Text 2.6 Cædmon’s Hymn
This was a late 7th century composition credited to Cædmon (died c. 680), a lay brother and older
contemporary of Bede. He was said to have been a herdsman and was associated with the monastery
at Streonæshalch (present-day Whitby Abbey). Only the nine lines of this hymn have survived. All the
many versions which are extant are contained in manuscripts of Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica, but
were probably added later. Two versions, a West Saxon and an Anglian, are compared in 2.4.5. and
Text 2.6 in History of English.
We only have Latin writing from Bede (with the possible exception of his five-line Death Song) in OE,
but “Cædmon’s Hymn,” composed in the 7th century and available in a manuscript from 737, gives us
some idea of Anglian usage. The choice of words in the two versions below is identical with the
exception of l.5, which has Anglian scop aelda barnum “created, the High Lord, for men”, but West
Saxon sceop eorðan bearnum “created the earth for men.” (Both the Anglian and the West Saxon
versions vary in themselves between the two readings, cf. Cædmon (2010).) The major differences
are to be found in the vowels. It is widely recognized that West Saxon underwent a process of
diphthongization which does not show up in northern texts. Vowel qualities also seem to have
varied. Some apparent differences are, however, probably only spelling conventions. Since the two
texts come from different regions and from difference times, the variation may be due to either
factor or both. The following table, drawn from material in the texts, is only a selection of the
contrasts to be found in the two versions. Yet despite the differences between the two texts both
share the division of lines into two times two stresses tied together by alliteration.
Note that the translation has been given in a fashion which is intended to remain as close to the
word order of the original as possible. The result is not highly artistic, but may help you to read the
OE version more easily.
Early Anglian (Northumbrian, MS of 737)
Early West Saxon (1st half of 10th century)
Nu scylun hergan
hefænricæs uard,
Nu sculon herigean
Now shall we praise the guardian of the heavenly kingdom,
heofonrices weard,
metudæs maecti
end his modgidanc,
meotodes meahte
The Creator’s power and His conception,
and his modgeþanc,
uerc uuldurfadur,
sue he uundra gihuaes,
weorc wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs,
The work of the Father of Glory, as He of every wonder
eci dryctin,
He aerist scop
or astelidæ.
Eternal Lord, created the beginning.
aelda barnum
He first created, the High Lord; for men (A)
heben til hrofe,
ece drihten,
or onstealde.
He ærest sceop
eorðan bearnum
He first created the earth for men (WS)
haleg scepen;
heofon to hrofe,
Heaven as a roof hallowedly shaping it.
tha middungeard
moncynnæs uard,
Then the earth, mankind’s guardian,
þa middangeard
halig scyppend;
moncynnes weard,
eci dryctin,
æfter tiadæ
ece drihten,
The Eternal Lord, afterwards brought forth
æfter teode
firum foldu,
frea allmectig.
firum foldan,
For man the fields, the Almighty Lord.
frea ælmihtig.
(“Cædmon’s Hymn” T. Jebson (ed.) (1994) at:
www.georgetown.deu/departments/medieval/labyrinth/library/oe/minor-poems.html)
For a comment on Anglian – West Saxon parallel form, see History of English, p. 42.