ai nom e fon mon naissemens
De corbian, on ai mos frairs e mos parens.
[El mielhs de mo linhatge et de mos bevolens.]
Mas rendas son be pauchas, mas cortezi’e sens
Me fai entrels plus pros viure honoradamens,
E cals que sia paubre ne li an malamens,
Ieu com rics e gualhartz m’estau seguramens,
Qu’eu m’ai un ric Tesaur amassat mal traens,
Quez es plus precios, plus cars e plus valens
Que peiras preciosas ni
fi
s aurs ni argens.
Ja laire no s’en meta en grans espiamens,
Que nom pot esser toutz ni emblatz furtilmens.
Ges nol pues perdre vius, neis can serai morens,
Ni ja mermara, anz er tostemps creissens.
Qui plus en met on dona e l’espan largamens,
El creis e multiplia plus aondosamens.
Qui vol aquest thesaur vezer apertamens,
Obra los oillz del cor e vejal en auzens:
Cest thesaur es sciensa de mainz essenhamens.
(Le «thezaur» de Peire de Corbian, ed by A. Jeanroy – G. Bertoni, in «Annales du Midi» 23 (1911), pp. 3-43, pp. 9-10).

7. Provençal Ensenhamen
Sordello, Ensenhamens d’onor vv. 1-22 (1220-1230)
Aissi co·l tesaurs es perdutz
aitan con istai esco[n]dutz,
teng eu aitan per perdut sen,
quan om lo cel'e·l vai cubren;
que ploms val melz qu'argenz ni aurs
rescos: per zo es lo tesaurs
perdutz, qui no·l met e no·l dona,
si com largues' ab dreg faizona;
e·l senz es perdutz eissamen,
qui no·l descuebr'entre la gen,
e non obra segon razo,
si con es mestiers, a sazo.
E, si tot mos senz non es granz,
vuell far saber entre·ls prezanz
zo que er pro
fi
eh e onors
a totz cels, a qui plaz valors,
qu'apredre et retener volran
zo qu'auzir en mos ditz poiran;
si tot las razos son diversas,
tan qu'eu sai que seran aversas
per aprendre et per retenir,
quar no si podon be seguir.
(Sordello, Le poesie, a c. di M. Boni, Bologna 1954, p. 200).

8. A Provençal partimen on the topic
BdT 205,4 Guillem, prims iest en trobar a ma guiza vv. 1-28 (around 1230)
Guillem, prims iest en trobar a ma guiza,
troban vuelh doncs saber
ta voluntat, pos tant la i as miza.
cal volrias mais aver:
esser rics de terr'e d'aver
entre·ls pus rics, o la sciens'apriza
ab lo saber que las set ars deviza?
Mais volgr'aver la sciensa conquiza
que·m degues remaner,
que la rictat, que cauza es deviza
c'al ric pot pauc valer
e leu pot hom d'aut bas cazer
e·l sciensa non chai pos s'es assiza:
sel c'a·l saber es rics en sa camiza!
Sel qu'entre·ls rics a gran ricor pleneira
que quer d'aqui en sus,
que .c. savis pot metr'en una teira
a cascun donan, pus
c'Aristotils, sobre·ls prims dus,
pres dons dels rics e Virgils la ribeira
de Napol jus: mais am donar que quieira.
Ges per lenga polida, gen parleira,
n'Augier non lais mon us,
que·l sciensa vai totas vetz premeira
e ten los rics enclus,
e ar vei c'aissi est conclus
que·l cap del mon fai pojar en cadeira
e·l rei Porus tornet en gran paubreira.
[ms. R
C’Aleyssandre venquet Porus
E sa gran ost e·l tornet en paubreira
Ab son saber per que·n sec en cadeira.]

9. A Provençal partimen on the topic
BdT 205,4 Guillem, prims iest en trobar a ma guiza vv. 29-51 (around 1230)
Guilhem, si·l rics pot perdre manentia
creisser pot atressi,
per que·l destrics contra·l creisser pars sia
e·l segles cor aisi
que le rics viu e a sa
fi
pot dar als sieus tot lo mon si l’avia,
so c'al savi Dieus no volc donar mia.
L'art e·l sabers c'Aristotils avia
viu, si tot el mori,
e porton l'en mant prim clerc garentia
e escriptura di
que Salamons pres enaisi
lo sen, pueis ac l'aver en sa bailia
ab lo sen, si fes tot cant far volia.
Aisso qe Dieus det ni parti
non part ieu ges, mas Frans'aver volria
e l'emperi mais que saber qe sia.
N'Augier, no·us acordatz a mi,
qe paubres es qi mais aver volria;
sens sobre si non serca manentia!
Sen de natur'e de lati
A en Romieus e platz li que rics sia
e preguem li que d'aquest plag dreg dia.
(Il trovatore Guillem Augier Novella,
Ed. by M. Calzolari, Modena, 1986, pp. 122-125).

10. Wealth and Knowledge
Brunetto Latini, Tesoretto vv. 1-122 (XIII century, after 1266)
Al valente segnore,
di cui non so migliore
sulla terra trovare:
ché non avete pare
né ‘n pace né in guerra;
sì ch’a voi tutta terra
che ‘l sole gira il giorno
e ‘l mar batte d’intorno
san’ faglia si convene,
ponendo mente al bene
che fate per usaggio,
ed a l’alto legnaggio
donde voi sete nato;
e poi da l’altro lato
potén tanto vedere
in voi senno e savere
a ogne condizione,
un altro Salamone
pare in voi rivenuto;
e bene avén veduto
in duro convenente,
ove ogn’altro semente,
che voi pur migliorate
e tuttora a
fi
nate;
(Brunetto Latini, Il tesoretto, a c. di G. Contini, in Poeti del duecento, t. II, Milano-Napoli, Ricciardi, 1960, pp. 167-284, pp. 178-179).
il vostro cuor valente
poggia sì altamente
in ogne benananza
che tutta la sembianza
d’Alesandro tenete,
ché per neente avete
terra, oro ed argento;
sì alto intendimento
avete d’ogne canto,
che voi corona e manto
portate di franchezza
e di
fi
na prodezza,
sì ch’Achilès lo prode,
ch’aquistò tante lode,
e ‘l buono Ettòr troiano,
Lancelotto e Tristano
non valse me’ di voe,
quando bisogno fue;
e poi, quando venite
che voi parole dite
o ‘n consiglio o ‘n aringa,
par ch’aggiate la lingua
del buon Tulio romano
che fu in dir sovrano:
sì buon cominciamento
e mezzo e
fi
nimento
sapete ognora fare,
e parole acordare
secondo la matera,
ciascuna in sua manera;
apresso tutta
fi
ata
avete acompagnata
l’adorna costumanza,
che ‘n voi fa per usanza
sì ricco portamento
e sì bel reggimento
ch’avanzate a ragione
e Senica e Catone;
e posso dire insomma
che ‘n voi, segnor, s’asomma
e compie ogne bontate,
e ‘n voi solo asembiate
son sì compiutamente
che non falla neente,
se non com’ auro
fi
no:
io Burnetto Latino,
che vostro in ogne guisa
mi son sanza divisa,
a voi mi racomando.
Poi vi presento e mando
questo ricco Tesoro,
che vale argento ed oro:
sì ch’io non ho trovato
omo di carne nato
che sia degno d’avere,
né quasi di vedere,
lo scritto ch’io vi mostro
i·llettere d’inchiostro.
Ad ogn’altro lo nego,
ed a voi faccio priego
che lo tegnate caro,
e che ne siate avaro:
ch’i’ ho visto sovente
viltenere a la gente
molto valente cose;
e pietre prezïose
son già cadute i·lloco
che son grandite poco.
Ben conosco che ‘l bene
assai val men, chi ‘l tene
del tutto in sé celato,
che quel ch’è palesato,
sì come la candela
luce men, chi la cela.
Ma i’ ho già trovato
in prosa ed in rimato
cose di grande assetto,
e poi per gran sagretto
l’ho date a caro amico:
poi, con dolor lo dico,
lu’ vidi in man d’i fanti,
e rasemprati tanti
che si ruppe la bolla
e rimase per nulla.
S’aven così di questo,
si dico che sia pesto,
e di carta in quaderno
sia gittato in inferno.

11. A French essample
Jean de Choisi, De Avoir et de Savoir, vv. 149-160 (XIII century)
ms. Bern, Burgerbibliothek 354, f. 72 v.-74 r.
Ja nus hom n’avroit tant avoir
Qu’il ne·l perde s’il n’a savoir:
Sovent veez cui il avient:
Por ce vos voill je bien aprendre
Cil qui lo meillor en vialt prendre.
Que s’el puet asanse tient
Et si di je por nul meschient
Ne doit en a savoir changer
Ne per povretez vil tenir
Qar qui n’a rien en son savoir
Per son savoir vient a avoir
Sovant lo veez avenir.
A. Jubinal, Rapport a M. le ministre de l’Instruction Publique, suivi de quelques pièces inédites tirées des manuscrits de
la Bibliothèque de Berne, Paris, Librairie Spéciale des Sociétés Savantes,1838, pp. 27-31.
Still, the “economic convertibility” of knowledge into wealth,
which is openly stated («por son savoir vient a avoir»),
resolves the dialectical con
fl
ict between the two concepts.
The essample points out the precariousness of material
wealth in opposition to the durability of knowledge.
Hence, knowledge is understood as superior to wealth
according to the proverbial argument.

12. Squandering and “disseminating” knowledge
Le departement des livres (XIII Century)
ms. Paris, B. N. f. fr. 837, f. 213 r/v
The debauched cleric who tells his funny story
concerning the Département des Livres introduces a
very peculiar idea of the “value of knowledge”, basically
inspired by the “notion de dépense”, as described by
George Bataille in a renowned paper (1933).
The value of knowledge basically consists in the money
the cleric can earn by selling his books, so as to
squander it on the gaming table or indulging in gluttony.
As soon as the money is lost or consumed, that very
value of knowledge disappears.
J. Engels, L’autobiographie du jongleur
dans un Dit du ms. Paris, B. N. f. fr. 837, in
«Vivarium», 7 (1970), pp. 68-79, pp. 76-79,
and cf. L. Borghi Cedrini, Per una lettura
‘continua’ dell’837 (ms. f. fr. B.N. di Parigi):
il “Département des livres”, in «Studi
testuali», 3 (1994), pp. 115-166.

13. Iluec vendi ma Letanie,
Et si bui au vin mon Messel
A la vile où l’en fet le sel.
Aus espices à Montpellier
Lessai-je mon Ante
fi
nier.
Mes legendes et mon Greël
Lessai-je a Dun-le-Chastel.
Mes livres de Divinité
Perdi à Paris la cité,
Et cels d’Art et cels de Fisique,
Et mes Conduis et ma Musique.
Grant part de mes auctors
Lessai à Saint-Martin à Tors.
Et mes Don[n]ès est à Orliens,
Et mes Chatonès à Amiens,
A Chartres mes Thodelet,
A Roem mes Avionès.
Mes Ovides est à Naumur,
Ma Philosophie à Saumur.
A Bouvines delez Dinant,
Là perdi-je Ovide le grant.
Mi regiment sont à Bruieres,
Et mes Gloses sont à Maisieres.
Chascuns enquiert et veut savoir
Que je ai fait de mon avoir,
Et comment je sui si despris
Que je n’ai chape ne mantiau gris,
Cote, ne sorcot, ne tabart.
Tout est alé à male part.
Li tremeriaus m’a abatu.
Par ma folie ai tout perdu.
Tout mon avoir et toz mes livres,
Grant pieça que j’en sui delivres.
En duel ai torné mon reveil,
Quer je cuit que il n’ait chastel
En France que je n’i alaisse
Et de mes livres n’i lessaisse.
A Gandelus lez la Ferté,
Là lessai-je mon A.B.C.,
Et ma Patrenostre a Soisson,
Et mon Credo a Monleon,
Et mes .xv. Siaumes à Tornai,
Mes .xv. Siaumes à Cambrai,
Et mon Sautier à Besençon,
Et mon Kalendier à Dijon.
Puis m’en reving par Pontarlie.
Mon Lucan et mon Juvenal
Oubliai-je à Bonival.
Estace le grant et Vigile
Perdi aus dez à Abevile.
Mes Alixandres est à Goivre,
Et mon Grecime est à Auçuoirre,
Et mon Thobie est à Compiengne
Ne cuit que je jamès le tiengne —
Et mon Doctrinal est a Sens.
Là perdi-je trestout mon sens.
Ainsi com je vous ai conté,
Jamès ne seront rachaté
Mi livre en trestoute ma vie,
Toute ai perdue ma clergie,
Se je ne truis aucune gent
Qui me doingnent de lor argent;
Autrement ne le puis ravoir.
Or li doinst Diex sens et savoir
Qui m’en donra, par tel couvent
— Se je revieng en mon couvent —
Je ferai proier en chapitre
Que Diex ses pechiez li aquite.

14. His story is told based on a
“survey map”, a map that
randomly summarizes the stages
of a trip, instead of following an
itinerary step by step (that would
be the case of a “road map”).
Interestingly indeed, the cleric
disseminated his books a bit
everywhere around France, as he
openly states o
ff
ering that there is
not a single castle in France where
he didn’t sell a book of his library.
Interestingly indeed, the cleric
o
ff
ers a more or less compelling
summary of places actually located
in “proper” Medieval France.

15. Some of the mentioned towns are actual “places of knowledge” in Medieval France,
and this is why it makes sense that the cleric presents them as places where he sold
his books so as to dilapidate the money he earned while indulging in immoral activities.
Laon was an important School of Theology in the XII century;
Tournai was a relevant Episcopal School since the XI century;
Montpellier was renowned in the middle ages for its Medical School;
the University of Paris counted four Faculties in 1220 (Artes, Theology, Law and Medical School);
The Abbey of Saint Martin in Tours had a relevant school, also renowned for poetry;
the Episcopal School in Orleans was renowned for the Studies on Grammar.
Some places are mentioned since their names make it possible to elaborate puns on gluttony,
such as Montpellier, because of the renowned spice market, Salins, the ville du sel, and Dinant,
which might allude to the verb disner, that is “to have dinner”. Sens rhymes with sens, which
means “hindsight, wisdom”, and it’s the last mentioned place where our cleric lost it all.
The order of the text is essentially based on the content of the books the cleric sold along the way.

16. The Patrenostre, the Credo, the .vii. and .xv. Siaumes, and, of course, the Sautier, the Kalendier, the
Litanies, the Messel, the Ante
fi
nier and the Greël are liturgical texts ranged in a series, so as to express the
loss of the of the fundamental principles of the Christian revelation and its morality. The Psalter was
certainly a book, and the Legendes was also a book containing hagiographies. The others texts were likely
copied in folios or quires of some dismantled devotional books.
The livres de Divinité are Theological books, opportunely sold in Paris, together with the books of
Artes (maybe the Arts of Trivium), Natural Sciences and Music (Arts of Quadrivium).
The A.B.C. is a basic book of grammar.
A good share of the books containing the works of the Auctores has been appropriately sold in Tours.
The others are disseminated in various places, starting with the Ars Minor of Donatus, and other minores,
which all were a standard school texts in the Middle Ages, such as the Distica Cathonis,
The Eclogue of Theodulus, the Fabulae of Avianus.
Together with a mysterious book of Philosophy (maybe a miscellaneous compilation)
our cleric mentions the Regiment and the Gloses, which might be books of Law (the
Regimen Animarum and an annotated copy of the Decretum Gratiani).
Our cleric also mentions a series of Auctores Maiores. A pair of books of Ovid, whose Opera Omnia
was a must read in the XIII century, and the books of Iuvenalis (Saturae), Statius (Thebais), Vergilius
(Aeneis, Georgica, Bucolica), Lucanus (Pharsalia), together with the Alexandreis of Gauthier de
Chatillon (around 1180), the Tobias by Mathieu de Vendôme (end of XII century), the Graecismus by
Evrard de Bethune (before 1212) and the Doctrinal Metricum by Alexandre de Villedieu (around 1200).

17. The “cultural construction of reading” in Le department des livres is
apparently based on gambling and gluttony.
In order to restore the value of his knowledge the cleric has to buy
back his books, and this is why he begs his audience to give him
money, which he would rather squander entirely as soon as possible!
Knowledge is worth the price of a book. Being convertible into
money, it can be consumed, since money pays a meal, a drink, or it’s
lost at the gaming table.
All in all, one might argue that, according to the cleric who tells the
story of the department des livres, knowledge is worth nothing, and
this is why it makes us free.