The Fates of the Apostles

The Fates of the Apostles (Vercelli Book, fol.52b-54a) is the shortest of Cynewulf’s known canon at 122 lines long. It is a brief martyrology of the Twelve Apostles written in the standard alliterative verse. The Fates recites the key events that subsequently befell each apostle after the Ascension of Jesus. It is possible that The Fates was composed as a learning aid to the monasteries.

Cynewulf speaks in the first-person throughout the poem, and besides explaining the fate of each disciple, he provides “advice” and “consolation” to the reader. Cynewulf’s runic signature is scrambled in this poem so that the meaning of the runes become a riddle with no unequivocal meaning.^[1]

"Wealth (F) shall be at it end there. Men enjoy this on earth, but not for ever will they be allowed to remain together :abiding in the world. The pleasure (W) which is ours (U) in this native place will fail and then the body’s borrowed fineries will crumble away, even as the sea (L) will vanish away when the fire (C) and trumpet (Y) exercise their strength in the straits of the night; coercion (N) will lie upon them—their thraldom to the King."

Notes

↑ See Bradley 1982, p.154

External links

Cynewulf: The Fates of the Apostles (Modern English translation by Charles Kennedy)
George Philip Krapp, Andreas and The Fates of the Apostles, two Anglo-Saxon narrative poems (1906)

References

Bradley, S.A.J, ed. and tr. 1982. Anglo-Saxon Poetry. London: Everyman's Library.

Old English poetry

Poems

Nowell Codex	Beowulf Judith

Junius MS	Genesis A, B Exodus Daniel Christ and Satan

Vercelli Book	Andreas The Fates of the Apostles Soul and Body I Dream of the Rood Elene Homiletic Fragment I

Exeter Book	Christ I Christ II Christ III Guthlac A, B Azarias The Phoenix Juliana The Wanderer The Gifts of Men Precepts The Seafarer Vainglory Widsith The Fortunes of Men Maxims I The Order of the World The Rhyming Poem The Panther The Whale The Partridge Soul and Body II Deor Wulf and Eadwacer Riddles 1-59 The Wife's Lament The Judgment Day I Resignation The Descent into Hell Alms-Giving Pharaoh The Lord's Prayer I Homiletic Fragment II Riddle 30b Riddle 60 The Husband's Message The Ruin Riddles 61-95

Metrical charms	Æcerbot Against a Dwarf Against a Wen A Journey Charm For a Swarm of Bees For Loss or Theft of Cattle For Delayed Birth For Water-Elf Disease Nine Herbs Charm Wið færstice

Chronicle poems	Battle of Brunanburh Capture of the Five Boroughs The Coronation of Edgar The Death of King Edgar The Death of Alfred The Death of Edward The Rime of King William

Other poems	Metres of Boethius Paris Psalter (BNF MS 8824) Finnsburh Fragment Waldere A, B The Battle of Maldon Durham Rune poem Solomon and Saturn The Menologium Maxims II Proverb from Winfrid's time Judgment Day II An Exhortation to Christian Living A Summons to Prayer The Lord's Prayer II The Gloria I The Lord's Prayer III The Creed Old English Psalms (fragments) The Kentish Hymn Psalm 50 The Gloria II A Prayer Thureth Aldhelm The Seasons for Fasting Cædmon's Hymn Bede's Death Song The Leiden Riddle Latin-English Proverbs Metrical Preface and Epilogue to Alfred's Hierdeboc Metrical Preface to Wærferth's translation of the Dialogues Metrical Epilogue to CCCC MS 41 Brussels Cross Ruthwell Cross

Poets

Other

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