Ancient Literature Dude

So as a huge Fire Emblem fan, and with Fire Emblem Engage releasing in just a few short weeks, I decided it was time to write an epic poem about the first Fire Emblem game...in Old Norse. You know, the language that has influenced so many of the weapon and character names in the series. Video reading coming soon. Don't miss it!

3 years ago | [YT] | 11

Ancient Literature Dude

This Monday. Mario reads Beowulf in Old English. Get ready.

3 years ago | [YT] | 16

Ancient Literature Dude

Are you ready for an adventure? Tomorrow I present to you the beginning of the story of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time told as a Norse myth would be: as an authentic Old Norse poem.

The three goddesses. The creation of Hyrule. The Triforce. This is the story of Ocarina of Time as you've never seen it before: in the language of the Vikings.

This is the first step in an epic adventure to bring classic game stories to life in the style of the very myths that inspired them. I hope you'll follow along with me on this journey.

3 years ago | [YT] | 12

Ancient Literature Dude

Tomorrow. Be there.

4 years ago | [YT] | 5

Ancient Literature Dude

I've had some pretty fun video ideas before, but this may be the most epic of them all. What if the story of Super Metroid had been told in Old Norse? What if the battle between Samus and her old nemesis Ridley had been depicted in epic alliterative fornyrðislag half-lines in the style of the Poetic Edda? That's the story I'm telling. Riðlésmál: The Lay of Ridley. Check out the opening stanzas, and watch my channel in the upcoming weeks for more.

Þar reið hermær,
himinshildr,
langa nótt
á Zebes niðr;
barn hon sótt, 
ok balla hefnd,
nið átumeina
í niðamyrkri.

Niðr vas heimr
niflvega fullr, 
undarligr mikit,
ókynjanum búit.
Skip hon átti,
undarligt mikit, 
víða himna
hraustliga kljóf.

Vasa ljós né hljóð
í hættum heimi;
allt vas þagalt,
allt vas kyrt;
skýin ultu,
úr í himni,
hríð sem mest
í heimi auðum.

There rode the battle maiden,
heavenly warrior,
the long night
down to Zebes;
the child she sought,
and hard vengeance,
the descendant of the harm-eaters
in the lower dark.

Below was a world
filled with dire paths,
wonderful beyond measure,
by monsters inhabited.
A ship she had
wondrous indeed,
the wide heavens
it cleaved valiantly.

There was neither light nor sound
in that dark world;
all was silent,
all was still;
the clouds rolled, 
heavy rains covered the heavens,
a storm unimaginable
raged in that desolate world.

4 years ago | [YT] | 14

Ancient Literature Dude

My friends, I'm excited to announce what may be my most exciting project yet. I love classical languages, and I love classic gaming. I always try to mix the two, to share how the myths and old languages influenced gaming, and how gaming has in turn inspired people to study mythology and historic languages.

Well, I've been reading and recording the Homeric Hymns, admiring their beauty, the exquisite form by which they address the gods, and it struck me: what if our most beloved video game characters had existed in Ancient Greece? How would it have sounded if the ancient bards had composed odes and invocations to the gods and devils of our modern world?

And of course, as a huge Zelda fan, the first thought that struck me was…Ganondorf. What words of the ancient Hellenes could describe the Great King of Evil?

And so I composed a nine-line poem in authentic, tight dactylic hexameter, in the Epic dialect, with all of the conventions of the brief Homeric Hymns. Here's the final result…look forward to seeing and hearing this one in a video reading soon!

Hyrulian Hymn to Ganondorf

Εἲς Γανόνδορφον, μέγαν κακότητος βασίλεα

Ἀμφὶ Γανόνδορφον, κακότητος μὲν μέγ' ἄνακτα,
ἄρχομ' ἀείδειν, ἠδὲ κραταιὸν, πάμφαγον ἀιεί
ὀμβριμόθυμον, ἀρήϊον, ἄφθιτον, Γήρυδα δεινόν,
ὅς τε Τρισδύναμιν δὲ χειρὶ φέρων ἅμα ξίφει
αἵματι ἀνθρώπων χαίρων, δίᾳ δύναμεί τε,
χρύσην καὶ δύναμιν ζητῶν ἀφανεῖ ἐνὶ χώρᾳ
κόσμον νικεῖ τε χρόνον, ἠδ' ἡρώες φονεύων.
Χαῖρε ἄναξ, θεῖε θανάτοιο μὲν ἔκγονε, αιὲν
ῶν, αιεὶ δὲ ανιστάς; δὸς δὲ καὶ κόσμον ερεμνόν.

To Ganondorf, Great King of Evil

Of Ganondorf, the great king of evil,
I begin to sing, the mighty one, ever all-consuming,
forceful of will, warlike, imperishable, dreadful Gerudo,
who bearing Triforce and sword in hand
in the blood of men rejoices, and in godly power,
and seeking the Golden Power in a hidden land
conquers both the world and time, slaying heroes.
Hail, Lord, divine seed of Death, ever
living, and ever returning; give to us your dark world.

4 years ago | [YT] | 13

Ancient Literature Dude

Just a little reminder that I have a huge surprise video coming for Valentine's Day, one that involves Rammstein, Old Norse, and the most metal/Viking love song ever. Don't miss it.

4 years ago | [YT] | 17

Ancient Literature Dude

Still on the road to 5,000 subscribers, and with all the hype for the new Amazon Lord of the Rings teaser trailer, I have a very, very special surprise for Tolkien fans coming this Monday. Let's just say Tolkien's world wasn't the only one with magic rings, and it might be time to remind people that he got his ideas about the rings largely from Norse myth...#norse #tolkien #lordoftherings

4 years ago | [YT] | 21

Ancient Literature Dude

Just to let everyone know, there are some huge things coming to the channel soon. I have a Christmas surprise prepared unlike anything I've done, and let's just say it's Grinch-themed, bassy, and Viking. This next year is going to see a lot of firsts on the channel, as we push on to 5,000 subscribers. Hope you're ready!

4 years ago | [YT] | 19

Ancient Literature Dude

Just as a reminder, I call myself the Ancient Literature Dude for a reason. There are a number of channels that provide serious, sometimes dry readings and discussions of ancient and medieval literature, and God bless them. But what I do is a little different. I call myself "Dude" because I want this stuff to be fun...if it ain't fun, then someone's doing something wrong.

To that end, I don't just do readings of ancient lit and mythology. I also make videos about video games and pop culture that have been inspired by them, and sometimes those videos are very silly. One such video should be going live tomorrow, based on one of my favorite, and in my opinion most meaningful and rich, RPGs ever...Breath of Fire II. My girlfriend Livnat and I worked very hard on it, and I hope you enjoy it.

4 years ago | [YT] | 19