ENGL 202
Prof. G. Steinberg
Old English

Translate the following poem from Old English into Modern English, paying special attention to the inflections on the nouns and articles.  Note:  This is very difficult Old English (because it’s poetry and all); it’s more challenging than what you will get on the exam, but it’s good practice, and it’s a famous piece of Old English culture.

“Cædmon, sing me hwæþwugu. . . .”

Nu sculon herian    heofon-rices Weard,

Metodes meahta    and his mod-geþanc,

weorc Wuldor-Fæder    swa he wundra gehwæs,

ece Dryhten,    or astealde.

He ærest scop    ielda bearnum

heofon to hrofe,    halig Scieppend;

þa middan-geard    mann-cynnes Weard,

ece Dryhten,    æfter teode

firum foldan    Frea ælmihtig.

To look up vocabulary, click here.

To look up inflections, click here.

Translate the following sentences.

  1. Gif þeow wyrce on Sunnandæg be his hlafordes hæse, sy he freo and se hlaford geselle xxx scillinga to wite.
    Extra Vocabulary:  gif = if, wyrce = work, Sunnandæg = Sunday, be = by, hæs = behest, sy = will be, freo = free, geselle = will pay, xxx = 30, scilling = shilling, to = for, wit = fine.
     

  2. Ond þæs ymb anne monaþ gefeaht Ælfred cyning wiþ alne þone here.
    Extra Vocabulary:  þæs = afterwards, ymb = about or around, anne = one (accusative), monaþ = month, gefeaht = fought, cyning = king, wiþ = against, alne = all (accusative), her = army.
     

  3. Cynewulf oft miclum gefeohtum feaht wiþ Bretwalum.
    Extra Vocabulary:  oft = often, micel = great, gefeoht = battle, feaht = fought, wiþ = against, Bretwal = Briton.
     

  4. Ne gedafenaþ þam gastlicum þæt hie þam flæsclicum geefenlæcen.
    Extra Vocabulary:  gedafenaþ = it is befitting, gastlice = spiritual one, flæsclice = fleshly one, geefenlæcen = emulate.
     

  5. Wigend cruncon, wundum werige.
    Extra Vocabulary:  wigend = warriors (nominative plural), cruncon = fell, wund = wound, werige = wearied.
     

  6. He mid gare stang wlancne wicing þe him þa wunde forgeaf.
    Extra Vocabulary:  stang = stabbed, wlancne = bold (accusative singular), wicing = Viking, forgeaf = forgave.
     

  7. Ond þa gefeaht se cyning Ælfred wiþ þara cyninga getruman.
    Extra Vocabulary:  getruman = troops.
     

  8. Cealde geþrungen wæron mine fet.
    Extra Vocabulary:  ceald = cold or chill, geþrungen = pinched, mine = my (nominative plural), fet = feet.
     

  9. Ond þær forwearþ cxx scipa æt Swanawic.
    Extra Vocabulary:  forwearþ = perished, cxx = 120, scip = ship, æt = at, Swanawic = Swanage.
     

  10. Stincende attor singallice of þam toswollenum fotum fleow.
    Extra Vocabulary:  stincende = stinking, attor = poison, singallice = continuously, of = from, toswollen = swollen, fot = foot, fleow = flowed.

Click here to go to the course syllabus.