Waltharius34

The Burgundians under Hereric surrender to Attila, giving Hildegund as a hostage (34–74)

Tempore quo validis steterat Burgundia sceptris,  Tempore quo = eo tempore Steterat: The poet, perhaps due to his German origins, makes very free use of the tenses of the Latin verb. Pluperfect forms in particular are often used as a simple past tense. Burgundia: A Germanic kingdom conquered by the Huns in 437 CE (as related in both the Waltharius and the Nibelungenlied), after which its people reestablished themselves in the south-eastern quadrant of present-day France, before being conquered by the Franks in the following century. sceptris: metonymy for kingship, as often.    Aeneid 9.80: tempore quo… “At which time…”   Cuius primatum Heriricus forte gerebat. 35  Primatum = imperium Heriricus: Probably legendary; Althof considers this name to have been invented by the poet. Forte: an adverb often used in the Waltharius, like fors, simply metri causa.    3 John 9 Vulg.: sed is qui amat primatum gerere… “He who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them…” Aeneid 12.206: dextra sceptrum nam forte gerebat. “For by chance in his hand he held his sceptre.”   Filia huic tantum fuit unica nomine Hiltgunt,  Hiltgunt: The princess, who also figures in the Nibelungenlied, is not known to have been historical. The Burgundians, unlike the Franks, did not use the Salic Law that barred women from inheriting the throne.    Luke 8.42 Vulg.: quia filia unica erat illi. “For he had an only daughter.”   Nobilitate quidem pollens ac stemmate formae.  Ovid, Met. 13.22: nobilitate potens essem. “I should still be his superior in birth.” Prudentius, Peristephanon 1.4: pollet hoc felix per orbem terra Hibera stemmate. “For this glory the land of Spain has the fortune to be held in honour through all the world.”   Debuit haec heres aula residere paterna Atque diu congesta frui, si forte liceret.  Diu congesta frui: an accusative follows fruor here instead of the usual ablative.   Namque Avares firma cum Francis pace peracta 40  Avares: this name is used interchangeably by the poet with Huni for Attila’s Huns. The Huns and the Avars were, in the medieval understanding, the same group (see, e.g., Etymologiae 9.2.66). In historical fact, the Avars were a separate group that invaded Europe from the east around 560 CE, eventually settling in the Pannonian region (Oxford Classical Dictionary, s.v. “Avaro-Slav invasions”).    Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae 9.2.66: Hugnos antea Hunnos vocatos, postremo a rege suo Avares appellatos… The Hugnians [were] called Huns before, afterwards [they were] addressed as Avars from [the name of] their king.   Suspendunt a fine quidem regionis eorum.  Suspendunt: “held back”   Attila sed celeres mox huc deflectit habenas,  Aeneid 11.765: hac iuvenis furtim celeris detorquet habenas. “There the youth stealthily turns his swift reins.” 12.471: undantis flectit habenas. “She guides the flowing thongs.”   Nec tardant reliqui satrapae vestigia adire.  Satrapae: “leader, king.” A Persian word that came to Latin through Greek. In Classical Latin, the word meant specifically a Persian governor (OLD, s.v. “satrapes”), but in the Vulgate (e.g., Iudicum 16.8) and here it takes on a more general, though still orientalizing meaning. In classical authors it is a third-declension noun in the singular, but the poet of the Waltharius makes it a masculine first-declension noun like nauta. Here, it seems likely that we have the genitive singular referring to Attila (cf. lines 170, 371, 573, 1126), rather than the nominative plural, referring to his immediate vassals, as in lines 136 and 278 (contra Wieland).   Ibant aequati numero, sed et agmine longo,  Sed et: The use of two conjunctions is metri causa, as frequently in the poem.    Aeneid 7.698: ibant aequati numero regemque canebant. “In dressed lines they marched and sang their king.” 10.769: in agmine longo… “In a long battle line…” 8.595–96: agmine facto / quadripedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula campum. “They form in column, and with galloping tread the horse hoof shakes the crumbling plain.” 11.875: quadripedumque putrem cursu quatit ungula campum. “In their galloping course the horsehoof shakes the crumbling plain.” 7.722: scuta sonant pulsuque pedum conterrita tellus. “The bucklers clang, and the earth trembles under the tramping feet.” 9.709: dat tellus gemitum et clipeum super intonat ingens. “The earth groans, and the huge shield thunders over him.” 8.239: intonat aether… “Heaven thunders…”   Quadrupedum cursu tellus concussa gemebat. 45 Scutorum sonitu pavidus superintonat aether. Ferrea silva micat totos rutilando per agros:  Rutilando: This use of the ablative of the gerund foreshadows the form’s transformation into the present participle of some modern Romance languages.    Statius, Thebaid 4.220–221: ferrea curru / silva tremit. “An iron forest trembles on his chariot.” Aeneid 11.601–602: tum late ferreus hastis / horret ager campique armis sublimibus ardent. “Far and wide the field bristles with the steel of spears, and the plains are ablaze with raised weapons.” 3.45–46: hic confixum ferrea texit / telorum seges. “Here an iron harvest of spears covered my pierced body.”   Haud aliter primo quam pulsans aequora mane  Haud aliter: introduces the first epic simile of the Waltharius with a classical phrase. A simile introduced by this phrase in the Aeneid (1.399) also shares the p alliteration of these lines.    Virgil, Aeneid 1.399; Ovid, Met. 3.661; Lucan, De Bello Civili 9.284: haud aliter… “not at all unlike…”   Pulcher in extremis renitet sol partibus orbis.  Ovid, Tristia ex Ponto 3.3.3: aeger in extremis ignoti partibus orbis. ‘Ill in the utmost part of an unknown world.’   Iamque Ararim Rodanumque amnes transiverat altos 50  Ararim: The Saône River. Rodanum: The Rhône River (a geographic error, since this river does not need to be crossed coming from Worms, the seat of Gibicho). Transiverat: cf. note on line 34.   Atque ad praedandum cuneus dispergitur omnis. Forte Cabillonis sedit Heriricus, et ecce  Cabillonis: Present-day Chalon sur Saône in Burgundy was called Cabillonum by Caesar (BG 7.42) but the plural form is found in Ammianus Marcellinus (14.10.3, 27.1.2). Ecce: the interjection of ecce or en is much more common in a medieval context than in classical Latin epic. Compare the Old English hwæt and huru.    2 Sam. 18.24–25 Vulg.: David autem sedebat inter duas portas; speculator vero, qui erat in fastigio portae super murum, elevans oculos vidit… et vociferans in culmine ait. “And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone, and crying out he told the king.” Statius, Thebaid 8.21–22: Forte sedens media regni infelicis in arce/ dux Erebi… “By chance the lord of Erebus, enthroned in the midst of the fortress of his dolorous realm…” 1.89–90: inamoenum forte sedebat / Cocyton iuxta.. “By chance she sat beside dismal Cocytus.”   Attollens oculos speculator vociferatur:  The language of the following few lines is heavily influenced by classical epic, especially the Aeneid.    Aeneid 4.688: illa, gravis oculos conata attollere… “She, trying to lift her heavy eyes…” Statius, Thebaid 10.489–490: iamque premunt muros—et adhuc nova funera narrat / Amphion—miseramque intrarant protinus urbem, / ni Megareus specula citus exclamasset ab alta: / “claude, vigil, subeunt hostes, claude undique portas!” “Already they are nigh the walls—and still Amphion is telling of the new disaster—and would straight have entered the hapless city, had not Megareus from a high watchtower exclaimed in haste: ‘Shut the gates, sentry, everywhere! The enemy comes.’”   Quaenam condenso consurgit pulvere nubes?  Aeneid 9.33–34: hic subitam nigro glomerari pulvere nubem / prospiciunt Teucri… conclamant mole Caicus: / “quis globus, o cives, caligine volvitur atra?/ ferte citi ferrum, date tela, ascendite muros,/ hostis adest, heia!” “Here the Teucrians descry a sudden cloud gathering in black dust, and darkness rising on the plains. First from the rampart’s front Caicus shouts, ‘What mass, my countrymen, rolls onward in murky gloom? Quick, bring your swords! Give out weapons, climb the walls! The enemy is upon us!’” 12.150: vis inimica propinquat. “The enemy’s stroke draws nigh.”   Vis inimica venit, portas iam claudite cunctas!' 55 Iam tum, quid Franci fecissent, ipse sciebat Princeps et cunctos compellat sic seniores: Si gens tam fortis, cui nos similare nequimus, Cessit Pannoniae, qua nos virtute putatis  Pannoniae = Hunnis   Huic conferre manum et patriam defendere dulcem? 60  Aeneid 9.690: et conferre manum et procurrere longius audent. “They venture to close hand to hand and to sally farther out.” Eclogue 1.3: nos patriae finis et dulcia linquimus arva. “We are leaving our country’s bounds and sweet fields.”   Est satius, pactum faciant censumque capessant Unica nata mihi, quam tradere pro regione  Aeneid 7.268–69: est mihi nata, viro gentis quam iungere nostrae / non patrio ex adyto sortes, non plurima caelo / monstra sinunt. “I have a daughter whom oracles from my father’s shrine and countless prodigies from heaven do not allow me to unite to a bridegroom of our race.”   Non dubito: tantum pergant, qui foedera firment. Ibant legati totis gladiis spoliati, Hostibus insinuant, quod regis iussio mandat: 65  Insinuant = nuntiant   Ut cessent vastare, rogant, quos Attila ductor, Ut solitus fuerat, blande suscepit et inquit: Foedera plus cupio quam proelia mittere vulgo. Pace quidem Huni malunt regnare, sed armis Inviti feriunt, quos cernunt esse rebelles. 70 Rex ad nos veniens dextram det atque resumat.'  Aeneid 7.263–64: ipse modo Aeneas, nostri si tanta cupido est,… adveniat, vultus neve exhorrescat amicos: / pars mihi pacis erit dextram tetigisse tyranni. “Only let Aeneas, if so he longs for us, come in person and shrink not from friendly eyes. To me it shall be a term of the peace to have touched your sovereign’s hand.”   Exivit princeps asportans innumeratos Thesauros pactumque ferit natamque reliquit. Pergit in exilium pulcherrima gemma parentum. « 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