A Guide to the Bayeux tapestry - Page 1 of 4

The column on the right includes the Latin text found on the segment, followed by a literal translation, and which is followed by a contemporary interpretation of the script.

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segment 1 EDWARD REX. UBI HAROLD DUX ANGLORUM ET SUI MILITES EQUITANT AD BOSHAM.
"King Edward. Where Harold, Earl of the English, and his retinue ride to Bosham."
Harold Godwinson confers with King Edward the Confessor and sets out on his journey.
segment 2 ECCLESIA. HIC HAROLD MARE NAVIGAVIT ET VELIS VENTO PLENIS VENIT IN TERRAM WIDONIS COMITIS.
"The church. Here Harold took to the sea and came with full sail to the territory of Count Guy."
Harold and his men prepare for a sea voyage with a final prayer and meal. Then they board their ships, taking dogs and falcons with them.
segment 3 LEFT TEXT COMPLETED IN PREVIOUS SEGMENT, RIGHT TEXT COMMENCES IN THE NEXT SEGMENT.
Their landing on the coast of France is met by the hostile Guy of Ponthieu.
segment 4 HAROLD. HIC APPREHENDIT WIDO HAROLDUM ET DUXIT EUM AD BELREM ET IBI EUM TENUIT.
"Harold. Here Guy seized Harold and led him to Beaurain and retained him there."
Harold is taken prisoner.
segment 5 UBI HAROLD ET WIDO PARABOLANT. UBI NUNTII WILLEMNI DUCIS AD WIDONEM. TUROLD NUNTII WILLELMI
"Where Harold and Guy converse. Where Duke William's messengers came to Guy. Turold William's messengers. "
While Harold talks with Guy, William of Normandy prepares a rescue mission.
segment 6 LEFT SIDE LATIN TEXT ON PREVIOUS SEGMENT.
"Right hand side translation in the next segment."
William's men hurry to Beaurain.
segment 7 HIC VENIT NUNTIAS AD WILGELMUM DUCEM. HIC WIDO ADDUXIT HAROLDUM AD WILGELUM NORMANNORUM DUCUM.
"Here the messengers came to Duke William. Here guy took Harold to William, Duke of Normandy."
Guy surrenders his prisoner to William.
segment 8 HIC DUX WILGELM CUM HAROLDO VENIT AD PALATIUM SUUM. UBI UNUS CLERICUS ET AELFGYVA.
"Here Duke William comes to his palace with Harold. Where a certain clerk and Aelfgyva."
Harold and William return to Normandy, where William's daughter Aelfgifu is betrothed to Harold.
segment 9 HIC WILLELM DUX ET EXERCITUS EJUS VENERUNT AD MONTEM MICHAELIS.
"Here Duke William and his army came to Mont St Michel."
Harold and William celebrate their new relationship by fighting together against Conan of Brittany, but disaster nearly strikes at Mont. St. Michel.
segment 10 ET HIC TRANSIERUNT FLUMEN COSNOSIS. HIC HAROLD DUX TRAHEBAT EOS DE ARENA. ET VENERUNT AD DOL ET CONAN FUGA VERTIT. REDNES.
"And here they crossed the river Cuesnon. Here Earl Harold pulled them out of the sands. And they came to Dol, and Conan fled. Rennes."
The battles continue at Dol and Rennes.

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Released: October 20, 2000 / Updated: September 22, 2004