Book is xvi + 174 pp. A selection of Old English poetry in Kennedy's alliterative verse translation. The extract from his 1940 full translation of Beowulf is divided into 4 titled sections ("The Fire-Dragon and the Treasure," "Beowulf and Wiglaf Slay the Dragon," "Beowulf's Death," and "The Funeral Pyre") and preceded by a brief introduction (75-76). It goes from l. 2200 to the end, omitting ll. 2355-2509, 2615-30, and 2892-3109. Mid-line caesuras have been added in this anthology; they were not used in the 1940 original formatting of the translation.

The series of excerpts begins:

It later befell     in the years that followed
After Hygelac sank     in the surges of war,
And the sword slew Heardred     under his shield
When the Battle-Scylfings,     those bitter fighters,
Invaded the land     of the victor-folk
Overwhelming Hereric's nephew     in war,
That the kingdom came     into Beowulf's hand.

For fifty winters     he governed it well,
Aged and wise     with the wisdom of years,
Till a fire-drake flying     in darkness of night
Began to ravage     and work his will. (77)

And ends:

Then round the mound     rode the brave in battle,
The sons of warriors,     twelve in a band,
Bemoaning their sorrow     and mourning their king.
They sang their dirge     and spoke of the hero
Vaunting his valor     and venturous deeds.
So is it proper     a man should praise
His friendly lord     with a loving heart,
When his soul must forth     from the fleeting flesh.
So the folk of the Geats,     the friends of his hearth,
Bemoaned the fall     of their mighty lord;
Said he was kindest     of worldly kings,
Mildest, most gentle,     most eager for fame. (93)

Fry lists the Beowulf extracts in this anthology as a separate item from Fry 997, his full translation, from which it is taken. (His usual practice would be to treat this item, Fry 996, as a sub-entry to Fry 997.) GR 1743 (the entry for Kennedy's full translation) likewise does not note its partial inclusion in GR 410 (the present anthology). Probably because of this, MO2 queries whether the Beowulf portion of Kennedy's anthology is "same as Kennedy 1940?"

Both Fry and MO1 (p. 166) indicate that the selection in this anthology includes lines 1066-1159 of Beowulf, rather than starting at line 2200.

BAM.