Straßburger Alexander

man muostein wole ûz scheiden

one would have to set him well apart,

wande Alexander was ein heiden

for Alexander was a heathen.

noch sprechent manige lügenære

Many liars still say

daz er eines gouchelæres sun wære

that he was the son of a conjurer —

Alexander dâr ich iu von sagen

Alexander, of whom I am telling you.

si liegent alse boese zagen

They lie like base cowards,

alle di es ie gedâhten

all who ever thought it,

wande er was rehte künincslahte

for he was truly of royal lineage.

soliche lügenmære

Such lying tales

sulen sîn unmære

should count for nothing.

wieiz umbe di vrouwen quam

how it went with the ladies,

wannen si bequâmen

where they came from,

oder welich ende si nâmen

or what end they came to —

des mac iu wole besunder

at that you may well, each of you,

nemen michel wunder

be greatly amazed.

unde vaste beslozzen überal

and closed tight all over;

si wâren wunderlîchen grôz

they were wondrously large.

alse sich di bluome obene entslôz

When the flower opened at the top —

daz merket an iuweren sinne

mark this in your minds —

sô wâren dâr inne

then inside it there were

megede rehte vollenkomen

maidens, perfectly formed.

ich sageiuch alsichez hân vernomen

I tell you as I have heard it:

si giengen unde lebeten

they walked and lived,

dô di zît vollengienc

When the time had run its course,

unse vröuwede di zergienc

our joy came to an end:

di bluomen gare verdurben

the flowers perished entirely

unde di schoenen vrouwen sturben

and the beautiful ladies died;

di boume ire loup liezen

the trees let fall their leaves,

unde di brunnen ire vliezen

and the springs their flowing,

der vrâgetein unde sprach

He questioned him, saying

waz sîn gewerp wære

what his business was.

dô sprach der junchêre

Then the young lord said,

Candacis is mîn muoter

“Candace is my mother.

vernim durch dîne güete

Hear, of your goodness,

mîn herzeleit daz ich dir klagen

the heart's grief that I lament to you.

di junchêrren beide

both the young lords

griffen zuo den schilden

reached for their shields.

dô sprach di vrouwe milte

Then spoke the gracious lady,

Candacis di küninginne

Candace the queen,

mit michelen sinne

with great wisdom,

zuo mir verholenlîche

to me in secret:

Alexander helt rîche

“Alexander, mighty hero,

dû salt durch den willen mîn

you must, for my sake,

hiute lâzen werden schîn

let it be seen today

wande si mich gerne sâgen

for they were glad to see me.

dannen vuoren wir dô

From there we went on

durch berge di wâren hôh

through mountains that were high,

unde sluogen unse gezelt

and pitched our tents

ûf an ein breit velt

on a broad field,

unde hiez brieve schrîben

and I had letters written

zuo den urliuges wîben

to the women of war

di sîn Amazones genant

who are called Amazons;

Amazonia hiez ire lant

Amazonia was the name of their land.

ich entbôt ire küninginnen

I sent their queen

mîne holde minne

my gracious love

in mînen brieve

in my letter

über manigen küninc rîche

over many a mighty king,

di in alle êreten

who all honoured him

unde sînen lop mêreten

and increased his praise

unde ime zins sanden

and sent him tribute,

alle von iren landen

all of them, from their lands —

des ne dûhte ime alles niht genuoc

none of this seemed enough to him.

sîn hôchmuot in dâr zuo truoc

His pride carried him so far

daz er sich hiez wîsen

that he had himself guided

gegen dem paradîse

toward Paradise;

daz wolteer betwingen

he wanted to conquer it

unde zins ouch dannen bringen

and bring tribute from there too,

von den engelischen koeren

from the angelic choirs.

hier müget ir tumpheit hoeren

Here you may hear of folly:

wie er des begunde

how he set about it.

quâmen si an eine pflûme

they came to a river,

grôz unde gerûme

great and wide;

di was Eufrates genant

it was called Euphrates.

di liute di er dâr vant

The people he found there,

beide kleine unde grôz

both small and great,

di sageten ime daz iz vlôz

told him that it flowed

ûz dem paradîse

out of Paradise.

dô hiez er mit spîsen

Then he ordered that with provisions

sîne schif bereiten

his ships be fitted out.