The poems gathered in this volume complement one another on the basis of their shared interest in New Testament, apocryphal, and hagiographical narratives: Advent (sometimes known as Christ I), Christ in Judgment (sometimes known as Christ III), Guthlac A, The Descent into Hell, The Vision of the Cross (elsewhere known by the title The Dream of the Rood), The Ruthwell Cross Crucifixion Poem, The Brussels Cross Inscription, Andreas, Christ and Satan, and a Distich on Kenelm.
I found much to admire and enjoy in Clayton’s prose translations. With the Old English text readily available on the facing page, the Modern English rendition need not imitate it by way of archaizing diction and strained syntax. Instead, Clayton uses spare, unpretentious language that captures the tone of each poem while communicating its subject matter with terrific clarity. This is no small feat since the tone varies widely among these poems, from the exultant prayers of Advent and The Descent into Hell and the understated humor of Andreas to the dire admonitions of Christ in Judgment and the surreal psychological turmoil that dominates The Dream of the Rood.
Leslie Lockett
The Medieval Review
