A. Weland(1) knew fully(2) affliction and woe Hero unflinching(3) enduring distress;(4) Had for companionship heart-break and longing,(5) Wintry exile and anguish of soul, When Nithad bound him, the better man, 5 Constrained him with sinewy bonds.(6)

That evil ended. (7) So also may this!

Nor was brother's death to Beadohild A sorrow as deep as her own sad plight, (8) When she knew the weight of the child in her womb, 10 But little could know what her lot might be.

That evil ended. (9) So also may this!

Many have heard of the rape (10) of Hild, (11) Of her father's affection and infinite love, Whose nights were sleepless with sorrow and grief. 15

That evil ended. So also may this!

For thirty winters Theodoric (12) held, As many have known, the Maering's stronghold.

That evil ended. So also may this!

We have heard of Eormanric's(13) wolf-like ways, 20 Widely ruling the realm of the Goths;(14) Grim was his menace, and many a man, Weighted with sorrow and presage of woe, Wished that the end of his kingdom were come.

That evil ended. So also may this! 25

He who knows sorrow, despoiled of joys, Sits heavy of mood; to his heart it seemeth (15)

His measure of misery meeteth(16) no end. Yet well may he think how oft(17) in this world The wise Lord varies His ways to men, 30 Granting wealth and honor(18) to many an eorl,(19) To others awarding a burden(20) of woe.(21)

And so I can sing of my own sad plight(22) Who long stood high as the Heodenings'(23) bard, Deor my name, dear to my lord. 35 Mild was my service for many a winter, Kindly my king till Heorrenda(24) came Skillful in song and usurping the land-right(25) Which once my gracious lord granted to me.

That evil ended. So also may this! 40

(Late 9th century. Translated by C. W. Kennedy, An Anthology of Old English Poetry, 1960)

Notes

1. Weland: (Wayland or Welund): the name means "maker" or "workman," the smith of Germanic legend, a supernatural being corresponding to the Vulcan of classical mythology. He had been captured by Nithhad, set to work, and made lame to prevent his escape. Nevertheless he managed to escape, killed two sons of Nithhad and raped his daughter Beadohild. 2. fully: completely. 3. unflinching: constant. 4. distress: sadness, sorrow, dejection. 5. longing: wish, nostalgia, yearning. 6. sinewy bonds: bonds imposed by cutting the sinews (sinew: ligament, tendon) . 7. That evil ended: Weland escaped (by flying, in one form of the story). 8. plight: condition, predicament. 9. That evil ended: The poet refers this consideration to Beadohild. In fact, as a result of the rape, Beadohild bore the hero Widia. The poet considers that to be the mother of a hero is sufficient compensation for her. 10. rape: sexual seduction, abuse. 11. Hild: Beadohild. 12. Theodoric: (probably) Theodoric the Great, 454-526, king of the Ostrogoths, lord of Italy, or Theodoric the Frank, who also suffered exile and defeat. The poet narrates he spent thirty years in exile. 13. Eormanric: He is the historical Eormanric, or Ermanric, king of the Ostrogoths, who died about 375, having made himself ruler from the Baltic to the Black Sea; later legend made hoim a cruel tyrant. 14. Goths: The Ostrogoths, who originated in southern Russia and held Italy during the late fifth and early sixth century. 15. seemeth: (archaic) seems. 16. meeteth: (archaic) meets. 17. oft: (archaic) often. 18. honor: honour. 19. eorl: it means either a nobleman, man of the upper class (as it does her), or a warrior.

20. burden: a heavy load. 21. woe: (archaic) affliction, bitter grief, distress. 22. plight: an unfortunate condition or state. 23. Heodenings: ruling family, descended from Heoden. 24. Heorrenda: a bard we know nothing of. 25. land-right: estate granted to Deor as a reward for his poetry.

B. Welund†1 knew wretchedness among the wyrm-like folk, The dauntless earl endured his travails, had sorrow and longing for company, and wretchness winter-cold; he oft found woe, Once Nithhad laid yokes of bondage upon him, supple sinew-bounds on a better man. That too did pass; so shall this. To Beadohilde, her brothers' death did not sore her soul so, as did the matter of her own self, for she was full aware that she was with child; not ever did she feel [all too] sound about how that would turn out. That too did pass; so shall this. The woes of Mathilde†2 we heard much of, The wife of Geat's woes, which countless were, how in her cares of sorrow, she was robbed of all sleep, That too did pass; so shall this. Theodric†3 held for thirty winters the Maring-burg's fort, beknownst to many. That too did pass; so shall this. We have learned of Ermanrik's†4 wolf-like thoughts; ruled his folk far and wide within the realm of the Goths; a grim king was he. Many men were beset by sorrow, woes to be expected, often fancying that the kingdom be overcome.

That too did pass; so shall this. There sits a sorrow-laden man, forsaken by luck. He grows gloomy in his mind and thinks of himself that his share of troubles may be endless. He can then consider that throughout this world the wise Lord often brings about change to many a man, he shows him grace and certain fame; and to some a share of woes. I wish to say this about myself: That for a time I was the Heodenings'†5 gleeman, dear to my lord - my name was "Deor"†6. For many years I held a comfortable station. And he was an obliging lord to me, but til now, when Heorrenda, the man skilled in song, has received the estate which the guardian of earls once granted me. That too did pass; so shall this. Footnotes:

†1 King Niðhad(ON Níðuð(r), Níðað(r), Niðung(r), etc.)'s mistreatment of the wonder-smith Welund(Weland, Wayland, Wieland, Volundur, Völund, etc.) as well as his vendetta (descirbed in the next stanza) where Welund slays the kings young princes and impregnates his daughter Beadohilde (Bothvild, etc.) is found in the "Lay of Volund (Volundarkvida) which is collected in the Norse Poetic Edda. A more elaborate tale is told in the prose Thidrekssaga. According to the lay, Volund is not bound by "a cord of sinew/nerf", but rather he is bound by a cord of bast (made from the bark of linden trees), then has the sinews of his leg hamstrung to deprive him of the ability to walk. In the Thidrekssaga Velent(Welund) is called a jarl, which could be an "earl" which could mean either a nobleman second in rank to the king, or more vaguely any noble, highborn man, or warrior.

†2Nothing remains to elaborate on what the tale of this Mathilde might have been. Geat may perhaps be a legendary founder of the Goths. In some translations (Conway), Mathilde's sorrows is attributed to her king's obssessive love for her.

† 3Theodoric (Ger. Dietrich) was king of Berne but lived in exile at the court of Attila(Etzel) for the length of 30 years. The number of years matches that of the elder Hildebrandslied, where master Hildebrand, a loyal follower of Theodoric has spent "sixty seasons counting summers and winters" as an expatriot. The identity of "Mæring Burg" is uncertain, but Rydberg in Germanic Myths Ch. 43 has made an attempt at decoding it. Some translations (Conway) construe it as a Merovingian city.

†4 In lore, Ermanrich is the uncle of Theodoric mentioned above, and the very one who drove him out of Bern. As to his cruelty, an anecdote of him having a certain woman drawn and quartered (or trampled to

death) by horses, then to be avenged by the woman's siblings is mentioned by Jordanes in his Getica (History of the Goths), and in the Poetic Edda, the story occurs in which the slain woman in question is Sigurd and Gudrun's daughter named Svanhild.

†5 The Heodenings indicates a clan whose founder or leader was named Heoden. This corresponds to Heðinn in Old Norse, the Prose Edda, Skáldskaparmál, Ch. 49 relates the strife of the "Hjadnings" (ONHjaðninga), in which King Hedinn(ON Heðinn) [i.e. AS Heoden ] makes away with Högni's daughter Hildr to make her his wife. This brings about a colossal an everlasting war in which Högni wields the sword Dáinsleif to vanquishes the entire opposing army during the span of the day, but Hildr invokes magic to revive them all by night. The same episode is also told in "Sorli's Thattur" (or The Saga of Hedin and Hogni. The Middle High German hero-epic Kudrun is also significantly altered remake of this tale, in which King Hettel (MHG Hetele) dispatches his men (Wate, Horant, etc.) to obtain the hand of Hild, the daughter of Hagen. (cf. notes to Deor Ben Slade's site, under "Supplementary Texts").

†6 The reason it is in the past tense, viz., "I have been called Deor" is that this is a wry pun meaning that he had been "dear" to his lord at one time. It is a sarcastic reference about falling out of favor. From the AS word deor meaning "animal, beast" derives the modern English word, "deer".

†7 Heorrenda appears as Hjarrandi in the Old Norse Skáldskaparmál, , ch. 49, of the Prose Edda, where he is the father of King Heðinn (mentioned in notes †5 ). And in "Sorli's Thattur" (or The Saga of Hedin and Hogni, Hjarrandi is said to rule Serkland(= a nation in N. Africa?). In the Middle High German epic-poem Kudrun, Horant (MHG. Hôrant) (cf. the notes to Deor Ben Slade's site, under "Supplementary Texts").

C. Welund tasted misery among snakes. The stout-hearted hero endured troubles had sorrow and longing as his companions cruelty cold as winter - he often found woe 5 Once Nithad laid restraints on him, supple sinew-bonds on the better man. That went by; so can this. To Beadohilde, her brothers' death was not so painful to her heart as her own problem 10 which she had readily perceived that she was pregnant; nor could she ever foresee without fear how things would turn out. That went by, so can this.

We have learnt of the laments of Mathild, 15 of Geat's lady, that they became countless so that the painful passion took away all sleep. That went by, so can this. For thirty years Theodric possessed the Maring's stronghold; that was known to many. 20 That went by, so can this. We have heard of Eormanric's wolfish mind; he ruled men in many places in the Goths' realm - that was a grim king. Many a man sat surrounded by sorrows, 25 misery his expectation, he often wished that the kingdom would be overcome. That went by, so may this. A heavy-hearted man sits deprived of luck. He grows gloomy in his mind and thinks of himself 30 that his share of troubles may be endless. He can then consider that throughout this world the wise Lord often brings about change to many a man, he shows him grace and certain fame; and to some a share of woes. 35 I wish to say this about myself: That for a time I was the Heodenings' poet, dear to my lord - my name was "Deor". For many years I had a profitable position, a loyal lord until now that Heorrenda, 40 the man skilled in song, has received the estate which the warriors' guardian had given to me. That went by, so can this. Translated by Steve Pollington

D. I

Wayland learned bitterly banishment’s ways, earl right resolute; ills endured; had for comrades Care and Longing,

winter-cold wanderings; woe oft suffered when Nithhad forged the fetters on him,

bending bonds on a better man. That he surmounted: so this may I!

II

Beaduhild mourned her brother’s death less sore in soul than herself dismayed when her plight was plainly placed before her, — birth of a bairn. No brave resolve might she ever make, what the end should be. That she surmounted: so this may I!

III

We have heard from many of Hild’s disgrace, heroes of Geat were homeless made till sorrow stole their sleep away. That he surmounted: so this may I!

IV

Theodric waited for thirty winters in Merings’ burg: to many ’twas known. That he surmounted: so this may I!

V

We have often heard of Eormanric, his wolfish mind; wide was his rule o’er realms of Goths: a grim king he! Sat many a subject sorrow-bound, waiting but woe, and wished full sore that the time of the king might come to end. That they surmounted: so this may I!

VI

— Sitteth one sorrowful, severed from joys; all’s dark in his soul; he deems for him endless ever the anguish-time! Yet let him think that through this world the wise God all awards with difference,

on many an earl great honor lays, wealth at will, but woe on others. — To say of myself the story now, I was singer erewhile to sons-of-Heoden, dear to my master, Deor my name. Long were the winters my lord was kind; I was happy with clansmen; till Heorrenda now by grace of his lays has gained the land which the haven-of-heroes erewhile gave me. That he surmounted: so this may I!

E. Weland knew the agony of exile. That indomitable smith was wracked by grief. He endured countless troubles: sorrows were his only companions in his frozen island dungeon after Nithad had fettered him, many strong-but-supple sinew-bonds binding the better man. That passed away; this also may. Beadohild mourned her brothers' deaths but even more, her own sad state once she discovered herself with child. She predicted nothing good could come of it. That passed away; this also may. We have heard that the Geat's moans for Matilda, his lady, were limitless, that his sorrowful love for her robbed him of regretless sleep. That passed away; this also may. For thirty winters Theodric ruled the Mæring stronghold with an iron hand; many knew this and moaned. That passed away; this also may.

We have also heard of Ermanaric's wolfish ways, of how he held wide sway in the realm of the Goths. He was a grim king! Many a warrior sat, full of cares and maladies of the mind, wishing constantly that his kingdom might be overthrown. That passed away; this also may. If a man sits long enough, sorrowful and anxious, bereft of joy, his mind constantly darkening, soon it seems to him that his troubles are endless. Then he must consider that the wise Lord often moves through the earth granting some men honor, glory and fame, but others only shame and hardship. This I will say for myself: that for a while I was the Heodeninga's scop, dear to my lord. My name was Deor. For many winters I held a fine office, faithfully serving a just lord. But now Heorrenda a man skilful in songs, has received the estate the protector of warriors gave me. That passed away; this also may.

A loose Modern English translation of the Old English/Anglo Saxon poem, by Michael R. Burch, is followed by footnotes and translator's comments.

Footnotes It seems that the scop (poet) Deor, by linking various heroes and heroines of the past to his own plight, may hope to cause his present problems to pass away just as theirs once did. The poem may be a spell or charm of sorts. "Deor's Lament" is one of the first Old English poems to employ a refrain, which it does quite effectively. It was found in the Exeter Book, which has been dated to around 960-990 AD. The poem might, of course, be older than the book itself, as many ancient poems were passed down orally for generations before they were finally written down. Weland/Welund is better known today as Wayland the Smith. (Beowulf's armor was said to have been fashioned by Weland.) According to an ancient Norse poem, Völundarkviða, Weland and his two brothers came upon three swan-maidens on a lake's shore, fell in love with them, and lived with them happily for seven years, until the swan-maidens flew away. His brothers left, but Weland stayed and

turned to smithing, fashioning beautiful golden rings for the day of his swan-wife's return. King Nithuthr, hearing of this, took Weland captive, hamstrung him to keep him prisoner, and kept him enslaved on an island, forging fine things. Weland took revenge by killing Nithuthr's two sons and getting his daughter Beadohild pregnant. Finally Weland fashioned wings and flew away. Maethhild (Matilda) and Geat (or "the Geat") are known to us from Scandianavian ballads. Magnild (Maethhild) was distressed because she foresaw that she would drown in a river. Gauti (Geat) replied that he would build a bridge over the river, but she responds that no one can flee fate. Sure enough, she drowns. Gauti calls for his harp, and, like a Germanic Orpheus, plays so well that her body rises out of the waters. In one version she returns alive; in a darker version she is dead, but Gauti buries her properly and makes new harpstrings from her hair. The Theodoric who ruled the Maerings for thirty years may have to be puzzled out. A ninth-century rune notes that nine generations prior a Theodric, lord of the Maerings, landed in Geatland and was killed there. In the early sixth century there was a Frankish king called Theoderic. But the connections seem tenuous, at best. Perhaps the thirty year rule is a clue to consider the Ostrogoth Theodoric, born around 451. He ruled Italy for around thirty years, until 526. Toward the end of his reign Theodoric, then in his seventies, named his infant grandson heir. There were rumours that members of his court were conspiring against his chosen successor. Furthermore, the Catholic church was opposing the Arian Theodoric. As a result of these tensions, several leading senators were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, including Boethius. It was while he was imprisoned and awaiting execution that Boethius wrote his famous Consolation of Philosophy. Theodoric's final years were unfortunately marked by suspicion and distrust, so he may be the ruler referred to by Deor. Eormenric was another king of the Ostrogoths who died in about 375; according to Ammianus Marcellinus, he killed himself out of fear of the invading Huns. According to other Old Norse Eddic poems (Guðrúnarhvöt and Hamðismál, Iormunrekkr), Eormenric had his wife Svannhildr trampled by horses because he suspected her of sleeping with his son. So he might qualify as a "grim king" with "wolfish ways." Deor has left no trace of himself, other than this poem. Heorrenda appears as Horant in a thirteenth century German epic Kudrun. It was said that Horant sang so sweetly that birds fell silent at his song, and fish and animals in the wood fell motionless. That would indeed make him a formidable opponent for the scop Deor. What does the refrain "Thaes ofereode, thisses swa maeg" mean? Perhaps something like, "It was overcome in this way, and so it might be overcome in another respect also." The refrain is ambiguous: perhaps the speaker believes things will work out the same way or perhaps he is merely suggesting that things might work out for the best. Or perhaps he is being ironical.

F.

Weland for his skill suffered exile, the strong-willed hero had hardships to bear, had as his companions pain and sorrow, winter-cold exile, and endless griefs,

5 from the time that Nithhad tied him in fetters, breaking the hamstrings of a better man. That passed over; and so may this.

Beaduhild grieved less for her brothers' deaths than she grieved in her heart for her own hard fate,

10 when it became clear she was carrying a child; she could not foresee the uncertain future or tell if her troubles would turn out well. That passed over; and so may this.

We have heard of the misery that Maethhild felt 15 who was wife to Geat, how it grew yet deeper

When her sleep was stolen by sorrowful love. That passed over; and so may this.

Theodoric ruled for thirty years the Maerings’ stronghold; many knew that.

20 That passed over; and so may this.

We have heard too of the wolvish temper Ermanaric had, who mastered the lands of the Gothic kingdom; he was a cruel lord. Wrapped in sorrow and sad at heart,

25 Many an armed man often wanted Ermanaric's kingdom to come to grief. That passed over; and so may this.

A man sits restless, bereaved of joys, feels sick at heart, secretly thinks

30 that his share of hardships is over-large. He may then reflect that through this world God in his wisdom goes on his way; a gift of grace he gives to many, assurance of glory, but grief to some.

35 I will tell you something true of myself:

the Heodenings employed me as poet [scop] for a time, I was dear to my lord, and Deor was my name.

For many years I held a high-ranking post, acknowledged by my master, but now Heorrenda,

40 a man skilled in song, is assigned the lands the protector of fighters gave first to me. That passed over; and so may this.

G. Weland, from serpents, experienced misery,

the resolute warrior, he endured hardships,

had as companions to him, sorrow and longing,

wintry-cold exile, he often found woes

5 after Nithhad upon him laid a compulsion,

supple bounds on sinew on a better man.

As that passed away, so may this.

For Beadohild was not her brothers' death

in her mind so grievous as her own condition,

10 that she clearly had seen

that she was swollen with child; she could never

think confidently what must (be done) about that.

As that passed away, so may this.

That for Maethhild, of us many have heard

15 that boundless became Geat's desire,

that him this sad love entirely deprived of sleep.

As that passed away, so may this.

Theodric held for thirty winters

the stronghold of the Maerings; that was known to many.

20 As that passed away, so may this.

We learned of Eormanric's

wolfish mind; he ruled people far and wide

in the kingdom of the Goths. That was a savage king.

Many a warrior sat, bound in sorrows,

25 expecting woe, often wished

that his kingdom would be overcome.

As that passed away, so may this.

A man sits sorrowful, bereft of joys,

in his soul it grows dark, it seems to him

30 that endless is his portion of sufferings.

He may then think that throughout this world

the wise Lord often makes changes,

to many men honours are shown,

true fame, to some a portion of woe.

35 This of my self I wish to say--

that for a time I was the gleeman of the Heodenings,

dear to my lord. 'Deor' was my name;

I had for many winters a good employment,

a gracious lord, until now Heorrenda,

40 a song-skilled man, received the land-rights

that to me the protector of earls had given before.

As that passed away, so may this.

Modern English translation by Prof. Robert Fulk.

H. Welund tasted misery among snakes. The stout-hearted hero endured troubles had sorrow and longing as his companions cruelty cold as winter - he often found woe Once Nithad laid restraints on him, supple sinew-bonds on the better man. That went by; so can this.

To Beadohilde, her brothers' death was not so painful to her heart as her own problem which she had readily perceived that she was pregnant; nor could she ever foresee without fear how things would turn out. That went by, so can this.

We have learnt of the laments of Mathild, of Geat's lady, that they became countless so that the painful passion took away all sleep. That went by, so can this.

For thirty years Theodric possessed the Maring's stronghold; that was known to many. That went by, so can this.

We have heard of Eormanric's wolfish mind; he ruled men in many places in the Goths' realm - that was a grim king. Many a man sat surrounded by sorrows, misery his expectation, he often wished that the kingdom would be overcome. That went by, so may this.

A heavy-hearted man sits deprived of luck. He grows gloomy in his mind and thinks of himself that his share of troubles may be endless. He can then consider that throughout this world the wise Lord often brings about change to many a man, he shows him grace and certain fame; and to some a share of woes.

I wish to say this about myself: That for a time I was the Heodenings' poet, dear to my lord - my name was "Deor". For many years I had a profitable position, a loyal lord until now that Heorrenda, the man skilled in song, has received the estate which the warriors' guardian had given to me. That went by, so can this.

Modern English translation by Steve Pollington. Published in Wiðowinde 100.