2309
He
lyftes
lyȝtly
swiftly
his
lome,
weapon
&
let
hit
doun
fayre,
deftly
He let fall his loom on the bare
122
2310
With
þe
barbe
cutting edge
of
þe
bitte
blade
bi
towards
þe
bare
nek
neck
neck of Sir Gawayne.
2311
Þaȝ
though
he
homered
struck
heterly,
vigorously
hurt
wounded
hym
no
more,
2312
Bot
than
snyrt
snicked
hym
on
one
þat
on
syde,
þat
seuered
þe
hyde;
skin
2313
Þe
scharp
sharp blade
schrank
sank
to
into
þe
flesche
þurȝ
through
þe
schyre
fair
grece,
fat
The sharp weapon pierced the flesh so that the blood flowed.
2314
Þat
so that
þe
schene
bright
blod
blood
over
his
schulderes
schot
sprang
to
þe
erþe.
2315
&
quen
when
þe
burne
knight
seȝ
saw
þe
blode
blenk
gleam
on
þe
snawe,
snow
When the knight saw the blood on the snow,
2316
He
sprit
sprang
forth
spenne fote
with feet together
more
þen
than
a
spere lenþe,
spear-length
2317
Hent
seized
heterly
quickly
his
helme,
helmet
&
on
his
hed
head
cast,
put
2318
Schot
(...vnder) jerked down
with
his
schuldereȝ
his
fayre
schelde
shield
vnder,
2319
Braydeȝ
draws
out
a
bryȝt
sworde,
&
bremely
fiercely
he
spekeȝ;
he unsheathed his sword, and thus spake:
2320
Neuer
syn þat
since
he
watȝ
burne
man
borne
of
his
moder,
mother
2321
Watȝ
he
neuer
in
þis
worlde,
wyȝe
man
half
so
blyþe:--
glad
2322
“Blynne,
cease
burne,
knight
of
from
þy
bur,
violence
bede
offer
me
no
mo;
more
"Cease, man, of thy blow.
2323
I
haf
have
a
stroke
blow
in þis sted
here
with-oute
stryf
resistance
hent,
received
2324
&
if
þow
recheȝ
offer
me
any
mo,
more
I
redyly
promptly
schal
quyte,
repay
If thou givest me any more, readily shall I requite thee.
2325
&
ȝelde
give back
ȝederly
promptly
aȝayn,
&
þer to
of that
ȝe
you
tryst,
be sure
2326
&
foo;
fiercely
2327
Bot
only
on
one
stroke
here
me falleȝ,
falls to my lot
Our agreement stipulates only one stroke."
2328
Þe
couenaunt
agreement
schop
appointed
ryȝt
so,
2329
[Sikered][1]
confirmed
in
Arþureȝ
halleȝ,
2330
&
þer-fore,
hende,
good sir
now
hoo!”
stop
He raised lightly his axe and let it fall with the barb on his bare neck; and though he hotly hammered he did not hurt him much, but cut his skin a little. The sharp sword pierced through the flesh, so that the bright blood spurted over his shoulders to the ground; and when he saw the blood on the snow he started forward more than a spear length, hastily seized his helmet and put it on his head, and adjusted his shield; then brandishing forth a glittering sword, he spake fierce words, and never since his mother bare him was he half so merry. 'Cease now from thy strokes. Offer me no more. I have taken a blow in this place without striving; if thou givest me any more I will readily return them, be ye of that well assured,
my foe.
But one stroke shall on me fall,
The covenant was right so
Made by us in Arthur's hall,
And therefore, knight, now ho!'
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.