Todt zum Herold: |
Death to The Herald Herald in your red hood now I must grab you too. Among princes you were dear and worthy. Throw your staff to the ground. |
Der Herold: |
The Herald. I was dear and worthy to the emperor, from him I received gifts and horse. My speeches have terrified many. Now Death has stopped my chatter. |
To the left is Emanuel Büchel's watercolour of the herald. The watercolour was painted in the year 1773, i.e. at a time when the mural had been re-painted several times and was in a bad condition.
At the museum in Basel there's still a fragment of the herald. The museum has removed the newest layers of paint to see what the herald originally looked like (picture to the right). Notice how Death's hand used to be placed much higher.
English translation from Beck, 1852 | |
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Death to the Herald. | The Herald's reply. |
Herald! in thy red cap so grand, |
The Emperor's favourite was I, |
Translation from Hess, 1841 | |
Death to the Herald. | Answer of the Herald. |
Herald in thy fine red cap, |
To the emperor I was dear and worth, |