. . . The day is come
when to one or other thy way must lead,—
10loss of life, or lasting glory
ever with earth-dwellers, Ælfhere’s son!
Nowise can my words bewail, O friend,
that ever I saw thee,[1] when swords were at play,
shamefully shrink from shock of battle
15with warrior foe, and flee to the wall
to shield thy body,—though blades enow
hewed on thy harness from hostile throng!
Nay, further ever the fight thou hast urged,
and I feared thy fate, so far thy venture,
20lest thou too wildly shouldst war, and seek,
in clash of contest, combat mortal
with another man.[2] Have mind now on honor,
on glory of war, while God is with thee!
Fear not for the brand: the bravest of weapons,
25’twas given to help us[3]! On Guthhere, therefore,
beat down his boast; this battle he sought,
and stirred up strife in spite of justice;
the sword he claimed, and the caskets of treasure,[4]
wealth of rings: now, wanting them all
30he shall flee from this fight to find his lord,
hasten homeward, or here shall he die
if he . . .
- ↑ That is, “ever heard it said of thee that thou . . .”
- ↑ She has often been frightened about his fate, she says, fearing he would go beyond even the bounds of his wonderful resources and so fall victim to some hostile warrior. Now is the time to show that same desperate spirit. . . .
- ↑ Literally, “as an aid to both of us.”
- ↑ In the Latin poem Guntharius pretends he has a right to Walter’s plunder in pay for the tribute the Franks have sent to Attila.
