Sir Gawain & the Green Knight Translations
Original Middle English versionI.
SIÞEN þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye, Þe borȝ brittened and brent to brondeȝ and askez, Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wroȝt Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erthe: (5) Hit watz Ennias þe athel, and his highe kynde, Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome Welneȝe of al þe wele in þe west iles. Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swyþe, With gret bobbaunce þat burȝe he biges vpon fyrst, (10) And neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now hat; Tirius to Tuskan and teldes bigynnes, Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes, And fer ouer þe French flod Felix Brutus On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he settez (15) wyth wynne, Where werre and wrake and wonder Bi syþez hatz wont þerinne, And oft boþe blysse and blunder Ful skete hatz skyfted synne. II. (20) Ande quen þis Bretayn watz bigged bi þis burn rych, Bolde bredden þerinne, baret þat lofden, In mony turned tyme tene þat wroȝten. Mo ferlyes on þis folde han fallen here oft Þen in any oþer þat I wot, syn þat ilk tyme. (25) Bot of alle þat here bult, of Bretaygne kynges, Ay watz Arthur þe hendest, as I haf herde telle. Forþi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, Þat a selly in siȝt summe men hit holden, And an outtrage awenture of Arthurez wonderez. (30) If ȝe wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile, I schal telle hit as-tit, as I in toun herde, with tonge, As hit is stad and stoken In stori stif and stronge, (35) With lel letteres loken, In londe so hatz ben longe. Edited by J. R. R. Tolkein and E. V. Gordon. Copied from Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cme;cc=cme;rgn=main;view=text;idno=Gawain]. 30 July (2015).
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Translated by J. R. R. Tolkein (1965)I.
When the siege and the assault had ceased at Troy, and the fortress fell in flame to firebrands and ashes, the traitor who the contrivance of treason there fashioned was tried for his treachery, the most true upon earth-- (5) it was Æneas the novle and his renowned kindred who then laid under them lands, and lords became of well-nigh all the wealth in the Western Isles. When royal Romulus to Rome his road had taken, in great pomp and pride he peopled it first, (10) and named it with his own name that yet now it bears; Tirius went to Tuscany and towns funded, Langaberde in Lombardy uplifted halls, and far over the French flood Felx Brutus on many a broad bank and brae Britain established (15) full fair, where strange things, strife and sadness, at whiles in the land did fare, and each other grief and gladness oft fast have followed there. II. (20) And when fair Britain was founded by this famous lord, bold men were bred there who in battled rejoiced, and many a time that betid they troubles aroused. In this domain more marvels have by men been seen than in any other that I know of since that olden time; (25) but of all that here abode in Britain as kings ever was Arthur most honoured, as I have heard men tell. Wherefore a marvel among men I mean to recall, a sight strange t see some men have held it, one of the wildest adventures of the wonders of Arthur. (30) If you will listen to this lay but a little while now, I will tell it at once as in town I have heard it told, as it is fixed and fettered in story brave and bold, (35) thus linked and truly lettered, as was loved in this land of old. Copied from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo. Ed. Christopher Tolkein. New York: Ballantine Books, (1975). 30 July (2015).
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Translated by Marie Borroff (1967)I.
Since the siege and the assault was ceased at Troy, The walls breached and burnt down to brands and ashes, The knight that had knotted the nets of deceit Was impeached for his perfidy, proven most true, (5) It was high-born Aeneas and his haughty race That since prevailed over provinces, and proudly reigned Over well-nigh all the wealth of the West Isles. Great Romulus to Rome repairs in haste; With boast and with bravery builds he that city (10) And names it with his own name, that it now bears. Ticius to Tuscany, and towers raises, Langobard in Lombardy lays out homes, And far over the French Sea, Felix Brutus On many broad hills and high Britain he sets, (15) is most fair. Where war and wrack and wonder By shifts have sojourned there, And bliss by turns with blunder In that land's lot had share. II. (20) And since this Britain was built by this baron great, Bold boys bred there, in broils delighting, That did in their day many a deed most dire. More marvels have happened in this merry land Than in any other I know, since that olden time, (25) But of those that here built, of British kings, King Arthur was counted most courteous of all, Wherefore an adventure I aim to unfold, That a marvel of might some men think it, And one unmatched among Arthur's wonders. (30) If you will listen to my lay but a little while, As I heard it in hall, I shall hasten to tell anew. As it was fashioned featly In tale of derring-do, (35) And linked in measures meetly By letters tried and true. Copied from the Norton Anthology of English Literature
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Translated by Jesse Weston (1898; 1900)[Of the making of Britain]
After the siege and the assault of Troy, when that burg was destroyed and burnt to ashes, and the traitor tried for his treason, the noble Æneas and his kin sailed forth to become princes and patrons of well-nigh all the Western Isles. Thus Romulus built Rome (and gave to the city his own name, which it bears even to this day); and Ticius turned him to Tuscany; and Langobard raised him up dwellings in Lombardy; and Felix Brutus sailed far over the French flood, and founded the kingdom of Britain, wherein have been war and waste and wonder, and bliss and bale, ofttimes since. And in that kingdom of Britain have been wrought more gallant deeds than in any other; but of all British kings Arthur was the most valiant, as I have heard tell, therefore will I set forth a wondrous adventure that fell out in his time. And if ye will listen to me, but for a little while, I will tell it even as it stands in story stiff and strong, fixed in the letter, as it hath long been known in the land. Copied from The Camelot Project, a Robbins Library Digital Project, University of Rochester [http://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/text/weston-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight] and from archive.org original text, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-English Arthurian Romance Retold in Modern Prose, by Jesse Laidlay Weston ((1905)) [https://archive.org/details/sirgawainandgre00westgoog].
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