Parzival: A Knightly Epic (vol. 1 of 2)

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Then the hostess she passed to her chamber, yea, e'en as the meal was o'er;
And a couch did they spread for the hero, and love to the labour bore.550
And the host to his guest spake kindly, 'Now here shall thy sleep be sweet,
Thou shalt rest thro' the night that cometh, to thy need shall such rest be meet.'
Then he spake to his men, and he bade them they should hence from the hall away,
And the noble youths his pages, their couches around his lay
Each one with the head toward his master, for so was the custom good;555
And tapers so tall and flaming alight round the chamber stood.
Yet ill did it please the hero that so long were the hours of night,
For the Moorish queen so dusky, had vanquished his heart of might.
And he turned as a willow wand bendeth, till his joints they were heard to crack,
The strife and the love that he craved for he deemed he o'er-long did lack.560
And his heart-beats they echoed loudly, as it swelled high for knighthood fain,
And he stretched himself as an archer who bendeth a bow amain.
And so eager his lust for battle that sleepless the hero lay
Till he saw the grey light of morning, though as yet it should scarce be day.
And his chaplain for Mass was ready, and to God and the knight they sing,565
For so did he give commandment. Then he bade them his harness bring,

And he rode where a joust should wait him, and that self-same hour would ride
A horse that could charge the foeman, and turn swiftly to either side,
And answer to bit and bridle if its rider would backward draw.
And the watchers, both man and woman, his helm in the gateway saw, 570
And the anchor shone fair upon it; and no man ere this might see
So wondrous fair a hero, for like to a god was he!

And strong spears they bare for his using—How then was he decked, the knight?
With iron was his charger covered, as should serve for a shield in fight,
And above lay another covering, nor heavy methinks it weighed, 575
'Twas a samite green; and his surcoat and blazoned coat were made
Of Achmardi, green to look on, and in Araby fashioned fair,
And no lie I tell, but the shield-thongs that the weight of the shield should bear
Were of silk and gold untarnished, and jewel-bedecked their pride,
And the boss of the shield was covered with red gold, in the furnace tried.580
He served but for love's rewarding; sharp conflict he held it light;
And the queen she looked from her window, with many a lady bright.
And see, there Heuteger held him, who the prize ne'er had failed to gain;
When he saw the knight draw nearer, in swift gallop across the plain,
He thought, 'Now whence came this Frenchman? Who hither this knight hath sent?585
If a Moor I had thought this hero, my wit were to madness bent!'

No whit they delayed the onslaught, from gallop to swifter flight
Each man spurred amain his charger; and as fitting a valiant knight
Nor one would evade the other, but would meet him in jousting fair,
From brave Heuteger's spear the splinters flew high thro' the summer air,590
But his foeman so well withstood him that he thrust him from off his steed
Adown on the grass; but seldom might he win for his joust such meed!
And his foe in his course rode o'er him, and trode him unto the ground,
Yet he sprang up again, and valiant, fresh lust for the strife he found,
But Gamuret's lance had pierced him thro' the arm, and he bade him yield,595
And he knew he had found his master, and he spake from the foughten field,
'Now who shall have o'erthrown me?' and the victor he swiftly spake,
'Gamuret Angevin do men call me!' then he quoth, 'Thou my pledge canst take!'

Then his pledge the knight took, and straightway he sent him within the wall,
And much praise did he win from the women who looked from the castle hall.600
And swiftly there came towards him, Gaschier of Normandy,
A proud and wealthy hero and mighty in strife was he.
And Gamuret made him ready, for a second joust he'ld ride,
And strong and new was his spear-shaft, and the iron was both sharp and wide,
And the strangers they faced each other—But unequal their lot, I trow,605
For Gaschier and his gallant charger full swiftly were they laid low,
And the knight with his arms and harness he fell in the shock of strife;
If he thought it for good or for evil, by his pledge must he win his life.

Then Gamuret quoth, the hero, 'Thou hast pledged unto me thine hand,
Yet the weapon it well hath wielded! Ride thou to the Scottish band,610
And bid them to cease from troubling; if they to thy will are fain,
Thou canst follow me to the city.' Then the knight hied him o'er the plain.
If he prayed them, or gave commandment, they did at the last his will,
And the Scottish host they rested, and from conflict they held them still.

Then Kailet spurred swift towards him, but Gamuret turned his rein,615
His cousin he was, and near kinsman, why then bring him grief and pain?
And the Spaniard cried loudly on him; on his helm he an ostrich bare,
And so far as I know to tell ye the knight he was decked so fair
With silken raiment goodly, and long were his robes and wide,
And the plain rang clear with the chiming of sweet bells as he o'er it hied.620
The flower he of manly beauty, and his fairness it held the field,
Save for two who should come hereafter, and his fame unto theirs must yield;
But Parzival and brave Beaucorps, King Lot's son, they are not here,
Not yet were they born, but hereafter for their beauty men held them dear!

Then Gaschier he grasped his bridle. 'Now checked will it be thy race,625
So I tell thee upon mine honour, if the Angevin thou shalt face
Who there my pledge hath taken. Sir Knight, thou shalt list my prayer
And hearken unto my counsel; in Gamuret's hand I sware
From strife aside to turn thee: stay thy steed then for my sake,
For mighty is he in conflict!' Then aloud King Kailet spake, 630
'Is he Gamuret my cousin, and son unto King Gandein?
Then I care not with him to battle, no foe shall he be of mine!
Take thine hand from off my bridle'—'Nay, further thou shalt not fare
Till mine eyes have first beheld thee, with thine head of the helmet bare,
For mine with blows is deafened!' Then his helmet the prince unbound.635
And yet, tho' with him he fought not, Gamuret other foemen found.

And the day had grown to high morning—And the folk who the joust might see
Were glad at heart, and they gat them to their bulwarks right speedily,
For he was as a net before them, and none might escape his hold.
And he chose him another charger, so the tale unto me was told, 640
And it flew, and the earth it spurnèd, and its work could aright fulfil,
Bold when the knight would battle, yet its speed could he check at will.
And what would he do the rider? His valour I praise alway,
For he rode where the Moorish army to the west by the sea-coast lay.

Thence a prince, Rassalig men called him, forgat not each coming morn645
(He was Assagog's richest hero, to riches and honour born
Since he came of a royal lineage) to take from the camp his way
He would fain joust before the city—But his strength it was quelled that day
By Anjou's dauntless hero; and a dusky maid made moan
(Since 'twas she who sent him hither) that her knight should be thus o'erthrown.650
For a squire brought, without his bidding, to his master, brave Gamuret,
A spear, with light reed-shaft fashioned, and its point 'gainst the Moor he set,
And with it he smote the paynim from his steed down upon the sand,
Nor longer he bade him lie there than as surety he pledged his hand.
So the strife it had found its ending, and the hero had won him fame;655
Then Gamuret saw eight banners toward the city that onward came,
And he bade the conquered hero the force with his word to stay,
And follow him to the city. And that word must he needs obey.