Widsith
[2]: 179 Archaeologist Lotte Hedeager argues that "Widsith" goes back to Migration Age-history—at least part of it was composed in the 6th century, and that the author demonstrates familiarity with regions outside of Britain, including Denmark and the Baltic coast.
[4] Excluding the introduction of the scop Widsith, the closing, and brief comments regarded by some scholars as interpolations, the poem is divided into three 'catalogues', so-called thulas.
The poem refers to a group of people called the Wicinga cynn, which may be the earliest mention of the word "Viking" (lines 47, 59, 80).
Hroðulf and Hroðgar held the longest peace together, uncle and nephew, since they repulsed the Viking-kin and Ingeld to the spear-point made bow, hewn at Heorot Heaðobards' army.
The widely travelled poet Widsith (his name simply means "far journey") claims himself to be of the house of the Myrgings, who had first set out in the retinue of "Ealhild, the beloved weaver of peace, from the east out of Angeln to the home of the king of the glorious Goths, Eormanric, the cruel troth-breaker".
It is moot whether Widsith literally intends himself, or poetically means his lineage, either as a Myrging or as a poet, as when "the fictive speaker Deor uses the rhetoric of first-person address to insert himself into the same legendary world that he evokes in the earlier parts of the poem through his allusions to Wayland the Smith, Theodoric the Goth, Eormanric the Goth, and other legendary figures of the Germanic past".
The forests of the Vistula[6] in the ancient writing tradition (Widsith, v. 121) are the homeland of the Goths, the material remains of which are generally associated with the Wielbark Culture.
Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere; ful oft þær wig ne alæg, þonne Hræda here heardum sweordum, ymb Wistlawudu wergan sceoldon ealdne eþelstol Ætlan leodum.
I sought Wulfhere and Wyrmhere; there battle did not abate when the Gothic army with their sharp swords, in the Vistula woods had to defend their ancient seat against Attila's host.
The list of kings of tribes is sorted by "fame and importance", according to Hedeager, with Attila of the Huns coming first, followed immediately by Eormanric of the Ostrogoths; by contrast, the Byzantine emperor is number five.
[2]: 187 Widsið maðolade, wordhord onleac, se þe monna mæst mægþa ofer eorþan, folca geondferde; oft he on flette geþah mynelicne maþþum.
He mid Ealhhilde, fælre freoþuwebban, forman siþe Hreðcyninges ham gesohte eastan of Ongle, Eormanrices, wraþes wærlogan.
Sceal þeodna gehwylc þeawum lifgan, eorl æfter oþrum eðle rædan, se þe his þeodenstol geþeon wile.
Sigehere lengest Sædenum weold, Hnæf Hocingum, Helm Wulfingum, Wald Woingum, Wod þyringum, Sæferð Sycgum, Sweom Ongendþeow, Sceafthere Ymbrum, Sceafa Longbeardum, Hun Hætwerum ond Holen Wrosnum.
Ane sweorde merce gemærde wið Myrgingum bi Fifeldore; heoldon forð siþþan Engle ond Swæfe, swa hit Offa geslog.
Forþon ic mæg singan ond secgan spell, mænan fore mengo in meoduhealle hu me cynegode cystum dohten.
Swylce ic wæs on Eatule mid ælfwine, se hæfde moncynnes, mine gefræge, leohteste hond lofes to wyrcenne, heortan unhneaweste hringa gedales, beorhtra beaga, bearn Eadwines.
ðonne wit Scilling sciran reorde for uncrum sigedryhtne song ahofan, hlude bi hearpan hleoþor swinsade, þonne monige men, modum wlonce, wordum sprecan, þa þe wel cuþan, þæt hi næfre song sellan ne hyrdon.
Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere; ful oft þær wig ne alæg, þonne Hræda here heardum sweordum ymb Wistlawudu wergan sceoldon ealdne eþelstol ætlan leodum.
Swa scriþende gesceapum hweorfað gleomen gumena geond grunda fela, þearfe secgað, þoncword sprecaþ, simle suð oþþe norð sumne gemetað gydda gleawne, geofum unhneawne, se þe fore duguþe wile dom aræran, eorlscipe æfnan, oþþæt eal scæceð, leoht ond lif somod; lof se gewyrceð, hafað under heofonum heahfæstne dom.
Along with Ealhild, the kind peace-weaver, for the first time, from the Baltic coast, he sought the home of Eormanric, king of the Ostrogoths, hostile to traitors.
Sigehere for many years ruled the Sea-Danes, Hnaef the Hocingas, Helm the Wulfingas, Wald the Woingas, Wod the Thuringians, Saeferth the Sycgan, Ongentheow the Swedes, Sceafthere the Ymbran, Sceaf the Langobards, Hun the Haetware, and Holen the Wrosnan.
I was in Italy with Aelfwine too: of all men he had, as I have heard, the readiest hand to do brave deeds, the most generous heart in giving out rings and shining torcs, Eadwine's son.
I visited Wulfhere and Wyrmhere; there battle often raged in the Vistula woods, when the Gothic army with their sharp swords had to defend their ancestral seat against Attila's host.
Often a whistling spear flew from the army, screaming on its way to the enemy line; there the exiles Wudga and Hama gained twisted gold, men and women.
So I have always found throughout my travels that the lord who is dearest to all his subjects is the one God grants a kingdom of men to have and to hold while he lives on earth.'
Wandering like this, driven by chance, minstrels travel through many lands; they state their needs, say words of thanks, always, south or north, they find some man well-versed in songs, generous in gifts, who wishes to raise his renown with his men, to do great things, until everything passes, light and life together; he who wins fame has lasting glory under the heavens.
