II. himself, whom he also destroys, and whose head CHAP. he carries off and presents to Hrothgar. 60 He tells the king that he could achieve nothing with Hrunting. “ But the ruler of ages It was often declared, granted me, by the wine-geleasum, that over the waves I should see That I should draw this weaan ancient sword hang beauti ful. pon.” 61 Hrothgar looks at it, and says it was an ancient relic, on which were written the battles of the ancient times, when after the flood the race of the giants were destroyed. On the polished blade, in pure gold, the runæ-letters were marked. 62 The poem proceeds to describe Beowulf's return to Higelac. He engages in some further adventures, which are not of equal interest with the former. He succeeds Higelac in his kingdom; builds a city; fights thirty battles; and dies after a reign of fifty years.63 Such is the substance of this curious poem, which is quite Anglo-Saxon in the manners it describes, and corroborates several of those features which in the preceding pages have been delineated. It seems to be the oldest poem, in an epic form, that now exists in any of the vernacular languages of modern Europe. 64 Other 61 Ibid. 60 Beowulf, p. 120–124. P. 126. 62 Ibid. p. 127, 128. 63 Ibid. p. 137—236. 64 I do not pretend to give this sketch of Beowulf as a perfect outline, nor will presume it to be without some imperfections. It is many years since I have been able to inspect the ancient MS. of it, and I could not then, in the time that I was able to give it, decypher every part to my own satisfaction. I am not sure that every line can be now correctly read or transcribed, but I have no doubt that the talents and patient attention of other students will supply what BOOK Saxon poems still exist which deserve the student's notice.65 IX. a I am compelled to leave in a state more deficient than I would have 65 Among these an Anglo-Saxon narrative poem, of a much smaller size, remains in the fragment on the death of Byrhtnoth, which was formerly in the Cotton MS. Otho, A. 12., and which Hearne bas printed at the end of his Joh. Glaston. Chronicon. The original MS. has been since burnt. Mr. W. D. Conybeare has inserted a valuable translation of it at the end of his arranged catalogue. It is very interesting, and exhibits the Anglo-Saxon genius in narrative composition in its most favourable light. It contains 690 lines, but the beginning and the end are defective. As Byrhtnoth fell in 991, it belongs to the latest age of Anglo-Saxon poetry, and is curious as an authentic picture of the manners of that period. The short fragment on the battle of Finsburuh in the Exeter MS, is, like Beowulf, rather romance than history. Mr. W. Cony beare has inserted it in his illustrations, with a Latin translation, and a pleasing imitation in English verse, p. 173–182. The Byrhtnoth fragment, of which we have inserted a part under the reign of Ethelred, Vol. II. p. 307., thus spiritedly describes the battle: “ The fight was then nigh. Glory incited to it. The hour was come when the fated warriors should fall. Shouts arose. The ravens congregated ; and the eagle greedy of its food. Clamour was on the earth. They darted from their hands many a stout spear. The sharpened arrows flew. The bows were busy. The buckler received the wea. pon's point. Bitter was the fight. Warriors fell on either side. The youths lay slain." Conyb. p. xcii. Hearne, Joh. Glast. App. ” a CHAP. III. ANGLO-Saxon Poems of Judith and CÆDMON.- Their other Poetry. CHAP. III. The fragment which remains of the poem on Judith, may be deemed another Anglo-Saxon poetical romance. The subject of this poem is taken from the Apocrypha, but the Anglo-Saxon poet has borrowed merely the outline of the story. All the circumstances, the descriptions, and the speeches, which he has inserted, are of his own iuvention. He has, therefore, done what all romancers did. He has applied the manners and characters of his day to the time of Judith, and thus really made it an Anglo-Saxon romance. It is curious, from another circumstance. It is a romance written while the old Anglo-Saxon poetry was in fashion, but when it began to improve: for, while it displays the continuity of narration and minuteness of description of the more cultivated romance, it retains some metaphors, the periphrasis, and the inversions which our stately ancestors so much favoured. It has only laid aside their abrupt transitions and more violent metaphors. The eight first sections of the poem on Judith, and part of the ninth, are lost. It begins with a part that corresponds with this verse in the Apocrypha': “ And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet.” | Judith, xii. 10. BOOK The Saxon poet expresses this passage thus: Understood I then, the shielded warriors came The subsequent narration of the Apocrypha is not followed by the poet; but instead of it, from his own invention, he substitutes these circumstances : They then to the feast he roared and dinned ; went to sit, then might the children of eager to drink wine ; men afar off hear animated and elated with wine. behind the benches ; He admonished amply so likewise vessels that they should bear it well, and orcas full to those sitting on the bench. to those sitting at supper. So was the wicked one the lord and his men, till that they swimming lay all his nobility as they were death-slain ; exhilarated with wine ; their property poured about. in the halls of his guests, So commanded the Baldor of he laughed and shouted ; men 2 Baldor was one of the sons of Odin. - His name is figuratively used to express a chief. CHAP. was to fill to them sitting at the feast, Then they to the bed Then went their lord to tell, with speed to fetch that the holy woman to his bed rest, brought with bracelets laden, into the chamber of his tent. with rings adorned. Then was the illustrious one Then quickly hurried blithe in mind. the subjected servants, The elder of the cities thought as their elder bade them. the bright woman The mailed warriors with filth and pollution to stain. of the illustrious lord But the Judge of Glory, stepped to the great place. the keeper of majesty, There they found Judith, would not suffer it; prudent in mind; but the Lord, and then firmly, ruler of his nobles, the bannered soldiers from this thing restrained. began to lead Then departed the illustrious virgin the devil-worshipping lustful to the high tent. There the powerful one from the host of men, his rest on the feast night mischief-ful, within was enjoying; his bed to visit, the odious Holofernes. where he should There was the fair suddenly his blood lose the golden fly net within one night. about the chief's bed hung, So, drunken with wine, that the mischief-ful the rich one fell might look thro', on the middle of his bed, the Baldor of the soldiers, as he knew no discretion on every one in the inclosure. that there within came The soldiers stepped of the children of men; out of the chamber and on him no one with much haste: of man kind; the wine-ful men unless the proud one, that the perfidious any man of his illustrious people-hating tyrant soldiers, led to the bed commanded to come the nighest way. near him to council. Then was the glory-ful one |