The Last Voyage of Scyld of the Sheaf
The Old English epic ‘Beowulf’ tells how Scyld, beloved King of the Danes, was committed to the ocean at his death — just as he had been at his birth.
?700s
The Old English epic ‘Beowulf’ tells how Scyld, beloved King of the Danes, was committed to the ocean at his death — just as he had been at his birth.
?700s
This post is number 1 in the series Scenes from ‘Beowulf’
The poem Beowulf opens with the death of Scyld, King of the Danes. Scyld had not been born to the crown: the Danes had found him lying in a boat, a helpless infant bedded upon wheat-sheaves. Yet he had risen to govern the people like a beloved father, and when he died in great age his mourning subjects, knowing his mind, with reverence cast Scyld adrift once more upon the retreating tide.
freely translated by Zénaïde Ragozin (1835-1924)
AS for Scyld,* he departed, in the fulness of time, ripe in honours and years, to go into the Master’s keeping. His faithful comrades then carried him forth to the shore of the sea, as he himself had ordered. The black, heavy earth should have no part in him; the sea had brought him, the ever-moving, many-hued; the sea should bear him hence, after his long years of power.*
There at anchor rode the ship, glistening fresh, outward bound, fit for a prince. Down they laid their illustrious dead, the dear chief of the land, dispenser of bounties, on the lap of the ship, by the mast. There was great store of precious things ornaments from remote parts, weapons of rare worth, mail armour finely wrought, and harness glittering in silver and in gold; a multitude of treasures, which were to pass with him far away into the watery realm.
* ‘Scyld’ is the Old English word for a shield, and pronounced in much the same way.
* The tale of Scyld’s mysterious coming to the Danes was retold by William of Malmesbury (?1095-?1143) in his Deeds of the Kings of the English II.12. “Sceldi, son of Sceaf, as some affirm, was driven on a certain island in Germany, called Scandza, a little boy in a skiff, without any attendant, asleep, with a handful of corn at his head, whence he was called Sceaf [sheaf]; and, on account of his singular appearance, being well received by the men of that country, and carefully educated, in his riper age he reigned in a town which was called Slaswic, but at present Haitheby; which country, called old Anglia, whence the Angles came into Britain, is situated between the Saxons and the Goths.” ‘Scandza’ is the name from which we derive Scandinavia, and was imagined to be a large island; Slaswic is Schleswig (now part of Germany), and Hedeby or Haithebu lies less than two miles to the south.
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
What was the dying request of King Skyld to his subjects?
He asked to be buried at sea.
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
A ship landed. The Danes found only a baby in it. They called him Skyld.
See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.
IName. IINobody. IIIWash.