Widsith - Wikipedia Widsith From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Literary work "Widsith" (Old English: Widsið), also known as The Traveller's Song,[1] is an Old English poem of 143 lines. The poem survives only in the Exeter Book, a manuscript of Old English poetry compiled in the late 10th century containing approximately one-sixth of all surviving Old English poetry. Widsith is located between the poems Vainglory and The Fortunes of Men. Since the donation of the Exeter Book in 1076, it has been housed in Exeter Cathedral in southwestern England. The poem is for the most part a survey of the people, kings, and heroes of Europe in the Heroic Age of Northern Europe. Contents 1 Date of original composition 2 Contents 3 Tribes of Widsith 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links Date of original composition[edit] There is some controversy as to when Widsith was first composed. Some historians, such as John Niles, argue that the work was invented after King Alfred's rule to present "a common glorious past", while others such as Kemp Malone have argued that the piece is an authentic transcription of old heroic songs.[2]:181 Among the works appearing in the Exeter Book, there are none quite like Widsith,[2]:182 which may be by far the oldest extant work that gives a historical account of the Battle of the Goths and the Huns, recounted as legends in later Scandinavian works such as the Hervarar saga.[2]:179 Archaeologist Lotte Hedeager argues that Widsith goes back to Migration Age history--at least part of it was composed in the 6th century, and that the author demonstrates familiarity with regions outside of Britain, including Denmark and the Baltic coast.[2]:184–186 Hedeager is here in agreement with R.H. Hodgkin[3] and Leonard Neidorf, who argues that "when situated within the history of Anglo-Saxon culture and identity, Widsith clearly belongs to a time prior to the formation of a collective Anglo-Saxon identity, when distinct continental origins were remembered and maintained by the Germanic migrants in the British Isles [...] Widsith is a very old poem."[4] Contents[edit] Excluding the introduction of the scop Widsith, the closing, and brief comments regarded by some scholars as interpolations, the poem is divided into three 'catalogues', so-called thulas. The first thula runs through a list of the various kings of renown, both contemporary and ancient ("Caesar ruled the Greeks"), the model being '(name of a king) ruled (name of a tribe)'. The second thula contains the names of the peoples the narrator visited, the model being 'With the (name of a tribe) I was, and with the (name of another tribe).' In the third and final thula, the narrator lists the heroes of myth and legend that he has visited, with the model '(Hero's name) I sought and (hero's name) and (hero's name).' The poem refers to a group of people called the Wicinga cynn, which may be the earliest mention of the word "Viking" (lines 47, 59, 80). It closes with a brief comment on the importance and fame offered by poets like Widsith, with many pointed reminders of the munificent generosity offered to tale-singers by patrons "discerning of songs." Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar heoldon lengest sibbe ætsomne suhtorfædran, siþþan hy forwræcon Wicinga cynn ond Ingeldes ord forbigdan, forheowan aet Heorote Heaðobeardna þrym. Hroðulf and Hroðgar held the longest peace together, uncle and nephew, since they repulsed the Viking-kin and Ingeld to the spear-point made bow, hewn at Heorot Heaðobards' army. —lines 45–59 The widely travelled poet Widsith (his name simply means "far journey") claims himself to be of the house of the Myrgings, who had first set out in the retinue of "Ealhild, the beloved weaver of peace, from the east out of Angeln to the home of the king of the glorious Goths, Eormanric, the cruel troth-breaker." The Ostrogoth[dubious – discuss] Eormanric was defeated by the Huns in the 5th century. It is moot whether Widsith literally intends himself, or poetically means his lineage, either as a Myrging or as a poet, as when "the fictive speaker Deor uses the rhetoric of first-person address to insert himself into the same legendary world that he evokes in the earlier parts of the poem through his allusions to Weland the smith, Theodoric the Goth, Eormanric the Goth, and other legendary figures of the Germanic past." [5] Historically, we know that one speaker could not travel to see all of these nations in one lifetime. In a similar vein, "I was with the Lidwicingas, the Leonas and the Langobards," Widsith boasts, with heathens and heroes and with the Hundingas. I was with the Israelites and with the Assyrians, with the Hebrews and the Indians and with the Egyptians... The forests of the Vistula[6] in the ancient writing tradition (Widsith, v. 121) are the homeland of the Goths, the material remains of which are generally associated with the Wielbark Culture.[7] Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere; ful oft þær wig ne alæg, þonne Hræda here heardum sweordum, ymb Wistlawudu wergan sceoldon ealdne eþelstol Ætlan leodum. I sought Wulfhere and Wyrmhere; there battle did not abate when the Gothic army with their sharp swords, in the Vistula woods had to defend their ancient seat against Attila's host. —lines 121– The poem that is now similarly titled Deor, also from the Exeter Book, draws on similar material. Tribes of Widsith[edit] The list of kings of tribes is sorted according to "fame and importance", according to Hedeager, with Attila of the Huns coming first, followed immediately by Eormanric of the Ostrogoths; by contrast, the Byzantine emperor is number five.[2]:187 Widsið maðelode,      wordhord onleac, se þe monna mæst      mægþa ofer eorþan, folca geondferde;      oft he on flette geþah mynelicne maþþum.      Him from Myrgingum Widsith spake,      he unlocked his treasure of words. He who among men      had travelled most in the world, through peoples and nations;      he had often in the hall earned valuable treasures.      He was one of the Myrgings 5. æþele onwocon.      He mid Ealhhilde, fælre freoþuwebban,      forman siþe Hreðcyninges      ham gesohte eastan of Ongle,      Eormanrices, wraþes wærlogan.      Ongon þa worn sprecan: of noble blood.      He together with Ealhhilde, the friendly weaver of peace      went for the home of the king of the Goths (Hreiðgoths)      he was searching east of the Angles,      Ermanaric, wrathful against traitors.      He began to speak: ... 15 ond Alexandreas      ealra ricost monna cynnes,      ond he mæst geþah þara þe ic ofer foldan      gefrægen hæbbe. ætla weold Hunum,      Eormanric Gotum, Becca Baningum,      Burgendum Gifica. and Alexander's      whole kingdom together with the men of his clan      and he prospered most of which I all over the world      have heard the reports. Attila ruled the Huns,      Ermanaric ruled the Goths, Becca the Banings,      Gebicca the Burgundians, 20 Casere weold Creacum      ond Cælic Finnum, Hagena Holmrygum      ond Heoden Glommum. Witta weold Swæfum,      Wada Hælsingum, Meaca Myrgingum,      Mearchealf Hundingum. þeodric weold Froncum,      þyle Rondingum, Caesar ruled the Greeks      and Caelic the Finns, Hagena the Rugians      and Heoden the Gloms. Witta ruled the Suebi,      Wada the Hälsings, Meaca the Myrgings,      Mearchealf the Hundings. Theuderic ruled the Franks,      Thyle the Rondings, 25 Breoca Brondingum,      Billing Wernum. Oswine weold Eowum      ond Ytum Gefwulf, Fin Folcwalding      Fresna cynne. Sigehere lengest      Sædenum weold, Hnæf Hocingum,      Helm Wulfingum, Breoc the Brondings,      Billing the Varni. Oswin ruled the Aviones      and Gefwulf the Jutes, Finn Folcwalding      the Frisian clan. Sigar longest      ruled the sea-Danes, Hnæf the Hocings,      Helm the Wulfings, 30 Wald Woingum,      Wod þyringum, Sæferð Sycgum,      Sweom Ongendþeow, Sceafthere Ymbrum,      Sceafa Longbeardum, Hun Hætwerum      ond Holen Wrosnum. Hringweald wæs haten      Herefarena cyning. Wald the Woings,      Wod the Thuringians, Saeferth the Sycgs,      Ongenþeow the Swedes, Sceafthere the Ymbers,      Sceafa the Lombards, Hun the Chattuarii      and Holen the Wrosns. Hringweald was called      the king of the war-chiefs. 35 Offa weold Ongle,      Alewih Denum; se wæs þara manna      modgast ealra, no hwæþre he ofer Offan      eorlscype fremede, ac Offa geslog      ærest monna, cnihtwesende,      cynerica mæst. Offa ruled the Angles,      Alewih the Danes; he was among all men;      the bravest, but was not braver than Offa,      because the noble Offa conquered,      before he was a man, in battle      most of his kingdom 40 Nænig efeneald him      eorlscipe maran on orette.      Ane sweorde merce gemærde      wið Myrgingum bi Fifeldore;      heoldon forð siþþan Engle ond Swæfe,      swa hit Offa geslog. None of his age      showed earlship more. With single sword      he spread his borders. Against the Myrgings      marked the bound by Fiveldor.      Henceforth 'twas held by Sueve and Angle      as Offa won it. 45 Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar      heoldon lengest sibbe ætsomne      suhtorfædran, siþþan hy forwræcon      Wicinga cynn ond Ingeldes      ord forbigdan, forheowan æt Heorote      Heaðobeardna þrym. Hrolf Kraki and Hrothgar      held longest the peace,      uncle and nephew, after having repulsed      the Vikings and Ingeld      bowed down at spear-point, he was cut to pieces at Heorot      with the army of the Heathobards. ... 55 mænan fore mengo      in meoduhealle hu me cynegode      cystum dohten. Ic wæs mid Hunum      ond mid Hreðgotum, mid Sweom ond mid Geatum      ond mid Suþdenum. Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum      ond mid wicingum. to this noble company      in the mead hall, how my worthy patrons      rewarded me. I was with Huns      and with Goths, and with Swedes and with Geats      and with south-Danes. With Vandals I was and with Varni      and with Vikings. 60 Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum      ond mid Gefflegum. Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum      ond mid ænenum. Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum      ond mid Sweordwerum. Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum      ond mid Heaþoreamum. Mid þyringum ic wæs      ond mid þrowendum, With the Gepids I was and with Wends      and with Gevlegs. With the Angles I was and with Suebi      and with Aenenes. With the Saxons I was and with Sycgs      and with swordsmen (Suarines?). With the Hrons I was and with Deans      and with Heatho-Reams. With the Thuringians I was      and with the Throwens, 65 ond mid Burgendum,      þær ic beag geþah; me þær Guðhere forgeaf      glædlicne maþþum songes to leane.      Næs þæt sæne cyning! Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum      ond mid Frumtingum. Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum      ond mid Rumwalum. and with Burgundians,      there they gave me a ring: there Guthere gave me      a shining treasure, as a reward for my songs.      He was not a bad king! With the Franks I was and with Frisians      and with Frumtings. With the Rugians I was and with Gloms      and with Romans. 70 Swylce ic wæs on Eatule      mid ælfwine, se hæfde moncynnes,      mine gefræge, leohteste hond      lofes to wyrcenne, heortan unhneaweste      hringa gedales, beorhtra beaga,      bearn Eadwines. I was in Italy      with Alboin too: of all men he had,      as I have heard, the readiest hand      to do brave deeds, the most generous heart      in giving out rings and shining torcs,      Audoin's son. 75 Mid Sercingum ic wæs      ond mid Seringum; mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnum      ond mid Casere, se þe winburga      geweald ahte, wiolena ond wilna,      ond Wala rices. Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum      ond mid Scridefinnum; With the Saracens I was      and with Seres. With the Greeks I was and with the Finns      and with Caesar, he who a grand city      possessed, treasures and female slaves,      and the Roman Empire. With the Scots I was and with Picts      and with Saamis. 80 mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum      ond mid Longbeardum, mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum      ond mid Hundingum. Mid Israhelum ic wæs      ond mid Exsyringum, mid Ebreum ond mid Indeum      ond mid Egyptum. Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum      ond mid Myrgingum, With the Lidvikings I was and with Leons      and with Lombards, with heathens and with heroes      and with Hundings. With the Israelites I was      and with Assyrians, with Hebrews and with Indians      and with Egyptians. With the Medes I was and with Persians      and with Myrgings 85 ond Mofdingum      ond ongend Myrgingum, ond mid Amothingum.      Mid Eastþyringum ic wæs ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum      ond Idumingum. Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice      ealle þrage, þær me Gotena cyning      gode dohte; and with Mofdings      against the Myrgings, and with Amothings.      With the East-Thuringians I was and with Eols and with Ists      and Idumings. And I was with Ermanaric      during some time, there the Goth king to me      did his best to do good; See also[edit] List of Germanic tribes Notes[edit] ^ Anscombe, Alfred (1915), "The Historical Side of the Old English Poem of 'Widsith'", Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 9: 123–165, doi:10.2307/3678298, JSTOR 3678298 ^ a b c d e Lotte, Hedeager (2011). "Knowledge production reconsidered". Iron Age myth and materiality : an archaeology of Scandinavia, AD 400-1000. Abingdon, Oxfordshire; New York, NY: Routledge. pp. 177–190. ISBN 9780415606042. OCLC 666403125. ^ see R.H. Hodgkin, A History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol. I, 3rd ed. (Oxford University Pr., 1952), page 29 ^ Leonard Neidorf, "The Dating of Widsith and the Study of Germanic Antiquity," Neophilologus (January 2013) ^ Niles, John D. (2003). "The Myth of the Anglo-Saxon Oral Poet". Western Folklore. 62 (1/2): 7–61. JSTOR 1500445. ^ Viscla, 7 BC by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa on Porticus Vipsania ^ "Die Wilkinensage: Schlüssel zur unbekannten Frühgeschichte der Niederlande und Belgiens." Thidrekssaga-Forum E.V. 2006. p. 129 References[edit] Anglo-Saxon poetry: an anthology of Old English poems tr. S. A. J. Bradley. London: Dent, 1982 (translation into English prose). Chambers, R. W. (Ed.). Widsith: A study in Old English heroic legend. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1912. Malone, Kemp (Ed.). Widsith. Rosenkilde and Bagger: Copenhagen, 1962. Neidorf, Leonard. "The Dating of Widsith and the Study of Germanic Antiquity." Neophilologus 97 (2013): pp. 165–83. Pascual, Rafael (April 2016). "Old English Metrical History and the Composition of Widsið". Neophilologus. 100 (2): 289–302. doi:10.1007/s11061-015-9460-6. S2CID 161170093. Weiskott, Eric. "The Meter of Widsith and the Distant Past." Neophilologus. External links[edit] Wikiquote has quotations related to: Widsith Wikisource has original text related to this article: Widsith Old English text, digitised from George Philip Krapp and Elliott Van Kirk Dobbie (eds), The Exeter Book, The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, 3 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1936) The original text of the verse with a translation. A Verse Translation by Douglas B. Killings A translation by Bella Millett Norton Anthology of English Literature on-line: "The linguistic and literary contexts of Beowulf" Niles, John D. (1999). "Widsith and the Anthropology of the Past". Philological Quarterly. 78. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Niles, John D. (2003). "The Myth of the Anglo-Saxon Oral Poet". Western Folklore. 62 (1/2): 7–61. JSTOR 1500445. v t e Old English poetry Poems Nowell Codex Beowulf Judith Junius MS Genesis A, B Exodus Daniel Christ and Satan Vercelli Book Andreas "The Fates of the Apostles" "Soul and Body I" Dream of the Rood Elene "Homiletic Fragment I" Exeter Book "Christ I" "Christ II" "Christ III" "Guthlac A, B" "Azarias" "The Phoenix" "Juliana" "The Wanderer" "The Gifts of Men" "Precepts" "The Seafarer" "Vainglory" "Widsith" "The Fortunes of Men" "Maxims I" "The Order of the World" "The Rhyming Poem" "The Panther" "The Whale" "The Partridge" "Soul and Body II" "Deor" "Wulf and Eadwacer" Riddles 1–59 "The Wife's Lament" "The Judgment Day I" "Resignation" "The Descent into Hell" "Alms-Giving" "Pharaoh" "The Lord's Prayer I" "Homiletic Fragment II" Riddle 30b Riddle 60 "The Husband's Message" "The Ruin" Riddles 61–95 Metrical charms "Æcerbot" "Against a Dwarf" "Against a Wen" "A Journey Charm" "For a Swarm of Bees" "For Loss or Theft of Cattle" "For Delayed Birth" "For Water-Elf Disease" "Nine Herbs Charm" "Wið færstice" Chronicle poems "Battle of Brunanburh" "Capture of the Five Boroughs" "The Coronation of Edgar" "The Death of King Edgar" "The Death of Alfred" "The Death of Edward" "The Rime of King William" Other poems "Metres of Boethius" "Paris Psalter" (BNF MS 8824) "Finnsburh Fragment" "Waldere A, B" "The Battle of Maldon" "Durham" "Rune poem" Solomon and Saturn "The Menologium" "Maxims II" "Proverb from Winfrid's time" "Judgment Day II" "An Exhortation to Christian Living" "A Summons to Prayer" "The Lord's Prayer II" "The Gloria I" "The Lord's Prayer III" "The Creed" "Old English Psalms" (fragments) "The Kentish Hymn" "Psalm 50" "The Gloria II" "A Prayer" "Thureth" "Aldhelm" "The Seasons for Fasting" Cædmon's "Hymn" "Bede's Death Song" "Leiden Riddle" "Latin-English Proverbs" Metrical Preface and Epilogue to Alfred's Hierdeboc Metrical Preface to Wærferth's translation of the Dialogues Metrical Epilogue to CCCC MS 41 Brussels Cross Ruthwell Cross Poets Aldhelm Cædmon Cynewulf Other Alliterative verse Beasts of battle Kennings On Translating Beowulf Scop v t e Anglo-Saxon paganism and mythology Gods and divine figures Æsir Beowa Ēostre Frige Gefjon Hretha Ing Saxnot Þunor Tiw Wade Wayland the Smith Wōden Heroic figures Ægil Beowa Eormenric Finn Hengist and Horsa Sceafa Waldere Other beings Cofgod Elf Ides Dwarf (Dweorh) Eoten/Thurs Mare Neck Wælcyrge Wight Locations Middangeard Neorxnawang Sources Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Æcerbot Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem Beowulf De temporum ratione Deor Ealuscerwen Finnesburg Fragment Franks Casket Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum Nine Herbs Charm Old English language Spong Hill Sutton Hoo Widsith Wið færstice Society and culture Bēot Blōtan Burial Early Germanic calendars Folkmoot Frith Germanic paganism Hearg Law Maypole Moot hill Runes Scop Symbel Thegn Thing Thyle Weregild Wicce Wilweorthunga Wyrd Yule Neopagan revival Fyrnsidu Seax-Wica Theodism Category Authority control GND: 4189821-7 VIAF: 173850908 WorldCat Identities (via VIAF): 173850908 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Widsith&oldid=992439386" Categories: Old English poems English heroic legends Hidden categories: Articles containing Old English (ca. 450-1100)-language text Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from September 2016 Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikisource Languages Ænglisc Català Dansk Deutsch Español Français Frysk Ido Italiano Nederlands Norsk bokmål Polski Русский Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 5 December 2020, at 07:55 (UTC). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers Contact Wikipedia Mobile view Developers Statistics Cookie statement