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

In the Introduction the poet tells of the evil of doubt and unsteadfastness--against which he would warn both men and women; he will tell them a tale which shall speak of truth...

King Gandein, refused to become his brother's vassal, and went forth to seek fame and love-guerdon for himself. How he fought under the Baruch before Alexandria, and came to Pat...

If unfaith in the heart find dwelling, then the soul it shall reap but woe; And shaming alike and honour are his who such doubt shall show, For it standeth in evil contrast with...

This Book tells how Gamuret sought for King Kailet, and found him before Kanvoleis. How the Queen of the Waleis ordered a Tourney to be holden, and of the heroes there assembled...

Now there in the Spanish country he thought him the king to greet, His kinsman and cousin Kailet, and he followed with footsteps fleet To Toledo, but thence had he ridden unto d...

In the Introduction the poet speaks of the honour in which he holds all true women, though he be wroth with one who has wronged him. Yet, though women shall count him their frie...

Is there ever a singer among you, who singeth a sweeter song Of the favour and love of women, I hold not he does me wrong! Full fain am I still to hearken to aught that may give...

And Ither the prince of Gaheviess on the plain had he lifeless left, E'en in death was he fair to look on who was thus of fair life bereft. If in joust by a spear-thrust pierced...

besieged by sea and land, and the folk wasted by famine. How Queen Kondwiramur besought his aid; how he overthrew Kingron, and sent him to the court of King Arthur. How Parzival...

Thus Parzival parted from them, and courteous he now might bear His knightly garb, and he knew them, the customs of knighthood fair. But alas! he full sore was troubled with man...

Parzival met with the Fisher King, and became his guest; and of the great feast in the hall of Monsalväsch. How Parzival saw the bleeding spear, and all the marvels of the Grail...

Now he who would hear what befell him who thus for ventures sought, Shall hearken many a marvel ere the tale to an end be wrought Let the son of Gamuret ride forth, and all ye g...

he took an oath of his heroes to refrain from fighting. Of the blood-stained snow, and the love-trance of Parzival; and how, unknowing, he overthrew Segramor, and took vengeance...

Now perchance it were well I should tell ye, how, as this his folk did pray, From Karidöl and his kingdom, King Arthur had ridden away. And now the venture telleth, on his own a...

of Lys, who would fain avenge himself on Duke Lippaut, whose daughter had scorned his love. How Gawain came to the beleaguered city of Beaurosch; how Obie scorned him; and how O...

Awhile shall this venture follow the knight, who to fly was fain From shame, nor with guile had dealings, that hero bold, Gawain. For many a one hath held him for as brave, yea,...

Vergulacht committed him to the care of his sister Antikonie. How Gawain wooed the maiden, and of the wrath of her people. Of the adventure of the chess-board, and how Kingrimur...

Whosoe'er at Beaurosch had battled, methinks that Gawain had won The highest fame in both armies, save but for one knight alone; And none knew his red harness glowing, and none...

to the heart of the poet, who would fain learn from her tidings of Parzival. The venture telleth how the hero had ridden long in doubt and despair, and knew not the days of his...

'Ope the portal!' 'To whom? Who art thou?' 'In thine heart would I find a place!' 'Nay! if such be thy prayer, methinketh, too narrow shall be the space!' 'What of that? If it d...

for records of the Grail race in all brought into close connection the chronicles of Britain, France, under Henry Fitz-Empress, Count of and Ireland, and found the history Anjou...

Introduction, lines 1-66. This introduction, which is confessedly obscure, both in style and thought, appears to have been written _after_ the completion of the poem, and to hav...

the Baruch of Bagdad and the Emperor of Constantinople, and in all probability Armenia is meant. The king's speech therefore implies, 'Didst thou come from the furthest bounds o...

Page 35, line 16, and page 57, line 705--'_Waleis and Norgals_.' These, the two kingdoms of Queen Herzeleide, are located by Wolfram in Spain, but they are undoubtedly Wales and...

legend) is frequently alluded to as Gawain's father, but both he and Uther Pendragon are dead before the real action of the poem commences. This is the first appearance of Gawai...

warfare the fight was generally closed by the vanquished giving his pledge or surety to the victor, who not unfrequently sent him to yield himself prisoner to some favoured lady...

Page 46, lines 351-60. Galoes the king of Anjou has not been named before. The name occurs in Hartmann's _Erec_, and may have been borrowed from there. The name of his lady-love...

The first two books of this poem are peculiar to Wolfram. Among the different versions of the Perceval legend which we possess there is a curious diversity of statement as to th...

own heritage. This seems to indicate that the special rôle assigned in this poem to the two brothers was not a part of the original story, and has not been perfectly fitted into...

It may be interesting here, and may help to the better understanding of the poem, if we describe the armour of a knight at the end of the twelfth century. The principal piece of...

Page 103, line 17--'_Who rideth astray, etc_.' According to Simrock this passage in the original contains a play upon words which cannot be reproduced in translation: Slegel--sc...

Hero meets with the Fisher King; Chrêtien and continuators: visits the Grail Castle, sees Peredur; Perceval; Perceval li the Grail, lance, etc., but asks Gallois. (Sir Percyvell...

Page 141, line 371--'_A hidden hand drew the rope taut_.' Chrêtien has the incident of the drawbridge rising, but in no other version are the reproaches addressed to the hero im...

Page 159, line 2--'_From Karidöl and his kingdom_.' Karidöl=Carduel or Cardoile, the Anglo-Norman form of Carlisle. This is undoubtedly Arthur's original capital, but throughout...

in public with his knights, _i.e._ at the Round Table, before they had heard of some knightly venture; in Book XIII. he speaks as if no meal might be partaken of by any of the c...

Meeting with army of Meljanz of Chrêtien: Perceval relates Lys; Gawain takes part in the the same incident, with the tournament, and overthrows Meljanz. difference that Perceval...

The _Perceval_ gives an account of an adventure with a lady and a chess-board of which Perceval is the hero, but the circumstances differ entirely, being similar to those of an...

arises from a misunderstanding of the French source. We find, on p. 240, that the mother of King Vergulacht, Fleurdamur, was sister to Gamuret, consequently Parzival and Vergula...

from _Læh_, old French _les_ = near, and _tamreis_ (tamarisk?). The knight is, of course, Parzival. Chrêtien has not this incident; which is a proof of Wolfram's superior skill...

Hero meets with pilgrims who reproach Chrêtien: Peredur: Perceval him for bearing arms on Good Friday, and direct him to a hermit, who points out his sins and gives him absolution.

instinct which led the northern poets to make 'Saga' a daughter of Odin. The word itself is simply taken over from French romance where _or dist l'Aventure_ is a standing initia...

Page 258, line 230, and _seq._--'_One turning the ground was snow-clad_.' Cf. reference to spring snow in Book VI. p. 160. The pilgrim train met by Parzival differs in the versi...

Collected, Edited (in Gaelic), and Translated by the Rev. D. MACINNES: with a Study on the Development of the Ossianic Saga, and copious Notes by ALFRED NUTT. xxiv, 497 pages. P...

Collected during the past forty years. Edited (in Gaelic) and Translated by the Rev. J. G. CAMPBELL of Tiree; with Introduction and Bibliographical Notes by ALFRED NUTT. 8vo. 30...