Cædmon's Hymn

[Iarwain]

I was just pondering the words of this classic poem, the first written in the English language:

* * * * * * * Nu scylun hergan hefaenricaes uard
metudæs maecti end his modgidanc
uerc uuldurfadur sue he uundra gihuaes
he aerist scop aelda barnum
heben til hrofe haleg scepen.
tha middungeard moncynnæs uard
eci dryctin æfter tiadæ
firum foldu frea allmectig

Translated it says:

Now let me praise the keeper of Heaven's kingdom,
the might of the Creator, and his thought,
the work of the Father of glory, how each of wonders
the Eternal Lord established in the beginning.
He first created for the sons of men
Heaven as a roof, the holy Creator,
then Middle-earth the keeper of mankind,
the Eternal Lord, afterwards made,
the earth for men, the Almighty Lord.

I never knew that the early English actually called it "Middle-Earth". This has probably been brought up before, but it is a new concept to me, so if anyone has thought, please give them. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Iarwain

[ April 24, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]