Many of the riddles in the exeter book bear this out and i am indebted to michael alexander, and his excellent pocket translation of anglosaxon verse, the earliest english poems penguin classics, for this observation. Feb 12, 2017 relaxing piano music 247, sleep music, beautiful piano music, meditation, sleep, study, relax yellow brick cinema relaxing music 3,152 watching live now. The riddler pokes fun at the pedantic worm, transformed into wordwolf or midnight marauder, who devours the substance without the spirit. The original exeter book resides in you guessed it exeter castle in the united kingdom. Relaxing piano music 247, sleep music, beautiful piano music, meditation, sleep, study, relax yellow brick cinema relaxing music 3,152 watching live now. This book contains an array of anglosaxon poetry including nearly a hundred riddles that have been prized for the intrigue they create. Below, ive included some of the best anglosaxon riddles from the exeter book, followed by the most commonly proposed solutions. The riddles in the exeter book were probably authored by multiple people and are difficult to date. Translating a medieval riddle can be especially tricky because these poetic projects double as verbal puzzles, and therefore coded language is crucial to their rhetorical structures and modes of obfuscation. The old english riddles of the exeter book magdalena gracka, janmichael stube. Exeter book riddles anglosaxon narrative poetry project.
There is no commentary other than textual notes or introduction. Overing eds, class and gender in early english literature. Niles riddle 74 is one of a handful of old english riddles of the exeter book that have stubbornly resisted a. While the poetry of the exeter book is mainly anonymous, some of the authors composing latin riddles are named. Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book, 1963 online.
The somewhat enigmatic character of this poem has given rise to various conjectures. Kevin crossleyholland has also published a complete translation of the riddles in his book. I often see the face of war, and fight hateful enemies. Exeter book riddles solutions here is a list of solutions for the exeter book riddles as numbered in the translation. In some very few instances, my idea of the solution differs from the generally accepted range. The exeter book riddles of the four surviving old english poetic codices, only the exeter book contains anglosaxon riddles, 95 in all. Ranging from natural phenomena such as icebergs and storms at sea to animal and bird life, from the christian concept of the creation to prosaic domestic objects such as a rake and a pair of bellows, and from weaponry to the peaceful pursuits of music and writing, they are. This is a translation of the 96 anglosaxon poems from the 11thcentury exeter book. The version of riddle 12 that will be used as the primary translation is by elizabeth powell. The exeter book, exeter cathedral library ms 3501, also known as the codex exoniensis, is a tenthcentury 1 book or codex which is an anthology of anglosaxon poetry. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter bookindex of solutions. Exeter book riddle 47 according to the numbering of the anglosaxon poetic records is.
On riddle 12 see williamson, the old english riddles of the exeter book, 1667. This is the 26th riddle from the exeter book translation an enemy came, claiming my life. Translating exeter book riddles medieval studies research. In riddle 12, or the ox riddle, this similarity helps to drive the allegorical meaning of the riddle, emphasizing the circuitous nature of control in life and death.
Exeter book riddle 74 and the play of the text john d. Thorpe, the first editor of the exeter book, recognizing the similarity between the opening of the poem and many of the riddles, interpreted the first portion to l. The ninetysix anglosaxon riddles in the eleventhcentury exeter book are poems of great charm, zest, and subtlety. There may have been an attempt to assemble 100 riddles in the exeter book like in some latin collections. Exeter book riddles 1, 2, 3, 25, 44, 45, 47, 72 summary and.
Shielded behind glass it will be a little hard to place ones pint of guinness on its covers once more. If multiple possibilities are possible, ill give the best or most likely. The exeter books riddles were never published with the answers. Jan 31, 2018 the riddles from the exeter book are almost unique within the wider genre, because they are written in the vernacular in old english, rather than latin apart from one latin riddle, which sits towards the end of the book. Use the buttons on the right to navigate to each set of riddles. It seems likely they were composed in the 700s when riddles were popular in english monasteries. Exeter book riddle 7 medieval studies research blog. Exeter book riddle 45 according to the numbering of the anglosaxon poetic records is one of the old english riddles found in the later tenthcentury exeter book. Though some of the best have been translated in scattered places, and there is a prose lineforline translation in the e. In many cases, answers are just provisional, and still the subject of some discussion.
Ive numbered them first, second, third, and so on, for the sake of matching riddle to solution, but in the exeter book they have different numbers. Thus, the answers in this book are not necessarily what the anglosaxons intended, but just accepted answers. Leofric, the first bishop of exeter, originally donated it to the library of exeter cathedral. The exeter book, exeter cathedral library ms 3501, also known as the codex exoniensis, is a tenthcentury book or codex which is an anthology of anglosaxon poetry. Feb 26, 2012 anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book 1963 translated by paull franklin baum 1190586 anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book paull franklin baum 1963 index of solutions. This is a riddle from the year old exeter book manuscript in exeter cathedral in devonshire. The exeter book is on display at exeter cathedral library and archives, and it is available for visitors to see on select days throughout the year, check exeter cathedrals website for viewing dates. Most of the literature from its era has been lost to religious escapades, making it one of the few pieces left from this time period. Mother tongue wrung exeter book riddle translation.
Sep 01, 2016 the language of the anglosaxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. We do not have the names of any of these poets, though there is no reason to doubt that some may have cunningly hidden their names in the text. There are about 95 riddles included in exeter book the number sometimes changes when translators group multiple riddles into one. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the. Having recently translated exeter book riddle 7 in my recent blog on esotericism in a sequence of old english riddles encoded references in exeter book birdriddles, i have decided to add my translation and recitation of this poetic enigma for our ongoing medieval poetry translation and recitation project. The exeter book, a late tenthcentury manuscript of early old english poetry, is an anthology of religious homiletic verse, elegiac poetry, and ninetyone lyric riddles. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the free. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle riddle songs of the storm which of you heroes is so sharpwitted. It is one of the four major anglosaxon literature codices, along with the vercelli book, nowell codex and the c. Jan 09, 20 perhaps it is plausible i am merely reading these double entendres into the text. Your riddle is so skillfully crafted, and it was a pleasure to see the original and the plain translation the real bookworm is a bit ugly but thats just me.
Here is a list of solutions for the exeter book riddles as numbered in the translation. Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative poetry. The exeter book riddles in context the british library. Exeter book riddle 7 having recently translated exeter book riddle 7 in my recent blog on esotericism in a sequence of old english riddles encoded references in exeter book bird riddles, i have decided to add my translation and recitation of this poetic enigma for our ongoing medieval poetry translation and recitation project.
The lack of riddles in the beowulf, junius, or vercelli manuscripts makes the interpretation of the riddles in codex exoniensis a unique challenge. Translating a medieval riddle can be especially tricky because these poetic projects double as verbal puzzles, and therefore coded language is crucial to their. This is one of the best, and offers several possibilities for expostulation and reply. Ranging from natural phenomena to animal and bird life, from the christian concept of creation to prosaic domestic objects, the riddles are full of sharp observation and earthy humour. Two historical riddles of the old english exeter book. Exeter book, or the codex exoniensis, is a 10th century book, or codex, that contains most of the surviving anglosaxon poetry. My worldly strength he stripped, then wet me, drowned me in water then drew me out, set me in sunshine, where soon i lost the hair i had. In his book, bitterli analyzes the riddles from the exeter book in the lens of the latin riddles, comparing and contrasting the elements that he believes inspired some of the riddles. This is one of the 95 riddles found in the exeter book exeter, cathedral library ms 3501, a book of old english poetry which was given to exeter cathedral by bishop leofric in the eleventh century and has remained there ever since. Ideology and figuration in the sexual riddles of the exeter book in britton j.
In translation i wanted to stay as close to the original text as possible and that includes line breaks. In addition to approximately 95 old english riddles from the exeter book, we have hundreds of latin poetic and prose enigmata by anglosaxon authors that survive in english and european manuscripts. Exeter book riddles riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle riddle songs of the storm. The riddle or, as they are sometimes called by academics, enigmatica is a developed form in anglosaxon poetry, the most important collection of riddles being the exeter book. The lack of riddles in the beowulf, junius, or vercelli. Riddlesare generally thought to end once a solution has been found, but exeter book riddle 9, although apparently straightforward and only twelve lines long, has more to offer than a disguised description of a cuckoo. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book46 wikisource. Aug 03, 2016 here are ten things you should know about the exeter book. The four strange beings, if you were wondering, are a pen and the three fingers which hold it. Some of them have been dated as far back as the 7 th century. The riddle is one of a number to include runes as clues. The riddles are of particular interest to students of old english poetry and anglosaxon culture, to archeologists, anthropologists, and folklorists. And depending on who in the scholarly world you talk to, the numbers of riddles, and the translation of those riddles.
Exeter book riddles 1, 2, 3, 25, 44, 45, 47, 72 summary. Obscene riddles of the exeter book everything english. While most latin riddles of the period are preserved with their answers, no answers accompany the exeter book riddles, and many scholars have found it a pleasurable occupation to puzzle out the solutions to the more obscure ones. Translating a medieval riddle can be especially tricky because these poetic projects double as verbal puzzles, and therefore coded. I thought it a curious chance, when i heard of that wonder, that the worm devoured some mans song, the thief in the dark, mighty word and. Exeter book riddle 24 according to the numbering of the anglosaxon poetic records is one of the old english riddles found in the later tenthcentury exeter book. The old english riddles of the exeter book and the anglolatin riddle tradition. Exeter book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Im by nature solitary, scarred by iron and wounded by sword, weary of battle. In working with the old english text of the exeter book, i chose to pay close attention to the obscene riddles and how they differ from riddles with the same answer. Only four collections of old english verse exist, out of which the exeter book is the largest and most impressive. Here are ten things you should know about the exeter book. The best anglosaxon riddles interesting literature. The language of the anglosaxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily.
177 337 438 396 1054 898 1018 1585 567 1453 520 97 364 234 1303 742 779 286 51 1175 1282 370 203 224 1567 428 94 1162 838 76 514 358