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Der Kaiser flieht vertrieben, Flieht das eigne Land; Das Heer ist aufgerieben, Fliehend seine Schand. Nur Die sind ihm geblieben, Die er oft verkannt, Denn streng sind, die uns lieben, Noth hat Lieb erkannt, Er grüßt die alten Tage Seiner Jugendzeit, Vergißt der Zeiten Plage In Vertraulichkeit. ... Zum Fluß ist er gekommen, Findet keine Brück, Da wird sein Herz beklommen, Er kann nicht zurück. Da kommt ein Schiff mit Netzen: "Schiffer, nimm zum Lohn, Willst Du uns übersetzen, Meine goldne Kron." Der Schiffer hat genommen Seine goldne Kron, Doch eh' er über kommen, War der Feind dort schon. ... "So lieb dir ist dein Leben, Fahr zurück an's Land, Den Schifflohn will ich geben Mit der eignen Hand." Der Kaiser droht zu schlagen Mit dem goldnen Stab, Doch schnell zurückgetragen, Ihn dem Schiffer gab. Jetzt sah er, wie die Feinde Ihn am Ufer sehn, An Freundes Busen weinte, Wollte schier vergehn. ... "Ich hab nichts mehr zu geben, Als den Mantel mein, Der giebt mir Noth im Leben, Bald auch Todespein: War meiner Noth Beglücken Eurer Tage Preis, Den Purpur reißt in Stücken, Geb ihn allen Preis!" Er faßt soviel er konnte, Jeder riß sein Stück, Es auf dem Herzen sonnte, Wie ein Stern im Glück. ... Die Stücke heften Alle Auf die Kleider fest, Und vor den Feind mit Schalle Halten Ordensfest. Dann stellen sie sich Alle Rings zum Kaiser treu, Daß er von einem Walle Rings geschützet sei. Der Purpurstern kann blitzen, Wärmt auch wohl das Herz, Kann nicht als Harnish schützen Vor der Pfeile Erz. ... "Jetzt flieht!" befiehlt der Kaiser, "Flieht, ich sterb allein!" Sie rufen All' zum Kaiser: "Das soll nimmer sein, Der Purpur ist zerrissen, Aus ist nun Dein Reich, Vor Gott wir stehen müssen Bald mit Dir zugleich. Wir wollen hiee sic vergehen, Froh des ew'gen Muths; Aus unserm Blut erstehen Rächer Deines Bluts." ... Die Feinde sehn sie blicken, Sehn die Sterne hell, Und ihre Pfeile drücken In die Herzen schnell, Nach aller Edlen Falle, Fällt der Kaiser auch, Sein Segen über Alle Ist sein letzter Hauch. Die blutigen Purpurstücke Halten frisch die Farb', Der Feind ist groß im Glücke, Nicht den Schmuck verdarb.
B. Arnim sets stanzas 1-3
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Armuth, Reichthum, Schuld und Buße der Gräfin Dolores- eine wahre Geschichte zur lehrreichen Unterhaltung armer Fräulein aufgeschrieben von Ludwig Achim v. Arnim, herausgegeben von Wilhelm Grimm, Zweiter Band, Berlin: bei Veit & Comp., 1840, pages 425-428. Note: the stanzas of the poem are separated by prose in the novel, indicated by "[...]"
Authorship:
- by Karl Joachim ("Achim") Friedrich Ludwig von Arnim (1781 - 1831), no title, appears in Armuth, Reichthum, Schuld und Buße der Gräfin Dolores [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Bettina von Arnim, née Brentano (1785 - 1859), "Romanze", stanzas 1-3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 90
Word count: 364
Banished, the emperor flees, Flees his own land; The army has been worn down, It flees his ignominy. Only those are left to him Whom he often underrated, For severe are those who love us, But adversity has recognized love. He greets the old days Of his youth, He forgets former vexation In familiarity. ... He has come to the river, And finds no bridge. His heart becomes anxious, He cannot turn back. Along comes a boat with nets: "Boatman, receive in payment My golden crown If you would take us across." The boatman took His golden crown, But before the emperor reached the other shore The enemy was already there. ... "As truly as you value your life, Go back to the shore, The payment for the boat journey I shall give back with my own hand." The emperor threatens to beat him With the golden staff, But, carried back quickly, Gave the staff to the boatman. Now he saw how the enemies Spotted him on the shore, Upon the bosom of his friend he wept, Wanting to perish. ... "I have nothing more to give Except this coat of mine, It gives me adversity in life, Soon as well the agony of death: If the alleviation of my distress Was the glory of your days, Tear the crimson into pieces, Give it up to all!" He grasped as much as he could, Everyone tore off his piece of cloth, And displayed it upon his heart Like a star of good fortune. ... Everyone fastened the pieces Firmly upon their garments, And in view of their enemies they Resoundingly celebrated a conferring of orders. Then all of them arranged themselves Faithfully about their emperor, So that he was protected By a wall of men. The crimson star can flash, Can even warm the heart, But from the bronze of the arrows It cannot protect one like armour. ... "Now flee!" commands the emperor, "Flee, I die alone!" They all call out to the emperor: "That shall never be, The crimson is torn, It is all over for your kingdom, Before God we must all withal Stand with you. We shall perish here, Rejoicing in eternal courage; From our blood shall arise Those who avenge your blood." ... The enemies see them watching, See the bright stars, And their arrows quickly Penetrate into their hearts; After all the noblemen have fallen, The emperor falls too, His last utterance is A blessing over all of them. The bloody crimson pieces Hold their colour boldly, The enemies, magnanimous in their victory, Did not deface the adornment.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslation of title "Romanza" = "Romance"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Karl Joachim ("Achim") Friedrich Ludwig von Arnim (1781 - 1831), no title, appears in Armuth, Reichthum, Schuld und Buße der Gräfin Dolores
This text was added to the website: 2016-05-18
Line count: 90
Word count: 435