Old English Poems: Translated into the Original Meter Together with Short Selections from Old English Prose — John Shaqi
Old English Poems: Translated into the Original Meter Together with Short Selections from Old English Prose
General
Old English Poems: Translated into the Original Meter Together with Short Selections from Old English Prose
English poetry -- Old English, ca. 450-1100 -- Modernized versions
35. _Offa_: a legendary king of the Angles, while they still lived on the
continent toward the end of the fourth century. Legends of him are
found in Denmark and in England. Chambers concludes that the Danish
form is perhaps very near that known to the author of _Widsith_. Offa,
the son of the king, though a giant in stature, is dumb from his
youth, and when the German prince from the south challenges the aged
king to send a champion to defend his realm in single combat, Offa's
speech is restored and he goes to the combat. The fight was held at
Fifeldore, the River Eider, which was along the frontier between the
Germans and the Danes. Here Offa fought against two champions and
defeated them both, thus establishing the frontier for many years.
Note that the author of _Widsith_, who is of the Myrging race, is here
celebrating the defeat of his own people.
44. _Swabians_ probably refers to the Myrgings, who were of the stock of
the Suevi.
45. _Hrothwulf and Hrothgar._ See _Beowulf_, vv. 1017 and 1181 ff.
Hrothgar is Hrothwulf's uncle, and they live on friendly terms at
Heorot (Hrothgar's hall). Later it seems that Hrothwulf fails to
perform his duties as the guardian of Hrothgar's son, thus bringing to
an end his years of friendliness to Hrothgar and his sons. The fight
referred to is against Ingeld, Hrothgar's son-in-law who invaded the
Danish kingdom. (See _Beowulf_, vv. 84, 2024 ff.)
57. See v. 18, above.
58. The _Geats_ were probably settled in southern Sweden. They were the
tribe to which Beowulf belonged.
60. The _Gepidae_ were closely related to the Goths and were originally
located near them at the mouth of the Vistula River. The _Wends_ were
a Slavonic tribe who finally pressed up into the lands vacated in the
great migrations by the Germans between the Elbe and the Vistula.
61. _Angles._ See vv. 8 and 44, above. _Swaefe._ See line 44, above.
62. The _Saxons_, who with the Angles and Jutes settled Britain in the
fifth and sixth centuries, lived originally near the mouth of the
Elbe.
63. The _Heatho-Raemas_ dwelt near the modern Christiania in Norway. See
_Beowulf_, line 518, in which Breca in the swimming match reaches
their land.
65. _Burgundians._ See v. 19.
66. _Guthhere_ was a ruler of the Burgundians (v. 19). He was probably at
Worms when he gave the jewel to Widsith. Guthhere, because of his
great battle with Attila and his tragic defeat, became a great
legendary hero. (See _Waldhere_, B, v. 14.)
67. The _Franks_ and the _Frisians_ are spoken of together in _Beowulf_
(vv. 1207, 1210, 2917), where they together repulse an attack made by
Hygelac. The Frisians probably dwelt west of the Zuider Zee.
68. The _Rugians_ and the _Glommas_. See note to v. 21, above.
70. _Aelfwine:_ (otherwise known as Alboin), the Lombard conqueror of
Italy. He was the son of Audoin (Eadwine).
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