I Bēowulf
AN ANGLO-SAXON POEM.
II The Fight at Finnsburh
A Fragment
WITH TEXT AND GLOSSARY ON THE
BASIS OF M. HEYNE.
EDITED, CORRECTED, AND ENLARGED, BY
JAMES A. HARRISON, LL.D., LITT. D.,
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND MODERN LANGUAGES,
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY,
AND
ROBERT SHARP (PH.D. LIPS.),
PROFESSOR OF GREEK AND ENGLISH,
TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA.
FOURTH EDITION. REVISED, WITH NOTES.
GINN & COMPANY
BOSTON—NEW YORK—CHICAGO—LONDON
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1883, by
JAMES ALBERT HARRISON AND ROBERT SHARP
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
DEDICATED
TO
PROFESSOR F. A. MARCH,
OF LAFAYETTE COLLEGE, PA.,
AND
FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL, ESQ.
FOUNDER OF THE “NEW SHAKSPERE SOCIETY,”
THE “CHAUCER SOCIETY,” ETC., ETC.
Preface to the Fourth Edition
The favor with which the successive editions of “Bēowulf” have been received during the past thirteen years emboldens the editors to continue the work of revision in a fourth issue, the most noticeable feature of which is a considerable body of explanatory Notes, now for the first time added. These Notes mainly concern themselves with new textual readings, with here and there grammatical, geographical, and archæological points that seemed worthy of explanation. Parallelisms and parallel passages are constantly compared, with the view of making the poem illustrate and explain itself. A few emendations and textual changes are suggested by the editors with all possible diffidence; numerous corrections have been made in the Glossary and List of Names; and the valuable parts of former Appendices have been embodied in the Notes.
For the Notes, the editors are much indebted to the various German periodicals mentioned on page 116, to the recent publications of Professors Earle and J. L. Hall, to Mr. S. A. Brooke, and to the Heyne-Socin edition of “Bēowulf.” No change has been made in the system of accentuation, though a few errors in quantity have been corrected. The editors are looking forward to an eventual fifth edition, in which an entirely new text will be presented.
October, 1893.
Note to the Third Edition
This third edition of the American issue of Bēowulf will, the editors hope, be found more accurate and useful than either of the preceding editions. Further corrections in text and glossary have been made, and some additional new readings and suggestions will be found in two brief appendices at the back of the book. Students of the metrical system of Bēowulf will find ample material for their studies in Sievers’ exhaustive essay on that subject (Beiträge, X. 209-314).
Socin’s edition of Heyne’s Bēowulf (called the fifth edition) has been utilized to some extent in this edition, though it unfortunately came too late to be freely used. While it repeats many of the omissions and inaccuracies of Heyne’s fourth edition, it contains much that is valuable to the student, particularly in the notes and commentary. Students of the poem, which has been subjected to much searching criticism during the last decade, will also derive especial help from the contributions of Sievers and Kluge on difficult questions appertaining to it. Wülker’s new edition (in the Grein Bibliothek) is of the highest value, however one may dissent from particular textual views laid down in the ‘Berichtigter Text.’ Paul and Braune’s Beiträge contain a varied miscellany of hints, corrections, and suggestions principally embodying the views of Kluge, Cosijn, Sievers, and Bugge, some of the more important of which are found in the appendices to the present and the preceding edition. Holder and Zupitza, Sarrazin and Hermann Möller (Kiel, 1883), Heinzel (Anzeiger f.d. Alterthum, X.), Gering (Zacher’s Zeitschrift, XII.), Brenner (Eng. Studien, IX.), and the contributors to Anglia, have assisted materially in the textual and metrical interpretation of the poem.
The subject of Anglo-Saxon quantity has been discussed in several able essays by Sievers, Sweet, Ten Brink (Anzeiger, f.d. Alterthum, V.), Kluge (Beiträge, XI.), and others; but so much is uncertain in this field that the editors have left undisturbed the marking of vowels found in the text of their original edition, while indicating in the appendices the now accepted views of scholars on the quantity of the personal pronouns (mē, wē, þū, þē, gē, hē); the adverb nū, etc. Perhaps it would be best to banish absolutely all attempts at marking quantities except in cases where the Ms. has them marked.
An approximately complete Bibliography of Bēowulf literature will be found in Wülker’s Grundriss and in Garnett’s translation of the poem.
JAMES A. HARRISON,
ROBERT SHARP.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, LEXINGTON, VA., May, 1888.
Note to the Second Revised Edition
The editors feel so encouraged at the kind reception accorded their edition of Bēowulf (1883), that, in spite of its many shortcomings, they have determined to prepare a second revised edition of the book, and thus endeavor to extend its sphere of usefulness. About twenty errors had, notwithstanding a vigilant proof-reading, crept into the text,—errors in single letters, accents, and punctuation. These have been corrected, and it is hoped that the text has been rendered generally accurate and trustworthy. In the List of Names one or two corrections have been made, and in the Glossary numerous mistakes in gender, classification, and translation, apparently unavoidable in a first edition, have been rectified. Wherever these mistakes concern single letters, or occupy very small space, they have been corrected in the plates; where they are longer, and the expense of correcting them in the plates would have been very great, the editors have thought it best to include them in an Appendix of Corrections and Additions, which will be found at the back of the book. Students are accordingly referred to this Appendix for important longer corrections and additions. It is believed that the value of the book has been much enhanced by an Appendix of Recent Readings, based on late criticisms and essays from the pens of Sievers, Kluge, Cosijn, Holder, Wülker, and Sweet. A perplexed student, in turning to these suggested readings, will often find great help in unravelling obscure or corrupt passages.
The objectionable ä and æ, for the short and the long diphthong, have been retained in the revised edition, owing to the impossibility of removing them without entirely recasting the plates.
In conclusion, the editors would acknowledge their great indebtedness to the friends and critics whose remarks and criticisms have materially aided in the correction of the text,—particularly to Profs. C.P.G. Scott, Baskervill, Price, and J.M. Hart; to Prof. J.W. Bright; and to the authorities of Cornell University, for the loan of periodicals necessary to the completeness of the revision. While the second revised edition still contains much that might be improved, the editors cannot but hope that it is an advance on its predecessor, and that it will continue its work of extending the study of Old English throughout the land.
JUNE, 1885.
Note I
The present work, carefully edited from Heyne’s fourth edition, (Paderborn, 1879), is designed primarily for college classes in Anglo-Saxon, rather than for independent investigators or for seekers after a restored or ideal text. The need of an American edition of “Bēowulf” has long been felt, as, hitherto, students have had either to send to Germany for a text, or secure, with great trouble, one of the scarce and expensive English editions. Heyne’s first edition came out in 1863, and was followed in 1867 and 1873 by a second and a third edition, all three having essentially the same text.
So many important contributions to the “Bēowulf” literature were, however, made between 1873 and 1879 that Heyne found it necessary to put forth a new edition (1879). In this new, last edition, the text was subjected to a careful revision, and was fortified by the views, contributions, and criticisms of other zealous scholars. In it the collation of the unique “Bēowulf” Ms. (Vitellius A. 15: Cottonian Mss. of the British Museum), as made by E. Kölbing in Herrig’s Archiv (Bd. 56; 1876), was followed wherever the present condition of the Ms. had to be discussed; and the researches of Bugge, Bieger, and others, on single passages, were made use of. The discussion of the metrical structure of the poem, as occurring in the second and third editions, was omitted in the fourth, owing to the many controversies in which the subject is still involved. The present editor has thought it best to do the same, though, happily, the subject of Old English Metrik is undergoing a steady illumination through the labors of Schipper and others.
Some errors and misplaced accents in Heyne’s text have been corrected in the present edition, in which, as in the general revision of the text, the editor has been most kindly aided by Prof. J.M. Garnett, late Principal of St. John’s College, Maryland.
In the preparation of the present school edition it has been thought best to omit Heyne’s notes, as they concern themselves principally with conjectural emendations, substitutions of one reading for another, and discussions of the condition of the Ms. Until Wülker’s text and the photographic fac-simile of the original Ms. are in the hands of all scholars, it will be better not to introduce such matters in the school room, where they would puzzle without instructing.
For convenience of reference, the editor has added a head-line to each “fit” of the poem, with a view to facilitate a knowledge of its episodes.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, LEXINGTON, VA., June, 1882.
Note II
The editors now have the pleasure of presenting to the public a complete text and a tolerably complete glossary of “Bēowulf.” The edition is the first published in America, and the first of its special kind presented to the English public, and it is the initial volume of a “Library of Anglo-Saxon Poetry,” to be edited under the same auspices and with the coöperation of distinguished scholars in this country. Among these scholars may be mentioned Professors F.A. March of Lafayette College, T.K. Price of Columbia College, and W.M. Baskervill of Vanderbilt University.
In the preparation of the Glossary the editors found it necessary to abandon a literal and exact translation of Heyne for several reasons, and among others from the fact that Heyne seems to be wrong in the translation of some of his illustrative quotations, and even translates the same passage in two or three different ways under different headings. The orthography of his glossary differs considerably from the orthography of his text. He fails to discriminate with due nicety the meanings of many of the words in his vocabulary, while criticism more recent than his latest edition (1879) has illustrated or overthrown several of his renderings. The references were found to be incorrect in innumerable instances, and had to be verified in every individual case so far as this was possible, a few only, which resisted all efforts at verification, having to be indicated by an interrogation point (?). The references are exceedingly numerous, and the labor of verifying them was naturally great. To many passages in the Glossary, where Heyne’s translation could not be trusted with entire certainty, the editors have added other translations of phrases and sentences or of special words; and in this they have been aided by a careful study of the text and a comparison and utilization of the views of Kemble and Professor J.M. Garnett (who takes Grein for his foundation). Many new references have been added; and the various passages in which Heyne fails to indicate whether a given verb is weak or strong, or fails to point out the number, etc., of the illustrative form, have been corrected and made to harmonize with the general plan of the work. Numerous misprints in the glossary have also been corrected, and a brief glossary to the Finnsburh-fragment, prepared by Dr. Wm. Hand Browne, and supplemented and adapted by the editor-in-chief, has been added.
The editors think that they may without immodesty put forth for themselves something more than the claim of being re-translators of a translation: the present edition is, so far as they were able to make it so, an adaptation, correction, and extension of the work of the great German scholar to whose loving appreciation of the Anglo-Saxon epic all students of Old English owe a debt of gratitude. While following his usually sure and cautious guidance, and in the main appropriating his results, they have thought it best to deviate from him in the manner above indicated, whenever it seemed that he was wrong. The careful reader will notice at once the marks of interrogation which point out these deviations, or which introduce a point of view illustrative of, or supplementary to, the one given by the German editor. No doubt the editors are wrong themselves in many places,—“Bēowulf” is a most difficult poem,—but their view may at least be defended by a reference to the original text, which they have faithfully and constantly consulted.
A good many cognate Modern English words have been introduced here and there in the Glossary with a view to illustration, and other addenda will be found between brackets and parenthetical marks.
It is hoped that the present edition of the most famous of Old English poems will do something to promote a valuable and interesting study.
JAMES A. HARRISON, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.
ROBERT SHARP, University of Louisiana, New Orleans.
April, 1883.
The responsibility of the editors is as follows: H. is responsible for the Text, and for the Glossary from hrīnan on; S. for the List of Names, and for the Glossary as far as hrīnan.
Argument
The only national [Anglo-Saxon] epic which has been preserved entire is Bēowulf. Its argument is briefly as follows:—The poem opens with a few verses in praise of the Danish Kings, especially Scild, the son of Sceaf. His death is related, and his descendants briefly traced down to Hroðgar. Hroðgar, elated with his prosperity and success in war, builds a magnificent hall, which he calls Heorot. In this hall Hroðgar and his retainers live in joy and festivity, until a malignant fiend, called Grendel, jealous of their happiness, carries off by night thirty of Hroðgar’s men, and devours them in his moorland retreat. These ravages go on for twelve years. Bēowulf, a thane of Hygelac, King of the Goths, hearing of Hroðgar’s calamities, sails from Sweden with fourteen warriors—to help him. They reach the Danish coast in safety; and, after an animated parley with Hroðgar’s coastguard, who at first takes them for pirates, they are allowed to proceed to the royal hall, where they are well received by Hroðgar. A banquet ensues, during which Bēowulf is taunted by the envious Hunferhð about his swimming-match with Breca, King of the Brondings. Bēowulf gives the true account of the contest, and silences Hunferhð. At night-fall the King departs, leaving Bēowulf in charge of the hall. Grendel soon breaks in, seizes and devours one of Bēowulf’s companions; is attacked by Bēowulf, and, after losing an arm, which is torn off by Bēowulf, escapes to the fens. The joy of Hroðgar and the Danes, and their festivities, are described, various episodes are introduced, and Bēowulf and his companions receive splendid gifts. The next night Grendel’s mother revenges her son by carrying off AEschere, the friend and councillor of Hroðgar, during the absence of Bēowulf. Hroðgar appeals to Bēowulf for vengeance, and describes the haunts of Grendel and his mother. They all proceed thither; the scenery of the lake, and the monsters that dwell in it, are described. Bēowulf plunges into the water, and attacks Grendel’s mother in her dwelling at the bottom of the lake. He at length overcomes her, and cuts off her head, together with that of Grendel, and brings the heads to Hroðgar. He then takes leave of Hroðgar, sails back to Sweden, and relates his adventures to Hygelac. Here the first half of the poem ends. The second begins with the accession of Bēowulf to the throne, after the fall of Hygelac and his son Heardred. He rules prosperously for fifty years, till a dragon, brooding over a hidden treasure, begins to ravage the country, and destroys Bēowulf’s palace with fire. Bēowulf sets out in quest of its hiding-place, with twelve men. Having a presentiment of his approaching end, he pauses and recalls to mind his past life and exploits. He then takes leave of his followers, one by one, and advances alone to attack the dragon. Unable, from the heat, to enter the cavern, he shouts aloud, and the dragon comes forth. The dragon’s scaly hide is proof against Bēowulf’s sword, and he is reduced to great straits. Then Wiglaf, one of his followers, advances to help him. Wiglaf’s shield is consumed by the dragon’s fiery breath, and he is compelled to seek shelter under Bēowulf’s shield of iron. Bēowulf’s sword snaps asunder, and he is seized by the dragon. Wiglaf stabs the dragon from underneath, and Bēowulf cuts it in two with his dagger. Feeling that his end is near, he bids Wiglaf bring out the treasures from the cavern, that he may see them before he dies. Wiglaf enters the dragon’s den, which is described, returns to Bēowulf, and receives his last commands. Bēowulf dies, and Wiglaf bitterly reproaches his companions for their cowardice. The disastrous consequences of Bēowulf’s death are then foretold, and the poem ends with his funeral.—H. Sweet, in Warton’s History of English Poetry, Vol. II. (ed. 1871). Cf. also Ten Brink’s History of English Literature.
Hwæt! wē Gār-Dena in geār-dagum
þēod-cyninga þrym gefrūnon, hū þā æðelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scēfing sceaðena þrēatum,
monegum mǣgðum meodo-setla oftēah.
Egsode eorl, syððan ǣrest wearð
fēa-sceaft funden: hē þæs frōfre gebād, wēox under wolcnum, weorð-myndum ðāh, oð þæt him ǣghwylc þāra ymb-sittendra
ofer hron-rāde hȳran scolde, gomban gyldan: þæt wæs gōd cyning!
þǣm eafera wæs æfter cenned geong in geardum, þone god sende folce tō frōfre; fyren-þearfe ongeat,
†15
þæt hīe ǣr drugon aldor-lēase lange hwīle. Him þæs līf-frēa, wuldres wealdend, worold-āre forgeaf;
Bēowulf wæs brēme (blǣd wīde sprang),
Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in.
Swā sceal geong guma, gōde gewyrcean,
fromum feoh-giftum on fæder wine,
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen wil-gesīðas, þonne wīg cume, lēode gelǣsten: lof-dǣdum sceal
in mǣgða gehwǣre man geþēon.
Him þā Scyld gewāt tō gescæp-hwīle fela-hrōr fēran on frēan wǣre; hī hyne þā ætbǣron tō brimes faroðe.
swǣse gesīðas, swā hē selfa bæd,
þenden wordum wēold wine Scyldinga,
Þǣr æt hȳðe stōd hringed-stefna,
īsig and ūtfūs, æðelinges fær;
†35
bēaga bryttan on bearm scipes, mǣrne be mæste. Þǣr wæs mādma fela, of feor-wegum frætwa gelǣded:
ne hȳrde ic cȳmlīcor cēol gegyrwan hilde-wǣpnum and heaðo-wǣdum,
billum and byrnum; him on bearme læg mādma mænigo, þā him mid scoldon on flōdes ǣht feor gewītan.
Nalas hī hine lǣssan lācum tēodan,
þēod-gestrēonum, þonne þā dydon,
þē hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon
þā gȳt hīe him āsetton segen gyldenne hēah ofer hēafod, lēton holm beran,
gēafon on gār-secg: him wæs geōmor sefa,
murnende mōd. Men ne cunnon
secgan tō soðe sele-rǣdende, hæleð under heofenum, hwā þǣm hlæste onfēng.
Þā wæs on burgum Bēowulf Scyldinga, lēof lēod-cyning, longe þrāge
folcum gefrǣge (fæder ellor hwearf, aldor of earde), oð þæt him eft onwōc hēah Healfdene; hēold þenden lifde,
gamol and gūð-rēow, glæde Scyldingas.
†60
in worold wōcun, weoroda rǣswan,
Heorogār and Hrōðgār and Hālga til;
hȳrde ic, þat Elan cwēn Ongenþēowes wæs
Heaðoscilfinges heals-gebedde.
Þā wæs Hrōðgāre here-spēd gyfen,
wīges weorð-mynd, þæt him his wine-māgas georne hȳrdon, oð þæt sēo geogoð gewēox, mago-driht micel. Him on mōd bearn,
þæt heal-reced hātan wolde, medo-ærn micel men gewyrcean,
†70
þone yldo bearn ǣfre gefrūnon, and þǣr on innan eall gedǣlan geongum and ealdum, swylc him god sealde,
būton folc-scare and feorum gumena.
Þā ic wīde gefrægn weorc gebannan
manigre mǣgðe geond þisne middan-geard, folc-stede frætwan. Him on fyrste gelomp
ǣdre mid yldum, þæt hit wearð eal gearo,
heal-ærna mǣst; scōp him Heort naman, sē þe his wordes geweald wīde hæfde.
Hē bēot ne ālēh, bēagas dǣlde, sinc æt symle. Sele hlīfade hēah and horn-gēap: heaðo-wylma bād, lāðan līges; ne wæs hit lenge þā gēn
æfter wæl-nīðe wæcnan scolde.
þrāge geþolode, sē þe in þȳstrum bād,
þæt hē dōgora gehwām drēam gehȳrde hlūdne in healle; þǣr wæs hearpan swēg,
†90
swutol sang scopes. Sægde sē þe cūðe frum-sceaft fīra feorran reccan,
cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga eorðan worhte, wlite-beorhtne wang, swā wæter bebūgeð, gesette sige-hrēðig sunnan and mōnan
lēoman tō lēohte land-būendum, and gefrætwade foldan scēatas leomum and lēafum; līf ēac gesceōp cynna gehwylcum, þāra þe cwice hwyrfað.
Swā þā driht-guman drēamum lifdon
†100
ēadiglīce, oð þæt ān ongan
fyrene fremman, fēond on helle:
wæs se grimma gæst Grendel hāten,
mǣre mearc-stapa, sē þe mōras hēold, fen and fæsten; fīfel-cynnes eard
†105
won-sǣlig wer weardode hwīle,
siððan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde.
In Caines cynne þone cwealm gewræc,
ēce drihten, þæs þe hē Ābel slōg; ne gefeah hē þǣre fǣhðe, ac hē hine feor forwræc,
metod for þȳ māne man-cynne fram.
Þanon untȳdras ealle onwōcon, eotenas and ylfe and orcnēas, swylce gīgantas, þā wið gode wunnon lange þrāge; hē him þæs lēan forgeald.
Gewāt þā nēosian, syððan niht becōm, hēan hūses, hū hit Hring-Dene
Fand þā þǣr inne æðelinga gedriht
swefan æfter symble; sorge ne cūðon,
†120
won-sceaft wera. Wiht unhǣlo grim and grǣdig gearo sōna wæs, rēoc and rēðe, and on ræste genam
þrītig þegna: þanon eft gewāt hūðe hrēmig tō hām faran,
mid þǣre wæl-fylle wīca nēosan.
Grendles gūð-cræft gumum undyrne:
þā wæs æfter wiste wōp up āhafen, micel morgen-swēg. Mǣre þēoden,
æðeling ǣr-gōd, unblīðe sæt,
þolode þrȳð-swȳð, þegn-sorge drēah, syððan hīe þæs lāðan lāst scēawedon, wergan gāstes; wæs þæt gewin tō strang, lāð and longsum. Næs hit lengra fyrst,
ac ymb āne niht eft gefremede morð-beala māre and nō mearn fore fǣhðe and fyrene; wæs tō fæst on þām.
Þā wæs ēað-fynde, þē him elles hwǣr gerūmlīcor ræste sōhte,
bed æfter būrum, þā him gebēacnod wæs, gesægd sōðlīce sweotolan tācne
heal-þegnes hete; hēold hine syððan fyr and fæstor, sē þǣm fēonde ætwand.
āna wið eallum, oð þæt īdel stōd
hūsa sēlest. Wæs sēo hwīl micel:
twelf wintra tīd torn geþolode wine Scyldinga, wēana gehwelcne,
sīdra sorga; forþām syððan wearð
ylda bearnum undyrne cūð, gyddum geōmore, þætte Grendel wan, hwīle wið Hrōðgār;— hete-nīðas wæg, fyrene and fǣhðe fela missēra,
wið manna hwone mægenes Deniga feorh-bealo feorran, fēo þingian, nē þǣr nǣnig witena wēnan þorfte beorhtre bōte tō banan folmum;
deorc dēað-scūa duguðe and geogoðe seomade and syrede. Sin-nihte hēold mistige mōras; men ne cunnon, hwyder hel-rūnan hwyrftum scrīðað.
Swā fela fyrena fēond man-cynnes,
atol ān-gengea, oft gefremede heardra hȳnða; Heorot eardode, sinc-fāge sel sweartum nihtum
(nō hē þone gif-stōl grētan mōste,
māððum for metode, nē his myne wisse);
þæt wæs wrǣc micel wine Scyldinga, mōdes brecða. Monig-oft gesæt rīce tō rūne; rǣd eahtedon, hwæt swīð-ferhðum sēlest wǣre
wið fǣr-gryrum tō gefremmanne.
†175
Hwīlum hīe gehēton æt hærg-trafum wīg-weorðunga, wordum bǣdon,
þæt him gāst-bona gēoce gefremede wið þēod-þrēaum. Swylc wæs þēaw hyra, hǣðenra hyht; helle gemundon
in mōd-sefan, metod hīe ne cūðon, dǣda dēmend, ne wiston hīe drihten god, nē hīe hūru heofena helm herian ne cūðon, wuldres waldend. Wā bið þǣm þe sceal
þurh slīðne nīð sāwle bescūfan
in fȳres fæðm, frōfre ne wēnan, wihte gewendan; wēl bið þǣm þe mōt
æfter dēað-dæge drihten sēcean and tō fæder fæðmum freoðo wilnian.
Swā þā mǣl-ceare maga Healfdenes
†190
singāla sēað; ne mihte snotor hæleð
wēan onwendan: wæs þæt gewin tō swȳð, lāð and longsum, þē on þā lēode becōm, nȳd-wracu nīð-grim, niht-bealwa mǣst.
Þæt fram hām gefrægn Higelāces þegn,
gōd mid Gēatum, Grendles dǣda:
sē wæs mon-cynnes mægenes strengest
æðele and ēacen. Hēt him ȳð-lidan gōdne gegyrwan; cwæð hē gūð-cyning
†200
ofer swan-rāde sēcean wolde, mǣrne þēoden, þā him wæs manna þearf.
Þone sīð-fæt him snotere ceorlas
lȳt-hwōn lōgon, þēah hē him lēof wǣre;
hwetton higerōfne, hǣl scēawedon.
Hæfde se gōda Gēata lēoda cempan gecorone, þāra þe hē cēnoste
findan mihte; fīftȳna sum sund-wudu sōhte; secg wīsade, lagu-cræftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
Fyrst forð gewāt: flota wæs on ȳðum, bāt under beorge. Beornas gearwe on stefn stigon; strēamas wundon sund wið sande; secgas bǣron on bearm nacan beorhte frætwe,
gūð-searo geatolīc; guman ūt scufon, weras on wil-sīð wudu bundenne.
Gewāt þā ofer wǣg-holm winde gefȳsed
flota fāmig-heals fugle gelīcost,
oð þæt ymb ān-tīd ōðres dōgores
wunden-stefna gewaden hæfde,
þæt þā līðende land gesāwon, brim-clifu blīcan, beorgas stēape, sīde sǣ-næssas: þā wæs sund liden,
eoletes æt ende. Þanon up hraðe
Wedera lēode on wang stigon, sǣ-wudu sǣldon (syrcan hrysedon, gūð-gewǣdo); gode þancedon,
þæs þe him ȳð-lāde ēaðe wurdon.
Þā of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
sē þe holm-clifu healdan scolde, beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas, fyrd-searu fūslīcu; hine fyrwyt bræc mōd-gehygdum, hwæt þā men wǣron.
Gewāt him þā tō waroðe wicge rīdan
þegn Hrōðgāres, þrymmum cwehte mægen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frægn:
“Hwæt syndon gē searo-hæbbendra
“byrnum werede, þē þus brontne cēol
“ofer lagu-strǣte lǣdan cwōmon,
†240
“hider ofer holmas helmas bǣron?
“Ic wæs ende-sǣta, ǣg-wearde hēold,
“mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
“Nō hēr cūðlīcor cuman ongunnon
†245
“lind-hæbbende; nē gē lēafnes-word
“gūð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
“māga gemēdu. Nǣfre ic māran geseah
“eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is ēower sum,
“secg on searwum; nis þæt seld-guma
†250
“wǣpnum geweorðad, næfne him his wlite lēoge,
“ǣnlīc an-sȳn. Nū ic ēower sceal
“frum-cyn witan, ǣr gē fyr heonan
“furður fēran. Nū gē feor-būend,
“mere-līðende, mīnne gehȳrað
“ān-fealdne geþōht: ofost is sēlest
“tō gecȳðanne, hwanan ēowre cyme syndon.”
Him se yldesta andswarode, werodes wīsa, word-hord onlēac:
“Wē synt gum-cynnes Gēata lēode
“and Higelāces heorð-genēatas.
“Wæs mīn fæder folcum gecȳðed,
“æðele ord-fruma Ecgþēow hāten;
“gebād wintra worn, ǣr hē on weg hwurfe,
“gamol of geardum; hine gearwe geman
“witena wēl-hwylc wīde geond eorðan.—
“Wē þurh holdne hige hlāford þinne,
“sunu Healfdenes, sēcean cwōmon,
“lēod-gebyrgean: wes þū ūs lārena gōd!
“Habbað wē tō þǣm mǣran micel ǣrende
“Deniga frēan; ne sceal þǣr dyrne sum
“wesan, þæs ic wēne. Þū wāst, gif hit is,
“swā wē sōðlice secgan hȳrdon,
“þæt mid Scyldingum sceaða ic nāt hwylc,
†275
“dēogol dǣd-hata, deorcum nihtum
“ēaweð þurh egsan uncūðne nīð,
“hȳnðu and hrā-fyl. Ic þæs Hrōðgār mæg
“þurh rūmne sefan rǣd gelǣran,
“hū hē frōd and gōd fēond oferswȳðeð,
†280
“gyf him ed-wendan ǣfre scolde
“bealuwa bisigu, bōt eft cuman
“and þā cear-wylmas cōlran wurðað;
“þrēa-nȳd þolað, þenden þǣr wunað
“on hēah-stede hūsa sēlest.”
Weard maðelode, þǣr on wicge sæt
ombeht unforht: “Ǣghwæðres sceal
“scearp scyld-wiga gescād witan,
“worda and worca, sē þe wēl þenceð.
“Ic þæt gehȳre, þæt þis is hold weorod
“frēan Scyldinga. Gewītað forð beran
“wǣpen and gewǣdu, ic ēow wīsige:
“swylce ic magu-þegnas mīne hāte
“wið fēonda gehwone flotan ēowerne,
“nīw-tyrwedne nacan on sande
“ārum healdan, oð þæt eft byreð
“ofer lagu-strēamas lēofne mannan
“wudu wunden-hals tō Weder-mearce.
“Gūð-fremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið,
“þæt þone hilde-rǣs hāl gedīgeð.”
Gewiton him þā fēran (flota stille bād, seomode on sāle sīd-fæðmed scyp,
on ancre fæst); eofor-līc scionon
ofer hlēor-beran gehroden golde
†305
fāh and fȳr-heard, ferh wearde hēold.
Gūðmōde grummon, guman ōnetton, sigon ætsomne, oð þæt hȳ sæl timbred geatolīc and gold-fāh ongytan mihton;
þæt wæs fore-mǣrost fold-būendum
receda under roderum, on þǣm se rīca bād;
līxte se lēoma ofer landa fela.
Him þā hilde-dēor hof mōdigra torht getǣhte, þæt hīe him tō mihton gegnum gangan; gūð-beorna sum
wicg gewende, word æfter cwæð:
“Mǣl is mē tō fēran; fæder alwalda
“sīða gesunde! ic tō sǣ wille,
“wið wrāð werod wearde healdan.”
†320
Strǣt wæs stān-fāh, stīg wīsode gumum ætgædere. Gūð-byrne scān
heard hond-locen, hring-īren scīr song in searwum, þā hīe tō sele furðum in hyra gryre-geatwum gangan cwōmon.
†325
Setton sǣ-mēðe sīde scyldas, rondas regn-hearde wið þæs recedes weal, bugon þā tō bence; byrnan hringdon, gūð-searo gumena; gāras stōdon, sǣ-manna searo, samod ætgædere,
æsc-holt ufan grǣg: wæs se īren-þrēat wǣpnum gewurðad. Þā þǣr wlonc hæleð
ōret-mecgas æfter æðelum frægn:
“Hwanon ferigeað gē fǣtte scyldas,
“grǣge syrcan and grīm-helmas,
“here-sceafta hēap?— Ic eom Hrōðgāres
“ār and ombiht. Ne seah ic el-þēodige
“Wēn’ ic þæt gē for wlenco, nalles for wræc-sīðum,
“ac for hige-þrymmum Hrōðgār sōhton.”
Him þā ellen-rōf andswarode, wlanc Wedera lēod word æfter spræc, heard under helme: “Wē synt Higelāces
“bēod-genēatas; Bēowulf is mīn nama.
“Wille ic āsecgan suna Healfdenes,
“mǣrum þēodne mīn ǣrende,
“aldre þīnum, gif hē ūs geunnan wile,
“þæt wē hine swā gōdne grētan mōton.”
Wulfgār maðelode (þæt wæs Wendla lēod, wæs his mōd-sefa manegum gecȳðed,
wīg and wīs-dōm): “ic þæs wine Deniga,
“frēan Scildinga frīnan wille,
“bēaga bryttan, swā þū bēna eart,
“and þē þā andsware ǣdre gecȳðan,
“þē mē se gōda āgifan þenceð.”
Hwearf þā hrædlīce, þǣr Hrōðgār sæt,
eald and unhār mid his eorla gedriht;
ēode ellen-rōf, þæt hē for eaxlum gestōd
Deniga frēan, cūðe hē duguðe þēaw.
Wulfgār maðelode tō his wine-drihtne:
“Hēr syndon geferede feorran cumene
“ofer geofenes begang Gēata lēode:
“Bēowulf nemnað. Hȳ bēnan synt,
“þæt hīe, þēoden mīn, wið þē mōton
“wordum wrixlan; nō þū him wearne getēoh,
“þīnra gegn-cwida glædnian, Hrōðgār!
“Hȳ on wīg-geatwum wyrðe þinceað
“eorla geæhtlan; hūru se aldor dēah,
“sē þǣm heaðo-rincum hider wīsade.”
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
“Wæs his eald-fæder Ecgþēo hāten,
“þǣm tō hām forgeaf Hrēðel Gēata
“āngan dōhtor; is his eafora nū
“heard hēr cumen, sōhte holdne wine.
“þā þe gif-sceattas Gēata fyredon
“þyder tō þance, þæt hē þrīttiges
†380
“manna mægen-cræft on his mund-grīpe
“heaðo-rōf hæbbe. Hine hālig god
“tō West-Denum, þæs ic wēn hæbbe,
“wið Grendles gryre: ic þǣm gōdan sceal
“for his mōd-þræce mādmas bēodan.
“Bēo þū on ofeste, hāt hig in gān,
“sēon sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere;
“gesaga him ēac wordum, þæt hīe sint wil-cuman
“Deniga lēodum.” Þā wið duru healle
Wulfgār ēode, word inne ābēad:
“Ēow hēt secgan sige-drihten mīn,
“aldor Ēast-Dena, þæt hē ēower æðelu can
“and gē him syndon ofer sǣ-wylmas,
“heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
“Nū gē mōton gangan in ēowrum guð-geatawum,
“under here-grīman, Hrōðgār gesēon;
“lǣtað hilde-bord hēr onbidian,
“wudu wæl-sceaftas, worda geþinges.”
Ārās þā se rīca, ymb hine rinc manig,
þrȳðlīc þegna hēap; sume þǣr bidon, heaðo-rēaf hēoldon, swā him se hearda bebēad.
Snyredon ætsomne, þā secg wīsode under Heorotes hrōf; hyge-rōf ēode,
heard under helme, þæt hē on heoðe gestōd.
†405
Bēowulf maðelode (on him byrne scān, searo-net sēowed smiðes or-þancum):
“Wes þū Hrōðgār hāl! ic eom Higelāces
“mǣg and mago-þegn; hæbbe ic mǣrða fela
“ongunnen on geogoðe. Mē wearð Grendles þing
“on mīnre ēðel-tyrf undyrne cūð:
“secgað sǣ-līðend, þæt þes sele stande,
“reced sēlesta, rinca gehwylcum
“īdel and unnyt, siððan ǣfen-lēoht
“under heofenes hādor beholen weorðeð.
“Þā mē þæt gelǣrdon lēode mīne,
“þā sēlestan, snotere ceorlas,
“þēoden Hrōðgār, þæt ic þē sōhte;
“forþan hīe mægenes cræft mīnne cūðon:
“selfe ofersāwon, þā ic of searwum cwōm,
†420
“fāh from fēondum, þǣr ic fīfe geband,
“ȳðde eotena cyn, and on ȳðum slōg
“niceras nihtes, nearo-þearfe drēah,
“wræc Wedera nīð (wēan āhsodon)
“forgrand gramum; and nū wið Grendel sceal,
†425
“wið þām āglǣcan, āna gehegan
“brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
“þæt þū mē ne forwyrne, wīgendra hlēo,
“frēo-wine folca, nū ic þus feorran cōm,
“þæt ic mōte āna and mīnra eorla gedryht,
“þes hearda hēap, Heorot fǣlsian.
“Hæbbe ic ēac geāhsod, þæt se ǣglǣca
“for his won-hȳdum wǣpna ne rēceð;
“ic þæt þonne forhicge, swā mē Higelāc sīe,
“mīn mon-drihten, mōdes blīðe,
“þæt ic sweord bere oððe sīdne scyld
“geolo-rand tō gūðe; ac ic mid grāpe sceal
“fōn wið fēonde and ymb feorh sacan,
“lāð wið lāðum; þǣr gelȳfan sceal
“dryhtnes dōme sē þe hine dēað nimeð.
“Wēn’ ic þæt hē wille, gif hē wealdan mōt,
“in þǣm gūð-sele Gēatena lēode
“etan unforhte, swā hē oft dyde
“mægen Hrēðmanna. Nā þū mīnne þearft
“hafalan hȳdan, ac hē mē habban wile
“drēore fāhne, gif mec dēað nimeð;
“byreð blōdig wæl, byrgean þenceð,
“mearcað mōr-hopu: nō þū ymb mīnes ne þearft
“Onsend Higelāce, gif mec hild nime,
“beadu-scrūda betst, þæt mīne brēost wereð,
“hrægla sēlest; þæt is Hrēðlan lāf,
†455
“Wēlandes geweorc. Gǣð ā Wyrd swā hīo scel!”
VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
“for were-fyhtum þū, wine mīn Bēowulf,
“and for ār-stafum ūsic sōhtest.
“Geslōh þin fæder fǣhðe mǣste,
“wearð hē Heaðolāfe tō hand-bonan
“mid Wilfingum; þā hine Wedera cyn
“for here-brōgan habban ne mihte.
“Þanon hē gesōhte Sūð-Dena folc
“ofer ȳða gewealc, Ār-Scyldinga;
“þā ic furðum wēold folce Deninga,
“and on geogoðe hēold gimme-rīce
“hord-burh hæleða: þā wæs Heregār dēad,
“bearn Healfdenes. Sē wæs betera þonne ic!
“Siððan þā fǣhðe fēo þingode;
“sende ic Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg
“ealde mādmas: hē mē āðas swōr.
“Sorh is mē tō secganne on sefan mīnum
“gumena ǣngum, hwæt mē Grendel hafað
“hȳnðo on Heorote mid his hete-þancum,
“fǣr-nīða gefremed. Is mīn flet-werod,
“wīg-hēap gewanod; hīe Wyrd forswēop
“on Grendles gryre. God ēaðe mæg
“þone dol-scaðan dǣda getwǣfan!
†480
“Ful oft gebēotedon bēore druncne
“þæt hīe in bēor-sele bīdan woldon
“Grendles gūðe mid gryrum ecga.
“Þonne wæs þēos medo-heal on morgen-tīd,
“driht-sele drēor-fāh, þonne dæg līxte,
“eal benc-þelu blōde bestȳmed,
“heall heoru-drēore: āhte ic holdra þȳ lǣs,
“dēorre duguðe, þē þā dēað fornam.
“Site nū tō symle and onsǣl meoto,
“sige-hrēð secgum, swā þīn sefa hwette!”
Þā wæs Gēat-mæcgum geador ætsomne on bēor-sele benc gerȳmed;
þrȳðum dealle. Þegn nytte behēold,
sē þe on handa bær hroden ealo-wǣge, scencte scīr wered. Scop hwīlum sang hādor on Heorote; þǣr wæs hæleða drēam, duguð unlȳtel Dena and Wedera.
IX. HUNFERTH OBJECTS TO BĒOWULF.
Unferð maðelode, Ecglāfes bearn,
þē æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga;
onband beadu-rūne (wæs him Bēowulfes sīð, mōdges mere-faran, micel æf-þunca, forþon þe hē ne ūðe, þæt ǣnig ōðer man
ǣfre mǣrða þon mā middan-geardes
gehēdde under heofenum þonne hē sylfa):
“Eart þū sē Bēowulf, sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
“þǣr git for wlence wada cunnedon
“and for dol-gilpe on dēop wæter
“aldrum nēðdon? Nē inc ǣnig mon,
“sorh-fullne sīð; þā git on sund rēon,
“þǣr git ēagor-strēam earmum þehton,
“mǣton mere-strǣta, mundum brugdon,
“glidon ofer gār-secg; geofon ȳðum wēol,
“wintres wylme. Git on wæteres ǣht
“seofon niht swuncon; hē þē æt sunde oferflāt,
“hæfde māre mægen. Þā hine on morgen-tīd
“on Heaðo-rǣmas holm up ætbær,
“þonon hē gesōhte swǣsne ēðel
“lēof his lēodum lond Brondinga,
“freoðo-burh fægere, þǣr hē folc āhte,
“burg and bēagas. Bēot eal wið þē
“sunu Bēanstānes sōðe gelǣste.
†525
“Þonne wēne ic tō þē wyrsan geþinges,
“þēah þū heaðo-rǣsa gehwǣr dohte,
“grimre gūðe, gif þū Grendles dearst
“niht-longne fyrst nēan bīdan!”
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Hwæt! þū worn fela, wine mīn Unferð,
“bēore druncen ymb Brecan sprǣce,
“sægdest from his sīðe! Sōð ic talige,
“þæt ic mere-strengo māran āhte,
“earfeðo on ȳðum, þonne ǣnig ōðer man.
“Wit þæt gecwǣdon cniht-wesende
“and gebēotedon (wǣron bēgen þā gīt
“on geogoð-feore) þæt wit on gār-secg ūt
“aldrum nēðdon; and þæt geæfndon swā.
“Hæfdon swurd nacod, þā wit on sund rēon,
“heard on handa, wit unc wið hron-fixas
“werian þōhton. Nō hē wiht fram mē
“flōd-ȳðum feor flēotan meahte,
“hraðor on holme, nō ic fram him wolde.
†545
“fīf nihta fyrst, oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf,
“wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
“heaðo-grim andhwearf; hrēo wǣron ȳða,
“þǣr mē wið lāðum līc-syrce mīn,
“heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede;
“beado-hrægl brōden on brēostum læg,
“golde gegyrwed. Mē tō grunde tēah
“grim on grāpe: hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
“hilde-bille; heaðo-rǣs fornam
“mihtig mere-dēor þurh mīne hand.
X. BĒOWULF’S CONTEST WITH BRECA.—THE FEAST.
“þrēatedon þearle. Ic him þēnode
“dēoran sweorde, swā hit gedēfe wæs;
“næs hīe þǣre fylle gefēan hæfdon,
“mān-fordǣdlan, þæt hīe mē þēgon,
“symbel ymb-sǣton sǣ-grunde nēah,
“ac on mergenne mēcum wunde
“sweordum āswefede, þæt syððan nā
“ymb brontne ford brim-līðende
“lāde ne letton. Lēoht ēastan cōm,
“beorht bēacen godes; brimu swaðredon,
“þæt ic sǣ-næssas gesēon mihte,
“windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
“unfǣgne eorl, ðonne his ellen dēah!
“Hwæðere mē gesǣlde, þæt ic mid sweorde ofslōh
“niceras nigene. Nō ic on niht gefrægn
“under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
“nē on ēg-strēamum earmran mannan;
“hwæðere ic fāra feng fēore gedīgde,
“siðes wērig. Þā mec sǣ oðbær,
“flōd æfter faroðe, on Finna land,
“wadu weallendu. Nō ic wiht fram þē
“swylcra searo-nīða secgan hȳrde,
“billa brōgan: Breca nǣfre gīt
“æt heaðo-lāce, nē gehwæðer incer
“swā dēorlīce dǣd gefremede
“þēah þū þīnum brōðrum tō banan wurde,
“hēafod-mǣgum; þæs þū in helle scealt
“werhðo drēogan, þēah þīn wit duge,
“Secge ic þē tō sōðe, sunu Ecglāfes,
“þæt nǣfre Grendel swā fela gryra gefremede,
“hȳnðo on Heorote, gif þīn hige wǣre,
“sefa swā searo-grim, swā þū self talast.
“Ac hē hafað onfunden, þæt hē þā fǣhðe ne þearf,
“swīðe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga;
“lēode Deniga, ac hē on lust wīgeð,
“swefeð ond sendeð, secce ne wēneð
“tō Gār-Denum. Ac him Gēata sceal
“gūðe gebēodan. Gǣð eft sē þe mōt
“tō medo mōdig, siððan morgen-lēoht
“ofer ylda bearn ōðres dōgores,
“sunne swegl-wered sūðan scīneð!”
Þā wæs on sālum sinces brytta gamol-feax and gūð-rōf, gēoce gelȳfde
brego Beorht-Dena; gehȳrde on Bēowulfe folces hyrde fæst-rǣdne geþōht.
Þǣr wæs hæleða hleahtor; hlyn swynsode, word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð, cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig,
grētte gold-hroden guman on healle, and þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealde
ǣrest Ēast-Dena ēðel-wearde, bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þege, lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah
†620
symbel and sele-ful, sige-rōf kyning.
duguðe and geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne;
sinc-fato sealde, oð þæt sǣl ālamp,
þæt hīo Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,
mōde geþungen, medo-ful ætbær; grētte Gēata lēod, gode þancode wīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,
þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gelȳfde fyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,
wæl-rēow wiga æt Wealhþēon,
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,
“sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra secga gedriht,
“þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēoda
“willan geworhte, oððe on wæl crunge,
“fēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefremman sceal
“on þisse meodu-healle mīnne gebīdan.”
Þām wīfe þā word wēl līcodon, gilp-cwide Gēates; ēode gold-hroden frēolīcu folc-cwēn tō hire frēan sittan.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healle
þrȳð-word sprecen, þēod on sǣlum,
sige-folca swēg, oð þæt semninga sunu Healfdenes sēcean wolde
ǣfen-ræste; wiste æt þǣm āhlǣcan
tō þǣm hēah-sele hilde geþinged, siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēon ne meahton,
†650
oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,
scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðan cwōman, wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās.
Hrōðgār Bēowulf, and him hǣl ābēad,
wīn-ærnes geweald and þæt word ācwæð:
“Nǣfre ic ǣnegum men ǣr ālȳfde,
“siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte,
“þrȳð-ærn Dena būton þē nū þā.
“Hafa nū and geheald hūsa sēlest;
“gemyne mǣrðo, mægen-ellen cȳð,
“waca wið wrāðum! Ne bið þē wilna gād,
“gif þū þæt ellen-weorc aldre gedīgest.”
Þā him Hrōðgār gewāt mid his hæleða gedryht, eodur Scyldinga ūt of healle;
wolde wīg-fruma Wealhþēo sēcan, cwēn tō gebeddan Hæfde kyninga wuldor
Grendle tō-gēanes, swā guman gefrungon, sele-weard āseted, sundor-nytte behēold ymb aldor Dena, eoton weard ābēad;
hūru Gēata lēod georne truwode mōdgan mægnes, metodes hyldo.
Þā hē him of dyde īsern-byrnan, helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,
and gehealdan hēt hilde-geatwe.
Gespræc þā se gōda gylp-worda sum
Bēowulf Gēata, ǣr hē on bed stige:
“Nō ic mē an here-wǣsmum hnāgran talige
“gūð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine;
“forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
“aldre benēotan, þēah ic eal mǣge.
“Nāt hē þāra gōda, þæt hē mē on-gēan slēa,
“rand gehēawe, þēah þe hē rōf sīe
“nīð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon
“secge ofersittan, gif hē gesēcean dear
“wīg ofer wǣpen, and siððan wītig god
“on swā hwæðere hond hālig dryhten
“mǣrðo dēme, swā him gemet þince.”
Hylde hine þā heaðo-dēor, hlēor-bolster onfēng
eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig snellīc sǣ-rinc sele-reste gebēah.
Nǣnig heora þōhte þæt hē þanon scolde eft eard-lufan ǣfre gesēcean, folc oððe frēo-burh, þǣr hē āfēded wæs,
†695
ac hīe hæfdon gefrūnen, þæt hīe ǣr tō fela micles in þǣm wīn-sele wæl-dēað fornam,
Denigea lēode. Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wīg-spēda gewiofu, Wedera lēodum frōfor and fultum, þæt hīe fēond heora
þurh ānes cræft ealle ofercōmon, selfes mihtum: sōð is gecȳðed,
þæt mihtig god manna cynnes wēold wīde-ferhð. Cōm on wanre niht scrīðan sceadu-genga. Scēotend swǣfon,
þā þæt horn-reced healdan scoldon, ealle būton ānum. Þæt wæs yldum cūð,
þæt hīe ne mōste, þā metod nolde, se syn-scaða under sceadu bregdan; ac hē wæccende wrāðum on andan
bād bolgen-mōd beadwa geþinges.
Þā cōm of mōre under mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær.
Mynte se mān-scaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þām hēan;
wōd under wolcnum, tō þæs þe hē wīn-reced, gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse
fǣttum fāhne. Ne wæs þæt forma sīð,
nǣfre hē on aldor-dagum ǣr nē siððan
†720
heardran hæle, heal-þegnas fand!
Cōm þā tō recede rinc sīðian drēamum bedǣled. Duru sōna onarn
fȳr-bendum fæst, syððan hē hire folmum hrān; onbræd þā bealo-hȳdig, þā hē ābolgen wæs,
recedes mūðan. Raðe æfter þon on fāgne flōr fēond treddode,
ēode yrre-mōd; him of ēagum stōd līge gelīcost lēoht unfǣger.
Geseah hē in recede rinca manige,
swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere, mago-rinca hēap: þā his mōd āhlōg, mynte þæt hē gedǣlde, ǣr þon dæg cwōme, atol āglǣca, ānra gehwylces līf wið līce, þā him ālumpen wæs
wist-fylle wēn. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þā gēn,
þicgean ofer þā niht. Þrȳð-swȳð behēold mǣg Higelāces, hū se mān-scaða under fǣr-gripum gefaran wolde.
Nē þæt se āglǣca yldan þōhte, ac hē gefēng hraðe forman siðe slǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum, bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc, syn-snǣdum swealh: sōna hæfde
unlyfigendes eal gefeormod fēt and folma. Forð nēar ætstōp, nam þā mid handa hige-þīhtigne rinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēan fēond mid folme, hē onfēng hraðe
inwit-þancum and wið earm gesæt.
Sōna þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þæt hē ne mētte middan-geardes eorðan scēata on elran men mund-gripe māran: hē on mōde wearð
forht on ferhðe, nō þȳ ǣr fram meahte; hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,
sēcan dēofla gedræg: ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr, swylce hē on ealder-dagum ǣr gemētte.
Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces
ǣfen-sprǣce, up-lang āstōd and him fæste wiðfēng. Fingras burston;
eoten wæs ūt-weard, eorl furður stōp.
Mynte se mǣra, þǣr hē meahte swā, wīdre gewindan and on weg þanon
flēon on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald on grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,
þæt se hearm-scaða tō Heorute ātēah:
dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð,
ceaster-būendum, cēnra gehwylcum,
†770
eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgen,
rēðe rēn-weardas. Reced hlynsode;
þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sele wiðhæfde heaðo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol, fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs
innan and ūtan īren-bendum searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēag medu-benc monig mīne gefrǣge, golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;
þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,
þæt hit ā mid gemete manna ǣnig betlīc and bān-fāg tōbrecan meahte, listum tōlūcan, nymðe līges fæðm swulge on swaðule. Swēg up āstāg nīwe geneahhe; Norð-Denum stōd
atelīc egesa ānra gehwylcum
þāra þe of wealle wōp gehȳrdon, gryre-lēoð galan godes andsacan, sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigean helle hæftan. Hēold hine tō fæste
sē þe manna wæs mægene strengest on þǣm dæge þysses līfes.
XIII. BĒOWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL’S ARM.
þone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan, nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum
nytte tealde. Þǣr genehost brægd eorl Bēowulfes ealde lāfe, wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian mǣres þēodnes, þǣr hīe meahton swā; hīe þæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,
heard-hicgende hilde-mecgas,
and on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton, sāwle sēcan, þæt þone syn-scaðan
ǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst, gūð-billa nān grētan nolde;
ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde, ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor-gedāl on þǣm dæge þysses līfes earmlīc wurðan and se ellor-gāst on fēonda geweald feor sīðian.
Þā þæt onfunde sē þe fela ǣror
mōdes myrðe manna cynne fyrene gefremede (hē wæs fāg wið god)
þæt him se līc-homa lǣstan nolde, ac hine se mōdega mǣg Hygelāces
hæfde be honda; wæs gehwæðer ōðrum lifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebād atol ǣglǣca, him on eaxle wearð syn-dolh sweotol, seonowe onsprungon burston bān-locan. Bēowulfe wearð
gūð-hrēð gyfeðe; scolde Grendel þonan feorh-sēoc flēon under fen-hleoðu, sēcean wyn-lēas wīc; wiste þē geornor,
þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen, dōgera dæg-rīm. Denum eallum wearð
æfter þām wæl-rǣse willa gelumpen.
Hæfde þā gefǣlsod, sē þe ǣr feorran cōm, snotor and swȳð-ferhð sele Hrōðgāres, genered wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh, ellen-mǣrðum; hæfde Ēast-Denum
Gēat-mecga lēod gilp gelǣsted, swylce oncȳððe ealle gebētte, inwid-sorge, þē hīe ǣr drugon and for þrēa-nȳdum þolian scoldon, torn unlȳtel. Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,
syððan hilde-dēor hond ālegde, earm and eaxle (þǣr wæs eal geador
Grendles grāpe) under gēapne hrōf.
Þā wæs on morgen mīne gefrǣge ymb þā gif-healle gūð-rinc monig:
fērdon folc-togan feorran and nēan geond wīd-wegas wundor scēawian, lāðes lāstas. Nō his līf-gedāl sārlīc þūhte secga ǣnegum,
þāra þe tīr-lēases trode scēawode,
hū hē wērig-mōd on weg þanon, nīða ofercumen, on nicera mere fǣge and geflȳmed feorh-lāstas bær.
Þǣr wæs on blōde brim weallende, atol ȳða geswing eal gemenged
†850
hātan heolfre, heoro-drēore wēol; dēað-fǣge dēog, siððan drēama lēas in fen-freoðo feorh ālegde hǣðene sāwle, þǣr him hel onfēng.
Þanon eft gewiton eald-gesīðas,
swylce geong manig of gomen-wāðe, fram mere mōdge, mēarum rīdan,
beornas on blancum. Þǣr wæs Bēowulfes mǣrðo mǣned; monig oft gecwæð,
þætte sūð nē norð be sǣm tweonum
ofer eormen-grund ōðer nǣnig under swegles begong sēlra nǣre rond-hæbbendra, rīces wyrðra.
Nē hīe hūru wine-drihten wiht ne lōgon, glædne Hrōðgār, ac þæt wæs gōd cyning.
†865
Hwīlum heaðo-rōfe hlēapan lēton, on geflīt faran fealwe mēaras,
þǣr him fold-wegas fægere þūhton,
cystum cūðe; hwīlum cyninges þegn, guma gilp-hlæden gidda gemyndig,
sē þe eal-fela eald-gesegena
sōðe gebunden: secg eft ongan sīð Bēowulfes snyttrum styrian and on spēd wrecan spel gerāde,
wordum wrixlan, wēl-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt hē fram Sigemunde secgan hȳrde, ellen-dǣdum, uncūðes fela,
þāra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston,
fǣhðe and fyrene, būton Fitela mid hine,
þonne hē swylces hwæt secgan wolde
ēam his nefan, swā hīe ā wǣron
æt nīða gehwām nȳd-gesteallan:
sweordum gesǣged. Sigemunde gesprong
æfter dēað-dæge dōm unlȳtel, syððan wīges heard wyrm ācwealde, hordes hyrde; hē under hārne stān,
frēcne dǣde; ne wæs him Fitela mid.
Hwæðre him gesǣlde, þæt þæt swurd þurhwōd wrǣtlīcne wyrm, þæt hit on wealle ætstōd, dryhtlīc īren; draca morðre swealt.
†895
þæt hē bēah-hordes brūcan mōste selfes dōme: sǣ-bāt gehlōd, bær on bearm scipes beorhte frætwa,
Wælses eafera; wyrm hāt gemealt.
ofer wer-þēode, wīgendra hlēo
Siððan Heremōdes hild sweðrode eafoð and ellen. Hē mid eotenum wearð on fēonda geweald forð forlācen,
snūde forsended. Hine sorh-wylmas
lemede tō lange, hē his lēodum wearð, eallum æðelingum tō aldor-ceare; swylce oft bemearn ǣrran mǣlum swīð-ferhðes sīð snotor ceorl monig,
sē þe him bealwa tō bōte gelȳfde,
þæt þæt þēodnes bearn geþēon scolde, fæder-æðelum onfōn, folc gehealdan, hord and hlēo-burh, hæleða rīce,
ēðel Scyldinga. Hē þǣr eallum wearð,
mǣg Higelāces manna cynne, frēondum gefægra; hine fyren onwōd.
Hwīlum flītende fealwe strǣte mēarum mǣton. Þā wæs morgen-lēoht scofen and scynded. Ēode scealc monig
swīð-hicgende tō sele þām hēan, searo-wundor sēon, swylce self cyning, of brȳd-būre bēah-horda weard, tryddode tīr-fæst getrume micle, cystum gecȳðed, and his cwēn mid him
†925
medo-stīg gemæt mægða hōse.
Hrōðgār maðelode (hē tō healle gēong,
stōd on stapole, geseah stēapne hrōf golde fāhne and Grendles hond):
“lungre gelimpe! Fela ic lāðes gebād,
“grynna æt Grendle: ā mæg god wyrcan
“wunder æfter wundre, wuldres hyrde!
“Þæt wæs ungeāra, þæt ic ǣnigra mē
“wēana ne wēnde tō wīdan feore
“bōte gebīdan þonne blōde fāh
“hūsa sēlest heoro-drēorig stōd;
“wēa wīd-scofen witena gehwylcne
“þāra þe ne wēndon, þæt hīe wīde-ferhð
“lēoda land-geweorc lāðum beweredon
†940
“scuccum and scinnum. Nū scealc hafað
“þurh drihtnes miht dǣd gefremede,
“snyttrum besyrwan. Hwæt! þæt secgan mæg
“efne swā hwylc mægða, swā þone magan cende
“æfter gum-cynnum, gyf hēo gȳt lyfað,
“þæt hyre eald-metod ēste wǣre
“þec, secg betsta, mē for sunu wylle
“frēogan on ferhðe; heald forð tela
“nīwe sibbe. Ne bið þē nǣnigra gād
“worolde wilna, þē ic geweald hæbbe.
“Ful-oft ic for lǣssan lēan teohhode
“hord-weorðunge hnāhran rince,
“sǣmran æt sæcce. Þū þē self hafast
“dǣdum gefremed, þæt þīn dōm lyfað
“gōde forgylde, swā hē nū gȳt dyde!”
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Wē þæt ellen-weorc ēstum miclum,
“feohtan fremedon, frēcne genēðdon
“eafoð uncūðes; ūðe ic swīðor,
“þæt þū hinc selfne gesēon mōste,
“fēond on frætewum fyl-wērigne!
“Ic hine hrædlīce heardan clammum
“on wæl-bedde wrīðan þōhte,
“þæt hē for mund-gripe mīnum scolde
“licgean līf-bysig, būtan his līc swice;
“ic hine ne mihte, þā metod nolde,
“ganges getwǣman, nō ic him þæs georne ætfealh,
“feorh-genīðlan; wæs tō fore-mihtig
“fēond on fēðe. Hwæðere hē his folme forlēt
“earm and eaxle; nō þǣr ǣnige swā þēah
“fēa-sceaft guma frōfre gebohte:
“nō þȳ leng leofað lāð-getēona
“synnum geswenced, ac hyne sār hafað
“in nȳd-gripe nearwe befongen,
“balwon bendum: þǣr ābīdan sceal
“hū him scīr metod scrīfan wille.”
Þā wæs swīgra secg, sunu Ecglāfes, on gylp-sprǣce gūð-geweorca, siððan æðelingas eorles cræfte ofer hēahne hrōf hand scēawedon,
fēondes fingras, foran ǣghwylc;
wæs stēde nægla gehwylc, stȳle gelīcost,
hǣðenes hand-sporu hilde-rinces
egle unhēoru; ǣg-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt him heardra nān hrīnan wolde
īren ǣr-gōd, þæt þæs āhlǣcan blōdge beadu-folme onberan wolde.
XVI. THE BANQUET AND THE GIFTS.
Þā wæs hāten hreðe Heort innan-weard folmum gefrætwod: fela þǣra wæs wera and wīfa, þē þæt wīn-reced,
†995
gest-sele gyredon. Gold-fāg scinon web æfter wāgum, wundor-sīona fela
secga gehwylcum þāra þe on swylc starað
Wæs þæt beorhte bold tōbrocen swīðe eal inne-weard īren-bendum fæst,
†1000
heorras tōhlidene; hrōf āna genæs ealles ansund, þā se āglǣca fyren-dǣdum fāg on flēam gewand, aldres or-wēna. Nō þæt ȳðe byð tō beflēonne (fremme sē þe wille!)
†1005
ac gesacan sceal sāwl-berendra nȳde genȳdde niðða bearna grund-būendra gearwe stōwe,
þǣr his līc-homa leger-bedde fæst
swefeð æfter symle. Þā wæs sǣl and mǣl,
þæt tō healle gang Healfdenes sunu; wolde self cyning symbel þicgan.
Ne gefrægen ic þā mǣgðe māran weorode ymb hyra sinc-gyfan sēl gebǣran.
Bugon þā tō bence blǣd-āgende,
†1015
fylle gefǣgon. Fægere geþǣgon medo-ful manig māgas þāra swīð-hicgende on sele þām hēan,
Hrōðgār and Hrōðulf. Heorot innan wæs frēondum āfylled; nalles fācen-stafas
Þēod-Scyldingas þenden fremedon.
Forgeaf þā Bēowulfe bearn Healfdenes segen gyldenne sigores tō lēane, hroden hilte-cumbor, helm and byrnan;
mǣre māððum-sweord manige gesāwon
beforan beorn beran. Bēowulf geþah ful on flette; nō hē þǣre feoh-gyfte for scēotendum scamigan þorfte, ne gefrægn ic frēondlīcor fēower mādmas golde gegyrede gum-manna fela
in ealo-bence ōðrum gesellan.
Ymb þæs helmes hrōf hēafod-beorge wīrum bewunden walan ūtan hēold,
þæt him fēla lāfe frēcne ne meahton
scūr-heard sceððan, þonne scyld-freca
ongēan gramum gangan scolde.
Heht þā eorla hlēo eahta mēaras, fǣted-hlēore, on flet tēon in under eoderas; þāra ānum stōd
sadol searwum fāh since gewurðad,
þæt wæs hilde-setl hēah-cyninges,
þonne sweorda gelāc sunu Healfdenes efnan wolde; nǣfre on ōre læg
wīd-cūðes wīg, þonne walu fēollon.
And þā Bēowulfe bēga gehwæðres
eodor Ingwina onweald getēah, wicga and wǣpna; hēt hine wēl brūcan.
Swā manlīce mǣre þēoden, hord-weard hæleða heaðo-rǣsas geald mēarum and mādmum, swā hȳ nǣfre man lyhð,
sē þe secgan wile sōð æfter rihte.
XVII. SONG OF HROTHGAR’S POET—THE LAY OF HNAEF AND HENGEST.
Þā gȳt ǣghwylcum eorla drihten
þāra þe mid Bēowulfe brim-lāde tēah, on þǣre medu-bence māððum gesealde, yrfe-lāfe, and þone ǣnne heht
golde forgyldan, þone þe Grendel ǣr māne ācwealde, swā hē hyra mā wolde, nefne him wītig god wyrd forstōde and þæs mannes mōd: metod eallum wēold gumena cynnes, swā hē nū gīt dēð;
forþan bið andgit ǣghwǣr sēlest, ferhðes fore-þanc! fela sceal gebīdan lēofes and lāðes, sē þe longe hēr on þyssum win-dagum worolde brūceð.
Þǣr wæs sang and swēg samod ætgædere
†1065
fore Healfdenes hilde-wīsan, gomen-wudu grēted, gid oft wrecen,
þonne heal-gamen Hrōðgāres scop
Finnes eaferum, þā hīe se fǣr begeat:
†1070
“Hæleð Healfdenes, Hnæf Scyldinga,
“in Fr..es wæle feallan scolde.
“Nē hūru Hildeburh herian þorfte
“Eotena trēowe: unsynnum wearð
“beloren lēofum æt þām lind-plegan
“bearnum and brōðrum; hīe on gebyrd hruron
“gāre wunde; þæt wæs geōmuru ides.
“meotod-sceaft bemearn, syððan morgen cōm,
“þā hēo under swegle gesēon meahte
“morðor-bealo māga, þǣr hēo ǣr mǣste hēold
“worolde wynne: wīg ealle fornam
“Finnes þegnas, nemne fēaum ānum,
“þæt hē ne mehte on þǣm meðel-stede
†1085
“nē þā wēa-lāfe wīge forþringan
“þōodnes þegne; ac hig him geþingo budon,
“þæt hīe him ōðer flet eal gerȳmdon,
“healle and hēah-setl, þæt hīe healfre geweald
“wið Eotena bearn āgan mōston,
“and æt feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu
“dōgra gehwylce Dene weorðode,
“Hengestes hēap hringum wenede,
“efne swā swīðe sinc-gestrēonum
“fǣttan goldes, swā hē Frēsena cyn
“on bēor-sele byldan wolde.
“Þā hīe getruwedon on twā healfa
“fæste frioðu-wǣre; Fin Hengeste
“þæt hē þā wēa-lāfe weotena dōme
“ārum heolde, þæt þǣr ǣnig mon
“wordum nē worcum wǣre ne brǣce,
“nē þurh inwit-searo ǣfre gemǣnden,
“þēah hīe hira bēag-gyfan banan folgedon
“þēoden-lēase, þā him swā geþearfod wæs:
“gyf þonne Frȳsna hwylc frēcnan sprǣce
“þæs morðor-hetes myndgiend wǣre,
“þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.
“āhæfen of horde. Here-Scyldinga
“betst beado-rinca wæs on bǣl gearu;
“swāt-fāh syrce, swȳn eal-gylden,
“eofer īren-heard, æðeling manig
“wundum āwyrded; sume on wæle crungon.
†1115
“Hēt þā Hildeburh æt Hnæfes āde
“hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befæstan,
“bān-fatu bærnan and on bǣl dōn.
“Earme on eaxle ides gnornode,
“geōmrode giddum; gūð-rinc āstāh.
“Wand tō wolcnum wæl-fȳra mǣst,
“hlynode for hlāwe; hafelan multon,
“ben-geato burston, þonne blōd ætspranc
“lāð-bite līces. Līg ealle forswealg,
“gǣsta gīfrost, þāra þe þǣr gūð fornam
“bēga folces; wæs hira blǣd scacen.
XVIII. THE GLEEMAN’S TALE IS ENDED.
“Gewiton him þā wīgend wīca nēosian,
“frēondum befeallen Frȳsland gesēon,
“hāmas and hēa-burh. Hengest þā gȳt
“wæl-fāgne winter wunode mid Finne
†1130
“ealles unhlitme; eard gemunde,
“þēah þe hē ne meahte on mere drīfan
“hringed-stefnan; holm storme wēol,
“won wið winde; winter ȳðe belēac
“geār in geardas, swā nū gȳt dēð,
“þā þe syngales sēle bewitiað,
“wuldor-torhtan weder. Þā wæs winter scacen,
“fæger foldan bearm; fundode wrecca,
“gist of geardum; hē tō gyrn-wræce
“swīðor þōhte, þonne tō sǣ-lāde,
“gif hē torn-gemōt þurhtēon mihte,
“þæt hē Eotena bearn inne gemunde.
“Swā hē ne forwyrnde worold-rǣdenne,
“þonne him Hūnlāfing hilde-lēoman,
“billa sēlest, on bearm dyde:
“þæs wǣron mid Eotenum ecge cūðe.
“Swylce ferhð-frecan Fin eft begeat
“sweord-bealo slīðen æt his selfes hām,
“siððan grimne gripe Gūðlaf ond Ōslāf
“æfter sǣ-siðe sorge mǣndon,
“ætwiton wēana dǣl; ne meahte wǣfre mōd
“forhabban in hreðre. Þā wæs heal hroden
“fēonda fēorum, swilce Fin slægen,
“cyning on corðre, and sēo cwēn numen.
“Scēotend Scyldinga tō scypum feredon
“eal in-gesteald eorð-cyninges,
“swylce hīe æt Finnes hām findan meahton
“sigla searo-gimma. Hīe on sǣ-lāde
“drihtlīce wīf tō Denum feredon,
†1160
“lǣddon tō lēodum.” Lēoð wæs āsungen, glēo-mannes gyd. Gamen eft āstāh,
beorhtode benc-swēg, byrelas sealdon
wīn of wunder-fatum. Þā cwōm Wealhþēo forð
gān under gyldnum bēage, þǣr þā gōdan twēgen
†1165
sǣton suhter-gefæderan; þā gȳt wæs hiera sib ætgædere
ǣghwylc ōðrum trȳwe. Swylce þǣr Unferð þyle
æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga: gehwylc hiora his ferhðe trēowde,
þæt hē hæfde mōd micel, þēah þe hē his māgum nǣre
ārfæst æt ecga gelācum. Spræc þā ides Scyldinga:
“Onfōh þissum fulle, frēo-drihten mīn,
“sinces brytta; þū on sǣlum wes,
“gold-wine gumena, and tō Gēatum sprec
“mildum wordum! Swā sceal man dōn.
“Bēo wið Gēatas glæd, geofena gemyndig;
“nēan and feorran þū nū friðu hafast.
“Mē man sægde, þæt þū þē for sunu wolde
“here-rinc habban. Heorot is gefǣlsod,
“bēah-sele beorhta; brūc þenden þū mōte
“manigra mēda and þīnum māgum lǣf
“folc and rīce, þonne þū forð scyle
“metod-sceaft sēon. Ic mīnne can
“glædne Hrōðulf, þæt hē þā geogoðe wile
“ārum healdan, gyf þū ǣr þonne hē,
“wine Scildinga, worold oflǣtest;
“wēne ic, þæt hē mid gōde gyldan wille
“uncran eaferan, gif hē þæt eal gemon,
“hwæt wit tō willan and tō worð-myndum
“umbor wesendum ǣr ārna gefremedon.”
Hwearf þā bī bence, þǣr hyre byre wǣron,
Hrēðrīc and Hrōðmund, and hæleða bearn,
giogoð ætgædere; þǣr se gōda sæt
Bēowulf Gēata be þǣm gebrōðrum twǣm.
XIX. BĒOWULF’S JEWELLED COLLAR. THE HEROES REST.
Him wæs ful boren and frēond-laðu
wordum bewægned and wunden gold
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
Þone hring hæfde Higelāc Gēata, nefa Swertinges, nȳhstan sīðe,
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,
rīce þēoden, hē under rande gecranc;
gehwearf þā in Francna fæðm feorh cyninges, brēost-gewǣdu and se bēah somod:
wyrsan wīg-frecan wæl rēafedon
†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,
“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,
“windige weallas. Wes, þenden þū lifige,
“sinc-gestrēona. Bēo þū suna mīnum
“dǣdum gedēfe drēam healdende!
“Hēr is ǣghwylc eorl ōðrum getrȳwe,
“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:
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
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
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,
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,
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,
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.
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,
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,
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;
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,
blǣd-fæstne beorn. Næs Bēowulf þǣr,
æfter māððum-gife mǣrum Gēate.
Hrēam wearð on Heorote. Hēo under heolfre genam cūðe folme; cearu wæs genīwod
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,
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,
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
frēan Ingwina; frægn gif him wǣre
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,
“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
“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,
“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.
“þæt hīe gesāwon swylce twēgen
“micle mearc-stapan mōras healdan,
“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,
“þone on geār-dagum Grendel nemdon
“fold-būende: nō hīe fæder cunnon,
“hwæðer him ǣnig wæs ǣr ācenned
“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,
“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:
“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
“sinnigne secg: sēc gif þū dyrre!
“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:
“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
“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,
“nē on gyfenes grund, gā þǣr hē wille.
“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
þāra þe mid Hrōðgāre hām eahtode.
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,
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,
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
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,
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,
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,
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,
þæt hit ellen-weorc æfnan scolde.
eafoðes cræftig, þæt hē ǣr gespræc wīne druncen, þā hē þæs wǣpnes onlāh sēlran sweord-frecan: selfa ne dorste
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:
“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.
“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
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,
grim and grǣdig, þæt þǣr gumena sum
Grāp þā tōgēanes, gūð-rinc gefēng atolan clommum; nō þȳ ǣr in gescōd hālan līce: hring ūtan ymb-bearh,
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)
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,
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,
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,
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.
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,
mund-gripe mægenes. Swā sceal man dōn,
longsumne lof, nā ymb his līf cearað.
Gefēng þā be eaxle (nalas for fǣhðe mearn)
Gūð-Gēata lēod Grendles mōdor;
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,
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,
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
gewēold wīg-sigor, wītig drihten; rodera rǣdend hit on ryht gescēd,
XXIV. BĒOWULF SLAYS THE SPRITE.
Geseah þā on searwum sige-ēadig bil, eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þȳhtig,
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,
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;
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
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
oftor micle þonne on ǣnne sīð,
þonne hē Hrōðgāres heorð-genēatas slōh on sweofote, slǣpende fræt folces Denigea fȳf-tȳne men
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,
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,
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,
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,
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
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
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.
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
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.
Þā cōm in gān ealdor þegna, dǣd-cēne mon dōme gewurðad, hæle hilde-dēor. Hrōðgār grētan:
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,
“tīres tō tācne, þē þū hēr tō lōcast.
“Ic þæt unsōfte ealdre gedīgde:
“wigge under wætere weorc genēðde
“gūð getwǣfed, nymðe mec god scylde.
“Ne meahte ic æt hilde mid Hruntinge
“wiht gewyrcan, þēah þæt wǣpen duge,
“þæt ic on wāge geseah wlitig hangian
“eald sweord ēacen (oftost wīsode
“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
“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;
on geweald gehwearf worold-cyninga
þāra þe on Sceden-igge sceattas dǣlde.
Hrōðgār maðelode, hylt scēawode, ealde lāfe, on þǣm wæs ōr writen
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.
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
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
“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,
“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
“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
“āwræc wintrum frōd. Wundor is tō secganne,
“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,
“gedēð him swā gewealdene worolde dǣlas,
“sīde rīce, þæt hē his selfa ne mæg
“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
“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,
“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,
“secg se betsta, and þē þæt sēlre gecēos,
“mǣre cempa! Nū is þīnes mægnes blǣd
“þæt þec ādl oððe ecg eafoðes getwǣfeð,
“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.
“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.
“Hwæt! mē þæs on ēðle edwenden cwōm,
“gyrn æfter gomene, seoððan Grendel wearð,
“mōd-ceare micle. Þæs sig metode þanc,
“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
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:
sōna him sele-þegn sīðes wērgum, feorran-cundum forð wīsade, se for andrysnum ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, swylce þȳ dōgore hēaðo-līðende habban scoldon.
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,
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,
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
wīgend wǣron, ēode weorð Denum
æðeling tō yppan, þǣr se ōðer wæs hæle hilde-dēor, Hrōðgār grētte.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Nū wē sǣ-līðend secgan wyllað
“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,
“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,
“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
“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:
“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,
“folces hyrde, and þū þīn feorh hafast,
“þæt þe Sǣ-Gēatas sēlran næbben
“hord-weard hæleða, gif þū healdan wylt
†1855
“līcað leng swā wēl, lēofa Bēowulf:
“hafast þū gefēred, þæt þām folcum sceal,
“inwit-nīðas, þē hīe ǣr drugon;
“wesan, þenden ic wealde wīdan rīces,
“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
Þā gīt him eorla hlēo inne gesealde, mago Healfdenes māðmas twelfe, hēt hine mid þǣm lācum lēode swǣse
sēcean on gesyntum, snūde eft cuman.
þēoden Scildinga, þegen betstan and be healse genam; hruron him tēaras, blonden-feaxum: him wæs bēga wēn,
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
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.
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.
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;
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
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,
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,
flēat fāmig-heals forð ofer ȳðe, bunden-stefna ofer brim-strēamas,
þæt hīe Gēata clifu ongitan meahton,
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
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,
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
Hæreðes dōhtor: næs hīo hnāh swā þēah, nē tō gnēað gifa Gēata lēodum,
māðm-gestrēona. Mod Þrȳðo wæg,
fremu folces cwēn, firen ondrysne:
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,
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.
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,
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,
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,
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
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,
geongne gūð-cyning gōdne gefrūnon hringas dǣlan. Higelāce wæs sīð Bēowulfes snūde gecȳðed,
þæt þǣr on worðig wīgendra hlēo, lind-gestealla lifigende cwōm,
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
þurh hlēoðor-cwyde holdne gegrētte
hwearf geond þæt reced Hæreðes dōhtor:
†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,
“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
“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.”
Bīowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþīowes:
“Þæt is undyrne, dryhten Higelāc,
“hwylc orleg-hwīl uncer Grendles
“wearð on þām wange, þǣr hē worna fela
“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.
“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
“secge sealde, ǣr hīo tō setle gēong.
“Hwīlum for duguðe dōhtor Hrōðgāres
“eorlum on ende ealu-wǣge bær,
“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
“bon-gār būgeð, þēah sēo brȳd duge!
XXX. BĒOWULF’S STORY OF THE SLAYINGS.
“Mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan þēoden Heaðobeardna
“þonne hē mid fǣmnan on flett gǣð,
“dryht-bearn Dena duguða biwenede:
“heard and hring-mǣl, Heaðobeardna gestrēon,
“þenden hīe þām wǣpnum wealdan mōston,
“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),
“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
“’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,
“’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,
“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
“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,
“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,
“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,
“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,
“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:
“hē mec þǣr on innan unsynnigne,
“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,
“hwæðre him sīo swīðre swaðe weardade
“hand on Hiorte and hē hēan þonan,
“mōdes geōmor mere-grund gefēoll.
“Mē þone wæl-rǣs wine Scildunga
“manegum māðmum, syððan mergen cōm
“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
“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,
“sīðode sorh-full; sunu dēað fornam,
“hyre bearn gewræc, beorn ācwealde
“frōdan fyrn-witan, feorh ūðgenge;
“nōðer hȳ hine ne mōston, syððan mergen cwōm,
“bronde forbærnan, nē on bǣl hladan
“lēofne mannan: hīo þæt līc ætbær
“fēondes fæðmum under firgen-strēam.
“Þæt wæs Hrōðgāre hrēowa tornost
“þāra þe lēod-fruman lange begeāte;
“healsode hrēoh-mōd, þæt ic on holma geþring
“eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre genēðde,
“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
“in þām grund-sele Grendeles mōdor
“feorh oðferede; næs ic fǣge þā gȳt,