{"id":4291,"date":"2018-08-24T10:01:45","date_gmt":"2018-08-24T14:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/manuscript-studies\/?page_id=4291"},"modified":"2020-04-14T15:38:07","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T19:38:07","slug":"ludwigslied","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/manuscript-studies\/translations\/ludwigslied\/","title":{"rendered":"Ludwigslied"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Manuscript illumination of Frankish cavalry taken from the so-called \u201cStuttgart Psalter\u201d (fol. 3v), a Psalm codex produced c. 820 at the monastery of Saint-Germain-des-Pr\u00e9s (Paris), now W\u00fcrttembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, Cod.bibl.fol.23.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This piece marks the transformation of our Old English Poetry Project into a more inclusive Medieval Poetry Project<\/a>.\u00a0Transcription, edition and translation of\u00a0Ludwigslied\u00a0<\/em>by Jake Coen, who discusses the project in his translator’s preface<\/em><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Old High German\u00a0Ludwigslied
\n<\/em><\/strong>
\nRITHMUS TEUTONICUS DE PIAE MEMORIAE HLUDUIGO REGE FILIO HLUDUICI AEQ[UE] REGIS<\/p>\n

Einan kuning uueiz ih Heiszit her hluduig
\nTher gerno gode thionot Ih uueiz her imos lonot<\/p>\n

Kind uuarth her faterlos Thes uuarth imo sar buo[z]
\nHoloda inan truhtin Magaczago uuarth her sin<\/p>\n

Gab her imo \u00f0ugidi Fronisc githigini
\nStuol hier in urankon So bruche her es lango<\/p>\n

Thaz gideilder thanne Sar mit karlemanne
\nBruoder sinemo Thia czala uuunniono<\/p>\n

[S]o thaz uuarth al gendiot Koron uuolda sin god
\nOb her arbeidi So iung tholon mahti<\/p>\n

Lietz her heidine man Obar seo lidan
\nThiot urancono Manon sun diono<\/p>\n

Sume sar uerlorane Uuurdun sum erkorane
\nHaranskara tholota Ther er misselebeta<\/p>\n

Ther ther thanne thiob uuas Inder thanana ginas
\nNam sina uaston Sidh uuarth her guot man<\/p>\n

Sum uuas luginari Sum skachari
\nSum fol loses Inder gibouzta sih thes<\/p>\n

Kuning uuas eruirrit Thaz richi al girrit
\nUuas erbolgan Krist Leidhor thes inguld iz<\/p>\n

Thoh er barmedes got Uuuisser alla thia not
\nHiez her hluduigan Tharot sar ritan<\/p>\n

Hluduig kuning min Hilph minan liutin
\nHeigun sa northman Harto biduuungan<\/p>\n

Thanne sprah hluduig Herro so duon ih
\nDot ni rette mir ez Al thaz thu gibiudist<\/p>\n

Tho nam her godes urlub Huob her gun\u00f0fanon uf
\nReit her thara in urankon Ingagan northmannon<\/p>\n

Gode thancodun The sin beidodun
\nQuadhun al fro min So lango beidon uuir thin<\/p>\n

Thanne sprah luto Hluduig ther guoto
\nTrostet hiu gisellion Mine not stallon<\/p>\n

Hera santa mih god Ioh mir selbo g[ibod]
\nOb hiu rat thuhti Thaz ih hier ge[uu]hti
\nMih selbon ni sparoti Uncih hie gineriti<\/p>\n

Nu uuillih thaz mir uolgon Alle godes holdon
\nGiskerit ist thiu hier uuist So lango so uuili Krist
\nUuiliher unsa hina uarth Thero habet her giuualt<\/p>\n

So uuer so hier in ellian Giduot godes uuillion
\nQuimit he gisund uz Ih gilonon imoz
\nBilibit her tharinne Sinemo kunnie<\/p>\n

Tho nam her skild indi sper Ellianlicho reit her
\nUuolder uuar errahchon Sina uuidarsahchon<\/p>\n

Tho ni uuas iz burolang Fand her thia northman
\nGode lob sageda Her sihit thes her ge[re]da<\/p>\n

Ther kuning reit kuono Sang lioth frono
\nIoh alle saman sungun kirrie leison<\/p>\n

Sang uuas gisungan Uuig uuas bigunnan
\nBluot skein in uuangon Spilodun ther urankon<\/p>\n

Thar uaht thegeno gelih Nichein soso hluduig
\nSnel indi kuoni Thaz uuas imo gekunni<\/p>\n

Suman thuruh skluog her Suman thuruh stah her
\nHer skancta cehanton Sinan fian[ton]
\nBitter[es] lides So uue hin hio thes libes<\/p>\n

Gilobot si thiu godes kraft Hluduig uuarth sigihaft
\n[Ioh] allen heiligon thanc Sin uuarth ther sigikamf<\/p>\n

[Uu]olar abur hluduig Kuning u[ig]salig
\n[So] garo so ser hio uuas So uuar soses thurft uuas
\nGihalde inan truht[in] Bi sinan ergrehtin<\/p>\n

Modern English translation by Jake Coen<\/strong><\/p>\n

A GERMAN SONG ABOUT KING LOUIS [III] OF PIOUS MEMORY, SON OF LOUIS [II], ALSO KING<\/p>\n

I know of a king called Louis who gladly serves God and is rewarded for it. He lost his father as a child, but there was a recompense for this: the Lord called upon him and became his tutor (magaczago<\/em>: lit., \u201cson-shower\u201d). He gave him virtue, a valiant warrior-band, and a throne here in Francia. May he long enjoy it! He shared this then with his brother, Carloman, the pinnacle of delight. But when that all came to an end, God wished to test whether he, still a young man, could endure great suffering. He let heathen men charge against him in order to remind the Franks of the debt of their sin. Some were lost and others put to the test. He who lived wickedly suffered punishment. He who had been a thief began to fast and became a good man. Still some were liars, others bandits; some lived without any direction, for which this was their penance.<\/p>\n

The king was away and the kingdom overwhelmed. Christ was outraged, and the kingdom paid dearly for it. But God showed mercy, for he saw all this suffering. He ordered Louis to return straightaway: \u201cLouis, my king, help my people so greatly oppressed by the Northmen!\u201d<\/p>\n

Then spoke Louis: \u201cSo shall I do, Lord, unless death releases me from all that you have ordered.\u201d With God\u2019s blessing, he raised his battle banner high and rode thence to Francia against the Northmen.<\/p>\n

Those awaiting him thanked God and said together: \u201cMy lord, we have waited so long for you!\u201d.<\/p>\n

Then Louis the good spoke aloud: \u201cHave faith, my companions in battle! The Lord God has sent me and has ordered\u2014should you agree\u2014that I fight here. I shall not spare myself until I have saved you. Now I wish that all God\u2019s beholden follow me. Our fate here is measured out as Christ wills it. Should he desire our death, he has power over it. So I shall reward whomever bravely does God\u2019s will here and comes back safely; should he stay here, I will reward his kin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Louis then took his spear and shield and rode forth courageously. He wished to send a message to his enemies. It was not long before he found the Northmen. He praised God so that He may see what he had ordered [come to fruition]. The king rode bravely and sang a holy song. All sang together: \u201cKyrie eleison!\u201d The song was sung and the struggle begun. Blood shone in their cheeks as the Franks fought (spilodun<\/em>: lit., \u201cplayed\u201d). Every warrior fought there, but none like Louis\u2014fast and brave, as was his nature. Some he struck and some he stabbed. He relentlessly poured a bitter drink for his enemies\u2014woe upon their lives forevermore!<\/p>\n

God\u2019s might be praised\u2014Louis was victorious!<\/p>\n

Thanks be to all the saints\u2014he was triumphant in battle!<\/p>\n

Rejoice, Louis our king, blessed in battle, always there where he was needed. May the Lord hold him in his grace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ludwigslied in Old High German<\/strong><\/p>\n