Episode 41 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDECFACGHEEICJFEE AKCECCLIMCNICOECACNM CCCCACHFCCAFP QRPAFCAACCAKAFCEKSEC TCUIVIACI AIAACCACCEEUICATEDAA AESCTIECICTHE bloody swath of Swedes and Geats | A |
and the storm of their strife were seen afar | B |
how folk against folk the fight had wakened | C |
The ancient king with his atheling band | C |
sought his citadel sorrowing much | D |
Ongentheow earl went up to his burg | E |
He had tested Hygelac's hardihood | C |
the proud one's prowess would prove it no longer | F |
defied no more those fighting wanderers | A |
nor hoped from the seamen to save his hoard | C |
his bairn and his bride so he bent him again | G |
old to his earth walls Yet after him came | H |
with slaughter for Swedes the standards of Hygelac | E |
o'er peaceful plains in pride advancing | E |
till Hrethelings fought in the fenced town | I |
Then Ongentheow with edge of sword | C |
the hoary bearded was held at bay | J |
and the folk king there was forced to suffer | F |
Eofor's anger In ire at the king | E |
Wulf Wonreding with weapon struck | E |
and the chieftain's blood for that blow in streams | A |
flowed 'neath his hair No fear felt he | K |
stout old Scylfing but straightway repaid | C |
in better bargain that bitter stroke | E |
and faced his foe with fell intent | C |
Nor swift enough was the son of Wonred | C |
answer to render the aged chief | L |
too soon on his head the helm was cloven | I |
blood bedecked he bowed to earth | M |
and fell adown not doomed was he yet | C |
and well he waxed though the wound was sore | N |
Then the hardy Hygelac thane | I |
when his brother fell with broad brand smote | C |
giants' sword crashing through giants' helm | O |
across the shield wall sank the king | E |
his folk's old herdsman fatally hurt | C |
There were many to bind the brother's wounds | A |
and lift him fast as fate allowed | C |
his people to wield the place of war | N |
But Eofor took from Ongentheow | M |
earl from other the iron breastplate | C |
hard sword hilted and helmet too | C |
and the hoar chief's harness to Hygelac carried | C |
who took the trappings and truly promised | C |
rich fee 'mid folk and fulfilled it so | A |
For that grim strife gave the Geatish lord | C |
Hrethel's offspring when home he came | H |
to Eofor and Wulf a wealth of treasure | F |
Each of them had a hundred thousand | C |
in land and linked rings nor at less price reckoned | C |
mid earth men such mighty deeds | A |
And to Eofor he gave his only daughter | F |
in pledge of grace the pride of his home | P |
- | |
Such is the feud the foeman's rage | Q |
death hate of men so I deem it sure | R |
that the Swedish folk will seek us home | P |
for this fall of their friends the fighting Scylfings | A |
when once they learn that our warrior leader | F |
lifeless lies who land and hoard | C |
ever defended from all his foes | A |
furthered his folk's weal finished his course | A |
a hardy hero Now haste is best | C |
that we go to gaze on our Geatish lord | C |
and bear the bountiful breaker of rings | A |
to the funeral pyre No fragments merely | K |
shall burn with the warrior Wealth of jewels | A |
gold untold and gained in terror | F |
treasure at last with his life obtained | C |
all of that booty the brands shall take | E |
fire shall eat it No earl must carry | K |
memorial jewel No maiden fair | S |
shall wreathe her neck with noble ring | E |
nay sad in spirit and shorn of her gold | C |
oft shall she pass o'er paths of exile | T |
now our lord all laughter has laid aside | C |
all mirth and revel Many a spear | U |
morning cold shall be clasped amain | I |
lifted aloft nor shall lilt of harp | V |
those warriors wake but the wan hued raven | I |
fain o'er the fallen his feast shall praise | A |
and boast to the eagle how bravely he ate | C |
when he and the wolf were wasting the slain | I |
- | |
So he told his sorrowful tidings | A |
and little he lied the loyal man | I |
of word or of work The warriors rose | A |
sad they climbed to the Cliff of Eagles | A |
went welling with tears the wonder to view | C |
Found on the sand there stretched at rest | C |
their lifeless lord who had lavished rings | A |
of old upon them Ending day | C |
had dawned on the doughty one death had seized | C |
in woful slaughter the Weders' king | E |
There saw they besides the strangest being | E |
loathsome lying their leader near | U |
prone on the field The fiery dragon | I |
fearful fiend with flame was scorched | C |
Reckoned by feet it was fifty measures | A |
in length as it lay Aloft erewhile | T |
it had revelled by night and anon come back | E |
seeking its den now in death's sure clutch | D |
it had come to the end of its earth hall joys | A |
By it there stood the stoups and jars | A |
dishes lay there and dear decked swords | A |
eaten with rust as on earth's lap resting | E |
a thousand winters they waited there | S |
For all that heritage huge that gold | C |
of bygone men was bound by a spell | T |
so the treasure hall could be touched by none | I |
of human kind save that Heaven's King | E |
God himself might give whom he would | C |
Helper of Heroes the hoard to open | I |
even such a man as seemed to him meet | C |
Anonymous Olde English
(1)
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