Ac þū Hrōðgāre
"wīd-cūðne wēan wihte gebēttest,
"mǣrum þēodne?
"wīd-cūðne wēan wihte gebēttest,
"mǣrum þēodne?
Beowulf
THE HEROES REST.
Him wæs ful boren and frēond-laðu
wordum bewægned and wunden gold
1195 ēstum geēawed, earm-hrēade twā,
hrægl and hringas, heals-bēaga mǣst
þāra þe ic on foldan gefrægen hæbbe.
Nǣnigne ic under swegle sēlran hȳrde
hord-māððum hæleða, syððan Hāma ætwæg
1200 tō þǣre byrhtan byrig Brōsinga mene,
sigle and sinc-fæt, searo-nīðas fealh
Eormenrīces, gecēas ēcne rǣd.
Þone hring hæfde Higelāc Gēata,
nefa Swertinges, nȳhstan sīðe,
1205 siððan hē under segne sinc ealgode,
wæl-rēaf werede; hyne Wyrd fornam,
syððan hē for wlenco wēan āhsode,
fǣhðe tō Frȳsum; hē þā frætwe wæg,
eorclan-stānas ofer ȳða ful,
1210 rīce þēoden, hē under rande gecranc;
gehwearf þā in Francna fæðm feorh cyninges,
brēost-gewǣdu and se bēah somod:
wyrsan wīg-frecan wæl rēafedon
æfter gūð-sceare, Gēata lēode
1215 hreā-wīc hēoldon. Heal swēge onfēng.
Wealhþēo maðelode, hēo fore þǣm werede spræc:
"Brūc þisses bēages, Bēowulf, lēofa
"hyse, mid hǣle, and þisses hrægles nēot
"þēod-gestrēona, and geþēoh tela,
1220 "cen þec mid cræfte and þyssum cnyhtum wes
"lāra līðe! ic þē þæs lēan geman.
"Hafast þū gefēred, þæt þē feor and nēah
"ealne wīde-ferhð weras ehtigað,
"efne swā sīde swā sǣ bebūgeð
1225 "windige weallas. Wes, þenden þū lifige,
"æðeling ēadig! ic þē an tela
"sinc-gestrēona. Bēo þū suna mīnum
"dǣdum gedēfe drēam healdende!
"Hēr is ǣghwylc eorl ōðrum getrȳwe,
1230 "mōdes milde, man-drihtne hold,
"þegnas syndon geþwǣre, þēod eal gearo:
"druncne dryht-guman, dōð swā ic bidde! "
Ēode þā tō setle. Þǣr wæs symbla cyst,
druncon wīn weras: wyrd ne cūðon,
1235 geō-sceaft grimme, swā hit āgangen wearð
eorla manegum, syððan ǣfen cwōm
and him Hrōðgār gewāt tō hofe sīnum,
rīce tō ræste. Reced weardode
unrīm eorla, swā hīe oft ǣr dydon:
1240 benc-þelu beredon, hit geond-brǣded wearð
beddum and bolstrum. Bēor-scealca sum
fūs and fǣge flet-ræste gebēag.
Setton him tō hēafdum hilde-randas,
bord-wudu beorhtan; þǣr on bence wæs
1245 ofer æðelinge ȳð-gesēne
heaðo-stēapa helm, hringed byrne,
þrec-wudu þrymlīc. Wæs þēaw hyra,
þæt hīe oft wǣron an wīg gearwe,
gē æt hām gē on herge, gē gehwæðer þāra
1250 efne swylce mǣla, swylce hira man-dryhtne
þearf gesǣlde; wæs sēo þēod tilu.
XX. GRENDEL'S MOTHER ATTACKS THE RING-DANES.
Sigon þā tō slǣpe. Sum sāre angeald
ǣfen-ræste, swā him ful-oft gelamp,
siððan gold-sele Grendel warode,
1255 unriht æfnde, oð þæt ende becwōm,
swylt æfter synnum. Þæt gesȳne wearð,
wīd-cūð werum, þætte wrecend þā gȳt
lifde æfter lāðum, lange þrāge
æfter gūð-ceare; Grendles mōdor,
1260 ides āglǣc-wīf yrmðe gemunde,
sē þe wæter-egesan wunian scolde,
cealde strēamas, siððan Cain wearð
tō ecg-banan āngan brēðer,
fæderen-mǣge; hē þā fāg gewāt,
1265 morðre gemearcod man-drēam flēon,
wēsten warode. Þanon wōc fela
geōsceaft-gāsta; wæs þǣra Grendel sum,
heoro-wearh hetelīc, sē æt Heorote fand
wæccendne wer wīges bīdan,
1270 þǣr him āglǣca æt-grǣpe wearð;
hwæðre hē gemunde mægenes strenge,
gim-fæste gife, þē him god sealde,
and him tō anwaldan āre gelȳfde,
frōfre and fultum: þȳ hē þone fēond ofercwōm,
1275 gehnǣgde helle gāst: þā hē hēan gewāt,
drēame bedǣled dēað-wīc sēon,
man-cynnes fēond. And his mōdor þā gȳt
gīfre and galg-mōd gegān wolde
sorh-fulne sīð, suna dēað wrecan.
1280 Cōm þā tō Heorote, þǣr Hring-Dene
geond þæt sæld swǣfun. Þā þǣr sōna wearð
ed-hwyrft eorlum, siððan inne fealh
Grendles mōdor; wæs se gryre lǣssa
efne swā micle, swā bið mægða cræft,
1285 wīg-gryre wīfes be wǣpned-men,
þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren,
sweord swāte fāh swīn ofer helme,
ecgum dyhtig andweard scireð.
Þā wæs on healle heard-ecg togen,
1290 sweord ofer setlum, sīd-rand manig
hafen handa fæst; helm ne gemunde,
byrnan sīde, þe hine se brōga angeat.
Hēo wæs on ofste, wolde ūt þanon
fēore beorgan, þā hēo onfunden wæs;
1295 hraðe hēo æðelinga ānne hæfde
fæste befangen, þā hēo tō fenne gang;
sē wæs Hrōðgāre hæleða lēofost
on gesīðes hād be sǣm tweonum,
rīce rand-wiga, þone þe hēo on ræste ābrēat,
1300 blǣd-fæstne beorn. Næs Bēowulf þǣr,
ac wæs ōðer in ǣr geteohhod
æfter māððum-gife mǣrum Gēate.
Hrēam wearð on Heorote. Hēo under heolfre genam
cūðe folme; cearu wæs genīwod
1305 geworden in wīcum: ne wæs þæt gewrixle til,
þæt hīe on bā healfa bicgan scoldon
frēonda fēorum. Þā wæs frōd cyning,
hār hilde-rinc, on hrēon mōde,
syððan hē aldor-þegn unlyfigendne,
1310 þone dēorestan dēadne wisse.
Hraðe wæs tō būre Bēowulf fetod,
sigor-ēadig secg. Samod ǣr-dæge
ēode eorla sum, æðele cempa
self mid gesīðum, þǣr se snottra bād,
1315 hwæðre him al-walda ǣfre wille
æfter wēa-spelle wyrpe gefremman.
Gang þā æfter flōre fyrd-wyrðe man
mid his hand-scale (heal-wudu dynede)
þæt hē þone wīsan wordum hnǣgde
1320 frēan Ingwina; frægn gif him wǣre
æfter nēod-laðu niht getǣse.
XXI. SORROW AT HEOROT: AESCHERE'S DEATH
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scildinga:
"Ne frīn þū æfter sǣlum! Sorh is genīwod
"Denigea lēodum. Dēad is Æsc-here,
1325 "Yrmenlāfes yldra brōðor,
"mīn rūn-wita and mīn rǣd-bora,
"eaxl-gestealla, þonne wē on orlege
"hafelan weredon, þonne hniton fēðan,
"eoferas cnysedan; swylc scolde eorl wesan
1330 "æðeling ǣr-gōd, swylc Æsc-here wæs.
"Wearð him on Heorote tō hand-banan
"wæl-gǣst wǣfre; ic ne wāt hwæder
"atol ǣse wlanc eft-sīðas tēah,
"fylle gefrǣgnod. Hēo þā fǣhðe wræc,
1335 "þē þū gystran niht Grendel cwealdest
"þurh hǣstne hād heardum clammum,
"forþan hē tō lange lēode mīne
"wanode and wyrde. Hē æt wīge gecrang
"ealdres scyldig, and nū ōðer cwōm
1340 "mihtig mān-scaða, wolde hyre mǣg wrecan,
"gē feor hafað fǣhðe gestǣled,
"þæs þe þincean mæg þegne monegum,
"sē þe æfter sinc-gyfan on sefan grēoteð,
"hreðer-bealo hearde; nū sēo hand ligeð,
1345 "sē þe ēow wēl-hwylcra wilna dohte.
"Ic þæt lond-būend lēode mīne
"sele-rǣdende secgan hȳrde,
"þæt hīe gesāwon swylce twēgen
"micle mearc-stapan mōras healdan,
1350 "ellor-gǣstas: þǣra ōðer wæs,
"þæs þe hīe gewislīcost gewitan meahton,
"idese onlīcnes, ōðer earm-sceapen
"on weres wæstmum wræc-lāstas træd,
"næfne hē wæs māra þonne ǣnig man ōðer,
1355 "þone on geār-dagum Grendel nemdon
"fold-būende: nō hīe fæder cunnon,
"hwæðer him ǣnig wæs ǣr ācenned
"dyrnra gāsta. Hīe dȳgel lond
"warigeað, wulf-hleoðu, windige næssas,
1360 "frēcne fen-gelād, þǣr fyrgen-strēam
"under næssa genipu niðer gewīteð,
"flōd under foldan; nis þæt feor heonon
"mīl-gemearces, þæt se mere standeð,
"ofer þǣm hongiað hrīmge bearwas,
1365 "wudu wyrtum fæst, wæter oferhelmað.
"Þǣr mæg nihta gehwǣm nīð-wundor sēon,
"fȳr on flōde; nō þæs frōd leofað
"gumena bearna, þæt þone grund wite;
"þēah þe hǣð-stapa hundum geswenced,
1370 "heorot hornum trum holt-wudu sēce,
"feorran geflȳmed, ǣr hē feorh seleð,
"aldor on ōfre, ǣr hē in wille,
"hafelan hȳdan. Nis þæt hēoru stōw:
"þonon ȳð-geblond up āstīgeð
1375 "won tō wolcnum, þonne wind styreð
"lāð gewidru, oð þæt lyft drysmað,
"roderas rēotað. Nū is rǣd gelang
"eft æt þē ānum! Eard gīt ne const,
"frēcne stōwe, þǣr þū findan miht
1380 "sinnigne secg: sēc gif þū dyrre!
"Ic þē þā fǣhðe fēo lēanige,
"eald-gestrēonum, swā ic ǣr dyde,
"wundnum golde, gyf þū on weg cymest. "
XXII. BĒOWULF SEEKS THE MONSTER IN THE HAUNTS OF THE NIXIES.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
1385 "Ne sorga, snotor guma! sēlre bið ǣghwǣm,
"þæt hē his frēond wrece, þonne hē fela murne;
"ūre ǣghwylc sceal ende gebīdan
"worolde līfes; wyrce sē þe mōte
"dōmes ǣr dēaðe! þæt bið driht-guman
1390 "unlifgendum æfter sēlest.
"Ārīs, rīces weard; uton hraðe fēran,
"Grendles māgan gang scēawigan!
"Ic hit þē gehāte: nō hē on helm losað,
"nē on foldan fæðm, nē on fyrgen-holt,
1395 "nē on gyfenes grund, gā þǣr hē wille.
"Þȳs dōgor þū geþyld hafa
"wēana gehwylces, swā ic þē wēne tō! "
Āhlēop þā se gomela, gode þancode,
mihtigan drihtne, þæs se man gespræc.
1400 Þā wæs Hrōðgāre hors gebǣted,
wicg wunden-feax. Wīsa fengel
geatolīc gengde; gum-fēða stōp
lind-hæbbendra. Lāstas wǣron
æfter wald-swaðum wīde gesȳne,
1405 gang ofer grundas; gegnum fōr þā
ofer myrcan mōr, mago-þegna bær
þone sēlestan sāwol-lēasne,
þāra þe mid Hrōðgāre hām eahtode.
Ofer-ēode þā æðelinga bearn
1410 stēap stān-hliðo, stīge nearwe,
enge ān-paðas, un-cūð gelād,
neowle næssas, nicor-hūsa fela;
hē fēara sum beforan gengde
wīsra monna, wong scēawian,
1415 oð þæt hē fǣringa fyrgen-bēamas
ofer hārne stān hleonian funde,
wyn-lēasne wudu; wæter under stōd
drēorig and gedrēfed. Denum eallum wæs,
winum Scyldinga, weorce on mōde,
1420 tō geþolianne þegne monegum,
oncȳð eorla gehwǣm, syððan Æsc-heres
on þām holm-clife hafelan mētton.
Flōd blōde wēol (folc tō sǣgon)
hātan heolfre. Horn stundum song
1425 fūslīc fyrd-lēoð. Fēða eal gesæt;
gesāwon þā æfter wætere wyrm-cynnes fela,
sellīce sǣ-dracan sund cunnian,
swylce on næs-hleoðum nicras licgean,
þā on undern-mǣl oft bewitigað
1430 sorh-fulne sīð on segl-rāde,
wyrmas and wil-dēor; hīe on weg hruron
bitere and gebolgne, bearhtm ongeāton,
gūð-horn galan. Sumne Gēata lēod
of flān-bogan fēores getwǣfde,
1435 ȳð-gewinnes, þæt him on aldre stōd
here-strǣl hearda; hē on holme wæs
sundes þē sǣnra, þē hyne swylt fornam.
Hræðe wearð on ȳðum mid eofer-sprēotum
heoro-hōcyhtum hearde genearwod,
1440 nīða genǣged and on næs togen
wundorlīc wǣg-bora; weras scēawedon
gryrelīcne gist. Gyrede hine Bēowulf
eorl-gewǣdum, nalles for ealdre mearn:
scolde here-byrne hondum gebrōden,
1445 sīd and searo-fāh, sund cunnian,
sēo þe bān-cofan beorgan cūðe,
þæt him hilde-grāp hreðre ne mihte,
eorres inwit-feng, aldre gesceððan;
ac se hwīta helm hafelan werede,
1450 sē þe mere-grundas mengan scolde,
sēcan sund-gebland since geweorðad,
befongen frēa-wrāsnum, swā hine fyrn-dagum
worhte wǣpna smið, wundrum tēode,
besette swīn-līcum, þæt hine syððan nō
1455 brond nē beado-mēcas bītan ne meahton.
Næs þæt þonne mǣtost mægen-fultuma,
þæt him on þearfe lāh þyle Hrōðgāres;
wæs þǣm hæft-mēce Hrunting nama,
þæt wæs ān foran eald-gestrēona;
1460 ecg wæs īren āter-tēarum fāh,
āhyrded heaðo-swāte; nǣfre hit æt hilde ne swāc
manna ǣngum þāra þe hit mid mundum bewand,
sē þe gryre-sīðas gegān dorste,
folc-stede fāra; næs þæt forma sīð,
1465 þæt hit ellen-weorc æfnan scolde.
Hūru ne gemunde mago Ecglāfes
eafoðes cræftig, þæt hē ǣr gespræc
wīne druncen, þā hē þæs wǣpnes onlāh
sēlran sweord-frecan: selfa ne dorste
1470 under ȳða gewin aldre genēðan,
driht-scype drēogan; þǣr hē dōme forlēas,
ellen-mǣrðum. Ne wæs þǣm ōðrum swā,
syððan hē hine tō gūðe gegyred hæfde.
XXIII. THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER-DRAKE.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
1475 "geþenc nū, se mǣra maga Healfdenes,
"snottra fengel, nū ic eom sīðes fūs,
"gold-wine gumena, hwæt wit geō sprǣcon,
"gif ic æt þearfe þīnre scolde
"aldre linnan, þæt þū mē ā wǣre
1480 "forð-gewitenum on fæder stǣle;
"wes þū mund-bora mīnum mago-þegnum,
"hond-gesellum, gif mec hild nime:
"swylce þū þā mādmas, þē þū mē sealdest,
"Hrōðgār lēofa, Higelāce onsend.
1485 "Mæg þonne on þǣm golde ongitan Gēata dryhten,
"gesēon sunu Hrēðles, þonne hē on þæt sinc starað,
"þæt ic gum-cystum gōdne funde
"bēaga bryttan, brēac þonne mōste.
"And þū Unferð lǣt ealde lāfe,
1490 "wrǣtlīc wǣg-sweord wīd-cūðne man
"heard-ecg habban; ic mē mid Hruntinge
"dōm gewyrce, oððe mec dēað nimeð. "
Æfter þǣm wordum Weder-Gēata lēod
efste mid elne, nalas andsware
1495 bīdan wolde; brim-wylm onfēng
hilde-rince. Þā wæs hwīl dæges,
ǣr hē þone grund-wong ongytan mehte.
Sōna þæt onfunde, sē þe flōda begong
heoro-gīfre behēold hund missēra,
1500 grim and grǣdig, þæt þǣr gumena sum
æl-wihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grāp þā tōgēanes, gūð-rinc gefēng
atolan clommum; nō þȳ ǣr in gescōd
hālan līce: hring ūtan ymb-bearh,
1505 þæt hēo þone fyrd-hom þurh-fōn ne mihte,
locene leoðo-syrcan lāðan fingrum.
Bær þā sēo brim-wylf, þā hēo tō botme cōm,
hringa þengel tō hofe sīnum,
swā hē ne mihte nō (hē þæs mōdig wæs)
1510 wǣpna gewealdan, ac hine wundra þæs fela
swencte on sunde, sǣ-dēor monig
hilde-tūxum here-syrcan bræc,
ēhton āglǣcan. Þā se eorl ongeat,
þæt hē in nið-sele nāt-hwylcum wæs,
1515 þǣr him nǣnig wæter wihte ne sceðede,
nē him for hrōf-sele hrīnan ne mehte
fǣr-gripe flōdes: fȳr-lēoht geseah,
blācne lēoman beorhte scīnan.
Ongeat þā se gōda grund-wyrgenne,
1520 mere-wīf mihtig; mægen-rǣs forgeaf
hilde-bille, hond swenge ne oftēah,
þæt hire on hafelan hring-mǣl āgōl
grǣdig gūð-lēoð. Þā se gist onfand,
þæt se beado-lēoma bītan nolde,
1525 aldre sceððan, ac sēo ecg geswāc
þēodne æt þearfe: þolode ǣr fela
hond-gemōta, helm oft gescær,
fǣges fyrd-hrægl: þæt wæs forma sīð
dēorum māðme, þæt his dōm ālæg.
1530 Eft wæs ān-rǣd, nalas elnes læt,
mǣrða gemyndig mǣg Hygelāces;
wearp þā wunden-mǣl wrǣttum gebunden
yrre ōretta, þæt hit on eorðan læg,
stīð and stȳl-ecg; strenge getruwode,
1535 mund-gripe mægenes. Swā sceal man dōn,
þonne hē æt gūðe gegān þenceð
longsumne lof, nā ymb his līf cearað.
Gefēng þā be eaxle (nalas for fǣhðe mearn)
Gūð-Gēata lēod Grendles mōdor;
1540 brægd þā beadwe heard, þā hē gebolgen wæs,
feorh-genīðlan, þæt hēo on flet gebēah.
Hēo him eft hraðe and-lēan forgeald
grimman grāpum and him tōgēanes fēng;
oferwearp þā wērig-mōd wigena strengest,
1545 fēðe-cempa, þæt hē on fylle wearð.
Ofsæt þā þone sele-gyst and hyre seaxe getēah,
brād and brūn-ecg wolde hire bearn wrecan,
āngan eaferan. Him on eaxle læg
brēost-net brōden; þæt gebearh fēore,
1550 wið ord and wið ecge ingang forstōd.
Hæfde þā forsīðod sunu Ecgþēowes
under gynne grund, Gēata cempa,
nemne him heaðo-byrne helpe gefremede,
here-net hearde, and hālig god
1555 gewēold wīg-sigor, wītig drihten;
rodera rǣdend hit on ryht gescēd,
ȳðelīce syððan hē eft āstōd.
XXIV. BĒOWULF SLAYS THE SPRITE.
Geseah þā on searwum sige-ēadig bil,
eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þȳhtig,
1560 wigena weorð-mynd: þæt wæs wǣpna cyst,
būton hit wæs māre þonne ǣnig mon ōðer
tō beadu-lāce ætberan meahte
gōd and geatolīc gīganta geweorc.
Hē gefēng þā fetel-hilt, freca Scildinga,
1565 hrēoh and heoro-grim hring-mǣl gebrægd,
aldres orwēna, yrringa slōh,
þæt hire wið halse heard grāpode,
bān-hringas bræc, bil eal þurh-wōd
fǣgne flǣsc-homan, hēo on flet gecrong;
1570 sweord wæs swātig, secg weorce gefeh.
Līxte se lēoma, lēoht inne stōd,
efne swā of hefene hādre scīneð
rodores candel. Hē æfter recede wlāt,
hwearf þā be wealle, wǣpen hafenade
1575 heard be hiltum Higelāces þegn,
yrre and ān-rǣd. Næs sēo ecg fracod
hilde-rince, ac hē hraðe wolde
Grendle forgyldan gūð-rǣsa fela
þāra þe hē geworhte tō West-Denum
1580 oftor micle þonne on ǣnne sīð,
þonne hē Hrōðgāres heorð-genēatas
slōh on sweofote, slǣpende fræt
folces Denigea fȳf-tȳne men
and ōðer swylc ūt of-ferede,
1585 lāðlīcu lāc. Hē him þæs lēan forgeald,
rēðe cempa, tō þæs þe hē on ræste geseah
gūð-wērigne Grendel licgan,
aldor-lēasne, swā him ǣr gescōd
hild æt Heorote; hrā wīde sprong,
1590 syððan hē æfter dēaðe drepe þrowade,
heoro-sweng heardne, and hine þā hēafde becearf,
Sōna þæt gesāwon snottre ceorlas,
þā þe mid Hrōðgāre on holm wliton,
þæt wæs ȳð-geblond eal gemenged,
1595 brim blōde fāh: blonden-feaxe
gomele ymb gōdne ongeador sprǣcon,
þæt hig þæs æðelinges eft ne wēndon,
þæt hē sige-hrēðig sēcean cōme
mǣrne þēoden; þā þæs monige gewearð,
1600 þæt hine sēo brim-wylf ābroten hæfde.
Þā cōm nōn dæges. Næs ofgēafon
hwate Scyldingas; gewāt him hām þonon
gold-wine gumena. Gistas sētan,
mōdes sēoce, and on mere staredon,
1605 wiston and ne wēndon, þæt hīe heora wine-drihten
selfne gesāwon. Þā þæt sweord ongan
æfter heaðo-swāte hilde-gicelum
wīg-bil wanian; þæt wæs wundra sum,
þæt hit eal gemealt īse gelīcost,
1610 þonne forstes bend fæder onlǣteð,
onwindeð wæl-rāpas, sē þe geweald hafað
sǣla and mǣla; þæt is sōð metod.
Ne nom hē in þǣm wīcum, Weder-Gēata lēod,
māðm-ǣhta mā, þēh hē þǣr monige geseah,
1615 būton þone hafelan and þā hilt somod,
since fāge; sweord ǣr gemealt,
forbarn brōden mǣl: wæs þæt blōd tō þæs hāt,
ǣttren ellor-gǣst, sē þǣr inne swealt.
Sōna wæs on sunde, sē þe ǣr æt sæcce gebād
1620 wīg-hryre wrāðra, wæter up þurh-dēaf;
wǣron ȳð-gebland eal gefǣlsod,
ēacne eardas, þā se ellor-gāst
oflēt līf-dagas and þās lǣnan gesceaft.
Cōm þā tō lande lid-manna helm
1625 swīð-mōd swymman, sǣ-lāce gefeah,
mægen-byrðenne þāra þe hē him mid hæfde.
Ēodon him þā tōgēanes, gode þancodon,
þrȳðlīc þegna hēap, þēodnes gefēgon,
þæs þe hī hyne gesundne gesēon mōston.
1630 Þā wæs of þǣm hrōran helm and byrne
lungre ālȳsed: lagu drūsade,
wæter under wolcnum, wæl-drēore fāg.
Fērdon forð þonon fēðe-lāstum
ferhðum fægne, fold-weg mǣton,
1635 cūðe strǣte; cyning-balde men
from þǣm holm-clife hafelan bǣron
earfoðlīce heora ǣghwæðrum
fela-mōdigra: fēower scoldon
on ðæm wæl-stenge weorcum geferian
1640 tō þǣm gold-sele Grendles hēafod,
oð þæt semninga tō sele cōmon
frome fyrd-hwate fēower-tȳne
Gēata gongan; gum-dryhten mid
mōdig on gemonge meodo-wongas træd.
1645 Þā cōm in gān ealdor þegna,
dǣd-cēne mon dōme gewurðad,
hæle hilde-dēor. Hrōðgār grētan:
Þā wæs be feaxe on flet boren
Grendles hēafod, þǣr guman druncon,
1650 egeslīc for eorlum and þǣre idese mid:
wlite-sēon wrǣtlīc weras onsāwon.
XXV. HROTHGAR'S GRATITUDE: HE DISCOURSES.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Hwæt! wē þē þās sǣ-lāc, sunu Healfdenes,
"lēod Scyldinga, lustum brōhton,
1655 "tīres tō tācne, þē þū hēr tō lōcast.
"Ic þæt unsōfte ealdre gedīgde:
"wigge under wætere weorc genēðde
"earfoðlīce, æt-rihte wæs
"gūð getwǣfed, nymðe mec god scylde.
1660 "Ne meahte ic æt hilde mid Hruntinge
"wiht gewyrcan, þēah þæt wǣpen duge,
"ac mē geūðe ylda waldend,
"þæt ic on wāge geseah wlitig hangian
"eald sweord ēacen (oftost wīsode
1665 "winigea lēasum) þæt ic þȳ wǣpne gebrǣ.
"Ofslōh þā æt þǣre sæcce (þā mē sǣl āgeald)
"hūses hyrdas. Þā þæt hilde-bil
"forbarn, brogden mǣl, swā þæt blōd gesprang,
"hātost heaðo-swāta: ic þæt hilt þanan
1670 "fēondum ætferede; fyren-dǣda wræc,
"dēað-cwealm Denigea, swā hit gedēfe wæs.
"Ic hit þē þonne gehāte, þæt þū on Heorote mōst
"sorh-lēas swefan mid þīnra secga gedryht,
"and þegna gehwylc þīnra lēoda,
1675 "duguðe and iogoðe, þæt þū him ondrǣdan ne þearft,
"þēoden Scyldinga, on þā healfe,
"aldor-bealu eorlum, swā þū ǣr dydest. "
Þā wæs gylden hilt gamelum rince.
hārum hild-fruman, on hand gyfen,
1680 enta ǣr-geweorc, hit on ǣht gehwearf
æfter dēofla hryre Denigea frēan,
wundor-smiða geweorc, and þā þās worold ofgeaf
grom-heort guma, godes andsaca,
morðres scyldig, and his mōdor ēac;
1685 on geweald gehwearf worold-cyninga
þǣm sēlestan be sǣm twēonum
þāra þe on Sceden-igge sceattas dǣlde.
Hrōðgār maðelode, hylt scēawode,
ealde lāfe, on þǣm wæs ōr writen
1690 fyrn-gewinnes: syððan flōd ofslōh,
gifen gēotende, gīganta cyn,
frēcne gefērdon: þæt wæs fremde þēod
ēcean dryhtne, him þæs ende-lēan
þurh wæteres wylm waldend sealde.
1695 Swā wæs on þǣm scennum scīran goldes
þurh rūn-stafas rihte gemearcod,
geseted and gesǣd, hwām þæt sweord geworht,
īrena cyst ǣrest wǣre,
wreoðen-hilt and wyrm-fāh. þā se wīsa spræc
1700 sunu Healfdenes (swīgedon ealle):
"Þæt lā mæg secgan, sē þe sōð and riht
"fremeð on folce, (feor eal gemon
"eald ēðel-weard), þæt þes eorl wǣre
"geboren betera! Blǣd is ārǣred
1705 "geond wīd-wegas, wine mīn Bēowulf,
"þīn ofer þēoda gehwylce. Eal þū hit geþyldum healdest,
"mægen mid mōdes snyttrum. Ic þē sceal mīne gelǣstan
"frēode, swā wit furðum sprǣcon; þū scealt tō frōfre weorðan
"eal lang-twidig lēodum þīnum,
1710 "hæleðum tō helpe. Ne wearð Heremōd swā
"eaforum Ecgwelan, Ār-Scyldingum;
"ne gewēox hē him tō willan, ac tō wæl-fealle
"and tō dēað-cwalum Deniga lēodum;
"brēat bolgen-mōd bēod-genēatas,
1715 "eaxl-gesteallan, oð þæt hē āna hwearf,
"mǣre þēoden. mon-drēamum from:
"þēah þe hine mihtig god mægenes wynnum,
"eafeðum stēpte, ofer ealle men
"forð gefremede, hwæðere him on ferhðe grēow
1720 "brēost-hord blōd-rēow: nallas bēagas geaf
"Denum æfter dōme; drēam-lēas gebād,
"þæt hē þæs gewinnes weorc þrowade,
"lēod-bealo longsum. Þū þē lǣr be þon,
"gum-cyste ongit! ic þis gid be þē
1725 "āwræc wintrum frōd. Wundor is tō secganne,
"hū mihtig god manna cynne
"þurh sīdne sefan snyttru bryttað,
"eard and eorl-scipe, hē āh ealra geweald.
"Hwīlum hē on lufan lǣteð hworfan
1730 "monnes mōd-geþonc mǣran cynnes,
"seleð him on ēðle eorðan wynne,
"tō healdanne hlēo-burh wera,
"gedēð him swā gewealdene worolde dǣlas,
"sīde rīce, þæt hē his selfa ne mæg
1735 "for his un-snyttrum ende geþencean;
"wunað hē on wiste, nō hine wiht dweleð,
"ādl nē yldo, nē him inwit-sorh
"on sefan sweorceð, nē gesacu ōhwǣr,
"ecg-hete ēoweð, ac him eal worold
1740 "wendeð on willan; hē þæt wyrse ne con,
"oð þæt him on innan ofer-hygda dǣl
"weaxeð and wridað, þonne se weard swefeð,
"sāwele hyrde: bið se slǣp tō fæst,
"bisgum gebunden, bona swīðe nēah,
1745 "sē þe of flān-bogan fyrenum scēoteð.
XXVI. THE DISCOURSE IS ENDED. -BĒOWULF PREPARES TO LEAVE.
"Þonne bið on hreðre under helm drepen
"biteran strǣle: him bebeorgan ne con
"wom wundor-bebodum wergan gāstes;
"þinceð him tō lȳtel, þæt hē tō lange hēold,
1750 "gȳtsað grom-hȳdig, nallas on gylp seleð
"fǣtte bēagas and hē þā forð-gesceaft
"forgyteð and forgȳmeð, þæs þe him ǣr god sealde
"wuldres waldend, weorð-mynda dǣl.
"Hit on ende-stæf eft gelimpeð,
1755 "þæt se līc-homa lǣne gedrēoseð,
"fǣge gefealleð; fēhð ōðer tō,
"sē þe unmurnlīce mādmas dǣleð,
"eorles ǣr-gestrēon, egesan ne gȳmeð.
"Bebeorh þē þone bealo-nīð, Bēowulf lēofa,
1760 "secg se betsta, and þē þæt sēlre gecēos,
"ēce rǣdas; oferhȳda ne gȳm,
"mǣre cempa! Nū is þīnes mægnes blǣd
"āne hwīle; eft sōna bið,
"þæt þec ādl oððe ecg eafoðes getwǣfeð,
1765 "oððe fȳres feng oððe flōdes wylm,
"oððe gripe mēces oððe gāres fliht,
"oððe atol yldo, oððe ēagena bearhtm
"forsiteð and forsworceð; semninga bið,
"þæt þec, dryht-guma, dēað oferswȳðeð.
1770 "Swā ic Hring-Dena hund missēra
"wēold under wolcnum, and hig wigge belēac
"manigum mǣgða geond þysne middan-geard,
"æscum and ecgum, þæt ic mē ǣnigne
"under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.
1775 "Hwæt! mē þæs on ēðle edwenden cwōm,
"gyrn æfter gomene, seoððan Grendel wearð,
"eald-gewinna, in-genga mīn:
"ic þǣre sōcne singāles wæg
"mōd-ceare micle. Þæs sig metode þanc,
1780 "ēcean drihtne, þæs þe ic on aldre gebād,
"þæt ic on þone hafelan heoro-drēorigne
"ofer eald gewin ēagum starige!
"Gā nū tō setle, symbel-wynne drēoh
"wīgge weorðad: unc sceal worn fela
1785 "māðma gemǣnra, siððan morgen bið. "
Gēat wæs glæd-mōd, gēong sōna tō,
setles nēosan, swā se snottra heht.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr ellen-rōfum,
flet-sittendum fægere gereorded
1790 nīowan stefne. Niht-helm geswearc
deorc ofer dryht-gumum. Duguð eal ārās;
wolde blonden-feax beddes nēosan,
gamela Scylding. Gēat ungemetes wēl,
rōfne rand-wigan restan lyste:
1795 sōna him sele-þegn sīðes wērgum,
feorran-cundum forð wīsade,
se for andrysnum ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, swylce þȳ dōgore
hēaðo-līðende habban scoldon.
1800 Reste hine þā rūm-heort; reced hlīfade
gēap and gold-fāh, gæst inne swæf,
oð þæt hrefn blaca heofones wynne
blīð-heort bodode. Þā cōm beorht sunne
scacan ofer grundas; scaðan ōnetton,
1805 wǣron æðelingas eft tō lēodum
fūse tō farenne, wolde feor þanon
cuma collen-ferhð cēoles nēosan.
Heht þā se hearda Hrunting beran,
sunu Ecglāfes, heht his sweord niman,
1810 lēoflīc īren; sægde him þæs lēanes þanc,
cwæð hē þone gūð-wine gōdne tealde,
wīg-cræftigne, nales wordum lōg
mēces ecge: þæt wæs mōdig secg.
And þā sīð-frome searwum gearwe
1815 wīgend wǣron, ēode weorð Denum
æðeling tō yppan, þǣr se ōðer wæs
hæle hilde-dēor, Hrōðgār grētte.
XXVII. THE PARTING WORDS.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Nū wē sǣ-līðend secgan wyllað
1820 "feorran cumene, þæt wē fundiað
"Higelāc sēcan. Wǣron hēr tela
"willum bewenede; þū ūs wēl dohtest.
"Gif ic þonne on eorðan ōwihte mæg
"þīnre mōd-lufan māran tilian,
1825 "gumena dryhten, þonne ic gȳt dyde,
"gūð-geweorca ic bēo gearo sōna.
"Gif ic þæt gefricge ofer flōda begang,
"þæt þec ymbe-sittend egesan þȳwað,
"swā þec hetende hwīlum dydon,
1830 "ic þē þūsenda þegna bringe,
"hæleða tō helpe. Ic on Higelāce wāt,
"Gēata dryhten, þēah þe hē geong sȳ,
"folces hyrde, þæt hē mec fremman wile
"wordum and worcum, þæt ic þē wēl herige,
1835 "and þē tō gēoce gār-holt bere
"mægenes fultum, þǣr þē bið manna þearf;
"gif him þonne Hrēðrīc tō hofum Gēata
"geþingeð, þēodnes bearn, hē mæg þǣr fela
"frēonda findan: feor-cȳððe bēoð
1840 "sēlran gesōhte þǣm þe him selfa dēah. "
Hrōðgār maðelode him on andsware:
"Þē þā word-cwydas wittig drihten
"on sefan sende! ne hȳrde ic snotorlīcor
"on swā geongum feore guman þingian:
1845 "þū eart mægenes strang and on mōde frōd,
"wīs word-cwida. Wēn ic talige,
"gif þæt gegangeð, þæt þe gār nymeð,
"hild heoru-grimme Hrēðles eaferan,
"ādl oððe īren ealdor þīnne,
1850 "folces hyrde, and þū þīn feorh hafast,
"þæt þe Sǣ-Gēatas sēlran næbben
"tō gecēosenne cyning ǣnigne,
"hord-weard hæleða, gif þū healdan wylt
"māga rīce. Mē þīn mōd-sefa
1855 "līcað leng swā wēl, lēofa Bēowulf:
"hafast þū gefēred, þæt þām folcum sceal,
"Gēata lēodum and Gār-Denum
"sib gemǣnum and sacu restan,
"inwit-nīðas, þē hīe ǣr drugon;
1860 "wesan, þenden ic wealde wīdan rīces,
"māðmas gemǣne, manig ōðerne
"gōdum gegrētan ofer ganotes bæð;
"sceal hring-naca ofer hēaðu bringan
"lāc and luf-tācen. Ic þā lēode wāt
1865 "gē wið fēond gē wið frēond fæste geworhte
"ǣghwæs untǣle ealde wīsan. "
Þā gīt him eorla hlēo inne gesealde,
mago Healfdenes māðmas twelfe,
hēt hine mid þǣm lācum lēode swǣse
1870 sēcean on gesyntum, snūde eft cuman.
Gecyste þā cyning æðelum gōd,
þēoden Scildinga, þegen betstan
and be healse genam; hruron him tēaras,
blonden-feaxum: him wæs bēga wēn,
1875 ealdum infrōdum, ōðres swīðor,
þæt hī seoððan gesēon mōston
mōdige on meðle. Wæs him se man tō þon lēof,
þæt hē þone brēost-wylm forberan ne mehte,
ac him on hreðre hyge-bendum fæst
1880 æfter dēorum men dyrne langað
beorn wið blōde. Him Bēowulf þanan,
gūð-rinc gold-wlanc græs-moldan træd,
since hrēmig: sǣ-genga bād
āgend-frēan, sē þe on ancre rād.
1885 Þā wæs on gange gifu Hrōðgāres
oft geæhted: þæt wæs ān cyning
ǣghwæs orleahtre, oð þæt hine yldo benam
mægenes wynnum, sē þe oft manegum scōd.
XXVIII. BĒOWULF RETURNS TO GEATLAND. -THE QUEENS HYGD AND THRYTHO.
Cwōm þā tō flōde fela-mōdigra
1890 hæg-stealdra hēap; hring-net bǣron,
locene leoðo-syrcan. Land-weard onfand
eft-sīð eorla, swā hē ǣr dyde;
nō hē mid hearme of hlīðes nosan
gæstas grētte, ac him tōgēanes rād;
1895 cwæð þæt wilcuman Wedera lēodum
scawan scīr-hame tō scipe fōron.
Þā wæs on sande sǣ-gēap naca
hladen here-wǣdum, hringed-stefna
mēarum and māðmum: mæst hlīfade
1900 ofer Hrōðgāres hord-gestrēonum.
Hē þǣm bāt-wearde bunden golde
swurd gesealde, þæt hē syððan wæs
on meodu-bence māðme þȳ weorðra,
yrfe-lāfe. Gewāt him on ȳð-nacan,
1905 drēfan dēop wæter, Dena land ofgeaf.
Þā wæs be mæste mere-hrægla sum,
segl sāle fæst. Sund-wudu þunede,
nō þǣr wēg-flotan wind ofer ȳðum
sīðes getwǣfde; sǣ-genga fōr,
1910 flēat fāmig-heals forð ofer ȳðe,
bunden-stefna ofer brim-strēamas,
þæt hīe Gēata clifu ongitan meahton,
cūðe næssas. Cēol up geþrang,
lyft-geswenced on lande stōd.
1915 Hraðe wæs æt holme hȳð-weard gearo,
sē þe ǣr lange tīd, lēofra manna
fūs, æt faroðe feor wlātode;
sǣlde tō sande sīd-fæðme scip
oncer-bendum fæst, þȳ lǣs hym ȳða þrym
1920 wudu wynsuman forwrecan meahte.
Hēt þā up beran æðelinga gestrēon,
frætwe and fǣt-gold; næs him feor þanon
tō gesēcanne sinces bryttan:
Higelāc Hrēðling þǣr æt hām wunað,
1925 selfa mid gesīðum sǣ-wealle nēah;
bold wæs betlīc, brego-rōf cyning,
hēa on healle, Hygd swīðe geong,
wīs, wēl-þungen, þēah þe wintra lȳt
under burh-locan gebiden hæbbe
1930 Hæreðes dōhtor: næs hīo hnāh swā þēah,
nē tō gnēað gifa Gēata lēodum,
māðm-gestrēona. Mod Þrȳðo wæg,
fremu folces cwēn, firen ondrysne:
nǣnig þæt dorste dēor genēðan
1935 swǣsra gesīða, nefne sin-frēa,
þæt hire an dæges ēagum starede;
ac him wæl-bende weotode tealde,
hand-gewriðene: hraðe seoððan wæs
æfter mund-gripe mēce geþinged,
1940 þæt hit sceaðen-mǣl scȳran mōste,
cwealm-bealu cȳðan. Ne bið swylc cwēnlīc þēaw
idese tō efnanne, þēah þe hīo ǣnlīcu sȳ,
þætte freoðu-webbe fēores onsæce
æfter līge-torne lēofne mannan.
1945 Hūru þæt onhōhsnode Heminges mǣg;
ealo drincende ōðer sǣdan,
þæt hīo lēod-bealewa lǣs gefremede,
inwit-nīða, syððan ǣrest wearð
gyfen gold-hroden geongum cempan,
1950 æðelum dīore, syððan hīo Offan flet
ofer fealone flōd be fæder lāre
sīðe gesōhte, þǣr hīo syððan wēl
in gum-stōle, gōde mǣre,
līf-gesceafta lifigende brēac,
1955 hīold hēah-lufan wið hæleða brego,
ealles mon-cynnes mīne gefrǣge
þone sēlestan bī sǣm twēonum
eormen-cynnes; forþām Offa wæs
geofum and gūðum gār-cēne man,
1960 wīde geweorðod; wīsdōme hēold
ēðel sīnne, þonon Ēomǣr wōc
hæleðum tō helpe, Heminges mǣg,
nefa Gārmundes, nīða cræftig.
XXIX. HIS ARRIVAL. HYGELAC'S RECEPTION.
Gewāt him þā se hearda mid his hond-scole
1965 sylf æfter sande sǣ-wong tredan,
wīde waroðas. Woruld-candel scān,
sigel sūðan fūs: hī sīð drugon,
elne geēodon, tō þæs þe eorla hlēo,
bonan Ongenþēowes burgum on innan,
1970 geongne gūð-cyning gōdne gefrūnon
hringas dǣlan. Higelāce wæs
sīð Bēowulfes snūde gecȳðed,
þæt þǣr on worðig wīgendra hlēo,
lind-gestealla lifigende cwōm,
1975 heaðo-lāces hāl tō hofe gongan.
Hraðe wæs gerȳmed, swā se rīca bebēad,
fēðe-gestum flet innan-weard.
Gesæt þā wið sylfne, sē þā sæcce genæs,
mǣg wið mǣge, syððan man-dryhten
1980 þurh hlēoðor-cwyde holdne gegrētte
mēaglum wordum. Meodu-scencum
hwearf geond þæt reced Hæreðes dōhtor:
lufode þā lēode, līð-wǣge bær
hǣlum tō handa. Higelāc ongan
1985 sīnne geseldan in sele þām hēan
fægre fricgean, hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwylce Sǣ-Gēata sīðas wǣron:
"Hū lomp ēow on lāde, lēofa Bīowulf,
"þā þū fǣringa feorr gehogodest,
1990 "sæcce sēcean ofer sealt wæter,
"hilde tō Hiorote?
Ac þū Hrōðgāre
"wīd-cūðne wēan wihte gebēttest,
"mǣrum þēodne? Ic þæs mōd-ceare
"sorh-wylmum sēað, sīðe ne truwode
1995 "lēofes mannes; ic þē lange bæd,
"þæt þū þone wæl-gǣst wihte ne grētte,
"lēte Sūð-Dene sylfe geweorðan
"gūðe wið Grendel. Gode ic þanc secge,
"þæs þe ic þē gesundne gesēon mōste. "
2000 Bīowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþīowes:
"Þæt is undyrne, dryhten Higelāc,
"mǣre gemēting monegum fīra,
"hwylc orleg-hwīl uncer Grendles
"wearð on þām wange, þǣr hē worna fela
2005 "Sige-Scildingum sorge gefremede,
"yrmðe tō aldre; ic þæt eal gewræc,
"swā ne gylpan þearf Grendeles māga
"ǣnig ofer eorðan ūht-hlem þone,
"sē þe lengest leofað lāðan cynnes,
2010 "fenne bifongen. Ic þǣr furðum cwōm,
"tō þām hring-sele Hrōðgār grētan:
"sōna mē se mǣra mago Healfdenes,
"syððan hē mōd-sefan mīnne cūðe,
"wið his sylfes sunu setl getǣhte.
2015 "Weorod wæs on wynne; ne seah ic wīdan feorh
"under heofenes hwealf heal-sittendra
"medu-drēam māran. Hwīlum mǣru cwēn,
"friðu-sibb folca flet eall geond-hwearf,
"bǣdde byre geonge; oft hīo bēah-wriðan
2020 "secge sealde, ǣr hīo tō setle gēong.
"Hwīlum for duguðe dōhtor Hrōðgāres
"eorlum on ende ealu-wǣge bær,
"þā ic Frēaware flet-sittende
"nemnan hȳrde, þǣr hīo nægled sinc
2025 "hæleðum sealde: sīo gehāten wæs,
"geong gold-hroden, gladum suna Frōdan;
"hafað þæs geworden wine Scyldinga
"rīces hyrde and þæt rǣd talað,
"þæt hē mid þȳ wīfe wæl-fǣhða dǣl,
2030 "sæcca gesette. Oft nō seldan hwǣr
"æfter lēod-hryre lȳtle hwīle
"bon-gār būgeð, þēah sēo brȳd duge!
XXX. BĒOWULF'S STORY OF THE SLAYINGS.
"Mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan þēoden Heaðobeardna
"and þegna gehwām þāra lēoda,
2035 "þonne hē mid fǣmnan on flett gǣð,
"dryht-bearn Dena duguða biwenede:
"on him gladiað gomelra lāfe
"heard and hring-mǣl, Heaðobeardna gestrēon,
"þenden hīe þām wǣpnum wealdan mōston,
2040 "oð þæt hīe forlǣddan tō þām lind-plegan
"swǣse gesīðas ond hyra sylfra feorh.
"Þonne cwið æt bēore, sē þe bēah gesyhð,
"eald æsc-wiga, sē þe eall geman
"gār-cwealm gumena (him bið grim sefa),
2045 "onginneð geōmor-mōd geongne cempan
"þurh hreðra gehygd higes cunnian,
"wīg-bealu weccean and þæt word ācwyð:
"'Meaht þū, mīn wine, mēce gecnāwan,
"'þone þin fæder tō gefeohte bær
2050 "'under here-grīman hindeman sīðe,
"'dȳre īren, þǣr hyne Dene slōgon,
"'wēoldon wæl-stōwe, syððan wiðer-gyld læg,
"'æfter hæleða hryre, hwate Scyldungas?
"'Nu hēr þāra banena byre nāt-hwylces,
2055 "'frætwum hrēmig on flet gǣð,
"'morðres gylpeð and þone māððum byreð,
"'þone þe þū mid rihte rǣdan sceoldest! '"
"Manað swā and myndgað mǣla gehwylce
"sārum wordum, oð þæt sǣl cymeð,
2060 "þæt se fǣmnan þegn fore fæder dǣdum
"æfter billes bite blōd-fāg swefeð,
"ealdres scyldig; him se ōðer þonan
"losað lifigende, con him land geare.
"Þonne bīoð brocene on bā healfe
2065 "āð-sweord eorla; syððan Ingelde
"weallað wæl-nīðas and him wīf-lufan
"æfter cear-wælmum cōlran weorðað.
"Þȳ ic Heaðobeardna hyldo ne telge,
"dryht-sibbe dǣl Denum unfǣcne,
2070 "frēond-scipe fæstne. Ic sceal forð sprecan
"gēn ymbe Grendel, þæt þū geare cunne,
"sinces brytta, tō hwan syððan wearð
"hond-rǣs hæleða. Syððan heofones gim
"glād ofer grundas, gæst yrre cwōm,
2075 "eatol ǣfen-grom, ūser nēosan,
"þǣr wē gesunde sæl weardodon;
"þǣr wæs Hondscīo hild onsǣge,
"feorh-bealu fǣgum, hē fyrmest læg,
"gyrded cempa; him Grendel wearð,
2080 "mǣrum magu-þegne tō mūð-bonan,
"lēofes mannes līc eall forswealg.
"Nō þȳ ǣr ūt þā gēn īdel-hende
"bona blōdig-tōð bealewa gemyndig,
"of þām gold-sele gongan wolde,
2085 "ac hē mægnes rōf mīn costode,
"grāpode gearo-folm. Glōf hangode
"sīd and syllīc searo-bendum fæst,
"sīo wæs orþoncum eall gegyrwed
"dēofles cræftum and dracan fellum:
2090 "hē mec þǣr on innan unsynnigne,
"dīor dǣd-fruma, gedōn wolde,
"manigra sumne: hyt ne mihte swā,
"syððan ic on yrre upp-riht āstōd.
"Tō lang ys tō reccenne, hū ic þām lēod-sceaðan
2095 "yfla gehwylces ond-lēan forgeald;
"þǣr ic, þēoden mīn, þīne lēode
"weorðode weorcum. Hē on weg losade,
"lȳtle hwīle līf-wynna brēac;
"hwæðre him sīo swīðre swaðe weardade
2100 "hand on Hiorte and hē hēan þonan,
"mōdes geōmor mere-grund gefēoll.
"Mē þone wæl-rǣs wine Scildunga
"fǣttan golde fela lēanode,
"manegum māðmum, syððan mergen cōm
2105 "and wē tō symble geseten hæfdon.
"Þǣr wæs gidd and glēo; gomela Scilding
"fela fricgende feorran rehte;
"hwīlum hilde-dēor hearpan wynne,
"gomen-wudu grētte; hwīlum gyd āwræc
2110 "sōð and sārlīc; hwīlum syllīc spell
"rehte æfter rihte rūm-heort cyning.
"Hwīlum eft ongan eldo gebunden,
"gomel gūð-wiga gioguðe cwīðan
"hilde-strengo; hreðer inne wēoll,
2115 "þonne hē wintrum frōd worn gemunde.
"Swā wē þǣr inne andlangne dæg
"nīode nāman, oð þæt niht becwōm
"ōðer tō yldum. Þā wæs eft hraðe
"gearo gyrn-wræce Grendeles mōdor,
2120 "sīðode sorh-full; sunu dēað fornam,
"wīg-hete Wedra. Wīf unhȳre
"hyre bearn gewræc, beorn ācwealde
"ellenlīce; þǣr wæs Æsc-here,
"frōdan fyrn-witan, feorh ūðgenge;
2125 "nōðer hȳ hine ne mōston, syððan mergen cwōm,
"dēað-wērigne Denia lēode
"bronde forbærnan, nē on bǣl hladan
"lēofne mannan: hīo þæt līc ætbær
"fēondes fæðmum under firgen-strēam.
2130 "Þæt wæs Hrōðgāre hrēowa tornost
"þāra þe lēod-fruman lange begeāte;
"þā se þēoden mec þīne līfe
"healsode hrēoh-mōd, þæt ic on holma geþring
"eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre genēðde,
2135 "mǣrðo fremede: hē mē mēde gehēt.
"Ic þā þæs wælmes, þē is wīde cūð,
"grimne gryrelīcne grund-hyrde fond.
"Þǣr unc hwīle wæs hand gemǣne;
"holm heolfre wēoll and ic hēafde becearf
2140 "in þām grund-sele Grendeles mōdor
"ēacnum ecgum, unsōfte þonan
"feorh oðferede; næs ic fǣge þā gȳt,
"ac mē eorla hlēo eft gesealde
"māðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC'S DEATH. BĒOWULF REIGNS.
2145 "Swā se þēod-kyning þēawum lyfde;
"nealles ic þām lēanum forloren hæfde,
"mægnes mēde, ac hē mē māðmas geaf,
"sunu Healfdenes, on sīnne sylfes dōm;
"þā ic þē, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle,
2150 "ēstum geȳwan. Gēn is eall æt þē
"lissa gelong: ic lȳt hafo
"hēafod-māga, nefne Hygelāc þec! "
Hēt þā in beran eafor, hēafod-segn,
heaðo-stēapne helm, hāre byrnan,
2155 gūð-sweord geatolīc, gyd æfter wræc:
"Mē þis hilde-sceorp Hrōðgār sealde,
"snotra fengel, sume worde hēt,
"þæt ic his ǣrest þē eft gesægde,
"cwæð þæt hyt hæfde Hiorogār cyning,
2160 "lēod Scyldunga lange hwīle:
"nō þȳ ǣr suna sīnum syllan wolde,
"hwatum Heorowearde, þēah hē him hold wǣre,
"brēost-gewǣdu. Brūc ealles well! "
Hȳrde ic þæt þām frætwum fēower mēaras
2165 lungre gelīce lāst weardode,
æppel-fealuwe; hē him ēst getēah
mēara and māðma. Swā sceal mǣg dōn,
nealles inwit-net ōðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cræfte dēað rēnian
2170 hond-gesteallan. Hygelāce wæs,
nīða heardum, nefa swȳðe hold
and gehwæðer ōðrum hrōðra gemyndig.
Hȳrde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēah Hygde gesealde,
wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum, þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf,
2175 þēodnes dōhtor, þrīo wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht; hyre syððan wæs
æfter bēah-þege brēost geweorðod.
Swā bealdode bearn Ecgþēowes,
guma gūðum cūð, gōdum dǣdum,
2180 drēah æfter dōme, nealles druncne slōg
heorð-genēatas; næs him hrēoh sefa,
ac hē man-cynnes mǣste cræfte
gin-fæstan gife, þē him god sealde,
hēold hilde-dēor. Hēan wæs lange,
2185 swā hyne Gēata bearn gōdne ne tealdon,
nē hyne on medo-bence micles wyrðne
drihten wereda gedōn wolde;
swȳðe oft sægdon, þæt hē slēac wǣre,
æðeling unfrom: edwenden cwōm
2190 tīr-ēadigum menn torna gehwylces.
Hēt þā eorla hlēo in gefetian,
heaðo-rōf cyning, Hrēðles lāfe,
golde gegyrede; næs mid Gēatum þā
sinc-māððum sēlra on sweordes hād;
2195 þæt hē on Bīowulfes bearm ālegde,
and him gesealde seofan þūsendo,
bold and brego-stōl. Him wæs bām samod
on þām lēod-scipe lond gecynde,
eard ēðel-riht, ōðrum swīðor
2200 sīde rīce, þām þǣr sēlra wæs.
Eft þæt geīode ufaran dōgrum
hilde-hlæmmum, syððan Hygelāc læg
and Heardrēde hilde-mēceas
under bord-hrēoðan tō bonan wurdon,
2205 þā hyne gesōhtan on sige-þēode
hearde hilde-frecan, Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nīða genǣgdan nefan Hererīces.
Syððan Bēowulfe brāde rīce
on hand gehwearf: hē gehēold tela
2210 fīftig wintru (wæs þā frōd cyning,
eald ēðel-weard), oð þæt ān ongan
deorcum nihtum draca rīcsian,
sē þe on hēare hǣðe hord beweotode,
stān-beorh stēapne: stīg under læg,
2215 eldum uncūð. Þǣr on innan gīong
niða nāt-hwylces nēode gefēng
hǣðnum horde hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc
since fāhne, hē þæt syððan . . . . .
. . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g
2220 slǣpende be fȳre, fyrena hyrde
þēofes cræfte, þæt sie . . . . ðioð . . . . .
. idh . folc-beorn, þæt hē gebolgen wæs.
XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.
Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cræft
sōhte sylfes willum, sē þe him sāre gesceōd,
2225 ac for þrēa-nēdlan þēow nāt-hwylces
hæleða bearna hete-swengeas flēah,
for ofer-þearfe and þǣr inne fealh
secg syn-bysig. Sōna in þā tīde
þæt . . . . . þām gyste . . . . br . g . stōd,
2230 hwæðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . .
. . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fǣs begeat,
sinc-fæt geseah: þǣr wæs swylcra fela
in þām eorð-scræfe ǣr-gestrēona,
swā hȳ on geār-dagum gumena nāt-hwylc
2235 eormen-lāfe æðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgende þǣr gehȳdde,
dēore māðmas. Ealle hīe dēað fornam
ǣrran mǣlum, and se ān þā gēn
lēoda duguðe, sē þǣr lengest hwearf,
2240 weard wine-geōmor wīscte þæs yldan,
þæt hē lȳtel fæc long-gestrēona
brūcan mōste. Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wonge wæter-ȳðum nēah,
nīwe be næsse nearo-cræftum fæst:
2245 þǣr on innan bær eorl-gestrēona
hringa hyrde hard-fyrdne dǣl
fǣttan goldes, fēa worda cwæð:
"Heald þū nū, hrūse, nū hæleð ne mōston,
"eorla ǣhte. Hwæt! hit ǣr on þē
2250 "gōde begeāton; gūð-dēað fornam,
"feorh-bealo frēcne fȳra gehwylcne,
"lēoda mīnra, þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf,
"gesāwon sele-drēam. Nāh hwā sweord wege
"oððe fetige fǣted wǣge,
2255 "drync-fæt dēore: duguð ellor scōc.
"Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde
"fǣtum befeallen: feormiend swefað,
"þā þe beado-grīman bȳwan sceoldon,
"gē swylce sēo here-pād, sīo æt hilde gebād
2260 "ofer borda gebræc bite īrena,
"brosnað æfter beorne. Ne mæg byrnan hring
"æfter wīg-fruman wīde fēran
"hæleðum be healfe; næs hearpan wyn,
"gomen glēo-bēames, nē gōd hafoc
2265 "geond sæl swingeð, nē se swifta mearh
"burh-stede bēateð. Bealo-cwealm hafað
"fela feorh-cynna feorr onsended! "
Swā giōmor-mōd giohðo mǣnde,
ān æfter eallum unblīðe hwēop,
2270 dæges and nihtes, oð þæt dēaðes wylm
hrān æt heortan. Hord-wynne fond
eald ūht-sceaða opene standan,
sē þe byrnende biorgas sēceð
nacod nīð-draca, nihtes flēogeð
2275 fȳre befangen; hyne fold-būend
wīde gesāwon. Hē gēwunian sceall
hlāw under hrūsan, þǣr hē hǣðen gold
warað wintrum frōd; ne byð him wihte þē sēl.
Swā se þēod-sceaða þrēo hund wintra
2280 hēold on hrūsan hord-ærna sum
ēacen-cræftig, oð þæt hyne ān ābealh
mon on mōde: man-dryhtne bær
fǣted wǣge, frioðo-wǣre bæd
hlāford sīnne. Þā wæs hord rāsod,
2285 onboren bēaga hord, bēne getīðad
fēa-sceaftum men. Frēa scēawode
fīra fyrn-geweorc forman sīðe.
Þā se wyrm onwōc, wrōht wæs genīwad;
stonc þā æfter stāne, stearc-heort onfand
2290 fēondes fōt-lāst; hē tō forð gestōp,
dyrnan cræfte, dracan hēafde nēah.
Swā mæg unfǣge ēaðe gedīgan
wēan and wræc-sīð, sē þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sōhte
2295 georne æfter grunde, wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofote sāre getēode:
hāt and hrēoh-mōd hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf,
ealne ūtan-weardne; nē þǣr ǣnig mon
wæs on þǣre wēstenne. Hwæðre hilde gefeh,
2300 beado-weorces: hwīlum on beorh æthwearf,
sinc-fæt sōhte; hē þæt sōna onfand,
þæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod
hēah-gestrēona. Hord-weard onbād
earfoðlīce, oð þæt ǣfen cwōm;
2305 wæs þā gebolgen beorges hyrde,
wolde se lāða līge forgyldan
drinc-fæt dȳre. Þā wæs dæg sceacen
wyrme on willan, nō on wealle leng
bīdan wolde, ac mid bǣle fōr,
2310 fȳre gefȳsed. Wæs se fruma egeslīc
lēodum on lande, swā hyt lungre wearð
on hyra sinc-gifan sāre geendod.
XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.
Þā se gæst ongan glēdum spīwan,
beorht hofu bærnan; bryne-lēoma stōd
2315 eldum on andan; nō þǣr āht cwices
lāð lyft-floga lǣfan wolde.
Wæs þæs wyrmes wīg wīde gesȳne,
nearo-fāges nīð nēan and feorran,
hū se gūð-sceaða Gēata lēode
2320 hatode and hȳnde: hord eft gescēat,
dryht-sele dyrnne ǣr dæges hwīle.
Hæfde land-wara līge befangen,
bǣle and bronde; beorges getruwode,
wīges and wealles: him sēo wēn gelēah.
2325 Þā wæs Bīowulfe brōga gecȳðed
snūde tō sōðe, þæt his sylfes him
bolda sēlest bryne-wylmum mealt,
gif-stōl Gēata. Þæt þām gōdan wæs
hrēow on hreðre, hyge-sorga mǣst:
2330 wēnde se wīsa, þæt hē wealdende,
ofer ealde riht, ēcean dryhtne
bitre gebulge: brēost innan wēoll
þēostrum geþoncum, swā him geþȳwe ne wæs.
Hæfde līg-draca lēoda fæsten,
2335 ēa-lond ūtan, eorð-weard þone
glēdum forgrunden. Him þæs gūð-cyning,
Wedera þīoden, wræce leornode.
Heht him þā gewyrcean wīgendra hlēo
eall-īrenne, eorla dryhten
2340 wīg-bord wrǣtlīc; wisse hē gearwe,
þæt him holt-wudu helpan ne meahte,
lind wið līge. Sceolde lǣn-daga
æðeling ǣr-gōd ende gebīdan
worulde līfes and se wyrm somod;
2345 þēah þe hord-welan hēolde lange.
Oferhogode þā hringa fengel,
þæt hē þone wīd-flogan weorode gesōhte,
sīdan herge; nō hē him þā sæcce ondrēd,
nē him þæs wyrmes wīg for wiht dyde,
2350 eafoð and ellen; forþon hē ǣr fela
nearo nēðende nīða gedīgde,
hilde-hlemma, syððan hē Hrōðgāres,
sigor-ēadig secg, sele fǣlsode
and æt gūðe forgrāp Grendeles mǣgum,
2355 lāðan cynnes. Nō þæt lǣsest wæs
hond-gemota, þǣr mon Hygelāc slōh,
syððan Gēata cyning gūðe rǣsum,
frēa-wine folces Frēslondum on,
Hrēðles eafora hioro-dryncum swealt,
2360 bille gebēaten; þonan Bīowulf cōm
sylfes cræfte, sund-nytte drēah;
hæfde him on earme . . . XXX
hilde-geatwa, þā hē tō holme stāg.
Nealles Hetware hrēmge þorfton
2365 fēðe-wīges, þē him foran ongēan
linde bǣron: lȳt eft becwōm
fram þām hild-frecan hāmes nīosan.
Oferswam þā sioleða bigong sunu Ecgþēowes,
earm ān-haga eft tō lēodum,
2370 þǣr him Hygd gebēad hord and rīce,
bēagas and brego-stōl: bearne ne truwode,
þæt hē wið æl-fylcum ēðel-stōlas
healdan cūðe, þā wæs Hygelāc dēad.
Nō þȳ ǣr fēa-sceafte findan meahton
2375 æt þām æðelinge ǣnige þinga,
þæt hē Heardrēde hlāford wǣre,
oððe þone cyne-dōm cīosan wolde;
hwæðre hē him on folce frēond-lārum hēold,
ēstum mid āre, oð þæt hē yldra wearð,
2380 Weder-Gēatum wēold. Hyne wræc-mæcgas
ofer sǣ sōhtan, suna Ōhteres:
hæfdon hȳ forhealden helm Scylfinga,
þone sēlestan sǣ-cyninga,
þāra þe in Swīo-rīce sinc brytnade,
2385 mǣrne þēoden. Him þæt tō mearce wearð;
hē þǣr orfeorme feorh-wunde hlēat
sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelāces;
and him eft gewāt Ongenþīowes bearn
hāmes nīosan, syððan Heardrēd læg;
2390 lēt þone brego-stōl Bīowulf healdan,
Gēatum wealdan: þæt wæs gōd cyning.
XXXIV. RETROSPECT OF BĒOWULF. --STRIFE BETWEEN SWEONAS AND GEATAS.
Sē þæs lēod-hryres lēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum, Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum fēond. Folce gestepte
2395 ofer sǣ sīde sunu Ōhteres
wigum and wǣpnum: hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum, cyning ealdre binēat.
Swā hē nīða gehwane genesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgþīowes,
2400 ellen-weorca, oð þone ānne dæg,
þē hē wið þām wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewāt þā twelfa sum torne gebolgen
dryhten Gēata dracan scēawian;
hæfde þā gefrūnen, hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,
2405 bealo-nīð biorna; him tō bearme cwōm
māððum-fæt mǣre þurh þæs meldan hond,
Sē wæs on þām þrēate þreotteoða secg,
sē þæs orleges ōr onstealde,
hæft hyge-giōmor, sceolde hēan þonon
2410 wong wīsian: hē ofer willan gīong
tō þæs þe hē eorð-sele ānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsan holm-wylme nēh,
ȳð-gewinne, sē wæs innan full
wrǣtta and wīra: weard unhīore,
2415 gearo gūð-freca, gold-māðmas hēold,
eald under eorðan; næs þæt ȳðe cēap,
tō gegangenne gumena ǣnigum.
Gesæt þā on næsse nīð-heard cyning,
þenden hǣlo ābēad heorð-genēatum
2420 gold-wine Gēata: him wæs geōmor sefa,
wǣfre and wæl-fūs, Wyrd ungemete nēah,
sē þone gomelan grētan sceolde,
sēcean sāwle hord, sundur gedǣlan
līf wið līce: nō þon lange wæs
2425 feorh æðelinges flǣsce bewunden.
Bīowulf maðelade, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Fela ic on giogoðe guð-rǣsa genæs,
"orleg-hwīla: ic þæt eall gemon.
"Ic wæs syfan-wintre, þā mec sinca baldor,
2430 "frēa-wine folca æt mīnum fæder genam,
"hēold mec and hæfde Hrēðel cyning,
"geaf mē sinc and symbel, sibbe gemunde;
"næs ic him tō līfe lāðra ōwihte
"beorn in burgum, þonne his bearna hwylc,
2435 "Herebeald and Hæðcyn, oððe Hygelāc mīn.
"Wæs þām yldestan ungedēfelīce
"mǣges dǣdum morðor-bed strēd,
"syððan hyne Hæðcyn of horn-bogan,
"his frēa-wine flāne geswencte,
2440 "miste mercelses and his mǣg ofscēt,
"brōðor ōðerne, blōdigan gāre:
"þæt wæs feoh-lēas gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad
"hreðre hyge-mēðe; sceolde hwæðre swā þēah
"æðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.
2445 "Swā bið geōmorlīc gomelum ceorle
"tō gebīdanne, þæt his byre rīde
"giong on galgan, þonne hē gyd wrece,
"sārigne sang, þonne his sunu hangað
"hrefne tō hrōðre and hē him helpe ne mæg,
2450 "eald and in-frōd, ǣnige gefremman.
"Symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce
"eaforan ellor-sīð; ōðres ne gȳmeð
"tō gebīdanne burgum on innan
"yrfe-weardes, þonne se ān hafað
2455 "þurh dēaðes nȳd dǣda gefondad.
"Gesyhð sorh-cearig on his suna būre
"wīn-sele wēstne, wind-gereste,
"rēote berofene; rīdend swefað
"hæleð in hoðman; nis þǣr hearpan swēg,
2460 "gomen in geardum, swylce þǣr iū wǣron.
XXXV. MEMORIES OF PAST TIME. -THE FEUD WITH THE FIRE-DRAKE.
"Gewīteð þonne on sealman, sorh-lēoð gæleð
"ān æfter ānum: þūhte him eall tō rūm,
"wongas and wīc-stede. Swā Wedra helm
"æfter Herebealde heortan sorge
2465 "weallende wæg, wihte ne meahte
"on þām feorh-bonan fǣhðe gebētan:
"nō þȳ ǣr hē þone heaðo-rinc hatian ne meahte
"lāðum dǣdum, þēah him lēof ne wæs.
"Hē þā mid þǣre sorge, þē him sīo sār belamp,
2470 "gum-drēam ofgeaf, godes lēoht gecēas;
"eaferum lǣfde, swā dēð ēadig mon,
"lond and lēod-byrig, þā hē of līfe gewāt.
"Þā wæs synn and sacu Swēona and Gēata,
"ofer wīd wæter wrōht gemǣne,
2475 "here-nīð hearda, syððan Hrēðel swealt,
"oððe him Ongenþēowes eaferan wǣran
"frome fyrd-hwate, frēode ne woldon
"ofer heafo healdan, ac ymb Hrēosna-beorh
"eatolne inwit-scear oft gefremedon.
2480 "Þæt mǣg-wine mīne gewrǣcan,
"fǣhðe and fyrene, swā hyt gefrǣge wæs,
"þēah þe ōðer hit ealdre gebohte,
"heardan cēape: Hæðcynne wearð,
"Gēata dryhtne, gūð onsǣge.
2485 "Þā ic on morgne gefrægn mǣg ōðerne
"billes ecgum on bonan stǣlan,
"þǣr Ongenþēow Eofores nīosade:
"gūð-helm tōglād, gomela Scylfing
"hrēas heoro-blāc; hond gemunde
2490 "fǣhðo genōge, feorh-sweng ne oftēah.
"Ic him þā māðmas, þē hē mē sealde,
"geald æt gūðe, swā mē gifeðe wæs,
"lēohtan sweorde: hē mē lond forgeaf,
"eard ēðel-wyn. Næs him ǣnig þearf,
2495 "þæt hē tō Gifðum oððe tō Gār-Denum
"oððe in Swīo-rīce sēcean þurfe
"wyrsan wīg-frecan, weorðe gecȳpan;
"symle ic him on fēðan beforan wolde,
"āna on orde, and swā tō aldre sceall
2500 "sæcce fremman, þenden þis sweord þolað,
"þæt mec ǣr and sīð oft gelǣste,
"syððan ic for dugeðum Dæghrefne wearð
"tō hand-bonan, Hūga cempan:
"nalles hē þā frætwe Frēs-cyninge,
2505 "brēost-weorðunge bringan mōste,
"ac in campe gecrong cumbles hyrde,
"æðeling on elne. Ne wæs ecg bona,
"ac him hilde-grāp heortan wylmas,
"bān-hūs gebræc. Nū sceall billes ecg,
2510 "hond and heard sweord ymb hord wīgan. "
Bēowulf maðelode, bēot-wordum spræc
nīehstan sīðe: "Ic genēðde fela
"gūða on geogoðe; gȳt ic wylle,
"frōd folces weard, fǣhðe sēcan,
2515 "mǣrðum fremman, gif mec se mān-sceaða
"of eorð-sele ūt gesēceð! "
Gegrētte þā gumena gehwylcne,
hwate helm-berend hindeman sīðe,
swǣse gesīðas: "Nolde ic sweord beran,
2520 "wǣpen tō wyrme, gif ic wiste hū
"wið þām āglǣcean elles meahte
"gylpe wiðgrīpan, swā ic giō wið Grendle dyde;
"ac ic þǣr heaðu-fȳres hātes wēne,
"rēðes and-hāttres: forþon ic mē on hafu
2525 "bord and byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard
"oferflēon fōtes trem, fēond unhȳre,
"ac unc sceal weorðan æt wealle, swā unc Wyrd getēoð,
"metod manna gehwæs. Ic eom on mōde from,
"þæt ic wið þone gūð-flogan gylp ofersitte.
2530 "Gebīde gē on beorge byrnum werede,
"secgas on searwum, hwæðer sēl mǣge
"æfter wæl-rǣse wunde gedȳgan
"uncer twēga. Nis þæt ēower sīð,
"nē gemet mannes, nefne mīn ānes,
2535 "þæt hē wið āglǣcean eofoðo dǣle,
"eorl-scype efne. Ic mid elne sceall
"gold gegangan oððe gūð nimeð,
"feorh-bealu frēcne, frēan ēowerne! "
Ārās þā bī ronde rōf ōretta,
2540 heard under helm, hioro-sercean bær
under stān-cleofu, strengo getruwode
ānes mannes: ne bið swylc earges sīð.
Geseah þā be wealle, sē þe worna fela,
gum-cystum gōd, gūða gedīgde,
2545 hilde-hlemma, þonne hnitan fēðan,
(stōd on stān-bogan) strēam ūt þonan
brecan of beorge; wæs þǣre burnan wælm
heaðo-fȳrum hāt: ne meahte horde nēah
unbyrnende ǣnige hwīle
2550 dēop gedȳgan for dracan lēge.
Lēt þā of brēostum, þā hē gebolgen wæs,
Weder-Gēata lēod word ūt faran,
stearc-heort styrmde; stefn in becōm
heaðo-torht hlynnan under hārne stān.
2555 Hete wæs onhrēred, hord-weard oncnīow
mannes reorde; næs þǣr māra fyrst,
frēode tō friclan. From ǣrest cwōm
oruð āglǣcean ūt of stāne,
hāt hilde-swāt; hrūse dynede.
Him wæs ful boren and frēond-laðu
wordum bewægned and wunden gold
1195 ēstum geēawed, earm-hrēade twā,
hrægl and hringas, heals-bēaga mǣst
þāra þe ic on foldan gefrægen hæbbe.
Nǣnigne ic under swegle sēlran hȳrde
hord-māððum hæleða, syððan Hāma ætwæg
1200 tō þǣre byrhtan byrig Brōsinga mene,
sigle and sinc-fæt, searo-nīðas fealh
Eormenrīces, gecēas ēcne rǣd.
Þone hring hæfde Higelāc Gēata,
nefa Swertinges, nȳhstan sīðe,
1205 siððan hē under segne sinc ealgode,
wæl-rēaf werede; hyne Wyrd fornam,
syððan hē for wlenco wēan āhsode,
fǣhðe tō Frȳsum; hē þā frætwe wæg,
eorclan-stānas ofer ȳða ful,
1210 rīce þēoden, hē under rande gecranc;
gehwearf þā in Francna fæðm feorh cyninges,
brēost-gewǣdu and se bēah somod:
wyrsan wīg-frecan wæl rēafedon
æfter gūð-sceare, Gēata lēode
1215 hreā-wīc hēoldon. Heal swēge onfēng.
Wealhþēo maðelode, hēo fore þǣm werede spræc:
"Brūc þisses bēages, Bēowulf, lēofa
"hyse, mid hǣle, and þisses hrægles nēot
"þēod-gestrēona, and geþēoh tela,
1220 "cen þec mid cræfte and þyssum cnyhtum wes
"lāra līðe! ic þē þæs lēan geman.
"Hafast þū gefēred, þæt þē feor and nēah
"ealne wīde-ferhð weras ehtigað,
"efne swā sīde swā sǣ bebūgeð
1225 "windige weallas. Wes, þenden þū lifige,
"æðeling ēadig! ic þē an tela
"sinc-gestrēona. Bēo þū suna mīnum
"dǣdum gedēfe drēam healdende!
"Hēr is ǣghwylc eorl ōðrum getrȳwe,
1230 "mōdes milde, man-drihtne hold,
"þegnas syndon geþwǣre, þēod eal gearo:
"druncne dryht-guman, dōð swā ic bidde! "
Ēode þā tō setle. Þǣr wæs symbla cyst,
druncon wīn weras: wyrd ne cūðon,
1235 geō-sceaft grimme, swā hit āgangen wearð
eorla manegum, syððan ǣfen cwōm
and him Hrōðgār gewāt tō hofe sīnum,
rīce tō ræste. Reced weardode
unrīm eorla, swā hīe oft ǣr dydon:
1240 benc-þelu beredon, hit geond-brǣded wearð
beddum and bolstrum. Bēor-scealca sum
fūs and fǣge flet-ræste gebēag.
Setton him tō hēafdum hilde-randas,
bord-wudu beorhtan; þǣr on bence wæs
1245 ofer æðelinge ȳð-gesēne
heaðo-stēapa helm, hringed byrne,
þrec-wudu þrymlīc. Wæs þēaw hyra,
þæt hīe oft wǣron an wīg gearwe,
gē æt hām gē on herge, gē gehwæðer þāra
1250 efne swylce mǣla, swylce hira man-dryhtne
þearf gesǣlde; wæs sēo þēod tilu.
XX. GRENDEL'S MOTHER ATTACKS THE RING-DANES.
Sigon þā tō slǣpe. Sum sāre angeald
ǣfen-ræste, swā him ful-oft gelamp,
siððan gold-sele Grendel warode,
1255 unriht æfnde, oð þæt ende becwōm,
swylt æfter synnum. Þæt gesȳne wearð,
wīd-cūð werum, þætte wrecend þā gȳt
lifde æfter lāðum, lange þrāge
æfter gūð-ceare; Grendles mōdor,
1260 ides āglǣc-wīf yrmðe gemunde,
sē þe wæter-egesan wunian scolde,
cealde strēamas, siððan Cain wearð
tō ecg-banan āngan brēðer,
fæderen-mǣge; hē þā fāg gewāt,
1265 morðre gemearcod man-drēam flēon,
wēsten warode. Þanon wōc fela
geōsceaft-gāsta; wæs þǣra Grendel sum,
heoro-wearh hetelīc, sē æt Heorote fand
wæccendne wer wīges bīdan,
1270 þǣr him āglǣca æt-grǣpe wearð;
hwæðre hē gemunde mægenes strenge,
gim-fæste gife, þē him god sealde,
and him tō anwaldan āre gelȳfde,
frōfre and fultum: þȳ hē þone fēond ofercwōm,
1275 gehnǣgde helle gāst: þā hē hēan gewāt,
drēame bedǣled dēað-wīc sēon,
man-cynnes fēond. And his mōdor þā gȳt
gīfre and galg-mōd gegān wolde
sorh-fulne sīð, suna dēað wrecan.
1280 Cōm þā tō Heorote, þǣr Hring-Dene
geond þæt sæld swǣfun. Þā þǣr sōna wearð
ed-hwyrft eorlum, siððan inne fealh
Grendles mōdor; wæs se gryre lǣssa
efne swā micle, swā bið mægða cræft,
1285 wīg-gryre wīfes be wǣpned-men,
þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren,
sweord swāte fāh swīn ofer helme,
ecgum dyhtig andweard scireð.
Þā wæs on healle heard-ecg togen,
1290 sweord ofer setlum, sīd-rand manig
hafen handa fæst; helm ne gemunde,
byrnan sīde, þe hine se brōga angeat.
Hēo wæs on ofste, wolde ūt þanon
fēore beorgan, þā hēo onfunden wæs;
1295 hraðe hēo æðelinga ānne hæfde
fæste befangen, þā hēo tō fenne gang;
sē wæs Hrōðgāre hæleða lēofost
on gesīðes hād be sǣm tweonum,
rīce rand-wiga, þone þe hēo on ræste ābrēat,
1300 blǣd-fæstne beorn. Næs Bēowulf þǣr,
ac wæs ōðer in ǣr geteohhod
æfter māððum-gife mǣrum Gēate.
Hrēam wearð on Heorote. Hēo under heolfre genam
cūðe folme; cearu wæs genīwod
1305 geworden in wīcum: ne wæs þæt gewrixle til,
þæt hīe on bā healfa bicgan scoldon
frēonda fēorum. Þā wæs frōd cyning,
hār hilde-rinc, on hrēon mōde,
syððan hē aldor-þegn unlyfigendne,
1310 þone dēorestan dēadne wisse.
Hraðe wæs tō būre Bēowulf fetod,
sigor-ēadig secg. Samod ǣr-dæge
ēode eorla sum, æðele cempa
self mid gesīðum, þǣr se snottra bād,
1315 hwæðre him al-walda ǣfre wille
æfter wēa-spelle wyrpe gefremman.
Gang þā æfter flōre fyrd-wyrðe man
mid his hand-scale (heal-wudu dynede)
þæt hē þone wīsan wordum hnǣgde
1320 frēan Ingwina; frægn gif him wǣre
æfter nēod-laðu niht getǣse.
XXI. SORROW AT HEOROT: AESCHERE'S DEATH
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scildinga:
"Ne frīn þū æfter sǣlum! Sorh is genīwod
"Denigea lēodum. Dēad is Æsc-here,
1325 "Yrmenlāfes yldra brōðor,
"mīn rūn-wita and mīn rǣd-bora,
"eaxl-gestealla, þonne wē on orlege
"hafelan weredon, þonne hniton fēðan,
"eoferas cnysedan; swylc scolde eorl wesan
1330 "æðeling ǣr-gōd, swylc Æsc-here wæs.
"Wearð him on Heorote tō hand-banan
"wæl-gǣst wǣfre; ic ne wāt hwæder
"atol ǣse wlanc eft-sīðas tēah,
"fylle gefrǣgnod. Hēo þā fǣhðe wræc,
1335 "þē þū gystran niht Grendel cwealdest
"þurh hǣstne hād heardum clammum,
"forþan hē tō lange lēode mīne
"wanode and wyrde. Hē æt wīge gecrang
"ealdres scyldig, and nū ōðer cwōm
1340 "mihtig mān-scaða, wolde hyre mǣg wrecan,
"gē feor hafað fǣhðe gestǣled,
"þæs þe þincean mæg þegne monegum,
"sē þe æfter sinc-gyfan on sefan grēoteð,
"hreðer-bealo hearde; nū sēo hand ligeð,
1345 "sē þe ēow wēl-hwylcra wilna dohte.
"Ic þæt lond-būend lēode mīne
"sele-rǣdende secgan hȳrde,
"þæt hīe gesāwon swylce twēgen
"micle mearc-stapan mōras healdan,
1350 "ellor-gǣstas: þǣra ōðer wæs,
"þæs þe hīe gewislīcost gewitan meahton,
"idese onlīcnes, ōðer earm-sceapen
"on weres wæstmum wræc-lāstas træd,
"næfne hē wæs māra þonne ǣnig man ōðer,
1355 "þone on geār-dagum Grendel nemdon
"fold-būende: nō hīe fæder cunnon,
"hwæðer him ǣnig wæs ǣr ācenned
"dyrnra gāsta. Hīe dȳgel lond
"warigeað, wulf-hleoðu, windige næssas,
1360 "frēcne fen-gelād, þǣr fyrgen-strēam
"under næssa genipu niðer gewīteð,
"flōd under foldan; nis þæt feor heonon
"mīl-gemearces, þæt se mere standeð,
"ofer þǣm hongiað hrīmge bearwas,
1365 "wudu wyrtum fæst, wæter oferhelmað.
"Þǣr mæg nihta gehwǣm nīð-wundor sēon,
"fȳr on flōde; nō þæs frōd leofað
"gumena bearna, þæt þone grund wite;
"þēah þe hǣð-stapa hundum geswenced,
1370 "heorot hornum trum holt-wudu sēce,
"feorran geflȳmed, ǣr hē feorh seleð,
"aldor on ōfre, ǣr hē in wille,
"hafelan hȳdan. Nis þæt hēoru stōw:
"þonon ȳð-geblond up āstīgeð
1375 "won tō wolcnum, þonne wind styreð
"lāð gewidru, oð þæt lyft drysmað,
"roderas rēotað. Nū is rǣd gelang
"eft æt þē ānum! Eard gīt ne const,
"frēcne stōwe, þǣr þū findan miht
1380 "sinnigne secg: sēc gif þū dyrre!
"Ic þē þā fǣhðe fēo lēanige,
"eald-gestrēonum, swā ic ǣr dyde,
"wundnum golde, gyf þū on weg cymest. "
XXII. BĒOWULF SEEKS THE MONSTER IN THE HAUNTS OF THE NIXIES.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
1385 "Ne sorga, snotor guma! sēlre bið ǣghwǣm,
"þæt hē his frēond wrece, þonne hē fela murne;
"ūre ǣghwylc sceal ende gebīdan
"worolde līfes; wyrce sē þe mōte
"dōmes ǣr dēaðe! þæt bið driht-guman
1390 "unlifgendum æfter sēlest.
"Ārīs, rīces weard; uton hraðe fēran,
"Grendles māgan gang scēawigan!
"Ic hit þē gehāte: nō hē on helm losað,
"nē on foldan fæðm, nē on fyrgen-holt,
1395 "nē on gyfenes grund, gā þǣr hē wille.
"Þȳs dōgor þū geþyld hafa
"wēana gehwylces, swā ic þē wēne tō! "
Āhlēop þā se gomela, gode þancode,
mihtigan drihtne, þæs se man gespræc.
1400 Þā wæs Hrōðgāre hors gebǣted,
wicg wunden-feax. Wīsa fengel
geatolīc gengde; gum-fēða stōp
lind-hæbbendra. Lāstas wǣron
æfter wald-swaðum wīde gesȳne,
1405 gang ofer grundas; gegnum fōr þā
ofer myrcan mōr, mago-þegna bær
þone sēlestan sāwol-lēasne,
þāra þe mid Hrōðgāre hām eahtode.
Ofer-ēode þā æðelinga bearn
1410 stēap stān-hliðo, stīge nearwe,
enge ān-paðas, un-cūð gelād,
neowle næssas, nicor-hūsa fela;
hē fēara sum beforan gengde
wīsra monna, wong scēawian,
1415 oð þæt hē fǣringa fyrgen-bēamas
ofer hārne stān hleonian funde,
wyn-lēasne wudu; wæter under stōd
drēorig and gedrēfed. Denum eallum wæs,
winum Scyldinga, weorce on mōde,
1420 tō geþolianne þegne monegum,
oncȳð eorla gehwǣm, syððan Æsc-heres
on þām holm-clife hafelan mētton.
Flōd blōde wēol (folc tō sǣgon)
hātan heolfre. Horn stundum song
1425 fūslīc fyrd-lēoð. Fēða eal gesæt;
gesāwon þā æfter wætere wyrm-cynnes fela,
sellīce sǣ-dracan sund cunnian,
swylce on næs-hleoðum nicras licgean,
þā on undern-mǣl oft bewitigað
1430 sorh-fulne sīð on segl-rāde,
wyrmas and wil-dēor; hīe on weg hruron
bitere and gebolgne, bearhtm ongeāton,
gūð-horn galan. Sumne Gēata lēod
of flān-bogan fēores getwǣfde,
1435 ȳð-gewinnes, þæt him on aldre stōd
here-strǣl hearda; hē on holme wæs
sundes þē sǣnra, þē hyne swylt fornam.
Hræðe wearð on ȳðum mid eofer-sprēotum
heoro-hōcyhtum hearde genearwod,
1440 nīða genǣged and on næs togen
wundorlīc wǣg-bora; weras scēawedon
gryrelīcne gist. Gyrede hine Bēowulf
eorl-gewǣdum, nalles for ealdre mearn:
scolde here-byrne hondum gebrōden,
1445 sīd and searo-fāh, sund cunnian,
sēo þe bān-cofan beorgan cūðe,
þæt him hilde-grāp hreðre ne mihte,
eorres inwit-feng, aldre gesceððan;
ac se hwīta helm hafelan werede,
1450 sē þe mere-grundas mengan scolde,
sēcan sund-gebland since geweorðad,
befongen frēa-wrāsnum, swā hine fyrn-dagum
worhte wǣpna smið, wundrum tēode,
besette swīn-līcum, þæt hine syððan nō
1455 brond nē beado-mēcas bītan ne meahton.
Næs þæt þonne mǣtost mægen-fultuma,
þæt him on þearfe lāh þyle Hrōðgāres;
wæs þǣm hæft-mēce Hrunting nama,
þæt wæs ān foran eald-gestrēona;
1460 ecg wæs īren āter-tēarum fāh,
āhyrded heaðo-swāte; nǣfre hit æt hilde ne swāc
manna ǣngum þāra þe hit mid mundum bewand,
sē þe gryre-sīðas gegān dorste,
folc-stede fāra; næs þæt forma sīð,
1465 þæt hit ellen-weorc æfnan scolde.
Hūru ne gemunde mago Ecglāfes
eafoðes cræftig, þæt hē ǣr gespræc
wīne druncen, þā hē þæs wǣpnes onlāh
sēlran sweord-frecan: selfa ne dorste
1470 under ȳða gewin aldre genēðan,
driht-scype drēogan; þǣr hē dōme forlēas,
ellen-mǣrðum. Ne wæs þǣm ōðrum swā,
syððan hē hine tō gūðe gegyred hæfde.
XXIII. THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER-DRAKE.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
1475 "geþenc nū, se mǣra maga Healfdenes,
"snottra fengel, nū ic eom sīðes fūs,
"gold-wine gumena, hwæt wit geō sprǣcon,
"gif ic æt þearfe þīnre scolde
"aldre linnan, þæt þū mē ā wǣre
1480 "forð-gewitenum on fæder stǣle;
"wes þū mund-bora mīnum mago-þegnum,
"hond-gesellum, gif mec hild nime:
"swylce þū þā mādmas, þē þū mē sealdest,
"Hrōðgār lēofa, Higelāce onsend.
1485 "Mæg þonne on þǣm golde ongitan Gēata dryhten,
"gesēon sunu Hrēðles, þonne hē on þæt sinc starað,
"þæt ic gum-cystum gōdne funde
"bēaga bryttan, brēac þonne mōste.
"And þū Unferð lǣt ealde lāfe,
1490 "wrǣtlīc wǣg-sweord wīd-cūðne man
"heard-ecg habban; ic mē mid Hruntinge
"dōm gewyrce, oððe mec dēað nimeð. "
Æfter þǣm wordum Weder-Gēata lēod
efste mid elne, nalas andsware
1495 bīdan wolde; brim-wylm onfēng
hilde-rince. Þā wæs hwīl dæges,
ǣr hē þone grund-wong ongytan mehte.
Sōna þæt onfunde, sē þe flōda begong
heoro-gīfre behēold hund missēra,
1500 grim and grǣdig, þæt þǣr gumena sum
æl-wihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grāp þā tōgēanes, gūð-rinc gefēng
atolan clommum; nō þȳ ǣr in gescōd
hālan līce: hring ūtan ymb-bearh,
1505 þæt hēo þone fyrd-hom þurh-fōn ne mihte,
locene leoðo-syrcan lāðan fingrum.
Bær þā sēo brim-wylf, þā hēo tō botme cōm,
hringa þengel tō hofe sīnum,
swā hē ne mihte nō (hē þæs mōdig wæs)
1510 wǣpna gewealdan, ac hine wundra þæs fela
swencte on sunde, sǣ-dēor monig
hilde-tūxum here-syrcan bræc,
ēhton āglǣcan. Þā se eorl ongeat,
þæt hē in nið-sele nāt-hwylcum wæs,
1515 þǣr him nǣnig wæter wihte ne sceðede,
nē him for hrōf-sele hrīnan ne mehte
fǣr-gripe flōdes: fȳr-lēoht geseah,
blācne lēoman beorhte scīnan.
Ongeat þā se gōda grund-wyrgenne,
1520 mere-wīf mihtig; mægen-rǣs forgeaf
hilde-bille, hond swenge ne oftēah,
þæt hire on hafelan hring-mǣl āgōl
grǣdig gūð-lēoð. Þā se gist onfand,
þæt se beado-lēoma bītan nolde,
1525 aldre sceððan, ac sēo ecg geswāc
þēodne æt þearfe: þolode ǣr fela
hond-gemōta, helm oft gescær,
fǣges fyrd-hrægl: þæt wæs forma sīð
dēorum māðme, þæt his dōm ālæg.
1530 Eft wæs ān-rǣd, nalas elnes læt,
mǣrða gemyndig mǣg Hygelāces;
wearp þā wunden-mǣl wrǣttum gebunden
yrre ōretta, þæt hit on eorðan læg,
stīð and stȳl-ecg; strenge getruwode,
1535 mund-gripe mægenes. Swā sceal man dōn,
þonne hē æt gūðe gegān þenceð
longsumne lof, nā ymb his līf cearað.
Gefēng þā be eaxle (nalas for fǣhðe mearn)
Gūð-Gēata lēod Grendles mōdor;
1540 brægd þā beadwe heard, þā hē gebolgen wæs,
feorh-genīðlan, þæt hēo on flet gebēah.
Hēo him eft hraðe and-lēan forgeald
grimman grāpum and him tōgēanes fēng;
oferwearp þā wērig-mōd wigena strengest,
1545 fēðe-cempa, þæt hē on fylle wearð.
Ofsæt þā þone sele-gyst and hyre seaxe getēah,
brād and brūn-ecg wolde hire bearn wrecan,
āngan eaferan. Him on eaxle læg
brēost-net brōden; þæt gebearh fēore,
1550 wið ord and wið ecge ingang forstōd.
Hæfde þā forsīðod sunu Ecgþēowes
under gynne grund, Gēata cempa,
nemne him heaðo-byrne helpe gefremede,
here-net hearde, and hālig god
1555 gewēold wīg-sigor, wītig drihten;
rodera rǣdend hit on ryht gescēd,
ȳðelīce syððan hē eft āstōd.
XXIV. BĒOWULF SLAYS THE SPRITE.
Geseah þā on searwum sige-ēadig bil,
eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þȳhtig,
1560 wigena weorð-mynd: þæt wæs wǣpna cyst,
būton hit wæs māre þonne ǣnig mon ōðer
tō beadu-lāce ætberan meahte
gōd and geatolīc gīganta geweorc.
Hē gefēng þā fetel-hilt, freca Scildinga,
1565 hrēoh and heoro-grim hring-mǣl gebrægd,
aldres orwēna, yrringa slōh,
þæt hire wið halse heard grāpode,
bān-hringas bræc, bil eal þurh-wōd
fǣgne flǣsc-homan, hēo on flet gecrong;
1570 sweord wæs swātig, secg weorce gefeh.
Līxte se lēoma, lēoht inne stōd,
efne swā of hefene hādre scīneð
rodores candel. Hē æfter recede wlāt,
hwearf þā be wealle, wǣpen hafenade
1575 heard be hiltum Higelāces þegn,
yrre and ān-rǣd. Næs sēo ecg fracod
hilde-rince, ac hē hraðe wolde
Grendle forgyldan gūð-rǣsa fela
þāra þe hē geworhte tō West-Denum
1580 oftor micle þonne on ǣnne sīð,
þonne hē Hrōðgāres heorð-genēatas
slōh on sweofote, slǣpende fræt
folces Denigea fȳf-tȳne men
and ōðer swylc ūt of-ferede,
1585 lāðlīcu lāc. Hē him þæs lēan forgeald,
rēðe cempa, tō þæs þe hē on ræste geseah
gūð-wērigne Grendel licgan,
aldor-lēasne, swā him ǣr gescōd
hild æt Heorote; hrā wīde sprong,
1590 syððan hē æfter dēaðe drepe þrowade,
heoro-sweng heardne, and hine þā hēafde becearf,
Sōna þæt gesāwon snottre ceorlas,
þā þe mid Hrōðgāre on holm wliton,
þæt wæs ȳð-geblond eal gemenged,
1595 brim blōde fāh: blonden-feaxe
gomele ymb gōdne ongeador sprǣcon,
þæt hig þæs æðelinges eft ne wēndon,
þæt hē sige-hrēðig sēcean cōme
mǣrne þēoden; þā þæs monige gewearð,
1600 þæt hine sēo brim-wylf ābroten hæfde.
Þā cōm nōn dæges. Næs ofgēafon
hwate Scyldingas; gewāt him hām þonon
gold-wine gumena. Gistas sētan,
mōdes sēoce, and on mere staredon,
1605 wiston and ne wēndon, þæt hīe heora wine-drihten
selfne gesāwon. Þā þæt sweord ongan
æfter heaðo-swāte hilde-gicelum
wīg-bil wanian; þæt wæs wundra sum,
þæt hit eal gemealt īse gelīcost,
1610 þonne forstes bend fæder onlǣteð,
onwindeð wæl-rāpas, sē þe geweald hafað
sǣla and mǣla; þæt is sōð metod.
Ne nom hē in þǣm wīcum, Weder-Gēata lēod,
māðm-ǣhta mā, þēh hē þǣr monige geseah,
1615 būton þone hafelan and þā hilt somod,
since fāge; sweord ǣr gemealt,
forbarn brōden mǣl: wæs þæt blōd tō þæs hāt,
ǣttren ellor-gǣst, sē þǣr inne swealt.
Sōna wæs on sunde, sē þe ǣr æt sæcce gebād
1620 wīg-hryre wrāðra, wæter up þurh-dēaf;
wǣron ȳð-gebland eal gefǣlsod,
ēacne eardas, þā se ellor-gāst
oflēt līf-dagas and þās lǣnan gesceaft.
Cōm þā tō lande lid-manna helm
1625 swīð-mōd swymman, sǣ-lāce gefeah,
mægen-byrðenne þāra þe hē him mid hæfde.
Ēodon him þā tōgēanes, gode þancodon,
þrȳðlīc þegna hēap, þēodnes gefēgon,
þæs þe hī hyne gesundne gesēon mōston.
1630 Þā wæs of þǣm hrōran helm and byrne
lungre ālȳsed: lagu drūsade,
wæter under wolcnum, wæl-drēore fāg.
Fērdon forð þonon fēðe-lāstum
ferhðum fægne, fold-weg mǣton,
1635 cūðe strǣte; cyning-balde men
from þǣm holm-clife hafelan bǣron
earfoðlīce heora ǣghwæðrum
fela-mōdigra: fēower scoldon
on ðæm wæl-stenge weorcum geferian
1640 tō þǣm gold-sele Grendles hēafod,
oð þæt semninga tō sele cōmon
frome fyrd-hwate fēower-tȳne
Gēata gongan; gum-dryhten mid
mōdig on gemonge meodo-wongas træd.
1645 Þā cōm in gān ealdor þegna,
dǣd-cēne mon dōme gewurðad,
hæle hilde-dēor. Hrōðgār grētan:
Þā wæs be feaxe on flet boren
Grendles hēafod, þǣr guman druncon,
1650 egeslīc for eorlum and þǣre idese mid:
wlite-sēon wrǣtlīc weras onsāwon.
XXV. HROTHGAR'S GRATITUDE: HE DISCOURSES.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Hwæt! wē þē þās sǣ-lāc, sunu Healfdenes,
"lēod Scyldinga, lustum brōhton,
1655 "tīres tō tācne, þē þū hēr tō lōcast.
"Ic þæt unsōfte ealdre gedīgde:
"wigge under wætere weorc genēðde
"earfoðlīce, æt-rihte wæs
"gūð getwǣfed, nymðe mec god scylde.
1660 "Ne meahte ic æt hilde mid Hruntinge
"wiht gewyrcan, þēah þæt wǣpen duge,
"ac mē geūðe ylda waldend,
"þæt ic on wāge geseah wlitig hangian
"eald sweord ēacen (oftost wīsode
1665 "winigea lēasum) þæt ic þȳ wǣpne gebrǣ.
"Ofslōh þā æt þǣre sæcce (þā mē sǣl āgeald)
"hūses hyrdas. Þā þæt hilde-bil
"forbarn, brogden mǣl, swā þæt blōd gesprang,
"hātost heaðo-swāta: ic þæt hilt þanan
1670 "fēondum ætferede; fyren-dǣda wræc,
"dēað-cwealm Denigea, swā hit gedēfe wæs.
"Ic hit þē þonne gehāte, þæt þū on Heorote mōst
"sorh-lēas swefan mid þīnra secga gedryht,
"and þegna gehwylc þīnra lēoda,
1675 "duguðe and iogoðe, þæt þū him ondrǣdan ne þearft,
"þēoden Scyldinga, on þā healfe,
"aldor-bealu eorlum, swā þū ǣr dydest. "
Þā wæs gylden hilt gamelum rince.
hārum hild-fruman, on hand gyfen,
1680 enta ǣr-geweorc, hit on ǣht gehwearf
æfter dēofla hryre Denigea frēan,
wundor-smiða geweorc, and þā þās worold ofgeaf
grom-heort guma, godes andsaca,
morðres scyldig, and his mōdor ēac;
1685 on geweald gehwearf worold-cyninga
þǣm sēlestan be sǣm twēonum
þāra þe on Sceden-igge sceattas dǣlde.
Hrōðgār maðelode, hylt scēawode,
ealde lāfe, on þǣm wæs ōr writen
1690 fyrn-gewinnes: syððan flōd ofslōh,
gifen gēotende, gīganta cyn,
frēcne gefērdon: þæt wæs fremde þēod
ēcean dryhtne, him þæs ende-lēan
þurh wæteres wylm waldend sealde.
1695 Swā wæs on þǣm scennum scīran goldes
þurh rūn-stafas rihte gemearcod,
geseted and gesǣd, hwām þæt sweord geworht,
īrena cyst ǣrest wǣre,
wreoðen-hilt and wyrm-fāh. þā se wīsa spræc
1700 sunu Healfdenes (swīgedon ealle):
"Þæt lā mæg secgan, sē þe sōð and riht
"fremeð on folce, (feor eal gemon
"eald ēðel-weard), þæt þes eorl wǣre
"geboren betera! Blǣd is ārǣred
1705 "geond wīd-wegas, wine mīn Bēowulf,
"þīn ofer þēoda gehwylce. Eal þū hit geþyldum healdest,
"mægen mid mōdes snyttrum. Ic þē sceal mīne gelǣstan
"frēode, swā wit furðum sprǣcon; þū scealt tō frōfre weorðan
"eal lang-twidig lēodum þīnum,
1710 "hæleðum tō helpe. Ne wearð Heremōd swā
"eaforum Ecgwelan, Ār-Scyldingum;
"ne gewēox hē him tō willan, ac tō wæl-fealle
"and tō dēað-cwalum Deniga lēodum;
"brēat bolgen-mōd bēod-genēatas,
1715 "eaxl-gesteallan, oð þæt hē āna hwearf,
"mǣre þēoden. mon-drēamum from:
"þēah þe hine mihtig god mægenes wynnum,
"eafeðum stēpte, ofer ealle men
"forð gefremede, hwæðere him on ferhðe grēow
1720 "brēost-hord blōd-rēow: nallas bēagas geaf
"Denum æfter dōme; drēam-lēas gebād,
"þæt hē þæs gewinnes weorc þrowade,
"lēod-bealo longsum. Þū þē lǣr be þon,
"gum-cyste ongit! ic þis gid be þē
1725 "āwræc wintrum frōd. Wundor is tō secganne,
"hū mihtig god manna cynne
"þurh sīdne sefan snyttru bryttað,
"eard and eorl-scipe, hē āh ealra geweald.
"Hwīlum hē on lufan lǣteð hworfan
1730 "monnes mōd-geþonc mǣran cynnes,
"seleð him on ēðle eorðan wynne,
"tō healdanne hlēo-burh wera,
"gedēð him swā gewealdene worolde dǣlas,
"sīde rīce, þæt hē his selfa ne mæg
1735 "for his un-snyttrum ende geþencean;
"wunað hē on wiste, nō hine wiht dweleð,
"ādl nē yldo, nē him inwit-sorh
"on sefan sweorceð, nē gesacu ōhwǣr,
"ecg-hete ēoweð, ac him eal worold
1740 "wendeð on willan; hē þæt wyrse ne con,
"oð þæt him on innan ofer-hygda dǣl
"weaxeð and wridað, þonne se weard swefeð,
"sāwele hyrde: bið se slǣp tō fæst,
"bisgum gebunden, bona swīðe nēah,
1745 "sē þe of flān-bogan fyrenum scēoteð.
XXVI. THE DISCOURSE IS ENDED. -BĒOWULF PREPARES TO LEAVE.
"Þonne bið on hreðre under helm drepen
"biteran strǣle: him bebeorgan ne con
"wom wundor-bebodum wergan gāstes;
"þinceð him tō lȳtel, þæt hē tō lange hēold,
1750 "gȳtsað grom-hȳdig, nallas on gylp seleð
"fǣtte bēagas and hē þā forð-gesceaft
"forgyteð and forgȳmeð, þæs þe him ǣr god sealde
"wuldres waldend, weorð-mynda dǣl.
"Hit on ende-stæf eft gelimpeð,
1755 "þæt se līc-homa lǣne gedrēoseð,
"fǣge gefealleð; fēhð ōðer tō,
"sē þe unmurnlīce mādmas dǣleð,
"eorles ǣr-gestrēon, egesan ne gȳmeð.
"Bebeorh þē þone bealo-nīð, Bēowulf lēofa,
1760 "secg se betsta, and þē þæt sēlre gecēos,
"ēce rǣdas; oferhȳda ne gȳm,
"mǣre cempa! Nū is þīnes mægnes blǣd
"āne hwīle; eft sōna bið,
"þæt þec ādl oððe ecg eafoðes getwǣfeð,
1765 "oððe fȳres feng oððe flōdes wylm,
"oððe gripe mēces oððe gāres fliht,
"oððe atol yldo, oððe ēagena bearhtm
"forsiteð and forsworceð; semninga bið,
"þæt þec, dryht-guma, dēað oferswȳðeð.
1770 "Swā ic Hring-Dena hund missēra
"wēold under wolcnum, and hig wigge belēac
"manigum mǣgða geond þysne middan-geard,
"æscum and ecgum, þæt ic mē ǣnigne
"under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.
1775 "Hwæt! mē þæs on ēðle edwenden cwōm,
"gyrn æfter gomene, seoððan Grendel wearð,
"eald-gewinna, in-genga mīn:
"ic þǣre sōcne singāles wæg
"mōd-ceare micle. Þæs sig metode þanc,
1780 "ēcean drihtne, þæs þe ic on aldre gebād,
"þæt ic on þone hafelan heoro-drēorigne
"ofer eald gewin ēagum starige!
"Gā nū tō setle, symbel-wynne drēoh
"wīgge weorðad: unc sceal worn fela
1785 "māðma gemǣnra, siððan morgen bið. "
Gēat wæs glæd-mōd, gēong sōna tō,
setles nēosan, swā se snottra heht.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr ellen-rōfum,
flet-sittendum fægere gereorded
1790 nīowan stefne. Niht-helm geswearc
deorc ofer dryht-gumum. Duguð eal ārās;
wolde blonden-feax beddes nēosan,
gamela Scylding. Gēat ungemetes wēl,
rōfne rand-wigan restan lyste:
1795 sōna him sele-þegn sīðes wērgum,
feorran-cundum forð wīsade,
se for andrysnum ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, swylce þȳ dōgore
hēaðo-līðende habban scoldon.
1800 Reste hine þā rūm-heort; reced hlīfade
gēap and gold-fāh, gæst inne swæf,
oð þæt hrefn blaca heofones wynne
blīð-heort bodode. Þā cōm beorht sunne
scacan ofer grundas; scaðan ōnetton,
1805 wǣron æðelingas eft tō lēodum
fūse tō farenne, wolde feor þanon
cuma collen-ferhð cēoles nēosan.
Heht þā se hearda Hrunting beran,
sunu Ecglāfes, heht his sweord niman,
1810 lēoflīc īren; sægde him þæs lēanes þanc,
cwæð hē þone gūð-wine gōdne tealde,
wīg-cræftigne, nales wordum lōg
mēces ecge: þæt wæs mōdig secg.
And þā sīð-frome searwum gearwe
1815 wīgend wǣron, ēode weorð Denum
æðeling tō yppan, þǣr se ōðer wæs
hæle hilde-dēor, Hrōðgār grētte.
XXVII. THE PARTING WORDS.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Nū wē sǣ-līðend secgan wyllað
1820 "feorran cumene, þæt wē fundiað
"Higelāc sēcan. Wǣron hēr tela
"willum bewenede; þū ūs wēl dohtest.
"Gif ic þonne on eorðan ōwihte mæg
"þīnre mōd-lufan māran tilian,
1825 "gumena dryhten, þonne ic gȳt dyde,
"gūð-geweorca ic bēo gearo sōna.
"Gif ic þæt gefricge ofer flōda begang,
"þæt þec ymbe-sittend egesan þȳwað,
"swā þec hetende hwīlum dydon,
1830 "ic þē þūsenda þegna bringe,
"hæleða tō helpe. Ic on Higelāce wāt,
"Gēata dryhten, þēah þe hē geong sȳ,
"folces hyrde, þæt hē mec fremman wile
"wordum and worcum, þæt ic þē wēl herige,
1835 "and þē tō gēoce gār-holt bere
"mægenes fultum, þǣr þē bið manna þearf;
"gif him þonne Hrēðrīc tō hofum Gēata
"geþingeð, þēodnes bearn, hē mæg þǣr fela
"frēonda findan: feor-cȳððe bēoð
1840 "sēlran gesōhte þǣm þe him selfa dēah. "
Hrōðgār maðelode him on andsware:
"Þē þā word-cwydas wittig drihten
"on sefan sende! ne hȳrde ic snotorlīcor
"on swā geongum feore guman þingian:
1845 "þū eart mægenes strang and on mōde frōd,
"wīs word-cwida. Wēn ic talige,
"gif þæt gegangeð, þæt þe gār nymeð,
"hild heoru-grimme Hrēðles eaferan,
"ādl oððe īren ealdor þīnne,
1850 "folces hyrde, and þū þīn feorh hafast,
"þæt þe Sǣ-Gēatas sēlran næbben
"tō gecēosenne cyning ǣnigne,
"hord-weard hæleða, gif þū healdan wylt
"māga rīce. Mē þīn mōd-sefa
1855 "līcað leng swā wēl, lēofa Bēowulf:
"hafast þū gefēred, þæt þām folcum sceal,
"Gēata lēodum and Gār-Denum
"sib gemǣnum and sacu restan,
"inwit-nīðas, þē hīe ǣr drugon;
1860 "wesan, þenden ic wealde wīdan rīces,
"māðmas gemǣne, manig ōðerne
"gōdum gegrētan ofer ganotes bæð;
"sceal hring-naca ofer hēaðu bringan
"lāc and luf-tācen. Ic þā lēode wāt
1865 "gē wið fēond gē wið frēond fæste geworhte
"ǣghwæs untǣle ealde wīsan. "
Þā gīt him eorla hlēo inne gesealde,
mago Healfdenes māðmas twelfe,
hēt hine mid þǣm lācum lēode swǣse
1870 sēcean on gesyntum, snūde eft cuman.
Gecyste þā cyning æðelum gōd,
þēoden Scildinga, þegen betstan
and be healse genam; hruron him tēaras,
blonden-feaxum: him wæs bēga wēn,
1875 ealdum infrōdum, ōðres swīðor,
þæt hī seoððan gesēon mōston
mōdige on meðle. Wæs him se man tō þon lēof,
þæt hē þone brēost-wylm forberan ne mehte,
ac him on hreðre hyge-bendum fæst
1880 æfter dēorum men dyrne langað
beorn wið blōde. Him Bēowulf þanan,
gūð-rinc gold-wlanc græs-moldan træd,
since hrēmig: sǣ-genga bād
āgend-frēan, sē þe on ancre rād.
1885 Þā wæs on gange gifu Hrōðgāres
oft geæhted: þæt wæs ān cyning
ǣghwæs orleahtre, oð þæt hine yldo benam
mægenes wynnum, sē þe oft manegum scōd.
XXVIII. BĒOWULF RETURNS TO GEATLAND. -THE QUEENS HYGD AND THRYTHO.
Cwōm þā tō flōde fela-mōdigra
1890 hæg-stealdra hēap; hring-net bǣron,
locene leoðo-syrcan. Land-weard onfand
eft-sīð eorla, swā hē ǣr dyde;
nō hē mid hearme of hlīðes nosan
gæstas grētte, ac him tōgēanes rād;
1895 cwæð þæt wilcuman Wedera lēodum
scawan scīr-hame tō scipe fōron.
Þā wæs on sande sǣ-gēap naca
hladen here-wǣdum, hringed-stefna
mēarum and māðmum: mæst hlīfade
1900 ofer Hrōðgāres hord-gestrēonum.
Hē þǣm bāt-wearde bunden golde
swurd gesealde, þæt hē syððan wæs
on meodu-bence māðme þȳ weorðra,
yrfe-lāfe. Gewāt him on ȳð-nacan,
1905 drēfan dēop wæter, Dena land ofgeaf.
Þā wæs be mæste mere-hrægla sum,
segl sāle fæst. Sund-wudu þunede,
nō þǣr wēg-flotan wind ofer ȳðum
sīðes getwǣfde; sǣ-genga fōr,
1910 flēat fāmig-heals forð ofer ȳðe,
bunden-stefna ofer brim-strēamas,
þæt hīe Gēata clifu ongitan meahton,
cūðe næssas. Cēol up geþrang,
lyft-geswenced on lande stōd.
1915 Hraðe wæs æt holme hȳð-weard gearo,
sē þe ǣr lange tīd, lēofra manna
fūs, æt faroðe feor wlātode;
sǣlde tō sande sīd-fæðme scip
oncer-bendum fæst, þȳ lǣs hym ȳða þrym
1920 wudu wynsuman forwrecan meahte.
Hēt þā up beran æðelinga gestrēon,
frætwe and fǣt-gold; næs him feor þanon
tō gesēcanne sinces bryttan:
Higelāc Hrēðling þǣr æt hām wunað,
1925 selfa mid gesīðum sǣ-wealle nēah;
bold wæs betlīc, brego-rōf cyning,
hēa on healle, Hygd swīðe geong,
wīs, wēl-þungen, þēah þe wintra lȳt
under burh-locan gebiden hæbbe
1930 Hæreðes dōhtor: næs hīo hnāh swā þēah,
nē tō gnēað gifa Gēata lēodum,
māðm-gestrēona. Mod Þrȳðo wæg,
fremu folces cwēn, firen ondrysne:
nǣnig þæt dorste dēor genēðan
1935 swǣsra gesīða, nefne sin-frēa,
þæt hire an dæges ēagum starede;
ac him wæl-bende weotode tealde,
hand-gewriðene: hraðe seoððan wæs
æfter mund-gripe mēce geþinged,
1940 þæt hit sceaðen-mǣl scȳran mōste,
cwealm-bealu cȳðan. Ne bið swylc cwēnlīc þēaw
idese tō efnanne, þēah þe hīo ǣnlīcu sȳ,
þætte freoðu-webbe fēores onsæce
æfter līge-torne lēofne mannan.
1945 Hūru þæt onhōhsnode Heminges mǣg;
ealo drincende ōðer sǣdan,
þæt hīo lēod-bealewa lǣs gefremede,
inwit-nīða, syððan ǣrest wearð
gyfen gold-hroden geongum cempan,
1950 æðelum dīore, syððan hīo Offan flet
ofer fealone flōd be fæder lāre
sīðe gesōhte, þǣr hīo syððan wēl
in gum-stōle, gōde mǣre,
līf-gesceafta lifigende brēac,
1955 hīold hēah-lufan wið hæleða brego,
ealles mon-cynnes mīne gefrǣge
þone sēlestan bī sǣm twēonum
eormen-cynnes; forþām Offa wæs
geofum and gūðum gār-cēne man,
1960 wīde geweorðod; wīsdōme hēold
ēðel sīnne, þonon Ēomǣr wōc
hæleðum tō helpe, Heminges mǣg,
nefa Gārmundes, nīða cræftig.
XXIX. HIS ARRIVAL. HYGELAC'S RECEPTION.
Gewāt him þā se hearda mid his hond-scole
1965 sylf æfter sande sǣ-wong tredan,
wīde waroðas. Woruld-candel scān,
sigel sūðan fūs: hī sīð drugon,
elne geēodon, tō þæs þe eorla hlēo,
bonan Ongenþēowes burgum on innan,
1970 geongne gūð-cyning gōdne gefrūnon
hringas dǣlan. Higelāce wæs
sīð Bēowulfes snūde gecȳðed,
þæt þǣr on worðig wīgendra hlēo,
lind-gestealla lifigende cwōm,
1975 heaðo-lāces hāl tō hofe gongan.
Hraðe wæs gerȳmed, swā se rīca bebēad,
fēðe-gestum flet innan-weard.
Gesæt þā wið sylfne, sē þā sæcce genæs,
mǣg wið mǣge, syððan man-dryhten
1980 þurh hlēoðor-cwyde holdne gegrētte
mēaglum wordum. Meodu-scencum
hwearf geond þæt reced Hæreðes dōhtor:
lufode þā lēode, līð-wǣge bær
hǣlum tō handa. Higelāc ongan
1985 sīnne geseldan in sele þām hēan
fægre fricgean, hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwylce Sǣ-Gēata sīðas wǣron:
"Hū lomp ēow on lāde, lēofa Bīowulf,
"þā þū fǣringa feorr gehogodest,
1990 "sæcce sēcean ofer sealt wæter,
"hilde tō Hiorote?
Ac þū Hrōðgāre
"wīd-cūðne wēan wihte gebēttest,
"mǣrum þēodne? Ic þæs mōd-ceare
"sorh-wylmum sēað, sīðe ne truwode
1995 "lēofes mannes; ic þē lange bæd,
"þæt þū þone wæl-gǣst wihte ne grētte,
"lēte Sūð-Dene sylfe geweorðan
"gūðe wið Grendel. Gode ic þanc secge,
"þæs þe ic þē gesundne gesēon mōste. "
2000 Bīowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþīowes:
"Þæt is undyrne, dryhten Higelāc,
"mǣre gemēting monegum fīra,
"hwylc orleg-hwīl uncer Grendles
"wearð on þām wange, þǣr hē worna fela
2005 "Sige-Scildingum sorge gefremede,
"yrmðe tō aldre; ic þæt eal gewræc,
"swā ne gylpan þearf Grendeles māga
"ǣnig ofer eorðan ūht-hlem þone,
"sē þe lengest leofað lāðan cynnes,
2010 "fenne bifongen. Ic þǣr furðum cwōm,
"tō þām hring-sele Hrōðgār grētan:
"sōna mē se mǣra mago Healfdenes,
"syððan hē mōd-sefan mīnne cūðe,
"wið his sylfes sunu setl getǣhte.
2015 "Weorod wæs on wynne; ne seah ic wīdan feorh
"under heofenes hwealf heal-sittendra
"medu-drēam māran. Hwīlum mǣru cwēn,
"friðu-sibb folca flet eall geond-hwearf,
"bǣdde byre geonge; oft hīo bēah-wriðan
2020 "secge sealde, ǣr hīo tō setle gēong.
"Hwīlum for duguðe dōhtor Hrōðgāres
"eorlum on ende ealu-wǣge bær,
"þā ic Frēaware flet-sittende
"nemnan hȳrde, þǣr hīo nægled sinc
2025 "hæleðum sealde: sīo gehāten wæs,
"geong gold-hroden, gladum suna Frōdan;
"hafað þæs geworden wine Scyldinga
"rīces hyrde and þæt rǣd talað,
"þæt hē mid þȳ wīfe wæl-fǣhða dǣl,
2030 "sæcca gesette. Oft nō seldan hwǣr
"æfter lēod-hryre lȳtle hwīle
"bon-gār būgeð, þēah sēo brȳd duge!
XXX. BĒOWULF'S STORY OF THE SLAYINGS.
"Mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan þēoden Heaðobeardna
"and þegna gehwām þāra lēoda,
2035 "þonne hē mid fǣmnan on flett gǣð,
"dryht-bearn Dena duguða biwenede:
"on him gladiað gomelra lāfe
"heard and hring-mǣl, Heaðobeardna gestrēon,
"þenden hīe þām wǣpnum wealdan mōston,
2040 "oð þæt hīe forlǣddan tō þām lind-plegan
"swǣse gesīðas ond hyra sylfra feorh.
"Þonne cwið æt bēore, sē þe bēah gesyhð,
"eald æsc-wiga, sē þe eall geman
"gār-cwealm gumena (him bið grim sefa),
2045 "onginneð geōmor-mōd geongne cempan
"þurh hreðra gehygd higes cunnian,
"wīg-bealu weccean and þæt word ācwyð:
"'Meaht þū, mīn wine, mēce gecnāwan,
"'þone þin fæder tō gefeohte bær
2050 "'under here-grīman hindeman sīðe,
"'dȳre īren, þǣr hyne Dene slōgon,
"'wēoldon wæl-stōwe, syððan wiðer-gyld læg,
"'æfter hæleða hryre, hwate Scyldungas?
"'Nu hēr þāra banena byre nāt-hwylces,
2055 "'frætwum hrēmig on flet gǣð,
"'morðres gylpeð and þone māððum byreð,
"'þone þe þū mid rihte rǣdan sceoldest! '"
"Manað swā and myndgað mǣla gehwylce
"sārum wordum, oð þæt sǣl cymeð,
2060 "þæt se fǣmnan þegn fore fæder dǣdum
"æfter billes bite blōd-fāg swefeð,
"ealdres scyldig; him se ōðer þonan
"losað lifigende, con him land geare.
"Þonne bīoð brocene on bā healfe
2065 "āð-sweord eorla; syððan Ingelde
"weallað wæl-nīðas and him wīf-lufan
"æfter cear-wælmum cōlran weorðað.
"Þȳ ic Heaðobeardna hyldo ne telge,
"dryht-sibbe dǣl Denum unfǣcne,
2070 "frēond-scipe fæstne. Ic sceal forð sprecan
"gēn ymbe Grendel, þæt þū geare cunne,
"sinces brytta, tō hwan syððan wearð
"hond-rǣs hæleða. Syððan heofones gim
"glād ofer grundas, gæst yrre cwōm,
2075 "eatol ǣfen-grom, ūser nēosan,
"þǣr wē gesunde sæl weardodon;
"þǣr wæs Hondscīo hild onsǣge,
"feorh-bealu fǣgum, hē fyrmest læg,
"gyrded cempa; him Grendel wearð,
2080 "mǣrum magu-þegne tō mūð-bonan,
"lēofes mannes līc eall forswealg.
"Nō þȳ ǣr ūt þā gēn īdel-hende
"bona blōdig-tōð bealewa gemyndig,
"of þām gold-sele gongan wolde,
2085 "ac hē mægnes rōf mīn costode,
"grāpode gearo-folm. Glōf hangode
"sīd and syllīc searo-bendum fæst,
"sīo wæs orþoncum eall gegyrwed
"dēofles cræftum and dracan fellum:
2090 "hē mec þǣr on innan unsynnigne,
"dīor dǣd-fruma, gedōn wolde,
"manigra sumne: hyt ne mihte swā,
"syððan ic on yrre upp-riht āstōd.
"Tō lang ys tō reccenne, hū ic þām lēod-sceaðan
2095 "yfla gehwylces ond-lēan forgeald;
"þǣr ic, þēoden mīn, þīne lēode
"weorðode weorcum. Hē on weg losade,
"lȳtle hwīle līf-wynna brēac;
"hwæðre him sīo swīðre swaðe weardade
2100 "hand on Hiorte and hē hēan þonan,
"mōdes geōmor mere-grund gefēoll.
"Mē þone wæl-rǣs wine Scildunga
"fǣttan golde fela lēanode,
"manegum māðmum, syððan mergen cōm
2105 "and wē tō symble geseten hæfdon.
"Þǣr wæs gidd and glēo; gomela Scilding
"fela fricgende feorran rehte;
"hwīlum hilde-dēor hearpan wynne,
"gomen-wudu grētte; hwīlum gyd āwræc
2110 "sōð and sārlīc; hwīlum syllīc spell
"rehte æfter rihte rūm-heort cyning.
"Hwīlum eft ongan eldo gebunden,
"gomel gūð-wiga gioguðe cwīðan
"hilde-strengo; hreðer inne wēoll,
2115 "þonne hē wintrum frōd worn gemunde.
"Swā wē þǣr inne andlangne dæg
"nīode nāman, oð þæt niht becwōm
"ōðer tō yldum. Þā wæs eft hraðe
"gearo gyrn-wræce Grendeles mōdor,
2120 "sīðode sorh-full; sunu dēað fornam,
"wīg-hete Wedra. Wīf unhȳre
"hyre bearn gewræc, beorn ācwealde
"ellenlīce; þǣr wæs Æsc-here,
"frōdan fyrn-witan, feorh ūðgenge;
2125 "nōðer hȳ hine ne mōston, syððan mergen cwōm,
"dēað-wērigne Denia lēode
"bronde forbærnan, nē on bǣl hladan
"lēofne mannan: hīo þæt līc ætbær
"fēondes fæðmum under firgen-strēam.
2130 "Þæt wæs Hrōðgāre hrēowa tornost
"þāra þe lēod-fruman lange begeāte;
"þā se þēoden mec þīne līfe
"healsode hrēoh-mōd, þæt ic on holma geþring
"eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre genēðde,
2135 "mǣrðo fremede: hē mē mēde gehēt.
"Ic þā þæs wælmes, þē is wīde cūð,
"grimne gryrelīcne grund-hyrde fond.
"Þǣr unc hwīle wæs hand gemǣne;
"holm heolfre wēoll and ic hēafde becearf
2140 "in þām grund-sele Grendeles mōdor
"ēacnum ecgum, unsōfte þonan
"feorh oðferede; næs ic fǣge þā gȳt,
"ac mē eorla hlēo eft gesealde
"māðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC'S DEATH. BĒOWULF REIGNS.
2145 "Swā se þēod-kyning þēawum lyfde;
"nealles ic þām lēanum forloren hæfde,
"mægnes mēde, ac hē mē māðmas geaf,
"sunu Healfdenes, on sīnne sylfes dōm;
"þā ic þē, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle,
2150 "ēstum geȳwan. Gēn is eall æt þē
"lissa gelong: ic lȳt hafo
"hēafod-māga, nefne Hygelāc þec! "
Hēt þā in beran eafor, hēafod-segn,
heaðo-stēapne helm, hāre byrnan,
2155 gūð-sweord geatolīc, gyd æfter wræc:
"Mē þis hilde-sceorp Hrōðgār sealde,
"snotra fengel, sume worde hēt,
"þæt ic his ǣrest þē eft gesægde,
"cwæð þæt hyt hæfde Hiorogār cyning,
2160 "lēod Scyldunga lange hwīle:
"nō þȳ ǣr suna sīnum syllan wolde,
"hwatum Heorowearde, þēah hē him hold wǣre,
"brēost-gewǣdu. Brūc ealles well! "
Hȳrde ic þæt þām frætwum fēower mēaras
2165 lungre gelīce lāst weardode,
æppel-fealuwe; hē him ēst getēah
mēara and māðma. Swā sceal mǣg dōn,
nealles inwit-net ōðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cræfte dēað rēnian
2170 hond-gesteallan. Hygelāce wæs,
nīða heardum, nefa swȳðe hold
and gehwæðer ōðrum hrōðra gemyndig.
Hȳrde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēah Hygde gesealde,
wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum, þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf,
2175 þēodnes dōhtor, þrīo wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht; hyre syððan wæs
æfter bēah-þege brēost geweorðod.
Swā bealdode bearn Ecgþēowes,
guma gūðum cūð, gōdum dǣdum,
2180 drēah æfter dōme, nealles druncne slōg
heorð-genēatas; næs him hrēoh sefa,
ac hē man-cynnes mǣste cræfte
gin-fæstan gife, þē him god sealde,
hēold hilde-dēor. Hēan wæs lange,
2185 swā hyne Gēata bearn gōdne ne tealdon,
nē hyne on medo-bence micles wyrðne
drihten wereda gedōn wolde;
swȳðe oft sægdon, þæt hē slēac wǣre,
æðeling unfrom: edwenden cwōm
2190 tīr-ēadigum menn torna gehwylces.
Hēt þā eorla hlēo in gefetian,
heaðo-rōf cyning, Hrēðles lāfe,
golde gegyrede; næs mid Gēatum þā
sinc-māððum sēlra on sweordes hād;
2195 þæt hē on Bīowulfes bearm ālegde,
and him gesealde seofan þūsendo,
bold and brego-stōl. Him wæs bām samod
on þām lēod-scipe lond gecynde,
eard ēðel-riht, ōðrum swīðor
2200 sīde rīce, þām þǣr sēlra wæs.
Eft þæt geīode ufaran dōgrum
hilde-hlæmmum, syððan Hygelāc læg
and Heardrēde hilde-mēceas
under bord-hrēoðan tō bonan wurdon,
2205 þā hyne gesōhtan on sige-þēode
hearde hilde-frecan, Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nīða genǣgdan nefan Hererīces.
Syððan Bēowulfe brāde rīce
on hand gehwearf: hē gehēold tela
2210 fīftig wintru (wæs þā frōd cyning,
eald ēðel-weard), oð þæt ān ongan
deorcum nihtum draca rīcsian,
sē þe on hēare hǣðe hord beweotode,
stān-beorh stēapne: stīg under læg,
2215 eldum uncūð. Þǣr on innan gīong
niða nāt-hwylces nēode gefēng
hǣðnum horde hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc
since fāhne, hē þæt syððan . . . . .
. . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g
2220 slǣpende be fȳre, fyrena hyrde
þēofes cræfte, þæt sie . . . . ðioð . . . . .
. idh . folc-beorn, þæt hē gebolgen wæs.
XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.
Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cræft
sōhte sylfes willum, sē þe him sāre gesceōd,
2225 ac for þrēa-nēdlan þēow nāt-hwylces
hæleða bearna hete-swengeas flēah,
for ofer-þearfe and þǣr inne fealh
secg syn-bysig. Sōna in þā tīde
þæt . . . . . þām gyste . . . . br . g . stōd,
2230 hwæðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . .
. . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fǣs begeat,
sinc-fæt geseah: þǣr wæs swylcra fela
in þām eorð-scræfe ǣr-gestrēona,
swā hȳ on geār-dagum gumena nāt-hwylc
2235 eormen-lāfe æðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgende þǣr gehȳdde,
dēore māðmas. Ealle hīe dēað fornam
ǣrran mǣlum, and se ān þā gēn
lēoda duguðe, sē þǣr lengest hwearf,
2240 weard wine-geōmor wīscte þæs yldan,
þæt hē lȳtel fæc long-gestrēona
brūcan mōste. Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wonge wæter-ȳðum nēah,
nīwe be næsse nearo-cræftum fæst:
2245 þǣr on innan bær eorl-gestrēona
hringa hyrde hard-fyrdne dǣl
fǣttan goldes, fēa worda cwæð:
"Heald þū nū, hrūse, nū hæleð ne mōston,
"eorla ǣhte. Hwæt! hit ǣr on þē
2250 "gōde begeāton; gūð-dēað fornam,
"feorh-bealo frēcne fȳra gehwylcne,
"lēoda mīnra, þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf,
"gesāwon sele-drēam. Nāh hwā sweord wege
"oððe fetige fǣted wǣge,
2255 "drync-fæt dēore: duguð ellor scōc.
"Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde
"fǣtum befeallen: feormiend swefað,
"þā þe beado-grīman bȳwan sceoldon,
"gē swylce sēo here-pād, sīo æt hilde gebād
2260 "ofer borda gebræc bite īrena,
"brosnað æfter beorne. Ne mæg byrnan hring
"æfter wīg-fruman wīde fēran
"hæleðum be healfe; næs hearpan wyn,
"gomen glēo-bēames, nē gōd hafoc
2265 "geond sæl swingeð, nē se swifta mearh
"burh-stede bēateð. Bealo-cwealm hafað
"fela feorh-cynna feorr onsended! "
Swā giōmor-mōd giohðo mǣnde,
ān æfter eallum unblīðe hwēop,
2270 dæges and nihtes, oð þæt dēaðes wylm
hrān æt heortan. Hord-wynne fond
eald ūht-sceaða opene standan,
sē þe byrnende biorgas sēceð
nacod nīð-draca, nihtes flēogeð
2275 fȳre befangen; hyne fold-būend
wīde gesāwon. Hē gēwunian sceall
hlāw under hrūsan, þǣr hē hǣðen gold
warað wintrum frōd; ne byð him wihte þē sēl.
Swā se þēod-sceaða þrēo hund wintra
2280 hēold on hrūsan hord-ærna sum
ēacen-cræftig, oð þæt hyne ān ābealh
mon on mōde: man-dryhtne bær
fǣted wǣge, frioðo-wǣre bæd
hlāford sīnne. Þā wæs hord rāsod,
2285 onboren bēaga hord, bēne getīðad
fēa-sceaftum men. Frēa scēawode
fīra fyrn-geweorc forman sīðe.
Þā se wyrm onwōc, wrōht wæs genīwad;
stonc þā æfter stāne, stearc-heort onfand
2290 fēondes fōt-lāst; hē tō forð gestōp,
dyrnan cræfte, dracan hēafde nēah.
Swā mæg unfǣge ēaðe gedīgan
wēan and wræc-sīð, sē þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sōhte
2295 georne æfter grunde, wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofote sāre getēode:
hāt and hrēoh-mōd hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf,
ealne ūtan-weardne; nē þǣr ǣnig mon
wæs on þǣre wēstenne. Hwæðre hilde gefeh,
2300 beado-weorces: hwīlum on beorh æthwearf,
sinc-fæt sōhte; hē þæt sōna onfand,
þæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod
hēah-gestrēona. Hord-weard onbād
earfoðlīce, oð þæt ǣfen cwōm;
2305 wæs þā gebolgen beorges hyrde,
wolde se lāða līge forgyldan
drinc-fæt dȳre. Þā wæs dæg sceacen
wyrme on willan, nō on wealle leng
bīdan wolde, ac mid bǣle fōr,
2310 fȳre gefȳsed. Wæs se fruma egeslīc
lēodum on lande, swā hyt lungre wearð
on hyra sinc-gifan sāre geendod.
XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.
Þā se gæst ongan glēdum spīwan,
beorht hofu bærnan; bryne-lēoma stōd
2315 eldum on andan; nō þǣr āht cwices
lāð lyft-floga lǣfan wolde.
Wæs þæs wyrmes wīg wīde gesȳne,
nearo-fāges nīð nēan and feorran,
hū se gūð-sceaða Gēata lēode
2320 hatode and hȳnde: hord eft gescēat,
dryht-sele dyrnne ǣr dæges hwīle.
Hæfde land-wara līge befangen,
bǣle and bronde; beorges getruwode,
wīges and wealles: him sēo wēn gelēah.
2325 Þā wæs Bīowulfe brōga gecȳðed
snūde tō sōðe, þæt his sylfes him
bolda sēlest bryne-wylmum mealt,
gif-stōl Gēata. Þæt þām gōdan wæs
hrēow on hreðre, hyge-sorga mǣst:
2330 wēnde se wīsa, þæt hē wealdende,
ofer ealde riht, ēcean dryhtne
bitre gebulge: brēost innan wēoll
þēostrum geþoncum, swā him geþȳwe ne wæs.
Hæfde līg-draca lēoda fæsten,
2335 ēa-lond ūtan, eorð-weard þone
glēdum forgrunden. Him þæs gūð-cyning,
Wedera þīoden, wræce leornode.
Heht him þā gewyrcean wīgendra hlēo
eall-īrenne, eorla dryhten
2340 wīg-bord wrǣtlīc; wisse hē gearwe,
þæt him holt-wudu helpan ne meahte,
lind wið līge. Sceolde lǣn-daga
æðeling ǣr-gōd ende gebīdan
worulde līfes and se wyrm somod;
2345 þēah þe hord-welan hēolde lange.
Oferhogode þā hringa fengel,
þæt hē þone wīd-flogan weorode gesōhte,
sīdan herge; nō hē him þā sæcce ondrēd,
nē him þæs wyrmes wīg for wiht dyde,
2350 eafoð and ellen; forþon hē ǣr fela
nearo nēðende nīða gedīgde,
hilde-hlemma, syððan hē Hrōðgāres,
sigor-ēadig secg, sele fǣlsode
and æt gūðe forgrāp Grendeles mǣgum,
2355 lāðan cynnes. Nō þæt lǣsest wæs
hond-gemota, þǣr mon Hygelāc slōh,
syððan Gēata cyning gūðe rǣsum,
frēa-wine folces Frēslondum on,
Hrēðles eafora hioro-dryncum swealt,
2360 bille gebēaten; þonan Bīowulf cōm
sylfes cræfte, sund-nytte drēah;
hæfde him on earme . . . XXX
hilde-geatwa, þā hē tō holme stāg.
Nealles Hetware hrēmge þorfton
2365 fēðe-wīges, þē him foran ongēan
linde bǣron: lȳt eft becwōm
fram þām hild-frecan hāmes nīosan.
Oferswam þā sioleða bigong sunu Ecgþēowes,
earm ān-haga eft tō lēodum,
2370 þǣr him Hygd gebēad hord and rīce,
bēagas and brego-stōl: bearne ne truwode,
þæt hē wið æl-fylcum ēðel-stōlas
healdan cūðe, þā wæs Hygelāc dēad.
Nō þȳ ǣr fēa-sceafte findan meahton
2375 æt þām æðelinge ǣnige þinga,
þæt hē Heardrēde hlāford wǣre,
oððe þone cyne-dōm cīosan wolde;
hwæðre hē him on folce frēond-lārum hēold,
ēstum mid āre, oð þæt hē yldra wearð,
2380 Weder-Gēatum wēold. Hyne wræc-mæcgas
ofer sǣ sōhtan, suna Ōhteres:
hæfdon hȳ forhealden helm Scylfinga,
þone sēlestan sǣ-cyninga,
þāra þe in Swīo-rīce sinc brytnade,
2385 mǣrne þēoden. Him þæt tō mearce wearð;
hē þǣr orfeorme feorh-wunde hlēat
sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelāces;
and him eft gewāt Ongenþīowes bearn
hāmes nīosan, syððan Heardrēd læg;
2390 lēt þone brego-stōl Bīowulf healdan,
Gēatum wealdan: þæt wæs gōd cyning.
XXXIV. RETROSPECT OF BĒOWULF. --STRIFE BETWEEN SWEONAS AND GEATAS.
Sē þæs lēod-hryres lēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum, Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum fēond. Folce gestepte
2395 ofer sǣ sīde sunu Ōhteres
wigum and wǣpnum: hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum, cyning ealdre binēat.
Swā hē nīða gehwane genesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgþīowes,
2400 ellen-weorca, oð þone ānne dæg,
þē hē wið þām wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewāt þā twelfa sum torne gebolgen
dryhten Gēata dracan scēawian;
hæfde þā gefrūnen, hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,
2405 bealo-nīð biorna; him tō bearme cwōm
māððum-fæt mǣre þurh þæs meldan hond,
Sē wæs on þām þrēate þreotteoða secg,
sē þæs orleges ōr onstealde,
hæft hyge-giōmor, sceolde hēan þonon
2410 wong wīsian: hē ofer willan gīong
tō þæs þe hē eorð-sele ānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsan holm-wylme nēh,
ȳð-gewinne, sē wæs innan full
wrǣtta and wīra: weard unhīore,
2415 gearo gūð-freca, gold-māðmas hēold,
eald under eorðan; næs þæt ȳðe cēap,
tō gegangenne gumena ǣnigum.
Gesæt þā on næsse nīð-heard cyning,
þenden hǣlo ābēad heorð-genēatum
2420 gold-wine Gēata: him wæs geōmor sefa,
wǣfre and wæl-fūs, Wyrd ungemete nēah,
sē þone gomelan grētan sceolde,
sēcean sāwle hord, sundur gedǣlan
līf wið līce: nō þon lange wæs
2425 feorh æðelinges flǣsce bewunden.
Bīowulf maðelade, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Fela ic on giogoðe guð-rǣsa genæs,
"orleg-hwīla: ic þæt eall gemon.
"Ic wæs syfan-wintre, þā mec sinca baldor,
2430 "frēa-wine folca æt mīnum fæder genam,
"hēold mec and hæfde Hrēðel cyning,
"geaf mē sinc and symbel, sibbe gemunde;
"næs ic him tō līfe lāðra ōwihte
"beorn in burgum, þonne his bearna hwylc,
2435 "Herebeald and Hæðcyn, oððe Hygelāc mīn.
"Wæs þām yldestan ungedēfelīce
"mǣges dǣdum morðor-bed strēd,
"syððan hyne Hæðcyn of horn-bogan,
"his frēa-wine flāne geswencte,
2440 "miste mercelses and his mǣg ofscēt,
"brōðor ōðerne, blōdigan gāre:
"þæt wæs feoh-lēas gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad
"hreðre hyge-mēðe; sceolde hwæðre swā þēah
"æðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.
2445 "Swā bið geōmorlīc gomelum ceorle
"tō gebīdanne, þæt his byre rīde
"giong on galgan, þonne hē gyd wrece,
"sārigne sang, þonne his sunu hangað
"hrefne tō hrōðre and hē him helpe ne mæg,
2450 "eald and in-frōd, ǣnige gefremman.
"Symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce
"eaforan ellor-sīð; ōðres ne gȳmeð
"tō gebīdanne burgum on innan
"yrfe-weardes, þonne se ān hafað
2455 "þurh dēaðes nȳd dǣda gefondad.
"Gesyhð sorh-cearig on his suna būre
"wīn-sele wēstne, wind-gereste,
"rēote berofene; rīdend swefað
"hæleð in hoðman; nis þǣr hearpan swēg,
2460 "gomen in geardum, swylce þǣr iū wǣron.
XXXV. MEMORIES OF PAST TIME. -THE FEUD WITH THE FIRE-DRAKE.
"Gewīteð þonne on sealman, sorh-lēoð gæleð
"ān æfter ānum: þūhte him eall tō rūm,
"wongas and wīc-stede. Swā Wedra helm
"æfter Herebealde heortan sorge
2465 "weallende wæg, wihte ne meahte
"on þām feorh-bonan fǣhðe gebētan:
"nō þȳ ǣr hē þone heaðo-rinc hatian ne meahte
"lāðum dǣdum, þēah him lēof ne wæs.
"Hē þā mid þǣre sorge, þē him sīo sār belamp,
2470 "gum-drēam ofgeaf, godes lēoht gecēas;
"eaferum lǣfde, swā dēð ēadig mon,
"lond and lēod-byrig, þā hē of līfe gewāt.
"Þā wæs synn and sacu Swēona and Gēata,
"ofer wīd wæter wrōht gemǣne,
2475 "here-nīð hearda, syððan Hrēðel swealt,
"oððe him Ongenþēowes eaferan wǣran
"frome fyrd-hwate, frēode ne woldon
"ofer heafo healdan, ac ymb Hrēosna-beorh
"eatolne inwit-scear oft gefremedon.
2480 "Þæt mǣg-wine mīne gewrǣcan,
"fǣhðe and fyrene, swā hyt gefrǣge wæs,
"þēah þe ōðer hit ealdre gebohte,
"heardan cēape: Hæðcynne wearð,
"Gēata dryhtne, gūð onsǣge.
2485 "Þā ic on morgne gefrægn mǣg ōðerne
"billes ecgum on bonan stǣlan,
"þǣr Ongenþēow Eofores nīosade:
"gūð-helm tōglād, gomela Scylfing
"hrēas heoro-blāc; hond gemunde
2490 "fǣhðo genōge, feorh-sweng ne oftēah.
"Ic him þā māðmas, þē hē mē sealde,
"geald æt gūðe, swā mē gifeðe wæs,
"lēohtan sweorde: hē mē lond forgeaf,
"eard ēðel-wyn. Næs him ǣnig þearf,
2495 "þæt hē tō Gifðum oððe tō Gār-Denum
"oððe in Swīo-rīce sēcean þurfe
"wyrsan wīg-frecan, weorðe gecȳpan;
"symle ic him on fēðan beforan wolde,
"āna on orde, and swā tō aldre sceall
2500 "sæcce fremman, þenden þis sweord þolað,
"þæt mec ǣr and sīð oft gelǣste,
"syððan ic for dugeðum Dæghrefne wearð
"tō hand-bonan, Hūga cempan:
"nalles hē þā frætwe Frēs-cyninge,
2505 "brēost-weorðunge bringan mōste,
"ac in campe gecrong cumbles hyrde,
"æðeling on elne. Ne wæs ecg bona,
"ac him hilde-grāp heortan wylmas,
"bān-hūs gebræc. Nū sceall billes ecg,
2510 "hond and heard sweord ymb hord wīgan. "
Bēowulf maðelode, bēot-wordum spræc
nīehstan sīðe: "Ic genēðde fela
"gūða on geogoðe; gȳt ic wylle,
"frōd folces weard, fǣhðe sēcan,
2515 "mǣrðum fremman, gif mec se mān-sceaða
"of eorð-sele ūt gesēceð! "
Gegrētte þā gumena gehwylcne,
hwate helm-berend hindeman sīðe,
swǣse gesīðas: "Nolde ic sweord beran,
2520 "wǣpen tō wyrme, gif ic wiste hū
"wið þām āglǣcean elles meahte
"gylpe wiðgrīpan, swā ic giō wið Grendle dyde;
"ac ic þǣr heaðu-fȳres hātes wēne,
"rēðes and-hāttres: forþon ic mē on hafu
2525 "bord and byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard
"oferflēon fōtes trem, fēond unhȳre,
"ac unc sceal weorðan æt wealle, swā unc Wyrd getēoð,
"metod manna gehwæs. Ic eom on mōde from,
"þæt ic wið þone gūð-flogan gylp ofersitte.
2530 "Gebīde gē on beorge byrnum werede,
"secgas on searwum, hwæðer sēl mǣge
"æfter wæl-rǣse wunde gedȳgan
"uncer twēga. Nis þæt ēower sīð,
"nē gemet mannes, nefne mīn ānes,
2535 "þæt hē wið āglǣcean eofoðo dǣle,
"eorl-scype efne. Ic mid elne sceall
"gold gegangan oððe gūð nimeð,
"feorh-bealu frēcne, frēan ēowerne! "
Ārās þā bī ronde rōf ōretta,
2540 heard under helm, hioro-sercean bær
under stān-cleofu, strengo getruwode
ānes mannes: ne bið swylc earges sīð.
Geseah þā be wealle, sē þe worna fela,
gum-cystum gōd, gūða gedīgde,
2545 hilde-hlemma, þonne hnitan fēðan,
(stōd on stān-bogan) strēam ūt þonan
brecan of beorge; wæs þǣre burnan wælm
heaðo-fȳrum hāt: ne meahte horde nēah
unbyrnende ǣnige hwīle
2550 dēop gedȳgan for dracan lēge.
Lēt þā of brēostum, þā hē gebolgen wæs,
Weder-Gēata lēod word ūt faran,
stearc-heort styrmde; stefn in becōm
heaðo-torht hlynnan under hārne stān.
2555 Hete wæs onhrēred, hord-weard oncnīow
mannes reorde; næs þǣr māra fyrst,
frēode tō friclan. From ǣrest cwōm
oruð āglǣcean ūt of stāne,
hāt hilde-swāt; hrūse dynede.
