Isaac Gorni
Encyclopedia
Isaac Gorni was a late thirteenth-century Hebrew
lyric poet from Aire-sur-l'Adour
in Gascony
, then ruled by the English Prince Edward
. His surname derives from the Hebrew goren, "threshing floor", the Occitan for which is aire, as in his birthplace. He was widely travelled. In Provence
he journeyed through Arles
, Aix
, Manosque
, Carpentras
, Apt
, and Draguignan
. He also went into Languedoc
and Catalonia
sojourning in Narbonne
, Perpignan
, and Luz
. His habit was to enjoy the hospitality of the local Jewish community in return for entertaining it. He also accompanied himself on the kinnor
, which was tied to his shoulder. He was not always successful, and his poems often record the ingratitude he encountered.
Isaac probably left Gascony before the Jews were expelled by a royal edict of 1287, perhaps in 1275, 1281, or 1282, when heavy taxes were collected from the Jews. He wrote a song dedicated to the citizens of Aire, recalling both the "lords who stand in the breach in times of her distress" and the Jewish intellectuals, but not referring to any exile. It probably therefore predates 1287, but it already demonstrates Isaac's penchant for pomposity: comparing Aire and Jerusalem, he suggests that the Messiah
, if he knew that Isaac was born in Aire, would choose to be born there as well. In other poems, however, Isaac refers to Jerusalem by the poetic term golat Ariel ("exile of Ariel
"), perhaps a play on "exile from Aire".
Eighteen of his works have survived, all in one manuscript and all in the tradition of the troubadour
s and courtly love
. Two of these have been translated into English: "Gorni Pleads His Cause" and "The Fate of the Adulterer". The first attacks the nobility of Arles for refusing him the patronage he believed he merited. The second imagines his death and his legacy (lust, fornication) and is a parody of the planh
.
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
lyric poet from Aire-sur-l'Adour
Aire-sur-l'Adour
Aire-sur-l'Adour is a commune in the Landes département in Aquitaine in south-western France.It lies on the river Adour in the wine area of southwest France. It is an episcopal see of the Diocese of Aire and Dax. The nearest large towns are Mont-de-Marsan to the north and Pau to the...
in Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
, then ruled by the English Prince Edward
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
. His surname derives from the Hebrew goren, "threshing floor", the Occitan for which is aire, as in his birthplace. He was widely travelled. In Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
he journeyed through Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, Aix
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, Manosque
Manosque
Manosque is the largest town and commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. However, it is not the préfecture of the département, which resides in the smaller town of Digne-les-Bains...
, Carpentras
Carpentras
Carpentras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It stands on the banks of the Auzon...
, Apt
Apt, Vaucluse
Apt is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the left bank of the Calavon, east of Avignon...
, and Draguignan
Draguignan
Draguignan is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in southeastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and self-proclaimed "capital of Artillery" and "Porte du Verdon".The city is only from St...
. He also went into Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
and Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
sojourning in Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, and Luz
Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Luz-Saint-Sauveur is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-References:*...
. His habit was to enjoy the hospitality of the local Jewish community in return for entertaining it. He also accompanied himself on the kinnor
Kinnor
Kinnor is the Hebrew name for an ancient Israelite lyre mentioned in the Bible and commonly translated as harp.-History:The identification of the instrument is uncertain, but a few historians of musical instruments say it is similar to the Greek cithara, Though the Kinnura is a better...
, which was tied to his shoulder. He was not always successful, and his poems often record the ingratitude he encountered.
Isaac probably left Gascony before the Jews were expelled by a royal edict of 1287, perhaps in 1275, 1281, or 1282, when heavy taxes were collected from the Jews. He wrote a song dedicated to the citizens of Aire, recalling both the "lords who stand in the breach in times of her distress" and the Jewish intellectuals, but not referring to any exile. It probably therefore predates 1287, but it already demonstrates Isaac's penchant for pomposity: comparing Aire and Jerusalem, he suggests that the Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
, if he knew that Isaac was born in Aire, would choose to be born there as well. In other poems, however, Isaac refers to Jerusalem by the poetic term golat Ariel ("exile of Ariel
Ariel
Ariel may refer to:-Film:*Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award*Ariel , a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki-People:*Ariel , any of several real or fictional people of that name...
"), perhaps a play on "exile from Aire".
Eighteen of his works have survived, all in one manuscript and all in the tradition of the troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
s and courtly love
Courtly love
Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife....
. Two of these have been translated into English: "Gorni Pleads His Cause" and "The Fate of the Adulterer". The first attacks the nobility of Arles for refusing him the patronage he believed he merited. The second imagines his death and his legacy (lust, fornication) and is a parody of the planh
Planh
The planh or plaing is a funeral lament used by the troubadours, modeled on the medieval Latin planctus. It differed from the planctus in that it was intended for a secular audience...
.