ears
and dreads the might of the Duke of Saxony.

The two emperors proceed and stop not till they reach Ratisbon;
and on one evening they were lodged by the Danube in the meadow.
The Greeks were in their tents in the meadows beside the Black
Forest. The Saxons who were observing them were encamped opposite
them. The duke's nephew was left all alone on a hill to keep a
look-out, and see whether, peradventure, he might gain any
advantage over those yonder or wreak any mischief upon them.

From his post of vantage he saw Cliges riding with three other
striplings who were taking their pleasure, carrying lances and
shields in order to tilt and to disport themselves. Now is the
duke's nephew bent on attacking and injuring them if ever he can.
With five comrades he sets out; and the six have posted
themselves secretly beside the wood in a valley, so that the
Greeks never saw them till they issued from the valley, and till
the duke's nephew rushes upon Cliges and strikes him, so that he
wounds him a little in the region of the spine. Cliges stoops and
bows his head, so that the lance glances off him; nevertheless,
it wounds him a little.

When Cliges perceives that he is wounded he has rushed upon the
stripling, and strikes him straightway with such violence that he
thrusts his lance right through his heart and fells him dead.
Then the Saxons, who fear him mightily, all take to flight and
scatter through the heart of the forest while Cliges, who knows
not of the ambush, commits a reckless and foolish act; for he
separates himself from his comrades, and pursues in that
direction in which the duke's force was. And now all the host
were preparing to make an attack on the Greeks. Cliges, all
alone, without aid, pursues them; and the youths all dismayed
because of their lord whom they have lost, come running into the
duke's presence; and, weeping, recount to him the evil hap of his
nephew. The duke thinks it no light matter; by God and all his
saints, he swears that never in all his life will he have joy or
good luck as long as he shall know that the slayer of his nephew
is alive. He says that he who will bring him Cliges' head shall
verily be deemed his friend, and will give him great comfort.
Then a knight has boasted that the head of Cliges will be offered
to the duke by him; let the duke but rely on him.

Cliges pursues the youths till he swooped down on the Saxons, and
is seen by the knight who has engaged to carry off h