Talk:Finnesburg Fragment
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One user had posted an edition and his own translation of the poem at Finnsburg Fragment Translation (which now redirects here), using the old notes by Klaeber. The problems should be obvious (WP:OR, WP:RS and all that), but for our administration, I'll archive it here anyway. Cavila (talk) 23:58, 17 March 2010 (UTC)
Um, the translation doesn't seem actually very controversial, rather good work for an amateur in fact, and perhaps we could include it here until a better one becomes available, see [[1]]? Richard Keatinge (talk) 13:34, 10 September 2010 (UTC)
- Well, I don't think that the guideline is designed for this purpose. Translation is tricky business when you're dealing with a dead language like Old English and a highly stylised form like an alliterative poem. It actually involves a good deal of original research, even in as straightforward a poem as this one (note also that there may differences between critical editions). However, I think a feasible and legitimate alternative would be to compare this to two or three modern translations. We don't have to follow them literally, but would need to explain things where modern translators disagree or have doubts. That should sort things out. Or perhaps the poem is sufficiently short that a translation may be cited in full without coming too close to copyright infringement. Cavila (talk) 18:32, 10 September 2010 (UTC)
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The Fight At Finnsburg or the Finnsburg Fragment Hléoþrode ðā heaþogeong cyning: ‘Nē ðis ne dagāð ēastan, né hér draca ne flēogeð, 5 ac hēr forþ berað; fugelas singað, (5a[3]) ac her forð berað [feorhgeniðlan fyrdsearu fuslic.] Fugelas singað, gylleð grǣghama, gūðwudu hlynneð, scyld scefte oncwyð. Nū scȳneð þes mōna waðol under wolcnum; nū ārīsað wēadǣda ðe ðisne folces nīð fremman willað. 10 Ac onwacnigeað nū, wīgend mīne, habbað ēowre linda, hicgeaþ on ellen, winnað on orde, wesað on mōde!’ Ðā ārās mænig goldhladen ðegn, gyred hine his swurde; ðā tō dura ēodon drihtlice cempan, 15 Sigeferð and Eaha, hyra sword getugon, and æt ōþrum durum Ordlāf and Gūþlāf and Hengest sylf, hwearf him on lāste. Ðā gȳt Gārulf[e] Gūðere stȳrde, ðæt hē swā freōlic feorh forman sīþe 20 tō ðǣre healle durum hyrsta ne bǣre, nū hyt nīþa heard ānyman wolde; ac hē frægn ofer eal undearninga dēormōd hæleþ, hwā ðā duru hēolde. ‘Sigeferþ is mīn nama,’ cweþ hē; ‘ic eom Secgena lēod, 25 wreccea wīde cūð; fæla ic wēana gebād, heordra hilda; ðē is gȳt hēr witod swæþer[4] ðū sylf tō mē sēcean wylle.’ Ðā wæs on healle wælslihta gehlyn, Sceolde celæas[5] bord cēnum on handa, 30 bānhelm berstan -- buruhðelu dynede – oð æt ðǣre gūðe Gārulf gecrang ealra ǣrest eorðbūendra, Gūðlāfes sunu, ymbe hyne gōdra fæla, hwearflatra hrǣw. Hræfen wandrode 35 sweart and sealobrūn. Swurdlēoma stōd, sywlce eal Finn[e]s Buruh fȳrenu wǣre. Ne gefrægn ic nǣfre wurþlicor æt wera hilde sixtig sigebeorna sēl gebǣran, nē nēfre swānas hwītne medo sēl forgyldan, 40 ðonne Hnæfe guldan his hægstealdas. Hig fuhton fifdagas, swā hyra nān ne fēol, drihtgesīða, ac hig ðā duru hēoldon. Ðā gewāt him wund hæleð on wæg gangan, Sǣde þæt his byrne ābrocen wǣre, 45 heresceorp unhrōr, and ēac wæs his helm ðȳr[e]l. Ðā hine sōna frægn folces hyrde hū ðā wīgend hyra wunda genǣson, oððe hwæþer[6] ðǣra hyssa * * * * * Prose Translation[7]
Then many retainers, adorned in gold, arose and each put on his sword. Then the noble champions Sigeferð and Eaha went to the door, with their swords drawn. Ordlāf and Gūþlaf were at the other doors and Hegest himself went in after them. Then Gūðere restrained Gārulf so that he, such a noble life, should not, at the first opportunity, go to the doors of the hall bearing weapons and armor. Gūðere wished to take Gārulf, who was brave of battle, away from the fight. However, the bold hero, Gārulf, openly asked everyone who would guard the door. “Sigeferð is my name,” he said, “I am of the Saxon people and am an adventurer who is well known far and wide. I have lived through many miseries and am brave of battle. Yet, you here are assured either death or victory whichever of the two you, yourself, desire to seek from me.” Then the din of slaughters was heard in the hall. He was obliged to ???[10] in his brave hand and to break a helmet – the floor of the stronghold resounded – until the first of all the men, Gārluf, son of Gūðlāf, fell there in battle. Around him were the bodies of many good stalwart men. A dusky and dark brown raven circled. Sword-light shone as if all of Finnsburg were on fire. Neither have I heard of sixty men better fare, most splendidly, at battle, nor have I ever heard of young men better repaid with shining mead that that which Hnæfe gave to his young men. They fought for five days and none of them fell and their comrades held the door. Then a wounded hero departed from them to go away. It is said that his shirt of mail was shattered, that his armor was made useless, and that his helmet was pierced through. Then the guardian of the nation, Finn, asked of him at once how then their wounded warriors bore or whether[11] of the young men * * * References[edit]
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