1.8.5
In addition, given their habit of exposing their chests and their use of nothing, from childhood on, to support their breasts, theirs are mostly pendulous. Most of them think that the longer they breastfeed their children, the healthier it is for them, and some breastfeed them for two whole years, or even longer. Their affection for their children and their kindness to them and tenderness toward them are too great to describe. I have known many girls who, on their wedding days, wept at being separated from their fathers, mothers, and siblings as other women do at funerals, or more. The claim that their husbands eat on their own, without their wives, is completely without basis; this happens only if the husband has a guest who is not a member of the family, on which occasion, even if he should wish to have his wife sit down with the guest, she would refuse, believing that such a thing would indicate lack of respect for her and a violation of her sanctity.
1.8.6
Overall, there is nothing for which they can be blamed save ignorance, and in that they are to be excused. Ignorant Frankish women add to their ignorance cunning and baseness, so how much the worse is their shame! It pains me greatly to hear of the beloved women of Lebanon growing discontented with these virtues and adopting other ways. If this is indeed the case, I shall be obliged to change my description of their virtues, or give the reader permission to write in the margin either “Lies, lies, lies!” or the following lines of verse:
Women, where’er they be, are all the same—
They incline to love from wherever it may appear.
Let not piety, right guidance, reason, or shame on their part
Take the gullible unaware!
Or these:
Walk the length of the world and its breadth—
You’ll see women selling their honor like market wares.
They clap with feet, not hands, once the sale is made,
And every judge165 “It’s legal!” declares.
Or these:
Beg a young maiden, a virgin, to let you love her
If you see her prowling on the hunt
And if she invites you to satisfy some urgent need she feels,
Comply with her and shake up her c….166
Or the words of Diʿbiclass="underline" 167
Let not the harsh words of a chaste lady,
Though wounding, make you refrain.
Women’s recalcitrance leads to complaisance:
After bolting once, the prancing steed submits to the rein.
1.8.7
You should know too that in those countries where their honor is traded without constraint, apart from a small levy paid to the treasury for the building of temples and so forth, without regard to the words of him who said, “O feeder of the orphans…” etc.,168 women are rarely courted with words of love, for it would never occur to a man in such a place that the sight of a charming face could dispel his worry and put paid to his unrest, alleviate his burdens and relieve his distress, from his heart polish the rust, from his blood remove the dust. Since he leaves the house and finds what he’s looking for waiting for him right there on the other side of the door, he has no need of a lover’s complaints, reproaches, and passionate protestations, or of saying, “Sleepless night after sleepless night!” or “Such as I can never sleep!” or “I have lost enough weight! I am a man and have melted away with burning desire and love!” and so on.
1.8.8
In countries, however, in which this trade is forbidden, you’ll find that talk of women exceeds all bounds, which is why you find the same bawdiness in the poetry of the ancient Franks as in the works of the Arabs, the sole reason being that this commerce was, in their day, banned. Once it became common, bawdiness became rare among them. On the Mountain, however, you’ll find neither commerce of this sort nor bawdiness. It is said of the Fāriyāq that he once fell in love with one of the women who used to visit him, and all she granted him was a kiss on the hollow of her foot. When he got up the next morning, he recited to his companion
Any who’s kissed her foot thenceforth’s too good
To kiss the hands of priests or of emirs,
Such women are the bachelors’ charmers, and all the treasures of this world
Are worth less than one of their hairs.
CHAPTER 9: UNSEEMLY CONVERSATIONS AND CROOKED CONTESTATIONS
169
1.9.1
It would be well to provide here an example of the kind of conversations that used to take place among this company. Thus we declare: Once, when this company of ours had gathered, the cup was on its rounds, joy unconfined, the chastest among them in speech and most dogged in debate posed the following question: “Which person, in your opinions, is the best-off and has the greatest peace of mind?” Replied the one with cup in hand, “He who’s in this same state as I, holding his vessel high.” The first told him, “It is not so at all, nor is it he on whom men may agree, for his condition’s one that will not last and his joy, it follows, will soon be past. Moreover, it rests on but a partial proof, is but a part of a greater truth, of which the rest remains to be considered — namely there’s no denying that imbibing wine can make a man ill and stop him from eating his fill, which is why it’s called qahwah;170 no man can use it regularly without disaster.”
1.9.2
Another now declared, “He who enjoys the greatest peace of mind is the emir when on his sofa he sits at ease, a party of servants and scions at his knees. His living comes to him without a care, for his Provider relieves him of any effort regarding daily fare. When he takes himself off to his harem, he closets himself with the most gorgeous of women on the softest of beds (and how true the words of him who said, ‘There’s nothing more wonderful than to bed on a comfortable bed’!). What’s more, with a different dish each day his table’s laid, in soft garments he’s arrayed, his orders are obeyed, his judgment never gainsaid.” Another then declared, “That’s not how things are. The truth from that is far. The emir never sees his wife but his head’s full of strife, his heart with worries rife, for he’s always thinking how he’s been betrayed over his wealth, cheated by his agents of his pelf. His income’s consumed by his court, which yet finds fault. He places his affairs under their sway and yet they betray. He treats them with generosity and yet they accuse him of illiberality. In addition, they watch every step he takes, criticize him for every move he makes. He’d love to travel, but has to stay, longs to see new lands but can never have his way. He’s jealous of those who walk aimlessly hither and yonder and looks with envy on all who whimsically wander.”