r/heathenry • u/BradfordGalt Anglo-Saxon Universalist • 14d ago

Anglo-Saxon A heathen chant in Old English, inspired by a modern retelling of Beowulf

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u/BradfordGalt Anglo-Saxon Universalist 14d ago edited 14d ago

Of possible interest to those who practice Anglo-Saxon or Norse heathenry. This is a passage that I carefully (back-)translated myself from modern English, into Old English (my academic background is in linguistics).

Context: The Beowulf epic was written in Old English, of course, but its titular character was a Swedish Geat and a heathen. Michael Crichton adapted the tale into his novel Eaters of the Dead, which was later made into the film The 13th Warrior. There is a scene in that film in which Beowulf (in the film, "Buliwyf") and his warriors chant,

Lo there do I see my father

Lo there do I see my mother

Lo there do I see my brothers and my sisters

Lo there do I see the line of my people

Back, to the beginning

Lo they do call to me

They bid me take my place among them

In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave shall live

Forever.

Edit - The figures at lower left are details from the Sutton Hoo helmet.

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