Meridonian

As requested, here is another sample of Meridonian. Unfortunately it is Low
Meridonian, scraps of assorted Romance languages thrown together and run
through certain spellig changes, instead of being regularly derived from Latin like
High Court Meridonian.  Most surviving Meridonian texts are Low Meridonian.
The theory is that people from several Latin or Romance language cultures of our
world found their way into the World of the Intercosmic Collapse and blended
together, as did their languages.

Tal'pheraz (Dal'pheruz) ed Mel'za
 Talaverus and Melissa

Conversation on Receiving the Invitation of Helena

The story from which this exchange derives is that Melissa ( Melyzza, Mel'za)
the Queen of Meridonia and her general Talaverus (Dal'pheruz)  had defeated
her aunt Helena (Elena), rebel duchess of Straganza (Ezdraganza or Zadraganza)
and her general Sigmar (Zygmar) in battle. Helena invited Melissa and
Talaverus to parley; they accepted and were never seen again.  After a brief regency
by Melissa's illegitimate half-sister Nerissa (Neryzza), Helena became queen of
Meridonia. Later both Melissa and Helena were deified.

Note: The original text had a number of "low" spellings, some of which were
corrected when it was added to the compilation Meridonian Lore: Shorter Texts;
many more alterations would be needed to change this text to the later more
archaized (i.e. more consistently derived from Latin) form. I give here the
original text with the changes from the compiled form in parentheses; I have added
a few more such corrections this time.  The text also contains two loanwords
from Natece-atechana: "ekha" from Natece "echa" meaning "from" (regular
Meridonian ekz) and "keth"  from Natece "ceth"    meaning "what",Meridonian "ke"
(sic in original note. Logically  it should be "kyd")

Tal'pheraz (Dal'pheruz) : A mya kor,preko kud non phenez
 Talaverus:                          O my heart, I pray you not to go (lit.
that you not go)
                                       A danda dua, pro phere kogno
                                         To your aunt, for truly I know
                                       Kor nygra ea, ed ergo capho (kapho)
                                          Her black heart, and therefore I
fear
                                        Non repherdez de kazdel pezymzduz
(kazdella pezzyma)
                                           You will not return from that most
evil castle
Mel'za:                             Pudyza ezd phyder tam (dam) mudadz
Melissa:                              Shame it is to see so changed
                                        Milz (Mylez) ke oppunaphed dodz armyz
                                           The soldier who conquered all
armies
                                         Pro keth 'oc ('ok) drembland? Mez
amyz (amykz or amyky)
                                            Whyfor (For what) this trembling?
My friends
                                         Pherb'raphe(n)d ilz (ylz) de kampo,
ed phykadz
                                              Beat them from (the) field, and
conquered
                                          Dodz zokyoz eaz. Dum nunk yl ke
phek'ed
                                                All her allies. While now he
who won
                                           'Aek ('ek) grand phydorya
(phykdorya) phened ande me
                                                 This great victory comes
before me
                                              Dykyd ilz (ylz) modz  de
zadulya ed---
                                                   Saying these words of
folly and----

Tal'pheraz (Dal'pheruz): A bella mya, zola phera amor
                                         Ah, my fair one, sole true love
                                      Pro du, zola du, dyko ilz (ylz) modz
                                         For you, only you, I say these words
                                      Zy ezd pro m'ypzym, dodz munduz
                                         If it is for myself, the whole world
                                     Non rezdryked me de 'oc ('ek)  defyanza
(dephyanza)
                                         Would not hold me from this challenge
  Mel'za:                       Amor zum, ed non dom'na, fem'na (phem'na) dua
  Melissa:                           Am I love, and not lady, your wife
                                    Ed non Reg'na de Merdonya?
                                          And not Queen of Meridonia?
                                    Ezd (non) pro zalud mya, zed pudyza
                                          It is not for my good, but for shame
                                     Rezdryr me ekha 'aek ('ek) phendura
                                         To restrain me from this adventure.
Tal'pheraz (Dal'pheruz):  Zubmyzo, p(h)enebymuz. Du ezd (ez) regyna.
                                           I submit. We will go. You are the
queen
                                        Ed della zempre zund domnyz de
Merdonya!
                                             And such always are the lords of
Meridonia!


Written by Kuryuz Phulphuz in the Year of the Collapse 477. Dedicated to
Kelezdya, Priestess of Melissa (Melyzza, Mel'za).  The events on which it was
based took place in the Year of the Collapse 14, so by the time this piece was
written the story had become a romantic legend. (In the World of the Intercosmic
Collapse,  "real historical events" were actually played out in the (largely
solo) D&D campaign set in that world. "Legends" are more literary forms of
stories based on the "real" events. "Myths" were never played out but were simply
invented. )
John Leland


John Leland