CAEDMON'S
 
HYMN
 
 
Nu
 
sculon
 
herigean
 
/
 
heofonrices
 
Weard
 
Meotodes
 
meahte
 
/
 
and
 
his
 
modgeþanc
 
weorc
 
Wuldor-Fæder
 
/
 
swa
 
he
 
wundra
 
gehwæs
 
ece
 
Drihten
 
/
 
or
 
onstealde
 
He
 
ærest
 
sceop
 
/
 
ielda
 
bearnum
 
heofon
 
to
 
hrofe
 
/
 
halig
 
Scyppend
 
ece
 
Drihten
 
/
 
æfter
 
teode
 
firum
 
foldan
 
/
 
Frea
 
ælmihtig.
 
 
https://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/medieval/caedmon.html
 
 
Cædmon’s
 
Hymn
 
(Modern
 
English
 
Translation)
 
 
Now
 
we
 
must
 
praise
 
the
 
Guardian
 
of
 
Heaven’s
 
kingdom,
 
The
 
Creator’s
 
might
 
and
 
His
 
deep
 
wisdom,
 
The
 
work
 
of
 
the
 
glorious
 
Father,
 
as
 
He,
 
The
 
eternal
 
Lord,
 
established
 
every
 
wonder.
 
He
 
first
 
shaped
 
heaven
 
as
 
a
 
roof
 
for
 
the
 
children
 
of
 
men,
 
The
 
holy
 
Creator,
 
Then
 
the
 
almighty
 
Lord
 
of
 
mankind
 
Fashioned
 
the
 
earth
 
below.
 
 
(Source:
 
Washington
 
State
 
University
 
&
 
general
 
Old
 
English
 
translations)
 
 
The
 
wanderer
 
Oft
 
him
 
anhaga
 
are
 
gebideo,
 
metudes
 
miltse,
 
beah
 
be
 
he
 
modcearig
 
geond
 
lagulade
 
longe
 
sceolde
 
hreran
 
mid
 
hondum
 
hrimcealde
 
sa
 
wadan
 
wraclastas.
 
Wyrd
 
bid
 
ful
 
arad!
 
Swa
 
cwao
 
eardstapa,
 
earfeba
 
gemyndig,
 
wrapra
 
walsleahta,
 
winemaga
 
hryre:
 
Oft
 
ic
 
sceolde
 
ana
 
uhtna
 
gehwylce
 
mine
 
ceare
 
wiban.
 
Nis
 
nu
 
cwicra
 
nan
 
be
 
ic
 
him
 
modsefan
 
minne
 
durre
 
sweotule
 
asecgan.
 
anglo-saxons.net
 
 
 
The
 
Wanderer
 
(Modern
 
English
 
Translation)
 
 
Often
 
the
 
lonely
 
one
 
prays
 
for
 
mercy,
 
The
 
Creator’s
 
kindness,
 
Though
 
he,
 
troubled
 
in
 
mind,
 
Must
 
for
 
a
 
long
 
time
 
move
 
by
 
hand
 
across
 
the
 
sea,
 
Cold
 
as
 
frost,
 
Following
 
paths
 
of
 
exile.
 
 
Fate
 
is
 
set
 
in
 
stone!
 
So
 
spoke
 
the
 
wanderer,
 
Mindful
 
of
 
hardships,
 
Of
 
cruel
 
slaughters,
 
And
 
the
 
fall
 
of
 
dear
 
kinsmen.
 
 
Often,
 
alone
 
at
 
dawn,
 
I
 
have
 
had
 
to
 
lament
 
my
 
sorrows.
 
There
 
is
 
now
 
no
 
one
 
living
 
To
 
whom
 
I
 
dare
 
reveal
 
My
 
heart’s
 
thoughts
 
openly.
 
 
(Source:
 
Anglo-Saxons.net,
 
adapted)
 
 
The
 
seafarer
 
Mag
 
ic
 
be
 
me
 
sylfum
 
soogied
 
wrecan,
 
sibas
 
secgan,
 
hu
 
ic
 
geswindagum
 
earfo()hwile
 
oft
 
browade,
 
bitre
 
breostceare
 
gebiden
 
habbe,
 
gecunnad
 
in
 
ceole
 
cearselda
 
fela,
 
atol
 
ypa
 
gewealc,
 
bar
 
mec
 
oft
 
bigeat
 
nearo
 
nihtwaco
 
at
 
nacan
 
stefnan,
 
bonne
 
he
 
be
 
clifum
 
cnossao.
 
Calde
 
geprungen
 
waron
 
mine
 
fet,
 
forste
 
gebunden
 
caldum
 
clommum,
 
bar
 
ba
 
ceare
 
seofedun
 
hat
 
ymb
 
heortan;
 
hungor
 
innan
 
slat
 
merewerges
 
mod.
 
Pat
 
se
 
mon
 
ne
 
wat
 
pe
 
him
 
on
 
foldan
 
fagrost
 
limped,
 
hu
 
ic
 
earmcearig
 
iscealdne
 
sa
 
winter
 
wunade
 
wraccan
 
lastum,
 
winemægum
 
bidroren,
 
bihongen
 
hrimgicelum;
 
hagl
 
scurum
 
fleag.
 
 
anglo-saxons.net
 
 
 
The
 
Seafarer
 
(Modern
 
English
 
Translation)
 
 
I
 
can
 
speak
 
of
 
my
 
own
 
story,
 
And
 
tell
 
of
 
my
 
journeys—
 
How
 
I
 
have
 
suffered
 
Times
 
of
 
hardship,
 
Bitter
 
sorrows
 
in
 
my
 
heart.
 
I
 
have
 
endured
 
in
 
my
 
ship
 
Many
 
places
 
of
 
sorrow,
 
The
 
cruel
 
waves
 
crashing,
 
Where
 
the
 
night
 
kept
 
me
 
awake,
 
Tossed
 
at
 
the
 
prow
 
of
 
my
 
vessel
 
As
 
cliffs
 
loomed
 
above
 
me.
 
 
My
 
feet
 
were
 
bound
 
in
 
frost,
 
Frozen
 
by
 
the
 
cold.
 
My
 
heart
 
burned
 
with
 
sorrow,
 
Hunger
 
gnawed
 
at
 
my
 
soul.
 
 
The
 
man
 
who
 
lives
 
on
 
land
 
Cannot
 
know
 
how
 
I,
 
Weary
 
and
 
exiled,
 
Spent
 
a
 
winter
 
on
 
the
 
ice-cold
 
sea,
 
Bereft
 
of
 
friends,
 
Hung
 
with
 
icicles,
 
While
 
hailstorms
 
raged.
 
 
(Source:
 
Anglo-Saxons.net,
 
adapted)
 
 
Theme
 
Analysis
 
of
 
the
 
Old
 
English
 
Poems
 
 
These
 
poems
 
have
 
recurring
 
themes
 
that
 
give
 
insight
 
into
 
the
 
Anglo-Saxon
 
worldview—especially
 
their
 
ideas
 
of
 
fate,
 
exile,
 
divine
 
power,
 
and
 
the
 
fragility
 
of
 
human
 
life.
 
 
1.
 
Cædmon’s
 
Hymn
 
–
 
Theme:
 
Divine
 
Creation
 
&
 
Praise
 
 
•
 
This
 
is
 
a
 
religious
 
poem,
 
praising
 
God’s
 
power
 
as
 
the
 
Creator.
 
 
•
 
The
 
structure
 
mirrors
 
Biblical
 
creation
 
stories—God
 
as
 
the
 
architect
 
of
 
the
 
world.
 
 
•
 
Theme:
 
The
 
insignificance
 
of
 
humans
 
in
 
comparison
 
to
 
God’s
 
grand
 
design.
 
 
•
 
Why
 
It
 
Matters:
 
One
 
of
 
the
 
earliest
 
recorded
 
Christian
 
poems
 
in
 
English—showing
 
how
 
Christianity
 
shaped
 
literature
 
in
 
Britain.
 
 
2.
 
The
 
Wanderer
 
–
 
Theme:
 
Isolation,
 
Exile,
 
and
 
the
 
Search
 
for
 
Wisdom
 
 
•
 
The
 
speaker
 
is
 
a
 
warrior
 
who
 
lost
 
his
 
lord
 
and
 
kin,
 
now
 
wandering
 
in
 
loneliness.
 
 
•
 
He
 
mourns
 
the
 
fleeting
 
nature
 
of
 
life,
 
glory,
 
and
 
companionship.
 
 
•
 
Key
 
Line:
 
“Fate
 
is
 
set
 
in
 
stone!”
 
–
 
This
 
highlights
 
the
 
fatalistic
 
Anglo-Saxon
 
belief
 
that
 
destiny
 
is
 
unavoidable
 
(Wyrd).
 
 
•
 
Theme:
 
Loss,
 
nostalgia,
 
and
 
existential
 
sorrow.
 
 
•
 
Why
 
It
 
Matters:
 
It
 
reflects
 
a
 
universal
 
human
 
experience—coping
 
with
 
grief,
 
change,
 
and
 
longing
 
for
 
meaning.
 
 
3.
 
The
 
Seafarer
 
–
 
Theme:
 
The
 
Struggle
 
Between
 
Earthly
 
Life
 
&
 
Spiritual
 
Salvation
 
 
•
 
A
 
sailor
 
speaks
 
of
 
his
 
suffering
 
at
 
sea,
 
emphasizing
 
the
 
harshness
 
of
 
life.
 
 
•
 
He
 
contrasts
 
the
 
comfort
 
of
 
land
 
with
 
the
 
restlessness
 
of
 
the
 
sea—symbolizing
 
spiritual
 
vs.
 
material
 
struggles.
 
 
•
 
Theme:
 
The
 
idea
 
that
 
earthly
 
joys
 
are
 
temporary,
 
and
 
true
 
peace
 
lies
 
in
 
faith
 
and
 
God.
 
 
•
 
Why
 
It
 
Matters:
 
This
 
reflects
 
monastic
 
ideals—leaving
 
behind
 
material
 
pleasures
 
for
 
spiritual
 
enlightenment.
 
 
Connecting
 
the
 
Themes:
 
What
 
They
 
Reveal
 
About
 
Forgotten
 
Literature
 
 
1.
 
Loneliness
 
&
 
Exile
 
–
 
These
 
poems
 
emphasize
 
human
 
isolation,
 
loss,
 
and
 
the
 
struggle
 
for
 
wisdom.
 
 
2.
 
Faith
 
&
 
Fate
 
–
 
There’s
 
a
 
blend
 
of
 
Christian
 
and
 
pagan
 
beliefs—God’s
 
power
 
vs.
 
the
 
unavoidable
 
fate
 
(Wyrd).
 
 
3.
 
The
 
Harshness
 
of
 
Life
 
–
 
Anglo-Saxon
 
poetry
 
is
 
often
 
somber,
 
realistic,
 
and
 
deeply
 
emotional.Theme
 
Analysis
 
of
 
the
 
Old
 
English
 
Poems
 
 
These
 
poems
 
have
 
recurring
 
themes
 
that
 
give
 
insight
 
into
 
the
 
Anglo-Saxon
 
worldview—especially
 
their
 
ideas
 
of
 
fate,
 
exile,
 
divine
 
power,
 
and
 
the
 
fragility
 
of
 
human
 
life.
 
 
1.
 
Cædmon’s
 
Hymn
 
–
 
Theme:
 
Divine
 
Creation
 
&
 
Praise
 
 
•
 
This
 
is
 
a
 
religious
 
poem,
 
praising
 
God’s
 
power
 
as
 
the
 
Creator.
 
 
•
 
The
 
structure
 
mirrors
 
Biblical
 
creation
 
stories—God
 
as
 
the
 
architect
 
of
 
the
 
world.
 
 
•
 
Theme:
 
The
 
insignificance
 
of
 
humans
 
in
 
comparison
 
to
 
God’s
 
grand
 
design.
 
 
•
 
Why
 
It
 
Matters:
 
One
 
of
 
the
 
earliest
 
recorded
 
Christian
 
poems
 
in
 
English—showing
 
how
 
Christianity
 
shaped
 
literature
 
in
 
Britain.
 
 
2.
 
The
 
Wanderer
 
–
 
Theme:
 
Isolation,
 
Exile,
 
and
 
the
 
Search
 
for
 
Wisdom
 
 
•
 
The
 
speaker
 
is
 
a
 
warrior
 
who
 
lost
 
his
 
lord
 
and
 
kin,
 
now
 
wandering
 
in
 
loneliness.
 
 
•
 
He
 
mourns
 
the
 
fleeting
 
nature
 
of
 
life,
 
glory,
 
and
 
companionship.
 
 
•
 
Key
 
Line:
 
“Fate
 
is
 
set
 
in
 
stone!”
 
–
 
This
 
highlights
 
the
 
fatalistic
 
Anglo-Saxon
 
belief
 
that
 
destiny
 
is
 
unavoidable
 
(Wyrd).
 
 
•
 
Theme:
 
Loss,
 
nostalgia,
 
and
 
existential
 
sorrow.
 
 
•
 
Why
 
It
 
Matters:
 
It
 
reflects
 
a
 
universal
 
human
 
experience—coping
 
with
 
grief,
 
change,
 
and
 
longing
 
for
 
meaning.
 
 
3.
 
The
 
Seafarer
 
–
 
Theme:
 
The
 
Struggle
 
Between
 
Earthly
 
Life
 
&
 
Spiritual
 
Salvation
 
 
•
 
A
 
sailor
 
speaks
 
of
 
his
 
suffering
 
at
 
sea,
 
emphasizing
 
the
 
harshness
 
of
 
life.
 
 
•
 
He
 
contrasts
 
the
 
comfort
 
of
 
land
 
with
 
the
 
restlessness
 
of
 
the
 
sea—symbolizing
 
spiritual
 
vs.
 
material
 
struggles.
 
 
•
 
Theme:
 
The
 
idea
 
that
 
earthly
 
joys
 
are
 
temporary,
 
and
 
true
 
peace
 
lies
 
in
 
faith
 
and
 
God.
 
 
•
 
Why
 
It
 
Matters:
 
This
 
reflects
 
monastic
 
ideals—leaving
 
behind
 
material
 
pleasures
 
for
 
spiritual
 
enlightenment.
 
 
Connecting
 
the
 
Themes:
 
What
 
They
 
Reveal
 
About
 
Forgotten
 
Literature
 
 
1.
 
Loneliness
 
&
 
Exile
 
–
 
These
 
poems
 
emphasize
 
human
 
isolation,
 
loss,
 
and
 
the
 
struggle
 
for
 
wisdom.
 
 
2.
 
Faith
 
&
 
Fate
 
–
 
There’s
 
a
 
blend
 
of
 
Christian
 
and
 
pagan
 
beliefs—God’s
 
power
 
vs.
 
the
 
unavoidable
 
fate
 
(Wyrd).
 
 
3.
 
The
 
Harshness
 
of
 
Life
 
–
 
Anglo-Saxon
 
poetry
 
is
 
often
 
somber,
 
realistic,
 
and
 
deeply
 
emotional.