Record no. 1044. How do I cite this entry?

[Extracts and translation from Beowulf]

  • Genre/Type Descriptor(s)
    Translation from Old English
     
    Language(s)
    Old English
    English
  • Translator
    Henderson, Ebenezer
    Textual Editor
    Thorkelín, Grímur Jónsson
  • Contained in
    Iceland; or the Journal of a Residence in that Island, during the years 1814 and 1815, by Ebenezer Henderson
    Location Details
    Volume 2, page 330
    City
    Edinburgh
    Publisher
    Oliphant, Waugh, and Innes
    Date
    1818
  • Relationships
  • Descriptive Notes

    Book is in 2 vols. Vol. 1 is XVI (counting frontispiece as p. II) + foldout map + lxiii + 377 pp., with 8 more b/w illustrations besides frontispiece, mostly on unnumbered leaves. Vol. 2 is VII  + 312 pp. with 6 b/w illustrations. The extracts from Beowulf are meant to illustrate "the early use of poetry among the Danes" (2:229), being taken by Henderson as a record of historical Scandinavian practice.

    Henderson gives the Old English and Modern English translation in parallel columns. The Old English is from from the edition of "my learned friend Etatsraad Thorkelin" (2:329), with Henderson's own translations accompanying.

    The three short extracts and their translations are as follows:

    Thær was hearpan
    Sweg swutol sang
    Scopes sægde
    Se the cuthe
    Frum sceaft fira
    Feorran reccan
    Cwæth thæt se Almightiga
    Eorthan worh, &c.

    "There they played on the harp, and sang delightful songs; and the poets repeated what they knew of the origin of the human race, derived from afar—the creation of the earth by the Almighty," &c. (2:330; italics as in original)

    Scop hwilum sang

    "Meanwhile the poet sang." (2:330; italics as in original)

    Hwilum cynninges thegn
    Guma gilp hlæden
    Gidda gemyndig
    Se the eal fela
    Eald gesegena
    Worn gemunde.
    Word other fand
    So the gebunden
    Secg eft ongan
    Sith Beowulfes
    Snyttrum styrian
    And on sped wrecan
    Spel gerade
    Wordum wrixlan
    Wel hwelc gecwæth
    Thæt he framsige
    Munde secgan
    Hyrde ellen dæthum
    Uncuthes fela
    Wæl singes gewin
    Wide sithas
    Thara the gumena bearn
    Gearwe ne wiston.

    "In the mean time the royal servant (the poet,) commemorated in songs the virtues of such as had fallen in battle—he who retains in his memory all the traditions of past ages. One word produced another, and, when joined together, they formed a history of the voyage of Beowulf. It was sagely composed, and easy of interpretation, because the events followed each other in historical order. What he thus masterly composed, he repeated to such as were present. I heard noble deeds set forth in elegant poems; things which had never before been known to the children of men." (2:330; italics as in original)

     
    Authentication

    BAM.

  • Last Updated
    07/25/2023