Urged on by her, Iring attempted to force an entrance, but was soon driven back; and when he would have made a second assault, Hagen ruthlessly slew him.
Irnfried the Thuringian, and Hawart the Dane, seeing him fall, rushed impetuously upon the Burgundians to avenge him; but both fell under Hagen's and Volker's mighty blows, while their numerous followers were all slain by the other Burgundians.
"A thousand and four together had come into the hall; You might see the broadswords flashing rise and fall; Soon the bold intruders all dead together lay; Of those renown'd Burgundians strange marvels one might say." _Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's tr.).
Etzel and the Huns were mourning over their dead; so the weary Burgundians removed their helmets and rested, while Kriemhild continued to muster new troops to attack her kinsmen, who were still strongly intrenched in the great hall.
"'Twas e'en on a midsummer befell that murderous fight, When on her nearest kinsmen and many a noble knight Dame Kriemhild wreak'd the anguish that long in heart she bore, Whence inly griev'd King Etzel, nor joy knew evermore.
"Yet on such sweeping slaughter at first she had not thought; She only had for vengeance on one transgressor sought.
She wish'd that but on Hagen the stroke of death might fall; 'Twas the foul fiend's contriving that they should perish all." _Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's tr.).
An attempt was now made by the Burgundians to treat with Etzel for a safe-conduct.

Obdurate at first, he would have yielded had not Kriemhild advised him to pursue the feud to the bitter end, unless her brothers consented to surrender Hagen to her tender mercies.

This, of course, Gunther absolutely refused to do; so Kriemhild gave secret orders that the hall in which the Burgundians were intrenched should be set on fire.
Surrounded by bitter foes, blinded by smoke, and overcome by the heat, the Burgundians still held their own, slaking their burning thirst by drinking the blood of the slain, and taking refuge from the flames under the stone arches which supported the ceiling of the hall.
[Sidenote: Ruediger's oath.] Thus they managed to survive that terrible night; but when morning dawned and the queen heard that they were still alive, she bade Ruediger go forth and fight them.

He refused until she reminded him or the solemn oath he had sworn to her in Worms before she would consent to accompany him to Hungary.
"'Now think upon the homage that once to me you swore, When to the Rhine, good warrior, King Etzel's suit you bore, That you would serve me ever to either's dying day.
Ne'er can I need so deeply that you that vow should pay.'" _Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's tr.).
Torn by conflicting feelings and urged by opposite oaths,--for he had also sworn to befriend the Burgundians,--Ruediger now vainly tried to purchase his release by the sacrifice of all his possessions.

At last, goaded to madness, he yielded to the king's and queen's entreaties, armed his warriors, and drew near the hall where his former guests were intrenched.
At first they could not believe that Ruediger had any hostile intentions; but when he pathetically informed them that he must fight, and recommended his wife and daughter to their care in case he fell, they silently allowed him and his followers to enter the hall, and grimly renewed the bloody conflict.
[Sidenote: Death of Ruediger.] Ruediger, after slaying many foes, encountered Gernot wielding the sword he had given him; and these two doughty champions finally slew each other.