[gothic-l] Boethius: Meter 1 (l. 1-53) OE
Grsartor at AOL.COM
Grsartor at AOL.COM
Wed Oct 24 21:49:23 UTC 2001
Hailai allai,
here is what did not come through as an attachment to my email introducing a
translation of the OE Metre 1 of Boethius. The accompanying caveats are too
important to miss out, and so are repeated, even though they did get through.
Earlier this year I tried to make a translation of the OE version of
Boethius's Metres, often with uncertainty, and doubtless with a good number
of misunderstandings. The attached file gives my translation of Metre 1. I
have not tried to reproduce any of the metric or other poetic qualities of
the original, or of its Old English translation, since such matters are
beyond my ken; and the strange word order in the Mn E translation is merely
the result of my attempt to keep each word on the same line as its
counterpart in the OE. Published translations of the Metres seem to be hard
to find, but if any are available they should certainly be preferred to what
is supplied with this email.
Some of King Alfred's translation of Boethius is reproduced in Sweet's
Anglo-Saxon Primer, in which the following note about Raedgod and Aleric is
added: "In fact Radagaisus was killed in 406 and only Alaric sacked Rome, but
the OE Orosius implies that they led a joint invasion into Italy." As for
Amuling, it is stated that this means "one of the line descended from the
legendary king of the Goths, Amal."
Gerry T.
Hit wæs geara iu ðætte Gotan eastan It was long ago that the
Goths from the east
of Sciððia sceldas læddon, brought their shields from Scythia,
þreate geþrungon þeodlond monig, oppressed with their force many a
nation,
setton suðweardes sigeþeoda twa; when two conquering peoples set
out southwards.
5
Gotena rice gearmælum weox. The Goths' empire grew by the
year.
Hæfdan him gecynde cyningas twegen, They had two lawful kings,
Rædgod and Aleric; rice geþungon. Radgoth and Alaric; they grew in
power.
þa wæs ofer Muntgiop monig atyhted Then over the Alps were many
enticed
Gota gylpes full, guðe gelysted, full of Gothic vainglory,
eager for battle,
10
folcgewinnes. Fana hwearfode for conflict. Banner billowed
scir on sceafte. Sceotend þohton bright on its shaft. The
archers thought
Italia ealle gegongan, to overrun all Italy,
lindwigende. Hi gelæstan swua did the shield-fighters. They
achieved this
efne from Muntgiop oð þone mæran wearoð from the Alps to the famous
coast
15
þær Sicilia sæstreamum in, where amid the sea's currents Sicily
eglond micel, eðel mærsað. the great island marks and bounds the
territory.
ða wæs Romana rice gewunnen, Then the Romans' kingdom was won,
abrocen burga cyst, beadurincum wæs taken by force the finest of
cities, by warriors
Rom gerymed. Rædgot and Aleric was Rome wasted. Radgoth and Alaric
20
foron on ðæt fæsten; fleah casere entered that stronghold. Caesar
fled
mid þam æþelingum ut on Grecas. with the nobles away to Greece.
Ne meahte þa seo wealaf wige forstandan The remnants of that
disaster could not by fight resist
Gotan mid guðe; giomonna gestrion the Goths in battle; their
ancestral treasure
sealdon unwillum eþelweardas, the guardians of the land gave up
unwillingly
25
halige aðas. Wæs gehwæðeres waa. and swore sacred oaths. Each
thing caused them woe.
þeah wæs magorinca mod mid Grecum, Yet the warriors' minds were with
the Greeks,
gif hi leodfruman læstan dorsten. whether their leaders durst
help them (?)
Stod þrage on ðam. þeod wæs gewunnen So it was a while. A people
were conquered
wintra mænigo, oðþæt wyrd gescraf for many winters, till fate
decreed
30
þæt þe ðeodrice þegnas and eorlas that Theodric were thanes and
earls
heran sceoldan. Wæs se heretema to obey. That leader was
Criste gecnoden, cyning selfa onfeng to Christ devoted, as king he
received
fulluhtþeawum. Fægnodon ealle rites of baptism. All rejoiced,
Romwara bearn and him recene to each son of Rome, and at once
35
friðes wilnedon. He him fæste gehet expected peace of him. He
firmly promised
þæt hy ealdrihta ælces mosten that they to every ancient right
would
wyrðe gewunigen on þære welegan byrig, keep entitlement in the
wealthy city
ðenden god wuolde þæt he Gotena geweald so long as God it pleased
that he rule over the Goths
agan moste. He þæt eall aleag. might have. He utterly failed
them in that.
40
Wæs þæm æþelinge Arrianes To that nobleman was the Aryan
gedwola leofre þonne drihtnes æ. heresy dearer than the lord's law.
Het Iohannes, godne papan, He had John, the good pope,
heafde beheawon; næs ðæt hærlic dæd. beheaded, not a noble deed.
Eac þam wæs unrim oðres manes There were besides countless
other crimes
45
þæt se Gota fremede godra gehwilcum. that the Goth did against
every good man.
ða wæs ricra sum on Rome byrig Then was a certain powerful man
in the Roman city
ahefen heretoga, hlaforde leof, dear to the lord elevated to
dukeship
þenden cynestole Creacas wioldon. while the Greeks held the throne.
þæt wæs rihtwis rinc, næs mid Romwarum That was a righteous man, and
not among Romans
50
sincgeofa sella siððan longe. a better treasure giver for long
ages.
He wæs for weorulde wis, weorðmynða georn, He was wise in the world,
eager for honour,
beorn boca gleaw; Boitius a man learned about books; Boethius
se hæle hatte se þone hlisan geþah. was the hero's name who
received such fame.
Wæs him on gemynde mæla gehwilce In his thoughts at all times were
55
yfel and edwit þæt him elðeodge the evil and the reproach
that to them foreign
kyningas cyðdon. Wæs on Greacas hold, kings had shown. He was
friendly towards the Greeks
gemunde þara ara and ealdrihta and remembered the respect and
ancient rights
þe his eldran mid him ahton longe, that his forefathers had long
enjoyed among them,
lufan and lissa. Angan þa listum ymbe the love and the delights. He
began then artfully
60
ðencean þearflice, hu he ðider meahte to ponder to good effect how
he might
Crecas oncerran, þæt se casere eft persuade the Greeks to make the
caesar again
anwald ofer hi agan moste. have rule over them.
Sende ærendgewrit ealdhlafordum He sent messages to his former
lords
degelice, and hi for drihtne bæd secretly, and for the Lord's
sake asked
65
ealdum treowum, ðæt hi æft to him that by their old understandings
they might again to them
comen on þa ceastre, lete Greca witan in the city come, let the
Greek counsellors
rædan Romwarum, rihtes wyrðe rule the Romans, enjoy their
rights
lete þone leodscipe. ða þa lare ongeat that people. Then this urging
discovered
ðeodric Amuling, and þone þegn oferfeng, Theodric Amuling, and seized
the thane,
70
heht fæstlice folcgesiðas bade his companions firmly
healdon þone hererinc. Wæs him hreoh sefa, detain the hero. His mind was
troubled,
ege from ðam eorle. He hine inne heht he was in awe of the
nobleman. He said he inside
on carcernes cluster belucan. in prison must be enclosed.
þa wæs modsefa miclum gedrefed Then in his heart greatly disturbed
was
75
Boetius. Breac longe ær Boethius. He had long enjoyed
wlencea under wolcnum; he þy wyrs meahte spendour under heaven; he the
worse could
þolian þa þrage, þa hio swa þearl becom. bear his time, when it
had become so grievous.
Wæs þa ormod eorl, are ne wende, The earl was then in despair,
expected no honour
ne on þam fæstene frofre gemunde, nor found any comfort in that
stronghold
80
ac he neowol astreaht niðer of dune but stretched out he flat
down
feol on þa flore, fela worda spræc, fell onto the floor, spoke
many words
forþoht ðearle; ne wende þonan æfre in deep despair; he expected
never
cuman of ðæm clammum. Cleopode to drihtne to emerge from those
confines. He called to the Lord
geomran stemne, gyddode þus: with sadder voice, and thus spoke:
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Get your FREE credit report with a FREE CreditCheck
Monitoring Service trial
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Gi0tnD/bQ8CAA/ySSFAA/wWMplB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
You are a member of the Gothic-L list. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to <gothic-l-unsubscribe at egroups.com>.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
More information about the Gothic-l
mailing list