Saturday 30 April 2011

Scyld Scefing




...syððan ærest wear(ð)
feasceaft funden he þæs frofre geba(d)
weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah.
oð þ him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde
gomban gyldan þ wæs god cyning.



A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved.
in the end each clan on the outlyling coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king.
[Transl. Seamus Heany]


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