Waltharius878

6th single combat: after trying to dissuade him from fighting, Walther slays Patavrid (878–913)

Waltharius, licet alonge, socium fore maestum		Alonge: cf. note on line 480.			DDSDDS
Attendit, clamorque simul pervenit ad aures.			Aeineid 2.81: pervenit ad aures. . . ‘It has brought to your ears. . .’ 2.119: vulgi quae vox ut venit ad auris. . . ‘When this utterance came to the ears of the crowd. . .’ 9.395-396: cum clamor ad auris/ pervenit. . . ‘When a cry reaches his ears. . .’		SSDSDS
Unde incursantem sic est affatus equestrem:	880		Aeineid 6.666: quos circumfusos sic est adfata Sibylla. ‘These as they streamed round, the Sibyl thus addressed.’		SSSSDS Elision: unde incursantem
Accipe consilium, iuvenis clarissime, nostrum			Aeineid 1.676: nostram nunc accipe mentem. ‘Take now my thought.’		DDDSDS
Et te conservans melioribus utere fatis.			Aeineid 6.546: i decus, i, nostrum; melioribus utere fatis. ‘Go, you who are our glory, go; enjoy a happier fate!’ 1.207: vosmet rebus servate secundis. ‘Live for a happier day.’		SSDDDS
Desine, nam tua te fervens fiducia fallit!					DDSSDS
Heroum tot cerne neces et cede duello,		Cede equiv. to discede			SSDSDS
Ne suprema videns hostes facias mihi plures.'	885				SDSDDS
Quid de morte mea curas,' ait ille, 'tyranne?			Aeineid 12.48-49.: quam pro me curam geris, hanc precor, optime, pro me/ deponas. ‘The care you have on my behalf, most gracious lord, on my behalf, I pray, resign.’		SDSDDS
Est modo pugnandum tibimet, non sermocinandum.'			Aeneid 12.890: non cursu, saevis certandum est comminus armis. ‘Not in a race, but hand to hand with savage weapons, must we contend.’		DSDSDS
Dixit et in verbo nodosam destinat hastam,			Aeineid 9.743-744.: dixerat. Ille rudem nodis et cortice crudo/ intorquet summis adnixus viribus hastam; excepere aurae; vulnus Saturnia Iuno/ detorsit veniens, portaeque infigitur hasta. ‘He ended; the other, striving with all his might, hurls his spear, rough with knots and unpeeled bark. The winds received it; Saturnian Juno turned aside the coming blow, and the spear lodges in the gate.’ 6.547: tantum effatus, et in verbo. . . ‘Thus much he said and, as he spoke. . .’		DSSSDS
Cuspide quam propria divertens transtulit heros.			Aeineid 9.743-744.: dixerat. Ille rudem nodis et cortice crudo/ intorquet summis adnixus viribus hastam; excepere aurae; vulnus Saturnia Iuno/ detorsit veniens, portaeque infigitur hasta. ‘He ended; the other, striving with all his might, hurls his spear, rough with knots and unpeeled bark. The winds received it; Saturnian Juno turned aside the coming blow, and the spear lodges in the gate.’ 6.547: tantum effatus, et in verbo. . . ‘Thus much he said and, as he spoke. . .’		DDSSDS
Quae subvecta choris ac viribus acta furentis	890	Choris equiv. to Cauris/Coris, i.e., ventis.			SDSDDS
In castrum venit atque pedes stetit ante puellae.		In castrum: i.e., behind Waltharius, to the open space past the cliffs where Hiltgunt, the horses, and the treasure are.			SDDDDS
Ipsa metu perculsa sonum prompsit muliebrem.			Aeineid 1.513-514.: percussus Achates/ laetitiaque metuque. . . ‘Achates, thrilled with joy and fear. . .’		DSDSDS
At postquam tenuis redit in praecordia sanguis,			Aeineid 10.452: frigidus Arcadibus coit in praecordia sanguis. ‘Cold blood gathers at the hearts of the Arcadians.’ 2.367: redit in praecordia virtus. ‘Valour returns to the hearts.’		SDDSDS
Paulum suspiciens spectat, num viveret heros.		Suspiciens: in its literal sense, unlike in e.g. line 568.			SDSSDS
Tum quoque vir fortis Francum discedere bello	895	Francum: Patavrid	Aeineid 2.109: discedere bello. . . ‘To depart from the war. . .’		DSSSDS
Iussit. at ille furens gladium nudavit et ipsum		Ipsum: Waltharius	Aeineid 10.474-475.: magnis emittit viribus hastam/ vaginaque cava fulgentem deripit ensem. ‘He hurls his spear with all his strength and plucks his flashing sword from its hollow scabbard.’ 9.548: ense levis nudo. . . ‘Lightly accoutred with naked sword. . .’		DDDSDS
Incurrens petiit vulnusque a vertice librat.		Vulnus equiv. to gladium, as often; cf. line 903 below.	Aeineid 2.529: ardens infesto vulnere. . . ‘Eager to strike. . .’ 5.436: duro crepitant sub vulnere malae. ‘Cheeks rattle under the hard strokes.’ 9.417: aliud summa telum librabat ab aure. ‘He balances another weapon close to his ear.’ 5.444: ictum venientem a vertice. . . ‘The down-coming blow. . .’		SDSSDS Elision: vulnusque a
Alpharides parmam demum concusserat aptam					DSSSDS
Et spumantis apri frendens de more tacebat.			Aeineid 1.324: spumantis apri cursum. . . ‘The track of a foaming boar. . .’ 4.158-159.: spumantemque dari pecora inter inertia votis/ optat aprum. ‘He prays that amid the timorous herds a foaming boar may be granted to his vows.’ 10.718: dentibus infrendens. . . ‘With gnashing teeth. . .’		SDSSDS
Ille ferire volens se pronior omnis ad ictum	900	Pronior: comparative for positive, as often; cf. citius, ocius below.	Aeineid 5.147: pronique in verbera pendent. ‘They bend forward to the lash.’ 10.586: pronus pendens in verbera. . . ‘Leaning forward to the stroke. . .’		DDSDDS
Exposuit, sed Waltharius sub tegmine flexus			Aeineid 12.491-492.: se collegit in arma/ poplite subsidens. ‘He gathered himself behind his shield, sinking upon his knee.’		DSDSDS
Delituit corpusque suum contraxit, et ecce					DSDSDS
Vulnere delusus iuvenis recidebat ineptus.			Aeineid 5.446-447.: Entellus vires in ventum effudit et. . .ad terram pondere vasto/ concidit. ‘Entellus spent his strength on air, and in his huge bulk fell to earth.’		DSDDDS
Finis erat, nisi quod genibus tellure refixis		Comments on the events of lines 900-902. Erat…accubuit…cavebat equiv. to fuisset…accubuisset…cavisset	Aeineid 1.223: et iam finis erat. ‘Now all was ended.’		DDDSDS
Belliger accubuit calibemque sub orbe cavebat.	905	Belliger: Waltharius Cavebat: transitive Orbe: sc. scuti	Aeineid 2.227: clipeique sub orbe teguntur. ‘They nestle under the circle of her shield.’		DDDDDS
Hic dum consurgit, pariter se subrigit ille					SSDSDS
Ac citius scutum trepidus sibi praetulit atque					DSDDDS
Frustra certamen renovare parabat. at illum					SSDDDS
Alpharides fixa gladio petit ocius hasta		Fixa…hasta: he plants his spear in the ground.	Aeineid 12.130: defigunt tellure hastas. ‘They plant their spears in the earth.’ Prudentius, Psychomachia 348: defixa cuspide sistit. ‘She plants the spike in the ground.’		DSDDDS
Et mediam clipei dempsit vasto impete partem,	910	Impete equiv. to impetus. The archaic form is not in Virgil but is frequent in Lucretius.	Aeineid 10.484-485: vibranti cuspis medium transverberat ictu/ loricaeque moras et pectus perforat ingens. ‘With quivering stroke the point tears through the centre of the shield; then pierces the corslet’s barrier and the mighty breast.’ Ovid, Metapmorphoses 8.359: certo (vasto) sic impete. . . ‘So with irresistable force. . .’ 3.79: inpete nunc vasto. . . “Now with a huge rush. . .’ Prudentius, Apotheosis 65: magno impete. . . ‘With mighty power. . .’		DDSSDS Elision: vasto impete
Hamatam resecans loricam atque ilia nudans.		Hamatam: i.e., made of chain maille	Aeineid 3.467: loricam consertam hamis. . . ‘A breastplate woven with hooks. . .’ Aeineid 1.211: viscera nudant. ‘They lay bare the flesh.’		SDSSDS Elision: lorica atque; atque ilia
Labitur infelix Patavrid sua viscera cernens			Aeineid 5.329; Georgics 3.498: labitur infelix. ‘He falls, luckless one.’		DSDDDS
Silvestrique ferae corpus, animam dedit Orco.		Chiastic arrangement.	Aeneid 10.559: alitibus linquere feris. ‘You will be left for the birds of prey.’ 2.398: multos Danaum demittimus Orco. ‘Many a Greek we send down to Orcus.’ 9.527: quem quisque virum demiserit Orco . .. ‘Whom each warrior sent down to doom.’ 9.785: iuvenum primos tot miserit Orco? ‘Shall he send down to death so many of our noblest youths?’		SDSDDS

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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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