Record no. 825. How do I cite this entry?

Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Poem, and The Fight at Finnsburg

  • Genre/Type Descriptor(s)
    Translation from Old English
     
    Language(s)
    English
  • Translator
    Garnett, James M.
  • City
    Boston
    Publisher
    Ginn & Company
    Date
    1892
  • Relationships
    (Downstream) Excerpted and recontextualized as -> Beowulf, Gustovich, Mike (1976)
  • Identifying Numbers
    [Fry 614]; [GR 1679]. See Notes on Prior Documentation, below.
     
    Descriptive Notes

    lii + 110 pp. This 3rd edition of Garnett's translation revises the 2nd by adding updated bibliography to his Introduction. Garnett indicates that the text of the translation itself has not been changed (xvii). Garnett's translation is preceded by his Prefaces to all 3 editions (xi-xviii), his Introduction (xix-xlii), the Glossary of Proper Names (xliii-li), and the list of Old English words used in the translation (li-lii). It is followed by Garnett's translation of The Fight at Finnsburg (97-98) and his notes on both texts (99-110).

    The translation begins:

    BEOWULF AND GRENDEL
    I.

    Scyld and his descendants. Hrothgar and the building of Heorot. The coming of Grendel, and his evil deeds. Hrothgar's great sorrow.

    Lo! we of the Spear Danes', in days of yore,
    Warrior-kings' glory have heard,
    How the princes heroic deeds wrought.
    Oft Scyld, son of Scef, from hosts of foes,
    From many tribes, their mead-seats took;
    The earl caused terror since first he was
    Found thus forlorn: gained he comfort for that,
    Grew under the clouds, in honors throve,
    Until each one of those dwelling around
    Over the whale-road, him should obey,
    Should tribute pay: that was a good king! (1)

    And ends:

    Then 'round the mound the battle-brave rode,
    Children of nobles (they were twelve in all),
    Their sorrow would tell, grieve for their king,
    Their mourning utter, and about the man speak;
    His earlship they praised, and his noble deeds
    They extolled to the courtiers, as it is right
    That one his dear lord in word should praise,
    With soul him love, when he shall forth
    From his own body be severed by death.
    So then lamented the folk of the Geats
    The fall of their lord, the hearth-companions,
    Said that he was a mighty king,
    Mildest to men and most tender-hearted,
    To his folk most kind and fondest of praise. (96)

     
    Notes on Prior Documentation

    Both Fry and GR date the 3rd edition to 1893.

     
    Authentication

    BAM, from 1893 print of this edition and from digital facsimile of a copy at Princeton University, via Hathitrust.org, that shows date of 1892 on title page.

  • Last Updated
    09/23/2023