Beowulf

[From HomoDomi]

We’ve been talking about Beowulf this week....


...No, no, not that one, not the 300 attacks the Polar Express version. Rather, ours is a bardic rendition released to the art-house crowd in 2006. We are, I guess, among the art-house crowd.

On a bare stage in Helsingborg, Sweden, musician Benjamin Bagby plays an Anglo-Saxon harp and recites Beowulf -- in its original Old English. For 1-1/2 hours Bagby works through 1,062 of the 3,183 lines of epic poetry.

Surprisingly, even without computer graphics, 6-pack abs glistening above minuscule leather loin cloths, or Angelina Jolie, golden, naked and dangerous, the bardic Beowulf is pretty compelling. It is probably not unlike the experience of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, sitting around the fire, listening to their local story-teller relating the mythic story (although I have no doubt many of them would rather have just waited for the movie with Jolie).

We have been enjoying this Bardic approach and thought you might like to experience it. Here is a 5 minute clip about the death of King Scyld (the King of the Danes), with translations for those of us with rusty Old English. (It's cool to realize how little some of our words have changed over the centuries -- listen for "That was a good king!")



If you want another video clip (but with no subtitles), click here.

For more music by Benjamin Bagby, check out the choral group Sequentia on Amazon or arkivmusic (my preferred online source for early music). Bagby is the founder of Sequentia. They specialize in Medieval reconstructions of Icelandic Edda and Germanic stories. They rock.

And if you want to chant along, there are English and Old English transcriptions below.

Lines 1-21
Listen.
This has been told about the Danes’ kings
and their bravery in days gone by
when they ruled in glory!
King Scyld was known for stealing enemies’ mead benches -
and for terrifying their nobles.
He was first found as a helpless baby
yet he became a great leader
who prospered and was honored.
Everyone had to obey him and the surrounding tribes
paid him tribute in gold. That was a good king!
To him was born an heir,
whom God sent
to comfort the people
God had seen their aching need
during the long time their king lacked an heir.
The son Beow rose to fame. His name spread far and wide
over all the Northlands.
A young man must do brave deeds, give generous gifts
while in father’s bosom...

Lines 22-46
That way later in life dear friends
will stand by him at war.
A man wins honor through deeds
that bring praise, whatever his tribe.
Then at the fated hour Scyld the Courageous departed
into the protection of the lord.
His dear companions bore him down to the sea currents
just as he himself had ordered
while he still lived and his word was heard.
There in the harbor stood the icy and eager ring-prowed ship-
a princely vessel.
They laid down on the deck their loved ruler and ring giver
beside the mast.
With a treasure of weapons and battle shirts from faraway lands.
I have not heard of a ship more splendidly furnished
with a panoply of swords and shields.
On his breast lay treasures that would voyage with him
embraced by waves into the seas.
They provided him with no fewer offerings
than with what he was endowed when
he first arrived over the waves alone as a child...

Lines 47-52
They set a gold emblem high over his head.
They let the water take him, gave him to the sea.
Their hearts were aching mournful were their minds.
Men, as wise as they may,
cannot truthfully say who received
the vessel’s precious cargo.

The Middle English version

Lines 1-21
HWÆT, WE GAR-DEna in geardagum,
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon!
oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas, syððanærest wearð
feasceaft funden; he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah,
oð þæt him æghwylc ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan; þæt wæs god cyning!
Ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned
geong in geardum, þone God sende
folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat,
þe hie ær drugon aldorlease
lange hwile; him þæs Liffrea,
wuldres Wealdend woroldare forgeaf,
Beow wæs breme --- blæd wide sprang---
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.
Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean,
fromum feohgiftumon fæder bearme...

Lines 22-46
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume,
leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal
in mægþa gehwære man geþeon.
Him ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile
felahror feran on Frean wære;
hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe,
swæse gesiþas, swa he selfa bæd,
þendenwordum weold wine Scyldinga---
leof landfruma lange ahte.
Þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna
isig ond utfus, æþelingesfær;
aledon þa leofne þeoden,
beaga bryttan on bearm scipes,
mærne be mæste.
Þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum frætwa gelæded;
ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrwan
hildewæpnum ond heaðowædum,
billum ond byrnum;him on bearme læg
madma mænigo, þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht feor gewitan.
Nalæs hi hine læssan lacum teodan,
þeodgestreonum, þon þa dydon,
þe hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon
ænne ofer yðe umborwesende...

Lines 47-68
Þa gyt hie him asetton segen gyldenne
heah ofer heafod, leton holm beran,
geafon on garsecg; him wæs geomor sefa,
murnende mod. Men ne cunnon
secgan to soðe, selerædende,
hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng...