Elene; Judith; Athelstan, or the Fight at Brunanburh; Byrhtnoth, or the Fight at Maldon; and the Dr | Page 2

as they become the fewer. So does
another Godric, not he who fled. * * * * 60

THE DREAM OF THE ROOD.
In the middle of the night the writer beholds the vision of a cross
decked with gold and jewels, but soiled with blood.
Presently the
cross speaks and tells how it was hewn and set up on a mount.

Almighty God ascended it to redeem mankind. It bent not, but the nails
made grievous wounds, and it was moistened with blood. All creation
wept. The corse was placed in a
sepulchre of brightest stone. The
crosses were buried, but the thanes of the Lord raised it begirt with gold
and silver, and it should receive honor from all mankind. The Lord of
Glory honored it, who arose for help to men, and shall come again with
His angels to judge each one of men. Then they will fear and know not
what to say, but no one need fear who bears in his heart the best of
beacons. The writer is ready for his journey, and directs his prayer to
the rood. His friends now dwell in glory, and the rood of the Lord will
bring him there where he may partake of joy with the saints. The Lord
redeemed us, His Son was victorious, and with a band of spirits entered
His heavenly home 71
PREFACE.
This translation of the ELENE was made while reading the poem with
a post-graduate student in the session of 1887-88, Zupitza's second
edition being used for the text, which does not differ materially from
that in his third edition (1888). It was completed before I received a
copy of Dr. Weymouth's translation (1888), from Zupitza's text; but in
the revision for publication I have referred to it, although I cannot
always agree with the learned scholar in his interpretation of certain
passages. Grein's text was, however, used to fill _lacunæ_, and in the
revision the recently published (1888) Grein-Wülker text was
compared in some passages. The line-for-line form has been employed,
as in my translation of BÉOWULF; for it has been approved by high
authority, and is unquestionably more serviceable to the student, even if
I have not been able to attain ideal correctness of rhythm. I plead guilty
in advance to any lapsus in that respect, but I strongly suspect that I
have appreciated the difficulty more highly than my future critics. The
ELENE is more suitable than the BÉOWULF for first reading in Old
English poetry on account of its style and its subject, which make the
interpretation considerably easier, and I concur with Körting, in his
Grundriss der Geschichte der Englischen Litteratur (p. 47, 1887): "Die
ELENE eignet sich sowohl wegen ihres anmutigen Inhaltes, als auch,
weil sie in der trefflichen Ausgabe von Zupitza leicht zugänglich ist, als

erste poetische Lectüre für Anfänger im Angelsächsischen." This
statement is now the stronger for English readers because Zupitza's text
is in course of publication, edited with introduction, notes, and glossary
by Professor Charles W. Kent, of the University of Tennessee. I have
appended a few notes which explain themselves, and have occasionally
inserted words in brackets.
The translations of the JUDITH and the BYRHTNOTH were made in
regular course of reading with undergraduate classes, the former in
1886, and the latter in 1887, the texts in Sweet's "Anglo-Saxon Reader"
being used, and compared with those in Grein and in Körner. The text
of JUDITH is now accessible in Professor Cook's edition (1888).
The translation of the ATHELSTAN has been added from Körner's text,
compared with Grein and Wülker, and in certain passages with Thorpe
and Earle. For fuller literary information than the Introduction provides,
the reader is referred to ten Brink's "Early English Literature,"
Kennedy's translation (1883), and to Morley's "English Writers," Vol.
II. (1888).
JAMES M. GARNETT.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, VA.,
May, 1889.
PREFACE TO EDITION OF 1900.
I have added to this reprint of my "Elene and other Anglo Saxon
Poems" a translation of the DREAM OF THE ROOD, which has been
on hand for several years awaiting a suitable time to see the light. A
brief Introduction to the poem has been prefixed, which, doubtless,
leaves much to be desired, but it is all that the translator now has time
for, and I must refer to the works mentioned for fuller information and
discussion. With thanks for past consideration, and the hope that this
addition has made the book more acceptable, I entrust it again to
indulgent readers.
JAMES M. GARNETT.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND,
October, 1900.
PREFACE TO EDITION OF 1911.
I have read over carefully these translations with a view to another
reprint, which the publishers find necessary, but I have not compared
them again with the texts used. I have corrected a few typographical
errors of little importance.
For the bibliography