Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem — Page 8

English → Fr Full Text Level 9/10

_When the hero arrives in his own land, Higelac treats him as a distinguished guest. He is the hero of the hour._

_Lorsque le héros arrive dans son propre pays, Higelac le traite comme un hôte distingué. Il est le héros du moment._

_Beowulf subsequently becomes king of his own people, the Geats. After he has been ruling for fifty years, his own neighborhood is wofully harried by a fire-spewing dragon. Beowulf determines to kill him. In the ensuing struggle both Beowulf and the dragon are slain. The grief of the Geats is inexpressible. They determine, however, to leave nothing undone to honor the memory of their lord. A great funeral-pyre is built, and his body is burnt. Then a memorial-barrow is made, visible from a great distance, that sailors afar may be constantly reminded of the prowess of the national hero of Geatland._

_Beowulf devient par la suite roi de son propre peuple, les Géates. Après avoir régné pendant cinquante ans, ses environs immédiats sont terriblement ravagés par un dragon cracheur de feu. Beowulf décide de le tuer. Dans la lutte qui s'ensuit, Beowulf et le dragon sont tous deux tués. Le chagrin des Géates est inexprimable. Ils décident cependant de ne rien négliger pour honorer la mémoire de leur seigneur. Un grand bûcher funèbre est construit, et son corps est brûlé. Puis un tumulus commémoratif est érigé, visible de très loin, afin que les marins au large soient constamment rappelés à la vaillance du héros national du pays des Géates._

_The poem closes with a glowing tribute to his bravery, his gentleness, his goodness of heart, and his generosity._

_Le poème se termine par un vibrant hommage à sa bravoure, sa douceur, sa bonté de cœur et sa générosité._

It is the devout desire of this translator to hasten the day when the story of Beowulf shall be as familiar to English-speaking peoples as that of the Iliad.

C'est le vœu ardent de ce traducteur de hâter le jour où l'histoire de Beowulf sera aussi familière aux peuples anglophones que celle de l'Iliade.

Beowulf is our first great epic.

Beowulf est notre première grande épopée.

It is an epitomized history of the life of the Teutonic races.

C'est une histoire condensée de la vie des races teutoniques.

It brings vividly before us our forefathers of pre-Alfredian eras, in their love of war, of sea, and of adventure.

Il nous présente avec vivacité nos ancêtres des époques pré-alfrediennes, dans leur amour de la guerre, de la mer et de l'aventure.

My special thanks are due to Professors Francis A. March and James A. Harrison, for advice, sympathy, and assistance.

Mes remerciements particuliers vont aux professeurs Francis A. March et James A. Harrison, pour leurs conseils, leur soutien et leur aide.

J.L. HALL.

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE NOTES.

ABRÉVIATIONS UTILISÉES DANS LES NOTES.

B. = Bugge. C.

Vocabulary

Lorsque: Conjunction meaning 'when' introducing a time clause.
le: Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns.
héros: A person admired for courage or noble qualities.
arrive: Third person singular of 'arriver,' meaning 'arrives.'
dans: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into' a place.
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its.'
propre: Adjective meaning 'own' when placed before noun.
pays: Noun meaning 'country' or 'homeland.'
traite: Third person singular of 'traiter,' meaning 'treats.'
comme: Conjunction or preposition meaning 'as' or 'like.'
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an.'
hôte: Noun meaning 'guest' or 'host' in social context.
distingué: Adjective meaning 'distinguished,' refined, or notable.
Il: Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he.'
est: Third person singular of 'être,' meaning 'is.'
du: Contraction of 'de le,' meaning 'of the.'
moment: Noun meaning 'moment' or 'time' in context.
devient: Third person singular of 'devenir,' meaning 'becomes.'
par: Preposition meaning 'by,' 'through,' or 'per.'
la: Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns.
suite: Noun meaning 'continuation' or 'sequence'; 'par la suite' means 'subsequently.'
roi: Noun meaning 'king,' a male monarch.
de: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about.'
peuple: Noun meaning 'people' or 'nation' as a group.
les: Definite article 'the' for plural nouns.
Après: Preposition meaning 'after' in time or order.
avoir: Infinitive of 'to have,' auxiliary in perfect tenses.
régné: Past participle of 'régner,' meaning 'reigned' or 'ruled.'
pendant: Preposition meaning 'during' or 'for' a time period.
cinquante: Cardinal number meaning 'fifty.'
ans: Noun meaning 'years' in terms of age or duration.
ses: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (plural).
environs: Noun meaning 'surroundings' or 'surrounding area.'
immédiats: Adjective meaning 'immediate' or 'nearest,' close by.
sont: Third person plural of 'être,' meaning 'are.'
terriblement: Adverb meaning 'terribly' or 'dreadfully,' very severely.
ravagés: Past participle of 'ravager,' meaning 'ravaged' or 'devastated.'
dragon: Noun meaning 'dragon,' a mythical fire-breathing creature.
cracheur: Noun meaning 'spitter,' one who spits or sprays.
feu: Noun meaning 'fire,' heat and light from burning.
décide: Third person singular of 'décider,' meaning 'decides.'
tuer: Infinitive verb meaning 'to kill.'
Dans: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'during' a situation.
lutte: Noun meaning 'struggle,' 'fight,' or 'wrestling match.'
qui: Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which.'
s': Reflexive pronoun 's'e' elided before vowel sounds.
ensuit: From 's'ensuivre,' meaning 'ensues' or 'follows.'
et: Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses.
tous: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all' or 'both.'
deux: Cardinal number meaning 'two.'
tués: Past participle of 'tuer,' meaning 'killed' or 'slain.'
Le: Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns.
chagrin: Noun meaning 'grief,' 'sorrow,' or deep sadness.
des: Contraction of 'de les,' meaning 'of the' (plural).
inexprimable: Adjective meaning 'inexpressible' or 'beyond words.'
Ils: Third person plural masculine pronoun meaning 'they.'
décident: Third person plural of 'décider,' meaning 'decide.'
cependant: Adverb meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless.'
ne: Negative particle used with 'pas' or other negatives.
rien: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'nothing' or 'anything.'
négliger: Infinitive meaning 'to neglect' or 'to overlook.'
pour: Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' or 'to.'
honorer: Infinitive meaning 'to honor' or 'to pay respect.'
mémoire: Noun meaning 'memory' or 'remembrance' of someone.
leur: Possessive adjective meaning 'their' before a noun.
seigneur: Noun meaning 'lord' or 'master,' a feudal title.
Un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (masculine).
grand: Adjective meaning 'great,' 'large,' or 'grand.'
bûcher: Noun meaning 'funeral pyre' or 'woodpile for burning.'
funèbre: Adjective meaning 'funereal,' relating to a funeral.
construit: Past participle of 'construire,' meaning 'built' or 'constructed.'
corps: Noun meaning 'body,' the physical form of a person.
brûlé: Past participle of 'brûler,' meaning 'burned' or 'cremated.'
Puis: Adverb meaning 'then' or 'next' in a sequence.
tumulus: Noun meaning 'burial mound' or 'barrow' over a grave.
commémoratif: Adjective meaning 'commemorative,' honoring someone's memory.
érigé: Past participle of 'ériger,' meaning 'erected' or 'raised.'
visible: Adjective meaning 'visible,' able to be seen.
très: Adverb meaning 'very,' intensifying an adjective or adverb.
loin: Adverb meaning 'far' or 'from a great distance.'
afin: Preposition used in 'afin que' meaning 'so that.'
que: Conjunction meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'than.'
marins: Noun meaning 'sailors' or 'seamen' on the sea.
au: Contraction of 'à le,' meaning 'at the' or 'to the.'
large: Noun meaning 'open sea'; 'au large' means 'offshore.'
soient: Subjunctive of 'être,' meaning 'be' (third person plural).
constamment: Adverb meaning 'constantly' or 'continually.'
rappelés: Past participle of 'rappeler,' meaning 'reminded' or 'recalled.'
à: Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'in.'
vaillance: Noun meaning 'valor,' 'bravery,' or 'gallantry.'
national: Adjective meaning 'national,' relating to a nation.
poème: Noun meaning 'poem,' a piece of literary verse.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself,' 'himself,' or 'herself.'
termine: Third person singular of 'terminer,' meaning 'ends' or 'concludes.'
vibrant: Adjective meaning 'vibrant,' resonant, or stirring.
hommage: Noun meaning 'tribute' or 'homage' paid to someone.
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (feminine).
bravoure: Noun meaning 'bravery' or 'courage' in facing danger.
douceur: Noun meaning 'gentleness,' 'sweetness,' or 'mildness.'
bonté: Noun meaning 'kindness' or 'goodness' of character.
cœur: Noun meaning 'heart,' both literal and figurative.
générosité: Noun meaning 'generosity,' willingness to give freely.
C': Elided form of 'ce,' meaning 'it' or 'this.'
vœu: Noun meaning 'wish,' 'vow,' or 'heartfelt desire.'
ardent: Adjective meaning 'ardent,' passionate, or fervent.
ce: Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this' or 'that.'
traducteur: Noun meaning 'translator,' one who translates texts.
hâter: Infinitive meaning 'to hasten' or 'to speed up.'
jour: Noun meaning 'day' or 'daylight.'
où: Relative adverb meaning 'where' or 'when.'
l': Elided definite article 'le' or 'la' before vowels.
histoire: Noun meaning 'history' or 'story.'
sera: Future tense of 'être,' meaning 'will be.'
aussi: Adverb meaning 'also,' 'too,' or 'as' in comparisons.
familière: Adjective meaning 'familiar' or 'well-known.'
aux: Contraction of 'à les,' meaning 'to the' (plural).
peuples: Noun meaning 'peoples' or 'nations,' groups of people.
anglophones: Noun or adjective meaning 'English-speaking' people.
celle: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that one' (feminine singular).
notre: Possessive adjective meaning 'our.'
première: Adjective meaning 'first' (feminine form).
grande: Adjective meaning 'great' or 'grand' (feminine form).
épopée: Noun meaning 'epic,' a long heroic narrative poem.
une: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine).
condensée: Adjective meaning 'condensed,' summarized in brief form.
vie: Noun meaning 'life' in its broadest sense.
races: Noun meaning 'races' or 'peoples,' ethnic or cultural groups.
teutoniques: Adjective meaning 'Teutonic,' relating to Germanic peoples.
nous: First person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us.'
présente: Third person singular of 'présenter,' meaning 'presents.'
avec: Preposition meaning 'with.'
vivacité: Noun meaning 'vivacity,' liveliness or animated quality.
nos: Possessive adjective meaning 'our' (plural nouns).
ancêtres: Noun meaning 'ancestors,' forebears from past generations.
époques: Noun meaning 'eras' or 'epochs,' periods of historical time.
amour: Noun meaning 'love,' a deep affection or passion.
guerre: Noun meaning 'war' or 'warfare.'
mer: Noun meaning 'sea' or 'ocean.'
aventure: Noun meaning 'adventure,' an exciting or risky experience.
Mes: Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (plural nouns).
remerciements: Noun meaning 'thanks' or 'acknowledgments' expressed gratefully.
particuliers: Adjective meaning 'particular,' 'special,' or 'specific.'
vont: Third person plural of 'aller,' meaning 'go.'
professeurs: Noun meaning 'professors' or 'teachers.'
leurs: Possessive adjective meaning 'their' (plural nouns).
conseils: Noun meaning 'advice,' 'counsel,' or 'recommendations.'
soutien: Noun meaning 'support' or 'backing' given to someone.
aide: Noun meaning 'help' or 'assistance.'
ABRÉVIATIONS: Noun meaning 'abbreviations,' shortened forms of words.
UTILISÉES: Past participle of 'utiliser,' meaning 'used' or 'employed.'
DANS: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'within.'
LES: Definite plural article meaning 'the.'
NOTES: Noun meaning 'notes,' written annotations or remarks.

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