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Page 26
[1] Lit., 'became slippery,' Gn.; 'babbled' (as a brook), or
'became dark,' Kr.; 'streamed,' Th.
[2] 'Scattered,' Th.
[3] Lit., 'put to sleep.'
[4] Or, 'He pressed ship on the sea', 'drove,' Th.
[5] Gn. and W. take _Dyng_ as a proper name, but no one knows
who Dyng was. Kr. leaves _on dynges mere_ untranslated,
with the remark: "_ist unaufgekl�rt._" He thinks it refers
to some bay in Ireland, from which the invaders set out, but
why may it not be a name for the Irish Sea itself? Th.
translates 'on the roaring sea,' but adds 'quite
conjectural.'
BYRHTNOTH,
OR
THE FIGHT AT MALDON.
* * * * * * was broken.
Then bade he each youth his horse to forsake,
To hasten afar and forwards to go,
Be mindful of might, of mood courageous.
This Offa's kinsman at once perceived 5
That the earl was unwilling faint heart to endure.
Then he let from his hands his lief[1] hawk fly,
His hawk to the holt, and to battle he stepped;
By th�t might one know that the knight was unwilling
To be weak in the war when to weapons he took. 10
By him too would Eadric, by his overlord, stand,
His chief in the fight; then forth gan he bear
His spear to the battle: brave spirit had he
The while that with hands he was able to hold
Shield and broad sword; his boast he fulfilled,[2] 15
When h� 'fore his lord was bound to fight.
There Byrhtnoth gan then his warriors embolden,
Rode and gave rede, instructed his men
H�w they should stand, and the stead sustain,
And bade that rimmed shields they rightly should hold 20
Fast with their fists, and frightened be never.
When h� had the folk fairly emboldened,
With his men he alighted where was liefest to him,
Wh�re his hearth-followers most faithful he knew.
Then stood on the stathe,[3] stoutly did call 25
The wikings' herald, with words he spake,
Who boastfully bore fr�m the brine-farers
An errand to th' earl, where he stood on the shore:
"To thee me did send the seamen snell,[4]
Bade to thee say, thou must send to them quickly 30
Bracelets for safety; and 'tis better for you
That _ye_ this spear-rush with tribute buy off
Than _we_ in so fierce a fight engage.
We need not each spill,[5] if ye speed to this:
We will for the pay a peace confirm. 35
If thou that redest who art highest in rank,
If thou thy lieges art willing to loose,
To pay to the seamen at their own pleasure
Money for peace, and take peace from us,
We will with the treasure betake us to ship, 40
Fare on the flood, and peace with you confirm."
Byrhtnoth replied, his buckler uplifted,
Waved his slim spear, with words he spake,
Angry and firm gave answer to him:
"Hear'st thou, seafarer, what saith this folk? 45
They will for tribute spear-shafts you pay,
Poisonous points and trusty[6] swords,
Those weapons that you in battle avail not.
Herald of seamen, hark[7] back again,
Say to thy people much sadder words, 50
Here stands not unknown an earl with his band,
Wh� will defend this father-land,
�thelred's home, mine own liege lord's,
His folk and field: ye're fated to fall,
Ye heathen, in battle. Too base it me seems 55
That ye with our scats[8] to ship may go
Unfought against, so far ye now hither
Int� our country have come within;
Ye shall not so gently treasure obtain;
Shall spear and sword sooner beseem us, 60
Grim battle-play, ere tribute we give."
Then bade he shield bear, warriors advance,
So that on the burn-stathe[9] they all were standing.
Might not th�re for the water one war-band to th' other,
When flowing flood came after the ebb, 65
Sea-streams interlocked; too long seemed it them
Till they together their spears should bear.
Then Panta's stream with pomp[10] [?] they beset,
East-Saxons' chief and the host from the ships:
No one of them might do harm to the other, 70
But he who by dart's flight his death should receive.
The flood ebbed forth; the fleetmen stood ready,
Many of wikings, eager for war.
Bade heroes' buckler[11] then hold the bridge
A war-hardened warrior, who Wulfstan was named, 75
Bold 'mid his kin (he was Ceola's son),
Who the first man with his dart shot down
That there most boldly stepped on the bridge.
There stood with Wulfstan warriors fearless,
�lfhere and Maccus, courageous the twain; 80
At the ford they would n�t seek safety in flight,
But firm 'gainst the foes themselves they defended,
The while that they weapons were able to wield.
When they that perceived and earnestly saw
That there bridge-fenders [so] fierce they found, 85
Began to lie these loathly guests:
Begged that out-going they might obtain,
Fare o'er the ford, their footmen lead.
Then gan the earl on account of his pride
Leave too much land to the loathly people. 90
Began then to call o'er the water cold
The son[12] of Byrhthelm (the warriors listened):
"Now room is allowed you, come quickly to us,
Warriors to war; wot God alone
Who th�s battle-field may be able to keep." 95
Waded the war-wolves, for water they recked not,
The wikings' band, west over Panta,
O'er the clear water carried their shields,
Boatmen to bank their bucklers bore.
There facing their foes ready were standing 100
Byrhtnoth with warriors: with shields he bade
The war-hedge[13] work, and the war-band hold
Fast 'gainst the foes. Then fight was nigh,
Glory in battle; the time was come
That fated men should there [now] fall. 105
Then out-cry was raised, the ravens circled,
Eagle eager for prey; on earth was uproar.
Then they let from their fists the file-hardened spears,
The darts well-ground, [fiercely][14] fly forth:
The bows were busy, board point received, 110
Bitter the battle-rush, warriors fell down,
On either hands the youths lay dead.
Wounded was Wulfm�r, death-rest he chose,
Byrhtnoth's kinsman, with bills[15] was h�,
His sister's son, mightily hewn. 115
There was to the wikings recompense given;
Heard I that Edward one of them slew
Strongly with sword, stroke he withheld not,
That fell at his feet the fated warrior;
For that did his prince give thanks to him, 120
To his bower-thane,[16] when he had opportunity.
So firmly stood the fierce-in-mind,
The youths in fight, eagerly thought
Who there with his spear might soonest be able
From a fated man the life to win, 125
A warrior with weapons: the dead to earth fell.
Steadfast they stood; strengthened them Byrhtnoth,
Bade that each youth of battle should think
He wh� on the Danes glory would gain.
Went then a war-brave, his weapon uplifted, 130
His shield for defence, and strode towards the chief;
So earnest he went, the earl to the churl:
Each for the other of evil was thinking.
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