Difference between revisions of "Waltharius1089English"
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+ | ===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)=== | ||
+ | {| | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Still Hagen wavered and considered in his breast | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |The faith so often pledged to Walter, and he pondered | ||
+ | |1090 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |The outcome of the matter as it had transpired. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |But now the luckless king begged more insistently. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Moved by the fervor of his pleading, he avoided | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |His sovereign’s gaze, and thought about his reputation | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |For valor, that it might be sullied if he should | ||
+ | |1095 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |In any manner spare himself in this affair. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |At length he broke the silence and responded clearly, | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |“Where do you call me, lord? Where shall I follow you, | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Famed prince? Self-confidence vows the impossible. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |But who has ever shown himself so stupid that | ||
+ | |1100 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |He willingly tried jumping in a gaping pit? | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |I know that Walter is so fierce in open fields | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |That placed in such a stronghold or encampment he | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Would scorn a mighty force just as a single man. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |And although France should send here all its foot-soldiers | ||
+ | |1105 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |And knights, he would dispose of those as he did these. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |But since I see that you are pained more by disgrace | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Than by your loss through slaughter, and opposed to leaving, | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |I sympathize: my own distress yields to your rank | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |As king; yes, I will try to find a path to safety | ||
+ | |1110 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Which will reveal itself—if not at once, then never. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |No, even for my darling nephew (lord, I say | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |To you) I would not want to break my plighted faith. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Look then! For you, king, I will enter certain danger; | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |But know that I am leaving from this place of battle. | ||
+ | |1115 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Let us depart, give him a chance to go away, | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Then hide in caves and let our horses graze the meadows | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Until, believing we have gone, now safe, he quits | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |His narrow stronghold. When he treads on open fields, | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |We rise up from behind, pursue the startled man, | ||
+ | |1120 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |And in this way we can attempt some task of valor. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |This seems the surest hope in our uncertain plight. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Then you can fight, king, if you have a mind for war; | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |That man will never give us two a chance for flight; | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |But we must either flee or face a bitter fight.” | ||
+ | |1125 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |The king approves the plan, then he embraces him | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |And with a kiss he soothes the man. They then withdrew | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |And found a place well suited for an ambush, then | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Dismounting, tied their horses in the pleasant grass. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | |} | ||
<hr /> | <hr /> | ||
Revision as of 21:23, 26 August 2009
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)
Still Hagen wavered and considered in his breast | |
The faith so often pledged to Walter, and he pondered | 1090 |
The outcome of the matter as it had transpired. | |
But now the luckless king begged more insistently. | |
Moved by the fervor of his pleading, he avoided | |
His sovereign’s gaze, and thought about his reputation | |
For valor, that it might be sullied if he should | 1095 |
In any manner spare himself in this affair. | |
At length he broke the silence and responded clearly, | |
“Where do you call me, lord? Where shall I follow you, | |
Famed prince? Self-confidence vows the impossible. | |
But who has ever shown himself so stupid that | 1100 |
He willingly tried jumping in a gaping pit? | |
I know that Walter is so fierce in open fields | |
That placed in such a stronghold or encampment he | |
Would scorn a mighty force just as a single man. | |
And although France should send here all its foot-soldiers | 1105 |
And knights, he would dispose of those as he did these. | |
But since I see that you are pained more by disgrace | |
Than by your loss through slaughter, and opposed to leaving, | |
I sympathize: my own distress yields to your rank | |
As king; yes, I will try to find a path to safety | 1110 |
Which will reveal itself—if not at once, then never. | |
No, even for my darling nephew (lord, I say | |
To you) I would not want to break my plighted faith. | |
Look then! For you, king, I will enter certain danger; | |
But know that I am leaving from this place of battle. | 1115 |
Let us depart, give him a chance to go away, | |
Then hide in caves and let our horses graze the meadows | |
Until, believing we have gone, now safe, he quits | |
His narrow stronghold. When he treads on open fields, | |
We rise up from behind, pursue the startled man, | 1120 |
And in this way we can attempt some task of valor. | |
This seems the surest hope in our uncertain plight. | |
Then you can fight, king, if you have a mind for war; | |
That man will never give us two a chance for flight; | |
But we must either flee or face a bitter fight.” | 1125 |
The king approves the plan, then he embraces him | |
And with a kiss he soothes the man. They then withdrew | |
And found a place well suited for an ambush, then | |
Dismounting, tied their horses in the pleasant grass. |
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Note: this English text is identical to that found in Waltharius and Ruodlieb, edited and translated by Dennis M. Kratz. The Garland library of medieval literature, Series A, vol. 14. New York: Garland Pub., 1984.