{"id":135,"date":"2015-09-23T19:08:41","date_gmt":"2015-09-23T09:08:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/?p=135"},"modified":"2015-09-30T22:29:29","modified_gmt":"2015-09-30T12:29:29","slug":"the-wanderer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/2015\/09\/23\/the-wanderer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wanderer"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is not presented as a polished translation, just as a helper for my reading of the text. This is another of the texts that we prepare as ‘homework’ for an Anglo-Saxon group that is being run by Bill Krebs on Thursday\u00a0afternoons. This poem is from the Exeter Book (Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501) and photos of the manuscript pages can be found conveniently at Rick McDonald’s website for The Wanderer Project<\/a> – a labour of love on his part. (To go straight to the photos\u00a0hit this link<\/a>.) As before, note that the OE text is presented as in Mitchell & Robinson (2012) A Guide to Old English<\/em> (8th<\/sup> edn) Wiley-Blackwell:UK pp. 261-3, and note that they make\u00a0several emendations of the OE text, but only the reconstruction of line 12 is really significant. As usual in that text, ?\u00a0and ? in the MS\u00a0are replaced here by standard English letters, but \u00f0, \u00fe, and \u00e6 are retained. Length is marked by an underline, which I find less intrusive – and also a heckuvalot easier to type.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oft him anha<\/u>ga a<\/u>re gebi<\/u>de\u00f0,
\n<\/span>Ever the solitary man waits on mercy,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

metudes miltse, \u00fee<\/u>ah \u00fee he<\/u> mo<\/u>dcearig
\n<\/span>the favour of the Creator, while he, troubled in mind<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

geond lagula<\/u>de longe sceolde
\n<\/span>through the seaways longtime should <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hre<\/u>ran mid hondum hri<\/u>mcealde s\u00e6<\/u>,
\n<\/span>stir with (his) hands the ice-cold sea,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

5. wadan wr\u00e6cla<\/u>stas. Wyrd bi\u00f0 ful a<\/u>r\u00e6<\/u>d!
\n<\/span>following the path of exile. Weird is quite inexorable!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Swa<\/u> cw\u00e6\u00f0 eardstapa, earfe\u00fea gemyndig,
\n<\/span>So says a \u2018grasshopper,\u2019 mindful of hardships,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

wra<\/u>\u00fera w\u00e6lsleahta, winem\u00e6<\/u>ga hryre:
\n<\/span>of cruel battle, of the fall of beloved kinfolk:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Oft ic sceolde a<\/u>na u<\/u>htna gehwylce
\n<\/span>ever I must alone before each dawn
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

mi<\/u>ne ceare cwi<\/u>\u00fean. Nis nu<\/u> cwicra na<\/u>n
\n<\/span>my own cares lament. Nor is there now living any one<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

10. \u00fee ic him mo<\/u>dsefan mi<\/u>nne durre
\n<\/span>to whom I dare my concerns<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

sweotule a<\/u>secgan. Ic to<\/u> so<\/u>\u00fee wa<\/u>t
\n<\/span>openly tell. I to be sure know <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00fe\u00e6t bi\u00fe in eorle indryhten \u00fee<\/u>aw,
\n<\/span>that it is a fitting habit in a man <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00fe\u00e6t he<\/u> his fer\u00f0locan f\u00e6ste binde,
\n<\/span>to hold tight to his thought-hoard,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

healde his hordcofan, hycge swa<\/u> he<\/u> wille.
\n<\/span>hold on to his thought-store, think what he will.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

15. Ne m\u00e6g we<\/u>rig mod wyrde wi\u00f0stondan,
\n<\/span>Nor can weary mind withstand Weird<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ne se hre<\/u>o hyge helpe gefremman.
\n<\/span>nor the troubled spirit bring help.
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

For\u00f0on do<\/u>mgeorne dre<\/u>origne oft
\n<\/span>And so the fame-hungry often a sadness<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

in hyra bre<\/u>ostcofan binda\u00f0 f\u00e6ste;
\n<\/span>in their breast-coffer bind fast;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

swa<\/u> ic mo<\/u>dsefan mi<\/u>nne sceolde,
\n<\/span>so should I my own cares,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

20. oft earmcearig, e<\/u>\u00f0le bid\u00e6<\/u>led,
\n<\/span>full oft wretched, deprived of (his) homeland,
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

fre<\/u>om\u00e6<\/u>gum feor feterum s\u00e6<\/u>lan,
\n<\/span>far from noble kin, in fetters bind,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

si\u00fe\u00fean gea<\/u>ra iu<\/u> goldwine mi<\/u>nne
\n<\/span>since yeara ago my gold-giving lord<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hru<\/u>san heolstre biwra<\/u>h, ond ic he<\/u>an \u00feonan
\n<\/span>I wrapped in earth\u2019s darkness, and I dejected therefrom<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

wo<\/u>d wintercearig ofer wa\u00feema gebind,
\n<\/span>went in wintry desolation over the commingling waves,
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

25. so<\/u>hte seledre<\/u>orig sinces bryttan,
\n<\/span>sought hall-bereft a giver of treasure,
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hw\u00e6<\/u>r ic feor o\u00fe\u00fee ne<\/u>ah findan meahte
\n<\/span>where I far or near could find <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00feone \u00fee in meoduhealle mi<\/u>ne wisse,
\n<\/span>someone<\/em> to recognise my <\/em>(kin-line<\/em>) in the mead-hall,
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

o\u00fe\u00fee mec fre<\/u>ondle<\/u>asne fre<\/u>fran wolde,
\n<\/span>or would comfort me in my friendless <\/em>(state,<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

weman mid wynnum. Wa<\/u>t se \u00fee cunna\u00f0,
\n<\/span>to entertain with joy. He knows well who knows at first hand<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

30. hu<\/u> sli<\/u>\u00feen bi\u00f0 sorg to<\/u> gefe<\/u>ran,
\n<\/span>how cruel is sorrow as a companion,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00fea<\/u>m \u00fee him ly<\/u>t hafa\u00f0 le<\/u>ofra geholena.
\n<\/span>To one who has few precious protectors.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Wara\u00f0 hine wr\u00e6cla<\/u>st, nales wunden gold,
\n<\/span>He occupies himself with the path of exile, not with wound gold,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

fer\u00f0loca fre<\/u>orig, nal\u00e6s foldan bl\u00e6<\/u>d.
\n<\/span>The chilled heart, and never the wealth of the Earth.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Gemon he<\/u> selesecgas ond sinc\u00feege,
\n<\/span>Remember the retainers and the receivers of treasure,
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

35. hu<\/u> hine on geogu\u00f0e his goldwine
\n<\/span>how him in his youth his gold-generous lord<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

wenede to<\/u> wiste. Wyn eal gedre<\/u>as!
\n<\/span>was pleased to feast. Joy has all vanished.
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For\u00feon wa<\/u>t se \u00fee sceal his winedryhtnes
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So he knows, who must of his beloved lord\u2019s<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

le<\/u>ofes la<\/u>rcwidum longe for\u00feolian,
\n<\/span>counsel do without for a long time,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00f0onne sorg ond sl\u00e6<\/u>p somod \u00e6tg\u00e6dre
\n<\/span>when sorrow and sleep together<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

40. earmne a<\/u>nhogan oft gebinda\u00f0,
\n<\/span>the wretched solitary one bind,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00feince\u00f0 him on mo<\/u>de \u00fe\u00e6t he<\/u> his mondryhten
\n<\/span>he thinks to himself that he his liege-lord<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

clyppe ond cysse, ond on cne<\/u>o lecge
\n<\/span>embraces and busses, and on <\/em>(his<\/em>) knee lays<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

honda ond he<\/u>afod, swa<\/u> he<\/u> hwi<\/u>lum \u00e6<\/u>r
\n<\/span>hand and head, as he sometimes previously<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

in gea<\/u>rdagum giefsto<\/u>las bre<\/u>ac.
\n<\/span>in days gone by used the throne.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

45. \u00f0onne onw\u00e6cne\u00f0 eft winele<\/u>as guma,
\n<\/span>Then awakened again the friendless man,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

gesih\u00f0 him biforan fealwe we<\/u>gas,
\n<\/span>sees before him dark waves,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ba\u00feian brimfuglas, br\u00e6<\/u>dan fe\u00fera,
\n<\/span>seabirds swimming, feathers spreading,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hre<\/u>osan hri<\/u>m ond sna<\/u>w, hagle gemenged.
\n<\/span>falling frost and snow mingled with hail.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00feonne be<\/u>o\u00f0 \u00fey<\/u> hefigran heortan benne,
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Then are the heavier the wounds of the heart<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

50. sa<\/u>re \u00e6fter sw\u00e6<\/u>sne. Sorg bi\u00f0 geni<\/u>wad,
\n<\/span>painful with longing for the dear one. Sorrow is renewed.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00feonne ma<\/u>ga gemynd mo<\/u>d geondhweorfe\u00f0;
\n<\/span>When remembrance of kin fills the mind;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

gre<\/u>te\u00f0 gli<\/u>wstafum, georne geondsce<\/u>awa\u00f0
\n<\/span>(he<\/em>) greets with joy, eagerly examines every part<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

secga geseldan. Swimma\u00f0 eft on weg!
\n<\/span>of the companions of men. Things always drift away!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Fle<\/u>otendra fer\u00f0 no<\/u> \u00fe\u00e6<\/u>r fela bringe\u00f0
\n<\/span>The spirit of the seafarers does not bring there much<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

55. cu<\/u>\u00f0ra cwidegiedda. Cearo bi\u00f0 geni<\/u>wad
\n<\/span>well-known talk. Care is renewed<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00fea<\/u>m \u00fee sendan sceal swi<\/u>\u00fee geneahhe
\n<\/span>for he who must send very often<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ofer wa\u00feema gebind we<\/u>rigne sefan.
\n<\/span>over the commingling waters a weary heart.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For\u00feon ic ge\u00feencan ne m\u00e6g geond \u00fea<\/u>s woruld
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thus I cannot think for all the world<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

for hwan mo<\/u>dsefa mi<\/u>n ne gesweorce,
\n<\/span>why my spirit does not grow dark<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

60. \u00feonne ic eorla li<\/u>f eal geond\u00feence,
\n<\/span>when I consider the whole life of noble men,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hu<\/u> hi<\/u> f\u00e6<\/u>rlice flet ofge<\/u>afon,
\n<\/span>how they suddenly left the stage<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

mo<\/u>dge magu\u00feegnas. Swa<\/u> \u00fees middangeard
\n<\/span>the bold young blades. So this middle earth
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ealra do<\/u>gra gehwa<\/u>m dre<\/u>ose\u00f0 ond fealle\u00fe,
\n<\/span>every day for everyone declines and fails,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

for\u00feon ne m\u00e6g weor\u00fean wi<\/u>s wer, \u00e6<\/u>r he<\/u> a<\/u>ge
\n<\/span>so no man can become wise, before he passes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

65. wintra d\u00e6<\/u>l in woruldri<\/u>ce. Wita sceal ge\u00feyldig,
\n<\/span>a deal of winters in this worldly realm. A wise man should be patient,
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ne sceal no<\/u> to<\/u> ha<\/u>theort ne to<\/u> hr\u00e6dwyrde,
\n<\/span>must not be too hot-hearted nor too ready with words,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ne to<\/u> wa<\/u>c wiga ne to<\/u> wanhy<\/u>dig,
\n<\/span>not too weak in the fight nor too lacking in thought,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ne to<\/u> forht ne to<\/u> f\u00e6gen, ne to<\/u> feohgi<\/u>fre
\n<\/span>not too fearful nor too cheerful, nor too greedy<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ne n\u00e6<\/u>fre gielpes to<\/u> georn, \u00e6<\/u>r he<\/u> geare cunne.
\n<\/span>nor ever too eager to make boasts, before he has properly experienced (things.)
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

70. Beorn sceal gebi<\/u>dan, \u00feonne he<\/u> be<\/u>ot sprice\u00f0,
\n<\/em><\/span>A man must abide, when he makes oaths<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

o\u00fe\u00fe\u00e6t collenfer\u00f0 cunne gearwe
\n<\/span>until the stout-hearted clearly knows<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hwider hre\u00fera gehygd hweorfan wille.
\n<\/span>whither the inclination of the heart will go.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Ongietan sceal gleaw h\u00e6le hu g\u00e6stlic bi\u00f0,
\nA wise man will know how ghastly it will be\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00feonne ealre \u00feisse worulde wela weste stonde\u00f0,
\nwhen all this world’s wealth stands wasted,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

75. swa nu missenlice geond \u00feisne middangeard
\njust as now in various places throughout the world<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

winde biwaune weallas stonda\u00fe,
\nthe walls stand wind-blown,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hrime bihrorene, hry\u00f0ge \u00fea ederas.
\nfrost rimed, the buildings snow covered<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Woria\u00f0 \u00fea winsalo, waldend licga\u00f0
\nthe halls decay, the rulers lie<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

dreame bidrorene, dugu\u00fe eal gecrong,
\ndeprived of their joy, their retainers all perished,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

80. wlonc bi wealle. Sume wig fornom,
\nthe proud ones beside the walls. Some war took off,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ferede in for\u00f0wege, sumne fugel o\u00feb\u00e6r
\nbore\u00a0on the path\u00a0out, some the bird bore off<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ofer heanne holm, sumne se hara wulf
\nover a wretched sea, some the gray wolf<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

dea\u00f0e ged\u00e6lde, sumne dreorighleor
\ndealt death, some a sad-faced<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

in eor\u00f0scr\u00e6fe eorl gehydde.
\nlord concealed in the earth.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

85. Y\u00fede swa \u00feisne eardgeard \u00e6lda scyppend
\n<\/span>The maker of men had so marred this dwelling<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

o\u00fe\u00fe\u00e6t burgwara breahtma lease
\nthat all without the noise of the town-dwellers\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

eald enta geweorc idlu stodon.
\nthe old giants’ works stand waste.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Se \u00feonne \u00feisne wealsteal wise ge\u00feohte
\nOne who thought wisely on this foundation<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ond \u00feis deorce lif deope geond\u00feence\u00f0,
\nand considered\u00a0deeply this dark life<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

90. frod in fer\u00f0e, feor oft gemon
\nwise in spirit, remembers often from afar<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

w\u00e6lsleahta worn, ond \u00feas word acwi\u00f0:
\nnumerous battles, and spake these words:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHw\u00e6r cwom mearg? Hw\u00e6r cwom mago? Hw\u00e6r cwom ma\u00fe\u00feumgyfa?
\n“Where now is the horse? Where the rider? Where the treasure-giver?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Hw\u00e6r cwom symbla gesetu? Hw\u00e6r sindon seledreamas?
\nWhere the seats at the feast? Where the mead-hall revels?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga!
\nAlas, bright cup! Alas, mail-clad warrior!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

95. Eala \u00feeodnes \u00ferym! Hu seo \u00ferag gewat,
\nAlas, the glory of the prince! How time passes,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

genap under nihthelm, swa heo no w\u00e6re.
\ngrown dark under a helm of night, as if it never was.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Stonde\u00f0 nu on laste leofre dugu\u00fee
\nThere stands now in the way\u00a0of \u00a0the dear\u00a0comrades
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

weal wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah.
\na wall wondrous high, with worms ornamented.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Eorlas fornoman asca \u00fery\u00fee,
\nThe power of ash-spears took off the princes,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

100. w\u00e6pen w\u00e6lgifru, wyrd seo m\u00e6re,
\na weapon greedy for slaughter, Fate the famous,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

ond \u00feas stanhleo\u00feu stormas cnyssa\u00f0,
\nand storms beat at the stone cliffs,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

hri\u00f0 hreosende hrusan binde\u00f0,
\na falling storm of snow fetters the earth,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

wintres woma, \u00feonne won cyme\u00f0,
\na tumult of winter, then dimness comes,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

nipe\u00f0 nihtscua, nor\u00fean onsende\u00f0
\nthe shadow of night grows dark, from the North comes forth<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

105. hreo h\u00e6glfare h\u00e6le\u00feum on andan.
\na harsh hailstorm meaning ill to men.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Eall is earfo\u00f0lic eor\u00fean rice,
\nAll is fraught with hardship in earth’s realms,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

onwende\u00f0 wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum.
\nthe fated course of events changes the world under heaven.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Her bi\u00f0 feoh l\u00e6ne, her bi\u00f0 freond l\u00e6ne,
\nHere wealth is fleting, here friends are fleeting,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

her bi\u00f0 mon l\u00e6ne, her bi\u00f0 m\u00e6g l\u00e6ne,
\nhere man is fleeting, here kinsman is fleeting,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

110. eal \u00feis eor\u00fean gesteal idel weor\u00fee\u00f0!’
\nall this earth’s foundation is made waste!”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Swa cw\u00e6\u00f0 snottor on mode, ges\u00e6t him sundor \u00e6t rune.
\nSo said a wise man to himself sitting apart in meditation.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Til bi\u00fe se \u00fee his treowe gehealde\u00fe, ne sceal n\u00e6fre his torn to rycene
\nHe is good who keeps his faith, nor must a man ever his grief too quickly<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

beorn of his breostum acy\u00fean, nem\u00fee he \u00e6r \u00fea bote cunne,
\nunburden from his heart, unless\u00a0he already knows the remedy,\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

eorl mid elne gefremman. Wel bi\u00f0 \u00feam \u00fee him are sece\u00f0,
\na prince must act with courage. That is good for one who seeks mercy for himself,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

115. frofre to f\u00e6der on heofonum, \u00fe\u00e6r us eal seo f\u00e6stnung stonde\u00f0.
\nconsolation from the Father in heaven, where for us all a mighty tower stands.<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is not presented as a polished translation, just as a helper for my reading of the text. This is another of the texts that we prepare as ‘homework’ for an Anglo-Saxon group that is being run by Bill Krebs on Thursday\u00a0afternoons. This poem is from the Exeter Book (Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501) and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-translations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151,"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions\/151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevewatson.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}