idealize him and to give him everywhere the most important
role. The two opposing leaders are "Liudeger", lord of the
Saxons, and "Liudegast", king of Denmark. In "Biterolf"
Liudeger rules over both Saxons and Danes, and Liudegast is
his brother.
(2) "Fey". This Scotch and older English word has been chosen
to translate the M.H.G. "veige", 'fated', 'doomed', as it is
etymologically the same word. The ancient Germans were
fatalists and believed only those would die in battle whom
fate had so predestined.
(3) "Thirty thousand". The M.H.G. epics are fond of round
numbers and especially of thirty and its multiples. They
will he found to occur very frequently in our poem. See
Lachmann, "Anmerkungen zu den Nibelungen", 474 1.
(4) "Their". The original is obscure here; the meaning is,
'when he heard with what message they were come, he rued the
haughtiness of the Burgundians'.
(5) "Marks of gold". A mark (Lat. "mares") was half a pound of
gold or silver.



ADVENTURE V
How Siegfried First Saw Kriemhild.

One saw daily riding to the Rhine those who would fain be at the
feasting. Full many of these who for the king's sake were come
into the land, were given steeds and lordly harness. Seats were
prepared for all, for the highest and the best, as we are told,
for two and thirty princes at the feast. For this, too, the fair