The Translations of Beowulf Part 10

Simrock's translation is commendable for its faithfulness. It is, moreover, a simple and readable version, though in these respects it is not equal to Heyne's rendering which was to follow it; but it was easily superior to Grein's. Yet, in spite of this, the book is not well known among German translations, and has never pa.s.sed into a second edition.

This is surprising when we consider the success of Simrock's previous translations. The partial failure is accounted for by two facts: (1) Simrock's reputation as a scholar was not equal to that of Grein or Heyne, nor had he the advantage of editing the text; (2) the measure which the translation employed has never been popular among readers. No German translation in imitative measures, with the single exception of Grein's (which has made its appeal as a scholarly work and not as a piece of literature), has ever pa.s.sed into a second edition; while versions couched in iambic lines or Nibelungen meters have been reprinted.

[Footnote 1: See supra, p. 37.] [[Ettmuller]]

[Footnote 2: See supra, p. 55.] [[Grein]]

[Footnote 3: See infra, p. 99.] [[Hoffmann]]

[Footnote 4: See supra, p. 56.] [[Grein's Texts]]

HEYNE'S TRANSLATION

Beowulf. Angelsachsisches Heldengedicht ubersetzt von Moritz Heyne.

Paderborn: Druck und Verlag von Ferd. Schoningh, 1863. 12mo, pp. viii, 127.

Zweite Auflage. Paderborn: Schoningh, 1898. 8vo, pp. viii, 134.

Fourth German Translation. Iambic Pentameter.

_Heyne._

The name of Moritz Heyne is one of the most ill.u.s.trious in the history of Beowulf scholars.h.i.+p. The Heyne editions of the text[1] have been standard for nearly forty years, while the translation has been recently reprinted (1898). Beside his work on the _Beowulf_, this scholar was to become prominent as editor of the _Heliand_ and of _Ulfilas_, and as one of the staff appointed to complete Grimm's Dictionary.

At the time when he printed his edition of the _Beowulf,_ Heyne was a student at Halle, and but twenty-six years of age (born 1837)[2]. In his work he had some a.s.sistance from Professor Leo[3] of Halle.

_Relation of Text and Translation._

The translation was founded on the text of 1863. At the time it was by far the best edition that had yet appeared. It was furnished with an excellent glossary. The text had the advantage of the valuable work done by Grundtvig[4] in collating the two transcripts made by Thorkelin[5].

It thus came a stage nearer the MS. readings than any other existing edition, while it avoided the unnecessary conjectures of the Danish editor.

Heyne's text having been five times re-edited, the first edition of the translation often fails to conform to readings which have been introduced into the text in later editions; but the free nature of the translation makes this of no great importance.

_Differences between the First and Second Editions of the Translation._

The differences between the two editions are not of much importance. The translation is in general, though not always, brought up to the late editions of the text, and some changes are made for the improvement of the meter.

The first edition contains 3201 lines; the second 3207. The theory and aim of the translation are not changed at all.

_Aim of Heyne's Translation._

In this translation of the _Beowulf_, Heyne attempts to popularize what he considers the most beautiful of the Old English poems. He says of it--

'Es ist nicht die erste, die ich biete; gleichwol hoffe ich es werde die erste sein, die auch einem grossern Public.u.m, das noch nicht Gelegenheit hatte, sich mit den altern Dialecten unserer Sprache zu beschaftigen, verstandlich ist. Die altern deutschen Uebersetzer haben, bei allen Verdiensten ihrer Arbeit, unserer neuhochdeutschen Muttersprache teilweise ubel mitgespielt.'

--Vorwort, iii.

With this in view, Heyne put his translation out in a form that would make it accessible to all. This was in itself an innovation. The works of Ettmuller[6] and Simrock[7] had been in a more elaborate _format_, while Grein's translation[8] was not only expensive, but enc.u.mbered with other work, and intended primarily for the scholar.

_Nature of the Translation._

Heyne chose a new medium for his version, the unrimed iambic line. His aim being to get his book read, he avoided a literal translation, and rendered with commendable freedom, though not with inaccuracy. He used no strange compounds, and shunned an unnatural verse. Thus he produced the most readable translation that has ever appeared in Germany. Of his own attempt he says--

'Die vorliegende Uebertragung ist so frei, da.s.s sie das fur uns schwer oder gar nicht genau nachzubildende allitterierende Versma.s.s des Originals gegen funffussige Jamben aufgibt, und zu Gunsten des Sinnes sich der angelsachsischen Wort- und Satzstellung nicht zu angstlich anschmiegt; dagegen auch wieder so genau, da.s.s sie hoffentlich ein Scherflein zum vollkommenern Verstandniss des Textes beitragen wird.' --Vorwort, iii.

Heyne's theory of translation is one that has been very little in vogue in Germany. He has been criticized on all sides for his freedom. Yet the criticism is undeserved. Heyne is never paraphrastic--he never adds anything foreign to the poem. He merely believes in translating the obscure as well as the simple ideas of his text. His 'freedom' seldom amounts to more than this--

He beot ne aleh, l. 80 (he belied not his promise) Was er gelobt, erfullt er.

He occasionally inserts a word for metrical reasons, and sometimes, in the interests of clearness, a demonstrative or personal p.r.o.noun, or even a proper name (cf. l. 500 of the extract).

EXTRACT.

IX.

Da sagte Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn, der Hrodgar 500 zu Fussen sa.s.s, dem Herrn der Schildinge, des Streites Siegel loste er (denn sehr war Beowulfes Ankunft ihm verha.s.st, des kuhnen Meerbefahrers; er vergonnte es Niemand, mehr des Ruhmes als er selber 505 sich unterm Himmel jemals zu erwerben): 'Bist du der Beowulf, der einst mit Breca sich auf der weiten See im Schwimmkampf ma.s.s, als ihr euch kuhnlich in die Tiefen sturztet, und mit verwegnem Brusten euer Leben 510 im tiefen Wa.s.ser wagtet? Niemand konnte, nicht Freund, nicht Feind, des muhevollen Weges euch hindern. Da schwammt ihr hinaus in See, wo ihr die wilde Flut mit Armen decktet, des Wa.s.sers Stra.s.sen ma.s.set und die Hande 515 die Wogen werfen liesst; so glittet ihr hin ubers Meer. Die winterlichen Wellen, sie giengen hoch. Der Tage sieben muhtet ihr euch im Wa.s.ser: jener uberwand dich im Schwimmen, denn er hatte grossre Kraft. 520 Da trug die Hochflut ihn zur Morgenzeit auf zu den Hadoramen, von wo aus er, der seinem Volke liebe, seinen Erbsitz im Land der Brandinge, die schone Burg erreichte. Dort besa.s.s er Land und Leute 525 und Schatze. Was er gegen dich gelobt, das hatte Beanstans Sohn furwahr erfullt.'

The extract ill.u.s.trates sufficiently the characteristics of Heyne's rendering. In the first place, attention may be called to the extreme freedom of the verse, a freedom which at times makes the composition verge upon prose. In the second place, the translation of the Old English phrase _beadu-runen onband_ should be noticed, and compared with the translations of Ettmuller, Grein, and Simrock, who have respectively--

_entband beadurunen_ _entband Streitrunen_ _Kampfrunen ... entbinden._

Heyne is the only one who translates the phrase in such a way as to make the words intelligible to a reader unacquainted with Old English.

Finally, it should be noticed that the translation is quite as accurate as those which preceded it. Heyne certainly succeeded in his attempt to make the poem more intelligible to the general reader than it had ever been before. While not so serviceable to the scholar as Grein's translation, it is undoubtedly the most enjoyable of the German versions.

[Footnote 1: There have been six--1863, 1868, 1873, 1879, 1888, 1898; the last two are by Dr. Adolf Socin.]

[Footnote 2: Heyne is at present Professor in the University of Gottingen.]

[Footnote 3: See infra, p. 121.] [[Leo]]

[Footnote 4: In _Beowulfs Beorh_. See also supra, p. 22.]

[Footnote 5: See supra, p. 16.] [[Thorkelin]]

[Footnote 6: See supra, p. 37.] [[Ettmuller]]

[Footnote 7: See supra, p. 59.] [[Simrock]]

[Footnote 8: See supra, p. 55.] [[Grein]]