Introduction, ‘The Dream of the Rood’ (700-900 C.E.)

“The Dream of the Rood” is one of the earliest poems in the English language. In the poem, the “Rood” or tree — the cross upon which Christ was crucified — tells the tale of its own suffering. Of course, English was very different during the medieval period. (Many universities offer courses in Old English as if it were a foreign language, teaching students to translate it to modern English!) In order to illustrate the differences between Old English and the tongue we speak in the present day, examine the original introduction alongside several different translations.

Original Text:

Hwæt! Ic swefna cyst secgan wylle,
hwæt me gemætte to midre nihte,
syðþan reordberend reste wunedon!
þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre treow
on lyft lædan, leohte bewunden,
beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs
begoten mid golde. Gimmas stodon
fægere æt foldan sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron
uppe on þam eaxlegespanne.
Beheoldon þær engel dryhtnes ealle,
fægere þurh forðgesceaft.

1882 Translation (Hickey):

Lo, I will tell of the best of dreams, which I dream’d at deep midnight,
When men were lying at rest; meseem’d I saw the blessed Tree,
The loveliest Tree, the Tree most good, uplift and girt with light,
And flooded with gold; and precious gems at its foot were fair to see,
And five bright stones on the shoulter-span shone out full gloriously.

All the fair angels of the Lord gazing beheld it there;
‘Twas not the rood of the sin-steept man, the cross of the ill-doer,
But holy spirits lookt thereon, and men of mortal breath,
And all this mighty universe.

1888 Translation (Moorsom):

Ho, Brethren, list the dream I tell,
The best that e’er to man befell,
How, when the world was hushed to rest,
And men lay still by sleep oppressed,
Amid the visions of the night,
Before me rose a wondrous sight;
I dreamt a Tree of golden light
With radiant splendour glistening bright
Was borne upon the air;
Methought the four arms glimmered bare,
Save that on each a jewel rare
Flamed on the night a ruddy glare;
And five gems clustered, whence they spring,
All ruby-red.
Above my head;
‘Twas thus the Beacon-Ensign hung.

I saw the Fair-Ones in the sky,
With Spirits of the holy dead,
Intent on the mystery;
And all that saintly were — ’tis said —
All who by nobleness were led,
All on our earth
Of heavenly birth,
Cast longing looks on high.

1901 Translation (Garnett):

Lo! Choicest of dreams I will relate.
What dream I dreamt in middle of night
When mortal men reposed in rest.
Methought I saw a wondrous wood
Tower aloft with light bewound.
Brightest of trees; that beacon was all
Begirt with gold; jewels were standing
Four at surface of earth, likewise were there five
Above on the shoulder-brace.
All angels of God beheld it
Fair through future ages;
‘Twas no criminal’s cross indeed,
But holy spirits beheld it there,
Men upon earth, all this glorious creation.

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