Tales of the early Franks: Episodes from Merovingian history

University of Alabama Press, 1977-01-01. hardcover. Good/Good. 9x6x0. Jacket has light soiling, binding sound, internally clean. Tales of the Early Franks Translated from Recits aes Merovingiens---- by M. F -0 Jenkins Thierry's subject is the so-called Dark Ages — specifically, the second half of the sixth century — in France. He claimed that his work was "scientific as well as artistic," and the Recits are indeed based primarily on the contemporary chronicler Gregory of Tours. But they were written for the nonspecialist reader rather than for professional historians, and it is their vivid evocation of the world of the Meroving-ian kings that makes them worthy of translation. The seven narratives that compose the book are fast moving and absorbing, and the characters are extra-ordinarily lifelike. Thierry himself comes through vividly in his running commen-tary on the events and personalities he describes. His prejudices and presupposi-tions very clear and very characteris-tic of his period — lend a certain piquancy to his account, as well as making it of interest to students of intellectual history. The translation is first-rate — elegant, accurate, readable, and altogether delight-ful. Jenkins' work, by virtue of its elegance and accuracy confutes the old French axiom: 'Translations are like mistresses: when they are beautiful, they are not faithful; and when they are faithful, they are not beautiful." Professor Jenkins teaches French at Angelo State University, Texas.