Hunc licet hostiles circundederint legiones,
Non petitur, sed sponte petit tot milia fortis.
Hinc equites lecti descendunt arce ducenti,
Insignes animis, nitidi fulgentibus armis;
In castris resides et nil hostile timentes
Hostes invadunt et bellica signa canebant.
Saxones subito stupefacti corda periclo
Discurrunt, trepidant, consulto nil agitabant;
Pars cecidit, pars arma capit, pars maxima fugit.
Instant victores oriturque miserrima caedes;
Castra eruore madent, mars sevit ubique cruentus.
Sic devastatis castrorum partibus illis,
Victores captas abigunt ad moenia predas.
Translation :
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Edition :
Carmen de bello Saxonico, In: F. Schmale, I. Schmale-Ott, Quellen zur Geschichte Kaiser Heinrichs IV. (FSGA 12), 5th Ed. Darmstadt 2017, 144-189.
Remark :
long-term consequence: The defenders make another sally soon afterwards, described in: "The defenders of the Harzburg make a second sally against the besiegers, killing the resting Saxons as well as stealing their arms and horses."
