Waltharius436Scansion

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)

Ōrtă dĭēs pōstquām tĕnĕbrās dīscūssĕrăt ātrās		DSDSDS
Pōrtĭtŏr ēxūrgēns praēfātām vēnĭt ĭn ūrbĕm		DSSSDS
Rēgālīquĕ cŏcō rĕlĭquōrūm quīppĕ măgīstrō		SDDSDS
Dētŭlĕrāt pīscēs quōs vīr dĕdĭt īllĕ vĭātŏr		DSSDDS
Hōs dūm pīgmēntīs cōndīssĕt ĕt āppŏsŭīssĕt	440	SSSDDS
Rēgī Gūnthărĭō mīrātūs fātŭr ăb āltō		SDSSDS
Īstĭŭs ērgŏ mŏdī pīscēs mĭhĭ Frāncĭă nūmquăm		DDSDDS
Ōstēndīt rĕŏr ēxtērnīs ā fīnĭbŭs īllōs		SDSSDS
Dīc mĭhĭ quāntŏcĭūs cuīās hŏmŏ dētŭlĭt īllōs		DDSDDS
Īpsĕquĕ rēspōndēns nārrāt quōd naūtă dĕdīssĕt	445	DSSSDS
Āccērsīrɇ hŏmĭnēm prīncēps praēcēpĭt ĕūndĕm		SDSSDS
Ēt cūm vēnīssēt dē rē quaēsītŭs ĕādĕm		SSSSDS
Tālĭă dīctă dĕdīt caūsāmquɇ ēx ōrdĭnĕ pāndĭt		DDSSDS
Vēspĕrĕ praētĕrĭtō rĕsĭdēbām lītŏrĕ Rhēnī		DDDSDS
Cōnspēxīquĕ vĭātōrēm prŏpĕrē vĕnĭēntĕm	450	SDSDDS
Ēt vĕlŭtī pūgnaē cērtūm pēr mēmbră părātŭm		DSSSDS
Aērɇ ĕtĕnīm pĕnĭtūs fŭĕrāt, rēx īnclĭtĕ cīnctŭs		DDDSDS
Gēssĕrăt ēt scūtūm grădĭēns hāstāmquĕ cŏrūscăm		DSDSDS
Nāmquĕ vĭrō fōrtī sĭmĭlīs fŭĭt ēt lĭcĕt īngēns		DSDDDS
Āspōrtārĕt ŏnūs grēssūm tămĕn ēxtŭlĭt ācrĕm	455	SDSDDS
Hūnc īncrēdĭbĭlī fōrmaē dĕcŏrātă nĭtōrĕ		SDSDDS
Āssĕquĭtūr cālcēmquĕ tĕrīt iām cālcĕ pŭēllă		DSDSDS
Īpsăquĕ rōbūstūm rēxīt pēr lōră căbāllŭm		DSSSDS
Scrīnĭă bīnă quĭdēm dōrsō nōn pārvă fĕrēntĕm		DDSSDS
Quaē dūm cērvīcēm sŏnĭpēs dīscūssĕrĭt āltăm	460	SSDSDS
Ātquĕ sŭpērbă cŭpīt glŏmĕrārĕ vŏlūmĭnă crūrŭm		DDDDDS
Dānt sŏnĭtūm ceū quīs gēmmīs īllīsĕrĭt aūrŭm		DSSSDS
Hīc mĭhĭ praēsēntēs dĕdĕrāt prō mūnĕrĕ pīscēs		DSDSDS
Hīs Hăgănø aūdītīs ād mēnsām quīppĕ rĕsēdĭt		DSSSDS
Laētĭŏr īn mĕdĭūm prōmpsīt dē pēctŏrĕ vērbŭm	465	DDSSDS
Cōngaūdētĕ mĭhī quaēsō quĭă tālĭă nōvī		SDSDDS
Wālthărĭūs cōllēgă mĕūs rĕmĕāvĭt ăb Hūnīs		DSDDDS
Gūnthărĭūs prīncēps ēx hāc rătĭōnĕ sŭpērbŭs		DSSDDS
Vōcĭfĕrātŭr ĕt ōmnĭs ĕī mōx aūlă rĕclāmăt		DDDSDS
Cōngaūdētĕ mĭhī iŭbĕō quĭă tālĭă vīxī	470	SDDDDS
Gāzām quām Gĭbĭchō rēgī trānsmīsĭt ĕōō		SDSSDS
Nūnc mĭhĭ cūnctĭpŏtēns hūc īn mĕă rēgnă rĕmīsĭt		DDSDDS
Haēc ăĭt ēt mēnsām pĕdĕ pērcŭlĭt ēxĭlĭēnsquĕ		DSDDDS
Dūcĕrɇ ĕquūm iŭbĕt ēt sēllā cōmpōnĕrĕ scūlptā		DDSSDS
Ātquɇ ōmnī dē plēbĕ vĭrōs sēcūm dŭŏdēnōs	475	SSDSDS
Vīrĭbŭs īnsīgnēs ănĭmīs plērūmquĕ prŏbātōs		DSDSDS
Lēgĕrăt īntēr quōs sĭmŭl īrɇ Hăgănōnă iŭbēbăt		DSDDDS
Quī mĕmŏr āntīquaē fĭdĕī sŏcĭīquĕ prĭōrīs		DSDDDS
Nītĭtŭr ā coēptīs dŏmĭnūm trānsvērtĕrĕ rēbŭs		DSDSDS
Rēx tămĕn ēcōntrā nĭhĭlōmĭnŭs īnstăt ĕt īnfĭt	480	DSDDDS
Nē tārdātĕ vĭrī praēcīngĭtĕ cōrpŏră fērrō		SDSDDS
Fōrtĭă squāmōsūs thōrāx iām tērgă rĕcōndăt		DSSSDS
Hīc tāntūm gāzaē Frāncīs dēdūcăt ăb ōris		SSSSDS
Īnstrūctī tēlīs nām iūssĭŏ rēgĭs ădūrgĕt		SSSDDS
Ēxībānt pōrtīs tē Wālthărĭūm cŭpĭēntēs	485	SSSDDS
Cērnĕrɇ ĕt īmbēllēm lūcrīs fraūdārĕ pŭtāntēs		DSSSDS
Sēd tămĕn ōmnĭmŏdīs Hăgănō prŏhĭbērĕ stŭdēbăt		DDDDDS
Āt rēx īnfēlīx coēptīs rĕsĭpīscĕrĕ nōn vūlt		SSSDDS

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1–12: Introduction: the Huns 13–418: The Huns 13–33: The Franks under Gibich surrender to Attila, giving Hagen as a hostage 34–74: The Burgundians under Hereric surrender to Attila, giving Hildegund as a hostage 75–92: The Aquitainians under Alphere surrender to Attila, giving Walther as a hostage 93–115: Experience of the hostages at Attila’s court 116–122: Death of Gibich, flight of Hagen 123–141: Attila’s queen Ospirin advises her husband to ensure Walther’s loyalty by arranging a marriage 142–169: Walther rejects Attila’s offer of a bride 170–214: Walther leads the army of the Huns to victory in battle 215–418: The Escape 215–255: Walther returns from battle and encounters Hildegund 256–286: Walther reveals to Hildegund his plans for escaping with Attila’s treasure 287–323: Walther hosts a luxurious banquet for Attila’s court; eventually all his intoxicated guests fall asleep 324–357: Flight of Walther and Hildegund from Attila’s court 358–379: The following day, the escape of Walther and Hildegund is discovered by Ospirin 380–418: Attila is infuriated and vows revenge on Walther, but can find no one willing to dare to pursue him, even for a large reward 419–1061: The Single Combats 419–639: Diplomacy 419–435: Flight of Walther and Hildegund to the area of Worms 436–488: 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 489–512: Walther makes his camp in a mountainous area and goes to sleep 513–531: Gunther and his companions approach Walther’s camp; Hagen unsuccessfully tries to dissuade the king from attacking it 532–571: Hildegund sees the Franks approaching and wakes Walther, who calms her fears and prepares for battle; he recognizes Hagen from a distance 572–580: Hagen persuades Gunther to try diplomacy before using force 581–616: Camalo is sent as a messenger to Walther, who offers to make Gunther a gift in return for allowing his passage 617–639: Hagen counsels Gunther to accept the offer, but Gunther rejects this advice, calling him a coward. Insulted, Hagen goes off to a nearby hill 640–1061: Combat 640–685: 1st single combat. Camalo is sent back to Walther, who slays him 686–719: 2nd single combat. Walther slays Kimo/Scaramund, Camalo’s nephew 720–724: Gunther encourages his men 725–753: 3rd single combat. Walther slays Werinhard, a descendant of the Trojan Pandarus 754–780: 4th single combat. Walther slays the Saxon Ekivrid, after an exchange of insults 781–845: 5th single combat. Walther slays Hadawart, after an exchange of insults 846–877. Hagen sees his nephew Patavrid going off to fight Walther and laments the evil wreaked on mankind by greed 878–913. 6th single combat. After trying to dissuade him from fighting, Walther slays Patavrid 914–940: 7th single combat. Walther slays Gerwitus 941–961: Gunther again encourages his men, giving Walther some time to rest 962–980. 8th single combat. Walther is shorn of his hair by Randolf, whom he then slays 981–1061. Walther is attacked by Eleuthir/Helmnot, assisted by Trogus, Tanastus, and Gunther; he slays all but Gunther 1062–1452: The Final Combat 1062–1088: Gunther tries to persuade Hagen to help him to defeat Waltharius; remembering his wounded honor, Hagen refuses 1089–1129: 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 1130–1187: 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 1188–1207: The following day, Walther and Hildegund set out from the mountains, taking the horses and arms of the defeated warriors 1208–1236: Hildegund perceives Gunther and Hagen approaching to attack; the king addresses Walther 1237–1279: 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 1280–1345: 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 1346–1375: Walther challenges Hagen; he severs Gunther’s leg, but Hagen again saves the king’s life 1376–1395: Hagen cuts off Walther’s right hand; Walther gouges out one of Hagen’s eyes and, cutting open his cheek, knocks out four teeth 1396–1442: Having wounded each other, the warriors end the battle, drink together, and engage in a friendly exchange of humorous taunt 1443–1452: The warriors return to their respective homes; Walther marries Hildegund and eventually becomes king of the Aquitainians 1453–1456: Epilogue

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