Gottfried von Neifen: Nu schouwet wie diu heide (SongXV)
Verse 4
Dô ich die reinen guoten,
die süezen wol gemuoten,
von êrste an sach, dar nâch dô wart mîn herze sorgen bar.
dô hete ich den gedingen
daz sie mich wolte dringen
hin an der föiden stat. Des hât si mich enterbet gar.
nim war, frouwe Minne, wiech si meine:
daz si sô rehte kleine
mich senden trœstet unde ich doch mit triuwen diene dar.
Translation
Verse 4
When I first saw
the wonderful, good one,
the very sweet, noble one,
my heart was freed from worries.
I had hope
that she wanted to cajole me
to the place of joy. But she has completely
robbed me of that.
Look, Lady Minne, how much I love her:
how she does so little to comfort me,
who longs for her, and
yet I serve her faithfully.
Audio sample
Gottfried von Neifen: Nu schouwet wie diu heide (SongXV)
Verse 5
Owê, sol ich verderben
und in der sorge ersterben,
frou Minne und ir vil sælic wîp, wie stât iu beiden daz?
vil minnenclîchiu Minne,
sprich daz mîn küniginne
durch wîbes güete sich gein mir ein teil bedenke baz.
nu waz touc mîn gar ze langez bîten?
ez wær wol in den zîten
daz sie mir solte lônen: Minne treit den alten haz.
Translation
Verse 5
Oh, if I should come to harm
and die in worry,
Lady Minne and her maiden who brings me much joy, how would that suit you both?
Lovely Love,
command that my queen,
through womanly kindness, consider her attitude towards me more carefully.
But what good is my all too long wait?
It is probably time
for her to reward me: Love carries the old hatred.
Audio sample
Oh help, Lady Minne!
Lady Minne (Love) is the epitome and embodiment of the emotion of love and often seems all-powerful.
But Lady Minne’s essence is ambivalent: she can be a lovely lady and a violent authority at the same time. In this case, the speaker accuses her because a maiden does not respond to his affections. He asks Lady Love to observe how much he loves the maiden and how he serves her faithfully. In order to bring his courting to a successful conclusion, the speaker tries to hold Lady Minne responsible: she should order the maiden to rethink her attitude. But Lady Minne remains passive and is only spoken to.
Contents
What is to be done if the beloved maiden does not listen to the suitor? It makes sense to personify Love itself and ask it for help. In this song, Gottfried von Neifen deals with the complaint of an unhappy suitor whose success seems to depend on the goodwill of Love herself. In five verses, a setting is unfolded in which the predominant elements are the praise of a maiden and the complaint to Lady Minne. In order to achieve his goal, the speaker ultimately threatens Lady Minne with his (love-)death if Lady Minne and the maiden do not finally listen to him. The saying ends with the rather sobering statement: Love bears old hatred (Minne treit den alten haz).
What else?
Lady Minne is no stranger to Gottfried von Neifen’s oeuvre: she appears in a total of 30 of his 51 songs – usually following his praise of a maiden. The narrator usually addresses Love in a complaining manner and blames her for his lovesickness. This song, however, goes a step further: Lady Minne is supposed to actively intervene in the events and save the failing courtship.