Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem — Page 8

English → It 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._

_Quando l'eroe arriva nella sua terra, Higelac lo tratta come un ospite illustre. È l'eroe del momento._

_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 diventa in seguito re del suo stesso popolo, i Geati. Dopo aver regnato per cinquant'anni, la sua stessa contrada viene miseramente devastata da un drago che sputa fuoco. Beowulf decide di ucciderlo. Nel combattimento che ne segue sia Beowulf che il drago vengono uccisi. Il dolore dei Geati è inesprimibile. Essi decidono tuttavia di non tralasciare nulla per onorare la memoria del loro signore. Viene costruita una grande pira funebre e il suo corpo viene bruciato. Viene poi eretto un tumulo commemorativo, visibile da grande distanza, affinché i marinai lontani possano essere costantemente ricordati del valore dell'eroe nazionale della Geatlandia._

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

_Il poema si chiude con un commosso tributo al suo coraggio, alla sua dolcezza, alla sua bontà d'animo e alla sua generosità._

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.

È il fervido desiderio di questo traduttore affrettare il giorno in cui la storia di Beowulf sia familiare ai popoli di lingua inglese quanto quella dell'Iliade.

Beowulf is our first great epic.

Beowulf è il nostro primo grande poema epico.

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

È una storia condensata della vita delle stirpi teutoniche.

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

Ci pone vividamente dinanzi i nostri antenati delle epoche pre-alfrediane, nel loro amore per la guerra, per il mare e per l'avventura.

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

I miei ringraziamenti speciali vanno ai Professori Francis A. March e James A. Harrison, per i consigli, la simpatia e l'assistenza.

J.L. HALL.

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE NOTES.

ABBREVIAZIONI USATE NELLE NOTE.

B. = Bugge. C.

Vocabulary

Quando: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when' in time clauses.
l': Elided definite article 'il/la' used before vowels.
eroe: A hero, a person of great courage and nobility.
arriva: He/she arrives, reaches a destination or place.
nella: Contraction of 'in la', meaning 'in the' (feminine).
sua: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
terra: Land, earth, or homeland of a people or person.
lo: Direct object pronoun meaning 'him' or 'it' (masculine).
tratta: He/she treats or handles someone in a certain manner.
come: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as', 'like', or 'how'.
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (masculine singular).
ospite: A guest or host; a person welcomed in one's home.
illustre: Distinguished, illustrious, renowned among peers or society.
È: Third-person singular of 'essere', meaning 'he/she/it is'.
del: Contraction of 'di il', meaning 'of the' (masculine).
momento: A moment, instant, or particular point in time.
diventa: He/she becomes, transitions into a new role or state.
in: Preposition meaning 'in', 'into', or 'within' a place.
seguito: Afterward, subsequently; also means 'following' or 'entourage'.
re: A king, the male sovereign ruler of a kingdom.
suo: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (masculine).
stesso: Same, very, or himself/itself used for emphasis.
popolo: A people, nation, or community sharing common identity.
i: Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine plural form).
Dopo: Preposition or adverb meaning 'after' or 'afterwards'.
aver: Infinitive of 'avere' used in perfect infinitive constructions.
regnato: Past participle of 'regnare', meaning 'ruled' or 'reigned'.
per: Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'by' reason.
cinquant': Elided form of 'cinquanta', meaning fifty (the number).
anni: Years; plural of 'anno', a unit of time measurement.
la: Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine singular form).
stessa: Same; feminine form of 'stesso', used for emphasis.
contrada: A district, region, or small rural area or territory.
viene: He/she/it comes; also used to form passive constructions.
miseramente: Miserably, wretchedly, in a pitifully unfortunate manner.
devastata: Devastated, ravaged, severely destroyed or laid waste to.
da: Preposition meaning 'by', 'from', or 'since' in context.
drago: A dragon, a mythical fire-breathing serpentine creature.
che: Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning 'that', 'which', 'who'.
sputa: He/she spits; third-person singular of 'sputare'.
fuoco: Fire; flames produced by burning or combustion process.
decide: He/she decides, resolves, or makes a firm determination.
di: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about' various things.
ucciderlo: To kill him; infinitive 'uccidere' with clitic pronoun 'lo'.
Nel: Contraction of 'in il', meaning 'in the' (masculine singular).
combattimento: Combat, battle, or fight between opposing forces or individuals.
ne: Pronoun meaning 'of it', 'from it', or 'some' thereof.
segue: Follows; third-person singular of 'seguire', to follow.
sia: Subjunctive form of 'essere'; also means 'both...and'.
il: Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine singular form).
vengono: They come; third-person plural of 'venire', used passively.
uccisi: Killed; plural past participle of 'uccidere', to kill.
Il: Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine singular form).
dolore: Pain, grief, or sorrow experienced emotionally or physically.
dei: Contraction of 'di i', meaning 'of the' (masculine plural).
è: Third-person singular of 'essere', meaning 'is' presently.
inesprimibile: Inexpressible, indescribable; too great to put into words.
Essi: Third-person plural subject pronoun meaning 'they' (formal).
decidono: They decide; third-person plural of 'decidere', to decide.
tuttavia: Nevertheless, however, yet; used to introduce a contrast.
non: Negation adverb meaning 'not', used to negate verbs.
tralasciare: To omit, skip, or leave out something intentionally.
nulla: Nothing; pronoun indicating total absence of something.
onorare: To honor, respect, or pay tribute to someone worthy.
memoria: Memory, remembrance, or the act of commemorating someone.
loro: Their or they; third-person plural possessive or pronoun.
signore: Lord, master, or gentleman; a title of respect and rank.
Viene: He/she/it comes; also used to form passive voice constructions.
costruita: Built, constructed; feminine past participle of 'costruire'.
una: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine singular).
grande: Great, large, big; adjective describing size or importance.
pira: A funeral pyre, a structure built for cremating the dead.
funebre: Funereal, relating to a funeral or mourning ceremony.
e: Conjunction meaning 'and', used to connect words or clauses.
corpo: The body, either a living or deceased physical form.
bruciato: Burned; past participle of 'bruciare', consumed by fire.
poi: Then, afterward, subsequently; adverb indicating temporal sequence.
eretto: Erected, raised up; past participle of 'erigere'.
tumulo: A burial mound or barrow raised over a grave site.
commemorativo: Commemorative, serving to honor and preserve someone's memory.
visibile: Visible, able to be seen from a distance or nearby.
distanza: Distance, the space or interval between two points.
affinché: So that, in order that; conjunction introducing purpose clauses.
marinai: Sailors, seamen who navigate or work aboard ships.
lontani: Distant, far away; plural adjective describing remote location.
possano: Subjunctive of 'potere'; they may be able to do something.
essere: To be; the fundamental Italian verb of existence or identity.
costantemente: Constantly, continuously, without interruption over time.
ricordati: Reminded or remembered; past participle of 'ricordare'.
valore: Valor, bravery, or worth; courage displayed in difficult situations.
dell': Elided contraction of 'di la/il', meaning 'of the'.
nazionale: National, relating to a nation or its collective identity.
della: Contraction of 'di la', meaning 'of the' (feminine singular).
poema: A poem, especially a long narrative or epic literary work.
si: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'itself'; also 'yes'.
chiude: He/she/it closes or concludes; third singular of 'chiudere'.
con: Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment or means.
commosso: Moved, touched emotionally; past participle of 'commuovere'.
tributo: A tribute, homage, or expression of admiration and respect.
al: Contraction of 'a il', meaning 'to the' (masculine singular).
coraggio: Courage, bravery; the quality of facing danger without fear.
alla: Contraction of 'a la', meaning 'to the' (feminine singular).
dolcezza: Sweetness, gentleness; a tender and kind quality of character.
bontà: Goodness, kindness; the quality of being morally good.
d': Elided form of preposition 'di', used before vowels.
animo: Soul, spirit, or mind; the inner character of a person.
generosità: Generosity; the quality of being freely giving and magnanimous.
fervido: Fervent, ardent, passionate; expressing intense feeling or desire.
desiderio: Desire, wish, or longing for something greatly wanted.
questo: This; demonstrative adjective or pronoun indicating something near.
traduttore: A translator, one who renders text from one language to another.
affrettare: To hasten, hurry, or speed up an action or process.
giorno: Day; a 24-hour period or daytime hours of light.
cui: Relative pronoun meaning 'which', 'whom', or 'whose'.
storia: History or story; a narrative of past or fictional events.
familiare: Familiar, well-known; also means 'family-related' as adjective.
ai: Contraction of 'a i', meaning 'to the' (masculine plural).
popoli: Peoples, nations; plural of 'popolo', distinct human communities.
lingua: Language or tongue; a system of human communication.
inglese: English; relating to England or the English language.
quanto: As much as, how much; used in comparisons or questions.
quella: That; feminine demonstrative pronoun or adjective for distant things.
nostro: Our; first-person plural possessive adjective (masculine singular).
primo: First; ordinal adjective indicating the earliest in a sequence.
epico: Epic; relating to a long heroic narrative poem or story.
condensata: Condensed, summarized; packed with meaning in compact form.
vita: Life; the condition of being alive or one's existence.
delle: Contraction of 'di le', meaning 'of the' (feminine plural).
stirpi: Lineages, races, or stocks; ancestral lines of descent.
teutoniche: Teutonic; relating to Germanic peoples or ancient tribes.
Ci: Reflexive/object pronoun meaning 'us', 'to us', or 'there'.
pone: He/she places or puts; third singular of 'porre'.
vividamente: Vividly, clearly, with striking and lifelike intensity.
dinanzi: Before, in front of; a formal or literary preposition.
nostri: Our; first-person plural possessive adjective (masculine plural).
antenati: Ancestors, forebears; those from whom one is descended.
epoche: Epochs, eras; distinct periods of historical time or age.
pre: Prefix meaning 'before' or 'prior to' in time or order.
nel: Contraction of 'in il', meaning 'in the' (masculine singular).
amore: Love; a deep feeling of affection or romantic attachment.
guerra: War; armed conflict between nations, groups, or peoples.
mare: Sea; the large body of salt water covering Earth.
avventura: Adventure; an exciting or daring experience or journey.
I: Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine plural form).
miei: My; first-person singular possessive adjective (masculine plural).
ringraziamenti: Thanks, acknowledgments; expressions of gratitude to others.
speciali: Special, particular; plural adjective meaning out of the ordinary.
vanno: They go; third-person plural of 'andare', to go.
Professori: Professors; plural title for academic teachers at university level.
consigli: Advice, suggestions, or councils; plural of 'consiglio'.
simpatia: Sympathy, friendliness, or liking toward another person.
assistenza: Assistance, help, or support provided to someone in need.
ABBREVIAZIONI: Abbreviations; shortened forms of words used in writing.
USATE: Used; feminine plural past participle of 'usare', to use.
NELLE: Contraction of 'in le', meaning 'in the' (feminine plural).
NOTE: Notes; written remarks, annotations, or explanatory comments.

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