[gothic-l] Re: Second Gothic Poem

[sunburst]

Hails!

Here is my latest attempt.  Please keep in mind that this only the second piece I've written in Gothic, and there are bound to be technical mistakes.  Comments and critiques are most welcome.

I thought I would mention that in my experience, Germanic Alliterative Verse does work for Gothic.  However, considering that the later languages in which GAV is preserved often have less syllables per word because of contraction, it seems quite probable that if the Goths had used GAV, it would have had to be a little different by allowing for an extra weak syllable in between the two strong syllables (making a total of four instead of three) and an extra weak syllable after the second strong syllable (totallying two instead of one).  Or in other words, GAV must have contracted as the language contracted.  For example, "Thiudareiks" becomes "Theodric."  It is within these boundaries (Gothic Alliterative Verse?) I have written. 

Albareiks 

Gáutis Galdr (Gaut’s Song)

1. Þamma háilaga háils, himinis wardja
2. þó gaskaft skóp, skáun táwida,
3. méra atta, manaséþ ussatida.
4. Gutþiuda frumiþa, gudisks táujónds,
5. sóei mériþa warþ máistan allama,
6. wulþagóstam waúrkjam, waírþóstam sigisam.
7. Swé máists mannins midjungarda-
8. aþaliggans allans Ansis séþái,
9. Gutwulfs jah Hulmuls jah Gáirmanna,
10. kindinós áudagans knóþs im habáidédun.
11. Módar mérané Maþhilda háitada,
12. famni fagrista; ni faginóda si, 
13. háuseins ni maþlida þan háima hafida 
14. Hulmulis fadar, hardandein brúþi.
15. Wáifaírhvida jah wópida, Wandiggis brunnan,
16. targada si, triggwaguþis landa!
17. Anastáiga ahvós, Airmanaguþ þan timrida,
18. sildaleikan rignbugan sáulam eisarnam
19. milhman swé mikils swé. Mawi wratóda,
20. wépniþam wardjam; ni witáida
21. ana daúhtr iþ diusa, dwalaba ija leiþandans.
22. Hardbliggwandin haírtin, hnasqus unþáuþliuh,
23. Ansuguþis anastáigái aíhvái spráuto;
24. swa háhaba si rad, aíhvaskóhs gulþeins
25. stáigái bistugqiþa, stakkam himinis-
26. salmógagga sagq, sáiwa si usbáugida;
27. freihals warþ filma. Fadreinái gageigáida,
28. Gáuts faírra atiska, gulþeinó harpi,
29. smiþa is snaw, saei slóh niwiba,
30. skáuns, ita skáin, skiligg swé þusundi.
31. Háihs harpiþa; hulundóm láiþun diusa,
32. fuglós flaúhiþa, faíha lasun;
33. Gáuts galdriþa gutn us ahvái
34. jah þwal is þars, þáursnóda ita alla,
35. marei inn táih, Maþhildái jah aíhvái-
36. ménins draúhtins, mawjós niunáina,
37. triggwaguþ táih, téwa is gahab.
38. Qaírrus juþan ni qáinóda; is qén is táih
39. wunjái du imma, wulfé slahands.

TRANSLATION:

1. To the holy one hail, heaven’s guardian
2. the creation shaped, the beautiful made,
3. famous father, generated mankind.
4. Originated the Gothic tribe, the divine maker, 
5. the tribe whose fame became greatest of all,
6. by most glorious deeds, by worthiest victories.
7. Chief of men on earth-
8. nobles all from the seed of the Aesir,
9. Godwulf and Hulmul and Garman,
10. blessed kings descent from them had.
11. The mother of the famous ones was called Matthilda,
12. the fairest maiden; she did not rejoice,
13. did not speak a word when home carried 
14. Hulmul’s father, the grieving bride.
15. Lamented loudly and weeped the well of Vending,
16. she is enclosed in the true god’s land!
17. River’s over-path, the Eormen-god then built,
18. a wonderful rainbow with pillars of iron
19. as great as the clouds. The maiden journeyed,
20. with armed guards; did not keep watch
21. on the daughter but on a wild beast, foolishly abandoning her. 
22. With heart hard-beating the soft one escaped
23. to the As-god’s bridge on a horse quickly;
24. so high she rode, the horse-shoe golden
25. on the path stumbled, over heaven’s pillars-
26. to the salmon-road went down, out to sea she was swept;
27. freedom became fear. From his family gained,
28. Gaut from the far corn field, the golden harp,
29. to the smith he hastened, who forged it anew,
30. beautiful it shined, like a thousand gold coins.
31. One-Eye played the harp; out of their caves came the beasts,
32. birds flew, cattle cathered;
33. Gaut charmed the flow out of the river
34. and the bath he parched, dried it all up,
35. drew in the sea, with Matthilda and the horse-
36. lord of the moon, maidens nine,
37. the true god drew, order he secured.
38. The gentle one no longer wept; his wife he drew
39. in joy to him, slayer of the wolfs.





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