Waltharius287

Walther hosts a luxurious banquet for Attila’s court; eventually all his intoxicated guests fall asleep (287–323)

Virgo memor praecepta viri complevit. et ecce					DSDSDS	288-323 The opening scene of the book of Esther is an important parallel to this feast scene. Here King Xerxes arranges a great feast in Susa “that he might show the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power” (1.4), but his overdrinking leads him to shame himself when his beautiful wife Vashti refuses his drunken command that she parade in front of the court. This refusal leads him to depose his queen and hunt for another, who will be Esther. SB.
Praefinita dies epularum venit, et ipse			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 5.104: Exspectata dies aderat. ‘The looked-for day had come.’ Hiezecihel Propheta 21.25: cuius venit dies in tempore iniquitatis praefinita. ‘Whose day is come that hath been appointed in the time of iniquity.’		SDDSDS
Waltharius magnis instruxit sumptibus escas.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 3.231: instruimus mensas. ‘We spread the tables.’		DSSSDS
Luxuria in media residebat denique mensa,	290	Luxuria: personified	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 1.637-638.: at domus interior regali splendida luxu/ instruitur, mediisque parant convivia tectis. ‘But the palace within is laid out with the splendour of princely pomp, and amid the halls they prepare a banquet.’		DDDSDS Elision: luxuria in	Luxuria in media residebat denique mensa “and then Luxury settled in the middle of the table”; contrast with 315 where another vice, Drunkenness (Ebrietas), rules the hall. We progress from one vice to another. Both terms are associated in early Christian sources with sexual impropriety, and specifically sodomy. Ambrose of Milan, De Abraham 1.3.14: “Sodoma enim luxuria atque lasciuia est” (C. Schenkl, ed., CSEL 32.1, Prague1897, 512). Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel 5.16.552-3: “Sodoma uocatur et Samaria, quarum altera gentilem uitam luxuriam que significat, altera haereticorum decipulas” (F. Glorie, ed. CCSL 75, Turnhout 1964, 202). John Cassian (c. 360 – 435), De institutis coenobiorum et de octo principalium uitiorum remediis libri XII 5.6: “Sodomitis causa subuersionis atque luxuriae non uini crapula, sed saturitas extitit panis” (M. Petschenig, ed., CSEL 17, Vienna 1888, 86). See M. D. Jordan, “Homosexuality, luxuria, and textual abuse,” Constructing medieval sexuality, ed. K. Lochrie, P. McCracken, and J. A. Schultz (Minneapolis 1997), pp. 24-39. SB. This personification of Luxuria in connection with Drunkenness is also redolent of Prudentius, Psychomachia 378-388. It is interesting that Luxuria is there described as "coming from the East" ("378-9: Venerat occiduis mundi de finibus hostis / Luxuria), just as in the Waltharius a scene is painted of eastern decadence. [JJTY] [An early installment of what Edward Said would call "orientalism" (JZ)?
Ingrediturque aulam velis rex undique septam.		Septam equiv. to saeptam, here “hung with” tapestries (velis), although a certain double-entendre in reference to the trap that is about to “enclose” Attila and his court may be intended.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 1.637-638.: at domus interior regali splendida luxu/ instruitur, mediisque parant convivia tectis. ‘But the palace within is laid out with the splendour of princely pomp, and amid the halls they prepare a banquet.’ Aeneid 9.783: undique saeptus. . . ‘Hemmed in on every side. . .’		DSSSDS Elision: ingrediturque aulam
Heros magnanimus solito quem more salutans			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 6.649: magnanimi heroes. . . ‘High-souled heroes. . .’ 7.357: solito. . .de more. . . ‘According to the accustomed manner. . .’		SDDSDS
Duxerat ad solium, quod bissus compsit et ostrum.		Bissus: “fine linen”	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 8.178: Aenean solioque invitat acerno. ‘He invites Aeneas to a maple throne.’ Secundum Lucam 16.19: induebatur purpura et bysso. ‘He was clothed in purple and fine linen.’		DDSSDS	bissus comspit et ostrum Compare the description of the king’s hall in Esther 1.6: “And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety” (“et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria aerii coloris et carpasini et hyacinthini sustentata funibus byssinis atque purpureis qui eburneis circulis inserti erant et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur lectuli quoque aurei et argentei super pavimentum zmaragdino et pario stratum lapide dispositi erant quod mira varietate pictura decorabat”). Luxurious, foreign elements seem to dominate. SB.
Consedit laterique duces hinc indeque binos			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SDDSDS
Assedisse iubet; reliquos locat ipse minister.	295		Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 8.176: viros locat ipse sedili. ‘With his own hand he ranges the guests on the grassy seat.’		SDDDDS
Centenos simul accubitus iniere sodales,		Centenos equiv. to centum Accubitus: the word implies the ancient practice of reclining on couches while eating, but the poet probably simply means “seat.”	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Prudentius, Apotheosis 713: centenos simul accubitus iniere sodales. ‘Like bosom friends they have joined in a hundred parties.’		SDDDDS	accubitus presumably these are not meant to be reclining seats as used by the Romans, but perhaps benches. On the other hand, in keeping with the depiction of the Hunnish court as exotic and luxurious, it is possible that the original valence is intended. SB
Diversasque dapes libans conviva resudat.		Resudat: The parallel in Prudentius suggests that this “sweating out” is a sign of over-indulgence, not pleasure. Singular for plural.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 5.92: libavitque dapes. ‘He tasted the viands.’ Prudentius, Apotheosis 719-720.: crudus conviva resudat/ congeriem ventris. ‘The cloyed guest is exuding the mass in his belly.’		SDSSDS	resudat possibly from the spiciness of the food. But the parallels in Prudentius remind us that this whole passage serves as a warning against drunkenness and luxury, with Esther as the source of the moral: King Xerxes humiliates himself because he has had too much to drink. exquisitum fervebat migma per aurum Compare the silverware in Esther 1.7: “And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king's magnificence.” (“bibebant autem qui invitati erant aureis poculis et aliis atque aliis vasis cibi inferebantur vinum quoque ut magnificentia regia dignum erat abundans et praecipuum ponebatur”). SB.
His et sublatis aliae referuntur edendae,			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SSDDDS
Atque exquisitum fervebat migma per aurum		Migma: “mixture,” probably some sort of warm drink, e.g. mulled wine (not mead, as this was drunk cold).	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SSSSDS Elision: atque exquisitum	exquisitum fervebat migma per aurum Compare the silverware in Esther 1.7: “And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king's magnificence.” (“bibebant autem qui invitati erant aureis poculis et aliis atque aliis vasis cibi inferebantur vinum quoque ut magnificentia regia dignum erat abundans et praecipuum ponebatur”). SB.[migma has occasioned a bit of perplexity, being construed most often as mixed wine but sometimes as food: see Novum Glossarium, ed. Blatt, col. 472. JZ]
Aurea bissina tantum stant gausape vasa --	300	Bissina…gausape: “linen tablecloth.” The noun is not feminine in Classical authors.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DSSSDS
Et pigmentatus crateres Bachus adornat.		Pigmentatus…Bachus: usually interpreted as “spiced wine;” German wine of the period was sour and had to be sweetened or flavored. But a miniature ecphrasic description of the appearance of the painted crateres (“mixing bowls,” here perhaps “cups”) also seems possible, given the emphasis on the material and visual (aurea, bissina, adornat, species) in this context.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SSSSDS	pigmentatus the idea seems to be that the contents were spicy [or aromatic: JZ], not that the vessel was painted. Either interpretation, however, would contribute to the louche imagery of this type-scene. SB
Illicit ad haustum species dulcedoque potus.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DSDSDS	for a vivid picture of a Germanic drinking bout, as opposed to a classical or biblical bout, see Beowulf lines 491-498. It is perhaps best not to assume that this drinking bout is exclusively Germanic, Classical, or Biblical. SB.
Waltharius cunctos ad vinum hortatur et escam.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DSSSDS Elision: vinum hortatur
Postquam epulis depulsa fames sublataque mensa,		Sublata mensa: once again it is unclear whether this is merely figurative language for “at the end of the meal,” picking up Virgil’s mensae remotae, or whether the poet envisions the tables being carried out. Althof emphasizes that the use of the singular does not establish that the guests necessarily feasted at one common table.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 1.216: postquam exempta fames epulis mensaeque remotae. . . ‘When hunger was banished by the feats and the board was cleared. . .’ 1.723: Postquam prima quies epulis mensaeque remotae. . . ‘When first there came a lull in the feasting, and the boards were cleared. . .’ 8.184: postquam exempta fames et amor compressus edendi. . . ‘When hunger was banished and the desire of food was stayed. . .’		DSDSDS Elision: postquam epulis
Heros iam dictus dominum laetanter adorsus	305	Iam dictus: “the aforementioned,” i.e., Waltharius, a metrical crutch.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SSDSDS
Inquit: 'in hoc, rogito, clarescat gratia vestra,			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DDSSDS
Ut vos inprimis, reliquos tunc laetificetis.'			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Psalmi 103.15: . . .vinum laetificat cor hominis. ‘. . .That wine may cheer the heart of man.’		SSDSDS
Et simul in verbo nappam dedit arte peractam		Nappam equiv. to poculum, cf. German Napf.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 1.640-641.: ingens argentum mensis, caelataque in auro/ fortia facta patrum, series longissima rerum. ‘On the tables is massive silver plate, and in gold are graven the doughty deeds of her sires, a long, long course of exploits.’ Liber Regum III 7.24: duo ordines scalpturarum histriatarum erant fusiles. ‘There were two rows cast of chamfered sculptures.’		DSSDDS	Cf. Esther 1.6-7. SB
Ordine sculpturae referentem gesta priorum,			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 1.640-641.: ingens argentum mensis, caelataque in auro/ fortia facta patrum, series longissima rerum. ‘On the tables is massive silver plate, and in gold are graven the doughty deeds of her sires, a long, long course of exploits.’ Liber Regum III 7.24: duo ordines scalpturarum histriatarum erant fusiles. ‘There were two rows cast of chamfered sculptures.’		DSDSDS
Quam rex accipiens haustu vacuaverat uno,	310		Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SDSDDS
Confestimque iubet reliquos imitarier omnes.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SDDDDS
Ocius accurrunt pincernae moxque recurrunt,		Pincernae: “cup-bearers,” among the Germans usually noble youths.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DSSSDS
Pocula plena dabant et inania suscipiebant.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DDDDDS	Cf. 228, where Walter hands Hildegund an empty cup after drinking. It is worth noting that in Esther 1.8 the king does not, in contradistinction to Walter’s own drinking bout, compel the unwilling to drink (Esther 1.8: nec erat qui nolentes cogeret ad bibendum). SB
Hospitis ac regis certant hortatibus omnes.		Hospitis: i.e., Waltharius, the host of the banquet.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DSSSDS
Ebrietas fervens tota dominatur in aula,	315		Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DSSDDS	Ebrietas contrast with line 290. Where luxuria formerly reigned, now ebrietas holds sway. The parallels with the story in the book of Esther are striking, for it is in the context of heavy drinking (cum rex esset hilarior et post nimiam potionem) that the king orders his wife Vashti to parade in front of the whole court to show off her beauty, a request that she fatefully refuses. The term is used in a Carolingian capitulum that bemoans the practice of sodomy in monastic communities (A. Boretius, ed., MGH Capitularia regum Francorum 1, Capitulare Missorum Generale (802), c. 17). SB.
Balbutit madido facundia fusa palato,			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SDSDDS
Heroas validos plantis titubare videres.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		SDSDDS
Taliter in seram produxit bachica noctem		Produxit bachica…munera: “prolonged the drinking”	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Boethius, Philosophiae Consolationis 2.5.6: Bacchica munera. . . ‘The gifts of Bacchus. . .’ Virgil, Georgics 3.526-527.: Bacchi/ munera.		DSSSDS
Munera Waltharius retrahitque redire volentes,			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DDDDDS
Donec vi potus pressi somnoque gravati	320		Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 6.520: somnoque gravatum. . . ‘Sunk in slumber. . .’		SSSSDS
Passim porticibus sternuntur humotenus omnes.			Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1. Aeneid 9.316-317.: passim somno vinoque per herbam/ corpora fusa vident. ‘Everywhere they see bodies stretched along the grass in drunken sleep.’		SDSDDS	humotenus “groundwards” a word that the Waltharius poet likes, and which is either a neologism or exceedingly rare (it is absent from the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae and from several other Latin dictionaries), though its meaning is clear enough. SB [The word could be construed equally well as being two: humo + tenus, a preposition that is usually placed postpositively. Thus humotenus is comparable to mecum or tecum, which could be written separately--as honoris causa is. JZ]
Et licet ignicremis vellet dare moenia flammis,		Licet…remansit equiv. to etiamsi voluisset dare…nullus remansisset Ignicremis equiv. to igne cremantibus – a rare word, but not coined by this poet.	Aeneid 1.637-642; 1.697-708; 8.175-183. Prudentius, Apotheosis 712-713. Liber Hester chapter 1.		DDSDDS	Cf. the prediction of the destruction of Heorot in Beowulf, trans. Seamus Heaney, p. 7, lines 81-64: "The hall towered, / its gables wide and high and awaiting / a barbarous burning. That doom abided, / but in time it would come" SB
Nullus, qui causam potuisset scire, remansit.		Causam equiv. to rem (cf. line 325 below and note on line 147).			SSDSDS

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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)

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