301
If
he
hem
them
stowned
astonished
vpon fyrst,
in the beginning
stiller
more silent
were
þanne
then
Fear kept all silent.
302
Alle
þe
hered-men
courtiers
in
halle,
þe
hyȝ
great
&
þe
loȝe;
small
303
Þe
renk
knight
on
his
rounce
horse
hym
himself
ruched
turned
in
his
sadel,
saddle
The knight rolled his red eyes about,
304
&
runisch-ly
fiercely
his
rede
red
yȝen
eyes
he
reled
rolled
aboute,
305
Bende
wrinkled
his
bresed
bristling
broȝeȝ,
eyebrows
bly-cande
gleaming
grene,
and bent his bristly green brows.
306
Wayued
swept from side to side
his
berde
beard
for
to
wayte
look
quo-so
who
wolde
ryse.
Waving his beard awhile, he exclaimed:
307
When
non
none
wolde
kepe
engage in
hym
with
carp
conversation
he
coȝed
shouted
ful
very
hyȝe,
loudly
308
Ande
and
rimed
drew up
hym
himself
ful
quite
richley,
in lordly fashion
&
ryȝt
proceeded
hym
himself
to
speke:
speak
309
“What,
is
þis
Arþures
hous,”
quod
þe
haþel
knight
þenne,
then
"What! is this Arthur's court?
310
“Þat
al
þe
rous
fame
rennes
is current
of,
þurȝ
through
ryalmes
realms
so
mony?
many
311
Where
is
now
your
sourquydrye
pride
&
your
conquestes,
312
Your
gry[n]del-layk,
fierceness
&
your
greme,
wrath
&
your
grete wordes?
boasts
313
Now
is
þe
reuel
revelry
&
þe
renoun
renown
of
þe
rounde
table
Forsooth the renown of the Round Table is overturned 'with a word of one man's speech.'"
314
Ouer-walt
overthrown
wyth
a
worde
of
on
one
wyȝes
man’s
speche;
speech
315
For
al
dares
cower
for
drede,
dred
with-oute
dynt
blow
schewed!”
offered
316
Wyth
þis
he
laȝes
laughs
so
loude,
þat
þe
lorde
greued;
took offence
317
Þe
blod
blood
schot
sprang
for
scham
shame
in-to
his
schyre
fair
face
Arthur blushes for shame.
318
&
lere;
cheek
319
He
wex
grew
as wroth
angry
as
wynde,
wind
He waxes as wroth as the wind.
320
So
did
alle
þat
þer
there
were
321
Þe
kyng
as
kene
bold
bi
kynde,
nature
322
Þen
stod
went and stood
þat
stif
bold
mon
nere.
nearer to
Now, if this man astonished them at the first, even still more were they astonished at this word, both high and low. The man rode firm in the saddle, and rolled his red eyes about, and bent his rough, green shining eyebrows, and stroked his beard, waiting for some one to rise. And when no one would answer him, he coughed loudly and scornfully, and said, ' What! is this Arthur's house that all men are talking of? Where are now your pride and your valour, your wrath and fury and great words? for now is the revel and renown of the Round Table overcome by one word, for all of you are terrified though no blow has been struck.' Then he laughed so loudly that King Arthur was grieved thereat, and the blood, for shame, shot upwards into his bright face
so dear.
He waxed as wroth as wind,
So did all that were there,
The king was bravely kind,
And stood that strong man near.
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.