Thorkelin thus obtained two copies of the poem, one made with his own hand, the other by a scribe ignorant of Old English. These transcripts (still preserved in Copenhagen) formed the basis for Thorkelin’s edition. The account of his studies continues:—

‘Quæcunque igitur possent hoc meum negotium adjuvare, comparare coepi, magnamque librorum copiam unde quaque congessi, quorum opera carmen aggrederer. In hoc me sedulum ita gessi, ut opus totum anno MDCCCVII confecerim, idem brevi editurus . . .’ (p. xv).

Just at this time, unfortunately, Copenhagen was stormed by the English fleet, and Thorkelin’s text and notes were burned with his library. But the transcripts were saved. Thorkelin renewed his labors under the patronage of Bülow, and at length published in 1815.

Thorkelin, and his Interpretation of the Beowulf.

Grimus Johnssen Thorkelin (or Thorkelsson), 1752–1829, is remembered as a scholar in early Germanic history. He had little beside this knowledge and his general acquaintance with Old Germanic languages to recommend him as an editor of the Beowulf. Grundtvig said that the transcript of the Beowulf must have been the work of one wholly ignorant of Old English[3]. Thorkelin knew nothing of the peculiar style of Old English poetry; he could recognize neither kenning, metaphor, nor compound. He was not even fitted to undertake the transcription of the text, as the following section will make evident.

We have seen how Sharon Turner[4] could describe the Beowulf. Thorkelin seems to have been little better fitted to understand the poem, to say nothing of editing it. He failed to interpret some of the simplest events of the story. He did not identify Scyld, nor understand that his body was given up to the sea, but thought that King Beowulf ‘expeditionem suscipit navalem.’ He failed to identify Breca, and thought that Hunferth was describing some piratical voyage of Beowulf’s. He makes Beowulf reply that ‘piratas ubique persequitur et fudit,’ and ‘Finlandiæ arma infert[5].’ He regarded Beowulf as the hero of the Sigemund episode. He quite misapprehended the Finn episode, ‘Fin, rex Frisionum, contra Danis pugnat; vincitur; fœdus cum Hrodgaro pangit; fidem frangit; pugnans cadit[6].’ He regards Beowulf and a son of Hunferth as participating in that expedition. He failed to identify Hnæf, or Hengest, or Hrothulf, &c.

Extract[7].

Hunferþ maleodeHunferd loquebatur
Ecglafes bearnEcglavi filius,
Þe æt fotum sætQui ad pedes sedit
Frean ScyldingaDomini Scyldingorum,
On band beaduEmeritus stipendiis
Rune wæs himMomordit eum
Beowulfes siþ modgesBeowulfi itinere elati
Mere faranMaria sulcando
Micel æfþuncaMagna indignatio,
For þon þe he ne uþe10Propterea quod ille nesciret
Þæt ænig oþer manUllum alium virum
Æfre mærþaMagis celebrem
Þon ma middangardesIn mundo
Gehedde under heofenumNominari sub coelo
Þon he sylfa eartQuam se ipsum.
Þu se BeowulfTu sis Beowulfus,
Se þe wiþ breccanQui ob prædas
Wunne on sidne sæCeris per latum æquor
Ymb sund fliteEt maria pugnas.
Þær git for wlence20Ibi vos ob divitias
Wada cunnedonVada explorastis,
And for dol gilpeEt ob falsam gloriam
On deop wæterProfundas æquas.
Aldrum neþdonAnnis subacto
Ne mic ænig monNon mihi aliquis
Ne leof ne laþAmicus aut hostis
Belean mighte.Objicere potest,
Sorh fullne siþIllacrimabiles expeditiones.
Þa git on sund reon.Ubi vos per æquora ruistis,
Þa git ea gor stream30Ibi fluctus sanguinis rivis
Earmum þehtonMiseri texistis.
Mæton mere strætaMetiti estis maris strata:
Mundum brugdonCastella terruistis:
Glidon ofer garsecgFluitavistis trans æquora.
Geofon yþumSalis undæ
Weol wintris wylm Fervuerunt nimborum æstu.
Git on wæteris æhtVos in aquarum vadis
Seofon night swunconSeptem noctibus afflicti fuistis.
He þe at sundeIlle cum sundum
Oferflat hæfde40Transvolasset,
Mare mægenMagis intensæ vires
Þa hine on morgen tidIllum tempore matutino
On heaþo RæmisIn altam Ræmis
Holm up æt baerInsulam advexere.
Þonon he gesohteDeinde petiit
Swæsne.Dulcem,
Leof his leodumCharam suo populo
Lond BrondingaTerram Brondingorum.
Freoþo burh fægere.Libertate urbem conspicuam
Þaer he folc ahte50Ibi populo possessam
Burh and beagasUrbem et opes
Beot eal wiþCorrepsit. Omne contra
Þe sunu BeanstanesTibi filius Beansteni
Sode gelæste.Vere persolvit.
Criticism of the Text.

In order to show how corrupt the text is, I append a collation of the above passage with the MS. It may be added that the lines are among the simplest in the poem, and call for no emendation. In passages that present any real difficulty, Thorkelin is, if possible, even more at fault.