670
He
sperred
struck
þe
sted
steed
with
þe
spureȝ,
spurs
&
sprong
sprang
on
his
way,
He spurs his horse and goes on his way.
671
So
stif
vigorously
þat
þe
ston fyr
sparks from the stones
stroke
were struck
out
þer-after;
behind
672
Al
þat
seȝ
saw
þat
semly
fair
syked
sighed
in
hert,
heart
All that saw that seemly one mourned in their hearts.
673
&
sayde
soþly
with truth
al
same
together
segges
men
til
to
oþer,
one another
674
Carande
grieving
for
þat
comly,
fair knight
“bi
Kryst,
hit
is
scaþe,
disastrous
675
Þat
þou,
leude,
knight
schal
be
lost,
þat
art
are
of
lyf
life
noble!
676
To
fynde
hys
fere
peer
vpon
folde,
earth
in fayth
in truth
is
not
eþe;
easy
They declared that his equal was not to be found upon earth.
677
Warloker
more carefully
to
haf
have
wroȝt
acted
had
would have
more
wyt
good sense
bene,
been
678
&
haf
have
dyȝt
appointed
ȝonder
yonder (=that)
dere
noble
a
duk
duke
to
haue
worþed;
become
679
A
lowande
brilliant
leder
leader
of
ledeȝ
men
in
londe
hym
wel
semeȝ,
it suits (to be)
It would have been better for him to have been a leader of men,
680
&
so
had
would have
better
haf
have
ben
been
þen
than
britned
destroyed
to
noȝt,
nothing
681
Hadet
beheaded
wyth
by
an
aluisch
elvish
mon,
man
for
because of
angardeȝ
arrogant
pryde.
than to die by the hands of "an elvish man."
682
Who
knew
euer
any
kyng
such
counsel
to
take,
accept
683
As
knyȝteȝ
knights (give)
in
cauelounȝ
trifling disputes
on
cryst-masse
gomneȝ!”
games
684
Wel
very
much
watȝ
was
þe
warme
water
water (=tears)
þat
waltered
rolled in streams
of
from
yȝen,
eyes
Much was the warm water that poured from eyes that day.
685
When
þat
semly
comely
syre
lord
soȝt
went
fro
from
þo
those
woneȝ
dwellings
686
þat[1]
that
daye;
687
He
made
non
no
abode,
delay
688
Bot
but
wyȝtly
swiftly
went
hys
way,
689
Mony
many a
wylsum
bewildering
way
he
rode,
Meanwhile many a weary way goes Sir Gawayne.
690
Þe
bok
book
as
I
herde
heard
say.
He spurred his steed so strongly, and sprang forward on his way, that the stones struck fire as he rode. And all that saw that gallant knight sighed in their hearts. And each man, caring much for the comely one, said the same words to his neighbour,' By Christ, it is scathe that he should be slain who is so noble of life. In faith it is not easy to find his fellow upon earth. Now, verily, to have wrought would have been wiser, or to have made yonder dear man a duke; a shining leader of men in the land he should be. This would have been better than that he should be broken to nought, and haled by an elvish man in arrogant pride. Whoever knew any king such counsel to take as knights who are cavilling at the Christmas games? 'Many were the warm tears that welled from their eyes when that seemly sire went forth from those dwellings
that day.
So he made no abode,
But quickly went his way;
Many a desert path he rode,
As I in book heard say.
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.