179
Wel
very
gay
watȝ
was
þis
gome
man
gered
attired
in
grene,
Gaily was the knight attired.
180
&
þe
here
hair
of
his
hed
head
of his hors swete;
to match his horse
181
Fayre
fair
fannand
waving
fax
hair
vmbe-foldes
enfolds
his
schulderes;
shoulders
182
A
much
great
berd
beard
as[1]
a
busk
bush
ouer
his
brest
breast
henges,
hangs
His great beard, like a bush, hung on his breast.
183
Þat
wyth
his
hiȝlich
splendid
here,
hair
þat
of
from
his
hed
head
reches,
extends
184
Watȝ
was
euesed
trimmed
al
vmbe-torne,
round
a-bof
above
his
elbowes,
185
Þat
half
his
armes
þer vnder
under it
were
halched
enclosed
in
þe
wyse
manner
186
Of
a
kyngeȝ
king’s
capados,
hood with cape
þat
closes
encloses
his
swyre.
neck
187
Þe
mane
of
þat
mayn
strong
hors
much
to
hit
it
lyke,
The horse's mane was decked with golden threads.
188
Wel
cresped
curled
&
cemmed
combed
wyth
knottes
knots
ful
very
mony,
many
189
Folden
plaited
in
wyth
fildore
gold thread
aboute
þe
fayre
grene,
190
Ay
in each case
a
herle
strand
of
þe
here,
hair
an
oþer
of
golde;
191
Þe
tayl
&
his
toppyng
forelock
twynnen
plaited
of a sute,
to match
Its tail was bound with a green band.
192
&
bounden
bound
boþe
wyth
a
bande
band
of
a
bryȝt
bright
grene,
193
Dubbed
adorned
wyth
ful
very
dere
precious
stoneȝ,
as
as far as
þe
dok
tail
lasted,
extended
194
Syþen
then
þrawen
bound tight
wyth
a
þwong
thong
a
þwarle
intricate
knot
alofte,
at the top
195
Þer
where
mony
many
belleȝ
bells
ful
very
bryȝt
bright
of
brende
refined
golde
rungen.
rang
196
Such
a
fole
horse
vpon
folde,
earth
ne
nor
freke
man
þat
hym
rydes,
Such a foal nor a knight were never before seen.
197
Watȝ
was
neuer
sene
(...wyth sy3t) set eyes on
in
þat
sale
hall
wyth
syȝt
er
before
þat
tyme,
198
with
yȝe;
eye
199
He
loked
looked
as
layt
lightning
so
lyȝt,
bright
200
So
sayd
said
al
þat
hym
syȝe,
saw
201
Hit
it
semed
seemed
as
as if
no mon
nobody
myȝt,
could
It seemed that no man might endure his dints.
202
Vnder
his
dyntteȝ
blows
dryȝe.
survive
Thus gaily was this man dressed out in green, and the hair of the horse's head was of green, and his fair, flowing locks clung about his shoulders; and a great beard like a bush hung over his breast, and with his noble hair was cut evenly all round above his elbows, and the lower part of his sleeves was fastened like a king's mantle. The horse's mane was crisped and gemmed with many a knot, and folded in with gold thread about the fair green with ever a fillet of hair and one of gold, and his tail and head were intertwisted with gold in the same manner, and bound with a band of bright green, and decked with costly stones and tied with a tight knot above; and about them were ringing many full bright bells of burnished gold. Such a horse or his rider were never seen in that hall before or
with eye.
'He looks like flashing light,'
Say they that him descry,
'It seemed that no man might
His dintings e'er defy.'
Text and side-notes from Richard Morris (1869). Interlinear glosses from Brunetti. Translation from Ernest Kirtlan's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Rendered Literally Into Modern English.
Sources integrated and rendered by James K. Tauber.