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- Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019
Hermann Sudermann's "Morituri" is a compelling exploration of existential dread and the collision of personal desires with societal expectations. Set against a backdrop of early 20th-century Europe, the novel delves into the intricacies of human relationships and the omnipresence of mortality, employing a stylistic approach that oscillates between lyrical prose and piercing dialogues. Sudermann's narrative is rich with psychological depth, as he examines the internal struggles of his characters, reflecting the broader themes of decadence and the search for meaning in an increasingly fragmented world. Sudermann, a prominent figure in the expressionist movement and a contemporaneous voice to writers like Gerhard Hauptmann, often engaged with the tumultuous shifts in society and morality. His insights into human nature and the limitations of individual choice were likely influenced by his own experiences and the philosophical currents of his time. "Morituri" embodies Sudermann's adeptness at weaving intricate character studies coupled with the existential crisis faced by individuals caught in a web of societal obligations. This introspective novel is highly recommended for readers interested in a nuanced exploration of the human psyche and the moral dilemmas of its time. Those who appreciate profound literary works that blend rich emotional landscapes with incisive social commentary will find "Morituri" to be both enlightening and thought-provoking.
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Morituri
Table of Contents
I
Teja
A DRAMA IN ONE ACT
PERSONS
Teja
, King of the Goths.
Balthilda
, Queen.
Amalaberga
, her mother.
Agila
,
Bishop
.
Euric
}
Lords in the former kingdom of the Goths.
Theodemir
Athanaric
Ildibad
, spearbearer of the King.
Haribalt
, a warrior.
Two Camp Watchers
.
Teja
The scene represents the King's tent. The curtains are open in the background and permit a view through the camp of the Gothic warriors, over toward Vesuvius, and the distant sea, which shine in the splendour of the setting sun. On the left stands the rudely constructed throne of the King. In the centre, a table with seats around it. On the right, the King's couch, consisting of skins pieced together; above, a rack holding many kinds of weapons. Link torches on the right and left.
FIRST SCENE.
TWO CAMP WATCHERS.
First Camp Watcher.
Ho thou! Art thou fallen asleep?
Second Camp Watcher.
Why should I be fallen asleep?
First Camp Watcher.
Because thou leanest so limber upon thy spear, bent like the bow of a Hun.
Second Camp Watcher.
I stand so bent, because thus hunger gripes me less.
First Camp Watcher.
'Tis of no avail. It availeth as little as thy belt. Afterward, in standing upright, it is the more severe.
Second Camp Watcher.
How long is this to last?
First Camp Watcher.
Until the ships come--that is simple indeed.
Second Camp Watcher.
Yea, but when are the ships coming?
First Camp Watcher.
How can I know that? Look toward the heights. There, high upon the Milchberg, there standeth the watch, and overlooketh the sea for twenty miles. If he knoweth not! There, behind the Misenian hills, there they must be coming.
Second Camp Watcher.
Verily, if the Byzantian let them pass.
First Camp Watcher.
The Byzantian hath no ships.
Second Camp Watcher.
The Byzantian hath so many ships that he can surround the whole Italian world with them as with a hedge; as close as the Byzantian Eunuch hath surrounded us, these seven weeks.
First Camp Watcher.
These seven weeks!
Second Camp Watcher.
Knowest thou what I got for nourishment, at noon this day? The same rind of bacon on which I brake my teeth eight days ago. Forsooth, I had cut my three crosses, with my knife. That was a meeting again! But to-day, I devoured it ... a noble feast for a king's marriage day!
First Camp Watcher.
Think'st thou the King had more?
Second Camp Watcher.
And think'st thou we would suffer ourselves to be beaten to death, suffer ourselves to be broken on the wheel, to be thrust through and put to shame, if he had more than we? Think'st thou we would lie here like chained dogs, and watch, did we not know that there is nothing to watch?
First Camp Watcher.
There is gold enough.
Second Camp Watcher.
Gold! Pah, gold! Of gold I have enough myself. In my cellar at Canusium, I have buried a treasure--eh! ... thou! The wives behind there in the Wagenburg must have meat left ... wine too, they must still have.
First Camp Watcher.
Yea, the wives are there well enough--thou hast none, I suppose.
Second Camp Watcher.
A Greek dishonoured mine, and I stabbed him to death! (Pauses.) Good! The wives must have meat; they must have wine too. But how long that-- (Noise and clash of weapons, slowly approaching.) There, the marriage is surely ended.
First Camp Watcher.
Silence! There cometh the aged Ildibad--with the King's shield. (Both put themselves on guard.)
SECOND SCENE.
THE SAME. ILDIBAD.
(Hangs the shield in its place, and puts away the weapons lying about.) Hath any news been sent down?
First Camp Watcher.
Nay!
Ildibad.
Are ye hungry?
Second Camp Watcher.
Oh, yea.
Ildibad.
Hunger is for women--mark ye that! And show not such dark faces to our young Queen. That becometh not a marriage day.
THIRD SCENE.
Surrounded by noisy people, TejaandBalthildahave appeared in front of the tent. They enter led byBishop Agila. Before them, two choir-boys swinging censers. Behind them, Amalaberga, Euric, Athanaric, Theodemir, and other lords and military leaders. The tent covers are let down. Exeunt the watchers.
(Bishoplets go the hands of the bridal pair, and turns back toAmalaberga.)
(Tejastands gloomy and brooding. Balthildacasts a shy imploring look around her. Painful silence.)
Ildibad (softly).
Now must thou say something, King, to welcome thy young wife.
Teja (softly).
Must I? (Taking one of the choir-boys by the nape of the neck.) Not so vehemently, boy; the smoke cometh up into our nostrils. What dost thou when thou wieldest not thy censer?
Boy.
I wield my sword, King.
Teja.
That is right. But make ye haste with wielding the sword, or ye may easily be too late. (Softly.) Nothing to be seen of the ships, Ildibad?
Ildibad.
Nothing, my King. But thou must speak to thy young wife.
Teja.
Yea ... so now I have a wife, Bishop?
Bishop.
Here standeth thy wife. King, and waiteth on thy word.
Teja.
Forgive me, Queen, if I find not this word. I have been brought up in the midst of battles, and other dwelling-place have I not known. It will be hard for thee to share this with me.
Balthilda.
King ... my mother ... taught me ... (She stops.)
Teja (with assumed kindness).
And what taught thee thy mother?
Amalaberga.
That a wife belongeth to her husband--above all, in the hour of distress; she taught her that, King.
Teja.
That may indeed be true and holy to ye wives.... If only the husband also belonged to his wife in the hour of distress. And yet one thing,
Amalaberga.
It hath been told me that in the morning, cocks crow near ye wives yonder in the Wagenburg. For weeks, the warriors have eaten no meat. I counsel ye, give them the cocks. (Amalabergabows.)
Bishop.
My King!
Teja.
Heh! Thou hast but now spoken so beautifully at the field-altar,
Bishop.
Dost thou desire to preach so soon again?
Bishop.
I will speak to thee, because bitterness devoureth thy soul.
Teja.
Verily? Thou thinkest it? Then I give ear.
Bishop.
Behold, like the spirit of divine wrath, so hast thou risen up among us, young man.... Not thy years did the nation count, only thy deeds.... Old men bowed willingly to thy youth, and since thou hadst yet a long time to serve, as one of the humblest, wert thou already our ruler. From the golden throne of Theoderic, where mercy had sat in judgment, where Totilas bestowed pardon with a smile, rang out sternly thy bloody word ... And woe clave to us as a poisoned wound.... Pursued hither and thither beneath the hot outpourings of Vesuvius, we are now encamped with women and children; while Byzantium, with its hireling soldiers, holdeth us surrounded.
Teja.
That it surely doth, ha, ha! Not a mouse can come through.
Bishop.
Our gaze wandereth wistfully seaward: for thence hath God promised us bread.
Teja.
No tidings of the ships?
Ildibad (softly). Nothing.
Bishop.
Before we armed ourselves for a new war with misery, as free men, true to the ancient law, we determined to choose thee a wife, for in his own body should the King taste why the Goth loveth death.
Teja.
Found ye that your King loved life overmuch?
Bishop.
My King!
Teja.
Nay, that dared ye not, for every hour of this life would hold ye up to mockery.... And even if the ancient law required it, why must ye weld me with this young thing which, trembling for fear before me and ye, hideth in her mother's skirts? And especially on so fitting a day, when hunger doth furnish the marriage music.... Look upon me, Queen--I must call thee by thy title of a half-hour, for, by God! I hardly yet know thy name. I pray thee, look upon me! Dost thou know me?
Balthilda.
Thou art the King, Sire.
Teja.
Yea. But for thee I should be man, not King.... And knowest thou what manner of man standeth here before thee?... Behold! These arms have been hitherto plunged in reeking blood, not the blood of men shed in manly strife, I speak not of that, that honoureth the man--blood of unarmed pale children, of--(shudders)--Thou shalt have great joy, if I come with these arms to wind them about thy neck.... Dost thou indeed hear me? Have I not a beautiful voice, a sweet voice? Only it is a little hoarse. It is weary with screaming loud commands to murder.... Peculiar pleasure shall be thine when thou hearest tender words with this bewitching hoarseness. Am I not truly a born lover? These wise men knew that; therefore they taught me my calling.... Or believe ye, it was your duty to beguile your King in the weariness of camp life; as the great Justinian dallied in golden Byzantium, and sent forth his eunuchs to slay Gothic men? Ha, ha, ha!
Bishop.
My King, take heed lest thou be angry.
Teja.
I thank thee, friend. Yet that signifieth nothing. It is but my marriage humour.... But now I will speak to ye in earnest--(Ascends to the high seat of the throne.) On the golden throne of Theoderic, where mercy sat in judgment, can I, alas! not take my place; for that is being chopped into firewood at Byzantium.... Neither smiling like Totilas can I pardon, for no one longer desireth our pardon.... From the glorious nation of the Goths, there hath sprung a horde of hungry wolves therefore it needeth a wolf as master. Thou, Bishop, didst call me the spirit of divine wrath, which I am not.... I am but the spirit of your despair. As one who all his life hath hoped for nothing, hath wished for nothing, I stand before you, and so I shall fall before you. That ye knew, and therefore ye are wrong, ye men, to reproach me secretly. Contradict me not!... I read it clearly enough between your lowering brows.... Because it goeth ill with us, make not a scapegoat of me--that I counsel ye.
Theodemir.
King, wound us not.... The last drop of our blood belongeth to thee. Cast us not into the pot with these old men. Euric. We old men fight as well as they; and love, young man, as well as they.
Teja.
Then let that suffice. Your Queen shall soon enough learn how, in misfortune, friends quarrel among themselves. And as ye pass through the camp, tell the warriors, the only thing that frets the King this day this day of joy, is it not?--is that he hath not the power to offer them a worthy marriage feast ... or yet perchance-- Ildibad.
Ildibad.
(Who on the right has secretly spoken in bewilderment to a watcher who has just entered.) Yea, Sire.
Teja.
What have we still in our stores, old man?
Ildibad (controlling his emotion).
Truly, thou hast given away almost all thy provisions.
Teja.
I ask thee, what remaineth?
Ildibad.
A jar of fermented milk, and two stale crusts of bread.
Teja.
Ha, ha, ha! Now thou seest, Queen, what a poor husband thou hast got. Yet if the ships be there, as the people say, then will I do royal honours to every one, even as is his due. Yet tell it not, that would mar their joy. But if they hear the trumpets sound, then tell them there will be meat and wine on the long tables, so much as--
(ToIldibad, who glides across the stage to his side) What is it?
Ildibad (softly).
The watch departeth. The ships are lost.
Teja.
(Without the least change of countenance.) Lost--how--in what way?
