Anglo-Saxon

English Translations

Her Aethelstan cyning, eorla dryhten,

In this year King Aethelstan, Lord of warriors,

beorna beag-giefa, and his brothor eac,

ring-giver to men, and his brother also,

Eadmund aetheling, ealdor-langetir

Prince Eadmund, won eternal glory

in battle with sword edges

ymbe Brunanburh.  Bord-weall clufon,

around Brunanburh. They split the shield-wall,

heowon heathu-linde hamora lafum 

they hewed battle shields with the remnants of hammers.

eaforan Eadweardes, swa him ge-aethele waes

The sons of Eadweard, it was only befitting their noble descent

fram cneo-magnum thaet hie aet campe oft 

from their ancestors that they should often 

with lathra gehwone land ealgodon, 

defend their land in battle against each hostile people,

hord and hamas.  Hettend crungon,

horde and home. The enemy perished, 

Scotta leode and scip-flotan,

Scots men and seamen, 

faege feollon.  Feld dennode

fated they fell. The field flowed 

secga swate sithan sunne upp

with blood of warriors, from sun up 

on morgen-tid, maere tungol,

in the morning, when the glorious star 

glad ofer grundas, Godes candel beorht,

glided over the earth, God's bright candle, 

eces Dryhtnes, oth seo aethele gesceaft

eternal lord, till that noble creation 

sag to setle.  Thaer laeg secg manig

sank to its seat. There lay many a warrior 

garum agieted, guma Northerna

by spears destroyed; Northern men 

ofer scield scoten, swelce Scyttisc eac,

shot over shield, likewise Scottish as well, 

werig, wiges saed.

weary, war sated. 

West-Seaxe forth

The West-Saxons pushed onward 

andlange daeg eorod-cystum

all day; in troops 

on last legdon lathum theodum,

they pursued the hostile people. 

heowon here-flieman hindan thearle

They hewed the fugitive grievously from behind 

mecum mylen-scearpum.  Mierce ne wierndon

with swords sharp from the grinding.The Mercians did not refuse 

heardes hand-plegan haeletha nanum

hard hand-play to any warrior 

thara-the mid Anlafe ofer ear-gebland

who came with Anlaf over the sea-surge 

on lides bosme land gesohton,

in the bosom of a ship, those who sought land, 

faege to gefeohte.  Fife lagon

fated to fight. Five lay dead 

on tham camp-stede cyningas geonge,

on the battle-field, young kings, 

sweordum answefede, swelce seofone eac

put to sleep by swords, likewise also seven

eorlas Anlafes, unrim herges,

of Anlaf's earls, countless of the army, 

flotena and Scotta.  Thaere gefliemed wearth 

sailors and Scots. There the North-men's chief was put

North-manna brego, niede gebaeded,

to flight, by need constrained 

to lides stefne lytle weorode;

to the prow of a ship with little company; 

cread cnear on flot, cyning ut gewat

he pressed the ship afloat, the king went out 

on fealone flod, feorh generede.

on the dusky flood-tide, he saved his life. 

Swelce thaere eac se froda mid fleame com

Likewise, there also the old campaigner through flight came 

on his cyththe north, Constantinus,

to his own region in the north--Constantine-- 

har hilde-rinc.  Hreman ne thorfte

hoary warrior. He had no reason to exult 

meca gemanan; he waes his maga sceard,

the great meeting; he was of his kinsmen bereft,

freonda gefielled on folc-stede,

friends fell on the battle-field, 

beslaegen aet saecce, and his sunu forlet

killed at strife: even his son, young in battle, he left 

on wael-stowe wundum forgrunden, 

in the place of slaughter, ground to pieces with wounds. 

geongne aet guthe.  Gielpan ne thorfte

That grizzle-haired warrior had no 

beorn blanden-feax bill-gesliehtes,

reason to boast of sword-slaughter, 

eald inwitta, ne Anlaf thy ma;

old deceitful one, no more did Anlaf; 

mid hira here-lafum hliehhan ne thorfton

with their remnant of an army they had no reason to 

thaet hie beadu-weorca beteran wurdon

laugh that they were better in deed of war 

on camp-stede cumbol-gehnastes,

in battle-field--collision of banners, 

gar-mittunge, gumena gemotes,

encounter of spears, encounter of men, 

waepen-gewrixles, thaes hie on wael-felda

trading of blows--when they played against 

with Eadweardes eaforan plegodon.

the sons of Eadweard on the battle field.  

Gewiton him tha North-menn naegled-cnearrum,

Departed then the Northmen in nailed ships.

dreorig darotha laf, on Dinges mere

The dejected survivors of the battle, at Dinges mere 

sought Dublin over the deep water, 

to return to Ireland, ashamed in spirit. 

Likewise the brothers, both together, 

King and Prince, sought their home, 

West-Saxon land, exultant from battle. 

They left behind them, to enjoy the corpses, 

the dark coated one, the dark horny-beaked raven 

and the dusky-coated one, 

the eagle white from behind, to partake of carrion, 

greedy war-hawk, and that gray animal 

the wolf in the forest.  

Never was there more slaughter 

on this island, never yet as many 

people killed before this 

sweordes ecgum, thaes-the us secgath bec, 

with sword's edge: never according to those who tell us 

from books, old wisemen, 

since from the east Angles and Saxons came up 

over the broad sea. Britain they sought, 

Proud war-smiths who overcame the Welsh, 

glorious warriors they took hold of the land.