The Nibelungenlied
2081
" Now lay ye off the helmets, " / the words from Hagen fell:
" I with a boon companion / will be your sentinel
And seek the men of Etzel / to work us further harm,
For my royal masters / full quickly will I cry alarm. "
2082
Then freed his head of armor / many a warrior good.
They sate them on the corses, / that round them in the blood
Of wounds themselves had dealt them, / prostrate weltering lay.
Now to his guests so lofty / scant courtesy did Etzel pay.
2083
Ere yet was come the even, / King Etzel did persuade,
And eke the Lady Kriemhild, / that once more essayed
The Hunnish knights to storm them. / Before them might ye see
Good twenty thousand warriors, / who soon for fight must ready be.
2084
Then with a furious onset / the strangers they attacked.
Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / who naught of courage lacked,
Sprang out 'mid the besiegers / to ward them from the door.
'Twas deemed a deadly peril, / yet scatheless stood he there before.
2085
Fierce the struggle lasted / till darkness brought an end.
Themselves like goodly heroes / the strangers did defend
Against the men of Etzel / all the long summer day.
What host of valiant warriors / before them fell to death a prey!
2086
At turn of sun in summer / that havoc sore was wrought,
When the Lady Kriemhild / revenge so dire sought
Upon her nearest kinsmen / and many a knight beside,
Wherefore with royal Etzel / never more might joy abide.
2087
As day at last was ending / sad they were of heart.
They deemed from life 'twere better / in sudden death to part
Than be thus long tormented / by great o'erhanging dread.
That respite now be granted, / the knights so proud and gallant prayed.
2088
They prayed to lead the monarch / hither to them there.
As heroes blood-bespotted, / and stained from battle-gear,
Forth from the hall emerged / the lofty monarchs three.
They wist not to whom complained / might their full grievous sorrows be.
2089
Etzel and Kriemhild / they soon before them found,
And great was now their company / from all their lands around.
Spake Etzel to the strangers: / " What will ye now of me?
Ye hope for end of conflict, / but hardly may such favor be.
2090
" This so mighty ruin / that ye on me have wrought,
If death thwart not my purpose, / shall profit you in naught.
For child that here ye slew me / and kinsmen dear to me,
Shall peace and reconcilement / from you withheld forever be. "
2091
Thereto gave answer Gunther: / " To that drove sorest need.
Lay all my train of squires / before thy warriors dead
Where they for night assembled / How bore I so great blame?
Of friendly mind I deemed thee, / as trusting in thy faith I came. "
2092
Then spake eke of Burgundy / the youthful Giselher:
" Ye knights that still are living / of Etzel, now declare
Whereof ye may reproach me! / How hath you harmed my hand?
For in right friendly manner / came I riding to this land. "
2093
Cried they: " Well is thy friendship / in burgh and country known
By sorrow of thy making. / Gladly had we foregone
The pleasure of thy coming / from Worms across the Rhine.
Our country hast thou orphaned, / thou and brother eke of thine. "
2094
In angry mood King Gunther / unto them replied:
" An ye this mighty hatred / appeased would lay aside,
Borne 'gainst us knights here homeless, / to both a gain it were
For Etzel's wrath against us / we in sooth no guilt do bear. "
2095
The host then to the strangers: / " Your sorrow here and mine
Are things all unequal. / For now must I repine
With honor all bespotted / and 'neath distress of woe.
Of you shall never any / hence from my country living go. "
2096
Then did the doughty Gernot / unto King Etzel say:
" God then in mercy move thee / to act in friendly way.
Slay us knights here homeless, / yet grant us down to go
To meet thee in the open: / thine honor biddeth thus to do.
2097
" Whate'er shall be our portion, / let that straightway appear
Men hast thou yet so many / that, should they banish fear,
Not one of us storm-weary / might keep his life secure.
How long shall we here friendless / this woeful travail yet endure? "
2098
By the warriors of Etzel / their wish nigh granted was,
And leave well nigh was given / that from the hall they pass.
When Kriemhild knew their purpose, / high her anger swelled,
And straightway such a respite / was from the stranger knights withheld.
2099
" But nay, ye Hunnish warriors! / what ye have mind to do,
Therefrom now desist ye, / — such is my counsel true;
Nor let foes so vengeful / pass without the hall,
Else must in death before them / full many of your kinsmen fall.
2100
" If of them lived none other / but Ute's sons alone,
My three noble brothers, / and they the air had won
Where breeze might cool their armor, / to death ye were a prey
In all this world were never / born more valiant thanes than they. "
" Now lay ye off the helmets, " / the words from Hagen fell:
" I with a boon companion / will be your sentinel
And seek the men of Etzel / to work us further harm,
For my royal masters / full quickly will I cry alarm. "
2082
Then freed his head of armor / many a warrior good.
They sate them on the corses, / that round them in the blood
Of wounds themselves had dealt them, / prostrate weltering lay.
Now to his guests so lofty / scant courtesy did Etzel pay.
2083
Ere yet was come the even, / King Etzel did persuade,
And eke the Lady Kriemhild, / that once more essayed
The Hunnish knights to storm them. / Before them might ye see
Good twenty thousand warriors, / who soon for fight must ready be.
2084
Then with a furious onset / the strangers they attacked.
Dankwart, Hagen's brother, / who naught of courage lacked,
Sprang out 'mid the besiegers / to ward them from the door.
'Twas deemed a deadly peril, / yet scatheless stood he there before.
2085
Fierce the struggle lasted / till darkness brought an end.
Themselves like goodly heroes / the strangers did defend
Against the men of Etzel / all the long summer day.
What host of valiant warriors / before them fell to death a prey!
2086
At turn of sun in summer / that havoc sore was wrought,
When the Lady Kriemhild / revenge so dire sought
Upon her nearest kinsmen / and many a knight beside,
Wherefore with royal Etzel / never more might joy abide.
2087
As day at last was ending / sad they were of heart.
They deemed from life 'twere better / in sudden death to part
Than be thus long tormented / by great o'erhanging dread.
That respite now be granted, / the knights so proud and gallant prayed.
2088
They prayed to lead the monarch / hither to them there.
As heroes blood-bespotted, / and stained from battle-gear,
Forth from the hall emerged / the lofty monarchs three.
They wist not to whom complained / might their full grievous sorrows be.
2089
Etzel and Kriemhild / they soon before them found,
And great was now their company / from all their lands around.
Spake Etzel to the strangers: / " What will ye now of me?
Ye hope for end of conflict, / but hardly may such favor be.
2090
" This so mighty ruin / that ye on me have wrought,
If death thwart not my purpose, / shall profit you in naught.
For child that here ye slew me / and kinsmen dear to me,
Shall peace and reconcilement / from you withheld forever be. "
2091
Thereto gave answer Gunther: / " To that drove sorest need.
Lay all my train of squires / before thy warriors dead
Where they for night assembled / How bore I so great blame?
Of friendly mind I deemed thee, / as trusting in thy faith I came. "
2092
Then spake eke of Burgundy / the youthful Giselher:
" Ye knights that still are living / of Etzel, now declare
Whereof ye may reproach me! / How hath you harmed my hand?
For in right friendly manner / came I riding to this land. "
2093
Cried they: " Well is thy friendship / in burgh and country known
By sorrow of thy making. / Gladly had we foregone
The pleasure of thy coming / from Worms across the Rhine.
Our country hast thou orphaned, / thou and brother eke of thine. "
2094
In angry mood King Gunther / unto them replied:
" An ye this mighty hatred / appeased would lay aside,
Borne 'gainst us knights here homeless, / to both a gain it were
For Etzel's wrath against us / we in sooth no guilt do bear. "
2095
The host then to the strangers: / " Your sorrow here and mine
Are things all unequal. / For now must I repine
With honor all bespotted / and 'neath distress of woe.
Of you shall never any / hence from my country living go. "
2096
Then did the doughty Gernot / unto King Etzel say:
" God then in mercy move thee / to act in friendly way.
Slay us knights here homeless, / yet grant us down to go
To meet thee in the open: / thine honor biddeth thus to do.
2097
" Whate'er shall be our portion, / let that straightway appear
Men hast thou yet so many / that, should they banish fear,
Not one of us storm-weary / might keep his life secure.
How long shall we here friendless / this woeful travail yet endure? "
2098
By the warriors of Etzel / their wish nigh granted was,
And leave well nigh was given / that from the hall they pass.
When Kriemhild knew their purpose, / high her anger swelled,
And straightway such a respite / was from the stranger knights withheld.
2099
" But nay, ye Hunnish warriors! / what ye have mind to do,
Therefrom now desist ye, / — such is my counsel true;
Nor let foes so vengeful / pass without the hall,
Else must in death before them / full many of your kinsmen fall.
2100
" If of them lived none other / but Ute's sons alone,
My three noble brothers, / and they the air had won
Where breeze might cool their armor, / to death ye were a prey
In all this world were never / born more valiant thanes than they. "
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