"It wasn't the reward that mattered or the recognition you might harvest. It was your depth of commitment, your quality of service, the product of your devotion -- these were the things that counted in a life. When you gave purely, the honor came in the giving, and that was honor enough."
                -- Scott O'Grady

Author Topic: Beowulf  (Read 5934 times)

Sir Patrick

  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,647
  • Nex pro inhonesto, Deus pro totus.
    • The Order of the Marshal
Beowulf
« on: 2010-11-29, 05:04:07 »
I just finished reading the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf, and was blown away.  This version is great because the introduction gives some good insight into the mindset of the Geats of this period as well as their customs and history, which makes the story more accessable, and it explains why the narrative seems to go off on a tangent every now and then, which is a big help.  This version is bilingual with the original Anglo-Saxon on the left hand pages, and modern English on the right, plus there are notes in the magins that give a quick blow-by-blow of the action.  A waaay better read than the version I plodded through a million years ago in high school ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Beowulf-New-Verse-Translation-Bilingual/dp/0393320979/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291006987&sr=1-1
Gules, a chevron argent between three cinquefoils ermine.
"Better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand as a lamb."
Knight, Order of the Marshal

Das Bill

  • Global Moderator
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ******
  • Posts: 624
Re: Beowulf
« Reply #1 on: 2010-11-29, 17:37:56 »
Yes, the Heaney translation is excellent!
"A despondent heart will always be defeated, regardless of skill." -Master Sigmund Ringeck

Sir Wolf

  • He Who is Not to be Named
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,389
  • i have too many hats
    • man e faces
Re: Beowulf
« Reply #2 on: 2010-11-29, 22:29:20 »
i dont think i have that one. i have 2 other versions. hmmmm maybe i need to pick up a third? hehehe

Sir William

  • Cogito ergo sum
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,154
Re: Beowulf
« Reply #3 on: 2010-11-30, 15:13:24 »
I think I need to pick this up...thanks for sharing, Red Knight!
The Black Knight, Order of the Marshal
'Per Pale Azure and Sable, a Chevron counterchanged fimbriated argent.' 
“Pride makes a man, it drives him, it is the shield wall around his reputation.  Men die, but reputation does not.â€

Sir Wolf

  • He Who is Not to be Named
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,389
  • i have too many hats
    • man e faces
Re: Beowulf
« Reply #4 on: 2010-11-30, 15:14:42 »
this peom has been one of my lifetime long favorites