The King

Götz: King

Kruspe: King

Death takes the crown off the king's head: "Just join my subjects immediately". In Kruspe's drawing (right) the scepter is about to slip out the king's right hand.

This is the only scene, where Death unquestionably is a woman. See, however, the old woman and the Gypsy woman.

Der Tod zum Könige:
Dein Thron, dein festes Schloss und deiner Herren Pracht,
Schützt, grosser König, dich jetzt nicht vor meiner Macht;
Dein Scepter splittert hier, ich achte keine Ahnen,
Geselle dich nur gleich zu meinen Unterthanen.

Death to the King:
Your throne, your strong castle and your lordly splendor
do not protect you, great king, from my power now;
Your sceptre is splintered here; I respect no ancestors.
Just join my subjects immediately.

Der König:
Muss auch der König fort? ach ja, weil ich von Staub:
So wird mein Leib auch hier des strengen Todes Raub;
Jedoch mein Geist, der geht in prächtigem Geschmeide,
Zum Himmels-Könige in seines Herren Freude.

The King:
Must the king also away? Ah yes, because I am made of dust:
So my body here too shall be the prey of harsh Death;
But my spirit, it goes in splendid jewels
to the King of Heaven in the joy of his Lord.

Pohle has a variant of Death's first line. Instead of, »deiner Herren Pracht« ("your lordly splendor"), Death says, »deiner Heere Pracht« ("your armies' splendor"). This version actually makes sense in the context: The king is dressed in armour from top to toe, men he is still not protected from Death neither by his throne, his strong castle, nor by his armies.

Götz too has a variant: In the second line the king does not say, »des strengen Todes Raub«, but »des schwarzen Todtes Raub«.