Note 3
Some read ‘fec-word’ (2247), and render: Banning words uttered.
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Notes to Beowulf — Page 5
132 notes in J. Lesslie (John Lesslie) Hall translation. Follow a thought back to its place in the book.
132 notes
Note 4
An earlier reading of H.’s gave the following meaning to this passage: He is said to inhabit a mound under the earth, where he, etc. The translation in the text is more authentic.
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The repetition of ‘hord’ in this passage has led some scholars to suggest new readings to avoid the second ‘hord.’ This, however, is not under the main stress, and, it seems to me,…
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The reading of H.-So. is well defended in the notes to that volume. B. emends and renders: Nor was there any man in that desert who rejoiced in conflict, in battle-work. That is, t…
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‘Sinc-fæt’ (2301): this word both here and in v. 2232, t.B. renders ‘treasure.’
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‘Hám’ (2326), the suggestion of B. is accepted by t.B. and other scholars.
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For ‘láðan cynnes’ (2355), t.B. suggests ‘láðan cynne,’ apposition to ‘mægum.’ From syntactical and other considerations, this is a most excellent emendation.
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Gr. read ‘on feorme’ (2386), rendering: He there at the banquet a fatal wound received by blows of the sword.
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‘ Gomelum ceorle ’ (2445).—H. takes these words as referring to Hrethel; but the translator here departs from his editor by understanding the poet to refer to a hypothetical old m…
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The clause 2520(2)-2522(1), rendered by ‘Wist I … monster,’ Gr., followed by S., translates substantially as follows: If I knew how else I might combat the boastful defiance of the…
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B. emends and translates: I will not flee the space of a foot from the guard of the barrow, but there shall be to us a fight at the wall, as fate decrees, each one’s Creator.
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The translation of this passage is based on ‘unsláw’ (2565), accepted by H.-So., in lieu of the long-standing ‘ungléaw.’ The former is taken as an adj. limiting ‘sweord’; the latte…
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The passage ‘Brand … burnie,’ is much disputed. In the first place, some eminent critics assume a gap of at least two half-verses.—‘Úrum’ (2660), being a peculiar form, has been mu…
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B. would render: Which, as I heard, excelled in stroke every sword that he carried to the strife, even the strongest (sword). For ‘Þonne’ he reads ‘Þone,’ rel. pr.
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B. renders: He (W.) did not regard his (the dragon’s) head (since Beowulf had struck it without effect), but struck the dragon a little lower down.—One crux is to find out whose he…
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‘Þæt þæt fýr’ (2702), S. emends to ‘þá þæt fýr’ = when the fire began to grow less intense afterward. This emendation relieves the passage of a plethora of conjunctive þæt’s.
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For ‘gefyldan’ (2707), S. proposes ‘gefylde.’ The passage would read: He felled the foe (life drove out strength), and they then both had destroyed him, chieftains related. This gi…
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The word ‘oferhígian’ (2767) being vague and little understood, two quite distinct translations of this passage have arisen. One takes ‘oferhígian’ as meaning ‘to exceed,’ and, ins…
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The passage beginning here is very much disputed. ‘The bill of the old lord’ is by some regarded as Beowulf’s sword; by others, as that of the ancient possessor of the hoard. ‘Ær g…
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For ‘dædum rædan’ (2859) B. suggests ‘déað árædan,’ and renders: The might (or judgment) of God would determine death for every man, as he still does.
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Some critics, H. himself in earlier editions, put the clause, ‘When … him’ (A.-S. ‘þá … beget’) with the following sentence; that is, they make it dependent upon ‘þorfte’ (2875) in…
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‘Hige-méðum’ (2910) is glossed by H. as dat. plu. (= for the dead). S. proposes ‘hige-méðe,’ nom. sing. limiting Wigláf; i.e. W., mood-weary, holds head-watch o’er friend and foe.—…
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For ‘góda,’ which seems a surprising epithet for a Geat to apply to the “terrible” Ongentheow, B. suggests ‘gomela.’ The passage would then stand: ‘The old one went then,’ etc.
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For ‘segn Higeláce,’ K., Th., and B. propose ‘segn Higeláces,’ meaning: Higelac’s banner followed the Swedes (in pursuit).—S. suggests ‘sæcc Higeláces,’ and renders: Higelac’s purs…
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