Due to other university related obligations I have recently had to neglect my blogs. The following short continuation of my Beowulf translation was particularly tricky, because the received text as normally published does not match the manuscript, due to the efforts of over-zealous editors. In the manuscript, no name is given for Halfdane's daughter. Neither is her husband's name written as Onela. Rather, it is clearly written as Elan, which I have translated as Alan, which, if read as it would be in English, is a strategy which at least makes the rhythmic structure of the original name clear.
Canto II: The aftermath
Stanza 1: Shild's descendants
In his fortress then, of Danes,
the Wulf, the well loved ruler,
long among the peoples his fame ran, but
fathering elsewere passed this earthly prince,
until there then was born the high Halfdane,
who ruled long years and fiercely.
Nobly Danish did he live.
His! Four his children had he,
this order being born him:
Heerger, leader of armies,
and Rothgar and Halga good.
Heard I, too, of Alan's queen,
battle Shilving's good bed-fellow.
