DLH II.40

English, p.155-6

While Clovis was resident in Paris he sent secretly to the son of Sigibert, saying: 'Your father is old and he is lame in one leg. If he were to die, his kingdom would come to you of right, and my alliance would come with it.' Chloderic was led astray by his lust for power and began to plot his father's death. One day Sigibert went out of the city of Cologne and crossed the Rhine, for he wanted to walk in the forest of Buchau. At midday he took a siesta in his tent, and his son set assassins on him and had him murdered, so that he might gain possession of his kingdom. By the judgement of God Chloderic fell into the pit which he had dug for his own father. He sent messengers to King Clovis to announce his father's death. 'My father is dead,' said he, 'and I have taken over his kingdom and his treasure. Send me your envoys and I will gladly hand over to you anything which you may care the select from this treasure.' 'I thank you for your goodwill,' answered Clovis. 'I ask you to show all your treasure to my messengers, but you may keep it.' The envoys came and Chloderic showed his father's treasure to them. They inspected everything. 'It was in this coffer that my father used to keep all his gold coins,' said Chloderic. 'Plunge your hand right to the bottom,' they answered, 'to see how much is there.' As he leant forward to do this, one of the Franks raised his hand and split Chloderic's skull with his double-headed axe. This unworthy son thus shared the fate of his father. When Clovis heard that both Sigibert and his son were dead, he came to Cologne himself and ordered the inhabitants to assemble. 'While I was out sailing on the River Scheldt,' and he, 'Chloderic, the son of your King, my brother, was busy plotting against his father and putting it out that I wanted him killed. As Sigibert fled through the forest of Buchau, Chloderic set assassins on him and had him murdered. While Chloderic was showing his father's treasure, he in his turn was killed by somebody or other. I take no responsibility for what has happened. It is not for me to shed the blood of one of my fellow kings, for that is a crime; but since things have turned out in this way, I will give you my advice and you must make of it what you will. It is that you should turn to me and put yourself under my protection.' When they heard what he had to say, they clashed their shields and shouted their approval. Then they raised Clovis up on a shield and made him their ruler. In this way he took over both the kingship and the treasure of Sigibert and submitted Sigibert's people to his own rule. Day in day out God submitted the enemies of Clovis to his dominion and increased his power, for he walked before Him with an upright heart and did what was pleasing in His sight.

Deutsch, S.135, 137

Als aber Chlodovech nun seinen Sitz zu Paris hatte, schickte er heimlich zum Sohne des Sigibert und sprach: "Siehe dein Vater ist alt geworden und hinkt auf einem verkrüppelten Bein. Stürbe er, so würder dir zugleich mit unserer Freundschaft mit Recht sein Reich zuteil werden". So wurde jener zur Herrschsucht verlockt und sann darauf, wie er den Vater Tötete. Einst verließ dieser Köln und ging über den Rhein, um im Buchonischen Walde umherzuschweifen ; und als er um Mittag in seinem Zelte schlief, kamen gedungene Mörder über ihn, und sein Sohn ließ ihn töten, um slebst die Herrschaft an sich zu reißen. Aber Gott ist gerecht, und er fiel selbst in die Grube, die er sinem Vater schändlich gegraben hatte. Er schickte nämlich alsbald Boten an König Chlodovech und ließ ihm den Tod seines Vaters melden ; sie sprachen : "Mein Vater ist tot, und sein Reich und seine Schätze sind mein. Sende etliche von deinen Leuten zu mir, und willig will ich dir schicken, was dir von den Schätzen meines Vaters gefällt". Jener aber sprach: "Dank für deinen guten Willian ; wenn unsere Leute zu dir kommen, so zeige ihnen, ich bitte dich, nur alles, du magst es dann selbst behalten." Und da sie kamen, öffnete er ihnen den Schatz seines Vaters. Als sie nun dies und jenes in Augenschein nahmen, sagte er: "In diesen Kasten pflegte mein Vater seine Goldstücke zu legen." "Stecke doch einmal deine Hand hinein bis auf den Boden", sagten sie, "und finde alles." Er tat dies und beugte sich tief, da aber erhob einer den Arm und hieb ihm mit der Axt in den Hirnschädel ; so traf ihn dasselbe Los, das er ruchlos seinem Vater bereitet hatte. Da aber Chlodovech hörte, daß Sigebert wie auch sein Sohn tot waren, kam er an Ort und Stelle und brief alles Volk. "Hört", sprach er darauf, "was sich zugetragen hat. Während ich die Schelde entlang fuhr, trachtete Chloderich, der Sohn meines Blutsvetters, seinem Vater nach der Herrschaft und machte ihn glauben, ich wolle ihn töten. Als dieser deshalb durch den Buchonischen Wald floh, schickte er ihm Mörder nach und ließ ihn ermorden. Darauf wurde er selbst, während er seines Vaters Schätze auftat, von irgendeinem mir unbekannten Manne gleichfalls erschlagen. An all diesem bin ich durchaus ohne Schuld. Denn das Blut meiner Stammvettern darf ich ja nicht vergießen, und schändlich wäre es, wenn ich es täte. Da es jedoch einmal so gekommen ist, so gebe ich euch diesen Rat, wenn es euch genehm ist: wendet euch zu mir, daß ihr sicher lebt unter meinem Schutze." Als sie dies hörten, schlugen sie an ihre Schilde, riefen Beifall, hoben ihn auf den Schild und setzten ihn zum König über sich. So empfing er Sigeberts Reich und seine Schätze, und es kamen die Leute desselben unter seine Herrschaft. Gott aber warf Tag für Tag seine Feinde vor ihm zu Boden und vermehrte sein Reich, darum, daß er rechten Herzens vor ihm wandelte und tat, was seinen Augen wohlgefällig war.

Latin, p.134, 136 (89-91)

Cum autem Chlodovechus rex apud Parisius moraretur, misit clam ad filium Sigyberthi, dicens: ,Ecce! pater tuus senuit et pede dibile claudicat. Si illi', / inquid, ,moreretur, recte tibi cum amicitia nostra regnum illius reddebatur'. Qua ille cupiditate seductus, patrem molitur occidere. Cumque ille egressus de Colonia civitate, transacto Rheno, per Buconiam silvam ambulare disponeret, meridiae in tenturia sua obdormiens, inmissis super eum filius percussoribus eum ibidem interfecit, tamquam regnum illius possessurus. Sed iuditio Dei in foveam, quam patri hostiliter fodit, incessit. Misit igitur nuntius ad Chlodovechum regem de patris obito nuntiantes atque dicentes: ,Pater meus mortuos est, et ego thesaurus cum regnum eius paenes me habeo. Dirige tuos ad me, et ea quae tibi de thesauris illius placent bona voluntate transmittam'. Et illi: ,Gratias', inquid, ,tuae voluntate ego et rogo, ut venientibus nostris patefavias, cuncta ipse deinceps possessurus'. Quibus venientibus iste patris thesauros pandit. Qui dum diversa respicerent, ait: ,In hanc arcellolam solitus erat pater meus numismata auri congerere'. -,Inmitte', inquiunt illi, ,manum tuam usque ad fundum, et cuncta reppereas'. Quod cum fecisset et esset valde declinus, unus elevata manu bipinnem cerebrum eius inlisit, et sic quae in patre egerat indignus incurrit. Quod audiencs Chlodovechus, quod scilicet interfectus esset Sygibertus vel filius eius, in eodem loco adveniens, convocavit omnem populum illum, dicens: ,Audite, quid contingerit. Dum ego', inquid, ,per Scaldem fluvium navigarem, Chlodericus, filius parentis mei, patrem suum insequebatur, verbo ferens, quod ego eum interficere vellim. Cumque ille per Buconiam silvam fugiret, inmissis super eum latruncolis, morti tradidit et occidet. Ipse quoque dum thesaurus eius aperit, a / nescio quo percussus interiit. Sed in his ego nequaquam conscius sum. Nec enim possum sanguinem parentum meorum effundere, quod fieri nefas est. Sed quia haec evenerunt, consilio vobis praebeo, si videtur acceptum : convertimini ad me, ut sub meam sitis defensionem'. At ille ista audientes, plaudentes tam parmis quam vocibus, eum clypeo evectum super se regem constituunt. Regnumque Sigyberthi acceptum cum thesauris, ipsos quoque suae ditioni adscivit. Prosternebat enim cotidiae Deus hostes eius sub manu ipsius et augebat regnum eius, eo quod ambularet recto corde coram eo et facerit quae placita erant in oculis eius.

Notes:

- Babylon taking over

• rewriting the narrative to make clovis into a good thing, whereas in the bible this narrative was used as a punishment