“Götterdämmerung” by Richard Wagner libretto (English)

Contents: Characters; Prelude; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Glossary

Glossary

aye. - always, forever
bane. - poison; misfortune
belike. - probably
corse. - corpse
craven. - coward
dole. - sorrow, grief
dross. - metal
fain. - gladly, willingly
fell. - a barren hill or highland
Gibich. - father of Gunther and Gutrune
Gibichung. - child of Gibich (i.e., Gunther or Gutrune)
Grane. - the name of Brünnhilde’s horse
grave. - to engrave
Grimhild. - mother of Gunther,
Gutrune, and Hagen
guerdon. - payment, reward
haft. - handle (of a spear)
hap. - to happen
haply. - by chance, perhaps
Hella. - goddess of the underworld
hie. - to hurry
Holda. - another name for Freia
leman. - mistress, concubine
Neidhöhle. - name of the cave where Fafner was slain
Norn. - a goddess of fate
Nothung. - name of Siegfried’s sword
plaint. - lament, complaint
plight. - to pledge
ravening. - devouring
reck. - to care, be concerned
rede. - advice; story
reft. - stolen, deprived
rend. - to tear apart
riven. - broken up
rune. - secret
sere. - dry, withered
shew. - to show
shiver. - to shatter
sooth. - truth
stint. - restraint
thrall. - slave; slavery
troth. - faith
Walhall. - Valhalla
Wälsung. - child of Wälse (Siegfried’s parents are Wälsungs)
ween. - to imagine, believe
wot. - to know
wroth. - angry

libretto by Frederick Jameson

Contents: Characters; Prelude; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Glossary