Cunnan - User contributions [en]

Dream of the Rood

2011-01-22T09:42:00Z

Rolgiati: Characters wers not displaying properly, (UTF-8 page trying to display ISO-8859-1) changed the text to UTF-8

'''The Dream of the Rood''' is taken from the [[Vercelli Book]]. It is 156 lines long and describes the Passion of Jesus in the language of the Germanic heroic code.

==The original poem==
<pre>
Hwæt! Ic swefna cyst secgan wylle,
hwæt me gemætte to midre nihte,
syðþan reordberend reste wunedon!
þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre treow
on lyft lædan, leohte bewunden,
beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs
begoten mid golde. Gimmas stodon
fægere æt foldan sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron
uppe on þam eaxlegespanne. Beheoldon þær engel dryhtnes ealle,
fægere þurh forðgesceaft. Ne wæs ðær huru fracodes gealga,
ac hine þær beheoldon halige gastas,
men ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft.
Syllic wæs se sigebeam, ond ic synnum fah,
forwunded mid wommum. Geseah ic wuldres treow,
wædum geweorðode, wynnum scinan,
gegyred mid golde; gimmas hæfdon
bewrigene weorðlice wealdendes treow.
Hwæðre ic þurh þæt gold ongytan meahte
earmra ærgewin, þæt hit ærest ongan
swætan on þa swiðran healfe. Eall ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed,
forht ic wæs for þære fægran gesyhðe. Geseah ic þæt fuse beacen
wendan wædum ond bleom; hwilum hit wæs mid wætan bestemed,
beswyled mid swates gange, hwilum mid since gegyrwed.
Hwæðre ic þær licgende lange hwile
beheold hreowcearig hælendes treow,
oððæt ic gehyrde þæt hit hleoðrode.
Ongan þa word sprecan wudu selesta:
"þæt wæs geara iu, (ic þæt gyta geman),
þæt ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende,
astyred of stefne minum. Genaman me ðær strange feondas,
geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora wergas hebban.
Bæron me ðær beornas on eaxlum, oððæt hie me on beorg asetton,
gefæstnodon me þær feondas genoge. Geseah ic þa frean mancynnes
efstan elne mycle þæt he me wolde on gestigan.
þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word
bugan oððe berstan, þa ic bifian geseah
eorðan sceatas. Ealle ic mihte
feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod.
Ongyrede hine þa geong hæleð, (þæt wæs god ælmihtig),
strang ond stiðmod. Gestah he on gealgan heanne,
modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa he wolde mancyn lysan.
Bifode ic þa me se beorn ymbclypte. Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan,
feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan.
Rod wæs ic aræred. Ahof ic ricne cyning,
heofona hlaford, hyldan me ne dorste.
þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan næglum. On me syndon þa dolg gesiene,
opene inwidhlemmas. Ne dorste ic hira nænigum sceððan.
Bysmeredon hie unc butu ætgædere. Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed,
begoten of þæs guman sidan, siððan he hæfde his gast onsended.
Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe
wraðra wyrda. Geseah ic weruda god
þearle þenian. þystro hæfdon
bewrigen mid wolcnum wealdendes hræw,
scirne sciman, sceadu forðeode,
wann under wolcnum. Weop eal gesceaft,
cwiðdon cyninges fyll. Crist wæs on rode.
Hwæðere þær fuse feorran cwoman
to þam æðelinge. Ic þæt eall beheold.
Sare ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, hnag ic hwæðre þam secgum to handa,
eaðmod elne mycle. Genamon hie þær ælmihtigne god,
ahofon hine of ðam hefian wite. Forleton me þa hilderincas
standan steame bedrifenne; eall ic wæs mid strælum forwundod.
Aledon hie ðær limwerigne, gestodon him æt his lices heafdum,
beheoldon hie ðær heofenes dryhten, ond he hine ðær hwile reste,
meðe æfter ðam miclan gewinne. Ongunnon him þa moldern wyrcan
beornas on banan gesyhðe; curfon hie ðæt of beorhtan stane,
gesetton hie ðæron sigora wealdend. Ongunnon him þa sorhleoð galan
earme on þa æfentide, þa hie woldon eft siðian,
meðe fram þam mæran þeodne. Reste he ðær mæte weorode.
Hwæðere we ðær greotende gode hwile
stodon on staðole, syððan stefn up gewat
hilderinca. Hræw colode,
fæger feorgbold. þa us man fyllan ongan
ealle to eorðan. þæt wæs egeslic wyrd!
Bedealf us man on deopan seaþe. Hwæðre me þær dryhtnes þegnas,
freondas gefrunon,
ond gyredon me golde ond seolfre.
Nu ðu miht gehyran, hæleð min se leofa,
þæt ic bealuwara weorc gebiden hæbbe,
sarra sorga. Is nu sæl cumen
þæt me weorðiað wide ond side
menn ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft,
gebiddaþ him to þyssum beacne. On me bearn godes
þrowode hwile. Forþan ic þrymfæst nu
hlifige under heofenum, ond ic hælan mæg
æghwylcne anra, þara þe him bið egesa to me.
Iu ic wæs geworden wita heardost,
leodum laðost, ærþan ic him lifes weg
rihtne gerymde, reordberendum.
Hwæt, me þa geweorðode wuldres ealdor
ofer holmwudu, heofonrices weard!
Swylce swa he his modor eac, Marian sylfe,
ælmihtig god for ealle menn
geweorðode ofer eall wifa cynn.

Nu ic þe hate, hæleð min se leofa,
þæt ðu þas gesyhðe secge mannum,
onwreoh wordum þæt hit is wuldres beam,
se ðe ælmihtig god on þrowode
for mancynnes manegum synnum
ond Adomes ealdgewyrhtum.
Deað he þær byrigde, hwæðere eft dryhten aras
mid his miclan mihte mannum to helpe.
He ða on heofenas astag. Hider eft fundaþ
on þysne middangeard mancynn secan
on domdæge dryhten sylfa,
ælmihtig god, ond his englas mid,
þæt he þonne wile deman, se ah domes geweald,
anra gehwylcum swa he him ærur her
on þyssum lænum life geearnaþ.
Ne mæg þær ænig unforht wesan
for þam worde þe se wealdend cwyð.
Frineð he for þære mænige hwær se man sie,
se ðe for dryhtnes naman deaðes wolde
biteres onbyrigan, swa he ær on ðam beame dyde.
Ac hie þonne forhtiað, ond fea þencaþ
hwæt hie to Criste cweðan onginnen.
Ne þearf ðær þonne ænig anforht wesan
þe him ær in breostum bereð beacna selest,
ac ðurh ða rode sceal rice gesecan
of eorðwege æghwylc sawl,
seo þe mid wealdende wunian þenceð."
Gebæd ic me þa to þan beame bliðe mode,
elne mycle, þær ic ana wæs
mæte werede. Wæs modsefa
afysed on forðwege, feala ealra gebad
langunghwila. Is me nu lifes hyht
þæt ic þone sigebeam secan mote
ana oftor þonne ealle men,
well weorþian. Me is willa to ðam
mycel on mode, ond min mundbyrd is
geriht to þære rode. Nah ic ricra feala
freonda on foldan, ac hie forð heonon
gewiton of worulde dreamum, sohton him wuldres cyning,
lifiaþ nu on heofenum mid heahfædere,
wuniaþ on wuldre, ond ic wene me
daga gehwylce hwænne me dryhtnes rod,
þe ic her on eorðan ær sceawode,
on þysson lænan life gefetige
ond me þonne gebringe þær is blis mycel,
dream on heofonum, þær is dryhtnes folc
geseted to symle, þær is singal blis,
ond me þonne asette þær ic syþþan mot
wunian on wuldre, well mid þam halgum
dreames brucan. Si me dryhten freond,
se ðe her on eorþan ær þrowode
on þam gealgtreowe for guman synnum.
He us onlysde ond us lif forgeaf,
heofonlicne ham. Hiht wæs geniwad
mid bledum ond mid blisse þam þe þær bryne þolodan.
Se sunu wæs sigorfæst on þam siðfate,
mihtig ond spedig, þa he mid manigeo com,
gasta weorode, on godes rice,
anwealda ælmihtig, englum to blisse
ond eallum ðam halgum þam þe on heofonum ær
wunedon on wuldre, þa heora wealdend cwom,
ælmihtig god, þær his eðel wæs.
</pre>
[[category:poetry]]

Beowulf

2011-01-20T13:18:39Z

Rolgiati: Characters wers not displaying properly, (UTF-8 page trying to display ISO-8859-1) changed the text to UTF-8

[[Image:Beowulf.firstpage.jpg|thumb|right|The first page of Beowulf]]
'''Beowulf''' is a traditional heroic epic [[poem]] in [[Old English]] alliterative verse. At 3182 lines, it is far more substantial than any similar work in the language, representing about 10% of the extant [[Anglo-Saxon]] corpus. The poem is untitled in the [[Beowulf manuscript|manuscript]], but has been known as Beowulf since the early [[19th century]].

== Text ==
The following is a small section of the text from the begining of the poem shown side by side with Gummere's English translation.

<table>
<tr>
<th>
Old English
</th>
<th>
Modern English
</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
HWÆT, WE GAR-DEna in geardagum, 
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon, 
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon! 
oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, 
monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah, 
egsode eorlas, syððanærest wearð 
feasceaft funden; he þæs frofre gebad, 
weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah, 
oð þæt him æghwylc ymbsittendra 
ofer hronrade hyran scolde, 
gomban gyldan; þæt wæs god cyning! 
Ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned 
geong in geardum, þone God sende 
folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat, 
þe hie ær drugon aldorlease 
lange hwile; him þæs Liffrea, 
wuldres Wealdend woroldare forgeaf, 
Beowulf wæs breme --- blæd wide sprang--- 
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in. 
Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean, 
fromum feohgiftumon fæder bearme, 
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen 
wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume, 
leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal 
in mægþa gehwære man geþeon. 
</td>
<td>
LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings 
of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped, 
we have heard, and what honor the athelings won! 
Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes, 
from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore, 
awing the earls. Since erst he lay 
friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him: 
for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve, 
till before him the folk, both far and near, 
who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate, 
gave him gifts: a good king he! 
To him an heir was afterward born, 
a son in his halls, whom heaven sent 
to favor the folk, feeling their woe 
that erst they had lacked an earl for leader 
so long a while; the Lord endowed him, 
the Wielder of Wonder, with world's renown. 
Famed was this Beowulf: far flew the boast of him, 
son of Scyld, in the Scandian lands. 
So becomes it a youth to quit him well 
with his father's friends, by fee and gift, 
that to aid him, aged, in after days, 
come warriors willing, should war draw nigh, 
liegemen loyal: by lauded deeds 
shall an earl have honor in every clan. 
</td>
</tr>
</table>

== External Links ==
* The [[Project Gutenberg]] e-text of Gummere's translation of Beowulf. - http://library.adelaide.edu.au/etext/pg/etext97/bwulf10.txt
* The medieval source-book old English text edition - http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/beowulf-oe.html

[[Category:Books]]

Battle of Brunnanburh

2011-01-20T13:15:40Z

Rolgiati: Characters not displaying properly, (UTF-8 page trying to display ISO-8859-1) changed the text to UTF-8

The '''Battle of Brunnanburh''' recounts an [[Anglo-Saxon]] victory over an alliance of [[Scotland|Scots]] and [[Denmark|Danes]] from [[Ireland]] in the year 937. [[Tennyson's translation of the Battle of Brunnanburh]] gave the poem new fame in the [[19th Century]].

==Original poem==

Her Æþelstan cyning, eorla dryhten, 
beorna beahgifa and his broþor eac, 
Eadmund æþeling, ealdorlangne tir 
geslogon æt sæcce sweorda ecgum 
ymbe Brunnanburh. Bordweal clufan, 
heowan heaþolinde hamora lafan 
afaran Eadweardes, swa him geæþele wæs 
from cneomægum, þæt hi æt campe oft 
wiþ laþra gehwæne land ealgodon 
hord and hamas. Hettend crungun, 
Sceotta leoda and scipflotan 
fæge feollan. Feld dænnede 
secga swate siõþan sunne up 
on morgentid, mære tungol 
glad ofer grundas godes condel beorht, 
eces drihtnes, oõ sio æþele gesceaft 
sah to setle. þær læg secg mænig 
garum ageted, guma norþerna 
ofer scild scoten, swilce Scittisc eac, 
werig wiges sæd. Wesseaxe forõ 
ondlongne dæg eorodcistum 
on last legdun laþum þeodum, 
heowan herefleman hindan þearle 
mecum mylenscearpan. Myrce ne wyrndon 
heardes hondplegan hæleþa nanum 
þæ mid Anlafe ofer æra gebland 
on lides bosme land gesohtun 
fæge to gefeohte. Fife lægun 
on þam campstede ciningas giunge 
sweordum aswefede, swilce seofene eac 
eorlas Anlafes, unrim heriges 
flotan and Sceotta. þær geflemed wearõ 
Norõmanna bregu, nede gebeded 
to lides stefne litle weorode. 
Cread cnear on flot; cyning ut gewat 
on fealene flod, feorh generede. 
Swilce þær eac se froda mid fleame com 
on his cyþþe norõ Costontinus; 
har hildering hreman ne þorfte 
mecea gemanan; he wæs his mæga sceard, 
freonda gefylled on folcstede, 
beslagen æt sæcce, and his sunu forlet 
on wælstowe wundun forgrunden 
giungne æt guõe. Gelpan ne þorfte 
beorn blandenfeax bilgeslehtes 
eald inwidda, ne Anlaf þy ma; 
mid heora herelafum hlehhan ne þorftun 
þæt heo beaduweorca beteran wurdun 
on campstede, cumbolgehnastes, 
garmittinge, gumena gemotes, 
wæpengewrixles, þæs hi on wælfelda 
wiþ Eadweardes afaran plegodan. 
Gewitan him þa Norþmen nægledcnearrum, 
dreorig daraõa laf on Dinges mere, 
ofer deop wæter Difelin secan, 
and eft Iraland æwiscmode. 
Swilce þa gebroþer begen ætsamne, 
cyning and æþeling cyþþe sohton 
Wesseaxena land wiges hremige. 
Letan him behindan hræw bryttian 
saluwigpadan, þone sweartan hræfn, 
hyrnednebban, and þane hasewanpadan, 
earn æftan hwit æses brucan, 
grædigne guõhafoc and þæt græge deor, 
wulf on wealde. Ne wearõ wæl mare 
on þis eiglande æfre gieta 
folces gefylled beforan þissum 
sweordes ecgum, þæs þe us secgaõ bec, 
ealde uõwitan, siþþan eastan hider 
Engle and Seaxe up becoman, 
ofer brad brimu Brytene sohtan, 
wlance wigsmiþas Wealas ofercoman, 
eorlas arhwate eard begeatan.

[[category:battles (medieval)|Brunnanburh]]

[[category:10th century]]