Waltharius1062English

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Gunther tries to persuade Hagen to help him to defeat Waltharius; remembering his wounded honor, Hagen refuses (1062–1088)

The luckless king, when he saw these things, sighs; and, fleeing
With all his effort mounts his richly furbished horse
And quickly flies to mournful Hagen. And he tried
With every kind of prayer to persuade that man 1065
That he, going with him, should renew the fight. But he:
“My shameful ancestry prohibits me from warring,
And chill blood has deprived me of resolve in arms.
My father used to faint whenever he saw weapons—
That coward who avoided fights with many words. 1070
When you spoke thus, my king, among your followers,
Our service was of course disgraceful to you then.”
But still beseeching the reluctant man with pleas,
He tries to win back his estranged man with such words:
“I beg you by the gods, give up the rage you have 1075
Conceived! Our fault has caused it. Cast away your wrath,
Which, if we live and if I reach my home with you,
I will redeem for you with many lavish gifts.
Are you not shamed to disavow your manhood, with
So many friends and kinsmen killed? It seems to me 1080
That words can rouse your spirit more than evil deeds.
More justly should you swell with rage at that cruel tyrant
Who by himself today disgraced the world’s prime lord.
We suffer no small loss from slaughtered warriors;
But France will never overcome so great a shame, 1085
For those by whom we formerly were feared will hiss
And say, “The Franks’ entire army has been slain
By one man unscathed (for shame!) whom nobody knows.”

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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.