1. Caedmon’s Hymn

2. Caedmon’s Hymn 7th century
nu scylun hergan   hefaenricaes uard
metudæs maecti   end his modgidanc
uerc uuldurfadur   swe he uundra gihwaes
eci dryctin   or astelidæ
he aerist scop   aelda barnum
heben til hrofe   haleg scepen.
tha middungeard   moncynnæs uard
eci dryctin   æfter tiadæ
firum foldu   frea allmectig[7]
(8th century Northumbrian version)
Caedmon wasn’t able to share in the group entertainment that the cowherds participated in. They would gather together, passing mead horns and passing a harp. Caedmon retreats to the stables in embarrassment where an angel appears to him and tells Caedmon to sing. Caedmon says he can’t sing, and doesn’t know what to sing about. The angel says to sing of creation.

3. Caedmon’s Hymn, West Saxon
Nu sculon herigean         heofonrices weard, meotodes meahte         and his modgeþanc, weorc wuldorfæder,         swa he wundra gehwæs, ece drihten,         or onstealde. 5
He ærest sceop         eorðan bearnum heofon to hrofe,         halig scyppend; þa middangeard         moncynnes weard, ece drihten,         æfter teode firum foldan,         frea ælmihtig.
Alliteration; Set formula used—stock phrases and synonyms
God=

4. Valhalla

5. Caedmon’s Hymn, West Saxon
Nu sculon herigean         heofonrices weard,
heaven kingdom guard
meotodes meahte         and his modgeþanc,
Metes out justice
weorc wuldorfæder,         swa he wundra gehwæs,
glory father
ece drihten,         or onstealde.
Lord (political, secular)
God=

6. Caedmon’s Hymn, West Saxon
He ærest sceop         eorðan bearnum
shaper earth’s children
heofon to hrofe,         halig scyppend;
heaven roofed shaper, creator
þa middangeard         moncynnes weard,
ece drihten,         æfter teode
firum foldan,         frea ælmihtig.
Frey (Norse God) almighty
God=Divinity, Rulership, Control, Authority
Old Norse creation myths include stories of building a roof over Valhalla-the hall of the gods
First attempt to express Christian creation to a pagan germanic audience.

8.  Now let me praise the keeper of Heaven's kingdom,  The might of the Creator, and his thought,  The work of the Father of glory, how each of wonders  The Eternal Lord established in the beginning.
 He first created for the sons of men  Heaven as a roof, the holy Creator,  Then Middle-earth the keeper of mankind,  The Eternal Lord, afterwards made,  The earth for men, the Almighty Lord.  

9. Christian concepts translated into the older vocabulary of creation myth and social rulership
Forms of oral formulaic and alliterative English verse can express new Christian ideas
Principles of Old English word formation appear in the compounds (synonyms)