Waltharius1346

Walther challenges Hagen; he severs Gunther’s leg, but Hagen again saves the king’s life (1346–1375)

Interea herois coepit subrepere menti			Liber Deuteronomii 15.9: cave ne forte subripiat tibi impia cogitatio. ‘Beware lest perhaps a wicked thought steal in upon thee.’		DSSSDS Elision: interea herois
Quiddam, qui tacito premit has sub corde loquelas:			Aeineid 4.332: curam sub corde premebat. ‘He smothered the pain deep within his heart.’ Statius, Thebaid 9.824: pressum tacito sub corde dolorem. . . ‘The grief that lay hidden in his silent breast. . .’		SDDSDS
Si Fortuna viam non commutaverit, isti					SDSSDS
Vana fatigatum memet per ludicra fallent.'					DSSSDS
Ilico et elata Haganoni voce profatur:	1350				DSDSDS Elision: ilico et Hiatus: elata Haganoni
O paliure, vires foliis, ut pungere possis;		Paliure: a play on Hagen’s name. Hagedorn is German for “hawthorn.” Cf. line 1421. Ut pungere possis: i.e., and that is all.	Aeineid 6.373: O Palinurus.		DDDSDS		O paliure, vires foliis, ut pungere possis Crosslingual mocking of the thorny Hagen – see also the Faunus puns on Walther (Wald-Herr, i.e. lord of the woods) v769. Althof explains: Hagano a diminutive of two-parted names such as Hagimund, Hagibold, Haginold – the first part of these names could derive from different roots 1. OHG (i.e. Old High German) ‘Hag’ (modern German: Gehege, i.e. fenced domicile); 2. OHG ‘aki’ (fear, horror); 3. OHG ‘ekka’ (sword) – the adjective ‘haguna’ means nebulous or ghost-like. (Althof 1905 vol2 pp21-2) The author of the Waltharius puns on the first meaning of hedge (still in modern German Hagebutte, i.e. dog rose, rosa canina). Grimm dictionary gives as Latin equivalent of ‘hagen’ paliurus and ligna spinosa. The two exactly match the punning terms here. Moreover, ‘Hagedorn’ serves in Middle High German as mocking nickname, and even as name of one devil. Grimm Hagen and Hagedorn Morgan draws a line to a common practice in medieval letter writing : “When Alcuin writes to one of his most frequent correspondents, Bishop Arno, he can hardly forget that arno means ‘eagle’. Letter after letter is addressed to Aquila, and the joke becomes more and more complex. He calls the Bishop venerandus volucris – ‘venerable bird’, or again sublime volans – ‘ flying on high’ ; he brings in his own nickname, Cuculus, and whole paragraphs dissolve into a welter of bird-imagery, with eagles, cuckoos, swans, and larks, circling over the page.”(Morgan1986 p172)
Tu saltando iocans astu me ludere temptas.		Astu: not, as Wieland oddly has it, “foolishness,” but rather “cunning” – Waltharius claims that there is a method to Hagen’s “play.”			SDSSDS
Sed iam faxo locum, propius ne accedere tardes:					SDDSDS Elision: ne accedere
Ecce tuas -- scio, praegrandes -- ostendito vires!		Scio equiv. to quas novi			DDSSDS
Me piget incassum tantos sufferre labores.'	1355		Aeineid 7.421: Turne, tot incassum fusos patiere labores? ‘Turnus, will you endure all these labours spend in vain?’		DSSSDS
Dixit et exiliens contum contorsit in ipsum,		Ipsum: Hagen	Aeneid 12.266: dixit, et adversos telum contorsit in hostis. ‘He spoke, and hurled his spear full against the foe.’		DDSSDS
Qui pergens onerat clipeum dirimitque aliquantum			Aeneid 10.476-477.: illa volans umeri surgunt qua tegmina summa/ incidit, atque viam clipei molita per oras/ tandem etiam magno strinxit de corpore Turni. ‘On flies the shaft and strikes where the top of the mail rises to guard the shoulder; then, forcing a way through the shield’s rim, at last even grazed the mighty frame of Turnus.’		SDDDDS Elision: dirimitque aliquantum
Loricae ac magno modicum de corpore stringit;					SSDSDS Elision: loricae ac
Denique praecipuis praecinctus fulserat armis.		Fulserat: perhaps a true pluperfect (pace Beck), describing Hagen before the blow, in order to explain how it does him so little damage.	Prudentius, Psychomachia 454: gremio praecincta capaci. . . ‘Her robe arranged to make a capacious fold in front. . .’ Aeneid 11.769: insignis longe Phrygiis fulgebat in armis. ‘He glittered resplendent from farr off in his Phrygian armour.’		DDSSDS
At vir Waltharius missa cum cuspide currens	1360				SDSSDS
Evaginato regem importunior ense			Aeneid 10.474-475.: emittit viribus hastam/ vaginaque cava fulgentem deripit ensem. ‘She hurls his spear with all his strength and plucks his flashing sword from its hollow scabbard.’ Liber Regum I 31.4: evagina gladium tuum. ‘Draw thy sword.’		SSSSDS Elision: regem importunior
Petit et scuto dextra de parte revulso					DSSSDS
Ictum praevalidum ac mirandum fecit eique					SDSSDS Elision: praevalidum ac
Crus cum poplite adusque femur decerpserat omne.					SDDSDS Elision: poplite adusque
Ille super parmam ante pedes mox concidit huius.	1365	Pedes…huis: i.e., of Waltharius			DSDSDS Elision: parmam ante
Palluit exanguis domino recidente satelles.		Satelles: Hagen			DSDDDS
Alpharides spatam tollens iterato cruentam		Spatam equiv. to ensem Iterato equiv. to iterum			DSSDDS
Ardebat lapso postremum infligere vulnus.					SSSSDS Elision: postremum infligere
Immemor at proprii Hagano vir forte doloris					DDDSDS Hiatus: proprii Hagano
Aeratum caput inclinans obiecit ad ictum.	1370	Aeratum: i.e., wearing a helmet			SDSSDS
Extensam cohibere manum non quiverat heros,			Prudentius, Psychomachia 137-138.: vertitur ad capulum manus inproba et ense corusco/ conisa in plagam dextra sublimis ab aure/ erigitur mediumque ferit librata cerebrum./ aerea sed cocto cassis formata metallo/ tinnitum percussa refert aciemque retundit/ dura resultantem, frangit quoque vena rebellis/ inlisum chalybem, dum cedere nescia cassos/ excipit adsultus ferienti et tuta resistit./ 'Ira, ubi truncati mucronis fragmina vidit/ et procul in partes ensem crepuisse minutas,/ iam capulum retinente manu sine pondere ferri,/ mentis inops ebur infelix decorisque pudendi/ perfida signa abicit monumentaque tristia longe/ spernit, et ad proprium succenditur effera letum. ‘She turns her ruthless hand to her sword-hilt, and, putting all its strength into a blow with the flashing blade, it rises high above her right ear and then, launching its stroke, smites her foe’s head in the very middle. But the helmet of forged bronze only resounds under the blow; the blade rebounds with blunted edge, so hard it is; the unyielding metal breaks the steel that smites it, unflinchingly receives the vain attack, and stands up to the striker without hurt. Seeing her blade shivered in pieces and how the sword has scattered away in rattling fragments while her hand still grasps the hilt after it has lost its weight of steel, Wrath is beside herself and casts away the luckless ivory that has been false to her, the token of honour turned to shame. Afar she flings that unwelcome reminder, and wild passion fires her to slay herself.’ Aeneid 12.740-741.: mucro glacies ceu futtilis ictu/ dissiluit, fulva resplendent fragmina harena. ‘The blade, like brittle ice, flew asunder at the stroke; the fragments glitter on the yellow sand.’		SDDSDS
Sed cassis fabrefacta diu meliusque peracta		Fabrefacta equiv. to a fabro facta	Prudentius, Psychomachia 137-138.: vertitur ad capulum manus inproba et ense corusco/ conisa in plagam dextra sublimis ab aure/ erigitur mediumque ferit librata cerebrum./ aerea sed cocto cassis formata metallo/ tinnitum percussa refert aciemque retundit/ dura resultantem, frangit quoque vena rebellis/ inlisum chalybem, dum cedere nescia cassos/ excipit adsultus ferienti et tuta resistit./ 'Ira, ubi truncati mucronis fragmina vidit/ et procul in partes ensem crepuisse minutas,/ iam capulum retinente manu sine pondere ferri,/ mentis inops ebur infelix decorisque pudendi/ perfida signa abicit monumentaque tristia longe/ spernit, et ad proprium succenditur effera letum. ‘She turns her ruthless hand to her sword-hilt, and, putting all its strength into a blow with the flashing blade, it rises high above her right ear and then, launching its stroke, smites her foe’s head in the very middle. But the helmet of forged bronze only resounds under the blow; the blade rebounds with blunted edge, so hard it is; the unyielding metal breaks the steel that smites it, unflinchingly receives the vain attack, and stands up to the striker without hurt. Seeing her blade shivered in pieces and how the sword has scattered away in rattling fragments while her hand still grasps the hilt after it has lost its weight of steel, Wrath is beside herself and casts away the luckless ivory that has been false to her, the token of honour turned to shame. Afar she flings that unwelcome reminder, and wild passion fires her to slay herself.’ Aeneid 12.740-741.: mucro glacies ceu futtilis ictu/ dissiluit, fulva resplendent fragmina harena. ‘The blade, like brittle ice, flew asunder at the stroke; the fragments glitter on the yellow sand.’		SDDDDS
Excipit assultum mox et scintillat in altum.					DSSSDS
Cuius duritia stupefactus dissilit ensis,		Stupefactus…ensis: personification			SDDSDS
Proh dolor! et crepitans partim micat aere et herbis.	1375	Partim micat aere et herbis: i.e., the sword shatters; the pieces fly in different directions.			DDSDDS Hiatus: NOT H-HIATUS aere et

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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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