Waltharius215

Walther returns from battle and encounters Hildegund (215–255)

Ecce palatini decurrunt arce ministri 215  Palatini: “palace servants”    Prudentius, Apotheosis 481: ecce Palatinus … minister… “See the servant of the palace…” Aeneid 2.41: Laocoon ardens summa decurrit ab arce. “Laocoon in hot haste runs down from the citadel’s height.” 11.490: fulgebatque alta decurrens aureus arce. “He shone with gold as he ran down from the fortress height.”   Illius aspectu hilares equitemque tenebant,  Illius = Waltharii, objective genitive. Equitem = equum (cf. Virgilian usage Georgics 3.116, as explained in Servius’ commentary)   Donec vir sella descenderet inclitus alta. Si bene res vergant, tum demum forte requirunt.  Si … vergant: indirect question   Ille aliquid modicum narrans intraverat aulam,  Est. 4.2 Vulg.: non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare. “For no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king’s court.”   (lassus enim fuerat), regisque cubile petebat. 220  Cubile = cubiculum   Illic Hiltgundem solam offendit residentem. Cui post amplexus atque oscula dulcia dixit:  Aeneid 1.687: cum dabit amplexus atque oscula dulcia figet…“When she takes you to her bosom, embraces you and imprints sweet kisses…”   'Ocius huc potum ferto, quia fessus anhelo.'  Ocius: as often in the Waltharius, an adverb’s comparative form is used without any real comparative sense.    Statius Thebaid 11.7–8: Phlegrae ceu fessus anhelet / proelia… “As though he were breathless and weary after Phlegra’s fight…”   Illa mero tallum complevit mox pretiosum  Tallum: “cup/goblet,” possibly a Germanism (cf. nappam, line 308) The trope of a woman offering drink or other reward for military service to the hero is common to both classical and Germanic traditions. In Aeneid 1.729, Dido offers Aeneas wine. Waltharius’ use of complevit echoes Virgil’s implevit. This theme is also present in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf (see, e.g., lines 623–25, 1215–20, 1980–83). The scene here foreshadows further instances of the trope in the Waltharius itself, where Hildegund serves mero “strong wine” to Walther, Hagen, and Gunther at the end of their battle (lines 1408–1416).    Aeneid 1.729: implevitque mero pateram. “She filled the cup with wine.” 2 Macc. 14.4 Vulg.: …offerens ei … tallos qui templi esse videbantur. “…Offering to him … boughs which seemed to belong to the temple.” Beowulf 623–5: þæt hío Béowulfe, béaghroden cwén / móde geþungen medoful ætbær· / grétte Géata léod· “that she to Beowulf, the ring-adorned queen, blossoming in spirit, carried a mead-cup; she greeted the Geatish prince”   Porrexitque viro, qui signans accipiebat 225  Signans: “making the sign of the Cross” before partaking of the drink. A secular reading is perhaps possible, though strained. For other explicitly Christian actions by Waltharius cf. lines 161, 426, 564, 1161.    Aeneid 8.274: pocula porgite dextris. “Stretch forth the cup in your hands.”   Virgineamque manum propria constrinxit. at illa  At illa: probably not an intentional pun on “Attila.”   Astitit et vultum reticens intendit herilem, Walthariusque bibens vacuum vas porrigit olli  Aeneid 1.254: olli subridens… “Smiling on her…”   —Ambo etenim norant de se sponsalia facta— Provocat et tali caram sermone puellam: 230 'Exilium pariter patimur iam tempore tanto,  exilium: exile is a major theme across the three major traditions from which the Waltharius draws: Germanic (e.g. the Old English The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Wife’s Lament), classical (e.g. Aeneid, Tristia), and Biblical (e.g. Genesis, Lamentations, etc.).    Aeneid 2.638: exsiliumque pati… “to suffer exile…”   Non ignorantes, quid nostri forte parentes Inter se nostra de re fecere futura. Quamne diu tacito premimus haec ipsa palato?'  Palato: metonymy for mouth/voice.    Aeneid 7.103: non ipse suo premit ore Latinus. “Latinus keeps not shut within his own lips.”   Virgo per hyroniam meditans hoc dicere sponsum 235  Per hyroniam: “ironically,” i.e., insincerely, to tease her. For secondary scholarship on irony in this passage and in the poem, see Parkes 1974, Townsend 1997. For explanations of ironiam the poet may have been exposed to, see Servius ad Aen. 4.93, 6.520, 7.190, 10.608; Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae 1.37.22–25, 2.21.41; etc.   Paulum conticuit, sed postea talia reddit:  Aeneid 2.323; 10.530: talia reddit. “He answers thus.”   'Quid lingua simulas, quod ab imo pectore damnas,  Aeneid 6.55: pectore ab imo… “From his inmost heart…” 11.840: imo pectore.   Oreque persuades, toto quod corde refutas, Sit veluti talem pudor ingens ducere nuptam?'  Sit veluti … pudor: “As if it were a disgrace to…!”   Vir sapiens contra respondit et intulit ista: 240 'Absit quod memoras! dextrorsum porrige sensum!  Porrige = dirige Dextrosrum: i.e., to what is favorable/correct.    Aeneid 4.109: quod memoras… “What you say...”   Noris me nihilum simulata mente locutum  This line closely parallels line 4.105 of the Aeneid (sensit enim simulata mente locutam), but, to add to the irony of this passage, in the Aeneid, Venus has actually been fraudulent, whereas Walther here pleads that he was not.    Aeneid 4.105: sensit enim simulata mente locutam. “For she knew that with feigned purpose she had spoken.”   Nec quicquam nebulae vel falsi interfore crede. Nullus adest nobis exceptis namque duobus: Si nossem temet mihi promptam impendere mentem 245 Atque fidem votis servare per omnia cautis, Pandere cuncta tibi cordis mysteria vellem.' Tandem virgo viri genibus curvata profatur: 'Ad quaecumque vocas, mi domne, sequar studiose  Domne = Domine    Aeneid 4.114: perge, sequar. “Go on; I will follow.” Eclogue 3.49: veniam quocumque vocaris. “Wherever you challenge me, I’ll be there.” Aeneid 5.22–23: sequamur, / quoque vocat, vertamus iter. “Let us follow, and turn our course whither she calls.”   Nec quicquam placitis malim praeponere iussis.' 250 Ille dehinc: 'piget exilii me denique nostri Et patriae fines reminiscor saepe relictos Idcircoque fugam cupio celerare latentem. Quod iam prae multis potuissem forte diebus,  Prae multis … diebus: “many days ago.” Classical authors use prae + abl. to mean “before” only in a spatial sense.    Aeneid 2.342: forte diebus… “In those days, as it chanced…”   Si non Hiltgundem solam remanere dolerem. 255 « 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 962–981. 8th single combat. Walther is shorn of his hair by Randolf, whom he then slays 982–1061. 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 Scansion