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A HISTORY OF BOHEMIAN LITERATURE

A few ancient love-songs which

have not the character of the Svitanicka have also been preserved. Of these, the so-called Cantio Zavispnis, written in Bohemian in

spite of its Latin nanie, deserves notice. It was formerly falsely attributed to Zavis of Falkenstein, the lover of Queen Kunegund, and one of the most celebrated

Bohemian nobles of his time. The fact that Falkenstein wrote verses in prison shortly before his death (as the historians tell us) led to this supposition, which is contradicted by the manner of the poem. Nothing except the name "Zavis" is known of the author of this strange love-song, one of the best of early Bohemian literature. I have translated a few of the best lines : — " Now all joy has left me. Now for me all comfort has ceased. My heart swims in wistful blood.

All this because of the

beloved one for whom

By of her eye She has sharply struck my heart. live in flaming yearning. the glance

I

My life

sickens

I

long.

with love.

All for the sake of her dear beauty. My longing Pity

me, oh

cannot decrease

air ! pity

Carbuncles, sapphires,

j

all creation ! and all precious stones,

me,

Rays of the sun and everything on the earth. Pity me, lilies ! pity me, most precious roses ! My beloved wishes to take my little life ^from me she will not have compassion on me."

If

Neither the mysterious Zavis nor the author of the Song at Daybreak which I quoted before were devoid of But they, as well as other writers whom poetical talent. ^

2,iwitek, the diminutive

oliivot=Xis.