Tribes of Widsith

In Widsith, there is a long recital of people, clans and tribes who were known in the Germanic world of the 6th century.

Widsið maðolade,

wordhord onleac,

se þe monna mæst

mægþa ofer eorþan,

folca geondferde;

oft he on flette geþah

mynelicne maþþum.

Him from Myrgingum

Widsith spake,

he unlocked his treasure of words.

He who among men

had travelled most in the world,

through peoples and nations;

he had often in the hall

earned valuable treasures.

He was one of the Myrgings

æþele onwocon.

He mid Ealhhilde,

fælre freoþuwebban,

forman siþe

Hreðcyninges

ham gesohte

eastan of Ongle,

Eormanrices,

wraþes wærlogan.

Ongon þa worn sprecan:

of noble blood.

He together with Ealhhilde,

the friendly weaver of peace

went for the home

of the king of the Goths (Hreiðgoths)

he was searching

east of the Angles,

Ermanaric,

wrathful against traitors.

He began to speak:

...

ond Alexandreas

ealra ricost

monna cynnes,

ond he mæst geþah

þara þe ic ofer foldan

gefrægen hæbbe.

ætla weold Hunum,

Eormanric Gotum,

Becca Baningum,

Burgendum Gifica.

and Alexander's

whole kingdom

together with the men of his clan

and he prospered most

of which I all over the world

have heard the reports.

Attila ruled the Huns,

Ermanaric ruled the Goths,

Becca the Banings,

Gebicca the Burgundians,

Casere weold Creacum

ond Cælic Finnum,

Hagena Holmrygum

ond Heoden Glommum.

Witta weold Swæfum,

Wada Hælsingum,

Meaca Myrgingum,

Mearchealf Hundingum.

þeodric weold Froncum,

þyle Rondingum,

Caesar ruled the Greeks

and Caelic the Finns,

Hagena the Rugians

and Heoden the Gloms.

Witta ruled the Suebi,

Wada the Hälsings,

Meaca the Myrgings,

Mearchealf the Hundings.

Theuderic ruled the Franks,

Thyle the Rondings,

Breoca Brondingum,

Billing Wernum.

Oswine weold Eowum

ond Ytum Gefwulf,

Fin Folcwalding

Fresna cynne.

Sigehere lengest

Sædenum weold,

Hnæf Hocingum,

Helm Wulfingum,

Breoc the Brondings,

Billing the Varni.

Oswin ruled the Aviones

and Getwulf the Jutes,

Finn Folcwalding

the Frisian clan.

Sigar longest

ruled the sea-Daner,

Hnæf the Hocings,

Helm the Wulfings,

Wald Woingum,

Wod þyringum,

Sæferð Sycgum,

Sweom Ongendþeow,

Sceafthere Ymbrum,

Sceafa Longbeardum,

Hun Hætwerum

ond Holen Wrosnum.

Hringweald wæs haten

Herefarena cyning.

Wald the Woings,

Wod the Thuringians,

Saeferth the Sycgs,

Ongenþeow the Swedes,

Sceafthere the Ymbers,

Sceafa the Lombards,

Hun the Chattuarii

and Holen the Wrosns.

Hringweald was called

the king of the war-chiefs.

Offa weold Ongle,

Alewih Denum;

se wæs þara manna

modgast ealra,

no hwæþre he ofer Offan

eorlscype fremede,

ac Offa geslog

ærest monna,

cnihtwesende,

cynerica mæst.

Offa ruled the Angles,

Alewih the Daner;

he was among all men;

the bravest,

but was not braver than Offa,

because the noble

Offa conquered,

before he was a man,

in battle

most of his kingdom

Nænig efeneald him

eorlscipe maran

on orette.

Ane sweorde

merce gemærde

wið Myrgingum

bi Fifeldore;

heoldon forð siþþan

Engle ond Swæfe,

swa hit Offa geslog.

None of his age

showed earlship more.

With single sword

he spread his borders.

Against the Myrgings

marked the bound

by Fivel dor.

Henceforth 'twas held

by Sueve and Angle

as Offa won it.

Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar

heoldon lengest

sibbe ætsomne

suhtorfædran,

siþþan hy forwræcon

wicinga cynn

ond Ingeldes

ord forbigdan,

forheowan æt Heorote

Heaðobeardna þrym.

Hrolf Kraki and Hrothgar

held longest

the peace,

uncle and nephew,

after having repulsed

the Vikings

and Ingeld

bowed down at spear-point,

he was cut to pieces at Heorot

with the army of the Heathobards.

...

mænan fore mengo

in meoduhealle

hu me cynegode

cystum dohten.

Ic wæs mid Hunum

ond mid Hreðgotum,

mid Sweom ond mid Geatum

ond mid Suþdenum.

Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum

ond mid wicingum.

to this noble company

in the mead hall,

how my worthy patrons

rewarded me.

I was with Huns

and with Goths,

and with Swedes and with Geats

and with south-Daner.

With Vandals I was and with Varni

and with Vikings.

Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum

ond mid Gefflegum.

Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum

ond mid ænenum.

Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum

ond mid Sweordwerum.

Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum

ond mid Heaþoreamum.

Mid þyringum ic wæs

ond mid þrowendum,

With the Gepids I was and with Wends

and with Gevlegs.

With the Angles I was and with Suebi

and with Aenenes.

With the Saxons I was and with Sycgs

and with swordsmen (Suarines?).

With the Hrons I was and with Deans

and with Heatho-Reams.

With the Thuringians I was

and with the Throwens,

ond mid Burgendum,

þær ic beag geþah;

me þær Guðhere forgeaf

glædlicne maþþum

songes to leane.

Næs þæt sæne cyning!

Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum

ond mid Frumtingum.

Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum

ond mid Rumwalum.

and with Burgundians,

there they gave me a ring:

there Guthere gave me

a shining treasure,

as a reward for my songs.

He was not a bad king!

With the Franks I was and with Frisians

and with Frumtings.

With the Rugians I was and with Gloms

and with Romans.

Swylce ic wæs on Eatule

mid ælfwine,

se hæfde moncynnes,

mine gefræge,

leohteste hond

lofes to wyrcenne,

heortan unhneaweste

hringa gedales,

beorhtra beaga,

bearn Eadwines.

I was in Italy

with Alboin too:

of all men he had,

as I have heard,

the readiest hand

to do brave deeds,

the most generous heart

in giving out rings

and shining torcs,

Audoin's son.

Mid Sercingum ic wæs

ond mid Seringum;

mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnum

ond mid Casere,

se þe winburga

geweald ahte,

wiolena ond wilna,

ond Wala rices.

Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum

ond mid Scridefinnum;

With the Saracens I was

and with Seres.

With the Greeks I was and with the Finns

and with Caesar,

he who a grand city

possessed,

treasures and female slaves,

and the Roman Empire.

With the Scots I was and with Picts

and with Saamis.

mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum

ond mid Longbeardum,

mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum

ond mid Hundingum.

Mid Israhelum ic wæs

ond mid Exsyringum,

mid Ebreum ond mid Indeum

ond mid Egyptum.

Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum

ond mid Myrgingum,

With the Lidvikings I was and with Leons

and with Lombards,

with heathens and with heroes

and with Hundings.

With the Israelites I was

and with Assyrians,

with Hebrews and with Indians

and with Egyptians.

With the Medes I was and with Persians

and with Myrgings

ond Mofdingum

ond ongend Myrgingum,

ond mid Amothingum.

Mid Eastþyringum ic wæs

ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum

ond Idumingum.

Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice

ealle þrage,

þær me Gotena cyning

gode dohte;

and with Mofdings

against the Myrgings,

and with Amothings.

With the East-Thuringians I was

and with Eols and with Ists

and Idumings.

And I was with Ermanaric

during some time,

there the Goth king to me

did his best to do good;

Tribes of Widsith

See also