We have a thread for composing non-English poetry, but how about for appreciating it?
These stanzas are taken from The Battle of Maldon, an Old English poem commemorating a confrontation on the South-Eastern coast of England between the English and the Norse, following the English refusal to pay danegeld, or “protection money”. This battle took place in 991.
Translation by W. Berridge.
First Line-Half | Second Line-Half | Modern English |
---|---|---|
Þa stod on stæðe, | stiðlice clypode | Then stood forth on the strand and sternly spake |
wicinga ar, | wordum mælde, | the messenger of the Vikings, delivered his tidings; |
se on beot abead | brimliþendra | he boastfully spoke, for the seafarers |
ærænde to þam eorle, | þær he on ofre stod: | their sentence to the earl, where he stood on the shore. |
- | ||
"Me sendon to þe | sæmen snelle, | ""They sent me to thee, those bold seamen, |
heton ðe secgan | þæt þu most sendan raðe | and bade me to say that thou must send swiftly |
beagas wið gebeorge; | and eow betere is | ring-money for pledges. For you were it better |
þæt ġē þisne gārrǣs | mid gafole forġyldon | that you buy off this spear-rush with your tax, |
þon we swa hearde | hilde dælon." | than that we should have so hard a battle." |
… | ||
Byrhtnoð maþelode, | bord hafenode, | Brithnoth made answer - his buckler he grasped, |
wand wacne æsc, | wordum mælde, | brandished his slender spear - and spoke. |
yrre and anræd | ageaf him andsware: | |
- | ||
"Gehyrst þu, sælida, | hwæt þis folc segeð? | "Hearest thou, sea-robber, what this people say? |
Hi willað eow to gafole | garas syllan, | For tribute they’re ready to give you their spears, |
ættrynne ord | and ealde swurd, | the edge poison-bitter, and the ancient sword. |
þa heregeatu | þe eow æt hilde ne deah. | War-gear that will bring you no profit in the fight. |
Brimmanna boda, | abeod eft ongean, | Thou messenger of the seamen, back with thy message. |
sege þinum leodum | miccle laþre spell, | Tell to thy people, these far more hateful tidings, |
þæt her stynt unforcuð | eorl mid his werode, | there stands here a good earl in the midst of his men, |
þe wile gealgean | eþel þysne, | who will this country ever defend, |
Æþelredes eard, | ealdres mines | the kingdom of Aethelred, mine overlord, |
folc and foldan-" | the folk and the ground-" |