CC 20220801
Judith - Old English Aerobics\nIn this poem, the biblical book of Judith (considered canonical by the Catholic Church but not by Protestants) has been recast in an unmistakably Anglo-Saxon mould, and with the characteristic theme that God rewards those who believe and trust in him with victory, glory and wealth.\nThe missing beginning of the poem presumably followed, in greater or lesser detail, the biblical account in telling how Holofernes, a general of the Assyrian army, has besieged the Judean city of Bethulia, whose leaders are preparing to surrender when Judith, a widow, ventures with a single maidservant to the Assyrian encampment. She pretends to defect and stays with the Assyrians for three days. By the fourth day, Holofernes is inflamed with desire for the beautiful widow, and here our fragment begins.\nFor an edition with in-depth commentary and glossary, see Mark Griffith, Judith (Exeter, 1997). Interested students may wish to consult other treatments of the story by the Anglo-Saxon writers Aldhelm (in Latin, translated by Michael Lapidge and Michael Herren, Aldhelm: The Prose Works (Ipswich and Cambridge, 1979), pp. 126-7, and Michael Lapidge and James L. Rosier, Aldhelm: The Poetic Works (Cambridge, 1985), p. 159) and Ælfric (ed. Bruno Assmann, Angelsächsische Homilien und Heiligenleben (1889; repr. Darmstadt, 1964), pp. 102-16). All who read this poem should also read the biblical book, available in Bibles published under Catholic auspices and also in separate editions of the Old Testament Apocrypha.\nġifena in ðȳs ġinnan grunde. Hēo ðār ðā ġearwe funde\nmundbyrd æt ðām mǣran Þēodne þā hēo āhte mǣste þearfe,\nhyldo þæs hēhstan Dēman, þæt hē hīe wið þæs hēhstan brōgan\n5 ġefriðode, frymða Waldend. Hyre ðæs Fæder on roderum\ntorhtmōd tīðe ġefremede, þe hēo āhte trumne ġelēafan\nā tō ðām ælmihtigan. Ġefræġen iċ ðā Hōlofernus\nwīnhātan wyrċean ġeorne ond eallum wundrum þrymliċ\nġirwan ūp swǣsendo. Tō ðām hēt se gumena baldor\n10 ealle ðā yldestan ðeġnas. Hīe ðæt ofstum miċlum\nræfndon rondwiġġende, cōmon tō ðām rīċan þēodne\nfēran, folces rǣswan. Þæt wæs þȳ fēorðan dōgore\nþæs ðe Iūdith hyne, glēaw on ġeðonce\nides ælfscīnu, ǣrest ġesōhte.\n15 Hīe ðā tō ðām symle sittan ēodon\nwlance tō wīnġedrince ealle his wēaġesīðas,\nbealde byrnwiġġende. Þǣr wǣron bollan stēape\nboren æfter benċum ġelōme, swylċe ēac būnan ond orcas\nfulle fletsittendum. Hīe þæt fǣġe þēgon\n20 rōfe rondwiġġende, þēah ðæs se rīċa ne wēnde\neġesful eorla dryhten. Ðā wearð Hōlofernus,\ngoldwine gumena on gytesālum,\nhlōh ond hlȳdde, hlynede ond dynede,\nþæt mihten fīra bearn feorran ġehȳran\n25 hū se stīðmōda styrmde ond ġylede\nmōdiġ ond medugāl, manode ġeneahhe\nbenċsittende þæt hī ġebǣrdon wel.\nSwā se inwidda ofer ealne dæġ\ndryhtguman sīne drenċte mid wīne\n30 swīðmōd sinces brytta, oð þæt hīe on swīman lāgon,\noferdrenċte his duguðe ealle swylċe hīe wǣron dēaðe ġesleġene,\nāgotene gōda ġehwylċes. Swā hēt se gumena aldor\nfylġan fletsittendum oð þæt fīra bearnum\nnēalǣhte niht sēo þȳstre. Hēt ðā nīða ġeblonden\n35 þā ēadigan mæġð ofstum fetiġan\ntō his bedreste bēagum ġehlæste,\nhringum ġehrodene. Hīe hraðe fremedon\nanbyhtscealcas swā him heora ealdor bebēad\nbyrnwiġena brego, bearhtme stōpon\n40 tō ðām ġysterne þǣr hīe Iūdithðe\nfundon ferhðglēawe, ond ðā fromlīċe\nlindwiġġende lǣdan ongunnon\nþā torhtan mæġð tō træfe þām hēan\nþǣr se rīca hyne reste on symbel\n45 nihtes inne, Nerġende lāð\nHōlofernus. Þǣr wæs eallgylden\nflēohnet fæġer ymbe þæs folctogan\nbed āhongen þæt se bealofulla\nmihte wlītan þurh, wiġena baldor\n50 on ǣġhwylċne þe ðǣrinne cōm\nhæleða bearna, ond on hyne nǣniġ\nmonna cynnes, nymðe se mōdiga hwæne\nnīðe rōfra him þe nēar hēte\nrinca tō rūne ġegangan. Hīe ðā on reste ġebrōhton\n55 snūde ðā snoteran idese; ēodon ðā stercedferhðe,\nhæleð heora hearran cȳðan þæt wæs sēo hāliġe mēowle\nġebrōht on his būrġetelde. Þā wearð se brēma on mōde\nblīðe burga ealdor, þōhte ðā beorhtan idese\nmid wīdle ond mid womme besmītan. Ne wolde þæt wuldres Dēma\n60 ġeðafian þrymmes Hyrde, ac hē him þæs ðinges ġestȳrde\nDryhten, dugeða Waldend. Ġewāt ðā se dēofulcunda,\ngālferhð gumena * * * ðrēate,\nbealofull his beddes nēosan, þǣr hē sceolde his blǣd forlēosan\nǣdre binnan ānre nihte. Hæfde ðā his ende ġebidenne\n65 on eorðan unswǣslicne, swylċne hē ǣr æfter worhte\nþearlmōd ðēoden gumena þenden hē on ðysse worulde\nwunode under wolcna hrōfe. Ġefēol ðā wīne swā druncen\nse rīċa on his reste middan swā hē nyste rǣda nānne\non ġewitlocan. Wiġġend stōpon\n70 ūt of ðām inne ofstum miċlum,\nweras wīnsade þe ðone wǣrlogan,\nlāðne lēodhatan, lǣddon tō bedde\nnēhstan sīðe. Þā wæs Nerġendes\nþēowen þrymful, þearle ġemyndiġ\n75 hū hēo þone atolan ēaðost mihte\nealdre benǣman ǣr se unsȳfra,\nwomfull onwōce. Ġenam ðā wundenlocc\nScyppendes mæġð scearpne mēċe,\nscūrum heardne ond of scēaðe ābrǣd\n80 swīðran folme. Ongan ðā sweġles Weard\nbe naman nemnan, Nerġend ealra\nworuldbūendra, ond þæt word ācwæð:\n"Iċ ðē, frymða God ond frōfre Gǣst,\nBearn Alwaldan, biddan wylle\n85 miltse þīnre mē þearfendre,\nÐrȳnesse Ðrym. Þearle ys mē nū ðā\nheorte onhǣted ond hiġe ġeōmor,\nswȳðe mid sorgum ġedrēfed. Forġif mē, sweġles Ealdor,\nsigor ond sōðne ġelēafan, þæt iċ mid þȳs sweorde mōte\n90 ġehēawan þysne morðres bryttan. Ġeunne mē mīnra ġesynta,\nþearlmōd Þēoden gumena. Nāhte iċ þīnre nǣfre\nmiltse þon māran þearfe. Ġewrec nū, mihtiġ Dryhten,\ntorhtmōd tīres Brytta, þæt mē ys þus torne on mōde,\nhāte on hreðre mīnum." Hī ðā se hēhsta Dēma\n95 ǣdre mid elne onbryrde, swā hē dēð ānra ġehwylċne\nhērbūendra þe hyne him tō helpe sēċeð\nmid rǣde ond mid rihte ġelēafan. Þā wearð hyre rūme on mōde\nhāliġre hyht ġenīwod. Ġenam ðā þone hǣðenan mannan\nfæste be feaxe sīnum, tēah hyne folmum wið hyre weard\n100 bysmerlīċe ond þone bealofullan\nlistum ālēde lāðne mannan,\nswā hēo ðæs unlǣdan ēaðost mihte\nwel ġewealdan. Slōh ðā wundenlocc\nþone fēondsceaðan fāgum mēċe,\n105 heteþoncolne, þæt hēo healfne forċearf\nþone swēoran him, þæt hē on swīman læġ,\ndruncen ond dolhwund. Næs ðā dēad þā ġȳt,\nealles orsāwle; slōh ðā eornoste\nides ellenrōf ōðre sīðe\n110 þone hǣðenan hund þæt him þæt hēafod wand\nforð on ðā flōre. Læġ se fūla lēap\ngēsne beæftan; gǣst ellor hwearf\nunder neowelne næs ond ðǣr ġenyðerad wæs,\nsūsle ġesǣled syððan ǣfre\n115 wyrmum bewunden, wītum ġebunden,\nhearde ġehæfted in helle bryne\næfter hinsīðe. Ne ðearf hē hopian nō,\nþȳstrum forðylmed, þæt hē ðonan mōte\nof ðām wyrmsele, ac ðǣr wunian sceal\n120 āwa tō aldre būtan ende forð\nin ðām heolstran hām, hyhtwynna lēas.\nHæfde ðā ġefohten foremǣrne blǣd\nIūdith æt gūðe, swā hyre God ūðe\nsweġles Ealdor, þe hyre sigores onlēah.\n125 Þā sēo snotere mæġð snūde ġebrōhte\nþæs herewǣðan hēafod swā blōdiġ\non ðām fǣtelse þe hyre foregenġa,\nblāchlēor ides, hyra bēġea nest,\nðēawum ġeðungen, þyder on lǣdde,\n130 ond hit þā swā heolfriġ hyre on hond āġeaf\nhiġeðoncolre hām tō berenne,\nIūdith ġingran sīnre. Ēodon ðā ġeġnum þanonne\nþā idesa bā ellenþrīste,\noð þæt hīe becōmon collenferhðe,\n135 ēadhrēðiġe mæġð, ūt of ðām heriġe,\nþæt hīe sweotollīċe ġesēon mihten\nþǣre wlitegan byriġ weallas blīcan,\nBēthūliam. Hīe ðā bēahhrodene\nfēðelāste forð ōnettan\n140 oð hīe glædmōde ġegān hæfdon\ntō ðām wealgate. Wiġġend sǣton\nweras wæċċende, wearde hēoldon\nin ðām fæstenne, swā ðām folce ǣr\nġeōmormōdum Iūdith bebēad\n145 searoðoncol mæġð, þā hēo on sīð ġewāt\nides ellenrōf. Wæs ðā eft cumen\nlēof tō lēodum, ond ðā lungre hēt\nglēawhydiġ wīf gumena sumne\nof ðǣre ġinnan byriġ hyre tōġēanes gān\n150 ond hī ofostlīċe in forlǣtan\nþurh ðæs wealles ġeat, ond þæt word ācwæð\ntō ðām siġefolce: "Iċ ēow secgan mæġ\nþoncwyrðe þing, þæt ġē ne þyrfen lenġ\nmurnan on mōde. Ēow ys Metod blīðe\n155 cyninga Wuldor; þæt ġecȳðed wearð\nġeond woruld wīde þæt ēow ys wuldorblǣd\ntorhtliċ tōweard ond tīr ġifeðe\nþāra lǣðða þe ġē lange drugon."\nÞā wurdon blīðe burhsittende\n160 syððan hī ġehȳrdon hū sēo hāliġe spræc\nofer hēanne weall. Here wæs on lustum.\nWið þæs fæstenġeates folc ōnette,\nweras wīf somod, wornum ond hēapum,\nðrēatum ond ðrymmum þrungon ond urnon\n165 onġēan ðā Þēodnes mæġð þūsendmǣlum,\nealde ġe ġeonge. Ǣġhwylċum wearð\nmen on ðǣre medobyriġ mōd ārēted\nsyððan hīe onġēaton þæt wæs Iūdith cumen\neft tō ēðle, ond ðā ofostlīċe\n170 hīe mid ēaðmēdum in forlēton.\nÞā sēo glēawe hēt, golde ġefrætewod,\nhyre ðīnenne þancolmōde\nþæs herewǣðan hēafod onwrīðan\nond hyt tō bēhðe blōdiġ ætȳwan\n175 þām burhlēodum, hū hyre æt beaduwe ġespēow.\nSpræc ðā sēo æðele tō eallum þām folce:\n"Hēr ġē magon sweotole, siġerōfe hæleð,\nlēoda rǣswan, on ðæs lāðestan\nhǣðenes heaðorinces hēafod starian,\n180 Hōlofernus unlyfiġendes,\nþe ūs monna mǣst morðra ġefremede\nsārra sorga, ond þæt swȳðor ġȳt\nȳċan wolde; ac him ne ūðe God\nlenġran līfes, þæt hē mid lǣððum ūs\n185 eġlan mōste. Iċ him ealdor oðþrong\nþurh Godes fultum. Nū iċ gumena ġehwæne\nþyssa burglēoda biddan wylle\nrandwiġġendra, þæt ġē recene ēow\nfȳsan tō ġefeohte syððan frymða God,\n190 ārfæst Cyning, ēastan sende\nlēohtne lēoman. Berað linde forð,\nbord for brēostum ond byrnhomas,\nscīre helmas in sceaðena ġemong.\nFyllað folctogan fāgum sweordum\n195 fǣġe frumgāras. Fȳnd syndon ēowere\nġedēmed tō dēaðe, ond ġē dōm āgon\ntīr æt tohtan, swā ēow ġetācnod hafað\nmihtiġ Dryhten þurh mīne hand."\nÞā wearð snelra werod snūde ġeġearewod\n200 cēnra tō campe. Stōpon cynerōfe\nsecgas ond ġesīðas, bǣron siġeþūfas,\nfōron tō ġefeohte forð on ġerihte\nhæleð under helmum of ðǣre hāligan byriġ\non ðæt dæġrēd sylf. Dynedan scildas\n205 hlūde hlummon. Þæs se hlanca ġefeah\nwælġīfre fugel; wiston bēġen\nþæt him ðā þēodguman þōhton tilian\nfylle on fǣgum. Ac him flēah on lāst\n210 earn ǣtes ġeorn, ūriġfeðera,\nsalowiġpāda sang hildelēoð\nhyrnednebba. Stōpon heaðorincas,\nbeornas tō beadowe, bordum beðeahte\nhwealfum lindum, þā ðe hwīle ǣr\n215 elðēodiġra edwit þoledon\nhǣðenra hosp. Him þæt hearde wearð\næt ðām æscplegan eallum forgolden\nAssȳrium, syððan Ebrēas\nunder gūðfanum ġegān hæfdon\n220 tō ðām fyrdwīcum. Hīe ðā fromlīċe\nlēton forð flēogan flāna scūras,\nhildenǣdran of hornbogan\nstrǣlas stedehearde. Styrmdon hlūde\ngrame gūðfrecan, gāras sendon\n225 in heardra ġemang. Hæleð wǣron yrre,\nlandbūende lāðum cynne,\nstōpon styrnmōde, stercedferhðe,\nwrehton unsōfte ealdġenīðlan\nmedowēriġe. Mundum brugdon\n230 scealcas of sceaðum scīrmǣled swyrd,\necgum ġecoste, slōgon eornoste\nnīðhycgende nānne ne sparedon\nþæs herefolces, hēanne ne rīċne,\n235 cwicera manna þe hīe ofercuman mihton.\nSwā ðā magoþeġnas on ðā morgentīd\nēhton elðēoda ealle þrāge\noð þæt onġēaton ðā ðe grame wǣron,\nðæs herefolces hēafodweardas\n240 þæt him swyrdġeswing swīðliċ ēowdon\nweras Ebrisce. Hīe wordum þæt\nþām yldestan ealdorþeġnum\ncȳðan ēodon, wrehton cumbolwigan\nond him forhtlīċe fǣrspel bodedon,\n245 medowērigum morgencollan,\natolne ecgplegan. Þā iċ ǣdre ġefræġn\nsleġefǣġe hæleð slǣpe tōbrēdan\nond wið þæs bealofullan būrġeteldes\nwēriġferhðe hwearfum þringan,\n250 Hōlofernus. Hogedon āninga\nhyra hlāforde hilde bodian\nǣr ðon ðe him se eġesa onufan sǣte\nmæġen Ebrēa. Mynton ealle\nþæt se beorna brego ond sēo beorhte mæġð\n255 in ðām wlitegan træfe wǣron ætsomne,\nIūdith sēo æðele ond se gālmōda,\neġesfull ond āfor. Næs ðēah eorla nān\nþe ðone wiġġend āweċċan dorste\noððe ġecunnian hū ðone cumbolwigan\n260 wið ðā hālgan mæġð hæfde ġeworden,\nMetodes mēowlan. Mæġen nēalǣhte\nfolc Ebrēa, fuhton þearle\nheardum heoruwǣpnum, hæfte guldon\nhyra fyrnġeflitu, fāgum swyrdum\n265 ealde æfðoncan; Assȳria wearð\non ðām dæġeweorce dōm ġeswiðrod,\nbælċ forbīġed. Beornas stōdon\nymbe hyra þēodnes træf þearle ġebylde,\nsweorcendferhðe. Hī ðā somod ealle\n270 ongunnon cohhetan, ċirman hlūde\nond gristbitian (gōde orfeorme)\nmid tōðon, torn þoliġende. Þā wæs hyra tīres æt ende,\nēades ond ellendǣda. Hogedon þā eorlas āweċċan\nhyra winedryhten; him wiht ne spēow.\n275 Þā wearð sīð ond late sum tō ðām arod\nþāra beadorinca þæt hē in þæt būrġeteld\nnīðheard nēðde swā hyne nȳd fordrāf.\nFunde ðā on bedde blācne licgan\nhis goldġifan gǣstes ġēsne,\n280 līfes belidenne. Hē þā lungre ġefēoll\nfrēoriġ tō foldan, ongan his feax teran\nhrēoh on mōde, ond his hræġl somod,\nond þæt word ācwæð tō ðām wiġġendum\nþe ðǣr unrōte ūte wǣron:\n285 "Hēr ys ġeswutelod ūre sylfra forwyrd,\ntōweard ġetācnod, þæt þǣre tīde ys\nmid nīðum nēah ġeðrungen þe wē sculon nȳde losian,\nsomod æt sæċċe forweorðan. Hēr līð sweorde ġehēawen,\nbehēafdod healdend ūre." Hī ðā hrēowiġmōde\n290 wurpon hyra wǣpen ofdūne, ġewitan him wēriġferhðe\non flēam sceacan. Him mon feaht on lāst\nmæġenēacen folc oð se mǣsta dǣl\nþæs heriġes læġ hilde ġesǣġed\non ðām siġewonge, sweordum ġehēawen\n295 wulfum tō willan ond ēac wælġīfrum\nfuglum tō frōfre. Flugon ðā ðe lyfdon,\nlāðra lindwerod. Him on lāste fōr\nswēot Ebrēa sigore ġeweorðod,\ndōme ġedȳrsod; him fēng Dryhten God\n300 fæġre on fultum, Frēa ælmihtiġ.\nHī ðā fromlīċe fāgum swyrdum\nhæleð hiġerōfe herpað worhton\nþurh lāðra ġemong, linde hēowon,\nscildburh scǣron. Scēotend wǣron\n305 gūðe ġegremede guman Ebrisce;\nþeġnas on ðā tīd þearle ġelyste\ngārġewinnes. Þǣr on grēot ġefēoll\nse hȳhsta dǣl hēafodġerīmes\n310 lāðan cynnes. Lȳthwōn becōm\ncwicera tō cȳððe. Ċirdon cynerōfe\nwiġġend on wiðertrod, wælscel oninnan\nrēocende hrǣw. Rūm wæs tō nimanne\nlondbūendum on ðām lāðestan,\n315 hyra ealdfēondum unlyfiġendum\nheolfriġ hererēaf, hyrsta scȳne,\nbord ond brādswyrd, brūne helmas,\ndȳre mādmas. Hæfdon dōmlīċe\non ðām folcstede fȳnd oferwunnen\n320 ēðelweardas, ealdhettende\nswyrdum āswefede. Hīe on swaðe reston,\nþā ðe him tō līfe lāðost wǣron\ncwicera cynna. Þā sēo cnēoris eall,\nmǣġða mǣrost, ānes mōnðes fyrst,\n325 wlanc, wundenlocc, wǣgon ond lǣddon\ntō ðǣre beorhtan byriġ, Bēthūliam,\nhelmas ond hupseax, hāre byrnan,\ngūðsceorp gumena golde ġefrætewod,\nmǣrra mādma þonne mon ǣniġ\n330 āsecgan mæġe searoþoncelra.\nEal þæt ðā ðēodguman þrymme ġeēodon,\ncēne under cumblum on compwīġe\nþurh Iūdithe glēawe lāre,\nmæġð mōdiġre. Hī tō mēde hyre\n335 of ðām sīðfate sylfre brōhton,\neorlas æscrōfe, Hōlofernes\nsweord ond swātiġne helm, swylċe ēac sīde byrnan\nġerēnode rēadum golde; ond eal þæt se rinca baldor\nswīðmōd sinces āhte oððe sundoryrfes,\n340 bēaga ond beorhtra māðma, hī þæt þǣre beorhtan idese\nāġēafon ġearoþoncolre. Ealles ðæs Iūdith sæġde\nwuldor weroda Dryhtne, þe hyre weorðmynde ġeaf\nmǣrðe on moldan rīċe, swylċe ēac mēde on heofonum,\nsigorlēan in sweġles wuldre, þæs þe hēo āhte sōðne ġelēafan\n345 tō ðām ælmihtigan; hūru æt þām ende ne twēode\nþæs lēanes þe hēo lange ġyrnde. Ðæs sȳ ðām lēofan Drihtne\nwuldor tō wīdan aldre, þe ġesceōp wind ond lyfte,\nroderas ond rūme grundas, swylċe ēac rēðe strēamas\nond sweġles drēamas, ðurh his sylfes miltse.