[Bêthberry]

Squatter, I posted a link to a newspaper which printed a small excerpt of Tolkien's translation of Beowulf on the thread "New Tolkien book found."

I find now that the link is outdated. I wonder, Bill Ferny, since we posted there briefly, if you happened to have saved a copy of Tolkien's translation? If not, I will contact the newspaper for a back issue/archival copy.

Bethberry


EDIT. Here are Tolkien's and Heaney's translations, as printed in the following:

Tolkien's monster resurfaces: The Beowulf manuscript
National Post
Monday, January 13, 2003
Page: A16
Section: Discovery
Byline: Joseph Brean
Column: Literature
Source: National Post


Tolkien's translation of Beowulf and his men setting sail:

On went the hours: on
ocean afloat
under cliff was their craft.
Now climb blithely
brave man aboard; breakers
pounding
ground the shingle. Gleaming
harness
they hove to the bosom of the
bark, armour
with cunning forged then cast
her forth
to voyage triumphant,
valiant-timbered
fleet foam twisted.


The same passage by Heaney:

Time went by, the boat was
on water,
in close under the cliffs.
Men climbed eagerly up the
gangplank,
sand churned in surf, warriors
loaded
a cargo of weapons, shining
war-gear
in the vessel's hold, then
heaved out,
away with a will in their
wood-wreathed ship.

(Copyright) From Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney, faber and faber, 1999

[ February 25, 2003: Message edited by: Bethberry ]