Exeter Riddle 20
MEGANCAVELL
Date: Tue 25 Mar 2014Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Exeter Riddle 20
Ic eom wunderlicu wiht, on gewin sceapen,
frean minum leof, fægre gegyrwed.
Byrne is min bleofag, swylce beorht seomað
wir ymb þone wælgim þe me waldend geaf,
5 se me widgalum wisað hwilum
sylfum to sace. Þonne ic sinc wege
þurh hlutterne dæg, hondweorc smiþa,
gold ofer geardas. Oft ic gæstberend
cwelle compwæpnum. Cyning mec gyrweð
10 since ond seolfre ond mec on sele weorþað;
ne wyrneð wordlofes, wisan mæneð
mine for mengo, þær hy meodu drincað,
healdeð mec on heaþore, hwilum læteð eft
radwerigne on gerum sceacan,
15 orlegfromne. Oft ic oþrum scod
frecne æt his freonde; fah eom ic wide,
wæpnum awyrged. Ic me wenan ne þearf
þæt me bearn wræce on bonan feore,
gif me gromra hwylc guþe genægeð;
20 ne weorþeð sio mægburg gemicledu
eaforan minum þe ic æfter woc,
nymþe ic hlafordleas hweorfan mote
from þam healdende þe me hringas geaf.
Me bið forð witod, gif ic frean hyre,
25 guþe fremme, swa ic gien dyde
minum þeodne on þonc, þæt ic þolian sceal
bearngestreona. Ic wiþ bryde ne mot
hæmed habban, ac me þæs hyhtplegan
geno wyrneð, se mec geara on
30 bende legde; forþon ic brucan sceal
on hagostealde hæleþa gestreona.
Oft ic wirum dol wife abelge,
wonie hyre willan; heo me wom spreceð,
floceð hyre folmum, firenaþ mec wordum,
35 ungod gæleð. Ic ne gyme þæs compes…
I am a marvelous creature, shaped for battle,
dear to my lord, beautifully clothed.
My mail-coat is particoloured, likewise bright wire
stands about the slaughter-gem that my ruler gave me,
5 he who sometimes directs me,
wandering widely, to battle. Then I carry treasure,
throughout the clear day, the handiwork of smiths,
gold in the courtyards. Often I kill
soul-bearers with battle-weapons. The king clothes me
10 with treasure and silver and honours me in the hall;
he does not withhold words of praise, proclaims my nature
to the company, where they drink mead,
he holds me in confinement, sometimes he allows me again,
travel-weary, to hasten unrestricted,
15 battle-bold. I often injured another,
fierce to a friend; I am widely hostile,
accursed among weapons. I do not need to expect
that a son should avenge me on the life of my killer
if a certain enemy should attack me in battle,
20 nor will the race into which I was born
become increased by my children
unless I may turn lord-less
from the protector who gave me rings.
Hence it is certain for me, if I obey my lord,
25 take part in battle, as I have already done
for my lord’s satisfaction, that I must forfeit
the wealth of descendants. I must not be intimate
with a bride, but he now denies me
that pleasant play, who earlier
30 laid bonds upon me; therefore I must enjoy
the treasure of warriors in celibacy.
Often I, foolish in wires, infuriate a woman,
frustrate her wish; she speaks terribly to me,
strikes me with her hands, reviles me with words,
cries unkindness. I do not care for that conflict…
Notes:
This riddle appears on folios 105r-105v of The Exeter Book.
The above Old English text is based on this edition: Elliott van Kirk Dobbie and George Philip Krapp, eds, The Exeter Book, Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records 3 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1936), pages 190-1.
Note that this edition numbers the text Riddle 18: Craig Williamson, ed., The Old English Riddles of the Exeter Book (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1977), pages 78-80.
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