that　she　would　not　wish　it。　For　two　reasons　is　she　his　good
  friend；　for　she　fears　his　death　and　desires　his　honour。　And
  Cliges　receives　at　the　sword's　point　the　three　who　offer　him
  fierce　combat；　they　pierce　and　cleave　his　shield；　but　they　cannot
  get　him　into　their　power　or　cleave　the　links　of　his　shirt　of
  mail。　And　nought　that　Cliges　can　reach　stands　firm　before　his
  blow；　for　he　cleaves　and　breaks　asunder　all；　he　wheels　round　more
  quickly　than　the　top　which　is　urged　on　and　driven　by　the　whip。
  Prowess　and　love　entwine　him　and　make　him　bold　and　keen　in　fight。
  He　has　dealt　so　grievously　with　the　Saxons　that　he　has　killed　or
  conquered　them　all；　wounded　some；　and　killed　others；　but　he　let
  one　of　them　escape　because　they　were　a　match；　one　for　the　other；
  and　so　that；　by　him；　the　duke　might　know　his　loss　and　mourn。　But
  before　this　man　left　him；　he　prevailed　upon　Cliges　to　tell　him
  his　name；　and　went　for　his　part　to　tell　it　to　the　duke；　who　had
  great　wrath　thereat。　Now　the　duke　hears　of　his　misfortune；　and
  had　great　grief　and　great　care　thereat。　And　Cliges　leads　away
  Fenice；　who　thrills　and　tortures　him　with　the　pangs　of　love；　but
  if　now　he　does　not　hear　her　confession；　long　time　will　love　be
  adverse　to　him；　and　also　to　her　if　she；　on　her　side；　is　silent
  and　say　not　her　will；　for　now　in　the　hearing；　one　of　the　other；
  can　they　reveal　their　inmost　hearts。　But　so　much　do　they　fear
  refusal　that　they　dare　not　betray　their　hearts。　He　fears　that　she
  might　reject　him；　she；　on　her　part；　would　have　betrayed　herself
  if　she　had　not　feared　rejection。　And；　nevertheless；　the　one
  betrays　his　thoughts　to　the　other　with　the　eyes　if　they　could
  only　have　known　it。　They　speak　by　glances　with　their　eyes；　but
  they　are　so　craven　with　their　tongues　that　in　no　wise　dare　they
  speak　of　the　love　which　masters　them。　If　she　dare　not　begin　it；
  it　is　no　marvel；　for　a　maiden　ought　to　be　a　simple　and　shy
  creature。　But　why　does　he　wait；　and　why　does　he　delay；　who　is
  thoroughly　bold　in　her　behalf；　and　has　shown　dread　of　none　but
  her？　God！　Whence　comes　this　fear　to　him　that　he　fears　a　single
  maiden；　weak　and　timid；　simple　and　shy？　At　this；　methinks；　I　see
  dogs　fleeing　before　the　hare；　and　the　fish　hunting　the　beaver；
  the　lamb　the　wolf；　the　dove　the　eagle。　So　would　it　be　if　the
  villein　were　to　flee　before　his　hoe　by　which　he　gains　his
  livelihood；　and　with　which　he　toils。　So　would　it　be　if　the　falcon
  were　to　flee　from　the　duck；　and　the　gerfalcon　from　the　heron；　and
  the　great　pike　from　the　minnow；　and　if　the　stag　were　to　chase　the
  lion；　so　do　things　go　topsy…turvy。　But　a　desire　comes　upon　me　to
  give　some　reason　why　it　happens　to　true　lovers；　that　wit　and
  courage　fail　them　to　express　what　they　have　in　their　thoughts
  when　they　have　leisure　and　opportunity　and　time。
  You　who　are　being　instructed　in　Love；　who　faithfully　uphold　the
  customs　and　rites　of　his　court；　and　who　never　broke　his　law
  whatever　might　have　befallen　you　for　your　obedience；　tell　me　if
  one　can　see　anything　which　affords　Love's　delight　but　that　lovers
  shiver　and　grow　pale　thereat。　Never　shall　there　be　a　man　opposed
  to　me　that　I　do　not　convince　of　this；　for　he　who　does　not　grow
  pale　and　shiver　thereat；　who　does　not　lose　wit　and　memory　like　a
  thief；　pursues　and　seeks　that　which　is　not　fittingly　his。　A
  servant　who　does　not　fear　his　lord；　ought　not　to　stay　in　his
  retinue　or　serve　him。　He　who　does　not　esteem　his　lord；　does　not
  fear　him；　and　he　who　does　not　esteem　him；　does　not　hold　him　dear；
  but　rather　seeks　to　cheat　him　and　to　pilfer　somewhat　of　his
  property。　For　fear　ought　a　servant　to　tremble　when　his　lord　calls
  him　or　sends　for　him。　And　he　who　commends　himself　to　Love　makes
  Love　his　master　and　his　lord；　and　it　is　meet　that　he　have　him　in
  Reverence；　and　greatly　fear　and　honour　him　if　he　wishes　to　stand
  well　with　his　court。　Love　without　fear　and　without　dread　is　fire
  without　flame　and　without　heat；　daylight　without　sun；　honeycomb
  without　honey；　summer　without　flowers；　winter　without　frost；　sky
  without　moon；　a　book　without　letters。　Thus　do　I　wish　to　refute
  such　an　opponent；　for　where　fear　is　lacking　there　is　no　love
  worth　mentioning。　It　behoves　him　who　wishes　to　love　to　fear　also；
  for　if　he　does　not　he　cannot　love；　but　let　him　fear　her　only　whom
  he　loves；　and　in　her　behoof　let　him　be　thoroughly　bold。
  Therefore；　Cliges　commits　no　fault　or　wrong　if　he　fears　his
  lady…love。　But　for　this　fear　he　would　not　have　failed　forthwith
  to　have　spoken　to　her　of　love　and　sought　her　love；　however　the
  matter　had　happed　if　she　had　not　been　his　uncle's　wife。　For　this
  cause　his　wound　rankles　in　him；　and　it　pains　and　grieves　him　the
  more　because　he　dare　not　say　what　he　yearns　to　say。
  Thus　they　return　towards　their　company；　and　if　they　talk　of
  anything；　there　was　in　their　talk　nothing　about　which　they　cared。
  Each　sat　on　a　white　horse；　and　they　rode　quickly　towards　the　army
  where　there　was　great　lamentation。　Throughout　the　host　they　are
  beside　themselves　with　grief；　but　they　hit　upon　an　untrue　saying
  when　they　say　that　Cliges　is　deadthereat　is　the　mourning　very
  great　and　loud。　And　they　fear　for　Fenice；　they　deem　not　that　they
  will　ever　have　her　again；　and　both　for　her　and　for　him　the　whole
  host　is　in　very　great　sorrow。　But　these　two　will　not　delay　much
  longer；　and　the　whole　state　of　matters　will　take　a　different
  appearance；　for　already　they　have　returned　to　the　host　and　have
  turned　the　sorrow　into　joy。　Joy　returns　and　sorrow　flies。　They
  all　come　to　meet　them　so　that　the　whole　host　assembles。　The　two
  emperors　together；　when　they　heard　the　news　about　Cliges　and
  about　the　maiden；　go　to　meet　them　with　very　great　joy；　but　each
  one　longs　to　hear　how　Cliges　had　found　and　rescued　the　lady。
  Cliges　tells　them　the　tale；　and　those　who　hear　it　marvel　greatly
  Thereat；　and　much　do　they　praise　his　prowess　and　valour。　But　on
  the　other　side　the　duke；　who　swears　and　protests；　is　furious；　and
  declares　that　if　Cliges　dares　there　shall　be　a　single　combat
  between　the　two　of　them；　and　that　he　will　order　matters　in　such
  wise；　that　if　Cliges　wins　the　combat；　the　emperor　shall　go　away
  in　safety；　and　take　the　maiden　unhindered；　but　that　if　he　kills
  or　conquers　Cliges；　who　has　done　him　many　an　injury；　let　there
  for　this　be　neither　truce　nor　peace　till　after　each　has　done　his
  utmost。　This　the　duke　essays；　and　through　an　interpreter　of　his；
  who　knew　Greek　and　German；　gives　the　two　emperors　to　know　that
  thus　he　wishes　to　have　the　battle。
  The　messenger　delivers　his　message　in　one　and　the　other　language
  so　well　that　all　understood。　The　whole　host　resounds　and　is　in　an
  uproar　about　it；　and　men　say；　that　never　may　it　please　God；　that
  Cliges　fight　the　battle；　and　both　the　emperors　are　in　a　very
  great　alarm　thereat；　but　Cliges　falls　at　their　feet　and　prays
  them　let　it　not　grieve　them；　but　that；　if　ever　he　has　done　aught
  that　has　pleased　them；　he　may　have　this　battle　as　a　guerdon　and
  as　a　reward。　And　if　it　is　denied　him　never　will　he　for　a　single
  day　be　a　blessing　and　an　honour　to　his　uncle。　The　emperor；　who
  held　his　nephew　as　dear　as　duty　bade　him；　with　his　hand　raises
  him　up　from　his　knees　and　says：　〃Fair　nephew；　greatly　does　it
  grieve　me　that　I　know　you　to　be　so　wedded　to　fighting；　for　after
  joy　I　expect　sorrow　therefrom。　You　have　made　me　glad；　I　cannot
  deny　it；　but　much　it　grieves　me　to　grant　this　boon　and　send　you
  to　the　battle；　for　that　I　see　you　yet　too　young。　And　I　know　you
  to　be　of　such　proud　courage　that　in　no　wise　dare　I　deny　anything
  that　it　please　you　to　ask；　for　know　well　that　it　would　be　done
  but　to　please　you；　but　if　my　prayer　availed　aught；　never　would
  you　take　on　you　this　burden。〃　〃Sire；　you　are　pleading　in　vain；〃
  quoth　Cliges；　〃for　may　God　confound　me　if　I　would　accept　the
  whole　world　on　condition　that　I　did　not　fight　this　battle。　I　know
  not　why　I　should　seek　from　you　a　long　respite　or　a　long　delay。〃
  The　emperor　weeps　with　pity；　and　Cliges；　on　his　side；　weeps　with
  joy　when　he　grants　him　the　battle。　There　had　he　wept　many　a
  joyful　tear；　nor　had　he　secured　delay；　nor　limit　of　time；　before
  it　was　the　hour　of　Prime；　by　his　own　messenger　was　the　battle
  announced　to　the　duke；　just　as　he　had　demanded　it。
  The　duke；　who　thinks　and　believes　and　imagines　that　Cliges　will
  not　be　able　to　defend　himself　against　him；　but　that　he　will　soon
  have　slain　or　conquered　him；　quickly　has　himself　armed。　Cliges；
  who　is　longing　for　the　battle；　thinks　that　he　need　have　no　care
  as　to　how　to　defend　himself　against　the　duke。　He　asks　the　emperor
  for　arms；　and　prays　him　to　dub　him　knight；　and；　of　his　grace；　the
  emperor　gives　him　arms　and　Cliges　takes　them；　for　his　heart　is
  enamoured　of　the　battle　and　much　does　he　desire　and　long　for　it。
  He　hastens　full　swiftly　to　arm　himself；　when　he　was　armed　from
  head　to　foot；　the　emperor；　who　was　full　of　anxiety；　goes　to　gird
  the　sword　on　his　side。　Cliges　mounts　on　the　white　Arab；　fully
  armed；　from　his　neck　he　hangs　by　the　straps　a　shield　made　of
  elephant's　bone；　such　that　it　will　neither　break　nor　split　nor
  had　it　blazon　or　device；　the　armour　was　all　white；　and　the　steed
  and　the　harness　were　all　whiter　than　any　snow。
  Cliges　and　the　duke　are　armed；　and　the　one　has　announced　to　the
  other　that　they　will　meet　half…wa