LA CADUTA DEI GREUTUNGI - TERZO CANTO

Titolo: Drus Griutunge 
Titolo tradotto: La Caduta dei Greutungi 
Lingua: Gotico
    Note: Gotico rivitalizzato (conlang neogotica)
Traduzione: Inglese
Genere: Poesia epica
Autore: Sconosciuto
Nazionalità dell'autore: Inglese
Autori del backup: Comunità Odinista Spagnola 
    (Comunitad Odinista de España-Ásatrú)
Link originale (conservato in Web Archive):
     http://www.oe.eclipse.co.uk/nom/drus.htm
Link del backup:
     http://asatru.es/drus-griutunge/
Probabile causa rimozione: Censura
Valutazione: Eccellente  
Peculiarità ortografiche: Uso di -ng- anziché -gg-;
    uso di hv per non disponibilità del carattere ƕ.

TERZA PARTE 

Þridjo fitja – Fitt III 

Sildaleiko
warþ sauþs þizai naht,
iþ hlautatains
taiknida hreiþa,
þauhjabai ni windhun
witans ufkunþedun. 

Wondrous went the offering that night, and the lot that fell betokened a storm, though the wise could sense no wind.

“Ga-u-hva-saihvis, guma, gangan
jah and gang skewjan,
waihts unkunþos,
aiþþau wairans aufto?
Mildeis auk rudniþ
jah mairqus warþ
suns seljaizos
sunnons broþar.” 

“Doest thou see ought, friend, stepping, upon the way walking, strange beings, or men perhaps? For all reddened grows the gentle brother, and clouded suddenly, of the kindly sun.”

“Ik glaggwo ni wait,
hva and gang skewjan,
waihts unkunþos
aiþþau wairans, gasaihva;
iþ þugkeiþ mis,
ei þiuda farai
ufar þaurp jah hugs
jah faur þiudaahva,
fulk faiknaswinþ
jah funs badwos.” 

“I know not clearly what upon the way walking, strange beings, or men, I see; but it seems to me that a nation fares over field and acre and down by the great river, a host mighty in malice and keen for conflict.”

Ussandiþ was waurd
in swartai naht.
Uhtwo swe azgons
austaþro qam.
Iþ dauþudiups
drunjus haurne
jah þuthaurne
hausiþs was goljan
þana dag domis
ana Danapris staþam,
gaizagrewata mel
ana Gutþiudai,
hveila hardja
hilmis jah brunjons. 

Then word went out in black night. Dawn like ashes approached from the east. Deep as death, the din of horns and trumpets was heard to greet that day of judgement on the banks of the Dniepr, a spear-grey hour in Gothland, a hard hour of helm and byrnie.

Ubuþ-þan-wopida wair
ana waddjau baurgs,
Ibra sa junga
(sah was Alisins sunus):
“Mel ist nu gamunan,
þizeei at midau sworum.
Hveits auk skildus
skulds ist usgildan.
Und gibom gunþja
usgildan skulum.
Baugans berum
bairhtans ana armim,
daroþuns at dauhtai.
Niu gadaursum,
þan hiuhma atist
her ana wanga,
fulk unfraisan
jah faurhtjando?
Galaisidedum faurhtjan uns
filusna manne.
Uldinis usdreibam
arbjans us landa!” 

Now out cried a man, Ibra the young, on the fastness wall (He was Alisa’s son.): “It is time now to recall those oaths which we swore at mead-drinking. Shining shield must be repayed. For gifts we must pay with war. Bright rings we have borne on our arms, spears to a feast. Do we not dare when a multitude is present here upon the plain, a force untried and fearful? Many men have we taught to dread us. Let us drive Uldin’s heirs from the land.”

Iþ Audika qaþ
(Arans galesun sik.)
hauhai stibnai
jah faura harja raiþ:
“Afdumbn, Ibra,
alajunga þign!
Nis frasta mais.
Waitei þu þuk froknjana mant?
Hvana, dwala, ahjis,
þanei usdreiban mageis? 

But Audika said (Eagles gathered.) in a loud voice, and rode before the host, “Be thou silent, Ibra, warrior so young! Thou art yet no more than a boy. Perhaps thou thinkest thyself brave? Whom, fool, doest thou imagine that thou might drive out?

Gahaftidedun sik auk Hunim
hairizans markos.
Balþs Balambair
miþ seinaim brandam qam;
weisa jains uf waddjau
ana wigja nu sitiþ
miþ muldai wigis
jah miþ minþiladrupam.
Waldands ist þeins wulfeins
woþs allandjo;
nist þata fulgin
fairhvje barnam.
Þana kaldan ni karist
kaisar þeina.
Maurþrida Meringans
managizans, þau Huneis.
Jai, hveits skildus
skulds ist usgildan,
jah und gibom gunþja,
usgildan skulum,
jah ingibam,
und andi nu.” 

For the dukes of the border have joined the Huns. Bold Balamber with his blades has come, sits now beneath thy walls, yon chief upon charger with the grime of the road and the foam of the bit. Thy wolvish master is mad entirely; it is well known to all the sons of men. That cold kaiser cares not for thee. He has murdered more of us than have the Huns. Aye, shining shield must be repayed, and for gifts war we must pay, and for poisons now, to the last penny.”

Iþ is anduh-hof,
airls af waddjau:
“Hva unsis kara
aiþþau Amalingans,
þauhjabai gutane gulþ
uswok gairnein þus,
aiþþau sijai afmarzeins
uta ana markom?
Hlohjada ik haldis,
þatei ana hilmam nu
hairus meins skal singwan,
hairznakasa gatairan,
jah þatei rigke meins gais
skal ribja bitan,
jah þatei untriggweins
jus nimiþ allai laun. 

But the other retorted, warrior from the wall, “What concern is it of ours, or of the Amalings, though Gothic gold has stirred thy greed, or treachery out upon our borders be? Rather it gladdens me that my sword on helms shall sing and shatter brain-pots, and that my spear is to bite men’s ribs, and that ye all shall receive the reward for your disloyalty.”

Þanuh Audika qaþ,
unfaurhts haluþs,
handugs jah haþusnutrs,
du harjatugin:
“Ni wesun swaleika
waurda attins,
þan weis air uhtwon
usiddjejum
us alþeis baurg,
Alisins, geza.
Nist liufs imma
allwalda þeins,
fram þammei snuza seina
uf snaiwa gafalh
jah barnis barn
ana bel gawarft.
Nih gairnida gunþjos
gutane kindins;
fraiwis ju Gautis
faurstasseis gadraus,
sagjis sarwe laus,
sis silbin usqam.
Faura naht, niþjis,
skal ana nawihaiþjai
hugihus haluþs,
hauhhairt kolnan. 

Then quoth Audika, fearless fighter, wise and war-shrewd, to the general: “Such were not father’s words when we came yesterday in the dawn early from old Alisa’s stronghold. Thy supreme ruler is not dear to him since he laid his daughter-in-law to rest beneath the snow and thou didst cast his grandson upon the pyre. Nor did the governor of the Goths wish for war; the overlord of Gaut’s seed has already fallen, a defenceless man, took his own life. Before night, kinsman, even thy proud hero’s thought-house must, upon this heath of corpses, cool.”

Iþ Ibra hloh,
aifr waurd usbar:
“Balþs warst nu, broþar,
jah bredaba hva.
Hvar wast, þan usqemum
qenai þeinai
jah biþe frasta in fon,
frumabaura, ik atwarp?
Hilms gulþahrudans
ni sat ana haubida im.
Ni unþaþlauhun þan þo,
nih gaþliuham weis.” 

But Ibra laughed, answered sharply: “Bold hast thou become, brother, and rather suddenly. Where wast thou when we slew thy wife, or when I cast thy child, firstborn, into the fire? No gilt helm sate upon their heads. They fled not then, and nor shall we.”

“Jus þan,” sa qaþ, “airlos
allai gadauþniþ,”
modags manna
ana marhis baka,
jah meki uslauk,
maiþm fadreinais,
þanei Uzdagais
ufar unþjos þaka
(blindans gailida wulfans)
du waihjon atbar,
iþ Botareþs
ufar þo brugja, sei draus.
Þata was wulþags wair.
Nist wigs ibuks. 

“Then all ye doughty ones,” he said, “shall die,” wrothful rider, and drew his sword, that heirloom which Uzdagais bore over the wave’s thatch (He gave cheer to the blind wolves.) to battle, and Botareth over the bridge that fell. That was a fine man. There is no way back.

“Ga-nu-riqizjadau himins strelom
Humilins magiwe!
Inreiradau grundus jah gang
jah all gawi hrussam,
hveitaim jah swartaim
ana harjawiga!
Fraweitam þan þans walisans
afar wintruns swa filu!
Agja aitreina,
Iuþins laiba,
brand meinana þana fairnjan,
bloþis þaurseiþ;
maiþms melafaihs
mannanhun freideiþ.
Managa tagra
ni drausja du muldai in þis.” 

“So let the heavens be blotted with the bolts of Humila’s boys. Let the ground quiver, and the roads and the whole country, with our steeds, the white and the black on the highway. Let us then avenge those dear ones after so many winters. This envenomed blade, heirloom of Iutha, my ancient brand, thirsts for blood; that inlaid gift, none will it spare. Not many tears shall I let fall to earth on that account.”

Ni andhof sprauto,
iþ qaþ bi spedistin,
Ibra sa junga,
jah ask undgraip:
“Jai, wairþan magun
waurda þeina.
Wai þan unsis!
Wai Griutungam!
Hvaþro gahabam hairurigk
hardjana swe Unwen,
hvaþro þana ibnan
Airpamarhin,
Ansilin aiþþau Analin
aiþþau Austragutin?
Ins ni aiw saihvam;
eis ni aiw qimand,
þande airþa wisiþ
jah iuphimins.
Unsara auk usliþun allai
þai iusistans,
iþ aflifnand mans ainai
þai minnistans. 

He was not quick to reply, but quoth at last, Ibra the young, and seized his spear, “Indeed they may come to pass, these words of thine. Woe then to us! Woe to the Greutungs! Where shall we find a swordsman tough as Unwen, where Erpamarha’s equal, Ansila’s or Anala’s or Ostrogotha’s? We shall never see them. They will never come, so long as Earth lasts and High Heaven. For the best of us are all gone, and only the least will remain.

Jah wairþam wainah kuni,
wratonds, asnjos,
waurpanai du windam
wulþaus lausai.
Nist nu þizos aldais qius
ainshun manne,
saei fulk unsar,
habaiþ frijata saihvan,
nih barna is
nih barna ize.
In silubr weis sijum
swa frabauhtai.
Wairþai þan ushahans hvazuh
(Halka unsara sigisa!),
saei frabugjiþ oþal
aljakunjaim.
Baugabrutja mik baþ,
ei þizai baurg witau.
Ik fairra ni mag.
Sa was auk frauja meins.”

And we shall become a wretched people, wanderers, hirelings, cast to the winds, without glory. There is none now living of this generation who will see our folk free, nor his offspring, nor theirs. Thus are we sold for silver. So let any man be hanged (In vain our victories!) who sells off our homeland to strangers. My chief bade me hold this fort. I cannot leave; he was my lord.”

Iþ Audika qaþuh,
aihv spauram haihaggw,
“Ik þuk nu faigjana wait,
funsana haljos.
Du þaim airizam ju
aha þeins hvairbiþ.
Hva daug filu maþljan?
Mais letam skildu
skafta andhafjan!
Swa, broþar, skal wisan;
bota nist dwaliþos.” 

But Audika said, spurred his horse, “I know now that thou art dead already and eager for thy grave. Thy mind wanders already to the ancestors. What use much talk? Rather let us have shield answer shaft. So shall it be, brother; there is no cure for foolishness.”

Rodida þan anþar
uzdakampja,
harjonds haswafahs
ana hahista:
“Sijaidu afhugidai?
Haurjamu þaurbum usdreiban,
sainjans du sakjon,
izwis us saliþwom ut?” 

There spake then another vanguard warrior, some grey-haired harrier on horseback: “Are ye bewitched? With fires must we needs drive you, slow to strife, from out of your halls?”

“Þaurfts nist izwis haurje,
unte ni gaþlahsnam weis.
Daroþjus dunjandau
faura daurom gardis.” 

“Of fires have ye no need, for we shall not be afrighted. Let darts rain down before the gate.”

Þlaigidedun þignos
þlainam in hansa.
Faura skarjai þairhskritun
skilduns askeis.
Gaizos gullun,
jah grewasnaga.
Gol gunþifugls,
swaswe gumans gadrusun. 

Combattants let fly their barbs into the company. Before the troop, ash-shafted javelins sheared through shields. Spears whirred through the sky. Greycoat howled. War-bird crowed as men fell.

Baurd bluggwan was
brunamma hairau,
iþ hilms haggwans,
haþuwastjos jah.
Hune haurnabugans
dishnupun hari in twa. 

Board was beaten with brown blade, and helm hewn; war-weeds also. The horn-bows of the Huns tore the host in two.

Rukun faura naht naweis
naqadai ana aidam;
anþarans ana airþai
arans nu distaurun,
falwans uf tunglam
swe timr skaban.
Hune wesun ana hallau
hleiþros stakidos.
Atsnewun du saliþwom
sagjos afar hildja,
iftumein uhtwon,
Airmanareikis. 

Before night bodies smoked bare on balefires; others now eagles upon the earth did rend, pale under the stars like shaved timber. The tents of the Huns were pitched upon the rock. Next day at dawn to the halls they hastened (fighters after the fray)of Ermanaric.

Þata was auk þiudans
þiuþeigosts gibom;
þata was auk hilmje
hindarweisosts.

For that was the king most kind in gifts; for that was the sliest of sovereigns.

Jah ussandiþ was waurd,
þatei wulfs gaswalt.
Galaubja, þammei waiht ni was
wulþrais mannhun,
biþe saiwala brigus
fralailot us brustim.
Himins alls huliþs
harjis stubjau.
Mulda marhe
þo mildjon falh
(Þatainei naus nauh ains.)
niþjon menins.
Drugkana afar drauhtin
ni warþ þamma daga strawohun.
Riurjai waurþun rigkos
ana rohsnai baurgs,
bi Merjan stain
jah faur Mairqjan widu,
bi Hailago hlaiw,
ana harjawiga,
þaurpa jah hugsa,
jah in þiudaahvai.

And word went out that the wolf was dead. I doubt that it mattered a whit to any wight when the monarch let go the life from his breast. Heaven all veiled with the dust of the host. Dust of horses hid the mild (Just one more corpse.) kinswoman of the moon. No wake was drunk that day for a lord. Fighters rotted in the fortress yard, by the Famous Stone and the Dark Forest, round the Holy Howe, on the highroad, field and acre, and in the mighty river.

Lang mel galiþan.

Long time ago.

Falkan ik gasahv þar frijana
fiþro ana anza.
Haubiþ sein þata blindo
is wandida jah hidre, jah jaind,
ufar falwiskai.
Ik gasatida fotu in wig.
Unþaþlauhun þiujos.
Þeihvo in airþai.
Framis ni wili harpo,
ei si hausjaidau.

A falcon I saw there, free of feathers on its beam. It turned its blind head now this way, now that, above the cinders. I put my foot to the road. The servants had fled. Thunder in the earth. The harp does not want to be heard further.

COMMENTI:

ni windhun "nessun vento": Una forma indefinita e poetica, costruita a partire da pronomi come ni ainshun, ni mannahun "nessuno".

fulk "schiera" (n.): Termine di ottima tradizione germanica, non è direttamente documentato nei testi in lingua di Wulfila, ma è attestato negli antroponimi dei Burgundi, di lingua germanica orientale come i Goti.

austraþro "da Est": Una forma avverbiale di moto da luogo, da austr "Est, Oriente", col suffisso -þro che si trova in numerose altre occorrenze.

dauþudiups "profondo come la morte": Un composto poetico, da dauþus "morte" e diups "profondo".

daroþuns "dardi" (acc. pl.); daroþjus "dardi" (nom. pl.): Forma ricostruita su ottime basi, cfr. antico inglese daroð, antico alto tedesco tart, norreno darraðr.

Uldinis "di Uldin" (gen.): Antroponimo unno, attestato come nome di un predecessore di Attila. Nella lingua altaica degli Unni significa "Prospero", "Felice". La migliore trascrizione in gotico sarebbe a parer mio Uldein /'uldi:n/; la forma originale doveva essere tronca: /ul'din/. 

Hunim "agli Unni" (dat.): La forma gotica ricostruita è huns /hu:ns/ "unno", pl. huneis /'hu:ni:s/, con vocale tonica lunga.

Balambair "Balamir": Antroponimo unno, attestato come nome di un predecessore di Attila. La pronuncia gotica è /'balambɛr/. Nella lingua altaica degli Unni significa "Il Più Feroce". La trascrizione in gotico è ottima; dagli scritti di Iordanes si evince che vigeva anche la forma Balameir /'balami:r/. Le forme unne originali erano tronche: /balam'bɛr/, /bala'mir/, /bala'mur/.

rigke "dei guerrieri" (gen. pl.); hairurigk "spadaccino" (acc.): Il vocabolo ricostruito rigks "uomo, guerriero" è corradicale dell'anglosassone rinc "uomo, guerriero" e del norreno rekkr id.

airls "guerriero" (nom. sing.); airlos (nom. pl): Ricostruirei questa forma come airils con la variante airuls (cfr. il nome degli Eruli, scritto Heruli con una h- spuria). La forma proposta dall'autore è basata sul norreno jarl "conte", che tuttavia a parer mio viene da un più antico erilaR (attestato in iscrizioni runiche) con una precoce sincope. 

uzdakampja "guerriero dalla punta aguzza": Un antroponimo composto dal vocabolo ricostruito uzds "punta aguzza"; il secondo membro è stato ricostruito sulla base del norreno kapp "battaglia, contesa" (< *kamp-), antico alto tedesco camph "pugna" (tedesco moderno Kampf). Dal derivato *kampjan- derivano l'anglosassone cempa e l'antico alto tedesco cempho "campione". L'origine ultima è il latino campus.

harjonds haswafahs "saccheggiatore dalla chioma grigia": È evidente la natura di harjonds, participio presente di harjon "devastare, fare guerra" (norreno herja), derivato ricostruito del ben attestato harjis "esercito", di ottima tradizione germanica. Il composto è formato da haswa- "grigio" (norreno hǫs) e da fahs "criniera, chioma" (norreno fax).

Airmanareikis "di Ermanarico" (gen.): Nome del glorioso sovrano dei Goti di cui Iordanes descrive le epiche gesta. Sottomise un immenso numero di genti, giungendo ad imporre il proprio dominio a popoli remoti come i Mari e i Mordvini. L'antroponimo deriva da airmana- "immenso, enorme" e da reiks "sovrano". Corrisponde al norreno Jǫrmunrekr. Nella lingua degli scaldi il prefisso jǫrmun- era ancora vitale; da esse è stato formato anche il nome del Serpente del Mondo, Jǫrmungandr.

Uzdagais "Giavellotto Appuntito": Un antroponimo composto dal vocabolo ricostruito uzds "punta aguzza" e da gais "giavellotto" (gen. gaizis, nom. pl. gaizos), ben attestato nell'antroponimia. Corrisponde al norreno Oddgeirr.

Falkan "un falco" (acc.): La parola di origine latina, da falco: (gen. falco:nis) si trova in norreno come fálki, con la regolare declinazione debole. Se devo essere franco avrei preferito che fosse usato il termine germanico nativo, che in gotico è ricostruito come habuks (gen. habukis, dat. habuka, acc. habuk; cfr. norreno haukr): il verso suonerebbe Habuk ik gasahv þar frijana.