Pfaffe Lambrecht: 'Alexanderlied' (V ['Vorauer Alexander])

iz tihte der pfaffe Lambreht.

The priest Lambrecht composed it.

ertæte uns gerne ze mære.

He would gladly make known to us

wer Alexander wære.

who Alexander was.

Alexander was ein wîse man.

Alexander was a wise man;

vile manic rîche er gewan.

very many kingdoms he won;

er zerstôrte vile manic lant.

very many lands he destroyed.

Philippus was sîn vater genant.

His father was called Philip.

diz müget ir wole hoeren.

This you may well hear

in libro Machabêorum.

in the Book of Maccabees.

man muoste in wole ûz scheiden.

One had to set him well apart,

wande Alexander was ein heiden.

for Alexander was a heathen.

nû sprechent boese lügenære.

Now wicked liars say

daz er eines goukelæres sun wære.

that he was the son of a conjurer.

di ez iemer gesagent.

Those who ever say it

di liegent alsô boese zagen.

lie like base cowards,

oder di es ie gedâhten.

or those who ever thought it.

er was rehter keiser slahte.

He was of true imperial lineage;

niemer geloube ez nechein vrum man.

let no worthy man ever believe it.

sînen vater ich wole genennen kan.

I can name his father well enough.

sîn geslehte daz was hêrlich

His lineage was lordly;

über al Kriechen was er gewaltic.

he held power over all Greece.

Philippus hiez der vater sîn.

Philip was the name of his father;

al Mazedônen lant was sîn.

all the land of Macedonia was his.

sînane was ein guot kneht

His grandfather was a good warrior;

überal daz mer gie sîn reht.

his rule extended over all the sea.

er truoc eine tugentlîche maht.

He had an excellent might.

âwî wie manic volcwîc er vaht.

Oh, how many battles he fought

wider den küninc Xersen.

against King Xerxes!

harte ellenthafte überwant er den.

With great courage he overcame him.

Philippus nam ime ein wîp.

Philip took himself a wife;

si truoc einen vrümiclîchen lîp.

she had a noble person.

ich sage iu wie ire name was.

I will tell you what her name was:

si hiez diu schoene Olympias.

she was called the beautiful Olympias.

daz was Alexanders muoter.

She was Alexander's mother.

diu vrouwe hête einen bruoder.

The lady had a brother

der was ouch Alexander genant.

who was also called Alexander;

ze Perse hêteer daz lant.

he held the land in Persia.

der was ein vürste alsô getân.

He was a prince of such a kind

er ne wolte necheinem küninge wesen undertân.

that he would not be subject to any king.

erne wolte ouch nie. ûz necheineme sturme gevliehen.

Nor would he ever flee from any battle,

swie ime sîniu dinc dâ ergiengen.

however things went for him there.

er was ein tiurlich degen.

He was a precious warrior

unde [wolte] ouch rehter hêrschefte pflegen.

and [wished] also to exercise rightful lordship.

nû wileich iu von Alexanderes sagen gebürte.

Now I will tell you of Alexander's birth,

wie si alhier zuo wurde.

how it came about here.

sîn muoter vrouwe Olympias.

His mother, Lady Olympias —

ze den stunten dôsiu sîn genas.

at the time when she was delivered of him,

dô wart ir ein vile michel nôtval.

a very great calamity befell her.

diu erde erbibete überal.

The earth quaked everywhere;

dâ was der doner vile grôz.

the thunder was very great;

âwie starke daz weter ane gôz.

oh, how violently the storm poured down!

der himel der wandelete sich.

The sky changed,

und der sunne vertunkelete sich.

and the sun grew dark.

â wie übele ich daz gelouben mac

Oh, how poorly I can believe that,

wandeerime sîn hals enzwei brach.

for he broke his neck in two!

von Philippus stuote wile ich iu sagen.

I will tell you of Philip's stud:

dâr under wart ein ros getragen.

in it a horse was foaled.

daz was wunderlich.

It was a wondrous thing.

snel und ernesthaft.

swift and fierce,

von sîner gescheffede joch von sîner kraft.

in its make and in its strength.

der munt was ime alsô einem esele getân.

Its mouth was shaped like an ass's;

sîn ôren wâren ime vile lanc.

its ears were very long,

daz houbet mager und swanc.

the head lean and slender.

sîn ougen wârenime al der varwe.

Its eyes were all the colour

alsôeineme vliegenten arne.

of a flying eagle's.

sîn hals was ime lockeht.

Its neck was curly-maned;

ich wæne ez wære lewen geslehte.

I think it was of the lion's kind.

ûf den goffen habeteiz rinderhâr.

On its croup it had cattle's hair,

an sînen sîten lêbartes mâl.

on its flanks a leopard's spots.

und wart vüre den küninc Philippus geleit.

and it was brought before King Philip.

und alsô er vernamsîn gelegenheit.

And when he learned its nature,

Buzival hiez erez namen.

he had it named Bucephalus.

daz dûhte siu guot allesamet.

That seemed good to them all.

man hiez daz ros ineinen marstal tuon.

The horse was ordered into a stable,

ez erblûcte sich aller sîner maht.

it was abashed in all its might

und wolte ime wesen dienesthaft.

and was willing to serve him.

ez kniewete vüre ime dâr nider.

It knelt down there before him;

ez ne geruorte sich ouch niemer sider.

nor did it ever stir after that.

alsô kündiclich was dem rosse al sîn gebâr

So knowing was the horse's whole bearing