Dragons -- Poetry; Epic poetry, English (Old); Monsters -- Poetry
The men of the Weders made accordingly
A hill on the height, high and extensive,
Of sea-going sailors to be seen from a distance,
And the brave one's beacon built where the fire was,
25 In ten-days' space, with a wall surrounded it,
As wisest of world-folk could most worthily plan it.
They placed in the barrow rings and jewels,
[107]
{Rings and gems are laid in the barrow.}
All such ornaments as erst in the treasure
War-mooded men had won in possession:
30 The earnings of earlmen to earth they entrusted,
The gold to the dust, where yet it remaineth
As useless to mortals as in foregoing eras.
'Round the dead-mound rode then the doughty-in-battle,
Bairns of all twelve of the chiefs of the people,
{They mourn for their lord, and sing his praises.}
35 More would they mourn, lament for their ruler,
Speak in measure, mention him with pleasure,
Weighed his worth, and his warlike achievements
Mightily commended, as 'tis meet one praise his
Liegelord in words and love him in spirit,
40 When forth from his body he fares to destruction.
So lamented mourning the men of the Geats,
Fond-loving vassals, the fall of their lord,
{An ideal king.}
Said he was kindest of kings under heaven,
Gentlest of men, most winning of manner,
45 Friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor.
[109]
ADDENDA.
Several discrepancies and other oversights have been noticed in the H.-So.
glossary. Of these a good part were avoided by Harrison and Sharp, the
American editors of Beowulf, in their last edition, 1888. The rest will, I
hope, be noticed in their fourth edition. As, however, this book may fall
into the hands of some who have no copy of the American edition, it seems
best to notice all the principal oversights of the German editors.
~From hám~ (194).--Notes and glossary conflict; the latter not having been
altered to suit the conclusions accepted in the former.
~Þær gelýfan sceal dryhtnes dóme~ (440).--Under 'dóm' H. says 'the might
of the Lord'; while under 'gelýfan' he says 'the judgment of the Lord.'
~Eal bencþelu~ (486).--Under 'benc-þelu' H. says _nom. plu._; while under
'eal' he says _nom. sing._
~Heatho-ræmas~ (519).--Under 'ætberan' H. translates 'to the Heathoremes';
while under 'Heatho-ræmas' he says 'Heathoræmas reaches Breca in the
swimming-match with Beowulf.' Harrison and Sharp (3d edition, 1888) avoid
the discrepancy.
~Fáh féond-scaða~ (554).--Under 'féond-scaða' H. says 'a gleaming
sea-monster'; under 'fáh' he says 'hostile.'
~Onfeng hraðe inwit-þancum~ (749).--Under 'onfón' H. says 'he _received_
the maliciously-disposed one'; under 'inwit-þanc' he says 'he _grasped_,'
etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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