Waltharius981

Walther is attacked by Eleuthir/Helmnot, assisted by Trogus, Tanastus, and Gunther; he slays all but Gunther (981–1061)

Vix effatus haec truncavit colla precantis.			Aeneid 7.274: haec effatus. . . ‘With these words. . .’		SSSSDS
At nonus pugnae Helmnod successit, et ipse			Aeneid 10.690: succedit pugnae. ‘He takes up the battle.’ 11.826: succedat pugnae. . . ‘That he should take my place in the battle. . .’		SSSSDS Hiatus: pugnae Helmnod
Insertum triplici gestabat fune tridentem,					SDSSDS	Perhaps a lance is meant here, as Althof (1905, ad loc.) claims: “eine schwere Lanze mit Widerhaken, wie sie die Franken führten.” A lance was one of the most common weapons used by Frankish soldiers (see S. Coupland, “Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century.” Viator: Medieval and Renaissance Studies 21 (1990) 29-50, at 46-48). JJTY
Quem post terga quidem socii stantes tenuerunt,		Quem: the funis. The objective is to recover the trident after it has been thrown.			SDDSDS
Consiliumque fuit, dum cuspis missa sederet	985				DDSSDS
In clipeo, cuncti pariter traxisse studerent,					DSDSDS
Ut vel sic hominem deiecissent furibundum;		Vel sic: “perhaps thus”			SDSSDS
Atque sub hac certum sibi spe posuere triumphum.		Certum: predicative			DSDDDS
Nec mora, dux totas fundens in brachia vires					DSSSDS
Misit in adversum magna cum voce tridentem	990		Aeneid 3.68: magna. . .voce. . . ‘With loud voice. . .’		DSSSDS
Edicens: 'ferro tibi finis, calve, sub isto!'		Finis: sc. esto	Prudentius, Psychomachia 54: hic tibi finis erit. ‘This shall be thy last end.’		SSDSDS
Qui ventos penetrans iaculorum more coruscat,		Iaculorum more: the flying spear is not (pointlessly) compared to a iaculum (“javelin”), but rather to the iaculus, a flying tree-snake, as the poet explains in the next line.			SDDSDS	On flying tree snakes, see Pliny, Naturalis historia 8.14.36, and 8.35.85 for the iaculus in particular: iaculum ex arborum ramis vibrari, nec pedibus tantum pavendas serpentes, sed ut missile volare tormento (“...the iaculus balances on tree branches, nor need feet alone fear snakes, since it flies like a javelin from a strap”). This account may then have been used by Lucan in Bellum Civile 9.720 (iaculique volucres, “and flying iaculi”) and 9.823, where he adds that they are found in Africa. Lucan’s account is then used and quoted by Isidore in the Etymologiae sive Origines 12.23: Exiliunt enim in arboribus, et dum aliquod animal obvium fuerit, iactant se super eum et perimunt; unde et iaculi dicti sunt. (“For they launch themselves on trees, and when any animal comes on their path, they throw themselves on top of it and kill it; and that is why they are called javelins”). Althof (1905, ad loc.) remarks: “Der Vergleich des Speeres mit einer Schlange ist echt germanisch.” Though this may be true, the very name attributed to this kind of serpent – iaculus, going back to the Greek akontias (see Nicander, Theriaka 491) – evidences that this comparison was already made in Greco-Roman times. JJTY
Quod genus aspidis ex alta sese arbore tanto					DDDSDS
Turbine demittit, quo cuncta obstantia vincat.					DSSSDS Elision: cuncta obstantia
Quid moror? umbonem sciderat peltaque resedit.	995	Umbonem: here in its more limited, literal sense. The shield is still intact.	Aeneid 4.325; 6.528: quid moror? ‘Why do I linger?’		DSDSDS	Quid moror: This phrase exposes the snake comparison for what it is: a poetic technique to heighten the tension in an exciting moment (Helmnod/Eleuthir has just thrown a lance towards Walther) by supplying unnecessary background information; the phrase “quid moror” (“why do I delay any longer?”) then signals the return to the action. JJTY
Clamorem Franci tollunt saltusque resultat,			Aeineid 10.262: clamorem ad sidera tollunt. ‘They raise a shout to the sky.’ 11.622: clamorem tollunt. ‘They raise a shout.’ 8.305: consonat omne nemus strepitu collesque resultant. ‘The woodland rings with the clamour, and the hills resound.’		SSSSDS	The assonance of the “a” and the “u” gives an impression of an echo at the end of the line, reflecting the “echoing forest”. JJTY
Obnixique trahunt restim simul atque vicissim,					SDSDDS
Nec dubitat princeps tali se aptare labori.		Princeps: Helmnod	Aeneid 10.588: aptat se pugnae. ‘He prepares for the fray.’		DSSSDS Elision: se aptare
Manarunt cunctis sudoris flumina membris.			Aeneid 3.175: gelidus toto manabat corepore sudor. ‘A cold sweat bedewed all my limbs.’ 5.200: sudor fluit undique rivis. ‘Sweat streams down all their limbs.’		SSSSDS	When all of Gunther’s men are straining with the effort to bring Walther down in this “rope pulling contest,” the action is briefly paused by an almost entirely spondaic meter as the camera slowly zooms in on the beads of sweat trickling down the men’s limbs. JJTY
Sed tamen haec inter velut aesculus astitit heros,	1000		Georgics 2.291-292: aesculus in primis, quae quantum vertice ad auras/ aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit./ ergo non hiemes illam, non flabra neque imbres/ convellunt; immota manet. ‘Above all the great oak, which strikes its roots down towards the nether pit as far as it lifts its top to the airs of heaven. Hence no winter storms, no blasts or rains, uproot it; unmoved it abides.’ Aeneid 4.445-446.: ipsa haeret scopulis et quantum vertice ad auras/ aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit:/ haud secus. . .heros/tunditur. ‘[The oak] clings to the crag, and as far as it lifts its top to the airs of heaven, so far it strikes its roots down towards hell: even so the hero is buffeted.’ 3.77: immotamque coli dedit et contemnere ventos. ‘He allows it to lie unmoved, defying the winds.’		DSDDDS	The tree simile has become characteristic of epic: the present one goes back to Virgil, Aeneid 4.441-9 (which builds on Georgics, 2.291-2, though it is not a simile there), which has reminiscences of Catullus, 64.105ff. (the epyllion) and ultimately Homer, Iliad 12.131ff. and 16.765ff. Whereas the Homeric and Catullan similes, as well as the passage from the Georgics, center around an image of robust, immovable strength, Virgil employs the simile in the Aeneid to portray Aeneas’ mental resolve in opposing Dido’s laments (delivered by Anna). Cf. R.D. Williams, Virgil: Aeneid I-VI, London: Bristol Classical Press, 1972, ad loc.: “...he has applied to mental strength what is generally an image of physical strength.” The poet of the Waltharius, in turn, flips the image around to portray Walther’s insurmountable strength in what is essentially a rope-pulling competition. As Althof (1905, ad loc.) rightly remarks, this passage is not evoking the mythical tree Yggdrasil from Germanic mythology. JJTY
Quae non plus petit astra comis quam Tartara fibris,		Fibris equiv. to radicibus			SDDSDS
Contempnens omnes ventorum immota fragores.					SSSSDS Elision: ventorum immota
Certabant hostes hortabanturque viritim,					SSSSDS
Ut, si non quirent ipsum detrudere ad arvum,		Detrudere ad arvum: i.e., kill?			SSSSDS Elision: detrudere ad
Munimen clipei saltem extorquere studerent,	1005		Aeneid 12.357: dextrae mucronem extorquet. ‘He wrests the sword from his hand.’		SDSSDS Elision: saltem extorquere
Quo dempto vivus facile caperetur ab ipsis.		Facile: the e of the adverb is here long.			SSDDDS
Nomina quae restant edicam iamque trahentum:					DSSSDS	Again the poet increases the tension by providing a catalog of the participants and their place of origin, right in the middle of the action. JJTY
Nonus Eleuthir erat, Helmnod cognomine dictus,		Eleuthir…Helmnod: a double name, cf. line 687.	Aeneid 3.702: Gela fluvii cognomine dicta. . . ‘Gela, named after its river. . .’		DDSSDS	According to Schroeder, Eleuthir is a possible Langobardic double version of the name (Heleutherius vs. Leutherius). He also remarks that one would expect Eleuthir to be the nickname, not Helmnod. See E. Schroeder, “Die deutschen Personennamen in Ekkehards Waltharius.” In Studien zur lateinischen Dichtung des Mittelalters: Ehrengabe für Karl Strecker. Ed. W. Stach and H. Walther. Schriftenreihe der Historischen Vierteljahrsschrift 1.Dresden: Buchdr. der Wilhelm und Berta v. Baensch Stiftung, 1931, 143-157, at 150-151. JJTY
Argentina quidem decimum dant oppida Trogum,		Argentina…oppida: the Roman town Argentoratum, today Strasbourg, France.			SDDSDS
Extulit undecimum pollens urbs Spira Tanastum,	1010	Spira: Speyer, now a city in the German Rhineland-Palatinate.			DDSSDS
Absque Haganone locum rex supplevit duodenum.		Gunther takes the place of Hagen, originally reckoned among the twelve (cf. lines 475-477).			DDSSDS Elision: absque Haganone
Quattuor hi adversum summis conatibus unum					DSSSDS Elision: hi adversum
Contendunt pariter multo varioque tumultu.			Aeneid 2.122: magno. . .tumultu. . . ‘With loud clamour. . .’		SDSDDS
Interea Alpharidi vanus labor incutit iram,			Aeneid 11.728: incutit iras. ‘He fills him with wrath.’		DDSDDS Elision: interea Alpharidi
Et qui iam pridem nudarat casside frontem,	1015				SSSSDS	iam pridem nudarat casside frontem: cf. 960-1. JJTY
In framea tunicaque simul confisus aena		Framea equiv. to gladio here, though cf. Tac. Germ 6: hastas vel ipsorum vocabulo frameas gerunt.			DDDSDS
Omisit parmam primumque invasit Eleuthrin.					SSSSDS Elision: primumque in
Huic galeam findens cerebrum diffudit et ipsam					DSDSDS
Cervicem resecans pectus patefecit, at aegrum			Aeneid 10.601: latebras animae pectus mucrone recludit. ‘With the sword he cleft open his breast, where life lies hidden.’		SDSDDS
Cor pulsans animam liquit mox atque calorem.	1020		Aeineid 3.140: linquebant dulcis animas. ‘Men gave up their sweet lives.’ 9.475: miserae calor ossa reliquit. ‘Warmth left her hapless frame.’		SDSSDS
Inde petit Trogum haerentem in fune nefando.					DSSSDS Elision: haerentem in Hiatus: Trogum haerentem
Qui subito attonitus recidentis morte sodalis			Aeneid 10.386: furit incautum crudeli morte sodalis. ‘He rages, reckless over his comrade’s cruel death.’ 11.796: sterneret ut subita turbatam morte Camillam. . . ‘That he might overthrow and strike down Camilla in sudden death.’		DDDSDS Elision: subito attonitus
Horribilique hostis conspectu coeperat acrem			Aeineid 11.271: horribili visu portenta sequuntur. ‘Portents of dreadful view pursue me.’ Georgics 3.141-142.: acri/ carpere prata fuga. . . ‘To scour the meadows in swift flight. . .’		DSSSDS Elision: horribilique hostis
Nequiquam temptare fugam voluitque relicta			Georgics 3.141-142.: acri/ carpere prata fuga. . . ‘To scour the meadows in swift flight. . .’ Aeineid 12.484: fugam cursu temptavit equorum. ‘He strove by running to match the flihgt of the horses.’		SSDDDS
Arma recolligere, ut rursum repararet agonem.	1025		Aeineid 5.15: colligere arma iubet. ‘He bids them gather in the tackling.’		DDSDDS Elision: recolligere ut
Nam cuncti funem tracturi deposuerunt			Aeneid 12.707: armaque deposuere umeris. ‘They took off the armour from their shoulders.’		SSSSDS
Hastas cum clipeis.) sed quanto maximus heros			Aeneid 12.707: armaque deposuere umeris. ‘They took off the armour from their shoulders.’ Aeineid 6.192: maximus heros. . . ‘The great hero. . .’		SDSSDS
Fortior extiterat, tanto fuit ocior, olli		Olli…capto: Trogus, dative of disadvantage. For the construction with the ablative cursu, cf. line 1325: furto captum.			DDSDDS
Et cursu capto suras mucrone recidit					SSSSDS	Notice how, in contrast to the previous quick-paced verse (which describes the speed of Walther), the almost entirely spondaic meters of both vs. 1029 and 1030 strikingly represent the slowed-down action as Walther, having caught up to one of the men, manages to slow Trogus down by cutting his hamstring. JJTY
Ac sic tardatum praevenit et abstulit eius	1030				SSSDDS
Scutum. sed Trogus, quamvis de vulnere lassus,		De vulnere: cf. note on prologue, line 10.			SSSSDS	The enjambment (continuation of a syntactical unit over into the following verse) causes the shield to be effectively “snatched” from the previous verse, corresponding with "abstulit" ("stole") in 1030. JJTY
Mente tamen fervens saxum circumspicit ingens,			Aeineid 12.896-897.: saxum circumspicit ingens. . .ille manu raptum trepida torquebat in hostem. ‘He glances round and sees a huge stone. . .With hurried grasp, he seized and hurled it at his foe.’ 12.266: adversos telum contorsit in hostes. ‘Darting forward, he hurled his spear full against the foe.’		DSSSDS
Quod rapiens subito obnixum contorsit in hostem					DDSSDS Elision: subito obnixum
Et proprium a summo clipeum fidit usque deorsum.		Proprium…scutum: Trogus’s own shield, being used by Waltharius.			DSDDDS Elision: proprium a
Sed retinet fractum pellis superaddita lignum.	1035				DSSDDS	This is consistent with the structure of shields in the Carolingina period, see Coupland, Simon. “Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century.” Viator: Medieval and Renaissance Studies 21 (1990) 29-50, especially 35-38. Cf. 776: taurino contextum tergore lignum (“the bull’s-hide-covered wood”). JJTY
Moxque genu posito viridem vacuaverat aedem		Viridem…aedem equiv. to vaginam Vacuaverat: the subject is Trogus.			DDDDDS
Atque ardens animis vibratu terruit auras,			Prudentius, Psychomachia 297: territat auras. ‘He affrighted the heavens.’		SDSSDS Elision: atque ardens
Et si non quivit virtutem ostendere factis,					SSSSDS Elision: virtutem ostendere
Corde tamen habitum patefecit et ore virilem.		Habitum equiv. to animum	Aeineid 9.311: ante annos animumque gerens curamque virilem. . . ‘With a man’s mind and a spirit beyond his years. . .’		DDDDDS
Nec manes ridere videns audaciter infit:	1040	Manes ridere: the parallel image in line 849 suggests that ridere depends not on infit (so Wieland) but rather on videns.			SSDSDS	audaciter: the more common form is audacter. JJTY
O mihi si clipeus vel sic modo adesset amicus!					DDSDDS Elision: modo adesset
Fors tibi victoriam de me, non inclita virtus					DDSSDS
Contulit. ad scutum mucronem hic tollito nostrum!'					DSSSDS Elision: mucronem hic
Tum quoque subridens 'venio iam' dixerat heros					DSDSDS
Et cursu advolitans dextram ferientis ademit.	1045				SDSDDS Elision: cursu advolitans
Sed cum athleta ictum libraret ab aure secundum		Secundum equiv. to iterum	Aeineid 9.417: ecce aliud summa telum librabat ab aure. ‘He balances another weapon close to his ear.’		SSSDDS Elision: cum athleta; athleta ictum
Pergentique animae valvas aperire studeret,					SDSDDS Elision: pergentique animae
Ecce Tanastus adest telis cum rege resumptis					DDSSDS
Et socium obiecta protexit vulnere pelta.			Aeneid 12.377: clipeo obiecto. . . ‘With his shield before him. . .’ Aeineid 10.800: genitor nati parma protectus abiret. ‘The father, guarded by his son’s shield, could withdraw.’		DSSSDS Elision: socium obiecta
Hinc indignatus iram convertit in ipsum	1050				SSSSDS
Waltharius humerumque eius de cardine vellit			Aeneid 2.480: postisque a cardine vellit. ‘From their hinge he tears the doors.’		DDSSDS Elision: humerumque eius
Perque latus ducto suffudit viscera ferro.					DSSSDS
Ave! procumbens submurmurat ore Tanastus.					SSSDDS
Quo recidente preces contempsit promere Trogus					DDSSDS
Conviciisque sui victorem incendit amaris,	1055		Aeneid 10.368: dictis virtutem accendit amaris. ‘With bitter words he fires their courage.’		DDSSDS Elision: victorem incendit
Seu virtute animi, seu desperaverat. exin					SDSSDS Elision: virtute animi
Alpharides: 'morere' inquit 'et haec sub Tartara transfer			Aeineid 2.547-548.: referes ergo haec et nuntius ibis/ Pelidae genitori; illi mea tristia facta/ degeneremque Neoptolemum narrare memento;/ nunc morere. ‘Then you shall bear this news and go as messenger to my sire, Peleus’ son; be sure to tell him of my sorry deeds and his degenerate Neoptolemus! Now die!’ 10.600: morere et fratrem ne desere frater. ‘Die, and let not brother forsake brother!’ 10.743: nunc morere. ‘Now die.’		DDDSDS Elision: morere inquit
Enarrans sociis, quod tu sis ultus eosdem.'					SDSSDS
His dictis torquem collo circumdedit aureum.		Variously interpreted. (1) Waltharius strangles Trogus with a gold necklace that Trogus is wearing. (2) The torquem aureum is actually one of blood, yielding a figurative description of decapitation. (3) The neck in question is Waltharius’s, and the torques is a trophy of his victory, either literally (taken from Trogus) or figuratively (referring to a Roman practice, cf. Statius Thebaid 10.517, Silius Italicus Punica 15.255).	Danihel Propheta 5.29: circumdata est torques aurea collo eius. ‘A chain of gold was put around his neck.’ Liber Genesis 41.42: collo torquem auream circumposuit. ‘He put a chain of gold about his neck.’		SSSSDS False quantities: aureum
Ecce simul caesi volvuntur pulvere amici,	1060				DSSSDS Elision: pulvere amici
Crebris foedatum ferientes calcibus arvum.		Calcibus: with ferientes, describing their fall or perhaps their death throes.	Aeineid 10.404: caedit semianimis Rutulorum calcibus arva. ‘He spurns with his heels the Rutulian fields.’ 10.730-731.: calcibus atram/ tundit humum. ‘He hammers the black ground with his heels.’		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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