Germanic Origins of Anglo-Saxons in A Daily Dose of Peace
A Daily Dose of Peace. Each week, I focus on Love, Joy, and Peace in the world languages. January’s third week focuses on Germany and Anglo-Saxon origins in Europe.
Germanic Immigrants
A monk from Northumbria named Bede
described Anglo-Saxons
most powerful and warlike tribes in Germany
immigrants from northern Germany and southern Scandinavia
three tribes Angles, Saxons and Jutes
with many other stormed out for Britain
in the early fifth century
Batavians, Franks and Frisians
known to have made the sea crossing
to the province of Britannia
talking, mixing, marrying
seeking peace in Anglo-Saxon
“Friö” peace and tranquility
security or refuge
stately, beautiful
“Friþ”, “ᚠᚱᛁᚦ” “Griþ”
“Sibb” or “Friðu
peace
“Friölan” to give peace
to make peace with
be at peace with
to support or cherish
protect, guard, defend
to intercede for or to observe
“Griö” peace or protection
such as was given by the king to official men
the privilege of security within a certain space
“Saht” peace
agreement and reconciliation
reconciled, still, peaceful
to make peace, a reconciliation
Leading with hope to
“Woruldfriö”
worldly peace
Meddling with Peace
In Anglo-Saxon “tó-meldan”
is to to destroy peace
by talebearing or by spreading reports
as in “Ðǽr is helle grund ðam ðe sibbe ful oft
tómældeþ mid his múþe”
from Dante’s Inferno, Canto 28
describes the punishment
of the sowers of scandal and schism
Alfred of Old Peace
Alfred the wise, king of Northumbria
named for “Aldfriþ”
“ald” or “eald” is old
“friþ” is peace
In Anglo-Saxon another word for peace
“dryht-sib” or “dryht-sibb”
is peace and kinship
as in siblings
peace between two nations
or lordly kinship
Found Poetry in Dictionary Definitions from The Progres (The Centre for the Study of the Middle Ages)
Originally Published in Peace Poetry Dictionary, The Meaning of Peace and Calm in 5000 Languages on January 16, 2021.
