IV - Kay's Mockery and Gawein's Advice
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 March 2023
Summary
Now Lord Key was delighted
to find cause for scorn.
He said: ‘Sir Kalogreant,
where is your kinsman, Sir Iwein?
It appears still, as it appeared then,
and, I believe, always will appear:
his speech was coloured by wine,
when he avenged you here by words.
Oh, how he cut and thrust!
If he had been given more to drink,
he would have slain twelve giants!
Great is his valour.
In truth, if he wishes to avenge you,
he is tardy.
It is I who will avenge you there.
Again I find I must face duress,
as I very often have done,
standing in for my friends.
I don't know why they do it,
or what wrong they are avenging upon themselves –
those who talk so much
about their own deeds,
when no-one else will concede they are right.
It is good to be in a fight
in which no-one deals a counter-blow.
Now he has escaped us,
to his own disgrace.
He feared that if he had come here,
as he had taken on the challenge,
he would have to face the danger first.
I would, however, have readily spared him the necessity.
Many a base man belittles
a worthy man whenever he can,
if he performs any act of valour,
and it grieves him to the heart
if honour befalls any man.
Now, see, I do no such thing,
for I gladly grant every man
what honour befalls him.
I praise him whenever he acts rightly
and am silent about his disgrace – that is well.
Ez ist reht, daz mir gelinge,
wan ezn sprichet ze dem dinge
niemen minre danne ich.
Iedoch sô fürdert er sich,
swâ sich der boese selbe lobt, 49r
wande niemen gerne für in tobt,
der sîne höfscheit prîse.
Der herre Îwein ist niht wîse –
er möhte swîgen als ich.’
Diu rede dûhte sî gemlich,
daz er sich dûhte als guot,
wan alsô falschlîchen muot
gewan nie rîter dehein.
D ô sprach mîn her Gawein:
‘Wie nû, mîn her Key,
nû sprechet ir doch, ir sît frî
falscher rede – wie schînet daz?
Ir erzeiget doch iezuo grôzen haz
disem guoten knehte.
- Type
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- Information
- German Romance III<i>Iwein</i> or <i>The Knight with the Lion</i>, pp. 119 - 142Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2007