The Nibelungenlied: The Lay of the Nibelungs (Oxford World's Classics) by Cyril Edwards Page B
Authors: Cyril Edwards
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as my own inheritance. If you win that by your strength, then it shall all be subject to you. Your inheritance, and mine also, shall be equally at
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stake. Whichever one of us can vanquish the other shall have all serve him, both people and lands.’
Gernot and Hagen objected at once. ‘We have no intention’, said
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Gernot then, ‘of forcing any lands into submission, with people lying dead in the cause at a hero’s hands. We possess rich lands: they serve us by right—they could not be in any better keeping.’
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Gunther’s allies stood there in a grim mood. Among them also was Ortwin of Metz. He said: ‘This appeasement grieves me greatly. Mighty Sivrit has declared hostilities against you without cause.
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Even if you and your brothers did not possess such strong defences, and if Sivrit had led a whole king’s army here, I would be confident of doing battle so well that this bold man would be given good cause to abandon such great arrogance.’
117
That greatly enraged the hero of the Netherlands. He said: ‘You have no right to presume to do battle against me. I am a powerful king, but you are a king’s vassal. In any case, twelve of your like could never take me on in battle!’
118
Then Ortwin of Metz called out loudly for swords—it was easy to see he was Hagen of Tronege’s sister’s son. That Hagen himself kept silent for so long grieved the king.
Then Gernot, that bold and gallant knight, intervened. He said
119
to Ortwin: ‘Let your anger be. Lord Sivrit has not done us any such wrong that we may not still readily settle the matter in a courteous way—that’s my counsel—and have him be our ally. That would give us still greater renown.’
120
Then mighty Hagen said: ‘We may well have cause to regret, as may also all your knights, that he ever rode to the Rhine in search of battle here. He should not have done so. My lords had done him no such wrongs as might merit this.’
121
Sivrit, that mighty man, replied: ‘If what I have said troubles you, Sir Hagen, then I shall let it be shown that these hands of mine want to wield great mastery here in Burgundy!’
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‘I alone shall forestall that,’ said Gernot in reply. He then forbade all his knights to speak any haughty words that might anger him.
Sivrit’s thoughts, for his part, then turned to the noble maiden.
123
‘How would it become us to do battle with you?’ continued Gernot. ‘No matter how many warriors would inevitably lie dead in consequence, we’d win small honour by it and you very little profit.’
Sivrit, King Sigmunt’s son, replied to him: ‘Why is Hagen tarrying,
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and Ortwin also, not hastening to do battle along with his friends, so many of whom he has here in Burgundy?’
They had to leave off such talk—that was Gernot’s counsel. ‘We bid you welcome here,’ said Uote’s son, * ‘along with your companions-in-arms who have come with you. We shall willingly serve you, I and my kinsmen.’
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Then they bade that Gunther’s wine be poured out for the guests.
126
The lord of the land then said: ‘All that we possess, if it is honourable for you to wish for it, shall be at your disposal, and let our men and our possessions be shared with you.’ At that Lord Sivrit grew some-what more gently disposed towards them.
127
They then ordered that all their garments be put in safe-keeping. Lodgings were sought, the best to be found, for Sivrit’s squires. They gave them good quarters. After that the guest was gladly seen amongst the Burgundians there.
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For many days thereafter he was offered great honour—a thousand times more than I can tell you. His valour had earned him that, you may well believe. There was scarcely anyone who saw him who was hostile towards him. The kings, and their men also, indulged in
129
pastimes. Sivrit was always the best, no matter what they undertook there. No one could match him, so great was his strength, when they threw the stone or
113
stake. Whichever one of us can vanquish the other shall have all serve him, both people and lands.’
Gernot and Hagen objected at once. ‘We have no intention’, said
114
Gernot then, ‘of forcing any lands into submission, with people lying dead in the cause at a hero’s hands. We possess rich lands: they serve us by right—they could not be in any better keeping.’
115
Gunther’s allies stood there in a grim mood. Among them also was Ortwin of Metz. He said: ‘This appeasement grieves me greatly. Mighty Sivrit has declared hostilities against you without cause.
116
Even if you and your brothers did not possess such strong defences, and if Sivrit had led a whole king’s army here, I would be confident of doing battle so well that this bold man would be given good cause to abandon such great arrogance.’
117
That greatly enraged the hero of the Netherlands. He said: ‘You have no right to presume to do battle against me. I am a powerful king, but you are a king’s vassal. In any case, twelve of your like could never take me on in battle!’
118
Then Ortwin of Metz called out loudly for swords—it was easy to see he was Hagen of Tronege’s sister’s son. That Hagen himself kept silent for so long grieved the king.
Then Gernot, that bold and gallant knight, intervened. He said
119
to Ortwin: ‘Let your anger be. Lord Sivrit has not done us any such wrong that we may not still readily settle the matter in a courteous way—that’s my counsel—and have him be our ally. That would give us still greater renown.’
120
Then mighty Hagen said: ‘We may well have cause to regret, as may also all your knights, that he ever rode to the Rhine in search of battle here. He should not have done so. My lords had done him no such wrongs as might merit this.’
121
Sivrit, that mighty man, replied: ‘If what I have said troubles you, Sir Hagen, then I shall let it be shown that these hands of mine want to wield great mastery here in Burgundy!’
122
‘I alone shall forestall that,’ said Gernot in reply. He then forbade all his knights to speak any haughty words that might anger him.
Sivrit’s thoughts, for his part, then turned to the noble maiden.
123
‘How would it become us to do battle with you?’ continued Gernot. ‘No matter how many warriors would inevitably lie dead in consequence, we’d win small honour by it and you very little profit.’
Sivrit, King Sigmunt’s son, replied to him: ‘Why is Hagen tarrying,
124
and Ortwin also, not hastening to do battle along with his friends, so many of whom he has here in Burgundy?’
They had to leave off such talk—that was Gernot’s counsel. ‘We bid you welcome here,’ said Uote’s son, * ‘along with your companions-in-arms who have come with you. We shall willingly serve you, I and my kinsmen.’
125
Then they bade that Gunther’s wine be poured out for the guests.
126
The lord of the land then said: ‘All that we possess, if it is honourable for you to wish for it, shall be at your disposal, and let our men and our possessions be shared with you.’ At that Lord Sivrit grew some-what more gently disposed towards them.
127
They then ordered that all their garments be put in safe-keeping. Lodgings were sought, the best to be found, for Sivrit’s squires. They gave them good quarters. After that the guest was gladly seen amongst the Burgundians there.
128
For many days thereafter he was offered great honour—a thousand times more than I can tell you. His valour had earned him that, you may well believe. There was scarcely anyone who saw him who was hostile towards him. The kings, and their men also, indulged in
129
pastimes. Sivrit was always the best, no matter what they undertook there. No one could match him, so great was his strength, when they threw the stone or
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