for → for – the preposition of cause, of presence and of exchange: for eġe, for Gode, ēage for ēage, for þǣm þe
What does "for" mean in Old English, in "he trembled for fear", "before God and men", "an eye for an eye" or "because he was sick"?
The Old English word is for (pronounced /for/). It is the direct ancestor of Modern English "for", and it is spelled the same way, but its main uses are not quite ours. In Old English for most often gives the cause of something: Hē cwacode for eġe "He trembled for fear", that is, because of fear. It can give the place in front of someone: for Gode and for mannum "before God and before men". It can say for whose sake a thing is done: for Godes lufan "for the love of God". And it can say what is given in exchange: Ēage for ēage "An eye for an eye".
For is a preposition, and like on, tō and of in earlier lessons it puts its noun into a case. Usually that case is the dative: for eġe, for Gode, for his synnum. When it means "instead of, in exchange for", it often takes the accusative: ēage for ēage. With the instrumental of the demonstrative it makes the adverb for þȳ "therefore, for that reason".
The most useful thing for does is to build the Old English word for "because". Lesson 13 showed how þæt joins two clauses. Old English puts for in front of the dative of the demonstrative and adds the particle þe: for þǣm þe means "for that, that…", and so "because": Iċ ne cōm, for þǣm þe iċ wæs sēoc "I did not come, because I was sick". The same phrase without þe, for þǣm, means "because" or "therefore", and there are other spellings of the same idea: for þām þe, for þon þe, for þȳ þe. They are all one thing: "for the reason that". For hwȳ "for what?" is "why?".
Some English uses of "for" are not Old English. Old English does not say "for three days" with for: it puts the time in the accusative, þrīe dagas. It does not say "a gift for you" with for as a rule: it uses the plain dative þē. And it never says "for to" before an infinitive: purpose is tō with the infinitive, or þæt with the subjunctive (Lesson 13).
Do not confuse the preposition with the prefix for-, which is a different word in use, though it is related. For- is fixed to verbs and changes their meaning, often towards loss or destruction: forlǣtan "leave, abandon", forġiefan "forgive, give away", forwrecan "drive out". The prefix is part of the verb and has no case after it; the preposition for stands before its noun.
So Old English says:
Hē cwacode for eġe "He trembled for fear" (cause, dative)
For Gode and for mannum "Before God and before men" (presence, dative)
Hē forlēt his hūs for Godes lufan "He left his house for the love of God" (sake, dative)
Ēage for ēage "An eye for an eye" (exchange, accusative)
Iċ ne cōm, for þǣm þe iċ wæs sēoc "I did not come, because I was sick" (conjunction)
A note on spelling: as in earlier lessons, the dots in ċ and ġ are a modern teaching convention for the palatal sounds: ċ = /tʃ/ as in "church", ġ = /j/ as in "yes". The manuscripts write plain c and g. The length marks (ā, ē, ō and so on) are also an editors' convention. The letters þ and ð are two spellings of one sound, so for þǣm and for ðǣm are the same words; quotations keep their editors' spelling, with the dots and length marks added.
FAQ: What does "for" mean in Old English?
Q: How do you say "because" in Old English? A: For þǣm þe /for θæːm θe/: Iċ ne cōm, for þǣm þe iċ wæs sēoc "I did not come, because I was sick". The West Saxon Gospels often spell it for þām þe.
Q: How do you say "why?" in Old English? A: Hwȳ? or For hwȳ? "for what?": For hwȳ wēpst þū? "Why are you weeping?"
Q: What case follows "for"? A: Usually the dative: for eġe, for Gode. In the sense "instead of, in exchange for" often the accusative: ēage for ēage.
Key Takeaways
✦ For most often gives the cause, "because of, for, out of": Hē cwacode for eġe "He trembled for fear"
✦ For also means "before, in the presence of": for Gode and for mannum, and "for the sake of": for Godes lufan
✦ For usually takes the dative; meaning "instead of, in exchange for" it often takes the accusative: Ēage for ēage
✦ For þǣm þe, for þām þe, for þon þe and for þȳ þe all mean "because"; for þȳ alone means "therefore"; for hwȳ means "why"
✦ The verb prefix for- (forlǣtan, forwrecan) is not the preposition: it is part of the verb and governs no case
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
for /for/ — a short o, as in "fog", and the r is sounded, a light tap or trill. As a preposition it is not stressed: for Gode /for ˈɡode/.
for þǣm þe /for θæːm θe/ — three short words run together, with the weight on þǣm, which has a long ǣ: the vowel of "cat", held. for þām þe /for θaːm θe/ has a long ā, as in "father".
for þȳ /for θyː/ — ȳ is a long "ee" said with rounded lips, as in German "kühn". for hwȳ /for hwyː/ — the h is sounded before the w.
eġe /ˈeje/ — ġ between front vowels is /j/: "EH-yeh". sāriġ /ˈsaːrij/ — the final ġ is also /j/.
ēage /ˈæːɑɣe/ — the long diphthong ēa, then g between back and front vowels, a soft /ɣ/, a g with the tongue not quite closed.
tōð /toːθ/ — the ancestor of "tooth"; its plural is tēð /teːθ/, "teeth", with the vowel changed as in English.
cwacode /ˈkwɑkode/ — cw is /kw/, as English "qu". cyninge /ˈkyniŋɡe/ — c before y is hard /k/ in this word.
rīċe /ˈriːtʃe/ — ċ is /tʃ/: "REE-cheh".
The Forms: For with the Demonstrative
Dative masculine and neuter: for þǣm (because of that; because) · for þǣm cyninge (before the king)
Dative feminine: for þǣre · for þǣre lufe (for that love)
Dative plural: for þǣm · for þǣm mannum (before the men)
Instrumental: for þȳ or for þon (therefore)
The conjunction: for þǣm þe · for þām þe · for þon þe · for þȳ þe (because)
The question: for hwȳ (why; literally "for what")
The spelling þām for þǣm is common in later West Saxon, as in the Gospels; the two are the same form.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
14.1a Hē he cwacode trembled for for eġe fear
14.1b Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG cwacode /ˈkwɑkode/ trembled-3SG.PRET for /for/ for-PREP+DAT eġe /ˈeje/ fear-DAT.M.SG
14.2a Iċ I dō do hit it for for þē you
14.2b Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM dō /doː/ do-1SG.PRES hit /hit/ it-ACC.N.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þē /θeː/ you-DAT.SG
14.3a For before Gode God and and for before mannum men
14.3b For /for/ before-PREP+DAT Gode /ˈɡode/ God-DAT.M.SG and /ɑnd/ and for /for/ before-PREP+DAT mannum /ˈmɑnnum/ men-DAT.M.PL
14.4a For for hwȳ what wēpst weep þū you
14.4b For /for/ for-PREP+INST hwȳ /hwyː/ what-INST.N.SG wēpst /weːpst/ weep-2SG.PRES þū /θuː/ you-NOM.SG
14.5a Hē he wearþ became sāriġ sorry for for his his synnum sins
14.5b Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG wearþ /wæɑrθ/ became-3SG.PRET sāriġ /ˈsaːrij/ sorry-NOM.M.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT his /his/ his-GEN.M.SG synnum /ˈsynnum/ sins-DAT.F.PL
14.6a Hē he ġestōd stood for before þǣm the cyninge king
14.6b Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG ġestōd /jeˈstoːd/ stood-3SG.PRET for /for/ before-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.M.SG cyninge /ˈkyniŋɡe/ king-DAT.M.SG
14.7a Wē we ne not mihton could gān go for for þǣm the reġne rain
14.7b Wē /weː/ we-NOM.PL ne /ne/ not mihton /ˈmixton/ could-1PL.PRET gān /ɡaːn/ go-INF for /for/ because-of-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.M.SG reġne /ˈrejne/ rain-DAT.M.SG
14.8a Hē he forlēt left his his hūs house for for Godes God's lufan love
14.8b Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG forlēt /forˈleːt/ left-3SG.PRET his /his/ his-GEN.M.SG hūs /huːs/ house-ACC.N.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT Godes /ˈɡodes/ God-GEN.M.SG lufan /ˈluvɑn/ love-DAT.F.SG
14.9a Iċ I ne not cōm came for for þǣm that þe that iċ I wæs was sēoc sick
14.9b Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM ne /ne/ not cōm /koːm/ came-1SG.PRET for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ that-DAT.N.SG þe /θe/ that-REL(PTCL) iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM wæs /wæs/ was-1SG.PRET sēoc /seːok/ sick-NOM.M.SG
14.10a Hē he sealde gave his his līf life for for his his frēondum friends
14.10b Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG sealde /ˈsæɑlde/ gave-3SG.PRET his /his/ his-GEN.M.SG līf /liːf/ life-ACC.N.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT his /his/ his-GEN.M.SG frēondum /ˈfreːondum/ friends-DAT.M.PL
14.11a Ēage eye for for ēage eye and and tōð tooth for for tēð teeth
14.11b Ēage /ˈæːɑɣe/ eye-NOM.N.SG for /for/ for-PREP+ACC ēage /ˈæːɑɣe/ eye-ACC.N.SG and /ɑnd/ and tōð /toːθ/ tooth-NOM.M.SG for /for/ for-PREP+ACC tēð /teːθ/ teeth-ACC.M.PL
14.12a Ac but hē he hine him feor far forwræc banished Metod Measurer for for þȳ the māne crime mancynne mankind fram from
14.12b Ac /ɑk/ but hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG hine /ˈhine/ him-ACC.M.SG feor /feor/ far forwræc /forˈwræk/ banished-3SG.PRET Metod /ˈmetod/ Measurer-NOM.M.SG for /for/ for-PREP+INST þȳ /θyː/ the-INST.N.SG māne /ˈmaːne/ crime-INST.N.SG mancynne /ˈmɑnkynne/ mankind-DAT.N.SG fram /frɑm/ from-PREP(POSTPOSED)
14.13a Ēode went ellenrōf the-brave-one þæt until hē he for before eaxlum shoulders ġestōd stood Deniga of-the-Danes frēan of-the-lord
14.13b Ēode /ˈeːode/ went-3SG.PRET ellenrōf /ˈellenroːf/ courage-famous-NOM.M.SG þæt /θæt/ that-CONJ hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG for /for/ before-PREP+DAT eaxlum /ˈæɑkslum/ shoulders-DAT.M.PL ġestōd /jeˈstoːd/ stood-3SG.PRET Deniga /ˈdeniɣɑ/ Danes-GEN.M.PL frēan /ˈfreːɑn/ lord-GEN.M.SG
14.14a Ēadiġe blessed synt are þā those þe who ēhtnysse persecution þoliað suffer for for rihtwīsnysse righteousness for for þām that þe that hyra theirs ys is heofonan of-heaven rīċe kingdom
14.14b Ēadiġe /ˈæːɑdije/ blessed-NOM.M.PL synt /synt/ are-3PL.PRES þā /θaː/ those-NOM.M.PL þe /θe/ who-REL(PTCL) ēhtnysse /ˈeːxtnysse/ persecution-ACC.F.SG þoliað /ˈθoliɑθ/ suffer-3PL.PRES for /for/ for-PREP+DAT rihtwīsnysse /ˈrixtwiːsnysse/ righteousness-DAT.F.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þām /θaːm/ that-DAT.N.SG þe /θe/ that-REL(PTCL) hyra /ˈhyrɑ/ their-GEN.PL ys /ys/ is-3SG.PRES heofonan /ˈheovonɑn/ heaven-GEN.F.SG rīċe /ˈriːtʃe/ kingdom-NOM.N.SG
14.15a Ēadiġe blessed synt are þā the gāstlīcan spiritual þearfan poor for for þām that hyra theirs ys is heofena of-the-heavens rīċe kingdom
14.15b Ēadiġe /ˈæːɑdije/ blessed-NOM.M.PL synt /synt/ are-3PL.PRES þā /θaː/ the-NOM.M.PL gāstlīcan /ˈɡaːstliːkɑn/ spiritual-NOM.M.PL(WEAK) þearfan /ˈθæɑrvɑn/ poor-ones-NOM.M.PL for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þām /θaːm/ that-DAT.N.SG hyra /ˈhyrɑ/ their-GEN.PL ys /ys/ is-3SG.PRES heofena /ˈheovenɑ/ heavens-GEN.PL rīċe /ˈriːtʃe/ kingdom-NOM.N.SG
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
14.1 Hē cwacode for eġe. → "He trembled with fear."
14.2 Iċ dō hit for þē. → "I am doing it for your sake."
14.3 For Gode and for mannum. → "Before God and before men." (Old English Bede, as quoted in Bosworth–Toller)
14.4 For hwȳ wēpst þū? → "Why are you weeping?"
14.5 Hē wearþ sāriġ for his synnum. → "He became sorry for his sins." (Exeter Book, as quoted in Bosworth–Toller)
14.6 Hē ġestōd for þǣm cyninge. → "He stood before the king."
14.7 Wē ne mihton gān for þǣm reġne. → "We could not go because of the rain."
14.8 Hē forlēt his hūs for Godes lufan. → "He left his house for the love of God."
14.9 Iċ ne cōm, for þǣm þe iċ wæs sēoc. → "I did not come, because I was sick."
14.10 Hē sealde his līf for his frēondum. → "He gave his life for his friends."
14.11 Ēage for ēage, and tōð for tēð. → "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." (West Saxon Gospels, Matthew 5:38)
14.12 Ac hē hine feor forwræc, Metod, for þȳ māne, mancynne fram. → "But he, the Measurer, drove him far from mankind for that crime." (Beowulf, lines 109b–110)
14.13 Ēode ellenrōf, þæt hē for eaxlum ġestōd Deniga frēan. → "The brave one went until he stood before the shoulders of the lord of the Danes." (Beowulf, lines 358–359a)
14.14 Ēadiġe synt þā þe ēhtnysse þoliað for rihtwīsnysse, for þām þe hyra ys heofonan rīċe. → "Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (West Saxon Gospels, Matthew 5:10)
14.15 Ēadiġe synt þā gāstlīcan þearfan, for þām hyra ys heofena rīċe. → "Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of the heavens." (West Saxon Gospels, Matthew 5:3)
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
14.1 Hē cwacode for eġe.
14.2 Iċ dō hit for þē.
14.3 For Gode and for mannum.
14.4 For hwȳ wēpst þū?
14.5 Hē wearþ sāriġ for his synnum.
14.6 Hē ġestōd for þǣm cyninge.
14.7 Wē ne mihton gān for þǣm reġne.
14.8 Hē forlēt his hūs for Godes lufan.
14.9 Iċ ne cōm, for þǣm þe iċ wæs sēoc.
14.10 Hē sealde his līf for his frēondum.
14.11 Ēage for ēage, and tōð for tēð.
14.12 Ac hē hine feor forwræc, Metod, for þȳ māne, mancynne fram.
14.13 Ēode ellenrōf, þæt hē for eaxlum ġestōd Deniga frēan.
14.14 Ēadiġe synt þā þe ēhtnysse þoliað for rihtwīsnysse, for þām þe hyra ys heofonan rīċe.
14.15 Ēadiġe synt þā gāstlīcan þearfan, for þām hyra ys heofena rīċe.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
These are the grammar rules for for (for) in Old English:
1. For and Its Case
For is a preposition, and its noun stands in a case. Most often that is the dative: for eġe (14.1), for Gode (14.3), for his synnum (14.5), for þǣm cyninge (14.6), for þǣm reġne (14.7). With the demonstrative, the instrumental is also found: for þȳ māne "for that crime" (14.12), for hwȳ "for what, why" (14.4). In the sense "instead of, in exchange for" for often takes the accusative: ēage for ēage (14.11), and tēð, the accusative plural, in the same verse.
2. Cause: "because of, out of, for"
This is the commonest sense. For names the reason for a feeling or a deed: Hē cwacode for eġe (14.1), Hē wearþ sāriġ for his synnum (14.5), Wē ne mihton gān for þǣm reġne (14.7), for þȳ māne (14.12), for rihtwīsnysse (14.14). English uses many words here, "with fear", "for his sins", "because of the rain", "out of pride"; Old English uses for for all of them.
3. Presence: "before, in front of"
For can say where someone stands: in front of a person, in his presence. For Gode and for mannum (14.3), Hē ġestōd for þǣm cyninge (14.6), hē for eaxlum ġestōd Deniga frēan (14.13), "he stood before the shoulders of the lord of the Danes". This sense lives on in the Modern English prefix "fore-" (as in "forehead") and in German vor.
4. Sake: "for the sake of, on behalf of"
For says for whom or for what a thing is done: Iċ dō hit for þē (14.2), for Godes lufan (14.8), Hē sealde his līf for his frēondum (14.10). The noun is again in the dative.
5. Exchange: "instead of, in return for"
Ēage for ēage, and tōð for tēð (14.11): one thing is given for another. Bosworth–Toller lists this sense with the accusative and also cites, from Matthew 2:22, Archelaus who reigned for ðǣne Hērōdem, "in place of Herod".
6. The Conjunction "because"
For + the dative of the demonstrative + the particle þe makes a conjunction: for þǣm þe "because" (14.9). The Gospels write for þām þe (14.14), and also for þām without þe (14.15). Other forms with the same meaning are for þon þe and for þȳ þe. The verb after them is in the indicative, because a real reason is being stated: iċ wæs sēoc (14.9), hyra ys (14.14). A comma before the conjunction helps the learner; the manuscripts have no such comma.
7. The Adverbs "therefore" and "why"
Without þe, for þȳ and for þon can also be adverbs: "for that, therefore". Only the sentence shows whether for þām means "because" (14.15) or "therefore". For hwȳ "for what?" asks the reason: For hwȳ wēpst þū? (14.4). Hwȳ is the instrumental of hwæt (Lesson 13).
8. The Prefix for-
Forlēt (14.8), from forlǣtan "leave, abandon", and forwræc (14.12), from forwrecan "drive away", begin with the verbal prefix for-. It is joined to the verb, it is not followed by a noun in a case, and in the verb it is unstressed: forlēt /forˈleːt/. The preposition for is a separate word before its noun.
9. A Postposition
In 14.12, mancynne fram "from mankind", the preposition fram comes after its noun. Poetry often does this. For is not usually placed after its noun in prose.
Common Mistakes
✦ Writing for for a length of time by English habit: Incorrect "*for þrīm dagum". Correct "þrīe dagas" "for three days", the accusative of time alone.
✦ Writing "for tō" before an infinitive: "*Hē cōm for tō helpenne" is Middle English. Old English says Hē cōm tō helpenne or Hē cōm þæt hē mihte helpan (Lesson 13).
✦ Leaving the noun in the nominative: Incorrect "*for sē cyning". Correct for þǣm cyninge (14.6), with the dative of both the article and the noun.
✦ Forgetting þe in the conjunction when "because" is meant: for þǣm alone can also mean "therefore". For þǣm þe is never ambiguous.
✦ Reading for- in a verb as the preposition: forlēt (14.8) is "left", not "for let".
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Frequency and Register
For is one of the commonest prepositions in Old English, and for þǣm þe is the usual word for "because" in prose, from King Alfred's translations to Ælfric's homilies. In Lesson 3 the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle deprived King Sigebryht of his kingdom for unryhtum dǣdum "for unjust deeds": the same for of cause, with the dative plural. The phrase for Godes lufan "for the love of God" is frequent in sermons and charters.
From for to "for"
Modern English "for" is the same word. It has kept the senses of sake ("for my friends") and exchange ("an eye for an eye"), and the old sense of cause survives in "for fear", "for joy" and "for that reason". It has lost the sense "before", which went to fore and to "before" (Old English beforan). The conjunction "for", as in "he slept, for he was tired", is the short form of for þǣm þe: after the loss of the demonstrative, only for was left. "Because" itself is a later word, made from "by" and French "cause".
The Germanic Family
German für (for) and vor (before), Dutch voor, Old Norse fyrir and Gothic faúr are the same word. Latin prō "for, in front of, instead of" and Greek πρό "before" are related. German has divided the senses between für and vor; Old English kept both in one word.
The Beatitudes
The West Saxon Gospels were translated from Latin in the late tenth century. In the Beatitudes the Latin quoniam "because" is regularly turned by for þām or for þām þe: for þām hyra ys heofena rīċe (14.15). The text quoted here follows the Wikisource transcription of the West Saxon Matthew, with dots on ġ and ċ added by this course. In verse 38 that text has tōð for tēð, literally "a tooth for teeth"; the Hatton manuscript, as Bosworth–Toller quotes it, has tōþ for tōþ. Bosworth–Toller quotes John 11:4 for the sense of cause: Nys ðēos untrumnys nā for dēaþe, ac for Godes wuldre "This sickness is not for death, but for the glory of God".
A Note on Quotations
14.3 and 14.5 are quoted from the Bosworth–Toller dictionary, which cites them from the Old English Bede (book 5, chapter 20) and the Exeter Book; the length marks and dots are added. 14.12 and 14.13 are from Beowulf, in the edition used in Section F. 14.11, 14.14 and 14.15 are from the West Saxon Gospels, as above. The other examples of Section A are constructed for teaching from verified vocabulary and patterns, and are not quotations.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
From Beowulf, lines 336b–339. Beowulf and his men have come up from the shore to Heorot, the hall of the Danish king Hrothgar, and set their shields against the wall. A proud warrior of the Danes, Hrothgar's herald, who is later named Wulfgar, has asked who they are. Then he says what he thinks of them. The text follows the heorot.dk edition, with dots added to ġ and ċ for the learner; line numbers are the standard ones.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Ne not seah saw iċ I elþēodiġe foreigners þus thus maniġe many men men mōdiġlīcran bolder
F.1b Ne /ne/ not seah /sæɑx/ saw-1SG.PRET iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM elþēodiġe /ˈelθeːodije/ foreigners-ACC.M.PL þus /θus/ thus maniġe /ˈmɑnije/ many-ACC.M.PL men /men/ men-ACC.M.PL mōdiġlīcran /ˈmoːdijliːkrɑn/ bolder-ACC.M.PL.COMP
F.2a Wēn' think iċ I þæt that ġē you for for wlenco daring nalles not-at-all for for wrǣcsīðum exile
F.2b Wēn' /weːn/ think-1SG.PRES(ELIDED) iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM þæt /θæt/ that-CONJ ġē /jeː/ you-NOM.PL for /for/ for-PREP+DAT wlenco /ˈwlenko/ daring-DAT.F.SG nalles /ˈnɑlles/ not-at-all for /for/ for-PREP+DAT wrǣcsīðum /ˈwræːksiːðum/ exile-journeys-DAT.M.PL
F.3a ac but for for hiġeþrymmum greatness-of-heart Hrōðgār Hrothgar sōhton sought
F.3b ac /ɑk/ but for /for/ for-PREP+DAT hiġeþrymmum /ˈhijeθrymmum/ heart-greatness-DAT.M.PL Hrōðgār /ˈhroːðɡaːr/ Hrothgar-ACC.M.SG sōhton /ˈsoːxton/ sought-2PL.PRET
F-B: Full Text with Translation
Ne seah iċ elþēodiġe þus maniġe men mōdiġlīcran. Wēn' iċ þæt ġē for wlenco, nalles for wrǣcsīðum, ac for hiġeþrymmum Hrōðgār sōhton. → "I have never seen so many foreign men of bolder bearing. I think that you have sought out Hrothgar for daring, not at all for exile, but for greatness of heart."
— Beowulf, lines 336b–339
F-C: Old English Text Only
Ne seah iċ elþēodiġe þus maniġe men mōdiġlīcran. Wēn' iċ þæt ġē for wlenco, nalles for wrǣcsīðum, ac for hiġeþrymmum Hrōðgār sōhton.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
for… for… for: three times in two lines the herald gives a reason with for and the dative: for wlenco, for wrǣcsīðum, for hiġeþrymmum. This is rule 2 of Section D, for of cause. The second is denied with nalles "not at all", and the third is introduced by ac "but": "for daring, not for exile, but for greatness of heart". Old English verse likes such a set of parallel phrases, each one a fresh name for the same thing.
wlenco: "pride, daring, high spirit". It is a feminine noun whose dative ends in -o, like its nominative. The word can mean arrogance in other places; here, in the mouth of a courteous herald, it is praise.
wrǣcsīðum: a compound of wrǣc "exile, banishment" and sīþ "journey". A man who came to a foreign king's hall in the heroic world was often an exile, driven from his own lord. The herald rules this out at once.
hiġeþrymmum: hyġe or hiġe "mind, heart" and þrymm "might, glory". Both wrǣcsīðum and hiġeþrymmum are plural, though English renders them as singulars: poetry often uses the dative plural for abstract ideas.
Wēn' iċ þæt ġē… Hrōðgār sōhton: Wēn' is wēne "I think, I expect", with the final e lost before the vowel of iċ. Þæt is the conjunction of Lesson 13, opening the clause of what he thinks. The verb sōhton comes at the end of its clause, after its object Hrōðgār, as often in a dependent clause.
mōdiġlīcran: the comparative of mōdiġlīc "high-spirited, bold", from mōd "mind, spirit" (Modern English "mood"). The comparative ending is -ra, here in the form -ran of the accusative plural.
Compare 14.13: a few lines later the same herald goes to his king þæt hē for eaxlum ġestōd Deniga frēan, "until he stood before the shoulders of the lord of the Danes". There for is the other sense: presence, "in front of".
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
A stranger comes in the evening to the door of a lord's hall. The doorkeeper asks him why he has come, and the stranger gives his reasons: a dialogue of for, the word of reasons. (A constructed dialogue for teaching, not a quotation.)
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
14.16a Weard guard Ēala O cuma stranger for for hwȳ what cōme came þū you hider hither
14.16b Weard /wæɑrd/ guard-NOM.M.SG Ēala /ˈeːɑlɑ/ O-INTERJ cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-VOC.M.SG for /for/ for-PREP+INST hwȳ /hwyː/ what-INST.N.SG cōme /ˈkoːme/ came-2SG.PRET þū /θuː/ you-NOM.SG hider /ˈhider/ hither
14.17a Cuma stranger Iċ I cōm came for for mīnum my brēþer brother
14.17b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM cōm /koːm/ came-1SG.PRET for /for/ for-PREP+DAT mīnum /ˈmiːnum/ my-DAT.M.SG brēþer /ˈbreːθer/ brother-DAT.M.SG
14.18a Weard guard For for hwȳ what nis is-not hē he mid with þē you
14.18b Weard /wæɑrd/ guard-NOM.M.SG For /for/ for-PREP+INST hwȳ /hwyː/ what-INST.N.SG nis /nis/ is-not-3SG.PRES hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG mid /mid/ with-PREP+DAT þē /θeː/ you-DAT.SG
14.19a Cuma stranger Hē he is is on in þissum this hūse house for for þǣm that þe that hē he is is sēoc sick
14.19b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG is /is/ is-3SG.PRES on /on/ in-PREP+DAT þissum /ˈθissum/ this-DAT.N.SG hūse /ˈhuːze/ house-DAT.N.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ that-DAT.N.SG þe /θe/ that-REL(PTCL) hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG is /is/ is-3SG.PRES sēoc /seːok/ sick-NOM.M.SG
14.20a Weard guard Iċ I wāt know þæt that Hē he wearð became sēoc sick for for þǣm the ċele cold
14.20b Weard /wæɑrd/ guard-NOM.M.SG Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM wāt /waːt/ know-1SG.PRES þæt /θæt/ that-ACC.N.SG Hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG wearð /wæɑrθ/ became-3SG.PRET sēoc /seːok/ sick-NOM.M.SG for /for/ because-of-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.M.SG ċele /ˈtʃele/ cold-DAT.M.SG
14.21a Cuma stranger Iċ I wæs was on on sǣ sea and and iċ I ne not mihte could ǣr sooner cuman come for for þǣm the winde wind
14.21b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM wæs /wæs/ was-1SG.PRET on /on/ on-PREP+DAT sǣ /sæː/ sea-DAT.F.SG and /ɑnd/ and iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM ne /ne/ not mihte /ˈmixte/ could-1SG.PRET ǣr /æːr/ sooner cuman /ˈkumɑn/ come-INF for /for/ because-of-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.M.SG winde /ˈwinde/ wind-DAT.M.SG
14.22a Weard guard Gā go in in and and stand stand for before þǣm the hlāforde lord
14.22b Weard /wæɑrd/ guard-NOM.M.SG Gā /ɡaː/ go-2SG.IMP in /in/ in-ADV and /ɑnd/ and stand /stɑnd/ stand-2SG.IMP for /for/ before-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.M.SG hlāforde /ˈhlaːvorde/ lord-DAT.M.SG
14.23a Cuma stranger Hlāford lord iċ I bidde pray for for mīnum my brēþer brother
14.23b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Hlāford /ˈhlaːvord/ lord-VOC.M.SG iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM bidde /ˈbidde/ pray-1SG.PRES for /for/ for-PREP+DAT mīnum /ˈmiːnum/ my-DAT.M.SG brēþer /ˈbreːθer/ brother-DAT.M.SG
14.24a Hlāford lord Iċ I wāt know þæt that þū you cōme came for for his his lufan love
14.24b Hlāford /ˈhlaːvord/ lord-NOM.M.SG Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM wāt /waːt/ know-1SG.PRES þæt /θæt/ that-CONJ þū /θuː/ you-NOM.SG cōme /ˈkoːme/ came-2SG.PRET for /for/ for-PREP+DAT his /his/ his-GEN.M.SG lufan /ˈluvɑn/ love-DAT.F.SG
14.25a Hlāford lord Ne not miht can þū you hine him nū now ġesēon see for for þǣm that þe that hē he slǣpþ sleeps
14.25b Hlāford /ˈhlaːvord/ lord-NOM.M.SG Ne /ne/ not miht /mixt/ can-2SG.PRES þū /θuː/ you-NOM.SG hine /ˈhine/ him-ACC.M.SG nū /nuː/ now ġesēon /jeˈseːon/ see-INF for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ that-DAT.N.SG þe /θe/ that-REL(PTCL) hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG slǣpþ /slæːpθ/ sleeps-3SG.PRES
14.26a Cuma stranger Þonne then wille will iċ I hēr here bīdan wait for for þȳ that þe that iċ I hine him lufie love
14.26b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Þonne /ˈθonne/ then wille /ˈwille/ will-1SG.PRES iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM hēr /heːr/ here bīdan /ˈbiːdɑn/ wait-INF for /for/ for-PREP+INST þȳ /θyː/ that-INST.N.SG þe /θe/ that-REL(PTCL) iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM hine /ˈhine/ him-ACC.M.SG lufie /ˈluvie/ love-1SG.PRES
14.27a Weard guard Site sit hēr here be by þǣm the fȳre fire for for þǣm that þe that þū you eart are ċeald cold
14.27b Weard /wæɑrd/ guard-NOM.M.SG Site /ˈsite/ sit-2SG.IMP hēr /heːr/ here be /be/ by-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.N.SG fȳre /ˈfyːre/ fire-DAT.N.SG for /for/ for-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ that-DAT.N.SG þe /θe/ that-REL(PTCL) þū /θuː/ you-NOM.SG eart /æɑrt/ are-2SG.PRES ċeald /tʃæɑld/ cold-NOM.M.SG
14.28a Cuma stranger Iċ I þancie thank þē you iċ I cwacie tremble ġīet still for for þǣm the ċele cold
14.28b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM þancie /ˈθɑnkie/ thank-1SG.PRES þē /θeː/ you-DAT.SG iċ /itʃ/ I-NOM cwacie /ˈkwɑkie/ tremble-1SG.PRES ġīet /jiːet/ still for /for/ because-of-PREP+DAT þǣm /θæːm/ the-DAT.M.SG ċele /ˈtʃele/ cold-DAT.M.SG
14.29a Weard guard Ne not ondrǣd dread þū you þē yourself hē he biþ will-be hāl whole for for Godes God's mildheortnesse mercy
14.29b Weard /wæɑrd/ guard-NOM.M.SG Ne /ne/ not ondrǣd /onˈdræːd/ dread-2SG.IMP þū /θuː/ you-NOM.SG þē /θeː/ yourself-ACC.SG(REFL) hē /heː/ he-NOM.M.SG biþ /biθ/ will-be-3SG.PRES hāl /haːl/ whole-NOM.M.SG for /for/ through-PREP+DAT Godes /ˈɡodes/ God-GEN.M.SG mildheortnesse /ˈmildheortnesse/ mercy-DAT.F.SG
14.30a Cuma stranger Mīn my heorte heart is is blīþe glad for for þīnum your wordum words
14.30b Cuma /ˈkumɑ/ stranger-NOM.M.SG Mīn /miːn/ my-NOM.F.SG heorte /ˈheorte/ heart-NOM.F.SG is /is/ is-3SG.PRES blīþe /ˈbliːθe/ glad-NOM.F.SG for /for/ because-of-PREP+DAT þīnum /ˈθiːnum/ your-DAT.N.PL wordum /ˈwordum/ words-DAT.N.PL
Part B: Natural Sentences
14.16 Weard: "Ēala, cuma, for hwȳ cōme þū hider?" → Guard: "Stranger, why have you come here?"
14.17 Cuma: "Iċ cōm for mīnum brēþer." → Stranger: "I came for my brother's sake."
14.18 Weard: "For hwȳ nis hē mid þē?" → Guard: "Why is he not with you?"
14.19 Cuma: "Hē is on þissum hūse, for þǣm þe hē is sēoc." → Stranger: "He is in this house, because he is sick."
14.20 Weard: "Iċ wāt þæt. Hē wearð sēoc for þǣm ċele." → Guard: "I know that. He fell sick because of the cold."
14.21 Cuma: "Iċ wæs on sǣ, and iċ ne mihte ǣr cuman for þǣm winde." → Stranger: "I was at sea, and I could not come sooner because of the wind."
14.22 Weard: "Gā in, and stand for þǣm hlāforde." → Guard: "Go in, and stand before the lord."
14.23 Cuma: "Hlāford, iċ bidde for mīnum brēþer." → Stranger: "Lord, I make my prayer for my brother."
14.24 Hlāford: "Iċ wāt þæt þū cōme for his lufan." → Lord: "I know that you came out of love for him."
14.25 Hlāford: "Ne miht þū hine nū ġesēon, for þǣm þe hē slǣpþ." → Lord: "You cannot see him now, because he is asleep."
14.26 Cuma: "Þonne wille iċ hēr bīdan, for þȳ þe iċ hine lufie." → Stranger: "Then I will wait here, because I love him."
14.27 Weard: "Site hēr be þǣm fȳre, for þǣm þe þū eart ċeald." → Guard: "Sit here by the fire, because you are cold."
14.28 Cuma: "Iċ þancie þē; iċ cwacie ġīet for þǣm ċele." → Stranger: "I thank you; I am still shaking with the cold."
14.29 Weard: "Ne ondrǣd þū þē; hē biþ hāl for Godes mildheortnesse." → Guard: "Do not be afraid; he will be well, through the mercy of God."
14.30 Cuma: "Mīn heorte is blīþe for þīnum wordum." → Stranger: "My heart is glad because of your words."
Part C: Old English Text Only
14.16 Weard: "Ēala, cuma, for hwȳ cōme þū hider?"
14.17 Cuma: "Iċ cōm for mīnum brēþer."
14.18 Weard: "For hwȳ nis hē mid þē?"
14.19 Cuma: "Hē is on þissum hūse, for þǣm þe hē is sēoc."
14.20 Weard: "Iċ wāt þæt. Hē wearð sēoc for þǣm ċele."
14.21 Cuma: "Iċ wæs on sǣ, and iċ ne mihte ǣr cuman for þǣm winde."
14.22 Weard: "Gā in, and stand for þǣm hlāforde."
14.23 Cuma: "Hlāford, iċ bidde for mīnum brēþer."
14.24 Hlāford: "Iċ wāt þæt þū cōme for his lufan."
14.25 Hlāford: "Ne miht þū hine nū ġesēon, for þǣm þe hē slǣpþ."
14.26 Cuma: "Þonne wille iċ hēr bīdan, for þȳ þe iċ hine lufie."
14.27 Weard: "Site hēr be þǣm fȳre, for þǣm þe þū eart ċeald."
14.28 Cuma: "Iċ þancie þē; iċ cwacie ġīet for þǣm ċele."
14.29 Weard: "Ne ondrǣd þū þē; hē biþ hāl for Godes mildheortnesse."
14.30 Cuma: "Mīn heorte is blīþe for þīnum wordum."
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
The speakers are named before their words, as in Lessons 12 and 13: Weard "guard, doorkeeper", Cuma "comer, stranger, guest" and Hlāford "lord". Hlāford is the ancestor of "lord", from hlāf "loaf" and weard "keeper": the keeper of the bread.
Cause: most of the stranger's reasons use for with the dative: for þǣm ċele (14.20, 14.28), for þǣm winde (14.21), for þīnum wordum (14.30), for Godes mildheortnesse (14.29). The guard's two questions both begin For hwȳ (14.16, 14.18).
Because: for þǣm þe (14.19, 14.25, 14.27) and for þȳ þe (14.26) open a clause with an indicative verb: hē is sēoc, hē slǣpþ, þū eart ċeald, iċ hine lufie. The two forms mean the same.
Sake and presence: Iċ cōm for mīnum brēþer (14.17) and iċ bidde for mīnum brēþer (14.23) are "for my brother's sake, on his behalf"; biddan for is "to pray for, to plead for". Stand for þǣm hlāforde (14.22) is "stand before the lord", the sense of presence. For his lufan (14.24) is "for love of him".
Forms: brēþer (14.17, 14.23) is the dative singular of brōþor "brother", with the vowel changed, like tēð from tōð. Cōme (14.16, 14.24) is the second person past of cuman, and cōm (14.17) the first person. Nis (14.18) is ne + is (Lesson 12). Ne ondrǣd þū þē (14.29) is "do not fear", with the reflexive þē, as iċ mē ne ondrǣde in Lesson 8. Biþ (14.29) is the form of "to be" used for what will be or what is always so: "he will be well". Site (14.27) is the imperative of sittan "sit", and stand (14.22) of standan.
Not every "for" is for: in 14.26 the stranger "waits", bīdan, and Old English does not say "wait for him" with for; the verb takes the genitive (his bīdan). The dialogue uses bīdan alone. In 14.28 iċ þancie þē has the plain dative, "I thank you".
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
þ and ð: both are written for the same sound. At the start of a word, as in þǣm /θæːm/ and þē, it is voiceless /θ/. Between voiced sounds it is voiced /ð/, as in wrǣcsīðum /ˈwræːksiːðum/ and Hrōðgār. At the end of a word it is voiceless again, as in tōð /toːθ/, wearþ /wæɑrθ/ and þoliað /ˈθoliɑθ/.
f: between vowels, f is voiced /v/: lufan /ˈluvɑn/, heofonan /ˈheovonɑn/, hlāforde /ˈhlaːvorde/, þearfan /ˈθæɑrvɑn/. At the start or end of a word it is /f/: for, feor, līf, ellenrōf.
s: between vowels, s is voiced /z/: hūse /ˈhuːze/. Elsewhere it is /s/: hūs, sēoc, synnum.
Palatal and hard consonants: eġe, reġne, sāriġ, ġestōd, ġē, ġīet, Ēadiġe, maniġe, hiġeþrymmum: ġ is /j/. Gode, gān, gāstlīcan: g is a hard /ɡ/. Ēage and Deniga have g between vowels after a back vowel, a soft /ɣ/. Iċ, ċele, ċeald, rīċe: ċ is /tʃ/. Cwacode, cuma, cyninge, sēoc: c is /k/.
h: mihton, mihte, miht, ēhtnysse, rihtwīsnysse, seah, sōhton: h after a vowel is /x/, as in Scottish "loch". Hwȳ begins with /hw/. Hlāford and Hrōðgār begin with a breathy h before the l and r.
Long and short vowels: for has a short o; fōr with a long ō is a different word, "went" (from faran). God /ɡod/ (the name) has a short vowel, gōd /ɡoːd/ (good) a long one. Þǣm /θæːm/ and þām /θaːm/ are two spellings of the same dative.
Spellings in the quotations: the Gospels write synt for sind "are", ys for is and hyra for hiera "their", and for þām where this course writes for þǣm. The heorot.dk Beowulf writes plain ic and g; the course adds the dots in Section F as everywhere else. Wēn' has an apostrophe for the elided e of wēne.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
---
Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)