Fate goes as ever fate must
This translation by Seamus Heaney rings like a proverb on the immutability of fate. Elsewhere, he brings it up close and...
Past into future will go
I like this concept of an inheritance as something solidly rooted in the past, but ‘willable forward again and again...
Use it wisely
May those who have life-marking power use it wisely. It struck me as a curious phrase.
Source: Beowulf, Seamus Heaney...
Swingeing cuts
'Swingeing cuts' usually refer to sharp budget cuts - note the 'e' making it a soft 'g' (like a 'j'),...
Iron-braced door
A door to keep enemies at bay? Except perhaps Grendel who would have torn it off by the hinges.
Source: Seamus...
War as weaving
This is the first time I have heard of the gods weaving human fate on a loom; echoes of Penelope, but...
A wyrd fate
'Wyrd' originally referred to fate or personal destiny, and relates to the modern word ‘weird’. As a Middle English adjective it...
Hate-honed swords and other battle gear
Everything a battle-scarred Swede could need: fine-forged mesh to protect him from other people's hate-honed swords, and a great-shafted spear...
A voice to clear the head
Trying to imagine a 'head-clearing voice' - is it a singing, shouting or speaking voice? Or is it just...
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