Quotes from book
Tristan

Gottfried von Straßburg Original title Tristan (German)

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“A worthy man is bound to suffer malice and envy: a man grows in worth so long as he is envied.”

Hazzen unde nîden
daz muoz der biderbe lîden.
der man der werdet al die vrist,
die wîle und er geniten ist.
Source: Tristan, Line 8395

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“What a wretched sort of deception, when a man so lies to his friends that he dupes himself.”

Ez ist ein armer trügesite,
der vriunden alsô liuget,
daz er sich selben triuget.
Source: Tristan, Line 12308

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“Alas for the sight where, after dire grief, one sees a sadder sight with grief more dire!”

Owe der ougenweide
da man nach leidem leide
mit leiderem leide
siht leider ougenweide!
Source: Tristan, Line 1751

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“He that never had sorrow of love never had joy of it either!”

Swem nie von liebe leit geschach,
dem geschach ouch liep von liebe nie.
Source: Tristan, Line 204

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“Isolde my mistress, Isolde my beloved, in you my life, in you my death!”

Isot ma drüe, Isot m'amie
En vus ma mort, en vus ma vie.
Source: Tristan, Line 19409; these lines in Old French are presumably quoted from one of the lost sections of Thomas of Britain's Tristan.

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“Love is so blissful a thing, so blessed an endeavour, that apart from its teaching none attains worth or reputation.”

Liebe ist ein also saelic dinc,
ein also saeleclich gerinc,
daz nieman ane ir lere
noch tugende hat noch ere.
Source: Tristan, Line 187

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“If one cannot overlook a hurt, many hurts will grow from it. It is a fatal style of living.”

Swer keinen schaden vertragen kan,
dâ wahsent dicke schaden an.
und ist ein veiclîcher site.
Source: Tristan, Line 281

Gottfried von Straßburg photo

“I have no idea what the other will be like, but this death suits me well! If my adorable Isolde were to go on being the death of me in this fashion I would woo death everlasting!”

Ine weiz, wie jener werden sol;
dirre tôt der tuot mir wol.
solte diu wunneclîche Isôt
iemer alsus sî mîn tôt,
sô wolte ich gerne werben
umbe ein êweclîchez sterben.
Source: Tristan, Line 12497

Similar authors

Gottfried von Straßburg photo
Gottfried von Straßburg 9
medieval German poet 1180–1215
Walther von der Vogelweide photo
Walther von der Vogelweide 18
Middle High German lyric poet
Roger Bacon photo
Roger Bacon 21
medieval philosopher and theologian
Saadi photo
Saadi 5
Persian poet
Giovanni Boccaccio photo
Giovanni Boccaccio 27
Italian author and poet
Cædmon photo
Cædmon 3
Ancient English poet
Avicenna photo
Avicenna 8
medieval Persian polymath, physician, and philosopher
Hafez photo
Hafez 4
Persian poet
Thomas à Kempis photo
Thomas à Kempis 41
German canon regular
Hildegard of Bingen photo
Hildegard of Bingen 8
Medieval saint, prophetise, mystic and Doctor of Church