Crown-banded sheaf of barleyHwítmerscWhitemarsh Cynn

Poetry of the Hwítmerscingas

The Lay of Béowa

Brick-red engraving of Béowa with a carved mask-like face and a crown of barley. Two men pull his binding ropes while a third raises a wooden staff.
They bound Béowa with bonds and ropes.

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Old EnglishEnglish translation
Westan cōmon · weras tō lande;From the west came men to the land;
þrȳ geþōhton · þēoden1 cwellan.three intended to kill the prince1.
Swōron hīe āþas · sār him gehēton:They swore oaths; they promised him pain:
“Bēowa2 sceal sweltan · beorn on þisse eorðan.”“Béowa2 must die, the man upon this earth.”
Sūlum hīe eredon · sǣd hīe wurpon;With ploughs they tilled; they cast the seed;
Bēowan beþeahton · brūnre foldan.they covered Béowa with brown turf.
Sweord hine ne slōg þā · sār hē geþolode;No sword struck him; he suffered pain;
handum hine þrycton · hearde on eorðan.with their hands they pressed him hard into the soil.
Hē lange lǣg · līfe berēafod;Long he lay, bereft of life;
foldan on fæðme · fæste hē wunode.in earth’s embrace he remained unmoving.
Wintres scūras · wǣtton þā moldan;Winter’s showers wetted the soil;
hrīmas formulton · hrūse wearð grēne.frosts melted away; the earth grew green.
Bēowa āwōc þā · breac eft þæs līfes;Béowa awoke; he enjoyed life again;
grēne of grunde · grēow þā tō heofonum.green from the ground he grew toward heaven.
Stelan āstōdon · steorrum gelīce;Stalks rose, like stars;
lēafum hē scān þā · lēodum tō frōfre.he shone with leaves, a comfort to the people.
Sumeres on tīde · sunne hine grētte;In summer’s season the sun greeted him;
him beard gewēox · brēostum gehende.his beard grew close to his breast.
Hēah hē gewēox þā · hlāford on lande;He grew tall, a lord in the land;
his wæstm wæs full · feoll his hēafod.his growth was full; his head sank.
Secgas hine sōhton · sicolas hīe bǣron;Men sought him; they carried sickles;
cnēowum nēah þā · cnyssan ongunnon.close to his knees they began to strike.
Feoll þā on foldan · fæger se þēoden;The fair prince fell to the ground;
Bēowan hīe bundon · bendum ond rāpum.they bound Béowa with bonds and ropes.
Forcum hine stungon · feorh hīe ne sparodon;They pierced him with forks; they did not spare his life;
blōd him of brēostum · bræc on þā eorðan.blood from his breast burst onto the earth.
Bǣron hine beornas · bundenne tō hāme,Men carried him, bound, to the homestead,
tō þǣm hēan hūse · hēoldon hine fæste.to the high house; they held him fast.
Swōron hīe swīðe · sweltan hē sceolde;They swore mightily that he must die;
Bēowan bān hīe · brecan þā woldon.they wished to break Béowa’s bones.
Stengum hīe bēoton · stīðne hlāford;With poles they beat the steadfast lord;
hȳde3 of him flōgon · hearde gebundnum.they flayed the skin3 from him, tightly bound.
Wætre hine þeahton · wīte hē þolode;They covered him with water; he suffered torment;
grēow hē on flōre4 · grēne tō līfe.on the floor4 he grew, green into life.
Fȳre hine drȳgdon · fǣge hē þūhte;They dried him with fire; he seemed doomed;
ofnes on hǣte · ealdor5 gehēold hē.in the oven’s heat he kept his life5.
Mylne hine bræc þā · mōdig se wyrhta;The bold craftsman broke him with the mill;
grindan hē wolde · grimme tō duste.he would grind him fiercely to dust.
Bēowan on bydene · beornas gemengdon;Men mixed Béowa in the vat;
ealu6 þā weoll þǣr · eorlum tō blisse.ale6 bubbled there, for the joy of men.
Hunta þurh Bēowan · hornas geblēow þā;Through Béowa the huntsman blew his horns;
foxum on fenne · fylgde se beorn.the man followed foxes in the fen.
Smið þurh þone drync þā · swengas gefremede;Through the drink the smith dealt blows;
cēacas ond cytlas · cræftum gebētte.he mended pots and kettles with skill.
Dēaðas hē þolode · dōm7 hē geworhte,He endured death upon death; he won glory7
Bēowa þurh bēor þā · beornum tō frōfre.through beer—Béowa, a comfort to men.
Lof him fylgde · lēodum on gemynde;Praise followed him in the people’s memory;
Bēowa wunige · blīðe mid folce.may Béowa abide, joyful among the folk.

Words & meanings

Notes

  1. Þēoden. A ruler or prince. Along with hlāford, “lord,” the word gives the barley the language of heroic kingship. ↩ Old English↩ Translation

  2. Béowa. Barley personified in the poem. The spelling Bēowa marks the long vowel with a macron; Bēowan is an inflected form of the name. ↩ Old English↩ Translation

  3. Hȳde. “Skin.” The grain’s outer covering becomes part of the poem’s bodily imagery. ↩ Old English↩ Translation

  4. On the floor. The barley sprouts during malting: after soaking, the grain is spread on a floor to germinate, then dried before milling. ↩ Old English↩ Translation

  5. Ealdor. Here, “life” or “lifespan.” ↩ Old English↩ Translation

  6. Ealu. “Ale.” Later in the poem, bēor is translated “beer.” ↩ Old English↩ Translation

  7. Dōm. Here, “glory,” “honour,” or lasting reputation. ↩ Old English↩ Translation