Gearwor: Blogging on Old English Literature

Johanna Drucker

2011-09-07T12:51:00.002-04:00

Humanist Computing at the End of the Individual Voice (TILTS 2011)

The Hidden Meaning of Pronouns

2011-08-16T18:22:00.001-04:00

Scientific American has a sensationally titled interview with psychologist James Pennebaker on language use.

The entire interview is worth reading, but the following bit should interest anyone with a bent toward computational analysis of language:

Historians and biographers should jump on this new technology. The recent release of the Google Books Project should be required reading for everyone in the humanities. For the first time in the history of the world, there are methods by which to analyze tremendously large and complex written works by authors from all over the world going back centuries. We can begin to see how thinking, emotional expression, and social relations evolve as a function of world-wide events. The possibilities are breathtaking.

In my own work, we have analyzed the collected works of poets, playwrights, and novelists going back to the 1500s to see how their writing changed as they got older. We’ve compared the pronoun use of suicidal versus non-suicidal poets. Basically, poets who eventually commit suicide use I-words more than non-suicidal poets.

The analysis of language style can also serve as a psychological window into authors and their relationships. We have analyzed the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning and compared it with the history of their marriage. Same thing with Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. Using a method we call Language Style Matching, we can isolate changes in the couples’ relationships.

h/t Kim Salazar

Three Questions to Ask about Hidden Markov Models

2011-08-05T08:18:00.002-04:00

Continuing through Chapter 9 of Foundations of Statistical Natural Language Processing (1999) by Christopher D. Manning and Hinrich Schütze.

Manning and Schütze describe three fundamental questions to ask about Hidden Markov Models (HMMs):

Given a certain HMM (knowing its state transition probabilities, symbol emission probabilities, and initial state probabilities), how do we efficiently compute how likely a certain observation is?
Given an observation sequence and a certain HMM, how do we choose a state sequence that best explains the observations?
Given an observation sequence and a space of possible HMMs found by varying the model parameters (e.g., state transition probabilities, symbol emission probabilities, and initial state probabilities), how do we find the HMM that best explains the observed data?

Future posts will address how to approach these questions.

* * * * *

In other news, I've intermittently been playing with Python and the Natural Language Processing Toolkit.

The Return of Pierre Menard

2011-07-11T09:05:00.005-04:00

In the guise of Sean "Puffy" Combs. This is a rather old item from my favorite news source, The Onion:

NEW YORK—Noted rapper/producer Sean "Puffy" Combs released his hotly anticipated new single Tuesday, "Tha Kidd (Is Not My Son)," which samples Michael Jackson's 1983 smash "Billie Jean" in its entirety and adds nothing. "When I was in the studio mixing and recording, I decided 'Tha Kidd' would work best if I kept all the music and vocals from the original version and then didn't rap over it," Combs said. "So what I did is put in a tape with 'Billie Jean' on it, and then I hit record. The thing turned out great." Combs' current number-one hit, "Eye Of The Tiger," is dedicated to slain rapper Notorious B.I.G.

Inspiration

2011-07-01T15:48:00.004-04:00

No kidding. Rajesh Rao's work on the Indus script is the direct inspiration for what I seek to do in my dissertation on Old English texts.

Python for Newbies

2011-06-06T21:44:00.002-04:00

The Python folks have a page with some excellent links for non-programmers. I've listed the ones that most interest me. Notice the links for children at the end:

How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - 2nd edition Allen Downey's open source textbook has a Python version, written with Jeff Elkner. It's also available in book form. It was updated and current version is 2nd edition.
The Programming Historian From the "About This Book" page: "This book is a tutorial-style introduction to programming for practicing historians. We assume that you're starting out with no prior programming experience and only a basic understanding of computers. More experience, of course, won't hurt. Once you know how to program, you will find it relatively easy to learn new programming languages and techniques, and to apply what you know in unfamiliar situations."
Learning to Program An introduction to programming for those who have never programmed before, by Alan Gauld. It introduces several programming languages but has a strong emphasis on Python.
A Byte of Python, by Swaroop C.H., is also an introductory text for people with no previous programming experience.
One Day of IDLE Toying A very gentle introduction to the IDLE development environment that comes with Python. This tutorial by Danny Yoo has been translated into nine different languages.
Free Python video lectures are also available as a course titled Intro to programming with Python and Tkinter, Unix users can view the video using mplayer once you have downloaded the files. Windows users will need to have a DivX player, available from http://www.divx.com/divx/windows/. (One user reports success viewing the videos on OS X 10.4 using the VLC player -- http://www.videolan.org/).
A Non-Programmer's Tutorial for Python 3 on Wikibooks.
Learning Python (for the complete nOOb) by Derrick Wolters. A beginner's tutorial to learn how to program in Python.
Beginning Python for Bioinformatics by Patrick O'Brien. An introduction to Python aimed at biologists that introduces the PyCrust shell and Python's basic data types.
Two courses from the Pasteur Institute are aimed at biologists but are useful to anyone wanting to learn Python. Both tutorials are quite extensive, covering data types, object-oriented programming, files, and even design patterns.
Introduction to Programming using Python is for people completely new to programming.
Bioinformatics course in Python focuses on preparing people with some programming background for using the Biopython modules.
Python Tutorial This tutorial is part of Python's documentation set and is updated with each new release. It's not written with non-programmers in mind, but skimming through it will give you an idea of the language's flavor and style.
Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python, 2nd Ed, by Al Sweigart is a free e-Book that teaches complete beginners how to program by making games.
LiveWires A set of Python lessons used during 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 children's summer camps in Britain by Richard Crook, Gareth McCaughan, Mark White, and Rhodri James. Aimed at children 12-15 years old.
Guido van Robot A teaching tool in which students write simple programs using a Python-like language to control a simulated robot. Field-tested at Yorktown High School, the project includes a lesson plan.
PythonTurtle A learning environment for Python suitable for beginners and children, inspired by Logo. Geared mainly towards children, but known to be successful with adults as well.

My favorite resource right now is a video series by Bucky Roberts.

Why I'll Use Python to Set Up My Markov Program

2011-06-05T10:01:00.007-04:00

I am not a computer programmer. The best I can do is some HTML tagging and a few macros in Microsoft Word and Excel.

However, to run the planned (or, to-be-planned) Markov simulation for my dissertation project, I will need to use some programming language. Python will be that language.

I chose Python for several reasons:

It's free and well documented.
It runs everywhere.
It's widely used.
It's well supported.

I am using two books as primary resources on programming in Python:

Campbell, Jennifer, Paul Gries, Jason Montojo, and Greg Wilson. Practical Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science using Python. The Pragmatic Bookshelf, 2009. Print.
Bird, Steven, Ewan Klein, and Edward Loper. Natural Language Processing with Python. Beijing: O'Reilly Media, 2009. Print.

Blogging Markov Models: Hidden Markov Models

2011-05-02T20:22:00.006-04:00

Continuing through Chapter 9 of Foundations of Statistical Natural Language Processing (1999) by Christopher D. Manning and Hinrich Schütze.

Last time, we introduced Markov models as describing the probabilities of random variables in a sequence.

In a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), we don't know the sequence. We have a state, and then only probabilities for future transitions. For this reason, in the HMM we need to consider all the paths that might be taken through the model.

Manning and Schütze note that "HMMs are useful when one can think of underlying events probabilistically generating surface events." Thus,

Parts of speech (or other classifiers) might be one such type of underlying series of events generating the actual words of a text.
HMMs are one of a class of model for which there exist efficient methods of training through use of the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm.
HMMs can be used to generate parameters for linear interpolation of n-gram models.

The upshot of all this is how to build HMMs--with hidden states that represent the choice of whether to use unigram, bigram, or trigram probabilities.

HMMs are specified by five factors:

A set of states (S).
An output alphabet (K).
Initial state probabilities (Π).
State transition probabilities (A).
Symbol emission probabilities (B).

This is where it gets tricky, at least for me. Manning and Schütze say "The random variables Xt map from state names to corresponding integers." I think this means that if our state at some time t is the letter "a," for example, then we can covert it to a number.

Once an HMM is specified, one can easily set up a computer program to simulate the running of a Markov process and to produce an output sequence. The important point here is that the program operates to simulate a Markov process. The "real" Markov process, as it were, is a given set of data--such as a text--that we assume was generated through a hidden Markov process.

I don't think we should ignore that distinction being made between simulated and real Markov processes. It's a key operation fro producing knowledge of the real, and I suspect that with further consideration we would agree it carries several assumptions that also hold in the domains of computerization generally, new media, and language.

Blogging Markov Models: What Is a Markov Model?

2011-04-25T20:40:00.003-04:00

Continuing a romp through Chapter 9 of Foundations of Statistical Natural Language Processing (1999) by Christopher D. Manning and Hinrich Schütze.

Section 9.1 defines Markov models and introduces several key terms. Basically, a Markov model describes the probabilities of random variables in a sequence. One of the conditions defining Markov models is that to predict a future random variable, all we need to know is the value of the present one; given the present random variable, we don't need to know the values of all the past elements.

Thus, if I have a finite set of elements, such as an alphabet (and, I imagine, attendant marks), the next letter in the chain will be conditioned to a degree by the present letter. A robust Markov model will be able to generate valid sequences of letters. The set of elements is called the state space, and the possible future elements are transitions.

If a text can be encoded as a Markov process, then we can calculate the probability of a certain sequence of states in that text. And while we use the present state to predict the transition state, we can extend the present backward and use a number of previous states to determine what we expect the next state to be.

Next up: Hidden Markov Models

Blogging Markov Models: A Transition and Introduction

2011-04-24T11:26:00.006-04:00

I happily report the successful completion of my Ph.D. candidacy exam obligations. I had an extremely hectic professional and personal schedule in the months leading up to the exam, which made my preparation more than challenging. Yet, I've made it through--no doubt due in part to a good and supportive exam committee. My best thank-you to them and to the world is to move forward.

And so, I want to record my thoughts as I develop the theory and pragmatics around my desired application of Markov models to Old English poetry. To start, I will review selected chapters from Foundations of Statistical Natural Language Processing (1999) by Christopher D. Manning and Hinrich Schütze. This text was recommended to me as a great place to begin developing an appropriately deep understanding of Markov models. I believe that I need to be very, very sharp on everything about Markov processes if my dissertation is to be as credible and useful, as I think it can be.

I'll begin, then, at Chapter 9, "Markov Models," the first chapter in the textbook's "Grammar" section. Because these are notes, I'll primarily use bullet lists to capture my observations and thinking.

Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) comprise several variants in technique for statistical modeling.
HMMs are widely used and have been generally successful for use in speech recognition.
HMMs operate at the "hidden" structure of words in sentences; they allow us to look at the order of categories of words.
This means that HMMs will be important in part-of-speech tagging.

Why Haven't More People Picked Up on This?

2010-11-21T11:33:00.006-05:00

At Genome Biology, Gregory Petsko has a wonderful piece on the value of the humanities. It’s an open letter to George M. Philip, President of the State University of New York at Albany, who decided to close the departments of classics, theater arts, French, Italian, and Russian because they attracted only a “paucity of students.”

Petsko, a biochemistry professor at Brandeis and member of the National Academy of Sciences, really lays into Philip:

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you have trouble understanding the importance of maintaining programs in unglamorous or even seemingly 'dead' subjects. From your biography, you don't actually have a PhD or other high degree, and have never really taught or done research at a university. Perhaps my own background will interest you. I started out as a classics major. I'm now Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry. Of all the courses I took in college and graduate school, the ones that have benefited me the most in my career as a scientist are the courses in classics, art history, sociology, and English literature. These courses didn't just give me a much better appreciation for my own culture; they taught me how to think, to analyze, and to write clearly. None of my sciences courses did any of that.

Here's the devastating close:

Some of your defenders have asserted that this is all a brilliant ploy on your part - a master political move designed to shock the legislature and force them to give SUNY Albany enough resources to keep these departments open. That would be Machiavellian (another notable Italian writer, but then, you don't have any Italian faculty to tell you about him), certainly, but I doubt that you're that clever. If you were, you would have held that town meeting when the whole university could have been present, at a place where the press would be all over it. That's how you force the hand of a bunch of politicians. You proclaim your action on the steps of the state capitol. You don't try to sneak it through in the dead of night, when your institution has its back turned.

No, I think you were simply trying to balance your budget at the expense of what you believe to be weak, outdated and powerless departments. I think you will find, in time, that you made a Faustian bargain. Faust is the title character in a play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It was written around 1800 but still attracts the largest audiences of any play in Germany whenever it's performed. Faust is the story of a scholar who makes a deal with the devil. The devil promises him anything he wants as long as he lives. In return, the devil will get - well, I'm sure you can guess how these sorts of deals usually go. If only you had a Theater department, which now, of course, you don't, you could ask them to perform the play so you could see what happens. It's awfully relevant to your situation. You see, Goethe believed that it profits a man nothing to give up his soul for the whole world. That's the whole world, President Philip, not just a balanced budget. Although, I guess, to be fair, you haven't given up your soul. Just the soul of your institution.

Personally, I dislike the fluffy rhetoric of "soul" or "soul of your institution." Philip's decision gives up no soul but rather very practically gives a scorecard as to what knowledge and experiences should be made available to university students. Wittingly or not, the decision validates an attitude that this-or-that knowledge no longer needs to be taken seriously as part of a university's mission.

In my life outside the university, I meet all sorts of people. They are roboticists and businesspeople. They are scientists, engineers, lawyers, and specialists. The best of these, the most productive and capable, draw obviously on humanities learning. They know poetry and quote it. They care deeply about language and communication. They are curious about history and power. They perform in theater and sit in orchestras. They study language and culture. They reflect on processes and reasoning. The humanities are "out here" where I am. I see it every day.

The Humanities and Marketability

2010-11-10T10:56:00.005-05:00

A recent opinion piece in the Boston Globe notes the shrinking percentage of college students majoring in the humanities. The entire editorial appears below:

Economic necessity is a rigid academic counselor. So it’s no surprise that the percentage of undergraduates majoring in the humanities keeps on declining, from 17 percent in 1966 to 8 percent in 2007. Especially in the face of today’s crippling debt levels and dreary job market, even students who adore Shakespeare’s poetry are seeking more marketable academic credentials. And yet the value of literature, philosophy, and history remains what it always has been — a mostly impractical gift that the undergraduate is given for a lifetime.

College administrators can only do so much to persuade students to major in the humanities. What they can and should do is make sure undergraduates take some courses that at least introduce them to Plato and Sophocles, or St. Augustine and Martin Luther, or James Joyce and William Butler Yeats. The student who’s destined to work on a computer for a living may still gain more from learning about the French Revolution than, say, an extra tuneup on HTML.

The Globe sees jobs and job-seeking as the driving force of the decline but provides no data in support of the link.I would love to see a study of why college students today choose the majors they do and why they don't choose majors (or minors) that otherwise still interest them.

Today's students may feel pressure to give priority to certain majors outside of the humanities. However, they might--or might also--hold less less interest in humanities subjects compared to other majors.

The difference is important for anyone thinking about the public perception of the humanities, on the one hand, and both the content and tools of humanities scholarship, on the other hand.

Some of the interesting comments to the Globe piece (numbering is mine):

(1) The cretins who scribble their screed all over the Globe will never have a clue on the value of the humanities. Arts and letters are barely surviving in Amerika but they are the reason we fight wars for freedom. Who ever stepped in front of a gun for progress in math and science or a better shopping mall? The humanities are how we EXPRESS freedom. Even if a country full of face-stuffing, comatose consumers and conquerors cannot see it or care less.

(2) The long demise of the humanities in academe is fully deserved by their professoriate, who have vainly sought academic respectability by focusing on abstruse technical and procedural issues (e.g., semiotics, post-modern deconstructionism) rather than substance, which in the humanities case is values. The purpose of the humanities is not personal decoration, but self-development.

The greatest opportunity for strengthening the humanities today is in the study of philanthropy—Classically conceived as the "love of what it is to be human", translated into Latin (with paideia) as "humanitas", and applied by the Founding Fathers in creating this country as a gift to mankind, to raise the human condition to higher levels (Alexander Hamilton in the first paragraph of the first page of the first Federalist Paper, where he "adds the inducements of philanthropy to those of patriotism". Philanthropy, not academic humanities, is today our nation's school for values—education by exercising values in giving and volunteering.

(3) The humanities are far from dead, they simply are no longer buried alive in Universities. With new technical tools people can now embark on studies of the humanities throughout their entire lifetime in a manner that is more conducive for learning. By forming their own quest for knowledge and honing their own methods of inquiry, learners are now able to exchange information and gain the insights that translate into knowledge with other learners worldwide.

The artificial designations of professors and students are being replaced with the understanding that learning occurs throughout everyone's lifetime. The hoarding of specific expertise to assure a lifetime of employment is being replaced by the ability to rapidly access, research, assimilate and distribute information. When that information is coupled with a foundation in HOW TO LEARN a lifetime of studies in the humanities is now possible for everyone.

In the face of a "crippling debt and dreary job market" it is the emancipation of the humanities from the impractical gift of 4 years of glorified babysitting that is the gift of technology to the spirit of us all. It makes the practicalities of the dark aspects of economic conditions bearable and brings a thread of light and hope.

(4) This entire thing is a huge non-issue. How many articles has the Globe run in recent years complaining about the dearth of college students majoring in Engineering and Mathmatics?

Measuring by percentages in this case is useless. As one major increases, another has to decrease. No matter how you slice it, you can't exceed 100% so the decrease has to come from somewhere.

If we (as a society) really want more people to complete higher education in both the Sciences AND Humanities, the answer lies in reducing the absurd tuition and fees the schools charge while they beef up their endowment funds and over-pay their staff. Throw the percentages out and look at the raw numbers of graduates.

I won't rehearse the abundant arguments for the personal, material, and social value of humanities learning. Yet, I want to point to three posts by evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne on "great literary endings" (here, here, and here). The posts and their ensuing threads collect responses and side discussions on aesthetics, literary technique, and categories. Those who read Coyne's blog regularly know that aesthetics, technique, and categorization factor into his science concerns as well.

The common ground is fertile ground, it seems to me, and there's opportunity to emphasize the fundamental knowledge and skills--and their attendant pleasures--offered especially by/in the humanities.

Suddenly Feeling Uneasy About the Dissertation

2010-09-16T08:39:00.003-04:00

Alt-text: "If you need some help with the math, let me know, but that should be enough to get you started! Huh? No, I don't need to read your thesis, I can imagine roughly what it says."

We Have a Winner (Me)

2010-06-03T09:28:00.002-04:00

Hoo-rah! I got the 2nd runner-up spot in my category for the "Share Your Secular Story" contest.

Details here.

Did You Know I'm a Professional Writer?

2010-05-04T13:58:00.006-04:00

I've felt guilty--a little guilty, but not much--about not updating or posting here in months. I have been extremely busy with the German certification exam, which I passed (Yay!), the development of my book list, and a recent promotion at work.

It occurs to me that not many people might know what I do for a living. I am a Senior Proposal Lead for iRobot, a company that makes ground and underwater robots. These robotic systems help keep people safer by performing missions in explosive ordnance disposal, urban exploration, visual intelligence, and more.

As a proposal lead, my job is to help our technical teams build--that is, write--proposals for technologically innovative robots. In reference to these proposals, I use the word "build" instead of "write" because government and military proposals are complicated and competitive. These proposals involve more than just writing cool stuff: they require a detailed imagining of a real working program. The programs have to do what they say they will, which often means saving lives, and they have to serve as responsible business. Long-term employment for many people can depend on these proposals. Typically, several companies or teams are proposing for the same business. The competition is serious stuff, so my teams and I work under constant pressures to produce great technical and management solutions written exceptionally well and presented impeccably.

Although I am not on the technical side, as a writer and writing leader I have a role in the technical solution. On a new job, my first priority is to pull out all of the proposal instructions and technical requirements so that our team can figure out how our total program will be measured. At this stage, I have the most impact technically because I can advise on which technologies and capabilities mean the most to the customer. My job, by its nature, gives me a pretty good institutional memory, so I can often put new requirements in the context of other solutions we have done or proposed.

The main part of my job is managing process, and much of this work derives directly from skills I honed in as an English post-graduate. The pre-writing, planning, and argumentation/critical thinking skills I often taught to students and practiced for myself are at a premium in my daily work. Most everything that gets written and comes to me needs to be put into a sales framework that has accounted in detail for goals, readers, main arguments, and presentation conventions (including visual aids).

I also get to do plenty of editing and some writing, but often I am in the role of composition instructor. Now, I don't want to give a false impression of the people I work with. Roboticists are the smartest and most comprehensively educated people in the world. The amount of knowledge and depth of understanding they need to make robots do things is astounding. Also, more often than not, they really care about words and language. Imprecise and ungrammatical writing is exceedingly rare with my colleagues--many of whom, incidentally, have doctorates. However, we often have lots to write in little time. The technical folks need to get sections drafted completely and correctly. That process always involves drafts, reviews, feedback conferences, and re-writes. The technical folks focus on plugging any holes in the technical and management solution while I focus on ensuring we hit the main arguments that had been articulated way back at the beginning of the proposal effort. We're performing complementary functions, in other words.

I have an interesting and exciting job that I enjoy very much. Much of the enjoyment comes from the company and the subject matter of robots, but the work itself is fun. It can be stressful, too. The deadlines are unforgiving and every proposal effort brings out a unique challenge to the process. But I wouldn't change a thing right now.

Asteroids and Medieval Ice Ages

2010-02-08T08:52:00.007-05:00

Before Bruce Willis and crew were available to consider stranding Ben Affleck in space, a meteorite collided with the Earth. The result of the impact: mini-Ice Age!

The article in the link above names Dallas Abbott, a research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. Abbott believes that in about 535 CE, a meteorite hit in Australia and tossed up a bunch of schmutz that affected climate all the way to England.

About her current research, Abbott says:

The primary focus of my present research is on submarine impact craters and their contribution to climate change and megatsunamis. This research grew out of my work on the thermal history of the earth when Ann Isley and I discovered that mantle plumes had the same periodicity as impact cratering events (Isley and Abbott, 2002, Journal of Geology, 110, 141-158). We did a compilation of impact cratering events and found that the record was woefully undersampled (Abbott and Isley, 2002. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 205, 53-62). As a result, I started to look for impact craters on the ocean floor. I found that the Holocene age impact crater candidates could be located using a combination of bathymetry derived from satellite altimetry and the directions to the source of chevron dunes. I am now part of a research group (the Holocene Impact Working Group) that is focusing on two goals: looking at the effect of submarine impacts on climate and determining if chevron dunes are megatsunami deposits. We have located a candidate crater set in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia with an inferred age of AD 572±86 (Abbott et al., 2007). The craters have produced impact spherules of magnetite, impact glass, and probable shocked quartz. The date of AD 572±86 is, within error, the same as the age of the climate downturn at AD 536. Ice core work is underway to see if the samples of the GISP2 ice core dating to 536 A.D. contain impact ejecta from the Carpentaria craters. We are also working on samples from chevron dunes in Madagascar to see if they contain impact ejecta. [Emphasis added]

However, Dr. Abbott's hypotheses have met some controversy:

Other researchers led by U.S. physicist Mark Boslough have dismissed Dr Abbott's theory.

Dr Boslough said if a large impactor had broken up as it approached Earth's surface, the fragments should have 'essentially behaved as one piece', creating just one crater.

He added that Dr Abbott and others had found 'evidence' of more impact events than astronomer's believe are possible.

Surely some enterprising writer will develop the Beowulf in Space film: A young warrior, twelve retainers, a kick-ass sword, and one chance to save a hearty people from below-average temperatures.

Of Teeth and Dents

2010-01-10T10:37:00.007-05:00

Over the past several months I've been preparing to take a German language certification exam, which has led me to sacrifice posting here with any regularity (unless "not at all" is considered regular).

I've also been dealing with personal issues, specifically the illness of my mother. She has been in the hospital since December 21 as the result of an awful reaction to one of her medications. This reaction cascaded into a host of other problems, including a "mild" heart attack.

Thankfully, she seems to be mending, albeit very slowly. Visiting her in the hospital/rehab center has meant a lot of driving for me, which has left virtually no time for fun things like blogging. Hence, my mom's illness has put a "dent" (see the title of the post) in my plans to post here.

Back to the German exam, though. My process has been to find articles in German and translate them into reasonably coherent English. Recently, I worked with one article, actually a blog post, on the lack of teeth in medieval art. The writer is Tobias Meier, and he's not really a fan of most medieval art.

Mit Kunst aus dem Mittelalter geht es mir wie mit mittelaltem Weichkäse. In Maßen genießbar, aber nichts, was ich mir selbst in meiner Wohnung an die Wände hängen würde.

Meier observes that not only do we rarely see teeth represented in paintings, but when we do - as in a tryptich by Bosch - the mouths may not contain a full set. Meier notes - although I am not sure based on what - that it would have been improper to paint an image of holy and important figures in which they were smiling broadly or showing their teeth. Meier leaves us with the suggestion that Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa with a closed mouth (but at least with a smile) for mysteriousness or to hide her gap-toothedness:

Wie es um die Gebisshygiene der Mona Lisa bestellt war lässt sich dann leider auch nicht mehr feststellen. Aber immerhin lächelt sie - wenn auch mit geschlossenem Mund. Mysteriös oder einfach weil sie ein paar Zahnlücken hatte.

The Medieval Helpdesk

2009-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Times have not changed.

On My List to Purchase and Read

2009-11-16T11:11:00.004-05:00

Definitely on the list....

Authors, Audiences, and Old English Verse
Thomas A. Bredehoft

Product Description
Authors, Audiences, and Old English Verse re-examines the Anglo-Saxon poetic tradition from the eighth to the eleventh centuries and reconsiders the significance of formulaic parallels and the nature of poetic authorship in Old English.

Offering a new vision of much of Old English literary history, Thomas A. Bredehoft traces a tradition of 'literate-formulaic' composition in the period and contends that many phrases conventionally considered oral formulas are in fact borrowings or quotations. His identification of previously unrecognized Old English poems and his innovative arguments about the dates, places of composition, influences, and even possible authors for a variety of tenth- and eleventh-century poems illustrate that the failure of scholars to recognize the late Old English verse tradition has seriously hampered our literary understanding of the period. Provocative and bold, Authors, Audiences and Old English Verse has the potential to transform modern understandings of the classical Old English poetic tradition.

About the Author
Thomas A. Bredehoft is a teaching assistant professor in the Department of English at West Virginia University.

A Likely Dissertation

2009-10-18T21:15:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry to have been away from posting for so long. I have been tremendously busy with my day job at iRobot, my teaching at MCC, and my preparation for the German exam.

In addition, I've had to move ahead in defining the area of interest for (1) my book list exam and (2) the eventual dissertation.

Let me sketch out the idea I have right now, and I hope readers will be kind enough to offer thoughts, encouragement, suggestions, cautions, and so forth. Here it is:

I am interested in approaching textual issues through the application of probabilistic analysis.

Specifically, I want to investigate the use of probability models to illuminate syntactic and semantic patterns in difficult passages of Anglo-Saxon poetry. For example, I think these models could help predict recurring dependencies in syntax and semantics. These dependencies, in turn, would enhance our analysis of textual cruxes and gaps in the Anglo-Saxon poetic corpus. We would then have an additional basis of evidence for supporting or challenging editorial readings. These models allow us to ask questions such as “given wherever we are at place p in the text - that is, wherever we are syntactically and semantically – what are the most likely options for what will follow next?”

Interestingly these models heaviy depend on the input, that is, on the text(s) imported into the database to establish the basis for probabilities. With regard to Anglo-Saxon poetry, these input texts would require us to deal with word breaks, caps, points, runic symbols, abbreviations, erasures and other intricacies of textuality in that period.

So a project like this places a premium on textual issues. At the same time, it encourages a kind of forensics of Anglo-Saxon scholarship where every crux and emendation has a textual and historical background that can be partially reconstructed.

Fighting Bias with Bias: Conservapedia and the Bible

2009-10-07T13:30:00.003-04:00

I have been bad about posting recently, as I'm buried in mortgage-paying work.

As consolation, here's a doozy of a story, Got Medieval: Textual Analysts, I've Got the Conservapedia on Line 2.

I am 87% certain this story will get a footnote in my dissertation.

Have You Hoard?

2009-09-25T20:12:00.010-04:00

I am probably the last one in the blogosphere to report on the Staffordshire Hoard, a truly exciting and important find. This is a real event, friends. (UPDATE: To find out why it's such an event, click to this Times article, "A New Angle on the Saxons.")

I'll save commentary for another time. For now, I simply want to collect some of the interesting images and videos that explain the story. First, some images (and more here):

Several sword fittings discovered in the hoard exhibit artwork known as Salin's Style II. This style of animal-related artwork showed beasts intertwined in complex, symmetrical patterns. Examples of this style were also found at Sutton Hoo.

This gold strip carries the Latin inscription: "Rise up O Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee be driven from thy face." It has two sources, the Book of Numbers or Psalm 67, taken from the Vulgate, the Bible used by the Saxons.

Several good videos are out there now.

On the academic discussion lists, one scholar commented (I'll not disclose the name, out of respect for the possibility that the person may not want to be quoted on some random blog):

These treasures will have to be seen to be fully appreciated, but I'm struck by the close similarity between many of these objects and objects in the Sutton Hoo find. It's almost as if the same workshop or the same artists did some of those pieces. But the variety of Sutton Hoo and the restricted nature of this find is quite striking. The one site gives a picture of a whole though very elite world, the other one of a culture's high and costly end. Sutton Hoo gives us a helmet, Staffordshire the most valuable parts of one or more helmets.

I'll close out with three related insights on the item with the inscription. These also came up on the email discussion lists. The first mentions a news report, and the latter two are responses to it:

Michelle Brown has commented on the script, Bruce, attributing it to the "early 7th to early 8th century", although Elizabeth Okasha dates the inscription to the 8th or 9th century. An initial summary report (along with Prof. Okasha's complete report on the inscription) and handlist of finds is available for download: http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/artefacts/

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Although, as Elizabeth [Okasha] is careful to say, it's sometimes difficult to extrapolate from chirography to epigraphy, I'd say the inscription is half-uncial (as Michelle says), and not insular minuscule. The high-e, the oc a, the straight-backed d, majuscule R, N, and M are all reminiscent (perhaps conveniently?!) of the eighth-century Lichfield Gospels, available at

http://www.lichfield-cathedral.org/inspires/cathedral-treasures/the-
chad-gospels

There's a 'turn-the-page' facility here too.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

This half-uncial with some variable elements (the two forms of n,
variations in the i and u) is remarkable...in its very open triangular
serifs. These open triangular serifs would seem to be imitations of book
hands. Seventh- and eighth-century insular scripts, from uncial through
half-uncial and set minuscule, are well known for their triangular
serifs on minims and ascenders. These have to be reproduced with open
triangles in epigraphic writing--something seen in other 8c
inscriptions. In this inscription, there is some clear effort made to
reproduce these serifs (though not consistently). Maybe this is useful
in imagining the maker and making of this text, if not for the dating
and localisation....

My Beowulf, Introductory Section (lineated)

2009-09-10T17:25:00.004-04:00

Here is my first attempt to present a final text, although this is nowhere near the final iteration. As I go through each section, I'm making textual and explanatory notes, but I won't start working them seriously until after I finish this second pass through the poem.

I've decided to lineate the poem, but I have not yet put in the caesura. My reasoning is that ultimately the text has to be "coded" for people to translate and not lineating would undermine that goal.

My resolve is not to edit out any of the points. They will remain in their spots as en-dashes. I'm also really trying not to add in punctuation. When I do, it's usually a semi-colon. I'm also capitalizing proper names. I am also resolving to keep the small caps and to "pre-translate" them as beginnings of new paragraphs. So, they get a full enter/space before them. I already like the look of it.

At the end of 43 fitts, I hope to have a credible text that is nevertheless unique.

Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum –
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.

Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum
monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah
egsode eorlas syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden; he þæs frofre gebad
weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah –
oð þæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde
gomban gyldan; þæt wæs god cyning –
ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned
geong in geardum þone God sende
folce to frofre fyrenðearfe ongeat
þæt hie ær drugon aldorlease –
lange hwile; him þæs Liffrea
wuldres wealdend woroldare forgeaf –
Beowulf wæs breme blæd wide sprang
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.

Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean
fromum feohgiftum – on fæder |bearme
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas þonne wig cume –
leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal
in mægþa gehwære man geþeon –
him ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile
felahror feran on frean wære
hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe
swæse gesiþas swa he selfa bæd
þenden wordum weold wine Scyldinga
leof landfruma lange ahte
þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna
isig ond utfus æþelinges fær –
aledon þa leofne þeoden
beaga bryttan on bearm scipes
mærne be mæste; þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum frætwa gelæded.

Ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrwan
hildewæpnum ond heaðowædum
billum ond byrnum; him on bearme læg
madma mænigo þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht feor gewitan.

Nalæs hi hine læssan lacum teodan
þeodgestreonum þon þa dydon
þe hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon
ænne ofer yðe umborwe|sende;
þa gyt hie him asetton segen gyldenne
heah ofer heafod leton holm beran
geafon on garsecg; him wæs geomor sefa
murnende mod; men ne cunnon –
secgan to soðe selerædende
hæleð under heofenum hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.

The vertical line in some places indicates the beginning of a new sheet in the manuscript.

My Beowulf, Fitts 40 through 43 (End)

2009-09-05T21:30:00.005-04:00

Yay! Here is the rest of Beowulf, from fitt 40 (line 2893, fol. 192v) through fitt 43 (line 3182, fol. 198v). I went through and revised fitt 42, which I had posted earlier.

Enjoy, while I gather my thoughts and figure out what to do next.

Heht ða þæt heaðoweorc to hagan biodan up ofer ecgclif þær þæt eorlweorod morgenlongne dæg modgiomor sæt bordhæbbende bega on wenum endedogores ond eftcymes leofes – monnes lyt swigode niwra spella se ðe næs gerad ac he soðlice sægde ofer ealle nu is wilgeofa wedra leoda dryhten geata deaðbedde fæst wunað wælreste wyrmes dædum him on efn ligeð ealdorgewinna sexbennum seoc sweorde ne meahte on ðam aglæcean ænige þinga wunde gewyrcean wiglaf siteð ofer biowulfe byre wihstanes eorl ofer oðrum unlifigendum healdeð higemæðum *heafodwearde leofes ond laðes nu ys leodum wen – orleghwile syððan underne froncum ond frysum fyll cyninges wide weorðeð wæs sio wroht scepen heard wið hugas syððan higelac cwom faran flotherge on fresna land þær hyne hetware hilde genægdon elne geeodon mid ofermægene þæt se byrnwiga bugan sceolde feoll on feðan nalles frætwe geaf ealdor dugoðe us wæs a syððan merewioingas milts ungyfeðe.

Ne ic to sweoðeode sibbe oððe treowe wihte ne wene ac wæs wide cuð þætte ongenðio ealdre besnyðede hæðcen hreþling wið hrefnawudu þa for onmedlan ærest gesohton geata leode guðscilfingas.

Sona him se froda fæder ohtheres eald ond egesfull ondslyht ageaf abreot brimwisan bryd ahredde gomela iomeowlan golde berofene onelan modor ond ohtheres ond ða folgode feorhgeniðlan oððæt hi oðeodon earfoðlice in hrefnesholt hlafordlease besæt ða sinherge sweorda lafe wundum werge *wean oft gehet earmre teohhe ondlonge niht cwæð he on mergenne meces ecgum getan wolde sum on galgtreowum fuglum to gamene frofor eft gelamp sarigmodum somod ærdæge syððan hie hygelaces horn ond byman gealdor ongeaton þa se goda côm leoda dugoðe on last faran.

XLI.
Wæs sio swatswaðu sweona ond geata wælræs weora wide gesyne hu ða folc mid him fæhðe towehton gewat him ða se goda mid his gædelingum frod felageomor fæsten secean eorl ongenþio ufor oncirde hæfde higelaces hilde gefrunen wlonces wigcræft wiðres ne truwode þæt he sæmannum onsacan mihte heaðoliðendum hord forstandan bearn ond bryde beah eft þonan – eald under eorðweall – þa wæs æht boden sweona leodum segn higelace – freoðowong þone forð ofereodon syððan hreðlingas to hagan þrungon þær wearð ongenðiow ecgum sweorda blondenfexa on bid wrecen þæt se þeodcyning ðafian sceolde eafores *anne dôm hyne yrringa wulf wonreding wæpne geræhte þæt him for swenge swat ædrum sprong forð under fexe næs he forht swa ðeh gomela scilfing ac forgeald hraðe wyrsan wrixle wælhlem þone syððan ðeodcyning þyder oncirde.

Ne meahte se snella sunu wonredes ealdum ceorle ondslyht giofan ac he him on heafde helm ær gescer þæt he blode fah bugan sceolde feoll on foldan næs he fæge þa git ac he hyne gewyrpte þeah ðe him wund hrine let se hearda higelaces þegn bradne mece þa his broðor læg eald sweord eotonisc entiscne helm brecan ofer bordweal ða gebeah cyning folces hyrde wæs in feorh dropen – ða wæron monige þe his mæg wriðon ricone arærdon ða him gerymed wearð þæt hie wælstowe wealdan moston þenden reafode rinc oðerne nam on ongenðio irenbyrnan heard swyrd hilted ond his helm somod hares hyrste higelace bær he ð[am] frætwum feng ond him fægre gehet leana === *leodum ond gelæste swa geald þone guðræs geata dryhten hreðles eafora þa he to ham becôm iofore ond wulfe mid ofermaðmum sealde hiora gehwæðrum hund þusenda landes ond locenra beaga ne ðorfte him ða lean oðwitan mon on middangearde syððan hie ða mærða geslogon – ond ða iofore forgeaf angan dohtor hamweorðunge hyldo to wedde þæt ys sio fæhðo ond se feondscipe wælnið wera ðæs ðe ic wen hafo þe us seceað to sweona leoda syððan hie gefricgeað frean userne ealdorleasne þone ðe ær geheold wið hettendum hord ond rice æfter hæleða hryre hwate scildingas folcred fremede – oððe furður gen eorlscipe efnde nu is ofost betost þæt we þeodcyning þær sceawian ond þone gebringan þe us beagas geaf on âdfære ne scel anes hwæt meltan mid þam modigan ac þær is maðma hord gold unrime grimme gecea[po]d ond nu æt siðestan sylfes feore beagas [gebo]hte þa sceall brond fretan æled þeccean *nalles eorl wegan maððum to gemyndum ne mægð scyne habban on healse hringweorðunge ac sceal geomormod golde bereafod oft nalles æne elland tredan nu se herewisa hleahtor alegde gamen ond gleodream forðon sceall gar wesan monig morgenceald mundum bewunden hæfen on handa nalles hearpan sweg wigend weccean ac se wonna hrefn fûs ofer fægum fela reordian earne secgan hu him æt æte speow þenden he wið wulf wæl reafode – swa se secg hwata secggende wæs laðra spella he ne leag fela wyrda ne worda – weorod eall aras eodon unbliðe under earnanæs wollenteare wundur sceawian fundon ða on sande sawulleasne hlimbed healdan þone þe him hringas geaf ærran mælum þa wæs endedæg godum gegongen þæt se guðcyning wedra þeoden wundordeaðe swealt ær hi þær gesegan syllicran wiht wyrm on wonge wiðerræhtes þær laðne licgean wæs se legdraca grimlic gryr[e] *gledum beswæled se wæs fiftiges fotgemearces lang on legere lyftwynne heold nihtes hwilum nyðer eft gewat dennes niosian wæs ða deaðe fæst hæfde eorðscrafa ende genyttod him big stodan bunan ond orcas discas lagon ond dyre swyrd omige þurhetone swa hie wið eorðan fæðm þusend wintra þær eardodon – þonne wæs þæt yrfe eacencræftig iumonna gold galdre bewunden þæt ðam hringsele hrinan ne moste gumena ænig nefne god sylfa sigora soðcyning sealde þam ðe he wolde he is manna gehyld hord openian efne swa hwylcum manna swa him gemet ðuhte:~

XLII.
Þa wæs gesyne þæt se sið ne ðah þam ðe unrihte inne gehydde wræte under wealle weard ær ofsloh feara sumne þa sio fæhð gewearð gewrecen wraðlice wundur hwar þonne eorl ellenrôf ende gefere – lifgesceafta þonne leng ne mæg mon mid his [ma]gum meduseld buan swa wæs biowulfe – *þa he biorges weard sohte searoniðas seolfa ne cuðe þurh hwæt his worulde gedal weorðan sceolde – swa hit oð domes dæg diope benemdon þeodnas mære þa ðæt þær dydon þæt se secg wære synnum scildig hergum geheaðerod hellbendum fæst wommum gewitnad se ðone wong strade næs he goldhwæte gearwor hæfde agendes est ær gesceawod – wiglâf maðelode wihstanes sunu oft sceall eorl monig anes willan wræc adreogan swa us geworden is ne meahton we gelæran leofne þeoden rices hyrde ræd ænigne þæt he ne grette goldweard þone lete hyne licgean þær he longe wæs wicum wunian oð woruldende heold on heahgesceap hord ys gesceawod grimme gegongen wæs þæt gifeðe to swið þe ðone þeodcyning þyder ontyhte.

Ic wæs þær inne ond þæt eall geondseh recedes geatwa þa me gerymed wæs nealles swæslice sið alyfed inn under eorðweall ic on ofoste gefeng micle mid mundum mægenbyrðenne hordgestreona hider *ut ætbær cyninge minum cwico wæs þa gena wis ond gewittig worn eall gespræc gomol on gehðo ond eowic gretan het bæd þæt ge geworhton æfter wines dædum in bælstede beorh þone hean micelne ond mærne swa he manna wæs wigend weorðfullost wide geond eorðan þenden he burhwelan brucan moste.

Uton nu efstan oðre siðe seon ond secean searogimma geþræc wundur under wealle ic eow wisige þæt ge genoge neon sceawiað beagas ond brad gold sie sio bær gearo ædre geæfned þonne we ut cymen ond þonne geferian frean userne leofne mannan þær he longe sceal on ðæs waldendes wære geþolian – het ða gebeodan byre wihstanes hæle hildedior hæleða monegum boldagendra þæt hie bælwudu feorran feredon folcagende godum togenes nu sceal gled fretan weaxan wonna leg wigena strengel þone ðe oft gebâd isernscure þonne stræla storm strengum gebæded scoc ofer scildweall sceft nytte heold feðergearwum fûs flane fulleode – huru se snotra sunu wihstanes acigde of corðre *cyninges þegnas syfone [to]somne þa selestan eode eahta sum under inwithrôf hilderinc sum on handa bær æledleoman se ðe on orde geong næs ða on hlytme hwa þæt hord strude syððan orwearde ænigne dæl secgas gesegon on sele wunian læne licgan lyt ænig mearn þæt hi ofostlic[e] ut geferedon dyre maðmas dracan ec scufun wyrm ofer weallclif leton weg niman flod fæðmian frætwa hyrde þæt wæs wunden gold on wæn hladen æghwæs unrim æþeling boren har hilderinc to hronesnæsse:~

[XLIII.]
Him ða gegiredan geata leode âd on eorðan unwaclicne helmum behongen hildebordum beorhtum byrnum swa he bena wæs alegdon ða tomiddes mærne þeoden hæleð hiofende hlaford leofne ongunnon þa on beorge bælfyra mæst – wigend weccan wud[u]rêc astah sweart ofer swioðole swogende leg wope bewunden windblond gelæg oðþæt he ða bânhûs gebrocen hæfde hat on hreðre higum unrote modceare mændon mondryhtnes cw[e]alm swylce giomorgyd *====== meowle ============= unden heorde === sorgcearig swiðe geneahhe þæt hio hyre ======= gas hearde =====de wælfylla wonn ====des egesan hyðo = h =====d heofonrece sw[e]alg geworhton ða wedra leode hl == on liðe se wæs heah ond brad [wæ]gliðendum wide g[e]syne ond betimbredon on tyn dagum beadurofes becn bronda lafe wealle beworhton swa hyt weorðlicost foresnotre men findan mihton hi on beorg dydon beg ond siglu eall swylce hyrsta swylce on horde ær niðhedige men genumen hæfdon forleton eorla gestreon eorðan healdan gold on greote þær hit nu gen lifað eldum swa unnyt swa hi ====r wæs – þa ymbe hlæw riodan hildediore æþelinga bearn ealra twelfe woldon ==== cwiðan ond kyning mænan wordgyd wrecan ond ymb w== sprecan eahtodan eorlscipe ond his ellenweorc duguðum demdon swa hit gede[fe] bið þæt mon his winedryhten wordum herge ferhðum freoge þonne he forð scile of lichaman ==== weorðan swa begnornodon geata leode hlafordes ===re heorðgeneatas cwædon þæt he wære wyruldcyninga manna mildust ond mon[ðw]ærust leodum liðost ond lofgeornost.

My Beowulf, Fitts 37 through 39

2009-09-05T19:45:00.000-04:00

I'm pushing to finish before the Labor Day holiday ends. Here is lines 2695 to 2892, fol. 197v to fol. 192v.

You'll notice that something seems odd in the numbering of the folia. This, however, is how it goes in the EETS version I'm using:

p.119, fol.188r
p.120, fol.188v
p.121, fol.197r
p.122, fol.197v
p.123, fol.189r
p.124, fol.189v

Apparently, I've been using the old (really old) foliation of the manuscript. This is the kind of thing that a second pass will start to clean up.

ÐA ic æt þearfe gefrægn þeodcyninges andlongne eorl ellen cyðan cræft ond cenðu swa him gecynde wæs ne hedde he þæs heafolan ac sio hand gebarn modiges mannes þær he his mæges healp þæt he þone niðgæst nioðor hwene sloh – secg on searwum þæt ðæt sweord gedeaf fah ond fæted þæt ðæt fŷr ongon sweðrian syððan þa gen sylf cyning – geweold his gewitte wællseaxe gebræd biter ond beaduscearp þæt he on byrnan wæg forwrat wedra *helm wyrm on middan feond gefyldan ferh ellen wræc ond hi hyne þa begen abroten hæfdon sibæðelingas swylc sceolde secg wesan – þegn æt ðearfe þæt ðam þeodne wæs siðast sigehwila sylfes dædum worlde geweorces – ða sio wund ongon þe him se eorðdraca ær geworhte swelan ond swellan he þæt sona onfand þæt him on breostum bealoniðe weoll attor on innan ða se æðeling giong þæt he bi wealle wîshycgende gesæt on sesse seah on enta geweorc hu ða stanbogan stapulum fæste ece eorðreced innan healde hyne þa mid handa heorodreorigne þeoden mærne þegn ungemete till winedryhten his wætere gelafede hilde sædne ond his hel[m] onspeon – biowulf maþelode he ofer benne spræc wunde wælbleate wisse he gearwe þæt he dæghwila gedrogen hæfde eorðan wynn[e] ða wæs eall sceacen dogorgerimes deað ungemete neah nu ic suna minum syllan wolde guðgewædu þær me gifeðe swa ænig yrfe-*weard æfter wurde lice gelenge ic ðas leode heold – fiftig wintra næs se folccyning ymbesittendra ænig ðara 2735 þe mec guðwinum gretan dorste egesan ðeon ic on earde bâd mælgesceafta heold min tela ne sohte searoniðas ne me swor fela aða on unriht ic ðæs ealles mæg feorhbennum seoc gefean habban for ðam me witan ne ðearf waldend fira morðorbealo maga þonne min sceaceð lîf of lice nu ðu lungre geong hord sceawian under harne stan – wiglaf leofa nu se wyrm ligeð swefeð sare wund since bereafod bio nu on ofoste þæt ic ærwelan goldæht ongite gearo sceawige swegle searogimmas þæt ic ðy seft mæge æfter maððumwelan min alætan lîf ond leodscipe þone ic longe heold:—

XXXVIII.
ÐA ic snude gefrægn sunu wihstanes æfter wordcwydum wundum dryhtne – hyran heaðosiocum hringnet beran brogdne beadusercean under beorges hrof – geseah ða sigehreðig þa he bi sesse geong – magoþegn *modig maððumsigla fealo gold glitinian grunde getenge wundur on wealle ond þæs wyrmes denn ealdes uhtflogan orcas stondan fyrnmanna fatu feormendlease hyrstum behrorene þær wæs helm monig eald ond omig earmbeaga fela searwum gesæled sinc eaðe mæg gold on grund[e] gumcynnes gehwone oferhigian hyde se ðe wylle swylce he siomian geseah segn eallgylden heah ofer horde hondwundra mæst gelocen leoðocræftum of ðam leoma stôd þæt he þone grundwong ongitan meahte wræte giondwlitan næs ðæs wyrmes þær onsyn ænig ac hyne ecg fornam ða ic on hlæwe gefrægn hord reafian eald enta geweorc anne mannan him on bearm hladon bunan ond discas sylfes dome segn eac genom beacna beorhtost bill ær gescod ecg wæs iren ealdhlafordes þam ðara maðma mundbora wæs longe hwile ligegesan wæg hatne for horde hioroweallende middelnihtum *oðþæt he morðre swealt ar wæs on ofoste eftsiðes georn frætwum gefyrðred hyne fyrwet bræc hwæðer collenferð cwicne gemette in ðam wongstede wedra þeoden ellensiocne þær he hine ær forlet – he ða mid þam maðmum mærne þioden dryhten sinne driorigne fand ealdres æt ende he hine eft ongon wæteres weorpan oðþæt wordes ord breosthord þurhbræc – gomel on giohðe gold sceawode.

Ic ðara frætwa frean ealles ðanc wuldurcyninge wordum secge – ecum dryhtne þe ic her on starie þæs ðe ic moste minum leodum ær swyltdæge swylc gestrynan nu ic on maðma hord mine bebohte frode feorhlege fremmað gena leoda þearfe ne mæg ic her leng wesan – hatað heaðomære hlæw gewyrcean – beorhtne æfter bæle æt brimes nosan – se scel to gemyndum minum leodum heah hlifian on hronesnæsse þæt hit sæliðend syððan hatan biowulfes biorh ða ðe brentingas ofer *floda genipu feorran drifað dyde him of healse hring gyldenne þioden þristhydig þegne gesealde geongum garwigan goldfahne helm beah ond byrnan het hyne brucan well – þu eart endelaf usses cynnes wægmundinga ealle wyrd forsweop mine magas to metodsceafte eorlas on elne ic him æfter sceal þæt wæs þam gomelan gingæste word – breostgehygdum ær he bæl cure hate heaðowylmas him of hreðre gewat sawol secean soðfæstra dôm.

[XXXVIIII.]
Đa wæs gegongen guman unfrodum earfoðlice þæt he on eorðan geseah þone leofestan lifes æt ende bleate gebæran bona swylce læg egeslic eorðdraca ealdre bereafod bealwe gebæded beahhordum leng wyrm wohbogen wealdan ne moste ac hine irenna ecga fornamon hearde heaðoscearde homera lafe þæt se widfloga wundum stille hreas on hrusan hordærne neah nalles *æfter lyfte lacende – hwearf middelnihtum maðmæhta wlonc ansyn ywde ac he eorðan gefeoll for ðæs hildfruman hondgeweorce huru þæt on lande lyt manna ðah mægenagendra mine gefræge þeah ðe he dæda gehwæs dyrstig wære þæt he wið attorsceaðan oreðe geræsde oððe hringsele hondum styrede gif he wæccende weard onfunde buon on beorge biowulfe wearð dryhtmaðma dæl deaðe forgolden hæfde æghwæðer ende gefered lænan lifes næs ða lang to ðon þæt ða hildlatan holt ofgefan tydre treowlogan tyne ætsomne ða ne dorston ær dareðum lacan on hyra mandryhtnes miclan þearfe ac hy scamiende scyldas bæran guðgewædu þær se gomela læg wlitan on wilaf he gewergad sæt feðecempa frean eaxlum neah wehte hyne wætre him wiht ne speow ne meahte he on eorðan ðeah he uðe wel on ðam frumgare feorh gehealdan ne ðæs wealdendes wiht oncirran wolde dôm *godes dædum rædan gumena gehwylcum swa he nu gen deð þa wæs æt ðam geongan grim ondswaru eðbegete þam ðe ær his elne forleas – wiglaf maðelode weohstanes sunu sec sarigferð seah on unleofe þæt la mæg secgan se ðe wyle soð specan þæt se mondryhten se eow ða maðmas geaf eoredgeatwe þe ge þær on standað – þonne he on ealubence oft gesealde healsittendum helm ond byrnan þeoden his þegnum swylce he þrydlicost ower feor oððe neah findan meahte þæt he genunga guðgewædu wraðe forwurpe – ða hyne wig beget nealles folccyning fyrdgesteallum gylpan þorfte hwæðre him god uðe sigora waldend þæt he hyne sylfne gewræc ana mid ecge þa him wæs elnes þearf.

Ic him lifwraðe lytle meahte ætgifan æt guðe ond ongan swa þeah ofer min gemet mæges helpan.

Symle wæs þy sæmra þonne ic sweorde drep ferhðgeniðlan fyr unswiðor weoll of gewitte wergendra to lyt þrong ymbe þeoden þa hyne sio *þrag becwom – hu sceal sincþego ond swyrdgifu eall eðelwyn eowrum cynne – lufen alicgean londrihtes mot þære mægburge monna æghwylc idel hweorfan syððan æðelingas feorran gefricgean fleam eowerne domleasan dæd deað bið sella eorla gehwylcum þonne edwitlif.

My Beowulf, Fitts 33 through 36

2009-09-04T08:38:00.002-04:00

Some long sections here, from line 2312 (fol. 181r) to line 2694 (fol. 197v). The end of this first pass through the manuscript is approaching. I'm beginning to get anxious baout what the second pass will or should accomplish.

ÐA se gæst ongan gledum spiwan beorht hofu bærnan bryneleoma stod eldum on andan no ðær aht cwices – lað lyftfloga læfan *wolde – wæs þæs wyrmes wig wide gesyne nearofages nið nean ond feorran hu se guðsceaða geata leode hatode ond hynde hord eft gesceat – dryhtsele dyrnne ær dæges hwile – hæfde landwara lige befangen bæle ond bronde beorges getruwode wiges ond wealles him seo wen geleah þa wæs biowulfe broga gecyðed snude to soðe þæt his sylfes ham bolda selest brynewylmum mealt – gifstol geata þæt ðam godan wæs – hreow on hreðre hygesorga mæst wende se wisa þæt he wealdende ofer ealde riht ecean dryhtne bitre gebulge breost innan weoll þeostrum geþoncum swa him geþywe ne wæs – hæfde ligdraca leoda fæsten – ealond utan eorðweard ðone gledum forgrunden him ðæs guðkyning wedera þioden wræce leornode heht him þa gewyrcean wigendra hleo eallirenne eorla dryhten wigbord wrætlic *wisse he gearwe þæt him holtwudu he[lpan] ne meahte lind wið lige sceolde lændaga æþeling ærgôd ende gebidan worulde lifes ond se wyrm somod þeah ðe hordwelan heolde lange oferhogode ða hringa fengel þæt he þone wîdflogan weorode gesohte sidan herge no he him þa sæcce ondred – ne him þæs wyrmes wig for wiht dyde – eafoð ond ellen forðon he ær fela nearo neðende niða gedigde hildehlemma syððan he hroðgares sigoreadig secg sele fælsode – ond æt guðe forgrap grendeles mægum laðan cynnes no þæt læsest wæs hondgemota þær mon hygelac sloh – syððan geata cyning guðe ræsum freawine folca freslondum on hreðles eafora hiorodryncum swealt bille gebeaten þonan biowulf com sylfes cræfte sundnytte dreah hæfde him on earme *=== xxx hildegeatwa þa he to holme [st]ag nealles hetware hremge þorf[t]on feðewiges þe him foran ongean – linde bæron lyt eft becwom fram þam hildfrecan hames niosan oferswam ða sioleða bigong sunu ecgðeowes earm anhaga eft to leodum þær him hygd gebead hord ond rice beagas ond bregostol bearne ne truwode þæt he wið ælfylcum eþelstolas healdan cuðe – ða wæs hygelac dead – no ðy ær feasceafte findan meahton æt ðam æðelinge ænige ðinga þæt he heardrede hlaford wære oððe þone cynedôm ciosan wolde – hwæðre he him on folce freondlarum heold – estum mid are oððæt he yldra wearð – wedergeatum weold hyne wræcmæcgas ofer sæ sohtan suna ohteres hæfdon hy forhealden helm scylfinga þone selestan sæcyninga þara ðe in swiorice sinc brytnade – mærne *þeoden him þæt to mearce wearð he þær for feorme feorhwunde hleat sweordes swengum sunu hygelaces – ond him eft gewat ongenðioes bearn hames niosan syððan heardred læg – let ðone bregostol biowulf healdan geatum wealdan þæt wæs god cyning.

XXXIIII.
SE ðæs leodhryres lean gemunde uferan dogrum eadgilse wearð feasceaftum freond folce gestepte – ofer sæ side sunu ohteres wigum ond wæpnum he gewræc syððan cealdum cearsiðum cyning ealdre bineat – swa he niða gehwane genesen hæfde sliðra geslyhta sunu ecgðiowes – ellenweorca oð ðone anne dæg þe he wið þam wyrme gewegan sceolde – gewat þa .xii. sum torne gebolgen dryhten geata dracan sceawian hæfde þa gefrunen hwanan sio fæhð aras – bealonið biorna him to bearme *cwom maðþumfæt mære þurh ðæs meldan hond se wæs on ðam ðreate þreotteoða secg se ðæs orleges or onstealde hæft hygegiomor sceolde hean ðonon – wong wisian he ofer willan giong – to ðæs ðe he eorðsele anne wisse – hlæw under hrusan holmwylme neh – yðgewinne se wæs innan full wrætta ond wira weard unhiore gearo guðfreca goldmaðmas heold – eald under eorðan næs þæt yðe ceap to gegangenne gumena ænigum gesæt ða on næsse niðheard cyning – þenden hælo abead heorðgeneatum goldwine geata him wæs geomor sefa wæfre ond wælfus wyrd ungemete neah – se ðone gomelan gretan sceolde secean sawle hord sundur gedælan lif wið lice no þon lange wæs – feorh æþelinges flæsce bewunden – biowulf maþelade bearn ecgðeowes fela ic on giogoðe guðræsa genæs orleghwila ic þæt eall gemon – *ic wæs syfanwintre þa mec sinca baldor freawine folca æt minum fæder genam heold mec ond hæfde hreðel cyning geaf me sinc ond symbel sibbe gemunde næs ic him to life laðra owihte beorn in burgum þonne his bearna hwylc – herebeald ond hæðcyn – oððe hygelac min wæs þam yldestan ungedefelice mæges dædum morþorbed stred syððan hyne hæðcyn of hornbogan – his freawine flane geswencte miste mercelses ond his mæg ofscet broðor oðerne blodigan gare þæt wæs feohleas gefeoht fyrenum gesyngad – hreðre hygemeðe sceolde hwæðre swa þeah æðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan swa bið geomorlic gomelum ceorle to gebidanne þæt his byre ride giong on galgan þonne he gyd wrece sarigne sang þonne his sunu hangað hrefne to hroðre ond he him helpe ne mæg eald ond infrod ænige gefremman symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce *eaforan ellorsið oðres ne gymeð to gebidanne burgum in innan yrfeweardas þonne se an hafað þurh deaðes nyd dæda gefondad – gesyhð sorhcearig on his suna bure winsele westne windge reste – reote berofene ridend swefað hæleð in hoðman nis þær hearpan sweg gomen in geardum swylce ðær iu wæron.

XXXV.
GEwiteð þonne on sealman sorhleoð gæleð an æfter anum þuhte him eall to rum wongas ond wicstede swa wedra helm æfter herebealde heortan sorge weallende wæg wihte ne meahte – on ðam feorhbonan fæghðe gebetan no ðy ær he þone heaðorinc hatian ne meahte laðum dædum þeah him leof ne wæs – he ða mid þære sorhge þe him swa sâr belamp gumdream ofgeaf godes leoht geceas eaferum læfde swa deð eadig mon lond ond leodbyrig þa he of life gewat þa *wæs synn ond sacu sweona ond geata ofer [w]id wæter wroht gemæne – herenið hearda syððan hreðel swealt oððe him ongenðeowes eaferan wæran frome fyrdhwate freode ne woldon ofer heafo healdan ac ymb hreosnabeorh eatolne inwitscear oft gefremedon – þæt mægwine mine gewræcan fæhðe ond fyrene swa hyt gefræge wæs þeah ðe oðer his ealdre gebohte heardan ceape hæðcynne wearð geata dryhtne guð onsæge þa ic on morgne gefrægn mæg oðerne billes ecgum on bonan stælan – þær ongenþeow eofores niosað – guðhelm toglad gomela scylfing hreas hildeblac hond gemunde : fæhðo genoge feorhsweng ne ofteah – ic him þa maðmas þe he me sealde geald æt guðe swa me gifeðe wæs – leohtan sweorde he me lond forgeaf eard eðelwyn næs him ænig þearf þæt he to gifðum oððe to gardenum oððe in swiorice secean þurfe *wyrsan wigfrecan weorðe gecypan symle ic him on feðan beforan wolde ana on orde ond swa to aldre sceall sæcce fremman þenden þis sweord þolað þæt mec ær ond sið oft gelæste syððan ic for dugeðum dæghrefne wearð to handbonan huga cempan nalles he ða frætwe frescyninge breostweorðunge bringan moste ac in compe gecrong cumbles hyrde æþeling on elne ne wæs ecg bona ac him hildegrap heortan wylmas banhus gebræc nu sceall billes ecg hond ond heard sweord ymb hord wigan – beowulf maðelode beotwordum spræc niehstan siðe ic geneðde fela guða on geogoðe gyt ic wylle frod folces weard fæhðe secan mærðu fremman gif mec se mânsceaða of eorðsele ut geseceð gegrette ða gumena gehwylcne hwate helmberend hindeman siðe swæse gesiðas nolde ic sweord beran wæpen to wyrme *gif ic wiste hu wið ðam aglæcean elles meahte – gylpe wiðgripan swa ic gio wið grendle dyde ac ic ðær heaðufyres hates wene oreðes ond attres forðon ic me on hafu bord ond byrnan nelle ic beorges weard forfleon fotes trem ac unc furður sceal weorðan æt wealle swa unc wyrd geteoð metod manna gehwæs ic eom on mode from – þæt ic wið þone guðflogan gylp ofersitte gebide ge on beorge byrnum werede secgas on searwum hwæðer sel mæge æfter wælræse wunde gedygan – uncer twega nis þæt eower sið ne gemet mannes nefn[e] min anes þæt he wið aglæcean eofoðo dæle eorlscype efne ic mid elne sceall gold gegangan oððe guð nimeð feorhbealu frecne frean eowerne – aras ða bi ronde rof oretta heard under helme hiorosercean bær under stancleofu strengo getruwode anes mannes ne bið swylc earges sið geseah – ða be wealle *se ðe worna fela gumcystum god guða gedigde hildehlemma þonne hnitan feðan – stondan stanbogan stream ut þonan – brecan of beorge wæs þære burnan wælm heaðofyrum hat – ne meahte horde neah unbyrnende ænige hwile deop gedygan for dracan lege – let ða of breostum ða he gebolgen wæs wedergeata leod word ut faran stearcheort styrmde stefn in becom heaðotorht hlynnan under hârne stân hete wæs onhrered hordweard oncniow mannes reorde næs ðær mara fyrst freode to friclan from ærest cwom oruð aglæcean ut of stane hat hildeswât hruse dynede biorn under beorge bordrand onswâf wið ðam gryregieste geata dryhten ða wæs hringbogan heorte gefysed sæcce to seceanne sweord ær gebræd god guðcyning gomele lafe – ecgum unslaw æghwæðrum wæs bealohycgendra *broga fram oðrum stiðmod gestod wið steapne rond winia bealdor ða se wyrm gebeah snude tosomne he on searwum bâd gewat ða byrnende gebogen scriðan to gescipe scyndan scyld wel gebearg life ond lice læssan hwile mærum þeodne þonne his myne sohte ðær he þy fyrste forman dogore wealdan moste swa him wyrd ne gescraf hreð æt hilde hond up abræd – geata dryhten gryrefahne sloh incgelafe þæt sio ecg gewâc brun on bane bat unswiðor – þonne his ðiodcyning þearfe hæfde bysigum gebæded þa wæs beorges weard æfter heaðuswenge on hreoum mode wearp wælfyre wide sprungon hildeleoman hreðsigora ne gealp goldwine geata guðbill geswâc nacod æt niðe swa hyt no sceolde iren ærgôd ne wæs þæt eðe sið – þæt se mæra maga ecgðeowes grundwong þone ofgyfan wolde sceolde ofer willan wic eardian – elles hwergen swa *sceal æghwylc mon – alætan lændagas næs ða long to ðon þæt ða aglæcean hy eft gemetton hyrte hyne hordweard hreðer æðme weoll niwan stefne nearo ðrowode fyre befongen se ðe ær folce weold – nealles him on heape handgesteallan æðelinga bearn ymbe gestodon hildecystum ac hy on holt bugon ealdre burgan hiora in anum weoll sefa wið sorgum sibb æfre ne mæg wiht onwendan þam ðe wel þenceð:~

XXXVI.
WIglaf wæs haten weoxstanes sunu leoflic lindwiga leod scylfinga – mæg ælfheres geseah his mondryhten under heregriman hat þrowian – gemunde ða ða are þe he him ær forgeaf – wîcstede weligne wægmundinga folcrihta gehwylc swa his fæder ahte ne mihte ða forhabban hond rond gefeng geolwe linde gomel swyrd geteah þæt wæs mid eldum eanmundes laf – *suna ohteres þam æt sæcce wearð wræcca[n] wineleasum weohstan bana meces ecgum ond his magum ætbær brunfagne helm hringde byrnan eald sweord etonisc þæt him onela forgeaf his gædelinges guðgewædu fyrdsearo fuslic no ymbe ða fæhðe spræc þeah ðe he his broðor bearn abredwade – he frætwe geheold fela missera bill ond byrnan oððæt his byre mihte eorlscipe efnan swa his ærfæder geaf him ða mid geatum guðgewæda æghwæs unrim þa he of ealdre gewat frod on forðweg þa wæs forma sið geongan cempan þæt he guðe ræs mid his freodryhtne fremman sceolde ne gemealt him se modsefa ne his mæges laf gewac æt wige þæt se wyrm onfand syððan hie togædre gegan hæfdon wiglâf maðelode wordrihta fela sægde gesiðum him wæs sefa geomor – ic ðæt *mæl geman þær we medu þegun þonne we geheton ussum hlaforde in biorsele ðe us ðas beagas geaf þæt we him ða guðgetawa gyldan woldon gif him þyslicu þearf gelumpe helmas ond heard sweord ðe he usic on herge geceas – to ðyssum siðfate sylfes willum onmunde usic mærða ond me þas maðmas geaf þe he usic gârwigend gode tealde hwate helmberend þeah ðe hlaford us þis ellenweorc ana aðohte to gefremmanne folces hyrde for ðam he manna mæst mærða gefremede dæda dollicra nu is se dæg cumen þæt ure mandryhten mægenes behofað godra guðrinca wutun gongan to helpan hildfruman þenden hyt sy gledegesa grim god wat on mec þæt me is micle leofre þæt minne lichaman mid minne goldgyfan gled fæðmie ne þynceð me gerysne þæt we rondas beren eft to earde nemne we æror mægen fâne gefyllan – *feorh ealgian wedra ðeodnes ic wat geare þæt næron ealdgewyrht þæt he ana scyle geata duguðe gnorn þrowian gesigan æt sæcce urum sceal sweord ond helm byrne ond beaduscrud bam gemæne – wod þa þurh þone wælrêc wigheafolan bær frean on fultum fea worda cwæð leofa biowulf læst eall tela swa ðu on geoguðfeore geara gecwæde þæt ðu ne alæte be ðe lifigendum – dôm gedreosan scealt nu dædum rof æðeling anhydig eall mægene feorh ealgian ic ðe fullæstu – æfter ðam wordum wyrm yrre cwom atol inwitgæst oðre siðe fyrwylmum fah fionda nios[i]an laðra manna ligyðum for born bord wið rond byrne – ne meahte geongum gârwigan geoce gefremman ac se maga geonga under his mæges scyld elne geeode þa his agen w[æs] gledum forgrunden þa gen guðcyning m[ærða] gemunde mægenstrengo sloh hildebille þæt hyt on heafolan stôd niþe genyded nægling forbærst geswâc æt sæcce sweord biowulfes *gomol ond grægmæl him þæt gifeðe ne wæs þæt him irenna ecge mihton helpan æt hilde wæs sio hond to strong se ðe meca gehwane mine gefræge swenge ofersohte þonne he to sæcce bær wæpen wundrum heard næs him wihte ðe sel – þa wæs þeodsceaða þriddan siðe frecne fŷrdraca fæhða gemyndig ræsde on ðone rofan þa him rum ageald hat ond heaðogrim heals ealne ymbefeng biteran banum he geblodegod wearð sawuldriore swat yðum weoll.

My Beowulf, Fitts 31 and 32

2009-08-31T09:10:00.002-04:00

Here are fitts 31 and 32 (remembering that there is no fitt 30), roughly lines 2144 (fol. 177r) to 2311 (fol. 181r). These were by far the toughest pages to work. Not only are there many missing letters because of the damage to the manuscript, but the pointing is fairly dense.

I'm ready to work through the rest of the sections and get this first pass finished!

Swa se ðeodkyning þeawum lyfde nealles ic ðam leanum forloren hæfde mægnes mede ac he me *[maðma]s geaf sunu healfdenes on [min]ne sylfes dôm – ða ic ðe beorncyning bringan wylle – estum geywan gen is eall æt ðe – lissa gelong ic lyt hafo – heafodmaga nefne hygelac ðec – het ða in beran eaforheafodsegn – heaðosteapne helm hare byrnan guðsweord geatolic gyd æfter wræc – me ðis hildesceorp hroðgâr sealde snotra fengel sume worde het þæt ic his ærest ðe est gesægde cwæð þæt hyt hæfde hiorogar cyning leod scyldunga lange hwile – no ðy ær suna sinum syllan wolde hwatum heorowearde þeah he him hold wære – breostgewædu bruc ealles well – hyrde ic þæt þam frætwum feower mearas – lungre gelice last weardode – æppelfealuwe he him est geteah meara ond maðma swa sceal *mæg don – nealles inwitnet oðrum bregdon dyrnum cræfte deað ren[ian] hondgesteallan hygelace wæs niða heardum – nefa swyðe hold ond gehwæðer oðrum hroþra gemyndig – hyrde ic þæt he ðone healsbeah hygde gesealde wrætlicne wundurmaððum ðone þe him wealhðeo geaf ðeod[nes] dohtor þrio wicg somod swancor ond sadolbeorht hyre syððan wæs æfter beahðege breost geweorðod – swa bealdode bearn ecgðeowes – guma guðum cuð godum dædum dreah æfter dome nealles druncne slog – heorðgeneatas næs him hreoh sefa – ac he mancynnes mæste cræfte – ginfæstan gife þe him god sealde heold hildedeor hean wæs lange swa hyne geata bearn godne ne tealdon – ne hyne on medobence micles wyrðne – *drihten wedera gedon wolde swyðe [wen]don þæt he sleac wære æðeling unfrom edwenden cwom tireadigum menn torna gehwylces – het ða eorla hleo in gefetian – heaðorof cyning hreðles lafe – golde gegyrede næs mid geatum ða sincmaðþum selra on sweordes had – þæt he on biowulfes bearm alegde – ond him gesealde seofan þusendo – bold ond bregostôl him wæs bam samod on ðam leodscipe lond gecynde eard eðelriht oðrum swiðor – side rice þam ðær selra wæs – eft þæt geiode ufaran dogrum – hildehlæmmum syððan hygelac læg – ond heardrede hildemeceas under bordhreoðan to bonan wurdon – ða hyne gesohtan on sigeþeode hearde hildefrecan heaðoscilfingas – niða genægdan – nefan hererices syððan *beowulfe brade rice on hand gehwearf he geheold tela fiftig wintra wæs ða frod cyning eald eþelweard oððæt ôn ongan deorcum nihtum draca rics[i]an se ðe on hea[ð]ohlawe hord beweotode stanbeorh steapne stig under læg eldum uncuð þær on innan giong – niða nathwylc ==== === gefeng hæðnum horde hond ======== since fahne he þæt syððan ===== þ===ð= == slæpende besyre ====de þeofes cræfte þæt sie ðiod ========= folc beorna þæt he gebolge[n] wæs

.XXXII.
Nealles mid gewealdum wyrmhord abræc sylfes willum se ðe him sare gesceod ac for þreanedlan þ[egn] nathwylces hæleða bearna heteswengeas fleoh [–] ===== þearfa ond ðær inne fealh secg synbysig sona mwatide þæt ===== ðam gyst= ===== broga stod hwæðre ==== sceapen

sceapen

se fâes begeat sincfæt

þær wæs swylcra fela in ðam eorð[hu]se ærgestreona swa hy on geardagum gumena nathwylc eormenlafe æþelan cynnes þanchycgende þær gehydde – deore maðmas ealle hie deað fornam ærran mælum – ond se an ða gen leoda duguðe se ðær lengest hwearf weard winegeomor wende þæs ylcan þæt he lytel fæc longgestreona brucan moste beorh eallgearo wunode on wonge wæteryðum neah niwe be næsse nearocræftum fæst þær on innan bær eorlgestreona hringa hyrde hordwyrðne dæl fættan goldes fea worda cwæð – heald þu nu hruse – nu hæleð ne moston eorla æhte hwæt hyt ær on ðe gode begeaton guðdeað fornam – feorhbealo frecne fyra gehwylcne – leoda minra þara ðe þis lif ofgeaf gesawon seledream == *nah hwa sweord wege oððe fe[o]r[mie] fæted wæge – dryncfæt deore dug[uð] ellor sceoc sceal se hearda helm [hyr]sted golde fætum befeallen feormynd swefað – þa ðe beadogriman bywan sceoldon – ge swylce seo herepâd sio æt hilde gebâd ofer borda gebræc bite irena brosnað æfter beorne ne mæg byrnan hring æfter wigfruman wide feran hæleðum be healfe næs hearpan wyn – gomen gleobeames ne gôd hafoc geond sæl swingeð ne se swifta mearh burhstede beateð bealocwealm hafað fela feorhcynna forð onsended.

Swa giomormod giohðo mænde – an æfter eallum unbliðe hwe[op] dæges ond nihtes oððæt deaðes wylm hrân æt heortan hordwynne fond eald uhtsceaða opene standan se ðe byrnende biorgas seceð – nacod niðdraca nihtes fleogeð fyre befangen hyne foldbuend *[swiðe ondræ]da[ð] he gesecean sceall [ho]r[d] [on] hrusan þær he hæðen gold warað wintrum frod ne byð him wihte ðy sel – swa se ðeodsceaða þreo hund wintra – heold on hrusan hordærna sum eacencræftig oððæt hyne ân abealch mon on mode mandryhtne bær – fæted wæge frioðowære bæd hlaford sinne ða wæs hord rasod onboren beaga hord bene getiðad feasceaftum men frea sceawode – fira fyrngeweorc forman siðe – þa se wyrm onwôc wroht wæs geniwad – stonc ða æfter stane stearcheort onfand feondes fotlast he to forð gestop – dyrnan cræfte dracan heafde neah – swa mæg unfæge eaðe gedigan wean ond wræcsið se ðe waldendes hyldo gehealdeþ hordweard sohte georne æfter grunde wolde guman findan – þone þe him on sweofote sare geteode – hat ond hreohmod *hlæwum oft ymbehwearf ealne utanweardne ne ðær ænig mon on þære westenne hwæðre wiges gefeh bea[du] weorces hwilum on beorh æthwearf sincfæt sohte he þæt sona onfand ðæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod heahgestreona hordweard onbâd earfoðlice oððæt æfen cwom wæs ða gebolgen beorges hyrde – wolde se laða lige forgyldan drincfæt dyre – þa wæs dæg sceacen wyrme on willan no on wealle læg bidan wolde ac mid bæle fôr fyre gefysed wæs se fruma egeslic leodum on lande swa hyt lungre wearð on hyra sincgifan sare geendod:—

My Beowulf, Fitts 28 and 29

2009-08-28T09:20:00.005-04:00

We're starting to get into some tough sections here, manuscript-wise, with characters missing or obscured.

We're also at the point where the numbering of fitts gets confused. In the manuscript, the numbering seems to indicate fitt 28 - in Roman characters. It looks like it had been 29, but then last I was erased to make it 28, the correct number. There is no number at Oððæt, where we would expect one, so I inserted the number 29 for that fitt. The next fitt, which does not appear below, is 31, so fitt 30 gets skipped entirely.

The two sections below go from about line 1963 (fol. 173r) to line 2143 (fol. 177r).

GEwat him ða se hearda mid his hondscole sylf æfter sande sæwong tredan wide waroðas woruldcandel scân sigel suðan fûs hi sið drugon elne geeodon to ðæs ðe eorla hleo bonan ongenþeoes – burgum in innan – geongne guðcyning godne gefrunon hringas dælan higelace wæs sið beowulfes snude gecyðed þæt ðær on worðig wigendra hleo lindgestealla lifigende cwom heaðolaces – hal to hofe gongan hraðe wæs gerymed swa se rica bebead feðegestum flet innanweard gesæt þa wið sylfne se ða sæcce genæs mæg wið mæge *syððan mandryhten þurh hleoðorcwyde holdne gegrette meaglum wordum meoduscencum hwearf – geond þæt healreced hæreðes dohtor lufode ða leode liðwæge bær hæleðum to handa higelac ongan sinne geseldan in sele þam hean fægre fricgcean hyne fyrwet bræc hwylce sægeata siðas wæron hu lomp eow on lade leofa biowulf þa ðu færinga feorr gehogodest – sæcce secean ofer sealt wæter hilde to hiorote ac ðu hroðgare widcuðne wean wihte gebettest mærum ðeodne ic ðæs modceare sorhwylmum seað siðe ne truwode leofes mannes ic ðe lange bæd þæt ðu þone wælgæst wihte ne grette lete suðdene sylfe geweorðan guðe wið grendel gode ic þanc secge þæs ðe ic ðe gesundne geseon moste.

Biowulf maðelode bearn ecgðioes *þæt is undyrne dryhten higelac [micel] gemeting monegum fira – hwyl[c] [orleg]hwîl uncer grendles wearð on ðam wange þær he worna fela sigescyldingum sorge gefremede yrmðe to aldre ic ðæt eall gewræc swa [be]gylpan ne þearf grendeles maga [ænig] ofer eorðan uhthlem þone – se ðe lengest leofað laðan cynnes f[acne] bifongen ic ðær furðum cwom – to ðam hringsele hroðgar gretan sona me se mæra mago healfdenes syððan he modsefan minne cuðe wið his sylfes sunu setl getæhte – weorod wæs on wynne ne seah ic widan feorh under heofones hwealf healsittendra medudream maran hwilum mæru cwen friðusibb folca flet eall geondhwearf bædde byre geonge oft hio beahwriðan secge *[sealde ]ær hie to setle – geong hwilum for [d]uguðe dohtor hroðgares eorlum on ende ealuwæge bær þa ic freaware fletsittende – nemnan hyrde þær hio [næ]gled sinc hæleðum sealde sio gehaten [is] geong goldhroden gladum suna frodan – [h]afað þæs geworden wine scyldinga rices hyrde ond þæt ræd talað þæt he mid ðy wife wælfæhða dæl sæcca gesette oft seldan hwær – æfter leodhryre lytle hwile bongar bugeð þeah seo bryd duge mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan ðeodne heaðobeardna ond þegna gehwam þara leoda þonne he mid fæmnan on flett gæð – dryhtbearn dena duguða biwenede – on him gladiað gomelra lafe heard ond hringmæl heaðabeardna gestreon þenden hie ðam wæpnum wealdan moston.

[.XXVIIII.]
Oððæt hie forlæddan to ðam lindplegan swæse gesiðas ond hyra sylfra feorh þonne cwið æt beore se ðe beah *gesyhð eald æscwiga se ðe eall gem[an] gârcwealm gumena him bið grim sefa onginneð geomormod geong[um] cempan þurh hreðra gehygd higes cunnian wigbealu weccean ond þæt word acwyð – meaht ðu min wine mece gecnawan þone þin fæder to gefeohte bær – under heregriman hindeman siðe – dyre iren þær hyne dene slogon weoldon wælstowe syððan wiðergyld læg – æfter hæleþa hryre hwate scyldungas nu her þara banena byre nathwylces – frætwum hremig on flet gæð morðres gylpe[ð] ond þone maðþum byreð þone þe ðu mid rihte rædan sceoldest manað swa ond myndgað mæla gehwylce – sarum wordum oððæt sæl cymeð þæt se fæmnan þegn fore fæder dædum – æfter billes bite blodfag swefeð – ealdres scyldig him se oðer þonan losað *[li]figende con him land geare þonne bioð [a]brocene on ba healfe aðsweord eorla [syð]ðan ingelde weallað wælniðas ond him wiflufan æfter cearwælmum colran weorðað þy ic heaðobeardna hyldo ne telge – dryhtsibbe dæl denum unfæcne freondscipe fæstne ic sceal forð sprecan – gen ymbe grendel þæt ðu geare cunne sinces brytta to hwan syððan wearð – hondræs hæleða syððan heofones gim – glad ofer grundas gæst yrre cwom eatol æfengrom user neosan – ðær we gesunde sæl weardodon þær wæs hondscio hild onsæge feorhbealu fægum he fyrmest læg gyrded cempa him grendel wearð mærum maguþegne to muðbonan – leofes mannes lîc eall forswealg – no ðy ær ut ða gen idelhende – bona blodigtoð bealewa gemyndig of ðam goldsele gongan wolde – ac he mægnes rof min costode *grapode gearofolm glof hangode sîd ond syllic searobendum fæst – sio wæs orðoncum eall gegyrwed deofles cræftum ond dracan fellum he mec þær on innan unsynnigne dior dædfruma gedôn [ ] wolde manigra sumne hyt ne mihte swa syððan ic on yrre uppriht astod.

To lang ys to reccenne hu i[c ð]am leodsceaðan yfla gehwylces ondlean forgeald þær ic þeoden min þine leode weorðode weorcum he on weg losade – lytle hwile lifwynna br[ea]c hwæþre him sio swiðre swaðe weardade – hand on hiorte ond he hean ðonan modes geomor meregrund gefeoll me þone wælræs wine scildunga – fættan golde fela leanode manegum maðmum syððan mergen côm – ond we to symble geseten hæfdon – þær wæs gidd ond gleo gomela *scilding felafricgende feorran rehte hwilum hildedeor hearpan wynne gomenwudu grette hwilum gyd awræc – soð ond sarlîc hwilum syllic spell – rehte æfter rihte rumheort cyning – hwilum eft ongan eldo gebunden gomel guðwiga gioguðe cwiðan hildestrengo hreðer inne weoll – þonne he wintrum frod worn gemunde swa we þær inne ondlangne dæg – niode naman oððæt niht becwom – oðer to yldum þa wæs eft hraðe gearo gyrnwræce – grendeles modor.

Siðode sorhfull sunu deað fornam wighete wedra wif unhyre hyre bearn gewræc beorn acwealde ellenlice þær wæs æschere frodan fyrnwitan feorh uðgenge – noðer hy hine ne moston syððan mergen cwom deaðwerigne denia leode – bronde forbærnan ne on bel hladan – leofne mannan *hio þæt lic ætbær feondes fæðrunga [un]der firgenstream – þæt wæs hroðgare hreowa tornost þara þe leodfruman lange begeate – þa se ðeoden mec ðine life healsode hreohmod þæt ic on holma geþring eorlscipe efnde ealdre geneðde – mærðo fremede he me mede gehet ic ða ðæs wælmes þe is wide cuð grimne gryrelicne grundhyrde fond þær unc hwile wæs hand gemæne – holm heolfre weoll ond ic heafde becearf in ðam guðsele grendeles modor – eacnum ecgum unsofte þonan feorh oðferede – næs ic fæge þa gyt – ac me eorla hleo eft gesealde maðma menigeo maga healfdenes.

My Beowulf, Fitts 26 and 27

2009-08-27T08:32:00.004-04:00

Here are fitts 26 and 27, lines 1818 (fol. 169v) to 1963 (fol. 173r). Fitt 27 begins with cwom in all caps, for what it's worth.

Beowulf maþelode bearn ecgþeowes nu we sæliðend secgan wyllað feorran cumene þæt we fundiaþ higelac secan wæron her tela willum bewenede þu us wel dohtest.

Gif ic þonne on eorþan owihte mæg þinre modlufan maran tilian – gumena dryhten ðonne ic gyt dyde guðgeweorca ic beo gearo sona – gif ic þæt ge-*fricge ofer floda begang þæt þec ymbsittend egesan þywað swa þec hetende hwilum dydon.

Ic ðe þusenda þegna bringe hæleþa to helpe ic on higelac wat geata dryhten þeah ðe he geong sy folces hyrde þæt he mec fremman wile wordum ond worcum þæt ic þe wel herige ond þe to geoce garholt bere mægenes fultum þær ðe bið manna þearf gif him þonne hreþric to hofum geata geþingeð þeodnes bearn he mæg þær fela – freonda findan feorcyþðe beoð selran gesohte þæm þe him selfa deah.

Hroðgar maþelode him on ondsware þe þa wordcwydas wigtig drihten on sefan sende ne hyrde ic snotorlicor on swa geongum feore guman þingian þu eart mægenes strang ond on mode frod wis wordcwida wen ic talige gif þæt gegangeð þæt ðe gar nymeð hild heorugrimme hreþles eaferan adl oþðe iren ealdor ðinne folces hyrde ond þu þin feorh hafast – þæt þe *sâegeatas selran næbben to geceosenne cyning ænigne hordweard hæleþa gyf þu healdan wylt maga rice me þin modsefa licað leng swa wel leofa beowulf hafast þu gefered þæt þam folcum sceal geata leodum ond gardenum sib gemæne ond sacu restan inwitniþas þe hie ær drugon wesan þenden ic wealde widan rices maþmas gemæne manig oþerne godum gegretan ofer ganotes bæð sceal hringnaca ofer heafu bringan lâc ond luftacen ic þa leode wât ge wið feond ge wið freond fæste geworhte æghwæs untæle ealde wisan – ða git him eorla hleo inne gesealde mago healfdenes maþmas .xii. het hine mid þæm lacum leode swæse secean on gesyntum snude eft cuman gecyste þa cyning æþelum gôd þeoden scyldinga ðegn betstan ond be healse genam hruron him tearas blondenfeaxum him wæs bega wen ealdum in-*frodum oþres swiðor þæt hie seoððan no geseon moston modige on meþle wæs him se man to þon leof þæt he þone breostwylm forberan ne mehte – ac him on hreþre hygebendum fæst æfter deorum men dyrne langað – beorn wið blode him beowulf þanan guðrinc goldwlanc græsmoldan træd since hremig sâegenga bad agendfrean se þe on ancre râd þa wæs on gange gifu hroðgares oft geæhted þæt wæs an cyning æghwæs orleahtre oþþæt hine yldo benam mægenes wynnum se þe oft manegum scod.

.XXVII.
CWOM þa to flode felamodigra hægstealdra heap hringnet bæron locene leoðosyrcan landweard onfand eftsið eorla swa he ær dyde no he mid hearme of hliðes nosan *gæs[tas] grette ac him togeanes rad cwæð þæt wilcuman wedera leodum scaþan scîrhame to scipe foron – þa wæs on sande sâegeap naca hladen herewædum hringedstefna mearum ond maðmum mæst hlifade ofer hroðgares hordgestreonum he þæm batwearde bunden golde swurd gesealde þæt he syðþan wæs on meodubence maþme þy weorþra yrfelafe gewat him on naca drefan deop wæter dena land ofgeaf – þa wæs be mæste merehrægla sum segl sale fæst sundwudu þunede no þær wegflotan wind ofer yðum siðes getwæfde sægenga for fleat famigheals forð ofer yðe bundenstefna ofer brimstreamas þæt hie geata clifu ongitan meahton cuþe næssas ceol up geþrang lyftgeswenced on lande stod – hraþe wæs æt *holme hyðweard geara se þe ær lange tid leofra manna fus æt faroðe feor wlatode sælde to sande sidfæþme scip oncerbendum fæst þy læs hym yþa ðrym wudu wynsuman forwrecan meahte het þa up beran æþelinga gestreon frætwe ond fætgold næs him feor þanon to gesecanne sinces bryttan – higelac hreþling þær æt ham wunað selfa mid gesiðum sâewealle neah bold wæs betlic bregorof cyning heah in healle hygd swiðe geong wis welþungen þeah ðe wintra lyt under burhlocan gebiden hæbbe hæreþes dohtor næs hio hnah swa þeah ne to gneað gifa geata leodum maþmgestreona mod þryðo wæg fremu folces cwen firen ondrysne nænig þæt dorste deor geneþan swæsra gesiða nefne sinfrea þæt hire an dæges eagum starede ac him wælbende – *weotode tealde handgewriþene hraþe seoþðan wæs æfter mundgripe mece geþinged þæt hit sceadenmæl scyran moste cwealmbealu cyðan ne bið swylc cwenlic þeaw idese to efnanne þeah ðe hio ænlicu sy þætte freoðuwebbe feores onsæce æfter ligetorne leofne mannan huru þæt onhohsnode hemminges mæg ealodrincende oðer sædan þæt hio leodbealewa læs gefremede inwitniða syððan ærest wearð gyfen goldhroden geongum cempan æðelum diore syððan hio offan flet ofer fealone flod be fæder lare siðe gesohte ðær hio syððan well in gumstole gode mære lifgesceafta lifigende breac – hiold heahlufan wið hæleþa brego ealles moncynnes mine gefræge þone selestan bi sæm tweonum eormencynnes forðam offa *wæs geofum ond guðum garcene man wide geweorðod wisdome heold eðel sinne þonon eomer wôc hæleðum to helpe hemminges mæg nefa gârmundes niða cræftig:—

Ted Kennedy, 1932-2009

2009-08-26T12:48:00.012-04:00

For a native Bostonian and lifelong Massachusetts person like me, Ted Kennedy's death gives a special sadness. I won't even try to describe it other than to say that it comes partly from a connection I have with other, older people from this part of the country. My mother in particular will be affected, which means I will be too.

Above all, I appreciate that Ted was always optimistic and tough. Yes, he made some awful mistakes in life, and we should neither ignore nor wave them away. But certainly Ted helped many people in Massachusetts and the U.S. through his role as senator.

Perhaps a most worthwhile perspective on Ted comes from his own words, from the eulogy for his brother Robert:

My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.

No, these words aren't quite right for Ted because he will never "be remembered simply as a good and decent man." To take a line from Walt Whitman, Ted was large and contained multitudes.

Whitman long ago also sang, "There is that in me - I do not know what it is - but I know it is in me."

Yes, this seems more apt. If Ted was an icon for supporters and a target for detractors, maybe it was because he seemed more like us than his brothers did, and we were more like him. His burdens, mistakes, triumphs and failures were the kinds of things we saw as being in us too.

I don't know that I would have wanted to live Ted Kennedy's life. I cannot I say I could have done any better. But he lived an extraordinary life of great consequence. Those consequences now belong to us, the living, to shape and to work in our time.

My Beowulf, Fitts 24 through 25

2009-08-25T17:33:00.005-04:00

Moving two-by-two. Here are fitts 24 and 25, roughly lines 1652 (fol. 166r) to 1816 (fol. 169v).

Throughout the poem thus far, it seems that words like ac and ic tend to be relatively common after a point. After I finish my first pass through the text, I'll have to take some stats on these things. Also, in fitt 25 notice all the oððes (or). What's up with that?

Beowulf maþelode bearn ecgþeowes hwæt we þe þas sâelac sunu healfdenes leod scyldinga lustum brohton tires to tacne þe þu her to locast – ic þæt unsofte ealdre gedigde wigge under wætere weorc geneþde earfoðlice ætrihte wæs guð getwæfed nymðe mec god scylde.

Ne meahte ic æt hilde mid hruntinge wiht gewyrcan þeah þæt wæpen duge – ac me geuðe ylda waldend þæt ic on wage geseah wlitig *hangian eald sweord eacen oftost wisode winigea leasum þæt ic ðy wæpne gebræd – ofsloh ða æt þære sæcce þa me sæl ageald huses hyrdas þa þæt hildebil forbarn brogdenmæl – swa þæt blod gesprang hatost heaþoswata ic þæt hilt þanan feondum ætferede fyrendæda wræc deaðcwealm denigea swa hit gedefe wæs – ic hit þe þonne gehate þæt þu on heorote most sorhleas swefan mid þinra secga gedryht ond þegna gehwylc þinra leoda duguðe ond iogoþe þæt þu him ondrædan ne þearft þeoden scyldinga on þa healfe aldorbealu eorlum swa þu ær dydest – ða wæs gylden hilt gamelum rince harum hildfruman on hand gyfen enta ærgeweorc hit on æht gehwearf æfter deofla hryre denigea frean wundorsmiþa geweorc ond þa þas worold ofgeaf gromheort guma godes ondsaca morðres scyldig ond his modor eac on geweald gehwearf woroldcyninga ðæm selestan be *sæm tweonum ðara þe on scedenigge sceattas dælde – hroðgar maðelode hylt sceawode ealde lafe on ðæm wæs or writen fyrngewinnes – syðþan flod ofsloh gifen geotende giganta cyn frecne geferdon þæt wæs fremde þeod ecean dryhtne him þæs endelean þurh wæteres wylm waldend sealed.

Swa wæs on ðæm scennum sciran goldes þurh runstafas rihte gemearcod geseted ond gesæd hwam þæt sweord geworht irena cyst ærest wære wreoþenhilt ond wyrmfah ða se wisa spræc sunu healfdenes swigedon ealle – þæt la mæg secgan se þe soð ond riht fremeð on folce feor eal gemon eald – eðel – weard þæt ðes eorl wære geboren betera blæd is aræred geond widwegas wine min beowulf ðin ofer þeoda gehwylce eal þu hit geþyldum healdest mægen mid modes snyttrum ic þe sceal mine gelæstan freode swa wit furðum spræcon ðu scealt to frofre weorþan eal langtwidig leodum þinum *hæleðum to helpe ne wearð heremod swa eaforum ecgwelan arscyldingum.

Ne geweox he him to willan ac to wælfealle ond to deaðcwalum deniga leodum breat bolgenmod beodgeneatas eaxlgesteallan oþþæt he ana hwearf mære þeoden – mondreamum from ðeah þe hine mihtig god mægenes wynnum eafeþum stepte ofer ealle men forð gefremede hwæþere him on ferhþe greow breosthord blodreow nallas beagas geaf – denum æfter dome dreamleas gebad þæt he þæs gewinnes weorc þrowade leodbealo longsum ðu þe lær be þon gumcyste ongit – ic þis gid be þe awræc wintrum frod wundor is to secganne hu mihtig god manna cynne þurh sidne sefan snyttru bryttað eard ond eorlscipe he ah ealra geweald – hwilum he on lufan læteð hworfan monnes modgeþonc mæran cynnes.

Seleð him on eþle eorþan wynne to healdanne hleoburh wera *gedeð him swa gewealdene worolde dælas side rice þæt he his selfa ne mæg for his unsnyttrum ende geþencean – wunað he on wiste no hine wiht dweleð adl ne yldo ne him inwitsorh on sefa[n] sweorceð ne gesacu ohwær ecghete eoweð ac him eal worold wendeð on willan he þæt wyrse ne con.

.XXV.
Oðþæt him on innan oferhygda dæl weaxeð ond wridað þonne se weard swefeð sawele hyrde bið se slæp to fæst bisgum gebunden bona swiðe neah se þe of flanbogan fyrenum sceoteð þonne bið on hreþre under helm drepen biteran stræle him bebeorgan ne con wom wundorbebodum wergan gastes þinceð him to lytel þæt he lange heold gytsað gromhydig nallas on gylp seleð fædde beagas ond he þa forðgesceaft forgyteð ond forgymeð þæs þe him ær god sealde wuldres *waldend weorðmynda dæl – hit on endestæf eft gelimpeð þæt se lichoma læne gedreoseð fæge gefealleð fehð oþer to se þe unmurnlice madmas dæleþ eorles ærgestreon egesan ne gymeð – bebeorh þe ðone bealonið beowulf leofa secg betsta ond þe þæt selre geceos ece rædas oferhyda ne gym mære cempa nu is þines mægnes blæd ane hwile eft sona bið þæt þec adl oððe ecg eafoþes getwæfeð oððe fyres feng oððe flodes wylm oððe gripe meces oððe gares fliht oððe atol yldo oððe eagena bearhtm forsiteð ond forsworceð semninga bið – þæt ðec dryhtguma deað oferswyðeð swa ic hringdena hund missera weold under wolcnum ond hig wigge beleac manigum mægþa geond þysne middangeard æscum ond ecgum þæt ic me ænigne under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde hwæt me þæs on eþle edwenden cwom gyrn æfter gomene seoþðan grendel wearð ealdgewinna ingenga min.

Ic þære socne singales wæg modceare micle þæs sig metode þanc ecean dryhtne þæs ðe ic on aldre gebad þæt ic on þone hafelan heorodreorigne ofer ealdgewin eagum starige – ga nu to setle symbelwynne dreoh wigge weorþad unc sceal worn fela maþma gemænra siþðan morgen bið – geat wæs glædmod geong sona to setles neosan swa se snottra heht – þa wæs eft swa ær ellenrofum fletsittendum fægere gereorded niowan stefne nihthelm geswearc deorc ofer dryhtgumum duguð eal aras wolde blondenfeax beddes neosan gamela scylding geat unigmetes wel – rofne randwigan restan lyste sona him seleþegn siðes wergum feorrancundum forð wisade se for andrysnum ealle beweotede þegnes þearfe swylce þy dogore heaþoliðende habban scoldon – reste hine þa rumheort reced hliuade geap ond goldfah gæst inne swæf oþþæt hrefn blaca heofones wynne bliðheort bodode *ða com beorht scacan scaþan onetton wæron æþelingas eft to leodum fuse to farenne wolde feor þanon cuma collenferhð ceoles neosan.

Heht þa se hearda hrunting beran sunu ecglafes heht his sweord niman leoflic iren sægde him þæs leanes þanc cwæð he þone guðwine godne tealde – wigcræftigne nales wordum log meces ecge þæt wæs modig secg ond þa siðfrome searwum gearwe wigend wæron.

Eode weorð denum æþeling to yppan þær se oþer wæs hæle hildedeor hroðgar grette.

My Beowulf, Fitts 21 through 23

2009-08-22T13:04:00.003-04:00

Moving along. I've refined my method to allow for more rapid progress. Here we have three fitts, starting at line 1383 (fol. 160v) and ending at line 1651 (fol. 166r). It seems to me the last several fitts have been longer than what we had at the beginning. I'm also struck by how individual fitts can be significantly more populated with small caps, such as 22 and 23.

Beowulf maþelode bearn ecgþeowes ne sorga snotor guma selre bið æghwæm þæt he his freond wrece þonne he fela murne ure æghwylc sceal ende gebidan worolde lifes wyrce se þe mote domes âer deaþe þæt bið drihtguman unlifgendum æfter selest âris rices weard uton raþe feran grendles magan gang sceawigan.

Ic hit þe gehate no he on helm losaþ ne on foldan fæþm ne on fyrgenholt – ne on gyfenes grund gâ þær he wille ðys dogor þu geþyld hafa weana gehwylces swa ic þe wene to – ahleop ða se gomela gode þancode mihtigan drihtne þæs se man ge-*spræc þa wæs hroðgare hors gebæted wicg wundenfeax wisa fengel geatolic gende gumfeþa stop lindhæbbendra lastas wæron æfter waldswaþum wide gesyne gang ofer grundas þær heo gegnum for ofer myrcan mor magoþegna bær þone selestan sawolleasne þara þe mid hroðgare hâm eahtode ofereode þa æþelinga bearn steap stanhliðo stige nearwe enge anpaðas uncuð gelad neowle næssas nicorhusa fela – he feara sum beforan gengde wisra monna wong sceawian oþþæt he færinga fyrgenbeamas ofer harne stan hleonian funde wynleasne wudu wæter under stod dreorig ond gedrefed denum eallum wæs winum scyldinga weorce on mode to geþolianne ðegne monegum oncyð eorla gehwæm syðþan æscheres on þam holmclife hafelan metton flod blode weol folc to sægon *hatan heolfre horn stundum song fuslic f[yrd]leoð feþa eal gesæt – gesawon ða æfter wætere wyrmcynnes fela sellice sædracan sund cunnian swylce on næshleoðum nicras licgean – ða on undernmæl oft bewitigað sorhfulne sið on seglrade wyrmas ond wildeor hie on weg hruron bitere ond gebolgne bearhtm ongeaton guðhorn galan sumne geata leod of flanbogan feores getwæfde yðgewinnes þæt him on aldre stod herestræl hearda he on holme wæs sundes þe sænra ðe hyne swylt fornam – hræþe wearð on yðum mid eoferspreotum heorohocyhtum hearde genearwod niða genæged ond on næs togen wundorlic wægbora weras sceawedon gryrelicne gist gyrede hine beowulf eorlgewædum nalles for ealdre mearn scolde herebyrne hondum gebroden sid ond searofah sund cunnian seo ðe bâncofan beorgan cuþe þæt him hildegrap hreþre ne mihte eorres inwitfeng aldre gesceþðan – ac se hwita helm – *hafelan werede se þe meregrundas mengan scolde secan sundgebland since geweorðad befongen freawrasnum swa hine fyrndagum worhte wæpna smið wundrum teode besette swinlicum þæt hine syðþan no brond ne beadomecas bitan ne meahton.

Næs þæt þonne mætost mægenfultuma þæt him on ðearfe lah ðyle hroðgares wæs þæm hæftmece hrunting nama þæt wæs an foran ealdgestreona ecg wæs iren atertanum fah ahyrded heaþoswate næfre hit æt hilde ne swac manna ængum þara þe hit mid mundum bewand se ðe gryresiðas gegan dorste folcstede fara næs þæt forma sið þæt hit ellenweorc æfnan scolde – huru ne gemunde mago ecglafes eafoþes cræftig þæt he ær gespræc wine druncen þa he þæs wæpnes onlah – selran sweordfrecan selfa ne dorste under yða gewin aldre geneþan drihtscype dreogan þær he dome forleas ellen-*mærðum ne wæs þæm oðrum swa syðþan he hine to guðe gegyred hæfde.

.XXII.
Beowulf maðelode bearn ecgþeowes geþenc nu se mæra maga healfdenes snottra fengel nu ic eom siðes fus goldwine gumena hwæt wit geo spræcon gif ic æt þearfe þinre scolde aldre linnan þæt ðu me a wære forðgewitenum on fæder stæle wes þu mundbora minum magoþegnum hondgesellum gif mec hild nime.

Swylce þu ða madmas þe þu me sealdest hroðgar leofa higelace onsend – mæg þonne on þæm golde ongitan geata dryhten geseon sunu hrædles þonne he on þæt sinc starað þæt ic gumcystum godne funde beaga bryttan breac þonne moste – ond þu unferð læt ealde lafe wrætlic wægsweord widcuðne man heardecg habban ic me mid hruntinge dôm gewyrce *oþðe mec deað nimeð – æfter þæm wordum wedergeata leod efste mid elne nalas ondsware bidan wolde brimwylm onfeng hilderince ða wæs hwil dæges ær he þone grundwong ongytan mehte.

Sona þæt onfunde se ðe floda begong heorogifre beheold hund missera grim ond grædig þæt þær gumena sum ælwihta eard ufan cunnode grap þa togeanes guðrinc gefeng atolan clommum no þy ær in gescod halan lice hring utan ymbbearh þæt heo þone fyrdhom ðurhfon ne mihte locene leoðosyrcan laþan fingrum bær þa seo brimwylf þa heo to botme com hringa þengel to hofe sinum swa he ne mihte no he þæs modig wæs wæpna gewealdan ac hine wundra þæs fela swencte on sunde sædeor monig hildetuxum heresyrcan bræc ehton aglæcan ða se eorl ongeat þæt he in niðsele nathwylcum wæs þær him nænig wæter wihte ne sceþede ne him for hrofsele hrinan ne mehte færgripe flodes *fyrleoht geseah blacne leoman beorhte scinan[.]

Ongeat þa se goda grundwyrgenne merewif mihtig mægenræs forgeaf hildebille hond sweng ne ofteah þæt hire on hafelan hringmæl agol grædig guðleoð ða se gist onfand þæt se beadoleoma bitan nolde aldre sceþðan – ac seo ecg geswac ðeodne æt þearfe ðolode ær fela hondgemota helm oft gescær fæges fyrdhrægl ða wæs forma sið deorum madme þæt his dôm alæg – eft wæs anræd nalas elnes læt mærða gemyndig mæg hylaces wearp ða wundenmæl wrættum gebunden yrre oretta þæt hit on eorðan læg stið ond stylecg strenge getruwode mundgripe mægenes swa sceal man don þonne he æt guðe gegan þenceð longsumne lof na ymb his lif cearað.

Gefeng þa be eaxle nalas for fæhðe mearn guðgeata leod grendles modor brægd þa beadwe heard þa he gebolgen wæs feorhgeniðlan þæt heo on flet gebeah heo him eft hraþe andlean forgeald grim-*man grapum ond him togeanes feng oferwearp þa werigmod wigena strengest feþecempa þæt he on fylle wearð.

Ofsæt þa þone selegyst ond hyre seax geteah brad ond brûnecg wolde hire bearn wrecan angan eaferan him on eaxle læg breostnet broden þæt gebearh feore wið ord ond wið ecge ingang forstod[.]

Hæfde ða forsiðod sunu ecgþeowes under gynne grund geata cempa nemne him heaðobyrne helpe gefremede herenet hearde ond halig god geweold wigsigor witig drihten rodera rædend hit on ryht gesced yðelice syþðan he eft astod[.]

.XXIII.
Geseah ða on searwum sigeeadig bil eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þyhtig wigena weorðmynd þæt wæs wæpna cyst buton hit wæs mare ðonne ænig mon oðer to beadulace ætberan meahte gôd ond geatolic giganta geweorc – he gefeng þa fetelhilt freca scyldinga hreoh ond heorogrim hringmæl gebrægd aldres orwena yrringa *sloh þæt hire wið halse heard grapode banhringas bræc bil eal ðurhwod fægne flæschoman heo on flet gecrong sweord wæs swatig secg weorce gefeh lixte se leoma leoht inne stod efne swa of hefene hadre scineð rodores candel he æfter recede wlat.

Hwearf þa be wealle wæpen hafenade heard be hiltum higelaces ðegn yrre ond anræd – næs seo ecg fracod hilderince ac he hraþe wolde grendle forgyldan guðræsa fela ðara þe he geworhte to westdenum oftor micle ðonne on ænne sið þonne he hroðgares heorðgeneatas sloh on sweofote slæpende fræt folces denigea fyftyne men ond oðer swylc ut offerede laðlicu lac he him þæs lean forgeald reþe cempa to ðæs – þe he on ræste geseah guðwerigne grendel licgan aldorleasne swa him âer gescod hild æt heorote hra wide sprong syþðan he æfter deaðe drepe þrowade heorosweng heardne ond hine þa heafde becearf.

Sona þæt gesawon snottre *ceorlas þa ðe mid hroðgare on holm wliton þæt wæs yðgeblond eal gemenged brim blode fah blondenfeaxe gomele ymb godne ongeador spræcon þæt hig þæs æðelinges eft ne wendon þæt he sigehreðig secean come mærne þeoden þa ðæs monige gewearð þæt hine seo brimwylf abroten hæfde – ða com non dæges næs ofgeafon hwate scyldingas gewat him ham þonon goldwine gumena gistas setan modes seoce ond on mere staredon wiston ond ne wendon þæt hie heora winedrihten selfne gesawon þa þæt sweord ongan æfter heaþoswate hildegicelum wigbil wanian þæt wæs wundra sum – þæt hit eal gemealt ise gelicost ðonne forstes bend fæder onlæteð onwindeð wælrapas se geweald hafað sæla ond mæla þæt is soð metod – ne nom he in þæm wicum wedergeata leod maðmæhta ma þeh he þær monige geseah buton þone hafelan ond þa hilt somod since fage sweord ær gemealt forbarn brodenmæl wæs þæt blod *to þæs hat ættren ellorgæst se þær inne swealt.

Sona wæs on sunde se þe ær æt sæcce gebad wighryre wraðra wæter up þurhdeaf wæron yðgebland eal gefælsod eacne eardas þa se ellorgast oflet lifdagas ond þas lænan gesceaft.

Com þa to lande lidmanna helm swiðmod swymman sælace gefeah mægenbyrþenne þara þe he him mid hæfde.

Eodon him þa togeanes gode þancodon ðryðlic þegna heap þeodnes gefegon þæs þe hi hyne gesundne geseon moston – ða wæs of þæm hroran helm ond byrne lungre alysed lagu drusade wæter under wolcnum wældreore fag – ferdon forð þonon feþelastum ferhþum fægne foldweg mæton cuþe stræte cyningbalde men from þæm holmclife hafelan bæron earfoðlice heora æghwæþrum felamodigra feower scoldon on þæm wælstenge weorcum geferian to þæm goldsele grendles heafod oþðæt *semninga to sele comon frome fyrdhwate feowertyne geata gongan gumdryhten mid modig on gemonge meodowongas træd – ða com in gan ealdor ðegna dædcene mon dome gewurþad hæle hildedeor hroðgar gretan – þa wæs be feaxe on flet boren grendles heafod þær guman druncon egeslic for eorlum ond þære idese mid wliteseon wrætlic weras on sawon.

My Beowulf, Fitts 17 through 20

2009-08-19T20:49:00.004-04:00

Since I've been largely away from blogging over the past two weeks, I thought I'd try to get several fitts completed. Here are four of them, extending from line 1125 (fol. 154v) to line 1382 (fol. 160v).

.XVII.
Gewiton him ða wigend wica neosian freondum befeallen frysland geseon hamas ond heaburh hengest ða gyt wælfagne winter wunode mid finne eal unhlitme eard gemunde þeah þe he ne meahte on mere drifan hringedstefnan holm storme weol won wið winde winter yþe beleac isgebinde oþðæt oþer com gear in geardas swa nu gyt deð þa ðe syngales sele bewitiað wuldortorhtan weder ða wæs winter scacen fæger foldan bearm fundode wrecca gist of geardum he to gyrnwræce swiðor *þohte þonne to sælade gif he torngemot þurhteon mihte þæt he eotena bearn inne gemunde.

Swa he ne forwyrnde woroldrædenne þonne him hunlafing hildeleoman billa selest on bearm dyde þæs wæron mid eotenum ecge cuðe swylce ferhðfrecan fin eft begeat sweordbealo sliðen æt his selfes ham siþðan grimne gripe guðlaf ond oslaf æfter sâesiðe sorge mændon ætwiton weana dæl ne meahte wæfre mod forhabban in hreþre ða wæs heal roden feonda feorum swilce fin slægen cyning on corþre ond seo cwen numen sceotend scyldinga to scypon feredon eal ingesteald eorðcyninges swylce hie æt finnes ham findan meahton sigla searogimma hie on sælade drihtlice wif to denum feredon læddon – *to leodum leoð wæs asungen gleomannes gyd gamen eft astah – beorhtode bencsweg byrelas sealdon wîn of wunderfatum – þa cwom wealhþeo forð gân under gyldnum beage þær þa godan twegen sæton suhtergefæderan þa gyt wæs hiera sib ætgædere æghwylc oðrum trywe swylce þær unferþ þyle æt fotum sæt frean scyldinga gehwylc hiora his ferhþe treowde – þæt he hæfde môd micel þeah þe he his magum nære ârfæst æt ecga gelacum.

Spræc ða ides scyldinga – onfoh þissum fulle freodrihten min sinces brytta þu on sælum wes goldwine gumena ond to geatum spræc mildum wordum swa sceal man don – beo wið geatas glæd geofena gemyndig nean ond feorran þu nu hafast me man sægde þæt *þu ðe for sunu wolde hererinc habban heorot is gefælsod beahsele beorhta bruc þenden þu mote manigra medo ond þinum magum læf folc ond rice þonne ðu forð scyle metodsceaft seon ic minne can glædne hroþulf þæt he þa geogoðe wile arum healdan gyf þu ær þonne he wine scildinga worold oflætest wene ic þæt he mid gode gyldan wille uncran eaferan gif he þæt eal gemon hwæt wit to willan ond to worðmyndum umborwesendum âer arna gefremedon – hwearf þa bi bence þær hyre byre wæron hreðric ond hroðmund ond hæleþa bearn giogoð ætgædere þær se goda sæt beowulf geata be þæm gebroðrum twæm

.XVIII.
HIm wæs ful boren ond freondlaþu wordum bewægned ond wunden gold estum geeawed earmreade twa hrægl ond hrin *gas healsbeaga mæst þara þe ic on foldan gefrægen hæbbe nænigne ic under swegle selran hyrde hordmaððum hæleþa syþðan hama ætwæg to þære byrhtan byrig brosinga mene sigle ond sincfæt searoniðas fleah eormenrices geceas ecne râed þone hring hæfde higelac geata nefa swertinges nyhstan siðe siðþan he under segne sinc ealgode – wælreaf werede hyne wyrd fornam syþðan he for wlenco wean ahsode fæhðe to frysum he þa frætwe wæg eorclanstanas ofer yða ful – rice þeoden he under rande gecranc gehwearf þa in francna fæþm feorh cyninges breostgewædu ond se beah somod wyrsan wigfrecan wæl reafedon æfter guðsceare geata leode hreawic heoldon heal swege onfeng.

Wealhðeo maþelode heo fore þæm werede spræc bruc ðisses beages beowulf leofa hyse mid hæle *ond þisses hrægles neot þeodgestreona ond geþeoh tela cen þec mid cræfte ond þyssum cnyhtum wes lara liðe ic þe þæs lean geman hafast þu gefered þæt ðe feor ond neah ealne wideferhþ weras ehtigað efne swa side swa sâe bebugeð windgeard weallas wes þenden þu lifige æþeling eadig ic þe an tela sincgestreona beo þu suna minum dædum gedefe dreamhealdende – her is æghwylc eorl oþrum getrywe modes milde mandrihtne hold þegnas syndon geþwære þeod ealgearo druncne dryhtguman doð swa ic bidde.

Eode þa to setle þær wæs symbla cyst druncon win weras wyrd ne cuþon geosceaft grimme swa hit agangen wearð eorla manegum syþðan æfen cwom ond him hroþgar gewat to hofe sinum rice to ræste reced weardode unrim eorla swa hie oft ær dydon bencþelu beredon hit geondbræded wearð beddum ond bolstrum beorscealca sum fus ond fæge fletræste ge *beag setton him to heafdon hilderandas bordwudu beorhtan þær on bence wæs – ofer æþelinge yþgesene heaþosteapa helm hringed byrne þrecwudu þrymlic wæs þeaw hyra þæt hie oft wæron an wig gearwe ge æt ham ge on herge ge gehwæþer þara efne swylce mæla swylce hira mandryhtne þearf gesælde wæs seo þeod tilu.

.XVIIII.
SIgon þa to slæpe sum sare angeald æfenræste swa him ful oft gelamp siþðan goldsele grendel warode unriht æfnde oþþæt ende becwom swylt æfter synnum þæt gesyne wearþ widcuþ werum þætte wrecend þa gyt lifde æfter laþum lange þrage æfter guðceare grendles modor ides aglæcwif yrmþe gemunde se þe wæteregesan wunian scolde cealde streamas siþðan cain wearð to ecgbanan angan breþer fæderenmæge he þa fag gewat morþre gemearcod *mandream fleon westen warode þanon woc fela geosceaftgasta wæs þæra grendel sum heorowearh hetelic se æt heorote fand wæccendne wer wiges bidan þær him aglæca ætgræpe wearð hwæþre he gemunde mægenes strenge gimfæste gife ðe him god sealde ond him to anwaldan are gelyfde frofre ond fultum ðy he þone feond ofercwom gehnægde helle gast þa he hean gewât dreame bedæled deaþwîc seon mancynnes feond ond his modor þa gyt gifre ond galgmod gegan wolde sorhfulne sið sunu deað wrecan com þa to heorote ðær hringdene geond þæt sæld swæfun þa ðær sona wearð edhwyrft eorlum siþðan inne fealh grendles modor wæs se gryre læssa efne swa micle swa bið mægþa cræft wiggryre wifes be wæpnedmen þonne heoru bunden hamere geþuren sweord swate fah swin ofer helme ecgum *dyhttig andweard scireð – þa wæs on healle heardecg togen sweord ofer setlum sidrand manig hafen handa fæst helm ne gemunde byrnan side þa hine se broga angeat heo wæs on ofste wolde ut þanon feore beorgan þa heo onfunden wæs hraðe heo æþelinga anne hæfde fæste befangen þa heo to fenne gang se wæs hroþgare hæleþa leofost on gesiðes had be sæm tweonum rice randwiga þone ðe heo on ræste abreat blædfæstne beorn næs beowulf ðær – ac wæs oþer in ær geteohhod æfter maþðumgife – mærum geate hream wearð in heorote heo under heolfre genam cuþe folme cearu wæs geniwod geworden in wicun ne wæs þæt gewrixle til þæt hie on ba healfa bicgan scoldon – freonda feorum þa wæs frod cyning – hâr hilderinc on hreon *mode syðþan he aldorþegn unlyfigendne þone deorestan deadne wisse – hraþe wæs to bure beowulf fetod sigoreadig secg samod ærdæge eode eorla sum æþele cempa self mid gesiðum þær se snotera bâd – hwæþer him alwalda æfre wille æfter weaspelle wyrpe gefremman gang ða æfter flore fyrdwyrðe man mid his handscale healwudu dynede þæt he þone wisan wordum nægde frean ingwina frægn gif him wære æfter neodlaðum niht getæse.

.XX.
Hroðgar maþelode helm scyldinga ne frin þu æfter sælum sorh is geniwod denigea leodum dead is æschere yrmenlafes yldra broþor min rûnwita ond min rædbora eaxlgestealla ðonne we on orlege hafelan weredon þonne hniton feþan eoferas cnysedan *swy[l]c scolde eorl wesan æþeling ærgod swylc æschere wæs wearð him on heorote to handbanan wælgæst wæfre ic ne wât hwæder atol æse wlanc eftsiðas teah fylle gefægnod heo þa fæhðe wræc þe þu gystran niht grendel cwealdest þurh hæstne had heardum clammum forþan he to lange leode mine wanode ond wyrde he æt wige gecrang ealdres scyldig ond nu oþer cwom mihtig manscaða wolde hyre mæg wrecan – ge feor hafað fæhðe gestæled þæs þe þincean mæg þegne monegum se þe æfter sincgyfan on sefan greoteþ hreþerbealo hearde nu seo hand ligeð se þe eow welhwylcra wilna dohte –ic þæt londbuend leode mine selerædende secgan hyrde þæt hie gesawon swylce twegen micle mearcstapan moras healdan ellorgæstas ðæra oðer wæs þæs þe hie gewislicost gewitan meahton idese onlicnæs oðer earmsceapen on weres wæstmum wræclastas *træd næfne he wæs mara þonne ænig man oðer þone on geardagum grendel nemdo[n] foldbuende no hie fæder cunnon hwæþer him ænig wæs ær acenned dyrnra gasta hie dygel lond warigeað wulfhleoþu windige næssas frecne fengelad ðær fyrgenstream under næssa genipu niþer gewiteð flod under foldan nis þæt feor heonon milgemearces þæt se mere standeð ofer þæm hongiað hrinde bearwas wudu wyrtum fæst wæter oferhelmað þær mæg nihta gehwæm niðwundor seon fyr on flode no þæs frod leofað gumena bearna þæt þone grund wite ðeah þe hæðstapa hundum geswenced heorot hornum trum holtwudu sece feorran geflymed ær he feorh seleð aldor on ofre ær he in wille hafelan : hydan nis þæt heoru stow – þonon yðgeblond up astigeð won to wolcnum þonne wind styreþ lað gewidru oðþæt lyft drysmaþ roderas reotað nu is se ræd gelang eft æt *þe anum eard git ne const frecne stowe ðær þu findan miht felasinnigne secg sec gif þu dyrre ic þe þa fæhðe feo leanige ealdgestreonum swa ic ær dyde wundnum golde gyf þu on weg cymest.

Government Opportunity: Cultural Insights from the Use of Metaphors

2009-08-16T10:36:00.004-04:00

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) is interested in metaphors. Here's the solicitation:

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) often selects its research efforts through the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process. This Request for Information (RFI) provides information relevant to a possible future IARPA program, so that feedback from potential participants can be considered prior to the issuance of a BAA. Respondents are invited to provide comments on the content of this announcement to include suggestions for improving the scope of a possible solicitation to ensure that every effort is made to address adequately the scientific and technical challenges described below. Responses to this request may be used to support development of, and subsequently be incorporated into, a future IARPA Program BAA and therefore must be available for unrestricted public distribution. The following sections of this announcement contain details of the scope of technical efforts of interest along with
instructions for the submission of responses.

Background & Scope
Metaphors are generally known as poetic or rhetorical devices that are unique and therefore can only be listed as creative instances of language use. Recent research, however, especially in the neurosciences and cognitive linguistics, has established metaphorical processes as a fundamental cognitive mechanism that begins in infancy. As humans mature, they combine metaphors in increasingly complex ways and expand their use to reflect social and cultural norms. As yet, metaphorical language has not been systematically accounted for by the Natural Language Processing community; as a result, automated resources are limited.

Much of the current characterization of societal attitudes or mindsets is produced by social scientists through observation, polling or impressionistic associations. Although these approaches provide valuable insights, unconscious views and attitudes are often overlooked or lost. A deep understanding of the contrasts among worldviews is rarely achieved.

Communication theory also attempts to characterize how opinions and beliefs are shared and propagated. Theorists observe how messages are transmitted and understood, through the media, for example, but the focus is generally on the structure of the message and less on the source of the message. It is only within the last few years that communication theorists have begun to consider mental processes and metaphorical thinking as crucial to image making, for example.

IARPA is interested in the premise that analysis of how people use metaphor in oral and written communication can provide valuable insights into the similarities and differences in worldview across cultures and subcultures. IARPA is seeking information about the challenges associated with the science and technologies related to the discovery and analysis of metaphor usage. Respondents are encouraged to be as succinct as possible while providing specific information that addresses the following issues. Areas of specific interest include, but are not limited to:

1) Advanced techniques and technologies that will discover, collect and capture linguistic metaphors;
2) Association of metaphors with abstract concepts;
3) Categorization of metaphors;
4) Contrast of metaphors across cultures, subcultures and social context;
5) Methods and processes for the interpretation(s) of the use of metaphor;
6) Ideas for testing and evaluating the use of metaphor, including experimental designs and social science approaches to evaluation.

Also of interest are methodologies that could build on the use of metaphors to provide insights into larger narratives/issues.

IARPA is not interested in the following dimensions of metaphor:

1) Translation of metaphors across languages;
2) Collection and storage of linguistic metaphors with no generalization of their use;
3) Issues associated with the teaching of metaphors; and
4) Metaphor research that does not involve or result in insights into the use of metaphor.

The responses to this RFI will be used to help in the planning of a one- to two-day workshop on the use of metaphor, the result of which may justify a competitive program. The selection of topics and setting of the agenda of this workshop will be informed by the responses, with respondents being potentially invited to participate and present at this workshop. It is anticipated that this workshop will be held in the Fall of 2009. A separate workshop announcement will be posted with further details.

See the solicitation for more information.

51 Headless Vikings Found in English Execution Pit

2009-08-11T14:07:00.011-04:00

I don't recall reading about this in the Battle of Maldon.

It seems that recently we are getting a less barbaric picture of the Vikings, as I have posted about before.

Rémi Brague and Medieval Philosophy

2009-08-10T08:38:00.004-04:00

Gypsy Scholar has a post on the influence of medieval philosophy that links to an interview given by Rémi Brague. Brague has a nice high-level view of the institutional (and so professional) development of Chritian(ized) philosophy:

In medieval Europe, philosophy became a university course of studies and a pursuit that could provide a living. It also supported a mass of untenured, garden-variety “philosophy profs,” few of whom have left their names in the manuals, even though we can exhume their courses, which we discover to be full of surprises. But these were the men who made it possible for philosophy to make a profound impact on the minds of the jurists, physicians, and others they taught, hence for it to become a factor in society.

This had an important effect on the relationship between philosophy and theology. You can be a perfectly competent rabbi or imam without ever having studied philosophy. In contrast, a philosophical background is a necessary part of the basic equipment of the Christian theologian. It has even been obligatory since the Lateran Council of 1215. In Christianity, the tension between philosophy and theology can be said to be vertical, setting apart people who had followed the same course of studies, given that all theologians began by studying philosophy. The two disciplines spoke the same language. In Islam, the tension between Kalām and falsafa was horizontal, distinguishing between specialists in different disciplines, all of whom contested the legitimacy of the other camp’s methods.

Theology is a Christian specialty. To be sure, several religions developed stores of knowledge, at times of an extremely high degree of technicality and subtlety, concerning the adventures of the gods, regulating the cult due to them, and explaining their commandments, when such had been emitted. But “theology” as a rational exploration of the divine (according to Anselm’s program) exists only in Christianity.

Later, Brague responds very sensibly to a non-medieval, personal question. Perhaps it is best to let the text be reported here without additional comment from me:

Question: One last and perhaps more personal question: What place can someone who believes in one religion make for other religions?

Brague: A place where? In his library: in his quality as a cultivated man, he will give their documents shelf space, and he will strive to know something about them in order to keep himself from saying really stupid things about religions that are not his own. He may eventually discover fine expressions of religious sentiment in authors who profess other religions than his own and piously make them his own.

Do Religions Deserve Respect?

Can he respect those religions? Properly speaking, no. Not because he is or is not a believer, and not because he adheres to religion A rather than to religion B, but quite simply because he values the meaning of words. Religions are only things, and one can only respect persons. One can no more respect a thing than listen to a painting. I respect no religion, not even my own. I respect those who believe in all religions, not because they are believers, but inasmuch as they are human beings.

More specifically, I have no esteem for belief in and of itself. I detest the recent habit of considering the act of belief as having a value in itself, independent of its content. And I mistrust those who attempt to discover connections between “believers,” even to lump them together, without asking themselves what they believe in. One can believe in flying saucers, after all! There were sincere Nazis and convinced Leninites. And the Carthaginian fathers who had their sons burned alive as a sacrifice to the god Moloch (the scene is narrated by Flaubert, but the facts are true) must have “believed in it” strongly. For me, a belief is as good as its object, neither more nor less.

The Crisis Is Medieval (But Isn't It Always?)

2009-08-06T12:31:00.001-04:00

John McIntyre, one of my favorites, calls upon the idea of the medieval to pointed, if unfortunate, effect.

My Beowulf, Fitt 16: Traveling by Sea

2009-08-04T21:08:00.005-04:00

Here is fitt 16, a long one covering roughly lines 1050 (fol.152v) to 1124 (154v):

Ða gyt æghwylcum eorla drihten þara þe mid beowulfe brimlade teah on þære medubence maþðum gesealde yr*felafe ond þone ænne heht golde forgyldan þone ðe grendel ær mane acwealde swa he hyra ma wolde nefne him witig god wyrd forstode ond ðæs mannes mod metod eallum weold gumena cynnes swa he nu git deð forþan bið andgit æghwær selest ferhðes foreþanc fela sceal gebidan leofes ond laþes se þe longe her on ðyssum windagum worolde bruceð – þær wæs sang ond sweg samod ætgædere fore healfdenes hildewisan gomenwudu greted gid oft wrecen – ðonne healgamen hroþgares scop æfter medobence mænan scolde be finnes eaferum ða hie se fær begeat hæleð healfdena hnæf scyldinga in freswæle feallan scolde ne huru hildeburh herian þorfte – eotena treowe unsynnum wearð beloren leofum æt þam lindplegan bearnum ond broðrum hie on gebyrd hruron gare *wunde þæt wæs geomuru ides nalles holinga hoces dohtor meotodsceaft bemearn syþðan morgen com – ða heo under swegle geseon meahte morþorbealo maga þær heo ær mæste heold worolde wynne wig ealle fornam finnes þegnas nemne feaum anum þæt he ne mehte on þæm meðelstede – wig hengeste wiht gefeohtan – ne þa wealafe wige forþringan þeodnes ðegne – ac hig him geþingo budon þæt hie him oðer flet eal gerymdon healle ond heahsetl þæt hie healfre geweald wið eotena bearn agan moston ond æt feohgyftum folcwaldan sunu dogra gehwylce dene weorþode hengestes heap hringum wenede efne swa swiðe sincgestreonum fættan goldes swa he fresena cyn on beorsele byldan wolde – ða hie getruwedon on twa healfa fæste frioðuwærefin hengeste elne unflitme aðum *benemde – þæt he þa wealafe weotena dome arum heolde þæt ðær ænig mon wordum ne worcum wære ne bræce – ne þurh inwitsearo æfre gemænden ðeah hie hira beaggyfan banan folgedon ðeodenlease þa him swa geþearfod wæs gyf þonne frysna hwylc frecnan spræce ðæs morþorhetes myndgiend wære þonne hit sweordes ecg seðan scolde ad wæs geæfned ond icge gold – ahæfen of horde herescyldinga betst beadorinca – wæs on bæl gearu æt þæm ade wæs eþgesyne swatfah syrce swyn ealgylden – eofer irenheard æþeling manig wundum awyrded sume on wæle crungon – het ða hildeburh æt hnæfes ade hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befæstan bânfatu bærnan ond on bæl don eame on eaxle ides gnornode geomrode giddum guðrinc astah – wand *to wolcnum wælfyra mæst hlynode for hlawe hafelan multon – bengeato burston ðonne blôd ætspranc – laðbite lices lig ealle forswealg gæsta gifrost þara ðe þær guð fornam bega folces wæs hira blæd scacen.

Launch of TILE Project Blog

2009-08-03T11:37:00.001-04:00

Announced by Dot Porter on several discussion lists:

TILE: Text-Image Linking Environment is pleased to announce the launch
of its public blog and informational site:

http://tileproject.org

Our first blog posting includes a description of anticipated TILE
functionality.

http://mith.info/tile/2009/07/20/welcome/

Upcoming posts will include an invitation to participate in user
testing, as well as announcements of software as it becomes available.

Visit often, or subscribe to the RSS feed for the latest news on TILE.

http://mith.info/tile/feed/

TILE is a collaborative project between the Maryland Institute for
Technology in the Humanities (MITH), Digital Humanities Observatory
(DHO), and Indiana University Bloomington, funded through a major
grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation and
Access: Humanities Collections and Resources program (research and
development focus). Over two years TILE will develop a new web-based,
modular, collaborative image markup tool for both manual and
semi-automated linking between encoded text and image of text, and
image annotation.

The project is unusual in digital humanities tools development in that
it is being designed from the start to support a wide variety of use
cases. Several projects from the University of Indiana Bloomington,
The University of Oregon and Harvard's Center for Hellenic Studies are
initial testbeds. In the second year of the project, TILE will turn to
the user community for testing. If you are interested in
participating, or in learning more about the project, please contact
us at TILEPROJECT@listserv.heanet.ie.

Writing as Programming as Writing

2009-07-29T08:56:00.001-04:00

Geoffrey Rockwell and Stephen Ramsay in a Brechto-Socratic Dialogue on the relationship between programming and writing. First presented at the 2003 Digital Humanities conference in Athens, GA.

For Those Not At ISAS....

2009-07-26T21:07:00.010-04:00

I share your pain. I too wish I could be there this year. Oh, well.

While we await reports from bloggers on the ground, I hope to get an honest-to-goodness conversation going on here. As I go through the Beowulf exercise, two trends have captured my curiosity:

The preponderance of three-word alliterative clusters in Beowulf. There's a boatload of these, and I'm just surprised that I never noticed them before. Here's a sample from fitt 15:
haten hreþe heort (line 991)
folmum gefrætwod fela (992)
fyrendædum fag on fleam (1001)
medoful manig magas (1015)
beforan beorn beran beowulf (1024)
helmes hrof heafodbeorge (1030)
stod sadol searwum (1037-8)
hordweard hæleþa heaþoræsas (1047)
Surely, these clusters have been discussed (and have a cool name), but I don't know any references offhand. It's a terrific feature of the verse. As I think more about it, I am not sure why I should be surprised. Perhaps it's the three-in-a-row feature that strikes me: this just seems hard to do for an extended period of time, yet it's everywhere.
The word hilde (usu. war or battle). In fitts 14 and 15, we had strange things happening about this word. In 14, the word comes at the end of one sheet and again at the top (line 986 in most editions). Is this an inadvertent repeat, a scribal error? OK, but then why would one instance not have been erased? Is there any plausible, sensible reading for double hilde? In fitt 15 (at line 1039 in editions), hilde seems to be the the first part of a compound, hildesetl, but there's a point right after the hilde. I don't recall ever before in the poem seeing a point between two elements that could be joined into a word. Is there something unique about hilde, or are we merely noticing some screw-ups around a common word?

Information? Leads? Shall we converse? I realize that I should be doing my own homework on this, and I will. Nevertheless, it would be nice to know if others thought these things were as cool as I do.

My Beowulf, Fitt 15: Feasting in the Ruins

2009-07-26T09:57:00.003-04:00

This is fitt 15, lines 991-1049, fol. 151v-152v.

Ða wæs haten hreþe heort innanweard folmum gefrætwod fela þæra wæs wera ond wifa þe þæt winreced gestsele gyredon goldfag scinon web æfter wagum wundorsiona fela secga gehwylcum þara þe on swylc starað – wæs þæt beorhte bold tobrocen swiðe eal inneweard irenbendum fæst heorras tohlidene hrof ana genæs ealles ansund þe se aglæca fyrendædum fag on fleam gewand aldres orwena no þæt yðe byð to befleonne fremme se þe wille.

Ac gesecan sceal sawlberendra nyde genydde niþða bearna grundbuendra gearwe stowe – þær his lichoma legerbedde fæst – swefeþ æfter symle þa wæs sæl ond mæl þæt to healle *gang healfdenes sunu wolde self cyning symbel þicgan ne gefrægen ic þa mægþe maran weorode ymb hyra sincgyfan sel gebæran – bugon þa to bence blædagande fylle gefægon fægere geþægon medoful manig magas þara swiðhicgende on sele þam hean hroðgar ond hroþulf heorot innan wæs freondum afylled nalles facenstafas þeodscyldingas þenden fremedon forgeaf þa beowulfe brand healfdenes segen gyldenne sigores to leane hroden hildecumbor helm ond byrnan mære maðþumsweord manige gesawon – beforan beorn beran beowulf geþah ful on flette – no he þære feohgyfte for scotendum scamigan ðorfte ne gefrægn ic freondlicor feower madmas golde gegyrede gummanna fela in ealobence oðrum gesellan – ymb þæs helmes hrof heafodbeorge wirum bewunden wala utan heold þæt him fela *laf frecne ne meahton scurheard sceþðan þonne scyldfreca ongean gramum gangan scolde.

Heht ða eorla hleo eahta mearas fætedhleore on flet teon – in under eoderas þara anum stod sadol searwum fâh since gewurþad þæt wæs hilde – setl heahcyninges ðonne sweorda gelac sunu healfdenes efnan wolde næfre on ore læg widcuþes wig ðonne walu feollon ond ða Beowulfe bega gehwæþres eodor Ingwina onweald geteah – wicga ond wæpna het hine wel brucan – swa manlice mære þeoden hordweard hæleþa heaþoræsas geald mearum ond madmum.

Swa hy næfre man lyhð se þe secgan wile soð æfter rihte.

My Beowulf, Fitt 14: Hrothgar Yaks Some More

2009-07-25T20:56:00.003-04:00

In fitt 14, we cover lines 925-990 (approx.), fol. 150r to 151v. Notice the double hilde toward the end.

Hroðgar maþelode he to healle geong stod on stapole geseah steapne hrof golde fahne – ond grendles hond – ðisse ansyne alwealdan þanc lungre gelimpe fela ic laþes gebad grynna æt grendle – a mæg god wyrcan wunder æfter wundre wuldres hyrde – ðæt wæs ungeara þæt ic ænigra me weana ne wende to widan feore bote gebidan þonne blode fah husa selest heorodreorig stod wea widscofen witena gehwylcne – ðara þe ne wendon þæt hie wideferhð leoda landgeweorc laþum beweredon – *scuccum ond scinnum nu scealc hafað þurh drihtnes miht dæd gefremede – ðe we ealle ær ne meahton snyttrum besyrwan hwæt þæt secgan mæg efne swa hwylc mægþa swa ðone magan cende – æfter gumcynnum gyf heo gyt lyfað þæt hyre ealdmetod este wære – bearngebyrdo nu ic beowulf þec secg betsta me for sunu wylle freogan on ferhþe heald forð tela – niwe sibbe ne bið þe nænigra gad worolde wilna þe ic geweald hæbbe ful oft ic for læssan lean teohhode hordweorþunge hnahran rince sæmran æt sæcce þu þe self hafast – dædum gefremed þæt þin dom lyfað awa to alder alwalda þec gode forgylde swa he nu gyt dyde – beowulf maþelode bearn ecgþeowes we þæt ellenweorc estum miclum feohtan fremedon frecne geneðdon – eafoð uncuþes uþe ic swiþor þæt ðu hine selfne geseon moste feond on frætewum fylwerigne – ic hine hrædlice *heardan clammum on wælbedde wriþan þohte þæt he for mundgripe minum scolde licgean lifbysig butan his lic swice – ic hine ne mihte þa metod nolde ganges getwæman no ic him þæs georne ætfealh feorhgeniðlan wæs to foremihtig feond on feþe hwæþere he his folme forlet to lifwraþe last weardian earm ond eaxle no þær ænige swa þeah feasceaft guma frofre gebohte – no þy leng leofað laðgeteona synnum geswenced ac hyne sar hafað in nidgripe nearwe befongen – balwon bendum ðær abidan sceal maga mane fah miclan domes hu him scir metod scrifan wille – ða wæs swigra secg sunu eclafes on gylpspræce guðgeweorca siþðan æþelingas eorles cræfte ofer heanne hrof hand sceawedon feondes fingras foran æghwylc wæs stiðra nægla gehwylc style gelicost hæþenes handsporu hilde *hilderinces eglu unheoru æghwylc gecwæð þæt him heardra nan hrinan wolde iren ærgod þæt ðæs ahlæcan blodge beadufolme onberan wolde.

wrætlic: puffins and computers and digital anglo-saxon

2009-07-18T21:04:00.000-04:00

wrætlic: the notebooks of egil on the trammes of tresoun: puffins and computers and digital anglo-saxon

My Beowulf, Fitt 13: Warriors in the Morning

2009-07-13T20:46:00.005-04:00

A long, strange fitt. Lots of points, especially in the beginning, and several small caps. This section goes from about line 837 (fol. 148r) to line 924 (150r).

Đa wæs on morgen mine gefræge ymb þa gifhealle guðrinc monig ferdon folctogan feorran ond nean geond widwegas wundor sceawian laþes lastas no his lifgedal sarlic þuhte secga ænegum þara þe tirleases trode sceawode hu he werigmod on weg þanon niða ofercumen on nicera mere fæge ond geflymed feorhlastas bær – ðær wæs on blode brim weallende atol yða geswing eal gemenged – haton heolfre *heorodreore weol deaðfæge deog – siððan dreama leas – in fenfreoðo feorh alegde – hæþene sawle þær him hel onfeng – þanon eft gewiton ealdgesiðas swylce geong manig of gomenwaþe fram mere modge mearum ridan beornas on blancum ðær wæs beowulfes mærðo mæned monig oft gecwæð þætte suð ne norð be sæm tweonum ofer eormengrund oþer nænig under swegles begong selra nære rondhæbbendra rices wyrðra – ne hie huru winedrihten wiht ne logon glædne hroðgar ac þæt wæs god cyning.

Hwilum heaþorofe hleapan leton on geflit faran fealwe mearas ðær him foldwegas fægere þuhton cystum cuðe hwilum cyninges þegn guma gilphlæden gidda gemyndig se ðe ealfela ealdgesegena worn gemunde word oþer fand soðe gebunden secg eft ongan sið beowulfes snyttrum *styrian ond on sped wrecan spel gerade wordum wrixlan welhwylc gecwæð þæt he fram sigemundes secgan hyrde ellendædum uncuþes fela wælsinges gewin wide siðas þara þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston – fæhðe ond fyrena buton fitela mid hine þonne he swulces hwæt secgan wolde eam his nefan swa hie a wæron æt niða gehwam nydgesteallan.

Hæfdon ealfela eotena cynnes sweordum gesæged sigemunde gesprong æfter deaðdæge dom unlytel.

Syþðan wiges heard wyrm acwealde hordes hyrde he under harne stan æþelinges bearn ana geneðde frecne dæde ne wæs him fitela mid – hwæþre him gesælde ðæt þæt swurd þurhwod wrætlicne wyrm þæt hit on wealle ætstod dryhtlic iren draca morðre swealt – hæfde aglæca elne gegongen þæt he beahhordes brucan moste selfes dome *sâebat gehleod bær on bearm scipes beorhte frætwa wælses eafera wyrm hât gemealt.

Se wæs wreccena wide mærost ofer werþeode wigendra hleo ellendædum he þæs ær onðah siððan heremodes hild sweðrode eafoð ond ellen he mid eotenum wearð on feonda geweald forð forlacen snude forsended hine sorhwylmas lemede to lange he his leodum wearð eallum æþellingum to aldorceare

Swylce oft bemearn ærran mælum swiðferhþes sið snotor ceorl monig se þe him bealwa to bote gelyfde þæt þæt ðeodnes bearn geþeon scolde fæderæþelum onfôn folc gehealdan hord ond hleoburh hæleþa rice .eðel. scyldinga he þær eallum wearð mæg higelaces manna cynne freondum gefægra hine fyren onwod – hwilum flitende fealwe stræte mearum mæton ða wæs morgenleoht scofen ond scynded *eode scealc monig swiðhicgende to sele þam hean searowundor seon swylce self cyning of brydbure beahhorda weard tryddode tirfæst – getrume micle cystum gecyþed ond his cwen mid him medostigge mæt mægþa hose.

Note: all the latest fitts have been posted to Beowulf Is Min Nama.

Beowulf on the Beach

2009-07-12T18:49:00.003-04:00

On NPR-affilliate WBUR's Here and Now - where, incidentally, you can sometimes hear my sister-in-law, Monica Brady-Myerov - Jack Murnighan talks about his book, Beowulf on the Beach: What to Love and What to Skip in Literature's 50 Greatest Hits, which encourages people to read the "great books" but not to feel obligated to read every word of them. So, he advises what in these works to check out and what to skip.

At about 4:05 in, Murnighan talks about Beowulf, basically characterizing it as a short but super-macho story that marks how wimpy we have all become. OK, perhaps I'm not doing justice to Murnighan's point, but he makes the poem a bit too action-movie for me. After all, Beowulf is articulate and reflective. Besides, Beowulf alone is the stud of the text: everyone else is fairly ineffective. I shouldn't complain. Certainly Murninghan gives a better sound bite about Beowulf than Woody Allen did.

h/t to Peter Dendle on ANSAXNET.

If you ever get on Jeopardy!

2009-07-09T08:33:00.004-04:00

Remember that sunflowers were not a medieval crop. They were unknown to Europeans until Pizarro saw them in Peru. Their seeds were brought to Europe in the 16C.

h/t to Bob Lapides on the MEDTEXTL list.

My Beowulf, Fitt 12: Morning Has Broken

2009-07-07T20:24:00.004-04:00

This is fitt number 12 from the Beowulf manuscript, lines 791 to 836, fol. 147r to 148r.

I have not posted this series in a while, so here again are the ground rules: This is the first pass through on my personal Beowulf project, wherein I de-edit the text. I hope to do more to account for manuscript points by rendering them as dashes, and I "translate" small caps by making them new paragraphs. There's no lineation and no capital letters or punctuation other than what I see in the manuscript/facsimile. I add asterisks to mark the beginning of a new manuscript page. I mentioned that this was a "first pass" through the text. I'll need to do others, but I'm not focusing on that yet.

One item that I noticed in this fitt and hadn't before was the prevalence of triple, consecutive alliteration. We get, for instance:

cwealm cuman cwicne
heard hicgende hildemecgas
healfa gehwone heawan
modes myrðe manna
lifigende lað licsar
syndolh sweotol seonowe
burston banlocan beowulfe
feorhseoc fleon under fenhleoðu
wynleas wîc wiste

There are other instances, but you get my point about these patterns of three.

At any rate, this is a great section of the poem. Enjoy!

Nolde eorla hleo ænige þinga þone cwealmcuman cwicne forlætan – ne his lifdagas leoda ænigum nytte tealde þær genehost brægd eorl beowulfes ealde lafe wolde freadrihtnes feorh ealgian mæres þeodnes ðær hie meahton swa – hie þæt ne wiston þa hie gewin drugon heardhicgende hildemecgas – ond on healfa gehwone heawan þohton sawle secan þone synscaðan – ænig ofer eorþan irenna cyst guðbilla nan gretan nolde – ac he sigewæpnum *forsworen hæfde ecga gehwylcre scolde his aldorgedal on ðæm dæge þysses lifes earmlic wurðan ond se ellorgast on feonda geweald feor siðian – ða þæt onfunde se þe fela æror modes myrðe manna cynne fyrene gefremede – he wæs fag wið god þæt him se lichoma læstan nolde ac hine se modega mæg hygelaces hæfde be honda wæs gehwæþer oðrum lifigende lað licsar gebad atol æglæca him on eaxle wearð syndolh sweotol seonowe onsprungon burston banlocan beowulfe wearð guðhreð gyfeþe scolde grendel þonan feorhseoc fleon under fenhleoðu secean wynleas wîc wiste þe geornor þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen – dogera dægrim denum eallum wearð æfter þam wælræse willa gelumpen – hæfde þa gefælsod se þe ær feorran com snotor ond swyðferhð sele hroðgares genered wið *niðe nihtweorce gefeh ellenmærþum hæfde eastdenum geatmecga leod gilp gelæsted.

Swylce oncyþðe ealle gebette inwidsorge þe hie ær drugon ond for þreanydum þolian scoldon torn unlytel þæt wæs tacen sweotol syþðan hildedeor hond alegde earm ond eaxle þær wæs eal geador grendles grape under geapne hr[of].

Feynman and All the Answers

2009-07-05T09:42:00.005-04:00

I have been a fan - yes, "fan" is the right word - of Richard Feynman for many years. In the video below, the late genius shares his wisdom on what a rational view of the universe is.

The sijo poetry form captures a Harvard professor’s imagination - The Boston Globe

2009-06-30T11:44:00.001-04:00

The sijo poetry form captures a Harvard professor’s imagination - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

The Baloney Detection Kit

2009-06-24T21:09:00.004-04:00

Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine explains the tools of skepticism and scientific reasoning.

My Beowulf, Fitt 11: Here Comes Grendel

2009-06-24T20:49:00.005-04:00

Fitt 11 - lines 710 to 790, fol. 146r to 147r - contains some of the more exciting moments in the Beowulf narrative. Grendel arrives for the contest of his life.

Ða com of more under misthleoþum grendel gongan godes yrre bær mynte se manscaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced goldsele gumena gearwost wisse – fættum fahne ne wæs þæt forma sið þæt he hroþgares ham gesohte – næfre he on aldordagum ær *ne siþðan heardran hæle healðegnas fand com þa to recede rinc siðian dreamum bedæled duru sona onarn fyrbendum fæst syþðan he hire folmum [gehr]an.

Onbræd þa bealohydig ða [he ge]bolgen wæs recedes muþan raþe æfter þon on fagne flor feond treddode eode yrremod him of eagum stod ligge gelicost leoht unfæger – geseah he in recede rinca manige swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere magorinca heap þa his mod ahlog – mynte þæt he gedælde ærþon dæg cwome – atol aglæca anra gehwylces lif wið lice þa him alumpen wæs wistfylle wen ne wæs þæt wyrd þa gen – þæt he ma moste manna cynnes ðicgean ofer þa niht þryðswyð beheold mæg higelaces hu se manscaða under færgripum gefaran wolde – ne þæt se aglæca yldan þohte ac he ge*feng hraðe forman siðe slæpendne rinc slat unwearnum bât banlocan blod edrum dranc synsnædum swealh sona hæfde unlyfigendes eal gefeormod – fet ond folma forð near ætstop nam þa mid handa higeþihtigne rinc on ræste ræhte ongean feond mid folme he onfeng hraþe inwitþancum ond wið earm gesæt sona þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde þæt he ne mette middangeardes eorþan sceata on elran men mundgripe maran he on mode wearð forht on ferhðe no þy ær fram meahte hyge wæs him hinfus wolde on heolster fleon secan deofla gedræg ne wæs his drohtoð þær swylce he on ealderdagum ær gemette – gemunde þa se goda mæg higelaces æfenspræce uplang astôd ond him fæste wiðfeng fingras burston eoten wæs utweard eorl furþur stop mynte se mæra – *hwær he meahte swa – widre gewindan ond on weg þanon fleon on fenhopu wiste his fingra geweald on grames grapum þæt wæs geocor sið þæt se hearmscaþa to heorute ateah – dryhtsele dynede denum eallum wearð ceasterbuendum cenra gehwylcum eorlum ealuscerwen yrre wæron begen – reþe renweardas reced hlynsode þa wæs wundor micel þæt se winsele – wiðhæfde heaþodeorum þæt he on hrusan ne feol fæger foldbold ac he þæs fæste wæs – innan ond utan irenbendum searoþoncum besmiþod þær fram sylle âbeag – medubenc monig mine gefræge golde geregnad þær þa graman wunnon þæs ne wendon ær witan scyldinga þæt hit a mid gemete manna ænig – hetlic ond bânfag tobrecan meahte listum tolucan nymþe liges fæþm swulge on swaþule sweg *up astag – niwe geneahhe norðdenum stod atelic egesa anra gehwylcum þara þe of wealle wop gehyrdon – gryreleoð galan godes ondsacan sigeleasne sang sar wanigean – helle hæfton heold hine fæste se þe manna wæs mægene strengest on þæm dæge þysses lifes.

In the Middle: The Jew of Unbelief / The Jewish Neighbor

2009-06-24T20:15:00.000-04:00

In the Middle: The Jew of Unbelief / The Jewish Neighbor

Foucault and Complexity

2009-06-23T20:52:00.001-04:00

Those interested in Foucault and/or complexity might like the Sociology and Complexity Science Blog.

My Beowulf, Fitt 10: Ða Him Hroþgar Gewat

2009-06-22T20:27:00.003-04:00

Fitt 10 is the relatively short section I was hoping for last time. Here we cover only from lines 662 to 709, from fol. 145r to 146r.

I'm at that point in the progression of this endeavor where the doubts have set in. I've run two marathons in my life. In training and in the marathons themselves, I've come to moments when I've asked, "Why am I doing this? What good am I accomplishing?" That's my mindset right now. While this Beowulf project seemed like a really cool undertaking at first, I'm now wondering if it will ever amount to anything for others or myself.

So, sorry for a little whining. I shall press on. Ultrarunner David Horton says, "Once you make a commitment, you have to fulfill that commitment." He also says, "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." I'm going to pick the option now of enjoying what's being built. It's not an easy choice at the moment, but this is my path.

Ða him Hroþgar gewat mid his hæleþa gedryht eodur scyldinga ut of healle wolde wigfruma wealhþeo secan cwen to gebeddan hæfde kyningwuldor grendle togeanes swa guman gefrungon seleweard aseted sundornytte beheold ymb aldor dena eotonweard abea huru geata leod georne truwode modgan mægnes metodes hyldo – ða he him of dyde isernbyrnan helm of hafelan sealde his hyrsted sweord irena cyst ombihtþegne ond gehealdan het hildegeatwe gespræc þa se goda gylpworda sum – beowulf *geata ær he on bed stige no ic me an herewæsmun hnagran talige guþgeweorca þonne grendel hine forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle aldre beneotan þeah ic eal mæge nât he þara goda þæt he me ongean slea rand geheawe þeah ðe he rof sie niþgeweorca ac wit on niht sculon – secge ofersittan gif he gesecean dear – wig ofer wæpen ond siþðan witig god on swa hwæþere hond halig dryhten mærðo deme swa him gemet þince – hylde hine þa heaþodeor hleorbolster onfeng eorles andwlitan ond hine ymb monig snellic sâerinc selereste gebeah – nænig heora þohte þæt he þanon scolde eft eardlufan æfre gesecean folc oþðe freoburh þær he afeded wæs – ac hie hæfdon gefrunen þæt hie ær to fela micles in þæm winsele wældeað fornam denigea leode ac him dryhten forgeaf wigspeda gewiofu – *wedera leodum frofor ond fultum þæt hie feond heora ðurh anes cræft ealle ofercomon selfes mihtum soð is gecyþed þæt mihtig god manna cynnes weold [w]ideferhð com on wanre niht scriðan sceadugenga sceotend swæfon þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon – ealle buton anum þæt wæs yldum cuþ þæt hie ne moste þa metod nolde – se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan – ac he wæccende wraþum on andan bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.

Fitting

2009-06-20T12:52:00.006-04:00

Lingwë (Jason Fisher) gives a nice summary of the word "fitt," which I have occasionally wondered about.

Even better, Gearwor played a small part in inspiring Jason Fisher to investigate (Unlocked Wordhoard desrves more credit than my little blog). I tell ya, this blogosphere can be a wonderful place!

Identity, Analogy, and Logical Argument

2009-06-18T11:08:00.003-04:00

One of my interests is logical reasoning - partly because I feel that I am so bad at it!

So I am pleased to find Allen MacNeill's descriptions and analysis of the functions of analogy in logical reasoning. I'm also cheered that he's been working on these for 25 years, since it suggests there may be good reason for my not having yet "gotten it."

I won't go into detail about MacNeill's descriptions, but he goes over seven areas at a nicely specific level:

Analogy
Validity, confidence, and logical argument
Transduction
Induction
Deduction
Abduction
Consilience

For those who don't like detail and specificity, we can just skip to his conclusions:

Transduction relates a single premise to a single conclusion, and is therefore the weakest form of logical validation.
Induction validates generalizations only via repetition of similar cases, the validity of which is strengthened by repeated transduction of similar cases.
Deduction validates individual cases based on generalizations, but is limited by the induction required to formulate such generalizations and by the transduction necessary to relate individual cases to each other and to the generalizations within which they are subsumed.
Abduction validates new generalizations via analogy between the new generalization and an already validated generalization; however, it too is limited by the formal limitations of transduction, in this case in the formulation of new generalizations.
Consilience validates a new generalization by showing via analogy that several already validated generalizations together validate the new generalization; once again, consilience is limited by the formal limitations of transduction, in this case in the validation of new generalizations via inferred analogies between existing generalizations.
Taken together, these five forms of logical reasoning (call them "TIDAC" for short) represent five different but related means of validating statements, listed in order of increasing confidence.
The validity of all forms of argument are therefore ultimately limited by the same thing: the logical limitations of transduction (i.e. argument by analogy).
Therefore, there is (and can be) no ultimate certainty in any description or analysis of nature insofar as such descriptions or analyses are based on transduction, induction, deduction, abduction, and/or consilience.
All we have (and can ever have) is relative degrees of confidence, based on repeated observations of similar objects and processes.
Therefore, we can be most confident about those generalizations for which we have the most evidence.
Based on the foregoing analysis, generalizations formulated via simple analogy (transduction) are the weakest and generalizations formulated via consilience are the strongest.

My Beowulf, Fitt 9

2009-06-17T21:21:00.003-04:00

I was hoping for a short fitt tonight, as I'm a little tired. No luck. This is a long, dramatic section. Fortunately, it woke me up. We travel in this fitt across fol.142v to 145r, lines 560 through 661.

Swa mec gelome laðgeteonan þreatedon þearle ic him þenode deoran sweorde swa hit gedefe wæs næs hie ðære fylle gefean hæfdon manfordædlan þæt hie me þegon symbel ymbsæton sâegrunde neah – ac on mergenne mecum *wunde be yðlafe uppe lægon sweordum aswefede þæt syðþan na ymb brontne ford brimliðende lade ne letton leoht eastan com beorht beacen godes brimu swaþredon þæt ic sænæssas geseon mihte windige weallas wyrd oft nereð unfægne eorl þonne his ellen deah – hwæþere me gesælde þæt ic mid sweorde ofsloh niceras nigene no ic on niht gefrægn under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan ne on egstreamum earmran mannon – hwaþere ic fara feng feore gedigde siþes werig – ða mec sâe oþbær flod æfter faroðe on finnaland – wadu weallendu no ic wiht fram þe swylcra searoniða secgan hyrde billa brogan breca næfre git æt heaðolace ne gehwæþer incer swa deorlice dæd gefremede fagum sweordum no ic þæs swiðe gylpe þeah ðu þinum broðrum to banan wurde heafodmægum þæs þu in *helle scealt werhðo dreogan þeah þin wit duge – secge ic þe to soðe sunu ecglafes þæt næfre grendel swa fela gryra gefremede atol æglæca ealdre þinum – hynðo on heorote gif þin hige wære sefa swa searogrim swa þu self talast – ac he hafað onfunden þæt he þa fæhðe ne þearf atole ecgþræce eower leode swiðe onsittan sigescyldinga nymeð nydbade nænegum arað leode deniga ac he lust wigeð – swefeð ond snedeþ – secce ne weneþ to gardenum ac ic him geata sceal eafoð ond ellen ungeara nu guþe gebeodan gæþ eft se þe môt to medo modig siþþan morgenleoht ofer ylda bearn oþres dogores sunne sweglwered suþan scineð – þa wæs on salum sinces brytta gamolfeax ond guðrof geoce gelyfde *brego beorhtdena gehyrde on beowulfe folces hyrde fæstrædne geþoht ðær wæs hæleþa hleahtor hlyn swynsode word wæron wynsume eode wealhþeow forð cwen hroðgares cynna gemyndig grette goldhroden guman on healle – ond þa freolic wif ful gesealde ærest eastdena eþelwearde bæd hine bliðne æt þære beorþege leodum leofne he on lust geþeah symbel ond seleful sigerof keening ymbeode þa ides helminga duguþe ond geogoþe dæl æghwylcne sincfato sealde oþþæt sæl alamp þæt hio beowulfe beaghroden cwen mode geþungen medoful ætbær – grette geata leod gode þancode wisfæst wordum þæs ðe hire se willa gelamp þæt heo on ænigne eorl gelyfde fyrena frofre he þæt ful geþeah wælreow wiga *æt wealhþeon – ond þa gyddode guþe gefysed beowulf maþelode bearn ecgþeowes – ic þæt hogode þa ic on holm gestah – sæbat gesæt mid minra secga gedriht þæt ic anunga eowra leoda willan geworhte oþðe on wæl crunge – feondgrapum fæst ic gefremman sceal eorlic ellen oþðe endedæg on þisse meoduhealle minne gebidan – ðam wife þa word wel licodon gilpcwide geates eode goldhroden – freolicu folccwen to hire frean sittan.

Þa wæs eft swa ær inne on healle þryðword sprecen ðeod on sælum sigefolca sweg oþþæt semninga sunu healfdenes secean wolde æfenræste – wiste þæm ahlæcan to þæm heahsele hilde geþinged siððan hie sunnan leoht geseon ne meahton oþðe nipende niht ofer ealle scaduhelma gesceapu scriðan cwoman wan under wolcnum werod eall aras – grette þa guma oþerne hroðgar beowulf ond him hæl abead – winærnes *geweald ond þæt word acwæð.

Næfre ic ænegum men ær alyfde siþðan ic hond ond rond hebban mihte ðryþærn dena buton þe nu ða hafa nu ond geheald husa selest gemyne mærþo mægenellen cyð waca wið wraþum – ne bið þe wilna gâd gif þu þæt ellenweorc aldre gedigest.

Academic versus Non-Academic Writing

2009-06-17T17:09:00.004-04:00

Good advice from John McIntyre at You Don't Say to an academic writer/editor on how to write "less academically":

Vocabulary: Being fond of Big Words myself, I enjoy parading them. When a reader of this blog thanks me for the gift of a previously unknown word, I break into one of my unaccustomed smiles. But some people find it painful to have their vocabularies stretched, and you should therefore make sure that your diction is not too abstract or elevated. I’m not sure that your six-year-old daughter would be the best source of advice on vocabulary, but if you know a twelve-year-old to consult, you would fall into the range of most adults. (Don’t, for God’s sake, imitate me.)

Syntax and paragraphs: I’m not saying that you should break everything down to a series of simple declarative sentences in the manner of the Hemingway parodists (among whom the first and greatest was Ernest Hemingway). But many of my undergraduate students at Loyola will identify any sentence longer than a dozen words as a “run-on,” especially if it has two or more clauses. Academic writing tends to boast longer, clause-clustered sentences, and you might want to stick to more abbreviated versions. Similarly, academic paragraphs tend to be longer. One-sentence paragraphs are fine, and three or four sentences are probably as many as you want to pack into a single paragraph. Look at a daily newspaper or popular magazine for models. Or Web sites.

Content: Not having seen any examples of the work you do, I can’t comment knowledgeably about it. In general terms, journalistic writing tends to look for and showcase the significant detail rather than flatten the text with a barrage of details. It focuses more on people than on objects or procedures, and it tends to explain objects or procedures through the relationship of identifiable people to them — thus the “anecdotal lead,” which presents a person whose situation is representative before describing the forces and events that created the situation.

Style: Written American English has been growing increasingly informal, even colloquial, over the past century. Newspaper journalism from the 1930s and 1940s, for example, looks much more formal, even stodgy, than what is currently published. What the contemporary reader looks for is the sense of the writer speaking directly to him or her. Read aloud what you have written. Anything that sounds false or strained when you read it aloud is probably something you ought to revise to make more conversational.

My Beowulf, Fitt 8: Unferth Speaks

2009-06-14T11:04:00.003-04:00

The eighth fitt, about lines 499 through 559 (fol. 141r to 142v), has some interesting elements to it. I like especially eðel (in the area of line 521), which seems to be an abbreviation and also offset by points. Why?

As usual, asterisks mark the beginning of a new manuscript page. Only manuscript points are represented for punctuation, with hyphens marking most points, except when the points are then followed by a small or large capital letter. In these cases, I enter to a new paragraph and represent the capital.

Hunferð maþelode ecglafes bearn þe æt fotum sæt frean scyldinga – onband beadurune wæs him beowulfes sið modges merefaran micel æfþunca – forþon þe he ne uþe þæt ænig oðer man æfre *mærða þon ma middangeardes – gehedde under heofenum þonne he sylfa eart þu se beowulf se þe wið brecan wunne on sidne sâe ymb sund flite ðær git for wlence wada cunnedon ond for dolgilpe on deop wæter aldrum neþdon ne inc ænig mon ne leof ne lað belean mihte sorhfullne sið þa git on sund reon – þær git eagorstream earmum þehton mæton merestræta mundum brugdon glidon ofer garsecg geofon yþum weol wintrys wylme git on wæteres æht seofon niht swuncon he þe æt sunde oferflat – hæfde mare mægen þa hine on morgentid on heaþoræmas holm up ætbær – ðonon he gesohte swæsne – eðel – leof his leodum lond brondinga freoðoburh fægere þær he folc ahte burh ond beagas – *beot eal wið þe sunu beanstanes soðe gelæste – ðonne wene ic to þe wyrsan geþingea ðeah þu heaðoræsa gehwær dohte grimre guðe gif þu grendles dearst nihtlongne fyrst nean bidan beowulf maþelode bearn ecgþeowes hwæt þu worn fela wine min hunferð beore druncen ymb brecan spræce sægdest from his siðe soð ic talige þæt ic merestrengo maran ahte earfeþo on yþum ðonne ænig oþer man – wit þæt gecwædon cnihtwesende ond gebeotedon wæron begen þa git on geogoðfeore þæt wit on gârsecg ut aldrum neðdon ond þæt geæfndon swa – hæfdon swurd nacod þa wit on sund reon heard on handa wit unc wið hronfixas werian þohton – no he wiht fram me flodyþum feor fleotan meahte hraþor on holme no ic fram him wolde – ða wit æt*somne on sâe wæron fif nihta fyrst oþþæt unc flod todraf wado weallende wedera cealdost nipende niht – ond norþanwind heaðogrim ondhwearf hreo wæron yþa wæs merefixa mod onhrered – þær me wið laðum licsyrce min heard hondlocen helpe gefremede beadohrægl broden on breostum læg golde gegyrwed me to grunde teah fah feondscaða fæste hæfde – grim on grape hwæþre me gyfeþe wearð þæt ic aglæcan orde geræhte hildebille heaþoræs fornam mihtig meredeor þurh mine hand[.]

German - Genitive, Dative, Plural Nouns and Weak Verbs

2009-06-10T20:54:00.006-04:00

I have to get certified in German for the language requirement of the doctoral study.

In today's lesson, I am looking at the German genitive and dative, plural nouns, and the past tense of weak verbs.

Of course, I understand the genitive and dative. The table I made up earlier should be helpful as I try to internalize the declensions.

On the plural of nouns, it seems that there are a great variety of noun plural endings. I can't see how by looking at the endings I would be able to read or translate accurately.

However, I do need to remember number agreement between subject and verb. Verb endings in -en, -n, or the form sind tell me that the subject is plural. I think the formal Sie, however, would be an exception.

German weak (regular) verbs - like sagen, antworten and haben - don't get their stem vowels changed in the past tense. This is what makes them "weak." In strong verbs, the stem vowel changes. For a video lesson on weak verb conjugation in the present tense, go to Deutsch Happen. Don't forget "es-ten-ten"!

The characteristic ending of the past tense of German weak verbs is -te. Verbs whose stems end in -d, -t or in a consnant cluster like -nen (offnen), add an -e before the past tense ending.

er sagt --> er sagte
sie sagen --> sie sagten
er hat --> er hatte
sie haben --> sie hatten

The past tense is not only a simple past (e.g., he said) but also includes forms such as was saying and did say.

Situational Writing

2009-06-10T20:25:00.006-04:00

As usual, In the Middle supplies a post/link of high use-value. I hope my blog grows up to be like ITM someday.

ITM links to an advice post on being a prolific writer. It's wisdom I wish I had possessed years ago, but I am happy to think that I have gotten beyond it. After all, I have been quite busy the last several years with many projects, and I seem to have many more upcoming.

The writer of the advice post is Graham Harman, whose blog Object-Oriented Philosophy seems to be quite popular. The good scholar explains that productive writers - and, I suspect, productive people generally - adopt a situational approach:

For those who are still stuck in the self-torturing masochism of the grad school persona, high productivity can seem suspect. “It takes me so long to finish one article, how can these people be churning out so many? They must be cutting corners.” But they’re actually not cutting corners. They’re just adopting a different attitude toward their work. Instead of thinking of yourself as a young warrior initiate on some gruelling hunt or vision quest, where the lion is so painfully difficult to slay that it would feel like cheating if it took less than a few years (heavily male images, I know, but I can’t completely jump out of my own self)… instead of that… I for one think of it as architecture.

The last time I made this analogy, a good-natured architect wrote in laughing and saying that I give architects too much credit. Well, I don’t know about that. But what I like about that profession is that you have to build things, and each project has its own specific parameters that need to be met. What makes it relatively easy for me to write articles and lectures compared with before? Easy: I’ve learned to let each situation do much of the writing for me.

Here’s what I mean… The masochistic grad student attitude is that heroic force is needed to generate each sentence ex nihilo. (At least that’s how it was for me.) But in fact, most of writing boils down to organization, which is why I always say that Outline is All. If you have a good enough outline, it’s already written. And don’t think you’re not being original when you focus on the outline, because no two people ever break down a subject into precisely the same parts. We’re most original when we’re not trying to be original, but simply saying the things we really believe. (It takes a lot of work to find out what we really believe, because much human debate involves posturing rather than genuine individual beliefs, and this can confuse us as to what is real and what is posturing.)

I am happy to report that I have learned many of these lessons. I learned them the hard way, but I don't think that matters much now. I certainly have known well the meaning of one of my favorite statements by Philip Roth: "The road to hell is paved with works in progress." I identify very much with Harman's need to work hard at externalizing:

All that matters is that you are always trying to externalize. This is a learned skill for me, and hard-won. I feel naturally like a terrible introvert. And yet everyone is always giving me the exact opposite feedback on that point (at least since about 1999, which not coincidentally is when I finally buckled down and finished the dissertation). I think the reason people call me outgoing is because I have to work so hard at it– a lot of energy is going into it constantly, because I remember too well what one can backslide into if constant forward motion is not underway. And forward motion occurs, primarily, through connection. This may be communication with other people. It may be working on some small but useful task. It may be a constant openness to new influences. It may be travelling to new places to connect place names with definite mental images.

In my own life and in my own way, I have learned to take things one at a time, to resist the urge to get lost in the writing process, and to keep externalizing my intellectual work. These are the reasons I feel confident about being back in the game on my diss. and on moving forward.

Sorry for the personal post, but I wanted to share.

My Beowulf, Fitt 42: So It Was

2009-06-09T20:45:00.012-04:00

We live in an age that embraces the instability of the text and the reader's prerogative to proceed through a text in a non-sequential, non-linear fashion.

In this spirit, I am bouncing forward in this Beowulf project to fitt 42, home of the locus desperatus that I wrote about years ago in my article, "Lines 3074-3075 in Beowulf: Movement into Knowing" (Anglia 118.4).

Here is that fateful fitt, lines 3058 to 3136, fol. 195v to 198r:

Þa wæs gesyne þæt se sið ne ðah þam ðe unrihte inne gehydde wræte under wealle weard ær ofsloh feara sumne þa sio fæhð gewearð gewrecen wraðlice wundur hwar þonne eorl ellenrôf ende gefere – lifgesceafta þonne leng ne mæg mon mid his magum meduseld buan swa wæs biowulfe – *þa he biorges weard sohte searoniðas seolfa ne cuðe þurh hwæt his worulde gedal weorðan sceolde – swa hit oð domes dæg diope benemdon þeodnas mære þa ðæt þær dydon þæt se secg wære synnum scildig hergum geheaðerod hellbendum fæst wommum gewitnad se ðone wong strade næs he goldhwæte gearwor hæfde agendes est ær gesceawod – wiglaf maðelode wihstanes sunu oft sceall eorl monig anes willan wræc adreogan swa us geworden is ne meahton we gelæran leofne þeoden rices hyrde ræd ænigne þæt he ne grette goldweard þone lete hyne licgean þær he longe wæs wicum wunian oð woruldende heold on heahgesceap hord ys gesceawod grimme gegongen wæs þæt gifeðe to swið þe ðone þeodcyning þyder ontyhte.

Ic wæs þær inne ond þæt eall geondseh recedes geatwa þa me gerymed wæs nealles swæslice sið alyfed inn under eorðweall ic on ofoste gefeng micle mid mundum mægenbyrðenne hordgestreona hider *ut ætbær cyninge minum cwico wæs þa gena wis ond gewittig worn eall gespræc gomol on gehðo ond eowic gretan het bæd þæt ge geworhton æfter wines dædum in bælstede beorh þone hean micelne ond mærne swa he manna wæs wigend weorðfullost wide geond eorðan þenden he burhwelan brucan moste.

Uton nu efstan oðre siðe seon ond secean searogimma geþræc wundur under wealle ic eow wisige þæt ge genoge neon sceawiað beagas ond brad gold sie sio bær gearo ædre geæfned þonne we ut cymen ond þonne geferian frean userne leofne mannan þær he longe sceal on ðæs waldendes wære geþolian – het ða gebeodan byre wihstanes hæle hildedior hæleða monegum boldagendra þæt hie bælwudu feorran feredon folcagende godum togenes nu sceal gled fretan weaxan wonna leg wigena strengel þone ðe oft gebâd isernscure þonne stræla storm strengum gebæded scoc ofer scildweall sceft nytte heold feðergearwum fûs flane fulleode – huru se snotra sunu wihstanes acigde of corðre *cyninges þegnas syfone tosomne þa selestan eode eahta sum under inwithrôf hilderinc sum on handa bær æledleoman se ðe on orde geong næs ða on hlytme hwa þæt hord strude syððan orwearde ænigne dæl secgas gesegon on sele wunian læne licgan lyt ænig mearn þæt hi ofostlice ut geferedon dyre maðmas dracan ec scufun wyrm ofer weallclif leton weg niman flod fæðmian frætwa hyrde þæt wæs wunden gold on wæn hladen æghwæs unrim æþeling boren har hilderinc to hronesnæsse:~

Back in the day, when I was writing about lines 3074 and 3075, I thought it would be good enough to represent line 3075 as the end of a paragraph, so I proposed to structure lines 3058-3075 like this (sorry, can't seem to get the caesura to show up):

Þa wæs gesyne þæt se sið ne ðah
þam ðe unrihte inne gehydde
wræce under wealle –
sssssssssssssssssssssssweard ær ofsloh
feara sumne, þa sio fæhð gewearð
gewrecen wraðlice -
ssssssssssssssssssssswundur hwar þonne
eorl ellenrof ende gefere,
lifgesceafta, þonne leng ne mæg
mon mid his [ma]gum meduseld buan -
swa wæs Biowulfe - þa he biorges weard
sohte searoniðas, seolfa ne cuðe
þurh hwæt his worulde gedal weorðan sceolde,
swa hit oð domes dæg,
ssssssssssssssssssssssssdiope benemdon
þeodnas mære þa ðæt þær dydon,
þæt se secg wære synnum scildig,
hergum geheaðerod, hellbendum fæst,
wommum gewitnad, se ðone wong strude -
næs he goldhwæte gearwor hæfde
Agendes est ær gesceawod.

It's hard for me to remember exactly what I wanted to show with this, but I think it mainly had to do with the idea of editing more radically. While I am in many ways a manuscript guy, I'm also fascinated by an editor's power to expose features of the text and invite readers to employ unfamiliar or unexpected reading practices. One change I might make now is not to end the "paragraph" at 3075. Suddenly, tonight, the material afterward seems so very relevant. I am amazed I never noticed it before.

For comparison, here's the Mitchell and Robinson version of lines 3058-3075 (no macrons):

Þa wæs gesyne þæt se sið ne ðah
þam ðe unrihte inne gehydde
wræte under wealle. Weard ær ofsloh
feara sumne; þa sio fæhð gewearð
gewrecen wraðlice. Wundur hwar þonne
eorl ellenrof ende gefere
lifgesceafta þonne leng ne mæg
mon mid his magum meduseld buan.
Swa wæs Biowulfe þa he biorges weard
sohte searoniðas, seolfa ne cuðe
þurh hwæt his worulde gedal weorðan sceolde.
Swa hit oð domes dæg diope benemdon
þeodnas mære, þa ðæt þær dydon,
þæt se secg wære synnum scildig
hergum geheaðerod hellbendum fæst
wommum gewitnad se ðone wong strude;
næs he goldhwæte gearwor hæfde
agendes est ær gesceawod.

Much as I like the version above, I would much prefer to see these lines as given in Mitchell and Irvine's Beowulf Repunctuated. Alas, I have no copy of this...yet. Oh, well.

For further comparison, here is the version from Klaeber's Beowulf (4th ed. - again, no macrons):

Þa wæs gesyne þæt se sið ne ðah
þam ðe unrihte inne gehydde
wrætte under wealle. Weard ær ofsloh
feara sumne; þa sio fæhð gewearð
gewrecen wraðlice. Wundur hwar þonne
eorl ellenrof ende gefere
lifgesceafta, þonne leng ne mæg
mon mid his (ma)gum meduseld buan.
Swa wæs Biowulfe þa he biorges weard
sohte, searoniðas - seolfa ne cuðe
þurh hwæt his worulde gedal weorðan sceolde -
swa hit oð domes dæg diope benemdon
þeodnas mære þa ðæt þær dydon,
þæt se secg wære synnum scildig,
hergum geheaðerod hellbendum fæst,
wommum gewitnad, se ðone wong strude.
Næs he goldhwæte, gearwor hæfde
agendes est ær gesceawod.

Notice the differences in punctuation between the three versions. Then, look at the text I presented first. I love the differences and how in each case the punctuation organizes and drives meaning. Truly awesome.

The Observer Effect

2009-06-09T10:55:00.001-04:00

As Jason Hogle writes, observers do not simply stand apart, even if they don't "do" anything. The apparently simple fact of being an observer has an impact on the observed.

Two connections seem relevant to the subject(s) of this blog: (1) I don't think observation selection theory [my pet project] accounts for the impact of being an observer; (2) In terms of texts and textuality, I think there is something to be said about how readers are effective.

Wales News - The Saxons Were Coming!

2009-06-09T10:30:00.002-04:00

From WalesOnline, a small sword stud found under a shop may lead to a revision of Welsh history.

Shared via AddThis

Call for Collaborators

2009-06-07T19:45:00.001-04:00

Using the wonderful (i.e., free) resources of Google, I have begun to set up a site that I hope will serve well as the initial home of the Beowulf online edition I am imagining. The site is called Beowulf Is Min Nama.

I must credit The Anglo-Saxon Narrative Poetry Project for giving me the idea to set up a separate site. If Aaron Hostetter reads this: I'm very appreciative of your work.

For the Beowulf site, I invite anyone who is interested to contact me about being a collaborator in developing it. Who knows what it could become and do? If you or any daring folk care to join in, just email me at jbmyerov[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Feel free to forward along this message.

My Beowulf, Fitt 7: Hrothgar Speaks Again

2009-06-06T11:39:00.003-04:00

Here is fitt #7, a short one. We begin on fol. 140r and end on 141r, with asterisks marking the beginning of a new side. The fitt covers lines 456 through 498 (Grein's edition).

Hroðgar maþelode helm scyldinga for gewyrhtum þu wine min beowulf – ond for arstafum usic sohtest gesloh þin fæder fæhðe mæste – wearþ he heaþolafe to handbonan mid wilfingum ða hine wedera cyn for herebrogan habban ne mihte – þanon he gesohte suðdena folc ofer yða gewealc ar*scyldinga ða ic furþum weold folce deniga ond on geogoðe heold ginne rice hordburh hæleþa – ða wæs heregar dead min yldra mæg unlifigende bearn healfdenes se wæs betera ðonne ic siððan þa fæhðe feo þingode – sende ic wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg ealde madmas he me aþas swor.

Sorh is me to secganne on sefan minum gumena ængum hwæt me grendel hafað – hynðo on heorote mid his heteþancum færniða gefremed is min fletwerod wigheap gewanod hie wyrd forsweop on grendles gryre god eaþe mæg þone dolsceaðan dæda getwæfan.

Ful oft gebeotedon beore druncne ofer ealowæge oretmecgas þæt hie in beorsele bidan woldon grendles guþe mid gryrum ecga – ðonne wæs þeos medoheal on morgentid drihtsele dreorfah þonne dæg lixte – eal *bencþelu blode bestymed heall heorudreore ahte ic holdra þy læs deorre duguðe þe þa deað fornam site nu to symle ond onsæl meoto sigehreð secgum swa þin sefa hwette – þa wæs geatmæcgum geador ætsomne on beorsele benc gerymed þær swiðferhþe sittan eodon þryðum dealle þegn nytte beheold se þe on handa bær hroden ealowæge scencte scir wered scop hwilum sang hador on heorote þær wæs hæleða dream duguð unlytel dena ond wedera.

Polychronic - My New Favorite Word

2009-06-03T16:38:00.007-04:00

In the Middle posts a review of Jonathan Gil Harris's Untimely Matter in the Time of Shakespeare.

It seems really interesting, and I am particularly intrigued by what Harris calls the polychronic, "the simultaneous cohabitation of heterogeneous temporalities within a material object -- where materiality and temporality are active components of a hybridizing, mobile network rather than solitary and self-segregated pieces of a still world."

I like the idea of co-existing differences, but I also have an intuitive trust for this co-existence taking place in the plane of the material. That is, I like how the physical object becomes the text of an ensemble of diverse times. What's more, the physical and the temporal work, they create together, they have an impact in the world. They make the world ever different. Now, what's unclear to me at this point is to what specifically "heterogeneous temporalities" refer: different represented times (e.g., narratives and flashbacks), different representations of time (e.g., symbols and images of the past existing in the present), or different ontologies of time (e.g., reading "here and now" about the "there and then"). Maybe Harris means all three.

Jeffrey J. Cohen, the reviewer and Harris's colleague at GWU, explains the relevance of the ploychronic to medieval studies:

The arguments of Untimely Matter are as relevant to medieval studies as they are to early modernists, insisting that temporality can be thought as something other than straightforward, historicist chronology. Untimley Matter is pitched strongly against what Harris calls the "national sovereignty model of temporality," in which each temporal moment is essentially its own country, with its own rules and borders and determinations of meaning (p. 2). Against synchronic (past as bounded and determinate field of meaning) and diachronic (past as array of discrete eras) readings, Harris argues for the "multiple traces of time embedded in things" (9), what Kathy Biddick has called "the temporality that is not one." His point of departure is Nietzsche's idea of unzeitgemässe, which might be translated as the temporally improper, "resisting absorption into a homogeneous present" (11) -- spurring us to think "how we might use the past to imagine alternatives to the present and to chronology itself" (13).

Harris's central figure in the book is the palimpsest: the work written over by other works, creating an evident simultaneity of times. Palimpsests can be textual (the Archimedes Palimpsest), architectural (Pisa cathedral has a stone embedded within its façade imprinted with IMPCAESAR, rendering evident its origin in a pagan monument; all cities are palimpsests), or conceptual: they are always, however, material and capable of agency, especially future-directed agency. The palimpsested past, in Harris's account, is thick with possibility:
1. supersession (just as one text might be written over another, one time seemingly yields utterly to another ... and yet that other endures within it, as the earlier text remains legible, as Jews lived among Christians long after the triumph of Christianity)

2. explosion (a heterogeneous past temporality is embedded in the new, like Jewish letters on a Christian London wall, triggering an "untimely irruption" that "shatters the integrity" of the present)

3. conjunction (uneasy cohabitation: "polychronic matter can activate a heterodox temporality of conjunction, one that disregards the entrenched partitions and distances informing the geometric lines of chronological time" (171).
Though positioned last and certainly valorized, conjunction is not a synthesis in the Hegelian sense of Aufhebung, which would smooth away time's wrinkles and act in a way that is supercessionary. Any synthesis here is in the sense propounded by Michel Serres, who along with Bruno Latour is a patron god of Untimely Matter: "synthesis as a proximation rather than a transcendence of supposedly disparate elements," "an embrace of alterity" rather than an obliteration of difference, "synthesis that refuses singularity, that opens up to heterogeneity" (146). Conjunction is also the only temporality that opens the possibility of dialogue (16).

I posted back in April about temporal logic and textuality. In Kripke semantics, for example, we define changing systems by using a collection of worlds. Yes, that's "worlds." For me this starts to make the tie-in to observation selection effects because in a text, the observer, the subject, is one of the physical elements arising in this world. When the subject starts to make statements about the world, a selection effect is introduced. And when we are aware of this, then we can think about Nick Bostrom's Strong Self-Sampling Assumption (SSSA): Each subject-moment should reason as if he or she were randomly selected from the class of all subject-moments in his or her reference class.

With SSSA, we can talk concretely about which world(s) we are in as subjects and when in the world(s) we are.

Origin of Eth

2009-06-03T11:45:00.002-04:00

A wonderful discussion of the origin of the letter eth (ð) popped up yesterday on ANSAXNET. Here are some of the highlights.

Howell Chickering:

Hi Everybody,

A student asked me today why, if the orthograph's sound is dependent on vocalic context, does OE have both eth and thorn? The letters are not phonemically different after all.

I was stumped. I know that thorn comes from the runic alphabet. Eth does not seem to come either from the A-S runes or from earlier Phoenician/Greek/Latin alphabets. I know ON has both eth and thorn, but I believe the ON situation is the same as in OE.

I can explain why OE has both K and C, or both yogh and G, but whence eth? Knowing its origin might explain its presence alongside thorn.

Geoffrey Russom:

I believe eth is based on the Irish /d/, which represented [d] and also [edh], depending on the phonological environment. The slash seems to notate a fricative sound but the usual Irish notation for that is a punctus elevatus, so I'm not sure where the slash came from.

I also seem to remember that eth and thorn are positional variants, somewhat like the two forms of Greek /s/. In the BEOWULF MS, thorn is most common initially in stressed words (where it would always be voiceless), with edh more common medially and finally.

Can't think where I first encountered this information. Maybe an expert can clarify why scribes found it useful to have these two letter forms.

George Clark:

It's often said that early scribes avoided the runes because of their association with paganism and its ceremonies and practices, hence uu for w and a crossed d for the th sounds, voiced and voiceless. The church in Iceland, which was influenced by the English in its MS traditions, got the use of runes made illegal there. Eventually scribes grew more tolerant, or the wider spread of literacy among churchmen brought writing to less hardcore monks.

Geoffrey Russom:

> Aren't they just voiced and unvoiced???

In modern linguistic usage, yes, but in OE MSS, edh is often used for the voiceless fricative at the end of the word as well as for the voiced fricative in a voiced word-medial environment. In the BEOWULF MS, you sometimes find edh in the usual location for thorn (initially) and you sometimes find thorn in the usual position for edh. Consistent use of thorn and edh for the English voicing distinction is a modern practice.

Jane Roberts:

One of the most useful short accounts I've come across of these letter forms is by Chaplais:

‘Who Introduced Charters into England? The Case For Augustine’ pp. 88-107 [III, 10, October 1969] p.96, fn. 58:

‘Two original Italian charters show that in the mid-sixth century the Ostrogoths of Italy used several runes, including the thorn and wynn, in their vernacular subscriptions . .. The thorn and wynn were two of the runes which, according to Gregory of Tours, Chilperic I introduced into the Merovingian scripts . . . On English coins of the seventh century the thorn and other runes are found, sometimes mixed with Roman letters . . . but in English manuscripts the eth, thorn and wynn and the tironian et do not occur until the second half of the eighth century. In the few original Anglo-Saxon charters which have survived for the last quarter of the seventh century the sounds th and w are represented by the letters d (or th) and uu (or u) even in vernacular names . . . As late as the second quarter of the ninth century the sounds th and w were still represented by th and uu as often as by the appropriate runes . . . In Anglo-Saxon charters the thorn seems to have been introduced later than the eth and wynn’.

Elizabeth Solopova:

In England the rune wynn was first used as an additional letter in an uncial charter of 692. The first dated text in which thorn appears is a charter of 811, but in the Corpus glossary it is already more frequent than eth. There is, however, an important geographical difference. There seems to have been resistance to the use of wynn and thorn in the north, where runic literacy survived longest within a Christian context. In the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Vespasian Psalter eth is common, but thorn appears only rarely, mostly as the abbreviation crossed thorn (that).

There is a similar situation for AS coins: no runes are found on Northumbrian coins before the reign of Eanred (807-841). In Mercia coins with runic inscriptions appeared before the end of 7th century (see R. I. Page, An introduction to English Runes).

Runes as additional letters were avoided in manuscripts from the north almost certainly due to their associations with runic literacy. However, this is not necessarily because of their pagan associations, but probably exactly because runic literacy was a living thing in the north. Pagan uses of runes in England are well documented (e.g. a story told by Bede about a prisoner Imma). But nevertheless runes were embraced by the Christian Church after the middle of the 7th century, particularly in the North (in the 8th century they are largely missing from the south and Midlands). In Scandinavia they also came to be used on Christian monuments. However, in both England and Scandinavia they were used almost exclusively as an epigraphic script, and hardly ever in manuscripts, until the early modern period in Scandinavia. In this way runes were kept apart from the Latin alphabet, with the exception of some special cases such as personal names (e.g. a woman’s name written in runes appears scratched in the margin of an 8th-century AS gospels, National Library of Russia LAT. F.v.I.8 (see my review of its facsimile on CDROM in Medium Aevum). An aggressive resistance to the use of runes by the Christian church in Scandinavia also happens largely in the early modern period.

Daniel O’Donnell:

Should mention in regard to distribution that David Megginson has a really interest section of his dissertation in the distribution of ð and þ.

Michelle Ziegler:

I'm not a linguist, but if you are considering an Irish origin, wouldn't a British/Welsh origin make more sense? The d or dd is very common in Old Welsh and represents the -th sound like the kingdom of Gwynedd voiced as Gwynith (like the actress Gwynith Paltrow). Gododdin -> modern Lothian is another example. Considering how many Welsh personal names (like Caedmon) the English picked up such a transfer is not unlikely.

Mata Kimasitayo:

There's a pretty good Wiki article on this -
From Wiki sub Eth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eth

Eth (Ð, ð; also spelled edh or eð) is a letter used in Old English,
Icelandic, Faroese (in which it is called edd), and Elfdalian. It was also
used in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages, but was subsequently replaced
with dh and later d. The capital eth resembles a D with a line partially
through the vertical stroke. The lowercase resembles an insular d with a
line through the top.

The letter originated in Irish writing (Freeborn 1992, 24) as a d with a
cross-stroke added. The lowercase version has retained the curved shape of a
medieval scribe's d, which d itself in general has not (but see for instance
the Audi logo).

In Icelandic, ð represents a voiced dental fricative like th in English
"them", but it never appears as the first letter of a word. The name of the
letter is pronounced eθ, i.e., voiceless, unless followed by a vowel. It has
also been labeled an "interdental fricative."[1]

In Faroese, ð isn't assigned to any particular phoneme and appears mostly
for etymological reasons; however, it does show where most of the Faroese
glides are, and when the ð is before r it is in a few words pronounced as
[g]. In the Icelandic and Faroese alphabets, ð follows d.

In Olav Jakobsen Høyem's version of Nynorsk based on Trøndersk, the ð is
always silent and is introduced for etymological reasons.

In the orthography for Elfdalian, the ð represents a voiced dental fricative
like th in English "them", and it follows d in the alphabet.

In Old English, ð (referred to as ðæt by the Anglo-Saxons) was used
interchangeably with þ (thorn) [*] to represent either voiced or voiceless
dental fricatives. The letter ð was used throughout the Anglo-Saxon era, but
gradually fell out of use in Middle English, disappearing altogether by
about 1300;[citation needed] þ survived longer, ultimately being replaced by
the modern digraph th by about 1500.

The ð is also used by some in written Welsh to represent the letter 'dd'
(the voiced dental fricative).[citation needed]

...

Notes

[1] American Heritage Dictionary
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=eth

External links

How to make the Eth
http://briem.ismennt.is/2/2.11/2.1.3.eth.cap.htm

Förslag till en enhetlig stavning för älvdalska (March, 2005) (Swedish)
http://www.alvdalen.se/alvdalska/alvdalsk_ortografi.pdf

___ .

[*] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(letter)
cfr http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wynn

It's nice to see that ANSAXNET remains such a powerful scholarly resource.

Bury My Heart at Sutton Hoo

2009-06-03T11:00:00.001-04:00

According to Angus Wainwright, the ship burial contains the remains of Raedwald, King of East Anglia.

The artefacts date from around 600 AD - maybe just a little before and just a little after. Basically you have a 30-40 year period when that grave could have been created and that covers a lot of Kings of East Anglia - which some people still doubt.

I think it is safe to assume that it is a king, the riches would suggest that. In fact it is the richest burial discovered in Britain and the richest discovered north of the Alps which would suggest that not only is it a king, it is a very important king. This is what leads people to believe it is Raedwald

One interesting thing is that the grave includes Christian objects, such as silver spoons. Although Raedwald converted to Christianity, he continued to pay homage to pagan gods also. So, it would not be odd to find Christian artifacts in a pagan burial.

Sutton Hoo was apparently a royal cemetery, though only for a short time.

As far as I am aware Sutton Hoo is unique in that it is the only burial ground we have found which contains only royal burials. Unless we find a name on something, we will never know for sure, but looking at the evidence, I can see no reason why it shouldn't be Raedwald.

My Beowulf, Fitt 6: Hrothgar Maþelode

2009-06-02T21:08:00.003-04:00

My process is becoming a bit more clear to me. For this sixth installment of my personal Beowulf project, wherein I de-edit the Beowulf text, I am introducing the asterisk (*) to mark the first word of a new manuscript side.

The sixth fitt, covering approximately lines 371 through 455, begins on fol. 138r and extends to fol. 140r. The section ends with a very brief "paragraph" at "onsend."

Hroðgar maþelode helm scyldinga ic hine cuðe cnihtwesende wæs his ealdfæder ecgþeo haten ðæm to ham forgeaf hreþel geata angan dohtor is his eafora nu heard her cumen sohte holdne wine – ðonne sægdon þæt sæliþende þa ðe gifsceattas geata fyredon þyder to þance þæt he .XXX *tiges manna mægencræft on his mundgripe heaþorof hæbbe hine halig god for arstafum us onsende to westdenum þæs ic wen hæbbe – wið grendles gryre ic þæm godan sceal for his modþræce madmas beodan beo ðu on ofeste hât in gân seon sibbegedriht samod ætgædere – gesaga him eac wordum þæt hie sint wilcuman deniga leodum word inne abead – eow het secgan sigedrihten min aldor eastdena þæt he eower æþelu can ond ge him syndon ofer sæwylmas heardhicgende hider wilcuman nu ge moton gangan in eowrum guðgeatawum under heregriman hroðgar geseon lætað hildebord her onbidan wudu wælsceaftas worda geþinges – aras þa se rica ymb hine rinc manig þryðlic þegna heap sume þær bidon heaðoreaf heoldon swa him se *hearda bebead – snyredon ætsomne þa secg wisode under heorotes hrof heard under helme þæt he on heorðe gestod – beowulf maðelode on him byrne scan searonet seowed smiþes orþancum wæs þu hroðgar hal ic eom higelaces mæg ond magoðegn – hæbbe ic mærða fela ongunnen on geogoþe me wearð grendles þing – on minre eþeltyrf undyrne cuð secgað sæliðend þæt þæs sele stande reced selesta rinca gehwylcum idel ond unnyt siððan æfenleoht under heofenes hador beholen weorþeð – þa *me þæt gelærdon leode mine þa selestan snotere ceorlas – þeoden hroðgar þæt ic þe sohte forþan hie mægenes cræft mine cuþon – selfe ofersawon ða ic of searwum cwom – fah from feondum þær ic fife geband yðde eotena cyn ond on yðum slog – niceras nihtes nearoþearfe dreah wræc – wedera nið wean ahsodon forgrand gramum ond nu wið grendel sceal wið þam aglæcan ana gehegan – ðing wið þyrse ic þe nu ða brego beorhtdena biddan wille eodor scyldinga anre bene – þæt ðu me ne forwyrne wigendra hleo freowine folca nu ic þus feorran com – þæt ic mote ana ond minra eorla gedryht – þes hearda heap heorot fælsian hæbbe ic eac geahsod þæt se æglæca for his wonhydum wæpna ne recceð – ic þæt þonne forhicge swa me higelac sie min mondrihten modes bliðe – þæt ic sweord bere oþðe sidne scyld geolorand to guþe ac ic mid grape sceal fon wið feonde ond ymb feorh sacan lað wið laþum ðær gelyfan sceal dryhtnes dome se þe hine deað nimeð – wen ic þæt he wille gif he wealdan môt in þæm guðsele geotena leode etan unforhte swa he *oft dyde mægen hreðmanna na þu minne þearft hafalan hydan – ac he me habban wile dreore fahne gif mec deað nimeð – byreð blodig wæl byrgean þenceð eteð ângenga unmurnlice mearcað morhopu no ðu ymb mines ne þearft lices feorme leng sorgian.

Onsend higelace gif mec hild nime beaduscruda betst þæt mine breost wereð hrægla selest þæt is hrædlan laf welandes geweorc gæð a wyrd swa hio scel.

New Junicode Release

2009-06-02T10:15:00.000-04:00

Peter Baker of the University of Virginia sent a note to the digital medievalist list on the new release of Junicode, the font for medievalists (and others). This is the first new release since 1977.

From good Professor Baker's note:

This release contains fixes of several bugs, improved coverage of the Medieval Unicode Font Initiative (MUFI) character set (though this is not yet complete). Most of the medievalist Unicode characters recently added in Latin Extended D and other ranges have been added. Many of these were already in the Private Use Area; the PUA characters remain for now, but users should begin to adopt the new, more standard encodings. The regular face currently contains 5870 glyphs; the italic, bold and bold italic faces are much less complete, though an effort is being made to make the italic face match the regular where appropriate.

The design of several glyphs has been revised; those who prefer the old design should turn on "Style Set 9" in an OpenType-aware application.

On the technical side, OpenType support has been improved and extended. TrueType instructions have been supplied for all glyphs: these are a mix of "auto-hints" added by FontForge and instructions written by hand.

Ref.: http://junicode.sourceforge.net/

Zupitza's Asterisks

2009-06-01T04:00:00.001-04:00

Have you ever looked at the EETS facsimile reproduction of Beowulf and wondered about those asterisks all over the transliteration?

The asterisks mark out the beginning of every fifth line of the poem, with C.W.M. Grein's 1881 edition being the reference. While the EETS versions give the continuous lineation along the right-hand side of the transliteration, the asterisks receive no mention in either Zupitza's original preface or Davis's preface to the corrected version.

Maybe they thought it was too obvious, Nevertheless, I'll admit that it took me some time to figure it out.

My Beowulf, Fitt 5: Beowulf Is Min Nama

2009-05-31T21:26:00.003-04:00

Here is the fifth installment of the first pass of my personal Beowulf project, wherein I de-edit the Beowulf text. I hope to do more to account for manuscript points by rendering them as dashes, and I "translate" small caps by making them new paragraphs. There's no lineation and no capital letters or punctuation other than what I see in the manuscript/facsimile.

This fifth fitt, roughly covering lines 320-370, is one of my favorites. Like the previous section, it is a single section. I've always imagined the pace quickening as this part of the story unfolds.

Stræt wæs stanfah stig wisode gumum ætgædere guðbyrne scan heard hondlocen hringiren scir song in searwum þa hie to sele furðum in hyra gryregeatwum gangan cwomon setton sæmeþe side scyldas rondas regnhearde wið þæs recedes weal – bugon þa to bence byrnan hringdon guðsearo gumena garas stodon sæmanna searo samod ætgædere æscholt ufan græg wæs se irenþreat wæpnum gewurþad þa ðær wlonc hæleð oretmecgas æfter æþelum frægn – hwanon ferigeað ge fætte scyldas græge syrcan ond grimhelmas heresceafta heap ic eom hroðgares ar ond ombiht – ne seah ic elþeodige þus manige men modiglicran wen ic þæt ge for wlenco nalles for wræcsiðum – ac for higeþrymmum hroðgar sohton – him þa ellenrof andswarode wlanc wedera leod – word æfter spræc heard under helme we synt higelaces beodgeneatas beowulf is min nama wille ic asecgan sunu healfdenes mærum þeodne min ærende – aldre þinum gif he us geunnan wile þæt we hine swa godne gretan moton – wulfgar maþelode þæt wæs wendla leod wæs his modsefa manegum gecyðed – wig ond wisdom ic þæs wine deniga frean scildinga frinan wille beaga bryttan swa þu bena eart þeoden mærne ymb þinne sið – ond þe þa ondsware ædre gecyðan ðe me se goda agifan þenceð – wearf þa hrædlice þær hroðgar sæt eald ond anhar mid his eorla gedriht – eode ellenrof þæt he for eaxlum gestod deniga frean cuþe he duguðe þeaw – wulfgar maðelode to his winedrihtne her syndon geferede feorran cumene ofer geofenes begang geata leode þone yldestan oretmecgas – beowulf nemnað hy benan synt þæt hie þeoden min wið þe moton wordum wrixlan no ðu him wearne geteoh ðinra gegncwida glædman hroðgar hy on wiggetawum wyrðe þinceað – eorla geæhtlan huru se aldor deah se þæm heaðorincum hider wisade.

Has the Chasm Closed Between Literary Scholars and Scientists?

2009-05-28T20:15:00.002-04:00

50th Anniversary of the "Two Cultures": Where are we now?

The excellent magazine SEED is hosting what looks to be a very interesting series of videos on the supposed gap between the humanities and the sciences. I have not yet checked out the videos myself, but I hope this will be required-viewing-for-all stuff.

As the SEED website says: "It's 50 years after C.P. Snow first described a chasm between literary intellectuals and scientists. Snow's words touched off decades of debate on both the existence of the 'Two Cultures' and the possibility of a 'Third Culture' — a group that could bridge the gap between scientists and humanists. Seed asked six thinkers where we are now: Whether the Two Cultures are still divided, and what role the Third Culture plays in shaping our understanding of the world."

In a similar vein, Language Log has a post on the division between linguists and mathematicians. Pun intended.

More of Fish's God Talk

2009-05-27T21:30:00.010-04:00

In a post earlier this month, I referenced a fable that made some sport of Terry Eagleton and Stanley Fish for their notions of science, scientific reasoning, and religion.

Fish recently added a follow-up article, a well-done piece that - wonder of wonders - brings in the concept of the author.

When Tony Eads [a commenter on Fish's earlier article] declares that “the overwhelming weight of the evidence fails to provide any ground for believing there is a God,” is the evidence he refers to (he doesn’t actually present any) just lying around waiting to be cited as independent confirmation or disconfirmation of an equally independent thesis?

I don’t think that’s the way it happens or could happen. Let’s say (to give a humble example from literary studies) that there is a dispute about the authorship of a poem. A party to the dispute might perform comparative analyses of the writings of rival candidates, examine letters and personal libraries, research the records of printers and publishers, look at the history of reception, etc. Everyone who engages in the dispute will do his or her work in relation to well-established notions of what counts as evidence for authorship and accepted criteria for determining whether or not the evidence marshaled is persuasive.

But suppose, you think (in the manner of Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault) that the idea of the individual author is a myth that emerges alongside the valorization of property and property rights so central to Enlightenment thought? Suppose you believe that the so-called author is not the source of the words to which he signs his name, but is instead merely a site transversed by meanings neither he nor any other so-called “individual” originates? (“Writing,” says Barthes, “is the destruction of every voice, of every point of origin.”)

I have an issue with Fish's third paragraph above, which suggests that thinkers along the lines of Barthes and Foucault have no use for such items as writings of rival candidates, letters and personal libraries, records of printers and publishers, the history of reception, etc. Fish makes poststructuralist thinking on authors and authority an almost purely speculative enterprise, a project in reducing people to the movement of cultural discourses. I don't believe this portrayal is accurate, and it's one of my biggest beefs with people who criticize poststructuralism. The word "mere" is usually a sign that the writer is characterizing the position he opposes.

Nevertheless, Fish's first paragraph nicely sums up the wider problem: can we untie the evidence from our preconditions and presuppositions? Is the evidence ever independent? Is our view of it? As Fish himself later encapsulates the point: "Evidence, understood as something that can be pointed to, is never an independent feature of the world. Rather, evidence comes into view (or doesn’t) in the light of assumptions – there are authors or there aren’t — that produce the field of inquiry in the context of which (and only in the context of which) something can appear as evidence."

These are, of course, questions of philosophy, not science, but they have obvious import. Let's suppose, however, that we discover scientifically it is indeed impossible for evidence to be ideologically neutral. In fact, the ideology is part of what makes it appear as evidence. Same with the "lens" we use to look at the evidence. So OK, we have verified it. The practical question then becomes whether we can correct the bias or at least account for it. If we can, we may also ask whether we actually need to make a correction or an accounting. Perhaps we have situations where close enough is good enough. My point is that the introduction of bias, even if it's inevitable, doesn't necessarily undercut scientific categories, instruments, or conclusions - so long as the bias can be identified and, if necessary, factored.

But Fish's point, especially when he brings in the issue of authorship - is perhaps even more provocative. The different perspectives on authorship are not just matters of opinion, as in "I have mine, you have yours, and we can get along." The difference actually calls into question the whole enterprise of the discipline. The difference leads us to question who gets to define what literary studies is, or what evidence is, or what science is. These are philosophical questions, too, but the practical matters of who is what and what someone is supposed to do as part of the discipline - well, that's all very unsettled.

To bring these points back to Fish's topic, he goes through his explanation to assert to his readers that, in the endless science versus religion culture wars, the talking point of "science is based on evidence" breaks down, or can be broken down, under scrutiny. Fair enough. I think, however, that the broad range of disciplines called the sciences generally do a good job of seeking to identify and account for biases. Personally, I don't think religion and religious proponents do an equally good job.

I don't think Fish or anyone has said that religion and science - or views of the traditional author and the Barthes-ian "author-function" - are equally correct, descriptive, effective or analytically powerful. In scholarship, perhaps our job is to get ever more "less wrong" than before. I am reminded of a neat piece by biologists Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne that insists one side can indeed be (all) wrong.

I'm not prepared yet to say that one or the other side of the authorship issue is all wrong, but the isssue will certainly continue to be a central one for me.

My Beowulf, Fitt 4

2009-05-27T21:14:00.009-04:00

At last! Here is fitt #4, near lines 260-320 in your program.

As you'll remember, this Beowulf project purports to establish what I guess I will call an intermediary or transitional Beowulf text.

At this stage, the first pass through the text, I'm accounting for manuscript points by rendering them as dashes. I account for small caps by making them new paragraphs. I am not lineating, and I am not introducing capital letters or other punctuation that I don't see in the manuscript/facsimile.

Fitt #4 is an unusual section. There seem to be more points in this section than in the previous ones. There is no break anywhere, that is, no place where a small cap comes in. In two instances, we get an "a" with a diacritical mark.

Take note of this fitt, friends.

Him se yldesta ondswarode werodes wisa wordhord onleac we synt gumcynnes geata leode ond higelaces heorðgeneatas – wæs min fæder folcum gecyþed æþele ordfruma ecgþeow haten – gebâd wintra worn ær he on weg hwurfe – gamol of geardum hine gearwe geman witena welhwylc wide geond eorþan – we þurh holdne hige hlaford þinne sunu healfdenes secean cwomon leodgebyrgean wes þu us larena god – habbað we to þæm mæran micel ærende deniga frean – ne sceal þær dyrne sum wesan þæs ic wene þu wast gif hit is swa we – soþlice secgan hyrdon þæt mid scyldingum sceaðona ic nat hwylc – deogol dædhata deorcum nihtum eaweð þurh egsan uncuðne nið hynðu ond hrafyl ic þæs hroðgar mæg þurh rumne sefan ræd gelæran –hu he frod – ond god feond oferswyðeþ gyf him edwendan æfre scolde – bealuwa bisigu bot eft cuman ond þa cearwylmas colran wurðaþ oððe a syþðan earfoðþrage þreanyd þolað þenden þær wunað on heahstede husa selest – weard maþelode ðær on wicge sæt ombeht unforht æghwæþres sceal scearp scyldwiga gescad witan worda ond worca se þe wel þenceð ic þæt gehyre þæt þis is hold weorod frean scyldinga gewitaþ forð beran wæpen ond gewædu ic eow wisige swylce ic maguþegnas mine hate wið feonda gehwone flotan eowerne niwtyrwydne nacan on sande arum healdan oþðæt eft byreð ofer lagustreamas leofne mannan wudu wundenhals to wedermearce godfremmendra swylcum gifeþe bið þæt þone hilderæs hâl gedigeð – gewiton him þa feran flota stille bad seomode on sale sidfæþmed scip on ancre fæst eoforlic scionon ofer hleorbergan gehroden golde fah ond fyrheard ferhwearde heold guþmod grimmon guman onetton sigon ætsomne oþþæt hy sæl timbred – geatolic ond goldfah ongyton mihton – þæt wæs foremærost foldbuendum receda under roderum on þæm se rica bad – lixte se leoma ofer landa fela – him þa hildedeor hof modigra torht getæhte þæt hie him to mihton gegnum gangan guðbeorna sum wicg gewende word æfter cwæð – mæl is me to feran fæder alwalda mid arstafum eowic gehealde –siða gesunde ic to sæ wille wið wrað werod wearde healdan.

This is perhaps the time to note that I have not yet "de-emended" the text. This version has whatever emendations the ASPR editors adopted. When I go through a second pass of the text, I'll need to have a strategy for how to deal with these cases. Opinions welcome on this.

Back in Action

2009-05-27T08:45:00.005-04:00

I've been silent recently because I was working on a project that emerged suddenly.

I do a little ghostwriting on the side, and one of my regular clients emailed me for a quick edit of his latest book manuscript. I had only a week to go through about 40,000 words. I edited, made my own additions, streamlined the layout and formatting, built a table of contents, and generally got the prose up to publishable quality.

As an editor, I find it difficult not to inject my own thinking into the text. Theoretically, I'm supposed to be non-interventionalist, which means not to futz too much with the prose. Just correct obvious errors and smooth out rough patches. These directives alone can keep me busy enough. My client loves to begin sentences with "and" and "but." He also switches from "you" to "we" perspectives constantly. He often relies on strings of cliches too. These areas take lots of work and attention. Nevertheless, several opportunities always arise where I need to re-phrase a statement or to add another phrase or clause for clarification. In these cases, it's my sensibility that becomes sutured into the text.

The person with the "pen" on the text always has a curious power, although it's certainly not an unlimited power. Heck, it's often not a lot of power. Yet, we can never be certain that our received texts are univocal. Indeed, I'd wager that very likely none of them are, and we're not even talking about texts in the Barthes-ian sense, texts as tissues of other texts.

Only a Medievalist Can Understand the Present

2009-05-21T17:15:00.001-04:00

The Spectator recently ran an interesting piece by Dan Jones that says - with some irony - "the medievalists' time is here." Jones shrewdly observes that history becomes repeated in ways that moderns hate to admit:

No longer shall our period be a byword for all in today’s news that is stupid, backward, superstitious, credulous, chauvinistic, Islamist or cruel. It’s time for the world to recognise that the problems with which we now wrestle were experienced and dealt with in spooky parallel by our ancestors some 700 years ago. Where Geoffrey Chaucer and his fellows had the Black Death, the Peasants’ Revolt, the Hundred Years War and the Mediaeval Warm Period, so we have Swine Flu, the G20 riots, Afghanistan and Al Gore. The names have changed, but the horsemen ain’t.

OK, Jones must surely be grandstanding with that "no longer shall" taken straight out of the toolbox of second-rate political orators. But I totally stand with Jones in the sentiment that the Middle Ages matter very much today.

Over at Modern Medieval, Matthew Gabriele thinks that we should stop being surprised when contemporary events appear to have similarities with those of the distant past. Gabriele makes quite an interesting link between the recently leaked Rumsfeld memos and the first Crusades under the papacy of Urban II:

If you look at the language of the sources of the First Crusade, they too don't care so much about their enemies. I mean, they have only a very tenuous grasp of the religious difference between their enemies and themselves. The only thing that matters is that they -- the Muslims in this case -- held Jerusalem, that they stood in the crusaders' way, that they weren't Christian. This meant that they were enemies of God, that the crusaders were participants in a cosmic struggle between good and evil for the very fate of the world. You've heard this before, and you'll likely hear it again. Perhaps, I ask again, the best thing to do is to realize that it's time we stop being surprised when it happens.

Sometimes, people ask me how the Middle Ages matter. Sometimes, I want to ask them how they could possibly not.

True, dat.

Observation Selection Effects

2009-05-20T20:36:00.009-04:00

Selection effects are biases introduced by limitations in one’s data collection process. A notable example is a 1936 presidential poll that predicted FDR's opponent would win the upcoming election in a landslide; yet, FDR won handily. Why was the poll so wrong? Because its main source of data was relatively wealthy people. Depression-era poor overwhelmingly tended to support Roosevelt, but these people were not accounted for in the poll.

Observation selection effects* (OSEs) constitute special kind of selection effect that may be introduced not because of inadequate data collection techniques or tools but because all the evidence depends on the existence of an observer to have the data in the first place. It's related to the old zen question: if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Admittedly, this is an imperfect example, for we would have several ways to deduce with very reasonable probability that this tree did make a sound when it fell. But suppose there are such things as trees that fall without making any sound - only when no one is around to hear. The OSE would preclude our knowledge of any such trees because in all our experience trees make sound when they fall in the forest.

OSE have become a topic of philosophical interest, and they have important applications in a diverse range of scientific areas, from cosmology to evolutionary theory to questions about possible multiple universes.

I believe that OSEs also have relevance to text and textuality. After all, texts are indeed preconditioned on the existence of an observer - and yes, an author himself or herself may qualify as an observer - to have the text and to know it and use it as a text. And one more key thing here is that we need not only for the observer to "read" the text but also to record or report the existence of the text. So I think almost anytime we discuss texts, OSEs get introduced and need to be accounted for.

Within the domain of textuality, how do we account for OSEs and what does it matter? I don't have clear answers to these questions at the moment, but I am interested in the issues and I intend to continue thinking on the subject. I should also say that my hunch is that OSEs will have applications in Anglo-Saxon Studies as well.

Stay tuned.

* I credit Nick Bostrom for discussing OSEs and observation selection theory.

Medieval Books in the Digital Age

2009-05-18T10:58:00.004-04:00

The University of Melbourne put up a video promoting the fine work of Bernard Muir. It's a nice verbal and visual treatment of what we Anglo-Saxonists do and why we do it.

I've been encouraged to get my own schools to focus on my work. That would be WVU and Middlesex Community College. I have drafted a plan for a "Mornings in Camelot" course - King Arthur at 7:30 am. Those of you who know me know that I teach one class in the moring so that I can return to my regularly scheduled gig in robot world before 9:00.

I hope to show that even at MCC, where the students tend to be less than enthusiastic about their English classes, people are interested in the Middle Ages. Medieval is not mere esoterica that might be deleted from the curriculum for something more contemporary.

My Beowulf, Fitt 3

2009-05-16T21:58:00.005-04:00

Lines 190-260, more or less. I'm very tired, so there may be some errors here.

Nevertheless, I think that a different Beowulf is slowly beginning to emerge. I think.

Swa ða mælceare maga healfdenes singala seað ne mihte snotor hæleð wean onwendan wæs þæt gewin to swyð laþ ond longsum þe on ða leode becom nydwracu niþgrim nihtbealwa mæst þæt fram ham gefrægn higelaces þegn god mid geatum grendles dæda se wæs moncynnes mægenes strengest on þæm dæge þysses lifes æþele ond eacen het him yðlidan godne gegyrwan cwæð he guðcyning ofer swanrade secean wolde mærne þeoden þa him wæs manna þearf ðone siðfæt him snotere ceorlas lythwon logon – þeah he him leof wære hwetton higerofne hæl sceawedon hæfde se goda geata leoda cempan gecorone þara þe he cenoste findan mihte – XVna [Jonnote – this is worth looking into] sum sundwudu sohte secg wisade lagucræftig mon landgemyrcu fyrst forð gewat flota wæs on yðum – bat [Jonnote – a diacritical mark here] under beorge beornas gearwe on stefn stigon streamas wundon sund wið sande secgas bæron on bearm nacan beorhte frætwe guðsearo geatolic guman ut scufon weras on wilsið wudu bundenne – gewat þa ofer wægholm winde gefysed flota famiheals fugle gelicost oðþæt ymb antid oþres dogores wundenstefna gewaden hæfde þæt ða liðende land gesawon brimclifu blican beorgas steape – side sænæssas þa wæs sund liden eoletes æt ende þanon up hraðe wedera leode on wang stigon – sæwudu sældon syrcan hrysedon – guðgewædo gode þancedon þæs þe him yþlade eaðe wurdon – þa of wealle geseah weard scildinga se þe holmclifu healdan scolde beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas fyrdsearu fuslicu hine fyrwyt bræc modgehygdum hwæt þa men wæron.

Gewat him þa to waroðe wicge ridan þegn hroðgares þrymmum cwehte mægenwudu mundum meþelwordum frægn – hwæt syndon ge searohæbbendra byrnum werede þe þus brontne ceol ofer lagustræte lædan cwomon hider ofer holmas her ic hwile wæs endesæta ægwearde heold þe on land dena laðra nænig mid scipherge sceðþan ne meahte no her cuðlicor cuman ongunnon – lindhæbbende ne ge leafnesword guðfremmendra gearwe ne wisson maga gemedu næfre ic maran geseah eorla ofer eorþan ðonne is eower sum secg on searwum nis þæt seldguma wæpnum geweorðad næfne him his wlite leoge ænlic ansyn nu ic eower sceal frumcyn witan ær ge fyr heonan leassceaweras on land dena furþur feran nu ge feorbuend mereliðende minne gehyrað anfealdne geþoht ofost is selest to gecyðanne hwanan eowre cyme syndon.

German - Cases, Regular Verbs, Haben

2009-05-16T21:05:00.007-04:00

Chapter 2 of my German textbook. To start, here are declensions of the definite article.
The infinitive: stem plus ending (en or n)

Gehen (to go)
Sagen (to say)
Liefern (to supply, deliver)
Handeln (to act)

Present tense of regular verbs – THREE meanings!

Present tense of haben (to have): ich habe, du hast, er hat, sie hat, er hat, wir haben, ihr habt, sie haben, Sie haben

Notice how 2dsing and 3dsing drop the “b”!
es-ten-ten is a good mnemonic for memorizing the endings of weak (regular) verbs in the present tense.

Another K'zoo 2009 Report

2009-05-15T17:20:00.001-04:00

Lowell Duckert's report of the GW MEMSI panel. I see some provocative stuff:

Stephanie Trigg spoke about strategies for funding ("grantsmanship" as the Aussies call it), a chronic process which led her to question the difference between privileging "early European" over "medieval." What would happen, she asked, if we let go of the term "medieval?" Is it a matter of silencing?

This is the very question I have been asking lately as I work through what my dissertation, ideally, will cover.

Eileen Joy of BABEL passionately argued for more "feeling" in the field, urging the audience to embrace honesty, service to others, poethical wagers, and above all, friendship; to reconsider the ideas that move us -- things at stake as we write, learn, and collaborate; to highlight our positive experiences, pick our failures, even re-encounter childishness. If we are, indeed, enmeshed with one another, what happens when we think *for* each other and not just *with* each other?

I'm not sure I understand the context of Eileen Joy's argument, at least as it's presented here. Do we not already embrace things such as honesty, service to others, etc.? As I said, I'm missing something. But I suppose what Joy is getting at involves the community of medievalists and the communities of medievalists and all scholars together. If she's remarking on having we medievalists work to reach beyond "medieval" in our departments and beyond "English" in our institutions, then I'm all for it. Of course, the actionable strategies are the difficult formulations. Already I see inter- and cross-disciplinary projects, such as Michael Drout's Lexomics. My use of concepts from anthropic reasoning and observation selection effects matches the spirit, I think, that Joy articulates.

Carolyn Dinshaw described three institutional sites at NYU: the department, research center, and the club. She described the club as a curious, yet invigorating blend of the popular and scholarly, a place where playfulness and anachronistic spirits can thrive. In this sense, Dinshaw's club is a place where the "medieval" can be explored. But can theory inhabit this hang-out? Or is theory's "messiness" turned away at the door?

Theory is indeed "messy," but by design. This is to suggest that messiness is not disorder. My observations from afar are that theory is entering - has been entering - by the rear and side doors, if it has been turned away at the main entrances.

More theory thinking from old friend Ethan Knapp:

Ethan Knapp urged us to rethink the role of theory in the field, focusing specifically on the project of phenomenology (the likes of Husserl and Heidegger). Theory, he put it memorably, offers us an "investigation of the conditions of possibility."

Fortunately, my former dissertation had a nice chapter already using phenomenology - Ingarden. Brian McHale had a lot of good insights on this area, as he had good insights on most everything.

Lastly, in the midst of all these vectors of creativity, Bonnie Wheeler asked important questions about the routes we have already created: What parts of medieval studies do we wish to keep alive that are already there? What do we *want* to hold on to?

I certainly have sympathies with the sentiments here. I would have liked to hear the reactions and responses to this question and the others raised.

They Died With Their Spears and Swords

2009-05-14T20:56:00.001-04:00

A rare find: a Viking ship in Swedish waters.

From The Local.

German for Grammar

2009-05-14T20:32:00.002-04:00

Now that I am officially re-admitted to the PhD program, one of my first and major tasks is to pass my foreign language requirement.

In my first go-round, my Swedish experience was recent enough that I passed. Now, however, I am committed to learning German. I took German a long time ago, but fortunately I have a few of the books around - including a dictionary.

While the vocabulary is of course important - I'll need to build and learn words everyday - the grammar will be the key element for me to master.

Let's get started.

German has three classes of gender for nouns: masculine, feminine and neuter.
The language has four classes of definite article: der (masc.), die (fem.), das (neut.) and die (plural).
Present tense of sein (to be): ich bin, du bist, er ist, sie ist, es ist, wir sind, ihr seid, sie sind, Sie sind.
Pas tense of sein: ich war, du warst, er war, sie war, es war, wir waren, ihr wart, sie waren, Sie waren.

Some sentences:

Die Erde hat sieben Kontinente.
Sein oder Nichtsein, das ist hier die Frage.
Der Student is willig, aber er ist nicht sehr intelligent.
Ein Dreieck hat drei Seiten und drei Winkel.
Wohin gehen Sie?

Welcome Back, Myerov

2009-05-14T17:45:00.001-04:00

Yay! I heard back today from WVU. Officially, I am back in the PhD program.

*exhales*

My Beowulf, Fitt 2

2009-05-13T05:45:00.001-04:00

Fitt 2 corresponds roughly to lines 115-189. Fol. 133v has issues at the top ("ac se æglæca ehtende").

Gewat ða neosian syþðan niht becom hean huses hu hit hringdene æfter beorþege gebun hæfdon.

Fand þa ðær inne æþelinga gedriht swefan æfter symble sorge ne cuðon wonsceaft wera wiht unhælo grim ond grædig gearo sona wæs reoc ond reþe ond on ræste genam þritig þegna þanon eft gewat huðe hremig to ham faran mid þære wælfylle wica neosan – ða wæs on uhtan mid ærdæge grendles guðcræft gumum undyrne þa wæs æfter wiste wop up ahafen micel morgensweg mære þeoden æþeling ærgod unbliðe sæt þolode ðryðswyð þegnsorge dreah syðþan hie þæs laðan last sceawedon wergan gastes wæs þæt gewin to strang lað ond longsum næs hit lengra fyrst ac ymb ane niht eft gefremede morðbeala mare ond no mearn fore fæhðe ond fyrene wæs to fæst on þam þa wæs eaðfynde þe him elles hwær gerumlicor ræste sohte bed æfter burum ða him gebeacnod wæs gesægd soðlice sweotolan tacne healðegnes hete heold hyne syðþan fyr ond fæstor se þæm feonde ætwand.

Swa rixode ond wið rihte wan ana wið eallum oðþæt idel stod husa selest wæs seo hwil micel .xii. wintra tid torn geþolode wine scyldinga weana gehwelcne sidra sorga forðam gesyne wearð ylda bearnum undyrne cuð gyddum geomore þætte grendel wan hwile wið hroþgar heteniðas wæg fyrene ond fæhðe fela missera singale sæce sibbe ne wolde wið manna hwone mægenes deniga feorhbealo feorran fea þingian ne þær nænig witena wenan þorfte beorhtre bote to banan folmum – ac se æglæca ehtende wæs deorc deaþscua duguþe ond geogoþe seomade ond syrede sinnihte heold mistige moras men ne cunnon hwyder helrunan hwyrftum scriþað swa fela fyrena feond mancynnes atol angengea oft gefremede – heardra hynða heorot eardode sincfage sel sweartum nihtum no he þone gifstol gretan moste maþðum for metode ne his myne wisse þæt wæs wræc micel wine scyldinga modes brecða monig oft gesæt rice to rune ræd eahtedon hwæt swiðferhðum selest wære wið færgryrum to gefremmanne.

Hwilum hie geheton æt hærgtrafum wigweorþunga wordum bædon þæt him gastbona geoce gefremede – wið þeodþreaum swylc wæs þeaw hyra – hæþenra hyht helle gemundon in modsefan metod hie ne cuþon dæda demend ne wiston hie drihten god – ne hie huru heofena helm herian ne cuþon wuldres waldend wa bið þæm ðe sceal þurh sliðne nið sawle bescufan in fyres fæþm frofre ne wenan wihte gewendan wel bið þæm þe mot æfter deaðdæge drihten secean – ond to fæder fæþmum freoðo wilnian.

Kalamazoo 2009 and a Changing Discipline

2009-05-12T17:45:00.002-04:00

In a few blog posts from this year's Kalamazoo, people have noticed shifts taking place in the discipline.

At Unlocked Wordhoard, Richard Nokes observes:

Naturally, the field is always slowly shifting around; for example, one old lion of the field told me that when he was in graduate school, he was considered a radical for writing a dissertation on prose rather than poetry. What is different today is that the media of legitimate scholarship is changing. Once upon a time, places like the Wordhoard were considered at most a salon, but today they seem to be approaching a new form of legitimate publication.

These changes are both terrifying and exhilarating. On the one hand, I wouldn't want some smart-aleck comment I've made about a high school video version of Beowulf being considered a publication on par with my manuscript research, or my work on popular reception of the medieval. On the other hand, the quickening pace of the field is invigorating, when in some cases you get articles published in months rather than years, and feedback is almost immediate.

Over at In the Middle, Jeffrey J. Cohen marks the changes, too:

This year the ITM bloggers undertook no daytrip to Celery World. We did not, as we have done previously, spend time together dedicated to brainstorming the possible futures of this blog. We never even raised such a conversation as a possibility.

I wondered if that didn't mean something. Blogs have limited lifespans. Technologies flourish and then subside. Facebook is the new Blogger, and maybe Twitter is the new Facebook. With 1,182 posts since 2007, we've had a good run at ITM. Maybe everyone has simply moved on to their next projects, or at least to projects that must take precedence over a blog: a new journal, a new institute, a new book, a dissertation -- to name only a few of the things that preoccupy us. We've been together long enough for some fractures to be evident, for the changes time brings to move us into spheres that are not as concentric as they might once have been.

Then again, we did spend a great deal of time together at Kalamazoo: never just the four of us, but always enjoying each other's company within a larger group. Maybe we did not set apart time to talk about ITM because we have grown so comfortable with each other that we do not need to worry about the future, about the what next. Perhaps we have the confidence to know that future is already secure.

Perhaps we have everything we need in this moment now.

Beowulf on Stage?

2009-05-12T17:30:00.001-04:00

How could I not have written this script?

The Next Age of Discovery

2009-05-12T17:10:00.002-04:00

The Wall Street Journal reports that "In a 21st-century version of the age of discovery, teams of computer scientists, conservationists and scholars are fanning out across the globe in a race to digitize crumbling literary treasures."

There seem to be plenty of interesting and informative finds out there:

A Benedictine monk from Minnesota is scouring libraries in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Georgia for rare, ancient Christian manuscripts that are threatened by wars and black-market looters; so far, more than 16,500 of his finds have been digitized. This summer, a professor of computer science at the University of Kentucky plans to test 3-D X-ray scanning on two papyrus scrolls from Pompeii that were charred by volcanic ash in 79 A.D. Scholars have never before been able to read or even open the scrolls, which now sit in the French National Institute in Paris.

I don't think the writer has framed the story quite right: this is no race against time. Yes, the manuscripts surely are crumbling. At any time, a fire or a robbery could take out a potentially world-shattering text. But I note the high level of enthusiasm and excitement. I think people are just giddy to use cool gizmos and perhaps find "the text that changes everything":

Recently, multispectral imaging has gotten much less expensive, allowing researchers to take their equipment into the field. The next frontier, researchers say, is using CAT scan and X-ray technology to read brittle scrolls without even unrolling them.

This summer, a new project to decode ancient manuscripts with multispectral imaging will begin at the University of Michigan, Berkeley, and Columbia. The project, led by scholars from Brigham Young, will scan 400 papyrus pieces. Among the specimens: papyrus fragments from rolls that were stuffed inside mummified Egyptian crocodiles in the 1st century B.C., which are thought to contain ancient legal documents, contracts and perhaps literary works. Their efforts could reveal text that scholars have been laboring to read for decades, including a partially obscured play by Euripides.

"It's being called a second Renaissance," says Todd Hickey, a curator of papyri at the University of California, Berkeley, which has some 26,000 pieces of papyrus, many still unread. "It's revealing things that we didn't have a hope of reading in the past."

Of Elephants, Eagles, Fish, and Science

2009-05-11T17:05:00.007-04:00

Biologist PZ Myers has posted a very nice parable on science and pseudoscience. The character "Eagletosh," unfortunately, is a composite buffoon derived from the surnames of Terry Eagleton and Stanley Fish.

Here's the tale:

Elephants’ wings

Posted on: May 10, 2009 2:31 PM, by PZ Myers

Once upon a time, four blind men were walking in the forest, and they bumped into an elephant.

Moe was in front, and found himself holding the trunk. "It has a tentacle," he said. "I think we have found a giant squid!"

Larry bumped into the side of the elephant. "It's a wall," he said, "A big, bristly wall."

Curly, at the back, touched the tail. "It's nothing to worry about, nothing but a piece of rope dangling in the trail."

Eagletosh saw the interruption as an opportunity to sit in the shade beneath a tree and relax. "It is my considered opinion," he said, "that whatever it is has feathers. Beautiful iridescent feathers of many hues."

The first three, being of a scientifical bent, quickly collaborated and changed places, and confirmed each other's observations; they agreed that each had been correct in the results of their investigations, except that there wasn't a hint of feathers anywhere about, but clearly their interpretations required correction and more data. So they explored further, reporting to each other what they were finding, in order to establish a more complete picture of the obstacle in the path.

"Tracing the tentacle back, I find that it is attached to a large head with eyes, fan-shaped ears, and a mouth bearing tusks. It is not a squid, alas, but seems to be a large mammal of some sort," said Moe.

"Quite right, Moe — I have found four thick limbs. Definitely a large tetrapod," said Larry.

Curly seems distressed. "It's a bit complicated and delicate back here, guys, but I have probed an interesting orifice. Since this is a children's story, I will defer on reporting the details."

Eagletosh yawns and stretches in the shade of a tree. "It has wings, large wings, that it may ascend into the heavens and inspire humanity. There could be no purpose to such an animal without an ability to loft a metaphor and give us something to which we might aspire."

The other three ignore the idling philosopher, because exciting things are happening with their elephant!

"I can feel its trunk grasping the vegetation, uprooting it, and stuffing it into its mouth! It's prehensile! Amazing!", said Moe.

Larry presses his ear against the animal's flank. "I can hear rumbling noises as its digestive system processes the food! It's very loud and large."

There is a squishy plop from the back end. "Oh, no," says Curly, "I can smell that, and I think I should go take a bath."

"You are all completely missing the beauty of its unfurled wings," sneers Eagletosh, "While you tinker with pedestrian trivialities and muck about in earthy debasement, I contemplate the transcendant qualities of this noble creature. 'Tis an angel made manifest, a symbol of the deeper meaning of life."

"No wings, knucklehead, and no feathers, either," says Moe.

"Philistine," says Eagletosh. "Perhaps they are invisible, or tucked inside clever hidden pockets on the flank of the elephant, or better yet, I suspect they are quantum. You can't prove they aren't quantum."

The investigations continue, in meticulous detail by the three, and in ever broader strokes of metaphorical speculation by the one. Many years later, they have accomplished much.

Moe has studied the elephant and its behavior for years, figuring out how to communicate with it and other members of the herd, working out their diet, their diseases and health, and how to get them to work alongside people. He has profited, using elephants as heavy labor in construction work, and he has also used them, unfortunately, in war. He has not figured out how to use them as an air force, however…but he is a master of elephant biology and industry.

Larry studied the elephant, but has also used his knowledge of the animal to study the other beasts in the region: giraffes and hippos and lions and even people. He is an expert in comparative anatomy and physiology, and also has come up with an interesting theory to explain the similarities and differences between these animals. He is a famous scholar of the living world.

Curly's experiences lead him to explore the environment of the elephant, from the dung beetles that scurry after them to the leafy branches they strip from the trees. He learns how the elephant is dependent on its surroundings, and how its actions change the forest and the plains. He becomes an ecologist and conservationist, and works to protect the herds and the other elements of the biome.

Eagletosh writes books. Very influential books. Soon, many of the people who have never encountered an elephant are convinced that they all have wings. Those who have seen photos are at least persuaded that elephants have quantum wings, which just happened to be vibrating invisibly when the picture was snapped. He convinces many people that the true virtue of the elephant lies in its splendid wings — to the point that anyone who disagrees and claims that they are only terrestrial animals is betraying the beauty of the elephant.

Exasperated, Larry takes a break from writing technical treatises about mammalian anatomy, and writes a book for the lay public, The Elephant Has No Wings. While quite popular, the Eagletoshians are outraged. How dare he denigrate the volant proboscidian? Does he think it a mere mechanical mammal, mired in mud, never soaring among the stars? Has he no appreciation for the scholarship of the experts in elephant wings? Doesn't he realize that he can't possibly disprove the existence of wings on elephants, especially when they can be tucked so neatly into the quantum? (The question of how the original prophets of wingedness came by their information never seems to come up, or is never considered very deeply.) It was offensive to cripple the poor elephants, rendering them earthbound.

When that book was quickly followed by Moe's The Elephant Walks and Curly's Land of the Elephant, the elephant wing scholars were in a panic — they were being attacked by experts in elephants, who seemed to know far more about elephants than they did! Fortunately, the scientists knew little about elephant's wings — surprising, that — and the public was steeped in favorable certainty that elephants, far away, were flapping gallantly through the sky. They also had the benefit of vast sums of money. Wealth was rarely associated with competence in matters elephantine, and tycoons were pouring cash into efforts to reconcile the virtuous wingedness of elephants with the uncomfortable reality of anatomy. Even a few scientists who ought to know better were swayed over to the side of the winged; to their credit, it was rarely because of profit, but more because they were sentimentally attached to the idea of wings. They couldn't deny the evidence, however, and were usually observed to squirm as they invoked the mystic power of the quantum, or of fleeting, invisible wings that only appeared when no one was looking.

And there the battle stands, an ongoing argument between the blind who struggle to explore the world as it is around them, and the blind who prefer to conjure phantoms in the spaces within their skulls. I have to disappoint you, because I have no ending and no resolution, only a question.

Where do you find meaning and joy and richness and beauty, O Reader? In elephants, or elephants' wings?

Why Terry Eagleton? Because of his recently published book, Reason, Faith, and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate. Stanley Fish reacts to Eagelton in a New York Times blog.

My Beowulf, Fitt 1

2009-05-08T21:03:00.006-04:00

Notice the strangeness in that second "paragraph":

Ða wæs on burgum beowulf scyldinga leof leodcyning, longe þrage folcum gefræge fæder ellor hwearf aldor of earde oþþæt him eft onwoc heah healfdene heold þenden lifde gamol ond guðreouw, glæde scyldingas ðæm feower bearn forðgerimed in worold wocun weoroda ræswan heorogar – ond hroðgar ond halga til hyrde ic þæt elan cwen – heaðoscilfingas healsgebedda þa wæs hroðgare heresped gyfen wiges weorðmynd – þæt him his winemagas georne hyrdon oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox magodriht micel him on mod bearn þæt healreced hatan wolde medoærn micel, men gewyrcean þonne yldo bearn æfre gefrunon – ond þær on innan eall gedælan geongum ond ealdum swylc him god sealed buton folcscare ond feorum gumena – ða ic wide gefrægn weorc gebannan manigre mægþe geond þisne middangeard folcstede frætwan him on fyrste gelomp ædre mid yldum – þæt hit wearð ealgearo healærna mæst scop him heort naman se þe his wordes geweald wide hæfde.

He beot ne aleh beagas dælde sinc æt symle sele hlifade – heah ond horngeap, heaðowylma bad, laðan liges ne wæs hit lenge þa gen þæt se ecghete aþumsweorum æfter wælniðe wæcnan scolde – ða se ellorgæst earfoðlice þrage geþolode se þe in þystrum bad þæt he dogora gehwam dream gehyrde hludne in healle þær wæs hearpan sweg swutol sang scopes sægde se þe cuþe frumsceaft fira feorran reccan . . , [Jon-note: WTF is this??] cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga eorðan worhte wlitebeorhtne wang swa wæter bebugeð gesette sigehreþig sunnan ond monan leoman to leohte landbuendum ond gefrætwade foldan sceatas leomum ond leafum lif eac gesceop cynna gehwylcum þara ðe cwice hwyrfaþ.

Swa ða drihtguman dreamum lifdon eadiglice oððæt an ongan fyrene fremman feond on helle wæs se grimma gæst grendel haten mære mearcstapa se þe moras heold fen ond fæsten fifelcynnes eard wonsæli wer weardode hwile siþðan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde in caines cynne þone cwealm gewræc ece drihten þæs þe he abel slog.

Ne gefeah he þære fæhðe ac he hine feor forwræc metod for þy mane mancynne fram þanon untydras ealle onwocon eotenas ond ylfe ond orcneas swylce gigantas þa wið gode wunnon lange þrage he him ðæs lean forgeald.

Translating Beowulf (1999-2008), Review by Craig Davis

2009-05-07T17:15:00.001-04:00

Courtesy of BMR:

Review Article: Translating Beowulf (1999-2008)

Reviewed by Craig R. Davis
Smith College
cradavis@email.smith.edu

The Old English poem Beowulf survives in a single manuscript
copied around the year 1000: London, British Library, Cotton
Vitellius A.xv. No one knows when, where, by whom or for whom it was
first composed during the previous half millennium, whether it
reflects ancient legendary traditions or more recent literary art.
Either way, its 3,182 extant verses comprise one of the most
expressive documents we possess for the cultural world of northern
Europe after the fall of Rome. The story is set not in Anglo-Saxon
England, which country is never even mentioned, but in ancient
Scandinavia, telling of the last king of a lost tribe once living in
southern Sweden. And except for the two Cotton Vitellius scribes,
Beowulf has no known medieval reader or listener. For
centuries it was buried away in an obscure monastic library, unread
and soon virtually unreadable, until it appeared among antiquarian
book collections in the 16th century. It came within inches of being
destroyed by fire in 1731. It is scorched and crumbling around the
edges, from which at least 2,000 letters have been lost since the end
of the 18th century. The text of this long-forgotten poem would
itself seem to exemplify the fate it predicts for all human
achievements.

Yet, since the time Beowulf was first translated into Latin in
1815, the power of its language, the starkness of its imagery, the
subtlety of its meaning, and the wisdom of its sad, brave view of life
have inspired as many scholarly studies as the combined tragedies of
Shakespeare. It is the first great poem in English and speaks for
generations of mute speakers of that language, after centuries of
silence of its own. It is astonishing that at the beginning of the
21st century Beowulf should finally come into its own, finding
itself more compelling to poets, scholars, translators, writers,
movie-makers, musical composers and other interpreters than at any
other time of its existence on earth. The standard edition by
Frederick Klaeber, essentially unchanged since its third edition of
1936, has also at last been thoroughly revised and updated by R. D.
Fulk, Robert E. Bjork and John D. Niles for the University of Toronto
Press (2008). This edition provides the scholarly capstone to a
remarkably full and yeasty decade of responses to Beowulf that
began with the Nobel-prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney's celebrated and
controversial rendering of 1999, followed by three feature-length
films, two operas, multiple "reenactments," retellings and oral
performances, as well as one ice dance extravaganza. Many publishers
have caught the Beowulf wave as well, dusting off older
translations and sending them out cheerfully into an international
market hungry for new versions of the poem, which also appeared in
Finnish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish--both
Castilian and Galician. To find my way through this profusion of
renderings, I will focus on just those English translations first
published or freshly reworked in the past ten years, supplying
parallel excerpts of the first eleven lines of the prologue so that
readers can consult their own taste when choosing among these new
renderings of Beowulf.

"Poetry is what gets lost in translation," Robert Frost once quipped,
and Seamus Heaney describes how he tried to keep that from happening
in "The Drag of the Golden Chain," Times Literary Supplement,
12 November 1999. Rather than sticking too close to the Old English
text, the poet tried to break free from it, to slip the golden chain
of "a resonant original" in order to find "the utterly persuasive
word" in a completely new idiom. His inspiration, he says, was St.
Jerome, who rendered the Greek and Aramaic of Scripture into a Latin
that was "pre-Babel" in its purity, power and unmediated availability
to all readers and hearers of that language. To find this
authenticating voice in modern English, Heaney turned to the speech of
his country relatives in Northern Ireland, in particular the weighty
and deliberate utterance of his "big-voiced" uncles. In addition, the
poet had studied Old English as an undergraduate at Queen's
University, Belfast, and discovered there with excitement that
particular words in that language--like thole, "to suffer"--
were still being used by his family back home. At this point, he
says, he began to forgive the English language for that country's
colonization not only of his homeland, but of his own head. Heaney
now sought a new world of shared poetic experience, one that might
transcend barriers of time and space and political grievance, a
language in which could be uttered the pains and joys of all peoples.

In this mood, Heaney accepted an invitation from the editors of The
Norton Anthology of English Literature to replace E. Talbot
Donaldson's prose translation of Beowulf with a new poetic
rendering of his own. Students had found Donaldson's dense paragraphs
leaden and daunting, though some have suggested that the accessibility
of that scholar's echoing and accurate prose could be enhanced simply
by breaking up his text into lines of free verse, so that they could
rest more fluidly and readably on the page. But the Norton
also wanted a bigger slugger on its cover, of course, and Heaney's new
version appeared in the 7th edition (2000), as well as in various
separate and subsequent volumes, differently formatted, in Britain and
America. The most recent was published in 2008 with facing-page
photos and other images selected by John Niles. Not every one agrees
that Heaney's effort to create a new poetic idiom--his experimentation
with Ulsterisms and Gaelicisms in his new version of Beowulf--
is a complete success. Some of these words--like tholed,
bawn, bothies, hirpling, etc.--require as many
notes in the Norton as do specialized terms from the Old
English like wergild, "man-payment, restitution" and
wyrd, "fate, eventuality, what happens". Defenders argue that
there are plenty of rare and hard words in the original, so that the
poet's linguistic innovation and difficulty is an effect which would
also have been felt by the first hearers of the poem as well. And
most readers will find passages in Heaney's version that leap alive
for them, like the lay of the Fight at Finnsburh, sung by Hrothgar's
scop in the great hall Heorot. Here the translator seems to
have found a special liberation in the persona of a poet within the
poem, whose voice Heaney tightens into verses that are taut, supple
and lexically unselfconscious, like his own best lyrics.

Unfortunately, by his own admission, the translator flagged in the
larger enterprise. He let the project lapse until the Norton
editor Alfred David volunteered to help Heaney along with a language
he professed had gotten pretty rusty and was, in any case, a student's
basic reading knowledge of much shorter texts. Howell D. Chickering,
whose own dual-language version of 1977 was reissued by Anchor Books
in 2006, has provided the most searching critique of the Norton
version in "Beowulf and 'Heaneywulf'," The Kenyon Review 24
(2002), noting both its signal beauties and surprising flats. One of
the poet's most striking and original effects is his choice for the
Old English poetic interjection Hwaet, which opens the poem.
Heaney adopts the terse transition from silence heard from his Ulster
uncles around the kitchen table:

So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by
and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.
We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns.

There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,
a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes.
This terror of the hall-troops had come far.
A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved.
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king.

There are some questions about basic accuracy in Heaney's rendering,
by the way, even in this prominent introductory passage, which can
disturb the reader's grasp of the poem's controlling themes and
imagery. For instance, why would Scyld Scefing (= Shield Shiefson)
bother to "wreck" perfectly good mead-benches? In fact, Scyld
ofteah, "took away, appropriated, commandeered" the banqueting
seats of rival chieftains for use in his own mead-hall, a synecdoche
for those leaders' loss of political independence under the new royal
family of a united Denmark.

Coincidentally with Heaney's version in 1999, Broadview Press released
R. M. Liuzza's Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. Liuzza
eschews distracting extra-textual effects, offering a pane-less
glimpse into the world of the poem, with a lucid, fresh, readable
representation of the most direct meaning of the words in the Old
English, ones which capture both its sharp clarities and fraught
ambiguities neatly and comprehensibly:

Listen!
We have heard of the glory in bygone days
Of the folk-kings of the spear-Danes,
how those noble lords did lofty deeds.
Often Scyld Scefing seized the mead-benches
from many tribes, troops of enemies,
struck fear into earls. Though he first was
found a waif, he awaited solace for that╤
he grew great under heaven and prospered in honor
until every one of the encircling nations
over the whale's-riding had to obey him,
grant him tribute. That was a good king!

If some of the fierce urgency of the Old English poem still attenuates
in retelling, Liuzza's faithful rendering of word and image in a
lightly alliterative four-stress line points to its presence. And the
translator supplies an unusually full and useful scholarly apparatus,
designed to open up the early medieval world in which the poem was
imagined, rather than use it for a modernist statement of political
and artistic idealism. In particular, Liuzza translates key passages
from many sources in Latin, Old English and Old Norse featuring
characters mentioned in Beowulf, analogues to themes and events
in the poem, contemporary attitudes toward Christians and pagans, and
a comparison of twenty renderings of the Danish coastguard scene
ranging in publication date from 1805 to 1991 to demonstrate the
difficulties and distortions of translation over time. In this
reviewer's opinion, Liuzza's is the version of Beowulf that
most effectively introduces students to a poem he recognizes from his
own experience of reading it.

But other worthy efforts were soon to follow, each with its own
virtues and inevitable compromises. Louis J. Rodrigues published a
verse rendering with Runetree Press in 2002, attempting to imitate the
six types of alliterative measure identified by Eduard Sievers in
1893: falling-falling; rising-rising; clashing; falling by stages or
broken fall; and fall and rise. For the challenging first word and
opening lines of the poem, Rodrigues chooses the almost casual:

Well, we have heard tell of the glory of the kings
of the Spear-Danes, how in former times
those princes performed courageous deeds.
Oft Scyld Scefing seized the mead-benches
from troops of foes, from many tribes,
terrified their eorls, after he was first
found destitute; he was comforted for that,
thrived under the heavens, prospered in honour,
until each one of the neighbouring nations,
over the whale-road, had to obey him,
yield tribute. He was an able king!

Alan Sullivan and Timothy Murphy also attempt to replicate the prosody
of the original poem in a version published by Longman in 2004. In
this case, the translators have offered what they call "a loosened
variant of the Scop's Rule, alliterating three times in most lines,
but using other patterns of alliteration as well," and a preference
for words of Germanic rather than Latin origin whenever possible
(xviii). They have produced what may be the first modern English
translation of Beowulf with even more alliterating syllables
per line than in the poem itself, though it may be jarring to some
that they often choose to alliterate on the fourth stressed syllable,
which does not happen in Old English verse. And the translators are
not too proud to borrow, with emphasis, Heaney's famous opening "So.":

So! The Spear-Danes in days of old
were led by lords famed for their forays.
We learned of those princes' power and prowess.
Often Scyld Scefing ambushed enemies,
took their mead-benches, mastered their troops,
though first he was found forlorn and alone.
His early sorrows were swiftly consoled:
he grew great under heaven, grew to a greatness
renowned among men of neighboring lands,
his rule recognized over the whale-road,
tribute granted him. That was a good king!

Though supplying the medial caesura, implying a fairly exact
translation by half-line, the translators silently and progressively
abbreviate the number of lines in their rendering to yield a total of
only 2,800 for the 3,182 of the Old English text, a 12 percent
reduction in overall length. Nor do they supply a key by which
readers can conveniently coordinate a translated passage with the
original.

Frederick Rebsamen offers Beowulf: An Updated Verse Translation
of his prior renderings of the poem in 1971 and 1991 (Perennial
Classics, 2004). Like Sullivan and Murphy, he has sought to replicate
as closely as possible the four-stress alliterative long line. Like
Heaney, his rendering is far from literal, though he supplies accurate
prose summaries before major episodes in the narrative. Rebsamen
punctuates very lightly, sparing the commas and semicolons in
particular, so that his short sharp lines and building phrases capture
much of the poem's oral "appositive" style and surging intensity. He
suggests that the "best way to understand this translation is simply
to read slowly with pauses between verses when it seems natural"
(vii). His opening lines go as follows:

Yes! We have heard of years long vanished
how Spear-Danes struck sang victory-songs
raised from a wasteland walls of glory.
When Scyld Scefing shamed his enemies
measured meadhalls made them his own
since down by the sea-swirl sent from nowhere
the Danes found him floating with gifts
bound to their shore. Scyld grew tall then
roamed the waterways rode through the lands
till every strongman each warleader
sailed the whalepaths sought him with gold
there knelt to him. That was a king!

John McNamara translated Beowulf for Barnes & Noble Classics in
2005 and also offers a lightly alliterative poetic version that hopes
to preserve "some sense of [the poem's] 'otherness' in diction,
syntax, poetic movement, and cultural worldview" (xl). McNamara sees
"the value of a translation...in its loyalty to the original--as a
faithful retainer should be to whom the lord has given a great gift"
(xli). He thus chooses a more archaic modern idiom to capture his
sense of the poem's antique alterity:

Hail! We have heard tales sung of the Spear-Danes,
the glory of their war-kings in days gone by,
how princely nobles performed heroes' deeds!
Oft Scyld Scefing captured the mead halls
from many peoples, from troops of enemies,
terrifying their chieftains. Though he was first
a poor foundling, he lived to find comfort;
under heavens he flourished, with honors fulfilled╤
till each neighboring nation, those over the whale-road,
bowed under his rule, paid the price of tribute.
That was a good king!

In Beowulf (Pocket Books, 2005) Simon and Schuster have
delivered, as advertised, a tiny prose version with succinct
supplementary materials by Frederic Will on the historical and
literary contexts of the poem, as well as interpretive excerpts from
leading critics and questions for further discussion. The translation
is complete and fairly close, but the actual translator unidentified.
This is a puzzling omission, since it is unlikely that even this
distinguished American publishing firm maintains a house Anglo-
Saxonist. Another mystery is that the spelling of the translation is
British, so that a little sleuthing was required to discover the
translator to be R. K. Gordon, whose Song of Beowulf was
published by Dent way back in 1900 and is now out of copyright. Since
it is newly available in this quaint micro-format, I quote the opening
lines here:

Lo! We have heard the glory of the kings of the Spear-Danes in
days gone by, how the chieftains wrought mighty deeds. Often
Scyld-Scefing wrested the mead-benches from troops of foes, from
many tribes; he made fear fall upon the earls. After he was first
found in misery (he received solace for that), he grew up under
the heavens, lived in high honour, until each of his neighbours
over the whale-road must needs obey him and render tribute. That
was a good king!

Martin Puhvel has offered a similarly close, rather formal rendering
in verse (University Press of America, 2006):

Listen! We have heard of the glory
of the Spear-Danes' kings in bygone days&;
how those princes did deeds of prowess.
Often Scyld Scefing bereft bands of foes,
many a tribe, of their mead-hall seats,
stuck [sic] terror into the hearts of heroes;
he who at first was found a waif.
He lived to find relief from that plight,
grew great under heaven, prospered in glory,
until each of neighboring nations
over the whale-road had to obey him,
grant him tribute. That was a good king!

And finally, actors from the American Players Theatre and the Guthrie
Theatre orally perform with singing, instrumental and sound effects a
new translation by Richard N. Ringler, Beowulf: The Complete Story╤
A Drama, 3-CD set (Nemo Productions, 2006), the text of which
appeared in Beowulf: A New Translation for Oral Delivery
(Hackett, 2007). One innovation in the printed version is that
Ringler organizes the half-lines or short verses of the poem into a
single vertical column, rather than as alliterative long lines parted
by a caesura. This arrangement is designed to reveal the rhythmic
freedom of each short verse, easily smothered in performance by too
much stress on the interlocking alliteration of a- and b-lines.
Ringler hopes that this single verse format will encourage "a more
fluent and fast-moving reading of the text than the line-by-line
layout (which can sometimes suggest to readers today that Old English
was uniformly leisurely and stately--even sluggish--like a good deal
of inferior blank verse in Modern English)" (cii). On the CD Ringler
performs the part of the poet-narrator himself, the first track
opening with the sound of waves, seagulls and distant horns. He skips
the Hwaet:

We have heard tell
of the high doings
of Danish kings
in days gone by,
how the great war-chiefs
gained their renown,
how Scyld Scefing
shattered his foes,
mastered the mead-halls
of many peoples,
conquered their kings.
He came to Denmark
as a lone foundling,
but later he thrived;
his name was renowned
beneath the skies
and kings and kingdoms
across the whale-road,
the surging sea,
swore him allegiance,
paid him tribute.
He was a peerless king!

I am impressed by these translators' thoughtful efforts to make the
poem they so obviously love live again for a new generation of
readers. Each has chosen to highlight one or another aspect of his
experience of Beowulf, of course, but it is reassuring to see
that Frost's dictum is mere hyperbole: not all poetry is lost
in translation. There is still plenty. These scholars and poets
should all be thanked warmly for their care, devotion and expertise in
making this enigmatic old poem freshly moving and meaningful. Many
readers will now be inspired to study Beowulf in its own
language and on its own terms, and that bodes very well for the
continuing happiness and depth of Beowulf studies for years to
come.

(These comments are adapted from the author's annual reviews of
Beowulf scholarship in The Year's Work in Old English Studies
of the Old English Newsletter).