Waltharius380English

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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 crazed prince now is burning with excessive wrath; 380
A grieving heart replaces his former cheerfulness.
From shoulders to the hem he rips his royal robe,
And he directs his saddened mind now here, now there.
And as the sand is stirred up by Aeolus’ winds,
The king is surging inwardly with warring cares. 385
The changes in his face reflect his changing feelings;
Outward, the man betrays his suffering within.
His wrath permitted him to speak no words at all.
That day, of course, the king rejected food and drink;
Anxiety stripped soothing quiet from his limbs. 390
For when the black night stole the color from all things,
He slumped into his bed but did not close his eyes,
Reclining now upon his right side, now his left.
As if his breast were pierced by a sharp-pointed spear,
He trembles and he shakes his head now here, now there, 395
And maddened now he sits bolt upright in his bed.
It does not help; he rises, wanders through the city.
Returning to his bed, he leaves as soon as he
Has reached it. Thus Attila spent a sleepless night.
But through the friendly silence went the fleeing comrades, 400
In haste to leave behind them that distrusted land.
The day had scarcely broken when the king addressed
The gathered nobles, “If someone would bring to me
That fleeing Walter, tied up like a dog, soon I
Would clothe that man in many times resmelted gold, 405
On all sides weigh him down where he stands on the ground,
And block his path completely—as I live!—with wealth.”
But there was not a noble in so great a land,
No, neither duke nor count nor knight nor serving man,
However much he wished to demonstrate his strength 410
And by his courage capture everlasting fame
And wish as well to stuff his money-bags with treasure,
Who would have dared pursue in arms an angry Walter,
Or dared to face that man when he had drawn his sword.
They knew his courage well, and knew what massive carnage 415
That he, unhurt, unwounded, had dealt out as victor.
The king could not persuade a single man of them
To wish for treasure offered under these conditions.

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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.