solemn speeches of Beowulf and
Hrothgar be put in ballad measures, tripping lightly and airily along? Or,
again, is it fitting that the rough martial music of Anglo-Saxon verse be
interpreted to us in the smooth measures of modern blank verse? Do we hear
what has been beautifully called "the clanging tread of a warrior in
mail"?

[viii]

Of all English translations of Beowulf, that of Professor Garnett alone
gives any adequate idea of the chief characteristics of this great
Teutonic epic.

The measure used in the present translation is believed to be as near a
reproduction of the original as modern English affords. The cadences
closely resemble those used by Browning in some of his most striking
poems. The four stresses of the Anglo-Saxon verse are retained, and as
much thesis and anacrusis is allowed as is consistent with a regular
cadence. Alliteration has been used to a large extent; but it was thought
that modern ears would hardly tolerate it on every line. End-rhyme has
been used occasionally; internal rhyme, sporadically. Both have some
warrant in Anglo-Saxon poetry. (For end-rhyme, see 1_53, 1_54; for
internal rhyme, 2_21, 6_40.)

What Gummere[1] calls the "rime-giver" has been studiously kept; _viz._,
the first accented syllable in the second half-verse always carries the
alliteration; and the last accented syllable alliterates only
sporadically. Alternate alliteration is occasionally used as in the
original. (See 7_61, 8_5.)

No two accented syllables have been brought together, except occasionally
after a caesural pause. (See 2_19 and 12_1.) Or, scientifically speaking,
Sievers's C type has been avoided as not consonant with the plan of
translation. Several of his types, however, constantly occur; _e.g._ A and
a variant (/ x | / x) (/ x x | / x); B and a variant (x / | x / ) (x x / |
x / ); a variant of D (/ x | / x x); E (/ x x | / ). Anacrusis gives
further variety to the types used in the translation.

The parallelisms of the original have been faithfully preserved. (_E.g._,
1_16 and 1_17: "Lord" and "Wielder of Glory"; 1_30, 1_31, 1_32; 2_12 and
2_13; 2_27 and 2_28; 3_5 and 3_6.) Occasionally, some loss has been
sustained; but, on the other hand, a gain has here and there been made.

The effort has been made to give a decided flavor of archaism to the
translation. All words not in keeping with the spirit of the poem have
been avoided. Again, though many archaic words have been used, there are
non