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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Now the squires they saw how a linden and olive-trees stood fair
Beneath the walls, and they thought them how a welcome shade were there.240
What would ye more? Then King Lot's son he straight to the ground did spring
Where the shade was best, and his servants, they swift to their lord would bring
A cushion fair and a mattress, and the proud knight he sat thereon;
From on high gazed a crowd of ladies—Then, as he his rest had won,
They lift adown from the pack-steeds the chests, and the harness bright,245
And beneath the trees they laid them who rode here with the gallant knight.

Spake the elder duchess, 'Daughter, what merchant think thou would fare
In such royal guise? Thou wrongest his rank who now sitteth there!'
Then out quoth the younger sister, 'Discourteous she aye shall be,
With pride and scorn did she treat him, our king, Meljanz of Lys, 250
When her love he besought—unseemly such words and ways I trow!'
Then spake Obie, for anger moved her, 'I see naught in that man below!
There sitteth, methinks, a merchant, and he driveth a goodly trade;
He would that they well were guarded, the chests that his steeds do lade,
And like to a brooding dragon, O foolish sister mine, 255
O'er his treasure-chest he watcheth, this gallant knight of thine!'

And each word that they spake, the maidens, fell clear on Gawain's ear—
Leave we their speech, of the city and its peril ye now must hear.

A water that ships had sailed on 'neath a bridge of stone flowed past,
And the land here was clear of foemen, nor its flood held their armies fast.260
A marshal came swiftly riding 'fore the bridge on the plain so wide,
And a goodly camp had he marked out ere his lord to the field should ride.
And he came e'en as they were ready, and with him came many more—
I will tell ye their names who, for truth's sake, and the love they to Lippaut bore,
Here rode to his aid—His brother, men called him Duke Marangliess,265
And two swift knights came with him from the land of Brevigariez;
King Schirniel, the gallant monarch who ware crown in Lirivoin,
And with him there rode his brother, the monarch of Avendroin.

Now when the Burgers saw well that help drew anigh their wall
They deemed that an evil counsel which aforetime seemed good to all—270
Then out spake their lord, Duke Lippaut, 'Alas! for the woeful hour
That Beaurosch must seal its portals against the foeman's power!
Yet if I against my master in open field had fought,
Then mine honour, methinks, were smitten, and my courtesy brought to naught.
His grace would beseem me better, and gladden me more, I ween, 275
Than the hatred which now he showeth, of such hate have I guiltless been.
A joust that his hand had smitten but little would grace my shield.
Or if his of the sword bare token that I 'gainst my king would wield.
Methinketh, tho' wise the woman, she were shamed an she praised such deed—
Yea, say that my king were captive in my tower, I my lord had freed,280
And myself had become his prisoner—what had pleased him best to do
Of evil, I'ld gladly bear it, as befitted a vassal true,
And I thank my God of a true heart that I here, a free man, stand,
Tho' spurred by love and anger my king doth invade my land!'
Then he quoth again to the Burgers, 'Now may wisdom with ye be found285
To counsel me in the perils that compass my path around.'

Then many a wise man answered, 'Thou hast wrought in no wise amiss,
Might innocence win its guerdon, then thou never hadst come to this.'
Then all with one voice they counselled that the gates be opened wide,
And that he should bid their bravest forthwith unto jousting ride. 290
And they quoth, 'So to fight were better than thus our ramparts high
To defend 'gainst our king, and the armies twofold that around us lie,
For the most part they are but children who ride with their king to-day,
And 'twere easy to take a hostage, so wrath oft is turned away.
And the king he shall be so minded, that if here knightly deeds be done,295
He shall free us perchance from our peril, and the ending of wrath be won.
Far better in field to seek them than forth from our walls be brought
As their captives—Nay, e'en to their tent-ropes, methinks, we with ease had fought
Were it not for the King Poidikonjonz, 'neath his banner the bravest fight;
And there is our greatest peril, the captive Breton knights, 300
Duke Astor it is who leads them, and foremost in strife are they;
And the king's son is there, Meljakanz; higher his fame to-day
Had Gurnemanz been his teacher! Yet never he feareth fight;
But help have we found against them,'—Now their rede have ye heard aright.

Then the prince he did as they counselled, the portals he open brake,305
And the Burgers who ne'er lacked courage their way to the field would take.
Here one jousted, and there another; and the armies they made their way
With high courage towards the city, right good was their vesper-play.
On both sides the troops were countless; manifold was their battle-cry,
And Scotch and Welsh might ye hearken, for in sooth here I tell no lie.310
And stern were their deeds of knighthood as fitting so stern a fight,
And bravely those heroes battled, till weary each gallant knight.

And they were little more than children who with the king's army came,
And they took them as pledge in a corn-field, who thought there to win them fame,
And he who had ne'er won token of love from a lady fair, 315
Might never more costly raiment on his youthful body bear;
Of Meljanz the venture telleth that in harness bright he rode,
On high flamed his youthful courage—A charger the king bestrode
That Meljakanz won when in jousting his foe from his steed he swung,
'Twas Kay, and so high he smote him that aloft from a bough he hung;320
There Meljakanz won the charger that Meljanz would ride that day,
And foremost of all the heroes he strove in the knightly fray.
And Obie beheld his jousting, and watched him with eager eye,
As she stood there among her maidens, and gazed from the palace high.

So quoth she unto her sister, 'See, sister mine, thy knight 325
And mine, unlike do they bear them, for thine hath no will to fight,
He thinketh for sure this city and castle we needs must lose.
An here we would seek defenders, other champion we needs must choose!'
And the younger must bear her mocking—then she spake, 'Yet I trust my knight,
He hath time yet to show his courage, and thy mockery put to flight.330
For here shall he do me service, and his gladness shall be my care,
An thou holdest him for a merchant, with me shall he trade full fair!'

As with words they strove, the maidens, he hearkened, the Knight Gawain,
Yet he made as tho' he heard not as he sat on the grassy plain.
And if knightly soul should hearken, nor feel in the hearing shame,335
'Twould but be that death had freed him from burden of praise or blame.