Waltharius358English
The following day, the escape of Walther and Hildegund is discovered by Ospirin (358–379)
The people of the city, slack with sleep and wine, | |
Lay sleeping to the middle of the following day. | |
But after they arise, they all seek out their leader | 360 |
To offer thanks and greet him with their festive praise. | |
The king, Attila, while he grasps his head in both | |
His hands, departs his room in pain and summons Walter, | |
In order to complain about his misery. | |
The serving men reply that they have not been able | 365 |
To find the man; the king, however, hopes that he, | |
Still held by sleep, is lying quietly and has | |
Selected for himself some hidden place for resting. | |
But after Ospirin learned that Hildegund was absent | |
And has not brought her clothes according to her custom, | 370 |
She calls out sadly to her lord with mighty cries, | |
“Detestable that food which we ate yesterday! | |
O wine that has destroyed all the Pannonians! | |
What I, foreknowing, long since told my lord and king, | |
This day which we can not make good has brought to pass. | 375 |
Oh yes, today we know the prop of your empire | |
Has fallen away, its strength and famous courage gone. | |
The beacon of Pannonia, Walter, has departed, | |
And taken too my precious daughter Hildegund!” |
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.