PARTHENAY
. Capital of the Gâtine, Parthenay (Deux-Sèvres) is the site of a castle that dominates a
wide bend in the River Thouet. In the Middle Ages, Parthenay was an important stopover
on the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela, at the juncture of the roads from
Thouars and Angers. One can still enter the city from the north along the picturesque
medieval Rue Saint-Jacques, after crossing over the 13th-century Pont Saint-Jacques and
through the Porte Saint-Jacques. Parts of the 12th-century ramparts and three towers of
the 13th-century stronghold remain. The city was given to Richemont, constable of
France, in the 15th century and passed, after his death in 1458, to Dunois.
The 12th-century church of Sainte-Croix and the church of Notre-Dame-de-la-
Couldre, with its splendid portal in Poitevin Romanesque style, are further reminders of
Parthenay’s role in the medieval pilgrimage to Santiago. At nearby Parthenay-le-Vieux,
the 12th-century church of Saint-Pierre, founded by monks from Chaise-Dieu, possesses
a beautiful façade in Poitevin Romanesque style. The tympanum carving of Samson and
the lion, the cat heads (representing devils) along the cornice, and the carved animal
capitals are all worthy examples of Romanesque sculpture.
William W.Kibler
PARTONOPEU DE BLOIS
. Written probably ca. 1182–85, Partonopeu de Blois is an enormous romance whose
popularity is attested by its many medieval imitations, translations, and adaptations. Ten
manuscripts feature three forms of the romance: V(Vatican, Palatinus latinus 1971) ends
after 10,358 lines, with the marriage of Partonopeu and Melior, followed by the
romancer’s promise to continue his story, if his lady so commands; A (Paris, Arsenal
2986) reworks that ending to eliminate any continuation; and five manuscripts offer
selections from the Continuation (only Tours 939, with 14,493 lines, contains both the
Anselot and the Sultan Margaris episodes).
The anonymous romancer combines elements from classical, Celtic, and oriental
matter to shape the story of Partonopeu of Blois, the nephew of Clovis, king of France,
and Melior, empress of Byzantium. Like the fairy mistresses of Celtic lais, Melior
arranges to lure thirteen-year-old Partonopeu to Chef d’Oire (modeled on
Constantinople), where she plans to keep him secretly for two and a half years, until he
can be knighted and presented to her barons as a suitable husband. Partonopeu enjoys the
pleasures of love with Melior each night, on condition that she remain invisible to him
(the Cupid and Psyche story with sex roles reversed). But betrayal follows, and, once she
has been seen, Melior’s magic powers are destroyed. Seeking death in the Ardennes
Forest, Partonopeu is discovered by Urraque, Melior’s sister, who persuades him with
false news of Melior’s pardon to go to Salence. There, Partonopeu recovers his health and
prepares for the three-day tournament arranged by Melior’s barons to choose her
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