The Battle of Brunanburh / The Battle of Maldon

From boyhood that in battle they had often

Fought for their land, its treasures and its homes, Against all enemies. (B)

They left behind them corpses for the dark Black-coated raven, horny-beaked, to enjoy,

And for the eagle, white-backed and dun-coated, The greedy war-hawk, and that grey wild beast, The forest wolf. (B)

Then first did Offa’s kinsman understand That the earl would not suffer indolence,

And made his pet hawk fly out of his hands Towards the wood, and stepped forth for the battle.

Then Byrhtnoth started to arrange his troops, Rode and advised, and showed the warriors

How they should stand and hold their place, and bade That they should hold their shields up properly.

Here stands an earl undaunted with his troop One who intends to save this fatherland,

Ethelred’s kingdom, and my liege lord’s land And people.

The wolves of war advanced, the viking troop, Unmoved by water, westward over Pante,

Over shining water bore their shields, The seamen brought their shields to land.

The ravens wheeled above, the fateful eagle

Keen for his carrion.

Steadfast they stood, as Byrhtnoth stirred them on, Bade every fight keep his mind on war

Who wished to win renown against the Danes.

Beside him stood a lad not fully grown, A boy in battle, who right bravely drew

The bloody spear out of the warrior’s wound.

Remember all the speeches that we uttered Often when drinking mead, when we made vows

Upon the benches, heroes in the hall, About hard battle.

When he rode on that horse, on that proud steed, Full many a man thought that it was our lord,

Thus was our force divided in the field, The shield wall broken

Dead men

dropped to the earth.