Book VIII · ANTIKONIE, part 6 of 7

¶Now list, ere they close the council, to the rede they would rede the king And wise were the men who, wisely, good counsel in need should bring; And each spake as his mind should bid him, and that which his heart deemed best, And they turned the thing hither and thither, till the king thus his speech addrest: 450

¶And he spake, 'One of late fought with me, as on venture bent I rode In the wood Læhtamreis--too proudly, perchance, I my steed bestrode, For a knight, who o'er great my fame deemed, in joust smote me such a blow That, behind my gallant charger, on the greensward he laid me low. And this oath must I swear unto him, in search of the Grail to ride, 455 And my knightly pledge I gave him, were it other, I there had died. Now give me, I pray, your counsel, for 'gainst death was no other shield But to swear as my victor bade me, and, as knight, to a knight to yield!'

¶'Yea, mighty and strong that hero,--nor sware I that oath alone, But he bade me, as true man truly, when a year should have come and gone, 460 And the Grail I still were seeking, to ride unto Pelrapär To the queen who the crown there weareth, the child of King Tampentäre. And there, as I looked upon her, I should yield me unto her grace; And from him should I bear this message in the day that I sought her face. He would say, "An she thought upon him 'twas his joy and his labour's meed, 465 His hand from the King Klamidé aforetime her land had freed."'

¶Then the speech to the end they hearkened; and Liddamus spake this word, 'Give me leave to speak, ye shall follow, Sir Knights, when my rede is heard, For the oath that perforce thou swarest, its fulfiller shall be Gawain, And he, captive, his wings shall flutter in the snare wherein thou wast ta'en. 470 For here, where we stand to hearken, shall he swear us the Grail to win, And then of free will let him ride hence; for I deem men would count it sin Were he slain in thine house--Nay, me-seemeth 'twere better to let him live, For but ill would it please thy sister an thou didst not her knight forgive! Sore stress at our hands hath he suffered, and he now to his death shall ride; 475 For far as the far sea's water shall circle the earth so wide There standeth no Burg so mighty as Monsalväsch, its towers shall fear No foeman, and strait the pathway that wendeth its walls anear, And sore dangers that road encompass--Let him slumber in peace this night, And the word that we deem the wisest shall be told him with morning light!' 480 Right well did the counsel please them, and ended, I ween, the strife, And Gawain, so the venture telleth, thus won at their hands his life.

¶So they tended the dauntless hero right well thro' the hours of night; From the Mass came the folk on the morrow when the noontide hour waxed bright, And the hall was thronged and crowded with townsfolk and warriors good, 485 When before the king, as they counselled, his foeman, Sir Gawain, stood. To naught other would he compel him than to that which ye late did hear. Now see ye the gentle maiden as she drew with her knight anear, And her uncle's son came with her, and many a hero brave Of the king's men were fain to follow, and thus fair escort gave. 490 Then the queen led Gawain to her brother with slender hand and white, And a chaplet of fair flowers woven she bare on her locks of light, Fair the flowers, yet the maid was fairer, and no blossom around her head But waxed pale and dim, if 'twas mated with her lips of glowing red. And he whom of true heart gently she kissed, as beseemed a maid, 495 Such lances for her had broken as had wasted a woodland shade.

¶Now hearken to me and heed me, as with gracious words I'ld greet Antikonie, free from falsehood, a maiden pure and sweet. In such wise did she ever bear her that never a doubting word, Were one fain to sing her praises, from the lips of men was heard; 500 For no heart but wished her gladness, and no mouth but spake her free From all thought of guile--Far-reaching, as a falcon's eye can see, Shone the light of her gracious presence, as the light of a balsam rare That burneth, and sheddeth perfume, and sweeteneth the scented air. And her will was ever gracious, as the will of a maid should be, 505 And she spake to her royal brother of a true heart right maidenly:

¶'I bring here to thee, my brother, the guest thou didst bid me tend, And I would thou shouldst well entreat him, as befitting my knight and friend-- For better shall that become thee, to bear thee as brother true, Than to feel the world's hate, or to teach me to hate thee, who hate ne'er knew.' 510

¶Quoth the king, 'Nay then, my sister, an I may, so stands my will, Thou shalt give me here thy counsel, for I think me I did but ill, And stained thereby mine honour, and dimmed my knightly fame; And I deem me but little worthy that thou shouldst me as brother claim. E'en if all lands should do my bidding at thy prayer would I yield them all, 515 Lest that sorrow of sorrows greatest, thine hatred, on me should fall! And honour and joy were ended an I said to thy pleading, Nay-- Sir Gawain, I here entreat thee, since for fame thou didst ride this way, An thou knightly fame wouldst honour, so help me, that I may win Anew from my sister favour, and forgiveness for this my sin. 520 Far liefer were I to pardon the wrong thou hast done to me Than to lose her, my sweetest sister--Now list what thy task shall be, Do thou swear to me here that truly thou wilt strive, as I erst was fain To strive, for the Grail's fair kingdom, and the honour thou there shalt gain.'

¶In such wise the strife was ended, Sir Gawain far hence must ride, 525 And with sword and spear do battle, and woe for the Grail abide. And the Landgrave forgave his monarch the wrong that he did his word When he brake his pledge unto Gawain--and no prince of the land but heard.