Waltharius686

2nd single combat: Walther slays Kimo/Scaramund, Camalo’s nephew (686–719)

Et dum forte nepos conspexerat hoc Camalonis,					SDSDDS
Filius ipsius Kimo cognomine fratris,		Kimo: possibly equiv. to Kimonis, thus supplying the name of Camalo’s brother, but more likely a genuine cognomen of Scaramund.			DSSSDS
Quem referunt quidam Scaramundum nomine dictum,			Aeineid 9.387-388.: . . .qui post Albae de nomine dicti/ Albani. ‘. . .Which was later called Alban from Alba’s name.’		DSDSDS
Ingemit et lacrimis compellat tristior omnes:					DDSSDS
Haec me prae cunctis heu respicit actio rerum.	690		Aeneid 10.441-442.: tempus desistere pugnae;/ solus ego in Pallanta feror, soli mihi Palas/ debetur. ‘It is time to stand aside from battle; I alone attack Pallas; to me alone Pallas is due.’		SSSDDS
Nunc aut commoriar vel carum ulciscar amicum.'			Aeneid 10.441-442.: tempus desistere pugnae;/ solus ego in Pallanta feror, soli mihi Palas/ debetur. ‘It is time to stand aside from battle; I alone attack Pallas; to me alone Pallas is due.’		SDSSDS Elision: carum ulciscar
Namque angusta loci solum concurrere soli		Althof ad loc. remarks incredulously that for Waltharius this is really “a first-rate defensive position!” But he also points out (in his note on line 664) that the individual combats are more than an artificial plot device, in fact reflecting the mentality of the heroic warrior who strives for his own kleos in the Homeric sense.	Aeineid 2.332: obsedere alii telis angusta viarum. ‘Others with weapons have barred the narrow ways.’ 11.522-523.: est curvo anfractu valles, accommoda fraudi/ armorumque dolis. ‘There is a valley with sweeping curve, fit site for the stratagems and deceits of war.’ Aeineid 12.315: mihi ius concurrere soli. ‘I alone have the right to do battle.’		SDSSDS Elision: namque angusta
Cogebant, nec quisquam alii succurrere quivit.					SSDSDS Elision: quisquam alii
Advolat infelix Scaramundus iam moriturus,			Aeineid 10.896: advolat Aeneas. ‘Aeneas rushes up.’ 10.781: sternitur infelix. He falls, unlucky man.’ 2.511: fertur moriturus in hostes. ‘He rushes to his death among his foes.’		DSDSDS
Bina manu lato crispans hastilia ferro.	695		Aeineid 1.313; 12.165: bina manu lato crispans hastilia ferro.’Grasping in hand two shafts, tipped with broad steel. . .’		DSSSDS
Qui dum Waltharium nullo terrore videret		Nullo terrore: with permotum in the next line			SDSSDS
Permotum fixumque loco consistere in ipso,					SSDSDS Elision: consistere in
Sic ait infrendens et equinam vertice caudam		Equinam…caudam: the horse-hair crest of his helmet	Statius, Thebaid 9.446: sic ait infrendens. ‘So spake he, gnashing his teeth.’ Prudentius, Psychomachia 117: hirsutas quatiens galeato in vertice cristas. . . ‘Tossing the shaggy crests on her helmeted head. . .’ Aeineid 10.869: caput. . .cristaque hirsutus equina. . . ‘His head bristling with horsehair plume. . .’		DSDSDS
Concutiens: 'in quo fidis? vel quae tua spes est?					DSSSDS
Non ego iam gazam nec rerum quidque tuarum	700	Quidque equiv. to quidquam			DSSSDS
Appeto, sed vitam cognati quaero perempti.'					DSSSDS
Ille dehinc: 'si convincar, quod proelia primus		Quod: cf. note on line 606.			DSSSDS
Temptarim, seu quid merui, quod talia possim		Quod equiv. to ut	Aeineid 2.334-235.: vix primi proelia temptant/ portarum vigiles. ‘Scarce do the first guards of the gates essay battle.’		SSDSDS
Jure pati, absque mora tua me transverberet hasta.'			Aeineid 2.334-235.: vix primi proelia temptant/ portarum vigiles. ‘Scarce do the first guards of the gates essay battle.’		DDDSDS Elision: pati absque
Necdum sermonem concluserat, en Scaramundus	705		Aeineid 10.882-883.: dixit, telumque intorsit in hostem; inde aliud super atque aliud figitque volatque/ ingenti gyro, sed sustinet aureus umbo. ‘He spoke, and hurled a javelin at his foe; then plants another and yet another, wheeling in wide circle; but the boss of gold withstands them.’		SSSDDS
Unum de binis hastile retorsit in illum			Aeineid 10.882-883.: dixit, telumque intorsit in hostem; inde aliud super atque aliud figitque volatque/ ingenti gyro, sed sustinet aureus umbo. ‘He spoke, and hurled a javelin at his foe; then plants another and yet another, wheeling in wide circle; but the boss of gold withstands them.’		SSSDDS
Confestimque aliud. quorum celeberrimus heros					SDSDDS Elision: confestimque aliud
Unum devitat, quatit ex umbone secundum.					SSDSDS
Tunc aciem gladii promens Scaramundus acuti					DDSDDS
Proruit in iuvenem cupiens praescindere frontem,	710				DDDSDS
Effrenique in equo propius devectus ad illum		Effreni: a third-declension variant form of effrenus	Prudentius, Psychomachia 179: effreni volitabat equo. ‘She was galloping about on a mettled steed.’		SDDSDS Elision: effrenique in
Non valuit capiti libratum infindere vulnus,		Vulnus equiv. to gladium	Aeineid 5.509-510.: avem contingere ferro/ non valuit. ‘He could not hit the bird herself with the bolt.’ Eclogue 4.33: telluri infindere sulcos. . . ‘To cleave the earth with furrows. . .’		DDSSDS Elision: libratum infindere
Sed capulum galeae impegit; dedit illa resultans		Capulum: Scaramund mistimes the blow to his moving target and strikes Waltharius’s helmet with the handle of his sword, not the blade.	Prudentius, Psychomachia 141: tinnitum percussa refert. ‘It resounds under the blow.’		DDSDDS Elision: galeae impegit
Tinnitus ignemque simul transfudit ad auras.			Prudentius, Psychomachia 141: tinnitum percussa refert. ‘It resounds under the blow.’		SSDSDS
Sed non cornipedem potuit girare superbum,	715	Girare equiv. to gyrare, “to turn around,” transitive.			SDDSDS
Donec Waltharius sub mentum cuspidis ictum			Aeineid 10.346-347.: advenit et rigida Dryopem ferit eminus hasta/ sub mentum graviter pressa, pariterque loquentis/ vocem animamque rapit traiecto gutture. ‘He comes and from a distance smites Dryops under the chin with his stiff shaft driven with force, and piercing his throat robs him, as he speaks, of voice and life together.’		SDSSDS
Fixerat et sella moribundum sustulit alta.			Aeineid 10.346-347.: advenit et rigida Dryopem ferit eminus hasta/ sub mentum graviter pressa, pariterque loquentis/ vocem animamque rapit traiecto gutture. ‘He comes and from a distance smites Dryops under the chin with his stiff shaft driven with force, and piercing his throat robs him, as he speaks, of voice and life together.’		DSDSDS
Qui caput orantis proprio mucrone recidens		Proprio mucrone: the phrase at first glance suggests a last-minute suicide, but it is perhaps more likely that qui refers to Waltharius, and proprio equiv. to suo. Recidens: note the long i.	Prudentius, Psychomachia 282-283.: tunc caput orantis flexa cervice resectum/ eripit. ‘Then, though she begs for mercy, she bends the neck and severs the head.’ Aeineid 10.535-536.: sic fatus galeam laeva tenet atque reflexa/ cervice orantis capulo tenus applicat ensem. ‘So speaking, he grasps the helmet with his left hand and, bending back the suppliant’s neck, drives the sword in up to the hilt.’ 10.554-555.: tum caput orantis nequiquam. . .deturbat. ‘Then he strikes the head of him vainly pleading.’		DSDSDS
Fecit cognatum pariter fluitare cruorem.		Cognatum…cruorem: i.e., Scaramund’s blood beside his uncle’s			SSDDDS

---

« previous

Prologue Introduction: the Huns (1–12) The Huns (13–418) The Franks under Gibich surrender to Attila, giving Hagen as a hostage (13–33) The Burgundians under Hereric surrender to Attila, giving Hildegund as a hostage (34–74) The Aquitainians under Alphere surrender to Attila, giving Walther as a hostage (75–92) Experience of the hostages at Attila’s court (93–115) Death of Gibich, flight of Hagen (116–122) Attila’s queen Ospirin advises her husband to ensure Walther’s loyalty by arranging a marriage (123–141) Walther rejects Attila’s offer of a bride (142–169) Walther leads the army of the Huns to victory in battle (170–214) The Escape (215–418) Walther returns from battle and encounters Hildegund (215–255) Walther reveals to Hildegund his plans for escaping with Attila’s treasure (256–286) Walther hosts a luxurious banquet for Attila’s court; eventually all his intoxicated guests fall asleep (287–323) Flight of Walther and Hildegund from Attila’s court (324–357) The following day, the escape of Walther and Hildegund is discovered by Ospirin (358–379) Attila is infuriated and vows revenge on Walther, but can find no one willing to dare to pursue him, even for a large reward (380–418) The Single Combats (419–1061) Diplomacy (419–639) Flight of Walther and Hildegund to the area of Worms (419–435) Gunther, King of the Franks, learns of Walther’s presence on his territory and, despite Hagen’s warnings, decides to pursue him for his treasure (436–488) Walther makes his camp in a mountainous area and goes to sleep (489–512) Gunther and his companions approach Walther’s camp; Hagen unsuccessfully tries to dissuade the king from attacking it (513–531) Hildegund sees the Franks approaching and wakes Walther, who calms her fears and prepares for battle; he recognizes Hagen from a distance (532–571) Hagen persuades Gunther to try diplomacy before using force (571–580) Camalo is sent as a messenger to Walther, who offers to make Gunther a gift in return for allowing his passage (581–616) Hagen counsels Gunther to accept the offer, but Gunther rejects this advice, calling him a coward. Insulted, Hagen goes off to a nearby hill (617–639) Combat (640–1061) 1st single combat: Camalo is sent back to Walther, who slays him (640–685) 2nd single combat: Walther slays Kimo/Scaramund, Camalo’s nephew (686–719) Gunther encourages his men (720–724) 3rd single combat: Walther slays Werinhard, a descendant of the Trojan Pandarus (725–753) 4th single combat: Walther slays the Saxon Ekivrid, after an exchange of insults (754–780) 5th single combat: Walther slays Hadawart, after an exchange of insults (781–845) Hagen sees his nephew Patavrid going off to fight Walther and laments the evil wreaked on mankind by greed (846–877) 6th single combat: after trying to dissuade him from fighting, Walther slays Patavrid (878–913) 7th single combat: Walther slays Gerwitus (914–940) Gunther again encourages his men, giving Walther some time to rest (941–961) 8th single combat: Walther is shorn of his hair by Randolf, whom he then slays (962–981) Walther is attacked by Eleuthir/Helmnot, assisted by Trogus, Tanastus, and Gunther; he slays all but Gunther (981–1061) The Final Combat (1062–1452) Gunther tries to persuade Hagen to help him to defeat Waltharius; remembering his wounded honor, Hagen refuses (1062–1088) Hagen changes his mind and agrees to help Gunther, but advises that they must lie low wait until Walther comes down from the mountains into open ground (1089–1129) Walther decides to spend the night in the mountains. He rematches the severed heads with the bodies of his victims, prays for their souls, then sleeps (1130–1187) The following day, Walther and Hildegund set out from the mountains, taking the horses and arms of the defeated warriors (1188–1207) Hildegund perceives Gunther and Hagen approaching to attack; the king addresses Walther (1208–1236) Walther ignores Gunther and pleads with Hagen to remember the bond of their childhood friendship; Hagen counters that Walther has already broken their faith by slaying Patavrid (1237–1279) The fight begins and continues for seven hours; Gunther foolishly tries to retrieve a thrown spear from the ground near Walther and is only saved from death by Hagen’s brave intervention (1280–1345) Walther challenges Hagen; he severs Gunther’s leg, but Hagen again saves the king’s life (1346–1375) Hagen cuts off Walther’s right hand; Walther gouges out one of Hagen’s eyes and, cutting open his cheek, knocks out four teeth (1376–1395) Having wounded each other, the warriors end the battle, drink together, and engage in a friendly exchange of humorous taunt (1396–1442) The warriors return to their respective homes; Walther marries Hildegund and eventually becomes king of the Aquitainians (1443–1452) Epilogue (1453–1456)

next »

English