Waltharius754English

From Waltharius
Jump to: navigation, search

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

The sight of three dead bodies did not scare mad Gunther.
Instead, his order is to hasten on toward death. 755
See now how Ekivrid, produced from Saxon lands,
Was fourth to try the fight; he had been forced, because
He killed some chieftain in that place, to flee in exile.
He rode upon a dappled chestnut horse; and when
He saw that Walter chafed for single combat, said: 760
“Now tell me, is your body solid, living flesh?
Or, devil, are you tricking us with airy phantoms?
Indeed, you seem just like a woodland sprite to me.”
With raucous laughter that man gave his answer thus:
“Your Celtic accent shows you are descended from 765
That race whom nature made supreme in verbal play;
But if our right hand touches you as you come closer,
You will be able afterward to tell the Saxons
That now you see a woodsprite’s phantom in the Vosges.”
“I will test what you are,” called Ekivrid at once. 770
He roughly threw his iron-pointed spear, which flew
Propelled by twisted thongs but broke on Walter’s shield.
Then Walter said in answer as he threw his spear,
“The woodsprite sends this silvan gift across to you;
See whether our shaft may implant itself more deeply.” 775
The missile shuddered through the bull’s-hide-covered wood
And piercing through his corselet lodged within his lung.
The luckless Ekivrid collapses, vomits out
A stream of blood; in fleeing death, he ran to it.
The young man led his horse behind him to a pasture. 780

« previous   next » Latin

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.