World building (l. 1-188) Flashcards
The opening fitt; the Danish royal family and the building of Heorot; Grendel's attacks on Heorot. A darkness threatens the shining heroic culture.
Hwæt! Wé Gárdena in géardagum
So! The Spear Danes in days of yore
þéodcyninga þrym gefrúnon·
and those clan-kings we heard of their glory
“þrym”
“glory”, “majesty”, “courage”
“gefrúnon”
“find out”, “learn by asking”, “heard of”
hú ðá æþelingas ellen fremedon.
how those nobles performed courageous deeds.
Oft Scyld Scéfing sceaþena þréatum
Often Shield Sheafson from enemy hosts
monegum maégþum meodosetla oftéah·
from many people seized mead-hall seats;
egsode eorlas syððan aérest wearð
inspired terror in warriors after first he was
féasceaft funden. Hé þæs frofre gebád·
found destitute. He then experienced relief;
“féasceaft”
“destitute”, “wretched”
“frofre”
“comfort”, “consolation”, “relief”
wéox under wolcnum· weorðmyndum þáh
he waxed under the clouds, prospered in worldly honours
oð þæt him aéghwylc þára ymbsittendra
until to him each of the neighbouring tribes
ofer hronráde hýran scolde,
beyond the whale-road had to obey,
“hronráde”
“whale-road”, “ocean”
“hýran”
“to obey”
gomban gyldan· þæt wæs gód cyning.
and yield tribute; that was a good king.
Ðaém eafera wæs æfter cenned
Afterwards a son was born to him
“eafera”
“son”, “offspring”
“cenned”
“be born”
geong in geardum þone god sende
the young in the yard, whom God sent him
folce tó frófre;
to comfort the people;
fyrenðearfe ongeat·
perceiving the painful need
“fyrenðearfe”
“painful / grievous need”, “extreme distress”
þæt híe aér drugon aldorléase / lange hwíle;
that they had suffered before leader-less for a long while
him þæs líffréä / wuldres wealdend woroldáre forgeaf:
so the Lord of Life the ruler of glory gave worldly honour:
Béowulf wæs bréme –blaéd wíde sprang–
Beowulf was famed - his renown spread wide -
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.
Shield’s heir in Northern lands.
Swá sceal geong guma góde gewyrcean
So ought a young man by goodness deserve
fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme
zealous treasure-gifting in his father’s keeping
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen / wilgesíþas þonne wíg cume·
so that afterwards in old age when war comes dear companions will stand by him;
léode gelaésten:
the nation will last;
lofdaédum sceal / in maégþa gehwaére man geþéön.
glorious deeds will prosper man in every single tribe.
Him ðá Scyld gewát tó gescæphwíle
Then Shield departed at the destined hour
felahrór féran on fréan waére·
having done much in the Lord’s shelter;
hí hyne þá ætbaéron tó brimes faroðe
he they carried off to the sea’s swell
swaése gesíþas swá hé selfa bæd
his own dear kinsmen as he himself had bid
þenden wordum wéold wine Scyldinga
when the friend of the Shieldings wielded words
léof landfruma lange áhte·
that beloved ruler of the land for a long time.
þaér æt hýðe stód hringedstefna
there at the harbour stood a curve-prowed ship
ísig ond útfús æþelinges fær·
a hero’s ship icy and ready to set out
“fær”
“ship”, “vessel”
álédon þá léofne þéoden
they then laid down the beloved prince
béaga bryttan on bearm scipes
the giver of rings in the bosom of the boat
maérne be mæste· þaér wæs mádma fela
the mighty by the mast; there were many riches there
of feorwegum frætwa gelaéded·
from far-off lands treasures loaded
ne hýrde ic cýmlícor céol gegyrwan
I have not heard of a ship more beautifully adorned
“cýmlícor”
compar: more beautifully
hildewaépnum ond heaðowaédum
with battle-weapons and war-dress
billum ond byrnum· him on bearme læg
battle-blades and chain-mail; there lay on his breast
mádma mænigo þá him mid scoldon
many treasures which with him must
on flódes aéht feor gewítan·
in the flood’s domain drift far off.
Nalæs hí hine laéssan lácum téodan
In no way had they upon him fewer gifts bestowed
“lácum”
“gifts”
þéodgestréonum þonne þá dydon
the wealth of a nation than those did
þe hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon
who him at the beginning had sent forth
aénne ofer ýðe umborwesende·
alone over the waves as a child.
þá gýt híe him ásetton segen gyldenne
Yet then they set up a gold banner
héah ofer héafod· léton holm beran·
high over head they let the sea bear
géafon on gársecg· him wæs geómor sefa
gave to the ocean; in them were troubled spirits
murnende mód·
mourning minds
men ne cunnon / secgan tó sóðe / seleraédenne
hæleð under heofenum hwá þaém hlæste onféng.
men cannot say for certain (neither) hall-counseler (nor) heroes under heaven to whom received that cargo.
