Old English Poems. Anonymous

peoples or persons mentioned in this poem unless they are definitely known and are of importance for an understanding of the meaning of the lines.

      Widsith now spoke, his word-hoard unlocked,

      He who traveled the widest among tribes of men,

      Farthest among folk: on the floor he received

The rarest of gifts. From the race of the Myrgings

5 His ancestors sprang. With Ealhhild the gracious,

      The fair framer of peace, for the first time

He sought the home of the Hræda king,

From the Angles in the East —of Eormanric,

      Fell and faithless. Freely he spoke forth:

      10 “Many a royal ruler of a realm I have known;

Every leader should live a life of virtue;

      One earl after the other shall order his land,

      He who wishes and works for the weal of his throne!

Of these for a while was Hwala the best,

15 But Alexander of all of men

      Was most famous of lords, and he flourished the most

      Of all the earls whom on earth I have known.

      Attila ruled the Huns, Eormanric the Goths,

Becca the Banings, the Burgundians Gifica.

20 Cæsar ruled the Greeks and Cælic the Finns,

Hagena the Holm-Rugians and Heoden the Glommas.

      Witta ruled the Swabians, Wada the Hælsings,

      Meaca the Myrgings, Mearchealf the Hundings,

Theodoric ruled the Franks, Thyle the Rondings,

25 Breoca the Brondings, Billing the Wernas.

      Oswine ruled the Eowas and the Ytas Gefwulf;

Finn Folcwalding ruled the Frisian people.

      Sigehere ruled longest the Sea-Dane’s kingdom.

      Hnæf ruled the Hocings, Helm the Wulfings,

30 Wald the Woings, Wod the Thuringians,

Sæferth the Secgans, the Swedes Ongentheow.

Sceafthere ruled the Ymbrians, Sceafa the Lombards,

      Hun the Hætweras and Holen the Wrosnas.

      Hringweald was called the king of the pirates.

35 Offa ruled the Angles, Alewih the Danes:

      Among these men he was mightiest of all,

      But he equalled not Offa in earl-like deeds.

      For Offa by arms while only a child,

      First among fighters won the fairest of kingdoms;

      40 Not any of his age in earlship surpassed him.

      In a single combat in the siege of battle

      He fixed the frontier at Fifeldore

      Against the host of the Myrgings, which was held thenceforth

By Angles and Swabians as Offa had marked it.

45 Hrothwulf and Hrothgar held for a long time

      A neighborly compact, the nephew and uncle,

      After they had vanquished the Viking races

      And Ingeld’s array was overridden,

      Hewed down at Heorot the Heathobard troop.

      50 So forth I fared in foreign lands

      All over the earth; of evil and good

      There I made trial, torn from my people;

      Far from my folk I have followed my travels.

      Therefore I sing the song of my wanderings,

      55 Declare before the company in the crowded mead-hall,

      How gifts have been given me by the great men of earth.

I was with the Huns and with the Hræda-Goths,

With the Swedes and with the Geats and with the southern Danes,

      With the Wenlas I was and with the Vikings and with the Wærna folk.

60 With the Gepidæ I was and with the Wends and with the Gefligas.

With the Angles I was and with the Swæfe and with the Ænenas.

With the Saxons I was and with the Secgans and with the Suardones.

With the Hronas I was and with the Deanas and with the Heatho-Raemas.

      With the Thuringians I was and with the Throwendas;

65 And with the Burgundians, where a bracelet was given me.

Guthhere there gave me a goodly jewel,

      As reward for my song: not slothful that king!

With the Franks I was and with the Frisians and