Minstrel’s Harp
Charles W. Dunn recites old English poetry
http://www.tradebit.com/file detail.php/53735665-early- english-poetry-compiled- edited-recited
Beowulf
Beowulf (translated by Fr. B. Grummere)
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!
J.R.R. Tolkien
“Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics”
“On Translating Beowulf”
"The Battle of Maldon" (991 AD), 325
linTheswolves of war advanced, the Viking troop,
Unmoved by water, westward over Pante,
Over the gleaming water bore their shields.
The seamen brought o land.
There Byrhtnoth and his ready
To meet their enemies;
Byrhnoth
J.R.R. Tolkien
“The Homecoming of
Beorhtnoth ”
Ofermod
Finding the language of grief
Cynewulf
Northumbria
Religious poems
"The Fates of the Apostles," "Elene”,
“Juliana” elegies (before 940)
-Caedmon
-"Caedmon's Hymn" (600's).
nu scylun hergan |
hefaenricaes uard |
Now [we] must honour the guardian of heaven, |
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metudæs maecti |
end his modgidanc |
the might of the architect, and his purpose, |
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uerc uuldurfadur |
swe he uundra gihwaes the work of the father of glory— as he the |
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beginning of wonders |
eci dryctin |
or astelidæ |
established, the eternal lord, |
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he aerist scop |
aelda barnum |
He first created for the children of men |
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heben til hrofe |
haleg scepen. |
heaven as a roof, the holy creator |
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tha middungeard |
moncynnæs uard |
Then the middle earth, the guardian of mankin |
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eci dryctin |
æfter tiadæ |
the eternal lord, afterwards appointed |
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firum foldu |
frea allmectig |
the lands for men, the Lord almighty. |
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Caedmon
Elegiac Poems
“The Wanderer”, “The Seafarer”, “Deor’s Lament”
“Wulf”
Leodum is minum swylce him mon |
It is to my people as if someone gave |
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lac gife; |
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them a gift. |
willað hy hine aþecgan, gif he on |
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They want to kill him, if he comes with a |
þreat cymeð. |
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troop. |
Ungelic is us. |
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It is different for us. |
Wulf is on iege, ic on oþerre. |
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Fæst is þæt eglond, fenne biworpen. |
Wulf is on one island I on another. |
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Sindon wælreowe weras þær on ige; |
That island, surrounded by fens, is |
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willað hy hine aþecgan, gif he on |
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secure. |
þreat cymeð. |
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There on the island are bloodthirsty |
Ungelice is us. |
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men. |
Wulfes ic mines widlastum wenum |
They want to kill him, if he comes with a |
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dogode; |
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troop. |
þonne hit wæs renig weder ond ic |
It is different for us. |
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reotugu sæt, |
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þonne mec se beaducafa bogum |
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I thought of my Wulf with far-wandering |
bilegde, |
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hopes, |
wæs me wyn to þon, wæs me |
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Whenever it was rainy weather, and I |
hwæþre eac lað. |
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sat tearfully, |
Wulf, min Wulf, wena me þine |
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Whenever the warrior bold in battle |
seoce gedydon, þine seldcymas, |
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murnende mod, nales meteliste. |
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encompassed me with his arms. |
Gehyrest þu, Eadwacer? Uncerne |
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To me it was pleasure in that, it was also |
earne hwelp bireð Wulf to wuda. |
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painful. |
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WULF |
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þæt mon eaþe tosliteð þætte næfre |
Wulf, my Wulf, my hopes for you have |
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gesomnad wæs, uncer giedd |
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caused |