Classic Poem

2175

Loudly the noble margrave / cried into the hall:
" Now guard you well, ye valiant / Nibelungen all.
From me ye should have profit: / now have ye harm from me.
But late we plighted friendship: / broken now these vows must be. "

2176

Then quailed to hear such tidings / those knights in sore distress,
For none there was among them / but did joy the less
That he would battle with them / for whom great love they bore.
At hand of foes already / had they suffered travail sore.

2177

" Now God in heaven forfend it, " / there King Gunther cried,
" That from mercy to us / thou so wilt turn aside,
And the faithful friendship / whereof hope had we.
I trow in sooth that never / may such thing be done by thee. "

2178

" Desist therefrom I may not, " / the keen knight made reply,
" But now must battle with you, / for vow thereto gave I.
" Now guard you, gallant warriors, / as fear ye life to lose:
From plighted vow release me / will nevermore King Etzel's spouse. "

2179

" Too late thou turnst against us, " / spake King Gunther there.
" Now might God requite thee, / O noble Ruediger,
For the faith and friendship / thou didst on us bestow,
If thou a heart more kindly / even to the end wouldst show.

2180

" We'd ever make requital / for all that thou didst give, —
I and all my kinsmen, / wouldst thou but let us live, —
For thy gifts full stately, / as faithfully thou here
To Etzel's land didst lead us: / know that, O noble Ruediger. "

2181

" To me what pleasure were it, " / Ruediger did say,
" With full hand of my treasure / unto you to weigh
And with a mind right willing / as was my hope to do!
Thus might no man reproach me / with lack of courtesy to you. "

2182

" Turn yet, O noble Ruediger. " / Gernot spake again,
" For in so gracious manner / did never entertain
Any host the stranger, / as we were served by thee;
And live we yet a little, / shall thou well requited be. "

2183

" O would to God, full noble / Gernot, " spake Ruediger,
" That ye were at Rhine river / and that dead I were
With somewhat saved of honor, / since I must be your foe!
Upon good knights was never / wrought by friends more bitter woe. "

2184

" Now God requite thee, Ruediger, " / Gernot gave reply,
" For gifts so fair bestowed. / I rue to see thee die,
For that in thee shall perish / knight of so gentle mind.
Here thy sword I carry, / that gav'st thou me in friendship kind.

2185

" It never yet hath failed me / in this our sorest need,
And 'neath its cutting edges / many a knight lies dead.
'Tis strong and bright of lustre, / cunning wrought and well.
I ween, whate'er was given / by knight it doth in worth excel.

2186

" An wilt thou not give over / upon us here to fall,
And if one friend thou slayest / here yet within this hall,
With this same sword thou gavest, / I'll take from thee thy life.
I sorrow for thee Ruediger, / and eke thy fair and stately wife. "

2187

" Would God but give, Sir Gernot, / that such thing might be,
That thou thy will completely / here fulfilled mightst see,
And of thy friends not any / here his life should lose!
Yea, shalt thou live to comfort / both my daughter and my spouse. "

2188

Then out spake of Burgundy / the son of Ute fair:
" How dost thou so, Sir Ruediger? / All that with me are
To thee are well disposed. / Thou dost an evil thing,
And wilt thine own fair daughter / to widowhood too early bring.

2189

" If thou with armed warriors / wilt thus assail me here,
In what unfriendly manner / thou makest to appear
How that in thee I trusted / beyond all men beside,
When thy fairest daughter / erstwhile I won to be my bride. "

2190

" Thy good faith remember, / O Prince of virtue rare,
If God from hence do bring thee, " / — so spake Ruediger:
" Forsake thou not the maiden / when bereft of me,
But rather grant thy goodness / be dealt to her more graciously. "

2191

" That would I do full fairly, " / spake Giselher again.
" But if my lofty kinsmen, / who yet do here remain,
Beneath thy hand shall perish, / severed then must be
The friendship true I cherish / eke for thy daughter and for thee. "

2192

" Then God to us give mercy, " / the knight full valiant spake
Their shields in hand then took they, / as who perforce would make
Their passage to the strangers / into Kriemhild's hall.
Adown the stair full loudly / did Hagen, knight of Tronje, call:

2193

" Tarry yet a little, / O noble Ruediger,
For further would we parley, " / — thus might ye Hagen hear —
" I and my royal masters, / as presseth sorest need.
What might it boot to Etzel / that we strangers all lay dead.

2194

" Great is here my trouble, " / Hagen did declare:
" The shield that Lady Gotelinde / gave to me to bear
Hath now been hewn asunder / by Hun-men in my hand.
With friendly thought I bore it / hither into Etzel's land.