The translation is very free. Lines that are obscure in the original are not allowed to be obscure in the translation, even if they have to have a meaning read into them. For example, in the extract quoted above, _beadu-runen onband_ of the original is rendered 'sucht' er Händel,' thoroughly intelligible, but not accurate. There is at times a tendency to paraphrase, or even to introduce an original sentence into the poem. An example of this may be seen at the close of the first canto:--
'unerforschlich sind Und dunkel oft die Wege des Geschickes[2].' --Page 5, l. 54.
Words are occasionally omitted. In the extract above _ne l[-e]of n[-e] l[-a]ð_ (l. 511) and _sunu B[-e]anst[-a]nes_ (l. 524) are omitted in translation. There are no lines in the original which correspond to the last line and a half of the extract.
Of course by adopting this method of translation the writer attains his purpose. His poem is readable, but readable at the expense of accuracy. As a paraphrase, the version is commendable; but it is hardly of importance in any other way.
[Footnote 1: According to the Old English text, 836.]
Men ne cunnon secgan t[-o] s[-o]ðe, sele-r[-æ]dende hæleð under heofenum, hw[-a] þ[-æ]m hlæste onf[-e]ng. --Lines 50-52.]
*Gudrun and other Stories, from the Epics of the Middle Ages, by John Gibb. M. Japp & Company: London: Edinburgh (printed), 1881.
Gudrun, Beowulf, and Roland, with other mediaeval tales by John Gibb, with twenty illustrations. Second edition. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1884 (1883).
8vo, _Beowulf_, pp. 135-168, with three illustrations[1].
'I have not translated them (the poems) literally, but have told their stories faithfully in simple language, with the special design of interesting young people, although I am not without hope that they will be read by some who can no longer be called young.' --Prefatory Note.
The following parts are omitted: (1) All episodes except the Prolog; (2) All lines that do not have to do directly with the story; (3) All the descriptive adjectives and kennings of the poem.
Gibb seems to care nothing for the beauties of the style. How much he has sacrificed may be seen by noting his rendering of the celebrated description of Grendel's haunt:--