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My name is Arthur Bahr. I'm an associate professor
of Literature at MIT. I am a medievalist and

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I am going to read the first twelve lines
of "Beowulf" in Old English. HWÆT, WE GAR-DEna

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in geardagum,
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon,

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hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon!
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,

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monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas, syððanærest wearð

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feasceaft funden; he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah,

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oð þæt him æghwylc ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde,

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gomban gyldan; þæt wæs god cyning!

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And I am going to read the first stanza of

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"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" in the original
Middle English.

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SIÞEN þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed
at Troye,

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Þe borȝ brittened and brent to brondeȝ
and askez,

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Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer
wroȝt

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Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest
on erthe:

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Hit watz Ennias þe athel, and his highe kynde,
Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes

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bicome
Welneȝe of al þe wele in þe west iles.

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Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swyþe,
With gret bobbaunce þat burȝe he biges vpon

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fyrst,
And neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now

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hat;
Tirius to Tuskan and teldes bigynnes,

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Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes,
And fer ouer þe French flod Felix Brutus

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On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he settez
wyth wynne,

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Where werre and wrake and wonder
Bi syþez hatz wont þerinne,

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And oft boþe blysse and blunder
Ful skete hatz skyfted synne.