Top 15 Wolfram von Eschenbach Quotes

Although German writers may sometimes have mispraised or overpraised their greatest mediaeval poet, it is certain that we find in Wolfram von Eschenbach qualities, which, in the thousand years between the Fall and the Renaissance of classical literature, can be found to anything like the same extent in only two known writers, the Italian Dante and the Englishman Langland; while if he is immensely Dante's inferior in poetical quality, he has at least one gift, humour, which Dante had not, and is far Langland's superior in variety and in romantic charm.

By the miracle of genius he created a masterpiece [Parzival], epic in scope, noble in purpose, humorous, humane, tender, and rational.

By common consent, Wolfram is the greatest medieval poet before Dante.

Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival…was where love and marriage were brought together. It was an apple of a story. That's my favorite love story.

Trees have their sap from water. Water fecundates all things made that are called "creature". We see by means of water. Water gives many souls a splendour not to be outshone by the Angels.

Von wazzer boume sint gesaft.
wazzer früht al die geschaft,
der man für crêatiure giht.
mit dem wazzere man gesiht.
wazzer gît maneger sêle schîn,
daz die engl niht liehter dorften sîn.

Any brother of mine and I make one person, as do a good man and his good wife.

Mîn bruodr und ich daz ist ein lîp,
als ist guot man unt des guot wîp.

Hie hânt zwei herzen einvalt
Mit hazze erzeiget ir gewalt.

A loyal-hearted man rejoices at a friend's advancement; a disloyal man cries out in sorrow when something pleasant befalls his friend and he is there to see it.

Der getriwe ist friundes êren vrô:
der ungetriwe wâfenô
rüefet, swenne ein liep geschiht
sînem friunde und er daz siht.

You have heard the saying from before your time that if a man saved another from death that other would be his enemy ever after.

Du hôrtst och vor dir sprechen ie,
swer dem andern half daz er genas,
daz er sîn vîent dâ nâch was.

Frou minne, ir habt ein êre,
und wênc decheine mêre.
frou liebe iu gît geselleschaft:
anders wær vil dürkel iwer kraft.

Losers always meet with mockery, Heaven sides with the fortunate.