Virtù/Virtue

Abstract

Rebecca West is reflecting on a medieval Serbian poem about a Tsar who chooses a heavenly kingdom over a time-bound earthly kingdom, allowing himself and his troops to die in a state of grace. This belief system, she says, accounts for the continuance of poverty and oppression in the face of the knowledge that they are wrong. The history of the word virtù/virtue participates in the irony West invokes in her meditation on Yugoslavia in Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. The point of this passage is made by contrasting virtue to power, but the primary Middle English meaning for virtue was “power.” The Middle English Dictionary has between 1050 and 1100 citation slips for vertu in its various spellings, very few of which can be construed as unambiguously meaning goodness.

they continuously praise virtue; but they never speak as if power would be theirs tomorrow and they would use it for virtuous action. In fact, they want to receive the Eucharist, be beaten by the Turks, and then go to heaven.

Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon

I thought once of making a little fortune by my person. I now intend to make a great one by my vartue.

Henry Fielding, Shamela, Letter 10