Old English Poems. Anonymous

With the Rugians I was and with the Glommas and with the Roman strangers.

70 Likewise in Italy with Ælfwine I was:

      He had, as I have heard, a hand the readiest

      For praiseworthy deeds of prowess and daring;

      With liberal heart he lavished his treasures,

      Shining armlets —the son of Eadwine.

75 I was with the Saracens and with the Serings;

      With the Greeks I was and with the Finns and with far-famed Cæsar,

      Who sat in rule over the cities of revelry—

Over the riches and wealth of the realm of the Welsh.

With the Scots I was and with the Picts and with the Scride-Finns.

80 With the Lidwicingas I was and with the Leonas and with the Longobards,

With the Hæthnas and with the Hærethas and with the Hundings;

      With the Israelites I was and with the Assyrians,

      And with the Hebrews and with the Egyptians and with the Hindus I was,

With the Medes I was and with the Persians and with the Myrging folk,

      85 And with the Mofdings I was and against the Myrging band,

And with the Amothingians. With the East Thuringians I was

And with the Eolas and with the Istians and with the Idumingas.

And I was with Eormanric all of the time;

      There the king of the Goths gave me in honor

      90 The choicest of bracelets —the chief of the burghers—

      On which were six hundred pieces of precious gold,

      Of shining metal in shillings counted;

I gave over this armlet to Eadgils then,

      To my kind protector when I came to my home,

      95 To my beloved prince, the lord of the Myrgings,

      Who gave me the land that was left by my father;

And Ealhhild then also another ring gave me,

      Queen of the doughty ones, the daughter of Eadwine.

      Her praise has passed to all parts of the world,

      100 Wherever in song I sought to tell

      Where I knew under heavens the noblest of queens,

      Golden-adorned, giving forth treasures.

      Then in company with Scilling, in clear ringing voice

      ’Fore our beloved lord I uplifted my song;

      105 Loudly the harp in harmony sounded;

      Then many men with minds discerning

      Spoke of our lay in unsparing praise,

      That they never had heard a nobler song.

      Then I roamed through all the realm of the Goths;

      110 Unceasing I sought the surest of friends,

      The crowd of comrades of the court of Eormanric.

      Hethca sought I and Beadeca and the Harlungs,

Emerca sought I and Fridla and East-Gota,

      Sage and noble, the sire of Unwen.

115 Secca sought I and Becca, Seafola and Theodoric,

Heathoric and Sifeca, Hlithe and Incgentheow.

Eadwine sought I and Elsa Ægelmund and Hungar

      And the worthy troop of the With-Myrgings.

      Wulfhere sought I and Wyrmhere: there war was seldom lacking

120 When the host of the Hrædas with hardened swords

Must wage their wars by the woods of Vistula

      To hold their homes from the hordes of Attila.

      Rædhere sought I and Rondhere, Rumstan and Gislhere,

Withergield and Freotheric, Wudga and Hama:

      125 These warriors were not the worst of comrades,

      Though their names at the last of my list are numbered.

      Full oft from that host the hissing spear

      Fiercely flew on the foemen’s troopers.

      There the wretches ruled with royal treasure,

      130 Wudga and Hama, over women and men.

      So I ever have found as I fared among men

      That in all the land most beloved is he

      To whom God giveth a goodly kingdom

      To hold as long as he liveth here.

135 Thus wandering widely through the world there go

      Minstrels of men through many lands,

      Express their needs and speak their thanks.

      Ever south and north some one they meet

      Skillful in song who scatters gifts,

      140 To further his fame before his chieftains,

      To do deeds of honor, till all shall depart,

      Light and life together: lasting praise he gains,

      And has under heaven the highest of honor.

4. Myrging. Nothing is known with any degree of certainty about this tribe. Chambers concludes that they dwelt south of the River Eider, which is the present boundary between Schleswig and Holstein, and that they belonged