Waltharius754

4th single combat: Walther slays the Saxon Ekivrid, after an exchange of insults (754–780)

Sed non dementem tria visa cadavera terrent					SSDDDS
Guntharium: iubet ad mortem properare vicissim.	755				DDSDDS
En a Saxonicis oris Ekivrid generatus		Saxonicis oris: Saxony in the early Middle Ages was the north-west area of present day Germany, today’s Niedersachsen.			SDSDDS
Quartus temptavit bellum, qui pro nece facta					SSSSDS
Cuiusdam primatis eo diffugerat exul.		Primatis: here not necessarily a cleric, but a noble.			SSDSDS False quantities: primatis
Quem spadix gestabat equus maculis variatus.			Aeineid 5.565-566.: quem Thracius albis/ portat equus bicolor maculis. ‘Him a Thracian horse bears, dappled with spots of white.’ 9.49-50.: maculis quem Thracius albis/ portat equus. ‘A Thracian steed, spotted with white, bears him.’ Georgics 3.81-82.: honesti/ spadices glaucique. ‘Good colors are bay and grey.’		SSDDDS
Hic ubi Waltharium promptum videt esse duello,	760				DDSDDS
Dic', ait, 'an corpus vegetet tractabile temet			Prudentius, Apotheosis 956 f: aerium Manichaeus ait sine corpore vero/ pervolitasse Deum, mendax phantasma cavamque/ corporis effigiem, nil contrectabile habentem. ‘There moved about, says the Manichean, a phantasmal God without real body, a false appearance, an empty likeness of body, having nothing tangible.’ Aeineid 3.310-311.: verane te facies, verus mihi nuntius adfers,/ nate dea? vivisne? ‘Are you a real form, a real messenger, coming to me, goddess-born? Are you alive?’ 6.292-293.: ni docta comes tenuis sine corpore vitas/ admoneat volitare cava sub imagine formae. . . ‘Unless his wise companion had warned him that these were but faint, bodiless lives, flitting under a hollow semblance of form. . .’ 6.700: ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia circum,/ ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago,/ par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno. ‘Thrice there he strove to throw his arms about his neck; thrice the form, vainly clasped, fled from his hands, even as light winds, and most like a winged dream.’ 10.636-637.: tum dea nube cava tenuem sine viribus umbram/ in faciem Aeneae. . .morte obita qualis fama est volitare figuras/ qut quae sopitos deludunt somnia sensus. ‘Then the goddess from hollow mist fashions a thin, strengthless phantom in the likeness of Aeneas. . .like shapes that flit, it is said, after death, or like dreams that mock the slumbering senses.’ 12.889-890.: quae nunc deinde mora est? aut quid iam, Turne, retractas? ‘What more delay is there now? Why Turnus, do you still draw back?’		DSDSDS
Sive per aerias fallas, maledicte, figuras.			Prudentius, Apotheosis 956 f: aerium Manichaeus ait sine corpore vero/ pervolitasse Deum, mendax phantasma cavamque/ corporis effigiem, nil contrectabile habentem. ‘There moved about, says the Manichean, a phantasmal God without real body, a false appearance, an empty likeness of body, having nothing tangible.’ Aeineid 3.310-311.: verane te facies, verus mihi nuntius adfers,/ nate dea? vivisne? ‘Are you a real form, a real messenger, coming to me, goddess-born? Are you alive?’ 6.292-293.: ni docta comes tenuis sine corpore vitas/ admoneat volitare cava sub imagine formae. . . ‘Unless his wise companion had warned him that these were but faint, bodiless lives, flitting under a hollow semblance of form. . .’ 6.700: ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia circum,/ ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago,/ par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno. ‘Thrice there he strove to throw his arms about his neck; thrice the form, vainly clasped, fled from his hands, even as light winds, and most like a winged dream.’ 10.636-637.: tum dea nube cava tenuem sine viribus umbram/ in faciem Aeneae. . .morte obita qualis fama est volitare figuras/ qut quae sopitos deludunt somnia sensus. ‘Then the goddess from hollow mist fashions a thin, strengthless phantom in the likeness of Aeneas. . .like shapes that flit, it is said, after death, or like dreams that mock the slumbering senses.’ 12.889-890.: quae nunc deinde mora est? aut quid iam, Turne, retractas? ‘What more delay is there now? Why Turnus, do you still draw back?’ Prudentius, Psychomachia 712: aerius et de phantasmate visus. ‘He is unsubstantial, a mere apparition.’		DSSDDS
Saltibus assuetus faunus mihi quippe videris.'		Faunus: Ekivrid insults Waltharius by asking whether he is not just a ghostly, Silenus-like “wood-goblin.”	Aeineid 5.301: adsueti silvis. . . ‘Inured to the forests. . .’		DSSDDS
Illeque sublato dedit haec responsa cachinno:					DSDSDS
Celtica lingua probat te ex illa gente creatum,	765	Celtica lingua: Since Ekivrid is a Saxon German, this must mean simply a “barbaric foreign accent.” The poet is probably referring to the effects of the consonant shift that separated High German from Low German, the latter being spoken in the Saxon region.			DDSSDS Elision: te ex
Cui natura dedit reliquas ludendo praeire.					SDDSDS False quantities: praeire
At si te propius venientem dextera nostra					SDDSDS
Attingat, post Saxonibus memorare valebis,					SSDDDS
Te nunc in Vosago fauni fantasma videre.'					SDSSDS
Attemptabo quidem, quid sis', Ekivrid ait, ac mox	770				SDSDDS
Ferratam cornum graviter iacit. illa retorto		Ferratam cornum: i.e., a spear made of cornel wood	Ovid, Metamorphoses 12.323-324.: ferrataque collo/ fraxinus. . .adacta est. ‘The iron-tipped ash was driven through his neck.’ Prudentius, Psychomachia 324-325.: stridula lancea torto/ emicat amento. ‘The lash-thrown lance shoots forth hissing.’		SSDDDS
Emicat amento: quam durus fregerat umbo.		Amento: a strap used to fling the spear with greater force	Prudentius, Psychomachia 324-325.: stridula lancea torto/ emicat amento. ‘The lash-thrown lance shoots forth hissing.’		DSSSDS
Waltharius contra respondit cuspide missa:					DSSSDS
Haec tibi silvanus transponit munera faunus.			Aeineid 10.881-882.: ‘haec tibi porto/ dona prius.’ dixit, telumque intorsit in hostem. ‘ “First I bring you these gifts.” He spoke, and hurled a javelin at his foe.’		DSSSDS
Aspice, num mage sit telum penetrabile nostrum.'	775		Aeineid 10.481-482.: ‘aspice num mage sit nostrum penetrabile telum.’/ dixerat; at clipeum. . .quem pellis totiens obeat circumdata tauri,/ vibranti cuspis medium transverberat ictu/ loricaeque moras et pectus perforat ingens. ‘ “See whether my weapon is not sharper!” He had spoken; and with quivering stroke the point tears through the center of the shield, with all the bull hide’s overlaying folds; then pierces the corslet’s barrier and the mighty breast.’ 10.784-785.: per linea terga tribusque/ transiit intextum tauris opus, imaque sedit/ inguine. ‘Through the inwoven work of triple bull hides it sped, and lodged low in the groin.’		DDSDDS
Lancea taurino contextum tergore lignum			Aeineid 10.481-482.: ‘aspice num mage sit nostrum penetrabile telum.’/ dixerat; at clipeum. . .quem pellis totiens obeat circumdata tauri,/ vibranti cuspis medium transverberat ictu/ loricaeque moras et pectus perforat ingens. ‘ “See whether my weapon is not sharper!” He had spoken; and with quivering stroke the point tears through the center of the shield, with all the bull hide’s overlaying folds; then pierces the corslet’s barrier and the mighty breast.’ 10.784-785.: per linea terga tribusque/ transiit intextum tauris opus, imaque sedit/ inguine. ‘Through the inwoven work of triple bull hides it sped, and lodged low in the groin.’		DSSSDS
Diffidit ac tunicam scindens pulmone resedit.					DDSSDS
Volvitur infelix Ekivrid rivumque cruoris			Aeineid 9.414: volvitur ille vomens calidum de pectore flumen. ‘Spouting a warm torrent from his breast he rolls over.’ 9.433-434.: volvitur Euryalus leto. ‘Euryalus rolls over in death.’ 10.781: sternitur infelix. ‘He falls, unlucky man.’ 11.668: sanguinis ille vomens rivos cadit. ‘Coughing streams of blood, he falls.’		DSDSDS
Evomit: en mortem fugiens incurrit eandem.			Aeineid 9.414: volvitur ille vomens calidum de pectore flumen. ‘Spouting a warm torrent from his breast he rolls over.’ 9.433-434.: volvitur Euryalus leto. ‘Euryalus rolls over in death.’ 10.781: sternitur infelix. ‘He falls, unlucky man.’ 11.668: sanguinis ille vomens rivos cadit. ‘Coughing streams of blood, he falls.’		DSDSDS
Cuius equum iuvenis post tergum in gramen abegit.	780				DDSSDS Elision: tergum in

---

« previous

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)

next »

English