Domnei · Chapter
XIII: How They Praised Melicent explained
Perion and Demetrios, conqueror and conquered, sit together on the prow of Perion's ship on a warm, clear night.
What happens
Perion and Demetrios, conqueror and conquered, sit together on the prow of Perion's ship on a warm, clear night. They engage in a poetic debate (a Tenson) praising Melicent, each revealing their contrasting views of love: Perion idealizes her as a heavenly miracle inspiring noble deeds, while Demetrios sees her as a beautiful but infuriating creature who makes him feel ridiculous and murderous. The chapter ends with their mutual acknowledgment that tomorrow they must fight to the death, but tonight they drink in amity.
Themes in this chapter
Idealism vs. Cynicism
Perion's idealistic worship of Melicent as a heavenly miracle contrasts sharply with Demetrios's cynical view of her as a mere 'brightly-coloured creature' and his admission of hatred and desire to destroy her.
The Nature of True Love
The chapter explores two opposing conceptions of love: Perion's selfless, service-oriented devotion versus Demetrios's possessive, conflicted obsession that mixes love with rage and a wish for death.
Characters to notice
- Perion de la Forêt
Praises Melicent as a heavenly masterwork, finding joy in rendering love and service to her; speaks of her beauty in idealistic terms and vows to set new armies afield tomorrow.
- Demetrios
Praises Melicent with a cynical and possessive tone, describing her as a 'brightly-coloured creature' and admitting his love is mixed with hatred and a desire to destroy her; irritated that she does not consider him worth the trouble.
- Melicent
The subject of the Tenson; described by Perion as having amethyst eyes, red lips, bright hair, and white skin; by Demetrios as graceful, soft, and stupid, with a patient tolerance that vexes him.
Key passages
“It is the memory of a fair and noble lady, Messire Demetrios, that causes me to heave a sigh from my inmost heart. I cannot forget that loveliness which had no parallel.”
Perion explains that his sigh is due to remembering the incomparable beauty of a noble lady.
Perion begins the Tenson by attributing his melancholy to the memory of Melicent.
“She is still a brightly-coloured creature, moves gracefully, has a sweet, drowsy voice, and is as soft to the touch as rabbit's fur. Therefore, it is imperative that one of us must cut the other's throat.”
Demetrios describes Melicent as a pretty but trivial creature, concluding that her appeal forces a deadly rivalry.
Demetrios's cynical praise leads to the logical conclusion of mortal combat.
“I did not think of love, I thought only of the noble deeds I might have done and had not done. I thought of my unworthiness, and it seemed to me that my soul writhed like an eel in sunlight, a naked, despicable thing, that was unworthy to render any love and service to Dame Melicent.”
Perion recalls that seeing Melicent made him focus on his own failings and unworthiness rather than romantic desire.
Perion's idealistic love inspires self-reflection and a desire for noble deeds.
“Here at last, I thought, is genuine commonsense—a clearheaded decision as to your actual desire, apart from man-taught ethics, and fearless purchase of your desire at any cost.”
Demetrios admired Melicent's practical, amoral determination to pursue her goals without regard for conventional ethics.
Demetrios values Melicent's perceived ruthlessness, which he sees as akin to his own nature.