An Anthology of Croatian Literature

Petar Hektorovic (1487-1572)

Petar Hektorović (1487–1572) Another Hvar patrician-poet, Hektorović must have been a devoted fisherman, for his most famous work, Ribanje i ribarsko prigovaranje (1555, Fishing and the Fishermen’s Conversation), is so accurate a depiction of a fishing trip that the actual route his fishermen take in the poem has been traced. Perhaps more important, Hektorović was the first to transcribe oral folk poems and include them in his work. The excerpt below is drawn from: Petar Hektorović, Fishing and Fishermen’s Conversation, E.D. Goy, trans., BC Review 15 (1979): 16–18, lines 43–60 and 89–162. An Anthology of Croatian Literature 32 Fishing and Fishermen’s Conversation (Excerpt) Though feeling infirm, I resolved for three days To make excursion and be not at home. To enact this wish I found two fishermen, Truly I tell thee, they were the best on Hvar: One Paskoj, a good and honest man, The other Nikola, both young and handsome. One was called Debelja,* the other Zet,** For whom, in summer, their boat is their bed, Their ear their pillow and in the great heat Good wine giveth peace and quiet to their hearts. I had them prepare a boat with mast and sail Placing in it anchor, rudder, oars, And fine-meshed nets that sink down To the sea’s bottom, their top upheld by floats, And also grasses from hill pastures plucked Woven in ropes for frightening the fish, An oyster-gaff, a trident and pine torches For spearing fish along the coast at evening.
 That morn they used no gaff or trident But used the net, fish being plentiful, In quantities I never would have dreamed Had I not seen it with my own two eyes. After this they cast the net again Right above Kabal where they caught nothing Save, by good fortune, a large sparus fish Which was in size the equal of a calf, Which they took not from the net as other fish But left it there to rest inside the net. Indeed it was a joy to me to see Where it lay like a log, its snout a hand-span long. ‘Twas beautiful to see, in truth I marveled That a net could enmesh so great a bulk. Then from the West the wind began to rise, Wave piled on wave and Nikola remarked: * Chubby ** Son-in-law Petar Hektorović 33 “Pasko, the maestral will not let us fish And, as I think, ‘tis time to break our fast. Therefore, make sail, get out the rudder-bar Prepare all else and set the boat about.” We set off sailing from that head, Crawling across the sea towards the shore. “Come,” Paskoj said, “Let’s make our journey short, While the wind is with us, let us tell some tale. Today let’s not be silent, let us find Something to delight the master and ourselves!” Nikola: ”I am ever ready to give him entertainment And am prepared to serve him all my life. So come, do thou begin, who art the wiser, Older than I in skill as well as years!” Paskoj: “Canst thou guess, come tell me if thou knowest, But think thou well before thou answerest; Once a man complained full plaintively That he’d had a rare misfortune in his house, Being a wealthy man and full of riches, He met disaster in his own abode. For evil men encompassed him about And frightened him with the weapons that they bore And lest he escape through the windows of the house They bound him so he could not get away. How seemeth this to thee, be this The truth or lies, come tell me!” Nikola: “If I shall tell thee what this matter be What wilt thou give me, Paskoj my friend?” Paskoj: “Be sure thou shalt receive a goblet of muscatel Sweet and mature, with which I shall serve thee. I speak by will of him who’ll treat us both And who, I know, will hear thee merrily.” “Not one,” said I, “but give him two more If, e’er the day’s out, he shall solve this riddle.” Nikola: “Of such a reward I shall say nought Nor of such drink, come listen if you will: Know you who is the rich man, full of wealth? Tis that great fish to whom thou showed’st no mercy. If thou would’st know whether...