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1、SupplementtopartI1.MinorAnglo-SaxonPoetry:CaedmonandCynewulf:CaedmonandCynewulfBesides“Beowulf”,othersecularpoemsoftheAnglo-Saxonperiodareoflittlesignificance,mostofthemshortandsomefragmentary.Ofnarrativeverse,therearetwoolderpoemsbasedonGermaniclegendsbr
2、oughtfromtheContinent:(1)twofragmentsof“Waldhere”or“Waldere”,dealingwitheventsconnectedwiththestoryofWaldhereinthe“Niberlungenlied”,and(2)“TheFightatFinnsburg”,afragmentaboutlegendarymaterialmentionedin“Beowulf”.Therearetwootherversenarratiesoflatedatehav
3、ingtodowithbattlesfoughtontheEnglishsoil:“Brunanburg”aboutthebattlefoughtintheyear937,and“TheBattleofMaldon”,foughtin993.Oflyricalpoetry,twooftheearliestextantAnglo-Saxonsongs,“Widsith”(probablyofthe7thcentury)and“Doer’sLament”(probablyofthe8thcentury),ar
4、egoodliteraryspecimensillustratingthelifeandsocialpositionofthe“scops”of“gleemen”oflate-tribal,early-feudaltimes,thefirstaminstrel’sownnarrationofhissuccessfulcareerwiththedifferentprincesandkingshevisitedwhilethesecondtheselfaccountofaoncepopularpoet-sin
5、gerfallingintodisgracewhenarivalofgreaterskillwinsthefavorofhismaster.ThebulkofAnglo-SaxonversenowextantisreligiousorChristianpoetry.ThemostcolorfulfigureamongtheChristianpoetsoftheperiodisunquestionablyCaedmonwhosestorywastoldonlyinthe“EcclesiasticalHist
6、ory”ofthevenerableBede,amonkatJarrow,andtowhomanumberofpoemshavesincebeenattributed.AccordingtoBede,CaedmonwasacowherdofamonasteryatWhitby,inNorthumberland,whowithnogiftforsinginggenerallyleftthefeatsatthemonasterywhentheharpwaspassedaroundandeveryonewasa
7、skedtosinginturn.Butonenightwhenhereturnedtothestabletotakecareofthecattleandfallasleep,inadreamsomeonestoodbyhim,calledhimbynameandaskedhimtosing,andwhenhesaidhecouldnotsing,hewastoldtosingofthecreationoftheworld,andheimmediatelybegantosinginpraiseofGodt
8、heCreator.Afterhewokeup,herememberedthewordsofthesongsunginhissleep,andlaterotherstoldhimstoriesfromtheBiblewhichhecouldnotread,andtheyaskedhimtoputthestoriesintopoetryandthefollowingmorninghecomposedthepassagesinex