Gaudeamus! Humorous PoemsScheffel, Joseph Victor von
General
Gaudeamus! Humorous Poems
Scheffel, Joseph Victor von
German poetry -- Translations into English; German wit and humor
Barritum civere vel maximum. Qui clamor ipso fervore certaminum a
tenui susurro exoriens paullatimque adolescens situ extollitur fluctuum
cantibus illisorum.--Ammian. Marcellin. xvi. 12.
A Roman stood in midnight lost,
For the German line selected;
Far from the castle was his post,
His glances east directed.
He heard a murmur and a fuss,
And distant voices ringing--
No pæan of Horatius;
Right savage was the singing:
'Ha--haw--haw! we got ye safe at last,
Got ye by the skirt, too--got ye firm and fast,
You scamp, you!'
With a maiden of the Chatten race
He oft in love had meddled,
And sought her in a lonely place,
Disguised as one who peddled.
Now came the vengeance--one, two, three!
Now o'er the wall they're climbing,
Screeching like cats in agony,
With hatchet rattle chiming.
'Ha--haw--haw! we got you safe at last,
Got you by the skirt, too--got you firm and fast,
You scamp, you!'
He drew his sword, he blew his horn,
And like a warrior shook him;
But vain were pluck and Roman scorn--
The savage Deutschers took him.
They tied him fast, and in a word
Away with him went bounding,
And when the cohort came, it heard
Far through the pine-trees sounding:
'Ha--haw--haw I we've got him safe at last,
Got him by the skirt, too--got him firm and fast,
You scamp, you!'
In the holy grove, toward the east,
Were all the Chatten foemen,
To celebrate the Odin feast
Of Jul, with blood of Roman.
He felt himself like roasted meat
'Twixt savage grinders going;
Out sprang his blonde-haired darling sweet,
And cried with tears hot flowing:
Ha--haw--haw! I've got you safe at last,
Got you by the skirt, too--got you firm and fast,
You scamp, you!'
Then all the Chats were deeply moved
To see her thus accost him,
And said, 'Since they so well have loved,
'Twould be a shame to roast him,
Here let them wed.' This ends the tale.
'Yes, wed at once before us;
And all day long throughout the vale
We'll sing as bridal chorus,
"Ha--haw--haw! were got you safe at last,
Got you by the skirt, too--got you firm and fast,
You scamp, you!"'
HILDEBRAND AND HADUBRAND.
DAS HILDEBRANDLIED.
.... Hiltibraht enti Hathubrant.
Hildebrand und sein Sohn Hadubrand,
Hadubrand,
Ritten selbander in Wuth entbrannt,
Wuth entbrannt,
Gegen die Seestadt Venedig.
Hildebrand und sein Sohn Hadubrand,
Hadubrand,
Keiner die Seestadt Venedig fand,
--nedig fand,
Da schimpften die beiden unfläthig.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account