Are you asleep, Hagen, my son?
Do you sleep and not hear me, whom rest and sleep betrayed?
I hear you, hateful gnome
What have you to say in my sleep?
Remember the might that you command...
...if you share the mettle of the mother who bore you!
Though my mother gave me valour...
...I have no mind to thank her for falling victim to your guile
Prematurely old...
...pale and wan, I hate the happy...
...and am never glad!
Hagen, my son, hate the happy!
And so love me, joyless and weighed down with woe, as you should!
If you are strong, subtle and sagacious...
...those with whom we struggle in nocturnal strife...
...will be stricken by our envy
He who wrested the ring from me, Wotan, the rabid robber...
...was overthrown by his own offspring
To the Volsung he lost his authority and power
With all the gods gathered round him...
...in anguish he awaits his end
I fear him no more: he must fall with them all!
Are you asleep, Hagen, my son?
The might of the immortals...
...who inherits that?
I and you!
We inherit the world, if I am not deceived in your loyalty...
...and you share my rage and rancour
Wotan's spear was split by the Volsung...
...who slew the dragon Fafner in combat...
...and innocently gained the ring
He obtained entire authority
Valhalla and Nibelheim bow before him
Even my curse is blunted on that fearless hero
He does not know the ring's value and makes no use of its power
Laughing in the ardour of love, he is burning away his life
Our one end now is to destroy him!
Are you asleep, Hagen, my son?
He is already serving me towards his own ruin
The golden ring, that is what we must obtain!
A wise woman lives for the Volsung's love
If she advised him to return the ring to the Rhinemaidens...
...who once duped me in the water's depths...
...then my gold would be lost and no ruse could ever retrieve it
So aim for the ring without delay!
Dauntless did I create you to keep me safe from heroes
Not strong enough, indeed, to oppose the dragon...
...which was destined for the Volsung alone
But to inexorable hate I bred Hagen, who now shall avenge me...
...and obtain the ring in defiance of the Volsung and Wotan!
Do you swear it, Hagen, my son?
I will have the ring: wait in patience!
Do you swear it, Hagen, my hero?
I swear it to myself
Calm your concern!
Keep faith, Hagen, my son! Beloved hero!
Be loyal!
Hoiho! Hagen!
Weary man! Can you see me coming?
Hey, Siegfried!
Swift hero!
Where have you stormed in from?
From Brünnhilde's rock!
There I drew the breath with which I called to you
So quick was my journey!
The pair are following me more slowly by boat
- Then you procured Brünnhilde? - Is Gutrune awake?
Hoiho!
Gutrune, come forth! Siegfried is here
Why do you linger inside?
I'll tell you both how I mastered Brünnhilde
Bid me welcome, Gibich's child!
I bring you good news
May Freia welcome you in the name of all women!
Be kind to me now in my happiness, for today I have won you for my wife
Then is Brünnhilde following my brother?
Lightly was she wooed for him
Did the fire not scorch him?
It would not have harmed him either
But I walked through it for him, because I wished to win you
- Did it spare you? - I enjoyed the soaring flames
Did Brünnhilde take you for Gunther?
I resembled him to a hair
The Tarnhelm accomplished it, as Hagen rightly foretold
I gave you good counsel
So you overcame the intrepid woman?
She surrendered...
...to Gunther's strength
And she was married to you?
Brünnhilde submitted to her husband throughout the bridal night
But you passed for her husband?
Siegfried remained here with Gutrune
Yet Brünnhilde was at his side?
Between east and west there lies the north:
So near and so far was Brünnhilde
How did Gunther take her over from you?
Through the fire's dying flames...
...she followed in the morning mist from the rock to the valley
Near the shore, Gunther in a trice clanged places with me
Through the Tarnhelm's power I wished myself swiftly here
A strong wind now wafts the lovers up the Rhine
So now get ready to receive them!
Siegfried, mightiest of men!
I am filled with awe of you!
I see a sail in the distance
Then thank your messenger!
Let us give her a gracious welcome so that she will gladly stay here!
You, Hagen, please call the vassals to the Gibich hall for the wedding!
I will call the women to the feast: they will willingly join in my joy
Did you wish to rest, fearsome hero?
Pleasing you will be my rest
Hoiho! Hoihohoho!
You Gibich vassals, rouse yourselves!
Woe!
To arms! To arms!
All take up your weapons!
Good weapons! Strong weapons! Sharpened for battle!
There is danger!
Danger! Woe! Woe!
Hoiho! Hoihohoho!
- Why does the horn blast? - Why are we called to arms?
- We come with our weapons - We come armed
- Hagen! Hagen! - Hoiho! Hoiho!
What is the danger? What foe is near?
Who wages war on us?
Hagen! Is Gunther in need?
We come armed with sharp weapons
Hoiho! Ho! Hagen!
Arm yourselves well and do not delay
You must greet Gunther
He has taken a wife
Does danger threaten him? Is an enemy after him?
He is bringing home a formidable wife
Are her family's hostile forces in pursuit?
He travels alone: no one follows him
Then did he withstand the danger?
Did he win the battle? Tell us!
The dragon-killer overcame the danger
Siegfried, the hero, kept him safe!
Why does he need his army now to help him?
You must slaughter sturdy steers
Let Wotan's altar flow with their blood!
Hagen, what do you bid us do?
You must kill a boar for Froh...
...and sacrifice a full-grown goat to Donner
But slaughter sheep for Fricka, that she may bless the marriage!
Once the animals are killed, what do we do then?
Take your drinking-horns...
...and let your wives fill them with mead and wine!
With our drinking-horns in our hands, what do we do next?
Drink deep till drunkenness overcomes you!
All in honour of the gods, that they may bless the marriage!
Good fortune and prosperity now smile on the Rhine...
...if grim Hagen can be so merry!
The hawthorn pricks no more
He has been appointed bridal herald
Have done with laughter, valiant vassals!
Welcome Gunther's bride!
Brünnhilde approaches with him
Be smiling to your lady and serve her loyally
If she is ever wronged, be swift to avenge her!
Hail!
Welcome! Welcome!
Welcome, Gunther!
Greetings, Gunther!
Hail to you and your bride!
Welcome!
Brünnhilde, rarest of women...
...I bring you home to the Rhine
A nobler wife was never won
The race of Gibichungs...
...was granted grace by the gods
Now it shall rise to its greatest renown!
Hail to you, fortunate Gibichung!
Greetings, dear hero!
Greetings, sweet sister!
I rejoice to see you beside him...
...who won you as wife
Two happy couples I see here on show
Brünnhilde and Gunther!
Gutrune and Siegfried!
What ails her?
Is she demented?
What troubles Brünnhilde's brow?
Siegfried here! Gutrune?
Gunther's gentle sister, married to me, as you to Gunther
I to Gunther? You lie!
My eyes grow dim
Does Siegfried not know me?
Gunther, your wife is not well!
Rouse yourself, woman!
Here is your husband
The ring...
...on his hand!
He? Siegfried?
What is it?
Now mark carefully...
...this woman's complaint!
I saw a ring on your hand
It does not belong to you
It was snatched from me...
...by this man!
How came you to get the ring from him?
I did not get this ring from him
As you took from me the ring...
...with which I was wedded to you...
...claim your right from him and demand back the pledge!
The ring? I did not give him one
But do you also know it well?
Where have you hidden the ring that you wrenched from me?
Ah! He it was who tore the ring from me:
Siegfried...
...the thieving deceiver!
From no woman did the ring come to me
Nor was it a woman from whom I had it
I know it well as the prize of the battle...
...I once fought at Neidhöhle, when I slew the fierce dragon
Brünnhilde, valiant woman, do you really recognise the ring?
If it is that which you gave to Gunther, then it is his...
...and Siegfried obtained it by trickery...
...for which the traitor must atone!
A trick!
A most shameful trick!
Treachery!
To be revenged as never before!
Treachery? To whom?
Holy gods!
Rulers of heaven!
Was this part of your plan?
Did you mean me to suffer as no one has suffered?
Did you shape for me a shame none has ever borne?
Then aid me to a revenge such as never raged!
Rouse in me wrath such as never was curbed!
Cause Brünnhilde to break her heart...
...if only it will destroy her betrayer!
Brünnhilde, my bride! Restrain yourself!
Away, traitor, self-betrayed!
Know you all:
Not to him, but to that man there...
...am I married
Siegfried? Gutrune's husband?
He wrung from me gratification and love
Have you no regard for your own honour?
Must I accuse of falsehood the tongue that smirches it?
Hear if I broke faith!
Blood-brotherhood I swore to Gunther
Notung, my trusty sword, guarded the oath of loyalty
Its blade separated me from this unhappy woman
Lo, you lie, deceitful hero...
...and call the sword in false witness!
Well I know its sharpness
But I also know the scabbard...
...in which so serenely on the wall reposed Notung, faithful friend...
...when its lord won his beloved
What? Did he break faith? Did he tarnish Gunther's honour?
Did he break faith?
I should be dishonoured and disgraced...
...if you did not refute her words!
Disloyal, Siegfried? Did you indeed deceive?
Declare that this woman denounces you falsely!
Clear yourself if you are in the right!
Silence her accusation! Swear an oath!
I will silence her accusation and swear an oath
Which of you will venture his weapon on it?
I will lay my spear-point on it
It will vouch for the honour of the oath
Shining spear! Hallowed weapon!
Aid my eternal oath!
On the spear-point...
...I take this vow: spear-point, mark my words!
Where blade can pierce, you may pierce me
Where death can strike, you may strike me...
...if that woman's accusation is true and I broke faith with my brother!
Shining spear! Hallowed weapon!
Aid my eternal oath!
On the spear-point I take this vow
Spear-point, mark my words!
I dedicate your dominant power to his downfall!
I bless your blade, that it may pierce him
For this man has broken all his oaths...
...and now has perjured himself!
Help, Donner! Roar forth in storm!
Help, Donner! Roar forth in storm...
...to silence this shameful infamy!
Gunther, control your wife, who shamelessly slanders you!
Grant time and rest...
...to this wild mountain maid...
...for her to abate her raving rage...
...which some evil spirit has unleashed against us all!
You vassals, go back!
Enough of scolding women!
As cowards we gladly give way when tongues wage war
Believe me, I deplore it more than you...
...that I did not better deceive her
I think perhaps the Tarnhelm only half hid me
But women's anger is soon appeased
Your wife will surely be thankful that I won her for you
Be gay, vassals!
Follow me to the feast!
Women, lend a willing hand to the wedding!
Laugh in sheer delight!
In palace and field...
...today you shall see me happy before you all
May those whom love gladdens...
...be made as happy as is my elated heart!
What devil's cunning lies hidden here?
What wizard's charm has conjured this up?
Where now is my wisdom to counter this confusion?
Where are my spells to solve this riddle?
Alas! Alas! Woe! Woe!
All my wisdom I passed to him!
In his power he holds the maid
In his clutches he clasps his prey
Though she bewails her shame...
...he gaily gives her away now he is rich!
Who will offer me a sword with which to sever my bonds?
Trust me...
...wronged wife!
I will take revenge on your betrayer
On whom?
On Siegfried, who betrayed you
On Siegfried? You?
A single flicker of his flashing eyes...
...such as lighted on me even from his lying face...
...would make your highest courage falter in fear!
But shall his perjury protect him from my spear?
Oaths and perjury are idle words!
Search for something stronger to sharpen your spear...
...if you wish to assail the strongest!
Well I know Siegfried's conquering might...
...and how hard he is to kill in combat
So now whisper wise advice how the hero may fall to my spear
O thankless, most shameful reward!
There is not one art I knew...
...that does not guard the safety of his body!
Without his knowing, I enveloped him in my magic...
...which now protects him from wounds
Then can no weapon hurt him?
Not in battle
But...
...if you struck him in the back...
Never, I knew, would he flinch before a foe...
...nor turn his back on him in flight
So there I dispensed with my spells
And there my spear shall strike!
Up, Gunther, noble Gibichung!
Here stands your brave wife
Why do you tarry there so sadly?
O disgrace!
O dishonour!
Woe is me, most wretched of men!
You are dishonoured; how can I deny it?
Craven coward! False to your bride!
You hid behind the hero...
...for him to obtain for you the prize of fame!
Deep indeed sank your noble race...
...when it produced such a poltroon!
I was a fraud, and was defrauded!
I was a cheat, and was cheated!
Crushed be my bones! Shattered be my heart!
Help, Hagen! Help my honour!
Help your mother, who bore me too!
No brain can help you, nor any hand
Naught can help save Siegfried's death!
Siegfried's death!
That alone can erase your shame!
We swore blood-brotherhood!
For a broken bond blood alone can make amends!
Did he break the bond?
Yes, since he betrayed you!
Did he betray me?
He betrayed you, and you all have betrayed me!
If I had my due, all the blood in the world...
...could not wash away your guilt!
But one death...
...will serve me for all:
Siegfried shall die to redeem himself and you!
He shall die and you shall profit!
Immense power will be yours...
...if you obtain the ring from which death alone can part him
Brünnhilde's ring?
The Nibelung's ring
Then Siegfried is doomed!
His death will benefit us all
But Gutrune, ah, to whom I gave him!
If we punish her husband this way, how can we justify ourselves to her?
What did my wisdom foretell?
What did my spells teach me?
In my helpless despair all is clear
Gutrune is the sorcery...
...that lured my husband away!
May anguish overcome her!
Since his death must grieve her, let the deed be hidden from her
Tomorrow let us blithely go out hunting
The hero will forge ahead of us
A boar will bring him down
So be it! Siegfried shall die!
He shall wash away the shame he caused me!
He shall die, the handsome hero!
He shall wash away the shame he caused me!
Mine is the treasure, to me it must belong
He has betrayed his solemn oath
- His blood shall expiate his crime - Let the ring be wrested from him
- Omniscient god of vengeance! - Gnome-father, fallen prince!
Witness of oaths, guardian of vows!
Lord of the Nibelungs!
Wotan, look upon us!
Alberich, hear me!
Bid your heavenly hosts hearken to this vow of vengeance!
Bid the Nibelung host once more obey you, Lord of the ring!