Travelling through times and spaces: Making to meet Akbar ...repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/...Enchantress of Florence at all. That is a special kind of comparative

TitleTravelling through times and spaces: Making to meet Akbarwith Machiavelli. Some considerations about Salman Rushdie'sThe Enchantress of Florence (2008)

Author(s) Jorissen, Engelbert

Citation ドイツ文學研究 (2009), 54: 49-80

Issue Date 2009

URL http://hdl.handle.net/2433/71159

Right

Type Departmental Bulletin Paper

Textversion publisher

Kyoto University

−49−

To begin with and Rushdian intertextuality

ReadingafinebookandthencomingtoitsfinishingIbegintofeelsad

because tomorrow I shallnotmeet thesepeople, figures,personalities,

whomIhavebeguntolikewhilereadingthenovel(ofcourseonemayar-

guethatIcanrereadthebookfromthefirstpagetomorrow,butthis,of

course, is not the point). It is as if SalmanRushdie in his novelThe

Enchantress of Florence(2008)wantstomakethereaderunderstandsuch

afeeling.When,attheendofthenovel,NiccolòVespuccihavingendedhis

story,hashimself,disappeared,MughalemperorAkbarhasa feelingof

deepdisappointment,considering:

Vespucci’s storywasconcluded.Hehadcrossedover into the

emptypageafterthelastpage,beyondtheilluminatedbordersof

theexistingworld,...1）

Bytheway,eveninthissentenceofthestory,aseverywhereinthe

novel,thereseemtobeat leasttwolevelsoradoublesenseofmeaning,

thatis“theilluminatedborders”maybereadaswellasthebordersofthe

paintedMughals’worldinitsminiatures.

ItshouldbementionedatoncethatS.Rushdieaddsa“Bibliography”

Travellingthroughtimesandspaces:MakingtomeetAkbarwithMachiavelli.SomeconsiderationsaboutSalmanRushdie’s

The Enchantress of Florence(2008)

EngelbertJorissen

Travellingthroughtimesandspaces:MakingtomeetAkbarwithMachiavelli.

−50−

of“Books”and“WebSites”attheendofthenovel.Asformetherearises

thequestion,whyabibliography, including,historicalandscholarlytexts,

shouldappearatallinwhatItakeasafictitiousnovel?!Butasfor“story”,

itshouldbementionedatoncetoo,thatItaloCalvino’scollectionofItalian

storiesappearsamongthecited (and,againnotcited) titles intheappen-

dixedbibliographyofthenovel2）.

IwouldliketomentionhereaswellthatThe Enchantress of Florence

becomesinsomeshortpassagesanintertextofandwithS.Rushdie’searli-

ernovels.Forexample, if inthenovelthemotifsoftravel,departingand

coming (not)homeareomnipresent,theseofcourserememberofSalman

Rushdie’sThe Wizard of Oz(seemyBibliographyattheend).Themotifof

the“potatowitches”inthefifteenthchapterofthenovelappearsalreadyin

S.Rushdie’sShalimar the Clown(seemyBibliographyattheend).

Rushdie’snovelis,indeed,sofullofdetailsandliterarycitationsthatit

issometimesnotsoeasytofollow.A‘citation’whichalreadyseemstobe-

longtosomestandardrepertoireoftheauthorRushdie,and/orhisnarra-

torisforexamplethesceneinwhichArcaliaisputtinghisownthingsand

whathehasrobbedofHauksbankeasilyintohis“particoloredgreatcoat”,a

coatofmeraviliousabilities:

Hehadwon thecoatatcards inahandof scarabocionplayed

againstanastonishedVenetiandiamondmerchantwhocouldnot

believethatamereFlorentinecouldcometotheRialtoandbeat

thelocalsattheirowngame.Themerchant,abeardedandring-

letedJewnamedShalakhCormorano,hadhadthecoatspecially

madeat themost famous tailor’s shop inVenice,knownas Il

Moro Invidiosobecauseof thepictureofagreen-eyedArabon


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theshingleoveritsdoor,anditwasanoccultistmarvelofagreat-

coat,itsliningacatacombofsecretpocketsandhiddenfoldswith-

inwhichadiamondmerchantcouldstashhisvaluablewares,and

achancersuchas“UccellodiFirenze”[i.e.Arcalia]couldconceal

allmanneroftricks.(pp.19‒20)

Thisfine‘miniature’ofdescriptionmustremindthediligentreaderof

the importantroleofShakespeare’sOthello (“Il Moro Invidioso”)andThe

Merchant of Venice (“Themerchant,abeardedandringletedJewnamed

ShalakhCormorano”)inRushdie’snovelThe Moor’s Last Sigh.

ThenIwanttomentionthatthenovel ifreadwithonlysomeatten-

tionisfullofRushdie’sliterarydiscussionandinterpretationofcolonialism

uptonow.OneonlyhastothinkoftheJesuitmissionariessentfromGoa

toAkbar’scourt,orthe“TheNewWorld”asitappearsinthenovel.But

hereIshallnotdiscusstheseaspectswhichneedanownstudy.

The Structure of the Novel and the Story

Thenovelcomprisesat least fourstories,which,quite independent,

arenonetheless intertwinedmeticulously,whatat firstmayseemnotso

easilybeundone,ortobeaacceptedbythereader,becausethestoriesde-

velop inmostdifferenthistorical times -andplaces.ForIndiathis is the

timeof theMughalemperor’sgrandfatherBaburandAkbar’sowntime.

ForEurope,mainly Italy, and for the “NewWorld”, this is the timeof

Machiavelli,andtheparallel timetothatofAkbar’sreign,whenthinking

fore.g.ofthethreeJesuitssenttoAkbar’scourtin1580(s.here,pp.10ss).

Beforecomingtosomeofthesestories,itmightbeusefultoframethe

totalofnon/historical,and,orim/possibleeventsbygivingthelifetimeof


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NiccolòMachiavelli:1469‒1527andtheMoghulEmperorAkbar:1542‒1605

(reign:1556‒1605),bothhistoricaldates.Thetwocannothavebeenincon-

tactwithoneanother,butitisthroughthenarratorthattheirlife,better

someoftheirideasareputintoonecontext.Thentherearetheinthenov-

eldiscussed lifetimesofQaraKözandArgalia.QaraKöz,ofwhom it is

toldtobeBabur’s, that isAkbar’sgrandfather’smysterioussister,beside

hisothersisterKhanzadaBegum, is said tohavebeenseventeenyears

(p.213)atthetimeofBabur’sseconddefeatofSamarkand(p.214)andthat

is in15043）.Atthetimeof thebattleofChaldiran in15144）,betweenthe

SafavidsandtheOttomans, inwhichShaIsmail Iwasbeaten,Argalia is

said tohavebeen forty five (p.216, for thebattleseepp.218‒221).After

thatbattleQaraKözbegins toaccompanyArgalia,whoat thatmoment

enterstheservicesofSelimtheGrim,afterthatreturnstoItaly,namely

Machiavelli’sFlorence,whereArgaliadies(“Argaliawasdead-“Atleasthe

died inhishometown ...”,Doriasaid”,p.333), fromwhereQaraKözwill

leave,notwithArgaliabutwithAgoVespuccitoGenuaandthen,onthe

suggestionofAndreaDoria to the “NewWorld”.Thatmeans,asAkbar

reckonsrightly, theman,NiccolòVespucci,orashehasnamedhimself,

Mogordell’ amore,agedbetweenthirtyand forty,whohascometohis

courtandclaimsuntiltotheendofhisstory:““MymotherwasQaraKöz,

yourgrandfather’ssister, thegreatenchantress,andshe learnedhowto

stop time.””, (p.340), canbynomeansbeQaraKöz’s son.AfterNiccolò

VespuccihasalreadyleftdoomedFatehpurSikrithereaderlearnsfroma

nightlyconversationbetweenAkbarandhisauntQaraKöz (sic,pp.347‒

348),thatNiccolòVespuccimustbethesonofQaraKöz’schildorof“the

Mirror’s”, (oneofthemanymirrorsinthenovel)daughter(“mirrorofher


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motherandof thewoman [i.e.QaraKöz]whosemirror theMirrorhad

been”(p.348).Andhisfather,asisfurtherrevealedinthissameplace,was

thislatermirror’sownfather(onecanonlyguessifitismeantthatbythis

ismeantAgoVespucci), he is a child of “incest” (e.g. p.338).Niccolò

Vespuccihimselfhasbeendeceivedaboutallthis,andbelievestobewhat

heisnot,Akbar’suncle.ButthisbelieveenableshimtotellAkbarhisfan-

tasticstory,whichbringstogether,amongotherthings,Machiavelli’sand

Akbar’stime.Andthis,puttingoneofthemainresultsofthisstudyatthe

beginning, seems formetobe themainreason to tell thestoryofThe

Enchantress of Florenceatall.Thatisaspecialkindofcomparativeculture

andculturalhistory,bymirroringplacesandtimes,whichinhistorylayso

muchafarfromthemselves,butaremade,humanly,sosimilarinthenovel.

Thefirststorytobenarrated,thus,isthatofArgalia/Arcalia,toldby

NiccolòVespucci:““Therewasonceanadventurer-princenamedArgalia,

alsocalledArcalia,agreatwarriorwhopossessedenchantedweapons,and

inwhoseretinuewere four terrifyinggiants,andhehadawomanwith

him,Angelica...””(p.19).Thisbeginningofastorywhich,withthename

ofAngelica, reminds thereaderof texts like thatofLudovicoAriosto’s

Orlando furioso, isrepeatedonvariousoccasions (s.e.g.p.85),but itssuc-

cessionis,asitmayseemtoanirritatedreader,firstlikebeing‘surpressed’

by thenarratorwhoseemstowant to tellhisstory toamostelevated

price(cf.p.19,VespucciwithHauksbank;p.90,VespucciwithAkbar),how-

ever,itdevelopstooneofthemainstreamsofthenovel.Hestealshimself

into to theroleofan Italian “Ambassador”by theQueenofEngland to

Akbar’scourt (p.23)whatmakescaptainJohnHauksbankdie ifnotbe

murderedbyArcalia(p.23,asformurderseep.19whereArcaliaissaidto


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haveHauksbankmakedrink“laudanum”).ThedeathofcaptainHauksbank

nearlycostsVespuccihisownlife,becausethecrewhasfollowedhimand

isaskingAkbartomaketheprocessofthe‘fakeambassador’.Akbarwho

atthispointhasmorethanonedoubtabouttheidentityofVespucci,e.g.

whencomparinghisoutfitwiththeSpanishambassadorofKingPhilipof

Spain,whohadcomewithelephants,Arabhorsesandmanygifts tohis

court (pp.66‒67),whereasArcaliahasspenthis firstnight inFatehpur

Sikriina“whorehouse”(p.67),putshimintojailandisintendedtopunish

himwithdeath,buttheprocessturnsouttoVespucci’sfavourandtothe

blameofHauksbank’screw.AfterthatVespucciboldydeclarestoAkbar,

whoispressinghim:““Onceandforall,spitthedamnedthingout””,tobe:

““Yourrelativebyblood.Inpointoffact:youruncle””(p.98).

Verymuch laterone learns that thatArgalia isacontemporaryof

Machiavelliandthatandhowhisstorybegan inFlorence: “Inthebegin-

ningtherewerethree friends,AntoninoArgalia,Niccolò“ilMachia”,and

AgoVespucci”(p.132).AsforFlorenceandwhathappensthereIshallre-

turntothissamesentenceonetimemore.Asforthestorytobefollowed

here,Argaliaisorphaned“beforehewastenyearsold”(p.136),thatisbe-

causeofoneotherof themanyplaguesafter thatof1348described in

Boccaccio’s “Foreword”of Il Decameron, inFlorence,andhedecides to

leaveFlorence.Fora timeVespucciuses thename“UccellodiFirenze”

(p.14):

GiovanniMilano,who had been born Sir JohnHauksbank in

Scotland a hundred years before. In France he was “Jean

Aubainc” intheGerman-speakingcantonsofSwitzerlandhewas

“HansHoch”,and in Italy itwasGiovanniMilano - “Milano”be-


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causeamilanwasahawk - leaderof theWhiteCompany,erst-

whilegeneralofFlorence,andvictor,onFlorence’sbehalf,ofthe

battleofPolpettoagainst thehatedVenetians (pp.136‒137). (For

JohnHauksbank,inhistoryandartseebelow.)

Vespucci isstill remindfulofJohnHauksbankasagreatcondottiere,

theageofwhich,thatisofthecondottieri,asitissaid-bythewayhistori-

cally -hascometoanendnow,that iswithArgalia’syouth.ButArgalia

knowsthere isstillonegreat figureof thathistorically typeof fighters:

“Thegreatest remainingmercenary fighter, according toArgalia,was

AndreaDoria5）,leaderoftheBandofGold,whojustthenwerebusywith

theliberationofGenoa6）fromFrenchcontrol” (p.137).Argalia isreadyto

giveuphisChristian faith: “ImightturnTurkmyself.Argalia theTurk,

WielderoftheEnchantedLance,withfourhugeSwissgiants,Muslimcon-

verts,inmyretinue.SwissMohammendans,yes.Whynot.Whenyou’rea

mercenary it’sgoldand treasure that talk,and for thatyouhave togo

east.”(pp.137‒138).AtonepointArgaliadeclares:

...I’llbedyingonaburningcaraveloutsideConstantinoplewitha

Turkishscimitarinmygut.(p.137)

Hewillnotdieinthatway,buthewilldieasaTurk,asheisnamedlater

inthenovel,andthatisasamightyTurk,ase.g.:“ArgaliatheTurk,was

simplytopowerfulforLorenzo[i.e.de’Medici]tobeabletomoveagainst

himopenly.”(p.289)

Machiavelli and events in his time

Machiavelli’slifeduringhisexileoutsideFlorenceasdescribedinthe

novelhasmademethinkrepeatedly,whilereadingthenovel,ofoneofthe


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mostfamousandfrequentlycited lettersbyMachiavelli.Machiavelli’s life

itselfisdescribedwithmanydetails,onecanguessmuchabouthisrelation

withhiswife, andaboutMachiavelli’spolitical carrieror failure, ase.g.

abouthistortureduringwhichhesufferedthe“strappado”(p.238).HereI

citethementionedletterfromabookbyPaulLarivaille,andwhilehecom-

ments that this letter,asaresponse toFrancescoVettori reacheseven

“parody”7）it isformeoneofthemostbeautiful lettersbyMachiavelli.In

thisletterfrom10December,1513strikesmethepartwhereMachiavelli

describeshowhe leaveshishome inthemorningtodosomecuttings in

hiswoodstakingwithhimabookbyDante,Petrarcaor“oneofthesemi-

norpoets likeTibullo,Ovidioandthe like” (“ounodiquestipoetiminori,

comeTibullo,Ovidioetsimili”8）).Andhowhethen,aftereating lunch in

the“hosteria”and,later,playingtheretrumpswithsomebeccaio,milleror

baker,returnshome,wherehechangesintohisofficialclothes,this,inor-

dertobepreparedproperlytoreadandmeettheclassicalauthors:“...and

revested decently, I enter into the antique courts of the classical

writers...”(“...etrivestitocondecentemente,entronelleantiquecortideg-

liantiquihuomini”)9）.Evenifparodywouldunderlyhere,Machiavelli’satti-

tude towards the classical authors, describedas so subtle,moves and

makesonethinkaboutone’sownreadinghabitudes.Theletterisindeedso

movingbecause itshowsapoliticallypowerlessandhelplessMachiavelli,

who isstillsomuchpoliticalbecausehe isplayingtrumpswiththehard

workinglaborersfromthecountryside,thatheistakingintheiropinions,

andobservingthesituationinthefield,thatisoutsideFlorence.Andthen,

insteadofbecoming leisurelywhencominghomeandbeginningtoread

theclassics,heinsteaddressesasbestashecaninordertobeallowedto


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appearbeforehis‘teachers’fromantiquityinanadequatestyle.

Machiavelli’sreligiouspositionasdescribedinthenovel,itissaidthat

“Hewasnotadeeplyreligiousman,ilMachia,buthewasaChristian.He

avoidedmass,buthebelievedallotherreligionstobe false” (p.244), this

putshimintoasomewhatlessinterestingpositionthanthatofAkbar,who

isdrawnassearchingat leastmomentarily forreligiousalternatives.But

thisdescriptionstands innowayagainst themanycitationsof theman-

drake-plant,whichofcourse isacontinuingallusiontoMachiavalli’scom-

medyLa Mandragola,which indeed, especiallywith the figure ofFra

Timoteoisdarklyanticlericalbutnotantichristian.

AfterArcalia andQaraKözhavecome toFlorence theyarewel-

comed, especiallyQaraKöz arises to a position sembling to a saint.

Howeverthatchangesquickly,and,whatremains,andIthinkhereiswere

Rushdiewantsmakeapoint,isherforeigness,otherness,strangeness.This

iscalledbythenarratorQaraKöz’sshortstep“fromenchantresstowitch”

(p.297),aftershehadbecomemomentarilyevenan idolof ““Easternwis-

dom””(p.289).BehindthislieofcoursemuchofRushdie’sthinkingsabout

differenceasutteredinothersofhisprecedentnovels,e.g.expressedwith

S.Chamcha’s fancy tobecomearealBritish inThe Satanic Verses,and

with the first Indian/Christian thanmoreChristian/Foreignerpaintress

AuroraintheMoor’s Last Sigh.Havingbeenstampedtobeawitchsheis

forced to leaveFlorence, and as it is shown, evenbetter Italy.After

Argalia’sdeathsheisledbyAgoVespucci,who,uptothattime,different

fromArgalia,andMachiavelli,whodidindeedalotofdiplomatictravelling

duringhislifetime,and,whatgoeswithoutsaying,differentfromAgo’sfa-

mouseldercousin,onlynowstartsthevoyageofhis life.This leadshim


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andQaraKözfirst(asforthestories’runninginthenovelback)toAndrea

Doria.Heintroduceshim/themto“theCosmographiae Introductiobythe

BenedictinemonkWaldseemüllerof themonasteryofSt.Dié-des-Vosges,

whichcamewithavastmapthatunfoldedtocoverthefloor,amapwhose

name was almost as big, the Universalis Cosmographia Secundum

Ptholoemaei Traditionem et Americi Vespucci Aliorumque Lustrationes,

theGeographyoftheWorldAccordingtotheTraditionofPtolemyandthe

ContributionsofAmerigoVespucciandOtherPeople”(p.332)10）.

Time narrated

If thinking - foronce inauthenticalhistoricaldimensionsthetimeof

thecentralstoryinIndiamustbeginatleastafterFebruary18,158011）,be-

causeasitistoldinthenoveltheJesuitsAcquavivaandMonserrateare

alreadyatAkbar’scourtwhichwas,historically,atthistimeatFatehpur

Sikri,andthisisacentralpointinthenovel.AkbarhadmovedfromAgra

toFatehpurSikriin157112）.

AcquavivaandMonserrateare twoof threeJesuits,whoweresent

fromGoaafterAkbarhadaskedforJesuitstocometohiscourtin157813）.

AsforAkbar’shistorical interest inChristianityasshowninthisnovel,I

woulddiscussthisratherinanotherstudy.Itmaybementionedthatthe

historicalAkbarsentthreetimesambassadorstoGoatoaskformissionar-

ies,that isJesuits,tocometohispalace.Itshouldbementionedtoothat

therewerethreesendingsofJesuits(“missions)toAkbar’scourt,thatisin

1580‒1583,1591‒1592and1594‒1600.InthenovelAkbar’sconstructionofa

hall inwhichreligiousquestionsshouldbediscussed,where theJesuits

participated,isdescribed,andhishistoricalreflectionsonreligion/saredis-


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cussed, as several ofhisdecisions to free thebelievers fromreligious

bounds.AsAkbarinthenovelhimselfexpresses,whilehewantstobetol-

eranttowardsreligionheisatthesametimeimposinghisownideaofreli-

gionontothepeople,disappointedlyheclosesthehallofdiscussion.Asfor

thepictureoftheJesuitsasdepictedinthenovel,thisisquiteunfriendly.

Nothingissaidagainsttheirfaith,buttheiractivitiesappearinashadowy

light.This is, foronce,due to the fact that theybecomeadversariesof

Mogordell’Amore,whoasanItaliandefines theJesuitashelpersof the

Portuguese, of which nation they may be. Mogor had taken from

HauksbankhistreasuresandatlastaswellaletterfromQueenElizabeth

I toAkbar,a letterwhichrepresentsthereason forHauksbank’planned

missiontotheMoghulcourt.Bytheway,thislettertoobelongstoalong

stringofmotifs inwhichthevalueofwords,asseenbythenarrator, is

demonstrated.Mogor, as onemayhaveunderstoodbefore, renders to

AkbaramostinvitingversionoftheletterinwhichElizabethshowsher-

selfevensubmissivetoAkbar.WhenAkbar,yearslaterhasthatsamelet-

ter translatedbyanother interpreter,he findsout that thecontenthad

beenratherinsignificant.Thisisonemoreofthemanyoccasionsinwhich

oneotherimportantmotifofthenovelismadeproof“Languageuponasil-

vered tongueaffordsenchantmentenough” (p.73).That is toshow, that

whowantstoreadahistoricalnovelinwhichfiguresandfactsmaybere-

liedon,willbedisappointed,whatcountsarethewordswhichmakehi/

story.Anyway, as theporterof a letterbyahereticQueenElizabeth,

MogorbecomesatoncesuspecttotheJesuits.Whentheletterandhisas-

sumedroleofambassadorofQueenElizabethtotheMoghulCourtaredis-

cussedbeforeAkbarAbulFazlmentions: ““...They [i.e. theJesuits] say


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thathersisanationofthievesandthatyouareinallprobabilityaspy””

(p.68).Whereupontheconversationunfoldsasfollows:

“ThePortuguesearepirates,”saidMogoredell’Amore.“They

arebuccaneersandscoundrels.Nowisemanshould trustwhat

theysay.”

“FatherAcquavivaof theSocietyofJesus isan Italian like

yourself,”AbulFazlrejoined,“andFatherMonserratehiscompan-

ioncomesfromSpain.”

“IftheycomehereundertheflagofthescurrilousPortugee,”,

theother insisted, “thenPortugeepiratedogs iswhattheyhave

become.”(p.68)

Rushdieissaidtohavebecomemoreunpoliticalinhislaternovels.Iwould

notagreesoeasilywithsuchastatement.Lookatthepoliticalpotential,

Kashmir,globalizationetc.,inhisShalimar the Clown,whichdoesnothide

verywellbeneath thestory full of imaginaryandphantasyandunreal.

Perhaps,atthefirstlookmoredifficulttodiscernbecausethestoryisput,

mainly, intothe16thcentury,thehistorico-politicalelementcannotbede-

niedneither inThe Enchantress of Florence.Behindthehistoricalreflec-

tionsbyAkbarandMachiavellilingeralwaysquestionsofthepost/colonial

discussionaliveinallofRushdie’snovels.So,asformypart,Iwouldseea

reflectionoftheEuropeans’assumedroleinIndiainthisdescriptionofthe

Jesuits too, even if it is only the reflectionof the ridiculousnessof the

European rivalry in India in the eyes ofAkbar,whom neither the

Portuguesenor theEnglish reallydidunderstand inhis importance, at

leastatthatmoment.

Whenthestorycomestoitsendtherearementionedseveralhistori-


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caleventswhichmaybetakenfornarratedtime,asthereisthedeathof

Birbal inwar campaign (pp.313‒314) onwhichhe is accompaniedby

Mughaldell’Amore,butitislatersaidthathediedinanambush,thatis

as thedeathofAbulFazl: “AbulFazldied inanambush,asBirbalhad”

(p.326). If takenhistoricallyBirbal’sdeathhappened in1586.AndAbul

Fazldeathoccurs in thenovel, ashistorically,with the last rebellionof

Akbar’s sonSalimagainsthis father. In thenovel is is told that,under-

standingthatofhisthreesonsonlySalimwouldbeableashissuccessor,

theothertwoaresaid“theyweresodeepindrinkanddiseasethatthey

mightactuallydie” (p.326),Akbar forgiveshissonhisuprisingandAbul

Fazl’ death (pp.326‒327).Thehistorical Salim’s rebellion,whose own

“health”,ase.g.FrancisRobinsonconsiders,“wascompromisedbyhisown

addictiontodrinkandopium,whichmighthaveledhimtodefyhisfather”,

falls in theyear 1602, as theviolent death of “AbulFadl”14）, as inF.

Robinson’sspelling.HistoricallySalimreturnedonhisfather’swordtothe

court,heisreprovedbyAkbarandAkbarputhissupportersintoprison(in

thenovelwe read “As for Salim’smentorBadauni, however, hewas

thrownintothedirtiestcellofthedeepestdungeonofFatehpurSikri,and

nomanorwomanexcepthisjailerseversawhimaliveagain”,p.327).But

Akbarmakestobecaredforhishealth, thetensionsbetweenthemless-

enedand:“On21October[i.e.1605],Akbar,unabletospeak,investedSalim

ashissuccessor”15）.AttheveryendofthenovelAkbarleavesdramatically

aliterallydrainedFatehpurSikri,becausethegoldenlakefromthebegin-

ningwithdrew itswater (pp.344‒346, seehere,p.15), and that is in the

novel afterSalim’s rebellionwhere it is said of improvedSalim: “The

CrownPrince’s change of heart had come to late.Thedestruction of


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FatehpurSikri hadbegun.Thenextmorning ...” (p.344).Historically

AkbarmovedfromFatehpurSikriin1598,nowagaintoAgra,thatisbe-

foreSalim’srebellion16）.Thatmeansthatthehistoricaltimeoftheendof

thenovelisletopentointerpretationandimagination.Ofinterestmightbe

thathistoricallyin1585Hakimdied,thatisintheyearofAkbarcampain-

ing inAfghanistan. In thisyearAkbarmoved thecourt fromFatehpur

SikritoLahore17）.IfonetakesHakim’sdeathforBirbal’stheeventsinthe

novelcouldbepackedbetween1583and1585,butthisagaindoesnotfitto

thefactthatMughaldell’AmorestaysatthecourtuptoSalim’srebellion

(pp.341,343et.al.).

ThetimeoftheimmediatestoryontheItaliansidebeginsattheend

of the15thcentury.Machiavelli is inoffice fortherepublic, thedeathof

GirolamoSavonarola1500,thereturnoftheMedici,Machiavelli’sexileout-

sideFlorence, thebulkof theeventsends inearly16thcentury,butone

stillmeetstheoldAndreaDoriawholiveduntil1560,fromherethestory

movesto“thenewworld”.

The pictures by Paolo Uccello

Afteraratherpoeticfirstchapterinwhichattheverybeginning,as

onewillunderstandattheendofthebook,theveryendbecomesdirectly

foretold,thesecondchapteris,perhaps,themostfuriouslynarratedonein

thenovel.Bytheway,itscontentisfuriousaswell.Thischapterbringsas

well the first linkbetweenItalyandIndia, that ishigh-renaissance Italy

andMughal,thatisAkbar’sMughalIndia.

Havingarrivedbytheshiprunningunder thecommandofScottish

captainGeorgeLouisHauksbank(p.13),thatis“LordHausksbankofThat


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Ilk”(p.14)onIndianshoresatDiuandSurat,Vespucci (whomthereader

verysoonwillknowunderdifferentnames18）)atlastcanbeginhisfinalap-

proachtoAkbar’spalaceinFatehpurSikri.Passingthemostbeautifullake

whichmanmaythinkofjustatthetimeofsunsetwhichmakesitappears

asanartifice,Vespuccireflects:“Without water we are nothing . . . Even an

emperor, denied water, would swiftly turn to dust”(p.8).Thesesamewords

arerepeated,nowbythenarrator,attheendofthenovel,whenthatlake,

togetherwiththevanishingfromthestorybyVespucci,beginsdisappear-

ingata frighteningspeedof twodays: “Without water we are nothing.

Even an emperor, denied water, would swiftly turn to dust. . . .”(p.345).

ButhereIwanttoproceedfirsttothesecondchapterwiththemeet-

ingorbetter, less tobecalledencounterbutstraighlycalledcrushingof

VespucciandGeorgeLouisHauksbank.Thishastobeunderstoodaninci-

dentas imbeddedanhistoricalone intoa fictitiousone, that ishowever

withasmuch fictionalbackground, aswithauthenticalhistoricalback-

ground-thenovellivesbysuchincidenceswhatonemaycallagusto,in-

consistencies,non-possibilities,etc.butonewill stillnotbeable todeny,

thereremainssomethinghistoricalnottobeoverseen,inviceversaover-

seas - and there are stillmore seas to come in. (Europe: India, later

America).

InshortVespucci,havingbeenfoundasastowawayonHauksbank’s

shipand forcedto identifyhimself,at thismoment introduceshimselfas

UccellodiFirenze,moreexactlyas “UccellodiFirenze, enchanterand

scholar”(p.14).UnderstandablyHauksbankbreaksintoagorgeouslaughter

atthatself-introduction.Andherestorystellingofhi(s)/story(whosestory

atall?)becomesmixedinthefinestandsubtlestways.Themostfictitious


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GeorgeLouisHauksbankof thenovelstillarrives immediatelyathishis-

toricallyjustifieddoubtsasforthename:

LordHauksbanksmiledandsniffedhisperfumedkerchief.“Which

Imighthavebelieved,wizard,”hereplied,“ifIdidnotknowofthe

painterPaoloof thesamenameandplace,whocreated inyour

township’sDuomoatrompe l’oeil fresco inhonorofmyownan-

cestorSirJohnHauksbanks,knownasGiovanniMilano,soldierof

fortune, erstwhile general ofFlorence, victor of thebattle of

Polpetto;andifthatpainterhatnotunfortunatelybeendeadthese

manyyears.”(p.14)

GeorgeLouisHauksbank’s familyname is indeedthevariationof thatof

thehistorical,mercenaryand/or condottiere, JohnHawkwood (1300‒

1396)19）.(Asforthealterationofthename,itshouldbementionedalready

here,itmaybeconsideredasanaturalcontinuationofthevariation/adap-

tationofit,forGiorgioVasariitisGiovanniAcuto,forFrancoSacchettiit

becomesGianAuguth,GiovanniAugut.And thepictureGeorgeLouis

Hauksbankbringsupasproofofhisfamiliylineageistheaswellhistorical

andstillexistingportraitofthatveryJohnHawkwoodbytheItalianpaint-

erPaoloUccello(1397‒1475)20）.Againforjustnoweasilyavailablecitations

ofpicturesbyPaoloUccello,cf.:ステファノ・ズッフィ編、宮下規久郎訳

『イタリア絵画・中世から 20 世紀までの画家とその作品』（La pittura itali-

ana. I maestri di ogni tempo e i loro capolavori）、日本経済新聞社 2001 年、

cf. there:pp.60‒61.Uccellowasborne inPratovecchionearArezzoand

died inFlorenceafter activities inFlorence,Venice,Prato,Paduaand

Urbino21）.

Atthisstageofthismodeststudyitmaymakewonderwhytoputso


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muchattentionona,seemingly,secondaryevent,which,asonewillunder-

standbythesewords,ofcourseisnottobeso.Verysoonitbecomesclear

thatRushdietheauthorandthenhisnarratorhavetakenstandardsfrom

Uccello’picturesand following thempartially,developedhis/ theirown

onesforthenovel.LetsbeginwithadetailinLordHauksbank’answerto

Vespucci’sexplanationswhichhejusttakesforablandinglie,andstillheis

sensitiveenoughtomentionthat thepictureofhis, letssayheremildly,

perhapsonlyassumedancestorisacreationinthestyleof“trompe l’oeil”

(sic) (p.14).With this, indirect,declaration, thenarrator/authorofThe

Enchantress of Florencemakestounderstandaswellhis/theirwayofgo-

ingon, that is, thebookwill continueasachainofmiseenabîmeand

trompel’œileffects.

Again, that Rushdie has chosen exactly Uccello from the vast

Renaissancepictural scene forhisnovel, again, after reading thenovel

makesno longerwonder, because, one of themostupcoming facts in

Uccello’s life ishis ‘personal’ fightwithprospettiva. InVasari’sversionof

Uccello’s lifeone feels thathis failureasanartistathis time,amonghis

contemporariesisclaimedtoUccello’sstubbornnessofhisinterestin,and

continuatingincluding“prospettive”intohispictures,butatthesametime

thesuccessfuluseofperspectiveinhisœuvreisunderlined.Atthebegin-

ningofUccello’s“Vita”Vasariwrites:

PaoloUccello,anexcellentflorentinepainter,becausehewasgiv-

enasophisticatedmind,likedtoinvestigateelaborateandstrange

picturesof theartofperspective.Andwith thesehespent so

muchtimethat,evenhowfinehewouldhavecreatedthese,ifhe

haddone thesamewithhisportraits,hewouldhavebecomea


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morerareandadmirable[person].Butnotdoingsohespenthim-

selfduringhis lifetime inwillingnesses,andhewasno lesspoor

thanfamous.22）

In thesamesomewhatpathetical,andhere inaddition inananecdotical

toneVasariwritesattheendoftheshortvita,thatUccelloattheendof

hislife,afteranincidentwithDonato23）:

...heshuthimselfintohishouse,and,likebeinghumiliated,hedid

nothaveanymoreardourtogoout.Andhewaitedfortheper-

spective(“prospettiva”),thewhichheldhimpoorandintenebrated

uptohisdeath....24）.

andstill:

Heleftonedaughter,whoknewtodrawapictureofhiswife,and

whousedtosaythatPaulo,duringall thenightstoodawake in

hisstudytofindouttheexpressionsofperspective,andwhileshe

urgedhimtosleep,hewouldsaytoher:“Whatasweetthing is

thatperspective!”.25）

Ihavetoletoutheremoredetailsaboutthethen,indeedinterestingdiffer-

ingopinionsaboutperspective.ButIwouldliketomentionstillthatIcould

notverifyanotherversionoftheProspettivaanecdote,aswellascribedto

Vasari,according towhichUccello’swife isdriven jealous towards ‘that

Prospettiva’ herhusband is talkingall thenight about, behindwhich/

whomshesuspectsanotherwoman26）.

AsanillustratingexampleofUccello’ssearchforanduseoftheper-

spective is often cited his picture of the Great Flood “Diluvio

Universale”27）.TheconcernaboutperspectivebyUccelloandhisprogress

inhis studiescanbeeasilyunderstood if onecomparese.g.The Great


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Floodwithhisnolessfamousseries“Three Moments of the Battle of San

Romano”“TremomentidellaBattagliadiSanRomano”, inwhichfighting

knightsontheirhorsesappearalmostlikeasecondpicturesetbeforethe

landscapeand,evenmore,likesilhouettes28）.

AlreadyhereIwanttomentionanotheroftencitedpicturebyUccello

whichshowsaSaintGeorgefightingtheDragon29）.Ontherightsideofthis

picturearatheryoungandpale-facedGeorge,seemingstillaboy,hasjust

lancedhisspearintothenoseofthedragonwhichhasbeguntobleedfrom

itsmouth.Thedragon,whichbelongsalreadytothe leftpartof thepic-

ture, thecentregivesviewtoanightly landscapewithsomehill in the

back,ispaintedlessfearfulbut,itsfacealmostastonished,withthepoints

onhiswings,whichareeachdottedwiththreedisks, in fineperspective

following theunfoldingofeachwing, and, rightand left,differentlyco-

loured,whichshowsthedifferentreflectionoflight,underaskywithoutal-

mostanycloudandthesickleofamoonjustbeginningtobecomecrescent.

Theclamsypositionofhis forlegsaddsanother toneofcomic.Entering

fromtheleftside,theendofherrobestilloutsidethepicture,comesano

lesspaleyoungladywhoheldsastringinherhandwhichitsfixedtothe

dragon, anddemonstrates thedomesticationof thebeast.Thispicture

evokesmuchof thesometimesdreamlikeatmospherebetweenhistorical

factsandfictioninwhichunlikelyknightsarestandingupagainstasimi-

larlyunlikelyenemy inasceneryno lessunlikelydecorated inRushdie’s

The Enchantress of Florenceasthemanytimesrepeated, if invariations,

mainscenefromastory:

“ThereoncewasanadventurerprincenamedArgalia,alsocalled

Arcalia,agreatwarriorwhopossessedenchantedweapons,and


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inwhoseretinuewerefourterrifyinggiants,andhehadawoman

withhim,Angelica...”(p.19)

OfcoursetheonlookerandreaderofRushdie’snovelmayatthesametime

thinkofthemysteriousprincessQaraKöz, thedaughterofUmarSheikh

Mirza,whobelongstothegenerationofBabur,whobegantorestorethe

MoghulEmpire,(p.119),thatistheprincess“BlackEyes”(p.120),attributed

oneofthemostimportantrolesinthenovel.

Looking for “trompe l’oeil” in theBritanica Concise Encyclopediaas

giveninmyICDictionary,onereads:

trompel’oeil(French:“deceivetheeye”)

Styleofrepresentationinwhichapaintedobjectisintendedtode-

ceive theviewer intobelieving it is theobject itself.Firstem-

ployedbytheancientGreeks,trompel’oeilwasalsopopularwith

Romanmuralists.SincetheearlyRenaissance,Europeanpainters

haveusedtrompel’oeiltocreatefalseframesfromwhichthecon-

tentsofstilllifesofportraitsseemedtospillandtopaintwindow-

likeimagesthatappearedtobeactualopeningsinawallorceil-

ing.

cf.Britannica,C.E. in: セイコーインスツル株式会社，SII,SR-G

10000

Thegreat trompe l’œil story inRushdie’snovel is toldbyVespucci

thatisbettertosay,thestoryhehimselfbelievesinto,andofwhichtruth-

fulnesshewants toconveyaswellAkbar.ButAkbargraduallyunder-

standstheEuropeanyoungman’sstory,thatis,itisnotonlyfictionbutfic-

tionrelyingonaveryliehavingbeenbeenmadetotheEuropeannarrator


−69−

byhisparents.HoweverAkbarlikestoheartohim,asheistellinghissto-

ry.Sothewholenovel,morethanbeingafinestory,isabouthowtocreate

afinestory,beinghistory,fiction, imagination,lieetc.atthesametime,a

storythatisworthhearingat.Andifthiswouldreallybeso,wouldnotthe

narrator,andperhapstheauthor,Rushdiehimself,seemtosay,thatwith

allhistorical(colonial),social,religiousetc.problemsitisstillworthtowrite

a story to invite thereader into something transgressing these,notby

makingthemforget (thiswouldbeopium-literature forwhichbeliever?),

buttoputthemintoaplaceonwhichlightfallsfromastonishingangles.

Soifthereaderdoesnotlikefictionorfictionalworlds,andtheseput

besidesrealty,heshouldstopreading thisnovel.Asareaderonemust

makeacompactwiththeauthor,andoneacceptsthatAlicecancomuni-

catewithoutanyproblemwiththehareatthetea-party,asthestillwood-

enPinocchiowithwhomwillbecomehisfather.

However,aswellthismaybesaidasaresultalreadyhere,whileAlice

andPinocchioseemtowinbyre/enteringhumansocietythroughthesto-

ry,storytelling itselfbecomesagainaprobleminthisnovelbyRushdie.

As it issaidat theverybeginningof thenovel (byMogoredell’Amore):

“Without water we are nothing, . . . Even an emperor, denied water, would

swifly turn to dust. Water is the real monarch and we are all its slaves.”(p.8,

italicsasintheoriginal),thissamesentenceisrepeatedfromAkbar’sview

attheendofthenovel:“Even an emperor, denied water, would swiftly turn

to dust. Water ist the real monarch and we are all its slaves”(p.345).And

hedoesthisobservationafterhehasdismissedtheEuropeanstory-teller,

lierorwhatyouwanttoholdofhim.Forme,hereaswellentersaques-

tion/problemofnarratingandthisisinaspecialformrelatedtoRusdhie’s


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worldofstorytelling.AfterthedictumofthefatwabyAyatollahKhomeni

andtheIraniangovernment,Rushdiedidnotpublishanovelwhichshould

followtheSatanic Verses (1988),whathedidhowever in1995with the

Moor’s Last Sigh(1995),anovelintendetlycompactofsocial-religious-politi-

calproblems.MeanwhilehoweverhehadpublishedhisHaroun and the

Sea of Stories (1990),astoryaboutastory-tellerwhohas losthis tongue

andisonthesearchtorefindit,asheluckilydoes,sothatthisbecomesas

wellametaphorofRushdie’saphasiainliteraryterms.Woulditbetogoto

far,ifsayingthattheendoftheworldofFatehpurSikhriisascribedtoan

endofstorytelling,andinthiscontext,storytellingwhichtranscendscul-

turalborders.

BythewayIwouldliketoputitherejustasaquestion,howRushdie

doesevaluate literatureandculture,hereespecially fromcentralEurope

and India. If oneaccepts thenarrator’versionand that ishere taking

Akbar’sangleofview, theEuropean ‘story teller’has lost,hisstoryhas

beenfinallyrevealedasalie-thereader,ofcourse,canstillmakeanything

of this.That is, Indianstory-telling, telling lies/fictions isat leastat this

pointconsideredaboveEuropeanone:andifonewantstoconfirmsucha

pointofview, that is inside the fictitiousrealmof thenovel, onemight

thinkof thesomanycitations fromtraditionally,classical ‘all-India’ (i.e.of

coursegoingbeyondHindu)culture/literature.

Back to Florence and again to Fatehpur Sikri via “The New Wolrd”

Thestory inFlorencebeginswiththe friendshipof three friends,all

fromthiscity, theseare“AntoninoArgalia,Nicolò“ilMachia”30）andAgo

Vespucci”(p.132).Whentheyareyoungtheyaregoingthroughthewoods


−71−

nearbyFlorence to look for the in/famous “mandrake”,andby thisand

severalotheroccasionsNicolòMachiavell’sMandrake (Mandragola) ison-

mipresentbutwithoutbeingcitedanytime.Thestory,goingtoandforth

IndiaandItalymustofcoursebreakupthestoryofmainlyMachiavelli’s

life,ofMogor,whowilltaketheleadingroleattheendofthenovel,ofAgo

Vespucci,bythewayayoungercousinofAmerigoVespucci, twotravel-

ling, thenon travellingonebringingQaraKöz toAmerica, theexileof

Machiavelliandhisfineletterabouthislifethere31）.

Therethelie,morepolitelyabsolutefictioniscreated,andontheother

handthegenerationproblemismadetounderstand, that is,perhapsone

moremajorpointofthenovel,howtocombine,atthatageevengeographi-

cally/historically different places and times.AgoVespucci,Argalia,

Machia32）,atthebeginningoftheirfriendshiptotheiroldage,thejourney

withPrincessQaraKöz fromMachiavelli’s time’s Italy to thesocalled

NewWorld,thatisAmerica,andfromtheretoIndia,behindthatliesthe

longstoryofQaraKöz,withforexample,herarrivalinOttomanTurkey,

attheheydayofOttomanTulipomania.

However,asAkbarmakesunmistakablytounderstand,Mogormust

havebeendumbfounded,sohedidnotcomewithmischieviousambitions

toMughalcourt,butfullofhismisunderstandingofhisreallyidentity.He

hastakenforrealitythathehasbeenbornbyPrincessQaraKöz(stillhere

thereader is seducedconstantly tochoosebetweenrealitiesormirror-

worlds),butat theendhehas tounderstand that therehadbeensome

“blurringofgenerations”(p.348).

Onemightaskoneselfifthislastrevelationhadbeennecessary;asa

readeronemightbecontenttoimaginehimselfaboutwhatissupposedto


−72−

havereallyhappened.Anyway,withthisrevelationthereisgivenaclear

line forthereaderhowtocombine - ifonthe firstview impossibly - the

ageofMachiavelliandthatofAkbar’s.Andforthataregivenenoughhints

ofparallels,mirroringsinthestory.Theideaofcreatingsuchadouble-bot-

tomedsystemof thestory isquiteclear tounderstand.Tocomparethe

world inwhichMachiavelli livedand thanhisworldof ideaswith the

worldofhistoryandthatofhisideas,thatisbyAkbar’scouldhavebeen

doneinastraighthistoricalway,butthancertainfiguresinthenovelnev-

ercouldhavemet.Bymakingthefigures imagine,oftenthroughmirrors

andparallels,theirtimeandpersonalfate,thenovelcanshowpossibilities

ofhistorieswhichmighthavecometrue-evenonlythroughdreams-but

aspotentiallyrealities.And isnot thisoneofourdreamsasareaderto

findnew- ifhistorically totally impossible -historieswhichcanstimulate

ourmindtothinkagainaboutthepossibilitiesofhistory?!

Attheend,orbetterafterreadingRushdie’snovelonceandagain,one

agreesuponmanyof thehistorico-political statements in thisentangling

andenticingtext.Butofcourse?, therearisesthequestionwhythiswas

writtenallup,besidestobecoming,whathasbeensaidstraighlya“genu-

inelygood”novelwherethe“[t]hereaderwins”33）.

Asmentionedbeforethereismuchaboutpost/colonialisminthenov-

el,andthevariouslyrepeateddoublestoriesandthemirrors,mightstand

aswellforEastandWestandthenovelmightbeawelcomeprovocation

tolookintothese‘mirrors’again.


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１） Rushdie,Salman,The Enchantress of Florence,RandomHouse,NewYork,2008,p.344,allcitationsinthetextaremadefromthisedition..

２） Rushdie,Salman,The Enchantress of Florence,op.cit.,p.351:“Calvino,Italo.Italian Folktales.TranslatedbyGeorgeMartin.NewYork:HarcourtBraceJovanovich,1980.”IdonotknowwhichedtionoftheItalian Folktalesthetranslatorhasused,butIgiveherearecenteditionoftheItaliantext,ItaloCalvino,Fiabe Italiane,ArnoldoMondadoriEditore,2006.

３） For thehistoricalcircumstancesof thebattlecf.here:F.Robinson,The Mughal Emperors,pp.114ss,especially,p.115,cf.bibliography,here.

４） For thisbattle cf. here:F.Robinson,The Mughal Emperors, pp.182ss,especially,p.183,cf.bibliography,here.

５） AndreaDoria, thehistorical figureandherewith (?)greetings fromtheshoreoftheWaltDisneyProduction,thatiswiththecolorfuldescriptionofhisstaff,whichremindsofsomanyfiguresof thoseof the:Pirates of the Carribeans.

６） TheliberationfromFrenchcontroltookplacein1528.７） Larivaille,Paul,La vita quotidiana in Italia ai tempi di Machiavelli(originally:

La vie quotidienne en Italie au temps de Machiavel (Florence et Rome)Paris,Hachette,1979),Milano,RizzoliEditore,1984,p.183P.Larivaille:“...unarispostaricalcatasinoallaparodiasulla letteradell’ambasciatore ...”(...ananswerwhichreliesupontheambassador’sletteruptoparody...”).

８） Here cited fromLarivaille, P., La vita quotidiana, op.cit., p.182.AlltranslationsintoEnglish,ifnotsaidotherwise,arebyE.J.

９） HerecitedfromLarivaille,P.,La vita quotidiana,op.cit.,p.182.10） InthiscontextIhaveconferredespeciallyto:ChristineJohnson,“Plotting

theDiscoveries.TheCosmographies” inher, that isCh.J’s.,The German Discovery of the World. Renaissance Encounters with the Strange and Marvelous,UniversityofVirginiaPress,2008,pp.47‒87,again“FIG.4.1507WorldMapofMartinWaldseemüller...”,ibid.pp.82‒83,inwhichappearsthenameof “AMERICA”.AsexplainedbyRushdie’snarrator: “On thismap[itmaybeanothermapinthissamework,E.J.]PtolemyandAmerigo


−74−

weredepictedlikecolossi,...anduponalargesegmentofMundus Novusthere appeared thewordAmerica.” (p.332).Onlyby thewaymaybementionedhere thehistoricaldiscussionwhich followed thisnamingor“Christianing”, (seee.g.,StephenGreenblatt).Theeasiestentranceto thismaybethefascinatingnovelbyStefanZweig,Amerigo Vespucci.

11） FatherPierreduJarric,S.J.,(1926),AES,NewDelhi,Madras,1996.12） FrancisRobinson,The Mughal Emperors and the Islamic Dynasties of

India, Iran and Central Asia,ThamesandHudson,London,2007,p.129.13） P.duJarric,Akbar and the Jesuits,p.18.14） F.Robinson,The Mughal Emperors,op.cit.,p.137.15） F.Robinson,The Mughal Emperors,op.cit.,p.137.16） cf.e.g.F.Robinson,The Mughal Emperors,op.cit.,p.130.17） cf. e.g. F. Robinson, The Mughal Emperors, op.cit., p.130. As well

Robinson’scomments,p.129.18） For once, in the fictional space of the novel, his name changes for

narratoligicalreasons;thenhistoricallyseenhisnameisprovidedaswellinaparadigmofregionallinguisticrichness.Partlyrepeatingmyselfhere,theoriginally JohnHawkwood (leaving to guesswhether this is the truespelling/pronounciation)isgiven-aswesawalreadyabove, intentionallydeformedbyRushdie’snarrator inordertoputhim intoan intermediatespaceofhi/story

19） For thehistorical figureof JohnHawkwood Iusehere, first, JohnM.Najemy,A History of Florence 1200‒1575,BlackwellPublishing,Malden,MA,USA,Oxford,UK,Victoria,Australia,2006.JohnHawkwoodcametoFlorence in 1375when theFlorentine government feared thatPopeGregoryXIwouldturnagainsttheircityand“[t]opreventthis,...boughtoffHawkwood,payinghimtheimmensesumof130.000,florins.”,J.Najemy,op.cit.,p.151. thehistoricaldates,hisdeath.Thefigureof thatportrait Ifounduptonowtoverifythatpictureofthatgentlemanofthatilkness,isin:Aston,Margaret,ed.,The Panorama of the Renaissance,ThamesandHudsonLtd,London,1996, for lackingtheEnglisheditionhereIusethe


−75−

Japanesetranslation:　マーガレット・アストン編、樺山紘一監訳『ルネサンス百科事典』三省堂 1998 年．cf. there:「パオロ・ウッチェロ「ジョン・ホークウット騎馬像」（フィレンツェ、1436 年）」 p . 86 .3 . In this samedocumentary study one may find as well an examplary design inperspectiveresearchbyPaoloUccello:「ウッチェロ「聖杯のためのデザイン」（15 世紀半ば）」p.247.6..

20） ForPaoloUccello,thatisoriginally,DonodiPaolo,Iconferherefirst,thatis in thecontextof thisnovel,GiorgioVasari,Le Vite de’ piú eccellenti architetti, pittori, et scultori italiani, da Cimabue, insono a’ tempi nostri,Nell’edizioneper itipidiLorenzoTorrentio,Firenze1550,vol.I-II,AcuradiLucianoBellosieAldoRossi,PresentazionediGiovanniPrevitali,Torino,Einaudi, (1986), 1991.Giving theabbreviatedstoryofHawkwood,Vasarithinksitnecessarytomention,amongthemanybyhimunexplainedworksthatUccellodid:

FeceinSantaMariaddelFiore,perlamemoriadiGiovanniAcutoing-lese,capitanode’Fiorentini,uncavalloditerraverdetenutobellissimo,grandezzastraordinaria,dovemise ilsuonomedi letteregrandissime:PAVLIVCCELLIOPUS”,G.Vasari,Le Vite,op.cit.,vol.I,p.239.

In the footnote to thispassage it ismentionedespecially, that isas if torelatetheportrait tothe followingmentionedevent: “GiovanniAcutoè ilnome italianizzatodelcondottiero ingleseJohnHawkwoodmortonel1394,cheguerreggiò al soldodeiFiorentini conducendoli alla vittoria nellabattaglia di Cascina (18 luglio 1364). L’affresco in terra verde fucommissionatoaPaoloil30magggio1436,mail29giugnoglifuordinatodidistruggerlo“quianonestpictusutdecet”,il6luglioèincaricatodirifarel’affrescocheglivienepagato(perambedueleversioni) il31agosto.Il17dicembre1436dovette correggere l’iscrizione sul sarcofago.”GiovanniAcutoistheitalianizednameoftheEnglishcondottiere ...Thehistoricaldates,thatistheexacttimefromwhichHawkbankswasengagedbytheFlorentinesIcouldnotresolvedefinitelyfromthetextsusedhere.AsforthebattleofCascinaof1364,againstSiena,avictoryofwhich it isbeing


−76−

suggested,atleasthere,tohaveinductedlatertheFlorentinestocommendUccellowith the portrait of him, cf. Vasari, Najemy, p.224 (cf.mybibliographybelow).

21） TheprotraitbyP.UccelloofJohnHawkwood is furthermentionedasamainworkbyUccello and in the connnection ofUccello’s interest inperspectiveinBrockhaus Kunst:“His[i.e.Uccello’s]interestwasdedicatedto to perspective, the study ofwhich and (often somewhat stiffenedappearingverification)madehimable formaster-pieces likethatofJohnHawkwood”(“...Sein[i.ed.Uccellos]InteressegaltderPerspektive,derenErforschung und (oft etwas steif wirkende Umsetzung) ihn zuillusionistischenMeisterleisungenwiedem“ReiterbilddesJohnHawkwood...befähigte”, cited from:LexikonredaktiondesVerlagsF.A.Brockhaus,Mannheim,ed.,Brockhaus Kunst. Künstler, Epochen, Sachbegriffe,F.A.Brockhaus,Mannheim,Leipzig,2006.3,p.919.

22） Vasari,Le Vite,op.cit.,p.236:“PaoloUccello,eccellentepittorfiorentino, ilquale perché era dottato di sofistico ingegno, si diletttò sempre diinvestigare faticoseestraneoperenell’ artedellaprospettiva; edentrotanto tempovi consumò, che senelle figure avesse fatto ilmedisimo,ancorachemoltobuonelefacessepiúraroepiúmirabilesarebbedivenuto.Ovealtrimentifaccendo,selapassòinghiribizzimentrechevisseefunonmancopoverochefamoso.”

23） Donatois“DonatadiBettoBardo,dettoDonatello”,herecitedfrom:Vasari,Le Vite,op.cit.,p.236,annotation2,cf.Donatello’svitabyVasari, ibidem,310−326.cf.aswell:WolfgangBraunfels,“GhibertiundDonatello”,in:W.B.,Dumont Geschichte der Kunst Italiens,DuMontLiteraturundKunstVerlag,Köln,2005,pp.219‒229.

24） Vasari,Le Vite,op.cit.,p.240:“sirinchiuseincasa,nonavendoardirecomeavvilitouscirepiúfora.Etatteseallaprospettiva,laqualelotennepoveroetintenebratosinoallamorte”.

25） Vasari,Le Vite,op.cit.,p.241:“Lasciòdeséunafigliuola...laqualesolevadirechetuttalanottePaulostavanelloscrittoiopertrovareiterminidella


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prospettiva,ementrech’ellaadormireloinvitavaeteglilediceva:“Ochedolcecosaèquestaprospettiva!”Laqualeegliveramenteabuonoordinemiseinuso,comeancoranefannopienafedel’operesue.”

26） Forthisversioncf.e.g.WolgangBraunfels, ‘42ZweiengagierteKünstler:PaoloUccelloundAndreadelCastagno’, in:W.B.,Dumont Geschichte der Kunst Italiens,DuMontLiteraturundKunstVerlag,Köln,2005,pp.260‒269,here,p.261.

27） cf.「パオロ・ウッチェロ」（PaoloUccello），in:　ステファノ・ズッフィ編、宮下規久郎訳『イタリア絵画・中世から 20 世紀までの画家とその作品』

（Textandpicture researchbyStefanoZuffiwith the collaboration ofFrancescaCastria,La pittura italiana. I maestri di ogni tempo e i loro capolavori,Electa,Milan,ElemondEditoriAssociati,1997）、日本経済新聞社 2001 年、cf.there:「パオロ・ウッチェロ」（PaoloUccello)」pp.60‒61,forareproductionofadetailofoftheGreatFlood,cf.there,p.60,text:「パオロ・ウッチェロ　大洪水……」andW.Braunfels,Dumont Geschichte der Kunst Italiens, op.cit., fig.181, fig.182,pp.260‒261.And forUccelloandperspectivecf. thehereabovealreadycited:Aston,Margaret, ed.,The Panorama of the Renaissance,op.cit.,citedaswellherefromthejap.transl.,andtheaswellalreadytherementionedexamplarydesigninperspectiveresearchbyPaoloUccello:“Uccello, Design fo the Holy Graal”「ウッチェロ

「聖杯のためのデザイン」（15 世紀半ば）」ibidem,p.247.6.28） For figurescf.,Aston,Margaret,ed.,The Panorama of the Renaissance,

citedhereaswellfromthejap.transl.,op.cit.,p.61.29） W.Braunfels,Dumont Geschichte der Kunst Italiens,op.cit.,p.266,fig.187,

“Hl.GeorgimKampfmitdemDrachen,um1455 − 1460.LondonNationalGallery”.

30） “ilMachia” is no ‘invention’ byRushdie orhis narrator, c.f. eg.GuidoRuggiero,Machiavelli in Love. Sex, Self, and Society in the Italian Renaissance, JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,Baltimore,Maryland,2007.Ruggierobeginshis“Introduction”citingaletterbyFilippode’Nerlifrom1525 inwhichhewrites toFrancesodelNero: ““Given that elMachia


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[Machiavelli]isarelativeofyoursandaverygoodfriendofmine...”,p.1,cf.aswellfootnote1tothe“Introduction”,p.223.

31） La vita quotidiana ai tempi di Machiavelli,BibliotecaUniversaleRizzoli.32） Rushdie,The Enchantress,op.cit.,p.xxx.33） cf.theveryshortreferencetothenovel“TheEnchantressofFlorence.By

Salman Rushdie; out now”,in:TIME,June23,2008,p.47.

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Marzec,RobertP.,“NationandNonnarration:SalmanRushdie’sInhabitingofaPostcolonialLand”, in:Marzec,R.P.,An Ecological and Postcolonial Study of Literature. From Daniel Defoe to Salman Rushdie,PalgraveMacmillan,NewYork,N.Y.,andHampshire,England,2007,pp.153‒168.

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Documents

Travelling through times and spaces: Making to meet Akbar ...repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/...Enchantress of Florence at all. That is a special kind of comparative