1
The Wanderer
As you may have realised by now, the Toronto text is divided into sentences, not lines of
poetry.
1 Oft him anhaga are gebideð, metudes
miltse, þeah þe he modcearig geond lagulade
longe sceolde hreran mid hondum hrimcealde
sæ, wadan wræclastas.
5 Wyrd bið ful <aræd.>
6 Swa cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig,
wraþra wælsleahta, winemæga hryre: Oft ic
sceolde ana uhtna gehwylce mine ceare
cwiþan.
9 Nis nu cwicra nan þe ic him modsefan
minne durre sweotule asecgan.
11 Ic to soþe wat þæt biþ in eorle indryhten
þeaw, þæt he his ferðlocan fæste binde,
<healde> his hordcofan, hycge swa he wille.
15 Ne mæg werig mod wyrde wiðstondan, ne
se hreo hyge helpe gefremman.
17 Forðon domgeorne dreorigne oft in hyra
breostcofan bindað fæste.
19 Swa ic modsefan minne sceolde, oft
earmcearig, eðle bidæled, freomægum feor
feterum sælan,
siþþan geara iu goldwine <minne> hrusan
heolstre biwrah, ond ic hean þonan wod
wintercearig ofer <waþema> gebind,
ārǣd, adjective (past part. of ārǣdan).
resolute.
cwīþan, class 1 strong verb. lament; bewail.
ūhte, weak feminine. dawn.
indryhten, adjective. noble; excellent.
þēaw, strong masculine. custom; habit;
morals
dōmgeorn, adjective. eager for glory. pl
dreorigne, cataphor: módesefan below
I think I would attach this to the above; then
“dreorigne” does not hang loose
hrūse, weak feminine. earth (sometimes pl.
with sg. sense). - here gen with >
heolstor, strong masculine. darkness;
concealment.
sohte sele dreorig sinces bryttan, hwær ic feor seledrēorig, adjective. hall-sorrowful;
oþþe neah findan meahte
sorrowful at separation from the hall.
þone þe in meoduhealle <min> mine wisse,
oþþe mec <freondleasne> frefran wolde,
frēfran, class 1 weak verb. console.
weman > mid wynnum.
wenian, class 2 weak verb. accustom;
entertain.;
29 Wat se þe cunnað,
(ġe)cunnian, class 2 weak verb. find out;
investigate; experience
hu sliþen bið sorg to geferan, þam þe him lyt en, adjective. cruel.
hafað leofra geholena.
gehola, weak masculine. confidant.
32 Warað hine wræclast, nales wunden
warian, class 2 weak verb. beware; guard;
gold,
defend; hold; possess
ferðloca freorig, nalæs foldan blæd.
ferðloca, weak masculine. life-enclosure.
blǣd, strong masculine. blowing; breath;
spirit; life; glory; prosperity
2
34 Gemon he selesecgas ond sincþege, hu
hine on geoguðe his goldwine wenede < to
wiste.
36 Wyn eal gedreas.
37 Forþon wat se þe sceal his winedryhtnes
leofes larcwidum longe forþolian,
ðonne sorg ond slæp somod ætgædre earmne
anhogan oft gebindað.
41 Þinceð him on mode þæt he his
mondryhten clyppe ond cysse, ond on cneo
lecge honda ond heafod, swa he hwilum ær in
geardagum
giefstolas breac.
45 Ðonne onwæcneð eft wineleas guma,
gesihð him biforan fealwe wegas, baþian
brimfuglas, brædan feþra, hreosan hrim ond
snaw, hagle gemenged.
49 Þonne beoð þy hefigran heortan benne,
sare æfter swæsne
50 Sorg bið geniwad, þonne maga gemynd
mod geondhweorfeð;
sincþegu, strong feminine. receiving of
treasure.
feast
(ge)dréosan fall, perish, fail
forþolian, class 2 weak verb (with dat.). do
without.
Baker has new sentence, joins to next
Baker “These are generally interpreted as
formal gestures of fealty rather than as
informal gestures of affection. However, it is
must be admitted that we know almost
nothing about the ceremony that would have
accompanied a thegn's swearing fealty to his
lord.”
ġiefstōl, strong masculine. gift-seat; throne
brúcan enjoy; use; benefit from; partake of;
eat; njóta
wég wave; vógr
feþer, strong feminine. feather; wing.
benn, strong feminine. wound. nom pl
swǽ s sweet m acc pl
mǣg, strong masculine. kinsman.
Baker: Lines 51-53 are more difficult to
interpret than to read. Having just awakened
from a dream of the now-departed joys of the
hall, the man thinks of his kinsmen, eagerly
greets them and peers at them (secga
geseldan) intently. But either they recede
from his memory like the birds floating on
the sea, or he has been imagining (in his halfawake state) that he actually sees them, and
now perceives that they are only sea-birds
floating on the water.
greteð gliwstafum
gliwstafum with melodies; with joys; joyfully
georne geondsceawað secga geseldan.
geselda, weak masculine. hall-companion
53 Swimmað <eft> on weg.
54 Fleotendra ferð no þær fela bringeð cuðra
cwidegiedda.
55 Cearo bið geniwad þam þe sendan sceal
swiþe geneahhe ofer waþema gebind werigne
sefan
58 Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg geond þas
woruld for hwan <modsefa> min ne
gesweorce, þonne ic eorla lif eal geondþence,
Baker: "The spirit of the floating ones"--that
is, of the sea-birds, which do not speak to him
geneahhe, adverb. sufficiently; abundantly;
often
(gesweorce): become dark. subjunctive
3
hu hi færlice flet ofgeafon, modge
maguþegnas.
62 Swa þes middangeard ealra dogra gehwam
dreoseð ond fealleþ, forþon ne mæg
<weorþan> wis wer, ær he age wintra dæl in
woruldrice
65 Wita sceal geþyldig, ne sceal no to
hatheort ne to hrædwyrde, ne to wac wiga ne
to wanhydig,
ne to forht ne to fægen,
ne to feohgifre
ne næfre gielpes to georn, ær he geare cunne.
70 Beorn sceal gebidan, þonne he beot
spriceð,
oþþæt collenferð cunne gearwe
hwider hreþra gehygd hweorfan wille.
73 Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle hu gæstlic bið,
þonne <ealre> þisse worulde wela weste
stondeð, swa nu missenlice geond þisne
middangeard winde biwaune weallas stondaþ,
hrime bihrorene,
hryðge þa ederas.
78 Woriað þa winsalo, waldend licgað
dreame bidrorene,
duguþ eal gecrong, wlonc bi wealle.
80 Sume wig fornom, ferede in forðwege,
sumne fugel oþbær ofer heanne holm, sumne
se hara wulf deaðe gedælde, sumne
dreorighleor in eorðscræfe eorl gehydde.
85 Yþde swa þisne eardgeard ælda scyppend
oþþæt burgwara breahtma lease
eald enta geweorc idlu stodon.
88 Se þonne þisne wealsteal wise geþohte
ond þis <deorce> lif deope geondþenceð, frod
in ferðe, feor oft gemon wælsleahta worn,
ond þas word acwið:
Hwær cwom mearg?
92 Hwær cwom mago?
92 Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?
93 Hwær cwom symbla gesetu?
93 Hwær sindon seledreamas?
singular
flet, strong neuter. floor; dwelling; hall.
maguþegn, strong masculine. noble kinsman.
wiga warrior - (or “of killings?”)
wanhȳdig, adjective. careless; rash; reckle.s
too timid, too joyful
feohgīfre, adjective. greedy for wealth. nom
masc
gielp, strong masculine. boast; boasting; fame
collenferð, adjective. proud; stout-hearted;
bold.
hreðer, strong masculine. breast; heart; mind.
gǣstlic, adjective. spiritual. (not “ghastly”)
wela, weak masculine. wealth; prosperity.
bewāwan, class 7 strong verb. blow upon.
behrēosan, class 2 strong verb. fall upon;
cover.
hrīðig, adjective. snow-swept.
eodor, strong masculine. boundary;
enclosure; dwelling; fig. lord ??????
wōrian, class 2 weak verb. wander; decay.
wealdend, masculine nd-stem. ruler; the
Lord.: PLURAL
bgecringan, class 3 strong verb. fall;
die.edrēosan, class 2 strong verb. deprive.
ȳðan, class 1 weak verb. lay waste; devastate.
breahtm, strong masculine. noise; revelry.
áweðan; present. Introduces a third voice
mearh, strong masculine. horse.
4
94 Eala beorht bune.
94 Eala byrnwiga.
95 Eala þeodnes þrym.
95 Hu seo þrag gewat, genap under nihthelm,
swa heo no wære
97 Stondeð nu on laste leofre duguþe weal
wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah
bune, weak feminine. cup.
þrym, strong masculine. army; might;
splendor
“stands now memorial” Hamer
duguþ, strong feminine. body of experienced
retainers; army; host. comitatus
99 Eorlas fornoman asca þryþe, wæpen
subj is þrýðe fem pl might, multitude &
wælgifru, wyrd seo mære, ond þas stanhleoþu wǽpen neut pl
stormas cnyssað, hrið hreosende <hrusan>
wōma, weak masculine. noise; tumult
bindeð, wintres woma, þonne won cymeð,
wann adj
nipeð nihtscua, norþan onsendeð hreo
hæglfare hæleþum on andan
hailstorm; enmity
106 Eall is earfoðlic eorþan rice, onwendeð
subj gesceaft, origin creation;
wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum.
woruld is acc
108 Her bið feoh læne, her bið freond læne,
transitory. Loved one.
her bið mon læne, her bið mæg læne, eal þis
kinsman
eorþan gesteal idel weorþeð.
gesteall, strong neuter. foundation.
void, empty
111 Swa cwæð snottor on mode, gesæt him
Ends double voice!
sundor æt rune.
mystery, council, meditation
112 Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ, ne
torn, strong neuter. anger; grief; suffering.
sceal næfre his torn to rycene beorn of his
rycene, adverb. quickly; hastily.
breostum acyþan, nemþe he ær þa bote
cunne, eorl mid elne gefremman.
ellen strength courage
114 Wel bið þam þe him are seceð, frofre to
ár favour mercy
fæder on heofonum, þær us eal seo fæstnung frófor consolation
stondeð.
fæstnung security