Eagle eager for prey; on earth was uproar. 
     Then they let from their fists the file-hardened spears,
     The darts well-ground, fiercely fly forth: 
     The bows were busy, board point received,
     Bitter the battle-rush, warriors fell down,
     On either hand the youths lay dead.

          By consent of Ginn & Co.  Translation of Garnett.

CAEDMON’S INSPIRATION

He [Caedmon] had remained in the secular life until the time when he was of advanced age, and he had never learned any song.  For that reason oftentimes, when it was decided at a feasting that all should sing in turn to the accompaniment of the harp for the sake of entertainment, he would arise for shame from the banquet when he saw the harp approaching him, and would go home to his house.  When he on a certain occasion had done this, and had left the house of feasting, and had gone to the stable of the cattle, which had been intrusted to his care for that night; and when he there, after a reasonable time, had arranged his limbs for rest, he fell asleep.  And a man stood by him in a dream, and hailed him, and greeted him, and called him by name, and said:  “Caedmon, sing something for me.”  Then he answered and said:  “I cannot sing; I went out from the feast and came hither because I could not sing.”  Again said the one who was speaking with him:  “Nevertheless, thou canst sing for me.”  Said Caedmon, “What shall I sing?” Said he, “Sing to me of creation.”

When Caedmon received this answer, then began he soon to sing in glorification of God the Creator, verses and words that he had never before heard.

* * * * *

Then he arose from sleep and he had fast in his memory all those things he had sung in his sleep; and to these words he soon added many other words of song of the same measure, worthy for God.

Then came he in the morning to the town-reeve, who was his aldorman, and told him of the gift he had received.  And the reeve soon led him to the abbess, and made that known to her and told her.  Then bade she assemble all the very learned men, and the learners, and bade him tell the dream in their presence, and sing the song, so that by the judgment of them all it might be determined what it was, and whence it had come.  Then it was seen by them all, just as it was, that the heavenly gift had been given him by the Lord himself.

Alfred’s ‘Bede’:  Translation of Robert Sharp.

FROM THE ‘CHRONICLE’

Selection from the entry for the year 897

Then Alfred, the King, ordered long ships built to oppose the war-ships of the enemy.  They were very nearly twice as long as the others; some had sixty oars, some more.  They were both swifter and steadier, and also higher than the others; they were shaped neither on the Frisian model nor on the Danish, but as it seemed to King Alfred that they would be most useful.