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Equitan
The seneschal works for Equitan, faithfully ruling Equitan’s Breton kingdom on his behalf. The seneschal’s wife, beautiful but ill-fated, begins an affair with Equitan behind the seneschal’s back and plots to murder the seneschal. Constantly absorbed in kingdom business, the seneschal remains oblivious. However, when he interrupts his wife and Equitan having sex, he furiously throws his wife into the boiling bath she’d intended for him.
The Seneschal Quotes in The Lais of Marie de France
The The Lais of Marie de France quotes below are all either spoken by The Seneschal or refer to The Seneschal. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
II. Equitan
Quotes
Because you are a powerful king and my husband is your vassal, you would expect, as I see it, to be the lord and master in love as well. Love is not honourable, unless it is based on equality. A poor man, if he is loyal and possesses wisdom and merit, is of greater worth and his love more joyful than that of a prince or king who lacks loyalty. If anyone places his love higher than is appropriate for his own station in life, he must fear all manner of things.
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His evil plan rebounded on him, whereas the seneschal was safe and sound. […] Seizing his wife immediately, [the seneschal] tossed her head first into the bath. Thus they died together, the king first, then the woman with him. Anyone willing to listen to reason could profit from this cautionary tale. Evil can easily rebound on him who seeks another’s misfortune.
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The Seneschal Quotes in The Lais of Marie de France
The The Lais of Marie de France quotes below are all either spoken by The Seneschal or refer to The Seneschal. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
II. Equitan
Quotes
Because you are a powerful king and my husband is your vassal, you would expect, as I see it, to be the lord and master in love as well. Love is not honourable, unless it is based on equality. A poor man, if he is loyal and possesses wisdom and merit, is of greater worth and his love more joyful than that of a prince or king who lacks loyalty. If anyone places his love higher than is appropriate for his own station in life, he must fear all manner of things.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
His evil plan rebounded on him, whereas the seneschal was safe and sound. […] Seizing his wife immediately, [the seneschal] tossed her head first into the bath. Thus they died together, the king first, then the woman with him. Anyone willing to listen to reason could profit from this cautionary tale. Evil can easily rebound on him who seeks another’s misfortune.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
