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Title: Beowulf

Author: James A. Harrison and Robert Sharp, eds.

Release Date: January, 2006 [EBook #9701]
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Edition: 10

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** Preface to the Project Gutenberg Edition of Beowulf **

This text is a revised and corrected version of the fourth edition of
Harrison and Sharp in its entirety. It comes in two basic versions. The
base version (available in plain-text and HTML) presents the original text
as printed. It preserves the source-text's idiosyncratic use of accented
vowels with the exception of y-circumflex (ŷ), which is replaced by y-acute
(ý) to fit within the Latin-1 character set. Manifestly unintentional
errors in the text have been corrected. In general, this has only been done
when the text is internally inconsistent (e.g., a quotation in the glossary
does not match the main text). Forms that represent deliberate editorial
choice have not been altered, even where they appear wrong. (For example,
some of the markings of vowel length do not reflect current scholarly
consensus.) In a few instances, quotations in the glossary use the correct
vowel length where the main text does not. These have not been altered.
Where an uncorrected problem may confuse the reader, I have inserted a note
explaining the difficulty, signed KTH. A complete list of the changes made
is appended at the end of the file. In order to make the text more useful
to modern readers, I have also produced a revised edition (HTML only). The
file you are reading is this revised version. Notes from the source text
that indicate changes adopted in later editions have been incorporated
directly into the text and apparatus. Further, long vowels are indicated
with macrons, as is the common practice of most modern editions. Finally,
the quantity of some words has been altered to the values currently
accepted as correct. Quantities have not been changed when the difference
is a matter of editorial interpretation (e.g., gæst vs. gǣst in l. 102,
etc.) A list of these altered quantities appears at the end of the list of
corrections. Your browser must support the Unicode character set to use
this file. To tell if your browser supports the necessary characters, check
the table of vowel equivalents below. If you see any empty boxes or
question marks in the "revised" columns, you should use the basic version.

Explanation of the Vowel Accenting

In general, Harrison and Sharp use circumflex accents over vowels to mark
long vowels. For ash, however, the actual character 'æ' represents the long
vowel. Short ash is rendered with a-umlaut (ä). The long diphthongs (ēo,
ēa, etc.) are indicated with an acute accent over the second vowel (eó, eá,
etc.).

Vowel Equivalents in Different Versions:

Orig. Revised    Orig.    Revised
 ä       æ         Ô         Ō
 Ä       Æ         û         ū
 æ       ǣ         Û         Ū
 Æ       Ǣ         ý         ȳ
 â       ā         Ý         Ȳ
 Â       Ā         eá        ēa
 ê       ē         Eá        Ēa
 Ê       Ē         eó        ēo
 î       ī         Eó        Ēo
 Î       Ī         ié        īe
 ô       ō         ió        īo

** End of PG Preface **

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.




BĒOWULF.

I. THE PASSING OF SCYLD.

     Hwæt! wē Gār-Dena      in geār-dagum
     þēod-cyninga      þrym gefrūnon,
     hū þā æðelingas      ellen fremedon.
     Oft Scyld Scēfing      sceaðena þrēatum,
5    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
10   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.
20   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
25   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,
30   þenden wordum wēold      wine Scyldinga,
     lēof land-fruma      lange āhte.
     Þǣr æt hȳðe stōd      hringed-stefna,
     īsig and ūtfūs,      æðelinges fær;
     ā-lēdon þā      lēofne þēoden,
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,
40   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,
45   þē hine æt frumsceafte      forð onsendon
     ǣnne ofer ȳðe      umbor wesende:
     þā gȳt hīe him āsetton      segen gyldenne
     hēah ofer hēafod,      lēton holm beran,
     gēafon on gār-secg:      him wæs geōmor sefa,
50   murnende mōd.      Men ne cunnon
     secgan tō soðe      sele-rǣdende,
     hæleð under heofenum,      hwā þǣm hlæste onfēng.


II. THE HALL HEOROT.

     Þā wæs on burgum      Bēowulf Scyldinga,
     lēof lēod-cyning,      longe þrāge
55   folcum gefrǣge      (fæder ellor hwearf,
     aldor of earde),      oð þæt him eft onwōc
     hēah Healfdene;      hēold þenden lifde,
     gamol and gūð-rēow,      glæde Scyldingas.
     Þǣm fēower bearn      forð-gerīmed
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,
65   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
75   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.
80   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
     þæt se ecg-hete      āðum-swerian
85   æfter wæl-nīðe      wæcnan scolde.
     Þā se ellen-gǣst      earfoðlīce
     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
95   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,
110  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.


III. GRENDEL'S VISITS.

115  Gewāt þā nēosian,      syððan niht becōm,
     hēan hūses,      hū hit Hring-Dene
     æfter bēor-þege      gebūn hæfdon.
     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,
125  mid þǣre wæl-fylle      wīca nēosan.
     Þā wæs on ūhtan      mid ǣr-dæge
     Grendles gūð-cræft      gumum undyrne:
     þā wæs æfter wiste      wōp up āhafen,
     micel morgen-swēg.      Mǣre þēoden,
130  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,
135  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,
140  bed æfter būrum,      þā him gebēacnod wæs,
     gesægd sōðlīce      sweotolan tācne
     heal-þegnes hete;      hēold hine syððan
     fyr and fæstor,      sē þǣm fēonde ætwand.
     Swā rīxode      and wið rihte wan
145  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
150  ylda bearnum      undyrne cūð,
     gyddum geōmore,      þætte Grendel wan,
     hwīle wið Hrōðgār;--      hete-nīðas wæg,
     fyrene and fǣhðe      fela missēra,
     singāle sæce,      sibbe ne wolde
155  wið manna hwone      mægenes Deniga
     feorh-bealo feorran,      fēo þingian,
     nē þǣr nǣnig witena      wēnan þorfte
     beorhtre bōte      tō banan folmum;
     atol ǣglǣca      ēhtende wæs,
160  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,
165  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);
170  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
180  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
185  in fȳres fæðm,      frōfre ne wēnan,
     wihte gewendan;      wēl bið þǣm þe mōt
     æfter dēað-dæge      drihten sēcean
     and tō fæder fæðmum      freoðo wilnian.


IV. HYGELAC'S THANE.

     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,
195  gōd mid Gēatum,      Grendles dǣda:
     sē wæs mon-cynnes      mægenes strengest
     on þǣm dæge      þysses līfes,
     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.
205  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.
210  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,
215  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
220  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
225  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,
230  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
235  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,
     "þæt on land Dena      lāðra nǣnig
     "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
     "lēase scēaweras      on land Dena
     "furður fēran.      Nū gē feor-būend,
255  "mere-līðende,      mīnne gehȳrað
     "ān-fealdne geþōht:      ofost is sēlest
     "tō gecȳðanne,      hwanan ēowre cyme syndon."


V. THE ERRAND.

     Him se yldesta      andswarode,
     werodes wīsa,      word-hord onlēac:
260  "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,
265  "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!
270  "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;
     "oððe ā syððan      earfoð-þrāge,
     "þrēa-nȳd þolað,      þenden þǣr wunað
285  "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.
290  "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,
295  "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,
300  "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
310  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
315  wicg gewende,      word æfter cwæð:
     "Mǣl is mē tō fēran;      fæder alwalda
     "mid ār-stafum      ēowic gehealde
     "sīða gesunde!      ic tō sǣ wille,
     "wið wrāð werod      wearde healdan."


VI. BĒOWULF'S SPEECH.

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,
330  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,
335  "here-sceafta hēap?--      Ic eom Hrōðgāres
     "ār and ombiht.      Ne seah ic el-þēodige
     "þus manige men      mōdiglīcran.
     "Wēn' ic þæt gē for wlenco,      nalles for wræc-sīðum,
     "ac for hige-þrymmum      Hrōðgār sōhton."
340  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,
345  "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,
350  wīg and wīs-dōm):      "ic þæs wine Deniga,
     "frēan Scildinga      frīnan wille,
     "bēaga bryttan,      swā þū bēna eart,
     "þēoden mǣrne      ymb þīnne sīð ;
     "and þē þā andsware      ǣdre gecȳðan,
355  "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.
360  Wulfgār maðelode      tō his wine-drihtne:
     "Hēr syndon geferede      feorran cumene
     "ofer geofenes begang      Gēata lēode:
     "þone yldestan      ōret-mecgas
     "Bēowulf nemnað.      Hȳ bēnan synt,
365  "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,
370  "sē þǣm heaðo-rincum      hider wīsade."


VII. HROTHGAR'S WELCOME.

     Hrōðgār maðelode,      helm Scyldinga:
     "Ic hine cūðe      cniht-wesende.
     "Wæs his eald-fæder      Ecgþēo hāten,
     "þǣm tō hām forgeaf      Hrēðel Gēata
375  "āngan dōhtor;      is his eafora nū
     "heard hēr cumen,      sōhte holdne wine.
     "þonne sægdon þæt      sǣ-līðende,
     "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
     "for ār-stafum      us onsende,
     "tō West-Denum,      þæs ic wēn hæbbe,
     "wið Grendles gryre:      ic þǣm gōdan sceal
385  "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
390  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.
395  "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,
400  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
410  "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.
415  "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
     "þing wið þyrse.      Ic þē nū þā,
     "brego Beorht-Dena,      biddan wille,
     "eodor Scyldinga,      ānre bēne;
     "þæt þū mē ne forwyrne,      wīgendra hlēo,
430  "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;
435  "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,
440  "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
445  "mægen Hrēðmanna.      Nā þū mīnne þearft
     "hafalan hȳdan,      ac hē mē habban wile
     "drēore fāhne,      gif mec dēað nimeð;
     "byreð blōdig wæl,      byrgean þenceð,
     "eteð ān-genga      unmurnlīce,
450  "mearcað mōr-hopu:      nō þū ymb mīnes ne þearft
     "līces feorme      leng sorgian.
     "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,
460  "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;
465  "þā ic furðum wēold      folce Deninga,
     "and on geogoðe hēold      gimme-rīce
     "hord-burh hæleða:      þā wæs Heregār dēad,
     "mīn yldra mǣg      unlifigende,
     "bearn Healfdenes.      Sē wæs betera þonne ic!
470  "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
475  "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
     "ofer ealo-wǣge      ōret-mecgas,
     "þæt hīe in bēor-sele      bīdan woldon
     "Grendles gūðe      mid gryrum ecga.
     "Þonne wæs þēos medo-heal      on morgen-tīd,
485  "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,
490  "sige-hrēð secgum,      swā þīn sefa hwette!"
     Þā wæs Gēat-mæcgum      geador ætsomne
     on bēor-sele      benc gerȳmed;
     þǣr swīð-ferhðe      sittan ēodon
     þrȳðum dealle.      Þegn nytte behēold,
495  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,
500  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
505  gehēdde under heofenum      þonne hē sylfa):
     "Eart þū sē Bēowulf,      sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
     "on sīdne sǣ      ymb sund flite,
     "þǣr git for wlence      wada cunnedon
     "and for dol-gilpe      on dēop wæter
510  "aldrum nēðdon?      Nē inc ǣnig mon,
     "nē lēof nē lāð,      belēan mihte
     "sorh-fullne sīð;      þā git on sund rēon,
     "þǣr git ēagor-strēam      earmum þehton,
     "mǣton mere-strǣta,      mundum brugdon,
515  "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,
520  "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:
530  "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.
535  "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,
540  "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.
     "Þā wit ætsomne      on sǣ wǣron
545  "fīf nihta fyrst,      oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf,
     "wado weallende,      wedera cealdost,
     "nīpende niht      and norðan wind
     "heaðo-grim andhwearf;      hrēo wǣron ȳða,
     "Wæs mere-fixa      mōd onhrēred:
550  "þǣr mē wið lāðum      līc-syrce mīn,
     "heard hond-locen,      helpe gefremede;
     "beado-hrægl brōden      on brēostum læg,
     "golde gegyrwed.      Mē tō grunde tēah
     "fāh fēond-scaða,      fæste hæfde
555  "grim on grāpe:      hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
     "þæt ic āglǣcan      orde gerǣhte,
     "hilde-bille;      heaðo-rǣs fornam
     "mihtig mere-dēor      þurh mīne hand.


X. BĒOWULF'S CONTEST WITH BRECA.-THE FEAST.

     "Swā mec gelōme      lāð-getēonan
560  "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,
565  "ac on mergenne      mēcum wunde
     "be ȳð-lāfe      uppe lǣgon,
     "sweordum āswefede,      þæt syððan nā
     "ymb brontne ford      brim-līðende
     "lāde ne letton.      Lēoht ēastan cōm,
570  "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
575  "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,
580  "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
585  "swā dēorlīce      dǣd gefremede
     "fāgum sweordum      . . . . . . .
     ". . . . . . .      nō ic þæs gylpe;
     "þēah þū þīnum brōðrum      tō banan wurde,
     "hēafod-mǣgum;      þæs þū in helle scealt
590  "werhðo drēogan,      þēah þīn wit duge,
     "Secge ic þē tō sōðe,      sunu Ecglāfes,
     "þæt nǣfre Grendel swā fela      gryra gefremede,
     "atol ǣglǣca      ealdre þīnum,
     "hȳnðo on Heorote,      gif þīn hige wǣre,
595  "sefa swā searo-grim,      swā þū self talast.
     "Ac hē hafað onfunden,      þæt hē þā fǣhðe ne þearf,
     "atole ecg-þræce      ēower lēode
     "swīðe onsittan,      Sige-Scyldinga;
     "nymeð nȳd-bāde,      nǣnegum ārað
600  "lēode Deniga,      ac hē on lust wīgeð,
     "swefeð ond sendeð,      secce ne wēneð
     "tō Gār-Denum.      Ac him Gēata sceal
     "eafoð and ellen      ungeāra nū
     "gūðe gebēodan.      Gǣð eft sē þe mōt
605  "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
610  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,
615  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.
     Ymb-ēode þā      ides Helminga
     duguðe and geogoðe      dǣl ǣghwylcne;
     sinc-fato sealde,      oð þæt sǣl ālamp,
     þæt hīo Bēowulfe,      bēag-hroden cwēn,
625  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,
630  wæl-rēow wiga      æt Wealhþēon,
     and þā gyddode      gūðe gefȳsed,
     Bēowulf maðelode,      bearn Ecgþēowes:
     "Ic þæt hogode,      þā ic on holm gestāh,
     "sǣ-bāt gesæt      mid mīnra secga gedriht,
635  "þæt ic ānunga      ēowra lēoda
     "willan geworhte,      oððe on wæl crunge,
     "fēond-grāpum fæst.      Ic gefremman sceal
     "eorlīc ellen,      oððe ende-dæg
     "on þisse meodu-healle      mīnne gebīdan."
640  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,
645  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.
     Grētte þā giddum      guma ōðerne,
     Hrōðgār Bēowulf,      and him hǣl ābēad,
655  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;
660  "gemyne mǣrðo,      mægen-ellen cȳð,
     "waca wið wrāðum!      Ne bið þē wilna gād,
     "gif þū þæt ellen-weorc      aldre gedīgest."


XI. THE WATCH FOR GRENDEL.

     Þā him Hrōðgār gewāt      mid his hæleða gedryht,
     eodur Scyldinga      ūt of healle;
665  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;
670  hūru Gēata lēod      georne truwode
     mōdgan mægnes,      metodes hyldo.
     Þā hē him of dyde      īsern-byrnan,
     helm of hafelan,      sealde his hyrsted sweord,
     īrena cyst      ombiht-þegne,
675  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;
680  "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
685  "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
690  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
700  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,
705  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
710  bād bolgen-mōd      beadwa geþinges.


XII. GRENDEL'S RAID.

     Þā cōm of mōre      under mist-hleoðum
     Grendel gongan,      godes yrre bær.
     Mynte se mān-scaða      manna cynnes
     sumne besyrwan      in sele þām hēan;
715  wōd under wolcnum,      tō þæs þe hē wīn-reced,
     gold-sele gumena,      gearwost wisse
     fǣttum fāhne.      Ne wæs þæt forma sīð,
     þæt hē Hrōðgāres      hām gesōhte:
     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,
725  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,
730  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
735  wist-fylle wēn.      Ne wæs þæt wyrd þā gēn,
     þæt hē mā mōste      manna cynnes
     þicgean ofer þā niht.      Þrȳð-swȳð behēold
     mǣg Higelāces,      hū se mān-scaða
     under fǣr-gripum      gefaran wolde.
740  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
745  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
750  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
755  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
760  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
765  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
775  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,
780  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
785  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
790  sē þe manna wæs      mægene strengest
     on þǣm dæge      þysses līfes.


XIII. BĒOWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL'S ARM.

     Nolde eorla hlēo      ǣnige þinga
     þone cwealm-cuman      cwicne forlǣtan,
     nē his līf-dagas      lēoda ǣnigum
795  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,
800  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;
805  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.
810  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
815  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
820  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
825  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
830  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,
835  syððan hilde-dēor      hond ālegde,
     earm and eaxle      (þǣr wæs eal geador
     Grendles grāpe)      under gēapne hrōf.


XIV. THE JOY AT HEOROT.

     Þā wæs on morgen      mīne gefrǣge
     ymb þā gif-healle      gūð-rinc monig:
840  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,
845  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,
855  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
860  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,
870  sē þe eal-fela      eald-gesegena
     worn gemunde,      word ōðer fand
     sōðe gebunden:      secg eft ongan
     sīð Bēowulfes      snyttrum styrian
     and on spēd wrecan      spel gerāde,
875  wordum wrixlan,      wēl-hwylc gecwæð,
     þæt hē fram Sigemunde      secgan hȳrde,
     ellen-dǣdum,      uncūðes fela,
     Wælsinges gewin,      wīde sīðas,
     þāra þe gumena bearn      gearwe ne wiston,
880  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:
     hæfdon eal-fela      eotena cynnes
885  sweordum gesǣged.      Sigemunde gesprong
     æfter dēað-dæge      dōm unlȳtel,
     syððan wīges heard      wyrm ācwealde,
     hordes hyrde;      hē under hārne stān,
     æðelinges bearn,      āna genēðde
890  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.
     Hæfde āglǣca      elne gegongen,
895  þæt hē bēah-hordes      brūcan mōste
     selfes dōme:      sǣ-bāt gehlōd,
     bær on bearm scipes      beorhte frætwa,
     Wælses eafera;      wyrm hāt gemealt.
     Sē wæs wreccena      wīde mǣrost
900  ofer wer-þēode,      wīgendra hlēo
     ellen-dǣdum:      hē þæs āron þāh.
     Siððan Heremōdes      hild sweðrode
     eafoð and ellen.      Hē mid eotenum wearð
     on fēonda geweald      forð forlācen,
905  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,
910  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,
915  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
920  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.


XV. HROTHGAR'S GRATULATION.

     Hrōðgār maðelode      (hē tō healle gēong,
     stōd on stapole,      geseah stēapne hrōf
     golde fāhne      and Grendles hond):
     "þisse ansȳne      al-wealdan þanc
930  "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
935  "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,
     "þē wē ealle      ǣr ne meahton
     "snyttrum besyrwan.      Hwæt! þæt secgan mæg
     "efne swā hwylc mægða,      swā þone magan cende
945  "æfter gum-cynnum,      gyf hēo gȳt lyfað,
     "þæt hyre eald-metod      ēste wǣre
     "bearn-gebyrdo.      Nū ic Bēowulf
     "þec, secg betsta,      mē for sunu wylle
     "frēogan on ferhðe;      heald forð tela
950  "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
955  "dǣdum gefremed,      þæt þīn dōm lyfað
     "āwa tō aldre.      Alwalda þec
     "gōde forgylde,      swā hē nū gȳt dyde!"
     Bēowulf maðelode,      bearn Ecgþēowes:
     "Wē þæt ellen-weorc      ēstum miclum,
960  "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
965  "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,
970  "feorh-genīðlan;      wæs tō fore-mihtig
     "fēond on fēðe.      Hwæðere hē his folme forlēt
     "tō līf-wraðe      lāst weardian,
     "earm and eaxle;      nō þǣr ǣnige swā þēah
     "fēa-sceaft guma      frōfre gebohte:
975  "nō þȳ leng leofað      lāð-getēona
     "synnum geswenced,      ac hyne sār hafað
     "in nȳd-gripe      nearwe befongen,
     "balwon bendum:      þǣr ābīdan sceal
     "maga māne fāh      miclan dōmes,
980  "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,
985  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
990  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,
1010 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
1020 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
1025 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
1030 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
1035 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,
1040 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
1045 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,
1050 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
1055 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;
1060 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
     æfter medo-bence      mǣnan scolde
     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
1075 "bearnum and brōðrum;      hīe on gebyrd hruron
     "gāre wunde;      þæt wæs geōmuru ides.
     "Nalles hōlinga      Hōces dōhtor
     "meotod-sceaft bemearn,      syððan morgen cōm,
     "þā hēo under swegle      gesēon meahte
1080 "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
     "wīg Hengeste      wiht gefeohtan,
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,
1090 "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
1095 "on bēor-sele      byldan wolde.
     "Þā hīe getruwedon      on twā healfa
     "fæste frioðu-wǣre;      Fin Hengeste
     "elne unflitme      āðum benemde,
     "þæt hē þā wēa-lāfe      weotena dōme
1100 "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:
1105 "gyf þonne Frȳsna hwylc      frēcnan sprǣce
     "þæs morðor-hetes      myndgiend wǣre,
     "þonne hit sweordes ecg      syððan scolde.
     "Āð wæs geæfned      and icge gold
     "āhæfen of horde.      Here-Scyldinga
1110 "betst beado-rinca      wæs on bǣl gearu;
     "æt þǣm āde wæs      ēð-gesȳne
     "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.
1120 "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
1125 "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
     "īs-gebinde      oð þæt ōðer cōm
1135 "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
1140 "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,
1145 "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
1150 "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.
1155 "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:
1170 "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;
1175 "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
1180 "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;
1185 "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,
1190 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
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 wælm