Waltharius380

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)

Iam princeps nimia succenditur efferus ira,	380		Prudentius, Psychomachia 150: succenditur effera. ‘Wild passion fires her.’ Liber Hester 1.12: unde iratus rex et nimio furore succensus . . .’Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury. . .’		SDSDDS
Mutant laetitiam maerentia corda priorem.					SDSDDS
Ex humeris trabeam discindit ad infima totam			Secundum Mattheum 26.65: princeps sacerdotum scidit vestimenta sua. ‘The high priest rent his garments.’ Aeneid 5.685: tum pius Aeneas humeris abscindere vestem. ‘Then loyal Aeneas rent the garment from his shoulders.’ 11.334: sellam regni trabeamque insignia nostri. . . ‘A throne and robe, signs of our royalty. . .’		DDSDDS
Et nunc huc animum tristem, nunc dividit illuc.			Aeneid 4.285, 8.20: utque animum nunc huc celerem, nunc dividit illuc. . . ‘And as he casts his swift mind this way and that. . .’		SDSSDS
Ac velut Aeolicis turbatur arena procellis,			Aeineid 5.790-791.: maria omnia caelo/ miscuit, Aeoliis nequiquam freta procellis. ‘All the seas she mingled with the sky, in vain relying on the storms of Aeolus.’		DDSDDS
Sic intestinis rex fluctuat undique curis,	385		Aeineid 8.19: magno curarum fluctuat aestu. ‘He tosses on a mighty sea of troubles.’ 4.532: magnoque irarum fluctuat aestu. ‘She heaves with a mighty tide of passion.’ 4.564: variosque irarum concitat aestus. ‘She awakens the swirling surge of passion.’		SSSDDS
Et varium pectus vario simul ore imitatus,		Pectus: i.e., emotional state			DSDDDS Elision: ore imitatus
Prodidit exterius, quicquid toleraverat intus,					DDSDDS
Iraque sermonem permisit promere nullum.					DSSSDS
Ipso quippe die potum fastidit et escam,					SDSSDS
Nec placidam membris potuit dare cura quietem.	390		Aeineid 4.5: nec placidam membris dat cura quietem. ‘Longing witholds calm rest from her limbs.’ 1.691-692.: placidam per membra quietem/ inrigat. ‘She pours gentle repose over the limbs.’ 8.30: seramque dedit per membra quietem. ‘He let sleep at last steal over his limbs.’ 10.217: neque enim membris dat cura quietem. ‘Care allows no rest to his limbs.’		DSDDDS
Namque ubi nox rebus iam dempserat atra colores,			Aeineid 6.272: rebus nox abstulit atra colorem. ‘Black night has stolen from the world her hues.’		DSSDDS Elision: namque ubi
Decidit in lectum, verus nec lumina clausit,			Liber I Macchabeorum 1.6, 6.8: decidit in lectum. ‘He fell down upon his bed.’		DSSSDS
Nunc latus in dextrum fultus nunc inque sinistrum,			Eclogue 6.53: ille latus niveum molli fultus hyacintho. . . ‘He, pillowing his snowy side on soft hyacinths. . .’		DSSSDS
Et veluti iaculo pectus transfixus acuto			Aeineid 11.574: iaculo palmas armavit acuto. ‘He armed her hands with a pointed lance.’		DDSSDS
Palpitat atque caput huc et mox iactitat illuc,	395				DDSSDS
Et modo subrectus fulcro consederat amens.					DSSSDS
Nec iuvat hoc, demum surgens discurro in urbe,			Aeineid 4.68-69.: uritur infelix Dido totaque vagatur/ urbe furens. ‘Unhappy Dido burns, and through the city wanders in frenzy.’ 7.377: sine more furit lymphata per urbem. ‘In wild frenzy she rages from end to end of the city.’		DSSSDS
Atque thorum veniens simul attigit atque reliquit.		Thorum equiv. to torum			DDDDDS False quantities: atque thorum?
Taliter insomnem consumpserat Attila noctem.			Aeineid 9.166-167.: noctem custodia ducit/ insomnem. ‘The guards spend the sleepless night.’ Liber Hester 6.1: noctem illam rex duxit insomnem. ‘That night the king passed without sleep.’ Aeineid 2.795: consumpta nocte. . . ‘When night is spent. . .’		DSSDDS
At profugi comites per amica silentia euntes	400		Aeineid 2.255: tacitae per amica silentia lunae. . . ‘Amid the friendly silence of the mute moon. . .’		DDDDDS Elision: silentia euntes
Suspectam properant post terga relinquere terram.			Aeineid 3.550: suspectaque linquimus arva. ‘We leave the fields we distrust.’ Ovid, Metamorphoses 2.187: multum caeli post terga relictum. ‘Much of the sky is now behind him.’		SDSDDS
Vix tamen erupit cras, rex patribusque vocatis		Vix…erupit cras equiv. to postridie, prima luce	Isaias Propheta 58.8: erumpet quasi mane lumen tuum. ‘Then shall thy light break forth as the morning.’ Aeineid 11.379: patribusque vocati. . . ‘When the senate is summoned. . .’		DSSDDS
Dixerat: 'o si quis mihi Waltharium fugientem			Statius, Thebaid 8.739-740.: o caput, o mihi si quis/ adportet, Melanippe, tuum! ‘Thy head, O Melanippus, could one but bring me that!’		DSDDDS
Afferat evinctum ceu nequam forte liciscam!		Liciscam: “wolf-dog,” the product of interbreeding.	Statius, Thebaid 8.739-740.: o caput, o mihi si quis/ adportet, Melanippe, tuum! ‘Thy head, O Melanippus, could one but bring me that!’ Eclogue 3.18: multum latrante Lycisca. . . ‘While the mongrel barked madly. . .’ evinctus: Aeineid 5.269, 5.364, 5.494, 5.774.		DSSSDS
Hunc ego mox auro vestirem saepe recocto	405	Auro: Attila seems to allude to custom among Germanic tribes of allowing a murderer to escape justice if he covered his victim’s body in gold; here a living man will be covered in gold if he brings Waltharius back alive. Attila’s promise of a reward, repeated thrice in varied form, in fact has something sinister and even threatening about it. Recocto: “refined”	Aeineid 8.624: levis ocreas electro auroque recocto. . . ‘The smooth greaves of electrum and refined gold. . .’ Liber Exodi 30.3: vesties illud auro purissimo. ‘And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold.’		DSSSDS
Et tellure quidem stantem hinc inde onerarem					SDSSDS Elision: inde onerarem Hiatus: stantem hinc
Atque viam penitus clausissem vivo talentis.		Clausissem equiv. to clauderem			DDSSDS
Sed nullus fuit in tanta regione tyrannus		Tyrannus: apparently “prince” or a neighboring “king.”	Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’ Liber Hester 6.9: primus de regis principibus ac tyrannis. . . ‘The first of the king’s princes and nobles. . .’ Aeineid 4.320: Nomadumque tyranni. . . ‘The Numidian chiefs. . .’		SDSDDS
Vel dux sive comes seu miles sive minister,		Dux…comes…miles…minister: continues the series of various positions at the royal court in descending order of rank. A “duke” among the Franks was an administrator who oversaw a number of smaller regions placed under “counts,” beneath whom came “free vassals” and finally “servants.”	Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’		SDSSDS
Qui, quamvis cuperet proprias ostendere vires	410		Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’		SDDSDS
Ac virtute sua laudem captare perennem			Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’		SDSSDS
Ambiretque simul gazam infarcire cruminis,		Ambiret equiv. to studeret Infarcire cruminis: “to stuff his money-pouches”	Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’ Prudentius, Psychomachia 459-460.: iuvat infercire cruminis/ turpe lucrum. ‘She delights to stuff her base gain in money-bags.’		SDDSDS Hiatus: NOT H-HIATUS: gazam infarcire
Waltharium tamen iratum praesumpserit armis			Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’		DDSSDS
Insequier strictoque virum mucrone videre.			Aeineid 10.714-715.: iustae quibus est Mezentius irae,/ non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro,/ missilibus longe et vasto clamore lacessunt. ‘Of all those who had righteous hatred of Mezentius, none had heart to meet him with drawn sword; from a distance they provoke him with missiles and far-echoing shouts.’ Aeineid 10.714: non ulli est animus stricto concurrere ferro. ‘None had heart to meet him with drawn sword.’ 2.449: strictis muconibus. . . ‘With drawn swords. . .’ 10.651-652.: strictumque coruscat/ mucronem. ‘He brandishes his naked blade.’ 12.663-664.: strictisque seges mucronibus horret/ ferrea. ‘A harvest of steel bristles with drawn swords.’ Statius, Thebaid 10.486: horrendi stricto mucrone furores. ‘Terrible is the fury of my drawn sword.’		DSDSDS
Nota equidem virtus, experti sunt quoque, quantas	415		Aeneid 9.526-527.: quas ibi tum ferro strages, quae funera Turnus/ ediderit. ‘. . .While I sing what slaughter, what deaths Turnus dealt on that day.’ 9.784-785.: tantas strages impune per urbem/ ediderit? ‘Shall he deal such carnage thoughout the city and go unpunished?’		DSSSDS Elision: nota equidem
Incolumis dederit strages sine vulnere victor.			Aeneid 9.526-527.: quas ibi tum ferro strages, quae funera Turnus/ ediderit. ‘. . .While I sing what slaughter, what deaths Turnus dealt on that day.’ 9.784-785.: tantas strages impune per urbem/ ediderit? ‘Shall he deal such carnage thoughout the city and go unpunished?’		DDSDDS
Nec potis est ullum rex persuadere virorum,					DSSSDS
Qui promissa velit hac condicione talenta.					SDSDDS

---

« previous

Prologue 1–12: Introduction: the Huns 13–418: The Huns 13–33: The Franks under Gibich surrender to Attila, giving Hagen as a hostage 34–74: The Burgundians under Hereric surrender to Attila, giving Hildegund as a hostage 75–92: The Aquitainians under Alphere surrender to Attila, giving Walther as a hostage 93–115: Experience of the hostages at Attila’s court 116–122: Death of Gibich, flight of Hagen 123–141: Attila’s queen Ospirin advises her husband to ensure Walther’s loyalty by arranging a marriage 142–169: Walther rejects Attila’s offer of a bride 170–214: Walther leads the army of the Huns to victory in battle 215–418: The Escape 215–255: Walther returns from battle and encounters Hildegund 256–286: Walther reveals to Hildegund his plans for escaping with Attila’s treasure 287–323: Walther hosts a luxurious banquet for Attila’s court; eventually all his intoxicated guests fall asleep 324–357: Flight of Walther and Hildegund from Attila’s court 358–379: The following day, the escape of Walther and Hildegund is discovered by Ospirin 380–418: Attila is infuriated and vows revenge on Walther, but can find no one willing to dare to pursue him, even for a large reward 419–1061: The Single Combats 419–639: Diplomacy 419–435: Flight of Walther and Hildegund to the area of Worms 436–488: 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 489–512: Walther makes his camp in a mountainous area and goes to sleep 513–531: Gunther and his companions approach Walther’s camp; Hagen unsuccessfully tries to dissuade the king from attacking it 532–571: Hildegund sees the Franks approaching and wakes Walther, who calms her fears and prepares for battle; he recognizes Hagen from a distance 572–580: Hagen persuades Gunther to try diplomacy before using force 581–616: Camalo is sent as a messenger to Walther, who offers to make Gunther a gift in return for allowing his passage 617–639: Hagen counsels Gunther to accept the offer, but Gunther rejects this advice, calling him a coward. Insulted, Hagen goes off to a nearby hill 640–1061: Combat 640–685: 1st single combat. Camalo is sent back to Walther, who slays him 686–719: 2nd single combat. Walther slays Kimo/Scaramund, Camalo’s nephew 720–724: Gunther encourages his men 725–753: 3rd single combat. Walther slays Werinhard, a descendant of the Trojan Pandarus 754–780: 4th single combat. Walther slays the Saxon Ekivrid, after an exchange of insults 781–845: 5th single combat. Walther slays Hadawart, after an exchange of insults 846–877. Hagen sees his nephew Patavrid going off to fight Walther and laments the evil wreaked on mankind by greed 878–913. 6th single combat. After trying to dissuade him from fighting, Walther slays Patavrid 914–940: 7th single combat. Walther slays Gerwitus 941–961: Gunther again encourages his men, giving Walther some time to rest 962–980. 8th single combat. Walther is shorn of his hair by Randolf, whom he then slays 981–1061. Walther is attacked by Eleuthir/Helmnot, assisted by Trogus, Tanastus, and Gunther; he slays all but Gunther 1062–1452: The Final Combat 1062–1088: Gunther tries to persuade Hagen to help him to defeat Waltharius; remembering his wounded honor, Hagen refuses 1089–1129: 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 1130–1187: 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 1188–1207: The following day, Walther and Hildegund set out from the mountains, taking the horses and arms of the defeated warriors 1208–1236: Hildegund perceives Gunther and Hagen approaching to attack; the king addresses Walther 1237–1279: 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 1280–1345: 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 1346–1375: Walther challenges Hagen; he severs Gunther’s leg, but Hagen again saves the king’s life 1376–1395: Hagen cuts off Walther’s right hand; Walther gouges out one of Hagen’s eyes and, cutting open his cheek, knocks out four teeth 1396–1442: Having wounded each other, the warriors end the battle, drink together, and engage in a friendly exchange of humorous taunt 1443–1452: The warriors return to their respective homes; Walther marries Hildegund and eventually becomes king of the Aquitainians 1453–1456: Epilogue

next »

English