Tuesday 12 August 2014

Byrhtnoth's last words


That Byrhtnoth's words we as Danegeld yield
While yet, too fully, we possess the field
With Hearts for bellows, cold steel to fire
Minds for iron, fellows, mine but ire

Envoi-                                             Prince! Dike polupoinos means, in essence,
Heed mounts as deed lessens
Notes
Byrhtnoth's famous last words:
Hige sceal þe heardra,     heorte the cenre,
mod sceal þe mare,     þe ure mægen lytlað. (312'13)
[Thought must be the harder, heart be the keener,
mind must be the greater, while our strength lessens.]

Dike Polupoinos- 'much avenging Justice' which guards the paths of Night and Day. (Parmenides)

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