The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle [Paperback]

James H. Ford (Editor), James Ingram (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2005

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is an account of the early history of Britain. It was originally compiled on the orders of King Alfred the Great, approximately A.D. 890, and subsequently maintained and added to by generations of anonymous scribes until the middle of the 12th Century. The original language is Anglo-Saxon (Old English), but later entries are essentially Middle English in tone.

This edition is a translation from the Old English to a more readable Modern English by the Reverend James Ingram. His scholarly view is amply demonstrated in his introduction that traces the early fusion of The Doomsday Book and the Saxon Chronicle into this work that has come to be known as The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

It consists of 9 differing manuscripts that collectively trace the outlines of British history. Together, even with their inconsistencies, they comprise the best source of factual information from an era shrouded in myth. For a millennium or so, historians have been reading this landmark reference to distinguish between fact and fantasy in the complex history of Britain. It has established the standard time-line from pre-history into the middle ages.

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Chronicle

Origins

The island Britain (1) is 800 miles long, and 200 miles broad. And there are in the island five nations; English, Welsh (or British) (2), Scottish, Pictish, and Latin. The first inhabitants were the Britons, who came from Armenia (3), and first peopled Britain southward. Then happened it, that the Picts came south from Scythia, with long ships, not many; and, landing first in the northern part of Ireland, they told the Scots that they must dwell there. But they would not give them leave; for the Scots told them that they could not all dwell there together; "But," said the Scots, "we can nevertheless give you advice. We know another island here to the east. There you may dwell, if you will; and whosoever withstandeth you, we will assist you, that you may gain it." Then went the Picts and entered this land northward. Southward the Britons possessed it, as we before said. And the Picts obtained wives of the Scots, on condition that they chose their kings always on the female side (4); which they have continued to do, so long since. And it happened, in the run of years, that some party of Scots went from Ireland into Britain, and acquired some portion of this land. Their leader was called Reoda (5), from whom they are named Dalreodi (or Dalreathians).

Sixty winters ere that Christ was born, Caius Julius, emperor of the Romans, with eighty ships sought Britain. There he was first beaten in a dreadful fight, and lost a great part of his army. Then he let his army abide with the Scots (6), and went south into Gaul. There he gathered six hundred ships, with which he went back into Britain. When they first rushed together, Caesar’s tribune, whose name was Labienus (7), was slain. Then took the Welsh sharp piles, and drove them with great clubs into the water, at a certain ford of the river called Thames. When the Romans found that, they would not go over the ford. Then fled the Britons to the fastnesses of the woods; and Caesar, having after much fighting gained many of the chief towns, went back into Gaul.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: El Paso Norte Press (August 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976072637
• ISBN-13: 978-0976072638
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,633,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential British History, October 14, 2005

By 

Kevin Curan (Lewiston, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Paperback)

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is an extremely useful tool for the study of of British history. Its time-line format is an effective organization technique which simplifies keeping events in their true order and, in its own way, adds an element of suspense to the unfolding narrative.

This particular translation is not only one of most highly regarded, in this edition it is also a bargain, being considerably less expensive than most others. Other editions have their merits, but Ingram's translation from the Old English and Latin sources is clear, direct and very readable.

This book is a must-have for those who interested in real history. Reading this compilation from the original source materials is far surperior to suffering through an edited, re-telling of the events by an author with a personal agenda.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars wretched translation, July 24, 2007

By 

meg - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Paperback)

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is all that the other reviewers say that it is, but this translation is extremely poor. Ingram -- who was writing in the 1810s & 1820s -- dreamed up meanings when he could not parse the Anglo-Saxon, which occurs in many places.

Mind you, it's not his fault: We learned a great deal about the Old English language(s) between 1850 and 1950. But for this reason alone, you must buy a more modern edition.

Lastly, Ingram's method of collating all nine manuscripts together lands him in the soup, with a large number of contradictions, single events happening twice, and so forth.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A true classic, presented exactly as it was compiled, May 23, 2009

By 

Paul Haseley (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Paperback)

Ingram's translation of The Anglo Saxon Chronicle is not perfect by modern standards, but for true scholars and students of the period, it has the personality of the original texts preserved. I found the idiosyncracies to be charming, and as a companion to reading Beowulf and Sir Gawain, I definitely felt immersed in the culture of the time period.