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| − | ===Walther is attacked by Eleuthir/Helmnot, assisted by Trogus, Tanastus, and Gunther; he slays all but Gunther (981–1061)===
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| − | |The ninth who came to join the fight was Helmnot, and
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| − | |He grasped a three-pronged spear fixed to a triple cord
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| − | |Which his companions who stood back of him were holding.
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| − | |This was their plan: that when the spear, once cast, had lodged
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| − | |985
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| − | |In Walter’s shield, they all would strive to pull together
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| − | |So that they might, in this way, throw the raging man.
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| − | |And in this hope they pictured certain victory.
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| − | |Straightway the leader, pouring all his strength into
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| − | |His arms, released his trident at the foe, while shouting
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| − | |“You, bald head! With this spear the end has come for you!”
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| − | |It flashes as it cleaves the air, just like the breed
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| − | |Of snakes, the javelin-snakes, which pounce down from the tops
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| − | |Of trees so violently they smash all obstacles.
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| − | |Why pause? It splits the boss and sticks in Walter’s shield.
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| − | |The Franks are raising up a shout; the grove resounds.
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| − | |Together and in turns they tug the rope with vigor;
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| − | |The king does not hold back from joining in such work.
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| − | |From all their limbs the sweat was flowing down in streams,
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| − | |Yet all the while the hero stood there like an oak
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| − | |1000
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| − | |That thrusts its roots to Tartarus, its branches to
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| − | |The stars, and scorns unmoving all the stormy blasts.
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| − | |His enemies, exhorting one another, sought,
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| − | |If they could not drag Walter down onto the ground,
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| − | |At least to try and wrest from him his stalwart shield.
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| − | |With this gone, they could easily take him alive.
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| − | |I will reveal the names of those left and still pulling:
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| − | |Eleuthir (his name also Helmnot) was the ninth;
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| − | |Indeed, the town of Strassburg sent the tenth, named Trogus;
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| − | |And wealthy Speyer sent Tanastus, the eleventh;
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| − | |1010
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| − | |Not counting Hagen, Gunther occupied twelfth place.
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| − | |Exerting all their strength, these four together wage
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| − | |An indecisive struggle with a single foe.
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| − | |Their useless efforts, meanwhile, angered Alphere’s son,
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| − | |Who had long since removed his helmet from his head
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| − | |1015
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| − | |And was relying on his sword and his bronze byrnie.
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| − | |He threw away his shield, then charged Eleuthir first
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| − | |And hacking through his helmet halved his brains; next he
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| − | |Cut off his head and left the breast exposed; the hurt
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| − | |And throbbing heart at once gave up its life and warmth.
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| − | |1020
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| − | |He then sought Trogus, clinging to the hateful rope;
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| − | |That man, stunned by his fallen comrade’s sudden death
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| − | |And by the awful visage of his foe, began
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| − | |In vain to try swift flight and wished to pick up his
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| − | |Abandoned arms in order to resume the struggle.
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| − | |1025
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| − | |(To pull the rope, they all had laid aside their spears
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| − | |And shields.) But Walter, best of heroes, by as much
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| − | |As he was stronger was superior in speed;
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| − | |When he caught him, he slashed his hamstrings with his sword.
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| − | |Then overtaking Trogus, thus slowed down, he grabbed
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| − | |1030
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| − | |His shield; but Trogus, though exhausted by his wound,
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| − | |Still raging in his mind, caught sight of a huge rock;
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| − | |At once he seized it, threw it at his steadfast foe.
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| − | |It split the shield from top to bottom, but the hide
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| − | |That covered it still held the shattered frame together.
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| − | |1035
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| − | |Though kneeling down, he quickly emptied his green sheath,
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| − | |And burning in his spirit scared the winds with slashing.
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| − | |And if he could not show his courage in his deeds,
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| − | |His spirit and his words revealed his manliness.
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| − | |He boldly speaks, but does not see the shades are laughing:
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| − | |1040
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| − | |“Oh, if I only had my trusty shield here now!
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| − | |For Chance, not wondrous valor, gave you victory.
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| − | |You took our shield; come here and take our sword as well!”
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| − | |Then, smiling also, “Here I come,” the hero said,
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| − | |And charging hacked his right hand off as he was striking;
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| − | |1045
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| − | |But when he poised a second blow above his ear,
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| − | |And tried to forge an exit for his soul’s departure,
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| − | |Tanastus, with the king, was there (their arms retrieved),
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| − | |And kept his friend from harm by holding out his shield.
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| − | |Enraged because of this, then Walter turned his wrath
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| − | |1050
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| − | |On him; he wrenched Tanastus’ shoulder from its socket.
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| − | |With naked blade he probed his entrails through his side.
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| − | |“Farewell,” Tanastus muttered from his lips while falling.
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| − | |His comrade fallen, Trogus scorns to beg for mercy,
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| − | |And he inflames the victor with his bitter taunts,
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| − | |1055
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| − | |From courage or from desperation. Alphere’s son
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| − | |Replies “Now die, and take beneath the earth this message,
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| − | |Recounting to your friends that you avenged them all.”
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| − | |This said, he gave a bright-red necklace to his neck.
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| − | |Behold! Together slaughtered friends roll in the dust,
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| − | |1060
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| − | |While with their heels they often beat the bloodied ground.
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| − | |}
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