APPENDIX. SAXON POEM ON ATHELSTAN'S VICTORY. (From Warton's History of English Poetry, by Price. Introduction to Vol. 1.) THE text of this poem has been formed from a collation of the Cotton MSS. Tiberius A. vi. B. i. B. iv. In the translation an attempt has been made to preserve the original idiom as nearly as possible without producing obscurity; and in every deviation from this rule, the literal meaning has been inserted within brackets. The words in parentheses are supplied for the purpose of making the narrative more connected, and have thus been separated from the context, that one of the leading features in the style of Anglo-Saxon poetry might be more apparent to the English reader. For the benefit of the Anglo-Saxon student, a close attention has been paid in rendering the grammatical inflections of the text, a practice almost wholly disused since the days of Hickes; but which cannot be too strongly recommended to every future translator from this language, whether of prose or verse. The extracts from Mr. Turner's and Mr. Ingram's versions cited in the notes, have been taken from the History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol. ii. and the recent edition of the Saxon Chronicle. But those variations alone have been noticed which differed in common from the present translation. Æthelstán cyning, Æthelstan (the) king, bracelet-giver of barons, *The reader must be cautioned against receiving this literal interpre tation of the text in the same literal spirit. The terms eor! and beornman and bairn are used with great latitude of meaning in Anglo-Saxon poetry; and though generally applied to persons of eminent rank or exalted courage, we have no proof of their appropriation as hereditary caldor langne-tir*, geslogon æt secce, very illustrious chieftain, titles of distinction at the early period when this ode was composed. The word "ætheling"-strictly speaking, the son of the æthel or nobleappears to have gained an import in England nearly corresponding to our modern prince In the Saxon Chronicle it is almost always, if not exclu sively, confined to personages of the blood royal. Perhaps there is neither of these terms whose modern representative differs so essentially from its original as "ealdor." At the present day no idea of rank is attached to the word "elder," and none of authority except among some religious sects, and a few incorporated societies. In Anglo-Saxon poetry it rarely, it ever, occurs as marking seniority in point of age. Even the infant Edward is called an "elder of earls." And feng his bearn syth-than to cyne-rice; eorla ealdor, tham wæs Eadweard nama. And his bairn took after that to the kingdom; elder of earls, to whom was Edward name. * Elder! a lasting glory, T. Elder, of ancient race, I. But "tir" is not used substantively in the present instance. "Ealdor langne-tir," or "Langne-tir ealdor," exhibits the same inverted construction as flota fami-heals," ship foamy-necked; "ætheling ær-god," noble exceeding good, &c. The present translation of “tir" is founded upon an etymology pointed out in the glossary to Sæmund's Edda, where it is declared to be synonymous with the Danish "zyr," and the German "zier." In the Low German dialects, the z of the upper circles (which is compounded of t, s, like the Greek of d, s) is almost always represented by t, and splendour, brightness, glory, &c. are certainly among the most prevalent ideas attached to "tir" when used as a substantive. If this interpretation be correct, power, dominion, or victory, must be considered as only se condary meanings; and the compound adjectives "tir-meahtig" (exceeding mighty), "tir-fæst" (exceeding fast or firm), "tir-eadig" (exceeding blessed), evidently point to the first of these. There can be little doubt but the following passage of Beowulf preserves another compound of "tir: " "Niwe" is here equivalent to niwel; as in the expression, "niwe be næsse," low by the nose or promontory. " is clearly "Tyr-wydne nacan synonymous with "sid-fæthmed scip," the wide-bosomed ship, occurring shortly afterwards. The learned editor's version, pice obductam, is founded on an expression still preserved in his native language (Icelandic), and of which Ihre has recorded the following example:-"Let han leggia eld i tyrwid oc göra bala scipino;" Jussit ignem tædæ subjiciendum, pyramque in nave struendam. "Arum," which the Latin version renders "remis, is used adverbially, like hwilum, gyddum, &c. The vessel lay upon the beach, and was afterwards moored: there could therefore be no use for her oars. The present version of "arum" is founded on the following passage, where Waltheow says she has no doubt but Hrothulf will prove a kind protector to her children: That he tha geogothe wile, That he the youths will, carefully protect (hold). p. 90. Arum (lit. with cares, attentions,) is in the dative case plural. sweorda ecgum, ymbe Brunanburh. Bord-weal clufon, heowon heatho-linda*, with edges of swords, (They) clove the board-wall, They hewed the noble banners, T. And hewed their banners, I. In this interpretation of "lind" all our vocabularies agree. The translation of the text has been founded upon the following authorities. When Beowulf resolves to encounter the "fire-drake" who had laid waste his territory, he orders a "wig-bord," war-board (as it is called) of iron to be made; for we are told that, Wisse he gearwe, thæt him holt-wudu, helpan ne meohte, lind with lige. He knew readily, And when Wiglaf prepares to join his lord in the combat, of him, linden against fire. p. 175. it is said In the fragment of Judith, "lind" and "bord" are used in the same connection as in the present text: The following extract from the fragment of Brithnoth shows both terms to have been synonymous : Leofsunu gemælde, and his lind ahof, Leofsunu spoke," and hove up his linden, It may, however, be contended, that though "lind" in all these passages evidently means a shield; yet "heatho-lind," whose qualifying adjective seems rather an inappropriate epithet for a buckler, may have a different import. The following examples of a similar combination will remove even this objection : Mr. Grimm found this expression in the Low-Saxon fragment of Hildeand and Hathubrand, where, misled by the common interpretation of "lind-wiggende," vexilliferi, he has expended much ingenuity and learning in making a very simple narrative unnecessarily obscure. hewun harmlicco, unti im iro lintun, luttilo wurtun. (they) hewed harm-like Mr. Grimm translates "lintun," gebende-bands or girdles. hamora lafum*, eáforan Eadweardes. hettend crungon.§ Scotta leode, with relics of hammers (. e. swords), (the) children of Edward. Such [so] was to them (their native) hoard and homes, (the) enemy crushed. [cringed, ac(The) Scottish people, [tively. The survivors of the family, T. With the wrecks of their hammers, L The only authority for the former interpretation is a meaning assigned to "hamora" in Lye's vocabulary. It will be sufficient to remark, that if there were any thing like probability to justify such a translation, we ought at least to read " With the survivors of the family; as "lafum" stands in the ablative case plural. A similar expression occurs once in Beowulf, where we know from the context that neither of the versions cited above would suit the sense. The sword of Wiglaf has recently severed the dragon's body in two: with reference to which it is said, In this poem "gomel-laf, eald-laf, yrfe-laf," are common expressions for a sword; and there can be little doubt but the language of the text is a metaphorical description of such a weapon. A similar phrase in Icelandic poetry would occasion no difficulty. As to them it was natural from their ancestors, T. So were they taught by kindred zeal, I. Ge-æthele is an ara λyoμevov. The version of the text is founded on the following declaration of Elfwine, a follower of Brithnoth : Ic will mine athelo, eallum gecythan, that ic was on Myrcon, I will my nobility, manifest to all, that I among Mercians was, of a mickle kin. Mr. Ingram's translation of cneo-mægum-kindred zeal, is perfectly indefensible. That they in the field often, T. That they at camp often, I. Yet camp-stede "is translated battle-place by Mr. Turner, and field of battle by Mr. Ingram. "Et campe" would have been equally descriptive of a sea.fight. It has no connection with our modern camp, Fr., campus, Lat. Pursuing they destroyed the Scottish people, T. Pursuing fell the Scottish clans, I. In these translations "hettend crungon" is separated from its context; and though it is a common practice of Anglo-Saxon poetry to unite, by the alliteration, lines wholly unconnected by the sense, yet in the present instance both are terminated by the same period. It may be questioned whether "hettan," persequi, has any existence beyond the pages of Lye, where it is inserted as the root of "hettend." There is reason to believe, that it was obsolete at a very early period, and that its participle present alone was retained in a substantive signification to At all events, the examples recorded by Lye only exhibit the substantive hettend, to which the following may be added: Gif ic thæt gefricge, ofer floda-begang, Syth-than hie gefricgeath, thone the ær geheold, hord and rice. If I that hear, over the floods-gang, that thee, the round-sitting ones, oppress with terror, so (as) thee enemies, (ere) while did. Beowulf, p. 138. After that they hear he who ere held, Ib. p. 222. Mr. Ingram's translation is obviously incorrect. The whole context proves the Scots to have been the yielding party, and consequently they were the pursued, not those pursuing; and if, with Mr. Turner, we apply "pursuing" to the victors, Athelstan and Edward, the participle (as it then would be) ought to stand in the nominative case plural — hettende — and not in the accusative singular. 66 for *They fell dead, T. In numbers fell, I. This expression occurs again below, fæge to feohte," where Mr. Ingram expounds it, the hardy fight. It seems almost superfluous to add, that one of these interpretations must be erroneous; and it will be shown immediately that neither is correct. Mr. Turner with more consistency translates the second example deadly fight;" making "fæge" an adjective agreeing with "feohte," and consequently like its substantive governed by the preposition "to." But independently of the impossibility to produce an example, where any Anglo-Saxon preposition exhibits this twofold power, a retroactive and prospective regimen, -the dative singular and plural of "fæge" would be either "fægum" or "fægan," accordingly as it was used with the definite or indefinite article. In the languages of the North, "fæge," however written, means fated to die; or, to use the interpretation of the Glossary to Sæmund's Edda, morti jam destinatus, brevi moriturus. This is the only version equally suited to both examples in the present text; and it might be supported by numerous instances from Cædmon and Beowulf. A confirmation of its general import may also be drawn from the use of" unfægne' in the latter poem. Wyrd oft nereth, unfæægne eorl, Fate oft preserveth, thonne his ellen deah. a man not fated to die, + The Cotton MS. Tiberius B. iv. reads "dennode; " Tiberius A. vi. and B. i. read "dennade," which is supported by the Cambridge MS. For this unusual expression no satisfactory meaning has been found; and it is left to the ingenuity and better fortune of some future translator. Mr. |