gems, early lapidaries, beryl, emerald, jasper, quartz

The episode of the Forest of Morrois highlights three objects: the sword, the gloves, and the ring. Our aim is first to examine the last of these, which has remained relatively overlooked. The “bare sword” (v. 1987) is meant to replace the one (v. 1998) belonging to the sleeping Tristan, serving as a signum for Marc of the lovers’ innocence; its placement is emphasized. However, there is no description of the sword itself, at least not at the moment of Marc’s intrusion. By contrast, the number of lines devoted to the ring surpasses those celebrating the other object.