Waltharius941

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Gunther again encourages his men, giving Walther some time to rest (941–961)

Tum primum Franci coeperunt forte morari  
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Et magnis precibus dominum decedere pugna  Aeneid 9.789: excedere pugnae. ‘He withdraws from the fight.’

 

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Deposcunt. furit ille miser caecusque profatur:  Aeneid 1.561; 4.364: profatur. ‘She speaks.’


Aeneid 2.348-349.: iuvenes, fortissima frustra/ pectora. . . ‘My men, hearts vainly valiant. . .’  

 SDDSDS   ille miser caecusque: This description of Gunther accords with the overall depiction of Gunther as suffering most of all from the Christian vice of avarice: his first appearance in 441-472 (that is, after his brief mention in 29-30) is marked by his urgent desire to reclaim the wealth his kingdom has lost. His avarice makes him arrogant and bold (468, 628, 720, 1295: Gunther described as “superbus”), affects his ability to reason (530: “male sana mente gravatus,” “burdened by a not sane mind”; 754 and 1228: “dementem,” “insane”), and ultimately dooms his efforts (488, 1062, 1092: described as “infelix,” “unfortunate”). Cf. the description of Avarice in Prudentius’ Psychomachia 548-568, where it is described as leading men on as if they were blind and deceiving them (“hunc lumine adempto ... caecum errare sinit,” “She allows this one, robbed of his eyesight, to wander blindly”). The poet of the Waltharius in a sense echoes Prudentius by first making avarice a major theme with Gunther’s lament in 869 (“instimulatus enim de te est, o saeva cupido,” “For he is prodded on by you, O savage greed”) and then going on to describe Gunther as “miserably blinded.” Indeed, Psychomachia 548-550 can be seen to be central to the entire Waltharius: “talia per populos edebat funera uictrix / orbis Auaritia, sternens centena uirorum / millia uulneribus uariis” (“Such deaths caused victorious Avarice among people all over the world, laying hundreds of thousands of men low with various wounds”). The pervasive theme of avarice throughout the poem points to the critical nature of the Waltharius on the present-day “mores” – in fact, J.O. Ward characterizes the Waltharius as project of, among other things, subverting the Germanic “warrior ethos, bent on treasure-oriented survival.” See J.O. Ward, “After Rome: Medieval Epic,” in Roman epic, ed. A.J. Boyle, London: Routledge, 1993, pp.261-293, at p. 271. For more in-depth discussion of the relation between Gunther’s characterization and Christian and Germanic virtues, see Scherello 1986. [JJTY] [Before getting to the specific connection between blindness and avarice (which you are convincing is the main point here), I wonder if it would be worth referring to the even more widespread notion of spiritual blindness in general (as found for example in Isidore's Allegoriae). JZ 
Quaeso, viri fortes et pectora saepe probata,  Aeneid 2.348-349.: iuvenes, fortissima frustra/ pectora. . . ‘My men, hearts vainly valiant. . .’

 

 DSSDDS   pectora saepe probata: Cf. the first description of Gunther’s men (476): “viribus insignes animis plerumque probatos” (“Distinguished for their strength, their courage often proved”). It is also reminiscent of the opening captatio benevolentiae (rhetorical device used to secure the goodwill of an audience) in Aeneas’ first speech in Aeneid 2.348-349: “iuvenes, fortissima frustra / pectora” (“my men, hearts vainly valiant”). Here Aeneas attempts to rally what is left of the Trojan force and put up resistance in their last stand. It is possible that the poet of the Waltharius wishes to evoke the same sense of urgency by mirroring this use of “pectora.” [JJTY] 
Ne fors haec cuicumque metum, sed conferat iram. 945  SSDSDS 
Quid mihi, si Vosago sic sic inglorius ibo?  Quid mihi equiv. to Quid videbor esse

 

 Aeneid 11.793: patrias remeabo inglorius urbes. ‘I will return inglorious to the cities of my sires.’ 10.52-53.: positis inglorius armis/ exigat hic aevum. ‘Here, laying arms aside, let him live out his inglorious days.’ 4.660: sic, sic iuvat ire. ‘Thus, thus I go gladly.’ Statius, Thebaid 4.82-83.: ne rara movens inglorius iret/ agmina. . . ‘Lest with scant following he should go inglorious. . .’

 

 
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 DDSSDS   sic sic: For the pathetic force of the anaphora of “sic,” see Dido’s final speech in Virgil, Aeneid 4.660: “Sed moriamur, ait, sic sic iuvat ire per umbras” (“‘But let me die,’ she said, ‘thus thus I go gladly down to the shades!’”) Cf. the narrator’s bitter exclamation in 1404: “Sic sic armillas partiti sunt Avarenses!” (“Thus, thus the men have shared the treasure of the Avars!”) [JJTY] 
Mentem quisque meam sibi vindicet. en ego partus  Sibi vindicet: “make his own”
Partus equiv. to paratus

 

 Liber II Macchabeorum 7.2: parati sumus mori magis quam patrias dei leges praevaricari. ‘We are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of God, received from our fathers.’

 

 SDDDDS   partus: For “partus” as an abbreviated form of “paratus” see also Walahfrid Strabo, Carmina 2.26: “Mente sumus parti sic tua iussa sequi” (“Thus we are mentally prepared to follow your commands”). [JJTY] The Walahfrid parallel seems very significant. For other instances, see the Novum Glossarium, column 376, lines 46-48. JZ 
Ante mori sum, Wormatiam quam talibus actis  
Worms
 
 DSDSDS   talibus actis: After such defeats of his men, Gunther is too ashamed to return to Worms without either loot or vengeance. [JJTY] 
Ingrediar. petat hic patriam sine sanguine victor?  DDDDDS   petat hic ... victor?: For the subjunctive used in indignant questions see J.B. Hofmann and A. Szantyr, Lateinische Syntax und Stylistik, Munich: C.H. Beck’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1965, vol. 2, 186.IV: “Der Konj. in konsultativen (deliberativen) und unwilligen (‘polemischen’) Fragen.” Cf. Gunther’s first speech to his men as he rouses them to leave with him (483): “Hic tantum gazae Francis deducat ab oris?” (“Shall he remove from Frankish lands so great a treasure?”) [JJTY] 
Hactenus arsistis hominem spoliare metallis, 950  DSDDDS 
Nunc ardete, viri, fusum mundare cruorem,  SDSSDS 
Ut mors abstergat mortem, sanguis quoque sanguem,  SSSSDS   mors ... mortem, sanguis ... sanguem: The repetition of “mors” and “sanguis” in a different case is an instance of the figure polyptoton. “sanguem” is here used instead of “sanguinem” as a more archaic form, though see Althof 1905 and Beck 1908 ad loc., who remark that the original form should be “sanguen.” [JJTY] 
Soleturque necem sociorum plaga necantis.'  SDDSDS 
His animum dictis demens incendit et omnes  Aeneid 4.197: incenditque animum dictis atque aggerat iras. ‘With her words she fires his spirit and heaps high his wrath.’

 

 DSSSDS   incendit: Gunther’s “firing up” of his men by his speech ties in to a rich tradition of describing the effects of pathetic rhetoric with metaphors of fire; see e.g. Cicero, De oratore 2.189-190 and Martianus Capella, De nuptiis Mercurii et Philologiae 5.428, where Lady Rhetoric is described as “flammatrix” (“flamer”). Cf. also Aeneid 4.197, where Iarbas is incensed by the words of Rumor concerning Dido and Aeneas: “Incenditque animum dictis atque aggerat iras” (“And he fires up his spirit because of the words and heaps up anger”). The poet of the Waltharius makes especially fruitful use of the metaphor by including similar metaphors of fire in Gunther’s speech: Gunther wishes to turn their burning desire for gold into one for revenge (950-951:“Hactenus arsistis hominem spoliare metallis, / Nunc ardete, viri, fusum mundare cruorem,” “Up to this point you burned to strip the man of treasures. / Now, men, burn to avenge the blood that has been spilled”). Gunther’s rhetoric, therefore, fires up his men and gives them a burning desire, whether of gold (see Gunther’s speeches in 481-483 and 516-517) or of vengeance, resulting in a frenzy without any regard of one’s own safety (955: “Fecerat immemores vitae simul atque salutis,” “He made them forget their life as well as their safety”). [JJTY] 
Fecerat immemores vitae simul atque salutis. 955  DDSDDS 
Ac velut in ludis alium praecurrere quisque  Aeneid 5.315-316.: haec ubi dicta, locum capiunt signoque repente/ corripiunt spatia audito limenque relinquunt,/ effusi nimbo similes. ‘This said, they take their place, and suddenly, the signal heard, dash over the course, and leave the barrier, streaming forth like a storm-cloud.’

 

 DSDSDS   velut in ludis alium praecurrere quisque: This passage has a possible reminiscence of the footrace in Aeneid 5.315-344. The simile, however, strikes a highly effective tone of irony, since the only prize the winner of this race will receive, is to be the first to die. See Althof 1905, ad loc. for a convincing refutation of the claim that this passage provides proof of the existence of tournaments in the ninth century. [JJTY] [I touch on the topic of play more generally in my article--no need to reference it, but just FYI. JZ] 
Ad mortem studuit, sed semita, ut antea dixi,  Ut antea dixi: cf. line 692 and note.

 

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Elision: semita ut
 
Cogebat binos bello decernere solos.  Aeneid 11.218: iubent decernere ferro. ‘They command him to decide the issue by the sword.’

 

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Vir tamen illustris dum cunctari videt illos,  DSSSDS   959-961: Gunther’s original plan not to allow Walther to catch his breath has failed at this point. Cf. Gunther’s speech to his men in 722-724: “nec respirare sinamus” (“Let us ... give him no chance to catch his breath”). They had grossly underestimated Walther’s stamina, as their surprise in 829-30 already indicates: “Mirantur Franci, quod non lassesceret heros / Waltharius, cui nulla quies spatiumve dabatur” (“The Franks were stunned that Walter, to whom neither rest / Nor respite had been given, did not grow exhausted”). [JJTY] 
Vertice distractas suspendit in arbore cristas 960  Distractas equiv. to detractas
Cristas equiv. to galeam

 

 Aeneid 10.834-835.: vulnera siccabat lymphis corpusque levabat/ arboris acclinis trunco. procul aerea ramis/ dependet galea. . .ipse aeger anhelans/ colla fovet. ‘He was staunching his wounds with water, and resting his reclining frame against the trunk of a tree. Nearby his bronze helmet hangs from the boughs. . .He himself, sick and panting, eases his neck.’ Eclogue 1.53: frigus captabis opacum. ‘You shall enjoy the cooling shade.’ 2.8: frigora captant. ‘They court the cool shade.’ Georgics 1.376: patulis captavit naribus auras. ‘With open nostrils he snuffs the breeze.’ Aeneid 9.812-813.: tum toto corpore sudor/ liquitur et piceum (nec respirare potestas)/ flumen agit, fessos quatit aeger anhelitus artus. ‘Then all over his body flows the sweat and runs in pitchy stream, and he has no breathing space; a sickly panting shakes his wearied limbs.’

 

 DSSDDS   960-961: This description of Walther resting from battle is similar to that of Mezentius in Virgil, Aeneid 10.834-835. See also lines 978-979 and note. [JJTY] 
Et ventum captans sudorem tersit anhelus.  Aeneid 10.834-835.: vulnera siccabat lymphis corpusque levabat/ arboris acclinis trunco. procul aerea ramis/ dependet galea. . .ipse aeger anhelans/ colla fovet. ‘He was staunching his wounds with water, and resting his reclining frame against the trunk of a tree. Nearby his bronze helmet hangs from the boughs. . .He himself, sick and panting, eases his neck.’ Eclogue 1.53: frigus captabis opacum. ‘You shall enjoy the cooling shade.’ 2.8: frigora captant. ‘They court the cool shade.’ Georgics 1.376: patulis captavit naribus auras. ‘With open nostrils he snuffs the breeze.’ Aeneid 9.812-813.: tum toto corpore sudor/ liquitur et piceum (nec respirare potestas)/ flumen agit, fessos quatit aeger anhelitus artus. ‘Then all over his body flows the sweat and runs in pitchy stream, and he has no breathing space; a sickly panting shakes his wearied limbs.’

 

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