606, 'the sun in its ether robes,' for _sunne swegl-wered_.
838, 'in the mist of the morning,' for _on morgen_.
1311, 'As day was dawning in the dusk of the morning,' for _[-æ]r-dæge_.
Perhaps these paraphrastic renderings are what Dr. Hall is referring to when he says in his preface, regarding the nature of the translation, 'Occasionally some loss has been sustained; but, on the other hand, a gain has here and there been made.'
As for the archaism, that is well enough for those who like it. It is never so strange as that of Earle, or the marvelous diction of William Morris. But it is not, therefore, dignified or clear. How much dignity and clarity a translator has a right to introduce into his rendering is a matter of opinion. Mr. Hall was quite conscious of what he was doing, and doubtless regarded his diction as well suited to convey the original Beowulf spirit.
The chief criticism of the verse is that it is often not verse at all. Many passages are indistinguishable from prose. This is a stricture that cannot be passed on the Old English, nor on the best modern imitations of it.
The atheling of Geatmen uttered these words and Heroic did hasten. --Page 51, line 19.
In war 'neath the water the work with great pains I Performed. --Page 57, line 6.
Gave me willingly to see on the wall a Heavy old hand-sword. --Page 57, line 11.
The man was so dear that he failed to suppress the Emotions that moved him. --Page 64, line 59.
There might be an excuse for some of this freedom in blank verse, but in measures imitative of the Old English it is utterly out of place. There is always a pause at the end of a line in Old English; run-on lines are uncommon. There is not an example in _Beowulf_ of an ending so light as 'the' or 'a' in the verses quoted above.
Beówulf. Aeltestes deutsches Heldengedicht. Aus dem Angelsächsischen übertragen von P. Hoffmann. Züllichau. Verlag von Herm. Liebich (1893?). 8vo, pp. iii, 183.
*Zweite Ausgabe, Hannover, Schaper, 1900.
Sixth German Translation. Nibelungen Measures.
In _Minerva_ (1902), P. Hoffmann is recorded as 'Ord. Professor' of Philosophy and Pedagogy at Gent.
The translator desired to present a rendering of the poem that should attract the general reader. He regarded Simrock's version as too literal and archaic[1], the version of von Wolzogen as not sufficiently clear and beautiful[2], and the version of Heyne as not sufficiently varied in form[3] (Vorwort, i). He regards the _Beowulf_ as of great importance in inspiring patriotism--he always calls the poem German--and even offers a comparison of _Beowulf_ with Emperor William I. With the scholarship of his subject the author hardly seems concerned.