Waltharius1396

Having wounded each other, the warriors end the battle, drink together, and engage in a friendly exchange of humorous taunt (1396–1442)

Tali negotio dirimuntur proelia facto.			Aeineid 5.467: proelia voce diremit. ‘With his voice he broke off the fight.’		???????
Quemque suum vulnus atque aeger anhelitus arma			Aeineid 5.432: quatit aeger anhelitus artus. ‘A painful gasping shakes his huge frame.’		DSSDDS Elision: atque aeger False quantities: vulnus
Ponere persuasit. quisnam hinc immunis abiret,					DSSSDS Elision: quisnam hinc
Qua duo magnanimi heroes tam viribus aequi			Aeineid 6.649: magnanimi heroes. . . ‘High-souled heroes. . .’ 12.230-231.: viribus aequi/ non sumus? ‘Are we not their match in might?’		DDSSDS Elision: magnanimi heroes
Quam fervore animi steterant in fulmine belli?	1400		Aeneid 6.842: fulmina belli. . . ‘Thunderbolts of war. . .’		SDDSDS Elision: fervore animi
Postquam finis adest, insignia quemque notabant:		Insignia equiv. to vulnera, ironic.			SDSDDS
Illic Guntharii regis pes, palma iacebat					SDSSDS	1402-3 Vogt-Spira suggest that avaritia (greed) and ira (rage) are depicted as driving forces of the epic plot and are also judged as deadly sins (Vogt-Spira 1994 p17) The collection of body parts resembles the punishment for sinners in Mark 9:42-48: "And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to Hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into Hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Hell, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." The injuries depict the three surviving characters equally as sinners. Difficult to decide if this should be read as bucolically humorous or as a nauseous effect. BK
Waltharii nec non tremulus Haganonis ocellus.					DSDDDS
Sic sic armillas partiti sunt Avarenses!					SSSSDS
Consedere duo, nam tertius ille iacebat,	1405	Tertius: Gunther	Aeineid 7.431: consedere duces. ‘Burn the chiefs.’		SDSDDS	Althof: Aen 12.396– not in the wiki – Althof also disagrees with that allusion because in Aen the flowers are used to heal and here they are just used to wipe the wounds clean. Yet, there could be a healing herbal meaning in Waltharius, too. BK
Sanguinis undantem tergentes floribus amnem.			Aeineid 10.908: undantique. . .cruore. . . ‘In streams of blood. . .’		DSSSDS
Haec inter timidam revocat clamore puellam			Aeineid 4.303: vocat clamore Cithaeron. ‘Cithaeron summons her with its din.’ 2.437: vocati clamore. ‘We are called by the clamour.’		SDDSDS
Alpharides, veniens quae saucia quaeque ligavit.		Saucia quaeque equiv. to vulnera omnia			DDSDDS	The Germanic tradition attaches the power of healing to women. Althof offers various examples. BK
His ita compositis sponsus praecepit eidem:					DDSSDS
Iam misceto merum Haganoni et porrige primum;	1410				SDDSDS Elision: Haganoni et Hiatus: merum Haganoni	Kratz (1984: xviii) suggests that the final scene in the Waltharius is based on a scene from Prudentius' Psychomachia (606-63) where the virtues rest and refresh themselves after combat. BK
Est athleta bonus, fidei si iura reservet.		Si: sc. modo			SDDSDS
Tum praebeto mihi, reliquis qui plus toleravi.					SDDSDS	1413-15 Gunther is marked as the weakest of the remaining warriors; he is marked as an anti-hero that failed in his ‘suberbus’. BK
Postremum volo Guntharius bibat, utpote segnis					SDDDDS
Inter magnanimum qui paruit arma virorum					SDSDDS
Et qui Martis opus tepide atque enerviter egit.'	1415		Aeneid 8.516: militiam et grave Martis opus. . . ‘Warfare and the stern work of battle. . .’		SDDSDS Elision: tepide atque; atque enerviter
Obsequitur cunctis Heririci filia verbis.					DSDSDS
Francus at oblato licet arens pectore vino					DSDSDS
Defer' ait 'prius Alpharidi sponso ac seniori,					DDDSDS Elision: sponso ac
Virgo, tuo, quoniam, fateor, me fortior ille					DDDSDS
Nec solum me, sed cunctos supereminet armis.'	1420		Aeineid 6.856: victorque viros spereminet omnes. ‘He towers triumphant over all.’		SSSDDS
Hic tandem Hagano spinosus et ipse Aquitanus,		Spinosus: cf. note on line 1351.			SDSDDS Elision: ipse Aquitanus Hiatus: tandem Hagano	Hagano spinosus Crosslingual mocking of the thorny Hagen. See v1351 and the respective comment. In contrast to the earlier occasion, where a character mocked Hagen, here the narrator is involved. This clearly alters the level and attaches authorial value to the mocking. It also preludes the following mocking of the heroes in the narrators voice. BK
Mentibus invicti, licet omni corpore lassi,					DSDSDS
Post varios pugnae strepitus ictusque tremendos					DSDSDS
Inter pocula scurrili certamine ludunt.			Georgics 2.383-384.: inter pocula laeti. . .saluere. ‘Amid their drinking they gaily danced.’		SDSSDS
Francus ait: iam dehinc cervos agitabis, amice,	1425		Georgics 3.409: agitabis onagros. ‘You will course the wild ass.’		DSSDDS False quantities: extra syllable	1425-28 Mockingly, a prosthesis made of a stuffed glove is suggested for the missing hand. Pliny mentions a hand prosthesis in his Naturalis Historiae VII, 29. According to him, Marcus Sergius used a replacement hand made of iron. We lack any evidence for further prosthesis before the 15th century. BK
Quorum de corio wantis sine fine fruaris:		Wantis: “gloves,” a Germanism, cf. French gants. Fruaris equiv. to utaris			SDSDDS
At dextrum, moneo, tenera lanugine comple,			Eclogue 2.51: cana legam tenera lanugine mala. ‘I will gather quinces, pale with tender down.’		SDDSDS
Ut causae ignaros palmae sub imagine fallas.					SSSDDS Elision: causae ignaros
Wah! sed quid dicis, quod ritum infringere gentis		Ritum…gentis: cf. line 337.	Liber I Macchabeorum 1.66: noluerunt infringere legem Dei sanctam. ‘They would not break the holy law of God.’ Liber Genesis 34.22: ritum gentis imitantes. . . ‘Following the manner of the nation.’		SSSSDS Elision: ritum infringere
Ac dextro femori gladium agglomerare videris	1430	Videris: passive	Aeineid 2.341: lateri adglomerant nostro. ‘They gather to our side.’		SDDDDS Elision: gladium agglomerare
Uxorique tuae, si quando ea cura subintrat,			Aeineid 9.757: si continuo victorem ea cura subisset. . . ‘If at once the victor had taken thought. . .		SDSDDS Elision: quando ea	Sexual pun in subintrat – to enter. BK
Perverso amplexu circumdabis euge sinistram?					SSSDDS Elision: perverso amplexu	Perverso makes clear that there is a right or correct hand and a wrong hand. Walther has to use his left hand in an up-side-down manner. See also comment on the preceding verse. BK
Iam quid demoror? en posthac tibi quicquid agendum est,					SDSDDS Apheresis: agendum est
Laeva manus faciet.' cui Walthare talia reddit:			Aeineid 2.323: talia reddit. ‘He answers thus.’		DDSDDS
Cur tam prosilias, admiror, lusce Sicamber:	1435	Sicamber equiv. to France. The Sicambri were an ancient Germanic tribe who lived along the Rhine, connected by tradition with the Frankish royal line.			SDSSDS
Si venor cervos, carnem vitabis aprinam.					SSSSDS
Ex hoc iam famulis tu suspectando iubebis		Ex hoc: sc. tempore Suspectando: sc. oblique			SDSSDS
Heroum turbas transversa tuendo salutans.			Eclogue 3.8: transversa tuentibus hircis. . . ‘While the goats looked askance. . .’		SSSDDS
Sed fidei memor antiquae tibi consiliabor:					DDSDDS
Iam si quando domum venias laribusque propinques,	1440				SDDDDS
Effice lardatam de multra farreque pultam:		Lardatam: “fattened” Multra equiv. to lacte			DSSSDS
Haec pariter victum tibi conferet atque medelam.		Medelam: “medicine,” i.e., a poultice for the eye.			DSDDDS

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

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