Hartmann von Aue

Hartmann von Aue (or von Ouwe; c. 1160–70 – c. 1210–20) was a German knight and poet. With his works including Erec, Iwein, Gregorius, and Der arme Heinrich, he introduced the Arthurian romance into German literature and, with Wolfram von Eschenbach and Gottfried von Strassburg, was one of the three great epic poets of Middle High German literature.

Quotes

• Nû sehent wie unser lachen
  mit weinen erlischet.
  unser süeʒe ist vermischet
  mit bitterre gallen.
  unser bluome der muoʒ vallen
  so er allergrüenest wænet sîn.
  • We sit and dally in Fortune’s lap
    Till tears break in our smiles betwixt,
    And the shallow honey-draught be mix’d
    With sorrow’s wormwood fathom-deep.
    Oh! rest not therefore, man, nor sleep:
    In the blossoming of thy flower-crown
    A sword is raised to smite thee down.
    • Der arme Heinrich (c. 1190s) l. 106 (tr. D. G. Rossetti)

• Ich weiʒ wol daʒ er selbe giht,
  swer grôʒen dienst leiste,
  des lôn sî ouch der meiste.
  • Sir, inasmuch as the work is hard,
    So much the more is our great reward.
    • Der arme Heinrich (c. 1190s) l. 1162 (tr. D. G. Rossetti)

External links

• D. G. Rossetti (tr.) Henry the Lepper, in William M. Rossetti (ed.) The Collected Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti (London: Ellis and Scrutton, 1886) vol. 2, pp. 420–60
• John G. Robertson (ed.) Der Arme Heinrich (New York: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1895)