Middle High German · AI translation
Vorauer Novelle
English for the 1 passage of this work that the Atlas of Ancient Myth, Magic in the Ancient Texts and a study of demons and angels quote or cite, and which the library holds in no published English. The numbers are the edition's own references.
126–167
die zesüntelîchen dingen.
who for sinful things
wâren wole bereitet.
were well prepared.
ein stîc hête si geleitet.
A path had led them
zeeiner stat rîchen.
to a rich city
dâ lâse man offenlîchen.
where people read openly
diu buoch nigromanzî.
the books of necromancy.
daz ist von zouberî.
That is [an art] of sorcery,
ein kunst diu wider ieſu Krist.
an art which, against Jesus Christ,
von zouber tief getihtet ist.
is deeply composed out of sorcery
nâch der sêl unheile.
to the soul's ruin.
sus was daz zouber veile.
So the sorcery was for sale [there],
als in ein pfaffe hête gesaht.
as a cleric had told them
der ûz der stat in gegen reit.
who rode out of the city towards them.
dô si des rede vernâmen.
When they heard his account,
mit vröuweden balde si kumen.
with joy they quickly came
in die stat gegangen.
walking into the city.
si wurden wole entvangen.
They were well received
von dem schuolhêrre.
by the schoolmaster.
dô er si von verren.
When he, from far off,
mit schehenten ougen sach.
saw them with squinting eyes,
lachente er in walhischen sprach.
laughing he spoke in French:
bescheineiu bêâer*sire
'Welcome, fair sir,
mînen kinden unde mir.
to my children and to me!'
des danketen si im schône.
For this they thanked him finely
mit dem gote lône.
with 'May God reward [you]'
unde mit zühticlîchen sîten.
and with courteous manners.
dâr nâch begunden si in biten.
After that they began to ask him
durch sîne kurtoisî
by his courtesy
daz er nigromanzî.
that he would have necromancy
sie snelle hieze lêren.
taught to them quickly.
si wolten gerne kêren.
They wished eagerly to turn
muot sin unde kunst
heart, mind and skill
ûf nigromanzî kust.
to the art of necromancy.
der meister lachen began.
The master began to laugh.
er sach die zwêne gesellen an.
He looked at the two companions
unde sprach nû sint ir doch gewesen.
and said: 'Yet you have been
in gotes schuole unde hânt gelesen.
in God's school and have studied.
swer lernen wile diu zouberbuoch.
Whoever wants to learn the books of sorcery
der muoz den geswinden gotes vluoch.
must take God's fierce curse
ûf sîne sêl entvâhen.
upon his soul.'
die schuolær snelle jâhen.
The students quickly declared
ez solte im niet sîn swære.
it should not trouble him
Translator's note. Line 147, 'bescheineiu bêâer*sire', is garbled French, read as 'bien soiez venu, beau sire', 'welcome, fair sir'. 'schehenten' (line 145) is uncertain; translated 'squinting'. In line 167 'im' is taken as 'him', the master.
The whole original: ReM 2.1 at Zenodo (open M512).